Wittenberg Door Campus Ministry
  • Home
    • Podcast Archives
  • About
    • About Wittenberg CoMo
    • Support Us
    • Contact Us
  • Resources
    • Greek Tutorials
  • Blog
  • Calendar
    • Events
  • Sandbox

Luke 3:1-20 - Lectionary for Advent 2C

12/6/2018

0 Comments

 


12/6/18
Many churches throughout the world use a Bible reading schedule called a "lectionary." It's just a fancy word meaning "selected readings." Posts like this reflect on the readings for an upcoming Sunday or other Church holiday, as found in the three-year lectionary.

Our Gospel reading from Luke 3:1-20 gives us not only insight into the work of God, not only into the identity of John the Baptizer, but also into the author Luke and the kind of critical response he expected.

Observe how carefully Luke dates this event. He doesn’t give a month and day, but he identifies the various political leaders of the time, whose  terms of office overlap. He also identifies the various political leaders of the time, whose terms of office overlap. He also identifies both the person recognized by the Jews as their rightful high priest as well as the one who was a political appointee. Luke here is making sure his readers can place the event clearly in time and space. For what it’s worth, for much of the time since these events, everyone accepted the reality of the account. It was not until the late 18th century that some scholars suggested these people may not have been real, as they were not clearly identified in historical sources. Since that time, archaeology as confirmed the identity and time frame. The account seems quite reliable in its details.

Some of these details are of great importance. What does John identify as God’s priority? His people are to be recognized by repentance which leads to just and charitable actions. In short, they are to beh onest, share with others, and not seek their own profit in such a way as to harm others. That’s a very good summary of the Christian life. In light of the goodness of God, we live lives which value the same kind of charity God has given.

There’s something more to this passage, though. Is John the Messiah? He is not. The Messiah is more worthy than John by far. Notice the work of the Messiah in verses 16-17. He pours out the Holy Spirit and cleans things up, gathering wheat for good use and burning up the chaff. Metaphorically, he gathers his repentant followers for the good of the world but he will sweep the rest into a pile destined for destruction. John calls his hearers, and us, to a life as repentant followers of Jesus, trusting in him rather than ourselves. May we be found in him this way.

If this brief meditation was helpful to you, I hope you will check out the other materials on our website at www.WittenbergCoMo.com and consider supporting us.

0 Comments

Philippians 1:2-11 - Lectionary for Advent 2C

12/5/2018

0 Comments

 
12/5/18
Many churches throughout the world use a Bible reading schedule called a "lectionary." It's just a fancy word meaning "selected readings." Posts like this reflect on the readings for an upcoming Sunday or other Church holiday, as found in the three-year lectionary.

Philippians, often regarded as the friendliest of Paul’s letters, expresses a great confidence in God and a great hope for his work among his people. Paul fully expects, in verse six, that God, having begun a good work in the Philippians, will continue it, bringing it to completion. Where does Paul draw this confidence from? In verses eight and following, it is because the Holy Spirit has bound Paul and the Philippians together. They have heard about Paul’s various trials and have still stood with him. They have heard he is doing well and have not given up in thir care for him. Whether times are easy or difficult, there they are.

In Paul’s opinion, and we confess this text is inspired by the Holy Spirit, the love and care the Philippians have is from God and is not focused just on Paul but spreads to others. They are actively discerning what is good, and working in accord with that.

Does this mean we can safely assess godliness based on actions? No, we can’t say that. But we can get some indicators of character and encourage faithful dependence on Christ, just what Paul does here.

If this brief meditation was helpful to you, I hope you will check out the other materials on our website at www.WittenbergCoMo.com and consider supporting us.

0 Comments

Malachi 3:1-7b - Lectionary for Advent 2C

12/4/2018

0 Comments

 
12/4/18
Many churches throughout the world use a Bible reading schedule called a "lectionary." It's just a fancy word meaning "selected readings." Posts like this reflect on the readings for an upcoming Sunday or other Church holiday, as found in the three-year lectionary.

Our Old Testament reading from Malachi chapter three speaks to the Lord’s coming as one who purifies. He cleanses what is impure, like a refiner of metal or like the stain remover used in a laundry. Something will have to go, and that something is all which detracts from the purity of God’s kingdom.

It’s very sad when we decide to take matters into our own hands in this regard. On the one hand, we may decide that we will not both with any attempts at holiness. After all, one day, God will come and make everything right. When we fall into this error, we become exactly the people spoken of in verse five, those who engage in various crimes against God because we don’t fear him. In effect, if God’s Word is right, this seals our own death sentence. We have said that God doesn’t matter.

On the other hand, we fall into error when we act as the judge on God’s behalf. We decide to stamp out evil, normally too forcefully, failing to acknowledge God’s loving and redemptive care. Trying to remove the stain from the cloth, we take scissors to it and cut it apart, rather than lifting the stain out.

Let God be God and us humans be humans! We try to pursue and encourage purity, but we realize that our attempts will be moderately successful at best. We know when the Lord comes he will make everything right, but not without refining us. And as we see that time approaching, we strive to recognize the Lord is good and merciful. He will care for his people according to his pleasure, which is for the good of his creation.

If this brief meditation was helpful to you, I hope you will check out the other materials on our website at www.WittenbergCoMo.com and consider supporting us.

0 Comments

Psalm 66:1-12 - Lectionary for Advent 2C

12/3/2018

0 Comments

 
12/3/18
Many churches throughout the world use a Bible reading schedule called a "lectionary." It's just a fancy word meaning "selected readings." Posts like this reflect on the readings for an upcoming Sunday or other Church holiday, as found in the three-year lectionary.

Our reading of Psalm 66:1-12 reminds us that the Lord is the one who is praised by Israel. This is a fairly normal theme for a Psalm, of course, but let’s try to see some of the particulars. In verse four, “all the earth” is to sing the praises of God. Why? Because of his acts for humanity. Fair enough. What are these acts? The Psalmist goes on to talk about the rescue of Israel from the hands of the Egyptians by having Israel walk across dry land through the Red Sea, as well as bringing Israel into the promised land by having them walk through a miraculously dry riverbed.

We might question whether this is God’s work for all of humanity. After all, Israel is only a small part of humanity. So how is this saving humanity? Recall that God has always commanded Israel to invite others to join with them. All those who believed God’s words of promise were under his protection when leaving Egypt. All those who believed God’s call to enter into the promised land by faith were perfectly safe walking through the Jordan river. Those who reject him, not so.

Verse seven speaks to God’s work of governing all nations. He watches over them all. Since rebellion against God brings death and destruction, God’s call is for all to follow him.

The exclusive claims of God in Scripture are troubling to many. After all, people in modern and postmodern Western civilization are, above all else, individualists. We want to make our own way, pull ourselves up by the bootstraps, throw off the shackles of tradition, and do something new. Alas, that is exactly what God, who created and sustains heaven and earth, warns against. His call is to live a life, trusting him, walking in his paths, which are good. Christianity is a radical departure from our own will and an entry into God’s will. I’m going to trust God’s will much more than my will. He then shows that he is the one who works good for humanity.

If this brief meditation was helpful to you, I hope you will check out the other materials on our website at www.WittenbergCoMo.com and consider supporting us.

0 Comments

    ​Help Fuel This Ministry by Clicking Here!

    All the work of Wittenberg Door Campus Ministry, including this blog, is supported by the generosity of people like you. Please consider joining our team of prayer and financial supporters. Read more here!
    Please Note: The opinions presented in blog posts are not necessarily those of Wittenberg Door Campus Ministry. Frequently we report on contrary views, often without comment. Please chime in on the discussion.

    About Throwing Inkwells

    When Martin Luther was dealing with struggles in his life he once saw what appeared to be an angelic being. Not trusting that he was going to be informed by someone other than the God revealed in Scripture, he took the appearance to be untrustworthy and hurled his inkwell at it. The chipped place in the plaster wall is still visible at the Wartburg Castle, though apparently the ink stain on the wall has been refreshed periodically by the caretaker.

    Blog Feeds

    RSS Feed

    Want to keep up with what's happening at Wittenberg Door? Subscribe to our mailing list!

    Categories

    All
    1 Corinthians
    1-john
    1-kings
    1-peter
    1-thessalonians
    1 Timothy
    2019-02-feb
    2-corinthians
    2-john
    2-kings
    2-peter
    2-samuel
    2 Thessalonians
    2 Timothy
    3-john
    Academic-success
    Acts
    Advent 1
    Advent-1-a
    Advent-1b
    Advent-1c
    Advent 2
    Advent-2-a
    Advent-2b
    Advent-2c
    Advent 3
    Advent-3-a
    Advent-3b
    Advent-3c
    Advent-4-a
    Advent-4b
    Advent-4c
    Alesso-2009
    Allitt-2010
    Amos
    Aristotle
    Augustine
    Baptism-of-christ
    Baptism-of-the-lord-b
    Belonging
    Boehme-2010
    Braaten 2007
    Bruce1988
    Bruce-1988
    Canonicity
    Capon1998
    Capon-1998
    Carson-1991
    Carson-moo-2005
    Catholicism
    Christmas-1b
    Christmas-1c
    Christmas-day
    Chronicles
    Circumcision-and-naming-of-christ
    Colossians
    Confessions
    Constanza-2013
    Daniel
    Deuteronomy
    Didache
    Diversity
    Dix2005
    Dix-2005
    Draper
    Easter-2a
    Easter2b
    Easter-2c
    Easter-3a
    Easter-3b
    Easter-3c
    Easter-4a
    Easter-4b
    Easter-4c
    Easter-5a
    Easter-5b
    Easter-6a
    Easter-6b
    Easter-6c
    Easter-7a
    Easter-7b
    Easter-7c
    Easter-b
    Easter-sunday-a
    Easter-sunday-c
    Ecclesiastes
    Eleutheria-2014
    Ephesians
    Epiphany-1c
    Epiphany-2-a
    Epiphany-2c
    Epiphany-3-a
    Epiphany-3b
    Epiphany-3c
    Epiphany-4-a
    Epiphany-4b
    Epiphany-4c
    Epiphany-5-a
    Epiphany-5b
    Epiphany-5c
    Epiphany-6-a
    Epiphany-6c
    Epiphany-7-a
    Epiphany-c
    Esther
    Eucharist
    Exodus
    Exodus-20
    Ezekiel
    Ezra
    Fagerberg1988
    Fagerberg-1988
    Flew-2007
    Forde-2007
    France-2007
    Galatians
    Genesis
    Gonzalez-2010
    Habakkuk
    Haggai
    Hebrews
    Henderson-1992
    Henderson-1992
    History
    Hoffman 1986
    Hosea
    Hutchens-2013
    Infertility
    Isaiah
    James
    Jeremiah
    Jerome
    Job
    Joel
    John
    Jonah
    Joshua
    Jude
    Judges
    Justin-martyr
    Kevil
    Kings
    Kleinig-2013
    Koch-2010
    Kolb2000
    Kolb-2000
    Kolbarand2008
    Kolb-arand-2008
    Kurekchomycz2009
    Lamentations
    Last-sunday-of-the-church-year-a
    Last-sunday-of-the-church-year-b
    Last Sunday Of The Church Year C
    Lectionary
    Lent-1-a
    Lent-1b
    Lent-1c
    Lent-2-a
    Lent-2b
    Lent-2c
    Lent-3-a
    Lent-3b
    Lent-3c
    Lent-4-a
    Lent-4b
    Lent-4c
    Lent-5-a
    Lent-5b
    Lent-5c
    Lessing2014
    Lessing-2014
    Leviticus
    Long-2009
    Luke
    Luther
    Maas-2014
    Malachi
    Mark
    Marty-2016
    Matthew
    Matthias
    Mcknight-2014
    Micah
    Milavec-2003
    Milavec-2012
    Mitch-2010
    Morris-1992
    Motyer-1993
    Music
    Nahum
    Nehemiah
    Newsletter
    Newtestament
    New Testament
    Numbers
    Obadiah
    Oldtestament
    Old Testament
    Ordination
    Orphan-hosting
    Osborne-2002
    Osborne-2013
    Ozment1980
    Ozment-1980
    Palm-sunday-a
    Palm-sunday-c
    Passionb
    Pentateuch
    Pentecost-10a
    Pentecost-10b
    Pentecost-10c
    Pentecost-11a
    Pentecost-11b
    Pentecost-11c
    Pentecost-12a
    Pentecost-12b
    Pentecost-12c
    Pentecost-13a
    Pentecost-13b
    Pentecost13c
    Pentecost-13c
    Pentecost-14a
    Pentecost-14b
    Pentecost-14c
    Pentecost-15
    Pentecost-15a
    Pentecost-15b
    Pentecost-15c
    Pentecost-16
    Pentecost-16a
    Pentecost-16b
    Pentecost 16C
    Pentecost-17a
    Pentecost-17b
    Pentecost 17C
    Pentecost-18a
    Pentecost-18b
    Pentecost 18 C
    Pentecost-19a
    Pentecost-19b
    Pentecost 19 C
    Pentecost-1a
    Pentecost-20a
    Pentecost-20b
    Pentecost 20 C
    Pentecost-21a
    Pentecost-21b
    Pentecost 21 C
    Pentecost-22a
    Pentecost-22b
    Pentecost 22 C
    Pentecost-23a
    Pentecost-23b
    Pentecost 23 C
    Pentecost-24a
    Pentecost-24b
    Pentecost-24-c
    Pentecost-25b
    Pentecost-25-c
    Pentecost-26b
    Pentecost-26-c
    Pentecost-2a
    Pentecost-2b
    Pentecost-2c
    Pentecost-3a
    Pentecost-3b
    Pentecost-3c
    Pentecost-4a
    Pentecost-4b
    Pentecost-4c
    Pentecost-5a
    Pentecost-5b
    Pentecost-5c
    Pentecost-6a
    Pentecost-6b
    Pentecost-6c
    Pentecost-7a
    Pentecost-7b
    Pentecost-7c
    Pentecost-8a
    Pentecost-8b
    Pentecost-8c
    Pentecost-9a
    Pentecost-9b
    Pentecost-9c
    Pentecost-b
    Pentecost-c
    Peterson2010
    Peterson-2010
    Philemon
    Philippians
    Philosophy
    Pieper1924
    Pieper-1924
    Preaching
    Proper-19c
    Proper-20c
    Proper 21C
    Proper 22C
    Proper 23C
    Proper 24C
    Proper 25C
    Proper 26C
    Proper 27C
    Proper 28C
    Prophets
    Proverbs
    Psalm
    Quintilian
    Receptivity
    Reformation
    Revelation
    Rhetoric
    Romans
    Rosenfeld-levene-2012
    Rueger-2016
    Ruth
    Sailhamer1992
    Sailhamer-1992
    Samuel
    Scaer2004
    Scaer-2004
    Schaff 2014
    Schaff-2014
    Schollgen
    Sermon
    Smith-2009
    Sommerville-2006
    Songofsongs
    Teaching
    Thielman-2010
    Transfiguration-a
    Transfigurationb
    Transfiguration-c
    Trinity-a
    Trinity-b
    Trinity-c
    Tuckett
    Van-de-sandt-2010
    Van-de-sandt-2011
    Veith1993
    Veith-1993
    Veith-sutton-2017
    Weston-2009
    Wilson2011
    Wilson-2011
    Wilson20113470b5cf10
    Ysebaert-2002
    Zechariah
    Zephaniah

Proudly powered by Weebly