Cantate Thursday - Devotion in Exile

Lection for Cantate Thursday
Leviticus 24:1-23     Luke 12:54-13:17

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

We Lutherans know grace pretty well. We know we are forgiven, redeemed by the work of Christ on the cross, and that our works do not help in any way to save us. We also know well Paul’s passage which proclaims that even our faith is not our own work, but a gift of God – the workmanship of Christ in us – in Ephesians 2:8-10. For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that (faith) not of yourselves, it (faith) is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.

But God does expect us to be doing “good works,” in fact, that is the meaning of the parable Jesus tells in the text from Luke’s Gospel you read earlier.

6 And He began telling this parable: “A man had a fig tree which had been planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it and did not find any. 7 And he said to the vineyard-keeper, ‘Behold, for three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree without finding any. Cut it down! Why does it even use up the ground?’ 8 And he answered and said to him, ‘Let it alone, sir, for this year too, until I dig around it and put in fertilizer; 9 and if it bears fruit next year, fine; but if not, cut it down.’”

A fig tree produces figs – a Christian produces works in keeping with repentance.

If the fig tree produces no fruit after continued care, it will be cut down – need I say it?

We have various vocations in which we live our lives; husband, wife, son, daughter, parent, child, employer, employee, citizen, part of government, and many others – and in our case, all under the over-arching vocation of Christian, child of God.

It means, that in our relationship with God we will:

fear, love, and trust in God above all things;

call upon His name in every trouble, pray, praise, and give thanks;

hold preaching and His Word sacred, gladly hearing and learning it – gathering (when we are able, in His house to thankfully receive His gifts to us);

It also means, that in our relationship with our neighbors we will:

honor, serve and obey, love and cherish our parents and other authorities;

help and support our neighbor in every physical need;

lead a sexually pure and decent life in what we say and do, and husband and wife love and honor each other;

help our neighbor improve and protect his possessions and income;

defend, speak well of, and explain everything in the kindest way in regard to our neighbors;

help and be of service to our neighbor in keeping his house;

and we will encourage our neighbor’s wife, workers, animals, to stay and do their duty.

All these things we will do, not because we are looking to earn something before God, but because we love and trust in Him and gladly do what He commands. We are fig trees, that, because we are alive, cannot help but produce figs. A dead fig tree produces no figs – a thistle produces no figs – a dandelion produces no figs.

We are Christians, the works of Christ will be done in us and through us.

What a joy it is to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength.

What a joy it is to love the neighbors God has placed in our lives – all those created in His image – all those also for whom Christ died.

This is how the grace of God in Christ Jesus in us looks to the world, like fig trees producing an wonderful crop of figs!

Let us pray:      All thanksgiving to You, dear Father in heaven, for You have adopted us into Your divine family through the Sacrament of Holy Baptism. Baptized into Christ’s death and resurrection, we have died to sin and risen to new life. Fill us with Your Holy Spirit, that we would live lives of daily repentance and faith, ever clinging to Jesus, our living Redeemer, for forgiveness, life and salvation – and that our lives here would bring for the abundant fruit of you grace in love toward You and our neighbors. Amen.