Wednesday Words for September 3, 2014
From Interim Senior Pastor Len Hoffmann
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Thought for the Day
Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.
Romans 13:8
Men's Minstry Meets Saturday September 6 at 7:30 a.m. All men are welcome
We have a New Nursery attendant – Laura Zawada. We welcome Laura to our staff. She has 13 years of experience and was certified for CPR and First Aid. She begins this Sunday, Sept. 7.
Our new schedule starts on September 14, Holy Cross Day, 8:00, 9:00, and 10:30 with Children’s Church, Sunday School and Adult Education at 9:00 a.m. Social Hour at 10:00.
Would you like to receive some tools for managing your personal finances? Consider attending Financial Peace University (adults) beginning on Wednesday, September 17 from 7:00 to 8:30 pm. Child care available.
Thursday, September 18 Experience Palestinian culture right here in Chicago! Purchase tickets for $75 a person at chicago-roomforhope.eventbrite.com 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. Grace Lutheran Church 7300 Division Street, River Forest For more information about these festivals, please contact Sue Foran at sforan4@comcast.net or call 815-315-0682. For more information on Bright Stars of Bethlehem, visit www.brightstarsbethlehem.org.
Sunday at Bethany: I recently heard a commentator speaking about the issue of “Law and Order.”
He mentioned that we often focus on the idea of “law” but we forget about the need for “order.”
Martin Luther talks about the ‘law” as both the Ten Commandments and all civil authority that is in place to provide an orderly society. His argument is that if we do not have order we have chaos.
However, Luther also says that the law always accuses us. The law holds us accountable for what we do and what we fail to do. In light of the Gospel the law shows us that we are in need of rescue from sin, death and the power of evil. So even though we may view ourselves as keeping or upholding the letter of the law we can never claim to fulfill the spirit of the law.
Paul’s letter to the Romans reminds us that Christ has come to fulfill the law and it is only through Christ that we can live in the way that God intends us to live. So, when Paul says that when we love others we fulfill the law, he intends for us to understand that this is Christ’s love flowing in and through us toward others.
One of the ways we grow in this understanding and living is by spending time in worship and in learning. As we gather with one another, singing, praying, sharing, listening, learning we become W.I.R.E.D for Outreach and Service.
Pr. Len
Lectionary 23
Proper 18
Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost
O Lord God, enliven and preserve your church with your perpetual mercy. Without your help, we mortals will fail; remove far from us everything that is harmful, and lead us toward all that gives life and salvation, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
First Reading Ezekiel 33:7-11
God appointed Ezekiel as a sentinel for the house of Israel. Ezekiel must faithfully convey God's warnings to the people. Remarkably, God—who is about to attack Jerusalem—gives a warning with the hope that repentance will make the attack unnecessary.
7So you, mortal, I have made a sentinel for the house of Israel; whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me. 8If I say to the wicked, "O wicked ones, you shall surely die," and you do not speak to warn the wicked to turn from their ways, the wicked shall die in their iniquity, but their blood I will require at your hand. 9But if you warn the wicked to turn from their ways, and they do not turn from their ways, the wicked shall die in their iniquity, but you will have saved your life.
10Now you, mortal, say to the house of Israel, Thus you have said: "Our transgressions and our sins weigh upon us, and we waste away because of them; how then can we live?" 11Say to them, As I live, says the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from their ways and live; turn back, turn back from your evil ways; for why will you die, O house of Israel?
Second Reading Romans 13:8-14
The obligation of Christians is to love one another and so fulfill the heart and goal of the law. Clothes make the person as we "put on the Lord Jesus Christ" and live today in light of the future God has in store for us.
8Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. 9The commandments, "You shall not commit adultery; You shall not murder; You shall not steal; You shall not covet"; and any other commandment, are summed up in this word, "Love your neighbor as yourself." 10Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law.
11Besides this, you know what time it is, how it is now the moment for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we became believers; 12the night is far gone, the day is near. Let us then lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armor of light; 13let us live honorably as in the day, not in reveling and drunkenness, not in debauchery and licentiousness, not in quarreling and jealousy. 14Instead, put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.
The Gospel Matthew 18:15-20
Jesus offers practical advice to his disciples on how individuals—and the church as a whole—should show wrongdoers their need for repentance.
15If another member of the church sins against you, go and point out the fault when the two of you are alone. If the member listens to you, you have regained that one. 16But if you are not listened to, take one or two others along with you, so that every word may be confirmed by the evidence of two or three witnesses. 17If the member refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if the offender refuses to listen even to the church, let such a one be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. 18Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. 19Again, truly I tell you, if two of you agree on earth about anything you ask, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. 20For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them."
