Matins – Tuesday, June 30th

Good afternoon!

In light of a failed recording of Matins yet again, below are the two parts of our assigned “Writing” for today. I encourage you to go through this week’s Congregation at Prayer, and read these writings in addition to today’s assigned reading. The Lord be with you.

Peace in Christ,
Pastor Courie

Today’s Writing(s)

“Therefore God, out of His immense goodness and mercy, has His divine eternal Law and His wonderful plan concerning our redemption, namely, the holy, alone-saving Gospel of His eternal Son, our only Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ, publicly preached; and by this [preaching] collects an eternal Church for Himself from the human race, and works in the hearts of men true repentance and knowledge of sins, and true faith in the Son of God, Jesus Christ. And by this means, and in no other way, namely, through His holy Word, when men hear it preached or read it, and the holy Sacraments when they are used according to His Word, God desires to call men to eternal salvation, draw them to Himself, and convert, regenerate, and sanctify them.”
– Solid Declaration of the Formula of Concord II 50

“For even those who believe before Baptism, or become believing in Baptism, believe through the preceding outward Word, as the adults, who have come to reason, must first have heard: He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved [Mark 16:16], even though they are at first unbelieving, and receive the Spirit and Baptism ten years afterwards. 8] Cornelius (in Acts 10:1-2) had heard long before among the Jews of the coming Messiah, through whom he was righteous before God, and in such faith his prayers and alms were acceptable to God (as Luke calls him devout and God-fearing), and without such preceding Word and hearing could not have believed or been righteous [Romans 10:17]. But St. Peter had to reveal to him that the Messiah (in whom, as one that was to come, he had hitherto believed) now had come, lest his faith concerning the coming Messiah hold him captive among the hardened and unbelieving Jews, but know that he was now to be saved by the present Messiah, and must not, with the [rabble of the] Jews deny nor persecute Him.”
– Smalcald Articles III VIII 7-8