All Saints Sunday (OTA)

Isaiah 49:13-26

¹³  Sing for joy, O heavens, and exult, O earth; 

break forth, O mountains, into singing! 

For the Lord has comforted his people 

and will have compassion on his afflicted. 

¹⁴  But Zion said, “The Lord has forsaken me; 

my Lord has forgotten me.” 

¹⁵  “Can a woman forget her nursing child, 

that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb? 

Even these may forget, 

yet I will not forget you. 

¹⁶  Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; 

your walls are continually before me. 

¹⁷  Your builders make haste; 

your destroyers and those who laid you waste go out from you. 

¹⁸  Lift up your eyes around and see; 

they all gather, they come to you. 

As I live, declares the Lord, 

you shall put them all on as an ornament; 

you shall bind them on as a bride does. 

¹⁹  “Surely your waste and your desolate places 

and your devastated land— 

surely now you will be too narrow for your inhabitants, 

and those who swallowed you up will be far away. 

²⁰  The children of your bereavement 

will yet say in your ears: 

‘The place is too narrow for me; 

make room for me to dwell in.’ 

²¹  Then you will say in your heart: 

‘Who has borne me these? 

I was bereaved and barren, 

exiled and put away, 

but who has brought up these? 

Behold, I was left alone; 

from where have these come?’ ” 

²²  Thus says the Lord God: 

“Behold, I will lift up my hand to the nations, 

and raise my signal to the peoples; 

and they shall bring your sons in their arms, 

and your daughters shall be carried on their shoulders. 

²³  Kings shall be your foster fathers, 

and their queens your nursing mothers. 

With their faces to the ground they shall bow down to you, 

and lick the dust of your feet. 

Then you will know that I am the Lord; 

those who wait for me shall not be put to shame.” 

²⁴  Can the prey be taken from the mighty, 

or the captives of a tyrant be rescued? 

²⁵  For thus says the Lord: 

“Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken, 

and the prey of the tyrant be rescued, 

for I will contend with those who contend with you, 

and I will save your children. 

²⁶  I will make your oppressors eat their own flesh, 

and they shall be drunk with their own blood as with wine. 

Then all flesh shall know 

that I am the Lord your Savior, 

and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.” 

What is Man that God should regard him as anything?  Who are you that God should remember your name, or pronounce it properly?  Who are we that God should add to our ranks?  Who is the prey that it should be taken or the captive that he should be freed?  God knows all His people.  God knows all His Saints.

God has been mindful of people.  God does not forget anyone whom he has created.  God knows each of you by name.  Even those he delivered from Egypt, he knows by name.  Those who he lead in the wilderness he knows.  He continues to add people to those who went into exile.  He continues to add people likewise to those who he has delivered from exile and slavery.

We may not think of ourselves as captives or slaves.  We may not even think of ourselves as dead.  But we are dead in our sins.  We are captive to our passions and lusts.  We are also trapped in our suffering.   Often times we are over come by grief and death.  This is not to say in the least we should ignore suffering and death, but we should remember that God knows us.

God has not forgotten us.  God has not allowed the prey to be taken.  God has freed the captives.  God has done this through his great arm.  God redeemed his people from their sins.  God will reveal this to all flesh on the Last Day.    The Lord God is your Savior and Redeemer.

All Saint's Sunday (NTA)

1 John 3:1-3

See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. ² Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. ³ And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure. 

"When he appears we will be like him."  Jesus Christ will return in full glory.  He will raise the dead to life.  He will transform them, and they will appear like him.  But what does it mean to be like God?

God commanded people to be Holy like the Lord your God is Holy.  Jesus Christ is Holy and St John tells us that as Children of God we will be made like him.  Well in fact Jesus says that we have become like him.  Jesus Christ has made you holy as he is holy.  St Paul tells us to cloth ourselves in the Lord Jesus Christ.

St John here has reminded us that God the Father has loved us and given us Jesus to die for the forgiveness of our sins.  Through Jesus the only Son of God we have been made children of God.  Thus, God's children will be like God's Son.  You are Holy as the Lord your God is Holy, not because of your deeds or actions, but because of Jesus Christ your Lord.  He has purified you.

All Saints Sunday (GA)

Matthew 5:1-12

5 Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him. 

² And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying: 

³ “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 

⁴ “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. 

⁵ “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. 

⁶ “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. 

⁷ “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. 

⁸ “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. 

⁹ “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. 

¹⁰ “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 

¹¹ “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. ¹² Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. 

Jesus sees the crowds and so he goes up on a Mountain.  Is this to escape from the crowd or is it to call the crowd to follow?  He sits down as his disciples are coming to him.  Is this so that they can catch up, or is it in order to teach them?  Jesus then opens his mouth to instruct them verbally apparently.  But then we hear how he starts.

Jesus appears to express deep wisdom even in his first couple of words.  This is the first part of what has been called the Sermon on the Mount.  Now, if I were to think of this as a modern sermon, then this would simply be the opening illustration.  These blessings are simply the opening to a longer or larger thought.

Jesus has brought crowds up on a Mountain, and he calls them blessed for their various station or aspirations.  I am not going to work through them individually, but I am going to remind you why they are blessed.  God has blessed these people not because of their actions, but in spite of them.  God has blessed not the strong in faith but the poor in Spirit.  God has not blessed those who lead perfect lives, but those with pure intentions in their heart.  God has not blessed those who have their bellies filled and get their way, but those who hunger and thirst for righteousness.

God has truly blessed you.  He has made you a child of the Heavenly Father.  He has made you his saint.  On All Saints Day we celebrate this gift of holiness and blessing, which God has given to you.  Blessed be the Lord God in Heaven who has sacrificed his blessed Son and bestowed on you His holiness.

All Saints Sunday (NT)

Romans 7:14-25

¹⁴ For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, sold under sin. ¹⁵ For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. ¹⁶ Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. ¹⁷ So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. ¹⁸ For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. ¹⁹ For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. ²⁰ Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. 

²¹ So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. ²² For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, ²³ but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. ²⁴ Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? ²⁵ Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin. 

Who will deliver us from this body of death indeed?  The question is already answered in Jesus Christ.  But for today let us think of the desires of our sinful flesh verses the desires of our regenerate will.  There is truly a war being waged within our flesh.

Christians read the bible and desire to follow its instruction.  They desire it to motivate their actions and their life.  Some may only read it for some kind of answer for success or wealth.  Others may only read the scriptures in search for justification of their actions.  But the Law is written not to justify, but to condemn and instruct.  The Law teaches us to live out our lives in  accordance with the  desires of God.

As fallen creatures, even as fallen Saints, we still find ourselves doing things that are not in accordance with the will of God.  We often find ourselves like St Paul.  We desire to do what is holy and right, but often times our sinful nature gets in the way.  St Paul says it best when he writes we are captive to the law of sin.  Sin rules in our lives, and we have become slaves to it.

Who will deliver us from this body of death?  Jesus Christ is our redeemer.  If you are searching for justification for your actions there are none.  But if you are looking for justification before God, there is Jesus.  Jesus Christ has removed these sins from you.  He has fulfilled the Law on your behalf.  This does not remove the Law from our lives, but it gives us a regenerated will and desire to follow the Law.

The Holy Spirit works death through the Law, and Life through Jesus Christ's death and Resurrection.  The Holy Spirit also guides us through the Law on how we should act, as redeemed people of God.  This helps us to fight our sinful flesh, but our sinful flesh is only defeated in death.  Fight the Good Fight and Run the race, for God is with you.

All Saints Sunday (G)

Mark 12:41-44

⁴¹ And he sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums. ⁴² And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny. ⁴³ And he called his disciples to him and said to them, “Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. ⁴⁴ For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.” 

Jesus watches as people are putting money into the treasury.  Some are putting money in the treasury out of their great wealth and some out of their poverty.  Is the person who pays more money greater than the person who pays a greater percentage?  But then it is a greater question of does it really matter?

Jesus would have us go one step further.  It is not about giving a greater amount or a greater percentage.  It is about giving our life.  In Ezra, who are the more faithful, those who go to Jerusalem or those who give offerings?  I am not going to judge, but Jesus tells us, "all she had to live on."  She gave up her entire life for God, for the poor, or for a building.

Most people when they give offerings to the Church, do they give up their life?  I can image people giving out of their responsibility.  Others give out of their guilt.  Some give out joy and happiness.  I do not even desire to express how much a person would give out of each category.

God does not give out of responsibility.  God does not give out of guilt.  God does not even express giving out of joy or happiness.  God gives out of Love.  It is out of Love for God's Creation that he continues to preserve it.  It is out of Love, God has given his only Son to die for our sins.  It is out of Love, God offers us forgiveness and new life.  God loves us and desires to take care of us, are we willing to let God Love us?

All Saints Sunday (CL)

Ezra 1:1-11

1 In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom and also put it in writing: 

² “Thus says Cyrus king of Persia: The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he has charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. ³ Whoever is among you of all his people, may his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and rebuild the house of the Lord, the God of Israel—he is the God who is in Jerusalem. ⁴ And let each survivor, in whatever place he sojourns, be assisted by the men of his place with silver and gold, with goods and with beasts, besides freewill offerings for the house of God that is in Jerusalem.” 

⁵ Then rose up the heads of the fathers’ houses of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests and the Levites, everyone whose spirit God had stirred to go up to rebuild the house of the Lord that is in Jerusalem. ⁶ And all who were about them aided them with vessels of silver, with gold, with goods, with beasts, and with costly wares, besides all that was freely offered. ⁷ Cyrus the king also brought out the vessels of the house of the Lord that Nebuchadnezzar had carried away from Jerusalem and placed in the house of his gods. ⁸ Cyrus king of Persia brought these out in the charge of Mithredath the treasurer, who counted them out to Sheshbazzar the prince of Judah. ⁹ And this was the number of them: 30 basins of gold, 1,000 basins of silver, 29 censers, ¹⁰ 30 bowls of gold, 410 bowls of silver, and 1,000 other vessels; ¹¹ all the vessels of gold and of silver were 5,400. All these did Sheshbazzar bring up, when the exiles were brought up from Babylonia to Jerusalem. 

It is a new beginning for the people of Judah.  They have been dwelling in the Land of Babylon for years, but now the Persian Empire has conquered Babylon.  God used his anointed Cyrus to lead the Persians to conquer Babylon.  "The Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that" "he has charged me to build [God] a house at Jerusalem."

Cyrus the Lord's anointed delivered the people of Judah back to Jerusalem.  He delivered them in order to rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem.  He sent them back to their God.  But the interesting thing is in verse 5.  "Then rose up the heads of the fathers' houses of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests and the Levites, everyone whose spirit God had stirred to go up to rebuild the house of the LORD that is in Jerusalem."

God has truly moved the people's spirits in order to gather his people out of Babylon to the Holy City Jerusalem.  God has called his people home to their Father.  He has called them back to their house in Jerusalem.  Cyrus the King has been given all the Kingdoms of the Earth into his hands so that he may bring the people of God back to their loving Father.

This is the Historical truth, but this is also the eschatological truth.  Jesus the Lord's anointed one conquers all the enemies of God.  Jesus has been given the people of God into his hands, so that he may rebuild God's perfect Creation.  Jesus dies on the cross for the forgiveness of our sins.  He rises on the third day to destroy death.  God moves the spirits of his saints into his Church.

Reformation Sunday (Ps) October 28

Psalm 37:1-22

¹  Fret not yourself because of evildoers; 

be not envious of wrongdoers! 

²  For they will soon fade like the grass 

and wither like the green herb. 

³  Trust in the Lord, and do good; 

dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness. 

⁴  Delight yourself in the Lord, 

and he will give you the desires of your heart. 

⁵  Commit your way to the Lord; 

trust in him, and he will act. 

⁶  He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, 

and your justice as the noonday. 

⁷  Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; 

fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, 

over the man who carries out evil devices! 

⁸  Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! 

Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil. 

⁹  For the evildoers shall be cut off, 

but those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land. 

¹⁰  In just a little while, the wicked will be no more; 

though you look carefully at his place, he will not be there. 

¹¹  But the meek shall inherit the land 

and delight themselves in abundant peace. 

¹²  The wicked plots against the righteous 

and gnashes his teeth at him, 

¹³  but the Lord laughs at the wicked, 

for he sees that his day is coming. 

¹⁴  The wicked draw the sword and bend their bows 

to bring down the poor and needy, 

to slay those whose way is upright; 

¹⁵  their sword shall enter their own heart, 

and their bows shall be broken. 

¹⁶  Better is the little that the righteous has 

than the abundance of many wicked. 

¹⁷  For the arms of the wicked shall be broken, 

but the Lord upholds the righteous. 

¹⁸  The Lord knows the days of the blameless, 

and their heritage will remain forever; 

¹⁹  they are not put to shame in evil times; 

in the days of famine they have abundance. 

²⁰  But the wicked will perish; 

the enemies of the Lord are like the glory of the pastures; 

they vanish—like smoke they vanish away. 

²¹  The wicked borrows but does not pay back, 

but the righteous is generous and gives; 

²²  for those blessed by the Lord shall inherit the land, 

but those cursed by him shall be cut off.

Trust in The Lord and befriend faithfulness.  Commit your ways to him and he will act.  God continues to work in people's lives around the world.  He shows his love for us by acting when we are in need.  But often times we do not put our trust in The Lord to listen.

Most of us have friends, to whom we like to tell our personal secrets.  We expect them to keep them secret.  But it seems more often than not our friends will eventually betray our secrets.  Remember what a friend we have in Jesus.

God loves us as a Father, and the modern parenting ethic seems to be to befriend your children.  God desires to be our friend and desires us to be a friend of faithfulness and holy living.

When we commit our lives to God's cause, you will act in faithfulness toward us.    Trust in The Lord because he will keep his promises.  He hides our secret sins in the tomb of his Son.  He removes your sins, not to bring them up later but to have them completely forgotten.  This is a true and faithful friend we have in Jesus Christ and our Father in Heaven.

Reformation Sunday (OTA)

Isaiah 46:8-13

⁸  “Remember this and stand firm, 

recall it to mind, you transgressors, 

⁹  remember the former things of old; 

for I am God, and there is no other; 

I am God, and there is none like me, 

¹⁰  declaring the end from the beginning 

and from ancient times things not yet done, 

saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, 

and I will accomplish all my purpose,’ 

¹¹  calling a bird of prey from the east, 

the man of my counsel from a far country. 

I have spoken, and I will bring it to pass; 

I have purposed, and I will do it. 

¹²  “Listen to me, you stubborn of heart, 

you who are far from righteousness: 

¹³  I bring near my righteousness; it is not far off, 

and my salvation will not delay; 

I will put salvation in Zion, 

for Israel my glory.” 

There is none like God himself.  God alone is the one who kills and makes alive.  God is the one who has provided salvation in Zion.  God is the one who has brought various birds of prey against his people.  But in all cases God asks his people to remember him.

God brings evil men and enemies against even his own people.  He does this in order to punish disobedience.  God has set aside a certain time for all things.  God has set aside a time for violent men to rule in Zion.  But the stubborn people will still not turn their heart toward God.  Do you remember God and take a stand against false teachings and sinfulness?

Isaiah then recalls our attention to the salvation in Zion.  The people of Zion should be saved from their transgressions and sins.  The people of Zion will be redeemed of their disobedience.  God comes to accomplish his purpose.  He does so even by means of violent men and birds of prey.  He offers this salvation to all people through Faith.

Reformation Sunday (GA)

Matthew 11:12-19

¹² From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force. ¹³ For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John, ¹⁴ and if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come. ¹⁵ He who has ears to hear, let him hear. 

¹⁶ “But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their playmates, 

¹⁷  “ ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; 

we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.’ 

¹⁸ For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ ¹⁹ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is justified by her deeds.”

Violence seems to hang over the entire reign of Heaven.  Jesus Christ comes humbly to his people.  He offers them healing and strength.  But hatred and evil seems to hang like a dark cloud over everything.  The more people Jesus Christ heals and helps, the more people grow in violent intent toward Jesus.

John the Baptist is already now in prison suffering at the hands of Herod for proclaiming the truth.  Soon Jesus himself will also be completely rejected by the people handed over to violent men.  They will see him killed.

John the Baptist and Jesus Christ both came in vary different ways.  They desired John to dance but it was not time for dancing.  They desired Jesus to mourn but it was not time for mourning.  John came to prepare us for Judgment Day.  Jesus came as our bridegroom who cleanses us from our sins and saves us from their consequences.

God does this by means of violent men.  These violent men seize him in order to prevent the reign of Heaven.  They execute him upon a cross, which brings forth the Kingdom of Heaven.  By violence God provides you with life everlasting.

Reformation Sunday (NTA)

Romans 3:19-28

¹⁹ Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. ²⁰ For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin. 

²¹ But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— ²² the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: ²³ for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, ²⁴ and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, ²⁵ whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. ²⁶ It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. 

²⁷ Then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By a law of works? No, but by the law of faith. ²⁸ For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law.

All of us are born sinful and unclean.  But is this the only corruption that prevents us from being welcomed in holiness?  Original sin is but one small problem.  All have sinned actively and fallen short of God's desire for them.  Jesus Christ did not come just to remove stain of Adam and Eve.  He came to stand in your place, upon the cross.

There are many people who boast of piety.  There are others who boast of their noble actions.  There are even some who boast in their family or blood line.  There are even some who boast in their wealth or charity.  But boasting in these things is meaningless.

It is not within any human to save or redeem himself.  Only one human did die for all.  Jesus Christ died for the forgiveness of your sins.  He is the one who has made the sacrifice for you.  Since we have all fallen short, we are all in need of the grace of God.  This grace is offered to you as a gift of faith apart from works.  Let no one boast stay in the Lord Jesus Christ who died for your sins.

Reformation Sunday (G)

Mark 13:32-37

³² “But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. ³³ Be on guard, keep awake. For you do not know when the time will come. ³⁴ It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his servants in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to stay awake. ³⁵ Therefore stay awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning— ³⁶ lest he come suddenly and find you asleep. ³⁷ And what I say to you I say to all: Stay awake.” 

Stay awake! Such a simple phrase.  Mary Poppins uses this simple phrase to actually put children to sleep.  Jesus on the other hand uses this phrase to help keep people alert and active.  If you do not know when the Master is going to return, then you need to stand always ready.

Stay awake?  Does this mean we should never sleep?  Does this mean we should stand boldly ready to make our confession?  I fear the image of Christians dying for lack of sleep.  But Christians need to be ready to speak their confession before other people.  Since the phrase is joined with "be on guard," the master may return and find us confessing something other than the truth.

Stay Awake!  God does not desire for people to fall asleep either in physical death or spiritual death.  God desires his people to remain in their baptismal grace.  He desires us to remain spiritually active.  Listen to the Truth he has revealed to his people.  Jesus would therefore urge us to remain alive and active as the Word of God.

Stay Awake!  Even though Christ has died, Jesus is still Awake.  He has died and rose again.  This is the faith, which gives us life.  So, Stay Awake!

Reformation Sunday (NT)

Romans 7:1-13

7 Or do you not know, brothers—for I am speaking to those who know the law—that the law is binding on a person only as long as he lives? ² For a married woman is bound by law to her husband while he lives, but if her husband dies she is released from the law of marriage. ³ Accordingly, she will be called an adulteress if she lives with another man while her husband is alive. But if her husband dies, she is free from that law, and if she marries another man she is not an adulteress. 

⁴ Likewise, my brothers, you also have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit for God. ⁵ For while we were living in the flesh, our sinful passions, aroused by the law, were at work in our members to bear fruit for death. ⁶ But now we are released from the law, having died to that which held us captive, so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code. 

⁷ What then shall we say? That the law is sin? By no means! Yet if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. For I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.” ⁸ But sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, produced in me all kinds of covetousness. For apart from the law, sin lies dead. ⁹ I was once alive apart from the law, but when the commandment came, sin came alive and I died. ¹⁰ The very commandment that promised life proved to be death to me. ¹¹ For sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me. ¹² So the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good. 

¹³ Did that which is good, then, bring death to me? By no means! It was sin, producing death in me through what is good, in order that sin might be shown to be sin, and through the commandment might become sinful beyond measure.

Most of the time I remember hearing people say the Law kills Sin within me.  But St Paul is saying that the Law makes sin alive and active.  He did not know what it was to covet until the Law told him not to covet.  Likewise, without the Law sin would be died, because through the commandment sin seizes its opportunities.

Not only on Reformation Day, but often I think of Luther as a monk torturing himself concerning all the little things he has done wrong.  Luther knew of his various sins.  Luther recognized them as sins, and knew that on account of them they separated him from the love of God.  He therefore spent many days confessing his sins.

During the Reformation, Luther recognized the good news of Jesus Christ.  It is not our following the Law or the Commandments which makes us alive.  It is separate from the Law, through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ that you are made alive.  The Law gives opportunity to sin.  But the Law also points out our sinfulness.  The Law both keeps sin Alive in us, and also points sin out to us.

It is sin that makes us dead.  It is Christ that makes us alive.  God gives us the power in order that we may bear fruit for God.  How does one bear this fruit?  By being holy and righteous and good.

Reformation Sunday (CL)

Ecclesiastes 3:1-14

3 For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: 

²  a time to be born, and a time to die; 

a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; 

³  a time to kill, and a time to heal; 

a time to break down, and a time to build up; 

⁴  a time to weep, and a time to laugh; 

a time to mourn, and a time to dance; 

⁵  a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; 

a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; 

⁶  a time to seek, and a time to lose; 

a time to keep, and a time to cast away; 

⁷  a time to tear, and a time to sew; 

a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; 

⁸  a time to love, and a time to hate; 

a time for war, and a time for peace. 

⁹ What gain has the worker from his toil? ¹⁰ I have seen the business that God has given to the children of man to be busy with. ¹¹ He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end. ¹² I perceived that there is nothing better for them than to be joyful and to do good as long as they live; ¹³ also that everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil—this is God’s gift to man. 

¹⁴ I perceived that whatever God does endures forever; nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it. God has done it, so that people fear before him. ¹⁵ That which is, already has been; that which is to be, already has been; and God seeks what has been driven away. 

The cycles continue.  There are certainly times in our lives when we hate and times for peace.  There are also times to laugh and other times to dance.  God sets aside these various times.  But remember the end, that which is already has been; that which is to be, already has been; and God seeks what has been driven away.

During the days of the Reformation, it was a time to stand up and confess boldly.  Many people believe Luther did not go far enough in his confession.  But all Christians will be forced during their life at some point in time to stand up and boldly confess their faith.  There are many who when this time comes fall down, do not confess their faith.

God has set aside the various times for these actions.  Just as God set aside a time for his Son to be born.  But as Solomon concludes, God seeks what has been driven away.  God desires for the sinful curse of the Fall to be driven away.  All our deceit and strife to be removed.

There is a time to Hate and make war, but soon there will be a time of pure love and perfect peace.  Therefore, let us all pray for the return of Jesus Christ.  In him we have peace with God.  Upon his return all of God's creation will be made new once more.

Sunday of the Shepherd Boy David (Ps) October 21st

Psalm 124:1-8

¹  If it had not been the Lord who was on our side— 

let Israel now say— 

²  if it had not been the Lord who was on our side 

when people rose up against us, 

³  then they would have swallowed us up alive, 

when their anger was kindled against us; 

⁴  then the flood would have swept us away, 

the torrent would have gone over us; 

⁵  then over us would have gone 

the raging waters. 

⁶  Blessed be the Lord, 

who has not given us 

as prey to their teeth! 

⁷  We have escaped like a bird 

from the snare of the fowlers; 

the snare is broken, 

and we have escaped! 

⁸  Our help is in the name of the Lord, 

who made heaven and earth. 

The Lord is our Help.  The Lord is the one who gives us strength in times of trouble.  When others stand against us, God is our strength to stand up for us.  When Nations rise up against us, the Lord raises up our deliverance.  The Psalmist would remind us that even if we were swallowed by a large fish, God is still our helper and strength.

The Lord is our Help.  Most of the time we do not think we need help.  We run into all kinds of danger and think that we can eventually get ourselves out of it.  It is our passions and desires that turn us against God.  The Lord is the only one who can rescue us from the devil and the enemies of God.

The Lord is our Help.  God has many enemies.  These enemies can not kill or over power him, so they go after the ones he loves.  God stands as our help in troubled times.  When these enemies come after us, God gives us strength.  With God on our side who can stand against us.  Jesus Christ is our Lord and strength our true help in troubled times.  Our help is in the name of the Lord.

Sunday of the Shepherd Boy David (NTA)

Ephesians 6:10-20

¹⁰ Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. ¹¹ Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. ¹² For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. ¹³ Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. ¹⁴ Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, ¹⁵ and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. ¹⁶ In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; ¹⁷ and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, ¹⁸ praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, ¹⁹ and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, ²⁰ for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak. 

Put on the Full Armor of God.  Is there any greater command of call to battle than this one?  The Church goes to fight a war.  These Christians need to be armored for battle.  They need to be prepared to fight against the enemies of God.  David once stood not with the Armor of Saul, but with his faith in God as his armor.

Put on the Full Armor of God.  The shield of faith is prepared to defend you from all evil attacks.  The Word of God stands firm as our weapon to face down evil foes.  The Helmet of Salvation ready to protect our life from eternal death.  This Armor gives us strength and holds us from falling.

Put on the Full Armor of God.  You have been clothed in Jesus Christ.  St Paul reminds us to put on Christ because he has redeemed us.  He is the one who gives us this Armor.  We wear it not to weight our bodies down, but to help keep us on our feet so that we may not easily topple to the ground.

Sunday of the Shepherd Boy David (GA)

Mark 15:16-20

¹⁶ And the soldiers led him away inside the palace (that is, the governor’s headquarters), and they called together the whole battalion. ¹⁷ And they clothed him in a purple cloak, and twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on him. ¹⁸ And they began to salute him, “Hail, King of the Jews!” ¹⁹ And they were striking his head with a reed and spitting on him and kneeling down in homage to him. ²⁰ And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the purple cloak and put his own clothes on him. And they led him out to crucify him. 

The powerful use their words to shame the Holy Almighty and Eternal God.  There are many who use word and deeds to offer mocking to God the Almighty.  While they mock does God stand idly by?  God is constantly bringing his Kingdom forth.  Even as the King of Israel is crowned with thorns and cursed by those around him.

The Soldiers ready Jesus for crucifixion.  They mock him as he is readied for the greatest battle of creation.  Jesus prepares for his death and facing the penalty for the sins of his people.

We use words from our lips to attack and condemn enemies.  We use our words even when we have no strength in our arms.  The old saying sticks and stones can break my bones, but words shall never hurt me, have been proven false.  Words sometimes do more harm than deeds could ever do.  God will not be mocked.

God has shown his victory over death.  He has claimed victory through this pain and suffering of Jesus Christ.  Jesus dies so that you are offered life eternal.

Sunday of the Shepherd Boy David (NT)

Romans 6:12-23

¹² Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. ¹³ Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. ¹⁴ For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace. 

¹⁵ What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! ¹⁶ Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? ¹⁷ But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, ¹⁸ and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness. ¹⁹ I am speaking in human terms, because of your natural limitations. For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification. 

²⁰ For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. ²¹ But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. ²² But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life. ²³ For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. 

St Paul would have us become slaves.  We should be obedient slaves of our Lord Jesus Christ.  But we are truly still slaves of sin, because it appears to rule our our lives.  Humans are truly limited even when we look at the great works of our own hands.  But we are not free from Sin.

You continue to present yourself as slaves to impurity.  You continue to become slaves to your passion.  You continue to deliver yourself as slave to hatred and murder or vengeance.  But Jesus Christ has died because of these sins.  Jesus Christ has offered you grace and truth.

The wages of sin is death, but the grace of God offers eternal life by means of Christ Jesus our Lord.  Jesus does not offer you freedom from all authority.  But he offers freedom from death, sin, and impurity.  God truly offers you a loving Lord, who offers his own blood to make you his slave.  St Paul would have us become slaves of Christ.  It is Christ our true master, who leads us in paths of righteousness.

Sunday of the Shepherd Boy David (G)

Mark 3:31-35

³¹ And his mother and his brothers came, and standing outside they sent to him and called him. ³² And a crowd was sitting around him, and they said to him, “Your mother and your brothers are outside, seeking you.” ³³ And he answered them, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” ³⁴ And looking about at those who sat around him, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! ³⁵ For whoever does the will of God, he is my brother and sister and mother.” 

The Shepherd Boy should yet be an example to us of Jesus' mother and brothers.  David faced down the threat of Goliath, because he trusted in the will of God to save him.  Jesus' Mother (Mary) and brothers are seeking Jesus.  Why are they seeking him?  Why do they not just come in?

His family is seeking him because he has become an embarrassment to the family.  They do not come into, because their goal is to get him away from the public.  Think of how your neighbor's actions effect your property value.  Think of how your brother's actions, effect your reputation.  Think of the implication here.

Jesus looks around the room at people that are longing to hear what he has to say.  He does not turn his back on them.  He stays with them reminds them to do the Will of God.  The Will of God may be for us to pick up a sling.  The Will of God may be for us to teach the Word of God truthfully.  The Will of God may even be for us to suffer on account of our sins, or to discipline us.

For Jesus when he prays the will of God was for him to take the cup of God's wrath and drink it on our behalf.  Jesus follows the will of God.  Jesus' brothers should also be expected to follow the will of God.  Therefore, through the power of the Holy Spirit, God has given you the power to turn from your wickedness and call upon the Lord and serve him.

The Sunday of the Shepherd Boy David (CL)

1 Samuel 17:1-58
(OTA) 1 Samuel 17:8-11, 23-27, 32-37, 42-47, 49

17 Now the Philistines gathered their armies for battle. And they were gathered at Socoh, which belongs to Judah, and encamped between Socoh and Azekah, in Ephes-dammim. ² And Saul and the men of Israel were gathered, and encamped in the Valley of Elah, and drew up in line of battle against the Philistines. ³ And the Philistines stood on the mountain on the one side, and Israel stood on the mountain on the other side, with a valley between them. ⁴ And there came out from the camp of the Philistines a champion named Goliath of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span. ⁵ He had a helmet of bronze on his head, and he was armed with a coat of mail, and the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of bronze. ⁶ And he had bronze armor on his legs, and a javelin of bronze slung between his shoulders. ⁷ The shaft of his spear was like a weaver’s beam, and his spear’s head weighed six hundred shekels of iron. And his shield-bearer went before him. ⁸ He stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, “Why have you come out to draw up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not servants of Saul? Choose a man for yourselves, and let him come down to me. ⁹ If he is able to fight with me and kill me, then we will be your servants. But if I prevail against him and kill him, then you shall be our servants and serve us.” ¹⁰ And the Philistine said, “I defy the ranks of Israel this day. Give me a man, that we may fight together.” ¹¹ When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid. 

¹² Now David was the son of an Ephrathite of Bethlehem in Judah, named Jesse, who had eight sons. In the days of Saul the man was already old and advanced in years. ¹³ The three oldest sons of Jesse had followed Saul to the battle. And the names of his three sons who went to the battle were Eliab the firstborn, and next to him Abinadab, and the third Shammah. ¹⁴ David was the youngest. The three eldest followed Saul, ¹⁵ but David went back and forth from Saul to feed his father’s sheep at Bethlehem. ¹⁶ For forty days the Philistine came forward and took his stand, morning and evening. 

¹⁷ And Jesse said to David his son, “Take for your brothers an ephah of this parched grain, and these ten loaves, and carry them quickly to the camp to your brothers. ¹⁸ Also take these ten cheeses to the commander of their thousand. See if your brothers are well, and bring some token from them.” 

¹⁹ Now Saul and they and all the men of Israel were in the Valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines. ²⁰ And David rose early in the morning and left the sheep with a keeper and took the provisions and went, as Jesse had commanded him. And he came to the encampment as the host was going out to the battle line, shouting the war cry. ²¹ And Israel and the Philistines drew up for battle, army against army. ²² And David left the things in charge of the keeper of the baggage and ran to the ranks and went and greeted his brothers. ²³ As he talked with them, behold, the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, came up out of the ranks of the Philistines and spoke the same words as before. And David heard him. 

²⁴ All the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him and were much afraid. ²⁵ And the men of Israel said, “Have you seen this man who has come up? Surely he has come up to defy Israel. And the king will enrich the man who kills him with great riches and will give him his daughter and make his father’s house free in Israel.” ²⁶ And David said to the men who stood by him, “What shall be done for the man who kills this Philistine and takes away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?” ²⁷ And the people answered him in the same way, “So shall it be done to the man who kills him.” 

²⁸ Now Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spoke to the men. And Eliab’s anger was kindled against David, and he said, “Why have you come down? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your presumption and the evil of your heart, for you have come down to see the battle.” ²⁹ And David said, “What have I done now? Was it not but a word?” ³⁰ And he turned away from him toward another, and spoke in the same way, and the people answered him again as before. 

³¹ When the words that David spoke were heard, they repeated them before Saul, and he sent for him. ³² And David said to Saul, “Let no man’s heart fail because of him. Your servant will go and fight with this Philistine.” ³³ And Saul said to David, “You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him, for you are but a youth, and he has been a man of war from his youth.” ³⁴ But David said to Saul, “Your servant used to keep sheep for his father. And when there came a lion, or a bear, and took a lamb from the flock, ³⁵ I went after him and struck him and delivered it out of his mouth. And if he arose against me, I caught him by his beard and struck him and killed him. ³⁶ Your servant has struck down both lions and bears, and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be like one of them, for he has defied the armies of the living God.” ³⁷ And David said, “The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” And Saul said to David, “Go, and the Lord be with you!” 

³⁸ Then Saul clothed David with his armor. He put a helmet of bronze on his head and clothed him with a coat of mail, ³⁹ and David strapped his sword over his armor. And he tried in vain to go, for he had not tested them. Then David said to Saul, “I cannot go with these, for I have not tested them.” So David put them off. ⁴⁰ Then he took his staff in his hand and chose five smooth stones from the brook and put them in his shepherd’s pouch. His sling was in his hand, and he approached the Philistine. 

⁴¹ And the Philistine moved forward and came near to David, with his shield-bearer in front of him. ⁴² And when the Philistine looked and saw David, he disdained him, for he was but a youth, ruddy and handsome in appearance. ⁴³ And the Philistine said to David, “Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?” And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. ⁴⁴ The Philistine said to David, “Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and to the beasts of the field.” ⁴⁵ Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. ⁴⁶ This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down and cut off your head. And I will give the dead bodies of the host of the Philistines this day to the birds of the air and to the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, ⁴⁷ and that all this assembly may know that the Lord saves not with sword and spear. For the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give you into our hand.” 

⁴⁸ When the Philistine arose and came and drew near to meet David, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet the Philistine. ⁴⁹ And David put his hand in his bag and took out a stone and slung it and struck the Philistine on his forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell on his face to the ground. 

⁵⁰ So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and struck the Philistine and killed him. There was no sword in the hand of David. ⁵¹ Then David ran and stood over the Philistine and took his sword and drew it out of its sheath and killed him and cut off his head with it. When the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled. ⁵² And the men of Israel and Judah rose with a shout and pursued the Philistines as far as Gath and the gates of Ekron, so that the wounded Philistines fell on the way from Shaaraim as far as Gath and Ekron. ⁵³ And the people of Israel came back from chasing the Philistines, and they plundered their camp. ⁵⁴ And David took the head of the Philistine and brought it to Jerusalem, but he put his armor in his tent. 

⁵⁵ As soon as Saul saw David go out against the Philistine, he said to Abner, the commander of the army, “Abner, whose son is this youth?” And Abner said, “As your soul lives, O king, I do not know.” ⁵⁶ And the king said, “Inquire whose son the boy is.” ⁵⁷ And as soon as David returned from the striking down of the Philistine, Abner took him, and brought him before Saul with the head of the Philistine in his hand. ⁵⁸ And Saul said to him, “Whose son are you, young man?” And David answered, “I am the son of your servant Jesse the Bethlehemite.” 

There stands but one to fight for the people of Israel.  There is but one who stands to fight for Philistia. May say that there are David and Goliath battles in this world, where David is the week and lowly.  But after reading this text, it is Goliath who comes with many words but no action.  Goliath even with spear, sword, and shield uses none of them.

David has two great weapons at his disposal and uses them both.  David stands firm with word of the Lord as his Guide.  David throws but one stone to but the Philistine upon his back.  How often do we use the weapons at our disposal.  We may not think of them as weapons, but the Word of God is our true sword.

The sword cuts to the hearts of men.  The sword tears open our insides and reveals our sinfulness.  But this Sword also brings life.  This sword also brings redemption.  David does not bring a sword with him.  But pulls Goliath's unused sword from its sheath.  David then proceeds to do what God has proclaimed through his lips.  He removes Goliath's head from his body.

Jesus, the Word made flesh, stands for all the people of Israel.  He dies for all the people of Israel.  He takes their place on battle field as the sacrifice for your redemption.  He does this with no weapons, only the Truth that God will receive his sacrifice for the forgiveness of your sins.