Proper
15
August
08-13, 2022
Christ’s Suffering and Death Bring Division
The Lord Jesus causes fear and trembling and division
because His Word is “like fire . . . and
like a hammer which shatters a rock” (Jer. 23:29). His Law puts us all to
death, whereas only His Gospel can bring us to life. He has fulfilled that Word
for us by His cross and in His resurrection from the dead. He undergoes such a
distressing Baptism, accomplished by His death, in order to open the way for us
through our Holy Baptism into His cross and resurrection. So, then, if we are
able “to analyze the appearance of the
earth and the sky” (Luke 12:56), let us mark this sign of His
cross—recognizing that this world is subject to death, but knowing that Christ
Jesus has also conquered death and obtained life everlasting for us. Let us fix
our eyes “on Jesus, the author and perfecter
of faith” and “run with endurance the
race that is set before us” (Heb. 12:1–2).
Collect for the Pentecost
Season: Merciful Lord, cleanse and defend Your Church by the
sacrifice of Christ. United with Him in Holy Baptism, give us grace to receive
with thanksgiving the fruits of His redeeming work and daily follow in His way;
through the same Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with
You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Prayer for grace to receive
the Word: Blessed Lord, You have caused all Holy Scriptures to be
written for our learning. Grant that we may so hear them, read, mark, learn,
and inwardly digest them that, by patience and comfort of Your holy Word, we
may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life; through
Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
Prayer for
blessing on the Word: Lord Jesus Christ, giver and perfecter of our
faith, we thank and praise You for continuing among us the preaching of Your
Gospel for our instruction and edification. Send Your blessing upon the Word,
which has been spoken to us, and by Your Holy Spirit increase our saving
knowledge of You, that day by day we may be strengthened in the divine truth
and remain steadfast in Your grace. Give us strength to fight the good fight
and by faith to overcome all the temptations of Satan, the flesh, and the world
so that we may finally receive the salvation of our souls; for You live and
reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Monday, 08 August 2022—Psalm 55:1, 12–14, 16;
antiphon, Psalm 55:22—When we are burdened, either by the troubles of this
world or by the guilt and consequence of sin, we are exhorted to cast your
burden on the Lord, and He will sustain you; He will never permit the righteous
to be moved. Who are they who are righteous? Those who are righteous by faith
in the atoning sacrifice of our Lord Jesus, as we learned in the readings for
yesterday (Sunday). Whenever we call on God, the LORD saves us (v. 16).
Tuesday, 09 August 2022—Psalm
119:81–88—The psalm appointed for next Sunday is very similar to the
Introit, as it is written by one who is burdened—in this case, by his persecutors.
Whence can he—and we—find salvation? The psalmist is confident as he prays, I
hope in your word; My eyes long for your promise. The promise of salvation from
the persecution of sin and death has been fulfilled in the death and
resurrection of the Son of God, our Savior Jesus Christ.
Wednesday, 10 August 2022—Jeremiah
23:16–29—In the time when Jeremiah prophesied (late 7th and early 6th
century B.C.), there was no shortage of false prophets, purporting to speak for
the LORD, but really speaking only their own words and what the people wanted
to hear. Not much has changed in the intervening 2,700 years. Many people are
still drawn to false prophets who prophesy lies and speak that which people
want to hear, in order to grow wealthy from the donations of those whom they
dupe. Even though it may not lead to churches which are bursting at the seams,
orthodox Lutheran pastors must speak [the LORD’s] word faithfully (v. 28).
Thursday, 11 August 2022—Hebrews
11:17–31; 12:1–3—The epistle for Sunday continues in the great chapter of
faith, recounting Abraham’s testing, Moses, and also the Children of Israel.
Therefore, says the writer—that is, since we since we are surrounded by so
great a cloud of witnesses—we ought to follow their example, and also cling in faith
to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, the One through whom we have
salvation by His death, and the One through whom we have salvation by His gift
to us of faith in that salvific death.
Friday, 12 August 2022—Luke
12:49–53—In this world, we will always have trouble, for we are not of the
world (John 15:19). We can expect that those of the world will persecute us, as
it did the psalmist in the Psalm for the Day; the devil will try to burden us
with guilt, like the psalmist in the Introit; the world will demand that the
truth of God is suppressed, and that preachers preach what they want to hear,
as in the Old Testament reading, and that, even in our families, there will be
division because of the Gospel of Christ. This is because the world is in
bondage to sin and the devil, and these things are opposed to God and His
loving kindness, grace, and mercy. But, if we continue in faith, we shall
endure to the end, and shall receive the crown of everlasting righteousness and
eternal life with God in heaven.
Saturday, 13 August 2022—How
do we overcome the sin, the devil, the world and its hatred of us. Sunday’s
Hymn of the Day has the answer: Lord, Keep Us Steadfast in Thy Word (LSB
#655). This great hymn by Martin Luther is a prayer that God would guard and
keep us from all those who wish to do us spiritual or physical harm. The Lord
does this through the proclamation and preaching of His Word, and by the
Sacraments—the Word of God combined with earthly elements, which preserve us in
the one true faith until He takes us from this vale of tears to Himself in
heaven.
Sources:
Image © Ed Rajas Higher Things
Prayers from Lutheran Service Book © 2006 Concordia
Publishing House, St. Louis
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