25 Sep October 12th Daily Devotion

A SERIES OF DEVOTIONS BASED ON PAUL’S SECOND LETTER TO THE CORINTHIANS

GOD’S LAW & GOSPEL AT WORK

2 Corinthians 3:7 – 8  “Now if the ministry that brought death, which was engraved in letters on stone, came with glory, so that the Israelites could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of its glory, transitory though it was,  will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious?”

Today, St. Paul’s words here in 2 Corinthians 3:7-8 take you back far into the Old Testament.  Through them you stand with the Children of Israel at the foot of a mountain watching Moses, the greatest spiritual leader in the Old Testament, chosen by God to bring down ten written words.  These words God gave Moses were a message of death because they powerfully condemn everyone who reads or hears them as willful, disobedient breakers of everyone of those ten God given laws.  Thus, Paul wrote in the New Testament, “The wages of sin is death. . .”

No wonder the Israelites were unable to deal with the glory that surrounded Moses.  The only solution for them was for Moses to place a veil over his face.  God’s Law was doing its work.  The people immediately realized their sinfulness and separation from God.

They then nor you today should despair.  Hope was not absent.  It was not to be found in the golden calf the people urged Aaron to create for them.  Their hope in facing their sinfulness and the eternal death the Law demanded, was God’s covenant with them: “I will be Your God and you will be my people.” (Exodus 6:7)  Intimately tied to this covenant was God’s promise to Adam and Eve, their ancestral parents, that God would send a Savior who would go toe-to-toe with Satan, defeat and destroy him for the sake of God’s promise of forgiveness and eternal life.

Through your baptism and the power of the Gospel the death demanded by the Law, because you have broken it countless times, you fear not because Jesus came into the world that you might have life abundantly. (John 1:4)  You have His promise that by believing in Him you will have eternal life. (John 3:16-17)

There is another writing from God beside His Ten Words from Siani.  His other word to you John wrote about, “But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name.” (John 20:31) It is this writing, the Gospel, was given by God with power for your salvation. (Romans 1:16) “The wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23) but “the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23)

Prayer:  Bless me Lord through Your Law to show me my sins and the Gospel to show me my Savior.  In His holy name.  Amen.

Speak, O Lord, Your servant listens, Let Your Word to me come near;

Newborn life and spirit give me; Let each promise still my fear.

Death’s dread pow’r, it’s inward strife,

Wars against Your Word of life; Fill me, Lord, with love’s strong favor

That I cling to You forever!

Oh, what blessing to e near You And to listen to Your voice;

Let me ever love and hear You, Let Your Word be now my choice!

Many hardened sinners, Lord, Flee in terror at Your Word;

But to all who feel sin’s burden You give words of peace and pardon.

Lord, Your words are waters living When my thirsting spirit pleads.

Lord, Your words are bread life-giving;

On Your words my spirit feeds. Lord, Your words will be my light

Through death’s cold and dreary night;

Yes, they are my sword prevailing And my cup of joy unfailing!

As I pray, dear Jesus, hear me; Let Your words in me take root.

May Your Spirit e’er be near me That I bear abundant fruit.

May I daily sing Your praise, From my heart glad anthems raise,

Till my highest praise is given In the endless joy of heaven.

(LSB 589)