For your information, Ash Wednesday on February 22 begins the season of Lent. I encourage you to attend the midweek services on Wednesday evenings at 6:30 throughout the 6 weeks of the Lenten season.
Now to the service for Sunday the 12th: the gospel lesson is a continuation of reading through Jesus’ so-called Sermon on the Mount. Jesus began the sermon by reminding His followers of the blessings He grants them in this life and in the next. Some might erroneously imagine that since we are blessed by God, we can ignore His Law and do whatever we want. Instead, Jesus warns His disciples that He didn’t come into the world to do away with the Law’s demands, but to fulfill its demands. His perfect obedience shows He is qualified to redeem the world, to be your substitute, to be the sacrifice that would reconcile you to God. He urges His disciples to respond by being “salt” and ‘light”, actively and intentionally living lives that exemplify their connection to Him. Living godly lives is not done to earn God’s blessing, but is an expression of gratitude that we are blessed thorough Jesus, and also so others would see our good works and glorify God. Then Jesus exhorted his followers that their righteous should exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees, supposed experts in God’s Law. Jesus’ teaching on righteousness does not mean we are required to do more good than the scribes and Pharisees, but rather that we should live out a different kind or quality of goodness. That is, a Christians works should be motivated by faith in Jesus, not to impress others or gain attention to ourselves.
In the gospel lesson we’ll be reading on the 12th, Jesus goes into some detail describing the exacting requirements of God’s Law. Some would read this section as examples of what it takes to be considered righteousness by God and be given entry into heaven. Rather Jesus’ instruction shows the perfection the Law requires. There is no grading on a curve. There are no points given for having good intentions. So, the demands of the Law act to shatter any trust we might have in our merits or abilities, so that we might see our need for Someone outside of ourselves to save us. The Law reveals our need for Jesus.
Hymns for Sunday are #580 The Gospel Shows the Father’s Grace; #579 The Law of God is Good and Wise; #707 Oh That the Lord Would Guide My Ways; #619 Thy Body, Given For Me, O Savior; and #923 Almighty Father, Bless the Word.
Scripture readings for the day are Psalm 119:1-8; Deuteronomy 30:15-20; 1 Corinthians 3:1-9; and Matthew 5:21-37.
Psalm 119 is long, and divided into 22 sections, following the order of the 22 letters in the Hebrew alphabet. That is, the stanzas in each section begin with one of the 22 Hebrew letters. The stanza/verses 1-8 begin with the first letter of the alphabet, aleph. No author or date is given. The psalm is often described as a teaching psalm, praising God for His ‘torah’ and giving instruction on how a godly person should live. Torah is often translated as ‘law’, but really refers to all of God’s teaching, which would also include His ‘gospel’ promises of mercy, blessing, etc. The psalmist prays that God would help him to live according to His instruction. God’s people should pay attention to His word and strive to live according to it. As has been pointed out elsewhere, our obedience is never perfect this side of heaven. Righteousness before God is a matter of faith. No one will get into heaven by doing good works. They will fall short. But good works done in faith are a proper response to God’s mercy.
The Old Testament lesson is excerpted from Deuteronomy 30. 1500 years before Christ, God had been caring for the ancient Hebrew people for decades as they meandered their way through the desert after the exodus out of Egypt. Finally they have come to the border of the land God had promised them. Before entering though, God reviews their rebellious past and His faithful care. Then He instructs them hos they should act in the future, in the new land. Deuteronomy includes a record of this conversation. In the passage to be read Sunday, God gives the people a warning. If they walk in His ways they will be blessed. If they turn away from Him and worship the false gods of this world, they will perish. Note that again, the call for obedience is not so they would become God’s people—He had already established that by His one-sided covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. But there is always a danger in this world that people will fall for the devil’s lies or the temptations of the world, and quit looking to God for security, health, identity, and purpose. If they ignore God and follow false gods, they will separate themselves from God’s promises. God gives life. He threatens death. What do you think is the proper response that should be given Him?
The Epistle lesson is a continuation of the reading from St. Paul’s first letter to the congregation in Corinth, Greece. After earlier thanking God that they had become Christians (1:4-9), Paul criticized the congregation for the divisions among them (e.g. 1:1-13), and urged them to unite around the truth of Jesus who was crucified for each of them. In the lesson for Sunday (3:1-9), Paul circles back to the issue of division, particularly criticizing their quarrels over who was the best teacher. Peter says they are acting like spiritual babies, and urges them to grow up and quit acting like the world. He has more he wants to teach them but they are not ready for it because they are still acting worldly. While church leaders have a role in nurturing a congregation, they are only workers fulfilling a portion of the work that needs to be done. Jesus is our Savior and the One who we ought to focus our attention and allegiance on. We still live with divisions in our day, so Paul’s words remain very much relevant.
As mentioned in the introduction of this update, the gospel lesson from Matthew 5 is a part of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. He challenges the casual approach many people take towards God’s commandments. That is, they define the requirements of God’s Law low enough that they can be accomplished. But Jesus shakes up that casual lowest-common-denominator approach by showing it is not just our actions that God is evaluating. He also measures our words and thoughts. His statements that it is better to pluck out our eye or cut off our hand rather than sin seem to be rhetorical exaggeration. But it surely shows how seriously we ought to consider our sin however it might be expressed. Some might complain that God’s Law is bad because it is too demanding. No, God’s Law is good—the problem is with us. And the Law exposes that problem of sin. When we realize the seriousness predicament our rebellious attitude and actions put us in, then we will begin to appreciate what a great gift Jesus is. Without Him we would perish. Those who trust Jesus will receive the forgiveness and peace He alone gives.
COLLECT: O Lord, graciously hear the prayers of Your people that we who justly suffer the consequences of our sin may be mercifully delivered by You goodness to the glory of Your name; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord and Savior, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Please contact me if you have prayer requests or questions about these lessons, The Lord bless you. Pastor Boster
