Whose way is just?

 ...and whose is unjust?

Verse for the week: “Remember your mercy, O Lord, and your steadfast love, for they have been from of old.” Psalm 25.6

Prayer for the week: “Lord God, you know our frailties and our failings. Remember your mercy and your steadfast love; lead us in your truth and teach us the way of salvation; through your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.”

Bible reading for the day:  Ezekiel 18.1-4,25-32 (Ezekiel was a priest deported to Babylon with other community elite in the years leading up to the Exile. The Exile was a nearly 50 year disciplinary period (587-539BC) during which the Lord allowed his beloved, rebellious children to suffer the consequences of their pride. Ezekiel preached from 593 until 571BC)

¹ The word of the Lord came to me: ² “What do you mean by repeating this proverb concerning the land of Israel, ‘The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge’? ³ As I live, declares the Lord God, this proverb shall no more be used by you in Israel. ⁴ Behold, all souls are mine; the soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is mine: the soul who sins shall die.

²⁵Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ Hear now, O house of Israel: Is my way not just? Is it not your ways that are not just? ²⁶ When a righteous person turns away from his righteousness and does injustice, he shall die for it; for the injustice that he has done he shall die. ²⁷ Again, when a wicked person turns away from the wickedness he has committed and does what is just and right, he shall save his life. ²⁸ Because he considered and turned away from all the transgressions that he had committed, he shall surely live; he shall not die. ²⁹ Yet the house of Israel says, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ O house of Israel, are my ways not just? Is it not your ways that are not just?

³⁰ “Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, declares the Lord God. Repent and turn from all your transgressions, lest iniquity be your ruin. ³¹ Cast away from you all the transgressions that you have committed, and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! Why will you die, O house of Israel? ³² For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Lord God; so turn, and live.”

Prayer (based on the TRIP* method): Gracious and almighty Father, thank you for not accepting our sour grapes and for being honest about sin: it is deadly to each generation, each sinner. Thank you even more for taking its deadliness into yourself in Jesus Christ. Each day, work the great exchange that we don’t deserve: deliver me and your church from our deadly ways…and give us the new heart and the new spirit that come only from you… that we may follow your ways and live. I ask this in Jesus’ name, amen.

Hymn: follow this link to a setting of King David’s prayer, Psalm 51: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGPmMcDeRpM

What does baptism mean for daily life?

It means that the old Adam in us, together with all sins and evil desires, should be drowned by daily sorrow for sin and repentance and be put to death, and that the new person should come forth every day and rise to live before God in righteousness and purity forever.

Where is this written?

St. Paul writes in Romans 6: “We were buried therefore with him by Baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:4 ESV).  (from The Small Catechism, by Martin Luther ©Reclaim Resources, Sola Publishing, 2011)

Benediction:  May the God of peace himself grow you in his will entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.  The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do this. Amen.  I Thess 5.23

*The T.R.I.P. approach to prayer is based on the way Martin Luther prayed and taught others to pray.  It was later developed by Walter and Ingrid Trobisch and then adapted by Mount Carmel Ministries (Alexandria, MN).  The method is founded on scripture and easy to remember:
T: thanksgiving
R: regret (repentance)
I: intercession (asking God to take a specific action)
P: plan or purpose
Reading a biblical text and then applying this method gives one a sound, simple way to form one’s prayers...not to mention that it helps one learn how to faithfully reflect on God’s Word and talk to God.