Friday after the Seventh Sunday after Trinity Sunday
Posted on July 28, 2023 by under
Scripture: St. Luke 17:1-2 (NKJV)
17:1 Then He said to the disciples, “It is impossible that no offenses should come, but woe to him through whom they do come! 2 It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.”
Devotion
All those newly brought to life through faith are included in Jesus’ use of “little ones” in today’s reading. These words follow Jesus’ upbraiding of the Pharisees for loving money and power. They abused God’s Law to control people outwardly, while Jesus was bringing sinners new life inwardly, which would lead to true holiness of living. Jesus tells of the rich man and poor Lazarus (Luke 16:19–31) to demonstrate what the Pharisees’ merciless religion looks like in practice. As the self-satisfied rich man had no concern for Lazarus, the Pharisees did not believe what Moses and the Prophets said, and they tried to trip up the faith of the sinners given new life in Jesus.
What both the young and those new in the faith need most is that which those who are strong in the faith cling to: the appreciation for and the assurance of the mercy of God in Christ Jesus. That comes by deepening their understanding of God’s Word. Such is not done by revising the Law so they think they are keeping it by outward improvement, as the Pharisees sought. Instead, by seeing the seriousness of every deviation from God’s perfect will, and how that can only be atoned for by the death of Jesus Christ, desire for forgiveness through the body and blood of Jesus is instilled, with a result of holy and merciful living. (Cf. The Exhortation, ASBH p. 21)
Prayer: O God, Whose never-failing Providence ordereth all things both in heaven and earth: We humbly beseech Thee to put away from us all hurtful things, and to give us those things which be profitable for us; through 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.
