Preparing for Worship - October 27, 2024

This Sunday will be celebrated as Reformation Sunday in many Lutheran churches. I will focus on these special readings for this day rather than the ones for the 23rd Sunday after Pentecost.

The Psalm is Psalm 46, the psalm from which Martin Luther composed his hymn, “A Mighty Fortress is our God.” (The “sons of Korah" referenced in the introduction were descendants from the tribe of Levi who were “in charge of the service of song in the house of the Lord” I Chronicles 6:1,22,31.) The psalmists praise God as their “Refuge and Strength, a very present Help in trouble.” Therefore, they “will not fear,” though “the earth shakes“ and “waters roar and foam” and “mountains tremble” and “nations rage” and “kingdoms totter” and “desolations” come. We see many of these “troubles” in our own day, as David and Martin Luther did in their days. We are called to stop and to “be still” and trust our Lord and God, who is always with us as “our Fortress.” The picture image of “the river whose streams gladden us” reminds us of the river in the garden of Eden (in Genesis 2:10) and “living waters flowing out from Jerusalem” with the coming of Jesus as “living Water” and the Water of life for us, as our Savior. (See Psalm 36:7-8, Isaiah 41:18, Jeremiah 2:11-13, Zechariah 14:8, Ezekiel 47: 1,12, John 4:14, 7:37-39, and Revelation 21:6, 22:1-2.) The last passage in this list also speaks of the river of the water of life in heaven when we will be with our Lord God and the Lamb, Jesus, in eternal joy forever.

This Sunday is also one of those times when a New Testament passage is read instead of an Old Testament lesson. It is Revelation 14:6-7. Martin Luther followed in the way of the angel (messenger) described in this passage, with an eternal Gospel to proclaim to everyone possible. He called upon people to “fear, love, and trust in God above all things” and give Him all glory and worship God the Creator, and not skip over Him, as Adam and Eve did. The mention of the “springs of water” also reminds us of Christ Jesus as the One who brings us that eternal water of life, as we heard in Psalm 46. Luther also translated the Scriptures into the German language so that his own people could understand the Gospel and used German hymns in the liturgy of worship and the Divine Service, encouraging the use of the language of the people everywhere so that all could better understand the Word.

The Epistle lesson is Romans 3:19-28, a clear proclamation of the Scriptures' and Lutherans’ central message, salvation by God’s grace alone through the gift of faith in Christ alone - Christ who is our Redeemer, as the Propitiation (the atoning sacrifice for our sins, by His blood, shed on the cross for us). This saving work of Jesus was necessary because we “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Comparing our works with the law of God brings us clear knowledge of our sins and the realization that we have nothing to boast about in our lives regarding God. We must give all the glory to God, for we are “justified only by faith in Christ, apart from the works of the law.” (See Romans 1:21-22 and 4:20-25.)

There are two alternatives for the Gospel. In Matthew 11:12-19, Jesus speaks of the violence coming against the Kingdom of God and God’s people from the time of the coming of John the Baptist, who was executed for his faithful service to his Lord. He was the one who came in the Spirit and power of Elijah yet was rejected. He neither ate nor drank, yet was ridiculed. Jesus came eating and drinking and as a friend to all people, including those despised, such as tax collectors and other sinners (which we all are, in one way or another). None of us can be saved by our own works and efforts, but only by belief in Jesus and what He has done for all of us. (See Jesus’ Words later in Matthew 21:28-32. Tax collectors and prostitutes go into the Kingdom of God before others because they repented and believed in Jesus, unlike those who refused to believe in Christ for salvation.)

The other alternative Gospel is John 8:31-36. Jesus speaks, again, to those who believe in Him and calls them to “abide,” to continue to trust in Him and His Word, for His Word is truth, that sets people free from their sins and condemnation for sin. Some thought of political slavery and objected that as Jews, they had never been “slaves” to anyone (though certainly, they had, to other nations and to the Babylonians and the Greeks and now to the Romans). Jesus says, “Truly, truly” (Amen, amen) "I say to you" (this is really true!) "If you sin, you are slaves to sin. You need Me, the Son of God, to forgive you and set you free from the condemnation for your sins." (See Hebrews 2:14-18 as a description of this.) Right after this text, Jesus also warns, “You seek to kill Me because My Word finds no place in you. ”Instead, you are following the one who really influences and controls you - your father, the devil" (John 8:37-38,44). This all stresses the importance of continually abiding in and listening to the Word of God. The Holy Spirit is always working there to help us know His will and keep us in faith and strengthen us in faith and forgive us when we fail.