Proper 6A Sermon: On Eagles’ Wings

Preached on Exodus 19:2–8
The Second Sunday after Pentecost
14 June AD 2020

Video: Click to view the YouTube video of On Eagles’ Wings.

Audio: Alternatively, choose On Eagles’ Wings to hear the MP3.

Summary: As the Lord bore Israel from Egyptian bondage to the Promised Land “on eagles’ wings,” so He carries us from sin and death into everlasting life through His Son.

Text: They set out from Rephidim and came into the wilderness of Sinai, and they encamped in the wilderness. There Israel encamped before the mountain, while Moses went up to God.

The Lord called to him out of the mountain, saying, “Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the people of Israel: ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine; and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the people of Israel.”

So Moses came and called the elders of the people and set before them all these words that the Lord had commanded him. All the people answered together and said, “All that the Lord has spoken we will do.”

And Moses reported the words of the people to the Lord. Exodus 19:2–8

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.

Video: Click to view the YouTube video of On Eagles’ Wings.

Audio: Click On Eagles’ Wings to listen to the MP3.

Other Readings: Psalm 100; Romans 5:6–15; Matthew 9:35–10:8

Proper 6A Sermon: Perfect Timing

Preached on Romans 5:6–15
The Second Sunday after Pentecost
14 June AD 2020

Video: Click to view the YouTube video of Perfect Timing.

Audio: Alternatively, choose Perfect Timing to hear the MP3.

Summary: Adam brought sin and death into the world through his fall but at the absolutely correct time Jesus reconciled us to God through His suffering and death and gave us life by His resurrection.

Text: For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person — though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die — but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned — for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law. Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the one who was to come.

But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man’s trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many. Romans 5:6–15

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.

Video: Click to view the YouTube video of Perfect Timing.

Audio: Click Perfect Timing to listen to the MP3.

Other Readings: Psalm 100; Exodus 19:2–8; Matthew 9:35–10:8

Pentecost 4 Sermon: Cover-Up

Preached on Psalm 32:1-7
The Fourth Sunday after Pentecost — Proper 6C
12 June AD 2016

Title: Cover-Up (MP3 Audio)

Summary: Cover-ups. We see them employed by governments, businesses, and individuals in order to avoid the consequences of actions illegal, immoral, and sinful. They may work for a time but eventually, the truth usually becomes known. Of course, if a cover-up is maintained long enough, statutes of limitations, changes in attitudes, or more pressing matters often diminish or completely eliminate earthly consequences.

However, the same doesn’t hold true for the eternal consequences of sin. As David discovered, we cannot out-wait God’s judgment. Sin doesn’t become less sinful over time and God doesn’t forget or excuse our wrongdoings. Our attempts at cover-ups are no more successful than those of David with Bathsheba, Adam and Eve in the garden, or any others throughout history.

Yet there is one absolutely foolproof and complete cover-up: God covers us in the blood of Jesus, forgiving and forgetting all our sins. Washed in the waters of Baptism and clothed in Christ’s righteousness, He now sees nothing in us but the absolute righteousness of His beloved Son.

With David, we celebrate with “shouts of deliverance.” Along with the forgiven woman in today’s Gospel, we discover that as our sins “which are many, are forgiven” and now we are moved to much love — toward God who forgives and toward other people, as we both forgive and are forgiven by them.

Text: Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man against whom the Lord counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit.

For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer.

I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” and you forgave the iniquity of my sin.

Therefore let everyone who is godly offer prayer to you at a time when you may be found; surely in the rush of great waters, they shall not reach him. You are a hiding place for me; you preserve me from trouble; you surround me with shouts of deliverance. Psalm 32:1-7

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 Cover-Up.

NB: A few people have had problems trying to play the inline audio with Windows Media Player. If this occurs, you can either change to QuickTime or another default browser player, copy and paste the link directly into a selected player, or download it to your computer, where it seems to work regardless of which player. Several folks have suggested VLC Player from VideoLAN.

Other Readings: 2 Samuel 11:26-12:10, 13-14; Galatians 2:15-21, 3:10-14; Luke 7:36-8:3

Also: Here are related sermons on today’s Old Testament and Gospel readings.