Worship Helps for Epiphany 7


Artwork: Joseph in Egypt
Artist: Jacopo Pontormo
Date: 1515-1518

Worship Theme: Joseph’s brothers were terrified out of their minds (Genesis 45:3) when they realized that Joseph, their brother was alive. He was the prime minister of Egypt! He could pay them back for all the evil they had done to him. But Joseph treated his undeserving brothers with love. How will we treat our enemies?

Old Testament: Genesis 45:3–8a, 15
3Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still alive?”
His brothers could not answer him, because they were terrified by his presence. 4Joseph said to his brothers, “Come closer to me, please.”
They came closer. He said, “I am Joseph, your brother, whom you sold into Egypt. 5Now do not be upset or angry with yourselves for selling me to this place, since God sent me ahead of you to preserve life. 6For two years now the famine has been in the land, and there are still five more years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvest. 7God sent me ahead of you to preserve you as survivors on the earth, and to keep you alive by a great act of deliverance. 8So it was not you who sent me here, but God.
15He kissed all his brothers and wept over them. After that his brothers talked with him.

1. What were Joseph’s reasons for his brothers not to be distressed over the evil they had done to him years earlier (45:5,7,8a)?

2. What did Joseph do to show his love and forgiveness toward his brothers (45:15)?

Epistle: Romans 12:14–21  
14Bless those who persecute you; bless, and do not curse. 15Rejoice with those who are rejoicing; weep with those who are weeping. 16Have the same respect for one another. Do not be arrogant, but associate with the humble. Do not think too highly of yourselves.
17Do not pay anyone back evil for evil. Focus on those things that everyone considers noble. 18If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, maintain peace with everyone. 19Do not take revenge, dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath. For it is written, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay,” says the Lord. 20But: If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink. For by doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head. 21Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

3. If God had no part in the harm others cause us, how would that change our response to those people (12:16-18)?

4. Why shouldn’t we take revenge when others mistreat us? (Wouldn’t that work better? Sometimes God seems so slow!)

Gospel: Luke 6:27–38  
27“But I say to you who are listening: Love your enemies. Do good to those who hate you. 28Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who mistreat you. 29If someone strikes you on one cheek, offer the other too. If someone takes away your coat, do not withhold your shirt. 30Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes away your things, do not demand them back.
31“Treat others just as you would want them to treat you. 32If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? To be sure, even the sinners love those who love them. 33And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? Even the sinners do the same thing. 34If you lend to those from whom you expect to be repaid, what credit is that to you? Even the sinners lend to sinners in order to be paid back in full. 35Instead, love your enemies, do good and lend, expecting nothing in return. Your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the unthankful and the evil. 36Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
37“Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. 38Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be poured into your lap. In fact, the measure with which you measure will be measured back to you.”

5. What will it mean, practically, to love our enemies (6:27-30)?

6. Wouldn’t it be enough to be nice to people who are nice to us (6:35-36)?

7. God will judge us the way we judge others. What four directions does Jesus give us, in that case (6:37-38)?
  


Answers:
1. Joseph’s brothers were not to be distressed because God had sent Joseph down to Egypt. He had done so to save many lives, including Joseph’s own brothers’ lives.

2. Joseph kissed all his brothers (after especially hugging his full brother, Benjamin, in 45:14) and wept over them.

3. If God were not behind all that happens to us, we would lash out at God when others harmed us and try to get back at our enemies. But if God is behind all that seems to harm us and means it for our good, we trust that doing good to our enemies is also going to work out for the best.

4. We must not take revenge against others because a) God says we must not, and b) because God promises he will do so. (God’s timing and his ways will often perplex us, but Evelyn Underhill is right: “If God were small enough to be understood, he wouldn’t be big enough to be worshiped.”)

5. To love our enemies will mean, practically, that we will do good to them (6:28). We will say good and helpful things about them when they said harmful things about us (6:29a). We will pray for them (6:29b). We will be generous to people who are unlikely to return the favor, and we will not necessarily demand our enemies fix their unfair actions toward us (6:30).

6. It is not enough just to be nice to those who treat us well. Jesus tells us that even notoriously bad people do such things. If we want to be like our Father, we are to be kind to the ungrateful and the wicked (6:35). We are to be as merciful as our Father (6:36).

7. Jesus says, a) do not be judgmental or glad that others are guilty before God without urging them to turn to God; b) do not condemn others from a proud heart; c) forgive others, and d) be generous. Our Father promises to be generous to his generous children.


Putting your faith into action
Jesus had to be kidding, right? He didn’t seriously expect us to let people walk all over us, did he? Why should we let people just take our possessions and damage our property? Why should we love and forgive people who don’t deserve it? But Jesus was very clear: We should love, serve, and forgive others, and our reward will be great. He loved us enough to die for us when we have done nothing to deserve that love. Even though he had no sin, he went to the cross, so we could have forgiveness of sins, something we could never earn. God created us and gave us everything we are and have to be used to glorify him and serve others. He wants us to share all we receive from him, particularly love and forgiveness of sins, so that others can see his love in our lives.


A reading from the Book of Concord for the Seventh Sunday after Epiphany
The explanation of the eternal and saving choice of God's elect children entirely gives God all the glory. In Christ He save us out of pure mercy, without any merits or good works of ours. He does this according to the purpose of His will, as it is written, "He predestined us for adoption through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of His will, to the praise of His glorious grace, with which He has blessed us in the Beloved" (Ephesians 1:5-6). Therefore, it is false and wrong when it is taught that not only God's mercy and Christ's most holy merit, but also something in us is a cause of God's election, on account of which God has chosen us to eternal life. Before we had done anything good, also before we were born, yes even before the foundations of the world were laid, He elected us in Christ.

Furthermore, this teaching gives no one a cause either for despair or for a shameless, loose life. By this teaching, people are taught that they must seek eternal election in Christ and His Holy Gospel, as in the Book of Life. This excludes no penitent sinner, but beckons and calls all poor, heavy-laden, and troubled sinners to repentance and the knowledge of their sins. It calls them to faith in Christ and promises the Holy Spirit for purification and renewal. It gives the most enduring consolation to all troubled, afflicted people. – Formula of Concord, Solid Declaration: Article XI: Eternal Election (paragraphs 87-90)


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