Proper 13 (Ps) August 4th

Psalm 138:1-8

¹ I give you thanks, O Lord, with my whole heart;

before the gods I sing your praise;

² I bow down toward your holy temple

and give thanks to your name for your steadfast love and your faithfulness,

for you have exalted above all things

your name and your word.

³ On the day I called, you answered me;

my strength of soul you increased.

⁴ All the kings of the earth shall give you thanks, O Lord,

for they have heard the words of your mouth,

⁵ and they shall sing of the ways of the Lord,

for great is the glory of the Lord.

⁶ For though the Lord is high, he regards the lowly,

but the haughty he knows from afar.

⁷ Though I walk in the midst of trouble,

you preserve my life;

you stretch out your hand against the wrath of my enemies,

and your right hand delivers me.

⁸ The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me;

your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever.

Do not forsake the work of your hands.

All of us walk through troubled times. It does not matte whether you are facing the death of a friend or family member. It does not matter whether you are facing a terminal diagnosis. Even if you are facing a bully at school or at work. We are all walking through troubled times. Each day of our lives we face different troubles and struggles.

In all times and in all places we give thanks to the LORD. We give thanks to his Holy Name. The Lord God still regards all of you who are walking through troubled times. His steadfast love and faithfulness is with you. The Lord has a plan and purpose for you, just as he did for all those who have come before you. His plan is no different for any person struggling with troubles.

It may be difficult when we are looking for healing or strength. But God fulfills his purpose for you in Christ’s death and resurrection. He claims the victory over death. He promises to never forsake the work of his hands. He did not forsake Christ to the grave. He will not forsake you in the grave. He will raise you from death and provide you with eternal life.

God will fulfill his purpose for you, when he raises you to new life on the Last day. God will not forsake you.

Let us Pray

Almighty and everlasting God, give us an increase of faith, hope, and love, that, receiving what You have promised, we may love what You have commanded; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Proper 13 (NTA)

Revelation 5:1-14

Then I saw in the right hand of him who was seated on the throne a scroll written within and on the back, sealed with seven seals. ² And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?” ³ And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it, ⁴ and I began to weep loudly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it. ⁵ And one of the elders said to me, “Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.”

⁶ And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, with seven horns and with seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. ⁷ And he went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who was seated on the throne. ⁸ And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. ⁹ And they sang a new song, saying,

“Worthy are you to take the scroll

and to open its seals,

for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God

from every tribe and language and people and nation,

¹⁰ and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God,

and they shall reign on the earth.”

¹¹ Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, ¹² saying with a loud voice,

“Worthy is the Lamb who was slain,

to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might

and honor and glory and blessing!”

¹³ And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying,

“To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb

be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!”

¹⁴ And the four living creatures said, “Amen!” and the elders fell down and worshiped.

I really enjoy this scene in which St John is forced to tears. When St John hears that there is a scroll in which no one has found worthy to open, he began to weep. I don’t know when the last time I wept because someone was not going to read a book to me. Generally, when someone tells me they are going to read a book to me, I would rather watch the movie.

There is only one who is worthy to take this scroll. There is only one who could save his people. There is only one who has ransomed people for God. He is the only one who is worthy. Many people have told themselves they are worthy. Many people think they can earn salvation. Even some may express that they are good enough if not worthy, but they are not.

I know that I am not good enough to go to heaven. St Paul calls himself chief of sinners. St John knows he did not lead a good enough life. There is none of us who is worthy, but the Lion of the tribe of Judah. Jesus Christ our Lord is slain and gives his blood to ransom you. He is worthy to deliver you out of your sins. In the name of Jesus Christ and by his blood You are forgiven.

Proper 13 (OTA)

Ezekiel 11:14-25

¹⁴ And the word of the Lord came to me: ¹⁵ “Son of man, your brothers, even your brothers, your kinsmen, the whole house of Israel, all of them, are those of whom the inhabitants of Jerusalem have said, ‘Go far from the Lord; to us this land is given for a possession.’ ¹⁶ Therefore say, ‘Thus says the Lord God: Though I removed them far off among the nations, and though I scattered them among the countries, yet I have been a sanctuary to them for a while in the countries where they have gone.’ ¹⁷ Therefore say, ‘Thus says the Lord God: I will gather you from the peoples and assemble you out of the countries where you have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel.’ ¹⁸ And when they come there, they will remove from it all its detestable things and all its abominations. ¹⁹ And I will give them one heart, and a new spirit I will put within them. I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh, ²⁰ that they may walk in my statutes and keep my rules and obey them. And they shall be my people, and I will be their God. ²¹ But as for those whose heart goes after their detestable things and their abominations, I will bring their deeds upon their own heads, declares the Lord God.”

²² Then the cherubim lifted up their wings, with the wheels beside them, and the glory of the God of Israel was over them. ²³ And the glory of the Lord went up from the midst of the city and stood on the mountain that is on the east side of the city. ²⁴ And the Spirit lifted me up and brought me in the vision by the Spirit of God into Chaldea, to the exiles. Then the vision that I had seen went up from me. ²⁵ And I told the exiles all the things that the Lord had shown me.

The people of Israel have been scattered. They have been distributed throughout the world, because they were detestable before the LORD. Ezekiel is told to look at his brothers and fellow kinsmen. God is going to gather his people from the countries to which they have been dispersed. God will assemble his people from all nations.

The LORD is going to judge his people. He is going to not only judge their deeds and the words of their lips but he is going to look into their hearts. He is going to judge your thoughts and the desires of your heart. He will seek out all your detestable things and your abominations. You will get exactly what you deserve.

The Lord sends his people away when they have done badly. The Lord GOD delivers his people into bondage for their wickedness. The Lord delivers his people from their sins. God walks in Love, and sacrifices his only begotten Son. Jesus Christ comes to gather his people from every nation, tribe, and language. He comes to gather you as his fellow kinsmen, brother, and co-heir of the Kingdom of God.

Proper 13 (GA)

Mark 12:28-37

²⁸ And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?” ²⁹ Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. ³⁰ And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ ³¹ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” ³² And the scribe said to him, “You are right, Teacher. You have truly said that he is one, and there is no other besides him. ³³ And to love him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.” ³⁴ And when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And after that no one dared to ask him any more questions.

³⁵ And as Jesus taught in the temple, he said, “How can the scribes say that the Christ is the son of David? ³⁶ David himself, in the Holy Spirit, declared,

“ ‘The Lord said to my Lord,

“Sit at my right hand,

until I put your enemies under your feet.” ’

³⁷ David himself calls him Lord. So how is he his son?” And the great throng heard him gladly.

St Paul will often give us a list of things that violate the Love of God. Moses gave us a list of Ten Words which most Christians use as an outline for how to live our lives. But when it comes down to the Most important Commandment: it is not in the list.

Walk in Love! Love the Lord your God! Love your neighbor! Love one another! Walk in Love! There seems to be something about Love going on here. It is not just about praising God with your whole heart. It is not just about making perfect or whole sacrifices. When is the last time you offered God a sacrifice? When is the last time you actually focused fully upon God? When have you shown true and perfect Love.

God so loved the world, as he gave his only begotten Son to die for the forgiveness of all your sins. This is Love. There is no greater love than that one is willing to lay down his life another. God loved you his disobedient child, that he sacrificed his Son for you. Christ loved you enough to die for you, even while you were still dead in your trespasses (because it is only Christ that makes you alive). God gives you life, and His Kingdom.

Proper 13 (G)

Mark 7:1-13

Now when the Pharisees gathered to him, with some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem, ² they saw that some of his disciples ate with hands that were defiled, that is, unwashed. ³ (For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands properly, holding to the tradition of the elders, ⁴ and when they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash. And there are many other traditions that they observe, such as the washing of cups and pots and copper vessels and dining couches.) ⁵ And the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, “Why do your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands?” ⁶ And he said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written,

“ ‘This people honors me with their lips,

but their heart is far from me;

⁷ in vain do they worship me,

teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’

⁸ You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men.”

⁹ And he said to them, “You have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to establish your tradition! ¹⁰ For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.’ ¹¹ But you say, ‘If a man tells his father or his mother, “Whatever you would have gained from me is Corban” ’ (that is, given to God)— ¹² then you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or mother, ¹³ thus making void the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And many such things you do.”

Many Lutherans and Protestants really love this passage. They love to hear Jesus say, “leave behind the traditions of men.” But Jesus does not say that. Jesus reminds the Pharisees that they should not elevate traditions of men equal to the commandments of God. God has instructed people to Honor their parents, but we will find every possible loophole to get out of it.

Jesus teaches us that we need to obey God. Many of us will design simple rules and paths for people to follow. Leaders of the church like to add additional vows and promises for people to pledge their loyalty to God. But God does not require nor even want these vows or promises. God wants you to Walk in Love. He wants you to act like Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ died for the forgiveness of your sins. Christ walked to the cross out of Love for you. He became the perfect sacrifice for your everlasting life. God does not desire to add more commands upon you, but offers you the free gift of eternal life. Christ has walked in Love for you. You can now walk in Love as well, through the power of the Holy Spirit.