But aSamaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. St. Luke 10: 33
Jesus has come to where men and women are. Jesus is the Good Samaritan and He is the man lying on the side the road, as He is the Good Shepherd and the slaughtered Lamb who takes away the sin of the world. As our Good Samaritan and Good Shepherd He carries forth His office as Messiah and Master and Lord to administer in the Holy Spirit what He has done as the man on the side of the road, that is, the Lamb of God who took away the sin of the world. Politics and official religion stripped Jesus, plaited a crown of thorns thrust upon His Sacred Head, mocked, spat upon Him, beat Him and crucified Him and Him they did not leave half dead but fully dead, dead in our sins: the only One who could bury the sin of the world in His grave. He is risen.
The Church comes not as the master of men, but as servants of the Master. Not manipulating, polling, and investigating people but coming as guests as there is only one Host. Not relying on techniques and tactics but on His Word and Presence alone: telling of Jesus Christ, the hope of glory which is His Cross, the sure sign on the roads of our lives, pointing ever us to Himself. His love for us and our love for Him is the vertebrae, the backbone of the Church by which she loves the neighbor in His mercy alone. Verbum Crucis Dei Virtus: the Word of the Cross is the power of God
The 50 Days of Easter, Sunday: the Divine Service, 9:15am, followed by Coffee, Refreshments and gemütlichkeit; then at 10:45, Bible Class, studying St. Mark's Gospel.
See the page above, Read before You Hear, for the Lessons for this coming Sunday.
Concordia Lutheran Church worships at Ben Salem Presbyterian Church (34 Ben Salem Lane, Buena Vista, VA), Sundays, The Divine Service. 9:15am, Bible Class in recess and resumes August 20/For more info call: 540-784-5622 and leave a message
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