Evangelical Lutheran Diocese of North America

Monday after the Fourteenth Sunday after Trinity Sunday

Posted on September 3, 2018 by Pastor Dulas under Devotions
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Scripture: 1 Timothy 6:1-21 (NKJV)

6:1 Let as many bondservants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honor, so that the name of God and His doctrine may not be blasphemed. 2 And those who have believing masters, let them not despise them because they are brethren, but rather serve them because those who are benefited are believers and beloved.

Teach and exhort these things. 3 If anyone teaches otherwise and does not consent to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which accords with godliness, 4 he is proud, knowing nothing, but is obsessed with disputes and arguments over words, from which come envy, strife, reviling, evil suspicions, 5 useless wranglings of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. From such withdraw yourself.

6 Now godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. 8 And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. 9 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

11 But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 13 I urge you in the sight of God who gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus who witnessed the good confession before Pontius Pilate, 14 that you keep this commandment without spot, blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ’s appearing, 15 which He will manifest in His own time, He who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16 who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see, to whom be honor and everlasting power. Amen.

17 Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy. 18 Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share, 19 storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.

20 O Timothy! Guard what was committed to your trust, avoiding the profane and idle babblings and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge—21 by professing it some have strayed concerning the faith.

Grace be with you. Amen.

Devotion

For us Christians, our citizenship is in Heaven. Therefore, our eyes of faith should always be directed toward our heavenly home, and not at the vain, useless things of this world and life. We brought nothing into this world, it is certain that we will not carry with us anything into the grave. So then, why be concerned about the things of this life? Why do we chase after money and possessions in this life? These things will pass away from us.

The Lord God provides all that we need to support this body and life. Therefore, we can learn to be content in abundance or lack through faith in the Lord God. St. Paul tells St. Timothy that he should flee from the things of this world and pursue “righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness,” that is, the things that the Holy Ghost gives through our use of the means of grace. He teaches us to turn from the things of this world, and trust solely in the Triune God.

When we forsake the things of the world, and continue to look to the life in Heaven that was promised to us through our Lord’s atonement, we are fighting the good fight of faith. For, we are trusting in the Lord to provide all that we need to support this body and life.

We pray: Keep, we beseech Thee, O Lord, Thy Church with Thy perpetual mercy; and because the frailty of man without Thee cannot but fall, keep us ever by Thy help from all things hurtful and lead us to all things profitable to our salvation; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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