The ministry of the law and the gospel, Part 1

 ...distinct yet inseparable for you own good. 

Verse for the week: “O Lord, teach me your statutes! Make me understand the way of your precepts; and I will contemplate your wondrous works.”  Psalm 119.26-27

Prayer for the week: Almighty God, make me to know your ways, lead me in your truth and teach me; for you are the God of my salvation, for you my soul waits all the day long;  through Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord. Amen.

Bible reading for the day: Exodus 34.29-35

 ²⁹ When Moses came down from Mount Sinai, with the two tablets of the testimony in his hand as he came down from the mountain, Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because he had been talking with God. ³⁰ Aaron and all the people of Israel saw Moses, and behold, the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to come near him. ³¹ But Moses called to them, and Aaron and all the leaders of the congregation returned to him, and Moses talked with them. ³² Afterward all the people of Israel came near, and he commanded them all that the Lord had spoken with him on Mount Sinai. ³³ And when Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil over his face.

³⁴ Whenever Moses went in before the Lord to speak with him, he would remove the veil, until he came out. And when he came out and told the people of Israel what he was commanded, ³⁵ the people of Israel would see the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses' face was shining. And Moses would put the veil over his face again, until he went in to speak with him.

Prayer of the Day: Gracious and almighty Father, thank you for the holy, fearful work of your law: it exposes me for the sinner I am and condemns my sin to the death of my pride. And thank you for not stopping with Moses… thank you for the forgiveness, new life, and salvation that are mine in Christ… in him alone the veil is removed and we behold the fullness of your grace and truth. Hallow your name among us, Lord; preserve the ministry of the law and the Gospel. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.

Hymn: follow this link to a beloved classic that gives further voice to today’s conversation with the Lord: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMrHo0UGK_0&ab_channel=St.Paul%27sEpiscopalChurch

“I believe in the Holy Spirit…”

What does this mean? 

I believe that I cannot by my own understanding or effort believe in Jesus Christ my Lord, or come to him. But the Holy Spirit has called me through the Gospel, enlightened me with his gifts, and sanctified and kept me in true faith.

In the same way he calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the whole Christian church on earth, and keeps it united with Jesus Christ in the one true faith.

In this Christian church day after day he fully forgives my sins and the sins of all believers. On the last day he will raise me and all the dead and give me and all believers in Christ eternal life.

This is most certainly true. (from The Small Catechism, by Martin Luther)

Benediction: For the Lord takes pleasure in his people;
    he adorns the humble with salvation.   Psalm 149.4

 

*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 Folly of What We Preach

Verse for the week: “O Lord, teach me your statutes! Make me understand the way of your precepts; and I will contemplate your wondrous works.”  Psalm 119.26-27

Prayer for the week: Almighty God, make me to know your ways, lead me in your truth and teach me; for you are the God of my salvation, for you my soul waits all the day long;  through Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord. Amen.

Bible reading for the day: I Corinthians 1.18-25 (Against his will, Paul is called by God and set apart for the Gospel. He wrote this letter to the church in Corinth in 54 or 55 A.D., during his third missionary journey.)

 ¹⁸ For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. ¹⁹ For it is written,

“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,
    and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.”

²⁰ Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? ²¹ For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. ²² For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, ²³ but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, ²⁴ but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. ²⁵ For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

Prayer of the Day: Gracious and almighty Father, where are your power and your wisdom? Nailed to the cross, Christ crucified for the salvation of sinners like me. Thank you! Since it pleases you to save us not through our own wisdom nor our religious works or signs, please keep sending preachers of Christ crucified that we may be saved from ourselves and freed for each other in his name. Amen.

Hymn: follow this link to a beloved classic that gives further voice to today’s conversation with the Lord: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZgcaigsoNug&ab_channel=MartijndeGroot

“I believe in the Holy Spirit…”

What does this mean? 

I believe that I cannot by my own understanding or effort believe in Jesus Christ my Lord, or come to him. But the Holy Spirit has called me through the Gospel, enlightened me with his gifts, and sanctified and kept me in true faith.

In the same way he calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the whole Christian church on earth, and keeps it united with Jesus Christ in the one true faith.

In this Christian church day after day he fully forgives my sins and the sins of all believers. On the last day he will raise me and all the dead and give me and all believers in Christ eternal life.

This is most certainly true. (from The Small Catechism, by Martin Luther)

Benediction: For the Lord takes pleasure in his people;
    he adorns the humble with salvation.   Psalm 149.4

 

*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.