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First Sunday
of Lent
March 1, 2009 Year: B
Ash Wednesday
February 25, 2009 Year: B
Jo. 2:12-18; 2 Cor. 5:20-6:2; Mt. 6:1-6, 16-18
Be reconciled to God
First Reading...
"'Even now,' says the Lord, 'return to me with all your
heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning;
rend your hearts and not your clothing.
Return to the Lord, your God, for he is gracious and
merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast
love, and relents from punishing.'
Who knows whether the Lord will turn and relent, and
leave a blessing behind him; a grain offering and a
drink offering to be presented to the Lord, your God?
Blow the trumpet in Zion; sanctify a fast; call a solemn
assembly; gather the people. Sanctify the congregation;
assemble the aged; gather the children, even infants at
the breast. Let the bridegroom leave his room, and the
bride her canopy.
Between the vestibule and the altar let the priests, the
ministers of the Lord, weep. Let them say, 'Spare your
people, O Lord, and do not make your heritage a mockery,
a byword among the nations. Why should it be said among
the peoples, 'Where is their God?'
Then the Lord became jealous for his land, and had pity
on his people." [Joel. 2:12-8]
Second Reading...
"We are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his
appeal through us; we entreat you on behalf of Christ,
be reconciled to God. For our sake God made Christ to be
sin who knew no sin, so that in Christ we might become
the righteousness of God. As we work together with him,
we urge you also not to accept the grace of God in vain.
For the Lord says, 'At an acceptable time I have
listened to you, and on a day of salvation I have helped
you.' See, now is the acceptable time; see, now is the
day of salvation!" [2 Cor. 5:20-6:2]
Gospel Reading...
Jesus said to the disciples, 'Beware of practising your
piety before others in order to be seen by them; for
then you have no reward from your Father in heaven.
So whenever you give alms, do not sound a trumpet before
you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the
streets, so that they may be praised by others. Truly I
tell you, they have received their reward. But when you
give alms, do not let your left hand know what your
right hand is doing, so that your alms may be done in
secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward
you.
And whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrite; for
they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the
street corners, so that they may be seen by others.
Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But
whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door
and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your
Father who sees in secret will reward you.
And whenever you fast, do not look dismal, like the
hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces so as to show
others that they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they
have received their reward. But when you fast, put oil
on our head and wash your face, so that your fasting may
be seen not by others but by your Father who is in
secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward
you.'" [Mt. 6:1-6, 16-8]
Anecdote:
There once was a farmer who grew
award-winning corn. Each year he entered his corn in the
state fair where it won a blue ribbon.
One year a newspaper reporter interviewed him and
learned something interesting about how he grew it. The
reporter discovered that the farmer shared his seed corn
with his neighbors.
"How can you afford to share your best seed corn with
your neighbors when they are entering corn in
competition with yours each year?" the reporter asked.
"Why sir," said the farmer, "didn't you
know? The wind picks up pollen from the ripening corn
and swirls it from field to field. If my neighbors grow
inferior corn, cross-pollination will steadily degrade
the quality of my corn. If I am to grow good corn, I
must help my neighbors grow good corn."
He is very much aware of the
connectedness of life. His corn cannot improve unless
his neighbor's corn also improves.
So it is with our lives. Those who choose
to live in peace must help their neighbors to live in
peace. Those who choose to live well must help others to
live well, for the value of a life is measured by the
lives it touches. And those who choose to be happy must
help others to find happiness, for the welfare of each
is bound up with the welfare of all.
The lesson for each of us is this: if we
are to grow good corn, we must help our neighbors grow
good corn.
It is possible to give away and become
richer! It is also possible to hold on too tightly and
lose everything. Yes, the liberal man shall be rich! By
watering others, he waters himself.
Christ having, in the former chapter,
armed his disciples against the corrupt doctrines and
opinions of the scribes and Pharisees, especially in
their expositions of the law (that was called their
leaven, 16:12), comes in this chapter to warn them
against their corrupt practices, against the two sins
which, though in their doctrine they did not justify,
yet in their conversation they were notoriously guilty
of, and so as even to recommend them to their admirers:
these were hypocrisy and worldly-mindedness, sins which,
of all others, the professors of religion need most to
guard against, as sins that most easily beset those who
have escaped the grosser pollutions that are in the
world through lust, and which are therefore highly
dangerous. We are here cautioned, 1. Against
hypocrisy; we must not be as the hypocrites are, nor
do as the hypocrites do. 2. In the giving of alms
(v. 1-4). 3. In prayer (v. 5-8). We are here
taught what to pray for, and how to pray (v. 9-13); 4.
and to forgive in prayer (v. 14, 15). 5. In
fasting (v. 16-18). 6. Against worldly-mindedness.
In our choice, which is the destroying sin of hypocrites
(v. 19-24). 2. In our cares, which is the disquieting
sin of many good Christians (v. 25-34).
Verses 1-4
As we must do better than the scribes and Pharisees in
avoiding heart-sins, heart-adultery, and heart-murder,
so likewise in maintaining and keeping up
heart-religion, doing what we do from an inward, vital
principle, that we may be approved of God, not that we
may be applauded of men; that is, we must watch against
hypocrisy, which was the leaven of the Pharisees, as
well as against their doctrine, Lk 12:1. Almsgiving,
prayer, and fasting, are three great Christian
duties-the three foundations of the law, and by them we
do homage and service to God with our three principal
interests; by prayer with our souls, by fasting with our
bodies, by alms-giving with our estates. Thus we must
not only depart from evil, but do good, and do it well,
and so dwell for evermore.
Now in these verses we area cautioned
against hypocrisy in giving alms. Take heed of it. Our
being bid to take heed of it intimates that it is sin.
1. We are in great danger of; it is a subtle sin;
vain-glory insinuates itself into what we do ere we are
aware. The disciples would be tempted to it by the power
they had to do many wondrous works, and their living
with some that admired them and others that despised
them, both which are temptations to covet to make a fair
show in the flesh. 2. It is a sin we are in great
danger by. Take heed of hypocrisy, for if it reign in
you, it will ruin you. It is the dead fly that spoils
the whole box of precious ointment.
Two things are here supposed,
I.
The giving of alms is a great duty, and a duty which all
the disciples of Christ, according to their ability,
must abound in. It is prescribed by the law of nature
and of Moses, and great stress is laid upon it by the
prophets. The Jews called the poor's box the box of
righteousness. That which is given to the poor is said
to be their due, Prov. 3:27. The duty is not the less
necessary and excellent for its being abused by
hypocrites to serve their pride. It is true, our
alms-deeds do not deserve heaven; but it is as true that
we cannot go to heaven without them. It is pure religion
(Jam. 1:27), and will be the test at the great day;
Christ here takes it for granted that his disciples give
alms, nor will he own those that do not.
II.
That it is such a duty as has a great reward attending
it, which is lost if it be done in hypocrisy. It is
sometimes rewarded in temporal things with plenty (Prov.
11:24, 25; 19:17); security from want (Prov. 28:27; Ps.
37:21, 25); succour in distress (Ps. 41:1, 2); honour
and a good name, which follow those most that least
covet them, Ps. 112:9. However, it shall be recompensed
in the resurrection of the just (Lk. 14:14), in eternal
riches.
This being supposed, observe now,
1.
What was the practice of the hypocrites about this duty.
They did it indeed, but not from any principle of
obedience to God, or love to man, but in pride and
vain-glory; not in compassion to the poor, but purely
for ostentation, that they might be extolled as good
men, and so might gain an interest in the esteem of the
people, with which they knew how to serve their own
turn, and to get a great deal more than they gave. In
their desire for popularity they chose to give their
alms in the synagogues, and in the streets, where there
was the greatest concourse of people to observe them,
who applauded their liberality because they shared in
it, but were so ignorant as not to discern their
abominable pride. Probably they had collections for the
poor in the synagogues, and the common beggars haunted
the streets and highways, and upon these public
occasions they chose to give their alms. Not that it is
unlawful to give alms when men see us; we may do it; but
not that men may see us; we should rather choose those
objects of charity that are less observed. The
hypocrites, if they gave alms to their own houses,
sounded a trumpet, under pretence of calling the poor
together to be served, but really to proclaim their
charity, and to have that taken notice of and made the
subject of discourse.
Now the doom that Christ passes upon this
is very observable; Verily I say unto you, they have
their reward. At first view this seems a promise- If
they have their reward they have enough, but two words
in it make it a threatening.
It is a reward, but it is their reward;
not the reward which God promises to them that do good,
but the reward which they promise themselves, and a poor
reward it is; they did it to be seen of men, and they
are seen of men; they chose their own delusions with
which they cheated themselves, and they shall have what
they chose.
It is a reward, but it is a present
reward, they have it; and there is none reserved for
them in the future state. They now have all that they
are likely to have from God; they have their reward
here, and have none to hope for hereafter. It signifies
a receipt in full. What rewards the godly have in this
life are but in part of payment; there is more behind,
much more; but hypocrites have their all in this world,
so shall their doom be; themselves have decided it. The
world is but for provision to the saints, it is their
spending-money; but it is pay to hypocrites, it is their
portion.
What is the precept of our Lord Jesus
about it, v. 3, 4. He that was himself such an example
of humility, pressed it upon his disciples, as
absolutely necessary to the acceptance of their
performances. "Let not thy left hand know what thy right
hand does when you give alms." Perhaps this alludes to
the placing of the Corban, the poor man's box, or the
chest into which they cast their free-will offerings, on
the right hand of the passage into the temple; so that
they put their gifts into it with the right-hand. Or the
giving of alms with the right hand, intimates readiness
to it and resolution in it; do it dexterously, not
awkwardly nor with a sinister intention. The right hand
may be used in helping the poor, lifting them up,
writing for them, dressing their sores, and other ways
besides giving to them; but, "whatever kindness thy
right hand does to the poor, let not thy left hand know
it: conceal it as much as possible; industriously keep
it private. Do it because it is a good work, not because
it will give thee a good name." That we must not let
others know what we do; no, not those that stand at our
left hand, that are very near us. Instead of acquainting
them with it, keep it from them if possible; however,
appear so desirous to keep it from them, as that in
civility they may seem not to take notice of it, and
keep it to themselves, and let it go no further. That we
must not observe it too much ourselves: the left hand is
a part of ourselves; we must not within ourselves take
notice too much of the good we do, must not applaud and
admire ourselves. Self-conceit and self-complacency, and
an adoring of our own shadow, are branches of pride, as
dangerous as vain-glory and ostentation before men. We
find those had their good works remembered to their
honour, who had themselves forgotten them: When saw we
thee an hungered, or athirst?
What is the promise to those who are thus
sincere and humble in their alms-giving. Let your alms
be in secret, and then thy Father who sees in secret
will observe them. Note when we take least notice of our
good deeds ourselves, God takes most notice of them. As
God hears the wrongs done to us when we do not hear them
(Ps. 38:14, 15), so he sees the good done by us, when we
do not see it. As it is a terror to hypocrites, so it is
a comfort to sincere Christians, that God sees in
secret. But this is not all; not only the observation
and praise, but the recompense is of God, himself shall
reward thee openly. They who in their alms-giving study
to approve themselves to God, only turn themselves over
to him as their Paymaster. The hypocrite catches at the
shadow, but the upright man makes sure of the substance.
Observe how emphatically it is expressed; himself shall
reward, he will himself be the reward giver, Heb. 11:6.
Let him alone to make it up in kind or kindness; he will
himself be the Reward (Gen. 15:1), your exceeding great
reward. He will reward thee as thy Father, not as a
master who gives his servant just what he earns and no
more, but as a father who gives abundantly more, and
without stint, to his son that serves him. He shall
reward you openly, if not in the present day, yet in the
great day; then shall every man have praise of God, open
praise, thou shall be confessed before men. If the work
be not open, the reward shall, and that is better.
First Sunday of Lent
March 1, 2009 Year: B
Gen. 9:8-15; 1 Pet. 3:18-22; Mk. 1:12-15
First Reading...
"God said to Noah and to his sons with him, 'As for me,
I am establishing my covenant with you and your
descendants after you, and with every living creature
that is with you, the birds, the domestic animals, and
every animal of the earth with you, as many as came out
of the ark. I establish my covenant with you, that never
again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of a
flood, and never again shall there be a flood to destroy
the earth.'
God said, 'This is the sign of the covenant that I make
between me and you and every living creature that is
with you, for all future generations; I have set my bow
in the clouds, and it shall be a sign of the covenant
between me and the earth. When I bring clouds over the
earth and the bow is seen in the clouds, I will remember
my covenant that is between me and you and every living
creature of all flesh; and the waters shall never again
become a flood to destroy all flesh.'" [Gen. 9:8-15]
Second Reading...
"Christ suffered for sins once for all, the righteous
for the unrighteous, in order to bring you to God. He
was put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the
Spirit, in which also he went and made a proclamation to
the spirits in prison. In former times these did not
obey, when God waited patiently in the days of Noah,
during the building of the ark, in which a few, that is,
eight persons, were saved through water.
Baptism, which this prefigured, now saves you - not as a
removal of dirt from the body, but as an appeal to God
for a good conscience through the resurrection of Jesus
Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the right
hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers made
subject to him." [1 Pet. 3:18-22]
Gospel Reading...
"After Jesus was baptized, the Spirit drove him out into
the wilderness. He was in the wilderness forty days,
tempted by Satan; and he was with the wild beasts; and
the angels waited on him.
Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee,
proclaiming the good news of God, and saying, 'The time
is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near;
repent, and believe in the good news.'" [Mk. 1:12-5]
Story
There is a true story told by Stephen Covey about a man
who experiences a time in his life when everything
seemed flat, boring, dull.
He went to this physician who found
nothing wrong with him
physically. The doctor then suggested
that he take a day for some spiritual renewal. He was
to go to a place that had been special to him as a
child. He could take food, but nothing else. The doctor
then handed him four prescriptions - one to be read at 9
AM, one to be read at noon, one at 3 PM, and the final
one at 6 PM. The patient agreed and the next day, drove
himself to the beach.
At nine AM he opened the first
prescription, which read. “Listen carefully.” For three
hours do nothing but listen??? Our friend was annoyed,
but decided to obey. At first he heard the wind, the
birds, the surf—predictable beach sounds. But then he
found himself listening to his inner voice, reminding
him of some of the lessons the beach had taught him as n
child—patience, respect, the interdependence of the
different parts of nature. Soon, our friend was feeling
more peaceful than he had in a long time.
At noon he opened the second
prescription, and it said, “Try reaching back.” His
mind began to wander, and he discovered himself being
overwhelmed by all the moments of joy and blessing and
giftedness he had been given in the past.
At three he opened the third
prescription. This one was harder. It read, “Examine
your motives.” Defensively, this man listed all the
motivating factors of his life - success, recognition,
security - and found satisfactory explanations for them
all. But finally it occurred to him, in a shattering
moment, that those motives were not enough, that the
lack of a deeper motive probably accounted for the
staleness and boredom of his life.
“In a flash of certainty,” he wrote, “I
saw that if one’s motives are wrong, nothing can be
right. It makes no difference if you are a scientist, a
housewife, a mail carrier, or an attorney. It is only
when you are serving others, that you do the job well
and feel good. This is a law as irrefutable as
gravity.”
At six PM he read the final
prescription. It said, “Write your worries on the
sand.” He took a shell, scratched a few words, and then
walked away, never turning back. He knew, with a great
sense of relief, that the tide would come in, and his
anxieties would be washed away.”
My friends, The Wilderness - the
aloneness - the solitude that the wilderness affords -
the hardship - is an opportunity - a blessing - from the
Spirit of God. It is a place where we can be tested - a
place where we can grow into the maturity that we
require so that we can indeed face the world, in both
good times and in bad, and do there those things there
that God would have us do.
Lent
is a short season of six weeks intended to prepare us
for the great celebrations of Easter. The word Lent
comes from the old Anglo-Saxon and Old German words for
spring marked by days that lengthen. The idea of
penitence and fasting during Lent may have begun in
earlier, hungrier times as a means of spiritualizing
real shortages of food at this time of year.
The Gospel of today narrates how Jesus
triumphed over Satan. While in the wilderness for forty
days (this being a symbolic number), Satan tempted Him.
Jesus did not allow Himself to be seduced by Satan. He
came on earth to overthrow the worldly kingdom of Satan
that had its beginning when Adam disobeyed God in the
Garden of Eden. Jesus came on earth to reclaim God's
Kingdom that was rightfully His, but stolen by Satan
through sin.
Jesus concludes in this passage the
announcing in Galilee, 'The time is fulfilled, and the
kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the
good news.'
As members of the Kingdom of God, during
the Lenten Season, we are called to repent of our sins
that offend God. We are called to frequently remember
the triumph of Jesus. We are called to triumphantly live
our faith in Christ as baptized children of God. We are
called to go forward and shine by our obedience, our
servitude, our charity towards others, through prayers,
sacrifices, all in the love of God.
Doing so, we know that in the end, our
triumph shall also be glorious through the salvation
that we shall inherit as children of God.
Jesus
- had the Word of God - and He had prayer as his tools
for surviving in the wilderness. He had used these
tools before - in fact he used them every day of his
life - and he had them with him when he was driven out
by the Spirit into the wilderness. So Jesus was able to
keep his head about him - he had confidence - or what we
call faith - and it was this in the end that allowed him
to return from the wilderness safely and begin his work
as the Christ - as the one who was able to announce - as
we read in today’s scripture.
With
prayer Jesus kept in touch with God and with it he was
able to recognize the angels that God sent to minister
to him - to help him in the wilderness. With it Jesus
was able to resist giving in to the Devil.
When
we are in the wilderness of the Spirit is very important
to know how to pray - just as it is important when we
are in the forest to know how to fish and recognize what
berries are good to eat and which are poisonous.
Jesus
practiced prayer all of his life - so when he was driven
out into the wilderness - he was ready for all the tests
that came his way - he was ready to prove himself. He
knew how to talk to God and so he was able to find all
the things that God wanted him to find.
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