Festival of St. Bartholomew, Apostle
Posted on August 24, 2023 by under
Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5:14-24 (NKJV)
5:14 Now we exhort you, brethren, warn those who are unruly, comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all. 15 See that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good both for yourselves and for all.
16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
19 Do not quench the Spirit. 20 Do not despise prophecies. 21 Test all things; hold fast what is good. 22 Abstain from every form of evil.
23 Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it.
Devotion
At the end of 1 Thessalonians, St. Paul has a boatload of commands for his hearers to perform. In verse 14 he says to warn, comfort, uphold, and be patient. In verse 15 he says to see and pursue. In verses 16-18, rejoice, pray, and give thanks. In verses 19-20, do not quench and do not despise. In verses 21-22, he says to test, hold fast, and abstain. Luther also put a boatload of commands at the end of the Morning Prayer in the Small Catechism. He wrote, “Then go joyfully to your work, singing a hymn, like that of the Ten Commandments…”
Some think that since we profess to be Christians saved by the Gospel, we would be against the Law, or, at least, de-emphasize it. In reality, those who trust in the free gift of salvation are the only ones who are able to stomach the fuller strength of the Law. We know that we cannot keep the Law, but our failure does not lead us to despair, because we trust in the promise of salvation for those who believe. We pray for forgiveness and mercy, and for the strength to please God.
Prayer: Almighty and Everlasting God, Who art always more ready to hear than we to pray, and art wont to give more than either we desire or deserve: Pour down upon us the abundance of Thy mercy, forgiving us those things whereof our conscience is afraid, and giving us those good things which we are not worthy to ask, but through the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
Collect for the Festival of St. Bartholomew, Apostle
O Almighty God, Who hast built Thy Church upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the Head Cornerstone: Grant us so to be joined together in unity of spirit by their doctrine, that we may be made a holy temple acceptable unto Thee; through the same Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
