Time in the Word
January 15-20, 2018
Preparation for next week, Epiphany 3
January 15-20, 2018
Preparation for next week, Epiphany 3
The theme for
the third Sunday after the Epiphany is the concept of time. The word time is
mentioned in each of the lessons. It was time for Jesus to begin His ministry
and to call disciples, time for Jonah to preach to the people, and time for
them to repent. It was time for Christians to live in the light of the end of
time. As we seize the time to serve God in this generation, we have security in
the knowledge of God’s nature. The Hymn for the Day has its focus on Christ our
true and only light.
Collect for Epiphany 3—Almighty and everlasting God, mercifully
look upon our infirmities and stretch forth the hand of Your majesty to heal
and defend us; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns
with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen
Monday, January 15, 2018—Psalm 113:1-2, 4, 7-8—The Antiphon, is taken from Psalm 113:3, “From the rising of the sun to its setting,
the name of the Lord is to be praised! These words are taken from a hymn to
the Lord celebrating His high majesty and his mercies to the lowly. It was
probably composed originally for the temple liturgy. As the Lord is enthroned
on high, He is exalted over all creation.
Tuesday,
January 16. 2018—Psalm 62—The key verse of this psalm is verse 8, I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are
wonderful, I know that full well”
The
Psalmist commits himself to God when threatened by the assaults of conspirators
who wish to dethrone him. Verse three suggests a time of weakness and may
indicate advanced age. Implicitly the psalm is an appeal to God to uphold him.
No psalm surpasses it in its expression of simple trust in God. The little
Hebrew word אַךְ (’ak) begins six of the twelve verses; it
is short, but significant, having the meaning “only.” “My soul finds rest only in God.” “He only is my rock and my salvation.” “Find rest, O my soul, only in God.”
Wednesday, January 17, 2018—Jonah 3:1-5, 10—Jonah obeys God’s
command to preach to Nineveh; the people and God repent. Jonah refuses to obey
God’s command to preach to Nineveh, the capital city of the Assyrians. After
Jonah repents and is vomited out of a large fish, Jonah obeys and preaches
judgment to Nineveh. The coming disaster causes the government and people to
repent. Thereupon God decides not to condemn the city. Jonah reflects the
nationalistic concept of God. The Lord is not the God only of Israel but of any
who would repent and trust the Lord. Judgment motivates repentance and God’s
mercy is extended to any people who repent, regardless of nationality or race.
God’s salvation depends on repentance and not on national origin.
Thursday, January 18, 2018—1 Corinthians 7:29-31—Live in the light
of Christ’s imminent return. This reading comes from the chapter dealing with
marriage. The Lesson begins with life— lives in relation to the end of the
world and Christ’s return. Paul teaches
that the status quo in one’s life should be maintained, for soon the whole song
will be over. A Christian is not to get involved with the world or to change
his vocation. He is to continue doing what he has been doing, for the end of
life on earth is near. Today’s life is to be viewed in relation to eternity.
When this is done, the present issues of
earthly life become insignificant. Paul is not teaching withdrawal from the
world [such as the Amish community] but to tolerating and persevering in what
we are now doing.
In verses
29-31 Paul uses “as though” five times. He urges us to live as though
conditions did not exist. It is a kind of “make believe” style of life. Since
the end of the world is at hand, we are to live as though the world no longer
existed. It is a manner of living that does not take seriously the things of
this passing world. Our interests and values are set upon Christ’s values.
Friday, January 19, 2018—Mark 1:14-20—Jesus begins His ministry
and calls four disciples. Jesus has been ordained in His ministry at His
baptism. He struggles with Satan in deciding upon the method of His ministry.
With John the Baptist arrested, He feels the urge to begin His public ministry.
He begins to preach in Galilee.
The content
of His preaching is the gospel of God, the good news that the King is here. In
the light of this, people are believing and repenting. Faith and repentance are
not necessarily conditions of bringing or entering the Kingdom, but the
response to the fact that the Kingdom is here in Jesus. Then, Jesus begins to
choose His leaders by calling four men whose future will be catching men.
Jesus
immediately called certain ones to be disciples. He knew whom he wanted and needed.
He did not have to weigh the matter. There was no problem of making up His
mind. In like manner, the Disciples accepted the call. To be a Christian one
does not need neither to weight doctrinal matters nor to consider theological
alternatives. There is the certainty of responding to the challenge of the call
to follow the Master. There is no hesitation, no need to think it over. In an
instant one knows it is the right thing to do.
Philip
Melanchthon one of the co-writers of our Lutheran Confessions relied on this
passage to show the proper Scriptural teaching that repentance always has two
parts – contrition and faith.
Saturday, January 20, 2018—Luke 1:79—The hymn of the day is “O Christ, Our True and Only Light” (LSB
839).Those who are lost, separated from God are found only in Jesus Christ. In
the season of Epiphany, we see more clearly who Jesus really is. By His words
and actions, we come to the conclusion that He can only be God made flesh. See also Isaiah 9:1-2 and Malachi 4:2.
Prayers for the Epiphany Season–Almighty God, you sent your Son to proclaim your kingdom and to teach
with authority. Anoint us with the power of your Spirit, that we, too, may
bring good news to the afflicted, bind upon the brokenhearted, and proclaim
liberty to the captives.
O God, by the
leading of a star You made known Your only-begotten Son to the Gentiles. Lead
us, who know You by faith, to enjoy in heaven the fullness of Your divine
presence; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
Most merciful God,
You gave Your eternal Word to become incarnate of the pure Virgin. Grant Your
people grace to put away fleshly lusts that they may be ready for Your
visitation; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and
the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
The Gospel is a good
report, discourse and proclamation of Christ, announcing that He is nothing
else but pure goodness, love and grace. Such a report could not possibly be
made concerning any other human being, or any of the saints. For, although the
other saints were men of quite good repute, a report on them does not
constitute the Gospel as such. It is Gospel only when the goodness and grace of
Christ are proclaimed. Even though mention is made of famous saints and their
doings, this does not make the report the Gospel. The Gospel bases Christian
faith and confidence solely on the rock, Jesus Christ. (Martin Luther)
Sources
LECTIONALRY PREACHING WORKBOOK SERIES B © 1981
John Brokhoff CSS Publishing Lima, OH
Luther’s
Works: American Edit Edition. 55 volumes.(Volumes 1-30, Concordia Publishing
House; volumes 31 31-55, Fortress Press)
Schnorr von Carolsfeld, woodcuts © WELS Permission to use these copyrighted
items is limited to personal and congregational use.
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