Words of Encouragement for April 27, 2011

Meditations in Genesis

Read Genesis 44

“Now therefore when I come to thy servant my father, and the lad be not with us; seeing that his life is bound up in the lad’s life; it shall come to pass, when he seeth that the lad is not with us, that he will die: and thy servants shall bring down the gray hairs of thy servant our father with sorrow to the grave. For thy servant became surety for the lad unto my father, saying, If I bring him not unto thee, then I shall bear the blame to my father for ever. Now therefore, I pray thee, let thy servant abide instead of the lad a bondman to my lord; and let the lad go up with his brethren. For how shall I go up to my father, and the lad be not with me? lest peradventure I see the evil that shall come on my father.” Genesis 44:30-34

Joseph once more tested his brothers when they came down to Egypt to buy grain. He had his servant place his silver cup in Benjamin’s sack and then, after they had left, sent his servant after them accusing them of stealing from Joseph and threatening to make the thief his bond servant. Rather than yielding up Benjamin and returning home to their families, they all returned to Egypt to plead with Joseph for Benjamin, their brother.

What a change we see in Judah, the man who once suggested to his brothers that they sell Joseph as a slave to a passing group of merchants! He who once hated his brother and did not listen to Joseph’s pleadings or consider the hurt his actions would cause his father now is ready to be a substitute for Joseph’s younger brother Benjamin. He, not recognizing that it was Joseph ruling over the land of Egypt, pleads for mercy and asks to take Benjamin’s place as Joseph’s servant. He had become surety for his young brother and was ready to be a bond servant in Benjamin’s stead so that Benjamin could return home to his father Jacob.

In this we see how the Spirit had been at work in Judah and his brothers. We see Judah thinking not of himself but of the wellfare of his brother and father. He was ready to give up his life as a free man for the sake of his brother and for the well being of his father.

How this reminds us of Christ Jesus, our elder brother, who willingly to our place and suffered and died for our sins that we might not continue in slavery to sin but be pardoned, forgiven and made free to serve our heavenly Father! He became surety for us. He died for us and took our place under the law and was condemned in our stead that we might live and return to our Father in heaven.

And because Jesus so loved us and laid down His life for us by dying in our stead upon the cross, we are free. We have forgiveness, and we are accepted of God our Father as His own dear and beloved children.

“For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:6-8).

“He (God our Father) hath made us accepted in the beloved. In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace” (Eph. 1:6,7).

Dear crucified and risen Lord Jesus, thank You for so loving us that You became our substitute and willingly went to the cross in our stead and suffered our punishment that we might be pardoned, forgiven and have life everlasting through faith in Your name. Amen.

Martin Luther’s Large Catechism

The Apostles’ Creed

Article II.

25] And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary; suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; He descended into hell; the third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead.

26] Here we learn to know the Second Person of the Godhead, so that we see what we have from God over and above the temporal goods aforementioned; namely, how He has completely poured forth Himself and withheld nothing from us that He has not given us. Now, this article is very rich and broad; but in order to expound it also briefly and in a childlike way we shall take up one word and sum up in that the entire article, namely (as we have said), that we may here learn how we have been redeemed; and we shall base this on these words: In Jesus Christ, our Lord.

27] If now you are asked, What do you believe in the Second Article of Jesus Christ? answer briefly: I believe that Jesus Christ, true Son of God, has become my Lord. But what is it to become Lord? It is this, that He has redeemed me from sin, from the devil, from death, and all evil. For before I had no Lord nor King, but was captive under the power of the devil, condemned to death, enmeshed in sin and blindness.

28] For when we had been created by God the Father, and had received from Him all manner of good, the devil came and led us into disobedience, sin, death, and all evil, so that we fell under His wrath and displeasure and were doomed to eternal damnation, as we had merited and deserved. 29] There was no counsel, help, or comfort until this only and eternal Son of God in His unfathomable goodness had compassion upon our misery and wretchedness, and came from heaven to help us. 30] Those tyrants and jailers, then, are all expelled now, and in their place has come Jesus Christ, Lord of life, righteousness, every blessing, and salvation, and has delivered us poor lost men from the jaws of hell, has won us, made us free, and brought us again into the favor and grace of the Father, and has taken us as His own property under His shelter and protection, that He may govern us by His righteousness, wisdom, power, life, and blessedness.

31] Let this, then, be the sum of this article that the little word Lord signifies simply as much as Redeemer, i.e., He who has brought us from Satan to God, from death to life, from sin to righteousness, and who preserves us in the same. But all the points which follow in order in this article serve no other end than to explain and express this redemption, how and whereby it was accomplished, that is, how much it cost Him, and what He spent and risked that He might win us and bring us under His dominion, namely, that He became man, conceived and born without [any stain of] sin, of the Holy Ghost and of the Virgin Mary, that He might overcome sin; moreover, that He suffered, died and was buried, that He might make satisfaction for me and pay what I owe, not with silver nor gold, but with His own precious blood. And all this, in order to become my Lord; for He did none of these for Himself, nor had He any need of it. And after that He rose again from the dead, swallowed up and devoured death, and finally ascended into heaven and assumed the government at the Father’s right hand, so that the devil and all powers must be subject to Him and lie at His feet, until finally, at the last day, He will completely part and separate us from the wicked world, the devil, death, sin, etc.

32] But to explain all these single points separately belongs not to brief sermons for children, but rather to the ampler sermons that extend throughout the entire year, especially at those times which are appointed for the purpose of treating at length of each article – of the birth, sufferings, resurrection, ascension of Christ, etc.

33] Ay, the entire Gospel which we preach is based on this, that we properly understand this article as that upon which our salvation and all our happiness rest, and which is so rich and comprehensive that we never can learn it fully.

Bible Study in Preparation for Sunday

Scripture Readings appointed for Sunday are: Psalm 148; Acts 5:29-42; 1 Peter 1:3-9; and John 20:19-31. Please read them in their context as you prepare for worship on Sunday.

The Adult Bible Class will continue in the Gospel of John at chapter 18, verse 28.

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 pray for God’s healing and strengthening of our congregation, as well as for God’s help with our church’s financial needs. We continue to pray for all who have been sick or who are suffering among us – for Sam Rusch, who has had repeated stays in the hospital; for Lisa Pugh, who is recovering after surgery and lost her husband Wade today – for those who have been absent from us, for our extended families and for Christians who are alone and have no congregation. Continue to pray for Lutheran congregations which desire to remain faithful to Christ and His Word, for the Lutheran churches in the Philippines and Japan, for Christians in Nigeria, Haiti and Chile, and for believers around the world who are persecuted or suffering for their faith in Christ Jesus.

Pray especially for Ron and Lois Wellander and for their daughter Lisa Pugh. Lisa’s husband Wade was called to his eternal home on Wednesday morning. Pray for God’s comfort and strength and for safe travels for Ron and Lois.

Events and Announcements

Thank you to all who spent time cleaning at church over the past several weeks, and a special thank you to Mike and Cathy Hawes for the Easter breakfast they provided for all on Sunday.

Church Council will meet at 7 p.m. tonight

The choir continues to practice after church services. More voices are welcome.

On-line video of worship services can be found at: http://goodshepherdrogers.org/blog/worship-service-video.

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.

“Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.” Hebrews 13:20-21

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