Watering the Earth - Part 5
Isaiah 55:12-13
02/09/2024
12 For you shall go out in joy and be led forth in
peace; the mountains and the hills before you
shall break forth into singing, and all the trees
of the field shall clap their hands.
13 Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress;
instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle; and
it shall make a name for the LORD, an everlasting
sign that shall not be cut off. (ESV)
The prophet Isaiah wrote:
For you shall go out in joy and be led forth in peace;
the mountains and the hills before you shall break
forth into singing, and all the trees of the field
shall clap their hands. Instead of the thorn shall
come up the cypress; instead of the brier shall come up
the myrtle; and it shall make a name for the LORD, an
everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.
This week we have learned a lot about God's Word. It is
both His law, which shows us our need for a Savior, and the
Gospel, which shows us how Jesus Christ took upon Himself our
sin. It is the eternal proclamation that we are saved from sin,
death, and the power of the devil because of God's rich love,
grace, and mercy.
We believe, teach, and confess that the Bible is more than
just a good book, but it is the Word of God which was written for
our salvation. Saint John wrote:
Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the
disciples, which are not written in this book; but
these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is
the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you
may have life in his name.1
Please join us at 9:00 a.m. at Trinity Lutheran Church to
learn more of God's love as found in Jesus Christ.
May our Lord richly bless you with His peace. Amen.
____________________
1. John 20:30-31 (ESV)Category: Turn Your Radio On 2024
Daily Moments of Meditation devotions as heard each weekday on KJOE FM 106.1 in Slayton.
Watering the Earth — Part 4: 02/08/2024
Watering the Earth - Part 4
Isaiah 55:12-13
02/08/2024
12 For you shall go out in joy and be led forth in
peace; the mountains and the hills before you
shall break forth into singing, and all the trees
of the field shall clap their hands.
13 Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress;
instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle; and
it shall make a name for the LORD, an everlasting
sign that shall not be cut off. (ESV)
The prophet Isaiah wrote:
For you shall go out in joy and be led forth in peace;
the mountains and the hills before you shall break
forth into singing, and all the trees of the field
shall clap their hands. Instead of the thorn shall
come up the cypress; instead of the brier shall come up
the myrtle; and it shall make a name for the LORD, an
everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.
God's Word contains both law and Gospel. As we hear His
law, we are driven to see our sin, and called to repent.
Repentant sinners are shown the Gospel, that there is truly the
forgiveness of our sins for the sake of the suffering, death, and
resurrection of Jesus. Because we are declared holy, righteous,
and not guilty in God's sight, we are given the gift of eternal
life.
Therefore, even when we have troubles, we have the peace of
knowing that we are loved by God. Problems are temporary, the
gift of salvation and God's rich favor are for eternity. Our
focus shifts from this moment of pain and frustration to God's
gift of life everlasting.
Isaiah's view of heaven, his view of eternal life, gives us
comfort even when we are suffering the effects of this sinful
world. We know, because God's Word is true, that He showers us
with His love.
May your find comfort and peace knowing that God has given
you life for the sake of His Son. Amen.Watering the Earth — Part 3: 02/07/2024
Watering the Earth - Part 3
Isaiah 55:10-11
02/07/2024
10 For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven
and do not return there but water the earth,
making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to
the sower and bread to the eater,
11 so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;
it shall not return to me empty, but it shall
accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed
in the thing for which I sent it. (ESV)
The prophet Isaiah wrote:
For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and
do not return there but water the earth, making it
bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and
bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out
from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it
shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall
succeed in the thing for which I sent it.
The rain comes down and waters the earth. The crops grow,
and people are fed. Because they are fed, they have life.
The law shows us how, without God's grace, love, and
intervention, we are starved for the goodness of His blessings.
When confronted with our sin, we cry out, ``Lord, what shall we
do?'' That is the first thing that proclaiming God's Word will
do, prepare us for the good news of His mercy.
For the sinner who sees from the law he has no ability to
save himself, the good news that God has provided for our
salvation is the most precious thing we can hear. Nowhere else
can we find the assurance that God had provided for our salvation
from sin and death except in the Gospel. The message of the
Gospel is simple, Jesus is our substitute, He took upon Himself
the punishment we deserve. In so doing, He has given us His
holiness and righteousness.
What do we do to earn this forgiveness? Believe that Jesus'
death and resurrection are for you, and hold firmly to Him in all
troubles. The sinless Son of God has declared that you are
reconciled to God the Father, that you have eternal life in His
name. May our Lord grant each of us the comfort and peace that
our sins are forgiven for the sake of Christ Jesus. Amen.Watering the Earth — Part 2: 02/06/2024
Watering the Earth - Part 2
Isaiah 55:10-11
02/06/2024
10 For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven
and do not return there but water the earth,
making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to
the sower and bread to the eater,
11 so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;
it shall not return to me empty, but it shall
accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed
in the thing for which I sent it. (ESV)
The prophet Isaiah wrote:
For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and
do not return there but water the earth, making it
bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and
bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out
from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it
shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall
succeed in the thing for which I sent it.
Who better knows the importance of rain and snow than we who
live in the rural parts of the country. Our livelihood is
affected by the weather much more than those who live and work in
the cities. When we don't have enough rain, or when we have too
much, the crops don't grow and people go hungry. Only when we
are blessed with the proper amount of moisture can we produce
that which feeds this nation with the bounty of God's rich
blessings.
The law of God is like that drought or flood which shows us
that we are helpless in the face of God's power. God's law does
not only curb bad behavior as we fear punishment, but it acts as
a mirror to show us that we are condemned because we have broken
the law. The law causes us to cry to God for relief, that God
relent in His condemnation, that He provides the help we need to
overcome sin and eternal death.
Preaching the law returns the benefit of preparing people to
hear the Gospel, that Jesus Christ bore the guilt of our sin.
Through His death and resurrection, we are offered the
forgiveness of our sin and receive everlasting life.
May our Lord grant that we hear the preaching of the law so
that we may hear the good news of the Gospel. Amen.Watering the Earth — Part 1: 02/05/2023
Watering the Earth - Part 1
Isaiah 55:10-11
02/05/2024
10 For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven
and do not return there but water the earth,
making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to
the sower and bread to the eater,
11 so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;
it shall not return to me empty, but it shall
accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed
in the thing for which I sent it. (ESV)
This weeks readings in the Divine Service at Trinity
Lutheran Church focused on the Word of God. Our Gospel lesson
was the familiar Parable of the Sower, where the seed of the Word
is scattered on both good ground and bad.
Our Old Testament lesson comes from the book of Isaiah.
For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and
do not return there but water the earth, making it
bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and
bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out
from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it
shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall
succeed in the thing for which I sent it.
We proclaim the Word of God, the good news of salvation by
God's love alone, through faith in Jesus Christ alone, in the
hope that all people might know of the love of God. This is the
Gospel message, the good news that we have the hope of
everlasting life for the sake of Jesus' death and resurrection.
To prepare us to hear the Gospel, we need to know that we
are sinners who are otherwise lost and eternally condemned. That
is why we proclaim God's law, so that we know we need a redeemer
from sin, death, and the power of the devil.
This week we will look at the Word of God and see how it
contains all we need for our salvation.
May our Lord grant you His richest blessings this week.
Amen.The Presentation of Our Lord — 02/02/2024
The Presentation of Our Lord
Luke 2:22-24
02/02/2024
22 And when the time came for their purification
according to the Law of Moses, they brought him up
to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord
23 (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, ``Every
male who first opens the womb shall be called holy
to the Lord'')
24 and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said
in the Law of the Lord, a pair of turtledoves, or
two young pigeons. (ESV)
Today is the Feast of the Presentation, forty days after
Christmas, when we commemorate Jesus being presented to the Lord
in the Temple.
And when the time came for their purification according
to the Law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem
to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the Law
of the Lord, ``Every male who first opens the womb
shall be called holy to the Lord'') and to offer a
sacrifice according to what is said in the Law of the
Lord, a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.
This Feast is another reminder of the awesome responsibility
God gives parents to raise their children in keeping with God's
holy Law. This includes having children baptized, taking them to
church, teaching them the Christian faith, and encouraging them
to grow in love towards God.
Today also is a reminder of the theme of the Epiphany
Season, Jesus Christ is the Light of the World, the Light no
darkness can overcome. He is revealed in the Temple as the
promised Messiah, the Son of God who will take upon Himself the
sins of the world.
There are many traditions associated with this day. Please
join us on Sunday morning at 9:00 a.m. at Trinity Lutheran Church
to find out how the presentation of Jesus is related to Ground
Hog's Day.
May our Lord grant that we see Jesus as the Light of the
World and as our Redeemer from sin and death. Amen.Getting What We Don’t Deserve — Part 4: 02/01/2024
Getting What We Don't Deserve - Part 4
Exodus 17:7
02/01/2024
7 And he called the name of the place Massah and
Meribah, because of the quarreling of the people
of Israel, and because they tested the LORD by
saying, ``Is the LORD among us or not? '' (ESV)
The children of Israel, having left Egypt, were in the
desert of the Sinai peninsula. There, seeing no water, they
grumbled against Moses and against God. Although they were in
the presence of the Almighty, and had seen His mighty hand
deliver them from the Egyptians, they had no faith.
Moses prayed for God's help, and was instructed by God to
strike a rock with his staff. Water gushed out of the rock, and
the children of Israel were satisfied.
Moses recorded in Exodus:
And he called the name of the place Massah and Meribah,
because of the quarreling of the people of Israel, and
because they tested the LORD by saying, ``Is the LORD
among us or not? ''
Every time this story is related, we see that God does not
give what we deserve, but blesses us out of His love, grace, and
mercy. Rather than punishing the children of Israel for their
lack of faith, He acted on their behalf.
Moses named the camp ``Massah,'' which means ``temptation,''
and Meribah, which means ``strife.'' These names remind us of
our sin and God's mercy.
May our Lord grant us faith to trust in Him for all good,
and to hold firmly to Him even when we are in difficulty, knowing
He will provide all we need. Amen.Getting What We Don’t Deserve — Part 3: 01/31/2024
Getting What We Don't Deserve - Part 3
Exodus 17:4-6
01/31/2024
4 So Moses cried to the LORD, ``What shall I do with
this people? They are almost ready to stone me.''
5 And the LORD said to Moses, ``Pass on before the
people, taking with you some of the elders of
Israel, and take in your hand the staff with which
you struck the Nile, and go.
6 Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock
at Horeb, and you shall strike the rock, and water
shall come out of it, and the people will drink.''
And Moses did so, in the sight of the elders of
Israel. (ESV)
The children of Israel were camped at Rephidim near the
eastern shore of the Red Sea. There was no water in that place,
so they rebelled against Moses. In grumbling about Moses, they
were showing a lack of faith in God.
Moses was in a quandary. He needed to do something, but he
also knew any solution was beyond his abilities. In faith he
prayed to the LORD:
So Moses cried to the LORD, ``What shall I do with this
people? They are almost ready to stone me.'' And the
LORD said to Moses, ``Pass on before the people, taking
with you some of the elders of Israel, and take in your
hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go.
Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock at
Horeb, and you shall strike the rock, and water shall
come out of it, and the people will drink.'' And Moses
did so, in the sight of the elders of Israel.
It is perfectly fine to ask God for His divine guidance when
we are in trouble. Indeed, the Psalmist wrote, ``Call upon Me in
the day of trouble; I will deliver you and you shall glorify
Me.''1 In faith, we trust in God to supply us with all we need.
May our Lord grant us such faith, especially in times of
trouble and despair. Amen.Getting What We Don’t Deserve — Part 2: 01/30/2024
Getting What We Don't Deserve - Part 2
Exodus 17:2-3
01/30/2024
2 Therefore the people quarreled with Moses and
said, ``Give us water to drink.'' And Moses said
to them, ``Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you
test the LORD?''
3 But the people thirsted there for water, and the
people grumbled against Moses and said, ``Why did
you bring us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our
children and our livestock with thirst?'' (ESV)
The children of Israel had left Egypt several weeks earlier.
Throughout their exodus from slavery they witnessed miracles and
the presence of God. He traveled with them in a pillar of cloud
by day and a pillar of fire by night. Yet, when confronted with
the problem of having no water, they turned away from God and
complained.
Therefore the people quarreled with Moses and said,
``Give us water to drink.'' And Moses said to them,
``Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test the
LORD?'' But the people thirsted there for water, and
the people grumbled against Moses and said, ``Why did
you bring us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our
children and our livestock with thirst?''
Although they targeted Moses as their leader, their
complaint was with God. They failed this test of faith, desiring
to return to being slaves rather than trusting the LORD.
Often, when we face difficulties, we grumble against God.
We don't trust Him, we think we deserve better treatment, we
demand our own way. The sin of the children of Israel is also
our sin.
Anytime we focus on ourselves rather than on God's goodness,
we become dissatisfied. We demand what we think we deserve, not
admitting that we deserve His eternal wrath and punishment. What
we receive is His love, grace, and mercy.
We will see this truth as we continue the story.
May our Lord grant us faith and patience during our trials
and tribulations, that we trust in Him alone. Amen.Getting What We Don’t Deserve — Part 1: 01/29/2024
Getting What We Don't Deserve - Part 1
Exodus 17:1
01/29/2024
1 All the congregation of the people of Israel moved
on from the wilderness of Sin by stages, according
to the commandment of the LORD, and camped at
Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to
drink. (ESV)
The theme of this week's readings in the Divine Service at
Trinity was, ``grace is undeserved.'' Each of the readings
focused on God's gracious gifts of physical or spiritual
blessings, which He gives even when we grumble against Him. As
sinners, as ones who by nature turn from God, we deserve His
wrath and punishment. However, God does not delight in the death
of a sinner, so He sent His Son, Jesus, to pay the price of our
sin. We are given the forgiveness which we cannot earn. With
the forgiveness of sins comes everlasting life.
Our Old Testament lesson, from the seventeenth chapter of
Exodus, speaks of the earliest weeks after the children of Israel
left Egypt. `` All the congregation of the people of Israel
moved on from the wilderness of Sin by stages, according to the
commandment of the LORD, and camped at Rephidim, but there was no
water for the people to drink.''
Consider what had happened to the children of Israel in the
preceding weeks. They watched while the firstborn of Egypt died.
They crossed the Red Sea on dry land, only to see Pharaoh's army
drown as they tried to follow them. They saw God as a pillar of
cloud by day, and a pillar of fire by night.
This week we will see how, in the face of God's glory, His
chosen people were not satisfied with His blessings.
May our Lord grant that we recognize God's rich grace, and
that He gives us thankful hearts to acknowledge Him. Amen.