Fifth Sunday after Pentecost
Jesus Had to Suffer; He Had to Be Killed
These are the readings for the Fifth Sunday after Pentecost.
God’s Word for This Week
Jesus, crucified for us, calls us to pick up our crosses and follow him. What love that he wanted to die for us while being cruelly abused by men and abandoned by his Father.
Traditional First Lesson – Zechariah 13:7-9
What did the LORD of hosts declare? (See verse 7.)
The LORD declared, “Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, against the man who is close to me! Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered, and I will turn my hand against the little ones” (Zechariah 13:7).
What does the Lord’s declaration mean? (See 13:7.)
The Lord’s declaration means that even though one man would be close to him, other men would brutally attack that man (Jesus) and scatter his dear followers.
The Lord does not say here that he will let his people be severely tested. What does he say? (See 13:20.)
The Lord says here that he himself will bring the remnant of his people into fire. He will refine them like silver and test them like gold. (That requires a very hot fire.)
Supplemental First Lesson – Genesis 39:6b-12,16-23
What did Potiphar’s wife try to get Joseph, her husband’s trusted employee, to do?
Potiphar’s wife tried to get Joseph to have sexual intercourse with her.
How did Potiphar, Joseph’s master respond?
Potiphar got angry when his wife accused Joseph of trying to make fun of her (and worse). We do not read with whom he was angry, so we should not assume he was angry with Joseph; he may have been angry with his wife. In any case, Joseph was thrown in prison.
Things went well for Joseph in prison. The lesson for us?
The way things went well for Joseph in prison—part of the whole story of how God turned bad into good with Joseph and his family—teaches us to do the right thing always, for God’s sake. Following what God says may make us enemies and cause us many troubles, but God’s way is the best way. In the end, we will see it.
Traditional Second Lesson – Galatians 3:23-29
Why did God put his Old Testament law in charge of his Old Testament people, the Jews? (See 3:24.)
God put his Old Testament law in charge of the Jews before Jesus to lead them to Christ by showing them how much they needed a Savior. He wanted the burden of keeping the law to lead people to hunger for relief. His goal: declare all believers righteous through faith in Jesus.
Now that faith in Christ crucified has come, we are no longer under the tutoring and supervision of the law like young children. What are we? (See 3:26.)
Now that faith has come, instead of being like little children who need supervision, we are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.
Supplemental Second Lesson – Hebrews 11:24-26
When Moses refused to be known any more as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, what result was he choosing?
By letting everyone know he was an Israelite, Moses deliberately chose to be mistreated.
Why did Moses think of disgrace for Christ’s sake as more valuable than the treasures of Egypt?
Moses thought of disgrace, for Christ’s sake, as more valuable than the treasures of Egypt because he did not intend to get a reward right away. He was looking ahead to a reward. (Think of what Moses turned his back on. The remains of a minor young pharaoh from that era, Tutankhamun, were found inside a coffin of gold.)
Gospel – Luke 9:18-24
How did Jesus react when Peter confessed him as God’s Anointed One? (See 9:20,21.)
When Peter confessed Jesus as God’s Anointed One, Jesus strictly warned the Twelve not to tell anyone.
Why did Jesus say he must suffer many things and must be killed? (See 9:22.)
Jesus had to suffer and die for us a) because there was no other way for us to be rescued than for a perfect substitute to offer himself willingly in our place under God’s judgment and b) because his great love for us compelled him to go through with it.
What will happen to you if you want to save your life? If you lose your life for Jesus? (See 9:24.)
If you want to save your life, you will lose it, but whoever loses his life for Jesus will save it.
