1. Timothy 1,12-17. 3. Trinity

✠ One Message: Christ crucified and risen for you ✠

The Word of the Lord Endures Forever

Verbum Domini Manet in Aeternum

1. Timothy 1,12-17              3819

3. Sn. n. Trinitatis 048   

Willibald, Bishop of Eichstätt, Germany,  ✠ 786

7. Juli 2019 

1. O Heavenly Father, who rejoices over one sinner who repents; help us to urge sinners to repentance and those who have forsaken You to return to the faith, so that those who are lost may be found again.  Amen. (Luke 15,10.6) 

2. »I thank Him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because He judged me faithful, appointing me to His service, though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor and violent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus entered the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. But I received mercy for this reason, so that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display His perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in Him for eternal life. To God alone, the Eternal King, who is immortal and invisible, be honor and glory forever and ever.   Amen.«  

  3. In today’s gospel pericope, Jesus teaches about finding the lost and rejoicing when he or she is found. In his 1. Epistle to Timothy, the Apostle Paul describes himself as a »blasphemer, persecutor and a violent opponent« to Christ Jesus and His Church. St. Luke writes of this in his book of Acts: »Now when the Sanhedrin heard these things, that Steven said, proving from the Scriptures, that Jesus is the Christ, they became enraged, then they cast him out of Jerusalem and stoned him. And Paul approved of this execution. Paul was ravaging the Church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and commended them to prison. Still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, Paul went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogue of Damascus, so that if he found any Christians, he might bring them down to Jerusalem. Now as he went on his way a light from heaven flashed around him. And falling to the ground he heard a voice saying to him: „Paul, Paul, why are you persecuting Me?“ And he replied: „Who are you, Lord?“ And He answered: „I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting, but rise and go to Damascus and you will be told what you are to do.“ So Ananias lay his hands on Paul and he gained his sight. Then Paul rose and was baptized« (Acts 7,54.58; 8,1.3; 9,1-5.17-19). 

4. This Paul, though a Pharisee and well-versed in the Scriptures, nevertheless was lost; he did not have faith in Jesus as the Christ, and even persecuted Jews who confessed Jesus to be the promised Christ of their Scriptures. Paul argues that he had acted ignorantly in unbelief. Ultimately, everyone acts ignorantly and Amberley. Those of us who were baptized as an infant were later taught the Christian faith so that what we did not know about God was replaced with what the Scriptures teach us about God. Others receive Christ later in life when they are adults; all the misconceptions about God need to be replaced by the teachings of the Holy Scriptures. Some fall away from the faith; they need to be found and brought back to the saving doctrine proclaimed by the Church. There are several reasons someone leaves the faith: 1. the deceitfulness of sin (Hebrews 3,12-13), 2. the cares, riches and pleasures of this life (Luke 8,12-14) and 3. tribulation (Luke 8,12-14). Restoring those who once believed is often a painful, long and difficult task, because they often have hardened their hearts to Christ and His gospel.   

  5. The Apostle James concluded his epistle with this godly wisdom: »If anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, then let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save that person’s soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins« (James 5,19-20). We begin by praying for those are lost, asking God to open their hearts and minds to His gospel. We pursue opportunities to speak the truth in love. This may not always be a religious discussion, but first as opportunities to connect and relate, over coffee, a meal or some other such thing. Strengthening the bond of friendship or family through love whereby trust is strengthened, we then look for opportunities to engage them in religious dialogue, seeking openings to urge them back to God and proclaim the gospel to them. This requires a great deal of patience as someone who has a hardened heart toward God is not easily persuaded to change their attitude. 

6. Jesus seeks out such people who are lost. His grace overflows for all of the faith and love that are in Him. Christ Jesus arrived on this earth to save sinners. This is His ministry and His gospel. The angels rejoice when just 1 sinner repents (Luke 15,7.10). We rejoice for them as well. We also rejoice at our salvation; we should be joyous every time we draw near to God the Father confessing our sins and receiving His absolution, for this is a joyous act of repentance. God is merciful and quick to forgive.  

7. To seek and to save the lost is the great unfolding story of the Lord’s Heilsgeschichte (salvation history) as recorded in the pages of w Scripture that is played out in the history and lives of men and women. In spite of the sinful nature of mankind that is prone to curse the Lord, walk away from Him, trample upon His people and do violence to the prophets, apostles and rank-and-file believers, nevertheless the Lord kept His promise and continues to keep His promise to redeem fallen men and women. The Lord’s word is His bond, and His bond is His word; the Lord does what He promises: He finds the lost and saves them. Christ is the fulfillment of this promise: we were once lost, but Jesus has found us; in this we rejoice.  Amen.  

8. Let us pray. O Lord, Thou art merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in loving-kindness; give us joyful hearts, so that we rejoice when a sinner repents and one who was lost has been found by Your grace.  Amen. 

To God alone be the Glory 

Soli Deo Gloria

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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. 

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

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

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