Sermon: Proper 16 (Epistle)
Pentecost 10 — 20 August AD 2011
Sermon Theme: Living Sacrifices
Summary: The challenge was to preach the text (which strongly focuses on sanctification) while still preaching Christ and the full and free forgiveness we have in Him.
To merely pound home the content of these verses would mean a near total emphasis on the demands of the Law. To ignore the content would mean dismissing these divinely inspired words of Saint Paul.
The solution was, is, and always will be to apply the sacrifice of Jesus Christ to the hearers as His gift to them. They, in turn, are freed by His forgiveness to sacrifice themselves to Him — and to their fellow man — “living sacrifices” who fulfill their vocations in faith toward God and love to each other and to all people.
Text: Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!
“For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?”
“Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?”
For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.
Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness. Romans 11:33-12:8
Scripture quoted from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®, © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Audio: Click to hear the MP3 of Living Sacrifices, preached to the saints of God at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, Marshall, Missouri.
Other Readings: Psalm 138; Isaiah 51:1-6; Matthew 16:13-20
Technorati Tags: Proper 16 | Tenth Sunday after Pentecost | 10th Sunday after Pentecost | Pentecost 10 | Three Year Lectionary | 3 Year Lectionary | Series A | theology | Jesus | Jesus Christ | Christ | Law and Gospel | Law | Gospel | living sacrifice | spiritual worship | sanctification | justification | good works | faith | vocation | 20 August 2011 | August 20, 2011 | Lutheranism | Lutheran | Church | Christian | Christianity | Christian Church | Romans 11-12 | sermon | preaching | homily | text | theme | topic | Living Sacrifices | audio | mp3 | Pastor Snyder | Pastor Walter Snyder | Walter Snyder | Ask the Pastor | Happenings
Sermon Theme: Living Sacrifices
Summary: The challenge was to preach the text (which strongly focuses on sanctification) while still preaching Christ and the full and free forgiveness we have in Him.
To merely pound home the content of these verses would mean a near total emphasis on the demands of the Law. To ignore the content would mean dismissing these divinely inspired words of Saint Paul.
The solution was, is, and always will be to apply the sacrifice of Jesus Christ to the hearers as His gift to them. They, in turn, are freed by His forgiveness to sacrifice themselves to Him — and to their fellow man — “living sacrifices” who fulfill their vocations in faith toward God and love to each other and to all people.
Text: Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!
“For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?”
“Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?”
For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.
Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness. Romans 11:33-12:8
Scripture quoted from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®, © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Audio: Click to hear the MP3 of Living Sacrifices, preached to the saints of God at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, Marshall, Missouri.
Other Readings: Psalm 138; Isaiah 51:1-6; Matthew 16:13-20
Technorati Tags: Proper 16 | Tenth Sunday after Pentecost | 10th Sunday after Pentecost | Pentecost 10 | Three Year Lectionary | 3 Year Lectionary | Series A | theology | Jesus | Jesus Christ | Christ | Law and Gospel | Law | Gospel | living sacrifice | spiritual worship | sanctification | justification | good works | faith | vocation | 20 August 2011 | August 20, 2011 | Lutheranism | Lutheran | Church | Christian | Christianity | Christian Church | Romans 11-12 | sermon | preaching | homily | text | theme | topic | Living Sacrifices | audio | mp3 | Pastor Snyder | Pastor Walter Snyder | Walter Snyder | Ask the Pastor | Happenings
posted by Xrysostom | 20:48
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