Third Sunday of Lent
Worship Theme: Meeting the Demands of the Law
Exodus 10:1-17 NRSV Bible
1 Corinthians 1:22-25 NRSV Bible
John 2:13-22 NRSV Bible
“Laws for a Lawless World”
Kids are great. I love being a parent and watching the girls grow up and they’re growing up real fast. And as parents, Ray and I only want what is best for them. We want to keep them safe. We want to keep them from harm. We set rules for them to keep them safe. When they grow up they are going to have to live by the rules set by the authorities of the world so this is kind of a training ground for them. Living at home is like a “training ground” for them before they are set free on society.
But there are days when I just sit back and say to myself “Really?!” They decided to break the rules and don’t understand why they are being punished for it. There are even days when they don’t understand why thee even have to be rules. Why can’t they just “run amuck” through the house? And of course there are those times when someone gets hurt or something gets broke and when asked if they broke the rules and the say “yes”. . . they know there are rules but they break them anyway. But I guess that’s just human nature because I think most of humanity breaks the rules of society from time to time. You know. . . we are running late and drive faster than the speed limit and end up getting a ticket. We decide to get in the 12 items or less line with 20 items much to the dismay of the people behind us. . .
Rules and laws have been around for a very long time. Most are there to keep us safe. But there are times when the laws of the world have been not so just. Laws that keep people from receiving the rights they deserve. . . laws that make other humans property of another. . . laws that oppress the poor. These types of laws are unfair and need to be changed. But don’t get me wrong. . . humanity has made some changes but it still has a long way to go.
I think the only “laws” that originally had all people in mind are the laws that God set before humanity. These laws were for all of humanity’s sake. As we heard this morning from the Old Testament reading, God’s laws were for all people, even those who were salves and foreigners in the midst of the Israelites. But it was difficult for the people to keep them. And unfortunately, even today these life given laws are twisted to what society would have them be. . . or what the elite of Christianity would have them say. . . taken out of context in order to meet the needs of those in charge and not the needs of all of God’s children. What a shame.
Even the “elite” of Jesus’ day took advantage of the laws God had set forth. They took advantage of others through the laws. What a shame. But. . . let’s hear what Jesus had to say about what they did. We will be reading the Gospel of John chapter 2 verses 13-22. It is found on page 967 and 968 in the pew bible. I like this story. . . it shows Jesus’ human side. . .
Really! These “men of God” were taking advantage of these poor people. They were supposed to be teaching them about the laws and were breaking them themselves. . . Thou shall not covet. . . thou shall not steal. . . how about, thou shall not use the name of the Lord your God in vain or even Thou shall not make for yourself false idols. . .
Being human is hard to keep the laws, either of this world or of God’s world. So. . . where do we turn? How are we able to do the right thing? How can we be made right with God? Well the answer, God’s answer, is found in the 1 Corinthians scripture from this morning. The answer if found in the wisdom. . . remember the foolishness of God’s wisdom. . . of the cross. It is through the cross we are redeemed. . . it is through the cross we find wisdom. The law was fulfilled on and through the Cross.
On the cross the Old covenant and new covenant come together †. . . it is the sign of our salvation. It is within this sign we find strength, it is within this sign we find hope, it is within this sign we are able to be made right. Within this sign is Christ. Through Christ, we are more than conquerors. We are set free to follow Christ and His teachings. We are set free to follow the way of the cross. We are set free from the penalty of sin and death. We are set free to be ambassadors of love. . . of hope. . . of peace. We are set free to live in a lawless world with the law of God within our hearts. . . On the cross. . . Christ paid the price for our disobedience and fulfilled the Law for us. The only answer for humanity’s breaking of the commandment was for someone to obey all the laws for us. God’s answer was to come down and get involved with humanity again. . . to walk again with His creation. . . to teach, first hand, what was needed. . . then show how much love He had for them by taking on their sins so that they may live.
What wondrous love is this that our God would do such a thing for you and for me? My question is this. . . when was the last time you or I thanked God for this gift? When was the last time that you or I really pondered the cross and all that it means? When was the last time you or I visited the cross of Calvary? Lent is a season of reflection and renewal. My prayer is that we all would come away from the journey to the cross changed, renewed and revived. . . that we would meet Jesus on the road in ways that we never imagined. . . and that the love of the cross would flow from it onto you and me, through us, within us and out of us on to the world in which we live. Come to the cross of love and hope, of peace and strength and leave a changed person for it. Jesus is waiting to share the law of love. Don’t wait until the “perfect time” there is no time like the present. He is waiting there with open arms for you and for me. The admission price has been paid. Will you redeem your ticket or will it sit on the shelf for a rainy day?
Amen. . .
March 12, 2012
John 2:13-22 (NRSV)
Exodus 20:1-17 (NRSV)
1 Corinthians 1:22-25 (NRSV)
Worship Theme: Meeting the Demands of the Law
Call to Worship
Unison Prayer (adapted from Abington Worship 2012)
Prayer of Dedication (GBOD Exodus 20:1-17)
and sermon, “Laws for a Lawless World”
by Pastor Ruth Foss
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A Handmaiden of the Lord
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Suncook United Methodist Church
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Suncook, NH
Third Sunday in Lent
March 11, 2012
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