Preparing for Worship - October 12, 2025

The Scriptures today emphasize both the Words and the deeds of our Lord, culminating in the saving Words and deeds of our Lord Jesus. The Psalm is Psalm 111. Notice how often the “works” of the Lord are mentioned, which we study and for which we thank Him as we gather as His people, His congregation. His works are “great” and “wondrous” and are to be “remembered.” His works are “gracious and merciful,” and he is “faithful” to His “covenant” promises, especially in “sending redemption to His people,” rescuing them from slavery in Egypt (and eventually in the saving Word and works of Jesus our Redeemer). “Wisdom” and “good understanding” come from “fear” and love and trust in Him. He provides needed “food” for His people, too, physically and especially spiritually.

The Old Testament lesson is from Ruth 1:1-19a. Naomi and her husband and sons moved to Moab because there was famine in Israel. Over time, the husband and sons all died, and they had married Moabite wives. It is a difficult time, and when Naomi hears that “the Lord had visited His people and given them food,” she decides to go back to her hometown in Israel, to Bethlehem. The name literally means “the house of bread.” She wants her daughters-in-law to go back to their families in Moab, as she cannot care for them. She is even willing to have them return to the false gods of the Moabites, though she hopes that the Lord, the true God, will be kind to them. The daughter-in-law, Ruth, wants to go with Naomi and has come to trust in the true Lord. Naomi shows a lack of faith and is very bitter and thinks the Lord has just turned against her. She allows Ruth to go with her, though, and they return to Bethlehem. If you remember the story, Naomi, whose name means “pleasant,” thinks her name should be Mara, which means “bitter,” because the Lord has treated her so badly. The Lord turns this for good, though, as Ruth meets and marries a man, Boaz, who cares for her and Naomi. From that family line eventually came King David and, much later, our Lord Jesus, Himself born in Bethlehem. Jesus would be the “Bread of Life” and our Savior. The fact that Ruth was not a Jew also indicates that God’s saving plan was for all people, not just for Jews.

The Gospel lesson is from Luke 17:11-19. Jesus is approached by ten lepers who plead for His mercy. (Leprosy was a dreaded disease and considered very contagious, and lepers had to stay far away from ordinary people.) Jesus sends them off to see “priests,” religious leaders who could declare them to be “cleansed.” While they were headed to the priests, they were all “cleansed” and healed. They still needed the approval of the priests to be declared healed and then return to their homes and families, though. Only one of them first returned to Jesus, praising God and falling at the feet of Jesus and giving Him thanks. And that man was a Samaritan, of the people hated by most Jews. Jesus wondered where the other nine were, who were likely rejoicing in their healing, but not in God who gave it. Jesus, the Son of God, then indicated that the Samaritan man had also received the greatest gift, saving faith in Jesus, which would help him through this life and for eternal life. Here, the deeds of Jesus helped affirm the truth of His Words.

The Epistle lesson is from 2 Timothy 2:1-13. Paul continues his letter of encouragement to a young pastor, Timothy. Paul had written from prison before. This time, though, he is bound with chains and suffering much more “for the sake of the elect,” his fellow believers. Paul encourages Timothy to be ready to endure whatever suffering may be coming with three images: as a soldier, loyal to and aiming to please the Lord, who enlisted him; as an athlete, staying in shape and competing according to the rules; and as a farmer, hard-working and aiming for a good harvest and his share of the crops. Paul asks Timothy to think about what he writes and pray for understanding. Above all, Paul calls Timothy to keep remembering the risen Jesus Christ, the true Son of David, and be strengthened by the grace and salvation that come in and through Jesus. Paul is now bound and limited, but the Word of God preached and written by Paul is not limited, and the Gospel is, as Paul said in Romans 1:16-17, “the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes… for in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, ‘the righteous shall live by faith.'” Christ Jesus and the Holy Spirit work through this Word, which “is trustworthy,” and our Lord “remains faithful” and “cannot deny Himself” and His promises. Timothy is to share that truly Good News and find other faithful men who can teach that Word, also, so that more and more people can live with Christ now and eternally, by faith in Him. That is still the calling of our Lord to us to this very day.