Bethany Lutheran Church
The Twelfth Sunday after Trinity, 2022
Pastor Gregory L. Jackson
The Confession of Sins
The Absolution
The Introit p. 16
Introit
Make haste, O God, to deliver me:
make haste to help me, O Lord.
Let them be ashamed and confounded:
that seek after my soul.
Psalm. Let them be turned backward and put to confusion:
that desire my hurt.
The Gloria Patri
The Kyrie p. 17
The Gloria in Excelsis
The Salutation and Collect p. 19
Collect
Almighty and merciful God, of whose only gift it cometh that Thy faithful people do unto Thee true and laudable service, grant, we beseech Thee, that we may so faithfully serve Thee in this life that we fail not finally to attain Thy heavenly promises; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, who liveth, etc.
The Epistle and Gradual
Gradual
I will bless the Lord at all times:
His praise shall continually be in my mouth.
V. My soul shall make her boast in the Lord:
the humble shall hear thereof and be glad.
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
V. Sing aloud unto God, our Strength:
make a joyful noise unto the God of Jacob. Hallelujah!
The Gospel
Glory be to Thee, O Lord!
Praise be to Thee, O Christ!
The Nicene Creed p. 22
New Testament Ministers
The Preface p. 24
The Sanctus p. 26
The Lord's Prayer p. 27
The Words of Institution
The Agnus Dei p. 28
The Nunc Dimittis p. 29
The Benediction p. 31The Closing Hymn #123 Our God Our Help
In Our Prayers and Announcements
- Tuesday - Andrea Anderson's 4th birthday.
- Medical Treatment - Kermit and Maria Way, Pastor Jim Shrader and Chris Shrader, Randy Anderson (chemo).
KJV 2 Corinthians 3:4 And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward: 5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God; 6 Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life. 7 But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away: 8 How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious? 9 For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory. 10 For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth. 11 For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious.
Covenant or Testament
Lenski 2 Corinthians 3:3
p. 921
The R. V.’s translation “3. new covenant” (“testament” in the margin) is not an advance on the A. V.’s
“a new testament.” Commentators also waver. See
the author’s exposition of I Cor. 11:25, from which
we repeat only the main point: the Hebrew berith is
“covenant,” which is rendered diatheke, “testament,” by
the LXX which thus conserves the main idea of one-sidedness: this covenant is like every testament that is
made by God to Israel and is not a mutual agreement
between equals. Its substance was promise, Christ fulfilled the promise, and this fulfillment is now laid down
in a testament. All believers are named as the heirs
who're to be paid out with all the gospel blessings.
We may call the ministers of God the administrators
(I Cor. 4:1), yet they themselves are heirs. So in the
New Testament diatheke = “testament.” And we should
render, not “ministers of a new testament,” but as one
concept: “new testament ministers.” The newness lies
in the fulfillment of the former covenant promises by
Christ.
KJV Mark 7:31 And again, departing from the coasts of Tyre and Sidon, he came unto the sea of Galilee, through the midst of the coasts of Decapolis. 32 And they bring unto him one that was deaf, and had an impediment in his speech; and they beseech him to put his hand upon him. 33 And he took him aside from the multitude, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spit, and touched his tongue; 34 And looking up to heaven, he sighed, and saith unto him, Ephphatha, that is, Be opened. 35 And straightway his ears were opened, and the string of his tongue was loosed, and he spake plain. 36 And he charged them that they should tell no man: but the more he charged them, so much the more a great deal they published it; 37 And were beyond measure astonished, saying, He hath done all things well: he maketh both the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak.
Twelfth Sunday After Trinity
Almighty and everlasting God, who hast created all things: We thank Thee that Thou hast given us sound bodies, and hast graciously preserved our tongues and other members from the power of the adversary: We beseech Thee, grant us Thy grace, that we may rightly use our ears and tongues; help us to hear Thy word diligently and devoutly, and with our tongues so to praise and magnify Thy grace, that no one shall be offended by our words, but that all may be edified thereby, through Thy beloved Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, one true God, world without end. Amen.
Luther on the Epistle text - Here
Background for the Gospel Lesson, Mark 7:31-37
Medical doctors may have a better grasp of miracles than others, since they experience them, beyond all hope. I told our MD-PhD friend at Yale Medical School that certain theologians would not believe a miracle happened unless it could be reproduced in a lab. Dr. Wenger said, "That is the very definition of a miracle - it cannot be reproduced in a lab!"
The Gospels clearly connect the miracles of Jesus with His divine Word. The miracles demonstrated to the disciples and the crowds His divinity. His teaching of the Word had a powerful effect, and still does, and His miracles gave thousands a concrete example of what the Word can do.
Paul wrote specifically about the efficacy of the preached Word.
1 Thessalonians 2:13 For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.
The Word itself has the power to change people forever; the miracles encourage us to consider how much God can do and how quickly He can accomplish His will.
New Testament Ministers
KJV 2 Corinthians 3:4 And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward:
Here is a little word about KJV language. The final KJV editors liked to write God-ward, separating "ward" from the to, perhaps because it preserves the Greek, which is simply through Christ to God. We combine the two parts in common English - toward, forward, backward.
This KJV wording emphasizes the close relationship we have, trust comes through Christ (His Two Natures, human and divine) to God. All the attributes of Christ are equally true of God the Father. That helps us appreciate the true nature of God the Father, because Jesus mirrors His Father's will and Word.
That is also the reason why Christians reject other religions, who may nod toward Jesus Christ in a vague, mild way. And we reject the lupine false teachers who promote and praise themselves so they can slaughter the flock. Nothing is more obvious than supposed Lutheran pastors giving sermons copied verbatim from anti-Lutheran, anti-inerrancy Church Growth "ministers." These so-called Lutherans gather around the supersalesmen the way flies gather around a dropped ice cream cone or roadkill.
Trust begins with Jesus the Son of God because He was sent to represent God to us. His human nature, united with His divine nature, reveals that He is compassionate toward us, Hebrews 4.
5 Not that we are sufficient [able] of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency [ability] is of God;
This is where the wolves show up. They preach themselves, not Christ Jesus. Their target is having "happy campers," who make their efforts worthwhile and appealing. One program was called "Off Our Rockers," designed to appeal to the elderly, but it looked more like mockery than anything else.
The Book of Concord uses this passage to emphasize that the sufficiency applies to all of us believers, not to the priesthood alone. I use that term because one Ft. Wayne professor said that he was a priest - and a priest deserved a Cadillac. The decay of all the Lutheran sects today is derived from this folly. Their attitude produces bullies who must be infallible because they are priests. This obnoxious attitude began with Calvinist black robes and degenerated into extremely expensive liturgical garments and hardware. I will add up basic costs for a given priest...fairly soon. Add a few thousand dollars for the mini-bishop. The whole idea is to make the laity cower in fear of the great authority. As my favorite movie character shouted, "You dare offend the great and powerful Oz?"
On the positive side, this is another place where Paul emphasized the efficacy of the divine Word. If we believe what the Bible teaches about the Word always working with the Spirit and the Spirit always at work with the Word, then the concept of sufficiency or ability is clear - it is always God at work.
Example - we all delight in the time and work expended by a young mother, whose children have so many needs and demands. It often seems to be too much, yet God provides a special strength for those mothers. Patience and strength go together. Fathers are very important too, and they have the benefit of being extra-appreciated because less is expected. Uncles and cousins matter too. When the Gospel is part of the equation, there is a great sharing of blessings.
6 Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life. 7 But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away: 8 How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious?
Among the Calvinists (and those who secretly copy them), everything is a covenant - "God can only do His part if I do my part." That is the opposite of the Apostle's emphasis on the sufficiency or ability of all believers in Christ. That false claim makes God dependent upon our actions. I run into this all the time among non-Lutherans, and I have heard it stated among nominal (in name only) Lutherans. One pastor said (and this is a pagan Greek quote) - "God helps those who help themselves."
Lenski 2 Corinthians 3:3
p. 921
The Revised KJV.’s translation “3. new covenant” (“testament” in the margin) is not an advance on the KJV’s “a new testament.” Commentators also waver. See the author’s exposition of I Cor. 11:25, from which we repeat only the main point: the Hebrew berith is “covenant,” which is rendered diatheke, “testament,” by the LXX which thus conserves the main idea of one-sidedness: this covenant is like every testament that is made by God to Israel and is not a mutual agreement between equals. Its substance was promise, Christ fulfilled the promise, and this fulfillment is now laid down in a testament. All believers are named as the heirs who're to be paid out with all the gospel blessings. We may call the ministers of God the administrators (I Cor. 4:1), yet they themselves are heirs. So in the New Testament diatheke = “testament.” And we should render, not “ministers of a new testament,” but as one concept: “new testament ministers.” The newness lies in the fulfillment of the former covenant promises by Christ.
Paul is using the argument called - "from the lesser to the greater." "If A is powerful, how much more glorious is B!"
The giving of the Ten Commandments was a spectacular event. The sounds and the glory were almost too great to bear. If the faithful have kept that in their minds, from the Old Testament Scriptures, how much greater is the crucifixion of Christ, which gave complete forgiveness to all who believe in the Atonement of God's own Son?
That Gospel spread because so many were healed or fed miraculously - or saw and heard the risen Christ.
9 For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory. 10 For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth. 11 For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious.
The Law remains, but its glory is surpassed by the glory of the Gospel. The ministration of righteousness is not making ourselves perfect - which can be faked - but is never lacking in weak points. This is the righteousness of faith in Jesus Christ, Who has died for sin. God said in the beginning that the Messiah would crush the head of the serpent, Satan. Some burden themselves with "I am not good enough," which happens to be true. We are not able or sufficient, but the Gospel Word is able to take away our sins and give us a new life.
This is portrayed perfectly in Psalm 103. Whenever we feel the weight of sin and the need for forgiveness, this passage answers our pain and heals us. We should never forget that King David wrote the most vivid psalms about abusing his power and suffering horribly for his sins. No one more powerfully serves as an example of repentance and forgiveness.
KJV Psalm 103 Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.
2 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:
3 Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;
4 Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;
5 Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's.
6 The Lord executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed.
7 He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel.
8 The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.
9 He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever.
10 He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.
11 For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.
12 As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.
13 Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him.
14 For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.
15 As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth.
16 For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more.
17 But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children's children;
18 To such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them.
19 The Lord hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all.
20 Bless the Lord, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word.
21 Bless ye the Lord, all ye his hosts; ye ministers of his, that do his pleasure.
22 Bless the Lord, all his works in all places of his dominion: bless the Lord, O my soul.
