Lectionary for Pentecost 15
Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of your name; deliver us, and forgive our sins,for your name’s sake. Psalm 79:9
Collect. Almighty God; Without your aid we are not able to please you. Mercifully grant that your Holy Spirit may in all things direct and rule our hearts; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Reading. Jeremiah 8:18 to 9:1 “The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved.” Je 8:19–20.This is certainly a melancholy phrase to contemplate. When Jeremiah was prophesying for the ordinary folk of the nation, the harvest was very important for it could determine the outcome of the whole year ahead. Harvest was a time which was looked forward to with anticipation, really well summed up in the words of a verse from the old harvest festival hymn, “We plough the fields and scatter”; namely “All is safely gathered in, ‘ere the Winter storms begin”! A good harvest meant a year of food to eat; a poor harvest signalled a year of struggle. Important though the food supply was, this is not what is on the prophet’s mind as he makes his lament. Jeremiah recognises that the people have lost their way and more importantly the leaders also have lost their way. The Lord is still in Zion and the king is still in place but there is no leadership which points the people back to the security and peace that the Lord and the king, together could provide. Instead of the Lord’s security the leadership had encouraged the people to practise idolatry and rely on false gods. The prophet’s lament highlights the fact that by false leadership the people have lost their way and are disobedient to the Lord.
Through Jeremiah the Lord God is speaking a word of judgement to his people and Jeremiah is articulating that word from God that on hearing the call the people will change and return to God in obedience.
Filled with sorrow, the prophet is mourning, because he recognises that without change what lies ahead for the nation is destruction and disaster. Though Jeremiah feels great sorrow he still holds out some hope as through his tears he offers prayers of confession on behalf of the people. Jeremiah recognises that even at this late hour there is still the chance of healing, forgiveness and rescue.
The balm of Gilead was a reference to the healing ointment made from the herbs and spices gathered from the region around the Jordan. These ingredients were still present, signifying to the prophet that God’s presence was still with the people and so healing was still possible. Repentance through a life of obedience could avert the tragedy that was unfolding. With tears he lifts up his heavy heart to God on behalf of the people who he loves and for whom he has the deepest concern.
During his lifetime Jeremiah did live through a series of reforms that a succession of kings attempted, most noticeably Josiah and Zedekiah. These reforms did not last and the inevitable exile occurred meaning sadly the prophet’s fears were realised and the nation was fragmented never again to fully recover the greatness it had once known.
Prayer. Holy Lord as we look back it is easy to see how your people turned away from you to follow false gods and set up worthless idols. More difficult is discerning our own situation in our own time. Forgive us for the blindness that highlights the faults in others while failing to recognise how our own disobedience is drawing us away from your loving security and protection. Grant us wisdom O Lord, that we may keep our eye fixed on Jesus and follow only him in obedience. Strengthen us to see that we live always in your presence and so be encouraged to act and to speak in ways that honour you. You are a great and a glorious God whose property is always to have mercy; so in your mercy forgive us and guide us into full obedience to you. This we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
Reading. Luke 16:1-13. This unique parable, known only in Luke’s gospel must certainly be one of the most difficult to fully grasp. The parable has as a foundation the use of our earthly goods, wisely using them to build an earthly treasure compared to wisely using our earthly time in order to prepare our treasure in the eternity of God’s kingdom.
The teaching is addressed to the disciples. The disciples would have been classed as among the poor as against the Pharisees who because of their status were among the rich in the society. As a poor person, once you lost your source of income disaster and hardship would inevitably follow. Due to their position in the society the parable would have been fully understood by the disciples.
The dishonest manager is not called to report in order to have an opportunity to clear his name but simply to give an account of his stewardship. This will enable the rich man to take stock of his remaining property. The manager knows that his dealings are uncovered, his time has come and his stewardship is coming to an end. With that in mind he begins to make provision for his future through some strategic though dishonest decisions. Jesus indicates that surprisingly, the rich man commends the manager but not for his dishonesty but for his wisdom and foresight in making provision for himself thus securing his worldly future!
In the version I used the manger is describe as having acted shrewdly while other versions use the word wisely and it could also be translated prudently: Hence the manger is commended for taking steps to secure his future. Despite the rich man’s commendation the manager is not reinstated and so is dismissed from his post.
What then is Jesus’ point?
The passage ends with a discussion about faithfulness. To continue on our Christian journey we are required to be faithful, therefore acting in a dishonest way will not bring a reward but judgement. However the parable makes the point that we are often wiser about making provision for our needs and security in material things than we are about securing a future regarding things which are eternal. This is not to suggest that we can earn a reward in heaven but it does remind us that Christianity is not simply a once for all decision. Christianity is about making the decision each day to follow Jesus in obedience and service. As the ending of the parable reminds us, we are either living life to build an earthly reward or we are building a life for the eternity that God is preparing for those who love and serve him through Jesus Christ. Through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ we are invited to join him in his ministry, the way we respond to that invitation needs our wise consideration. No slave can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth Luke 16:13.
Prayer. Gracious Father, without your word we have nothing in which to believe and without the faith that you give our belief has no substance. So Lord God we give you thanks for your Living Word, he comes to us in Jesus Christ and by his Spirit guides us into all the truth. Forgive us that we sometimes struggle to understand and in those times help us to trust fully in you. We know that Jesus is the way the truth and the life, so may we live in him and through his gifts serve you in joyful obedience. Grant us the wisdom to look to you alone in good times and in the hard times, and through our trust may your name be honoured and glorified. This we ask, through Jesus Christ, who lives, and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit; One God for ever more. Amen
Collect. Eternal God, Lord of each galaxy and every blade of grass; you graciously call us to serve you. Show us how to be steadfast, help us to trust your goodness; in Christ’s name. Amen.
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