Video - Lent 2 - Reminiscere

Click for video. 10 AM.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNzpD0k6OAk&t=5s

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 Reminiscere Sunday 

The Second Sunday in Lent, 2026

Pastor Gregory L. Jackson

Bethany Lutheran Church, 10 AM Central Time

Hymn # 151        Christ, the Life of All the Living - Winkworth translation          

The Confession of Sins
The Absolution
The Introit p. 16

Remember, O Lord, Thy tender mercies and Thy loving-kindnesses: for they have been ever of old.

Let not mine enemies triumph over me: God of Israel, deliver us out of all our troubles.

Psalm. Unto Thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul: O my God, I trust in Thee; let me not be ashamed.

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

O God, who seest that of ourselves we have no strength, keep us both outwardly and inwardly that we may be defended from all adversities which may happen to the body and from all evil thoughts which may assault and hurt the soul; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, who liveth, etc.

The Epistle and Gradual       

1 Thessalonians 4 Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more. 2 For ye know what commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus. 3 For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication: 4 That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour; 5 Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God: 6 That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter: because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified. 7 For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.

The Gospel       

Matthew 12:21-28 Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon.

22 And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil.

23 But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us.

24 But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

25 Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me.

26 But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs.

27 And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table.

28 Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.       

Glory be to Thee, O Lord!
Praise be to Thee, O Christ!

The Nicene Creed p. 22

Sermon Hymn #142    A Lamb Goes Uncomplaining - Gerhardt  

Great Is Thy Faith

Hymn #457          What a Friend We Have in Jesus              

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
Hymn # 50      Lord Dismiss Us with Thy Blessing

The Augsburg Confession - Gregory L. Jackson and Norma Boeckler - 12 Years Ago

 

The Augsburg Confession Paperback – May 7, 2014

by Dr. Gregory L. Jackson (Author), Norma A. Boeckler (Author)

4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars   (3)

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* Includes 10 unique, original illustrations by Norma Boeckler. Many people misunderstand confessions of faith, as if confessions were in opposition to the Scriptures. The Bible is the revealed Word of God, inerrant and infallible, while a confession is man’s witness about God’s revelation. Therefore, the Scriptures are God’s unique message to man – irreplaceable. For that reason, The Holy Bible judges all books. Nevertheless, confessions are valuable and instructive. They are man’s testimony about the meaning of God’s Word. They are concise and precise. When there are conflicts about the meaning of the Scriptures, confessions help people compare areas of agreement and disagreement. Paul commended this activity when he wrote, “For there must be also heresies among you that they which are approved may be made manifest among you.” 1 Corinthians 11:19 KJV. Luther compared this to identifying the wormy flour and separating it from the good flour. Bakers know that wormy flour must be removed immediately from the tons of flour around it, before everything is corrupted and ruined with bugs. We recognize confessions of faith as that same process.

The Gospel Emphasis on St. John's Revelation

Pope John was the last pope to provide the greatest decoration for his own glorification.

Jesus knew what would befall Him, and His cross and resurrection permeate everything in the Word of God.

St. John's Revelation can draw people into obsessions about the dramatic language of the final book. A good way to appreciate the final book is to study the overwhelming Gospel element within. 

ELCA veterans should say, "Words are not enough." No really!

KJV Revelation 1:

1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John:

2 Who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw.

3 Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand. 

Crown is often mentioned as a reference Stephan (crown).

3:11 Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.

12 Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.

14:1 And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads.

2 And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps:

3 And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth.

 The Lamb of God and 144,000

The repetitive reader will see that Revelation, as the last book of the Bible, reaches back to Genesis 1 and associates throughout with the great passages of the Old and New Testaments. 

Revelation 14:1-5, All Saints Day in Zion

Alas, Alas That Great City Babylon, That Mighty City! For in One Hour Is Thy Judgment Come

 

The smoke of her burning...

Revelation 18:10 Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come.

11 And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more:

12 The merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and of pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and all manner vessels of ivory, and all manner vessels of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble,

13 And cinnamon, and odours, and ointments, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and beasts, and sheep, and horses, and chariots, and slaves, and souls of men.

14 And the fruits that thy soul lusted after are departed from thee, and all things which were dainty and goodly are departed from thee, and thou shalt find them no more at all.

15 The merchants of these things, which were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing,

16 And saying, Alas, alas that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls!

17 For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off,

18 And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like unto this great city!

19 And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate.

20 Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her.

21 And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all.

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    I have read and often repeated the sections of Babylon falling, which is also a common statement about the city. The more I read, the more I think of New York City, the opulence, lethal drugs, corruption, gigantic wealth and tall spires crumbling.

    Many have said or suggested that America - even more than the rest of the world - is the mirror of this passage. St. John's Revelation is the summary of the entire Bible, leading to the 

final ending, the ultimate.

    The Son of God is central to the Bible (except among the apostates), starting with Genesis 1:1. Revelation is the Gospel poured into Revelation throughout the entire Old and New Testaments. People would like to emphasize the grotesque in the final book, but they are more likely to avoid the Gospel, which is primary and the final expression of the Scriptures.

    If one is puzzled or bewildered in Revelation, filter out the Gospel passages and their harmony with the rest of the Scriptures.