14th Sunday after Trinity

Readings

• Proverbs 4:10–23
• Psalm 119:9–16
• Galatians 5:16–24
• Luke 17:11–19

Hymns

• 704 Renew Me, O Eternal Light
• 594 God’s Own Child, I Gladly Say It
• 849 Praise the One Who Breaks the Darkness
• 918 Guide Me, O Thou Great Redeemer

The Cry of Faith: Lord, Have Mercy

The ten lepers cried out from a distance, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” (Luke 17:11–19). Their condition cut them off from God and others. So also do the works of the flesh cut us off from God and others. “Those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God” (Gal. 5:16–24). Thus we cry out with the lepers, “Lord, have mercy; Christ, have mercy; Lord, have mercy,” eagerly seeking His good gifts. Jesus said to the lepers, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed. So too, we walk by faith and not by sight, being confident of Jesus’ help before we see any evidence of it, trusting that Jesus’ cleansing words of forgiveness will restore us to wholeness in the resurrection. Let us be as the one leper who returned to the true High Priest to give Him thanks and glory. For Jesus bore our infirmities in His sacrifice at Calvary. His words are life to those who find them, and health to all their flesh (Prov. 4:10–23).

13th Sunday after Trinity

Readings

• 2 Chronicles 28:8–15
• Psalm 32
• Galatians 3:15–22
• Luke 10:23–37

Hymns

• 540  Christ, the Word of God Incarnate
• 683  Jesus, Thy Boundless Love to Me
• 974  Jesus Sinners Doth Receive
• 806  Give Thanks with a Grateful Heart

Jesus Is Our Good Samaritan

The Law cannot help us or give us life. Rather, it confines everyone under sin as wounded and naked before God (Gal. 3:15–22). So it is that two figures of the Law, the priest and the Levite, passed by the injured man on the side of the road (Luke 10:23–37). Only the promised Seed of Abraham can rescue us and make us righteous before God. Only the Samaritan, our Lord Jesus, had compassion, as did the Samaritans of old (2 Chronicles 28:8–15). He came down to us in our lost and dying condition, pouring on the oil and wine of the Sacraments. He placed us on His own animal, bearing our sin and brokenness in His body on the cross to restore us. Jesus brought us to the inn, that is, the Church, and gave the innkeeper two denarii, that His double forgiveness might continue to be ministered to us. In this way the Lord, by whose Law we are torn and stricken, heals us and revives us by His Gospel and raises us up with Himself.