July 24, 2022

Seventh Sunday after Pentecost

READINGS FOR THE COMING WEEK

• First reading and Psalm
  • Hosea 1:2-10
  • Psalm 85
• Alternate First reading and Psalm
  • Genesis 18:20-32
  • Psalm 138
• Second reading
  • Colossians 2:6-15, (16-19)
• Gospel
  • Luke 11:1-13

The First Reading from Hosea:
When the LORD first spoke through Hosea, the LORD said to Hosea, “Go, take for yourself a wife of whoredom and have children of whoredom, for the land commits great whoredom by forsaking the LORD.” So he went and took Gomer daughter of Diblaim, and she conceived and bore him a son. And the LORD said to him, “Name him Jezreel; for in a little while I will punish the house of Jehu for the blood of Jezreel, and I will put an end to the kingdom of the house of Israel. On that day I will break the bow of Israel in the valley of Jezreel.”

She conceived again and bore a daughter. Then the LORD said to him, “Name her Lo-ruhamah, for I will no longer have pity on the house of Israel or forgive them. But I will have pity on the house of Judah, and I will save them by the LORD their God; I will not save them by bow, or by sword, or by war, or by horses, or by horsemen.”

When she had weaned Lo-ruhamah, she conceived and bore a son. Then the LORD said, “Name him Lo-ammi, for you are not my people and I am not your God.” Yet the number of the people of Israel shall be like the sand of the sea, which can be neither measured nor numbered; and in the place where it was said to them, “You are not my people,” it shall be said to them, “Children of the living God.”

The gospel from Luke:
Jesus was praying in a certain place, and after he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.”

He said to them, “When you pray, say: Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone indebted to us. And do not bring us to the time of trial.”

And he said to them, “Suppose one of you has a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; for a friend of mine has arrived, and I have nothing to set before him.’ And he answers from within, ‘Do not bother me; the door has already been locked, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot get up and give you anything.’

I tell you, even though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, at least because of his persistence he will get up and give him whatever he needs. “So I say to you, Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you.

For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. Is there anyone among you who, if your child asks for a fish, will give a snake instead of a fish? Or if the child asks for an egg, will give a scorpion?

If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

Sermon
In chapter 1 of Hosea, Hosea, a prophet, is told by God to marry Goma and they have three children. In chapter 2, Pastor Stevensen tells us that Hosea learns that Goma was not faithful. In chapter 3, Goma runs away and Hosea is told by God to buy her back. God is faithful but Israel is not, just as God brings back his people by the death of His Son. Our Lord’s Prayer is given in Matthew and with slightly different wording in Luke followed by a parable about the power of prayer. To ask for bread, search and you will find, knock and the door will open. Trust the Lord and be persistent in prayer. In the Lord’s Prayer we ask “give us this day our daily bread.” God is faithful. A hymn sings “God is thy faithfulness and trustworthiness.” Luther emphasized God’s faithfulness and trustworthiness repeatedly. The Christian faith is in His promises…………

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