Time in the Word - Pentecost 3 - Proper 7

The theme for the Third Sunday after Pentecost is The Creator and the Creature. The Introit sets the theme by recounting how the Lord delivered His people when they were at the mercy of the elements. They responded by thanking the Lord for His ‘steadfast love,’ that is, His mercy, His undeserved favor. When Job demanded to be able to question God and His actions, the Lord responded that He is the Creator of all things. No one was there to assist Him or tell Him how to do things. In the Gospel, Jesus, who created all things, stills a storm which terrified His disciples. Why? Because of His steadfast love, His mercy, His undeserved favor.

The Lord continues to shower His mercy upon us. The catechism’s definition of the Gospel is ‘what God has done for us in Christ and continues to do.’ Jesus died for we who were beset by sin, death, and the devil. But His steadfast love, His mercy, His undeserved favor, He continues to show to us daily.

Monday, 15 June 2009—Psalm 107:29–32; Antiphon, Psalm 107:28—This psalm recounts many of the things that the Lord has done for His people, and exhorts them to praise Him for them. In the section appointed for Sunday’s Introit, the Lord is given praise for manifesting His might by delivering His people from the storms of nature. This sets the theme for the day, where all the readings point to the authority of the Creator over His creation, and His continuing governance.

Tuesday, 16 June 2009—Psalm 124—This Song of Ascents, that pilgrims sang on their way up to Jerusalem, praises the Lord for His deliverance of His people from catastrophes of nature. Twice, it is sung, If the Lord had not been on our side…Those who sing the psalm recognize that their only hope of salvation is in the Lord. We echo this in the daily offices, such as Matins and Vespers, and when we confess our sins in the Divine Service, when we repeat verse eight: Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.

Wednesday, 17 June 2009—Job 38:1–11—At the end of the book of Job, God answers Job, who has demanded the opportunity to interrogate Him for the calamities which have befallen Job. God answers with an interrogation of His own: Who is Job to question the Creator of all things? The Lord, who laid the foundation of the earth and determined its measurements, who prescribed limits for the sea, knows what He is doing. How can the creature second-guess the Creator?

Thursday, 18 June 2009—2 Corinthians 6:1–13—In Sunday’s epistle reading, St Paul speaks of his experiences as Christ’s Ambassador of Reconciliation (2 Cor 5:20). He tells of these things not to boast, but because what people see in the messenger affects the credibility of the message. In verse 6, he speaks of the reason he was able to withstand these hardships and still bring forth the fruits of righteousness: it is solely the work of God, especially the Holy Spirit. God, the Creator of all things, is also able to create the New Man, who lives before God in righteousness and purity,

Friday, 19 June 2009—Mark 4:35–41—Terrified by a storm which came upon them quickly on the Sea of Galilee, the disciples were powerless to escape it or overcome it. Jesus, however, through whom all things were created (John 1:3), is able to calm the seas by the command of His voice. After all, He is God, who brought all things into existence by speaking, ‘Let there be…’ (Genesis 1)

Saturday, 20 June 2009—Sunday’s hymn of the day, Jesus, Savior, Pilot Me (LSB 715), uses the imagery of a stormy sea to represent the trials and tribulations which are part of our lives as long as we live in this fallen, sinful world. But Jesus is able to still those seas, as He did the Sea of Galilee, and bring comfort to us. True comfort can come only through Jesus, for He is our Salvation.

Collect for Pentecost 3—Almighty God, in Your mercy guide the course of this world so that Your Church may joyfully serve You in godly peace and quietness; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen

Prayers from Lutheran Service Book copyright 2006 by Concordia Publishing House

Schnorr vin Carolsfeld woodcuts copyright by WELS The permission to use these copyrighted items is limited to personal and congregational use.

June daily devotionals are written by Pr. Keffrey Keuning who serves the congregations of St. John Dexter and Zion in Casey, IA

Pentecost 2 - Proper 6 - Mark 4:26-34

Blessed Lord, since You have caused all Holy Scripture to be written for our learning, grant that we may so hear them, read, mark learn and inwardly digest them that we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of eternal life; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

When there is life there is growth. Even after physical growth stops, human beings need to keep on growing intellectually and in other ways. Growth is necessary to experience life at its fullest. Growth is always a feature of God’s kingdom and specifically of the Word of the kingdom. The parables in Mark 4, beginning with the parable of the sower, focus on God’s Word. The text points out that the Word of God Grows.

I. The Word grows gradually.
A. As the seed is sown.
1. Both pastors and lay Christians sow the seed of the Word.
2. The sowing goes on wherever God’s Word is proclaimed, preached, taught and shared. Gradual sowing is necessary for gradual growth.
B. As the plant develops.
1. We can prepare the ground and nurture the plant but the seed grows of itself, mysteriously.
2. We may sometimes get discouraged because the growth is so gradual, but growth there will be present. Therefore, we can relax and let the Word work according to its own schedule.

Transition: While learning to be patient with growth that is gradual, we must also face up to the fact that.

II. The Word grows inconspicuously.
A. The Word is as inconspicuous as a mustard seed in the beginning stages of its growth.
1. The great and the powerful in Christ’s day gave little notice to the Word growing in their midst.
2. Those who wield power and influence in the world today are indifferent for the most part to the growth of the Word.
B. So inconspicuous is the Word’s growth that we are often not aware of anything taking place.
1. The sinners with whom Christ associated and the disciples whom He called often gave little evidence of spiritual growth.
2. We cannot see faith, nor do we always see the various stages of growth. Conversions are not necessarily spectacular, nor do we always perceive growth in love and patience in ourselves and in others.

Transition: At the same time, there is evidence of rather impressive growth.

III. The Word grows impressively.
A. The Word that was sown in a little corner of the world has spread to many nations.
1. The Word has produced a great bush with large branches in which all sorts of people find refuge and rest.
2. The worldwide church attest to the growth power of the Word.
B. The Word will continue to grow until it produces a harvest.
1. We shall see this harvest on the Last Great Day.
2. Then there will be a great gathering of ripened grain, of redeemed souls, for the heavenly garner.
We need never discount the power of God’s Word. The Word of God grows gradually and inconspicuously, but also impressively.

The Future Perfect Storm

Jeff Abbott, Ph.D., J.D., an adjunct scholar with the Indiana Policy Review Foundation, who teaches in the education department at IPFW writes the following in the June 3, 2009 edition of the Decatur Daily Democrat.

If your family overspends its income this year by $628, and by $7,246 next year by $2,835 the third year, your family’s accumulated deficit will be $10,709 by the end of the third year. At the end of each year your family informs you that they just can’t suffer the pain of budget cuts. They ask you to borrow money to cover the deficits. Assuming you get an interest rate of seven percent, the $10,709 deficit will increase to $12,097 by the end of the third year.

If five zeroes are added to each of these samples deficits, they become $62,800,000 $724,600,000 and $283,500,000 – the amount of Indiana’s projected deficits for fiscal years 2009 through 2011 as set out in the state Web. site.

When the money needs to be repaid in 2012 where are we, the tax payers going to find the cash?

Stimulus monies can not last forever. That light we see at the end of the tunnel might be a train bearing down upon us. - Kyrie Eleison!

Trinity Sunday Sermon

Today we cap the festival half of the church year by celebrating Holy Trinity Sunday! We rejoice on this day because we are born of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. In short, we are born into the Trinity’s kingdom.
What does that really mean? Well, in essence what it means are two important facts or realities.

1. We are born once – born human.
A. Nicodemus: he was a flesh-born man who could hardly believe it. Because he was born a human that was the only reality that he knew, and with that he had only a limited knowledge. He could not understand God in earthly and human terms. How could he see things from God’s perspective. In short he could not. Nor can any man for that matter understand the things of God. God is God and we are human! We can not understand the things of God because they are foolishness to us (as humans) because spiritual things are spiritually appraised!

B. Humanity’s shared birth in the flesh – yours and mine. We’re all human. That is the one thing that binds us together as people. We are human. We are mortal. We are less then God. Jesus also has shared our nature.

He too, took on flesh and dwelt among us. As a human He was less then God. But because of His divine nature He is equal to God. Thus in Jesus Christ two natures come together - the human as well as the divine nature. That’s what Christmas is all about God becoming human, being one of us, one like us in every way except without sin.

2. We are born twice – born spiritually – born again by Water and the Spirit.
A. The miracle of the Spirit’s work in you: is your Baptism and all that it offers becomes the reality of this second birth. By nature we are blind, dead, and enemies of God. But by the power of the Holy Spirit we are made new creatures. The Spirit creates in us a living and vibrant faith so that we can know God and believe in Him.

B. The ground of the Spirit’s work: is the lifting up of the eternal Son on the cross for our salvation and life. Jesus gives us an example from the Old Testament. As a bronze serpent was lifted up on a pole and all who in faith looked upon that serpent were spared and lived so likewise the Son of Man Jesus Christ was lifted up to bring us salvation and life. When we look to Him in faith we too have the promise of life.

C. The author of the Spirit’s work: is God the Father, who sent His Son for your salvation and life. God so loved the world that He sent His only begotten Son. The Father loved you so much that He gave you His very best. He has only the best in store for you. He will give you none other then the very best. This is His intention for you that you might have all that He has. Thus He gives to us what we so desperately need; the forgiveness of all of our sins and the promise of life in His name.

He gives to us salvation and life so that we may know Him as Father ask Him as dear children ask their dear father.

This is the reality of what the festival of the Trinity means for you and for me. Because of the Trinity’s involvement in our life we have a Father who loves us, a Son who has died for us and a Spirit who draws us to Himself. Once you were in darkness now you have come to His marvelous light.

He gives us two lives the life that we live here and now and the life that we live eternally with Him forever. This is the reality of our life. We are born human and we have been born Christian. This is your lineage. This is who you really are. In Jesus’ Holy Name. Amen

Time in the Word Pentecost 2 - Proper 6

The theme for the Second Sunday after Pentecost is Growth of God’s Kingdom. The Introit sets the theme by proclaiming that the righteous (the one, holy, Christian, and apostolic Church) flourish and grow, not because of anything in them, but because they are planted in the house of the Lord.

In the Gospel reading, Jesus compares the Kingdom of God to a seed. It grows, even if we do not understand all the things at work which cause it to grow: the time of year, the temperature of the soil, the amount of moisture, the amount of daylight, contact with the soil, and so on. It is God who causes the seed to grow. Likewise, in the Church, it is God, not we, who gives it its growth. We plant the seed by proclaiming the Word of God, but it is the task of the Holy Spirit to establish and further the growth of the Church. Our responsibility is to make certain that the Word is taught in truth and purity, and that the Sacraments are administered rightly.

Monday, 8 June 2009—Psalm 92:12–15; Antiphon, Psalm 92:1—This ‘Psalm for the Sabbath’ is a hymn of praise, in which the psalmist gives thanks to the Lord for His steadfast love and faithfulness. He declares us righteous and makes us flourish like the palm tree and grow like a cedar in Lebanon. From ancient times, even until to-day, Lebanon has been known for its tall strong cedars: Cedars from Lebanon were used in constructing the temple, and the cedar appears on Lebanon’s flag. We who are planted in the house of the Lord are strong in the Lord like these trees of renown.

Tuesday, 9 June 2009—Psalm 1—Luther wrote that the psalter is the Bible in miniature. If so, then the opening six verses are the portal leading into a treasure-house of communion with God. Who is the one who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners…but his delight is in the law of the Lord and on His Law he meditates day in night? First, it is Christ. Secondly, it is all of us who have been incorporated into Christ—the holy Christian Church. The new man, created by Baptism, that comes forth daily and arises to live before God in righteousness and purity forever.

Wednesday, 10 June 2009—Ezekiel 17:22–24—Things looked bleak when Jerusalem fell and King Zedekiah died in exile (Ezekiel 17:11-21). Through the prophet Ezekiel, the Lord proclaims that He will take a sprig from the lofty top of the cedar and…I myself will plant it on a high and lofty mountain. This tender sprig will never be uprooted, for it is the promised Messiah, Jesus, who will be given the throne of His father David, and whose Messianic kingdom will be established forever.

Thursday, 11 June 2009—2 Corinthians 5:1–10—In Sunday’s epistle reading, St Paul looks forward to eternal life in heaven, when we shall live forever in our glorified bodies, no longer made frail by the ravages of sin. Paul has supreme confidence in what is to come, for his confidence rests, not in the whims of man, but in the surety of God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee. The Christian, who lives by faith in the promises of the Lord, rejoices at the thought of being at home with the Lord.

Friday, 12 June 2009—Mark 4:26–34—These parables serve as both warning and encouragement to us. We have a rôle to play in the furtherance of God’s kingdom on earth by sharing the Good News of the Gospel with those around us, but we must never think that the triumph of the Kingdom is our triumph, for it is the Lord and His Word alone which are effective. But neither should we despair if the growth of the Lord’s Kingdom seems somehow unspectacular in our eyes. He alone is the Lord of the harvest (Mark 9:38); thus, we never cease praying “Thy Kingdom come” with patience and confidence.

Saturday, 13 June 2009—Sunday’s hymn of the day, Creator Spirit, By Whose Aid (LSB 500), is an eighth-century written in praise of the Holy Spirit and the gifts He bestows on the Church.

Collect for Pentecost 2—Blessed Lord, since You have caused all Holy Scriptures to be written for our learning, grant that we may so hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them that we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

More riveting news from Decatur

More riveting news from Decatur...

300 volunteers showed up Friday morning to erect a United Pentecostal Church. A national organization "Build a Church in a Day" started construction early Friday and a 2,800-square-foot building will be ready for services Sunday morning. The 50 member parish was renting a storefront in Decatur. Now they have a place of their own.

On Sunday 2,000 bikers will descend on our little town for "the largest motorcycle rally in Decatur's history!" First congregating at Kmart on the south end of Ft. Wayne, where they will be welcomed by Ft. Wayne mayor Tom Henry and Decatur mayor John Schultz, the bikers will receive a police escort to Decatur and on to their destination: the downtown area. The procession is likely to be two to three miles long. ESPN television will be in the city to cover the stunt show and will set up operations in the city parking lot off Third Street west of the courthouse.

Police chief Ken Ketzler noted that due to the length of the procession, once an intersection is cleared of other traffic a delay will ensue until all the riders are through the intersection.

How's this for a busy day? Bellmont High School's graduation, the monthly first-Sunday-of-the-month flea market at the Riverside Center, a huge motorcycle rally, and a classic car show all going on at the same time.

The event is sponsored by ABATE an acronym for American Bikers Aiming Toward Education.

Time in the Word - Trinity Sunday

On Trinity Sunday, we make special note of the work of all three persons of the Trinity is procuring and assuring our salvation. A good supplemental reading to the readings for the day is to be found in St. Paul’s epistle to the Ephesians, verses 3–11 of the first chapter. Paul explains how the Father chose us in eternity and predestined us for salvation. The work of redemption was accomplished through the shedding of blood—the blood of the Son of God, who assumed flesh, that He might redeem us. The Holy Spirit has brought us the Word of truth, the Gospel of our salvation, that we might trust in the merits of Christ. Blessed be the Holy Trinity and the undivided Unity. Let us give glory to Him because He has shown his mercy to us. (from Sunday’s Introit)Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen. (Ephesians 3:20–21)

Monday, 1 June 2009—Psalm 16:8–11; Antiphon, Liturgical Text—The antiphon for Sunday’s Introit is an ancient liturgical text: Blessed be the Holy Trinity and the undivided Unity. Let us give glory to him because he has shown his mercy to us. The Triune God has first shown His mercy to us in providing for our salvation, and our response is to give glory to Him.

Tuesday, 2 June 2009—Psalm 29—This psalm is a hymn of praise to the Lord for all His mighty acts, but especially His mercy in blessing His people with peace. When created, man was in perfect harmony with God. But the Fall made us His enemies. We cannot restore peace with God; it is the work of the Holy Trinity alone: the Father, who conceived the plan of our salvation, the Son, who came to earth and died for our transgressions, and the Holy Spirit, who brings us into a right relationship with God through the Means of Grace, Word and Sacrament.

Wednesday, 3 June 2009—Isaiah 6:1–8—Isaiah received a vision of the Lord enthroned in His majesty and a call to be a prophet of God. Because he is a Son of Adam, and therefore a man of unclean lips, Isaiah is terrified to be in the Lord’s presence, for it spells doom to those under sin’s curse. But an angel sent by God absolves Isaiah of his sin with a burning coal, and Isaiah accepts the mantle of prophecy. We, like Isaiah, must acknowledge our sin and tremble before a holy God. But we must also trust in the absolution won by the Son of God and pronounced by His called and ordained servants.

Thursday, 4 June 2009—Acts 2:14a, 22–36—On the Day of Pentecost, Peter was given power by the Holy Spirit to preach the Word of God faithfully and authoritatively. He proclaims Christ crucified for the forgiveness of sins and the redemption of sinners, and tells his audience, men of Israel, how the Old Testament prophecies are fulfilled in Jesus of Nazareth, the promised Messiah. Here, he quotes Psalm 16, a portion of which serves as the Introit for Sunday.

Friday, 5 June 2009—John 3:1–17—Another man of Israel, Nicodemus, came to Jesus by night, probably because he feared his fellow Pharisees. He had seen the signs (miracles) that Jesus was able to do, and knew that such a one must have been sent by God. Jesus tells Nicodemus how to be born from above, in Holy Baptism, the washing of water with the Word of God. He also points to His own death, again in fulfillment of the Old Testament Scriptures. As God showed His love to a rebellious, yet repentant people in providing the bronze serpent in the wilderness (Numbers 21:4–9), so He shows His love by providing His Son, to take away a problem far worse than snake bites, which kill only the body: Jesus Christ, lifted up on the cross, takes away the sin of the world.

Saturday, 6 June 2009—Sunday’s hymn of the day, God Loved the World So That He Gave (LSB 571) is John 3:16 set to music. Herein is the sweet Gospel clearly proclaimed: Christ Jesus saves your soul from death; That is the firmest ground of faith. The final stanza rightly praises all three persons of the Trinity for their work in accomplishing our salvation.

Collect for Trinity Sunday—Almighty and everlasting God, You have given us grace to acknowledge the glory of the eternal Trinity by the confession of a true faith and to worship the Unity in the power of the Divine Majesty. Keep us steadfast in this faith and defend us from all adversities; for You, O Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, live and reign, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Time in the Word for June, 2009 is written by Pr. Jeffrey Keuning serving St. John Dexter, and Zion Casey, IA