Reading:
Luke 9:37-62
"Teacher, I beg you to look at my son, for he is my only child."
In today's reading a man has a son that is possessed of a demon. The child had been brought to the disciples but they were not able to get rid of the demon. So the man does not wait any longer and brings the child to Jesus. He brings him to Jesus empty of any other hope and clinging to Him for an answer.
Why couldn't the disciples exorcise the demon? Just a few verses ago Jesus gave them the power to do so. So why not now? Could it be that the disciples were beginning to think that the power that they had came from themselves? You see they are now beginning to argue among themselves as to who is the greatest. You can almost see them saying, I healed three men and exorcised 2 demons! What did you do? Because they were potentially trusting in their own power to drive out the demon they found out that they had no power. In thinking they are the power they lost their power. Instead of looking to Jesus they looked to themselves and came up woefully short.
So the man comes to Jesus and Jesus drives the demon from the boy and he is healed. Isn't this really what we as Christian parents do with our children. We know that they we can not by ourselves save our children. So we bring them into the Church to be surrounded with God's Word and Sacraments. We bring them to the Baptismal font trusting that Jesus will work a mighty act on this child and instill in this faith, hope and love. We know that in Baptism, we are united to Jesus and die with Him so that we can rise again to newness of life. This is what we do as Christian parents, we bring the child who can not save themselves to the only person who can, Jesus Christ our Savior. The One that kept His face steadfastly towards Jerusalem where He would die to save us. This is who we bring our children too in faith. This is the One that we trust will save our children from their sins and bring them to everlasting life.
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Monday, May 16, 2011
Evening Prayer 5-16-11
Reading:
Luke 9:18-36
"But who do you say that I am?"
I life there are many questions that need to be answered. We take tests to see if we have all of the prerequisite knowledge that is needed before moving onto the next class or the next concept. We take SAT's to see if we have the knowledge to enter college. All of this to try and weed out people before they get into something that they can not handle, or to rank people to find out who did the best. None of these tests and questions really matter however, it is really about the question that Jesus asked His disciples, "Who do you say that I am?"
The answer to this question though has nothing to do with how much you know. You see the answer to this question is not something that YOU can come to a knowledge of on your own. You can not study enough to find out who Jesus Christ really is. Listen to the words of the Small Catechism, "I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to Him; but the Holy Spirit has called me by the Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith." (Small Catechism The Creed) The answer to this question has eternal consequences. Without Jesus you are lost in your sins.
Jesus has come and is God in the flesh. He took your sins upon Himself. He became the fulfillment of the Law, which is why Moses appeared with Him on the mount in today's lesson. He was the promise of the prophets, why Elijah was there. He is everything that we were supposed to be, but couldn't. He took our sins and nailed them to the cross where He gave Himself to redeem us. He then gives the gift of His Holy Spirit that calls us to repentance by the Gospel. We hear the Law and we are accused and guilty, then the Holy Spirit calls us by the Gospel that Jesus Christ came, died and rose again for you! This is the Good News that it is not about us, but about Jesus Christ. He did it all, we receive the benefits of life, health and salvation from Him who loved us and washed us in His own Blood.
The question is not a trick question, but it is not discerned by human knowledge. It is a gift of God as He calls you to Himself. So when you can profess with Peter that, "You are the Christ of God.", do not boast that you found God, but rather be humbled that God has found you.
Luke 9:18-36
"But who do you say that I am?"
I life there are many questions that need to be answered. We take tests to see if we have all of the prerequisite knowledge that is needed before moving onto the next class or the next concept. We take SAT's to see if we have the knowledge to enter college. All of this to try and weed out people before they get into something that they can not handle, or to rank people to find out who did the best. None of these tests and questions really matter however, it is really about the question that Jesus asked His disciples, "Who do you say that I am?"
The answer to this question though has nothing to do with how much you know. You see the answer to this question is not something that YOU can come to a knowledge of on your own. You can not study enough to find out who Jesus Christ really is. Listen to the words of the Small Catechism, "I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to Him; but the Holy Spirit has called me by the Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith." (Small Catechism The Creed) The answer to this question has eternal consequences. Without Jesus you are lost in your sins.
Jesus has come and is God in the flesh. He took your sins upon Himself. He became the fulfillment of the Law, which is why Moses appeared with Him on the mount in today's lesson. He was the promise of the prophets, why Elijah was there. He is everything that we were supposed to be, but couldn't. He took our sins and nailed them to the cross where He gave Himself to redeem us. He then gives the gift of His Holy Spirit that calls us to repentance by the Gospel. We hear the Law and we are accused and guilty, then the Holy Spirit calls us by the Gospel that Jesus Christ came, died and rose again for you! This is the Good News that it is not about us, but about Jesus Christ. He did it all, we receive the benefits of life, health and salvation from Him who loved us and washed us in His own Blood.
The question is not a trick question, but it is not discerned by human knowledge. It is a gift of God as He calls you to Himself. So when you can profess with Peter that, "You are the Christ of God.", do not boast that you found God, but rather be humbled that God has found you.
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Evening Prayer 4th Sunday of Easter 5-15-11
Reading:
Luke 9:1-17
"Feeding the 5,000"
Jesus Christ has just sent out the 12 apostles with the power and authority to heal and to cast out demons, and to tell people that the kingdom of God is at hand. They go out with this authority given to them by Jesus Christ and they do miraculous things. The Scriptures state that they preached and healed everywhere. So where ever they went, the power of God was working among them and reaching out to the people that they came in contact with. This must have been a wonderful site and time for the Apostles.
They come back to Jesus and begin to tell Him all of the things that they have done. Now the crowds start to press in on them and they get nervous because people are starting to get hungry. So they go to Jesus and tell Him to send them all away. He would not do such a thing. These people were hungry for the Word of God, Jesus would not tell them to go away. So He tells the Apostle's to feed the people. Immediately doubt and uncertainty fill the minds of the men who just were doing miracles as they say,"we only have two small fish and 5 loaves of bread." They know that they can not feed them all with this, or so they think.
Jesus takes the bread, blesses it and breaks it. When it is all over everyone has eaten and there is still more left over. In this miracle the Church Fathers have seen an image of the Eucharist. The Body and Blood Jesus. For the last 2,000 years the Church has been celebrating the Eucharist. The Pastors take bread, give thanks and break and distribute. In doing so they are giving to the people the Body of Our Lord Jesus Christ. His Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity are given to us. He can not be depleted. This is the never ending Feast and there is always more to come. Each time we gather at the Altar we hear the words "given and shed for you". The Body of Christ is never diminished but is constantly present for us when He gives Himself to us so that we can have His life in us as we eat His flesh and drink His blood.
May we constantly trust in our Saviors Word that "This is my Body and This is My Blood". May they be words that show us the never ending love our Savior has for us as we feast at His Table.
Luke 9:1-17
"Feeding the 5,000"
Jesus Christ has just sent out the 12 apostles with the power and authority to heal and to cast out demons, and to tell people that the kingdom of God is at hand. They go out with this authority given to them by Jesus Christ and they do miraculous things. The Scriptures state that they preached and healed everywhere. So where ever they went, the power of God was working among them and reaching out to the people that they came in contact with. This must have been a wonderful site and time for the Apostles.
They come back to Jesus and begin to tell Him all of the things that they have done. Now the crowds start to press in on them and they get nervous because people are starting to get hungry. So they go to Jesus and tell Him to send them all away. He would not do such a thing. These people were hungry for the Word of God, Jesus would not tell them to go away. So He tells the Apostle's to feed the people. Immediately doubt and uncertainty fill the minds of the men who just were doing miracles as they say,"we only have two small fish and 5 loaves of bread." They know that they can not feed them all with this, or so they think.
Jesus takes the bread, blesses it and breaks it. When it is all over everyone has eaten and there is still more left over. In this miracle the Church Fathers have seen an image of the Eucharist. The Body and Blood Jesus. For the last 2,000 years the Church has been celebrating the Eucharist. The Pastors take bread, give thanks and break and distribute. In doing so they are giving to the people the Body of Our Lord Jesus Christ. His Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity are given to us. He can not be depleted. This is the never ending Feast and there is always more to come. Each time we gather at the Altar we hear the words "given and shed for you". The Body of Christ is never diminished but is constantly present for us when He gives Himself to us so that we can have His life in us as we eat His flesh and drink His blood.
May we constantly trust in our Saviors Word that "This is my Body and This is My Blood". May they be words that show us the never ending love our Savior has for us as we feast at His Table.
Update
I am sorry for not having posted anything in quite some time. Unfortunately, the new class that I have been taking towards completing my MBA has required more time out of me and keeping up with this on a daily basis has been difficult.
I will, by the grace of God, be hoping to post more frequently again. I hope that you find the words edifying in your walk with our Savior.
He is Risen! The Lord is Risen Indeed! Alleluia!
I will, by the grace of God, be hoping to post more frequently again. I hope that you find the words edifying in your walk with our Savior.
He is Risen! The Lord is Risen Indeed! Alleluia!
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