Thursday Thoughts for October 24, 2013
From Pastor Carrie Smith
Scroll down to find the Bethany Weekly newsletter!
You can print it, forward it to friends, and read it on your phone, tablet, or computer.
You can also find the weekly newsletter on the main page of the Bethany website each week:
***
Thought for the Day:
“A Christian is a perfectly free lord of all, subject to none.
A Christian is a perfectly dutiful servant of all, subject of all, subject to all.”
― Martin Luther, “The Freedom of a Christian”
***
We hold in prayer the family of Bruce Johnson, who died on Monday after a long struggle with a brain tumor. There will be a visitation at the church tonight at 6 pm, and the funeral service is at 7 pm. Please remember Diane, Tessa, Adam and Drew in your prayers.
Sunday at Bethany: This is Reformation Sunday, the day when we remember Martin Luther and the other reformers who sought to move the church away from certain excesses and back to a focus on grace, faith, and the Word of God. The reformers of the church wrote, in various places, of the Five Solas that define Protestant theology:
- Sola Fide, by faith alone.
- Sola Scriptura, by Scripture alone.
- Solus Christus, through Christ alone.
- Sola Gratia, by grace alone.
- Soli Deo Gloria, glory to God alone.
Today, we don’t celebrate Reformation Sunday to separate ourselves from our brothers and sisters in the Catholic Church, but to honor our history of looking to Scripture to guide our lives; to encourage the church of today that “ecclesia semper reformanda est” (“the church is always to be reforming”); and, of course, to sing “A Mighty Fortress is Our God!”
Wear red this Sunday and come ready to hear wonderful music at both 8:30 am and 10:30 am. See you then!
Sunday is also Confirmation Day for 15 of our young people. The Affirmation of Baptism service will be at 4 pm, and all are invited. Congratulations to each of you! You are not the future of the church: you ARE the church! Our 2013 confirmands are:
Chase Barneveld, Meghan Coates, Morgan Dahlke, William Effinger, Ryan Elliot, Kendall Johnson, Luke Klinefelter, Tyler Lentz, Robert Masini, Nathaniel Meador, Jarrett Natrop, Sarah Sirotzki, Caleb Smith, Logan Sorenson, and Ethan Ticknor.
One week left: There is one week left to give a gift to the ELCA’s 25th Anniversary campaign for mission! For a gift of $25, you will receive an ELCA logo window cling. Click here to give now! https://community.elca.org/page.aspx?pid=574&srctid=1&erid=6070905&trid=59beb2ed-a1ff-4f31-847d-f7b5f651220d
***
This Week’s Texts: Reformation
Prayer of the Day:
Almighty God, gracious Lord, we thank you that your Holy Spirit renews the church in every age. Pour out your Holy Spirit on your faithful people. Keep them steadfast in your word, protect and comfort them in times of trial, defend them against all enemies of the gospel, and bestow on the church your saving peace, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
| FIRST READING | Jeremiah 31:31–34 |
The renewed covenant will not be breakable, but like the old covenant it will expect the people to live upright lives. To know the Lord means that one will defend the cause of the poor and needy (Jer. 22:16). The renewed covenant is possible only because the Lord will forgive iniquity and not remember sin. Our hope lies in a God who forgets
31The days are surely coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah. 32It will not be like the covenant that I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt — a covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, says the LORD. 33But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 34No longer shall they teach one another, or say to each other, "Know the LORD," for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, says the LORD; for I will forgive their iniquity, and remember their sin no more.
| PSALM (ELW) | Psalm 46 |
The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold. (Ps. 46:7)
1God is our ref- | uge and strength,
a very present | help in trouble.
2Therefore we will not fear, though the | earth be moved,
and though the mountains shake in the depths | of the sea;
3though its waters | rage and foam,
and though the mountains tremble | with its tumult.
4There is a river whose streams make glad the cit- | y of God,
the holy habitation of | the Most High.
5God is in the midst of the city; it shall | not be shaken;
God shall help it at the | break of day.
6The nations rage, and the | kingdoms shake;
God speaks, and the earth | melts away. R
7The LORD of | hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob | is our stronghold.
8Come now, regard the works | of the LORD,
what desolations God has brought up- | on the earth;
9behold the one who makes war to cease in | all the world;
who breaks the bow, and shatters the spear,
and burns the | shields with fire.
10"Be still, then, and know that | I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations;
I will be exalted | in the earth."
11The LORD of | hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob | is our stronghold. R
| SECOND READING | Romans 3:19–28 |
Paul's words stand at the heart of the preaching of Martin Luther and the other Reformation leaders. No human beings make themselves right with God through works of the law. We are brought into a right relationship with God through the divine activity centered in Christ's death. This act is a gift of grace that liberates us from sin and empowers our faith in Jesus Christ.
19Now we know that whatever the law says, it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. 20For "no human being will be justified in his sight" by deeds prescribed by the law, for through the law comes the knowledge of sin.
21But now, apart from law, the righteousness of God has been disclosed, and is attested by the law and the prophets, 22the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction,23since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; 24they are now justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25whom God put forward as a sacrifice of atonement by his blood, effective through faith. He did this to show his righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over the sins previously committed; 26it was to prove at the present time that he himself is righteous and that he justifies the one who has faith in Jesus.
27Then what becomes of boasting? It is excluded. By what law? By that of works? No, but by the law of faith. 28For we hold that a person is justified by faith apart from works prescribed by the law.
| GOSPEL | John 8:31–36 |
Jesus speaks of truth and freedom as spiritual realities known through his word. He reveals the truth that sets people free from sin.
31Then Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, "If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples; 32and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free." 33They answered him, "We are descendants of Abraham and have never been slaves to anyone. What do you mean by saying, 'You will be made free'?"
34Jesus answered them, "Very truly, I tell you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin. 35The slave does not have a permanent place in the household; the son has a place there forever. 36So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.
Peace,
Pr. Carrie Smith
