[Propertalk] Fw: SermonWriter: Feb. 21 (Lent 1C) Luke 4:1-13

[Joe Parrish]

The following are SermonWriter materials for Feb. 21 (Lent 1C). They focus 
on Luke 4:1-13, the story of Jesus' temptation.


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Dick Donovan


A THOUGHT ON PREACHING: "When I preach I regard neither doctors nor 
magistrates, of whom I have above forty in my congregation; I have all my 
eyes on the servant maids and on the children. And if the learned men are 
not well pleased with what they hear, well, the door is open." (Martin 
Luther)


TITLE:  Getting Ready for Trouble


SERMON IN A SENTENCE:  Our ability to counter temptation is forged in the 
spiritual disciplines that we practice during the quiet times of our lives.


SCRIPTURE:  Luke 4:1-13

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FOR MORE SERMONS ON THIS TEXT, GO TO:
http://www.lectionary.org/SermLinks/NT/NT03luke.htm

Scroll down to the correct chapter and verse.


TRUE STORY:

Some years ago, National Geographic ran an article on Alaskan bull moose. 
Moose, by the way, is the plural of moose -- not mooses or meese.  As 
indicated by the word "bull," bull moose are the male of the species.  In 
the fall, during the mating season, bull moose fight each other for 
dominance.  They run at each other and butt antlers. When one moose breaks 
his antlers, that ends the game.  The biggest, strongest moose wins.

How did the winner get strong?  He ate well during the summer.  The fight 
wouldn't take place until the fall mating season, but the winner was 
determined during the summer eating season.

It's like that with football or basketball or any other contest.  The 
outcome is often won or lost on the practice field, long before the game 
starts.



THOUGHT PROVOKERS:

The Devil does not shock a saint into alertness by suggesting whopping 
crimes.
He starts off with little, almost inoffensive things
to which even the heart of a saint would make only mild protests.

Walter Farrell

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

Man is the only kind of varmint that sets his own trap,
baits it,
then steps in it.

John Steinbeck, Sweet Thursday

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

Don't worry about avoiding temptation.
As you grow older -- it will avoid you.

Joey Adams

There is some truth in that.  The temptations that threaten young people 
don't seem as tempting once you have grown old.  But that doesn't mean that 
those who are old are beyond temptation.  That is not true.

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

The devil is continually tempting thee to seek high things,
to go after honors.

Thomas a Kempis

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

There is no attack of the enemy so violent,
that is, no temptation so formidable,
that an eager study of the Scriptures will not easily beat off.

Desiderius Erasmus

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *
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HYMN STORY:  O Love, How Deep, How Broad, How High

This hymn looks with wonder on the love expressed through Jesus' life -- how 
he came down from heaven to live among us (v. 1) -- how he bore temptations 
for us and was baptized for our sake (v. 2) -- how he prayed for us and 
worked for us (v. 3) --how he died for us (v. 4) -- and rose from death to 
return to his heavenly home (v. 5).  It calls us to give glory to "our Lord 
and God for love so deep, so high, so broad."

The author of this hymn, Thomas a Kempis, was a Catholic monk who is 
well-known for his devotional book, The Imitation of Christ, in which he 
calls us to live like Jesus lived.  This hymn is very much in keeping with 
that book as it reminds us of the sacrificial life that Christ lived in our 
behalf.

We need to hear what Thomas has to say.  We have heard so much about Jesus 
being born in a manger that we have largely lost our sense of wonder that 
God would come down from heaven to live among us -- and to die for us.  It 
is a true story of a prince becoming a pauper to serve his people.  We need 
to be reminded that God loves us and has gone to great lengths to save us. 
We need to recover our sense of wonder that God would love us even when we 
don't deserve it.

NOTE:  See other hymn stories at http://www.lectionary.org/hymnstories.htm

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