Looking toward Jesus, Lord of Life and Death

This Sunday (March 9, 2008), I will be preaching on Jesus as the Lord of Life and Death. The main focus of the sermon will be on the Gospel lesson. Read the Gospel lesson — John 11:1-45 — in one of these translations: WEB (World English Bible), NET (New English Translation), NLT (New Living Translation), ESV (English Standard Version), or the NRSV (New Revised Standard Version).

The other readings of the lectionary will also be used in my sermon and/or the worship service. (You can read all of the texts for this Sunday here in the NRSV. As always, there are many links to helpful material at the Textweek.com site). For example, I am using Psalm 130 as the Call to Worship in the two traditional services. I adapted the NRSV for this reading...

Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord!
Lord, hear my voice!

Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications!
If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities, Lord, who could stand?

But there is forgiveness with you, so that you may be revered.

I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I hope;
My soul waits for the Lord more than those who watch for the morning,
more than those who watch for the morning.

O Israel, hope in the Lord!
For with the Lord there is steadfast love, and with him is great power to redeem.

It is he who will redeem Israel from all its iniquities.

I have already begun my comments on the text here.