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The Second Sunday of Advent; Year C (text from The Bible in 90 Days) 12/6/2009

Sunday, November 29th, 2009

Justified, Saved, Reconciled

Lessons:
    Malachi 3:1-4 or Baruch 5:1-9
    St. Luke 1:68-79 (78)
    Philippians 1:3-11
    St. Luke 3:1-6

Prayer of the Day
    Stir up our hearts, Lord God, to prepare the way of your only Son. By his coming give to all the people of the world knowledge of your salvation; through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.  Amen.

Text from “The Bible in 90 Days”

5:1 Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand; and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God. 3 And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.

6 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Indeed, rarely will anyone die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person someone might actually dare to die. 8 But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us. 9 Much more surely then, now that we have been justified by his blood, will we be saved through him from the wrath of God. 10 For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much more surely, having been reconciled, will we be saved by his life. 11 But more than that, we even boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

Romans 5:1-11 New Revised Version Bible (C)1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America.

Today our “Bible in 90 Days” readers find themselves in Romans 5 – on the 80th day of this 88-day project (there are actually 2 “grace days” built into the schedule). In some respects, this section of the Apostle Paul’s letter gets to the heart of the matter that has been central to our reading for these past 80 days.

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The Second Sunday of Advent; Year C (12/6/2009)

Sunday, November 29th, 2009

Metanoia — Turning in a New Direction

Lessons:
    Malachi 3:1-4 or Baruch 5:1-9
    St. Luke 1:68-79 (78)
    Philippians 1:3-11
    St. Luke 3:1-6

Prayer of the Day
    Stir up our hearts, Lord God, to prepare the way of your only Son. By his coming give to all the people of the world knowledge of your salvation; through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.  Amen.

3:1 In the fifteenth year of the reign of Emperor Tiberius, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was ruler of Galilee, and his brother Philip ruler of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias ruler of Abilene, 2 during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. 3 He went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, 4 as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah, “The voice of one crying out in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.  5 Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways made smooth; 6 and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.’ ”

St. Luke 3:1-6 New Revised Version Bible (C)1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America.

A Sunday School teacher once asked the class what was meant by the word “repentance.” A little boy put up his hand and said, “It is being sorry for your sins.” A little girl also raised her hand and said, “It is being sorry enough to quit.”

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Advent Season Sermons (2009)

Sunday, November 29th, 2009

Date: December 23, 2009
Liturgical Day: The Wednesday before Christmas Eve
Sermon Title: It’s Almost Here

Summary:
As Israel waited for the coming of the Messiah; as a child waits for the opening of presents on Christmas Eve; so too we have waited for the celebration of Christ’s birth. It’s almost here. May he be born anew among us today, giving us the gifts of comfort and peace and hope and joy that comes from the faith that we share.

Download Sermon: 2009 Christmas Eve MidWeek

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Date: December 20, 2009
Liturgical Day: The Fourth Sunday of Advent
Sermon Title: I am the Servant of the Lord; I Live to Do Your Will

Summary:
When Gabriel announced that Mary had been chosen by God to be the mother of our Lord, her initial hesitancy gave way to the commitment to live her life in service to God. This life — the servant life — is a counter-cultural statement in a world that is all about “me.” But to live in such a way is to live out of a deep and powerful sense of hope. Mary teaches us about the blessed reality of living as a servant of God.

Download Sermon: 2009 Advent 4C

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Date: December 16, 2009
Liturgical Day: The Wednesday before the Fourth Sunday of Advent
Sermon Title: Magnificent Magnificat

Summary:
When Mary and Elizabeth met, both of them pregnant (with Jesus and John), Mary broke into a song of praise. Her Magnificat first delights in what God has done, but soon becomes a prophetic word about the dramatic changes that will come with her son. It is both comforting and challenging for us to contemplate today, this Magnificat of Mary.

Download Sermon: 2009 Advent 4C MidWeek

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Date: December 13, 2009
Liturgical Day: The Third Sunday of Advent
Sermon Title: Christ-like Integrity

Summary:
John the Baptist was sent by God to prepare his listeners for the arrival of the Christ. He did so by offering them some simple, practical, concrete advice about faithfulness and integrity. Share. Be honest. Don’t take advantage of your position. Simply put, he challenges them to live Christ-like lives, and to know that in doing so, they become more likely to see the presence of Christ when it is in their midst. More likely, also, to be the presence of Christ, to those who haven’t yet come to embrace our faith.

Download Sermon: 2009 Advent 3C

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Date: December 9, 2009
Liturgical Day: The Wednesday before the Third Sunday of Advent
Sermon Title: He Proclaimed the Good News

Summary:
John the Baptist had some hard news to deliver to his listeners. If they wanted to welcome the Messiah into their lives, changes were going to be necessary. But ultimately, his message was good news. He was not just calling them to a higher level of faithfulness (which they would probably have had just as tough of a time fulfilling). He was announcing that the One who calls them to faithfulness loves them enough to die for them, and is coming to give them the gift of new life.

Download Sermon: 2009 Advent 3C MidWeek

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Date: December 6, 2009
Liturgical Day: The Second Sunday of Advent
Sermon Title: Peace with God

Summary:
The Apostle Paul writes of the peace with God that comes from being justified (not through our own efforts, but) through faith in Jesus Christ. When our peace is grounded in the character of God (instead of the frailty of our own flawed attempts at faithfulness), everything else becomes secondary. Even suffering does not defeat us, but it produces perseverance, which produces character, and that leads to a hope that is grounded in God’s love. Dr. Martin Luther, Bishop Desmond Tutu, Pastor T. Simon Farisani, Bishop Mark Hanson: these are examples of believers who are so grounded in their faith that they are able to persevere through difficult circumstances, and remain both faithful and hopeful. The same is true for us, when our peace with God is based on faith in Jesus Christ.

Download Sermon: 2009 Bible in 90 Days 13

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Date: December 2, 2009
Liturgical Day: The Wednesday before the Second Sunday of Advent
Sermon Title: Brace Yourselves; Here it Comes!

Summary:
The ministry of John the Baptist, and the focus of the Advent season, may well be much fiercer — much more overpowering — than we might imagine. God’s work in our lives is akin to tearing down mountains and filling in valleys. How will the season of Advent give God the opportunity to do that kind of work in our lives?

Download Sermon: 2009 Advent 2C MidWeek

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Date: November 29, 2009
Liturgical Day: The First Sunday of Advent
Sermon Title: These are Written so You May Come to Believe

Summary:
The “Bible in 90 Days” project, the Gospel of John (the entire Bible, for that matter), and the season of Advent share a common purpose. At the heart of each of these is the desire that we might come to know Jesus Christ as the Messiah — as our Savior — and that by knowing him we might experience life in his name — the kind of life that can only be experienced as a gift from God. Drawing near to the word, coming to know Christ, and learning what “life in his name” is all about are the ways in which we prepare for Christmas, and the celebration of his presence among us.

Download Sermon: 2009 Bible in 90 Days 12

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The First Sunday of Advent; Year C (text from The Bible in 90 Days) 11/29/2009

Sunday, November 22nd, 2009

The Purpose of the Gospel

Lessons:
    November 29, 2009
    Jeremiah 33:14-16
    Psalm 25:1-10 (1)
    1 Thessalonians 3:9-13
    St. Luke 21:25-36 

Prayer of the Day
    Stir up your power, Lord Christ, and come. By your merciful protection alert us to the threatening dangers of our sins, and redeem us for your life of justice, for you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Text from “The Bible in 90 Days”

20:19 When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” 20 After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. 21 Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” 22 When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”
     24 But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.”
     26 A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe.” 28 Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” 29 Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.”
     30 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. 31 But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.

John 20:19-31 New Revised Version Bible (C)1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America.

Finally! We made it! After 67 days of reading our way through the Old Testament, our “Bible in 90 Days” readers finally made it to the New Testament! Even though it was very interesting, and very enlightening, to be immersed into the world-view of those who waited so long for the arrival of the Messiah, there was a collective sigh of relief when we finished up Malachi and read, “An account of the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham.” (St. Matthew 1:1)

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The First Sunday of Advent; Year C (11/29/2009)

Sunday, November 22nd, 2009

The Season of Advent

Lessons:
    November 29, 2009
    Jeremiah 33:14-16
    Psalm 25:1-10 (1)
    1 Thessalonians 3:9-13
    St. Luke 21:25-36 

Prayer of the Day
    Stir up your power, Lord Christ, and come. By your merciful protection alert us to the threatening dangers of our sins, and redeem us for your life of justice, for you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

 21:25 “There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on the earth distress among nations confused by the roaring of the sea and the waves. 26 People will faint from fear and foreboding of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 27 Then they will see ‘the Son of Man coming in a cloud’ with power and great glory. 28 Now when these things begin to take place, stand up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”  29 Then he told them a parable: “Look at the fig tree and all the trees; 30 as soon as they sprout leaves you can see for yourselves and know that summer is already near. 31 So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near. 32 Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all things have taken place. 33 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. 34 “Be on guard so that your hearts are not weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of this life, and that day does not catch you unexpectedly, 35 like a trap. For it will come upon all who live on the face of the whole earth. 36 Be alert at all times, praying that you may have the strength to escape all these things that will take place,

St. Luke 21:25-36 New Revised Version Bible (C)1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America.and to stand before the Son of Man.”

The season of Advent is upon us: Four weeks of preparation, designed to make us ready for the celebration of Christ’s birth towards the end of this month. Traditionally, the church has considered this as a time to slow down and to nurture spiritual growth. Advent is often marked by additional weekly opportunities for worship, personal times of devotion and prayer, and attempts to reach out to the community in acts of service.

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Christ the King Sunday — The Last Sunday after Pentecost (text from The Bible in 90 Days) 11/22/2009

Sunday, November 15th, 2009

Justice, Kindness, Humility

Lessons:
    Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14
    Psalm 93 (2)
    Revelation 1:4b-8
    John 18:33-37
    Semicontinuous Series
        2 Samuel 23:1-7
        Psalm 132:1-12 [13-18] (9)
 
Prayer of the Day
    Almighty and ever-living God, you anointed your beloved Son to be priest and sovereign forever. Grant that all the people of the earth, now divided by the power of sin, may be united by the glorious and gentle rule of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Text from “The Bible in 90 Days”

6:1 Hear what the Lord says: “Rise, plead your case before the mountains, and let the hills hear your voice. 2 Hear, you mountains, the controversy of the Lord, and you enduring foundations of the earth; for the Lord has a controversy with his people, and he will contend with Israel. 3 O my people, what have I done to you? In what have I wearied you? Answer me! 4 For I brought you up from the land of Egypt, and redeemed you from the house of slavery; and I sent before you Moses, Aaron, and Miriam. 5 O my people, remember now what King Balak of Moab devised, what Balaam son of Beor answered him, and what happened from Shittim to Gilgal, that you may know the saving acts of the Lord.”
6 “With what shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before God on high? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? 7 Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?” 8 He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?”

Micah 6:1-8 New Revised Version Bible (C)1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America.

There isn’t much that we actually know about Micah, other than what we can deduce from reading this book of prophecy. He probably was from southern Judah, and a contemporary of the better-known prophet Isaiah. His message has much in common with the message of Isaiah. They both witnessed the power of the Assyrian armies that  swept through Israel (the northern kingdom) and conquered it in the latter third of the eighth century before Christ. They both were convinced that unless Judah (the southern kingdom) changed its ways, it would meet the same fate as its northern neighbor. They both had a deep concern for justice, and believed that Judah’s idolatrous self absorption was in direct opposition to everything God had called them to be. And so both Micah and Isaiah called God’s people (leaders and citizens alike) to reform their ways or meet complete destruction.

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Christ the King Sunday — The Last Sunday after Pentecost (11/22/2009)

Sunday, November 15th, 2009

 King of kings and Lord of lords

Lessons:
    Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14
    Psalm 93 (2)
    Revelation 1:4b-8
    John 18:33-37
    Semicontinuous Series
        2 Samuel 23:1-7
        Psalm 132:1-12 [13-18] (9)
 
Prayer of the Day
    Almighty and ever-living God, you anointed your beloved Son to be priest and sovereign forever. Grant that all the people of the earth, now divided by the power of sin, may be united by the glorious and gentle rule of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

18:33 Then Pilate entered the headquarters again, summoned Jesus, and asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” 34 Jesus answered, “Do you ask this on your own, or did others tell you about me?” 35 Pilate replied, “I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests have handed you over to me. What have you done?” 36 Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my followers would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here.” 37 Pilate asked him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.”

St. John 18:33-37 New Revised Version Bible (C)1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. 

What does it mean to call Christ our King? It seems that king is a hard metaphor for us to get our arms around these days. We’ve never had a king here in the United States. And the few kings that we know seem to be brutal dictators or politically insignificant figureheads. But on this Sunday we call Christ our king, and contemplate what it might mean to live in his kingdom.

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What’s the Matter with Christmas?

Sunday, November 15th, 2009

For Adult Education on Sunday mornings this November, we have been studying the church’s traditions of Advent and Christmas. Honoring Advent as four weeks of waiting and preparing, and celebrating the (12 day) season of Christmas as an extended time to honor the birth of Christ among us is one way to reclaim the Christmas season, and allow it to move our hearts and souls (instead of exhausting our bodies and check books). A few years ago I wrote a brief pamphlet to promote this way of thinking about December and January. For a copy, link here:
     Advent and Christmas; a fresh look at an ancient tradition

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Twenty-Fourth Sunday after Pentecost (text from The Bible in 90 Days) 11/15/2009

Sunday, November 8th, 2009

A Hard Word

Lessons:
    Daniel 12:1-3
    Psalm 16 (9)
    Hebrews 10:11-14 [15-18] 19-25
    St. Mark 13:1-8
    Semicontinuous Series
        1 Samuel 1:4-20
        1 Samuel 2:1-10 (1)
 
Prayer of the Day
    Almighty God, your sovereign purpose brings salvation to birth. Give us faith to be steadfast amid the tumults of this world, trusting that your kingdom comes and your will is done through your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.

Text from “The Bible in 90 Days”

2:1 He said to me: O mortal, stand up on your feet, and I will speak with you. 2 And when he spoke to me, a spirit entered into me and set me on my feet; and I heard him speaking to me. 3 He said to me, Mortal, I am sending you to the people of Israel, to a nation of rebels who have rebelled against me; they and their ancestors have transgressed against me to this very day. 4 The descendants are impudent and stubborn. I am sending you to them, and you shall say to them, “Thus says the Lord God.” 5 Whether they hear or refuse to hear (for they are a rebellious house), they shall know that there has been a prophet among them.

Ezekiel 2:1-5 New Revised Version Bible (C)1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America.

The Zadokite Priests trace their lineage to Zadok, a priest of King David, who anointed Solomon (1 Kings 1). They were priests in Jerusalem, at the temple, from the time of David until the exile (597 bc). Ezekiel was a Zadokite – a direct descendant of Zadok – and he served in the temple until he was exiled to Babylon. It was there in Babylon that God called him to serve as a prophet, and he was faithful to that call for more than twenty years.

Ezekiel spoke God’s word during a time when the people of Israel were struggling to understand their situation. The great nation that was such a source of pride and identity for them had been destroyed. Their strongest leaders had been carried off into captivity. The promises made to their ancestor Abraham seemed all but abandoned. It was hard for them to understand why God seemed to have given up on them.

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Twenty-Fourth Sunday after Pentecost — Proper 28B (11/15/2009)

Sunday, November 8th, 2009

Living in End Times

Lessons:
    Daniel 12:1-3
    Psalm 16 (9)
    Hebrews 10:11-14 [15-18] 19-25
    St. Mark 13:1-8
    Semicontinuous Series
        1 Samuel 1:4-20
        1 Samuel 2:1-10 (1)
 
Prayer of the Day
    Almighty God, your sovereign purpose brings salvation to birth. Give us faith to be steadfast amid the tumults of this world, trusting that your kingdom comes and your will is done through your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.

13:1 As he came out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Look, Teacher, what large stones and what large buildings!” 2 Then Jesus asked him, “Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left here upon another; all will be thrown down.” 3 When he was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked him privately, 4 “Tell us, when will this be, and what will be the sign that all these things are about to be accomplished?” 5 Then Jesus began to say to them, “Beware that no one leads you astray. 6 Many will come in my name and say, ‘I am he!’ and they will lead many astray. 7 When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed; this must take place, but the end is still to come. 8 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. This is but the beginning of the birth pangs.

St. Mark 13:1-8 New Revised Version Bible (C)1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America.

 St. Mark probably composed his Gospel account somewhere around the tumultuous year of ad 70. The Roman occupying forces in Jerusalem had become increasingly antagonistic towards Jew and Christian alike. In 70, Romans soldiers surged into Jerusalem and utterly destroyed the Temple. It was a devastating experience for those who had seen the Temple as a sign that God’s promises were being fulfilled among them.

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