Dearest e-votees-
This week's epistle lesson is a Lutheran cornerstone (particularly Ephesians 2:8-9). May God help us order our days and our ways on such a strong foundation.
Peace,
Karl
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1 You were dead through the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once lived, following the course of this world, following the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work among those who are disobedient. 3 All of us once lived among them in the passions of our flesh, following the desires of flesh and senses, and we were by nature children of wrath, like everyone else. 4 But God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us 5 even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the ages to come he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God— 9 not the result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life.
Ephesians 2:1-10, NRSV
God calls life out of death. That is the good news. It is the good news of the first Easter. It is the good news in our baptisms. It is the good news that continues to this day.
Soren Kierkegaard wrote that the greatest love is to reverence the dead because they can't do anything in return. God demonstrates the greatest love by coming into a sinful and death-filled world bringing forgiveness and life. God showed us great love by calling us back to life from death.
Jesus says that there is no greater love than one that lays down that one's life for the sake of another. Jesus lived and died that great love for us and for many. God, as Jesus, demonstrates the greatest love by willingly going to the cross on our behalf. He was lifted up that all who might gaze on him would be saved (see Numbers 21:4-9 and John 3:14-21). God showed us great love by laying down his live and being lifted up on the cross.
God chose to save us when we were dead. That is grace. That grace becomes active through our faith. We are not able to have faith without God, as the Holy Spirit, working belief in us. We are saved by God's doing which becomes active by belief which is God's doing to live and serve with good works God has prepared for us.
God has brought us from death into a holy life. All we can do is learn to skip the "Look at me! Look at me!" of our old Adam and old Eve--and become more like John the Baptist saying "Look at God! Look at God!"
God, you have blessed us. Let us live in response with a life that brings glory to you. Amen.
This week's epistle lesson is a Lutheran cornerstone (particularly Ephesians 2:8-9). May God help us order our days and our ways on such a strong foundation.
Peace,
Karl
------------
1 You were dead through the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once lived, following the course of this world, following the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work among those who are disobedient. 3 All of us once lived among them in the passions of our flesh, following the desires of flesh and senses, and we were by nature children of wrath, like everyone else. 4 But God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us 5 even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the ages to come he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God— 9 not the result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life.
God calls life out of death. That is the good news. It is the good news of the first Easter. It is the good news in our baptisms. It is the good news that continues to this day.
Soren Kierkegaard wrote that the greatest love is to reverence the dead because they can't do anything in return. God demonstrates the greatest love by coming into a sinful and death-filled world bringing forgiveness and life. God showed us great love by calling us back to life from death.
Jesus says that there is no greater love than one that lays down that one's life for the sake of another. Jesus lived and died that great love for us and for many. God, as Jesus, demonstrates the greatest love by willingly going to the cross on our behalf. He was lifted up that all who might gaze on him would be saved (see Numbers 21:4-9 and John 3:14-21). God showed us great love by laying down his live and being lifted up on the cross.
God chose to save us when we were dead. That is grace. That grace becomes active through our faith. We are not able to have faith without God, as the Holy Spirit, working belief in us. We are saved by God's doing which becomes active by belief which is God's doing to live and serve with good works God has prepared for us.
God has brought us from death into a holy life. All we can do is learn to skip the "Look at me! Look at me!" of our old Adam and old Eve--and become more like John the Baptist saying "Look at God! Look at God!"
God, you have blessed us. Let us live in response with a life that brings glory to you. Amen.
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