Lent III
Here is the handout from Bob and Cathy Mattson for the Third Sunday in Lent.
Jan van Eyck, "Crucifixion & Last Judgment" (1426)
THIRD SUNDAY IN LENT
Eternal Lord, your kingdom has broken into our troubled world through the life, death, and resurrection of your Son. Help us to hear your Word and obey it, so that we become instruments of your redeeming love; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Gospel: Luke 13: 1- 9
At that very time there were some present who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. 2 (Jesus) asked them, “Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were worse sinners than all the other Galileans? 3 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish as they did. 4 Or those eighteen who were killed when the tower of Siloam fell on them — do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others living Jerusalem? 5 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will perish just as they did.”
6 Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it and found none. 7 So he said to the gardener, ‘See here! For three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and still I find none. Cut it down! Why should it be wasting the soil?’ 8 He replied, ‘Sir, let it alone for one more year, until I dig around it and put manure on it. 9 If it bears fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.’”
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?
Thy will be done. (Matthew xxvi. 42)
Who is the man to keep this holy command to let go all things and seek his will in nothing? Therefore learn here how important and necessary it is, and with that earnestness of heart this prayer must be prayed, and what a mighty thing it is that our will be slain, and solely God’s Will be done. And thus you must confess yourself a sinner, powerless to do the will of God, and then must pray for help and grace that God forgive you for what is lacking and help you to do what is required. For our will must perish, if God’s Will is to be done; for they are set against each other. Notice that when Christ our Lord prayed in the garden, that His heavenly Father would take the cup from Him, He prayed even then: ‘Not my will, but thy will be done’. If even Christ’s Will, which was always truly good, and the best that ever was, had to cease, that His Father’s Will should be done, how shall we poor and wretched worms glory in our will, which is always tainted with evil and always deserves to be impeded?
“Expositions of the Lord’s Prayer for simple lay-folk” [W.A. 2. 102] Taken from the book: Day by Day We Magnify Thee by Martin Luther, p. 131