Sexagesima 2023
Notes from Grace
And when our earthly race is run,
Death’s bitter hour impending,
Then may Thy work in us begun
Continue to life’s ending,
Until we gladly may commend
Our souls into our Savior’s hand,
The crown of life obtaining. LSB #693 v. 2
Two Sundays ago, on Septuagesima, St. Paul urged us “Brethren: Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run is such a way that you that you may obtain it. And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown” 1 Corinthians 9:24-25.
This last week has been a wake-up for me. In the race that God sets us to run, we don’t know when the finish will come. Let us each run in such a way so that when our race is run, we receive the imperishable crowns that our Lord has stored up for us. These are not participation trophies. St. Paul himself says that he has to discipline his body and train himself because the race is real and so is the fight, and when his time comes he does not want to be disqualified. Christ calls us to take up our cross and follow Him. He calls us to lives of faithfulness and holiness. Let us never lose track of who we are and where we are going.
It is easy to lose heart, and to lose hope. But our Lord goes out in front of us. He leads us. He fights for us. Follow His cross. Imitate His actions, learn to speak His Words, steph where His feet have been, and let His heart strengthen yours.
What’s Happening This Week?
- Mon-Thurs: Little Lambs 8am-11am
- Sun: Quinquagesima – Bible Class/Sunday School 9am; Divine Service 10am
Looking Ahead
- Feb. 22 6pm: Ash Wed service
- Feb. 26 2:30pm (Lent 1): Nursing Home Service
Devotional Life
- Feb. 13: Aquila, Priscilla, Apollos
Aquila and his wife Priscilla (Prisca), Jewish contemporaries of St. Paul, traveled widely. Because of persecution in Rome, they went to Corinth where they met the apostle Paul, who joined them in their trade of tentmaking (Acts 18:1-3). They, in turn, joined him in his mission of proclaiming the Christian Gospel. The couple later traveled with Paul from Corinth to Ephesus (Acts 18:18), where the two of them established a home that served as hospitality headquarters for new converts to Christianity. Apollos was one of their numerous Jewish pupils in the faith. An eloquent man, Apollos “spoke with burning enthusiasm and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus” (Acts 18:25). He later traveled from Corinth to the province of Achaia, where he “showed by the Scriptures that the Messiah is Jesus” (Acts 18:28). Aquila, Priscilla, and Apollos are all remembered and honored for their great missionary zeal.
Triune God, whose very name is holy, teach us to be faithful hearers and learners of Your Word, fervent in the Spirit as Apollos was, that we may teach it correctly against those who have been led astray into falsehood and error and that we might follow the example of Aquila and Priscilla for the good of the Church You established here and entrusted into our humble care; for You, O Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, live and reign, one God, now and forever. Amen.
- Feb. 14: Valentine, martyr
A physician and priest living in Rome during the rule of the Emperor Claudius, Valentine become one of the noted martyrs of the third century. The commemoration of his death, which occurred in the year 270, became part of the calendar of remembrance in the early church of the West. Tradition suggests that on the day of his execution for his Christian faith, he left a note of encouragement for a child of his jailer written on an irregularly-shaped piece of paper. This greeting became a pattern for millions of written expressions of love and caring that now are the highlight of Valentine’s Day in many nations.
Almighty and everlasting God, You kindled the flame of Your love in the heart of Your holy martyr Valentine. Grant to us, Your humble servants, a like faith and the power of love, that we who rejoice in Christ’s triumph may embody His love in our lives; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
- Feb. 15: Philemon and Onsesimus
Philemon was a prominent first-century Christian who owned a slave named Onesimus. Although the name “Onesimus” means “useful,” Onesimus proved himself “useless” when he ran away from his master and perhaps even stole from him (Philemon 18). Somehow Onesimus came into contact with the apostle Paul while the latter was in prison (possibly in Rome), and through Paul’s proclamation of the Gospel he became a Christian. After confessing to the apostle that he was a runaway slave, he was directed by Paul to return to his master and become “useful” again. In order to help pave the way for Onesimus’ peaceful return home, Paul sent him on his way with a letter addressed to Philemon, a letter in which he urged Philemon to forgive his slave for having run away and “to receive him as you would receive me” (v. 17), “no longer as a slave, but as a beloved brother” (v. 16). The letter was eventually included by the church as one of the books of the New Testament.
Lord God, heavenly Father, You sent Onesimus back to Philemon as a brother in Christ, freeing him from his slavery to sin through the preaching of the apostle Paul. Cleanse the depths of sin within our souls and bid resentment cease for past offenses, that by Your mercy, we may be reconciled to our brothers and sisters and our lives will reflect Your peace; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen
- Feb. 16: Philipp Melancthon (birth), Confessor
Philip Melanchthon (1497-1560) was a brilliant student of the classics and a humanist scholar. In 1518 he was appointed to teach along with Martin Luther at the University of Wittenberg. At Luther’s urging, Melanchthon began teaching theology and Scripture in addition to his courses in classical studies. In April of 1530, Emperor Charles V called an official meeting between the representative of Lutheranism and Roman Catholicism, hoping to effect a meeting of minds between two opposing groups. Since Luther was at that time under papal excommunication and an imperial ban, Melanchthon was assigned the duty of being the chief Lutheran representative at this meeting. He is especially remembered and honored as the author of the Augsburg Confession, which was officially presented by the German princes to the emperor on June 25, 1530, as the defining document of Lutheranism within Christendom. Melanchthon died on April 19, 1560.
Almighty God, we praise You for the service of Philipp Melancthon to the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church in the renewal of its life in fidelity to Your Word and promise. Raise up in these gray and latter days faithful teachers and pastors, who inspired by Your Spirit, whose voices will give strength to Your Church and proclaim the ongoing reality of Your kingdom; through Your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
- Feb. 18: Martin Luther, Doctor and Confessor
Martin Luther, born on November 10, 1483, in Eisleben, Germany, initially began studies leading toward a degree in law. However, after a close encounter with death, he switched to the study of theology, entered an Augustinian monastery, was ordained a priest in 1505, and received a doctorate in theology in 1512. As a professor at the newly-established University of Wittenberg, his scriptural studies led him to question many of the church’s teachings and practices, especially the selling of indulgences. His refusal to back down from his convictions resulted in his excommunication in 1521. Following a period of seclusion at the Wartburg castle, Luther returned to Wittenberg, where he spent the rest of his life preaching and teaching, translating the Scriptures, and writing hymns and numerous theological treatises. He is remembered and honored for his lifelong emphasis on the biblical truth that for Christ’s sake God declares us righteous by grace through faith alone. He died on February 18, 1546, while visiting the town of his birth.
O God, our refuge and our strength, You raised up Your servant Martin Luther to reform and renew Your Church in the light of Your living Word, Jesus Christ, our Lord. Defend and purify the Church in our own day, and grant that we may boldly proclaim Christ’s faithfulness unto death and His vindicating resurrection, which You made known to Your servant Martin through Jesus Christ, our Savior, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Salt, Light, & Signs of the Times
- There are several controversial issues being debated in the Nebraska legislature this year. One is LB 141. This bill would provide a moment of silence in public schools each day as “an opportunity for a moment of quiet reflection. In some ways, this doesn’t arise to very much. Most of these moments of silence or secular prayer-times probably don’t make it past the gods of the ceiling tiles. But this reaction from the president of Lincoln Atheists is telling: “If a student sees their teacher holding a crucifix of a Star of David…during this moment of silence, it is a sub-conscience [sic] tell that the student needs to perform the activity that looks more like prayer in order to be treated better or to get a better grade.” Are there any other culturally controversial symbols currently found in some classrooms that might play the same roll in students’ consciences? There are no religiously neutral spaces. The question is which religion is being taught. Is it that which leads to a crown of life?
- The Nebraska Family Alliance has a wonderful bill tracker that helps make sense of the life-issues that are currently before the Nebraska Legislature, and provides helpful information about how to contact and encourage lawmakers to act in the vocation that God gives them in Romans 13. Especially worth checking out are LB 626, the Nebraska Heartbeat Act and LB 71 and 374 in regards to the rights of parents with children attending public schools.
- Between the Chinese Spy Balloon thing and shooting down other UFOs, people have been talking and joking about spaceships and aliens again. This is a podcast worth checking out that touches on the reality of these things from a Christian perspective. The whole episode is worthwhile (and all of their episodes are worth checking out), but the discussion about UFOs and things starts about 46 minutes in.
That’s it for now.
In Christ,
Pastor Sherman