Trinity 15, 2024.

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Bethany Lutheran Church, Springdale Arkansas

The Fifteenth Sunday after Trinity

Pastor Gregory L. Jackson

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The Hymn #345                       Jesus Lover of My Soul                                                

The Confession of Sins
The Absolution
The Introit p. 16

Introit

Bow down Thine ear, O Lord, hear me: O Thou, my God, save Thy servant that trusteth in Thee.

Be merciful to me, O Lord: for I cry unto Thee daily.

Psalm. Rejoice the soul of Thy servant: for unto Thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.

The Gloria Patri
The Kyrie p. 17
The Gloria in Excelsis
The Salutation and Collect p. 19

Collect

O Lord, we beseech Thee, let Thy continual pity cleanse and defend Thy Church; and because it cannot continue in safety without Thy help, preserve it evermore by Thy help and goodness; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, who liveth, etc.

Gradual

It is better to trust in the Lord: 

than to put confidence in man.

V. It is better to trust in the Lord: 

than to put confidence in princes. 

Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

V. O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise, even with my glory. Hallelujah!

The Epistle and Gradual       

The Gospel              

Glory be to Thee, O Lord!
Praise be to Thee, O Christ!
The Nicene Creed             p. 22

The Sermon Hymn #396                           O For a Faith                                

Take No Thought

The Communion Hymn #467           Built on the Rock - Grundvig

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 #54                   Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah

                         

Announcements and Prayers

• The flowers are from the parsonage garden.
• Medical care - Sarah Buck, Lori Howell, Pastor Jim Shrader and Chris, Kermit Way, Callie and her parents. 
• Presidential debate on Tuesday.

People ask about our Holy Communion.

Roman Catholics put an emphasis on the ordained priest. The presence of the priest validates the communion service. The forgiveness is partial; the elements become only the body and blood of Christ. The priest and his ordination make it effective.

Calvinists reject Baptism and Communion as sacraments. The elements remain bread and wine and do not convey forgiveness. Calvin mocked the Real Presence.

Lutheran Biblical teaching shows what 1 Corinthians 10:16 reveals. The Body of Christ is with the bread through the Consecrating Word; the Blood is with the wine through the consecrating Word. The Word is always effective.

Distance does not attenuate or weaken the power of the Word, which is always divine. When Jesus multiplied the loaves and fish through His Word, the 5,000 families were stretched across the grassy oasis. Nevertheless, these miracles showed Jesus could create this miracle for the entire crowd. If the liturgy, hymns, creed, readings, and sermon are effective, then how could the Words of Consecration be ineffective? Those who agree with the Augsburg Confession are one with us and are welcome to join the distribution - after God's Word has consecrated the elements for those who hear and believe.

KJV Galatians 5:25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 26 Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another. 6:1 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.  2 Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. 3 For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.  4 But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.  5 For every man shall bear his own burden.  6 Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things.  7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.  8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.  9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.  10 As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.

KJV Matthew 6:24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. 25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? 26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? 27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? 28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: 29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? 31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. 34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

FIFTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY

Lord God, heavenly Father, we thank Thee for all Thy benefits: that Thou hast given us life and graciously sustained us unto this day: We beseech Thee, take not Thy blessing from us; preserve us from covetousness, that we may serve Thee only, love and abide in Thee, and not defile ourselves by idolatrous love of mammon, but hope and trust only in Thy grace, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, one true God, world without end. Amen.

Take No Thought

KJV Matthew 6:24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

Most people know this passage, because it is part of the wide-ranging Sermon on the Mount. Mammon is not mysterious. It goes beyond the necessities of life. I heard about one woman who said to her relatives, "Come to my house, so you can drool over my new kitchen." 

Mammon is a word for wealth, and it is used in Luke as well. I remember a TV minister quoted his financial advisor saying, "I want you to have WEALTH!" That term mammon often works like a teeter-totter, used to hurt other kids in the olden days, by getting off at the bottom. This minister caught the vision of wealth - he stole an entire church. He was not going to use it, but he wanted possession of it and grabbed it illegally - without any remorse. One thing no one wants now is an enormous church building with very few attending. Watch the Facebook pages for churches selling fabulous audio-video equipment for their extra church "campuses."

That obvious conflict seems to fit this saying perfectly. The goal is not the Gospel but the appearance of success, desiring what others have that is measurable.

Serving God is the opposite of coveting what others have. My plumbing was being fixed up. Some workers were enchanted by the special wooden shelves I had from Arizona. The shelves were 12 feet across, but now are 6 feet wide, due to lack of space. They were happy to get the missing half from the garage. My friend from Moline has no cost no limit garage sales, which we copied for everything. Bible John just picked up a crate of small KJVs - 24 - for children.

It is fun to acquire and even more fun to share. A German saying, "Shared joy is doubled joy."

25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?

Our nature is to worry about things, even though God manages our lives with the Savior Jesus sending His angels to watch, protect, save, and heal. If you have not experienced this many times over, then you are not paying attention. It is clear in raising children but less likely to be appreciated among adults. 

26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?

Birds make it difficult to ignore their complicate behavior and their care for their children. One pair of blue jays built a nest outside our window in Bella Vista. Soon there were eggs and then the tiny hatchlings. We set up a small ladder inside so everyone could watch. Jays are ferocious protectors of their nests, but this pair watched calmly when I came outside to feed them sunflower seeds. Soon the little ones were flapping their wings. Who taught a skill only recently used in human flights? Once strong enough, the birds took flight and left us.

Some people are afraid of the aggression of blue jays. Maybe that is because they yell and flap their arms around to escape from the dive bombers. However, when seeds are sown for them, they will issue a beautiful bell-like sound.

Jesus, the Lord of Creation, teaches us that the birds seem to have nothing and yet God provides for them with abundance. I grow Poke weed because the prolific berries are the favorite food for 61 species of birds, which expand their food supply wherever they perch. Poke is 9 feet tall and loves the sun. Wild strawberries are ground level and also thrive from the birds airlifting the seeds and planting them from stumps, limbs, and bushes. They bloom in the shade and fill in the places between plants.

27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? 28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: 29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

I was out in the garden, looking for flowers for today. One bloom is Queen of Sweden. Others are Knockouts, pink and red. I walked over to the butterfly garden and saw a massive display of Russian sunflowers - hundreds of tiny yellow blooms, neglected all summer, except for the sun.

Another aspect of tiny flowers - like Alium (garlic) is their attraction to a wide variety of butterflies and insects. 

30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? 31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

This is the Jewish comparison, from the lesser to the greater. If herbs and flowers cover the earth, for medicine, food, and beauty, how much more important are God's own people? Much of the malignant problems around us are from the basics of God's Creation. If we believe, then we know that God is answering even before we ask. Whatever we do ask is multiplied by God.

33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. 34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

This is - of course - the righteousness of faith, not the righteousness of works. Trusting in God gives us access to His grace.

KJV Micah 7:18 Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy. 19 He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea. 20 Thou wilt perform the truth to Jacob, and the mercy to Abraham, which thou hast sworn unto our fathers from the days of old.

Trinity 14 -2024. The Ten Lepers

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The Hymn #56   Jesus Came the Heavens Adoring                 

The Confession of Sins
The Absolution
The Introit p. 16

Introit

Behold, O God, our Shield, and look upon the face of Thine anointed: 

for a day in Thy courts is better than a thousand.

Psalm. How amiable are Thy tabernacles, 

O Lord of hosts! My soul longeth, 

yea, even fainteth, for the courts of the Lord.

The Gloria Patri
The Kyrie p. 17
The Gloria in Excelsis
The Salutation and Collect p. 19

Collect

Keep, we beseech Thee, O Lord, Thy Church with Thy perpetual mercy; and because the frailty of man without Thee cannot but fall, keep us ever by Thy help from all things hurtful and lead us to all things profitable to our salvation; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, who liveth, etc.

The Epistle and Gradual 

Gradual

It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord: 

and to sing praises unto Thy name, O Most High.

V. To show forth Thy loving-kindness in the morning: 

and Thy faithfulness every night. Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

V. Praise waiteth for Thee, O God, in Zion: 

and unto Thee shall the vow be performed. Hallelujah!

      

The Gospel              

Glory be to Thee, O Lord!
Praise be to Thee, O Christ!
The Nicene Creed             p. 22

The Sermon Hymn #457    What a Friend We Have in Jesus
  

Thankful

The Communion Hymn #224      Come Holy Ghost, God and Lord

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 #198                 He's Risen

Announcements and In Our Prayers

• Enzo Meyer is in his fourth year at Grand Canyon University campus in Phoenix.
• Diagnosis and treatment - Lori Howell, Sarah Buck, Pastor Jim Shrader and Chris, Kermit Way,

KJV Galatians 5:16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. 18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. 24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

KJV Luke 17:11 And it came to pass, as he went to Jerusalem, that he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. 12 And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off: 13 And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us. 14 And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed. 15 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, 16 And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan. 17 And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine? 18 There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger. 19 And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.

Fourteenth Sunday After Trinity

Lord God, heavenly Father, who by Thy blessed word and Thy holy baptism hast mercifully cleansed all who believe from the fearful leprosy of sin, and daily dost grant us Thy gracious help in all our need: We beseech Thee so to enlighten our hearts by Thy Holy Spirit, that we may never forget these Thy blessings, but ever live in Thy fear, and, trusting fully in Thy grace, with thankful hearts continually praise and glorify Thee; through Thy Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, one true God, world without end. Amen.

 

Thankful

KJV Luke 17:11 And it came to pass, as he went to Jerusalem, that he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. 12 And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off:

"They treat me like a leper!" - is how this expression is used today. People today are more afraid of being shunned - which is basically a sacrament in America. Some call it the cold shoulder, etc. I was going to mention a rock group favorably when we were having a meal with friends. One young lady said, "Don't criticize my favorite group!" She also made threatening gestures. 

I have experienced this among Lutherans who talk about the Book of Concord and the Augsburg Confession but reject the Chief Article of Christianity, Justification by Faith. They shun me, which I consider a compliment, given their apostasy. 

These ten lepers were shunned and attacked because of their disease. They were frail and sickly, so they banned together in shouting out to Jesus. A crowd was around Jesus because of His miracles. We know there were many miracles. If the apostles did not have the Holy Spirit as their editor, the New Testament would still be in the editing stage today. Thus the New Testament is foundational - sermons about the Old Testament.

The lepers stayed back, because their voices were weak and the crowd avoided them. Crowds continue to be dangerous today as everyone presses toward a goal, an entrance, or escape.

13 και αυτοι ηραν φωνην λεγοντες ιησου επιστατα ελεησον ημας

13 And they lifted up their voices [cheered in unison], and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.

14 And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed. 

The lepers had faith in Jesus Christ. Miracles supported His sermons, which were quite different from the Scribes and Pharisees, who wanted to be pure by the Old Testament Law (minus all the Messianic Promises). Some - like Nicodemus - were encouraged to see Jesus (but by night, one cannot be too careful). The miracles are one way the apostates creep into our brains and dislodge the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, born of the Virgin Mary, miracle worker, preacher of faith in the Holy Trinity, arrested-beaten-tortured on the cross, rising from the grave, speaking to hundreds to confirm His divinity, ascending to Heaven to manage His Kingdom.

This is God's Word - Jesus the Master orders them - Go show yourself to the priests. This is a command, not debatable suggestion. The command to go to the priest was logical for everyone at that time. The priests would intone the right things and try to heal them of their dreaded disease. But on the way to the priests, they were all cleansed (John 15, also cathing, Catherine). They knew this clearly enough, because they could teach one another on the way to the Temple - You are cleansed! You are healthy! You are a different person now! 

They were cleansed, purified by the Word of Jesus Christ.  This is a verse that we should dwell on. It is used in John 15 to describe making the Vine healthy and productive. Cleansing a grape vine or a rose means 1) removing the dead wood, 2) making the plant bear more fruit.

15 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, 16 And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan.

One of the ten not only saw his healing, but also turned back, glorified God with a loud voice and gave thanks. I count many things happening - the miracle revealed, turning back to proclaim his healing to Christ and the crowd, loudly glorifying God, falling on his face in thankfulness, and glorifying God. Through him Jesus was stirring up faith in Him amid the crowd.

17 And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine? 18 There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger. 

This is a rhetorical question. Jesus knew what was happening and asked this statement to emphasize the difference between one with faith and praise, the nine simply enjoying their status. The healing glorified God - the Samaritan returned to thank God for the miracle, the hated outsider, the Samaritan.

19 And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.

Go thy way means - show yourself to the priests so more people know about faith and miracles.

Faith in God produces miracles - that has been mocked by those who only agree with what they un-learned in college and seminary. That mockery has been essential since the dawn of the 20th century, the smoldering frauds starting with attacks on the New Testament texts.

But even now, Christianity has a waterfall of extra Biblical translations - but the KJV outranks them all by individuals. As they say in publishing religious books today, "Even a poorly selling book will reach 3,000 people."

Fuller Seminary genius-ly promoted a hybrid brand: a wee bit of Christianity and a barge full of business slogans. The fools who paid for this nonsense (Church Growth) are senior leaders in their sinking ships, a regular Titanic, pretty on the outside, fatal on the inside.