The Sunday Lectionary Readings for SUNDAY, November 17, 2019 - 23rd Sunday after Pentecost

The Sunday Lectionary Readings

SUNDAY, November 17, 2019 - 23rd Sunday after Pentecost

[Ordinary 33, Proper 28]

(Revised Common Lectionary Year C)

A New Heaven and a New Earth

Isaiah 65:17-25; Isaiah 12; 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13; Luke 21:5-19

Opening Statement

A new heaven and a new earth . . .wars and persecutions. . . they don’t seem to go together. What were the lectionary folks thinking? These seemingly contradictory passages speak of endings and beginnings—the vision of what can and will be—times of trial, times of peace. It was the best of times; it was the worst of times. It is the contradiction we live in every day. We are caught between despair and hope; caught between people who tell us to be realistic and our vision of a better life. We are caught between those who believe the world is going to hell, and those who see a different life—a better life, a life that can come to be, will come to be, if we only believe the promises of God and live into them.

Opening Prayer

Come, let us sing to the LORD!

Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation.

Let us come to Him with thanksgiving.

Let us sing psalms of praise to Him.

For the LORD is a great God, a great King above all gods.

He holds in His hands the depths of the earth

and the mightiest mountains.

The sea belongs to Him, for He made it.

His hands formed the dry land, too.

Come, let us worship & bow down.

Let us kneel before the LORD our maker,

for He is our God.

We are the people He watches over,

the flock under His care.

The Collect (Book of Common Prayers)

Blessed Lord, who caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning: Grant us so to hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life, which you have given us in our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Prayer of Confession (Isaiah 65, Luke 21)

O God, we are more like the vision in Luke than the vision of Isaiah. We see wars, hatred, and violence everywhere, yet despair of ever stopping them. We see oppression and injustice and persecution, but fail to raise our voices in prophetic protest. We have become a pessimistic people. Help us believe—really believe—in Isaiah’s vision of the peaceable kingdom, in your promise of a new heaven and new earth. Let your cry be our cry: “They shall not hurt or destroy on all my holy mountain.” Amen.

Words of Assurance (Isaiah 12)

God is our strength and our salvation. God’s anger is turned away, and in its place we find comfort, steadfast love, and forgiveness. With this hope, we can draw water from the wells of salvation with joy and thanksgiving.

First Reading

Isaiah 65:17-25

(A new heaven and new earth)

The Glorious New Creation
17 For I am about to create new heavens
     and a new earth;
   the former things shall not be remembered
     or come to mind.
18 But be glad and rejoice forever
     in what I am creating;
   for I am about to create Jerusalem as a joy,
     and its people as a delight.
19 I will rejoice in Jerusalem,
     and delight in my people;
   no more shall the sound of weeping be heard in it,
     or the cry of distress.
20 No more shall there be in it
     an infant that lives but a few days,
     or an old person who does not live out a lifetime;
   for one who dies at a hundred years will be considered a
         youth,
     and one who falls short of a hundred will be considered
         accursed.
21 They shall build houses and inhabit them;
     they shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit.
22 They shall not build and another inhabit;
     they shall not plant and another eat;
   for like the days of a tree shall the days of my people be,
     and my chosen shall long enjoy the work of their hands.
23 They shall not labor in vain,
     or bear children for calamity;
   for they shall be offspring blessed by the Lord—
     and their descendants as well.
24 Before they call I will answer,
     while they are yet speaking I will hear.
25  The wolf and the lamb shall feed together,
    the lion shall eat straw like the ox;
     but the serpent—its food shall be dust!
   They shall not hurt or destroy
     on all my holy mountain,
   says the Lord.

Isaiah 12

(The Holy One in your midst)

Thanksgiving and Praise
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,
     and you comforted me.

2  Surely God is my salvation;
     I will trust, and will not be afraid,
   for the Lord God is my strength and my might;
     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 on his name;
   make known his deeds among the nations;
     proclaim that his name is exalted.

5  Sing praises to the Lord, for he has done gloriously;
     let this be known in all the earth.
6  Shout aloud and sing for joy, O royal Zion,
     for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.

Second Reading

2 Thessalonians 3:6-13

(Do what is right)

Warning against Idleness
3:6 Now we command you, beloved, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to keep away from believers who are living in idleness and not according to the tradition that they received from us. 7 For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us; we were not idle when we were with you, 8 and we did not eat anyone’s bread without paying for it; but with toil and labor we worked night and day, so that we might not burden any of you. 9 This was not because we do not have that right, but in order to give you an example to imitate. 10 For even when we were with you, we gave you this command: Anyone unwilling to work should not eat. 11 For we hear that some of you are living in idleness, mere busybodies, not doing any work. 12 Now such persons we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living. 13 Brothers and sisters, do not be weary in doing what is right.

The Gospel

Luke 21:5-19

(Suffering for Jesus’ sake)

The Destruction of the Temple Foretold
21:5 When some were speaking about the temple, how it was adorned with beautiful stones and gifts dedicated to God, he said, 6 “As for these things that you see, the days will come when not one stone will be left upon another; all will be thrown down.”

Signs and Persecutions
7 They asked him, “Teacher, when will this be, and what will be the sign that this is about to take place?” 8 And he said, “Beware that you are not led astray; for many will come in my name and say, ‘I am he!’ and, ‘The time is near!’ Do not go after them.

9 “When you hear of wars and insurrections, do not be terrified; for these things must take place first, but the end will not follow immediately.” 10 Then he said to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; 11 there will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and plagues; and there will be dreadful portents and great signs from heaven.

12 “But before all this occurs, they will arrest you and persecute you; they will hand you over to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors because of my name. 13 This will give you an opportunity to testify. 14 So make up your minds not to prepare your defense in advance; 15 for I will give you words and a wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to withstand or contradict. 16 You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, by relatives and friends; and they will put some of you to death. 17 You will be hated by all because of my name. 18 But not a hair of your head will perish. 19 By your endurance you will gain your souls.

Here ends the Lessons

Click HERE to read today’s Holy Gospel Lesson message

The Nicene Creed

We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven; by the power of the Holy Spirit he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary, and was made man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified. He has spoken through the Prophets. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.

Closing Prayer

In the name of the Father and of the Son,

and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

God of love and mercy,

You call us to be your people,

You gift us with Your abundant grace.

Make us a holy people,

radiating the fullness of your love.

Form us into a community of people who care,

expressing Your compassion.

Remind us day after day of our baptismal call

to serve with joy and courage.

Teach us how to grow in wisdom and grace

and joy in Your presence.

Through Jesus and Your Spirit,

we make this prayer. Amen.

Optional parts of the readings are set off in [square brackets.]

The Bible texts of the Old Testament, Epistle and Gospel lessons are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Church of Christ in the USA, and used by permission.
The Sunday Lectionary Readings for SUNDAY, November 17, 2019
Isaiah 65:17-25; Isaiah 12; 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13; Luke 21:5-19
A new heaven and a new earth . . .wars and persecutions. . . they don’t seem to go together. What were the lectionary folks thinking?

“Are You Ready?” The Sermon for SUNDAY, November 17, 2019 - 23rd Sunday after Pentecost

Our Gospel message comes to us today from the 21st chapter of Luke, beginning with the 5th verse.

21:5 When some were speaking about the temple, how it was adorned with beautiful stones and gifts dedicated to God, he said, 6 “As for these things that you see, the days will come when not one stone will be left upon another; all will be thrown down.”

7 They asked him, “Teacher, when will this be, and what will be the sign that this is about to take place?” 8 And he said, “Beware that you are not led astray; for many will come in my name and say, ‘I am he!’ and, ‘The time is near!’ Do not go after them.

9 “When you hear of wars and insurrections, do not be terrified; for these things must take place first, but the end will not follow immediately.” 10 Then he said to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; 11 there will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and plagues; and there will be dreadful portents and great signs from heaven.

12 “But before all this occurs, they will arrest you and persecute you; they will hand you over to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors because of my name. 13 This will give you an opportunity to testify. 14 So make up your minds not to prepare your defense in advance; 15 for I will give you words and a wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to withstand or contradict. 16 You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, by relatives and friends; and they will put some of you to death. 17 You will be hated by all because of my name. 18 But not a hair of your head will perish. 19 By your endurance you will gain your souls.

—Luke 21:5-19 (NRSV)

All mighty God, we thank you for your word and the way that you in it revealed to us who you are and what you've done for us in Christ. Now as we open that word we pray that your spirit may be present, that all thoughts of worry or distraction may be removed and that the Spirit will allow us to hear your voice. And so, oh God, fill us with your spirit through the reading and proclamation of your word this day. We pray in Jesus name. Amen.

“Are You Ready?”

Grace and Peace to you from our Lord and Savor, Jesus who is the Christ. Amen

Our Gospel Lesson this morning deals with a subject that can frighten many, make many try to predict its coming and can catch many off guard, the subject is the second coming of Christ. Even Christ says in Mark 13:32-33 “But about that day or hour no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Beware, keep alert; for you do not know when the time will come.”

Be on guard, be alert! That is the warning cry!

But many don’t care about meeting Christ as seen in the following story:

“The devil was planning to destroy the world. He called in his chief assistants. Anger stepped in and said that he would set brother against brother. Lust said that he would replace love and turn people into beasts. Greed advocated his passion for turning loose all the covetous cravings of the soul. Gluttony, Envy and Jealousy each had their audience with the devil as they presented their plans for destroying the world.

The devil was not satisfied. Finally the last one came in and said, “I shall talk to people about what God wants them to be. I shall encourage them to follow the plans and purposes of God.” The devil was aghast at such talk. But the little devil went on, “However, I shall tell them there is no hurry. Wait until tomorrow. Don’t start until things are more favorable.”

The devil laughed and said, “You are the one who shall go to earth and destroy it. You shall be called Procrastination.”

—Ted Williams’s story… Good day at the plate, walk on water!

We chuckle, we laugh, we smile at our procrastination, but the stories have elements of truth.

Jesus saw that kind of attitude in his day. As He and the disciples were in the temple, the disciples couldn’t help themselves at being in awe of the splendor of the temple; the accomplishments of those who built it were thought to be powerful enough to save them.

The temple was to many Jews the Messiah, and in Jesus’ eyes it was a false messiah so he says in verse 6, “As for these things that you see, the days will come when not one stone will be left upon another; all will be thrown down.”

Then Jesus warns them of other false messiahs, advises them to be prepared, to be ready for the coming of the real Messiah, and assures them he will always be with them.

Those same warnings apply to us, also.

In the next moments I would like to look closely at each warning as it applies to our lives.

First, false messiahs. One false messiah we have already seen in the story of Ted Williams, that being a false sense of pride in ones own accomplishments.

Our technologies, our wonder drugs, our star wars defense systems, our own egos can be false messiahs. Jesus warns the disciples about them in verse 8 as he says, “Beware that you are not led astray; for many will come in my name and say, ‘I am he!’ and, ‘The time is near!’ Do not go after them.”

But we do, don’t we? We are a people who are easily led astray by the latest fads, the comforts of our abundance, the power of our business community, the false sense that somehow through the Lotto, or reality shows, we can become rich, and then life will be secure. False messiah, yes!

The next warning takes place in verse 9 when Jesus speaks of God’s time coming as He says, “When you hear of wars and insurrections, do not be terrified; for these things must take place first, but the end will not follow immediately.”

Jesus is saying that God’s time is beginning but not in an expected way, maybe through a way of suffering and upheaval. God is in control, God is breaking in, maybe not the way we expect it.

Or maybe God might be saying, “Look my people I have tried it your way, now it is my turn.”

I read somewhere that being a Christian is like being in a holding pattern in an airplane above a busy airport. You circle and circle. You know eventuality you will land, but when you don’t know. You wait and wait. Then all at once, the announcement comes fasten seat belts and you land.

As Christians we are in a holding pattern for meeting Christ. When? We don’t know. Are you ready? Only you and God know that. But have you thought about it in a serious way, or do you take your relationship with Christ in a causal way, a take it for granted way. No seriousness thought of how your faith life is growing and maturing with the help of the Holy Spirit. Are you in a constant state of preparedness?

And the final warning, no not a warning but assurance! Assurance Christ gives the disciples is found in verses l8-l9 as He I says, “But not a hair of your head will perish. By your endurance you will gain your souls.”

Jesus is assuring the disciples and us that while we are in this holding pattern, He will be with us giving us the courage, the strength, the confidence to remain faithful to Him in spite of all the hardship or suffering.

Maybe the following story will sum up the kind of relationship we have with Christ in the holding pattern:

A father and his boy of 8 and girl of 10 all good swimmers went for a swim on summer day off the New Jersey seashore. When some distance from shore, they became separated and the father realized that they were being carried out to sea by the tide. He called to the girl, “Mary, your brother and I are going to shore for help. If you get tired, turn on your back. You can float all day on your back. I’ll come back for you.”

Before long, many boats were on the ocean searching for the little girl. Four hours later, they found her far from shore. She was calmly swimming on her back and was not frightened at all. She simply stated, “Daddy said he would come for me and that I could float all day, so I swam and floated because I knew he would come.”

What God says is true, also! He will keep you as Jesus says in Matthew 11:28-30, “Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

In our holding pattern, in our state of preparedness, Christ is there walking with us easing our burdens, giving us the courage, the spirit to be His witnesses in this world. Because of His presence with us through the means of grace, the Word and sacraments, through the church, His body, we can remain faithful and at ease with the sure confidence if Christ came today, this minute we would be prepared, we would be ready.

Are You Ready?

Lord Jesus Christ, we wish to be ready for You when You come on the last day to take us to Heaven for the everlasting wedding feast.

Lord, you said that no one knows the day or the hour when that will be. Therefore, be with us always so that You may guide our actions, thoughts, utterances and wishes, that they may be good and according to Your Holy Will.

Guide us, guard us, protect us and govern us so that on the last day we will still be in communion with You and we will join the choir of the Angels and Saints in Heaven to forever sing of Your praise and glory.

Give us the courage, strength and grace to build a world of justice and peace, ready for the coming of that kingdom where you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen

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Scripture taken from the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)® Bible, copyright © 1989 the 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. Sermon contributed by Rev. Tim Zingale.
Helping people understand the end times. What Christ’s return really means!

The Daily Prayer for SUNDAY, November 17, 2019

The Daily Prayer

SUNDAY, November 17, 2019

A passage from Forgotten among the Lilies by Ronald Rolheiser: “If the Catholicism that I was raised in had a fault, and it did, it was precisely that it did not allow for mistakes. It demanded that you get it right the first time. There was supposed to be no need for a second chance. If you made a mistake, you lived with it and, like the rich young man, were doomed to be sad, at least for the rest of your life. A serious mistake was a permanent stigmatization, a mark that you wore like Cain. I have seen that mark on all kinds of people: divorcees, ex-priests, ex-religious, people who have had abortions, married people who have had affairs, people who have had children outside of marriage, parents who have made serious mistakes with their children, and countless others who have made serious mistakes. There is too little around to help them. We need a theology of brokenness. We need a theology which teaches us that even though we cannot unscramble an egg, God’s grace lets us live happily and with renewed innocence far beyond any egg we may have scrambled. We need a theology that teaches us that God does not just give us one chance, but that every time we close a door, he opens another one for us.”

Thank you, Lord, for the many ways you watch over and protect us in the course of the day. As you shelter us, show us also how to provide physical and spiritual shelter for those we encounter today. Amen.

Verse of the Day SUNDAY, November 17, 2019

Psalm 119:105 (NIV)

   Your word is a lamp for my feet,
     a light on my path.

Read all of Psalm 119

Listen to Psalm 119

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Un dia a la Vez - Domingo 17 de Noviembre de 2019

Cuando Dios produce los cambios

Escucha, hijo mío; acoge mis palabras, y los años de tu vida aumentarán. Yo te guío por el camino de la sabiduría, te dirijo por sendas de rectitud.

—Proverbios 4:10 (NVI)

Como hijo de Dios, no te debes preocupar, ni tienes que dudar, ni temer. ¿Por qué? Porque es muy diferente cuando las situaciones de la vida se presentan con el sello de Dios. Es como cuando compras un auto de lujo y sabes que no te dará ni un dolor de cabeza. O cuando compras confiado un aparato electrodoméstico de una marca reconocida porque sabes que tendrás en casa lo que cuesta en calidad y en garantía. Mejor aun, es cuando tu Padre celestial te llama a un cambio.

A cada momento, Dios nos muestra esferas de la vida que están podridas. Sí, eso es, suena feo y horrible, pero es verdad. Nos están contaminando y serían capaces de infectar a las personas que nos rodean.

He visto también que cuando Dios tiene un llamado, prepara nuestros corazones para cambios en la vida. Quizá sea dejar un trabajo secular para servirle al cien por cien en la obra. Esto atemoriza porque queremos sentirnos seguros. Entonces, cuando no vemos nada fijo, podemos dudar. Sin embargo, debes saber que los cambios son necesarios y determinantes para nuestro futuro.

Cuando dejamos todo en las manos de Dios, no hay problema, pues Él no se equivoca. Sabe lo que es mejor para cada uno de sus hijos y ve las cosas de otra manera, pues conoce el futuro. Así que no te resistas cuando sientas un llamado al cambio. Dios tiene el control y no hay nada más maravilloso que servirle a Él que es el mejor jefe.

Un Día a la Vez Copyright © by Claudia Pinzón
Como hijo de Dios, no te debes preocupar, ni tienes que dudar, ni temer. ¿Por qué?

Standing Strong Through the Storm - Sunday, November 17, 2019

TRANSFORMING INITIATIVES

But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles.

—Matthew 5:39-41 (NIV)

When we read these verses about non-violent resistance we usually think this is a defensive directive of Jesus. For example, a leading church bishop in Nigeria, amidst severe Muslim-Christian conflict, has repeatedly been quoted in the press as saying, “We have turned the other cheek so many times, we have no more cheeks to turn!” This statement is often repeated by young people in the conflict zones of Nigeria who have become frustrated by Muslim attacks.

Palestinian Christians involved in peace, reconciliation and non-violence movements have helped me see this teaching differently. When Jesus teaches about “turning the other cheek,” it was an offensive—not a defensive—act of peace using a culturally relevant example of His day. A person who slapped another on the cheek normally used the back of the right hand as an act of insult by a superior to an inferior. Thus, by turning the “other” cheek, the one hit (the perceived powerless person) takes an initiative to force the aggressor to now return the swing and hit his face a second time. This time the “hit” must be with an aggressive open palm or fist thereby transforming the nature of the relationship. Very counter-cultural.

The Christ-like response of turning the other cheek says the person does not assume the inferior place of humiliation the striker had in mind but views himself as an equal. The supposedly powerless person has redefined the relationship and forced the oppressor into a moral choice: escalate the violence or respond with repentance and reconciliation.

Other transforming initiatives are to give your cloak when sued for your tunic and to carry a load for two miles for a person who can legally demand that you carry it for only one mile.

We all must seek “transforming initiatives” within our own particular context.

In the sixteenth century a renegade group of Christian leaders rebelled against their own religion. These dissenters called for the church to separate from the state and to reject all forms of violence. They waged their war with weapons of peace, and many died for their radical cause of calling Christians back to the way of Christ.

Known as “Anabaptists,” they dared to think that Jesus should be taken seriously when he taught his followers to turn the other cheek, love their enemies, and do good to those who hate them. These “Inglorious Pastors” paved the way for all to lay down arms and acts of violence even at the expense of our own lives and liberties.

RESPONSE: As a peacemaker for Jesus, I will seek out “transforming initiates” wherever I see conflict.

PRAYER: Lord, give me the attitude of Your peace and Your methods of not resisting an evil person that will prompt repentance and reconciliation.

Standing Strong Through The Storm (SSTS), a daily devotional message by SSTS author Paul Estabrooks. © 2011 Open Doors International. Used by permission.

LHM Daily Devotions - November 17, 2019 - The Day Is Surely Drawing Near

"The Day Is Surely Drawing Near"

Nov. 17, 2019

"The day is surely drawing near When Jesus, God's anointed, In all His pow'r shall appear, As judge whom God appointed. Then fright shall banish idle mirth, And flames on flames shall ravage earth, As Scripture long has warned us.

"My Savior paid the debt I owe, And for my sin was smitten; Within the Book of Life I know My name has now been written. I will not doubt, for I am free, And Satan cannot threaten me, There is no condemnation!"

The last day! Children know all about last days—the last day of school before summer or the last day before the Christmas break. Adults, too, may eagerly count down the days (and hours) until the last day of work before a long-anticipated vacation. Our hymn celebrates a very different last day: the Last Day. The "day is surely drawing near" when God will bring life on this earth—life as we know it now—to an end, the day when Jesus, God's Anointed, will return to judge the earth.

We do not always think of Jesus as a Judge. In fact, we may view Him as very non-judgmental, perhaps not in His interactions with the Pharisees and other opponents, but certainly with the many people who received His compassionate forgiveness and healing. As Scripture says, "For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through Him" (John 3:17). Jesus came not to condemn, but to be condemned on behalf of the world, to shoulder the burden of the world's sin and carry it to the cross.

But the Day of Judgment is coming, and God the Father "has given all judgment to the Son" (John 5:22b). The apostle Paul explains that God "has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a Man whom He has appointed; and of this He has given assurance to all by raising Him from the dead" (Acts 17:31). Jesus, the appointed Judge, warned of signs that would alert us to the nearness of that day—wars, earthquakes, persecution, false prophets, a darkened sun and falling stars. On the Last Day, "fright shall banish idle mirth." The day of Jesus' return will be a day of terror for many, but it will be a day of joy—eternal joy—for all who believe in Him, because our Judge is also our Redeemer, who took onto Himself our sin, guilt, and shame, and clothed us in His righteousness.

For all who trust in Christ Jesus, "there is therefore now no condemnation" (Romans 8:1a). Satan can no longer accuse us before God. Our sins were judged and condemned at the cross of Jesus and washed away in His blood. Our names are written in the Book of Life. Today, on that Last Day and for all eternity we are held securely in the hand of the coming Judge, the crucified and risen Son of God, our Savior and our Shepherd.

THE PRAYER: Lord Jesus, You have promised that You are coming soon. We long for the day when we will see You face-to-face and live in Your presence forever. Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!

Reflection Questions:

• What comes to mind first when you think of Jesus?
• What do you think will happen to the universe on Judgment Day?
• Do you believe your name is written in the Book of Life? Why or why not?

This Daily Devotion was written by Dr. Carol Geisler. It is based on the hymn, "The Day is Surely Drawing Near." Use these devotions in your newsletter and bulletin! Used by permission; all rights reserved by the Int'l LLL (LHM).
What comes to mind first when you think of Jesus?

Unser Täglich Brot - Leichte Beute

Leichte Beute

Lesung: Hebräer 2,17-18; 12,1-2 | Die Bibel in einem Jahr: Hesekiel 5—7; Hebräer 12

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Lasst uns ablegen alles, was uns beschwert, und die Sünde, die uns umstrickt. Hebräer 12,1

Vor vielen Jahren hatten Soldaten, die in einem Dschungel kämpften, ein ungewöhnliches Problem. Eine dort wuchernde Kletterpflanze streckte sich ohne Vorwarnung nach ihnen aus und umschlang sie mitsamt ihren Waffen. Sie waren gefangen. Je mehr sie versuchten, sich zu befreien, desto mehr Zweige griffen nach ihnen. Die Soldaten nannten die Pflanze die „Wartet-mal-Klette“, weil sie jedes Mal, wenn sie in ihre Fänge geraten waren und sich nicht mehr weiterbewegen konnten, den Kameraden zurufen mussten: „Wartet mal, ich hänge fest!“

Für Nachfolger Jesu ist es manchmal genauso schwierig, im Glauben vorwärtszugehen, wenn sie von der Sünde gefangen sind. Hebräer 12,1 fordert uns auf: „Lasst uns ablegen alles, was uns beschwert, und die Sünde, die uns umstrickt“ und „lasst uns laufen mit Geduld“. Aber wie gelingt das, wenn die Sünde uns niederdrückt?

Jesus ist der einzige, der uns aus ihren Fängen erlösen kann. Darum wollen wir auf ihn sehen, unseren Erlöser (12,2). Weil der Sohn Gottes Mensch wurde wie wir, weiß er, was es heißt, versucht zu werden—aber nicht zu sündigen (2,17-18; 4,15). Auf uns gestellt können wir von unserer Sünde völlig gefesselt werden, aber Gott will, dass wir die Versuchung überwinden. Nicht aus eigener Kraft, sondern aus seiner, können wir ihre Fesseln lösen und nach Gottes Gerechtigkeit streben (1.Kor. 10,13).

Welche Sünde hat dich fest in ihrem Griff? Was kannst du tun, um davon frei zu werden?

Herr Jesus, schenk mir die Kraft, die Sünde in meinem Leben zu überwinden. Hilf mir, auf deine Kraft zu vertrauen und nicht auf meine, und führe mich den rechten Weg.

Von Cindy Hess Kasper

© 2019 Unser Täglich Brot
Vor vielen Jahren hatten Soldaten, die in einem Dschungel kämpften, ein ungewöhnliches Problem. Eine dort wuchernde Kletterpflanze streckte sich ohne Vorwarnung nach ihnen aus und umschlang sie mitsamt ihren Waffen.