Epaphras Letters

Jesus knows the truth about the soil—that is, he knows that soil cannot improve itself.  Soil cannot make itself good.  Only the work of another does that.  Jesus knows that, in the making of good soil out of the human heart, only the Word of God is the active agent.  He also would have known that the hearing of the Word of God and understanding it meant “standing under” the authority of the Word of God as a living and active Word of command and promise.  This Word works repentance and new life upon its hearers.  The authority of this Word orders sinners to a merciful death so that saints can be drawn forth in the newness of life.  This death-dealing/life-giving Word (1 Sam. 2:6) kills the Old Adam and the Old Eve and their works, making them fit only for compost (Is. 64:6 & Phil. 3:6-8).  Time and again, the Word of God repents you, making compost of your old life and its works.  Repeated application of such fertilizer eventually makes “good soil” of your heart and your life.  Your repeated return to repentance is the only progress available in your desire to be “good soil.”

Prayers from one who prefers a progress described as “onward and upward” over the progress known as “repeated return to repentance…”

Holy Father, you are the God who kills and makes alive.  Grant that your Son’s command, “Repent!” so work upon me that my entire life is one of repentance.  Lord, make it so!

Holy Father, you are the God who kills and makes alive.  Grant that as I am repented, I would confess my sins and receive the forgiveness of my sins such that I am brought into new life through Jesus Christ, my Lord.  Lord, make it so!

Holy Father, you are the God who kills and makes alive.  Provide for this new life given to me by nourishing it through the means of grace—Your Word and Your sacraments—so that I progress by being repented again and again.  Lord, make it so!

Holy Father, you are the God who kills and makes alive.  As I know the life of humility by that repeated repentance, set my hands to useful work in my vocations and my callings.  Lord, make it so!

Holy Father, you are the God who kills and makes alive.  Through the usefulness of my work and the humility of standing under your Word, grant me contentment during these the days of my baptism.  Lord, make it so!

Holy Father, you are the God who kills and makes alive.  Grant that the Institute of Lutheran Theology provide staff and faculty that raise up preachers of your death-dealing/life-giving Word.  Lord, make it so!

Holy Father, you are the God who kills and makes alive.  Hold me in the humility of walking by faith alone and not by sight as I await the coming of your Son in glory.  Lord, make it so!

Jesus speaks plainly:  The Father hides things.  He hides himself, “Truly, you are a God who hides himself” (Is. 45:15); and he hides all things in Jesus Christ (vs.27).  Why is this so?  It is so that Jesus can be the sole revelation of the Father.  Jesus, the Son, chooses the ones to whom he reveals the Father (vs. 27).  Again, Jesus speaks an exclusionary statement:  Jesus, to the exclusion of every other source, is the only one who reveals the Father.  Jesus is “the way, the truth and the life” (Jn. 14:6) to the exclusion of any other claim to be a way, any other claim to be a truth, and any other claim to be a life.  Jesus possesses “all authority” (Mt. 28:18), excluding every other claim to authority.  Jesus possesses “all things” (Mt. 11: 27) to the exclusion of anyone or anything else asserting a claim to them.   You, know it or not, are possessed by Jesus.  He excludes your being possessed by anything else… even yourself.

Prayers from one who would rather be self-possessed than Jesus-possessed…

Heavenly Father, you have hidden yourself so that you would be revealed in your Son, Jesus Christ.  Provide me with this revelation through the means of grace so that I would not seek you where you do not want to be found; through Jesus Christ, your Son, my Lord.  Amen

Heavenly Father, you have hidden yourself so that you would be revealed in your Son, Jesus Christ.  Provide me with singular reliance on your being revealed through Jesus Christ so that as I come to know him, I come to know you as well; through Jesus Christ, your Son, my Lord.  Amen

Heavenly Father, you have hidden yourself so that you would be revealed in your Son, Jesus Christ.  Provide me with the faith worked by the Holy Spirit as both you and your Son are revealed to me; through Jesus Christ, your Son, my Lord.  Amen

Heavenly Father, you have hidden yourself so that you would be revealed in your Son, Jesus Christ.  As I am held in the faith worked by the Holy Spirit, provide me with confidence such that I can pour myself out in usefulness to my neighbors; through Jesus Christ, your Son, my Lord.  Amen

Heavenly Father, you have hidden yourself so that you would be revealed in your Son, Jesus Christ.  As I am poured out in usefulness, provide me with such encouragement and building up that I do not grow weary in my service; through Jesus Christ, your Son, my Lord.  Amen

Heavenly Father, you have hidden yourself so that you would be revealed in your Son, Jesus Christ.  Grant that the Institute of Lutheran Theology be held as a place where you are made known through the preaching of Jesus Christ, him crucified, and him alone; through Jesus Christ, your Son, my Lord.  Amen

Heavenly Father, you have hidden yourself so that you would be revealed in your Son, Jesus Christ.   As I am encouraged and built up in my usefulness, keep me content in your work as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit so that I patiently await your Son’s manifestation in glory; through Jesus Christ, your Son, my Lord.  Amen

Jesus himself tells us there are criteria of worthiness.  To be “worthy” of Jesus means being a cross-bearer.  Luther speaks of this when describes the marks of the church.  The seventh of the seven marks is, as Luther tells us, the Holy Cross—that is, suffering.  Whoever does not bear this suffering is not “worthy” of Jesus.  In the text before us, Jesus speaks to his disciples… he speaks to all those who are called out of the world into Jesus’ presence in order to receive his gifts which are the forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation.  The ones who are called out of the world are then sent back into to world where they must suffer the hiddenness of Jesus’ gifts.  The forgiveness of sins is hidden beneath the sins they continue to commit.  The eternal life of Jesus is hidden beneath the mortality of their own flesh.  Their salvation is hidden beneath the condemnation and accusation of the law.  This is the mark of the cross to be suffered by those called out of the world to be the church of Jesus Christ.  Without bearing this mark of hiddenness, the church and its members are not worthy of their Lord.

Prayers from one who is continually tempted to throw off the mark of suffering and force Jesus’ gifts into visibility…

Father of my Lord Jesus Christ, you have sent your Son into the world to call his church out of the world.   So open my ears that I would hear his call, gather in his presence, and receive his gifts.  Merciful Father, hear my prayer.

Father of my Lord Jesus Christ, you have sent your Son into the world to call his church out of the world.   Grant that, as I bear the cross of Jesus’ gifts being hidden, I would trust in their reality because your Word has promised them to me.  Merciful Father, hear my prayer.

Father of my Lord Jesus Christ, you have sent your Son into the world to call his church out of the world.   As I am brought to trust and faith in your Word despite the gifts’ hiddenness, grant that my only worthiness consists of believing the words “given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.”  Merciful Father, hear my prayer.

Father of my Lord Jesus Christ, you have sent your Son into the world to call his church out of the world.   As I am gathered with others out of the world and into the church… into the body of Christ, grant that when I am sent out into the world once more, these fellow members of the body receive the benefits of the labor of my hands.  Merciful Father, hear my prayer.

Father of my Lord Jesus Christ, you have sent your Son into the world to call his church out of the world.   As the work of my hands proves useful to those in the world around me, hold me in the humility of walking by faith and not by sight.  Merciful Father, hear my prayer.

Father of my Lord Jesus Christ, you have sent your Son into the world to call his church out of the world.   Provide the Institute of Lutheran Theology with the means to equip and support those who are called out of the world.  Merciful Father, hear my prayer.

Father of my Lord Jesus Christ, you have sent your Son into the world to call his church out of the world.   As I anticipate that day when faith shall become sight, grant to me the patience to await that day suffering the cross of hiddenness during these days of my baptism.  Merciful Father, hear my prayer.

What a reassuring word from Jesus!  He has just delivered prophetic words anticipating the kind of persecution and troubles that will be visited upon his disciples as they are sent out into the world.  In the face of such persecution and troubles, Jesus tells them “Fear not!”  Why should they “fear not?”  They should fear not because they are valuable.  How valuable are they?  They are of more value than many sparrows.  How much are sparrows worth?  They are worth two for a penny (vs. 29).  Yet even these tiny birds of such insignificant worth do not escape the Father’s attention.  Their every death is noted.  So, too, for those who are commanded, “Fear not!”  Their persecution… their troubles… their death… will certainly be noted by the Father who lets nothing, not even the death of insignificant birds, escape his notice.  Now to you, your life also is worth more than many sparrows… your life is noted by the Father… all of its circumstances—persecution, trouble, and even death—do not escape the Father’s attention.  So now you can hear the promise:  your life is of so much value to the Father that he did not send sparrows to be your salvation, but he sent his Son… his only Son… Jesus Christ… to redeem you.  In Christ, you live out the command, “Fear not!”  Thanks be to God!  Amen

Prayers from one whose ears have trouble hearing the “fear not…”

Heavenly Father, gather me safely into your bosom that I may know my worth to you as I live in a world of persecution, hate, betrayal, and death.  For Jesus’ sake.  Amen

Heavenly Father, gather me safely into your bosom that I would have no fear of those who can only destroy my flesh but cannot touch the future you have promised me.  For Jesus’ sake.  Amen

Heavenly Father, gather me safely into your bosom that I would be confident of your faithfulness for your Son has given his life for mine.  For Jesus’ sake.  Amen

Heavenly Father, gather me safely into your bosom and grant that I would be joined by many neighbors, known or not known, so that together we would be the communion of saints.  For Jesus’ sake.  Amen

Heavenly Father, gather me safely into your bosom so that in the communion of saints present there I would know their conversation and their consolation.  For Jesus’ sake.  Amen

Heavenly Father, gather me safely into your bosom that I would witness within the Institute of Lutheran Theology to the surpassing worth we have in the person of Jesus Christ.  For Jesus’ sake.  Amen

Heavenly Father, gather me safely into your bosom so that my wait for Jesus’ manifestation in glory would be one of contentment in my usefulness to family, community, and congregation.  For Jesus’ sake.  Amen

Jesus provides his disciples with a foretaste of their apostolic sending which he will make after his resurrection.  Here, Jesus restricts their sending to the “lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Mt. 10:6).  At the future sending, Jesus puts no restriction on their sending but tells them to go to the ends of the earth.  At this sending, Jesus instructs them to preach the presence of the kingdom of heaven (also known as the kingdom of God).  Their preaching is to have the same content as Jesus’ preaching (cf. Mt. 9:35).  At that future sending, those sent out are to bear witness to Jesus Christ for he is the presence of the kingdom of heaven.  As the kingdom of heaven is preached to the lost sheep of Israel, its presence is established and its benefits realized.  That is, the people receive the healing of their sicknesses and infirmities… they have death put behind them… their demons are cast out.  The people receive these gifts without paying and without cost (witness the prophecy of Isaiah 55:1).  Now to you… you receive the preaching of the kingdom of heaven.  The kingdom is established in your presence so that, in faith, you would receive the same benefits as those lost sheep of Israel:  healing, newness of life, and freedom from demons.  You have ears.  May they be ears to hear the kingdom of heaven preached to you so that you might have such faith.

Prayers from one who’d establish the kingdom of heaven by his own work rather than having it established through the preaching of Christ, Him crucified, and Him alone…

Father in heaven, you sent your one and only Son to establish your kingdom’s presence among us.  Grant that I hear the preaching of Jesus Christ, Him crucified, and Him alone so that I do not look to the work of my hands to bring in the kingdom; through Jesus Christ, your Son, my Lord.  Amen

Father in heaven, you sent your one and only Son to establish your kingdom’s presence among us.  Grant that as I hear the preaching of Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit works through the means of grace to establish me in the faith so that the kingdom is now present to me; through Jesus Christ, your Son, my Lord.  Amen

Father in heaven, you sent your one and only Son to establish your kingdom’s presence among us.    Grant that as I am established in faith by the Holy Spirit, I have no need to look to other gods or idols for reassurance or comfort; through Jesus Christ, your Son, my Lord.  Amen

Father in heaven, you sent your one and only Son to establish your kingdom’s presence among us.   Grant that as other gods and idols are stripped from me I can look to the duties and tasks of my callings and vocations; through Jesus Christ, your Son, my Lord.  Amen

Father in heaven, you sent your one and only Son to establish your kingdom’s presence among us.   Grant that in the midst of fulfilling my callings and vocations I may prove useful to my neighbors in the provision of their daily bread; through Jesus Christ, your Son, my Lord.  Amen

Father in heaven, you sent your one and only Son to establish your kingdom’s presence among us.   Grant that the Institute of Lutheran Theology so fulfill its calling and vocation that Jesus Christ, Him crucified, and Him alone is preached into whatever ears are there to hear; through Jesus Christ, your Son, my Lord.  Amen

Father in heaven, you sent your one and only Son to establish your kingdom’s presence among us.  Grant that during these days of my baptism, my ears are filled with your Word, Jesus Christ, by the preachers you have sent to me, so that my house and all who enter it would know your peace; through Jesus Christ, your Son, my Lord.  Amen

Those Pharisees hear a command from Jesus, “Go and learn!”  This imperative exposes them in their lack of understanding.  In their questioning of Jesus regarding his behavior toward tax collectors and sinners, these Pharisees assumed that “birds of a feather flocked together”—that is, for Jesus to associate with such unclean sinners meant that Jesus himself proved unclean.  The Pharisees considered themselves to be hard workers at their righteousness… sacrificing much of their time and inclinations for the sake of obedience to the Law of Moses—it was their righteousness.  Jesus’ command to them, however, reveals that their sacrifice, no matter how greatly esteemed by themselves and their colleagues, was not at the top of the Lord’s list of priorities.  No, mercy topped that list.  The Pharisees were commanded by Jesus to go and learn what the prophet Hosea meant when he declared, “For I delight in faithfulness, not simply in sacrifice” (Hosea 6:6).  By depending upon their own obedience and sacrifice, the Pharisees simply did not trust God’s mercy and faithfulness but behaved unfaithfully and without mercy.  Jesus’ command comes down to us, challenging us and commanding us, “Go and learn…!” whenever our behavior comes between us and God’s mercy and God’s faithfulness.

Prayers from one who often needs to go and learn our God’s desire for faithfulness over sacrifice…

Heavenly Father, open my eyes to see my sin-sick soul that I may know my sin, my lack of righteousness, and my need to hear the call of Jesus.  Faithful Lord, hear my prayer.

Heavenly Father, open my eyes to see my sin-sick soul that, in hearing the call of Jesus, I would repent of reliance on my own obedience and sacrifice.  And, in that repentance, follow Jesus as my Lord and receive his gifts—the forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation.  Faithful Lord, hear my prayer.

Heavenly Father, open my eyes to see my sin-sick soul that, having been repented and having received Jesus’ gifts, I would enjoy the life given me by Jesus in both this world and the next.  Faithful Lord, hear my prayer.

Heavenly Father, open my eyes to see my sin-sick soul that, as I enjoy the life Jesus gives me, I would see my neighbor’s needs for life as well and be the delivery system of God’s answer to their prayer for daily bread.  Faithful Lord, hear my prayer.

Heavenly Father, open my eyes to see my sin-sick soul that, as I deliver daily bread to my neighbors, I would not be tempted to rely upon this obedience and sacrifice as my righteousness.  Faithful Lord, hear my prayer.

Heavenly Father open, my eyes to see my sin-sick soul that, as I come to receive my righteousness solely from Jesus Christ, I may encourage the Institute of Lutheran Theology to preach and teach Jesus Christ, him crucified, and him alone, as the sole source of our righteousness.  Faithful Lord, hear my prayer.

Heavenly Father, open my eyes to see my sin-sick soul that, as I enjoy the righteousness of Jesus Christ, I would wait in contentment and anticipation for the coming of my Lord Christ in glory, confident that my glory too would be revealed.  Faithful Lord, hear my prayer.

Jesus had a compelling word with which he made disciples, that word was “Follow me!”  We are told in Vs. 18, that all authority in heaven and on earth is possessed by Jesus.  He now distributes this authority to those he is sending out.  He sends them out to accomplish the same task he accomplished, “Make disciples!”  That command is the controlling imperative verb for the entire sentence.  The others are circumstantial participles announcing the conditions under which the authority to “make disciples” will be exercised.  The first condition for the exercise of that disciple-making authority is that of “going.”  The gathered disciples are sent out as apostles to the world… to the ends of the earth.  The second condition for the use of disciple-making authority is “baptizing.”  Only one name—that of “Father, Son, and Holy Spirit”—suffices for the wielding of this authority.  The third condition under which this disciple-making authority is wielded is “teaching.”  They are to teach the ones who would be disciples everything taught by Jesus.  Verse 19-20a could be translated like this: “Therefore, under the circumstances of going [to all nations]… under the circumstances of baptizing them in the [Triune] name… under the circumstances of teaching them all I have commanded you… make disciples.”  As they are sent out to exercise this authority, the source of the authority will never be far from them, “Lo, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Mt. 28:20).

Prayers from one coveting the use of Jesus’ authority for something other than making disciples…

Holy Father, you teach us to pray to you, in the Holy Spirit and through your Son, Jesus Christ, so grant me the exercise of Jesus’ authority that as I go… as I baptize… and as I teach… disciples of Jesus Christ are made by the Holy Spirit to the glory of your name.  I pray through Jesus Christ, my Lord.  Amen

Holy Father, you teach us to pray to you, in the Holy Spirit, and through your Son, Jesus Christ, take me out of coveting the use of Jesus’ authority for my own purposes and glory.  I pray through Jesus Christ, my Lord.  Amen

Holy Father, you teach us to pray in the Holy Spirit and through your Son, Jesus Christ, grant that I be thankful for the comfort of Jesus’ presence and the presence of his authority; his presence and his authority bear the responsibility for making disciples.  I pray through Jesus Christ, my Lord.  Amen

Holy Father, you teach us to pray to you in the Holy Spirit, and through your Son, Jesus Christ, grant me to be faithful in going… diligent in baptizing… and proper in my teaching… so that the authority given to Jesus would have full reign in the making of disciples.  I pray through Jesus Christ, my Lord.  Amen

Holy Father, you teach us to pray to you, in the Holy Spirit and through your Son, Jesus Christ, take from me the coveting of quantity… the making of more and more disciples… and keep me content in my going, with my baptizing, and as I am teaching.  I pray through Jesus Christ, my Lord.  Amen

Holy Father, you teach us to pray to you, in the Holy Spirit, and through your Son, Jesus Christ, be so merciful to the Institute of Lutheran Theology that it, too, may pray thusly.  I pray through Jesus Christ, my Lord.  Amen

Holy Father, you teach us to pray to you, in the Holy Spirit and through your Son, Jesus Christ, so keep me in the company of Jesus Christ through the hearing of your Word that I, too, pray to you in the Spirit and through Jesus.  I pray through Jesus Christ, my Lord.  Amen

Jesus promises to quench your thirst.  Jesus promises to satisfy your hunger (cf. John 6:35).  Aside from thirst and hunger in this passing-away, sin-broken world, there is the hunger and thirst for righteousness (cf. Mt. 5:6).  Jesus promises those that covet righteousness as if it were a thirst for water or a hunger for bread that they will be satisfied… they will be blessed.  Jesus himself will provide that satisfaction and blessing.  Aside from Jesus Christ, no way exists for you to satisfy your thirst for righteousness.  Aside from Jesus Christ, no way exists between you and eternal life.  Your thirst for righteousness can only be quenched… your way to eternal life can only be established… in Jesus Christ… the Bread of Life… the Water of Life.  This living water flows unstoppable out of the font… out from the pulpit… and off from the altar.  Show up, get fed, have a drink, and be satisfied!

Prayers from one who is hardly satisfied with a mere sip of wine, a morsel of bread, or a cupful of bath water…

Holy Father, out of your Son’s heart flow rivers of living waters, grant that I may be so caught up in this thirst-quenching flow that I am washed right through death and into eternal life.  Father of mercies have mercy on me.

Holy Father, out of your Son’s heart flow rivers of living waters, grant that this life-giving flood be so irresistible that I cannot turn back against its current and am taken by it into the New Creation.  Father of mercies have mercy on me.

Holy Father, out of your Son’s heart flow rivers of living waters, grant me to be so soaked by this flood of baptismal waters that no part of me remains dry to seek its own righteousness.  Father of mercies have mercy on me.

Holy Father, out of your Son’s heart flow rivers of living waters, grant this flood of living water to sweep across my community, my nation, my entire world such that all people are drawn to Jesus Christ.  Father of mercies have mercy on me.

Holy Father, out of your Son’s heart flow rivers of living water, grant this living water deliver life unto all those who are dead in their sin.  Father of mercies have mercy on me.

Holy Father, out of your Son’s heart flow rivers of living waters, grant this flood of living water to sweep over the Institute of Lutheran Theology and keep it in the very heart of Christ its Lord.  Father of mercies have mercy on me.

Holy Father, out of your Son’s heart flow rivers of living waters, grant this flood to carry me through the days of my baptism, washing me ever anew and again, until it deposits me in that river which flows straight from the throne of God.  Father of mercies have mercy on me.  Amen

This may come as a shock to you, but you are not in charge of your eternal life.  No, you are not.  The Father has given Jesus Christ authority over all flesh.  With that authority, Jesus Christ, the Son, gives eternal life to all those whom the Father has given him.  How great is this authority given Jesus Christ over all flesh?  It is absolutely all authority… the authority of heaven… the authority of earth… all of it.  Who are those whom the Father has given Jesus Christ?  Everyone; the Father has given all over to Jesus Christ.  Christ himself asserts, “I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself” (John 12:32).  You are not in charge of your eternal life.  Jesus Christ is.  Lest you doubt that you are numbered among those given over to Jesus’ authority, you gather in the sanctuary of your church building, seated before the pulpit, with ears attuned to the voice of your Shepherd as your preacher hands him over to be your life.  Lest you doubt, you gather before the altar, kneeling to receive bread and wine—the flesh of your lord Jesus torn, the blood of your lord Jesus spilled—for whom?  For you!  Lest you doubt, you gather before the baptismal font where the water and the Word are poured out over you, and, in that flood of forgiveness, the Holy Spirit washes you through death and into new life.

Prayers from one who covets taking charge of his own eternal life…

Holy Father, keep me in your name, that I may be one with all the others you keep in your name.  Father of mercies have mercy on me.

Holy Father, keep me in your name, that I would enjoy the free gift of God which is eternal life in Christ Jesus my Lord.  Father of mercies have mercy on me.

Holy Father, keep me in your name, that I would know you as the Father of my Lord Jesus Christ and not the God who hides himself.  Father of mercies have mercy on me.

Holy Father, keep me in your name, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit, I would cry out, “Abba!  Father!” as I would were I a child of your very own keeping.  Father of mercies have mercy on me.

Holy Father, keep me in your name, so that I would tend to the needs of others in the household, providing them with daily bread for life in this world and with the Bread come down from heaven for their life in the world to come.  Father of mercies have mercy on me.

Holy Father, keep me in your name, that I would witness to the free gift before the Institute of Lutheran Theology and, just so, help it to bear witness to that same gift before its students.  Father of mercies have mercy on me.

Holy Father, keep me in your name, that I would not grow weary of doing good during these days of my baptism as I and the entire world wait for our Lord’s manifestation in glory.  Father of mercies have mercy on me.  Amen

With these words, Jesus reveals that no sinner can love him.  I am quite confident that you know sinners, just as I know sinners, who are very capable of an outward, external obedience to the commands of Jesus… indeed, even obedient to the Law of Moses.  But you know as well as I do that external obedience is simply not enough.  There must also be an obedience from the heart.  That obedience trips us up and makes liars of us when we say, “I love you, Jesus.”  The evil and defiling contents of our sinner’s heart (Mt. 7:21-23) put the lie to whatever claims we might make to loving Jesus and demonstrating that love by our external obedience to his command.  Thanks be to God that our eternal life does not depend upon our fickle, failing, and false love for Jesus.  No, that eternal life of ours depends upon Jesus’ love for us and his love is true, constant, and enduring.  Jesus is faithful in his love for us while we are unfaithful in our love for him.  The promise is always this: “Because I live, you also will live” (vs. 19).

Prayers from one who is always trying to pass his love of Jesus off as an authentic love…

Heavenly Father, thank you for your Son’s love of me even as I am the most untrustworthy of lovers in return.  So give to me the love of Jesus that I have the certainty of his promise:  “I live, therefore you will live also.”  Father of mercies, be merciful to me.

Heavenly Father, thank you for your Son’s love of me even as I am the most untrustworthy of lovers in return.  Keep me honest in my confession and humble in my claims so that I do not assert myself as more than a condemned sinner for whom Jesus has died.  Father of mercies, be merciful to me.

Heavenly Father, thank you for your Son’s love of me even as I am the most untrustworthy of lovers in return.  I may be a condemned sinner in this old and passing-away creation, yet Jesus Christ has loved me into a certain faith. I trust that in the New Creation, I will be a beloved child of God and have the run of his household.  Father of mercies, be merciful to me.

Heavenly Father, thank you for your Son’s love of me even as I am the most untrustworthy of lovers in return.  Grant that I prove trustworthy in my vocations and callings given me in this creation broken as it is by sin.  Father of mercies, be merciful to me.

Heavenly Father, thank you for your Son’s love of me even as I am the most untrustworthy of lovers in return.  Grant that my neighbors benefit from the trustworthy exercise of my vocation while they receive what they need for life in this world and the next.  Father of mercies, be merciful to me.

Heavenly Father, thank you for your Son’s love of me even as I am the most untrustworthy of lovers in return.  Keep the Institute of Lutheran Theology in the love of Jesus, too.  Father of mercies, be merciful to me.

Heavenly Father, thank you for your Son’s love of me even as I am the most untrustworthy of lovers in return.  Hold me in the love of Jesus all the days of my baptism until what I now hold in faith is mine by sight in the New Creation.  Father of mercies, be merciful to me.  Amen