The Friday after the Ninth Sunday after Trinity Sunday
Posted on August 22, 2025 by under
Scripture: St. Luke 12:54-59 (NKJV)
12:54 Then He also said to the multitudes, “Whenever you see a cloud rising out of the west, immediately you say, ‘A shower is coming’; and so it is. 55 And when you see the south wind blow, you say, ‘There will be hot weather’; and there is. 56 Hypocrites! You can discern the face of the sky and of the earth, but how is it you do not discern this time?
57 “Yes, and why, even of yourselves, do you not judge what is right? 58 When you go with your adversary to the magistrate, make every effort along the way to settle with him, lest he drag you to the judge, the judge deliver you to the officer, and the officer throw you into prison. 59 I tell you, you shall not depart from there till you have paid the very last mite.”
Devotion
Jesus accuses the Jews of not knowing what time it is. As we will hear this coming Sunday, this failure to know the time of their visitation led to their destruction (Luke 19:43-44). Being able to tell spiritual time is a very important skill.
So what time is it? It is time to settle accounts with our adversary, the holy Law of God. Moses is our accuser, as we read yesterday. And, unless we do something about it, we will be condemned to the eternal prison of hell for our sins against the Ten Commandments.
Pursuing earthly honor and wealth at a time like this would be insane. Even if we were able to obtain them, what good will they do us when our Master returns? He is coming soon and will require us to give an account of our stewardship. There is no time for chasing after worldly things.
It is time to know the things that make for peace. The only thing that will satisfy our adversary, the Law, is the righteous life and innocent death of Jesus Christ. It is time to repent and cling to Christ by faith, so that we might be saved. And it is time to make good use of His gifts. Our remaining days should be spent hearing His Word and using everything we possess in service to our neighbor.
Collect: Let Thy merciful ears, O Lord, be open to the prayers of Thy humble servants; and, that they may obtain their petitions, make them to ask such things as shall please Thee; 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.
