The Sunday is summarized in the Prayer of the Day, which thanks God for the implanting of the Word and asks for the Spirit’s help in producing fruits of faith. The Christian is planted by the Word and produces fruit.

From the beginning of time, God provided rest for His creation. He blessed the seventh day and set it apart, that man might learn to find his rest in God alone. In Jesus, the Christian finds rest from his burdens, rest from his battles, and rest forever in heaven. The Christian finds rest in Jesus.

This week we begin a 7-week series looking at various aspects of “The Christian.” The beautiful Prayer of the Day sets the tone for the Sunday. The Church prays for the love of God that we might always love Him above all things. The Verse of the Day describes this total commitment to Christ as denying ourselves and carrying our crosses. The lessons warn of the earthly ramifications of such love, but also point to the promised heavenly rewards. The Christian loves God above all things.

The Holy Ministry preaches Christ in spite of persecution. Christ promises courage for His witnesses to testify even in the face of pain or persecution. The Prayer of the Day is one of the most ancient in the Church’s use. It seems to have been suggested by the disasters of the dying Western Empire. As Rome crumbled, the Church prayed for God’s governance that she might worship in peace and joy. Today Christ reminds us that even when that peace and joy are absent, He will give us the courage to continue to testify in His name. The Holy Ministry preaches Christ in spite of persecution.

Over the next three Sundays we hear Jesus’ Missionary Discourse (Matthew 10:5-42). Last Sunday we saw the unworthiness of the servants God calls by mercy. Today the emphasis is still on the Ministry of the Word, but the focus shifts from the servants to the people they serve. We see the compassion and love of God for this world, love so great that he called ministers of the Word to share His grace and mercy and foretell of the coming kingdom of heaven. The Holy Ministry is given by God out of compassion for his people.

The Holy Ministry is filled with people who God called out of His boundless mercy. Nothing else could explain the choices for ministers that God made! He calls such sinful and weak men to fill this office. Only mercy can explain the men He chose in this Sunday’s lessons: a despised tax collector, an exiled killer, a persecutor of Christians. How poignant these lessons are, when we remember that each lesson was penned by the unworthy minister called into service by God’s boundless mercy! The Holy Ministry is filled with people who God called out of His boundless mercy.

The Holy Ministry stands on the rock-solid truth of God’s Word. Not all who call themselves ministers do that, so watch out for false teachers! Many will come with wise-sounding words and pious promises, but they are not what they seem. The Church’s only defense is to stand firmly on the rock-solid truth of God’s Word.

The Season: After reliving the great events of the life of Christ, the worshipping Church spends half a year focusing on the teachings of Christ. The Church wears green during the season of Pentecost as the Spirit uses those teachings of Jesus to grow the faith of believers. The appointed lessons teach us the characteristics of the Holy Ministry, the Christian, the Church, our God, and the Christian life.

The Sunday: We believe in the Triune God. The third and longest of the ecumenical creeds underscores the importance of this Sunday’s message. The doctrine of the Trinity is not a logical exercise or a dogmatic excursion. It’s central to our salvation. The Triune God is our Creator, Redeemer, and Sanctifier. Lose this doctrine, and as the Creed says, you lose it all. A Jesus who is less than God is also less than Savior. The Holy Ministry proclaims the Triune God.

The Believer Grows in Christian Character A Faith That Works Sins are all around and… read more