Good morning!
We're so glad you chose to join us today!
When we meet together, we take some time to share about the last week, and any prayer requests we may have. If you have a prayer request, you can add it to the comments on this post. When you are ready, use the prayer below to get started.
Lord Jesus,You chose to be called the friend of sinners. Free me from my sins and bring forth a harvest of love, holiness and truth. Amen
Today's lesson is on Luke 7:36-39, 44-50.
In between last week's lesson about the Centurion's servant being healed and today's lesson, Jesus brought back to life the only son of a widow plus healed people of being blind and other afflictions. Jesus also talked to John the Baptist followers.
Luke summarizes two viewpoints toward Jesus that has emerged. Those viewpoints are revealed by reactions to John the Baptist. On the one hand, “All the people, even the tax collectors, when they heard Jesus' words, acknowledged that God's way was right, because they had been baptized by John”. On the other hand, “the Pharisees and the experts in the law rejected God's purpose for themselves, because they had not been baptized by John. Rejection of John the Baptist, Christ's forerunner, meant rejecting Christ as well. This set the stage for a contrast between those who held those polar opposite viewpoints. The Pharisees advocated strict and scrupulous observances of the Law of Moses. Over time, this resulted in human traditions being added to that law. Today's lesson takes us to an early point in Jesus' ministry when things had gotten serious enough for Pharisees to come from “every village of Galilee and from Judea and Jerusalem” to investigate him. This is one of three times in Luke that Jesus was invited to a meal at the home of a Pharisee. The motive behind the invitations seemed to be that of scrutinizing Jesus more closely, noting any violations of the Law of Moses as interpreted by the Pharisees. We do not know the identity of the woman. We just know she had lived a sinful life. Therefore, the host did not welcome her presence at his dinner. She came with an alabaster jar of perfume. She knelt down behind Jesus and since it was the custom he had his sandals off. She proceeds to wash his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them. When the Pharisee said to himself, 'If this man was a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is – a sinner.” The Pharisee was condemning both the woman and Jesus. Jesus did not fit the idea of how a prophet should conduct himself. The Jews' understanding of what made them unclean was often tied to touching. Pharisees were obsessed with the avoidance of anything unclean or violations of the Law. This woman was the living embodiment of everything they warned against. The contrast between the woman, who expresses her love for Jesus, and the Pharisee, who views her with disdain, could hardly be sharper. Jesus now tells Simon a parable. There was a certain creditor who had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both. Tell me, therefore, which of them will love him more?” Simon answered and said, “I suppose the one whom he forgave more.” And he said to him, “You have rightly judged.” Jesus said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I came into your house, you did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet." All of these were an act of hospitality for guests in one's house. Footwear of the era did not keep dust and dirt out. It was proper to at least give your guest water and a towel to wash his feet. It was customary to give your guest a kiss as an expression of greeting and welcome. The offer one's head to be anointed with oil communicated favor. Jesus said “Therefore, I tell you her many sins have been forgiven- as her great love has shown. But who has been forgiven little loves little.” The woman's great love demonstrated that she knew she had much to be forgiven. By contrast, Simon loved little because his scrupulous attention to the Law of Moses had resulted in few sins to be forgiven of. Simon was proud of his tidy lifestyle as a Pharisee, he believed that he was vindicated by his success in keeping the Law of Moses strictly and by his descent from Abraham. The Pharisee understood neither why he needed to love and be loved by Jesus nor how the woman's many sins could be forgiven, especially by Jesus. Jesus said to the woman, “Your sins are forgiven. Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” Jesus clarifies the underlying reason for her forgiveness: her faith, which is the source of her love. By devoting herself to Jesus, she has yielded her heart to him in repentance. The other guest began to say among themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?” If Jesus indeed had the power to forgive sins, then he is God-in-the-flesh. But if Jesus did not have such power, then he was guilty of blasphemy.
Conclusion: Who needs forgiveness.
Many unbelievers today are involved in unholy, unbiblical activities. Some even make their living doing things that Christians know are immoral. It is easy for those within the church to take a dim view of these people, judging them to be incorrigible sinners. To be sure, a judging function does (or should) exist legitimately with the church. But this judging function bears little, if any, resemblance to the one used by Simon the Pharisee. His viewpoint was that of complete rejection, thinking himself more highly and being confident of his own righteousness. But Simon was not completely sinless. As a student of the Law of Moses, he should have realized, as the Pharisee Paul did,that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”. Another way to look at it is to imagine a survey being taken in Pharisee Simon's village. The survey question is, “Who needs to be forgiven, Simon or the immoral woman?” The villagers would predictably respond overwhelmingly to the immoral woman. But this is really a trick question since it presents a false choice. It is not a matter of “either/or” but one of “both/and.” They both needed to be forgiven of sin. They both needed a humble faith that would bring them to God with hearts full of love. They both needed to follow Jesus, love God, and serve others, The tragedy of this story is that only one of these people left the banquet forgiven. Simon's apparent pride in seeing himself superior to the woman blocked any realization of needing forgiveness. Christians are to flee from sin and obey God. We show our love for God when we keep his commandments. But does this justify us when we reject and condemn those who struggle with sin? Are sinners welcome in our fellowship if they are seeking to love Jesus? Or must they clean up their sinful lives before they enter the doors of our church? Jesus taught that even the vilest of sinners can be forgiven if they turn to him in faith and love. Are we willing to follow him in his love for sinners and help them as they strive to follow Jesus, however imperfectly?
Prayer
Heavenly Father, you have shown us your willingness to forgive sinners. May we not keep that message to ourselves! And let us not be selective in pretending to know who will accept and who won't. Help us to love our neighbors as you love us by taking the good news of your Son to them. In his name we pray. Amen. Thought to Remember: To have forgiveness, we must first realize that we need it.
Questions
Benediction
Today's benediction is from the King James Version
Next week's lesson will be on Matthew 15:21-28.
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Good morning!
We're so glad you decided to join us today!
When we meet in person, we share our joys and concerns with each other. If you have prayer requests to share, you can add them to the comments on this post. When you are ready, you may use the prayer below to get started:
Lord, we see so much need around us — needs for our world and our country, needs for our churches and our friends, even our personal needs. Sometimes it is overwhelming.
Help us not to get so caught up in the problems and struggles of life that we fail to look to you and to understand that you have the power, even now, to meet every need. When you seem distant, remind us that you are with us and that you indeed hear and answer our prayers, if we continue to look to you and to trust in you. And so we bring all our needs to you this morning, and we ask for your peace and healing. In Jesus’s name. Amen.
Today's lesson is on Luke 7:1-10.
Lesson context
Today’s lesson is set in the village of Capernaum, which served as something of a headquarters for Jesus’s ministry in Galilee. Its importance can be seen in the fact that it is mentioned 16 times in the New Testament. In fact, five of Jesus’s inner circle of 12 disciples were living in Capernaum when Jesus called them to follow him. Four of them were fishermen and one was a tax collector. According to our lesson, the village probably had no more than a few hundred residents. However, it was a thriving regional hub of industry and commerce. This was because it was on a lake that was productive for the fishing industry and, secondly, because was situated on a main road for traveling throughout the region. It was important enough that Rome had stationed some of its soldiers there.
Desperate need (verses 1-5)
Chapter 6 of Luke ends with Jesus concluding his so-called Sermon on the Plain. As our lesson begins, Jesus moves from the level place where was speaking to a crowd and he enters Capernaum. Pretty quickly, it seems, word of his arrival spread across the village. A Roman centurion heard about Jesus’s arrival and sent some Jewish elders to Jesus to ask him to come and heal his servant. Each centurion commanded about 80 men, although some commanded more. The rank was normally the highest a man could achieve if he was not a member of Roman ruling class family. Becoming a centurion was a path to wealth and status for an ordinary citizen soldier who had proved himself in lower ranks over the course of 15 or 20 years. This centurion seems to have achieved some status. He had a servant, likely a slave who had been captured during one of his military campaigns. Slavery in Rome was not like slavery in early American history. Slaves in the Roman Empire did not always serve as slaves their entire lives and were not always treated poorly or exploited. The centurion seems to have valued his servant not just for his work but also as a person. The centurion also had a good reputation in the Jewish community because of his love for their religion. He had even used his wealth and position to build the Jewish synagogue at Capernaum. Instead of approaching Jesus himself, therefore, he sends the elders, perhaps thinking Jesus might respond more favorably to them.
Unmatched faith (verses 6 to 10)
Capernaum was not a large city, either in terms of its population or is area. Crossing from one end to the other would not have taken more than 15 minutes. The walk would have been a short one. Jesus went with the elders, but as they neared the house, the centurion sent some friends to meet Jesus and to tell him that he did not need to enter the house. His message to Jesus was that he respected Jesus so much that he did not feel worthy to have him come into his house. However, he also said that he had faith that Jesus could heal his servant by simply saying the word. This was a display of humility by a man who, on an earthly level, had power over Jesus and the Jewish people. It may also have shown an understanding of the negative implications for a Jew to enter the home of a Gentile. It would have meant the Jew was defiled. (See Acts 10:27-29) The centurion used his experience as an officer to explain his view of Jesus’s authority. The centurion (as we have already seen in the story) has authority to send others to act on his behalf without having to do it himself. Jesus, however, has authority on much higher level — authority to command that people be healed or that demons come out of people. Jesus does not have to be physically present for that to happen. When Jesus hears the message he is amazed and tells the people that he has not seen such faith even among the people of Israel. In nearly every other case, people are amazed at Jesus’s teachings and works, but here Luke tells us that Jesus is amazed at the centurion and his faith. That is undoubtedly because he displayed humility and compassion but also an understanding of Jesus’s true status and power. The centurion implicitly trusted that Jesus could and would heal his servant. As far as Luke is concerned, the centurion’s faith is the greatest miracle in this passage. The centurion’s trust in Jesus was not in vain. When his friends returned to the house, they found the servant was well. This is one of three stories in the Gospels in which Jesus healed people without being physically present with them. The others are found in Matthew 15:21-28 and John 4:46-54.
Conclusion
When we offer up intercessory prayer for the healing of a friend or family member, are we exercising the faith of the centurion? Without a doubt, any forthcoming healing will be a “remote healing” since Jesus is not here in the flesh, so that is not the issue. The issue, instead, is one of believing in Jesus’ authority. That’s the essence of what we might call “Centurion Faith.” Our intercessory prayers must have more than a “maybe” or “hope so” tone. When we fix our eyes of Jesus, we demonstrate “Centurion Faith” that God will answer our prayers. When we are distracted from him and wring our hands in despair, nothing good happens (Matthew 14:25-31). Jesus taught, “If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer” (21:22). The centurion’s background speaks loudly. He had cultivated friendships within his community for years. He had treated his neighbors with respect and honor, not pulling his rank as a Roman officer to get his way. In many ways, the significant gap between the Jews and Gentiles of Jesus’ day was bridged on that day in Capernaum. The centurion had used his wealth and influence to protect the Jews and provide a gathering place for their study of Scripture. He played “the long game” in the most sincere and authentic manner possible. When his household was in need, his character and actions were remembered. Can the same be said of ours?
Prayer
Heavenly Father, our lives constantly need for your support and healing. Our churches and homes need your presence. May we honor you in all ways and never doubt. May we have a simple faith like the centurion! We pray in the name of Jesus, your Son. Amen.
Questions for discussion
Benediction
Today's benediction is from the King James Version.
Next week's lesson will be on Luke 7:36-39, 44-50.
Good morning!
We're so glad you decided to join us today!
Each week when we meet together, we take some time to share any joys and concerns we have from the past week. If you have a prayer request, please add it as a comment to this post. When you are ready, use the prayer below (source) to get started.
Lord, thank you for your unconditional love. May you lead us in the right path and enlighten our mind with the truth. May we see the needs of others, love, and serve one another. Give us strength to inspire others. Heal all the people through your love. We have faith in you and we will be with you, forever. This we pray, in the Mighty Name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
This week's lesson is on Luke 5:17-26.
Lesson Context
This gospel and the book of Acts were written by a man named Luke. He was a traveling companion of Paul and a physician (Colossians 4:14; 2 Timothy 4:11; Philemon 24). He gathered his information from people who had witnessed the ministry of Jesus so he could write a detailed account. Most biblical scholars believe that the gospel of Mark was written first, and could have been one of Luke's sources. Today's lesson puts Jesus in Galilee early in his three and a half year ministry. In Luke's telling, the miracle just prior to this one occurred, "in one of the towns," of Galilee. Mark's version specifically places this in Capernaum. This town, located on the northwestern bank of the Sea of Galilee, became something of a headquarters for Jesus during his tours of Galilee.
Faith that Seeks (verses 17-20a)
This passage is the first time that Luke mentions the Pharisees in his gospel. Our book also says that, while many places in the gospels have the translation, "teachers of the law," the original Greek word here only occurs in two other places (Acts 5:34; 1 Timothy 1:7). These teachers are experts in the Mosaic law, able to give sound theological opinions. The presence of these men in the crowd is ominous. They are not religious leaders from Galilee. These men have traveled from Judea and Jerusalem, about an 80 mile walk. The commitment for this trip meant that the work of Jesus required a thorough investigation. Isaiah 61:1-2 is a messianic prophecy, which Jesus read shortly before our passage:
The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me,
because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn,
Luke links the healings, both physical and spiritual, as fulfillment of messianic prophecy.
The passage then shifts to the familiar story. Some men carry their paralyzed friend, in the hope that Jesus will heal him. This is a great example of the second greatest commandment: love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:39; Mark 12:31). The man's affliction made it impossible for him to come to Jesus without assistance. But the crowd was so great, the man could not be taken directly to Jesus. First-century Palestinian houses typically had flat roofs with exterior steps or a ladder providing access. Roofs were built with beams resting on the outer walls, with smaller posts crossing the beams and covered with thatch and mud. The rooftop was a place for household activities, drying laundry, and getting fresh air. It was also where people sometimes hid, conferred, mourned and prayed. The paralyzed man's friends were able to carry him up to the roof, and then lower him down. Faith is a mental and spiritual state. We can see evidence of someone's faith in their actions. The crowd definitely saw evidence in the actions of the men. But Jesus could see their faith.
Faith that Finds (verses 20b-26)
Jesus addresses the paralyzed man. The gospel of Luke uses a generic Greek word for friend, while Matthew and Mark use a Greek word that can be translated as, "son." Jesus tells the man his sins are forgiven. The Pharisees and teachers of the law see this statement as blasphemy. God alone can forgive sins. This is correct, in the sense of a person sinning against God. According to Jewish writings in the period between the Old and New Testaments, the Jews expected a righteous Messiah to overthrow foreign invaders. They did not expect a Messiah who would be God-in-the-flesh, able to forgive sins. Our book says that the experts actually had a good grasp of what was happening. Jesus was speaking and acting in a manner reserved for God. For a mere human to forgive sins committed against God would indeed be blasphemy. This is the first instance of organized opposition to Jesus in the Gospel of Luke. Just like Jesus could see the faith of the paralyzed man, he knew what the Pharisees were thinking about. The ability to know people's hearts and innermost thoughts is one of the divine characteristics of Jesus that Luke emphasizes. Jesus asks the Pharisees and teachers of the law about their thoughts. He then follows up with another question. Our book explains that this could be taken as a couple of different kinds of arguments. Then Jesus tells the man to get up, take his mat and go home. The text here, in Matthew 9:6 and Mark 2:10-11, stress that Jesus healed the paralyzed man as evidence of Jesus' authority on Earth to forgive sin. This passage is also the first time that Luke records Jesus calling himself, "Son of Man." Through the four gospels, this phrase occurs more than 80 times. This designation comes from the Old Testament. In Ezekiel, the title is applied to the prophet, through without suggesting divinity. In the book of Daniel, the designation recognizes the Son of Man as having divine attributes. The paralyzed man is immediately healed. As soon as Jesus has spoken, the man is instantly healed. The man's sudden ability to walk should have been evidence that Christ had both the right and ability to forgive sins. Everyone saw the result. In biblical times, two or three witnesses were required to prove an event was true. Luke confirms that a sufficient number of witnesses were present to verify the miracle. Verse 26 is the only verse in the New Testament where amazement, praising God, and fear occur together as the reactions of a crowd. It is not unreasonable to think that the religious leaders were included in the people having these reactions. The reaction at the end of this passage is one of confused neutrality. The crowd hasn't yet reached a conclusion.
Conclusion
The friends in today's lesson remind us of the nature of authentic friendship. We do not know how long they had been carrying their friend around on this bed. We know that when Jesus came into the city, they believed he could help their friend. However, they did not stop at simply believing. They put their faith into action and brought their friend to Jesus, overcoming every obstacle on the way.
Prayer
Father, we are grateful for the friends who have helped us on our faith journey. We pray that you will help us be the friend who carries the bed of another when needed, regardless of the obstacles in our path. We give you thanks for friends and the strength to be a friend in Jesus' name. Amen.
Questions for Discussion
Benediction
This week's benediction comes from the King James Version.
Next week's lesson will be on Luke 7:1-10.
Gathering Around the Word
PALM SUNDAY Prelude: Carol Smith Announcements: CALL TO WORSHIP: Look! Our mighty King comes on the back of a donkey! The fullness of God, has come to us with a sword in hand, ready to defeat the power of sin and death! His ways are righteous, His judgements are just. Let us not turn our hearts away from Him this day, but forever lay palms and our crowns at His feet! Shout Hosanna! Shout save us! Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Come and worship Him! INVOCATION
*HYMN: Hosanna, Loud Hosanna # 197
*PRAYER OF CONFESSION: Father, on this Palm Sunday we read of Your willing, unwavering entry into the great city that for generations has beheld Your power and kindness. And yet, as the Son enters in, we know that sinful hearts will quickly turn from praise to demand of crucifixion. Today, we also too often reject the King who rides on a donkey. We want Him to destroy our enemies instead of extending mercy, we want to be exalted instead of being humbled, we want fighting instead of peace. Have mercy on us for the countless ways we harden our hearts and resist submission for Our King. Save us, O Lord! AMEN *Time of Silent Prayer: *Assurance of Pardon *Response – Gloria Patri # 581 Passing of the peace Children’s Chat Prayer of illumination Scripture Reading: Psalm 118: 11-2, 19-29 Diana Donaldson SERMON TEXT: Luke 19: 28-44 *HYMN: “All Hail the Power of Jesus” Name # 263 *Apostles Creed (next to Prayer List) Presentation of tithes and offering Offertory *Doxology *Prayer of dedication Concerns and Celebrations Prayer of the people The Lord’s Prayer *HYMN: “All Glory, Laud, and Honor #196 Benediction Postlude
BIRTHDAYS:
Ed Caffrey, John Cole, Mike Durila Sr. ANNIVERSARIES: None this week. SYMPATHIES: To the. Family of Frank Zrimm To the Family of Judy Clutter Donaldson Remember our food collection. And Jesus said, “You give them something to eat.” Please let Betty Fisher know of anyone within the community that may be in need at this time. Maundy/Thursday is March 28th at 6 p.m. in the social hall with a light meal. Good Friday Service, March 29th will be at Taylorstown Church at 7 p.m. Easter Sunrise Service at 7 a.m. with breakfast to follow. Traditional service is at 11:15. Men’s Bible Study started March 21 at 6p.m. till 7:30 p.m. at Pastor Clayton’s home. Not to late to join in the group. Today’s Lenten Service is Fourth Presbyterian church. The service is at 4:00 p.m. with Rev. Dave Mason. This prayer listing is for those who have unspoken concerns and prayer on Sundays.
Continuing Prayer List
Chuck Dicks, Frank Huffman, Tom Westfall, Sandy Stone, Sarah Wilson, Carl Weber, Ricci Amos, Fred Wilkinson, Haley Diedier Bedillion, Donna West, Helen Provenzano, Marlene McFeely, Marley Smith, Suzy Smith, Carol Pierce, Chuck Harton, Johnny Yurko, Mike Durila, Betty Fisher, Tim Knabenshue, Jim King Beckett, Grandson of Scott Shetter, Stella Crothers, Lori Patterson, Ron Poznick, Ron Westfall, Mary Stoey, Norma Jean Kelso Christmas Eve Service Choir “O Holy Night” Announcements: ADVENT: The Bell Family CALL TO WORSHIP: O what a great darkness that sin had left us in O how we longed to once again know the light Then in an instant everything changed. On that night, lying in a manger was the brightest light that ever shone. Wrapped in swaddling clothes laid all of our hope and joy. Praise be to God that when we think of that baby in Bethlehem thousands of years ago, we see the hope of all God’s people made complete and all of God’s promises fulfilled. Let us worship our God who is worthy of every praise from generation to generation. INVOCATION *HYMN: “O Come, All Ye Faithful” # 133
*PRAYER OF CONFESSION: Lord Jesus Christ, at Your birth the angels gave glory to God in the highest heaven and offered peace on earth to all humankind. We struggle to follow the heavenly host. All too often we focus on giving glory to ourselves, trying to impress our friends, coworkers, and family. We make no move to further peace in our polarized world; we forget that You have called us to be ambassadors of reconciliation. Forgive us for these and all our sins, and strengthen us to join the angels in singing “glory be to our God forever.” Time of silent prayer. Assurance of Pardon Response – Gloria Patri # 581 * Passing of the peace Scripture: Psalm 96 Diana Donaldson Sermon text: Luke 2: 1-20 *HYMN “Angels We Have Heard on High” # 113 *Apostles Creed (next to Prayer List) Presentation of tithes and offering Offertory *Doxology *Prayer of dedication The Lord’s Prayer *HYMN ”Silent Night, Holy Night” # 119 *Benediction *Postlude Blessed Christmas Eve
Gathering Around the Word
Choir Announcements: ADVENT: The Fisher Family CALL TO WORSHIP: Praise be to the one who has built us up in the good news, Praise be to God for the message of Jesus the Christ The mystery of salvation is found in Him Thanks be to God for what is ours through faith Let us worship the only wise God who is glorified forever through Jesus Christ INVOCATION
*HYMN: “O Little Town of Bethlehem” # 121
*PRAYER OF CONFESSION: O eternal and gracious God, all year long we pursue power, money, and influence. Yet You come to us in the weakness of the manger. All season long we covet material gifts. Yet You alone offer us the only everlasting Son, Jesus Christ, God with us. We confess to You our pride, our faithlessness, and our reluctance to accept Your grace. Through the work of the Lord Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit, forgive us, heal us, correct us, and transform us. Then enable us to be still, to know Your presence, and to praise You. We pray through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen Time of silent prayer. Assurance of Pardon Response – Gloria Patri # 581 * Passing of the peace Children’s Chat Prayer of illumination Scripture: Luke 1: 67-79 Diana Donaldson Sermon text: Malachi 4 *HYMN “While We are Waiting, Come” # 92 *Apostles Creed (next to Prayer List) Presentation of tithes and offering Offertory *Doxology *Prayer of dedication Concerns and Celebrations Prayers of the people The Lord’s Prayer *HYMN ”Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” # 119 *Benediction *Postlude Blessed Christmas Eve Morning
Christmas Eve Services
5 pm at Taylorstown 7 pm at North Buffalo
Good morning!
We're so glad you decided to join us on Christmas Eve!
Today is the fourth Sunday of Advent and Christmas Eve.
When we meet in person, we share our joys and concerns with each other. If you have prayer requests to share, you can add them to the comments on this post. When you are ready, use the prayer below to get started. It was written by Ben Luker, an apprentice at the Calvin Institute for Christian Worship.
Almighty God, giver of strength, we know that you have made a way for those who believe. We remember your faithfulness. We rejoice in your presence as we seek wisdom in the many decisions we have to make. Give us thankful hearts in troubled times, hearts sustained by your Holy Spirit.
Open our eyes to the wonders of your love in Jesus Christ and turn us from that which distracts us from the good. In your One and Only Son we pray, Amen.
Today's lesson is on Luke 1:36-45, 56.
Lesson context
Church history and the great majority of scholars attribute the books of Luke and Acts to Luke, the apostle Paul’s traveling companion in the book of Acts. While on those missionary journeys, Luke — who is believed to have been the beloved physician referred to in Colossians 4 — may have interviewed people who knew Jesus personally. Among those people may have been Mary, the mother of Jesus, which could be how he could offer such detail about many encounters, even when only two people were involved. Such an encounter is recorded in our lesson for today. It is a meeting between Mary and her relative Elizabeth when each was miraculously pregnant. Elizabeth was a married woman beyond the age of childbirth, and Mary was an unmarried virgin. As the text opens, the birth of Elizabeth’s baby — the person who came to be known as John the Baptist — has been foretold (Luke 1:5-25) and the birth of Jesus to Mary has also been foretold (Luke 1:26-35). Both births were proclaimed through angelic visitations.
Acceptance of the message (verses 36-38)
Our lesson begins with the last part of a statement that the angel Gabriel makes to Mary. The angel is responding to Mary’s question about she will be a mother when she is a virgin. He replies that hers is not the only miraculous pregnancy but that her relative Elizabeth is also about to give birth. It is not certain exactly how Mary and Elizabeth are related, although most scholars believe they are probably cousins. However, the news about Elizabeth’s pregnancy would have strengthened Mary’s faith and confirmed the angel’s words about Mary’s pregnancy. The angel concludes with words that echo those of a divine visitor who spoke to Abraham about his own struggle with infertility and God’s miraculous intervention in Genesis 18: “Is anything too hard for the Lord?” In Mary’s case, the angel says, “For no word from God will ever fail.” Both Mary and Elizabeth’s husband Zechariah had asked the angel how this would occur. Their questions differ, however, in that Zechariah was skeptical and wanted a sign, but Mary was simply curious. Ironically, Zechariah does receive a sign, although probably not one he had wanted. He is unable to speak until the his son is born. Following Gabriel’s response, Mary simply agrees and submits. Although it may not have been necessary for the plan to unfold, it shows that despite the peril, Mary was a willing and humble participant in what was about to happen.
Joyous meeting (verses 39-45 and 56)
Very soon after the angel’s visit, Mary leaves to visit Elizabeth. If Zechariah served as priest in the city of Hebron, Mary and Elizabeth live about 100 miles apart, which explains why Mary had not heard about Elizabeth’s pregnancy. Even if he served in another city, the two women lived at least 35 miles apart. Either way, this was no easy journey for Mary, but she probably needed first-hand confirmation of the angel’s message as well as fellowship with the only other person who could possibly understand what she was going through. She also leaves fairly quickly because it would be easier to travel during the early stages of her pregnancy. Elizabeth is probably about six months along in her pregnancy. As Mary arrives, she enters the home and greets Elizabeth. At that moment, Elizabeth’s baby not only moves but “leaped for joy,” according to Elizabeth. This foreshadows the role that John the Baptist will play later in life in pointing people to Jesus. At that moment, Elizabeth is filled with the Holy Spirit and begins to speak. The Holy Spirit plays a key role in Luke’s gospel and in the book of Acts. Inspired by the Holy Spirit and without even hearing that Mary is pregnant at this point, Elizabeth cries out that Mary is blessed among women and that Mary’s child is blessed as well. Even though Jesus has not yet been born and has hardly begun to form in Mary’s womb, Elizabeth calls him her Lord. According to the lesson, for Elizabeth to say that shows her great faith that God is intervening in history through this child. It is also a divinely inspired statement of humility. Elizabeth’s statement of joy and affirmation runs from verse 42 to 45. She uses the term “blessed” three times — twice in verse 42 and once in verse 45. Even though they have been translated as the same word in English, they are actually two different words in Greek. In verse 42, the word is eulogēmenē (eὐλογημένη) and eulogēmenos (εὐλογημένος). It’s the word from which we get our English word for eulogy, which means to speak well of. So the sense in verse 42 is that people will speak well of both Mary and of the child she will bear. It is the same word that the angel Gabriel uses in verse 28 (not in today’s lesson) when he greets Mary and calls her blessed among women. However, in verse 45, the Greek word that we translate as blessed is actually makaria (μακαρία). It is a word that refers to a person who will enjoy “favorable circumstances.” Therefore when Elizabeth calls Mary blessed here, she is not simply stating that others will speak well of her. She is saying that God is using her in a wonderful way that will ultimately lead to her happiness. This is the same word that Jesus uses to refer to people who are blessed in the Beatitudes.
The Greater Blessed
Jackie married her high school sweetheart, received an offer for her dream job, bought her dream house, and became pregnant in the same year. Every conversation she had with her friends resulted in the response: “You are so blessed!” Here sister, Jasmine, did not hear the same pronouncement nearly as often. Jasmine remained single and made less than half as much money as Jackie. But Jasmine was a Christian and a member of a church, while sister Jackie was not. Which of these two women was the greater blessed? The answer to that depends on which lens you use in viewing their situations. Viewed strictly through a worldly leans, Jackie was the great blessed; but viewed through the heavenly lens of eternity, the greater blessed is Jasmine. Which lens do you use to view your own status and situation? Have you forgotten how blessed you are to believe in Christ? It’s easy to do in a world that casts God to the side and enthrones his gifts as gods themselves. But let Elizabeth’s pronouncements of blessing remind you of the true nature of blessedness. Mary stayed with Elizabeth for three months, which means that she left around the time Elizabeth gave birth. (Luke has already told us in 1:26) that Elizabeth was already six months pregnant when the angel visited Mary.) These three months would have undoubtedly been a time of mutual support and joy over what was happening to and through the women.
Conclusion
When it comes to belief and faith, I have often wondered whether I am more in the mold of Zechariah, with his doubts, than I am in the role of Mary, with her faith and acceptance. As I write this, there are multiple degrees in biblical studies hanging on my office wall, and I have 20 years of teaching experience at a Bible college under my belt. As a seasoned priest, Zechariah was similarly well-educated in the things of God. You would expect him to have the greater faith. But the greater faith is found with Mary. Now I genuinely believe my education is a blessing and helps my faith. Yet there are times when I wonder whether my education distracts me from having faith like Mary’s. Perhaps we trust in our learning and understanding to figure things out rather than trusting God, and in so doing violate Proverbs 3:6: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” Mary wasn’t as formally educated as the learned priest. Yet her belief was genuine. What Mary was asked to accept was not an easy thing, and God understood this. In encouraging Mary’s faith, the angel pointed her both backward to the story of Abraham and Sarah and forward to what was happening to Elizabeth. God may call you to a role similar to that of the angel as you point another person backward to a champion of faith forward to an example of how God is now working. The joy experienced by John the Baptist and Elizabeth resulted from Mary’s faith, at least in part. The ripple effect of this joy is also seen in passages such as Matthew 2:10 and Luke 2:10, 21-38. That ripple effect reaches us here in the twenty-first century — or at least it should!
Prayer
Lord, thank you for the example of Mary’s trusting belief. Show us how Mary’s example can inform our own faith. Help us move ever more toward belief and faith! Thank you for the encouragement of your faithful people of the past as recorded in your Word. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Questions for discussion
Benediction
Today's benediction is from the New International Version.
Next week's lesson is on Matthew 2:1-12.
Gathering Around the Word
Prelude: Choir “Great is Thy Faithfulness” Announcements: ADVENT: The Huffman Family CALL TO WORSHIP: Because of the Lord’s great love, we are not consumed. His compassion never fails. They are new every morning! Great is His faithfulness! The Lord is my portion. The Lord is good to those whose hope is in Him. Let us worship our good, faithful, and compassionate God. INVOCATION
*HYMN: “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” # 88
*PRAYER OF CONFESSION: Father, we never truly understand the depth of our sin. We think our mistakes are momentary slip ups and forget that sin is at the center of who we are. We turn against You all throughout our lives. And yet when things fall apart or we go through the results of Your judgment we often question Your character instead of ours. Forgive us for thinking too lightly of our sin. Forgive us for the ways we turn against You in thought, word, and deed. And teach us to rely on Your love and mercy as the source of our forgiveness. Time of silent prayer. Assurance of Pardon Response – Gloria Patri # 581 * Passing of the peace Children’s Chat Prayer of illumination Scripture: Luke 1: 46-55 Mary Esselstyn Sermon text: Lamentations 3: 1-33 *HYMN “Away in the Manger” # 114 *Apostles Creed (next to Prayer List) Presentation of tithes and offering Offertory *Doxology *Prayer of dedication Concerns and Celebrations Prayers of the people The Lord’s Prayer *HYMN ”Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee” # 611 *Benediction *Postlude Go! Have a wonderful Sunday
BIRTHDAYS Merranda Miller Young, Kaitlin Reese, Debbie Durila
Remember our food collection. And Jesus said, "You give them something to eat." Please let Betty Fisher know of anyone within the community that may be in need at this time. Thanksgiving Eve Service is this Wednesday, November 22, 2023 at 7:00 p.m.
Continuing Prayer List
Chuck Dicks, Frank Huffman, Tom Westfall, Sandy Stone, Sarah Wilson, Carl Weber, Jimmy Svetz, Ricci Amos, Haley Diedier Bedillion, Fred Wilkinson, Diane Anderson, Helen Provenzano, Donna West, Judy Donaldson, Marlene McFeely, Sue Gregg, Wendy Willard, Marley Smith, Kirkland Cipoletti, Ellen Morris, Dave Henderson, Ed Horne, Doris Ann Rowe, Hunter Beck, Karen Eisiminger, Tim Knabensue, Helen Bury, Glenn “Mikey” Hardin, Suzy Smith, Richard Wagner, Steven Shuba, Frank Baker, Carol Pierce, Chuck Harton, Jean and Ron Westfall, Doug Ward, Cheryl Hardway
Good morning!
We're so glad you chose to join us today!
When we meet together on Sunday mornings, we take time to share any joys or concerns we have. If you have a prayer request, please add it to the comments on this post. When you are ready, use the Catholic prayer for healing below (source) to get started.
Lord Jesus, heal me. Heal in me whatever you see needs healing. Heal me of whatever might separate me from you. Heal my memory, heal my heart, heal my emotions, heal my spirits, heal my soul. Lay your hands upon me and Heal me through your love for me. Amen
Today's lesson is on Luke 14:1-6.
Loving God by Loving the Least
Our book opens with this story. As attendees at the memorial service for Dorthy Day (1897-1980) listened to the sermon they were reminded of the following quote from her writing: “You love God just as much as the one you love least.” This quote was her way of paraphrasing Jesus' commands in Luke 10:25-37 to love God and show love and mercy to others. The minister giving the sermon went on to describe how this quote anchored Dorothy's like and work. Demonstrations of mercy, love and justice have been the tenets of the Catholic Workers Movement, established by Dorothy and others in the 1930's. The movement consist of over 200 communities (houses) in 14 countries. Each house works to show hospitality and mercy to the most vulnerable members of their city. This work is done through their feeding of the hungry, tending to the sick, and providing stable housing for the unhoused. God desires that his people love him and love their neighbors. People can demonstrate such love toward others through acts of mercy. In doing so, God's people follow Jesus' command to “be merciful, just as your Father is merciful” (Luke 6:36). This lesson's Scriptures reveals how Jesus responded to a group of people who wanted to add boundaries and limitations to acts of mercy. This lesson depicts the third occasion in Luke's Gospel that Jesus shared a meal with a Pharisee. All three interactions share a common pattern of events. First, a Pharisee invited Jesus to join the meal. Second, a tense moment between Jesus and the host led to a conversation regarding issues of religious observances. Third, Jesus used the opportunity to instruct those in attendance on issues regarding how to follow God. In doing so, Jesus taught his fellow diners to act mercifully in their dealings with other people. The issue of doing work on the Sabbath is the primary concern in this lesson. The Jewish Sabbath was established based on the day that God rested after six days of creation. As a result, people were commanded to ceased work on the Sabbath. Such requirements regarding that day were a sign of holiness between God and his people. As the ancient Israelites left Egypt, they were commanded to take certain steps to prepare for Sabbath observance. Later, as the people entered the promised land, the Law of Moses provided further descriptions regarding proper observance of the Sabbath. Defiance of these commands brought harsh consequences to the people. The Israelites understood the Sabbath was a delight and day for worship. Even psalms were to be sung on that day. By the first century AD, certain expectations regarding proper adherence of the Sabbath had been established by the Jewish religious leaders. In the time between the testaments, an oral tradition later known as Mishna, (rabbinic law) attempted to define the rules regarding proper Sabbath observance. These included nuance definitions of work, as well as complex regulations regarding what was allowed and disallowed on the Sabbath. Such intricacies made it challenging for most first century Jews to accurately interpret how they should observe the Sabbath. Jesus never disputed the importance of the Sabbath. His high regard for it can be seen in his habit of teaching in the synagogues on the Sabbath. Further, he was willing to use the day to show mercy toward suffering people. As “Lord.. of the Sabbath”, Jesus demonstrated the true intent of the Sabbath: to remind God's people of his mercy. The day was not to be a religious burden or an excuse to limit work of love and mercy.
Luke 14: 1-6
Because Jesus was considered a rabbi by at least one member of the Pharisees, Nicodemus, the group likely deemed him to be an appropriate guest for a meal. They could discuss the law and its associated tradition and commentary. As a Pharisee, the host likely enjoyed some degree of wealth and probably held in high regard as a teacher of the law. The Pharisees who assembled for this meal treated Jesus with suspicion. They watched Jesus in order to find fault with him. In front of Jesus was a man who suffered abnormal swelling. This might have been caused by an underlying issue regarding the heart, kidney or liver. Today we would have treated this with diuretics, but no such treatment was available then. The man would have continued to suffer and would have depended on the charity of others to meet his basic needs. Jesus asked, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath or not?' This question concerned the heart of the Law of Moses. The law was never intended to burden the people. And Jesus never abolished the Law of Moses. Instead, he wanted his audience to consider the principles of goodness and righteousness belonging to the Law of Moses. To heal on the Sabbath violated the Pharisees' strict reading of the law regarding what was acceptable on that day. God does not desire for humans to limit works of mercy, either regarding the timing or the recipient of those works. When the Pharisees remained silent, Jesus healed the man. Then he asked them, “If one of you has a child or an ox that falls into a well on the Sabbath day, will you not immediately pull it out?” The Law of Moses required that people help lost or injured livestock of neighbors and enemies alike. An attitude of mercy, even to livestock, was at the heart of these commands. Without assistance, the stranded animal was at risk of suffering injury or facing harm from predators. Jesus expected that all of the guests at the meal would agree that showing mercy to an animal even on the Sabbath made sense. In that case, how much more legitimate was showing mercy to people on the Sabbath? Possible endangerment of a child would also be an appropriate and necessary reason for a person to act on the Sabbath. If a person showed effort to save livestock on the Sabbath, then that person would surely show more effort to save a child. Jesus could have waited until the next day to heal the man. However, the opportunity for Jesus to show mercy presented itself on the Sabbath. The Sabbath served human well-being, not the other way around. For the second time during the meal, the Pharisees were left speechless. The silence of the Pharisees did not end the meal. Instead, Jesus used their silence as an opportunity to question them and teach them. (Luke 14: 7-24, Parable of the banquet)
Conclusion
The emphasis of this story is not on the ailing man. Instead, this story at its heart is a caution against focusing on religious practices at the expense of mercy. Jesus was not trying to nullify the Pharisees' practice of observing Sabbath. Not only did the Sabbath require a pause on work, but it also provided time for people to consider how they could show mercy to others. Further, the question of whether or not the person could heal on the Sabbath was an obscure point. Most people are unable to heal another person on any day of the week. Only the one is the Lord of the Sabbath has the ability to heal on the Sabbath. Sometimes we unintentionally limit our expectations of what God ought to do. What are some traditions we hold to that perpetuated this? God's work is not limited by human expectations. We are to trust God and his timing of his work. When we exercise faith by trusting him in this way, we commit to live of mercy, following the ways of our heavenly Father. Twentieth-century Jewish scholar Abraham Joshua Herschel (1907 – 1972) describes the Sabbath as being an expression of holiness based in time. Although Christians today are not required to observe the Jewish Sabbath, we can still apply similar principles. The idea of observing specific time in order to show mercy in sustained and tangible ways. Although we may sometimes ge t tunnel vision and focus on other parts of our busy lives, we must remember to keep mercy at the forefront of our minds, regardless of the situation.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, you have shown us great mercy, just as you have shown mercy to your people throughout history. We want to be people marked by lives of mercy. Heal us from spiritual ailments that causes us to act in unloving ways. Grant us deeper awareness of the needs of our neighbors so that we might show love and mercy. Help us be merciful, just as you are merciful. In the name of your Son, Jesus. Amen.
Questions for discussion
Benediction
This week's benediction is from the New International Version.
Next week's lesson will be on John 7:14-24.
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