Brothers and sisters, greetings in the name of our Savior Jesus. I encourage you to be in bible study and worship on Sunday. God’s word commands and encourages His people to assemble to hear His Word and receive His forgiveness.
Sunday, September 8 we will be following the liturgy of Divine Service Setting One beginning on page 151 in the LSB hymnal. As part of our ongoing catechetical study, we will also recite the first article of the Apostles Creed and Luther’s explanation.
Hymns chosen for the day are #797 Praise the Almighty; #841 O Son of God in Galilee; #619 Thy Body Given For Me, O Savior; and #551 When to Our World the Savior Came.
Scripture texts assigned to the day are Psalm 146:1-10; Isaiah 35:4-7a; James 2:1-10, 14-18; and Mark 7:24-37.
Psalm 146 is the first of the so-called “hallelujah” psalms, or translated into English, “Praise the Lord!” It is also structured as an acrostic psalm, each subsequent line originally beginning with a subsequent letter of the Hebrew alphabet. The psalmist praises God for His creative power, the Source and Maker of all that basically exists, and Sustainer of our lives. This same all-powerful God is also merciful, kind and caring of the weak and oppressed. He is faithful; His Word endures forever. So, we should the psalmist in trusting Him and praising Him all the days of our earthly lives. The psalm mentions that God opens the eyes of the blind, referring to His healing ability. This truth is comparable to the gospel reading in which Jesus restores the sight of a blind man. Not everyone will receive healing in this world, but whatever healing does take place comes through Jesus. That should give us all reason to praise Him.
In Isaiah 35, the prophet speaks God’s words, giving images of restoration and rejoicing that foretell the rebuilding God brought to the nation of Judah after their exile in Babylon. Using words to paint a picture, God turns a desert into a lush, water-flowing oasis. In a similar way He turns the struggles and dry times in our lives into the joyous life we will enjoy in heaven. The prophet mentions specifically that the blind will see, the deaf will hear, the lame will walk, and the mute will sing. If you have a physical handicap, you have some idea of how great it will be when the handicap is no more. The prophet is speaking about the transformation and restoration God works in our lives through the gospel of Jesus. Whether we are receiving from God physical healing or spiritual healing, we have reason to rejoice. Isaiah uses imagery of leaping deer to describe that joy as well.
The writer of the New Testament book of James was the half-brother of Jesus. After Jesus’ death and resurrection James became a believer and key leader in the Christian congregation of Jerusalem. In Chapter 2, James encourages Christians to not show favoritism to the wealthy, nor ignore the poor. Instead, we demonstrate our faith and love for Christ with actions that reinforce our words. Any good works we do will not earn salvation for us. Only Jesus has the power and the merit to save us from sin and God’s condemnation. Faith receives and clings to the promises of Jesus. But such good news deserves a response. So, James reminds us, faith without works is dead. Loving each person without favoritism is one of those works.
Earlier in Chapter 7 of Mark’s gospel account, Jesus had been teaching on what is clean and what is unclean, that is, what is acceptable to God and what is not. Specifically, Jesus was criticizing the Jewish religious leaders for making up the rituals they were requiring. Jesus points out instead that it is the evil thoughts of our heart that pollute our relationship to God. Jesus came to clean our hearts by washing in the blood of the cross, and blotting out all our transgressions that we would live for Him. He has restored you to God. In the verses to be read Sunday, Jesus demonstrates His power to restore souls by restoring two people in need, the daughter of a foreign woman, and a man born blind. As the astonished observers said about Jesus that day, ‘He has done all things well.’ Both of these miracles are evidence that God has already entered into His created world and begun restoring the things that sin has broken. One day Jesus will return, and He will finish restoring all things for you.
COLLECT: Lord Jesus Christ, our support and defense in every need, continue to preserve Your Church in safety, govern her by Your goodness, and grant her Your peace; for You reign with the Father 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 Scripture readings. God bless you. Pastor Boster
