And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’
It is common to hear concerns for the future these days. There are many things that are worrisome. While a person could say that every generation has had challenges to face, that doesn’t diminish our immediate concerns. There is one thing that can help us, namely, God’s salvation in Jesus.
Even if we should face the terrors of the end of time, we have this promise from God, “And it shall come to pass that everyone who call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Why is this so comforting?
It is comforting because Jesus came into the world to provide a future for us in view of the final judgement. His death on the cross is the full pardon of all our sins. His resurrection from the dead is eternal life for all who believe in Him.
It isn’t that Christians are unconcerned about the world. We are concerned and we try to be helpful to all in need. The difference is that we are comforted by the Gospel and ready for whatever the future may bring.
This is the peace that surpasses all understanding. Above anything that our minds can do, God’s peace guards our hearts and steadies our minds so that we can share this good news, “Everyone who calls on the Lord shall be saved.
Let us pray,
I thank you Lord Jesus for Your great salvation and for calling me to faith. Call all who are in anxiety or terror to repentance and faith in you. Help me to share the Good news of yours salvation with all people as you give me opportunity. I look forward to your promised return. Come Lord Jesus, AMEN.
The Lord’s Prayer
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come,Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven; give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.
5 Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. 6 And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. 7 And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans?
One part of the miracle of Pentecost was that everyone was able to hear the Gospel in their own language. Another part is that the ethnic identity of the speakers didn’t match the familiar language! They were shocked because the ones who were speaking were all Galileans!
One of the experiences that I had while visiting in Russia was being helped by fellow Christians who served as translators for me. Most spoke very good English. They had the expected Russian accent. But, one fellow surprised me. He spoke very good English too, but with a British accent! He explained that he was taught english by a British teacher, so he picked up the British english accent. He understood that this was a little confusing. He assured me that he wasn’t British. He was fully Russian!
The accent of a person who is speaking carries with it a feeling of comfort and connection. The disciples who were given the ability to speak in other tongues were a surprise to those who heard for this reason. They were obviously Galileans by dress and ethnicity, but they spoke clearly and convincingly in other languages. I don’t know if their accent was in keeping with the hearers, but it seems that it could have been that good.
God the Holy Spirit enabled the disciples to speak the Gospel to the people who were from every nation under heaven. This miracle set the stage for the spread of the Gospel that continues to this day.
For God so loved the world that He sent His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life. Jesus offered Himself on the cross for the life of the world. God the Holy Spirit still carries this message to all nations of the earth, in increasing numbers of languages and cultures. This first week of Pentecost we still marvel at this gift and give thanks for the voices who speak the Gospel to us from all nations of the earth.
Let us pray,
I praise you Lord Jesus for the gift of the Holy Spirit who proclaims your Gospel throughout the World through your church. Please grant receptive minds and hearts to those who listen, so that they may repent, believe in Jesus, and be saved. In your name I pray. Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come,Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven; give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.
2 When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3 And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested[a] on each one of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Many years ago I visited the Lutheran Church in Siberia. They joyfully and faithfully shared the Gospel. It wasn’t easy work then, and it isn’t easy now. But, I can’t remember hearing them complain. They talked frankly about the challenges, but without complaint. This impressed me.
One Sunday I was able to visit when they had their church service. The service was a regular divine service with holy communion. The liturgy is the same as most Christians use around the world. In fact, because it was a Lutheran Church, the liturgy was familiar, indeed! Even though the entire service was spoken in Russian, I could understand what they were saying because I knew where we were in the liturgy.
When it came to the sermon, I planned to think about the scriptures noted in the bulletin and pray. To my surprise, they had already made arrangements for me. As the pastor was preaching in Russian, I could hear the sermon being spoken in English by a person who had moved close behind me. That person continued to translate the sermon for me, so that I could hear a voice that I could understand.
Every Pentecost I remember this experience and the wonderful Russian Lutherans whom God the Holy Spirit used on that Sunday to preach God’s Word to me in my own language. As the Holy Spirit enabled the disciples to speak in other languages long ago, He still speaks through believers today so that all may hear the Good News of Salvation through faith in Jesus.
Jesus came into this world to save humanity through His death on the cross and resurrection. This is the Gospel spoken around the world. The familiar voices from whom you hear this Gospel may be pastors, laypeople, Bible Translators, or electronic media. The reach of the Gospel on Pentecost was to the many visitors from around the world who were in Jerusalem. Many of them believed. And through them and the apostles witness then, God continues to reach out to all nations today.
Therefore, we give thanks when we hear a voice we can understand. For, when that voice is heard, we know that God the Holy Spirit is caring for us by sharing the Words of Jesus that give eternal life.
Let Us Pray
Help me, O Holy Spirit, to recognize your presence as I hear the familiar voices you have placed in my life to speak the Gospel to me. Be with parents who teach in their homes, all teachers and especially those who care for children in Sunday school, and pastors as they teach in my church. I ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen
The Lord’s Prayer
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come,Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven; give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.
Then he said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Behold, they say, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are indeed cut off.’
It is bitter when one suffers unjustly. However, is it really any easier to suffer justly when we have done something wrong? Perhaps suffering is just suffering. Suffering justly for what we have done wrong has its own bitterness indeed.
The people of Israel had broken faith with God and because of that they fell under severe judgement. Enemies over powered them and they lost their land. They were taken into exile as slaves. This situation was terrible! Yet, the people were stubborn and wicked. So Ezekiel was called to tell them again and again that they deserved their miserable situation! That must have a been a most bitter message both to speak and to hear.
Why would God send such a message to suffering sinners? God gives bitter rebuke to help sinners who are numb to the truth and refuse to see their sins. God preaches His Law to show us our true selves, and urge us to repent and turn to Him in heartfelt faith. Therefore, though bitter rebuke is present in Ezekiel’s preaching, we find in Ezekiel some of the more wonderful promises of hope. And, in God’s good time the people did return from exile. The Gospel words of the prophet were fulfilled.
We would be very dull if we didn’t see that this was all played out in the life of Jesus. Jesus was cast outside of Jerusalem and cut off from the living when He was crucified. And though Jesus didn’t deserve the death sentence because of His own sin, He willingly accepted our guilt. He took our sins to the cross and suffered our death. Jesus then broke the bonds of the grave and rose from the dead, the first of all who will rise from the dead to eternal life. God calls all people to repent of their sins, believe in Jesus, and have eternal life.
This is the gospel that we need to hear when we are suffering, and especially when we realize that our suffering is due to our own sin. God loves the world, and He cares for us. God loves you. Though the consequences of our sins may sting, they do not overrule the love of our Heavenly Father, the reality of Jesus’ forgiveness, or the power of the Holy Spirit to grant us faith and renewal.
Let us pray
I thank you Almighty God for extending hope to me in the midst of my troubles. I confess to you my sins, and recognize that, like people of old, my suffering is due to my own actions. As you have forgiven me through Jesus, help me to rest in your Love. Grant me increased faith and renewal in my life, O Holy Spirit, that I may be released from my sin and live according to God’s purpose for me. Amen
The Lord’s Prayer
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come,Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven; give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.
17 Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.
When I was a boy, I enjoyed visiting my best friend’s house. The back room of their house was filled with musical instruments. There was a large upright piano, a banjo, banjo mandolin, upright bass, and various ukuleles. I’m sure there were more instruments as well. But, those are the ones that I remember.
My friend’s family was musical, and encouraged their two boys to play music. The music room was the play room. Their approach worked. Both of the boys became professional, accomplished, musicians.
On the way to the music room, there was a living room. It was usually dark and the furniture was covered in plastic. Unlike the back room where we kids played, the living room was clean and quiet. It was a kind of holy place in that house. I don’t remember ever going there. Not once.
To be sanctified means to be holy. To be holy means to be set apart. So, we might start to think that a holy life means that we should be put under a plastic cover and separated from all people. There have been groups in Christianity that have developed a life totally separate from society. During times of great conflict and persecution this is most likely not even a choice. Today, Christians are finding themselves in an increasingly evil age and are separating from the institutions of society that had once been useable for all people, but are no more. So, with this in mind, what does it mean to be sanctified?
Jesus teaches us that being sanctified isn’t simply about separating ourselves from society, per se. You could be a monk and be far from holy! There is one way to be sanctified that that is what Jesus prayed for you. He prayed, “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.”
The Word of God sanctifies us, makes us holy, and separates us from the judgement that will fall upon the evil of this world. God sanctifies us through the person and work of Jesus, who died on the cross for our forgiveness and rose again for our eternal life. God grants us the gift of the Holy Spirit and faith through our baptism to take the Word and make it dwell in our hearts. Through the inspired Word of God we made clean, holy, and daily restored to the image of God in which we were created. This is evident in how we live our lives in faith towards God and Christian love towards others.
Thus sanctified by the Word of God, we are sent out into the world. In our community, in the workplace, and in our social circles, we practice what we have received from Jesus. We don’t copy the world, we live the life of Jesus! To the Christian, it is as if the world were one great music room where we can show the joy of knowing Jesus, sing His praises through our living, and invite others to join in the truth of the Love of God through faith in Jesus.
When I became an adult, I set aside one room in the house as holy… but it wasn’t a living room… we never had a living room that was pristine. We had too many kids! However, we did set aside one room for musical instruments. Drums, guitars, ukuleles, basses, and all sorts of noisemakers were there for all to play. It worked. The kids are all musical. And if that works for music, think how much better the sanctifying Word of God will save the souls in our homes and society as we share the gift we have been given in Jesus, joyfully, and noisily, within our homes.
Let us pray,
I thank you Lord Jesus for praying for my protection through your sanctifying Work and Word. Help me to receive your gifts with thanksgiving, repent of my sins daily, rejoice in your forgiveness, and practice my faith in such a way that all people see you and are saved. In your name I pray. Amen
The Lord’s Prayer
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come,Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven; give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.
15 I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one.
If you knew trouble was coming, what would you do, run towards it, or away from it. At first this would seem to be an easy answer. Run away as fast as you can! Avoiding trouble is a very good response. The first approach to self defense is actually avoiding trouble in the first place!
However, what if I add something to the scenario. If you knew that trouble was coming, and a loved one was in harms way, what would you do? Again the answer is easy. You wouldn’t run away from trouble, you would run towards the trouble. Like the firemen, policemen, and EMTs that ran into the world trade center on 9/11, you would do everything to help those you love.
Jesus didn’t come into the world simply to pick a fight with the evil one. That would have been no contest! However, as terrorists use civilians as human shields today, Satan entered into the world and used humanity as a human shield against God’s judgement. He wasn’t only in the world, but also through temptation and unbelief entered every human heart.
The danger was real, so Jesus didn’t run away. Our heavenly Father loves the world, so He sent Jesus to face the danger of Sin, Death, and Devil. Jesus did this in the real world of flesh and blood when He died on the cross for the sins of the world. Through faith in Jesus and His act of sacrifice, sins are forgiven and the power of Satan is destroyed. Through Jesus’ resurrection from the dead, we are given eternal life.
WIth this in mind, you may have a good idea of why we are still in this world today. Judgement day is being held at bay for a time. Why? So that the Gospel may be preached to all nations. At the right time, according to the perfect wisdom of God the Father, judgement day will come. The dead will be raised, Jesus will judge the nations, and the final separation between good and evil will occur. Until that time, we have work to do!
God, as He sent Jesus to create forgiveness, now sends His church to share the gift of salvation with all people. The world is a dangerous place, but our Lord Jesus who courageously faced sin, death and devil for us, has gives us the same heart of each other. He has given us a courageous spirit that cares for the eternal welfare of our neighbor.
How do we share this Gospel with all nations? We do this as we are united with one another in the body of Christ, His Church! There our talents work together to bring a complete witness in word and deed to our community and to all nations. We face challenges, but we are not alone. For our Lord who is risen from the dead, still leads HIs church, defends us from the evil one, and guides us to eternal life.
LET US PRAY
I thank you Heavenly Father for loving the world and sending Jesus. As my Lord Jesus faced the threats and intimidation of the evil one, grant me faith to trust in Him and follow His example in my life. I ask for your blessing upon my church, that her witness will be courageous and call all people to repent, believe in Jesus Christ and have eternal life. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen
The Lord’s Prayer
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come,Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven; give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.
11 And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one.
We live in a contentious age. We experience this in our own country where the war of words and open conflicts in society continue on a daily basis. Furthermore, we see contention in news reports from around the world where people battle with words and weapons in the most violent ways. We live in a contentious age. Disunity reigns.
It is no wonder that Jesus prays for the unity of His disciples. Jesus prayed for the unity of the disciples who were gathered around Him during His earthly ministry and He prays for the unity of His church of all time. Yes, Jesus prays for you! Against the warring spirit of this age, Jesus prays for our Unity with one another, through God’s name. This true unity is a blessing for us, and the key to success in our calling to share the Gospel of Jesus with all nations.
Because the Gospel is so important for all people, and because our Lord Jesus loves His people, He prays for our protection from the ruin of the present age through disunity. Jesus prayed that we would be kept in God’s name and protected in this present age. When Jesus instituted Holy Baptism, He provided the means for this to happen.
When we were baptized, we were baptized in the Name of God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Through the gift of baptism, we are united with Jesus, and through Jesus we are one with the Father and the Holy Spirit. Thus made one with God, we are daily made one with each other in His church. Through the power of His name, God protects us from the destructive spirit of this age. He allows us to experience the Grace of our Father, the guiding power of the Holy Spirit, and the forgiveness of our Lord Jesus. As we share what we are receiving from God, the warring spirit of this age is overcome by the rule and reign of God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
The disunity of our age, and the attacks of the evil one will rage on in this world. But, we are not discouraged. For we are securely kept by the name of God, the name that we received in our baptism. In the power of that name we live each day, repenting of our sins, forgiving one another, and sharing the Gospel of Jesus with all nations.
And should you have a particularly contentious day, remember this. Jesus prays for you. And find comfort in these words of blessing spoken after each baptism, at confirmation, and now for you; “May God the Father who has given you the new birth of water and the Spirit, and has forgiven you all your sins, strengthen you with His Grace to life everlasting. Peace be with you. Amen”
Let us pray,
I thank you Lord Jesus for showing me what true unity looks like in your perfect life of faith, obedience to my Heavenly Father’s Loving Will to save me, and the gift of the continuing presence of God the Holy Spirit in your church to this day. Strengthen me daily in repentance, and faithful living. Grant me a heartfelt love for others and an appreciation of every gift of unity that you provide. I thank you for the gift of my baptism. AMEN
The Lord’s Prayer
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come,Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven; give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.
YouTube isn’t working well this morning. For some reason it won’t play the video I uploaded. I also post on Odysee.com. Today would be a good day to try out that link if you haven’t already.
14 And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.
God gives us confidence towards Him and this is key when it comes to our praying. How does God give us confidence towards him? He hears us. God answers our prayers. God gives us whatever we ask that is according to His Will.
Of course, here is where we meet the challenge of faith. God gives us whatever we ask that is in accordance with His perfect Will. The challenge is this, we struggle with our imperfect nature, limited understanding, and weak faith.
Therefore in the Lord’s Prayer Jesus teaches us to pray, “Thy Will be done.” What does this mean?
First of all, such a petition in the Lord’s Prayer is a confession of faith in God’s trustworthiness. We can have confidence towards him. God will give us what we need, even without our prayers. Why pray if God will faithfully give us what we need anyway? In confessing this vital truth about God’s trustworthiness our faith is strengthened and we are enabled to pray with confidence.
Furthermore, as we pray “Thy Will be done” we are also praying that God would help us in our weaknesses. We pray that the assaults of the evil one would be broken, our sinful nature would be subdued, and that God would keep us in His Word and faith throughout our lives.
Those who pray according to God’s perfect Will see their prayers answered and recognize the abundant gifts of God’s love around them. As we pray in faith, we are encouraged and have confidence towards God, knowing that God will hear us, give us what we need, and sustain us to eternal life.
If you are praying during a time of trial, sickness or suffering, confident, faithful, prayer is especially important. For such times, remember Jesus. As He died on the cross for the sins of the world, He truly suffered. Yet, His prayer in the the Garden of Gethsemane was not to be spared the cross, but to fulfill the will of God, and the perfect Love of His Father for the world. Through faith in Jesus, the sins of the world are forgiven and we have the absolute assurance of eternal life.
God grants faith to all His saints especially during times of trial, so that we remember in His saving Will in Jesus, and are strengthened in our suffering. Therefore, we pray all the more confidently during times of trial. For as our Lord Jesus is risen from the dead, so shall our Heavenly Father hear our prayers, answer them according to His Will, and at last bring us to everlasting life.
Let us Pray
I thank you Lord for hearing my prayers and granting me the requests that are truly good, those that are according to your Will. Help me to continually grow in faith and prayer, so that when the challenges of life are upon me, I will continue to pray in full confidence of your love for me and all people. I ask this in your name. AMEN
The Lord’s Prayer
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven; give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.
12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. 13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life.
Would you like to know the future? It is tempting. But, there is another side to knowing what tomorrow will bring. What if the future is frightening or sad? In that case, we may prefer to not know anything at all.
We don’t know everything about tomorrow. But, this isn’t simply accepting an “ignorance is bliss” attitude about life. Not at all! We trust in the Lord, therefore, our comfort is in knowing that our future is safely in our Heavenly Father’s hands.
We are at peace and can be optimistic about life in all circumstances because God sent His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus suffered all the terrors of this life for our sake. He took upon His shoulders every heavy burden when He carried our cross and died for our sins. God gave us His Son as a gift through faith so that we will have a blessed future with Him.
What difference does this gift make? God’s Word for today states “Whoever has the Son has life.” Through His servant John, God’s Word goes on to say why telling us this is important. “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life.”
We don’t know the details of tomorrow, but because we have our Lord Jesus, we know our real future. We have eternal life.
This knowledge makes all the difference when fears about tomorrow loom. God gives us courage. We have the gift of eternal life through faith in Jesus. Because of Jesus and His victory for us, we have confidence whatever tomorrow will bring.
Let us pray,
I thank you Heavenly Father for giving me everything when you gave your Son Jesus for my salvation. Strengthen my faith each day so that the fears of life will never rob me of the joy that you have given to me for all eternity. Help me this day to live in faith, courage, and joy as I fulfill the calling you have given to me. In Jesus name, Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer
Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be Thy name,
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven;
give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory
…for the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.
Have you ever met someone you felt that you had known already for a long time? Often, when people have a similar background or come from the same home town, they have so much in common that they feel that they know each other already.
I remember being in the basement of a church. This particular church belonged to a different denomination than my church. Despite being a different denomination, the church felt very familiar. I was comfortable there. At first, it would seem, that the commonality was that the church was founded by German immigrants. The descendants of the founders were still among the members of the church. My church was also from German immigrants. That would account for something. But, there was more.
The main thing that made me feel at home was that the church was a Christian church. Though we had different doctrinal understandings, we had the same God. Jesus Christ was the Savior proclaimed in that church. Despite the differences that I knew existed, I felt that I knew them because I know their Lord Jesus.
If this is true from the perspective of a limited ability to know someone, how much more is this true for God who searches our hearts. Through baptism are welcomed into God’s family through the gift of faith. In this faith we are renewed in our inner bring by God the Holy Spirit. We are taught to know Jesus Christ and His gift to us through the cross for our forgiveness and eternal life. As we grow in faith, we are changed from being God’s enemies into being God’s friends. Jesus Himself called us HIs friends and speaks openly to us in His Word the Bible. Through God’s Word we come to know God, and God helps us so that our lives are no longer confused and painful due to sin. Instead, as we learn to know His ways, we are walking the familiar path of Jesus. His path leads to eternal life.
The way of the wicked will perish, but thanks be to God, …the Lord has placed us on the way of the righteous. Through faith in Jesus, sins forgiven and lives restored, we walk with Him to life everlasting where we will not only perfectly know God but we will at last be perfectly united with each other in the joy of God’s eternal kingdom of all His Saints in light.
Let us pray
I thank you God for your patience, mercy, and grace. You know me and have saved me through your Holy one, Jesus. Help all your children through faith to continually walk in His path to life eternal. Helps us to care for one another and rejoice in this, that you know our ways and lead us to walk in Jesus’ steps. In HIs name, AMEN
The Lord’s Prayer
Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be Thy name,
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven;
give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.
