Category: Luke - Wittenberg Door Campus Ministry

Luke 5:11-11 - Lectionary for Trinity 5

7/9/2020

7/9/20
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.

There are a few elements we should especially notice, even in this well-known Gospel passage from Luke 5:1-11. First, Luke portrays this as essentially the first time Jesus had met Simon Peter. There are no signs of previous familiarity, though somehow Jesus knows enough about Simon and Simon enough about Jesus that they can end up in Simon’s boat.

Simon Peter is clearly tired, and reports having worked hard all night with very disappointing results. He doesn’t seem to like being told by a rabbi what he should do, and with good reason. He is a professional fisherman, and a successful one.

Most of us don’t like it much when Jesus tells us what to do. Yet what can we observe about this encounter between Simon and Jesus? First, Jesus apparently does know what he is talking about. Even when he says something counter-intuitive or that goes against our experience and training, we should take him at his word. Second, Jesus’ command is for the good of those who hear it and obey it. The large catch of fish represents not only food for Simon Peter and his co-workers, but also for the crowd of people who have gathered that morning to hear Jesus. It also represents economic stability. I find it hard to imagine that Simon and company would give all the fish away. They were professional fishermen and their livelihood came from selling fish. The crowd likewise probably had nothing against paying for the fish they would consume. It certainly was fresh! Finally, Jesus often redirects us in order to do some greater good in our lives and, through us, to others. Here he took the fishermen and redirected them into lives which would bring the food of eternal life to those they met. When we are confronted with Jesus’ commands, we should ask what he is going to do with us.

Jesus comes to each of us in His Word. He guides our lives, he puts us in contact with people, and he shows us how to be his servants in our world. This is always a good thing, even at the end of a long night’s work.

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 6:36-42 - Lectionary for Trinity 4

7/2/2020

7/2/20
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 blind leading the blind . . . In Luke 6:36-42 Jesus ties this to the idea of judgment (vv. 36-37), receiving guidance (v. 40), and assisting others (vv. 41-42). What happens when a blind person leads a blind person? I don’t wish to say anything against my friends with visual challenges. Many of them get around very well. But there are some obvious drawbacks. Following the green line on the floor to get to your destination in the place you have never been? It won’t work out too well.

What happens when we seek advice from senses that are not functioning? We may go astray. Wat of it when our trusted guides aren’t trustworthy? Just like having the tour guide who is lost, so when we seek social, emotional, and spiritual advice from someone who is unprepared, we are very likely to go astray. It’s much better to find a guide who is prepared.

What kind of guide do we need? We need those who have taken the time to learn about God’s judgment and mercy. We eed the kinds who have been led and guided by Jesus. We need those who love their neighbors because Jesus first loved them. So we turn to godly and experienced people who know Jesus as the merciful 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.

Luke 15:1-10 - Lectionary for Trinity 3

6/25/2020

6/25/20
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.

Why do we try to crush all the joy out of God’s kingdom? That’s exactly what we do, and it’s nothing new. In Luke 15:1-10 Jesus is confronted by some who are disgruntled with him because he receives sinners. Why would he waste his time? Shouldn’t he be spending time with righteous people, people like us?

Jesus’ response is that God delights in restoration, including the restoration of the one who has been displaced from his rightful place through carelessness (the woman’s lost coin, which should have been right with the others in her special secure collection) or due to some sort of accidental oversight (the sheep who managed to get far enough away from the flock it required a search, rather than simply calling again).

How did these people in Luke 15 wind up as sinners? They were part of Israel. They were among God’s chosen people. They were partakers of the promise of God to Abraham. They had access, just as did the Scribes and Pharisees, to God’s
Word. What happened?

Some people wander through inattention. Some people don’t take the diligent care needed to train up the next generation in God’s Word. Some people neglect their own spiritual lives and those of their family members. Some people actively reject the faith. This is the reality of our fallen world. What are we supposed to do with those who are not in a close and vital relationship with God through Jesus? We don’t treat them as outcasts, or if they are outcasts, we treat them with compassion, as those who have endured a shipwreck in their faith and who are in danger of perishing due to the misfortune.

What is God’s attitude? Joy, when someone is brought to repentance and restored to faith in God. Jesus came to save sinners. He will keep working toward that goal until the end of history. May we have grace to participate in the same joy our Lord has when he works restoration.

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 14:15-24 - Lectionary for Trinity 2

6/18/2020

6/18/20
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.

“I can’t come to your event, because I don’t want to.” True, this is not a way we would likely treat others. I am of a slightly older generation in my culture, one in which we might deal with invitations in a different way. When invited to something we don’t want to go to, we might go anyway, since it is a polite thing to do. We also might simply say, “No, thank you.” No explanation is really needed, we simply declined the invitation and won’t be going. People a generation younger than myself will, on the other hand, often not respond in any way to an invitation, then decide at the last minute whether they will come or not. Or they may do something I find very rude, accept the invitation and then decline it at the last minute because something else came up. We have all sorts of ways of deciding what our priorities are.

In the world of Christianity, great amounts of time and effort have been expended trying to figure out why more people from one group, fewer people from another, will attend an event. Do some activities reach different ages or demographics differently than others? These are, perhaps, valid questions to ask. However, they all miss the point of our Gospel reading from Luke 14:15-24. Jesus tells a parable about people who have been invited to a banquet. Apparently it is a big deal. When the servants try to get the banquet hall filled, they have to do a lot of recruiting.

The respondents didn’t want to go to the banquet. They all make excuses which are pretty lame. “Oh, I have some real estate I need to look at.” “I have some cattle I want to meet.” “I got married so I can’t do anything.” All are ridiculous excuses. They can’t come to the banquet because they don’t want to.

Jesus invites us to a banquet in his presence. He gives us his broken body and shed blood to eat and drink, distributing forgiveness and peace with God at the same time. He gives us a feast centered around His Word, which creates faith in our hearts and lets us see the goodness of God.

The feast spread by God is available to all who believe. Why do so many reject? They don’t want God to mess with them. Changing the message or the method of presentation won’t fix anything. We need to pray that God will change the hearts and minds of those we invite. Some might come simply because they are polite. But some will come and receive God’s banquet with joy.

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 16:19-31 - Lectionary for Trinity 1

6/11/2020

6/11/20
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.

In this week’s Gospel passage Jesus’ story of the rich man should set us back on our heels. It should surprise us, as many of us have become like the rich man. We are used to having all we need. We are used to ignoring some parts of society, especially those that look different, act different, and, yes, smell different from our ideals. The division between different cultures in my native country is growing sharper and sharper by the year, especially evident in the past thirteen to fifteen years, as different groups have grown more hostile toward one another. Many would rather the people who are different from themselves would just go away, or just die.

What does Jesus say in this passage? First, what he does NOT say. The rich man is not excluded from heavenly bliss due to his riches. The poor man is not included in heavenly bliss due to his poverty. That would contradict many other passages of Scripture. Most notably, we recall that Abraham was a very rich man, and he is in the place of bliss. It isn’t about money. The passage also makes no condemnation of rich people using their riches. The clothing and feasting of the rich man is never spoken against. His lack of care for his neighbor is, as the poor man would like what falls from the table but is unable to get it. The household dogs presumably are treated well, but the poor man, to think in terms of the culture I live in, finds the trash cans are kept locked up.

Now, what does Jesus say? He says two very important things. First, there is no changing our status after death. We are ushered into bliss or into torment. The rich man can accept this, but he wants to see if someone can come back from the dead and warn his brothers. The other thing Jesus says is that even if someone rises from the dead they won’t believe. What’s the proof for that? Jesus, who rose from the dead, and who calls people to believe him as Abraham believed him, is rejected and scorned by those who are like the rich man and his brothers.

If we are trusting in our wealth, our property, our influence, our power to make a way in this world, it will all prove a futile trust. If, on the other hand, we entrust our resources, our energy, our very lives to God in his gracious mercy as shown through Jesus, all will work out well. It is our trust in God or our trust in ourselves that makes the difference between being like the rich man and like Lazarus. Let’s be more like Lazarus. He receives his comfort. That’s a very good thing.

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 11:14-28 - Lectionary for Lent 3

3/12/2020

3/12/20
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.

When Americans think of exorcism, they conjure up a set of images that have remarkably little to do with reality. They may picture some sort of wizened exorcist who uses a series of special words, motions, and religious relics to engage in a head to head battle with evil forces which just might win. Sorry, that’s Dumbledore fighting with Voldemort. Let’s take a look at Luke 11:14-28 to get a clearer picture.

In this passage, Jesus was casting out a demon. We read that the demon was mute. The people involved in the incident recognized this because the person couldn’t speak, but after the exorcism he could speak. The text does not consider this a case of mental or physical illness. The apostle luke, according to early accounts, was a physician. He takes interest in specific details of physical conditions. This was not an illness he identified. It was a spiritual attack, as far as he could tell. He also reported that Jesus didn’t heal the man. Rather, Jesus cast a demon out. It was an exorcism, not a healing. We allow the text to lead us. The evangelist, who was an eyewitness or gathered information from eyewitnesses, reported it in this way.

What can we conclude? First, the Bible considers spiritual forces to be real. Here and in other places, evil spiritual forces attack and harm people. They can be confronted by God’s power and God’s Word. Second, Jesus is able to command even the evil spirits. They may be more powerful than we are, but in the end, they cannot stand before God’s Word. Third, when an evil spirit has been sent out of a person, it is important that the person be indwelt b the Holy Spirit so as to stop further effective attack.

How does this play out? Consistent with ancient Christian practice, when we baptize, we exorcise any evil spirits. They are commanded by God’s Word to depart as the person being baptized is being clothed with the Name of the Trinity. When praying a house blessing or any other consecration, we set aside the place or thing for holy use. God and the devil cannot inhabit the same place. The devil must leave. We don’t hestiate to claim people, places, and things for God and His purposes. We have every expectation that God has promised to redeem them for His good purposes.

Good by, Dumbledore. Hello, Jesus.

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 18:31-43 - Lectionary for Quinquagesima Sunday

2/20/2020

2/20/20
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.

In our Gospel reading for this week, Jesus encounters a blind beggar, to whom he restores sight (Luke 18:35-43). There’s no doubt that this miracle shows something of Jesus’ power to heal and restore. But a few little words which we might pass by carelessly tell yet another crucial story. The beggar, hearing a commotion, learns that Jesus of Nazareth is passing. The way he responds, and Jesus’ response in turn, is very telling.

The man cries out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me” (ESV). This is a profound plea on several levels. First, he recognizes that Jesus of Nazareth is a direct descendant of King David. Was this common knowledge? At least to this man, Jesus was not considered the possibly illegitimate son of an impoverished carepenter. He was recognized as royalty. In effect, the man calls Jesus, “Your Royal Highness.” Based on the genealogical information we are given in Luke’s Gospel and Matthew’s Gospel, this is exactly right. Jesus had a valid claim as an earthly king, and at least one blind beggar knew it.

The king, the Son of David, had another special claim. God had told David he would always have someone to sit on his throne. It was to be an eternal kingdom. Though the throne had been vacant for many years Jesus was the recognizable heir to the throne.

The man cries out for mercy. This is a common petition to lay before a king. But notice the mercy the man asks for. It is not a political position, a financial blessing, or relief from prosecution. He asks for miraculous healing. No earthly king can do such a thing. He is asking for divine intervention in his life.

How does Jesus respond? As the divine heir to David’s eternal throne, he has mercy on the man and heals him. He does what only God can do. He accepts both the idea that he is king and shows that he is also God.

When we are confrtonted with Jesus and His actions, we realize we are dealing with the living God. We also see that he has mercy on us. This is the true Son of David.

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 8:4-15 - Lectionary for Sexagesima Sunday

2/13/2020

2/13/20
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 passage from Luke 8:4-15 speaks of the sower, the seed, and the soils. I would like to focus briefly on just the seed. Jesus says, in verse 11, that the seed is God’s Word. What do we know of this word of God? It is powerful, it is effective, and it bears lasting fruit.

All God’s Word is good. We read in Isaiah 55 about how God’s Word accomplishes its purpose. In this parable, likewise, God’s Word works. It is powerful. Where it falls on the path, it serves as food. Where it falls in other places it germinates and grows. God’s Word speaks powerfully, nourishing even those who would despise or misuse it. Where the Word of God is used, even in an unbelieving society, it will still restrain evil and encourage good. Even when the devil tries to steal God’s Word, it ends up used for some sort of good.

God’s Word is effective. Even in the difficult settings, where we have no depth of soil or where we surround it with weeds and thorns, God’s Word sprouts and grows. Yes, we and our world can choke it out, but it grows nonetheless. When we bring God’s Word to our world and try to pull out the rocks and thorns, we are working for the good of the world. Even rocks are eventually broken up, even thorn bushes eventually die, where God’s Word is growing.

God’s Word, above all, is fruitful. When God plants it in the good soil, where God’s Word is honored and watered, it produces a tremendous increase - fruit to eternal life. God i sthe planter of His Word, but he uses our hands and mouths. We faithfully bring His Word to our world and allow Him to do His work.

Lord, use your word in our world. Speak through 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.

Luke 21:25-36 - Lectionary for Advent 2

12/5/2019

12/5/19
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 historic one-year lectionary.

Our Gospel reading in Luke 21:25-36 is regularly used as a warning, and it should be. The coming of Christ to judge the world will be, by all accounts, very frightening. It will bring distress, international tumult, the heavens will be shaken, and all manner of other terrifying things are predicted to happen. The Bible speaks in graphic terms about rather a lot of ways people will be able to die at that time.

Christians, however, need to ask whether this is a scene which should inspire terror. In fact, it is not. Where is the terror in all this for the Christian? Jesus is coming and he is going to take his people to be with him. All who believe on Jesus will be considered as righteous as He is in the final judgment. If we are parted from our bodily life in the process, at that time we will be part of the resurrection, nearly immediately. There’s no fear in that either. If we are not parted from our bodily life, we are told that we will be caught up to be with him. There’s still no place for fear, though there is a very large place for amazement and wonder.

The Christian, in hope of the resurrection, is not a fearful person. Now I admit that I have fears, like anybody else. I had a frank discussion about some fears with a couple of relatives at a family gathering recently. No, I’m not going to tell you what my irrational fears are, nor what theirs are. We all agreed that they were irrational and that we have created coping mechanisms to deal with them. For the person who is not believing in Jesus, fears surrounding the end of life should be very real. But for the Christian the fears are actually not reasonable. We are not to needlessly endanger our lives in the sure and certain hope of the resurrection, but we have no fear about meeting God.

Our response, rather than fear, is to be watchful. There are going to be signs that Jesus is getting ready to come. Some of those signs seem to be with us rather a lot, but they have been with us for millennia as well. The comfort in that is that Jesus has been getting ready to come, and he will do so, at the right time, on his own terms, and he will then gather all his people to himself. As we watch we gain confidence. Yes, Jesus is coming soon. Glory 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.

Luke 23:27-43 - Lectionary for Last Sunday of the Church Year, Series C

11/21/2019

11/21/19
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.

When Jesus was crucified, he was not alone. He was abandoned by almost all his followers. The leaders of Israel mocked him. The soldiers abused him. Even one of the two people who were executed with him was insulting him. He was not alone at all. Rather, he was surrounded by scorn and hatred. Christians understand this to be part and parcel of Jesus bearing the sin of the world. Sin is an ugly thing and there was plenty to be poured out on Jesus. He went willingly to his death, never defending himself.

What glimmer of light do we find in the very somber events of that Friday afternoon? Jesus would not defend himself, but one of the thieves being executed did. He called out to Jesus for mercy and forgiveness, though he admitted his own sin and shame. What response did he receive from Jesus? A simple promise. He would join Jesus in paradise that day.

Jesus, by his death, gathers all who ask his forgiveness to join him in paradise. His promise was made, not only for the dying thief, but for all who call out to Him. Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. His response is a declaration of mercy. His promise is true. His call? Come join me in paradise.

Thanks to Jesus, death’s power is broken. It is not a fearful thing to those who trust him. It is a time of hope and comfort. Though we die, yet we will live, because Jesus has gone before us into paradise. He is not alone. Neither are we.

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 21:5-36 - Lectionary for Pentecost 23C, Proper 28C

11/14/2019

11/14/19
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.

I was asked recently about the timing of “doomsday.” The questioner wondered because of an encouter she had had with someone worried about plans to implant microchips in people. Our reading from Luke 21:5-36 describes events which could reasonably provoke fear. The dispensationalism which has arisen to prominence in the United States holds that all the events of tribulation will happen in a very limited time.

This is an historical aberration. Until very recently, nearly all Christians have understood the seven years of tribulation as symbolic of a filling up of years. They see the time beginning in the early Christian period, coinciding with the work of the Holy Spirit in the Church, and coming to an end when Christ returns. With that in mind, what do we make of our passage from Luke? It describes our current age. In verse six the temple is destroyed, which happened in the year 70. We have often heard of people calling themselves deliverers. There are wars, riots, and other international conflicts, just as the passage describes. This is nothing new. Famine, disease, allegations of divine signs, people receiving persecution as Christians - none of it is new. God promises to guard His people to the very end. Our role is to watch in hope.

The world is a fallen place. It acts the part. When we see the signs of the fall we take courage. God is bringing the history of the world to a good conclusion. He keeps His people from all eternal harm.

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 20:27-40 - Lectionary for Pentecost 22C, Proper 27C

11/7/2019

11/7/19
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 from Luke 20:27-40 shows a disconnect between Jesus and the Sadducees. We deal with the same kind of disconnects in today’s society. The Scripture has a particular way of looking at the created order and how the world works by God’s providence. Our fallen world has a very different set of ideas.

The issue the Sadducees ask about is one which is timely for us as well. It’s about the ultimate nature of the marital relationship. This is an issue which has come near to pulling American society apart in the past sixty years or so. The Sadducees wanted to view marriage as an eternal relationship and to use their earthly understanding of marriage as a proof that an eternal resurrection made no sense. Our secular world in America has tried to view marriage solely as a relationship of affection, thus not a picture of the relationship of Christ and the Church, as described in Ephesians chapter five. The outcome of this re-visioning of marriage is that it is easily contracted, easily broken, and does not have the exclusive elements such as man/woman, relational fidelity, and a lifelong covenant which has been accepted in definitions of marriage throughout much of history, and which mirror the biblical relationship of Christ and the Church.

Jesus’ response to the Sadducees is that they have misunderstood the nature of eternity and so have applied a temporal construct to the eternal situation. If our earthly marriages exist in the same way for eternity as they do in time, there’s going to be a whole lot of confusion. However, if their primary goal is to depict the redeeming love of Christ for His Church and the dependence of the Church on Chirst, there’s no eternal problem. The earthly marriage will pass away when the eternal reality is ushered in.

Marriage is good. Yet the goal of all our living and dying is eternity, in which marriage will pass away. That’s the true 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.

Luke 19:1-10 - Lectionary for Pentecost 21C, Proper 26C

10/31/2019

10/31/19
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 Luke 19:1-10 Jesus meets with Zacchaeus, a “chief tax collector.” By eating together with Zacchaeus, Jesus delivers blessing and grace to his household. Zacchaeus’ response is to correct the financial wrongs he may have engaged in, and to pay punitive damages as needed. He is promising to right his wrongs, as a sign, recognized by Jesus, that he has dedicated himself to living the life of someone who is a true Israelite.

As I was writing the last paragraph, I saw a living example of the concept. A young person purchased some food, turned around, and dropped some of it. She cleaned it up and the person at the counter insisted she have a replacement of what she dropped. There was no wrong committed, as there was in the case of Zacchaeus, but the principle is the same. The person in business wanted to treat the customer in a kind and helpful way. In this way he reflected the kindness of Jesus.

When we realize the matchless grace of God in Christ, we should expect to respond well, showing kindness and helping those who can’t help themselves. However, we don’t always respond rightly. How often are we like those critics of Luke 19:7, who complained that the Lord had shown favor to a sinner! As a Christian pastor, I promised that I would care for everyone, not just people who are pretty much like me. This is the work of all Christians, not just of pastors. As Jesus visits us in our sinful state, bringing conviction, repentance, forgiveness, and restoration, so we visit others. Our Gospel reading is thus about reconciliation. We who have been reconciled to God live that life out in our community.

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 18:9-17 - Lectionary for Pentecost 20C, Proper 25C

10/24/2019

10/24/19
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.

There’s an interesting juxtaposition in our Gospel reading this week, one that I had never really thought of. Let’s go exploring for a moment. In Luke 18:9-17 we read about the Pharisee and the tax collector, both praying. The Pharisee is proud of himself. In his prayer, he praises himself, runs down his opponents briefly, and is done. The tax collector’s prayer, however, simply asks for mercy. It’s the tax collector who is justified in his prayer.

Immediately afterward, Luke tells us about people bringing children to Jesus for blessing. Young children are almost uniformly the center of their worlds. They consider themselves the most important. It’s all about what they have or don’t have, what they want or don’t want.

Who are the children more like? They are more like the Pharisee. By God’s grace, I hope their parents who are bringing them are more like the tax collector. How are the children going to grow up? We hope they were reminded that the Lord Jesus had blessed them and that all the blessing they received came from Him. I expect that message did get through to some of them.

How do we respond to God’s blessings, including his justification of us, His redemption of us while we were his enemies? We can ask the same question of the tax collector who went home justified. How did he pray the next time? We really don’t know. Yet we pray, by God’s grace, that we will receive God’s blessings as a cherished gift, then want more. May we always turn to the Lord for His help and care, not trusting in ourselves but trusting in him.

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 18:1-8 - Lectionary for Pentecost 19C, Proper 24C

10/17/2019

10/17/19
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.

I’ve said it before. I’ll say it again. God is just like the judge of Luke 18 isn’t. The judge doesn’t want to do justice. God wants to do justice. The judge doesn’t care about the woman who comes to him. God does care. The judge doesn’t respect anyone. God respects everyone. The judge is afraid the woman will keep bothering him. God wants us to pray and pray and pray some more. The judge is weary. God never gets tired.

The only way the judge in the parable is like God is in his decision to give the woman the just decision she deserves. That’s it. But the judge does it grudgingly, God does it willingly, even eagerly. God is not at all like the judge of the parable.

The point of the Luke 18:1-8 is that God’s people need to keep praying. God is the one who is waiting eagerly to hear and answer our prayers. He wants us to trust in Him, which we will do more and more as we bring our concerns before His throne.

Will the Lord find us with enough faith to come to him for help? Or are we going to go on pursuing the human saviors who don’t want to do anything for us? Lord, have mercy.

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 17:11-19 - Lectionary for Pentecost 18C, Proper 23C

10/10/2019

10/10/19
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 reading from Luke 17:11-19 points to the lavish nature of Jesus’ ministry. As ten lepers were calling out for mercy, Jesus provided healing for them all. He even sent them to the priests so that they would be recognized as cleansed and be allowed back into society. This was their pass to work and to economic and social freedom. Jesus is exactly the kind of Lord who heals the sick and brings life where before there was death. He healed the ten people freely.

Only one of them returned to thank him, and that one was an outsider, a Samaritan. While every one of the former lepers owed Jesus more thanks than anyone could ever express, the one who returned was not even part of Israel. He had less claim on God’s mercy than any Israelite. Yet he recognized God at work and gave him thanks.

When Jesus gives his life to redeem sinners, he dies so the whole world can be saved. There is nobody left out of Jesus’ atonement. He died for all the descendants of the first Adam, whose sin has ruined all humanity. We should make no mistake about the extent of the atonement.

What, then, do we see? Not all whose sins have been paid for by Christ’s mercy return thanks to him. They never collect His promise, which is to be received by faith with thanksgiving. Did Jesus die for their sins? Yes. Do they receive His work for them? Apparently not. They have been given a gift of God’s grace and they reject it, preferring their own works and their own lifestyle.

This is a profoundly sad situation. Those for whom Christ died should rightly be thankful to Him in everything. Yet many do not receive His salvation with joy. They will perish in their sin, like the lepers would perish apart from God’s forgiveness. The physical healing was only part of restoration. They needed to receive the gift the rest of the way so as to live in God’s presence.

May we always give thanks to Jesus, the Lord and Savior, who has blessed us with His salvation and 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.

Luke 17:1-10 - Lectionary for Pentecost 17C, Proper 22C

10/3/2019

10/3/19
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.

In Luke 17 Jesus makes a surprising logical shift. In verse one, he speaks about temptations to sin. He goes on to tell how bad a temptation to sin is. So far, so good. But then he says that if someone sins against you, your reaction needs to be that of forgiveness. So in verses 1-4 we have the idea that sin is really bad and that when someone sins against us we are to be forgiving. We would more naturally have expected that when someone sins against us we are to confront that sin, because sin is bad, and we need to help people resist it.

Jesus explains the idea in verses 7-10. Yes, what he is calling his apostles to do is really difficult, maybe impossible. But he is making a command to them. He says it is only reasonable, just like if we have a servant we expect that servant to be working for us and making our lives easier. The servant expects to be ordered around and to find keeping those orders pretty inconvenient at times. But it’s the normal relationship between the master and the servant.

God is our master. If he says we need to forgive our brother, what do we do? We forgive our brother. When? Right then. Why? Christ our master said to do it. He doesn’t need any other justification. He is the master.

Would you like the justification? I’ll give it to you anyway. Jesus has forgiven your sins and my sins. He has forgiven us countless offenses which we commit against him in thought, wrod, and in deed. He knows the nature of forgiveness. And he knows that our lack of forgiveness will draw us into sin, as well as provoking further sin from the person sinning against us.

Christians are to be a forgiving and restorative community, drawing one another into a warm and friendly relationship with God in Christ, as His redeemed people. Yes, we are to obey what the Lord has told us. But we also are His forgiven people who love and forgive one another.

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 16:19-31 - Lectionary for Pentecost 16C, Proper 21C

9/26/2019

9/26/19
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.

“If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead” (Luke 16:31, ESV). In Jesus’ saying from our Gospel reading this week, this is Abraham’s response to the rich man in torment, begging that a poor man in bliss should be sent from the dead to warn his brothers of the impending post-mortem judgment.

In today’s culture, as with certainly many in the past, Christians are alternatively mocked and asked to provide more proof for their eternal hope. Occasionally someone will be bold enough to ask the all-important question. “What proof will convince you of my point of view?” This challenge is regularly shrugged off. But when it is answered honestly, the genuine skeptic’s answer is, “There is nothing you could say which would make me believe you.” In a profoundly sad way, this brings the conversation to an end. Maybe we should talk about baseball instead of God’s eternal grace. Then we could disagree but there would be at least a shred of substance to our disagreement.

In this, Jesus has Abraham cut directly to the heart of the issue. Moses and the prophets, i.e., the entire Old Testament, spoke of the coming Messiah who would provide atonement for sin and gather God’s people to an eternal restoration. Then Jesus rose from the dead in the New Testament. Did everyone believe? No. But for those who did, we read that God has given eternal life and salvation, just as Jesus pictures for us in this poor man, Lazarus, who died in faith and is resting with Abraham.

For the hard of heart, even the resurrection of the dead is unconvincing. May the Lord have mercy on us. Thanks be to the God who creates in his people a living hope which will not perish or disappoint.

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 16:1-15 - Lectionary for Pentecost 15C, Proper 20C

9/19/2019

9/19/19
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.

Jesus’ description of the shrewd steward, found in Luke 16:1-15, is a difficult passage to deal with. After all, the steward can seem dishonest, and it can seem that Jesus is advocating dishonesty. Yet we know Jesus is very concerned with honesty and integrity.

What the steward does, however, is not dishonest, though it is very shrewd. The master was dealing with debts which were not collectable. It didn’t look like there was any method by which he would ever get his debtors to pay their bills. Further, the steward didn’t seem to understand the master.

If we consider this a parable which is illustrative of God’s character and our inability to live up to God’s demands, it almost immediately makes sense. Our debt of sin is too great to be repaid. We can never pay God what we owe Him. Even our death as a result of our sin won’t accomplish the salvation from sin which we need. It will only accomplish our death. What we need to realize here is that God values reconciling the debt more than he values the payoff. The concept is summed up by the steward realizing that the master really wants the debts not to be outstanding, and that he is more concerned about that than he is about how much oil or wheat is repaid. When the steward recognizes this concern of his master, he is able to resolve the debts and again be pleasing to his master.

God hates sin. Sin, according to the biblical concept, can only be reconciled through death, but it has to be a perfect death. We aren’t able to pay it off. We aren’t able to atone for ourselves. The only way of correcting the problem of sin is for someone perfect, without sin, to die in our place. God isn’t pleased with our death. He is pleased with our life and the destruction of our sin. This is exactly what Jesus, God the Son, was able to take care of. By his death in our place we are able to receive his life. The outstanding debt of sin is resolved. This is the whole point of Christianity.

Does this make sense? It didn’t make sense to the Pharisees and it doesn’t make sense to most of our world. But Jesus, the shrewd manager, has resolved our debt and made peace with God on our account. This is the good news of our Gospel passage this week. It may bring mocking, as it did from the Pharisees. But it is the way God works in His kingdom.

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 15:1-10 - Lectionary for Pentecost 14C, Proper 19C

9/12/2019

9/12/19
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.

Hunting for hidden treasure is an exciting proposition. Most people would love to find a treasure map with instructions for finding a treasure trove. In reality, it isn’t that easy, but for a different reason than we might expect. Our Gospel reading has two parables which seem rather unrelated to the introductory complaint of the Pharisees. In Luke 15:1-2 the Pharisees were bothered because Jesus would eat with sinners. In response, Jesus told two illustrative stories about someone going to a lot of trouble to find something which had been neglected and misplaced.

I think in our society the lost coin illustrates this very well. Then again, we may want to consider the coin more carefully. A silver coin at the time of Jesus was normally a very small coin. Those I have seen are mostly about one-fourth the size of a dime. It’s really a little piece of something. If a woman had several silver coins it would probably be a dowry or something she wanted to save back for her children. This would be put away somewhere safe and possibly not be touched for years. Over time the silver would tarnish. In dim lifht it would be easy for a small, tarnished coin to appear like a bit of dirt or something else which could be tracked into a house. To find the lsot coin, the woman would have to examine any number of things which were worthless. The treasure is there, but it looks like trash.

Jesus was criticized for visiting with “sinners.” Maybe the town drunk, maybe the arrogant and abusive people, maybe a prostitute or a government official. It makes little difference who. These people appear lost and may seem to belong on the refuse heap. Yet Jesus treats them as treasures. This should give us great encouragement. We are among those sinner with whom Jesus would dine. He calls us a treasure worth seeking, finding, and even worth giving his life so we could be reconciled to God. Jesus has sought us out. 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.

Luke 14:25-35 - Lectionary for Pentecost 13C

9/5/2019

9/5/19
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.

Some decisions cost a lot. The person who lives a Christian life has committed to laying down his own life, wit hall its concerns, all its priorities, all its relationships, so as to take up a life committed to Christ and His priorities. Our Gospel reading from Luke 14:25-35 illustrates this lifestyle using the harsh terminology of hating those we formerly loved, including ourselves.

Does Jesus here really tell us to hate our family members? Yes and no. He speaks many times about our need to love others. This surely includes our family and friends. But in comparison to Christ and His kingdom, our old relationships may not hold power over us. They cannot govern our attitudes or our behavior. Love for my family does not compel my actions, but love for my Savior does.

In the end, our responses may well look the same. If I love my parents, my friends, my wife and children, I will care for them. Because Jesus loves these same people, I will care for them also. But what if my family members, offended by my Christian commitment, disown me, shun me, treat me as if dead? This happens in many places in the world. What is my response? I choose to hate their rejection, because it is really a rejection of Christ, and I seek ways to love them, pray for them, and care for their good. This is Jesus at work.

The Christian, then, lays down his life because of Jesus’ love, realizing that Jesus hated our sin enough to lay down his life for us. We do the same for others, even when they don’t appreciate it. This is the essence of living as salt and light in 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.

Luke 14:1-14 - Lectionary for Pentecost 12C

8/29/2019

8/29/19
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.

The Sabbath is a day of rest. Regular work is prohibited. Israelites in the time of Jesus, zealous to live a life pleasing to God, would evaluate all their actions to be sure not to work on the day of rest. This practice has continued to the point that, today, some synagogues leave the doors unlocked throughout the Sabbath, hire Gentiles to turn the lights on and off, to adjust the thermostat, and do whatever else might be work. Hopefully this comes from a genuine desire to live according to God’s will.

In Luke 14 Jesus violated the Sabbath as understood by the Pharisees, a group who desired to keep God’s laws. How? By healing a man. Should Jesus have waited until a different day? After all, it was a day of rest. Why would Jesus, claiming divine authority, do something that violated that principle of rest on the Sabbath?

If the Sabbath is a day of rest, it should be a day of relief from pain and suffering. It should be a day when we receive pleasure instead of discomfort. Jesus illustrates this by reminding his listeners that people will continue to provide food and water for livestock, will rescue an animal that is suffering, or will certainly rescue a person who is trapped and endangered. With his divine power, then, it is perfectly easy for Jesus to bring healing and relief to this man. He has made the Sabbath a day of rest instead of suffering.

The New Testament describes Jesus as the ultimate Sabbath, the one who gives rest from the suffering of our struggle against sin. He is the one who finally has brought those who believe him into a place of rest. This is not breaking the Sabbath. It is keeping the Sabbath. May the peace of God rule in your hearts and minds today and every day.

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 13:22-30 - Lectionary for Pentecost 11C

8/22/2019

8/22/19
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.

Luke 13:22-30 is a very serious passage. Will there be many or few saved in the last day? Jesus’ answer is a strict warning that deserves credence. Enter now. Don’t wait. It is a narrow door, only open on God’s terms. It is open now but in the last day it will be closed and you won’t be able to enter.

Who has entered? In verse 28 we find that Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and the prophets have come into God’s kingdom. Verse 29 says that others from all parts of the world will enter. But those who have despised and rejcted living by faith in Christ will find it too late to enter through the gate.

Verses 26-27 ask the question that those excluded will ask. “Weren’t we with you, part of your people?” The answer of the Lord is that they were not willing to trust him, only to be in his general vicinity. This speaks to those who would use their own wisdom and reason to determine what God’s will is. The patriarchs never did this. They believed God, not themselves. They took God at his word. This is precisely what Jesus is calling his people to do.

Will we believe Jesus when he tells us he is the only one who can save from sin? Will we believe him when he says that we receive his salvation by grace through faith in Chirst? Will we believe him when he says we need to trust him this very day and allow him to change our lives into his image? Will we be ushered through the gate to recline at his table and dine with him? That is my prayer.

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 12:49-56 - Lectionary for Pentecost 10C

8/15/2019

8/15/19
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 Luke 12:49-56 Jesus delivers a scathing rebuke of our unwillingness or inability to get a grip on reality. He brings division on the earth (vv. 51-53) because of his very identity. Either we will believe on him, lock stock and barrel, or we will not. We cannot pick and choose parts. Jesus is Lord or he is not. There’s no halfway. It’s a divisive thing. As long as there have been Christians, they have been shunned by family members who oppose the Christian faith. Less frequently, Christians have cast out family members who do not believe, though the New Testament teaches against doing so. There is division. The Lord makes distinctions.

What is amazing here is that the people who are around Jesus would not recognize this work of division. In verses 54-56, Jesus objects to the crowds’ ready understanding of their natural world but the simultaneous failure to grasp the things of God’s kingdom. It is inconceivable that we should be completely familiar with the environment, sports, politics, and entertainment but that we should have no grasp of Jesus and his work. How does this happen?

I recently listened to some re-posted podcasts from several years ago, in which several theologials were discussing youth culture within Christianity. Their observation was that when teens are taught how to take Christianity seriously and to give an answer for the Christian faith, they become remarkably secure and persuasive. When teens are shown that their interest in Christianity should be based on emotive worship experiences, they are easily persuaded that Christianity doesn’t matter. Sadly, we have one or two generations of Christians who do not seem ready to defend their Christian faith. The older generation, raised on feelings, has raised up the latest generation, telling them to look within and trust their hearts. This is destructive.

We teach high school students to do incredibly complex mathematical work, scientific experiments, and engineering tasks which frankly boggle my mind. Why do we assume that these same intelligent high schoolers are incapable of understanding literature and philosophy in general, and specifically Christianity? This is precisely what Jesus is condemning in this passage.

Together, we can recapture a cultural understanding of Christ for sinners, of a creative and redemptive God who has revealed himself in the Scripture, texts which have stood the test of time and intensive inquiry. Together we can help young and old alike to discover the riches of God’s grace and mercy, spelled out in very particular ways. Together we can seek to trust the very real facts of Jesus’ promised birth, sinless life, death, and resurrection, all for us. It’s time we looked to Jesus.

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 12:22-40 - Lectionary for Pentecost 9C

8/8/2019

8/8/19
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.

The word “gospel” means “good news.” In our Gospel passage for this week, Luke 12:22-40, there is a lot of good news. Here we read that God has planned to give his people what they need. He clothes us and feeds us so we don’t need to worry. He provides all the security, now and for eternity, that his people need. We are to seek God’s kingdom, and we will find that it is God’s good pleasure to give us His kingdom. He has employed us in His household and intends to come to us and find us engaged in the work given to us, then delight in us and give us all His riches as a reward.

Our natural inclination is to expect a very different kind of relationship with God. We expect to deal with a grudging, curmudgeonly figure, maybe more similar to a Norse or Greek deity, who will use people to gain advantage, discarding or destroying them when they do something displeasing. Our normal intuition is to do as much good as we can, or at least persuade ourselves that our lives are adequately good, that we can squeak by.

What about this divine Master described in Luke’s Gospel? He is the one who wants to give us the riches of his kingdom. He is the one who has provided for forgiveness. He doesn’t overlook our sin and failure. He atones for it and delivers us his grace. That’s the God of the Bible. That’s the kind of God we can trust. He’s the one we can serve.

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.