Time in the Word
Proper 28
November 10-15, 2014
Preparation for the Lord’s Coming
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Collect for Proper 28 – Almighty and ever-living God, You have given
exceedingly great and precious promises to those who trust in You. Dispel from us the works of darkness and
grant us to live in the light of Your Son Jesus Christ, that our faith may
never be found wanting; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and
reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
For blessing on the Word – Lord
God, bless Your Word wherever it is proclaimed. Make it a word of power and
peace to convert those not yet Your own and to confirm those who have come to
saving faith. May Your Word pass from the ear to the heart, from the heart to the
lip, and from the lip to the life that, as You have promised, Your Word may
achieve the purpose for which You send it; through Jesus Christ, my Lord.
A prayer before we study
the Word – Almighty God, our heavenly
Father, without Your help our labor is useless, and without Your light our
search is in vain. Invigorate the study of Your holy Word that, by due
diligence and right discernment, we may establish ourselves and others in Your
holy faith.
The Lessons for this coming week again
help us prepare for the coming of our Lord. In the Old Testament lesson, the
prophet Zephaniah reminds us of the reason the Lord must return. Sin will cause
death and destruction. In the Epistle lesson, Paul assures his readers the
children of light will not be surprised when the day of the Lord suddenly
comes. The Christians of the first century were concerned about the exact date
of Jesus’ return. Paul reminded them that no exact day could be determined, for
Jesus will come suddenly and unexpectedly as a thief comes in the night. In the
Gospel lesson, we are given the parable of the talents. This is another parable
related to the Lord’s return. According to the parable, the return is long delayed
(v. 19). The servants are asked to give an account of their investment. Two
servants doubled the investment and the third preserved what he was given. The
third servant was condemned for not making the most of his talent. It was taken
from him and given to the other two. Jesus has ascended and His return has been
delayed. When He comes, He will ask for an accounting whether they worked for
Him while He was absent or whether they cared only for their security. A
hoarded gift is lost and the hoarder is condemned.
Monday,
November 10, 2014 – Psalm 143:5-6, 10-11 - The Antiphon for this coming
Sunday is from Psalm143:1: “Hear my
prayer, O Lord, give ear to my pleas for mercy! In Your faithfulness answer me,
in Your righteousness!” David calls for deliverance from his enemies and
for divine leading. As he makes his appeal to the Lord, he is confident the
Lord will act on his account. Thus we are directed to pray in the morning and
evening “…into Thy hands I commend myself…”
Tuesday, November 11, 2014 –
Zephaniah 1:7-16 - The prophet reminds his hearers sin will cause
destruction and death. Zephaniah calls upon the nation to be “silent” before
God. Similarly a psalmist wrote, “Be still and know that I am God.” If one is
to hear what God has to say, there must be silence. Because of this, silence is
requested in a library or concert hall. But, there is greater reason for
silence. In the face of something catastrophic or terrible, our only reaction
is silence. When the seal is broken in heaven, there is a half hour of silence.
Zephaniah has a dreadful word from God: The day of the Lord is coming as a day
of doom, gloom, destruction, and death for all people. That is enough to shock
us into silence.
The “end” is final. There is
nothing beyond or it would not be the end. The wrath of God will not be spent
until the end of everything. It reminds us of the result of nuclear warfare and
the end of the earth. This passage gives us no hope, no solution. The end is
promised and it will come, unless.... Or, is it too late?
Wednesday, November 12, 2014 – 1
Thessalonians 5:1-11 -Since Christians are children of the day
(righteousness) and not of the night (wickedness), they are to remain sober and
awake. To be ready and to be equipped to do battle against evil, they are to be
equipped with faith, hope, and love. Paul comforts and assures them that God
has not destined them to wrath, but to salvation so that whether they live or
die, they might be with the Lord.
Thursday, November 13, 2014 –
Matthew 25:14-30 – What the servants
have is not their own. The rich man of the parable gave his property to his
servants as a trust until he returned. As servants of God, all we have has been
given to us: our world, gifts, and our very own lives. Thus, we are stewards of
God’s wealth. We are not free to do with his possessions as we wish. God holds
us accountable for what we did or did not do with His property.
The Bible teaches us to fear
God, but not to be afraid of Him. The servant who did nothing with his talent
was afraid of God. Though God is a just God who demands justice, holiness, and
righteousness, we need not be afraid of Him, for He loves us. Fear Him? Yes!
Fear Him in terms of reverence and awe! When we are afraid, we freeze, hold
back, fear to venture. The servant was afraid he would lose his one talent and
he knew the master would demand a return of his money. In all ways, fear in
terms of being afraid, makes us inhibited, cautious, and withholding. Love
dares to venture and invest.
Friday, November 14, 2014 -
Psalm 90:1-12 - This Psalm is the appointed one for this Sunday. Verse 17 is the key verse, “Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon
us,” David says. As You Lord only
have been our security in the world so also make our labors to be effective and
enduring – though we are so transient.
Saturday, November 15, 2014
Luke 21:25-36 - Our reading is the inspiration for the hymn; “The Day is Surely Drawing Near.” As the
Church year comes to a close, so we look to the time of Christ’s second coming.
We need not fear these days for we are confident of Him who orders our days and
directs our path.
Sources
LUTHERAN SEVICE BOOK © 2006 Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis, MO
LECTIONALRY
PREACHING WORKBOOK SERIES A © 1980 John Brokhoff CSS Publishing Lima, OH
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