25 Sep October 4th Daily Devotion

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

JESUS IS LORD

2 Corinthians 1:24 “Not that we lord it over your faith, but we work with you for your joy, because it is by faith you stand firm.”

In his first letter to the Corinthians, St. Paul, as their pastor, spiritual counselor, and care giver wrote to call them out for a number of public sins the congregation permitted to be ongoing such as incest, fornication, and abuses of the Lord’s Supper. Through his pastoral care he had stepped on the toes of various members.  Some could have felt that he was lording it over the congregation.

Lest there be any doubt and to address any residual criticism of Paul’s efforts to bring the congregation to a recognition of their sins and repentance he said to them here in verse 24, “Not that we lord it over your faith, but we work with you for your joy . . . “  He took no pleasure in using God’s law as if it was a club to bring them into line and under his control.  His goal was that they confess their sins, repent of them and that they experience the joy of receiving God’s forgiveness for Jesus’ sake.

True joy and peace come only when you have confessed your sins, repented of them, and received God’s forgiveness.  Think of the times you have entered God’s house burdened by a sin that weighs heavily on your heart and soul.  In the course of worship, you were led by your pastor to confess that sin along with all others and heard the comforting, assuring words of God’s pardon and forgiveness through the words of absolution.  And then you knelt at the Lord’s table and received the bread and wine, the body and blood of Jesus through which He bestowed upon you His assurance your sin(s) were removed.  They were no longer in His sight.

“It is by faith you stand strong.” (verse 24)  Your faith is not in your pastor, nor congregation, but in Jesus who is the author and perfecter of your faith.  This is exactly what your pastor tells you in his spoken words of absolution, “I forgive you by the authority and command of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”

“ . . . there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live.” (1 Corinthians 8:6) The Gospel assures, “. . . if the Son (Jesus) sets you free (from your sins and eternal death) you shall be free indeed.” (John 8:36)

Prayer:  Dear Jesus set me free from my sins . . .  In Your holy name.  Amen.

Jesus, Thy blood and righteousness

My beauty are, my glorious dress;

Midst flaming worlds, in these arrayed,

With joy shall I lift up my head.

Bold shall I stand in that great day,

Cleansed and redeemed, no debt to pay;

Fully absolved through these I am

From sin and fear, from guilt and shame.

Lord, I believe Thy precious blood,

Which at the mercy seat of God

Pleads for the captives liberty,

Was also shed in love for me.

Lord, I believe, were sinners more

Than sands upon the ocean shore.

Thou hast for all a ransom paid,

For all a full atonement made.

When from the dust of death I rise

To claim my mansion in the skies,

This then shall be my only plea:

Jesus hath lived and died for me.

Jesus, be endless praise to Thee,

Whose boundless mercy hath for me,

For me, and all Thy hands have made,

An everlasting ransom paid.

(LSB 563)