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Matthew 27:57-66 - Lectionary for Holy Saturday

4/14/2021

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4/14/21
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 historic one-year lectionary.

Our Gospel reading from Matthew 27:57-66 reminds me of the book of Jonah. It may seem a strange connection, but it's there. In Jonah, every character believes God except Jonah, the one to whom God had specifically spoken.

In Matthew 27, as well as the other Gospels, not one single follower of Jesus expected him to rise from the dead. As far as they were concerned, once he died, it was all over.

After Jesus, death, the chief priests and Pharisees went to Pilate (v. 62). They knew what Jesus had said. Based on Jesus' words about rising from the dead, they asked for a guard so the disciples wouldn't steal the body. Jesus' promise of resurrection was known to the Jewish leaders. It was forgotten by Jesus' disciples .

Pilate, who seemed to have some idea that Jesus might be telling the truth, told the priests to take guards and make the tome bas secure as they could. It seems he may have expected the resurrection as well.

In their time of trial, the disciples were prone to forgetting the promises of Jesus. We are also quick to forget. Especially during the hard times, then, we need to strive to remember God's Word and promises. Yes, that means we recall them, like the priests, not like the disciples. God fulfills all his promises.

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.

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1 Peter 3:17-22 - Lectionary for Holy Saturday

4/13/2021

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4/13/21
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 historic one-year lectionary.

We all suffer in one way or another. Yes, I know. This is a Christian blog. I'm supposed to write about our victory and how Jesus has made everything right. There's no more suffering, is there?

To say that would be to tell a lie about the very nature of the world. We all suffer. Our Epistle reading, from 1 Peter 3:17-22, describes how God in Christ redeems that suffering.

Peter tells us it is better to suffer due to good than due to evil. If I do evil, then I suffer because of it, I get to spend the time of suffering blaming myself. I got what I deserved.

Christ, on the other hand, suffered due to evil, but not his own evil. His suffering was brought on by our sin. This throws a whole new light on the suffering. It shows it as something to be endured for the good of someone else. When we suffer for doing good, we are suffering as a result of other people's evil. It is a deeply Christlike thing to do.

Am I saying that Christians should deliberately place themselves in danger and try to provoke suffering at the hands of others? Possibly, but it depends on the nature of the suffering.

Some of our suffering is relatively light, but very common. Do we face criticism in our work due to other people's hang-ups? Do we return home from work exhausted or sore? Do we go out of our way to help others? These are small, common, and godly types of suffering. We don't want to brag, and we will certainly endure ridicule if we tell people our stiff neck from working in front of the computer screen all day is martyrdom for Christ. Yet we are doing well when we lay down our lives for others, doing the thins our neighbors need.

Jesus laid his life down, in a radical way, which killed him. He did it for the sins of the world. If we suffer, in small orgreat ways, may it be in the service of Jesus, not of ourselves.

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.

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Psalm 16 - Lectionary for Holy Saturday

4/12/2021

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4/12/21
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 historic one-year lectionary.

"The LORD is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold my lot. The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance" (Psalm 16:5-6, ESV).

On the day that I write this, the chilling rain and wind of some days ago has gone away. The waters where I live are no longer flood-stage torrents. The daffodils are above water, and at least three species of trees are in full bloom, putting on a great show of beauty. It's pleasant!

Psalm 16 describes God as our refuge, and confesses that all is well. Is this the case when it doesn't look so great? Were my lines in pleasant places when I fought snow and sub-zero temperatures to do my work? When I was suffering from illness? When I face trials? When the woodpile moves into the deep water? 

Yes, in all these times, God is still good. He has preserved his people for eternal life. He will never abandon them. He is always the good Lord.

Our confidence is not in the situation. It is in the Lord of all, who lives and reigns forever. It is in the triune God - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

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.

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Daniel 6:1-24 - Lectionary for Holy Saturday

4/11/2021

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4/11/21
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 historic one-year lectionary.

Our Old Testament reading from Daniel seems chillingly familiar to many in current American Christianity, and probably even more so to people in some parts of the world. "Wait," you say. "Nobody is being fed to lions because they pray." Granted, but let's take a look at the overall situation.

Daniel was known as someone of faith. People knew he prayed to God regularly. And those who disagreed with Daniel on unrelated grounds wanted to find an accusation that would stick. In their zeal, they searched in vain. Daniel was honest and ethical. his opponents had to create a situation which would provoke him to convict himself.

They did this by arranging for a civil law which he would disobey. No prayer to anyone but the king for the next month. They knew Daniel would not change his practices.

Ardent secularists who want to remove Christians from the public sphere promote laws and regulations which Christians, as a matter of conscience, will not be able to follow. This is at the heart of moves to compel businesses to enter into endorsements they may find offensive. It is at the heart of removal of conscience exceptions which force pharamcists and other medical personnel to support on-demand abortion. It is at the heart of binding counselors so they can't help a person affirm the gender identified by their biology, but rather have to endorse the narrative that the person's mental concept should override DNA. It is at the heart of endorsing prayers in accord with neo-paganism but rejecting trinitarian prayers.

Christians will disobey these mandates. We guard truth and conscience. We may not be fed to lions, but we can certainly be banned from polite society, be defamed, and be insulted. Worse could certainly come.

Like Daniel, though, we stand firm and act in accord with what we have come to believe. The Lord will care for us, to whatever extent he wants, on earth. We trust that he will also guard us to eternity. We stand fast.

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.

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