Sermons for Lent 3 and Lent

Luke 13:  A man borrowed a book from an acquaintance. As he read through it, he was intrigued to find parts of the book underlined with the letters YBH written in the margin. When he returned the book to the owner, he asked what the YBH meant. The owner replied that the underlined paragraphs were sections of the book that he basically agreed with. They gave him hints on how to improve himself and pointed out truths that he wished to incorporate into his life. However, the letters YBH stood for "Yes, but how?"

Those three letters could writ on the margins of ours souls: "I ought to know how to take better care of myself, but how?" "I know I ought to spend more time in scripture reading and prayer, but how?" "I know I ought to be more sensitive to others, more loving of my spouse, more understanding of the weaknesses of others, but how?" These are all good qualities and we know that, but how can we acquire them? As Christian people we know the kind of life we ought to live, and most of us have the best of intentions to do so, but how? We are afraid because we know where the road paved with only good intentions leads!

This morning we hear Jesus' parable of the fig tree, telling us to repent  and bear good fruit. We know what the Christian life requires of us and yet, if we are honest with ourselves, we also know how far short we fall. So the question that confronts us this morning is: "Yes, but how?"

It's a dilemma that has confronted God's people throughout the ages. Even Saint Paul found himself trapped. In Romans 7 Paul writes: It seems to be a fact of life that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. I love to do God's will so far as my new (redeemed Christian) nature is concerned; but there is something else deep within me, in my lower nature, that is at war with my mind and wins the fight and makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. In my mind, I want to be God's willing servant, but instead I find myself enslaved to sin. So you see how it is; my new life (the redeemed life in Christ) tells me to do right, but the old nature that is still inside me (my sinful human self) loves to sin. Oh, what a terrible predicament I'm in! Who will free me from this slavery to sin? Thank God! It has already been done by Jesus Christ our Lord. He has set me free!

"Repent," Jesus says. "Acknowledge your sinfulness." That's the first step in beginning to live the Christian life. None of us is without fault. And yet how difficult it is for us to admit that. We know better than to openly admit our wrongs. If we want to get ahead in this world and be accepted by others, it's generally better to conceal our shortcomings and put on a good front for others.

Who goes into a job interview and declares, "I have to tell you. I have a habit of missing work, of criticizing my supervisors and others, and I enjoy listening to office gossip?" Who goes on a date and confesses to the other person, "Listen. I have to tell you I tend to be difficult to live with and I can be a real bore at times"?

However imperfect we may be, we've learned from life around us that it's better not to parade our imperfections out in public. As the little girl said to her classmate who had to sit in the corner, "To err is human, but to admit it is just plain stupid!"

How ironic it is then, that Jesus would tell us to repent. Instead of offering a word of support and understanding for our all-too-human tendency to cover up our wrongdoings, Jesus tells us to disclose the evil within us, to admit that we have failed. The apostle John tells us the same thing very clearly when he writes, "If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us."

Whoever we are, whatever we do, we all share one thing in common and that is that we are sinful. Saint Augustine once wrote, "Whatever we are, we are not what we ought to be." Mark Twain, with his characteristic sense of humor, tells us how he understands that when he wrote, "Man was made at the end of the week, when God was....

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Lenten Series

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Lenten: A Sight For Blind Eyes

             David E. Leininger

1.   Lent - Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21

2.   The Devil Made Me Do It  -  Matthew 4:1-11

3.   Nicodemus  -  John 3:1-15

4.   Excuses (Alternate Lent 2)  -  Luke 14:16-23

5.   Unexpected Evangelists  -  John 4:5-42

6.   Sight for Blind Eyes  -  John 9:

7.   The Grief Grinch  -  John 11:17-36

8.   Sometimes You've Got to Shout!  -  John 12:12-16

9.   The Imperatives of the Resurrection - Matthew 28:1-10

Lenten: Salvation at the Skull

             Frank G. Honeycutt

1.  Escape from the Island of Spiritual Sloth – Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21

2.  On Defeating the Devil – Luke 4:1-13

3.  Headlines and Holiness – Luke 13:1-9

4.  The Waster – Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32

5.  Costly Extravagance – John 12: 1-8

6.  Salvation at the Skull – Luke 23:1-49

7.  Pilate Pops the Question – John 18:1-19:42

8.  Resurrection and Remembrance – Luke 24:1-12

Lenten: They Heard Him Gladly

              James W. Moore

1.   The Common People Heard Him Gladly - Mark 12:35-37

2.   Jesus and Andrew  -  John 1:35-42

3.   Jesus and Zacchaeus  -  Luke 19:1-10

4.   Jesus and Bartimaeus  -  Mark 10:46-52

5.   Jesus and Mary and Martha  -  Luke 10:38-42

6.   Jesus and Mary Magdalene  -  John 20:11-18

7.   When The Risen Christ Comes Looking For Us - John 21:15-19

Lenten: The Passion Of The Christ

              Brett Blair

1.   His Triumphal Entry  -  Luke 19:28-40

2.   His Cleansing Of The Temple  -  Luke 19:45-48

3.   His Teachings  -  Luke 20:27-38

4.   His Last Supper  -  Luke 22:14-23

5.   His Trial  -  Luke 23:13-25

6.   His Death  -  Luke 23:33-43

7.   His Resurrection  -  John 20:1-18 or Luke 24:1-10

Lenten: With an Eye to the New: Preaching and Reading the Old Testament

              Elizabeth Achtemeier

1.  Responding to the Story – Deuteronomy 26:1-11

2.  Living by a Promise – Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18

3.  Return and Be Forgiven – Isaiah 55:1-9

4.  Passing from Old to New – Joshua 5:9-12

5.  Endings – Isaiah 43:16-21

6.  Servant Song – Isaiah 50:4-9a

7.  Passover and the Lord’s Supper – Exodus 12:1-4 (5-10) 11-14

8.  Suffering Servant Song – Isaiah 52-53:12

9.  God Shows No Partiality – Acts 10:34-43

Lenten: The Healing Power Of The Christ

              James W. Moore

1.   The Healing Of Simons Mother-in-Law - Mk 1:21-28

2.   The Healing of the Man with the Withered Hand - Mk 3:1-6

3.   The Healing of the Gerasene Demoniac Mk 5:1-20

4.   The Healing of Jairus Daughter and Hemorrhaging Woman - Mk 5:21-43

5.   The Healing of Blind Bartimaeus - Mk 10:46-52

6.   The Healing Power of the Cross - Mk 15:33-41

7.   The Healing Power of the Resurrection - Jn 20:1-18 or Lk 24:1-10

Lenten: Encounters With Christ

              James W. Moore

1.   Jesus & the Man Born Blind  -  John 9:1-12

2.   Jesus and Mary and Martha  -  Luke 10:38-42

3.   Jesus and Nicodemus  -  John 3:1-10

4.   Jesus and the Woman at the Well  -  John 4:7-15

5.   Jesus and James and John  -  Matthew 20:20-28

6.   Jesus and Caiaphas  -  Matthew 26:58-6

7.   Jesus & Mary Magdalene  -  Mark 16:1-7

Lenten: Journey To The Cross

             James W. Moore

1.   Jesus And The Demon-Possessed Man  -  Mark 5:1-20

2.   Jesus And The Hemorrhaging Woman  -  Mark 5:21-43

3.   Jesus And The Extravagant Woman  -  Mark 14:1-9

4.   Jesus and Judas  -  Mark 14:43-51

5.   Jesus and Simon Peter  -  Mark 14:66-72

6.   Jesus And Pontius Pilate  -  Matthew 27:15-26

7.   Jesus And The Women At The Tomb  -  Mark 16:1-8

Lenten: The Man From Galilee

              Thomas A. Pilgrim

1.   The Temptation Of His Life  -  Matthew 4:1-11

2.   The Transformation Of His Call  -  Matthew 4:18-22

3.   The Touch Of His Hand  -  Matthew 8:14-17

4.   The Treasure Of His Kingdom  -  Matthew 13:44

5.   The Test Of His Courage  -  Matthew 20:17-19

6.   The Tragedy Of His Victory  -  Luke 19:28-40

7.   The Triumph Of His Defeat  -  Matthew 28:1-10

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What Is Unique About Christianity?

The story of Jesus sitting and debating the Law with rabbis reminds me of another debate that took place in a comparative religions conference, the wise and the scholarly were in a spirited debate about what is unique about Christianity. Someone suggested what set Christianity apart from other religions was the concept of incarnation, the idea that God became incarnate in human form. But someone quickly said, “Well, actually, other faiths believe that God appears in human form.” Another suggestion was offered: what about resurrection? The belief that death is not the final word. That the tomb was found empty. Someone slowly shook his head. Other religions have accounts of people returning from the dead.

Then, as the story is told, C.S. Lewis walked into the room, tweed jacket, pipe, armful of papers, a little early for his presentation. He sat down and took in the conversation, which had by now evolved into a fierce debate. Finally during a lull, he spoke saying, “what's all this rumpus about?” Everyone turned in his direction. Trying to explain themselves they said, “We're debating what's unique about Christianity.” “Oh, that's easy,” answered Lewis, “it's....

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