Grace Evangelical-Lutheran: Luke 16,19-31. 1. Trinity

Thursday, June 23, 2022

Luke 16,19-31. 1. Trinity

Luke 16,19-31 3322

1. Sonntag nach Trinitatis 47

Gervasius and Protasius, Martyrs in the 1^st c.

19. Juni 2022

1. ℣ O Yahweh, I have trusted in Your mercy

℟ My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation. (Psalm 13,5).

O Holy Spirit, our Comforter in every need; help us to neither fear disgrace nor death, so that our spirits do not despair in this life when the enemy will accuse us. Kyrie eleison. Amen. (Nun bitten wir den Heiligen Geist Martin Luther 1524 elkg 476,4 2021).

2. »Jesus said to the Pharisees: „There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate was reclining a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover, even the dogs went and licked his sores. The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side.The rich man also died and was buried, and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. And he called out: ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.’ But Abraham said: ‘Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.’ And he said: ‘Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father’s house – for I have five brothers– so that he may warn them, lest they also enter into this place of torment.’ But Abraham said: ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’ And he said: ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ He said to him: ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.’“«

3. In today’s parable, Jesus teaches us to listen and believe Moses and the Prophets. In Jesus’ day, to say Moses and the Prophets is shorthand for the Holy Scriptures, what we Christians call the Old Testament. Jesus says listen to the Scriptures. Why does Jesus exhort people to listen to the Bible?

4. A: God has given us everything He wants us to know In today’s parable the issue at hand is: how do I avoid eternity in hell separated from God and the believers? God tells us in His Word how one obtains salvation. Moses and the Prophets tell us that salvation is obtained from the Messiah and is grounded upon Jesus.

5. Moses tells us the following. »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.« (Genesis 3,15). »The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brothers—it is to Him you shall listen— I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. And I will put my words in His mouth, and He shall speak to them all that I command him.« (Deuteronomy 18,15.18). Moses is looking forward to the Messiah in those verses.

6. The Prophet Amos exhorts Judah: »Seek Yahweh and live« (Amos 5,6). The Prophet Obadiah promises: »Saviors shall go up to Mount Zion to rule Mount Esau, and the kingdom shall be Yahweh’s.« (Obadiah 21). The Prophet Nahum proclaims: »Yahweh is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; He knows those who take refuge in Him.« (Nahum 1,7). The Prophets were all pointing the people to the advent of the Christ.

7. Take heed of what Moses and the Prophets say. Moses and the Prophets point the people to the Messiah who will bring the reign of heaven. Moses and the Prophets are looking forward in time to the arrival of Christ Jesus. To hear Moses and the Prophets, then, is to hear Jesus.

8. Salvation is obtained through Jesus, who Himself says: »the Son of Man came to give His life as a ransom for all« (Matthew 20,28). The Apostle Paul likewise writes: »For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified« (1. Corinthians 2,2).

9. Salvation is obtained by Christ, for our sins are forgiven us for Christ’s sake. The Apostle Peter proclaims: »To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name« (Acts 10,43). Peter is referring to the Prophets Hosea and Micah. »I, Yahweh, will have mercy on the house of Judah, and I will save them« (Hosea 1,7) »Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of His inheritance? He does no retain His anger forever, because He delight in steadfast love. He will again have compassion one us; He will tread our iniquities underfoot. You will cast all our sins into the depth of the sea« (Micah 7,18-19). Jesus fulfilled the prophetic promise of redemption and eternal life.

10. Jesus, my Redeemer, lives;

Likewise I to life shall waken.

He will bring me where He is;

Shall my courage then be shaken?

Shall I fear, or could the Head

Rise and leave His members dead? (Jesus Christ, My Sure Defense, Otto von Schwerin, 1616-79 lsb 741,2)

This is most certainly true.

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

12. Let us pray. O Almighty and Eternal God, in Your grace You have given us, Your servants the duty to confess the true faith of the glory of the Eternal Trinity, and the Equal Unity in power and majesty. Grant that through steadfastness in this faith we may always be empowered, and receive comfort from You in all troubles. Amen. (Die pommersche Kirchen-Ordnung und Agenda, p. 293.1; Stratman 450-51).

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.

Grace Evangelical-Lutheran

Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church

Thursday, June 23, 2022

Luke 16,19-31. 1. Trinity

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