Emmanuel Lutheran Church

Luke 13:1–9 (NKJV)

¹ There were present at that season some who told Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. ² And Jesus answered and said to them, “Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things? ³ I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish. ⁴ Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem? ⁵ I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.” ⁶ He also spoke this parable: “A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. ⁷ Then he said to the keeper of his vineyard, ‘Look, for three years I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree and find none. Cut it down; why does it use up the ground?’ ⁸ But he answered and said to him, ‘Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and fertilize it. ⁹ And if it bears fruit, well. But if not, after that you can cut it down.’ ”

Death was not part of God’s original plan for mankind. But since the fall into sin, when our first parents brought the curse of death upon themselves and their children, God has woven even death into His grand design for our race, so that it must accomplish His good purposes. In the account of the young man from Nain whom the Lord Jesus raised from the dead (Luke 7:11-17), death served to highlight the compassion, power, and divinity of Jesus, so that we put our faith in Him to care for us in life and to rescue us even from death. In the case of today’s devotional reading, death serves as an urgent call for the living to repent.

Sometimes God strikes sinners down for specific sins they’ve committed, as He did on several occasions with the people of Israel (see 1 Cor. 10:5). But that is not always the case, as Jesus reveals in today’s reading. Instead, when we see tragedy strike others, we should think, not about their sins, but about our own. Our first thought should be this: “Death could come to any of us at any time, so I must be ready for it. I must immediately turn away from sin and toward Christ my Savior, who died for me that I might live for Him. If I haven’t been baptized, I need to be. If I have, then I must be serious about living as a forgiven child of God, hearing His Word, gathering with His people, avoiding sin, and producing the good fruit that the Father seeks.”

There will always be death in this world. In the face of death, let us not be quick to point fingers or to question God’s goodness, but let death accomplish God’s good purpose to keep us watchful and ready and living in daily contrition and repentance. For the penitent and believing, death is merely a temporary sleep from which the Lord Christ will soon awaken us.

Let us pray: O Father, remember us, that we are mortal, and have mercy on your servants. In the face of death, fix our eyes on the death and resurrection of Your Son, who is the Resurrection and the Life for all who believe in Him. Amen.

Hebrews 6:1–20 (NKJV)

¹ Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, ² of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. ³ And this we will do if God permits. ⁴ For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, ⁵ and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, ⁶ if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame. ⁷ For the earth which drinks in the rain that often comes upon it, and bears herbs useful for those by whom it is cultivated, receives blessing from God; ⁸ but if it bears thorns and briers, it is rejected and near to being cursed, whose end is to be burned. ⁹ But, beloved, we are confident of better things concerning you, yes, things that accompany salvation, though we speak in this manner. ¹⁰ For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister. ¹¹ And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, ¹² that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. ¹³ For when God made a promise to Abraham, because He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself, ¹⁴ saying, “Surely blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply you.” ¹⁵ And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise. ¹⁶ For men indeed swear by the greater, and an oath for confirmation is for them an end of all dispute. ¹⁷ Thus God, determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath, ¹⁸ that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us. ¹⁹ This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil, ²⁰ where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.

Here in this text, we are first encouraged to go on growing in our understanding of the faith, rather than risk falling away from it. Restoring those who have fallen away is an impossibility for us, but not for God, for all things are possible with Him (Matt. 19:26). The impossibility is simply that since there is only one way to heaven, which is through Christ, if a person closes himself off from that option, there is no other option, and, therefore, restoring him apart from Christ is an impossibility. As Luther says: “If anyone has fallen away from Christ, who is the true sacrifice for sins, and seeks another way or mode to be saved and go to heaven, he will never go there; he will not succeed” (St. Louis ed. 7:959).

Instead, for those of us who are in Christ, we can confidently expect the “better things” that “accompany salvation,” namely, all the spiritual blessings that come to us because of our new life in Christ. For this reason, we are encouraged to “show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end,” and to “not become sluggish,” but imitate those who have gone before us in the faith.

God has determined “to show more abundantly” to us, “the heirs of promise,” that His Word is unchangeable. Thus, our faith is bolstered by these two certainties: that 1) God has promised us salvation in Christ, and that 2) God’s oath stands firm, because God cannot lie, so His promises are sure. God’s promises are, in fact, our very hope, which is the “anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast” which is securely established in Christ in heaven.

Let us pray: O Lord, keep Your household always faithful to Your truth, that we who rely only on the hope of Your heavenly grace may always be defended by Your mighty power; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Hebrews 4:14–5:14 (NKJV)

¹⁴ Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. ¹⁵ For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. ¹⁶ Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. ¹ For every high priest taken from among men is appointed for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins. ² He can have compassion on those who are ignorant and going astray, since he himself is also subject to weakness. ³ Because of this he is required as for the people, so also for himself, to offer sacrifices for sins. ⁴ And no man takes this honor to himself, but he who is called by God, just as Aaron was. ⁵ So also Christ did not glorify Himself to become High Priest, but it was He who said to Him: “You are My Son, Today I have begotten You.” ⁶ As He also says in another place: “You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek”; ⁷ who, in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death, and was heard because of His godly fear, ⁸ though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. ⁹ And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him, ¹⁰ called by God as High Priest “according to the order of Melchizedek,” ¹¹ of whom we have much to say, and hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. ¹² For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. ¹³ For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. ¹⁴ But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

Considering Christ, our great High Priest, “let us hold fast our confession” (2:14). This is the opening encouragement of our text. The basis for this encouragement is then given: “For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses.” The result of this is further encouragement: “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” This “letter of encouragement” has one encouragement after another for us, all based in Christ—who He is and what He does for us.

However, this letter also contains a warning. The warning is that when we must listen properly to the message of Christ, lest, by being “dull of hearing,” we fail to grow spiritually in Him. “For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God.” Through neglect of the Word, we can become complacent, and then not grow in the Word as we should. Instead, we are to heed this warning to give proper attention to the Word and follow the admonition to grow spiritually in it, moving from spiritual milk to solid food. “But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.” This spiritual maturity and accompanying ability are becoming increasingly rare in our culture, and, therefore, are all the more valuable. Our great High Priest calls us to Himself, encourages us in His Word, and nurtures us toward maturity in that same Word.

Let us pray: O God, who for Your glory and the salvation of the human race willed to establish Christ as the eternal High Priest, grant that the people He has gained for You by His blood, through their participation in faith, may experience the power of his cross and resurrection; who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Hebrews 2:5–3:6 (NKJV)

⁵ For He has not put the world to come, of which we speak, in subjection to angels. ⁶ But one testified in a certain place, saying: “What is man that You are mindful of him, Or the son of man that You take care of him? ⁷ You have made him a little lower than the angels; You have crowned him with glory and honor, And set him over the works of Your hands. ⁸ You have put all things in subjection under his feet.” For in that He put all in subjection under him, He left nothing that is not put under him. But now we do not yet see all things put under him. ⁹ But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone. ¹⁰ For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. ¹¹ For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren, ¹² saying: “I will declare Your name to My brethren; In the midst of the assembly I will sing praise to You.” ¹³ And again: “I will put My trust in Him.” And again: “Here am I and the children whom God has given Me.” ¹⁴ Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, ¹⁵ and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. ¹⁶ For indeed He does not give aid to angels, but He does give aid to the seed of Abraham. ¹⁷ Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. ¹⁸ For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted. ¹ Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus, ² who was faithful to Him who appointed Him, as Moses also was faithful in all His house. ³ For this One has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as He who built the house has more honor than the house. ⁴ For every house is built by someone, but He who built all things is God. ⁵ And Moses indeed was faithful in all His house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which would be spoken afterward, ⁶ but Christ as a Son over His own house, whose house we are if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end.

Our lesson today explains how Christ, being both God and man, fulfilled the purposes of God: “Therefore He had to be made like His brothers in every respect, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.” So, by becoming a man, Jesus both identified with humanity and then delivered humanity. Jesus Christ has delivered us from the grip of sin, Satan, and death—He has delivered us from them all!

Today in our lesson, the writer to the Hebrews explains how the very Son of God came that we might become the very children of God. Christ did that by giving Himself for us upon the cross. As St. Paul writes in his first letter to Timothy, “For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all men” (2:5-6). It cost Christ dearly to save and deliver us humans from our sin. And He did so out of love. St. John, in his first letter, says, “This is how God showed his love among us: He sent His one and only Son into the world that we might live through Him” (4:9).

This lesson today calls us to listen to all the ways that God is speaking to us through His Word. In one verse after another, we are reminded of all the things that God has given us in Christ, including our final glory with Him.

Let us pray: Almighty and everlasting God, in Your tender love towards humanity You sent Your Son, our Savior Jesus Christ, to take on Himself our flesh and to suffer death on the cross. Grant that we may follow the example of His patience and humility, and also be made partakers of His resurrection; through Your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Hebrews 1:1–14 (NKJV)

¹ God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, ² has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; ³ who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, ⁴ having become so much better than the angels, as He has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. ⁵ For to which of the angels did He ever say: “You are My Son, Today I have begotten You”? And again: “I will be to Him a Father, And He shall be to Me a Son”? ⁶ But when He again brings the firstborn into the world, He says: “Let all the angels of God worship Him.” ⁷ And of the angels He says: “Who makes His angels spirits And His ministers a flame of fire.” ⁸ But to the Son He says: “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom. ⁹ You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You With the oil of gladness more than Your companions.” ¹⁰ And: “You, Lord, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth, And the heavens are the work of Your hands. ¹¹ They will perish, but You remain; And they will all grow old like a garment; ¹² Like a cloak You will fold them up, And they will be changed. But You are the same, And Your years will not fail.” ¹³ But to which of the angels has He ever said: “Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool”? ¹⁴ Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation?

“God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son.”

The book of Hebrews is one of the general epistles, along with James, 1 & 2 Peter, 1, 2, & 3 John, and Jude. Hebrews was received by the Church as apostolic, that is, part of the apostles’ teaching, but it is not certain which apostle is the human author. Most scholars suggest that it was Barnabas, the “son of encouragement,” who is now writing this “letter of encouragement.” Some scholars suggest that it was Apollos, whom Luther favors. Another suggestion, which does have historical precedence, is that the writer was Paul, although most scholars today dismiss this as less likely. Regardless, the writing was received by the Church as being in line with the teaching of the apostles of our Lord and received as Holy Scripture, God’s Word to God’s people.

The opening verses (1-2) show that the message of the Gospel is in line with the Old Testament prophecies, but at the same time is distinct from them, which anticipates the division of the Christian Bible into Old Testament and New Testament. Not only is the more recent message and revelation of God through His Son superior to the older messages, but the Son Himself is superior to other messengers or “angels,” which are the same words both in Hebrew and in Greek. The writer will go on to show other ways that Christ is superior, and superior to others, like Moses. Nevertheless, already it is clear that Jesus is not simply someone you ask into your life to be an assistant to help you make your life better. Instead, He is someone that you bow before, worship, and submit to as Lord.

Let us pray: Lord Jesus Christ, You are the clearest image of the Father and seated at His right hand as Lord of all and my Lord; for You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.