Lent 2
Preaching
Lectionary Preaching Workbook - SERIES C
The Lessons
Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18 (C, RC)
Yahweh makes a covenant with Abraham who is promised a son and a land.
This passage is one of several accounts of Yahweh's covenant with Abraham. It is noteworthy that Yahweh came to Abraham with a covenant proposal. Yahweh comes to Abraham as a shield (v. 1) and thus Abraham has no need to fear being in Yahweh's holy presence. In this account, Yahweh promises Abraham three tremendous blessings: a son, a nation, and a country. The covenant is made legal and binding by the sacrifices which are divided in two for the two parties of the covenant. The symbolism is that if one or the other should break the covenant, the fate would be death as happened to the ones sacrificed. The promises were accepted in faith and this was credited to Abraham as righteousness.
Jeremiah 26:8-15 (L)
Jeremiah is threatened with death for his preaching.
Philippians 3:17--4:1
Imitate the example of people like Paul and not the enemies of the cross. Paul is concerned about the quality of life of some Christians in Philippi. These church members are living in a way that he calls them enemies of the cross. In contrast, true Christians are friends of the cross because they imitate Paul and his colleagues in their style of life. Godly Christians have their citizenship in heaven from which they wait for Christ to return. When he does, he will transform our earthly bodies into glorified bodies such as he has. In the light of this, Christians are to stand firm in the Lord.
Luke 13:31-35 (C, L)
Jesus refuses to flee from Herod and laments the people's refusal to accept him. Jesus is on his way to Jerusalem. Strangely enough a group of Pharisees warns him to flee from King Herod who is out to kill him. Jesus expresses his destiny, like other prophets, is to die in Jerusalem. No one shall prevent him from going there. With sorrow Jesus laments that Jerusalem refuses to accept him as Lord in spite of his longing to save her. Their rejection means doom - "forsaken." (v. 35)
Luke 9:28-36 (RC)
(For commentary see Transfiguration of Our Lord)
Prayer of the Day
"Heavenly Father, it is your glory always to have mercy. Bring back all who have erred and strayed from your ways; lead them again to embrace in faith the truth of your Word and to hold it fast."
Hymn of the Day
"O Jesus Christ, May Grateful Hymns be Rising"
Theme of the Day: A Covenant People
Lesson 1 - God makes a covenant with his people.
Lesson 2 - A covenant people belongs to God.
Gospel - An appeal to be faithful to the covenant.
God and his people are related and bound to one another by the covenant made with Abraham and his descendants. (Lesson 1) People in this covenantal relationship are citizens of heaven, members of God's Kingdom. (Lesson 2) Jesus is faithful to the covenantal God and is upset that the covenant people reject him as their King. The Psalm and Hymn deal with the city. The Prayer refers to those who refuse to accept Jesus - "erred and strayed" - and appeals for them to again come to faith.
Theological Reflections
Gospel: Luke 13:31-35
1. Pharisees (v. 31). We usually think of the Pharisees as the enemies of Jesus, enemies who criticized and condemned him as a blasphemer. Here is another side to "some Pharisees." They were concerned about the welfare of Jesus. Having information that probably Jesus did not have, they urged him to flee lest King Herod arrest and execute him. Not all people are bad. There is some good in the worst of us.
2. Must (v. 33). Jesus refuses to be scared of Herod. He will not flee. His position is based on the conviction that he has a work to do and a mission to fill and no enemy is going to stop him. He knows his end will not be in Herod's jurisdiction, for he is sure that his death will occur in Jerusalem which has killed other prophets. Jesus has a sense of destiny and this erases any fear he might have of even his worst opponents.
3. How (v. 34). This word expresses the desire and intense longing of Jesus for his people to turn to him for life and salvation. Not once does he appeal to them to repent, but "how often." He sees himself as a mother hen gathering her chicks under her wing for their safety and security. The tragedy to this desperate Jesus who weeps for his people is in the words, "You would not."
Gospel:
Luke 9:28-36
(For Theological Reflections see Transfiguration of Our Lord)
Lesson 1: Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18
1. Came (v. 1). Another word for "came" is "grace." It tells us that we do not come to God first, but he comes to us initially. He seeks us; we do not seek him. Unless he comes to us as he came to Abraham, we would never know God nor ever find him. Behind the covenant is the grace, the undeserved love of God, which reaches out to us, invites our response, and engages us in a blessed relationship.
2. Shield (v. 1). God is often referred to as a rock or a fortress. Seldom is he spoken of as our "shield." A shield is a protective piece of armor. With a shield we need have no fear of the enemy's arrows. Because God is a shield, God tells Abraham, "Fear not." God is not out to get us nor to harm us. He is there to protect and bless us. While we fear God in terms of reverence, we need not be afraid of him, for he comes to us in love.
3. Covenant (v. 18). The entire focus in this pericope is the making of a covenant. It is a religious term which in the secular world is a contract or an agreement. Yet, a covenant is more than that. It is not an arrangement between two equal parties, and it does not originate as a cooperative project. A covenant is a relationship based upon promises to each party of the covenant. Another word for covenant is "sacrament." The sacrament of baptism, for example, is a covenant between God and the believer.
Lesson 2: Philippians 3:17--4:1
1. Imitating (v. 17). This is a daring word - "imitate." Imitate or copy whom? Paul says here, "Imitate me." In what respect? "Imitate me in the way I live." Who can say that? Are our lives worthy of being copied by others as the right way to live? People want and need an example to follow. At the Last Supper when Jesus washed the Disciples' feet, he said, "I have given you an example." The people in the pew look up to the person in the pulpit as an example. Children look to parents as the kind of people they should become.
2. Tears (v. 18). Tears express deep emotion. They show how deeply we feel about the thing that brings tears. Some are afraid of expressing emotion in the church. To have tears is for some a sign of weakness or of being out of control. Paul is moved to tears over the unChristlike lives some church members are living. With tears he appeals to them to repent. The tears show that we care about people. We fear for their eternal welfare. We want sinners to turn and have life. Do we care enough to weep?
3. Is (v. 20). When does heaven begin for Christians? Most people talk about going to heaven. In this verse Paul affirms that our citizenship in heaven is now. We do not wait for death to enter heaven. When we accept Christ and live in him, we are in heaven even though we are still on earth. In that case death has no sting nor fear, for it has already been conquered. All of this depends on what heaven is. Heaven is being with Christ. To be alive in Christ is a present possibility.
Preaching Possibilities
Relating Lent 2 to the Cross
Gospel: Jesus knows he is to die, but where shall it be? Will he be assassinated in Herod's province or in Jerusalem, the holy city, where prophets in the past were martyred? To be official and to fulfill prophecy, Jesus must go to Jerusalem. In this Gospel, Jesus is on his way to Jerusalem, the only place for him to die.
Lesson 1: Here we have the formation of the Abrahamic covenant. In Jesus a new covenant is made through the sacrifice of himself on the cross. At the Last Supper, Jesus referred to the wine as the new covenant of his blood. The seal of the new covenant is the cross where God and humanity were reconciled and a new relationship established.
Lesson 2: The cross is prominent in the Lesson. Church members who live wickedly are "enemies of the cross." By our sins we keep Christ on the cross. Because of the cross, we can call Jesus our "Savior." (v. 20)
Three Lessons
Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18; Philippians 3:17--4:1; Luke 13:31-35
The Cross and the Covenant
Need: Christianity is basically a relationship with God by faith in Christ who makes the relationship possible by his sacrifice on the cross. The Lessons deal with our covenant with God. Since every person needs a satisfactory relationship with God, there is need for this sermon to initiate and develop the covenant relationship.
Outline: Consider the cross and the covenant -
a. You have a covenant with God - Lesson 1
b. You belong to God through the covenant - Lesson 2
c. You need to be faithful to the covenant - Gospel
Gospel:
Luke 13:31-35
1. Why Don't We Have Opposition?
a. Is there no existence of a "Herod" in our society? Are there no anti-Christian ideas or practices in our midst, in church, in community?
Are we living in an ideal society, a utopia?
b. Is there no opposition because of our tolerance of evil?
c. Is there no opposition because we compromise with evil?
d. Is there no opposition because we don't take a stand for Christian principles? Afraid to speak the truth or to show our colors?
e. Should we seek opposition? Why was Jesus opposed? What did he do to deserve opposition as early as Mark 3:6 when Pharisees and Herodians plotted to destroy him? In Mark 2:1-12, Jesus forgave the sins of a paralytic; in Mark 2:23-28 he ate with publicans and sinners; in Mark 3:1-6 he healed a withered hand.
f. Could our opposition to God (Luke 13:34-35) prevent secular man's opposition to Christians? Are we too much like the world to have enemies from the world?
2. How to Face Threats. 13:31-33
a. Confront your enemy: take a stand, don't flee - v. 32
b. Courage: tell your enemy off - v. 32
c. Continue your work for good - v. 32
3. The Yearning, Wooing, Longing, Pleading Heart of God. 13:34-35
a. How often he tries to get man back: "How often" - v. 34. From Noah to Jesus!
b. "Gathered" -v. 34
Love gathers, unites, solidifies, reconciles, God's intention for Christ: to reconcile, to bring
back man to God.
c. "Would not" - v. 34
Here is the tragic rebellion and opposition of man to God. Compare the repeated "And you
would not" expressions in Amos. In spite of plagues, Pharaoh would not let God's people go.
d. "Forsaken" - v. 35
This is the awful consequence of turning down Christ. It is the absence of God by man's refusal to have God in Christ by faith.
Gospel:
Luke 9:28-36
(For outline see Transfiguration of Our Lord)
Lesson 1: Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18
1. God Would Make a Deal with You. 15:1-12, 17-18
Need: Religion is basically a relationship with God. A Christian establishes this relationship by faith in Christ. We come into the world without a knowledge of God and without a conscious relationship with him. How does one come to know God? How and when does one get related to God? This getting together with God the Bible calls a "covenant." In Christ a new covenant (testament) is possible. For Christians a covenant with God is made at baptism. The elements of a covenant are the same as they were with Abraham as today.
Outline: God would make a deal with you -
a. God comes to you - v. 1
b. God makes an offer (promises) - vv. 4, 5, 18
c. You accept the offer (faith) - v. 6
d. The agreement is sealed - vv. 8, 17
2. Asking God Questions. 15:1-12, 17-18
Need: Like Abraham we have questions for God. Thre is so much we need to know about God and his will for our lives. In this passage God tells Abraham that he will reward him. It was natural for Abraham to ask God, "How will you reward me?" God replies that his reward will be promises. That leads to the next question, "How can I be sure that the promises will be fulfilled?" Since God says he will bless us, we, too, have the same questions Abraham asked.
Outline: Our questions and God's answers -
a. "What will you give?" - v. 2
1. Answer: promises to
a. Abraham: son, nation, land - vv. 4, 5, 18
b. Us: forgiveness, eternal life, love
b. "How am I to know that I shall possess it?" - v. 8
1. Answer -
a. Abraham - sign of sacrifice - vv. 7-11, 17
b. Us - sign of baptism
Lesson 1: Jeremiah 26:8-15
Don't Blame Me, Blame God!" 26:8-15
1. God Who Condemns
Jeremiah told the people that he was not responsible for the message against the temple and Jerusalem. It was God who sent him with the message. This is God's, not man's, message of doom. Jeremiah could say, "Don't blame me, blame God." Jeremiah's message of doom resulted from his obedience to God - v. 8.
What is God saying today through the preacher that we oppose? Do we object to the teaching of a tithe as a minimal gift to God? Do we reject the idea of loving one's enemies? Do we resist the message that a plague will come upon us lest we repent? Do we resent this open and frank criticism of our wayward ways? Is the preacher just letting off steam or is he expressing his anger at his congregation, or is God speaking through him?
2. God Who Saves - v. 13
God will change his mind and save you from predicted doom if you repent, if you change your ways by doing justly and loving mercy. You have a choice: God's judgment or mercy. God does not hate you. He wants you to change, to do better, to obey him that you might live in peace and security.
3. God Is in Charge - vv. 14, 15
Jeremiah says it does not matter what happens to him. He is not the issue. You can kill Jeremiah but that will not take away your problem or save you from doom. The preacher is not your problem; it is your disobedience to God. Kill your preacher for what God told him to say and you just add to your sins.
Lesson 2: Philippians 3:17--4:1
1. "Take me, for Example!"
How shall we live as Christians? There are all kinds of laws, tranditions, customs, new styles of life. How can we obey all the moral codes? Haven't times changed and brought changes in more customs and values? The best way to learn to live a Christian life is by having a model, imitating a worthy example. Paul in this lesson asks us to imitate his life -
a. One who lives as a friend of Christ - v. 18
Shun the enemies of the cross: a life of materialism ("belly"), legalism ("shame" - circumcision), the outcome of death.
b. One who lives in another world - v. 20
A Christian is one who lives in heaven, a citizen of the Kingdom of God. Live according to the Spirit and not according to the flesh. As a citizen of earth and of heaven, Christians know that Christ has conquered the world. He will change our earthly bodies to be like his glorious body, and will subdue all things of the world to him.
c. One who stands firm in the Lord - 4:1
2. "Enemies of the Cross" - 3:18-19
a. What does the cross stand for?
Truth, integrity, obedience, love, sacrifice
b. Who opposes the cross?
Those headed for doom through sin - v. 19
Those with a materialistic view of life - v. 19
Those who are slaves of the law - v. 19
Those whose minds are worldly - v. 19
LENT 3
The Lessons
Exodus 3:1-15 (C)
Exodus 3:1-8b, 10-15 (L)
Exodus 3:1-8, 13-15 (RC)
Moses is called to deliver God's people from bondage in Egypt.
While tending his father-in-law's sheep, Moses is called by Yahweh to return to Egypt to lead out his oppressed people. First Yahweh must get Moses' attention by having a bush burn without burning up. Because God is present, Moses is ordered to remove his sandals, for he is on holy ground. Wherever God exists, the place becomes sacred. Yahweh tells Moses that he is concerned about his people in slavery and commands him to lead them out to a good land. Moses feels inadequate to do this, but Yahweh promises to be with him. Then comes the problem of identification - Who is Yahweh? He discloses his nature, "I am," the same God of Moses' forefathers.
1 Corinthians 10:1-13 (C, L)
1 Corinthians 10:1-6, 10-12 (RC)
Lessons to be learned from the Israelites' disobedience in the wilderness.
Paul deals with a problem in the Corinthian church concerning some members thinking their salvation is secure here and now by partaking of the Sacraments. Paul uses the experiences of the Israelites and interprets them typologically. The Israelites were guided by the cloud of Yahweh, ate the same spiritual food, and drank the same spiritual drink. Likewise Christians partake of the holy bread in the Eucharist, are baptized in the water, and drink from the Rock, Christ. In spite of these experiences, the Israelites perished because of their disobedience. So, Paul urges his people to take heed, for they, too, can yield to temptation even if they have the Sacraments. However, he comforts them with the assurance that God is faithful in giving them strength to overcome any temptation to sin and in providing an escape from the temptation.
Luke 13:1-9
Judgment is delayed to allow time for repentance. This pericope consists of historical events and a parable. Both deal with the subject of repentance. In the first part, Jesus refers to two disasters: the massacre of innocent worshipers and a construction accident. Their deaths do not indicate that they were special sinners. The point is that a like fate will befall those who do not repent. Repent now, or later? The parable teaches that God in his forbearance gives us another chance to repent just as the fig tree was given another chance to produce fruit.
Prayer of the Day
"Eternal Lord, your kingdom has broken into our troubled world through the life, death, and resurrection of your Son. Help us to hear your Word and obey it, so that we become instruments of your redeeming love."
Hymn of the Day
"Jesus the Very Thought of Thee"
Theme of the Day: The Way Out of Trouble
Gospel - Repentance can prevent disaster.
Lesson 1 - God calls a leader to lead us out of bondage.
Lesson 2 - Faithfulness is the means of escaping temptation.
In these Lessons we face the prospect of disaster, death, and destruction. Unless we repent, Jesus taught that we will perish just as the worshipers and workers met death. (Gospel) God knows when we are in trouble as he knew about the Jews in Egypt, and he calls Moses to bring them out of their slavery. (Lesson 1) No one can be sure that he/she will not fall from God into disobedience and suffer death as the Israelites did in the wilderness. We are always susceptible to yielding to temptation, but our confidence is in the faithfulness of God who will provide an escape from the temptation. The Prayer refers to the Kingdom's breaking into our troubled world.
Theological Reflections
Gospel:
Luke 13:1-9
1. Worse (vv. 2, 4). Indeed we are all sinners, but are some worse than others? In Jesus' day as well as ours people who were victims of tragedy were considered "worse" sinners because of the position that God rewards the good and punishes the wicked. Are the victims of tornadoes, hurricanes, arson, war, or accidents special sinners to deserve this fate? Jesus in this passage says, "No." All sin is bad and all are sinners. Calamity is not necessarily a judgment upon sin. We live in a wicked world and good people can suffer innocently in this kind of world.
2. Unless (vv. 3, 5). Because we are sinners, we all need to repent. "Unless" we do, our fate will be like the innocent people who were killed. If we continue in our sin, if we keep preparing for war, if our society continues to be saturated with crime, if we keep on neglecting God, we will perish. Our future security and salvation depend on the "unless." It is a simple and clear warning.
3. None (vv. 6, 7). This is a damning word. A man goes to his tree for fruit at harvest time, and there is not one piece of fruit on it. This happens for three years. No wonder the owner wanted to cut it down. This is a parable of life. The tree represents a human who has nothing to show for his/her life. It is a barren, fruitless, wasted life. What can be done about it? Either cut it down or have the tree "repent" and bring forth the fruit of repentance.
Lesson 1: Exodus 3:1-15
1. Turn (v. 3). Moses is in the fields working as a shepherd. He is an exile from Egypt, because he had to flee for killing a man. God needs this Moses as the one best suited to rally the Jews together and persuade Pharoah to let them go free to another land. For God the problem is, how is he going to get Moses to do this? First, he must get Moses' attention. He gets it by having a bush burn without its being consumed. That attracted Moses to see this spectacular thing. With Moses' curiosity aroused, God asked him to be the leader of his oppressed people. Likewise, we will not hear God's call unless he first gets our attention.
2. Shoes (v. 5). Before God could get into the subject of Moses' future leadership, Moses was told to take off his shoes. They represented his sin - sandals or shoes used in the countryside are usually dusty and dirty representing sin. Moses was standing on holy ground because the holy presence of God was there. A holy God cannot tolerate sin. Before we come into the presence of God for worship or prayer, there should be spiritual cleansing by confession and absolution.
3. I am (v. 14). When Moses asked God to identify himself so that he could tell the people in Egypt what God sent him, God simply said, "I am." Nothing more nor better can be said of God, for "I am" means Being, Reality, Essence, Life. To say anything more than "I am" is to limit God. To say "God is love" is not saying it all, for God is more than love.
Lesson 2: 1 Corinthians 10:1-13
1. Nevertheless (v. 5). During the wilderness period of forty years, the Israelites were blessed by God. All were led by the cloud. All ate the manna of supernatural food and drank supernatural water which came from a solid rock. Likewise, Paul says Christians have the same food in the Lord's Supper and have the same water in baptism flowing from Christ the Rock. In spite of all this, most of the Israelites perished because of disobedience. Receiving the Sacraments is no guarantee of our salvation, for we can still be disobedient.
2. Warnings (vv. 6, 11). What happened centuries ago serve as warnings to us today. As the Israelites became faithless and disobedient, we can suffer the same consequences. Unless we take heed to ourselves and repent daily, we will experience the same fate. Can we learn the lessons of history and save ourselves from future tragedy?
3. Faithful (v. 13). Why do we become disobedient even though we have received the blessings of God and his grace? It is due to temptation to rebel against God. No one can keep temptations from enticing us into sin and this we must beware of being smug in our Christian membership, our church activities, and our devotional life. Our remaining faithful to God is in God's faithfulness to us. He will give us no greater temptation than we can handle, and when it comes, God will provide a means of escape. So, we have no excuse for yielding to temptation.
Preaching Possibilities
Relating Lent 3 to the Cross
Gospel: If we are going to present the fate of these victims to the two disasters by repenting, how much more should we repent in the light of the cross? It was not because of his sin that Jesus died on the cross. His, like the victims, was an innocent death. Except we repent and accept Christ as Lord, we, as the thieves crucified with Jesus, will experience death.
Lesson 1: Moses was called to lead God's people out of slavery to a promised land of liberty and prosperity. A greater than great Moses was sent by God to the people of the world to liberate them from the far more serious bondage of sin. This deliverance was effected on the cross.
Lesson 2: To be in Christ is one thing; to stay in Christ is a constant responsibility. Belonging to the church and receiving grace through the Sacraments may lead to a smug complacency and false security. At a time like this, Christians can lose faith and fall into disobedience. For us to be faithful to God, we need to appropriate the faithfulness of God. His faithfulness is perfectly demonstrated in the cross - he provided an escape from the threat of death.
Three Lessons
Exodus 3:1-15; 1 Corinthians 10:1-13; Luke 13:1-9
The Trouble I'm In
Need: Trouble is a universal experience more or less, sooner or later for every person. The Lessons deal with this problem.
Outline: In and out of trouble -
a. The way into trouble - yielding to temptation - Lesson 2
b. God's concern about our trouble (v. 7) - Lesson 1
c. The way out of trouble - repentance - Gospel
Gospel:
Luke 13:1-9
1. Repentance is definitely the theme of the gospel lesson.
The theme is supported by (1) verse 1: "At that very time." This refers to the preceding passage in Luke 12 where Jesus urges the multitude to repent by reading aright the signs of the times and by making things right before appearing before a judge; (2) by the parable - vv. 6-9. The parable of the fig tree emphasizes God's forbearance and patience in waiting for repentance. The emphasis is on the plea of the vinedresser to give the tree more time to produce before its destruction.
2. The gospel lesson teaches certain truths which become preaching possibilities:
a. Suffering and tragedy do not necessarily follow sin. A natural catastrophe like the tower of Siloam and man's violence like Pilate's massacre of those in the acts of worship do not imply that the victims were special sinners deserving this fate. Contemporary situations are Hiroshima, Buchenwald, China's earthquake of 1976 killing 655,000 people, and the multitudes of Bangladesh dying of starvation.
b. All people sin and need to repent. Whether or not they are victims of disaster, all are guilty of sin. Thus, unless all repent, they will perish like the victims of the tower and the massacre.
c. Unrepentant sinners will perish. In the New Testament "perish" deals not only with the destruction of the physical body but the entire ego, the annihilation of the soul.
d. Repentance is the way of escape from perishing. This implies that there is forgiveness from a loving Father for those who repent.
e. The urgency of repentance is brought out by the parable. The fig tree was given one more year to produce and then the end if it did not produce the fruit of repentance.
f. The patience of God in giving sinners one more chance, a little more time to repent. Behind this patience is a God of love who does not desire the death of any one person. "God so loved the world ... that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life."
3. "Of What Use Were You In This World?" 13:6-8
This is life's most searching question. Did your life count for anything? A life can be like the fig tree in the parable.
a. Planted by God
God created man, provided and cared for man. As a result, man has a responsibility to produce fruit worthy of God.
b. Patience of God
God is willing to give man another chance to become fruitful, to repent. There is one more year before destruction. Lent is the time to repent.
c. Plight of man
The justice of God will be visited upon unrepentant man. A useless, fruitless person will be cut down like the tree. To prevent this man must repent and God will save him from destruction.
Lesson 1: Exodus 3:1-15
1. "A Suffering God" 3:7-12
a. God identifies with the plight of his people - v. 7
He sees their affliction, hears their cries, and knows their sufferings.
Today God knows about our problems, troubles, and suffering.
b. God is concerned about our condition - v. 8
Being concerned he comes to deliver us, to bring us to a good land. Knowledge of our plight is not enough. God goes beyond knowledge to concern which comes out of his love for his people.
c. God devises a plan of deliverance - vv. 10-12
God takes the initiative by coming to Moses and by sending him to release the captives. God not only gives us a task but equips us for the task.
How does this apply to the modern situation? In our day God is aware of and concerned about the Third World's hunger, poverty, and ignorance. He hears its cries for liberation. Those in the first and second worlds today are also in need of liberation from the bondage of their sin. God identifies with his people through the Incarnation. His concern for us was shown in the ministry of Jesus. His deliverance was in the cross of Jesus. In Christ we have a God who cares, who delivers.
2. Who Is Your God? 3:13-15
Need: We can have as many gods as we have people. For some, God is too small for their needs. For some, God is too distant to be approachable. If we are to be like God, we need to have a true understanding of him. How can we know the true nature of God? It is not by discovery, experimentation, nor experience. God can be known only by revelation, God's self-disclosure. In our text God reveals his identity.
Outline: Who is your God?
a. God is goodness - yes, but more than that!
b. God is love - yes, but more than that!
c. God is justice - yes, but more than that!
d. God is - the most we can know about God. (vv. 13-15)
Lesson 2: 1 Corinthians 10:1-13
1. Christians Too Can Be Lost! 10:1-13
The gist of this Lesson: Don't think that just because you were baptized and receive Holy Communion, you are safe from sinning. Look at the Israelites who were baptized into Moses and ate supernatural food and yet sinned in the wilderness. They perished for their sins. Christians can sin, too. Pride goes before a fall. Do not be smug and think you have it made, that nothing can happen to you, that you are safe from God's judgment. You, too, can sin in spite of your baptism and communion. Yet, God will provide an escape from temptation to sin that you need not perish. As Christians, you need to live a life of daily repentance.
"Christians Too Can Be Lost!" 10:1-13
a. Christians have privileges
They experience God's favor through baptism and the Lord's Supper. They have Christ, salvation, and are members of the Kingdom by the grace of God. They have security and assurance of salvation, that all is right with God.
b. Christians can fall
Like the Israelites, they can desire evil in spite of their privileges and status with God. They, too, can embrace idolatry, engage in immorality, put God to the test, and grumble about God's actions.
c. Christians can escape from temptation - v. 13
God can give the strength to overcome the desire to sin. This calls for living daily in a state of repentance.
2. You Can Overcome Temptation. 10:12-13
Need: No one can avoid being tempted, not even the holiest of us. As an excuse for our sin, we often say that the temptation was too great to be turned down. Paul in our text tells us that a Christian can always overcome temptation and therefore needs not sin. This sermon based on the text gives the good news how this can be done.
Outline: How you can overcome temptation -
a. Be on guard - v. 12
b. Know that temptation is a common experience - v. 13
c. God will give you strength to say No - v. 13
d. God will provide an escape - v. 13
LENT 4
The Lessons
Joshua 5:9-12 (C, RC)
Joshua and his people keep the Passover at Gilgal. Under Joshua's leadership the Israelites cross the Jordan to the Promised Land. In preparation for the conquest of the land, all were circumcised as a renewal of the Abrahamic covenant. Also, the first Passover was kept in the Promised Land at Gilgal. It marked the end of the wilderness wanderings. On the day of the Passover, manna from heaven ceased and the people began to eat the fruit of the land.
Isaiah 12:1-6
Rejoice in God's salvation
2 Corinthians 5:16-21 (C)
2 Corinthians 5:17-21 (RC)
Because in Christ God reconciled sinners to himself; a believer is a new creation.
A believer in Christ has become a new person because in Christ God reconciled the world to himself, not God to the world. This was done by the death and resurrection of Christ who was made sin for us that we might have the righteousness of God. To us God has given the ministry of reconciliation. As ambassadors of God, we appeal to humanity to be reconciled to God by accepting Christ as Lord and Savior.
1 Corinthians 1:18-31 (L)
The cross is the wisdom and power of God
Luke 15:1-3, 11-32
The parable of the Prodigal Son. The first three verses give the setting and occasion for the parable. Jesus is criticized for fellowshipping with sinners and eating with outcasts. To show what one's attitude should be toward sinners, Jesus tells the story of a father and two sons, a story well-known by most Christians. Three characters are involved: the father, the prodigal, and the stay-at-home brother. It is a story of reconciliation, forgive-ness, and acceptance for those who repent and return to the Father.
Prayer of the Day
"God of all mercy, by your power to heal and to forgive, graciously cleanse us from all sin and make us strong."
Hymn of the Day
"In Adam We Have All Been One"
Theme of the Day: The Return of the Sinner
Gospel - God the Father joyfully accepts the returned sinner.
Lesson 1 - God the Son makes the reconciliation possible.
Lesson 2 - Returning from the wilderness of sin, the reconciled is in the promised land.
The Lessons deal with God's attitude toward his disobedient people. In the Gospel, God, our heavenly Father, is like the loving and welcoming father of the Prodigal Son who is received with love and acceptance. Why would God receive a sinner in this fashion? Because Christ died for our sins, we are now acceptable to the Father for Jesus' sake. (Lesson 2) In Lesson 1 , the sinner, like the Israelites, now exists in the Promised Land where the relationship with God is renewed and celebrated. The prayer deals with our sin and forgiveness. The Psalm reflects the joy of being reunited with God. The hymn refers to our oneness in Adam's sin of disobedience and our return to God through Christ.
Theological Reflections
Gospel:
Luke 15:1-3, 11-32
1. Himself (v. 17). The first step in making a come-back is to come to a self-realization of who you are and what you have done. When the younger son hit bottom, he had the occasion to do some thinking about himself. It finally dawned on him that he made a terrible mistake, that his lot could not be worse, and what he needed to do to get his life back on the track. Every one needs to do some self-examination and introspection to realize the need for repentance.
2. Heaven (v. 21). The Prodigal confessed that he sinned not only against his father but against God ("heaven"). On the surface it appears as though the youth sinned only against himself and his family, but he had the insight to see he sinned against the Lord primarily. To sin against people is to automatically sin against God, for God's commands are people-centered.
3. Dead (vv. 24, 32). Twice the father describes his renegade son as being "dead" while he was away from home. In body he was alive; in spirit he was dead - dead to virtue, dead in his love for God and family. With his return, he has come alive again. It is the same with Christians: we die to self and sin and rise with Christ in newness of life. We can be dead in a twofold way: dead in sin or dead to sin.
Lesson 1: Joshua 5:9-12
1. Rolled (v. 9). After forty years of life in the wilderness, the Israelites finally, under Joshua's leadership, entered the Promised Land. Yahweh told them at Gilgal that he rolled away the reproach of Egypt from them. Appropriately the word, Gilgal, means to roll and it was the place for a wholesale circumcision. It was a rolling over from the past to the future, from wilderness to a settled land, from slavery to freedom.
2. Ceased (v. 12). After the renewal of the Abrahamic covenant, the Israelites celebrated by keeping the Passover for the first time since entering the Promised Land. God's promise of deliverance from Egypt and of taking them to the Promised Land was fulfilled. While in the wilderness, God fed them with manna, but now it ceased because the people could get food from the new land. God does not feed us when we can feed ourselves. God helps those who help themselves. God expects us to do our part in providing for ourselves.
Lesson 2: 2 Corinthians 5:16-21
1. Regard (v. 16). Because of his being in Christ, Paul has a new attitude and perspective on Christ and people. Before Christ, he looked at them from a human point of view. He saw Jesus as another human being; people were people. Being in Christ, he now looks at Christ from a divine perspective. Christ is God's Son, the Messiah, Lord, and Savior. People are now regarded as God's creation and potential children of God. This high regard for Christ and people as of infinite worth makes them deserve our concern and aid.
2. Creation (v. 17). God is continuously creating. Scientists claim that new worlds and new stars are still in the making. Spiritually creation continues also. To be in Christ is to effect a new creation. A person baptized in Christ with repentance and faith has a new existence. He/she is not the same person essentially. He/she has changed. His/her old self was one of hatred, malice, and sin. Now he/she lives for God and possesses the spirit of love and goodness. As God is the creator of the physical universe, he also creates new people through Christ.
3. Himself (v. 19). God was in Christ reconciling the world to "himself." It was not God but the world that needed reconciling. One would think that because of our sin we offended God and he would need to be appeased and placated. God still loves us even while sinners. It is humanity that has left "home" and become rebellious and faithless. The human needs to be brought back to God and the broken relationship needs to be mended. This was the mission of Jesus and this is the church's mission today.
Preaching Possibilities
Relating Lent 4 to the Cross
Gospel: While the cross is not mentioned in the parable, it is applicable to the human situation. As the Prodigal returned to his father, so Jesus says that when he is lifted up, he will draw all men to him. Because of the cross, the Father waits in love to receive his disobedient children. And what will cause people to say, "I will arise and go to my father"? When sinners look at the cross and see the goodness and kindness of God in the sacrifice of his Son, the hard heart will melt with repentance.
Lesson 1: As the Israelites began a new era in their history by renewing the covenant through circumcision and celebrated their entrance into the Promised Land with the Passover, so Christians have a renewed covenant in the shed blood of Christ and we celebrate that relationship by celebrating a new Passover in which the Christ feeds with his body and blood.
Lesson 2: In the new Promised Land we are new creatures in Christ. We no longer live in the wilderness of sin but we are alive in Christ. In Christ God has reconciled us. Christ was made sin for us and sin caused death on a cross. Out of death came a new life with God. Without the cross there could be no reconciliation.
Three Lessons
Joshua 5:9-12; 2 Corinthians 5:16-21; Luke 15:1-3, 11-32
Going Back Home to God
Need: We live in a prodigal-son culture and our sins prove that we are prodigals. We have left the home of the Father and we are living in a far country of disobedience. A review of a daily newspaper provides an over-abundance of evidence of this fact. Our need is to go back home to God as the Prodigal returned to his father.
Outline: Consider this -
a. God wants us to come back home - Gospel
b. God through Christ makes it possible to come back home - Lesson 2
c. Coming home to God is to be in the Promised Land - Lesson 1
Gospel:
Luke 15:1-3, 11-32
The length of the gospel lesson may be a temptation to preach on aspects of the parable that do not necessarily harmonize with the theme of the day. Sermons could be prepared on the father, the prodigal, and the elder son. The parable for preaching needs to be seen through the eyes of 15:1-2. Here Jesus is criticized for associating with sinners . In his defense Jesus tells the three parables in Luke 15. The theme of the day is not repentance which was last Sunday's emphasis. The emphasis is upon God's acceptance of a repentant sinner.
1. Keeping Bad Company? Luke 15:1-2, 1 Corinthians 15:33
Do you follow Jesus in keeping bad company? Should we? Paul says, "Bad company ruins good morals." In Jesus' day the religious leaders refused to do it and criticized Jesus for doing so. Maybe there is a right and a wrong way to associate with "sinners."
a. Sinners are Bad company
Jesus mingled with the dregs of society: tax-collectors who made themselves rich by demanding exorbitant taxes, women who sold their bodies to satisfy the sexual lust of their customers. These were people who told dirty stories and used profane language. In our day they are the Charles Mansons, the Gary Gilmores, the Himmlers, the Bonnie and Clydes, the John Dillingers. These people are atheists, anti-God, anti-church, and anti-decency. Associate with these people?
b. Sinners need repentance
Jesus associated with sinners not because he approved of their way of life. He knew they needed him; they needed friendship and understanding. He went to them for a purpose, to lead them to repentance. He did not, nor should we, go to them to become one of them but to get them to become one with him. This is the reason for today's church to go to the worst, to criminals, to anti-God people.
c. Sinners are wanted by God
The gospel story of a waiting father tells us about the heavenly Father who yearns, longs, waits for the sinner to come home to him. Thre is a warm welcome waiting, no questions asked, no scolding - only the joy of reconciliation.
2. With Whom Do You Identify? (Luke 15:11-32)
In the parable there are three characters: the father and two sons. Ask the congregation with which of the three they identify themselves. Consider the three possible positions:
a. Are you the Prodigal?
You, too, have been rebellious. You have gone out to live your own life and do your own thing. You have run away from God. In that case, are you not glad you know there is a loving Father waiting for you? Have you had that experience or are you still running away from God?
b. Are you the elder son?
You feel the same way about the other sinners. You do not appreciate God's taking them back with a party. You have been in church all your life and you have been serving the church for decades. Yet, nobody ever gave you a party in appreciation for what you have done. You are filled with pride and self-righteousness. You won't have a thing to do with those sinners who never come to church and blaspheme as a way of life. And you are not interested in the congregation's program of evangelism.
c. Are you like the Father?
Do you honestly feel about sinners as God does? Are you glad when a sinner sees his error and comes back? Do you love the sinner, and accept him as though nothing happened? Like God will you forgive from the heart without passing judgment or asking questions? Will you take an ex-murderess into your house to care for your youngest child? Really? Then you identify with the Father.
3. Glad You're Back! Luke 15:2-24
Are you really glad when a wicked person comes back home to God, to church, to family? In the parable, the prodigal was received with a party: a banquet, a robe, a ring, shoes, friends, music, and dancing. It was a festive time. Does the church have such a party when new members are received? Are we glad when a person is baptized or are we irritated that it adds five minutes to the length of the service? Does your congregation have a reception for the class of new members received into the church? Bother to go to the new member and say how glad you are to have him in church? Maybe you don't have an opportunity to have a party for new members, because you do not receive any. You do not go out to seek the lost. When was the last time a person was saved in your church?
Lesson 1: Joshua 5:9-12
1. Rolling Stones. 5:9; Luke 24:2
Need: A popular rock group is known as the "Rolling Stones." In a far different and sublime way God also rolls stones. For the Hebrews he rolled away the stone of reproach of Egypt; for the Christians he rolled away the stone before Jesus' tomb. Only God had the power to roll away these stones. In our lives today we need these same impediments removed to have an abundant life.
Outline: In his grace God rolls away -
a. The rock of reproach for sin - Joshua 5:9
b. The rock of death for life - Luke 24:2
2. At Last, You Have Arrived! 5:8-12
Need: For forty long, tortuous years over a half million refugees wandered in a wilderness. Under new leadership, the Israelites cross the Jordan into the Promised Land of prosperity and peace. God fulfilled his promise to bring his people out of slavery in a foreign land to a land of their own. In like manner, life for us is a pilgrimage from the bondage of sin to redemption in Christ. Now that we have arrived, what do we do? Our text tells us what we might do.
Outline: Now that we have arrived -
a. Renew our relationship with God: covenant of circumcision - v. 8
b. Remember with thanksgiving God's deliverance: passover - vv. 10-12
Lesson 1: Isaiah 12:1-6 (L)
This lesson is one of thanks and praise for God's salvation which is to come. Six times the future tense is used: "will." This passage looks forward to the coming salvation as we look to Good Friday's cross. It deals with an anticipated joy of deliverance.
From Anger to Joy. 12:1-6
a. God is angry with me - v. 1
b. God is good to me - v. 2
c. God be praised! vv. 4, 5
Lesson 2: 2 Corinthians 5:16-21
1. Get Right with God. 5:18-21
Need: Humanity's deepest need is to be reconciled to God. Sin has separated us from God. We need to get together in harmony and peace. The broken relationships among people are secondary to our estrangement from God. First, we need to be reconciled to God and then we are given the ministry of reconciliation.
Outline: Our questions answered -
a. Who needs to be reconciled: God or the world? - vv. 19, 20
b. Is a reconciliation possible? vv. 18, 21
c. Who effects the reconciliation today? v. 20
2. Do You Want to be a New Person? 5:17
Need: There are many who do not like themselves as they are. They are disgusted with their failures, selfishness, and excesses. They yearn to be different, to be lovable, and to be a loving person who gets joy out of life. Here is good news for those who want to be new people.
Outline: How to become a new person -
a. Be in Christ - "If anyone is in Christ ..."
b. Forsake the past - "The old has passed away ..."
c. Live the new life - "The new has come ..."
Lesson 2: 1 Corinthians 1:18-31 (L)
In a sense Lesson 2 is the key to today's pericopes. Lesson 1 tells us of God's coming salvation. The gospel describes God's reception of sinners. But how is salvation, forgiveness, and acceptance made possible? The answer is in the cross where the work of salvation is completed. Because of Christ's atoning work the Father can receive with joy the one who once despised him and ran off. As we approach Holy Week it is good for us to think about the meaning of the cross in anticipation of Good Friday.
1. What is the Cross to You? 1:18-25
a. To the perishing, it is nothing - vv. 18, 22
The cross is folly, stupidity, a stumbling block
b. To be saved, it is everything - vv. 18, 23, 24
1. The cross is the wisdom of God
2. The cross is the power of God
2. Does God do Things Backwards? 1:26-31
This sermon deals with the theology of the cross, not a theology of glory. Luther taught a theology of the cross. God does his work of glory through weakness, suffering, and death. God brings something out of nothing, success out of defeat, redemption out of suffering, strength out of weakness, and life out of death.
Does God do things backwards? In, on, and through the cross,
a. Brings wisdom out of foolishness;
b. Makes strength out of weakness;
c. Brings life out of death;
d. Makes glory out of shame.
Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18 (C, RC)
Yahweh makes a covenant with Abraham who is promised a son and a land.
This passage is one of several accounts of Yahweh's covenant with Abraham. It is noteworthy that Yahweh came to Abraham with a covenant proposal. Yahweh comes to Abraham as a shield (v. 1) and thus Abraham has no need to fear being in Yahweh's holy presence. In this account, Yahweh promises Abraham three tremendous blessings: a son, a nation, and a country. The covenant is made legal and binding by the sacrifices which are divided in two for the two parties of the covenant. The symbolism is that if one or the other should break the covenant, the fate would be death as happened to the ones sacrificed. The promises were accepted in faith and this was credited to Abraham as righteousness.
Jeremiah 26:8-15 (L)
Jeremiah is threatened with death for his preaching.
Philippians 3:17--4:1
Imitate the example of people like Paul and not the enemies of the cross. Paul is concerned about the quality of life of some Christians in Philippi. These church members are living in a way that he calls them enemies of the cross. In contrast, true Christians are friends of the cross because they imitate Paul and his colleagues in their style of life. Godly Christians have their citizenship in heaven from which they wait for Christ to return. When he does, he will transform our earthly bodies into glorified bodies such as he has. In the light of this, Christians are to stand firm in the Lord.
Luke 13:31-35 (C, L)
Jesus refuses to flee from Herod and laments the people's refusal to accept him. Jesus is on his way to Jerusalem. Strangely enough a group of Pharisees warns him to flee from King Herod who is out to kill him. Jesus expresses his destiny, like other prophets, is to die in Jerusalem. No one shall prevent him from going there. With sorrow Jesus laments that Jerusalem refuses to accept him as Lord in spite of his longing to save her. Their rejection means doom - "forsaken." (v. 35)
Luke 9:28-36 (RC)
(For commentary see Transfiguration of Our Lord)
Prayer of the Day
"Heavenly Father, it is your glory always to have mercy. Bring back all who have erred and strayed from your ways; lead them again to embrace in faith the truth of your Word and to hold it fast."
Hymn of the Day
"O Jesus Christ, May Grateful Hymns be Rising"
Theme of the Day: A Covenant People
Lesson 1 - God makes a covenant with his people.
Lesson 2 - A covenant people belongs to God.
Gospel - An appeal to be faithful to the covenant.
God and his people are related and bound to one another by the covenant made with Abraham and his descendants. (Lesson 1) People in this covenantal relationship are citizens of heaven, members of God's Kingdom. (Lesson 2) Jesus is faithful to the covenantal God and is upset that the covenant people reject him as their King. The Psalm and Hymn deal with the city. The Prayer refers to those who refuse to accept Jesus - "erred and strayed" - and appeals for them to again come to faith.
Theological Reflections
Gospel: Luke 13:31-35
1. Pharisees (v. 31). We usually think of the Pharisees as the enemies of Jesus, enemies who criticized and condemned him as a blasphemer. Here is another side to "some Pharisees." They were concerned about the welfare of Jesus. Having information that probably Jesus did not have, they urged him to flee lest King Herod arrest and execute him. Not all people are bad. There is some good in the worst of us.
2. Must (v. 33). Jesus refuses to be scared of Herod. He will not flee. His position is based on the conviction that he has a work to do and a mission to fill and no enemy is going to stop him. He knows his end will not be in Herod's jurisdiction, for he is sure that his death will occur in Jerusalem which has killed other prophets. Jesus has a sense of destiny and this erases any fear he might have of even his worst opponents.
3. How (v. 34). This word expresses the desire and intense longing of Jesus for his people to turn to him for life and salvation. Not once does he appeal to them to repent, but "how often." He sees himself as a mother hen gathering her chicks under her wing for their safety and security. The tragedy to this desperate Jesus who weeps for his people is in the words, "You would not."
Gospel:
Luke 9:28-36
(For Theological Reflections see Transfiguration of Our Lord)
Lesson 1: Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18
1. Came (v. 1). Another word for "came" is "grace." It tells us that we do not come to God first, but he comes to us initially. He seeks us; we do not seek him. Unless he comes to us as he came to Abraham, we would never know God nor ever find him. Behind the covenant is the grace, the undeserved love of God, which reaches out to us, invites our response, and engages us in a blessed relationship.
2. Shield (v. 1). God is often referred to as a rock or a fortress. Seldom is he spoken of as our "shield." A shield is a protective piece of armor. With a shield we need have no fear of the enemy's arrows. Because God is a shield, God tells Abraham, "Fear not." God is not out to get us nor to harm us. He is there to protect and bless us. While we fear God in terms of reverence, we need not be afraid of him, for he comes to us in love.
3. Covenant (v. 18). The entire focus in this pericope is the making of a covenant. It is a religious term which in the secular world is a contract or an agreement. Yet, a covenant is more than that. It is not an arrangement between two equal parties, and it does not originate as a cooperative project. A covenant is a relationship based upon promises to each party of the covenant. Another word for covenant is "sacrament." The sacrament of baptism, for example, is a covenant between God and the believer.
Lesson 2: Philippians 3:17--4:1
1. Imitating (v. 17). This is a daring word - "imitate." Imitate or copy whom? Paul says here, "Imitate me." In what respect? "Imitate me in the way I live." Who can say that? Are our lives worthy of being copied by others as the right way to live? People want and need an example to follow. At the Last Supper when Jesus washed the Disciples' feet, he said, "I have given you an example." The people in the pew look up to the person in the pulpit as an example. Children look to parents as the kind of people they should become.
2. Tears (v. 18). Tears express deep emotion. They show how deeply we feel about the thing that brings tears. Some are afraid of expressing emotion in the church. To have tears is for some a sign of weakness or of being out of control. Paul is moved to tears over the unChristlike lives some church members are living. With tears he appeals to them to repent. The tears show that we care about people. We fear for their eternal welfare. We want sinners to turn and have life. Do we care enough to weep?
3. Is (v. 20). When does heaven begin for Christians? Most people talk about going to heaven. In this verse Paul affirms that our citizenship in heaven is now. We do not wait for death to enter heaven. When we accept Christ and live in him, we are in heaven even though we are still on earth. In that case death has no sting nor fear, for it has already been conquered. All of this depends on what heaven is. Heaven is being with Christ. To be alive in Christ is a present possibility.
Preaching Possibilities
Relating Lent 2 to the Cross
Gospel: Jesus knows he is to die, but where shall it be? Will he be assassinated in Herod's province or in Jerusalem, the holy city, where prophets in the past were martyred? To be official and to fulfill prophecy, Jesus must go to Jerusalem. In this Gospel, Jesus is on his way to Jerusalem, the only place for him to die.
Lesson 1: Here we have the formation of the Abrahamic covenant. In Jesus a new covenant is made through the sacrifice of himself on the cross. At the Last Supper, Jesus referred to the wine as the new covenant of his blood. The seal of the new covenant is the cross where God and humanity were reconciled and a new relationship established.
Lesson 2: The cross is prominent in the Lesson. Church members who live wickedly are "enemies of the cross." By our sins we keep Christ on the cross. Because of the cross, we can call Jesus our "Savior." (v. 20)
Three Lessons
Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18; Philippians 3:17--4:1; Luke 13:31-35
The Cross and the Covenant
Need: Christianity is basically a relationship with God by faith in Christ who makes the relationship possible by his sacrifice on the cross. The Lessons deal with our covenant with God. Since every person needs a satisfactory relationship with God, there is need for this sermon to initiate and develop the covenant relationship.
Outline: Consider the cross and the covenant -
a. You have a covenant with God - Lesson 1
b. You belong to God through the covenant - Lesson 2
c. You need to be faithful to the covenant - Gospel
Gospel:
Luke 13:31-35
1. Why Don't We Have Opposition?
a. Is there no existence of a "Herod" in our society? Are there no anti-Christian ideas or practices in our midst, in church, in community?
Are we living in an ideal society, a utopia?
b. Is there no opposition because of our tolerance of evil?
c. Is there no opposition because we compromise with evil?
d. Is there no opposition because we don't take a stand for Christian principles? Afraid to speak the truth or to show our colors?
e. Should we seek opposition? Why was Jesus opposed? What did he do to deserve opposition as early as Mark 3:6 when Pharisees and Herodians plotted to destroy him? In Mark 2:1-12, Jesus forgave the sins of a paralytic; in Mark 2:23-28 he ate with publicans and sinners; in Mark 3:1-6 he healed a withered hand.
f. Could our opposition to God (Luke 13:34-35) prevent secular man's opposition to Christians? Are we too much like the world to have enemies from the world?
2. How to Face Threats. 13:31-33
a. Confront your enemy: take a stand, don't flee - v. 32
b. Courage: tell your enemy off - v. 32
c. Continue your work for good - v. 32
3. The Yearning, Wooing, Longing, Pleading Heart of God. 13:34-35
a. How often he tries to get man back: "How often" - v. 34. From Noah to Jesus!
b. "Gathered" -v. 34
Love gathers, unites, solidifies, reconciles, God's intention for Christ: to reconcile, to bring
back man to God.
c. "Would not" - v. 34
Here is the tragic rebellion and opposition of man to God. Compare the repeated "And you
would not" expressions in Amos. In spite of plagues, Pharaoh would not let God's people go.
d. "Forsaken" - v. 35
This is the awful consequence of turning down Christ. It is the absence of God by man's refusal to have God in Christ by faith.
Gospel:
Luke 9:28-36
(For outline see Transfiguration of Our Lord)
Lesson 1: Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18
1. God Would Make a Deal with You. 15:1-12, 17-18
Need: Religion is basically a relationship with God. A Christian establishes this relationship by faith in Christ. We come into the world without a knowledge of God and without a conscious relationship with him. How does one come to know God? How and when does one get related to God? This getting together with God the Bible calls a "covenant." In Christ a new covenant (testament) is possible. For Christians a covenant with God is made at baptism. The elements of a covenant are the same as they were with Abraham as today.
Outline: God would make a deal with you -
a. God comes to you - v. 1
b. God makes an offer (promises) - vv. 4, 5, 18
c. You accept the offer (faith) - v. 6
d. The agreement is sealed - vv. 8, 17
2. Asking God Questions. 15:1-12, 17-18
Need: Like Abraham we have questions for God. Thre is so much we need to know about God and his will for our lives. In this passage God tells Abraham that he will reward him. It was natural for Abraham to ask God, "How will you reward me?" God replies that his reward will be promises. That leads to the next question, "How can I be sure that the promises will be fulfilled?" Since God says he will bless us, we, too, have the same questions Abraham asked.
Outline: Our questions and God's answers -
a. "What will you give?" - v. 2
1. Answer: promises to
a. Abraham: son, nation, land - vv. 4, 5, 18
b. Us: forgiveness, eternal life, love
b. "How am I to know that I shall possess it?" - v. 8
1. Answer -
a. Abraham - sign of sacrifice - vv. 7-11, 17
b. Us - sign of baptism
Lesson 1: Jeremiah 26:8-15
Don't Blame Me, Blame God!" 26:8-15
1. God Who Condemns
Jeremiah told the people that he was not responsible for the message against the temple and Jerusalem. It was God who sent him with the message. This is God's, not man's, message of doom. Jeremiah could say, "Don't blame me, blame God." Jeremiah's message of doom resulted from his obedience to God - v. 8.
What is God saying today through the preacher that we oppose? Do we object to the teaching of a tithe as a minimal gift to God? Do we reject the idea of loving one's enemies? Do we resist the message that a plague will come upon us lest we repent? Do we resent this open and frank criticism of our wayward ways? Is the preacher just letting off steam or is he expressing his anger at his congregation, or is God speaking through him?
2. God Who Saves - v. 13
God will change his mind and save you from predicted doom if you repent, if you change your ways by doing justly and loving mercy. You have a choice: God's judgment or mercy. God does not hate you. He wants you to change, to do better, to obey him that you might live in peace and security.
3. God Is in Charge - vv. 14, 15
Jeremiah says it does not matter what happens to him. He is not the issue. You can kill Jeremiah but that will not take away your problem or save you from doom. The preacher is not your problem; it is your disobedience to God. Kill your preacher for what God told him to say and you just add to your sins.
Lesson 2: Philippians 3:17--4:1
1. "Take me, for Example!"
How shall we live as Christians? There are all kinds of laws, tranditions, customs, new styles of life. How can we obey all the moral codes? Haven't times changed and brought changes in more customs and values? The best way to learn to live a Christian life is by having a model, imitating a worthy example. Paul in this lesson asks us to imitate his life -
a. One who lives as a friend of Christ - v. 18
Shun the enemies of the cross: a life of materialism ("belly"), legalism ("shame" - circumcision), the outcome of death.
b. One who lives in another world - v. 20
A Christian is one who lives in heaven, a citizen of the Kingdom of God. Live according to the Spirit and not according to the flesh. As a citizen of earth and of heaven, Christians know that Christ has conquered the world. He will change our earthly bodies to be like his glorious body, and will subdue all things of the world to him.
c. One who stands firm in the Lord - 4:1
2. "Enemies of the Cross" - 3:18-19
a. What does the cross stand for?
Truth, integrity, obedience, love, sacrifice
b. Who opposes the cross?
Those headed for doom through sin - v. 19
Those with a materialistic view of life - v. 19
Those who are slaves of the law - v. 19
Those whose minds are worldly - v. 19
LENT 3
The Lessons
Exodus 3:1-15 (C)
Exodus 3:1-8b, 10-15 (L)
Exodus 3:1-8, 13-15 (RC)
Moses is called to deliver God's people from bondage in Egypt.
While tending his father-in-law's sheep, Moses is called by Yahweh to return to Egypt to lead out his oppressed people. First Yahweh must get Moses' attention by having a bush burn without burning up. Because God is present, Moses is ordered to remove his sandals, for he is on holy ground. Wherever God exists, the place becomes sacred. Yahweh tells Moses that he is concerned about his people in slavery and commands him to lead them out to a good land. Moses feels inadequate to do this, but Yahweh promises to be with him. Then comes the problem of identification - Who is Yahweh? He discloses his nature, "I am," the same God of Moses' forefathers.
1 Corinthians 10:1-13 (C, L)
1 Corinthians 10:1-6, 10-12 (RC)
Lessons to be learned from the Israelites' disobedience in the wilderness.
Paul deals with a problem in the Corinthian church concerning some members thinking their salvation is secure here and now by partaking of the Sacraments. Paul uses the experiences of the Israelites and interprets them typologically. The Israelites were guided by the cloud of Yahweh, ate the same spiritual food, and drank the same spiritual drink. Likewise Christians partake of the holy bread in the Eucharist, are baptized in the water, and drink from the Rock, Christ. In spite of these experiences, the Israelites perished because of their disobedience. So, Paul urges his people to take heed, for they, too, can yield to temptation even if they have the Sacraments. However, he comforts them with the assurance that God is faithful in giving them strength to overcome any temptation to sin and in providing an escape from the temptation.
Luke 13:1-9
Judgment is delayed to allow time for repentance. This pericope consists of historical events and a parable. Both deal with the subject of repentance. In the first part, Jesus refers to two disasters: the massacre of innocent worshipers and a construction accident. Their deaths do not indicate that they were special sinners. The point is that a like fate will befall those who do not repent. Repent now, or later? The parable teaches that God in his forbearance gives us another chance to repent just as the fig tree was given another chance to produce fruit.
Prayer of the Day
"Eternal Lord, your kingdom has broken into our troubled world through the life, death, and resurrection of your Son. Help us to hear your Word and obey it, so that we become instruments of your redeeming love."
Hymn of the Day
"Jesus the Very Thought of Thee"
Theme of the Day: The Way Out of Trouble
Gospel - Repentance can prevent disaster.
Lesson 1 - God calls a leader to lead us out of bondage.
Lesson 2 - Faithfulness is the means of escaping temptation.
In these Lessons we face the prospect of disaster, death, and destruction. Unless we repent, Jesus taught that we will perish just as the worshipers and workers met death. (Gospel) God knows when we are in trouble as he knew about the Jews in Egypt, and he calls Moses to bring them out of their slavery. (Lesson 1) No one can be sure that he/she will not fall from God into disobedience and suffer death as the Israelites did in the wilderness. We are always susceptible to yielding to temptation, but our confidence is in the faithfulness of God who will provide an escape from the temptation. The Prayer refers to the Kingdom's breaking into our troubled world.
Theological Reflections
Gospel:
Luke 13:1-9
1. Worse (vv. 2, 4). Indeed we are all sinners, but are some worse than others? In Jesus' day as well as ours people who were victims of tragedy were considered "worse" sinners because of the position that God rewards the good and punishes the wicked. Are the victims of tornadoes, hurricanes, arson, war, or accidents special sinners to deserve this fate? Jesus in this passage says, "No." All sin is bad and all are sinners. Calamity is not necessarily a judgment upon sin. We live in a wicked world and good people can suffer innocently in this kind of world.
2. Unless (vv. 3, 5). Because we are sinners, we all need to repent. "Unless" we do, our fate will be like the innocent people who were killed. If we continue in our sin, if we keep preparing for war, if our society continues to be saturated with crime, if we keep on neglecting God, we will perish. Our future security and salvation depend on the "unless." It is a simple and clear warning.
3. None (vv. 6, 7). This is a damning word. A man goes to his tree for fruit at harvest time, and there is not one piece of fruit on it. This happens for three years. No wonder the owner wanted to cut it down. This is a parable of life. The tree represents a human who has nothing to show for his/her life. It is a barren, fruitless, wasted life. What can be done about it? Either cut it down or have the tree "repent" and bring forth the fruit of repentance.
Lesson 1: Exodus 3:1-15
1. Turn (v. 3). Moses is in the fields working as a shepherd. He is an exile from Egypt, because he had to flee for killing a man. God needs this Moses as the one best suited to rally the Jews together and persuade Pharoah to let them go free to another land. For God the problem is, how is he going to get Moses to do this? First, he must get Moses' attention. He gets it by having a bush burn without its being consumed. That attracted Moses to see this spectacular thing. With Moses' curiosity aroused, God asked him to be the leader of his oppressed people. Likewise, we will not hear God's call unless he first gets our attention.
2. Shoes (v. 5). Before God could get into the subject of Moses' future leadership, Moses was told to take off his shoes. They represented his sin - sandals or shoes used in the countryside are usually dusty and dirty representing sin. Moses was standing on holy ground because the holy presence of God was there. A holy God cannot tolerate sin. Before we come into the presence of God for worship or prayer, there should be spiritual cleansing by confession and absolution.
3. I am (v. 14). When Moses asked God to identify himself so that he could tell the people in Egypt what God sent him, God simply said, "I am." Nothing more nor better can be said of God, for "I am" means Being, Reality, Essence, Life. To say anything more than "I am" is to limit God. To say "God is love" is not saying it all, for God is more than love.
Lesson 2: 1 Corinthians 10:1-13
1. Nevertheless (v. 5). During the wilderness period of forty years, the Israelites were blessed by God. All were led by the cloud. All ate the manna of supernatural food and drank supernatural water which came from a solid rock. Likewise, Paul says Christians have the same food in the Lord's Supper and have the same water in baptism flowing from Christ the Rock. In spite of all this, most of the Israelites perished because of disobedience. Receiving the Sacraments is no guarantee of our salvation, for we can still be disobedient.
2. Warnings (vv. 6, 11). What happened centuries ago serve as warnings to us today. As the Israelites became faithless and disobedient, we can suffer the same consequences. Unless we take heed to ourselves and repent daily, we will experience the same fate. Can we learn the lessons of history and save ourselves from future tragedy?
3. Faithful (v. 13). Why do we become disobedient even though we have received the blessings of God and his grace? It is due to temptation to rebel against God. No one can keep temptations from enticing us into sin and this we must beware of being smug in our Christian membership, our church activities, and our devotional life. Our remaining faithful to God is in God's faithfulness to us. He will give us no greater temptation than we can handle, and when it comes, God will provide a means of escape. So, we have no excuse for yielding to temptation.
Preaching Possibilities
Relating Lent 3 to the Cross
Gospel: If we are going to present the fate of these victims to the two disasters by repenting, how much more should we repent in the light of the cross? It was not because of his sin that Jesus died on the cross. His, like the victims, was an innocent death. Except we repent and accept Christ as Lord, we, as the thieves crucified with Jesus, will experience death.
Lesson 1: Moses was called to lead God's people out of slavery to a promised land of liberty and prosperity. A greater than great Moses was sent by God to the people of the world to liberate them from the far more serious bondage of sin. This deliverance was effected on the cross.
Lesson 2: To be in Christ is one thing; to stay in Christ is a constant responsibility. Belonging to the church and receiving grace through the Sacraments may lead to a smug complacency and false security. At a time like this, Christians can lose faith and fall into disobedience. For us to be faithful to God, we need to appropriate the faithfulness of God. His faithfulness is perfectly demonstrated in the cross - he provided an escape from the threat of death.
Three Lessons
Exodus 3:1-15; 1 Corinthians 10:1-13; Luke 13:1-9
The Trouble I'm In
Need: Trouble is a universal experience more or less, sooner or later for every person. The Lessons deal with this problem.
Outline: In and out of trouble -
a. The way into trouble - yielding to temptation - Lesson 2
b. God's concern about our trouble (v. 7) - Lesson 1
c. The way out of trouble - repentance - Gospel
Gospel:
Luke 13:1-9
1. Repentance is definitely the theme of the gospel lesson.
The theme is supported by (1) verse 1: "At that very time." This refers to the preceding passage in Luke 12 where Jesus urges the multitude to repent by reading aright the signs of the times and by making things right before appearing before a judge; (2) by the parable - vv. 6-9. The parable of the fig tree emphasizes God's forbearance and patience in waiting for repentance. The emphasis is on the plea of the vinedresser to give the tree more time to produce before its destruction.
2. The gospel lesson teaches certain truths which become preaching possibilities:
a. Suffering and tragedy do not necessarily follow sin. A natural catastrophe like the tower of Siloam and man's violence like Pilate's massacre of those in the acts of worship do not imply that the victims were special sinners deserving this fate. Contemporary situations are Hiroshima, Buchenwald, China's earthquake of 1976 killing 655,000 people, and the multitudes of Bangladesh dying of starvation.
b. All people sin and need to repent. Whether or not they are victims of disaster, all are guilty of sin. Thus, unless all repent, they will perish like the victims of the tower and the massacre.
c. Unrepentant sinners will perish. In the New Testament "perish" deals not only with the destruction of the physical body but the entire ego, the annihilation of the soul.
d. Repentance is the way of escape from perishing. This implies that there is forgiveness from a loving Father for those who repent.
e. The urgency of repentance is brought out by the parable. The fig tree was given one more year to produce and then the end if it did not produce the fruit of repentance.
f. The patience of God in giving sinners one more chance, a little more time to repent. Behind this patience is a God of love who does not desire the death of any one person. "God so loved the world ... that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life."
3. "Of What Use Were You In This World?" 13:6-8
This is life's most searching question. Did your life count for anything? A life can be like the fig tree in the parable.
a. Planted by God
God created man, provided and cared for man. As a result, man has a responsibility to produce fruit worthy of God.
b. Patience of God
God is willing to give man another chance to become fruitful, to repent. There is one more year before destruction. Lent is the time to repent.
c. Plight of man
The justice of God will be visited upon unrepentant man. A useless, fruitless person will be cut down like the tree. To prevent this man must repent and God will save him from destruction.
Lesson 1: Exodus 3:1-15
1. "A Suffering God" 3:7-12
a. God identifies with the plight of his people - v. 7
He sees their affliction, hears their cries, and knows their sufferings.
Today God knows about our problems, troubles, and suffering.
b. God is concerned about our condition - v. 8
Being concerned he comes to deliver us, to bring us to a good land. Knowledge of our plight is not enough. God goes beyond knowledge to concern which comes out of his love for his people.
c. God devises a plan of deliverance - vv. 10-12
God takes the initiative by coming to Moses and by sending him to release the captives. God not only gives us a task but equips us for the task.
How does this apply to the modern situation? In our day God is aware of and concerned about the Third World's hunger, poverty, and ignorance. He hears its cries for liberation. Those in the first and second worlds today are also in need of liberation from the bondage of their sin. God identifies with his people through the Incarnation. His concern for us was shown in the ministry of Jesus. His deliverance was in the cross of Jesus. In Christ we have a God who cares, who delivers.
2. Who Is Your God? 3:13-15
Need: We can have as many gods as we have people. For some, God is too small for their needs. For some, God is too distant to be approachable. If we are to be like God, we need to have a true understanding of him. How can we know the true nature of God? It is not by discovery, experimentation, nor experience. God can be known only by revelation, God's self-disclosure. In our text God reveals his identity.
Outline: Who is your God?
a. God is goodness - yes, but more than that!
b. God is love - yes, but more than that!
c. God is justice - yes, but more than that!
d. God is - the most we can know about God. (vv. 13-15)
Lesson 2: 1 Corinthians 10:1-13
1. Christians Too Can Be Lost! 10:1-13
The gist of this Lesson: Don't think that just because you were baptized and receive Holy Communion, you are safe from sinning. Look at the Israelites who were baptized into Moses and ate supernatural food and yet sinned in the wilderness. They perished for their sins. Christians can sin, too. Pride goes before a fall. Do not be smug and think you have it made, that nothing can happen to you, that you are safe from God's judgment. You, too, can sin in spite of your baptism and communion. Yet, God will provide an escape from temptation to sin that you need not perish. As Christians, you need to live a life of daily repentance.
"Christians Too Can Be Lost!" 10:1-13
a. Christians have privileges
They experience God's favor through baptism and the Lord's Supper. They have Christ, salvation, and are members of the Kingdom by the grace of God. They have security and assurance of salvation, that all is right with God.
b. Christians can fall
Like the Israelites, they can desire evil in spite of their privileges and status with God. They, too, can embrace idolatry, engage in immorality, put God to the test, and grumble about God's actions.
c. Christians can escape from temptation - v. 13
God can give the strength to overcome the desire to sin. This calls for living daily in a state of repentance.
2. You Can Overcome Temptation. 10:12-13
Need: No one can avoid being tempted, not even the holiest of us. As an excuse for our sin, we often say that the temptation was too great to be turned down. Paul in our text tells us that a Christian can always overcome temptation and therefore needs not sin. This sermon based on the text gives the good news how this can be done.
Outline: How you can overcome temptation -
a. Be on guard - v. 12
b. Know that temptation is a common experience - v. 13
c. God will give you strength to say No - v. 13
d. God will provide an escape - v. 13
LENT 4
The Lessons
Joshua 5:9-12 (C, RC)
Joshua and his people keep the Passover at Gilgal. Under Joshua's leadership the Israelites cross the Jordan to the Promised Land. In preparation for the conquest of the land, all were circumcised as a renewal of the Abrahamic covenant. Also, the first Passover was kept in the Promised Land at Gilgal. It marked the end of the wilderness wanderings. On the day of the Passover, manna from heaven ceased and the people began to eat the fruit of the land.
Isaiah 12:1-6
Rejoice in God's salvation
2 Corinthians 5:16-21 (C)
2 Corinthians 5:17-21 (RC)
Because in Christ God reconciled sinners to himself; a believer is a new creation.
A believer in Christ has become a new person because in Christ God reconciled the world to himself, not God to the world. This was done by the death and resurrection of Christ who was made sin for us that we might have the righteousness of God. To us God has given the ministry of reconciliation. As ambassadors of God, we appeal to humanity to be reconciled to God by accepting Christ as Lord and Savior.
1 Corinthians 1:18-31 (L)
The cross is the wisdom and power of God
Luke 15:1-3, 11-32
The parable of the Prodigal Son. The first three verses give the setting and occasion for the parable. Jesus is criticized for fellowshipping with sinners and eating with outcasts. To show what one's attitude should be toward sinners, Jesus tells the story of a father and two sons, a story well-known by most Christians. Three characters are involved: the father, the prodigal, and the stay-at-home brother. It is a story of reconciliation, forgive-ness, and acceptance for those who repent and return to the Father.
Prayer of the Day
"God of all mercy, by your power to heal and to forgive, graciously cleanse us from all sin and make us strong."
Hymn of the Day
"In Adam We Have All Been One"
Theme of the Day: The Return of the Sinner
Gospel - God the Father joyfully accepts the returned sinner.
Lesson 1 - God the Son makes the reconciliation possible.
Lesson 2 - Returning from the wilderness of sin, the reconciled is in the promised land.
The Lessons deal with God's attitude toward his disobedient people. In the Gospel, God, our heavenly Father, is like the loving and welcoming father of the Prodigal Son who is received with love and acceptance. Why would God receive a sinner in this fashion? Because Christ died for our sins, we are now acceptable to the Father for Jesus' sake. (Lesson 2) In Lesson 1 , the sinner, like the Israelites, now exists in the Promised Land where the relationship with God is renewed and celebrated. The prayer deals with our sin and forgiveness. The Psalm reflects the joy of being reunited with God. The hymn refers to our oneness in Adam's sin of disobedience and our return to God through Christ.
Theological Reflections
Gospel:
Luke 15:1-3, 11-32
1. Himself (v. 17). The first step in making a come-back is to come to a self-realization of who you are and what you have done. When the younger son hit bottom, he had the occasion to do some thinking about himself. It finally dawned on him that he made a terrible mistake, that his lot could not be worse, and what he needed to do to get his life back on the track. Every one needs to do some self-examination and introspection to realize the need for repentance.
2. Heaven (v. 21). The Prodigal confessed that he sinned not only against his father but against God ("heaven"). On the surface it appears as though the youth sinned only against himself and his family, but he had the insight to see he sinned against the Lord primarily. To sin against people is to automatically sin against God, for God's commands are people-centered.
3. Dead (vv. 24, 32). Twice the father describes his renegade son as being "dead" while he was away from home. In body he was alive; in spirit he was dead - dead to virtue, dead in his love for God and family. With his return, he has come alive again. It is the same with Christians: we die to self and sin and rise with Christ in newness of life. We can be dead in a twofold way: dead in sin or dead to sin.
Lesson 1: Joshua 5:9-12
1. Rolled (v. 9). After forty years of life in the wilderness, the Israelites finally, under Joshua's leadership, entered the Promised Land. Yahweh told them at Gilgal that he rolled away the reproach of Egypt from them. Appropriately the word, Gilgal, means to roll and it was the place for a wholesale circumcision. It was a rolling over from the past to the future, from wilderness to a settled land, from slavery to freedom.
2. Ceased (v. 12). After the renewal of the Abrahamic covenant, the Israelites celebrated by keeping the Passover for the first time since entering the Promised Land. God's promise of deliverance from Egypt and of taking them to the Promised Land was fulfilled. While in the wilderness, God fed them with manna, but now it ceased because the people could get food from the new land. God does not feed us when we can feed ourselves. God helps those who help themselves. God expects us to do our part in providing for ourselves.
Lesson 2: 2 Corinthians 5:16-21
1. Regard (v. 16). Because of his being in Christ, Paul has a new attitude and perspective on Christ and people. Before Christ, he looked at them from a human point of view. He saw Jesus as another human being; people were people. Being in Christ, he now looks at Christ from a divine perspective. Christ is God's Son, the Messiah, Lord, and Savior. People are now regarded as God's creation and potential children of God. This high regard for Christ and people as of infinite worth makes them deserve our concern and aid.
2. Creation (v. 17). God is continuously creating. Scientists claim that new worlds and new stars are still in the making. Spiritually creation continues also. To be in Christ is to effect a new creation. A person baptized in Christ with repentance and faith has a new existence. He/she is not the same person essentially. He/she has changed. His/her old self was one of hatred, malice, and sin. Now he/she lives for God and possesses the spirit of love and goodness. As God is the creator of the physical universe, he also creates new people through Christ.
3. Himself (v. 19). God was in Christ reconciling the world to "himself." It was not God but the world that needed reconciling. One would think that because of our sin we offended God and he would need to be appeased and placated. God still loves us even while sinners. It is humanity that has left "home" and become rebellious and faithless. The human needs to be brought back to God and the broken relationship needs to be mended. This was the mission of Jesus and this is the church's mission today.
Preaching Possibilities
Relating Lent 4 to the Cross
Gospel: While the cross is not mentioned in the parable, it is applicable to the human situation. As the Prodigal returned to his father, so Jesus says that when he is lifted up, he will draw all men to him. Because of the cross, the Father waits in love to receive his disobedient children. And what will cause people to say, "I will arise and go to my father"? When sinners look at the cross and see the goodness and kindness of God in the sacrifice of his Son, the hard heart will melt with repentance.
Lesson 1: As the Israelites began a new era in their history by renewing the covenant through circumcision and celebrated their entrance into the Promised Land with the Passover, so Christians have a renewed covenant in the shed blood of Christ and we celebrate that relationship by celebrating a new Passover in which the Christ feeds with his body and blood.
Lesson 2: In the new Promised Land we are new creatures in Christ. We no longer live in the wilderness of sin but we are alive in Christ. In Christ God has reconciled us. Christ was made sin for us and sin caused death on a cross. Out of death came a new life with God. Without the cross there could be no reconciliation.
Three Lessons
Joshua 5:9-12; 2 Corinthians 5:16-21; Luke 15:1-3, 11-32
Going Back Home to God
Need: We live in a prodigal-son culture and our sins prove that we are prodigals. We have left the home of the Father and we are living in a far country of disobedience. A review of a daily newspaper provides an over-abundance of evidence of this fact. Our need is to go back home to God as the Prodigal returned to his father.
Outline: Consider this -
a. God wants us to come back home - Gospel
b. God through Christ makes it possible to come back home - Lesson 2
c. Coming home to God is to be in the Promised Land - Lesson 1
Gospel:
Luke 15:1-3, 11-32
The length of the gospel lesson may be a temptation to preach on aspects of the parable that do not necessarily harmonize with the theme of the day. Sermons could be prepared on the father, the prodigal, and the elder son. The parable for preaching needs to be seen through the eyes of 15:1-2. Here Jesus is criticized for associating with sinners . In his defense Jesus tells the three parables in Luke 15. The theme of the day is not repentance which was last Sunday's emphasis. The emphasis is upon God's acceptance of a repentant sinner.
1. Keeping Bad Company? Luke 15:1-2, 1 Corinthians 15:33
Do you follow Jesus in keeping bad company? Should we? Paul says, "Bad company ruins good morals." In Jesus' day the religious leaders refused to do it and criticized Jesus for doing so. Maybe there is a right and a wrong way to associate with "sinners."
a. Sinners are Bad company
Jesus mingled with the dregs of society: tax-collectors who made themselves rich by demanding exorbitant taxes, women who sold their bodies to satisfy the sexual lust of their customers. These were people who told dirty stories and used profane language. In our day they are the Charles Mansons, the Gary Gilmores, the Himmlers, the Bonnie and Clydes, the John Dillingers. These people are atheists, anti-God, anti-church, and anti-decency. Associate with these people?
b. Sinners need repentance
Jesus associated with sinners not because he approved of their way of life. He knew they needed him; they needed friendship and understanding. He went to them for a purpose, to lead them to repentance. He did not, nor should we, go to them to become one of them but to get them to become one with him. This is the reason for today's church to go to the worst, to criminals, to anti-God people.
c. Sinners are wanted by God
The gospel story of a waiting father tells us about the heavenly Father who yearns, longs, waits for the sinner to come home to him. Thre is a warm welcome waiting, no questions asked, no scolding - only the joy of reconciliation.
2. With Whom Do You Identify? (Luke 15:11-32)
In the parable there are three characters: the father and two sons. Ask the congregation with which of the three they identify themselves. Consider the three possible positions:
a. Are you the Prodigal?
You, too, have been rebellious. You have gone out to live your own life and do your own thing. You have run away from God. In that case, are you not glad you know there is a loving Father waiting for you? Have you had that experience or are you still running away from God?
b. Are you the elder son?
You feel the same way about the other sinners. You do not appreciate God's taking them back with a party. You have been in church all your life and you have been serving the church for decades. Yet, nobody ever gave you a party in appreciation for what you have done. You are filled with pride and self-righteousness. You won't have a thing to do with those sinners who never come to church and blaspheme as a way of life. And you are not interested in the congregation's program of evangelism.
c. Are you like the Father?
Do you honestly feel about sinners as God does? Are you glad when a sinner sees his error and comes back? Do you love the sinner, and accept him as though nothing happened? Like God will you forgive from the heart without passing judgment or asking questions? Will you take an ex-murderess into your house to care for your youngest child? Really? Then you identify with the Father.
3. Glad You're Back! Luke 15:2-24
Are you really glad when a wicked person comes back home to God, to church, to family? In the parable, the prodigal was received with a party: a banquet, a robe, a ring, shoes, friends, music, and dancing. It was a festive time. Does the church have such a party when new members are received? Are we glad when a person is baptized or are we irritated that it adds five minutes to the length of the service? Does your congregation have a reception for the class of new members received into the church? Bother to go to the new member and say how glad you are to have him in church? Maybe you don't have an opportunity to have a party for new members, because you do not receive any. You do not go out to seek the lost. When was the last time a person was saved in your church?
Lesson 1: Joshua 5:9-12
1. Rolling Stones. 5:9; Luke 24:2
Need: A popular rock group is known as the "Rolling Stones." In a far different and sublime way God also rolls stones. For the Hebrews he rolled away the stone of reproach of Egypt; for the Christians he rolled away the stone before Jesus' tomb. Only God had the power to roll away these stones. In our lives today we need these same impediments removed to have an abundant life.
Outline: In his grace God rolls away -
a. The rock of reproach for sin - Joshua 5:9
b. The rock of death for life - Luke 24:2
2. At Last, You Have Arrived! 5:8-12
Need: For forty long, tortuous years over a half million refugees wandered in a wilderness. Under new leadership, the Israelites cross the Jordan into the Promised Land of prosperity and peace. God fulfilled his promise to bring his people out of slavery in a foreign land to a land of their own. In like manner, life for us is a pilgrimage from the bondage of sin to redemption in Christ. Now that we have arrived, what do we do? Our text tells us what we might do.
Outline: Now that we have arrived -
a. Renew our relationship with God: covenant of circumcision - v. 8
b. Remember with thanksgiving God's deliverance: passover - vv. 10-12
Lesson 1: Isaiah 12:1-6 (L)
This lesson is one of thanks and praise for God's salvation which is to come. Six times the future tense is used: "will." This passage looks forward to the coming salvation as we look to Good Friday's cross. It deals with an anticipated joy of deliverance.
From Anger to Joy. 12:1-6
a. God is angry with me - v. 1
b. God is good to me - v. 2
c. God be praised! vv. 4, 5
Lesson 2: 2 Corinthians 5:16-21
1. Get Right with God. 5:18-21
Need: Humanity's deepest need is to be reconciled to God. Sin has separated us from God. We need to get together in harmony and peace. The broken relationships among people are secondary to our estrangement from God. First, we need to be reconciled to God and then we are given the ministry of reconciliation.
Outline: Our questions answered -
a. Who needs to be reconciled: God or the world? - vv. 19, 20
b. Is a reconciliation possible? vv. 18, 21
c. Who effects the reconciliation today? v. 20
2. Do You Want to be a New Person? 5:17
Need: There are many who do not like themselves as they are. They are disgusted with their failures, selfishness, and excesses. They yearn to be different, to be lovable, and to be a loving person who gets joy out of life. Here is good news for those who want to be new people.
Outline: How to become a new person -
a. Be in Christ - "If anyone is in Christ ..."
b. Forsake the past - "The old has passed away ..."
c. Live the new life - "The new has come ..."
Lesson 2: 1 Corinthians 1:18-31 (L)
In a sense Lesson 2 is the key to today's pericopes. Lesson 1 tells us of God's coming salvation. The gospel describes God's reception of sinners. But how is salvation, forgiveness, and acceptance made possible? The answer is in the cross where the work of salvation is completed. Because of Christ's atoning work the Father can receive with joy the one who once despised him and ran off. As we approach Holy Week it is good for us to think about the meaning of the cross in anticipation of Good Friday.
1. What is the Cross to You? 1:18-25
a. To the perishing, it is nothing - vv. 18, 22
The cross is folly, stupidity, a stumbling block
b. To be saved, it is everything - vv. 18, 23, 24
1. The cross is the wisdom of God
2. The cross is the power of God
2. Does God do Things Backwards? 1:26-31
This sermon deals with the theology of the cross, not a theology of glory. Luther taught a theology of the cross. God does his work of glory through weakness, suffering, and death. God brings something out of nothing, success out of defeat, redemption out of suffering, strength out of weakness, and life out of death.
Does God do things backwards? In, on, and through the cross,
a. Brings wisdom out of foolishness;
b. Makes strength out of weakness;
c. Brings life out of death;
d. Makes glory out of shame.
