I've had an Epiphany!

Artwork: The Incredulity of Saint Thomas  Artist: Caravaggio Date: 1601-1602 Worship Theme: Final preparation to be the risen Christ’s witnesses begins with sight. The apostles were blessed with visibly seeing the risen Lord. Overcoming their doubts by the power of the Spirit, they would boldly proclaim the new life to be found in the Living One. Blessed to see through eyes of faith, the vision of the First and the Last fills our hearts with this confidence: “Christ has died. Christ has risen. Christ will come again.” ( CW 406) Old Testament: Genesis 15:1-6 After this, the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: "Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward." 2 But Abram said, "O Sovereign LORD, what can you give me since I remain childless and the one who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?" 3 And Abram said, "You have given me no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir." 4 Then t...

Christ In Our Home Devotions 2nd Sunday after Easter The risen Christ appears to His disciples 1. Make the sign of the cross over yourself and say: In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. 2. Pray Luther’s Morning or Evening Prayer: I thank you, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, your dear Son, that you have kept me this night from all harm and danger. Keep me this day also from sin and every evil, that all my doings and life may please you. Into your hands I commend my body and soul and all things. Let your holy angel be with me, that the wicked foe may have no power over me. Amen. I thank you, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, your dear Son, that you have graciously kept me this day. Forgive me all my sins, and graciously keep me this night. Into your hands I commend my body and soul and all things. Let your holy angel be with me, that the wicked foe may have no power over me. Amen. 3. Pray the Lord’s Prayer...

1 Corinthians 15:51-57 Listen, I tell you a mystery:   We will not all sleep,   but we will all be changed— 52  in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound,   the dead   will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.   53  For the perishable   must clothe itself with the imperishable,   and the mortal with immortality.   54  When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.” 55  “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” 56  The sting of death is sin,   and the power of sin is the law.   57  But thanks be to God!   He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. To Him who was declared with power to be the Son of God by His resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. In mid-...

Amos 9:1-6 I saw the Lord standing by the altar, and he said: “Strike the tops of the pillars so that the thresholds shake. Bring them down on the heads of all the people; those who are left I will kill with the sword. Not one will get away, none will escape. 2  Though they dig down to the depths below, from there my hand will take them. Though they climb up to the heavens above, from there I will bring them down. 3  Though they hide themselves on the top of Carmel, there I will hunt them down and seize them. Though they hide from my eyes at the bottom of the sea, there I will command the serpent to bite them. 4  Though they are driven into exile by their enemies, there I will command the sword to slay them. “I will keep my eye on them for harm and not for good.” 5  The Lord, the  Lord  Almighty— he touches the earth and it melts, and all who live in it mourn; the whole land rises like the Nile, then sinks like the river of Egypt; 6...

We see the sad picture of unfaithfulness everywhere, so much so that I’m not sure that faithfulness is even expected anymore. It may be wanted, but most just don’t expect it. What we are witnessing in our day – and we would agree with Solomon that it is nothing new – is a world that gives in to sin and lowers expectations. We don’t expect someone to stay with a company or a school or a team when there is more money to be made elsewhere. We don’t expect couples to stay married when there is someone better (supposedly), whether they are available or not. We don’t even expect church members to remain at a church when there’s a more exciting, youth-oriented, upbeat, lively, and, yes, RELEVANT (and often law-driven and gospel-less) church down the road. Our Lord calls on us to be faithful. But how can we be? Aren’t we naturally geared toward faithlessness? God has given us his law, an echo of the old covenant he made with Israel, to show us as he showed them that our faithfulnes...