Daily Lectionary: Deuteronomy 3:1-29; Matthew 7:1-12
I was glad when they said to me, "Let us go into the house of the LORD."
(Psalm 122:1 from the Introit for Trinity 18)
In the Name + of Jesus. I was glad when they said, “Let us go into the house of the Lord!” Really? Glad? More like, annoyed. Roll back over. Pull the covers up. “Time for church.” You'd rather sleep in. You'd rather do many other things than listen to your pastor drone on or try to sing those hymns that you can't quite get the tune to. So says our sinful flesh.
But for the New Man in Christ, what could be better than going to the Lord's house? What could be better than hearing the comforting words of the Scriptures? Of being reminded of your Baptism? Of hearing that your sins are forgiven? Of singing the Word of God? Of feasting upon the flesh of Christ given for sinners? What greater joy does anything in the world have to offer over the holy gifts Christ gives in His house?
So who wins? Old Adam who wants to pull the covers over his head or New Man who wants to jump up and run to church? Well, you know that some days it seems one wins and some days the other wins. Often, the New Man is given the assistance of persistent parents and a loud alarm clock! But the Spirit who dwells in you is the one who wins. That means your New Man is the one who wins. Off to the Lord's house for you.
And if your sinful flesh fought hard last week and got a short lived victory? Repent and rejoice in the Lord's gifts and forgiveness this week! No dwelling on the past and your sins. Rejoice to be in the Lord's house where your sins are blotted out once more.
After all, this is the house ofJesus, the One who was glad to obey His Father's will and go to the cross! He was glad to go where His Father said, to Calvary to save sinners. For now, risen and glorified, it is the Lord's joy to come to His house, to be present in His Word and Sacrament and do His joyful work of delivering His forgiveness to sinners. To you. In the Name of Jesus. Amen.
I love Your Church, O God, Your saints in ev'ry land, Dear as the apple of Your eye And graven on Your hand. (LSB 651:3)