I Will Be Your God - Part 2
Ezekiel 36:23
05/14/2024
23 And I will vindicate the holiness of my great
name, which has been profaned among the nations,
and which you have profaned among them. And the
nations will know that I am the LORD, declares the
Lord GOD, when through you I vindicate my holiness
before their eyes. (ESV)
As Jesus ascended into heaven, He told His Apostles:
He said to them, ``It is not for you to know times or
seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority.
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has
come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in
Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end
of the earth.''[1]
His instructions reinforced the words of Ezekiel the
prophet:
And I will vindicate the holiness of my great name,
which has been profaned among the nations, and which
you have profaned among them. And the nations will
know that I am the LORD, declares the Lord GOD, when
through you I vindicate my holiness before their eyes.
The Church tells of God's holiness, how He created us
because of His great love. Even when we rejected Him, He
promised to redeem us from sin, death, and the power of the
devil. Because we are sinful from birth, this meant that our
heavenly Father had to send His only-begotten Son to bear the
guilt and punishment of our sin. For the sake of Jesus, the Son
of God, His perfect obedience to the Father, His innocent
suffering and death, and His glorious resurrection, we are
declared holy and righteous in God's sight.
Through Jesus, whose name means ``The LORD is our
salvation,'' we see the fullness of God's love and grace. This
grace, this undeserved love, this mercy, compels God to offer to
us the complete forgiveness of our sins.
May our Lord grant that we know that He is the Almighty God
who has created us, redeemed us from sin and death, and made us
holy. Amen.
____________________
1. Acts 1:7-8 (ESV)Category: Moments of Meditation
Daily devotions as heard on KJOE 106.1 FM
I Will Be Your God — Part 1: May 13, 2024
I Will Be Your God - Part 1
Ezekiel 36:22
05/13/2024
22 Therefore say to the house of Israel, Thus says
the Lord GOD: ''It is not for your sake, O house
of Israel, that I am about to act, but for the
sake of my holy name, which you have profaned
among the nations to which you came.'' (ESV)
Last Thursday the Church celebrated Jesus' ascension into
heaven where He is at the right hand of God our heavenly Father.
Before Jesus ascended, He gave His disciples clear instructions.
And Jesus came and said to them, ``All authority in
heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore
and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in
the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy
Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have
commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the
end of the age.''[1]
Since that day, the Church has been built on Jesus Christ,
His Words, and the Sacraments which He instituted to create and
sustain our faith, and to bring us the forgiveness of our sins.
This week's Old Testament lesson from the prophet Ezekiel speaks
of God, for own Name's sake, cleansing His people from their
sins.
Therefore say to the house of Israel, Thus says the
Lord GOD: ''It is not for your sake, O house of Israel,
that I am about to act, but for the sake of my holy
name, which you have profaned among the nations to
which you came.''
God's name includes everything He has revealed about
Himself. He is from everlasting to everlasting, almighty, all
knowing, and all powerful. This is why we pray, ``Hallowed by
Thy name,'' because we desire that all people know the truth
about our gracious God. His actions reflect His character, which
we acknowledge in prayer, praise, and thanksgiving.
May our Lord richly bless you with the comfort that comes
from knowing His holy name. Amen.
____________________
1. Matthew 28:18-20 (ESV)Lifting Up the Serpent — Part 5: May 10, 2024
Lifting Up the Serpent - Part 5
Numbers 21:8-9
05/11/2024
8 And the LORD said to Moses, ``Make a fiery serpent
and set it on a pole, and everyone who is bitten,
when he sees it, shall live.''
9 So Moses made a bronze serpent and set it on a
pole. And if a serpent bit anyone, he would look
at the bronze serpent and live. (ESV)
The children of Israel had sinned against God and Moses by
faithless grumbling about God's rich gifts of food and
protection. When confronted with their sin, they repented.
And the LORD said to Moses, ``Make a fiery serpent and
set it on a pole, and everyone who is bitten, when he
sees it, shall live.'' So Moses made a bronze serpent
and set it on a pole. And if a serpent bit anyone, he
would look at the bronze serpent and live.
Jesus told Nicodemus:
And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness,
so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever
believes in him may have eternal life.[2]
Like the children of Israel, we have sinned against God and
neighbor. We deserve God's eternal wrath and punishment. Yet,
in the same way the children of Israel looked in faith at the
bronze serpent, we look in faith to Jesus Christ, who was lifted
on the cross for our salvation from sin and death.
Faith is knowledge of God's love and grace, even though we
do not deserve His mercy. Faith is agreement that the Word of
God is true, that Jesus was crucified to pay the price of our
sin. Faith is trust that Jesus truly bore our sins and
reconciled us to the Father.
Please join us on Sunday morning at 9:00 a.m. at Trinity
Lutheran Church to learn more of God's rich grace and mercy. May
our Lord bless you with faith that looks to Jesus Christ alone.
Amen.
____________________
2. John 3:14-15 (ESV)Lifting Up the Serpent — Part 4: May 9, 2024
Lifting Up the Serpent - Part 4
Numbers 21:8-9
05/09/2024
8 And the LORD said to Moses, ``Make a fiery serpent
and set it on a pole, and everyone who is bitten,
when he sees it, shall live.''
9 So Moses made a bronze serpent and set it on a
pole. And if a serpent bit anyone, he would look
at the bronze serpent and live. (ESV)
The children of Israel had grumbled about the food and the
problems of their nomadic life. Because they did not trust God,
they were plagued by many venomous serpents. Finally, they
repented and called upon Moses to intercede for them.
Moses prayed, and God gave him explicit instructions.
And the LORD said to Moses, ``Make a fiery serpent and
set it on a pole, and everyone who is bitten, when he
sees it, shall live.'' So Moses made a bronze serpent
and set it on a pole. And if a serpent bit anyone, he
would look at the bronze serpent and live.
God's instructions to Moses were clear. When the people
bitten by the snakes looked at the bronze serpent on the pole,
they believed God's promise that they would not die. They
trusted that this unusual way of dealing with a snake bite would
remove the pain and death caused by the venom. Looking at the
bronze serpent required faith in God's Word and promise. The
very promises that the children of Israel had rejected earlier
were again made by God, with the visible proof that His Word is
true. There was no power in the bronze serpent, the power was in
God's promise of life and redemption.
This becomes a promise for all people, when God speaks in
His Holy Word, we can believe and trust in Him. When God says,
``Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved,''[1] we
know that our only hope for redemption from sin, death, and the
power of the devil is through the Son of God. May our Lord grant
us faith to believe in Jesus as our Savior. Amen.
____________________
1. Acts 15:11Lifting Up the Serpent — Part 3: May 8, 2024
Lifting Up the Serpent - Part 3
Numbers 21:7
05/08/2024
7 And the people came to Moses and said, ``We have
sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD and
against you. Pray to the LORD, that he take away
the serpents from us.'' So Moses prayed for the
people. (ESV)
Discipline and punishment may look the same to the one being
trained. Were the serpents sent by God a punishment as the
children of Israel grumbled against Him, or were they a call to
trust in Him at all times? In the liturgy for God's help in time
of a local or national tragedy, the readings are as much a call
for repentance as they are for God to ease the burden of all
people.
It is fitting, as we know that we have sinned against God
and neighbor, that times of personal and national distress are
also a call to trust in God rather than our own abilities.
And the people came to Moses and said, ``We have
sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD and against
you. Pray to the LORD, that he take away the serpents
from us.'' So Moses prayed for the people.
If the serpents were a punishment, then God's actions had
the desired result, show the people their sin. If the serpents
were a form of discipline, a form of teaching, they also had the
proper effect, trust in God and His goodness rather than trusting
our own desires. Look to the blessings God gives, knowing that
He willingly gives us that which we need to sustain this body and
life.
No matter if the serpents were punishment or discipline, the
result was the people calling on God, praying for forgiveness and
His almighty help in time of need.
May our Lord give to us the eyes of faith to trust in Him,
to call upon Him in the day of trouble, and to believe that He
desires to give us His eternal love and grace. Amen.Lifting Up the Serpent — Part 2: May 7, 2024
Lifting Up the Serpent - Part 2
Numbers 21:6
05/07/2024
6 Then the LORD sent fiery serpents among the
people, and they bit the people, so that many
people of Israel died. (ESV)
The children of Israel were tired of their nomadic life in
the wilderness. When their travels took them once again away
from the land once promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, they
began to grumble and complain about God and Moses. ``Then the
LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the
people, so that many people of Israel died.''
How does God call us to account for our sins? In this case,
the children of Israel saw a direct link between their discontent
and the venomous snakes. More often, however, the call to
repentance is not as readily apparent. Yes, when tragedy
strikes, we are swift to call upon the name of the Lord, to
implore the help and mercy of the almighty God. But even in
normal times, the law accuses us of sin.
Throughout the Bible we learn that we are to love the Lord
our God above all things, and our neighbors as ourselves. This
was written by Moses, and spoken again by Jesus, Himself. Yet we
turn our back on God, and we ignore the needs of our neighbors as
we focus on our own selfish desires.
That wake up call to repent may come in the form of a
personal tragedy, or through the proclamation of God's Word. No
matter, we confess that we deserve God's temporal and eternal
punishment, for we have sinned against God and neighbor by our
thoughts, words, and deeds. Jesus, in talking with Nicodemus as
recorded in the third chapter of John's Gospel, compares the
salvation of the world to the forgiveness offered to the children
of Israel as they endured the serpents. May our hearts ever be
turned to the love of God, that we repent of our sin and receive
the gift of forgiveness. Amen.Lifting Up the Serpent — Part 1: May 6, 2024
Lifting Up the Serpent - Part 1
Numbers 21:4-5
05/06/2024
4 From Mount Hor they set out by the way to the Red
Sea, to go around the land of Edom. And the people
became impatient on the way.
5 And the people spoke against God and against
Moses, ``Why have you brought us up out of Egypt
to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and
no water, and we loathe this worthless food.''
(ESV)
The story of the Exodus, of the children of Israel leaving
Egypt and wandering in the wilderness for forty years, is the
story of sin, repentance, restoration and service. Time and
again, they grumbled against God, received the punishment due for
their unbelief, repented, and returned to trusting in God to
sustain and deliver them.
Near the end of their forty year trek, when the children of
Israel turned once again from the promised land towards the
wilderness, they began to grumble against God and Moses. They
were tired of the miraculous manna which God provided, and
desired something different.
From Mount Hor they set out by the way to the Red Sea,
to go around the land of Edom. And the people became
impatient on the way. And the people spoke against God
and against Moses, ``Why have you brought us up out of
Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food
and no water, and we loathe this worthless food.''
God eventually disciplined the children of Israel for their
unbelief and their unfaithfulness. More importantly, this event
during the wilderness years pointed directly to the sacrifice of
Jesus Christ for the sins of all people. This week we will look
at the sin, discipline, and forgiveness given by God even to
those who lack trust in His promises.
May our Lord grant you the peace of knowing His love. Amen.O Sing Unto the Lord — Part 5: May 03, 2024
O Sing Unto the Lord - Part 5
Isaiah 12:1-6
05/03/2024
1 You will say in that day: ``I will give thanks to
you, O LORD, for though you were angry with me,
your anger turned away, that you might comfort me.
2 Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and
will not be afraid; for the LORD GOD is my
strength and my song, and he has become my
salvation.''
3 With joy you will draw water from the wells of
salvation.
4 And you will say in that day: ``Give thanks to the
LORD, call upon his name, make known his deeds
among the peoples, proclaim that his name is
exalted.
5 Sing praises to the LORD, for he has done
gloriously; let this be made known in all the
earth.
6 Shout, and sing for joy, O inhabitant of Zion, for
great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.''
(ESV)
The Psalmist wrote: ``O sing to the LORD a new song, for He
has done marvelous things.'' This week we have looked the joy
expressed by the prophet Isaiah as he called for the faithful of
God to rejoice in His love.
You will say in that day: ``I will give thanks to you,
O LORD, for though you were angry with me, your anger
turned away, that you might comfort me. Behold, God is
my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for
the LORD GOD is my strength and my song, and he has
become my salvation.''
With joy you will draw water from the wells of
salvation. And you will say in that day: ``Give thanks
to the LORD, call upon his name, make known his deeds
among the peoples, proclaim that his name is exalted.
Sing praises to the LORD, for he has done gloriously;
let this be made known in all the earth. Shout, and
sing for joy, O inhabitant of Zion, for great in your
midst is the Holy One of Israel.''
Please join us at Trinity Lutheran Church on Sunday morning
to learn more of God's rich love, grace, and mercy as found in
Jesus Christ. Amen.O Sing Unto the Lord — Part 4: May 02, 2024
O Sing Unto the Lord - Part 4
Isaiah 12:5-6
05/02/2024
5 ``Sing praises to the LORD, for he has done
gloriously; let this be made known in all the
earth.
6 Shout, and sing for joy, O inhabitant of Zion, for
great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.''
(ESV)
The Psalmist wrote: ``O sing to the LORD a new song, for He
has done marvelous things.'' This past Sunday we used this
ancient song as we entered into God's presence at His invitation
to receive the gifts of forgiveness and eternal life. In his
first song of praise, Isaiah wrote of the songs which the
faithful children of God sing in response to His mercy.
``Sing praises to the LORD, for he has done gloriously;
let this be made known in all the earth. Shout, and
sing for joy, O inhabitant of Zion, for great in your
midst is the Holy One of Israel.''
Ever since Jesus ascended into heaven, His followers have
gone into all the world to proclaim the goodness and love of God.
By the end of the first century, the Gospel had spread through
the known world. Christians could not help but bring the good
news of salvation by grace through faith for the sake of Christ
to those oppressed by sin.
The need to tell of God's love, of our salvation from sin
and death for the sake of Jesus, is every bit as great today. As
the devil, the world, and our sinful flesh attack the goodness of
God, we bring to you the good news that Jesus has defeated death.
In Him you have the forgiveness of sins.
The ``Holy One of Israel,'' the Triune God, is not some
abstract thought who sits on a throne somewhere, ignoring His
creation. He is here with us in every joy and sorrow, in His
Word and Sacraments.
May you come to know the reason that Isaiah rejoiced in the
love of God, and knowing of that love, find the peace which
passes all understanding. Amen.O Sing Unto the Lord — Part 3: May 01, 2024
O Sing Unto the Lord - Part 3
Isaiah 12:3-4
05/01/2024
3 With joy you will draw water from the wells of
salvation.
4 And you will say in that day: ``Give thanks to the
LORD, call upon his name, make known his deeds
among the peoples, proclaim that his name is
exalted.'' (ESV)
This last Sunday, which is known as ``Cantate Sunday,'' was
named for the first verse of Psalm 98, which we used to enter
into God's presence at His invitation. ``O sing to the LORD a
new song, for He has done marvelous things.'' The prophet Isaiah
told us of the reason for this song, the marvelous things the
LORD has done for His people.
With joy you will draw water from the wells of
salvation. And you will say in that day: ``Give thanks
to the LORD, call upon his name, make known his deeds
among the peoples, proclaim that his name is exalted.''
Directly after the children of Israel crossed the Red Sea,
God provided them fresh water in the wilderness. Later, as
recorded by Saint John, Jesus offers us the water of life.
Christians daily remember their baptism, where the Holy Spirit
joined us to Jesus' death and resurrection through the water of
baptism.
As ones redeemed from sin and condemnation by the life,
death, and resurrection of Jesus, we respond by joyfully sharing
the news of God's love to others. Knowing the free gift of
salvation, we tell of His grace and mercy.
What a comfort to know that our redemption from sin and
death does not depend on our own efforts, but is offered to us
because of God's love. What a comfort to know that the God who
created all things loves each of us so much as to send His Son to
take our punishment and give us His holiness.
May our Lord continue to give us this reason to sing, that
He is our salvation, that He is our hope and our comfort. Amen.