Psalm 107:23-32; Exodus 39:32-40:16; Luke 8:22-39

The psalmist invites the sailors to extol and praise YHWH for only he calms the water of the sea by his bidding. Moses records in Exodus how he did all that the LORD commanded him to do, to set apart the Tabernacle for the the LORD's dwelling on earth--making it holy. Luke records the inbreaking of this holy God–Jesu–into this creation, calming the waters that were beating against the apostles in the boat. Jesus the Holy One of Israel also calms the Gerasene man filled with demons, again demonstrating his making holy all that is unholy because of sin, because of not being in the perfect presence of Jesus.

Mosaic of the exorcism of the Gerasene demoniac from the Basilica of Sant'Apollinare Nuovo in Ravenna, dating to the sixth century AD

Psalm 84:1-4; Exodus 29:29-35:21; Luke 7:36-50

Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow a nest for herself at the altar of YHWH? This is the same altar upon which animals are sacrificed! Yet, home designates the disposition of YHWH: always motivated by love for his entire creation. Moses' face shines like it does because it has been transformed in some sense by being in the presence of God. All the Sabbath regulations and tabernacle contributions, elaborate as they are, are to remind the people of God of being in his perfect presence, his perfect power, his perfect holiness, his perfect ... .That's what makes the Gospel reading so powerful. The woman does not have to be perfect in Jesus' presence but Jesus makes her perfect: "Your sins are forgiven" (48). Jesus incarnates the perfect presence of God in this imperfect, sin-filled world. He come to you and me and makes us perfect like he did the woman!

Source unknown.

Psalm 86:11-17; Exodus 34:1-28; Luke 7:18-35

Verse 15 of the Psalm reading connects all three readings: "But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness." This refrain throughout the First Testament shows you the character of God. This is his disposition, his attitude toward you. It is so because of Jesus. Even in the First Testament this is God's disposition towards his people, because he views them in light of the promise given to Eve in Genesis 3:15, to Abraham in Genesis 12 and 15, and all the patriarchs. YHWH defines his people in light of this promise, giving them a unique ethic in the Ten Commandments. The Unique One finally comes–Jesus–and does what only he can do: heal the sick and raise the dead. He renews creation because he embodies the new creation. He brings this renewal through His Word! It is the same Word that has come to us! Hallelujah!

Psalm 80:1-7, Exodus 33:1-23; Luke 7:1-17

The Psalm asserts that it is YHWH himself that gives his people the bread of tears, tears to drink in full measure. In the Exodus reading, Moses boldy confronts YHWH by saying, "Now therefore, if I have found favor in your sight, please show me now your ways, that I may know you in order to find favor in your sight" (v. 13). In the Gospel reading Jesus heals the Centurian's servant from afar and raises the widow from Nain's son by touching the bier. Each episode reveals the down-to-earthness of God, present in this creation to save and heal from within it! Each episode shows that the relationship with God is real, recognizing that he is present in all of life–even the seemingly mundane (a word that means worldly) things. Too often we over spiritualize God. Lutheran Service Book 358, From Heaven Above to Earth I Come, says in verse four: 

"These are the signs that you shall mark:

The swaddling clothes and manger dark.

There you wil find the infant laid

By whom the heav'ns and earth were made."

Jesus Raising the Widow's Son at Nain, c1890, James Tissot

Psalm 106:16-23; Exodus 32:1-14, and Luke 6:20-38

The reading from the Psalm recounts the events in Exodus 32. There, Moses is gone for a bit and the people demand that Aaron do something. He bids them to take their gold earrings and give them to him, from which he forms a golden calf to worship. It seems odd to us today, so primitive in the 21st century, but it reminds us of what Luther says in the Large Catechism about what a “god” is: “A god is that to which we look for all good and in which we find refuge in every time of need. To have a god is nothing else than to trust and believe him with our whole heart.” We may not worship a golden calf but we worship cars, professional athletes, movie stars, and other familiar objects of idolization. In the Luke account we hear his version of the Beatitudes recorded in Mt. 5:2ff. We also hear Jesus’ imperatives to love our enemies and not to judge. The love in this case is agape love, the love of God toward his creation, dying-for-others love (Jn 15:13ff). It is not just be kind and accepting. Not to judge does not mean we should ignore wrongdoing but means that we should not hold others to standards that we ourselves do not keep.

Psalm 119:25-32; Exodus 24:1-22; Luke 5:17-39

Psalm 119 is famous for every verse mentions the Word of God in some way: word, law, decrees, testimonies, precepts are some of the terms used to refer to it. The best way to describe the theology in this Psalm is that everything–everything–revolves around the Word of God. When we think of Jesus being the Word of God Incarnate and the Bible is the Inspired Word of God, this makes sense. Jesus is omnipresent. So is the Holy Spirit. The Word of God tells the story of everything in the sense that it comprehends life as we know it and life as we anticipate it to be in the new heavens and earth. 

In the Old Testament reading we read about contributions to the sanctuary, the Mercy Seat and the Ark of the Covenant in which the Ten Commandments on stone will be placed. The Mercy Seat is on top of the Ark between the two seraphim's outstretched wings. The Mercy Seat is the place from where God speaks to Moses (cf. Nu 7:89). Ultimately, the final Mercy Seat is the cross of Jesus, the place where God speaks clearly to us: you are forgiven, loved, and redeemed!

In the New Testament reading Jesus heals a paralytic, calls Levi, and answers the question about fasting. Jesus ups the ante by forgiving the paralytic's sins, showing without doubt that he is God. He demonstrates that the grace of God is for everyone, eating with Matthew and other tax collectors. The fasting issue recognizes that Jesus embodies the new covenant. He is the "new wine." Jesus fulfills the Old Testament promises and demonstrates that now the new covenant functions on grace.