Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

 

Tomorrow I will proclaim God's Word in regard to holy marriage. The Ephesians 5 text is not popular in our culture today, but it is nevertheless the wisdom and power of God for blessing holy marriage. Here is an excerpt:

This picture of the wife anticipates the leadership of the husband. It is one that is based on sacrificial love where the wife is motivated to stand by her husband who showers her with love. But how can a man have such consistency with all the ups and downs of life? Consider the fact that where St. Paul says, “Husbands, love your wives...” that the word is not “affection,” but the word is “long-suffering/sacrificial love.” That’s why St. Paul qualifies the words by saying, “as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her (v 25).” This is a vital qualification: the call to husbands is not to feel affection 24/7 or to be romantic 24/7 -- though we should very much pursue rekindling romance and affection -- but if you ever find yourself struggling then take heart: the Lord is here emphasizing your sacrificial commitment and not your emotion.

That means husbands that you are first of all responding to the Word of God, and the One who forgives your sins husbands is the One who calls you to your duty: provide, protect, care for, serve, give -- in every way that you can -- for your wife. Do these things whether or not you feel like doing them. This kind of love does not depend on how you feel, though so many foolishly want to assume that it does. Do it because Christ shed His blood for you. And do it also because of the stated reason in Ephesians: when you do, you love yourself! It is a startling, but true statement that when the husband is not really taking good care of himself, then it is because he is not really taking good care of his wife. A man who does not love his wife, who does not sacrifice for his wife, is detrimental to himself. How important is this? Well, in this text three verses are devoted to the wives, but seven are devoted to the husbands. The husbands must take the right kind of lead that is always in imitation of the Lover of our Souls, Jesus Christ!

And Christ did take the lead my dear Christians. He “gave way” to you and submitted Himself to the will of the Father to save you from your sins; and He also sacrificed Himself as our Leader, and as a result we know these two little words as well: “submit” and “sacrifice”...these words mean that we are in Christ and that we belong to Him. May He continue to be the strand that keeps our marriages strong; may this living picture of Christ and His Church be the foundation for our relationship God and if you are married, for your relationship with your spouse...to the glory of Jesus Christ! Amen!

We hope to see you in God's house tomorrow...may we rejoice in His Word and Sacrament given to His children (all of you)!

 

In Christ,

 

Dr. Espinosa

Dear Christian Friends,

 

Everything that we have received from the LORD is just that: from the LORD! Even our sanctification is from Him! The Word of the LORD: "He [God] is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, whom God made our wisdom and our righteousness and sanctification and redemption (1st Corinthians 1:30)."

In this context, Dr. Mueller's list he provide on August 19th is spot on in describing how we -- by God's grace through Word and Sacrament -- are enabled to live in the light of Christ. This is what Dr. Mueller proclaimed:

Walking in the light of Christ

 

Risen with Christ, his light shines on us (Eph 5:14)

 

We walk not as unwise, but as wise (Eph 5:16)  and remember that “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 9:10)."

 

We rejoice in things that are “good, right and true” – that’s where the “fruit of the light is found” (Eph 5:9)

We make the best use of time in these evil days (Eph 5:16)

 

We “understand what the will of the Lord is” (Eph 5:17) by study of his Word

 

We don’t turn to the world’s debauchery, but are filled with the Spirit (Eph 5:18)

 

We worship together, “addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart,  giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, (Eph 5:19-20)

 

We submit to one another (Eph 5:21)

 

So what do you think? It sounds like God's new creation. Christ's righteousness is passively received as God clothes you in Christ, AND it actively occurs...in and through His people who radiate His light. My, my, it sounds as though Lutheran Christians really do believe in sanctification. As Harold Senkbeil entitled his book: "Sanctification: Christ in action". Christ is the Living God. His life is now in those who believe and are baptized!

 

In Christ,

 

Dr. Espinosa

Dear Christian Friends,

 

Here is an excerpt from the August 12th sermon:

 

Ephesians 4:22-24: “put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, ²³and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, ²⁴and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.”

 A.  You put off the old self when you confess your sin and turn away from it...not filling your mind with it, but denouncing it...and you put on your new self when in faith you return to Jesus Christ...your only righteousness and your only holiness who died for your sins so that they would not swallow you and destroy you, making you futile and worthless.

 B.  And the LORD through St. Paul did not leave the Ephesians to themselves (and the LORD does not leave you to yourself), but finished this section with Christ...and in Christ, this life we are discussing will not be a foreign thing, but a familiar thing:

Ephesians 5:2: “And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”

Christ loves you dear Christian; He gave Himself up for you...and through His victorious sacrifice, He will be your holiness, He will be your strength to put off (every day) the old self and to put on (every day) the new self...the new self united with Christ that leads us to loath that which would make our lives futile; and leads us to love the life of our Savior and LORD!

In Your Service and To Christ's Glory,

 

Dr. Espinosa 

Dear Christian Friends,

 

Here is an excerpt for what is coming up in about 10 hours:

 

How familiar this popular approach to God really is. When people really want something, what kind of advice do they usually get? “Just follow your heart!” That is, just assume that whatever you want, must be what you should possess. We are taught that you can have and do whatever you want...you only need to want it bad enough. This might be true for certain civil realm endeavors, such as earning a college degree, or perhaps landing a certain job, or perhaps even winning the affections of someone you love, but this philosophy does not apply to Christ. We cannot become bloodsuckers towards God and believe that our religion is based on coaxing God, or impressing Him so as to get from Him what we want. There is nothing we can do to “work” God into tickling our fancies. When it comes to Christ, our entire approach dear brothers and sisters in Christ must be different. For starters, we must know that there is no approaching God unless God draws us to Himself (John 6:44).

 

It is monumentally important for us to understand that being a Christian does not know its emphasis in living in terms of trying to please God, but to contrary, emphasizes that in Christ, God is already pleased with you. Being a Christian is not so much about striving for good as it is knowing that in Christ you are good. Being a Christian is not for those who come to church to do “what is right,” but for those who desire to taste and see once again that God makes them right in Christ.

 

If what I just said seems confusing, then allow me to put it this way: being a Christian is not based on your work/what you work out; but based on God’s work/what God works out. Just consider Christ’s earthly ministry. When He healed the sick, the sick did not heal themselves. When He gave sight to the blind, the blind did not give sight to themselves. When He fed the hungry, the hungry relied on His work to feed them. The LORD’s modus operandi has not changed in 2012. God is after-all immutable. He still comes today and He still works His work.

 

I hope to see you in God's house!

 

Dr. Espinosa