Yes, it’s Friday
Yes, it’s Friday… and…
Well, I am not sure I am ready for Sunday.
Listen to the words of C.O. Rosenius:
“It is quite true that the light of Grace in faith does not always burn with the same beautiful and quickening power; faith, joy, and love are often weakened during the journey, and however earnestly I may strive, I cannot at will take to myself such a burning faith as I would.”
However, we tend to measure (don’t we?), not only our own level of sanctification or spirituality, like this, but also that of our church.
As if we can judge such things! Who are we?
Is God’s Word that weak? Do His Sacraments only “take” some of the time?
Rosenius states it plainly:
“… the matter does not depend on [us, our feelings, thoughts, decisions] this…”!
We must understand that we ALWAYS drop back on the law as the way to go on. We scarce think that Grace is that lavish, that huge, that all-encompassing—well at least not for me.
So, we figure… ok, well… I will as least please God a little by being good. Doing more of this and that.
Do you not know that this is SIN! That this is an insult to Christ and the Cross?
Only faith in His WORK pleases HIM—NOT OUR WORK.
We can only do right from His right doing. We can only do because we no longer have to.
What does this look like? We should not look. We don’t need to look. We look at Him, and His, and His things.
We listen to His Words, and make use of His things, and His gifts.
What are they? Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. His Grace despite our weaknesses. Despite our sin. Despite our unwillingness.
Because we are saved DESPITE these despites, and only because of His Grace and gifts.
Sanctification is the same. We don’t sanctify ourselves just like we don’t save ourselves or… well who baptizes themselves or who communes themselves alone?
Where two or three are gathered in His Name…
It is NEVER about just you and Jesus. Remember Elijah was chastised by God when he thought such thoughts and dared to tell God this—that it was just him … who was left of the church!
No! God had 7,000 who did not bow there knee to Baal! That could have been actual numbers or a figurative number being the elect of God—a complete number…
The Saved. The ones justified before the world was made.
No, God does not wait for us to get things right—while we were sinners, He died for us. He makes us right—righteous!
So, yes, it is Friday and Sunday is almost here…
And you may feel like those countless Israelites in the dry desert. White rattling bones without life. Dead as a doornail as Dickens coined for us. Dry. Not able to move. Half buried in the sand where there are no signs of anything living for miles in all directions.
Yeah? So, what else is new? Me too!
But how was that changed? God told a preacher (Ezekiel) to preach to them. To preach to the winds to come and rattle the bones. And then to the bones to grow flesh and re-attach.
And then THIS SAME WORD to go into them to make them alive!
How else do you (does anyone) think they live—breath and carry on today?
This is how we were made. From dirt that had God’s breath put into us. That was the old life.
This is the new life. This time we Have that same Spirit, but now He is the Spirit of Christ, the Crucified for us. Now we partake of His Holy Body and imbibe His Holy Blood.
This is what I get to do on Sundays! Preach to the dry bones—preach to you…. And hopefully hear it myself… me, all dusty and cracked… splintered and lifeless…
Until HE SAYS—ARISE MY FAIR ONE! LIVE! Come to my Table. Eat and Drink, for tomorrow, we live, not die as before.
Yes, it’s Friday, but Sunday…Sunday… is almost here!
This coming Sunday – 18th Sunday after Pentecost – October 12th 2025
Readings:
Old Testament – Amos 8:4-7
Epistle – 1 Timothy 2:1-8
Gospel – Luke 16:1-15
Psalm – 111
Sermon Theme – THE WORLD IS BETTER AT IT
Based on the Gospel reading
Prayers: Remember our congregation, that God would increase our numbers. That He would bless us with a continuing presence here in Chicagoland, as a light on a hill in this present darkness. That we would be an influence in this community for the Gospel. That people would hear and believe. That they would hunger for the pure spiritual milk of His saving and sanctifying Word. Also we ask for the protection of the congregations throughout our country as many attempt to do violence and silence the message of truth anywhere that God has raised up His people to proclaim it. Remember our leaders so that they are able to enact justice and peace here and throughout the world.
Reflection from Luther:
“Although I feel my sin and cannot have as confident and cheerful a heart as I should like, still I must permit the Word to have sway and say accordingly: “I am lord over sin, and I don’t want to know of any sin.” “Indeed,” you will say, “let your own conscience say that; it feels and experiences something far different.” That is surely true; if things followed the rule of feeling, I would surely be lost. But the Word must be valid over and beyond all of the world’s feeling and mine. It must remain true no matter how insignificant it may appear and how feebly it may be believed by me; for we all see and experience the fact that sin condemns us straightway and consigns us to hell, that death consumes us and all the world, and that no one can escape it. And you venture to speak to me of life and of righteousness, of which I cannot behold as much as a small spark! To be sure, that must be but a feeble life. Yes, indeed, but a feeble life by reason of our faith. But no matter how feeble it is, as long as the Word and a small spark of faith remain in the heart, it shall develop into a fire of life which fills heaven and earth and quenches both death and every other misfortune like a little drop of water. And the feeble faith shall tear these asunder so that neither death nor sin will be seen or felt any longer. However, to adhere to faith in the face of seeing and feeling calls for an arduous battle.”
Martin Luther, Luther’s Works, Vol. 28
