Saturday, July 18, 2020

The Sunday Lectionary Readings for SUNDAY, July 19, 2020 — 7th Sunday After Pentecost


The Sunday Lectionary Readings
SUNDAY, July 19, 2020 — 7th Sunday After Pentecost
[Ordinary 16, Proper 11]
(Revised Common Lectionary Year A)

Surely the Lord is in This Place!
Genesis 28:10-19a; Psalm 139:1-12, 23-24; Romans 8:12-25; Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43


The Parable of the Wheat and the Weeds


Opening Prayer
God of abundant love, we come to you this day in the midst of a season of great growth and coming harvest. All around us are signs of growth, in our earth, in our families, in our nation, in our world. We come this day, seeking your healing love and abounding mercy. Open our hearts to receive all that you offer that we may become fruitful workers for you. Amen.


Prayer of Confession
Patient Lord, it is so easy for us to focus on all the things that are wrong. We spend much time and energy in anger and sorrow, leaving behind the possibilities of hope and service to you. Ease our hearts, O Lord. Forgive our willingness to get caught up in the negative. Direct our steps toward positive actions that will produce growth and peace. We offer this prayer in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.


Words of Assurance
God’s seeds of love have already been sown in your midst. Come and see the love of God outpoured for you. You are God’s beloved ones. Come, live in the light of God. Amen.


The Collect
(from the Book of Common Prayers)
Almighty God, the fountain of all wisdom, you know our necessities before we ask and our ignorance in asking: Have compassion on our weakness, and mercifully give us those things which for our unworthiness we dare not, and for our blindness we cannot ask; through the worthiness of your Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.


Prayer of the Day
Faithful God, most merciful judge, you care for your children with firmness and compassion. By your Spirit nurture us who live in your kingdom, that we may be rooted in the way of your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.


First Reading
Jacob’s dream of the ladder
28:10 Jacob left Beersheba and set out for Harran. 11 When he reached a certain place, he stopped for the night because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones there, he put it under his head and lay down to sleep. 12 He had a dream in which he saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. 13 There above it stood the Lord, and he said: “I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the land on which you are lying. 14 Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring. 15 I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.”

16 When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he thought, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it.” 17 He was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God; this is the gate of heaven.”

18 Early the next morning Jacob took the stone he had placed under his head and set it up as a pillar and poured oil on top of it. 19a He called that place Bethel.


You have searched me and known me
1  You have searched me, Lord,
     and you know me.
2  You know when I sit and when I rise;
     you perceive my thoughts from afar.
3  You discern my going out and my lying down;
     you are familiar with all my ways.
4  Before a word is on my tongue
     you, Lord, know it completely.
5  You hem me in behind and before,
     and you lay your hand upon me.
6  Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
     too lofty for me to attain.

7  Where can I go from your Spirit?
     Where can I flee from your presence?
8  If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
     if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
9  If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
     if I settle on the far side of the sea,
10 even there your hand will guide me,
     your right hand will hold me fast.
11 If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me
     and the light become night around me,”
12 even the darkness will not be dark to you;
     the night will shine like the day,
     for darkness is as light to you.

23 Search me, God, and know my heart;
     test me and know my anxious thoughts.
24 See if there is any offensive way in me,
     and lead me in the way everlasting.


Second Reading
The revealing of the children of God
8:12 Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. 13 For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.

14 For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. 15 The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.

18 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. 19 For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. 20 For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God.

22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 23 Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? 25 But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.


Gospel Acclamation
Alleluia.
My word will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.
Alleluia.


The Gospel
The parable of the weeds
13:24 Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. 25 But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. 26 When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared.

27 “The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’

28 “‘An enemy did this,’ he replied.

“The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’

29 “‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.’”

36 Then he left the crowd and went into the house. His disciples came to him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.”

37 He answered, “The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man. 38 The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the people of the kingdom. The weeds are the people of the evil one, 39 and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.

40 “As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. 41 The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. 42 They will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears, let them hear.


Here end the Readings


Click HERE to read today’s Holy Gospel Lesson message



  • I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
  • I believe in Jesus Christ, his only son, our Lord, who was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to hell. On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father, and he will come again to judge the living and the dead.
  • I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.


Holy Communion

A nondenominational serving of bread and wine
Many churches around the world are working hard to adapt to online worship, and one challenge is how our members can celebrate communion from home. Though no video can truly replace the experience of celebrating together in our places of worship, we know that where two or more are gathered, the Lord is present.


Benediction
Go into God’s world with confidence and hope. God’s presence is with you in all that you do. Be those people who plant seeds of comfort and hope. God will bring about the harvest in due time. Amen.




Optional parts of the readings are set off in [square brackets.]

The Bible texts of the Old Testament, Epistle, and Gospel lessons are from The Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
The Daily Lectionary for SUNDAY, July 19, 2020 — 7th Sunday After Pentecost
Surely the Lord is in This Place!
Genesis 28:10-19a; Psalm 139:1-12, 23-24; Romans 8:12-25; Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43

“Cultivating the Weedpatch”


Today, our gospel message comes to us from the 13th chapter of Matthew, beginning with the 24th verse, “The parable of the weeds.”

Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared.

“The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’

“‘An enemy did this,’ he replied.

“The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’

“‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.’”

Then he left the crowd and went into the house. His disciples came to him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.”

He answered, “The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the people of the kingdom. The weeds are the people of the evil one, and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.

“As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. They will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears, let them hear. (Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43)

Father, You sent your Word to bring us truth and your Spirit to make us holy. Through them, we come to know the mystery of your life. Help us worship you, one God in three persons, And reveal yourself in the depths of our being, by proclaiming and living our faith in you. Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever. Amen.

“Cultivating the Weedpatch”

Once upon a time, there was a farmer who owned forty acres of good bottom land and was known for the quality and quantity of the crops he raised on that land. One spring—just like every other spring—he plowed and furrowed and sowed in a crop of wheat. Then he sat back to wait for nature to take its course. Which, of course, it did. First came the refreshing spring rains, soaking the land and swelling the seed. Then the warm summer sun, drawing the new plants up to the surface of the soil. Everything went just as it had always gone, and soon the earth was green with lush growth.

But something happened on the way to the grain bin. One day, one of the field hands came in and told the farmer: “Something’s gone wrong. Something else was sown in with the wheat. You’ve got some other kind of grass in there, spoiling the crop. It must be bad seed. We’d better get in there ad pull out the weeds.” But the farmer replied, “No, don’t do that. I inspected the seed. The seed is OK. Someone sowed bad seed in with the good. If you pull out the weeds, you’ll pull out some of the wheat too. The wheat will be OK. Leave it go, and we’ll separate it at harvest time.”

Now, a lot of folks, when they look at this parable, think it’s just a rehashing of what Jesus said about the sheep and the goats, and conclude that Jesus is talking about how, at the judgment, he is going to separate the good from the bad. But that’s really not the point. What Jesus is proposing is really radical. In fact, most farmers would sooner plow under a bad crop and start over than try to separate the seed at harvest. It certainly is a lot easier! But Jesus’ concern is that NONE of the good harvest be lost. And that is where we begin to understand the story.

In my own life, I have had a lot of difficulties trying to decide who are the sheep and who are the goats—who is good seed and who is a weed. Sometimes I feel more like a goat or a weed myself than a sheep or fruitful wheat. It’s too easy to separate humanity into two groups—them and us; the good and the bad. In reality, life is not like that. Most of us are both good and bad—wheat and weeds. And, in light of the gospel, we have to reject that way of looking at people. People are like a field into which both good and bad seed have been sown or to put it another way—we don’t know what wheat has been sown in the most weed-filled garden.

That is where we begin today. Jesus’ concern is not to separate the wheat from the weeds, but rather than none of the wheat is lost.

This parable reveals to us three things: First of all, it reveals God’s sovereignty to us. God is sovereign. There is no dualism in Christianity. God rules. Many people don’t really understand that. Many think that God has given this world over to Satan’s control. They have the mistaken notion that Satan, not God, is at the helm of history.

But this parable shows us something else—God is the initiator. He is the One who does the sowing. Satan may sow weeds in God’s plan, but God’s plan is fulfilled perfectly anyway. Satan is no more than a tool that God uses to complete his purposes. God was—and is—in control. Always. He has no “Plan B” for us.

Yet it is hard for us to tune into that will, isn’t it? We are like the servants in the parable, in danger of tearing out the wheat with the weeds. God works in our life, but we aren’t sure what he is doing, where he is leading us, or how we should respond. Like Job, we begin to question him.

The problem is not God, of course—the problem is our sinful condition. The problem is not with what God is doing—the problem is that we can’t tell tares from wheat; we do not know or follow God’s will. Our condition of brokenness, of separation from the heart of God, causes our hearts and wills to be blinded and darkened.

Only One knows the Father’s heart—and that is his own Spirit. Isaiah says, speaking for God, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways.” Only His Spirit can understand His purposes. St. Paul tells us, “Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for.” We don’t know how to carry on a relationship with God—we can’t even carry on a conversation with Him. James says, “You do not have because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.” In the first seven chapters of Romans, Paul explains why this is so—we are caught up in a web, a whirlpool, a downward spiral of suffering, frustration, and futility that revolves around our own sinful nature. All that we do is tainted. How can we ever hope to dialogue with, touch the heart of God, or understand his ways? Everything appears to us to be shades of gray: That couple caught up in the prospect of divorce, not knowing whether to pray for the strength to stick it out, even when they seem so very incompatible in their very natures. The son and daughter, watching their mother slowly waste away to the point that she is almost unrecognizable to them as the person they once knew—not sure whether to pray for death or life for her. The woman, with a burden of the Gospel on her heart, not sure whether to pray for boldness in declaring her faith to her friend, or patience, so that her friend may not be offended and perhaps, instead, be eventually won by the testimony of her life.

The wheat and tares are mixed together in life, to the point that they are indecipherable, unrecognizable to us. We do not know how to pray as we ought. We don’t know what to pray for. We can’t make it through the tangle of wheat and tares.

Yet Paul goes on to say, “the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.”

God takes the burden upon himself. In the parable, Jesus says the farmer himself will separate the wheat from weeds at the harvest. He takes responsibility. He takes charge. While we sigh, not knowing what to say to God, not knowing how to respond—God’s own Spirit, the precious gift he gave to you in your baptism, discerns your greatest needs and desires, and envelopes them in God’s will, and presents them to the throne of God.

In Philippians 2, verses 5 through 8, Paul says that Jesus emptied himself, taking on human form and, being found in human form, humbled himself, taking on the form of a servant, dying on the cross for us. He entered into our life. He died in our place so that we might have life. Now the Spirit continues this work on an even deeper level, entering into the midst of our hearts, into our day to day pleasures and problems, and discerning our deepest needs and incorporating us into the plan and purposes of God. Where we are silent or confused, he speaks for us. So God’s will is completed in us, even though we don’t understand it fully.

In Ephesians 3:20, Paul says, “to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us.” He knows what weed is and what is wheat. He doesn’t demand perfection of us. He only demands our faith, our trust, our faithfulness.

Hope in Him. Trust in Him. He has a plan for your life. You may not always know what He is doing, but be assured—He is in charge. He knows what He’s doing. He will bring in the harvest. And none shall be lost. May you bear a rich harvest for Him.

Prayer: Dear Lord, for some reason, many Christians try to pull out the weeds before the right time. We can exhaust ourselves judging our fellow believers, deciding who’s in and who’s out. Forgive us, Lord, for our presumption, for doing that which is yours alone to do.

Yes, we are to be careful in discerning truth from falsehood. And, yes, we are to hold each other accountable to live out our faith in this world. But may we do so without a critical or haughty spirit. Help us to be as gracious to those with whom we disagree as you have been to us. Amen.

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Scripture is taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Sermon contributed by Gary Roth.
God’s concern is not so much to “separate the wheat from the chaff,” but to preserve the “wheat” so that none of it may be lost.

The Daily Prayer for SUNDAY, July 19, 2020

https://biblegateway.christianbook.com/common-prayer-liturgy-for-ordinary-radicals/shane-claiborne/9780310326199/pd/326199
The Daily Prayer
SUNDAY, July 19, 2020

On July 19, 1848, the first Women’s Rights Convention was held in Seneca Falls, New York, sparking a women’s movement that challenged both the church and the world with the good news that in Jesus Christ, there is neither male nor female.

African-American abolitionist and women’s rights advocate Sojourner Truth said, “I have plowed and planted and gathered into barns, and no man could head me—and ain’t I a woman? I have born’d five childrun and seen ’em mos’ all sold off into slavery, and when I cried out with mother’s grief, none but Jesus heard—and ain’t I a woman?… Den dat little man is back dar, he say women can’t have as much rights as man, ’cause Christ warn’t a woman. Whar did your Christ come from? From God and a woman! Man had nothing to do with him!”

Creator God, you made us in your image. Male and female, you created us. We give thanks that you use us, women and men, to bear your image to the world. Open our eyes to see you where we have failed to see you before. Amen.

Verse of the Day SUNDAY, July 19, 2020

https://classic.biblegateway.com/reading-plans/verse-of-the-day/2020/07/19?version=NIV

Isaiah 41:10
So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
Read all of Isaiah 41

Listen to Isaiah 41

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Un dia a la Vez - Domingo 19 de julio de 2020

https://classic.biblegateway.com/devotionals/un-dia-vez/2020/07/19
En familia

Busquen al Señor mientras se deje encontrar, llámenlo mientras esté cercano.

Es importante entender el valor que Dios le da a la familia. ¿Has pensado en cuántos sábados o fines de semana no has estado en casa? ¿Desde cuándo no complaces a tu familia con ir a algún parque o un restaurante? Debes saber que tu primera obligación es, y será siempre, tu familia. Dios instituyó la familia para que estuviéramos acompañados y para que pasáramos tiempo juntos.

Quizá sea la mañana de este sábado y te das cuenta que te identificas con mis palabras. A lo mejor ya tienes planeado el día con tus amigos y no has tenido en cuenta a tus hijos ni a tu pareja. Estás en tiempo de cambiar los planes y aprovechar la familia que te entregó Dios.

En caso de que al mirar a tu alrededor estés solo porque no tengas familia, tal vez digas: «Pero bueno, ¿y yo qué hago?». Quiero que sepas que Dios está contigo. Él es tu Padre, tu Amigo, tu Consejero.

Aprovecha esta oportunidad de tener un momento a solas con Dios. Reflexiona en las bendiciones que te ha dado Él y entonces dedica este día para ti. ¿Qué tal si vas a la playa, visitas un amigo, sales a caminar o haces lo que más te gusta?

Dale gracias a Dios por tu familia dondequiera que esté.

Un Día a la Vez Copyright © by Claudia Pinzón
Es importante entender el valor que Dios le da a la familia.

Standing Strong Through the Storm - Sunday, July 19, 2020

https://classic.biblegateway.com/devotionals/standing-strong-through-the-storm/2020/07/19
THE PERSECUTED

Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

With our hunger and thirst for righteousness comes the promise of persecution for those who take a stand for God. We have not been called to safety and comfort but to serve in the midst of conflict. Persecution is not to be strenuously avoided, for it is the result of righteous living. To avoid it, one would have to cease living righteously.

The early church went through much persecution for their faith in Christ. It affected their livelihood. They had to ask themselves, Should a Christian craftsman create idols for the temples? Or should a tailor sew robes for heathen priests?

Persecution affected social and family life. Most feasts were held in the temple of some god. A common invitation would be dining at the table of such a god. Even an ordinary meal in a home began with a cup of wine poured out in honor of the gods, like grace before a meal. Could a Christian share in such a meal like that?

Severe persecution meant being flung to the lions, burned at the stake, or being wrapped in pitch and set alight to provide light for Nero’s palace gardens. Or it meant being sewn in animal skins and set upon by Nero’s hunting dogs. Christians were tortured on the rack; scraped with pincers; had molten lead poured on them; had red-hot brass plates fixed to the most tender parts of their bodies; had eyes torn out; had limbs cut off and roasted before their eyes; had hands and feet burned while cold water was poured over other parts to prolong agony.

Most of us have never in our lives made a real sacrifice for Jesus. To have to suffer persecution is to walk along the same road as the prophets, the saints, and the martyrs. To suffer persecution is to make things easier for those who are to follow. To suffer persecution is to experience the fellowship of Christ, as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego did in the furnace (Daniel 3:19-25). It is not always so dramatic, but it is nevertheless real. Most of us enjoy the blessing of liberty today because men and women in the past were willing to buy it for us at the cost of their own blood, sweat, and tears.

RESPONSE: I will accept persecution, whether mild or hot, which comes as a result of righteous living.

PRAYER: Lord, encourage those today who are experiencing severe persecution for Your name.

Standing Strong Through The Storm (SSTS), a daily devotional message by SSTS author Paul Estabrooks. © 2011 Open Doors International. Used by permission.

LHM Daily Devotions - July 19, 2020 - "All Mankind Fell in Adam's Fall"

https://www.lhm.org/dailydevotions/default.asp?date=20200719

Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries

"All Mankind Fell in Adam's Fall"

July 19, 2020

♫ "All mankind fell in Adam's fall; One common sin infects us all. From one to all the curse descends, And over all God's wrath impends.

"Through all our pow'rs corruption creeps, And us in dreadful bondage keeps; In guilt we draw our infant breath, And reap its fruits of woe and death.

"As by one man all mankind fell, And born in sin, was doomed to hell, So by one Man, who took our place, We all were justified by grace." ♫

"It's not fair!" We may hear those words as a child's complaint in the face of a perceived injustice like an older sibling's privilege of a later bedtime. Yet some adults might respond with the same words upon hearing the truth announced by our hymn: "All mankind fell in Adam's fall." How can it be possible—or fair—that all people throughout history should suffer because Adam and Eve ate the fruit forbidden to them? The hymn goes on to explain, "One common sin infects us all." That first, original sin is passed down from generation to generation like a deadly, inherited disease. Every day we make the same the decision that our first parents made, to say or do or think that which is forbidden to us by God's commands. We choose to do what is wrong and neglect to do what is right, choosing to be "like God," turning from His will and making our own selfish decisions.

The hymn reminds us of that inherited sin: "In guilt we draw our infant breath." That first forbidden fruit in Eden bore the "fruits of woe and death" for us all. The penalty of death for sin was declared by God in Eden and death is the wage that we earn for ourselves (Romans 6:23). Yet still, in Eden, God announced a message of hope. The woman's offspring would come to crush the power of the tempting serpent.

"It's not fair!" It was not fair that Jesus Christ, the woman's offspring, true God and true Man "took our place." He endured the penalty decreed in Eden and took to Himself the wage of death that we earned. Of all people ever born on earth, Jesus alone was innocent of all sin. Jesus perfectly obeyed His Father's will, even to the point of death on the cross. In an uneven exchange that was not at all fair, Jesus took our sin and guilt onto Himself and gave us His own righteousness. For our sake, God made His only Son who knew no sin "to be sin ... so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God" (2 Corinthians 5:21). "As by one man all mankind fell ... So by one Man ... we all were justified by grace." The words of the hymn reflect the Word of God: "Because of one man's trespass, death reigned," but the free gift of righteousness reigns "through the one Man Jesus Christ" (Romans 5:17). No, it was not fair, and through that blessed, unfair exchange, we have forgiveness and eternal life.

THE PRAYER: Lord Jesus, You took our sins onto Yourself and in exchange clothed us in Your righteousness. Justified by grace, through faith in Your Name, we offer to You our praise, now and forever. Amen.

Reflection Questions:
1. Have you ever been punished for someone else's wrongdoing? Has someone ever been penalized for something you've done?

2. How does God's free gift of righteousness reign through Jesus Christ?

3. Do you feel like you're in bondage to any particular kind of sin? How do you deal with this?
This Daily Devotion was written by Dr. Carol Geisler. It is based on the hymn, "All Mankind Fell in Adam's Fall." Use these devotions in your newsletter and bulletin! Used by permission; all rights reserved by the Int'l LLL (LHM).
Have you ever been punished for someone else's wrongdoing? Has someone ever been penalized for something you've done?

Unser Täglich Brot - Auf unseren Herzen

https://unsertaeglichbrot.org/2020/07/19/auf-unseren-herzen/

Auf unseren Herzen

Lesung: 5. Mose 6,1-9 | Die Bibel in einem Jahr: 23-25; Apostelgeschichte 21,18-40

Bewahrt die Gebote, die ich euch heute gebe, in eurem Herzen. Schärft sie euren Kindern ein.

Nachdem ein kleiner Junge in der Schule vor einigen Herausforderungen stand, begann sein Vater, ihm einige Worte beizubringen, die er jeden Morgen vor der Schule rezitieren konnte: „Ich danke Gott, dass er mich heute geweckt hat. Ich gehe zur Schule, damit ich lernen kann… und ich werde der Leiter sein, zu dem Gott mich geschaffen hat.“ Diese Worte sind eine Möglichkeit, wie der Vater seinem Sohn helfen will, sich zurechtzufinden und mit den unvermeidlichen Herausforderungen des Lebens umzugehen.

Indem er seinem Sohn hilft, sich diese Worte in Erinnerung zu rufen, tut der Vater etwas Ähnliches, wie Gott es den Israeliten in der Wüste befohlen hat: „Bewahrt die Gebote, die ich euch heute gebe, in eurem Herzen. Schärft sie euren Kindern ein.“ (5. Mose 6,6-7).

Nachdem sie vierzig Jahre lang in der Wüste gewandert waren, stand die nächste Generation von Israeliten kurz davor, das verheißene Land zu betreten. Gott wusste, dass es für sie nicht einfach sein würde, Erfolg zu haben – es sei denn, sie konzentrierten sich auf ihn. Und so forderte er sie durch Mose auf, sich zu erinnern und ihm zu gehorchen – und ihren Kindern zu helfen, Gott zu kennen und zu lieben, indem sie über sein Wort sprechen, „wenn ihr zu Hause oder unterwegs seid, wenn ihr euch hinlegt oder wenn ihr aufsteht“ (V. 7).

Jeden neuen Tag können auch wir uns dafür einsetzen, dass die Bibel unsere Herzen und unseren Geist leitet, während wir in Dankbarkeit für ihn leben.
Was kannst du tun, damit die Worte der Bibel in deinem Herzen bleiben? Warum ist es wichtig, die Bibel zu lesen und mit unseren Lieben darüber zu reden?
Lieber Herr, danke für jeden neuen Tag, den du schenkst. Hilf mir, deine Weisheit in meinem Herzen und in meinen Gedanken zu bewahren.


© 2020 Unser Täglich Brot
Nachdem ein kleiner Junge in der Schule vor einigen Herausforderungen stand, begann sein Vater, ihm einige Worte beizubringen, die er jeden Morgen vor der Schule rezitieren konnte…