Grace Evangelical-Lutheran: 2025

Monday, January 6, 2025

Matthew 2,1-12. The Feast of the Epiphany

Matthew 2,1-12 1025

ecce Dominator venit. The Feast of Epiphany 14

6. January 2025

1. ℣ Behold, the Lord, the Ruler, arrives:

℟ and the kingdom, the power and the glory are in His hand. (Malachi 3,1a; 1. Chronicles 29,11a.12a alt. vul)

ecce Dominator venit: et magnificentia et potentia et gloria in manu eius (3,1a; 29,11a.12a alt.)

O Lord Jesus Christ, Heavenly K ing! … Keep us, we beseech Thee, in that wisdom which Thou didst reveal to the Wise Men. Grant unto us Thy Holy Spirit, that we may at all times seek Thy Kingdom. Amen. (Löhe Liturgy for the Christian Congregation 127-28).

2. The chief priests and scribes tell King Herod that the Prophet Micah proclaimed where the Christ was to be born: »And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you will be a ruler who will Shepherd My people Israel« (Micah 5,2). Bethlehem is the hometown of David and through his lineage descends the Christ (1. Samuel 16,1; 2. Samuel 7,12; Isaiah 11,1-2; Matthew 1,16).

3. „What the Magi find there was a strange sort of Messiah. … They fell down and worshiped Him, gave their best. The Magi were His men. … They were the first of many people who would come from the East and sit at the table with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob“ (Nagel 41). The Prophets declare that the Gentiles would be drawn to the God of Israel and worship Him. Isaiah proclaimed »Yahweh says: „I will make My Servant as a Light for the Gentiles, that My salvation may reach to the end of the Earth“« (Isaiah 49,6b).

4. Simeon sang of the merciful steadfast love of Yahweh when he held the Infant Jesus in his arms: lumen ad revelationem gentium et gloriam plebis tuae Israël. A Light to lighten the Gentiles and the Glory of Thy people Israel (Luke 2,32). »in lumine tuo videbimus lumen. In Thy Light we see light.« the Psalmist tells us (Psalm 36,9). And again, »nun lucerna pedibus meis verbum tuum et lumen semitis meis. Thy Word is a Lamp unto my feet and a Light unto my paths« (Psalm 119,105). Christ Jesus is our Light and our bright Morning Star.

5. The star in the nighttime sky drew the Magi to the Star of David, Christ Jesus our Lord. Jesus is the Divine Light, the Light of the world, in whose Light we see the light of salvation at the cross of Mt. Zion and the empty tomb in the garden. Jesus has drawn us to Himself, and once we have been captured by the gravity of His Divine love and salvation we continue to orbit Him and soak up the warmth of His forgiveness and grace. Jesus is the Christ, the firstborn son of Mary, and the Glorious Light of salvation for the Magi, for the entire world, for you and me, and thus we praise, laud and adore Him as the Star of salvation.

6. O God, who by the leading of a star didst manifest Thine only-begotten Son to the seekers from afar, mercifully grant that we, who know Thee now by faith, may after this life have the fruition of Thy glorious Godhead; through the same Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen. Gelasian Sacramentary (1^st Vespers Collect for Epiphany)

1. John 5,11-13. 2. Sunday after Christmas

1. John 5,11-13 0925

2. sonntag nach dem christfest 13

Simeon, Prophet. Luke 2,25-36

5. Januar 2025

1. ℣ Blessed are they who dwell in Thy house forever and ever:

℟ They shall praise Thee, O Yahweh. (Psalm 83,5 vul lxx)

Beati qui habitant in domo tua in sæcula sæculorum laudabunt te. (83,5 lxx)

Beati qui habitant in domo tua adhuc laudabunt te. (83,5 mas)

Blessed L Immanuel, Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God and Son of Man, we thank Thee that Thou lookest upon Thee our nature, and arrived from Heaven, and wast made man, whereby Thou hast made us partakers of the Divine Nature. Thou hast revealed to us the loving heart of Thy Father. … Minister to us an abundant entrance into Thy heavenly Kingdom, there to praise and serve Thee, world without end. Amen. (Loehe 124 Liturgy for Christian Congregations 1902)

2. »And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life.«

3. In his 1^st Epistle, the Apostle John writes that Jesus alone (Iesus solus) gives us eternal life. He is the Giver of gifts and we respond with thanksgiving. If you have Jesus, then you have eternal life. If you do not have Jesus, then you have eternal death.

4. John is proclaiming what he heard Jesus teach in John 6: »For the Bread of God is He who descends from heaven and gives life to the world. I am the Bread of Life. Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. Whoever feeds on this Bread will live forever« (John6,33.35a.53b.58b).

5. Some will insist on their own self-reliance and think they must earn or merit eternal life through their good and righteous deeds. Our fallen human nature is easily prone to this thinking. The Pharisees in Jesus’ day truly believed that in living a righteous life that obeyed all the laws of Moses and the elders, they rightly earned and merited eternal life. Medieval Catholicism likewise held this Pharisaic misunderstanding. Luther personally wallowed in this agonizing struggle (Anfechtung). Such a struggle is more than just external temptation and deeper than a momentary struggle with an issue (Bayer Martin Luther’s Theology xiii).

6. God’s burdens the sinful conscience: you can never do enough to merit salvation and eternal life. His law demolishes every human attempt of meriting eternal life. The law instructs us that we simply cannot achieve salvation, nor can we help God in the process. God alone (Deus solus) redeems the sinner. „God gives and we receive. No, strike out receive. God gives and we are given to. „Receive“ might imply some action on our part, and we humans like to be involved somehow and get some credit, but „to be given to“ takes us completely out of our forgiveness“ (Nagel).

7. The Apostle John points us to the we are given to-ness: »God so loved the world, that He gave His Only Son, so that everyone believing in Him does not perish but has eternal life« (John 3,16). That verse beautifully and powerfully states the gospel in all its simplicity. Eternal life, salvation and forgiveness are found in Jesus alone (Iesus solus). „It is the way of being gifted that it’s never enough and there’s always more“ (Nagel). The gospel is Jesus’ gift to us. But how does the Holy Spirit give this Jesus gift to us (Nagel)?

8. The Holy Spirit gives these gifts in the Word and the Sacraments. The Word is the reading of the 3 Lessons each Sunday, the sermon or homily that is preached and throughout the Liturgy where Scripture is spoken. The Small Catechism gives us 3 Sacraments–Holy Baptism, the Lord’s Supper and Confession–through which forgiveness of sins is given to us. You’ll notice the liberality of the gifts given each Divine Service. Plenty of Scripture is read and proclaimed. Each Sunday we see the Baptismal font and remember that the Triune God gave us eternal life when we were baptized. We confess our sinfulness each Sunday and then hear God’s absolution spoken to us. Each week we have Jesus’ body and blood put in our mouths.

9. God loves nothing better than dishing out the good stuff (Nagel), and the best good stuff is the gospel the Holy Spirit gives in and through His Church. Rejoice in His goodness. Revel in His abundant, overflowing grace. Remember where He gives it out for you and your salvation.

10. Rise up, soul, rise, do not delay,

The light breaks through once more;

The star of wonder will show the way,

The Savior’s at the door,

The Savior’s at the door.

(Auf, Seele, auf und säume nicht selk 394,1 2021 Michael Müller 1704)

This is most certainly true.

11. Et pax Dei, quæ exuperat omnem sensum, custodiat corda vestra, et intelligentias vestras in Christo Jesu. 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 God, our Refuge and Strength, who orderest all things in heaven and earth, look down with the mercy upon us as a nation; remember not our iniquities nor the iniquities of our forefathers, neither take Thou vengeance of our sins; pour out on us, and on all the people of this land the spirit of grace and supplication and join us together in piety, loyalty and brotherly love; direct our counsels and strengthen the hands of all in authority for the repression of crime and violence, the maintenance of order and law and of all public peace and safety; so that, leading quiet lives in all godliness and honesty, we may be Thy people, and Thou mayest show Thyself to be our God, and that we may bless and glorify Thee, our Defender and Deliverer. Amen. (Sundays after Christmas, 3^rd Matins Collect. The Daily Office).

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 Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, Stuttgart, Septuaginta, Vol. I and II 2. Revised Edition © 2006 Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, Stuttgart and the Novum Testamentum Graece, Nestle-Aland 28. Revised Edition © 2012 Deutsch Bibelgesellschaft, Stuttgart.

Löhe, Wilhelm. Seed-Grains of Prayer: A Manual for Evangelical Christians. Wartburg Publishing House, Chicago circa 1912. Concordia Publishing House; Concordia on Demand.

Wednesday, January 1, 2025

Joshua 1,1-9. Circumcision of Jesus. New Year’s Day

Joshua 1,1-9 0825

ut in nomine Iesu Neujahrstag 11

✠ Circumcision of the Lord, and Name of Jesus. W ✠

Christian III of Denmark, Christian ruler, ✠ 1559

1. January 2025

1. ℣ At the Name of Jesus:

℟ Every knee shall bow (Philippians 2,10 vul)

ut in nomine Iesu omne genu flectatur.

2. One year draws to a close and a new year begins. As Christians, each day of the year is grounded upon Yahweh. His Word exhorts us to daily be strong and courageous. Luther put it this way: let us fear, love and trust in the Lord.

3. The sinful flesh hears fear and twists it to terror, love to loathing, trust to doubt. The sinful flesh runs from God, ignores Him and relishes in doing things its own way. The sinful flesh is a prodigal son or daughter who wastes away every blessing God bestows. Every sinful prodigal loathes to return to God because to return to God reveals that the sinner cannot live life on his or her own.

4. Prodigals cannot evade God. He knows where we are and the dire straights our sins put us in. God is patient, kind and merciful. He delights in making His presence known in our lives. As He delivered Israel from Egyptian tyranny and slavery, so He delivers the sinner from the ravages of sin.

5. Where we are weak, Christ is strong. Where we are cowardly, Christ is courageous. Christ’s birth brings peace on earth, peace to us. The start of a new year is another promise of peace. Christ exhorts us to rest in His strength and delight in His courage.

6. „The year that lies ahead well have the oft repeated and the ordinary, as well as the new and the unique. We shall live it all ‘in the Lord’—the days we find ourselves overflowing with good things, we live them all ‘in the Lord’“ (Nagel 40).

7. Now greet the swiftly changing year,

With joy and penitence sincere.

Rejoice! Rejoice! With thanks embrace

Another year of grace. (lsb 896,1 2026 Cithara Sanctorum 1636). Amen.

Matthew 2,13-18. 1st Sunday after Christmas

Matthew 2,13-18 0725

1. Sonntag nach dem Christfest 09

Jonathan, David’s friend ✠ 1009 bc

29. Dezember 2024

1. ℣ Your testimonies are exceedingly credible, O Yahweh:

℟ Holiness becomes Your house throughout the length of Your days (Philippians 4,4).

testimonia tua fidela/credibilia facta sunt nimis domum tuam decet sanctitas/sanctitudo Domine in longitudine dierum. mas lxx

Lift up our hearts, O gracious Emmanuel. Open our lips. Unloose our tongues, that with all the angels, unto whose friendship we are now restored, we may worship, praise and magnify Thee, and in Thee, the Beloved be acceptable unto the Father; and finally, be and abide with Thee in the everlasting joys of heaven. Amen. (Löhe 449-50).

2. »Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said: „Rise, take the Child and His mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.“ And he rose and took the Child and His mother by night and departed to Egypt and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: Out of Egypt I called My Son (Hosea 11,1). Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the magi, became furious, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had ascertained from the magi. Then was fulfilled what was spoken by the Prophet Jeremiah: A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be comforted, because they are no more (Jeremiah 31,15).«

3. Today’s sermon text recounts the Commemoration of the Holy Innocents of 28. December. The joy of Christmas yields to the harsh realities of our fallen world. It is common for people to become depressed or fall ill after Christmas. Their suffering and sadness can only be temporarily suppressed by festivities. Their suffering harshness of the wicked world soon rushes in once more.

4. Historians generally agree that King Herod the Great was a fair and decent ruler. He funded numerous projects to better the lives of his citizens, including his most ambitious project: a massive building project to make the temple in Jerusalem a wonder in the Roman Empire. But in the later years of his life, Herod became more and more paranoid that his own sons were trying to usurp him. During the final 4 years of his life Herod had his sons Aristobulus IV and Alexander executed for treason in 7 bc and had Antipater II killed in 4 bc. His order to kill Jesus and all the males born about that time in Bethlehem is consistent with his tyrannical, paranoid actions.

5. When Jesus escaped, the Holy Innocents were martyred. There is joy that Jesus survives yet sorrow over the tragedy of the martyrs. Nothing has changed today. Some Christians live a peaceful life, while others are under constant threat of persecution and martyrdom. While Christmas is a joyous time, not everyone is overjoyed at Jesus and His birth. The fallen, wicked world will find ways to make people mourn.

6. Recognizing Herod’s horrific actions as sinful and wicked we see the need for a Savior who transcends our sinful failings. God’s law makes us confront the harsh reality of sin’s tragic impact on us, in us and throughout the world. We see more clearly the necessity of Jesus’ redemptive ministry amidst tragedy. The Law and the Prophets tell is that the Messiah fulfills God’s promises of hope and redemption from the dark times.

7. God the Father wins the victory for those who suffer on account of their faith in His Son. God remembers those who suffer persecution and martyrdom for the name of Jesus. He rewards them with heavenly blessings that far outweigh the earthly tribulations they suffer, and we might one day suffer. »ὅτι ὀργὴ ἐν τῷ θυμῷ αὐτοῦ καὶ ζωὴ ἐν τῷ θελήματι αὐτοῦ τὸ ἑσπέρας αὐλισθήσεται κλαυθμὸς καὶ εἰς τὸ πρωὶ ἀγαλλίασις. ... ἔστρεψας τὸν κοπετόν μου εἰς χορὸν ἐμοί διέρρηξας τὸν σάκκον μου καὶ περιέζωσάς με εὐφροσύνην ὅπως ἂν ψάλῃ σοι ἡ δόξα μου καὶ οὐ μὴ κατανυγῶ κύριε ὁ θεός μου εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα ἐξομολογήσομαί σοι. For Yahweh’s anger there is wrath, and there is life in His will. In the evening weeping may endure, but in the morning there is joy. You have turned my morning into dancing; You have burst my sack cloth and girded me with gladness that my glory may sing to You, and I will not be put to shame. O Yahweh, my God, I will give thanks to You forever« (Psalm 30,5.11-12).

8. May this be on our hearts, minds and lips as we remember the good times and the bad from 2024 and look ahead to the new year 2025 where Jesus will be with us in every situation and circumstance bringing the gospel to us for our delight.

9. Behold, behold, my spirit yearn,

How your Savior comes so near,

Love for you does brightly burn,

In the manger, cold and drear,

He lies in harshness for your sake,

Your redemption to partake.

Gladness, joyous gladness:

Christ fends off all sadness.

Bliss, joyous bliss:

The Sun of grace Christ is.

(Freuet euch, ihr Christen alle elkg 342,2 2021 Christian Keimann 1646)

This is most certainly true.

9. Et pax Dei, quæ exuperat omnem sensum, custodiat corda vestra, et intelligentias vestras in Christo Jesu. The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4,7). Amen.

10. Let us pray. Give protection to beginners, O Father; give intelligence to the little ones; give aid to those who are running their course. Give sorrow to the negligent; give fervor of spirit to the lukewarm. Give to all the saints a good consummation. Amen. (The Sundays after Christmas, 2^nd Matins Collect. The Daily Office.)

To God alone be the Glory

Gode ealdore sy se cyneþrymm

✠

Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church

Monday, January 6, 2025

Matthew 2,1-12. The Feast of the Epiphany

1. John 5,11-13. 2. Sunday after Christmas

Wednesday, January 1, 2025

Joshua 1,1-9. Circumcision of Jesus. New Year’s Day

Matthew 2,13-18. 1st Sunday after Christmas