Time in the Word
20-25 March 2017
Preparation for next week, Lent 4
20-25 March 2017
Preparation for next week, Lent 4
Light to See
The
Fourth Sunday In Lent was formerly known as Laetare Sunday, taken from the
first Latin word of the Introit, Laetare, meaning to “rejoice.” It was
also known as “Refreshment Sunday” because of the Gospel lesson of the feeding
of the 5,000. The second half of Lent begins in a lighter mood in preparation
for the depth of sorrow coming in the Passion. Today’s three Lessons harmonize
on the theme of light, vision, and insight. Samuel is given the insight to see
that of all the sons of Jesse, David was the one to be king. Jesus brought
spiritual vision to the man healed by blindness. Paul exhorts Christians as
children of light to walk in the light of goodness. Since David was called to
be the shepherd of Israel, Psalm 23 is appropriate. We pray in the Prayer that
we may be cleansed from the darkness of sin that we may be children of the
light, which is Christ. From the light of spiritual vision, for the cure of our
spiritual blindness, we can rejoice — Laetare!
Collects for Lent 4: Almighty God,
our heavenly Father, Your mercies are new every morning; and though we deserve
only punishment, You receive us as Your children, and provide for all our needs
of body and soul. Grant that we may heartily acknowledge Your merciful
goodness, give thanks for all Your benefits, and serve You in willing
obedience; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God,
now and forever.
Father Creator, You give the world new
life by Your sacraments. May we, Your Church, grow in Your life and continue to
receive Your help on earth. Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son,
who lives, and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
God of all
mercy, by your prayer to heal and to forgive, graciously cleanse us from all
sin and makes us strong.
Monday, 20 March 2017—Psalm 84:1-4;
antiphon, Psalm 84:5—In the Introit for Sunday, we pray, My eyes are ever toward the Lord, for He
will pluck my feet out of the net. Those who have come to know the Lord as
their deliverer and the sustainer of their lives place their confidence in Him.
This is the definition of faith. In this Lenten season, the cross looms closer.
Place your confidence in Him and Him alone.
Tuesday, 21 March 2017—Psalm 142—key verse, verse 5,
I cry to You, O Lord; I say You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the
living. This is David’s prayer for rescue. The Lord is the sustainer and
preserver of David’s life. We place our confidence in Him for He is the one who
preserves us.
Wednesday, 22 March 2017—1 Samuel 16:1-13—God gives light to see character—Samuel anoints David to succeed
Saul as king. Here is a story of a shepherd boy who is made a king. Because God
was sorry he ever chose Saul to be the first king of Israel, he instructed
Samuel to secretly anoint a successor to Saul. He is sent to the home of Jesse
in Bethlehem to anoint a replacement for Saul. Which one of the eight sons of
Jesse did God want as king? All seven sons were interviewed but none satisfied
God’s choice. The youngest, David, was in the fields caring for his father’s
sheep. Samuel ordered him brought to him. Seeing the handsome youth, Samuel at
once recognized him as God’s choice, anointed him king, and then departed. The
Spirit that enlightened Samuel now rested mightily upon David.
Thursday, 23 March 2017—Ephesians
5:8-14—Christians live in the light of Christ.
Christians are the children of light. Paul writes to people who have become
Christians. He refers to their former lives of sin as “darkness.” Now they are
children of light and are to live as lights in terms of what is good, right,
and true.
There is a
contrast between before and after Christ, between God and Satan, light and
darkness, good and evil. Christians are to have no part in the works of
darkness but rather they are to expose evil to the light. In his closing words,
Paul calls for the dead (“asleep”) in sin to rise in the light of Christ.
Friday, 24 March 2017—John 9:1-41—In the Gospel lesson Jesus, the Light, gives spiritual vision. A man born blind receives physical and
spiritual sight. It takes a whole chapter to tell the story of how Jesus brings
spiritual light to a man born blind. The actual miracle is told in a few
verses, but the healing gives an occasion for Jesus to bring a man from
agnosticism to faith. We see the formation of faith: from “the man called
Jesus,” to “prophet,” to “a man from God” to “Son of Man.” In contrast to the
light of the healed man, the Pharisees are in the darkness of sin and unbelief.
In Jesus’
day the popular view was that sin caused suffering. In the case of the man born
blind, the disciples asked whose sin caused the handicap. Jesus answered that
no one sinned in this case. Some suffering is caused by sin, but we should see
suffering as an opportunity for God’s healing.
Saturday, 25 March 2017—Romans 8:29; 2 Peter 1:4; Ephesians 4:24; 2
Corinthians 3:18—Sunday’s Hymn of
the Day is On My Heart Imprint Your Image (LSB #422). The knowledge of God is not an abstract
concept but is couched in love and mixed with purpose. God not only knew us
before we had any knowledge of Him, but He also knew us in the sense of
choosing us by His grace before the foundation of the world. The reason God
foreknew, predestined and conformed believers to Christ’s likeness is that the
Son might hold the position of highest honor in the great family of God.
Collect for
the Annunciation of our Lord (March 25): O Lord, as we have known the incarnation of
Your Son, Jesus Christ, by the message of the angel to the virgin Mary, so by
the message of His cross and passion bring us to the glory of His resurrection;
through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the
Holy Spirit, One God, now and forever. Amen.
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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