Faith in God’s Promises
As Jesus
continues during Lent to Jerusalem to suffer and die, we are reminded that
there is a reason for it: our salvation. The motive for this sacrifice is God’s
love. While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us out of love for God and us.
How does this affect us? Faith is the receptive agent which brings to us the
benefits of God’s love. In the Gospel, faith in the crucified Christ brings us
eternal life. Abraham by faith in God’s promise is blessed (Old Testament
Lesson ). Paul uses Abraham (Epistle Lesson) as an example of faith which
brought him and us the righteousness of God. The Prayer continues the theme:
“Lead them again to embrace in faith the truth....” In Psalm 105, it is implied
that the eye of the Lord is upon those who in faith respect God not because of
the believer’s faith but because the word and the Lord’s covenant which He
remembers.
Time in the Word
27 February - 04 March 2023
Preparation for next week, Lent 2
Monday,
27 February, 2023—Psalm
105:4-7; antiphon, Psalm 105:8—In
the Introit for Sunday, we pray, He remembers His covenant forever, the word
that He commanded, for a thousand generations. This psalm is an exhortation
to Israel to worship and trust in the Lord because of all His saving acts in
fulfillment of His covenant with Abraham to give His descendants the land of
Canaan.
Tuesday,
28 February, 2023—Psalm
121—key verse 8—The Lord
will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore. This week’s
psalm is a dialogue of confession and assurance. Its use as a pilgrimage song
provides the key to its understanding. Whether the dialogue takes place in a
single heart or between individuals in the caravan is of no great consequence
since all would share the same convictions. The comforting assurance expressed
is equally appropriate for the pilgrimage to Jerusalem and for the pilgrimage
of life to the glory into which the faithful will be received. The psalm is
composed of four couplets, each having an introductory line, which the rest of
the couplet develops. Key terms are “the Lord” and “watch over” each occurring
five times.
Wednesday, 01 March 2023—Genesis
12:1-9—Faith
accepts God’s promise of blessing. By faith Abraham accepts the Lord’s promise
and obeys his command. Around 2000 B.C. a man
named Abraham lived in Haran. The Lord came to him and called him to
leave his home and family to go to a strange, unknown land where he would become
the father of a great nation. Abraham proved his faith in the Lord by trusting
His Word of promises and obeying. He left all for a great adventure in faith.
The Lord promised to bless him and to make him a blessing to all nations.
Abraham maintained his faith by building an altar to worship wherever he went.
Thursday, 02 March 2023—Romans
4:1-8; 13-17—Faith
accepts God’s righteousness.The faith of Abraham was reckoned to him as
righteousness.
In chapter 3, Paul had just
explained that sinners are justified by grace through faith and not by the
works of the Law. Therefore, believers in Christ have no reason to boast of
their righteousness, because it came as a gift of faith, an illustration of what
it means to be justified by faith. Abraham did not have the Law and could not
perform the works of the Law.
He simply believed God, trusted
in his promises and obeyed his command. As a result, it was reckoned to him as
righteousness. What Abraham received by faith, believers, both Jew and Gentile,
can have — the same promise of reconciliation with God.
Friday, 03
March 2023—John
3:1-17—In the
Gospel lesson faith
accepts Jesus’ promise of eternal life. Jesus teaches Nicodemus that faith in
Him offers eternal life. This passage deals with the Father, Son, and Holy
Spirit. After the discourse with Nicodemus on the necessity of being born anew
of the Spirit, Jesus declares that faith in the crucified Christ will bring
eternal life. Then John gives the Bible’s “greatest verse” which Luther called
the “little Babe,” John 3:16. Again, we learn that whoever believes in Jesus
will have eternal life, for God did not send Jesus to condemn, but save the
world. On this Sunday, we see the passage in the light of the Theme of the Day
— Faith.
Saturday,
04 March 2023—
Psalm 121; 2 Timothy 4:18; Psalm 91:9-12—Sunday’s Hymn of the Day is God Who Made the
Earth and Heaven (LSB #877). The
Psalm for this week is the inspiration verse for our hymn of the day. God the
Father who created the entire universe has promised to direct your life. He is
the one who orders your day and directs your path. He has brought you to faith
by the power of the Spirit’s work and He will sustain that faith. We can
confidently trust in Him because He has established His everlasting covenant
with His own people.
God our Father, help us to hear Your Son. Enlighten us with
Your word, that we may find the way to Your glory. We ask this through our Lord
Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, One
God, forever and ever.
Heavenly Father,
it is your glory always to have mercy. Bring back all who have erred and
strayed from your ways; lead them again to embrace in faith the truth of your
Word and to hold it fast.
Collect
for Psalm 121: Lord Jesus Christ, You have prepared a quiet place for us in
Your Father’s eternal home. Watch over our welfare on this perilous journey,
shade us from the burning heat of day, and keep our lives free of evil now and
forever
Sources:
Prayers from Lutheran Service Book
© 2006 Concordia Publishing House
Lectionary Preaching Workbook Series A
by John Brokhoff © 1980 CSS Publishing Lima OH
For All the Saints A Prayer Book for
and By the Church Vol. II © 1995 by the American Lutheran Publicity Bureau,
Delhi, NY
Schnorr
von Carolsfeld, woodcuts copyright © WELS Permission to use these copyrighted items is
limited to personal and congregational use.
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