Pentecost 3–Faith Trusts God’s Power Even When Faced with Death Itself

Last Sunday we heard that faith trusts God’s power completely. This Sunday’s lessons sound the depth of that faith. Can our faith trust completely, even when faced with death itself? Facing our own mortality, or that of our loved ones, brings out the weakest parts of our character. And so, today the Church prays: Be gracious to us in our weakness and give us strength

Another thought that comes through powerfully this week is that God cares. He cares for you and me. In our hour of deepest need, even when it doesn’t seem like anyone else sees us, he sees us and he comes to us with his love and care. Filled with compassion he acts and does what only God can do, giving hope and peace and life. The first two verses of the Hymn of the Day When in the Hour of Utmost Need capture this thought well.

When in the hour of utmost need
We know not where to look for aid,
When days and nights of anxious thought
Nor help nor counsel yet have brought

Then is our comfort this alone
That we may meet before your throne;
To you, O faithful God, we cry
For rescue in our misery.

Text: Paul Eber, 1511–69, abr., adapt.; tr. Catherine Winkworth, 1827–78, alt.

THE GOSPEL: LUKE 7:11-17

A grieving heart finds unexpected joy as death is met by the Author of life. Leaving the people in awe at the display of his power, Jesus raises the young man of Nain from the dead. In so doing, Jesus brought joy to his mother and a promise of help to God’s people. Death is powerless before the Son of God. In this young man’s rising from death to life, Christ gives us a foretaste of what waits for God’s people. Faith trusts in Christ—even in the face of death.

FIRST LESSON: 1 KINGS 17:17-24

The [woman from Zarephath] expressed her faith in the Lord by providing for the Lord’s prophet, Elijah. But her faith is shaken at the death of her only son, himself a special gift from the Lord. But the Lord changes her sorrow into joy by raising her son from the dead. God was gracious to her in her weakness and gave her renewed strength of faith seen in those humble words of awe at this display of power, “Now I know.”

SECOND LESSON: GALATIANS 1:11-24

As a testimony to the power of the Christ and the authority of his gospel, Paul cites the example of his own previous way of life. The power of the Christ raises the spiritually dead to spiritual life. Paul who once persecuted the church, was redeemed and raised from death to new life in Christ—a life of service to the saints in the Lord’s Kingdom work and life forever in heaven.

SUPPLEMENTAL SECOND LESSON: PHILIPPIANS 1:18b-26

Live or die, Paul is at peace with the Lord’s will. The message of the risen Christ is being proclaimed. More than a prophet, Christ has come to bring life from death. Therefore, Paul knows and is confident of this: the Lord can and will bring joy even through the sorrow of death. We now know the Lord of life who took away Death’s sting. In him we can rejoice with Paul who said, “To live is Christ, and to die is gain.”

HT: Lesson summaries produced by Rev. Joel Gawrisch and Rev. Jonathan E. Schroeder in Planning Christian Worship Year C.

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What does “to live is Christ” mean?

Verse 22, 24-25, it means the fruitful labor of living for the sake of others so that they might progress and rejoice in their faith in Christ.

And what does “to die is gain” mean?

Verse 23, it means knowing and feeling that to die and be with Christ is far better than even the best joys of this life…if we call dying “gain” because, through it, we receive Christ–He is glorified.

HT: Christopher Powers

PSALM OF THE DAY: 30

Psalm 30 rejoices in God’s deliverance. “You have turned my mourning into dancing; you have loosed my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness…” (Psalm 30:11).

Both Psalms 30 and 31 are concerned with deliverance from death. Both appear to be psalms written during David’s old age, when he was hurrying to hand over the throne to Solomon and to complete preparations for the building of the temple before his own death. Since the principal danger he faced at this time was the conspiracy of Adonijah, the enemies referred to in these psalms may be the plotters who sided with Adonijah.

Brug, J. F. (1989). Psalms 1–72 (2nd ed., p. 129). Milwaukee, WI: Northwestern Pub. House.

HYMN OF THE DAY: When in the Hour of Utmost Need

Text: 2 Chron. 20: 12
Author: Paul Eber, 1560
Based from the Latin hymn by Joachim Camerarius
Translated by: Caatherine Winkworth, 1858, alt.
Titled: “Wenn wir in hoechsten Noeten sein”
Tune: “Wenn wir in hoechsten Noeten”
1st Published in: Genevan Psalter, 1547

ADDITIONAL MUSIC: Big Enough by the Clark Family

Questions to Consider

(Please share your answers/thoughts in the comments below)

1. What is God saying to me in these lessons?
2. For what do these lessons lead me to give thanks?
3. What sins do these lessons lead me to confess?
4. For what do these lessons lead me to pray?
5. What is the connecting thought that sticks out the most in these lessons? What major theme(s) connect(s) all the lessons?