Grace Evangelical-Lutheran: February 2022

Tuesday, February 22, 2022

Hebrews 4,12-13. Sexagesima

Hebrews 4,12-13 1422

Sexagesima 22

Tyrannion, Bishop of Tyre, Martyr 310

Rasmus Jensen, First Lutheran pastor in North America (Canada) ✠ 1620

20. Febuar 2022

1. ℣ Awake , why steepest Thou, O Yahweh? : Arise, cast us not off forever.

℟ Our soul is bowed down to the dust : arise for our help and redeem us (Psalm 44,23.25.26).

O Yahweh, Thy Word is highly praised give us Thy Holy Spirit, so that we may at all times accept it with meekness, honor, love and joy. Amen. (Herr, für din Wort sei Koch gepreist elkg 200,1 2021 David Denice)

2. »For the Word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from His sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.«

3. The Apostle Paul is fond of describing the Word of God as a sword: a sharp, two-edged sword piercing to the division of soul and spirit in Hebrews, and as the sword of the Spirit in Ephesians (6,17). A sword is an offensive weapon, and one that is quite effective in the hands of one well-trained in techniques, like fencing.

4. Like a sword, the Word of God can cut deep when it reveals our sinfulness. King David was cut to the heart when the Prophet Nathan spoke the Word of God: Behold, you are the man (2. Samuel 12,7)! Following Nathan’s rebuke, David replied: I have sinned against Yahweh (2. Samuel 12,13). When we confess our sins, we confess that we are poor, miserable sinners; we, too, have sinned against Y and have hurt our neighbor.

5. The Apostle John assures us that: »If we confess our sins, then Jesus is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness« (1. John 1,9). The Word of God cuts away and removes all our sins. The Word of God is both our repentant confession and our absolution. The Word tells us we are sinners, but more importantly it tells us that we are forgiven. Redemption is the cornerstone of both the old and new testaments. God intends to save us, and the testaments tell us how His grace and mercy is given to us. God’s mercy is connected to sacrifice and the shedding of blood; an innocent must take the place of the sinner and bear the sin. The Apostle Paul then writes later in Hebrews: »Christ has obtained the ministry that is as much more excellent than the old as the testament He mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises. For if that first testament had been faultless, then there would have been no occasion to look for a second. In speaking of a new testament, He makes the first one obsolete« (8,6-7.13).

7. The new testament is better because it is enacted upon God Himself. The scarce is the Son of God and the blood shed is His blood. God provides Himself to be our vicarious sacrifice. Jesus is able to sympathize with our weaknesses and He had been tempted in every respect as we are (Hebrews 4,15). Through Jesus we receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need; let us therefore draw near to Him with confidence (Hebrews 4,16).

8. The Prophet Isaiah promises: »a bruised reed the Lord will not break, and a faintly burning wick He will not quench; He will faithfully bring forth justice« (Isaiah 42,3). Christ did not break on the cross; He endured the cross to overcome sin and death. Christ poured out His grace upon us; we bear our tribulations and overcome them by gospel. Christ gives us this gospel and pours out His grace on us through His Word and Sacraments: the Word points us to Christ and His mercy; the Lord’s Supper gives us forgiveness and eternal life. We receive these gifts with faith and in trusting in the Christ who gives them we receive His grace to bear all things in His Name.

9. God’s Word is our great heritage

And shall be ours forever;

To spread its light from age to age

Shall be our chief endeavor.

Through life it guides our way,

In death it is our stay.

Lord, grant, while worlds endure,

We keep its teachings pure

Throughout all generations. (God’s Word Is Our Great Heritage lsb 582 Nikolai Grundtvig)

This is most certainly true.

11. The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus (Philippines 4,7). Amen.

12. Let us pray. O Lord Jesus Christ, You alone are the Redeemer of the world; be gracious and merciful to us, and bless, prosper, defend and preserve us from all evil, so that we may rest in Your Providence this and every day. Amen. (Wilhelm Löhe, Seed Grains of Prayer # 132 Morning Prayer for Tuesdays; Stratman 35).

To God alone be the Glory

Gode ealdore sy se cyneþrymm

✠

All Scriptural quotations are translations done by The Rev. Peter A. Bauernfeind using the Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia, 4. Edition © 1990 by the Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, Stuttgart, and the Novum Testamentum Graece, Nestle-Aland 28. Revised Edition © 2012 by Deutsch Bibelgesellschaft, Stuttgart.

Saturday, February 19, 2022

Jeremiah 9,23-24. Septuagesima

Jeremiah 9,23-24 1322

Septuagesima 21

Agabus, Prophet, Acts 11,28; 21,10ff

Polyeuctus, captain, Martyr 250

13. Februar 2022

1. ℣ The sorrows of death compassed me: the sorrows of Sheol compassed me about.

℟ In my distress I called upon Yahweh: and He heard my voice out of His temple (Psalm 116,3; 2. Samuel 22,7).

O Yahweh, who daily dwells in our midst; You pronounce us righteous, so that we receive this gift through faith and lead us to serve You today. Amen. (Er wicket much all Morgen elkg 694,4 2021 He Wakes Me Every Morning).

2. »Thus declares Yahweh of hosts: „Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches. Let him who boasts boast in this: that he understands and knows Me, that I Am Yahweh who practices mercy, justice/judgment and righteousness on the earth. For I delight in these things.“«

3. The Prophet Jeremiah tells us this morning that man’s hubris boasts in 3 things in particular: 1. our wisdom, 2. our strength and 3. our wealth. Human history records century after century how one or a combination of these three areas of hubris has caused countless suffering, strife or tribulation among people. The Old Testament history of Israel shows how generation after generation the Israelites fell prey to such hubris, and in the 21. century men and women have not substantially improved themselves: we are still tempted by our hubris to trust in our strength, our wisdom or our wealth to get our way or to impose our will, and many times it leads to heartache and misery.

4. The historical and political situation of Judah at the time of the Prophet Isaiah was dire. In Jeremiah’s day, the great conflict between Babylon and Egypt had been resolved. Babylon first defeated the Assyrians and took possession of their vast territory; thus enlarged, the Babylonian Empire then set its sights on its next formidable rival which was Egypt, to the southwest, and after defeating Egypt the smaller nation states around Judah likewise succumbed to the Babylonian hegemony. Judah was one of the few remaining independent states in the region. Jeremiah exhorts Judah and its king to not trust in its wisdom, its strength nor its wealth, because King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon had far more wisdom, strength and wealth at his disposal compared to tiny, insignificant Judah.

5. But Judah had one thing in its favor, a thing Babylon with all its wisdom, strength and wealth did not have, and that is: Judah had Yahweh. Judah’s God had delivered them from Egyptian slavery hundreds of years earlier, and throughout the generations following Yahweh had redeemed His people from certain disasters. Judah’s only hope was Yahweh.

6. On this Septuagesima Sunday we are roughly 70 days removed from the events of Good Friday. Like Judah, we cannot boast either in our wisdom, our strength nor our wealth to free us from our great adversaries, that is, sin, death and the devil. Our only hope, like our brothers and sisters in the faith, Judah, is Yahweh who redeems us. Years after the time of Jeremiah, the Prophet Daniel was living in Babylon, in exile with his fellow Jews. In the book the bears is name he writes the following: »O Yahweh, We do not present our pleas before You because of our righteousness, but because of Your great mercy« (Daniel 9,18).

7. WE do not rely on our wisdom, strength nor wealth to redeem us from tribulation, but we rely upon Yahweh’s grace, mercy and love. Far too many things in this world are beyond our control and we simply must trust in God for help and deliverance. This is certainly true in regards to our salvation: we boast in God who is our Savior. Yahweh practices mercy, justice/judgment and righteousness on the earth, and He desires that we know and understand that this is His nature.

8. In His mercy, God the Father sent to us, yes, to the entire world, His Only-begotten Son. In His justice/judgment, God the Son suffered in your place, and in doing so spared you from Divine judgment and punishment for Jesus Christ justly bore the guilty sentence that you deserved. In His righteousness, God the Holy Spirit applies to you the holy merit that belongs to Jesus: Christ’s righteousness is now your righteousness. The Holy Spirit speaks Jesus’ righteousness to your ears whenever the word of the gospel is proclaimed to you. In a few moments we will receive Jesus’ righteousness in our mouths with the really present body and blood of Jesus that is sacramentally united to the bread and wine of the Lord’s Supper.

9. To fear, love and trust Yahweh is the beginning of wisdom. Upon this foundation, God’s mercy is displayed by Jesus crucified for us. In the Old Testament, God’s mercy seat was the cover of the ark of the covenant; it contained two angels bowing down and was placed in the most holy place of the temple where the high priest enters only one time each year when he poured the sacrificial blood upon the ark on Yom Kippur. That was the day yahweh atoned for all the sins of Israel for the past year and absolved them from it all. In the New Testament, God’s mercy seat was Jesus on the cross, and it was where God the Father meted out justice upon sin and sinners. Iniquity must be atoned for, and Jesus was the atonement on the cross. Jesus paid the high cost with His own precious blood. With His atonement, Jesus made us righteous before God the Father. Thus the Apostle Paul proclaimed: »The righteousness of God has been manifested through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe« (Romans 3,21-22). To understand and know God is to have faith in Jesus Christ His Son.

10. Upon your lips, then, lay your hand,

And trust His guiding love;

Then like a rock your peace shall stand

Here and in heaven above (Rejoice, My Heart, Be Glad and Sing lsb 737,7).

This is most certainly true.

11. The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4,7). Amen.

12. Let us pray. O Almighty and Most Merciful God, help us and purge away our sins, for the glory of Your Holy Name. Amen. (Historic Collect for Day of Humiliation and Prayer, Nuremberg, 1691; Die pommersche Kirchen-Ordnung und Agenda 287.1; Stratman 34).

To God alone be the Glory

Gode ealdore sy se cyneþrymm

✠

Saturday, February 12, 2022

Exodus 34,29-35. The Last Sunday after Epiphany

Exodus 34,29-35 1222

Letzter Sonntag nach Epiphanias 18

Dorothea, Virgin, Martyr at Caesarea in Cappadocia 287

Amand, Pastor and Apostle to the Franks in the Low Countries ✠ 675

6. Febuar 2022

1. ℣ Thy lightnings lighted up the world:

℟ The earth trembled and shook (Psalm 77,18).

O Lord, Thou transfigured sun of grace; shine upon us even and guide us through the field of tears into the land of sweet delight, so that Your delight that exalts us never fades. Amen. (Morgenglanz her Ewigkeit elkg 693,5 2021)

2. »When Moses came down from Mount Sinai, with the two tablets of the testimony in his hand as he came down from the mountain, Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because he had been talking with God. Aaron and all the people of Israel saw Moses, and behold, the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to come near him. But Moses called to them, and Aaron and all the leaders of the congregation returned to him, and Moses talked with them. Afterward all the people of Israel came near, and he commanded them all that the Lord had spoken with him in Mount Sinai. And when Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil over his face. Whenever Moses went in before the Lord to speak with Him, he would remove the veil, until he came out. And when he came out and told the people of Israel what he was commanded, the people of Israel would see the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses’ face was shining. And Moses would put the veil over his face again, until he went in to speak with Him.«

3. When Yahweh appears, creation responds to His presence At Sinai, there was lightning, thick clouds and an earthquake At Bethlehem, there was a star and a host of angels. When Moses spoke to Yahweh, His face radiated the Divine Glory.

4. Israel trembled in fear at Sinai. They did not desire to approach the mount. Moses’ shining face made them afraid. They recognized they were in the presence of the Holy and Almighty Yahweh. They were consciously aware of their sinfulness and unworthiness to be in His Divine presence.

5. In his explanations of the 10 Commandments, Luther writes that we should fear God. Sin is an affront to His holiness. Like Adam and Eve, we often hide from God because of our sin, and that hiding often makes things worse because, try as we might, we can’t atone for our sin or cleanse ourselves before the Holy God. Thus we often fear His wrath and punishment.

6. Luther then writes in his explanations to the Commandments that we should love God. But how can we love Him if we are in fear of Him? That is the sinful, human dilemma. When Jesus was transfigured, God the Father spoke from the Cloud: »This is My beloved Son with whom I am well pleased« (Matthew 17,5). God serves us. God shows us love. His love conquers our fear. God the Father loves His creation and His only Son. He sent Jesus to show us His love. John records the very words of Jesus in his Gospel where he writes: »For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, so that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life« (John 3,16). This love is shown at Jesus’ vicarious sacrifice on the cross for us to pay the redemption price for our sin.

7. Luther finally writes in his explanation to the Commandments that we should trust God. Since we see the love of God the Father manifested for us in the crucifixion of Jesus, we trust in Him and His vicarious sacrifice. Furthermore, when we pray Our Father who art in heaven, with these words God tenderly invites us to trust that He is our true Father and that we are His true children (Small Catechism Lord’s Prayer Introduction). To trust God is to believe that His gospel and promise to us is true.

8. Jesus is the epiphany of God in our midst. He manifests Himself among us to be our Savior, Redeemer and Friend. By taking upon Himself a human body, men and women can be in the presence of the Divine without the fear Israel exhibited at Sinai. When Jesus bids us draw unto Him so He may give us rest, we are able to do so and let Him bear our heavy laden burdens We do not draw nigh to Him in terror, but we approach Him with trust, for He who first loved us will always be our comfort sure (Lord Jesus Christ, with Us Abide lsb 585,6).

9. Yahweh enters our midst through His Word and Sacraments. We do not tremble in fear, but receive Him with reverent awe as we fear, love and trust Jesus who gives us forgiveness and salvation through His preached Word, the water of Baptism and the bread and wine of His Lord’s Super. Let us receive Him and the gifts of eternal life that He graciously offers to us.

10. For the joy Thine advent gave us,

For Thy holy, precious Word;

For Thy Baptism which doth save us,

For Thy blest Communion board;

For Thy death, the bitter scorn,

For Thy resurrection morn,

Lord, [we] thank Thee and extol Thee,

And in heaven we shall behold Thee. (Thanks to Thee, O Christ, Victorious lsb 548,3)

This is most certainly true.

11. The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus (Philippines 4,7). Amen.

12. Let us pray. O Lord God, Heavenly Father, we thank You that You have sown the good seed of Your holy Word in our hearts. By Your Holy Spirit cause this seed to grow and bear fruit, and defend us from the enemy, so that he may not s0w weeds among us. Keep us from worldly security, help us in all temptations and at last give us eternal salvation. Amen. (Veit Dietrich, Summaria christlicher lehr, Epiphany 5, 1548; Stratman 33-34).

To God alone be the Glory

Gode ealdore sy se cyneþrymm

✠

Thursday, February 3, 2022

2. Corinthians 1,8-11. Epiphany IV

2. Corinthians 1,8-11 1122

4. Sonntag nach Epiphanius 17a

Aldegundis, Virgin, Abbess at Maubeuge, France. ✠ 680

30. Januar 2022

1. ℣ Worship Him, all ye angels: Zion heard and was glad.

℟ The daughters of Zion rejoiced: because of Thy judgments (Psalm 97,7b-8).

O Jesus Savior, our Eternal guide; pilot us over life’s tempestuous sea, so that we safely sail this temporal life and reach the shores of heaven’s eternal life to dwell in everlasting peace. Amen. (Jesus, Savior, Pilot Me lsb 715,1.3 2021).

2. »For we do not want you to be ignorant, brothers,of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and He will deliver us. On Him we have set our hope so that He will deliver us again. You also must help us by prayer, so that many will give thanks on our behalf for the blessing granted us through the prayers of many.«

3. As he does in so many of his epistles, the Apostle Paul begins with greetings and thanksgivings. Paul greets the Corinthian church as »those sanctified in Christ Jesus who are called to be saints with the Church universal« (1. Corinthians 1,2). He reminds them that they have »the grace of God given to them in Christ Jesus« (1. Corinthians 1,4), and therefore »they are not lacking in any gift as they await the parousia of our Lord Jesus Christ« (1. Corinthians 1,7). He reminds them, and us, that Christ will sustain us to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ, for God is faithful« (1. Corinthians 1,8).

4. With all this grace, faith and gifts, nevertheless Paul writes »We experienced affliction in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt that we had received a sentence of death.« Paul reminds us that Christians are prone to trials and tribulations. The Devil shows up and attempts to snatch away the gospel that has been sown within our heart (Matthew 13,19). The Devil is a master of deception and has thousands of years sowing suffering and sorrow among men and women. His first victims were Adam and Eve, and he sows chaos and doubt still today. Trials and tribulations also ebb and flow through our Christian life (Matthew 13,20-21). How many times have you heard someone say: „I can’t believe in God anymore because He allowed something bad to happen in my life.“ or „I can’t believe in a God who lets bad things happen to good people; that’s not a loving God.“ Finally, the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches tempt us to abandon the faith (Matthew 13,22). The ultimate goal is to discourage a Christian so that they reject the faith and give up on God. Job is a good example of this.

5. It’s probable that the affliction Paul refers to here is the events in Ephesus an Asia recorded by Luke in Acts 19-20,3: A great disturbance arose against the Christians. So persuasive was the gossip that people were deposing the popular goddess Artemis from her worship in the area. A riot nearly erupted before Paul and his companions left for Macedonia and Greece where the Jews plotted against him. Paul tells the Corinthians that they had been utterly burdened and despair of life itself.

6. Christians are not immune from the trials and tribulations of this world. We experience the suffering the pandemics, inflation and fear of war inflict upon all people. We are not spared tribulations that result from jealousy, envy and greed; at times, simply being a Christian increases the antagonism and hatred some lash out with The Apostle Peter exhorts us: »Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the Devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour« (1. Peter 5,8).

7. Some may ask, as some Christians have asked for 2000 years, why must we endure such heartache, pain and tribulation? Paul’s answer is: to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. When we are suffering, we turn to God more fervently, our attention is more devoted to Him and we put our trust in His hands. How often in challenging times we do pray the words of Yahweh in the Psalmist: »Call upon Me, Yahweh, in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me« (Psalm 50,15).

8. You can page through the hymnal and prayers and hymns for times of trial and tribulation. On pages 316-17 there are 12 prayers to be used in time of need. Hymns 708-40 are hymns of trust. Hymns 741-65 are hymns of hope and comfort. Prayers and hymns have been a source of comfort in the Church since the days of the apostles.

9. Our Lord Jesus Christ will never fro us depart but He will cheer us with His tender mercy. May our trust in Him never shake, for He is our God and God who has bought sour salvation with His precious blood (Lord, Thee I Love with All My Heart lsb 708,1).

10. Yet even though [we] suffer

The world’s unpleasantness,

And though the days grow rougher

And bring [us] great distress,

That day of bliss Divine

Which knows no end or measure,

And Christ, who is [our] pleasure,

Forever shall be mine (lsb 713,6 From God Can Nothing Move Me).

This is most certainly true.

11. The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4,7). Amen.

12. Let us pray. O Lord God, Heavenly Father, as the Magi were not afraid of any hardship or anger when they were following the star, may we also put all our trust in You only Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, as our only Savior. Amen. (Veit Dietrich, Summaria christlicher lehr, 1548; Stratman 33).

To God alone be the Glory

Gode ealdore sy se cyneþrymm

✠

Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church

Tuesday, February 22, 2022

Hebrews 4,12-13. Sexagesima

Saturday, February 19, 2022

Jeremiah 9,23-24. Septuagesima

Saturday, February 12, 2022

Exodus 34,29-35. The Last Sunday after Epiphany

Thursday, February 3, 2022

2. Corinthians 1,8-11. Epiphany IV