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John 1:35-42a - Lectionary for St. Andrew - November 30

11/26/2020

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11/26/20
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.

John 1:35-42 introduces us to Andrew, whose day we recognize on November 30. It's a surprisingly understated introduction. Really, John the Baptist is introducing Jesus. Two of John's disciples, given no name at first, start following Jesus. Eventually, in verse 40, we learn that one of the two is Andrew. 

Andrew is the brother of Simon Peter, who, of course, is far more prominent in Scripture. Yet we notice that Simon Peter is introduced to Jesus by his very persuasive brother. Andrew tells Peter that they have found the Messiah. He brings his brother to Jesus. It almost seems forcible, though Peter is not generally a person to be forced into anything.

What is this powerful claim that Andrew uses on his brother? It is a claim to have found the Messiah, the one anointed of God, the one who will deliver Israel from bondage. 

What troubles do we face? There is a Messiah, Jesus, who has come to rescue his people. What fears do we have? There is no place for fear in Christ. Are we aware of our failings, called "sin" in the Bible, and our need to be reconciled? Jesus is the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. He serves as the sacrifice, dying in our place. 

While we meet Andrew and remember him with joy, we also remember that his work was to direct others to Jesus. He found the Messiah. Our prayer is always that we should continue in the work which he began, as the first of the disciples, by introducing others 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.

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Romans 10:8b-18 - Lectionary for St. Andrew - November 30

11/25/2020

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11/25/20
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.

There is no distinction. All who call on the Lord Jesus will be saved. It doesn't matter if you are Jew or Greek, male or female, slave or free. It doesn't matter if you are healthy, wealthy, beautiful, or intelligent. It doesn't even matter if none of the last four descriptors fits you. The Gospel is summed up in Romans 10 as the good news that Jesus saves those who call on him. It's as simple as that!

If this good news is the good news the whole world is waiting for, there's one more important element, which is brought up in Romans 10. It's a little bit of a chain of events.

Calling on Jesus does no good if we don't believe Jesus. If we call on him so as to curse or grumble, we are not calling on him as the savior.

Nobody is going to believe Jesus without knowing about him.

Nobody is going to know about Jesus without someone preaching. The Bible doesn't expect that reading a message about Jesus will be the normal way of coming to faith. It has no expectation that handing a person a copy of the Bible will convert that person. Rather, we speak about who Jesus is, how he is God incarnate, and what he has done, how he took our sins upon himself so as to suffer and die and thus satisfy the wrath of God against sin. The message goes out verbally, normally through speaking, though that speaking may well be informed and illustrated with a print resource, like a copy of the Bible. But the work of proclaiming the truth orally is very important.

The final step of Paul's argument here is that the person who is going to preach needs to be sent. The pattern of the New Testament is that teachers and preachers would be sent out by the elders of a church congregation or by other teachers and preachers, especially by the apostles. 

The Christian evangelist has the best news in the world. This message is delivered by someone who is sent with the Gospel, by people who can assure the message is accurate, and who can arrange some form of spiritual care for all who believe. In this way we can work toward the goal of bringing the Gospel to the whole world.

Everyone who believes. It's a promise of God. Maybe some of my readers will be among those evangelists sent out with the Gospel to bring people to faith in Christ.

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 139:1-12 - Lectionary for St. Andrew - November 30

11/24/2020

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11/24/20
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 two different ways we can consider the idea of God watching us. On the one hand, we could view it as a fearful thing. God is watching you! What will happen if you step out of line! Best not find out.

On the other hand, we can take great comfort from God's graciously watching over us. When I'm afraid, I know the Lord is there and that He is able to keep me from all harm and danger.

God is watching us. In Psalm 139 we see God's presence as a matter of tremendous comfort. Even before I went to ask him something, he knew what I was troubled about. When I lie down somewhere, the Lord knows where I am so I am perfectly safe. Wherever I go, my Lord knows where I am. Even if I go places that no living people go, ascending to heaven or descending to the underworld, God knows where I am and is actively protecting me.

This is great comfort. What should we fear? Nothing at all. Just as Andrew was seen by Jesus, while he was sitting under a tree, we have been seen by Jesus. What were we doing when he started watching us? I have no idea. He's been watching over us since before we were born. He is very patient. He will never fail to watch over his people for their good. 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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Ezekiel 3:16-21 - Lectionary for St. Andrew - November 30

11/23/2020

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11/23/20
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.

Rather early in the Scripture, when God confronts Cain about his sin of murder, Cain asks God if he is his brother's keeper. God's answer is, put simply, "Yes." 

For Saint Andrew's Day, November 30, we traditionally read Ezekiel 3:16-21. Here Ezekiel is told that he is a watchman for Israel. If he wants to have a clear conscience before God, he must tell the people the truth. And the truth about sin and righteousness really stings sometimes.

The Scripture warns us about sin. We need to be willing to bring those warnings to our world. In the Bible sin is a terrible thing. It infects our world, ultimately bringing death and destruction. What other deadly conditions would we cover over as if they didn't exist? It is right to warn people about sin. And while we're at it, we warn ourselves and receive those warnings from others. Those warnings may just save our lives.

What if we warn people about the consequences of sin and they pay no attention? God tells Ezekiel that he is not going to be held responsible for the disobedience of the people he warns. Ezekiel's conscience can be clear, but the results of sin will still remain.

In the New Testament, Christians are identified as heralds of God's truth. We bring God's Word to our neighbors, lovingly and clearly, urging them to life, not to death. And, like Ezekiel, we are our brothers' keepers. We bring warnings as well as encouragement that, in Christ, sin and death have been taken care of. The goal of all our ministry is to direct our world into the loving hands of Jesus, who has given himself into death on our behalf, so we might have life 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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    About Throwing Inkwells

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