The Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries by Pastor Ken Klaus, Speaker Emeritus of The Lutheran Hour in Saint Louis, Missouri, United States [Use these devotions in your newsletter and bulletin! Used by permission; all rights reserved by the Int'l LLL (LHM).] "You Are the Light" for Sunday, September 11, 2016
(Jesus said) "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden."[Matthew 5:14]Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ:
The salvation story of Jesus Christ reaches around the world. So that the readers of our Daily Devotion may see the power of the Savior on a global scale, we have asked the volunteers of our international ministry centers to write our Sunday devotions. We pray that the Spirit may touch your day through their words.
In Christ, I remain, His servant and yours,
Kenneth R. Klaus
Speaker Emeritus of The Lutheran Hour
This Bible passage is one of the famous teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Almost every Christian knows this verse very well. The reason for that is this verse is simple, but it still has a deep meaning. Jesus tells us that Christians are called to be the light of this world. They are summoned from the darkness to shine their light and show their faith through their deeds. Indeed, the purpose of living as a Christian is to glorify our Lord through each aspect of our life.
In 2008 a young Hindu student from a central province enrolled in our Bible Correspondence Course. He completed it within a few months time.
Not only did he complete the course, he also found answers for his spiritual questions. His studies helped him to understand many of the fundamental teachings of the Bible. By the Holy Spirit's power, he became a Christian and began to proclaim the Gospel to his friends and relatives.
As of this writing, he has introduced our Bible lessons to more than 100 people. In many ways he helps share the Gospel message with school children in the Nuwara Eliya area.
The Lord has brought about a huge transformation in his life.
Today he is a living witness, testifying how Jesus can bring change to a person who has been living in the darkness. If the Lord wishes, this young man will become a pastor one day and serve the Lord as an undershepherd of the Lord's flock.
From personal experience he will teach that "The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world" (John 1:9).
He will let others know that it is only by God's grace we receive the light of the Lord.
My friends, we are living in a time and place where it seems as if everything is going wrong. Our days may look dark, and we may be tempted to think there is no hope. It is precisely at such times we need to remember that God's "Word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path" (Psalm 119:105).
We can be confident God's Word is leading our daily lives and can dispel problems and challenges. We can be sure that Jesus Christ is there to help us, and although we sinful humans may not always keep our word and promises, He always will.
All of this leads me to ask, in our daily lives are we showing our light to others? Can others see Christ through our lives today? If your answer to those questions is not as solid as you might wish, I encourage you to spend a few minutes in prayer. Ask God to help you remember that the loving Lord who gave His only Son Jesus Christ to die for us -- in our place -- can make us shine before others.
THE PRAYER: Heavenly Father, we thank You for Your Words which we have heard today. Lord help us shine for You in this world and help us live a life which glorifies Your Name. In Jesus' Name! Amen.
Biography of Author: The author of today's devotion is Mr. Sathiyabalan who has served as director for the Sri Lankan office of Lutheran Hour Ministries since it opened in 2001. Over the years hundreds of non-Christians have been reached by our programs, amongst which are Bible Correspondence Courses (BCC) in Sinhalese, Tamil and English languages; Equipping the Saints(ETS) workshops, youth gatherings, and special events in fellowship with local congregations.
In this island nation of more than 20 million people off the southern tip of India, Lutheran Hour Ministries-Sri Lanka is known as Lanka Hope Media. Established in Colombo, this ministry center relies on staff and volunteers to distribute Gospel-related material to thousands, employing literature displays and rallies. Using BCCs in Sinhalese and Tamil, LHM-Sri Lanka teaches people essential truths of Scripture they can use in their everyday lives. Additionally, puppet shows, youth-oriented concerts, and video screenings are used to promote Bible courses, and devotional songs and short sermons are offered. Equipping the Saints workshops are used to strengthen local groups of believers and help foster outreach efforts. A special Christmas film/music program reaches the often uneducated children of tea plantation workers. Use of the Internet and e-mail are helping this ministry center share the Gospel as this technology is becoming more widely available throughout the country. To connect with people on cell phones, automated messaging is proving helpful in reaching the unchurched.
To see more of what's going on in Sri Lanka, by click here to visit its blog.
To learn more about our International Ministries, click here or visit www.lhm.org/international.
In Christ I remain His servant and yours,
Pastor Ken Klaus
Speaker Emeritus of The Lutheran Hour
Lutheran Hour Ministries
Today's Bible in a Year Reading: 2 Chronicles 29-30; Acts 19:21-41
2 Chronicles 29:1 Hizkiyahu was twenty-five years old when he began his reign, and he ruled for twenty-nine years in Yerushalayim. His mother’s name was Aviyah the daughter of Z’kharyah. 2 He did what was right from Adonai’s perspective, following the example of everything David his ancestor had done.
3 In the first month of the first year of his reign, he reopened the doors of the house of Adonai and repaired them. 4 Then he brought in the cohanim and L’vi’im, assembled them in the open space to the east, 5 and said to them, “Listen to me, L’vi’im: consecrate yourselves now, consecrate the house of Adonai the God of your ancestors, and remove the filth from the Holy Place. 6 For our ancestors acted treacherously, they did what is evil from the perspective of Adonai our God, they abandoned him, they turned their faces away from where Adonai lives and turned their backs on him. 7 They sealed the doors of the vestibule, put out the lamps and stopped burning incense and offering burnt offerings in the Holy Place to the God of Isra’el.
8 “Because of this, Adonai’s anger has settled on Y’hudah and Yerushalayim; and he has made them an object of horror, astonishment and mocking — as you can see with your own eyes. 9 Here, our ancestors have fallen by the sword; and on this account our sons, daughters and wives have gone into captivity.
10 “Now it is in my heart to make a covenant with Adonai the God of Isra’el, so that his furious anger will turn away from us. 11 My sons, now is not a time for being negligent; for you are the ones Adonai chose to stand before him and serve him as his ministers, offering him incense.”
12 Then the L’vi’im set about the task — Machat the son of ‘Amasai and Yo’el the son of ‘Azaryahu from the descendants of the K’hati; of the sons of M’rari, Kish the son of ‘Avdi and ‘Azaryahu the son of Yehallel’el; of the Gershuni, Yo’ach the son of Zimah and ‘Eden the son of Yo’ach; 13 of the descendants of Elitzafan, Shimri and Ye‘i’el; of the descendants of Asaf, Z’kharyahu and Matanyahu; 14 of the descendants of Heman, Yechi’el and Shim‘i; and of the descendants of Y’dutun, Sh’ma‘yah and ‘Uzi’el.
15 They gathered their kinsmen, consecrated themselves and, in keeping with the king’s order and Adonai’s words, went in to cleanse the house of Adonai. 16 The cohanim went in to cleanse the inner part of the house of Adonai; all the unclean things they found in the sanctuary of Adonai they brought out into the courtyard of the house of Adonai, where the L’vi’im took and carried them out to Vadi Kidron. 17 They began consecrating on the first day of the first month, and on the eighth day of the month they reached the vestibule of Adonai. Then they consecrated the house of Adonai in eight more days; so that on the sixteenth day of the first month, they had finished. 18 Then they went to Hizkiyahu the king in [the palace] and said, “We have cleansed all the house of Adonai, including the altar for burnt offerings, with all its equipment, and the table for the showbread, with all its equipment. 19 Moreover, we have reconditioned and consecrated all the articles that King Achaz threw out during his reign, when he was sinning; and they are there, in front of the altar of Adonai.”
20 Next morning, Hizkiyahu the king got up early, gathered the leading men of the city and went up to the house of Adonai. 21 They brought seven bulls, seven rams, seven lambs and seven male goats as a sin offering for the kingdom, for the sanctuary and for Y’hudah; and he ordered the cohanim to offer them on the altar of Adonai. 22 After slaughtering the bulls, the cohanim took the blood and splashed it against the altar. Next, they slaughtered the rams and splashed the blood against the altar and also slaughtered the lambs and splashed the blood against the altar. 23 After bringing the male goats for the sin offering close to the king and the assembly and laying their hands on them, 24 the cohanim slaughtered them and made a sin offering with their blood on the altar to make atonement for all Isra’el; for the king had ordered that the burnt offering and the sin offering should be for all Isra’el.
25 He stationed the L’vi’im in the house of Adonai with cymbals, lyres and lutes, in keeping with the order of David, Gad the king’s seer and Natan the prophet; for the mitzvah had come from Adonai through his prophets. 26 The L’vi’im stood with the instruments of David and the cohanim with the trumpets. 27 Hizkiyahu ordered that the burnt offering should be offered on the altar. The moment the burnt offering began, the song of Adonai also began, accompanied by the trumpets and the instruments of David king of Isra’el. 28 The whole assembly prostrated themselves, the singers sang, and the trumpeters sounded; all this continued until the burnt offering was finished.
29 When the offering was over, the king and everyone present with him bowed down and prostrated themselves. 30 Then Hizkiyahu the king and the leaders ordered the L’vi’im to sing praises to Adonai, using the words of David and of Asaf the seer. They sang praises until they were filled with joy, and they bowed their heads and prostrated themselves.
31 Hizkiyahu responded by saying, “Now that you have consecrated yourselves to Adonai, come close, and bring sacrifices and thank offerings into the house of Adonai. So the community brought in sacrifices and thank offerings, and as many as were willing volunteered burnt offerings. 32 In all, the burnt offerings brought by the congregation totaled 70 bulls, 100 rams and 200 lambs; all these were for a burnt offering to Adonai. 33 The consecrated gifts amounted to 600 oxen and 3,000 sheep. 34 Only there weren’t enough cohanim to skin and butcher all the burnt offerings, so their colleagues the L’vi’im assisted them until the work was finished and the cohanim had consecrated themselves (for the L’vi’im had been more diligent to consecrate themselves than the cohanim). 35 Besides the abundance of burnt offerings, there was the fat of the peace offerings and drink offerings for each burnt offering.
Thus the service of the house of Adonai was restored. 36 Hizkiyahu and all the people rejoiced over what God had prepared for the people, since it had all happened so suddenly.
30:1 Then Hizkiyahu sent to all Isra’el and Y’hudah, and wrote letters also to Efrayim and M’nasheh, summoning them to the house of Adonai in Yerushalayim, to keep the Pesach to Adonai the God of Isra’el. 2 For the king, his officials and the entire Yerushalayim community had agreed to keep the Pesach in the second month. 3 They had not been able to observe it at the proper time because the cohanim had not consecrated themselves in sufficient number; also the people had not assembled in Yerushalayim. 4 The idea had seemed right to the king and to the whole community; 5 so they issued a decree that it should be proclaimed throughout all Isra’el, from Be’er-Sheva to Dan, that they should come to keep the Pesach to Adonai the God of Isra’el at Yerushalayim; for only a few had been observing it as prescribed.
6 So runners went with the letters from the king and his officers throughout all Isra’el and Y’hudah. They conveyed the king’s order: “People of Isra’el! Turn back to Adonai, the God of Avraham, Yitz’chak and Ya‘akov! Then he will return to those of you who remain, who escaped capture by the kings of Ashur. 7 Don’t be like your ancestors, or like your kinsmen who sinned against Adonai the God of their ancestors, with the result that he allowed them to become an object of horror, as you see. 8 Don’t be stiffnecked now, as your ancestors were. Instead, yield yourselves to Adonai; enter his sanctuary, which he has made holy forever; and serve Adonai your God; so that his fierce anger will turn away from you. 9 For if you turn back to Adonai, your kinsmen and children will find that those who took them captive will have compassion on them, and they will come back to this land. Adonai your God is compassionate and merciful; he will not turn his face away from you if you return to him.”
10 So the runners passed from city to city through the territory of Efrayim and M’nasheh, as far as Z’vulun; but the people laughed at them and made fun of them. 11 Nevertheless, some from Asher, M’nasheh and Z’vulun were humble enough to come to Yerushalayim. 12 Also in Y’hudah the hand of God was at work, uniting their hearts to do what the king and the leaders had ordered in accordance with the word of Adonai.
13 Thus, many people assembled in Yerushalayim to keep the festival of Matzot in the second month, a huge crowd. 14 First they set about removing the altars that were in Yerushalayim, and they also removed all the altars for incense and threw them in Vadi Kidron. 15 Then they slaughtered the Pesach lamb on the fourteenth day of the second month. Ashamed of themselves, the cohanim and L’vi’im had consecrated themselves and brought burnt offerings into the house of Adonai. 16 Now they stood at their stations, as prescribed in the Torah of Moshe the man of God; the cohanim splashed the blood given to them by the L’vi’im. 17 For there were many in the assembly who had not consecrated themselves; therefore the L’vi’im were responsible for slaughtering the Pesach lambs and consecrating them to Adonai on behalf of everyone who was not clean. 18 For a large number of the people, especially from Efrayim, M’nasheh, Yissakhar and Z’vulun, had not cleansed themselves but ate the Pesach lamb anyway, despite what is written. For Hizkiyahu had prayed for them, “May Adonai, who is good, pardon 19 everyone who sets his heart on seeking God, Adonai, the God of his ancestors, even if he hasn’t undergone the purification prescribed in connection with holy things.” 20 Adonai heard Hizkiyahu and healed the people.
21 The people of Isra’el there in Yerushalayim observed the festival of Matzot for seven days with great joy; while every day the L’vi’im and cohanim praised Adonai, singing to Adonai with the accompaniment of loud instruments. 22 Hizkiyahu spoke encouragingly to all the L’vi’im who were well skilled in the service of Adonai. Thus they ate throughout the festival for the seven days, offering sacrifices of peace offerings and giving thanks to Adonai, the God of their ancestors.
23 Then the whole assembly decided to celebrate for yet another seven days, and they observed those seven days too with joy. 24 For Hizkiyahu king of Y’hudah gave the assembly a thousand bulls and seven thousand sheep for offerings, while the leaders gave the assembly a thousand bulls and ten thousand sheep; and great numbers of cohanim consecrated themselves. 25 All the people who had assembled from Y’hudah rejoiced, as did the cohanim and L’vi’im, those assembled from Isra’el, and the foreigners who had come from the territory of Isra’el or who lived in Y’hudah. 26 So there was great joy in Yerushalayim; for since the time of Shlomo the son of David, king of Isra’el, there had been nothing like it in Yerushalayim. 27 Then the cohanim, who were L’vi’im, stood up and blessed the people; [Adonai] heard their voice, and their prayer came up to the holy place where he lives, heaven.
Acts 19:21 Some time later, Sha’ul decided by the Spirit to pass through Macedonia and Achaia and then go to Yerushalayim. “After I have been there,” he said, “I must visit Rome.” 22 So he dispatched two of his helpers, Timothy and Erastus, to Macedonia; but he himself remained in the province of Asia for awhile.
23 It was at this time that a major furor arose concerning the Way. 24 There was a silversmith named Demetrius who manufactured from silver, objects connected with the worship of the goddess Artemis; and he provided no small amount of work for the craftsmen. 25 He called a meeting of them and of those engaged in similar trades, and said, “Men, you understand that this line of business provides us our living. 26 And you can see and hear for yourselves that not only here in Ephesus, but in practically the whole province of Asia, this Sha’ul has convinced and turned away a considerable crowd by saying that man-made gods aren’t gods at all. 27 Now the danger is not only that the reputation of our trade will suffer, but that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will come to be taken lightly. It could end up with the goddess herself, who is worshipped throughout the province of Asia and indeed throughout the whole world, being ignominiously brought down from her divine majesty!”
28 Hearing this, they were filled with rage and began bellowing, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” 29 Soon the whole city was in an uproar. As one man, the mob rushed into the theater, dragging along Gaius and Aristarchus, Sha’ul’s traveling companions from Macedonia. 30 Sha’ul himself wanted to appear before the crowd, but the talmidim wouldn’t let him. 31 Even some of the officials of the province, friends of his, sent a message begging him not to risk entering the theater. 32 Meanwhile, some were shouting one thing and others something else, because the assembly was in complete confusion, and the great majority didn’t even know why they were there. 33 Some of the crowd explained the situation to Alexander, whom the Jews had pushed to the front. So Alexander motioned for silence, hoping to make a defense speech to the people. 34 But as soon as they recognized that he was a Jew, they began bellowing in unison, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” and they kept it up for about two hours.
35 At last, the city clerk was able to quiet the crowd. “Men of Ephesus!” he said, “Is there anyone who doesn’t know that the city of Ephesus is the guardian of the temple of the great Artemis, and of the sacred stone which fell from the sky? 36 Since this is beyond dispute, you had better calm down and not do anything rash. 37 For you have brought these men here who have neither robbed the temple nor insulted your goddess. 38 So if Demetrius and his fellow craftsmen have a complaint against anyone, the courts are open and the judges are there — let them bring charges and counter-charges. 39 But if there is something more you want, it will have to be settled in a lawful assembly. 40 For we are in danger of being accused of rioting on account of what has happened today. There is no justification for it; and if we are asked, we will be unable to give any reasonable explanation for this disorderly gathering.” 41 And with these words, he dismissed the assembly.
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