Please go to our online Friendship Register if you were able to join us for online worship https://forms.gle/fP2yNuc98PD4xriC7

9/13/20 - Pentecost 15 - Judges 16:22-31 - The Church Is Militant: First the Cross, Then the Crown.

----------


The Season
After reliving the great events of the life of Christ, the worshipping Church spends half a year focusing on the teachings of Christ. The Spirit uses those teachings of Jesus to grow the faith of believers. The appointed lessons of the first five weeks teach us the characteristics of the Holy Ministry

The Sunday
TThe Church is militant: first the cross, then the crown. Today Christ tells us that for him and for us, going God’s way means death must come before life. He calls on us to deny ourselves and follow him on the way of the cross. Those words offend our sinful flesh and make our Old Adam cry with Peter, “Never!” So today the Church prays for the never-failing mercy of Christ that we might avoid such wicked and harmful thoughts and instead be guided on the cross-laden path to salvation. Then, and only then, do these words of Christ cease offending our flesh and become a joy and delight for our heart (Verse of the Day).

 ----------


First Lesson - Judges 16:22-31
What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Jesus’ words of warning form a perfect picture of Samson. He had the world: strength, fame, power, leadership, love. Yet he was losing his soul. But the God of grace humbled him. Samson repented and took up his cross and followed. He lost his life, but died in faith. His words comprise the most fervent plea that a sinner can make at the end of life. Like the thief, he cried, “Remember me!” Once again a man of faith, he had in mind the things of God rather than men and died in service to his Savior God.




Second Lesson - Galatians 6:12-16
Christians will be tempted to give in to license or legalism in order to escape persecution. But Christ told us to expect persecution and burdens that come from carrying his cross. For the Christian, bearing the cross is a point of pride and the basis for our boasting. How can this be? We are the Church militant, and so death comes before life, the cross before the crown. By the cross the world dies to us, and we die by that same cross to the world. But after that death comes life—new life—an entirely new creation.




Gospel - Matthew 16:21-26
Peter’s great confession from last Sunday’s Gospel showed the disciples understood who Jesus was. But though they understood his person, they still failed to understand his work. He had come to fulfill the redemptive mission for which he was anointed; he had not come to fulfill Israel’s earthbound views of Messiah. He couldn’t be the Messiah they wanted, and still be the Savior they needed. “He must go…” Cross and death were necessary first. When Jesus spoke most clearly about his cross, Peter spoke Satan’s words of compromise. Thanks be to God that our Savior saw the necessity of the cross before the crown! Now for Christian followers, cross comes before the crown as well. We die to self, but gain Christ, the Life.





 ----------


 *** New NO FEE electronic giving.*** https://myvanco.vancopayments.com/cgi-bin/Vanco_ver3.vps?appver3=%20OKdCGZBJYpsCBoZoz5rakaYec2chL1Dmm-M9GmZKgDSujMcWeRQLKxtVuawnJ3eUYw7hSSHLKPgBJz2o0Pn-cTHuS6U_uUyWaBqpR_G-Ank9MboVt-jm5J4e-Hc8oOFf&cname=Morrison+Zion+Lutheran+Church&cadd1=7395+County+Rd+W&ccity=Greenleaf&cstate=WI&czip=54126&cein=391053005&ctid=504744921