Brothers and sisters, I encourage you to make use of the opportunity to hear God’s word and to receive the gift of forgiveness He gives through that word and the absolution and the Sacraments. You would also benefit from attending Bible class at 9 am on Sunday mornings throughout the summer.
Let me begin by reminding you that youth will be meeting in the fellowship hall mornings of each day this week, attending a Master Gardener Camp.
On Sunday June 22nd we will be using the liturgy of Divine Service Setting Three beginning on page 184 of the Lutheran Service Book hymnal (LSB). There will be some modification of the service as we add the rite of confirmation to welcome two of our students into communicant membership.
Hymns chosen for the day are #646 Church of God, Elect and Glorious; #816 From All That Dwell Below the Skies; #846 Your Hand, O Lord, in Days of Old; #627 Jesus Christ, Our Blessed Savior; and # 598 Once in Blest Baptismal Waters.
The Scripture readings assigned according to the lectionary are Psalm 3:1-8; Isaiah 65:1-9; Galatians 3:23-4:7; and Luke 8:26-39.
Psalm 3 is indicated to be a psalm of King David, written when he fled to escape his son Absalom who conspired to kill him and seize rule over Israel. David expresses his fear, but then confesses a confidence in God to save him. Salvation belongs to God. We might or might not have human enemies, but we should all be aware of our mutual spiritual enemy, the devil. The devil and his forces try to separate us from God and bring us to eternal spiritual ruin. God is our shield and savior. At any time, even when under attack, we call upon Him to sustain us. In God we have no need to fear.
In Isaiah Chapters 63 and 64, the prophet Isaiah speaks in behalf of the people, asking God to come down from heaven to intercede for them, and rescue them from captivity and those who were oppressing them. In Chapter 65, God gives response to Isaiah. He threatens to punish the people for their disobedience. God describes them as sinners who disobey Him on almost every command and instruction He gives. They follow their own plans. They practice the occult, and worship what God calls unclean, and in pagan places He has forbidden. They don’t repent but arrogantly consider themselves more holy than others. God threatens punishment against the rebels, but promises restoration to a faithful remnant. Ultimately the prophecy points to the restoring work of Jesus.
In the epistle lesson from Galatians 3 and 4, St. Paul speaks of God’s Law as our guardian, designed to act as a barrier set to keep us from harm. But the restrictive, coercive, and accusing aspects of the Law made us feel like prisoners. Jesus comes to set us free from the threats of the Law by fulfilling the Law in our stead. So, we are no longer prisoners, but sons of God. This sonship is because of the forgiveness Jeus earned for us by dying in our stead. We follow Jesus through faith. In reference to eternal salvation, there is no distinction among people. Our nationality, our sex, our social status, none of them matter. Jesus saves each of us through faith. He is our head. He has adopted us believers to be God’s children. Connected to Jesus you are not a slave but a member of His family with access to His eternal inheritance. You can call on God as Father and He will hear you.
In the gospel lesson from Luke 8, Jesus has traveled to a Gentile region on the east side of the Jordan River. There He demonstrates His care for people and His divine power over the spiritual world. Jesus is met by a man possessed and tormented by demons, spiritual partners of the devil. Jesus casts out the demons. They take up residence in a herd of pigs which run down to the sea and drown. When the citizens of the area see the result, they are afraid because they recognize Jesus’ power over evil. The rescued man is urged to tell others the good news of what Jesus had done for him. Maybe not as obvious, in the waters of baptism Jesus has set you free from control of the devil. The salvation Jesus offers gives us all reason to tell others what God has done for us.
Collect: Gracious God, You have prepared for those who love You such good things as surpass our understanding. Cast all our sins and evil desires from us, and pour into our hearts Your Holy Spirit to guide is into all blessedness; 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 questions about schedules or the Scripture readings. God bless you. Pastor Boster
