Transcript How the Bible Came to Us: Its Writing, Use, and Authority

SESSION 2:
GO...LEARN WHAT THIS MEANS
MERCY AND NOT SACRIFICE
GO
RLC’s theme for the coming year
We continue to CONNECT and GROW through
reflection on what it means to be a Christian
servant.
As God’s baptized children we experience the new
FREEDOM we have in Christ to love and serve all of
God’s children and all of God’s creation.
Empowered by the Risen Christ, we are SENT into
the world to baptize and teach in Christ’s name and
with Christ’s presence.
Overview of Sessions
Session 1: September 14: “Go…in the Name of the Father, Son and
Holy Spirit”
Promise and power for Christian discipleship in the name of God
Session 2: September 21: “Go..and Learn what this Means: Mercy and
not Sacrifice”
We Go with God’s message of mercy and forgiveness
Session 3: September 28: “Go…as Trustworthy and Wise
Servants”
Faithful and wise Service makes good use of the resources we have been given
Session 4: October 5: “Go…and I am with you to the end”
Responsible service tests our creativity and faithfulness in our use of God’s gifts
The Christian Life:
A Journey and a Center
CONNECT – in Christ, with one another and the world
GROW–in Christ, with one another and the world
SERVE–in Christ, through serving one another and our world
GO–in Christ’s name, in mission to one another and our world
GO
CONNECT
SERVE
GROW
GO…and Learn what this means..
Mercy and not Sacrifice”
(Matthew 9:13)
Matthew says that “Jesus had compassion on
the crowds” and sends his disciples out as
laborers into his harvest.
“
But it is important that disciple laborers
know what they are about.
The command to GO brings with it God’s
message and promise of “mercy” and
“forgiveness.”
GO MAKES DISCIPLES…
THE GREAT COMMISSION
A THEME FOR RLC YEAR OF “GO”
MATTHEW 28:18-20
And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority
in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father and of
the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching
them to obey everything that I have commanded
you. And remember, I am with you always, to the
end of the age."
WITNESSES TO THE RISEN LORD:
IT’S ABOUT REPENTANCE AND
FORGIVENESS
Then he opened their minds to
understand the scriptures, 46 and he said to them,
"Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to
rise from the dead on the third day, 47 and that
repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in
his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48
You are witnesses of these things. 49 And see, I am
sending upon you what my Father promised; so stay here
in the city until you have been clothed with power from
on high." (Luke 24:45-49)
A NEW RIGHTEOUSNESS
"You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and
a tooth for a tooth.' 39 But I say to you, Do not resist
an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right
cheek, turn the other also; 40 and if anyone wants to
sue you and take your coat, give your cloak as well; 41
and if anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the
second mile. 42 Give to everyone who begs from you,
and do not refuse anyone who wants to borrow from
you.
43 "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your
neighbor and hate your enemy.' 44 But I say to you, Love your
enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you
may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his
sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the
righteous and on the unrighteous.
46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you
have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if
you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you
doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48
Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
(Matthew 5:38-48)
AT THE CENTER IS PRAYER:
WHAT’S WORTH PRAYING ABOUT?
"Pray then in this way:
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. 10 Your
kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. 11
Give us this day our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, as
we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And do not bring us to
the time of trial, but rescue us from the evil one.
14 For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly
Father will also forgive you; 15 but if you do not forgive others,
neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
(Matthew 6:9-15)
LEARNING WHAT GOD IS ABOUT
As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man called Matthew
sitting at the tax booth; and he said to him, "Follow me." And
he got up and followed him. 10 And as he sat at dinner in the
house, many tax collectors and sinners came and were sitting
with him and his disciples. 11 When the Pharisees saw this,
they said to his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax
collectors and sinners?"
12 But when he heard this, he said, "Those who are well have
no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 13 Go and learn
what this means, 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have come
to call not the righteous but sinners.“
(Matthew 9:9-13; cf. also Matthew 12:7)
The Lutheran study Bible comments:
“If Jesus’ authority to forgive sins now has
such power, what difference would that make
for how we live and think of others?”
TEACHING ABOUT FORGIVENESS:
IT IS NOT EASY, BUT THIS IS
KINGDOM WORK (MATTHEW 18)
God’s Concern for the Lost
"Take care that you do not despise one of these little ones;
for, I tell you, in heaven their angels continually see the
face of my Father in heaven. 11 12 What do you think? If a
shepherd has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone
astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the
mountains and go in search of the one that went astray?
13 And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he rejoices over it
more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray. 14
So it is not the will of your Father in heaven that one of
these little ones should be lost.
Working at Restoration: Wherever two or three are gathered
15 "If another member of the church sins against you, go and
point out the fault when the two of you are alone. If the
member listens to you, you have regained that one. 16 But if
you are not listened to, take one or two others along with you,
so that every word may be confirmed by the evidence of two
or three witnesses. 17 If the member refuses to listen to them,
tell it to the church; and if the offender refuses to listen even
to the church, let such a one be to you as a Gentile and a tax
collector. 18 Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will
be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be
loosed in heaven. 19 Again, truly I tell you, if two of you agree
on earth about anything you ask, it will be done for you by my
Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three are gathered in
my name, I am there among them."
But How far shall we Go?
21 Then Peter came and said to him, "Lord, if another
member of the church sins against me, how often should I
forgive? As many as seven times?" 22 Jesus said to him, "Not
seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times.
Compare Luke
Jesus said to his disciples, "Occasions for stumbling are bound to come, but woe
to anyone by whom they come! 2 It would be better for you if a millstone were
hung around your neck and you were thrown into the sea than for you to cause
one of these little ones to stumble. 3 Be on your guard! If another disciple sins,
you must rebuke the offender, and if there is repentance, you must forgive. 4
And if the same person sins against you seven times a day, and turns back to you
seven times and says, 'I repent,' you must forgive." 5 The apostles said to the
Lord, "Increase our faith!" 6 The Lord replied, "If you had faith the size of a
mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in
the sea,' and it would obey you. (Luke 17:1-6)
Let me tell you a story…it’s about God’s kingdom …
23 "For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king
who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. 24 When he began the
reckoning, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him;
25 and, as he could not pay, his lord ordered him to be sold, together
with his wife and children and all his possessions, and payment to be
made. 26 So the slave fell on his knees before him, saying, 'Have
patience with me, and I will pay you everything.' 27 And out of pity for
him, the lord of that slave released him and forgave him the debt.
28 But that same slave, as he went out, came upon one of his fellow
slaves who owed him a hundred denarii; and seizing him by the throat,
he said, 'Pay what you owe.' 29 Then his fellow slave fell down and
pleaded with him, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay you.' 30 But he
refused; then he went and threw him into prison until he would pay the
debt. 31 When his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were
greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their lord all that had
taken place.
and a new heart
32 Then his lord summoned
him and said to him, 'You
Wicked slave! I forgave you
all that debt because you
pleaded with me.
33 Should you not have
had mercy on your fellow slave,
as I had mercy on you?'
34 And in anger his lord handed him over to be
tortured until he would pay his entire debt. 35 So my
heavenly Father will also do to every one of you, if you
do not forgive your brother or sister from your heart."
(Matthew 18:10-35)