The Eleventh Sunday after Trinity, 2017
Pastor Gregory L. Jackson
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 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
Praise be to Thee, O Christ!
The Nicene Creed p. 22
Holiness Through Faith in Christ
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 # 514 God Moves in a Mysterious Way
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 # 514 God Moves in a Mysterious Way
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| By Norma Boeckler |
KJV 1 Corinthians 15:1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; 2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. 3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: 5 And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: 6 After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. 7 After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. 8 And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time. 9 For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.
KJV Luke 18:9 And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: 10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. 11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. 12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. 13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
Eleventh Sunday After Trinity
Lord God, heavenly Father, we beseech Thee so to guide and direct us by Thy Holy Spirit, that we may not forget our sins and be filled with pride, but continue in daily repentance and renewal, seeking our comfort only in the blessed knowledge that Thou wilt be merciful unto us, forgive us our sins, and grant us eternal life; 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.
Lenski:
Luke 18:10) Two men went up into the Temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. This occurred at one of the regular hours for prayer, and the temple is the entire Temple complex. Into the court of the men these two came for their act of prayer worship(aorist). The Pharisees are described in 5:17; the publicans in 3:12. These two constituted the extremes in Judaism, the one stood at the pinnacle of holiness, the other was a wicked outcast. The scene is laid in the Holy City itself, in the very court of the Temple, and thus in the presence of God. Jesus is showing the men he is addressing a photograph of what they really are and a companion photograph of what they ought to be. It is a Pharisee but may just as well be anybody else who thinks like this Pharisee speaks and acts; it is a publican but this one represents, not publicans as a class, but all men who think as he speaks and acts.
Holiness Through Faith in Christ
KJV Luke 18:9 And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:
The wording is all important. This parable is not against Pharisees but against all those who trust in their own righteousness. That character is given away by how they express themselves. If they claim righteousness on their own, they talk about their parents, their synod, their good deeds, etc. They despise the rest.
The works-saints, as Luther calls them, easily identify those who look to the Word and know forgiveness comes through faith in Christ. The works-saints look for those clergy - even future clergy - and make sure they remove them in time. They will never say, "He believes the Scriptures - we don't." No, they find a thousand things wrong with that person and drive him away, making sure everyone shuns him.
Some of these works-saints are Roman Catholic. Some are Lutheran. Some are Babtists. Some are Jews, who shun their relatives for becoming Christian and even ban believers from the parental funeral and interment.
Those who do not trust in Christ for forgiveness and salvation must trust in their own righteousness, since they have blocked what the Holy Spirit teaches. That is also why all unbelievers hate the Holy Spirit in the Word, which "convicts the world of unbelief, because they believe not on Me." John 16:8
6. Hence the beginning of goodness or godliness is not in us, but in the Word of God. God must first let his Word sound in our hearts by which we learn to know and to believe him, and afterwards do good works. So we must believe from this that the publican had learned God’s Word. If not, it would certainly have been impossible for him to acknowledge himself to be a poor sinner, as this Gospel reports. Indeed, it has a different appearance here, because St. Luke seems to insist more strongly on external works and appearances than on faith, and lays the emphasis more on the outward character and conduct than on the root and on the faith of the heart within.
Nevertheless we must conclude that the publican had previously heard the Gospel. Otherwise his smiting his breast and his humble confession would not have occurred, had he not previously had faith in his heart.
7. This is also proper fruit, since it promotes God’s honor; as God desires nothing but the offering of praise, as Psalm 50:23, says: “Whoso offereth the sacrifice of thanksgiving glorifieth me, and to him that ordereth his way aright, will I show the salvation of God.” In this way the publican also proceeds, gives God the offering of thanksgiving and secures to himself the forgiveness of sin, and praises God, puts himself to shame and exalts the truth above himself.
Therefore we must praise and commend his work, because he gives God the highest honor and true worship. For he says: “God, be thou merciful to me a sinner.”
Nevertheless we must conclude that the publican had previously heard the Gospel. Otherwise his smiting his breast and his humble confession would not have occurred, had he not previously had faith in his heart.
7. This is also proper fruit, since it promotes God’s honor; as God desires nothing but the offering of praise, as Psalm 50:23, says: “Whoso offereth the sacrifice of thanksgiving glorifieth me, and to him that ordereth his way aright, will I show the salvation of God.” In this way the publican also proceeds, gives God the offering of thanksgiving and secures to himself the forgiveness of sin, and praises God, puts himself to shame and exalts the truth above himself.
Therefore we must praise and commend his work, because he gives God the highest honor and true worship. For he says: “God, be thou merciful to me a sinner.”
We have to conclude that Jesus had - and still has - a droll sense of humor. We see that in His creatures that He made as the Creating Word. Birds will land on the camera that the professional photographer is using on them. Dogs and cats play tricks on their staff - and are obviously amused while doing that. Some humans have a sense of humor too, though we should remember Luther's claim - "You have as much laughter as you have faith."
So this dual portrait is droll. The Pharisee appears so noble in his actions, from the outside looking in, but we know Jesus does not contradict His own teaching.
10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. 11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. 12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.
Going to the Temple and offering a religious resume is rather droll, in my opinion. The Pharisee is so intoxicated with his saintliness that he cannot help his list of virtual acts. He cannot help despising the tax collector, who forces money from people for extorting money to pay for the hated occupation troops of the Roman Empire.
These are the necessary characteristics of the works-saints, and I hear it all the time on TV and at business meetings. One executive confessed to using too many water bottles, because that piles up plastic waste. He repented, confessed his sins, and would for his sins by getting water some other way. I really had trouble suppressing my laughter. I wanted to yell, "Bless you, my son!"
Others say, "That cannot be true, because I am Lutheran for the last five generations." But the Lutheran confession of faith is based on what we believe, teach, and express to others - not on being in the lucky gene pool.
When mainline churches were booming, clergy took visitors around their buildings and showed them their gleaming black parking lots. All their merit awards were based on works rather than doctrine, faith, and the fruit of the Gospel. Now those suburban malls of religion are decaying, because good fruit does not grow on corrupt trees.
As believers in Christ, we can see that this confession of works is hollow and wrong, and it is so far off that it is amusing. Good works are from God as the necessary fruit of faith in the Gospel of forgiveness.
13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.
"God be merciful." This is a confession of faith, knowing and experiencing the grace of God. The more we know about the loving-kindness of God, the more we consider our sinful nature and our need for forgiveness.
When we began studying John's Gospel in Greek, everyone was interested in learning the words and meanings. But by taking in the Gospel phrase by phrase, we came to an understanding of the powerful message of the Fourth Gospel. One member of the class began joining for the discussion of the meaning of those verses.
I am mentioning this especially because John 14 is so powerful in its emphasis on believing in Christ. Jesus' words are especially intense in this chapter, because He is on the edge of facing His torture and death.
The disciples have no way of comprehending what lies ahead in the immediate future. They have been told. They hear and they do not grasp it all, and how can they? Their backgrounds do not even consider the extent of this world-changing situation. Nor do they fathom the glories and the pain that await them.
Jesus does not coach them. He does not lift up their self-esteem. He does not praise their virtues or offer a set of virtues to practice. Instead, he teaches them faith in Him. Their faith in God the Father should include the same faith in Him, because "the Father and I, we are one."
He teaches them the Trinity, which is implied throughout the Old Testament but never so clearly articulated. The Holy Spirit will be their Advocate and the One who brings to mind all they have experienced and have been taught. And Jesus - He is the Face and the Voice of God. If anyone wants to know what God is like, look at Jesus. We know that now - or should - but oh how the synodicals want to take everyone back to the Pharisaical methods, teachings, and disasters.
Therefore, if faith in the Savior is the most important teaching of the Bible and the key teaching of Jesus, faith in Him must be primary - the foundation of all that will or can be done in the Christian Church.
14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
Here the works-salesman have a party with the words by avoiding the meaning. Jesus says "justified" without saying faith, I can hear them rejoicing. But why is the tax-collector justified? - because he trusted in the mercy of God.
Someone might object and say, "But not faith in Jesus. He has not yet died for the sins of the world." Answer - Abraham was justified by faith in the Promise, Genesis 15, which was far more than the Promise of his son by Sarah. God promised that an enormous kingdom would come from this child - like the stars of the sky. Judaism at its peak was never more than a local empire. God's Promise was for the Kingdom that would arise from the Son of David, many centuries from Abraham, but still based upon that original Promise, ultimately the Promise of Christ.
That Promise was taught throughout the Old Testament and clearly explained in Isaiah 53. Thus Luther's great statement is a direct reflection of all that Jesus taught -
20. Now let us better see and hear what the Lord says to this. There stands the publican and humbles himself, says nothing of fasting, nothing of his good works, nor of anything. Yet the Lord says that his sins are not so great as the sins of the hypocrite; even in spite of anyone now exalting himself above the lowest sinner. If I exalt myself a finger’s breadth above my neighbor, or the vilest sinner, then am I cast down. For the publican during his whole life did not do as many and as great sins as this Pharisee does here when he says: I thank thee God that I am not as other men are; and lies enough to burst all heaven. From him you hear no word like: “God, be thou merciful to me a sinner?’ God’s mercy, sympathy, patience and love are all forgotten by him, while God is nothing but pure mercy, and he who does not know this, thinks there is no God, as in Psalm 14:1: “The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God.” So it is with an unbeliever who does not know himself. Therefore I say one thing more, if he had committed the vilest sin and deflowered virgins, it would not have been as bad as when he says: “I thank thee God, that I am not as the rest of men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.” Yes, yes, do I hear you have no need of God and despise his goodness, mercy, love and everything that God is? Behold, these are thy sins. Hence the public gross sins that break out are insignificant; but unbelief which is in the heart and we cannot see, this is the real sin in which monks and priests strut forth; these lost and corrupt ones are sunk head and ears in this sin, and pretend to be entirely free from it.
