First Sunday In Lent
Preaching
Lectionary Preaching Workbook
Series VII, Cycle A
Object:
Seasonal Theme
We head toward the passion and cross of Christ.
Theme For The Day
Jesus' temptation in the wilderness and our temptations and opportunities for ministry today.
Old Testament Lesson
Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7
The Garden Of Eden
We have in this Old Testament passage the ancient explanation of evil and temptation in the world. This garden represented human's freedom and responsibility. It is symbolism which answers hard questions about life and knowledge. This is the way it is still today for us humans. Give us a good place to live and responsibilities for caring for it and we will probably foul our nest. And there are still snakes in our gardens. That is, we face many temptations; when we realize our condition, it makes us ashamed. Shakespeare's Hamlet has it: "Conscience does make cowards of us all."
New Testament Lesson
Romans 5:12-19
Adam's Sin
Now we get Paul's interpretation of the above temptation and story of the fall in the Old Testament reading. The same theological proposition is perhaps better said by Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:21. Adam's sin is typical of the sin of all of us. Many would claim that Paul's reasoning is that because of the oneness of humanity, we all have sinned in Adam's sin. Because of sin we all face death.
Now comes Jesus into our human condition. So just as we are all involved in Adam's sin, we are all involved in Jesus' goodness. We humans were in a situation where there was not hope and then Jesus brings salvation by going to the cross. Sin wrecked the situation and Jesus saved it back again.
The Gospel
Matthew 4:1-11
Jesus' Temptation
Because this is the first Sunday in Lent, a season when we move toward the cross, we start with this story of Jesus being tempted in the desert. Some contemporary scholars have felt the desert in verse 1 may have been "the wilderness" where John, Jesus' cousin, came from and that we have here a story of John performing the mandatory rite of the Essenes on Jesus. He spent forty days there figuring out just what kind of ministry God had called him to do. In any case, these temptations probably represent the temptations of Jesus, not once, but all through his ministry. Temptations to perform miracles for his own benefit, to do spectacular things to gain a following, and to use his power to rule the land were all ways he could have acted. This temptation connects well with the Old Testament Lesson of temptation also.
The Greek word here for tempt means more to "test" than it does to "seduce" as we often think of tempt. Notice this comes right after the baptism according to all three Gospels. Jesus becomes aware of who he is, and now by searching through the Old Testament scrolls at Qumran, he figures out what his ministry and mission will be.
Preaching Possibilities
All three readings can be used as the basis for a sermon on temptation:
A. Old Testament -- There are still snakes in our lives. The temptation is strong and we must be equipped to resist it and help others to resist as well by naming these snakes and exposing them for all to recognize.
B. New Testament -- Adam disobeyed God and we do too. Jesus made us acceptable to God even though we are sinners.
C. Gospel -- Our ministry in response to what Jesus has done for us is not for self-service by serving others (v. 4), and (v. 7) is not for calling attention to ourselves by pointing to God, and (v. 10) is not for our power but for the coming of God's kingdom. I also believe the Eden fall is a marvelous story if well told and will stand on its own. It so describes our human weaknesses and frailties. We have sneaky temptations on every side and try to blame others rather than own our own behavior. Shame comes when we give in to our sinful desires. We often want to be our own God.
Possible Outline Of Sermon Moves
A title could be: "Jesus' Ministry and Ours"
Begin by recounting the order of things:
1. Jesus' going out to John for baptism in the Jordan.
2. It becoming clear to Jesus who he was (God's own son).
3. Now he retreats to "the wilderness" to figure out from studying the scripture just how he was to operate in this new calling in order to be obedient to God.
a. turn stone into bread -- use power himself
b. jump off a high place -- call attention to himself
c. be a ruler of the country -- use power for political gain
4. Now move to describing what he figured out his ministry and mission ought to be:
a. a servant ministry of healing and compassion,
b. a discipling ministry teaching others to be disciples,
c. a God-kingdom bringing ministry, ushering in a new way to live and relate to each other,
d. an Emmanuel ministry bringing God's presence down from heaven as local, up close and with us,
e. a sacrificial or atoning ministry giving his life on a cross that we might have undeserved forgiveness.
5. Now because the above is true, talk about what our response ought to be: a ministry in daily life on God's behalf.
a. We ought also bring healing and compassion.
b. We ought also do discipling of others.
c. We ought also usher in God's kingdom where and when we live and relate to each other in a new way.
d. We ought also be God's presence for others.
e. We ought also be willing to pay the price of sacrifice.
6. Now frame the sermon by returning to your opening sentence that it all started with John baptizing Jesus in the Jordan River -- a movement and ministry we still try to emulate even here and today.
Prayer Of The Day
Even as Jesus was tested and came through it, give us the strength to get through our testing also, God. Direct us in our ministries as well, that we may be your presence for others, seek to bring in your kingdom of love and peace, and do the good not for our own glory, but for you. In Christ's name. Amen.
Possible Stories
Two of my pastor students' wives at the seminary in Hong Kong continue to work as civil servants in Burma, their homeland, so when old, their husbands can have a pension which serving the Christian church there does not provide. But all civil servants must serve as porters for the Myanmar soldiers in time of conflict regardless of being male or female. It is a high price and real sacrifice those wives pay for their husbands' theological education and subsequent ministry.
In Hong Kong, the Lutheran church has adopted the lotus blossom of the Norwegian mission to the Buddhist monks as their official symbol. The plant has its roots in the filthy mud but comes up through the black water to the surface and blooms a lovely flower.
Bishop David Brown reminded the Iowa District of the American Lutheran Church of Moltmann's words: "... the church is because of mission, not mission because of the church." We often get that backwards. Because there is a mission of gospel witness and discipleship, we organize to do the mission. It's not that we do the mission to protect, serve, and so forth, the church.
Looking Ahead For The Next Four Weeks Of Lent (some ideas)
Now that we have begun the forty days of Lent by the observance of Ash Wednesday and then the first Sunday in Lent (looking at the temptation of Jesus in the wilderness to explain why forty days and why observance of Lent), consider a four-part sermon series based on the Gospels for the next four Sundays. If you and your congregation like biblical heroes and heroines as much as I do, it could be an exciting experience for preacher and hearers alike.
The title of the series might be Questions For Jesus According To John's Gospel or John's Characters Ask Questions.
Lent 2, John 3:1-17
Nicodemus who came to Jesus secretly at night.
How Can A Grown Man Ever Be Born A Second Time? (v. 4)
Lent 3, John 4:5-42
The Samaritan woman at Jacob's well.
Where Are You Going To Get This Life Giving Water? (v. 11b)
Lent 4, John 9:1-41
The blind man healed.
How Did He Heal Your Eyes? (v. 26b)
Lent 5, John 11:1-45
The death of Lazarus.
Why Couldn't He Have Kept Lazarus From Dying? (v. 37b)
If you need a mid-week series, the next four weeks' New Testament lessons are all from Paul and give good advice for Christian living. Under the title of Paul's Advice for Christian Living you might do the following:
Romans 4:1-5, 13-17
Have Faith in God
Romans 5:1-11
Have Peace with God
Ephesians 5:8-14
Live in the Light
Romans 8:6-11
Live by the Spirit
Philippians 2:5-11
Be Humble (if you want to add a fifth)
The Old Testament readings for this Lenten Season also lend themselves to a Lenten series:
Genesis 12:1-4a
Abraham, Father of Us All
Exodus 17:1-7
Moses, Managed Complaints and Testing
1 Samuel 16:1-13
David, Anointed as King
Ezekiel 37:1-14
Ezekiel, New Life from Dead Bones
Isaiah 50:4-9a
Isaiah, Whose Protector Was Nearby (for a fifth)
We head toward the passion and cross of Christ.
Theme For The Day
Jesus' temptation in the wilderness and our temptations and opportunities for ministry today.
Old Testament Lesson
Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7
The Garden Of Eden
We have in this Old Testament passage the ancient explanation of evil and temptation in the world. This garden represented human's freedom and responsibility. It is symbolism which answers hard questions about life and knowledge. This is the way it is still today for us humans. Give us a good place to live and responsibilities for caring for it and we will probably foul our nest. And there are still snakes in our gardens. That is, we face many temptations; when we realize our condition, it makes us ashamed. Shakespeare's Hamlet has it: "Conscience does make cowards of us all."
New Testament Lesson
Romans 5:12-19
Adam's Sin
Now we get Paul's interpretation of the above temptation and story of the fall in the Old Testament reading. The same theological proposition is perhaps better said by Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:21. Adam's sin is typical of the sin of all of us. Many would claim that Paul's reasoning is that because of the oneness of humanity, we all have sinned in Adam's sin. Because of sin we all face death.
Now comes Jesus into our human condition. So just as we are all involved in Adam's sin, we are all involved in Jesus' goodness. We humans were in a situation where there was not hope and then Jesus brings salvation by going to the cross. Sin wrecked the situation and Jesus saved it back again.
The Gospel
Matthew 4:1-11
Jesus' Temptation
Because this is the first Sunday in Lent, a season when we move toward the cross, we start with this story of Jesus being tempted in the desert. Some contemporary scholars have felt the desert in verse 1 may have been "the wilderness" where John, Jesus' cousin, came from and that we have here a story of John performing the mandatory rite of the Essenes on Jesus. He spent forty days there figuring out just what kind of ministry God had called him to do. In any case, these temptations probably represent the temptations of Jesus, not once, but all through his ministry. Temptations to perform miracles for his own benefit, to do spectacular things to gain a following, and to use his power to rule the land were all ways he could have acted. This temptation connects well with the Old Testament Lesson of temptation also.
The Greek word here for tempt means more to "test" than it does to "seduce" as we often think of tempt. Notice this comes right after the baptism according to all three Gospels. Jesus becomes aware of who he is, and now by searching through the Old Testament scrolls at Qumran, he figures out what his ministry and mission will be.
Preaching Possibilities
All three readings can be used as the basis for a sermon on temptation:
A. Old Testament -- There are still snakes in our lives. The temptation is strong and we must be equipped to resist it and help others to resist as well by naming these snakes and exposing them for all to recognize.
B. New Testament -- Adam disobeyed God and we do too. Jesus made us acceptable to God even though we are sinners.
C. Gospel -- Our ministry in response to what Jesus has done for us is not for self-service by serving others (v. 4), and (v. 7) is not for calling attention to ourselves by pointing to God, and (v. 10) is not for our power but for the coming of God's kingdom. I also believe the Eden fall is a marvelous story if well told and will stand on its own. It so describes our human weaknesses and frailties. We have sneaky temptations on every side and try to blame others rather than own our own behavior. Shame comes when we give in to our sinful desires. We often want to be our own God.
Possible Outline Of Sermon Moves
A title could be: "Jesus' Ministry and Ours"
Begin by recounting the order of things:
1. Jesus' going out to John for baptism in the Jordan.
2. It becoming clear to Jesus who he was (God's own son).
3. Now he retreats to "the wilderness" to figure out from studying the scripture just how he was to operate in this new calling in order to be obedient to God.
a. turn stone into bread -- use power himself
b. jump off a high place -- call attention to himself
c. be a ruler of the country -- use power for political gain
4. Now move to describing what he figured out his ministry and mission ought to be:
a. a servant ministry of healing and compassion,
b. a discipling ministry teaching others to be disciples,
c. a God-kingdom bringing ministry, ushering in a new way to live and relate to each other,
d. an Emmanuel ministry bringing God's presence down from heaven as local, up close and with us,
e. a sacrificial or atoning ministry giving his life on a cross that we might have undeserved forgiveness.
5. Now because the above is true, talk about what our response ought to be: a ministry in daily life on God's behalf.
a. We ought also bring healing and compassion.
b. We ought also do discipling of others.
c. We ought also usher in God's kingdom where and when we live and relate to each other in a new way.
d. We ought also be God's presence for others.
e. We ought also be willing to pay the price of sacrifice.
6. Now frame the sermon by returning to your opening sentence that it all started with John baptizing Jesus in the Jordan River -- a movement and ministry we still try to emulate even here and today.
Prayer Of The Day
Even as Jesus was tested and came through it, give us the strength to get through our testing also, God. Direct us in our ministries as well, that we may be your presence for others, seek to bring in your kingdom of love and peace, and do the good not for our own glory, but for you. In Christ's name. Amen.
Possible Stories
Two of my pastor students' wives at the seminary in Hong Kong continue to work as civil servants in Burma, their homeland, so when old, their husbands can have a pension which serving the Christian church there does not provide. But all civil servants must serve as porters for the Myanmar soldiers in time of conflict regardless of being male or female. It is a high price and real sacrifice those wives pay for their husbands' theological education and subsequent ministry.
In Hong Kong, the Lutheran church has adopted the lotus blossom of the Norwegian mission to the Buddhist monks as their official symbol. The plant has its roots in the filthy mud but comes up through the black water to the surface and blooms a lovely flower.
Bishop David Brown reminded the Iowa District of the American Lutheran Church of Moltmann's words: "... the church is because of mission, not mission because of the church." We often get that backwards. Because there is a mission of gospel witness and discipleship, we organize to do the mission. It's not that we do the mission to protect, serve, and so forth, the church.
Looking Ahead For The Next Four Weeks Of Lent (some ideas)
Now that we have begun the forty days of Lent by the observance of Ash Wednesday and then the first Sunday in Lent (looking at the temptation of Jesus in the wilderness to explain why forty days and why observance of Lent), consider a four-part sermon series based on the Gospels for the next four Sundays. If you and your congregation like biblical heroes and heroines as much as I do, it could be an exciting experience for preacher and hearers alike.
The title of the series might be Questions For Jesus According To John's Gospel or John's Characters Ask Questions.
Lent 2, John 3:1-17
Nicodemus who came to Jesus secretly at night.
How Can A Grown Man Ever Be Born A Second Time? (v. 4)
Lent 3, John 4:5-42
The Samaritan woman at Jacob's well.
Where Are You Going To Get This Life Giving Water? (v. 11b)
Lent 4, John 9:1-41
The blind man healed.
How Did He Heal Your Eyes? (v. 26b)
Lent 5, John 11:1-45
The death of Lazarus.
Why Couldn't He Have Kept Lazarus From Dying? (v. 37b)
If you need a mid-week series, the next four weeks' New Testament lessons are all from Paul and give good advice for Christian living. Under the title of Paul's Advice for Christian Living you might do the following:
Romans 4:1-5, 13-17
Have Faith in God
Romans 5:1-11
Have Peace with God
Ephesians 5:8-14
Live in the Light
Romans 8:6-11
Live by the Spirit
Philippians 2:5-11
Be Humble (if you want to add a fifth)
The Old Testament readings for this Lenten Season also lend themselves to a Lenten series:
Genesis 12:1-4a
Abraham, Father of Us All
Exodus 17:1-7
Moses, Managed Complaints and Testing
1 Samuel 16:1-13
David, Anointed as King
Ezekiel 37:1-14
Ezekiel, New Life from Dead Bones
Isaiah 50:4-9a
Isaiah, Whose Protector Was Nearby (for a fifth)
