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Sermon Starters

Support and Resources For Pastors and
Christian Ministry Professionals
Thomas F. Fischer, M.Div., M.S.A., Editor

Epiphany 7
Series C

"Gifts For Your Enemies"
Luke 6:27-38

 Option One: Rev. Kelly Bedard

"Seeing In--And Through--The Dark"
2 Corinthians 4:3-6

A. Blind Vision

    1. Ignorance concerning divine things and human duties
    2. Ungodliness and immorality, consequent misery in hell

B. Kind Vision

    1. Enlightened to understand spiritual truth
    2. The glory of Christ, consequent godliness and morality

Notes:

1. "If the Gospel is veiled or hidden, its hidden-ness is due to the condition of the hearers." (Henry Gerike, Concordia Journal, January 2001)

2. "Ministers are servants to the souls of men; they must avoid becoming servants to the humors or the lusts of men." (Matthew Henry's Commentary)

3. kalupto (verse 3): to hide, veil; to hinder the knowledge of a thing

4. apollumi (verse 3): to destroy; to put out of the way entirely, abolish, put an end to ruin; render useless; to kill; to declare that one must be put to death; metaphorically, to devote or give over to eternal misery in hell

5. tuphloo (verse 4): to blind, make blind; in the NT metaphor, to blunt the mental discernment, darken the mind

6. doxa (verse 4): glory; opinion, judgment, view; estimate, whether good or bad, concerning someone; in the NT, always a good opinion

7. eikon (verse 4): an image, figure, likeness; used of the moral likeness of renewed people to God; the image of the Son of God, into which true Christians are transformed, is likeness not only to the heavenly body, but also to the most holy and blessed state of mind, which Christ possesses

8. doulos (verse 5): a slave; a person of servile condition; metaphorically, one who gives himself up to another's will; those whose service is used by Christ in extending and advancing His cause among people; devoted to another to the disregard of one's own interests

9. phos (verse 6): light; a heavenly light such as surrounds angels when they appear on earth; metaphorically, God is light because light has the extremely delicate, subtle, pure, brilliant quality; of truth and its knowledge, together with the spiritual purity associated with it; that which is exposed to the view of all, openly, publicly; the power of understanding, especially moral and spiritual truth

10. skotos (verse 6): darkness; of night darkness; of darkened eyesight or blindness; metaphorically, of ignorance respecting divine things and human duties, and the accompanying ungodliness and immorality, together with their consequent misery in hell

11. prosopon (verse 6): the face; countenance, look; the face so far forth as it is the organ of sight and, by its various movements and changes, the index of the inward thoughts and feelings; the appearance one presents by wealth or property, rank or low condition; outward circumstances, external condition; used in expressions which denote to regard the person in one's judgment and treatment of people; the outward appearance of inanimate things 

Rev. Kelly Bedard

Option Two: Rev. Wayne Dobratz

“I Saw The Light!”
Lk. 9:28-36

Intro: I saw the ad in USA Today Magazine. It was for a winter sun lamp. It was a reading lamp with another purpose. It is also designed to lift your mood. The theory is that on these dark days of winter not enough light reaches the brain mood-control center. The light serves as artificial sunshine until we get the real thing back in springtime.

The light that Peter, James & John saw on the Mountain of Transfiguration also lifts the mood. Seeing Jesus in his glory, we can say with them: I SAW THE LIGHT!

I. It encourages us that the rule of darkness will end.
A. Jesus said: "I am the Light of the World."
B. The people who walk in darkness see His great light-Isa. 9:1-2 & Mt. 4:12-17
C. He leads out of sin's darkness into his glorious light John 3:19-21, John 8:12,
D. Jesus' light shone on them as a picture of His light shining within His people-2 Cor. 4:6

II. It gives a preview of the joy of seeing Jesus in eternal life
A. As in Matt. 17:2
B. As in Acts 7:55-56
C. As in Rev. 21:22-23

III. It is a preview of the glory awaiting those who serve the Lord
A. As in Dan. 12:3
B. As in 1 Cor. 9:25
C. As in 2 Tim. 4:8
D. As in James 1:12
E. As in 1 Peter 5:4

Martin Luther writes about the Transfiguration:

"Here God teaches, by the appearance of Moses and Elijah that those whom we call dead are not dead, and that the death of believers is really an ascent and a removal to brighter and happier existence in the light of God's presence." Conclusion: Peter said: "Lord, it is good for us to be here." We understand, Peter; sometimes we get a little homesick too.

Homesick sometimes want to go home; aching with longing wherever I roam. Weary sometimes, wishing to be there in the glory eternally. Coming sometime, great trumpet shout! Glorious daybreak! Joy will abound. Trading sometime, body of clay, for one immortal. Hurry, blessed day!

Rev. Wayne Dobratz

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