Commemoration of JS Bach

Almighty God, beautiful in majesty and majestic in holiness, You have taught us in Holy Scripture to sing Your praises and have given to Your servant Johann Sebastian Bach grace to show forth Your glory in his music. Continue to grant this gift of inspiration to all Your servants who write and make music for Your people, that with joy we on earth may glimpse Your beauty and at length know the inexhaustible richness of Your  creation in Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives,and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. 

Proper 12

Proper 12

7.28.2013

Luke 11:1-13

No one would ever do this! When Jesus tells a story, it’s always given for a purpose, a divine purpose. Jesus knows His hearers/ He knows how they will react. He knows how they will behave. He knows what they are thinking before a thought enters their head. He knows your mind because He knows your heart.

Jesus tells a story that is contrary to fact. No one would ever do that! Your elderly neighbor is stranded in her driveway with a flat tire. She sees you retrieving your evening paper. You do not go back into the comfort of your home! Instead, you change her tire or at the very least, you call AAA. Retreat? Never! No one would ever do that!

Your neighbor calls at midnight. Company is coming. He needs three loaves. A friend has come from a long journey. There is nothing to set before him. “I say to you, though he will not rise and give him because he is a friend, yet because of his importunity (persistence) he will rise and give him as much as he needs.” V.8

“Trouble me not! The door is shut. My children are with me in bed. I cannot rise and give thee.” No one would ever do this!

With this story Jesus teaches His disciples He taught them to pray. Bette than John. In teaching, He showed them the face of the Father. “God would by these words tenderly invite us to believe that He is our Father and that we are His true children so that we may ask Him confidently with all assurance, as dear children ask their dear Father”.^[1]

Fathers, mothers, grandparents only want what is best for their children. If they ask for a loaf, do you give them a stone? If he asks for a fish, do you give him a serpent? If she asks for an egg, do you give her a scorpion?

Why do we fret? Because you only have one shot of being a good parent. If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him? V.13

Fathers, mothers, grandparents – evil? Yes! Evil! As sons of Adam and daughters of Eve, we have inherited an evil spirit that has rendered us terminal. The soul that sins it will die. Ezekiel 18:20 Indeed, there is no one on earth who is righteous, no one who does what is right and never sins Ecclesiastes 7:20 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 1 John 1:8

As sinners, we each find ourselves in the same sinking ship. No one can help us. No one can save us, except for Jesus Christ. He entered time and space to be your redeemer. He took all of your sins, all of your imperfections, all of your evil and wicked habits and foibles and took them to Himself It was there at the cross he died for you.

His enemies made sure He was dead. They took deliberate steps to make sure He was made to be silenced.

As He slept in the tomb, a doubting and skeptical world cried out “He’s in bed with all of His children. The door is shut. It is night. He can’t rise.  The guard, the stone, the seal. They would hold Him, His critics thought. He can’t disturb us any more with His troubling words and His acts of mercy.

But on the third day, Christ victoriously rose from the dead. He now offers to you forgiveness of all of your sin, life and salvation.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:8-9

Rejoice this day. Jesus provides for you. He gives you the opportunity to speak His peace of forgiveness to others and to each other. He provides eternal bread daily according to your need.

God gives daily bread, even without our prayer even to all the wicked but we pray is this petition that He would lead us to know and to receive our daily bread with thanksgiving. And what is meant by Daily Bread? Daily Bread includes everything that belongs to the support and wants of the body comes from your heavenly Father. This includes meat drink clothing, shoes, house, homestead, field, cattle, Money, goods, a pious spouse, pious children, pious servants, pious and faithful magistrates, good government, good weather, peace, health, discipline, honor, good friends, faithful neighbors and the like.^[2]

In this life and in the world to come the Lord provides. In this life, not only does he forgive sins but He also encourages us to forgive and strengthen our neighbor.

When we pray, “forgive is our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us,” we pray that our Father in heaven would not look upon our sin, nor deny our prayers on account of them. For we are worthy of none of the things for which we pray neither have we deserved them. But that He would grant them all to us by grace. For we daily sin much and indeed deserve nothing but punishment. So we too will sincerely forgive and gladly do good to those who sin against us.^[3]

All that is needed is the word “Amen”. What is meant by the word “Amen”? That I should be certain that these petitions are acceptable to our Father in heaven and heard by Him; for He Himself has commanded us so to pray, and has promises that He will hear us. Amen, Amen, that is yes, yes, yea, yea, yo, yo, it shall be so! ^[4]

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[1] Introduction to the Lord’s Prayer Small Catechism of Martin Luther LSB pg. 323

[2] Explanation to the 4^th Petition of the Lord’s Prayer Small Catechism of Martin Luther  LSB pg. 324

[3] Explanation to the 5^th Petition of the Lord’s Prayer Small Catechism of Martin Luther LSB pg. 324

[4] Explanation to Conclusion of the Lord’s Prayer Small Catechism of Martin Luther LSB pg. 324

St. James the Elder

O gracious God, Your servant and apostle James was the first among the twelve to suffer martyrdom for the name of Jesus. Pour out upon the leaders of Your church that the spirit of self-denying service that they may forsake all false and passing allure nets and follow Christ alone, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Mary Magdalene

Almighty God, Your son Jesus Christ restored Mary Magdalene to health and called her to be the first witness of His resurrection. Heal us from all our infirmities, and call us to know You in the power of Your Son's unending life; through the same Jesus Christ, Your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. 

Time in the Word - Proper 12

Time in the Word

Pentecost 9 – Proper 11

Persistent Prayer

July 22-27, 2013

 

Prayer is the obvious them for next Sunday. The Gospel deals with several aspects of prayer: 1 how to pray; 2 persistence in prayer; 3 God is willing to give good gifts to His children. The Old Testament lesson deals with Abraham’s reasoning with God: getting God not to destroy Sodom because of only 10 righteous souls. Having been reduced from 50 the Lord stops Abraham at his request of ten. Not even ten were found and thus the city was destroyed as is depicted in the woodcut on our cover. Prayer is often a wrestling with God, a spiritual struggle. The Lord encourages us to watch and pray to remain vigilant and on our guard.

Collect for Proper 12: O Lord, let Your merciful ears be attentive to the prayers of Your servants, and by Your Word and Spirit teach us how to pray that our petitions may be pleasing before You; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, One God now and forever.

For an answer to prayer; Almighty God, You have promised to hear the petitions of those who ask in Your Son’s name. Mercifully incline Your ears to us who have now made our prayers and supplications to You, and grant that those things that we have faithfully asked according to Your will we may receive to meet our need and bring glory to Your; through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

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 the faith to the end and finally come to love everlasting; through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

For the right understanding of Christ: Almighty God, whom to know is everlasting life, grant us perfectly to know Your Son, Jesus Christ, to be the way, the truth, and the life that following His steps we may steadfastly walk in the way that leads to eternal life; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Grant us Lord, the Spirit to think and do always such things as are pleasing in Your sight that we, who without You cannot do anything that is good, may by You be enabled to live according to Your will; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, One God, now and forever.

For faith, hope, and love: Almighty God, grant us a steadfast faith in Jesus Christ, a cheerful hop in Your mercy, and a sincere love for You and one another; through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Monday, 22 July 2013— Psalm 119:145-149; antiphon, Psalm 50:15 This psalm is based on The Hebrew Letter “Qoph” It’s theme- “Crying With The Whole Heart” David cries “Save me O lord and I will keep Your law.” As the psalm draws to a close, prayer for deliverance becomes more dominant.

Tuesday, 23 July 2013— Psalm 138— This is a royal son of praise for God’s saving help against threatening foes. In many respects it is like Psalm 18 though it is more concise and direct. Two Hebrew four-line stanzas (Vv. 1-3, 6-8) develop the main theme; at the center a two line stanza (Vv. 4-5) expands the praise of the Lord to a universal company of earth’s royalty.

Wednesday, 24 July 2013— Genesis 18:20-33— Abraham bargains with God not to destroy Sodom for the sake of 10 righteous people. In addition to the idea of persistence in prayer, our Old Testament lesson teaches us a number of timeless truths. God is concerned about conditions on earth. Vv. 20-21. We do not have a God high in the heavens who could not care less what happens on earth. In the case of Sodom, God Himself comes down to the city for a first-hand investigation. God knows and cares about the human condition. The wrath of God is real. In verse 22 God intends to destroy the wicked cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. Sin is punished. The wrath of God is visited upon the wicked. This applies to any city or nation at any period of history. A corrupt society will experience its consequences. In verse 25 Abraham tests God’s justice. Would God destroy the righteous along with the wicked? God would not do that; He is a just God. Vv. 27 and 30 speak concerning the attitude of one in prayer. Abraham realizes he has no right he had no right to speak to God, to approach God, to make any requests. This is the attitude of one who knows his finiteness and unworthiness to speak to God in prayer. Prayer is no friendly chat between equals. It is an audience with the Holy One, full of majesty and glory. Sodom was destroyed because 10 righteous people were not found in the city.

Diogenes could not find one honest man in his land. Are there as many as 10 really righteous people in your city?

Thursday, 25 July 20138— Colossians 2:6-15— Paul exhorts his people to live in Christ in whom dwells the fullness of God. We live on earth only once and almost everyone wants to get as much out of life as possible. But how do you achieve a happy and fulfilling life? Go to any bookstore and you will find scores of books promising a life that can be good, rich, happy and free of fear, worry, and guilt. That is life as it ought to be, the kind of life God means for us to enjoy. But how many readers of these books will then have that new life? When will the real life begin? There is no easy way to get real life. Christians get this life by living in Christ. Life is a by-product of a one-to-one relationship with Christ. Paul gives us the procedure for living in Christ as a way to real life. The key is in verses six and seven. Contemplate these words.

Friday, 26 J1uly 2013— Luke 11:1-13— Jesus gives the Lord’s Prayer and teaches persistence in prayer. It is common practice for many to ask once and forget it. How long should we pray for something? Is unanswered prayer a “no” answer? In the Gospel for Sunday Jesus teaches that there is no limit to the number of times we pray. The friend wanting bread comes at midnight when his friend is in bed. The man wanting to borrow bread kept asking and pounding until in desperation he got out of bed and gave the food. It wasn’t because of friendship but because his friend would not quit bothering him. He would not take “No” for an answer. Jesus teaches that se should ask, see, and finally knock to get what we want. Persistence in prayer is necessary.

Saturday, 27 July 2013— Matthew 6:5-13; 7:7-11 – The hymn of the week is “Come, My Soul, with Every Care” (LSB 779). In every need in every circumstance take it to the Lord in prayer.

Prayers from Lutheran Service Book © 2006 Concordia Publishing House.

LECTIONARY PREACHING WORKBOOK SERIES C John Brokhoff © 1979 CSS Publishing, Lima, OH

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.

Commemoration of Ezekiel

 Lord God, heavenly Father, through the prophet Ezekiel, You continued the prophetic pattern of teaching Your people the true faith and demonstrating through miracles Your presence in creation to heal it of its brokenness. Grant that Your Church may see in Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, the final end-times prophet whose teaching and miracles continue in Your Church through the healing medicine of the Gospel and the Sacraments; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Commemoration of Elijah

Lord God, heavenly Father, through the prophet Elijah, You continued the prophetic pattern of teaching Your people the true faith and demonstrating through miracles your presence in creation to heal it is its brokenness. Grant that Your Church may see in Your Son, our Lord Christ, the final end-times prophet whose teaching and miracles continue in Your Church, through the healing medicine of the Gospel and the Sacraments, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.