Rogate ’12 – John 16:23-33

Summary: On this Sunday of Christian prayer, our Lord Jesus Christ gives us three necessary and essential marks of the Christian life. First, the Christian lives a life of prayer. Second, this life of prayer is grounded in the life of sonship. Third, a life lived in prayer and trusting in our adoption of sons is a life lived at peace. This is the life of the Christian, lived in communion with the Holy Trinity and with each other as one body.

Holy Thursday ’12 – John 13:1-15 [34-35]

Holy Thursday. Is it about foot washing? Is it about the Lord’s Supper? Yes. It is about Jesus serving you. Divine Service. Loving His own even unto the end. “Do you understand what I have done to you?” No, Peter, Judas, and the rest did not. But after these things, namely after His death and resurrection, Peter and the disciples learned. We learned. Jesus came forth to die. To do the impossible for you. Whether it be foot washing or Lord’s Supper, He is serving you. He is doing everything for you. Suffering. Dying. Rising. Giving. Divinely serving. Forgiving. Loving. For you.

Lenten Catechesis VI 2012 â€“ Sacrament of the Altar

Psalm 43 (antiphon: v. 5)
Office Hymn: 435 Come to Calvaryâ€™s Holy Mountain
OT: Exod 24:1-11
Ep: 1 Cor 11:17-34
Gos: Mt: 26:17-29
Catechetical Reading: The Sacrament of the Altar (hymnal p. 326-7)
Catechetical Hymn: 617 O Lord, We Praise Thee

Summary: As with Baptism and Confession, Luther compels us to ask three questions regarding the Sacrament of the Altar. What is it? What benefits does it give? Who should receive it? The answer to all three is found in the Verba, the Words of Institution. While we would hope that these words would be enough, some would still despise them or fail to discern what Jesus says of the Sacrament. This is the Devil’s workmanship. He hates the Christ and he hates Christ’s body and blood. He would lead us into unbelief, error, and neglect, so that we would starve ourselves and our children from this life-giving food for souls. May it not be so!