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Romans 4:16

By Pr. Lisa Rygiel

Scripture Basis

The promise depends on faith, in order that it may rest on grace, so that it may be guaranteed to all [of Abraham’s] descendants.

To ponder

Faith is a living, daring confidence in God’s grace, so sure and certain that the believer would stake his life on it a thousand times. —Martin Luther, 

“Preface to Romans”

Faith is not a solo act

In Romans 4, Paul points to Abraham as a leading example of faith. And this wasn’t an armchair activity for Abraham: “He grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, being fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised” (Romans 4:20-21).

Abraham’s example shows how faith, for Paul, was more than an intellectual assertion—something like me saying, “I believe walruses are nice.” (I have never met a walrus.) For Paul, faith was more than an abstract, theoretical statement. It was a conviction, a trust on which life depends—something more like saying, “I believe this car is reliable,” and then driving it on a transcontinental road trip.

The New Testament word for “faith” (Greek, pistis) is multifaceted. It may mean faith, trust, confidence, conviction, assurance, belief, pledge, loyalty. We may parse out the nuances, but they all remained for Paul and his hearers as he wrote, “The promise depends on faith.” 

For Paul, Abraham was a quintessential example of faith because he embraced faith in a way that changed the course of his life. Because he trusted God, Abraham packed up everything, moved, planned for descendants, and banked on the impossible being possible. We sometimes forget that faith is more than an abstract idea. Faith is a total reorientation to a new way of life centered on trusting God. It’s what Luther called a “daring confidence in God’s grace.” This Lenten season, God invites us to embrace faith more fully and authentically—like Abraham did—one step at a time.

Prayer

Lord, I believe. Help my unbelief. Amen.

March 8, 3rd Sunday of Lent

10 a.m. Sunday Worship

Announcements

  • Fellowship: Join us after worship next Sunday in the Fellowship Hall for coffee and conversation. All are welcome.
  • Wednesday Book Club: The Wednesday Book Club focusing upon What if Jesus was Serious – A Visual Guide to the Teachings of Jesus We Love to Ignore meets at 10:30 each Wednesday in the Fellowship Hall. There will be no Book Club on March 11.
  • Lenten Greenery: During Lent Zion’s will opt for green foliage instead of flowers to reflect the austerity and simplicity of the season.
  • Easter Flowers: If you are able to help with Easter flower preparations on Saturday, April 4, please let Mary McKenna or Cherie Holder know.
  • Children’s Choir Resumes: Children’s choir practice is at 3 p.m. each Sunday in the Fellowship Hall.
  • Lenten Soup Suppers: At 5:30 p.m. each Wednesday during Lent, Zion’s will share a soup supper and devotion. Sign-up sheets are in the Fellowship Hall to bring soup, bread, beverages, or dessert. Our next soup supper is at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 4.
  • Time of Prayer and Coffee: The Zion’s family is invited to join our siblings in Christ from the Methodist church for a time of prayer and coffee at 10:30 a.m. each Thursday at Kangaroo Coffee -- in the Marketplace on Commercial Street.
  • God’s Work Our Hands: Terri Watson continues to identify members of our congregation who are willing to help our siblings in Christ with basic assistance, such as rides and errands. Terri has sign-up sheets in the Fellowship Hall, which help her to match individual needs with people who can assist. For more information talk to Terri.
  • The Way Ministry: At 1 p.m. each Sunday through March 29, Zion’s welcomes The Way ministry to our Fellowship Hall as they offer food and worship to those in need.
  • We’re Here for You: For pastoral care, call Pastor Lisa at 719-846-7785 or send an email: zionsluth@gmail.com.

E-formation

During Lent we accompany Jesus to his cross and resurrection, and this coming Sunday we stop at a well to receive a drink of water. The water turns out to be Christ himself. Come to worship, and join all of us thirsty people, made alive in Christ.

John 4:5-42

The gospel of John presents an interaction between Jesus and the Samaritan woman and so situates testimony to Christ outside of orthodox Judaism, although at the site of the historically important well of Jacob. Jesus is himself both thirsty and the source of living water, thus both human and divine. Jesus promised to give living water to all who ask and, at the conclusion of the dialogue, claimed for himself the divine name I am. The exchange resulted in these outsiders accepting Jesus as the Savior of the world.

Exodus 17:1-7

According to Israelite memory, before the tribes settled in Canaan, they lived as nomads. From the tenth-century Yahwist tradition comes the narrative of the Lord providing water from the rock for the thirsty nomads. The site is Meribah, which means quarrel. The Lord filled the need of the quarreling people by miraculously providing water.

Romans 5:1-11

The fifth chapter of Paul’s letter to the Romans intensifies the language describing the human need for justification. Humans were weak, ungodly, sinners, enemies of God. Only if the absolute need of humans for justification is accepted does the salvation provided by the death of Christ make any sense.

Zion's Lutheran Church

zionsluth@gmail.com

719-846-7785