It is a happy coincidence that today’s OT reading begins by mentioning the snow that comes down from heaven. When we have a heavy snowfall like this, it forces everything to slow down, and makes the world quiet for a time. A prayer for the end of the day makes reference to the end of our life, when the fever of life is over and the busy world is hushed. When everything (except Divine Service, of course!) is cancelled, it gives us a taste of that hushing of the busy world. When that final hushing comes, only one thing will matter, holding on to the Word. And only one division will be made: those who put their trust in the Word’s promises, and those who put their trust instead in the empty promises of devil, world, and flesh.

Isaiah compares the snowfall to the Word of God which comes down. The snow comes down from heaven to moisten the earth so that when spring comes, the earth may grow; and the Word comes down from heaven to likewise give growth. The Word comes to call us to repentance for our sins, to forgive us those sins, to create in us saving faith, i.e., trust in Jesus as our Redeemer, to bring forth the fruit of good works in us, and finally to keep us steadfast in the faith until our life’s end and bring us to the resurrection of the body and life in God’s kingdom.

And arrayed against this are the things alluded to in the Parable of the Sower: the devil; testing and affliction; and cares and riches and pleasures. The first challenge is the crafts and assaults of the devil. The devil seeks to prevent man’s salvation by “lifting up the Word from the heart,” as a bird snatches seed from the ground. The devil’s main object of attack is always the Word of God, because man is saved by believing the Word, i.e., believing the threats and promises of God. The devil’s aim is to prevent that: “So that not believing, they are not saved.”

The second challenge is in testing, trials. This is likened to the seed that feel on rocky soil. It didn’t have roots, so it died from lack of moisture. Trials test our roots – are we rooted in the promises of God? Our English translation calls this a “time of temptation,” implying the devil’s work of seeking to lead a person into sin. However, it can also mean God’s work of testing to reveal our true quality, and to improve and perfect the believer. Coming through the test, the believer develops a stronger trust in God.

The Lord tests His servants, or allows them to endure afflictions, in order to assess our quality. When we are tested, we find out whether or faith is sincere. It is also a means to spiritual improvement, as the hoped-for outcome is that we would emerge from the trial purified and more convinced than ever to serve our Lord. In a pre-New Testament writing, the believer is urged to give thanks to the Lord for allowing us to be put to test like our fathers. It is a paradox: if He allows us to be tested, it must mean He cares about us. The Hebrew book of Wisdom says that those whom “God has put to the test, he has found worthy of himself” (Wis 3:5). The Jewish wisdom writings say that God takes His sons on difficult paths, so that they learn through experience what is good or bad for their souls (Sir 37:27; 39:4). Hopefully this is the conclusion that life is drawing us all to: we once thought we could find happiness in the joys of this world, but now we recognize that those pleasures are empty (Eccl 2:1).

This is why St. James says, “Always reckon it as joy, brethren, to be exposed to trials of all sorts, knowing that the trial of your faith produces patience” (1.2). Amazingly, James continues, “Happy is the person who endures trial, for after being proved he will receive the crown of life that [God] has promised to those who love him” (Jas 1:12).

A profound example of testing is recorded in today’s Epistle. St. Paul says, “A thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from being too elated. Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’”

Paul’s example helps answer the question, Why do afflictions come to us? He was given a “thorn,” a messenger of Satan to keep him weak. He longed for it to be taken away, he prayed repeatedly for his affliction to be removed. But Paul was given a direct Word from God that is meant also for us: “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” When the Lord allows us to be weakened, then we have nothing left but God’s grace. Emptied of our own strength, we have God’s strength. And that alone is the strength, grace, and power that will make us able to keep the Word with patience and bring forth the pleasing fruit of good works.

The third challenge to keeping the Word and enduring to the end is found in the seed that feel among thorns. Our Lord likens this to being choked by the cares, riches, and pleasures of this life. Cares, riches, and pleasures all pertain to the sinful lusts for the things of this world. It deals especially with the Ninth and Tenth Commandments, the failure to be content, the desire for another man’s house, another person’s spouse, the idea that by a new gadget, a new job, new people around you, then you will find happiness. These things come in and choke out the Word of God, the Word that tells you to be content with what you have, the Word that commands you to love the people God has given you to love. When we are overwhelmed with cares and anxieties, the desire for riches and pleasures, we no longer trust God to do for us what is best; instead, we have determined to seize for ourselves what we want.

So think about how all of this fits in with today’s prayer. We asked our Lord that we would be defended against all adversity. The adversity from which we seek protection is not chiefly the adversity of everyday life, but the kind of adversity that would cause us to not be the good soil, to fail to keep the Word and bear fruit with patience. We need to be defended from the adversity of the devil, who would snatch away the Word from us. We need to be defended from the adversity of testing, which would cause us to lose hope. We pray for this every day in the Lord’s Prayer: “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” And we need to be defended from letting our cares and anxieties, the covetous desire for riches, choke out the Word and prevent us from keeping the Word to the end.

So what does it mean to “keep the Word”? To keep the Word and bear fruit with patience is to put one’s trust in God. The essence of patience in the New Testament is waiting, specifically, waiting upon God. “They shall not be ashamed who wait for Me” (Is. 49.23), says the LORD. “Wait on the LORD; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say on the LORD!” (Ps. 27.14). Don’t look for the world’s adulation. “You will be hated by all for My name’s sake,” says our Lord Jesus. “But he who endures to the end will be saved” (Mt. 10.22).

The ultimate show of patience, of waiting on the LORD and enduring, is Christ Jesus, “who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Heb. 12.2). He was patient with us and for us, which is what now enables us to begin to be patient likewise in our trials and anxieties and temptations.

So the conclusion of the parable is not a moralistic command to be better about reading the Bible and coming to church, although those are very good things. The conclusion of the parable is to abide in Jesus and never let go of what He has promised you. Remember that all the promises of this world are empty. The pleasures of this life will not really make you happy. The worries that you have are not worth comparing to the joys of the Lord’s kingdom. The trials and testing you endure are not greater than you can bear; the Lord who allows them to come upon you will also provide a way of escape. And the way of escape is this Eucharist, by which all your sins are absolved and everything you need is given to you.

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A thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me,“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

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I have many flaws.  There is no need to go fabricating imaginary ones.

Originally posted here.

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Source: Failbooking

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Volunteers are invited to come early on Sunday morning and help clear snow. Please bring a shovel if possible. Don’t worry about usual church attire – be warm and comfortable.

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One of my favorite modern composers is Arvo Pärt. My “Arvo Pärt Radio” station not only gives me some of my favorite Pärt pieces, but also some new performances on recordings I do not own, and more interestingly, it’s been introducing me to other composers such as Henryk Gorecki that I wasn’t very familiar with, and Phillip Glass, whom I had thoroughly written off. Some of his work is quite interesting!

I’ve built a “Study” station (for when I’m working on a sermon, etc.) seeded by Pange Lingua and the piano music of Erik Satie. It’s perfect.

Some other stations I’ve built I’ve titled Cool Jazz, Modern Jazz, Progressive Rock, Quirky Girls, and Lutheran Composers.

Check it out. No matter what kind of music you like, it’s loads of fun, especially if you already enjoyed building smart playlists in iTunes or using the Genius feature.

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Pastor Andrew Smith of Augustana, Hickory, NC is blogging here.

Pastor Peter Schiebel of Trinity, Mt. Ranier, MD is blogging here.

I look forward to following these faithful pastors.

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Brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus, yesterday was the Feast of the Presentation of Our Lord and the Purification of Mary, for it was the fortieth day of Christmas, forty days from the celebration of Christ’s birth. The word “purification” refers to the Levitical law requiring women to remain secluded after childbirth—forty days after the birth of a male child, eighty days after the birth of a female child. During the prescribed time, the mother is said to be unclean, abiding in the blood of her purification. She cannot come into the temple. But, Lev. 12 says, “When the days of her purification are fulfilled … she shall bring to the priest a lamb of the first year as a burnt offering, and a young pigeon or a turtledove as a sin offering, to the door of the tabernacle of meeting. Then he shall offer it before the Lord, and make atonement for her. And she shall be clean from the flow of her blood.” This entire practice seems to many to reflect a society with hang-ups about sexuality, and oppressive to women. That is not the case. This particular law shows the ramifications of mankind’s fall into sin. Children that are born are unclean, i.e., unfit to be in the presence of God. They are, from birth, corrupt with sin and wicked. They have no fear of God. They are selfish.

Thus this requirement of the law, the need for purification after the birth of a new sinner, served to remind the people of the condition of mankind, of the continuing consequences of the sin of our first parents. The Lord was not simply inflicting a punishment when He said to the first woman that she would bring forth her children in pain. It was a statement that from the original command to be fruitful and multiply, all women would now bring forth spoiled and poisoned fruit. Our society worships and pampers children. Instead, we might do well to remember that they are not little angels, but more like little devils. Purification is necessary. Pure blood for the wicked blood flowing out of the mother. Pure blood for the evil blood found in the child. A lamb will have to be slaughtered. The neck of a turtledove will have to be wrung. Gruesome? Yes. Hideous? Yes. But that’s what it costs. The innocent for the guilty. There must be payment.

In such a ceremony, then, we should see not oppression or antiquated barbarism. We see grace. God lets the little sinner live. He has provided a way of escape. And for the mother, a path of cleanness.

But today comes to the temple a woman who needs no purification – for she did not conceive through the will or blood of a man. And she bears in her arms a child who is human in every way – in fact, more human than us. For our humanity has become corrupted, but His was unstained. For He was without sin. No sacrifice of purification is necessary, then, for the atonement of this mother. But the Child she bears in her arms is brought to the temple, so that the Law can be fulfilled in its completeness, but also as a sign that He is the sacrifice, the Lamb who will provide atonement for the complete purification of every mother – and every man, and every child.

This is what causes holy Simeon to break forth into joyous song. Not simply because his long wait was finally over, and he could rest. But because in his arms, he was privileged to hold the very Salvation of God – even God Himself, in the flesh.

This is what makes us capable of departing in peace, i.e., dying in the Lord’s grace and confidence. For there is nothing that any longer depends on us. No purification that we need provide. No Law that must be satisfied. There it is, wrapped in the flesh sprung forth from a pure virgin only forty days earlier.

There is, then, no need to be troubled by the many afflictions of this world. There is, then, no need to be in anxiety over our failures, what we will not accomplish, what we ought to have done that we now cannot do, what we have done amiss that we cannot undo. There is no need to fret over our future, or lament the loss of our body’s youthful strength. There is no place for contention in the church, or strife over money and goods; there is no place for fleshly lusts or seeking after pride and power. All is atoned for, all is purified, all is remedied, in the holy Son that sprang from that pure virgin. O Jesus, “I now know You as my life, my help when I am dying.” In You, my death shall now be no more than quiet slumber, until the great Easter comes when I shall sing to You praises without end.

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LXX begins, “Planning sin, the lawless man converses within himself; there is no fear of God before his eyes.”

The lawless man doesn’t just sin. He plans it, intends to perform what is contrary to God’s Law, and he does it without fear, without respect for God.

Having the forgiveness of sins, we have freedom in the Gospel. But Holy Scripture warns us, “Do not use your liberty as a cloak for vice.”

Daily we commit sins of impulse, too numerous to track. Some of our sins we ourselves are not aware of. All sin is against God’s Law, and deserving of punishment, but there is a particularly horrible kind of sin that damages our souls: the planned sin. It is when we have opportunity to consider what God’s Word says, to know that a particular word or deed is against the Commandments, but to proceed with it anyway.

So there are two kinds of sin: that proceeding from the weakness of our flesh, and that proceeding from the rebellion in our souls. Our flesh will always assail us, but we must work to subdue it, chasten it through a disciplined life. In our weakness we sometimes stumble, but rebellion stumbles deliberately, not acknowledging sin as sin, not repenting, not seeking amendment.

We can learn what we need by looking at what the lawless, wicked man does not have: the fear of God.

We cannot manufacture this holy fear, conjure it up through spiritual experiences.

It comes from God’s mercy, which the ESV translates as “steadfast love.”

“Your steadfast love [mercy], O LORD, extends to the heavens…. How precious is your steadfast love [mercy], O God! … Oh, continue your steadfast love [mercy] to those who know you, and your righteousness to the upright of heart!”

God’s mercy, His deep and abiding love, manifested to us in the cross of Jesus, is the only remedy and cure for our corrupt, perverted souls.

And let us make no mistake: the lawless man, the wicked man who plans sin, is us. We do not have to search through the tabloids or the cable channels to find the lawless man. He resides deep within us, the part of even us regenerated, newborn ones that is rebellious, lawless, lacking the fear of God. That is what we mean when we say that we are simul iustus et peccator, simultaneously saint and sinner.

Let us petition our merciful Lord to quench within us the fire of rebellion and help us, when planning sin, to instead turn away from it and flee to God for mercy.

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