Pr. DFD : June 2022

Thursday, June 30, 2022

Friday prior to Proper 9

Luke 10:1–20—Our Lord desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth (1 Timothy 2:4). But how are people to believe in Jesus Christ, if they have not heard of Him, if they have not had the Gospel proclaimed to them? (Romans 10:14) In our Gospel reading for Sunday, we hear how Jesus sent out 72 men to proclaim the Good News of salvation in Christ Jesus. Likewise, He still calls pastors to labor in His harvest fields. As in the days of Christ, their labor is met by different responses: some people are eager to hear of the forgiveness of sins wrought by Christ’s death on the cross, whilst others reject it. The Day of Judgment will be a horrifying one for those who have refused the forgiveness Christ offers, but a glorious one for us who are in Christ, who gratefully receive His gift of salvation.

“After this” (V.1) refers to the incidents in the preceding chapter. “The Lord appointed seventy others,” in addition to the twelve disciples who had already been sent on a similar mission. (Luke 9:1-2) “I send you out as lambs in the midst of wolves,” (v. 3) is a picture of the risks Christian preachers take, for they are seemingly weak and defenseless. Yet they are not to worry about their livelihood but are to work with a joyous abandon (v.4a) nor are they to dally in aimless conversation with individuals they meet. (V.4b)

“Peace be to this house!” (Friedheim!) is more than a common salutation. It is an offer of divine peace, as is evident from V. 6 which describes the peace spoken of as resting on a son of peace. “And remain in that some house,” (v.7) indicated that one house and family were to be selected as the center of the work.

The missionaries were also to eat whatever was set before them without fussing about clean or unclean foods. (Vv.7-8) To attest that they had been sent by the LORD with an offer of divine peace, they also headed the sick. (V.9) God saw that this miraculous power was needed in the early days of the church. Those appointed hardly believe that they had such power, even after Christ had announced the gift to them. (V.17) The reception of their message reflects the attitude of the hearers toward Christ Himself. (V.16)

A prayer for pastors and their people: Almighty God, by Your Son, our Savior, You have always given to Your Church on earth faithful shepherds to guide and feed Your flock. Therefore we pray, make all pastors diligent to preach Your holy Word and to administer Your means of grace, and grant Your people wisdom to follow in the way that leads to life eternal; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. [2] Amen.

Prayer for Friday of the week of Pentecost 4: Deliver us, O God, from our little fears, and spoil for us whatever confidence we have left in anything but Thy victory. [3] 01 July, 2022

Wednesday, June 29, 2022

Thursday prior to Proper 9

[1]

Galatians 6:1–10, 14–18—This Sunday, we shall celebrate our nation’s independence. Our political liberty and freedom is a gift from God. Yet, in the Church, we are not independent. We are member of one body, the mystical body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:27). As such, we are not to live our lives for ourselves independent of others, but are to bear one another’s burdens. The strong Christians are to help the weak.

St Paul urges us, let us not grow weary of doing good, for we are a new creation in Christ, and, as such, our wills are conformed to God’s will, which desires what is best for all people.

Under the theme “The Nature of God’s Kingdom” the epistle lessons tells of life in the Kingdom on earth.

This lesson speaks especially about good works; to bear one another’s burden, to “forgive those who trespass against us,” to share all good things with him who teaches us. But the apostle Paul does not forget to make it clear that these good works come only from a “new creation” from those who are able to “sow to the Spirit.”

Te natural human impulse is to act, to judge one’s actions, and to approve or correct oneself. (The conscience) For this reason it is so difficult for us to understand the impossible for us to believe that God forgives without our being able to correct our mistakes and to justify ourselves before God. God has to change our minds and make us accept forgiveness by faith in Christ. (See 1 Corinthians 2:6-16)

Collect for the Pentecost Season: Almighty God, You have built Your Church on the foundation of the apostles and prophets with Christ Jesus Himself as the cornerstone. Continue to send Your messengers to preserve Your people in true peace that, by the preaching of Your Word, Your Church may be kept free from all harm and danger; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.[2]

Collect for Thursday of the week of Pentecost 4: O thou who in almighty power wast weak and in perfect Excellency was lowly, grant unto us the same mind. All that we have which is our own is naught if we have any good in us it is wholly thy gift. O Savior, since thou, the Lord of heaven and earth didst humble thyself, grant unto us true humility, and make us like thyself, and then, of thine infinite goodness, raise us to thine everlasting glory; who livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy Ghost, forever and ever. Amen (Thomas Crammer) -[3]30 June, 2022

Tuesday, June 28, 2022

Wednesday prior to Proper 9

[1]

Isaiah 66:10–14—Those who remained faithful to the Lord during the days when Isaiah prophesied in Judah had reason to mourn over Jerusalem: hypocrisy, unbelief, and idolatry were common among the people. Likewise, through the ages, including our own, God’s faithful people have reason to mourn when they see the condition of the visible Church: rejection of the authority of the Word of God, acceptance of sins, rather than forgiveness of sins, being preached, and so on. Yet, we know that the gates of hell shall not prevail against the Lord’s Church (Matthew 16:18), so we can rejoice. We can rejoice, for the pure Gospel of Jesus Christ provides nourishment, comfort, and abundance for our souls. As a mother nurses her child, so we are nursed by the Holy Word of God.

Under the theme “The Nature of God’s Kingdom” Isaiah tells us of life in the New Jerusalem. There is reason to rejoice for God blesses her with prosperity and comfort.

The birth of a baby is a miracle, a wonder to behold. Thus, Isaiah begins this oracle with the exhortation to rejoice in Jerusalem. Don’t mourn for her! She is not dead! Her inhabitants have been carted off into long captivity in Babylon and it would seem that there is no life in her; yet she is very much alive. The LORD will cause her to bring forth sons who will rejoice in her.

Isaiah’s prophecy breaks into our gloom and doom with a startling announcement; Like Jerusalem of old, the LORD’s church is very much alive! Despite appearances, it is not yet time to mourn over her. The LORD has begotten a Son twice; once in eternity and once in time, as He sent His only begotten Son into the world that whoever believes in Him may have eternal life. And this Son has “given birth” to His Church. It is His church, it is His body. He has brought it into existence through His life, death and resurrection and He will maintain it and make it prosper.

Collect for Proper 9: Almighty God, You have built Your Church on the foundation of the apostles and prophets with Christ Jesus Himself as the cornerstone. Continue to send Your messengers to preserve Your people in true peace that, by the preaching of Your Word, Your Church may be kept free from hard and danger; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.[2] Amen

Collect for Wednesday of the week of Pentecost 4: Almighty and everlasting God, give us an increase of faith, hope and love; and that we may obtain what you have promised, make us love what you have commanded; through Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen [3] -29 June, 2022

Monday, June 27, 2022

Tuesday prior to Proper 9

[1]

Psalm 66:1–7—Psalm 66 calls upon all peoples of the earth to join in with God’s chosen people, Israel, in praising Him. His deliverance of His people from bondage in Egypt and the threat of Pharaoh and his army at the Red Sea is specifically recounted, but all of God’s deliverances of all His people are to be included, especially the deliverance of mankind from the bondage of sin, and the threat of death.

Psalm 66 – How everyone can praise God

This psalm is titled To the Chief Musician. A Song. A Psalm. As with Psalm 65, it is described as both a Song and a Psalm. This is the first psalm since Psalm 50 to not be attributed to David.

This Psalm is said to be recited on Easter day, by the Greek Church: it is described in the Greek Bible as A Psalm of the Resurrection, and may be understood to refer, in a prophetic sense, to the regeneration of the world, through the conversion of the Gentiles.[2]

Collect for Psalm 66: Almighty Father, you brought us through the waters of baptism to the shores of new life, accept the sacrifice of our lives, and let us enter your house, there to praise your unfailing power and love, through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. [3] Amen

Collect for Tuesday of the week of Pentecost 4: O God, from whom all good proceeds: Grant that by your inspiration we may think those things that are right, and by your merciful guiding may do them; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen [4]- 28 June, 2022

[2] https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/psalm-66/

[4] ibid

Sunday, June 26, 2022

Monday prior to Proper 9

[1]

Psalm 19:2, 4–6; antiphon, Psalm 19:1—Many of the psalms praise the Lord for His deliverance from enemies, both mortal and spiritual. Psalm 19 is a hymn of praise to God because of the majesty and glory that are His by His very nature. The glory of God is revealed by the entire creation. Those who attribute the earth and the cosmos to mere happenstance are only deceiving themselves.

Psalm 19 – The heavens, the word, and the glory of God

The title tells us both the author and the audience of the psalm: To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David. Some believe that the Chief Musician is the Lord GOD Himself, and others suppose him to be a leader of choirs or musicians in David’s time, such as Heman the singer or Asaph (1 Chronicles 6:33, 16:5-7, and 25:6).

This Psalm reflects, more than any other, the beauty and splendor of the Hebrew poetry found in the Psalter. C.S. Lewis wrote, ‘I take this to be the greatest poem in the Psalter and one of the greatest lyrics in the world.’[2]

The Lord restores Jerusalem, His Church, because she is the mother of His children, whom He comforts “as one whom his mother comforts” (Isaiah 66:13). We are “satisfied from her consoling breast” with the pure milk of the Word, and we “drink deeply with delight from her glorious abundance” (Isaiah 66:11). The messengers of Christ bestow such gifts upon His Church. For He sends them out “as lambs in the midst of wolves” (Luke 10:3), bearing in their bodies the sacrifice of His cross, by which “the kingdom of God has come near” (Luke 10:9, 11). Wherever He enters in with this Gospel, Satan is cast out and falls “like lightning from heaven” (Luke 10:18). Thus, we do not “boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Galatians 6:14). Rejoicing in this Gospel, we “bear one another’s burdens” in love, according to “the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2). [3]

Collect for Psalm 19: Heavenly Father, you have filled the world with beauty., Open our eyes to see your gracious hand in all your works, that rejoicing in your whole creation, we may learn to serve you with gladness, for the sake of him through whom all things were made, your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. [4]

Collect for Monday of the week of Pentecost 4: God of the universe, we worship you as Lord, God, ever close to us; we rejoice to call you Father. From this world’s uncertainty we look to your covenant. Keep us one in your peace, secure in your love. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen [5]-27 June, 2022

[2] https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/psalm-19/

[3] Lectionary summary, LCMS commission on worship

[5] Ibid

Proper 9 Series C (July 3 -9)

Proper 9 Series C

(July 3-9)

Isaiah 66:10–14

Galatians 6:1–10, 14–18

Luke 10:1–20

The Lord Grants Peace and Life to His Church

The Lord restores Jerusalem, His Church, because she is the mother of His children, whom He comforts “as one whom his mother comforts” (Is. 66:13). We are “satisfied from her consoling breast” with the pure milk of the Word, and we “drink deeply with delight from her glorious abundance” (Isaiah 66:11). The messengers of Christ bestow such gifts upon His Church. For He sends them out “as lambs in the midst of wolves” (Luke 10:3), bearing in their bodies the sacrifice of His cross, by which “the kingdom of God has come near” (Luke 10:9, 11). Wherever He enters in with this Gospel, Satan is cast out and falls “like lightning from heaven” (Luke 10:18). Thus, we do not “boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Galatians 6:14). Rejoicing in this Gospel, we “bear one another’s burdens” in love, according to “the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2).

Almighty God, You have built Your church on the foundation of the apostles and prophets with Christ Jesus Himself as the cornerstone. Continue to send Your messengers to preserve Your people in true peace that, by the preaching of Your Word, Your Church may be kept free from harm and danger; through Jesus Christ Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

How is Jesus trying to get us to see the world as He does?

How is His view different from other viewpoints that hold our attention?

How might this text influence the way we live our lives and live out our faith?

Jesus Sends Out the Seventy-Two

Luke 10:1-20

Luke 10:1

Μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα ἀνέδειξεν ὁ κύριος ]καὶ ἑτέρους ἑβδομήκοντα δύο καὶ ἀπέστειλεν αὐτοὺς ἀνὰ δύο δύο πρὸ προσώπου αὐτοῦ εἰς πᾶσαν πόλιν καὶ τόπον οὗ ἤμελλεν αὐτὸς ἔρχεσθαι.

After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to go

:1 - the 72 "others" links to the LXX text of Genesis 10 (nations descended from Noah) and the number of nations in Jewish thought. Christ's kingdom goes beyond the narrow boundaries of the Jewish nation extending to all the nations of the world. This mission has eschatological implications - the last days of OT prophecy have broken into the present evil age.

Luke 10:2

ἔλεγεν δὲ πρὸς αὐτούς· Ὁ μὲν θερισμὸς πολύς, οἱ δὲ ἐργάται ὀλίγοι· δεήθητε οὖν τοῦ κυρίου τοῦ θερισμοῦ ὅπως ἐργάτας ἐκβάλῃ εἰς τὸν θερισμὸν αὐτοῦ.

And he said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.

:2 - a metaphor - of the harvest is usually used in Scripture for judgment - Jer. 51:33; Hos. 6:11; JL. 3:13; Rev.14:15 - here it is positive see Isa. 9:3, Ps. 126:5-6. The metaphor "mission is a harvest" still guides the church's thinking about missions today. See the petition, "Thy kingdom come."

Luke 10:3

ὑπάγετε· ἰδοὺ ἀποστέλλω ὑμᾶς ὡς ἄρνας ἐν μέσῳ λύκων.

Go your way; behold, I am sending you out as lambs in the midst of wolves.

:3 - a comparison - The metaphor of GOD's people as lambs and YHWH as shepherd is common in the OT - Isa. 40:11; Ez34:11-31; Ps. 23:1; 79:13; 95:7 - Isa.53:7 the servant of YHWH is "like a lamb led to slaughter." This guides the church's thinking about our identity, what we are to expect from the world, what our relationship to Jesus means.

Luke 10:4

μὴ βαστάζετε βαλλάντιον, μὴ πήραν, μὴ ὑποδήματα, καὶ μηδένα κατὰ τὴν ὁδὸν ἀσπάσησθε.

Carry no moneybag, no knapsack, no sandals, and greet no one on the road.

:4 - instructions - do not always...in Africa the greeting lasts a long time...literally "how is your day?" They are not to be begging on the street.

:5-13 - regulations and brief developments of themes -

Luke 10:5

εἰς ἣν δ’ ἂν εἰσέλθητε οἰκίαν πρῶτον λέγετε· Εἰρήνη τῷ οἴκῳ τούτῳ.

Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace be to this house!’

:5 - Whichever house you enter say, "Friedheim"

Luke 10:6

καὶ ἐὰν ᾖ ἐκεῖ υἱὸς εἰρήνης, ἐπαναπαήσεται ἐπ’ αὐτὸν ἡ εἰρήνη ὑμῶν· εἰ δὲ μήγε, ἐφ’ ὑμᾶς ἀνακάμψει.

And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest upon him. But if not, it will return to you.

:6 - the son of peace will not be destroyed in the face of rejection. You will not loose the peace which is yours.

Luke 10:7

ἐν αὐτῇ δὲ τῇ οἰκίᾳ μένετε, ἐσθίοντες καὶ πίνοντες τὰ παρ’ αὐτῶν, ἄξιος γὰρ ὁ ἐργάτης τοῦ μισθοῦ αὐτοῦ. μὴ μεταβαίνετε ἐξ οἰκίας εἰς οἰκίαν.

And remain in the same house, eating and drinking what they provide, for the laborer deserves his wages. Do not go from house to house.

:7 - in that house remain, eating and drinking what they provide. The worker is worthy. Do not move from house to house.

Luke 10:8

καὶ εἰς ἣν ἂν πόλιν εἰσέρχησθε καὶ δέχωνται ὑμᾶς, ἐσθίετε τὰ παρατιθέμενα ὑμῖν,

Whenever you enter a town and they receive you, eat what is set before you.

:8 - and any city you enter eat what is set before you. The rewards do come.

Luke 10:9

καὶ θεραπεύετε τοὺς ἐν αὐτῇ ἀσθενεῖς, καὶ λέγετε αὐτοῖς· Ἤγγικεν ἐφ’ ὑμᾶς ἡ βασιλεία τοῦ θεοῦ.

Heal the sick in it and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’

:9 - 72 heal the sick and proclaim the kingdom near - a foretaste of the salvation God Has promised. The kingdom is still near, but seems invisible now. We are still waiting for Jesus to appear again and tie up what appears to be a loose end.

Luke 10:10

εἰς ἣν δ’ ἂν πόλιν εἰσέλθητε καὶ μὴ δέχωνται ὑμᾶς, ἐξελθόντες εἰς τὰς πλατείας αὐτῆς εἴπατε·

But whenever you enter a town and they do not receive you, go into its streets and say,

Luke 10:11

Καὶ τὸν κονιορτὸν τὸν κολληθέντα ἡμῖν ἐκ τῆς πόλεως ὑμῶν [l]εἰς τοὺς πόδας ἀπομασσόμεθα ὑμῖν· πλὴν τοῦτο γινώσκετε ὅτιἤγγικεν ἡ βασιλεία τοῦ θεοῦ.

‘Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet we wipe off against you. Nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God has come near.’

:10-11 - whatever city you enter and they do not welcome you go into the streets and say, "even the dust that's clinger to our feet we wipe off, except know this the kingdom of God has come here."

Luke 10:12

λέγω ὑμῖν ὅτι Σοδόμοις ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ ἀνεκτότερον ἔσται ἢ τῇ πόλει ἐκείνῃ.

I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town.

- Sodom, see judgment (Gen.19)

Woe to Unrepentant Cities

Luke 10:13

Οὐαί σοι, Χοραζίν· οὐαί σοι, Βηθσαϊδά· ὅτι εἰ ἐν Τύρῳ καὶ Σιδῶνι ἐγενήθησαν αἱ δυνάμεις αἱ γενόμεναι ἐν ὑμῖν, πάλαι ἂν ἐν σάκκῳ καὶ σποδῷ καθήμενοι μετενόησαν.

“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.

:14-15 - lamentation -

Luke 10:14

πλὴν Τύρῳ καὶ Σιδῶνι ἀνεκτότερον ἔσται ἐν τῇ κρίσει ἢ ὑμῖν

But it will be more bearable in the judgment for Tyre and Sidon than for you.

- Tyre/Sidon known for idolatry and resistance to YHWH .

Luke 10:15

καὶ σύ, Καφαρναούμ, μὴ ἕως οὐρανοῦ ὑψωθήσῃ; ἕως τοῦ ᾅδου καταβιβασθήσῃ.

And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? You shall be brought down to Hades.

:15 Capernaum see language uttered against Babylon in Isa.14:12-15. Yet the judgment spoken by Jesus is a future yet to come. Jesus uses eschatological language of judgment that waits fulfillment.

Luke 10:16

Ὁ ἀκούων ὑμῶν ἐμοῦ ἀκούει, καὶ ὁ ἀθετῶν ὑμᾶς ἐμὲ ἀθετεῖ· ὁ δὲ ἐμὲ ἀθετῶν ἀθετεῖ τὸν ἀποστείλαντά με.

“The one who hears you hears me, and the one who rejects you rejects me, and the one who rejects me rejects him who sent me.”

:16 - a wisdom saying -

The Return of the Seventy-Two

Luke 10:17

Ὑπέστρεψαν δὲ οἱ ἑβδομήκοντα δύο μετὰ χαρᾶς λέγοντες· Κύριε, καὶ τὰ δαιμόνια ὑποτάσσεται ἡμῖν ἐν τῷ ὀνόματί σου.

The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!”

:17 - an apocalyptic tone - the 72 rejoice in their success expressed in terms of healing and exorcism not conversion . Satan still exerts his power in this age. Satan has fallen, yet he prowls like a lion. Both are true, a tension that awaits resolution.

Luke 10:18

εἶπεν δὲ αὐτοῖς· Ἐθεώρουν τὸν Σατανᾶν ὡς ἀστραπὴν ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ πεσόντα.

And he said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.

Luke 10:19

ἰδοὺ δέδωκα ὑμῖν τὴν ἐξουσίαν τοῦ πατεῖν ἐπάνω ὄφεων καὶ σκορπίων, καὶ ἐπὶ πᾶσαν τὴν δύναμιν τοῦ ἐχθροῦ, καὶ οὐδὲν ὑμᾶς οὐ μὴ [u]ἀδικήσῃ.

Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you.

:19 - a juridical tone -

Luke 10:20

πλὴν ἐν τούτῳ μὴ χαίρετε ὅτι τὰ πνεύματα ὑμῖν ὑποτάσσεται, χαίρετε δὲ ὅτι τὰ ὀνόματα ὑμῶν ἐγγέγραπται ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς.

Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

:20 - an opportunity to talk about the significance of baptism for the certainty of salvation. Our names are written gives assurance that God will not forget about us. The words we hear in absolution and communion God Is speaking to each of us "Your name is written in heaven. Rejoice!

Time in the Word - Proper 9

Time in the Word

Proper 9

The Lord Grants Peace and Life to His Church
June 27 - July 2, 2022

The Lord restores Jerusalem, His Church, because she is the mother of His children, whom He comforts “as one whom his mother comforts” (Is. 66:13). We are “satisfied from her consoling breast” with the pure milk of the Word, and we “drink deeply with delight from her glorious abundance” (Is. 66:11). The messengers of Christ bestow such gifts upon His Church. For He sends them out “as lambs in the midst of wolves” (Luke 10:3), bearing in their bodies the sacrifice of His cross, by which “the kingdom of God has come near” (Luke 10:9, 11). Wherever He enters in with this Gospel, Satan is cast out and falls “like lightning from heaven” (Luke 10:18). Thus, we do not “boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Gal. 6:14). Rejoicing in this Gospel, we “bear one another’s burdens” in love, according to “the law of Christ” (Gal. 6:2).

Monday, 27 June 2022— Psalm 19:2, 4–6; antiphon, Psalm 19:1—Many of the psalms praise the Lord for His deliverance from enemies, both mortal and spiritual. Psalm 19 is a hymn of praise to God because of the majesty and glory that are His by His very nature. The glory of God is revealed by the entire creation. Those who attribute the earth and the cosmos to mere happenstance are only deceiving themselves.

Tuesday, 28 June 2022— Psalm 66:1–7—Psalm 66 calls upon all peoples of the earth to join in with God’s chosen people, Israel, in praising Him. His deliverance of His people from bondage in Egypt and the threat of Pharaoh and his army at the Red Sea is specifically recounted, but all of God’s deliverances of all His people are to be included, especially the deliverance of mankind from the bondage of sin, and the threat of death.

Wednesday, 29 June 2022— Isaiah 66:10–14—Those who remained faithful to the Lord during the days when Isaiah prophesied in Judah had reason to mourn over Jerusalem: hypocrisy, unbelief, and idolatry were common among the people. Likewise, through the ages, including our own, God’s faithful people have reason to mourn when they see the condition of the visible Church: rejection of the authority of the Word of God, acceptance of sins, rather than forgiveness of sins, being preached, and so on. Yet, we know that the gates of hell shall not prevail against the Lord’s Church (Matthew 16:18), so we can rejoice. We can rejoice, for the pure Gospel of Jesus Christ provides nourishment, comfort, and abundance for our souls. As a mother nurses her child, so we are nursed by the Holy Word of God.

Thursday, 30 Jun 2022— Galatians 6:1–10, 14–18—This Sunday, we shall celebrate our nation’s independence. Our political liberty and freedom is a gift from God. Yet, in the Church, we are not independent. We are member of one body, the mystical body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:27). As such, we are not to live our lives for ourselves independent of others, but are to bear one another’s burdens. The strong Christians are to help the weak.

St Paul urges us, let us not grow weary of doing good, for we are a new creation in Christ, and, as such, our wills are conformed to God’s will, which desires what is best for all people.

Friday, 01 July 2022— Luke 10:1–20—Our Lord desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth (1 Timothy 2:4). But how are people to believe in Jesus Christ, if they have not hear of Him, if they have not had the Gospel proclaimed to them? (Romans 10:14) In our Gospel reading for Sunday, we hear how Jesus sent out 72 men to proclaim the Good News of salvation in Christ Jesus. Likewise, He still call pastors to labor in His harvest fields. As in the days of Christ, their labor is met by different responses: some people are eager to hear of the forgiveness of sins wrought by Christ’s death on the cross, whilst others reject it. The Day of Judgment will be a horrifying one for those who have refused the forgiveness Christ offers, but a glorious one for us who are in Christ, who gratefully receive His gift of salvation.

Saturday, 02 July 2022— Sunday’s Hymn of the Day, Jesus Has Come and Brings Pleasure Eternal(LSB #533), is a majestic hymn of praise to Jesus. It proclaims Jesus as God in the flesh, as our great Deliverer, Redeemer, and the King of all glory.

Prayer for the nation: Almighty God, You have given us this good land as our heritage. Grant that we remember Your generosity and constantly do Your will. Bless our land with honest industry, truthful education, and an honorable way of life. Save us from violence, discord, and confusion, from pride and arrogance, and from every evil course of action. Grant that we, who came from many nations with many different languages, may become a united people. Support us in defending our liberties, and give those to whom we have entrusted the authority of government the spirit of wisdom, that there may be justice and peace in our land. When times are prosperous, may our hearts be thankful, and in troubled times do not let our trust in You fail; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Collect for Psalm 16: Lord God our Father, keep safe Your servant on the path of eternal life, for You alone are my refuge. When my last hour comes, may my body rest secure in the promise of the Lord's resurrection; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Prayer for pastors and their people: Almighty God, by Your Son, our Savior, You have always given to Your Church on earth faithful shepherds to guide and feed Your flock. Therefore we pray, make all pastors diligent to preach Your holy Word and to administer Your means of grace, and grant Your people wisdom to follow in the way that leads to life eternal; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Prayer for increase of the holy ministry: Almighty and gracious God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, You have commanded us to pray that You would send forth laborers into Your harvest. Of Your infinite mercy give us true teachers and ministers of Your Word who truly fulfill Your command and preach nothing contrary to Your holy Word. Grant that we, being warned, instructed, nurtured, comforted, and strengthened by Your holy Word, may do those things which are well pleasing to You and profitable for our salvation; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Sources:

Saturday, June 25, 2022

Third Sunday after Pentecost - Proper 8 Series C

Luke 9:51–62

Christ and His Messengers Proclaim His Kingdom

[1]

Today God reveals Himself to us through the frail preaching of the Gospel. The Son of Man sends “messengers ahead of Him ... to make preparations for Him” (Luke 9:52).

Putting their hand to that plow of preaching, they “go and proclaim the kingdom of God,” and they do not look back (Luke 9:60, 62).

What they preach is not the power of the Law with its “yoke of slavery,” but the power of God unto salvation through the Gospel of forgiveness, by which “Christ has set us free” (Gal. 5:1).

Lord of all power and might, Author and Giver of all good things, graft into our hearts the love of Your name and nourish us with all goodness that we may love and serve our neighbor; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.[2]

In Luke 9:51, the whole tenor and tone of Luke’s gospel changes. Jesus sets His face. To go to Jerusalem. Meaning unwavering determination. Now the focus is on the cross. Where He will redeem humankind. From the clutches of Satan. From bondage to the Law. From everlasting death. We’ve reached a turning point in Luke's gospel. Now Jesus knows the end is near. He sets out resolutely toward Jerusalem. The cross is now His focus.

Our eyes, too, must ever be focused on the cross of Christ. It is there alone that we are able to find true freedom. If we are going to faithful to the Lord, as was Elijah, they must always proclaim Christ - Crucified as a sacrifice on your behalf. He has “set his face” toward THE CROSS.

The words of Christ in today’s Gospel are difficult. And deliberate. These words of Jesus are not rainbows and butterflies. He speaks of the demands of discipleship. Following Christ requires discipline. Many would not mind being a Christ follower if it did not cost anything in the way of personal hardship and sacrifice. The Savior confronts us. With the truth of the high cost of being one of His followers. He turns away several who want the honor and the prestige of following Christ without fulfilling its demands. This morning we consider what Christ requires of His followers.

1. There is no money in it! As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, "I will follow you wherever you go." Jesus replied, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head. [Luke 9:57-58] You won’t get rich by becoming a follower of Christ.

A Christian does not make money the goal of his life. If he has money, his love for Christ will cause him to share it.

This raises a question. It’s easy to talk about modern sects who get amazing amounts of money to buy hotels, banks, and estates. It’s easy to single out radio and television evangelists living in luxury. But what about you? Look at the ledger of your checkbook. It shows the priorities in your life.

It’s a window to your soul. It shows what drives you. Where is your first love?

2. There is urgency about it! He said to another man, "Follow me." [Luke 9:59] Being a Christ follower. Being a disciple. Demands an immediate response. διάγγελλε, Keep proclaiming. On every side. The Kingdom of God. That. Is your only business. Everything else. Must be sacrificed. Seek first the kingdom.

Not even something as important as arranging and attending a family funeral should keep you from responding. Let someone else attend the funeral. The Kingdom cannot wait until you fulfill lesser responsibilities. And that is Jesus’ point. Were it up to us to achieve our place in the Kingdom we would never make it. Thankfully, Jesus invites us by grace. He makes it possible for us to become members of His eternal communion.

3. There is a singleness of purpose. Still another said, "I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say good-by to my family." Jesus replied, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God." [Luke 9:61-62] No one who plays looks back. The eye is on the goal ahead. You cannot go back to say “goodbye” to your family.

A disciple is likened to St. Paul who said “One thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind…” A follower of Christ has a one- track mind. One purpose in life. One task. One devotion: Jesus Christ.

4. For what are you living? Some today lack a purpose in life. They are committed to no one, nor to anything. This results in double-mindedness, shiftlessness, drifting here and there, inconstancy. They have not made up their minds what they are to do with their lives. A genuine Christian is not one of these. He follows the example of Christ. He knows who he is for he knows whose he is. He knows where he is going, what he is to do, and why he is doing it. Here we see Jesus’ total commitment to the Father’s call to be the Messiah. This requires His total interest, effort, and sacrifice. What Jesus does in terms of commitment He expects of his own. There are many forces at work calling for our attention. Yet our chief focus needs to be totally committed to Christ.

In many respects, this may be called commitment Sunday. As Elijah is committed to the tasks, God gave him. Elisha is committed to the call to serve as Elijah’s successor. Paul is committed to a life lived by the Spirit of God. The Savior is committed to go to Jerusalem to fulfill His destiny as the Messiah. Thus, He calls you to total commitment of anyone who desires to follow Him. Remain committed to Christ as He is committed to you.

Words- 1,045
Passive Sentences –4%
Readability –77.8%
Reading Level – 4.8

[1] Lift High the Cross © Ed Riojas, Higher Things
[2] Collect for Proper 8, Lutheran Service Book © 2006 Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis