One Little Word

The Word of the Lord

Lessons:
     Jeremiah 28:5-9
     Psalm 89:1-4, 15-18
     Romans 6:12-23
     St. Matthew 10:40-42

Prayer of the Day:
    O God, you direct our lives by your grace, and your words of justice and mercy reshape the world. Mold us into a people who welcome your word and serve one another, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.

^28.5 Then the prophet Jeremiah spoke to the prophet Hananiah in the presence of the priests and all the people who were standing in the house of the Lord; ⁶ and the prophet Jeremiah said, “Amen! May the Lord do so; may the Lord fulfill the words that you have prophesied, and bring back to this place from Babylon the vessels of the house of the Lord, and all the exiles. ⁷ But listen now to this word that I speak in your hearing and in the hearing of all the people. ⁸ The prophets who preceded you and me from ancient times prophesied war, famine, and pestilence against many countries and great kingdoms. ⁹ As for the prophet who prophesies peace, when the word of that prophet comes true, then it will be known that the Lord has truly sent the prophet.”

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Jeremiah 28:5-9, New Revised Standard Version Bible (C)1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America).

Hananiah (translated: “The Lord has been gracious.”) was a prophet who served God during the last portion of the seventh century before Christ. He was an optimistic prophet, and brought an optimistic word to the people. In his day, the great Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar had destroyed the country of Judah, sacked Jerusalem, and led many of its leaders away in chains. But Hannaniah’s hope wasn’t diminished. He believed God wanted him to bring a message of hope to the remnant of Judah; people who were left behind. In verse four, the verse that precedes this week’s passage, we hear Hananiah speak on behalf of the Lord:

Within two years I will bring back to this place all the vessels of the Lord’s house, which King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon took away from this place and carried to Babylon. I will also bring back to this place King Jeconiah son of Jehoiakim of Judah, and all the exiles from Judah who went to Babylon, says the Lord, for I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon.

Babylon would fall. Judah would be raised. God’s people would be restored. The people were delighted. It was just what they wanted to hear. God would vindicate them. Hananiah became a hero to his people. And they showered him with praise and adulation.

All, that is, except the prophet Jeremiah. With a wry smile, he said as much as: “Hananiah: oh that your words were true. It’s a wonderful message. And I wish I could believe it, but I can’t.” Jeremiah then went on to bring his version of God’s word to the people. No, God wasn’t planning an immanent restoration of the kingdom. No, God wasn’t pleased with the faithfulness of the people. And yes, God was visiting punishment on them by allowing their nation to be destroyed, and that work wouldn’t be undone until they repented of their errant ways, and returned to the Lord.

Jeremiah wasn’t a popular figure in Judah. And the people certainly didn’t want to hear what he had to say. But as things turned out, he was right. Judah wasn’t restored within two years as Hananiah had predicted. As a matter of fact, Hananiah himself died within two months (see verse 17).

The image of these two prophets is provocative. One, saying what the people wanted to hear, was received with joy, even though his message was false. The other, saying what the people needed to hear, was constantly questioned and doubted, even though his message turned out to be true.

How does God’s word work in our lives today? Do we look through scriptures, hoping to find proof of what we want to believe? Or do we spend time with God’s word, allowing it to comfort us when necessary, but also allowing it to chasten and purify us when that is what we need?

God’s word is powerful, with the ability to “comfort the afflicted, and afflict the comfortable.” May we read it with wisdom and insight, allowing it to speak to us as God would have it speak.

David J. Risendal

Exploring This Week’s Text:

1. What was the difference between the messages of Jeremiah and Hananiah?
2. How are the people’s responses then similar to how people respond to preachers today?
3. What course of events vindicated Jeremiah and his message?

Connecting with This Week’s Text:

1. What do I want God’s word to say to me?
2. What message from God (or from Scripture) do I find myself wanting to reject?
3. How might I discipline myself to remain open to the unexpected (and unwanted) word from God?

Disciples of Jesus

Lessons:
     Jeremiah 20:7-13
     Psalm 69:7-10 [11-15] 16-18
     Romans 6:1b-11
     St. Matthew 10:24-39
     Semicontinuous Reading and Psalm
          Genesis 21:8-21
          Psalm 86:1-10, 16-17

Prayer of the Day:
     Teach us, good Lord, to serve you as you deserve, to give and not to count the cost, to fight and not to heed the wounds, to toil and not to seek for rest, to labor and not to ask for reward, except that of knowing that we do your will, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.

^10.24 “A disciple is not above the teacher, nor a slave above the master; ²⁵ it is enough for the disciple to be like the teacher, and the slave like the master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household! ²⁶ “So have no fear of them; for nothing is covered up that will not be uncovered, and nothing secret that will not become known. ²⁷ What I say to you in the dark, tell in the light; and what you hear whispered, proclaim from the housetops. ²⁸ Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. ²⁹ Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. ³⁰ And even the hairs of your head are all counted. ³¹ So do not be afraid; you are of more value than many sparrows. ³² “Everyone therefore who acknowledges me before others, I also will acknowledge before my Father in heaven; ³³ but whoever denies me before others, I also will deny before my Father in heaven. ³⁴ “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. ³⁵ For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; ³⁶ and one’s foes will be members of one’s own household. ³⁷ Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; ³⁸ and whoever does not take up the cross and follow me is not worthy of me. ³⁹ Those who find their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it..”

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St. Matthew 10:24-39, New Revised Standard Version Bible (C)1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America.

Message:

Saint Peter Lutheran Church is a “discipleship congregation.” We have chosen Jesus’ final words to his disciples in Matthew’s Gospel for our mission statement: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” We have articulated “Five Habits of Discipleship” that we seek to practice in our individual and corporate lives. We have even revamped our congregation’s structure to include as one of our central Ministry Teams a Discipleship Team – charged with teaching us about discipleship, and encouraging our efforts to practice these habits in our daily lives. Saint Peter Lutheran Church is a “discipleship congregation.”

We decided to focus on discipleship because of our belief that this effort could lead us into deeper faith lives, and strengthen the common life of our congregation. We hoped that as leaders and members of this congregation became more committed to discipleship, they would become more effective church members, and our ministries would grow.

I still believe that this was the best next step to take in developing the life of our congregation. And I am still committed to growing in discipleship – personally and corporately – because of my conviction that Jesus calls us to make disciples, and we certainly can’t help someone else become what we ourselves have not yet become. But what a different depiction of discipleship our Lord offers in this week’s Gospel lesson! Jesus says:

1. If they have compared the master of the house to the devil (which they did of Jesus in Matthew 9:34), how much more will they say the same about his disciples?
2. Do not fear those who oppose us; the most they can do is to kill us.
3. You may die because of all this, but God will notice your death (just as God notices the death of sparrows).
4. Disciples of Jesus will not experience peace, but division (even among family members).
5. The life of discipleship will involve taking up a cross and following Jesus.
6. The only way to find true life is to be willing to lose life for the sake of our faith.

Discipleship, as envisioned by Jesus, is not an easy formula for personal or congregational growth. Rather, it is an invitation into a sacrificial way of life. Discipleship has to do with considering our relationship with God to be more important than any other aspect of our lives. Discipleship has to do with learning to put aside our own selfish and self-centered ways. Discipleship has to do with learning to live with a heart for the Gospel – and for those whom God loves. Discipleship even has to do with a willingness to suffer, if that’s what it takes to live in a way that is faithful to our calling.

Discipleship has its costs. But discipleship also has its joys. To live a Christ-centered life is to live in a way that is rich in meaning and purpose. To live a Christ-centered life is to live in a way that honors the one who created and redeemed us. To live a Christ-centered life is to live in the way that we are intended to live – and the only way to experience the fullness of life that God wants us to know.

Let us continue to practice habits of discipleship, trusting that the Spirit will guide us into a deeper faith, and strengthen us for the challenges that will come from following our crucified Lord.

David J. Risendal

Exploring This Week’s Gospel:

1. What images does Jesus use to describe discipleship?
2. What hope does he provide to those who might consider becoming his disciples?
3. What is the ultimate benefit of living as his disciple?

Connecting with This Week’s Gospel:

1. What discipleship habits am I seeking to develop?
2. What hopes do I have about growing in discipleship?
3. What price am I willing to pay, in order to be faithful to Jesus?

Love for the Unlovable

Lessons:
     Exodus 19:2-8a
     Psalm 100
     Romans 5:1-8
     St. Matthew 9:35-10:8 (9-23)
     Semicontinuous Readings:
          Genesis 18:1-15 [21:1-7]
          Psalm 116:1, 10-17

Prayer of the Day:
    God of compassion, you have opened the way for us and brought us to yourself. Pour your love into our hearts, that, overflowing with joy, we may freely share the blessings of your realm and faithfully proclaim the good news of your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

^9.35 Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and curing every disease and every sickness. ³⁶ When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. ³⁷ Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; ³⁸ therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”

^10.1 Then Jesus summoned his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to cure every disease and every sickness. ² These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon, also known as Peter, and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; ³ Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; ⁴ Simon the Cananaean, and Judas Iscariot, the one who betrayed him.

⁵ These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Go nowhere among the Gentiles, and enter no town of the Samaritans, ⁶ but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. ⁷ As you go, proclaim the good news, ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ ⁸ Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. You received without payment; give without payment.

^{9 “}Take no gold, or silver, or copper in your belts, ¹⁰ no bag for your journey, or two tunics, or sandals, or a staff; for laborers deserve their food. ¹¹ Whatever town or village you enter, find out who in it is worthy, and stay there until you leave. ¹² As you enter the house, greet it. ¹³ If the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it; but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. ¹⁴ If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet as you leave that house or town. ¹⁵ Truly I tell you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town.

^{16 “}See, I am sending you out like sheep into the midst of wolves; so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. ¹⁷ Beware of them, for they will hand you over to councils and flog you in their synagogues; ¹⁸ and you will be dragged before governors and kings because of me, as a testimony to them and the Gentiles. ¹⁹ When they hand you over, do not worry about how you are to speak or what you are to say; for what you are to say will be given to you at that time; ²⁰ for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. ²¹ Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death; ²² and you will be hated by all because of my name. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. ²³ When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next; for truly I tell you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.”

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St. Matthew 9:35-10:23, New Revised Standard Version Bible (C)1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America.

The Mission Statement of Saint Peter Lutheran Church is grounded in Jesus’ Great Commission from St. Matthew 28 (I would argue that should be the mission statement of every Christian congregation) - but it could just as well have been grounded in this Sunday’s Gospel lesson. How would this work for us?

As you go, proclaim the good news, “The kingdom of heaven has come near.” Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. You received without payment; give without pay­ment.

What a mission! Can you imagine what a church would be if those kinds of activi­ties were regularly taking place? It would be an amazing – a phenomenal experience. People would be aware of the Spirit of God that was moving. The local papers would write about how lives were being changed.

But of course, there would be a down side to that kind of ministry. Can you imagine what kinds of people would fill the church? There would be people who are sick (coughing and hacking their way through the morning liturgy.); worshippers would bring dead friends or relatives with them, hoping that they would be raised to life; lepers (how would you like to be seated next to someone with leprosy during the peace?); demon filled people (unpredictable, regularly jumping up and shouting during the sermon and during the sharing of the meal). It would be a pretty bizarre setting, wouldn’t it? And, to be quite honest, it would be a pretty frightening setting.

But the interesting thing is… that’s the essence of Christian ministry. That’s what it means to be a follower of Jesus of Nazareth: reaching out to those whom society can’t bring itself to reach; loving the unlovable ones and touching the untouchable ones. Remember how our Gospel began today: Jesus looked on the crowd and had compassion on them. Why? Because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. The Greek says it even more strongly: they had been beaten down so thoroughly that they no longer had the ability to pick themselves up.

Faithfulness to the Gos­pel doesn’t mean that there have to be sick, leprous, and demon possessed people seated in the pews when we come together on a Sunday morning. But faithfulness does have to do with discerning who, in our world, is ha­rassed and beaten down – who is like a sheep without a shep­herd. In this week’s Gospel lesson, we are called to reach out to them and share the ministry of God’s love. As we do so, we know that we are following in the footsteps that our Lord walked.

Why would we choose to do so? First of all because he has commanded us to. But another reason is that in doing this kind of ministry, we are reminded in a powerful way that God is one who has loved us – even when we felt most unlovable. God is one who has touched us – even when we felt most untouchable. God values us even when we suspect that we aren’t worth much of anything at all.

That’s the good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. That’s the message which lies at the heart of our Scriptures. God has chosen to love even the most unlovable ones of our world. So we are assured that, no matter how we feel about our­selves, the entire grace of God’s love is always offered to us as a gift – a gift from a God who knows us intimately, and loves us deeply. May we never forget that love! And may we order ourselves, so that this love of God continues to reach those in our world who so desperately need it.

David J. Risendal

Exploring This Week’s Text:

1. What were the essential elements of Jesus’ ministry on earth?
2. Which of these did he entrust to his disciples, when he sent them out?
3. What does it mean to be wise as serpents and innocent as doves?

Connecting with This Week’s Text:

1. When have I felt the most unlovable, or the most untouchable?
2. Who seems most unlovable or most untouchable to me?
3. How has God worked through the church, or other faithful people, to support me when I needed support?
4. How is God calling me to reach out to someone, today, who needs help and encouragement?

All Are Welcome in this Place

Lessons:
     Hosea 5:15-6:6
     Psalm 50:7-15
     Romans 4:13-25
     St. Matthew 9:9-13, 18-26
     Semicontinuous Reading and Psalm:
          Genesis 12:1-9
          Psalm 33:1-12

Prayer of the Day:
     O God, you are the source of life and the ground of our being. By the power of your Spirit bring healing to this wounded world, and raise us to the new life of your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.

^9.9 As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth; and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he got up and followed him. ¹⁰ And as he sat at dinner in the house, many tax collectors and sinners came and were sitting with him and his disciples. ¹¹ When the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” ¹² But when he heard this, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. ¹³ Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have come to call not the righteous but sinners.”

¹⁸ While he was saying these things to them, suddenly a leader of the synagogue came in and knelt before him, saying, “My daughter has just died; but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live.” ¹⁹ And Jesus got up and followed him, with his disciples. ²⁰ Then suddenly a woman who had been suffering from hemorrhages for twelve years came up behind him and touched the fringe of his cloak, ²¹ for she said to herself, “If I only touch his cloak, I will be made well.” ²² Jesus turned, and seeing her he said, “Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well.” And instantly the woman was made well. ²³ When Jesus came to the leader’s house and saw the flute players and the crowd making a commotion, ²⁴ he said, “Go away; for the girl is not dead but sleeping.” And they laughed at him. ²⁵ But when the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took her by the hand, and the girl got up. ²⁶ And the report of this spread throughout that district. 

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St. Matthew 9:9-13, 18-26, New Revised Version Bible (C)1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America.

Let us build a house where all are named,
Their songs and visions heard
And loved and treasured, taught and claimed
As words within the Word.
Built of tears and cries and laughter,
Prayers of faith and songs of grace,
Let this house proclaim from floor to rafter:
All are welcome, all are welcome,
All are welcome in this place

“All Are Welcome”
by Marty Haugen, © 1994 (GIA Publications, Inc.)

“All are welcome in this place.” This declaration stands at the heart of Christian community. Jesus makes a bold witness to that in the Gospel lesson we consider this weekend. Despite the objections of those who hold great power in the religious systems of his day, Jesus continues to eat with “tax collectors and sinners.” (Many tax collectors and sinners, St. Matthew tells us.) Jesus refuses to acknowledge these kinds of distinctions, however. As the Apostle Paul would later claim, “There is no distinction… they are all now justified by his grace as a gift.” [Romans 3:22-24]

As if to emphasize this teaching, the healing power of Jesus goes out. First (and not surprisingly) to the family of a leader in the synagogue. Their hearts were broken at the death of his young daughter, but Jesus raises her from death, and the people are amazed. But then (and quite surprisingly) a woman touches the fringe of Jesus’ cloak. She is an unclean woman – one who had been contaminated by an issue of blood for more than a decade. Proper piety would have insisted that she not come into any contact with a rabbi. But not this rabbi. She touches Jesus, and she is healed.

It is one thing to agree with the sentiment that all are welcome. It is entirely another thing to live it out. It is a messy business. It is an uncomfortable business. But it is central to what it means to live together at the foot of the cross. It is central to what it means to be united by our need for God’s grace and forgiveness.

The Christian faith proclaims that all are welcome here. The poor are welcome here (and so are the rich). Those of differing skin color are welcome here. Those who understand sexuality differently than I do are welcome here (as are those who agree with me). Those with physical, emotional or intellectual challenges are welcome here. Those whose social skills are underdeveloped are welcome here. (Those who are supporters of that other political party are welcome here, too!)

The Christian faith insists on this radical commitment to be a welcoming community. It does so out of its desire to take seriously those things that were important to Jesus. But there is a more practical reason it holds to this commitment: if there is some line, beyond which one is not fully welcome in the Christian community, who is to say that I am inside that line? However, if all are welcome here – if there are none who are beyond the reach of God’s grace – then without a doubt God’s grace can be for me too.

The Christian community is a fellowship in which all are welcome. This is a word from God that cuts like a two edged sword. On the one hand, it comes as a challenge to our own prejudices. Those whom we would keep at arm’s distance are as welcome in this community of faith and at the table as we are. And to the extent that we would prevent them, this passage judges us. On the other hand, if all are welcome, then there is no doubt that I, too, am welcome. This is the very promise of God, and for that we give God thanks and praise.

David J. Risendal

Exploring This Week’s Text:

1. Which “fringe” members of society did Jesus reach out to during his earthly ministry?
2. Why did the religious leaders of his day object to his inclusivity?
3. How did he respond to those religious leaders?

Connecting with This Week’s Text:

1. Who am I tempted to think of as “unworthy” to be part of the Christian community?
2. What is it about me that makes me unworthy of the grace God desires to give me?
3. Under what circumstances would I be willing to stand up and defend another person’s place in the Christian community?