Holy Textures

Matthew 7:21-29

It is not enough for us to hear these words of Jesus; to study them; to be inspired by them; to have hopes / aspirations / dreams based on them. We must ACT on them; practice them; live them in our everyday lives.

Year A
Ephiphany 9
March 6, 2011
Sunday Between March 4 (or March 3 in a Leap Year) and March 7 Inclusive,
if not observed as Transfiguration Sunday.
OR
Pentecost **
Not Used in 2011
Sunday Between May 29 and June 4 Inclusive, if after Trinity Sunday.
Proper 4, Ordinary Time 9

Read the passage at the bottom of this post: Matthew 7:21-29, The Message   or   Matthew 7:21-29, The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV).

Click here for an easy to print or email Adobe PDF version of this note.

Listen to or download an MP3 of this post:

Matthew 7:21-29

Sermon by the Rev. Dr. George Hermanson, "By Word And Action."

Matthew 7:21-29 concludes the Sermon on the Mount. See my post, Sermon on the Mount, Matthew, Chapters 5, 6, and 7, for an short overview of these chapters.

Verses 21-23, continue the teaching against false prophets that began in Matthew 7:12-20.

But here Jesus ups the ante. For the usual warnings about false appearances (crying "Lord, Lord") and false promises ("prophesying in your name") and judging by the results ("casting out demons in your name") are subjected to what is truly at the heart of Jesus message:

doing the will of my Father in heaven.

Matthew 6:24-34

Having our intentions aligned with God's desires plus trusting God frees us from being anxious / worried / fearful about what will happen next; allows us to let go of expectations.

Year A
Ephiphany 8
February 27, 2011 
Sunday Between February 25 and March 3 (or March 2 in a Leap Year) Inclusive,
if not the last Sunday before Ash Wednesday.
OR
Pentecost **
Not Used in 2011
Sunday Between May 24 and May 28 Inclusive, if after Trinity Sunday.
Proper 3, Ordinary Time 8

Read the passage at the bottom of this post: Matthew 6:24-34, The Message   or   Matthew 6:24-34, The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV).

Click here, Matthew 6:24-34, for an easy to print or email Adobe PDF version of this note.

Sermon by the Rev. Dr. George Hermanson, "Worry?"

Depending on how early or late Easter occurs, this lesson will either appear before Lent begins, or after Easter ends, or more often - not at all! It is too bad that it is often not read because it contains a great teaching from Jesus for his followers in any time or place.

John 16:12-15

"we need to hear this brief section from Chapter 16, not as Jesus giving a lecture on the doctrine of the Trinity, but as a personally intense commitment of abiding, continuing, present love / loyalty / protection / guidance / bonding with his followers then - and now - and always."

Year C
Season of Pentecost
Trinity Sunday
First Sunday After Pentecost Sunday
May 30, 2010

Read the lesson: John 16:12-15, The Message;   or   John 16:12-15, The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV).

Click here, John 16:12-15, for an easy to print or email Adobe PDF version of this note.

Sermon by the Rev. Dr. George Hermanson, "to be added." 

Anyone with a Red-Letter edition of this Gospel - with the words of Jesus printed in red - will know that this passage comes in the second half of a long speech by Jesus to his disciples at their last meal together before he is arrested and brutally executed.

It began way back in John 13:1, where John comments:

Now, before the festival of the Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart this world and go to the Father.

And finishes at the end of Chapter 17, Verse 26, where Jesus concludes:

I made your name known to them, and I will make it known, so that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.

Matthew 7:21-29

Read the passage: The Message   or   The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV).

Click here for an easy to print or email Adobe PDF version of this note.

Verses 21-23, continue the teaching against false prophets that began in Matthew 7:12-20.

But here Jesus ups the ante. For the usual warnings about false appearances (crying "Lord, Lord") and false promises ("prophesying in your name") and judging by the results ("casting out demons in your name") are subjected to what is truly at the heart of Jesus message:

doing the will of my Father in heaven.

Matthew 6:24-34

Read the passage: The Message   or   The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV).

Click here for an easy to print or email Adobe PDF version of this note.

In terms of the Lectionary, we are now picking up where we left Matthew back in the Season of Epiphany in January and February!

It might be helpful to pause on the word, "Therefore," which begins verse 6:25 and review the "whereas's" that begin in Chapter 5:

• The Beatitudes
• Being salt of the earth and light of the world
• Obeying and fulfilling the law
• Anger and reconciliation
• Adultery in our hearts
• Divorce
• Let your Yes be Yes or your No be No
• Do not retaliate, instead publically expose the unjust authority
• Love your enemies
• Give alms, but don't make a show of it
• Pray, but don't make a show of it
• Fast, but don't make a show of it
• Store up treasures in heaven not on earth
• Make sure your inner light is healthy
• Don't think you can serve two masters: God and wealth

Matthew 28:16-20

Read the passage: The Message   or   The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV).

Click here for an easy to print or email Adobe PDF version of this note.

This passage which ends the Book of Matthew is commonly referred to as The Great Commission.

The commissioning can be highlighted by the verbs in verses 19 and 20:

• Go
• Make disciples
• Baptize
• Teach
• Obey
• Remember

These verbs represent the key activities that Jesus wants his followers to be doing.