Preparing for Worship - February 5, 2023

Jesus is “the Light of the world” (John 8:12), but we can be lights, too, reflecting His Light to others, as our readings for this week say.

The Psalm is Psalm 112. The praise goes to the Lord, but blessed is one “who fears the Lord” and “delights” in His commands! Such an “upright” person is like “light” that “dawns in the darkness” and seeks to mirror our “gracious, merciful, and righteous” God. Such a person acts justly and gives generously to the poor. Above all, “his heart is firm, trusting in the Lord.” The wicked are angry at him, but his righteousness endures, as an example and help to fellow believers.

The Old Testament lesson is Isaiah 58:3-9a and reminds us that people can look righteous by certain things they do, like fasting and acting very humbly and putting on ashes, (think about this on Ash Wednesday!) while they turn right around and “quarrel“ and “fight” and “oppress” others. Rather, one is called to help the “hungry” and “poor” and “naked“ and “loosen the bonds of wickedness.” “Then your light breaks forth like the dawn” and the Lord’s glory surrounds you.

In the Epistle lesson, 1 Corinthians 2:1-12(13-16), Paul talks about keeping the focus not upon himself and his “lofty” performances, but upon “Jesus Christ and Him crucified“ and “the power of God” and His Holy Spirit, who enables people to “understand the things freely given us by God.” The gifts of and from God are the key for us. This is not “a wisdom of this age and the rulers of this age,” who are focused on themselves and what they can accomplish and think that the wisdom and ways of God are “folly.” But in God and His wisdom and Word, “we have the mind of Christ” and what he has done for us in order to save us.

The Gospel lesson, Matthew 5:13-20, is a continuation of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. We are called to be “salt,” seasoning and preserving, and “light” for the Lord Jesus, showing  that He is good, for the glory of our Heavenly Father. Jesus Himself is the true Light, not “relaxing” but “teaching” and “fulfilling” the law and will of God perfectly, in our place. (See Hebrews 4:15 and Matthew 3:15.) Through faith in Jesus, we are counted righteous in God’s eyes and enabled by Christ Jesus to “enter the kingdom of heaven.”