Lectionary for Sunday 11

Lectionary for Sunday 11

Jesus had compassion for the crowds, for they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Matthew 9:36

Collect. God of all creation, you reach out to call people of all nations to your kingdom. As you gather disciples from near and far, count us also among those who boldly confess your Son, Jesus Christ, as Lord. Amen.

Reading. Romans 5:1-8. When we read the psalms either in worship or in our private devotions one of the often recurring themes is that the Lord God is the great Creator and rules over all things.(e.g “The earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it.” Psalm 24:1) Paul would have been familiar with this understanding of the ultimate supremacy of God; God is God over all. The Lord God is unquestionably the final and absolute Authority and everything and everyone is in subordination to Him. In modern thinking this suggestion of ultimate and absolute authority is not easily accepted yet, for a Christian this is the God we worship.

In our passage from Romans Paul has described Abraham as being “reckoned as righteous” through his faith. However it is not Abraham’s righteousness that is Paul’s main concern but God’s righteousness. If we think of righteousness as a commodity then righteousness belongs exclusively to God and no one else shares in that righteousness. With that in mind we see that no one is more worthy that any other to receive God’s blessing for as Paul has announced “all have sinned”. (Romans 3:23 & 5:12)

By faith Abraham recognises God’s righteousness and thus also recognises God’s right to command him. Furthermore Abraham trusted that God could deliver on all that he had promised. By trusting in the righteousness of God Abraham was himself recognised as righteous. Paul reminds his hearers that those who believe in what God has done through Jesus Christ on the cross can also be participants in the righteousness of God just as was Abraham.

Later in this chapter Paul reminds his hearers that we have been reconciled to God through the death of Jesus. (Romans 5:10) The word reconciled means to be changed or transformed not in a psychological sense but in a physical and practical way. What he is saying quite directly to the Christians is that because of the cross you are now different and because you are different you are now enfolded into the righteousness of God.

It is this understanding that gives such power to the opening sentence of our passage. “Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” Through the cross we have been changed into a new being, (2 Corinthians 5:17), our sins are forgiven and we can live in peace with God, with our brothers and sisters and with ourselves. Having been given such a great gift Paul encourages us to live it out. The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? Psalm 27:1

Prayer. Lord we thank you for this day; once again you have met us in your word, full of grace and truth and reminded us of the salvation which by your grace is ours. We thank you that we are at peace with you Lord God. May we also be at peace with ourselves and with each other. Give us the courage Lord to face up to what we are, so that through your forgiving love and by the great sacrifice of our Lord Jesus we may obtain what we shall be in your kingdom. May we walk as true children of our heavenly Father doing those things which will be pleasing to him. Grant us a fruitful day as we walk in the paths of faithfulness. May our thoughts and deeds be guided by the inward inspiration of your Holy Spirit. Guided by you may we may find refreshment in your presence. Help us to affirm in all we do that we belong to you. Grant us the power to live our lives courageously for you. We ask through the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God for evermore. Amen

Reading. Matthew 9:35 to 10: 23. We read the bible for all kinds of reasons, so as we read this section of Matthew’s Gospel it is easy to forget that the word “gospel” means “good news”. Thus as Matthew writes his account of the words and actions of Jesus he is relating good news to us. The picture he paints of Jesus is one where Jesus teaches, herald’s good news about the kingdom and also changes the lives of the people with whom he interacts. Thus Matthew’s first piece of good news is to highlight that Jesus is deeply moved for the people around him and acts to change their situation.

Being like sheep without a shepherd Jesus draws together a group of leaders who will be empowered to conduct a ministry very similar to the one that he himself is conducting. The names of these leaders are familiar to us but they represent a wide range of ordinary people, from relatives of Jesus, people from different regions and even some who are outside the religious community! Matthew is reminding his readers and hearers that Jesus has the power and the authority to equip all his leaders to continue with the work that he has begun.

The apostles are to begin with those who are close at hand and their essential message is that the kingdom of heaven is now available to them and under the authority of Jesus they show in a practical way what the experience of the kingdom will be like. By instructing them to go to “the lost sheep of the house of Israel” the apostles go out with a deep sense of compassion for these who are lost. Their message is not to bring a word of judgement onto people but to help people see that the pathway to God is now open to them. The good news is that God is presenting them with a better way to experience life. This announcement would already have some relevance to the people. The longed for announcement about Gods’ Kingdom and the Day of the Lord was part of their religious expectation. Even so if people chose to ignore or disbelieve the message then the apostles’ role is to simply step away.

Though their message is not judgemental it is not benign either for it leaves people with a choice. Sometimes it will be hard to accept that this is God’s invitation and so the warning is clear, not everyone will hear the message of Jesus as good news.

As Jesus sends out the apostles he warns them of the opposition that will be part of their ministry experience. We might think this a strange thing to highlight but in Jewish thought this kind of reaction and opposition was just as much a part of Jewish thinking as was the longing for the Kingdom of God to come. Tradition taught that the kingdom would arouse strong and divisive emotions and actions. Jesus is reminding them of what they could expect for the apostles themselves had to make a choice either to go or turn away.

Let us return to our thought of “good news”. Matthew is announcing that Jesus has the power and the authority to proclaim the message of the kingdom but also brings the reality of the kingdom into everyday experience. Jesus has great compassion on those who are lost and leaderless. He has the power and authority to call and equip ordinary people to go out in his name. The message they take is a message that changes lives and offers people a better way to live. He warns it will sometimes have grave consequences but his power and presence will always be available. Matthew is also asking the question; as you hear Jesus’ message will you stand with him in ministry to others?

Prayer. Eternal God who commits to us the solemn trust of life; since we do not know what a day may produce, but only that the hour for serving you is always present, may we wake to the instant claim of your will, not waiting for tomorrow but yielding today. Consecrate with your presence the way our feet may go, and the humblest work will shine and the roughest place be made plain. Lift us above unrighteous anger and mistrust, into faith and hope and love, by a steady reliance on your sure will. In all things draw us to the mind of Christ that your lost image may be traced again, and you may own us at one with him and yourself, to the glory of your great name. (James Matineau. 1805-1900)

Forgive us Lord that because we can feel lost and alone we often focus on our needs and forget the great privileges, and the real opportunities your presence affords. Help us to lift our eyes and see the need around us, for those who are truly in need, those who know nothing of your love and those whose cry is so painful it can only be expressed inwardly. By your powerful love, let us be servants who bring the message of your comfort and peace, in the name of Jesus the Compassionate Saviour. Amen.

Collect. Compassionate God, you share the suffering of the sick, the oppressed and the lost; send us out as witnesses and labourers, proclaiming your mercy in word and deed in Jesus’ name. Amen.