Looking Forward to Sunday at St. Thomas—Seventeenth Sunday after Trinity
Start Here: Looking Forward with Issues, Etc.
Each week, the Lutheran radio program Issues, Etc. features an hour long conversation that walks through the propers for the upcoming Sunday in the Church Year. This is a helpful way to prepare your heart and mind to hear God’s Word and receive His gifts.
Listen Now—”Looking Forward to Sunday Morning (One Year Lectionary): Seventeenth Sunday after Trinity”
The Bach Cantata for This Sunday
Johann Sebastian Bach composed sacred cantatas for nearly every Sunday and feast day in the Church Year. These cantatas proclaim Christ through the same Scripture readings and themes appointed for each Sunday.
This Week’s Cantata:
“Wer sich selbst erhöhet” BWV 47
Watch the Performance:
Read the English Translation:
From BachCantataTexts.org—Texts and Historically-Informed Translations for the Music of Johann Sebastian Bach
Sacred Art: The Gospel in Image
Christ Healeth the Dropsical Man
Émile Rouargue, 1795-1865
Brief Commentary
This engraving shows Christ healing the man with dropsy on the Sabbath (Luke 14:1–6). At the doorway of a house filled with Pharisees, Jesus confronts both human suffering and hardened unbelief. The Pharisees surround Christ and the afflicted man at the entrance before the banquet, watching intently to see if He will transgress their warped view of the Law. Yet His deep love and compassion for mankind compel Him to relieve the man of the painful disease of edema.
The Lord of the Sabbath reveals that mercy is the true fulfillment of God’s command. As He lifts the burden of the afflicted, He also unmasks the blindness of self-righteousness. The feast glimpsed behind them hints at the greater banquet of grace, where Christ invites the humble and lowly to be healed, forgiven, and exalted at His table.
The Propers for the Seventeenth Sunday after Trinity
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Seventeenth Sunday after Trinity: Introit
Psalm 119:137, 124a
Righteous art Thou, O LORD, and upright are Thy judgments. Deal with Thy servant according unto Thy mercy.
Seventeenth Sunday after Trinity: Introit Verse
Psalm 119:1
Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD.
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Seventeenth Sunday after Trinity: Collect
Lord, we beseech Thee: grant Thy people grace to avoid the infections of the devil and with pure heart and mind to follow Thee, the only God; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end.
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Seventeenth Sunday after Trinity: Prophecy
Proverbs 25:6–14
Do not exalt yourself in the presence of the king, and do not stand in the place of the great; for it is better that he say to you, “Come up here,” than that you should be put lower in the presence of the prince, whom your eyes have seen. Do not go hastily to court; for what will you do in the end, when your neighbor has put you to shame? Debate your case with your neighbor, and do not disclose the secret to another; lest he who hears it expose your shame, and your reputation be ruined. A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver. Like an earring of gold and an ornament of fine gold is a wise rebuker to an obedient ear. Like the cold of snow in time of harvest is a faithful messenger to those who send him, for he refreshes the soul of his masters. Whoever falsely boasts of giving is like clouds and wind without rain.
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Seventeenth Sunday after Trinity: Gradual
Psalm 33:12
Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD; and the people whom He hath chosen for His own inheritance.
Seventeenth Sunday after Trinity: Gradual Verse
Psalm 33:6
By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of His mouth.
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Seventeenth Sunday after Trinity: Epistle
Ephesians 4:1–6
Brethren: I, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in us all, who is blessed forever and ever. Amen.
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Seventeenth Sunday after Trinity: Alleluia
Psalm 115:11
Ye that fear the LORD, trust in the LORD: He is their help and their shield.
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Seventeenth Sunday after Trinity: Gospel
Luke 14:1–11
At that time: As Jesus went into the house of one of the rulers of the Pharisees to eat bread on the Sabbath, they watched Him closely. And behold, there was a certain man before Him who had dropsy. And Jesus, answering, spoke to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?” But they kept silent. And He took him and healed him, and let him go. Then He answered them, saying, “Which of you, having a donkey or an ox that has fallen into a pit, will not immediately pull him out on the Sabbath day?” And they could not answer Him regarding these things. So He told a parable to those who were invited, when He noted how they chose the best places, saying to them: “When you are invited by anyone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in the best place, lest one more honorable than you be invited by him; and he who invited you and him come and say to you, ‘Give place to this man,’ and then you begin with shame to take the lowest place. But when you are invited, go and sit down in the lowest place, so that when he who invited you comes he may say to you, ‘Friend, go up higher.’ Then you will have glory in the presence of those who sit at the table with you. For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
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Seek Where You May to Find a Way, LSB 557 (WH 245)
Seek where ye may To find a way
That leads to your salvation;
My heart is stilled, On Christ I build,
He is the one Foundation.
His Word is sure, His works endure;
He doth o'erthrow My every foe;
Through Him I more than conquer.Seek whom ye may To be your stay;
None can redeem his brother.
All helpers failed, This Man prevailed,
The God-man, and none other.
Our Servant-Lord Did help afford;
We're justified, For He hath died,
The Guiltless for the guilty.Seek Him alone, Who did atone,
Who did your souls deliver;
Yea, seek Him first, All ye who thirst
For grace that faileth never.
In every need Seek Him indeed;
To every heart He will impart
His blessings without measure.My heart's Delight, My Crown most bright,
Thou, Jesus, art forever.
Nor wealth nor pride Nor aught beside
Our bond of love shall sever.
Thou art my Lord; Thy precious Word
Shall be my guide, Whate'er betide.
Oh, teach me, Lord, to trust Thee!Hide not from me, I ask of Thee,
Thy gracious face and favor.
Though floods of woe Should o'er me flow,
My faith shall never waver.
From pain and grief Grant sweet relief;
For tears I weep, Lord, let me reap
Thy heavenly joy and glory.
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Seventeenth Sunday after Trinity: Offertory
Daniel 9:4, 17a, 19b
I , Daniel, prayed unto my God, saying, Hear, O Lord, the prayer of Thy servant, and cause Thy face to shine upon Thy sanctuary, and mercifully hearken unto this Thy people, which are called by Thy name, O God.
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Seventeenth Sunday after Trinity: Communio
Psalm 76:11–12
Vow, and pay unto the LORD your God: let all that be round about Him bring presents unto Him that ought to be feared. He shall cut off the spirit of princes: He is terrible to the kings of the earth.
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Seventeenth Sunday after Trinity: Complend
We beseech Thee, Almighty God, that by these Thy means of sanctification both our vices may be cured and everlasting remedies spring up for us; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end.
Lectionary Theme Summary
This Sunday’s readings center on:
Whoever Humbles Himself Will Be Exalted
“Do not put yourself forward in the king’s presence” (Prov. 25:6–14). Rather, take the lowest position at the table. Humble yourself before Him. For your place is not for you to take but for Him to give. Conduct yourself with all lowliness and gentleness, bearing with one another in love (Eph. 4:1–6), that the King may give you glory in the presence of those at the table with you. “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted” (Luke 14:1–11). Is this not the way of Christ? He is the one who took the lowest place, who humbled Himself even to the point of death for us. He is now exalted to the highest place at the right hand of the Father that penitent believers may be exalted together with Him in the resurrection. To the humble at His Supper He says, “Friend, move up higher,” giving you His very body and blood for your forgiveness that you may ascend to take part in the great wedding feast which has no end.
Veit Dietrich Summary Collect:
Lord God, heavenly Father, guide and direct us by Your Holy Spirit that we may not exalt ourselves but humbly fear You with our whole hearts, hear and keep Your Word, and hallow the Lord's Day. With your Word, help us to place our hope and confidence in Your Son, Jesus Christ, who alone is our righteousness and Redeemer, and then, to amend and better our lives according to Your Word, that we may avoid all offenses and finally obtain eternal salvation; through Your grace in Christ, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one true God, now and forever. Amen.
Voices of the Church: Fathers and Confessions
Each Sunday, the Church gathers to hear Christ in the Scriptures, and she has always confessed that Word with one voice. This section features brief excerpts from the Church Fathers, the Lutheran Confessions, usually the Large Catechism and the Formula of Concord. These selections highlight how the Church in every age has confessed the same faith drawn from God’s Word. Use them for meditation and instruction as we prepare to receive Christ’s gifts anew.
From the Church Fathers
BALDWIN OF FORDE (SPIRITUAL TRACTATES)
The greater you are, the more you should humble yourself in all things. It is as if he said, the measure of your humility should be equal to the greatness of your dignity. Humility in honor is itself the honor of honor and the dignity of dignity. No dignity deserves the name of dignity if it scorns humility. For just as humility engenders honor, so too it preserves it. Every advancement in honor, when it takes place in due and proper order, begins with humility and ends with a high position, and he who humbles himself will be exalted, provided he does not humble himself in order to be exalted, but rather humbles himself so as not to be exalted. Not to be exalted in the world, I mean. In the eyes of God, he is exalted. Someone who is truly humble does not strive for honor. When he receives honor, he does not snatch at it, through ambition, but because of his humility, he is himself snatched away to honor. Thus, he is not someone who plunders honor, but is like the plunder of honor itself. Humility without honor is sufficient in itself for honor, but honor without humility only brings upon itself confusion. Thus, just as humility justly precedes honor, it also justly preserves it. Those in positions of honor, therefore, should see that they show themselves humble in all things.
From the Large Catechism
THIRD COMMANDMENT (I.83-86)
The simpleminded need to grasp a Christian meaning about what God requires in this commandment. Note that we don’t keep holy days for the sake of intelligent and learned Christians. (They have no need of holy days.) We keep them first of all for bodily causes and necessities, which nature teaches and requires. We keep them for the common people, manservants and maidservants, who have been attending to their work and trade the whole week. In this way they may withdraw in order to rest for a day and be refreshed.
Second, and most especially, on this day of rest (since we can get no other chance), we have the freedom and time to attend divine service. We come together to hear and use God’s Word, and then to praise God, to sing and to pray [Colossians 3:16].
However, this keeping of the Sabbath, I point out, is not restricted to a certain time, as with the Jewish people. It does not have to be just on this or that day. For in itself no one day is better than another [Romans 14:5–6]. Instead, this should be done daily. However, since the masses of people cannot attend every day, there must be at least one day in the week set apart. From ancient times Sunday ‹the Lord’s Day› has been appointed for this purpose. So we also should continue to do the same, in order that everything may be done in an orderly way [1 Corinthians 14:40] and no one may create disorder by starting unnecessary practices.
This is the simple meaning of the commandment: People must have holidays. Therefore, such observances should be devoted to hearing God’s Word so that the special function of this day of rest should be the ministry of the Word for the young and the mass of poor people [Nehemiah 8:2–3, 8]. Yet the resting should not be strictly understood to forbid any work that comes up, which cannot be avoided.
SACRAMENT OF THE ALTAR (V.55-61)
But if you say, “How can I come if I feel that I am not prepared?” Answer, “That is also my cause for hesitation, especially because of the old way under the pope.” At that time we tortured ourselves to be so perfectly pure that God could not find the least blemish in us. For this reason we became so timid that we were all instantly thrown into fear and said to ourselves, “Alas! we are unworthy!” Then nature and reason begin to add up our unworthiness in comparison with the great and precious good. Then our good looks like a dark lantern in contrast with the bright sun, or like filth in comparison with precious stones. Because nature and reason see this, they refuse to approach and wait until they are prepared. They wait so long that one week trails into another, and half the year into the other. If you consider how good and pure you are and labor to have no hesitations, you would never approach.
Therefore, we must make a distinction here between people. Those who are lewd and morally loose must be told to stay away [1 Corinthians 5:9–13]. They are not prepared to receive forgiveness of sin, since they do not desire it and do not wish to be godly. But the others, who are not such callous and wicked people, and who desire to be godly, must not absent themselves. This is true even though otherwise they are feeble and full of infirmities. For St. Hilary also has said, “If anyone has not committed sin for which he can rightly be put out of the congregation and be considered no Christian, he ought not stay away from the Sacrament, lest he should deprive himself of life.” No one will live so well that he will not have many daily weaknesses in flesh and blood.
Such people must learn that it is the highest art to know that our Sacrament does not depend upon our worthiness. We are not baptized because we are worthy and holy. Nor do we go to Confession because we are pure and without sin. On the contrary, we go because we are poor, miserable people. We go exactly because we are unworthy. This is true unless we are talking about someone who desires no grace and Absolution nor intends to change.
From the Formula of Concord, Solid Declaration
THE LAW AND THE GOSPEL (V.21-22)
Everything that comforts, that offers God’s favor and grace to transgressors of the Law, is, and is properly called, the Gospel. It is a good and joyful message that God will not punish sins, but will forgive them for Christ’s sake.
Every penitent sinner ought to believe (i.e., place his confidence) in the Lord Christ alone. For Christ “was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification” (Romans 4:25). “He made Him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21), “whom God made our wisdom and our righteousness and sanctification and redemption” (1 Corinthians 1:30). His obedience is credited to us for righteousness before God’s strict court, so that the Law, as set forth above, is a ministry that kills through the letter and preaches condemnation (2 Corinthians 3:6, 9). The Gospel “is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes” (Romans 1:16), which preaches righteousness and gives the Spirit (1 Corinthians 1:18; Galatians 3:2). Dr. Luther taught this distinction with special diligence in nearly all his writings and has properly shown that the knowledge of God from the Gospel is far different from that which is taught and learned from the Law. Even the pagans, to a certain extent, had a knowledge of God from the natural law. But they neither knew Him nor glorified Him correctly (Romans 1:19–32) [LW 22:150–54].
Devotional Suggestions for the Week
Pray the Collect.
Read aloud at least the Gospel text one evening as a family and discuss the sacred art.
Sing a stanza of the Hymn of the Day before dinner or bedtime.
Listen to the Cantata on Saturday night or Sunday morning before church.
Review the Voices of the Church section connected to this Sunday.
Stay Connected
Join us for the Chief Divine Service on Sunday at 9:00 AM and Family Catechesis at 10:30 AM at Klein Funeral Home in Magnolia (14711 FM 1488). All are welcome to hear Christ’s Word and receive His gifts.
To learn more about St. Thomas Evangelical Lutheran Church and our mission in Magnolia, visit our homepage.
