Good Morning Children of God!Another reminder: Council has voted to begin in-person worship on Aug. 2nd. They have also asked me to continue to send messages for those who will not be able to attend. If you would prefer NOT to receive the Sunday Message because you will be worshiping in person (or for any other reason) please reply and let me know. Thanks!
Here is your Sunday Message for this week.
July 26, 2020
8th Sunday after Pentecost
Prayer of the Day
Beloved and sovereign God, through the death and resurrection of your Son you bring us into your kingdom of justice and mercy. By your spirit, give us your wisdom, that we may treasure the life that comes from Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
First Reading 1 Kings 3:5-12
Psalm 119:129-136
Second Reading Romans 8:26-39
Gospel Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52
Grace to you and peace, from God our Father and the Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ.
A Prayer of the Day for every Sunday and Principal Festival in the church year has been skillfully written by a talented theologian. These prayers capture the theme for worship as presented by the day’s scriptures. It is easy to race through the Prayer of the Day in the course of a service and pay little mind to the message being conveyed. On the other hand, thoughtful reflection on these prayers can be a meaningful practice and elevate the quality of worship.
The Prayer of the Day for the 8th Sunday after Pentecost provides us with an insightful way to think about God’s grace and God’s kingdom. It affirms the belief that God brings us into his kingdom and gives us the wisdom to treasure it. The prayer leads us to understand that the kingdom of God is defined by fairness and kindness. It teaches us that the kingdom is synonymous with the life that comes from Jesus Christ. In leading and teaching in this way, today’s Prayer of the Day is doing its job of highlighting the theme present in today’s readings.
Jesus is the Father’s servant for bringing us into his kingdom. From the beginning of his ministry Jesus was found “proclaiming the good news of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.’ ” (Mark 1:14-15) The good news is that God loves the world in spite of its brokenness and salvation rests in the grace of our Lord Jesus who gave his life for sinners. In taking the sin of the world upon himself and conquering the power of death, he set us free to be a family for God and inheritors of a divine kingdom. We experience life in the kingdom when we cling to Jesus and seek to follow his example of unconditional love.
The Holy Spirit is the Father’s servant for giving us wisdom to appreciate the kingdom. The story of King Solomon teaches us that wisdom is a virtue that God would have us desire. Solomon prayed for an understanding mind to govern God’s people. He desired the wisdom to discern between good and evil. His prayer is admirable because he did not seek for selfish gain when invited by God to “Ask what I should give you.” (1 Kings 3:5) The Lord was pleased to grant Solomon’s request.
Like Solomon we should desire the wisdom to discern between good and evil and live accordingly. Evil ways are not consistent with the life that comes from Jesus; the kingdom-life of fairness and justice, of love and peace. In his teaching on the kingdom, Jesus makes clear that evil will not inherit the kingdom of God. “The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous.” (Matthew 13:49) Therefore, we pray for the wisdom to discern rightly and stand for the good and oppose that which is wrong as we boldly claim the gift of God’s promise and our place in his kingdom.
Wrong-doing manifested in violence, hate, deceit, and the like, clearly is not welcome in the kingdom of God. It should not be welcome in our hearts, minds, and actions either. Indeed, in our spirit, we should find repugnant all evil and its sources. In the wisdom God has given us, we must embrace and stand for the life that comes from Jesus; a life of honor, integrity, humility, justice, and mercy. We must live as children of light, shunning the darkness that is prevalent in the world.
Along with Psalm 119 we must ask the Lord for help. “Order my footsteps in your word; let no iniquity have dominion over me.” “When your word is opened it gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.” God’s word teaches right from wrong and at the heart of the word stands Jesus. He wants you to know that you have a home in his kingdom of light, just as birds of the air have a home in a tree. He wants you to know that you have received as a gift, an honorable life from him, which like yeast spreading through dough, will have a beneficial impact upon others. He wants you to treasure the kingdom-life and make it a priority above all else.
The convergence of the pandemic, economic suffering, protests and the government’s reaction, and a presidential election year has brought emotions within our nation to a fever pitch. It is especially important in times such as these that we and our leaders discern right from wrong with a God-given wisdom. Kingdom people must stand by kingdom-standards over and above the standards of the world. Stand for love, oppose hate. As we do so, please remember the words of St. Paul, “The Spirit helps us in our weakness; … We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:26, 28)
All things. In this life we are caught in the midst of good and evil. We are forced to discern between right and wrong. “All things” represents a mixed bag. According to Jesus it is like a net holding fish of every kind, both good and bad. But all things will be dealt with. “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.” (Ephesians 2:8) Jesus has cleansed the world of sin, broken the grip of death, and thrown out all causes of evil. Following the removal of the bad fish, the fishing is deemed a success. In the end those who love God because God first loved them, will stand in the goodness of his presence free from the oppression of evil. Because of the promises of God and his love, we can endure “all things” with faith, hope, and love. (1 Corinthians 13:7) In the midst of all things, with God-given wisdom, we can embrace our life with Jesus, oppose that which is wrong, and join the Holy Spirit in working for good.
During the time of this odd convergence within which we find ourselves, other words from St. Paul are also comforting. “What then are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not withhold his own Son, but gave him up for all of us, will he not with him also give us everything else? … in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that … (nothing) in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:31-31, 37-39) (Emphasis added.) When opened, God’s word gives light and assures us that God will love us through these confusing and upsetting times. The darkness will not be permitted to overwhelm us.
The love of Jesus and the life that we have in him is our precious treasure and our highest priority. For us, he is both King and kingdom. Living in his grace, we can endure each day because we are recipients and instruments of his love, fairness, and kindness. We are kingdom people. We are the king’s people. Today’s Prayer of the Day says as much. Amen.
We Are Called (David Haas)
Come! Live in the light! Shine with the joy and the love of the Lord! We are called to be light for the kingdom, to live in the freedom of the city of God.
Refrain We are called to act with justice, we are called to love tenderly; we are called to serve one another, to walk humbly with God.
Come! Open your heart! Show your mercy to all those in fear! We are called to be hope for the hopeless so hatred and blindness will be no more. Refrain
Sing! Sing a new song! Sing of that great day when all will be one! God will reign, and we’ll walk with each other as sisters and brothers united in love. Refrain
Peace and blessings,
Pastor Bill