God’s Disclosure to His People

Proper 16

August 18-23 2008

In the Lessons for this week god discloses Himself to His people. The Father gave Peter the insight to confess Jesus as the Christ. Through the prophet Isaiah the Lord promises to deliver His people from bondage. When Pal thinks of God in the Epistle lesson he burst forth in a doxology of praise and amazement at God whose nature and ways are beyond our comprehension. As the great hymn of the church “Built on the Rock the Church doest stand” reminds us the Rock is Christ upon which the Father builds His kingdom. This theme seems to be a great and glorious God revealing Himself that we might come to know and believe in Him.

Collect for Proper 16
Almighty God, Whom is to know everlasting life. Grant us to know Your Son, Jesus to be the way, the truth, and the life that we may boldly confess Him to be the Christ and steadfastly walk in the way that leads to life eternal; through the same Jesu Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, One God, now and forever. Amen

Monday, August 18, 2008 – Psalm 2:6-7; Psalm 117 Antiphon, Psalm 115:18
But we will bless the Lord from this time forth and forevermore. Praise the Lord! In the Introit for next Sunday, the psalmist identifies Jerusalem as the Lord’s holy hill, the site of the temple. The Lord’s Anointed proclaims the Lord’s coronation degree as Easter people we see this fulfilled in Jesus resurrection (see Acts 13:33) Christ is superior to all. His superiority over angels is seen in Hebrews 1:5 and His appointment as our high priest is seen in Hebrews 5:5.

Tuesday, August 19, 2008 – Isaiah 51:1-6
God discloses Himself in His name. He promises to deliver His people from exile. In this deliverance from exile will ultimately come the deliverance from sin and our bondage to Satan. Ultimately salvation through Christ will come to all nations (see also Isaiah 46:13) as the Gospel message is preached to the entire world.

Wednesday, August 20, 2008 – Romans 11: 33-12:8
Knowledge of God is deeper than our understanding. Paul appeals to us to offer ourselves as living sacrifices to God and to use our gifts in service. Romans chapter 12 begins the ethical section of Romans. For Paul ethics are the by-product of theology. “Therefore” refers to the preceding theology of justification. The “mercies of God” refer to God’s grace in Christ. In response to what God has done, we are to offer our whole selves as a sacrifice. This is our worship — practical living. When we totally dedicate ourselves to God, we will know the will of God and humbly use our gifts in service. The specific moral admonitions are specific applications of this offering of service as a sacrifice.

Thursday, August 21, 2008 – Matthew 16:13-20
God reveals that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. Peter tries to dissuade Jesus from going to Jerusalem, but Jesus calls his disciples to take up their crosses and follow him to death. We are still at Caesarea Philippi. Peter had just made his famous confession that Jesus is the Messiah. Thereupon Jesus announces that he must go to Jerusalem to suffer, die, and rise again.

For Peter this was a denial of Jesus’ being the Christ, Lord, and King. It did not fit at all into the concept of the Messiah who as God’s Son would be victor over any and all enemies, even death.

But, Jesus saw in Peter’s rebuke a temptation of Satan not to fulfill his mission. Then he called upon his disciples to similarly deny themselves, take up their crosses, and follow him to death and resurrection. For the principle of life is to lose it in order to find it. When Christ returns, every disciple will be rewarded for what he has done with his life.

Friday, August 22, 2008 Psalm 138
The Psalm appointed for next Sunday is a royal song of praise for God’s saving help against threatening foes. In many respects it is like Psalm 18 except this time it is more concise and direct. Two Hebrew four-line stanzas (Vv. 1-3, 608) develop the main theme; at the center of the psalm is a two-line stanza (Vv.4-5) which expands the praise of the Lord to a universal company of earth’s royalty.

Saturday, August 23, 2008 –Romans 3:28
This passage is the inspiration for the hymn “Dear Christians one and all Rejoice.” This verse is one of the key verses of the New Testament. When Luther translated this verse he added the word “alone” indicating that faith is not man’s contribution or decision but rather God’s gift. (See Ephesians 2:8-9)

A simple yet heart felt Prayers
“God of all creation, you reach out to call people of all nations to your kingdom. As you gather disciples from near and far, count us also among those who boldly confess your Son Jesus Christ as Lord.”

For Schools
Almighty God, our heavenly Father, since You have committed the care and nurture of children to Your people, graciously enlighten those who teach and those who are committed to their instruction that they may know the truth and trust in You all the days of their lives; through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

For Home and Family
Visit, we implore You, O Lord, the homes in which Your people dwell, and keep far from them all harm and danger. Grant us to dwell together in peace under the protection of Your holy angels, and may Your blessing be with us forever, through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

For blessing on the Word
Lord God, bless Your Word wherever it is proclaimed. Make it a word of power and peace to convert those not yet Your own and to confirm those who have come to saving faith. May Your Word pass from the ear to the heart, from the heart to the lip, and from the lip to the life that, as You have promised, Your Word may achieve the purpose for which You send it; through Jesus Christ, my Lord.

A prayer before we study the Word
Almighty God, our heavenly Father, without Your help our labor is useless, and without Your light our search is in vain. Invigorate the study of Your holy Word that, by due diligence and right discernment, we may establish ourselves and others in Your holy faith.

Sources:
LUTHERAN SEVICE BOOK © 2006 Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis, MO
LECTIONALRY PREACHING WORKBOOK SERIES A © 1980 John Brokhoff CSS Publishing Lima, OH
Schnorr von Carolsfeld, woodcuts Zachariah names John, Jesus feeds the 5,000 © WELS Permission to use these copyrighted items is limited to personal and congregational use.