Congregation at Prayer

Catechesis Notes for the Week — The Strange Miracles of Elisha — The miracles performed by Elisha seem so strange and they inspire the question, “What does this mean?” Digging ditches in the middle of the desert where there is no water, so that water might spring up, should remind us of Baptism and how in the desert of this world the Lord gives life through water. The widow’s oil should remind us of how oil is a sign of the Holy Spirit who anoints us with faith and the gladness of salvation. The resurrection of the Shunammite’s son naturally flows out of the lessons of this week’s first two miracles. The promise of Holy Baptism is the anointing of the Spirit and the promise of the resurrection. The miracle of feeding during the famine should point us to the Lord’s Supper and how the Lord feeds us in the wilderness of this world with His body and blood. The floating axe head, the strangest of all, should remind us of John the Baptist’s ministry of repentance. The axe was laid at the root of the trees that God might bring life out of death through repentance and faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus. CP241110v2

Catechesis Notes for the Week — The Still Small Voice of the Lord is Powerful to Save — While the Prophet Elijah was isolated in a cave in the wilderness upon Mount Horeb, the Lord appeared to Him to strengthen him under the suffering of being hunted down by Queen Jezebel. The Lord taught him that he should look for God’s strength, comfort, and deliverance not in displays of spectacular power (a violent wind or a destructive earthquake), but rather in the delicate whispering of God’s Word which has the power to comfort, sustain, and strengthen His children. We need to learn this lesson too. The theology of the cross teaches us that God so often strengthens faith and grants wisdom and understanding through the things that we suffer. We learn to believe this through faith in the suffering and death of Christ on our behalf. Out of His suffering and death, we hear the quiet, yet powerful voice of the Lord’s forgiveness that sees us through the struggles of life.CP241103

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

Catechesis Notes for the Week — Solomon’s Kingdom at Its Best — This week’s Biblical narratives describe the reign of King Solomon before he began to pursue the appetites of the flesh. Solomon rightly asked for wisdom. He did not ask for wealth or other fleeting temporal blessings. The Lord granted his request and bestowed upon him the gift of a wise and discerning heart. This was the Lord’s gift and not anything for which Solomon could boast. His wisdom is on display this week in how he handles the two harlots in a dispute about their children. His kingdom was established upon the promises God made to David, and he built the Lord’s Temple in Jerusalem to be the location of God’s divine services in the Old Testament Church. The good qualities we see this week in King Solomon are prophetic types of the ultimate Prince of Peace, our Lord Jesus Christ. He would build a kingdom, speak eternal wisdom, and establish a peace that would never end.CP240929

Catechesis Notes for the Week — Strife in the House of David — This week’s Biblical narrative begins with the prophet Nathan being sent to King David to call him to repentance. David had transgressed grievously, committing adultery with Bathsheba, and arranging for the death of her husband to cover his sin. No one can hide from God. In love for David, Nathan was called to do the hard thing: call him to repent. Nathan’s ministry to David was characterized by using language that, though it exposed his sin, did so in such a way that this prodigal king would be called back to the love of the Lord from which he had strayed. David repented. He confessed. He was absolved of his sin. But strife and calamity would follow him for the rest of his days. The child conceived in adultery would die. Another son, Absalom, would betray him and try to steal his throne. Every conceivable difficulty would be experienced in his household and kingdom. Why? Did these terrible things mean that the Lord did NOT forgive him? By no means! Rather, through the things that David suffered, he would learn reliance upon the Lord’s grace alone. We see this miracle of repentant faith throughout David’s prayers in the psalter.CP240922

Catechesis Notes for the Week — The Reign of David Begins—This week’s Bible stories feature the beginning of David’s reign. He was a man after God’s own heart, a man of repentant faith in the Lord. We see this in the high regard he pays to the centrality of the Ark of the Covenant in Israel’s worship, in the Lord’s covenant with Him, and in how he kept his promise to Jonathan and the household of Saul to care for Mephibosheth, Jonathan’s cripped son. But to say that David was a man after God’s own heart does not mean that he did not struggle with sin. At the end of this week, we hear the account of David’s adultery with Bathsheba and how, through that one action, he transgressed all of God’s Law. David did so many great things throughout his career, but he is not the Savior. Only the greater Son of David is without sin, and only He, Jesus Christ, our Lord, is capable of saving sinners, even the likes of David.CP240915

Catechesis Notes for the Week — Satanic Arts—Under the Second Commandment, “You shall not misuse the name of the Lord Your God,” the Catechism reminds us that the misuse of God’s name also involves ANY attempt to tap into powers other than God for guidance, strength, and support. The occult, or “satanic arts” involves seances, tarot cards, horoscopes, crystal balls, palm reading, etc. In this week’s bible stories from the Old Testament we hear about the tragic end of King Saul’s life. His reign as king had begun with such promise, only to end in the destruction of his kingdom and the loss of his own life by the judgment of the Lord. One of Saul’s final acts was to consult with a “witch” or “medium” at Endor. Scripture makes clear that we cannot and are not to attempt to contact the dead. This medium at Endor had a “familiar spirit” or demon who could impersonate people who had died to mislead people that they were actually consulting with their dead relative. In the case of this week’s bible story, the Lord intervened and allowed Samuel to appear and pronounce God’s judgement. Immediately, the medium was terrified because she did not see her familiar demon, but Samuel himself. God protect us from such wickedness; thus, we call on the Lord’s name alone.CP240908