1. Fifth S. a. the Epiphany
The Righteousness of Christ
Is. 58:3–9a; 1 Cor. 2:1–16; Matt. 5:13–20; Psalm 112:1–9
2. THE FIFTH SUNDAY AFTER THE EPIPHANY
Isaiah 58:3–9a
1 Corinthians 2:1–12 (13–16)
Matthew 5:13–20
The Righteousness of Christ
Jesus warns that “unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will
never enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 5:20), but He also calls His imperfect people “the
salt of the earth” and “the light of the world” (Matt. 5:13, 14). That‘s because the Lord Jesus
came not to abolish the Law or the Prophets, “but to fulfill them” (Matt. 5:17) in perfect faith
and love. Since He does and teaches all of God‘s commandments, He is “called great in the
kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 5:19). God manifests His “demonstration of the Spirit and of
power” in “Jesus Christ and Him crucified” (1 Cor. 2:2-4) and through the preaching of the
Gospel gives His “secret and hidden wisdom” (1 Cor. 2:7). Christ gives this perfect
righteousness to His people and it leads them to true fasting, which is “to loose the bonds of
wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free” (Is. 58:6) and “to share
your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house” (Is. 58:7).
4. Thy strong Word did cleave the darkness;
At Thy speaking it was done.
For created light we thank Thee
While Thine ordered seasons run.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Praise to Thee who light dost send!
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Alleluia without end!
Lo, on those who dwelt in darkness,
Dark as night and deep as death,
Broke the light of Thy salvation,
Breathed Thine own life-giving breath.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Praise to Thee who light dost send!
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Alleluia without end!
Thy strong Word bespeaks us righteous;
Bright with Thine own holiness,
Glorious now, we press toward glory,
And our lives our hopes confess.
Praise to Thee who light dost send!
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Alleluia without end!
Give us lips to sing Thy glory,
Tongues Thy mercy to proclaim,
Throats to shout the hope that fills us,
Mouths to speak Thy holy name.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
May the light which Thou dost send,
Fill our songs with alleluias,
Alleluias without end!
God the Father, light-creator,
To Thee laud and honor be.
To Thee, Light from Light begotten,
Praise be sung eternally.
Holy Spirit, light-revealer,
Glory, glory be to Thee.
Mortals, angels, now and ever
Praise the Holy Trinity!
5. Use your prayer notes.
Use a verse from the
bible to reflect on.
Pray about how
righteoussness.
P raise
R epentance
A ppreciation
Y ou
E veryone
R esolve
Let us pray for the whole Church of others to catechize and carry out
God in Christ Jesus and for all
works of mercy in the world. Bless
people according to their needs.
all those who study for church
vocations in our seminaries and
Heavenly Father, You have
universities, that their studies might
appointed Your Church to be a city build them up in the joy of Your
on a hill, shining the light of Your Gospel and prepare them to share
mercy into the world and gathering Your Word with confidence and
Your own to receive Your precious love…
gifts of forgiveness, life and mercy.
Use us joyfully to invite and
Heavenly Father, through the
welcome our neighbors, co-workers prophets You declare that the fasting
and acquaintances to join us in
You accept is to share our food with
receiving Your gifts. Lord, in Your the hungry and our homes with the
mercy, hear our prayer.
homeless. Guard us from selfabsorption, gluttony and other vices
Heavenly Father, Your Son
that prevent us from extending Your
commanded us to pray to the Lord bounty to those less fortunate. Grant
of the harvest to send laborers into shelter to those who have none, food
the field. In answer to that
to those who hunger and honest
prayer, You raise up men to serve work to the unemployed. Use Your
Your people with Your Word and
people to extend Your mercy, and
Sacraments. You raise up
lift us to the joy of sharing our daily
teachers, deacons, deaconesses, dire bread…
ctors of Christian education and
6.
Heavenly Father, Your mercies are blood for forgiveness and depart
new to us every morning, and yet with renewed love for our
we often know the pain of
neighbors…
sickness, injury, sorrow and other
frailties. In Your never-failing
Lord of life, receive our thanks for
Use your prayer notes. mercy, remember those who have Your faithful servants who now
Use a verse from the requested our
rest in Christ. Bring us with them
bible to reflect on.
intercessions, [especially
to the light and joy of Your eternal
________________,] that they
kingdom and to the feast that never
Pray about how
might have healing and wholeness ends…
righteousness.
according to Your will and grace to
P raise
entrust themselves to Your merciful Into Your hands, O Lord, we
R epentance
hands as they endure with courage commend all for whom we
A ppreciation
and hope whatever crosses and
pray, trusting in Your mercy;
Y ou
afflictions You are pleased to
through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our
E veryone
allow…
Lord. Amen.
R esolve
Heavenly Father, Your Son came to
perfectly fulfill Your holy Law.
Give us confidence and faith in His
unfailing obedience as we
approach Your altar today, that we
might receive His true body and
7. The Righteousness of Christ
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. Isaiah 58:3-9
to let the oppressed[b] go free,
3 ‗Why have we fasted, and you see it
and to break every yoke?
7 Is it not to share your bread with the
not?
hungry
Why have we humbled
and bring the homeless poor into
ourselves, and you take no knowledge
your house;
of it?‘
Behold, in the day of your fast you seek when you see the naked, to cover him,
and not to hide yourself from your
your own pleasure,[a]
own flesh?
and oppress all your workers.
4 Behold, you fast only to quarrel and to 8 Then shall your light break forth like
the dawn,
fight
and your healing shall spring up
and to hit with a wicked fist.
speedily;
Fasting like yours this day
will not make your voice to be heard your righteousness shall go before you;
the glory of the LORD shall be your
on high.
5 Is such the fast that I choose,
rear guard.
9
a day for a person to humble himself? Then you shall call, and the LORDwill
Is it to bow down his head like a reed, answer;
you shall cry, and he will say, ‗Here I
and to spread sackcloth and ashes
am.‘
under him?
If you take away the yoke from your
Will you call this a fast,
midst,
and a day acceptable to theLORD?
the pointing of the finger, and
6 ―Is not this the fast that I choose:
speaking wickedness,
to loose the bonds of wickedness,
to undo the straps of the yoke,
9. 10 these things God has revealed to us through
1 Corinthians 2:1-16
the Spirit. For the Spirit searches
Proclaiming Christ Crucified
everything, even the depths of God. 11 For who
[a] did
2 And I, when I came to you, brothers,
knows a person's thoughts except the spirit of
not come proclaiming to you the
that person, which is in him? So also no one
testimony[b] of God with lofty speech or
comprehends the thoughts of God except the
wisdom. 2 For I decided to know nothing
Spirit of God. 12 Now we have received not the
among you except Jesus Christ and him
spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from
crucified. 3 And I was with you in weakness God, that we might understand the things
and in fear and much trembling, 4 and my
freely given us by God. 13 And we impart
speech and my message were not in plausible this in words not taught by human wisdom but
words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths
Spirit and of power, 5 so that your faith might to those who are spiritual.[d]
not rest in the wisdom of men[c]but in the
14 The natural person does not accept the things
power of God.
of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to
Wisdom from the Spirit
him, and he is not able to understand them
6 Yet among the mature we do impart
because they are spiritually
wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age discerned. 15 The spiritual person judges all
or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to things, but is himself to be judged by no
pass away. 7 But we impart a secret and hidden one. 16 ―For who has understood the mind of
wisdom of God, which God decreed before the the Lord so as to instruct him?‖ But we have
ages for our glory. 8 None of the rulers of this the mind of Christ.
age understood this, for if they had, they would
not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9 But, as it
is written,
―What no eye has seen, nor ear heard,
nor the heart of man imagined,
what God has prepared for those who love
him‖—
10. Matthew 5:13-20
not come to abolish them but to fulfill
them. 18 For truly, I say to you, until
Salt and Light
heaven and earth pass away, not an
13 ―You are the salt of the earth, but if
iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law
salt has lost its taste, how shall its
until all is accomplished. 19 Therefore
saltiness be restored? It is no longer
whoever relaxes one of the least of
good for anything except to be thrown
these commandments and teaches
out and trampled under people's feet.
others to do the same will be called
14 ―You are the light of the world. A city
least in the kingdom of heaven, but
15 Nor do
set on a hill cannot be hidden.
whoever does them and teaches them
people light a lamp and put it under a will be called great in the kingdom of
basket, but on a stand, and it gives light heaven. 20 For I tell you, unless your
to all in the house. 16 In the same
righteousness exceeds that of the
way, let your light shine before
scribes and Pharisees, you will never
[a] they may see your
others, so that
enter the kingdom of heaven.
good works and give glory to your
Father who is in heaven.
Christ Came to Fulfill the Law
17 ―Do not think that I have come to
abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have
11. 6 For the righteous will never be moved;
Psalm 112:1-9
he will be remembered forever.
The Righteous Will Never Be Moved
7 He is not afraid of bad news;
[a] Praise the LORD!
112
his heart is firm, trusting in theLORD.
Blessed is the man who fears theLORD, 8
His heart is steady; he will not be
who greatly delights in his
afraid,
commandments!
until he looks in triumph on his
2 His offspring will be mighty in the
adversaries.
land;
9 He has distributed freely; he has given
the generation of the upright will be
to the poor;
blessed.
his righteousness endures forever;
3 Wealth and riches are in his house,
his horn is exalted in honor.
and his righteousness endures
forever.
4 Light dawns in the darkness for the
upright;
he is
gracious, merciful, andrighteous.
5 It is well with the man who deals
generously and lends;
who conducts his affairs with justice.
12. Sixth Sunday in
Epiphany: Christ Sets Life
before Us so that We Can
Walk in His Ways
Deuteronomy 30:15–20
The Choice of Life and
Death
1 Corinthians 3:1–9
Divisions in the Church
Matthew 5:21–37 Anger;
Lust; Divorce; Oaths
Psalm 119:1–8 Your Word
Is a Lamp to My Feet
13. Deuteronomy 30:15–20; 1 Corinthians 3:1–9;
Matthew 5:21–37; Psalm 119:1–8
Deuteronomy 30:15-20
15 ―See,
growth. 7 So neither he who plants nor he who waters 31 ―It was also said, ‗Whoever divorces his wife, let
is anything, but only God who gives the growth. 8 He him give her a certificate of divorce.‘ 32 But I say to
who plants and he who waters are one, and each will you that everyone who divorces his wife, except on
receive his wages according to his labor.9 For we
the ground of sexual immorality, makes her commit
are God's fellow workers. You are God's field, God's adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman
building.
commits adultery.
I have set before you today life and
good, death and evil. 16 If you obey the
commandments of the LORD your God[a] that I
Matthew 5:21-37
Oaths
command you today, by loving the LORD your
33 ―Again you have heard that it was said to those of
God, by walking in his ways, and by keeping his
Anger
commandments and his statutes and his rules,[b] then 21
old, ‗You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to
―You have heard that it was said to those of
you shall live and multiply, and the LORD your God
the Lord what you have sworn.‘ 34 But I say to
old, ‗You shall not murder; and whoever murders
will bless you in the land that you are entering to
you, Do not take an oath at all, either by
will be liable to judgment.‘ 22 But I say to you
take possession of it. 17 But if your heart turns
heaven, for it is the throne of God, 35 or by the
thateveryone who is angry with his brother[a]will be
away, and you will not hear, but are drawn away to
earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it
liable to judgment; whoever insults[b] his brother will
worship other gods and serve them, 18 I declare to
is the city of the great King. 36 And do not take an
be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‗You
you today, that you shall surely perish. You shall not
oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair
fool!‘ will be liable to the hell[c] of fire. 23 So if you
live long in the land that you are going over the
white or black. 37 Let what you say be simply ‗Yes‘
are offering your gift at the altar and there remember
19 I call heaven and earth
Jordan to enter and possess.
or ‗No‘; anything more than this comes from evil.[e]
that your brother has something against you, 24 leave
to witness against you today, that I have set before
your gift there before the altar and go. First be
Psalm 119:1-8
you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore
reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer
Your Word Is a Lamp to My Feet
choose life, that you and your offspring may
your gift. 25 Come to terms quickly with your accuser
20 loving theLORD your God, obeying his
live,
Aleph
while you are going with him to court, lest your
voice and holding fast to him, for he is your life and
accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to 119 [a] Blessed are those whose way is blameless,
length of days, that you may dwell inthe land that
the guard, and you be put in prison. 26 Truly, I say to who walk in the law of the LORD!
the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to
you, you will never get out until you have paid the 2 Blessed are those who keep histestimonies,
Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.‖
last penny.[d]
who seek him with their whole heart,
1 Corinthians 3:1-9
3 who also do no wrong,
Lust
but walk in his ways!
Divisions in the Church
27 ―You have heard that it was said, ‗You shall not
4 You have commanded yourprecepts
3 But I, brothers,[a] could not address you as spiritual commit adultery.‘ 28 But I say to you that everyone
to be kept diligently.
people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in
who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already 5
Oh that my ways may be steadfast
Christ. 2 I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you committed adultery with her in his heart.29 If your
in keeping your statutes!
were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it 6
Then I shall not be put to shame,
ready, 3 for you are still of the flesh. For while there away. For it is better that you lose one of your
having my eyes fixed on all your commandments.
is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the members than that your whole body be thrown
7 I will praise you with an upright heart,
flesh and behaving only in a human way?4 For when intohell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to
when I learn your righteous rules.[b]
one says, ―I follow Paul,‖ and another, ―I follow
sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that 8
I will keep your statutes;
Apollos,‖ are you not being merely human?
you lose one of your members than that your whole
do not utterly forsake me!
body go into hell.
5 What then is Apollos? What is Paul?Servants
through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to Divorce