This comes from a devotional book we found in my Mom's home while we were cleaning up after she fell asleep in Jesus. The book is in my office and I believe was published in the early 20th century (although I don't remember the exact date).
Is there anything more precious and joyous than to know that debts which would have rendered us forever unhappy have been paid? In the payment of these awful debts consist the great glory of God's kingdom.
(Jesus) appeared common and ordinary. But ordinary He was not. He lived before His incarnation, before heaven and earth, before plants, animals and mankind. He is curator of all things, the Second person of the Trinity, the eternal Son of God. Jesus is after Adam but Adam's maker, after David but David's Lord, after Mary but Mary's Savior, after John but John's predecessor. He is before all things and will remain after all things pass away.
How like Noah and his family are we, kept safe by God within the confines of the ark, kept safe from the destruction without. Our ark is His church, where we are sheltered from the wrath of God by the covering of the righteousness of Christ.
Frank Starr, "Light for the Way," Book 1, page 9
Be it ever so humble, there is no place like home. Don't know who said it but it's true. We three (including Jake!) arrived home yesterday afternoon. Today we've began the difficult part of unpacking, trying to remember where everything goes and remembering to pace ourselves so that our backs don't give out!
While on the road I had a chance to finish Will Weedon's great book, "Thank, Praise, Serve and Obey." I made note of some insightful writing on the Lord's Supper:
(Re: Words of Institution): They ingeniously allow Jesus Himself to tell us what he gives in the Sacrament and why He gives it. Page 52
He tells us it is His Body and it is the Body He gives us. That would be the same body which was born of the Virgin Mary and was nailed to the cross! He tells us it is His Blood, the Blood that stained the cross and spilled from wounds and wiped out the sins of the world. Page 53.
I highly recommend this book for your edification. You can order it from CPH.
Time for us to hit the road again. We've enjoyed our summer in Michigan. What's not to like? Relaxing on the beach...fun boating on the water...cheering grandkids on while watching football, soccer and golf...family dinners...relaxing on the deck...trying to beat my dear, sweet wife at ping-pong (rarely).
I also had the opportunity to preach on 11 occasions. Proclaiming the Word of God and administering the sacraments (besides giving the Lord's supper I also had the chance to baptize a new born--got through it without weeping). I connected so well with one church that they asked if I'd like to be their full-time pastor. I assured them that the Lord had in mind who their next pastor would be and that He simply wanted them to trust that this vacancy would ultimately work out for their good. I hope to join them next year as a worshipper.
I look forward to leading worship and preaching at Christ the Redeemer on October 18 and teaching on Thursday morning at Church of the Master, beginning November 5. I'm going to do a series called "The 3:16's." We'll start by exploring John 3:16 and then look at other 3:16's in Scripture and see how they relate to what might be the most popular verse in the Bible.
I'll check in about this time next week. Until then the Lord bless and keep you in His tender loving care.
From Will Weedon's wonderful book, "Thank, Praise, Serve and Obey"
Re: John, chapter four:
The woman leaves her water jar when she runs away to tell the people in town about Jesus. Get it? She now has living water! She shouts in the middle of town for anyone to hear: "Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?"
page 118
From the "Lutheran Book of Prayer"
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed by Thy name. Yes, Lord God, dear Father, hallowed be Your name, both in us and throughout the world. Destroy and root out the abominations, idolatry and heresy of those who war against the Church: all false teachers and the divisive spirits who wrongly use Your name and in shameful ways take it in vain. They horribly blaspheme and insistently boast that in Your name they teach Your Word, when in reality it is the devil's deceit and trickery in the guise of Your name by which they seduce many poor souls throughout the world, even killing and shedding much innocent blood, and in such persecution they believe that they render a divine service.
Dear Lord God, convert and restrain them, that together we may hallow and praise Your Name both with true and pure doctrine and with a good and holy life. Restrain those who are unwilling to be converted so that they are forced to cease from misusing, defiling and dishonoring Your holy name and from misleading the poor people. Amen.
(page 56)