Friday after Pentecost 15
Holy Cross Day
September 14, 2012
The Lord be with you
This coming Sunday is the 16th Sunday after
Pentecost. It is also the Commemoration of Cyprian of Carthage, Pastor and
Martyr. I will post something about Cyprian Sunday. If you have a Jewish
friend, you might want to wish him a happy Rosh Hashanah, which is also Sunday.
Rosh Hashanah is one of modern Jews high holy days (the other is Yom Kippur),
and is the Jewish New Years. It is a time of repentance. Traditional Rosh Hashanah
Greetings are:
1. L'Shanah Tovah Tikatevu
Literal Hebrew to English
Translation: "May you be inscribed (in the Book of Life) for a good
year." This traditional Rosh HaShanah greeting wishes others a good year
and is often shorted to "Shanah Tovah" (Good Year).
2. Gemar Chatimah Tovah
Literal Hebrew to English
Translation: "May your final sealing (in the Book of Life) be good."
This greeting is traditionally used between Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur. It
wishes others well in the new year.
3. Yom Tov
Literal Hebrew to English
Translation: "Good Day." This phrase is often used in place of the
English word "holiday" during the High Holy Days of Rosh HaShanah and
Yom Kippur. Somes Jews will also use the Yiddish Phrase "Gut Yuntiff,"
which means "Good Yom Tov" or "Good Holiday."
But back to what we will be doing Sunday. Our assigned
readings are: Isaiah 50:4-10; James 3:1-12; and Mark 9:14-29. The appointed
Psalm is Psalm 116:1-9 (antiphon v 5). For our liturgy we will be using Matins
(page 219). The opening hymn will be “Lord of Our Life” (LSB 659). The sermon hymn will be “‘Away from Us!’ the Demon Cried”
(LSB 541). The closing hymn will be “Almighty
Father, Bless the Word” (LSB 923).
Our sermon will be titled “Sustained by a Word” and the text is Isaiah 50:4.
We will continue to lift up other Christian denominations
and their leaders in our public prayers. This Sunday we will remember The
Episcopal Church of the United States of America
and their Presiding Bishop, The Most Rev. Dr. Katharine Jefferts Schori. We continue
to pray for our LC-MS missionaries around the world. This month we remember Ginger
Taff-Lagergren, who is in South Africa.
She specifically asks us to petition the Lord to use her to spread His love and
that she would be a help to others with challenges in their day-to-day lives.
We ask the Lord to protect Ginger and keep her in good health, so that she may
serve to her fullest capacity. Finally, we also thank the Lord that Ginger has
answered His call to serve in South Africa.
We will remember the persecuted believers in Syria.
We are all well aware of the civil war being waged in Syria
at this time. You may not be aware that about 10% of the country is Christian
(about 2 million). The civil war is not generally supported by the believers, as
they fear their future will be similar to the Christians in Iraq.
While Assad rule is ruthless, he never declared war on the people of God. The Sunnie
Muslim majority, if in power as the civil war will result in if successful, and
if they follow the patter of such victories, very likely will.
We will also remember, in our prayers, our sister SED congregations:
Matrini, Baltimore, MD;
Nazareth, Baltimore,
MD; Our Saviour, Baltimore,
MD; Pilgrim, Baltimore,
MD; and Holy Lamb, Myrtle
Beach, SC. We will continue to
remember those who have been misled by our cultures acceptance of abortion and advocacy
of sexual immorality, asking God’s grace for their lives that they may be
healed and restored by the Holy Spirit. We will also continue to remember those
trapped in the modern practice of slavery and ask God to bless all efforts that
are pleasing in his sight to end this sinful practice. We will also remember the
Lutheran Malaria Initiative’s effort to end malaria in Africa
by 2015.
Below is a video of “Almighty Father, Bless the Word,” our
closing hymn. It uses the familiar tune commonly associated with the Doxology,
which actually shows up the last verse.
Our adult Bible class
meets at 9:00 Sunday morning. We are
currently in Matthew 27. The chapter has the death of Judas, Jesus before
Pilate, soldiers mocking Jesus, our Lord’s crucifixion, death and burial.
Because we usually read these accounts in light of the other Gospel records, it
is sometimes difficult to hear “Matthew’s voice.” Why did he leave this or that
out? Why did he include this or that? What is Matthew telling us? Such are the
questions we will consider Sunday.
Preview of the
Lessons
Isaiah 50:4-10: This passage is first and foremost
about Jesus and his passion. The final verse is a call to all who are in
darkness to come to him. We notice the strength the word of the Gospel has, and
rejoice that we have that same word.
James 3:1-12: James warns us that not many people should
become teachers (pastors) because the Lord judges them at a higher standard. He
points out how much trouble false doctrine causes. For those who think
Christians become perfect, and therefore do not need to confess their
sinfulness and receive forgiveness daily, I point to the words of James in
verse 2, “For we all stumble in many ways.” James is not even excluding
himself. We must live in the forgiveness of God found in Jesus, or we stray from
the Christian Faith.
Mark 9:14-29:
Jesus casts out an evil spirit. The boy had symptoms that seem like grand mal
seizures. This does not mean that everyone with such symptoms is demon
possessed. It means that demons can mimic real medical conditions. When the
disciples ask Jesus why they were unable to cast the demon out, Jesus responds
that “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer.” It is interesting
that Mark does not record Jesus as praying. This might reflect the same
theology in Luke 18:1, “And [Jesus] told them a parable to the effect that they
ought always to pray and not lose heart.” Our life should be a life of prayer
in all we do. As St. Paul puts it in Colossians 3:17, “And whatever you do, in
word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God
the Father through him.”
Tidbits
- Church Council will meet after the worship service, Sunday
- Our Greek Club will meet Monday.
- We are sponsoring a Pancake Breakfast, Saturday, October 27, at the Fats restaurant (http://www.superpages.com/bp/Boiling-Springs-SC/FATZ-Cafe-L0006431720.htm) in Boiling Springs, to support the Lutheran Malaria Initiative (LMI). Members are asked to sell tickets for $7.00 (of which $4.00 will go to LMI and $3.00 will go to Fats to cover their costs) for this event. Tickets will be available Sunday. Additional help will be needed in the form of greeters who will also sell tickets at the door and/or accept donations. You can expect more information over the next two months on this blog about our Pancake Breakfast and LMI.
Well, I pray I’ll see you Sunday.
Blessings in Christ,
Pastor John Ricker
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