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Luke 8:4-15 - Lectionary for Sexagesima Sunday

2/13/2020

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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.

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2 Corinthians 11:19-12:9 - Lectionary for Sexagesima Sunday

2/12/2020

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2/12/20
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.

Most of us could identify heroes in our lives or in our society. Often those people are star athletes, entertainers, innovators or politicians. Some are less likely to be noticed - the teacher who helped us, the librarian, a parent, a wise mentor. The Bible speaks of a sort of heroism that doesn’t always look heroic. It is a sort of servanthood which comes and makes a difference.

In 2 Corinthians 11:19-12:9 the apostle Paul, who has often been criticized as being not a real apostle or as lacking a certain sort of flair, describes some of the things which he has endured for the sake of Christ. In short, he bears in his body, and certainly in his mind, the scars of hard labor and many trials for his Savior. Someone speaking with Paul may not have known of his sufferings. He was determined, when he went to Corinth, to know nothing but Christ crucified for sinners. This meant that he would consider his own sufferings to be of little importance.

What heroes do we know of this type? The people who have laid down their lives for Christ, who would also do it again, the people who would care for others above themselves? These people have learned to endure all things that Christ may be pre-eminent. Given the opportunity, they will help us learn this same dependence on Jesus. They have learned, with Paul, that their boasting is in Christ and that His grace is sufficient for them. His power is made perfect in weakness.

Perhaps, as we learn these lessons, God will make us into heroes as well.

If this brief meditation was helpful to you, I hope you will check out the other materials on our website at www.WittenbergCoMo.com and consider supporting us.

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Psalm 84 - Lectionary for Sexagesima Sunday

2/11/2020

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2/11/20
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.

Psalm 84 describes “God’s house” as a place of refuge and safety. Even the wild birds which we might consider a nuisance find refuge there. As we read on in the Psalm, we find that God’s presence creates a place of comfort, whether on the road, in the temple, or wherever we might be. It is God who provides light, favor, protection, and honor. This is a great blessing from God’s hand.

Our Western culture is a culture of confusion. It’s a culture in which many people can’t find themselves fitting in. We simply don’t belong here. It is increasingly characterized by hostility and dissent. Identity politics have made almost everyone question what kind of identity might be acceptable to others. This in turn creates identity confusion. What answer do Christians have for such cofusion?

The identity of the Christian comes from his dwelling in the presence of God. There’s our place of comfort. There’s our security, not in what kind of a person we are, but in what kind of a person God is. We find comfort not in our own self-confidence but in the confidence we can place in the God who is outside of us. 

The call of Psalm 84, then, is for us all. As God is the refuge of even the least of his creation, he promises to be our refuge as well. Do we lack in a positive self-image? Let us look to God to find our image. Do we lack confidence? Let us find that God is our confidence. Do we wonder how we could be loved? Let us notice that God in Christ has loved us while we were still sinners. God is our refuge. 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.

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Isaiah 55:10-13 - Lectionary for Sexagesima Sunday

2/10/2020

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2/10/20
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 Old Testament reading from Isaiah 55 speaks to the power of God’s Word. Through His Word, God accomplishes His purposes, and those purposes are good. He causes the earth to bring forth food and financial increase (v. 10) in the world through rain. Through His Word, he is also hard at work. In verse 12 God creates joy, peace, and worship from all creation. In verse 13 God makes sure that mighty and useful trees come forth, rather than the thorns and briers which are cleared out of the way and burned up.

How does God create a name and reputation for Himself? He does it through the Word. Several places in Scripture we read that God’s Word increased. This is God’s way of changing our world. In all of life and ministry, then, if we want to see God at work, we should simply show ourselves faithful to bring God’s Word into all the situations we find ourselves in. The growth of Christ’s kingdom is not so much related to what we are able to plan or do, but is based on God’s Word going forth. Sometimes we can predict the results, but at other times we simply stand back and watch God working.

How will God work in our world? We really don’t know. But as we pray that God’s kingdom will come and His will will be done on earth as it is in heaven, we recognize that God’s word is going to be very busy. We can enjoy seeing God at 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.

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    About Throwing Inkwells

    When Martin Luther was dealing with struggles in his life he once saw what appeared to be an angelic being. Not trusting that he was going to be informed by someone other than the God revealed in Scripture, he took the appearance to be untrustworthy and hurled his inkwell at it. The chipped place in the plaster wall is still visible at the Wartburg Castle, though apparently the ink stain on the wall has been refreshed periodically by the caretaker.

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