6 September Part 2
Instead, put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires. Romans 13:14 (NRSV)
Read. Romans 13:8-14. This reading begins by saying, “owe no one anything except to love one another”. Karl Barth described love as the “Great Positive Possibility”. So Paul is reminding believers that in all situations we are to love. It is so easy to judge or if not judging to stand passively by as if we were somehow not really involved with parts of life’s experience. As we read this passage we see that from Paul’s perspective passivity or non involvement is unacceptable. We are called to love and work for the good of all that we meet. To put on Christ is to live life under his command and to treat others with a respect that demonstrates the love that God has for all. The passage demands action from us for it encourages us to take stock and see things from a Christian perspective. All the New Testament writers had two things in common. Firstly they were convinced that Jesus Christ had risen bodily from the dead. This gave them the resilience to face even the most severe persecution and vilification. Secondly they were also convinced that Jesus Christ would return in victory and it is from those twin perspectives that Paul is encouraging all believers to live life as a Christian so as to be ready to join with Christ on his return. Paul’s statement, “For salvation is nearer to us now than when we became believers”; Romans 13:11 (NRSV) anticipates this return. It is now two thousand years since Christ ascended to the right hand of the Father which is in human terms an exceedingly long time. The imminent return of Christ is not normally a constant in a Christian’s life. Paul is reminding us that we need to keep this glorious return in mind. Just as Israel was to keep the sense of the Exodus Passover fresh in their worship life and remember God’s gracious act of deliverance, so we too need to keep both the victory and the return of our Saviour fresh in our minds as we live and worship him. Our God is a living God and one day will return to announce that before him, “every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God. (Phil 2:10f)
Prayer. Holy Lord, faithful and true to all the promises you have given, forgive us when we live our lives unaware of your promised return. As we trust you to forgive and restore, help us also live with anticipation that there will come a day when justice and righteousness will abound here on earth as it does in heaven. Help us to love and care for both our world and the people whom we meet. Help us to play our part in witnessing to your grace and power. You are the God of justice, help us to live lives that honour and uphold your justice in every part of our daily experiences. To you be all power and glory, now and forever. Amen
Read. Matthew 18:15-20. Biblical scholars have debated over these few verses of Matthew’s gospel for many years. In the past the view was that Jesus would not have contemplated an institution called the church (ekklēsia). Others, for example T F Torrance see this passage as exactly what Jesus had in mind as he gathered together around him a compact group of witnesses who would be ready to take out the message of his coming and his ministry when he was no longer physically present. If we take this later view, then it makes perfect sense that those who act as witnesses to Jesus Christ would be of one heart and mind; living out a harmony that reflected the ministry of acceptance and forgiveness that was Jesus’ objective as he presented the nature of God in the clearest possible terms. Emmanuel, God with us! The church then needed and needs to have some rigour in its life so that the witness presented to the world is worthy of the message of Jesus. Expelling a member does seem an extreme step yet nevertheless we are only Christians as we rely only on what Jesus has accomplished for us. The binding and loosing referred to in verse 18 is very much linked into the redemption that Jesus has won for us. Jesus had bound the works of evil and so loosed us to live the life of the redeemed. As the redeemed we have only one course of action and that is to love each other, just as Paul instructed us in our Romans passage for today. True love allows us to resolve our differences and our difficulties for it is the law of Jesus that applies not our own thoughts and tastes. The love of Jesus gives us firm minds but soft hearts.
The great joy of this passage is the reminder that when Jesus calls even two or three together he is present among them, to empower and encourage, and also to guide and correct. In his presence we lack nothing.
Prayer. Gracious Lord, we thank you for the fellowship of the church, the body of Christ. As we gather to pray and praise, to listen and learn: teach us to know you better. Teach us to walk in obedience with you. Guide and protect us in the dangers we face. Grant us courage to be true witnesses to the love and forgiveness that Jesus has won for us by his death on the cross. By his resurrection give to us a living hope that leads us on in life with a confidence that casts off fear. This we pray, trusting in the merits of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
Collect. Loving Christ, you bring your people into the community of faith, a community forgiven yet divided. You are in the midst as we seek to be reconciled; give us courage, that we may take the first step; in your reconciling name we pray. Amen.
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