QUINQUAGESIMA

Few days in a church should be more joyous than a baptism. Today in this place we have offered our prayers to God and in this Holy Sacrament Reagan, and Amelia are Signed Sealed and Delivered into the fold of God. Today, in a spiritual sense they will eat of his body and drink of his blood at the communion rail with us. All glory be God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Congrats to the whole apple family. If God has you here decades or much less we will spend significant energy bringing them along as we all “swim in our baptism” as Luther said.

As we turn our eyes to this mornings text I want us to give our focus on the two seemingly unrelated portions of the Bible that we will spend our time connecting.

Our main point will be this: The Holy Spirit closes eyes and opens eyes to see Jesus as the Christ.

So the text:

[31] And taking the twelve, he said to them, “See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written about the Son of Man by the prophets will be accomplished. [32] For he will be delivered over to the Gentiles and will be mocked and shamefully treated and spit upon. [33] And after flogging him, they will kill him, and on the third day he will rise.”

Isaiahs Suffering Servant

[34] But they understood none of these things. This saying was hidden from them, and they did not grasp what was said.

Being Reformed and Protestant...

[35] As he drew near to Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging. [36] And hearing a crowd going by, he inquired what this meant. [37] They told him, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.” [38] And he cried out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”

He sees what no one else sees…thou blind

[39] And those who were in front rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”

Blindness of Disciples more evident

[40] And Jesus stopped and commanded him to be brought to him. And when he came near, he asked him, [41] “What do you want me to do for you?” He said, “Lord, let me recover my sight.” [42] And Jesus said to him, “Recover your sight; your faith has made you well.” [43] And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him, glorifying God. And all the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God. (ESV)

Luke 4, Isaiah 42

Our main point will be this: The Holy Spirit closes eyes and opens eyes to see Jesus as the Christ.

We need the Holy Spirit to See God to know his word.

Doctrine of Illumination

2 Advent: THE COLLECT. Blessed Lord, who hast caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning: Grant that we may in such wise hear, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that by patience, and comfort of thy holy Word, we may embrace, and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life, which thou hast given us in our Saviour Jesus Christ.  Amen.

5 Easter THE COLLECT. O LORD, from whom all good things do come: Grant to us thy humble servants, that by thy holy inspiration we may think those things that be good, and by thy merciful guiding may perform the same; through our Lord Jesus Christ.  Amen.

Collect of Purity

How does one get the Holy Spirit?

Baptism for one.

Let us remember that Baptism is the following of Christ into death. His death on the Cross for our sin, that we rise out of the water with everlasting Life. We will live forever in Heaven bc of the work Jesus has done.