Zion Lutheran

Lenten Meditation 40 Days of Community: We’re Commissioned to Reach Out Together February 13, 2008

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Third Sunday after Epiphany January 27, 2008 GOSPEL Matthew 4:12–23   Jesus begins his public ministry shortly after John the Baptist is imprisoned by Herod. He proclaims the nearness of God’s reign and calls four fishermen to be his first disciples.   ¹²Now when Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee.  ¹³He left Nazareth and made his home in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali,  ¹⁴so that what had been spoken through the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:  ¹⁵“Land of Zebulun, land of Naphtali, on the road by the sea, across the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles —   ¹⁶the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned.”   ¹⁷From that time Jesus began to proclaim, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”  ¹⁸As he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea — for they were fishermen.  ¹⁹And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fish for people.”  ²⁰Immediately they left their nets and followed him.  ²¹As he went from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John, in the boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets, and he called them.  ²²Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed him.              ²³Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and curing every disease and every sickness among the people.

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Baptism of Our Lord January 13, 2008 GOSPEL Matthew 3:13–17   Before Jesus begins his ministry, he is baptized by John, touched by the Spirit, and identified publicly as God’s child. ¹³Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan, to be baptized by him.  ¹⁴John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?”  ¹⁵But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now; for it is proper for us in this way to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented.  ¹⁶And when Jesus had been baptized, just as he came up from the water, suddenly the heavens were opened to him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him.  ¹⁷And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.”

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ZION LUTHERAN CHURCH Monday, December 24, 2007 CHRISTMAS EVE GOSPEL Luke 2:1-20

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Third Sunday in December December 16, 2007   GOSPEL Matthew 11:2-11 John the Baptist expects the Messiah to bring God’s judgment upon the earth. From a prison cell, he wonders whether Jesus is the one who will do this.   ²When John heard in prison what the Messiah was doing, he sent word by his disciples  ³and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?”  ⁴Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see:  ⁵the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them.  ⁶And blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me.”              ⁷As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to look at? A reed shaken by the wind?  ⁸What then did you go out to see? Someone dressed in soft robes? Look, those who wear soft robes are in royal palaces.  ⁹What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.  ¹⁰This is the one about whom it is written,             ‘See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you,             who will prepare your way before you.’   ¹¹Truly I tell you, among those born of women no one has arisen greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

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Twenty-fourth Sunday after Pentecost Stewardship Celebration Sunday November 11, 2007

SCRIPTURE 

1 Corinthians 16:2

Every Sunday each of you must put aside some money, in proportion to what he has earned, and save it up, so that there will be no need to collect money when I come. 

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Reformation Sunday October 28, 2007   READING FOR THE DAY Romans 3:19-28   Paul’s words stand at the heart of the preaching of Martin Luther and the other Reformation leaders. No human beings make themselves right with God through works of the law. We are brought into a right relationship with God through the divine activity centered in Christ’s death. This act is a gift of grace that liberates us from sin and empowers our faith in Jesus Christ.   ¹⁹Now we know that whatever the law says, it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced, and the whole world may be held accountable to God.  ²⁰For “no human being will be justified in his sight” by deeds prescribed by the law, for through the law comes the knowledge of sin.              ²¹But now, apart from law, the righteousness of God has been disclosed, and is attested by the law and the prophets,  ²²the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction,  ²³since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God;  ²⁴they are now justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,  ²⁵whom God put forward as a sacrifice of atonement by his blood, effective through faith. He did this to show his righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over the sins previously committed;  ²⁶it was to prove at the present time that he himself is righteous and that he justifies the one who has faith in Jesus.              ²⁷Then what becomes of boasting? It is excluded. By what law? By that of works? No, but by the law of faith.  ²⁸For we hold that a person is justified by faith apart from works prescribed by the law.

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Twenty-First Sunday after Pentecost October 21, 2007   GOSPEL Luke 181-8   Jesus tells a story reminding his listeners they are to be persistent in prayer, unceasing in their appeals. If an unethical judge will ultimately grant the plea of a persistent widow, how much more will our loving God hear those who call upon him!   Then Jesus told them a parable about their need to pray always and not to lose heart.  ²He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor had respect for people.  ³In that city there was a widow who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Grant me justice against my opponent.’  ⁴For a while he refused; but later he said to himself, ‘Though I have no fear of God and no respect for anyone,  ⁵yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will grant her justice, so that she may not wear me out by continually coming.’”  ⁶And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says.  ⁷And will not God grant justice to his chosen ones who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long in helping them?  ⁸I tell you, he will quickly grant justice to them. And yet, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”

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Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost September 30, 2007     

Matthew 4:18-22 (New International Version)

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