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

9/26/2019

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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.

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

9/25/2019

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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.

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Psalm 146 - Lectionary for Pentecost 16C, Proper 21C

9/24/2019

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9/24/19
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.

We all want something perfect. There’s no doubt about it. Whether searching for enlightenment, for a relationship with another person, for the ultimate driving experience, the vacation of our dreams, or the perfect cup of coffee, we want something perfect. The dream job, the dream house, or the perfect candidate.

Psalm 146:3-5 pours a bucket of cold water on those dreams. We don’t trust in princes. We realize that our earthly leaders will pass away and their plans with them. The perfect candidate is flawed. So is the perfect spouse. Even my F-150, the coolest vehicle on the road, will break down. And my espresso gets cold. We want perfection, but everywhere we look we find something else. For that matter, the car problems, the coffee problems, even the trouble at work are the least of our worries. They are daily annoyances. There’s plenty of big stuff to sweat about as well. We can’t trust in any of this earthly stuff.

Thankfully, we find verse six of our Psalm. When our hope is in God we are blessed. He is the perfect Lord. There is no disappointment in Him. He satisfies his people with eternal good, everlasting peace, perpetual forgiveness and grace.

With that in mind, what is our attitude about all the other stuff in our lives? We don’t abandon it. We accept it as something good. We have relationships with others. Sometimes they are easy, sometimes less so. But they are a good thing. We can go from one place to another and it is often comfortable, sometimes enjoyable. We can rest at times, and the coffee is really not so bad after all. God is good to His people. He, the one in whom we can trust without reserve, pours out temporal and eternal blessing on His people. Trust 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.

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Amos 6:1-7 - Lectionary for Pentecost 16C, Proper 21C

9/23/2019

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9/23/19
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 quick glance, a sound bite, a preconceived notion, an inflammatory hashtag. That’s how we rock these days. Our reading from Amos 6:1-7 could feed right into that. What does it say? Woe to people who are comfortable and honored (v. 1). Are you better than those other nations that seem to be your enemies (v. 2)? Who says you are actually safe (v. 3)? You are lazy and luxurious, lying around, playing, being drunk and spending all your time putting on skin and hair product (vv. 4-6). 

At this point some people are all over this. “Yeah, you Christians who are well fed, who receive honor, who are pleased with your heritage and fix yourselves up, you’re the worst! Believe me, in the Lutheran tradition where we have an emphasis on the dignity of the Divine Service, where pastors wear ornate (and costly) vestments, where you are very likely to find a silver or even a gold chalice used in communion . . . yes, people are critical.

What’s the bottom line of the argument? Amos 6:6C, “but are not grieved over the ruin of Joseph” (ESV). In no way does Amos, God’s prophet, condemn the things the people of Israel have. The concern is that they have this luxury but that some of the Israelites, the descendants of Joseph, are scattered, disordered, without help. This very serious state of affairs plagues God’s people generation after generation. We are reminded that when one part of the body hurts, they all hurt.

What do we do about it? We welcome our brothers and sisters to share in the abundance the Lord has given us. We help guard the truth even when some of God’s people are too weak to do so. We nurture the body of Christ, showing the riches of God’s compassion in Christ. We pursue good, not evil, for the eternal good of God’s people.

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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