Concord Matters from KFUO Radio

Does God’s presence come directly to us? How do churches relate to each other, and how to pastors relate to churches? Do we have authority or divine right to have power over others? How did Jesus send disciples and apostles out to teach? These questions are covered in this week’s episode of Concord Matters. Rev. Peter Ill, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Millstadt, Illinois, and Peter Slayton, social media manager for the LCMS, join host Rev. Sean Smith to discuss paragraphs 6-11 of The Power and Primacy of the Pope in the Book of Concord.

What is the right of any one man to rule absolutely in the church on Earth? Was the Pope always regarded by the Early Church as the supreme ruler in Christendom? How is the Church organized, structured, and governed? How do Lutherans receive pastors? These are the questions that are addressed in the document in the Book of Concord called “The Power and Primacy of the Pope.” Rev. Peter Ill, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Millstadt, Illinois, and Peter Slayton, Social Media Manager for the LCMS, join host Rev. Sean Smith to discuss “The Power and Primacy of the Pope” in the Book of Concord.

Some traditions and institutions are created with the best of intentions, but when they do not work out as planned, rules and regulations designed to “fix things” can end up making matters worse. This is what the Smalcald Articles says happened in the case of Monastic Vows (Part III, Article XIV) and Human Traditions (Part III, Article XV). Rev. Anthony Oliphant, pastor of Redeemer Lutheran Church in Elmhurst, Illinois, joins host Rev. Sean Smith to discuss these articles.

Have you ever heard (or thought) these things? What about good works? Doesn’t God command us to do certain things, like keeping the Ten Commandments or loving our neighbor as ourselves? Isn’t the promise of sheer grace a little dangerous? Won’t people get lazy if we tell them there is nothing they can do to save themselves? We have to do something, don’t we? Luther addresses all of these questions in the Smalcald Articles, Part III, Article XIII: How One is Justified before God and Does Good Works. Rev. Peter Ill, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Millstadt, IL, and Peter Slayton, Social Media Manager for the LCMS, join host Rev. Sean Smith for the conversation.

We call the Church the “Holy Christian Church.” But who or what is the church? What is the authority of the church? What is the church built on, and what do we put our faith in? These are the points that Luther takes up in a short, but weighty articles for discussion in the Smalcald Articles: Part III, Articles XII: The Church. Rev. Peter Ill, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Millstadt, IL, and Peter Slayton, Social Media Manager for the LCMS, join host Rev. Sean Smith for the conversation.

Rev. Micah Bauer, Associate Pastor of Mount Calvary Lutheran Church in Brookings, South Dakota, joins host Rev. Sean Smith to discuss Part III, Article X: Ordination and the Call in the Smalcald Articles in the Book of Concord. The church is to gather together to preach the Gospel, use the sacraments, and promote the spreading of the pure Word of God. For this work, our Lord has graciously given to His Church the Office of Holy Ministry. Hence, there is a need for pastors! But how can you know that your pastor is rightly ordained for this work?

Rev. Mark Bestul, pastor of Calvary Lutheran Church in Elgin, Illinois, joins host Rev. Sean Smith to discuss Part III, Article IX: Excommunication in the Smalcald Articles in the Book of Concord. They discuss what excommunication is especially from a Lutheran or Roman Catholic viewpoint, how penitence and contrition plays a role in excommunication and “minor bans,” and how closed communion relates to excommunication.

Rev. Peter Ill, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Millstadt, Illinois, and Peter Slayton, Social Media Manager for the LMCS, join host Rev. Sean Smith to discuss Part III, Article VIII: Confession (paragraphs 3-13) in the Smalcald Articles in the Book of Concord. They discuss the meaning of confession, the power of the Word of God, and what it means to have Christ’s Words spoken to you. Find the chapel homily referenced at kfuo.org/2019/08/08/chapel-080819-william-weedon-jeremiah7.

Rev. Michael Schuermann joins host Rev. Sean Smith to discuss Part III, Article VII: The Keys, and Part III, Article VIII: Confession in the Smalcald Articles in the Book of Concord. They discuss what it means to bind and loose sins, sins that only we know about and how they are also bound and loosed, how confession is about the Gospel, and the work of Christ applied to us rather than our act of confession saving us.

Host Rev. Sean Smith— pastor of Immanuel-Campbell Hill and St. Paul-Wine Hill, Illinois, and guests Rev. Peter Ill— Senior Pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Millstadt, Illinois, and Rev. Merritt Demski— pastor of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Waterloo, Illinois, discuss Part III, Article VI: Of the Sacrament of the Altar of the Smalcald Articles in the Book of Concord. When you think that this doctrine of the Sacrament of the Altar doesn’t make sense, simply smile, shrug, and confess the Gospel of Jesus.