Proper 28 - Pentecost 23

Proper 28 – Pentecost 23

17 November 2019

Luke 21:5-19

Doing Your Best when things are at their worst

O Lord, absolve Your people from their offenses that from the bounds of our sins, which by reason of our weakness we have brought upon ourselves, we may be delivered by Your bountiful goodness; Lord Jesus, bless Thy Word, that we may trust in Thee.[1]

The Church year is ending. Next week we proclaim, “Christ is King!” The rule and reign of Christ is the objective of the entire Christian story. Yet today, the Second-to-Last Sunday of the Church year, Jesus predicts that the end of days will come. We are reminded that this reign will come with sure, clear signs.

When will these stones fall?  That’s what the apostles wanted to know. The destruction of the Temple - Will that be the end of the world? Jesus wants to make one thing perfectly clear. When these things happen. It is not yet the end. It’s not the beginning. Nor the end. But the beginning - of the end.[2]

The word Luke uses to describe the utter destruction of the temple (καταλυθήσεται) is what we derive our word "catastrophe."  The days are coming when "all will be thrown down..."  It shall be destroyed. Torn down. Demolished. Abolished. Annulled. Made invalid.

“Catastrophe” is an apt term for what happens when that in which we have trusted is utterly destroyed.  Breaking someone’s trust is like crumpling up a perfect piece of paper. You can smooth it over. But it’s never going to be the same again.

In whom do you trust? Trust not in princes. They are but mortal. Thus says the Psalmist, “Put not your trust in princes, in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation.” (Psalm 146:3) Trust the One who cannot be destroyed - Jesus the Risen Savior.

Stones have been tumbling for centuries. This past week - The world would remember and recall the signing of the armistice. (November 11 1918) Announced as the end of a great and bloody war. – A war to end all wars.

But in no less than twenty years - came Kristallnacht. ("Crystal Night") A pogrom against the Jews throughout Nazi Germany. (November 9-10, 1938) And another World War would soon come. [3]   

We have now commemorated the destruction of the Berlin wall - November 9, 1989 – just 30 years ago.[4]  Yet stones continue to fall.  

In recent years, stones have been dropping in the Middle East in the streets of Iraq and Afghanistan. This week stones literally fell in Gaza and Syria.

It happens also in the private lives of people today; who lose jobs, despair over children, become estranged, get divorced, face medical issues and enter into hospice.

When these things happen. Be not deceived. The end is not yet. These are only birth pangs. Scripture calls them “labor pains.” When there are labor pains, we know that new life is near.

Rather than looking for escape into the afterlife, Jesus calls for us to give birth. In the midst of a world filled with stones falling, war and earthquakes (Vv.9-11) Jesus points you to cling to Him for life.

Today you have been put on notice. Turmoil in nature and amongst people will plague the earth. As a follower of Jesus, do not be surprised or shocked should you be singled out for persecution, betrayal and hatred. All because of His name. Yet, not a hair on your head will perish.

How can this be? How can you escape? How do you dodge the bullet aimed at every Christian? Over thousands of years and countless generations, Jesus speaks directly to us with the freshness of this morning. By your endurance, you will gain your soul.

You can’t help but feel that following Jesus isn’t unlike being a turtle without a shell. There is no call to arms. There’s no warning to stockpile goods. Or food. Or weapons. In preparation for what’s to come. There’s no command to build a bomb shelter. Or an ark. There are only three brief commands. Don’t be terrified. Don’t be led astray. Don’t prepare a defense.

Don’t be terrified. The old song sing: “Fear not! I am with you, O be not dismayed. For I am your God and will still give you aid; I’ll strengthen you, help you, and cause you to stand. Upheld by My righteous, omnipotent hand.”[5]

Don’t be led astray. False Christ’s and counterfeit Messiahs are always about. They exist to seduce and mislead. Don’t follow them. Listen still to the voice of your shepherd Jesus.

When the world around you descends into darkness, you can still shine with light. Don’t expect society to go your way. Bear witness to another Way. Look to Jesus. He is the way the truth and the life.

You don’t need to prepare a defense. You already have Jesus’ clear inspired word. The reason you were born. The purpose for which God brought you into this world. Is to bear Christ’s forgiving presence into a world that is desperate for it.

As a child of God you live your life under the cross of Jesus Christ. Where? In a school. On a farm. In a family. In a business. In the everyday moments of this life. Doing what needs doing at the moment. You are the hands and feet the fingers and toes of Jesus in this world.

Because Jesus loves you, He always tells you the truth. Even when it is hard to find the good news behind the dire predictions.

These words of the Savior were spoken just before His Passion. The cross was always before Him. Jesus clearly sees what He must endure for your sake. He looks beyond His looming agony and foretells what you must endure for His sake.

To carry you home, Jesus will soon carry His cross. To follow Him home, you must carry your cross. For some, the cross is relatively light; minor inconveniences, petty prejudices, snide remarks, negative peer pressure, constantly navigating a world of vanishing values.

For others, the cross means martyrdom. Either by the sword or by prejudice. Many face sanctions - ranging from death to imprisonment, harassment to expulsion. For this reason you are given to pray for your sisters and brothers in Christ here at home and around the world.   

This Christian life is more than a marathon. It can also be a dangerous obstacle course. Expect to be tripped. Expect to sometimes fall. Endurance means more than just chugging alone. We must often pick ourselves up and get back into the race.

Says St. Paul, “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.  We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.  For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body.  So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.”[6]

For endurance look not only to the cross, we look to the Resurrection. That’s because you know how this story ends. Not in tragedy. But in triumph. Jesus’ cross and empty tomb is the source of your strength. Your hope. Your joy. Let us run with perseverance. Looking to Jesus. Who endured the cross. So that you may not grow weary or lose heart.[7]

Thank you, Jesus. In Your love, we rejoice and endure.

Words –1,325

Passive Sentences –8%

Readability – 81.7%

Reading Level –3.9

Image copyright © Google Images

---

[1] Collect of the Day, Third-Last Sunday of the Church Year Lutheran Worship copyright © 1982 Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis  

[2] Reference the words of Winston Churchill

[3] Almost 100 killed, 30,000 men arrested, over 1,000 synagogues burnt, over 7,000 Jewish businesses destroyed or damaged.

[4] I purchase a chunk of that wall for each of my children. It remains in a safety deposit box. At the time, breaching that wall was such a cataclysmic earth-shattering event. The wall was erected when I was their age. Now that wall is no more.

[5] How Firm a Foundation stanza 2 Lutheran Service Book copyright  © 2006 Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis

[6]  2 Corinthians 4:8-12

[7] Hebrews 12

Time in the Word - Pentecost 23 ~ Proper 27

Time in the Word

Pentecost 23 - Proper 27

 November 6-11, 2017

"The Day of our Lord"

The Lessons for this coming week help us prepare for the coming of our Lord. In the Old Testament lesson the prophet Amos encourages us to prepare for the day of the Lord by exceeding justice. In the Epistle lesson Paul assures us that at the Judgment Day Jesus will bring with him all who died and the Christian people still living on earth will go with them to heaven. The Christians of Paul’s day believed that Christ’s return was at hand. This caused concern for those who already died. Would they miss the glorious event and the opportunity to go with Jesus to heaven? Paul assures them that the dead in Christ will come with him and then he will gather the living. Together the dead and living will go to heaven to be forever with Christ. In the Gospel lesson we find the parable of the wise and foolish maidens. Only Matthew gives the parable. It concerns the return of Christ. His coming is delayed. During the delay, foolish people go to sleep and run out of oil for their lamps. At midnight when least expected, the Bridegroom (Christ) comes. The unprepared have the door shut in front of them. The parable teaches us to be constantly alert and prepared for the sure and sudden return of Jesus Christ.

Collect for Proper 27 –Lord God, heavenly Father, send forth Your Son to lead home His bride, the Church, that with all the company of the redeemed we may finally enter into His eternal wedding feast; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, now and forever.

Prayer for responsible citizenship – Lord keep this nation under Your care. Bless the leaders of our land that we may be a people at peace among ourselves and a blessing to the other nations of the earth. Help us provide trustworthy leaders, contribute to wise decisions for the general welfare, and thus serve You faithfully in our generation to the honor of Your holy name.

For our Armed Services: Lord we remember those who are presently serving in the armed forces of our country. Protect them all harm or danger and guide them in each of their missions that they may serve You honorably and without reproach. Watch over them and bring them safely once their service is completed. 

For blessing on the Word – Lord God, bless Your Word wherever it is proclaimed. Make it a word of power and peace to convert those not yet Your own and to confirm those who have come to saving faith. May Your Word pass from the ear to the heart, from the heart to the lip, and from the lip to the life that, as You have promised, Your Word may achieve the purpose for which You send it; through Jesus Christ, my Lord.

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, November 6, 2017 – Psalm 84:1, 9-12 - The Antiphon for this coming Sunday is from Psalm 84:3, “Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, at Your altars, O Lord of hosts, my King and my God.” 

Tuesday, November 7, 2017– Amos 5:18-24 - Through Amos God is speaking, “I hate, I despise....” Can God hate? Is He not love? Since God is a personality, He has, like us, the capacity to hate as well as to love. In fact, if one cannot hate, one cannot love. But what or whom does God hate? It is not “whom” but “what.” Always He loves the sinner but not the sin. God hates our wickedness, our insincere worship, and our religiosity: “feasts,” “solemn assemblies,” “noises of your songs.” God hates your hypocrisy. If God hates sin, should Christians not also do the same?

Wednesday, November 8, 2017–1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 –Paul uses “sleep” to describe the dead in Christ. They are asleep in Jesus. “Sleep” is a comforting concept of the Christian dead. When we sleep, we are at rest. Our labors are over and we rest at peace. When we sleep, we are not dead but alive. We shall awaken out of sleep. We fall asleep on earth to awaken in heaven for a fuller, better life with Christ.

We grieve over the loss of loved ones, but not as those who have no hope of heaven. In Paul’s day, people were grieving because they were worried lest the departed miss out on the return of Christ. They wanted the dead to share in His victory, to see the destruction of Satanic powers, and to rejoice in the spectacular glory of Christ. For Christians, the end time will be a glorious time and we want our loved ones to share it.

When Christ returns at the end of time, the living and the dead in Christ will be together. When Christ leaves heaven for earth, He will bring with Him those who died in faith. There is going to be one great, colossal reunion of heaven and earth! Since this is the case according to Paul, we know where our departed loved ones are now. They are with Christ in heaven. To be with Christ is to have life, love, joy, and peace. What more could we want for ourselves or our dearest?

Thursday, November 9, 2017– Matthew 25:1-13 – Five girls are wise and five are foolish. Could there be that many foolish people? According to this, five go to heaven and five to hell; five have life and five have death; five have joy and five are miserable. We fall into one of these two categories. There is no in-between state. When it comes to being prepared for Christ’s return, we are either wise in being prepared or foolish in not being ready to receive him.

Christ’s return is delayed, because the first Christians expected his return in their lifetimes. Since this time, there were Christians in each century who expected the last great day to happen within a short time. Here it is the beginning of the twenty-first century and He still has not come. We humans tend to get weary in waiting to the point that we conclude He is not coming in our time. This results in carelessness expressed in “sleep” (v. 5) and not having an adequate supply of “oil” (v. 3). The delay is fraught with danger for us.

Friday, November 10, 2017 – Psalm 50 - This Psalm is the appointed one for this Sunday.  Verse 1 is the key verse, “O Lord, make haste to help me.” This is the prayer of faith. When we reach out to the Savior with our burdens, joys, sorrows, and cares, He answers every petition. Our only request, “Thy will be done Lord, Thy will be done.” 

Saturday, November 11, 2017 – Matthew 25:1-13 –- Our reading is the inspiration for the hymn, “Wake Awake, for Night is flying.” The bridegroom comes at midnight. Surprise! Who would imagine a bridegroom coming for his bride at the ungodly hour when the world is asleep? It is the least expected time. Those who stay up late are surely in bed by midnight, and even the early risers would not get up at midnight.

Jesus said His return would be like this. No one would know the day and hour — so be ready! Moreover, the signs of His coming are associated with the midnight of day, which becomes the noonday of hell: wars, earthquakes, catastrophes, fear, and so on. When times are at their worst and when people are at their lowest and darkest moments, Christ will come.

Sources 

LUTHERAN SEVICE BOOK © 2006 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. 

Pentecost 23 - Proper 27

O God, so rule and govern our hearts and minds by Your Holy Spirit that, being ever mindful of the end of all things and Your just judgment, we may be stirred up to holiness of living here and dwell with You forever hereafter; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, One God, now and forever.

Verses 38-40 serve as an introduction to our lesson for this morning. Jesus warns the disciples against the scribes, for in their greed they devour widow’s houses. By contrast, we see an impoverished widow who places two of the smallest coins, worth a penny, into the temple’s treasury.

Jesus is sitting across from the offering boxes and observes the gifts being given. He calls attention to the widow’s penny in contrast to the million-dollar gifts of the rich. He claims that she gave more than any other. She gave the most because she gave out of her poverty while others gave out of their abundance.

The heroine of the Gospel is an unnamed widow. She needed the money more than the temple or the priests needed it. It would be expected that those who have shall give and those who have not - do not give. But here is a woman who had as her total wealth two coins. Her net worth – a penny! She is the example for us.

What could she have done?

1. She could have given nothing because she had almost nothing. - But a poor widow came… Vs.42a
This is the final incident in Jesus' public ministry. This story contrasts the greed of the teachers of the law with the generosity and the gift of the widow. This woman had nothing, Think about it for a moment. She had no means of support, no security, nothing. How can you give what you do not have? The point is obvious – you can’t!

2. She could have given one coin to God and kept one for herself. – But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a fraction of a penny. Vs.42 She placed in the box two of the smallest coins in circulation in Palestine. Is this not how we have been instructed how to live? We’ve been taught to live within your means. There are priorities in life. You have to pay for the basic necessities of life – food utilities, shelter and transportation in that order. Then there are your other bills. When all has been paid how much is left? How can you save in this down economy?

3. She gave everything to God –They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on Vs. 44 She had given more than all the rich people put together because she had given her whole living. Now she had nothing left! Not even enough to buy a piece of bread. Yet, Jesus knew she would be taken care of by God, in whom she trusted. For this reason her faith is counted as great! It was not the amount of the widow’s gift but the attitude in which she gave. She gave as the Savior gave of Himself.

During these difficult times, especially in times of hardship you need to know of Christ’s presence and power to save. When Jesus preaches in His hometown of Nazareth the people reject Him for He offends them what they had not asked. It was a sad day for the people of Nazareth as they abandoned the Savior – it remains a sad day whenever someone rejects the Savior and His message of grace. And yet, the Savior still calls us to be witnesses for Him in this world for He uses you to be His ambassador of peace and good will. As we gather to worship, to pray, to meet the Savior as He comes to us through His means of grace His message of life and salvation will encourage, strengthen and comfort you.

Jesus does all the work, as He points us to the place where our salvation was won; at a cross and empty tomb. The Father is the one who lifts us up to Himself through His mercy and grace. All He asks of us is to step on the elevator and enjoy the ride. He asks us to place our faith and confidence in Him and to trust Him to do the work He has promised to do.

Jesus sees how much we give. We are among the most generous when, regardless of the size of our money gifts, we contribute sacrificially for the work of Christ’s church. Jesus is not dependent on your gifts. What a relief! Yet, He has arranged to carry out His church’s work through people just like you.

Time in the Word Pentecost 23 Proper 27

Sunday’s Theme of sacrifice is evident in all three of our lessons for this coming week. In the Gospel a widow makes a sacrifice of money by giving her last penny. The widow of Zarephath gave her last portion of meal and oil to Elijah out of obedience to his command. Jesus made the once-for-all-time sacrifice for the sins of the world out of love for humankind. The Lessons call upon us to give our all as a sacrifice to God. As we are nearing the end of the church year the sermon hymn reminds us to keep our heads up to be vigilant as the Son of man will return at the right time to bring this earth to a close.

Collect for Proper 27 –O Lord, by Your bountiful goodness release us from the bonds of our sins, which by reason of our weakness we have brought upon ourselves, that we may stand firm until the day of our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, One God, now and forever.


Monday, 02 November 2009—Psalm 107:1-2, 41-42, Antiphon, Psalm 107:8 – Let them thank the Lord for His steadfast love, for His wondrous works to the children of men! The Antiphon along with the entire psalm is a call to praise the Lord for His unfailing love in that He hears the prayers of those in need and saves them. The Lord has heard the cries of His people in times of great need. Our God will act to help and save His people.

Tuesday, 03 November 2009—Psalm 146; key verse v9a—The Lord watches over the alien and sustains the fatherless and the widow but He frustrates the ways of the wicked. In both the Old Testament lesson as well as the Gospel a poor widow gives all that she has because of great obedience and a strong faith. The key verse reminds us that the Lord will vindicate His own especially the stranger, the widow and the orphan. The Psalmist invites us to praise the name of the Lord especially for His tender mercies to His people.

Wednesday, 04 November 2009—1 Kings 17:8-16– The sacrifices of God – a sacrifice of obedience. A widow feeds Elijah out of her minimum supplies for many days because the supply of oil and meal was never exhausted. The setting is the northern kingdom of the 9th Century with Ahab as king and Elijah as prophet. Because of Israel’s faithfulness, Elijah calls down a drought which lasts three years. When the brook dries up, God sends Elijah to a widow in Zarephath for food and drink lest he starve. However, the widow and her son are also dying of starvation. They have a tiny amount for a last meal before dying. Elijah commands her to give food to him and promises that the meal and oil will not fail. True to his word, each day there was enough for one more meal. The Lord preserves His prophet and is faithful to His Word.

Thursday, 05 November 2009—Hebrews 9:24-28 – The sacrifices of God – a sacrifice of love. Christ offers Himself but once for the sins of the world and is coming again. The author of Hebrews uses the cult to explain the atonement and return of Jesus. As the Jewish high priest annually entered the holy of holies in the temple, Jesus, the high priest, entered the heavens, the temple of God. The high priest offered a sacrifice annually, but Christ as high priest offers His sacrifice but once.

The high priest offered not his own blood, but Jesus did. His one-time sacrifice took away sin. As judgment comes after a person’s death, so Christ will return for the judgment of the world and to receive those who are waiting for Him.

Friday, 06 November 2009 – Mark 12:38-44– The sacrifices of God – a sacrifice of faith. Jesus compliments a poor widow for her sacrificial gift to the temple. Vv. 38-40 serves as an introduction to our Gospel lesson for Sunday. Jesus warns the disciples against the scribes, for in their greed they devour widows’ houses. By contrast we see an impoverished widow who places two of the smallest coins, worth a penny, into the temple’s treasury. Jesus is sitting across from the offering boxes and observes the gift being given. He calls attention to the widow’s penny in contrast to the million-dollar gifts of the rich. He claims that she gave more than any other, because she gave out of her poverty while others gave out of their abundance.

A widow was almost always poor because she had no husband to support her. There was no insurance policies, no death benefits plan, no Social Security. Because she was extremely poor, she could have been excused from giving to the Lord’s treasury. Rather she should have been given something from the treasury. Her gift proved that she was not poor spiritually. She had the riches of faith in God to motivate her.

Saturday, 07 November 2009—Luke 21:25-36; Matthew 25:31-46- Sunday’s hymn of the day is The Day Is Surely Drawing Near. (LSB508) Just as the days are growing shorter so also time is counting down to the end of the church year and the end of the world as we know it. This calls for vigilance, patience and faith. These themes and ideas are all communicated in this much treasured hymn.

Prayers from Lutheran Service Book © 2006 and Lutheran Worship © 1980 Concordia Publishing House
Schnorr Von Carolsfeld woodcuts © WELS permission granted for personal and congregational use
Lectionary Preaching Workbook Series B – John Brokhoff © 1981 CSS Publishing, Lima, OH