Trinity 21: God Declares Us Righteous Unsheathing His Word Against All Evil

Gen. 1:1–2:3; Eph. 6:10-17; John 4:46-51; Psalm 8

Exegesis of the LectionaryStudying, expounding, and interpreting the Bible readings through the Church Year

Beat Down

• How has the fallen world been attacking you this week?

• What Word beats it down?

Use your prayer notes. Use a verse from the

bible to reflect on. Give thanks for the

victory. P raise

R epentanceA ppreciationY ouE veryoneR esolve

Prayer Activity

       

Let us pray for the whole Church of God in Christ Jesus and for all people according to their needs. Triune God, Creator and Sustainer of all things, empower the church and her works, that she may stand unswerving against the devil as a testament to Your almighty strength. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer. Guide our nation’s leaders, that they may enact Your justice and defend the downtrodden, and let Your blessing rest upon all who serve in our armed forces, upholding them in honor… Deliver the promises of Holy Scriptures to the sick, the homebound, the grieving and the lonely, that they may find comfort in the gospel of peace and rejoice in Your promise of complete restoration at the resurrection…

 Direct and care for our children, that they may grow to be Your servants, boldly proclaiming the forgiveness of sins through Jesus Christ and trusting in His merits alone for salvation… Prepare our hearts and minds, that we may examine ourselves honestly and so receive Your blessed Sacrament with great joy and peace… We remember our families and loved ones who have passed away, and we give thanks that in Christ we have the hope of seeing them again in His glorious kingdom… Into Your hands, O Lord, we commend all for whom we pray, trusting in Your mercy, through Your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

LSB 607

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theme? How does it connect to the other texts?

How is it unique?

Group TimeGod Declares Us Righteous Unsheathing His Word Against All Evil

Genesis 1-2:3 The Creation of the World1 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth waswithout form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.3 And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. 4 And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.6 And God said, “Let there be an expanse[a] in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters.” 7 And God made[b] the expanse and separated the waters that were under the expanse from the waters that were above the expanse. And it was so.8 And God called the expanse Heaven.[c]And there was evening and there was morning, the second day.9 And God said, “Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear.” And it was so. 10 God called the dry land Earth,[d] and the waters that were gathered together he called Seas. And God saw that it was good.11 And God said, “Let the earth sprout vegetation, plants[e] yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind, on the earth.” And it was so. 12 The earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed according to their own kinds, and trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. 13 And there was evening and there was morning, the third day.14 And God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night. And let them be for signs and for seasons,[f] and for days and years, 15 and let them be lights in the expanse of the heavens to give light upon the earth.” And it was so. 16 And God made the two great lights—the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night—and the stars. 17 And God set them in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth, 18 to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. 19 And there was evening and there was morning, the fourth day.20 And God said, “Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures, and let birds[g] fly above the earth across the expanse of the

heavens.” 21 So God created the great sea creatures and every living creature that moves, with which the waters swarm, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. 22 And God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.” 23 And there was evening and there was morning, the fifth day.24 And God said, “Let the earth bring forth living creatures according to their kinds—livestock and creeping things and beasts of the earth according to their kinds.” And it was so. 25 And God made the beasts of the earth according to their kinds and the livestock according to their kinds, and everything that creeps on the ground according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.26 Then God said, “Let us make man[h]in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.28 And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” 29 And God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food. 30 And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so.31 And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.The Seventh Day, God Rests2 Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. 2 Andon the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. 3 So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation.

Ephesians 6:10-17 The Whole Armor of God10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and inthe strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, againstthe cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Thereforetake up the whole armor of God, that you may be

able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,

John 4:46-51 Jesus Heals an Official's Son46 So he came again to Cana in Galilee,where he had made the water wine. And at Capernaum there was an official whose son was ill. 47 When this man heard that Jesus had come from Judea to Galilee, he went to him and asked him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death. 48 So Jesus said to him, “Unless you[a]

see signs and wonders you will not believe.”49 The official said to him, “Sir, come down before my child dies.” 50 Jesus said to him, “Go; your son will live.” The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and went on his way. 51 As he was going down, his servants[b] met him and told him that his son was recovering.

Psalm 8 How Majestic Is Your NameTo the choirmaster: according to TheGittith.[a] A Psalm of David.

8 O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!You have set your glory above the heavens.2 Out of the mouth of babies and infants,you have established strength because of your foes, to still the enemy and the avenger.3 When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,4 what is man that you are mindful of

him, and the son of man that youcare for him?5 Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings[b] and crowned him with glory and honor.6 You have given him dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under his feet,7 all sheep and oxen, and also the beasts of the field,8 the birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea, whatever passes along the paths of the seas.9 O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth

Share Time: THE TWENTY-FIRST SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY Genesis 1:1—2:3Ephesians 6:10–17John 4:46–54 God Declares Us Righteous Unsheathing His Word Against All Evil “‘Let there be light,’ and there was light” (Gen. 1:1—2:3). The Father speaks, and it is so. His Word accomplishes what it says. He created all things out of nothing through His Son by the power of the Holy Spirit. The Father’s creative Word became flesh in Jesus Christ, that He might restore fallen creation and save fallen man. To the nobleman whose son was deathly ill, Jesus says, “Go; your son will live” (John 4:46–54). And in the very hour Jesus spoke, the nobleman’s son was made well. The Word of Christ still accomplishes what it says. In baptism, absolution, and the Lord’s Supper, He declares His life–giving forgiveness to you, and it is so. This saving Word of God is the sword of the Spirit by which you are able to fight off all the onslaughts of the devil (Eph. 6:10–17). “Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.”

Reformation: The Son of God Has Set Us Free from Sin and Death by His Grace

Rev 14:6-7 The Message of the Three Angels

Rom 3:19-28 The Righteousness of God Through Faith

John 8:31-36 The Truth Will Set You Free

Or Matt 11:12-19 Messengers from John the Baptist

Psalm 46 God is Our Fortress

Next Week…

Rev. 14:6-7; Rom. 3:19-28; John 8:31-36; Matt. 11:12-19; Psalm 46

Revelation 14:6-7The Messages of the Three Angels6 Then I saw another angel flying directly overhead, with an eternal gospel to proclaim to those who dwell on earth, to every nation and tribe and language and people. 7 And he said with a loud voice, “Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come, and worship him who made heaven and earth, the sea and thesprings of water.”

Romans 3:19-2819 Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. 20 For by works of the law no human being[a] will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.The Righteousness of God Through Faith21 But now the righteousness of Godhas been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— 22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed overformer sins. 26 It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

27 Then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By a law of works? No, but by the law of faith. 28 For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law.

John 8:31-36The Truth Will Set You Free31 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” 33 They answered him,“We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, ‘You will become free’?”34 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave[a] to sin. 35 The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. 36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

Matthew 11:12-1912 From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence,[a] and the violent take it by force. 13 For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John, 14 and if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come. 15 He who has ears to hear,[b] let him hear.16 “But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their playmates,17 “‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance;    we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.’18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ 19 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is justified by

her deeds.”[c]

Psalm 46God Is Our FortressTo the choirmaster. Of the Sons of Korah. According to Alamoth.[a] A Song.46 God is our refuge and strength,    a very present[b] help introuble.2 Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way,    though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,3 though its waters roar and foam,    though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Selah4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,    the holy habitation of the Most High.5 God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved;    God will help her when morning dawns.6 The nations rage, the kingdoms totter;    he utters his voice, the earthmelts.7 The LORD of hosts is with us;    the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah8 Come, behold the works of theLORD,    how he has brought desolations on the earth.9 He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;    he breaks the bow and shatters the spear;    he burns the chariots with fire.10 “Be still, and know that I am God.    I will be exalted among the nations,    I will be exalted in the earth!”11 The LORD of hosts is with us;    the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah