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Matthew 11:25–30 - Lectionary for Pentecost 5A

7/6/2017

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7/6/17
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 a very common attitude among Christians, as well as followers of other religious traditions. This attitude says that we need to pursue true, special understanding of God. Often we are left to find that understanding within ourselves. Normally it is a deep and inner understanding which cannot be explained in rational or logical terms, but which is too deep for expression.
 
What does Jesus say here, in Matthew 11:25-30? He thanks God for making the sublime supernatural life available even to children. There isn’t anything secret. There is nothing which requires emotional or intellectual maturity. The deep things of God are sublime simply because they are understood by children yet not by those who would seek after them in a highly sophisticated way.
 
Does this mean the Christian faith is simplistic? Not at all. It means the Christian life is accessible.
 
The accessibility of Christianity is one of many reasons that throughout history Christians have included children in receiving the means of grace, through participation in liturgy, through baptism, and, at a relatively early age, through reception of communion. God’s kingdom does not depend on our maturity. It depends on God’s 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.

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Romans 7:14–25a - Lectionary for Pentecost 5A

7/5/2017

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7/5/17
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.
 
Romans 7:14-25 expands on the idea of God’s Law, which is good, moving us to condemnation. The heart of Paul’s argument here is that although God’s Law is good, God’s people, including Paul, are fallen. Because of our nature which so easily embraces sin, we are shown by the perfect law of God that we are sinners. We fail. We may know what is good, but we choose to ignore it. We realize our sin and are moved to sorrow and guilt, but then we enter into the same sin again.
 
In itself this is very discouraging. Our secular society tells people to change their lives and their attitudes, pushing them to fulfill a moral code which has some similarities to God’s Law, and tells them that they are supposed to be good people. However, it makes no attempt to explain why it is that we are selfish, why we want to cheat, why we are so willing to take advantage of others, why we prefer ourselves over the rest of our world. What is the result? Without any explanation of sin and salvation, we are left with the idea that we are hopelessly defective and that we must not be trying hard enough. This can easily lead to depression, evasion, substance abuse, and even suicide. That’s no good!
 
On the other hand, if we recognize that we are looking at a spiritual problem for which the answer is confession and forgiveness, we are going to do a little better. Then when we see that the forgiveness we need has been purchased for us by Jesus, we do even better. When we finally realize that our forgiveness is by God’s grace and is received through faith, not by any works we do, we begin to see the mighty power of the Gospel at work.
 
Open our eyes, Lord.
 
If this brief meditation was helpful to you, I hope you will check out the other materials on our website at www.WittenbergCoMo.com and consider supporting us.
 

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Zechariah 9:9–12 - Lectionary for Pentecost 5A

7/4/2017

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7/4/17
Many churches throughout the world use a Bible reading schedule called a "lectionary." It's just a fancy word meaning "selected readings." Posts like this reflect on the readings for an upcoming Sunday or other Church holiday, as found in the three-year lectionary.
 
Our Old Testament reading for this week, Zechariah 9:9-12, speaks boldly of God’s care for his people. The king will come to them. This will be no warring king fighting his way through battle with his troops, mounted on a mighty war horse. This is a king who has been victorious and is now ushering in a period of peace. He comes humbly riding on a donkey. Though a king, he doesn’t threaten in any way.
 
This is precisely the way that Jesus enters Jerusalem less than a week before his death. As with the king of Zechariah 9, who remembers the blood of his covenant, a sacrificial animal, Jesus pours out the blood of his covenant. In the New Testament the blood of the covenant is Jesus’ own blood. He dies for his people, shedding his blood on the cross. He delivers life to his people when they gather and receive the blood of his covenant in communion. Jesus is the one who rescues people by his blood.
 
What is the overall promise? The king who comes in peace, remembering his covenant, sets prisoners free and ends strife. This is the promise of God to all who believe on Christ. He is able to rescue us for all eternity. And so we eagerly await and welcome the king.
 
If this brief meditation was helpful to you, I hope you will check out the other materials on our website at www.WittenbergCoMo.com and consider supporting us.

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Psalm 145:1–14 - Lectionary for Pentecost 5A

7/3/2017

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7/3/17
Many churches throughout the world use a Bible reading schedule called a "lectionary." It's just a fancy word meaning "selected readings." Posts like this reflect on the readings for an upcoming Sunday or other Church holiday, as found in the three-year lectionary.
 
Psalm 145:4 speaks of telling the Lord’s works to the next generation. The rest of the Psalm gives examples of the kind of works of the Lord we might tell. In the Bible, the Lord, the triune God, shows his power, his mercy, his love, and his ability to sustain all things forever.
 
How are we doing with the intergenerational proclamation of God’s character? Do we teach the next generation? Do we encourage the older generations? Do we learn from one another? Do we spend time reflecting on God’s love for his people? Do we marvel at his providence?
 
At various times in history, the Church has been thriving. These have generally been times when parents teach their children carefully. They have been times when Christians persist in gathering together, even when it is difficult. They have been times when Christians make it clear that recognizing and proclaiming the word of  God is at the heart and center of life in our world.
 
How can we do better at this? It’s quite simple. It starts with the reader who decides to take a Psalm such as this one, or any other passage of Scripture, consider it carefully, and teach it to family and friends. We can spread God’s word from generation to generation. This is good and right.
 
If this brief meditation was helpful to you, I hope you will check out the other materials on our website at www.WittenbergCoMo.com and consider supporting us.

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Romans 7:14–25a - Lectionary for Pentecost 5A

6/15/2017

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7/5/17
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.
 
Romans 7:14-25 expands on the idea of God’s Law, which is good, moving us to condemnation. The heart of Paul’s argument here is that although God’s Law is good, God’s people, including Paul, are fallen. Because of our nature which so easily embraces sin, we are shown by the perfect law of God that we are sinners. We fail. We may know what is good, but we choose to ignore it. We realize our sin and are moved to sorrow and guilt, but then we enter into the same sin again.
 
In itself this is very discouraging. Our secular society tells people to change their lives and their attitudes, pushing them to fulfill a moral code which has some similarities to God’s Law, and tells them that they are supposed to be good people. However, it makes no attempt to explain why it is that we are selfish, why we want to cheat, why we are so willing to take advantage of others, why we prefer ourselves over the rest of our world. What is the result? Without any explanation of sin and salvation, we are left with the idea that we are hopelessly defective and that we must not be trying hard enough. This can easily lead to depression, evasion, substance abuse, and even suicide. That’s no good!
 
On the other hand, if we recognize that we are looking at a spiritual problem for which the answer is confession and forgiveness, we are going to do a little better. Then when we see that the forgiveness we need has been purchased for us by Jesus, we do even better. When we finally realize that our forgiveness is by God’s grace and is received through faith, not by any works we do, we begin to see the mighty power of the Gospel at work.
 
Open our eyes, Lord.
 
If this brief meditation was helpful to you, I hope you will check out the other materials on our website at www.WittenbergCoMo.com and consider supporting us.

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    About Throwing Inkwells

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