Sixth Sunday in Epiphany: Christ Sets Life before Us so that We Can Walk in His Ways

Deuteronomy 30:15–20; 1 Corinthians 3:1–9; Matthew 5:21–37; Psalm 119:1–8

Exegesis of the LectionaryStudying, expounding, and interpreting the Bible readings through the Church Year

THE SIXTH SUNDAY AFTER THE EPIPHANY

 

Deuteronomy 30:15–20

1 Corinthians 3:1–9

Matthew 5:21–37

 

Christ Sets Life before Us so that We Can Walk in His Ways

 

The God who reveals Himself in His incarnate Son promises life and blessing to all who obey His commandments “by loving the LORD your God, by walking in his ways, and by keeping his commandments and his statutes and his rules” (Deut. 30:16). However, we are “people of the flesh” and “infants in Christ” (1 Cor. 3:1) among whom “there is jealousy and strife” (1 Cor. 3:3). Jesus must instruct us against the human ways of anger, adultery, divorce, and false witness (Matt. 5:21-37), because all who live in these ways “shall surely perish” (Deut. 30:18). On the cross He died to forgive our sins and free us from the ways of curse and death. Since Jesus Christ is our “life and length of days” (Deut. 30:20), we can be reconciled to our brother, live in chastity and marital faithfulness, and speak with honesty. He who serves from His cross also offers His gift of reconciliation at His altar, and we can be at peace with our brothers and sisters in Christ who are “God’s field, God’s building” (1 Cor. 3:9).

This week:

Walk the walk

How do we walk in his ways?

LSB 3941 Songs of thankfulness and praise,Jesus, Lord, to thee we raise,Manifested by the starTo the sages from afar,Branch of royal David's stemIn Thy birth at Bethlehem:Anthems be to Thee addressed,God in man made manifest.

2 Manifest at Jordan's stream,Prophet, Priest, and King supreme;And at Cana wedding guestIn the God-head manifest;Manifest in pow'r divine,Changing water into wine;Anthems be to Thee addressed,God in man made manifest.

3 Manifest in making whole Palsied limbs and fainting soul;Manifest in valiant fight,Quelling all the devil's might;Manifest in gracious will,

Ever bringing good from ill;Anthems be to Thee addressed,God in man made manifest.

4 Sun and moon shall darkened be,Stars shall fall, the heav'ns shall flee;Christ will then like lightning shine,All will see His glorious sign;All will then the trumpet hear,All will see the Judge appear;Thou by all wilt be confessed,God in man made manifest.

5 Grant us grace to see Thee, Lord,Present in Thy holy Word--Grace to imitate Thee nowAnd be pure, as pure art Thou;That we might become like TheeAt Thy great epiphanyAnd may praise Thee, ever blest,God in man made manifest.

Use your prayer notes. Use a verse from the

bible to reflect on. Pray about following

Jesus. P raise

R epentanceA ppreciationY ouE veryoneR esolve

Prayer Activity

Let us pray for the whole Church of God in Christ Jesus and for all people according to their needs. Almighty God, when Your Son takes in hand the Law and explains it, our mouths are stopped and our shame is exposed. We are completely unable to save or help ourselves. Despairing of our own powers, let us know the sure and certain confidence of our Lord’s flawless obedience on our behalf, rejoicing that His perfect righteousness forever avails for us before You. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer. Gracious Father, You send laborers into the field, some to sow, some to water, all relying on You to grant growth. We give You thanks for faithful pastors whom You have sent to serve us, who baptized and absolved us, who proclaimed Your Gospel to us. And we rejoice that through these imperfect men, You work to call and preserve us in the faith. Heal divisions

in Your Church that flow from selfish ambitions, conflicts and factions. Grant to all Your people unity in the faith once delivered to the saints and zeal in sharing the Gospel with those who do not yet know its peace. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer. Almighty God, You governed Israel through judges and kings, and You continue to rule the kingdoms of the world through governments, presidents, kings and other rulers. Give courage to those who have been placed in secular authority over us, that they might protect the vulnerable — particularly the unborn and the aged — and restrain wickedness for the good of all people. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.

Use your prayer notes. Use a verse from the

bible to reflect on. Pray about following

Jesus. P raise

R epentanceA ppreciationY ouE veryoneR esolve

Prayer Activity

Gracious Father, You provide daily bread sufficient to support body and life for each day that You give us in our pilgrimage. Grant relief to those who suffer afflictions of sickness, pain, injury or sorrow. [Remember especially ______________________ and all who have requested our prayers.] Give them comfort in suffering and hope in the day of Your Son’s return, the day when full resurrection and restoration of health and strength will belong to Your people forever. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer. Almighty God, Your Son promised that the gates of hell and death would never prevail against His Church. In the face of death, give us this confidence that those who belong to Jesus, who have fed on

His body and blood, the very medicine of immortality, will not be abandoned to the grave but will be raised bodily on the day of His return. Keep us steadfast in the faith until that day. Give comfort to [_____________ and all] those who mourn the death of loved ones, that they might grieve in the certain hope of the resurrection. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer. Into Your hands, O Lord, we commend all for whom we pray, trusting in Your mercy; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord. Amen.

Meet w/teams3-5 min per box

What are the major points of your text? How does your topic fit the pericope

theme? How does it connect to the other texts?

How is it unique?

Group Time Christ Sets Life before Us so that We Can Walk in His Ways

Deuteronomy 30:15-2015 “See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil. 16 If you obey the commandments of the LORD your God[a] that I command you today, by loving the LORD your God, by walking in his ways, and by keeping his commandments and his statutes and his rules,[b] then you shall live and multiply, and the LORD your God will bless you in the land that you are entering to take possession of it. 17 But if your heart turns away, and you will not hear, but are drawn away to worship other gods and serve

them, 18 I declare to you today, that you shall surely perish. You shall not live long in the land that you are going over the Jordan to enter and possess. 19 I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live, 20 loving theLORD your God, obeying his voice and holding fast to him, for he is your life and length of days, that you may dwell inthe land that the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.”

1 Corinthians 3:1-9

Divisions in the Church

3 But I, brothers,[a] could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. 2 I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready, 3 for you are still of the flesh. For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way?4 For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not being merely human?

5 What then is Apollos? What is Paul?Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. 6 I planted,Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. 7 So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. 8 He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor.9 For we are God's fellow workers. You are God's field, God's building.

Matthew 5:21-37

Anger21 “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ 22 But I say to you thateveryone who is angry with his brother[a]will be liable to judgment; whoever insults[b] his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell[c] of fire. 23 So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. 25 Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison. 26 Truly, I say to you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny.[d]

Lust27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28 But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his

heart.29 If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown intohell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell.

Divorce31 “It was also said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ 32 But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

Oaths33 “Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.’ 34 But I say to you, Do not take an oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, 35 or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. 36 And do not take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. 37 Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.[

e]

Psalm 119:1-8

Your Word Is a Lamp to My Feet

Aleph

119 [a] Blessed are those whose way is blameless,    who walk in the law of the LORD!2 Blessed are those who keep histestimonies,    who seek him with their whole heart,3 who also do no wrong,    but walk in his ways!4 You have commanded yourprecepts    to be kept diligently.5 Oh that my ways may be steadfast    in keeping your statutes!6 Then I shall not be put to shame,    having my eyes fixed on all your commandments.7 I will praise you with an upright heart,    when I learn your righteous rules.[b]

8 I will keep your statutes;    do not utterly forsake me!

Seventh Sunday in Epiphany: God Manifests His Perfect Holiness in Christ through Compassion and Forgiveness

Leviticus 19:1–2, 9–18 Various Laws

1 Corinthians 3:10–23 The Church and His Leaders

Matthew 5:38–48 Eye for an Eye; Love for Enemies

Psalm 119:33-40 Teach me the way of your decrees

Next Week…

Leviticus 19:1–2, 9–18; 1 Corinthians 3:10–23; Matthew 5:38–48; Psalm 119:33-40

Leviticus 19:1-2Various Laws19 The LORD said to Moses, 2 “Speak to the entire assembly of Israel and say to them: ‘Be holy because I, the LORD your God, am holy.Leviticus 19:9-189 “‘When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. 10 Do not go over your vineyard a second time or pick up the grapes that have fallen. Leave them for the poor and the foreigner. I am theLORD your God.11 “‘Do not steal.“‘Do not lie.“‘Do not deceive one another.12 “‘Do not swear falsely by my nameand so profane the name of your God. I am the LORD.13 “‘Do not defraud or rob your neighbor.“‘Do not hold back the wages of a hired worker overnight.14 “‘Do not curse the deaf or put a stumbling block in front of the blind, but fear your God. I am the LORD.15 “‘Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor fairly.16 “‘Do not go about spreading slanderamong your people.“‘Do not do anything that endangers your neighbor’s life. I am the LORD.17 “‘Do not hate a fellow Israelite in your heart. Rebuke your neighbor franklyso you will not share in their guilt.18 “‘Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD.1 Corinthians 3:10-23

10 By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. 11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.12 If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 13 their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. 14 If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. 15 If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames.16 Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst? 17 If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person; for God’s temple is sacred, and you together are that temple.18 Do not deceive yourselves. If any of you think you are wise by the standards of this age, you should become “fools” so that you may become wise. 19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight. As it is written: “He catches the wise in their craftiness”[a]; 20 and again, “The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile.”[b] 21 So then, no more boasting about human leaders! All things are yours, 22 whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas[c] or the world or life or death or the present or the future—all are yours, 23 and you are of Christ, and Christ is of God.Matthew 5:38-48Eye for Eye38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’[a] 39 But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also.40 And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. 41 If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. 42 Give to the one who asks

you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.Love for Enemies43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor[b] and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47 And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.Psalm 119:33-40He ה33 Teach me, LORD, the way of your decrees,    that I may follow it to the end.[a]

34 Give me understanding, so that I may keep your law    and obey it with all my heart.35 Direct me in the path of your commands,    for there I find delight.36 Turn my heart toward your statutes    and not toward selfish gain.37 Turn my eyes away from worthless things;    preserve my life according to your word.[b]

38 Fulfill your promise to your servant,    so that you may be feared.39 Take away the disgrace I dread,    for your laws are good.40 How I long for your precepts!    In your righteousness preserve my life.