Lectionary reading for Pentecost 11
You, O Lord, are my hope, my trust from childhood. Upon you I have leaned from birth; it was you who brought me from my mother’s womb. Psalm 71:5-6
Collect. Lord God, you know us to be set in the midst of so many great dangers that by reason of the frailty of our nature we cannot always stand upright. Grant us such strength and protection as may support us in all dangers and carry us through all temptations; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Reading. Jeremiah 1:4-10. Jeremiah is the last of the great prophets in the bible. He was born a priest and became a prophet by the call of God as our reading today announces. Set in the seventh century his prophetic ministry life lasted for 40 years. Tradition has it that he was taken into Egypt by a remnant as the two southern tribes were taken into exile. It was there he was stoned to death because of his unwelcome truths concerning the people’s failure to obey God. His prophecies came as the 10 tribes in the North has been taken into exile by Assyria and by the end of his prophetic life the Babylonians had taken into exile the remaining 2 Southern tribes. Thus it marked the end of the 12 tribes living securely in the Promised Land. To say that the setting for Jeremiah’s ministry was troubled times would almost be an understatement: it was a time of national strife and the worship of false gods overseen by a series of weak and evil kings.
Jeremiah himself is recording his call to be a prophet which seems to be described as a vision. He was called to this prophetic ministry before he was even born and set apart to be a prophet to the nations. With so vast a calling it is no wonder that he did not relish accepting such an enormous task. Yet it is not simply humility that causes him to step back, he knows instinctively that he is not equipped for such a task. The assurance is that God will tell him to whom he is to speak and also will give him the message he will speak. This assurance was essential for the forceful words that Jeremiah would have to speak needed to come from God himself, rather than from the prophet’s anger and disappointment at the failure of the leaders and the people. Thus it was God’s words which pulled down and then offered the promise of new growth.
As we read this record of Jeremiah’s call we can understand while he is often called the. “Weeping prophet”. However we need to read the passage in the light of the great message of hope that is also woven into his confronting message, for it is Jeremiah who introduces the bible reader to the prospect of a New Covenant that will rescue once and for all the People of God. The consistent though underlying message from Jeremiah is that true faith in God is the only way to obtain security and peace.
Prayer. Gracious God we thank you that you raise up leaders who will speak out your word without fear or favour. We thank you for Jeremiah and others like him who have challenged us and drawn us back to more faithful ways. Help us always to heed the warnings that you send to us, calling us back to our first love and relying only on you for health and strength. Keep us always in the way so that when you call we might be ready to uphold your plan and purpose. This we ask through our Saviour Jesus Christ, your son and our Lord. Amen
Reading. Luke 13:10-17. This miraculous healing is one of a selection unique to Luke’s Gospel. However there is also a theme common to the other Gospels and that is that Jesus, though popular with the common people is at loggerheads with the Jerusalem leaders and officials. Luke is therefore building a picture that will lead to his capture and death. Despite any opposition Jesus has no hesitation in healing this worshipper and so setting her free. Her healing and freedom brings an immediate honouring of God from her as well as from the assembled crowd of synagogue members. Our attention should not go first to the response of the leader of the synagogue but to the way that Jesus attends to the woman. Luke describes that Jesus “saw her”, but not only did he notice her but he also recognised her as an equal child of God, one who is included in the covenant with Abraham. As such she is therefore given equal rights with the men. She is more than a victim, she is a person needing wholeness and Jesus gives that to her. This alone would have surprised not only the synagogue leader but every male who was present. Upon being healed she stands up and immediately begins to praise God. Luke is thus pointing our attention towards the awesome power of God, demonstrated in Jesus Christ.
The religious leaders meet Jesus’ compassionate intervention with uncompromising legalism. However Jesus shames the leaders into recognising the hypocrisy of their position by quoting the very law that they professed to uphold. The law gave room for compassion to be exercised so that a tethered animal could be fed and watered even on a Sabbath day. Jesus reminds those who are indignant that the law was designed to help people to do good even on the Sabbath! (C/f Luke 6:9). By confronting their double standard Jesus shames them into silence.
Luke also notes that according to Jesus’ word, the woman was “bound by Satan,” and as such must be released when she came into contact with him. Here is yet another example that Jesus came to set free those who were bound spiritually as well as physically. Hence, Jesus is revealing a God who loves and has compassion on his people. With this in clear view it is no wonder that the entire crowd rejoiced at the wonderful things he was doing. As such it was not simply the miracle that caused them to rejoice: it was the revelation of the loving nature of the God they served; in contrast to the legalism demanded by their religious leaders. For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for self-indulgence, but through love become slaves to one another. Galatians 5:13. NRSV
Prayer. Lord today we give you thanks and praise for Jesus Christ our Saviour who by his ministry of love and obedience gave us the understanding of a God who loves and cares for all people. We offer our thanks and praise for the promise of an eternal future through the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. Strengthen in us the assurance that because he lives we too will live and that neither things past nor things to come will ever separate us from the love which brings eternal life to us. May we continue to rejoice in this hope, always giving you praise and glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
Collect. Lift our heads, O God, and straighten our ways; bring healing to the broken, and compassion to the satisfied, that together we may worship you, united in joy; in Jesus’ name. Amen.
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