3rd after Trinity

Readings: Isaiah 66v10-14; Psalm 66v1-8; Galatians 6v1-16; Luke 10v1-11&16-20.

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: The psalm is a song of praise calling all the earth to worship, praise and bless God. For we have a God who is awesome. A God whose enemies will one day bow down to Him. A God who is wonderful in how He deals with humankind. A God who opened up the sea so his people could pass to the other side on dry land. A God who watches over all people. A God who holds our souls in life. A God worthy to be the centre of our lives. This is the God who calls us to be His people. A people called to carry God’s message of love into the world. For as we hear through the prophet Isaiah, God’s servants benefit from all that God is doing to bring in his reign of comfort, joy and prosperity.

As God’s servants, Paul’s letter to the Galatians tells us that those who have received the Spirit of God are to fulfil what God requires by resisting temptation, helping one another and gently restoring sinners. For one day we shall we shall reap what we sow. And, if we want eternal life, Paul says we must do what is right and not give up, by carrying whatever load that God gives us, by putting to the test only that which we ourselves have done and by not thinking too highly of ourselves. For, as Paul warns, it is all too easy to think we can save ourselves by trying to keep the law. However, as this is just an illusion, we must avoid being misled and keep our focus on the cross of Jesus because through Jesus we are made into a new creation.

Finally, as God’s servants some of us are called to go out into the world to call in others. In the gospel, Jesus sends those he has appointed to go out into the world in pairs to visit the places that he himself will be going to. And, as he sends them, Jesus gives his appointees the authority and power to do as he instructs. In this mission, those appointed are told to travel light, be gentle like lambs and accept whatever support they are given with humility and grace. The Lord tells them to carry His message of peace and to say to those he is sending them to that the Kingdom of God is close by. For the names of all those who respond to God’s call are written in heaven. Jesus also tells his appointees that if they find themselves among wolves, they must still be like lambs, because anyone who rejects the message of peace will only be hurting themselves, because they are rejecting the God who is calling them into his kingdom.

This message is important for all of us here, because it tells us about the part that we can play in God’s mission to save and serve the world.

Let us Pray: Almighty God, beautiful beyond what we can imagine, powerful beyond what we can understand, the Father of us all, the one who has broken the oppression that sin has held over us. Send the spirit of your Son into our hearts. Give us grace to dedicate ourselves to your service. Show us how we can assist in your mission to bring the whole of creation into your freedom. Protect us from knowing more than we can endure and show us what we can sense of your magnificence. Amen

Thanks for joining us today.