Congregation at Prayer

Catechesis Notes for the Week — The Power of the Finished Work of Christ — The power of Jesus’ finished work is on display this week in the readings from Matthew. This power to save, heal, deliver from death, and cleanse from sin is delivered to us by Jesus’ Word. Faith receives the Word of Christ and trusts in its power to save. In Jesus Heals a Centurion’s Servant, we see faith in Christ’s Word as the centurion comes to Jesus on behalf of his servant. He confesses his unworthiness and declares, “Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed.” In Jesus Heals Peter’s Mother-in-law, we see the power of Jesus’ touch to restore health and “with a word” to cast out evil spirits and healed all who were sick. In Jesus Stills the Storm, He rebuked the wind and the wave, showing His power over divine judgement. When the Two Demon-Possessed Men Are Healed, we see how the demons know who Jesus is as the Son of God but are afraid of Him and His Word. This same reaction was seen in the people from the city of the Gergesenes who begged Him to depart from them. Without repentant faith in Christ, the unbeliever is afraid of Jesus and the power of His Word to save. In Jesus Forgives and Heals a Paralytic, we see that He has given the authority of His Word to forgive sins to the Church who, by her called ministers, forgives sin in Jesus’ stead and by His command. Each Christian also has the divine mandate to forgive others according to the station and calling God has given to them. “That you my know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins…He said to the paralytic, “Arise, take up your bed, and go to your house” … and when the multitudes saw it, they marveled and glorified God, who had given such power to men.” Finally, the call of Jesus’ Word to faith and into the Office of the Ministry is seen in Matthew, the Tax Collector. “I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.” Ultimately, the power of Jesus’ word rests upon His finished work of salvation for us and for the whole world in His death and resurrection. If Jesus had not atoned for sin and defeated death upon the cross, He would not have risen from the dead nor would His Word have had any power to save. This power and authority of Jesus’ Word emanates from His saving work upon the cross and reaches forward and backward in time to save.CP230618

CP230611Catechesis Notes for the Week — Abraham believed in the Lord, and He accounted it to him for righteousness—The righteousness of God is the death of Jesus that covers our sin with God’s forgiveness. The righteousness of God in Christ’s death was witnessed throughout the Old Testament Scriptures of the Law and the Prophets. “Abraham believed in the Lord, and [the Lord] accounted it [faith in the promise of salvation] to him for righteousness (Genesis 15:6). Out of this faith in the promise of salvation, Abraham declared to Isaac, “My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for the burnt offering” (Genesis 22:8). Out of this faith Moses preached to the children of Israel, “Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will accomplish for you today” (Exodus 14:13). By the promise of the Gospel they were called to faith in the righteousness of Christ centuries before His death. Christ is the Lamb of God which God Himself provided for our salvation. Christ accomplished everything that was necessary for our salvation in His death upon the cross. God set forth Jesus as the propitiation for our sin—the true “mercy seat” or “place of forgiveness”—through His blood. This is why Jesus speaks to us of His blood in the Sacrament of the Altar, “Drink of it, all of you; this cup is the New Testament in My blood, which is shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.” For the sake of Christ’s righteousness and in the forbearance of God, the Lord passed over the sins of the people of old that He might “be just” or “perform His righteousness” in the death of His Son, as He had promised in the Scriptures, and justify all sinners through faith in Him. The Word of God calls us to faith in Christ Jesus by whom we are justified or declared righteous as a free gift of God’s grace. Christ is the content of justifying faith. He is presented to us in the Word. God is just or righteous in Christ, because Christ has made full atonement for our sin in His death and has redeemed us from sin through the shedding of His blood. God is just or righteous in declaring us righteous for Jesus’ sake. The righteousness of God is received as a free gift of God’s grace through faith in Jesus and all that He has done for us. The object of saving or justifying faith is always and only Christ Jesus who suffered and died for us. Faith believes that Jesus is the righteousness of God and it is this righteousness alone that saves us from all sin and reconciles us to God. – Excerpted from Lutheran Catechesis: Catechist Edition, p. 106e.

Catechesis Notes for the Week — Jesus’ Call, the Beatitudes, and His Teaching on Righteousness—Our walk through the Gospel of Matthew continues with Jesus’ Ministry and the Call of the Fishermen to be “fishers of men.” These men were called from their livelihood as fishers to be in fulltime ministry as Jesus’ Apostles. In Jesus’ ministry they observed the power of the divine Word that they were called to preach. Throughout their three years with Jesus, they would learn dependance upon Him. The Sermon on the Mount begins with The Beatitudes which are first a description of Jesus Himself, who is poor in spirit, meek, and merciful, and then a description of what we share in through faith in Him. Faith in Christ is poor in spirit, contrite, meek, merciful, pure in heart, and hungers and thirsts for righteousness. The promise of faith in Christ is that the kingdom of heaven is ours, we shall be comforted, and we shall be filled with righteousness. Every blessing of the Beatitudes is ours through faith in Christ. Christ’s Righteousness Fulfills the Law teaches us that every jot and tittle of the Law is fulfilled by Jesus. He is without sin, and He dies upon the cross to fulfill the Law’s demands for us. This is the righteousness that is “greater than the Scribes and Pharisees” and it is received by faith alone. To counter all notions of pharisaical self-righteousness, Jesus expounds upon You Shall Not Murder, You Shall Not Commit Adultery, and You Shall Not Give False Testimony by teaching us that violation of the Law involves more than the outward act of murder, adultery, or lying. It also involves the heart. Hatred is murder. Lust is adultery. And every deceptive misleading word is of the Evil One. Jesus’ righteousness, received by faith, covers our sin and brings forth the blessed fruits that are described in the Beatitudes. CP230604

Catechesis Notes for the Week — The Gift of the Holy Spirit and the Gospel of Matthew—This week of Pentecost we meditate upon the gift of the Holy Spirit. Jesus promised the Apostles, “the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.” This promise guaranteed for them the miracle of the New Testament Scriptures. The Apostles witnessed everything that Jesus said and did. They witnessed His ministry as the fulfillment of the Old Testament Scriptures. The Holy Spirit would bring this to their remembrance so that they could faithfully testify to Jesus in the New Testament Scriptures and deliver this message to us. Through the Apostolic Word we hear the voice of the Holy Spirit and come to know and believe in all that Jesus is and has done for us and for the world. The promise of the Holy Spirit first given to the Apostles also applies to us as we hear and receive their testimony. The Holy Spirit works in our hearts and lives through the Word. The first three days this week we meditate upon the appointed readings for Pentecost, Pentecost Monday, and Pentecost Tuesday. The remainder of the summer we hear the voice of the Spirit as we walk through the eyewitness testimony of the Apostle and Evangelist, St. Matthew. Notice how often Matthew’s testimony of Jesus life and ministry is laced with quotations and allusions to the Old Testament witness of the prophets. In this way, our faith is strengthened by the two-fold witness of the Apostles and Prophets and Jesus is shown to be the savior of all nations as foretold in Old Testament and witnessed by the Apostles.CP230528

Catechesis Notes for the Week — Peace I Leave with You, My peace I give to you…Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John 14:27) “This is a very precious, final word, that He does not leave them cities and castles, or silver and gold, but His peace as the greatest treasure in heaven and on earth. They are not to be afraid or to mourn but are to have true and lovely and longed-for peace in their hearts. For as far as it rests with Me, He says, you will have nothing but pure peace and joy. For My presence and preaching have taught you that I love you with all My heart, and desire only your good, and My Father looks upon you most graciously. This is the best gift I can leave to you. For this is the highest peace, when the heart is content; as it is said ‘the joy of the heart is the greatest of all joys’; and again, ‘the sorrow of the heart is the greatest of all sorrows.’” Martin LutherCP230521

Catechesis Notes for the Week — The resurrection and ascension of our Lord in the flesh to the Father’s right hand belong together as the great concrete manifestations of our salvation. God’s will at creation—to give of Himself to us—has been fulfilled. In Christ Jesus we share in the glory of God Himself, and reign with Christ as eternal victors over sin, death, and the power of the devil. What the devil promised Adam and Eve but could not deliver because he was not the God of love, God gave in the person of His Son by whom He took humanity into Himself. The Lord God has withheld nothing form us. Through the redemption of Christ Jesus we share in all the glorious treasure of heaven, not as “gods” for ourselves, but as recipients of the divine love and life of the blessed Trinity.—Excerpt from Lutheran Catechesis.CP230514

Catechesis Notes for the Week — Comforting Catechesis on the Holy Spirit, the Comforter — This week’s Bible narratives continue Jesus’ comforting catechesis in the upper room. In this discourse, He prepares the Apostles and the Church of future generations concerning the Work of the Holy Spirit and what they are to expect. The Holy Spirit works through the Word of the Gospel to call to repentance and faith in Christ. The Spirit does this by convicting us of our sin, proclaiming the righteousness of Christ in His death, and proclaiming God’s judgment against the ruler of this world who stands condemned and has no power to condemn us. By the Word of the Gospel of Jesus’ suffering and death, we learn that Our Sorrow Will Turn to Joy. By the certain promises of His Word, we are encouraged to Ask and You will Receive. And in Jesus’ High Priestly Prayer we learn that Jesus is praying for us and that Jesus Prays for the Apostles and for those who will believe in Jesus through their Word, that they and the Church of every generation might be sanctified by Jesus’ Word and abide in His name to the end. Against the backdrop of Jesus’ catechesis we cannot help but think of the work of the Holy Spirit as described in the Catechism: “He calls us by the Gospel, sanctifies and keeps us in the true faith…even as He calls, gathers, and enlightens the whole Christian Church on earth and keeps it with Jesus Christ in the one true faith.”CP230507

Catechesis Notes for the Week — St. Philip and St. James, Apostles: This week we celebrate the feast of St. Philip and St. James Apostles. “St. Philip is mentioned in the lists of the apostles (Matthew 10:3; Mark 3:18; Luke 6:14; Acts 1:13), but only in John’s Gospel is more told about him. Philip was from Bethsaida in Galilee and one of the first disciples called after Peter and Andrew. Philip also was instrumental in bringing Nathanael to Jesus (John 1:43-51). It was to Philip that Jesus posed the question about where to buy bread to feed five thousand men (John 6:5). During Holy Week, Philip with Andrew brought some inquiring Greeks to Jesus (John 12:20-22). And on Maundy Thursday evening, Philip asked Jesus to show the Father to him and to the rest of the disciples (John 14:8). According to tradition, Philip went to labor in Phrygia and was buried there. St. James was a son of Alphaeus and was also called “the Younger” (to distinguish him from James, the son of Zebedee, “the Elder,” whose festival day is July 25). His mother Mary was one of the faithful women who stood at the cross of Jesus (Matthew 27:56; Mark 15:40). James is mentioned in the same apostolic lists as Philip, but there is no other mention of him in the New Testament. There is also no information regarding his field of labor or the circumstances of his death, except that he may have been martyred by being sawed in two.” (Treasury of Daily Prayer). CP230430

Catechesis Notes for the Week — Jesus’ Encouraging Catechesis — Our Eastertide Bible readings in the Congregation at Prayer offer to us the comforting and encouraging words of Jesus to the disciples in the Upper Room on Maundy Thursday. In these readings He prepares them for their future ministry as His apostles and offers comfort to Christians and the Church of every age as we face hardship and persecution for confessing Christ. Many of these words we know by heart: “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me…I am the way, the truth, and the life…I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper…even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you…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…the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.” (Selections are from John 14). By the ministry of the Holy Spirit, the resurrection Gospel of Jesus’ peace and forgiveness is delivered to us. We are comforted and strengthened to remain faithful in our witness to Him who has given His life for us. By the testimony of the Spirit of Truth we have the assurance that we belong to Christ.CP230423

Catechesis Notes for the Week — Associating with Sinners—The Ministry of Absolution—The ministry of private absolution is retained in the church because of God’s passion to save the lost sinner. The baptized Christian still “daily sins much and deserves nothing but God’s wrath and punishment.” The devil, the world, and the Christian’s own sinful nature wage an incessant war against faith in Christ. Holy Absolution is spoken that the Christian’s faith in Christ might be restored and that his conscience might be comforted and strengthened against these attacks. Faith lives from the word of the Gospel. How wonderful it is that Christ’s absolution comes to us sinners in many ways: Holy Baptism, the preaching of the Gospel to the congregation in the Divine Service, ongoing catechesis, the Lord’s Supper, and even the comforting words of the Gospel spoken to us by our brothers and sisters in Christ. But it is also offered to us in the consolation our pastor is called to give us privately: Holy Absolution. Private absolution is a sermon of the sweetest Gospel for the individual sinner applied to the sinner’s specific need. Like our Lord who received sinners and ate with them, the Lutheran pastor is called by God to associate with the members of his flock who are tormented by the weaknesses of their sinful nature and plagued by a bad conscience. He is called to believe that he has no greater work than to offer the comfort of Holy Absolution. (Luth. Cat. p. 201)CP230416