The Kingdom of God is at Hand...

Verse for the week: “Oh sing to the Lord a new song,
    for he has done marvelous things!
His right hand and his holy arm
    have worked salvation for him.”    Psalm 98.1

Prayer for the week: Dear heavenly Father, not by the rule of men but by Christ Jesus born under your eternal law and crucified for the unrighteous you have judged the world with righteousness and us with equity. Thank you; through the same, Christ Jesus our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Bible reading for the day: Matthew 4.12-17 (All the people’s attempts at kings and kingdoms of our own making have in fact been a delusion. Now our rightful king steps onto the field and announces his kingdom for us.)

¹²  Now when he heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew into Galilee. ¹³ And leaving Nazareth he went and lived in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, ¹⁴ so that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:

¹⁵ “The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali,
    the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles—
¹⁶ the people dwelling in darkness
    have seen a great light,
and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death,
    on them a light has dawned.”

¹⁷ From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

Prayer for the day: Gracious and almighty Father, thank you that in Christ Jesus your kingdom is right at hand for us now. On him alone have you put your Spirit and he alone does not cry out or lift up his voice in rant. He is your covenant to us in the flesh… crucified and raised for us and for our salvation. In him, speak to me and your whole church daily; deliver us from the shadowy darkness of our own will and bring afresh to us the light of your kingdom… even if only for a moment. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.

Hymn: Bach’s St. Matthew’s Passion gives further voice to today’s conversation with the Lord. Here is a link, listen to as much as you wish; attend the lyrics and come back to this again and again. For today, I particularly appreciate Part 1, the opening chorus, See-Whom? -the bridegroom. See him- How ? -like a lamb!  See – What ? -see his patience, See – Where ? – at the point of our guilt;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZwVW1ttVhuQ&ab_channel=NetherlandsBachSociety

And here is a link to an interlinear translation of the lyrics: https://www.bach-cantatas.com/Texts/BWV244-Eng3.htm

“Thy kingdom come…”

What does this mean?  God’s kingdom comes indeed without our prayer; but we ask in this prayer that it would come also to us.

When does this happen?  God’s kingdom comes when our heavenly Father gives us his Holy Spirit so that by his, we believe his holy Word and live a godly life on earth now and in heaven forever.  (from The Small Catechism, by Martin Luther)

Benediction: Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,
    from everlasting to everlasting!
And let all the people say, “Amen!”
    Praise the Lord!   Psalm 106.48

 

*This is now our congregation’s 99^th year in the Word. In 2025, we are reading from Genesis to Revelation, with a few interludes along the way.

 

Thy kingdom come...

 Come down, O Christ, and bury yourself in my heart.

Verse for the week: “Oh sing to the Lord a new song,
    for he has done marvelous things!
His right hand and his holy arm
    have worked salvation for him.”    Psalm 98.1

Prayer for the week: Dear heavenly Father, not by the rule of men but by Christ Jesus born under your eternal law and crucified for the unrighteous you have judged the world with righteousness and us with equity. Thank you; through the same, Christ Jesus our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Bible reading for the day: Isaiah 42.1-9  Throughout the era of the kings the people increasingly looked to themselves, their human kings, and the false gods of the nations around them. “Behold, these are all a delusion” (Isaiah 41.29). It took the Exile to Babylon (587-539 BC) to bring his beloved people to nothing… so that Lord could return them to their true King, the suffering servant.

¹  Behold my servant, whom I uphold,
    my chosen, in whom my soul delights;
I have put my Spirit upon him;
    he will bring forth justice to the nations.
² He will not cry aloud or lift up his voice,
    or make it heard in the street;
³ a bruised reed he will not break,
    and a faintly burning wick he will not quench;
    he will faithfully bring forth justice.
⁴ He will not grow faint or be discouraged
    till he has established justice in the earth;
    and the coastlands wait for his law.

⁵ Thus says God, the Lord,
    who created the heavens and stretched them out,
    who spread out the earth and what comes from it,
who gives breath to the people on it
    and spirit to those who walk in it:
⁶ “I am the Lord; I have called you in righteousness;
    I will take you by the hand and keep you;
I will give you as a covenant for the people,
    a light for the nations,
⁷     to open the eyes that are blind,
to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon,
    from the prison those who sit in darkness.
⁸ I am the Lord; that is my name;
    my glory I give to no other,
    nor my praise to carved idols.
⁹ Behold, the former things have come to pass,
    and new things I now declare;
before they spring forth
    I tell you of them.”

Prayer for the day: Gracious and almighty Father, thank you: Christ alone opens our sin-blinded eyes and sets prisoners like us free from Satan’s thrall. On Christ alone have you set your Holy Spirit. Repent me and your whole church of our constant, dying attempts to seek our own kingdoms and glory for our own names. Break in upon us with you kingdom each day: give us your Holy Spirit so that by your grace we believe your Word and live godly lives now and in eternity. In Jesus’ name I ask this, amen.

Hymn: Bach’s St. Matthew’s Passion gives further voice to today’s conversation with the Lord. Here is a link, listen to as much as you wish; attend the lyrics and come back to this again and again. For today, I particularly appreciate parts 12 and 13, which begin at 28:54 in the recorded performance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZwVW1ttVhuQ&ab_channel=NetherlandsBachSociety

And here is a link to an interlinear translation of the lyrics: https://www.bach-cantatas.com/Texts/BWV244-Eng3.htm

“Thy kingdom come…”

What does this mean?  God’s kingdom comes indeed without our prayer; but we ask in this prayer that it would come also to us.

When does this happen?  God’s kingdom comes when our heavenly Father gives us his Holy Spirit so that by his, we believe his holy Word and live a godly life on earth now and in heaven forever.  (from The Small Catechism, by Martin Luther)

Benediction: Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,
    from everlasting to everlasting!
And let all the people say, “Amen!”
    Praise the Lord!   Psalm 106.48

 

*This is now our congregation’s 99^th year in the Word. In 2025, we are reading from Genesis to Revelation, with a few interludes along the way.

 

The Plunder We Now Divide

Verse for the week: “Oh sing to the Lord a new song,
    for he has done marvelous things!
His right hand and his holy arm
    have worked salvation for him.”    Psalm 98.1

Prayer for the week: Dear heavenly Father, not by the rule of men but by Christ Jesus born under your eternal law and crucified for the unrighteous you have judged the world with righteousness and us with equity. Thank you; through the same, Christ Jesus our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Bible reading for the day: Isaiah 9.1-7, In the opening chapters of Isaiah, the Lord tells the sad truth about us, his beloved children: he brought us up, but we rebelled against him. We are sinful people, laden with iniquity. To rescue us from the darkness of our own will, he sends a child to us, his son.

¹  But there will be no gloom for her who was in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he has made glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations.

²  The people who walked in darkness
    have seen a great light;
those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness,
    on them has light shone.
³ You have multiplied the nation;
    you have increased its joy;
they rejoice before you
    as with joy at the harvest,
    as they are glad when they divide the spoil.
⁴ For the yoke of his burden,
    and the staff for his shoulder,
    the rod of his oppressor,
    you have broken as on the day of Midian.
⁵ For every boot of the tramping warrior in battle tumult
    and every garment rolled in blood
    will be burned as fuel for the fire.
⁶ For to us a child is born,
    to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
    and his name shall be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
⁷ Of the increase of his government and of peace
    there will be no end,
on the throne of David and over his kingdom,
    to establish it and to uphold it
with justice and with righteousness
    from this time forth and forevermore.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.

Prayer for the day: Gracious and almighty Father, thank you: Satan would hold us under the shadow of his constant accusations… the deep darkness of ourselves. But in Christ Jesus given to us, you have broken the Accuser’s yoke and the plunder we now divide is the best: not silver or gold but the true treasure of the forgiveness of our sin. Thank you! Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, even as this world and our own pride reject your governance, let your kingdom come to us and let there be no end to it; through Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord. Amen.

Hymn: Bach’s St. Matthew’s Passion gives further voice to today’s conversation with the Lord. Here is a link, listen to as much as you wish; attend the lyrics and come back to this again and again: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZwVW1ttVhuQ&ab_channel=NetherlandsBachSociety

And here is a link to an interlinear translation of the lyrics: https://www.bach-cantatas.com/Texts/BWV244-Eng3.htm

“I believe in Jesus Christ…”

What does this mean?  I believe that Jesus Christ – true God, son of the Father from eternity, and true man, born of the virgin Mary – is my Lord.

At great cost he has saved and redeemed me, a lost and condemned creature. He has freed me from sin, death, and the power of the devil – not with silver or gold, but with his holy and precious blood and his innocent suffering and death.

All this he has done that I may be his own, live under him in his kingdom, and serve him in everlasting righteousness, innocence, and blessedness, just as he is risen from the dead and lives and rules eternally. This is most certainly true. (from The Small Catechism, by Martin Luther)

Benediction: Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,
    from everlasting to everlasting!
And let all the people say, “Amen!”
    Praise the Lord!   Psalm 106.48

 

*This is now our congregation’s 99^th year in the Word. In 2025, we are reading from Genesis to Revelation, with a few interludes along the way.