Sixth Sunday After The Epiphany
Preaching
Lectionary Preaching Workbook
Series IV
Lesson 1: Deuteronomy 30:15-20 (C, L)
Moses gives his people a choice of life and death. The scene is Moab where the Israelites have assembled prior to crossing the Jordan into the Promised Land. Our pericope is the conclusion to Moses' third address to his people in which he exhorts them to renew the Sinai covenant and warns them of disastrous consequences of their disobedience. The people are called upon to make a life or death decision. "This day" occurs three times to accent the urgency of the decision before they cross over. Their future life depends upon obedience to Yahweh's commands.
Lesson 1: Sirach 15:11-20 (E); Sirach 15:15-20 (RC)
Deciding for or against the will of God.
Lesson 2: 1 Corinthians 3:1-9 (C, E)
Church leaders are God's servants who are equal as fellow-workers for God. The problem of disunity in the Corinthian church is still being discussed. Apparently Paul was criticized for his simple preaching. He explains that it was necessary to give them milk instead of meat because as new-born babes they were still in the "flesh." This was proved by their jealousy and strife over their leaders. The church is to consider leaders as servants of God who are equal co-laborers in the Lord.
Lesson 2: 1 Corinthians 2:6-13 (L); 1 Corinthians 2:6-10 (RC)
They who have the Spirit possess the wisdom of God, understand his gifts and interpret spiritual truths.
Gospel: Matthew 5:21-37 (C); Matthew 5:20-37 (L); Matthew 5:17-37 (RC); Matthew 5:21-24, 27-30, 33-37 (E)
Followers of Jesus are not only to fulfill the Law but go beyond it. Here we have Jesus' attitude toward and his interpretation of the Torah. The Law is to be obeyed but in a deeper dimension than that of the scribes and Pharisees. The higher righteousness of the disciples involves not only external behavior but internal motivation. God demands total obedience of the whole person. Verse 20 (the righteousness that exceeds) is illustrated by the command "You shall not kill." It is not only the act but the anger that leads to the act that is involved. "But I say to you" puts Jesus in a superior position to Moses and the Torah.
Psalm Of The Day
Psalm 119:1-8 (C, L); Psalm 119:1-16 (E) - "Happy are they ... who walk in the law of the Lord (v. 1)."
Prayer Of The Day
"Lord God, mercifully receive the prayers of your people. Help us to see and understand the things we ought to do, and give us grace and power to do them."
Hymn Of The Day
"Lord Jesus, Think On Me"
Theme Of The Day: Living By The Law
Gospel - Live by the spirit of the law - Matthew 5:17-26
Lesson 1 - Live by obeying the law - Deuteronomy 30:15-20
The overall theme of this Sunday seems to be life in the light of the Law. Jesus takes up the Law, emphasizes the Christian's obligation to obey it, and re-interprets it in terms of motivaton (Gospel). In his final address to the Israelites, Moses calls for a renewal of the Sinai covenant which calls for obedience to the Decalogue (Lesson 1). The prayer refers to our understanding "the things we ought to do." The Psalm promises happiness to those who walk in the Law. Since we do not always keep the Law, the Hymn is a prayer asking for forgiveness.
EPIPHANY SEASON AND EPIPHANY 6
The Epiphany theme of the manifestation of God's glory in Jesus continues in Epiphany 6. In the Gospel, the glory of God in Jesus is seen in his interpretation of the Mosaic laws and in his authority as God's Son, a greater than Moses - "but I say to you." God's glory is also seen in Lesson 1 where God in mercy makes a covenant with his people and promises them life if they accept and obey the terms of the covenant. Psalm 119 deals with the Law which for Hebrews was God's revelation of himself to humankind. In other words, today we see the glory of God in Jesus' understanding and interpretation of God's law.
THEOLOGICAL REFLECTIONS
Gospel:
Matthew 5:17-26
1. Law (v. 17). Since Jesus was condemned for breaking the law of Moses and since we are saved by grace and not by the law, we might conclude that Jesus was opposed to the law. On the contrary, Jesus supports and upholds the law. He does not break it but fulfills it. But Jesus goes beyond the law to the spirit of love which fulfills the law. Since love is the fulfilling of the law, the law serves as a guide for the Christian life.
2. Righteousness (v. 20). The word "righteousness" has a twofold meaning. Its ethical meaning embraces virtue, goodness and uprightness. The religious meaning means being rightly related to God and neighbor. The righteousness of God is God's rightly relating us to him. The righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees was an ethical righteousness which involved a strict keeping of the letter of the law. The Christian has a righteousness that exceeds the ethical. It is a right relationship with God and with people. Anger is a symptom of a broken relationship. Forgiveness renews the relationship.
3. I say (vv. 28, 32, 34). Who is the "I?" Who is presumptuous enough to go beyond what Moses said? Who does the "I" think he is - one greater than Moses, the mighty prophet of God? Here we confront Christological considerations. Jesus is speaking. Here we find a greater than Moses. In the words, "I say," Jesus is placing himself above all other religious teachers and prophets. How can he rightfully do this? Jesus speaks as God's Son, the Word made flesh. He has the mind, the Spirit and the essence of God the Father. As the Word of God, Jesus' word is truth excelling all other teachers. Thus, the scriptures testify of him and we interpret them in the light of Christ.
Lesson 1: Deuteronomy 30:15-20
1. If (vv. 16, 17). This two-letter word has theological implications. Our weal or woe depends on it. "If" people love and obey, they shall have life. "If" they are rebellious, they will experience death. This implies that life and death are results of meeting certain conditions. This means that we have free will to do one or the other. We are not an automaton, not a victim of circumstances. We cannot blame God for our fate. Ultimately our condition depends upon the type of "if" we choose.
2. Perish (v. 18). This may be a harsh word. Rather, it is a realistic, factual word. John
3:16 says the same: "should not perish but have everlasting life." God does not soften up the reality of his judgment. To hate, despise and reject God bring doom - perish. To perish is to die.
3. Choose (v. 19). This pericope seems to say that life and death resulting from love or hatred of God depend on our choice. If we choose to love God, we shall be blessed. One questions the implied theology that God is not good to us, nor does he love us, only when we first are obedient to his laws. It is like telling a child that Santa will not bring him gifts unless he is a good boy. The witness of the New Testament is that God loves us though we are sinners. His love causes us to love him in return. Our eternal condition is not as easy or simple as deciding for God. After all, we did not choose him, but he chose us.
Lesson 2: 1 Corinthians 3:1-9
1. Flesh (v. 1). Paul refers to the divisionists in the church as people of "flesh." The word does not necessarily mean the physical body, for all of us are physical. "Flesh" is contrasted with "spiritual." It is the seat of sin expressed in Corinth as jealousy and strife. The physical body as God's creation is good in itself, but it becomes the locus of sin - "lusts of the flesh." It stands for our lower, sinful, old-Adam self.
2. Ordinary (v. 3). The troublemakers of Corinth are called "ordinary" people. They are "ordinary," according to Paul, because they indulge in party spirit resulting in quarreling, dissension and schism. Christians are extraordinary people. Jesus taught that his followers should exceed the goodness of scribes and Pharisees. He asked, "What do you more than others?" Christians are extraordinary because they go the second mile and do more than what is asked.
3. Building (v. 9). Paul says Christians are "God's building." This is true because by the grace and Spirit of God we were created and re-created. We are his workmanship. If we see ourselves as God's building, we learn what our function is. A building is a house where people live together. As a building, God lives in us. Moreover, a building is used for service. Christians exist to serve God in and through the world. Each of us is a living stone in God's building.
Lesson 2: 1 Corinthians 2:6-13
1. Mature (v. 6). To the mature, Paul shares the wisdom of God. In Epiphany 5 we dealt with the wisdom of man. Then we learned that the gospel is not built on wisdom. There is a greater wisdom which Paul shares with the mature. When he preached, he gave the kerygma, the facts of the gospel dealing with the basics of Christ's life, death and resurrection. Now comes the understanding of those facts, the Didache. Mature Christians receive the Didache - interpretation, understanding and meaning of the facts. This maturity is not the modern "man come of age" in the sense of outgrowing God, but it is a growth into the wisdom of God.
2. Secret (v. 7). Paul has a secret to share. He knows and understands something the non-Christian does not perceive. It is a hidden wisdom that is not held in an exclusive or proud manner. This is the wisdom of God - knowing the mind of God in terms of God's fulfillment of his plan to redeem humanity.
3. Spirit (vv. 10-13). The Spirit is the guide and revealer of the truth of God. Since God is spirit, it is necessary to have the Spirit to know God and his ways. To have the same spirit as God means to participate in the nature and mind of God. Thus, the Spirit enables us to know God, understand God and to interpret the truth of God. Only a spiritually-minded person can understand spiritual realities.
PREACHING POSSIBILITIES
You and the Law
Need: Our emphasis is usually upon grace. Although the Word of God includes law and gospel, we have a tendency to de-emphasize the Law. The pericopes give the preacher an opportunity to relate the Law to the Christian life. Surely the Law had an important place in Jesus' life and teachings. By using the two Lessons, the preacher can give a comprehensive treatment of the subject. The people need this sermon: (1) to understand the place of the Law in their lives; (2) to see the urgent need in today's crime-filled society for the Law.
Outline: As a Christian, you need to -
a. Understand the Law - Gospel.
b. Obey the Law - Lesson 1.
Gospel:
Matthew 5:17-26
1. Let Your Light Shine! 5:17-26
Need: Speaking metaphorically, you are a light of the world. If you are light, you must share the light or your light is out. Practically speaking, how do you let your light shine in the world? Now we are at the point of the people's need. The light shines in our good works. These good works do not make us lights, but the light results in good works.
Outline: How to let your light shine -
a. By living according to the letter of the Law - vv. 17-19.
b. By living according to the spirit of the Law - vv. 21-22.
2. A Greater Goodness. 5:20-24
Need: Jesus demands of his disciples a way of life superior to the professional religious people. He plainly says unless our righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, we cannot enter his kingdom. Who can excel the scribes and Pharisees? The scribes are diligent scholars of the Bible: the Pharisees are "perfect" in their piety as they strictly observe every detail of the law. Many Christians would be satisfied getting to the level of the scribes and Pharisees. What is this higher righteousness, and how do we get it lest we fail to enter the kingdom of God?
Outline: What is this greater goodness?
a. The ordinary goodness - righteousness as morality - v. 20.
1. Scribes - orthodox doctrines of the Law.
2. Pharisees - pietism according to the letter of the Law.
b. The greater goodness - righteousness as right relations.
1. Anger disrupts relations - vv. 21-22.
2. Forgiveness renews relations - vv. 23, 24.
3. When You are in the Dog House! 5:23-24
Need: You have done something to offend a person. Jokingly we say that the offended person has put us in the dog house. Not until we get the matter settled amicably will we be accepted back into our homes. In this text Jesus is talking about the same broken human relations. It is not a matter of one saying, "I have nothing against anybody," but another may have something against you. You say, "Well, that's your problem." Though you may feel you have a clear conscience and go to worship, Jesus says, "Stop! Don't come to God with your gift. Get reconciled with the one who is angry with you. Then come to God and your gift will be accepted." How many church members come to Holy Communion for forgiveness knowing that someone "hates their guts?"
Outline: When someone has something against you -
a. Realize you have hurt someone - v. 23.
b. Settle accounts with the offended one - v. 24.
c. Come into God's presence with your gift - v. 24.
Lesson 1: Deuteronomy 30:15-20
1. God Makes You an Offer! 30:15-20
Need: We are not doomed to an unknown fate. God wants us to have life, liberty, prosperity, health and all which makes for an abundant life. We can reject this offer, and pay the consequences. This reminds us that God loves us and wishes for us only the best. God is not a vindictive God who punishes. We bring punishment on ourselves by breaking God's immutable and eternal laws. Suffering and misfortune naturally follow disobedience.
Outline: Consider God's offer.
a. Your world where a choice is necessary - v. 17. Today's gods; secularism, pluralism, materialism.
b. Your option: to love or not to love God - vv. 16-17.
c. Your lot: life or death - vv. 18-19.
2. Do We Have a Choice? 30:19
Need: In this sermon we need to be careful that our theology is evangelical (gospel centered). To be saved or unsaved, to have life or death, to be free or enslaved, are not as simpie and easy as a mere choice, as though you were choosing a new dress or a new car. It is God who comes to us, finds us and chooses us as his people. We choose him because he first chose us. However, we do have the free will to reject God's loving advances. Not to choose is a choice. To reject God's offer is a bad choice. In this sermon we want to see the two sides of the issue, the side of those who deny our having a choice, and the side of those who hold to a choice.
Outline: Do we have a choice?
a. Some say "No."
1. Determinism: "I can't help being what I am." or "The laws of nature determine everything."
2. Predestination.
b. Some say "Yes."
1. The wrong choice brings death.
2. The right choice brings life.
Lesson 1: Sirach 15:15-20 (RC)
It's Your Decision. Sirach 15:15-20
Need: Some people do not want to make decisions. Is it because they do not want the responsibility of making a wrong decision? Life is one decision after another, and nobody can make your decisions for you. God made us with free wills which are used to make decisions. This decision-making applies to our moral condition. Because of this, we are responsible for the lives we live. The congregation needs this sermon to help them to make the right decision to live according to God's will expressed in the commandments.
Outline: It's your decision -
a. You make the decision
1. To obey or not to obey God - v. 15.
2. To choose fire or water - v. 16.
3. To prefer life or death - v. 17.
b. Before you make the decision know this -
1. God knows your choice - vv. 18-19.
2. God does not want you to sin - v. 20.
Lesson 2: 1 Corinthians 3:1-9 (C, E)
1. Partners in God's Service. 3:5-9
Need: The problem in a church is usually not with the rank-and-file members but with the leaders. Personalities clash. Envy and jealousy can develop. Leaders get in competition with each other to get the greatest following. One leader wants to run the church and the others resent it. This was the problem in the Corinthian church. Paul explained that leaders are partners in the church's work.
Outline: We are partners in God's service -
a. We are servants of Christ, not bosses - vv. 5, 9.
b. We are different but equal - vv. 7-8a.
c. We get paid according to our work - v. 8.
2. A Building Made of People. 3:9 - "You are ... God's building."
Need: We usually think of a church in terms of a building; the Crystal Cathedral, Riverside Church in New York City, St. John the Divine, etc. But, Paul thinks of a church as people who are in Christ. They constitute the building of God. In this sermon we want people to think of themselves as living stones, building blocks, in God's house.
Outline: In the people-building -
a. God dwells.
b. God is worshiped.
C. God is served.
Lesson 2: 1 Corinthians 2:6-13 (L, RC)
1. We Have a Secret! 2:6-8
Need: Christians have a secret. It is the wisdom of God which the non-Christian world does not have. The world is ever in pursuit of wisdom - a human wisdom. All of us believe in education, ever learning from kindergarten to continuing adult education. This is not the hidden wisdom of God. We can be learned in human wisdom but stupid in divine wisdom. The world has many who are learned ignoramuses in divine matters. Paul in this text says that the mature are given this secret wisdom of God. In this sermon we can show our people that the uneducated can be wise people, maybe unlearned, but truly wise in the things of God.
Outline: You are wise if you know the secret.
a. The secret that Jesus is the Lord of glory - v. 8.
b. The secret that Jesus was crucified not for the sins of the world - v. 8.
2. The Key to Wisdom. 2:10-13
Need: Christians possess a secret wisdom. It is the wisdom of God in contrast to the wisdom of the world. How is it that Christians can see, know and understand matters that outsiders cannot recognize as truth? In this passage Paul says that the key to the wisdom of God is the Spirit. As one knows his own heart and mind, so one with the Spirit of God knows the mind and heart of God. The Spirit gives us insight and understanding. The natural man cannot understand, recognize, nor appreciate supernatural realities.
Outline: The Spirit gives the wisdom of God.
a. A comprehension of God's thoughts - v. 11.
b. An understanding of God's gifts - v. 12.
c. An interpretation of God's truth - v. 13.
Moses gives his people a choice of life and death. The scene is Moab where the Israelites have assembled prior to crossing the Jordan into the Promised Land. Our pericope is the conclusion to Moses' third address to his people in which he exhorts them to renew the Sinai covenant and warns them of disastrous consequences of their disobedience. The people are called upon to make a life or death decision. "This day" occurs three times to accent the urgency of the decision before they cross over. Their future life depends upon obedience to Yahweh's commands.
Lesson 1: Sirach 15:11-20 (E); Sirach 15:15-20 (RC)
Deciding for or against the will of God.
Lesson 2: 1 Corinthians 3:1-9 (C, E)
Church leaders are God's servants who are equal as fellow-workers for God. The problem of disunity in the Corinthian church is still being discussed. Apparently Paul was criticized for his simple preaching. He explains that it was necessary to give them milk instead of meat because as new-born babes they were still in the "flesh." This was proved by their jealousy and strife over their leaders. The church is to consider leaders as servants of God who are equal co-laborers in the Lord.
Lesson 2: 1 Corinthians 2:6-13 (L); 1 Corinthians 2:6-10 (RC)
They who have the Spirit possess the wisdom of God, understand his gifts and interpret spiritual truths.
Gospel: Matthew 5:21-37 (C); Matthew 5:20-37 (L); Matthew 5:17-37 (RC); Matthew 5:21-24, 27-30, 33-37 (E)
Followers of Jesus are not only to fulfill the Law but go beyond it. Here we have Jesus' attitude toward and his interpretation of the Torah. The Law is to be obeyed but in a deeper dimension than that of the scribes and Pharisees. The higher righteousness of the disciples involves not only external behavior but internal motivation. God demands total obedience of the whole person. Verse 20 (the righteousness that exceeds) is illustrated by the command "You shall not kill." It is not only the act but the anger that leads to the act that is involved. "But I say to you" puts Jesus in a superior position to Moses and the Torah.
Psalm Of The Day
Psalm 119:1-8 (C, L); Psalm 119:1-16 (E) - "Happy are they ... who walk in the law of the Lord (v. 1)."
Prayer Of The Day
"Lord God, mercifully receive the prayers of your people. Help us to see and understand the things we ought to do, and give us grace and power to do them."
Hymn Of The Day
"Lord Jesus, Think On Me"
Theme Of The Day: Living By The Law
Gospel - Live by the spirit of the law - Matthew 5:17-26
Lesson 1 - Live by obeying the law - Deuteronomy 30:15-20
The overall theme of this Sunday seems to be life in the light of the Law. Jesus takes up the Law, emphasizes the Christian's obligation to obey it, and re-interprets it in terms of motivaton (Gospel). In his final address to the Israelites, Moses calls for a renewal of the Sinai covenant which calls for obedience to the Decalogue (Lesson 1). The prayer refers to our understanding "the things we ought to do." The Psalm promises happiness to those who walk in the Law. Since we do not always keep the Law, the Hymn is a prayer asking for forgiveness.
EPIPHANY SEASON AND EPIPHANY 6
The Epiphany theme of the manifestation of God's glory in Jesus continues in Epiphany 6. In the Gospel, the glory of God in Jesus is seen in his interpretation of the Mosaic laws and in his authority as God's Son, a greater than Moses - "but I say to you." God's glory is also seen in Lesson 1 where God in mercy makes a covenant with his people and promises them life if they accept and obey the terms of the covenant. Psalm 119 deals with the Law which for Hebrews was God's revelation of himself to humankind. In other words, today we see the glory of God in Jesus' understanding and interpretation of God's law.
THEOLOGICAL REFLECTIONS
Gospel:
Matthew 5:17-26
1. Law (v. 17). Since Jesus was condemned for breaking the law of Moses and since we are saved by grace and not by the law, we might conclude that Jesus was opposed to the law. On the contrary, Jesus supports and upholds the law. He does not break it but fulfills it. But Jesus goes beyond the law to the spirit of love which fulfills the law. Since love is the fulfilling of the law, the law serves as a guide for the Christian life.
2. Righteousness (v. 20). The word "righteousness" has a twofold meaning. Its ethical meaning embraces virtue, goodness and uprightness. The religious meaning means being rightly related to God and neighbor. The righteousness of God is God's rightly relating us to him. The righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees was an ethical righteousness which involved a strict keeping of the letter of the law. The Christian has a righteousness that exceeds the ethical. It is a right relationship with God and with people. Anger is a symptom of a broken relationship. Forgiveness renews the relationship.
3. I say (vv. 28, 32, 34). Who is the "I?" Who is presumptuous enough to go beyond what Moses said? Who does the "I" think he is - one greater than Moses, the mighty prophet of God? Here we confront Christological considerations. Jesus is speaking. Here we find a greater than Moses. In the words, "I say," Jesus is placing himself above all other religious teachers and prophets. How can he rightfully do this? Jesus speaks as God's Son, the Word made flesh. He has the mind, the Spirit and the essence of God the Father. As the Word of God, Jesus' word is truth excelling all other teachers. Thus, the scriptures testify of him and we interpret them in the light of Christ.
Lesson 1: Deuteronomy 30:15-20
1. If (vv. 16, 17). This two-letter word has theological implications. Our weal or woe depends on it. "If" people love and obey, they shall have life. "If" they are rebellious, they will experience death. This implies that life and death are results of meeting certain conditions. This means that we have free will to do one or the other. We are not an automaton, not a victim of circumstances. We cannot blame God for our fate. Ultimately our condition depends upon the type of "if" we choose.
2. Perish (v. 18). This may be a harsh word. Rather, it is a realistic, factual word. John
3:16 says the same: "should not perish but have everlasting life." God does not soften up the reality of his judgment. To hate, despise and reject God bring doom - perish. To perish is to die.
3. Choose (v. 19). This pericope seems to say that life and death resulting from love or hatred of God depend on our choice. If we choose to love God, we shall be blessed. One questions the implied theology that God is not good to us, nor does he love us, only when we first are obedient to his laws. It is like telling a child that Santa will not bring him gifts unless he is a good boy. The witness of the New Testament is that God loves us though we are sinners. His love causes us to love him in return. Our eternal condition is not as easy or simple as deciding for God. After all, we did not choose him, but he chose us.
Lesson 2: 1 Corinthians 3:1-9
1. Flesh (v. 1). Paul refers to the divisionists in the church as people of "flesh." The word does not necessarily mean the physical body, for all of us are physical. "Flesh" is contrasted with "spiritual." It is the seat of sin expressed in Corinth as jealousy and strife. The physical body as God's creation is good in itself, but it becomes the locus of sin - "lusts of the flesh." It stands for our lower, sinful, old-Adam self.
2. Ordinary (v. 3). The troublemakers of Corinth are called "ordinary" people. They are "ordinary," according to Paul, because they indulge in party spirit resulting in quarreling, dissension and schism. Christians are extraordinary people. Jesus taught that his followers should exceed the goodness of scribes and Pharisees. He asked, "What do you more than others?" Christians are extraordinary because they go the second mile and do more than what is asked.
3. Building (v. 9). Paul says Christians are "God's building." This is true because by the grace and Spirit of God we were created and re-created. We are his workmanship. If we see ourselves as God's building, we learn what our function is. A building is a house where people live together. As a building, God lives in us. Moreover, a building is used for service. Christians exist to serve God in and through the world. Each of us is a living stone in God's building.
Lesson 2: 1 Corinthians 2:6-13
1. Mature (v. 6). To the mature, Paul shares the wisdom of God. In Epiphany 5 we dealt with the wisdom of man. Then we learned that the gospel is not built on wisdom. There is a greater wisdom which Paul shares with the mature. When he preached, he gave the kerygma, the facts of the gospel dealing with the basics of Christ's life, death and resurrection. Now comes the understanding of those facts, the Didache. Mature Christians receive the Didache - interpretation, understanding and meaning of the facts. This maturity is not the modern "man come of age" in the sense of outgrowing God, but it is a growth into the wisdom of God.
2. Secret (v. 7). Paul has a secret to share. He knows and understands something the non-Christian does not perceive. It is a hidden wisdom that is not held in an exclusive or proud manner. This is the wisdom of God - knowing the mind of God in terms of God's fulfillment of his plan to redeem humanity.
3. Spirit (vv. 10-13). The Spirit is the guide and revealer of the truth of God. Since God is spirit, it is necessary to have the Spirit to know God and his ways. To have the same spirit as God means to participate in the nature and mind of God. Thus, the Spirit enables us to know God, understand God and to interpret the truth of God. Only a spiritually-minded person can understand spiritual realities.
PREACHING POSSIBILITIES
You and the Law
Need: Our emphasis is usually upon grace. Although the Word of God includes law and gospel, we have a tendency to de-emphasize the Law. The pericopes give the preacher an opportunity to relate the Law to the Christian life. Surely the Law had an important place in Jesus' life and teachings. By using the two Lessons, the preacher can give a comprehensive treatment of the subject. The people need this sermon: (1) to understand the place of the Law in their lives; (2) to see the urgent need in today's crime-filled society for the Law.
Outline: As a Christian, you need to -
a. Understand the Law - Gospel.
b. Obey the Law - Lesson 1.
Gospel:
Matthew 5:17-26
1. Let Your Light Shine! 5:17-26
Need: Speaking metaphorically, you are a light of the world. If you are light, you must share the light or your light is out. Practically speaking, how do you let your light shine in the world? Now we are at the point of the people's need. The light shines in our good works. These good works do not make us lights, but the light results in good works.
Outline: How to let your light shine -
a. By living according to the letter of the Law - vv. 17-19.
b. By living according to the spirit of the Law - vv. 21-22.
2. A Greater Goodness. 5:20-24
Need: Jesus demands of his disciples a way of life superior to the professional religious people. He plainly says unless our righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, we cannot enter his kingdom. Who can excel the scribes and Pharisees? The scribes are diligent scholars of the Bible: the Pharisees are "perfect" in their piety as they strictly observe every detail of the law. Many Christians would be satisfied getting to the level of the scribes and Pharisees. What is this higher righteousness, and how do we get it lest we fail to enter the kingdom of God?
Outline: What is this greater goodness?
a. The ordinary goodness - righteousness as morality - v. 20.
1. Scribes - orthodox doctrines of the Law.
2. Pharisees - pietism according to the letter of the Law.
b. The greater goodness - righteousness as right relations.
1. Anger disrupts relations - vv. 21-22.
2. Forgiveness renews relations - vv. 23, 24.
3. When You are in the Dog House! 5:23-24
Need: You have done something to offend a person. Jokingly we say that the offended person has put us in the dog house. Not until we get the matter settled amicably will we be accepted back into our homes. In this text Jesus is talking about the same broken human relations. It is not a matter of one saying, "I have nothing against anybody," but another may have something against you. You say, "Well, that's your problem." Though you may feel you have a clear conscience and go to worship, Jesus says, "Stop! Don't come to God with your gift. Get reconciled with the one who is angry with you. Then come to God and your gift will be accepted." How many church members come to Holy Communion for forgiveness knowing that someone "hates their guts?"
Outline: When someone has something against you -
a. Realize you have hurt someone - v. 23.
b. Settle accounts with the offended one - v. 24.
c. Come into God's presence with your gift - v. 24.
Lesson 1: Deuteronomy 30:15-20
1. God Makes You an Offer! 30:15-20
Need: We are not doomed to an unknown fate. God wants us to have life, liberty, prosperity, health and all which makes for an abundant life. We can reject this offer, and pay the consequences. This reminds us that God loves us and wishes for us only the best. God is not a vindictive God who punishes. We bring punishment on ourselves by breaking God's immutable and eternal laws. Suffering and misfortune naturally follow disobedience.
Outline: Consider God's offer.
a. Your world where a choice is necessary - v. 17. Today's gods; secularism, pluralism, materialism.
b. Your option: to love or not to love God - vv. 16-17.
c. Your lot: life or death - vv. 18-19.
2. Do We Have a Choice? 30:19
Need: In this sermon we need to be careful that our theology is evangelical (gospel centered). To be saved or unsaved, to have life or death, to be free or enslaved, are not as simpie and easy as a mere choice, as though you were choosing a new dress or a new car. It is God who comes to us, finds us and chooses us as his people. We choose him because he first chose us. However, we do have the free will to reject God's loving advances. Not to choose is a choice. To reject God's offer is a bad choice. In this sermon we want to see the two sides of the issue, the side of those who deny our having a choice, and the side of those who hold to a choice.
Outline: Do we have a choice?
a. Some say "No."
1. Determinism: "I can't help being what I am." or "The laws of nature determine everything."
2. Predestination.
b. Some say "Yes."
1. The wrong choice brings death.
2. The right choice brings life.
Lesson 1: Sirach 15:15-20 (RC)
It's Your Decision. Sirach 15:15-20
Need: Some people do not want to make decisions. Is it because they do not want the responsibility of making a wrong decision? Life is one decision after another, and nobody can make your decisions for you. God made us with free wills which are used to make decisions. This decision-making applies to our moral condition. Because of this, we are responsible for the lives we live. The congregation needs this sermon to help them to make the right decision to live according to God's will expressed in the commandments.
Outline: It's your decision -
a. You make the decision
1. To obey or not to obey God - v. 15.
2. To choose fire or water - v. 16.
3. To prefer life or death - v. 17.
b. Before you make the decision know this -
1. God knows your choice - vv. 18-19.
2. God does not want you to sin - v. 20.
Lesson 2: 1 Corinthians 3:1-9 (C, E)
1. Partners in God's Service. 3:5-9
Need: The problem in a church is usually not with the rank-and-file members but with the leaders. Personalities clash. Envy and jealousy can develop. Leaders get in competition with each other to get the greatest following. One leader wants to run the church and the others resent it. This was the problem in the Corinthian church. Paul explained that leaders are partners in the church's work.
Outline: We are partners in God's service -
a. We are servants of Christ, not bosses - vv. 5, 9.
b. We are different but equal - vv. 7-8a.
c. We get paid according to our work - v. 8.
2. A Building Made of People. 3:9 - "You are ... God's building."
Need: We usually think of a church in terms of a building; the Crystal Cathedral, Riverside Church in New York City, St. John the Divine, etc. But, Paul thinks of a church as people who are in Christ. They constitute the building of God. In this sermon we want people to think of themselves as living stones, building blocks, in God's house.
Outline: In the people-building -
a. God dwells.
b. God is worshiped.
C. God is served.
Lesson 2: 1 Corinthians 2:6-13 (L, RC)
1. We Have a Secret! 2:6-8
Need: Christians have a secret. It is the wisdom of God which the non-Christian world does not have. The world is ever in pursuit of wisdom - a human wisdom. All of us believe in education, ever learning from kindergarten to continuing adult education. This is not the hidden wisdom of God. We can be learned in human wisdom but stupid in divine wisdom. The world has many who are learned ignoramuses in divine matters. Paul in this text says that the mature are given this secret wisdom of God. In this sermon we can show our people that the uneducated can be wise people, maybe unlearned, but truly wise in the things of God.
Outline: You are wise if you know the secret.
a. The secret that Jesus is the Lord of glory - v. 8.
b. The secret that Jesus was crucified not for the sins of the world - v. 8.
2. The Key to Wisdom. 2:10-13
Need: Christians possess a secret wisdom. It is the wisdom of God in contrast to the wisdom of the world. How is it that Christians can see, know and understand matters that outsiders cannot recognize as truth? In this passage Paul says that the key to the wisdom of God is the Spirit. As one knows his own heart and mind, so one with the Spirit of God knows the mind and heart of God. The Spirit gives us insight and understanding. The natural man cannot understand, recognize, nor appreciate supernatural realities.
Outline: The Spirit gives the wisdom of God.
a. A comprehension of God's thoughts - v. 11.
b. An understanding of God's gifts - v. 12.
c. An interpretation of God's truth - v. 13.
