The Eighteenth Sunday after Trinity, 2021
Pastor Gregory L. Jackson
The Confession of Sins
The Absolution
The Introit p. 16
The Absolution
The Introit p. 16
The Gloria Patri
The Kyrie p. 17
The Gloria in Excelsis
The Salutation and Collect p. 19
The Kyrie p. 17
The Gloria in Excelsis
The Salutation and Collect p. 19
O God, forasmuch as without Thee we are not able to
please Thee, mercifully grant that Thy Holy Spirit may in all things direct and
rule our hearts; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, who liveth, etc.
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
Jesus' Question - From God Himself
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 #651 Be Still My Soul
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 #651 Be Still My Soul
Announcements and Prayers
- Cancer therapy - Mary Howell,
- Therapy, diagnosis - Kermit Way, Maria Way.
- Pastor K and Doc Lito Cruz - dealing with diabetes.
- Birthday - a Deere friend, plus Ed Buck's birthday on October 6th.
- Brett and Amy Meyer's anniversary.
- +Our friend Dr. Eric Rachut died this week. He enjoyed every service and we often exchanged emails on various topics. His latest book - The Bible Book: The KJV Reborn for Those Who Love the Word of God.
- Lutheran Christina should be finished, d.v., tonight - for editing.
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| Graphic by Norma A. Boeckler |
KJV 1 Corinthians 1:4 I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ; 5 That in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge; 6 Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you: 7 So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ: 8 Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.
KJV Matthew 22:34 But when the Pharisees had heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together. 35 Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, 36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law? 37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. 41 While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, 42 Saying, What think ye of Christ? whose son is he? They say unto him, The Son of David. 43 He saith unto them, How then doth David in spirit call him Lord, saying, 44 The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool? 45 If David then call him Lord, how is he his son? 46 And no man was able to answer him a word, neither durst any man from that day forth ask him any more questions.
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| Graphic based on Norma Boeckler's Art |
Eighteenth Sunday After Trinity
Lord God, heavenly Father: We are poor, miserable sinners; we know Thy will, but cannot fulfill it because of the weakness of our flesh and blood, and because our enemy, the devil, will not leave us in peace. Therefore we beseech Thee, shed Thy Holy Spirit in our hearts, that, in steadfast faith, we may cling to Thy Son Jesus Christ, find comfort in His passion and death, believe the forgiveness of sin through Him, and in willing obedience to Thy will lead holy lives on earth, until by Thy grace, through a blessed death, we depart from this world of sorrow, and obtain eternal life, through Thy Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, one true God, world without end. Amen.
Background for the Gospel Lesson, Matthew 22:24-46
Luther is well known for distinguishing between Law and Gospel. That is one of the articles in the Formula of Concord, 1580, because of people causing confusion about each topic. George Major taught that good works are necessary for salvation. Another leader taught that good works were injurious to salvation. Lest we act startled at both extremes, the Reformation would not recognize the "conservative" Lutherans of today, serving soft drinks and snacks for "worship," singing warmed over bar music, acting as if the Gospel relieves us of following God's Law. The Small Catechism has the best expression of Law and Gospel in the Ten Commandments. Fear of God represents respect for His Law, which is part of His Creation. The Gospel is represented by going beyond what is required, out of love for God and our neighbors.
Jesus' Question - From God Himself
KJV Matthew 22:34 But when the Pharisees had heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together. 35 Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, 36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
This week I was discussing how to study the Bible. Someone had a subjective approach which was described. I was thinking - a unified approach would be based upon the Scriptures being God's declaration.
For example, Mormons lead the discussion by saying, "There are 100 ways to interpret each verse of the Bible." I agreed, which made them smile. I added, "Ninety-nine wrong ways and one right way." When their wrath began to kindle, I asked, "Is God so weak that He cannot send His Son, born of the Virgin Mary, performing miracles, dying on the cross for our sins, and rising from the dead - only to transmit this message so poorly we cannot grasp it?"
Jesus, being God's Word at the Creation, and knowing the hearts and minds of his opponents, wanted to get them to speak or at least hear the Truth. When the lawyer asked Him this question, he was asking yet laying a trap - What is the great commandment of the Law?
37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
This is a great, foundational statement - and who can deny or deride it? The great commandment is to love God, and everything comes from that love. Jesus - as the Word in the flesh - "I AM the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except by Me." John 14:6
Religious people speak of many ways, many paths to God - and they are all good and successful paths - sounds wonderful to a Universalist. But Jesus said "the" Way, and not "a" way. Why did the Holy Spirit pick the Greek language for the Gospel? Because it is both expressive and precise.
Jesus is not a truth but The Truth. All truth is measured through Him. If someone's truth is not in harmony with Christ, it is not valid or true. No one can harmonize many different truths, so one must prevail. People object to this, but they often carry this out to disparaging Christ in every possible way, so their truth comes from the Father Below. The worst are those who wear the robes of clergy (wrinkled plaid shirt, faded blue jeans, dirty tennis shoes) and yet preach against the Gospel of Christ in every possible way. To be fair, many wave around pots of burning incense, spend a fortune on priestly clothes, and beg for money - for the poor - those who who not have new pink chasubles.
The Light is distinguished from the light generated from the stars. The Light existed, was brought into being first, before the stars and the reflective moons.
Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. 2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. 3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. 4 And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.
This double-negative excludes exceptions - No one comes to the Father, except by Me. America has had 100 years to make this clear, but the poorly educated but overly degreed clergy have given consent to Jesus being one Light among many, just as they deny the efficacy of the Word (Jesus) in everything.
40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
Jesus taught this clearly in Luke 24, before His Ascension, - Luke 24 And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. Verse 27.
Loving God, loving Christ, following the Holy Spirit in the Word - these are one cake with the ingredients mixed together beyond our comprehension, yet they teach us to believe in the unity of the message.
41 While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, 42 Saying, What think ye of Christ? whose son is he? They say unto him, The Son of David. 43 He saith unto them, How then doth David in spirit call him Lord, saying, 44 The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool? 45 If David then call him Lord, how is he his son? 46 And no man was able to answer him a word, neither durst any man from that day forth ask him any more questions.
This is easy to explain - "The LORD said unto Jesus Christ - David's Lord, Sit down at My right hand until I make Your (Jesus') enemies into a footstool."
The real breaking point is the knowledge of the opponents, realizing that Jesus is David's Lord and they will be footstools. It is not that they could understand but that they understood all too well.
That is what we must listen to today, quasi-faith in a non-threatening Lord. Faith, which is generated by the Gospel Word, makes us bold and we dare not back down from the Way, the Truth, and the Light, which means the Bible as written and revealed by the Holy Spirit.
