Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Daily Readings January 23-29, 2011

Daily Lectionary

January 23 Noah and the Flood—Gen. 6:5, 13, 17-19; 7:11-12, 16-17, 21-23; 9:1; Matthew 8:14-22
January 24 The Red Sea—Exodus 13:17—14:31; Matthew 8:28-34
January 25 The Conversion of St. Paul: Acts 9:1-22; Matthew 9:9-17
January 26 Israel Crosses the Jordan—Joshua 1:102, 10-11; 3:1-17; Matthew 9:27-38
January 27 Naaman's Leprosy Is Cleansed—2 Kings 5:1-14; Matthew 10:1-16
January 28 Matthew 10:17—11:1
January 29 Look Ahead to Sunday's Readings Jonah 1:1-17; Romans 8:18-23; Matthew 8:23-27



Look forward to Epiphany IV January 29-30, 2011

Jonah 1:1-17: The prophet Jonah is a type of Christ. The raging sea stands for the judgment of God against the sinner. Jonah was called to Ninevah in order that he might bear the sins of the rebellious Ninevites by preaching to them the message of repentance. Jonah is cast into the sea by the sailors to show that one man had to bear the condemnation of God for man's redemption. The waters were quieted when Jonah was cast into the water. In the same way, the true and greater Jonah quieted the wrath of God when He was swallowed up by the jaws of death.

Romans 8:18-23: “Present sufferings” are not only unworthy to be compared with future glory, they also serve the cause of faith in Christ, that we, in our sufferings, might learn to yearn with all of creation for the redemption of our bodies..

Matthew 8:23-27: So often the Christian believes that he or she is saved by the strength of his or her believing. This makes faith a work of ours by which God's salvation is won. This is false. Jesus' stilled the storm when the disciples were “of little faith.” They were in the throws of despair and Jesus still rescued them. This is the Gospel. This miracle teaches us that Jesus is the prophet greater than Jonah who was plunged into the raging sea, in token of the Messiah who needed to be plunged into the sea of God's judgment in order for our salvation to be won. Jesus stilled the storm over which the disciples were utterly powerless, in order to show that He was the fulfillment of Jonah's prophecy. The Absolution of Christ is strong to give us God's peace, because Jesus was plunged into the condemnation that we by our sins deserved. This means that He not only stands with us when the devil assails us with our sin, but also that His very death is our salvation and our peace. Faith is strong to save because Christ is its object. sufficiency of Jesus' saving Word: “Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed.” The Word of Christ, the Gospel, is the power of God for salvation to all who believe.

Daily Readings for Jan 16-22, 2011

Daily Lectionary

Jan 16  Hezekiah Purifies the Temple—2 Chronicles 28:22–29:36, Romans 4:1-25
Jan 17 Hezekiah Celebrates the Passover—2 Chronicles 30:1–31:1, Romans 5:1—6:2
Jan 18 The Destruction of Sennacherib’s Army—2 Chronicles 32:1-23, Romans 6:12-18
Jan 19 King Hezekiah’s Life Is Extended—2Kings 20:1-11, Romans 7:1-25
Jan 20 King Hezekiah Receives Envoys from Babylon—2 Kings 20:12-21, Romans 8:1–29
Jan 21 Romans 13:1-7
Jan 22 2 Kings 5:1-15a, Romans 1:8-17, Matthew 8:1-13

Look forward to the Third Sunday after Epiphany

2 Kings 5:1-15a: The cleansing of Naaman teaches us that the saving power of God rests solely with the Word of God and no where else. It was the Word of God, added to the water, that cleansed Naaman of his leprosy. What role does faith play? Faith receives what the Word gives. The strength of faith is not in the act of believing, but in the Word that is believed.

Romans 1:8-17: We are justified, declared righteous, by the faith which is in the Gospel of our dear Lord Jesus Christ. The Gospel teaches that we have a gracious God who has put away our sins for Christ's sake, so that God no longer holds them against us. It is this Gospel of which St. Paul, and the whole Church of Christ, is not ashamed, because it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes.

Matthew 8:1-13: It is the Lord's will, not only to save us poor miserable sinners, but to do so by taking our sin and corruption upon Himself to the death of the cross. Jesus manifested this grace of God by touching the unclean leprous man and saying, "I am willing [to take your sin and infirmity upon Myself], be cleansed." The Word, "be cleansed," carried Jesus' forgiveness, life, and salvation to this poor man. It is the same for us. None of us are worthy to receive the salvation that our Lord so willingly desires to give us, but by His grace alone He comes to us. The centurion rightly confessed both his unworthiness as a sinner, and the all sufficiency of Jesus' saving Word: "Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed." The Word of Christ, the Gospel, is the power of God for salvation to all who believe.