Proper 19
Preaching
Lectionary Preaching Workbook
Series IV
Lesson 1: Exodus 14:19-31 (C)
After the Egyptians suffered the loss of their first-born sons, they permitted the Hebrews to leave the country. Upon second thought, they decided they needed them back to do their slave work. The Egyptian army pursued them to the Red Sea. By God's miracle the waters parted for the Israelites to cross over. However, when the Egyptians were crossing over the Sea, the water returned and the army was destroyed.
Lesson 1: Genesis 50:15-21 (L)
The brothers of Joseph seek his forgiveness.
Lesson 1: Sirach 27:30-28:7 (E, RC)
Coming to terms with anger.
Lesson 2: Romans 14:1-12 (C); Romans 14:5-9 (L); Romans 14:7-9 (RC); Romans 14:5-12 (E)
A Christian lives and dies to the Lord and must give an account of his life to God. No one lives to himself; no person is an island. A Christian belongs to God to whom she must give an account. We live and die to the Lord. If a person observes a special day or eats or refrains from eating certain foods, she does it in the name of Christ and gives thanks to God for it. Therefore we are not to judge each other, for only God can be our judge.
Gospel:
Matthew 18:21-35 (C, E, L, RC)
The parable of the unforgiving servant. Jesus just finished teaching how a church offender should be treated. This prompts Peter to ask how often one should forgive. Matthew adds a parable on forgiveness. Note the contrast in the debts: 10 million versus $10. Also, see the contrast in the mercy shown by the king versus the servant who was forgiven the huge debt. The contrast is relevant to the enormity of our sin against God in comparison to the sin committed against us. It is also plain to see that we can expect no more mercy from God than we give to our fellowmen. The parable teaches that we are not to seek vengeance but rather to forgive. Unless we forgive, God will take back his forgiveness of us until we forgive. It is not an easy saying.
Psalm Of The Day
Psalm 114 (C) - "Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord (v. 7)."
Psalm 103:1-13 (E, L, RC) - "The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love (v. 8)."
Prayer Of The Day
"O God, you declare your almighty power chiefly in showing mercy and pity. Grant us the fullness of your grace, that, pursuing what you have promised, we may share your heavenly glory."
Hymn Of The Day
"Forgive Our Sins As We Forgive"
THEOLOGICAL REFLECTIONS
Gospel:
Matthew 18:21-25
1. Brother (v. 21). This passage deals not with the world but with the church. The "brother" is a fellow Christian. This verse is related to last Sunday's Gospel which said, "If your brother sins against you." It is assumed that the procedure was followed in 18:15-20, the brother realizes he has sinned. Again, "brother" indicates that Christians are sinners and stand in the need of forgiveness. The church, as is often said, is not a museum of saints but a hospital of hopefully repenting sinners.
2. Forgive (v. 21). The Greek word for "forgive" is exaleiphein, meaning to erase or wipe out. Because Christians are imperfect human beings, the church is in need of forgiveness. Without it, members would live in friction, tension, disharmony and disruption. Forgiveness is the oil that makes human relations move smoothly: Is the trouble with the church today the lack of forgiveness resulting in cliques and divisions?
3. Mercy (v. 33). The basis of forgiveness is mercy, not justice. Since a person with a debt of 10 thousand talents ($10,000,000) cannot possibly pay, God in mercy forgives. It is worthy of note that in both cases the debtor did not ask for the forgiveness of the debt, but only for patience to give him time to pay the debt. The king (God) goes beyond the request for patience to canceling the debt - how good of God! God is so generous that he gives more than we ask. It is this experience of mercy that arouses us to be merciful to those who are in debt to us. If this mercy is not extended, God declares judgment upon the unforgiving at the last day. God is not only a God of mercy but also of justice.
Lesson 1: Exodus 14:19-31 (C)
1. Clogging (v. 25). The chariot wheels of the Egyptians were clogged in the muddy bottom of the Red Sea. The Egyptian army was stopped in its tracks and could not pursue God's people. To save his people God uses both the extraordinary and the ordinary. The extraordinary means was the miraculous parting of the waters; what a terrific wind it must have been to have separated the waters. It is just as marvelous to see God using plain mud to stop an army! Praise God for little, common things, even mud!
2. Lord Saved (v. 30). In a culture of technological magic that uses computers and explores space, we may find it strange to hear that God alone can save a people from captivity and destruction without any effort on humanity's part. The Lord fought off the Egyptians singlehandedly. All the credit and glory go to God for a change! What a feat it was: bringing 600,000 men plus women and children across a sea! If God be for us, what need do we have for any fear of opponents?
3. Dead (v. 30). When the waters came together, the Israelites saw the Egyptian dead bodies washed ashore. If God loves all people, why does he favor the Jews over the Gentiles? When we consider the massacre of the Egyptian first-born to force the Egyptians to let the Israelites leave Egypt, is it just and merciful that innocent children should pay the price of death? Probably the answer is that in these cases we see the judgment of God upon all evil-doers who afflict people. Whenever people oppose God, they are subject to his wrath.
Lesson 1: Genesis 50:15-21 (L)
1. Hate (v. 15). Since their father died, the brothers were afraid that Joseph still hated them for their selling him into slavery many years ago. Their fear of this hatred indicates the brothers never settled accounts with Joseph. They did not receive forgiveness. So long as the father lived, they felt secure, for Joseph would not harm them for their father's sake. This tragically indicates that unresolved sin can fester for years, and people live with each other in unforgiven tensions. We need to settle accounts today: do not let the sun go down on your wrath.
2. Servants (v. 18). The word for "servant" should be "slave." The brothers, in using this word, express their humility and sense of unworthiness to be forgiven. It is their way of confessing their sin of selling their brother into slavery. Now they are willing to be slaves rather than to be killed. It reminds one of the prodigal's statement to his father, "I am no more worthy to be called your son. Make me as one of your hired servants." The proper preparation for forgiveness is acknowledgment of sin and a sense of unworthiness to be taken back into God's kingdom.
3. Good (v. 20). Joseph grants forgiveness not on a personal basis but on the basis of God. He refuses to play God who alone can forgive. He can forgive them because he sees their sin in the long-range plan of God. God takes our mistakes, crimes, sins, and miraculously he turns them into our good. The cross was man's worst, but God turned it into what is best for us. Though God does not will or approve of evil, he uses it for ultimate good. Here is the basis for Christian hope for tomorrow.
Lesson 2: Romans 14:1-12
1. Himself (v. 7). A person does not live and die to himself. He is not an isolated, segregated or abandoned individual. It is not that one life is caught up with other lives. Rather, Paul is making the point that no Christian lives or dies apart from God.
2. Lord's (v. 8). We are the Lord's people. Who are "we?" Paul teaches we are not automatically the Lord's because we are God's creation. We are his by redemption. In verse 9 Paul refers to Jesus' death and resurrection. Because of his death and resurrection, he is Lord of the living and the dead. Through redemption we are bought with a price. This means God has taken us sinners and forgiven us for Jesus' sake. Here we see how great was the King's mercy, how great a debt he forgave.
3. Account (v. 12). Some people think they can get away with murder. For them death puts them past any human court of justice. Since we are the Lord's and we live and die in the Lord, we are therefore accountable as creatures to our Creator or as children to our heavenly Father. According to Paul, each of us must stand before God the judge and give an account of our lives. We may get away with crime on earth but we will never escape the final judgment.
PREACHING POSSIBILITIES
Gospel:
Matthew 18:21-35
1. Forgiveness Unlimited. 18:21-35
Need: There is need for us to understand the quantity and quality of forgiveness. On the one hand, we may be willing to forgive a person one time. But a second or even a third time? Jesus says we are to forgive 70 times seven; that is, always. Does that make forgiveness ask too much of us? On the other hand, there is the amount of forgiveness. Are there things too bad to be forgiven - adultery, murder, embezzlement? These questions show how much we need this sermon.
Outline: Forgiveness is unlimited.
a. Unlimited quantity - vv. 21-22. Forgive and forgive and forgive and ...
b. Unlimited quality - vv. 23-25. There is nothing too bad not to be forgiven, even 10,000 talents.
2. Why Should I Forgive You? 18:21-35
Need: Why should I forgive? This is the question in many minds. The guilty one may not apologize, confess or ask for forgiveness. Do we Christians forgive because the offender is worthy or deserving of forgiveness? Do we forgive because it is expected of us? A Christian does not forgive but for one reason - God's sake. We forgive because of our relationship with God in Christ. The sermon now spells this out.
Outline: Why I should forgive you.
a. Because Jesus ordered it - vv. 21-22.
b. Because God forgave me - vv. 23-27.
c. Because God will judge if I do not forgive - vv. 28-35.
3. The Wideness of God's Mercy. 18:23-27
Need: Forgiveness and mercy are practically synonymous. Without mercy there is no forgiveness. For this reason forgiveness is not easy. In mercy the forgiving one absorbs the hurt caused by the offender. He foregoes the debt owed him - he is out that amount of money. The one sinned against is always a loser, but he chooses to pay the loss out of mercy. In forgiveness, we remember the words of Jesus, "Be merciful as your Father in heaven is merciful."
Outline: Behold the wideness of God's mercy.
a. His mercy is undeserved - v. 24. We are hopelessly in debt to God. We owe the debt. We are at fault.
b. His mercy is unasked for - v. 26. The servant only asked for time to pay the debt, not the forgiveness of the debt. God gives more than we ask.
c. His mercy is unpaid - v. 27. The debt is cancelled without even the first payment. God pays the debt himself - the miracle of grace.
Lesson 1: Exodus 14:19-31 (C)
1. When You Come to the End of Your Rope. 14:19-31
Need: There are times in life when we are stymied. We do not know where to go or what to do. All doors of escape seem to be closed. There is no place to hide or to run to. This was the predicament of the Israelites. They had behind them the Egyptian army and the Red Sea in front of them. They were between a rock and a hard place. Confronted with capture, the people "were in great fear (14:10)." They criticized Moses for bringing them out of Egypt. In a time like this, what can we do?
Outline: When you come to the end of your rope -
a. Sense the presence of God - v. 19.
b. Seek the protection of God - v. 20.
c. Look to God for the solution - vv. 21-22.
2. How God Saved a Million. 14:19-31
Need: The crossing of the Red Sea was one of God's mightiest acts. He saved more than a million souls from bondage in Egypt (600,000 men plus women and children escaped from Egypt - 12:37). How could a million people cross a sea? How could a fierce army be wiped out? Our text tells us how God saved the Israelites and how we can save a people today from slavery.
Outline: How God works a miracle -
a. Motion - God used the wind (nature) to separate the water - vv. 21, 29.
b. Men - Moses was used as an instrument - vv. 21, 26.
c. Mud - the ordinary stopped the chariots - v. 23.
Lesson 1: Genesis 50:15-21
What It Costs to Forgive. 50:15-21
Need: We may not forgive because of the high cost of forgiving. We are not willing to pay the price. Forgiveness is more than mere words, "I forgive you." In the case of Joseph's forgiveness, we see what forgiveness involves.
Outline: What it costs to forgive.
a. Tears of compassion for the guilty - v. 17.
b. Putting a charitable construction on the sin - v. 20.
c. Promise to care for the offender - v. 21.
d. Words of assurance and comfort - v. 21.
Lesson 2: Sirach 27:30--28:7 (E, RC)
How To Handle Your Anger. 27:30-28:7
Need: In 1985 many nations observed the 40th anniversary of the end of World War II. In connection with it was a summit meeting of the western nations in Germany. A world-wide furor of protest resulted from President Reagan's announced visit to Bitburg cemetery where among German and American troops 49 Nazi SS soldiers were buried. By an overwhelming vote Congress urged the President to cancel the visit. Throughout the world the Jews condemned the visit with rage and violent demonstrations. The Jews did not want to forget the holocaust, for to forget is to forgive. This lection is needed to help us individually and nationally to forgive those who sinned against us by handling our anger.
Outline: What our text tells us -
a. Anger based on hatred is sin - v. 30.
b. God's forgiveness follows our forgiving.
1. Forgiveness - v. 2.
2. Healing - v. 3.
3. Mercy - v. 4.
c. Anger can be overcome.
1. Think of the coming judgment - v. 6.
2. Think of death - v. 6.
3. Think of the commandments - v. 7.
4. Think of God's covenant with you - v. 7.
Lesson 2: Romans 14:1-12
1. No Man Is an Island. 14:7
Need: The days of the rugged individual have passed. It is doubtful if they ever existed. No person can live to himself and say he does not need the world. He claims to be self-sufficient, independent. It is closer to the truth to say man is interdependent rather than independent. In modern society, no one person can provide the basic necessities of life: food, clothing, housing, education, utilities, etc. While we may agree to this, we fail to see that we cannot live fully without God. As Augustine said, apart from God we are restless. Man was made by God to live with and for God. In God, man finds his meaning and fulfillment.
Outline: No person is totally independent.
a. He needs other people.
b. He needs God.
2. Whose We Are. 14:8-9
Need: In a day when we are concerned about who we are, we need to find the answer in whose we are. Paul in the text tells us whose we are - "we are the Lord's." We belong to God through Christ. We are adopted children of God, members of God's kingdom. Each Christian can say, "I am a child of God because I belong to God." But how is this so? How does this happen? Am I a child of God by virtue of being born a human being? This sermon is designed to explain the means of becoming God's child and the implications thereof.
Outline: In this text we learn -
a. Who we are - the Lord's - v. 8.
1. We live to the Lord.
2. We die to the Lord.
b. Whose we are - the Lord's - v. 9.
1. Bought by the price of his blood (death).
2. Justified by his resurrection.
After the Egyptians suffered the loss of their first-born sons, they permitted the Hebrews to leave the country. Upon second thought, they decided they needed them back to do their slave work. The Egyptian army pursued them to the Red Sea. By God's miracle the waters parted for the Israelites to cross over. However, when the Egyptians were crossing over the Sea, the water returned and the army was destroyed.
Lesson 1: Genesis 50:15-21 (L)
The brothers of Joseph seek his forgiveness.
Lesson 1: Sirach 27:30-28:7 (E, RC)
Coming to terms with anger.
Lesson 2: Romans 14:1-12 (C); Romans 14:5-9 (L); Romans 14:7-9 (RC); Romans 14:5-12 (E)
A Christian lives and dies to the Lord and must give an account of his life to God. No one lives to himself; no person is an island. A Christian belongs to God to whom she must give an account. We live and die to the Lord. If a person observes a special day or eats or refrains from eating certain foods, she does it in the name of Christ and gives thanks to God for it. Therefore we are not to judge each other, for only God can be our judge.
Gospel:
Matthew 18:21-35 (C, E, L, RC)
The parable of the unforgiving servant. Jesus just finished teaching how a church offender should be treated. This prompts Peter to ask how often one should forgive. Matthew adds a parable on forgiveness. Note the contrast in the debts: 10 million versus $10. Also, see the contrast in the mercy shown by the king versus the servant who was forgiven the huge debt. The contrast is relevant to the enormity of our sin against God in comparison to the sin committed against us. It is also plain to see that we can expect no more mercy from God than we give to our fellowmen. The parable teaches that we are not to seek vengeance but rather to forgive. Unless we forgive, God will take back his forgiveness of us until we forgive. It is not an easy saying.
Psalm Of The Day
Psalm 114 (C) - "Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord (v. 7)."
Psalm 103:1-13 (E, L, RC) - "The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love (v. 8)."
Prayer Of The Day
"O God, you declare your almighty power chiefly in showing mercy and pity. Grant us the fullness of your grace, that, pursuing what you have promised, we may share your heavenly glory."
Hymn Of The Day
"Forgive Our Sins As We Forgive"
THEOLOGICAL REFLECTIONS
Gospel:
Matthew 18:21-25
1. Brother (v. 21). This passage deals not with the world but with the church. The "brother" is a fellow Christian. This verse is related to last Sunday's Gospel which said, "If your brother sins against you." It is assumed that the procedure was followed in 18:15-20, the brother realizes he has sinned. Again, "brother" indicates that Christians are sinners and stand in the need of forgiveness. The church, as is often said, is not a museum of saints but a hospital of hopefully repenting sinners.
2. Forgive (v. 21). The Greek word for "forgive" is exaleiphein, meaning to erase or wipe out. Because Christians are imperfect human beings, the church is in need of forgiveness. Without it, members would live in friction, tension, disharmony and disruption. Forgiveness is the oil that makes human relations move smoothly: Is the trouble with the church today the lack of forgiveness resulting in cliques and divisions?
3. Mercy (v. 33). The basis of forgiveness is mercy, not justice. Since a person with a debt of 10 thousand talents ($10,000,000) cannot possibly pay, God in mercy forgives. It is worthy of note that in both cases the debtor did not ask for the forgiveness of the debt, but only for patience to give him time to pay the debt. The king (God) goes beyond the request for patience to canceling the debt - how good of God! God is so generous that he gives more than we ask. It is this experience of mercy that arouses us to be merciful to those who are in debt to us. If this mercy is not extended, God declares judgment upon the unforgiving at the last day. God is not only a God of mercy but also of justice.
Lesson 1: Exodus 14:19-31 (C)
1. Clogging (v. 25). The chariot wheels of the Egyptians were clogged in the muddy bottom of the Red Sea. The Egyptian army was stopped in its tracks and could not pursue God's people. To save his people God uses both the extraordinary and the ordinary. The extraordinary means was the miraculous parting of the waters; what a terrific wind it must have been to have separated the waters. It is just as marvelous to see God using plain mud to stop an army! Praise God for little, common things, even mud!
2. Lord Saved (v. 30). In a culture of technological magic that uses computers and explores space, we may find it strange to hear that God alone can save a people from captivity and destruction without any effort on humanity's part. The Lord fought off the Egyptians singlehandedly. All the credit and glory go to God for a change! What a feat it was: bringing 600,000 men plus women and children across a sea! If God be for us, what need do we have for any fear of opponents?
3. Dead (v. 30). When the waters came together, the Israelites saw the Egyptian dead bodies washed ashore. If God loves all people, why does he favor the Jews over the Gentiles? When we consider the massacre of the Egyptian first-born to force the Egyptians to let the Israelites leave Egypt, is it just and merciful that innocent children should pay the price of death? Probably the answer is that in these cases we see the judgment of God upon all evil-doers who afflict people. Whenever people oppose God, they are subject to his wrath.
Lesson 1: Genesis 50:15-21 (L)
1. Hate (v. 15). Since their father died, the brothers were afraid that Joseph still hated them for their selling him into slavery many years ago. Their fear of this hatred indicates the brothers never settled accounts with Joseph. They did not receive forgiveness. So long as the father lived, they felt secure, for Joseph would not harm them for their father's sake. This tragically indicates that unresolved sin can fester for years, and people live with each other in unforgiven tensions. We need to settle accounts today: do not let the sun go down on your wrath.
2. Servants (v. 18). The word for "servant" should be "slave." The brothers, in using this word, express their humility and sense of unworthiness to be forgiven. It is their way of confessing their sin of selling their brother into slavery. Now they are willing to be slaves rather than to be killed. It reminds one of the prodigal's statement to his father, "I am no more worthy to be called your son. Make me as one of your hired servants." The proper preparation for forgiveness is acknowledgment of sin and a sense of unworthiness to be taken back into God's kingdom.
3. Good (v. 20). Joseph grants forgiveness not on a personal basis but on the basis of God. He refuses to play God who alone can forgive. He can forgive them because he sees their sin in the long-range plan of God. God takes our mistakes, crimes, sins, and miraculously he turns them into our good. The cross was man's worst, but God turned it into what is best for us. Though God does not will or approve of evil, he uses it for ultimate good. Here is the basis for Christian hope for tomorrow.
Lesson 2: Romans 14:1-12
1. Himself (v. 7). A person does not live and die to himself. He is not an isolated, segregated or abandoned individual. It is not that one life is caught up with other lives. Rather, Paul is making the point that no Christian lives or dies apart from God.
2. Lord's (v. 8). We are the Lord's people. Who are "we?" Paul teaches we are not automatically the Lord's because we are God's creation. We are his by redemption. In verse 9 Paul refers to Jesus' death and resurrection. Because of his death and resurrection, he is Lord of the living and the dead. Through redemption we are bought with a price. This means God has taken us sinners and forgiven us for Jesus' sake. Here we see how great was the King's mercy, how great a debt he forgave.
3. Account (v. 12). Some people think they can get away with murder. For them death puts them past any human court of justice. Since we are the Lord's and we live and die in the Lord, we are therefore accountable as creatures to our Creator or as children to our heavenly Father. According to Paul, each of us must stand before God the judge and give an account of our lives. We may get away with crime on earth but we will never escape the final judgment.
PREACHING POSSIBILITIES
Gospel:
Matthew 18:21-35
1. Forgiveness Unlimited. 18:21-35
Need: There is need for us to understand the quantity and quality of forgiveness. On the one hand, we may be willing to forgive a person one time. But a second or even a third time? Jesus says we are to forgive 70 times seven; that is, always. Does that make forgiveness ask too much of us? On the other hand, there is the amount of forgiveness. Are there things too bad to be forgiven - adultery, murder, embezzlement? These questions show how much we need this sermon.
Outline: Forgiveness is unlimited.
a. Unlimited quantity - vv. 21-22. Forgive and forgive and forgive and ...
b. Unlimited quality - vv. 23-25. There is nothing too bad not to be forgiven, even 10,000 talents.
2. Why Should I Forgive You? 18:21-35
Need: Why should I forgive? This is the question in many minds. The guilty one may not apologize, confess or ask for forgiveness. Do we Christians forgive because the offender is worthy or deserving of forgiveness? Do we forgive because it is expected of us? A Christian does not forgive but for one reason - God's sake. We forgive because of our relationship with God in Christ. The sermon now spells this out.
Outline: Why I should forgive you.
a. Because Jesus ordered it - vv. 21-22.
b. Because God forgave me - vv. 23-27.
c. Because God will judge if I do not forgive - vv. 28-35.
3. The Wideness of God's Mercy. 18:23-27
Need: Forgiveness and mercy are practically synonymous. Without mercy there is no forgiveness. For this reason forgiveness is not easy. In mercy the forgiving one absorbs the hurt caused by the offender. He foregoes the debt owed him - he is out that amount of money. The one sinned against is always a loser, but he chooses to pay the loss out of mercy. In forgiveness, we remember the words of Jesus, "Be merciful as your Father in heaven is merciful."
Outline: Behold the wideness of God's mercy.
a. His mercy is undeserved - v. 24. We are hopelessly in debt to God. We owe the debt. We are at fault.
b. His mercy is unasked for - v. 26. The servant only asked for time to pay the debt, not the forgiveness of the debt. God gives more than we ask.
c. His mercy is unpaid - v. 27. The debt is cancelled without even the first payment. God pays the debt himself - the miracle of grace.
Lesson 1: Exodus 14:19-31 (C)
1. When You Come to the End of Your Rope. 14:19-31
Need: There are times in life when we are stymied. We do not know where to go or what to do. All doors of escape seem to be closed. There is no place to hide or to run to. This was the predicament of the Israelites. They had behind them the Egyptian army and the Red Sea in front of them. They were between a rock and a hard place. Confronted with capture, the people "were in great fear (14:10)." They criticized Moses for bringing them out of Egypt. In a time like this, what can we do?
Outline: When you come to the end of your rope -
a. Sense the presence of God - v. 19.
b. Seek the protection of God - v. 20.
c. Look to God for the solution - vv. 21-22.
2. How God Saved a Million. 14:19-31
Need: The crossing of the Red Sea was one of God's mightiest acts. He saved more than a million souls from bondage in Egypt (600,000 men plus women and children escaped from Egypt - 12:37). How could a million people cross a sea? How could a fierce army be wiped out? Our text tells us how God saved the Israelites and how we can save a people today from slavery.
Outline: How God works a miracle -
a. Motion - God used the wind (nature) to separate the water - vv. 21, 29.
b. Men - Moses was used as an instrument - vv. 21, 26.
c. Mud - the ordinary stopped the chariots - v. 23.
Lesson 1: Genesis 50:15-21
What It Costs to Forgive. 50:15-21
Need: We may not forgive because of the high cost of forgiving. We are not willing to pay the price. Forgiveness is more than mere words, "I forgive you." In the case of Joseph's forgiveness, we see what forgiveness involves.
Outline: What it costs to forgive.
a. Tears of compassion for the guilty - v. 17.
b. Putting a charitable construction on the sin - v. 20.
c. Promise to care for the offender - v. 21.
d. Words of assurance and comfort - v. 21.
Lesson 2: Sirach 27:30--28:7 (E, RC)
How To Handle Your Anger. 27:30-28:7
Need: In 1985 many nations observed the 40th anniversary of the end of World War II. In connection with it was a summit meeting of the western nations in Germany. A world-wide furor of protest resulted from President Reagan's announced visit to Bitburg cemetery where among German and American troops 49 Nazi SS soldiers were buried. By an overwhelming vote Congress urged the President to cancel the visit. Throughout the world the Jews condemned the visit with rage and violent demonstrations. The Jews did not want to forget the holocaust, for to forget is to forgive. This lection is needed to help us individually and nationally to forgive those who sinned against us by handling our anger.
Outline: What our text tells us -
a. Anger based on hatred is sin - v. 30.
b. God's forgiveness follows our forgiving.
1. Forgiveness - v. 2.
2. Healing - v. 3.
3. Mercy - v. 4.
c. Anger can be overcome.
1. Think of the coming judgment - v. 6.
2. Think of death - v. 6.
3. Think of the commandments - v. 7.
4. Think of God's covenant with you - v. 7.
Lesson 2: Romans 14:1-12
1. No Man Is an Island. 14:7
Need: The days of the rugged individual have passed. It is doubtful if they ever existed. No person can live to himself and say he does not need the world. He claims to be self-sufficient, independent. It is closer to the truth to say man is interdependent rather than independent. In modern society, no one person can provide the basic necessities of life: food, clothing, housing, education, utilities, etc. While we may agree to this, we fail to see that we cannot live fully without God. As Augustine said, apart from God we are restless. Man was made by God to live with and for God. In God, man finds his meaning and fulfillment.
Outline: No person is totally independent.
a. He needs other people.
b. He needs God.
2. Whose We Are. 14:8-9
Need: In a day when we are concerned about who we are, we need to find the answer in whose we are. Paul in the text tells us whose we are - "we are the Lord's." We belong to God through Christ. We are adopted children of God, members of God's kingdom. Each Christian can say, "I am a child of God because I belong to God." But how is this so? How does this happen? Am I a child of God by virtue of being born a human being? This sermon is designed to explain the means of becoming God's child and the implications thereof.
Outline: In this text we learn -
a. Who we are - the Lord's - v. 8.
1. We live to the Lord.
2. We die to the Lord.
b. Whose we are - the Lord's - v. 9.
1. Bought by the price of his blood (death).
2. Justified by his resurrection.
