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Good Shepherd Lutheran Church Today's Frontline Devotion January 15, 2006 The Most Important Promise |
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FRONTLINE DEVOTION FOR SUNDAY, JANUARY 15, 2006 by Fritz Foltz
Luther claimed our faith involved both law and gospel. He meant that parts of the faith made great demands on us and other parts gave us great promises. Matthew was certainly heavy on the demand side.
The first gospel presents Jesus as a teacher of a higher righteousness, one that went beyond the Old Testament law. Forget killing, Jesus says we break that righteousness even if we are angry with another. Forget adultery, we are not even to have lustful thoughts about another. Forget about a justice with an eye for an eye, now we are to forgive our enemies. Matthew is the gospel that says no divorce, and if one does and remarried, he commits adultery. He takes unconditional love parables from Luke and adds conditions. Luke gives us the parable of the prodigal son. Matthews has one about two sons in which the one obeys his father even though he says he will not is praised. Matthew rewards Luke’s elder brother.
He, also, claims the criteria for the Last Judgment will be if we treat every other person, even the least important, as if be were Jesus himself. He says we are to be “perfect as our Father in Heaven is perfect”. And here at the very end of his gospel, Matthew says the Great Commission involves teaching disciples from every nation to obey everything he taught.
Thank God, he has one last thought, and thank God, it is a promise. Over and over again in my ministry, from all different kinds of people, I heard these are the most important of Jesus’ words in the Bible. “And remember, I am with you always to the end of time”. Those words give comfort and courage to all of us who want to obey Matthew’s laws, all of us who want to be perfect. With Luther we can remember the promises are so much more important than the demands. “And remember, I am with you always to the end of time”.
Let us pray: Grant us the courage and compassion to reach out in love to care for all our brothers and sisters, Father of all. And strengthen us in this ambition with your promise to go with us always. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
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All are welcome to join and share in our Devotional Ministry on the "Frontlines" of the world. Frontline Devotions are sent via email daily. Sign up by clicking on the box to the left. Pastor Dave welcomes feedback. Contact him at pastordave@goodshepherdonline.org. |
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