August 18, 2012 - Saturday of the Tenth Week after Trinity

Daily Lectionary: 2 Samuel 7:18-20; 1 Corinthians 10:23 - 11:14

Let God arise, Let His enemies be scattered; Let those also who hate Him flee before Him. (Psalm 68:1 from the Introit for Trinity 11)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Those words from Psalm 68 were spoken when the Israelites marched forth—the Ark of the Covenant in their midst. They boldly marched even through the land of their enemies because where the Ark was, the Lord was and they needn't fear their enemies.

When you go to church, the sign of the cross is made over you in remembrance of your baptism. Holy Absolution wipes out all the sins that would convict you. The Word preached into your ears steels you with the forgiveness of sins and the blessing of Christ. By the body and blood of Jesus, the Lord Himself lives in you, just as if you had the Ark of the Covenant in your midst.

And when you walk out that door, the Lord, who rose from the dead and who lives in you, scatters your enemies. Sin, death, devil, and hell itself run away from you when you stride out of that sanctuary full of Jesus. They cannot bear to be where Jesus is.

Those enemies would like you to forget that. They want you to believe that you have to obey them, that you have no power over them. But plug your ears to that lie! Satan is compared to a roaring lion who seeks whom he may devour. But one of the church fathers, St. John Chrysostom, reminds us that when we eat and drink Jesus' body and blood, it is we who are the roaring lion who charge down and scatter our enemies!

When you leave the divine service tomorrow, remember that you march forth with Christ in you and that none of your enemies can touch you! In the Name of Jesus. Amen.

Here our true Paschal Lamb we see, Whom God so freely gave us; He died on the accursed tree—So strong His love—to save us. See, His blood now marks our door; Faith points to it; death passes o'er, And Satan cannot harm us. Alleluia! (LSB 458:5)

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