Holy Week - Tuesday

Welcome to Luther for the Busy Man, the week of Holy Week Tuesday, our scripture reading

comes in the book of Hebrews chapter 10 verses 1 through 7.

For since the law has but a shadow of the good things to come, instead of the true form

of these realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices that are continually offered every

year, make perfect those who draw near.

Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, since the worshippers having once

been cleansed would no longer have any consciousness of sins?

But in these sacrifices, there is a reminder of sins every year, for it is impossible

for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.

Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said, Sacrifices and offerings you have

not desired, but a body you have prepared for me.

In burnt offerings and sin offerings, you have taken no pleasure.

Then I said, Behold, I have come to do your will, O God, as it is written of me in the

scroll of the book.

Our scripture lesson comes from Hebrews chapter 10 verse 7, then I said, Behold, I have

come to do your will, O God, as it is written of me in the scroll of the book.

Christ's sufferings are understood correctly, when we do not simply regard the sufferings

as such, but recognize and grasp his heart and will to suffer.

For if one regards his sufferings in isolation without recognizing his heart and will therein,

one will be shocked by Christ's sufferings rather than rejoice in them.

But if one sees that Christ's heart and will are in these sufferings, it produces real

comfort, confidence, and pleasure in Christ.

The psalmist praises this will of God and Christ in suffering when he says, In the role

of the book, it is written of me, I delight to do thy will, O my God, thy law is within

my heart.

That's Psalm 40 verses 7 and 8.

The epistle to the Hebrews also refers to this when it says in Hebrews 10, 10, Buy that

will we have been sanctified.

It does not say through the suffering and blood of Christ, which is pure enough, but

through the will of God and of Christ that they were both of one will to sanctify us through

Christ's blood.

This will to suffer, he also manifests in the gospel, where he proclaims beforehand that

he is going to Jerusalem to suffer himself to be crucified.

It is as though he were saying, Look into my heart to see that I am doing this willingly

without compulsion and gladly so that you may not be shocked or dismayed thereby when

you see it come to pass and begin to think that I am doing it unwillingly, that I must

do it, that I am forsaken, and that the Jews are doing it by their authority.

Let us pray.

Thanks be to you, loving Father, for sending us such a ready and willing Savior, whose

love for us has been manifested in his readiness and willingness to suffer and die for us

and in our stead.

Mercy and love are all your ways, and those of your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.

Find the print version of the Luther for the Busyman Daily Devotional at ambassadorpublications.org.

Luther for the Busyman is produced by the free Lutheran Bible College and seminary in

Plymouth, Minnesota.

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