Scripture Readings: Ezekiel 3:16-21 Psalm 139: 1-12 Romans 10:8-18 St. John 1:35-42a
Collect of the Day:
Almighty God, by Your grace the apostle Andrew obeyed the call of Your Son to be a disciple. Grant us also to follow the same Lord Jesus Christ in heart and life, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
About St. Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, was born in the Galilean village of Bethsaida. Originally a disciple of St. John the Baptist, Andrew then became the first of Jesus’ disciples (John 1:35-40). His name regularly appears in the Gospels near the top of the lists of the Twelve. It was he who first introduced his brother Simon to Jesus (John 1:41-42). He was, in a real sense, the first home missionary, as well as the first foreign missionary (John 12:20-22). Tradition says Andrew was martyred by crucifixion on a cross in the form of an X. In AD 357, his body is said to have been taken to the Church of the Holy Apostles in Constantinople and later removed to the cathedral of Amalfi in Italy. Centuries later, Andrew became the patron saint of Scotland. St. Andrew’s Day determines the beginning of the Western Church Year, since the First Sunday in Advent is always the Sunday nearest to St. Andrew’s Day.
Reflection, by Pr. Valerius Herberger (21 April 1562-18 May 1627,a German Lutheran preacher and theologian
Reverent hearts, we hold the feast of the apostle Andrew in Christendom as the first in the [Church] Year not only because it falls near the season of Advent but also because Andrew was called first, before the other apostles, by the Lord Jesus. Even Durandus the bishop of Mende (13th century liturgist) , says, “The saints are be honored by imitation, not adored, as honor them as gods. They are to be honored with love, not adored with servitude.”
Now history tells us how St. Andrew, together with his fellows conducted their new office. Right away they left their nets and followed the Lord Jesus. And again, right away they left the ship and their father and followed Him. To them, Jesus is now the most precious one on earth—according to His mind they learn, according to His words they teach, according to His will they live, according to His decree they suffer and die. When St. Andrew was threatened with the cross, he said joyfully, “If I feared the punishment of the cross, I would never have preached the mystery of the cross.” Then when he saw the cross, he spoke, “Hail, precious cross, you who were dedicated by the body of Christ; may He receive me through you, who redeemed me through you.” And when he was living after three days on the cross, his hearers wanted to take him down by force, but he said, “Ah, let God take care of it! Do not make the peace of the Gospel suspect by your unnecessary revolt against the government.” That was apostolic constancy and long-suffering! This is what it means to “leave everything and follow Christ,” all the way to the last catch of fish.
St. Andrew was less an admirer of Jesus, and more a follower of the Lord. Jesus said to Andrew and his brother Simon (Peter), “Follow me”. Many worldlings admire Jesus but don’t follow him. Many Christians as well, yet even admiration can be turn into imitation. Andrew followed the Lord to Andrew’s own x-shaped cross. The Lord had taught the apostles that this would happen. Andrew’s hearers wanted to take him down from the cross which would have been to revolt against the government to save himself, but as you read in the bio, Andrew said, “Ah, let God take care of it! Do not make the peace of the Gospel suspect by your unnecessary revolt against the government.” That was apostolic constancy and long-suffering! This is what it means to “leave everything and follow Christ,” all the way to the last catch of fish.”
Andrew heard the Lord said, Take up your cross and follow me. We do not know the shape of our crosses, as Andrew did not know his literal x-shaped cross. On this date, in 2004, a dear mentor, Pastor Louis A. Smith, became painfully ill in his abdomen and at the hospital while being wheeled in for surgery died from a burst abdominal aorta. We were at a retreat when this happened and to the end Lou was doing what the Lord called him to do: a Pastor teaching and by teaching of the Word giving support, challenge and comfort to the brethren, “…all the way to the last catch of fish”.
Addendum: The following quotes are either from Pr. Smith’s sermons and articles or from my many conversations with him. Talking with Lou epitomized Luther’s saying that the conversation and the consolation of the brethren is almost a sacrament.–Pr. Schroeder
“Most bad theology begins with bad taste.”
Note: the NT Greek, episcopos,means oversight, and which is translated “bishop”. We were talking about bishops in the ELCA and Pastor Smith said: “Episcopos” means oversight, not overlook.”
Towards the end of her life, Pastor Smith’s mother lived with Lou and his wife Helen. Mom was quite a handful for Pastor and Mrs. Smith because of her rather cantankerous personality. Lou and I were talking about that and Lou said, “You know, it is really hard to keep the 4th Commandment”.
Me: “I’ve always had troubles with the “unity” or “Cana” candle ceremony in a wedding service and I can’t put my finger on why?” Lou: “Note: you don’t need two candles to light one candle, so yeah, something is going on here. The physical element of the sacrament of marriage is the two become one flesh. Since most couples have already done that and so the ‘unity candle’ has been introduced and has become an ersatz ‘sacrament’”.
“I’ve told Church Councils at meetings about my salary, that when it comes to preaching, baptizing and presiding, I do this for nothing. Church council meetings: This is what I get paid for.”
Me: “I usually am flummoxed when asked, When did the Lord call you into the Ministry?” Lou: “When you were ordained, Mark.”
Me: It is said that Lutheran Church is a “confessing movement” in the church catholic. Lou: “I was not baptized into a movement but the one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.”
“The interpretive task is not so much to understand the Word of the Bible as it is to stand under the Word of the Bible. It is, after all, not the Bible that is the puzzle that we need to solve. It is we who are the puzzle and the Bible that will solve us.” (from an address in my possession)
…both hunger and thirst make us aware of our mortality. Guess what? THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO! That is their theological meaning. Hunger and thirst are sacraments of our mortality. They are the felt reminders of the fact that we do not have life within us.” (from a Lenten sermon)
“…I finally discovered the difference between a eulogy and a sermon. Forgive me if I tell you what you already know. The difference is this: In a eulogy, one person who purports to know another, stands up and says some nice things that are not necessarily true about a dead human being. In a sermon, a person authorized by the Gospel of Jesus Christ says some true things that are not necessarily nice about a living God.”(from a Lenten sermon)
“God does not justify ungodliness but the ungodly.”
Reblogged this on Concordia and Koinonia.
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