Proper 13 Series B notes

Proper 13

Exodus 16:2–15

Ephesians 4:1–16

John 6:22–35

Jesus Is the True and Living Bread from Heaven

Having rescued Israel “out of the land of Egypt” (Ex. 16:6), the Lord manifested His glory and made Himself known to His people. He fed them with “meat to eat” in the evening and with “bread from heaven” in the morning (Ex. 16:4, 8, 12). But now, the “true bread from heaven,” which the Father gives to you, is the Son, “who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world” (John 6:32–33). Whoever comes to Him “shall not hunger,” and whoever believes in Him “shall never thirst.” He is “the bread of life,” who gives Himself to you as “the food that endures to eternal life” (John 6:27, 35). By the gracious working of God, you believe in Him by the calling of one Spirit through the Gospel, so that you also have “one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all” (Eph. 4:4–6). As you eat His one body in the Holy Supper, so you belong to the one body of His Church, in which you “are to grow up in every way into him who is the head” (Eph. 4:15).

Merciful Father, You gave Your Son Jesus as the heavenly bread of life. Grant us faith to feast on Him in Your Word and Sacrament, that we may be nourished unto life everlasting; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

According to the concessions manager the following items were sold at the Indiana v Wisconsin game, on Saturday, March 12, 1994...

400 1bs of hot dogs,

3,000 popcorn boxes,

8,200 cokes (about 1,000 gallons)

684 candy bars,

436 nachos,

284 boxes of caramel corn,

917 soft pretzels,

247 polish sausages,

100 sandwiches,

179 bags of peanuts,

50 muffins,

160 cups of coffee.

This was for a 2 pm tip where the crowd had already had breakfast and possibly lunch!  And they had to pay for their food!

 John 6:22-35

22 Τῇ  ἐπαύριον  ὁ  ὄχλος  ὁ  ἑστηκὼς  πέραν  τῆς  θαλάσσης  εἶδον  ὅτι  πλοιάριον  ἄλλο  οὐκ  ἦν  ἐκεῖ  εἰ  μὴ  ἕν,  καὶ  ὅτι  οὐ  συνεισῆλθεν  τοῖς  μαθηταῖς  αὐτοῦ  ὁ  Ἰησοῦς  εἰς  τὸ  πλοῖον  ἀλλὰ  μόνοι  οἱ  μαθηταὶ  αὐτοῦ  ἀπῆλθον·

On the next day the crowd that remained on the other side of the sea saw that there had been only one boat there, and that Jesus had not entered the boat with his disciples, but that his disciples had gone away alone.

6:22 narrated from Jesus' disciples - assessing the situation, the crowd could not figure out how Jesus could have crossed the sea.

23 ἀλλὰ  ἦλθεν  πλοιάρια  ἐκ  Τιβεριάδος  ἐγγὺς  τοῦ  τόπου  ὅπου  ἔφαγον  τὸν  ἄρτον  εὐχαριστήσαντος  τοῦ  Κυρίου.

Other boats from Tiberias came near the place where they had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks

6:23 Tiberius Greek city on the Sea of Galilee, mentioned only in John 6:1; 21:1 Herod Antipas built it in AD 16-22 and named it in honor of the reigning Romans emperor.

"Having given thanks..." does this make the text Eucharistic?  It's bread but more than bread...he comes to us, then when He came and now as He has compassion and teaches.

24 ὅτε  οὖν  εἶδεν  ὁ  ὄχλος  ὅτι  Ἰησοῦς  οὐκ  ἔστιν  ἐκεῖ  οὐδὲ  οἱ  μαθηταὶ  αὐτοῦ,  ἐνέβησαν  αὐτοὶ  εἰς  τὰ  πλοιάρια  καὶ  ἦλθον  εἰς  Καφαρναοὺμ  ζητοῦντες  τὸν  Ἰησοῦν.

So when the crowd saw that Jesus was not there, nor his disciples, they themselves got into the boats and went to Capernaum, seeking Jesus

 

25 καὶ  εὑρόντες  αὐτὸν  πέραν  τῆς  θαλάσσης  εἶπον  αὐτῷ  Ῥαββί*,  πότε  ὧδε  γέγονας;

 When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you come here?”

26 ἀπεκρίθη  αὐτοῖς  ὁ  Ἰησοῦς  καὶ  εἶπεν  Ἀμὴν  ἀμὴν  λέγω  ὑμῖν,  ζητεῖτέ  με  οὐχ  ὅτι  εἴδετε  σημεῖα,  ἀλλ’  ὅτι  ἐφάγετε  ἐκ  τῶν  ἄρτων  καὶ  ἐχορτάσθητε.

Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves

6:26 faith in Jesus was the purpose of all the signs. At the miraculous feeding, the crowds saw only the gifts, not the Giver.   You saw and had your bellies filled...they saw but did not understand.

Look at the change of verbs...

27 ἐργάζεσθε  μὴ  τὴν  βρῶσιν  τὴν  ἀπολλυμένην,  ἀλλὰ  τὴν  βρῶσιν  τὴν  μένουσαν  εἰς  ζωὴν  αἰώνιον,  ἣν  ὁ  Υἱὸς  τοῦ  ἀνθρώπου  ὑμῖν  δώσει·  τοῦτον  γὰρ  ὁ  Πατὴρ  ἐσφράγισεν  ὁ  Θεός.

Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.”

6:27 labor - food. Jesus posed an absolute contrast between physical and spiritual "food" without denying the importance of the physical. Set His seal...see Jeremiah 32:10

"Stop working for the perishable food" bread that we eat will not keep you alive forever...it's the bread you work for after the fall which comes from the cursed earth and your sweaty brow...you still die.

The Orthodox use this terminology of "seal" for baptism.

28 εἶπον  οὖν  πρὸς  αὐτόν  Τί  ποιῶμεν  ἵνα  ἐργαζώμεθα  τὰ  ἔργα  τοῦ  Θεοῦ; 

Then they said to him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?”

6:28 don't trust in your daily labor

29 ἀπεκρίθη  ‹ὁ›  Ἰησοῦς  καὶ  εἶπεν  αὐτοῖς  Τοῦτό  ἐστιν  τὸ  ἔργον  τοῦ  Θεοῦ,  ἵνα  πιστεύητε  εἰς  ὃν  ἀπέστειλεν  ἐκεῖνος.

Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.

6:29 "work of God, that you believe" The crowd asked about righteous "works" but Jesus singled out one necessary work; faith in Him, which is God's gift.

30 εἶπον  οὖν  αὐτῷ  Τί  οὖν  ποιεῖς  σὺ  σημεῖον,  ἵνα  ἴδωμεν  καὶ  πιστεύσωμέν  σοι;  τί  ἐργάζῃ; 

 So they said to him, “Then what sign do you do, that we may see and believe you? What work do you perform?

6:30 what sign do you do that we might understand? Who are in the crowd?  The Pharisees?  Mocking...they use the same verb for work. See Matthew 12 show us a sign...

31 οἱ  πατέρες  ἡμῶν  τὸ  μάννα  ἔφαγον  ἐν  τῇ  ἐρήμῳ,  καθώς  ἐστιν  γεγραμμένον  Ἄρτον  ἐκ  τοῦ  οὐρανοῦ  ἔδωκεν  αὐτοῖς  φαγεῖν.

Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’”

6:31 the crowd quotes the OT to support their demand that Jesus perform a miracle like Moses had done, which they assumed was greater thatn Jesus' signs. Like Mary and Martha only one thing is needful...

32 εἶπεν  οὖν  αὐτοῖς  ὁ  Ἰησοῦς  Ἀμὴν  ἀμὴν  λέγω  ὑμῖν,  οὐ  Μωϋσῆς  δέδωκεν  ὑμῖν  τὸν  ἄρτον  ἐκ  τοῦ  οὐρανοῦ,  ἀλλ’  ὁ  Πατήρ  μου  δίδωσιν  ὑμῖν  τὸν  ἄρτον  ἐκ  τοῦ  οὐρανοῦ  τὸν  ἀληθινόν· 

Jesus then said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven.

6:32   Jeus corrected the crowd on two points - manna came from God not Moses and Moses' bread was not the "true bread from heaven." Only the Father gives that bread.

33 ὁ  γὰρ  ἄρτος  τοῦ  Θεοῦ  ἐστιν  ὁ  καταβαίνων  ἐκ  τοῦ  οὐρανοῦ  καὶ  ζωὴν  διδοὺς  τῷ  κόσμῳ.

For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.

6:33 the one who gives life for the world is a person, the one Whom the father sends

34 εἶπον  οὖν  πρὸς  αὐτόν  Κύριε,  πάντοτε  δὸς  ἡμῖν  τὸν  ἄρτον  τοῦτον.

They said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.

35 εἶπεν  αὐτοῖς  ὁ  Ἰησοῦς  Ἐγώ  εἰμι  ὁ  ἄρτος  τῆς  ζωῆς·  ὁ  ἐρχόμενος  πρὸς  ἐμὲ  οὐ  μὴ  πεινάσῃ,  καὶ  ὁ  πιστεύων  εἰς  ἐμὲ  οὐ  μὴ  διψήσει  πώποτε.

Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.

6:35 "I am" Jesus clearly identified Himself as the sources of real life, which lasts forever.

Time in the Word - Pentecost 11 - Proper 13

Time in the Word

July 30-August 4 2018

Proper 13

Preparation for next week, Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost

This coming Sunday marks an interlude in the long series of passages from Mark during the Pentecost season. The Gospels for three Sundays are taken in course from John 6 - The Bread of Life chapter. Jesus explains that the people have come for more physical bread, but He would rather they had spiritual food which comes from heaven, food for the soul. He then identifies Himself as the bread from heaven similar to the manna God sent to His people in the wilderness. The Old Testament. Paul speaks repeatedly of growth into the fullness of Christ’s stature and growth as “bodily growth”.  As everyone knows, physical growth is not possible without adequate food. The Psalm of the Day sings of God’s goodness and greatness in satisfying the physical needs of every person. Jesus our Savior fills our deepest needs.

Collect for Proper 13 –Merciful Father, You gave Your Son Jesus as the heavenly bread of life. Grant us faith to feast on Him in Your Word and Sacraments that we may be nourished unto life everlasting;; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen

                                                                   

Monday, 30 July 2018—Psalm 78:23-25, Antiphon, Psalm 78:72 – With upright heart he shepherded them and guided them with His skillful hand. Israel under the care of the Lord’s royal shepherd from the house of David was for the prophets the hope of God’s people (see Ezekiel 34:23; 37:23 Micah 5:4) fulfilled in Jesus Christ. (See Matthew 2:6’ John 10:11; Revelation 7:17)

Tuesday, 31 July 2018—Psalm145:10-21; key verse v15—The eyes of all look to You and You give them their food at the proper time. This is a psalm of praise and fitting for our theme for this week. The Lord is the provider of all both physical and spiritual blessings. He supplies physical food for us daily as we acknowledge in the Lord’s Prayer. He also supplies us spiritually as He comes to us through the means of grace.  

Wednesday, 01 August 2018— Exodus 16:2-15— In response to the people’s complaint that they had no food, the Lord sends food from heaven. Only a few weeks after deliverance from Egypt the people complain about the lack of food. They murmur against Moses and Aaron, but God knows that hey complain about Him. They doubt whether the Lord cares about them and His ability to provide for them. In response to their complaints the Lord sends quail in the evening and bread, “manna,” in the morning. To this day the Manna is a mystery – “What is it?”  Moses answered, “it is the bread the Lord has given you to eat.” By this the people are to know that He is their God.

Thursday, 02 August 2018—Ephesians 4:1-7, 11-16 — Bread makes for bodily growth. Christians are to live lives worthy of their calling in love, unity, and growth to maturity in Christ. The church is urged to become what they are by the grace of Christ. Paul appeals for unity on the basis of the unity of Spirit and body. Various functions are gifts of Christ to equip the members and to build up the church in love. The goal of the growth is the matching of the stature of Jesus so that we are not children but mature in faith and love.   

Friday, 03 August 2018—John 6:22-35 — Bread satisfies hunger. John urges the people to seek bread from heaven and reveals Himself as the Bread of Life. What is the work of God? Jesus replies that the work of God is to believe in Him. The people ask for a sign that would persuade them to believe in Him and refer to the manna received in the wilderness.

Jesus assures them that God sent the bread from heaven, the bread that gives life to the world. Then they ask Him to give this king of bread. He reveals that He is the Bread of Life. Whoever comes to Him and believes in Him will never hunger nor thirst.

In John 6:1-15 is recorded the feeding of the 5,000. (A prelude to the next three Sundays of readings)  Some believe that the crowd could have been over 5,000 as only "men" were counted. If you would count "women and children" it could have been up to 15,000 (See Matthew 14:21). Assembly Hall in Bloomington, Indiana seats close to 17,000 people....

According to the phone conversation I had with the concessions manager the following items were sold at the Indiana v Wisconsin game, on Saturday, March 12, 1994...

400 1bs of hot dogs,

3,000 popcorn boxes,

8,200 cokes (about 1,000 gallons)

684 candy bars,

436 nachos,

284 boxes of caramel corn,

917 soft pretzels,

247 polish sausages,

100 sandwiches,

179 bags of peanuts,

50 muffins,

160 cups of coffee.

This game was played on an afternoon, with tip-off scheduled for 2:00 pm. Most fans had eaten their breakfast and had probably had their lunch also! Besides fans had to pay for their food at the concessions stand!

Jesus feeds the crowd freely. Without cost! When we pray "give us this day our daily bread" we can know that the Savior will supply us with all that we need to support our body and life.

Saturday, 04 August 2018—John 6:22-58 - The hymn, Father, we Thank Thee (LSB 652) is a liturgical hymn based on John 6. The point of Jesus’ teaching and the text of the hymn is that to live spiritually we need the bread which comes from heaven namely our Lord and Savior Jesus. As Christ is received we as the children of God live new lives. Throughout the next several weeks we will be focusing on Jesus’ teaching on this import chapter from the gospel of John. 

In the center of Pentecost we will be reading the Bread of Life chapter of John 6. Following are the Gospel readings for the next three Sundays.

August 5, 2018 – Pentecost 11 – [Proper 13] John 6:22-35

Eat More Than Bread - The Necessity of spiritual bread for life.

August 9, 2018 – Pentecost 12 – [Proper 14] John 6:35-51

Eat and Live – Spiritual food gives eternal life

August 16, 2018 – Pentecost 13 – [Proper 15] John 6:51-69

To Eat or Not to Eat – The decision whether or not to follow Christ

Prayers from Lutheran Service Book © 2006 and Lutheran Worship © 1980 Concordia Publishing House and from Lutheran Worship © 1980 Concordia Publishing House.

Schnorr von Carolsfeld woodcut  used with permission from WELS

Lectionary Preaching Workbook Series B – John Brokhoff © 1981 CSS Publishing, Lima, OH

Proper 12 Series B notes

Proper 12

Genesis 9:8–17

Ephesians 3:14–21

Mark 6:45–56

Creation Is Redeemed and Sanctified by the Word of Christ Jesus

Having spared faithful Noah and his family from the flood, the Lord established His covenant with them, “and with every living creature,” that never again would there be “a flood to destroy the earth” (Genesis 9:9–11). He signed and sealed this everlasting covenant with His rainbow in the clouds, by which He sees and remembers His promise that “the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh.” (Genesis 9:13–16). Although creation suffers under the curse of sin, the Lord preserves and orders creation for the benefit of His Church. In particular, all of creation is redeemed and sanctified by the incarnate Son of God. “Take heart,” and “do not be afraid,” for He is with you on the sea. He is not a ghost, but He has come in the flesh to save you. He has gotten “into the boat” with you, and the wind that was against you has ceased (Mark 6:45–51). For He is the Word and promise of the Father, and His own flesh and blood are the covenant by which you are “strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being.” (Ephesians 3:16–17).

Mark 6:45-56

Almighty and most merciful God, the protector of all who trust in You, strengthen our faith and give us courage to believe that in Your love You will rescue us from all adversities;

In the lessons for this coming Sunday God's promises are given and the Lord remembers those promises while man might not. The Lord promises Noah and his family that He will never again destroy the earth by a flood. In the Epistle lesson Paul thanks the Lord for the richness of grace which the Lord has established in Christ. In the Gospel Christ comes walking to His frightened disciples on the sea. They do not recognize Him because of fear and hardness of heart. The sermon hymn reminds us that it is the Lord Himself that orders our days.

Faith calls for us to recognize the Lord working in our life especially when we cannot see His hand at work. God will not abandon us to the world we create for ourselves.  God does not withdraw to a contamination-free zone and leave us to get on with it on our own...but enters into the darkness, seriousness and consequences of human wrong-doing … in order to save us.

In Mark 1:16-20 when Jesus called Simon, Andrew, James, and John without any apparent previous knowledge of Jesus, they left everything immediately and followed him. What had they recognized in Jesus? It is remarkable that none of the gospels provide a physical description of Jesus. We will never be able to pin him down by virtue of his appearance. Rather, we will always have to recognize Jesus for who He is and what He does. It is more than the miracles and healings Jesus performed or the things he taught. It may actually take the gift of faith to recognize the one who died on the cross as the Christ, the Son of God, the Savior of the world.

Following the feeding of the 5,000 Jesus sends his disciples by boat to Bethsaida. Jesus, in the meantime, spends time in prayer. Jesus, aware that the boat is struggling in a high wind, walks out to the boat and is about to "pass them by." The disciples are terrified, but Jesus quiets them and the wind. The disciples response is amazement, rather than faith, for "they did not understand about the loaves."

The account of Jesus' walking on water follows immediately on from the feeding of the 5,000. The language is tied closely to the feeding and exhibits the heightened emotions of an eye witness. Like the feeding, this story is full of theological imagery. As in Psalm 107:23-32, where the Lord carries his people to their haven of rest, so Jesus miraculously reveals himself as the one who can take his people across the sea to their haven of rest. The story images Israel's crossing of the Reed Sea and the River Jordan. Yet, as with the feeding of the 5,000, the disciples do not understand the significance of the miracle and therefore do not come to faith.

Jesus Walks on Water

(Matthew 14:22-33; John 6:16-25)

45 Καὶ  εὐθὺς  ἠνάγκασεν  τοὺς  μαθητὰς  αὐτοῦ  ἐμβῆναι  εἰς  τὸ  πλοῖον  καὶ  προάγειν  εἰς  τὸ  πέραν  πρὸς  Βηθσαϊδάν,  ἕως  αὐτὸς  ἀπολύει  τὸν  ὄχλον.  Immediately he made his disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd.

> πρὸς  Βηθσαϊδάν - John mentions Capernaum. Mark will use Bethsaida. Both are on the northern end of the lake. The disciples are going “toward” in the general direction. Remember this event happens as they are about six miles out. Very easy to get blown off course.

46 καὶ  ἀποταξάμενος  αὐτοῖς  ἀπῆλθεν  εἰς  τὸ  ὄρος  προσεύξασθαι.

      And after he had taken leave of them, he went up on the mountain to pray.

>Here are hints of Moses who went off to pray and meet God.

47 καὶ  ὀψίας  γενομένης  ἦν  τὸ  πλοῖον  ἐν  μέσῳ  τῆς  θαλάσσης,  καὶ  αὐτὸς  μόνος  ἐπὶ  τῆς  γῆς.

And when evening came, the boat was out on the sea, and he was alone on the land

> This sets the stage for the event. Everyone is where they need to be.

> Is “the boat” shorthand for “the Church”?

48 καὶ  ἰδὼν  αὐτοὺς  βασανιζομένους  ἐν  τῷ  ἐλαύνειν,  ἦν  γὰρ  ὁ  ἄνεμος  ἐναντίος  αὐτοῖς,  περὶ  τετάρτην  φυλακὴν  τῆς  νυκτὸς  ἔρχεται  πρὸς  αὐτοὺς  περιπατῶν  ἐπὶ  τῆς  θαλάσσης·  καὶ  ἤθελεν  παρελθεῖν  αὐτούς.

And he saw that they were making headway painfully, for the wind was against them. And about the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. He meant to pass by them 

> Βασανιζομένους – carries the understanding of eschatological visitation. To be examined, tortured. See Matthew 8:6 the Centurion’s servant is in deep emotional distress.

49 οἱ  δὲ  ἰδόντες  αὐτὸν  ἐπὶ  τῆς  θαλάσσης  περιπατοῦντα  ἔδοξαν  ὅτι  φάντασμά  ἐστιν,  καὶ  ἀνέκραξαν·

but when they saw him walking on the sea they thought it was a ghost, and cried out 

> Jesus sees them and comes to them.

> 4^th watch - between 3am-6am – the time of Jesus’ resurrection - when He will rise. 

> He makes to pass by - showing His divinity.

>  ἔδοξαν – to consider

> They cry out in fear. They fear not the wind and waves they fear Jesus.

50 πάντες  γὰρ  αὐτὸν  εἶδον*  καὶ  ἐταράχθησαν.  ὁ  δὲ  εὐθὺς  ἐλάλησεν  μετ’  αὐτῶν,  καὶ  λέγει  αὐτοῖς  Θαρσεῖτε,  ἐγώ  εἰμι,  μὴ  φοβεῖσθε.

for they all saw him and were terrified. But immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.” 

> Jesus – λέγει - preaches to them “Take heart, I am, stop fearing!” Be of good cheer, be heartened, fear not, Christ is.

51 καὶ  ἀνέβη  πρὸς  αὐτοὺς  εἰς  τὸ  πλοῖον,  καὶ  ἐκόπασεν  ὁ  ἄνεμος·  καὶ  λίαν  ἐκ  περισσοῦ  ἐν  ἑαυτοῖς  ἐξίσταντο·

And he got into the boat with them, and the wind ceased. And they were utterly astounded 

>  They were very much outside themselves astounded.

52 οὐ  γὰρ  συνῆκαν  ἐπὶ  τοῖς  ἄρτοις,  ἀλλ’  ἦν  αὐτῶν  ἡ  καρδία  πεπωρωμένη. for they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened

Time in the Word - Pentecost 10 - Proper 12

Time in the Word

Pentecost 10 –Proper 12

July 23-28 2018

Prayer in time of affliction and distress: Almighty and most merciful God, in this earthly life we endure sufferings and death before we enter into eternal glory. Grant us grace at all times to subject ourselves to Your holy will and to continue steadfast in the true faith to the end of our lives that we may know the peace and joy of the blessed hope of the resurrection of the dead and of the glory of the world to come; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Prayer for Home and Family: Visit, we implore You, O Lord, the homes in which Your people dwell, and keep far from them all harm and danger. Grant us to dwell together in peace under the protection of Your holy angels, and may Your blessing be with us forever; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Prayer the Unemployed and Under-employed: Heavenly Father, we remember before You, those who suffer want and anxiety from lack of work. Lead us so to use the wealth and resources of this rich land that all persons may find suitable and fulfilling employment and receive just payment for their labor; through Your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Pray for Peace: O God, whom come all holy desires, all good counsels, and all just works, give to us, Your servants, that peace which the world simply cannot give, that our hearts may be set to obey Your commandments and also that we, being defended from the fear of our enemies, may live in peace and quietness; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, One God, now and forever.

Collect for this Sunday Proper 12 –Almighty and most merciful God, the protector of all who trust in You, strengthen our faith and give us courage to believe that in Your love You will rescue us from all adversities; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. . Amen

In the lessons for this coming Sunday, God’s promises are given and the Lord remembers those promises while man might not. The Lord promises Noah and his family that He will never again destroy the earth by a flood. In the Epistle lesson Paul thanks the Lord for the richness of grace which the Lord has established in Christ. In the Gospel Christ comes walking to His frightened disciples on the sea. They do not recognize Him because of fear and hardness of heart. The sermon hymn reminds us that it is the Lord Himself that orders our days. Faith calls for us to recognize the Lord working in our life especially when we can not see His hand at work. God will not abandon us to the world we create for ourselves.  God does not withdraw to a contamination-free zone and leave us to get on with it, but enters into the darkness, seriousness and consequences of human wrong-doing … in order to save us.

Monday, 23 July 2018—Psalm 145:1-3, 6-7, Antiphon, Psalm 145:5.On the glorious splendor of Your majesty, and on your wondrous works, I will meditate.  This is a hymn summarizing the characteristics of God. It is in acrostic form, making it easy to memorize: each verse in Hebrew begins with a successive letter of the alphabet. Vv. 1-3 are the psalmist’s personal expression of praise. In v. 4, he expands to speaking of descendants, of passing on knowledge and experience of God. God is known for his “wondrous works” (v. 5). In vv. 8-20, he expands still further, to “all people” (v. 12). Vv. 8-9 mention his love, vv. 10-13a his kingship over all, vv. 14-20 of his care of all in need.

Responsiveness to his call brings protection (v. 20a) but those who oppose his ways will be destroyed. Finally, v. 21 combines the personal commitment to God with that of “all flesh”.

Tuesday, 24 July 2018—Psalm136:1-9; key verse v26— The phrase “the God of heaven” (v.26) is a Persian title for God found frequently in Ezra, Nehemiah and Daniel. The Psalm is a liturgy of praise to the Lord as Creator and as Israel’s Redeemer. Its theme and many of its verses parallel much of Psalm 135. Most likely a Levitical song leader led the recital which the choir or worshipers responded with the refrain. The Psalm recounts God’s mighty acts as the psalmist devotes six verse to God’s creation acts (Vv.1-3) six to His deliverance of Israel out of Egypt (Vv.10-15) one to the desert journey (v. 16) and six to the conquest (Vv.17-22) The four concluding verses return to the same basic themes in reverse order; God’s action in history ion behalf of His people (Vv.23-24), God’s action in the creation order (v.25) and a closing call to praise (v.26).

Wednesday, 25 July 2018— Genesis 9:8-17— We need to recognize the reality and depth of human resistance to God.  That is seen in killing Jesus.  What we call “sin” is not just the naughty things we do that make the tabloid headlines.  Sin can be deadly and destructive.  It has consequences.  And it offends. There is a deep seriousness to human wrong-doing – sin – that means that consequences cannot simply be bypassed.

We can either turn away from them, or we can wrestle with them. Here we see God’s refusal to be marginalized. The next time instead of destroying the world through a flood He will turn His wrath on His own Son.

Thursday, 26 July 2018—Ephesians 3:14-21 —   This section of the letter offers a bit of relief from the heavy theological portions that have been read up to this point. It presents a moment of tenderness, in which the author speaks directly to his readers about his care for them. He speaks of his prayer for his readers, which he does on bended knee. 

Paul, like other apostles, had been entrusted with revelation by the Spirit. Specifically, it had been revealed to him that Gentiles, who receive the gospel in faith, are fellow heirs of the promises of God. They too are members of the body of Christ, and therefore they have access to God. "For this reason," the author prays that his readers may be strengthened in spiritual power, love, and knowledge.

Friday, 27 July 2015—Mark 6:45-56 —In Mark 1:16-20 when Jesus called Simon, Andrew, James, and John without any apparent previous knowledge of Jesus, they left everything immediately and followed him. What had they recognized in Jesus? It is remarkable that none of the gospels provide a physical description of Jesus. We will never be able to pin him down by virtue of his appearance. Rather, we will always have to recognize Jesus for who He is and what He does. It is more than the miracles and healings Jesus performed or the things he taught. It may actually take the gift of faith to recognize the one who died on the cross as the Christ, the Son of God, the Savior of the world.

Saturday, 28 July 2015—Psalm 37:5 - Sunday’s hymn of the day Entrust Your Days and Burdens, (LSB 754).  In the midst of our busy and hurried lives it is easy to loose sight that it is the Lord who orders our days and directs our path. Thus the hymn writer will remind us, “For He who guides the tempests along their thunderous ways will find for you a pathway and guide you all your days.” Place you confidence in Him. He can be trusted at His word. We can rely on Him as we recall what He has done.

Prayers from Lutheran Service Book © 2006 and Lutheran Worship © 1980 Concordia Publishing House and from Lutheran Worship © 1980 Concordia Publishing House.

Luther’s Seal © Ed Rioja Higher Things

Pentecost 9 - Proper 11

Pentecost 9 – Proper 11

July 22, 2018

Mark 6:30-44
What is Your Hideaway? V. 31

Even Jesus realized the need to get away from people and work to rest and recuperate for later service. Modern life is often lived under high tension and intense stress. There are the rush of work and the hectic schedule of activities. Everyone needs a hideaway, a place of escape periodically.

Jesus prescribes a retreat for you

1. Solitariness – “Come away by yourselves.” Returning from their mission. The disciples were tired. Weary. And exhausted. Jesus realized they needed to get away from the place as an escape from the people and the work. They needed rest and refreshment. This indicates that Jesus realized that we are humans and need relaxation and rest.

The Savior chose a solitary place. He bid His disciples “come away by yourselves.”  The Savior calls each of us to be a part of a family.  A fellowship. A community. A congregation. He has placed you here at Friedheim. Where you can grow in faith. And serve God and your neighbor. And be connected with fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.

It is important to be connected with fellow believers. One of the advantages of this place. Is that we know each other. You worship with family. Friends. And neighbors.

Yet from time to time it is necessary for each of us to get away. Such was the case with Jesus’ disciples – Even more so with His 21^st Century disciples. There is a profound need for us to have a “quiet time” with our Lord. This is what the Savior did in the lives of His disciples. He deliberately took them from the noise and hustle of the world. To a solitary place. Likewise, He desires to take us away from the hurried pace of this world.

Even though the work is of extreme importance. And people urgently need help. These disciples needed some time off. He deliberately sent them away.

We need this solitude in our lives today. We need to take the time. To stop. And have our Savior speak to us. We need to take the time to speak to our Savior in prayer. And then to listen to Him as He speaks to us in His Word. “Faith comes by hearing…” the Scriptures remind us. “And hearing from the Word of Christ.”

Transition: The Lord took His disciples to a solitary place. He took them to a place of seclusion.

2. Jesus leads them to a place of seclusion – He sent them to a “Lonely place.” Is there a place you can go to not simply to get away from it all? But also a place where you can meet the Lord. This secluded space was designed by the Savior so the crowds could not find them. Once secluded. You can spend that needed time with the Savior. Without distractions. Some have referred to it as a “prayer closet”. It is a physical space. And a real place. That only you know exists.

You go there deliberately. To spend the needed time with the Savior in solitude.   Once you are there. In retreat. You can spend time with the Lord in His Word and in prayer. This pattern the Savior used for Himself and the disciples. Should you find it odd or strange that such recommendation is necessary for you too?

Why go to such a space? So that it is only you and the Lord – the two of you alone.  At such a place there is nowhere for you to hide from God. You go to such a place expecting to meet Him. To speak with Him. Why haven’t some wrestled with God? Possibly because they’ve avoided going to a secluded place. Where they will meet God. And deal with Him. And Him with you.

Transition: The Lord directed His disciples to a solitary place, a place of seclusion and to a place of rest.

3. The disciples were encouraged to take a Siesta to “rest for a while.” And in that rest. The disciples were strengthened for the journey. And their work. Where do you find this rest?  You are doing what the great physician describes today. This very hour. As you are taking time from your busy schedule. And hurried lives. To spend time with the Savior this morning.

The body can literally shut down. If it is not given rest. Man was not created to be constantly on the go with any time set aside for rest. At creation the Lord established the 7^th day for rest and reflection.

You are doing this each time you come to His meal. You are doing this each time you come to Bible class. And in your prayer and devotional times. With the focus on the Savior. You will be rejuvenated. To continue on in the life and plan the Savior has for you. This is why you have come today. To reflect on the mercies and blessings the Savior has given to you. And what are these blessings? Forgiveness. Life. Salvation.

Forgiveness in Jesus Christ. All sin is forgotten and forgiven period! As the Savior traveled to the cross. And rose from the sealed tomb. He has won for you complete and total forgiveness from all sin.

He gives you life. Life to be lived in eternity. But also life which starts now! Because we are forgiven. We are given the opportunity to live transformed lives. A forgiven life is what He gives you – living your life blessing and forgiving others is your gift back to Him.

He gives you salvation. That’s nothing more. Than receiving the gifts of God with thanksgiving. With thankful hearts. You bless and worship God.  

This world will continue to be filled with its own agendas. Plans. Schedules. And programs. Already the summer for most is over. When it appears that life has got you stressed to the limit. When you can be stretch no further. Take a time out. To be with the Savior. As your great physician He has written you this prescription; “come unto Me all ye that are weary and heavy laddered and I will give thee rest. Take my yoke and learn from Me for I am gentle and humble in heart for my yoke is easy and burden is light.”

Tomorrow. We head back into a hectic and stressful world. Are you well rested? There‘s still plenty of time yet today. To reflect.  And be refreshed by the Savior. He’s spoken to you today in His Word. He refreshes you in His Supper. As He draws you to Himself. Take advantage of His offer. To spend time with you.

______________

Words- 1,200

Passive Sentences –6%

Readability – 82.5

Reading Level – 3.6