Matins in the morning

Posted on August 11, 2016 by Wilhelm Weber

Here is today’s sermon held during Matins on Acts 12:18-25 for you to read:Ac12,18-25 Matins or to listen to: 

 

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11th Sunday after Trinity (12th after Pentecost)

Posted on August 7, 2016 by Wilhelm Weber

Watchword for the 12th Sunday after Pentecost from 1 Peter 5:5:  God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

The old Testament reading from 2 Samuel 12:1-10. 13-15    The LORD sent Nathan to David. When he came to him, he said, “There were two men in a certain town, one rich and the other poor.  2 The rich man had a very large number of sheep and cattle, 3 but the poor man had nothing except one little ewe lamb he had bought. He raised it, and it grew up with him and his children. It shared his food, drank from his cup and even slept in his arms. It was like a daughter to him.  4 “Now a traveler came to the rich man, but the rich man refrained from taking one of his own sheep or cattle to prepare a meal for the traveler who had come to him. Instead, he took the ewe lamb that belonged to the poor man and prepared it for the one who had come to him.”  5 David burned with anger against the man and said to Nathan, “As surely as the LORD lives, the man who did this deserves to die!  6 He must pay for that lamb four times over, because he did such a thing and had no pity.”  7 Then Nathan said to David, “You are the man! This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul.  8 I gave your master’s house to you, and your master’s wives into your arms. I gave you the house of Israel and Judah. And if all this had been too little, I would have given you even more.  9 Why did you despise the word of the LORD by doing what is evil in his eyes? You struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and took his wife to be your own. You killed him with the sword of the Ammonites.  10 Now, therefore, the sword will never depart from your house, because you despised me and took the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your own.’…Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the LORD.” Nathan replied, “The LORD has taken away your sin. You are not going to die.  14 But because by doing this you have made the enemies of the LORD show utter contempt, the son born to you will die.”  15 After Nathan had gone home, the LORD struck the child that Uriah’s wife had borne to David…

The epistle to the Ephesians 2:4-10  But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy,  5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions– it is by grace you have been saved.  6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus,  7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.  8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith– and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God–  9 not by works, so that no one can boast.  10 For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

The holy Gospel accourding to the evangelist St. Luke 18:9-14  To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable:  10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.  11 The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men– robbers, evildoers, adulterers– or even like this tax collector.  12 I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’  13 “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’  14 “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Prayer of the Church: Pentecost 12: August 7th 2016

Heavenly Father, we praise and adore You for Your great love for the human race. In Your only-begotten Son You have provided us the living bread that alone gives eternal life to the world. Grant Your Church faithful servants who will break open the bread of life and summon a lost and dying world to feast on Your gifts at the banquet of faith.

Gracious Lord, in Your mercy remember all who have been entrusted with civil authority and grant them an abundance of wisdom, that they may administer their offices faithfully. Defend all our military personnel that they may wisely and safely carry out their duties, often in dangerous and inhospitable places.

Almighty God, remember all who labor in honest industry and grant them satisfaction in their toil. Remember all who cannot find employment and keep them from discouragement by trusting in Your providence. Keep far from us the temptations of greed and wastefulness, that we may use your good creation wisely and for the good of one another.

Remember in mercy, O Lord, our homes, and by Your Spirit drive from them all bitterness and wrath, anger and clamor. As beloved children, enable us all to imitate You and to walk in the love of Christ who freely gave Himself for us all.

In Your compassion, deliver all who cry to You in the day of trouble that, experiencing Your help, they may glorify Your holy name. Strengthen them to withstand the temptation to worry or pride, and teach them to learn patience in their moment of affliction. Grant us the will to reach out in love to those in need, that through us they may experience the love of Christ.

God of all mercy, as we gather at our Lord’s altar, grant us a firm trust in His gracious promises so that we may not partake of His Holy Supper for judgment, but for forgiveness and eternal life. And when our last hour has come, grant us a blessed end, that we may join the saints and angels in their never-ending hymn of praise.

All these things and whatever else You see that we need, grant to us, your children, for the sake of Jesus Christ, Your Son and our only Mediator, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and ever and to the ages of ages. Amen.

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Sermon on 1.Timothy 4:12-16

Posted on July 28, 2016 by Wilhelm Weber

Here is this morning’s sermon on 1.Timothy 4:12-16 for you to read (1Ti4,12-16 Matins) and to hear: 

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LTS in Tshwane update

Posted on July 28, 2016 by Wilhelm Weber

Here is a presentation requested by St.John’s Lutheran Church in Texas on the Lutheran Theological Seminary in Tshwane. Please feel free to look and share: 2016 LTS Overview

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Sermon during Matins

Posted on July 21, 2016 by Wilhelm Weber

Here is this mornings sermon held during Matins in the chapel of St.Timothy (LTS in Tshwane) on Galatians 6:7-10 for reading (Gal.6,7-10 Matins) and listening: 

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+ Margret Dammann + 16.Juli 2016 +

Posted on July 20, 2016 by Wilhelm Weber

Der Herr über Leben und Tod hat am Samstag dem 16. Juli unsere Schwester in Christus Margret Dammann im Alter von 77 Jahren aus dieser Zeit in die Ewigkeit abgerufen. Die kirchliche Beerdigung soll übermorgen am Freitag, dem 22. Juli in Brunsbrock stattfinden.

Es trauern  um sie ihr Ehemann Missionar Heinrich Dammann und ihre Kinder und Enkelkinder, Geschwister, Freunde und Verwandte.

Der Herr unser Gott Vater, Sohn und Heiliger Geist tröste die Trauernden und stärke ihren Glauben an die Vergebung der Sünden, die Auferstehung des Fleisches und das ewige Leben um Christi willen. Uns alle aber lehre er bedenken, daß auch wir sterben müssen auf daß wir klug werden.

Hier die offizielle Traueranzeige der Selbständigen Evangelisch Lutherischen Kirche + Margret Dammann

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Sermon during Morning Prayer

Posted on July 20, 2016 by Wilhelm Weber

Here is the sermon of Dr. Karl Böhmer on words from the prophet Jeremiah 23:16-29 as preached during morning prayer on the first day of the 3rd Quarter 2016 in the chapel of St. Timothy at the Lutheran Theological Seminary in Tshwane (Pretoria, South Africa)

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ(Eph 1,2). Amen.

Every Christian wants a good preacher. Every congregation wants a good preacher. But how do you recognize a good preacher? Through the media and our transport possibilities, we encounter many preachers. We can go to any one of the numerous churches that dot this city and province, we have free religion channels on TV, we have politicians who’ve turned into pastors and pastors who’ve turned into politicians, we have Radio Pulpit and we have magazines and we have the internet, not to mention the variety of different pastors and theologians who fill this pulpit on a regular basis. We come across many preachers. So how do you recognize a good one? Is it he who tells the best stories? Is it he who prepares the most? Is it he who prepares the least? Is it he who speaks with the most authority, he who tells the most jokes, is it he who has the most experience?

Allow me to share with you some of the temptations every preacher faces in preparing his sermon. The temptation to tell the people what they want to hear, to rouse them, to impress them. The temptation to dodge the uncomfortable things, the sore points, the touchy subjects about which God has something to say to His people. The temptation for the pastor to put himself in the spotlight or the hearers in the spotlight and not Christ. The temptation for the pastor to speak his own ideas, his own thoughts, his own agenda. The temptation for one pastor to rely on his preparation and for another to rely on the inspiration of the Holy Spirit in the last minute. These are the weekly temptations for preachers. How hard it is to resist them! How easy to tell the people what they want to hear. It makes for great popularity.

What people want hasn’t changed much over the centuries. It’s the same today as it was in the time of Jeremiah. The people at the time lived with a sword hanging over their heads. They found themselves sandwiched in between the big superpower nations of their time who were glaring at each other; it was a time of mounting tension, a time of threats of terror and increasing crime and threats of war. And who were the popular preachers of the day? They were those preachers who stood up and said: ‘Do not be afraid! There will be no war. The Lord says: You will have peace.’ They were those preachers who stood up and said to the powerful and influential people of the day: ‘Do not be afraid! You’re doing fine. Keep it up. God loves successful politicians. That Breitling watch is proof of God’s favor. That presidential residence is proof that God loves you and will keep you in power until Jesus comes back.’ They were those preachers who stood up and said to everyone who was doing his own thing: ‘Relax. The Lord is tolerant. Go ahead. Try out different options. No harm will come to you.’ They were the popular preachers of the day. They were considered good preachers.

And Jeremiah? Do you think Jeremiah was a popular preacher? Listen how he complains: O Lord, you deceived me, and I was deceived…I am ridiculed all day long; everyone mocks me. Whenever I speak, I cry out proclaiming violence and destruction. So the word of the Lord has brought me insult and reproach all day long. But if I say, “I will not mention him or speak any more in his name,” his word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. (20,7f) No popular preacher this. As much as Jeremiah resisted the Lord, shutting up was ever worse; he had to go and preach. But Jeremiah hated his calling, and the people hated his preaching. Because the Lord made Jeremiah pray for thankless people. Because Jeremiah had to preach uncomfortable things. Because Jeremiah had to preach on unpopular subjects and tell the people the last thing they wanted to hear, which was this: ‘There will be no peace. You will come to harm. There will be war, and this nation will be flattened. You did not want to listen to the Lord, you did not want to turn back to Him, you act in wickedness and refuse to give it up; you have brought it on yourselves, as God promised: You will be destroyed.’ Why was Jeremiah such an unpopular preacher, why did he even try to resist preaching God’s Word, why did the people hate what he had to say? Simply because of this: Because God’s Word goes against our grain. Because God’s Word does not tell us what we want to hear. Because God’s Word goes into our ear like a moth that cannot get out: It makes a racket, it is uncomfortable, and it rubs us up the wrong way.

How do you recognize a good preacher? Well, who are the popular preachers today? They are those preachers who stand up and say, ‘God has a message for you. Let me tell you what it is. God wants you to be happy and successful, rich and secure. If you aren’t, you’re doing it wrong. Think positive; forget all this talk about sin.’ They are those preachers who stand up and say, ‘God is a God of love and tolerance. Many ways lead to him. Let the Jew worship Him as a Jew, the Muslim as a Muslim, the Hindu as a Hindu, the ancestor-venerating animist the way he’s always done it. Let us unite with those who believe different – it’s all good.’ They are those preachers who stand up and say, ‘You have freedom of choice. Make a good choice. As long as you do more good than bad, you’ll be fine.’ They are the popular preachers of the day. They are considered good preachers.

But which of them has stood in the council of the Lord to see or to hear his word? Who has listened and heard his word? … I did not send these prophets, yet they have run with their message; I did not speak to them, yet they have prophesied. But if they had stood in my council, they would have proclaimed my words to my people and would have turned them from their evil ways and from their evil deeds. Instead, the false prophets encouraged people to carry on, they proclaimed their own dreams and sought popularity by deceiving the people with smooth preaching that went down like sugar and honey. The Lord’s punishment for those who deceive and for those who are deceived is the deception itself. How do you recognize a good prophet? The best answer is the one the Lord gave:You may say to yourselves, “How can we know when a message has not been spoken by the Lord?” If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the Lord does not take place or come true, that is a message the Lordhas not spoken. That prophet has spoken presumptuously (Dt 18,21f). And the next best answer is: Whom does the prophet honor? When people come home, do they talk about Jesus or about prophet Bushiri? Jeremiah has to tell the people that what God had long told His people would come if they broke the covenant was about to strike them: See, the storm of the Lord will burst out in wrath, a whirlwind swirling down on the heads of the wicked. The anger of the Lord will not turn back until he fully accomplishes the purposes of his heart. In days to come you will understand it clearly. What the false prophets said was not in keeping with God’s Word, and it did not happen; what Jeremiah said came to pass exactly as prophesied, and so it is that we know he was a prophet from God.

And so it is that we see something about true preaching. God does not contradict His Word. He is not sometimes a God of war, a God of the OT, and then sometimes a God of love, a God of the NT; no, He is one and the same. And His Word is always first Law, then Gospel. To sinners who are secure in their sin and hardened in their hearts, God always announces Law. And His Law says: ‘Repent! Turn back from your sinfulness! You are not ok, you are not doing fine, there is reason to be afraid.’ As unpopular and as sobering as that is, it is the Word of God. But to sinners who are repentant in their hearts, who are sorry for their sin and turn to Him, God always announces Gospel. And His Gospel says: ‘There is a way out. Trust in my promises. I have provided the one way out: It is my son, Jesus Christ. He is the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father but through him (Jn 14,6) – through Christ, because he paid your bill and signed it with his blood, and through him you do come to the Father. God breaks down falsehood and deception, so that He can build you up Himself, through His Word, His grace, through Christ alone. And to those who repent and believe in Christ, God gives eternal life, forgiveness of sins, and blessing.

How do you recognize a good preacher? It is simply he who preaches God’s Word in truth and purity. Who honors the crucified Christ, not himself. He who is nothing while God’s Word is everything. He who preaches the Word in season and out of season – when it is popular, and when it is not; when people gladly hear it, and when they do not; when people like what he says, and when they do not. The preacher who corrects, rebukes, encourages and does not give in to the temptation to preach what itching ears want to hear, even if it brings him hardship. At the end of the day, it is not just the preacher whom you discern and evaluate, but his preaching. And here’s the good news: Those who are rooted in the Word of God can distinguish what is God’s Word from what is empty fluff and puffed-up flattery. “For what has straw to do with grain?” declares the Lord. “Is not my word like fire,” declares the Lord, “and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces?” It is God’s Word that sears the proud heart like a raging fire, it is God’s Word that smashes it to pieces like a hammer on the anvil, it is God’s Word that builds up and establishes the Christian on the path of righteousness. It is God’s Word that makes the preacher, it is God’s Word and nothing else that makes his preaching good. That is how you recognize a preacher: By the Word of God that goes against the grain, that directs you to a sobering realization of your natural sinful state, that leads you to repentance, faith and everlasting life in Christ, so that you love your neighbor in Christ-like love – because in Christ the Word was made flesh and came among us. To preach Christ is the struggle of every faithful preacher; to recognize that and allow for it and pray for it and live it is the duty of every faithful hearer. God grant us all the mind of Christ. Amen.

Soli Deo Gloria

Pastor Karl Böhmer

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Befiehl Du Deine Wege…

Posted on July 6, 2016 by Wilhelm Weber

1) BEFIEHL du deine Wege
und was dein Herze kränkt
der allertreusten Pflege
des, der den Himmel lenkt.
Der Wolken Luft und Winden
gibt Wege, Lauf und Bahn
der wird auch Wege finden,
da dein Fuß gehen kann.
2) DEM HERREN musst du trauen,
wenn dir’s soll wohlergehn;
auf sein Werk musst du schauen,
wenn dein Werk soll bestehn.
Mit Sorgen und mit Grämen
und mit selbsteigner Pein
lässt Gott sich gar nichts nehmen:
es muss erbeten sein.
3) DEIN ewge Treu und Gnade,
o Vater, weiß und sieht,
was gut sei oder schade
dem sterblichen Geblüt;
und was du dann erlesen,
das treibst du, starker Held,
und bringst zum Stand und Wesen,
was deinem Rat gefällt.
4) WEG hast du allerwegen,
an Mitteln fehlt dir’s nicht;
dein Tun ist lauter Segen,
dein Gang ist lauter Licht.
Dein Werk kann niemand hindern,
dein Arbeit darf nicht ruhn,
wenn du, was deinen Kindern
ersprießlich ist, willst tun.
5) UND ob gleich alle Teufel
hier wollten widerstehn,
so wird doch ohne Zweifel
Gott nicht zurücke gehen;
was er sich vorgenommen
und was er haben will,
das muss doch endlich kommen
zu seinem Zweck und Ziel.
6) HOFF, o du arme Seele,
hoff und sei unverzagt!
Gott wird dich aus der Höhle,
da dich der Kummer plagt,
mit großen Gnaden rücken;
erwarte nur die Zeit,
so wirst du schon erblicken
die Sonn der schönsten Freud.
7) AUF, auf, gib deinem Schmerze
und Sorgen Gute Nacht!
Lass fahren, was das Herze
betrübt und traurig macht;
bist du doch nicht Regente,
der alles führen soll:
Gott sitzt im Regimente
und führet alles wohl.
8) IHN, ihn lass tun und walten!
Er ist ein weiser Fürst
und wird sich so verhalten,
dass du dich wundern wirst,
wenn er, wie ihm gebühret,
mit wunderbarem Rat
das Werk hinausgeführet,
das dich bekümmert hat.
9) ER wird zwar eine Weile
mit seinem Trost verziehn
und tun an seinem Teile,
als hätt in seinem Sinn
er deiner sich begeben
und solltst du für und für
in Angst und Nöten schweben,
als frag er nicht nach dir.
10) WIRDS aber sich befinden,
dass du ihm treu verbleibst,
so wird er dich entbinden,
da du’s am mindsten gläubst;
er wird dein Herze lösen
von der so schweren Last,
die du zu keinem Bösen
bisher getragen hast.
11) WOHL dir, du Kind der Treue!
Du hast und trägst davon
mit Ruhm und Dankgeschreie
den Sieg und Ehrenkron;
Gott gibt dir selbst die Palmen
in deine rechte Hand,
und du singst Freudenpsalmen
dem, der dein Leid gewandt.
12) MACH ENd, o Herr, mach Ende
mit aller unsrer Not;
stärk unsre Füß und Hände
und lass bis in den Tod
und allzeit deiner Pflege
und Treu empfohlen sein,
so gehen unsre Wege
gewiss zum Himmel ein.

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Readings for the 6th Sunday after Trinity

Posted on July 2, 2016 by Wilhelm Weber

Watchword for the 7th Sunday after Pentecost from Isaiah 43:1  But now, this is what the LORD says– he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.

Reading from the prophet Isaiah 43:1-7  But now, this is what the LORD says– he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.  2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.  3 For I am the LORD, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior; I give Egypt for your ransom, Cush and Seba in your stead.  4 Since you are precious and honored in my sight, and because I love you, I will give men in exchange for you, and people in exchange for your life.  5 Do not be afraid, for I am with you; I will bring your children from the east and gather you from the west.  6 I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’ and to the south, ‘Do not hold them back.’ Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth–  7 everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.”

The apostle St. Paul writes to the Romans 6:3-8 Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.  5 If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection.  6 For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin–  7 because anyone who has died has been freed from sin.  8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.

The holy gospel recorded by the evangelist St. Matthew 28:16-20 Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go.  17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted.  18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

One of the Bach Cantatas for this Sunday is from BWV 9: Es ist das Heil uns kommen her…

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Lessons for the 4th Sunday after Pentecost

Posted on June 10, 2016 by Wilhelm Weber

Watchword for the 4th Sunday after Pentecost [3rd after Trinity] from Luke 19, 10:  For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.”

Old testament reading from the holy prophet Ezekiel 18:1-4.21-24.30-32:   The word of the LORD came to me:  2 “What do you people mean by quoting this proverb about the land of Israel: “‘The fathers eat sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge’?  3 “As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, you will no longer quote this proverb in Israel.  4 For every living soul belongs to me, the father as well as the son– both alike belong to me. The soul who sins is the one who will die. …   21 “But if a wicked man turns away from all the sins he has committed and keeps all my decrees and does what is just and right, he will surely live; he will not die.  22 None of the offenses he has committed will be remembered against him. Because of the righteous things he has done, he will live.  23 Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Sovereign LORD. Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live?  24 “But if a righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits sin and does the same detestable things the wicked man does, will he live? None of the righteous things he has done will be remembered. Because of the unfaithfulness he is guilty of and because of the sins he has committed, he will die. …30 “Therefore, O house of Israel, I will judge you, each one according to his ways, declares the Sovereign LORD. Repent! Turn away from all your offenses; then sin will not be your downfall.  31 Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit. Why will you die, O house of Israel?  32 For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign LORD. Repent and live!

The epistle reading from the holy apostle St. Paul’s first letter to Timothy 1:12-17  12 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me faithful, appointing me to his service.  13 Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief.  14 The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.  15 Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners– of whom I am the worst.  16 But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life.  17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

The holy gospel according to the evangelist St. Luke 15:1-3.11-32 Now the tax collectors and “sinners” were all gathering around to hear him.  2 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”  3 Then Jesus told them this parable: … “There was a man who had two sons.  12 The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.  13 “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living.  14 After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need.  15 So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs.  16 He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.  17 “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death!  18 I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.  19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.’  20 So he got up and went to his father. “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.  21 “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’  22 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.  23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate.  24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.  25 “Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing.  26 So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on.  27 ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’  28 “The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him.  29 But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends.  30 But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’  31 “‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours.  32 But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.'”

A collect for this 3rd Sunday after Trinity: Almighty and merciful God, you are not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. Grant that by your word we may again and again be convicted of our many sins, but also fervently grasp anew the comfort of your Spirit and of faith, in order that we may be justified in your Son and be saved through him, Jesus Christ our Lord.

 Hymn for this Sunday:

  1. O God, O Lord of heaven and earth, Thy living finger never wrote that life should be an aimless mote, A deathward drift from futile birth. Thy Word meant life triumphant hurled, In splendor through Thy broken world, Since light awoke and life began, Thou hast desired Thy life for man.
  2. Our fatal will to equal Thee, Our rebel will wrought death and night. We seized and used in prideful spite Thy wondrous gift of liberty. We housed us in this house of doom, Where death had royal scope and room Until Thy servant, Prince of Peace, breached all its walls for our release.
  3. Thou camest to our hall of death, O Christ, to breathe our poisoned air, to drink for us the dark despair That strangled our reluctant breath. How beautiful the feet that trod The road that leads us back to God! How beautiful the feet that ran To bring the great good news to man!
  4.  O Spirit, who didst once restore Thy church that it might be again the bringer of good news to men, Breathe on Thy cloven Church once more, That in these gray and latter days There may be those whose life is praise, each life a high doxology To Father, Son and unto Thee. (Martin Franzmann)
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