The Lord came to His city and His temple to teach His people, but the leaders of Israel rose up against Him. When they questioned His authority, Jesus responded with three parables meant to drive the leaders to self-evaluation and self-condemnation. The stories speak of family ties, contractual obligation, and the favor of a royal invitation. Each should have led to a proper response, yet each parable showed that Israel’s leaders were refusing to give God the fruits of faith He patiently sought. Our God patiently seeks fruits.

What is our God like? Over the next four Sundays, the Church hears Jesus tell four parables which reveal characteristics of our God. Today’s lessons cause the worshiper to ask: Is God fair? No, He’s not. He doesn’t give us what we deserve, and that’s called mercy. In fact, He gives us what we don’t deserve, and that’s called grace. Our God is incomprehensibly gracious.

Anytime we try to imitate God, we quickly realize our inadequacy. Yet today God tells us to model our forgiveness on His: a boundless, free, and loving forgiveness based on the sacrifice of Christ. How could our sinful hearts ever forgive like that? The Prayer of the Day asks that the mercy and grace of God precede us and follow after us, that we might love God with undivided hearts–hearts always ready to forgive as God does: sins are forgiven, forgotten, forever. The Church forgives as God forgives.

The Christian lives as wheat among weeds as he waits for the harvest. In the Prayer of the Day, we ask for the spirit to live like wheat–to think and to do what is right–even while we live in this sinful world. Living with an eye on the coming harvest gives us encouragement, comfort, and hope. The Christian lives as wheat among weeds.

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 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.