Confessional Lutheran Ministerium

Psalm 145:10-21 NKJV Psalm

¹⁰ All Your works shall praise You, O Lord,
And Your saints shall bless You.
¹¹ They shall speak of the glory of Your kingdom,
And talk of Your power,
¹² To make known to the sons of men His mighty acts,
And the glorious majesty of His kingdom.
¹³ Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
And Your dominion endures throughout all generations.

¹⁴ The Lord upholds all who fall,
And raises up all who are bowed down.
¹⁵ The eyes of all look expectantly to You,
And You give them their food in due season.
¹⁶ You open Your hand
And satisfy the desire of every living thing.

¹⁷ The Lord is righteous in all His ways,
Gracious in all His works.
¹⁸ The Lord is near to all who call upon Him,
To all who call upon Him in truth.
¹⁹ He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him;
He also will hear their cry and save them.
²⁰ The Lord preserves all who love Him,
But all the wicked He will destroy.
²¹ My mouth shall speak the praise of the Lord,
And all flesh shall bless His holy name
Forever and ever.

As many other psalms, this is a psalm of thanksgiving as well. This one gives thanks for the kingdom of Christ, which was to come. God works through paradoxes that defy human reason and keep faith reliant upon God creating it through the power of His Word — not the strength or smartness of man!

One of the paradoxes that God works through is how He reveals Himself through hidden things. Fallen man, according to his finite reason expects God to reveal Himself through mighty powerful acts, so if He is going to save man, then it’s going to be in an impressive way. Yet, God works through the weak, unimpressive way of Christ’s cross reveal His love!

Luther writes this about Psalm 145: “The power and kingdom of Christ lies hidden under the outward appearance of the cross and of weakness; and the word of the gospel is a contemptible doctrine with the wise and powerful of the world; for “the gospel,” as Paul saith, “is the wisdom of God hidden in a mystery.” And again, saith he, “Christ crucified, is, unto the Jews, a stumbling-block, unto the Greeks foolishness.” But when this kingdom is, by the preaching of the word, and by the teaching and confession of the saints, made known before the world, it is proved to be the kingdom of God and the power of God.” (Luther’s Manual on the Psalms, pg. 399)

To reveal a Christian’s reliance upon and confession of God’s providential care, Luther pulled verses 16 and 17 into his ‘Ask a Blessing’ meal time prayer: “The eyes of all look to You, O Lord, and You give them their food in the proper time.  You open Your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing.” Praying according to God’s Word, and acknowledging such a reliance upon God, the remainder of the mealtime prayer is practically answered already as it continues: “Lord, God, heavenly Father, bless us and these Your gifts which we receive from Your bountiful goodness.” And He does!

Let us pray: O Lord, as You create and sustain faith through Your Christ-crucified-focused Word and Sacraments, keep us rejoicing in Your eternal, and temporal, hidden works.  Amen.

Psalm 142:1-7 NKJV

A Contemplation of David. A Prayer when he was in the cave.

142 I cry out to the Lord with my voice;
With my voice to the Lord I make my supplication.
² I pour out my complaint before Him;
I declare before Him my trouble.

³ When my spirit was overwhelmed within me,
Then You knew my path.
In the way in which I walk
They have secretly set a snare for me.
⁴ Look on my right hand and see,
For there is no one who acknowledges me;
Refuge has failed me;
No one cares for my soul.

⁵ I cried out to You, O Lord:
I said, “You are my refuge,
My portion in the land of the living.
⁶ Attend to my cry,
For I am brought very low;
Deliver me from my persecutors,
For they are stronger than I.
⁷ Bring my soul out of prison,
That I may praise Your name;
The righteous shall surround me,
For You shall deal bountifully with me.”

In Reading the Psalms with Luther, the blessed Doctor writes of this psalm, “The psalmist prays for grace and forgiveness of sins in the terror of his conscience. He is nearly pressed to despair by the enemies of faith, that is, the promoters of the Law. These especially plague the distressed and timid conscience and drive it into darkness…  But here the psalm shows that grace provides deliverance, not the judgment before which no one alive can stand… For all of the holy patriarchs of old placed their hope on God’s love and grace, and not on judgment” (p. 339).

Like David, we also are privileged to cry out to the Lord and plead for His mercy, for we, too, in and of our sinful nature, have our consciences terrorized by the constant accusations of the devil through the unbelieving world around us. We are tempted at times to give up when illness or tragedy or difficulty strike and wonder out loud, “Where are You, God?”

Not if, but when that happens, we are privileged to call upon our good and gracious God in faith and trust that He has promised to hear our prayers and answer them for our good as He sees fit. For He is our refuge and our portion and, as David says, “will deal bountifully” with us in His grace and mercy.

As you complete this week and look forward to the Divine Service tomorrow, know that God has demonstrated His love and care for You by giving up His one and only Son to suffer in your place, die for your sins in your place, and rise victoriously from the dead for you. All your sins are paid for, and through that wondrous message the Holy Spirit works faith in the heart and gives you the strength to call upon God for all things, knowing that He loves and cares for you and delivers Himself to you in His preached Word and His Sacramental gifts of Holy Absolution, Holy Baptism, and Holy Supper.

Let us pray: Dear Jesus, thank You for paying for all my sins. Give me strength each day to cry out to You and know that You hear and will ultimately deliver me from this life to the life of the world to come. Amen.

2 Peter 3:1-10 NKJV

3 Beloved, I now write to you this second epistle (in both of which I stir up your pure minds by way of reminder), ² that you may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior, ³ knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, ⁴ and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.” ⁵ For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, ⁶ by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water. ⁷ But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.

⁸ But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. ⁹ The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

¹⁰ But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.

Pastor Peter delivers a strong and clear message in today’s reading. First, he reminds his hearers/readers to be mindful of the words of the prophets and the apostles who prophesied and preached about Christ, the Messiah, and how He came to pay for the world’s sins. As Christians we are thankful for all of God’s Word as, basically, it is all about Christ’s coming, His Incarnation, His life, death, resurrection, and His coming again in glory to take His Bride, the Church to Himself on the Last Day.

We are also reminded by Peter that “scoffers will come in the last days” and make a mockery of the predictions of Christ’s Second Coming. “Well, He hasn’t come yet after all these years, so He probably never will.” And that was the attitude in the first century! Think of how much more ridiculous the teaching and preaching of Christ’s second Advent sound to scoffers today! “Well, He hasn’t come for over 2,000 years, so why are you still talking about it?!?”

But we do not listen to those people. We are not to be taken in by their mockery of Christian truths. We know and believe by God-given faith that Christ will come again; we confess it boldly every week in the Creeds of the Church. We know and believe that “the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night…” It will be a terrible surprise to those who do not watch and wait for Christ, but it will be a joy to those who believe and who have been waiting patiently for the fruition of Christ’s promise.

Finally, we are comforted by Peter’s words when he says that the Lord “is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” God is waiting, but He will not wait forever. His Day will come and has been set. We pray that He would use us to speak this offer of Christ’s forgiveness to those around us so that they too may not perish but come to faith and the certainty of eternal life in heaven with our Lord. Let us pray: Lord Jesus, give me the courage and the words to speak of Your love to others. Amen.

2 Peter 2:12-22 NKJV

¹² But these, like natural brute beasts made to be caught and destroyed, speak evil of the things they do not understand, and will utterly perish in their own corruption, ¹³ and will receive the wages of unrighteousness, as those who count it pleasure to carouse in the daytime. They are spots and blemishes, carousing in their own deceptions while they feast with you, ¹⁴ having eyes full of adultery and that cannot cease from sin, enticing unstable souls. They have a heart trained in covetous practices, and are accursed children. ¹⁵ They have forsaken the right way and gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; ¹⁶ but he was rebuked for his iniquity: a dumb donkey speaking with a man’s voice restrained the madness of the prophet.

¹⁷ These are wells without water, clouds carried by a tempest, for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.

¹⁸ For when they speak great swelling words of emptiness, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through lewdness, the ones who have actually escaped from those who live in error. ¹⁹ While they promise them liberty, they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by whom a person is overcome, by him also he is brought into bondage. ²⁰ For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning. ²¹ For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them. ²² But it has happened to them according to the true proverb: “A dog returns to his own vomit,” and, “a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire.”

The initial words of today’s reading, “But these,” refer to the unjust from the latter part of yesterday’s reading. And Peter teaches us that they “speak evil of the things they do not understand and will utterly perish in their own corruption…” Also, “they have forsaken the right way and gone astray…” They are “wells without water” and for them is reserved “the blackness of darkness forever.” What a terrible indictment upon the unjust – those who do not believe in Christ and despise the message of His suffering and death for all.

We should never rejoice in the destruction of the unjust, and we rightly shudder at this condemnation. We should also pray for those in darkness that they, by the grace and mercy of God, come to faith and avoid eternal death and damnation. And we may do so because before God called us to faith in His Son, we deserved the same end.

It is no secret that this world is becoming more and more evil daily. Years ago it seems the devil was more subtle. The slow and incremental advance of evil has now sped up like a rocket and is blatantly obvious. Constant attacks on Christianity not only marginalize but delegitimize any good said or done by Christians at all. We are now threats to society, and some are calling for our removal from society.

So be it. There is nothing new here, for Jesus spoke of these things over 2,000 years ago What is new, it seems, is the level of ferocity and intensity of the world’s rejection and hatred of God and Christianity.

So, what do we do? This is also nothing new, for we continue to avail ourselves of God’s gifts of His Word and Sacraments. These are delivered to us in the context of the Divine Service by and through our faithful pastor who has been given to us for this very reason. He is Christ’s mouth, ears, and hands to us, and has been charged by Christ to feed His flock with the certainty of sins paid for by His suffering, death, and resurrection, and the continuous deliverance of forgiveness and strength that we may endure. Let us pray: Lord Jesus, keep me in the one true faith by Your good and gracious gifts. Amen.

2 Peter 2:1-11 NKJV

2 But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. ² And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. ³ By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber.

⁴ For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment; ⁵ and did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah, one of eight people, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood on the world of the ungodly; ⁶ and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them to destruction, making them an example to those who afterward would live ungodly; ⁷ and delivered righteous Lot, who was oppressed by the filthy conduct of the wicked ⁸ (for that righteous man, dwelling among them, tormented his righteous soul from day to day by seeing and hearing their lawless deeds)— ⁹ then the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment, ¹⁰ and especially those who walk according to the flesh in the lust of uncleanness and despise authority. They are presumptuous, self-willed. They are not afraid to speak evil of dignitaries, ¹¹ whereas angels, who are greater in power and might, do not bring a reviling accusation against them before the Lord.

Today’s reading is fascinating, for it gives us a stern warning about the work of false teachers who are always among God’s people. Those false teachers (Jesus calls them “wolves in sheep’s clothing” in Mt 7:15) are dangerous because they bring in destructive heresies and deny the Lord. In our day, these are the ones who preach a theology of glory (“your best life now!”) which tells Christians that comfort and prosperity are yours in this life instead of the suffering and difficulties our Lord taught would be part and parcel of our life in this world. In this way they point away from Christ and to themselves, and they teach others to “look inside yourself” for life’s answers. Peter says that “many will follow their destructive ways,” and many have!

Peter also refers to “angels who sinned…” These would be Lucifer himself, who wanted to be like God, and all those heavenly beings that followed him and were cast out of heaven forever. By this reference Peter warns Christians not to be their own gods and follow the devil’s words from Genesis 3 (“you can be like God”). If this happens, we will not be spared eternal destruction, but live forever in hell which was prepared for the devil and all his angels (Mt 25:41). Repent of this perverse leaning, and cling by faith to Christ’s offer and promise of forgiveness.

Finally, we have the comfort of this truth in v. 9: “the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations…” In faith we turn to Him when faced with any and all temptations to go our own way. For “we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin” (Heb 4:15). Christ suffered and died to pay for the sins of the world, and He suffered the pangs of death and hell for us and endured all temptations so that we may indeed receive His help and strength to live the godly life when we call upon Him. Let us pray: Lord Jesus, thank You for resisting all temptations. Help me to call upon You in my own temptations and give me Your strength to endure. Amen.

2 Peter 1:12-21 NKJV

¹² For this reason I will not be negligent to remind you always of these things, though you know and are established in the present truth. ¹³ Yes, I think it is right, as long as I am in this tent, to stir you up by reminding you, ¹⁴ knowing that shortly I must put off my tent, just as our Lord Jesus Christ showed me. ¹⁵ Moreover I will be careful to ensure that you always have a reminder of these things after my decease.

¹⁶ For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty. ¹⁷ For He received from God the Father honor and glory when such a voice came to Him from the Excellent Glory: “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” ¹⁸ And we heard this voice which came from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain.

¹⁹ And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts; ²⁰ knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, ²¹ for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.

In the first part of today’s reading Peter reminds his readers/hearers that he is soon going to go to his heavenly home, leaving his “tent,” meaning his body, and to remember the many things he taught about the one true faith which he himself received from Jesus. He sounds very much like a pastor coming to the end of his ministry and exhorting his flock to recall and continually put into practice everything that the Lord gave and spoke and taught through him as he served in Christ’s Office and stead. This is good advice.

Peter then reminded his hearers/readers that he, along with the other apostles (the “we”), were “eyewitnesses” of Christ’s majesty and direct recipients of Christ’s teachings. He is referring most especially to the fact that he and the others witnessed firsthand Christ’s Baptism and Transfiguration where, both times, God the Father spoke from heaven and directed them to Jesus as the only Son of God and Savior of the world.

Further, Peter reminds us in vv. 20-21 that “no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.” From this we learn first that no portion of Holy Scripture should ever be interpreted by man alone, but by God. We say it this way: God’s Word interprets itself; God Himself answers our questions and addresses our concerns by and in His Word alone.

Second, man did not make up the Bible; God Himself gave it to the holy writers and inspired (“breathed into”) them to write his words for all of mankind to read and digest. Because of this truth, we can be certain that God’s Word will never lead us astray, it will never give us “cleverly devised fables,” and it will always point us to Christ who paid for our sins and gave us the faith to believe in Him.

Let us pray: Lord, keep us steadfast in Your Word so that we will not be lead astray from You or Your eternal gifts and promises; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

2 Peter 1:1-11 NKJV

1 Simon Peter, a bondservant and apostle of Jesus Christ,

To those who have obtained like precious faith with us by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ:

² Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, ³ as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, ⁴ by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

⁵ But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, ⁶ to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, ⁷ to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. ⁸ For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁹ For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.

¹⁰ Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; ¹¹ for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

“Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord…” What a beautiful and edifying greeting Peter gives to his fellow Christians! The grace of God – the offer and promise that, through God-given faith we have His acceptance of us based on Christ’s suffering and death for all; and the peace of God which, as Paul says elsewhere, “passes all understanding” – that peace which, as Jesus says, “the world cannot give” – the divine peace and confidence which comes from knowing that our sins are paid for and that with God on our side we also will conquer death because of Christ. May those things always be multiplied to us and stir us on to love and good works in thankfulness to God for His love and forgiveness.

 Peter also preaches to us that we have been given great and precious promises – that we have the certainty of sins paid for by Christ’s substitutionary suffering and death in our place, and the promise of eternal life with Him in heaven. There is nothing more important or glorious to look forward to.

In v. 10, Peter says, “Brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure…” And we understand these words this way: that, of our sinful selves, we have no ability to secure our heavenly calling and election to Christ’s Church. But, as we avail ourselves of the ways in which Christ comes to us – receiving His Absolution, receiving His Gospel, receiving His Supper, and living in our Baptism – God is the one Who works through those things by His Holy Spirit not only to bring us to faith in Him but also to keep us in the one true faith. And when God works through His means of grace, we will show forth virtue, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, kindness, and love for our fellow brothers and sisters as well as to all of our neighbors. May our good and gracious God bring all of that to fruition in you!

Let us pray: O God, pour into our hearts such love toward You that we may obtain Your promises, which exceed all that we can desire; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Psalm 141:1-10 NKJV

A Psalm of David.

141 Lord, I cry out to You;
Make haste to me!
Give ear to my voice when I cry out to You.
² Let my prayer be set before You as incense,
The lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.

³ Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth;
Keep watch over the door of my lips.
⁴ Do not incline my heart to any evil thing,
To practice wicked works
With men who work iniquity;
And do not let me eat of their delicacies.

⁵ Let the righteous strike me;
It shall be a kindness.
And let him rebuke me;
It shall be as excellent oil;
Let my head not refuse it.

For still my prayer is against the deeds of the wicked.
⁶ Their judges are overthrown by the sides of the cliff,
And they hear my words, for they are sweet.
⁷ Our bones are scattered at the mouth of the grave,
As when one plows and breaks up the earth.

⁸ But my eyes are upon You, O God the Lord;
In You I take refuge;
Do not leave my soul destitute.
⁹ Keep me from the snares they have laid for me,
And from the traps of the workers of iniquity.
¹⁰ Let the wicked fall into their own nets,
While I escape safely.

It’s hard to ignore Martin Luther’s words about this psalm. He says, “The psalmist prays that he may be preserved from the ungodly teachers who appear to be friendly and speak with smooth words when threats do not work…  Their hypocrisy will finally break their neck…Then then will see how bitter their sweet teaching is and how precious is my sour doctrine… Their own doctrine…will bring them down…” (Reading the Psalms with Luther, p. 335).

God’s Word frequently reminds us that, although evil seems all too often to go unpunished, in the end God will have His way with evildoers and bring them to nothing; as Luther says, “their own doctrine will bring them down.”

As Christians we need always to be reminded that we are tempted to be swayed by experiences and feelings at the expense of the sure and certain Word of God. And here in this psalm, as in so many of them, we are taught to cry out to God always with the certainty that He hears and will answer according to His good and gracious will.

It is interesting to note that in this psalm, as in many others, the psalmist prays that “the wicked fall into their own nets” (v. 10). Here we are reminded that it is right to pray for the downfall of the wicked as well as for their repentance; but we leave all that to God alone and resist the temptation to exact vengeance on our enemies, for as God says, “Vengeance is Mine.”

Further, we recognize vv. 2-4 as coming from the beautiful order of Evening Prayer from Lutheran Service Book. Let God comfort you as you sing those words, calling out to God to give ear to your voice and deliver you. Let us pray: O God, You have prepared for those who love You good things that surpass all understanding.  Pour into our hearts such love toward You that we, loving You above all things, may obtain Your promises, which exceed all that we can desire; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Psalm 139:1-12 NKJV

For the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.

139 O Lord, You have searched me and known me.
² You know my sitting down and my rising up;
You understand my thought afar off.
³ You comprehend my path and my lying down,
And are acquainted with all my ways.
⁴ For there is not a word on my tongue,
But behold, O Lord, You know it altogether.
⁵ You have hedged me behind and before,
And laid Your hand upon me.
⁶ Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
It is high, I cannot attain it.

⁷ Where can I go from Your Spirit?
Or where can I flee from Your presence?
⁸ If I ascend into heaven, You are there;
If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there.
⁹ If I take the wings of the morning,
And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
¹⁰ Even there Your hand shall lead me,
And Your right hand shall hold me.
¹¹ If I say, “Surely the darkness shall fall on me,”
Even the night shall be light about me;
¹² Indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You,
But the night shines as the day;
The darkness and the light are both alike to You.

According to Martin Luther’s “Summaries of the Psalms” (1531), Psalm 139 is a profound expression of gratitude and awe for the intimate care and sovereignty of God over every aspect of our lives. In this psalm, the psalmist acknowledges God’s wonderful provision and His reign over all His works and words. As believers, we resonate deeply with Martin Luther’s insights into the psalmist’s praise and thanksgiving.

The psalmist marvels at the comprehensive presence of God in every moment and facet of life. From the moment of conception in the mother’s womb to every step taken, every word spoken, and every thought conceived, God’s presence is assured. Luther beautifully captures the psalmist’s sentiment that every ability and power in humanity is a manifestation of God’s work and artistry.

In contrast to this profound acknowledgment of God’s sovereignty, Luther exposes the folly of the ungodly who seek to exalt themselves through their own efforts. He admonishes those who rely on their own works to attain piety and recognition, highlighting the absurdity of claiming credit for something they have not created themselves. Luther underscores the inherent dependence of humanity on God’s grace and power for every aspect of existence, from creation to salvation.

As we reflect on Psalm 139, let us join the psalmist in praising God for His intimate knowledge of us and His unwavering presence in our lives. May we guard against the temptation to rely on our own efforts for righteousness and instead trust wholly in God’s grace. Let us seek His guidance to walk in the true way that stands forever, acknowledging His sovereignty in all things and yielding our lives wholly to His will.

Let us pray: O Lord our God, order the course of this world in peace that your Church may joyfully serve you in all godly quietness; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

1 Peter 5:1-14 NKJV

5 The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed: ² Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; ³ nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock; ⁴ and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away.

⁵ Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for

“God resists the proud,
But gives grace to the humble.”

⁶ Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, ⁷ casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.

⁸ Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. ⁹ Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. ¹⁰ But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. ¹¹ To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

¹² By Silvanus, our faithful brother as I consider him, I have written to you briefly, exhorting and testifying that this is the true grace of God in which you stand.

¹³ She who is in Babylon, elect together with you, greets you; and so does Mark my son. ¹⁴ Greet one another with a kiss of love.

Peace to you all who are in Christ Jesus. Amen.

In 1 Peter 5:1-14, the apostle Peter provides guidance and encouragement to both the elders and the younger members of the Christian community. As believers, we approach this passage with a deep reverence for Scripture and a desire to understand and apply its teachings faithfully.

Peter begins by addressing the elders (pastors), exhorting them to shepherd (“pastor”) the flock of God entrusted to their care with diligence, humility, and eagerness. Elders (pastors) are called to lead by example, not lording over those under their charge, but being examples of Christ’s love, compassion, and servanthood.

Moreover, Peter encourages younger members of the community to submit to the authority of their elders (pastors), recognizing the wisdom and experience they bring to the body of Christ. Humility, he emphasizes, is essential for all believers, as they cast their cares upon God, who cares for them.

Peter then exhorts believers to be sober-minded and vigilant, recognizing the reality of spiritual warfare and the schemes of the devil. Believers are called to resist the devil, standing firm in their faith, knowing that they are not alone in their struggles, but are supported by a community of believers around the world.

Furthermore, Peter reminds believers of the grace and peace that are theirs in Christ Jesus, who has called them to His eternal glory. In the midst of suffering and trials, believers are encouraged to cast all their anxieties upon God, who will sustain them and strengthen them.

In conclusion, today’s passage serves as a timely reminder of the importance of humble leadership, mutual submission, and steadfast faith in the Christian community. As believers, may we heed Peter’s exhortation and strive to live lives marked by humility, grace, and perseverance, knowing that our ultimate hope and confidence are found in Christ alone. Let us pray: O Lord our God, order the course of this world in peace that your Church may joyfully serve you in all godly quietness; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.