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When demanding fair...

Illustration
Third Sunday in Lent - A
Romans 5:1-11
Scott A. Bryte
When demanding fair pay for hard work, we often say that a person should get what they deserve. Oddly, we use those same words when it comes time to sentence a convicted criminal. It is only fair when we get what we deserve. We call that justice. When you get better than you deserve, it is not justice at all. Instead, it's what we call mercy. God is not fair. God is merciful.

OR

A billboard for a hospital with the word "mercy" in its name once encouraged drivers-by to go to that hospital with the words "you deserve mercy." If you deserve it, it's not mercy.
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New & Featured This Week

The Immediate Word

First Sunday in Lent - A
Dean Feldmeyer
Mary Austin
Ron Love
Christopher Keating
Thomas Willadsen
George Reed
Bethany Peerbolte
For March 1, 2020:
  • Right, Wrong, Whatever by Dean Feldmeyer — The fruit of the forbidden tree in the Eden story represents more than disobedience; it represents moral responsibility and Adam and Eve are hungry for it.
  • Second Thoughts: What Happens in the Silence by Mary Austin — Lent’s invitation is to love the quiet the way Jesus does, and to meet up with him there.

Emphasis Preaching Journal

First Sunday in Lent - A
Sandra Herrmann
The scriptures for today bind together the beginning of sin in the world, our salvation from sin, and Jesus’ own vulnerability to the temptation of the devil. We see that the devil is very clever (or that we can be very clever in fooling ourselves about our motives and the possible ramifications of our attitudes and actions).  
First Sunday in Lent - A
Ron Love
Bonnie Bates
Frank Ramirez
Mark Ellingsen
Bill Thomas
Psalm 32

CSSPlus

First Sunday in Lent - A
Bethany Peerbolte
Jesus sets the bar high by resisting temptation even from the imagination of the devil. To show just how amazing that accomplishment is this lesson will put temptation in each kids’ hands. You may have seen the videos of kids in a room alone with a marshmallow. They are challenged to not eat the marshmallow then left alone in the room. The kids obviously struggle with the temptation to eat the marshmallow. For this lesson you can use marshmallows or Oreos, both are relatively allergen free.

StoryShare

First Sunday in Lent - A
David O. Bales
Contents
"Thorough Temptation Of The Thoroughly Human" by David O. Bales
"One Man" by David O. Bales


Thorough Temptation of the Thoroughly Human
by David O. Bales
Matthew 4:1-11

The Village Shepherd

First Sunday in Lent - A
Janice B. Scott
We in the West have an interesting culture in which we quite like to be shocked. Many of us enjoy films which are shocking to a greater or lesser degree, and it sometimes seems to be that the higher the rating, the more popular the film. Even huge natural or man-made disasters have a worrying degree of entertainment value in the way they are presented to us over and over again on our television screens. We meanwhile sit in our armchairs munching our chocolates feeling scandalised or shocked or disturbed, but seldom switching off the set.

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