Daily readings for September 9-15, 2012

Sunday’s Divine Service–The Lord Extends His Mercy To All

The ten lepers cried out from a distance, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” (Luke 17:11–19). Their condition cut them off from God and others.  So also do the works of the flesh cut us off from God and others. “Those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God” (Galatians 5:16–24). Thus we cry out with the lepers, “Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy, Lord have mercy,” eagerly seeking His good gifts. Jesus said to the lepers, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed. So too, we walk by faith and not by sight, being confident of Jesus’ help before we see any evidence of it, trusting that Jesus’ cleansing words of forgiveness will restore us to wholeness in the resurrection. Let us be as the one leper who returned to the true High Priest to give Him thanks and glory. For Jesus bore our infirmities in His sacrifice at Calvary. His words are life to those who find them, and health to all their flesh (Proverbs 4:10–23).— Lutheran Service Book Project

Please Pray For: Joe Worth, Elena Howarth, Emily Rodenbeck, Phyllis McElroy, Ada Dambacher Dorothy Robison, George Van Huss, Crystal Ray, Ruth Hedrick, Walt Hedrick, Erna Van Winkle, Mary Kay Schmidt, Kathy Schmidt, John Haynes, Bill Uchtman, Colin Starks, George Shepherd, and Donna Smith.

Military: Please keep in your prayers all Military persons, especially Brittany Worth who is deployed to Afghanistan.

Hospitalizations: Please notify Pastor GeRue about any sickness or hospitalizations.

Happy Birthday This Week: Catherine GeRue, Josh Miller, John Boston

Happy Anniversary: George & Melissa Howarth, Jr.

Lutheran High Trivia Night, Friday September 28, 2012 7 pm at Knights of Columbus Hall at Iles and Meadowbrook Rd. We would like to have 1 or 2 teams from Trinity. See Pastor or Valerie for more information.

Confirmation Meeting Wednesday, September 12 at 5:30 pm

CALENDAR

Saturday, September 8           5:30 pm                            Divine Service

Sunday, September 9            9:00 am                                 Bible Class

                                             10:00 am                            Divine Service

Monday, September 10          7:00 pm                                        Elder’s                       

Tuesday, September 11          9:00 am            Circuit Pastors@ Girard

                                               6:00 pm   Unity Finance Board Meeting

Wednesday , September 12    5:30 pm   Confirmation Parents Meeting

                                               7:30 pm                                             AA

Friday, September 14                                              Pastors Family Day

Saturday , September 15         5:30 pm                            Divine Service

NEXT WEEKS LESSONS:

THE FOURTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY

The ten lepers cried out from a distance, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” (Luke 17:11–19). Their condition cut them off from God and others. So also do the works of the flesh cut us off from God and others. “Those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God” (Galatians 5:16–24). Thus we cry out with the lepers, “Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy, Lord have mercy,” eagerly seeking His good gifts. Jesus said to the lepers, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed. So too, we walk by faith and not by sight, being confident of Jesus’ help before we see any evidence of it, trusting that Jesus’ cleansing words of forgiveness will restore us to wholeness in the resurrection. Let us be as the one leper who returned to the true High Priest to give Him thanks and glory. For Jesus bore our infirmities in His sacrifice at Calvary. His words are life to those who find them, and health to all their flesh (Proverbs 4:10–23).

Collect: Keep, we implore You, O Lord, Your Church with Your perpetual mercy; and because the frailty of mankind without You cannot but fall, keep us ever by Your help from all things hurtful and lead us to all things profitable to our salvation; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord . Amen.

Old Testament: Proverbs 4:10–23

Epistle: Galatians 5:16–24

Holy Gospel: Luke 17:11–19

Readings for the Week of 14th Sunday after Trinity

Daily Lectionary For September 9–15, 2012

Sunday, September 9                            Malachi 1:1-14, Matthew3:1-17

Monday, September 10                       Malachi 2:1-3:5, Matthew 4:1-11

Tuesday, September 11                     Malachi 3:6-4:6, Matthew 4:12-25

Wednesday, September 12          Deuteronomy 1:1-18, Matthew 5:1-20

Thursday, September 13            Deuteronomy 1:19-36, Matthew 5:21-48

Friday, September 14                Deuteronomy 1:37-2:15, Matthew 6:1-15

Saturday, September 15               Looking Forward to Sundays Lessons

                    1 Kings 17:8–16, Galatians 5:25—6:10, Matthew 6:24–34

Sermon September 1-2, 2012

Trinity 13

Luke 10:23-37

September 1 – 2, 2012

In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

The Law knows that we know how to love ourselves. That is why it says: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Every sin we commit is based on inwardly-turned self-love. Like Eve before us we think we know what is good for food and capable of making us wise. We can see with our own eyes what pleases us. Every sin is rebellion. Every sin is based upon the presupposition that God is holding out on us, that He is keeping something good, something fun, from us.

Eve knew the threat of the Law: eat of this and you will die. She knew it was true, that God was faithful to His Word. But she wanted that fruit. Her desire blinded her to reason, rendered her insane so that she made one of these crazy bargains. Maybe the momentary pleasure that fruit would give would make Hell itself tolerable. Or maybe she could have the best of both worlds, steal the fruit and hope God didn't notice. Or even that she could enjoy it now but repent later, that God wouldn't really mind and wanted her to indulge herself in wickedness. 

Repent. You know these bargains well. You know how to love yourself. These bargains are not made with God, but with the devil. And the devil doesn't care. He'll give you great deals, incredible bargains, no interest and no payments until after you've die. He just wants you to take the forbidden fruit and however you want to justify it is fine with him. He'll tell you need it. He'll tell you it is a small thing, no one will mind. He will tell you anything it takes to ease your conscience. And he is always impressed by how pious and sincere you are. He always soothes with sympathy for your struggle. But the bottom line is that you want an evil thing for selfish use - the flesh of another, honor and praise from men, possessions and leisure, fruit from a tree that God said do not eat. You and the devil are good at clever excuses. He is glad to help with the philosophical questions and to help you spin it if you should get caught. Repent.

The jealous God of Abraham is not like the devil. Nothing escapes His notice. If you have loved anything else, if you have loved yourself, more than Him you have broken the Law, you have sinned. Do you love your children more than you love God? Would you kill them for Him? It is not as hypothetical as it sounds. This is what Abraham was called upon to do. He was to take his only son, his laughing little boy, the delight of his old age, up to the mountain, bind him to an altar full of kindling, slit his throat and set him on fire as a sacrifice to the Lord. “Abraham,” says the Almighty. “Love Me above all else. Love Me more than your son.” Was there ever a Law so harsh? A demand so extreme? God spare us from such tests! 

But here is the strange thing: Abraham had faith. What God demanded seemed most evil, but God is good. So Abraham proceeded. He strove to do what God demanded even though it seemed contrary to everything he knew to be good, to everything that God had given, to everything that God is. God's clear Word defied the reason and experience of Abraham. His faith was stripped bare to nothing more than the bold assertion that God is good and that God's Law is always best, always right, that God does not hold out on His children, that God would provide and it would be good. There are no bargains to be struck with God. He is good. He will do the right, the best thing. We wait to see it in the land of the living while we abide in the shadow of death by faith. We cling to the promise of God and forsake all else.

 

And thus was Isaac spared. He did not die for his sins. An innocent ram was caught by its horns in the thicket. God provided the lamb. It died instead. Isaac, his face wet with the tears of Abraham, went back to his mother in his father's arms alive. God is good. He provided. And He blessed Abraham, Sarah, and Isaac with faith. Despite the fears and uncertainties of Abraham, God remains faithful to His Word. He loves Abraham. He keeps His promises.

In this way God fulfills His own Law. Unlike Isaac, His Son was not spared. He loved His neighbor, you and me, to the point of sacrificing Jesus Christ on the cross. There was no ram in the thicket for Him. His love is perfect, all-encompassing. It does not fail. He loves you above all else. He loves you with His whole heart, mind, strength, and soul. God loves you as Himself. The Father loves you as He loves Jesus and the Spirit. Jesus loves you as He loves the Father and the Spirit. The Spirit loves you as He loves the Father and the Son. Thus the laws demands of the Law are silenced by compassion and by mercy. Jesus died. Isaac lives. God loves perfectly and fully and always. God loves Isaac. God loves you.

Now we can certainly see an exhortation in the parable of the Good Samaritan. It shows us how to live, that our lives in Christ are to be merciful and full of good works. The Good Samaritan is a perfect example of how to keep the Law. Thus if we ask the Lawyer's question: “Who is my neighbor?” The answer is obvious: “everyone.” Everyone is my neighbor. I am to help all of them, at my own expense, at my own loss, even at my own death. I am to sell everything that I have and give it to the poor. That is the standard. That is the Law. It is good. It is true. But it always accuses because we are not perfect, we are not without sin. We have not loved perfectly. According to our fallen flesh, we can't. We don't even know how. Sell everything? Then how do we feed our children? How do we remain healthy? How do we get to work? It is an impossible standard for fallen men. Still it is the standard, and if we are judged by it, by “everyone is my neighbor,” we are condemned. We deserve damnation. There are no loopholes. Everyone is your neighbor. Repent.

Hope is not found in the Lawyer's question: “Who is my neighbor?” Hope is found in Our Lord's question: “Which of these proved neighbor to the man?” The answer to the lawyer's question is everyone. We are to love everyone. No exceptions, no prejudices, no excuses, no limits. But the answer to Jesus' question is not everyone. For everyone did not prove neighbor to the man in the ditch. Only One did, the One who had mercy. Jesus is an example for us. He shows us how the Law is lived. He shows us what love is. But before that, both sequentially and in significance, Jesus is our merciful Savior from the Samaritan village of Nazareth. He has compassion on us. He intervenes. He comes to earth to bear our burdens, to love us, to fulfill the Law for us and give His life as a ransom for our bodies and souls. The Law passes by on the other side. It cannot help. It can only accuse and advise. It cannot heal or forgive. Jesus washes our wounds, takes us to an inn for recovery, pays for everything, and promises to come back. He loves His neighbor. He loves everyone without exception, prejudice, excuse, or limit. He welcomes all men to Himself by perfect accepting grace, in holy, Divine love.

Come to the Table. Have the Blood of Jesus poured on your wounds. Be joined to mercy in the eating of His Body. He is your neighbor and you are His beloved.

In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Daily Readings for September 2-8, 2012

SUNDAY’S DIVINE SERVICE—THE GOOD SAMARITAN

The Law cannot help us or give us life. Rather, it confines everyone under sin as wounded and naked before God (Galatians 3:15–22). So it is that two figures of the Law, the priest and the Levite, passed by the injured man on the side of the road (Luke 10:23–37). Only the promised Seed of Abraham can rescue us and make us righteous before God. Only the Samaritan, our Lord Jesus, had compassion. He came down to us in our lost and dying condition, pouring on the oil and wine of the sacraments. He placed us on His own animal, bearing our sin and brokenness in His body on the cross to restore us. Jesus brought us to the Inn, that is, the Church, and gave the innkeeper two denarii, that His double forgiveness might continue to be ministered to us. In this way the Lord, by whose Law we are torn and stricken, heals us and revives us by His Gospel and raises us up with Himself on the third day, that we may live in His sight

(Hosea 6:1–6).

Copies of Sermons are on the back table for your reference and study.

Please Pray For: Emily Rodenbeck, Phyllis McElroy, Ada Dambacher Dorothy Robison, George Van Huss, Crystal Ray, Ruth Hedrick, Walt Hedrick, Erna Van Winkle, Mary Kay Schmidt, Kathy Schmidt, John Haynes, Bill Uchtman, Colin Starks, George Shepherd, and Donna Smith.

Military: Please keep in your prayers all Military persons, especially Brittany Worth who is deployed to Afghanistan.

Hospitalizations: Please notify Pastor GeRue about any sickness or hospitalizations.

LUTHERAN HOUR "A Labor of Love"  Lutheran Hour Speaker: Rev. Gregory Seltz Christ's life, death, and resurrection were a labor of love for you so that you could love the labor you provide for others in His name. (Ephesians 6:10-13)

WLUJ             Springfield, IL   89.7 FM                 Sunday 3:00 pm

WLLM            Lincoln, IL         1370 AM Sunday 7:00 am & 7:00 pm
WSMI             Litchfield           1540 AM               Sunday 9:30 pm

Lutherans for Life – www.lutheransforlife.org

Life Thought: The battle to preserve the God-given sanctity of life in our country is not a battle against political forces. It is a battle against the “spiritual forces of evil” (Ephesians 6:12). But we are well equipped for such battles when we wear the “whole armor of God” and wield the “sword of the Spirit” (Ephesians 6:10-17). It is not a matter of winning a victory, but sharing a victory Christ has already won.

Life Quote: “When we care for orphans, through adoption and foster care, and through other kinds of ministries to orphans, when we advocate for children whose lives are in jeopardy through abortion and through other ways, what we are recognizing is that we are doing so as ex-orphans ourselves who have been rescued through the Gospel. And we are also recognizing that when a child is adopted into a family there is a real family formed there.” Dr. Russell D. Moore, author of “Adopted for Life: The Priority of Adoption for Christian Families”

NEXT WEEKS LESSONS:

THE FOURTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY

The ten lepers cried out from a distance, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” (Luke 17:11–19). Their condition cut them off from God and others. So also do the works of the flesh cut us off from God and others. “Those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God” (Galatians 5:16–24). Thus we cry out with the lepers, “Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy, Lord have mercy,” eagerly seeking His good gifts. Jesus said to the lepers, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed. So too, we walk by faith and not by sight, being confident of Jesus’ help before we see any evidence of it, trusting that Jesus’ cleansing words of forgiveness will restore us to wholeness in the resurrection. Let us be as the one leper who returned to the true High Priest to give Him thanks and glory. For Jesus bore our infirmities in His sacrifice at Calvary. His words are life to those who find them, and health to all their flesh (Proverbs 4:10–23).

Collect: Keep, we implore You, O Lord, Your Church with Your perpetual mercy; and because the frailty of mankind without You cannot but fall, keep us ever by Your help from all things hurtful and lead us to all things profitable to our salvation; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord . Amen.

Old Testament: Proverbs 4:10–23

Epistle: Galatians 5:16–24

Holy Gospel: Luke 17:11–19

Readings for the Week of 13th Sunday after Trinity

Daily Lectionary For September 2–8, 2012

September 2                        1 Kings 11:42-12:19; 2 Corinthians 7:1-16

September 3               1 Kings 12:20-13:5, 33-34; 2 Corinthians 8:1-24

                                                                                 1 Kings 14:1-16:28

September 4                        1 Kings 16:29-17:24; 2 Corinthians 9:1-15

September 5                                    1 Kings 18:1-19; Ephesians 1:1-23

September 6                                  1 Kings 18:20-40; Ephesians 2:1-22

September 7    1 Kings 19:1-21; Ephesians 3:1-21; 1 Kings 20:1-22:53

September 8                                      Looking Forward to Next Sunday

                           Proverbs 4:10–23, Galatians 5:16–24, Luke 17:11–19

Sermon August 25-26, 2012

Trinity 12        Mark 7:31-37             August 25-26, 2012                         "BE OPENED"

 In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

 Be opened. Listen. Hear the Word of God. Peace is not found in lying about what the Bible says or pretending that God is different from how the Bible describes Him. Unity is not achieved in compromises and treaties, by ambiguous language chosen deliberately to be misunderstood and to deceive. Faith is not the vague notion that there is a god up there somewhere who thinks that I'm special, but who doesn't care enough to actually tell us who He is or is not unwilling to toy with us like a cat with a mouse. Yet all those things have seemed more attractive to us than the Truth. Their appeal is the allure of the prostitute: no commitment, no responsibility, no love, just a quick, easy, meaningless roll in the hay.

 But sin never delivers as promised. Temptation is the inventor of false advertising. It is never without consequences, without lingering diseases and worries, without fear and shame, without danger or cost. A moment's indiscretion, a giving-in to our baser desires, a bit of selfish indulgence and self-promotion, and we wind up hurting those we love the most and suffering through another failure of our own design.

 But it is precisely into this mad adolescent gathering of warring cheerleaders, stoners and drunks, jocks and geeks, that Our Lord Jesus Christ inserted Himself. For if all the world was High School, Jerusalem under Pontius Pilate was the cafeteria with the teachers out of the room. The bullies, the drug dealers, the mean-spirited girls held court and the trembling freshmen did their best to blend in to the background. Seasoned police officers and green berets wouldn't walk into that cafeteria. But Jesus went in with eyes and arms open. He stood alone. And even the weakest freshman felt powerful against Him and abused Him with glee. Still, He came. He came for the confused and hurting who sought to hurt Him; for the lonely girl who strikes out at her classmates with barbed fashion critiques; for the awkward, acne-infested boy who manipulates his girlfriend and then brags about his conquest to his teammates; for the incompetent teacher who bullies and bribes the children she was asked to serve. He came for us all: the superintendent, the lunch ladies, the teachers, the janitors, the kids, even the PTA and the school board.

 For while we didn't know what made for our peace, while we were jockeying for seats at Satan's table and his favor, Jesus Christ bought us back at the terrible cost of His own Life. He submitted to death, let it kill Him, so that we would live. He came and endured our hatred and violence as a sheep to the slaughter, never complaining. He came deliberately, intentionally, to seek and to save, to rescue and to redeem, to give His life in exchange for yours. It is the Innocent for the guilty, the Righteous for the unholy. He made for your peace by sacrificing Himself in your place, by allowing you to do your worst. And through that cruel execution He has taken on your guilt, your shame, and your death. He took it all to the grave and buried it there. He rose, but it did not. Because, as foolish as it seems, God loves you.

 So you don't need to look after yourself. You don't need to protect your own interests. You don't need to stand up for your rights or honor. You don't need to be pretty, get good grades, be a star athlete, or popular. Jesus loves you. That is enough. He has taken care of everything.

 So what happened to the deaf man by the Sea of Galilee? His friends brought him to Jesus. They were true friends. They didn't just change the nomenclature and pretend that that took care of the problem. They didn't tell him God wanted him that way and that he should get used to it. They brought him to where he could get help, to Jesus. And what did Jesus do? He put His finger into his ear, spat, and touched his tongue. All sort of gross, intimate things. It is almost as though he wiped the man's bottom. But that is what it takes to open ears and loosen tongues. It requires Jesus washing your feet, touching your tongue, wiping your bottom. And at the hand of Jesus the deaf man was free to hear God's Word and proclaim His praise. Jesus broke the chains of death. He stopped the cycle. He stood in the gap, made up the difference, restored His good creation.

That is who Jesus is. It is what He does, why He came. Peace is created by the forgiveness won on the cross. It is peace with the Father in the bond of the Spirit through the intercession of the Son. It passes all understanding. It is not ours to manipulate or manufacture. Likewise, unity with our brothers and sisters in Christ can only be created by God. It is given where His Word reigns and men submit to it together. It will only be fully realized when we are taken from this valley of sorrows. Faith is the ultimate gift of the Holy Spirit. It is the conviction that the Holy Trinity is good, has worked out our salvation for us for free, and will at the end bring us to everlasting consolation and bliss.

When Jesus invades your personal space and sticks His finger into your ear, it comes away dirty, with who knows what gross thing on the end of it. That is a little embarrassing, a little uncomfortable. But when that gunk has been removed and He is revealed to you according to His mercy, when the Shepherd's Voice is heard by your ears, saying: "I love you. I forgive you. Be my Bride." it is worth it, every time. Shame is removed along with sin and you are free to sing His praise.

 Come. Stick out your tongue. Have the Body of Christ placed upon it. Be opened.

In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Daily Readings for August 19-25, 2012

Sunday’s Divine Service—God Be Merciful To Me, A Sinner

“The Lord respected Abel and his offering, but He did not respect Cain

and his offering” (Genesis 4:1–15). For unlike Abel, Cain’s offering did not

proceed from a heart that revered and trusted in the Lord. Thus, the lowly tax collector who prayed, “God be merciful to me, sinner!” was the one who went down to his house justified before God, not the respectable, outwardly righteous Pharisee who trusted in himself and his own good living (Luke 18:9–14). “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast” (Ephesians 2:1–10). The one who penitently despairs of his own righteousness and relies completely on the atoning mercy of God in Christ is the one who is declared righteous. For Christ died for our sins and rose again the third day (1 Corinthians 15:1–10). Therefore, “everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” (LSB hymnal notes)

Copies of Sermons are on the back table for your reference and study.

Please Pray For: Emily Rodenbeck, Phyllis McElroy, Ada Dambacher Dorothy Robison, George Van Huss, Crystal Ray, Ruth Hedrick, Walt Hedrick, Erna Van Winkle, Mary Kay Schmidt, Kathy Schmidt, John Haynes, Bill Uchtman, Colin Starks, George Shepherd, and Donna Smith.

Military: Please keep in your prayers all Military persons, especially Brittany Worth who is deployed to Afghanistan.

Hospitalizations: Please notify Pastor GeRue about any sickness or hospitalizations.

LUTHERAN HOUR August 19  “Hard to Believe, But True!” Lutheran Hour Speaker: Rev. Gregory Seltz
Jesus has the words of eternal life. He is God's answer to your prayer before you even call. (John 6:66-69)

WLUJ              Springfield, IL    89.7 FM                  Sunday 3:00 pm

WLLM             Lincoln, IL          1370 AM Sunday 7:00 am & 7:00 pm
WSMI              Litchfield            1540 AM                Sunday 9:30 pm

Lutherans for Life – www.lutheransforlife.org

Life Thought: Those who are “light in the Lord,” “walk as children of light” and have no part in the “unfruitful works of darkness” (Ephesians 5:8-11a). But the “fruit of light” (5:9) does more than avoid such dark works. It exposes them (5:11b). We do not do it arrogantly or angrily, but the Church is compelled to call wrong things wrong.

Life Quote: “You can be a voice of prayer praying for our Church, our country, hurting people. You can be a voice of service reaching out to those who need an encouraging word, a helping hand, a comforting presence. You can be a voice of education helping others understand how God’s Word of truth and grace connects to the life issues. You can be a voice of witness pointing people to the true source of rescue. You can be an activist voice participating in Life Chains, Marches for Life, and prayer vigils. You can be a political voice practicing Christian citizenship and bringing your influence to bear through the political process.” Rev. Dr. James I. Lamb, executive director of Lutherans For Life)

CALENDAR

Saturday     August 18           5:30 pm                            Divine Service

Sunday       August 19           9:00 am                                 Bible Class

                                             10:00 am                            Divine Service

Monday, August 20 – Friday, August 24       Pastor at Army Training

Wednesday August 22          7:30 pm                                             AA

Saturday     August 25           5:30 pm                            Divine Service

NEXT WEEKS LESSONS:

THE TWELFTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY

Isaiah 29:17–24

2 Corinthians 3:4–11

Mark 7:31–37

Faith Comes from Hearing

A man who was deaf and therefore also had an impediment in his speech was brought to Jesus (Mark 7:31–37). In the same way, all are by nature deaf toward God and therefore also unable to confess the faith rightly. For ―faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ (Rom. 10:9–17). Jesus put His fingers into the man’s ears, and He spat and touched His tongue. Even so in Holy Baptism, water sanctified by the words of Jesus’ mouth is applied to us; and the finger of God, that is, the life–giving Holy Spirit (2 Corinthians 3:4–11) is put into our ears in the hearing of the baptismal Gospel. Jesus’ sighing - Ephphatha opened the man’s ears, and his tongue was loosed to speak plainly as Isaiah prophesied of the Messiah, ―In that day the deaf shall hear the words of a book‖ (Is. 29:18–24) So also, He who sighed and breathed His last on the cross for us has given us to hear and believe in Him and has opened our lips that our mouths may declare His praise.

Readings for the Week of 11th Sunday after Trinity

August 19 Parable of the Pharisee & the Tax Collector—Luke 18:9-14

                                            2 Samuel 11:1-27, 1 Corinthians 11:17-34

August 20                     Paul Is Arrested in the Temple—Acts 21:1-17

                                              2 Samuel 12:1-25, 1 Corinthians 12:1-13

August 21                   Paul Preaches to the Mob—Acts 21:37—22:16

                                      1 Kings 1:1–4, 15–35, 1 Corinthians 12:14-31

August 22        Paul Is Protected as a Roman Citizen—Acts 22:17-29

                                                   1 Kings 2:1-27, 1 Corinthians 13:1-13

August 23   Paul Appears Before the Sanhedrin—Acts 22:30—23:10

                                                     1 Kings 3:1-15, 2 Corinthians 1:1-22

August 24                                 The Plot Against Paul—Acts 23:11-35

                                               1 Kings 5:1-18, 2 Corinthians 1:23–2:17

August 25                                       Look ahead to Sunday's Readings

                          Isaiah 29:17–24, 2 Corinthians 3:4–11, Mark 7:31–37

Sermon August 18-19, 2013 Trinity 11

August 18-19, 2012    Trinity 11        Luke 18:09-14

In the Name of the Father and of the X Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Two men went up to the Temple to pray. One man came down to his house justified.

The first was a Church bureaucrat, a Pharisee in a suit. He had long served his church, helping it to grow, teaching it about stewardship, vision-making, and planning. Coming from a long-line of Church workers, he lived a morally decent life. He had learned that those who do not steal are better liked by their neighbors, that fidelity to one's spouse means a happier and easier home life, that not coveting leads to contentment. He had even learned that charity enriches the giver. And thus, he was satisfied. He had found a righteousness in this life by means of the Law. He had found honor among men. He had his reward, and he sought to help others obtain it.

The second was a tax-collector, a traitor to his people, an oppressor. He was the ancient equivalent of a drug-dealer trafficking in child pornography. He was a scumbag. He was not satisfied. His life was a mess. He was ashamed and afraid. So he came to the Temple, to the House of Prayer for all people, to the place of sacrifice and the ark of the Covenant, to pray. He stood on the blood-stained pavement and beheld the curtain that kept him from seeing the place of God's presence. There behind the curtain, by Divine command, was the Holy of Holies. In it was the ark that held the fragments of Moses' law. That law that condemns men. But over the ark, between the cherubim God promised to place Himself. He shields His people from the Law, satisfies its demands in Himself. That place is called the "mercy seat." And thus, the tax collector came to the Temple to hold God to His Word. He pleads for Him to be true to Himself, to be merciful, to be forgiving, to be gracious, to keep His promise of deliverance. And He does. That man, the sinner, went home justified, righteous, holy, innocent, and pure.

This parable was spoken to some who trusted in themselves, that they were righteous and despised others. We must despise ourselves as unrighteous, and trust in Him, who is righteous, for mercy. Here we see the irony of Christianity: those who are without sin, those who have been Baptized, Named by Him, belong to Him, such as you and the believing tax-collector, feel sin. It hurts you. You struggle with it. But those who are in sin, who embrace it and seek to justify themselves, like the Pharisee, they are satisfied and comfortable.

That is how it is in the Kingdom of God. It is a Kingdom of reversals and irony. God became Man. Life became Death. He who knew no sin became sin. The King of this Kingdom does not send soldiers off to die in struggles meant to enrich himself and enlarge his territories, like the kings of this world, but this King dies, gives up His life, to enrich rebels and traitors who spoke against Him! This loving Shepherd looks at a pool teeming with man-eating piranhas and He loves those slimy, scaly, teethy monsters. He lies down in the pool, gives His life to and for them. Knowing full well what will happen and able to stop it at any moment, He lets them devour Him. And in the process, by that glorious Death, He makes them lambs, His life for theirs. This God makes something from nothing. It is only the blind who are given sight, the sick healing, and the dead life. It is only the repentant who are forgiven. It is only sinners that He makes into saints.

Come, then, like the tax-collector. Come with your pain, your fear, your worries, your shame, your loneliness and your doubt. Come to where God promises to be, where He extends His mercy, where He gives Himself to you. Come to the Temple made without hands, torn down by men, but rebuilt by God on the third day. Have that Holy of Holies, that embodiment of the Mercy Seat, placed into your mouth, and thus, in that Holy Communion, become the Temple of His Holy Spirit. Go home justified, holding a righteousness that is not your own, and which will not wither and fade. Go home, my friends, forgiven and loved.

In the Name of the Father and of the X Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.