MALAGASY LUTHERAN CHURCH
Communion’s prayer, Sunday VI after Trinity
Week from 9th to 14th July 2018
“God justifies the sinners”
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Introduction: « God justifies the sinners », for the unrighteous has no share with God and will never inherit his kingdom. In this respect, the Lord said, « I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life. He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son. But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars – their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death” Revelation 21: 6-8. For it is written, « For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil, Psalms 34: 12-16 » 1 Peter 3 12. Unrighteousness is rooted in the inner nature of the sinner, as the Psalmist puts it: « Even on his bed he plots evil; he commits himself to a sinful course and does not reject what is wrong” Ps.36: 4. The Apostle Paul pointed this out when he said: « We have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under sin. As it is written: There is no one righteous, not even one; There is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; There is no one who does good, not even one (Romans 14: 1-3)” Rom.3: 9b-12. But God is Love (1 John 4:16) so He covers wrongdoings (Proverbs 10:12) and does not tire of forgiving (Is 55: 7). Therefore, « where sin increased, grace increased all the more » (Romans 5: 20b). For Christ « was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification » Romans 4:25. He keeps calling the sinner to receive his redemption, for « those He predestined, He also called, those He called, He also justified, those He justified, He also glorified » Rom 8:30. He gave them the power to become children of God who overcome sin (1 John 3: 9), and as such to become « vessels to honour » (2 Timothy 2:20). He says, « To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne. » Revelation 3:21.
Monday 9th: God justifies those who honor Him. “You shall have no other gods before me” Ex 20:3. Reading 1 : Lk.16: 9-13. Reading 2 : Ex.20:1-17. Preaching 1 (choice). Preaching 2 : Ex.20:3.
Other references: – “Those who honor me I will honor, but those who despise me will be disdained” 1 Sam 2:30c. – “No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money” Mt 6:24.
Tuesday 10th: The sinners is justified by the faith with action. “In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead” Js 2:17. Reading 1: Heb.11:1-6. Reading 2: Js.2:8-17. Preaching 1 (choice). Preaching 2: Js.2:15-17.
Other references: – “The righteous will live by faith” Rom 1:17b. – “Let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth” 1 Jn. 3:18.
Wednesday 11th: Those who hold to the truth will be justified. “Simply let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes” Mt 5:37a. Reading 1: 2 Sam.22:21-29. Reading 2: Mt.5:27-37. Preaching 1 (choice). Preaching 2: Mt.5:37. Other references: – “How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to Your word. I seek you with all my heart; … I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you” Ps 119:9-11. – “Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved” Mt 24:12-13.
Thursday 12th: God’s justification is received through faith. “The righteous will live by faith” Rom 1:17b. Reading 1: Ps.119:9-16. Reading 2: Rom.1:1-17. Preaching 1 (choice). Preaching 2: Rom.1:17.
Other references: – “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” Rom 5:1. – “By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was commended as a righteous man, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead” Heb 11:4.
Friday 13th: Forgiveness, the justification of the sinners. “Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven” Mt 9:2b. Reading 1: Lk.1:67-78. Reading 2: Mt.9:1-6. Preaching 1 (choice). Preaching 2: Mt.9:2.
Other references: – “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God” Lk 18:14b. – “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” 1 Jn 1:9.
Saturday 14: God justifies the sinners who love him. “Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven – for she loved much” Lk 7:47a. Reading 1: Ps.91:9-16. Reading 2: Lk.7:36-50. Preaching 1 (choice). Preaching 2: Lk.7:47.
Other references: – “Hatred stirs up dissension, but love covers over all wrongs” Pr. 10:12 – “Wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her” Mt 26:13.
Note: This pericope is published in Malagasy, French, English and German, and can be seen on the Site www.hifi-madanet.orgor on Facebook “HiFi – english”.