A Lenten Vespers Service for Contemplation of Our Lord’s High Priestly Work
Priests don’t tend to be good role models throughout the Gospels and in the book of Acts. Rather, priests accuse and antagonize Jesus and his disciples by their fierce focus on the Law.
Yet Jesus warns us all against lawlessness. We learn about two varieties of lawlessness in Scripture. Christ creates a comfortable space between these lawless extremes. In Him we live as priests by grace, through faith. We are embraced and moved to love God and neighbor by the holy Spirit of the Law.
Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church
www.immanuellutheranlaurelne.com
You can download a PDF participant bulletin HERE to join in prayers with us at home. It’s easy to print or suitable for viewing on desktop or tablet as we go through the Vespers service and Litany prayers.
Otherwise the Scripture readings are linked below the video. They will open Biblegateway.com references in a new window. The readings explore the sometimes delicate and tenuous relationship that “royal priests” (1 Peter 2:9ff) under Jesus, our “great high priest” (Hebrews 4:14-16) now experience with the Law.
Neither legalistic nor lawless, such priests learn lawfully to welcome our Lord’s “teaching, rebuke, correction and training in the righteousness.” (2 Tim. 3:16ff) —a righteousness that is ours only by grace, through faith in Christ alone—not by works of the Law!
Scripture readings:
1 Timothy 1:5-17, 1 Corinthians 6:12-20, Matthew 7:15-23
Isaiah 50:4 Blues 