ST. JOHN LUTHERAN CHURCH
(The Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod)
Alma, Kansas
A family united by faith in Christ gathering around God's Word and Sacraments.
To reach out in Christ-like concern and Christ-borne love to each other and to those without Christ!
In This Month's
St. John Witness
NOVEMBER WITNESS
Spiritual Growth
GROWTH IN THE GOSPEL: During November, we hear how God’s plan is fulfilled in heaven, and how we are to use our gifts to extend his kingdom here on earth.
COMMEMORATION OF THE FAITHFUL DEPARTED: On November 3, We recognize members who have been called from our midst in the past 12 months and received a crown glory that will not fade through Jesus Christ. These include:
John Savage 2 Corinthians 5:14-15 JoAnn Meyer Revelation 2:10 Albert Dean Zeckser Psalm 23:6 Nyla Gehrt Psalm 90:12 Loma Stuewe Matthew 26:41 Beverly Miller 2 Corinthians 13:11 Ray Sommer Proverbs 22:6 Rev. James Mayes Romans 8:31-32 H. Wayne Wille Psalm 46:1THURSDAY BIBLE STUDY will begin to study two books of Solomon in November: Ecclesiastes and Song of Solomon. If you would like to have these LifeLight© materials, please call the church office.
TWO KINGDOMS: Martin Luther explains the kingdom of the right and the left. While God presides as King over all of creation, He has established order and purpose for all life through these kingdoms.
The right-hand kingdom, the kingdom of grace, is made known through the Church. Forgiveness is her currency, as we receive mercy from God and exchange it with one another. From these gifts of faith and forgiveness flow a life of love lived out among those around us in the world.
The left-hand kingdom, also called the kingdom of power, is ordered and run by the civil government. Governmental structure, laws, and the enforcement of those laws provide the foundation for this kingdom as God works through it to provide security and peace throughout the land. The purpose of the government is to create and maintain a society where people are safe to carry out their various vocations of love and service to their neighbor.
Luther explains, “A Christian lives not in himself, but in Christ and in his neighbor. Otherwise he is not a Christian. He lives in Christ through faith and in his neighbor through love” (LW 31, p. 371). The government helps provide the systematized structure through which we interact with and care for our neighbor in this land.
While it’s helpful to distinguish the roles of the left and right-hand kingdoms, we do not put them in two separate boxes that don’t touch. Life is much more interconnected than an either-or stance. Lest we think the right-hand kingdom is where we do the “spiritual stuff” and the left-hand kingdom is where we do the “earthly stuff,” remember the interplay between faith and works.
We receive faith in Jesus and nurture it through our lives in the right-hand kingdom as members of the Body of Christ. However, it is in the left-hand kingdom where good works take place as our faith bears the fruit of love. The two kingdoms go hand in hand. Recognizing this distinction can help direct us as we navigate topics of religion and politics. The doctrine of the two kingdoms allows for Christians to embrace their lives in the world in all of its secularity because God reigns here too. God’s sovereignty over both church and state, as well as our purposed existence within each kingdom, gives us all the more reason to discuss faith and government rather than hide under the table.
cph.org/llresources
Date Bible Text Theme Hymns Order of Worship
11/03 1 John 3:1-3 What We Will Be 725 - 411 - 605 - 644 - 676 - 677* - 672 DS1, page 151
11/10 Hebrews 9:24-28 The High Priest of God 461 - 574 (tune 762) - 531 - 527 P & P, page 260
11/17 Mark 13:1-13 Guard Yourseld 877 - 696 - 727 - 536 - 758 - 835* - 738 DS3, page 184
11/24 Jude 20-25 Blameless Before God 563 - 724 - 533 - 941 - 922 Matins, page 219
11/28 Deuteronomy 8 Thanksgiving to God 789 - 785 - 703 - 892 - 806 - 955 - 894 RP 2, p. 283
12/01 Jeremiah 3:14-16 The Righteous Branch 892 - 341 - 357 - 359 - 350 - 353 - 611 DS 4, p. 203
