Everyone Sins... So Who Cares?

Scripture: 2 Samuel 11:26-12:10, 13-15 and Luke 7:36-50

This week we have two very different texts from our Old Testament and New Testament. On the one hand, we have the story of David and Bathsheba and God’s anger at the sinful actions of David. On the other, we have a much more loving view of God that forgives. However, I think we need both stories in order to get the fuller picture of what is going on.

In case you don’t remember the whole story of David and Bathsheba – essentially, it went like this. David was roaming his palace – being a pretty poor military leader actually. He was at home living it up while his men were out fighting and dying in battle. It’s late afternoon, and he goes out on the roof of his home, which was naturally higher than any other house in all of Judah – and he spies a woman taking a bath. Deciding he must have this woman, he summons her, sleeps with her, and gets her pregnant. His private little escapade is now about to become extremely public.

Lord of Compassion

Scripture: 1 Kings 17:17-24 & Luke 7:11-17

I have to admit – I don’t honestly know how I would react if I were at a funeral, and the deceased suddenly rose up from his or her coffin and started talking. A miracle – yes. Frightening? Oh yeah. I imagine when Jesus raised this young man from the dead, there were probably a few people who screamed, probably fainted – and it’s something of another miracle that someone didn’t have a heart attack that Jesus would have needed to heal as well.

We read these stories sometimes with the eyes of familiarity – yeah, okay, so Jesus walks in, raises the dead, and moves on. I think we’ve removed the shocking nature of this resurrection story. Someone who is dead is now alive. I just want you to picture it for a moment. You’re here in First Lutheran, attending funeral of someone you love and care about. Suddenly, some stranger walks, orders that person to get up – and… they DO! They sit up and just – start talking.