Wittenberg Door Campus Ministry
  • Home
  • About
    • About Wittenberg CoMo
    • Support Us
    • Contact Us
  • Resources
    • Christianity 101
    • Greek Tutorials
  • Blog
  • Calendar
    • Events
  • Recording Archives
  • Sandbox

Luke 24:13-35 - Lectionary for Easter 3A

4/27/2017

0 Comments

 
4/27/17
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.

In Luke 24:13-35, Jesus appears to some disciples who have left Jerusalem. They departed after the Sabbath was over, having realized that the one they thought was the Messiah had been killed. Their hopes were crushed. time to pack it up and go home.

The discussion along the road centers on this person they had hoped would be the Messiah. Jesus explained about himself from all the Scriptures as they walked. This was encouraging to them. However, they didn’t identify this person as Jesus. He was just a person who encouraged them.

In verse 28 Jesus acted as if he would go on, but they urged him to stay. Then, in verse 30, he took the role of leadership. He blessed and broke the bread. He gave it to them, and they knew who he was. This is certainly Jesus. He has risen from the dead.

Immediately, Jesus showed them that he was not bound by time and space. He disappeared. They, however, returned to Jerusalem immediately and went to find the eleven apostles, along with others who were with them.

Jesus’ appearances after his resurrection are no hallucinations. He is see multiple times by people who are together with one another, in their right minds. He does things that defy explanation other than being done by someone with a supernaturally enabled body. But what is most important is the purpose of Jesus’ appearances. He shows that he is the Messiah, the one who would come and rescue Israel from bondage to sin. He shows that he is the one his people  can believe in. He shows that the resurrection is very real and is the source of hope for the Christian.

Blessed are those who saw Jesus in his resurrection. Even more blessed are those who have believed, not seeing.

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

1 Peter 1:17-25 - Lectionary for Easter 3A

4/26/2017

0 Comments

 
4/26/17
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.

We are often reminded that salvation is by grace through faith. How are Christians judged by God? In light of Christ’s righteousness. However, our Epistle for this week, 1 Peter 1:17-25, speaks of God judging each person according to his own deeds. It is impartial judgment. Yet it is according to the Christians’ actions. How do we reconcile this with thei dea of salvation by grace through faith?

Very simply, if the Christian is ransomed from sin and death by the death of Christ, when God makes judgment it is based on the character of Christ the redeemer. We are judged by our deeds when God considers whether we are living consistently as those who have been rescued by Christ. Yes, we are obligated by his mercy to do the kind of good deeds he would do. That isn’t in question. But we have been redeemed from sin and death. We are free to engage in the works of life.

Do Christians still sin and fail to live the live God has appointed for them? We certainly do. But we realize that our ransom has been paid. Our life is ideally to be taken up in doing the works of Jesus. When we fail we are moved to repentance and forgiveness. When we do well, truth be told, we become proud of ourselves and are moved to repentance and forgiveness. In all this, God, the impartial judge, looks at his children as children who need to be led into the right paths. He nurtures us through Word and Sacrament so we gradually grow into the Christian faith.

As Peter observes toward the end of the passage, our flesh is withering like grass. It will perish. Its deeds will not last either. But God’s word of mercy and grace endures forever. This is our great hope.

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

Acts 2:14a, 36-41 - Lectionary for Easter 3A

4/25/2017

0 Comments

 
4/25/17
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.

During the Easter season, the Old Testament reading is normally replaced with something from the New Testament book of Acts. This week we are in Acts chapter 2, focused on verses 36-41. This passage is often used to discuss the effect of baptism. In verse 38 Peter clearly says that repentance and baptism togeher have a result of forgiveness. The text may also indicate that the Holy Spirit is received by those who are baptised. By verse 41 the idea of “receiving” the testimony is liked with baptism.

Luther’s Small Catechism says that baptism is effective not because of the water but because it is water used in accord with God’s command to baptise and his promise to forgive. There are a couple of arguments which arise against this point of view. Some would ask whether this means that we should simply baptize people so they will be Christians. One one level, the answer is yes. We would like everyone to be a Christian so we feel free to apply baptism in many situations. However, notice that there is repentance and reception of God’s word involved in the picture. Baptism will not do anyone any good if the Word of God is not taught. We realize the forgiveness of God as we hear His Word and are moved to repentance again and again. The Christian life is a life of repentance. The other argument says that it is the teaching that matters, not the baptism. However, if baptism doesn’t do what the Scripture says it does, why would we apply it at all? If, in fact, it is worthless, why would Christians always have made it such an important doctrine? They do it precisely because it does work. Furthermore, there’s a certain comfort which we receive as we recognize that something outside of ourselves changed our life. If I rest my hope of salvation on the power of my trust in Jesus, when I have doubts I may just try to depart and try something different.  But if my hope rests on Jesus and the way he has delivered his salvation to me, and if that method of delivering salvation is something that doesn’t count on the sincereity of my faith at the time of reception, I can remember that all my salvation is the same way. It was delivered to me regardless of my failings. This is good news indeed. Salvation is of the Lord, not of me.

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 116:1-14 - Lectionary for Easter 3A

4/24/2017

0 Comments

 
4/24/17
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 from Psalm 116:1-14 speaks to the distress we feel when we are confronted by threats of death. The cause of the Psalmist’s grief is unknown. What we do know is that he was in jeopardy. There may have been illness, opposition, threat of a plague. In any event, death is on the horizon and the horizon is closing in.

Where is our courage? We find our courage as we look to the LORD, the true God of Israel. Looking for strength inside ourselves won’t work. It may give us some peace, at least temporarily. But it will not provide the lasting confidence we need to face the end. In verse 11 the author speaks about not trusting in people. This may well suggest either a human opponent or the failure of medical treatment. What is critical to the Psalmist is that we trust in the LORD, not in anybody else.

Maybe for some people it does take a threat of death and destruction to provoke a turn to God. For others, the LORD has always appeared near at hand and welcoming. Regardless, our Psalm reminds us in no ucertain terms that the salvation we look for is from the LORD. It is not our own attempt at working out our problems by ourselves. It is trust in the LORD that delivers us.

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 Samuel
    1 Thessalonians
    1 Timothy
    2019-02-feb
    2 Chronicles
    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
    Advent-4-a
    Advent-4b
    Advent-4c
    Alesso-2009
    Alexander 1999
    Allitt-2010
    Alon 1996
    Amos
    Aristotle
    Audet 1996
    Augustine
    Bakker 1993
    Bammel 1996
    Baptism Of Christ
    Baptism-of-the-lord-b
    Bauckham 2006
    Belonging
    Ben-Amos 1999
    Betz 1996
    Biesenthal 1893
    Boehme-2010
    Braaten 2007
    Bruce1988
    Bruce-1988
    Bryennios
    Butler 1960
    Canonicity
    Capon1998
    Capon-1998
    Carson-1991
    Carson-moo-2005
    Catholicism
    Christmas-1b
    Christmas-1c
    Christmas Dawn
    Christmas-day
    Christmas Eve
    Christmas Midnight
    Chronicles
    Circumcision And Naming Of Christ
    Colossians
    Confessions
    Connolly 1932
    Connolly 1933
    Connolly 1934
    Constanza-2013
    Culley 1986
    Daniel
    DeHalleux 1996
    Deuteronomy
    Didache
    Diversity
    Dix 1933
    Dix2005
    Dix-2005
    Doane 1994
    Draper
    Draper 1989
    Draper 1995
    Draper 1996
    Easter 2
    Easter-2a
    Easter2b
    Easter-2c
    Easter 3
    Easter-3a
    Easter-3b
    Easter-3c
    Easter 4
    Easter-4a
    Easter-4b
    Easter-4c
    Easter 5
    Easter-5a
    Easter-5b
    Easter 6
    Easter-6a
    Easter-6b
    Easter-6c
    Easter 7
    Easter-7a
    Easter-7b
    Easter-7c
    Easter-b
    Easter Day
    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
    Epistle Of Barnabas
    Esther
    Eucharist
    Eve Of The Circumcision Of Christ
    Exodus
    Exodus-20
    Ezekiel
    Ezra
    Fagerberg1988
    Fagerberg-1988
    Farrell 1987
    Flew-2007
    Flusser 1996
    Forde-2007
    France-2007
    Galatians
    Genesis
    Gibbs 2006
    Glover 1958
    Gonzalez-2010
    Grosvener & Schaff 1885
    Grosvenor 1884
    Habakkuk
    Haggai
    Harnack 1884
    Hebrews
    Henderson 1992
    Henderson-1992
    History
    Hoffman 1986
    Holy Innocents
    Hosea
    Hutchens-2013
    Hymes 1994
    Infertility
    Isaiah
    James
    Jeffreys 1986
    Jeremiah
    Jerome
    Job
    Joel
    John
    Jonah
    Joshua
    Jude
    Judges
    Jungmann 1959
    Justin-martyr
    Kelber 1987
    Kelber 1995
    Kevil
    Kings
    Kleinig-2013
    Koch-2010
    Kolb2000
    Kolb-2000
    Kolbarand2008
    Kolb-arand-2008
    Kurekchomycz2009
    Lamentations
    Last Sunday Of The Church Year
    Last-sunday-of-the-church-year-a
    Last-sunday-of-the-church-year-b
    Last Sunday Of The Church Year C
    Lectionary
    Lent 1
    Lent-1-a
    Lent-1b
    Lent-1c
    Lent 2
    Lent-2-a
    Lent-2b
    Lent-2c
    Lent 3
    Lent-3-a
    Lent-3b
    Lent-3c
    Lent 4
    Lent-4-a
    Lent-4b
    Lent-4c
    Lent 5
    Lent-5-a
    Lent-5b
    Lent-5c
    Lessing2014
    Lessing-2014
    Leviticus
    Lincoln 1885
    Long-2009
    Lord 1986
    Lord 1987
    Luke
    Luther
    Maas-2014
    Malachi
    Mark
    Marty-2016
    Martyrs
    Mason 1998
    Matthew
    Matthias
    Mazza 1996
    Mcknight-2014
    Micah
    Milavec-2003
    Milavec-2012
    Mitch-2010
    Molina & Evers 1998
    Montenyohl 1993
    Morris-1992
    Motyer-1993
    Mueller 2006
    Music
    Nahum
    Nehemiah
    Newsletter
    Newtestament
    New Testament
    Niditch 1995
    Niederwimmer 1996
    Numbers
    Obadiah
    Oldtestament
    Old Testament
    Olsen 1986
    Ong 1987
    Ong 1988
    Ong 1995
    Orality
    Ordination
    Orphan-hosting
    Osborne-2002
    Osborne-2013
    Ozment1980
    Ozment-1980
    Palm-sunday-a
    Palm-sunday-c
    Parks 1986
    Passionb
    Pearce 1993
    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
    Pentecost Sunday
    Peterson2010
    Peterson-2010
    Philemon
    Philippians
    Philosophy
    Pieper1924
    Pieper-1924
    Piper 1947
    Preaching
    Proper-19c
    Proper-20c
    Proper 21C
    Proper 22C
    Proper 23C
    Proper 24C
    Proper 25C
    Proper 26C
    Proper 27C
    Proper 28C
    Prophets
    Proverbs
    Psalm
    Quinquagesima
    Quintilian
    Receptivity
    Reformation
    Revelation
    Rhetoric
    Romans
    Rordorf 1996
    Rosenberg 1986
    Rosenberg 1987
    Rosenfeld-levene-2012
    Rueger-2016
    Russo 1994
    Ruth
    Sailhamer1992
    Sailhamer-1992
    Sale 1996
    Samuel
    Scaer2004
    Scaer-2004
    Schaff 1888
    Schaff 2014
    Schaff-2014
    Schollgen
    Seeliger 1996
    Septuagesima
    Sermon
    Sexagesima
    Smith-2009
    Sommerville-2006
    Songofsongs
    St. Andrew
    Stark 1997
    St. John
    St. Stephen
    St. Thomas
    Sunday Of The Passion
    Taylor 1888
    Teaching
    Telfer 1939
    Thielman-2010
    Titus
    Transfiguration
    Transfiguration-a
    Transfigurationb
    Transfiguration-c
    Trinity 1
    Trinity 10
    Trinity 11
    Trinity 12
    Trinity 13
    Trinity 14
    Trinity 15
    Trinity 16
    Trinity 17
    Trinity 18
    Trinity 19
    Trinity 2
    Trinity 20
    Trinity 21
    Trinity 22
    Trinity 23
    Trinity 3
    Trinity 4
    Trinity 5
    Trinity 6
    Trinity 7
    Trinity 8
    Trinity 9
    Trinity-a
    Trinity-b
    Trinity-c
    Trinity Sunday
    Tuckett
    Ty 19
    Van-de-sandt-2010
    Van-de-sandt-2011
    Veith1993
    Veith-1993
    Veith-sutton-2017
    Vikis-Freibergs 1997
    Voobus 1969
    Warfield 1886
    Wasson & Toelken 1998
    Weston-2009
    Wilson2011
    Wilson-2011
    Wilson20113470b5cf10
    Ysebaert-2002
    Zechariah
    Zephaniah

Proudly powered by Weebly