13th after Trinity Readings: Exodus 32v7-14; Psalm 51v1-11; 1 Timothy 1v12-17; Luke 15v1-10. Let us pray: May the words of my mouth and the thoughts and meditations of all our hearts be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, our strength and our redeemer. A Word: In the readings today we hear the call to be careful about what we believe about God, sin and forgiveness, as well as to ask God honestly for what we really want. In Exodus we hear God and Moses talking about the people God had rescued from slavery in Egypt. God was telling Moses that he was disappointed and angry that so many of the people he saved were now worshipping false Gods. For God was furious and wanted to turn his anger against everyone who had fallen away from Him. But Moses did not want God to punish or destroy them. So he asked God to relent and forgive them, and God consented. I believe that what we learn from this readings is that from long ago, we humans have always gone astray from God’s ways and that God has always loved us so much that He was willing to forgive us. In the psalm, we hear a prayer that is asking God to make us new by asking for two things. The first is asking God for mercy, forgiveness of sins and cleansing from wickedness. The second is asking God for a clean heart and right spirit. I believe that what we learn from this reading is that because of God’s love and care for us that we can be made new because God is not only willing to forgive us but also to help us to change. In Luke, we hear that it is all too easy to think that we already know and understand God’s ways. This is quite arrogant and possibly what the Pharisees and scribes in this account were being. For the leaders of the faith were only grumbling about Jesus because they believed they already knew what God wanted. For they believed that God was not interested in sinners. However, as the Son of God, Jesus knew they were in error and used two parables to explain God’s plan to save everyone who is lost. I believe that what we learn from this is account is that we must not assume that we know the mind of God. What we also learn is that Jesus wants us to know and understand that God wants to save everyone who is lost in sin. For as we hear in Jesus’ teaching, the whole of heaven rejoices over every sinner who repents. In the letter to Timothy we hear Paul confessing that he had plagued, persecuted and attacked Jesus’ followers because he had not truly known or understood God’s ways. But, even though Paul had misunderstood so much, Jesus had not only forgiven him but also called him into his father’s service. This was to share the message that Jesus had come into the world to save sinners. I believe that this letter is a reminder to all of us that God can make good use of anyone who eventually turns to him, no matter what they were like before. For we have a God who sent Jesus into the world to save sinners. A God who wants us to turn away from our sinful ways and turn back to the true way of life. A God who is willing to forgive us and make us new. A God who rejoices with the whole host of heaven when even one sinner is saved. A God who sends all who are saved to share this good news with the world. A God who is calling each one of us to assist in God’s mission to save the world. Let us Pray: Almighty God, wonderful creator, thank you for reuniting the world with yourself through Jesus. Thank you for calling your Church to proclaim the good news of your love and to bear witness to all who will be drawn to you. Thank you for sustaining us on our earthly pilgrimage. Thank you for calling us to the place where we shall hunger and thirst no more. All this we thank you for through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen Thanks for joining us today.
12th after Trinity Readings: Deuteronomy 30v15-end; Psalm 1; Philemon v1-21; Luke 14v25-33. Let us pray: May the words of my mouth and the thoughts and meditations of all our hearts be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, our strength and our redeemer. A Word: In the readings today we hear the call to be careful about the choices we make in life. In Deuteronomy God offers his people two options. Either we can stay focussed on God which means following his instructions. If we take this option we are choosing a road that leads to God’s blessing, life and abundance. The other option is to turn to false Gods, the idols such as money, cars, belongings and sins that lead us astray and away from God. This is an option that we are warned leads to God’s withdrawal from us and puts us on a road to adversity and death. Making a choice between these two options is a choice that all people have to make. A choice that each day is set before us and that we are free to make. A choice that has consequences, bringing us either blessings or curses. In the psalm we are reminded and encouraged to choose the road that leads to God. For we are told that everyone who studies, delights in and keeps the ways of God will be blessed. For everyone who chooses this option will prosper, just like trees planted by water. The psalm also warns that everyone who ignores God’s ways and chooses the way of sin will perish. The teaching about following God’s way is explained by Jesus in Luke. For Jesus teaches those who are there that if they are going to follow him they must: set aside everything that gets in the way; and pick up and carry the cross that is set before them. This is a warning to all who want to live a blessed life because this is a calling that will cost us. However, no matter what the cost, the alternative is too dreadful to consider because as we are warned in Deuteronomy and the psalm, if we are unwilling to stick with God – we will perish. Following Jesus and the cost we may be called to pay, is covered in the letter from Paul to Philemon. In this letter we hear that Philemon is being praised for supporting his local Christian community and sharing the good news of Jesus. However, Paul is saying that even more is required of him. For, Paul wants Philemon to forgive and receive back as a brother, the slave Onesimus, who had run away to be with Paul. The cost of doing this for Philemon was great. First in forgiving, Philemon was being asked not to punish his runaway slave. Second in receiving Onesimus back as a brother, Philemon was being asked to treat his slave differently in future. A big ask by Paul and something that would cost Philemon by making him re-think his life and relationship with others, including those who were slaves. Paul’s letter to Philemon about his slave is a reminder to all of us that even when we choose to live God’s way by living good lives and doing God’s work, we may still need to think and re-think all sorts of things, then pay the cost by changing how we live our lives to bring them in line with the ways of God. Let us Pray: Almighty and most merciful God, you show your power to us by taking away our sins and granting us pardon and peace. Preserve us from all wrong thinking and wrong doing, help us to stay firm on the foundation of the gospel, guide us so we live our lives in line with your commandments, for you have welcomed us to join in the work of gathering your sacred treasure. Amen Thanks for joining us today.
11th after Trinity Readings: Proverbs 25v6-7; Psalm 112; Hebrews 13v1-8&15-16; Luke 14v1&7-14. Let us pray: May the words of my mouth and the thoughts and meditations of all our hearts be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, our strength and our redeemer. A Word: In the readings today we hear the call to be careful about who we think we are and what we do in relation to others. In Proverbs we are warned not to think too much of ourselves. For it is better to be invited into the presence of the nobility than to push our way forward and be sent back into a less honourable position. A warning that is echoed in Jesus’ teaching in Luke. For whilst he was at a meal, he saw how some of the guests were pushing themselves into seating places considered to be of more honour. In response, Jesus taught three really important things. The first is that when we are amongst others we should not be arrogant or pushy and the second to be modest and unassuming. The third is that when we open up our doors, we are to welcome into our midst people who are unable to repay what we are able to do for them. I believe that these two readings are an invitation to consider where we stand and what we do as the body of Christ. Are we a pushy body who think too much of ourselves or are we so humble that we cannot see what God wants us to contribute to the world? For both of these positions are bad because they leave the Church with a distorted picture of itself. With those too pushy thinking they are better than others and those too humble underestimating what God knows they can contribute. I believe that this is something that the scriptures are telling us that God does not want. For God needs all of his people to be truthful, precise and accurate about who they are and what they can contribute so that each and every part can find its true place in God’s work and witness and mission. For as we hear in Hebrews, we are called to follow Jesus and be God’s people, the Church. A people who live lives of love. A people who do good in the world in which we find ourselves. A people who share what we have with others. A people who pray for Church leaders and all those who shared their love of God and his son Jesus with us. A people who are pleasing to God because through them: marriage is honoured; strangers are cared for; and prisoners and tortured people remembered. So, let us each take an accurate account of who we are and what we do. For God needs us to truly know who we are and who we are not. But, as Jesus warns in Luke, some of us may find this journey painful as we learn that we are not as important or significant as we thought we were. Meanwhile, others may find out and unexpected surprise, as they learn they are so much more important in God’s mission than they could ever have imagined for themselves. For as we hear in the psalm the Lord will shine a light in the darkness through everyone who holds the Lord in reverence. For through the Lord’s people and their descendants, the earth will be blessed by acts of compassion, justice, generosity and righteousness. Meanwhile the wicked will perish. Let us Pray: Almighty and most merciful God, you show your power to us by taking away our sins and granting us pardon and peace. Preserve us from all wrong thinking and wrong doing, help us to stay firm on the foundation of the gospel, guide us so we live our lives in line with your commandments, for you have welcomed us to join in the work of gathering your sacred treasure. Amen Thanks for joining us today.
10th after Trinity Readings: Isaiah 58v9b-end; Psalm 103v1-8; Hebrews 12v18-end; Luke 13v10-17. Let us pray: May the words of my mouth and the thoughts and meditations of all our hearts be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, our strength and our redeemer. A Word: In the readings today we hear about the Sabbath Day. In Isaiah we hear that the Lord wants to rebuild and restore his holy people by keeping the Sabbath and honouring it as a sacred day. The Lord says he will hear, help, guide, strengthen and satisfy us if we do his bidding. The Lord’s bidding is to do two things: to turn away from being evil; and to help those in need. I believe that we can only keep the Sabbath if we also do the Lord’s bidding, which means we need to take stock of how we live and take action to live as the Lord asks of us. In the psalm we hear that we are called to bless the Lord who is full of compassion, mercy and kindness; and to call to mind everything he has done for us. For the Lord crowns us with love and compassion by: forgiving our sins; healing our infirmities; restoring our lives; satisfying us with good things; and implementing upright decisions for the browbeaten, exploited, broken and demoralised. I believe that blessing the Lord is something we can do on the Sabbath and as we bless the Lord we need to keep in mind all that the Lord does for his people. In Hebrews we hear that as we gather together in worship we draw close to the living God who is the judge of all and an all-consuming fire. We also hear that as we worship, we do so alongside innumerable angels and the congregation of the firstborn who are already enrolled in heaven. These are the spirits of the righteous, those who have been made perfect. Hebrews also warns that if we want to survive the final judgement that we should offer down-to-earth, modest and simple worship. For if we do, when all of heaven and earth is remade, we will become part of all that remains and will be gathered into the heavenly Jerusalem. From these readings, I believe that we are being called to consider how we keep the Sabbath. For as we hear in Isaiah, we will be blessed by the Lord if we keep the Sabbath sacred, and in the psalm we are called to use the Sabbath to bless the Lord. Then in Hebrews, to remember that as we worship we join in the worship of heaven. For the way we keep the Sabbath is important because as we hear in Luke, it is all too easy to make errors about what the Lord requires. For surely the leader of the synagogue was in error when he reprimanded Jesus for healing a woman on the Sabbath. I believe this because Jesus defended his action by reminding the leader of the synagogue that lots of good things were permitted on the Sabbath day, before saying that healing and setting people free were suitable acts for the Sabbath day too. So, as we review how we keep the Sabbath, let us be careful what we teach is allowed, permitted and acceptable, because one day Jesus may challenge us too. Let us Pray: God of our pilgrimage, you keep the gate of mercy open for all who trust in you. Keep us on the pathway of life and prevent us from wandering away. Hear our prayers and guide us to ask for the things that please you, for the sake of our saviour Jesus. Amen Thanks for joining us today.
