MALAGASY LUTHERANA CHURCH
Communion’s prayer, Sunday I after Trinity
Week from 04th to 09th June 2018
“The wisdom according to God”
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Introduction: “The wisdom according to God”: this theme states about the existence of a wisdom which comes from God, and which is in his service; and also that of a wisdom that does not come from Him nor obey Him. The wisdom according to God comes from above, from God, a wisdom which relies on God through the faith in Him, and which seeks and obeys his will. As of the wisdom that is not according to God, it does not come from God, does not relies on Him and does not seek his will. Such wisdom is purely human, it does not believe in God and has nothing to do with Him. Coming from the earth, it is “earthly, unspiritual, demonic” (Jas 3:15). The wisdom according to God honors Him as the Creator of all things, as said by the Psalmist: “How many are your works, O Lord! In wisdom you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures” Ps 104:24. And since it is infinitely valuable to possess wisdom, some strive for it through “philosophy”─ which signifies: “love of wisdom”. It is not that the philosophy is bad per se, rather, if combined with disbelief against God, it becomes meaningless and foolishness in God’s eyes, as it is a wisdom that cannot save. The Holy Scriptures declares: “For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe” 1 Cor 1:21. Happy and blessed is the man who possesses the wisdom according to God. In this regard, the Holy Scriptures exhorts us, saying: “if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God” Jas 1:5a. For “wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul. Discretion will protect you, and understanding will guard you” Pr 2:10-11. What then should we do? “Believe in Jesus, the wisdom of God” (1 Cor 1:24), “Receive the Holy Spirit” Jn 20:22 and accept to be “led by the Spirit” (Gal 5:18). For He is “the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding” Is 11:2.
Monday 04: The wisdom according to God is pleasing to Him.
“But let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord” Jer 9:24a.
Reading 1: Gal 6:11-15; Reading 2: Jer 9:23-24; Preaching 1 (free choice); Preaching 2: Jer 9:23. Other references:
– “The wise inherit honor, but fools he holds up to shame” Pr 3:35.
– “Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting ; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised” Pr 31 :30.
– “The Lord knows the thoughts of man; he knows that they are futile” Ps 94:11.
Tuesday 05 : The wisdom according to God.
“But you, man of God, … pursue righteousness, godliness” 1 Tim 6 :11a.
Reading 1: Ps 1:1-3; Reading 2: 1 Tim 6:6-11; Preaching 1 (free choice); Preaching 2: 1 Tim 6:11. Other references:
– “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” Ps 111:10a.
– “The spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but he himself is not subject to any man’s judgment” 1 Cor 2:15.
Wednesday 06: Wisdom leads to life.
“For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it” Mt 16:25.
Reading 1: 2 Tan 1:7-13; Reading 2: Mt 16:24-27; Preaching 1 (free choice); Preaching 2: Mt 16:24-25. Other references:
– “He who gets wisdom loves his own soul; he who cherishes understanding prospers” Pr 19:8.
– “Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom” Ps 90:12.
– “But wisdom is proved right by her actions” Mt 11:19b.
Thursday 07: Seek the wisdom which comes from God.
“If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God” Jas 1:5.
Reading 1: Jas 3:13-18; Reading 2: Jas 1:5-8; Preaching 1 (free choice); Preaching 2: Jas 1:5-6. Other references:
– “How much better to get wisdom than gold, to choose understanding rather than silver” Pr 16: 16.
– “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God” Col 3:1-2.
Friday 08 : Rebellion conducts oneself to perdition.
“But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself” Rom 2:5.
Reading 1: Lk 15:11-15; Reading 2: Rom 2:1-10; Preaching 1 (free choice); Preaching 2: Rom 2:5-6. Other references:
– “For the earth is filled with violence because of them. I am surely going to destroy both them and the earth” Gen 6:13b.
– “For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He has rejected you as king” 1 Sam 15:23.
– “Then Jesus began to denounce the cities in which most of his miracles had been performed, because they did not repent” Mt 11:20a.
Saturday 09: The wise will inherit the eternal life
“Now, this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent” Jn 17:3.
Reading 1: Ecc 2:24-26; Reading 2: Jn 17:1-5; Preaching 1 (free choice); Preaching 2: Jn 17:3. Other references:
– “The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life” Gal.6:8.
– “The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever” 1 Jn 2:17.
Note: This pericope is available in Malagasy, French, English and German, and can be consulted on the website: www.hifimadanet.org and on Facebook : « Hifi – english « .