Festival of St. Mark, Evangelist
Posted on April 25, 2023 by under
Scripture: St. John 21:15-19 (NKJV)
21:15 So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?”
He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.”
He said to him, “Feed My lambs.”
16 He said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?”
He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.”
He said to him, “Tend My sheep.”
17 He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?”
And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.”
Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep. 18 Most assuredly, I say to you, when you were younger, you girded yourself and walked where you wished; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish.” 19 This He spoke, signifying by what death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, “Follow Me.”
Devotion
The Apology of the Augsburg Confession teaches that we honor the saints by remembering how God showed mercy to them: “when we see the denial forgiven Peter, we also are encouraged to believe the more that grace truly superabounds over sin” (Article 21). In today’s lesson, Jesus asks Peter three times, “Do you love Me?” Peter had denied Jesus three times. Jesus shows Peter, and us, that the Word of God is stronger than our sin. Peter is forgiven and still called to be an apostle. St. Mark also at one time was weak (Acts 15:38), but God still used him for the Gospel and as an evangelist (2 Tim. 4:11).
God calls sinful men to shepherd His Church. Before the judgment of God, you and your pastor are the same: both are sinners, both are forgiven by grace. When God calls a man to be a pastor, the man’s sins are on public display, but God also publicly displays His grace. In proof of this, the pastor receives the same means of grace for his sins as the laity.
Christians must not despise the pastor for his sins, but forgive, honor, and pray for him. The pastor must set an example of repentance and of love for the Means of Grace. Pastors together with the laity rejoice in the superabundant grace of God which covers every sin for Christ’s sake.
Prayer: O Almighty God, Who hast instructed Thy holy Church with the heavenly doctrine of Thy Evangelists: Give us grace, that being not like children carried away with every blast of vain doctrine, we may be established in the Truth of Thy holy Gospel; through 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 Misericordias Domini Sunday
God, Who, by the humiliation of Thy Son, didst raise up the fallen world: Grant unto Thy faithful ones perpetual gladness, and those whom Thou hast delivered from the danger of everlasting death, do Thou make partakers of eternal joys; 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.
