One Little Word

Mary and Martha; and Drawing Near to God

Lessons:
Genesis 18:1-10a
Psalm 15 (1)
Colossians 1:15-28
St. Luke 10:38-42

Semicontinuous Series:
Amos 8:1-12
Psalm 52 (8)
Colossians 1:15-28
St. Luke 10:38-42

Prayer of the Day:
Eternal God, you draw near to us in Christ, and you make yourself our guest. Amid the cares of our lives, make us attentive to your presence, that we may treasure your word above all else, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.

³⁸ Now as they went on their way, he entered a certain village, where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. ³⁹ She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to what he was saying. ⁴⁰ But Martha was distracted by her many tasks; so she came to him and asked, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her then to help me.” ⁴¹ But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; ⁴² there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.”

St. Luke10:38-42. 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.

Mary and Martha. The names immediately call to mind stories we’ve heard about these two contemporaries of Jesus. Sisters. Siblings of Lazarus. Residents of Bethany (a small village near Jerusalem). Among the early believers in Jesus. Well known to the people of the early church. Mary and Martha: their very names symbolize the tension that has always existed in the Christian movement between action and reflection.

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Good, Foolish, or Faithful?

Lessons:
Deuteronomy 30:9-14
Psalm 25:1-10 (4)
Colossians 1:1-14
St. Luke 10:25-37

Semicontinuous Series:
Amos 7:7-17
Psalm 82 (8)
Colossians 1:1-14
St. Luke 10:25-37

Prayer of the Day:
O Lord God, your mercy delights us, and the world longs for your loving care.  Hear the cries of everyone in need, and turn our hearts to love our neighbors with the love of your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.

^10:25 Just then a lawyer stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he said, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” ²⁶ He said to him, “What is written in the law? What do you read there?” ²⁷ He answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.” ²⁸ And he said to him, “You have given the right answer; do this, and you will live.”

²⁹ But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” ³⁰ Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead. ³¹ Now by chance a priest was going down that road; and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. ³² So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. ³³ But a Samaritan while traveling came near him; and when he saw him, he was moved with pity. ³⁴ He went to him and bandaged his wounds, having poured oil and wine on them. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. ³⁵ The next day he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said, ‘Take care of him; and when I come back, I will repay you whatever more you spend.’ ³⁶ Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?” ³⁷ He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”

St. Luke 10:25-37. 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.

What is he thinking, this Samaritan? He is known by many as the Good Samaritan, but perhaps he is more foolish than good. Traveling that dangerous stretch of road between Jerusalem and Jericho, he happens upon a fellow traveler who has been stripped and beaten by a gang of robbers. They leave him, half dead, on the side of the road.

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A Sent People

Lessons:
Isaiah 66:10-14
Psalm 66:1-9 (4)
Galatians 6:[1-6] 7-16
St. Luke 10:1-11, 16-20

Semicontinuous Series:
2 Kings 5:1-14
Psalm 30 (2)
Galatians 6:[1-6] 7-16
St. Luke 10:1-11, 16-20

Prayer of the Day:
O God, the Father of our Lord Jesus, you are the city that shelters us, the mother who comforts us.  With your Spirit accompany us on our life’s journey, that we may spread your peace in all the world, through your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.

^10:1 After this the Lord appointed seventy others and sent them on ahead of him in pairs to every town and place where he himself intended to go. ² He said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. ³ Go on your way. See, I am sending you out like lambs into the midst of wolves. ⁴ Carry no purse, no bag, no sandals; and greet no one on the road. ⁵ Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this house!’ ⁶ And if anyone is there who shares in peace, your peace will rest on that person; but if not, it will return to you. ⁷ Remain in the same house, eating and drinking whatever they provide, for the laborer deserves to be paid. Do not move about from house to house. ⁸ Whenever you enter a town and its people welcome you, eat what is set before you; ⁹ cure the sick who are there, and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.  ¹⁰ But whenever you enter a town and they do not welcome you, go out into its streets and say, ¹¹ ‘Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet, we wipe off in protest against you. Yet know this: the kingdom of God has come near.’

¹⁶ “Whoever listens to you listens to me, and whoever rejects you rejects me, and whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me.”

¹⁷ The seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, in your name even the demons submit to us!” ¹⁸ He said to them, “I watched Satan fall from heaven like a flash of lightning. ¹⁹ See, I have given you authority to tread on snakes and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy; and nothing will hurt you. ²⁰ Nevertheless, do not rejoice at this, that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

St. Luke 10:1-11, 16-20. 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.

We are a sent people – a people sent for a specific purpose – a holy purpose – and that makes all the difference in the world.

We see that in this morning’s Gospel lesson. In the tenth chapter of St. Luke, Jesus sends seventy of his followers out ahead, to prepare the people for his arrival. And go out they do – with faith and courage. They make their way to the towns and villages and rural communities where Jesus hopes to visit. And miracles happen: even demons submit to their word. It is a remarkable experience, and they come home absolutely amazed about what has happened.

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Called to Follow

Lessons:
1 Kings 19:15-16, 19-21
Psalm 16 (8)
Galatians 5:1, 13-25 St. Luke 9:51-62

Semicontinuous Series:
2 Kings 2:1-2, 6-14
Psalm 77:1-2, 11-20 (15)

Prayer of the Day:
Compassionate God, you have assured the human family of eternal life through Jesus Christ.  Deliver us from the death of sin, and raise us to new life in your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.

^9:51 When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem. ⁵² And he sent messengers ahead of him. On their way they entered a village of the Samaritans to make ready for him; ⁵³ but they did not receive him, because his face was set toward Jerusalem. ⁵⁴ When his disciples James and John saw it, they said, “Lord, do you want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them?”  ⁵⁵ But he turned and rebuked them. ⁵⁶ Then they went on to another village.

⁵⁷ As they were going along the road, someone said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” ⁵⁸ And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” ⁵⁹ To another he said, “Follow me.” But he said, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” ⁶⁰ But Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” ⁶¹ Another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but let me first say farewell to those at my home.” ⁶² Jesus said to him, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”

St. John 16:12-15. New Revised Version Bible ©1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America.

Follow me. These are words that Jesus speaks numerous times, according to the New Testament. When we imagine ourselves being Peter or Andrew or James or John, or the various individuals referred to in this week’s Gospel, it is hard to picture ourselves leaving everything behind, and heading out-of-town, following this itinerate preacher. I can imagine myself saying, “Can I get back to you in a week? If I could make sure my wife isn’t scheduled to travel out of town, line up some daycare for the kids, get someone to walk the dog, hire a neighbor boy to mow the lawn and water the plants… then I’ll follow you wherever you want me to go” I can also imagine Jesus saying to me: “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”

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The Power of Jesus

Lessons:
Isaiah 65:1-9
Psalm 22:19-28 (22)
Galatians 3:23-29
St. Luke 8:26-39

Semicontinuous Series:
1 Kings 19:1-4 [5-7] 8-15a
Psalms 42 and 43 (43:3)

Prayer of the Day:
O Lord God, we bring before you the cries of a sorrowing world.  In your mercy set us free from the chains that bind us, and defend us from everything that is evil, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.

^8:26 Then they arrived at the country of the Gerasenes, which is opposite Galilee. ²⁷ As he stepped out on land, a man of the city who had demons met him. For a long time he had worn no clothes, and he did not live in a house but in the tombs. ²⁸ When he saw Jesus, he fell down before him and shouted at the top of his voice, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, do not torment me”— ²⁹ for Jesus had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. (For many times it had seized him; he was kept under guard and bound with chains and shackles, but he would break the bonds and be driven by the demon into the wilds.) ³⁰ Jesus then asked him, “What is your name?” He said, “Legion”; for many demons had entered him. ³¹ They begged him not to order them to go back into the abyss.

³² Now there on the hillside a large herd of swine was feeding; and the demons begged Jesus to let them enter these. So he gave them permission. ³³ Then the demons came out of the man and entered the swine, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and was drowned.

³⁴ When the swineherds saw what had happened, they ran off and told it in the city and in the country. ³⁵ Then people came out to see what had happened, and when they came to Jesus, they found the man from whom the demons had gone sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid. ³⁶ Those who had seen it told them how the one who had been possessed by demons had been healed. ³⁷ Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Gerasenes asked Jesusto leave them; for they were seized with great fear. So he got into the boat and returned. ³⁸ The man from whom the demons had gone begged that he might be with him; but Jesus sent him away, saying, ³⁹ “Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you.” So he went away, proclaiming throughout the city how much Jesus had done for him.

St. Luke 8:26-39. 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.

This week’s Gospel lesson speaks about the astonishing power of Jesus. In the country of the Gerasenes, there is a man who used to be from the city. He once had a home there – perhaps a family, and a job in town. Quite likely, he used to be a regular at worship. But those days are long gone. For as long as most of them can remember, he has been living outside the city, taking refuge in the tombs of the local cemetery. He wears no clothes. He has no family. The townspeople are so frightened of him that they once tried to chain his legs and arms together. The shackles still encircle his ankles and wrists, but in a furious rage of passion, he shattered the chains that connected them. They call him a “demoniac” – someone who is filled with demons.

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Your Sins Are Forgiven; Go in Peace

Lessons:
2 Samuel 11:26–12:10, 13-15
Psalm 32 (5)
Galatians 2:15-21
St. Luke 7:36–8:3

Semicontinuous Series:
1 Kings 21:1-10 [11-14] 15-21a
Psalm 5:1-8 (8)

Prayer of the Day:
O God, throughout the ages you judge your people with mercy, and you inspire us to speak your truth. By your Spirit, anoint us for lives of faith and service, and bring all people into your forgiveness, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.

^7:36 One of the Pharisees asked Jesus to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee’s house and took his place at the table. ³⁷ And a woman in the city, who was a sinner, having learned that he was eating in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster jar of ointment. ³⁸ She stood behind him at his feet, weeping, and began to bathe his feet with her tears and to dry them with her hair. Then she continued kissing his feet and anointing them with the ointment. ³⁹ Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw it, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what kind of woman this is who is touching him—that she is a sinner.” ⁴⁰ Jesus spoke up and said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” “Teacher,” he replied, “speak.” ⁴¹ “A certain creditor had two debtors; one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. ⁴² When they could not pay, he canceled the debts for both of them. Now which of them will love him more?” ⁴³ Simon answered, “I suppose the one for whom he canceled the greater debt.” And Jesus said to him, “You have judged rightly.” ⁴⁴ Then turning toward the woman, he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has bathed my feet with her tears and dried them with her hair. ⁴⁵ You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not stopped kissing my feet. ⁴⁶ You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. ⁴⁷ Therefore, I tell you, her sins, which were many, have been forgiven; hence she has shown great love. But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little.” ⁴⁸ Then he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” ⁴⁹ But those who were at the table with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?” ⁵⁰ And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

^8.1 Afterwards he went on through cities and villages, proclaiming and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God. The twelve were with him, ² as well as some women who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, ³ and Joanna, the wife of Herod’s steward Chuza, and Susanna, and many others, who provided for them out of their resources.

St. Luke 7:36–8:3. 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.

There is no illusion as to who this woman is. She is a sinner. We don’t know what her sin is — only that it sets her apart from the rest of her community. They know who she is, but she does too. She has come to believe what the world has taught her: that she is unworthy of anyone’s love, much less God’s love. And so her experience of forgiveness is a powerful one. She knows that she has received a great gift, and her sense of thankfulness is equally profound.

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Resurrection… and Hope!

Lessons:
1 Kings 17:17-24
Psalm 30 (2)
Galatians 1:11-24
St. Luke 7:11-17

Semicontinuous Series:
1 Kings 17:8-16 [17-24]
Psalm 146 (8)

Prayer of the Day:
Compassionate God, you have assured the human family of eternal life through Jesus Christ.  Deliver us from the death of sin, and raise us to new life in your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.

^7:11 Soon afterwards he went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd went with him. ¹² As he approached the gate of the town, a man who had died was being carried out. He was his mother’s only son, and she was a widow; and with her was a large crowd from the town. ¹³ When the Lord saw her, he had compassion for her and said to her, “Do not weep.” ¹⁴ Then he came forward and touched the bier, and the bearers stood still. And he said, “Young man, I say to you, rise!” ¹⁵ The dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother. ¹⁶ Fear seized all of them; and they glorified God, saying, “A great prophet has risen among us!” and “God has looked favorably on his people!” ¹⁷ This word about him spread throughout Judea and all the surrounding country.

St. Luke 7:11-17. New Revised Version Bible ©1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America.

In the town of Nain there was a woman. We meet her nowhere else in scripture, but she is here in the seventh chapter of St. Luke. All we know of her is her deep pain. She was a widow – in those days, widows were at great risk. There were no social structures to support her. She surely didn’t have survivor benefits or pension accumulations, or any of the other supports that many of us enjoy these days. She was on her own, making her way through the vulnerable journey that life can be. It was just her and her son – and then the unimaginable happened: her son died, leaving her completely alone. Filled with grief and anger and pain and confusion, she stood by his casket and cried.

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