The God Pause from The Luther Seminary in Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States for Wednesday, 6 June 2018 - 2 Corinthians 4:13-5:1 & Tuesday, 5 June 2018 - Psalm 130
2 Corinthians 4:13 The Tanakh says, “I trusted, therefore I spoke.”[2 Corinthians 4:13 Psalm 116:10] Since we have that same Spirit who enables us to trust, we also trust and therefore speak; 14 because we know that he who raised the Lord Yeshua will also raise us with Yeshua and bring us along with you into his presence. 15 All this is for your sakes, so that as grace flows out to more and more people, it may cause thanksgiving to overflow and bring glory to God.
16 This is why we do not lose courage. Though our outer self is heading for decay, our inner self is being renewed daily. 17 For our light and transient troubles are achieving for us an everlasting glory whose weight is beyond description. 18 We concentrate not on what is seen but on what is not seen, since things seen are temporary, but things not seen are eternal.
5:1 We know that when the tent which houses us here on earth is torn down, we have a permanent building from God, a building not made by human hands, to house us in heaven. (Complete Jewish Bible).
***
Even if we could master and overcome the taunting of the devil and the world, still our own flesh taunts us. As we struggle through the daily dying of the old person and rising of the new person in us, our outer nature--infected as it is by that first sin--strikes at our attempts to be faithful to God's will and word. But the Spirit ,who seals us in baptism, leads us again and again to our cross, so that we might see that the will of the flesh, too, is a slight momentary affliction. The Spirit leads us to our cross so that we might not be punished, but renewed.
Blessed Spirit, lead us to the new life you give us in Jesus, and give us faith to carry our cross as we follow you, who cannot be seen. Amen.
Eric L. Bodenstab, '15
Pastor, Zion Lutheran Church, Sandusky, Ohio
2 Corinthians 4:13 But just as we have the same spirit of faith that is in accordance with scripture--"I believed, and so I spoke"--we also believe, and so we speak,
14 because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus, and will bring us with you into his presence.
15 Yes, everything is for your sake, so that grace, as it extends to more and more people, may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God.
16 So we do not lose heart. Even though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed day by day.
17 For this slight momentary affliction is preparing us for an eternal weight of glory beyond all measure,
18 because we look not at what can be seen but at what cannot be seen; for what can be seen is temporary, but what cannot be seen is eternal.
5:1 For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. (New Revised Standard Version).***
Psalm 130:1(0) A song of ascents. By David:
(1) Adonai, I call to you from the depths;
2 hear my cry, Adonai!
Let your ears pay attention
to the sound of my pleading.
3 Yah, if you kept a record of sins,
who, Adonai, could stand?
4 But with you there is forgiveness,
so that you will be feared.
5 I wait longingly for Adonai;
I put my hope in his word.
6 Everything in me waits for Adonai
more than guards on watch wait for morning,
more than guards on watch wait for morning.
7 Isra’el, put your hope in Adonai!
For grace is found with Adonai,
and with him is unlimited redemption.
8 He will redeem Isra’el
from all their wrongdoings. (Complete Jewish Bible).
***
The taunting does not end with that first sin. The world taunts us until we find ourselves steeped in darkness and sadness. The world seeks ways to separate us from God's love. Under the pressure of such taunts, we find ourselves waiting for God to act. We recognize, with the psalmist, that if God keeps record of all our sins, we are done for. We also need to recognize that God wants to forgive us so that we might see who God is. As we are taunted by the world, we cry out to God who will redeem and forgive.
Loving God, we know you will save us as surely as the sun will rise. Give us faith to wait for you in hope as we suffer the taunting of the world that distracts us from your grace. Amen.
Eric L. Bodenstab, '15
Pastor, Zion Lutheran Church, Sandusky, OhioPsalm 130:1 Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord.
2 Lord, hear my voice! Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications!
3 If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities, Lord, who could stand?
4 But there is forgiveness with you, so that you may be revered.
5 I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I hope;
6 my soul waits for the Lord more than those who watch for the morning, more than those who watch for the morning.
7 O Israel, hope in the Lord! For with the Lord there is steadfast love, and with him is great power to redeem.
8 It is he who will redeem Israel from all its iniquities. (New Revised Standard Version).
2 Corinthians 4:13 The Tanakh says, “I trusted, therefore I spoke.”[2 Corinthians 4:13 Psalm 116:10] Since we have that same Spirit who enables us to trust, we also trust and therefore speak; 14 because we know that he who raised the Lord Yeshua will also raise us with Yeshua and bring us along with you into his presence. 15 All this is for your sakes, so that as grace flows out to more and more people, it may cause thanksgiving to overflow and bring glory to God.
16 This is why we do not lose courage. Though our outer self is heading for decay, our inner self is being renewed daily. 17 For our light and transient troubles are achieving for us an everlasting glory whose weight is beyond description. 18 We concentrate not on what is seen but on what is not seen, since things seen are temporary, but things not seen are eternal.
5:1 We know that when the tent which houses us here on earth is torn down, we have a permanent building from God, a building not made by human hands, to house us in heaven. (Complete Jewish Bible).
***
Even if we could master and overcome the taunting of the devil and the world, still our own flesh taunts us. As we struggle through the daily dying of the old person and rising of the new person in us, our outer nature--infected as it is by that first sin--strikes at our attempts to be faithful to God's will and word. But the Spirit ,who seals us in baptism, leads us again and again to our cross, so that we might see that the will of the flesh, too, is a slight momentary affliction. The Spirit leads us to our cross so that we might not be punished, but renewed.
Blessed Spirit, lead us to the new life you give us in Jesus, and give us faith to carry our cross as we follow you, who cannot be seen. Amen.
Eric L. Bodenstab, '15
Pastor, Zion Lutheran Church, Sandusky, Ohio
2 Corinthians 4:13 But just as we have the same spirit of faith that is in accordance with scripture--"I believed, and so I spoke"--we also believe, and so we speak,
14 because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus, and will bring us with you into his presence.
15 Yes, everything is for your sake, so that grace, as it extends to more and more people, may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God.
16 So we do not lose heart. Even though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed day by day.
17 For this slight momentary affliction is preparing us for an eternal weight of glory beyond all measure,
18 because we look not at what can be seen but at what cannot be seen; for what can be seen is temporary, but what cannot be seen is eternal.
5:1 For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. (New Revised Standard Version).***
Psalm 130:1(0) A song of ascents. By David:
(1) Adonai, I call to you from the depths;
2 hear my cry, Adonai!
Let your ears pay attention
to the sound of my pleading.
3 Yah, if you kept a record of sins,
who, Adonai, could stand?
4 But with you there is forgiveness,
so that you will be feared.
5 I wait longingly for Adonai;
I put my hope in his word.
6 Everything in me waits for Adonai
more than guards on watch wait for morning,
more than guards on watch wait for morning.
7 Isra’el, put your hope in Adonai!
For grace is found with Adonai,
and with him is unlimited redemption.
8 He will redeem Isra’el
from all their wrongdoings. (Complete Jewish Bible).
***
The taunting does not end with that first sin. The world taunts us until we find ourselves steeped in darkness and sadness. The world seeks ways to separate us from God's love. Under the pressure of such taunts, we find ourselves waiting for God to act. We recognize, with the psalmist, that if God keeps record of all our sins, we are done for. We also need to recognize that God wants to forgive us so that we might see who God is. As we are taunted by the world, we cry out to God who will redeem and forgive.
Loving God, we know you will save us as surely as the sun will rise. Give us faith to wait for you in hope as we suffer the taunting of the world that distracts us from your grace. Amen.
Eric L. Bodenstab, '15
Pastor, Zion Lutheran Church, Sandusky, OhioPsalm 130:1 Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord.
2 Lord, hear my voice! Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications!
3 If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities, Lord, who could stand?
4 But there is forgiveness with you, so that you may be revered.
5 I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I hope;
6 my soul waits for the Lord more than those who watch for the morning, more than those who watch for the morning.
7 O Israel, hope in the Lord! For with the Lord there is steadfast love, and with him is great power to redeem.
8 It is he who will redeem Israel from all its iniquities. (New Revised Standard Version).
The Luther Seminary
2481 Como Avenue
Saint Paul, Minnesota, 55108, United State
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