The Sixth Sunday after Trinity, 2020
Pastor Gregory L. Jackson
The Confession of Sins
The Absolution
The Introit p. 16
The Absolution
The Introit p. 16
The Lord is the Strength of His people: He is the
saving Strength of His anointed.
Save Thy people and bless Thine inheritance: feed them
also and lift them up forever.
Psalm. Unto Thee
will I cry, O Lord, my Rock; be not silent unto me: lest, if Thou be silent to
me, I become like them that go down into the pit.
The Gloria Patri
The Kyrie p. 17
The Gloria in Excelsis
The Salutation and Collect p. 19
The Kyrie p. 17
The Gloria in Excelsis
The Salutation and Collect p. 19
Lord of all power and might, who art the Author and
Giver of all good things, mun in our hearts the love of Thy name, increase in
us true religion, nourish us with all goodness, and of Thy great mercy keep us
in the same; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, who liveth, etc.
The Epistle and Gradual
The Gospel
Glory be to Thee, O Lord!
Praise be to Thee, O Christ!
The Nicene Creed p. 22
Praise be to Thee, O Christ!
The Nicene Creed p. 22
Greater Than Pharisees
The Preface p. 24
The Sanctus p. 26
The Lord's Prayer p. 27
The Words of Institution
The Agnus Dei p. 28
The Nunc Dimittis p. 29
The Benediction p. 31
The Hymn #283 God's Word Is Our Great Heritage
The Sanctus p. 26
The Lord's Prayer p. 27
The Words of Institution
The Agnus Dei p. 28
The Nunc Dimittis p. 29
The Benediction p. 31
The Hymn #283 God's Word Is Our Great Heritage
In Our Prayers
- Radiation treatment - Randy Anderson, Christina Jackson
- Chemo-therapy - Mary Howell; new growth, Carl Roper
- Testing and treatment, Pastor Jim Shrader
- Elizabeth Mior - has cancer. She is the mother of two small children.
- Birthdays - Christina Jackson, Monday; Jeshra Palangyos, Tuesday; Alicia Meyer, Monday next
- Note that Hymn #331 has a beautiful original tune. Try singing it to those same words.
Sixth Sunday After Trinity
Lord God, heavenly Father, we confess that we are poor, wretched sinners, and that there is no good in us, our hearts, flesh and blood being so corrupted by sin, that we never in this life can be without sinful lust and concupiscence; therefore we beseech Thee, dear Father, forgive us these sins, and let Thy Holy Spirit so cleanse our hearts that we may desire and love Thy word, abide by it, and thus by Thy grace be forever saved; through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, one true God, world without end. Amen.
KJV Romans 6:3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: 6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. 7 For he that is dead is freed from sin. 8 Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: 9 Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. 10 For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. 11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
KJV Matthew 5:20 For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven. 21 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: 22 But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire. 23 Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; 24 Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. 25 Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison. 26 Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing.
 |
Background for the Gospel Sermon, Matthew 5:20ff
KJV Matthew 5:20 For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.
For many - and for newcomers especially - this verse is demanding beyond all human imagination efforts. The Pharisees were highly regarded for their conduct, ethics, and attention to the Law. This tempts people to be even stricter, as many sects have attempted, by having rules for everything, even customs, and a hair-trigger finger on the shun button for those who wander. This is very much like Paul in Romans negating all attempts to earn forgiveness, salvation, true holiness, from works. To exceed the righteousness of the Pharisees one must have faith in Christ. The righteousness of faith always exceeds the righteousness of works, which are an illusion.
Greater Than Pharisees
Greater Than Pharisees
KJV
Matthew 5:20 For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall
exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye
shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.
This in one of those passages where we have to fill in the
plain language of the statement. Many people try to stay with the basic thought
without the implication. The Pharisees were noted for being quite serious about
everything they did. People saw that as holiness, so they were saints, very
noble and important in the eyes of all.
“But they were always opposed to Jesus,” some would answer,
and that is true, but that is because He preached the righteousness of faith in
Him, which turned their concept upside-down and took away from their
self-esteem and vainglory.
Paul’s opening to the Romans, chapters 1-4, uses this model,
showing that no one can be saved based upon any righteousness except the
righteousness of faith in Christ. Abraham is the first example of those who are
justified by faith in the Savior. Anything else is the mistaken holiness of
works, and that is not only wrong but deceptive and evil in its impact.
We live very much in a Pharisaical age, where virtue
signaling is constant and expected. This is honored many different ways, with
phony charities, with appearing to favor the right causes, with hating the
targets of the influencers. If a group is offended by some chance remark, the
celebrity is expected to give a large donation to that group and then confess
his sin with abject humility.
Denominations participate in this in many ways. They will say
they are more socially active (more Left-wing) than others. Or, they will claim
to be more “conservative” than anyone else, even while doing and teaching things
that would have meant excommunication a few years ago. Challenge what they
teach and practice? – they will respond with great venom and anger, righteous
anger, they imagine.
There is really little faith, as Jesus warned, “When the Son
of Man returns, will He find faith?” Clearly that statement means – “Not very
much faith at all.”
Those who criticize Lenski are examples of not much faith.
Let’s look at the basics – he taught the inerrancy of the Scriptures (the
historic position of the Church) and Justification by Faith. His own synod did
their best to silence him and they changed their position to errancy. They were
subtle about it, and that was repeated for their 1960 merger, less subtle in
1987. Needless to say, they have lost ground ever since.
Walter Maier was in another synod, yet he also taught Scriptural
inerrancy and Justification by Faith (see the book Otten published). But his
synod, without merging, rejected inerrancy and the Chief Article, even while
deceiving people about their real stance.
In the past, ministers thought they could teach the
Scriptures as they are and have good results from teaching faith in Christ,
with no dancing around or avoiding those two issues, Scriptural inerrancy and
Justification by Faith. When they lost faith in the Word of God’s efficacy,
they began clutching at gimmicks and marketing to make them look successful.
It has been shown that a crumbling shell of a church can be
revived simply by teaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ. And a church can be
formed by doing the same, having no assets, land, or building.
One reason is that people hear works-righteousness all the
time, at work, on TV, among misguided relatives and friends. The Gospel is the
answer to all that wearisome blather - “We are the best, the biggest, the most
effective, the most trusted, the longest established, the everything…”
I have worked secular jobs where everything is the Law – or else.
“Please take this class in _____. If you don’t, you will not be paid or allowed
to work again. Thank you for your cooperation.”
21 Ye have heard that it was said by
them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in
danger of the judgment: 22 But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his
brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall
say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever
shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.
Where faith is lacking, anger and wrath are going to
prevail. No one is ever satisfied with getting even. If that happens, the other
side will get even. The Hatfield-McCoy battle in West Virginia began with one
episode. So many on each side got even with the other side that they called a
truce finally and began having reunions instead. They married into each other’s
families, so that made vendettas increasingly awkward. One of the descendants
told us about it.
Social media tools have made this a bigger problem. We can
be in touch with all kinds of people around the world. We can see the
outrageous things they support. And they feel that way about us. The Internet
has leveraged friendships and anger. As I have pointed out to online students,
anything published or posted will look much more critical than intended. That is
why the online classes can be more troublesome. It is easier to post a smart
remark than to say it face-to-face.
Faith in Christ is essential because faith and grace go
together (Romans 4). Forgiveness and salvation is through faith so it will be by
grace.
Romans 4:16 Therefore it is of faith,
that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all
the seed;
Faith means that our anger is turned away and extinguished
by our own repentance and humility. True, unkindness and thoughtless can spark
anger, but at the same time, thinking about our own unkindness and thoughtlessness
can give us an experience of humility and understanding. We know we are happy
when well fed and rested, grouchy when hungry and tired. Children do not hide
it – they just let go. Adults have ask themselves, “Did I mean to be so touchy?
Why not start over.”
The hardest words to say are – “I’m sorry.” But people
agree the best words to hear are “I’m sorry.”
The Atonement shows us that Isaiah 53 was fulfilled by Jesus
atoning for our sins. That is the Gospel, and the Gospel – always effective –
plants and strengthens faith in Christ. But it also infuriates those who obstinately
oppose it. We can read hundreds of books where the great theologians (sic)
reject and insult the Atonement. They do not believe and they are not forgiven
or saved, no many how many degrees they have and how many honors they have received.
Look at the abundance caused by the Gospel. A handful of men
took the story of the Son of God across the Roman Empire, the known civilized
world at the time. The Gospel grew wherever they went, not in spite of
persecution, but because of persecution.
