The Sixteenth Sunday after Trinity, 2015
Pastor Gregory L. Jackson
Bethany Lutheran Church, 10 AM Central Daylight Time
The Confession of Sins
The Absolution
The Introit p. 16
The Gloria Patri
The Kyrie p. 17
The Gloria in Excelsis
The Salutation and Collect p. 19
The Epistle and Gradual
The Absolution
The Introit p. 16
The Gloria Patri
The Kyrie p. 17
The Gloria in Excelsis
The Salutation and Collect p. 19
The Epistle and Gradual
The Gospel
Glory be to Thee, O Lord!
Praise be to Thee, O Christ!
The Nicene Creed p. 22
Praise be to Thee, O Christ!
The Nicene Creed p. 22
The Faith of Jesus
The Preface p. 24
The Sanctus p. 26
The Lord's Prayer p. 27
The Words of Institution
The Agnus Dei p. 28
The Nunc Dimittis p. 29
The Benediction p. 31
The Hymn # 50 Lord Dismiss Us
The Sanctus p. 26
The Lord's Prayer p. 27
The Words of Institution
The Agnus Dei p. 28
The Nunc Dimittis p. 29
The Benediction p. 31
The Hymn # 50 Lord Dismiss Us
KJV Ephesians 3:13 Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you, which is your glory. 14 For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, 16 That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; 17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; 19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. 20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, 21 Unto him beglory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.
KJV Luke 7:11 And it came to pass the day after, that he went into a city called Nain; and many of his disciples went with him, and much people. 12 Now when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold, there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow: and much people of the city was with her. 13 And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not. 14 And he came and touched the bier: and they that bare him stood still. And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise. 15 And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak. And he delivered him to his mother. 16 And there came a fear on all: and they glorified God, saying, That a great prophet is risen up among us; and, That God hath visited his people. 17 And this rumour of him went forth throughout all Judaea, and throughout all the region round about.
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SIXTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY
Lord God, heavenly Father, who didst send Thy Son to be made flesh, that by His death He might atone for our sins and deliver us from eternal death: We pray Thee, confirm in our hearts the hope that our Lord Jesus Christ, who with but a word raised the widow's son, in like manner will raise us on the last day, and grant us eternal life: through Thy beloved Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, one true God, world without end. Amen.
The Faith of Jesus
“Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference” Romans 3:22
“Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.” Galatians 2:16
“For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.” Romans 1:16-17
Almost every single translation has faith in Christ rather than the faith of Christ. The Greek language is very precise, so there is no question about the original.
Our common words are often understood different ways, or people add to them by the way they discuss the terms. A reaction against "making a decision for Christ" is to add all kinds of negative freight to the word "faith." But the Biblical sense is clear - faith comes from hearing the preached Word of the Gospel - Romans 10.
The UOJ fanatics and the modernist Protestant and Catholic liberals do NOT like the word faith at all. They think teaching faith is the opposite of grace. And there are various side-roads and quagmires in that discussion alone.
But this phrase can only mean one thing - Paul was speaking about the faith of Jesus Christ. When the discussion is murky, like a flood-swollen river, we have to go back to the source to find where the water is clear and pure.
Galatians is an early epistle, considered by all to be the classic, brief essay on justification by faith - as opposed to any form of works. Romans is the last epistle, a formal doctrinal essay giving us a Large Catechism about justification and the Christian life. Both contain the faith of Jesus in the context of justification.
Meaning - The Faith of Jesus
For those against any reference to faith, this phrase is fatal to their delusions. The Holy Spirit is teaching us about the importance of Jesus faith - above all else. Jesus is the perfect expression of faith, because He obeyed His Father, did only the will of the Father, and always taught and performed miracles in conformity with His Father.
This Father-Son relationship is taught extensively in the Gospel of John but also in Matthew (no one knows the Father but the Son). It is referenced in the Lord's Prayer, Jesus teaching us to say "Our Father" just as He prayed before His crucifixion - Abba, Father...
The faith of Jesus emphasizes grace above all, because there is no room to say, "I am forgiven and saved because I made a decision for Christ." And it also demolishes the bizarre claim that all pagans and atheists - even Judas Iscariot - are guilt-free saints.
The Gospel is the faith of Christ and that phrase includes all He did and taught, all He does and teaches now.
This also involves a verse that sounds grand by also mysterious -
“For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.” Romans 1:16-17
I met the author of a famous book, From Faith to Faith, and I never quite knew what that meant. If we start with the faith of men, even the apostles, that seems to be an odd beginning.
But if we understand this to mean - revealed from the faith of Jesus to those who believe... that is the power of the Gospel. What do we see in Jesus that makes Him so appealing, even unto those who really do not believe but are attracted to Him, just as the crowds were, many of them falling away (John 6) when they heard "hard words."
- Jesus is the Man of Faith, the perfect example.
- When railed at, He did not rail back or seek revenge.
- He showed compassion on all.
- He went to the broken, blind, cripples, poor and grieving.
- He knew of the His Passion felt its terror but faced it like lamb of Isaiah 53.
- He asked forgiveness for those who crucified Him and converted men while dying.
- He rose from the dead and ascended into heaven.
