Saturday, June 13, 2020

June 13 - Saturday prior to Proper 6


John 3:16-18 – This passage is the inspiration for the hymn “God Loved the World so that He Gave” {LSB 830} Taken from a familiar verse of the Scriptures the Savior explains the motivation the Father had in sending His Son into the world. The purpose of His coming was to redeem and save us.

A new season is upon us. The Christian year consists of two cycles: preparing, celebrating, and then living into our discipleship to Jesus Christ. The first of these is Advent through the Season after Easter. The second is the Season after Pentecost.

When Jesus rose from the dead, He gave your life meaning and worth. For His resurrection announces that your every dissatisfaction with church, school, work, family, life, yourself, it's all buried forever. Instead, you are righteous in God's sight and an inheritor of eternal life. So that you would hear and believe these glorious new realities which are yours by Jesus' blood and merit, He gathered His church back together again and gave them one command, one singular task, "Preach this Gospel."  

The Season after Pentecost begins and ends with what we might call “bookend Sundays.” These Sundays provide the frame for what comes between them.

Trinity Sunday is the first of these. Christ the King, functions as the second.

Trinity Sunday launches us into our life’s vocations after Pentecost with a celebration of the Triune God in whom all our lives and activities are grounded.

Christ the King, this season’s other bookend, point us to our final destination in the culmination of the reign of the one who makes us and all things new. All the readings are related to one another and are focused on the gospel lesson appointed for each Sunday.

Collect for Pentecost 2–O God, whose never-failing providence sets in order all things both in heaven and earth, put away from us, we entrust you, all hurtful things, and give us those things tht are profitable for us; through the merits of Jesus Christ our Savior, who lives and rules with You and the Holy Spirit, One God, now and forever.

Collect for Pentecost 2, Lutheran Service Book © 2006, Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis
Schnorr Von Carolsfeld woodcuts, ‘The Crucifixion ’© WELS permission granted for personal and congregational use

No comments: