Grace Evangelical-Lutheran: 2. Corinthians 12,1-10. Trinity V

Friday, July 5, 2024

2. Corinthians 12,1-10. Trinity V

2. Corinthians 12,1-10 3924

Trinity V 51

Commemoration of Paul. 1. Clement to the Corinthians 5,5–6. cf. Clement Phi 4,3

30. Juni 2024

1. ℣ O Yahweh, hear my voice when I cry to You:

℟ Have mercy on me and hear me (Psalm 26,7 vul lxx).

Exaudi Domine vocem meam qua clamavi; miserere mei exaudi me (lxx).

Audi Domine vocem meam invocantis; miserere mei exaudi me (mas).

O Lord, our Shepherd and Fountain of all joys! You are ours, and we are Yours, for You gave Your life and Your blood for our good in Your death. Keep us always close to You, let Your Light shine in and from our hearts, embrace us with Your love. Amen. (Stark x; English transl. X).

2. »I must go on boasting. Though there is nothing to be gained by it, I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord. I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows. And I know that this man was caught up into paradise—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows— and he heard things that cannot be told, which man may not utter. On behalf of this man I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except of my weaknesses— though if I should wish to boast, I would not be a fool, for I would be speaking the truth; but I refrain from it, so that no one may think more of me than he sees in me or hears from me. So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But He said to me: „My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.“ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.«

3. »Ἀρκεῖ σοι ἡ χάρις μου· ἡ γὰρ δύναμις ἐν ἀσθενείᾳ τελεῖται. My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.« is a wonderful summary of God’s Heilsgeschichte (salvation history) in the Holy Scriptures. We read in the Epistle to the Hebrews: »For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David, Samuel and the Prophets – who … were made strong out of weakness« (Hebrews 11,32b.34c).

4. The Apostle Paul’s exhortation to us un these epistles much needed and appreciated. Enduring hardship is not easy for us. We are sinners and our flesh is weak. We are broken people living in a cursed world. Hardships arise from different sources. The earth, since it has been cursed by Yahweh, creates hardship. Natural disasters afflict us, plagues infect us and our vocations often are workplaces of distress. This sinful world is full of wicked people. As such, we are constantly assaulted by the people who are our neighbors with their shenanigans and schemes. So we are sinned against by our neighbors, and thus suffer from their sinful actions and words. Furthermore, you and I also cause our neighbors grief and suffering from our sinful actions and words. So our own sinful flesh causes us, and others, hardships. Another source of hardship comes from the devil and the fallen angels. Job suffered when Satan snatched away Job’s wealth, family and health. Jesus was tempted by Satan in the wilderness.

5. Into the midst of this meat grinder, within this history of the world as a battle of everyone against everyone else, in a life-and-death struggle for mutual recognition, God Himself has entered through His Son, sacrificed Him, given Him up even to death on a cross (Bayer 6). By the power of His love, the crucified One, God endured and overcame the might of sin, of death and of hell (Bayer 6).

6. Paul wrote to the Corinthians: »For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved the word of the cross is the power/strength« (1. Corinthians 1,18). Christ crucified is a scandal to the Jews and stupid foolishness to the Gentiles (1. Corinthians 1,23). The cross is seen as weakness to the world, and the world is correct. The cross is weakness; it is the lowest level of weakness! The world sees on the cross a man convicted as a criminal being executed for his crime. The world sees a man dying in agony and interprets it as God has forsaken Jesus. The Church sees on the cross the Son of God who is innocent and giving up His life, shedding His blood, to pay the costly price our sins have merited us. The Church sees the cross as a powerful demonstration of mercy and a mighty declaration of God the Father’s love for His fallen human creation.

7. Crux sola est nostra theologia. The cross alone is our theology (WA 5,176.32). Christ’s mighty power is manifested in the lowliness of the cross. Christ’s strength is manifested in weakness; our weakness is born aloft by Christ’s strength. God’s grace is sufficient for us, for His grace is grounded upon Christ. In Him we are freed from our sins and certain of our salvation.

8. Christ manifests His δοξα [glory] on the cross (Nagel 291). Turn to Christ and be saved, for He is God and there is no other. There is God on the cross. There for everyone and also for you (Nagel 291).

9. Those who dwell in the house of the Lord,

In God's presence, shall be restored.

Safe from the flood that brings death to all,

In His ark, they’ll not fall.

Christ’s blood, shed for our sins,

Is the pledge of our faith that begins.

Becoming part of His family,

And in His will, we gladly agree.

(Preis, Lob und Dank sei Gott dem Herren elkg 274,3 2021 Petrus Herbert 1566)

This is most certainly true.

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

11. Let us pray. O Lord, we beseech Thee to raise up for the work of the ministry faithful and able men, counting it all joy to spend and be spent for the sake of Thy dear Son and for the souls for which He shed His most precious blood upon the cross; fit them for their holy function by Thy bountiful grace and heavenly benediction. Amen. (Trinity V, Vespers Collect 2. The Daily Office.)

To God alone be the Glory

Gode ealdore sy se cyneþrymm

✠

All Scriptural quotations are translations done by The Rev. Peter A. Bauernfeind using the Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia, 4. Edition © 1990 Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, Stuttgart, Septuaginta, Vol. I and II 2. Revised Edition © 2006 Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, Stuttgart and the Novum Testamentum Graece, Nestle-Aland 28. Revised Edition © 2012 Deutsch Bibelgesellschaft, Stuttgart.

Grace Evangelical-Lutheran

Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church

Friday, July 5, 2024

2. Corinthians 12,1-10. Trinity V

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