Скачать или смотреть Ev. Gottesdienst am 4. So. n. Trinitatis, dem 10. Juli 2022 in der St. Marienkirche in Wasdow

Am 4. Sonntag nach Trinitatis steht das Thema: "Vergebung" im Mittelpunkt. Gleichzeitig wird der Richtergeist bzw. die Erzsünde aller Religion, nämlich die Selbstgerechtigkeit verurteilt. Der Predigttext ist aus dem 8. Kapitel des Johannisevangelium - die Geschichte von Jesus und der Ehebrecherin ("Wer ohne Sünde ist, der werfe den ersten Stein auf sie").

On the 4th Sunday after Trinity the traditional theme in the German churches is "forgiveness". At the same time the age old pitfall of all religion - self-righteousness - is vigorously rejected. The sermon text is from John 8: The story about Jesus and the adulteress (Whoever is without sin, cast the first stone at her). Here the summary: The woman caught in adultry has no chance of pardon. She is guilty, and the Law says she (and the adulterer) is to be stoned. If Jesus speaks out against the punishment, he too will be considered a "sinner", as one who does not live according to the Law of Moses. He is silent at first, writes with his finger in the soil. Then he answers: Whoever is without sin, cast the first stone at her. This word put the accusers back then and puts us today before God. Is our own relationship to God of such nature that we can raise up, condemn and destroy another person? What is mere shine and what is genuine? Is anyone so right with God that they can take over God's role in judging and condeming others? Jesus' reaction brought the truth to light but also provoked the self-righteous. He will later be condemned and killed for being a "friend of sinners", although he while dealing with those who were blatantly sinners did not condone their deeds but forgave them and said (as here): "Go and sin no more", Nevertheless, his way of dealing with sinners also revealed the concealed sin of those who held themselves to be righteous. And Jesus reveals the sins of both groups to this very day and is rejected by both groups (yes, especially by self-righteous "Christians"!) to this very day. But because he does this, he is our hope and our salvation. It is God's grace, when he reveals our sin and gives us the opportunity to change our ways. And what would the Christian church, what would we as Christians be like, if we lived consequently with this story in mind. How much mercy and how little hypocrisy would be found among us. And living with this story in mind, we might just become the refuge of those seeking for forgiveness and a new beginning.