Septuagesima Sunday, 2022.

Septuagesima Sunday, 2021

 

Pastor Gregory L. Jackson

 

Bethany Lutheran Worship, 

10 AM Central Time 

The Hymn #413        I Walk in Danger                                 

The Confession of Sins
The Absolution

The Introit p. 16

The sorrows of death compassed me: the sorrows of hell compassed me about.

In my distress I called upon the Lord: and He heard my voice out of His temple.

Psalm. I will love Thee, O Lord, my Strength: the Lord is my Rock and my Fortress.

The Gloria Patri
The Kyrie p. 17
The Gloria in Excelsis
The Salutation

The Collect p. 19

O Lord, we beseech Thee favorably to hear the prayers of Thy people that we, who are justly punished for our offenses, may be mercifully delivered by Thy goodness, for the glory of Thy name; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Savior, who liveth etc:

The Epistle

The Gradual

The Lord will be a Refuge for the oppressed, a Refuge in times of trouble: and they that know Thy name will put their trust in Thee; for Thou, Lord, hast not forsaken them that seek Thee.

V. For the needy shall not alway be forgotten: the expectation of the poor shall not perish forever. Arise, O Lord; let not man prevail.

Tract. Out of the depths have I cried unto Thee, O Lord: Lord, hear my voice.

V. Let Thine ears be attentive: to the voice of my supplications.

V. If Thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquities: O Lord, who shall stand?

V. But there is forgiveness with Thee: that Thou mayest be feared.

       

The Gospel              

Glory be to Thee, O Lord!
Praise be to Thee, O Christ!
The Nicene Creed p. 22
Hymn # 479        Zion Rise                     

 

 

The Hymn # 652          I Lay My Sins on Jesus                              

The Preface p. 24
The Sanctus p. 26
The Lord's Prayer p. 27
The Words of Institution
The Agnus Dei p. 28
The Nunc Dimittis p. 29
The Benediction p. 31
The Hymn # 199            Jesus Christ Is Risen Today

 

Prayers and Announcements

• In treatment, Pastor Jim Shrader, Chris Shrader.
• Our country, our elected President, our military justice system.
• Those who spread the Gospel by Word, by art, by voice, by service.

Hans Brorson - "I Walk in Danger." He was a Danish Pietist known for this hymn and often associated with Thomas Kingo and Nicholai Grundtvig. He wrote the ethereal "Behold a Host Arrayed in White" and "Thy Little Ones, Dear Lord, Are We." Over 100 of his hymns are in the Danish hymnal.

 

 

1 Corinthians 9:24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.  25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.  26 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:  27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway. 10:1 Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;  2 And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; 3 And did all eat the same spiritual meat;  4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.  5 But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness.

 

KJV Matthew 20:1 For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard. 2 And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard. 3 And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, 4 And said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way. 5 Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise. 6 And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle? 7 They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive. 8 So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first. 9 And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny. 10 But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny. 11 And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house, 12 Saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day. 13 But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny? 14 Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee. 15 Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good? 16 So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.

 

Septuagesima Sunday

Lord God, heavenly Father, who through Thy holy word hast called us into Thy vineyard: Send, we beseech Thee, Thy Holy Spirit into our hearts, that we may labor faithfully in Thy vineyard, shun sin and all offense, obediently keep Thy word and do Thy will, and put our whole and only trust in Thy grace, which Thou hast bestowed upon us so plenteously through Thy Son Jesus Christ, that we may obtain eternal salvation through Him, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, one true God, world without end. Amen.

Running to Obtain the Prize

1 Corinthians 9:24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. 

People wondered why I took Greek, so impractical, when I went to college. This lesson takes us back to ancient Greece, even before Alexander the Great, concerning games still sponsored - the Olympic Games.

The Greeks loved competitions so much that they stopped wars to engage in games, which were named after the location. There were Pythian games and Olympic Games. The marathon races of today come from the battle against the Persians, when a runner was sent to obtain help for the battle. Marathon was the location of one battle, so the long run became the Marathon and was re-created for the modern Olympics.

Paul is using allegory in this passage. The Christian life is like an athletic competition, not just random movement, but each person competing for that prize.

Today the Olympic Games are being staged in China and the other famous competition is at a football stadium. People are personally involved in both, with certain athletes representing them, one way or another.

I was speaking to my sister-in-law last night, since Augustana alumni are excited about the Bengals becoming famous again. When Christina, Maria, and I were at the school Ken Anderson was the star quarterback who was drafted into the Bengals team. Maria saw Ken often at the college radio station, and I saw him play in the games, dressed in my band uniform.

Everyone identifies to some extent with the star athlete as the winner. I often saw Joe Montana play for Notre Dame. As someone said, "You HAVE to go to a game. There is nothing like it." Much later he spoke at a Walmart meeting and a friend from Ohio was there to gather some stories to take back home.

I used to tell college kids, enamored with their own sports, that athletics were basic to the New Testament. "Really?" Paul is saying there - if we understand the nature of physical competition, then we also understand the Christian life. 

25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.

We could also call this an argument from the lesser to the major. If something is true and obvious to most people, how much more is it true in the spiritual life? It is fascinating to see the athletic ideal expressed in a few words. No one is going to win a race after neglecting the basics, like those runners who drink a lot of water during a race but forget electrolytes drained away - so their legs collapsed from the imbalance in the blood.

So his example is for every man, because the prize can be won. The "corruptible crown" is made from the laurel leaves that signify the victory. (We still talk about laurels in competitions and academics. Oh why did I waste my time learning Greek?) The crown - it is thought - is a reference to Stephanos (Greek for crown), the first Christian martyr - a man utterly faithful to Christ, even as he was stoned to death.

In ordinary life, the crown is valued, but it is corruptible, like the drying leaves of the laurel crown. What Paul addresses is the incorruptible crown, enduring until the end.

Lenski, Corinthians, p. 354

The form of this amologia is exceedingly interesting. The Corinthians are far away, and Paul is in Ephesus. So Paul helps them. He himself conducts this judicial examination which he is pleased to undergo. The questions the Corinthians might put to him, and the doubts that may have prompted these questions with reference to the great principle itself or with reference to the way in which Paul applied this principle in his conduct, Paul formulates for the Corinthians and formulates in such a way that the answers themselves are clearly suggested.

26 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: 

Paul's apostolic authority was questioned by the false teachers and trouble-makers. He always asserted his leadership as something from Christ Himself, and not his own declaration. In any era, the false teachers rest their claims on their own ideas, but Paul taught the truth revealed to him by Christ Himself.

Apostolic authority only came from those who saw the risen Christ and were trained by the risen Christ. The disciples could easily verify Paul's authority by comparing their knowledge with his.

Paul had a lifetime of Pharisaic Judaism, which meant he had knowledge of everything except the treasure of the Gospel, which was there all along. Jesus only had to teach him what he already knew.

I begin Old Testament class by quoting the ultimate authority on the content of the original Scriptures. Jesus, risen from the dead, appearing to the disciples, did this in Luke 24...

Luke 24:44 And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written 

• in the law of Moses, and 
• in the prophets, and 
• in the psalms, concerning Me. 

45 Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures, 46 And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: 47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

That is the one-verse commentary on the entire Old Testament. The purpose of the Old Testament is not to teach history, or personalities, or battles, or covenants, but  to teach the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

So Paul is writing to the Corinthians from Ephesus that he must do his work in a disciplined and sensible way. 

27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

Paul did not hold himself above the others, but as Lenski said, was willing to put himself up for examination. This is all aimed at the soundness of the doctrine - how that is dominant and will always accomplish God's will.

10:1 Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;  2 And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; 3 And did all eat the same spiritual meat;  4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.  5 But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness.