Grace Evangelical-Lutheran: August 2024

Sunday, August 25, 2024

Leviticus 19,1-3.13-18.33-34. Trinity XIII

Leviticus 19,1-3.13-18.33-34 4724

Trinity XIII 60

Louis IX, King of France, ✠ 1270

25. August 2024

1. ℣ Behold Your testimony:

℟ Let not the humble be turned away (Psalm 73,20a-21a-7a vul lxx).

Respice in testamentum: ne avertatur humilis. lxx

Respice ad pactum: ne revertatur confractus. mas

O Gracious and Merciful God, You have preserved our going out and our entering in. Keep us in all our ways and show us kindness in body and soul. For all of this, we praise and magnify You with our whole heart! Amen. (Stark 11; English transl. 2).

2. »And Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying: „Speak to all the congregation of the people of Israel and say to them: You are holy, for I Yahweh your God am holy.“«

3. When you read Samuel, Kings and Chronicles, Israel is often depicted as unholy. God speaks through His Prophets and tells His people: you do this, this and this; you are unholy. Repent and return to Me, your God. »The word of Yahweh came to me: „Son of man, set your face toward the mountains of Israel, and prophesy against them“« (Ezekiel 6, 1-2.6). »But as for me, I am filled with power, with the Spirit of Yahweh, and with justice and might, to declare to Jacob his transgression and to Israel his sin. 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 3,8; 6,8). »„Behold, I will send you Elijah the Prophet before the great and awesome day of Yahweh arrives. And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction“« (Malachi 4,5-6).

4. 456 years (430 bc - ad 26) later God sent John the Baptizer, who was the Prophet Elijah in spirit, and he preached: »Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. O Pharisees and Sadducees, you brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not presume to say to yourselves: ‘We have Abraham as our father,’ for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. I baptize you with water for repentance, but He who is following me is mightier than me, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.« (Matthew 3,2.7-11).

5. The Prophets from Isaiah to John called Jews and Gentiles, you and me, to confess our sins, repent and turn to Christ. The Confession in the Office of Compline is simple yet rich: I confess to God … that I have sinned in thought, word and deed, by my fault, by my own fault, by my own most grievous fault; wherefore I pray God Almighty to have mercy on me (lsb 254). In this spirit, the tax collector prayed: »God, be merciful to me, the sinner!« (Luke 18,13)

6. The prayer of this tax collector is raw, humble and conscience stricken. He is the worst of sinners, the lowest of the low, and he pours out his grief over his sin to God. How often we pray like this collector! How often we pour out our heart and empty ourselves before God!

7. Jesus proclaimed: »I tell you, this tax collector went down to his house justified« (Luke 18,14). The tax collector is holy, for his God is holy. The Psalmist and Paul declare: »Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the one against whom Yahweh counts no iniquity and in whose spirit there is no deceit« (Psalm 32,1-2; Romans 4,7-8).

8. We are righteous on account of Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection. Not only does His suffering and death remove all our iniquities, but He gives us His own righteousness as our own. By this imputation, we are righteous just as Christ is righteous. This isn’t a mere declaration, but a legal standing before God and a relational bond with our Heavenly Father where we stand before Him justified, not by our deeds, but by Christ’s perfection. Jesus sealed this transaction with His own shed blood.

9. »Our Great God and Savior Jesus Christ gave Himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession who are zealous for good works« (Titus 2,14). From this righteousness flows respect and charity for the neighbor. Our very works on behalf of our neighbor help and benefit them. God does not need our good works, but our neighbor does. „For here nothing else is necessary than faith, that I give God His due honor and regard Him as my God, who is just, truthful and merciful. Such faith liberates us from sin and all evil. Now when I have given God this honor, then whatever life I live, I live for my neighbor, to serve and help them. The greatest work that comes from this faith is this, that I confess with my mouth and, if it has to be, bear testimony with my blood and risk my life. God does not need this work; but I should do it to prove and confess my faith, in order that others, too, may be brought to faith. Then other works will follow. They must all tend to serve my neighbor. All this God must bring about in us. Therefore, we should not make up our minds to begin to lead a carnal life and to do whatever we please“ (WA XII,288-89; AE 30,32-33).

10. Let no desire or fear from You

In this world, turn me away;

Grant steadfastness unto You;

Until the end You alone hold sway;

And those to whom You give this grace,

Hold it freely,

Without cost,

No one can earn or by works,

Your favor, which saves the lost.

(Ich ruf zu dir, Herr Jesu Christ elkg 610,4 2021 Johann Agricola 1526/27)

This is most certainly true.

11. 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.

12. Let us pray. O Lord Jesus Christ, who by Thy holy apostle hast taught us that, being members of one body, we are members one of another, give us grace to look not only on our own needs but also on the needs of others; to the glory of Thy Holy Name. Amen. (Trinity XIII, 2^nd Vespers Collect. 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.

Sunday, August 18, 2024

Luke 13,10-17. Tinity XII

Luke 13,10-17 4624

12. Trinitatis. Trinity XII 59

Agapitus, Martyr 273 in Palestrina, Lazio, Italy

18. August 2024

1. ℣O God, help me:

℟ O Yahweh, make haste to help me (Psalm 69,2 vul lxx).

Deus in adiutorium meum intende: Domine ad adiuvandum me festina. lxx

Deus ut liberes me: Domine ut auxilieris mihi festina. mas

O Faithful God, we fervently ask You, abide with us and do not forsake us. We trust Your promise: „Fear not, for I am with you; I will uphold you with My righteous hand [Isaiah 41,10]. Amen. (Stark 303; English 226).

2. »Now He was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. And behold, there was a woman who had had a disabling spirit for 18 years. She was bent over and could not fully straighten herself. When Jesus saw her, He called her over and said to her: „Woman, you are freed from your disability.“ And He laid His hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and she glorified God. But the ruler of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, said to the people: „There are 6 days in which work ought to be done. Come on those days and be healed, and not on the Sabbath day.“ Then the Lord answered him: „You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the manger and lead it away to water it? And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for 18 years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day?“ As He said these things, all His adversaries were put to shame, and all the people rejoiced at all the glorious things that were done by Him.«

3. Sinfulness causes infirmity. We are utterly incapable of understanding spiritual matters, the things that have to do with obtaining God’s grace and salvation (Pieper I,543-44). Our mind still retains a certain amount of intelligence in natural things (Pieper I,543) and has a measure of free will to live according to civil righteousness and choose among the things that reason comprehends (AC XVIII) although it is diminished from what was created in Adam and Eve. Bodily, death is the final effect of sin; prior to death, our bodies weaken and are subject to illness and infirmities.

4. The woman in Luke 13 had a state of weakness for 18 years that bent her over. One consequence of the Fall into sin is that demons can afflict people. This woman’s physical infirmity was caused by Satan. We see examples of this in the Scriptures, and Job is perhaps the most well-known story.

5. We were all spiritually bent over by our sinful nature. We lack the power to overcome it, for it is a spiritual affliction from the Devil’s handiwork. „The Devil deceived Adam and plunged him into sin, and with him the entire human race. … Indeed, the Devil is so powerful for many, that because of their inborn deafness and bondage of the tongue, they themselves stubbornly stop up the ear ears of their hearts. … They also strive against theHoly Spirit … refusing to hear God’s Word, but also cast it away and blaspheme it. All these things are of the Devil, who is so mighty in the children unbelief (Gerhard 132).

6. The Son of God arrived to deliver us from the physical and spiritual infirmity of sin and Satan. Christ came to earth for the purpose of undoing Satan’s work. (Gerhard 135). The woman in Luke 13 received a double blessing that Sabbath 2000 years ago. She heard the Messiah teaching in her synagogue, worshiped with Him and was healed of her infirmity. She responded by glorifying God.

7. In our Baptism, God has blessed us physically and spiritually. He has made each of us one of His precious children and heirs of His kingdom. He has forgiven us, rescued us from death and the Devil and has given us eternal salvation. In the Lord’s Supper, the Sacrament gives us forgiveness of sins, life and salvation. In Confession, we hear God’s words of absolution: your sin is forgiven. Certitudo enim omnis nobis in verbo tuo est posita, quo revelastotius orbis peccata tuo sacrificio, morte et resurrectione tua expiata et deleta esse. For we have every certainty in [Christ’s] Word, in which it is revealed that the sins of the world have been atoned for and deleted by [His] sacrifice, death and resurrection (WA 40II,413.24-26; AE 12,371).

8. Let us glorify God for all His blessings He bestows upon us. Let us acknowledge and proclaim the mercy of God so that others might learn to acknowledge it, too. (WA 40II,434.24-25; AE 12,385). „Let us praise God and always accept His Providence and Order. Regardless of what may befall us, good or evil, we should confess with our mouths and our hearts: [Christ] has done all things well.“ (Gerhard 136). We are sons and daughters of Abraham with whom we share the faith in the Messiah (Romans 4,16-17). »Righteousness is being credited to us believing in God having raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification« (Romans 4,24-25).

9. I was lost in sin

And sinfully my deeds are done

Now I am born again

In Christ, God’s Son.

My salvation he has acquired

By His bitter death thoroughly

Because on the cross He expired

For mine iniquity.

(Ich frei mich in dem Herren elkg 566,2 2021 Bartolomäus Helder (vor 1635) 1646/1648).

This is most certainly true.

12. 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.

13. Let us pray. O Lord, who dost not willingly afflict the children of men, behold from Thy holy habitation of heaven the multitude of miserable souls and lives among us, and have mercy upon us; have mercy on all ignorant souls, and instruct them; on broken hearts, and heal them; all struggling with temptation, and rescue them; all that are fallen from Thee, and raise them; all that stand with Thee, and confirm them; O blessed Jesus, that didst shed Thy blood for our souls to save them, shed Thy Holy Spirit on all, and heal them; for Thy pity’s sake. Amen. (Trinity XII, 2^nd Vespers Collect. The Daily Office).

To God alone be the Glory

Gode ealdore sy se cyneþrymm

✠

Sunday, August 11, 2024

Galatians 2,16-21. Trinity XI

Galatians 2,16-21 4524

Trinity XI 58

Tiburtius, Martyr at Rome 286

11. August 2024

1. ℣ God is in his holy habitation:

℟ God who causes one man to dwell in the house (Psalm 67,6b-7a vul lxx).

Deus in loco sancto suo: Deus inhabitare facit unius moris in domo. lxx

Deus in habitaculo sancto suo: Deus habitare facit solitarios in domo. mas

O Risen Jesus, who lives eternally; give us rejoicing hearts for the gift of the seal and assurance of the gracious forgiveness of our sins, of our peace with God the Father and the knowledge that we can and may fearlessly the approach the Father, and that He, in turn, will draw near to us. Amen. (Stark 514; English transl. 88).

2. »We know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because no one will be justified by works of the law. But if, in our endeavor to be justified in Christ, we too were found to be sinners, is Christ then a servant of sin? Certainly not! For if I rebuild what I tore down, I prove myself to be a transgressor. For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose.«

3. The Apostle Paul was a cultured and well-learned man. He was a Jew and a Hillel Pharisee. He was probably a Wunderkind as a young Pharisaical student. He learned at the feet of Gamaliel (Acts 22,3), the most renowned Pharisee of his day; Gamaliel was Hillel’s grandson. Paul was also a Roman citizen with all the rights and prestige that brought. Paul was fluent in Hebrew, Greek and Latin. He had memorized the Scriptures and the Greek poets. Paul was adept in rhetoric, dialectics (philosophy, logic and ethics) and grammar from his Classical education.

4. How is a person righteous before God? Pharisaic Judaism taught one merits righteousness by keeping the law: circumcision, kosher diet and keep all 613 Commandments from the Torah and the traditions of the elders; do all this, every day, year after year, and you have earned your righteousness. In Luther’s day, the Church also taught a righteousness merited by works; if you could not do enough good works, then utilize the works of others through holy relics and the saints. If need be, you could even buy the merits of those good works.

5. Paul would have none of this. He told the Galatian Christians circumcision will not avail you, for all who rely on works of the law are under a curse (Galatians 3,10a), and no one is righteous before God by the law, for the righteous will live by faith (Habakkuk 2,4b; Galatians 3,11). Commenting on Psalm 2,3: Dirumpamus vincula earum et proiciamus a nobis iugum ipsorum/iagueos eorum (lxx/mas). Let us break their chains, and cast from us their yoke/snares, Luther wrote: „The gospel forbids one thing, putting our trust in [the works of the law] for righteousness before God. For [the gospel] teaches that this righteousness must be built on the crucified Son of God alone. [The gospel] promises that we will be righteous before God when we embrace Him in faith, even though we are sinners before ourselves and the world. [The gospel] promises that we will be powerful, even though we are infirm; wise, even though we may be foolish in the sight of the world. [The gospel] commands us, then, to have faith in this crucified Son of God“ (WA 40 ii,216.16-22; AE 12,21).

6. The Psalmist cries out: חָנֵּ֣נִי אֱלֹהִ֣ים כְּחַסְדֶּ֑ךָ כְּרֹ֥ב רַ֝חֲמֶ֗יךָ מְחֵ֣ה פְשָׁעָֽי׃ Be gracious to me, O God, according to Your merciful steadfast, love; according to Your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions« (Psalm 51,1). Because God sent Christ as savior … He wants to be righteous and to be called righteous in justifying and having mercy on those who acknowledge their sins (WA 40 ii,331.34 - 332.16-20; AE 12,313). Our whole life is enclosed and established in the bosom of the mercy of God (WA 40 ii,340.13-16; AE 12,320). David says nothing about his pious merit nor any righteousness of works, but says: O God, be gracious to me according to Your merciful steadfast love alone (WA 40 ii,341.23-25; AE 12,320).

7. Paul preached and taught that the gospel is: we have been crucified with Christ; we have been raised with Christ; we are justified through faith in Christ. None of our works merited these gifts of the gospel; our works flow freely from our faith in Christ and His gospel.

8. The only work that merits anything is the work of Christ crucified and risen. He serves us; He merits us; He gives us His righteousness. All of this is pure, Divine gift given to us by God out of His merciful steadfast love. God the Father did not simply want to forgive our sin, but to completely remove our sin (WA 40 ii,352.19f; AE 12,327).

9. „There are two parts of justification. The first is grace revealed through Christ, that through Christ we have a gracious God, so that sin can no longer accuse us, but our conscience has found peace through trust in the mercy of God. The second part is the conferring of the Holy Spirit with His gifts, who enlightens us against the defilements of spirit and flesh (2. Corinthians 7,1). Thus we are defended against the opinions with which the Devil seduces the whole world“ (WA 40 ii,357.35-37; AE 12,331).

10. Thomas Aquinas (1225-74) wrote: Non est ergo in eis [moralibus et caeremonialibus legis] spes iustificationis sed in sola fide (Ep. I ad Timotheum cap. I, lect. 3 § 21). Therefore there is no hope of justification in them [the moral and ceremonial law], but in faith alone. The gospel points us to Christ and creates faith in Him unto life everlasting.

11. „In Christ it is all clear. He is the fulfillment of the promises, and He sets aside the condemnation of the Law. God’s promises cannot be repeated or replaced. The Law that uncovers sin and condemns Christ put Himself under with us. He was ‘made of a woman, made under the Law’ (Galatians 4:4). What we could not do, Christ did for us. He kept the Law in our place, and He endured its condemnation on our sin. Christ took our sins on Himself and on Calvary bore their condemnation in our place. He was made a curse for us, so He redeemed us from the curse and condemnation of the Law. Christ has done it all“ (Nagel 206 ¶ 10).

12. And if it lasts until the night

And again in the morning,

Yet shall my heart, at God’s might,

Despair not nor be worrying.

So do God’s people, in righteous part,

From the Spirit, it was wrought apart,

And we shall longingly await upon God.

(Aus tiefer Not schrei ich zu dir elkg 257,4 2021 Martin Luther 1524 nach Psalm 130)

This is most certainly true.

13. 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.

14. Let us pray. Grant, O Lord, that what we have said with our lips we may believe in our hearts and practice in our lives. Amen. (Trinity XI, 2^nd Vespers Collect. The Daily Office.)

To God alone be the Glory

Gode ealdore sy se cyneþrymm

✠

Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church

Sunday, August 25, 2024

Leviticus 19,1-3.13-18.33-34. Trinity XIII

Sunday, August 18, 2024

Luke 13,10-17. Tinity XII

Sunday, August 11, 2024

Galatians 2,16-21. Trinity XI