Maundy Thursday - Faith Based upon God's Actions

Vimeo saved link 

for after the service.

Bethany Lutheran Church

Maundy Thursday Holy Communion 

7 PM Central

Pastor Gregory L. Jackson

The melodies are linked in the hymn name. 

The lyrics are linked in the hymn number.

• The melody site is linked here.

 Norma A. Boeckler

The Hymn #342             Chief of Sinners

The Confession of Sins

The Absolution

The Introit p. 16

The Gloria Patri

The Kyrie p. 17

The Gloria in Excelsis

The Salutation and Collect p. 19

The Epistle and Gradual

The Gospel

Glory be to Thee, O Lord!

Praise be to Thee, O Christ!

The Nicene Creed p. 22

The Sermon Hymn #371      Jesus Thy Blood           
        

Faith Based on God's Actions

Communion Hymn #305   Soul Adorn Thyself - vss. 1-5

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. 31

The Hymn #657             Beautiful Savior

Prayers and Announcements

• Ongoing Treatment -  Kermit and Maria Way, Pastor Shrader and his wife Chris, Callie and her mother Peggy, C., and many others
• Pray for our country as the major trials continue. And help all those suffering from economic difficulties.
• Good Friday Vespers, 7 PM
• Easter Sunday Holy Communion, 10 AM

1 Corinthians 11

23 For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, that the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread:

24 And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.

25 After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, this cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.

26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come.

27 Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.

28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.

29 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.

30 For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.

31 For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.

32 But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.

John 13

Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end.

2 And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him;

3 Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God;

4 He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself.

5 After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded.

6 Then cometh he to Simon Peter: and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet?

7 Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter.

8 Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.

9 Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head.

10 Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all.

11 For he knew who should betray him; therefore said he, Ye are not all clean.

12 So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you?

13 Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am.

14 If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet.

15 For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.

Faith Based on God's Actions

1 Corinthians 11:23

So many people want to turn Christianity into a philosophy, borrowing from various intellectuals of the past, down to Aristotle and Plato. The trouble with that foundation is the need to agree with the ancient or modern wise person rather than basing everything on the Word of God itself.

St. Paul, following the four Evangelists, did not start with a philosophy but with an action, one with a specific date and place. When did this happen - On the night in which He was betrayed. Where? - In the upper room. Who was there as witnesses? - The disciples.

How did Paul know all this - because the disciples were witnesses and participants. When? - During Passover, which is by itself a major holy day.

The Old Testament is based upon everything God did, from the Creation to that time between Testaments. The Exodus is the pivotal point, often elaborated upon in the Gospel of John.

Before that, Abraham's faith was shown in his trust in God to give him a son, and his faith in a kingdom that would never stop growing - the Kingdom of God, with members as numerous as the stars in the sky. These were all actions by God for humanity, for those who would listen to what the Almighty has done in the past and proof for the future.

One writer about the KJV pointed out that hardly anyone can read the Old Testament in its original language, so God gave the foundation of the Bible to a world where that language would be overwhelmed by the Scriptures in many other languages. That proved to be even more overwhelming with Greek, a language very few people know or read - especially the pastors, professors, and synodical presidents.

Britain's conquest of the world brought Christianity to every corner and the KJV with it. The British were not angels in how they conducted themselves, but they gave the entire world a path to freedom.

Rome's conquests played a part in spreading Christianity, too. They paved 50,000 miles of road, some of it still be used. They had modest sea journeys. Both were significant in making the world open up to Rome and to Christianity.

The sincere believers always created and translated Bibles to be used, studied, and preserved in every language. The heretic Bibles were very scarce, so much that people invented fake ones, like Vaticanus and Sinaiticus to fill the void.

So we can see here that Jesus' actions were something to be repeated far into the future. He blessed the elements, similar to the  Feeding of the Multitudes, which by itself teaches us that God can infinitely provide the Body of Christ and His blood. The miracles go together and go back the the Bread of Life from heaven, the manna.

These are all things we can visualize, which is why Christian art is so powerful. They may have attracted symbols, but they are primarily the actions of God.

This is what the Son of God did, and we have certainty, because the miracles and teachings and actions go together of one purpose - to plant faith in us, growing in that faith, and bearing fruit because of that faith.

Romans 5 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

Mid-Week Lenten Service, 7 PM Central

This is the link for the saved service, so I am erasing the player.

Mid-Week Lenten Vespers, 2022

 

Pastor Gregory L. Jackson

 

 

Bethany Lutheran Worship, 7 PM Central StandardTime

 

 

 

The Hymn #159                    Go to Dark Gethsemane        
The Order of Vespers                                             p. 41

The Psalmody   Psalm 23                                       p. 128
The Lections                            The Passion History

                                                                   

The Sermon Hymn #149           Come to Calvary's Holy Mountain

 

The Sermon –   I AM the Door

 
The Prayers

The Lord’s Prayer

The Collect for Grace                                            p. 45

The Hymns #552              Abide with Me

 

 

Prayers and Announcements

·         Greater knowledge of Luther’s works and faithful translations; i.e., the KJV is the English (Tyndale) version of Luther’s German Bible. They established their modern languages in England and Germany by virtue of the power of their work. Nobody ever admits this about the KJV, that it comes from Luther via Tyndale who died for translating the Scriptures from Hebrew and Greek into English. 

• The KJV book has arrived, and so has the camera.
• Happy Birthday, Sarah Buck.
• Prayers for Pastor Jim Shrader, Chris Shrader, Callie and her mother Peggy, C., those with long-term illnesses.

I AM the Door

John 10 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. 2 But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. 4 And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. 5 And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers. 6 This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them. 7 Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. 9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. 10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

So many love the next I AM sermon, about the Good Shepherd, that it is relatively easy to overlook this one. This is quite powerful, but offends the wealthy, lazy, global elite who want one world, one “faith”, one ruler. This I AM the Door is repulsive to the ecumenical movement, which was the beginning of the National (Federal) Council of Churches and the World Council of Churches (left-wing) which absorbed and digested the more conservative World Missionary Council, so the latter no longer exists.

John 10 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. 2 But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.

This comparison is based upon the common knowledge of raising sheep at that time, which also connects to the Passover Lamb from the Exodus. We have very little of this in our culture now, but it was a major part of Biblical Judaism. Sheep from various flocks or one flock were kept in pens for safety. They were a valuable commodity (part of Australia’s “Waltzing Matilda” national song) and objects of predators, human and lupine.

We think of modern doors, but this door was an opening in the pen guarded by the so that only the shepherd could enter. This is the foundation for the shepherd section that follows. The one who climbs over the fence is clearly a thief, a robber. The shepherd comes in the one door.

3 To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. 4 And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.

The typical shepherd, which they all knew about, was recognized by the guard at the door or opening and allowed in. The sheep all know the voice of their shepherd. He goes out before them and leads them, very much like Psalm 23. This chapter is central to the entire Bible, which is recognized today in stained glass windows and art.

When I have to go to an appointment, Sassy stays home and is quiet, but when I arrive, she barks sharply from the inside and comes to the door to complete her guard duties for the moment. Sassy is very willful on our walks, but she follows me and responds to my voice, especially when I get firm. She asks permission to meet people and to go a different way (sometimes tricking me into another route as she pivots and grins).

As everyone knows, pastor is Latin for shepherd, and it is a good title since all ordained ministers are men who are subordinate to the Good Shepherd. Just as sheep follow the voice and the walk of the shepherd, so believers follow only the voice of the
Good Shepherd.

5 And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.

This verse is especially important, because there is a direct relationship between the true believers and the true pastor. When the leader is false, the believers flee instead of compromising. They know the voice of the Shepherd and run from strangers. We see this carried out in reverse where Joel Osteen refused, years ago, to say that Jesus is the only way of salvation (hint – Gospel of John and everywhere else). He admitted he was an evil shepherd, with no consequences. Likewise, Rev. Andy Stanley (a favorite in the Wisconsin Synod – Ski, Glende, Parlow and 5 more of them going to one expensive conference and worshiping with Stanley – so cool.) Stanley denounced the “Jesus of ancient documents” in favor of his “Jesus for today.”

“The Christian faith doesn’t rise and fall on the accuracy of 66 ancient documents. It rises and falls on the identity of a single individual: Jesus of Nazareth.” Andy Stanley, WELS mentor and hero. Christian Post, https://www.christianpost.com/voices/andy-stanleys-tweet-about-the-bible-is-seductive-and-harmful.html

This is the argument used by false prophets, who make it possible to invent a new Messiah according to their wishes. It is certainly a pity that people flock – or rather bleet – rushing to such heretics. But it was predicted in letters to Timothy, that people will pile up false teachers to teach what their itching ears want to hear.

6 This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them. 7 Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. 9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. 10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

Although they did not understand this parable at first, it was remembered via the Holy
Spirit to be recorded in the Fourth Gospel, passed down to us through the Majority or Traditional/Byzantine Text.  Jesus is the One Entrance to salvation, which we see vividly described in Romans 5:2 – faith in Christ is access to God’s grace. There  is one way – faith – not access to universal grace without even knowing there is a door (WELS-LCMS-ELCA position).

Jesus is the door of salvation, the only way to enter. So strange that people try to teach otherwise, but do not listen to His voice. This shows how resisting the truth makes us unable to see and hear the truth, no matter how smart we appear to be. The great and wise of today do not know how to view Jesus as a child does. No, they are sophisticated and highly education experts.

Jesus came that we might have life in abundance, the lead to I AM the Good Shepherd.

Mid-Week Lenten

This is the video link

Mid-Week Lenten Vespers, 2022

Pastor Gregory L. Jackson

  

Bethany Lutheran Worship

7 PM Central Standard

 Vimeo player will appear here:

 

The Hymn # 240             Father Most Holy     
The Order of Vespers                                             p. 41

The Psalmody            Psalm   14                           p. 124
The Lection             
  
The Sermon Hymn #179   On My Heart  

 I AM the One Witnessing about Myself

The Prayers and Lord’s Prayer                         p. 44

The Collect for Peace                                        p. 45

The Benediction                                                 p. 45

The Hymn # 558            All Praise to Thee

 

In Our Prayers

•  Kermit Way, serious eye problem. Pastor Jim Shrader, Chris Shrader, Peggy and Callie, and C.
• Our country, military justice, and DEP Trump.

 

I AM One that bear Witness of Myself

¹⁸ εγω ειμι ο μαρτυρων περι εμαυτου και μαρτυρει περι εμου ο πεμψας με πατηρ

 

KJV John 8:13 The Pharisees therefore said unto him, Thou bearest record of thyself; thy record is not true. 14 Jesus answered and said unto them, Though I bear record of myself, yet my record is true: for I know whence I came, and whither I go; but ye cannot tell whence I come, and whither I go. 15 Ye judge after the flesh; I judge no man. 16 And yet if I judge, my judgment is true: for I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent me. 17 It is also written in your law, that the testimony of two men is true. 18 I AM one that bear witness of myself, and the Father that sent me beareth witness of me. 19 Then said they unto him, Where is thy Father? Jesus answered, Ye neither know me, nor my Father: if ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also. 20 These words spake Jesus in the treasury, as he taught in the temple: and no man laid hands on him; for his hour was not yet come.

This chapter of John’s Gospel is often given a lot of attention at the beginning, because the much later, dubious codices did not have the story of the adulterous woman. The ending is quite dramatic, with the ultimate declaration, Before Abraham was, I AM.”

In between are two important declarations of divinity – “I AM the Light of the World,” (8:12) and this one.

18 I AM one that bear witness of myself, and the Father that sent me beareth witness of me.

            This is a message about the Holy Trinity, which is abhorrent to the rationalists and apostates. They not only teach the humanity of Jesus without the divinity, but also reject the Trinity and scoff at it. As Jesus said so many times, the Word blinds and deafens the people who resist and reject the truth.

            That is also why the Fourth Gospel is so comforting. Where there could be doubt or puzzlement, John’s Gospel reveals the important points that unify and clarify the message of all four Gospels and the Apostle Paul’s message, plus the other apostolic witnesses. John’s Gospel is easy reading because the vocabulary and words are simple. It can be easily translated into any language. As one of our editors said, “I think God planned it that way.”

            Yes, the Trinity is a difficult topic to teach and discuss, because – like the other mysteries – is apprehended only through faith. Those children are blessed when they are baptized and taught gradually the meaning of these mysteries:

·         The Trinity

·         The divinity and human nature of Jesus Christ

·         Miracles performed by Jesus

·         The cross

·         The Resurrection and Ascension of Jesus

This language of the Son and the Father witnessing together is another example of enraging the opponents. Immediately they begin to ask about His father, lower case, because they want to undermine Jesus.

            If a man heals the sick and raises the dead, performing other miracles as well, the issue is not His power but what the establishment is going to do about that. We have seen a similar reaction to a good leader who improved many things as once, kept the world peaceful, and went after world-network crimes like child trafficking. Somehow that was all evil while a blustering Altzheimer’s patient is a fine president.

            I have seen this many times, when something should be taught, there are angry outcries and personal attacks to change the subject. This will continue, but the Gospel Word breaks through. Every time we understand a Biblical concept better, it enlightens us about so many more.

            Just as many neglect or deny the divinity of Christ, so they also neglect or deny the work of the Holy Spirit. People comment on how the religious of today give no credit to the always powerful and effective Spirit at work in the Word (preaching, teaching, and the Means of Grace). The Spirit is a witness too in this John 8 dialogue. The Spirit directed the Apostles to write down what happened, as Jesus predicted. All things would be remembered. And where is that? – in the latter part of John’s Gospel.

            A simple way of teaching the Trinity is to say – the unity of the Three, the three-ness of the One. St. Patrick is credited with teaching the Trinity with the clover, since there are three leaves, but one clover.

            When any aspect of the Trinity is slighted or removed, the entire nature of the mystery, the Biblical doctrine, is lost. And that is what the apostates want. What they cannot have – faith – is to be filtered into believing hearts so the faithful become faithless.

            George Barna, the PR guy for Fuller Seminary and others, has released a poll saying only 40% of parents teach their children about God. (Public polls are bought for a reason, to create opinion. Private polls with the facts are kept secret.) Although I think it is an attempt to increase enrollment at Fuller Seminary, there could be truth to these so-called facts. How could there be parents teaching children about faith in God if the clergy are faithless themselves. That is not only clear in the mainline denominations of the National Council of Churches (the same ones who own the RSV and ESV paraphrases) but also in the “conservative” groups where the clergy and professors are infected with the same rationalism and apostasy.

            What is simple to teach and believe in the Gospel of John is too difficult and opaque for the clergy and seminary professors. We deal with the older Lutheran writers all the time and with the change in Bibles. There is a chasm between one age, which began in the 1800s and now, where we think we know so much.

·  

The Third Sunday after the Epiphany, 2022. The Word Creates and Builds Faith

The Third Sunday after the Epiphany, 2022

Pastor Gregory L. Jackson

Bethany Lutheran Church, 

10 AM Central Time

The Vimeo player will appear below

The Hymn #44     Ye Lands  - Koren (ELS)

The Confession of Sins
The Absolution
The Introit p. 16

The Introit

Worship Him, all ye His angels: 

Zion heard and was glad.

The daughters of Judah rejoiced: 

because of Thy judgments, O Lord.

Psalm. The Lord reigneth, let the earth rejoice: 

let the multitude of isles be glad thereof.

The Gloria Patri
The Kyrie p. 17
The Gloria in Excelsis
The Salutation and Collect p. 19

The Collect

Almighty and everlasting God, mercifully look upon our infirmities, and in all our dangers and necessities stretch forth the right hand of Thy majesty to help and defend us; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, who liveth, etc.

The Epistle 

The Gradual

The heathen shall fear the name of the Lord: 

and all the kings of the earth Thy glory.

V. When the Lord shall build up Zion: 

He shall appear in His glory. Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

V. The Lord reigneth; let the earth rejoice: 

let the multitude of isles be glad thereof. Hallelujah!

      

The Gospel              

Glory be to Thee, O Lord!
Praise be to Thee, O Christ!
The Nicene Creed p. 22
  

The Sermon Hymn #381    I Know My Faith Is Founded  

The Word Creates and Builds Faith

The Hymn # 264        Preserve Thy Word 
 

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. 31
The Hymn #45     Now the Hour of Worship      

     

Prayers and Announcements

• The roses are for  - January 27th - the anniversary of Gary and Alicia Meyer.
• For those suffering from the difficulties of the lockdowns, job threats, anxiety, and depression.
• Guy Johnson, retired police officer, Pastor Jackson's friend since grade school, hospitalized, ICU. 
• Doctor's care - Pastor Shrader, Pastor K, Dr. Lito Cruz.
• Our elected President and his supporters, our military justice system.

  Graphic by Norma A. Boeckler

            

KJV Romans 12:16 Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits. 17 Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. 18 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. 19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. 20 Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. 21 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

KJV Matthew 8:1 When he was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him. 2 And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. 3 And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. 4 And Jesus saith unto him, See thou tell no man; but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them. 5 And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him, 6 And saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented. 7 And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him. 8 The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed. 9 For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.  10 When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.11 And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven. 12 But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 13 And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour.

Third Sunday After Epiphany

O almighty and everlasting God, mercifully look upon our infirmities, and in all dangers and necessities stretch forth Thy mighty hand, to defend us against our enemies; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, one true God, world without end. Amen.

This mint is called Bee Balm for some reason.

The Word Creates and Builds Faith

KJV Matthew 8:1 When he was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him. 2 And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.

Here is an example of the Word creating faith. This leper was present to hear the Sermon on the Mount, and the words of Jesus filled this tortured man with faith in Jesus as divine. The leper's faith is revealed in his struggle to reach Jesus and to worship Him as God. As an outcast having nothing but rejection and avoidance, the leper understood more than modern Biblical critics, who deny this is a an actual sermon. But this disabled and tormented man believed in the Savior and said in humility - "If you will, you can cleanse me from this disease."

This is far from the modern fad of "name it and claim it," where people are instructed that they can have anything they want if they just tell God what they want and when they want it, like ordering from a menu. This shows lack of faith, not faith in Him. It sets people up for disappointment and unbelief. 

It is far better to trust God's will than our own, because God can see the future far in advance and knows what lies ahead. 

3 And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.

People fuss about the ways in which Jesus healed the sick and raised the dead. Details matter. Jesus touched someone who was untouchable and utterly shunned and avoided, for fear of the disease. What better lesson than to stop for this leper, with crowds surging around as they left, after the Sermon, Jesus touching the very man who repulsed them 

We can imagine a wide expanse around Jesus and the leper as they pressed to move as far as possible away from the untouchable. Even more people witnessed this because of the stage they set for fear of leprosy. A similar effect works today, if a child covers his mouth and a parent says "Let us through - he is sick to his stomach." Crowds will part and space will open up instantly.

The miraculous cure was immediately visible. The worst kind of disfigurement or weakness or disability changed into health. Jesus cured the leper with assurance - I will - and with the Word - Be clean.

Is this different from the Confession of Sin and Absolution? Not at all. In humility we confess our sins and Christ Himself - delegating to the worship leader - speaks the Gospel Word of forgiveness. 

4 And Jesus saith unto him, See thou tell no man; but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.

People miss the connection between the healing and going to the Temple. The temptation for the healed man is to stop along the way, go to friends, talk about the healing, and so forth. Who could resist? The leper was commanded to head to the Temple as a witness to the divinity of Jesus Christ and give the leaders an opportunity to believe in Him. Many different clear Gospel messages and warning were aimed at official Judaism, to give them the chance to know the Promises of the Old Testament were being fulfilled in their time.

5 And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him, 6 And saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented.

I know how this feels. A best friend, from all the way back to grade school, is in the ICU on a ventilator. The centurion is a Roman officer, there because the country is now a part of the Roman Empire. He addressed Jesus as Lord, even though he has great power as a Roman officer in control of professional soldiers .

7 And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him. 

Jesus, knowing the mind of the centurion, offered to come to the man's villa and heal the servant. Thus the Promise is already given, and sincere faith is the response given.

8 The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed. 9 For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it. 

Once again, the humble attitude is expressed first. He is not worthy to have Jesus inside of his house, which is just the opposite of using his house as a symbol of power and wealth. Jesus does not need to be nearby, because the officer knows the meaning of command. The word of the centurion is law. No matter what he orders, it will be done by the men under his command. That is still true today. Unlike any other organization, the military operates by command, from the top down. Knowing Jesus is divine, the officer trusts the power of the divine command, the Word which so many neglect or despise today.

10 When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.

Like the Canaanite woman, this officer serves as a contrast, total trust in Jesus when Pharisaical Judaism rejected Him. The most likely ones to honor the Gospel Promises were resistant, but the outsiders were sincere believers.

That is true today, where the official, ruling Lutheran officials are the most likely to gather at Fuller Seminary, Purpose-Driven Drive, Willow Creek, and Andy Stanley's Babtist Church- and yet they are the least likely to know or like or read Luther.

The Biblical and text scholars of today, if gathered in a great conference, would be mostly Unitarian at best, and very likely to favor Hinduism over Christianity.

11 And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven. 12 But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

This passage is the truth of that era and ours. Those expected to follow the Scriptures are the most allergic to them, now that Christianity is established everywhere. Those who suffer real persecution value the Gospel the most.

13 And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour.

We cannot measure God's actions by the latest reports, news, predictions, experiences. We can carry out the divine plan, honoring what He has created in us (our special offices, duties) and for us - the basics of Scripture, worship, prayer, and healthy living.

Society truths have to be measured against Scriptural truths. Many times the official claims of the moment are little more than crowd control, the management rather than the truth of the news. We have that truth before us in the traditional Scriptures, translation (singular), text (singular), hymns, worship, and supplemental books.