Seventh Sunday after Epiphany: Thursday, February 23. 2006

Old Testament Lesson

Proverbs 7:1-27

In this passage, sin is seen as so tempting, which it is. None of us are tempted to do things we don’t like. No one is tempted to eat broccoli, they are tempted to eat cheeseburgers. Today, the temptress comes in this text, and she speaks words that lead one to destruction. The text says like an ox lead to slaughter. That is what sin does to us. It looks so good, it looks like it will be the greatest thing ever. But, in fact, it will destroy us. We have all seen in our lives, people and families destroyed by sin. I believe no one commits sin thinking about the harm it will do their family; they aren’t thinking about that, they are thinking only about the good.

Likewise, the things of God look burdensome to some. Scripture, prayer, church; these things infringe upon their time. But, in reality, these things lead to life. It is the easy road of sin that leads to destruction, the disciplined road of God that leads to life. And, in reality, God’s road is not burdensome, but life giving. Today, will we choose the “easy” road of sin that leads to death or the “hard” road of God that leads to life?

New Testament Lesson

1 John 5:13-21

John reminds us in this text that those born of God will not continue to sin. That is not to say that they will commit sin, for we will all make mistakes. However, the one born of God cannot and must not continue a life of sin, that being a life of willful disobedient sin. We should be working to be more faithful each day, to know God’s grace more each day, and to allow that grace to work in our lives, that we can be more like our God calls us to be. We will make mistakes, we will commit sins. We will fall. The question becomes, will we get up?

Gospel Lesson

John 11:55-12:8

Mary honored Jesus today with the finest thing that she had. Mary didn’t have a lot of money, we are assuming she and her sister Martha were not married, since the text does not mention their husbands. She had this perfume that was worth a year’s wages, and she took part of it to wash Jesus’ feet. She knew that this earthly possession was of no worth when compared to the gift of serving Jesus. She literally laid it at his feet. Do we lay our possessions at his feet? Do we lay down our best at his feet? Or does He get the crumbs? Does He get what’s left over? Does He get the remains? Today, Mary served Jesus with her best. Do we do the same?