Time in the Word - Easter 5

Time in the Word

30 April – 5 May, 2012

Preparation for next week, 5^th Sunday of Easter

The theme for the Fifth Sunday of Easter is Life in Christ.  In the Gospel, Jesus described Himself as the Vine and the believers as the branches which bring forth fruit. How one becomes a person in Christ is demonstrated by the conversion of the Ethiopian eunuch in the first lesson. To be in Christ means to obey the commandments of God, to love not only in word but in deed.

Collect for the Fifth Sunday in Easter O God, You make the minds of Your faithful to be of one will. Grant that we may love what You have commanded and desire what You promise, that among the many changes of this world our hearts may be fixed what true joys are found through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen

Prayer for the 4th Sunday of Easter – Almighty God, merciful Father, since You have wakened from death the Shepherd of Your sheep, grant us Your Holy Spirit that when we hear the voice of our Shepherd we may know Him who calls us each by name and follow where He leads; through the same Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who loves and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Friday, May 4^th - is the day the church remembers one of our pastors. Friedrich Wyneken is one of the founding fathers of The Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod, along with C.F.W. Walther and Wilhelm Sihler. Born in 1810 in Germany, Wyneken came to Baltimore in 1838 and shortly thereafter accepted a call to be the pastor of congregations in Friedheim and Fort Wayne, Indiana. Supported by Wilhelm Loehe's mission society, Wyneken served as an itinerant missionary in Indiana, Ohio, and Michigan, particularly among Native Americans. Together with Loehe and Sihler, he founded Concordia Theological Seminary in 1846 in Fort Wayne, IN. He later served as the second president of the LCMS during a period of significant growth (1850-64). His leadership strongly influenced the confessional character of the LCMS and its commitment to an authentic Lutheran witness in the United States.

A 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.

For blessing on the Word: Lord God, bless Your Word wherever it is proclaimed. Make it a word of power and peace to convert those not yet Your own and to confirm those who have come to saving faith. May You Word pass from the ear to the heart, from the heart to the lip, and from the lip to the life that, as You have promised, Your Word may achieve the purpose for which You send it; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Monday, 30 April 2012—Psalm 145:1-2, 8, 10, 21; antiphon, John 16:16— The antiphon is taken from the Lord’s promise to His followers,  “A little while, and you will see me no longer; and again a little while, and you will see me.” Few doubt that the first phrase refers to the interval before the crucifixion. But interpretations differ as to whether the second refers to the interval preceding the resurrection or the coming of the Spirit, or the return of Christ on the Last Great Day. It seems that the language here best fits the resurrection.

Tuesday, 1 May 2012—Psalm 150 key verse v.6 —Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Who should praise the Lord? All who come to Him in faith. We celebrate the Savior’s great and mighty acts. 

Wednesday, 2 May 2012—Acts 8:26-40— Philip is sent to bring an Ethiopian eunuch to faith in Christ.  The treasures of an Ethiopian queen was on his way home after worshiping in Jerusalem. His chariot was on a main road from Jerusalem to Egypt. The Spirit directed Philip, one of the seven deacons (See Acts 6:1-5), to meet the chariot at Gaza. The eunuch was probably a proselyte or God-fearer of Judaism. Philip found him reading Isaiah 53 but not understanding it. After Philip’s explanation the Ethiopian asked to be baptized. He accepted Christ and according to tradition he introduced Christianity into Ethiopia. It should be noted that verse 37 (“If you believe with all your heart, you may.” And he replied, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”) is omitted in the older manuscripts and some modern versions will place the verse only in the margin.

Thursday, 3 May 2012—1 John 4:1-11— The word “Love” in its various forms is used 43 times in John’s letter. The word is used 32 times from 4:7-5:3 In His essential nature and in all His actions God is loving. John similarly affirms that God is spirit (John 4:24) and light (John 1:5), as well as holy, powerful, faithful, true and just. If we love in deed, we know we have the truth.

Friday, 4 May 2012—John 15:1-8— Jesus is the vine and we are the branches who are expected to bear fruit.  Sunday’s Gospel lesson is a part of Jesus’ final discourse (chapters 13-17) with His disciples in the Upper Room on Maundy Thursday.

Jesus uses allegory: He is the vine, God is the vinedresser, the branches are the believers, and the fruit constitutes good works. The vine is the source of life. To be connected with the Source is to have life and produce fruit. To be separated from the Vine is to die and be destroyed. People in the Vine have their prayers answered. Bearing fruit glorifies God and proves discipleship.

John referred to adult Christians as “little children.” Is this talking down to adults? Is it an insult to even add “little” to children?  Jesus referred to His disciples as “these little ones.”  It is no insult because if God is our Father, we are His true children. Since when? We were adopted as His children at Baptism, and we live in Christ as branches in the vine. And we are “little” too. We are often little in faith, in love and in our words. How little we are when compared with the fullness of the stature of Jesus Christ. 

In these lessons we hear repeatedly the word “abide”. A fruitful Christian is one who produces good works because that person abides in Christ. How do we know we abide in Christ? One answer may be that our fruits prove it. This verse gives another answer. We are in Christ when we have the Spirit. It we have the Holy Spirit, it is the same as being in Christ. The Holy Spirit is at the same time the spirit of Christ.

Saturday, 6 Ma 2012— Psalm 98:1-3; 2 Timothy 1:9-10; Romans 3:28 - The hymn of the Day, Dear Christians One and All, Rejoice – {LSB 556}   When Luther translated the phrase “by faith” in Romans 3:28 he added the word “alone” which though not in the Greek, accurately reflect the meaning of the passage. The Hymn is one of Luther’s classic hymns which explain to us the heart of the gospel found in Jesus Christ.

Sources:

Prayers from Lutheran Service Book © 2006 Concordia Publishing House.

Lectionary Preaching Workbook Series B John Brokhoff © 1981 CSS Publishing Lima, OH

Illustration from a woodcut by Baron Julius Schnorr von Carolsfeld, © WELS

https://www.lcms.org/pages/print.asp?print=1&NavID=3777&path=%2Fpages%2Finternal.asp

Confirmation

Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church

Friedheim

10653 N – 550 W

Decatur, IN 46733

260.547.4248

www.zionfriedheim.org

A 21^st Century Parish with a 1^st Century Faith

Acts 2:42

Chartered February 25, 1838

Celebration of 174^th Year

Easter 4

 29 April 2012

Psalm 23

“How good it is to know the Good Shepherd”

Lord Jesus Christ, shepherd of Your church, You give us new birth in the waters of baptism; You anoint us with oil, and call us to salvation at Your table. Dispel the terrors of death and the darkness of error. Lead Your people along safe paths that they may rest securely in You and dwell in the house of the Lord now and forever, for Your name’s sake.

Today is Good Shepherd Sunday. As a result, the Psalm, the Gospel lesson, and all four hymns selected for today deal with Jesus our Good Shepherd. Our text for today, Psalm 23 is fondly called the Shepherd’s Psalm.

Psalm 23 is by far the world’s most beloved psalm. Students are taught to memorize it at Wyneken. It is shared with the suffering and prayed over those who are dying. In almost every Christian funeral, it is included as one of the readings. It is one of the most requested and cherished passages of Scripture.

Why is it that Psalm 23 is so popular and loved?  I would suggest that this Psalm connects with people who are buffeted, battered, and broken by the hard knocks of life. This Psalm speaks of God’s love, care, mercy and comfort – just what we need in a tough heartless world. David reminds us how good it is to know Jesus as our Good Shepherd. David gives us three realities by which we can live in security no matter what may come our way.  We can say with David “Because Jesus is my Shepherd –

Ø      I shall not want

Ø      I will fear no evil

Ø      I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever

David speaks of the great care that God takes for believers. He is their shepherd; that we may call Him so.

I.        Because Jesus is your Good Shepherd, you shall not want!

A.     He gives you Rest - “He maketh me to lie down in green pastures” He feeds and supplies you with rest. Jesus says in Matthew 11:28-30: "Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and you shall find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My load is light." (NAS)

B.     He gives you Peace -“He leadeth me besides the still waters...” Jesus says in John 14:27: "Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives, do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.” (NASB)  Again, in John 16:33 the Good Shepherd reminds us: "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world." (NASB)

C.     He gives you Forgiveness – “He restoreth my soul” In this Easter season, we rejoice as Christ has overcome the powers of sin, death and the power of the devil. Because of the cross and empty tomb there now remains for us forgiveness, life and salvation. Paul reminds us in 2Corinthians 5:19: “...that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.” (NIV)

D.     He gives you Guidance – “He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake” With the hymn writer we pray: “Lord, take my hand and lead me upon life’s way; direct, protect and feed me From day to day. Without your grace and favor I go astray; so take my hand, O Savior, and lead the way.” [LSB 722 # stanza 1]

Transition: Soon you’ll be taking off for Washington DC.  You’ll tour the FDR memorial. As America braced itself for a grueling and difficult Second World War President Roosevelt reassured the public reminding them, “the only thing we need to fear is fear itself.” With Jesus as your Good Shepherd, we are never in want. With Jesus as your Good Shepherd, you will not fear!

II.     Because Jesus is your Good Shepherd, you will fear no evil.

A.     With Jesus as your Good Shepherd, there is Companionship – “Thou art with me” The Savior walks with you. He accompanies us and attends to our every need. You are never alone. He remains with us to sustain and direct our every step along life’s road.

B.     With Jesus as your Good Shepherd, there is Comfort – “Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me” We live in the midst of many dangers in our road. Life can get downright frightening at times. When we need aid and comfort, the Good Shepherd supports us. “Abide with me! Fast falls the eventide; The darkness deepens; Lord, with me abide. When other helpers fail and comforts flee, Help of the helpless, oh, abide with me!" [LSB #878 “Abide with Me!” stanza 1]

C.     With Jesus as your Good Shepherd, there is Concern – “Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of my enemies. Thou anoitest my head with oil my cup runneth over” Jesus has promised us He will provide us with all that we need to support this body and life. You know these words, “He defends me against all danger and guards and protects me from all evil.  He does this purely out of fatherly, divine goodness and mercy, without any merit or worthiness in me. For all this it is my duty to thank and praise, to serve and obey Him.”

Transition: This is most certainly true! He provides for you in this life. I shall not in want. There is nothing to fear. He will certainly sustain you until you reach your home in heaven.

III.   Because Jesus is your Good Shepherd, I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

A.     He is with you Now – “Goodness and mercy shall follow me...” Goodness is defined as His good pleasure, His desires for you. God's goodness consists of righteousness, holiness, justice, kindness, grace, and love. Mercy is that aspect of God's love that causes Him to help the miserable, just as grace is that aspect of His love that moves Him to forgive the guilty. David reminds us that the Shepherd’s goodness, mercy along with His grace will accompany us every day of our life.

B.     You will be with Him Forever–life eternal has been promised to you “...and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever” Our future is secure when we are safely in the hands of the Good Shepherd. We are secure in this life. We have a destiny to dwell with Him forever in glory.

Jesus is your Good Shepherd. Listen to His words in today’s Gospel lesson:  "I am the good shepherd; and I know My own, and My own know Me, even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep”. (John 10:14-15)

Remember the things that we taught you, cling to that which is good and remember that the Savior walks with you every day. “The Lord is my light and my salvation – whom shall I fear – the Lord is the stronghold of my life of whom shall I be afraid?”

Time in the Word - Easter 4

Jesus, the Good Shepherd, Lays Down His Life for the Sheep

The Lord Jesus is “the Good Shepherd” who “lays down His life for the sheep” (John 10:11). His life is not taken from Him, but He lays it down willingly, of His own accord, because He knows and loves the sheep. As the One sent by the Father, He has the “authority to lay it down,” and the “authority to take it up again” (John 10:18). So has He done, and now He continues to love and serve as the Good Shepherd of the sheep by the voice of His Gospel. He thus calls all people into the fold of His Church, so that there may be “one flock, one Shepherd” (John 10:16). That is why the Apostles “were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead” (Acts 4:2). Since “there is salvation in no one else,” His voice rings out to this day through the preaching of His name, “for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). His voice comforts our hearts against all condemnation and gives us courage to “love one another” and “to lay down our lives for the brothers,” as He laid down His life for us (1 John 3:16, 23).

Collect for the Fourth Sunday of Easter: Almighty God, merciful Father, since You have wakened from death the Shepherd of Your sheep, grant us Your Holy Spirit that when we hear the voice of our Shepherd we may know Him who calls us each by name and follow where He leads; through the same Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Collect for unity of faith: O God, Your infinite love restores to the right way those who err, seeks the scattered, and preserves those whom You have gathered. Of Your tender mercy pour out on Your faithful people the grace of unity that, all schisms being ended, Your flock may be gathered to the true Shepherd of Your Church and may serve You in all faithfulness; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns…

Collect for the Holy Ministry: O almighty God, Your Son, Jesus Christ, gave to His holy apostles many excellent gifts and commanded them earnestly to feed His flock. Make all pastors diligent to preach Your holy Work and the people obedient to follow it that together they may receive the crown of everlasting glory; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns…

Collect for the increase of the Holy Ministry: O God, You led Your holy apostles to ordain pastors in every place. Grant that Your flock, under the guidance of Your Holy Spirit, may choose suitable men for the ministry of Word and Sacrament and may uphold them in their work for the extension of Your kingdom; through Him who is the chief Shepherd of our souls, Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns….

Collect for comfort in hope of the resurrection: Lord God, our Shepherd, You gather the lambs of Your flock into the arms of Your mercy and bring them home. Comfort us with the certain hope of the resurrection to everlasting life and a joyful reunion with those we love who have died in the faith; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns…

Collect for comfort to the dying: O Lord, our Shepherd, lead Your sheep in goodness and mercy as we pass with You through the valley of the shadow of death to Your eternal home, where You live and reigns...

Monday, 23 April 2012—Psalm 23; Antiphon, John 14, 15b—The Fourth Sunday of Easter is also known as ‘Good Shepherd Sunday.’ The Introit combines the twenty-third psalm with a portion of Jesus’ words from John 10. One of the key verses of Psalm 23 is verse 3: He restoreth my soul; He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His Name’s sake. Jesus is the Good Shepherd who restores our soul by laying down His life for His sheep. By this sacrificial act, He redeemed us, that we may be righteous in God’s eyes.

Tuesday, 24 April 2012—Psalm 23—Sunday’s psalm of the day is the very familiar twenty-third psalm. Children of God have turned to this psalm for comfort for thousands of years, not just because it uses pretty words and phrases in depicting a tranquil scene, but also because it faces the grim realities of life (Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death; the presence of mine enemies) and gives sure, certain hope to all who are members of the Lord’s flock.

Wednesday, 25 April 2012—Acts 4:1–12—Last week’s first reading told how, after he healed the crippled beggar, Peter proclaimed the death and resurrection of Jesus to the astonished people in the temple. This week’s reading has Peter and John before the Sanhedrin, proclaiming the very same message to the Jewish leaders: And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.

Thursday, 26 April 2012—1 John 3:16–24—Jesus said, I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. In Sunday’s epistle reading, St John tells us that if we belong to the Truth—the Truth that is Jesus—that the love of Jesus will control our actions and lives. When our consciences plague us, our hearts will be set at rest, because God has placed His love into our hearts.

Friday, 27 April 2012—John 10:11–18—Sunday’s Gospel is the ‘Good Shepherd’ passage from St John’s Gospel. Jesus calls Himself the ‘good,’ or ‘noble,’ Shepherd. He has made us the sheep of His flock by giving His life for us, and He continues to protect us from all who would do us evil or harm. So long as we remain in His fold, nothing, not even the devil, can harm us. Recall the words of A Mighty Fortress: “And take they our life / Goods, fame, child, and wife / Let these all be gone / They yet have nothing won / The Kingdom ours remaineth.”

Saturday, 28 April 2012—The Hymn of the Day, With High Delight, Let Us Unite (LSB #483), is a song of jubilation and high praise to our risen Lord, who has vanquished death and the grave by His death: True God, He first From death has burst Forth into life, all subduing. His enemy Doth vanquished lie; His death has been death’s undoing. “And yours shall be Like victory O’er death and grave,” Saith He, who gave His life for us, life renewing.

This week’s Time in the Word was written by Pr. Jeffrey M. Keuning, who serves the Lutheran parishes of St. John Casey and Zion, Dexter IA

Time in the Word - Easter 3

The Preaching of Repentance and Forgiveness of Sins Makes Us Pure

The risen Lord Jesus taught His disciples “that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead” and “that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in His name to all nations” (Luke 24:46–47). Therefore, St. Peter preaches repentance and forgiveness to the people of Jerusalem. As he proclaims that Jesus fulfilled all that “God foretold by the mouth of all the prophets” (Acts 3:18), he also convicts the people of their sin, because they “delivered over and denied” this Lord Jesus and “killed the Author of life.” Yet God “glorified His servant Jesus” and raised Him from the dead (Acts 3:13–15). St. Peter calls the people to repent, so that their “sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord” (Acts 3:19–20). Through this forgiveness of sins, and by faith in this forgiveness, the Father shows His love for us, in order that “we should be called children of God, and so we are” (1 John 3:1). Thus we hope in Him and are made pure even “as He is pure,” because “He appeared to take away sins, and in Him there is no sin” (1 John 3:5).

Monday, 16 April 2012—Psalm 30:1-5; Antiphon, Psalm 16:11b— In Psalm 30, David exuberantly worships the Lord, who has drawn him up, healed him, and brought up his soul from Sheol (the grave.) He calls upon all saints—including us—to sing praises to the Lord and give thanks to His holy Name, for we, too have been delivered from sin death, and the power of the devil by the atoning sacrifice of Jesus.

Tuesday, 17 April 2012—Psalm 4—This psalm of David is a cry for deliverance, with confidence that the Lord hears and answers prayer. Because Christ Jesus has delivered us from our mortal enemy—sin and its consequences—we can confidently say with David, In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.

Wednesday, 18 April 2012—Acts 3:11–21—The people in the temple were astonished when Peter healed the crippled beggar (Acts 3:1–10). Peter told them that it was God, not he, who had healed the man. He then related the details of Jesus’ death and resurrection—We are witnesses—and proclaimed the Gospel to them, urging them to repent and trust in Christ alone for the forgiveness of their sins.

Thursday, 19 April 2012—1 John 3:1–7—St. John contrasts those in the world, who do not know the Father because they have rejected the Son, with believers, who put their trust in Christ, and, thus, have been made the children of God.

Friday, 20 April 2012—Luke 24:36–49—The early Church Fathers had to deal with heretics called Docetists who denied the physical resurrection of Jesus, saying it was only a spiritual resurrection, and that His appearances were that of a phantasm, or else hallucinations by His followers. This heresy persists to this day: the Jehovah’s Witnesses deny the bodily resurrection of Christ. But Jesus dispels any sort of nonsensical ideas in Sunday’s Gospel. He appears in the flesh—Why do doubts rise in your hearts? Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Handle me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have—and eats food. This eyewitness account also gives us the assurance of the physical resurrection of Jesus, and of all believers, as we confess in the Creed.

Saturday, 21 April 2012—The Hymn of the Day, With High Delight, Let Us Unite (LSB #483), is a song of jubilation and high praise to our risen Lord, who has vanquished death and the grave by His death: True God, He first From death has burst Forth into life, all subduing. His enemy Doth vanquished lie; His death has been death’s undoing. “And yours shall be Like victory O’er death and grave,” Saith He, who gave His life for us, life renewing.

Collect for Easter 3—O God, through the humiliation of Your Son You raised up the fallen world. Grant to Your faithful people, rescued from the peril of everlasting death, perpetual gladness and eternal joys; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

This week’s Time in the Word was written by Pr. Jeffrey M. Keuning, who serves the Lutheran parishes of St. John Casey and Zion, Dexter IA

Easter 2

Believing in Seeing

Enough! Thomas had had enough of this secrecy! James and John had met with Jesus - in secret - asking to be seated at His left and his right. Such arrogance! The Council had met - in secret - to obtain an arrest and a conviction. They had met - in secret - with Pilate to secure the tomb. And now, after all this, His so-called “friends” had come up with this fabricated story - of Jesus magically appearing before them. So, enough with this secrecy! “I don’t buy it!  Unless I see with my eyes the marks of His wounds and place my finger in his hands and my hands at His side I will not believe it!”  

1. Like Thomas, we do not have the luxury an eyewitness experience of the risen Christ.

   

 A. Thomas was not present. Possibly, he was distracted involving his time in some other activity so he wouldn’t have to concentrate on the present reality – an empty tome and no physical body. Possibly, he had given up and checked out. Why remain with the other disciples? Jesus was dead. What more could be said? As far as Thomas was concerned, Jesus wasn’t coming back

     

B.  The disciples were in similar circumstances – they too had hesitated to believe the report of the women of Jesus’ resurrection. They had abandoned Jesus in the garden when He needed them the most. They had seen Him die. On that first Easter night, where do we find them? Hold up in a locked room in fear of the authorities!  Not a ringing endorsement for a confident faith. So why the change? And why now?

C. So where do you stand on this issue? The resurrection happened some 2,000 years ago. We do not have the experience of seeing Jesus with our own eyes. Can you have faith without witnessing Jesus Christ alive from the dead?

Transition: Like Thomas, we have not personally witnessed Jesus Christ alive from the dead. The Easter proclamation is powerful beyond comprehension.  

2. The message of the Resurrection is incomprehensible.

A.  Dead men do NOT come back to life again. And while we at it - virgins don’t catch the “pregers” either! Thomas had been there. He personally witnessed the crown of thorns, the nails, the spear. He knew Jesus was dead.  He had witnessed Jesus’ burial. He knew of the safeguards the Elders had arranged with Pilate; a tomb sealed and the guard posted.

B.  If Jesus were alive, He would have to appear before him just as He had to the rest of the disciples. Thomas didn’t need a counterfeit Christ. He would have to witness the marks of Jesus’ Passion.  These scars and visible marks on Jesus’ body would let him know that the same Jesus who had died by crucifixion was in fact alive. A counterfeit Jesus would not do. It wouldn’t work for Thomas and a counterfeit Christ will do you no good. For you are a sinner! And you need a real Savior to confront your sins and deal with them. A dead Christ cannot save you! If Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless and you are still imprisoned by your sins.^[1]

C.  What convincing proof does this world need to believe in the resurrection. The claim is true today, 2,000 years later – dead men do not rise. And virgins don’t get pregnant. Americans by law recognize Christmas and Easter as a legal holiday. Yet many these days treat Christianity with mockery and disdain.   Many consider as only fable and myth the two chief Christian holidays - based on a virgin birth and a visible resurrection – no more real in the minds of modern man than a compassionate elf and a benevolent rabbit who lays eggs purporting himself as a chicken. We trust in the same testimony of those eyewitnesses. John in his first epistle would    later write, What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have  seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of Life-- 1 John 1:1

Transition: Thomas’ life was literally changed once he became an eyewitness of Jesus bodily raised from the dead.

3. Seeing is believing.

A.  Upon witnessing Jesus’ appearance Thomas changed from a skeptic to a believer. These visible scars now become the marks of faith. All speculation of what might have happened is now gone. Thomas too became an eyewitness of Jesus’ resurrection. He is now a true apostle. Thomas does us a favor. To believe in Christ simply means that the same Christ, which died must also be raised. Thomas cannot believe in a fantasy. He witnessed the nails and the spear. If Jesus is really raised, he must witness and behold the marks or he will not believe.

B. We have the testimony of these eyewitnesses.  The testimony of Scripture is undeniable. Jesus openly taught of His own resurrection. The prophecies of the Old Testament speak frequently of the Messiah being raise to life on the third day. The testimony of these eyewitnesses remained consistent. Starting in Jerusalem - the very city where Jesus was executed - spreading throughout the world the message would not change. The 1^st Century believers had only one message - “we are witnesses of these events”.

For twenty-five years, I’ve had the privilege of serving you. We’ve grown, enjoyed each other’s company. You’ve given us the privilege of raising our children at one place. That’s rare, and a privilege. We’ve laughed and cried together. Moreover, you’ve always been kind to us. But it’s never been about me and it’s never been about you! It’s always about Christ, and Him crucified and raised from the tomb. These words of the Savior, His words to Thomas are meant for you this day. “Blessed are those who believe even though they have not seen! Lord, grant us such a faith as this!  

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:The_Incredulity_of_Saint_Thomas_by_Caravaggio.jpg

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[1] http://isv.scripturetext.com/1_corinthians/15.htm

Time in the Word - Easter 2

The Risen Christ Breathes His Peace in the Holy Absolution

The crucified and risen Lord Jesus appeared to His Apostles on the first Easter Sunday. He “came and stood among them,” and with His Word and the wounds in “His hands and His side” He granted them His peace (John 20:19–20). He sent them as ministers of the Gospel in His name to bestow the life-giving Holy Spirit for us and for His whole Church through the forgiveness of sins (John 20:21–23). Through this apostolic ministry He calls us to believe that He “is the Christ, the Son of God,” so that by such faith we “may have life in His name” (John 20:31). The Apostles “have seen and heard” this divine life manifested in the flesh of Christ, and those who succeed them in this apostolic ministry now proclaim that same Absolution to us, so that we “too may have fellowship” with the risen Christ, with the Apostles, and “with one another” (1 John 1:1–7). The one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church lives by “their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus,” and all who believe this Word are “of one heart and soul,” because in Him they truly have “everything in common” (Acts 4:32–33).

Collects for the Feast of the Resurrection of Our Lord: Almighty God, through Your only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ, You overcame death and opened to us the gate of everlasting life. We humbly pray that we may live before You in righteousness and purity forever; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Almighty God the Father, through Your only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ, You have overcome death and opened the gate of everlasting life to us. Grant that we, who celebrate with joy the day of our Lord’s resurrection, may be raised from the death of sin by Your life-giving Spirit;  

O God, for our redemption You gave Your only-begotten Son to the death of the cross and by His glorious resurrection delivered us from the power of the enemy. Grant that all our sin may be drowned through daily repentance and that day by day we may arise to live before You in righteousness and purity forever;

O God, in the paschal feast You restore all creation. Continue to send Your heavenly gifts upon Your people that they may walk in perfect freedom and receive eternal life; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord,

Almighty God, through the resurrection of Your Son You have secured peace for our troubled consciences. Grant us this peace evermore that trusting in the merit of Your Son we may come at last to the perfect peace of heaven;  

Almighty God, by the glorious resurrection of Your Son, Jesus Christ, You destroyed death and brought life and immortality to light. Grant that we who have been raised with Him may abide in His presence and rejoice in the hope of eternal glory;

Collect for Easter 2—Almighty God, grant that we who have celebrated the Lord’s resurrection may by Your grace confess in our life and conversation that Jesus is Lord and God; through the same Jesus Christ,

Monday, 9 April 2012—Psalm 105:1–5, 8; Antiphon, 1 Peter 2:2–3—The second Sunday of Easter is sometimes called Quasimodogeniti, Latin for the first words of the Introit, ‘Like newborn infants.’ Just as a baby eagerly suckles at its mother’s breast, so we, who have been given new life in Christ by His death and resurrection, also do eagerly desire the pure spiritual milk provided by our Lord for our nourishment and good growth. This He gives us through the preaching of His Word and the most blessed Sacrament of the Altar.

Tuesday, 10 April 2012—Psalm 148—In Sunday’s psalm, the psalmist calls upon all of creation—those on the earth, those under the sea, and those in the heavens—to join in a chorus of praise to the LORD. Animate and inanimate, all of creation proclaims the glory of the LORD!

Wednesday, 11 April 2012—Acts 4:32–35—St Luke gives us a snapshot of the early Church in Jerusalem. Reflecting the love that Christ has for us, they loved each other by taking care of one another. Two thousand years later, we can reflect that same love of Jesus for us by caring for one another.

Thursday, 12 April 2012—1 John 1:1—2:2—St. John, in his epistle, testifies to the fact of Christ’s resurrection by recounting how he has seen the resurrected Savior, how he has heard him, and how he has touched Him. We need have no doubt that Christ is risen from the dead, and therefore, has forgiven all our sins.

Friday, 13 April 2012—John 20:19–31—There are two appearances by the risen Christ in Sunday’s Gospel, each bringing us a great deal of comfort. In the first, Jesus establishes the Office of the Holy Ministry, and assures us that, in the words of the catechism, ‘when the called ministers of Christ deal with us by His divine command, in particular when they . . . absolve those who repent of their sins and want to do better, this is just as valid and certain, even in heaven, as if Christ, our dear Lord, dealt with us Himself.’ In the second appearance, our Lord appears to Thomas. 

Thomas wanted the certainty of seeing his risen Lord in the flesh, as the others had. When he beholds the wounds in the One who was crucified on our behalf, his faith is sure, and he confesses, ‘My Lord and My God!’ Thomas’s assurance is ours also. We need never doubt that our Lord is truly risen from the dead, ‘the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.’ (1 Cor 15:20)

Saturday, 14 April 2012—Sunday’s hymn of the day, O Sons and Daughters of the King (LSB #470), recounts the story of Jesus’ post-resurrection appearances and particularly His encounter with St Thomas. His words to Thomas are meant for us, also: ‘How blest are they who have not seen / And yet whose faith has constant been, / For they eternal life shall win. / Alleluia!’ Alleluia!’ Alleluia!’

Lectionary summary on front page from the LCMS Commission on Worship

Woodcut by Baron Julius Schnoor von Carolsfeld, ©WELS

Prayers from Lutheran Service Book © 2006 Concordia Publishing House

This week’s Time in the Word is written by The Revd Jeffrey M. Keuning, Pastor of St John's Evangelical Lutheran Church U.A.C. Casey IA and Zion Lutheran Church Dexter, IA

Easter 2

All the doors are shut, locked, and there are about a dozen or more men, in tight quarters, sweating, stinking of fear. They are not sure what has happened or what they should do. They feel the heat. Then Jesus came and stood among them, saying: Peace be with you.

Jesus Comes

He came and stood among them. He didn’t approach them from behind or appear in a corner and then clear his voice to get their attention. In that closed up space with barely enough room for another body—Jesus stood among them, there was really no place else he could be. He is in the center of the sweaty mass, everyone crowding in around him, jostling to see the holes in his hands, the gash in his side, that he is showing them. Peace be with you, he says again, as the Father sent me, so I send you.

Jesus Breathes

He pauses and everyone leans in, craning their necks so as not to miss a whisper — then he breaths on them.  They are close enough to feel the heat of his breath, to smell it. Receive the Holy Spirit.

Source:

http://thehardestquestion.org/yeara/pentecostgospel/