Midweek Lenten Service, 7 PM. March 20, 2024.

 https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84012706346?pwd=JaQBsS7XzL7aLvwaD3znbGcCFeQuc6.1

Bethany Lutheran Church, 

Springdale, Arkansas

Midweek Lenten Service

7 PM Central Daylight Time

Pastor Gregory L. Jackson

 

The Hymn #39             Praise to the Lord the Almighty                                 
The Order of Vespers                                             p. 41

The Psalmody               Psalm 22
The Lection                            The Passion History

The Sermon Hymn #151      Christ the Life of All the  Living         

 The Prayers

The Lord’s Prayer

The Collect for Grace                                            p. 45

The Hymn #575                  Before the Lord We Bow

Philippians 2:5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

To Be More Like the Good Shepherd

Philippians 2:5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:

     The Apostle Paul, above all notions and attitudes, was the worst kind of antagonist and purist one could imagine. He was going to rid the world of those who preached the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He participated in getting rid of St. Stephen, and it took the risen Christ to confront him and convert him.

     So Paul realized he was the worst of the worst and not the best at all. This passage is concise and clear about how our minds or thoughts should be the mirror of Jesus' mind and thoughts. Jesus was and is equal to God but did not count Himself as glorious and all-powerful, though that was also part of being the Son of God. Jesus' equality with God did not set aside His humility, His humanity, or His role as a servant/slave. 

     The lowest Jesus could have been is bearing the cross - demeaning, slugged in the face, whipped, suffering in every possible way and insulted. That was all predicted in Isaiah 53 and Psalm 22. Somehow, a silver or gold cross from C. M. Almy, costing thousands of dollars, is not quite the same. And what do the thousand dollar robes suggest? Each one a different color.

8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

     That means - whenever we have the opportunity, not waiting to try, but taking care of those concerns of others, worries, hardships, and pains. We know from history that the greatest expansions of the Christian Faith have come from suffering, persecution, imprisonment, loss of everything that mattered.

9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

     Our concept of the Holy Trinity features what we grasp best of all - Jesus the Son of God and Son of Man. He knows us and cares for each and every one of us. Best of all, His human nature teaches us about God 100%. We can depend on Him to work any miracle in His time and we can understand our tiny perspectives in light of His glory and future in the glories of heaven. I said to someone yesterday, "We are on one side of the Gates of Heaven or the other, as believers. It all depends on Him."

      

Prayers and Announcements

• Prayers - BibleJohn and his wife Pat, Kermit Way, Pastor Jim Shrader and Chris, Sarah Buck.
• Pray for our country as major trials continue. They even hate Francis Scott Key. "Before the Lord We Bow."

Starting up the Reformation Seminary - Open To All Who Wish To Learn

Designed by Norma A. Boeckler

Members and friends of Bethany Lutheran Church were asking about classes in Biblical doctrine. Someone suggested "a seminary," which is a good way organize the work. If I had looked into the future, I would not have imagined Ustream - our first broadcasting effort, Vimeo - our second, and Zoom - the most complicated and effective combination for speaking and music.

I am teaching fewer graduate classes in the Bible now, so I have more time and energy to do this. If people want to contribute, that is fine but not required. We only have one church account, for Bethany Lutheran Church, which is registered for non-profit status.

I am not sure how all this will develop, but I am happy to provide the basics of Biblical doctrine, following the examples of Martin Luther, Philip Melanchthon, and Martin Chemnitz. We will have discussion opportunities in the future. Picking times will be a challenge, but each session will be recorded and saved first on Ichabod and also on the Reformation Seminary blog.

I plan on teaching Thursday, March 21st, 2024. I will send notices and the basics by Zoom email. I am looking forward to the experience. 

Lectures will not be any longer than 30 minutes, and discussions may follow.

Daily Luther Sermon Quote - Palm Sunday Epistle Sermon - "Paul’s words are chosen, not as an apology for Christ, but as a severe rebuke for those who arrogate to themselves the form of God against the protest of conscience that it is not their own but stolen."

 

Epistle Sermon for Palm Sunday ->Complete Epistle Sermon Here

Paul’s words are chosen, not as an apology for Christ, but as a severe rebuke for those who arrogate to themselves the form of God against the protest of conscience that it is not their own but stolen. The apostle would show how infinitely Christ differs from them, and that the divine form they would take by theft is Christ’s by right.

13. Paul does not use this expression, however, when he refers to Christ’s assumption of the servant form which is his, not by nature, but by assumption. The words produce the impression that Christ took by force something not his own. Paul should be expected to say: “He held it not robbery to assume the form of a servant.” Why should he rather have chosen that form of expression in the first instance, since Christ did not assume the divine form, but possessed it as his very own — yes, laid it aside and assumed a form foreign to his nature? The substance of the matter is that he who becomes a servant does not and cannot assume anything, but only gives, giving even himself. Hence there is no warrant here to speak of robbery or of a disposition to look upon the matter in this light.

On the other hand, assumption of the divine form necessarily involves taking, and altogether precludes giving. Hence there is warrant to speak of robbery in this connection, and of men who so view it. But this charge cannot be brought against Christ. He does not render himself guilty of robbery, nor does he so view his relation, as all others must do. Divinity is his by right, and so is its appropriate form a birthright.

14. Thus, it seems to me, this text very clearly teaches that to have divine form is simply to assume in regard to others, in word and deed, the bearing of God and Lord; and that Christ meets this test in the miraculous signs and life-giving words, as the Gospels contend. He does not rank with the saints who lack the divine essence; he has, in addition to divine form, the divine essence and nature. On the other hand, the servant, or servile, form implies acting toward others, in word and deed, like a servant. Thus Christ did when he served the disciples and gave himself for us. But he served not as the saints, who are servants by nature. Service was, with him, something assumed for our benefit and as an example for us to follow, teaching us to act in like manner toward others, to disrobe ourselves of the appearance of divinity as he did, as we shall see.

15. Unquestionably, then, Paul proclaims Christ true God. Had he been mere man, what would have been the occasion for saying that he became like a man and was found in the fashion of other men? and that he assumed the form of a servant though he was in form divine? Where would be the sense in my saying to you, “You are like a man, are made in the fashion of a man, and take upon yourself the form of a servant”? You would think I was mocking you, and might appropriately reply: “I am glad you regard me as a man; I was wondering if I were an ox or a wolf. Are you mad or foolish?” Would not that be the natural rejoinder to such a foolish statement? Now, Paul not being foolish, nor being guilty of foolish speech, there truly must have been something exalted and divine about Christ. For when the apostle declares that he was made like unto other men, though the fact of his being human is undisputed, he simply means that the man Christ was God, and could, even in his humanity, have borne himself as divine. But this is precisely what he did not do; he refrained: he disrobed himself of his divinity and bore himself as a mere man like others.