Monday prior to Proper 18

[1]

Psalm 119:28–32; antiphon, Psalm 119:27—The readings for Sunday reflect the theme of discipleship. Whose disciples shall we be? That is, in whom shall we place our trust? Let us be like the psalmist, who boldly pronounces, I have chosen the way of faithfulness . . . I cling to your testimonies, O Lord.

Make me understand the way of Your precepts: The psalmist understood that he needed more than knowledge; he also needed understanding. With both he would meditate on God’s wonderful works.

Make me understand: It is concerned with a deep understanding, one that goes beyond a mere understanding of the words to a profound understanding of what they reveal about the nature of God, the gospel, and God’s ways.

Teach me thy statutes. I think the psalmist means this, ‘My Lord, I have told thee all; now, wilt thou tell me all? I have declared to thee my ways; now, wilt thou teach me thy ways? I have confessed to thee how I have broken thy statutes; wilt thou not give me thy statutes back again?’[2]

Christ Jesus Has Paid the Cost of Discipleship for You

A disciple of Jesus Christ will “carry his own cross” (Luke 14:27) and follow the Lord through death into life. Discipleship is costly because it crucifies the old man with “all his own possessions” (Luke 14:33), in order to raise up the new man in Christ. The disciple disavows “his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life” (Luke 14:26), in deference to Christ. That way of the cross is impossible, except that Christ Jesus has already paid the cost. His cross is set before you as “life and prosperity, and death and adversity” (Deuteronomy 30:15). Taking up His cross is to “choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendants, by loving the Lord your God, by obeying His voice, and by holding fast to Him” (Deuteronomy 30:19–20). To live that life in Christ is also to bear His cross in love, “that your goodness should not be as it were by compulsion, but of your own free will” (Philemon 14).[3]

Collect for Psalm 119: Lord, you are just and your commandments are eternal. Teach us to love you with all our heart and to love our neighbor as our ourselves, for the sake of Jesus our Lord.[4]

Collect for Monday of the week of Pentecost 12: Almighty God, ever-living Father, your care extends beyond the boundaries of race and nation to the hearts of all who live. May the wall, which prejudice raises between us, crumble beneath the shadow of your outstr4etched arm. We ask this through Christ our Lord. [5]

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[1] Woodcut by Baron Julius Schnoor von Carolsfeld, 1794-1872, a distinguished German artist known especially for his book, The Book of Books in Pictures ©WELS for personal and congregational use

[2] https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/psalm-119/

[3] Lectionary Summary, LCMS commission on worship

[4] Collect for Psalm 119, For All the Saints, A Prayer Book For and By the Church, Vol. II © 1995 The American Lutheran Publicity Bureau, Delhi, NY

[5] Ibid, Collect for Monday of the week of Pentecost 12 

 

Labor Day

1

Jesus said, “In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” – Matthew 5:16

Having received the forgiveness of sins you now share that light of Christ with all that you meet. You are the hands and feet the fingers and toes of Jesus in this world.

Today we thank the Lord Jesus for the talents, gifts, and abilities the LORD has given to our students.  

And Students. Remember this! A vital part of your education is to discover what you do and what you do well. And then to take those gifts and use them for service to your neighbor.

Think of the cleaning service - “Service Master.” In all that you do you render Service to the Master.

Especially on this Labor Day we give thanks for the various vocations the LORD has placed before us as you work and serve your neighbor in love. That’s how you build faith in the city. By shining the light of Christ in this corner of Christ’s kingdom.

The way you love and serve others is what you do best for those you love most.

It’s not for me to dictate to you how, when, where, and for whom you are to serve. That's for you to find out. And when you do, Serve them well, be a sermon in shoes.

It's faith in the Christ that allows you to discover in joy, and delight, and surprise, what Christ has in store for you as you share His good news, to those He has placed in your life.

A Collect for Industry: Lord Jesus Christ, as once you shared in human toil and thus hallowed the work of our hands, prosper those who maintain the industries of this land, and give them a right regard for their labors, granting them a just reward for their told and joy in serving you and supplying our needs; for you live and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. 

Luther's Seal copyright Ed Riojas, Higher Things

Collect for Labor Lutheran Worship, copyright 1982 Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis
 

Proper 18 Study notes Series C

 

Proper 18 C

(September 4-10)

Deuteronomy 30:15–20

Philemon 1–21

Luke 14:25–35

 Christ Jesus Has Paid the Cost of Discipleship for You

 A disciple of Jesus Christ will “bear his own cross” (Luke 14:27) and follow the Lord through death into life. Discipleship is costly because it crucifies the old man with “all that he has” (Luke 14:33), in order to raise up the new man in Christ. The disciple disavows “his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life” (Luke 14:26) in deference to Christ. That way of the cross is impossible, except that Christ Jesus has already paid the cost. His cross is set before you as “life and good, death and evil” (Deuteronomy 30:15). Taking up His cross is to “choose life, that you and your offspring may live, loving the Lord your God, obeying his voice and holding fast to him” (Deuteronomy 30:19–20). To live that life in Christ is also to bear His cross in love, “that your goodness might not be by compulsion but of your own accord.” (Philemon 14).

Some Salty Thoughts

Rev. Dr. Daniel J Brege

Jesus states in Sunday’s mini-parable, “Salt is good.”  Salt has been used to illustrate many things.  Consider it here to be that which purges, purifies, and ultimately preserves what it has rendered good.

Such “good salt” can first be understood to be Christ and His life in this sinful world.  He—the good salt—can alone reverse the rottenness of this world and give it preservation. Even in the kingdom of the left His words of wisdom and instruction were salt in a putrid world of vain philosophies and worldly wisdom.  His words about issues such as love, marriage and morality stand as law-related salt to preserve a culture and society gone awry in these matters.

Christ’s miraculous and powerful presence was the salt that purged the decay of disease and demons, even calling forth the dead from their graves. Those healed, exorcised or resurrected by Christ were then freed in Christ to lead lives of salt-created purity.

The foundation of mankind’s rottenness is sin.  All of Christ’s salty words and works would initially be welcomed as people perceived Him to be an earthly philosopher and provider. Thus at first Christ received a wondrous welcome.  But His salty words began to expose corruption.  In a short while His salt in this sin-fouled, putrid world would be declared “unsalty” and He, being perceived as not even good enough for the manure pile, would be thrown out of Jerusalem to be trampled underfoot, being nailed to a stinking cross.

Christ is however such good and powerful salt that His rejection becomes the saving salt for the world.  He rises from the dead to establish a salt that preserves into eternity.  The salt of His word, drawn from the salt mine of His cross and empty tomb, purges the corruption of sin.  His salted people then—armed with His salty word— become themselves the salt of the earth.

However, even as Christ’s saltiness would be perceived by the worldly as useless, so now Christians—though themselves being salt for the purification and preservation of a society—find the world declaring them to be “unsalty” and worthless, not even good enough for a manure pile. The Savior thus predicted time and again the reality of persecution, even martyrdom.  So Christians face the same expulsion and rejection as their Lord.   Sadly such rejection occurs even within families, so that those family members who reject Christ are to be “hated”—that is they are not to be accepted in relation to their non-Christian counsel and beliefs.

So what is the outcome?  Even as Christ was preserved, rising victorious from the decay-causing grave, so too Christ’s salty people are preserved.  Indeed the salty salvation of Christ is such a powerful preservative that the Lord will preserve our going out and our coming in—even the going out of death and the coming in of resurrected bodies into heaven—from this time forth and even forevermore.

© 2019 Indiana District - Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod

[25]

suneporeuonto de autw ocloi polloi kai strafeiV eipen proV autouV

Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said:

Luke 14:25 - crowds are following.

 [26]

ei tiV ercetai proV me kai ou misei ton patera eautou kai thn mhtera kai thn gunaika kai ta tekna kai touV adelfouV kai taV adelfaV eti te kai thn yuchn eautou ou dunatai einai mou maqhthV

"If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters -- yes, even his own life -- he cannot be my disciple.

Luke 14:26 - Jesus provides chastisement "and does not hate" division in the family mentioned for the fourth time. Who do you fear and trust in? Everything must die. Hate means renunciation. We die to self.

[27]

ostiV ou bastazei ton stauron eautou kai ercetai opisw mou ou dunatai einai mou maqhthV

And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.

Luke 14:27 - whoever does not carry his own cross cannot be my disciple. To carry the cross means to die. We do bear our own cross. But we do not choose it.  The aim is faithfulness. The aim is Christ. Look to the giver not the gifts.

[28]

tiV gar ex umwn qelwn purgon oikodomhsai ouci prwton kaqisaV yhfizei thn dapanhn ei ecei eiV apartismon

"Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it?

[29]

ina mhpote qentoV autou qemelion kai mh iscuontoV ektelesai panteV oi qewrounteV arxwntai autw empaizein

For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him,

[30]

legonteV oti outoV o anqrwpoV hrxato oikodomein kai ouk iscusen ektelesai

saying, 'This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.'

Luke 14:28-30- For which one of you who wants to build a tower will first consider the money if he has enough to complete it? Jesus is the only disciple. He is the one who was ridiculed, mocked, rejected. When you start to build  - know where it leads to. Jesus was the one ridiculed, mocked from the cross," he saved others himself he cannot save." The world mocking says, you did not consider the cost."

[31]

h tiV basileuV poreuomenoV eterw basilei sumbalein eiV polemon ouci kaqisaV prwton bouleusetai ei dunatoV estin en deka ciliasin upanthsai tw meta eikosi ciliadwn ercomenw ep auton

"Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Will he not first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand?

[32]

ei de mh ge eti autou porrw ontoV presbeian aposteilaV erwta proV eirhnhn

If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace.

Luke 14:31-32 Jesus is the one who went against legions as an army of one. He knew the cost and entered the war willingly.  In his parables Jesus will always flip common sense on its head.

[33]

outwV oun paV ex umwn oV ouk apotassetai pasin toiV eautou uparcousin ou dunatai einai mou maqhthV

In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.

Luke 14:33 - all from among you who does not renounce is not worthy to be my disciple.  We need now to renounce Resources that which we have by nature.

[34]

kalon oun to alaV ean de kai to alaV mwranqh en tini artuqhsetai

"Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again?

[35]

oute eiV ghn oute eiV koprian euqeton estin exw ballousin auto o ecwn wta akouein akouetw

It is fit neither for the soil nor for the manure pile; it is thrown out.

Luke 14:34-35 - salt cannot loose its saltiness. Even when thrown out it still serves a purpose.

 

Sources:

The Greek New Testament: SBL Edition. Copyright © 2010 by Society of Biblical Literature and Logos Bible Software

ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

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Proper 18

Counting the Cost

Luke 14:25-35

Law/Gospel Theme: In our reading for today we are told that great crowds were following Jesus. But following Him is not enough. A person must be ready and willing to turn his back on the things of this world. Our faith and trust in Him is the only thing that really matters. And with His help He leads the way as we follow Him.

Prayer: O merciful Lord, You did not spare Your only Son but delivered Him up for us all. Grant us courage and strength to take up the cross and follow Him.

Hymn:  Beautiful Savior

This past week we celebrated Labor Day. And we thank God for the talents and abilities the Lord has given to each of us to praise God and serve our neighbor.

But in anything we do we have to practice and put some effort before we become good at it. 

If you want to be better. You must practice. Put in time and effort to improve. 

To play an instrument, you need to practice. Maybe even take special lessons. 

You also must maintain your equipment. Is it worth all this work? It is if you are passionate about your pursuit and wish to do it well!

When we talk about following Jesus. We have a similar calling. It isn’t always easy. In fact, it’s often quite challenging. Luke reminds us: 

Now great crowds accompanied him, and he turned and said to them. “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. 

Does that sound a little harsh? The warning here is that we are not to let families come before faith in Christ. Nothing should be more important to us than following Jesus. 

So He is telling us to check our hearts. And be prepared to do whatever it takes to be a disciple. He warns them to be prepared…

For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’  Or what king, going out to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and deliberate whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? And if not, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace. So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.

If you are preparing to take a drive. Or play a sport. Or go on a hike. Or bake bread. Work a puzzle. Or do anything? You must get ready first. 

You must look over what is required before you pursue your goals. Here, Jesus is telling people that they must be prepared to be disciples. 

“Salt is good, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored?  It is of no use either for the soil or for the manure pile. It is thrown away. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” 

What does this mean? We want to continually, daily remind ourselves of what it means to follow Jesus. We want to take care of others. As others take care of us.

We pray. We hear God’s Word. 

Jesus has already paid the price for our salvation. He is still doing the work. He is the one who brings grace. All the things we do are still through HIM and not our own efforts.

And there are great blessings that come when we are willing to do these things! 

Of course, we know that the greatest blessing will be our home in Heaven. 

But we also have the promise of wonderful things in this life. We have fellowship with God. That’s spectacular. We also have the opportunity to gain experience in God’s kingdom.

When Jesus called His first disciples, He demonstrated His power and told them they would be able to go out and make more disciples. 

We get to do great things as followers in God’s family. The best part is that we know we don’t have to do these things alone. God will be with us. 

All that we do is through Christ. We are learners, followers, disciples of Him. And as such, we have the greatest and most merciful Savior we could ever ask for.

Prayer: Thank you, LORD for your love and care. Thank you for Your words and promises. Help us to follow wherever You lead.  

Lutheran Senior Care 

Saturday prior to Proper 17

[1]

The first stanza of the Sunday’s Hymn of the Day, Son of God, Eternal Savior (LSB #842), proclaims the salvation that Christ has won for us. It then beseeches the Lord to reign among us that here on earth, His will be done. Our example is Christ, who lived for others, our plea, then, is so may we for others live. The hymn beautifully proclaims in song the theme for the day: that we are humbled and exalted by the cross of Christ, and our lives reflect His humility.

“Son of God, Eternal Savior” (Lutheran Service Book, #842)

From the beginning of His ministry, although the authority and divinity of Christ had been quite clear to some, it was at the same time been questioned and mocked by others. This of course stands true to this day. In this regard, it is interesting to note the Gospel stories where even the evil spirits and demons recognize Christ’s authority and divinity. Such is the case for the Gospel reading for the Fourth Sunday after Epiphany (Mark 1:21-28). In this reading, Jesus exorcises an evil spirit from a man. When confronted by Christ, the evil spirit cries out, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God.”

This proclamation makes “Son of God, Eternal Savior” a great choice for this Sunday’s Hymn of the Day.

In no uncertain terms, Stanza 1 firmly proclaims the authority and divinity of Christ by recalling Bible passages such as John 1:1-14 and 1 Peter 1:20-21.

Son of God, eternal Savior,
Source of life and truth and grace,
Word made flesh, whose birth among us
Hallows all our human race,

 

The next two lines remind us that Christ is our Intercessor who pleads for us (Romans 8:34 and 1 John 2:1). The final two lines of this stanza remind us of the compassion of Christ praying that it may become a part of our lives as well.

Stanza 2 recognizes that when Christ exercised His authority, He did it in service to others. It furthermore states that nothing that we have is ours anyway, but rather all that we have has been given to us by God (Psalm 24:1).

Stanza 3 is a prayer for authority of Christ to dwell in our lives and mold us to His will.

Stanza 4 begins by repeating the first four lines of Stanza 1 thereby restating the authority and divinity of Christ. It concludes by mirroring the Third Petition of the Lord’s Prayer: “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” To that end it is good to recall what Martin Luther says about this petition in his Small Catechism:

“The good and gracious will of God is done indeed without our prayer; but we pray in this petition that it may be done among us also. How is this done? When God breaks and hinders every evil counsel and will which would not let us hallow the name of God nor let His kingdom come, such as the will of the devil, the world, and our flesh; but strengthens and keeps us steadfast in His Word and in faith unto our end. This is His gracious and good will.”

Since first published in 1894, “Son of God, Eternal Savior” has been sung to various tunes including EBENEZER, which many will know as the tune for “Thy Strong Word,” a text by the sainted Martin Franzmann. In recent years the text has been paired with the tune IN BABILONE which, at least for me, seems to be a better fit.

Originally a five stanza poem by the Rev. Somerset Corry Lowry (1855-1932), the original Stanza 2 has not been included in recent hymnals. Nonetheless, it provides another heartfelt prayer for a servant’s heart.

Bind us all as one together
In Thy Church’s sacred fold,
Weak and healthy, poor and wealthy,
Sad and joyful, young and old.
Is there want, or pain, or sorrow?
Make us all the burden share.
Are there spirits crushed and broken?
Teach us, Lord, to soothe their care.[2]

 

A Morning Collect: Faithful God, whose mercies are new to us every morning, we humbly pray that you would look upon us in mercy and renew us by Your Holy Spirit. Keep safe our going out and our coming in, and let Your blessing remain throughout this day. Preserve us in Your righteousness, and grant us a portion in that eternal life which is in Christ Jesus, our Lord.[3]

 

Collect for Saturday of the week of Pentecost 11: Prepare our hearts, O God, to receive your Word of truth and salvation. Give us listening ears and hearing minds so that the impulse of your Holy Spirit may make us spiritually steady and morally strong. Through Jesus Christ our Lord – Donald Macleod.  [4]

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[1] Lift High the Cross © Copyright Ed Riojas, Higher Things

[2] https://www.cuchicago.edu/globalassets/www-digital-team-media-files/documents-and-images/academics/centers-of-excellence/center-for-church-music/devotions/hymn-of-the-day-devotion-proper-17-series-c.pdf

[3] A Morning Collect, Lutheran Service Book © 2006 Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis

[4] Collect For Saturday of the week of Pentecost 11, For All the Saints, A Prayer Book For and By the Church, Vol. II © 1995 The American Lutheran Publicity Bureau, Delhi, NY

 

Friday prior to Proper 17

[1]

Luke 14:1–14—Sunday’s Gospel speaks of Jesus healing a man on the Sabbath, but first challenging the puffed-up Pharisees to show Him why this would be wrong. They could give no answer.

Jesus then tells a parable which exhorts those puffed-up Pharisees—and us!-–to humble ourselves. One who has the mind of Christ will not seek to exalt himself over others, but will put himself in their service, as Christ did for us when he bore our sins to Calvary. When we bow in humble submission to the Lord, He shall exalt us. Indeed, He has already, by making us His children through the washing of Holy Baptism and giving us a seat at His heavenly banquet.

Some thoughts on Sunday’s Gospel lesson…

V. 1 Meals on the Sabbath were often luxurious and costly. Only cold dishes were permitted. “They watched Him” explains the reason for the invitation. Jesus had just bitterly denounced the Pharisees. (See Luke 11:39-52) In this lesson Jesus talks about seeking the lowest places at these feasts and about who ought to be the guests.

V. 7 “Chief rooms;” The first places were places of respect and honor. How the LORD – the essence of whose teaching is self-surrender and self-sacrifice must have been disturbed by the self-seeking pride of the Pharisees.

V. 11 This is the rule in Christ’s Kingdom. Whoever takes pride in his own work and merit will be abased by being excluded from the Kingdom. Whoever humbles himself. Acknowledging his own unworthiness and trusting alone in Christ, will be exalted by God’s grace. (See Matthew 23:12; Luke 18:14)

V. 12 The remark occurred some time later in the feast. Those attending the feast were from the upper ranks of Jewish society. “Not Thy friends;” Jesus did not mean to forbid our entertaining of those we love; He meant simply that, because of the life to come, we can do better. (See Nehemiah 8:10) “Lest they also bid thee;” this is manifestly a selfish motive. This section of the lesson is a lesson in selfless service. The Law required service to the poor. (See Deuteronomy 14:28-29; 26:11-13)

V. 14 Where there is not love, faith is missing. Hence, no recompense on the Last Day. The recompense is one of grace. The LORD gives rewards to those who seek no rewards. 

For those outside the Church: Almighty and everlasting God, You desire not the death of a sinner but that all would repent and live. Hear our prayers for those outside the Church. Take away their iniquity, and turn them from their false gods to You, the living and true God. Gather them into Your holy Church to the glory of Your name; through Jesus Christ our Lord.[2]

Collect for Friday of the week of Pentecost 11: O God, who in Thy Son didst come among us, and in him wilt come again, of Thy mercy grant us not to shrink from Thy presence, but to rejoice in it. Through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen [3]

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[1] Lift High the Cross © Copyright Ed Riojas, Higher Things

[2] Collect for those outside the Church, Lutheran Service Book, © 2006 Concordia Publishing House. St. Louis

[3] Collect for Friday of the week of Pentecost 11, For All the Saints, A Prayer Book For and By the Church, © 1995 The American Lutheran Publicity Bureau, Delhi, NY

 

The Martyrdom of St. John the Baptist (August 29)

 

Revelation 6:9–11
Romans 6:1–5
Mark 6:14–29

The Martyrdom of St. John the Baptist 

“Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means!” (Rom. 6:1–2).John preached the Law boldly against Herod’s adultery with Herodias. Choosing human honor over honesty, Herod served up John’s head on a platter to pacify Herodias’s conscience without the contrition and repentance of Baptism (Mark 6:17–28). So John was slain for the Word of God and for the witness he had borne (Rev. 6:9). John is Christ’s forerunner also in death; so other fellow-servants and brothers continue to be martyrs (witnesses) of Christ to this day (Rev. 6:11). Their deaths are precious to the Lord (Ps. 116:15) and so also to us, who celebrate even a beheading. Such is the confidence of the baptized! Buried into Christ’s death through Baptism, we believe we shall certainly be united with Him in a resurrection like His also (Rom. 6:4–5). 

United to Christ, the Church’s Head, John can be confident that He will be reunited to his own at the last day. Even John isn’t really the forerunner; Jesus has gone before us all: out of the tomb alive, the firstborn of those who sleep!

Luther's Seal copyright Ed Riojas, Higher Things

Lectionary Summary copyright LCMS commission on worship

Thursday prior to Proper 17

[1]

Hebrews 13:1–17—How does a person’s humility manifest itself with regard to those around us? The writer to the Hebrews exhorts us to care for the needy: Let brotherly love continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers…remember those who are in prison…and those who are mistreated.

We ought always to bring to mind Christ’s example, who suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through his own blood. Furthermore, we ought to recall those heroes of the faith whom we heard about in the epistle readings a few weeks ago and imitate their faith. In the Church, we are to humble ourselves and obey our leaders and submit to them, for God has appointed them to keep watch over your souls.

The Epistle encourages the hearer to develop a life-style in direct opposition to the cultural patter of our modern society. “Independence” and “individuality” are the hallmarks of American society. The Biblical and secular understandings of these two words have little in common. The world views independence as freedom from something. The LORD views it as freedom for something. The world views individuality as life for oneself; God views it as life for others.

For the mission of the Church: Almighty God, You have called Your Church to witness that in Christ You have reconciled us to Yourself. Grant that by Your Holy Spirit we may proclaim the good news of Your salvation so that all who hear it may receive the gift of salvation; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Prayer for humility: O God, You resist the proud and give grace to the humble. Grant us true humility after the likeness of Your only Son that we may never be arrogant and prideful and thus provoke Your wrath but in all lowliness be made partakers of the gifts of Your grace; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.[2]

Collect for Thursday of the week of Pentecost 11: O Thou, who art the same yet art known to us through constant change, help us to realize Thy Providence and its ever-lasting laws, in whatsoever comes to pass. We see Thee within the order which Thou has made, and we believe in the Presence that besets us before and behind, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen - Anonymous [3]

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[1] Lift High the Cross © Copyright Ed Riojas, Higher Things

[2] Collect for the mission of the Church and for humility, Lutheran Service Book, © 2006 Concordia Publishing House. St. Louis

[3] Collect for Thursday of the week of Pentecost 11, For All the Saints, A Prayer Book For and By the Church, Vol. II © 1995 The American Lutheran Publicity Bureau, Delhi, NY

 

Wednesday prior to Proper 17

[1]

Proverbs 25:2–10—General admonitions for wise behavior

Humility is the key word in both the Gospel lesson (Luke 14:1, 7-14) and the Old Testament lesson (Proverbs 25:2-10) for this coming week. In the Gospel a humble person will not seek the top seat at dinner but will choose to sit at the foot of the table. Moreover, humility is show by inviting poor people who cannot reciprocate by inviting you. The opening verses of the Old Testament lesson from the book of Proverbs say the same as Jesus in the Gospel. While humility is not specifically taught in the Epistle lesson (Hebrews 13:1-8) which is the last section in the series from the book of Hebrews we see humility in the exhortation to love strangers and especially the needy. Pride makes us want to be Number One, to be out in front and to generate publicity. It is Christ Himself who humbled Himself; taking on flesh bearing our sin and suffering our guilt at the cross only to rise victoriously granting us free remission of all sin.

Pride does not know your rightful place in the scheme of things. We get “uppity” when we try to be more than we are; when we think more highly of ourselves than we ought to think. This was the problem with Adam and Eve; out of pride they wanted to be like God, knowing good and evil. Humility knows your place; accepts it, and keeps it. Be what you are! Do what you can – No more; and certainly no less!  From our reading from Proverbs a subject is not to stand in the king’s place as though he were the king. This is pride and arrogance. If one does this, he is humiliated by being put in his proper place – a lower place.  One with humility will be content to stay in his place.  Today many are stepping out of their places because of pride; thinking they belong on a higher place in society.

The Old Testament reading for this coming Sunday is taken from the book of Proverbs which receives attention only four times in the three-year cycle of readings. In the B Series Proper 15; in the C Series a reading from Proverbs occurs at Holy Trinity, Proper 17 and Proper 18.

About 250 years after the death of Solomon, blessed by God as the wisest man ever to have lived, King Hezekiah’s men collected some of Solomon’s wise sayings from a larger collection. The first section used for Sunday’s Old Testament reading (vv. 2–7) relate to earthly kings. Whereas part of God’s glory is due to the fact that He is beyond our understanding. It is the glory of earthly kings to search out and discover.

When he became king, Solomon humbly asked God for “an understanding mind to govern Your people that I may discern between good and evil” (1 Kings 3:9). To search out justice and enlightenment is to a ruler’s glory.

The second portion of the reading (vv. 8–10) teaches us humility in relations with our neighbor. We are not to be hasty in pursuing litigation to elevate ourselves over our neighbor; he may thereby put us to shame. Neither should we engage in gossip, warns v. 9. Similar warnings are also given in Proverbs 11:13, 20:19, and, of course, the Eighth Commandment.

Collect for Proper 17: O Lord of grace and mercy, teach us by Your holy Spirit to follow the example of Your Son in true humility, that we may withstand the temptatio0ns of the devil and with pure hearts and minds avoid ungodly pride; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, One God, now and forever.[2]

Collect for Pentecost 12: Almighty and everlasting God, always more ready to hear than we to pray and always ready to give more than we either desire or deserve, pour down un us the abundance of Your mercy, forgiving us the things of which our conscience is afraid and giving us the good things we are not worthy to ask but through the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord,[3]

Collect for Wednesday of the week of Pentecost 11: Let your continual mercy, O Lord, cleanse and defend your Church; and because it cannot continue in safety without your help protect and govern it always by your goodness; for you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen [4]

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[1] Lift High the Cross © Copyright Ed Riojas, Higher Things

[2] Collect for Proper 17, Lutheran Service Book © 2006 Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis

[3] Collect for Pentecost 12, Luther Worship © 1980 Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis

[4] Collect for Wednesday of the week of Pentecost 11, For All the Saints, A Prayer Book For and By the Church, Vol. II © 1995 The American Lutheran Publicity Bureau, Delhi, NY 

 

Tuesday prior to Proper 17

[1]

Psalm 131—This psalm of David is the psalm of a humble man, one whose heart is not lifted up by himself and one whose eyes are not raised too high. Instead of relying on himself, David has calmed and quieted his soul with the knowledge of the LORD and that all our hope is in the LORD from this time forth and forevermore.

Psalm 131 – David’s humble learned contentment in the LORD

This psalm is titled A Song of Ascents. Of David. Commentators suggest two possible occasions for its composition. The first may be when Saul hunted David, and David was repeatedly accused of ambition for the throne of Israel. The second may be David’s in response to his wife, Michal, when she accused him of being vulgar and undignified after he danced in the procession of bringing the ark of the covenant into Jerusalem (2 Samuel 6:16-23).

Whatever the occasion was, this short psalm is a beautiful denial of pride, arrogance, and selfish ambition. “It is one of the shortest Psalms to read, but one of the longest to learn. It speaks of a young child, but it contains the experience of a man in Christ.

A. David declares his humble heart.

Vs. 1a David renounces pride and arrogance.

Vs. 2b (1b) David renounces selfish ambition.

 

B. David declares his contented heart.

Vs. 2 Contentment like a weaned child.

Vs. 3 Exhorting Israel to find the same contentment.[2]

Collect for Psalm 131: Lord Jesus, gentle and humble of heart, you promised your kingdom to those who are like children. Never let pride reign in our hearts, but let the Father’s compassion embrace all who willingly bear your gentle yoke now and forever. [3]   

Collect for Tuesday of the week of Pentecost 11: O God, the protector of all who trust in you, without whom nothing is strong, nothing is holy: Increase and multiply upon us your mercy; that, with you as our ruler and guide, we may so pass through things temporal, that we lose not the things eternal; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen [4]

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[1] Lift High the Cross © Copyright Ed Riojas, Higher Things

[2] https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/psalm-131/

[3] Collect for Psalm 131, For All the Saints, A Prayer Book For and By the Church, Vol. II © 1995 The American Lutheran Publicity Bureau, Delhi, NY

[4] ibid