Northwoods Table Talk

Lectionary for January 13 Ezekiel 36:13-28        Romans 4:1-25 Let us take a moment to look at the last few verses of our Old Testament reading. 22  “Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘Thus says the Lord God, “It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for My holy name, which you have profaned among the nations where you went.  23  I will vind icate the holiness of My great name which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned in their midst. Then the nations will know that I am the Lord,” declares the Lord God, “when I prove Myself holy among you in their sight.  24  For I will take you from the nations, gather you from all the lands and bring you into your own land.  25  Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols.  26  Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and

  Lectionary for January 12 Ezekiel 34:1-24       Romans 3:19-31 This Old Testament lesson is truly amazing. I do not know how many Christians believe that the Old Testament is all about the Law, and the New Testament is about the Gospel, but the numbers must be staggering.   It is incredible how many times Christians will say something like, “We’re people of the New Testament, not the Old Testament.”   And yet, the merciful heart of our Lord is so vibrantly exposed and brilliantly expressed in this text from Ezekiel. Let me reprint here verses 11-16.   11  “For thus says the Lord  God :  Behold, I, I  myself will search for my sheep and will seek them out.   12  As a shepherd seeks out his flock when he is among his sheep that have been scattered, so will I seek out my sheep, and I will rescue them from all places where they have been scattered on  a day of clouds and  thick darkness.   13  And I will bring them out from the peoples  and gather them from the countries, and will bring