mclclititz

“An excellent wife who can find?” (Prov. 31:10). The Lord’s love does not search out what is lovely. Instead, His love seeks out sinners and dies for them, washes them clean, and presents them to Himself as a spotless bride (Eph. 5). Christ had no wife on earth; His bride is the Church—the assembly of forgiven sinners rescued by His death and resurrection. Among them is St. Mary Magdalene, one who had come up with Jesus from Galilee to Jerusalem (Acts 13:31). The Lord rescued her from the power of seven demons and she provided for Him out of her means (Luke 8:2–3). Christians have traditionally connected her with the unnamed penitent woman who was forgiven much by faith and thus loved much by anointing Jesus’ feet (Luke 7:36–50). She was there at Christ’s death, present at His burial, and honored as the first witness of His resurrection. She would have clung to Him there in the garden, but the Lord had not yet ascended to His Father and our Father (John 20:16–18) to fill all things (Eph. 4:10). For now He is heard in the Word of His witnesses and is here bodily in His Supper, not just for Mary, but for all penitents who fear the Lord (Prov. 31:30), so that grace may abound all the more (Rom. 5:20).

Jesus’ summer lesson this week is to warn His Church about false prophets who come to destroy the sheep.

Ruth of Moab, the subject of the biblical book that bears her name, is an inspiring example of God's grace. Although she was a Gentile, God made her the great grandmother of King David (Ruth 4:17), and an ancestress of Jesus himself (Mt 1:5). A famine in Israel led Elimelech and Naomi of Bethlehem to emigrate to the neighboring nation of Moab with their two sons. The sons married Moabite women, Orpah and Ruth, but after about ten years, Elimelech and his sons died (Ruth 1:1–5). Naomi then decided to return to Bethlehem and urged her daughters-in-law to return to their families. Orpah listened to Naomi's but Ruth refused, replying with the stirring words: “Where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God” (Ruth 1:16). After Ruth arrived in Bethlehem, Boaz, a close relative of Elimelech, agreed to be Ruth's “redeemer” (Ruth 3:7–13; 4:9–12). He took her as his wife, and Ruth gave birth to Obed, the grandfather of David (Ruth 4:13–17), thus preserving the Messianic seed. Ruth's kindness and selfless loyalty toward Naomi, and her faith in Naomi's God, have long endeared her to the faithful and redounded to God's praise for his merciful choice of one so unexpected.

The lesson from God to us this Sunday is on the Ten Commandments. We will hear of the wonders of this ancient document, and its application to us still today.

Isaiah son of Amoz is considered to be the greatest of the writing prophets and is quoted in the New Testament more than any other Old Testament prophet. His name means “Yahweh *the Lord+ saves.” Isaiah prophesied to the people of Jerusalem and Judah from about 740 B.C. to 700 B.C. and was a contemporary of the prophets Amos, Hosea, and Micah. Isaiah was a fierce preacher of God's Law, condemning the sin of idolatry. He was also a comforting proclaimer of the Gospel, repeatedly emphasizing God's grace and forgiveness. For this he is sometimes called the “Evangelist of the Old Testament.” No prophet more clearly prophesied about the coming Messiah and his saving kingdom. He foretold the Messiah's miraculous birth (Is 7:14; 9:6), his endless reign (Is 2:1–5; 11:1–16), and his public ministry (Is 61:1–3), but most notably his “Suffering Servant” role and atoning death (52:13—53:12). The apostle John's description of Isaiah, that Isaiah saw Jesus' glory and spoke of him (John 12:41), is an apt summary of Isaiah's prophetic ministry.

On Sunday we will hear the story of the miraculous catch of fish, and Jesus’ call to the disciples to leave everything behind and follow Him. “Come, follow Me,” the Savior spake, “All in My way abiding; Deny yourselves, the world forsake, Obey My call and guiding. O bear the cross, whate’er betide, Take My example for your guide.”

Join us on this Fourth Sunday of Trinity as Jesus speaks about suffering and how we are to live in the midst of it.

As we gather on Father’s Day, we remember our dear Heavenly Father, who loves and forgives us. We will hear the story of the rebellious son, who asked for his inheritance long before his father was dead, and wasted his inheritance with riotous living. We will hear of the father’s loving action to win the son back, as well as this being a picture of our gracious Heavenly Father, who, when we were also a great distance off, loved us, planned for our salvation, and did the work to bring us back home. By His grace and mercy we are restored children of God, feasting in the house of our dear Father.

Join us in Bible Class this summer as we work through Pastor Matt Richard’s book, “Will the Real Jesus Please Stand Up?” We will examine the false pretender Jesus’ that are peddled by our culture and that sometimes find their way into our hearts. We will have the opportunity to expose them as sham Christ’s that cannot save or provide comfort, even as we point to the real and only Jesus who can. This week we will examine, “The Mascot,” even as we explore the following thoughts: What is “hedonism” and how is it prevalent in our culture? Is happiness a good goal in life? How does this particular false Christ explain the lawlessness of our culture today?

Having concluded the festival half of the church year, this Sunday we celebrate the first Sunday of second or non-festival half of the church year. In this season we turn our focus from the holidays and celebrations around Christ’s birth and death to the Spirit’s work in the holy Christian Church. On Trinity Sunday we gather to consider the central doctrine of the Holy Trinity. Baptized into the name of the Triune God, we learn more about our Father the Creator, the Son the Redeemer, and the Holy Spirit, the one who brings and keeps us with Jesus Christ.

Fifty days after Easter God caused the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ to be preached by the chosen apostles in a multitude of languages in the city of Jerusalem. The preaching of Christ is the primary work of the Holy Spirit whereby He gathers people from all nations into one Church. The Holy Spirit teaches and brings to our remembrance the words of Jesus. These words bestow forgiveness and peace to those who hold on to them in love for Jesus. Join us this Sunday as we celebrate the Day of Pentecost and the outpouring of the gift of the Holy Spirit.

On this last Sunday of the Easter Season, Jesus speaks of the Spirit to come who will bear witness to a message that a world will not receive. Though the hour is coming when whoever kills Christians will think he is doing God a service, it is by Jesus' suffering and death that we are saved. We rejoice to share in His sufferings that we may also share in His resurrection glory. Come this Sunday as we rejoice to be cleansed from the deceit of our idols and given a new heart and a new spirit, the heart and Spirit of Christ, our risen and ascended Lord!

In this feast we celebrate the first time that flesh and blood sits at the right hand of God. The Jesus who left heaven in humility returns to heaven in great glory. The Ascension does not mean that the Lord has left us, but that the way in which we experience Him has changed. While we no longer SEE Him, He is STILL WITH US IN HIS BODILY PRESENCE, even as His Word is preached and as the Sacraments are administered (Matthew 18:20, 28:20).

This Sunday is also called Rogate Sunday. Rogate means “to ask.” This Sunday is about the gift of prayer that we have because of Jesus giving His life for us on the cross. Free access to our Father in heaven through prayer is a blood bought privilege that we have as those who have been made children of God through Jesus Christ.

Athanasius was born in Alexandria in Egypt in A.D. 295. He served as a church leader in a time of great controversy and ecclesiastical disagreements. At the Council of Nicaea in 325, he defended Christian orthodoxy against the proponents of the Arian heresy, which denied the full divinity of Jesus Christ. During his 45-year tenure as bishop of Alexandria, Athanasius wrote numerous works that defended the orthodox teaching. His enemies had him exiled five times; on two occasions he was almost murdered. Yet Athanasius remained steadfast and ended his days restored fully to his church responsibilities. The Athanasian Creed, though not composed by Athanasius, is named in his honor because it confesses the doctrinal orthodoxy he championed throughout his life.

Athanasius was born in Alexandria in Egypt in A.D. 295. He served as a church leader in a time of great controversy and ecclesiastical disagreements. At the Council of Nicaea in 325, he defended Christian orthodoxy against the proponents of the Arian heresy, which denied the full divinity of Jesus Christ. During his 45-year tenure as bishop of Alexandria, Athanasius wrote numerous works that defended the orthodox teaching. His enemies had him exiled five times; on two occasions he was almost murdered. Yet Athanasius remained steadfast and ended his days restored fully to his church responsibilities. The Athanasian Creed, though not composed by Athanasius, is named in his honor because it confesses the doctrinal orthodoxy he championed throughout his life.

We join Jesus in the Upper Room as He prepares His disciples for His coming departure. Jesus tells them that He will leave in a little while, but that His return also will be in a little while. As those who anxiously await His return, Jesus comforts us tenderly with words that the wait will not be much longer. We are sustained with this thought that soon our waiting will be over, and the time of rejoicing with Our Lord will commence.

We rejoice to come to the services of the Lord’s House this weekend as we celebrate Good Shepherd Sunday. We hear the love that the Good Shepherd had for His sheep that for them He laid down His life.

Thomas heard about Jesus’ resurrection appearance in the Upper Room but was not there to witness it himself. Jesus returns a week later to speak to Thomas, urging him to touch His hands and side, not to doubt but believe. In looking at Jesus we behold what we shall be. Christ shows us the victory over death and corruption that we will have. Those who follow Jesus share a unique hope, the hope of the resurrection of the body and the life of the world to come.