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Paths to becoming a member of Gloria Christi
Membership Responsibilities
John 15:1-7
Going to Church, as we say, is not really about what we are doing for God but it is about what He
is doing for us in delivering forgiveness, life, and salvation to us through the holy Word and Sacraments. There and then
is delivered to us the fruit of what Christ purchased once and for all in His death and resurrection. Our worship is in
the way of response.
True as it is that we can worship God in many places, what is not going on in just any place is most important, namely:
the sound preaching of God's powerful Word, the administration of Holy Baptism, the hearing of confession and absolution (forgiveness)
pronounced, and the giving out of the Lord's Supper according to Christ's institution. That's what makes Church, the Church.
And that's what creates and sustains faith and preserves us in repentance, faith, the holiness of God, and trust in the Lord's
promises.
A quotation from a 1532 Hauspostille (Sermon)Trinity
VIII by Martin Luther --- Christ admonishes us very earnestly to remain with God's Word, hear it gladly, and zealously learn from it. If you
do this, Christ promises to be with you with his grace. If not, then, Christ says, false prophets and wolves will come and
devour you. Therefore, have a care that you hold firmly to my Word, so that the devil cannot mislead you; for if you let my
Word go, you will again be duped. This is a true-blue admonition that should certainly move us to hear and learn from God's
Word. But it avails little for the many who say, Oh, I've already learned the gospel, understand it well, and have no immediate
need for it. Many indeed blurt out that they no longer require pastors and preachers, since they can read the Word for themselves
at home. But the fact is that they don't do it. Or if they read it at home, the Word is not as productive, nor as dynamic,
as it is when publicly proclaimed through the mouth of the preacher whom God has called and ordained to do such preaching
for them. Christ warns these people: Be careful, you will be misled; false prophets will come to you, and they will do so
in sheep's clothing. You need not think that a false prophet will come admitting that he is a deceiver who intends to pull
the wool over your eyes and bring you the devil. Hardly! Every false prophet's approach is in sheep's clothing. That is why
your false security is disastrous. Be on guard, because you are like schoolchildren whom the devil wants to dupe. Because
you don't apply yourself to the Word of God, you should realize that the devil already has his foot in the door.
Romans 10:17
Click the link below to listen to an episode of Issues Etc Lutheran radio program on the topic of attending church - guest:
Rev. Dr. Norman Nagel; host: Rev. Todd Wilken.
Radio program on attending church.
Hebrews 10:19-25
A member of a certain church, who previously had been attending services regularly, stopped going. After a few weeks, the
pastor decided to visit him. It was a chilly evening. The pastor found the man at home alone, sitting before a blazing fire.
Guessing the reason for his pastor's visit, the man welcomed him, led him to a comfortable chair near the fireplace and
waited.
The pastor made himself at home but said nothing. In the grave silence, he contemplated the dance of the flames around
the burning logs. After some minutes, the pastor took the fire tongs, carefully picked up a brightly burning ember and placed
it to one side of the hearth all alone. Then he sat back in his chair, still silent.
The host watched all this in quiet contemplation. As the one lone ember's flame flickered and diminished, there was a
momentary glow and then its fire was no more. Soon it was cold and dead. Not a word had been spoken since the initial greeting.
The pastor glanced at his watch and realized it was time to leave, he slowly stood up, picked up the cold, dead ember and
placed it back in the middle of the fire.
Immediately it began to glow, once more with the light and warmth of the burning coals around it. As the pastor reached
the door to leave, his host said with a tear running down his cheek, "Thank you so much for your visit and especially
for the fiery sermon. I shall be back in church next Sunday."
Romans 6:1-14
(audio above...) How God Deals With Our Guilt &
Shame Rev. David Petersen of Redeemer Lutheran
Church-Fort Wayne, IN
John 6:60-68
FROM LUTHER'S SMALL CATECHISM:
Apostles' Creed - The Third Article.
I believe in the Holy Ghost; one holy Christian Church, the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection
of the body; and the life everlasting. Amen.
What does this mean?--Answer.
I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to Him; but the Holy
Ghost has called me by the Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith; even as He calls,
gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the whole Christian Church on earth, and keeps it with Jesus Christ in the one true faith;
in which Christian Church He forgives daily and richly all sins to me and all believers, and at the last day will raise up
me and all the dead, and will give to me and to all believers in Christ everlasting life. This is most certainly true.
From the Christian Questions and Answers for Communicants:
20. But what should you do if you are not aware of this need and have no hunger and thirst for the Sacrament?
To such a person no better advice can be given than this: first, he should touch his body to see if he still has flesh
and blood. Then he should believe what the Scriptures say of it in Galatians 5 and Romans 7. Second, he should look around
to see whether he is still in the world, and remember that there will be no lack of sin and trouble, as the Scriptures say
in John 15-16 and in 1 John 2 and 5. Third, he will certainly have the devil also around him, who with his lying and murdering
day and night will let him have no peace, within or without, as the Scriptures picture him in John 8 and 16; 1 Peter 5; Ephesians
6; and 2 Timothy 2.
SOME SCRIPTURE TEXTS FOR PRAYERFUL CONTEMPLATION:
VINE AND THE BRANCHES
1 "I AM the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away;[a]
and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 You are already clean because of the word which
I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine,
neither can you, unless you abide in Me.
5 "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can
do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them
into the fire, and they are burned. 7 If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it
shall be done for you. 8 By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples. John 15:1-8
THE ONE THING NEEDFUL
38 Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into
her house. 39 And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus' feet and heard His word. 40 But Martha was distracted
with much serving, and she approached Him and said, "Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone?
Therefore tell her to help me."
41 And Jesus[l] answered and said to her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. 42 But
one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her." Luke 10:38-42
DO NOT NEGLECT THE ASSEMBLY OF THE CHURCH
19 Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way which He
consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, 21 and having a High Priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw
near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed
with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. 24 And
let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, 25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together,
as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching. Hebrews 10:19-25
CONTINUING STEADFASTLY...
And they continued steadfastly in the Apostles' doctrine and fellowship in the breaking of bread and in the prayers.
Acts 2:42
FAITH COMES BY HEARING THE WORD OF GOD...
14 How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have
not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? 15 And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written:
"How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace,
Who bring glad tidings of good things!"
16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, "LORD, who has believed our report?" 17 So then
faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Romans 10:14-17
LIVING FROM THE BREAD OF LIFE
22 On the following day, when the people who were standing on the other side of the sea saw that there was no other boat
there, except that one which His disciples had entered, and that Jesus had not entered the boat with His disciples, but His
disciples had gone away alone 23 however, other boats came from Tiberias, near the place where they ate bread after the Lord
had given thanks 24 when the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, nor His disciples, they also got into boats and
came to Capernaum, seeking Jesus. 25 And when they found Him on the other side of the sea, they said to Him, "Rabbi,
when did You come here?"
26 Jesus answered them and said, "Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because
you ate of the loaves and were filled. 27 Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting
life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him."
28 Then they said to Him, "What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?"
29 Jesus answered and said to them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent."
30 Therefore they said to Him, "What sign will You perform then, that we may see it and believe You? What work will
You do? 31 Our fathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written, "He gave them bread from heaven to eat.'"
32 Then Jesus said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but My Father
gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world."
34 Then they said to Him, "Lord, give us this bread always."
35 And Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in
Me shall never thirst. 36 But I said to you that you have seen Me and yet do not believe. 37 All that the Father gives Me
will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out. 38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do My
own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. 39 This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should
lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day. 40 And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the
Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day."
41 The Jews then complained about Him, because He said, "I am the bread which came down from heaven." 42 And
they said, "Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How is it then that He says, 'I have
come down from heaven'?"
43 Jesus therefore answered and said to them, "Do not murmur among yourselves. 44 No one can come to Me unless the
Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day. 45 It is written in the prophets, 'And they shall all
be taught by God.' Therefore everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me. 46 Not that anyone has seen the
Father, except He who is from God; He has seen the Father. 47 Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me[g] has everlasting
life. 48 I am the bread of life. 49 Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and are dead. 50 This is the bread which
comes down from heaven, that one may eat of it and not die. 51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone
eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of
the world."
52 The Jews therefore quarreled among themselves, saying, "How can this Man give us His flesh to eat?"
53 Then Jesus said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His
blood, you have no life in you. 54 Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at
the last day. 55 For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. 56 He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides
in Me, and I in him. 57 As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because
of Me. 58 This is the bread which came down from heaven, not as your fathers ate the manna, and are dead. He who eats this
bread will live forever."
59 These things He said in the synagogue as He taught in Capernaum.
60 Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard this, said, "This is a hard saying; who can understand it?"
61 When Jesus knew in Himself that His disciples complained about this, He said to them, "Does this offend you? 62
What then if you should see the Son of Man ascend where He was before? 63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits
nothing. The words that I speak to you are Spirit, and they are Life. 64 But there are some of you who do not believe."
For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who would betray Him. 65 And He said, "Therefore
I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father."
66 From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more. 67 Then Jesus said to the twelve, "Do
you also want to go away?"
68 But Simon Peter answered Him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69 Also we have
come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." John 6:22-69
REPENTANCE AND CONTINUING IN THE FAITH
5 This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at
all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But if we
walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses
us from all sin.
8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful
and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make
Him a liar, and His word is not in us. 1 My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if
anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 2 And He Himself is the propitiation for our
sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world. I John 1:5-2:1
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