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Text: Genesis 4:1-5
Date: Pentecost XXIII + Proper 25 + 10/23/16

This day we entered into the gates of God’s presence singing, “When I am afraid, I put my trust in you” (Ps. 56:3), and in the Collect of the Day we prayed, “forgive us those things of which our conscience is afraid” (Collect). Afraid. Fear. It seems we never run out of things or occasions to be afraid of, to make us fear. To come here and sing and pray rightly we must first admit our fear and need of forgiveness and mercy. Some will not make such an admission but instead will put on a proud face, deny any such weakness as fear with the result of remaining deaf to God’s invitation of mercy and quite defenseless when troubles multiply. The Pharisee in today’s Gospel could not admit his need or even recognize it taking pride in his own self-righteousness. Only the penitent lowly tax collector was moved simply to plead for God’s mercy because he knew his need of forgiveness. The result says our Lord, only the tax collector was justified before God and not the other who exalted himself. Continue reading “I Trust When Dark My Road”

Text: Genesis 32:22-30
Date: Pentecost XXII + Proper 24 + 10/16/16

Almighty God has not only commanded us to pray but also has promised to hear us. Jesus’ parable, says St. Luke, is meant to teach us not only always to pray but also never to lose heart (Luke 18:1-8). Our prayers arise out of an awareness of our need. But they are not to dwell on that need. Rather they must attach themselves firmly to the promises and power of God to meet that need. Therefore, today’s Introit began, “Remember your congregation, which you have purchased of old, which you have redeemed.” “Have regard for the covenant,” that is, God’s own word and purpose and promise of grace and mercy. The mini-drama of the widow continually pleading to the unrighteous judge reminds us how faith never gives up even when it seems either that God is not listening or that He is slow to respond. The strange story of Jacob wrestling with God was chosen as commentary on Jesus’ parable. Continue reading “I Will Not Let You Go”

Text: Ruth 1:1-19a
Date: Pentecost XXI + Proper 23 + 10/9/16

We have been hearing a lot about faith in recent weeks, especially that it’s not the so-called “strength” of our faith that makes any difference but the fact of faith in the promises of God. Today when we speak of “Amazing Faith” therefore we are not implying that some faith is more amazing than others but the fact that any faith is an amazing thing. Continue reading “Amazing Faith”

Text: Habakkuk 1:1-4; 2:1-4
Date: Pentecost XX + Proper 22 + 10/2/16

Dearly beloved, I pray that God working through His Word before us today will give you not only an increase of faith but also an increase of great peace, patience, calmness of heart and mind even and especially in the midst of all the various challenges before us. Continue reading “Living by Faith”

Text: Amos 6:1-7
Date: Pentecost XIX + Proper 21 + 9/25/16

We’re surrounded by angels today.

“The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side” (Lk 16:22). Therefore we sing and pray for ourselves in the hymn:

Lord, let at last Thine angels come,
To Abr’ham’s bosom bear me home,
That I may die unfearing. (LSB 708:3)

This week we celebrate St. Michael and All Angels Day.

Today’s Gospel gives us some amazing, impressive and comforting details about the afterlife, what happens when we die, as the promise of the ministry of angels at our death. It also lays out a serious warning. No, the story Jesus tells of the Rich Man and Lazarus doesn’t mean that all poor people go to heaven and all rich people go to hell. And it doesn’t mean either that the way to heaven is the way of caring for the poor and our other good works, except insofar as our love and works or lack of them are indicators of our relationship with God if it exists at all. What is your relationship with God? A Christian priest got a laugh when he was questioned by a seven-year-old child after watching him serve the sacrament at Mass, innocently asking, “Do you know Jesus or does He just work with you?” Christian faith is never a part time thing, or shouldn’t be. Continue reading “At Ease?”

Text: Amos 8:4-7
Date: Pentecost XVIII + Proper 20 + 9/18/16

“Make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous wealth, so that when it fails they may receive you into the eternal dwellings” (Luke 16:9).

There is nothing wrong with money. It is the love of money that’s the problem. There is nothing wrong with money. At the same time we ought to say that there is also nothing right about money, money itself, for it will eventually fail. The question is not about money but about how and for what you use it (or it uses you) and the true riches of the gracious God of our life and salvation. Continue reading “Upsetting the Fruit Basket”

Text: Ezekiel 34:11-24
Date: Pentecost XVII + Proper 19 + 9/11/16

“Just who does this guy, this teacher, ‘this man’ think he is?” So the Pharisees and scribes grumbled and asked themselves. They didn’t know at the time that they were actually pondering and asking the most important, the number one question of saving faith – Who is Jesus? “This man receives sinners and eats with them.” No orthodox, upstanding Jew would dare do such a thing! Just who does he think he is? Continue reading “Let God Take Over”

Text: Deuteronomy 30:15-20
Date: Pentecost XVI + Proper 18 + 9/4/16

God sent His Son to bring salvation to the whole world. When Jesus said, “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved” (Mark 16:16), He meant “whoever,” that is the invitation is open to all, to every human being. When He said, “whoever believes and is baptized” He meant that God Himself comes and works faith in your heart through His spoken Word and Sacraments and makes you his own. “He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3:5). Salvation is totally God’s work and gift. By the gift of faith God makes you to be a disciple of Jesus Christ. A disciple is a follower, literally a learner. Continue reading “Choose Life”

Text: Proverbs 25:2-10
Date: Pentecost XV + Proper 17 + 8/28/16

At first it would seem that today’s readings are aimed only at good advice or wisdom concerning an aspect of leading a God pleasing life in this world. And that it is. Jesus was being serious if not also a little critical before the Pharisees of the danger of ungodly pride and the need for true humility as we prayed for in today’s collect. With the words, “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled” and vice versa, He certainly had the principle of the proverb in mind that we heard today, “Do not put yourself forward in the king’s presence or stand in the place of the great, for it is better to be told, ‘Come up here,’ than to be put lower in the presence of a noble” (Prov 25:6-7). Continue reading “Your Greatest Promotion”

Text: Isaiah 66:18-23
Date: Pentecost XIV + Proper 16 + 8/21/16

Today St. Luke reminds us that Jesus is continuing on His journey “toward Jerusalem.” Jerusalem! It’s the place where God dwells. It is the place of divine worship. It is the place of God’s salvation. So it’s not surprising that a nameless “someone” asked Jesus about salvation. It is interesting that the question was not, as many ask today, whether everyone is going to be saved in the end. Among the Jews there has always been an awareness that salvation will be the possession only of a faithful remnant chosen by God. In the apocryphal book of 4 Ezra it is written, “The Most High has made this world for many, but the world to come for few” (4 Ezra 8:1). This is simply because, while salvation is the totally free gift of God, it is possessed only by faith. Did God make forgiveness of sins and salvation available to all people? Yes, He did. Could all people be saved in the end? Yes, they could. Yet the Bible tells us that it is because of our fallen, sinful nature, our inbred spiritual blindness and deadness that many will reject God’s proffered salvation by unbelief. So if you change the question asking “Will all people be saved in the end?” The clearly unhappy answer is “No.” Continue reading “All Flesh Shall Worship”