1. Seventh Sunday in Epiphany: God Manifests
His Perfect Holiness in Christ through
Compassion and Forgiveness
Leviticus 19:1–2, 9–18; 1 Corinthians 3:10–23;
Matthew 5:38–48; Psalm 119:33-40
2. THE SEVENTH SUNDAY AFTER THE EPIPHANY
Leviticus 19:1–2, 9–18
1 Corinthians 3:10–23
Matthew 5:38–48
God Manifests His Perfect Holiness in Christ through Compassion and Forgiveness
God reveals His perfect holiness in compassion as “He makes His sun rise on the evil and on
the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust” (Matt. 5:45). By His grace in Jesus
Christ we are holy just as He is holy (Lev. 19:2) and we are “God’s temple” in whom “God’s
Spirit dwells” (1 Cor. 3:16). This gift of holiness begins with fearing, loving, and trusting God
above all things and leads us to love our neighbor as ourselves (Lev. 19:18). No longer should
we practice “injustice in court”; no longer should we “be partial to the poor or defer to the
great”; no longer should we “go around as a slanderer” among God‘s people; no longer should
we “take vengeance or bear a grudge” (Lev. 19:15-18). Though we were His enemies, our
Lord Jesus Christ has loved us and forgiven us. Nourished and sustained by His holy body and
blood under the bread and wine of His holy Supper, we “shall be holy” (Lev. 19:2) even as the
Lord our God is holy.
3. O Holy Spirit, descend plentifully
into my heart. Enlighten the dark
corners of this neglected dwelling
and scatter there Thy cheerful
beams.
Saint Augustine
How does God make us holy?
4.
5. Use your prayer notes.
Use a verse from the
bible to reflect on.
Pray about holiness.
P raise
R epentance
A ppreciation
Y ou
E veryone
R esolve
In peace, let us pray to the Lord: faith, turning from our sins,
Lord, have mercy.
trusting in Christ for forgiveness
and growing in works of mercy
For all people, that we might
and acts of charity for our
have confidence in our right
neighbors, let us pray to the
standing before God the Father Lord: Lord, have mercy.
because of the perfect
righteousness that comes only For this country, that those
from Jesus, let us pray to the
whom God has set into positions
Lord: Lord, have mercy.
of public trust would serve
honorably. Grant that we might
For this congregation, that we be guarded from all harm and
might show forth the mercy we danger and that our citizens
have received by an abundance would submit to the governing
of good works, serving our
authorities, loving, honoring,
neighbors with the love we have serving and obeying those
known in our Savior, let us pray whom God has placed over us,
to the Lord: Lord, have mercy. let us pray to the Lord: Lord,
have mercy.
For all Christians, that we might
be granted a genuine, repentant
6.
For the sick and suffering,
[especially
_________________,] that
God might grant them relief
Use your prayer notes. from pain and healing for their
Use a verse from the afflictions according to His
will, let us pray to the Lord:
bible to reflect on.
Pray about holiness. Lord, have mercy.
P raise
R epentance
A ppreciation
Y ou
E veryone
R esolve
receive these treasures for
forgiveness and everlasting life,
let us pray to the Lord: Lord,
have mercy.
For the faithful who have been
gathered into the heavenly
home, let us give thanks to the
Lord, asking Him to bring us
For those who grieve the death with them to the day that never
of loved ones, that they might ends in the Kingdom of our
have hope in the promise of the Father, let us pray to the Lord:
resurrection of the dead and
Lord, have mercy.
eternal life for all believers in
Jesus, let us pray to the Lord: These things and whatever else
Lord, have mercy.
You know that we need, kind
Father, grant us for the sake of
For those who receive the body Your beloved Son, Jesus Christ,
and blood of Jesus at this altar who lives and reigns with You
today, that in genuine and
and the Holy Spirit, one God,
repentant faith they might
now and forever. Amen.
7. God Manifests His Perfect Holiness in Christ
through Compassion and Forgiveness
Meet w/teams
3-5 min per box
What are the major points of your text?
How does your topic fit the pericope
theme?
How does it connect to the other texts?
How is it unique?
8. Leviticus 19:1-2
Various Laws
19 The LORD said to
Moses, 2 ―Speak to the entire
assembly of Israel and say to them:
‗Be holy because I, the LORD your
God, am holy.
Leviticus 19:9-18
9 ―‗When you reap the harvest of
your land, do not reap to the very
edges of your field or gather the
gleanings of your harvest. 10 Do not
go over your vineyard a second
time or pick up the grapes that have
fallen. Leave them for the poor and
the foreigner. I am theLORD your
God.
11 ―‗Do not steal.
―‗Do not lie.
―‗Do not deceive one another.
12 ―‗Do not swear falsely by my
nameand so profane the name of
your God. I am the LORD.
13 ―‗Do not defraud or rob your
neighbor.
―‗Do not hold back the wages of a
hired worker overnight.
14 ―‗Do not curse the deaf or put a
stumbling block in front of the
blind, but fear your God. I am
the LORD.
15 ―‗Do not pervert justice; do not
show partiality to the poor or
favoritism to the great, but judge
your neighbor fairly.
16 ―‗Do not go about spreading
slanderamong your people.
―‗Do not do anything that endangers
your neighbor‘s life. I am the LORD.
17 ―‗Do not hate a fellow Israelite in
your heart. Rebuke your neighbor
franklyso you will not share in their
guilt.
18 ―‗Do not seek revenge or bear a
grudge against anyone among your
people, but love your neighbor as
yourself. I am the LORD.
9. 1 Corinthians 3:10-23
10 By the grace God has given me, I
laid a foundation as a wise builder,
and someone else is building on it.
But each one should build with
care. 11 For no one can lay any
foundation other than the one
already laid, which is Jesus
Christ.12 If anyone builds on this
foundation using gold, silver, costly
stones, wood, hay or straw, 13 their
work will be shown for what it
is, because the Day will bring it to
light. It will be revealed with fire,
and the fire will test the quality of
each person‘s work. 14 If what has
been built survives, the builder will
receive a reward. 15 If it is burned
up, the builder will suffer loss but
yet will be saved—even though
only as one escaping through the
flames.
16 Don‘t you know that you
yourselves are God‘s temple and
that God‘s Spirit dwells in your
midst? 17 If anyone destroys God‘s
temple, God will destroy that
person; for God‘s temple is sacred,
and you together are that temple.
18 Do not deceive yourselves. If any
of you think you are wise by the
standards of this age, you should
become ―fools‖ so that you may
become wise. 19 For the wisdom of
this world is foolishness in God‘s
sight. As it is written: ―He catches
the wise in their craftiness‖[a]; 20 and
again, ―The Lord knows that the
thoughts of the wise are
futile.‖[b] 21 So then, no more
boasting about human leaders! All
things are yours, 22 whether Paul or
Apollos or Cephas[c] or the world or
life or death or the present or the
future—all are yours, 23 and you are
of Christ, and Christ is of God.
10. Matthew 5:38-48
causes his sun to rise on the evil and the
Eye for Eye
good, and sends rain on the righteous
38 ―You have heard that it was said, ‗Eye and the unrighteous. 46 If you love those
for eye, and tooth for tooth.‘[a] 39 But I who love you, what reward will you
tell you, do not resist an evil person. If get? Are not even the tax collectors
anyone slaps you on the right cheek,
doing that? 47 And if you greet only
turn to them the other cheek also.40 And your own people, what are you doing
if anyone wants to sue you and take
more than others? Do not even pagans
your shirt, hand over your coat as
do that? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your
well. 41 If anyone forces you to go one heavenly Father is perfect.
mile, go with them two miles. 42 Give to
the one who asks you, and do not turn
away from the one who wants to
borrow from you.
Love for Enemies
43 ―You have heard that it was said,
‗Love your neighbor[b] and hate your
enemy.‘ 44 But I tell you, love your
enemies and pray for those who
persecute you, 45 that you may be
children of your Father in heaven. He
11. 40 How I long for your precepts!
Psalm 119:33-40
He
In your righteousness preserve my
33 Teach me, LORD, the way of your
life.
decrees,
that I may follow it to the end.[a]
34 Give me understanding, so that I may
keep your law
and obey it with all my heart.
35 Direct me in the path of your
commands,
for there I find delight.
36 Turn my heart toward your statutes
and not toward selfish gain.
37 Turn my eyes away from worthless
things;
preserve my life according to your
word.[b]
38 Fulfill your promise to your servant,
so that you may be feared.
39 Take away the disgrace I dread,
for your laws are good.
12. The Transfiguration of
Our Lord: God Manifests
His Glory in the Body of
Christ Jesus, Transfigured
for Us by His Cross
Exodus 24:8–18 The Covenant
Confirmed
2 Peter 1:16–21 Prophecy of
Scripture
Matthew 17:1–9 The Transfiguration
Psalm 2:6-12 I have installed my king
on Zion
13. Exodus 24:8–18; 2 Peter 1:16–21; Matthew
17:1–9; Psalm 2:6-12
2 Peter 1:16-21
covered them, and a voice from the cloud said,
―This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am
16 For we did not follow cleverly devised stories well pleased. Listen to him!‖
Exodus 24:8-18
when we told you about the coming of our Lord 6 When the disciples heard this, they fell
8 Moses then took the blood, sprinkled it on the Jesus Christ in power, but we were eyewitnesses facedown to the ground, terrified.7 But Jesus
people and said, ―This is the blood of the
of his majesty. 17 He received honor and glory came and touched them.―Get up,‖ he said.
covenant that the LORD has made with you in from God the Father when the voice came to
―Don‘t be afraid.‖8 When they looked up, they
accordance with all these words.‖
him from the Majestic Glory, saying, ―This is saw no one except Jesus.
9 Moses and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and the
my Son, whom I love; with him I am well
9 As they were coming down the mountain,
10 and saw the
[a] 18 We ourselves heard this voice that Jesus instructed them, ―Don‘t tell anyone what
seventy elders of Israel went up
pleased.‖
God of Israel. Under his feet was something like came from heaven when we were with him on you have seen, until the Son of Man has been
a pavement made of lapis lazuli, as bright blue the sacred mountain.
raised from the dead.‖
11 But God did not raise his hand
19 We also have the prophetic message as
as the sky.
against these leaders of the Israelites; they
something completely reliable, and you will do Psalm 2:6-12
saw God, and they ate and drank.
well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in 6 ―I have installed my king
12 The LORD said to Moses, ―Come up to me on a dark place, until the day dawns and the
on Zion, my holy mountain.‖
20 Above all,
the mountain and stay here, and I will give you morning star rises in your hearts.
7 I will proclaim the LORD‘s decree:
the tablets of stone with the law and
you must understand that no prophecy of
He said to me, ―You are my son;
commandments I have written for their
Scripture came about by the prophet‘s own
today I have become your father.
21 For prophecy never
instruction.‖
interpretation of things.
8 Ask me,
13 Then Moses set out with Joshua his aide, and had its origin in the human will, but prophets,
and I will make the nationsyour inheritance,
14 He
Moses went up on the mountain of God.
though human, spoke from God as they were
the ends of the earth your possession.
said to the elders, ―Wait here for us until we
carried along by the Holy Spirit.
9 You will break them with a rod of iron[a];
come back to you. Aaron and Hur are with you,
you will dash them to pieceslike pottery.‖
and anyone involved in a dispute can go to
Matthew 17:1-9
10 Therefore, you kings, be wise;
them.‖
The Transfiguration
be warned, you rulers of the earth.
15 When Moses went up on the mountain, the
17 After six days Jesus took with him Peter,
11 Serve the LORD with fear
16 and the glory of
cloud covered it,
James and John the brother of James, and led
and celebrate his rule with trembling.
the LORD settled on Mount Sinai. For six days them up a high mountain by themselves. 2 There 12 Kiss his son, or he will be angry
the cloud covered the mountain, and on the
he was transfigured before them. His face shone and your way will lead to your destruction,
seventh day theLORD called to Moses from
like the sun, and his clothes became as white as for his wrath can flare up in a moment.
17 To the Israelites the glory of the light. 3 Just then there appeared before them
within the cloud.
Blessed are all who take refugein him.
the LORD looked like a consuming fire on top of Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus. 4 Peter
the mountain. 18 Then Moses entered the cloud said to Jesus, ―Lord, it is good for us to be here.
as he went on up the mountain. And he stayed If you wish, I will put up three shelters—one for
on the mountain forty days and forty nights.
you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.‖
5 While he was still speaking, a bright cloud