Time in the Word - Reformation Observed

Time in the Word
22-27 October 2018
Preparation for next week, Reformation Sunday

The theme for the Reformation Sunday is Freedom in Christ. Over the course of centuries, the institutionalized church led by the Bishop of Rome, the Pope, had become extremely corrupt. The Gospel had been obscured, and, in its place, a system of works-righteousness, treasuries of merits of the saints, and the buying and selling of indulgence had arisen.

God used an Augustinian monk, Martin Luther, to reform His Church. Luther searched the Scriptures, and found in them liberty, rooted in the three-fold office of Christ (Prophet, Priest, and King.)

Christ is our Priest, our Mediator, who justifies us by His blood. He is our Prophet, who reveals to us the Gospel, which is the ‘power of God unto salvation for everyone who believes’ (Rom 1:16). Christ is our King, whom we follow by the clear and simple meaning of His Word

By His death, Christ has set us free from the bondage of sin, death, and the devil. Through Luther and other Reformers, he has set us free from the tyranny of Popes and Councils. We have Freedom in Christ, indeed!

Monday, 22 October 2018—Psalm 34:1–2, 11, 22; Antiphon, Psalm 119:46—The Antiphon for next Sunday’s Introit proclaims, I will speak of Your statutes before Kings O Lord, and shall not be put to shame.This verse also serves as the inscription for the Augsburg Confession, one of the documents in the Lutheran Book of Concord.We need fear no earthly kings or powers when we make confession of our faith, for we have been set free from fear by the Gospel. Let us make bold our proclamation of confidence in the Lord, who redeems the life of His servants. For this, we bless the Lord at all times.

Tuesday, 23 October 2018—Psalm 46—This psalm of David expresses complete confidence in God, no matter the circumstance. It depicts scenes of turmoil: natural disasters (vv. 2, 3), political persecution (v. 6a), and even the end of days (v. 6b). The one who trusts in God can withstand such troubles, and be still and quiet, for God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

Wednesday, 23 October 2018—Revelation 14:6–7—This first angel of John’s vision has often been interpreted by Lutheran commentators as Martin Luther, because of his clear proclamation of the eternal gospel to…those who dwell on earth. Certainly God worked through this man, as He works through others, to bring His message of freedom in Christ to every nation and tribe and language and people.

Thursday, 24 October 2018—Romans 3:19–28—Theologians use a Latin phrase that describes our relationship with God’s Holy Law: Lex semper accusat, that is, ‘the Law always accuses’. This is because none of us sinful humans can obey God’s Law perfectly. Both our original sin and our actual sin condemn us. But there is a righteousness before God apart from the Law and apart from ourselves and anything we do. This righteousness is the righteousness of Christ, which is imputed to us through faith in the propitiating death of Christ on our behalf. Because of Christ’s fulfillment of the Law, and His blood which He shed for us, God declares us ‘not guilty’

Friday, 25 October 2018—John 8:31–36—Sunday’s Gospel speaks of the freedom we find in the Truth of Jesus Christ. All of us were born into slavery—the slavery of sin. But Christ has set us free from our bondage by His atoning sacrifice. The One who declares, I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life tells us here that the Truth shall set us free. The Truth has set us free: the Truth which embodied in Christ Jesus and the Truth which He declares to us in His Word. We are free, indeed!

Saturday, 26 October 2018—Sunday’s hymn of the day, A Mighty Fortress Is Our God (LSB656) is Luther’s great battle hymn of the Reformation. Based on the Psalm of the day, Psalm 46, it reflects complete confidence in God, even when faced by a host of devils and the earthly adversities they bring. They can harm us none, for they have been felled—defeated—by one little Word, the Word made flesh, Jesus Christ our Savior.

Collect for Reformation: Almighty God, gracious Lord, pour out Your Holy Spirit on Your faithful people. Keep them steadfast in Your grace and truth, protect and comfort them in all temptations, defend them against all enemies of Your Word, and bestow on the Church Your saving peace;  

Prayer for defending the Church from error: Almighty and everlasting God, You would have all to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. By Your almighty power and unsearchable wisdom break and hinder all the counsels of those who hate Your Word and who, by corrupt teaching, would destroy it. Enlighten them with the knowledge of Your glory that they may know the riches of Your heavenly grace and, in peace and righteousness, serve You, the only true God; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Explanation from Luther’s Works, American Edition, vol. 49, pp. 358-359.

Prayer fromLutheran Service Book © 2006 Concordia Publishing House.

Time in the Word - Pentecost 23 - Proper 25

 Time in the Word

Pentecost 23 - Proper 25

October 17-22, 2016

In Humble Repentance, Faith Lives by Grace and Mercy and Is Exalted by God in Christ.

Collect for the Twenty-third Sunday after Pentecost: Almighty and everlasting God, You are always more ready to hear than we to pray and always ready to give more than we either desire or deserve. Pour down on us the abundance of Your mercy; forgive us those things of which our conscience is afraid; and give us those good things for which we are not worthy to ask except by the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Collect for the Feast of St Luke, the holy Evangelist (18 October): Almighty God, our Father, Your blessed Son called Luke the physician to be an evangelist and physician of the soul. Grant that the healing medicine of the Gospel and the Sacraments may put to flight the diseases of our souls that with willing hearts we may ever love and serve You; 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 humility: O God, You resist the proud and give grace to the humble. Grant us true humility after the likeness of Your only Son that we may never be arrogant and prideful and thus provoke Your wrath but in all lowliness be made partakers of the gifts of Your grace; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Prayer for the blessedness of heaven: Almighty, everlasting God, You gave Your only Son to be a High Priest of good things to come. Grant unto us, Your unworthy servants, to have our share in the company of the blessed for all eternity; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen. 

Prayer for Proper 25 Almighty and everlasting Good, You are always more ready to hear than we are to pray and always read to give more than we either desire or deserve. Pour down on us the abundance of Your mercy; forgiving us those things of which our conscience is afraid; and give us those good things for which we are not worthy to ask except by the merits of Jesus Christ Your Lord. 

Jesus tells a parable “to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous” (Luke 18:9). In this parable the Pharisee unjustly boasted before God on the basis of his own merits, whereas the tax collector intently prayed, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner!” (Luke 18:13). That poor miserable sinner trusted Christ, and he went “down to his house justified, rather than the other” (Luke 18:14). So do little children, “even infants,” come to Jesus with their need, and they “receive the kingdom of God” through faith (Luke 18:15–17). For “the one who humbles himself will be exalted,” but “everyone who exalts himself will be humbled” (Luke 18:14). That is why “the Lord had regard for Abel and his offering, but for Cain and his offering He had no regard” (Gen 4:3–4). St. Paul’s life, “poured out as a drink offering,” was another sacrifice like Abel’s (2 Tim 4:6). The Lord stood by Paul and strengthened him, that “the message might be fully proclaimed” (2 Tim 4:17). It is by that Gospel message of Christ that we “have loved His appearing” and as repentant sinners pray to “the Lord, the righteous judge” by faith (2 Tim 6:8).

Monday, 17 October 2016—Psalm 56:10–13; antiphon, Psalm 56:3—In whom shall we place our trust? The Introit tells us, in God . . . in the LORD. The word ‘LORD’ is in all capitals in your Bible because it reflects the covenant name of God, Yahweh. The LORD is the One who keeps His covenants, keeps His promises. After man sinned, He promised to send a Savior (Gen 3:15), and kept that promise by sending His Son, our Lord, Jesus Christ, into the world to atone for sin. He has delivered my soul from death . . . that I may walk before God in the light of life.

Tuesday, 18 October 2016—Psalm 5—Psalm 5 may also be from the time of Absalom’s rebellion when David’s enemies spread vicious lies to discredit him. The first half of the psalm declares that the godly have access to the LORD in prayer, but the wicked are excluded from his presence. How is it that we are reckoned godly in the sight of the Lord? By trusting in His promises, especially the promise of redemption through Christ Jesus. The second half of the psalm contrasts the lying tongues of the wicked with the praising tongues of God’s people.

Wednesday, 19 October 2016—Genesis 4:1–15—The Lord accepted Abel’s sacrifice, but rejected Cain’s. Why? Was it because Abel offered up an animal sacrifice, whilst Cain offered grain? No, for that would indicate salvation by some sort of law of good works. Rather, God saw the intent and condition of each man’s heart. Hebrews 11: 4 tells us, “By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts.” God accepts us solely on the basis of faith, not our works.

Thursday, 20 October 2016—2 Timothy 4:6–8, 16–18—The reading from St Paul’s second letter to Timothy fits in well with the other readings. Paul confidently asserts that he will receive the crown of righteousness on the Day of Judgement. Why? Because of his great works in laboring for the cause of the Gospel? By no means! Paul asserts, I have kept the faith. But even this is not of his own doing, for he goes on to say, the Lord stood by me and strengthened me.

We who have faith in the Lord’s promises can also say, with Paul, the Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom. To him be the glory forever and ever.

Friday, 21 October 2016—Luke 18:9–17—The Pharisee placed the hope of his salvation in himself and his good works, confidently declaring to the Lord, the righteous Judge of the universe, God, I thank you that I am not like other men, an extortionist, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get. But our works can never save us. They fall far short of God’s standard of perfect holiness (Lev 19:2; James 2:10). We must humble ourselves before the Lord, as did the publican, and cry out, God, be merciful to me, a sinner, as we do in the Kyrie. The Lord hears the prayers of those who trust in Him and humble themselves before Him. Like the tax collector, we go home from the Divine Service justified, having received the full forgiveness of all our sins.

Saturday, 22 October 2016—Sunday’s Hymn of the Day is In God, My Faithful God (LSB #745). Where shall we turn, where shall we place our trust in the face of adversity, whether physical or spiritual? In God, my faithful God. Because we know that God has redeemed us from all sins, from death, and from the power of the devil by the blessed death of His Son, our Savior Jesus Christ, we can confidently face all adversity, and proclaim, Dear Lord, we all adore You, we sing for joy before You.

Prayers from Lutheran Service Book © 2006 Concordia Publishing House.

Woodcut by Baron Julius Schnoor von Carolsfeld, 1794-1872, a distinguished German artist known especially for his book, Das Buch der Bücher in Bilden [The Book of Books in Pictures]) ©WELS.