Sunday School Lesson

Evening Prayer

                                                                                                3/18/2020

+ SERVICE OF LIGHT +

L    Jesus Christ is the Light of the world,

C    the light no darkness can overcome.

L    Stay with us, Lord, for it is evening,

C    and the day is almost over.

L    Let Your light scatter the darkness

C    and illumine Your Church.

L    Joyous light of glory:

C    of the immortal Father;

heavenly, holy, blessed Jesus Christ.

We have come to the setting of the sun,

and we look to the evening light.

We sing to God, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit:

You are worthy of being praised

with pure voices forever.

O Son of God, O Giver of life:

the universe proclaims Your glory.

L    Blessèd are You, O Lord our God, king of the universe, who led Your people Israel by a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. Enlighten our darkness by the light of Your Christ; may His Word be a lamp to our feet and a light to our path; for You are merciful, and You love Your whole creation and we, Your creatures, glorify You, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

C    Amen.

PSALM 69

9For zeal for your house has consumed me,
   and the reproaches of those who reproach you have fallen on me.
10When I wept and humbled my soul with fasting,
   it became my reproach.
11When I made sackcloth my clothing,
   I became a byword to them.
12I am the talk of those who sit in the gate,
   and the drunkards make songs about me.
13But as for me, my prayer is to you, O Lord.
   At an acceptable time, O God,
   in the abundance of your steadfast love answer me in your saving faithfulness.
14Deliver me
   from sinking in the mire;
let me be delivered from my enemies
   and from the deep waters.
15Let not the flood sweep over me,
   or the deep swallow me up,
   or the pit close its mouth over me.
16Answer me, O Lord, for your steadfast love is good;
   according to your abundant mercy, turn to me.
17Hide not your face from your servant;
   for I am in distress;
   make haste to answer me.
18Draw near to my soul, redeem me;
   ransom me because of my enemies!
19You know my reproach,
   and my shame and my dishonor;
   my foes are all known to you.
20Reproaches have broken my heart,
   so that I am in despair.
I looked for pity, but there was none,
   and for comforters, but I found none.
21They gave me poison for food,
   and for my thirst they gave me sour wine to drink.
22Let their own table before them become a snare;
   and when they are at peace, let it become a trap.
23Let their eyes be darkened, so that they cannot see,
   and make their loins tremble continually.
24Pour out your indignation upon them,
   and let your burning anger overtake them.
25May their camp be a desolation;
   let no one dwell in their tents.
26For they persecute him whom you have struck down,
   and they recount the pain of those you have wounded.
27Add to them punishment upon punishment;
   may they have no acquittal from you.
28Let them be blotted out of the book of the living;
   let them not be enrolled among the righteous.
29But I am afflicted and in pain;
   let your salvation, O God, set me on high!
30I will praise the name of God with a song;
   I will magnify him with thanksgiving.

L    Let us pray.

Let the incense of our repentant prayer ascend before You, O Lord, and let Your loving-kindness descend on us that, with purified minds, we may sing Your praises with the Church on earth and the whole heavenly host and may glorify You forever.

C    Amen.

Matthew 27:1–26

   1When morning came, all the chief priests and the elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death. 2And they bound him and led him away and delivered him over to Pilate the governor.

   3Then when Judas, his betrayer, saw that Jesus was condemned, he changed his mind and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders, 4saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” They said, “What is that to us? See to it yourself.” 5And throwing down the pieces of silver into the temple, he departed, and he went and hanged himself. 6But the chief priests, taking the pieces of silver, said, “It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, since it is blood money.” 7So they took counsel and bought with them the potter’s field as a burial place for strangers. 8Therefore that field has been called the Field of Blood to this day. 9Then was fulfilled what had been spoken by the prophet Jeremiah, saying, “And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him on whom a price had been set by some of the sons of Israel, 10and they gave them for the potter’s field, as the Lord directed me.”

   11Now Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus said, “You have said so.” 12But when he was accused by the chief priests and elders, he gave no answer. 13Then Pilate said to him, “Do you not hear how many things they testify against you?” 14But he gave him no answer, not even to a single charge, so that the governor was greatly amazed.

   15Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to release for the crowd any one prisoner whom they wanted. 16And they had then a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. 17So when they had gathered, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release for you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?” 18For he knew that it was out of envy that they had delivered him up. 19Besides, while he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent word to him, “Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I have suffered much because of him today in a dream.” 20Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus. 21The governor again said to them, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?” And they said, “Barabbas.” 22Pilate said to them, “Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” They all said, “Let him be crucified!” 23And he said, “Why, what evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more, “Let him be crucified!”

   24So when Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing, but rather that a riot was beginning, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this man’s blood; see to it yourselves.” 25And all the people answered, “His blood be on us and on our children!” 26Then he released for them Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus, delivered him to be crucified.

L    In many and various ways, God spoke to His people of old by the prophets.

C    But now in these last days, He has spoken to us by His Son.

SERMON

Psalm 69:29

    But I am afflicted and in pain;

        let your salvation, O God, set me on high!

In  John chapter 2, Jesus drove the money changers out of the temple in Jerusalem, because they were making a mess of the place and keeping people from worshipping properly, and then it says,  (vs 17) His disciples remembered that it was written, "Zeal for your house will consume me." That’s written here in Psalm 69. The disciples got that this Psalm is primarily about Jesus.

It’s clear also in the verse that says “for my thirst they gave me sour wine to drink.”  Which is what they did to Jesus at the crucifixion.

So also these words: But I am afflicted and in pain; let your salvation, O God, set me on high!

As our Lord was afflicted and in pain, He looked to His heavenly Father. He expected help and deliverance from on high. The answer to His plea came when He rose again on the third day, ascended into heaven and was seated at the right hand of God Almighty on high.

God the Father answered the prayer of His Son Jesus, who prayed,

    But as for me, my prayer is to you, O Lord.

        At an acceptable time, O God,

        in the abundance of your steadfast love answer me in your saving faithfulness.  (69:13)

This Psalm can become our prayer too. We are afflicted and in pain. Afflicted with a pandemic and all the trouble that it is causing. Some are already feeling the pain in the pocketbook as all the trouble is causing economic loss. Too many people are afflicted with fear. Caution is called for. Fear is destructive.

Faith displaces fear. So let this be your ongoing prayer: I am afflicted and in pain; let your salvation, O God, set me on high!

On high -- When the trumpet sounds and the Lord Jesus returns He will lift His beloved people from their graves and restore us to the high and perfect life in paradise.

On high – When death comes to us, perhaps soon, perhaps many years in the future, we have our Lord’s promise that He will send His angels to lift up our soul and take it on High to be with Him.

On high – When sickness and weakness get us down, the Spirit of God will call us through His word to lift up our eyes and our attitudes, so that even when afflicted we can praise God.

On high – When foolish fears fill our heads and innards and wreak havoc on us, we remembered that Jesus died even for our sins of fearing too much. And in repentance and faith we ask Him, “let your salvation, O God, set me on high!”

On high – When our God provides the opportunity, when he allows this plague to pass, we will again be able to come together and have Word and Sacrament properly, to eat of His Holy Communion in the foretaste of the feast to come on high.

Until then we believe. We pray. We wait.

Amen.

LITANY                                                                                                                                                         LSB 249

L    In peace let us pray to the Lord:

C    Lord, have mercy.

L    For the peace from above and for our salvation, let us pray to the Lord:

C    Lord, have mercy.

L    For the peace of the whole world, for the well-being of the Church of God, and for the unity of all, let us pray to the Lord:

C    Lord, have mercy.

L    For this holy house and for all who offer here their worship and praise, let us pray to the Lord:

C    Lord, have mercy.

L    For for all pastors in Christ, for all servants of the Church, and for all the people, let us pray to the Lord:

C    Lord, have mercy.

L    For [name of president or monarch], for all public servants, for the government and those who protect us, that they may be upheld and strengthened in every good deed, let us pray to the Lord:

C    Lord, have mercy.

L    For those who work to bring peace, justice, health, and protection in this and every place, let us pray to the Lord:

C    Lord, have mercy.

L    For those who bring offerings, those who do good works in this congregation, those who toil, those who sing, and all the people here present who await from the Lord great and abundant mercy, let us pray to the Lord:

C    Lord, have mercy.

L    For favorable weather, for an abundance of the fruits of the earth, and for peaceful times, let us pray to the Lord:

C    Lord, have mercy.

L    For our deliverance from all affliction, wrath, danger, and need, let us pray to the Lord:

C    Lord, have mercy.

L    For the sick and those who care for them, let us pray to the Lord:

C    Lord, have mercy.

L    For the faithful who have gone before us and are with Christ, let us give thanks to the Lord:

C    Thanks be to God.

L    Help, save, comfort, and defend us, gracious Lord.

L    Rejoicing in the fellowship of the saints, let us commend ourselves, one another, and our whole life to Christ, our Lord:

C    To You, O Lord.

COLLECT FOR PEACE

L    O God, from whom come all holy desires, all good counsels, and all just works, give to us, Your servants, that peace which the world cannot give, that our hearts may be set to obey Your commandments and also that we, being defended from the fear of our enemies, may live in peace and quietness; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

C    Amen.

LORD’S PRAYER                                                                                                                                      LSB 251

L    Taught by our Lord and trusting His promises, we are bold to pray:

C    Our Father who art in heaven,

     hallowed be Thy name,

     Thy kingdom come,

     Thy will be done on earth

          as it is in heaven;

     give us this day our daily bread;

     and forgive us our trespasses

          as we forgive those

          who trespass against us;

     and lead us not into temptation,

     but deliver us from evil.

For Thine is the kingdom

     and the power and the glory

     forever and ever. Amen.

BENEDICAMUS                                                                                                                                       L    Let us bless the Lord.

C    Thanks be to God.

BENEDICTION                                                                                                                                         

P    The almighty and merciful Lord, the Father, the T Son, and the Holy Spirit, bless and preserve you.

C    Amen.

880 NOW REST BENEATH NIGHT’S SHADOW

1     Now rest beneath night’s shadow
The woodland, field, and meadow;
    The world in slumber lies.
But you, my heart, awaking
And prayer and music making,
    Let praise to your Creator rise.

2     The radiant sun has vanished,
Its golden rays are banished
    From dark’ning skies of night;
But Christ, the Sun of gladness,
Dispelling all our sadness,
    Shines down on us in warmest light.

3     Now all the heav’nly splendor
Breaks forth in starlight tender
    From myriad worlds unknown;
And we, this marvel seeing,
Forget our selfish being
    For joy of beauty not our own.

4     Lord Jesus, since You love me,
Now spread Your wings above me
    And shield me from alarm.
Though Satan would devour me,
Let angel guards sing o’er me:
    This child of God shall meet no harm.

5     My loved ones, rest securely,
For God this night will surely
    From peril guard your heads.
Sweet slumbers may He send you
And bid His hosts attend you
    And through the night watch o’er your beds.

Text: Public domain

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Evening Prayer from Lutheran Service Book

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the ESV^® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version^®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Created by Lutheran Service Builder © 2018 Concordia Publishing House.

Services will only be Online in March

March 18, 2020

Dear members of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church,

Psalm 69:16

    Answer me, O Lord, for your steadfast love is good;

        according to your abundant mercy, turn to me.

The plague that is upon the world now causes us to pray even more fervently to our God seeking His mercy. Fear-filled news causes us to repent of our sins and ask God for forgiveness. We trust Jesus for His forgiveness and His steadfast love. Because He died for us, we need fear neither death, nor life, nor virus, nor anything else.

I am praying for you. Let’s continue praying for our nation, the sick and the healthcare workers.

Yesterday the Governor of our state issued a proclamation declaring an emergency because of this virus and extremely limiting all public gatherings. The elders and I must obey this order from our government. Therefore we are cancelling all public services of the church for the rest of March.

Please be encouraged. Do not be overcome by fear. Trust your Lord. Practically speaking, I would like to suggest you limit your exposure to the bad news of this pandemic. Understanding that it is good to keep up with the latest information, also take up other things that will take your mind away from it. Watch an old movie, play a game, read unrelated materials and pray.

To that end we will be providing sermons, readings and prayers over a variety of platforms in these coming days.

Services on Sundays and Wednesdays will be on our church’s YouTubechannel. https://tinyurl.com/vbw9m7e

(you can also search for St Paul's Lutheran Fredericksburg, or follow the link from our blog.)

On other days, I intend to go Facebook Live with shorter prayer services.

I will be posting sermons and announcements on our blog:  http://stpaulfburg.blogspot.com/

Please also remember to continue your giving to the Lord and His work. Offerings can be mailed to the church at PO  Box 336, Fredericksburg, Iowa 50630

Yours in Christ,

Pastor Ron Koch

Temptation -- Matthew 4:3

March 1, 2020

First Sunday in Lent

Grace, mercy and peace are yours from God our Father and from our Lord Jesus Christ.

Matthew 4:3

    And the tempter came and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread."

Throughout this season of Lent, in our preparation for the Easter festival, we will have Holy Communion in every Sunday service. Now I suppose that many of you haven’t even noticed a certain something about our communion services, so let me point out the fact to you that church is a few minutes longer when we have communion. One way in which the service is longer is that for Communion services we usually use the Nicene Creed, and it has a few extra words, not in the Apostles’ Creed. For instance, when we talk about God The Father, maker of heaven and earth, the Nicene Creed has these extra words, and of all things visible and invisible. It’s a little longer, but it does us good to regularly remind ourselves and remind each other that our faith is this: there is more to reality than what is visible, what can be seen. In fact, we could even say that there is more real that we cannot see than what we can see.

The gospel reading today describes temptation by the Devil. That is usually part of the hidden, invisible life we live. We don’t usually see the devil, his works and his ways remain hidden. So we have here an interesting story, an educational story from the life of Jesus Christ, but more significantly we have here a warning that there is in the invisible realm a danger. The old evil foe now means deadly woe. Deep guile and great might are his dread arms in fight. On earth is not his equal. 

It is the devil’s desire to tempt us, to watch us sin, and to bring our ruin upon us. He wants you to fail.

We are reading through some selected Psalms these days of Lent. Some of these passages talk about enemies. Like yesterday, we read Psalm 18, by David, which has these verses:

Psalm 18:46-48

    The Lord lives, and blessed be my rock,

        and exalted be the God of my salvation—

    [47] the God who gave me vengeance

        and subdued peoples under me,

    [48] who delivered me from my enemies;

        yes, you exalted me above those who rose against me;

        you rescued me from the man of violence.

David was a man of war. He was a king during a time when Israel had many enemies around them, and within the kingdom there were enemies, even in David's own family that fought against him. Can you relate to these Psalms? Do you have enemies? Is there a Goliath in your life that comes to mind when you pray these Psalms? Maybe there is. But I think a lot of us have to say, “no, I don’t really have any enemies that are actively trying to kill me and seek my ruin.” And, if you’re honest with yourself, you might have to consider that the so-called enemy that comes to mind is someone with whom you should be reconciled. It is very rare that we have a situation like David and Goliath, where one side is completely righteous and the other side is completely wicked. Usually in our conflicts, there is fault on both sides and the conflict continues because of stubbornness. In such cases, do not pray against your enemies like David. Pray for your enemies and hear God’s command to work toward reconciliation. Make things right.

Ephesians chapter 6 teaches us how to think about things like this. It says, For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

The enemies that you and I have to pray against are of that invisible realm which we confess and believe in. Our enemies are against us not just to take our money, or reputation from us, not just “goods, fame, child and wife”. Our enemies would seek to destroy our eternal soul.

Considering what is at stake, we ought to happily take a few extra minutes to receive the means of grace, the means God gives us to be saved from the devil.

So let’s get back to Matthew chapter 4 and Jesus temptation by the enemy. Can you picture the scene? It’s rather easy to picture because it’s described so well. You can picture this conversation between the devil and Jesus. But it’s strange though, isn’t it? This is Jesus, the Son of God, who with the Father and the Holy Spirit is one God, Almighty, the maker of heaven and earth, and all things, visible and invisible. Here is the creator, being tempted by a creature.

It’s part of his humiliation, which we recently studied in the middle school catechism class. Jesus when he became human, in the incarnation, was in this state of humiliation. How humiliating it was, to become flesh, and have the weaknesses of flesh and the temptations of the flesh. The desires of the flesh include hunger, essentially the desire to stay alive. And with all of the flesh’s desires comes the temptation to meet the desires in the easiest way, the quickest way. Here, just make some bread.

Further on, the tempter suggests Jesus take the easier way out. “Don’t go through humiliation. Come to my side and receive the glory you want. Not the humility of the cross but all the glory and power of all the kingdoms of the world.”

Jesus said “no” to that temptation.  And every temptation. All the way to the cross. The devil in tempting Him so, was trying to steer Him away from the cross. But Jesus was resolute and kept going the difficult, painful road to the cross. He would not take the easy way out. He would go all the way to death, because that’s what He had to do for you. With you in mind, He had to say no to the devil’s tempting offer.

So you can imagine the scene with Jesus and the devil. So likewise, imagine the scene where the devil would work on you next time.

I think a lot of times Christians feel stupid in times of temptation. They say internally to themselves. “Oh, come on! I’m a Christian. I’ve been redeemed, sanctified. I had to memorize the whole catechism! I know better. Why should I be tempted? I shouldn’t be feeling this way or even considering such horrible things.”

Understand what is going on. In temptation you are with Jesus, “who in every respect has been tempted as we re, yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15).

Matthew 4:11, the last line of the Gospel reading today says this: 

    Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to him.

 Those same angels are looking after us, invisibly. We say as much every time we confess the maker of heaven and earth, and all things visible and invisible.

   

The same angels and the same faith.  Jesus believed that the cross was the way to go. The devil’s distractions were not worth comparing to the purposes of Jesus and His Father. Jesus understood what was going on.

So by faith in Jesus and His cross, understand what is going on when you are tempted. And remember your Savior.

Hebrews 4:16 --

    Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

   Amen.

“Hearing the word, hold it fast” Luke 8:15

Luke 8:15

    As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience.

Our Lord Jesus Christ wants us to hear what He says. All of the Scripture readings today are about this. The third commandment is about this. Remember the Sabbath Day by keeping it holy. What does this mean? We should fear and love God so that we do not despise preaching and God’s word but hold it sacred, and gladly hear and learn it. The Lord demands that you to listen to Him not because he is craving the attention, but because what He speaks to you is for your good and for your abundant blessings. He truly desires to produce in you all the results of faith that come when you believe what He says.

Jesus tells this parable about the Sower and the seed to show how His kingdom comes. The seed is the word of the Lord. He speaks and His word is like planted in the hearts of those who  hold it fast. There it grows and matures and produces a hundredfold crop. 

Let's consider now that hundredfold crop. I’m going to list some things that you can have in mind as you meditate on this crop that the Lord has planted and is growing in you.

Salvation.

First of all, it’s your salvation. Jesus is describing His work. He is the Sower. His word tells you about His Kingdom and how He has done everything to make and to keep His Kingdom. He came to this world, lived in this world, suffered here, dying on the cross outside of Jerusalem, and rose again on the third day, all for your salvation. Hear what He says about that. Believe it. Hold it fast in an honest and good heart and you will, as Jesus promised, “bear fruit with patience.” And chief among that fruit is your salvation. You are saved, redeemed, won by Jesus from your sins, from death and from the power of the devil. 

Your salvation in this life and in eternity is the crop and harvest Jesus, the Sower is sowing for. He was sowing seed for that harvest when He spoke to crowds in the towns and countryside of Judea. He has been sowing seed for that harvest in every generation since, as His church continues to preach His Word and His followers continue to testify to Him. He Sowed that seed in you when you were taught about Jesus by your pastors and parents and Sunday school teachers. He sows His seed when architects and craftsmen depict His salvation in wood and precious metals and paint and pixels. He sows His seed when you sing His Hymns and show His love and tell others the salvation that is yours and theirs, too.

Repentance.

Now, this crop that the Lord is sowing within you can be thought of in another way. The harvest, the result, is repentance. Repentance means to turn around -- to turn from the old, bad, sinful ways, to turn back to God and His good ways,

This Word of God, that is the seed to be planted, is described in the Epistle reading from Hebrews as “a two-edged sword”. Hebrews 4:12 :    For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

It cuts, both ways. It cuts in the way of the Law and in the way of the Gospel. It comes to you bringing both warnings and promises. It cuts though your defenses like a sharp sword, exposing your sin and guilt. All that which for shame, you hoped would be hidden -- so no one, not even God, would know what you think and do in secret --  This the word of Christ cuts right through to open up hard hearts, that the Lord can replace your heart of stone with a heart of flesh.

There are some sharp warnings for us in this parable that Jesus tells. Some seed falls on bad ground and when it sprouts, the roots cannot penetrate the rocky ground. Some seeds fall where the devil can snatch it away before it even sprouts. Other distractions in this world can be like weeds and thistles, choking out the tender life of faith.  

Heed such warnings, examine your heart. If there is any barrier to hearing and believing the word of God within you, do whatever it might take to remove it and let it be destroyed by the sharp sword of God’s Holy Word. Repent of behaviors that go against the way of the Lord. Avoid the distractions that keep you from hearing and believing and living the Lord’s Gospel. 

Lent starts in a week and a half. Again this year, I want to tell you, make the most of it. We will take some extra time to hear God’s word and have it planted in our hearts. We will come here on Wednesdays at 7:30 to hear His word, pray the Psalms, and sing the hymns of Lent. Use the discipline of Lent to heed the warnings of the Word of Christ. 

And use the discipline of Lent to prepare your hearts to hold fast to the promises of Easter. That’s what Jesus wants mostly. He wants you to have the full understanding of these warnings, in order that you have a full understanding of all His good promises. And that understanding is a part of the great crop we have a part of. 

Understanding.

We understand that because of the Lord’s salvation “we will dwell in the house of the Lord forever”, as we say in Psalm 23. In the Psalm appointed for today, Psalm 84, we hear these words:

How lovely is your dwelling place,

        O Lord of hosts!

    Even the sparrow finds a home,

        and the swallow a nest for herself,

        where she may lay her young,

    at your altars, O Lord of hosts,

        my King and my God.

    For a day in your courts is better

        than a thousand elsewhere.

    I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God

        than dwell in the tents of wickedness.

Not everyone understands this. Not everyone believes it. Not everyone would agree with this opinion, or so they would call it. Some are so bold as to say things like this, “Wait, if I have to repent of my sins, and believe in Jesus and then I’ll go to heaven and have a place in the Kingdom of God for eternity. . . .No. I don’t want to. It’s not worth it to me.” It can be so disturbing, so frustrating to us when we come across someone with such a hard heart toward Jesus Christ. But Jesus doesn’t seem to let it bother Him so much. He just keeps on sowing the seed.  

This is the parable of the Sower. He is not the planter. The planter of seeds is careful and protective of each seed, placing carefully just so, in a row, at just the right spacing, just the right depth of soil. The Sower broadcasts the seed freely. That's Jesus. Spreading His love and His word to all, even while some won’t take it, won’t hold it firmly.  . . .. .

Jesus said to His disciples, Luke 8:10, "To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God, but for others they are in parables, so that seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.

To you who hear the word of the Lord and hold it fast in your heart, it grows to bear a good crop of understanding. And with that understanding you can appreciate the other ways we can talk about the crop that is harvested from faith.

Assurance of His love.

There is assurance of His love. You can count on it. When you pray, be assured that you have a God who is behind you on all this. He is pulling for you. He wants what’s best for you. There is this concern that can crop up in our minds that God’s got good reason to hold a grudge. When we hear from our Lord both the warnings of the law and the promises of the Gospel we must remember that He always wants us to have the last word be His Gospel and that we His people rest on those promises.

Consider the structure and order of this parable, the promises predominate. As Jesus describes all that can happen to the seed the Sower is scattering, He saves the best for last -- the seed falls on good soil and produces a crop a hundredfold. That’s the word Jesus leaves us with, that’s the line He wants to stick in our mind. He is speaking this to His disciples, His believers so that we can get the understanding of our salvation, the assurance of His love and the comfort from His Gospel. 

Comfort in your suffering.

In the passage from Isaiah that was today’s Old Testament reading, we hear again how God sends His word to accomplish His purposes: 

Isaiah 55:10-11

    "For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven

        and do not return there but water the earth,

    making it bring forth and sprout,

        giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,

    [11] so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;

        it shall not return to me empty,

    but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,

        and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.

Then it goes on to list one of the purposes for which He sends forth His word. Isaiah 55:13

    Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress;

        instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle;

    and it shall make a name for the Lord,

        an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off."

In the midst of our temporary discomforts and sufferings all we can see is the thorn and the brier. God’s word calls us to trust in more than what we can see with our eyes and experience in this fallen world. God’s promises continue to assure us that He is working for our good. We need not be frustrated when we can’t see all the answers, when we haven’t yet realized all the solutions. We and the Sower of the seed are both waiting for the harvest to come. In the meantime, that growing faith within in us produces the comfort God has for us, that even in suffering, His good purposes are being accomplished.

Training in Righteousness.

The word of Christ produces within you the growing ability to live as children of God, so that your thinking, your saying, your doing may be pleasing to God and good for your neighbors sake. Keep that in mind now and through Lent. How can we observe Lent in righteousness? Perhaps there is some individual practice you will want to do. You are certainly not required to, but you may give something up in Lent, as a regular reminder of the season.

Perhaps you can give up some treat that you’re used to buying and your savings can go toward your offerings to God or to someone’s needs. Perhaps you can work on cleaning up your language, or cleaning up your thoughts. I’m going to suggest that you give up 15 minutes a day of TV watching or internet surfing and use the time to prayerfully read the Psalms. I hope to give out a guide for you to do that next Sunday.

So you see, you who hear the Word of the Lord and hold it fast have a crop coming, repentance, salvation, understanding, assurance of God’s love, comfort in your suffering and training in righteousness.

Amen.