Pentecost 5–Followers of Christ Expect Persecution

Is faithfulness to Christ worth the trouble it brings? The life of faith is lived in a godless world, and it is therefore certain to be met with persecution. Like our Suffering Savior, we too bear his cross in our daily interactions with the unholy trio. The Lord, however, uses these persecutions suffered for the sake of the Gospel to refine us into the pure, precious metal of his children. Strengthened through the means of grace, we boldly confess Jesus as the Christ in the face of any persecution or trouble. The Church prays that God in his mercy would direct the affairs of this world so that the Church might have peace, but at the same time, we prepare ourselves for persecution.

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

PRAYER OF THE DAY

O Lord, our God, govern the nations on earth and direct the affairs of this world so that your Church may worship you in peace and joy; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

VERSE OF THE DAY

Alleluia. Because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” Alleluia. (Galatians 4:6 cf. NIV)

THE GOSPEL: LUKE 9:18-24

In a private moment, Jesus offers the disciples an opportunity to confess their faith. They confess Jesus as “the Christ of God.” These men so bold in faith have no idea what lies ahead. Jesus warns them of his impending suffering and glorious resurrection. But the suffering is not his alone. To all who confess Jesus as Lord and Savior come trials and suffering on account of his name. We bear his cross on our heads and hearts at the risk of our lives. But to him who overcomes is given the crown of eternal life.

Question to Consider: What does it actually mean to “deny oneself”?

Artwork: The Christian Soul Accepts His Cross

Totally surrounded by crosses, Christ accepts his. He is followed by a young woman in the same pose wearing a wreath of flowers and identified as the Christian Soul. While this work is undoubtedly by a French artist, no convincing suggestion as to its attribution has been made to date.

I am actually not sure what I think about this piece, but it is definitely thought-provoking. What do you think?

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Artist	Anonymous
Title	The Christian Soul accepts the Cross
Date	Ca. 1630
Medium	Oil Support Canvas
Dimensions	Height: 72.7 cm.; Width: 58.7 cm
Collection	Provenance Royal Collection

FIRST LESSON: ZECHARIAH 13:7-9

In this prophetic vision of Jesus as the suffering Messiah, the Shepherd is struck and the flock is scattered. The sound of disciples’ feet fleeing into the darkness first fulfilled this prophecy in the Garden of Gethsemane. Yet God makes a promise: suffering for the Gospel is his way of refining his children. As fire removes impurities from gold and silver, so persecution refines the faith of God’s people. Only with this knowledge can we understand what Luther meant when he said that the absence of persecution is total persecution.

SECOND LESSON: GALATIANS 3:23-29

How can a Christian rejoice even in suffering and persecution? When we know that these sufferings are for the sake of Christ who bought us and made us his heirs. We confess Christ even in the face of persecution because we belong to Christ and look forward to an inheritance that no suffering, no evil, no attack can take away from us. Paul contrasts the harsh imprisonment of the law with the gracious freedom of the gospel that comes through faith. In this contrast, we see how the Lord can use the trials of life and temptations of the heart to build a deeper appreciation for his gracious salvation in Jesus Christ. Through baptism, we have been made equal and unified heirs of the promise, boldly claiming our inheritance from the Father.

SUPPLEMENTAL FIRST LESSON: GENESIS 39:6B-12, 16-23

Is faithfulness to Christ worth the trouble it brings? Under daily pressure, Joseph knew the struggle of contemplating that question. When confronted with the blatant seduction of evil, he boldly confessed his obedience to the Lord only to find himself wrongly imprisoned. Yet through this trial, the Lord blessed Joseph, preparing him for future leadership and the saving of many lives. God had not forgotten him; God was refining him; God was preparing him for future service.

Artwork: Joseph and Potiphar’s Wife by Guido Reni

Many of the “Joseph and Potiphar’s Wife” depictions from classical artwork are probably too provocative for the modern Christian viewer, showing the woman in various or total states of undress. These older works as disagreeable as they might be to the modern Christian eyes show more fully from what Joseph was fleeing. To resist a fully clothed woman is one thing, to resist one without covering is another.

Artist	Guido Reni  (1575–1642)
Title	Joseph and Potiphar’s Wife
Object type	painting
Genre	religious art
Date	about 1630
Medium	oil on canvas
Dimensions	Height: 1,289 mm (50.74 ″); W: 1,700 mm (66.92″)
Collection	Getty Center
Current location	Getty Center

SUPPLEMENTAL SECOND LESSON: HEBREWS 11:24-26

Is faithfulness worth the trouble it brings? For Moses, faithfulness meant giving up power, riches, and pleasure so great that the world still marvels at ancient Egypt’s glories. Even more, than abstaining from these, faithfulness meant Moses would leave nobility behind and identify himself with an enslaved people. Such trouble for being faithful! Moses, however, knew the Hope of Israel and regarded this disgrace for the sake of Christ to be worth more than all the treasures of Egypt.

Artwork: Events in the Life of Moses by Sandro Botticelli

Artist	Sandro Botticelli  (1445–1510)
Title	Español: Eventos en la vida de Moisés.
Date	1481-82.
Medium	Fresco.
Dimensions	Height: 348.5 cm (11.4 ft); Width: 558 cm (18.3 ft)
Collection	Sistine Chapel

PSALM OF THE DAY: Psalm 22

This psalm is one of the most important of all psalms. No psalm is quoted more frequently in the New Testament. This psalm rises above the surrounding psalms, which describe primarily the sufferings and triumphs of David, in order to give us a graphic picture of the suffering and triumph of the Messiah. The first half of the psalm portrays the humiliation and suffering of the Messiah. Only Isaiah chapter 53 equals this psalm as an Old Testament description of the Savior’s suffering. The second half describes the Messiah’s exaltation.

Brug, J. F. (1989). Psalms 1–72 (2nd ed., p. 105). Milwaukee, WI: Northwestern Pub. House.

Responsorial: My God, Why Have You Abandoned Me?

Arranged by Jeremy Mayfield

Go here to download the chord chart & lead sheet

Modern Song: Forsaken Me

Composer: My Soul Among Lions

Music and lyrics by Jody Killingsworth.

Engineered and mixed by Darius Fong at The Lodge Studios in Indianapolis, IN. Mastered by Darius Fong at Scott Frankfurt Studio in Woodland Hills, CA.

Chant: My God, My God, Why Have You Abandoned Me?

(A024, B029, C029)

William Ferris Chorale Lectionary Psalms, Vol. 4

℗ 2013 World Library Publications

HYMN OF THE DAY: Lord Jesus Christ, the Church’s Head

Not so much out there. Taking suggestions. 🙂

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?