Wednesday after the Fourth Sunday after Pentecost


Wednesday of the Fourth Sunday after Pentecost

Collect of the Day: O God, the protector of all who trust in You, without whom nothing is strong and nothing is holy, multiply Your mercy on us that, with You as our ruler and guide, we may so pass through things temporal that we lose not the things eternal; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

 

The Epistle is from the First Letter of Peter, the fifth chapter.  (1 Peter 5:6-11)

6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, 7 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. 8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.9 Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. 10 And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. 11 To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen. This is the Word of the Lord. 

Alleluia Verse: Alleluia. I love you, O LORD, my strength. The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer. Alleluia.

 

The Holy Gospel according to St. Luke, the fifteenth chapter.    (Luke 15:1-10)

15 Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him.2 And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.” 3 So he told them this parable: 4 “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? 5 And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6 And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’ 7 Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance. 8 “Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and seek diligently until she finds it?9 And when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.’ 10 Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”  The Gospel of the Lord.

Sermon: O Lord, let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, my Rock and my Redeemer. Amen. 

 

The Gospel reading for tonight comes out of Luke 15 where in addition to the parables of the lost sheep and the lost coin, Jesus also tells the Parable of the Prodigal Son. Jesus speaks these parables for everyone’s benefit. For us, we are reminded that God desires to find the lost. Even if we do not know that we are lost, God knows. He goes looking for us. When we come to faith, God, the angels, and all of heaven rejoice. 

 

For the Pharisees and the Scribes who are casting judgment upon Jesus for welcoming those perceived to be lost, Jesus reminds them that God seeks out the lost. Eternal and everlasting judgment does not happen until Jesus returns. Until then, God seeks out the lost so that they may come to faith in Christ Jesus and be embraced by the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. 

 

The Pharisees and Scribes forget that God has always looked for the lost regardless of whether they are Jewish or Gentile. Written into the Mosaic Law is concern for the foreigner. Amongst other rules, on the Sabbath, the foreigner also rests. They too have opportunity to worship the Lord and study God’s Word. The prophet Jonah was sent to Ninevah to proclaim God’s judgment against them so that they would repent and turn to the LORD. Ninevah is gentile and in northern Iraq. God has concern for them too. 

 

Jesus’ ministry to all the lost, whether Jew or Gentile, is consistent with the care that He and the Father and the Holy Spirit has expressed throughout the ages. We are grateful that the Lord’s mercy extends even to us. The Lord has found us. He arranges us to receive Holy Baptism, to be catechized in the Christian faith, to receive the Lord’s Supper and to be refreshed by His ongoing presence with us. We are renewed by the grace of His forgiveness. We are strengthened in our faith by His Word. We have hope in this life and for eternity because God’s love for us brought Jesus to us. He dies on the cross for us so that we can know God and confess our faith in Him. We dwell in His promises. Jesus says to us, “I am the resurrection and the life, whoever believes in me shall have eternal life.” We believe that Jesus’ resurrection will be our resurrection in the age to come. 

 

The Lord seeks the Lost. We rejoice that we are found and have responded with faith. 

 

The peace of God which passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.   

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