"Christianity is the only religion whose God bears the scars of evil." ~Os Guinness

A pray for Las Veges

Holy Father, God of mercy, God of comfort, as the darkness grows and hatred and violence seem to triumph in this world, embrace in Your tender compassion all who suffer from this latest terror attack. Remember all who have lost loved ones, and the many who are injured and dying. Grant to them Your mercy, Your healing, Your peace. We remember that in Your Son You have given to us the Love that no hatred can overcome, the Life that no death can destroy, the Forgiveness that exceeds all the violence that fallen humanity inflicts upon itself. Make Your Church a firm witness to this unfailing hope. We pray these things in the saving name of Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

October

The 500th Anniversary of the Reformation will be observed on Sunday, October 29.   At the center of our Christian faith is the understanding that a sinner is justified by grace alone (sola gratia) through faith alone (sola fide) for the sake of Christ alone (solus Christus), a truth revealed to us in Scripture alone (sola Scriptura).  This month, we focus on the word, “faith.” What is faith? 

Sola fide the Latin phrase “by faith alone,” also known as justification by faith alone, is the single most Christian theological doctrine that distinguishes Lutheran Christianity.

The doctrine of faith alone affirms God's pardon for guilty sinners. God’s forgiveness is granted and received through faith alone, excluding all "works". All mankind is fallen and sinful, under the curse of God, and incapable of saving himself from God's wrath and curse. But God our heavenly Father, on the basis of the life, death, and resurrection of His Son, Jesus Christ alone, grants sinners a full judicial pardon, which is received solely through faith. 

Faith is passive. Merely receiving Christ and all His benefits, among which benefits are the forgiveness of sins, and peace with God. Christ's active obedience - doing what God's law required – means that every event of Jesus’ life was a part of His payment of the penalty of sin.  Every event of His life was a part of His keeping of the law of God by which He earned for His people the reward of eternal life.

This righteousness is a righteousness that we receive from God. A person is righteous, that is, he is in a right relationship with God, when he simply receives the imputed obedience of Christ and the forgiveness of sins through faith. This righteousness is passive and comes apart from the Law.

Christ's righteousness, is imputed (or attributed) by God to the believing sinner (as opposed to infused or imparted), so that the divine verdict and pardon of the believing sinner is based not upon anything in the sinner, but upon Jesus Christ and His righteousness alone, which are received through faith alone. 

Augsburg Confession, 1530 sums this up with the following words, “Our churches by common consent...teach that men cannot be justified before God by their own strength, merits, or works, but are freely justified for Christ's sake, through faith, when they believe that they are received into favor, and that their sins are forgiven for Christ's sake, who, by His death, has made satisfaction for our sins. This faith God imputes for righteousness in His sight.”  – Article IV

In his Introduction to the book Romans, Luther stated that saving faith is, “a living, creative, active and powerful thing, this faith. Faith cannot help doing good works constantly. It doesn’t stop to ask if good works ought to be done, but before anyone asks, it already has done them and continues to do them without ceasing. Anyone who does not do good works in this manner is an unbeliever...Thus, it is just as impossible to separate faith and works as it is to separate heat and light from fire!  - "Luther, An Introduction to St. Paul's Letter to the Romans"

Martin Luther is recorded as stating, “Works are necessary for salvation but they do not cause salvation; for faith alone gives life.” – [Ewald M. Plass, “What Luther says,” page 1509] Remember, works are necessary. But they do not cause salvation. Thus Luther could offer two seemingly contradictory truths:

The Christian is an utterly free man, lord of all, subject to none.  –In Christ all sin is covered period. He gave His all for you.

The Christian is an utterly dutiful man, servant of all, subject to all. –In love I serve my neighbor giving my all.

This month of October another harvest will begin. There is also a harvest of souls. Christ has won for you full salvation. You receive this freedom as a gift. No strings attached. You are now free to love and serve your neighbor. Every. Single. Day. You are compelled to do so. You can do no other.  Love God. Serve your neighbor. That’s what it means to be a person of faith. 

Luther’s Seal © Ed Riojas Higher Things

Time in the Word - Pentecost 18 ~ Proper 22

A Study for Proper 22

October 2-7, 2017

The Vineyard of God’s People

In the Lessons for this week, we look at evil confidences, which cannot stand under the light of God’s Holy Law. God’s people constitute a vineyard. The Gospel and Old Testament lessons complement each other in the use of a vineyard as a metaphor for God’s people. In both, the vineyard is at fault; in the Gospel, the tenants refuse to render fruit; in the Old Testament, the fruit is wild. In the Epistle lesson, the wild fruit are those who are “enemies of the cross of Christ” and serve as an example of the right kind of fruit Christians produce. Because God’s vineyard is His people, He has the right to ask for proper returns from the vineyard. Both the Old Testament lesson and the Gospel pronounce judgment upon the vineyard for failing to produce the fruit of acknowledging Christ as Lord and the fruit of justice. 

Collects for Proper 22 – Gracious God, You gave Your Son into the hands of sinful men, who killed Him. Forgive us when we reject Your unfailing love, and grant us the fullness of Your salvation; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one god, now and forever. 

O God, whose almighty power is made known chiefly in showing mercy and pity, grant us the fullness of Your grace that we may be partakers of Your heavenly treasures.

A prayer for Agriculture – You bless the earth to make it fruitful, bring forth in abundance whatever is needed for the support of our lives. Prosper; we pray the work of farmers as they bring food to our table. Grant them seasonable weather that they may gather in the fruit of the earth, and thus proclaim Your goodness with thanksgiving. Cause all people who give thanks over their food to treat those who produce it with honor and respect. May we see by this noble vocation that through them You feed the world.

A prayer before we study the Word – Almighty God, our heavenly Father, without Your help, our labor is useless, and without Your light, our search is in vain. Invigorate the study of Your holy Word that, by due diligence and right discernment, we may establish ourselves and others in Your holy faith.

Monday, October 2, 2017 – Psalm 118:22-24 - Antiphon, verse 1:“O Give thanks to the Lord for He is good; for His steadfast love endures forever.” – This is a call to praise the Lord. David offers a song of thanksgiving for deliverance and victory. The people rejoice over what the Lord has done. Thereafter, the king speaks his final word of praise (see verse 28). We praise and exalt the Lord because He is mighty to save. This is why He is good – His mercy, His steadfast love endures forever.

Tuesday, October 3, 2017 – Psalm 80:7-19 – This week’s Psalm has as the key verse, verse 7. The vineyard of the Lord of hosts is Israel, and the men of Judah are the plant He cherished (Isaiah 5:7). After making a lament over the Lord’s severe punishment of His people the Psalmist looks to the Lord who will vindicate His own as He restores and makes His face shine upon them that they might be saved. 

Wednesday, October 4, 2017– Isaiah 5:1-7 - God’s people receive judgment for evil fruit.  Confidence in violence and bloodshed leads to judgment. In the Old Testament reading, God’s judgment upon His people is shown for their failure to produce proper fruit. The prophet sings a love song to God regarding God’s vineyard, his people. God is his “beloved.” God loves His people. Proof of this love is that God’s vineyard, His possession, is His people. Out of love, God accepts and owns His people. And look what God has done for His people! He has placed a vineyard on a fertile hill. He dug the ground, cleared away the stones, and planted it with the best vines. Then He built a watchtower and a wine vat. God is love and He deals lovingly with His people: claiming them as His own, and providing for them by giving them the best of everything to be fruitful.

Thursday, October 5, 2017 – Philippians 3:4b-14 – God’s people strive to be examples worthy of Christ. Confidence in the flesh cannot stand. Forgetting the past, Paul presses on toward the goal of Christ and lives as an example for others. Paul defends himself as a Christian of the first order through the mercies of God. Yet, he does not think he has it “made,” but keeps striving for complete devotion to Christ by becoming one in the sufferings, death, and resurrection of Christ. Because he imitates Christ, he is able to ask his people to imitate him in both faith and life. 

Though we are in the world, we belong to the kingdom of heaven. When Christ returns, He will transform our earthly bodies to spiritual bodies.

Paul uses this phrase “I press on” twice in this passage. It must have been important to him in getting across his plan. He is not idly waiting for perfection to come to him. He is not neutral. He is urgent, pursuing, and energetic in getting to his goal. To become like Christ is a process over a lifetime — ever striving to be like Christ in every area of life. At the same time, Paul would say that God was in him pressing on, working in him. A Christian dare not be content with his life. He is ever seeking to improve it.

Friday, October 6, 2017 – Matthew 21:33-46 – God’s people refuse to return God His due. Confidence in one’s own faith will fail. This is another parable of the kingdom.  The vineyard is Israel. The tenants are the religious leaders. The servants are the prophets. The son is Jesus. The murder was the cross. Jesus is saying that time after time God has sought to redeem his people through the prophets, but each effort was in vain. In desperation, He sent His Son whom they crucified. This is in accord with the psalmist who says the rejected stone became the cornerstone. The outcome of it is that the religious leaders of Israel will lose the kingdom, which will be given to those who produce the fruit of righteousness. Because of their rejection of Christ, the Jews lost, but the Gentiles gained the kingdom.

The owner has a right to receive fruit from the tenants. People owe something to God. Time after time God comes for His due until finally He makes the ultimate appeal in His Son, Jesus. Rebellious tenants kill the Son in hope of taking over the vineyard. Here can be seen the patience of God, trying repeatedly to get the tenants to respond; here can also be seen the greed of people.

Saturday, October 7, 2017 –Matthew 25:1-13 - Our reading is the inspiration for the hymn, “Rejoice, Rejoice Believers.” The believer rejoices only in Christ. The days are getting shorter, soon the harvest will commence. We pray for the safety of all who work to bring food to our table. We also anticipate a harvest of souls. 

Sources:

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

Lutheran Worship Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis MO © 1980 pg. 83

Lectionary Preaching Workbook Series A by John Brokhoff © 1980 CSS Publishing Lima OH pg. 253

Image © Ed Rojas  Higher Things 

Proper 21

1 October 2017 – Proper 21 – Matthew 21:23-27 (28-32) 
 

“God of love. You know our frailties and failings. Give us Your grace to overcome them; keep us from these things that harm us; and guide us in the way of salvation.”

Scripture testifies to the fact that all are sinners, whether in the church or in the world. In that event, why become a Christian? Why become committed to Jesus Christ? If all are sinners. Even Christians. Who can be saved? It is important for Christians to realize they are sinners lest they become holier-than-thou in their attitude toward non- Christians.

It is not a matter of being a sinner; it matters what kind of sinner you are. One type is missing and another repents. He is retrieved and reinstated. These two boys represent two kinds of sinners.

1. The lost sinner — the one who said, “I go, sir” — v. 30.

A. He had respect and piety —One of the sons was very polite and respectful of his father. He addressed him as “Sir.” (κύριε)  This son said he would go to work as the father expected. He gave the right answer and showed the proper respect. But he was not as good as his word. This son represents “religious people” who know the right things to say in worship and prayer and in life.

They consent to God’s laws. They make promises to obey. But do nothing. They gave confession without execution. They have “rigor without submission Orthodoxy without obedience”. 1

Jesus says these people do not enter the kingdom. They failed to repent. This does not mean that we are saved by acts of obedience. It points out that a superficial and artificial relationship with God does not count. How so? They fail in two respects.

B. They give only lip service — He said emphatically: “I go.” (ἐγώ) There are the obedient ones. Yet they refuse to obey. They see no need for Christ.

C. They fail to act. He cannot do what he promised. He cannot produce —“but did not go.” Failed to do what he said – “but did not go” Lip service is inadequate. But how can we do the Father’s will and not simply say, “I will”?

Transition: The way of righteousness is that Jesus calls us sinful sons to enter the kingdom through repentance. This involves sorrow over our sins and faith that God has forgiven our sins and declared us righteous because of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. By the power of the Holy Spirit He gives us a God given resolve to be righteous in our everyday life.

2. The saved sinner — v. 29. He repented and He obeyed.

A. He repented — “he repented.” (μεταμεληθεὶς) Here is a case of repentance in action. There was an “about face” in his life. One son refused to go to work in his father’s vineyard. Then he changed his mind and went to work. This about-face. This change of mind. From disobedience. From “no” to “yes.” From going in the wrong direction to turning in the right direction. Is the meaning of repentance. 

When the religious leaders heard the Baptist’s call to repentance. They did not heed it. While the sinners of the day did responded in faith. It was shocking to the professional religious leaders that Jesus claimed the sinners and not the religious ones were in the kingdom. We are all sinners –yet saved by grace.

He repented – “he repented” (μεταμεληθεὶς›) He turned from his sinful ways. He came to the understanding that he was in need of a change in his life. He turned from his evil ways. The way of righteousness is that Jesus calls us sinful sons to enter the kingdom through repentance.

This involves sorrow over our sins. And faith that God has in fact forgiven our sins and declared us righteous. This has happened because of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus.

B. He Obeyed — “He went.” (ἀπῆλθεν) He is the disobedient one who now obeys.

1. They turn from evil to good.

2. They respond to Christ.

Notice that there is action to the young man’s resolve. By the power of the Holy Spirit there is a God pleasing resolve to be righteous. It is Jesus Christ who has changed us. It is His Holy Spirit which works in us to will and to do the Father’s good and gracious will.

"Which of the two did the will of his father?" They said, "The latter." Jesus said to them, "Truly I say to you that the tax-gatherers and harlots will get into the kingdom of God before you.” Matthew 21:31

He who has entered the kingdom through repentance loves not just in word but in deed and in truth; his faith is not dead, without works, but alive and bearing fruit. God grant this for each of us. In Jesus’ Name. 

1  BOBO’s in Paradise © David Brooks

Words –825
Passive Sentences – 2%
Readability – 81.5
Reading Level – 4.2
Luther’s Seal © Ed Riojas Higher Things

Time in the Word - Pentecost 17 ~ Proper 21

In the Lessons for this week, we deal with sin and an appeal to turn to God for mercy. The Gospel lesson tells of two sons, one of whom repented and entered the Kingdom even though at first he disobeyed the Father. Through Ezekiel, God appeals to sinners to repent lest they die, for His will is for everyone to live. In the Epistle lesson, Paul deals with the problem of disunity in the Philippian congregation resulting from selfishness and arrogance, and appeals for unity by adopting the humble mind of Christ. The suggested Psalm deals with the theme by asking God not to remember the sins of our youth and appealing to God’s mercy and steadfast love.

Collect for Proper 21 – Almighty God, You exalted Your Son to the place of all honor and authority. Enlighten our minds by Your Holy Spirit that, confessing Jesus as Lord, we may be led into all truth; 

Lord God heavenly Father, since we cannot stand before You relying on anything we have done, help us trust in Your abiding grace and live according to Your Word; 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 are the Strength of all who put their trust in You. Mercifully accept our prayer, and because through the weakness of our mortal nature we can do no good thing without Your help, grant us the help of Your grace that, keeping Your commandments, we may please You in both will and deed.

For Home and Family – Visit, we implore You, O Lord, the homes in which Your people dwell, and keep far from them all harm and danger. Grant us to dwell together in peace under the protection of Your holy angels, and may Your blessing be with us forever, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. 

A prayer before we study the Word – Almighty God, our heavenly Father, without Your help our labor is useless, and without Your light our search is in vain. Invigorate the study of Your holy Word that, by due diligence and right discernment, we may establish ourselves and others in Your holy faith.

For Schools – Almighty God, our heavenly Father, since You have committed the care and nurture of children to Your people, graciously enlighten those who teach and those who are committed to their instruction that they may know the truth and trust in You all the days of their lives; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. 

Monday, September 25, 2017 – Psalm 147:1-5, Antiphon, verse 6 – “The Lord lifts up the humble He casts the wicked to the ground.” Those who acknowledge that they are without resources in and of themselves, the Lord lifts up while others who trust in themselves will be cast down. This is the definition of faith.

Tuesday, September 26, 2017 – Psalm 25:1-10 – The Psalm appointed for next week has as the key verse, verse 6, “Be mindful of thy mercy, O Lord, and of thy steadfast love, for they have been from of old.”  The Psalmist asks the Lord to remember the Lord’s long-standing mercy and love but not to remember his long-standing sin.

Wednesday, September 27, 2017 – Ezekiel 18:1-4, 25-32 – God wants all to repent and live. In Sunday’s first reading, God appeals to Israel to repent and live. Turn from evil to good and you shall live. With that we can agree, but the rub comes in making the turn. What will create a desire to change? Where does one get the power to break away from sin to walk in righteousness? The answer is in “a new heart and a new spirit.” But how does one get a new heart? This takes us to Jesus who said, “You must be born new.” Thus, one does not straighten out his life and then come to Jesus. He comes to Jesus as he is in sin and gets a new spirit. He then follows a new way of life.

Thursday, September 28, 2017 –Philippians 2:1-4, 14-18 – Turn from conceit to humility for unity.   Paul in the Epistle lesson appeals for unity in the Philippian congregation. Paul, in appealing for unity, presents Jesus as the model of humanity and obedience. Paul pleads for unity in the congregation at Philippi. He uses Jesus as an example of humility. In this lesson Paul shows the dual reality of the humanity and divinity of Jesus. His deity is indicated by the words, “in the form of God” and “equality with God.” His humanity is expressed in the phrases, “emptied himself,” “the likeness of men,” “in human form,” “obedient unto death.” This humility and obedience led to Christ’s exaltation. It is God’s will that every tongue confess Him as Lord. In the light of this, Christians are to work out their salvation as God works in them.

What is the solution to lack of church unity? Paul urges his people to have the mind of Christ. His mind was one of humility demonstrated in His taking the form of a servant and dying on a cross. 

Humility is expressed by considering others better than yourself and being concerned more about others than yourself. Arrogance and pride divide and cause trouble while humility draws together into a unity.

Friday, September 29, 2017 – Matthew 21:23-27 – The sinner who repents enters the Kingdom of God.  The Gospel lesson tells of two sons, one of whom repented and entered the Kingdom even though at first he disobeyed the Father. In the Parable of the Two Sons we learn a valuable lesson concerning sin and an appeal to turn to God for mercy. With this parable, Jesus confronts the religious leaders of His time (priests, scribes, Pharisees, Sadducees) who condemn Jesus for His association with sinners (publicans, prostitutes, and so on). This one son who says, “I go” but does not, represents the religious leaders. The other son who says, “I will not go” but later changes his mind and obeys, represents the sinners. Moreover, Jesus points out that when the religious leaders saw sinners repenting upon hearing John the Baptist, they still did not repent. Consequently, the sinners will enter the kingdom before the leaders will.

Here is a case of repentance in action. One son refused to go to work in his father’s vineyard. Then he changed his mind and went to work. This about-face, change of mind from disobedience, from no to yes, from going in the wrong direction to turning in the right direction is the meaning of repentance. When the religious leaders heard the Baptist’s call to repentance, they did not heed it, while the sinners of the day did. It was shocking to the professional religious leaders that Jesus claimed the sinners and not the religious ones were in the kingdom.

Saturday, September 30, 2017 – John 8:31 – This passage is the inspiration for the hymn, “Lord Keep Us Steadfast in Your Word.”  Faith clings to the Lord and His teaching. We are called to be faithful; faithful to the Lord, to His Word, to each other.

Sources:

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

Lutheran Worship Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis MO © 1980, page 83.

Lectionary Preaching Workbook Series A by John Brokhoff © 1980 CSS Publishing Lima OH, page 253.

Image © Ed Riojas Higher Things 

Proper 20

24 September – Proper 20 – Matthew 20:1-16
 
It’s Payday!

When unemployment figures are released for the nation, the state, or the local community people take notice.  The goal is always to have zero unemployment. In America, most are happy with 5 or 6% unemployment or less.  Unemployment means poverty, enforced idleness, increase in crime, welfare payments etc.

In God’s Kingdom there is not to be any unemployment.  God, as the householder, goes to the marketplace at different times of the day and asks, “Why do you stand here idle all the day? Come and work for Me!”

Every worker is interested in the wages for his work. Before he takes a job, he asks what the wages will be. If they are not adequate he may refuse to work.  What is the nature of God’s wages?  We know what the wages of sin is.  “The wages of sin is death.” Do we know the wages of God? This morning, let’s consider the nature of God’s wages.

1.      The amount is God’s decision, not our demands. “...and to those he said, 'You too go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.' And {so} they went.” (v.4NAS)  The landlord asked the workers to go into the vineyard. Agreeing to pay the workers a pre-determined amount.

God’s pay scale contradicts our notion of rewards. The enemies of Jesus’ day, the Pharisees, grumbled about Christ’s gracious offer to sinners. Even Peter thought he and the other disciples should have received more. They had not left their homes, their families and jobs to follow the Savior.

Yet God deals fairly with us. God is a real equal opportunity employer. Whatever we give up we receive back a hundred –fold. And finally, we receive eternal life. Jesus says “And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for My sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life.” - Matthew 19:29

2.      The wages are uniform – Everyone gets the same. "And when those {hired} first came, they thought that they would receive more; and they also received each one a denarius. (v. 10 NAS) God has dealt fairly with us. No injustice has been done. We have received the agreed wage. God never promised to give us what we think we deserve for our efforts. 

Could it be that if we find ourselves grumbling that it may reveal a loveless and unmerciful attitude? If this were so. We are under Law instead of under grace more then we perhaps care to realize.

Yet, isn’t it wonderful that even those of us who worked only one hour also receiving a denarius? 

There is a lesson to be learned here. The work itself is already a reward in and of itself! Just to be a Christian is a privilege. It is not a wearisome duty but a happy service. No matter how long God allows us to serve. There is no richer, fuller life than that of a disciple of Christ. The wage question in the kingdom of God need not trouble us. In the kingdom there is no unemployment. The wage level is uniformly high.

3.      The wages are generous – The parable concludes. 'Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with what is my own? Or is your eye envious because I am generous?' (v. 15NAS) 

God lives up to His promise to pay. We might go back on our words. And try to wiggle out of a commitment. Not so with the Savior. He has graciously promised that He will in no wise cast us aside. He went to the bloody cross on Good Friday to win for us salvation and life. There are literally hundreds of predictions in the Old Testament pointing to the cross. Jesus fulfilled them all and the payment for sin has been paid in full. The debt we owe has been paid.

God has a right to do what He pleases with His own. We are his workmanship. He is the one who deserves of our praise. We are obligated to Him. We are obligated to His Words and promises. He has the right to save and redeem those whom He pleases. This is why the landlord went back to the market place again and again. We should in no wise doubt that firmly believe, that this gracious act of the Father is an indication of His good and gracious will toward us. Jesus came to seek and to save the lost.

God is generous to all. From His vantage point God’s wages are more than generous. Because of who we are and the wrong we have done, we rightfully should not get anything from God. We should get nothing but condemnation. God gives His grace to all regardless of how long or how well they worked for Him.

Ours is to have the joy and the privilege of being in the kingdom. We do not serve for wages. You can never obligate a person for doing good. Our only reward is simply being in the Father’s kingdom and doing His good and gracious will.

Words – 880
Passive Sentences –6%
Readability – 79.1
Reading Level – 4.8
Luther’s Seal © Ed Riojas Higher Things