Matins w/12 Passion Gospels for Great and Holy Friday
https://youtu.be/IucMlWzdrIg
Figuring Out Religion
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Ad Orientem
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Ad Orientem
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Re: Figuring Out Religion
The 15th antiphon chanted on Great and Holy Friday (appx 6 mins)...
https://youtu.be/4QD71bV9omM
https://youtu.be/4QD71bV9omM
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Mountaineer
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Re: Figuring Out Religion
Today's devotion. Very appropriate for pandemic times. Take heart and rejoice that God is merciful - always! 
https://www.lhm.org/dailydevotions/defa ... e=20200418
https://www.lhm.org/dailydevotions/defa ... e=20200418
Vocation - doing what God has given me to do for the sake of the other.
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Mountaineer
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Re: Figuring Out Religion
Good message for us on Garage Theology this morning about neighbors.
https://www.concordiade.com/garage-theology
https://www.concordiade.com/garage-theology
Vocation - doing what God has given me to do for the sake of the other.
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Mountaineer
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Re: Figuring Out Religion
"Facing Life Head On"
Apriil 25, 2020
Mark 10:33-34 - (Jesus said) "See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn Him to death and deliver Him over to the Gentiles. And they will mock Him and spit on Him, and flog Him and kill Him. And after three days He will rise."
Do you want to grow in your faith? Do you want to grow closer to Jesus? The way forward is to follow Jesus' example of service and even suffering.
Facing the problems of life head on, disagreeable as they may be, increases your yearning for the Savior and His Word of grace and mercy. In serving others, even to suffer with them, we begin to understand firsthand how sinful this world is, how fundamentally flawed we are, and how we hurt others despite our best intentions. In short, when you give up being preoccupied with yourself and instead become focused on real people and their problems, then you start to get it. More and more, it gets into your head and heart how desperately all humanity needs a Savior. In lives of service, we see firsthand the necessity of repentance and feel the Savior's compassion for all people.
That's it! That's the way to present the Good News of Jesus. What you are experiencing in your life is real life. Don't wish for an alternate reality. Are you a parent struggling with a child? Are you a caregiver running on fumes? Are you a teacher in a tough school, and underpaid at that? Are you a minister worn down by your congregation, discouraged because they're not showing the love and joy of the Gospel? Are you a social worker or a volunteer at a food bank? Are you in jail? You're experiencing life, real and nasty, in this world of sinful people. Jesus comes to bring redemption and hope to you and through you to the people in your world. In the midst of the day's problems, throw yourself into the arms of God. "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life" (John 6:68b).
Like Jesus' first disciples, we too are walking with Him, walking to His suffering and death, and each of us should be making our way in repentance and sorrow for sins. "Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning" (Psalm 30:5b). That's promised to you by Jesus, who also says, "And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to Myself, that where I am you may be also" (John 14:3). Jesus has paved the way of our salvation for us; it is now for us to live our lives accordingly.
Therefore, as the hymn tells us, "Let us ever walk with Jesus, Follow His example pure; Through a world that would deceive us And to sin our spirits lure. Onward in His footsteps treading, Pilgrims here, our home above; Full of faith and hope and love, Let us do the Father's bidding. Faithful Lord, with me abide; I shall follow where You guide."
THE PRAYER: Heavenly Father, give us strength to follow in the footsteps of Jesus. In His Name. Amen.
From "Thrown into the Arms of God," a sermon excerpt from Rev. Dr. Dale Meyer, former Speaker of The Lutheran Hour
Reflection Questions:
1. What kinds of things are you struggling with right now?
2. How do you think you would have reacted to Jesus' words in the text above if you were one of His disciples?
3. How has God worked through the rough patches in your life? Any examples you can share?
Apriil 25, 2020
Mark 10:33-34 - (Jesus said) "See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn Him to death and deliver Him over to the Gentiles. And they will mock Him and spit on Him, and flog Him and kill Him. And after three days He will rise."
Do you want to grow in your faith? Do you want to grow closer to Jesus? The way forward is to follow Jesus' example of service and even suffering.
Facing the problems of life head on, disagreeable as they may be, increases your yearning for the Savior and His Word of grace and mercy. In serving others, even to suffer with them, we begin to understand firsthand how sinful this world is, how fundamentally flawed we are, and how we hurt others despite our best intentions. In short, when you give up being preoccupied with yourself and instead become focused on real people and their problems, then you start to get it. More and more, it gets into your head and heart how desperately all humanity needs a Savior. In lives of service, we see firsthand the necessity of repentance and feel the Savior's compassion for all people.
That's it! That's the way to present the Good News of Jesus. What you are experiencing in your life is real life. Don't wish for an alternate reality. Are you a parent struggling with a child? Are you a caregiver running on fumes? Are you a teacher in a tough school, and underpaid at that? Are you a minister worn down by your congregation, discouraged because they're not showing the love and joy of the Gospel? Are you a social worker or a volunteer at a food bank? Are you in jail? You're experiencing life, real and nasty, in this world of sinful people. Jesus comes to bring redemption and hope to you and through you to the people in your world. In the midst of the day's problems, throw yourself into the arms of God. "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life" (John 6:68b).
Like Jesus' first disciples, we too are walking with Him, walking to His suffering and death, and each of us should be making our way in repentance and sorrow for sins. "Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning" (Psalm 30:5b). That's promised to you by Jesus, who also says, "And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to Myself, that where I am you may be also" (John 14:3). Jesus has paved the way of our salvation for us; it is now for us to live our lives accordingly.
Therefore, as the hymn tells us, "Let us ever walk with Jesus, Follow His example pure; Through a world that would deceive us And to sin our spirits lure. Onward in His footsteps treading, Pilgrims here, our home above; Full of faith and hope and love, Let us do the Father's bidding. Faithful Lord, with me abide; I shall follow where You guide."
THE PRAYER: Heavenly Father, give us strength to follow in the footsteps of Jesus. In His Name. Amen.
From "Thrown into the Arms of God," a sermon excerpt from Rev. Dr. Dale Meyer, former Speaker of The Lutheran Hour
Reflection Questions:
1. What kinds of things are you struggling with right now?
2. How do you think you would have reacted to Jesus' words in the text above if you were one of His disciples?
3. How has God worked through the rough patches in your life? Any examples you can share?
Vocation - doing what God has given me to do for the sake of the other.
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Mountaineer
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- Joined: Tue Feb 07, 2012 10:54 am
Re: Figuring Out Religion
Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries
"Tested"
May 11, 2020
Psalm 66:10-12 - For You, O God, have tested us; You have tried us as silver is tried. You brought us into the net; You laid a crushing burden on our backs; You let men ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water; yet You have brought us out to a place of abundance.
Why does God permit suffering? The question is often a stumbling block for unbelievers and baffling to believers. Upon hearing of the murder of Galilean pilgrims and of eighteen people killed by a falling tower, Jesus did not answer the question that may have been on His listeners' minds (and on our minds, too): "Why them?" The purpose for the deaths remained unknown. Jesus instead warned of a greater, eternal disaster. Those who had died were not worse sinners than others, He said, "but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish" (Luke 13:5b).
God's purposes are often hidden and not for us to know. "The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us" (Deuteronomy 29:29a). Our psalm reveals to us a story of suffering as it describes the sorrow and pain endured by the people of Israel. They had endured the "crushing burden" of slavery and the oppressive might of conquering enemies who rode over them. But God did not abandon His suffering people. He freed them from slavery and led them through the wilderness for forty years to humble them and to test them to know what was in their hearts (Deuteronomy 8:2). The Israelites passed through water as God "turned the sea into dry land" (Psalm 66:6a). God brought them out of the wilderness into the land He had promised to them, "to a place of abundance."
There is another instance of suffering in which the purpose has been revealed to us. God, for the sake of our salvation, gave His Son over to the suffering of the cross. Jesus was caught in a net of betrayal and lies. He bore the crushing burden of our sins. His enemies and "the power of darkness" (Luke 22:53b) for a time overcame Him. He endured the fiery pain of the cross, suffering on our behalf the penalty of death. Though Israel had often been unfaithful in times of testing, Jesus remained faithful and obedient to His Father in life and death. God raised His Son from death and exalted Him "to a place of abundance" at His right hand as King of kings and Lord of lords.
Jesus has revealed to us that trouble and trials will come our way: "In the world you will have tribulation." The purpose of that tribulation, the reasons for our suffering, may not be made known to us. But we can trust the conquering power and promise of our crucified and risen Lord, who tells us, "But take heart; I have overcome the world." (John 16:33). He endured all that the world threw at Him—rejection, hatred, betrayal, grief, loss, pain, and death itself—and by His resurrection overcame it all. He will walk with us through suffering and trial and, according to His will and perfect timing, bring us to a place of abundance in His presence forever.
THE PRAYER: Jesus, be our help and our hope in every trial. Strengthen us with the promises of Your Word. Amen.
This Daily Devotion was written by Dr. Carol Geisler.
Reflection Questions:
1. Have you been tested in your life? How so?
2. Can you name areas in your life where you feel tested or challenged on a regular basis?
3. When unexpected difficulties arise, what is your typical first reaction? Is this reaction helpful or constructive? Do you wish you would respond differently?
.
"Tested"
May 11, 2020
Psalm 66:10-12 - For You, O God, have tested us; You have tried us as silver is tried. You brought us into the net; You laid a crushing burden on our backs; You let men ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water; yet You have brought us out to a place of abundance.
Why does God permit suffering? The question is often a stumbling block for unbelievers and baffling to believers. Upon hearing of the murder of Galilean pilgrims and of eighteen people killed by a falling tower, Jesus did not answer the question that may have been on His listeners' minds (and on our minds, too): "Why them?" The purpose for the deaths remained unknown. Jesus instead warned of a greater, eternal disaster. Those who had died were not worse sinners than others, He said, "but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish" (Luke 13:5b).
God's purposes are often hidden and not for us to know. "The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us" (Deuteronomy 29:29a). Our psalm reveals to us a story of suffering as it describes the sorrow and pain endured by the people of Israel. They had endured the "crushing burden" of slavery and the oppressive might of conquering enemies who rode over them. But God did not abandon His suffering people. He freed them from slavery and led them through the wilderness for forty years to humble them and to test them to know what was in their hearts (Deuteronomy 8:2). The Israelites passed through water as God "turned the sea into dry land" (Psalm 66:6a). God brought them out of the wilderness into the land He had promised to them, "to a place of abundance."
There is another instance of suffering in which the purpose has been revealed to us. God, for the sake of our salvation, gave His Son over to the suffering of the cross. Jesus was caught in a net of betrayal and lies. He bore the crushing burden of our sins. His enemies and "the power of darkness" (Luke 22:53b) for a time overcame Him. He endured the fiery pain of the cross, suffering on our behalf the penalty of death. Though Israel had often been unfaithful in times of testing, Jesus remained faithful and obedient to His Father in life and death. God raised His Son from death and exalted Him "to a place of abundance" at His right hand as King of kings and Lord of lords.
Jesus has revealed to us that trouble and trials will come our way: "In the world you will have tribulation." The purpose of that tribulation, the reasons for our suffering, may not be made known to us. But we can trust the conquering power and promise of our crucified and risen Lord, who tells us, "But take heart; I have overcome the world." (John 16:33). He endured all that the world threw at Him—rejection, hatred, betrayal, grief, loss, pain, and death itself—and by His resurrection overcame it all. He will walk with us through suffering and trial and, according to His will and perfect timing, bring us to a place of abundance in His presence forever.
THE PRAYER: Jesus, be our help and our hope in every trial. Strengthen us with the promises of Your Word. Amen.
This Daily Devotion was written by Dr. Carol Geisler.
Reflection Questions:
1. Have you been tested in your life? How so?
2. Can you name areas in your life where you feel tested or challenged on a regular basis?
3. When unexpected difficulties arise, what is your typical first reaction? Is this reaction helpful or constructive? Do you wish you would respond differently?
.
Vocation - doing what God has given me to do for the sake of the other.
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Mountaineer
- Executive Member
- Posts: 3748
- Joined: Tue Feb 07, 2012 10:54 am
Re: Figuring Out Religion
Vocation - doing what God has given me to do for the sake of the other.
-
Ad Orientem
- Executive Member
- Posts: 3189
- Joined: Sun Aug 14, 2011 2:47 pm
- Location: Florida USA
- Contact:
-
Mountaineer
- Executive Member
- Posts: 3748
- Joined: Tue Feb 07, 2012 10:54 am
Re: Figuring Out Religion
Beautiful! Thanks for sharing.Ad Orientem wrote: ↑Sun May 17, 2020 10:20 pmFootage of Russia's new Cathedral for the Armed Forces. Wow.
https://youtu.be/A3TZUl8p6Q4
Vocation - doing what God has given me to do for the sake of the other.
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Mountaineer
- Executive Member
- Posts: 3748
- Joined: Tue Feb 07, 2012 10:54 am
Re: Figuring Out Religion
Vocation - doing what God has given me to do for the sake of the other.