July 27. 2025 Sodom - Our Vather - Cross

Two Sermons for Sunday 27th July 2025

Part 1: From Introduction to Luke’s Gospel Conclusion

Sermon No. 1 for Sunday, July 27, 2025

Theme: God Acts

Bible Readings:

First Reading: Genesis 18:20–32

Second Reading: Colossians 2:12–14

Gospel: Luke 11:1–13

Gospel of the Day: www.vaticannews.va/de/evangelium-des-tages.html

Dear friends of the Prayer Atelier,

Three powerful texts invite us today into the mystery of prayer and divine mercy. Abraham wrestles with God for the lives of the righteous. Paul explains how God removed our guilt through Christ. And Jesus himself teaches us how to pray—and why God answers our prayers.

In the first reading (Gen 18:20–32), we see Abraham interceding for Sodom. In a bold dialogue, he pleads with God for mercy—starting at fifty righteous people and going down to ten. God's patience is tangible; His willingness to show grace is deeply moving.

Genesis 18:20–32 is part of a larger story in which Abraham hosts three mysterious visitors—understood in Christian tradition as a sign of divine presence. Afterward, the focus shifts to the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. The Hebrew word “zaaqat” describes the cry of the oppressed, not just moral wrongdoing. According to the Elberfelder Study Bible, the sin of Sodom involves social injustice, violent oppression, and sexual violence (cf. Ezek 16:49–50).

Abraham’s intercession—“Will you sweep away the righteous with the wicked?”—is one of the boldest prayers in the Old Testament. He doesn't accuse but trusts in God's justice and mercy. The Stuttgart Study Bible highlights that Abraham appeals to God's promise, not his own reasoning: “Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?” (v. 25).

Verses 18–19 are omitted in the reading, where God speaks of Abraham’s mission to bless all nations. These verses remind us that intercession is part of Abraham's calling. Today, this reminds us to pray for unjust systems and violent groups, saying: “Lord, spare them for the sake of the righteous.”

As Abraham negotiates with God down to ten righteous people, he stops. Jewish tradition (e.g. Rashi) explains that ten represents the smallest praying community (minyan). Jesus builds on this thought: “You are the light of the world” (Matt 5:14).

This narrative points forward to Jesus Christ, the one righteous man who saves all. Irenaeus of Lyon wrote: “God spoke with Abraham like a father with his child, but healed the world through His Son.” Abraham prefigures Christ’s priestly intercession (Heb 7:25).

In today’s crises—wars, climate, displacement—this passage calls us to prayer, vigilance, and trust in God's mercy.

In Luke 11:1–13, Jesus responds to a disciple who asks, “Lord, teach us to pray.” He gives the Our Father—short, profound—and a parable about persistent asking. Jesus promises: “Ask, and it will be given; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened.” God does not only give things—He gives Himself, His Spirit.

The disciples didn’t ask, “Teach us to preach,” but “Teach us to pray”—revealing the heart of discipleship. Bonhoeffer said: “Prayer is not hearing ourselves speak, but becoming quiet until we hear God.”

Luke’s version of the Lord’s Prayer is brief yet complete. Addressing God as “Father” is revolutionary—it expresses closeness, not distance. “Your kingdom come” shifts the focus from us to God’s reign. “Give us each day our daily bread” echoes the manna in the wilderness (Ex 16) and teaches us to trust God daily. “Forgive us our sins, for we forgive” reminds us that true forgiveness transforms. Corrie ten Boom said: “Forgiveness is the key that unlocks the door of resentment.” “Lead us not into temptation” echoes 1 Cor 10:13: God protects us beyond what we can bear.

The parable of the friend at night teaches persistence—not because God is annoyed, but because bold faith is rewarded. “Shameless audacity” (anaideia) means trusting insistence. Augustine said: “Prayer is the breathing of the soul.”

Jesus concludes: “How much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!” The verbs—ask, seek, knock—are in continuous form in Greek: keep doing it! God is not a vending machine, but a Father.

Luke shows that Jewish prayers were often fixed, but Jesus invites relational prayer. Morning: ask for bread. Evening: seek forgiveness. Night: pray for protection. The giving of the Holy Spirit points ahead to Pentecost (Acts 2).

Catholic tradition sees the Lord’s Prayer as central in the Eucharist. The Catechism (CCC 2761–2854) gives a detailed interpretation. Luther emphasized its use in everyday life. Pentecostals see in v. 13 the basis for spiritual gifts.

To pray means to be real before God—not perfect, but honest. Don’t stop praying just because nothing happens right away. God answers—sometimes not with things, but with Himself.

→ How often have we stopped asking, seeking, knocking?

God is not a distant king, but a listening Father. He loves our prayer not because He needs it, but because He wants us near.

→ “How much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!” (Luke 11:13)

---

Part 2: The Letter to the Colossians, Practical Meaning, and Intercessions

The second reading (Col 2:12–14) reveals the depth of redemption. Through baptism, we are buried and raised with Christ. Our sins are forgiven, our debt canceled—nailed to the cross. Death has lost its grip.

Paul writes: “You were buried with Christ in baptism and raised with Him through faith in the power of God.” Baptism means death of the old self and rising to new life. The Greek verbs “synthapto” and “synegeirō” express this uniting power.

The New Jerusalem Bible explains: “Baptism is not just symbolic—it’s participation.” Like gaining new citizenship, we step into a new identity with active trust and decision.

“You were dead in your sins … but God made you alive with Christ.” “Dead” means spiritual separation from God (Eph 2:1). “Uncircumcised in the flesh” refers to being outside the law. But Paul says: union with Christ, not outward signs, brings life.

Joachim Gnilka notes: “Paul reverses Jewish argument: Life does not come through external signs, but through the Crucified.”

“He canceled the record of debt … by nailing it to the cross.” In Roman law, debts were written on a document (cheirographon). At crucifixion, the charge was nailed above the condemned. For Jesus, it read: “King of the Jews” (John 19:19). Paul says: our debt was nailed to His cross—erased forever.

Augustine wrote: “We go down into the water and leave behind our old life. We rise—and with us rises the new person.”

Billy Graham said: “It is not your strength that frees you—but God's act when He tore up your debt at the cross.”

The Catechism (CCC 977) teaches: “Baptism is the first and chief sacrament of forgiveness.”

This message is personal. Many Christians still carry guilt. But Paul reminds us: the record is gone. We live not in self-accusation, but in forgiveness.

That means: I don’t have to feel guilty about what God has already forgiven. I can forgive others because I know my debt is paid. I can live as a new person—not perfect, but free.

Abraham’s story is a model of intercession. Jesus’ words model confidence. Paul’s letter shows the basis: we are forgiven and free.

In many Free Church communities, people pray together boldly. A Baptist pastor once prayed for a sick teen: “I didn’t know if God would heal—but I knew He hears.” The boy recovered. Was it medicine? Yes. But also grace.

Augustine said: “God created us without us—but He will not save us without us.” Our prayer is part of His saving work.

Let us pray with boldness—like Abraham, like Jesus’ friend at midnight, like Paul who trusted the cross.

Intercessions

1. Good God, strengthen all who live in hopeless crisis regions—let them experience You as the God who hears.

2. We pray for political leaders around the world: guide them to seek justice for their peoples.

3. For all who pray but hear no answer—renew their trust through people who support them.

4. For our communities: make us people of intercession and encouragement.

5. For victims of war and displacement in Ukraine, Israel, and Sudan—grant peace and justice.

6. For all who preach the Gospel—in churches, in streets, online—fill them with Your Spirit.

7. For our children and youth: protect them from violence and indifference and give them a living faith.

Literature references (Chicago Style):

Augustine. Enarrationes in Psalmos, Ps 118,22.

Augustine. Homilies on the Gospel of John, Tractate 17,10.

Basil the Great. On the Holy Spirit, Chapter 9. In: Library of the Church Fathers. Munich: Kösel, 1929.

Benedict XVI (Joseph Ratzinger). Jesus of Nazareth, Vol. 1. Freiburg: Herder, 2007, p. 143.

Billy Graham. Peace with God. Waco: Word Books, 1953, Chapter 9.

Bultmann, Rudolf. The Gospel of Luke. Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 1985.

Elberfelder Study Bible with Explanations. 9th ed. Wuppertal: R. Brockhaus Verlag, 2023.

Gnilka, Joachim. The Letter to the Colossians. Freiburg: Herder, 1980.

Irenaeus of Lyon. Against Heresies, III,16,3. In: Irenaeus. Treatise Against Heresies. Freiburg: Herder, 1995.

Catechism of the Catholic Church. No. 977. Vatican City: Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 1997.

Luther, Martin. Large Catechism, WA 30/1, p. 130.

New Jerusalem Bible. 3rd ed. Freiburg: Herder, 1985.

Rashi. Commentary on Gen 18:32. Cited in: The Soncino Chumash. London: Soncino Press, 1983.

Stuttgart Study Bible. 3rd ed. Stuttgart: German Bible Society, 2007.

---

Online sources (alphabetically):

→ www.bibleserver.com

→ https://schott.erzabtei-beuron.de/jk17/SonntagC.htm?datum=2025-07-27&r=1

→ www.vaticannews.va/de/evangelium-des-tages.html

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Sermon Nr. 2 for Sundy 27. July 2025 Sodom – Our Father – Cross

Theme of the sermon: Ask, seek, knock – The power of persistent prayer and divine mercy

(Focus on "Our Father")

Bible texts:

Genesis 18:20–32 → https://www.bibleserver.com/EU/Genesis18%2C20-32

Colossians 2:12–14 → https://www.bibleserver.com/EU/Kolosser2%2C12-14

Luke 11:1–13 → https://www.bibleserver.com/EU/Lukas11%2C1-13

Source of the Bible texts: https://www.vaticannews.va/de/tagesevangelium.html

---

Dear friends of the Prayer Atelier,

Today the readings invite us to reflect on the power of prayer, the patience of God, and the hope for forgiveness. They show us how new hope arises from persistent asking and how God grants mercy even where we hardly dare to hope for it.

Abraham meets the Lord and hears about the guilt of Sodom and Gomorrah. But instead of turning away, he intercedes for the people. Again and again, he asks for mercy—first for fifty, then for fewer and fewer righteous, until he reaches ten. The Lord listens to this plea and shows: Even a few righteous can be a blessing for many.

In the Gospel, Jesus teaches his disciples the Our Father. It is the foundational prayer that connects us to God: We ask for what we need, for forgiveness, and for support. Jesus also tells the parable of the friend who asks for bread at night, and he urges: Ask, seek, knock – God will hear you. He is a Father who gives good things, above all the Holy Spirit.

The letter to the Colossians reminds us of what God has already done for us: Through baptism we have died and risen with Christ. The record of debt that accused us was canceled at the cross – a sign of final forgiveness and redemption.

These texts share a central theme: The merciful turning of God towards us, which is granted through persistent prayer and finds its fulfillment in the sacrifice of Christ.

Abraham’s intercession

Abraham shows us the courage of intercession. He pleads for mercy, even though he knows he is only "dust and ashes" (Gen 18:27). Here we encounter the image of a believer who does not accept disaster but enters into conversation with God—a model for all who today pray for peace and justice. The Stuttgart Study Bible emphasizes: "Abraham’s intercession shows that God can be moved and responds to prayer" (Stuttgarter Erklärungsbibel, 2007, p. 49).

Dear sisters, dear brothers, let us have times of intercession: for politicians, spiritual leaders, our families—very concretely! When Peter was in prison, the whole church prayed fervently. That prayer was answered!

The Father heart of God

Jesus continues this theme. He shows: Whoever asks can hope for an answer. The image of the father who does not give a scorpion instead of an egg makes clear that God’s goodness goes far beyond earthly fatherly love. In the Elberfelder Bible with Explanations we read: "The parable emphasizes God’s willingness to give what truly benefits the one who prays" (Elberfelder Bibel mit Erklärungen, 2023, p. 1561).

The record of debt

Paul finally points to the cross. There the record of debt that accused us was erased. The thought of asking is complemented here: What we are allowed to ask for has already been laid down by God in Christ. St. Augustine writes about this: "Christ has redeemed us, not because we deserved it, but because God loved us first" (Augustine, Enarrationes in Psalmos, Psalm 32, Sermon 1).

Practically, we can ask ourselves: When are we like Abraham? For whom do we stand up? Perhaps for the neighbor who is lonely? Or for the colleague who suffers from bullying? Perhaps for a sick child or for peace in the world? And: Do we ask like the friend in Jesus’ parable, tirelessly, with trust? The Baptist preacher Charles Spurgeon encouraged: "Prayer is the key that opens heaven" (Spurgeon, Lectures to My Students, Vol. 1, p. 58).

Our special theme today: The power of persistent prayer, which finds its answer in the love of God. This prayer is not a duty but an expression of our trust.

Historically, we know: The cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were considered the epitome of wickedness in the ancient Near East. Abraham’s intercession was a bold gesture in the face of the prevailing image of God at that time, which saw God more as a punishing than a merciful God. The Our Father was also a revolutionary prayer: It was not a fearful subject speaking here, but a child asking its Father. The conversion and baptism to which Paul refers were in the early communities a radical new beginning—a symbolic death of the old person.

Monica prayed for Augustine

From the lives of the saints we know: St. Monica prayed for decades for the conversion of her son Augustine—and was heard. Augustine himself testifies to this in his Confessions (III, 11).

Ecumenically, this message unites all Christians: Whether in the Catholic Church, in the Protestant tradition, or in the Free Churches—prayer and trust in God’s mercy are common foundations. Luther emphasized: "In prayer we should not become weary, but grow in it daily" (Luther, Large Catechism, 1529, p. 104). Billy Graham said: "Prayer is the most powerful weapon a Christian possesses" (Graham, Peace with God, 1953, p. 143).

Dear friends of the Prayer Atelier, let us take this message with us: God hears our prayer. He waits for our asking, seeking, and knocking. And he gives not only what is necessary, but himself, in the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Excursus (focus): The "Our Father"

Practical everyday interpretation of the Our Father

Our Father, hallowed be your name…

We address God as our Father. This shows: We have a personal relationship with him; we may come to him with childlike trust. "Hallowed be your name" means: We want to honor God’s name and make it great in our lives. This is shown in practice when we make God’s love visible through honest, good action (see CCC 2807).

Dear friends, I personally avoid exclamations like "My God" when I am astonished. I want to pray to my Father in peace and reverence.

…your kingdom come…

Here we ask that God’s kingdom of love, peace, and justice becomes reality more and more. This happens when we live charity in our everyday life, work for peace, and help others (see Luther, Large Catechism, 1529). Do I really want GOD’S kingdom to come into my life? Should the secret corners of filth in my heart really give way to the kingdom of God?

Pray this only if you really mean it!

Do not just recite this wonderful prayer!

…give us today our daily bread…

This request is directed at everything we need to live. We trust that God gives us what we need and at the same time recognize our dependence on him. This motivates us to gratitude and to share with those in need (see Graham, Peace with God, 1953). This request has a different depth of existence for different people. Some are hungry, others have abundance. The rich should be God’s hands that reach bread to the poor.

We may also interpret this request for daily bread in the sense of Christ. He is the bread of life. We want to experience him daily.

Bread plays a central role in the Bible, both as basic food and as a symbol for various religious and spiritual concepts. It is mentioned in over 260 places.

Bread as basic food:

Bread is a vital food that played an important role in people’s daily lives.

In the Our Father, we ask for "our daily bread," which means both material and spiritual nourishment.

Manna, which fell from heaven in the wilderness, is described as a kind of bread. It had a sweet taste and was perceived as something fine and crunchy.

Bread as symbol:

Bread is often seen as a gift from God.

Jesus calls himself the "bread of life" (John 6:35), meaning he is the source of eternal life and whoever believes in him will never hunger or thirst.

The sharing of bread, as in the miraculous feeding (Matthew 14:13-21), symbolizes abundance and community.

At the Last Supper, bread becomes the symbol of the body of Christ.

It also stands for the word of God, which nourishes people and gives them strength (Matthew 4:4).

Matzo, the unleavened bread eaten at Passover, recalls the exodus from Egypt and the renunciation of leaven.

Bread in the context of the Bible:

In Genesis 3:19 it is described that man will eat his bread by the sweat of his brow.

In Proverbs 9:5 it says: "Come, eat of my bread, and drink of the wine I have mixed."

In Isaiah 55:2 the question is asked: "Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy?"

In Hosea 2:11 it says: "Therefore I will give her grain in its time and her wine, that she may not hunger."

In Matthew 6:11 it says: "Give us this day our daily bread."

These examples show that bread in the Bible is not only food, but also a profound symbol for various aspects of faith and human existence.

…and forgive us our sins; for we also forgive everyone who sins against us…

We ask for forgiveness and at the same time commit ourselves to forgive others. This is often difficult, but forgiveness frees. In everyday life, this means not remaining in resentment but seeking reconciliation (see Bonhoeffer, Life Together, 1939).

Pastor Hajo Klösel said in 2021 in Duisburg in a sermon: "Those who have truly forgiven no longer speak ill of the one they have forgiven." Even speaking behind someone’s back and whispering about spiritual leaders—"What does he think? That he is holier than we are?"—has nothing to do with forgiveness.

Be careful with this prayer! Do you really want God to forgive you only as YOU are forgiving (or not forgiving) right now?

…and lead us not into temptation…

God does not lead us into temptation, but he allows temptations so that our faith may be tested. We ask God for help so that we do not fall into situations in which we lose what is good. The prayer reminds us to be vigilant and rely on God’s strength (see Spurgeon, The Power in Prayer, 1893).

Say NO to sin. The temptation I give in to leads to sin.

"For the works of the flesh are obvious: fornication, impurity, debauchery, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, anger, quarrels, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these. I am warning you, as I warned you before: those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God." Galatians 5:19-21

…but deliver us from evil…

This request is a cry for protection from everything that separates us from God. It expresses trust that God is stronger than evil. It also invites us to pay attention to the good in everyday life and to avoid evil. This cry also shows the personal decision against evil!

…for yours is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.

This final sentence is a confession of trust: Everything belongs to God—the kingdom, the power, the dominion forever. This gives us serenity and hope that God’s will is done and that we are safe in his love. The Amen is our strong "So be it!" (see CCC 2855; Luther, Large Catechism, 1529).

Further reflections on the Our Father can be found here by Rainer Harter, director of the House of Prayer in Freiburg: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7W5Nx5XITM

Bibliography

Augustine. Enarrationes in Psalmos, Psalm 32, Sermon 1.

Elberfelder Bible with Explanations. 9th ed. Wuppertal: Brockhaus, 2023.

Graham, Billy. Peace with God. Garden City: Doubleday, 1953.

Luther, Martin. Large Catechism. 1529. In: The Confessional Writings of the Evangelical Lutheran Church. Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 1959.

Spurgeon, Charles. Lectures to My Students. Vol. 1. London: Passmore & Alabaster, 1875.

Stuttgart Study Bible. 3rd ed. Stuttgart: German Bible Society, 2007.

References concerning the "Our Father"

Bonhoeffer, Dietrich. Life Together. Munich: Chr. Kaiser, 1939.

Graham, Billy. Peace with God. Garden City: Doubleday, 1953.

Harter, Rainer. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7W5Nx5XITM

Catechism of the Catholic Church. Munich: Pattloch, 1993.

Luther, Martin. Large Catechism. 1529. In: The Confessional Writings of the Evangelical Lutheran Church. Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 1959.

Spurgeon, Charles. The Power in Prayer. London: Passmore & Alabaster, 1893.

Bible passages

Genesis 18:20–32 → https://www.bibleserver.com/EU/Genesis18%2C20-32

Colossians 2:12–14 → https://www.bibleserver.com/EU/Kolosser2%2C12-14

Luke 11:1–13 → https://www.bibleserver.com/EU/Lukas11%2C1-13

Source: https://www.vaticannews.va/de/tagesevangelium.html

All these thoughts and reflections may be used for sermons, Bible study groups, and similar purposes.

Feedback? Suggestions for improvement? Write to Mr. Werner Jung: click here.