Proper 17 - Series A notes

Proper 17

3 September 2023

 Series A

Jeremiah 15:15–21

Romans 12:9–21

Matthew 16:21–28

The Glory of God Is the Passion and Cross of Christ Jesus

After Peter confessed that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, our Lord, “began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.” (Matthew 16:21). Upon hearing this “theology of the cross,” Simon Peter stumbled into a satanic “theology of glory.” But the glory of God is revealed in the Passion and cross of His incarnate Son.

The faithful prophets, such as Jeremiah, suffered persecution and rejection in anticipation of Jesus’ cross. Yet the Lord did not abandon them; He remembered them, and He was with them to deliver them (Jeremiah 15:15–20). By His cross Jesus has redeemed the world, and in His resurrection He has vindicated all who trust in Him. Thus, the Christian life is a discipleship of self-sacrificing love. Since Christ Jesus has reconciled us to God, we “live peaceably with all” (Romans 12:18). By the certainty of His cross and resurrection, we “rejoice in hope,” and we are “patient in tribulation” and “constant in prayer” (Romans 12:12).

Not mere prescriptions which would be Law.

We are marked in baptism any suffering we endure will be vindicated by the Lord.

We share Christ to the world.

Consider Peter's confession from last Sunday's Gospel compared to today...

BEFORE	AFTER
From God	From Satan
Rock	Stumbling block
Confession	Denial
God’s will	Man’s will
Faith	Lack of faith
Jesus on God’s terms	Jesus on man’s terms
“Follow Me”	“Get behind Me!”
Mind of God	Mind of man

He Must
Re. Dr. Daniel J Brege

From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.(Matthew 16:21)

There was no option.  It was absolutely necessary.  He had to do it.  This is what Jesus set forth when He declared that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things…and be killed, and on the third day be raised (16:21). Simply put, there was no other way to create and bring salvation to mankind.

This is likely also the reason why, immediately before stating this necessary goal, the Lord Jesus would warn the Apostles to tell no one that He was the Christ.  For when we proclaim Jesus to be the Christ, we must realize this is the work of the Christ, this is the reason the Son of God became flesh—to die our death and to rise from the dead.  The Apostles up to this point did not understand what it meant for Jesus to be the Christ. The Apostle Peter, often the representative of the Apostles, shows this failure to recognize the necessity of Jesus’ death and resurrection: And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.”   (v 22).  The necessity of Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection is further sharpened by His rebuke of Peter:  Get behind me Satan! (v 23).  It is satanic to believe that the Christ had a goal other than to die and rise again!

The Christ did not come to be a great military deliverer or the ultimate social reformer, nor did He come to be a “bread king” by miraculously providing a continual flow of earthly food, healings and exorcisms. Though Jesus did indeed perform such miracles—thus identifying His person as the Son of God and demonstrating His loving mercy—yet He would not continue walking this earth for this purpose.  His purpose and calling was infinitely higher.  He came to bring man back into God’s presence, to ultimately make all things new and take away all hunger, sickness, satanic influence and death—forever.  To accomplish this He had to take away the root of all evil: He had to bear our sins in His body on the cross.  Then He had to rise from the dead to prove that His crucifixion was the valid payment for sin and that He was guaranteeing righteousness as a gift, ultimately creating the resurrection of the righteous.

We mentioned last week that believing Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, is the foundational creed.  Now the creed expands, for to believe Jesus is the Christ it is necessary to believe that He must die and rise again, and that He would do this for mankind’s eternal salvation.   As the church would advance with the proclamation of the Gospel, this would be the foundational message.  Consider a couple of excerpts from the book of Acts, identifying the foundational message of Christ’s necessary death and resurrection: …this Jesus…you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. God raised him up… (2:23,24).  …and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. (3:15).  Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by him this man is standing before you well. (4:10).   The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging him on a tree. (5:30).

Christ’s saving death and resurrection are the central proclamation and thus the heart of the Christian’s faith and hope.  Baptism, always part of the Gospel proclamation, uniquely unites us with Jesus death and resurrection (Rom 6:3ff; Col 2:12). Consider the Apostle Paul’s encouragement:  But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. (1 Thess 4:13-14).  Indeed, as a result of faith in Jesus’ death and resurrection not only do we realize that we shall awaken from the sleep of death, but we are also comforted when loved ones fall asleep with this faith.

See John Pless article "Liturgy after the Liturgy" in Logia

This is what you are given to do. The focus must be on Christ to avoid going back to the Law. This is the death we experience in baptism. Anything else is simply  fascination with self. 

We live in humility and faith before God as well as in love for our neighbor. It is the Gospel which drives us.

NB watch the verbs used in preaching. Instead of this is what you need to do, this is who you are. This is how you now look. 

The new man still needs guidance. Thus the 3rd use of the law.

Good works are always ambiguous but not arbitrary.

1. This is shown by “serving the Lord.” V. 11

A. Rejoice in hope. ἐλπίδι

1. Rejoice with patient perseverance with those who rejoice. V. 15a

2. Weep with those who weep. V. 15b

B. Be patient in tribulation.

1. “Bless those who persecute you.” V. 14a

2. “Bless and do not curse them.” V. 14b

C. Be constant in prayer.

1. ​Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. V. 17

2.​If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. V. 18

2. In the reverent fear of God. We do no harm to our neighbor.

A. “Let love ἀγάπη be genuine. V. 9 This love. Typically refers to divine love. What God prefers. A description of who we are in Christ not perscription.

1. This love. Abhors. Detests. Hates. ἀποστυγοῦντες What is evil.

2. This love. Holds fast to what is good.

B. Love φιλαδελφίᾳ one another. V.10

1. With brotherly affection. Give preference. “For you have been taught by God how to love one another.” This love. Is self evident. Constant. It simply exists.

                            2. Outdo one another in showing honor.

Time in the Word - Proper 17

The Glory of God is the Passion and Cross of Christ Jesus

After St. Peter confessed that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, our Lord “began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised” (Matthew 16:21). Upon hearing this “theology of the Cross,” Simon Peter stumbled into a satanic “theology of glory.” But the glory of God is revealed in the Passion and Cross of His incarnate Son. The faithful prophets, such as Jeremiah, suffered persecution and rejection in anticipation of Jesus’ Cross. Yet the Lord did not abandon them; He remembered them, and He was with them to deliver them (Jeremiah 15:15–20). By His Cross Jesus has redeemed the world, and in His Resurrection He has vindicated all who trust in Him. Thus the Christian life is a discipleship of self-sacrificing love. Since Christ Jesus has reconciled us to God, we “live peaceably with all” (Romans 12:18). By the certainty of His Cross and Resurrection, we “rejoice in hope,” and we are “patient in tribulation” and “constant in prayer” (Romans 12:12).

Time in the Word
28 August – September 2, 2023
Proper 17

Monday, 28 August 2023—Psalm 37:5–7; Antiphon, Psalm 37:4—Those who trust in the Lord and in His promises may sometimes be frustrated and tempted to question the goodness and righteousness of God when they suffer trials, tribulations, and afflictions in this life. David exhorts us here to ‘trust in the Lord . . . delight in the Lord . . . commit your way to the Lord . . . be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him.’ We Christians should remind ourselves that the Lord has demonstrated His goodness and righteousness in many ways, but especially by sending His only-begotten Son to be our Savior. Through Christ, He has already ‘brought forth our righteousness and . . . justice.’ He has given us ‘the desires of our heart’ in the person of our Savior, Jesus, and will, at the Last Day, deliver us out of this vale of tears and take us to himself in heaven.

Tuesday, 29 August 2023—Psalm 26—The psalmist, David, asks the Lord to vindicate him—clear his name—of false accusations. For what reason? Because David has ‘trusted in the Lord without wavering’—he belongs to the Lord by faith. Though Christ has died to forgive every one of our sins, the devil will try to throw our transgressions in our face, and make us despair of salvation. In such situations, we must call upon the Lord to vindicate us—not because we are without sin, but because Christ has redeemed us from sin and its eternal consequence and, by faith, we belong to Him. ‘There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.’ (Rom 8:1)

Wednesday, 30 August 2023—Jeremiah 15:15–21—Jeremiah calls upon the Lord to deliver him from the assaults and slander of his enemies. On what basis—his own righteousness? No; like David in the psalm for Sunday (above), Jeremiah pleads on the basis of his trust in the Lord: ‘I am called by your name, O Lord, God of hosts.’ We can call upon the Lord in our times of trouble for the same reason: we belong to Him. Though the proclamation and preaching of His Word, and through the holy Sacraments, God makes us His own and delivers us from the tyranny of sin.

Thursday, 31 August 2023—Romans 12:9–21—St Paul has spent much of his letter to the Romans showing how we are saved by grace alone through faith alone. But faith always manifests itself in love, especially toward our neighbor.

Here, Paul illustrates what Christian love, borne of faith, looks like. This is a description of the Christian—not in order to earn our salvation, but because our salvation has been earned for us by Christ.

Friday, 1 September 2023—Matthew 16:21–28—In Sunday’s Gospel account, Jesus tells the disciples very clearly what must become of Him: ‘suffer many things . . . be killed, and on the third day be raised.’ This is the plan of God for our salvation, which is why Jesus speaks so harshly to Peter when he contradicts Him. The theology of the cross—that salvation entails suffering—is difficult for the natural man to accept. This is why so many Christians in our world are theologians of glory—looking away from the cross and focusing on temporal blessings, rather than seeing the blessings we have by the cross and by suffering.

Jesus begins to show His disciples what He must endure to win salvation. ”From that time on Jesus began to explain to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things.”(v.21) Suffering is a part of the Christian life. What is the sacrifice God demands?

1.       Consider Christ’s sacrifice.

A.      Denied self.

B.      Took up the cross.

C.      Followed the will of the Father.

2.       Consider the Christian, a little Christ.

A.      Deny self.

B.      Take upon yourself your own suffering.

C.      Follow Christ.

3.       Consider the stakes in terms of winners and losers.

A.      Losers – Gains the world, loses his soul.

B.      Winners –loses life for Christ’s sake and finds his life.

Saturday, 2 September 2023—The hymn of the day, Hail, Thou Once Despised Jesus (LSB #531), connects the suffering of Jesus with our salvation and shows that the glory of God is revealed in the suffering and death of His Son. ‘Worship, honor, power, and blessing / Thou art worthy to receive’ because ‘Thou didst suffer to release us…Thou universal Savior, Bearer of our sin and shame.’

Almighty God, Your Son willingly endured the agony and shame of the cross for our redemption. Grant us courage to take up our cross daily and follow Him wherever He leads; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Prayer for patience: O God, by the patient endurance of Your only-begotten Son You beat down the pride of the old enemy. Help us to treasure rightly in our hearts what our Lord has borne for our sakes that, after His example, we may bear with patience those things that are adverse to us;

Prayer in times of affliction and distress: Almighty and most merciful God, in this earthly life we endure sufferings and death before we enter into eternal glory. Grant us grace at all times to subject ourselves to Your holy will and to continue steadfast in the true faith to the end of our lives that we may know the peace and joy of the blessed hope of the resurrection of the dead and of the glory of the world to come;

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;

Lectionary summary on front page from LCMS Commission on Worship

Woodcut by Julius Schnoor von Carolsfeld, © WELS

Prayers from Lutheran Service Book © 2006Concordia Publishing House

Proper 17 Series C

Proverbs 25:2–10

Hebrews 13:1–17

Luke 14:1–14

We Are Humbled and Exalted by the Cross of Christ

O Lord of grace and majesty, teach us by Your Holy Spirit to follow the example of Your Son in true humility, that we may withstand the temptations of the devil and with pure hearts and minds avoid ungodly pride; 

“Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled,” Jesus proclaims, but “he who humbles himself will be exalted” (Luke 14:11). For your hope is in the name of the Lord, who humbled Himself unto death on the cross and was exalted in His resurrection. So are you humbled by His cross, and “at the resurrection of the just,” He will say to you, “Friend, move up higher” (Luke 14:10; 13–14). 

By His grace, the King will honor you “in the presence of a noble,” where your eyes will gaze upon the Prince, His dearly beloved Son.” (Proverbs 25:7). 

As He has dealt so graciously with you, “do not neglect to do good and to share what you have” (Heb. 13:16) and “do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers” (Hebrews 13:2). Humble yourself and exalt your neighbor.

Humbled Then Exalted
Rev. Dr. Daniel J. Brege

Consider the following somewhat theoretical discussion.  In Sunday’s Gospel Jesus declared, “…he who humbles himself will be exalted.”  Reflecting on the entirety of Holy Writ, one can conclude this to be an axiom of God’s kingdom.  It is repeated in similar wording in verses such as 1 Peter 5:6: “Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you.”  And again from the mouth of our Lord in Luke 18:14b: “…the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

This axiom is apparently foundational behavior even for God!  Strange as it may sound, our God, the Triune God who is the Lord of heaven and earth “naturally” humbles Himself.  This condescension, we believe, is axiomatic concerning His relationship to His creation—even outside man’s fall into sin.  Psalm 113:5,6 nicely summarizes this reality: “Who is like the LORD our God, Who is enthroned on high, Who humbles Himself to behold The things that are in heaven and in the earth?” (NASB).  Yes, to behold the lofty fabric of the heavens, their Creator must stoop and humble himself.  Thus also the Lord of the universe humbled himself to behold the things in the earth, personally forming the various animals and uniquely humbling himself to “form,” “breathe into” and “build” the first man and woman. Such humbling is a loving condescension, making Himself approachable, appearing to be something less than infinite. Personally encountering this humbled God, sinless man would have exalted Him by glorifying Him in word and deed. Some conjecture that God would have become a man even if humanity had not sinned! And after the original sin, God—apparently in human form—humbled himself to “walk in the garden in the cool of the day,” which one could recognize as His “normal” humble behavior.

Because God thus humbles Himself, It should come as no surprise that God would actually become a man!  Though becoming man is in itself not equal to entering the State of Humiliation, yet, we believe, simply becoming man would have been an act of humbling Himself to behold the things that are in heaven and in the earth.  But the Son of God did not just become man. By becoming man the Son of God could and did—for our salvation—enter the State of Humiliation, thus enabling Him as a man to cease fully using His divine powers.  In this State of Humiliation Christ could really suffer and die in our place.  St. Paul thus wrote to the Philippians (2:6,8):  “[Christ,] Who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,…And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death—even death on a cross.” Recall now the axiom:  “He who humbles himself will be exalted.”  For us the Lord Jesus as a man humbled Himself to the point of death on a cross. For us He would then begin His State of Exaltation by being exalted in His resurrection.  Thus to the baptized—those connected to Him—He gives the gifts of salvation accomplished by His being humbled and then exalted.

Relate all of this now to worship. Are not acts of humiliation and exaltation foundational acts of worship—on God’s part and on our part?  Does not God in worship still come to us in humility—through the mouth of a sinful pastor and through the humble water, bread and wine— that we may “exalt Him” by glorifying Him in our Pneumatic petitions, offerings and praises?  And concerning our own humiliation and exaltation in worship, do we not gather in humility—with contrite hearts—that God the Spirit may exalt us by forgiving and strengthening our faith in Jesus through Word and Sacrament?  Indeed, he who humbles himself will be exalted.

Healing of a Man on the Sabbath

Luke 14.1-14

Luke 14.1

Καὶ ἐγένετο ἐν τῷ ἐλθεῖν αὐτὸν εἰς οἶκόν τινος τῶν ἀρχόντων τῶν Φαρισαίων σαββάτῳ φαγεῖν ἄρτον καὶ αὐτοὶ ἦσαν παρατηρούμενοι αὐτόν.

One Sabbath, when he went to dine at the house of a ruler of the Pharisees, they were watching him carefully.

:1 - they are watching because it was the Sabbath. 6:1, 13:10ff

Luke 14.2

καὶ ἰδοὺ ἄνθρωπός τις ἦν ὑδρωπικὸς ἔμπροσθεν αὐτοῦ.

 And behold, there was a man before him who had dropsy.

:2 - right then, in time and space, right there, right here, right now. A man with dropsy (edema) was in front of him.

Luke 14.3

καὶ ἀποκριθεὶς ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν πρὸς τοὺς νομικοὺς καὶ Φαρισαίους λέγων• Ἔξεστιν τῷ σαββάτῳ θεραπεῦσαι ἢ οὔ; 

And Jesus responded to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath, or not?” 

:3 - Jesus addresses the teachers of the Law and the experts, "is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath or not?"  Is this a set up? If so, whom?

Luke 14.4

οἱ δὲ ἡσύχασαν. καὶ ἐπιλαβόμενος ἰάσατο αὐτὸν καὶ ἀπέλυσεν.

But they remained silent. Then he took him and healed him and sent him away.

:4 - Silence is their answer. Taking hold of him He healed him and sent him away. The answer is Jesus. He heals on the Sabbath as the Lord of the Sabbath. 

Luke 14.5

αὶ πρὸς αὐτοὺς εἶπεν• Τίνος ὑμῶν υἱὸς ἢ βοῦς εἰς φρέαρ πεσεῖται, καὶ οὐκ εὐθέως ἀνασπάσει αὐτὸν ἐν ἡμέρᾳ τοῦ σαββάτου;

And he said to them, “Which of you, having a son[a] or an ox that has fallen into a well on a Sabbath day, will not immediately pull him out?”

:5 - which one of you, having a son or ox into a well falling will not immediately raise him up on the Sabbath. How many of the Pharisees would leave a son? He condemns them. They turned the Sabbath into a work and a law. Jesus was left in the well (grave) on a Sabbath. His father left him there. 

Luke 14.6

 καὶ οὐκ ἴσχυσαν ἀνταποκριθῆναι πρὸς ταῦτα.

And they could not reply to these things.

:6 - they were not able to speak back to Him concerning these things. They are not strong enough. They are still striving. They have not despaired of themselves. 

The Parable of the Wedding Feast

Luke 14.7

Ἔλεγεν δὲ πρὸς τοὺς κεκλημένους παραβολήν, ἐπέχων πῶς τὰς πρωτοκλισίας ἐξελέγοντο, λέγων πρὸς αὐτούς•

Now he told a parable to those who were invited, when he noticed how they chose the places of honor, saying to them,

:7 - noticing how they chose the first places he told them this parable.

Luke 14.8

Ὅταν κληθῇς ὑπό τινος εἰς γάμους, μὴ κατακλιθῇς εἰς τὴν πρωτοκλισίαν, μήποτε ἐντιμότερός σου ᾖ κεκλημένος ὑπ’ αὐτοῦ 

“When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in a place of honor, lest someone more distinguished than you be invited by him,

:8 - when someone invites you to a  wedding feast, don't sit in the place of honor in case someone with more honor is invited. 

Luke 14.9

καὶ ἐλθὼν ὁ σὲ καὶ αὐτὸν καλέσας ἐρεῖ σοι• Δὸς τούτῳ τόπον, καὶ τότε ἄρξῃ μετὰ αἰσχύνης τὸν ἔσχατον τόπον κατέχειν.

 and he who invited you both will come and say to you, ‘Give your place to this person,’ and then you will begin with shame to take the lowest place.

:9 - if so, the host who invited both of you will say to you give this place and you will begin to have shame.

Luke 14.10

ἀλλ’ ὅταν κληθῇς πορευθεὶς ἀνάπεσε εἰς τὸν ἔσχατον τόπον, ἵνα ὅταν ἔλθῃ ὁ κεκληκώς σε ἐρεῖ σοι• Φίλε, προσανάβηθι ἀνώτερον• τότε ἔσται σοι δόξα ἐνώπιον πάντων τῶν συνανακειμένων σοι. 

 But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when your host comes he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at table with you.

:10 - when you are invited, take the lowest place, in order that when the one who invited you will say, 'beloved, come up higher' then you will have honor among all the others. Remember it's about Jesus. Continuation from last Sunday. You are unworthy you are the least. He makes you first and greatest. 

Luke 14.11

ὅτι πᾶς ὁ ὑψῶν ἑαυτὸν ταπεινωθήσεται καὶ ὁ ταπεινῶν ἑαυτὸν ὑψωθήσεται. ὅτι πᾶς ὁ ὑψῶν ἑαυτὸν ταπεινωθήσεται καὶ ὁ ταπεινῶν ἑαυτὸν ὑψωθήσεται.

For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

The Parable of the Great Banquet

Luke 14.12

Ἔλεγεν δὲ καὶ τῷ κεκληκότι αὐτόν• Ὅταν ποιῇς ἄριστον ἢ δεῖπνον, μὴ φώνει τοὺς φίλους σου μηδὲ τοὺς ἀδελφούς σου μηδὲ τοὺς συγγενεῖς σου μηδὲ γείτονας πλουσίους, μήποτε καὶ αὐτοὶ [i]ἀντικαλέσωσίν σε καὶ γένηται ἀνταπόδομά σοι. 

He said also to the man who had invited him, “When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers[b] or your relatives or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return and you be repaid.

:12 -14 - this is what righteousness looks like. It must be about Christ. Being called up is all grace. It is Christ who exalts. 

Walther, "Faith is a synonym for Christ." 

Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled and all who are humbled will be exalted. There is only one who has entered through the narrow door only one who has been humbled - Christ. See Philippians 2, " Let This mind be among you..." 

Don't give a checklist... proclaim the humility and exaltation of Christ. 

Note: Now Jesus is host. Notice whom He invites. You will be blessed in the resurrection of the righteous. 

Luke 14.13

ἀλλ’ ὅταν δοχὴν ποιῇς, κάλει πτωχούς, ἀναπείρους, χωλούς, τυφλούς•

 But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, 

Luke 14.14

 καὶ μακάριος ἔσῃ, ὅτι οὐκ ἔχουσιν ἀνταποδοῦναί σοι, ἀνταποδοθήσεται γάρ σοι ἐν τῇ ἀναστάσει τῶν δικαίων.

and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.”

--------

What does it take to invite the lowly? 

It takes humility and grace.

1. Humility - To invite those who bring us no advantage.

2. Grace - To invite people because they are unworthy and cannot help us. 

Make no mistake. This is more than mere manners. Christ humbled Himself To the point of death. He bore your sin and took your misery to Himself. In exchange for your sin you receive the righteousness of God in Christ. If this is how the Savior deliberately choose to treat you how much more should we demonstrate the same hospitality to your neighbor.   

The Greek New Testament: SBL Edition. Copyright © 2010 by Society of Biblical Literature and Logos Bible Software

ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

Time in the Word - Proper 17

We Are Humbled and Exalted by the Cross of Christ

Collect for Proper 17: O Lord of grace and mercy, teach us by Your holy Spirit to follow the example of Your Son in true humility, that we may withstand the temptations of the devil and with pure hearts and minds avoid ungodly pride; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, One God, now and forever.

Collect for Pentecost 12: Almighty and everlasting God, always more ready to hear than we to pray and always ready to give more than we either desire or deserve, pour down un us the abundance of Your mercy, forgiving us the things of which our conscience is afraid and giving us the good things we are not worthy to ask but through the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord,

For the mission of the Church: Almighty God, You have called Your Church to witness that in Christ You have reconciled us to Yourself. Grant that by Your Holy Spirit we may proclaim the good news of Your salvation so that all who hear it may receive the gift of salvation; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

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.

For those outside the Church: Almighty and everlasting God, You desire not the death of a sinner but that all would repent and live. Hear our prayers for those outside the Church. Take away their iniquity, and turn them from their false gods to You, the living and true God. Gather them into Your holy Church to the glory of Your name; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

A Morning Collect: Faithful God, whose mercies are new to us every morning, we humbly pray that you would look upon us in mercy and renew us by Your Holy Spirit. Keep safe our going out and our coming in, and let Your blessing remain throughout this day. Preserve us in Your righteousness, and grant us a portion in that eternal life which is in Christ Jesus, our Lord.

“Everyone who exalts himself shall be humbled,” Jesus proclaims, but “he who humbles himself shall be exalted” (Luke 14:11). Your hope is in the name of the Lord, who humbled Himself unto death on the cross and was exalted in His resurrection. So are you humbled by His cross, and “at the resurrection of the righteous,” He will say to you, “Friend, move up higher” (Luke 14:10; 13–14). By His grace, the King will honor you “in the place of great men,” where your eyes will gaze upon the Prince, His dearly-beloved Son (Prov. 25:7). As He has dealt so graciously with you, “Do not neglect doing good and sharing” (Heb. 13:16), and “do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers” (Heb. 13:2). Humble yourself and exalt your neighbor.

Monday, 22 August 2022—Psalm 75:1–2, 6, 9; antiphon, Psalm 75:7—The readings for Sunday speak of being humble, and the Introit sets the tone by reminding us that we are not to judge people according to worldly standards; rather, It is God who executes judgment, putting down one and lifting up another.

Tuesday, 23 August 2022—Psalm 131—This psalm of David is the psalm of a humble man, one whose heart is not lifted up by himself and one whose eyes are not raised too high. Instead of relying on himself, David has calmed and quieted his soul with the knowledge of the LORD and that all our hope is in the LORD from this time forth and forevermore.

Wednesday, 24 August 2022—Proverbs 25:2–10—About 250 years after the death of Solomon, blessed by God as the wisest man ever to have lived, King Hezekiah’s men collected some of Solomon’s wise sayings from a larger collection. The first section used for Sunday’s Old Testament reading (vv. 2–7) relate to earthly kings. Whereas part of God’s glory is due to the fact that He is beyond our understanding, it is the glory of earthly kings to search out and discover. When he became king, Solomon humbly asked God for “an understanding mind to govern Your people, that I may discern between good and evil” (1 Kings 3:9). To search out justice and enlightenment is to a ruler’s glory.

The second portion of the reading (vv. 8–10) teaches us humility in relations with our neighbor. We are not to be hasty in pursuing litigation to elevate ourselves over our neighbor; he may thereby put us to shame. Neither should we engage in gossip, warns v. 9. Similar warnings are also given in Proverbs 11:13, 20:19, and, of course, the Eighth Commandment.

Thursday, 25 August 2022—Hebrews 13:1–17—How does a person’s humility manifest itself with regard to those around us? The writer to the Hebrews exhorts us to care for the needy: Let brotherly love continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers . . . remember those who are in prison . . . and those who are mistreated.

We ought always to bring to mind Christ’s example, who suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through his own blood. Furthermore, we ought to recall those heroes of the faith whom we heard about in the epistle readings a few weeks ago and imitate their faith. In the Church, we are to humble ourselves and obey our leaders and submit to them, for God has appointed them to keep watch over your souls.

Friday, 26 August 2022—Luke 14:1–14—Sunday’s Gospel speaks of Jesus healing a man on the Sabbath, but first challenging the puffed-up Pharisees to show Him why this would be wrong. They could give no answer.

Jesus then tells a parable which exhorts those puffed-up Pharisees—and us!-–to humble ourselves. One who has the mind of Christ will not seek to exalt himself over others, but will put himself in their service, as Christ did for us when he bore our sins to Calvary. When we bow in humble submission to the Lord, He shall exalt us. Indeed, He has already, by making us His children through the washing of Holy Baptism and giving us a seat at His heavenly banquet.

Saturday, 27 August 2022—The first stanza of the Sunday’s Hymn of the Day, Son of God, Eternal Savior (LSB #842), proclaims the salvation that Christ has won for us. It then beseeches the Lord to reign among us that here on earth, His will be done. Our example is Christ, who lived for others, our plea, then, is So may we for others live. The hymn beautifully proclaims in song the theme for the day: that we are humbled and exalted by the cross of Christ, and our lives reflect His humility.

Prayers from Lutheran Service Book © 2006 Concordia Publishing House
Face of Christ:

http://spiritlessons.com/Documents/Jesus_Pictures/Jesus_Christ_Pictures.htm

Proper 17 Series B

Series B Proper 17

Deuteronomy 4:1–2, 6–9

Ephesians 6:10–20

Mark 7:14–23

We Are Cleansed and Sustained by the Word of God

Wickedness and evil come “from within, out of the heart,” and that is what defiles a person (Mark 7:21–23). Hence, we cannot save ourselves, because we are sinful and unclean from the inside out. But as the Lord Jesus “declared all foods clean” (Mark 7:19), so He cleanses us by His Word, by the preaching of repentance and the forgiveness of sins. Therefore, “listen to the statutes and the rules” of the Lord, “and do them, that you may live” (Deuteronomy 4:1). For His Word is righteous, and to live according to it is “your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples” (Deuteronomy 4:6). Cling to His Word, and also teach it “to your children and your children’s children” (Deuteronomy 4:9). Put on this “armor of God” by hearing and heeding what He speaks to you, that you may “stand firm” in the evil day (Ephesians 6:11–13). Gird yourself with the righteousness of Christ, by faith in the “gospel of peace,” and take up “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,” by confessing Christ Jesus and “praying at all times in the Spirit.” (Ephesians 6:14–18).

Mark 7:14-23

O God, the source of all that is just and good, nourish in us every virture and bring to completion every good intent that we may grow in grace and bring forth the fruit of good works

Lord renew us each day with clean hearts. By Your Spirit, give us joyous words, generous spirits, and behaviors that reflect Your glory.

Jesus teaches that people are not defined by food or other things entering the body from the outside, but rather by their own evil inclinations and sinful behaviors. This teaching exposes the uselessness of our own excuse making and dismisses our claims that other people and things are to blame for our shortcomings and failures. However, Jesus does not merely condemn; He also sets free. Through His promises we are liberated from sin and reconciled to God.

Ritually impure food does not tough the heart and so cannot contaminate. All food is clean. Jesus' teaching will affect the future Christian mission. Simply put, Gentile will not need to observe Jewish dietary laws. The question of food laws caused much controversy in the 1st Century Church. See Acts 15:1-1-35; Romans 14:1-3, 1 Corinthians 8:7-13

What Defiles a Person

14

και προσκαλεσαμενος παλιν τον οχλον ελεγεν αυτοις ακουσατε μου παντες και συνετε

And he called the people to him again and said to them, “Hear me, all of you, and understand:

-all of you hear and understand. Even the disciples need instruction. The crow is getting smaller. See Mark 6:7; 15:34  common summoning.

15

ουδεν εστιν εξωθεν του ανθρωπου εισπορευομενον εις αυτον ο δυναται κοινωσαι αυτον αλλα τα εκ του ανθρωπου εκπορευομενα εστιν τα κοινουντα τον ανθρωπον  

There is nothing outside a person that by going into him can defile him, but the things that come out of a person are what defile him.”

-this verse interprets Vv. 1-13, nothing coming in will render a person as “common” what goes out is what defiles a person.

-a difference/distinction between ceremonial purity and Christ’s fulfillment both passive and active. Our standing before God is fulfilled in the one man CHRIST.

-NOTE most manuscripts eliminate the phrase, “He who has ears left him hear.”

17

και οτε εισηλθεν εις τον οικον απο του οχλου επηρωτων αυτον οι μαθηται αυτου την παραβολην

And when he had entered the house and left the people, his disciples asked him about the parable.

-“parable,” a reference to the form of Jesus teaching.

18

και λεγει αυτοις ουτως και υμεις ασυνετοι εστε ου νοειτε οτι παν το εξωθεν εισπορευομενον εις τον ανθρωπον ου δυναται αυτον κοινωσαι

And he said to them, “Then are you also without understanding? Do you not see that whatever goes into a person from outside cannot defile him,

19

οτι ουκ εισπορευεται αυτου εις την καρδιαν αλλ εις την κοιλιαν και εις τον αφεδρωνα εκπορευεται καθαριζων παντα τα βρωματα

since it enters not his heart but his stomach, and is expelled?” (Thus he declared all foods clean.)

--By this teaching Jesus declares (cleans and makes) all food good. He directs His words to the condition of the heart. Instead of doing more to be good we need a new heart. To lord over another because of their piety is hypocrisy. “I desire mercy not sacrifice” meaning not empty sacrifice.    

20

ελεγεν δε οτι το εκ του ανθρωπου εκπορευομενον εκεινο κοινοι τον ανθρωπον

And he said, “What comes out of a person is what defiles him.

-what comes out of a man is what defiles and defines a man.

Vv. 21-22 Beginning with sexual immorality, 12 kinds of evil thoughts and actions are combined in a dreadful list of vices.  The first six are in the plural form an describe behaviors. The last six are in the singular and have more to do with attitudes. These 12 vices leave no doubt as to the wretched impurity of the human spirit.  See Ps. 51:5 on the human heart.

-from the heart a man proceeds these – evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, eveny, slander, pride, foolishness.

There can be an external righteousness. See the life of St. Paul before his conversion. He was essentially a “righteous one.” ‘set the bar so high no one can achieve it but low enough for yourself.’

21

εσωθεν γαρ εκ της καρδιας των ανθρωπων οι διαλογισμοι οι κακοι εκπορευονται πορνειαι κλοπαι φονοι

For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery,

22

μοιχειαι πλεονεξιαι πονηριαι δολος ασελγεια οφθαλμος πονηρος βλασφημια υπερηφανια αφροσυνη

coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness.

23

παντα ταυτα τα πονηρα εσωθεν εκπορευεται και κοινοι τον ανθρωπον

 All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.”

Sources:

Greek translation and English translations - https://biblia.com/books/tisch/Mk7.13

Time in the Word - Proper 17

Time in the Word

23-28 August 2021

Preparation for next week, Proper 17

The theme for this coming Sunday is Faith in Action. The Pharisees of Christ’s day adhered strictly to the dietary restrictions laid down by God in His Law. They even extended them. However, they believed that this strict outward fulfillment would save them. They gave little thought to the condition of their hearts, for even as they were outwardly pious in following the letter of the Law, inwardly, they were filthy with sin, hating Christ and His disciples and even hatching a plan to murder Him.

Jesus tells us that what matters is not the outward act, but the condition of one’s heart. Now this does not mean that we are free to act however we will. True faith will always manifest itself in doing good works, and a desire to adhere to the Word of God. People will be able to see that we have put our faith in action by our love for others.

As for the dietary laws of the Jews, we can be thankful that Christ has fulfilled the Law and has declared all foods clean. We are free to enjoy bacon cheeseburgers, pork chops, shrimp, and much more without guilty consciences.

Wickedness and evil come “from within, out of the heart,” and that is what defiles a person (Mark 7:21–23). Hence, we cannot save ourselves, because we are sinful and unclean from the inside out. But as the Lord Jesus “declared all foods clean” (Mark 7:19), so He cleanses us by His Word, by the preaching of repentance and the forgiveness of sins. Therefore, “listen to the statutes and the rules” of the Lord, “and do them, that you may live” (Deuteronomy 4:1). For His Word is righteous, and to live according to it is “your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples” (Deuteronomy 4:6). Cling to His Word, and also teach it “to your children and your children’s children” (Deuteronomy 4:9). Put on this “armor of God” by hearing and heeding what He speaks to you, that you may “stand firm” in the evil day (Ephesians 6:11–13). Gird yourself with the righteousness of Christ, by faith in the “gospel of peace,” and take up “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,” by confessing Christ Jesus and “praying at all times in the Spirit” (Ephesians 6:14–18).

Collect for Pentecost 15—Lord of power and might, Author and Giver of all good things, graft into our hearts the love of Your name, increase in us true religion, nourish us with all goodness, and bring forth in us the fruit of good works; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Prayer before confession and absolution: Almighty, everlasting God, for our many sins we justly deserve eternal condemnation. In Your mercy You sent Your dear Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, who won for us forgiveness of sins and everlasting salvation. Grant us a true confession that, dead to sin, we may be raised up by Your life-giving absolution. Grant us Your Holy Spirit that we may be ever watchful and live true and godly lives in Your service; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Prayer for teaching the faith: Almighty God, our heavenly Father, even as You have committed the care and nurture of children to Your people, graciously enlighten those who teach and those who are committed to their instruction that they may know Your eternal truth and trust in You all the days of their lives; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Prayer for steadfast faith: Almighty God, our heavenly Father, because of Your tender love toward us sinners You have given us Your Son that, believing in Him, we might have everlasting life. Continue to grant us Your Holy Spirit that we may remain steadfast in this faith to the end and finally come to life everlasting; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Prayer for aid against temptation: O God, You justify the ungodly and desire not the death of the sinner. Graciously assist us by Your heavenly aid and evermore shield us with Your protection, that no temptation may separate us from Your love in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Amen.

Prayer for spiritual renewal: Almighty God, grant that we, who have been redeemed from the old life of sin by our Baptism into the death and resurrection of Your Son, Jesus Christ, may be renewed by Your Holy Spirit to live in righteousness and true holiness; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Monday, 23 August 2021—Psalm 51:7, 10–12; Antiphon, Psalm 51:2—Sunday’s Introit is a portion of David’s penitential psalm, the one he wrote after being confronted with his sin with Bathsheba (2 Sam 11:1—12:14). David evinces true repentance: grief, shame, and contrition over his sin, but also faith and trust in God that he would be redeemed of all his iniquity. When we sing this as the Offertory, we make David’s plea our own: we ask for—and receive—a clean heart, a right spirit. We have been washed thoroughly from iniquity and cleansed from all sin by the atoning sacrifice of Christ.

Tuesday, 24 August 2021—Psalm 119:129–136—Psalm 119 is the longest psalm, and it extols the virtues of delighting in the Word of God. One who is righteous by faith has a great desire to live according to the precepts of God’s holy Word. The Word of God gives light and understanding; it keeps us from having our iniquity getting dominion over us. We the redeemed long to live by faith according to the Word; we shed tears because people do not keep God’s Law.

Wednesday, 25 August 2021—Deuteronomy 4:1–2, 6–9—As the Children of Israel were about to take possession of the land that the LORD, the God of your fathers, is giving them, Moses reminds them of all that the LORD had taught and commanded them. His advice is to them and to us, heirs through Christ of the spiritual Promised Land, the Kingdom of Heaven. We must be diligent to hear the Word of God and preserve it, making it known, not only among ourselves, but to our children and our children’s children.

Thursday, 26 August 2021—Ephesians 6:10–20—This last reading from St Paul’s letter to the Ephesians fit exceptionally well with Sunday’s other readings. Moses had given his instruction to the Israelites because he knew how easy it is for people to fall away from God. In times of both adversity and prosperity, people may be tempted to forsake the Lord. Attacks will come, for the devil hates God and all whom He loves. 

The Christian must gird himself for spiritual warfare with the weapons which God has provided: truth, righteousness, the Gospel, faith, salvation—with these, we are equipped for the assaults of the Evil One.

Friday, 27 August 2021—Mark 7:14–23—What defiles a person? Is it what goes into him? No. We are all defiled by sin. We have inherited our sinful nature from our first parents, and are inclined toward evil. Jesus gives a whole laundry list of wicked thoughts and actions which proceed out of our sinful hearts. We must ever be on guard, not only against the attacks of Satan, as in the epistle lesson, but even on the treachery of our own hearts. We must not depart from the Word of God, but read, hear, and learn it daily to know of both our salvation and of the will of God.

Saturday, 28 August 2021—Sunday’s hymn of the day, Be Strong in the Lord (LSB 665) exhorts us to make full use of the armor of God, that we may withstand the wiles of the devil and our sinful nature. Having been equipped by our Lord, we can be certain of the victory.

From Lutheran Service Book © 2006 Concordia Publishing House.

Go into all the world copyright © Ed Riojas Higher Things

Proper 17 Series A

Proper 17

30 August 2020

 Series A

Jeremiah 15:15–21

Romans 12:9–21

Matthew 16:21–28

The Glory of God Is the Passion and Cross of Christ Jesus

After Peter confessed that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, our Lord, “began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.” (Matthew 16:21). Upon hearing this “theology of the cross,” Simon Peter stumbled into a satanic “theology of glory.” But the glory of God is revealed in the Passion and cross of His incarnate Son.

The faithful prophets, such as Jeremiah, suffered persecution and rejection in anticipation of Jesus’ cross. Yet the Lord did not abandon them; He remembered them, and He was with them to deliver them (Jeremiah 15:15–20). By His cross Jesus has redeemed the world, and in His resurrection He has vindicated all who trust in Him. Thus, the Christian life is a discipleship of self-sacrificing love. Since Christ Jesus has reconciled us to God, we “live peaceably with all” (Romans 12:18). By the certainty of His cross and resurrection, we “rejoice in hope,” and we are “patient in tribulation” and “constant in prayer” (Romans 12:12).

Not mere prescriptions which would be Law.

We are marked in baptism any suffering we endure will be vindicated by the Lord.

We share Christ to the world.

See John Pless article "Liturgy after the Liturgy" in Logia

This is what you are given to do. The focus must be on Christ to avoid going back to the Law. This is the death we experience in baptism. Anything else is fascination with self. 

We live in humility and faith before God as well as in love for our neighbor. It is the Gospel which drives us.

 Consider the good and bad confession of Peter from last Sunday compared with today...

BEFORE	AFTER
From God	From Satan
Rock	Stumbling block
Confession	Denial
God’s will	Man’s will
Faith	Lack of faith
Jesus on God’s terms	Jesus on man’s terms
“Follow Me”	“Get behind Me!”
Mind of God	Mind of man

He Must
Re. Dr. Daniel J Brege

From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.(Matthew 16:21)

There was no option.  It was absolutely necessary.  He had to do it.  This is what Jesus set forth when He declared that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things…and be killed, and on the third day be raised (16:21). Simply put, there was no other way to create and bring salvation to mankind.

This is likely also the reason why, immediately before stating this necessary goal, the Lord Jesus would warn the Apostles to tell no one that He was the Christ.  For when we proclaim Jesus to be the Christ, we must realize this is the work of the Christ, this is the reason the Son of God became flesh—to die our death and to rise from the dead.  The Apostles up to this point did not understand what it meant for Jesus to be the Christ. The Apostle Peter, often the representative of the Apostles, shows this failure to recognize the necessity of Jesus’ death and resurrection: And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.”   (v 22).  The necessity of Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection is further sharpened by His rebuke of Peter:  Get behind me Satan! (v 23).  It is satanic to believe that the Christ had a goal other than to die and rise again!

The Christ did not come to be a great military deliverer or the ultimate social reformer, nor did He come to be a “bread king” by miraculously providing a continual flow of earthly food, healings and exorcisms. Though Jesus did indeed perform such miracles—thus identifying His person as the Son of God and demonstrating His loving mercy—yet He would not continue walking this earth for this purpose.  His purpose and calling was infinitely higher.  He came to bring man back into God’s presence, to ultimately make all things new and take away all hunger, sickness, satanic influence and death—forever.  To accomplish this He had to take away the root of all evil: He had to bear our sins in His body on the cross.  Then He had to rise from the dead to prove that His crucifixion was the valid payment for sin and that He was guaranteeing righteousness as a gift, ultimately creating the resurrection of the righteous.

We mentioned last week that believing Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, is the foundational creed.  Now the creed expands, for to believe Jesus is the Christ it is necessary to believe that He must die and rise again, and that He would do this for mankind’s eternal salvation.   As the church would advance with the proclamation of the Gospel, this would be the foundational message.  Consider a couple of excerpts from the book of Acts, identifying the foundational message of Christ’s necessary death and resurrection: …this Jesus…you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. God raised him up… (2:23,24).  …and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. (3:15).  Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by him this man is standing before you well. (4:10).   The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging him on a tree. (5:30).

Christ’s saving death and resurrection are the central proclamation and thus the heart of the Christian’s faith and hope.  Baptism, always part of the Gospel proclamation, uniquely unites us with Jesus death and resurrection (Rom 6:3ff; Col 2:12). Consider the Apostle Paul’s encouragement:  But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. (1 Thess 4:13-14).  Indeed, as a result of faith in Jesus’ death and resurrection not only do we realize that we shall awaken from the sleep of death, but we are also comforted when loved ones fall asleep with this faith.



NB watch the verbs used in preaching. Instead of this is what you need to do, this is who you are. This is how you now look. 

The new man still needs guidance. Thus the 3rd use of the law.

Good works are always ambiguous but not arbitrary.

1. This is shown by “serving the Lord.” V. 11

A. Rejoice in hope. ἐλπίδι

1. Rejoice with patient perseverance with those who rejoice. V. 15a

2. Weep with those who weep. V. 15b

B. Be patient in tribulation.

1. “Bless those who persecute you.” V. 14a

2. “Bless and do not curse them.” V. 14b

C. Be constant in prayer.

1. ​Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. V. 17

2.​If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. V. 18

2. In the reverent fear of God. We do no harm to our neighbor.

A. “Let love ἀγάπη be genuine. V. 9 This love. Typically refers to divine love. What God prefers. A description of who we are in Christ not perscription.

1. This love. Abhors. Detests. Hates. ἀποστυγοῦντες What is evil.

2. This love. Holds fast to what is good.

B. Love φιλαδελφίᾳ one another. V.10

1. With brotherly affection. Give preference. “For you have been taught by God how to love one another.” This love. Is self evident. Constant. It simply exists.

2. Outdo one another in showing honor.