Palmarum ’12 – The Passion according to St. Matthew

The contrast of our Lord’s triumphant entry on Palm Sunday with the rest of His Passion is stark. At each turn the good confession that Christ is Lord, the Son of the Living God, is forsaken, ignored, or blasphemed. Finally, only the women through their presence at a distance and the Centurion through boldness declare “Truly, this was the Son of God.” This confession is the essential Christian confession. Without the Son of God dying for you, the sinner, and rising for your justification, your faith is in vain. This Great Week teaches us that the confession that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of David and the Son of God, is inextricably joined to the death and resurrection for you. To be the Christ is to ride on in majesty and lowly pomp to die 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!

Judica ’12 – John 8:46-59

Old Testament: Gen. 22:1-14
Epistle:Heb. 9:11-15
Holy Gospel:John 8:46-59

Summary: Jesus tells us that whoever hears the Word of God is of God. Those who refuse to hear are not of God. This is a harsh lesson but true. In the example of the Jews of today’s Gospel, we learn how initially stopping ones ears to the Word leads to name calling, blasphemy, and even intent to murder. This shouldn’t shock us. The same is true in our world. The same is true with our children. What begins as a simple act of disobedience, if not reprimanded by God’s Word, will lead to further disobedience and eventual hardness to God’s Word. Let us heed God’s Word and gladly hear and do it. Continue reading →