Brothers and sisters, Sunday May 12 is designated as Mothers’ Day, a day to thank moms and show them our gratitude. Christian mothers, in particular, are a great gift from God. For many of us, our mothers were the first to tell us about Jesus, as they sang to us on their lap. I encourage you to start the day by taking your mom (or your children’s mom) to church if she is available.
Sunday May 12 is also the seventh and last day of the Easter season. (Next week is Pentecost, and the tradition is to count the Sundays during the summer in relation to that festival). We will be following the liturgy of Divine Service Setting Three beginning on page 184 of the LSB hymnal. Hymns chosen for the day are #553 O Christ Our Hope; #768 To God the Holy Spirit Let Us Pray; #622 Lord Jeus Christ You Have Prepared; and #529 Since Our Great High Priest Christ Jesus.
Scripture readings for the day are Psalm 1; Acts 1:12-26; 1 John 5:9-15; and John 17:11b-19.
Psalm 1 uses the imagery of trees to describe those who delight in God’s instruction and avoid evil. They will be fruitful, prosperous, and long-living. They will be blessed and gathered with those right with God. In contrast are those who walk with the wicked, or stand with sinners, or sit with scoffers. (You might notice the increasing engagement indicated—what might begin as casual walking, becomes stopping and standing to chat a bit more, to eventually becoming far too comfortable, sitting and having long conversations with people openly opposed to God’s will. The point is, getting too friendly with sinners can lead to alienation from God). Those who oppose God and His word will be like chaff, the generally useless husk of a grain seed. During harvest, the husk/chaff is separated from the grain and is blown away. In a similar way, the wicked will perish.
The reading from Acts reports on some of the events that took place soon after Jesus’ Ascension. Among these events, the disciples elect a replacement for Judas, who had betrayed Jesus and killed himself in unrepentant despair. After praying for God to guide their deliberations, they chose Matthias, one who had also been a long-time follower of Jesus, witnessing His ministry from His baptism to His resurrection and Ascension. Very little else is known about Matthias. As one of the twelve apostles, he would have joined in furthering the ministry of Jesus, though there are conflicting traditions as to where he served.
In the epistle lesson, John concludes his letter by once again assuring Christians that Jesus is the Son of God, and that He gives life to those who follow Him. We are often skeptical of testimony. We are aware of court cases where two people, each claiming to be witnesses, give opposing testimony. But the testimony about Jesus is given by God Himself. To doubt what God says, is to call Him a liar. John has written to the Church, that you would be able to hear the testimony of God, believe in His Son Jesus, and have eternal life through Him. Do not leave the Church to follow the false teachers of the world who deny Jesus’ divine identity and saving work.
The gospel lesson taken from John 17 is a portion of a prayer Jesus spoke on the evening before his betrayal, arrest, and crucifixion. Sometimes called the High Priestly Prayer, Jesus acknowledges that He is approaching the climax of His earthly ministry. After a short while He would also be taken from the apostles’ sight. He asks God the Father to protect the apostles from the hateful world. And He prays that God would seal them in holiness, sanctified and set apart to preach the truth about Christ and His ability to save us from sin. Beyond the verses we will read Sunday, Jesus goes on to pray for those who hear the word of the apostles, (people like you and me) that we too would believe and be saved.
COLLECT: O Jesus Christ, King of glory, Lord of hosts, uplifted in triumph far above all kingdoms, do not leave us without consolation but continue to send us the Spirit of truth whom You promised from the Father, for You live and reign with Him and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Please let me know if you have any prayer requests or questions about Sunday’s readings. God bless you. Pastor Boster
