His Time - Theological Education in Asia, "A Living Stone and a Holy People"

1. Theological Education in Asia

Portrait of the Rev. Charles Cortright and Connie Cortright at the International Center of The Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod on Monday, June 13, 2016, in Kirkwood, Mo. LCMS Communications/Erik M. Lunsford

Guest Dr. Charles Cortright, Theological Educator for the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod, talks about teaching at the Lutheran Theological Seminary in Baguio City, Philippines, and also teaching theology in Dhaka, Bangladesh. He is transitioning into missionary work and will be serving as Eurasia chaplain and mentor to Romanian theological students while based in Prague. He and his wife, Connie, hope to bring a Lutheran presence into Romania. Learn more about their journey at lcms.org/cortright.

2. Daily Lectionary

Rev. Matthew Rasmussen from Community Lutheran Church in South Burlington, Vermont, studies 1 Peter 2:1-12.

3. Morning Prayer Sermonette

Today’s sermonette is given by Rev. Matthew Rasmussen from Community Lutheran Church in South Burlington, Vermont.

"The Bible is cradle wherein Christ is laid." - Martin Luther — “The Bible is cradle wherein Christ is laid.” – Martin Luther

1 Peter 2:1-12

A Living Stone and a Holy People

2 So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. ²Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— ³if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.

⁴As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, ⁵you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. ⁶For it stands in Scripture:

“Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone,
a cornerstone chosen and precious,
and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”

⁷So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe,

“The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone,”^[a]

⁸and

“A stone of stumbling,
and a rock of offense.”

They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.

⁹But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. ¹⁰Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

¹¹Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. ¹²Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.