Congregation at Prayer

Catechesis Notes for the Week — St. Simon and St. Jude, Apostles; Founders Day; and The Reformation — 62 years ago, October 28, 1962, our congregation was formerly established and became a member of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Our founding took place on the minor festival of St. Simon and St. Jude, Apostles, and during the week in which we annually commemorate the recovery of the Gospel of the justification of the sinner before God, by grace, through faith, for Christ’s sake. How fitting that our congregation’s beginnings should be framed by this backdrop. St. Simon and St. Jude, Apostles: “The two apostles whose feast day is celebrated together on 28 October. The first of the two is sometimes called ‘the Canaanite’ or ‘the Zealot.’ Apart from his call and listing with the Twelve, there are no other references to him in the New Testament. The second of the two is the son of James the Elder, which makes him the grandson of Zebedee and the nephew of John. He is the other ‘Judas’ in the listing of the Twelve, although he is not generally referred to by that name because of the association with Judas Iscariot. He is also called ‘Lebbaeus’ or ‘Thaddaeus,’ which are Hebrew and Aramaic names that mean ‘one who is close to the heart’ or ‘a beloved one.’ On Maundy Thursday evening, this disciple asked Jesus the question, ‘Lord, how is it that You will manifest Yourself to us, and not to the world?’ Jesus answered him, ‘If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him’ (John 14:22-23).” [Excerpted from N.T. Catechesis] What a wonderful word from our Lord for the celebration of the Reformation and the observance of our congregation’s anniversary. May we ever love Him who loved us and hold fast to His Word.CP241027

Catechesis Notes for the Week — Judgment Against Apostasy and the Persecution of the Faithful—This week’s Bible narrative highlights the apostasy of both the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah. The prophet Ahijah pronounced the Lord’s judgment against the house of Jeroboam and gave his kingdom to another. He had done more evil than all those who came before him. A similar judgment was pronounced against Rehoboam for the same reason. The Temple treasury and its sacred vessels were robbed by the king of Egypt. The backsliding of both kingdoms would continue after the deaths of Jeroboam and Rehoboam. Despite their apostasy, the Lord would send faithful prophets to call them to repentance. Elijah was sent into the northern kingdom with the Lord’s Word, but his faithful proclamation of the Word resulted in persecution from King Ahab and his Phoenician Queen Jezebel. The life of a faithful prophet is marked by suffering, loneliness, rejection, and persecution, just as Jesus would face. But such persecution and suffering for the Lord’s sake is, itself, a sign that the prophet has been faithful to the Lord. The widow of Zarephath received Elijah and provided for him during the drought as a confession of faith that the God of Israel was the only true and living God.CP241020

Catechesis Notes for the Week — Solomon’s Heart Turns from the Lord — The magnificent wise reign of King Solomon ended with him turning from the Lord and accommodating the false pagan worship of his many wives. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, but the compromising of his faith in the Lord ushered into Israel the poison of false doctrine, false worship, and the unbridled pursuit of satisfying the appetites of the flesh. As a result of his sins of unfaithfulness, the Lord divided Israel into two nations. The northern kingdom of Israel was led by Jeroboam who ushered in a liturgy that kept the citizens of the north from worshiping in Jerusalem. The southern kingdom of Judah was led by Rehoboam who had none of the wisdom of his father Solomon but began a tyrannical reign of high taxes that forced the northern tribes to revolt. May these lessons from the Old Testament warn us of the dangers of compromising our faith and following our fleshly appetites.CP241013

Catechesis Notes for the Week — Solomon’s Temple — This week’s history of the Old Testament Church focuses upon the building of the Temple in Jerusalem. The Temple was a replica of the portable Tabernacle, but on a larger scale. The same appointments that were in the Tabernacle were part of the Temple. Most notably, the Ark of the Covenant was placed in the Holy of Holies behind the curtain. The Ark of the Covenant represented Christ. The “mercy-seat” upon which the cherubim gazed, was the lid of the Ark and the place where the High Priest offered the blood and water in atonement for the sins of the people on the Day of Atonement. Jesus made atonement for our sins upon the altar of the cross, and we are sprinkled with His blood through the water of Holy Baptism. Jesus is the true Ark of the Promise of salvation. He was conceived and born in the flesh and “tabernacles among us” by the wisdom of His Gospel and the life-giving power of His Sacraments.CP241006