Brothers and sisters in Christ, Labor Day is almost here. The national holiday was originally legislated in 1894 to honor union workers and their contribution to the betterment of the United States. I would encourage you to think of workers as agents of God. He uses all the various vocations and service to neighbors as a means to provide His rich, daily, and fatherly care. Not everyone recognizes our vocations as gifts from God. I encourage you to set aside time to think of all the people who serve you– including family members, neighbors, farmers, designers, factory workers, carpenters, transporters, repairmen, store owners, janitors, teachers, medical personnel, service industry people, and every other level of worker whether known to you or not—and thank God for providing them and using them to take care of your needs and make your life on earth more enjoyable. I also encourage you to attend Bible study and gather for worship Sunday to receive anew God’s gifts of forgiveness.
On Sunday, September 1 we will make a switch in the liturgy to follow Divine Service setting 1 which begins on page 151 of the LSB service book. We will also include a recitation of commandments 7 to 10 along with Martin Luther’s explanations. These can be found on page 321 of the LSB.
Hymns chosen for the day are #697 Awake, O Sleeper; #774 Feed Thy Children; #628 Your Table I Approach; and #691 Fruitful Trees the Spirit’s Sowing.
The Scripture lessons assigned to the day are Psalm 119:129-136; Deuteronomy 4:1-9; Ephesians 6:10-20; and Mark 7:14-23.
Psalm 119 is an acrostic psalm with verses in each section structured to begin with a subsequent letter of the Hebrew alphabet. While other psalms emphasize God’s creative, protective, and redemptive power, Psalm 119 emphasizes pious living and devotion to God’s Word. The Word of God includes His directives on how to live, and it includes His promises to save and restore His people. In each section of Psalm 119, the psalmist reports his response to God’s Word, often asking for further insights and assistance in following the Word. Many people today ignore God’s Word or take it for granted. Instead, as God’s people we should follow the example of the psalmist. Verses 129-136 that we will recite Sunday, were each first written to begin with the Hebrew letter Pe. The psalmist speaks of a desire to know God’s commands, statutes, and decrees, that God would mercifully use them to direct his footsteps, keep him from sin, bless him, and redeem him from oppressive men. He is saddened when God’s word is not obeyed.
The name ‘Deuteronomy’ can be loosely translated as ‘second reading of God’s law’. The tribes of Israel were located on the east bank of the Jordan River ready to enter into the Promised Land of Canaan after forty years of wandering in the wilderness. Most of the older generation that had been released from slavery in Egypt, had died during those forty years. God instructs Moses to speak to the younger generation, to recall and highlight some of the key events in their history, telling how God had rescued them and cared for them, as well as repeating the commands and instructions and the promises God had made to them. They are descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. They are God’s chosen people. But God also knew their rebellious hearts. So, in Chapter 4 God warns His people to listen to the words He commands, and not turn aside. Those who follow His Word will be examples to the neighboring nations. The neighbors will see their works and be impressed by the great God who leads them, and will ask to know more about Him. In a similar way we should not forget God’s word but live according to it and diligently teach it to our children. God’s word is truth, and it is life. Only a fool would ignore it.
The epistle lesson is a portion of Saint Paul’s letter to the Ephesians (on the west coastline of modern-day Turkey). Chapter 4 verse 1 is a good summary of the letter: ‘I, therefore, as a prisoner for the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called’… Paul began his letter with emphasis on the gospel message. Before the foundations of the world God established the plan to rescue the world from evil, to adopt you as His own, and to bring you from darkness to light, and from death to life. All this is already fulfilled for you by Jesus, and is granted to you as a gift received by faith, without any works or merits on your part. God declares you to be a new person, created in Jesus to respond with good works. In Chapters 4 to 6 Paul gives instruction as to what sorts of behaviors are included in walking as one called by God. The instructions include how we should interact as members of the church, how spouses should treat one another, and how children and employees ought to respond to authority. The verses to be read Sunday come from the concluding chapter of the letter. Paul recognizes the evil influences in the world. These is not some generic evil energy, but rather evidence of a very real devil working through people. People aren’t our real enemy; the devil is. In the midst of this evil, Paul urges Christians to stand firm in the Lord, and against the devil’s schemes. The devil and his forces are powerful, too strong for us to oppose on our own. But there is comforting news! Jesus’ death and resurrection are proof that He has overcome the devil’s ways. Jesus turns the devil into a loser. We can stand firmly in the Lord and against the devil as we follow Jesus. Paul uses the image of a Roman soldier and his protective gear to describe the defenses Jesus grants us—truth, righteousness, the gospel, faith, the promise of salvation, and the Holy Spirit. By these means delivered through God’s word, Jesus defends and strengthens us against the devil’s attacks. Let us follow Paul’s example and pray for one another, asking God to continue to defend us against the devil’s attacks until the loser is thrown into eternal prison on the last day.
The gospel lesson is a continuation of Mark Chapter 7 which we began reading last Sunday. Jesus is arguing with the Pharisees and scribes as to what is ‘clean’ and ‘unclean’. The religious leaders had redefined the terms, placing their rules and traditions above the authority of God’s word. Jesus explains that it is not food or human traditions that make us clean or unclean before God. Rather it is the filth that comes out of our hearts that make us unclean. Heart refers to the place where our desires and attitudes begin. As those who have inherited the original disobedience and corruption of our first parents Adam and Eve, our hearts are dark. All kinds of evil things come from within. Those who willfully continue in sin, unrepentant, will be separated from God forever.
We all would be lost if it weren’t for Jesus. He shed His blood and had His perfect life nailed to a cross as an atoning sacrifice. Jesus’ word now makes us clean. He delivers God’s forgiveness to you in the waters of baptism, washing your spirit clean, reconciling you to God. To have a clean heart, you must trust in Jesus. Connected to Him in baptism we are born again and made new. The demands of God’s Law show our need for a Savior. Jesus fulfilled the demands of God’s Law for you, and bore and overcame its curse of death for you. This is great encouragement and comfort for us who are both sinner and saint. Though evil still lurks in our hearts, Jesus has overcome that evil. His Spirit also now lives within you. Read the Word of God. He will strengthen your faith and guide you in the way of Jesus.
COLLECT: Almighty God, You are the Source of all that is just and good. Nourish in us every virtue, and bring to completion every good intent, that we may grow in grace and bring forth the good works of faith; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Please let me know if you have any prayer requests, or any questions about Sunday’s Scripture lessons. God bless you. Pastor Boster
