Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church - Olive Branch, MS

Introit: Ps. 86:4, 6, 15a, 16; antiphon: Ps. 86:1a, 2b, 3
Gradual: Ps. 118:8-9
Old Testament: 1 Kings 17:8-16
Psalm 146 (antiphon: v. 9a)
Epistle: Gal. 5:25-6:10
ProperVerse: Ps. 95:1
Gospel: Matt. 6:24-34

Anxious Bondage vs. Confident Trust
"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).

The Prophet Micah

Ten Thousand Foot View of Church History 

Office of the Holy Ministry. 

Introit: Ps. 84: 1-2a, 4, 10b, 11b; antiphon: Ps. 84:9-10a\rGradual: Ps. 92:1-2
Old Testament: Prov. 4:10-23
Psalm 119:9-16 (antiphon: v. 12)
Epistle: Gal. 5:16-24
ProperVerse: Ps. 65:1
Gospel: Luke 17:11-19

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).

Isaiah 53 and 65-66

The heritage of Lutheran music

On Confession and Absolution

Introit: Ps. 74:1-2, 19b, 21b; antiphon: Ps. 74:20a, 21a, 22a, 23a
Gradual: Ps. 77:14-15
Old Testament: 2 Chron. 28:8-15
Psalm 32 (antiphon: v. 2)
Epistle: Gal. 3:15-22
ProperVerse: Ps. 88:1
Gospel: Luke 10:23-37

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.

More key passages in Isaiah.