Worship Helps for Epiphany 7

Worship Theme: The Savior’s Sermon: Love your enemies! What could be more counterintuitive? Yet Christ calls his disciples to a love for our neighbor that models itself after Jesus’ love for the world. As Luther said: Christi sumus in nominativo et genitivo (We are Christs—with and without the apostrophe). A heart like Christ’s has no room for vengeance, but is filled with love for all.

Old Testament: 1 Samuel 26:7 So David and Abishai went to the army by night, and there was Saul, lying asleep inside the camp with his spear stuck in the ground near his head. Abner and the soldiers were lying around him. ⁸ Abishai said to David, "Today God has delivered your enemy into your hands. Now let me pin him to the ground with one thrust of my spear; I won't strike him twice." ⁹ But David said to Abishai, "Don't destroy him! Who can lay a hand on the LORD's anointed and be guiltless? ¹⁰ As surely as the LORD lives," he said, "the LORD himself will strike him; either his time will come and he will die, or he will go into battle and perish. ¹¹ But the LORD forbid that I should lay a hand on the LORD's anointed. Now get the spear and water jug that are near his head, and let's go." ¹² So David took the spear and water jug near Saul's head, and they left. No one saw or knew about it, nor did anyone wake up. They were all sleeping, because the LORD had put them into a deep sleep. ¹³ Then David crossed over to the other side and stood on top of the hill some distance away; there was a wide space between them. ¹⁴ He called out to the army and to Abner son of Ner, "Aren't you going to answer me, Abner?" Abner replied, "Who are you who calls to the king?" ¹⁵ David said, "You're a man, aren't you? And who is like you in Israel? Why didn't you guard your lord the king? Someone came to destroy your lord the king. ¹⁶ What you have done is not good. As surely as the LORD lives, you and your men deserve to die, because you did not guard your master, the LORD's anointed. Look around you. Where are the king's spear and water jug that were near his head?" ¹⁷ Saul recognized David's voice and said, "Is that your voice, David my son?" David replied, "Yes it is, my lord the king." ¹⁸ And he added, "Why is my lord pursuing his servant? What have I done, and what wrong am I guilty of? ¹⁹ Now let my lord the king listen to his servant's words. If the LORD has incited you against me, then may he accept an offering. If, however, men have done it, may they be cursed before the LORD! They have now driven me from my share in the LORD's inheritance and have said, 'Go, serve other gods.' ²⁰ Now do not let my blood fall to the ground far from the presence of the LORD. The king of Israel has come out to look for a flea-- as one hunts a partridge in the mountains." ²¹ Then Saul said, "I have sinned. Come back, David my son. Because you considered my life precious today, I will not try to harm you again. Surely I have acted like a fool and have erred greatly." ²² "Here is the king's spear," David answered. "Let one of your young men come over and get it. ²³ The LORD rewards every man for his righteousness and faithfulness. The LORD delivered you into my hands today, but I would not lay a hand on the LORD's anointed. ²⁴ As surely as I valued your life today, so may the LORD value my life and deliver me from all trouble." ²⁵ Then Saul said to David, "May you be blessed, my son David; you will do great things and surely triumph." So David went on his way, and Saul returned home.

1. Do you think David had good reason to kill Saul? Do you think he would have been justified in doing it?

Epistle: Romans 12:9 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. ¹⁰ Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. ¹¹ Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. ¹² Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. ¹³ Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality. ¹⁴ Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. ¹⁵ Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. ¹⁶ Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. ¹⁷ Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. ¹⁸ If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. ¹⁹ Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord. ²⁰ On the contrary: "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head." ²¹ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

2. How does Paul command us to the exact opposite of vengeance?

Gospel: Matthew 5:38 "You have heard that it was said, 'Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.' ³⁹ But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. ⁴⁰ And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. ⁴¹ If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. ⁴² Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you. ⁴³ "You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' ⁴⁴ But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, ⁴⁵ that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. ⁴⁶ If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? ⁴⁷ And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? ⁴⁸ Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

3. What important aspect of divine love does Jesus emphasize in these verses?

Answers:

1. Would anyone have faulted David for killing Saul? Saul had unfairly abused him; Saul had unfairly exiled him; Saul had unfairly tried to kill him. David could have claimed his actions were in self-defense or in fighting a just war or in taking the office to which he had been anointed. Who would have found fault with him? Certainly not the sons of Zeruiah! Though unfailingly brave, they could never understand David’s lack of pragmatic action (see Abner, Absalom, Shimei, etc.). Yet David showed again that he was a man after God’s own heart. David trusted that his reward was with his God, and so he had no need for vengeance. That freed him to be able to love even his enemy Saul.

2. In the twelfth chapter of Romans Paul urges us to offer our bodies as living sacrifices to God. In this lesson we find practical examples of how spiritual acts of worship are offered to God through our love for our neighbor. Loving our brothers and sharing with those in need certainly makes sense. But like Jesus, Paul goes further: bless your persecutors and don’t take revenge because that is God’s domain. Our domain is the opposite of vengeance; our domain is the imitation of Christ. Sons of the Father love their enemies and pray for their persecutors.

3. Our flesh finds Jesus’ commands revolting. The human animal snarls when attacked and bites back when bitten. Jesus, however, tells us not to resist evil, to turn the other cheek, to love our enemies. Who would live like this? Only the Son of our heavenly Father. God demonstrated his love for us in this: when we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Jesus himself prayed for his enemies who crucified him. He most certainly was his Father’s Son. Now God calls us, his sons, to live like Jesus and love people as perfectly as the Father does. As God makes the sun rise on the evil and the good, so he commands us to shine the light of our love on everyone around us.

Putting your faith into action

Some of Jesus’ lessons are difficult for us sinful mortals to accept. We work hard for our money, right? Shouldn’t it be enough to give it to our congregation and maybe to friends or family if they really, really need it and we are sure of being repaid? And don’t we have our rights? If someone does us wrong, does Jesus actually expect us to just let it go, or even worse let it happen all over again? But he was very clear: turn the other cheek, give more than is asked for, go the extra mile. Everything—every good thing—we have is a gift from our heavenly Father, a gift we have done nothing to deserve. This includes our eternal salvation through Christ’s death and resurrection. If he could go to the cross for our sins, surely he can ask us to freely share his gifts and his love with others, with no strings attached.

A reading from the Book of Concord for the Seventh Sunday after Epiphany

27] Love is also a fruit which surely and necessarily follows true faith. For the fact that one does not love is a sure indication that he is not justified, but is still in death, or has lost the righteousness of faith again, as John says, 1 John 3:14. But when Paul says, Rom. 3:28: We are justified by faith without works, he indicates thereby that neither the contrition that precedes, nor the works that follow, belong in the article or transaction of justification by faith. For good works do not precede justification, but follow it, and the person must first be justified before he can do good works. – Solid Declaration of the Formula of Concord, III. The Righteousness of Faith (paragraph 27)