It’s Friday
It’s Friday…
And in two days’ time you will hear teaching and preaching.
Is there a difference?
Yes, and no.
Depends on a few things.
Now as a kid I would visit many different denominations. They would have both or they would have both and call them different things or the same thing.
Sermons do teach, and certain teaching is preach-able. (Microsoft did not like this word, so I had to hyphenated it….)
But we Lutherans make a distinction because we see, we attest, we confess and we believe in the Sacramental. The Real Presence. The “in-spirited-ness” of the Word—yes because the Holy Spirit continues to inspire them—He is in them!
It is where and how and when He creates faith in people. By and through this same Word that He caused to be written down for us, and it is that which is taught and preached and believed on in the world. And what He puts into Water for its effective power.
These Words… Scripture, are performative. They do what they say. They say what they do!
Like in the beginning: “Let there be…” and there was….
So as St. Paul instructs Timothy, and us:
16 All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
[2 Timothy 4:16-17][CSB]
The important reason that we Lutherans make such a distinction is that we need to hear that these Words of promise are also for us in the RIGHT HERE and NOW!
That when we hear FORGIVENESS it is for us, and not just for the paralytic who was being lowered through the roof. That Jesus died for the WHOLE world, and since we are part of the WORLD, we are included. There is no reason to doubt this.
This needs to be proclaimed all the time. So, we do so in a SERMON. We TELL people that it is for THEM—FOR YOU!
Preaching, you could say, is more PROCLAIMATION, than instruction. Although again, there can be instruction along with this proclamation too.
But the importance of PREACHING is that this message of the GOSPEL – the forgiveness of sins is made known in a way as a gift is handed out.
It is an official, royal decree. A universal announcement. Anyone and everyone can have, participate, make use of, claim, receive, etc., this wonderful Good News!
Yes, it needs to be taught too, but that can be left for a difference venue, where there is more time and a place for dealing with questions and such.
Not when the Royal Court is being held. Not when the King is there to give His gifts. Not when His Service (The Devine Service) is going on; where we respond with thank you and praise for all that He has done and what we receive there and then.
So yes, the difference is important.
And so, come and receive all that He has to offer.
Yes, in two days time, we come and receive all of it.
Because even though it is only Friday, Sunday is a’comin…
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Nineteenth Sunday after the Feast of the Most Holy Trinity – October the 11th in the year of our Lord, 2026
Readings:
Old Testament – Isaiah 44:21-23
Epistle – Ephesians 4:22-28
Gospel – Matthew 9:1-8
Sermon – Whose Faith?
Based on the Gospel reading – Matthew 9:1-8
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Prayers: For a lasting peace that would be established and would remain between the people of Israel and Gaza as well as for the People of Russia and the Ukraine. Between the US and Iran. For our congregation that it would please our Lord that we would increase in numbers and there remain in this place a congregation that calls upon Him rightly, practicing the faith according to the Scriptures. For those who are being persecuted and murdered because they call upon the name of Jesus—especially in Africa. For the end of violence in our cites and that our schools and congregations would be protected from those who wish them harm. For our families that parents would courageously discipline their children and raise them in the fear of the Lord, teaching them about salvation in Jesus alone.