Sunday lessons and sermon

Greetings to you all in the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ!

 

I hope you and those you love are well.  Below you will find the sermon title and lessons for Sunday, February 28.

 

Sermon title:  Love's True Prophet

 

Lessons:

Psalm 118:  This is a psalm of ascension (when going to Jerusalem, it is always uphill).  As our ancestors made their way to Jerusalem to share in special celebrations.  In the Gospel lesson Jesus quotes Psalm 118:26 (Luke 13:35).

 

Since this psalm was chanted responsively by our ancerstors as they made their way to Jerusalem, read it out loud.  If possible, read it with someone else, taking turn reading alternating verses.  

 

Hebrews 1:1-4:  What does it mean to say that God, who spoke to us through prophets, now speaks to us through God's Son, Jesus?

 

Luke 13:31-35:  This is a challenging text to intperpret because some things really are not clear.  For example, did Herod really want to kill Jesus?  Remember, this Herod is not the same one responsible for the slaughter of the innocents.  In the other instances where he is mentioned it is not clear that he has any animosity towards Jesus.  Given this question, what is the real agenda of the Pharisees mentioned?  What are they up to?  And, remember, the Pharisees were a group of people, not all of whom were of one mind--and certainly not of one disposition towards Jesus.  So it's hard to say "All Pharisees are like this..."

 

And, what does Jesus mean when he calls Herod a fox?  What does Jesus mean when he compares himself to a mother hen trying to shelter and protect her chicks?  What does he have in mind when he says these things?  In saying them, is Jesus in some way interpreting what will happen in Jerusalem, namely, his death? 

 

As we prepare for worship this Sunday, think of God's wondrous love that is demonstrated on the cross, in the outstretched arms that were pierced for our transgressions.  Are those arms, indeed, like those of a mother hen trying to shelter her chicks?

 

See you Sunday!

 

spike

 

 

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Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned, worn or consumed. Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace and gratitude.