September 1st: My first chapel

Lutheran North's theme for this year is from Hebrews 12:1-3:

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

My first chapel is the second day of school. Any suggestions?

I'm leaning toward using some great insights by C.F.W. Walther, the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod’s first president who wrote Law and Gospel a book that every LHN chapel speaker should read. I referenced Walther's passage in a previous post and it makes for good discussion and reveals the impotance of both Law and Gospel in our chapels, sermons and lives.

In his “Third Evening Lecture: on September 26, 1884” Walther quotes Luther,“These two points must be made: The Law creates a thirst and leads us to hell; the Gospel, however, satisfies the thirst and leads to heaven. The Law states what we must do, but that we have fallen short of doing it, no matter how holy we may be. Thus it produces uncertainty in me and arouses this thirst.”

Walther follows this Luther quote with, “Such a thirsty person must do only one thing: Drink, receive the comfort of the Gospel. How a truly thirsty person is refreshed by even one small glass of water! But if he is not thirsty, you may pour glass after glass down his throat, and it won’t do him any good, it won’t refresh him."

The quenching drink of the Gospel truly restores our souls. There is nothing more healing than the suave of Christ. Through His sacrifice our sins are forgiven, righteousness, salvation and mercy are ours.

Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. - John 1:29