Author: kyriss

Today’s readings have been proclaimed in St. Michaeltide. This is the time of year when the members of the Church are particularly called by the weekly lectionary texts to remember that Satan has been cast out of heaven. We behold him as a fierce, though defeated enemy. While that is a frightening prospect, it also can be comforting for the faithful to annually hear that Satan can no longer accuse them before God….For more, click on the title above.

The days remain evil. Those words were written to state a fact to a Christian congregation in an ancient city. It was a timely letter, that reminded the faithful that, despite the evil in the fallen world, they had certainty in God’s Word to behold God’s will in, for, and through their lives. That means that God’s people remain filled with the Spirit….For more, click on the title above.

A theme for this 19th Sunday after Trinity has again been developed from the Word of God in our pericopes (cuttings from Scripture) that have been proclaimed today. That theme is offered into your ears for this day. It is:
Repentant sinners who believe that they are forgiven by God then live under forgiveness.

That was stated as a reminder of that which should be done through the work of our Lutheran Women in Mission. The Word of God calls them to work in godly love to enable and assist the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Theirs is the same work that is to be done by all our congregation’s auxiliary groups. …For more, click on the title above.

The Holy Spirit, through God’s divine plan, continues to use the proclaimed Word, in its several forms, to help, us—that is, all people who would be faithful to God’s Word—to press down our Old Adams. He does that through our hearing God’s proclaimed Law. That reveals to us our sins and sinful natures. The Divine Law moves us to sorrow over our sins. We experience that because we fear the conviction, condemnation, and killing that comes from hearing that, apart from Him, we would remain under God’s holy wrath. That moves us to will ourselves to turn from our sins….For more, click on the title above.

Today’s reading also fits nicely within the sanctification theme that is heard, in faithful congregations such as this one, each year during Laurencetide. In the text are descriptions of those things which are desired by every person’s sinful nature. They are set against the things that are the fruits the Holy Spirit produces in the new nature God gives to the faithful….For more, click on the title above.

As many of you have heard over the past couple of weeks, we are in the part of the long green Trinity season that is given to speak of our sanctification. That is the work God does in and through us because we have been declared, holy on account of being washed in the blood of Jesus. Such ”holification” the Holy Spirit continues to work in us as we, in Christ, continue to fulfill the two great Divine Commandments of loving God and loving our neighbors.
In particular, today’s readings focus us upon living lives of sanctification as we, in Christ, hold fast to the letter and meanings contained in the Second Table of the Law… that which we owe to our neighbors. …For more, click on the title above.