Thursday of the Fifth Week in Lent

March 26, 2026Today's Reading: Catechism: Close of the CommandmentsDaily Lectionary: Exodus 4:19-31; Mark 15:16-32He says: “I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love Me and keep My Commandments.” (Exodus 20:5-6) (The Close of the Commandments,Luther’s Small Catechism, pg. 15)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Our God is a jealous God. It is a peculiar statement. It is a characteristic of God that does not come first to our minds. We may think of God as being loving or gracious. We may think of God as being a God of wrath and a God who delivers punishment upon those who deny his existence. A God who is jealous, though, does not readily come first to our minds. Our God is a jealous God.He does not like to share. When the people of Israel were brought out of Egypt, they gathered at Mount Sinai. At Mount Sinai, God established His presence among His people. His words were very clear. He says, “I will be your God and you will be my people.” He continues with the Ten Commandments. He admonishes His people to be Holy as He is Holy. A Holy God has Holy people. Daily, sin, satan, and the world tempt us with false gods. We are continually drawn away from the one true God. Social status, friends, money, possessions, clothing styles, compete for our attention, focus, and, dare we say, worship. We worship all the secular gods by coveting and desiring more than what we have already been given. Contentment is far from our thoughts and feelings. We come full circle from the First Commandment to the close of the Commandments. You shall have no other gods. The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is the only true God.In the words from Exodus, we are reminded of the two works of God the Father. In the first part, the alien work of God is revealed when He speaks of punishing the children for the sins of their fathers to the third and fourth generations. In the second part, the natural work of God is revealed when He speaks of showing love to a thousand generations of those who love Him and keep His commandments. The epitome of His love came in the sacrificial death of His son for the salvation of mankind. We are set free from eternal damnation on account of Christ’s perfect obedience to the law.  In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.All righteousness by works is vain; The Law rings condemnation. True righteousness by faith I gain; Christ’s work is my salvation. His death, that perfect sacrifice, Has paid the all sufficient price; In Him my hope is anchored. (LSB 568:4)