We have some interesting conversations about whether Luther had a theology of world missions. Ingemar Öberg, Luther and World Mission: A Historical and Systematic Study, writes, “ After all the disappointments, in the middle of all the fears of the disciples, it occurs, and despite all that Luther had said about the church of the patriarchs, the Holy Spirit is poured out and Christ’s universally oriented church is founded. The age when God’s reign will be offered to all through the Gospel has dawned. Its message is something different than Sinai and the Law. One preaches that the Crucified One is risen and lives. The mission of the Church has its start in this first “Christian” Pentecost and continues until Christ’s coming again. Now there is no longer any need to fear. Indeed, one is ready to accept martyrdom if only God’s salvation can be preached in the entire world. Now the Spirit of God roars and whistles in the hearts of those true to Christ and in the hearts of the apostles, says Luther.”
And then there is this ……………….
There were a lot of Resolutions passed at the Synod Convention. Rev Hartwig the Synod Secretary wrote that his favorite is Res. 1-09A “To Prepare LCMS Congregations and Pastors for Defense of our Christian Faith.” He writes,”its first whereas paragraph strikes me as one of the most timely and important paragraphs adopted by the convention three weeks ago: “Christ foretold that Christians throughout the world will suffer persecutions for Christ’s name (John 16:33).” It brings to mind and prayer Egypt and those Coptic Christians burning to death in defense of their burning churches and their Christian faith. We watch from (for now) a safe distance, but we also know that such reaction to the Gospel, when running wild, would be no gentler or kinder on this side of the globe.
