Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church - Olive Branch, MS

Psalm: Psalm 30; antiphon: v. 5b

Epistle: Ephesians 3:13–21

Gospel: Luke 7:11–17

Introit: Psalm 86:1, 7, 12–13; antiphon: vv. 3, 5

Gradual: Psalm 102:15–16

Verse: Psalm 115:11

 

A large funeral procession carrying the only son of a widow is confronted by another large procession, Jesus and His followers. Death and Life meet face to face at the gate of the city (Luke 7:11–17). Filled with compassion, Jesus comes into direct contact with our mortality in order to overcome it. He touches the coffin and speaks His creative words of life, “Young man, I say to you, arise.” Jesus does what is neither expected nor requested. For through Christ, God the Father “is able to do far more abundantly than all we ask or think” (Eph. 3:14–21). Jesus bore our death in His body that we may share in His resurrection. Even as Elijah stretched himself out three times over the Zarephath woman’s son (1 Kings 17:17–24), God stretched Himself out over us in the threefold application of His name in the baptismal water, breathing new and everlasting life into us. “To Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”

Psalm: Psalm 146; antiphon: v. 9a

Epistle: Galatians 5:25—6:10

Gospel: Matthew 6:24–34

Introit: Psalm 86:4, 6, 15a, 16; antiphon: vv. 1a, 2b, 3

Gradual: Psalm 118:8–9

Verse: Psalm 95:1

 

“You cannot serve God and money” (Matt. 6:24–34), for they require two contrary forms of service. Worry is the worship given to the false god of mammon, an unbelieving anxiousness and focus on the things of this world. Faith is the worship of the true God, a confident trust that He is a loving Father who will care for all of our needs in both body and soul. The widow of Zarephath served God— that is, she believed the word of the Lord spoken by Elijah that the bin of flour would not be used up nor would the jar of oil run dry (1 Kings 17:8–16). He who feeds the birds and clothes the flowers will certainly provide for our daily needs. For He has already provided for our eternal needs, clothing us with Christ’s righteousness in Baptism and feeding us His body and blood for our forgiveness. With such confidence we are liberated from worry and freed to do good with our material resources, especially to those who are of the household of faith (Gal. 5:25–6:10).