Proper 23
Preaching
Lectionary Preaching Workbook
Series IV
Lesson 1: Exodus 32:1-14 (C)
The Israelites worship a golden bull. Thinking Moses had deserted them as well as Yahweh, the people persuaded Aaron to make a golden bull out of their jewelry for worship. It was a return to an Egyptian god, Amon-Re, represented by a bull. Yahweh was so angry at their desertion of him, that he threatened to destroy them. Upon Moses' intercession, their plight was avoided.
Lesson 1: Isaiah 25:1-9 (E); Isaiah 25:6-9 (L); Isaiah 25:6-10 (RC)
On Mount Zion God will make a feast for all peoples on the last day.
Lesson 2: Philippians 4:1-9 (C); Philippians 4:4-13 (E, L)
Paul appeals to his people to be in harmony with each other, to rejoice and think beautiful thoughts. Today's Lesson 2 brings to a close the series on Philippians. In verse 1 we have a picture of the love affair between Paul and his people. The problem of disunity in the congregation still exists (vv. 2-3). Paul appeals to them to rejoice in Christ and not to have a worry. They are to think of beautiful values and to imitate him. Then the peace of God and the God of peace will be with them.
Lesson 2: Philippians 4:12-14, 19-20 (RC)
Dealing with life's tough times.
Gospel:
Matthew 22:1-14 (C, E, RC); Matthew 22:1-10, (11-14) (L)
The parable of the wedding feast and garment. Matthew gives us two parables in this Lesson. The first deals with a king (God) who is giving a banquet for his son (Jesus). He sends out his servants (prophets) to tell the invited ones (Jews) that all is ready. Instead of coming the invitees make excuses and kill the king's servants. The angry king destroys the invitees. The servants are then sent out to invite all, good and bad, to the feast so that the wedding hall is filled. If the Jews refuse to come to Christ, they will be replaced by the Gentiles. The second parable is not necessarily related to the preceding one. If the guests have just come from the streets, how could they have a wedding garment? When the king sees a man without a wedding garment, he is thrown out. The point is that it may be too easy to enter the kingdom. There is a requirement: a wedding garment. What is that garment? Faith? The cloak of righteousness? The parable concludes with the maxim: Many are called and few are chosen. Many are called to enter the kingdom but few are chosen because they only have the necessary qualifications.
Psalm Of The Day
Psalm 106:1-6, 19-23 (C) - "O give thanks to the Lord (v. 1)."
Psalm 23 (E, L, RC) - "I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever (v. 6b)."
Prayer Of The Day
"Almighty God, source of every blessing, your generous goodness comes to us anew every day. By the work of your Spirit lead us to acknowledge your goodness, give thanks for your benefits and serve you in willing obedience."
Hymn Of The Day
"A Multitude Comes From The East And The West"
THEOLOGICAL REFLECTIONS
Gospel:
Matthew 22:1-14
1. Feast (vv. 2, 4, 9). God invites us not to a lunch, a snack or to a supper. It is a feast, a banquet. This implies both quantity and quality of food. It is not a meal of hamburgers and potato chips. The feast consists of the finest foods available: shrimp cocktail, filet mignon, lobster tails, cornish hens, frog legs, etc. It is food only a king could afford or provide. This is a metaphor of what bountiful goodies God offers his people.
2. Marriage (vv. 2, 4). It is a wedding reception in terms of a banquet. For one thing it is a royal wedding; the king's son is married. This is the social event of the year which will be attended by all the dignitaries, people who are somebody - top officials, prominent leaders of society. It is an honor to be invited to a fellowship with the "greats." Moreover, a wedding feast is a happy time - music, dancing, acts of entertainment. Everyone is talking, laughing, joking and having a good time. Jesus is teaching that this is what is to belong to the kingdom of God.
3. Come (v. 4). This is an invitation. It signifies that the king considers those invited to be people of importance and acceptable to him. The king wants you. You are in his favor. "Come" implies also that it is voluntary. The invitation can be rejected. God does not force us to come to his kingdom. No pressure is placed on us to come. In this parable we see the patience of God. When the invited guests do not respond the first time, God extends a second invitation and pleads with them to come because he had everything ready for the feast.
4. Bad and good (v. 10). When the invited guests declined the invitation, the king (God) opens the gates to one and all. Every Tom, Dick and Harry is urged to come. This resulted in having both good and bad people at the feast. This produces a problem. Can a holy God tolerate bad people in his kingdom? Matthew adds another parable to serve as a corrective. God cannot tolerate or compromise with sin. At the judgment, God comes and finds one without a wedding garment. He is thrown out. The wedding garment was not a festive one, but rather it was a newly washed, unsoiled garment. It symbolized righteousness. It is a robe of righteousness which is given to those who have faith in Christ. He is our righteousness, and we are in the kingdom because faith puts on Christ. We are then worthy to be in God's holy presence, because we are clothed with the perfection of Christ.
Lesson 1: Exodus 32:1-14 (C)
1. Make (v. 1). The people say to Aaron, "Make us gods." The difference between God and gods is that God makes himself and we make gods. They are fabricated gods made of gold and fashioned with a graving tool. The fact is that we must have a god, the true God or one of our own making. We are incurably religious. Whatever is closest to our hearts and has top priority in our lives becomes our god. We do not "make" God; we can only accept him.
2. Your (v. 7). While Moses is on top of Mount Sinai conferring with Yahweh, God knows what is going on in the valley with his people. He commands Moses to go down to them because they are worshiping a golden bull and are engaged in a religious orgy. In referring to the unfaithful people, Yahweh speaks of them as "your" people, the ones "you" brought out of Egypt. In his wrath Yahweh no longer considers them "my" but Moses' people. They have separated and cut themselves off by going to false gods. This is the consequence of our idolatry.
Repent (vv. 12-14). Twice the word, "repent," is used for God. One would think it should have been applied to the people. They sinned but surely God cannot sin. The word is used here not in relation to sin, for God is perfectly free from sin. It means to turn or to change one's mind. Moses appeals to Yahweh to change his mind about blotting out the Israelites as his people. Moses succeeds by appealing to Yahweh's honor and promises. It indicates that fervent prayer can change the mind of God.
Lesson 1: Isaiah 25:1-9 (E); Isaiah 25:6-9 (L); Isaiah 25:6-10 (RC)
1. Will (vv. 6, 7, 8). Repeatedly, we are told what God will do. It is a forecast of the future, the end-time. God will give a feast to all peoples. He will conquer evil and death. He will wipe away all tears. The future is in God's hands. God will conquer. Right will prevail. There is hope for tomorrow. It is a final day of life, love and victory.
2. People (v. 6). God is going to bring all peoples to his eschatological feast. God is not limited to Israel. He is the God of the nations. All people are his concern and delight. Here is a beautiful picture of God's ending history with a feast for all peoples - in fellowship and peace with each other and with God.
3. Salvation (v. 9). The world's history ends in salvation, for God is at work. To be saved is to be made whole. Since Adam, man and creation have been fractured and detached. In the end it is as it was in the beginning: all peoples are one with God. They are whole. For this reason God's people can rejoice in what God has done.
Lesson 2: Philippians 4:1-9 (C); Philippians 4:4-13 (E, L)
1. In (vv. 1, 2, 4). Paul was a Lord-centered person. He was a man "in Christ," and all he did was "in" the Lord. He urged people to stand "in" the Lord, to agree "in" the Lord, and to rejoice "in" the Lord. When one is a person in Christ, all of life is lived in the Lord. The Lord is the center of his life and all of life revolves around this hub.
2. Rejoice (v. 4). Paul calls upon his people to "rejoice." Then he seems to say, "You can say that again! " "Rejoice," again I say. A true Christian is the happiest person in the world not because he has all the luck in the world, or has all the money one would want. A Christian rejoices in God, for who he is and what he has done for us. If he is for us and with us, we have every reason to be happy. Then nothing can defeat us, not even death.
3. Think (v. 8). As a person thinks, so is she. It is one thing to think. Many fail to do this. We talk and act before we think and usually live to regret it. Even if we do think, we need to think about the right things. We can think selfishly or evilly. What we put in our minds, or what we put our minds on, usually becomes a reality. Paul gives us proper subjects and values upon which to think: the true, honorable, just, pure, loving and lonely.
PREACHING POSSIBILITIES
Prayer Of The Day
If God is Good. Text: The Prayer Of The Day
Need: God is generous in his blessings. What shall our responses be? Shall we take the goodness of God for granted? Is it God's business to be good to us? The danger is that we become so accustomed to God's largess that we expect it. This leads to ingratitude and lack of appreciation. The Prayer Of The Day provides an appropriate response.
Outline: If God is good -
a. We can acknowledge him as the source of every blessing.
b. We can give thanks for his benefits.
c. We can express our thanks in willing obedience.
Gospel:
Matthew 22:1-14
1. Fellowship, Food and Fun. 22:1-14
Need: Many think of Christianity as a dull bore, related to duty and obligation. It is identified with long faces, solemnity and severity. For many, Christianity is a kill-joy, filled with "Thou shall not." Going to church is something you have to do rather than get to do. The congregation needs to see Christianity as Jesus saw it - a king's wedding banquet. The sermon is designed to convince people that the most exciting thing, the most fun, is to be a Christian.
Outline: What it means to be a Christian.
a. Fellowship - v. 2. It is a wedding reception for a king's son. You will meet royalty and talk to the best people in town.
b. Food - v. 2. It is a "feast" with plenty of food of the best kind. A service of worship and the Eucharist are feasts of the soul.
c. Fun - v. 2. It is a wedding reception, a time for fun and partying. There are music and laughter and dancing. It is a time to be happy and to rejoice.
2. God's RSVP. 22:1-14
Need: God extends an invitation to his banquet for his Son. He expects a response - an RSVP - "Please respond. " It is his party. He provides all of the food and entertainment. He asks us only to respond, to come. When we realize what a wonderful thing it is to be at the feast, it seems unbelievable that not all would respond positively and immediately. The parable in this lesson shows the possible reactions people can give to the invitation to a banquet.
Outline: How shall you respond?
a. The rejecting - vv. 3, 5 (Response is "no").
b. The rejoicing - v. 10 (Response is "yes").
3. What the Best-Dressed Christian Will Wear. 22:11-14
Need: There is proper attire for each occasion and place. A bikini is not acceptable in a first-class restaurant. A bra-less woman in a see-through blouse may cause a stir at a church service. Blue jeans are not the thing to wear at the high school prom. In this parable, a man was thrown out of a wedding feast because of the improper dress. When we are in God's presence, what shall we wear?
Outline: What the best-dressed Christian will wear.
a. A robe of righteousness - the righteousness of Christ. This robe covers the filthy rags of sin, and God now sees only the holy merits of Christ.
b. A robe of faith - faith accepts and appropriates the robe of righteousness. Faith in Christ puts on Christ.
Lesson 1: Exodus 32:1-14 (C)
1. Someone Put in a Good Word for You. 32:7-14
Need: We do not get right with God on our own efforts or prayers. We do not buy God's mercy by repenting and saying we are sorry. In the case of the Israelites there is no indication that they repented nor begged for mercy. They did not cry, "O my sin, my sin!" It was Moses' intercession that turned away God's wrath. He was their mediator. Christians see a greater than Moses who intercedes for them. We are forgiven for Jesus' sake. This should lead to a cross-centered sermon resulting in a deeper appreciation of what God did for us in Jesus.
Outline: Someone spoke in our behalf -
a. We deserve God's wrath - vv. 7, 10.
b. Someone intercedes for us - vv. 11-13.
c. The result of the mediation - v. 14.
2. Even God Repents! 32:14
Need: If you think that man needs to repent, how much more does God need to repent! But who thinks of God repenting? It gets down to the meaning of the word, repentance. Many think of repentance as being sorry for their sins. The word really means "metanoia," a change of mind. God intended to destroy Israel for the idolatry practiced at the foot of Mount Sinai. After Moses' intercession, God changed his mind and forgave. That is the very thing we sinners need - not wrath but mercy.
Outline: God repents -
a. He repents though we are sinful - vv. 7-10.
b. He repents when intercession is made - vv. 11-13.
Lesson 1: Isaiah 25:1-9 (E); Isaiah 25:6-9 (L); Isaiah 25:6-10 (RC)
End It With a Bang or a Banquet? 25:6-9
Need: Isaiah sees through the troubles of his time to God's ultimate triumph over the world. He also sees more than the well-being of his own nation. He sees that of all nations. Rather than yield to pessimism and despair, he comes to a position of confidence and hope. In the difficult days of our times, this text is needed to give us similar encouragement about the ultimate outcome.
Outline: The world's grand finale.
a. A bang of destruction - vv. 7, 8.
1. The veil of evil - v. 7.
2. Death and sorrow - v. 8.
b. A banquet of victory - vv. 6, 9.
1. Feast of fellowship - v. 6.
2. Joy of salvation - v. 9.
Lesson 2: Philippians 4:1-9 (C); Philippians 4:1-13 (E, L)
1. Bringing God into Your Life. 4:1-4
Need: We live in a secular world where God is largely ignored as though he did not exist. There is little or no place for Bible reading, worship or relating God to the problem of the day. For Paul all of life was related to the "Lord." Nothing was said or done that did not have a connection with Christ. He described himself as "a man in Christ." Because of this all he said and did was "in the Lord." We have the need to know how to live as sacred people in a secular world.
Outline: What we do "in the Lord" -
a. Stand fast in the Lord - v. 1.
b. Agree in the Lord - v. 2.
c. Rejoice in the Lord - v. 4.
2. Every Reason to be Happy. 4:1, 4-7
Need: A Christian has every reason to be happy. Throughout Philippians Paul emphasizes the joy of a Christian and the joy of being a Christian. It does not mean that a Christian has no trouble, fears, disappointments or sorrows. In spite of these, she has every reason to rejoice. Joy is a distinctive mark of a Christian. Our problem is that many of us are sad sacks as though we have lost our last friend. Often we are sour pusses. Smile, be happy, rejoice, celebrate! How can a Christian become a happy person? In our text Paul tells us how.
Outline: Christians have every reason to be happy -
a. Joy of having Christian fellowship - v. 1.
b. Joy of having Christ - v. 4.
c. Joy of having not a care in this world - v. 6.
d. Joy of having peace with God - v. 7.
Lesson 2: Philippians 4:12-14, 19-20 (RC)
When Life Is Not What It Ought To Be. 4:12-14, 19-20
Need: God has not promised his faithful ones a rose garden. Life for a Christian can be weeds of sorrow, want and misfortune. Next to Jesus, Paul was probably the most perfect Christian. Yet, he went hungry at times, languished behind prison bars and endured the hardships of an itinerant preacher. When the Philippian church sent food to Paul who at the time was in prison, he responded with a letter of thanks (Philippians). In the light of his need, he tells his people how he manages to deal with life which is not what it ought to be.
Outline: When life is tough -
a. God makes us content with our lot - v. 12.
b. Christ makes us adequate for anything - v. 13.
c. God supplies our every need - v. 19.
The Israelites worship a golden bull. Thinking Moses had deserted them as well as Yahweh, the people persuaded Aaron to make a golden bull out of their jewelry for worship. It was a return to an Egyptian god, Amon-Re, represented by a bull. Yahweh was so angry at their desertion of him, that he threatened to destroy them. Upon Moses' intercession, their plight was avoided.
Lesson 1: Isaiah 25:1-9 (E); Isaiah 25:6-9 (L); Isaiah 25:6-10 (RC)
On Mount Zion God will make a feast for all peoples on the last day.
Lesson 2: Philippians 4:1-9 (C); Philippians 4:4-13 (E, L)
Paul appeals to his people to be in harmony with each other, to rejoice and think beautiful thoughts. Today's Lesson 2 brings to a close the series on Philippians. In verse 1 we have a picture of the love affair between Paul and his people. The problem of disunity in the congregation still exists (vv. 2-3). Paul appeals to them to rejoice in Christ and not to have a worry. They are to think of beautiful values and to imitate him. Then the peace of God and the God of peace will be with them.
Lesson 2: Philippians 4:12-14, 19-20 (RC)
Dealing with life's tough times.
Gospel:
Matthew 22:1-14 (C, E, RC); Matthew 22:1-10, (11-14) (L)
The parable of the wedding feast and garment. Matthew gives us two parables in this Lesson. The first deals with a king (God) who is giving a banquet for his son (Jesus). He sends out his servants (prophets) to tell the invited ones (Jews) that all is ready. Instead of coming the invitees make excuses and kill the king's servants. The angry king destroys the invitees. The servants are then sent out to invite all, good and bad, to the feast so that the wedding hall is filled. If the Jews refuse to come to Christ, they will be replaced by the Gentiles. The second parable is not necessarily related to the preceding one. If the guests have just come from the streets, how could they have a wedding garment? When the king sees a man without a wedding garment, he is thrown out. The point is that it may be too easy to enter the kingdom. There is a requirement: a wedding garment. What is that garment? Faith? The cloak of righteousness? The parable concludes with the maxim: Many are called and few are chosen. Many are called to enter the kingdom but few are chosen because they only have the necessary qualifications.
Psalm Of The Day
Psalm 106:1-6, 19-23 (C) - "O give thanks to the Lord (v. 1)."
Psalm 23 (E, L, RC) - "I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever (v. 6b)."
Prayer Of The Day
"Almighty God, source of every blessing, your generous goodness comes to us anew every day. By the work of your Spirit lead us to acknowledge your goodness, give thanks for your benefits and serve you in willing obedience."
Hymn Of The Day
"A Multitude Comes From The East And The West"
THEOLOGICAL REFLECTIONS
Gospel:
Matthew 22:1-14
1. Feast (vv. 2, 4, 9). God invites us not to a lunch, a snack or to a supper. It is a feast, a banquet. This implies both quantity and quality of food. It is not a meal of hamburgers and potato chips. The feast consists of the finest foods available: shrimp cocktail, filet mignon, lobster tails, cornish hens, frog legs, etc. It is food only a king could afford or provide. This is a metaphor of what bountiful goodies God offers his people.
2. Marriage (vv. 2, 4). It is a wedding reception in terms of a banquet. For one thing it is a royal wedding; the king's son is married. This is the social event of the year which will be attended by all the dignitaries, people who are somebody - top officials, prominent leaders of society. It is an honor to be invited to a fellowship with the "greats." Moreover, a wedding feast is a happy time - music, dancing, acts of entertainment. Everyone is talking, laughing, joking and having a good time. Jesus is teaching that this is what is to belong to the kingdom of God.
3. Come (v. 4). This is an invitation. It signifies that the king considers those invited to be people of importance and acceptable to him. The king wants you. You are in his favor. "Come" implies also that it is voluntary. The invitation can be rejected. God does not force us to come to his kingdom. No pressure is placed on us to come. In this parable we see the patience of God. When the invited guests do not respond the first time, God extends a second invitation and pleads with them to come because he had everything ready for the feast.
4. Bad and good (v. 10). When the invited guests declined the invitation, the king (God) opens the gates to one and all. Every Tom, Dick and Harry is urged to come. This resulted in having both good and bad people at the feast. This produces a problem. Can a holy God tolerate bad people in his kingdom? Matthew adds another parable to serve as a corrective. God cannot tolerate or compromise with sin. At the judgment, God comes and finds one without a wedding garment. He is thrown out. The wedding garment was not a festive one, but rather it was a newly washed, unsoiled garment. It symbolized righteousness. It is a robe of righteousness which is given to those who have faith in Christ. He is our righteousness, and we are in the kingdom because faith puts on Christ. We are then worthy to be in God's holy presence, because we are clothed with the perfection of Christ.
Lesson 1: Exodus 32:1-14 (C)
1. Make (v. 1). The people say to Aaron, "Make us gods." The difference between God and gods is that God makes himself and we make gods. They are fabricated gods made of gold and fashioned with a graving tool. The fact is that we must have a god, the true God or one of our own making. We are incurably religious. Whatever is closest to our hearts and has top priority in our lives becomes our god. We do not "make" God; we can only accept him.
2. Your (v. 7). While Moses is on top of Mount Sinai conferring with Yahweh, God knows what is going on in the valley with his people. He commands Moses to go down to them because they are worshiping a golden bull and are engaged in a religious orgy. In referring to the unfaithful people, Yahweh speaks of them as "your" people, the ones "you" brought out of Egypt. In his wrath Yahweh no longer considers them "my" but Moses' people. They have separated and cut themselves off by going to false gods. This is the consequence of our idolatry.
Repent (vv. 12-14). Twice the word, "repent," is used for God. One would think it should have been applied to the people. They sinned but surely God cannot sin. The word is used here not in relation to sin, for God is perfectly free from sin. It means to turn or to change one's mind. Moses appeals to Yahweh to change his mind about blotting out the Israelites as his people. Moses succeeds by appealing to Yahweh's honor and promises. It indicates that fervent prayer can change the mind of God.
Lesson 1: Isaiah 25:1-9 (E); Isaiah 25:6-9 (L); Isaiah 25:6-10 (RC)
1. Will (vv. 6, 7, 8). Repeatedly, we are told what God will do. It is a forecast of the future, the end-time. God will give a feast to all peoples. He will conquer evil and death. He will wipe away all tears. The future is in God's hands. God will conquer. Right will prevail. There is hope for tomorrow. It is a final day of life, love and victory.
2. People (v. 6). God is going to bring all peoples to his eschatological feast. God is not limited to Israel. He is the God of the nations. All people are his concern and delight. Here is a beautiful picture of God's ending history with a feast for all peoples - in fellowship and peace with each other and with God.
3. Salvation (v. 9). The world's history ends in salvation, for God is at work. To be saved is to be made whole. Since Adam, man and creation have been fractured and detached. In the end it is as it was in the beginning: all peoples are one with God. They are whole. For this reason God's people can rejoice in what God has done.
Lesson 2: Philippians 4:1-9 (C); Philippians 4:4-13 (E, L)
1. In (vv. 1, 2, 4). Paul was a Lord-centered person. He was a man "in Christ," and all he did was "in" the Lord. He urged people to stand "in" the Lord, to agree "in" the Lord, and to rejoice "in" the Lord. When one is a person in Christ, all of life is lived in the Lord. The Lord is the center of his life and all of life revolves around this hub.
2. Rejoice (v. 4). Paul calls upon his people to "rejoice." Then he seems to say, "You can say that again! " "Rejoice," again I say. A true Christian is the happiest person in the world not because he has all the luck in the world, or has all the money one would want. A Christian rejoices in God, for who he is and what he has done for us. If he is for us and with us, we have every reason to be happy. Then nothing can defeat us, not even death.
3. Think (v. 8). As a person thinks, so is she. It is one thing to think. Many fail to do this. We talk and act before we think and usually live to regret it. Even if we do think, we need to think about the right things. We can think selfishly or evilly. What we put in our minds, or what we put our minds on, usually becomes a reality. Paul gives us proper subjects and values upon which to think: the true, honorable, just, pure, loving and lonely.
PREACHING POSSIBILITIES
Prayer Of The Day
If God is Good. Text: The Prayer Of The Day
Need: God is generous in his blessings. What shall our responses be? Shall we take the goodness of God for granted? Is it God's business to be good to us? The danger is that we become so accustomed to God's largess that we expect it. This leads to ingratitude and lack of appreciation. The Prayer Of The Day provides an appropriate response.
Outline: If God is good -
a. We can acknowledge him as the source of every blessing.
b. We can give thanks for his benefits.
c. We can express our thanks in willing obedience.
Gospel:
Matthew 22:1-14
1. Fellowship, Food and Fun. 22:1-14
Need: Many think of Christianity as a dull bore, related to duty and obligation. It is identified with long faces, solemnity and severity. For many, Christianity is a kill-joy, filled with "Thou shall not." Going to church is something you have to do rather than get to do. The congregation needs to see Christianity as Jesus saw it - a king's wedding banquet. The sermon is designed to convince people that the most exciting thing, the most fun, is to be a Christian.
Outline: What it means to be a Christian.
a. Fellowship - v. 2. It is a wedding reception for a king's son. You will meet royalty and talk to the best people in town.
b. Food - v. 2. It is a "feast" with plenty of food of the best kind. A service of worship and the Eucharist are feasts of the soul.
c. Fun - v. 2. It is a wedding reception, a time for fun and partying. There are music and laughter and dancing. It is a time to be happy and to rejoice.
2. God's RSVP. 22:1-14
Need: God extends an invitation to his banquet for his Son. He expects a response - an RSVP - "Please respond. " It is his party. He provides all of the food and entertainment. He asks us only to respond, to come. When we realize what a wonderful thing it is to be at the feast, it seems unbelievable that not all would respond positively and immediately. The parable in this lesson shows the possible reactions people can give to the invitation to a banquet.
Outline: How shall you respond?
a. The rejecting - vv. 3, 5 (Response is "no").
b. The rejoicing - v. 10 (Response is "yes").
3. What the Best-Dressed Christian Will Wear. 22:11-14
Need: There is proper attire for each occasion and place. A bikini is not acceptable in a first-class restaurant. A bra-less woman in a see-through blouse may cause a stir at a church service. Blue jeans are not the thing to wear at the high school prom. In this parable, a man was thrown out of a wedding feast because of the improper dress. When we are in God's presence, what shall we wear?
Outline: What the best-dressed Christian will wear.
a. A robe of righteousness - the righteousness of Christ. This robe covers the filthy rags of sin, and God now sees only the holy merits of Christ.
b. A robe of faith - faith accepts and appropriates the robe of righteousness. Faith in Christ puts on Christ.
Lesson 1: Exodus 32:1-14 (C)
1. Someone Put in a Good Word for You. 32:7-14
Need: We do not get right with God on our own efforts or prayers. We do not buy God's mercy by repenting and saying we are sorry. In the case of the Israelites there is no indication that they repented nor begged for mercy. They did not cry, "O my sin, my sin!" It was Moses' intercession that turned away God's wrath. He was their mediator. Christians see a greater than Moses who intercedes for them. We are forgiven for Jesus' sake. This should lead to a cross-centered sermon resulting in a deeper appreciation of what God did for us in Jesus.
Outline: Someone spoke in our behalf -
a. We deserve God's wrath - vv. 7, 10.
b. Someone intercedes for us - vv. 11-13.
c. The result of the mediation - v. 14.
2. Even God Repents! 32:14
Need: If you think that man needs to repent, how much more does God need to repent! But who thinks of God repenting? It gets down to the meaning of the word, repentance. Many think of repentance as being sorry for their sins. The word really means "metanoia," a change of mind. God intended to destroy Israel for the idolatry practiced at the foot of Mount Sinai. After Moses' intercession, God changed his mind and forgave. That is the very thing we sinners need - not wrath but mercy.
Outline: God repents -
a. He repents though we are sinful - vv. 7-10.
b. He repents when intercession is made - vv. 11-13.
Lesson 1: Isaiah 25:1-9 (E); Isaiah 25:6-9 (L); Isaiah 25:6-10 (RC)
End It With a Bang or a Banquet? 25:6-9
Need: Isaiah sees through the troubles of his time to God's ultimate triumph over the world. He also sees more than the well-being of his own nation. He sees that of all nations. Rather than yield to pessimism and despair, he comes to a position of confidence and hope. In the difficult days of our times, this text is needed to give us similar encouragement about the ultimate outcome.
Outline: The world's grand finale.
a. A bang of destruction - vv. 7, 8.
1. The veil of evil - v. 7.
2. Death and sorrow - v. 8.
b. A banquet of victory - vv. 6, 9.
1. Feast of fellowship - v. 6.
2. Joy of salvation - v. 9.
Lesson 2: Philippians 4:1-9 (C); Philippians 4:1-13 (E, L)
1. Bringing God into Your Life. 4:1-4
Need: We live in a secular world where God is largely ignored as though he did not exist. There is little or no place for Bible reading, worship or relating God to the problem of the day. For Paul all of life was related to the "Lord." Nothing was said or done that did not have a connection with Christ. He described himself as "a man in Christ." Because of this all he said and did was "in the Lord." We have the need to know how to live as sacred people in a secular world.
Outline: What we do "in the Lord" -
a. Stand fast in the Lord - v. 1.
b. Agree in the Lord - v. 2.
c. Rejoice in the Lord - v. 4.
2. Every Reason to be Happy. 4:1, 4-7
Need: A Christian has every reason to be happy. Throughout Philippians Paul emphasizes the joy of a Christian and the joy of being a Christian. It does not mean that a Christian has no trouble, fears, disappointments or sorrows. In spite of these, she has every reason to rejoice. Joy is a distinctive mark of a Christian. Our problem is that many of us are sad sacks as though we have lost our last friend. Often we are sour pusses. Smile, be happy, rejoice, celebrate! How can a Christian become a happy person? In our text Paul tells us how.
Outline: Christians have every reason to be happy -
a. Joy of having Christian fellowship - v. 1.
b. Joy of having Christ - v. 4.
c. Joy of having not a care in this world - v. 6.
d. Joy of having peace with God - v. 7.
Lesson 2: Philippians 4:12-14, 19-20 (RC)
When Life Is Not What It Ought To Be. 4:12-14, 19-20
Need: God has not promised his faithful ones a rose garden. Life for a Christian can be weeds of sorrow, want and misfortune. Next to Jesus, Paul was probably the most perfect Christian. Yet, he went hungry at times, languished behind prison bars and endured the hardships of an itinerant preacher. When the Philippian church sent food to Paul who at the time was in prison, he responded with a letter of thanks (Philippians). In the light of his need, he tells his people how he manages to deal with life which is not what it ought to be.
Outline: When life is tough -
a. God makes us content with our lot - v. 12.
b. Christ makes us adequate for anything - v. 13.
c. God supplies our every need - v. 19.
