Rescue!

Pray Psalm 18:1-24 (We'll pray the second half of the psalm tomorrow)

David proclaims God's great rescue. He has been rescued from Saul. He has been saved from his many enemies. God is his Rock and Refuge! This psalm is nearly identical with the song of praise he sings in 2 Samuel 22 at the end of his life. What an excellent song and important words to be among his last (recorded) words.

What an example for us. Luther makes the point, "Everyone needs to keep this psalm as an example of how we should thank God for His help when He delivers us out of our troubles." (Reading the Psalms with Luther, CPH).

What excellent words David gives us with which we can praise our Lord: rock, refuge, shield, salvation, deliverer, strength, and more! And ultimately, we know we are saved from the worst enemies sin, death, and the devil, by our Victorious King, the Son of David, Jesus Christ. Another one of my favorite hymns (I have a lot!) "Stricken, Smitten, and Afflicted" borrows David's language from verse 2 to call our Christ, who is on the cross, our Rock of Salvation:

Here we have a firm foundation, Here the refuge of the lost:

Christ, the Rock of our salvation, Is the name of which we boast;

Lamb of God, for sinners wounded, Sacrifice to cancel guilt!

None shall ever be confounded Who on Him their hope have built.

(LSB 451:4, Public Domain)

Read Genesis 19

We have heard David praise God for deliverance, and our soul has rejoiced with him. Now we see God deliver Lot.

The sin of Sodom and Gomorrah was great, and God sent the angels to destroy the cities. But in the midst of all the wickedness, doom, and destruction of this chapter, notice the mercy of God. Even when Lot and his family were delaying too long, the angels "seized" them and forced them outside the city. This was done specifically because God is "merciful" (see verse 16).

Now what was the wickedness of the cities? Well, there were numerous offenses before God. Some conservative Christians only mention the homosexuality. Though that was one of the prevalent sins, there were more. Jeremiah 23:14 says that Israel was becoming "like Sodom" before the Lord, in its idolatry and adultery (and the Bible includes in "adultery" all extra-marital sexual relations). Ezekiel 16:49 mentions that Sodom had excess food and prosperity but did not aid the poor and needy. Isaiah 3:9 speaks of Sodom also being proud of its sin and wickedness.

Are we surprised that God, who has drowned the wicked in the flood, would also burn up the wicked with fire and brimstone? We should not be. Rather, we should be encouraged to turn away from the sin that seeks to get a foothold in our lives and drag us down to hell.

We could talk about many of the details of this chapter, but I think the main points are these:

1) Turn from sin! It is a serious offense to God to go against his commands. Look at the judgment that sin earns! Hear the warning. (God warns Israel not to fall into idolatry, lest they fall into the judgment of Sodom, see Dt. 29:23).

2) Some people are proud of wickedness. Woe to them!

3) Some think that hell and God's judgment (which we are called to proclaim without apology) are just bad jokes - jesting. (see verse 14).

4) Do not long for the wickedness of this world, lest you fall under its judgment (Lot's wife - verse 26).

5) Most importantly - there is rescue from God's judgment. Rescue from God by God. Yes, rescue even for sinners. God rescuing, having mercy, and sparing those who believe in him is clearly seen in verses 16, 18-22, and 29). We know that our rescue comes from the Rock of our Salvation, Jesus Christ. He suffered the fire and brimstone of God's wrath in the darkness of Good Friday. In agony he was cut off from the Father and suffered the eternal torment of hell for us. Then, when all was paid for, salvation accomplished, and God's wrath appeased, this Jesus, stricken, smitten, and afflicted on the cross, cries out, "It is finished!" It is accomplished. It is completed. It is done. We are rescued! Thanks be to God.

Ask Yourself:

Do I hear the warning? Do I seek with God's help to keep myself sexually pure, to aid the poor and the needy, to fear, love, and trust in God above all things?

Do I rejoice like David when I am rescued from trouble and adversity? It's so easy to forget, or to give only brief praise! What rescue can I thank him for today?

Do I admonish those around me that they might repent of sin and receive forgiveness from Christ?

Pray:

Pray from your heart today. Ask God to purify you, to burn away your sin, and to live holy lives for Him. Ask Him to give you the right words at the right time that God would lead others to repentance and faith through you. Ask Him to be your Rock and Refuge, now and all throughout life, especially at the hour of death.

Study with me tomorrow,

Pastor Jon

Soli Deo Gloria!

More Laughing...

Opening prayer: Psalm 17:6-7

⁶ I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God;
incline your ear to me; hear my words.
⁷ Wondrously show your steadfast love,
O Savior of those who seek refuge
from their adversaries at your right hand.

Read Psalm 17

Quote from Luther: "The 17th psalm is a psalm of prayer. It laments over the false teachers and the scrupulous saints who, by human doctrines and works, lead people away from God's Word. They persecute the true doctrine and hate the cross of Christ." Reading the Psalms with Luther, CPH.

This quote reminds me of one of my favorite hymns, "The Church's One Foundation." A few verses speak to the hardships God's people must endure from within and from without, and then assure us of God will preserve his people:

Though with a scornful wonder The world sees her oppressed,
By schisms rent asunder, By heresies distressed,
Yet saints their watch are keeping; Their cry goes up "How long?"
And soon the night of weeping Shall be the morn of song.

Through toil and tribulation And tumult of her war
She waits the consummation Of peace forevermore
Till with the vision glorious Her longing eyes are blest,
And the great Church victorious Shall be the Church at rest.

(LSB 644:2, 3; Public Domain)

Read Genesis 18

Today Sarah laughs. I think this laughing is memorable because of the discussion with the Lord afterwards about whether she really laughed or not. But let us not forget that Abraham himself laughs a chapter earlier. Surely the news was shocking! But yet, here the 3 visitors are, and they bring incredible news.

Abraham quickly shows that he is blameless, upright, and righteous before the world by offering incredible hospitality to the strangers. Not right away, but at some point he realizes that he is visited by the Lord God Himself. In verses 1 and 10 we see the visitor is called LORD. Whenever we see LORD in all capital letters this tells us that in the Hebrew, God's name, Yahweh, was used. Then in verse 14 we see God (the visitor) refer to Himself as the "LORD." We can be sure that at this point Abraham realized who the visitor was, if not sooner.

God renews his promise, and within a year they would have a son. How exciting! The time of waiting is near an end. Soon, in a matter of months, Sarah's barren womb would feel the movement of a new and growing life inside. And more than just another life, this is the one who would be ancestor to the Messiah, who would carry the promise in his bloodline! Salvation is being produced (eventually) through an empty womb - life from death. God is a worker of miracles!

Then we have a switch in the tone of the reading and Abraham and the LORD are left to discuss the fate of Sodom and Gomorrah. The 2 angels traveled on to Sodom and Gomorrah to verify that there is terrible wickedness there. We'll hear more about that tomorrow. But now, Abraham petitions the Lord to be merciful.

Here we learn from Abraham that we are to be humble before the Lord, recognizing as Abraham did that we are "dust and ashes." But we know that we can also be bold in prayer. Abraham gets bolder in his requests, even as he is persistent in petitioning the Lord. Oh, that we were that bold and persistent in prayer! Lord, give us faith like Abraham, so that we can approach you with such humility and such boldness!

In the end we will see just how wicked Sodom and Gomorrah are. Not even 10 will be found who are righteous before the Lord - even when counting Lot and his family. But more on that terrible judgment tomorrow. For now, let us be inspired by Abraham's faith, and a gracious and merciful God who renews His promise and even shows up at Abraham's tent to prove His (the Lord's) faithfulness. Thanks be to God!

Ask Yourself:

Where do I see schisms and false teaching in the church today? Am I grieved by it? Do I do what I can to counter it?

Am I humble before the Lord, recognizing that I am nothing on my own and God owes me nothing for my sake?

Am I bold before the Lord, recognizing that I am precious to him because of Jesus, and God gives me wonderful promises by grace through faith in Jesus?

Pray:

Lord Jesus, true Shepherd and Defender of Your people, grant us wisdom, strength, and patience - wisdom to know and to walk in the way everlasting; strength to resist all temptations of error and sin, and to boldly confess Your truth before men; patience to bear the cross without murmuring, and gladly to suffer with You that we may also rule with You. Amen.

Study with me tomorrow,

Pastor Jon

Soli Deo Gloria!

More Signs

Another week begins in God's mercy and favor. We had our day to "hear preaching and his Word," as Luther instructs in his explanation of the 3rd Commandment. Now we are off on our busy week. I'm glad you took a few moments to focus in what is most important today. God will hear your prayers, and he will speak to you through his Word!

Read Psalm 16

This psalm is included in one of a pastor's resources called the Commendation of the Dying. The short devotion is a preparatory rite that commends the dying person into the Lord's hands. The rite is a great comfort to the dying person as well as all the family gathered around because through it the pastor delivers absolution, the assurance of eternal life, and peace through the Good News of Jesus Christ.

This psalm is included in that rite because it speaks about the most important issue: faith. Are we going to keep the 1st Commandment, which is kept only by faith? Or are we going to participate in idolatry? As we pray Psalm 16 (whether on our death bed or any other time) we are reinforcing our Christian walk of faith. We will not participate in idolatrous sacrifices (libations of blood). We will not participate in the sorrows (and ultimate damnation) of those who run after other gods. Neither will we misplace our trust. Rather, trusting in our Savior, we have an inheritance promised to us by the One True God. Therefore, we will not be shaken. We are glad and rejoice - yes, even while dying. For us there is fullness of joy and eternal pleasures! No wonder this psalm is in the Commendation of the Dying. What peace and comfort it contains! What encouragement to believe when this life is at its close! We, his holy ones, will not see corruption. Though our bodies die, yet shall we live. Yes, our souls will live on with the Lord, but (even better than that) our bodies also will rise again on the a Last Day! Then we will forever be with the Lord and with fellow believers in the New Heaven and New Earth.

And how is that possible? Because of Christ, the Holy One. He was not abandoned to the grave, nor did his body see decay and corruption (16:10). Though he died and was buried, death could not contain him. The grave could not keep him. Not even hell could hold him. But he rose from the dead! And because he rose, we too will rise. We are united with him in our Baptism, and therefore we will be united with him in a resurrection like his. Thanks be to God!

Read Genesis 17

We left poor Sarai in a terrible state on Saturday. She was waiting and wondering if indeed God would keep his promise to Abram, and if God would indeed use her to bear the child. She would have to wait another fourteen years before she would bear Isaac (this is a correction from Saturday when I said it was 13 years).

But now the time is near, only 1 year away! And God reassures Abram that he would be a great nation, and that it would be his wife Sarai who would bear the son.

God is gracious to give them some reminders, some signs. One sign is a name change for both Abram and Sarai. Abram is renamed Abraham. Now every time someone calls his name, he will be reminded that he will father a multitude! What a great reminder. The best I can tell, the meaning of Sarai's name is not changed when she is now called Sarah, but we could argue that the different pronunciation will effectively remind her that God has renewed his promise and has expressly included her.

Then God gives another sign: circumcision. What a weird sign! But whatever we might think about the strangeness of it, it sure was an effective reminder. St. Paul tells us that this circumcision was a seal (a ratifying and reminding) of the righteousness that Abraham already had by faith (Romans 4:11; Genesis 15:6). This is how God's people would be distinguished.

And maybe the sign is not in an immediately visible spot (hopefully) so that it resembles faith. You can't always tell by looking at a person if they believe or not, but in truth they either belong to God or they don't. There is no middle ground. You are God's, or you are lost.

But notice that provision is made not just for Abraham and those who are in the ancestry of the Messiah. No, there is provision not only for those born into Abraham's family, but also for those bought or otherwise acquired as well. You see, through Abraham all families of the earth shall be blessed. There is room for all to be included in the promise of righteousness by faith.

Still today God is in the business of including others into the promise. Not just for Jews, but salvation is also for Gentiles, as the Gospel is proclaimed to the ends of the earth. And we get to be part of that! How exciting.

Through Jesus all the families of the earth are blessed, and we get to share Christ as we interact with people and families of all kinds. What a privilege!

Ask Yourself:

How do we fail to fear, love, and trust in God above all things?

What can I do today, rather, to keep the 1st commandment? How will I commend myself into his hands?

What reminders has God given me of his promises? What reminders can I create for myself?

What more can I do to extend the salvation of God to all people?

Pray:

Pray from your heart today, that God would strengthen you today to walk in righteousness by faith. Ask him to help you keep him as the number one priority in your lives. Ask him to remind you of all his gracious promises. Then ask him to be with those who are near the end of this earthly life, that God would protect and preserve them, and enable them to face death boldly by faith, knowing that they have their inheritance.

Study with me tomorrow,

Pastor Jon

Soli Deo Gloria!

Really?

May the Lord give us a Spirit of wisdom and understanding today as we study his Word.

Read Psalm 15

Quote from Luther: "The 15th psalm is a psalm of instruction that teaches the true understanding of the Law, the truly good life, and true good works. These are all fruits of the Spirit and of faith: to live blameless before God through true faith, to do right to the neighbor, and to turn away from the evil ways and from the hypocrisy of the ungodly, by which they serve God with fraudulent works and omit the true works." Reading the Psalms with Luther, CPH.

Read Genesis 16

It seems as if Abram and Sarai are having a hard time believing that he is going to keep his promise in the most literal way. Yesterday we read that Abram tells God that Eliezer was set to be his heir. God says that this man would not be the heir, but Abram's own son. I wonder if Sarai heard that and then thought, "God said that the heir would come from Abram's own body, but will the heir come from my own body too?" She wants the covenant and promise to be true, but she doubts that God could use her to do it.

So Hagar enters the scene. This causes so much grief for everyone, and so many problems! If only they had trusted and waited! But now Hagar is cruel to Sarai, and Sarai worse to Hagar, Hagar flees, is told to return by the Lord, she obeys, but the problems continue, as we'll see.

God promises to Hagar that she will bear a son, and his descendants will be a "multitude." A similar promise was given to Abram, but in this promise to Hagar we see no promise of the Messiah. Ishmael is not the chosen offspring.

Still, those who are not the chosen offspring can still dwell in peace, trusting in the promise of the coming Messiah. But not Ishmael. He would be a "donkey" of a man, a source of contention. A poor decision by Abram (probably aided by the weakness of his flesh) causes a multitude of difficulties.

Poor Sarai must wait in her barrenness for another 13 years. There's not too much that's positive and uplifting about this chapter. But we must remember that God will keep his promise. The covenant has not been voided. God does not change his mind like a mere mortal. The Savior indeed will come, and he will be a descendant of Abram and Sarai.

Ask Yourself:

We all take matters into our own hands. What have you "taken away" from God's hands?

What happens when you try to do it all on your own?

How will you give it back to God?

Pray:

O Lord, our gracious and merciful Father, grant us steadfastly to believe in Your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior; to fearlessly confess Him before men to the reproving of the unbelieving and the wicked. Strengthen us by Your Spirit to walk honestly as in the light of day, both privately and in public. Amen.

Study with me Monday.

Pastor Jon

Soli Deo Gloria!

The Covenant

Today we will go back to the book of Psalms after our brief excursion. May God bless our study today!

Read Psalm 14

St. Paul uses this psalm to argue for the total depravity of our human nature. Lutherans like to call this Original Sin. It is sin inherited from Adam, and is present at our very origin, or beginning. Yes we are sinful from birth, even from conception.

So in Romans 3 Paul quotes this psalm (which is nearly identical to Psalm 53) to argue that we are all sinful and unclean and in need of a Savior. We have all fallen short of the glory of God.

But Paul doesn't leave chapter 3 of Romans by condemning us to Hell. No, we are justified freely by the grace of God through our Savior Jesus Christ. Now we have a righteousness, apart from the works of the law, given to us by our perfect Savior.

So we can use Psalm 14 as a confession of sin. Then we can rejoice in the forgiveness our Savior has given us. Thanks be to God!

Read Genesis 15

Today we see the Lord renew his promise to Abram and make a covenant with him. Abram begins to be concerned about how God will keep his promises. He still has no heir. A servant is set to inherit everything. Though Abram worries, God renews his promise. First God had said that Abram would be a "great nation." Then he said that his offspring would be as numerous as the dust of the earth. Now he uses another illustration to describe what this great nation would look like: the stars. His descendants would be as numerous as the stars.

And it would not be his servant who would produce this great population. No, it would be his own son (Literally: what would come from his own loins). There would be no doubt that Abram in his old age would father a child. God has promised.

Then we see this curious ratification of the covenant God made with Abram. Why the smoking pot and the flaming torch seemed to be walking on their own between the pieces of meat I have no idea. But maybe what we can take from this is that it was fitting that the extraordinary promise would be demonstrated by an extraordinary sign. Not that the elements themselves were extraordinary - they were a common pot, torch, goat, dove, and ram. But God used the ordinary to accomplish the extraordinary.
God does the same for us. Jesus' own Body and Blood do extraordinary things for us. But they come to us in, with, and under ordinary elements: bread and wine. Jesus has established the New Covenant in his blood for us, for our forgiveness, life, and salvation. Through ordinary elements (bread and wine) God accomplishes extraordinary actions!

Maybe we begin to wonder about the validity of that promise too. Maybe we wonder if our sins are really forgiven, if Jesus really has paid for it all, if Christ really comes to us in his Body and Blood. Maybe we kneel at the altar hoping the service will conclude soon and we can get on with the busyness or excitement of the day. Maybe we eat and drink and say "Thank You Lord" without truly reflecting on our sin that caused his body and blood to be sacrificed for us, or without appreciating the true depth of the love and forgiveness offered to us.

I'm sure you have experienced those failures because I know I have. But here is the Good News: Jesus forgives us for that too. Oh, what a wretch I am, but what a loving and gracious God I have! And now (can you believe this?) God uses me, ordinary, common me, to do extraordinary works in his kingdom. He does the same through you. Thanks be to God who not only has forgiven us, but is now pleased to use us! Amen.

Ask Yoursef:

How does my sinful nature try to lure me away from God?

What doubts does my sinful nature instill in me? What specific promises of God do I struggle to believe?

Do I picture all of my sins taken off my burdened soul and placed on my Savior dying on the cross? (Picture it now - and see your sins removed!)

Pray:

Pray from your heart today, asking for faith like Abram to believe all God's promises. Ask that he use common, ordinary you to do extraordinary things in the strength of his Spirit. Pray that God will be with you to strengthen you today as you seek to live for him.

Study with me tomorrow,

Pastor Jon

Soli Deo Gloria!

King of Righteousness, King of Peace

Today we are going to depart from our usual pattern. I had not planned this departure, but I believe that our reading from Genesis 14 needs a little more commentary. We find that commentary in the New Testament: Hebrews 7. So, let's mix it up a little, shall we?

Read Genesis 14

Read Hebrews 7

This can get kind of complicated, but we can reap great spiritual benefits by focusing on what we know for sure. Let's keep it simple...

Lot finds himself in trouble when war breaks out where he lives. The kings are the rulers of city-kindoms. Each city was a city-state, so to speak, and had their own king. One king had ruled over them for a while, but there was a rebellion. So now it was four kings against five. The four won. Lot was carried off with Sodom and Gomorrah.

Abram calls to action only 318 fighting men, and they pursue the victorious army (still weary from battle?) and defeat them. Lot is rescued. What is left of the 5 kings and their armies and possessions are rescued as well.

In thanks they offer possessions to Abram, but he refuses. God will bless him, not wicked kings.

But overshadowing this very interesting story is this priest of God who shows up out of nowhere. We don't know his ancestry or descendents. We don't know where he came from or where he went. We do know he was great, because Abram (Yes, the great Abram, blessed of God!) gave him, Melchizedek, an offering. So this King of Righteousness (that's what the name Melchizedek means) and King of Salem stand immortalized in the story, so to speak.

Hebrews 7 says that this Melchizedek character resembles the Son of God. So (stay with me), what we make of all this is that in the Genesis reading, this King of Peace who shows up, receives a tenth of Abram's possessions, and speaks a blessing upon Abram, is a type of Christ. In theological terms, a type is a person, place, or event that foreshadows Christ. So, in the Old Testament, we often see Christ's shadow (in the foreground), and then in the New Testament we see Jesus himself.

Hebrews 7 makes the point that Jesus is the High Priest who saves us. He was not a Levite (Levites were called to be priests), but he was in the order of Melchizedek, whose appearing in Genesis 14 signifies that the Christ will be eternal, powerful, full of righteousness, full of peace, and blesses the people of God. That is exactly what Jesus does. He has removed our sin when he sacrificed himself "once for all" (Heb. 7:27) on the cross. He is worthy of our homage, respect, and worship. He is worthy of our offerings. He is pleased when we humbly receive the blessings he speaks upon us - blessings of peace and righteousness.

There will be more opportunities to let the significance of this Melchizedek character sink in when we get to Psalm 110, and when we read Hebrews 7, all coming down the line. Yes, we'll read Hebrews 7 again because then we will better see in context what was said in that chapter about the law and the old and new covenants. But for now, we see in the person of Melchizedek a prophecy of the High Priest, Jesus, who paid for all our sins by his death on the cross, and rose and lives forever! Thanks be to God!

Ask Yourself:

Do I rejoice in the victory God has given me? What offerings do I bring the Lord? What offerings should I bring the Lord?

Abram could have gotten richer. Instead he made himself poorer (in earthly wealth) by giving an offering. On what did he lose out? On what would I lose out?

A small, Godly army routs a terrible enemy. Where do I see God winning victories today?

Pray:

Lord Jesus, High Priest forever, you are holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, exalted in the heavens. Yet I know you are not separated from me, nor I from you, because in your once-for-all sacrifice you cleansed my sin and declared me righteous. Continue to intercede for me and intervene against the enemy. Strenthen me, that as you cleanse me of my guilt and sin, and propensity to sin, that you would also fortify me to face the foe. You are the King of Peace and King of Righteousness. To you be glory, now and forever! Amen.

Study with me tomorrow,

Pastor Jon

Soli Deo Gloria!

As Many as Dust

Welcome. Today we continue our study of Genesis and the Psalms. May God bless our study, our reflection, our prayers, and our application in holy living.

Read Psalm 13

This psalm is a cry of desperation. "Oh God, I am overwhelmed! I am suffering! I am attacked by the Evil One! Enemies surround me! They rejoice at my demise, and I am being destroyed!" David was suffering spiritual and physical peril. We maybe don't often suffer physical danger because of God's gracious protection (though sometimes we suffer terribly from sickness, pain, or loss), but we most definitely suffer spiritually. It is OK to complain to the Lord! This complaint psalm is a good example of that. And more than that, this complaint psalm gives us words! Sometimes we don't know what to pray. God himself gives us words acceptable and pleasing to him that we can use. And maybe those words are stronger than ones we would dare to use on our own without permission. This is another blessing of God. He helps us in our distress to pray strongly, faithfully, trustingly.

Some words of a hymn will help our meditation today:

O God, forsake me not! Your gracious presence lend me;
Lord, lead Your helpless child; Your Holy Spirit send me
That I my course may run. O be my light, my lot,
My staff, my rock, my shield - O God, forsake me not!

O God, forsake me not! Lord, hear my supplication!
In ev'ry evil hour, Help me resist temptation;
And when the prince of hell My conscience seeks to blot,
Be then not far from me - O God, forsake me not!

(LSB 731:1,3; Public Domain)

Read Genesis 13

Today Lot makes a choice based on his eyes alone. He chooses the rich, fertile valley of the Jordan river. But he is on the edge of wickedness, in the shadow of evil! Moses (who writes Genesis) doesn't even yet hint at the danger that awaits Lot, but we who know Scripture see it coming.

Abram, on the other hand, received the land that perhaps didn't look as fertile, but was actually the Promised Land of Canaan. God instructs him to look north, south, east, and west, and to walk to and fro in the land and see what God would give him and his descendants.

What descendants? God elaborates on his promise that Abram would be a "great nation." He paints a picture to Abram (father of no one at this point) of what that nation would look like: people as numerous as the dust of the earth! Abram must truly walk by faith, and not by sight. By sight his land was less impressive than Lot's. By sight, his line was dried up and dead. But by faith, Abram holds the promise, and all the blessings included in it.

Abram eventually settles in Hebron. There, years later, Sarah would die, and so would their son Isaac.

Yes, we will see that a son will be born. Not to get ahead of ourselves - but God will keep his promise to Abram. He will have a descendant. He will be made a great nation.

And from that nation a Son will be born, and the government would be on his shoulders, and he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6). This is not Isaac. This is Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.

No, I know we are not that far in Scripture yet, but I can't help but jump to the Good News! The promise is true! And though Abram has to wait (and will not see the fulfillment in his earthly life) he believes that through him all families of the earth will be blessed. What faith!

Ask Yourself:

What am I waiting to receive from God? Deliverance? Help? Comfort?

Do I cry out to Him, trusting that he hears and helps? Do I complain to everyone else except God?

Do I judge people, places, and events in my life by my eyes alone? Are my eyes (and my perceptions) always reliable?

Pray:

Lord Jesus, who by Your incarnation was a Man of Sorrows and acquainted with grief, graciously remember us who are yet walking in this vale of tears and who must enter Your kingdom through many tribulations. As You have promised to be with Your own and to support them to the end, grant us Your Holy Spirit, the Spirit of joy and of peace, to comfort our hearts and the hearts of all Your afflicted Christians with Your everlasting comfort. Amen.

Study with me tomorrow,

Pastor Jon

Soli Deo Gloria!

Great Commission

When you read your daily Bible reading, do you read silently in your head or read aloud? I'd like to encourage you to try to read aloud. I'm going to try to do that more and more. I believe I heard somewhere that this is supposed to help retention because we are seeing and hearing it. Makes perfect sense to me! Plus, sometimes words, phrases, ideas sound more striking to the ear, but could be easily glossed over by the eye. And, sometimes I have this terrible problem where I can read things silently and my eyes keep tracking the words line by line, but then I realize that I was thinking about something else at the same time and I have no idea what the last paragraph was about! But God's Word is too important to miss. Indeed, "The words of the Lord are pure words, like silver refined in a furnace on the ground, purified seven times" (Psalm 12:6). So, I'm going to try whenever possible to read my daily readings aloud. I'll let you know how it goes.

May the Holy Spirit give us understanding and a strengthened faith today as we study the Word.

Read Psalm 12

Quote from Luther: "The 12th psalm is a psalm of prayer. It laments over the teachers who are always inventing new little discoveries and filling up God's kingdom everywhere with these new services to God. For where human doctrine once goes in, there is no stop or end to it; they increase more and more. These new inventions load down the poor conscience beyond all limit and work so that few true saints may remain. Against all this, the psalm comforts us that God will awaken his salvation, that is, His Word, which confidently storms against this work of straw. He will free the imprisoned conscience." Reading the Psalms with Luther, CPH.

Read Genesis 12

As we hear of this incredible promise given to Abram we must remember that he receives this promise only by the grace of God. Abram is no perfect human being, and we see that displayed when he and his wife travel to Egypt. Abram fails to trust in the Lord's protection (even though he just received a great promise!) and takes matters into his own hands. This is most certainly sinful. But we actually (strangely) receive comfort from this odd story being included in Scripture. Even the great Abraham made grave errors. Even Abraham who will be praised for his faith fails to trust. Even Abraham needs to be saved by grace through faith. And he is.

And more than that he is given the incredible promise in the first 3 verses of the chapter. More than one of professors at the Seminary liked to call this the "Great Commission of the Old Testament." Normally we call the Great Commission the verses in Matthew 28 where Jesus instructs the disciples to go and make disciples of "all nations." Well, in Genesis 12 we see something similar. Abram is told that in him "all the families of the earth shall be blessed."

Now some might wonder what kind of a blessing this is. Does this mean that we are all blessed by the "Jewish faith?" Some assert this, but are greatly deceived. Or, those who are more universal praise Abram for being the father of the 3 major religions: Christianity, Islam, and Judaism. But not only is this incorrect (Abram was a true believer, not some follower or starter of the lies of Islam or present day Judaism!) but it is a very damaging lie.

So what kind of blessing? Galatians 3:8 tells us "The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: 'All nations will be blessed through you.'" Paul makes it clear that this promise was about Jesus, and all people (Jew and Gentile) coming to faith in him! This is a promise of the Savior. This is a promise that salvation comes to the Gentiles through the Jews (that is, that the Messiah would come from the Jews).

What an incredible promise given even though Abram was sinful. And though Sarai was barren, God promises that Abram would be a "great nation." And God even says that to Abram's "offspring" he would give the land of Canaan, though no offspring yet existed.

In the coming days we will see the beginning of the fulfillment of these promises. And we recall that ultimately, the promises are not fulfilled by Isaac or other descendants, but only by Jesus of Nazareth, Son of Man and Son of God. He gave his life to save ours. We are justified by grace through faith. We now, with Abram, inherit the promise. We have a Promised Land guaranteed to us as well. Thanks be to God!

Ask Yourself:

I fail to trust, just like Abram failed. What does it look like in my life?

Is it hard for me to hold on with faith to the guarantee of our Promised Land (Heaven) through Christ? What can I do to cling more strongly to that promise?

Are the nations being blessed because of Christ today? Am I participating in that sharing of the blessing? How can I better share my faith?

Pray:

O Lord, our God, the Lord of hosts, guard us that we err not from the way of truth, and keep us from the temptation to sit where mockers sit. Preserve us in the faith of Your Son, and a walk of godliness all the days of our pilgrimage. Be with us when we must walk among the wicked, surrounded by so many evil examples, and keep us from evil. Amen.

Study with me tomorrow.

Pastor Jon

Soli Deo Gloria!

Overcoming

Welcome to another week of study! Today God speaks to us in Psalm 11 and Genesis 11.

Before we get to the study, however, I just want to remind you to check back at earlier posts if you left a question or comment. I will do my best to reply to all postings that require a follow-up, but it may take me a day or two. Also, if any other readers of this blog can answer any questions that might come up, by all means do! And share your insight as well. This is not "my" tool. This is something I am doing for "us." May we all be edified by God's Word.

Now, to our study.

Read Psalm 11

There are some themes in this psalm similar to previous psalms concerning the wicked and their oppression of the righteous. We are reminded that God will indeed see their wickedness, and so we even ask God to "rain coals on the wicked." Such strong language. We need to humbly remember our own sin, recalling that we deserve flaming coals rained down upon us, and recall that we are saved by grace. Only forgiven by Christ and humble about our own condition can we pray such a bold prayer!

But maybe even more striking is the conclusion of the psalm. David assures us "The upright shall behold His face." Really? His bright and glorious face? Even Moses was not permitted to behold the full glory of God's face (Exodus 33:18-23). Who then is upright enough to behold his face?

We are. We are righteous enough only because of Christ. But we do not see God yet! Still we struggle with sin, and will continue until God calls us home. Then sin will no longer be a part of us! Yes, as great, grand, and glorious as Heaven will be, and as much as we long to see our loved ones, and the Holy City, and the river clear as crystal (see Revelation 22), how much more glorious will it be to see God's face! We can't even imagine. But soon we won't have to imagine. Now we walk by faith. Then we shall walk by sight, and see God face to face. Amen!

Read Genesis 11

Wow! Too much to talk about. First of all we see the Tower of Babel incident. We see that man is becoming arrogant. They are not filling the earth as God commanded. Plus they thought they could challenge heaven by their own construction, works, and endeavors. God sees that their wickedness will only increase if he doesn't act and complicate things. And complicate them he does. He mixes their language up so that they are forced to spread out. It is kind of hard to conspire wickedness with someone you can't understand!

Yet another curse the Gospel must overcome. And overcome it certainly does! Yes, these days communication barriers stand in our way as we try to evangelize the nations. But with Christian people of all kinds who speak all sorts of languages, who can also translate the Bible into all those languages, those barriers are being overcome. And before the translators were on the job? God has his people speak in tongues to jump start the church's evangelism. Think about Pentecost. The disciples spoke in all sorts of tongues, and here Babel is reversed. Language is not confused, but barriers are overcome! Nothing can stop the Kingdom of God!

After the Babel account, we see Shem's line traced to Abram. So in Genesis we've seen genealogies traced from Adam to Noah, Noah to Eber, now Shem all the way to Abram. And Abram's wife is barren. Oh, here is a problem for the genealogy, the blessed line of the Messiah! Another result of the curse that God must overcome. And we'll have to wait to see how this serious problem is resolved. More than Sarai's grief and Abram's frustration are involved here (Though real and problematic emotions in their lives, I'm sure). The seed/offspring of the woman is supposed to help and save. But will it happen? Keep reading with me, and we'll see God's solution.

On an unrelated side note, have you noticed that by the time we get to Abram the lifespan of people on this earth has been dramatically reduced? There are guesses that the pre-flood environment was better for life. Perhaps now conditions are harsher and cause humans more grief. Perhaps as a result of the Fall, now viruses and bacteria are becoming more and more deadly, animals (on whom the dread and fear of man has fallen) are lashing out more and more, birth defects, inherited diseases, problems of all kinds are increasing. I don't know that I know all the reasons (or even the reason if there is just one), but lifespans were greatly shortened. Let this serve as a reminder for us of our mortality and our desperate need for a Savior.

Ask Yourself:

Do I long to see God's face? Do I long to see it often enough?

Where do we see the arrogance, pride, and rebellion of mankind today?

How can I support the spread of the Gospel as it overcomes language barriers?

Pray:

Pray from your heart today, asking God to help and strengthen you to overcome the challenges in your life, even as God has overcome your sin through the death of his Son on the cross.

Study with me tomorrow.

Pastor Jon

Soli Deo Gloria!

Welcome! Sometimes in this blog I can get a little long winded (preachers have a tendency to do that), so if you are running short on time any particular day, or don't particularly care what I have to say about something, remember that it is most important to do the Bible reading, think on it for a while, and pray from your heart. So don't ever let my comments stop you from being committed to a Bible reading program.

May God bless our study today! Comments on the two readings are separated today.

Read Psalm 10

Meditation on Psalm 10:

We who are sitting comfortable in Northern America may find it hard to pray Psalm 10. We forget what real oppression is. We forget the affliction of the poor (the really poor in the world). We can even forget that the wicked exalt themselves over God, even crying out with their words and actions, "There is no God!"

But we Christians are the body of Christ. So, even if we do not feel the need to pray Psalm 10 often, we should pray it on behalf of our suffering brothers and sisters in Christ. As we do we will not only be growing our own character (remembering our small place in this world while lifting up in prayer others in need), but we will also be taught by God to discern the lies and deceptions of the devil.

The truth is, though we are comfortable physically and are not often blatantly criticized or attacked for our faith (at least in the Midwest), the lies and tricks and deceptions of the Devil are still all around us. They are subtle. They are in our schools, in the mouths of our coworkers, in our books and on our movie screens. Lies, worldliness, and materialism permeate our iPods and Laptops and all kinds of medium, appearing in all sorts of forms.

And what is all of it? False teaching. False worship. False hope. Therefore, we should take the psalm's comment that God will "break the arm of the wicked" as a warning and a comfort. As a warning: because we easily fall into sin and are seduced by evil in all its forms. As a comfort: because the Devil will not win, and will not succeed in dragging us to Hell. Yes, the "Arm of the Lord" has been revealed in Christ. His strong and powerful arm has defeated the strength of the Devil. His arm wielded a weapon never before seen - passivity and willingness to be spiked to a cross.

You who are afflicted. Take comfort. The Lord hears your desires. He will strengthen your heart. He forgives and he helps. Amen!

Read Genesis 10

Meditation on Genesis 10:

Well, another genealogy. Good stuff! The wicked seem to prosper in the psalm we read today. They also seem to prosper in Genesis 10. Ham's son, Canaan, received a curse, did he not? Yet look and see all the familiar names of nations, cities, tribes, and peoples. Such strength! Such oppression they laid upon the Hebrew people, even Israel! Canaan, Egypt, Assyria, the Philistines, Sodom, Gomorrah, Sidon, and more - all well known to students of the Bible. Powerful. Wicked. Trouble for Israel.

But Shem, who received the promise of the "offspring" (a.k.a. Messiah) - what is noteworthy about his line? Nothing. Only, maybe, Eber. The father of the Hebrew people (see the similarity in the name?). Eber also bears the promise. But what power and strength is there? None according to this world. But spiritually speaking, the gates of Hell would not be able to swallow up his line. No, God would be true to his promise. God would indeed send the Savior. This genealogy (though a bit more "dry" to read) reveals that God is carrying out his plan. Even though the powerful descendants of Ham would harass Israel, God would preserve them.

And Japheth's line? They settled on the coastlands. It was prophesied that God's glory would be revealed to them. Isaiah mentions it several times, the most noteworthy perhaps is Isaiah 66:19 "I will set a sign among them. And from them I will send survivors to the nations, to Tarshish, Pul, and Lud, who draw the bow, to Tubal and Javan, to the coastlands far away, that have not heard my fame or seen my glory. And they shall declare my glory among the nations." And indeed, this is exactly where St. Paul carried the Gospel! Certainly Japheth would be blessed by Shem, as Noah prophesied!

And I bet you are surprised you can get so much out of a genealogy!

Ask Yourself:

Are the wicked thriving around me? How long will that last?

The Lord hears the afflicted who call out to him. Are you afflicted? Are you calling out to Him?

Are you having to wait a long time to see God's salvation, just like Shem's line had to wait?

Pray:

O Lord, our faithful and jealous God, restrain the craftiness and the power, the oppression and the deceit of Your enemies. Save the souls of the innocent from the snares of falsehood, and lead them to the knowledge of Your salvation in Your Son, Jesus Christ. Keep us in the true and saving faith, and grant us to walk worthy of Your name for the sake of Your Son, our Savior. Amen.

Tomorrow (or tonight) worship in God's house and hear his Word there.

Study with me Monday!

Pastor Jon

Soli Deo Gloria!

The Sign of the Rainbow

Welcome back. It is a new day, filled with God's blessings. His mercies are new every morning. May he fill us with his Holy Spirit today as we study his Word, and then as we go forth and live for him!

Read Psalm 9

Quote from Luther: "Psalm 9 is also a prophecy of the people of Christ, the Holy Christian Church. They suffer, following the example of Christ, and their blood is continually being shed. However, the psalm gives this prophecy thankfully and comfortingly, so that it might well be called a psalm of thanks and comfort. The Christians (and especially the holy martyrs) here thank God and are comforted by the fact that God never leaves them." Reading the Psalms with Luther, CPH, p. 29.

Read Genesis 9

Meditation:

We see many separate things happen in our Genesis 9 reading today. All have exited the ark. Now Noah and his sons are given the same mandate and blessing Adam and Eve were given, "Be fruitful and multiply." The earth will be repopulated.

Also, we see permission given to them to eat not just vegetation (permission was granted for that in Eden), but now also animals. Eating meat is no sin. But the relationship between man and beast has changed over time, and especially now. Adam and Eve were to have dominion over the animals. Now we hear that fear and dread falls upon the animals. Not that there aren't exceptions, but who can walk up to a wild animal without that animal running away, hiding, or striking out in fear?

We see also that murder is an offense to God. Though perfection is lost, there is still something of the image of God left in man (speaking to his value before God, NOT an innate goodness or divine spark. Righteousness was completely LOST!) Therefore man is warned not to fall into the pre-flood violence and bloodshed that grieved the heart of God.

We also see this unfortunate incident where Ham sees "his father's nakedness." We will see later in all the laws given to Israel that this expression may be a euphemism for something more. So some scholars believe that Ham's sin was worse than laughing at his drunk and naked father. They believe he may have violated his father, or even his mother. Is that what happened? We don't know for sure. But the point is this, Ham's son, Canaan, bears a curse because of it. And many, many years later, the Israelites would conquer and dispossess the Canaanites. Ham would not bear the promise of the coming "offspring," or Messiah. No. Shem carries on the promise. And his brother Japheth is blessed by it as his descendants "dwell in the tents of Shem." Perhaps this hints at the fact that even though salvation comes through one people group (the Jews), it also benefits all others by faith (Gentiles too)? Maybe that's a stretch. But then again, God's Word is rich and deep.

The most comforting part of this reading is the rainbow. We need not speculate if it had ever rained before, or if light had ever refracted through water or a prism before, or anything like that. The point is that we have a sure and steadfast promise that God will never again send a world-wide flood. More than that, this is a visible sign given to remind us of the promise of 8:22 that as long as the earth exists day and night, summer and winter, seedtime and harvest will not cease. I talked to one older pastor who told me this verse brought him great comfort during the Cold War when everyone was worried about a world-wide nuclear fallout. Maybe we need this dose of comfort as we worry about North Korea and Iran's nuclear capabilities as well?

The rainbow reminds us of God's patience, his love, and his protection. The rainbow also reminds God. Did you notice that God said when he sees it he will "remember the covenant" he made with Noah? You might see yesterday's devotion to see some comments about what it means when God "remembers." Next time you see a rainbow, be amazed at more than its beauty, or the science behind it. Be amazed at God's mercy, and that he gives signs to remind us of his promises.

Ask Yourself:

Am I surrounded by enemies? Which enemies are pushing hard against me now? (world? devil? sinful flesh?)

What verses of Psalm 9 comfort us when we feel under great spiritual attack?

The rainbow is a beautiful and steadfast sign of God's promise. How is the rainbow used positively today? How is it used negatively? Who is driving its use?

Pray:

With all our hearts we give thanks to You, O Lord, because at all times You dwell with Your Christians and graciously preserve those in the true faith who confess Your name. Dwell in us, O Lord, with Your grace. Increase Your Church daily, and grant us to be and to remain, true members of the same to our final end. Amen.

Study with me tomorrow.

Pastor Jon

Glory to God!

God Remembered

This is the day the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it.

A quick note before we begin our study: Blogspot sends me an email when someone posts a comment, so I always know if someone has a question or devotional thoughts to share. I don't think all the readers have that luxury (to my knowledge), so if you post a comment or question remember to check back to see if I or anyone else has replied.

Oh, and if you think you are following a Bible study blog of a guy who has all the answers, then you need to find a different blog. I'll tell you what I know, and what I think, but I do NOT have all the answers, and sometimes I might be flat out wrong (because of my sin and human limitations). That's when interaction is not only encouraged but especially necessary. I always remain willing to stand corrected by Scripture and sound reason. (If Luther was willing to do that, then most certainly so should I!)

On that note, we begin. (Brief comments on the two readings are separate)

Read Psalm 8

Meditation:

How good and pleasing it is to God when we see his creation, the works of his hands and praise him for their existence, their beauty, and their majesty. So inspired by the majestic heavens (interstellar space) we are amazed at God's power. What a glorious and majestic God we have who sparked the nuclear fission of the sun (which I understand requires more energy to begin than it gives off), who set the comets hurtling through space, and set the moon gliding on its elliptical path around the earth. When we consider the sheer size and complexity of space, we by contrast often feel small and insignificant.

This Psalm builds that feeling with us, then reminds us that man, seemingly insignificant man (male and female), is the crown of God's creation. We are more valuable than any of God's other works. The heavens will be rolled up like a garment and put away, but we will live forever (through Christ)! We are cared for by God, more important than the sheep, oxen, and beasts of the field over which we have dominion.

Though we have fallen in sin, it is through the Son of God that we are restored to the crown of creation. It is because of Jesus, to whom little children sang "Hosanna to the Son of David" in fulfillment of Psalm 8:2 (see Matthew 21:16), that God regards us and cares for us. Jesus, who humbled himself lower than the heavenly beings is now exalted above all things, and we with him. He fulfills Psalm 8:5 (see Hebrews 2:6-8). How majestic Jesus' name certainly is in all the earth! (see Philippians 2:10).

Read Genesis 8

Pay special attention to the quick phrase, "God remembered." We want God to remember. Several psalms call out for God not to forget, but to remember his lowly servant. Elsewhere in Scripture we see that God "remembers" his people or the covenant he made with them. When God "remembers" he is staying true to his nature - his nature not to change, his nature to be gracious, his nature to recall and fulfill his promises.

So God did not abandon Noah and his family and the menagerie on the ark. No. God remembered.

When it seems that God is distant, that he is forgetful, that he has neglected (maybe focusing on the sun and moon, distracted from insignificant me), then Genesis 8 reminds me that God remembers. He is a gracious God who does not renege on his promises. He does not forget like we who in our cluttered minds forget this task or that one. He does not have to triage the problems of this world, or prioritize because he cannot accomplish all things. No, he is able, and he remembers. His promise was kept to Noah, and Noah's family and all creation benefited form that promise remembered.

Oh may he remember me in my lowly and needy estate! Oh may he remember all his gracious promises to me. And may I always remember that his promises of forgiveness, life, and salvation are certain!

Ask Yourself:

What about Creation amazes and astounds me? Does it move me to worship? Does it move me to consider my place in this universe?

Do I feel as if God has forgotten? What do I need to ask God to remember?

Do I remind myself of God's commands and his love? What can I do better to remind myself?

Pray:

Pray from your heart today. Thank him and praise him for things in Creation that move you, impress you, or stimulate your thinking and your worship. Thank God for always remembering you and keeping his promises to you. Ask him to help you in every need.

Study with me tomorrow.

Pastor Jon

Soli Deo Gloria!

Floating...

Today I will be commenting on the Psalm and the chapter from Genesis separately. As in the days before, connections can be made, but today my thoughts on the two readings are too disjointed to unify together. May God grant us his Holy Spirit as we study his word today.

Read Psalm 7

Meditation:

I find it more difficult to pray Psalm 7 then yesterday's Psalm 6. Psalm 6 cries out in repentance, for God's deliverance, and yes, rescue from enemies. But today in Psalm 7 we cry out repeatedly for God to see our righteousness. We even ask him to kill us if we have done any wrong (v. 3-5)! How can I pray such a prayer?

The quote from Bonhoeffer yesterday said that we should have no problems praying the psalms that cry out in great guilt, begging God for mercy. But just after that quote, he instructs us that just as we should boldly declare our guilt, we should also boldly (and truly) confess our innocence.

The only way we can do that, and pray this prayer with a true heart, is to be in Christ. Only because of Jesus do we declare our innocence before God. And not just innocence! We challenge God in this Psalm, daring him to find any fault with us. But in order to do that, he must find fault with Jesus Christ. And that will never happen. Our sins are paid for. Our guilt cleansed. The stain of our sin is washed by Jesus' blood. We are covered in his righteousness, clothed in Christ in our baptism. The Father will find no fault with the Son, and so no fault with us either, today or in the judgment. No fault, by grace through faith. Thanks be to God!

Read Genesis 7

God judges the wicked. But by grace he saves believing Noah and his family. And all the animals? Could they really have fit on the ark? Did all this really happen, or is this story just a little too far fetched?

Well, if you want to doubt the validity of the story, I guess you can. But God's Word does not declare this as if it were a metaphor, or a story with a moral, or a vision, or a fantasy, or any sort of myth or man-made story. Certainly the Lord God, Yahweh, presents this to us as truth - and not just in Genesis! It is referred to in many other places in the Old and New Testaments. In all of those places it is referred to as fact, as history.

But how could it be? Well, I can't answer all objections here. There are many excellent books written about that. But I find it fascinating that not only does the fossil record show exactly what we would expect a world-wide flood to accomplish, but scientists have also recently begun to talk about a genetic "bottleneck." Even evolutionists admit this. Basically, they can tell by studying our RNA that at one point in "recent" history (several thousand years ago) the human population was greatly reduced, nearly wiped out. Hmmm....do you think that supports the Bible?

You bet it does. This is truth. This is history. And Noah and his family show us faith, total dependence upon God, patience, and the mercy of God even as he pours out his wrath. May we experience the same faith, trust, patience, and mercy.

Ask Yourself:

Psalm 7 prays for the destruction of the evil. Do I pray for the same? Can I also pray for the repentance of the wicked?

Declaring my innocence before God (for the sake of Christ), what now can I be bold to pray that I have been hesitant to ask of God?

It rained for 40 days and 40 nights (and 40 is a common Biblical number in a time of testing). Am I in "40" days of testing? What are the terrible trials in my life now through which God is helping me?

Pray:

Pray from your heart today. Mindful of of people, events, movements, and teachings that we learn about in our multimedia, pray that God would destroy the attacks of the Devil. Also pray that he would use you to impact with the Gospel those within your sphere of influence. Pray that God would strengthen his Church and also you through every time of trial.

Study with me tomorrow.

Pastor Jon

Soli Deo Gloria!

Judgment and Repentance

Lord God, bless your Word wherever it is proclaimed. Make it a word of power and peace to convert those not yet Your own and to confirm those who have come to saving faith. May Your Word pass from the ear to the heart, from the heart to the lip, and from the lip to the life that, as You have promised, Your Word may achieve the purpose for which You send it; through Jesus Christ, my Lord. Amen.

Read Psalm 6

Quote from Dietrich Bonhoeffer: "The seven so-called repentance Psalms (6, 32, 38, 51, 102, 130, 143), but not only they... lead us into the total depth of the recognition of sin before God. They lead us to the confession of guilt and direct our complete confidence to the forgiving grace of God, so that Luther has quite correctly called them the 'Pauline Psalms.' Usually a special occasion leads to such a prayer. It is serious guilt (Psalms 32 and 51) or an unexpected suffering that drives to repentance (Psalms 38 and 102). In every case all hope is fixed on free forgiveness, as it has been offered to us and promised by God in his word about Jesus Christ for all times.

"The Christian will find scarcely any difficulties in the praying of these Psalms. However, the question could arise as to how one is to think about the fact that Christ also prays these Psalms with us. How can the sinless one ask for forgiveness? In no way other than he can, as the sinless one, bear the sins of the world and be made sin for us (2 Corinthians 5:21). Not for the sake of his sins, but for the sake of our sins, which he has taken upon himself and for which he suffers, does Jesus pray for the forgiveness of sins. He positions himself entirely for us. He wants to be a man before God as we are. So he prays also the most human of all prayers with us and thereby demonstrates precisely that he is the true Son of God." Psalms: The Prayer Book of the Bible, Augsburg Fortress, p. 50-52.

Read Genesis 6

Meditation:

God is a just God. He demands holiness. This is why he curses Creation in Genesis 3. This curse Adam and Eve earned with their sin. God had every right to act the way he did. Some people struggle with that. They say, "What kind of a God lets his people fall into sin and then punishes them for it?" One of my seminary professors was fond of answering those objections by saying, "What kind of a God? It's the God you've got!" It's not so much an answer as it is a challenge to recognize and accept the truth concerning our situation and God's solution. We are sinful, fallen, cursed. We need a Savior.

We see that wickedness increased on the earth leading up to the time of Noah. And isn't it interesting that in Genesis 3 when man rebelled against God, there was a curse, but not a destruction of all Creation? But here God grieves that he made man, and determines to wipe them all out (v. 6-7). It is interesting that God is patient when they first sin against him - Adam and Eve are not instantly wiped out. But violence of men toward one another sends God over the edge (see verse 13). How many of us who are parents would rather see our children sin against only us rather than be cruel to their brothers and sisters? I know I would!

But Noah "found favor." We need to remember that "favor" is a grace-word. This is not an earned standing before God. It is given by God. So even righteous, believing, faithful Noah was in need of God's grace. And God was abundant with that mercy. So God provides a way for his wrath to be poured and sweep away the wicked, but to preserve safely in the ark those who have found favor with him (by God's grace alone).

These waters of the flood foreshadow baptism, which saves us (1 Peter 3:21!) Though judgment is and will be poured out upon the wicked, we are preserved in the "ark of the church," as some of our old prayers declare. By the grace of God, our repentance is pleasing to God, and our sorrowful hearts are encouraged.

In repentance we pray prayers like Psalm 6 which not only confess guilt, but cling to God's mercy. That's real repentance. We don't despair like Judas who confessed wrong but had no faith. We repent, rather, like Peter, who wept bitterly, but cherished Christ's forgiveness, won on the cross, and declared to him again by the shore (John 21:15ff). Jesus assured him of forgiveness not so much by saying "I forgive you," but rather by calling him to continue on as a disciple and apostle.

I have so much guilt. I deserve to be swept away in a world-wide flood or in a personal tragedy. But I cling to the mercy of my Christ, who (as Bonhoeffer reminds me) bore my sin on the tree. Thanks be to God!

Ask Yourself:

The world doubts that God is just and punishes sin. Do I? What does Scripture show me?

The world doubts that it needs God's mercy. Do I? What sins lead me to beg God's mercy today?

On the cross I see Judgment and Mercy. What can I do to remind myself of that when I am secure in sin on one hand, or when I doubt He forgives on the other?

Pray:

Luther's "Flood" Prayer, which is in our Baptism liturgy (adapted here):

Almighty and eternal God, according to Your strict judgment You condemned the unbelieving world through the flood, yet according to Your great mercy You preserved believing Noah and his family, eight souls in all...foreshadowing [the] washing of Your Holy Baptism. Through the Baptism in the Jordan of Your beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, You sanctified and instituted all waters to be a blessed flood and a lavish washing away of sin.

...Grant that I be kept safe and secure in the holy ark of the Christian Church, being separated from the multitude of unbelievers and serving Your name at all times with a fervent spirit and a joyful hope, so that, with all believers in Your promise, I would be declared worthy of eternal life; through Jesus Christ, my Lord. Amen.

Study with me tomorrow.

Pastor Jon

Soli Deo Gloria!

The Offspring

Welcome! Today we continue our study of Genesis and the Psalms.

Read Psalm 5

Quote: "Psalm 5 is a psalm of prayer against the false teachers and the rebellious spirits. It harshly condemns both their glistening teaching and their works, by which - under the name of God - they do harm to the pure Word of God and the true worship of God. The psalm prays for the righteous, that is, for the pure Word of God and the pure worship of God. In the last verse it promises that such prayer will be heard and the rebellious spirits will be condemned." Reading the Psalms with Luther, CPH, p. 22.

Read Genesis 5

Meditation:

Genesis chapter 5 gives us a genealogy. We might be tempted to label these parts more "boring." But if we remember that Scripture reveals to us Christ and the plan of salvation he carries out, we might be less quick to gloss over tedious parts that provide us an abundance of details, dates, names, etc.

So, looking at this with Christological glasses, what is it all about? Genesis 5 traces for us the "offspring" or literally "seed" that would bruise the serpent's head. First promised in Genesis 3:15, this offspring would bring salvation to mankind. St. Paul makes sure to point out that it doesn't say "offsprings" or "seeds." It's not plural, referring to future peoples, races, or nations. It is singular. There is one offspring of Adam and Eve who will save.

And so, their genealogy becomes important because the promised is passed along from Adam all the way to Mary and Joseph, to whom Jesus was given. In Genesis 5 we see Adam to Noah. Elsewhere we will see it filled in more and more. Luke is the one who carries the line of Christ all the way back to Adam.

Jesus is the promised Savior. In him we have rescue from the Devil. He defeats Satan's kingdom. Jesus' Word will prove to be true, but Satan's lies in the mouth of men will lead to death. Their throats are open graves (Psalm 5).

A final note about the names and dates - can we use these to date the earth? A bishop in Ireland in the 17th century thought he could. James Ussher dates creation to the night before Oct. 23, 4004 B.C. Is he right?

Maybe not exactly. We have to leave some "wiggle room" for variant readings (Yes, some parts of the Hebrew and Greek manuscripts are a little unclear, but the Bible has been marvelously preserved. Most variant readings do not make a difference. A few keep us confused. None affect our faith!). In addition, it is possible in the language of the text that some generations may have been skipped. (When someone "father's" someone in the Bible, they are literally "begetting" someone, and this word can describe a relationship that is not necessarily a father/son relationship, but could be a grandfather/grandson relationship). Matthew most certainly skips some people in his genealogy to make a theological point. Could that have happened in Genesis 5? It doesn't seem like it, but we have to admit it is possible.

While we can't pinned down the date of Creation for certain, we can tell from God's Word that we have a "young" Earth. The Earth is certainly NOT millions of years old. It is probably in the 6,000 to 8,000 year range.

But what about scientific evidence? The truth is the evidence doesn't prove one way or the other. If it did, then evolutionists wouldn't keep pushing the date of the earth back further and further, saying it is older and older. I think the age of the universe is purported by them to be in the area of 4 billion years old now. It seems like the more difficult it becomes to sell evolution, they cover it up by adding a few more million years, a few million there.

No. They are assuming an old earth. The Bible reveals a young earth. And evidence has not and will not disprove what the Bible says. So it comes down to this - will you believe God's Word? Or, if you change the Bible to say something that it does not, then how do you know that what it says about Jesus Christ is true?

If you choose to believe evolution, I think that is the struggle you have to contend with. And that is shaky ground to stand upon.

This genealogy in Genesis 5 sure isn't boring! Oh, here's one more tidbit for you. If you do the math, you discover that Noah's father, Lamech, died 5 years before the flood. Noah's grandfather Methuselah (the oldest recorded person, living 969 years!) died the year of the flood. Put that in your Bible trivia file.

Ask Yourself:

What are the lies of the Devil that are seeking to drag you into an open grave?

Jesus breaks the power of Satan and saves you from his kingdom of wickedness. How does that look in your life?

What will your response be today?

Pray:

Psalm 5:11 "Let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let them ever sing for joy, and spread you protection over them, that those who love your name may exult in you."

Study with me tomorrow.

Pastor Jon

Soli Deo Gloria!

Divine Service

Today is Sunday, the day Christians like to worship. Though no particular day of the week is required, we like to worship on Sundays because Jesus rose from the dead on Sunday. Also, the disciples were gathered together when Jesus appeared that day, and on Sunday the following week when he appeared again. And on Pentecost, which was on a Sunday, they were gathered together as well. And in the Book of Acts we see them gathering together to hear preaching and His Word on "the Lord's Day," a.k.a. Sunday.

A great hymn about worshiping on Sunday is "O Day of Rest and Gladness" - Lutheran Service Book, 906. Today you might meditate on the excellent text of that hymn. I love the reference to the "three-fold light" given on three important Sundays in the past! Check it out to see what I mean.

There is no assigned Bible reading today. I'm assuming that you have gone (or will go) to the Lord's house to worship and meditate on the readings, and the sermon proclaimed by the pastor.

Blessings on your continued meditation on Scripture!

Study with me tomorrow,

Pastor Jon

Soli Deo Gloria!

Right Sacrifices

A quick thought before our study. How neat it is to be able to look up the Bible online! Anytime, anywhere there is internet access, you can have God's Word at your fingertips. A site that I love to use is biblegateway.com. If you are unfamiliar with you, you might want to check it out.

But as much as I love looking up Bible verses online (it makes searches so easy!), I love even more to pull out the actual book - the Good Book. Something about the paper and print reminds us that this is something ancient and permanent about God's Word. It's not just another opinion or another religion floating in cyberspace. This is the Word inspired by the Holy Spirit, written by men, preserved by paper and ink, translated, studied, pondered, cherished.

Having a Bible to call "my Bible" is also great because you can write notes, underline, highlight, circle, whatever! (And that is no sin.)

Now, to our study.

Read Psalm 4

Read Genesis 4

Meditation:

I was going to comment on these separately because I didn't expect to find a connected theme, but there is one: right sacrifices.

In Psalm 4 David encourages us, "Offer right sacrifices, and put your trust in the Lord." This Abel did. Cain did not, and that was the problem. The difference was not what they sacrificed (produce vs. lamb), nor the occupation (farmer vs. shepherd), but it was a difference of heart. That's why God even told Cain, "If you do well, will you not be accepted?" What needed improvement was not the sacrifice, but Cain's disposition toward God.

Sin was lurking at Cain's door. And the Devil got his foot inside. Yet even after God curses Cain for the brutal murder of Abel, he shows his mercy and grace: a sign (whatever it was) given to Cain to protect him.

Yes, God is merciful, and God is leading up to a marvelous plan. But in the meantime we see wickedness increase. Building cities, and musical instruments, and tools of iron and bronze is all well and good. But in Cain's descendant, Lamech, we see more wickedness. He is a polygamist, and a murderer. More than that, he doesn't cry out to God, but declares his own protection, becoming his own god. He will be avenged seventy-seven times, he declares!

Yet, in the offspring of Seth we see that men call upon the name of the Lord. Here is true worship of the One True God, Yahweh. The Creator, the One who establishes the covenant, the One who provides salvation through the cross.

Yes, the first human death was the death of a shepherd. And it would be the death of the Good Shepherd that would conquer death. "Abel's blood for vengeance pleaded to the skies, but the blood of Jesus for our pardon cries." (Lutheran Service Book 433:4). He is a merciful God indeed! Mercy for Cain. Mercy for all fallen mankind. Mercy even for me.

So with David I can lie down at night committing myself into God's hands. And I can actually fall asleep in peace, knowing that I am restored into a right standing before God. He has forgiven and transformed my heart (and continues to change it), so now I want to respond in faith. I want to offer right sacrifices to him with all I think and say and do.

Ask Yourself:

The sacrifices I bring, my service rendered to God, my attitudes, my motivations - are they from a true heart, a trusting heart? Or does sin cloud my actions?

I have murdered because I have hated and I have become angry with a brother or sister. Whom do I need to learn to forgive and to love?

Do I lie awake at night? What keeps me worrying? Can I have peace like David to lie down and sleep trusting in God's protection, strength, and love?

Pray:

"Glory be to Jesus, who in bitter pains
Poured for me the lifeblood from his sacred veins!" (LSB 433:1)

Lord Jesus, thank you for being my Shepherd and dying for me, your wandering sheep. Help me ever to rejoice over the forgiveness of my sins. Strengthen me to follow you and live for you, to offer right sacrifices to you in all I think and say and do. Help me to live in love toward my brothers and sisters in Christ and toward all my neighbors. For you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, One God, now and forever. Amen.

Study with me tomorrow.

Glory to God alone!

Pastor Jon

The Fall, and the First Promise of a Savior

Welcome to day 3 of our 2 year study! I'm glad to be in God's Word, thinking, meditating, analyzing, and praying. How about you? May he continue to bless our study.

Read Psalm 3

Read Genesis 3

Meditation

Paradise is lost! Eve is deceived. Adam rebels against the command he heard from God Himself. And they eat. They fall. They are doomed. They are filled with shame. They are in the shadow of death.

We too now inherit Adam's sin. This is why we confess in church that we are "by nature sinful and unclean." We are all subject to the curse. By great toil and sweat do we have our needs provided for. Through great pain and tribulation children are born and reared. And there are thorns and thistles of all kinds in this troubled life.

And so even the redeemed people of God suffer the curse still. David was surrounded by foes in Psalm 3. He was afraid of his life because his own son Absalom deceived the people, stole their hearts, and claimed the throne for himself. Certainly we are surrounded by foes on every side as well.

St. Paul, the "super-apostle" was still plagued by his sinful nature (Romans 7). So we know we are not alone. And unless we are living in denial, no other person knows our inner struggles against sin (both the victories and defeats) better than we do. Oh, who will save me from this body of death?

Jesus. Yes, he is the promised Savior who will bruise the serpent's head for me. Giving himself on the cross, he is the sacrifice for our atonement. Yes, God promised in Genesis 3 that this Savior would come. And then God showed with actions what this Savior would have to do - God made Adam and Eve coverings of skin to hide their nakedness. This must have been the first physical death, the death of some animal (maybe a lamb?). It took the slaughter of an animal to hide the shame of Adam and Eve. Well, Jesus the Lamb of God was slaughtered that Adam and Eve and all of us would have our sins covered by his blood. Yes, we are covered in the righteousness of Christ, despite our rebellion and idolatry (putting ourselves first). We are covered by the forgiveness of Jesus that hides all our sins. We are promised, then, eternal life.

So, we can proclaim with David that God is our shield. He will protect us, he will help us, he will bring us at last home to heaven. For Jesus has not only bruised the serpent's head, but he has vanquished sin, death, and the Devil for us.

Thanks be to God!

Ask Yourself

Do I take the sin in my life seriously, recognizing that it is damnable?

Do I appreciate what my Savior did to earn my forgiveness?

In thankfulness for that forgiveness, what sins are prevalent in my life that I will now seek to leave behind?

Do I trust God to forgive, and to be my shield?

Pray

Pray from your heart today:

Confess to God your sins - including and especially your deepest, darkest secrets. He can and will forgive them.

Thank God for the forgiveness given in Jesus.

Amen!

Join me in study tomorrow.

Glory to God alone!

Pastor Jon

Day 2 - Society

Welcome! If you started studying with me yesterday, then welcome back! If you are just checking this Bible study tool out for the first time today, then I invite you to look around on this site and learn what this is all about. Then I invite you to pull out your Bible, block out other distractions, and study the Word.

Read Psalm 2

Quote from Martin Luther: "Psalm 2 is a prophecy of Christ, that He would suffer, and through His suffering become King and Lord of the whole world. Within this psalm stands a warning against the kings and lords of this world: If, instead of honoring and serving this King, they seek to persecute and blot him out, they shall perish. This psalm also contains the promise that those who believe in the true King will be blessed." Reading the Psalms with Luther: CPH.

Read Genesis 2

Quote: "This created order is also beautiful. God took delight in it and thought it was 'very good.' When it is functioning in the way that God intended, we will enjoy this relationship and will delight in it, because there is a Godlike quality about it." Wayne Grudem ed. "Biblical Foundations for Manhood and Womanhood." Crossway Books, p. 54

Meditation

We see a stark contrast in our readings today. In Genesis 2 we have a "zoomed in view" of day 6 of creation. We see God form man (Adam) out of the dust and then breathe life into him. We see that it is not good (!) for man to be alone, and then we see God take Adam's rib and create (literally "build") woman. Then we see the institution of marriage. A man, united to his wife (finally, a precious creature good enough for Adam!), both completely trusting, safe, united in body, soul, and mind. Different, yet joined together. Separate beings, yet united. Both valuable and precious, yet ordered in God's Creation.

This marriage is the building block of society. Even still today, after the curse, society flourishes where marriage flourishes. A Godly man, a Godly woman, raising Godly children, and the earth is blessed. Not that it is perfect today, or without exception. Not that we even come close the "ideal," or rather, the original perfect design. We are all sinful. We all fall short. Hebrews 13:4 says, "Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled," but we fall far short. Before marriage, during marriage, and after marriage (death, or unfortunately divorce) are we keeping ourselves pure?

But sexual sins aren't the only problem. After the Fall (which we will read about tomorrow), All kinds of wickedness surround us. And so in Psalm 2 we do not see a beautiful, perfect marriage in a new, glorious, and perfect Creation. We see nations raging, peoples plotting, kings taking a stand against the Lord and his Anointed (Christ)!

But God hasn't given up on us! Luther's quote above reminds us that Jesus came to live, to die, and then to rule. We, children of God by grace through faith, are under his reign, living in his Kingdom. And so God is at work to re-order us, to build our families up, to help us put the broken pieces of our life back together with his forgiveness and strength.

Linda Bartlett writes in the Lutheran's for Life quarterly journal, LifeDate, "It may appear that the culture has lost its moral footing." [and I would assert that it has!] "We may fear that the pagan culture is ready to absorb us. We may feel paralyzed and powerless to engage. But while God is doing His work, there is something we can do too. We can live. We can live as men and women eager to glorify God while He transforms the culture." (LifeDate, Fall 2009, p. 11)

And so we are comforted by Genesis 2, seeing that God is the Creator of all that is good, and that he cares very much for his valuable humans. And we are comforted by Psalm 2, for "Blessed are all who take refuge in him."

Ask Yourself

Am I honoring marriage with my words and actions (whether I am married or not)?

Am I letting the Jesus my Savior and King to rule my life? What does/would that look like?

I cannot change the world by myself, but I do have a small realm of influence. What can I do to counter the moral decline of society?

Pray

Lord God, Heavenly Father, what a wonderful earth and universe you have created! Thank you for all the goodness of creation that I enjoy. Thank you especially for the gift of marriage. Assist all who are married by your grace that with true fidelity and steadfast love they may honor and keep their marriage vows and grow in love toward You and each other. May we all be strengthened to honor and support marriage however we can. Help me to live for you. Through Jesus Christ my Lord. Amen.

Study with me tomorrow.

Glory be to God!

Pastor Jon

Welcome to Day 1! In the Beginning...

Welcome to the first day of this Bible Reading Program. For today's kickoff, I invite you to poke around this site and learn more about what this tool is all about. Then I invite you to find some quiet time to pull out your Bible and study with me below.

Read Psalm 1

Quote from Martin Luther: “Psalm 1 is a psalm of comfort. It admonishes us to gladly hear and learn God’s Word and brings us the comfort that, in so doing, we will have many and great benefits. Just as a palm tree by the water grows green and brings fruit despite all heat and cold and the like, so also all our words and works will prosper despite all enemies.” From “Reading the Psalms with Luther,” published by CPH.

Read Genesis 1

Quote from Martin Luther: “[Moses’] purpose is to teach us, not about allegorical creatures and an allegorical world but about real creatures and a visible world apprehended by the senses. Therefore, as the proverb has it, he calls ‘a spade a spade,’ i.e., he employs the terms ‘day’ and ‘evening’ without allegory, just as we customarily do. The evangelist Matthew, in his last chapter, preserves this method of expression when he writes that Christ rose on the evening of the Sabbath which began to dawn into the first day of the week (Matt. 28:1). If, then, we do not understand the nature of the days or have no insight into why God wanted to make use of these intervals of time, let us confess our lack of understanding rather than distort the words, contrary to their context, into a foreign meaning.

“Therefore…we assert that Moses spoke in the literal sense, not allegorically or figuratively, i.e., that the world, with all its creatures, was created within six days, as the words read. If we do not comprehend the reason for this, let us remain pupils and leave the job of teacher to the Holy Spirit. However, these days are distinguished in this way: on the first day the formless mass of heaven and earth was created, to which later on light was added; on the second, the firmament; on the third, the earth, with its fruits, was brought forth out of the water; on the fourth the heavens were adorned by the creation of the sun, moon, and stars; on the fifth, the fishes of the sea and the birds of the air; on the sixth the land animals and man were created.” Luther's Works (1:5), CPH

Meditation:
How fascinating to have these two chapters read together on the same day! We see in Genesis 1 that God is Creator. There was no accidental joining of electricity to amino acids that caused life. No! The Father speaks, through his Word, it is created, and the Spirit hovers over the waters. Triune God, Father, Son, and Spirit are present and active.

Is it any different in Psalm 1? How do we regard one who delights in the instruction of the Lord? (Yes, many translations use the word “law.” This would be “law” in the broad sense, referring not just to God’s commands, but also his promises. The Hebrew word is torah, which refers specifically to the first 5 books of the Bible, including Genesis of course, but then also broadly to God’s instructions.) So, how do we regard one who delights in the instruction of the Lord? He/she is like a tree, planted by streams of water. When you are planted in God’s Word, you are like that tree. You have a source of living water, so you do not dry out. Even in the heat or cold you are fruitful, connected to that living water. The Word of God is your life.

That Word is creative. Today God tells you that he recreates you through his Word, giving you new life. Just as he made trees on day 3, so also he creates you to be a fruitful tree in his Word. What a way to start our daily Bible reading program! There is life in the Word. And there is provision for all our needs.

In the beginning – what a way to start. The Evangelist John tells us in chapter 1 verse 1, “In the beginning was the Word.” We see that Word create. We see that Word become incarnate, suffer, bleed, die, and rise for our forgiveness and new life. We see that Word still dwell with us today, as we study the Scriptures. What a precious gift. And what a precious new life we have in Him.

Ask yourself:

Am I dry and parched? What quenches that thirst?

The God who creates is powerful. Do I trust that power in times of trouble?

God created man in his image, male and female. He called day 6 very good for that reason. Do I see all other humans as valuable and precious?

Pray:

Lord Jesus, Word of God Incarnate, we see that we are created by you, sustained by you, redeemed by you, and made holy through you. Bless us, O Lord, that we might be like a tree planted by streams of water. We are righteous because of your blood, and you know our way, our every step. Be near us. Be with us. Be in us. Help us, Lord, to live. Help us to live truly, strongly , fruitfully for you alone. To you be the glory. Amen.

Friends, please study with me tomorrow.

Your fellow Good Book Worm,

Pastor Jon