` The Lifelong Learning of a Christian

The Lifelong Learning of a Christian



The Lifelong Learning of a Christian

“Give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.”

          —I Timothy 4:13

Catechesis.  It’s a word that is floated around a lot in Lutheran circles today.  All of the ills of the church will be solved by catechesis.  People will give more, do more, and be better Christians if we simply teach them what it really means to be a Christian.  I sometimes think that we are barraged with such an incredible amount of information all the time that we feel in the Church like we must provide enough good information to counter-balance all of the junk that our minds are hit with every day.

But the question is this: is this really catechesis as the Lutheran Church has historically meant it?  Not really.  Catechesis could better be described as a life-long process, a journey if you will, of learning what it means to find our lives forever bound in the blood of Jesus Christ.  Hear these words of Martin Luther:

I am often aware of temptation, and even in this day I can scarcely guard myself sufficiently against it.  This I confess openly as an example to any who are interested, although I am an old doctor (theological doctor) and preacher and am so much more versed in the Scriptures, or at least ought to be, than all those wise men who attack me; Still I must grow daily, like a child, saying aloud every morning the Lord’s Prayer, the Ten Commandments, the Creed, and such precious Psalms as I choose, just as children are now being taught to do, although I have daily to study the Scriptures and to fight the devil.  I may not say in my heart: you know the Lord’s Prayer, you know the Ten Commandments, you know the Creed by heart etc . . . No, I must go on learning every day and remain a pupil of the Catechism.  —Luther's Exposition of Psalm 117, W.A. 31.1.227

Here we see from Dr. Luther what catechesis is all about.  Catechesis is about an orientation, a way of looking at life that means we are all pupils, we are all guilty of arrogance and pride when it comes to our faith.  To Luther, the Commandments, Creed and Lord’s Prayer were the building blocks upon which a firm faith are built.  In these words we have Law and Gospel.  In these words how to confess (Commandments), what to believe (Creed) and what to desire (Lord’s Prayer) are shaped.

It is this shaping of the Christian that goes on for a lifetime.  Perhaps an analogy might be that it is like learning a language.  For us, the language of God is a foreign language since the Fall.  God has given us the language in our Baptism, and He continues to give us this language of faith through Creed and Prayer.  If the language is not used, we forget it. The word catechesis even means echo.  There are so many forces against remaining faithful.  All one has to do is turn on the television, and you will be bombarded with images and thoughts that are against everything about our Lord Jesus Christ.  Thus, the concept of catechesis is counter-cultural.  By being (and remaining) children of God we are a continual witness against an unbelieving and harsh world.

This month we begin both confirmation instruction and a new class called Didache (pronounced DID-A-KÀY) for adults.  This class is for new Christians and old, for those wishing to join Messiah and for those that want to relearn what it means to be a Lutheran Christian.  We will look at the catechism, at the Scriptures and at the hymnal, the three prayer-books of the Christian.  I hope you will consider joining us on this journey of faith.      Didache will begin on Sunday, November 14th at 7 p.m.  May God grant that Messiah be ever mindful of the gifts our Lord has given us in His precious Gospel, and let that language of faith be ever present in our lives.

+ The Lord be with you +

Pastor Peperkorn 

 
From the November 1999 Messiah’s Messenger
 
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This page was created on 02/08/2007 and last edited on: 02/08/2007
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