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DARLING DOWNS PARISH OF THE AELC
TRINITY OAKEY, ST PAUL’S GREENWOOD, ST JOHN’S AUBIGNY,
BETHLEHEM TOOWOOMBA
14 June 2015
Bulletin for the 3rd Sunday after Pentecost
HYMNS: 267 116 446 179 (283) 473
INTROIT: Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of wicked
people, stand in the path of sinners, or sit in the seat of scoffers!
Rather, his delight is in the Instruction of the LORD, and on His Instruction he
meditates day and night.
He is like a tree planted beside streams of water, which produces its fruit in its
season, and has leaves that do not wither. Whatever he does prospers.
The ungodly are not like that, but are like the chaff that the wind blows away.
Therefore wicked people will not stand in the judgment, or sinners in the
assembly of righteous people.
For the LORD knows the way of righteous people, but the way of wicked
people will perish.
Psalm 1
COLLECT: Blessed Lord, since You have caused all Holy Scriptures to be
written for our learning, grant that we may so hear them, read, mark, learn,
and inwardly digest them that we embrace and ever hold fast to the blessed
hope of everlasting life; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives
and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
READINGS: Ezekiel 17:22-24 A shoot... will produce branches and bear fruit
2 Corinthians 5:1-17 We live by faith, not by sight
Mark 4:26-34 The parable of the seed growing secretly, and the mustard
seed
The A.E.L.C upholds the Historical, Biblical, and Lutheran practice of Closed Communion (1
Corinthians 10:17). Therefore we ask that only communicant members of the A.E.L.C come
forward today to partake of the Lord’s Supper.
“By partaking of the Sacrament in a church Christians declare that the confession of that church
is their confession. Since people cannot at the same time hold two differing confessions, they
cannot commune in two churches of different confessions. If they do this nevertheless, they
deny their own confession, or have none at all.” (W Elert).
SERMON: Ezekiel 17:22-24 Jesus Christ the Tender Twig
22
This is what the Lord GOD has said: “I Myself shall take one of the highest sprigs of a
cedar-tree and I shall set it out. I shall pluck off one of the topmost of its tender twigs, and
I Myself shall plant it on a high and lofty mountain. 23 I shall plant it on the mountainheight of Israel. It will send out branches, produce fruit, and become a magnificent Cedartree. Every bird, every winged creature, will live under it. They will live in the shade of its
branches. 24 Then all the trees in the field will know that I am the LORD, and that I have
brought the high tree down low. I have made the low tree grow high. I have made the fresh
tree wither, and I have caused the dry tree to sprout. I am the LORD. I have spoken, and I
shall do it.”
How to deal with one another in light of the 8th Commandment
Luther defines the 8th commandment saying, “You shall not bare false witness
against your neighbour. What does this mean? We should fear and love God so
that we do not tell lies about our neighbour, betray him, slander him, or hurt his
reputation, but defend him, speak well of him, and explain everything in the
kindest way,” (Small Catechism).
The pivotal point in Luther’s definition is in the last part, “explain everything in
the kindest way,” or better understood, “put the best construction on everything.”
If we listen to gossip and the lies spread about our neighbour, then we will
approach them with the intention, not of improving their life, but of revealing their
sinful condition in pharisaic pride.
I mention these things as a parish Pastor. Gossip and slander are poison for any
congregation or church body. The moment a reputation is ruined, it is ruined
forever. Forgiveness of sins doesn’t eliminate a bad reputation from the minds of
the assembly. There is only one solution to this problem and it is the preaching of
God’s commandments.
Luther clarified the 8th commandment and its destruction of gossip saying, “To
avoid this vice, therefore, we should note that none has the right to judge and
reprove a neighbour publicly, even after having seen a sin committed, unless
authorised to judge and reprove. There is a very great difference between judging
sin and having knowledge of sin. You may certainly know about a sin, but you
should not judge it. I may certainly see and hear that my neighbour sins, but I
have no command to tell others about it. If I were to interfere and pass judgment
in him, I would fall into a sin greater than that of my neighbour. When you become
aware of a sin, however, do nothing but turn your ears into a tomb and bury it
until you are appointed a judge and are authorised to administer punishment by
virtue of your office,” ( Large Catechism 8th commandment paragraphs 265-266).
Luther states that our ears should become like tombs for gossip about our
neighbour until we are in a God appointed position of judgment. But why? Why
must we remain silent in the face of sin? What is the point? Shouldn’t we protect
the weaker brother in the case of open sin? Luther answers the question as to the
private nature of the 8th commandment saying, “Let this be your rule, then, that
you should not be quick to spread slander and gossip about your neighbours but
admonish them privately so that they may improve. Likewise, do the same when
others tell you what this or that person has done. Instruct them, if they saw the
wrongdoing, to go and reprove the individual personally or otherwise to hold their
tongue,” (Ibid 276).
The negative aspect of the 8th commandment is to not slander your neighbour or
hurt his reputation. This negative is preached in order that the positive nature of
the commandment may be carried out in the Christian life. The purpose of this
commandment is to silence our poisonous tongues in order that we do nothing
except defend our neighbour and seek his improvement. Luther concludes his
thoughts on the 8th commandment saying, “Thus in our relations with one another
all of us should veil whatever is dishonourable and weak in our neighbours, and
do whatever we can to serve, assist, and promote their good name. On the other
hand, we should prevent everything that may contribute to their disgrace, It is a
particularly fine, noble virtue to put the best construction on all we may hear
about our neighbours (as long as it is not an evil that is publicly known), and to
defend them against the poisonous tongues of those who are busily trying to pry
out and pounce on something to criticise in their neighbour, misconstruing and
twisting things in the worst way,” (Ibid 288-289).
The last paragraph in the Large Catechism is a great warning from Luther that
says, “There is nothing around or in us that can do greater good or greater harm
in temporal or spiritual matters than the tongue, although it is the smallest and
weakest member.” The tongue kills and makes alive in the proclamation of the law
and the gospel. (See also James 3).
Let us heed these warnings from Luther concerning how we deal with our
neighbour. Luther does not say that we should compromise or ignore sin, but that
we should live with our brothers and sisters by veiling them in the blood of Christ.
Let us always seek our improvement in our Christian life, but also let us humbly
approach our fellow believers in Christ in order that they may be improved, not
provoked to wickedness and further gossip. Fellowship exists only in the
forgiveness of sins, purchased for us by Christ on the cross and delivered to us in
the means of grace. Let us cling to Christ and silence the devil’s lies. Let us seek
one another’s forgiveness and therefore walk together in the grace of our Lord,
Jesus Christ.
Welcome to all with us today! May God bless our worship of Him by His serving of us!
Today, speaking through his prophet Ezekiel, the LORD God gives another prophecy of the coming
of His Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ, into the world. This tender twig would become a magnificent
Cedar-tree, where we go to for our rest.
Pastor Peter A. Ziebell, Phone 46912276, or 0407583922.
Email him at paziebell@gmail.com
Weekly sermons and bulletins are available at www.aelc.org.au
Please notify pastor of anyone who is unwell or in need of a visit.
COMING SERVICES
21 June
4th Sunday after Pentecost
8.00am Bible Study & 9.00am
HC TMBA
8.30am OAK LR
9.00am GRN LR
10.30am AUB HC
28 June
5th Sunday after Pentecost
8.30am OAK HC
8.30am TMBA LR
9.30am AUB LR
10.00am GRN HC
5 July
6th Sunday after Pentecost
8.30am TMBA HC
8.30am OAK LR
9.00am GRN LR
10.30am AUB HC
Sunday, 21 June
READINGS: Job 38:1-11;
2 Corinthians 6:1-13;
Mark 4:35-41
HYMNS: 524 439 616 (333 335) 436
Sunday, 28 June
READINGS: Lamentations 3:22-33;
2 Corinthians 8:1-9, 13-15;
Mark 5:21-43
HYMNS: 499 431 326 (286 292) 508
ANNOUNCEMENTS
BIBLE STUDIES FOR JUNE:
Friday, 19 June, 7.30pm. Greenwood
Sunday, 21 June, 8.00am. Toowoomba
Friday, 26 June, 7.30pm. Oakey/Aubigny
Pastor has a new email address: paziebell@gmail.com. His current email address,
peterz@bordernet.com.au, no longer works.