Fourth Sunday of Easter

READINGS FOR THE COMING WEEK

• First reading
  • Acts 9:36-43
• Psalm
  • Psalm 23
• Second reading
  • Revelation 7:9-17
• Gospel
  • John 10:22-30

Gospel from John:
The festival of the Dedication took place in Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the portico of Solomon. So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.”

Jesus answered, “I have told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name testify to me; but you do not believe, because you do not belong to my sheep. My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand.

What my Father has given me is greater than all else, and no one can snatch it out of the Father’s hand. The Father and I are one.”

Notes:
Trey Everett is a graphic artist who has created images for some of the Lectionary readings. His work is available at www.treyeverettcreates.com.

Third Sunday of Easter

READINGS FOR THE COMING WEEK

• First reading
  • Acts 9:1-6, (7-20)
• Psalm
  • Psalm 30
• Second reading
  • Revelation 5:11-14
• Gospel
  • John 21:1-19

The gospel from John:
Jesus showed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias; and he showed himself in this way. Gathered there together were Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples. Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We will go with you.” They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.

Just after daybreak, Jesus stood on the beach; but the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to them, “Children, you have no fish, have you?” They answered him, “No.” He said to them, “Cast the net to the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in because there were so many fish.

That disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on some clothes, for he was naked, and jumped into the sea. But the other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, only about a hundred yards off. When they had gone ashore, they saw a charcoal fire there, with fish on it, and bread.

Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.” So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, a hundred fifty-three of them; and though there were so many, the net was not torn. Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” Now none of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?” because they knew it was the Lord. Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. This was now the third time that Jesus appeared to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.

When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my lambs.” A second time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Tend my sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter felt hurt because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” And he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.

21:18 Very truly, I tell you, when you were younger, you used to fasten your own belt and to go wherever you wished. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will fasten a belt around you and take you where you do not wish to go.” (He said this to indicate the kind of death by which he would glorify God.)

After this he said to him, “Follow me.”

Sermon
There are people who think the resurrection of Christ a hallucination. Our gospel reading this week was written by the disciple John who was there and saw with his own eyes Jesus raised from the dead. John’s stories are not fiction. Another witness was Peter, who three times denied being a disciple, as Jesus had said would occur. What is the church to do: Trust theses witnesses. Peter became an important figure. He went on missionary journeys as far as Rome where he was martyred. John was different. He wrote his gospel. He stayed home and built churches. Pastor Stevensen goes on to mention the many who have helped spread the gospel. One is an administrator at a seminary on the board of which is Pastor. This administrator was provided a pay raise which he well deserved, even though he had only a supporting role in the seminary’s operation. He did important work. Both Peter and John did important work. All such persons are gifts from God.

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Second Sunday of Easter

READINGS FOR THE COMING WEEK

The gospel from John:

Where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.

Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”

But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. 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.”

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.” 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.” Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!”

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.” Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book.

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.

Resurrection of the Lord

READINGS FOR THE COMING WEEK

Acts 10:34-43 or Isaiah 65:17-25
  • Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24
  • 1 Corinthians 15:19-26 or Acts 10:34-43
  • John 20:1-18 or Luke 24:1-12

The gospel from John:
Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” Then Peter and the other disciple set out and went toward the tomb. The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent down to look in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen wrappings lying there, and the cloth that had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen wrappings but rolled up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not understand the scripture, that he must rise from the dead Then the disciples returned to their homes.

But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb; and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had been lying, one at the head and the other at the feet. They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.”

When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to him in Hebrew, “Rabbouni!” (which means Teacher). Jesus said to her, “Do not hold on to me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'”

Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”; and she told them that he had said these things to her.

The gospel from Luke:
But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came to the tomb, taking the spices that they had prepared. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in, they did not find the body. While they were perplexed about this, suddenly two men in dazzling clothes stood beside them. The women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be handed over to sinners, and be crucified, and on the third day rise again.”

Then they remembered his words, and returning from the tomb, they told all this to the eleven and to all the rest. Now it was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them who told this to the apostles. But these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them. But Peter got up and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; then he went home, amazed at what had happened.

Sixth Sunday in Lent

READINGS FOR THE COMING WEEK

Liturgy of the Palms (April 10, 2022)

• Psalm
  • Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29
• Gospel
  • Luke 19:28-40

Liturgy of the Passion (April 10, 2022)

• First reading
  • Isaiah 50:4-9a
• Psalm
  • Psalm 31:9-16
• Second reading
  • Philippians 2:5-11
• Gospel
  • Luke 22:14-23:56 or Luke 23:1-49

The gospel from Luke 19:28-40
Jesus went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. When he had come near Bethphage and Bethany, at the place called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of the disciples, saying, “Go into the village ahead of you, and as you enter it you will find tied there a colt that has never been ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ just say this, ‘The Lord needs it.'”

So those who were sent departed and found it as he had told them. As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, “Why are you untying the colt?” They said, “The Lord needs it.”

Then they brought it to Jesus; and after throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it. As he rode along, people kept spreading their cloaks on the road.

As he was now approaching the path down from the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the deeds of power that they had seen, Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven, and glory in the highest heaven!”

Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, order your disciples to stop.” He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the stones would shout out.”

Fifth Sunday in Lent

READINGS FOR THE WEEK

• First reading
  • Isaiah 43:16-21
• Psalm
  • Psalm 126
• Second reading
  • Philippians 3:4b-14
• Gospel
  • John 12:1-8

The gospel from John:
Six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany, the home of Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. There they gave a dinner for him. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those at the table with him. Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus’ feet, and wiped them with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.

But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (the one who was about to betray him), said, “Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?” (He said this not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief; he kept the common purse and used to steal what was put into it.)

Jesus said, “Leave her alone. She bought it so that she might keep it for the day of my burial. You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.”

Fourth Sunday in Lent

READINGS FOR THE WEEK

• First reading
  • Joshua 5:9-12
• Psalm
  • Psalm 32
• Second reading
  • 2 Corinthians 5:16-21
• Gospel
  • Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32

The gospel from Luke:
Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to Jesus. And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, “This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them.” So he told them this parable:

“There was a man who had two sons The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the property that will belong to me.’ So he divided his property between them. A few days later the younger son gathered all he had and traveled to a distant country, and there he squandered his property in dissolute living. When he had spent everything, a severe famine took place throughout that country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed the pigs. He would gladly have filled himself with the pods that the pigs were eating; and no one gave him anything. But when he came to himself he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired hands have bread enough and to spare, but here I am dying of hunger! I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me like one of your hired hands.”‘

So he set off and went to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion; he ran and put his arms around him and kissed him. Then the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his slaves, ‘Quickly, bring out a robe–the best one–and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. And get the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; for this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!’ And they began to celebrate.

“Now his elder son was in the field; and when he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing. He called one of the slaves and asked what was going on. He replied, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has got him back safe and sound.’ Then he became angry and refused to go in. His father came out and began to plead with him. But he answered his father, ‘Listen! For all these years I have been working like a slave for you, and I have never disobeyed your command; yet you have never given me even a young goat so that I might celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours came back, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fatted calf for him!’

Then the father said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life; he was lost and has been found.'”

Third Sunday in Lent

READINGS FOR THE WEEK

• First reading
  • Isaiah 55:1-9
• Psalm
  • Psalm 63:1-8
• Second reading
  • 1 Corinthians 10:1-13
• Gospel
  • Luke 13:1-9

The First Reading from Isaiah:
Ho, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and you that have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen carefully to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food.

Incline your ear, and come to me; listen, so that you may live. I will make with you an everlasting covenant, my steadfast, sure love for David. See, I made him a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander for the peoples. See, you shall call nations that you do not know, and nations that do not know you shall run to you, because of the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, for he has glorified you.

Seek the LORD while he may be found, call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake their way, and the unrighteous their thoughts; let them return to the LORD, that he may have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

The gospel from Luke:
At that very time there were some present who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. He asked them, “Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were worse sinners than all other Galileans? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish as they did.

Or those eighteen who were killed when the tower of Siloam fell on them–do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others living in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish just as they did.”

Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it and found none. So he said to the gardener, ‘See here! For three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and still I find none. Cut it down! Why should it be wasting the soil?’

He replied, ‘Sir, let it alone for one more year, until I dig around it and put manure on it. If it bears fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.'”

Sermon:
This morning Pastor Stevensen poses the question Why does God accept repentance? For an answer we can turn to our first reading. In Isaiah 55 we read Seek the LORD while he may be found, call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake their way, and the unrighteous their thoughts; let them return to the LORD, that he may have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

In Luke Jesus’ words are more urgent. For unless you repent his words are more shocking and direct. But then he speaks His parable of the fig tree. The fig tree can stand for those listening to Him. The tree owner is God. The garden can be taken as the offer to repent. Older people often ask about family or others they have known. They are told to act on only those things they can control. Pastor continues by talking about spiritual pride and a feeling that God cannot forgive our sins and to conclude that God’s Son has made us free.

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Second Sunday in Lent

READINGS FOR THE COMING WEEK

• First reading
  • Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18
• Psalm
  • Psalm 27
• Second reading
  • Philippians 3:17-4:1
• Gospel
  • Luke 13:31-35 or Luke 9:28-36, (37-43a)

The gospel from Luke:
At that very hour some Pharisees came and said to him, “Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you.” He said to them, “Go and tell that fox for me, ‘Listen, I am casting out demons and performing cures today and tomorrow, and on the third day I finish my work.

Yet today, tomorrow, and the next day I must be on my way, because it is impossible for a prophet to be killed outside of Jerusalem.’ Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!

See, your house is left to you. And I tell you, you will not see me until the time comes when you say, ‘Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.'”

Sermon, by Pastor Stevensen
The gospel reading is a portion of Luke 13. Simply a great reading for Lent. Why would I say that? What does it have to say when placed alongside the other lectionary readings? In the 1990’s I took a class on Luke at LSTC and then came back to my congregation and taught a year-long course on Luke’s Acts, using the insights that I had gained from a week in Chicago.

Remember what happened when we discussed Luke 13:
13:33 “Yet today, tomorrow, and the next day I must be on my way, because it is impossible
for a prophet to be killed outside of Jerusalem.’
13:34 “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to
it! How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood
under her wings, and you were not willing!”

Professor Krentz, a highly regarded NT scholar who taught the LSTC course, said that these
passages mean that Jesus goes to Jerusalem to die, knowingly. I simply repeated his comments. One of the people in the course announced, “That is horrible,” and left, never to return.
Where do we – I – go from there? I was a difficult experience, to have someone stand up like that and walk out, never to return. But, it seems to failed to dissuade me, as I keep offering that
interpretation of these passages.

I would like to place these passages in the broader context of human behavior by referring to our current situation. Anyone who is awake is aware of the current level of conflict in American politics and culture. People are attacking each other like they haven’t since the Vietnam war. But is this behavior unique to our times?

I clearly don’t think so, with my reference to the Vietnam era. Students of American history may recall that on May 22, 1856, in the United States Senate chamber, Representative Preston Brooks, a pro-slavery Democrat from South Carolina, used a walking cane to attack Senator Charles Sumner, an abolitionist Republican from Massachusetts. Interestingly, those in the north sympathized with Summer, and southern newspapers defended Brooks. Fortunately, we are not there, at least not yet.

My point is that people often respond quite aggressively when their values or behavior are
challenged. Imagine then what it would have been like to be a prophet of Israel. Prophets
challenged the king and sometimes the people, calling both back to God’s covenant with Israel.
The covenant required them to keep the commandments. No idolatry. No stealing. No, well, you
have the idea. Given human behavior, is it any surprise that the prophets suffered when they were active in Jerusalem?

But is there more to it than just the human desire to silence those with whom we disagree? In
these seemingly all too human events, the eyes of faith can see the hand of God at work. For
those that miss it, Jesus tells them. God’s hand is at work in these seemingly ordinary events.
Why is it so important to see the the God’s plan unfolding in the events long ago in Jerusalem?
Because Jesus’ comments point to the climactic events to come. Specifically, the death and
resurrection of the messiah, that is to say, Jesus himself.

We say it every Sunday, but Lent is a time for especially saying it. The central point of
Christianity is the cross, by which I mean both the death and the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Today’s reading is more than just a reflection of people’s bad behavior, it is an assertion that
Jesus goes to Jerusalem because that is God’s plan for him to do.

The events in Jerusalem, the city that kills prophets sent by God, is central to every book in the
New Testament. Why is this the case? Why is it necessary for the Son of God to journey to the
city that kills prophets? Because human sin and death, and evil in the world are very serious problems, indeed. That is why the person in my class exclaimed that I said something horrible, I was horrible, and left. By repeating the comment that I was taught at the Chicago seminary, I was forcing everyone to confront these serious problems. Who wants to do that?

That’s why Charles Summer got canned by Preston Brooks; Summer pointed out the evil of slavery. That is why Jerusalem kills prophets, they pointed out that their listeners had really gone astray. God’s answer to all of these problems is the cross. A completely unexpected answer, too, I think. The cross tells us the seriousness of sin, death, and the devil.

The solution had to be that God himself came and died. That tells us how serious are sin, death, and the power of the devil. Second, he did it his way. We were not involved, and it was not our way. At first blush, it looks like we were very involved, after all, Jerusalem is the city that kills prophets. And this is why Luther writes, quoting Paul, that the cross alone is our theology. That is the basis of our hope and assurance. Thank the Lord. Amen

First Sunday in Lent

READINGS FOR THE COMING WEEK

• First reading
  • Deuteronomy 26:1-11
• Psalm
  • Psalm 91:1-2, 9-16
• Second reading
  • Romans 10:8b-13
• Gospel
  • Luke 4:1-13

The gospel from Luke:
Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing at all during those days, and when they were over, he was famished.

The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become a loaf of bread.” Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘One does not live by bread alone.'”

Then the devil led him up and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. And the devil said to him, “To you I will give their glory and all this authority; for it has been given over to me, and I give it to anyone I please. If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours.” Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.'”

Then the devil took him to Jerusalem, and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, saying to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, for it is written, ‘He will command his angels concerning you, to protect you,’ and ‘On their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.'” Jesus answered him, “It is said, ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.'”

When the devil had finished every test, he departed from him until an opportune time.

Sermon:
Pastor Stevensen today points out that our three scripture readings interact. In Deuteronomy, we read of Moses’ telling the Israelites that “The Lord brought us out of Egypt …..and brought us to this place and gave us this land, a land filled with milk and honey.” Only God could have done this. They were told to only trust God. In Luke we read that the devil said to Jesus after showing him all the kingdoms of the world “If you will worship me, it will all be yours.” Jesus answered, “It is written, ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve only Him.” Only God can give life on Earth. In Romans, Paul has written “……if you believe in your heart that God raised Jesus from the dead, you will be saved.” Pastor continues toward a concluding reminder of “God’s glorius Resurrection of His Son.”

*Notes:
“…when his (Tissot) carefully researched collection of 350 watercolors depicting the life of Jesus was first published as a book in 1896, it found a large and enthusiastic audience. No one who had followed his previous career could have anticipated that this painter of urban life in Paris and London would undertake the project of painting virtually every event in the Gospels.

The Life of Our Lord Jesus Christ project took nearly ten years to complete. When it was done, it chronicled the entire life of Jesus as recorded in the New Testament in a series of 350 watercolors. To research the project Tissot traveled to Egypt, Syria, and Palestine in 1886–87, and again in 1890.

While in the Holy Land he closely observed the landscape, the vegetation, the architecture, and the manner of dress, and filled sketchbooks with what he saw. He talked with rabbis and studied Talmudic literature as well as theological and historical volumes. He believed that there was still a remaining “aura” in the places where the Gospel events took place, and he spoke of having mystical experiences that added to his careful research. What he wanted to create was something as close as possible to an eyewitness account of the life of Jesus.” [from Terry Glaspey’s “75 Masterpieces Every Christian Should Know”]