3 Trinity – Sunday

In all places where I record My Name, I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee.

– Exodus 20:24.

In the first week of Advent we heard how the Lord, the Son of God, according to His promise, became man and accomplished the work of redemption. In the second week we learned that our dear Lord will come again to judge the quick and the dead, and to establish His eternal Kingdom of Glory. In this week we shall learn how our Savior comes to us today, in this vale of tears, with His salvation and His grace. When God descended upon Mount Sinai and gave His Law with thunderings, lightings, and smoke, the people trembled greatly. There the Lord commanded the people to offer sacrifices upon an altar of earth. Such sacrifices and offerings were to continue until the fullness of time—the time when Christ would come and atone for the sins of the word by His death on the cross of Golgotha. In connection with such sacrifices pointing forward to the atonement of Christ, God said: “In all places where I record My Name, I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee.” So wherever man would heed the Word of the Lord and would look to Christ as the Redeemer and Savior, there God would come to him with His saving grace, and bless him. – This word of the Lord is valid even in New Testament times, in our day. Wherever the Gospel of Christ – the Savior of sinners – is read, taught, preached, and heard, and wherever – by His command – men baptize and administer Holy Communion, there our Lord and Savior comes to us with His grace, His salvation, and blesses us. There we salute Him in trusting faith, and confidently accept His salvation, His grace, His blessing.

PRAYER. – Lord Jesus, my Savior and my eternal King, I know where I, a poor sinner, haunted with sorrows, shall find Thee and all Thy grace and all Thy salvation. Thou comest to me in Thy Word and in Thy holy Sacraments, and dost bless me with an everlasting blessing. Grant me grace, O Lord, to continue steadfast in the right and true faith, that at all times I may seek Thee and Thy salvation in these, Thy blessed Means of Grace, and hold fast to Thee, until Thou shalt come to take me where I shall see Thee in everlasting joy and blessedness. Amen.

Arise, ye drooping mourners!

The King is very near;

Away with grief and sorrow!

For, lo, your Help is here.

Behold, in many a place

– O blessed consolation! –

You find Him, your Salvation,

Within His Means of Grace.

Hymn 69, 2.

Epistle: 1 Corinthians 4:1-5

Gospel: Matthew 11:2-10