Fifth Sunday In Lent
Almighty God, you alone can bring into order the unruly wills and affections of sinners: Grant your people grace to love what you command and desire what you promise; that, among the swift and varied changes of this world, our hearts may surely there be fixed where true joys are to be found; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Fifth Sunday in Lent | March 21, 2021
Jeremiah 31:31-34 • Psalm 51:1-12 • Hebrews 5:5-10 • John 12:20-33
20 Some Greeks who had come to Jerusalem for the Passover celebration 21 paid a visit to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee. They said, “Sir, we want to meet Jesus.” 22 Philip told Andrew about it, and they went together to ask Jesus.
23 Jesus replied, “Now the time has come for the Son of Man to enter into his glory. 24 I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat is planted in the soil and dies, it remains alone. But its death will produce many new kernels—a plentiful harvest of new lives. 25 Those who love their life in this world will lose it. Those who care nothing for their life in this world will keep it for eternity. 26 Anyone who wants to serve me must follow me, because my servants must be where I am. And the Father will honor anyone who serves me.
27 “Now my soul is deeply troubled. Should I pray, ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But this is the very reason I came! 28 Father, bring glory to your name.”
Then a voice spoke from heaven, saying, “I have already brought glory to my name, and I will do so again.” 29 When the crowd heard the voice, some thought it was thunder, while others declared an angel had spoken to him.
30 Then Jesus told them, “The voice was for your benefit, not mine. 31 The time for judging this world has come, when Satan, the ruler of this world, will be cast out. 32 And when I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to myself.” 33 He said this to indicate how he was going to die.
Fourth Sunday In Lent | March 14, 2021
Numbers 21:4-9 • Psalm 107:1-3, 17-22 • Ephesians 2:1-10 • John 3:14-21
14 And as Moses lifted up the bronze snake on a pole in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15 so that everyone who believes in him will have eternal life.
16 “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. 17 God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.
18 “There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son. 19 And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. 20 All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed. 21 But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants.”
Third Sunday in Lent | March 7, 2021
Exodus 20:1-17 • Psalm 19 • 1 Corinthians 1:18-25 • John 2:13-22
13 It was nearly time for the Jewish Passover celebration, so Jesus went to Jerusalem. 14 In the Temple area he saw merchants selling cattle, sheep, and doves for sacrifices; he also saw dealers at tables exchanging foreign money. 15 Jesus made a whip from some ropes and chased them all out of the Temple. He drove out the sheep and cattle, scattered the money changers’ coins over the floor, and turned over their tables. 16 Then, going over to the people who sold doves, he told them, “Get these things out of here. Stop turning my Father’s house into a marketplace!”
17 Then his disciples remembered this prophecy from the Scriptures: “Passion for God’s house will consume me.”
18 But the Jewish leaders demanded, “What are you doing? If God gave you authority to do this, show us a miraculous sign to prove it.”
19 “All right,” Jesus replied. “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”
20 “What!” they exclaimed. “It has taken forty-six years to build this Temple, and you can rebuild it in three days?” 21 But when Jesus said “this temple,” he meant his own body. 22 After he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered he had said this, and they believed both the Scriptures and what Jesus had said.
2nd Sunday in Lent | February 28, 2021
Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16 • Psalm 22:23-31 • Romans 4:13-25 • Mark 8:31-38
31 Then Jesus began to tell them that the Son of Man must suffer many terrible things and be rejected by the elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law. He would be killed, but three days later he would rise from the dead. 32 As he talked about this openly with his disciples, Peter took him aside and began to reprimand him for saying such things.
33 Jesus turned around and looked at his disciples, then reprimanded Peter. “Get away from me, Satan!” he said. “You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God’s.”
34 Then, calling the crowd to join his disciples, he said, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. 35 If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will save it. 36 And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? 37 Is anything worth more than your soul? 38 If anyone is ashamed of me and my message in these adulterous and sinful days, the Son of Man will be ashamed of that person when he returns in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”
Almighty God, whose blessed Son was led by the Spirit to be tempted by Satan: Come quickly to help us who are assaulted by many temptations, and, as you know the weaknesses of each of us, let each one find you mighty to save; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
First Sunday In Lent | February 21, 2021
Genesis 9:8-17 • Psalm 25:1-10 • 1 Peter 3:18-22 • Mark 1:9-15
9 One day Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee, and John baptized him in the Jordan River. 10 As Jesus came up out of the water, he saw the heavens splitting apart and the Holy Spirit descending on him like a dove. 11 And a voice from heaven said, “You are my dearly loved Son, and you bring me great joy.”
12 The Spirit then compelled Jesus to go into the wilderness, 13 where he was tempted by Satan for forty days. He was out among the wild animals, and angels took care of him.
14 Later on, after John was arrested, Jesus went into Galilee, where he preached God’s Good News. 15 “The time promised by God has come at last!” he announced. “The Kingdom of God is near! Repent of your sins and believe the Good News!”
Fifth Sunday in Lent | March 29, 2020
Ezekiel 37:1-14 • Psalm 130 • Romans 8:6-11 • John 11:1-45
11 A man named Lazarus was sick. He lived in Bethany with his sisters, Mary and Martha. 2 This is the Mary who later poured the expensive perfume on the Lord’s feet and wiped them with her hair. Her brother, Lazarus, was sick. 3 So the two sisters sent a message to Jesus telling him, “Lord, your dear friend is very sick.”
4 But when Jesus heard about it he said, “Lazarus’s sickness will not end in death. No, it happened for the glory of God so that the Son of God will receive glory from this.” 5 So although Jesus loved Martha, Mary, and Lazarus, 6 he stayed where he was for the next two days. 7 Finally, he said to his disciples, “Let’s go back to Judea.”
8 But his disciples objected. “Rabbi,” they said, “only a few days ago the people in Judea were trying to stone you. Are you going there again?”
9 Jesus replied, “There are twelve hours of daylight every day. During the day people can walk safely. They can see because they have the light of this world. 10 But at night there is danger of stumbling because they have no light.” 11 Then he said, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but now I will go and wake him up.”
12 The disciples said, “Lord, if he is sleeping, he will soon get better!” 13 They thought Jesus meant Lazarus was simply sleeping, but Jesus meant Lazarus had died.
14 So he told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead. 15 And for your sakes, I’m glad I wasn’t there, for now you will really believe. Come, let’s go see him.”
16 Thomas, nicknamed the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, “Let’s go, too—and die with Jesus.”
17 When Jesus arrived at Bethany, he was told that Lazarus had already been in his grave for four days. 18 Bethany was only a few miles down the road from Jerusalem, 19 and many of the people had come to console Martha and Mary in their loss. 20 When Martha got word that Jesus was coming, she went to meet him. But Mary stayed in the house. 21 Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if only you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But even now I know that God will give you whatever you ask.”
23 Jesus told her, “Your brother will rise again.”
24 “Yes,” Martha said, “he will rise when everyone else rises, at the last day.”
25 Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. 26 Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die. Do you believe this, Martha?”
27 “Yes, Lord,” she told him. “I have always believed you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one who has come into the world from God.” 28 Then she returned to Mary. She called Mary aside from the mourners and told her, “The Teacher is here and wants to see you.” 29 So Mary immediately went to him.
30 Jesus had stayed outside the village, at the place where Martha met him. 31 When the people who were at the house consoling Mary saw her leave so hastily, they assumed she was going to Lazarus’s grave to weep. So they followed her there. 32 When Mary arrived and saw Jesus, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if only you had been here, my brother would not have died.”
33 When Jesus saw her weeping and saw the other people wailing with her, a deep anger welled up within him, and he was deeply troubled. 34 “Where have you put him?” he asked them.
They told him, “Lord, come and see.” 35 Then Jesus wept. 36 The people who were standing nearby said, “See how much he loved him!” 37 But some said, “This man healed a blind man. Couldn’t he have kept Lazarus from dying?”
38 Jesus was still angry as he arrived at the tomb, a cave with a stone rolled across its entrance. 39 “Roll the stone aside,” Jesus told them.
But Martha, the dead man’s sister, protested, “Lord, he has been dead for four days. The smell will be terrible.”
40 Jesus responded, “Didn’t I tell you that you would see God’s glory if you believe?” 41 So they rolled the stone aside. Then Jesus looked up to heaven and said, “Father, thank you for hearing me. 42 You always hear me, but I said it out loud for the sake of all these people standing here, so that they will believe you sent me.” 43 Then Jesus shouted, “Lazarus, come out!” 44 And the dead man came out, his hands and feet bound in graveclothes, his face wrapped in a headcloth. Jesus told them, “Unwrap him and let him go!”
45 Many of the people who were with Mary believed in Jesus when they saw this happen.
As you can see, today’s text is long. For those of us who grew up in Sunday School it is a very familiar story. I hope that you have taken the time to read the passage above – if not – take the time to more than scan it, but read it. If you are familiar with the story, slow down and read it like you are reading it for the first time.
This is a story of Jesus raising a good friend, Lazarus, from the dead. This is just one of the many miracles that Jesus did during his time on earth. Lazarus is one of several people that Jesus rose from the dead through the power of the Holy Spirit.
There’s an important sentence at the beginning. Mary and Martha send for Jesus because their brother was a close friend of Jesus. When Jesus receives the message, He says this:
Lazarus’ sickness will not end in death. No, it happened for the glory of God so that the Son of God will receive glory from this.
John 11:4
As I said Jesus performed many miracles during his time on earth. Last week we looked at the healing of the blind man in John 9. I want you to compare the words Jesus spoke before he healed the blind man.
“It was not because of his sins or his parents’ sins. This happened so the power of God could be seen in him.
John 9:3
I hope that you can see the similarities. Jesus did these miracles to display the power of God through the work of the Holy Spirit. Going back to Lazarus. You would think that Jesus would have immediately headed to Bethany, but He doesn’t…He delays and during that time his dear friend Lazarus dies. Did you ever feel like God didn’t hear you? I’m sure that’s how Mary and Martha felt about this time…like Jesus didn’t even care. John tells us differently because John tells us how much Jesus loved Lazarus. So why did Jesus wait?
It could be because the last time they were in the region, the people wanted to stone him. (vs 8) That would be a valid reason. Jesus makes a curious statement, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but now I will go and wake him up.” The disciple are confused. What? They had waited a couple extra days because of the threat of stoning and now they were going anyway. One of them pipes up, “If he is only sleeping he will soon get better.”
Then Jesus tells them the real truth. Lazarus is dead. Here’s where it gets interesting. Jesus tells his disciples that He was glad they weren’t there because now they will really believe. Jesus must have still had some doubters in the crowd – doubters that He really was the Son of God. This idea of belief is a common one in the Gospel of John. He states in his epilogue that “These things are written so that you may believe.”
Both Martha and Mary question why Jesus didn’t come when He heard the news. Jesus meets them both separately. There response to seeing Jesus is almost identical, “Lord if only you had been here, my brother would not have died.”
They are both disappointed. Jesus delayed his visit. I’m sure both Martha and Mary knew that Jesus had the power to heal their brother. After all they had seen the miracles. They saw the blind healed – they saw the deaf hear – they saw the lame walk. They knew what Jesus could do – and yet their brother died. Jesus delayed – Jesus the Son of God delayed. What do we do with that? How does it feel when we think God delayed? How does it feel when we think that God isn’t answering our prayers?
Jesus reassures Martha with these words, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die. Do you believe this, Martha?
Martha responds, “Yes!” She goes on to tell Jesus that she has always believed that He was the Messiah – the promised one. There’s that word again “believe.”
Jesus knows that this event will show God’s glory. They people are afraid – after all Lazarus has been in the grave for 4 days. Have you ever passed by a deer on the side of the road after it’s been there a couple days? I have during some of my runs. The smell is horrible. Jesus waited four days to show that Lazarus was really dead. You can only imagine the people’s horror when Jesus tells them to roll away the stone.
The people standing near had two thoughts: One group who had seen Jesus weeping for Lazarus said, “See how much he loved him!” While others – the skeptics said, “This man healed a blind man. Couldn’t he have kept Lazarus from dying?”
Reluctantly the people roll away the stone. Jesus repeats:
Didn’t I tell you that you would see God’s glory if you believe?
John 11:40
Then they roll the stone aside and Jesus prays to the Father:
Father, thank you for hearing me. You always hear me, but I said it out loud for the sake of all these people standing here, so that they will believe you sent me.”
John 11:41b-43
Jesus would not have had to shout – but said these words loud – for the people in the back – so that they may believe! We often hear the phrase “Say it louder for the people in the back!” That is what Jesus did. Then he shouts “Lazarus, come out!” Scholars tell us he identified Lazarus, because if he hadn’t, all of the graves would have opened. Immediately, Lazarus comes out of the grave wrapped in cloths and the people unwrap him.
While it isn’t in our text for this morning, I want to continue to verse 45. “Many of the people who were with Mary believed in Jesus when they saw this happen.” What was the purpose of Lazarus’ sickness, death, and subsequent – yet temporary resurrection? There are two that come to mind:
There are times that it is hard to see God’s big picture. Sometimes it’s hard waiting on God. Waiting on God can be frustrating. Pam and I have been there. We wonder why God doesn’t move to our timetable. Sometimes God’s apparent delay causes the death of our plans. It’s frustrating to wait on God to bring healing and resurrection. Mary and Martha were frustrated that Jesus didn’t show up on time. Here it is important to remember that Jesus loves us – even to the point of weeping. Remember that Jesus came into our world – full of pain and death.
This week it seems that I have come back to this passage numerous times:
14 So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. 15 This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. 16 So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.
Hebrews 4:14-17
He longs to come into our lives to bring us life – to bring us into his light – for us to believe that He indeed is the Son of God. He desires to bring us to a point of spiritual resurrection. None of us were able to take the first steps of this spiritual journey from death to life apart from Christ. We did not pull ourselves up from the grave by our own bootstraps. But as Jesus called Lazarus into new life, he calls us to do the same. He calls us to call those in spiritual darkness and spiritual death into new life in Jesus Christ and walk in the newness of life.
The Annunciation of the Lord | March 25, 2020
Isaiah 7:10-14 • Psalm 45 • Hebrews 10:4-10 • Luke 1:26-38
26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee, 27 to a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David. 28 Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you!”
29 Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean. 30 “Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for you have found favor with God! 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. 32 He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. 33 And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!”
34 Mary asked the angel, “But how can this happen? I am a virgin.”
35 The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby to be born will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God. 36 What’s more, your relative Elizabeth has become pregnant in her old age! People used to say she was barren, but she has conceived a son and is now in her sixth month. 37 For the word of God will never fail.”
38 Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” And then the angel left her.
Imagine being a young girl in 1st Century Israel. You knew that at some point the promised Messiah would arrive. You also know that this is a very dark time. Israel had suffered under one occupation after another since the time of Nebuchadnezzar. They hadn’t heard from God via the prophets for over 400 years.
Now, God breaks the silence – first to Zechariah, then to Mary. Gabriel’s visit comes as a surprise. We often think of angels as meek and mild creatures, but as Pam reminded us on Sunday, angels are part of the armies of heaven. I think this is a good representation of an angel:
No wonder the angel’s first words were “Do not be afraid.” I certainly would be afraid to see the creature above. Not only is the appearance frightening, but the angel brings unbelievable news. Mary learns that she – a virgin and pledged to Joseph was going to have a baby. This baby would be the promised Messiah.
She still doesn’t understand and asks for more detail. The angel obliges. Gives her the details and offers reassurance.
Mary’s response is this: “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.”
The times we are living in try our souls. The angel’s message to us would be the same, “Do not be afraid.”
We need to remember that God is with us through His Son, Jesus. John writes: “14 So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.” (John 1:14)
Jesus has experienced the things that we are experiencing.
The writer of Hebrews writes: 16 We also know that the Son did not come to help angels; he came to help the descendants of Abraham. 17 Therefore, it was necessary for him to be made in every respect like us, his brothers and sisters, so that he could be our merciful and faithful High Priest before God. Then he could offer a sacrifice that would take away the sins of the people. 18 Since he himself has gone through suffering and testing, he is able to help us when we are being tested. (Hebrews 2:16-18)
We are reminded that since he has gone through the same sufferings and testings we have gone through – Jesus is able to help us. The angel said, “Do not be afraid.” Today we remember that when we need comfort…when we need Jesus’ help, he is there. He is our great high priest and we are encouraged to boldly go to the throne of our gracious God – who desires to give us grace when we need it the most.
14 So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. 15 This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. 16 So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most. (Hebrews 4:14-16)
So today – just nine months before Christmas, we celebrate the angel Gabriel coming to Mary, telling her, “Do not be afraid” because the Son of God is coming in the flesh and Jesus came to save us and give us eternal life. This same Jesus can give us comfort in our times of trials.
Do Not Be Afraid! Why?
3 All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. 4 He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. 5 For the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ. 6 Even when we are weighed down with troubles, it is for your comfort and salvation! For when we ourselves are comforted, we will certainly comfort you. Then you can patiently endure the same things we suffer. 7 We are confident that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in the comfort God gives us. (2 Corinthians 1:3-7)
Blessings….
Gracious Father, whose blessed Son Jesus Christ came down from heaven to be the true bread which gives life to the world: Evermore give us this bread, that he may live in us, and we in him; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Worshiping...In Spirit and In Truth 