Faith
in God’s Promises
As
Jesus continues during Lent to Jerusalem to suffer and die, we are reminded
that there is a reason for it: our salvation. The motive for this sacrifice is
God’s love. While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us out of love for God
and us. How does this affect us? Faith is the receptive agent which brings to us
the benefits of God’s love. In the Gospel, faith in the crucified Christ brings
us eternal life. Abraham by faith in God’s promise is blessed (Old Testament
Lesson ). Paul uses Abraham (Epistle Lesson) as an example of faith which
brought him and us the righteousness of God. The Prayer continues the theme:
“Lead them again to embrace in faith the truth....” In Psalm 105, it is implied
that the eye of the Lord is upon those who in faith respect God not because of
the believer’s faith but because the word and the Lord’s covenant which He
remembers.
Collects for Lent 2: O God,
You see that of ourselves we have no strength. By Your mighty power defend us
from all adversities that may happen to the body and from all evil thoughts
that may assault and hurt the soul; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord,
who lives and rules with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
God our Father, help us to hear Your Son. Enlighten us with Your word,
that we may find the way to Your glory. We ask this through our Lord Jesus
Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, One God,
for ever and ever.
Heavenly Father, it is your glory always to have mercy. Bring back
all who have erred and strayed from your ways; lead them again to embrace in
faith the truth of your Word and to hold it fast.
God our Father, teach us to find new life through penance. Keep us
from sin, and help us live by Your commandment of love. We ask this through our
Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever. Amen
Collect for Psalm 121: Lord
Jesus Christ, You have prepared a quiet place for us in Your Father’s eternal
home. Watch over our welfare on this perilous journey, shade us from the
burning heat of day, and keep our lives free of evil now and forever.
Monday,
10 March 2014—Psalm 105:4-7; antiphon, Psalm 105:8—In the Introit for Sunday, we pray, He
remembers His covenant forever, the word that He commanded, for a thousand
generations. This psalm is an exhortation to Israel to worship and trust in
the Lord because of all His saving acts in fulfillment of His covenant with
Abraham to give His descendants the land of Canaan.
Tuesday,
11 March 2014—Psalm 121—key
verse 8—The Lord will watch over your
coming and going both now and forevermore. This week’s psalm is a dialogue
of confession and assurance. Its use as a pilgrimage song provides the key to
its understanding. Whether the dialogue takes place in a single heart or
between individuals in the caravan is of no great consequence since all would
share the same convictions. The comforting assurance expressed is equally
appropriate for the pilgrimage to Jerusalem and for the pilgrimage of life to
the glory into which the faithful will be received. The psalm is composed of
four couplets, each having an introductory line, which the rest of the couplet
develops. Key terms are “the Lord” and “watch over” each occurring five times.
Wednesday, 12 March 2014— Genesis
12:1-9—Faith accepts God’s promise of
blessing. By faith Abraham accepts the Lord’s
promise and obeys his command. Around 2000 B.C. a man named Abraham lived in Haran. The Lord came
to him and called him to leave his home and family to go to a strange, unknown
land where he would become the father of a great nation. Abraham proved his faith
in the Lord by trusting His Word of promises and obeying. He left all for a
great adventure in faith. The Lord promised to bless him and to make him a
blessing to all nations. Abraham maintained his faith by building an altar to
worship wherever he went.
Thursday, 13 March 2014—Romans 4:1-8; 13-17—Faith accepts God’s righteousness. The faith of Abraham was reckoned to him as righteousness.
In
chapter 3, Paul had just explained that sinners are justified by grace through
faith and not by the works of the Law. Therefore, believers in Christ have no
reason to boast of their righteousness, because it came as a gift of faith, an
illustration of what it means to be justified by faith.
Abraham
did not have the Law and could not perform the works of the Law. He simply
believed God, trusted in his promises and obeyed his command. As a result, it
was reckoned to him as righteousness. What Abraham received by faith, believers,
both Jew and Gentile, can have — the same promise of reconciliation with God.
Friday, 14 March 2014—John
3:1-17—In
the Gospel lesson faith accepts Jesus’ promise of
eternal life. Jesus teaches Nicodemus that faith
in Him offers eternal life. This passage deals with the Father, Son, and Holy
Spirit. After the discourse with Nicodemus on the necessity of being born anew
of the Spirit, Jesus declares that faith in the crucified Christ will bring
eternal life. Then John gives the Bible’s “greatest verse” which Luther called
the “little Babe,” John 3:16. Again, we learn that whoever believes in Jesus
will have eternal life, for God did not send Jesus to condemn, but save the
world. On this Sunday, we see the passage in the light of the Theme of the Day
— Faith.
Saturday, 15 March 2014—Psalm 121; 2 Timothy 4:18;
Psalm 91:9-12—Sunday’s Hymn of the
Day is God Who Made the Earth and Heaven (LSB #877). The Psalm for this week is
the inspiration verse for our hymn of the day. God the Father who created the
entire universe has promised to direct your life. He is the one who orders your
day and directs your path. He has brought you to faith by the power of the
Spirit’s work and He will sustain that faith. We can confidently trust in Him
because He has established His everlasting covenant with His own people.
Sources:
Prayers from Lutheran Service Book © 2006
Concordia Publishing House
Lectionary Preaching Workbook Series A by John Brokhoff ©
1980 CSS Publishing Lima OH
For All the Saints A Prayer Book for and By the Church
Vol. II © 1995 by the American Lutheran Publicity Bureau, Delhi, NY
Schnorr
von Carolsfeld, woodcuts © WELS Permission to use these copyrighted items is
limited to personal and congregational use.
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