Category: Lectionary - Wittenberg Door Campus Ministry

Luke 7:18-35 - Lectionary for Advent 3C

12/13/2018

12/13/18
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 7:18-35 has a good deal of variety. John, in prison, sends disciples to find out if Jesus is the Messiah. Jesus doesn’t answer the question, but leaves them to make up their minds. Jesus sings the praise of John. He speaks of the utter failure of the Pharisees and scribes. This passage seems to be all over the place.

It’s this last portion, though, that I would like to visit today. In our day, much of the secular world treats Jesus and His people in this same way. They have rejected Jesus without ever considering his claims (v. 30). Jesus observes that they act like children. Whatever the setting, they affirm Jesus and his children to be useless. If he fasts, he has a demon. If he eats, he is a glutton. In every instance, his response is wrong.

What answer does the Church give? I often give no answer at all. After all, it would be the wrong answer. Rather, we go on doing the good the Lord has prepared for us. Heal the sick, give people the good news, feed the poor, care for God’s creation. We let our world make up its mind about Jesus. Sure wish it would be right!

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.

Philippians 4:4-7 - Lectionary for Advent 3C

12/12/2018

12/12/18
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.

It’s amazing how many things can worry us! Some of those we can take care of, or at least help care for. Some we can’t. For some, we are responsible. Others? Not so much. Yet we can worry, fret, stew. Or maybe we are simply able to acknowledge it is a concern and leave it there.

Philippians 4:6 tells us not to worry, but to present our requests to God. He is able to care for all of them. Some will work out without any more of our involvement. For some, we will find we are God’s instrument to help. Some of our requests will be resolved the way we wanted, some will not. But we can trust the Lord will work everything out. He will, additionally, guard our hearts and minds.

What do we do when we see or hear of trouble? We pray. Lord, have mercy on those who are suffering in poverty and hunger. Can I feed and clothe them all? Not by any stretch of the imagination. But if the Lord makes me able to help a few now and then, and He enables others at other times, what is the result? The hungry are fed, at least some of them. We were concerned, we prayed, and the Lord used us as part of the solution. Sometimes he may use someone else. Regardless, we worked in just the same way. What about when our family member or close friend is hurting? Lord, have mercy, help bring a restoration of our relationship. In that case, you are already part of the solution. So we let the Lord work through us, no matter what the need.

Make your requests known to God. He will work out the troubles in a way which uses you to bring glory to His name.

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.

Zephaniah 3:14-20 - Lectionary for Advent 3C

12/11/2018

12/11/18
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.

How many times have we decided the Old Testament prophets are full of doom and gloom? We turn to something more encouraging like Romans chapter 5. In doing so, we completely miss the delight in a passage like our Old Testament reading from Zephaniah 3:14-20. I will stop writing while you look in your Table of Contents or try to find Zephaniah rather than Zechariah.

Be glad! Why? God has taken away the judgments which convicted you. And why had they convicted you? Because you were guilty. But with God in your midst, why should you fear? He has taken away your evil and will protect you in the future. This is entirely too good news for us! God’s people, even the lame, the outcast, and the oppressed, will be rescued, even if they were in trouble justly. This is the enormity of God’s love. He is the one who restores our fortunes.

This is the sovereign love of God, who takes the people who were ot his own and makes them heirs of his kingdom. And he does it, as we read in the New Testament, by giving is Son to die in our place and grant life to all who believe him. This is a message of good news. God has prepared life. Why would we hide? Let’s press on, rejoicing and trusting in the Savior.

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.

Psalm 85 - Lectionary for Advent 3C

12/10/2018

12/10/18
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.

Christianity is an historic faith, as is Judaism. In our Psalm this week the Psalmist reminds us of the historic roots of trust in God. In times past God has shown favor to his people. He has restored their fortunes, taken away guilg and sin, and turned away from his righteous anger. Will this happen again? When we look around and see God’s frown rather than his smile,can we actually hope for any good?

This is a historical faith. People’s sins, foolish ways (v. 8), their disobedience, all call for God’s anger. He has always insisted on perfection. That’s why sin is such a big deal. But how has the Lord dealt with sin and guilt? He awakens his people to him, or, rather, he gives his people life again (v. 6) so they can look to him. He shows his faithful love and truth (v. 10). He provides for his people. What’s our right response? Thanks, praise, love, and obedience. Work it in us, Lord.

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.

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

12/6/2018

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.

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

12/5/2018

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.

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

12/4/2018

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.

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

12/3/2018

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.

Luke 21:25-36 - Lectionary for Advent 1C

11/29/2018

11/29/18
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.

With the start of Advent, on the Sunday after St. Andrew’s Day (11/30), we begin a new liturgical year. For the next twelve moths we will walk through biblical accounts of the coming of the Christ, his revelation to this world, the world’s rejection of him, his death and resurrection, his ascension into heaven, and the life of his people in this world. Then, in a year, we start all over again. There’s a stability that we can find in such a church calendar. Not only have countless people used these resources in the past, but to this day many millions of people use the calendar as a framework for their lives. So I want to take this opportunity to welcome my readers to join with me in our walk through the life of Christ. My afternoon posts normally follow the three year ectionary as tweaked by the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, but I do them early. For instance, today I have posted some notes about the Gospel for this coming Sunday, December 2, rather than last Sunday.

What’s happening in our Gospel reading? We have jumped into Luke’s Gospel at chapter 21, starting at verse 25. Jesus is speaking about the time when he will come in glory to gather his people and bring judgment on the world. Verse 28 says this is a time when his people will find redemption delivered to them. They are not to fear. For those who have not believed Jesus, it will be a time of fear. They will know they are unable to stand in God’s judgment.

How are we to know the coming of Christ is near? Jesus has spoken of signs of his coming, but most of them seem pretty commonplace. By doing this, he is establishing the idea that he can and will come for his people and we are to be on alert. Just as the person waiting to board a bus or train needs to watch for the right time, we also wait for his return. If not, if we are dulled, as in verse 34, we will not be ready for his arrival.

In our alertness, in verse 36, we are told to pray for strength. The world is a troublesome place, full of wars, diseases, disappointments, and distractions. We should not be called away from our vigilance, but sould pray the Lord would make us expect him even in this time of trouble.

When he comes, I pray all my readers will be waiting eagerly, knowing that Jesus is the one who has redeemed them from sin.

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.

1 Thessalonians 3:9-13 - Lectionary for Advent 1C

11/28/2018

11/28/18
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.

Pastoral ministry and other types of Christian care are really peculiar. Much of our Western society has been taken over by a sort of industrialized view of labor, where the worker is measured by units of production. There are some occupations and tasks where this makes perfect sense, others where it is completely irrelevant. Our Epistle reading for this week points out a case where appropriate care and nurture anre unrelated to most measures.

Paul, Silas, and Timothy, the authors of the letter, are looking forward to seeing the Thessalonians and build them up in their faith. Why would they want to do that? After all, it isn’t easy to make a trip to Thessalonica. It will cost time and effort. Shouldn’t they just send more letters or maybe recruit someone of less importance to do it? Can’t the Thessalonians figure everything out on their own? It seems wasteful to send leaders to meet one another.

I was moved to consider this anew when I received a brief email from my missions director, asking me when I would arrive on-site for a conference. I am going to the conference to tell people things that are already easily available on my ministry’s website and social media accounts. He is going to visit with me, maybe even very briefly, but we all consider it important to do so. This is not wasted time and effort. It is just like our Epistle reading. We want to encourage one another, care for one another, take the time to celebrate together, to pray together, to walk together through difficult times.

We give thanks together and we work as faithful servants of Christ. Sometimes that work is hard to measure. I’ve been known to spend an hour on the road each way, visiting a patient who turned out to be unconscious. Arrive, find no family there, lay hands on the person, pray, and leave a note. It seems an odd use of time. But we do it anyway, seeking to build up the people in Christ, according to the biblical pattern. It’s an odd job, but the Lord knows what he is doing. Thanks be to God.

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.

Jeremiah 33:14-16 - Lectionary for Advent 1C

11/27/2018

11/27/18
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.

In Jeremiah 33:14-16 we are given a great and clear promise of God. He had already, generations before, promised that David wold have a royal house to last forever. The promised future culmination was to be much greater than David. Here, in Jeremiah, the coming one is to be the fulfillment of all God’s promises. This is the one who will save God’s people, apparently forever.

Who is the righteous one, the one who sprouts us, who saves God’s people so they are known as those who derive their righteousness from the Lord? The New Testament describes him as none other than Jesus who lived a life of perfect righteousness before giving himself into death, taking on the sin of the world and granting his righteousness to all who believe him.

During the season of Advent we turn our eyes to the Lord’s coming, eagerly anticipating his presence with his people. Not only to dwe look to and celebrate his first coming, but we anticipate his return to usher in his eternal kingdom among his people. May he come quickly and show himself as the Lord of all.

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.

Psalm 25:1-10 - Lectionary for Advent 1C

11/26/2018

11/26/18
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.

How many times we’ve heard it. “Christians think they are perfect but they fail all the time. A bunch of hypocrites.” Yes, it happens sometimes - too frequently. Psalm 25, however, offers a strong corrective in the way we think about this.

Verses 7-9 find the Psalmist admitting sin, asking for forgiveness, and looking for God’s guidance in truth and goodness. I would much rather receive God’s correctives and priorities than those of my critics, who, as a rule, set themselves, rather than God’s Word, as the judge of what is good. We don’t think we are perfect but we do think God is!

What of those times when things look bad, when we feel abandoned, when our opponents seem to have the upper hand? First, we want to consider our actions and values in light of Scripture. If we confess that God is right, we need to be informed. I am constantly amazed at the lack of genuine biblical knowledge among people who claim to have been Christians all their lives. Some may have tremendous knowledge, for instance, about the parts of the temple in Jerusalem, yet be completely unaware of the way all the pieces and actions point to Jesus’ work of forgiveness. We need to consider God’s Word as we evaluate all our life and our world.

With that done, even when life seems opposed to us, we can, like the Psalmist in verses 1-3, declare our trust in the Lord. He will never leave his people to destruction.

Are we fatalists, then? Not at all. In verses 4-6 we ask the Lord to show s His paths and guide us. When we are in distress we ask God to remember that He is the compassionate and merciful God.

In the end, the Christian life can be summarized as a life of prayer - prayer that God would remember the character he has revealed in the Bible, and that we would also remember God’s character and live in accord with it. I’d much rather have God lead me into righteousness than have people who are only wise in their own eyes do it.

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.

Mark 13:24-37 - Lectionary for Last Sunday of the Church Year, Series B

11/22/2018

11/22/18
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 passage this week turns our attention squarely to the last days, with the second coming of Christ. It is very sad that these passages have been ruined by so much of the popular preaching and writing that apparently passes for Christianity just now. Many authors have so twisted the Gospel predictions to use them to provoke fear and dread around the second coming, rather than the great anticipation which is given to us, this week, by Mark.

Anticipation? Really? But, as one person insisted on telling me repeatedly in a recent conversation, “It says to be alert!” It certainly does. Let’s take it from Jesus’ explanation in verses 33-37, then put the beginning of the passage in context.

Jesus speaks of a completely commonplace event. A man going away for a while makes sure his staff knows what to do and will be on duty. He especially reminds the guards to be alert. They do want to know him and be ready when he returns. The man presumably leaves, the people do what they are supposed to do, and they expect him to return. What happens when he returns? We don’t know. It’s safe to assume his household staff welcomes him and all is well. They are not all fired but they don’t expect to be made rulers or anything.

How would this apply to the Christians? Those who trust that Jesus has taken their sin are his redeemed people. He has already called them his friends and said they are heirs with him. Since he left, things have been pretty rough. There have been attacks from enemies. The world seems to be in a shambles, about like it was before the resurrection. These troubles, according to verses 29-30, are signs that the Lord and Master needs to come. What does he do? In verses 26-27 he comes back, like he said he would. Are his people still living as Christians? That’s what he told them to do. They recognize him and he gathers them together. They are already his friends and joint heirs of heaven. It won’t get better than that. But they can know Jesus is, in fact, gathering his people to bring them to their reward.

One of the jobs Jesus has given every Christian is that of telling others they, too, can be friends of Christ and heirs with him of the kingdom of heaven. These people who hear and believe are among those Jesus will gather.

So why is this passage used as bad news? Some will not believe. May the Lord have mercy on all people, calling them out of darkness, into his light, making them his forgiven friends as well.

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.

Revelation 1:4b-8 - Lectionary for Last Sunday of the Church Year, Series B

11/21/2018

11/21/18
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.

Letter writing styles change from time to time and place to place. When we read a part of the Bible like Revelation we do well to remember that it is, eseentially, a letter. Revelation is an apocalypse - a narrative about the end times, intended to bring comfort to those who are suffering. But while it is apocalyptic, the entire writing is clothed in the form of a letter, from John to a group of churches. We get to look over their shoulder and see what is going on.

In the style of the time, a greeting of a letter would say who the letter was from, who would receive it, and a very brief topic statement. Letters in early Christianity would often add a brief prayer or blessing. Revelation has a surprisingly long prayer and blessing. Rather than bringing greetings from John, the text brings greetings of grace and peace from God. How is God identified here? He is the eternal one, with a full complement of spirit (seven often indicates completion), who loves us, rescues us, appoints us to a place of honor, and lets us see him in his glory. He is the one who will come again at some time, to be seen and recognizedby all, and who we should eagerly expect.

The coming of God in the Bible is a good event. When God comes in glory he is the one who has loved his people and rescues them from sin and death. This is decidedly good news.

What of those who are not trusting in Jesus? This coming will become a time of recognition, of sorrow, and of fear. The one who came to rescue from sin and death has returned, victorious, even to those who pierced him, who denied him, who said his death had nothing to do with them.

The Bible describes this coming as a time of joy for those who trust Jesus. It describes terror for those who have rejected the Lord. Any reasonable person who even suspects the Bibl is truthful will want to turn to Jesus for forgiveness before facing regret, shame, fear, and even condemnation at some time in the future. May the prayer of us all be, “Lord, have mercy on me.” Thanks be to God.

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.

Isaiah 51:4-6 - Lectionary for Last Sunday of the Church Year, Series B

11/20/2018

11/20/18
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.

Where will our help come from? Our Old Testament reading for this week states clearly that salvation is of none other than God and that He will accomplish it all. In fact, God’s justice and salvation is nothing we would figure out on our own. He will give instruction and he will shed light on “the nations” with his justice, something they apparently have not known.Why have we waited so long? Redemption, enlightenment, justice - all seem far away. To us this makes no sense because we have God’s Word in the Bible, we have a long history of observing God at work, and we aren’t stupid, after all. So why has it not worked out?

You may have noticed that I deliberately left out an important part of the equation. In verse six we see that all creation, all that we can observe, will pass away, leaving only God’s salvation and righteousness. When God brings about instruction, justice, and enlightenment nothing outside of his righteous salvation will endure. This means that all our attempts at self-righteousness, self-enlightenment, human justice and instruction will pass away. They may be very good in this age and in this world but they are impernament. Only God’s work will last forever.

Where’s the good news in all this? It would be easy to walk away from the Scripture filled with a sort of earthly hopelessness. After all, if in the end it doesn’t matter what we have done in the earthly realm, maybe we wold do just as well by not bothering to try making improvements.

What we must remember is that in our daily walk we are part of God’s work of righteousness. As we look to the Lord, he speaks to us through his word, bringing enlightenment and a knowledge of true justice. We won’t be able to bring about God’s perfection in this life, that is something only he can do, but in a small way we can point forward to God’s coming kingdom. We can be God’s instruments, showing mercy, and helping our world to look forward to the day when God’s salvation will be visible plainly, when all else passes away. This is the hope and plea of the Christian, who has seen the beginning of God’s mercy in Jesus, who looks forward to his return.

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.

Psalm 93 - Lectionary for Last Sunday of the Church Year, Series B

11/19/2018

11/19/18
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.

The Lord reigns, and he is pictured in Psalm 93 on his throne and wearing the signs of authority. We sometimes shy away from the idea of God’s majesty and glory. After all, it’s intimidating, even threatening, as we realize that God is on his throne ruling over the world, powerful enough to accomplish all his will. We sure hope God’s will is in our favor.

It doesn’t take much imagination to start seeing God and his kingdom as we do our earthly institutions of power, as something with a generally good purpose that will roll over and crush the individual, particularly us.

How will we deal with this? We need to ask ourselves how God’s nature is described in Scripture. Is he or is he not the Lord who lovingly calls all creation into being, declares it good, and appoints humans to the lofty position of caring for all the rest of the creation which he loves? If that’s the kind of God we find in Psalm 93, we should have no fear. He is clothed with majesty and strength, he has an eternal throne, and he uses his holy word to govern all creation and keep his people safe from all eternal harm. There is no fear of such a king, unless we try to hinder his good and gracious plan. The Lord is good.

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.

Mark 13:1-13 - Lectionary for Pentecost 26B

11/15/2018

11/15/18
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 this week moves us toward the end of the Church year. Jesus speaks of the trials that will be signs of the coming end. The signs he brings up are impressive. However, I fear we often neglect the chronology Jesus gives.

Notice in verses 6-8 Jesus is clear that the signs are only a beginning. They are early labor pains. Yes, the baby will be born, but the first few contractions rarely signal an immediate delivery.

We can expect to hear of false christs, wars, uprisings, earthquakes, and famines. They are all certainly signs that the world as we know it is coming apart. But we can also look honestly at history and know of a very long pattern of all these trials.

What should the disciples guard against? Arrest, torture, and trial await them. They will also be engaged in preaching the Gospel. They will have answers from the Holy Spirit when on trial. Again, all these things are recorded for us in the Book of Acts. They have already happened.

When does the end of the world come? All the signs mentioned by Jesus suggest it will be soon. But we don’t know the timing. Our attitude, then, should be one of readiness and expectation. But we may be waiting a while. The baby’s coming, but there’s no rushing or delaying the process.

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.

Hebrews 10:11-25 - Lectionary for Pentecost 26B

11/14/2018

11/14/18
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 Epistle this week, from Hebrews 10:11-25, takes us in a direction that makes many uncomfortable. Because Jesus has given himself as the truly adequate sacrifice for sin, there’s no need to make any more offerings for sin (v. 18). For this reason, we are bold to approch the Lord, not on our own recognizance, but through Jesus. Why would this make us uncomfortable? There are two basic ways it can be a problem. Having a certain forgiveness we may neglect to live a holy life. With freedom to approach the Lord, we may neglect the need for Jesus as a mediator.

What of the constant demands of Scripture that Christ’s people must live a holy life? Doesn’t that negate the statements that our sin is completely taken care of? not at all. Why would we live a life of good works? Simply because they are good works. God has created some things so that they work toward the good of the world, of society, of our neighbor. We live those out because they are good, they are pleasing to God, and they are of great assistance to our neighbor. While we confess of ourselves that we have failed to do good in ways that would be pleaseing to God, at the same time we realize that those works are the fruit of salvation, not the cause of salvation. We are saved by grace through faith in Jesus. We don’t earn or maintain that salvation by any of our works. We simply live a life of good works because they are pleasing to God.

What of the neglect of Jesus as mediator? People in pop Christianity seem obsessed with seeing the Lord face to face, receiving directly from God, having no mediator, just going into the bare presence of God. This is not a biblical good. When we approach God without a mediator, we are confronting a consuming fire. If we were to see God in His glory without a mediator like Jesus, we would be consumed, or at least so terrified and grief-stricken at our own unrighteousness we could live no more. Why do we want to approach God without a mediator? Why are we not content to find God where He has promised to be in His mercy, through the Word which creates faith in us, through the Sacraments which are enactments of His Word.

Jesus is the mediator. He is the one who has made an approach to God for us, through His blood. He is the one who makes us able to see God in his mercy and grace. Thanks be to the Lord. We are made partakers of His glory so we can live a life which is compatible with his promises and his way of blessing the world.

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.

Daniel 12:1-3 - Lectionary for Pentecost 26B

11/13/2018

11/13/18
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.

Daniel 12:1-3 describes a time of great distress for God’s people. During this time of trouble, those “who are found written in the book will escape (v. 1, CSB). The prophet here is telling about those whose names have been placed in God’s book of life. We find in the New Testament that this refers to those who trust in Jesus. They escape the trials which would be their undoing. Verse two speaks of a resurrection of the dead. Those sleeping in the dust are the people whose mortal life has ended. God will raise them up.

Daniel describes the ressurection in a way that can be instructive to us. Notice that some are raised “to eternal life” but the rest are raised “to disgrace.” There will be a sorting. Almost every Christian admits to this. But let’s notice crefully the language used. We may be tempted to think of the resurrection to an eternal life of blessing or of torment. But the Bible makes it clear. Only the resurrection to blessing is actually considered life. Everyone has eternity. That’s not a problem. But only some have life. In the same way, throughout the New Testament, actual life is predicated on trusting Christ. To live is Christ.

What of a heavenly reward? We read in verse three that there may well be differences in the heavenly realms. But if we think about those differences, we still need no fear. The reward is life in the loving presence of God. What kind of reward do we want? It makes no difference. All the blessings of God go far beyond our imagination or our hopes. We simply receive them and rejoice.

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.

Psalm 16 - Lectionary for Pentecost 26B

11/12/2018

11/12/18
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.

Psalm 16 is one of the Psalms which reminds us that the Old Testament is all about Jesus. We can start reading at the beginning and think it’s about David or maybe even partly about us. But when we get to verse ten and we find that the apostle Peter quotes it while speaking of Jesus in Acts chapter two, we have to think through our interpretation again. It’s about Jesus, the one who is not abandoned in death and who doesn’t see decay. It’s about the one who lived a life of dependence on the Father, who died, and who rose from the dead. He’s the one who leads his people along the path of life. He’s the one seated at the right hand of the Father, making prayers for his people. He’s the one who always finds his pleasure and fulfillment in the Father.

This is all excellent news, because the Christian hopes and trusts only in God. We look to Jesus as the one who will be able to raise the dead in the last day. He’s the one who brings us to the Father. He’s the one who truly delights in all God’s word and will, and who gives that delight to his people. He’s the one who has rejected all the religions of this world to give us his life, ransoming all who believe from sin, death, and destruction.

At the same time, much of the time, we can rightly say the Lord has been good to us. As in verse six, I can say that my boundary lines are pleasant and that I have a beautiful inheritance. Yes, in Christ I have promises for the future. But also, as with so very many others, I can say there are opportunities for good in my life. Even in hard times, I can always imagine someone in worse circumstances. We can consider the many bad things that haven’t happened to us in any given day. We can know that the Lord who made heaven and earth cares for his people and that he is the one who can protect us from all final harm. And we can, by faith, confess the truth of Jesus’ words in John 11:25-26. “The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die” (NIV). This is great news indeed.

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.

Mark 12:38-44 - Lectionary for Pentecost 25B

11/8/2018

11/8/18
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 for this week is from Mark 12:38-44. It would be very easy to skip directly to verse 41. After all, the last four verses are relatively easy to deal with. God honors the trust shown by giving even when we have limited means.

Does this idea tie directly to the earlier three verses? Maybe someone will put in a comment pointing me to a connection. There is a bridge with the idea of widows, but verse 40 speaks against taking from widows and verse 43 commends the idea of widows giving. I am inclined to say the paragraph break is a relatively large break and that Mark is telling us about something different.

So, in verses 38-40 Jesus warns against the scribes. They have clothing that signifies rank. They expect to be treated with honor. They take even the few resources held by elderly women. They speak just to be heard. My question is whether this is best applied to people today who are overtly religious. In some instances, it does apply. I think particularly of those who preach (and live) a “prosperity gospel.” Some have made themselves wealthy and expect to be treated as nobility because they view themselves as God’s messengers.

In contrast, I think the passage is sometimes wrongly applied. I’ who normally wear a clerical collar at work, have been accused of being like the scribes. And I do wear a long robe when conducting a church service. Sometimes people treat me with honor and dference. Sometimes not. Really, I just want the coffee I bought to be hot and fresh, and you could repay my courtesy with yours.

What I aim to say is that identifying these scribes is not as easy as it seems. One could make an argument that if Jesus were speaking to our community today he would speak of academic or political elites as he did of the scribes. You choose the discipline or the party. The figures may be those we should avoid. Some would want to be honored because of their alignment, and then would use that honor to silence or harm others.

If the shoe fits, beware of the person. If it fits you or me, lt’s take it off and use our positions, our honor, our “privilege,” for the good of our world.

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.

Hebrews 9:24-28 - Lectionary for Pentecost 25B

11/7/2018

11/7/18
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.

The heart of our Episthe this week, from Hebrews 9:24-28, is that Jesus is the one special high priest who makes an offering good forever. All else points to Jesus as the reality. This takes us who have always lived around materialism some effort to deal with.

We are used to having a sharp distinction between what we think is real and what is abstract. Please read that last sentence again. Now let’s unpack it a little bit. We will easily admit the reality of some abstract things. Just because they are immaterial doesn’t make them unreal. A memory, the concept of intelligence, love, courage, and loyalty are all things we quickly admit are not only real, but good.

What about that concept of good? We may be more troubled by it. Is it real? Is it imaginary? How do we define it? Likewise we have trouble with admitting a firm identification of evil, sin, cowardice, and the like. This becomes a problem when we try to identify what good Jesus is. We want to substitute easy alternatives for some of those more abstract things Jesus takes care of. Sin, shame, guilt, and fear are presented as problems, real problems, in the Bible. Jesus’ death as our substitute is presented as the solution. He took our sin upon himself and made it die when he died.

It would be so easy to create substitutes which we think of as real. But this is not the way God did it. The visible temple points to the invisible gathering of Christians in every age. The preached Word of God points to the invisible confidence we have. The visible elements of Christian worship point to the now invisible Jesus, who depart frm earth afte his resurrection. The pastor’s words are powerful only as they are used to do the work of Jesus’ words.

Jesus is the real one, and He has accomplished all that is needed to rescue from sin and death. This is ultimate reality.

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.

1 Kings 17:8-16 - Lectionary for Pentecost 25B

11/6/2018

11/6/18
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.

In 1 Kings 17 we read about the prophet Elijah, who, at God’s command, confronted Ahab, an unbelieving king, and prayed for a drought. Most of us can hardly imagine a situation worse than a drought. At first it seems dry. As time goes on, the dry weather stresses crops and livestock. Eventually there is little choice but slaughter of the livestock. They would not have adequate food to eat. Crop after crop fails. There is nothing left but reserve food, the kind of food which can be kept from year to year. Grain supplies dwindle. Creeks and ponds dry up, then lakes and rivers. All along the people face the reality that they need to reserve seed to plant, that it will take months after planting to bring a crop to harvest, and that one rainfall doesn’t mean the drought is broken. It is a fearsome condition.

This drought, we realize, was aimed at Ahab the king. Possibly the intention of God was to bring the king to his senses. Confronting the cruel earthly king with the power of the heavenly king would be a wake-up call. Possibly this was a means of God calling His people to repent. They knew they were Israel, the people who answer to the particular God who does not share with others in his claims to loyalty. If they repent, He can bring rain.

We really don’t know the “what if.” What we do know is that God appointed Elijah to go to a widow, suffering from the drought, and bring relief. She could supply Elijah with a little bread, the last she had. As she showed her faith in God, He would make her small supply of flour and oil last. God provided for this woman who trusted in Him.

We have no promise that God will provide for everyone in the same way. That isn’t the point of this passage. However, we do have a promise in the Bible that God will provide, indeed has provided, for people of every nation. By trust in God through Jesus, anyone, anywhere, in any kind of social and economic climate, can be a partaker of Jesus, the bread of life. The supernatural supply of the bread of heaven will not perish, will not run out, and will not fail God’s people. We can come near and know that even when we eat our last meal and starve, we have been nourished for eternal life.

Lord, take the eyes of your people off of our concern for bread which perishes. Let us look to You, the bringer of eternal life. And as we are concerned with You, may we see provision for our daily, earthly needs as well.

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.

Psalm 146 - Lectionary for Pentecost 25B

11/5/2018

11/5/18
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.

Where are we going to place our hope? It will be somewhere, no doubt about that. Our Psalm for this week gives us very significant guidance. Verses 3-4 tell us not to trust even noble people. They can’t save you. They die and their plans come to an end.

This thought could well bring us to despair. We are, after all, taught the virtue of self-reliance. We can work hard, show industry and integrity, and make a difference in the world for ourselves and for others. Or we are taught to dream of a better world for future generations, then to make it into reality. We try to write music for the ages rather than for next week. We want to do things that matter. Yet the Psalmist says the plans of even nobility pass away. How much more will ours? We want to save the world, but we need saving ourselves. What will we do?

Verses 5 and following tell us to trust in the Lord. He’s the one who is faithful. He’s the one who endures forever. He gives justice, provides food, releases prisoners, cares for the oppressed, heals the sick. So we look to the Lord for our help. Our ability passes away.

Does that still leave us in despair? After all, what’s the use of us? What’s the use of any of this earthly life? When we consider the ways God helps us, I thnk we can grasp our purpose. God gives justice. How? He often uses earthly law enforcement and legal systems to hand out justice. The lawyer, officer, or judge who looks to God is equipped to administer justie rightly. God feeds the hungry. How does He do that? Through farmers, shippers, markets, food preparation, everything involved in getting from the idea of food to putting it on the table. He uses your employer and your employer’s customers as well, so you can pay for what you need. I don’t think we need to go on down the list. When God cares fr our world, he uses us as His instruments. We will pass away from this earthly work. But our Lord will keep on until heaven and earth pass away. He is faithful and just. We look to Him as the one who supplies all we need by His grace.

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.

Mark 12:28-37 - Lectionary for Pentecost 24B

11/1/2018

11/1/18
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.

If you are at all like I am, it’s very hard to look at a social media newsfeed without being bombarded by countless value statements, many of which play some sort of religion card. And these religious claims are almost uniformly based on the idea in the second important command. Love your neighbor.

The big debate, of course, is not whether or not we should love our neighbor. That’s part and parcel of Christianity. But what does that love for neighbor look like? Here’s where the conflict begins. It’s a conflict which causes many who are not Christians to question a Christian commitment to love of the neighbor. And it can even cause deep divisions within Christianity, as it may bring different groups of Christians into conflict. For instance, how do we love our would-be neighbor who wishes to immigrate? How about the neighbor who faces job insecurity and fears the addition of more available workers? What about our neighbor who is losing a fight with substance abuse? What about the neighbor dealing with sexual identity issues? What does love for the neighbor look like in those cases?

Many Christians find themselves either with no answer to these questions, or with difficulty finding a rhyme or reason to organize their responses. However, I would suggest it is more straightforward than we might first assume. In the two verses immediately preceding, we are reminded that there is one true God, the Lord of Israel. We are to love that Lord with all our beings.

How does this make for a straightforward response to the problem of loving our neighbor? First and foremost, by our love for the true God of the Bible we take on His values, His definition of justice, His concern for repentance and restoration. The greatest way we can love our neighbor is through helping him to love the Lord, to take on His values. This in turn helps those whose lives are broken by the condition of the world to find ways to compe, to ask help in pursuing godly character, and to work for the restoration of this world to a right relationship with God. That is what pulls our world together.

The answers are still difficult. In the end we have to balance more needs than we could possibly meet. We find that some people will lose their battles no matter what we do, just as some would win despite all odds. But over time, as we love and trust in God, we are able to make a difference in some poeple. Above all, we have opportunity to show God as the Lord of all. This doesn’t solve all the problems the way some would demand it. Our remain question to the detractors is whether they, too, will commit to loving and trusting the God of Israel with all their hearts, and loving their neighbors as themselves. Love of neighbor, to be real love, is predicated on love for the true God.

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.