photo #6351646

The Bible Study –Our readings for Saturday,, April 27 are Leviticus 19:1-37 & Luke 11:14-36.In Leviticus, there is God’s Law. As Christ said, “. . . until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.” (Matt 5:18)Our Old Testament passage speaks volumes to today’s society: “28 You shall not make any cuts on your body for the dead or tattoo yourselves: I am the LORD.”We’ve all seen the proliferation of tattoos, and not only among young people. Note also the prevalence of satanic and occult symbols. This is no accident in a secular culture that’s fallen away from God.In verse 29 we read: “Do not profane your daughter by making her a prostitute, lest the land fall into prostitution and the land become full of depravity.”Remember these words when you hear calls to legalize prostitution.We’ve seen the widespread promotion of the occult in books like Harry Potter, as well as films, music and TV shows that focus on demonic manifestations the media calls hauntings.God’s Word in Leviticus 19:31 clearly instructs us, “Do not turn to mediums or necromancers; do not seek them out, and so make yourselves unclean by them: I am the LORD your God.” (See also Deuteronomy 18:10-11)We’ve also seen the callous disrespect and disregard of the aged in a consumer culture that only values youth. Euthanasia, as abortion, is simply murder for convenience. Instead of better palliative care, the seriously ill aged are increasingly pressured to end their lives by physician assisted suicide.Yet verse 32 tells us: “You shall stand up before the gray head and honour the face of an old man, and you shall fear your God: I am the LORD.”In our Gospel reading, Christ calls the generation He’s speaking to an evil one.That could be said of every generation since the fall of man. Jesus calls for us to love our neighbour as ourselves.As Christians we try, but ultimately all human beings fail to keep God’s Law.The Law is a curb on evil in society (our criminal codes are based on it), a mirror that shows us our sins, and a guide to the way God would like us to live in relation to Him and one another.The Law is not a means of self-salvation, but drives us to the relief and sweetness of the saving Gospel.Jesus tells the crowds an evil generation that looks for “signs” will be given the sign of Jonah.Indeed, we’ve been given this sign.As Jonah was three days in the belly of the fish and emerged alive, so our Lord was three days in the tomb, and raised by God the Father in the Resurrection.Jesus died on the cross paying for our sins and rose for our justification.Christ has risen. He has risen indeed. Alleluia!Pastor Tom SteersChrist the Saviour Lutheran Church, Toronto http://christlutherantoronto.org/beliefs