Greetings in Christ,

This weekend picks up right where last week’s Gospel lesson left off.

The disciples are still wrestling with putting other things ahead of Christ. Last week they were talking about their own greatness. This week the conversation continues as they continue to wrestle with that same issue.

Jesus responds by exhorting them, and us today, to avoid placing obstacles to Christ in the way of others as well as to remove any such stumbling blocks that are in our paths. Anything that hampers our faith in Jesus leads to sin and is, thus, a sinful stumbling block. Instead, we are to examine ourselves, pray, repent and look to Christ in faith trusting His words that he has removed every obstacle between you, me, and the one true God.

As you prepare for the Divine Service this weekend, you can take a look at the Service Folder to find the readings, prayers, and other parts of the service that will help to guide your reflection and prayer.

You can dig deeper into the parts of this weekend’s service with this segment from Issues, Etc.

Here’s the Lectionary Summary for the upcoming weekend that ties the themes of the weekend together:

Christ Jesus, the Son of God, Cares for Us and Serves Us with the Forgiveness of Sins

When the people of Israel wept, complaining that they had no meat to eat (Num. 11:4), Moses cried out to the Lord that “the burden of all this people” was too heavy for him and that he was “not able to carry all this people alone” (Num. 11:11–14). So the Lord had Moses gather “seventy men of the elders of Israel” (Num. 11:16), and the Lord “took some of the Spirit that was on him and put it on the seventy elders” (Num. 11:25), so that Moses would not carry the burden alone. All who thus labor are honored, and all the people are cared for, in the name of the Lord (Mark 9:39–41). Everything is done with reference to Christ Jesus. So we cling to Him, and we flee from all sins that would separate us from Him (Mark 9:42–48). The life of the Church is one of repentant faith in Christ. Christians confess their sins to one another, and they “pray for one another,” that each would be raised up and healed by the Lord Jesus, who covers “a multitude of sins” and saves our souls from death (James 5:15–20).

If you weren’t able to join us for service last week, you can catch up now.
I look forward to seeing you this weekend!

Blessings on your day!

In Christ,
Pastor Demski

Published by pastordemski