The Proclaimed
Word of God
Proper 11
July 17-22
2023
There
is a tension between the faithful and the unfaithful. The unfaithful are the
weeds of the parable in the Gospel, while the wheat is God’s faithful people.
In the final judgment, the unfaithful are excluded while the faithful are
accepted by God. In the Old Testament lesson the faithful acknowledge God to be
the one and only God. For the faithful who are weak, the Spirit intercedes for
them. The prayers of the faithful are echoed in the great hymn of the church, “Lord
keep us steadfast in Thy Word.”
Collect for Proper 11– O
God, so rule and govern our hearts and minds by Your Holy Spirit that, ever
mindful of Your final judgment, we may be stirred up to holiness of living here
and dwell with You in perfect joy hereafter; through Jesus Christ, Your Son,
our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and
forever.
A prayer before we study
the Word – Almighty God, our heavenly
Father, without Your help our labor is useless, and without Your light our
search is in vain. Invigorate the study of Your holy Word that, by due
diligence and right discernment, we may establish ourselves and others in Your
holy faith.
Monday, July 17, 2023 –
Psalm 86:1-15 – This is the Psalm portion from which the Introit for next
Sunday is taken. The antiphon is taken from verse 6, “Give ear, O lord, to
my prayer; listen to my plea for grace.” In our need we pray to the Lord
because out of His kindness and love our Lord answers each prayer.
Tuesday, July 18, 2023–
Isaiah 44:6-8 – The faithful believe in the one true God. There is no god
but God. It could be that Isaiah in these words is recalling a song of Moses,
which describes God as “the Rock” (see Deuteronomy 32:4, 15, 30-31). This
metaphor of the Lord is also common in the book of Psalms (see Psalm 18:2).
Wednesday, July 19, 2023–
Romans 8:18-27 – The faithful have the Spirit intercede for them. The
Spirit intercedes for those who do not know how to pray. Both creation and
creatures groan for redemption. Paul sees redemption in its cosmic perspective.
With Adam the whole creation fell and the ground was cursed. It is in a state
of decay and the whole creation groans for redemption from its bondage of decay
and death. Nature is tooth and fang and it exists on the principle of “dog eat
dog.” Paul sees the release of nature’s bondage when there will be a new heaven
and a new earth at the time of the Savior’s return. Humanity’s sin pollutes
nature, ravishes the good earth, and threatens creatures with extinction. Human
beings share in this longing for redemption which by faith in Christ we now
experience in part. With creation we long for the full redemption of our bodies
when Christ returns.
Thursday, July 20, 2023
–Matthew 13:24-30; 36-43 – The faithful enter heaven in the parable of
the wheat and the weeds. The parable of the wheat and weeds and Jesus’ explanation
of its meaning is given here. Jesus gives this parable because he is criticized
for associating with sinners and outcasts (verses 24-30). The allegorical
explanation of the parable is the product of the early church as the parable
applied to it in its day (verses 36-40).
The parable teaches that we
are not to judge who is a true or false Christian. We are not to weed out the
weeds because in doing so, we would destroy the wheat. On the Day of Judgment,
God will judge and separate the weeds and the wheat. Until that time comes the
church needs to have patience and forbearance of the weeds among the wheat.
The wheat (good) and the weeds
(bad) are in the kingdom, not in the world. We could understand it if the
parable applied to the world where there are all kinds of people. The kingdom
of heaven is the kingdom of God, and the kingdom of God is God’s realm, God’s
people, the church. The church of God consists of good and evil, wheat and
weeds.
Friday, July 21, 2023
–Psalm 119:57-64 – This Psalm is suggested for next Sunday. This section
falls under the Hebrew letter “Heth.” The Lord is the psalmist’s true
homestead because it is God’s law that fills the earth with all that makes life
secure and joyous. So God’s promises are his hope and God’s righteous laws his
delight.
Sources:
LUTHERAN SEVICE BOOK © 2006 Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis, MO
THE
LUTHERAN HYMNAL © 1942 Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis, MO
LECTIONALRY
PREACHING WORKBOOK SERIES A © 1980 John Brokhoff CSS Publishing Lima, OH
Schnorr
von Carolsfeld, woodcuts © WELS Permission to use these copyrighted items is
limited to personal and congregational use.
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