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

Matthew 2:1-12 - Lectionary for Epiphany, Series C

1/3/2019

0 Comments

 
1/3/19
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 passage for Epiphany is drawn from Matthew chapter two. Here some wise men (no number specified) came to Jerusalem to try to find the king of the Jews, a newborn. Herod, who was already the king, was bothered by this bit of information. Not only did he not have a small child who would become king after himself, these people from a foreign land seemed to have supernatural knowledge of something. Maybe they were intending to find a child and place the child on the throne under their guidance? Maybe there was some deception afoot from Rome? Maybe there was something miraculous happening, but Herod would not have generally expected that.

The chief priests and scribes were able to find the prophecy which pointed them to Bethlehem. The wise men went on to find the child. They were apparently taken in by Herod’s insistence that he wanted to know the location so he could come and worship. After all, in verse 12, the wise men were warned by God in a dream not to disclose the location to Herod.

Jesus, the newborn king of the Jews, the newborn king of all creation, was found. He was presented with noble gifts, but of the sort that could also be used to prepare someone for death and burial. Here the Scripture foreshadows the fact that Jesus is going to die for those over whom he rules. This was the plan of God from time immemorial, revealed in these last days.

The word “Epiphany” means “a revealing.” During the time of Epiphany our readings will be about the way Jesus, God the Son, is revealed to be exactly the savior we need. I invite you to read along and to join with others as we look in wonder at this newborn king of the ages.

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

Ephesians 3:1-12 - Lectionary for Epiphany, Series C

1/2/2019

0 Comments

 
1/2/19
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 our New Testament reading from Ephesians 3, we find that the Lord Jesus has called together all people, regardless of their background, to be one in Him. This is a difficult concept for us, particularly because we either want to build too many walls or break the walls down inappropriately. We begin by looking at the situation on its face.

Jew and Gentile together have been made one because Jesus has called them all together, to be heirs, partakers of God’s promise. He has made them one body (v. 6). On the surface, that would seem to indicate that somehow everyone is perfectly safe. Everyone is a Christian. By this logic we should all be universalists.

Let’s go one more step down the road. These people are partakers “through the gospel.” What’s that? In verses 7-9 it’s the message of God’s grace which has been proclaimed by the apostles and others in the Church. In verse 9 it brings “to light for everyone” how God has planned for life. We still may think we should be universalists. However, verse ten makes it clear that the gospel works “through the church.”

God calls and speaks to all nations, making them heirs, and bringing them into one body. That body is His Church. It’s a very particular thing. The Gospel is a very particular message, not only that we can have eternal life and hope in God’s promises, but that it’s accomplished through Jesus’ giving of himself as the only valid and effective sacrifice for our sin. It’s by God’s grace that we can believe Jesus is in fact God the Son who has restored all people into one body.

We have just moved from a universalistic expectation to a very particular one. Yes,  it’s available to all, without reserve. But it’s a very specific means of grace. It’s only through Jesus, God the Son, the Lord of all, that we are brought into this body of Christ. It’s preached to everyone, but is received only by God’s grace through faith in the promises of God.  Though the Lord calls and speaks to all nations, He dies it through the particular agency of the Church.

What attitude are Christians to have? We are to be grateful, welcoming, and encouraging to all, that they may also see the grace and love of God in Christ. Do we do it well? Not always. But it’s always been the way God has ordained to gather people to eternal life. Lord, make us faithful.

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 72:1-15 - Lectionary for Epiphany, Series C

1/1/2019

0 Comments

 
1/1/19
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 Psalm reading this week is from Psalm 72:1-15. It’s a plea that the king would be blessed and have justice to distribute. We might think this is a good thing, and it is. We would certainly like rulers and anyone in authority over us to do good, especially to us. And when things are going well for us, we normally think it would be good to help others as well.

I’d like to draw our attention, though, to verses 12-14. Here we find that the king rescues the needy and the poor, that he counts the lives of those who are oppressed or who are enduring violence to be very precious. My question is, “What kind of king in antiquity would be moved that way? Who would we expect to value the poor?” This is an important line of questioning. We find, outside of the Western world, and even in the West prior to the rise of Christianity, that it is a rarity, if not even completely unknown, for a ruler to show charity to any but his family, friends, and important allies.  Acts of charity and kindness are not the rule, they are the exception. So where did this come from?

Let’s just say that Jesus’ commands to love your enemies, to pray for those who would abuse you, and to do good to the least of your neighbors would have provoked shock and wonder among just about everyone of his  time. This was a new cultural idea. It was not entirely unknown in Judaism, because they were told to show kindness to the stranger since they were stranger in Egypt. But this could be seen as taking things too far. If we’re supposed to help people, even those people who can’t help us back, we are asking to be taken advantage of! It will be our ruin!

What kind of king do we find in our Psalm, in verses 12-14? This is none other than the King of Heaven. He is the one who lovingly controls all the resources of the entire planet. He is the one who has given life to all the living and who will raise the dead in the last day. He is the one who has seen us in our weakness and has lifted us up.

What’s the prayer of the Psalm? It asks the loving and redeeming God to be loving and redeeming. It asks God to be God. May he have dominion (v. 8)!

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

Isaiah 60:1-6 - Lectionary for Epiphany, Series C

12/31/2018

0 Comments

 
12/31/18
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 passage for this week, from Isaiah 60:1-6, depicts God’s people as a beacon reflecting their Lord’s light. It is glory from God, shining on the nations who surround them, those who are in darkness (v. 2). We recall that, especially in the Bible, the place of darkness is a place of danger. It’s where natural hazards lurk, where you can fall off a cliff or into a pit, become entangled in undergrowth, or be attacked by animals or criminals. The darkness of our modern world is no less dangerous. We hear of those who sought out alliances with others who would help them go to a new land, a place of opportunity and prosperity, only to find themselves involved in human or drug trafficking. We hear of those who set out to make a new life for themselves but find their old problems following them. I recall vividly when I was in college learning of the case of a man who worked hard for his employer, tirelessly exceeding his expectations, and was given an unexpected day off to go golfing, only to be struck by lightning and die. We never know what dangers are in the darkness all around us. We can’t see them coming. Those we do see we often misunderstand. What do we need to do? We need to go to the light of God, reflected from His people. Here we can see and understand (v. 5).  Here we will find the abundance of the sea: food, treasure, access to different places, trade and commerce.

What is the ultimate goal of being in the light? It is to see the true eternal treasure, that which will never pass away. We find this foreshadowed in verse six, where we have people coming from the East, with gold and frankincense, gifts presented to Jesus. Along with those gifts, we find good news, the joyful message that Jesus, the light of the world, has come. This is the hope we have been looking for all along. When we see the world as illuminated by the Christ, we can see clearly. We know that he is the one who has conquered all ultimate danger on our behalf. We can live and even die in peace and safety.

As we move into the season of Epiphany, my prayer is that my readers will increasingly see that Jesus is the light of the world, the one we need.

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