Words of Encouragement for March 24, 2010

Meditations in the Parables of Jesus

THE BARREN FIG TREE

Read Luke 13:1-9

“There were present at that season some that told him of the Galilæans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galilæans were sinners above all the Galilæans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none. Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground? And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it: And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down.”

Have you ever wondered why some are suddenly taken by death, whether that be by accident, disease or natural disaster? Have you ever assumed that it was because they were worse sinners than others who were not taken?

In Luke 13:1-9, Jesus tells us that such occurrences do not necessarily mean that those who died were worse sinners than others. Rather, we should all take warning and know that unless we repent of our sins and turn to our Savior for forgiveness and life everlasting, we too will perish.

God is gracious to us sinners and grants us time to repent and turn to Christ for forgiveness, but that time of grace will run out – sometimes suddenly and unexpectedly! The Scriptures tell us: “It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the Judgment” (Hebrews 9:27). Unless we are truly sorry for our sins and trust in Christ our Savior for forgiveness and life everlasting, death and God’s Judgment will come upon us unawares and we will perish and suffer the eternal torments of hell!

The parable of the fig tree illustrates God’s gracious dealings with us; but it also warns us that His grace, if spurned, will come to an end. The LORD God created us that we might produce fruit for Him and serve Him by doing good works; but, as sinners, none of us are able to please God or do works acceptable in His sight (cf. Rom. 3:9ff, Isaiah 64:6). It is only through faith in Christ that we have forgiveness for our sins and are enabled to live for God and do works which are pleasing to Him (cf. John 15:1-6). Therefore, when the Lord looks for fruit in men’s lives, He finds none unless they first repent and trust in the Savior.

Even though all of us are by nature like the barren fig tree and deserve to be cut down, God is gracious to us. Rather than cutting us down, He grants us more time to hear the warnings of the Law and the comfort of the Gospel. He seeks to bring us to true repentance – working in us godly sorrow over our sins and sincere faith in the Redeemer, and giving us a desire to amend our sinful lives and live for Him in accord with His holy Word (cf. 2 Peter 3:9-10).

If we still do not repent and bear fruits meet for repentance, we can be assured that God’s gracious dealings with us will run out! Death and Judgment will come, and then it will be too late!

Let us heed Christ’s warning and repent now, before our time of grace runs out as it has for so many others! By the gracious working of God, turn from your sins to Christ your Savior. He, by His innocent sufferings and death, has paid in full the punishment for your sins. In Him is forgiveness and the strength to amend your sinful lives.

“Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (2 Cor. 6:2; cf. 5:15ff.).

Dear Savior, draw reluctant hearts; to Thee let sinners fly and take the bliss Thy love imparts and drink and never die. Amen. (The Lutheran Hymnal, Hymn #281, Verse 5)

Pastor Randy Moll

Lenten Devotions from Isaiah 53

“He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare His generation? for He was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of My people was He stricken. And He made His grave with the wicked, and with the rich in His death; because He had done no violence, neither was any deceit in His mouth.” Isaiah 53:8-9

By force and tyrannical injustice, Jesus was arrested, beaten and sentenced to death on a Roman cross; and no one spoke up in His defense. No one considered the potential life which they were cutting short through their illegitimate trials and accusations against Him.

Why? Why was Jesus crucified and “cut off out of the land of the living”? “For the transgression of My people was He stricken.” It was not for anything He had done amiss. “He had done no violence, neither was any deceit in His mouth.” But it was for our sins, yours and mine, that Jesus Suffered such agony and died upon the cross.

Indeed, “He made His grave with the wicked.” He was hung upon a cross between two thieves and thus died with the wicked, although one of the malefactors repented of his sins as he hung there upon the cross, and he received mercy and forgiveness from the Lord Jesus (cf. Luke 23:39-43). But, in His death, Jesus was buried in the new tomb of Joseph of Arimathea, a council member of the Jews who had not consented to Jesus’ condemnation by the Sanhedrin. Thus the ancient prophecy was fulfilled: “and with the rich in His death.”

What is the significance of all this for you and for me? Jesus’ death was not for any fault of His own, for He was without sin and holy. His sufferings and death were for your sins and mine! It was all a part of God’s plan to redeem us and make us His own! Like the dying thief on the cross, we ought also turn to Jesus and acknowledge that He is the sinless Son of God who came into this world to die in our stead and for our sins. We ought turn to Him in repentance and ask Him to mercifully remember us and receive us into His everlasting kingdom.

Dear Lord Jesus Christ, graciously remember us and receive us into Your eternal kingdom for the sake of Your holy and precious blood shed for us upon the cross. Amen.

Pastor Randy Moll

The Brief Statement

of the

Doctrinal Position of the Missouri Synod as adopted in 1932

(Editor’s Note: This remains the official position of the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod yet today, though in practice, many have departed from it.)

Of Faith in Christ

9. Since God has reconciled the whole world unto Himself through the vicarious life and death of His Son and has commanded that the reconciliation effected by Christ be proclaimed to men in the Gospel, to the end that they may believe it, 2 Cor. 5:18, 19; Rom 1:5, therefore faith in Christ is the only way for men to obtain personal reconciliation with God, that is, forgiveness of sins, as both the Old and the New Testament Scriptures testify, Acts 10: 43; John 3:16-18, 36. By this faith in Christ, through which men obtain the forgiveness of sins, is not meant any human effort to fulfill the Law of God after the example of Christ, but faith in the Gospel, that is, in the forgiveness of sins, or justification, which was fully earned for us by Christ and is offered in the Gospel. This faith justifies, not inasmuch as it is a work of man, but inasmuch as it lays hold of the grace offered, the forgiveness of sins, Rom. 4:16.

Bible Study in Preparation for Sunday

The Adult Bible Class continues its study of the Gospel of John. To prepare, read John 5:1-16. Why did Jesus go to Jerusalem? Why did people suffering from various infirmities wait by the Pool of Bethesda? What does this pool’s name mean? Who did Jesus find there? How long had this man been suffering from an infirmity? What did Jesus ask him? How did this man answer Jesus? What did Jesus say to him? What was the result? On what day of the week did this miracle occur? With what accusation did the Jews confront this man who was made whole? How did this man answer them? Did this man know who had healed him? Why? What did Jesus tell this man when He found him? What does this mean? Cf. John 8:11. What did the Jews seek to do when the man told them who had made him well? How does this type of thing happen yet today? How do the words of Hosea 6:6 have application? Do people today ever let their religious traditions and practices keep them from trusting in Jesus? (Would this section of Scripture make sense if verse 4 is omitted as is done in just a few old manuscripts and some modern translations rather than being included as it is in the great majority of texts and manuscripts and most older translations?)

The Catechism Class continues studying the Lord’s Prayer and the Sacraments and learning of Jesus and what He has done to redeem all mankind.

The Sunday Readings are Psalm 118:19-29; Isaiah 1:1-20; Philippians 2:5-11; and John 12:20-43. Please take the time to read them in their context in preparation for Sunday. Psalm 118:19-29 – What are the gates of righteousness through which the righteous enter? Who is the stone the builders refused? How was this true? How is it true yet today? What is meant by “This is the day which the LORD hath made”? What reason do we have to rejoice and be glad in it? Why did God’s people use portions of this psalm when Jesus rode into Jerusalem? What does the word “hosanna” mean? Isaiah 1:1-20 – What did God say His children had done? How does this apply yet today? How were God’s people more foolish than ox or a donkey? Is this true yet today? How? When God carried out judgments against His people to move them to reconsider and repent, did they recognize what God was doing? Did they turn back to the LORD God? How was Zion left as a cottage in a vineyard or a lodge in a garden of cucumbers? How is this so yet today? What would have happened if God had not left them a remnant? What does this mean we deserve when we backslide and turn away from following after the LORD? What did God say of their sacrifices and religious services? Why? Could God say this of religious services and offerings today? What about yours and mine? Did God hear and answer their prayers? What stands in the way of God hearing and answering our prayers and what is the answer? Cf. Psalm 66:18 and 1 John 5:11-15. What does God counsel His people to do? What does He offer and promise them? Is this still true for you and me? Why? What does God say will happen if His people continue to refuse His counsel and rebel? Cf. 2 Thess. 1:6-10. Philippians 2:5-11 – How did Jesus humble Himself and not make full use of the divine attributes which were communicated (shared) with his human nature? How was Christ Jesus then glorified (according to His human nature)? Would it have been robbery – taking what was not His – if Jesus made full use of His divine knowledge, power and glory during His ministry here in the world? Why did Jesus humble Himself? How is this an example for you and for me? John 12:20-43 – How is Jesus like the kernel of wheat He speaks of in this section of God’s Word? How did He die and how was He planted? What was the result? How are we to die and be planted? What will be the result? What will happen to the one who loves his life in this world and seeks to keep it for himself? What about the one who uses and lays down his life in this world for Jesus? Over what was Jesus’ soul troubled? Why? What could Jesus have prayed? What did He pray instead? Cf. Matthew 26:39. What did Jesus ask the Father to do to His name? How did God the Father answer that prayer? Why? What did the people think when they heard God’s voice? Cf. Exodus 20:18. What did Jesus say was about to happen to the world? To the prince of this world? How would Jesus overcome him and cast him out of heaven? What does this mean? Cf. Rev. 12:7-11. What did Jesus say would happen if He were lifted up? What does this mean? What question did the people have about this? How did Jesus answer them? How is this true? Did the people believe on Jesus? Why not? What Scripture did this fulfill? Is there an application of this yet today? Why were some afraid to confess Jesus?

Remember to Pray

Remember to pray for our church and for all our members, that none be lost to Christ’s kingdom but that all continue in repentance and be strengthened and built up in the true and saving faith in Christ Jesus through the hearing and study of His Word. We continue to pray for all who have been sick or who are suffering among us for those who have been absent from us, for our extended families, for Christians who are alone and have no congregation, and for our adopted soldiers. Pray for God’s help with our church’s financial needs. Continue to pray for the Lutheran Churches in the Philippines, for Christians in Nigeria, Haiti and Chile, and for believers around the world who are persecuted or suffering.

Events and Announcements

The Choir is practicing for upcoming services. More voices are always welcome.

Holy Week Services will be held on Maundy Thursday (April 1) and Good Friday (April 2), with services beginning at 7 p.m. Holy Communion will be held on Maundy Thursday. A pizza supper will be held at 6:20 p.m. on Thursday.

Information for bulletins or newsletters may be sent to Pastor Moll by calling him at 479-233-0081 or by e-mail at goodshepherdrogers@yahoo.com.

“Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.” Psalm 16:11

[Scripture in this Newsletter is taken from the King James Version of the Bible]