In John Maxwell's book, Think on These Things, he answers the question...
Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries
By Rev. Dr. Gregory Seltz, Speaker of The Lutheran Hour
"Hope in Christ: Power to Overcome Life's Obstacles"
July 24, 2017
For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it.
In John Maxwell's book, Think on These Things, he answers the question, "What does hope do for mankind?" Ready, here's what he said: hope shines brightest when the hour is darkest. Hope motivates when discouragement comes. Hope energizes when the body is tired. Hope sweetens while bitterness bites. Hope sings when all melodies are gone. Hope listens for answers when no one is talking. Hope climbs over obstacles when no one is helping. Hope endures hardship when no one is caring. Hope smiles confidently when no one is laughing. Hope presses toward victory when no one is encouraging. Hope dares to give when no one is sharing. Hope brings the victory when no one is winning. Pretty powerful stuff, wouldn't you agree? There have been incredible things done in humanity, for humanity, just with the power of human hope. But that's not even a glimpse of what Paul is talking about here in Romans 8. He's talking about a hope that is rooted in something more powerful, more enduring, more encouraging, and more real than all the best that sinful humanity has to offer. He's talking about a hope that is rooted in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. That's right. It's a hope that is rooted in the Son of God, who didn't come to wow us with His power and might. Better, He came to serve, to sacrifice, to redeem, and even reconcile us -- sinful, broken men and women like ourselves -- back to Himself. And that kind of persevering love breeds a hope that can handle whatever life throws our way. Just think about it. When the Son of God endures not only the brokenness of our world but the eternal damnation of our sin; when the Savior Jesus overcomes the obstacles of our hatred, our violence, and our greed; when Jesus overcomes all of that and gives us His forgiveness, life, and salvation as a gift of Grace through faith -- that's not just hopeful thinking; that's hope that can change our lives because it is rooted in the reality that God has already made a way forward for you and me in Jesus Christ. To the believer in Jesus, Christ's future is our future; Christ's life is our life; and Christ's hope is our hope. I love this quote about hope, God's hope, from Rev. John Piper. He says this: "Darkness comes. In the middle of it, the future looks blank. The temptation to quit is huge. Don't. You are in good company ... You will argue with yourself that there is no way forward. But with God, nothing is impossible. He has more ropes and ladders and tunnels out of pits than you and I can ever conceive. Wait. Pray without ceasing. Hope." You see, above all, God has a Word of His promise. He's got a Baptism of His grace and a Supper that holds you through life's ups and downs. So hope in Christ. It's a hope that can see you forward and see you through because the Hope-Giver Himself, Jesus Christ, is with you always. THE PRAYER:Dear Lord, life is tough sometimes this side of heaven. Give us the hope that comes through faith in what You have accomplished for us so that we might not only face life's trials, but serve others in Your Name, until our hope in You becomes our reality with You, forever. Amen. Use these devotions in your newsletter and bulletin! Used by permission; all rights reserved by the Int'l LLL (LHM).
Una mañana, cuando me dirigía al trabajo, un automovilista apurado casi causa un accidente al cambiar de una línea para otra, poniendo así en peligro no sólo a sí mismo, sino a todos los demás que íbamos por allí. "¿Cuánto tiempo habrá ahorrado con esa maniobra?" La respuesta a esa pregunta la dio una vez Cliff Bergere, un corredor de carreras en Indianápolis. Para hacer un experimento, se le pidió que hiciera un cierto recorrido por la ciudad de Colorado Springs. La primera vez lo hizo obedeciendo todas las reglas de tráfico, y le llevó 9 minutos y 35.1 segundos. Luego, con permiso de la policía, hizo el mismo recorrido manejando mucho más rápido que la velocidad máxima permitida y transgrediendo 52 leyes de tráfico. El resultado: logró ahorrar 3.9 segundos. Si usted piensa como yo, estará de acuerdo en que no vale la pena correr tantos riesgos para ganar 3.9 segundos. Me pregunto cuántos de nosotros hacemos lo mismo con la vida. Cuántos de nosotros vamos por la vida a las corridas, a los empujones, a las apuradas, como si siempre estuviéramos tratando de llegar a algún lado. El Señor nos ha dado un mundo maravilloso y muchas personas maravillosas para compartirlo. Gracias al sacrificio y la salvación de Jesús, los problemas realmente grandes de la vida ya han sido resueltos. Con respecto a los demás problemas... Dios está con nosotros siempre, por lo que es justo que tomemos tiempo para apreciar sus bendiciones. Eso es lo que el Salmo 46 quiere que hagamos: que estemos quietos y conozcamos a Dios. Como pensamiento final, si aún no lo puede hacer por usted mismo, hágalo por el bien de quienes le rodean. ORACIÓN:Querido Señor, dame paciencia y sabiduría para apreciarte a ti y a la salvación y todas las bendiciones que me has dado. Concédeme un momento de tranquilidad, para que te agradezca por todo lo que no merezco pero que tú igual sigues dándome. En el nombre de Jesús. Amén.
De una devoción escrita originalmente para "By the Way"
This mystery is that through the gospel the
Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body,
and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus. Ephesians 3:6
“Community” is the place where the person you least want to live
with always lives, says Henri Nouwen. Often we surround ourselves with
the people we most want to live with, which forms a club or a
clique, not a community. Anyone can form a club; it takes grace, shared
vision, and hard work to form a community.
The Christian church was the first institution in history to
bring together on equal footing Jews and Gentiles, men and women, slaves
and free. The apostle Paul waxed eloquent on this “mystery, which for
ages past was kept hidden in God.” By forming a community out of diverse
members, Paul said, we have the opportunity to capture the attention of
the world and even the supernatural world beyond (Eph. 3:9–10).
In some ways the church has sadly failed in this assignment. Still,
church is the one place I visit that brings together generations:
infants still held in their mothers’ arms, children who squirm and
giggle at all the wrong times, responsible adults who know how to act
appropriately at all times, and those who may drift asleep if the
preacher drones on too long.
If we want the community experience God is offering to us, we have reason to seek a congregation of people “not like us.”
Lord, remind us that the church is Your work, and You have brought us together for Your good purposes. Help us extend grace to others.
The man who lives in a small community lives in a much larger world. G. K. Chesterton
Encontramos muitos parques temáticos
em Orlando, na Flórida, que a cada ano atraem milhares de famílias em
férias. No entanto, uma revista sobre saúde a descreveu como “A cidade
mais furiosa dos EUA”. Eles criaram esse título baseado em assaltos
violentos, brigas de rua e a grande porcentagem de homens que têm
pressão arterial alta.
O rei Nabucodonosor, “…irado e furioso, mandou chamar
Sadraque, Mesaque e Abede-Nego…” porque estes não prestaram culto aos
seus deuses nem adoraram a sua imagem de ouro (Daniel 3:13). Quando não conseguiu o que desejava, “…se encheu de fúria e, transtornado o aspecto do seu rosto…” (v.19).
Todos nós lutamos com a ira, mas ela nem sempre é algo errado. “Irai-vos e não pequeis…” (Efésios 4:26).
Devemos ficar irados quando vemos as injustiças em nosso mundo. Mas na
maioria das vezes, nossa ira — à semelhança de Nabucodonosor — vem de um
lugar não muito nobre: nosso próprio interesse e orgulho. Se o nosso
temperamento nos domina, podemos perder o controle do que dizemos e
fazemos. Paulo nos desafia: “…nada façais por partidarismo ou vanglória,
mas por humildade, considerando cada um os outros superiores a si
mesmo” (Filipenses 2:3).
Quando colocarmos os outros em primeiro lugar teremos dado o primeiro passo para lidar com a ira.
Quando o temperamento domina, a pessoa revela o que tem de pior.
Sự mầu nhiệm đó là: Nhờ Tin Lành, dân ngoại được
trở nên những người thừa kế, những chi thể của cùng một thân, và những
người cùng chia sẻ lời hứa trong Đấng Christ Jêsus. Ê-phê-sô 3:6
Henri Nouwen nói rằng “cộng đồng” là nơi luôn luôn có những người
mà bạn ít muốn sống cùng nhất. Chúng ta thường muốn xung quanh mình là
những người mà chúng ta muốn sống cùng nhất để lập ra một câu lạc bộ
hoặc một nhóm nào đó, chứ không phải một cộng đồng. Ai cũng có thể lập
ra một câu lạc bộ; nhưng để hình thành một cộng đồng thì cần có ân điển,
khải tượng chung và rất nhiều nỗ lực.
Hội thánh Cơ Đốc là thể chế đầu tiên trong lịch sử đã nhóm hiệp người
Do Thái và dân ngoại, nam và nữ, nô lệ và tự do trên cơ sở bình đẳng.
Sứ đồ Phao-lô đã phát biểu hùng hồn về “kế hoạch mầu nhiệm đã được giữ
kín qua các thời đại trong Đức Chúa Trời” này. Ông nói rằng bằng cách
tạo ra một cộng đồng từ các thành viên khác nhau, chúng ta có cơ hội để
thu hút sự chú ý của thế gian và cả thế giới siêu nhiên bên ngoài (Êph.
3:9-10).
Đáng buồn thay, xét về nhiều khía cạnh, hội thánh đã thất bại trong
nhiệm vụ này. Dẫu vậy, hội thánh vẫn chính nơi tôi đến, là nơi kết nối
các thế hệ với nhau: trẻ sơ sinh được ẵm trong vòng tay của mẹ, trẻ thơ
lúng túng và cười khúc khích những khi mắc lỗi, người có trách nhiệm
biết cách hành động phù hợp mọi lúc và cả những người ngủ gật khi diễn
giả nói quá dài.
Nếu chúng ta muốn có trải nghiệm cộng đồng mà Chúa ban cho, thì chúng
ta có đủ lý do để tìm kiếm một hội chúng gồm những người “không giống
mình.”
Lạy Chúa, xin nhắc chúng con nhớ rằng hội thánh là công việc của Ngài và Ngài mang chúng con lại với nhau vì mục đích tốt lành của Ngài. Xin giúp chúng con bày tỏ ân điển với những người mà chúng con muốn nhận từ họ.
Người sống trong một cộng đồng nhỏ đang sống trong một thế giới lớn hơn nhiều.
[El misterio es] que los gentiles son coherederos y miembros del mismo cuerpo… (3:6).
Según Henri Nouwen, «comunidad» es el lugar donde vive la persona
con la que menos quisieras vivir. A menudo, nos rodeamos de aquellos con
quienes más queremos vivir, y formamos un grupo cerrado, no una
comunidad. Cualquiera puede formar un club; pero hace falta buena
voluntad, una visión compartida y mucho esfuerzo para formar una
comunidad.
La iglesia cristiana fue la primera institución en unir en igualdad
de condiciones a judíos y gentiles, hombres y mujeres, esclavos y
libres. El apóstol Pablo habló de este «misterio escondido desde los
siglos en Dios». Según él, al formar una comunidad diversa, podemos
captar la atención del mundo e incluso de la esfera sobrenatural
(Efesios 3:9-10).
Lamentablemente, en algunos aspectos, la iglesia no ha logrado su
cometido. Aun así, es el único lugar que visito que une a las
generaciones: bebés en brazos de sus madres, niños que se retuercen y se
ríen en los momentos menos indicados, adultos responsables que actúan
con decoro en todo momento y aquellos que se quedan dormidos si el
predicador se extiende demasiado.
Si queremos experimentar la clase de comunidad que Dios ofrece,
tenemos una buena razón para buscar una congregación de personas
«distintas a nosotros».
Señor, recuérdanos que la iglesia es tu obra y que nos uniste con un propósito supremo.
«Quien vive en una comunidad pequeña, vive en un mundo mucho más grande».
. . . dass die Heiden Miterben sind und mit zu
seinem Leib gehören und Mitgenossen der Verheißung in Christus Jesus
sind durch das Evangelium. Epheser 3,6
„Gemeinschaft“ ist der Ort, wo immer genau die Person lebt, mit
der du am wenigsten zusammenleben möchtest, sagt Henri Nouwen. Oft
wollen wir von den Menschen umgeben sein, mit denen wir am liebsten
zusammen sind. Aber das ist ein Klub oder eine Clique, keine
Gemeinschaft. Einen Klub kann jeder gründen. Um eine Gemeinschaft zu
bilden, braucht es Barmherzigkeit, eine gemeinsame Vision und harte
Arbeit.
Die christliche Kirche war die erste Institution, in der Juden und
Heiden, Männer und Frauen, Sklaven und Freie gleichberechtigt waren. Der
Apostel Paulus spricht beredt von diesem „Geheimnis“, das „von Ewigkeit
her verborgen war in [Gott]“. Wenn wir aus den unterschiedlichsten
Menschen eine Gemeinschaft bilden, sagt er, können wir die
Aufmerksamkeit nicht nur dieser, sondern sogar der übernatürlichen Welt
gewinnen (Eph. 3,9-10).
Leider hat die Kirche diesen Auftrag nicht wirklich erfüllt. Trotzdem
ist sie der eine Ort, der die Generationen zusammenbringt—Babys auf dem
Arm der Mutter; Kinder, die im falschen Moment kichern;
verantwortungsbewusste Erwachsene, die immer wissen, wie sie sich
richtig zu verhalten haben, und dann noch die, die einnicken, wenn der
Pfarrer zu lange predigt.
Wenn wir die Gemeinschaft erleben wollen, die Gott uns bietet,
sollten wir auf jeden Fall eine Gemeinde von Menschen suchen, die nicht
sind wie wir.
Der Mann, der in einer kleinen Gemeinschaft lebt, lebt in einer viel größeren Welt.
Ce mystère, c’est que les païens sont cohéritiers, forment un même
corps, et participent à la même promesse en Jésus Christ. Éphésiens 3.6
Selon Henri Nouwen, la « collectivité
» désigne le lieu où habite toujours la personne avec qui vous désirez
le moins vivre. Or, nous nous entourons souvent des gens avec qui nous
désirons le plus vivre, formant ainsi un club ou une clique, et
non une collectivité. N’importe qui peut former un club ; par contre,
il faut user de grâce, partager une même vision et y mettre des efforts
pour former une collectivité.
L’Église chrétienne est la première
institution de l’Histoire à réunir Juifs et non‑Juifs, hommes et femmes,
esclaves et gens libres sur un pied d’égalité. L’apôtre Paul parle
d’ailleurs avec éloquence de ce « mystère caché de tout temps en Dieu ».
Il a dit qu’en formant une collectivité constituée de divers membres,
nous avons l’occasion de capter l’attention du monde d’ici‑bas et même
de celui de l’au‑delà (ÉP 3.9,10).
À certains égards, l’Église a
malheureusement failli à sa tâche. Reste que l’église est le seul lieu
que je fréquente qui réunit les générations : les poupons que leur mère
tient encore dans ses bras, les enfants qui se tortillent et qui
ricanent toujours aux mauvais moments, les adultes responsables qui
savent bien se tenir en toute situation et ceux qui s’assoupissent
parfois lorsque le prédicateur s’éternise.
Si nous désirons faire l’expérience
communautaire que Dieu nous offre, nous aurions raison de rechercher une
assemblée chrétienne formée de gens « différents de nous ».
Qui habite une petite collectivité habite un monde bien plus grand.
Що погани співспадкоємці, і одне тіло, і співучасники Його обітниці в Христі Ісусі через Євангелію. — Ефесян 3:6
“Община – це місце, де поряд обов’язково живуть ті, з ким би ти не
хотів мати нічого спільного”, − говорив Генрі Ноуен. Ми часто оточуємо
себе людьми, з якими охоче спілкуємося. Але це лише клуб, кліка,
фракція, а не спільнота. Кожен може організувати клуб. Але потрібна
благодать, спільне бачення й важка праця, щоб побудувати спільноту.
Християнська церква стала першим інститутом, що об’єднав на
рівноправній основі євреїв та язичників, чоловіків та жінок, рабів та
вільних. Апостол Павло красномовно називає це “зарядженням таємниці, яка
від віків захована в Бозі”. Він також вказує, що збудування общини з
таких різноманітних членів привертає увагу не тільки видимого світу, а
навіть і невидимого духовного світу, який навколо нас (Еф. 3:9-10).
На жаль, християни не завжди мали у цьому успіх. Але все одно церква
залишається єдиним місцем у світі, що об’єднує людей різного віку:
немовлят на руках матері, малих діточок, що весь час соваються і
недоречно хихикають, відповідальних дорослих, що знають, як правильно
поводитись, і тих, хто починають дрімати, коли проповідник говорить
монотонно і довго.
Якщо ми бажаємо стати частиною спільноти Божої, то маємо спілкуватися також із тими, хто не такі, як ми.
Господи, нагадуй нам, що церква – то Твоя праця, і що Ти поєднав нас для благих цілей. Допоможи дарувати іншим ту благодать, яку б ми самі бажали отримувати від них.
“Людина, яка живе у маленькій общині, насправді живе у великому світі”. — Г. К. Честертон
Чтобы и язычникам быть сонаследниками,
составляющими одно тело, и сопричастниками обетования Его во Христе
Иисусе посредством благовествования. — Ефесянам 3:6
«Общество – это место, где живет человек, с которым вам жить не
хочется», – говорит Генри Ноуэн. Мы часто окружаем себя людьми, с
которыми чувствуем себя хорошо. Но это не общество, а кружок или клуб.
Любой может организовать кружок. А чтобы создать общество, нужны
целеустремленность, терпение и тяжелый труд. Христианская церковь была
первым в истории установлением, объединившим иудеев и язычников, мужчин и
женщин, рабов и свободных. Апостол Павел красноречиво писал об этой
тайне, «которая не была возвещена прежним поколениям сынов человеческих»
(Еф. 3:5).
По словам Павла, составляя общество из различных членов, мы получаем
возможность привлечь внимание видимого и даже невидимого миров (Еф. 3:9-10).
К сожалению, христиане не всегда преуспевали в этом. Но церковь все
равно остается единственным известным мне местом, объединяющим
поколения: младенцев, сидящих на руках у матерей, детей, шумящих в самое
неподходящее время, ответственных взрослых, которые всегда знают, что и
как нужно делать, и тех, кто потихоньку улетает в страну снов, когда
пастор затянет проповедь.
Если нам хочется быть членами общества Божьего, то, пожалуй, стоит поискать собрание людей не таких, как мы.
Господь, напомни нам, что церковь – Твой труд, и Ты свел нас вместе с добрыми намерениями. Помоги нам оказывать друг другу такое же расположение, какого мы хотим себе.
«Человек, живущий в маленьком обществе, живет в большом мире». — Дж. Честертон
Opening Sentence Grace to you and peace from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ. Phillipians 1:2 Sunday Morning Prayer
Open my eyes, gracious Lord, as I turn to your word. I long to know you, to understand life, and to be changed. Examine me, Lord, by the floodlight of your truth. Amen
Confession and Forgiveness
Most merciful God, whose eyes are too pure to behold iniquity, and who has promised forgiveness to all those who confess and forsake their sins; I come before you in a humble sense of my own unworthiness, confessing my many transgressions of your righteous laws. But, O gracious Father, who desires not the death of a sinner, look upon me, I beseech you, in mercy, and forgive me for all my transgressions. Make me deeply sensible of the great evil of them; and work in me a hearty repentance; that I may obtain forgiveness at your hands, who is ever ready to receive humble and penitent sinners; for the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, my only Saviour and Redeemer. Amen.
Today's Readings The First Reading is taken from Isaiah 44:6-8
Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel, and his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts: I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no god. Who is like me? Let them proclaim it, let them declare and set it forth before me. Who has announced from of old the things to come? Let them tell us what is yet to be. Do not fear, or be afraid; have I not told you from of old and declared it? You are my witnesses! Is there any god besides me? There is no other rock; I know not one.
Psalm 86:11-17
11 Teach me your way, O LORD, and I will walk in your truth; knit my heart to you that I may fear your Name. 12 I will thank you, O LORD my God, with all my heart, and glorify your Name for evermore. 13 For great is your love toward me; you have delivered me from the nethermost Pit. 14 The arrogant rise up against me, O God, and a band of violent men seeks my life; they have not set you before their eyes. 15 But you, O LORD, are gracious and full of compassion, slow to anger, and full of kindness and truth. 16 Turn to me and have mercy upon me; give your strength to your servant; and save the child of your handmaid. 17 Show me a sign of your favor, so that those who hate me may see it and be ashamed; because you, O LORD, have helped me and comforted me.
The Second Reading is taken from Romans 8:12-25
So then, brothers and sisters, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh-- for if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption. When we cry, "Abba! Father!" it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ-- if, in fact, we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him. I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God; for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and will obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labor pains until now; and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what is seen? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.
The Holy Gospel is written in Matthew 13:24-30, 13:36-43
He put before them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to someone who sowed good seed in his field; but while everybody was asleep, an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and then went away. So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared as well. And the slaves of the householder came and said to him, 'Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where, then, did these weeds come from?' He answered, 'An enemy has done this.' The slaves said to him, 'Then do you want us to go and gather them?' But he replied, 'No; for in gathering the weeds you would uproot the wheat along with them. Let both of them grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Collect the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.'" Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples approached him, saying, "Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field." He answered, "The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man; the field is the world, and the good seed are the children of the kingdom; the weeds are the children of the evil one, and the enemy who sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. Just as the weeds are collected and burned up with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will collect out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all evildoers, and they will throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Let anyone with ears listen!
Click HERE to read today's Holy Gospel Lesson message
The Apostle's Creed
I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, his only son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen
Prayer of the Day
I am no longer my own, but yours. Put me to what you will, rank me with whom you will; put me to doing, put me to suffering; let me be employed for you, or laid aside for you, exalted for you, or brought low for you; let me be full, let me be empty, let me have all things, let me have nothing: I freely and wholeheartedly yield all things to your pleasure and disposal. And now, glorious and blessed God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, you are mine and I am yours. So be it. And the covenant now made on earth, let it be ratified in heaven. Amen.
~ John Wesley (1755)
A Prayer for Sundays
O God, you make us glad with the weekly remembrance of the glorious resurrection of your Son our Lord: Give us this day such blessing through our worship of you, that the week to come may be spent in your favor; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
A Prayer for Mission
Lord Jesus Christ, you stretched out your arms of love on the hard wood of the cross that everyone might come within the reach of your saving embrace: So clothe us in your Spirit that we, reaching forth our hands in love, may bring those who do not know you to the knowledge and love of you; for the honor of your Name. Amen.
Shall We Gather At the River Buddy Greene Lyrics Shall we gather at the river, Where bright angel feet have trod, With its crystal tide forever Flowing by the throne of God?
Chorus: Yes, we’ll gather at the river, The beautiful, the beautiful river; Gather with the saints at the river That flows by the throne of God.
On the margin of the river, Washing up its silver spray, We will talk and worship ever, All the happy golden day.
Ere we reach the shining river, Lay we every burden down; Grace our spirits will deliver, And provide a robe and crown.
At the smiling of the river, Mirror of the Savior’s face, Saints, whom death will never sever, Lift their songs of saving grace.
Soon we’ll reach the silver river, Soon our pilgrimage will cease; Soon our happy hearts will quiver With the melody of peace.
Music and Lyrics by Robert Lowry, 1864
Let us bless the Lord. Alleluia! Thanks be to God! Alleluia!
Closing Prayer
Finally, let me go forth in thanks for the victory I have been given through our Lord Jesus Christ. May I be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, and always remembering that in the Lord our labor is not in vain. Amen.
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. The New Revised Standard Version Bible may be quoted and/or reprinted up to and inclusive of five hundred (500) verses without express written permission of the publisher, provided the verses quoted do not amount to a complete book of the Bible or account for fifty percent (50%) of the total work in which they are quoted.
He put before them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to someone who sowed good seed in his field; but while everybody was asleep, an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and then went away. So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared as well. And the slaves of the householder came and said to him, 'Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where, then, did these weeds come from?' He answered, 'An enemy has done this.' The slaves said to him, 'Then do you want us to go and gather them?' But he replied, 'No; for in gathering the weeds you would uproot the wheat along with them. Let both of them grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Collect the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.'" Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples approached him, saying, "Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field." He answered, "The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man; the field is the world, and the good seed are the children of the kingdom; the weeds are the children of the evil one, and the enemy who sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. Just as the weeds are collected and burned up with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will collect out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all evildoers, and they will throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Let anyone with ears listen!
~ Matthew 13:24-30, 13:36-43 (NRSV)
“The Good Gardener” by David Roth Zion Lutheran Church Owensville, Missouri
May the words of my mouth, and the meditations of our hearts, be acceptable in Thy sight, O Lord, our Rock and our Redeemer. Amen. Here it is, mid-July. The flowers, the crops, the vegetables, all are growing. But in the flower beds and the fields, the weeds are growing, too. The farmer zaps those weeds with Round-Up, or some other herbicide. The gardener pulls the weeds away from the flowers, and hoes them out of the tomatoes and vegetables. In the Gospel for today Jesus tells a story, a story about a garden. From this story we learn that Jesus is not only our Good Shepherd, but that He is the Good Gardener. This garden parable is the second of three agricultural parables. Last Sunday we heard the parable of the sower and the four soils. Now Jesus is speaking of the wheat and the weeds. The third is the one about the mustard seed. All of these are kingdom parables, that is – they start with the phrase, “the kingdom of heaven is like …. “ So the purpose of the parable is to tell us something about God’s kingdom. Knowing about the kingdom of heaven – that is, the kingdom or reign of God - is helpful to you and to me. As baptized Christians we live in the kingdom of heaven, for we live under the reign of God. Yes, we are still living in this world, but we are no longer part of this world’s kingdom. Christ has redeemed you. You and I live in His kingdom. So it is that we pray, “Thy kingdom come,” that the kingdom of God may come among us also. We can be sure of the meaning of this parable. We do not have to guess, speculate, or puzzle it out. Jesus Himself tells gives us the explanation in verses 36 to 43. What does He tell us? First, the soil, the garden as it were, in this parable is this world. Last week, the parable had four kinds of soil. That is not in this parable, so we must be careful not to mix them up. This story has one soil, the garden of this world. In this garden there are two plants. There is the wheat. It grows from the good seed planted in the garden by Jesus. The wheat are the sons and daughters of the kingdom of God. The wheat is you, and it is me. There are also other plants in this garden – the weeds. The weeds are the sons of evil, and they are sown into the garden by the enemy. They are not put into the garden by God, for God is not the source or cause of evil. The servants of the gardener, the angels, see the weeds growing in the garden. The angels know that the weeds should not be with the wheat. They also know that the weeds can make it difficult for the wheat to live and to grow. You and I know that, too. Evil makes life difficult for us in this world. Difficult is hardly the word to explain it. It is only a beginning. Just as weeds are domineering, prickly, and invasive, the evil around us is domineering, prickly, and invasive. The evil of the world is constantly bumping up against us. We feel the pain from its pricks and thorns. We wonder, “Why, Lord, don’t you do something, and get those weeds outta here. That’s what a gardener ought to do, you know.” But Christ is more than a gardener. He is a master gardener, The Good Gardener. He knows that the weeds are hurting the wheat. Christ knows that sting of the thistles in your lives. He knows the pain of loss. The loss of health, the loss of job, the loss of your loved ones. Christ also knows how the weeds are domineering. He knows how the evil of this world doesn’t just grow in its own patch, in its own space in the garden, with the weeds over there, and us over here. No, the weeds are mixed in with the wheat, and the evil of this world surrounds us. Evil is continuously trying to overtake our lives. It is not content to do its own thing. Evil wants us to do its thing. “Don’t pray,” Evil demands. “You might offend someone and it certainly offends me.” “Come to the Lake on Sunday,” the weeds invite. “It’s the best time, and you want to be seen there by the boss.” “Do it my way. I’m the way of the world.” The weeds are invasive, too. They spread and grow, filling every nook and cranny of the garden. Those weeds – and evil – are so tenacious, they grow in spots where it seems impossible for anything to grow. The stress of work and of home tries to invade every corner of our lives. It seems to draw the life up out of us, just as weeds steal all the water from the good plants. Evil wants into every corner of our minds, too. Evil not only surrounds us, it wants to get into us. “Watch the shows and films I watch, and listen to the songs I sing,” Evil says. “Think the way I think, do what I do, be the way I am.” Yes, the weeds and evil are prickly and painful, domineering and invasive. So why does the Good Gardener, Jesus, not rip those weeds out? Because He loves us: He loves you and He loves me. How can this be love? Listen to His words. “Let them both grow together, lest in pulling the weeds you uproot the wheat, too.” Jesus is not ignoring the weeds. He is not ignoring the pain in our lives. He is not letting the weeds get by, either. For in the Last Day, the weeds will be taken and bundled, to burn in eternal fire. Jesus is concerned about our final outcome. He wants us to be part of His eternal harvest. He knows that if He pulled the weeds now, it would actually harm some of the wheat. He knows how the roots of the weeds are long and entangling. He knows how they interweave into the roots of the wheat. So to pull up the weeds will hurt the wheat, too. To pull up the weeds now, to get at all the roots of evil, would be harmful to the wheat, harmful to us. Christ also knows that He – unlike any gardener on this earth – can and does convert weeds to wheat. You and I are wheat in His kingdom. But that was not always so. We were born in sin. Sin so deep, that it is rooted into our human nature. Christ has redeemed us. We are under His reign, we are His kingdom people. But the root of that sin, of evil, still afflicts us. In our daily life, we grow impatient. We say, God, can’t you get that weed out of my life. But we do not know what the Good Gardener knows. What looks like a weed to us today, Christ will redeem and convert to wheat tomorrow. Christ has patiently and graciously redeemed and converted you and me. We are wheat of the kingdom. So we wait and pray that He will also convert the weeds of the evil one we see around us. St. Paul’s words from Romans explain our lives in the garden of the kingdom of God. “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” (Romans 8:18) There is suffering now, but there is glory to come. The time of harvest will come. The Lord will return. Then the weeds will be pulled and cast into the fire. And the wheat, you and I, -- what does Jesus say? “The righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father.” God created a perfect world in the Garden of Eden. But sin – evil and weeds – entered into that garden. Christ came into that garden, that is, into this world. Born as man, he suffered and died under Pontius Pilate. In the garden of Gethsemane He bore that mental strife, the stress, the anguish, that the weeds and evil inflict on us, and more. He knows that weeds are prickly and painful, His Head was crowned with thorns. He knows too, that evil sucks the life from us, leaving us weak and dry, for He cried, “I thirst.” And He knows that the weeds crush and kill us, as He died and was buried in the garden tomb. Three days later, on that beautiful morning, Mary saw the risen Christ. She asked where the body of the Lord was, for she thought him to be the gardener. Although she did not recognize Jesus, she was also right. Christ is the gardener, The Good Gardener. He took the weeds -- the pain, the evil, and sin – into Himself, so that He might redeem a weed like me, like all of us, and convert us, you and me, into wheat in His kingdom. As that wheat, we live fully dependent on our Good Gardener. We cannot change the world around us any more than a plant can water itself, or tend its own garden. But we know, Church, we know that our Good Gardener shall return. We know that He shall bear us into His harvest home. And in that world to come, there will be the Tree of Life, and we will have no need of sun, for the Lord shall be our Light. So our present sufferings are not like the glory to be revealed. And we have sure hope, though we have not seen it. We wait patiently and confidently for the Lord, our Good Gardener. He is tending and caring for us now. He will return and bring us into His new garden in His kingdom forever. Amen.
Seeking God? Click HERE to find out more about how to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. The New Revised Standard Version Bible may be quoted and/or reprinted up to and inclusive of five hundred (500) verses without express written permission of the publisher, provided the verses quoted do not amount to a complete book of the Bible or account for fifty percent (50%) of the total work in which they are quoted. Sermon shared by Rev. Malcolm Rogers on Apr 23, 2016. Contributed by David Roth on Jan 26, 2015.
I am no longer my own, but yours. Put me to what you will, rank me with whom you will; put me to doing, put me to suffering; let me be employed for you, or laid aside for you, exalted for you, or brought low for you; let me be full, let me be empty, let me have all things, let me have nothing: I freely and wholeheartedly yield all things to your pleasure and disposal. And now, glorious and blessed God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, you are mine and I am yours. So be it. And the covenant now made on earth, let it be ratified in heaven. Amen.
Mi
Jesús, quiero en este día reconocer que he estado dependiendo de las
personas sin tenerte en cuenta a ti. Por error he puesto mi dependencia
en otros y no te he dado tu lugar. Quiero aprender a depender de ti únicamente, sabiendo que me amas, que eres fiel y que nunca cambias. Gracias por las promesas que has dejado en la Biblia para mí. Ayúdame a creerlas y tomarlas para mí. Señor, me comprometo a depender de ti y honrarte el resto de mis días. Amén y amén.
“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be
hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead
they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.”
Jesus is also the great light of the world (John 8:12). Those who believe in Him are brought out of darkness into His light (Colossians1:12-13) and in turn become lights also. In essence, they live the Beatitudes. What does light do? A. It exposes dirt - If Christians live holy and righteous lives, it will show up the unrighteous deeds of others (Ephesians 5:8-14).
An example is that people who take bribes feel very vulnerable if there
are others that don't. Christians who work in government offices can,
by their uprightness and integrity, diminish the amount of corruption
just by their very presence and principles. B. It lights up the way so that we do not stumble -
If Christians walk by the principles of the Word of God, their lives
take on a higher purpose and direction than that of self. This will not
fail to attract the attention of a watching world. The world then is
faced with a choice—to accept or reject such a model. To those who
reject, that light becomes darkness. But for those who accept, that
light illumines their lives and they will not make wrong choices. C. It discourages works of darkness - More crimes are committed at night than in the daytime. D. It dispels fear -
When light shines, the phantoms of the night just fade away. People who
are afraid of the dark prefer to sleep with the light on. Light
even enables discernment to be made—between friend and foe and between
truth and counterfeit. It enables work to be done. Light enables plants
to grow. Used in modern technology, it aids in telecommunications (fiber
optics), helps to heal (lasers), and aids in publishing books. The
light of the gospel also blesses in so many ways. And Christians who
walk in it can in turn help others by sharing the knowledge they have
concerning life, death, sin, salvation, God, the devil, heaven and hell.
For these are the issues that plague man on a wide scale and for which
they are striving to find adequate answers. The light will be
recognized, not just in words, but in “good deeds” which lead others to
praise our Father in heaven. In Kumasi, Ghana, African Enterprise
has been organizing city-cleaning teams. Before an evangelistic
campaign, Christians often ask government leaders if they can clean it
up. Then they send out teams of people with makeshift straw brooms and
pails of soapy water to scrub the city. Christian workers have cleaned
hospitals, city parks, and government grounds before major outreaches to
exemplify practical love. RESPONSE: Today I am determined to shine for Jesus—the true light of the world! PRAYER: Lord, I want my life to count for You and Your kingdom. Help me be a lighthouse for You.
