Evangelical Lutheran Diocese of North America

Festival of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist

Posted on June 24, 2022 by Pastor Dulas under Devotions
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Scripture: St. Matthew 10:34-42 (NKJV)
 
10:34 “Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. 35 For I have come to ‘set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’; 36 and ‘a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.’ 37 He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. 38 And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. 39 He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.
 
40 “He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me. 41 He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward. And he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward. 42 And whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward.”
 
Devotion
 
We are all sinners. None is righteous of his own accord. There is only one man who was (and is) righteous–the God-Man, Jesus Christ. But, Jesus said that those who are righteous receive a righteous man’s reward. How can that be, since all are sinners? Here’s how: Believe and be baptized in the name of the Triune God and you will have received a righteous man’s reward. That reward is the name of the Triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
 
Even and especially with that name on you, you will continue to receive a righteous man’s reward in this world: there will be no peace for you. Confessing Jesus as your Lord will set you against those who do not believe. Why? Many confess a ‘Jesus’ who was just a man. Many confess a ‘Jesus’ that they can pick and choose what they want to believe about Him. By doing so, they worship false gods; gods that don’t exist. Those unbelievers will persecute you. But for those who are righteous by faith in Christ, their reward is eternal, not temporal. Righteous as you are by faith in the Righteous One, you will live forever with God’s name on you.
 
Prayer: O Lord God, Heavenly Father, Who, through Thy servant John the Baptist, didst bear witness that Jesus Christ is the Lamb of God Which taketh away the sin of the world and that all who believe in Him shall inherit eternal life: We humbly pray Thee to enlighten us by Thy Holy Spirit that we may at all times find comfort and joy in this witness, continue steadfast in the true faith and at last with all believers attain unto eternal life; 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.
 
Collect for the First Sunday after Trinity Sunday
O God, the Strength of all them that put their trust in Thee: Mercifully accept our prayers; and because through the weakness of our mortal nature we can do no good thing without Thee, grant us the help of Thy grace, that in keeping Thy commandments we may please Thee, both in will and deed; 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.

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