Thursday prior to Epiphany 4

[1]

1 Corinthians 1:18-31—The People God Blesses; Blessed are the low and despised people of God.

Blessed are the lowly and despised. Paul reminds the church at Corinth that God chose them when they were of no account in the sight of the world: slaves, women, and children.

They had no education (wisdom), no political power, and no blue blood. This harmonizes with Jesus’ example as friend of publicans and sinners. He did not choose wealthy, high class or scholarly men for disciples, but peasants and publicans. 

Why is God interested only in “down-and-outers” and not in the “up-and-outers?” How can this truth be applied to today’s church members who are generally from the middle to top class, have comfortable incomes, are college graduates and among the socially elite? It may be because the educated are educated out of their need for God. The wealthy need nothing that money cannot buy. The powerful are too self-sufficient and sophisticated to humble themselves before God as suppliants and miserable sinners.

“Christ crucified,” is the “stumbling block” of Jesus, who could not accept a suffering and dying God as the Messiah and “foolishness” to the Greeks, whose love for philosophy saw little value in accentuating a criminal’s crucifixion. By contrast, the Christians based their entire faith on such “nonsense” and no doubt appeared a bit “weak in the head” to those around them, 

What is more, many of the early Christians came from the ranks of the poor (and slaves) and were also considered physically and socially “weak.”  Paul speaks a word of contrast and comfort, highlighted also by the exhortation to humility in the Old Testament reading (Micah 6:1-8) and by the beatitudes in the Gospel. (Matthew 5:1-12)

From a human perspective, God operates in a very strange fashion. He does not prize or value those qualities men and women cherish. Boasting of one’s wisdom, power, and status counts for nothing in the sight of God. In the Old Testament, when He called His people to Himself, He chose a most unlikely and undeserving band of slaves. He molded these “nobodies” into His own nation (Deuteronomy 7:6-8) God’s strategy has not changed in the New Testament. What the human eye vales (v.26) is of no consequence to God. (Vv.27-29) Only in Jesus (V.30) doe we learn of how God perceives the issues of wisdom and power and status. Once we share His world view, we quickly learn that the only cause for boasting is in the Lord Himself. (V. 31)

A Collect for Epiphany: Lord God, on this day you revealed your Son to the nations by the leading of a star. Lead us now by faith to know your presence in our lives and bring us at last to the full vision of your glory.[2]

Collect for Thursday of the week of Epiphany 3: O Thou Father of the spirits of all flesh, we remember before Thee Thy children once with us in the world, but who have departed this life and sleep in Thee. Thou who keepest in perfect peace all minds and hearts that are stayed on thee, we rejoice for ever with them in the love that casts out fear. We also remember those who have been faithful workers, but are more weary of well-doing, and who faint because of the burden and heart of the day. Help them to possess their souls in patience and to persevere unto the end, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen [3]

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[1] Image of the cross © Ed Riojas, Higher Things

[2] An Epiphany Collect, Lutheran Service Book © 2006, Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis

[3] Collect for Thursday of the week of Epiphany 3, 

 

Wednesday prior to Epiphany 4

[1]

Micah 6:1-8—The people God Blesses – Blessed are those who fulfill God’s requirements

In response to the LORD’s blessing; the faithful fulfill the LORD’s requirements.

Blessed are they who walk with God.  Micah pictures God as suing his people. He takes Israel to court. The people are the defendants. The prophet is God’s defense attorney. The cosmos consists of the witness. God has something against His people: they have been unfaithful to the covenant, played the harlot with pagan gods, and broke His commandments. They have been a disobedient, faithless, and rebellious people. God has a right to a controversy with His people.

Micah pictures God suing His people. He takes Israel to court. The people are the defendants. The prophet is God’s defense attorney. The cosmos consists of the witnesses. God has something against His people. They have been unfaithful to the covenant, played the harlot with pagan gods, and broke His commandments. They have been a disobedient, faithless and rebellious people. God has a right to controversy with His people.

The reading is easily divided into three sections:

1.      Vv. 1-2 the calling of the Heavenly court to order.

2.      Vv. 3-5 The Plaintiff’s (The LORD_ Suit (heightened by a review of salvation history.)

3.      Vv.5-8 A Proper and Improper Response.

God’s complaint is that His people have forgotten what He has done for them in the past.  Pathetically God asks His people; “What evil have I done to you? How have I wearied you?”  It sounds as though God is to blame. He asks His people to remember His past dealings with His people; acts of mercy, loyalty, and deliverance – brought out of the slavery of Egypt, and conquest of the Promised Land. These are the wonderful acts of God’s faithfulness and love for His people. 

Collects for Epiphany 4: Almighty God, You know we live in the midst of so many dangers that in our frailty we cannot stand upright. Grant strength and protection to support us in all dangers and carry us through all temptations through Jesus Christ Your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God now and forever.

 

O God, you know that we cannot withstand the dangers, which surround us. Strengthen us in body and spirit so that with your help, we may be able to overcome the weakness that our sin has brought upon us.[2]

Collect for Wednesday of the week of Epiphany 3: Hear us, O God, in all our deep desires; some we can put into words, most of them we can’t because we are strangers even to ourselves. Of Thy mercy answer us, after Thy will and wisdom, not after ours. Through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.[3]  

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[1] Image of the cross © Ed Riojas, Higher Things

[2] Collects for Epiphany 4, Lutheran Service Book, © 2006 Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis

[3] Collect for Wednesday of the week of Epiphany 3, For All the Saints, A Prayer Book For and By the Church, © 1995, The American Lutheran Publicity Bureau, Delhi, NY 

 

Tuesday prior to Epiphany 4

[1]

Psalm 15 — This psalm gives instruction to those who wish to have access to God at His temple. Thomas Jefferson called this psalm the picture of “a true gentleman.” This is a testimonial of the man of God. What does God require of the individual who seeks his company?

He expects right conduct, right speaking (verses 2-3a), right relationships with others (verses 3b-4), and a right use of wealth (verse 5) See also Psalm 24. Who swears… (Verse 4) i.e. who keeps his word whatever the cost; Verse 5, one of the Jewish laws, see Leviticus 25:36-37. It was not a total ban on lending at interest, but applied to fellow Israelites.

Psalm 15 – This psalm is simply titled A Psalm of David. In it, David meditates over the character of the man received into the presence of God. We have no precise occasion for this psalm, but it may well have been on the bringing of the Ark of the Covenant into Jerusalem (2 Samuel 6). This was a time when David was very much concerned with the questions asked and answered in this psalm.[2]

Collect for Psalm 15: Lord Jesus, You first chose to live among us, and in returning to Your Father You made an eternal home for us. Help us walk blamelessly in You ways and bring us at last to Your holy mountain, where You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen [3]

Collect for Tuesday of the week of Epiphany 3: Give us grace, O lord, to answer readily the call of our Savior Jesus Christ and proclaim to all people the Good News of his salvation, that we and the whole world may perceive the glory of his marvelous works, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen [4]

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[1] Image of the cross © Ed Riojas, Higher Things

[2] https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/psalm-15

[3] Collect for Psalm 15, For All the Saints, A Prayer Book For and By the Church, Vol. III © 1995 The American Lutheran Publicity Bureau, Delhi, NY

[4] Ibid, Collect for Tuesday of the week of Epiphany3

 

Monday prior to Epiphany 4

[1]

Psalm 1:1-5; antiphon, Psalm 1:6—In the Introit for Sunday, we pray, For the Lord knows the way of the righteous but the way of the wicked will perish. This Psalm speaks of the blessedness of those who derive their ideas of life from God’s Word rather than from their worldly neighbors. Happiness and prosperity is theirs. Not so with the wicked. Repeatedly the godly and the wicked are contrasted.

Thus the book of Psalms opens with an exaltation of God’s Word. If David so loved the brief writings that then constituted God’s Word, how much more should we love that same Word, which has not been brought to completion, headed up around the beautiful story of Christ. Other Psalms of the Word are Psalm 19 and Psalm 119. Note also the Psalm’s first word is “blessed.”  Blessed is Beatitude: like the Sermon of the Mount in Matthew’s Gospel.

Epiphany season continues its revelation of the glory of God in Jesus. We saw his glory at his baptism (Epiphany 1). John the Baptist witnessed to His glory as Messiah (Epiphany 2). Through His ministry, His glory was revealed as the light in a dark world. Now, we see the glory of God in Jesus by His attitude and grace toward the outcasts of society: the spiritually poor, the humble, and the despised. His glory is seen in His love and concern for sinners. Though He is the Son of God, He does not cater to the religious elite, the highly educated and the economically rich. What a glorious God we see in Christ who humbles Himself to serve the unfortunate and the spiritually impoverished!

Psalm 1 – The way of the righteous and the way of the ungodly

Verse six presents a key to understanding Psalm 1 “For the LORD knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the ungodly shall perish.” In this psalm, the way of the righteous and the way of the ungodly are contrasted.

The LORD knows the way of the righteous. The righteous can have peace because a loving God in heaven knows their way, and will protect and preserve them.

Or, as the Hebrew has it yet more fully, ‘The Lord knows the way of the righteous.’ He is constantly looking on their way, and though it may be often in mist and darkness, yet the Lord knows it.

The way of the ungodly shall perish. The way of the ungodly leads to destruction. They are on a broad path that may seem comfortable now and the path gives them lots of company, but in the end they shall perish.

At least four times in the Book of Acts, Christianity is called the Way. Certainly, it is the way of the righteous, not the way of the ungodly. Which way are you on?[2]

Collect for Psalm 1: Lord God, in your loving wisdom you have set us beside the fountain of life, like a tree planted by running streams. Grant that the cross of your Son may become our tree of life in the paradise of your saints, through Jesus Christ our Lord.[3]

Collect for Monday of the week of Epiphany 3: Almighty Father, the love you offer always exceeds the furthest expression of our human longing, for you are greater than the human heart. Direct each thought, each effort of our life, so that the limits of our faults and weaknesses may not obscure the vision of your glory or keep us from the peace you have promised. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen[4]

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[1] Image of the cross © Ed Riojas, Higher Things

[2] https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/psalm-1

[3] Collect for Psalm 1, For All the Saints, A Prayer Book For and By the Church, Vol. III © 1995 The American Lutheran Publicity Bureau, Delhi, NY 

[4] Ibid, Collect for Monday of the week of Epiphany 3

 

Epiphany 4 -Series A study notes

 

Micah 6:1–8
1 Corinthians 1:18–31
Matthew 5:1–12
 

God Manifests His Glory in the Humility and Weakness of Christ Crucified

 The Lord tells His people, “I brought you up from the land of Egypt and redeemed you from the house of slavery” (Micah 6:4). By the sacrifice of His beloved Son, He has redeemed us from our slavery of sin and death; He has forgiven our transgressions by the shedding of His blood. His great mercy and salvation lead us “to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly” with our God (Micah 6:8). We boast only in the incarnate and crucified Lord Jesus. He is “the power of God and the wisdom of God” (1 Corinthians 1:24). He is our life and salvation, our “wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption” (1 Corinthians 1:30). Now He opens His mouth and teaches us His wisdom. By His cross and Passion the kingdom of heaven is ours, we receive mercy and are satisfied, we see God, and we are called sons of God in Christ. “Blessed are you,” therefore, “when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely” on account of Christ (Matthew 5:11).

 Matthew 5:1-12 -

The Beatitudes

 Matthew 5:1

Ἰδὼν δὲ τοὺς ὄχλους ἀνέβη εἰς τὸ ὄρος· καὶ καθίσαντος αὐτοῦ προσῆλθαν αὐτῷ οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ· 

Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him.

Matthew 5:2

καὶ ἀνοίξας τὸ στόμα αὐτοῦ ἐδίδασκεν αὐτοὺς λέγων·

And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:

Matthew 5:3

 Μακάριοι οἱ πτωχοὶ τῷ πνεύματι, ὅτι αὐτῶν ἐστιν ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν.

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 5:4

 μακάριοι οἱ πενθοῦντες, ὅτι αὐτοὶ παρακληθήσονται.

Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

Matthew 5:5

μακάριοι οἱ πραεῖς, ὅτι αὐτοὶ κληρονομήσουσι τὴν γῆν.

Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

Matthew 5:6

μακάριοι οἱ πεινῶντες καὶ διψῶντες τὴν δικαιοσύνην, ὅτι αὐτοὶ χορτασθήσονται.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

Matthew 5:7

 μακάριοι οἱ ἐλεήμονες, ὅτι αὐτοὶ ἐλεηθήσονται.

Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

Matthew 5:8

μακάριοι οἱ καθαροὶ τῇ καρδίᾳ, ὅτι αὐτοὶ τὸν θεὸν ὄψονται.

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

Matthew 5:9

μακάριοι οἱ εἰρηνοποιοί, ὅτι αὐτοὶ υἱοὶ θεοῦ κληθήσονται.

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

Matthew 5:10

 μακάριοι οἱ δεδιωγμένοι ἕνεκεν δικαιοσύνης, ὅτι αὐτῶν ἐστιν ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν.

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 5:11

μακάριοί ἐστε ὅταν ὀνειδίσωσιν ὑμᾶς καὶ διώξωσιν καὶ εἴπωσιν πᾶν]πονηρὸν καθ’ ὑμῶν ψευδόμενοι ἕνεκεν ἐμοῦ. 

Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.

Matthew 5:12

χαίρετε καὶ ἀγαλλιᾶσθε, ὅτι ὁ μισθὸς ὑμῶν πολὺς ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς· οὕτως γὰρ ἐδίωξαν τοὺς προφήτας τοὺς πρὸ ὑμῶν.

Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

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

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

LCMS Lectionary Summary © 2016

Luther’s Seal © Higher Things

Lutheran Service Book © 2006 Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis

Saturday prior to Epiphany 3

[1]

1 Peter 1:20-23; Hebrews 7:25; John 13:34-35—Sunday’s Hymn of the Day is Son of God, Eternal Savior (LSB #842). This hymn is a prayer asking the Savior to direct us. We pray that He in love and pity would heal our wrongs and help our need. Each of us has burdens cares and struggles. Take these needs to your Savior in prayer. He knows your situation. He is more than able to address your need.

“Son of God, Eternal Savior” (Lutheran Service Book, #842)

From the beginning of His ministry, although the authority and divinity of Christ had been quite clear to some, it was at the same time been questioned and mocked by others. This of course stands true to this day. In this regard, it is interesting to note the Gospel stories where even the evil spirits and demons recognize Christ’s authority and divinity. Such is the case for the Gospel reading for the Fourth Sunday after Epiphany (Mark 1:21-28). In this reading, Jesus exorcises an evil spirit from a man. When confronted by Christ, the evil spirit cries out, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God.”

This proclamation makes “Son of God, Eternal Savior” a great choice for this Sunday’s Hymn of the Day. In no uncertain terms, Stanza 1 firmly proclaims the authority and divinity of Christ by recalling Bible passages such as John 1:1-14 and 1 Peter 1:20-21.

Son of God, eternal Savior,

Source of life and truth and grace,

Word made flesh, whose birth among us

Hallows all our human race,

The next two lines remind us that Christ is our Intercessor who pleads for us (Romans 8:34 and 1 John 2:1). The final two lines of this stanza remind us of the compassion of Christ praying that it may become a part of our lives as well.

Stanza 2 recognizes that when Christ exercised His authority, He did it in service to others. It furthermore states that nothing that we have is ours anyway, but rather all that we have has been given to us by God (Psalm 24:1).

Stanza 3 is a prayer for authority of Christ to dwell in our lives and mold us to His will.

Stanza 4 begins by repeating the first four lines of Stanza 1 thereby restating the authority and divinity of Christ. It concludes by mirroring the Third Petition of the Lord’s Prayer: “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” To that end it is good to recall what Martin Luther says about this petition in his Small Catechism:

“The good and gracious will of God is done indeed without our prayer; but we pray in this petition that it may be done among us also. How is this done? When God breaks and hinders every evil counsel and will which would not let us hallow the name of God nor let His kingdom come, such as the will of the devil, the world, and our flesh; but strengthens and keeps us steadfast in His Word and in faith unto our end. This is His gracious and good will.”

Since first published in 1894, “Son of God, Eternal Savior” has been sung to various tunes including EBENEZER, which many will know as the tune for “Thy Strong Word,” a text by the sainted Martin Franzmann. In recent years the text has been paired with the tune IN BABILONE which, at least for me, seems to be a better fit.

Originally a five stanza poem by the Rev. Somerset Corry Lowry (1855-1932), the original Stanza 2 has not been included in recent hymnals. Nonetheless, it provides another heartfelt prayer for a servant’s heart.

 

Bind us all as one together

In Thy Church’s sacred fold,

Weak and healthy, poor and wealthy,

Sad and joyful, young and old.

Is there want, or pain, or sorrow?

Make us all the burden share.

Are there spirits crushed and broken?

Teach us, Lord, to soothe their care.[2]

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[1] Lift High the Cross, © Ed Riojas, Higher Things

[2] https://www.cuchicago.edu/globalassets/www-digital-team-media-files/documents-and-images/academics/centers-of-excellence/center-for-church-music/devotions/hymn-of-the-day-devotion-epiphany-4.pdf   

 

Friday prior to Epiphany 3

[1]

Matthew 4:12-25—Matthew sees Jesus beginning His ministry as a fulfillment of the Isaiah promise that deliverance would come to those taken captive by the Assyrians in Zebulon and Naphtali. Fulfillment implies that Jesus was more than a man, a prophet, or a teacher; He was the Son of God, the Messiah. Repentance (verse 17)—For John the Baptist, repentance was a condition for entering the kingdom of God. For Jesus, repentance was accepting the salvation already offered and present. Repentance is not a condition of grace but a response to it. Repentance is acknowledging God’s forgiveness and acceptance; it is a turning to God to accept his grace by faith.

The Feast of the Lord’s Epiphany and the entire Epiphany season of the church year make plain that the baby of Bethlehem’s manger is not merely a human being, but is both God and man, the promised Christ. The star in the east led the Magi to worship Him; His baptism begins His public ministry, in which He revealed Himself as God’s Messiah. Our reading includes the account of His calling of His first disciples. Whatever those disciples may have known about Jesus prior to His “Follow Me,” they realized when He called them that they had been summoned by none other than the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. They recognized Jesus as God’s light in the midst of darkness.      

When we understand the Gospel we make known the perfect life of Jesus, His innocent suffering and death, and His resurrection victory as the salvation which avails for everyone. Jesus is the Savior. He is our light in the midst of the darkness.

Collects for Epiphany 3: Almighty and everlasting God, mercifully look upon our infirmities and stretch forth the hand of Your majesty to heal and defend us; through Jesus Christ, Your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Almighty God, you sent your Son to proclaim your kingdom and to teach with authority. Anoint us with the power of your Spirit, that we, too, may bring good news to the afflicted, bind upon the brokenhearted, and proclaim liberty to the captives.[2]

Collect for Friday of the week of Epiphany 2: Grant us, O God, so utterly to believe in Thee and in Thy good and unchangeable purpose, that believing we may be our lives bring back upon the earth, for its darkness, light; and for its sadness, that glory which need never have vanished. Through Christ, our Lord. Amen [3]

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[1] Lift High the Cross, © Ed Riojas, Higher Things

[2] Collects for the Epiphany season, © 2006, Lutheran Service Book, Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis

[3] Collect for Friday of the week of Epiphany 2, For All the Saints, A Prayer Book For and By the Church, Vol. III © 1995, The American Lutheran Publicity Bureau, Delhi, NY