Grace Evangelical-Lutheran: July 2021

Thursday, July 29, 2021

Romans 8,12-17. 8. Trinity

Romans 8,12-17 4121

8. Trinitatis 053

James the Elder, Apostle, Martyr in Judea 44. Acts 12,1-2

25. Juli 2021

1. O Lord God, Heavenly Father, we most heartily thank You that Your have caused us to come to the knowledge of Your Word. We pray: graciously keep us steadfast in this knowledge unto death, so that we may obtain eternal life; send us now and ever pious pastors, who faithfully preach Your Word, without offense or false doctrine, and grant them long life. Defend us from all false teachings, and frustrate the counsels of all who twist Your Word, who come to us in sheep’s clothing, but are inwardly ravening wolves, so that Your true Church may evermore be established among us, and be defended and preserved from such false teachers. Amen. (Veit Dietrich)

2. »So then, brothers and sisters, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh then you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, then you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry: „Abba! Father!“ The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with Him in order that we may also be glorified with Him.«

3. In his Epistle to the Romans, the Apostle Paul mentions each Person of the Trinity in chapter 8: the Holy Spirit, the Father and Christ Jesus.

4. Saint Paul tells us that God the Father has adopted us as His son or daughter. This is an incredible gift that God has given us. For the apostle says that before this adoption into God’s family, our spirit was enslaved and in fear fear. Prior to becoming a child of God we were a child of the Devil enslaved to our sinful flesh. We were born in sin, lived a life of sin and followed the example of Satan, the first sinner. Living enslaved in such a sinful state is to live in a state of constant fear that someone will uncover your wicked deeds and punish you. Fear that someone may commit some sinful act upon your person. Fear that some Divine Entity may pour out His wrath upon you for your evil deeds.

5. God’s plan in redemption is to redeem His fallen creation. God the Father desires to reclaim you as His very own son or daughter. Moses writes in Genesis 1: »Then God said: „Let Us make man in Our image, in Our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth and over all the creatures that move along the ground.“ So God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. And God blessed them« (Genesis 1,26-28). Adam and Eve were created in the Divine Image and Likeness. Adam was a son of God, and Eve was a daughter of God. They were perfect, holy and sinless. Everything on earth was given to men and women to rule on behalf of God, because they were sons of God, crown princes and heirs. In salvation, God the Father desires to restore the original intention of Creation.

6. God the Father desires to restore His fallen creation to its originally created order. Christ Jesus came to this Earth to become our Redeemer and Savior. He took on human flesh and blood. He suffered, died and was buried. He rose from the grave in victory. He ascended into heaven in power and glory. Christ Jesus will one day return for us.

7. Until the day of Christ’s second advent, the Holy Spirit is about the task of restoring creation. He testifies that we have been adopted as God’s children. He announces that each of us have been purchased by God and have been brought into His heavenly family. The Holy Spirit most verbally declares this at your Baptism. Luther writes in his Small Catechism: Q: What benefits does Baptism give? A: Baptism works forgiveness of sins, rescues from death and the Devil and gives eternal salvation to all who believe this, as the words and promises of God declare. Holy Baptism is a restoration of our heavenly inheritance.

8. But these Baptismal gifts are the mere means to the true end. The end is that we be restored to the Image and Likeness of God. Baptism is a means to this end, and the Holy Spirit is responsible for Baptism, faith and restoring us to the Divine Image and Likeness.

9. Yet, the Holy Spirit does not stop at Baptism. He has also given to the Church the Sacrament of Holy Communion. In the Sacrament of the Altar we receive the body and blood of Christ for the forgiveness of our sins. Another benefit of the Lord’s Supper is that by partaking of it we proclaim the Lord’s death until He returns. Jesus told His apostles: »Let not your hearts be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And when I go and prepare a place for you, I will return again and will take you to Myself, that where I am you may be also« (John 14, 1-3). Christ has promised to return for us, and in returning for us He will take us to be with Him whereby we will receive the completion of salvation, which is the restoration of our physical body and soul to its intended sinless and holy state.

10. Dear friends, salvation is more than just the mere forgiveness of sins. Salvation is about the eventual eradication of sin and the sinful nature. God intends to restore creation to its pristine form. Suffering and disease will cease. Death will no longer be a reality. Sin will never trouble us again. The Son of God, Jesus Christ, began this restoration when Christ spilled His very own blood on the cross to purchase our, yes, the world’s forgiveness. forgiveness; Christ has risen from the grave, and we also will physically arise at His return; Christ’s Easter victory over sin, death and the Devil has restored creation to its original righteousness, and each day the Holy Spirit advances this restoration through the gospel, in Baptism and through the Lord’s Supper.

11. Saint Paul writes later in his epistle: »I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God; for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will but by the will of Him who subjected it in hope; because the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and obtain the glorious liberty of the children of God« (Romans 8,18-21).

12. The Triune God promises that He will walk again with us in full fellowship. The Father will restore creation to its Garden of Eden purity. The Holy Spirit will begin us on the path of restoration to original righteousness as He uses the Word and Sacraments to forgive our sins and lead us in living Godly lives. The Son has already purchased the forgiveness of our sins on the cross, and has ascended into heavenly glory. At His return we will inherit God’s wealth, and that wealth is the eternal riches of heaven, which include complete restoration of our physical and spiritual holiness and purity. Praise be to God, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, who love us and restore us to Divine fellowship through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

13. Let us pray. O Lord, whose Name is glorious; pour out upon the world Your loving kindness, so that every man and woman may see Your faithfulness to us in Christ Jesus our Savior. 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 28. Revised Edition © 2012 by Deutsch Bibelgesellschaft, Stuttgart.

8. Trinity. Divine Service III

Friday, July 23, 2021

1. Kings 17,1-16. 7. Trinity

1. Kings 17,1-16 4021

7. Sonntag nach Trinitatis 052

Radegundis, Virgin, servant girl, ✠ 13^th c.

18. Juli 2021

1. O Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, who in the wilderness did by Your Son abundantly feed four thousand men besides women and children with seven loaves and a few small fishes: We beseech You, graciously abide among us with Your blessing, and keep us from covetousness and the cares of this life, that we may seek first Your kingdom and Your righteousness, and in all things needful for body and soul, experience Your ever-present help. Amen. (Veit Dietrich)

2. »Then the Word of Yahweh came to Elijah: „Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there. Behold, I have commanded a widow there to feed you.“ So he arose and went to Zarephath.«

3. Ahab was a notoriously evil king in Israel, the northern kingdom. He reigned for 22 years (1. Kings 16,29). He continued the Baal worship instituted by Israel’s first king, Jeroboam (1. Kings 12,25-33). He added Asherah into Israel’s idolatry, a sister-wife to Baal. Asherah was represented by a wooden pillar or pole, and Baal was represented as a golden calf. Eventually she was viewed as a consort to Yahweh of Samaria, the capital of Israel (inscription at Kuntillet ‘Ajrud).

4. In response to King Ahab, Yahweh raised up with the prophet Elijah. His first action was to tell Ahab that Yahweh was sending a drought (that would last for 3 years) (1. Kings 18,1). Then Elijah left to live in the wilderness where Yahweh provided his sustenance. Then Elijah went to Zarephath and Yahweh provided for Elijah, the widow and her son. Yahweh miraculously preserved the flour and oil for them throughout the many months of the drought.

5. Again and again throughout the Scriptures, God reminds us that He provides for us. Jesus taught us to pray that God the Father gives us this day our daily bread. Luther explains this petition by saying: „God certainly gives daily bread to everyone without our prayers, even to all evil people, but we pray in this petition that God would lead us to realize this and to receive our daily bread with thanksgiving“ (Small Catechism). In today’s Gospel pericope, Jesus and His disciples know the people are hungry, so Jesus provides for them and prays a prayer of blessing over the few small fish and the 7 loaves of bread. With this limited supply, Jesus fed 4000 people (Mark 8,1-9).

6. Jesus wants us to realize that our entire life and that of everyone else depends on God. Psalm 145 declares of God: »The eyes of all look to You, and You give them their food at the proper time. You open Your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing« (Psalm 145,15-16). Martin Luther used this very verse from Psalm 145 as the introduction for saying a blessing over one’s meal. Jesus also says in the Gospel according to Matthew: »God causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous« (Matthew 5,45). God’s temporal Providence encourages us to pray along with the Psalmist: »O give thanks to Yahweh, for He is good; His mercy endures forever« (Psalm 106,1 lxx). With this petition Jesus wants us to realize that all our physical and spiritual blessings come from our Heavenly Father. All the necessities of life come from God. All the things that make life enjoyable also come from God, for He does not intend to merely give us the bare minimum to live, such as simply food, clothes and shelter. Rather, God in His infinite love, intends to give us abundant blessings in this life. God provides us with more than the bare minimum of existence. He gives us many blessings that make life enjoyable and exciting.

7. God does not simply bless us and provide abundantly for a soul that we enjoy of the Providence of his loving kindness. The gospel works in us and through us, for we love Jesus and our neighbor, to help those in need. The Apostle John exhorts us: »By this we know love, that Jesus laid down His life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers and sisters. But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother or sister in need, yet closes his heart against them, then how does God’s love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth« (1. John 3,16-18).

8. God used the pandemic of 2022 to humble men and women. People around the world suffered heartache, lost wages, struggled with isolation, struggled to get basic food or supplies and even lost people they knew. But through such tribulations, God exhorted us to befriend and help one another, and hopefully that lesson will not be lost among the people of this world. Where we can help our neighbor with temporal needs, then we should and must help.

9. But while God was working good throughout 2020, the Devil was sowing discord. He stoked the flames of political and racial discord. His goal is to increase animosity among men and women. A good way to support the plan of the Devil is to be charitable in word and deed. Refuse to take the bait the Devil dangles, and shine forth with the light and love of Jesus toward our neighbors. As Christians we have the gospel that brings healing to the ills of the world, and in our acts of charity we can help those in distress or need.

10. May God continue to grant us these rich blessings in our life. God has provided for our earthly needs and He has also provided for our spiritual needs, by sending Jesus Christ to be our Savior. As St. Paul says: »All all the promises of God find their „Yes“ in Christ« (2. Corinthians 1,20). Indeed, God blesses us with temporal blessings. Yes, God blesses us with forgiveness and eternal life in heaven. God does this on a daily basis because He is our Heavenly Father who loves and provides for us. Amen.

11. Let us pray. O Lord, whose Name is worthy to be praised; may we sing of Your great mercy from the rising of the sun to it setting, so that our neighbors may hear Your gospel. Amen.

To God alone be the Glory

Gode ealdore sy se cyneþrymm

✠

7. Trinity Divine Service IV

7. Trinity

Friday, July 16, 2021

Galatians 5,1.13-25. Sunday 16. July 1995

The first sermon I preached as a pastor; I’ve preached on this text several times over 26 years, but this is the first one:

In Namen Jesu

Pentecost 6C

Galatians 5:1, 13-25

Where’s the Fruit?

16 JUL 95

Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

Dear brothers and sisters –

Our text is the Epistle lesson that was ready a few moments ago, particularly the following verses: Christ has freed us so that we will be free. I say, let the Spirit direct your life, and you will not carry out what your flesh desires. For what the flesh desires is against the Spirit, and what the Spirit desires is against the flesh, because they are opposed to each other, so that you do not do what you want to do. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. This is our text.

Christ has freed us so that we will be free. Think about that for a moment, and really let this truth sink in. Freedom. What has Christ freed you from? Obviously, God has freed you from the sinful damnation we all deserve. Christ’s death has freed you from the harsh demands on the Law, which requires perfect words and deeds on your part. The Lord has also afraid you from the fear of death, by which I mean that your faith in Christ assures you a heavenly home of rich blessings for eternity.

These are some great things to be freed from, and thanks be to God that Christ has rescued you from such horrors.

But all the Christ has freed you, there are times when you live as if you were still in bondage to sin. Paul list several examples in his letter to the Galatians—impurity, lust, hatred, jealousy. How many times do you find yourself falling into the same sinful habits time and again? The Law of God clearly tells you what God expects: remain pure, don’t lust after the desires of this world, be content with what God provides, and love one another. How well do you live up to these demanding expectations?

Another bondage that traps many people, even Christian at times, is the feeling that they must please God. There may be times when it seems as if you have a mental balance sheet and the goal is to have more good deeds than sinful ones. What is your response when you sin? Do you hope God wasn’t watching, or do you begin planning a good deed to balance the bad one?

If you try to match a good deed for every sinful deed you will lose. It’s a game you can’t win. God doesn’t want someone who is good 51% of the time, no, God wants 100% perfection and obedience. And there’s the problem, you and I can’t meet this demand. Even as Christians we can’t meet the high expectations God has for us. The struggle between your spirit and your flesh, between your godly desires and your sinful lusts is an ongoing struggle.

Here’s the beautiful part of God’s wisdom. You and I sin all the time, but God doesn’t require a good deed from you to coax Him into forgiving you—through Christ God has already forgiven you. Christ’s victory is your victory! When you sin, it is God’s desire that you come before Him in repentance—that you hear His words of forgiveness in Word and Sacrament.

Paul reminds you that those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. This is what happens in holy Baptism. Paul writes, Or do you not know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Now when we were baptized into His death, we were buried with Him so that, as Christ was raised from the dead we will be raised likewise.

Baptism. That’s where it all starts with a Christian. God’s grace, mercy, and peace continue to flow. I’m sure many of you saw pictures of the Midwest floods the last two years. As a student in St. Louis I got to witness it first-hand. God’s grace is similar to that flooding. Man can’t stop it from happening. Whatever barriers you or I might construct, God knocks down and overflows. That’s the nature of our loving God: He keeps giving and giving until His grace overflows.

The fruit of the Spirit represents a small portion of God’s gifts to His people. God has placed these fruits within you when He gave you faith in Christ. You don’t have to work to produce the fruits, you already possess them. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control—whatever barrier your sinful nature attempts to raise up will be knocked down by the Holy Spirit. You will bear fruit, and your fruit will flourish.

The Lutheran Reformers spoke of good works this way: faith, which is born from the Gospel, believes that sins are forgiven for Christ’s sake, comforts the conscience, and delivers it from terror. Then good works, which are the fruits of repentance, are bound to follow. You will do good works and bear these fruits of the Spirit because you have faith in Christ.

Christ has truly freed you: from sin—for God forgives you on account of Christ, and from the stress of creating fruit—for it is God who creates your faith and also your good works. As the hymn beautifully says:

’Tis not by works of righteousness

Which our own hands have done,

But we are saved by God’s grace

Abounding thro’ His Son.

Amen.

Now may the peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

Wednesday, July 14, 2021

Luke 4,38-5,1 Bible study

Luke 4,38-5,11

Matthew 5,20-26. 6. Trinity

Matthew 5,20-26 3921

6. Trinitatis 051

Pius, Bishop of Rome, Martyr 150

11. Juli 2021

1. O Lord God, Heavenly Father, we confess that we are poor, wretched sinners, and that there is no good in us, our hearts, flesh and blood being so corrupted by sin, that we never in this life can be without sinful lust [desire to sin] and concupiscence [corrupted nature]; therefore we beseech You, dear Father, forgive us these sins, and let Your Holy Spirit so cleanse our hearts so that we may desire and love Your Word, abide by it, and thus by Your grace be forever saved. Amen. (Veit Dietrich)

2. »Jesus taught them: „For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. ²¹You have heard that it was said to those of old: You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment. ²²But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says: ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire. ²³So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, ²⁴then leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then go and offer your gift. ²⁵Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison. ²⁶Truly, I say to you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny.“«

3. Jesus tells us that righteousness is the key to entering the reign of heaven. The Gospel according to St. Matthew says that there are two types of righteousness, but only one of them unlocks heaven. The first type of righteousness is that of the scribes and Pharisees. The disciples were familiar with this righteousness, for it had become part and parcel of 1. century ad Judaism and most likely they heard it taught and preached by their rabbis in the synagogues. The scribes and Pharisees were meticulous in keeping the entire Law of Moses, and to ensure this they crafted 600 additional precepts from the law that, if one followed, then one was certain it to be keeping and obeying the 10 Commandments. They called these additional precepts the tradition of the elders (Matthew 15). The Pharisees followed the letter of the law, the Mosaic covenant and the traditions of the elders. They prayed, tithed and worshiped. They did not murder, commit adultery or steal. As to righteousness under the law, the Pharisees were blameless (Philippians 3,6). Ultimately, the scribes and Pharisees determine and measure of righteousness quantitatively: like a checklist (Gibbs 274). Jesus’ Parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector highlights this approach. The Pharisee: fair in my financial dealings, acts justly, faithful to my wife, fast twice a week and tithed; check, check, check, check and check, ergo I am righteous. The tax collector: extortioner, unjust, can’t tithe because my income is obtained by stealing others wealth; demerit, demerit and demerit, ergo, the Pharisees judges that the tax collector is unrighteous.

4. The disciples, on the other hand, have a different, a second, type of righteousness. Jesus fills them with righteousness (Gibbs 274). This is a qualitative and relational righteousness; it is not one determined or measured quantitatively as the Pharisees did (Gibbs 274). Thus, good works do not cause salvation (Gibbs 273). The Pharisee would say: I am keeping the Law and here are my list of good works that prove I am keeping the law, therefore I am righteous by the merit of keeping the law. The Christian says: I am righteous on account of Jesus, and from this righteousness I do good works.

5. This is why Jesus tells us: your righteousness shall exceed more greatly than the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees. To understand what Jesus is saying here is simply this: the scribes and Pharisees are not Jesus’ disciples (Gibbs 273). They are Jesus’ opponents who reject His claim that He is the Messiah. They do possess a certain kind of righteousness, and they manifest it in their behavior (Gibbs 273). It is, however, a righteousness that is entirely cut off from Jesus and so is not true righteousness, not truly good works at all (Gibbs 273).

6. Just a few verses earlier Jesus said: »Do not think that I have arrived to do away with the Law or the Prophets; I did not arrive to do away with them, rather, to fulfill them. For truly I say to you, until the heavens and the earth pass away, one letter or one stroke will certainly not pass away from the Law, until all things take place« (Matthew 5,17-18). Jesus has not arrived to abolish or negate the Law and the Prophets, nor has He arrived to merely repeat what the Law and the Prophets say; but He has arrived to fulfill them (Gibbs 267). Why does He fulfill the Old Testament? A: God’s Heilsgeschichte (salvation history) in dealing with Israel and the world was incomplete in the Old Testament; an underlying theme of the Old Testament is that it looks forward to, and hopes for, God to enter this world in a decisive way. The Prophets Isaiah, Jeremiah and Malachi, to name just a few, are examples of speaking of a future arrival of God. »The time is arriving to gather all nations and languages, and they will go and will see My Glory, and I will set a sign among them« (Isaiah 66,18-19). »Behold, the days are coming, declares Yahweh, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, not like the covenant that I made with their fathers« (Jeremiah 31,31-32). »For behold, the day is coming, … for you who fear My Name, the Sun of Righteousness will arise with healing in His wings« (Malachi 4,1.2).

7. Martin Luther wrote: „All of Scripture … is pure Christ, God’s and Mary’s Son. Everything is focused on the Son, so that we might know Him distinctively and in that way see the Father and the Holy Spirit eternally as One God. To him who has the Son the Scripture is an open book; and the stronger his faith in Christ becomes, the more brightly will the light of Scripture shine for him“ (Luther 339 ¶ 1). The Old Testament is about Jesus and preparing for His Advent and proclaiming His arrival. As the Subject of the Old Testament, only Jesus can fulfill the Scriptures. The Pharisees have that same Scripture, but they have interpreted it wrongly. They had focused on the minutia of the particular laws and commandments but neglected Whom those Scriptures speak of and long for: the Messiah. The Pharisees criticized Jesus and His disciples because they don’t follow the traditions of the elders: why aren’t you fasting or washing your hands (Matthew 9,14; 15,2)? They want Jesus to conform and fit into their interpretation of the Scriptures, but Jesus cannot and will not conform because to do so will not fulfill those Scriptures.

8. First century ad Judaism was not completely wrong about everything; it preserved some elements of Old Testament teaching (Gibbs 480). The starting point, however, has to be new; Jesus Himself must be the starting point (Gibbs 480). No person or system of thought can take Jesus as an add on to an existing theology (Gibbs 481). You cannot simply slap Jesus on as a patch to repair a larger structure already in place: to do so will destroy the structure. You cannot pour Jesus like new wine into an old wine skin because that will destroy the old wine skin. All faith and practice must begin with Jesus as the Center (Gibbs 481).

9. Jesus fulfills the Scriptures. He is the Source and Center of the Scriptures. Faith in Jesus is already a surpassing righteousness to that of the Pharisees. Christian righteousness leads to the fruit of good works, and Christian good works far surpass anything the Pharisees can produce, or the 21. century people can boast of with their moral and political posturing. Jesus is the Light of the world, and we shine as little lights of Christ. Amen.

10. Let us pray. O Lord,Your Name is worthy to be praised; uplift the preaching of Your Scriptures in the midst of the congregation, so that people hear and believe that You, O Christ Jesus, are Lord. Amen.

To God alone be the Glory

Gode ealdore sy se cyneþrymm

✠

6. Trinity Divine Service IV

6. Trinity

Wednesday, July 7, 2021

Luke 4,31-37 Bible study

Luke 4,31-37

1. Corinthians 1,18-25. 5. Trinity

1. Corinthians 1,18-25 3821

5. Sonntag nach Trinitatis 050

Ulrich, Bishop of Augsburg, ✠ 973

4. Juli 2021

1. O Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, who has given us Your holy Word, and has bountifully provided for all our temporal wants, we confess that we are unworthy of all these mercies, and that we have rather deserved punishment: But we beseech You, forgive us our sins, and prosper and bless us in our several callings, so that by Your strength we may be sustained and defended, now and forever, and so praise and glorify You eternally. Amen. (Veit Dietrich)

2. »For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written: I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the understanding of the intelligent I will reject. [Isaiah 29,14] Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? ²¹For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.«

3. First century ad Greeks were fond of rhetoric (speaking and writing effectively); it was part of a solid Greek education that Quintilianus (ad 30-100) made popular with his quadradical approach: rhetoric, grammar, science and philosophy. The classic liberal arts university education follows a similar approach today with its trivium of rhetoric, dialectics (philosophy, logic, metaphysics and ethics) and grammar.

4. Paul tells the Corinthian Greek Christians that he did not amaze them with his wisdom and rhetoric, but simply proclaimed the gospel of Christ crucified and risen. Paul argues that reliance on one’s skill as a speaker can rob the cross of Christ of its power (Lockwood 64). He tells the Corinthians: no matter how well they dress up the word of the cross, the world will always find it unpalatable (Lockwood 64). The world likes glamour, success and image (Lockwood 64), and this is one reason why Hollywood stars and sport athletes continually draw the attention and admiration of our citizens.

5. But the cross seems like foolishness to the world. In Paul’s day, only non-Roman criminals and obstinate slaves were crucified. To be crucified was humiliating, shameful and offensive. This is why Jesus’ apostles balk at Him saying He would suffer, be crucified and die. God forbid, the Messiah suffer such and dignity; they couldn’t comprehend it happening. The humiliation would be unbearable! The wise man and the scribe believe the Messiah would usher in and rule over a golden age were Judaism prospered and the Gentile idolatries would be cast aside by all.

6. Not so, says Jesus, or perhaps not exactly like you hope and dream. There would be no ushering in a 2. Davidic Realm from Galilee through Judea. Roman control will not be toppled. There will be no day of vengeance upon the nations, but there will be a year of Yahweh favor upon both Jews and Gentiles (Isaiah 61,1-2) for Yahweh will cause righteousness and praise to sprout up before all the nations (Isaiah 61,11). This righteousness happens on the cross and through the cross. Where do we find God saving the world? A: through humiliation, suffering and death on the cross.

7. The world thinks the cross is foolish. In Paul’s day, Jews sought truth by means of signs and Greeks such truth in wisdom. In the Gospels, the Jews constantly demand that Jesus prove His messianic claims by giving them a sign, that is, do something miraculous to back up Your claim. There were no lack of signs from Jesus: He healed the sick, cleansed lepers and raised the dead; each of these signs bore evidence that His messianic claims were true. Yet the Jewish religious leaders still wanted more, so Jesus said the sign I give you is that of Jonah, namely, I, Jesus, will be in the tomb for 3 days and 3 nights, and then I will come forth alive (Matthew 12,39-40). The sign that Jesus gives to those looking for such is His very death and resurrection.

8. The Greeks wanted proof from wisdom, namely, an exemplary articulation of intellectual and rhetorical prowess. The Jews had a rich Scriptural foundation of Moses and the Prophets to draw upon, and the Greeks had centuries of profound philosophers to learn from. Herodotus exclaimed: All Greeks were zealous for every kind of learning (History 4,77). In Jesus’s and Paul’s day Epicurius (341-270 bc) and Zeno (334-262 bc) were important philosophers who 3 centuries earlier had given the Greek world Epicureanism and Stoicism. The Greeks examined and tested the wisdom of the gospel against that of their most revered philosophers.

9. The cross is a stumbling block to Jews because it is a humiliation that does not live up to the impressive sign they expected of the Messiah. The cross is foolishness to the Greeks because it lacks the rhetoric of the great philosophers. But in reality, the cross is a powerful sign and the ultimate wisdom. The goal of Jesus as the Messiah is to save the world from all sin. The sign for that in Judaism were the animal sacrifices. On the cross, Jesus became the animal sacrifice as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1,29). Among his wise sayings, Herodotus once said: Great things are won by great dangers. There is no greater danger than submitting oneself to humiliation, suffering and death on the cross to redeem the world. Taking up the great danger of the cross, Jesus achieved a great thing – the world’s salvation. Thus Paul says: We preach Christ crucified for there we see God’s power and God’s wisdom. God’s folly is wiser than man and God’s weakness is stronger than man. Christ crucified is our sign and our wisdom that God forgives us, loves us and is merciful to us. Amen.

10. Let us pray. O Lord Jesus Christ, You have made known our salvation in the cross; let this righteousness ever be preached to the nations, so that in You they see their redemption. Amen.

To God alone be the Glory

Gode ealdore sy se cyneþrymm

✠

5. Trinity Divine Service III

5. Trinity. DS III

Friday, July 2, 2021

Luke 4,16-30 pt 2

Luke 4,16-30 Bible study pt 2

Genesis 50,15-21. 4. Trinity

Genesis 50,15-21 3721

4. Trinitatis 049

Crescens, 2 Timothy 4,10

27. Juni 2021

1. O Lord God, Heavenly Father: who is merciful, and through Christ did promise us, that You will neither judge nor condemn us, but graciously forgive us all our sins, and abundantly provide for all our wants of body and soul: We pray, that by Your Holy Spirit You will establish in our hearts a confident faith in Your mercy, and teach us also to be merciful to our neighbor, so that we may not judge or condemn others, but willingly forgive all people, and, judging only ourselves, lead blessed lives in Your fear. Amen. (Veit Dietrich)

2. »When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said: „It may be that Joseph will hate us and pay us back for all the evil that we did to him.“ So they sent a message to Joseph, saying: „Your father gave this command before he died: ‘Say to Joseph, Please forgive the transgression of your brothers and their sin, because they did evil to you.’ And now, please forgive the transgression of the servants of the God of your father.“ Joseph wept when they spoke to him. His brothers also approached and fell down before him and said: „Behold, we are your servants.“ But Joseph said to them: „Do not fear, for am I in the place of God? As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many peopleshould be kept alive, as they are today. So do not fear; I will provide for you and your little ones.“ Thus he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.«

3. Joseph’s brothers were in a precarious situation when their father Jacob died. Of all his 12 sons, Jacob favorite Joseph the most. His older brothers resented that and so they had sold Joseph into slavery and convinced their father that Joseph had been killed by a wild animal. Joseph ended up in Egypt, serviced Potiphar, was unjustly thrown in prison for several years, but then becomes a trusted advisor to pharaoh, eventually becoming second in authority of all Egypt as pharaoh’s right hand man.

4. Joseph is a typical Biblical example of a truth St. Paul proclaims it his epistle: »The Holy Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good for those who are called according to His purpose« (Romans 8,27-28)«. Jesus also taught in our Gospel pericope: »Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful. Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven; give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you« (Luke 6,36-38). Joseph’s brothers were unmerciful and harshly judged their brother in how they treated him. A common proverb in the Middle East is: an eye for an eye. Joseph’s brothers rightly fear that with Jacob dead, there is no one to stop Joseph from extracting his vengeance upon them, and as the second most powerful man in Egypt Joseph had the State of Egypt behind him to punish his brothers.

5. The brothers of Joseph merited vengeance from Joseph. They had sold him into slavery, had him removed from his family and told their father he died. What they did was despicable and horrible; to see them as wicked men is justifiable. As vile as the actions of Joseph’s brothers were, we live in a fallen world where such actions occur on a daily basis. Mankind’s sinful nature will judge a person by the color of their skin, their religious beliefs and the nature of their philosophy with the same harshness that Joseph’s brothers show to him.

6. How did Joseph respond to his brothers’ wickedness against him? A: he comforted them and spoke kindly to them. You meant for evil, but God meant it for good so that many would be saved: the Egyptian’s, the surrounding nations and the family of Jacob. God showed His mercy to people, both Jew and Gentile, through Joseph.

7. Thousands of years later God showed his love to the world through Jesus. »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 came through Jesus Christ« (John 1,14.16-17).

8. We are merciful, even as our heavenly father is merciful (Luke 6,36). For the measure we use will be measured back to us (Luke 6,38). Joseph’s brothers measured things with Joseph through the law and reciprocity; they expected to be paid back in kind as they had done to Joseph their brother. Joseph, however, measured things through grace and forgiveness; he paid back his brothers with mercy and love.

9. Such is the state of a fallen world in which we live. Jesus calls us to a life of loving-kindness, to a righteousness that exceeds that of the Pharisees who only did things through the lens of the law. Jesus exhorts us to strive for mercy and reconciliation. The world often does not comprehend such an approach because the world often approaches equity and justice through the lens of the law. To be sure, some improvement may be made this way but such an approach does not address the heart of the matter. Mercy and loving-kindness get at the heart of the matter, because at the heart of every human relationship is one between fallen, sinful people who often do sinful things to one another because they are fallen people. What is needed is a change of heart, a heart that has been changed by Jesus, so that it approaches the situation through mercy and forgiveness. Joseph could have been a bitter and vindictive man because of his brothers and treated them in kind. But Joseph was not for, like his descendent David, he had a heart after God’s heart (1. Samuel 13,14). God’s heart is this: »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. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through Him« (John 3,16-17). May the Holy Spirit give us a heart like God, a heart that is merciful, forgiving and charitable. Amen.

11. Let us pray. O Lord You are good and gracious; give us a heart devoted to You, a heart like Joseph, like David, like Jesus, so that we praise Your Merciful Name. Amen.

To God alone be the Glory

Gode ealdore sy se cyneþrymm

✠

4. Trinity DS III

4. Trinity

Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church

Thursday, July 29, 2021

Friday, July 23, 2021

Friday, July 16, 2021

Wednesday, July 14, 2021

Wednesday, July 7, 2021

Friday, July 2, 2021