Wrestling with Theology

Lord, now you are letting Your servant depart in peace, according to Your Word; for my eyes have seen Your salvation that You have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for the glory of Your people Israel. (Luke 2:29-32)

United Center Christmas Chaos Tower of Doom Match Interstate 74 Title Match: Beefstew Lou Marconi (c) vs Curtis Thompson Illinois Tag Team Titles Match: Rock & Roll RPMs (c) vs Southern Rockers Illinois Heavyweight Title Match: Italian Stallion (c) vs Bunkhouse Buck American Tag Team Titles Match: Acolytes (c) vs Harlem Heat American Heavyweight Title Match: Jerry 'The King' Lawler (c) vs 'Macho Man' Randy Savage

Having covered the major things happening around the world while the Lutheran Confessions were being drafted and published, we take a quick look at the decades after the Book of Concord is published in 1580 to see how the world is changing in the religious and political arenas.

O Emmanuel, our king and our Lord, the anointed for the nations and their Savior: Come and save us, O Lord our God.

O King of the nations, the ruler they long for, the cornerstone uniting all people: Come and save us all, whom You formed out of clay.

O Dayspring, splendor of light everlasting: Come and enlighten those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death.

O Key of David and scepter of the house of Israel, You open and no one can close, You close and no one can open: Come and rescue the prisoners who are in darkness and the shadow of death.

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom He is pleased. (Luke 2:14)

O Root of Jesse, standing as an ensign before the peoples, before whom all kings are mute, to whom the nations will do homage: Come quickly to deliver us.

O Adonai and ruler of the house of Israel, who appeared to Moses in the burning bush and gave him the Law on Sinai: Come with an outstretched arm and redeem us.

Renaissance Coliseum Johnny B. Badd vs 'Hollywood' John Tatum S.D. Jones vs Brian Christopher Kendall Windham vs Devon Storm Interstate 74 Title Match: Beefstew Lou Marconi (c) vs Curtis Thompson 'Living Legend' Larry Zbyszko vs 'Gorgeous' Jimmy Garvin IAW Tournament Announcements Al Perez vs Big Boss Man Illinois Heavyweight Title Match: Terry Taylor (c) vs Italian Stallion Nightmares vs Stud Stable Harlem Heat vs Heatseekers Non-Title Match: Acolytes vs 'Hot Stuff' Eddie Gilbert & Rick Steiner

O Wisdom, proceeding from the mouth of the Most High, pervading and permeating all creation, mightily ordering all things: Come and teach us the way of prudence.

Zechariah's Benedictus is the least-known of the canticles that the Church has sung throughout her history. In Lutheran liturgies, it is used as the primary canticle for the Order of Morning Prayer. It is also an alternate canticle for the Te Deum in Matins. The Benedictus is the second of four canticles passed down through Church history that are reactions to the great announcements of the season of Advent.

State Farm Center Non-Title Match: Curtis Thompson vs Beefstew Lou Marconi Robert Fuller vs Al Perez Jimmy Golden vs Bunkhouse Buck ‘Dangerous’ Doug Gilbert vs 2 Cold Scorpio ‘Living Legend’ Larry Zbyszko vs Big Boss Man Illinois Tag Team Titles Match: Southern Rockers © vs Rock & Roll RPMs ‘Universal Heartthrob’ Austin Idol vs ‘Superstar’ Bill Dundee IAW International Tag Team Tournament Qualifier: Harlem Heat vs Gorgeous Gentleman American Heavyweight Title Match: ‘Macho Man’ Randy Savage © vs Jerry ‘The King’ Lawler

Mary’s Magnificat is one of the canticles that the Church has sung throughout her history. In Lutheran liturgies, it is used as the primary canticle for the afternoon and evening offices—Vespers and Evening Prayer. The Magnificat is the first of four canticles passed down through Church history that are reactions to the great announcements of the season of Advent.

Illinois State Fairgrounds 'Hollywood' John Tatum vs Chad Fortune Curtis Thompson vs Mike Davis Non-Title Match: Kendall Windham vs Beefstew Lou Marconi 'Dangerous' Doug Gilbert vs Al Perez Erik Watts vs Italian Stallion Non-Title Match: Heatseekers vs Southern Rockers IAW International Heavyweight Title Qualifier: Trevor Murdoch vs Nikita Koloff 'Universal Heartthrob' Austin Idol vs Rick Steiner American Tag Team Titles Match: Harlem Heat (c) vs Acolytes

The elder to the beloved Gaius, whom I love in truth. Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul. For I rejoiced greatly when the brothers came and testified to your truth, as indeed you are walking in the truth. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth. Beloved, it is a faithful thing you do in all your efforts for these brothers, strangers as they are, who testified to your love before the church. You will do well to send them on their journey in a manner worthy of God. For they have gone out for the sake of the name, accepting nothing from the Gentiles. Therefore we ought to support people like these, that we may be fellow workers for the truth. I have written something to the church, but Diotrephes, who likes to put himself first, does not acknowledge our authority. So if I come, I will bring up what he is doing, talking wicked nonsense against us. And not content with that, he refuses to welcome the brothers, and also stops those who want to and puts them out of the church. Beloved, do not imitate evil but imitate good. Whoever does good is from God; whoever does evil has not seen God. Demetrius has received a good testimony from everyone, and from the truth itself. We also add our testimony, and you know that our testimony is true. I had much to write to you, but I would rather not write with pen and ink. I hope to see you soon, and we will talk face to face. Peace be to you. The friends greet you. Greet the friends, each by name.

United Center Tommy Lane vs Danny Davis Ken Wayne vs Mike Davis Moondog Spike vs Brooklyn Brawler Johnny B. Badd vs Sigmon Curtis Thompson vs Stevie Ray Faarooq vs Devon Storm Iron Mike Sharpe vs Moondog Spot Booker T vs Bradshaw Trevor Murdoch vs Larry Zbyszko American Heavyweight Title Match: 'Macho Man' Randy Savage (c) vs 'Superstar' Bill Dundee

The Formula of Concord is the last of the Lutheran Confessions to be written. It is the work of six marvelous theologians who sought to bring together the two opposing sides that had developed in the Lutheran Reformation. They bring both groups back to Scripture to proclaim and confess the truth on twelve truly important articles of faith.

The elder to the elect lady and her children, whom I love in truth, and not only I, but also all who know the truth, because of the truth that abides in us and will be with us forever: Grace, mercy, and peace will be with us, from God the Father and from Jesus Christ the Father’s Son, in truth and love. I rejoiced greatly to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as we were commanded by the Father. And now I ask you, dear lady—not as though I were writing you a new commandment, but the one we have had from the beginning—that we love one another. And this is love, that we walk according to his commandments; this is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, so that you should walk in it. For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Such a one is the deceiver and the antichrist. Watch yourselves, so that you may not lose what we have worked for, but may win a full reward. Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting, for whoever greets him takes part in his wicked works. Though I have much to write to you, I would rather not use paper and ink. Instead I hope to come to you and talk face to face, so that our joy may be complete. The children of your elect sister greet you.