Saturday after the Transfiguration of our Lord
Posted on January 30, 2021 by under
Scripture: Romans 11:13-22 (NKJV)
11:13 For I speak to you Gentiles; inasmuch as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry, 14 if by any means I may provoke to jealousy those who are my flesh and save some of them. 15 For if their being cast away is the reconciling of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?
16 For if the firstfruit is holy, the lump is also holy; and if the root is holy, so are the branches. 17 And if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them, and with them became a partaker of the root and fatness of the olive tree, 18 do not boast against the branches. But if you do boast, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you.
19 You will say then, “Branches were broken off that I might be grafted in.” 20 Well said. Because of unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by faith. Do not be haughty, but fear. 21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, He may not spare you either. 22 Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off.
Devotion
We continue to hear God’s glorious wisdom from St. Paul. The descendants of Israel were meant to be the firstfruits of God’s gracious promise of life and salvation. Jesus Christ was sent to them to bring them holy glory, but they fell to pride and unbelief. With the same humility that was taught in yesterday’s lesson, all the saints of the Church are to carefully consider the warning that is in those who fell. God’s glory and salvation do not come from who we are or what we do. They come from our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom the Father is well pleased in all things and who gave Himself as the great sacrifice for our redemption!
God’s Word teaches us to walk in fear, love, and trust toward Him. All of those attitudes point toward Christ as our gracious helper by the power of His Spirit, and toward manifesting His merciful works to others. That means we are to have compassion on those people who are fallen, hoping that they may yet repent and believe. We should also be thankful for those people who have gone before us and worked as servants of the Lord, by which He blesses us in our time as well!
Prayer: O God, who in the glorious transfiguration of Thy Only-Begotten Son hast confirmed the mysteries of the faith by the testimony of the fathers, and who, in the Voice that came from the bright cloud, didst in a wonderful manner foreshow the adoption of sons, mercifully vouchsafe to make us coheirs with the King of His glory and bring us to the enjoyment of the same; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord. Amen.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
