Fifth Sunday after Epiphany, February 5, 2006

Old Testament Lesson

Genesis 25: 19-34

Jacob and Esau are two complicated folks. When you look at them, Jacob was a scoundrel, and we think, how could God pass down the promise through this sorry joker. But, two things to notice. First, once again the promise of God is not dependant upon the person, but rather upon God. Jacob was sorry, but his sorriness did not cancel out the promise of God. All throughout the Bible, God used imperfect people to do His will. The same holds true today. God uses imperfect people like me and you to do His will. We must strive and seek after Him, but if God is going to use only the perfect ones, then there would be no one left for God to use.

Second as much as Jacob was a scoundrel, Esau just didn't' care. He the birth rite, and he sold it for food. He chose his own pleasure over the higher thing. So often, we choose what we want instead of what God needs us to do. If we will do God's we will be satisfied. Now, we may not every everything we want, but we will have what we need and will be satisfied in God's grace. So often we chase the things of the world, thinking they will make us happy, and we find ourselves empty. Only in God can we be full, and only is His will can we find not what we think we want, but what we really need.

New Testament Lesson

Hebrews 13:1-16

These are the concluding remarks of Hebrews. Most New Testament letters end with similar thought, which basically can be summed up in this, do what is right. Today, we see words of encouragement to hold to sound doctrine, care for the less fortunate, love both friend and stranger, stay away from lust (both sexual and of money). In all these things, do the things that you know are right. Christianity is not complicated; Jesus said we are to love God and love neighbor. That is not hard to understand, it is just hard to do. CS Lewis said no one knows how bad they are until they try very hard to be good. The faith we are to live is not hard to understand, but we cannot do it on our own. We need God's grace each day. That is why we must read the Word, pray, and spend time with God' children. We need the grace that we receive in this things. We need His grace to live as He wants. We cannot do it on our own. We cannot do the things God wants us to with Him. But with Him, we can. Are you spending enough with Jesus that you can do the things that He will? Apart from Him, we can do noting, with Him, all things are possible.

Gospel Lesson

John 7:37-52

This text has one of the more famous verse in scripture "Thus the people were divided because of Jesus." That's not an image we always think of with Jesus. We think of Him in terms of unity and peace. But, the Word also says that He will bring division, because He forces us to make a choice. Are we with Him, or against Him. Jesus does not settle for second in our heart, either. We cannot be lukewarm, we must either be hot or cold for Him. What are we today? Are we obedient to Him, is He Lord our lives, or is Jesus just a Sunday thing. They were divided because of Jesus. He makes us choose. Do you chose to follow Him today? That is the choice that we must make, today. Which way will we choose?