Category: New Testament - Wittenberg Door Campus Ministry

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.

The Circumcision Controversy

10/10/2019

Thursdays are for the New Testament
10/10/19

Jerome, Commentary on Galatians, [J.P. Migne, Editor]. Patrologiae Tomus XXVI. Paris: D’Ambroise, Pres La Barriere D’Enfer, ou Petit-Montrouge, 1845. pp. 307-438.

Jerome’s comments on Galatians 2:1-2 make it clear that he thinks Paul’s history of trips to Jerusalem is important. The first time Paul went he stayed briefly and consulted with only Peter and James. It was an exploratory visit. Now, in chapter two, some fourteen years later, Paul goes again and consults with many people. At this time he wants to learn if he has understood Christ correctly or if he was in error. Jerome particularly notes that Paul is there to “confer” rather than to “learn.” Conferring happens between equals. This persuades Jerome that Paul is considering himself an apostle like all the others (Jerome, Galatians, 332). The outcome of the visit was confirmation. Paul had been teaching and preaching rightly (Jerome, Galatians, 333). Jerome notes that Paul would be unlikely to have continued in false teaching for 17 years (the three in Arabia plus the 14 before his trip to Jerusalem (Jerome, Galatians, 333). However, it was a valuable confirmation.

Jerome considers it important that, in Galatians 2:3-5, Titus was not compelled to be circumcised even when he came to Jerusalem (Jerome, Galatians, 333). Titus was accompanying Paul, who was a Pharisee, but Paul did not require Titus’ circumcision. The natural conclusion was that Gentile converts to Christ did not need to be subject to the Jewish Law (Jerome, Galatians, 334). The demands for circumcision came from “false brothers” who wished to compel the Christians into servitude. Paul saw this as antithetical to the Gospel.

Paul’s opinion of the “false brothers” is not high, as shown in verse six. Jerome points out that God does not follow our human ideas of popularity. He lists Moses, David, Peter, and Cornelius as examples. God didn’t honor their actions or heritage, but their faith in Him (Jerome, Galatians, 335).

In Galatians 2:7-8 Paul does recognize a difference in the calling which he and Peter have. Peter is called to care for “the circumcision” (i.e., Jews), while Paul is called to the Gentiles. Jerome is clear that the callings, though different, are within God’s will. The apostles recognized the variety of roles and the dignity of each (Jerome, Galatians, 336). The people to whom each is called need God’s redemption. In this they are no different. Jerome takes this to be a matter of God’s providence, in that he calls different people into different settings. He further observes that the boundaries are not fair. Peter brought the gospel to the gentile Cornelius and Paul regularly preached in synagogues (Jerome, Galatians, 337). The unifying factor Paul mentions is a concern for the poor (Gal. 2:10). Jerome points out that the “poor” may not be poor in every way. Some are blessed people such as the poor in Spirit or those who humble thiemselves (Jerome, Galatians, 338).

2 Timothy 2:1-13 - Lectionary for Pentecost 18C, Proper 23C

10/9/2019

10/9/19
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 Epistle reading this week, from 2 Timothy 2, calls Timothy to “be strengthened” (v. 1). It’s encouraging to me when I see the passive imperatives in the Scripture. An imperative makes a command. But a passive imperative is a command to receive something, not to do something. Timothy is not told to strengthen someone. He is not told to strengthen himself. He is told to receive strength. The great news here is that the Christian life is not about us pulling ourselves up by our bootstraps or doing great works for the Lord. It is about receiving what the Lord has given us. Timothy is to be strengthened by the grace of God found in Jesus.

Where is Timothy going to get this strength? It’s the easiest thing in the world, because God wants to give it to him. Timothy receives it by paying attention to the Gospel taught and preached by Paul, along with many others in the early Christian Church. He receives it by hearing what God has spoken to His people. And in verse two we see that the Gospel is not something which has been kept in secret. It is proclaimed by many, in the presence of many, and is to be passed down to others who will then pass it to still more.

Many in our world want to think the Gospel is a matter of some sort of secret knowledge. Maybe we are supposed to seek out hidden truth, like panning for gold. Maybe we need to find just the right teacher who will open our eyes to what it means to be really, truly, deeply spiritual. We are called to find authentic Christianity and to dig deep within for special wisdom.

Paul’s call to Timothy is quite the opposite. He tells him, and us, that God’s riches of grace, mercy, peace, and wisdom are right there for the taking. All we have to do is receive what the Lord has given us. We, like Timothy, can be strengthened in the grace which is in Christ Jesus. Let us rejoice as we receive God’s gifts freely.

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.

What Makes an Apostle?

10/3/2019

Thursdays are for the New Testament
10/3/19

Jerome, Commentary on Galatians, [J.P. Migne, Editor]. Patrologiae Tomus XXVI. Paris: D’Ambroise, Pres La Barriere D’Enfer, ou Petit-Montrouge, 1845. pp. 307-438.

In Galatians 1:18 Paul says he went to Jerusalem to see Peter. Jerome thinks it obvious that Paul would not have gone so as to see what he looked like, but to learn from and about this apostle (Jerome, Galatians, 329). This was an action intended to give honor to an existing apostle. The visit of fifteen days is taken by Jerome to bear symbolic importance. He lists several places in Judaism and Christianity where the number 15 is of prophetic significance. However, Jerome does not identify a particular meaning except to affirm his identity as an apostle (Jerome, Galatians, 330).

Jerome discusses Paul’s interactions from Galatians 1:19 in some detail. He didn’t see any of the apostles except Peter and James. Jerome notes that when he was in Jerusalem himself he was so occupied with the research work he did that he visited very few people. Paul was intent on his purpose, which was apparently not to build a relationship with all the apostles (Jerome, Galatians, 330). Rather, he was learning from Peter, as well as probably speaking to James “the brother of the Lord.” Jerome suggests this is where he obtained the various details not found elsewhere in Scripture, such as his account of post-resurrection appearances of Christ, found in 1 Corinthians 15 (Jerome, Galatians, 330).

Jerome further builds a case for people other than the original 12 apostles to be called apostles. In Galatians 1:19 he refers to James as an apostle, but it is the brother of Jesus, ot the brother of John. He also counts Silas and Jude as apostles (Jerome, Galatians, 331). Later, Stephen is counted as an apostle, as is James the Just of Jerusalem.

Galatians 1:20 seems almost like an interruption in the overall message. Jerome observes that Paul’s assertion of his truthfulness is artless enough, as is his account of meeting people, that it could not be falsehood. It lacks all the creativity someone would use to mislead anyone (Jerome, Galatians, 331).

Galatians 1:21-24 concludes Paul’s account of his trip to Jerusalem, describing his departure to Syria and Cilicia. For this reason the Christians around Judea didn’t know Paul, though they had heard about his conversion (Jerome, Galatians, 331). Jerome also points out that Paul would later use the brief nature of the isit to assert that he was, like the other apostles, trained by Jesus himself (Jerome, Galatians, 332).

2 Timothy 1:1-14 - Lectionary for Pentecost 17C, Proper 22C

10/2/2019

10/2/19
Many churches throughout the world use a Bible reading schedule called a "lectionary." It's just a fancy word meaning "selected readings." Posts like this reflect on the readings for an upcoming Sunday or other Church holiday, as found in the three-year lectionary.

Theologians sometimes distinguish between two different views of faith. They will do it in Latin, not surprisingly. I’ll do it in English, because that’s easier for most of us.

We talk about the “faith by which you are saved.” This is your trust in God, your confidence that the Gospel is true, your acknowledgement that when Jesus says he is giving his life for you, that includes you, specifically.

The apostle Paul reminds Timothy that he, as well as his mother and grandmother, have trusted in Christ. They have this kind of faith. They are God’s children through Christ. This should bring Timothy a lot of comfort and encouragement. Yet the text seems to indicate that Timothy is a at least a little bit tentative. In verses six and seven Paul reminds him of the gifts of God which he has received and urges him not to be afraid.

For this reason, we come to the other type of faith. This is the “faith which is believed.” It doesn’t mean that we have faith in faith itself. That is dangerous. It falls apart all too easily. It is a weak foundation and leaves us depending on ourselves and our feelings. No, the “faith which is believed” is the very Christian faith. It’s the whole message of God’s law and gospel. It’s the Christian faith which we confess in the creeds. That’s what Paul reminds Timothy of. God calls his people to himself to be saved. It’s by God’s grace, and it existed before time did. It’s a message that remembers Jesus has risen from the dead and abolished death. It’s the faith that Jesus can keep us in until the very end. This should bring hope and confidence to Timothy, even when he is afraid.

Maybe we come face to face with our fears. Maybe we are likely to doubt, especially when others run us down and disrespect us. Maybe we are ready to flinch when someone confronts us with questions we haven’t thought about before. There’s no need to fear. God has delivered us the Christian faith, that Jesus, perfect God and perfect man, has borne our sins to death, has risen from the dead, has ascended to heaven, and sits at the right hand of the Father making prayers for us. He will raise us as well in the last day. What’s left to fear? Not a thing.

Take courage, Timothy! Take courage, reader.

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.

Glory: God's as opposed to Man's

9/26/2019

Thursdays are for the New Testament
9/26/19

Jerome, Commentary on Galatians, [J.P. Migne, Editor]. Patrologiae Tomus XXVI. Paris: D’Ambroise, Pres La Barriere D’Enfer, ou Petit-Montrouge, 1845. pp. 307-438.

In Galatians 1:13, Paul speaks of the outstanding character of his work in Judaism, which makes his conversion to Christ all the more dramatic. Jerome points out the contrast between Paul and the Galatians, particularly seen in the fact that Paul was willing to be despised by all while the Galatians were not (Jerome, Galatians, 324). Jerome makes much of what Paul does not say in verse 14. For instance, Paul speaks of his “conduct, not grace: once, not now: in Judaism, not in the law of God” (Jerome, Galatians, 324, my translation).

Galatians 1:15 makes for a sharp contrast. Jerome notes that the calling of God to Paul is that he is set apart for the Gospel, not only to the Galatians but also the Romans (Jerome, Galatians, 325). He compares this to various Old Testament passages which speak of a divine call even from before the time of birth. Jerome here observes that heretics have used these passages to say that God chooses some to be saved and others to perish. He answers that it is a matter of divine foreknowledge, not that there is any iniquity with God, but that He knows who will be just and who will be sinners (Jerome, Galatians, 325). Jerome does note that our righteousness consists of faith, but that it is played out in good works, some of which he lists (Jerome, Galatians, 326).

In response to the divine call, Paul did not consult first with people, such as Peter, James, and John (Jerome, Galatians, 326). Rather, he went into Arabia. Jerome suggests this was an opportunity to consider and teach the Gospel so as to work through the implications, seeing if it really was from God (Jerome, Galatians, 327).

Galatians 1:17 shows Paul specifically avoiding a trip to Jerusalem, but going to Arabia. Jerome here refers to the narrative in Acts 9, when Paul was rejected in Damascus and eventually did go to Jerusalem (Jerome, Galatians, 327). It is significant that Paul made several trips to Jerusalem, not being widely known to the apostles, until after his time in Arabia (Jerome, Galatians, 328). The description in Acts, as opposed to that of Galatians, can suggest to Jerome that Paul’s time in Arabia was intended to allow a wave of persecution to die down, rather than serving as a chance for Paul’s consideration of the Gospel. Jerome notes that the idea of Arabia as the place of bondage appears later in Galatians 4, in contrast with jerusalem, “the place of vision and of peace” (Jerome, Galatians, 329, my translation).

1 Timothy 3:1-13 - Lectionary for Pentecost 16C, Proper 21C

9/25/2019

9/25/19
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 Epistle lesson this week is able to strike fear into countless men of God. Here we find the apostle Paul’s list of qualifications first for the people the New Testament calls alternatively a bishop, an overseer, or an elder, commonly interpreted today to indicate any sort of pastor; then second for those called deacons. Christians, of course, consider the Scripture not only to be the words of the human authors but also the divinely inspired word of God. So we find here God’s qualifications for some of the people who will serve Him.

On one level, we could probably agree these are positive descriptions for any godly man, with the possible exception of the fact that both the elder and the deacon seem expected to be married and some men do not marry. Some people have also made a point about the description of the elder governing his children, implying that a person who is childless cannot serve God as an elder. This is a matter for discussion and debate, but not here and now. Suffice it to say that the characteristics described fit in with being a mature and godly person. There’s an air of dignity, honesty, self control, responsibility to family and community, and humility.

What makes the elders and deacons around the world tremble is the fact that God’s Word holds them to account to live this way. They serve as an example for others, a burden which can be daunting. On many occasions, when in a gathering I am feeling tired, impatient, and ready to tell everyone else in the world to get lost and leave me alone, someone will caution others along the lines of, “There’s a pastor here, you’d better behave.” They may even do things that would be provoking, since they know the elder or deacon is a very patient and kind person. What about the times I don’t want to manage my household well? What about the times when, no matter what I do, some portion of the “outsiders” will not “think well” of me?

The work of an elder or a deacon is a noble one. It comes with many responsibilities, but allows the elder or deacon to have a hand in forming godly character in others. It’s a good thing, not to be despised. May the Lord work to raise up many more leaders who can shepherd His flock.

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.

The Gospel as Divine Message

9/19/2019

Thursdays are for the New Testament
9/19/19

Jerome, Commentary on Galatians, [J.P. Migne, Editor]. Patrologiae Tomus XXVI. Paris: D’Ambroise, Pres La Barriere D’Enfer, ou Petit-Montrouge, 1845. pp. 307-438.

Jerome uses Galatians 1:11-12 to speak against the Ebionites and the followers of Photinus, who deny the full deity of Christ. Paul here claims that he received the Gospel from Jesus, as opposed to “from a man.” Jerome observes that Paul is not denying the humanity of Christ here, but is asserting his deity (Jerome, Galatians, 322). This is consistent with the testimony of 2 Corinthians 13:3 and Galatians 2:20. Though the Gospel is spoken by the human, it is a divine word. Jerome continues by noting thatMarcion and Basilides should be added to the group of those who have rejected the revelation of God.

The Gospel, then, according to Jerome, is not a matter only of words but of the message, the sense, received by faith. If it is not received by faith as the very word of God, Jerome says, it is treated merely as the word of man (Jerome, Galatians, 322). This is a “great danger,” to speak as if the Gospel comes from men.

Because the Gospel is the Word of God, Jerome considers its translation to be very important. He recommends consultation of original language manuscripts, comparison of existing translations, and review by various native speakers of the language so as to bring God’s Word faithfully into a different language, bringing the message to light (Jerome, Galatians, 323). As an example, he speaks of the difficulty of bringing Moses and his veil from Exodus 33-34 into adequate Latin.

1 Timothy 2:1-15 - Lectionary for Pentecost 15C, Proper 20C

9/18/2019

9/18/19
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.

We live in a culture of outrage. This came home to me when a friend on social media, one I actually know in real life, made a non-self-conscious comment about something not being his “outrage of the day.” The apostle Paul has a good bit to say about this attitude in our Epistle this week, from 1 Timothy 2:1-15. How is the Christian to deal with these admittedly tough siguations, when it may appear that society, culture, and politics all head in a negative direction?

Rather than screaming, shouting, and breaking things, Paul urges prayer and thanksgiving. Yes, even for those who might thank us not to pray. Even for those political leaders who scorn God, His Word, and His kingdom. Especially for them. The practice is nothing new. In my church tradition, virtually every Sunday the prayers of the church include our governmental officials, including those who make, administer, and enforce laws. This is a challenge. I will candidly admit to having very sharp disagreements with my elected officials dating back for more than a quarter of a century, and even before that. How do we deal with it? We pray that our officials will have the wisdom from the sovereign, wise, and good God to do what is best. We pray that where they fail they will be confronted by the God who rules consciences, and that they will find repentance, forgiveness, and change. We pray for their good health and that of their families, because they are engaged in very difficult and stressful work. We pray that when they have done what is good they will rest well with a clear conscience.

Paul gives us a particular outcome we can hope for when praying for our leaders. We pray “that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way” (v. 2, ESV). Is this our prayer or what we hope to receive as a side effect? I think it is a side effect. When our leaders do well, we all do well.

Ready to pray?

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.

A Genuine Turning to the Genuine God

9/12/2019

Thursdays are for the New Testament
9/12/19

Jerome, Commentary on Galatians, [J.P. Migne, Editor]. Patrologiae Tomus XXVI. Paris: D’Ambroise, Pres La Barriere D’Enfer, ou Petit-Montrouge, 1845. pp. 307-438.

After quoting Galatians 1:6, Jerome reviews several biblical passages using the word “transferre,” showing that the positive action is a turning toward God, but that the Galatians turned away from the Gospel of Christ (Jerome, Galatians, 317). On the contrary, the one turned by God can no longer be attacked by his enemies. However, the Galatians have been turned “into slavery of the works of laws” (Jerome, Galatians, 318, personal translation). What is more, Paul is amazed that they turned easily and quickly toward something that will cause them pain rather than freedom. Again, Jerome notes with Paul that this false teaching is not actually a gospel at all (v. 7).

Jerome asks if the logical outcome of the Galatians’ departure from the truth would be to follow Marcion and the other heretics who set up Christ as a separate god (Jerome, Galatians, 319). He then affirms that the false teachers may try to overturn the Gospel but that in fact they are not able, since the nature of Christ is true.

What cure is there for the Galatians? Verse 8 emphasizes that no apostle, not even an angel, who speaks against the Gospel, deserves attention (Jerome, Galatians, 319). Jerome notes that Romans 8:38 and 9:1 speak to the solidity of God’s revelation in Christ. At issue to Jerome is the suggestion, made by the Galatians’ departure from the truth, that God’s truth could actually be changed (Jerome, Galatians, 320). The idea of verse 8 is so very important that it is repeated in verse 9.

In verse 10, Paul asks whether he is trying to pelase God or please humans. Jerome cites other passages in which Paul also affirms that pleasing God is more important than pleasing man (Jerome, Galatians, 321). This, says Jerome, was not a lifelong pattern for Paul, who had formerly lived so as to please the Jews, before his conversion to Christ. He no longer lived this way, as he now desired to serve God. This is well documented by numerous passages, especially in Acts.

1 Timothy 1:5-17 - Lectionary for Pentecost 14C, Proper 19C

9/11/2019

9/11/19
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 Epistle reading for this week, found in 1 Timothy 1:5-17, speaks to the purpose of God’s Law. It is there for the lawless (v. 9). Who are these lawless people? Paul gives a list of several types of lawbreaking, and the fact is that most of us would say we don’t fit into those categories, at least not normally.

Before we breathe too big a sigh of relief, we should notice Paul’s self-assessment, in verse 15. He considers himself to be among the sinners, and those of the worst kind. We would normally want to disagree. After all, this is Paul, God’s apostle, the man who dedicated his life to spreading the Gospel! He’s one of the good guys!

We have to look not only at our history but also at our internal attitudes to sort this out. We want to make our own laws (v. 9), ignore some of God’s lawful character, we find ourselves curious about and even delighting in that which disrespects God. We become angry with others and wish ill even on our family. We wish to use other people and even the truth itself for our own selfish purposes (v. 10). While we don’t often act on these attitudes we have them, and they condemn us before God. Paul is condemned by God’s law, and it condemns us as well.

What hope do we have? Only this. In verse 15 we read that Jesus came to save sinners. In verse 16, Jesus delights in showing his patience and mercy to those who believe in Him. This is a hope that will not perish or diminish. It burns brighter day by day, casting off the shadows of our sin, skulking in the corner, trying to hide from God’s law.

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.

God's One Will - Transformation

9/5/2019

Thursdays are for the New Testament
9/5/19

Jerome, Commentary on Galatians, [J.P. Migne, Editor]. Patrologiae Tomus XXVI. Paris: D’Ambroise, Pres La Barriere D’Enfer, ou Petit-Montrouge, 1845. pp. 307-438.

Commenting on Galatians 1:2, Jerome points out that in other letters Paul frequently names those with him. Here, however, he leaves it less definite. Jerome supposes that this may be related to the conflict with the supporters of circumcision or that it may be from a desire to depict Christian unity, with this as a letter from “Paul and everyone” (Jerome, Galatians, 313). Jerome emphasizes that the whole church should speak as one, regardless of te city or community.

Galatians 1:3 is a blessing. Here Jerome observes that the other epistles speak of grace and peace but this one only speaks of peace. He speculates that the Galatians especially need to hear about peace (Jerome, Galatians, 313).

In Galatians 1:4-5, Jerome notes that the Father and the Son were of one will in providing forgiveness for sins (Jerome, Galatians, 314). The goal, as stated in verse four, is to transform us, not into the image of this world, from which he rips us. Instead, he gathers us in his eternal glory. Jerome notes that the various heresies attempt to create their own glory, normally in some secret setting, as an alternative to God’s plain show of glory. The difference, as Jerome sums it up, is not that the world is evil, as the heretics say, but that there is evil in the world. We don’t need to escape the world, but the evil in it. In our escape from evil, Jerome observes that the glory of God we seek lasts forever - into ages of ages (Jerome, Galatians, 315). This is a greater thing than the Old Testament jubilee, which was only a temporary redemption (Jerome, Galatians, 316).

Philemon 1-21 - Lectionary for Pentecost 13C

9/4/2019

9/4/19
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 Epistle reading for this week touches on an issue which has created trouble for Christians ever since the time of Christ. Slavery has been a persistent problem in the world, and remains so to this day. Though Christians have made some progress in changing opinions, especially in the 19th century, imprisonment and sale of humans has still been practiced in many circles.

Philemon was a slave holder known to the apostle Paul. Apparently he was indebted to Paul in some way (v. 19), possibly because Paul had brought him the Gospel. Philemon’s slave, Onesimus, had become a Christian, apparently when away from Philemon, possibly as a runaway (v. 10). It was right that Onesimus should submit himself to Philemon. It was also right that Philemon should receive a slave back, but as a Christian brother (v. 16). It would certainly be a good thing if Philemon would set Onesimus free, especially if he made sure Onesimus would have a job.

What common values do we find in Paul and presumably Philemon? First, that Onesimus validly owed Philemon. He should not have fled. To take Onesimus away would deprive Philemon of services he had legally paid for. Second, that a Christian master treats a Christian in his service in a humane and kind way, as a brother or sister in Christ. Third, that the relationship in Christ is more important than any other part of the person’s status.

While Christians fight against slavery, they also recognize that the purchase of goods or services, and sometimes of people, is an agreement which can only be broken with caution. Christians who have held slaves in history have been very likely to treat the slaves well and eventually to release them, often with an offer of ongoing employment. It is a hard adjustment to make. However, historically, it is the Christian community which has made an effort to bring about freedom and justice. Paul’s letter to Philemon is an example of this.

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.

Paul's Apostolic Claim

8/29/2019

Thursdays are for the New Testament
8/29/19

Jerome, Commentary on Galatians, [J.P. Migne, Editor]. Patrologiae Tomus XXVI. Paris: D’Ambroise, Pres La Barriere D’Enfer, ou Petit-Montrouge, 1845. pp. 307-438.

Jerome orders his commentary around the biblical tet in order, giving a verse and making comments on that verse. In this way it is relatively easy to follow. My notes, for posting on my blog, will typically cover relatively short segments of the text.

In Galatians 1:1, Paul makes the claim that he is an apostle, not through men, but through Jesus. Jerome notes that this is the same claim that all the others had. He uses this claim, that apostles are made by Jesus, to say that the Gospel comes directly through Jesus as well, not as a human tradition (Jerome, Galatians, 311). For this reason also, we are not free to contradict the apostles, as they are the bearers of Jesus’ Gospel.

Jerome further notes that Paul claims to be “sent” by Jesus (Jerome, Galatians, 311). Jerome surveys a number of biblical texts which illustration the importance of a divine call which sends God’s servants to accomplish His purposes. The essential question is how someone was sent. I observe that the word “apostle” means “sent one” and that Jerome seems here to toy with the word play of questioning the sending of an apostle (Jerome, Galatians, 312). People can be sent in four ways, according to Jerome’s logic - by God, by a human who acts as God’s agent, by general human assent and favor, or by themsellves. Paul is clear that he was sent by God in Christ.

While many people have claimed a special call, Jerome says the call must be evaluated. He lists numerous heretics who have caused shipwreck in the Church (Jerome, Galatians, 312). They all created new doctrines. All somehow deny the genuine person and work of Christ as described in the Gospel handed to the apostles by Christ. This is why it is important to recognize the apostleship as coming only from Jesus himself.

Hebrews 13:1-17 - Lectionary for Pentecost 12C

8/28/2019

8/28/19
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.

A few years ago it was common to say that if you didn’t post a social media status about your workout, you didn’t exercise. There might even be a little truth to that. I, for example, have never posted a status from a gymnasium, except when I have been there for a purpose other than exercise. My physique may reflect it.

In Hebrews 13, the first five verses speak of caring for strangers and the poor, showing hospitality, caring for people who are imprisoned, guarding against sexual immorality, and being content. That’s a really big order! If we are busy about those matters we probably won’t have much time to get into any sort of trouble. It’s the kind of thing that should characterize the Christian life.

Uh-oh. This is beginning to look like a post that will lead to laying a guilt trip onto people who haven’t loved their neighbor like “this unbelievably spiritual and creative persyn who actually lives out their faith!” Let the wise reader understand the words in quotation marks. I’m not going to go there. You know why? It’s because the vast majority of Christians through a tremendous portion of history have poured out their lives, caring for strangers, feeding and clothing the hungry and poor, welcoming people into their homes, visiting those who are sick and in prison, living a healthy life within the bounds of marriage, and doing it all with remarkably little care about riches, honor, or social and political power! Have you not heard of them? In fact, you probably haven’t heard of the individuals, but you may know some of the institutions. This is by design.

Consider the charity hospital. Reflect on the orphanage that takes in troubled and sick children knowing that they may never be adopted. Think about the plague hospitals of bygone eras and in the developing world. We hear of organizations that gather just a few thousand dollars to build a school in the developing world. Do we ever think about the people who go and teach there for virtually no money, sometimes also not having adequate food out of concern for the students? What of the charitable legal defense fund which has top-notch lawyers who are working for a fraction of their value in the general market? What about the charitable program which seeks out safe water sources for villages using engineering techniques that would otherwise cost hundreds of thousands of dollars? We almost never hear of the people who are doing the work. Have no doubt. They are there, laboring away in obscurity, many of them motivated by the love of Christ for those in need. They wouldn’t post a self-glorifying status because they are too busy helping their neighbors. They have busied themselves with showing brotherly love. It’s what the world needs.

My prayer in writing this meditation on Hebrews 13 is that some of my readers, including myself, will find themselves more motivated to serve, less motivated to draw attention to themselves. May the Lord have mercy on 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 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.

Introduction to Galatians

8/22/2019

Thursdays are for the New Testament
8/22/19

Jerome, Commentary on Galatians, [J.P. Migne, Editor]. Patrologiae Tomus XXVI. Paris: D’Ambroise, Pres La Barriere D’Enfer, ou Petit-Montrouge, 1845. pp. 307-438.
Introduction to Book 1, pp. 307-311.

Jerome, in introducing his commentary on Galatians, addressed to Paula and Eustochium, acknowledges that there are other commentaries on the apostolic writings. He lists those of Gaius Marius Victorinus and of Origen, both of which are familiar to him (Jerome, Galatians, 308). He further lists several others, both recent and older works, some heretical and some not. Counter to these, Jerome’s intention is to write plainly in an orderly and memorable way, asking the Lord to have mercy to make the commentary worthwhile (Jerome, Galatians, 309). He acknowledges the mental difficulty of bringing fair comments on a text written which, among other things, accused the Galatians of foolishness by which they were not able to understand what seemed plain to Paul. However, he considers the attempt worthwhile.

One of the challenges Jerome finds in Galatians is that, unlike some communities which consisted mostly of Jews who had believed in Jesus, the Galatians were Gentiles. They didn’t already have a concept of the Jewish faith. When they received Christ by faith, their departure from the faith was by adding Jewish faith as something new, rather than by reverting to a former Jewish belief structure. This appears most clearly in the challenge of circumcision, as well as the incident of Peter separating himself from Gentiles when the people zealous for circumcision were present (Jerome, Galatians, 310).

Hebrews 12:4-29 - Lectionary for Pentecost 11C

8/21/2019

8/21/19
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.

God treats his people as sons. Hebrews 12:5 tells us that very clearly. And the author explains that sons receive discipline from their fathers. The discipline given out by the loving and holy God is the topic of the whole passage.

We fall into a trap when speaking of discipline. We think of it as the equivalent of punishment. “Academic discipline” involves revoking class credit, causing failure of a course, expulsion, or censure. Yet that is not the way the Bible normally uses the concept of discipline. It’s the root of what we would call “discipleship.” By discipline, God means the whole process of being taught to walk through life the way God in Christ intends us to walk. The music teacher disciplines the student by assigning specific exercises to practice. The math teacher disciplines the student by giving exercises that reinforce the concepts that need to be strengthened. The coach disciplines the athletes by having them run back and forth, up and down, jump over things, throw and catch things, and get knocked over. The master painter disciplines students by having them mix the color exactly and apply it with precision. The parent disciplines children by teaching them how we act and think in our family.

Back to our passage? What does the Word of God say? The Hebrews have not yet struggled against sin to the point of having their blood shed in the battle. They flinch in the face of danger. They have not learned to live a fearless life in Christ. Yet God is treating his people as sons, who receive the discipline of a father, learning to act and think like their father. The father’s discipline is given to them very clearly in Christ, God the Son, who faced disbelief, sin, and even death for the sake of those who would otherwise have no hope. Are the Hebrew Christians learning to live as Christ? Are they ready to face even death to tell of the riches of Christ’s forgiving love? Apparently some are not.

We, likewise, are unlikely to find ourselves ready for that test. Of course we hope we are, but we also hope we will never be tested in that manner. Do we believe that Christ gives life in exchange for death? Do we believe that we can walk by faith through this earthly life? Do we believe that God’s purpose is worked out in our everyday activities and that his love for our neighbor is to shine through us? Are we willing to lay down our lives for our families? God is the one treating us as sons, teaching us to live as he lives in the world, doing all of this and more. Our confidence is that in the person and work of Jesus for us, someone has gone before us. We can walk as he walked, depending on the grace of the Father, and knowing that Jesus himself has faced death and conquered it on ourbehalf. We can trust in his righteousness and forgiving 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 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.