Lectionary for Pentecost 17

Lectionary for Pentecost 17

God did not give us a spirit of cowardice, but rather a spirit of power and of love and of self-discipline. 2 Timothy 1:7

Collect. Faithful God, have mercy on us your unworthy servants, and increase our faith; that, trusting your power to work in us and through us, we may never be afraid of testifying to our Lord, but may obediently serve him all our days. We ask this through your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

Reading. Lamentations 3:19-26. Lamentations does not appear very often in our lectionary readings. Though it contains many scripture gems it is a melancholy book.  The setting for the five chapters is the destruction of the temple by the Babylonians and the exile which will mark the beginning of a seventy year exile from Jerusalem and the Promised Land. The first two chapters follow an interesting progression leading up to this week’s reading. The first chapter is a lament from the nation as a whole. With the conquest by the Babylonians the promise and the glory of nationhood have been torn away and the whole nation is grief-stricken. The opening phrase sets the scene eloquently “How lonely sits the city that once was full of people!” (Lam 1:1). In the second chapter Jeremiah recognises that the disaster that has occurred has come about due to the judgement of God. Once again the opening verse of chapter two describes it succinctly, God, “has humiliated daughter Zion!” (Lam 2:1)). The disaster has occurred due to the nations deliberate and prolonged failure to be faithful to God. As we come to the reading for today Jeremiah is experiencing a deep felt grief as he reflects on the violent destruction of Jerusalem. He feels the grief even though he had prophesied that this is what would happen if the nation did not radically change its ways. Then as he thinks over the invasion and exile it is as if he suddenly realises that tragic though it is, it could have been so much worse. Through the exile shines a glimmer of hope. This hope comes not least from the fact that the people, though in exile are still alive. Jeremiah had also announced that God was to bring in a new covenant and so he recognises that God’s plan is still in place. It is this understanding that leads him to write the verses we read today. Despite his deep felt pain there is the joy of knowing that the faithfulness of God endures. Through the disaster he sees God renewing his love and mercy. It is because of God’s unending love and mercy that Jeremiah lives in expectant hope. The thought of my affliction and homelessness is wormwood and gall! But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, God’s mercies never come to an end. Lam 3:19, 21-22

Prayer. O Lord our God, we confess that all of us like sheep have gone astray; following the designs and the desires of our wayward hearts. With humility we pray that in your mercy you will look upon the suffering of our world, and help those troubled or distressed by what they experience every day. Comfort, we pray, all those who find that the daily events of this time causes their hope to falter and so degrades their faith, that they struggle to believe. Stir up in us such faith as will allow us to be of service to others; a source of encouragement and hope. Help us to keep our heads high as we face with your power and strength, the events of each new day. Let none of us trust in our own strength but look only and always to you, who are the sure and eternal comforter. This we ask in Jesus name. Amen.

Reading. Luke 17:5-10. This list of sayings by Jesus is addressed directly to the disciples. The request for greater faith comes immediately after Jesus has instructed the disciples about the need to forgive, not just once but many times. The point of forgiveness is so that the disciples can live in harmony with each other and with those around them. It is because forgiveness is not an option that the disciples ask Jesus to give them more faith.

Jesus’ response is to tell them that even the smallest faith is sufficient. The mulberry tree was considered to be humanly impossible to be uprooted: They survived for hundreds of years with roots reaching deep down into the soil. Thus it is clear that the disciples understood that true forgiveness was possible only through faith. It is with this thought that Jesus then related the relationship between master and slave.

Even today ploughing is hard work for it entails long hours and constant concentration but in the ancient world ploughing was exhausting manual labour. Though exhausted, when the slave arrived home he was required to wash, change and then prepare and serve the master’s meal before resting and eating himself. Furthermore he did all this without any thanks it was his duty. Of course, this was the normal requirement between master and slave but to link it with the relationship between a rabbi and his disciples was quite radical. It is no wonder that many disciples left to find a new rabbi. (John 6:66).

To return to our earlier theme, forgiveness requires a significant use of faith. Even when in faith we offer forgiveness it gives us no cause for celebration for forgiveness is our duty. As we think back to the way the followers of the early church were treated we can begin to understand just how important being able to offer true forgiveness was even in the most extreme of circumstances. A congregation who can live together in harmony is still effective in honouring Jesus. Yet even then it gives such a congregation no cause to be proud or boastful. When we consider all that Jesus Christ has done on our behalf we realise we can never repay him. Even when we have done all that we can we still find ourselves indebted to God.

Prayer. Lord by your mercy, we pray that you might enrich our faith and enable us to face the events of life in peace and unafraid. Give to us the hope that looks beyond today, to see the glorious future that you have prepared for those who put their trust in you. Give to us the love that binds us more closely to you and to each other, and may the Risen Lord live in our hearts and guide our deeds. Lift us above human passions so that we may love those who work against us and who ridicule our hope in you. Teach us to be as accepting of them as Jesus who prayed for those who placed him on the cross. We praise you that by his sacrifice he has won for us the life and love from you that is eternal. So to you Lord, be all glory and praise dominion and power, now and for ever. Amen.

Collect. Increase our faith, O Jesus; call us to come, to trust your way of life; give us courage, that our service may bring you joy, both now and for ever. Amen.