The Commemoration of the Reformation

On 31. October 1517, Luther posted his Disputation of Doctor Martin Luther on the Power and Efficacy of Indulgences on the Castle Church door in Wittenberg, Germany. His 95 Theses were an invitation to debate the issue of indulgences in the Medieval Church. The firestorm that arose from this action lead to the Reformation and culminated in the drafting of the Augsburg Confession in 1530. 

To commemorate the start of the Reformation, Here are the four most important theses from Luther's Disputation: 

1. Our Lord and Master Jesus Christ, when He said poenitentiam agite ["Repent"], willed that the whole life of believers should be repentance. [Matthew 4,17] 

36. Every truly repentant Christian has a right to full remission of penalty and guilt, even without letters of pardon.  

37. Every true Christian, whether living or dead, participates in all the blessings of Christ and the Church; and this is granted him by God, even without indulgence letters.

62. The true treasure of the Church is the most holy gospel of the glory and the grace of God. 

Luther's reforming work began before 1517. Several years prior, he began the groundwork when he lectured on the Psalms, Romans and Galatians at Wittenberg University. He weekly preaching at the city church further built on his reforming ideals. After 1517, Luther tackled liturgical reforms regarding the liturgy, hymns and writing the Small Catechism to teach Christians the very basics of the Christian faith. These reforms continue to influence the Lutheran Church to this day. The Church is always reforming: we must continue to keep the preaching of the gospel with its doctrine of justification (that we are saved by grace through faith in Christ alone) in the forefront, for this is the very message proclaimed by Christ and His apostles. This proclamation comforts sinners and promises them forgiveness and salvation on account of the merit of Jesus Christ. 

Devotional thoughts for Thursday

Thursday 30. October 2014 

Trinity 19 

Now when those hired first arrived, they grumbled at the master of the house, saying: "These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat." (Matthew 20,10-12) 

A consistent theme in Jesus' ministry is the perceived inequality of the gospel. Jesus' adversaries, particularly the scribes and the Pharisees, viewed the gospel through the lens of the law. In their thinking, the gospel was earned and righteousness was merited based on how well one upheld the Mosaic covenant. Thus, those who were first, the Jews, should receive more because they strove for many centuries to keep the covenant. The Johnny-come-latelies, the Gentiles, should receive less because they worked less to obtain righteousness. 

Jesus turned this way of thinking completely on its head. He taught that the gospel is a free gift. It is not earned or merited by living righteously and morally. Likewise, the Jews would not receive more than the Gentiles: all would be mercifully granted the free gift of eternal salvation by God. 

It is difficult not to impose legal understandings upon the gospel. It is how we operate in this world of politics, laws and business. But the gospel is not something we can earn or merit. Only Jesus merits it, and He did so on our behalf so that He could give us His righteousness as our own, as if we ourselves had merited it. This is called grace: Jesus gives us righteousness even though we do not deserve it. Jesus levels the playing field and calls all unto salvation, Jew and Gentile, male and female, educated and barbarian, and gives them an equal share in everlasting life with Him and the host of heaven. 

Prayer: O Lord God, Heavenly Father, since we cannot stand before You relying on anything we have done, help us trust in Your abiding grace and live according to Your Word; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, One God, now and forever.  Amen. (A78, Treasury of Daily Prayer) 

Devotional thoughts for Tuesday

Tuesday 28. October 2014 

Trinity 19 

Jesus said: "Let the little children come to Me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the reign of heaven." (Matthew 19,14)

Jesus teaches that the reign of heaven is for all people: Jews and Gentiles, men and women, rich and poor, free men and slaves, sinners and tax collectors, fishermen and Pharisees and infants and little children. 

Jesus singled these little children out to emphasize that salvation is a matter of simple, trusting faith in God. Children have that sort of faith in abundance. They easily trust and rely on their parents to provide everything for them. 

Jesus exhorts that same sort of faith from us. We are to simply trust and rely upon Him alone to provide for us. Our Heavenly Father lovingly and graciously provides all our earthly and spiritual needs. Like little children, we trust in Him, we have faith in Him, that He will do what He has promised. For by grace we are saved through faith. 

Prayer: O Almighty God, You chose Your servants Simon and Jude to be numbered among the glorious company of the apostles. As they were faithful and zealous in their mission, so may we with ardent devotion make know the love and mercy of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, One God, now and forever.  Amen. (F32, Treasury of Daily Prayer)

Devotional thoughts for Monday

Monday 27. October 2014 

Trinity 19

Therefore, the reign of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. (Matthew 18,23) 

Jesus told this parable to teach his disciples about the nature of forgiveness. We often view forgiveness in terms of the law: I will forgive you a certain number of times, and once that limit is reached I will no longer forgive you. 

This is totally different from how God views forgiveness. God approaches forgiveness in terms of the gospel: I will forgive you as many times as you need forgiveness. It does not matter if the debt is small or large, God forgives us over, and over and over again. Every day. Every year. Every decade. From the moment of our birth until we are lowered in the grave, God forgives all our sin. His grace and mercy have no limits or bounds. 

Jesus teaches His disciples to view forgiveness the same way. We should willingly and gladly forgive those who sin against us. We should not hold a grudge against them. It is as Jesus teaches in the Lord's Prayer: forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. Forgiveness and grace have no limit. 

Prayer: O God, our Refuge and Strength, the Author of all godliness, hear the devout prayer of Your Church, especially in times of persecution, and grant that what we ask in faith we may obtain; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, One God, now and forever.  Amen. (A77, Treasury of Daily Prayer)

Exodus 34,4-10. 19th Sunday after Trinity

✠ One Message: Christ crucified and risen for you ✠

The Word of the Lord Endures Forever 

se cwide þæs béaggiefan ábireþ ferhþ 

Exodus 34,4-10     5314

19. Sonntag nach Trinitatis  064 

Amandus, Bishop at Strasbourg, France. ✠ 354.

Amandus, Bishop of Bordeaux, France. ✠ 431. 

Philipp Nicolai ✠ 1608, Johann Heerman ✠ 1647, and Paul Gerhardt ✠ 1676. Hymnwriters 

26. Oktober 2014 

1. O God, You are in our midst and Your Divine Providence covers us: teach us to call upon You with petitions and thanksgiving so that we learn to put all our trust in You, our Merciful Lord (VELKD, Prayer for 19. Sunday after Trinity § 1).  Amen. 

2. »Yahweh said to Moses: „Cut for yourself two tablets of stone like the first, and I will write on the tablets the words that were on the first tablets, which you broke. Be ready by the morning, and come up in the morning to Mount Sinai, and present yourself there to Me on the top of the mountain. No one shall come up with you, and let no one be seen throughout all the mountain. Let no flocks or herds graze opposite that mountain.“ So Moses cut two tablets of stone like the first. And he rose early in the morning and went up on Mount Sinai, as Yahweh had commanded him, and took in his hand two tablets of stone. Yahweh descended in the cloud and stood with him there, and proclaimed the Name of Yahweh. Yahweh passed before him and proclaimed: „Yahweh, Yahweh, a Merciful and Gracious God, who is slow to anger, is abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness and keeps steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity, transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation.“ And Moses quickly bowed his head toward the earth and worshiped. And he said: „If now I have found favor in Your sight, O Adonai, please let Adonai go in the midst of us, for it is a stiff-necked people, and pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for Your inheritance.“  

3. The Lord is faithful to His covenant. Israel had broken that covenant while Moses was on Mt. Sinai for forty days and nights receiving it inscribed on two tablets. Israel’s gross idolatry had broken the covenant. Yahweh is a Jealous God who brokers no rivals. He could have invoked the punishment clause in the covenant: to hold the guilty accountable and visit the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children to the 3. and the 4. generation. To be sure, Yahweh did punish that rebellious generation. He ordered the priestly Levites to kill the idolaters (Exodus 32,27). The Levites struck down 3000 men that day with their swords (Exodus 32,28). Then Yahweh sent a plague on the people because they had made the golden calf (Exodus 32,35). And yet, Yahweh refrained from holding the next three generation accountable for the sins of their great-grandparents at Sinai. Only that rebellious generation He had lead from Egypt died in the wilderness. Their children were given the Promised Land by the mercy and loving-kindness of Yahweh. 

4. Moses chastised the people: You have sinned a great sin (Exodus 32,30). They received temporal punishment for their sin, but Moses also told them: Now I will go up to Yahweh and make atonement for your sin (Exodus 32,30). Yahweh invoked the grace clause in His covenant: Yahweh is a Merciful and Gracious God, who is slow to anger, is abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness and keeps steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity, transgression and sin. We see this mercy in the words and actions of Jesus. Once He saw a man blind from birth, and His disciples inquired: Is this man bearing the punishment for the sin of his parents (John 9,1-2)? His disciples were focusing on the punishment clause of the covenant, but Jesus focused on the gospel clause of the covenant. He told them: Neither this man, nor his parents, sinned. He was born blind so that the works of God might be displayed in him (John 9,3). God the Father is merciful and gracious. Jesus bears witness to His Father’s mercy and grace, and He healed this blind man. We see this also in today’s Gospel pericope: Jesus forgave a paralytic of his sins and then He healed him. Jesus shows us time and again that God is merciful, gracious and forgiving. He is slow to anger and abounds in steadfast love and faithfulness. 

5. All this runs contrary to our way of doing things. We are tempted to be merciful and gracious to those who deserve it, to those who have earned it from us by not being wicked and despicable people. We love and are faithful to those who love and are faithful to us. Those who are dubious of their honor are less likely to get our fidelity. The pharisaic strain runs deep within us, too. We think we must strive to earn God’s good favor and righteousness. We think we can merit this righteousness by obeying the Ten Commandments. Such thinking ends with either pompous pride in our accomplishments or deep despair at our utter failure to measure up to God’s demands. 

6. Yahweh has a long history of dealing with stubborn folks and works-righteous people. The Israelites, the Pharisees and a host of others in Judaism and Christianity have tested God’s patience and love. Time and again, God could have forsaken His people and started over with someone else. God, however, does not do this. He responds to unfaithfulness and unrighteousness with faithfulness and righteousness. Throughout the Holy Scriptures God upholds His covenant with His people. God sends prophets and pastors to call His people to repentance and to remember that God is gracious and forgiving. He even sent His own Son to show us the depth of His mercy and love. Jesus spoke of God’s mercy and showed His love through His actions. Jesus taught His disciples that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again (Mark 8,31). At Jesus’ crucifixion, when the centurion saw that Jesus had breathed His last, he said: „Truly this man was the Son of God!“ (Mark 15,39). 

7. The beauty of God’s covenant is that He, and He alone, fulfills it. His covenant contains provisions for judgment and mercy. The Son of God Himself bears upon His body the very unfaithfulness and every sin of men and women. He Himself suffers the wrath and punishment that those sins demand. Jesus did this on the cross, and in bearing all our sin Jesus freely enacts the gospel clause of the covenant. Sin has been atoned for, death and the grave have been overcome and the risen Jesus is verifiable proof of God’s love, mercy and forgiveness upon all men and women. 

8. This crucified and risen Savior is preached so that we hear and believe that Christ has made atonement for us. We can easily miss God’s merciful and fatherly heart for it is hidden from us in this world that is filled with chaos, suffering and death. We might wonder where God is when evil seems to rule the day. We might doubt whether God loves and forgives us. When God is hidden, our sinful nature is quick to contemplate that God must be judging and condemning us for some wicked sin. 

9. Jesus entered this world as God revealed. The Apostle John tells us in his Gospel: »In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. For from His fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth arrived through Jesus Christ« (John 1,1.14.16-17). Jesus showed us that He loves and forgives us. Jesus triumphs over evil, heals sickness and removes suffering. God the Father is revealed in Jesus and we now see the loving-kindness of God that He has for us men and women. »Philip said to Jesus: „Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.“ Jesus said to him: „Whoever has seen Me has seen the Father. Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me. I and the Father are one« (John 14,8-9.11; 10,30). 

10. Jesus reveals to us that it is God’s will for us to be certain of His loving-kindness toward us. God promises to us His mercy and love; He grounds this promise upon His very own Son. Thus, this promise does not have any condition of our merits, but freely offers the forgiveness of sins and justification by grace (Apology 4,41). This promise is preached so that this gospel may be heard, believed and trusted.  Amen. 

11. Let us pray. O Yahweh, Your steadfast love endures forever: we thank You for all the preachers and teachers who have patiently explained to us Your sacrificial love so that we can live each day in the certainty that we are saved.  Amen. 

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 27. Edition © 1993 by Deutsch Bibelgesellschaft, Stuttgart.  

Book of Common Prayer, The. Copyright © 2011 Cambridge University Press. 

ELKB. Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirche in Bayern. www.bayern-evangelisch.de/www/index.php. Copyright © 2013 Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirche in Bayern. 

Murphy, G. Ronald. Tree of Salvation: Yggdrasil and the Cross in the North. Copyright © 2013 Oxford University Press. 

Nagel, Norman. Selected Sermons of Norman Nagel: From Valparaiso to St. Louis. Frederick W. Baue, Ed. Copyright © 2004 Concordia Publishing House. 

VELKD. Vereinigte Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirche Deutschlands. www.velkd.de. Copyright © 2013 Vereinigte Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirche Deutschlands. 

Devotional thoughts for Saturday

Saturday 25. October 2014 

Trinity 18 

As they were gathering in Galilee, Jesus said to His disciples: "The Son of Man is about to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill Him, and He will be raised on the third day." And they were greatly distressed. (Matthew 17,22-23 ESV) 

Jesus told His disciples several times in the Holy Gospels that He would be crucified and rise again. This was why He arrived in the world. This is what the ministry of the Messiah was to be. 

His disciples were distressed over this. Part of this distress was because this went against the conventional wisdom at the time among the Jews. They believed the Messiah would be a powerful kingly figure, like David, who would sweep through the land with a mighty army driving out the Romans and re-establishing the glories of the Davidic kingdom. They pined for the good old days, but Jesus was not living up to those fantasies. 

Jesus was ushering in a new reign. It is a reign far greater than David and his kingdom. This new testament reign encompasses the earth and all the nations. Jesus established His Church, and from His Church His death and resurrection are preached. People hear and believe. They are righteous and saved. 

All this stems from His death and resurrection. His passion has global consequences. Sin is paid for. Death is overcome. The grave will one day be empty. Forgiveness, righteousness and mercy overflow from God's hand and we are blessed by it . All this is a gift given to us by Jesus. 

Prayer: O Almighty God, You stirred to compassion the hearts of Your dear servants Dorcas, Lydia and Phoebe to uphold and sustain Your Church by their devoted and charitable deeds. Give us the same will to love You, open our eyes to see You in the least ones and strengthen our hands to serve You in others, for the sake of Your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, One God, now and forever.  Amen. (1101, Treasury of Daily Prayer)

Devotional thoughts for Friday

Friday 24. October 2014 

Trinity 18 

And the disciples asked Jesus: "Then why do the scribes say that first Elijah must arrive?" Jesus answered: "Elijah does arrive, and he will restore all things. But I tell you that Elijah has already arrived, and they did not recognize him, but did to him whatever they pleased. So also the Son of Man will certainly suffer at their hands." (Matthew 17,10-12 ESV) 

The disciples understood that when Jesus was talking about Elijah He was referring to John the Baptizer. John had been sent before Jesus to prepare the way, just as Elijah had been sent to prepare the way for the LORD. John preached repentance and baptism. John's message was a message of the law. Confess your sins, amend your life, for the Christ is about to arrive. 

Jesus then arrived. He followed in John's footsteps preaching repentance . But Jesus went further. Jesus preached the gospel. Jesus forgave people of their sin. Jesus mingled and ate with the sinners. Jesus ate and mingled with the scribes and Pharisees too. He called all to repent, confess their sin and receive His absolution. 

This struck a flat note with the scribes and Pharisees. They considered themselves righteous under the law. Many of them challenged Jesus at every turn. The sinners, however, received the gospel with joy. They now had the certainty that God loved them and was merciful to them. They were certain of their forgiveness and salvation. 

Jesus wants us to have this same certainty too. His word is preached so that we realize that yes, we are sinners, but Jesus has redeemed us. Our sin is forgiven. Righteousness is ours as a gift of grace that is received by faith. 

Prayer: O God, in the glorious transfiguration of Your Beloved Son You confirmed the mysteries of faith by the testimony of Moses and Elijah. In the Voice that came from the bright cloud You wonderfully foreshowed our adoption by grace. Mercifully make us co-heirs with the King in His glory and bring us to the fullness of our inheritance in heaven; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, One God, now and forever.  Amen. (L21, Treasury of Daily Prayer) 

Devotional thoughts for Wednesday

Wednesday 22. October 2014 

Trinity 18 

Then the disciples understood that Jesus did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees. (Matthew 16,12 ESV) 

The Pharisees taught works righteousness. They believed one could perfectly keep the law, and to do so they made many regulations and traditions, that if followed, would guarantee the keeping of the law. The Sadducees denied the resurrection on the last day. Jesus said to beware of their teaching. 

We have not abandoned their teaching to this day. There are some who believe we can achieve righteousness by what we do, even if it is just a small little work on our part in relation to God's work. Even crediting just a little merit to ourselves is to promote works righteousness and deny the righteousness that Jesus gives us freely by grace through faith in Him. Others deny the resurrection. Separation from the body is paradise, and they only want to exist as a soul or spirit. This too deny's God's will. 

Jesus merited our righteousness on the cross. He paid for our sins, fulfilled the law, bore the wrath of God for that law and thus redeemed us back to God the Father. Jesus has done all that is necessary to be righteous. He gives us His righteousness as a gift; we do not have to earn it. This is what we call grace. 

Jesus proved the veracity of the resurrection on the last day. He rose from His own grave on Easter Sunday. He is the first fruit of the resurrection that is to arrive at His return. Death and the separation of soul from body are not what God intends for mankind. God created us to live with Him in eternal fellowship. Jesus has conquered death and promised to resurrect our body and unite it again with our soul so that we can enjoy eternal rest in His presence. 

Beware the false teachers who would rob you of this rich gospel of Jesus. Stand fast to Holy Scripture and the promises Jesus has given us. He is faithful, and He will fulfill them. 

Prayer: O Almighty God, whom to know is everlasting life, grant us to know Your Son, Jesus, to be the Way, the Truth and the Life so that we may boldly confess Him to be the Christ and steadfastly walk in the way that leads to life eternal; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, One God, now and forever.  Amen. (A74, Treasury of Daily Prayer) 

Devotional thoughts for Tuesday

Tuesday 21. October 2014 

Trinity 18 

Jesus took the seven loaves and the fish, and having given thanks He broke them and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. (Matthew 15,36 ESV) 

It should not surprise us that Jesus is able to use seven loaves of bread and a few small fish to feed over 4000 people. He is God, after all. And yet, we constantly forget just what Jesus can do. We worry about finances, the economy, violence in the world and a host of other things that vex our lives and our fallen world. Jesus has promised to provide for us, and He does. He did in Matthew 15. 

Jesus provides for our daily needs, and He also provides for our spiritual needs. He instituted the Lord's Supper where He uses bread and wine, that He sacramentally presents in, with and under His body and blood, to give us the forgiveness of sin. 

We should never doubt God's Divine Providence in our lives. Jesus provides all we need on earth and in heaven to sustain us with our daily bread whether it is food on our table or the Sacrament at Divine Worship. 

Prayer: O Almighty and Everlasting Father, You give Your children many blessings even though we are undeserving. In every trial and temptation grant us steadfast confidence in Your loving-kindness and mercy; though Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, One God, now and forever.  Amen. (A73, Treasury of Daily Prayer) 

Ephesians 5,15-21. 18. Sunday after Trinity

✠ One Message: Christ crucified and risen for you ✠

The Word of the Lord Endures Forever

Verbum Domini Manet in Aeternum

Ephesians 5,15-21     5214

18. Sonntag nach Trinitatis  063 

Ptolemaeus and Lucius, Martyrs at Rome, 166 ✠ 

19. Oktober 2014 

1. O Merciful God, the Giver of all good gifts, bless us with freedom and security so that we can live without fear and devote time to worship You, pray to You and meditate upon Your Word. (VELKD, Prayer for 18. Sunday after Trinity § 1).  Amen. 

2. »Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ, humbly cooperating with one another out of reverence for Christ.  

3. This morning’s Gospel pericope again presents us with the most important Commandment: »Hear, O Israel: Yahweh our God, Yahweh is one. And you shall love Yahweh your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.« (Deuteronomy 6,4-5) The second is this: »You shall love your neighbor as yourself.« (Leviticus 19,18) The scribe who was speaking to Jesus agreed. 

4. We often think that all the scribes and Pharisees in the Holy Gospels were hostile to Jesus, but it is important to remember that the scribes and Pharisees knew the Scriptures very well and made interpretations and commentaries upon them. In today’s Gospel pericope, we see a scribe in a positive light. We do not know if this scribe became a disciple of Jesus, but St. Matthew does tell us that the scribe used the honorific „teacher“ when speaking to Jesus, and that indicates that he acknowledged that Jesus was a wise teacher of the Scriptures and that His commentary on those Scriptures was to be heard and received. We are even told that there were some scribes and Pharisees who followed Jesus and were counted among His disciples. The New Testament tells us that Nicodemus, Joseph of Arimathea and the Apostle Paul (John 3,1; 19,42; Mark 15,43; Acts 23,6) were Pharisees who were also disciples of Jesus; there may have been others who were secretly His disciples too. (Although the Gospels do not specifically state that Joseph of Arimathea was a Pharisee, his close relationship with Nicodemus and his membership in the Sanhedrin (like Nicodemus) lends to it being very probable that Joseph was also a Pharisee.) 

5. What stands out in regards to this scribe in Mark 12 is that he confesses: »To love God with all the heart and with all understanding and with all strength, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself, is much more than all the burnt offerings and sacrifices.« This scribe knew that the Mosaic covenant was grounded upon offerings and sacrifices. The temple existed for these very things and many priests were on hand to handle the daily sacrifices made at the temple. The offerings and sacrifices were God ordained means of grace, but the scribe acknowledges that the Scriptures also exhort love before the sacrifices. The scribe has in mind three particular Scriptural passages: 

1. »But Samuel replied: „Does Yahweh delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying Yahweh? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams“« (1. Samuel 15,22). 

2. Yahweh says: »I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and I desire acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings« (Hosea 6,6).

3. »With what shall I come before Yahweh and bow down before the Exalted God? Shall I come before Him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? Does Yahweh take delight in thousands of rams, in ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I present my firstborn for my rebellious acts or the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does Yahweh require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God.« (Micah 6,6-8). 

6. Jesus commends the scribe’s correct understanding of the Holy Scriptures and tells him: »You are not far from the reign of God.« This statement means two things: 1. You correctly understand the Holy Scriptures, and 2. I, Jesus, am standing in your midst and I am the Reign of God made flesh. 

7. All the Scriptures point to Christ. The offerings, the sacrifices, the temple and everything Moses told Israel at Mt. Sinai were meant to prepare the people for Jesus and His arrival. When Jesus appeared and began teaching and doing miracles, the expected response was: Yes, this is what the Mosaic covenant prepared us for: Jesus is the fulfillment of our covenant! This scribe in Mark 12 was so close to understanding all this. Mark remains silent on whether he did or not. What is not silent is the New Testament witness to these very things. We have 27 books in the New Testament that explain how and why Jesus is the Reign of God and the fulfillment of the old testament. Jesus is God in the flesh and He is God the Father’s Yes to all His promises (2. Corinthians 1,19-20). From the first promise in Genesis 3,14-15: »Yahweh Elohim said to the serpent: „I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.“« to the last promise in Malachi 4,1-2: »For behold, the day is arriving when the Sun of Righteousness shall rise with healing in His wings. You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall.« Jesus is the one who bruised the head of the serpentine Satan, and Jesus is the Sun of Righteousness. Jesus has redeemed us, opened up the gates of everlasting life unto us and calls us to believe in Him for our salvation. 

8. The Apostle Paul grounds his exhortation upon this and tells us: »Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in unconditional love and value, as Christ unconditionally loved and valued us and gave Himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God, ... and addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ, humbly cooperating with one another out of reverence for Christ« (Ephesians 5,1-2.19-21). 

9. Yes, you are not far from the Reign of God. Jesus is present here, for we have gathered together in His Name. His Word is preached. We will soon celebrate His Supper where He promises to unite His body and blood to the bread and the wine for us to eat, drink and receive the forgiveness of sins He has purchased on the cross. Receive and believe, for Jesus Christ is Your Lord and Savior; He is the Yes to all the Divine promises given to you.  Amen. 

10. Let us pray. O Lord, You make known to us Your testament, help us to fear, love and trust You so that we bear testimony of Your mercy and grace unto our neighbors who need to hear Your gospel of forgiveness.  Amen. 

To God alone be the Glory 

Soli Deo Gloria

✠

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 27. Edition © 1993 by Deutsch Bibelgesellschaft, Stuttgart.  

Bayer, Oswald. Martin Luther’s Theology. Copyright © 2008 Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. 

ELKB. Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirche in Bayern. www.bayern-evangelisch.de/www/index.php. Copyright © 2013 Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirche in Bayern. 

LSB. Lutheran Service Book. Copyright © 2006 Concordia Publishing House.

Murphy, G. Ronald, Tr. The Heliand. Copyright © 1992 Oxford University Press. 

VELKD. Vereinigte Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirche Deutschlands. www.velkd.de. Copyright © 2013 Vereinigte Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirche Deutschlands. 

Devotional thoughts for Monday

Monday 20. October 2014 

Trinity 18 

Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said: "Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? Jesus answered them: "And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of tradition?" 

We all have traditions that we cherish. Many of our traditions involve the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. We don't like to alter our traditions for they give us a sense of history and remind us of the good times when we were a child or a young parents with newborn children. 

Churches have traditions too. Most of the time those traditions help create a sense of family among Christians. Sometimes, though, our traditions hinder the Word of God. That was the discussion Jesus and the Pharisees were arguing. The Pharisees prided themselves on honoring the commandments and the traditions of the elders. Jesus, however, showed them that some of their time-honored traditions violated God's Holy Word. 

So we must periodically ask ourselves: Do any of our church traditions go against God's Word? Do any of our family traditions hurt rather than help keep our family close and strong? If so, then we must change them for the sake of God's Word or the sake of our family. We do so for the good of honoring God and keeping our family healthy. 

Prayer: We pray You, O Lord, to keep our tongues from evil and our lips from speaking deceit, so that as Your holy angels continuously sing praises to You in heaven, so may we at all times glorify You on earth; through Jesus Christ, our Lord.  Amen. (210, Treasury of Daily Prayer) 

Devotional thoughts for Sunday

Sunday 18. October 2014 

Trinity 18 

Restore us, O LORD God of hosts! Let Your face shine, so that we may be saved! (Psalm 80,19 ESV) 

God commanded us to set aside one day a week devoted to His worship. Christians have set aside Sunday to worship the Triune God for that is the day on which Jesus rose from the dead. 

As the psalm reminds us, our day of worship is less about us worshipping God and more about Him blessing us. This is why Lutherans coined the phrase Gottesdienst as a term for the worship of God. It is usually translated into English as "Divine Service" but it literally means "God's Service"; it is God's service to us. 

God blesses us in many ways on Sunday. In particular, He blesses us with the preaching of His Word and through the body and blood of Jesus in the Lord's Supper. Through these means of grace, God's face shines upon us and He gives out to us the salvation won by Jesus on the cross. 

We also pray, sing hymns and mutually edify one another in our Divine Service. We may think such things are of no concern if we miss them week after week, but they really are God's way of blessing us. This is why we should be encouraged to worship God each week: to receive His blessings, be assured of His forgiveness and be mutually uplifted by our Christian brothers and sisters who help us bear our burdens. 

Prayer: O Almighty and Most Merciful God, preserve us from all harm and danger so that we, being ready in both body and soul, may cheerfully accomplish what You want done; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, One God, now and forever.  Amen. (A72, Treasury of Daily Prayer) 

Devotional thoughts for Saturday

Saturday 18. October 2014 

Trinity 17 

And Herod the tetrarch sent and had John the Baptizer beheaded in prison. (Matthew 14,10 ESV) 

John suffered imprisonment and martyrdom for the sake of the gospel. John prepared the way for Jesus by calling for people to repent of their sin. Herod wanted to silence John and had him imprisoned. There is nothing new under the sun: politicians attempt to silence pastors and Christian lay people who dare to speak against their sin. America is no stranger to this either. We see a variation of this in Houston, TX right now. 

Wicked men and women seek to silence the law and gospel. They will use whatever means is at their disposal, even overstepping their duties and authority to do so. Christians have a long history of persecution and martyrdom. We experience this around the world in varying degrees of magnitude. Our brothers and sisters in the faith in Africa and the Middle East know it more than we do, and we pray for them so that they bear witness to the Name of Jesus Christ. 

The persecution of Christians is really an attack against Jesus. Sinful people who refuse to repent lash out at Jesus for His words strike deep into their hearts. Their conscience convicts them, but they still reject Him. They see Jesus as a threat to their livelihood. 

But Jesus is far from a threat. He wants all who are burdened and heavy laden to come to Him for rest. Jesus wants to bear all our sinful weight and give us peace. Jesus welcomes sinners. He died and rose again for them. Jesus forgives sinners, even those who adamantly oppose Him and His Church. May that gospel touch the hearts of all who persecute His dear people. 

Prayer: O Almighty God, our Father, Your Blessed Son called Luke the physician to be an evangelist and physician of the soul. Grant that the healing medicine of the Gospel and the Sacraments may put to flight the diseases of our souls so that with willing hearts we may ever love and serve You; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, One God, now and forever.  Amen. (F30, Treasury of Daily Prayer) 

Devotional thoughts for Friday

Friday 17. October 2014 

Trinity 17 

Jesus said: "Again, the reign of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it." (Matthew 13,45-46) 

This parable is the second of the three parables taught by Jesus in Matthew 13. They all have the same theme: finding something of value and obtaining it. Jesus says this is what the reign of heaven is like. 

Jesus here describes His ministry. He is looking for people to call into His heavenly reign. He values fallen men and women to be a pearl of great value. We are valuable to Jesus because we have been made in the image and likeness of God. No other creature in all creation, not even the angels, is made in God's image. 

We are worth finding and saving. Jesus wants to restore our Divine image and likeness. So He went and sold all He had to buy us. This is redemption, and redemption requires sacrifice and the shedding of blood. Jesus became the sacrifice to merit our forgiveness, and He shed His blood to buy us back and make us His very own. We are costly to Him, and He paid the highest cost to purchase us. 

Life in this fallen world is full of doubts and tribulations. Too often we or others tell us we are no good and worthless. But that is simply not true. We are valuable in God's eyes, and Jesus suffering and death on the cross proves how much God loves and values us. Be of good cheer, in whatever struggle you now face, for you are precious to God; you are His pearl of great value. He has given all to bring you into His heavenly reign. 

Prayer: O Almighty God, we praise Your Name for Ignatius of Antioch, pastor and martyr. He offered himself as grain to be ground by the teeth of wild beasts so that he might present to You the pure bread of sacrifice. Accept the willing tribute of all that we are and all that we have, and give us a portion in the pure and unspotted offering of You Son, Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, One God, now and forever.  Amen. (1100, Treasury of Daily Prayer) 

Devotional thoughts for Thursday

Thursday 16. October 2014 

Trinity 17 

All these things Jesus said to the crowds in prattles; indeed, He said nothing to them without a parable. This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet: "I will open My mouth in parables; I will utter what has been hidden since the foundation of the world." (Matthew 13,34-35 ESV) 

Matthew the Apostle and Evangelist tells us that Jesus spoke in parables and that this fulfilled the prophecy of Psalm 78,2. The psalmist speaks of parables as a method to teach about God. A parable is a story, either true or created, that teaches a particular theme. Jesus used parables to teach people about a number of things. 

The interesting thing about parables is that they hold secrets. To the wise, they teach a great spiritual truth, but to others they are merely good stories with a moral to follow. Jesus used His parables to hide things from the crowds but to inform His disciples. This is why sometimes Jesus explained His parables in private to His disciples so that they would understand the true meaning of what He had taught. 

This is true today. Christians understand what the parables are really saying. And this is also true for Holy Scripture in general. We read the Scriptures, ponder over them, pray for wisdom and the Holy Spirit teaches us from these holy words. Have you ever read something in the Bible, something you read many times before, but on this occasion you realized something new from the verses? That is the Holy Spirit guiding you to uncover the depths of Holy Scripture. The Apostle Paul told Timothy: "From childhood you have been acquainted with the Sacred Writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus." (2. Timothy 3:15) The same is true for Jesus' parables: they are to make you wise unto faith in Him. 

Prayer: O Almighty and Everlasting God, give us an increase of faith, hope and love, so that, receiving what You have promised, we may love what You have commanded; through Jesus Christ, You Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, One God, now and forever.  Amen. (A70, Treasury of Daily Prayer) 

Ephesians 4,1-6. 17. Sunday after Trinity

✠ One Message: Christ crucified and risen for you ✠

The Word of the Lord Endures Forever 

se cwide þæs béaggiefan ábireþ ferhþ 

Ephesians 4,1-6 5114

17. Sonntag nach Trinitatis  062 

Maximillian, Bishop of Tebessa, Algeria. Martyr 284 ✠ 

12. Oktober 2014 

1. O God, our hope, in You we are united, in You we can work together to resist hatred. In You we can jointly learn the joy of Your wisdom. In You we can together realize the beauty of Your creation. In You we can witness together Your peace.  Amen. (VELKD, Prayer for the 17. Sunday after Trinity ¶ 1)  

2. »I, Paul, therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call—one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.« 

3. In Jesus’ day there was a cultural and religious divide between the Jews and the Canaanites. The Jews worshipped the One True God while the Gentile Canaanites worshipped other false gods. Jesus spent much of His ministry among the Jews to tell them the Mosaic covenant was being fulfilled in and by Him. Did this new testament extend to the Gentiles? 

4. This Canaanite woman was the second Gentile to show faith in Jesus in the Gospel according to St. Matthew. Earlier, a Roman centurion understood that Jesus merely has to give the command and his sick servant would be healed (Matthew 8,8-10). This Canaanite woman confessed Jesus to be the „Lord“ and the „Son of David“; these are Messianic titles. Too many in Israel failed to see who Jesus is, but this pagan woman clearly sees Jesus to be the promised Messiah. She even understands that the gospel is to be preached first to the Jews and then to the Gentiles. The gospel is overflowing and abundant. 

5. The Apostle Paul describes how abundant the gospel is. »There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call—one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.« Jesus is the Messiah for Jews, Gentiles and all people. This was not the conventional wisdom among the Jews in the 1. century A.D. Many thought the promise was only for the Jews. Samaritans, Greeks, Romans and other Gentiles were excluded, unless they were numbered among the God-fearers who believed in Israel’s God and worshipped Him. Even then, these were still second-class citizens in the minds of many Jews. 

6. Jesus arrives preaching the reign of God and He defies all the conventional wisdom. He is a Nazarene: that’s backwoods hillbilly country in the minds of the cultured elite living in and around Jerusalem. Eleven of His apostles are Galileans and one is from way south in Judea. (Kerioth is 10 miles south of Hebron, Judea and 30 miles south of Jerusalem.) None of the apostles were from the cultured holy city Jerusalem. None of His apostles were well-educated scribes or Pharisees, but they were average Jewish men. His disciples were no different. Their ranks included the Gentiles, women and other average folk. Some disciples were wealthy and educated, and some of these were His disciples in secret. Much of Jesus’ ministry occurred in the north, particularly in Galilee. When Jesus ministered in Jerusalem and Judea it often occurred when Jesus and His disciples traveled south to celebrate the feasts at the temple. And when Jesus did venture to the holy city, He often harshly criticized the Pharisees and other teachers. Jesus even journeyed to Samaria and the Greek Decapolis. 

7. Jesus taught that the promise and the gospel is for all people. The messianic promise had been given to Israel, but this lineage was intended to bless all the Gentiles. Yahweh told Abraham: »in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed« (Genesis 22,18). Thus the Apostle Paul proclaims: »Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: All nations will be blessed through you.« (Galatians 3,8).  The Canaanite woman in Matthew 15 is among the first in the new testament era to receive the blessings promised by Yahweh thousands of years earlier in Genesis 22. 

8. God the Father desires to save everyone. There is one hope of salvation: Christ crucified for our sin and risen for our resurrection. There is one body: the Church who alone is given the Word and Sacraments that give out what Christ merited upon the cross. There is one Spirit: the Holy Spirit who calls people into the Church and creates faith in Jesus. There is one Lord: Jesus Christ alone is the Way, the Truth and the Life unto everlasting fellowship in heaven. There is one faith: the Christian faith that trusts only in Jesus for forgiveness and salvation. There is only one baptism: and this Sacrament washed away our sinfulness and brought us into the holy family of God. There is only One God and Father of all: and He sent His Only-begotten Son to redeem the world and give them eternal life. The Apostle Paul proclaims: »If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, then you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says: Everyone who believes in Him will not be put to shame. For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing His riches on all who call on Him. For everyone who calls on the Name of the Lord will be saved« (Romans 10,9-13). Just as the Canaanite woman received the gospel, so you receive the gospel: it is for you and your salvation.  Amen. 

9. Let us pray. O Lord Jesus, Thou steadfast love for us is forever, may Your Word be preached and faith created so that all who hear the gospel will believe and be saved.  Amen. 

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 27. Edition © 1993 by Deutsch Bibelgesellschaft, Stuttgart.  

Book of Common Prayer, The. Copyright © 2011 Cambridge University Press. 

ELKB. Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirche in Bayern. www.bayern-evangelisch.de/www/index.php. Copyright © 2013 Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirche in Bayern. 

Murphy, G. Ronald. Tree of Salvation: Yggdrasil and the Cross in the North. Copyright © 2013 Oxford University Press. 

Nagel, Norman. Selected Sermons of Norman Nagel: From Valparaiso to St. Louis. Frederick W. Baue, Ed. Copyright © 2004 Concordia Publishing House. 

VELKD. Vereinigte Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirche Deutschlands. www.velkd.de. Copyright © 2013 Vereinigte Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirche Deutschlands. 

Devotional thoughts for Tuesday

Tuesday 14. October 2014 

Trinity 17 

Jesus answered the scribes and Pharisees: "For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth." (Matthew 12,40, ESV) 

The scribes and Pharisees asked Jesus for a sign. They wanted some proof to back up the claims Jesus had made about Himself. If He is the Messiah, then He should prove it. Apparently, healing the sick, calming the storm, exorcising demons, raising the dead and healing the paralyzed, the blind and a man with a crippled hand (Matthew 8-12) were not signs enough for these teachers of Israel. No, they want a real sign. 

Jesus gave these evil and idolatrous teachers of Israel a sign: the sign of Jonah. This is the sign of the resurrection, and not just any resurrection but the resurrection of the Son of Man. The Messiah will die, but He will rise again and conquer death, Hades and the grave. 

This is also a sign of judgment upon the unbelieving Jews. Jonah had been sent to Nineveh to call them to repentance. Surprisingly, the wicked city repented and God spared them His judgement. The sign is clear to the scribes and Pharisees: they need to repent of their unbelief and receive Jesus as their promised Messiah. If they remain hardened in their unbelief, then judgement will befall them. If they repent and believe in Jesus, then mercy will cover them. 

Sadly, we know the outcome. The scribes, Pharisees and Jerusalem did not repent and did not believe in Jesus. God's judgement reigned down upon them through the Romans. Jerusalem was destroyed and Israel scattered. But the sign is still there: Jesus died, was buried and rose again. That sign is a sign of hope and grace. No one ever need bear the brunt of judgment because God is merciful and sent His Son to redeem us. The sign of Jonah and Jesus is the sign of God's forgiveness. We believe in Jesus and we have what He promises: mercy, salvation and forgiveness. 

Prayer: O Blessed Lord, since You have caused all Holy Scriptures to be written for our learning, grant that we may so hear them, read, mark, learn and inwardly digest them so that we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, One God, now and forever.  Amen. (A68, Treasury of Daily Prayer)

Devotional thoughts for Monday

Monday 13. October 2014 

Trinity 17 

Jesus said: "Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad, for the tree is known by its fruit. The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil." (Matthew 12,33.35, ESV) 

Jesus tells us that a people's works are dictated by the sort of people they are, just like trees. Apple trees produce apples, and orange trees produce oranges. Apple trees cannot produce oranges, nor orange trees apples. The nature of the tree determines what fruit it produces. The same is true for people. If a people are good, then they produce good works, but if people are evil, then they produce wicked works. 

So the question is: what makes someone good or evil? Every single person born is born evil, for it is our sinful nature. None of us is a good person. The only way for us to become good is to have a change of heart, and only the Holy Spirit can make an evil person into a good person. But this is not an issue of morality or virtues. Rather, the Holy Spirit gets the gospel proclaimed to us, and when we have heard that gospel, He creates faith in us and we thus become a new person. An exchange occurs. Jesus takes our sinfulness and gives us His righteousness. This great exchanged happened on the cross, and every time the gospel is proclaimed and someone believes that gospel that exchange occurs. 

So as Christians who believe in Jesus, we can but only do good works. That is not to say that we never sin and do bad things, but our entire nature has been changed. We are children of God and heirs to His reign. We have been made holy and as such our works are good. And it is not as if we consciously think about our works, for they naturally flow from our faith in Jesus. The Holy Spirit ensures that we are doing good works from faith to benefit our neighbor. 

Prayer: O God, the Protector of all who trust in You, without whom nothing is strong and nothing is holy, multiply Your mercy upon us so that, with You as our Ruler and Guide, we may so pass through things temporal so that we lose not the things eternal; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, One God, now and forever.  Amen. (H63, Treasury of Daily Prayer) 

Devotional thoughts for Sunday

Sunday 12. October 2014 

Trinity 17 

O how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day. (Psalm 119,97) 

Psalm 119 is the great psalm about God's law. But we should not think of "God's law" as merely rules and regulations. The psalmist exhorts us to meditate upon God's covenant. For the psalmist, that was the Mosaic covenant given at Mt. Sinai. This covenant involved God's merciful redemption of Israel from Egyptian slavery, the promise of a new homeland in Canaan and, yes, rules and regulations for living, in particular the Ten Commandments. 

Jesus fulfilled this Mosaic covenant and gave us a new one. This new testament was given at Mt. Calvary. This testament involved God's merciful redemption of all men and women from the slavery of sin, death and the grave. Jesus shed His own precious blood to redeem us from Satan and eternal separation from God in hell. By Jesus' resurrection, death has been overcome, the grave has been opened and hell has been emptied. All who believe in Jesus have victory over the devil. Jesus has made us righteous. 

This is why the Church from the earliest days of the apostles set aside Sunday as her day of worship. Jesus rose from the dead on a Sunday, and the Church now worships her ascended Lord each Sunday. This is our day where we gather together to hear the Word of God and receive the Sacrament of the Altar. We love God's Word and we meditate upon it daily, but especially on Sundays do we gather to worship God and receive from Him all the good blessings He gives us through the Holy Spirit. 

Prayer: O Lord of the Sabbath, You gave Your servant David the bread of the Presence on the Sabbath to teach him that You desire mercy and not sacrifice. Be merciful to us by healing us from all our sins and diseases, so that we may be merciful to others as You have been merciful to us; for You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, One God, now and forever.  Amen. (1099, Treasury of Daily Prayer)