Lectionary for Sunday 30
Lord, you have been our refuge from generation to generation. Before the mountains were brought forth, or the earth was born, from everlasting to everlasting you are God. Psalm 90:1-2
Collect. Lord, you have taught us through your Son that love is the fulfilling of the law. Send your Holy Spirit upon us, and pour into our hearts that most excellent gift of love, that we may love you with our whole being, and our neighbours as ourselves; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Reading. 1 Thessalonians 2:1-8. In our day we revere Paul and his writings and rightly so for it is through his writings that we have such a wide knowledge of the early church and its history. A great percentage of the New Testament is either written by Paul or describes his trials and tribulations as an apostle and missionary. Sadly in the early church his stature as a preacher and teacher seems to have aroused much jealousy and his letters often refer to the criticism that he had to endure from others wishing to diminish his missionary work. In this section of Thessalonians Paul is addressing the Thessalonians about the itinerant leaders who have spoken against his teaching. He begins by saying our coming to you was not in vain. This Greek phrase means it was not “empty” or without result. Paul does not defend himself as in some of his other letters, here he is simply saying let the results of the preaching to the Thessalonians speak for themselves.
Paul and Silas had been strongly opposed by the Jews and suffered being beaten in Philippi, but on coming to Thessalonica they had courageously carried on preaching the good News. The effect of their presentation had been astounding and many had come to faith, even though Paul himself had only spent a short time in Thessalonica because of the opposition from Jewish leaders.
In this passage Paul is defending three principles. Firstly he is at pains to maintain the purity of the Gospel, reminding them that the presentation had no trickery or gimmicks. The change that came through the preaching was under the direction of the Holy Spirit. He was reminding them that it is not a gospel from man but is God’s Gospel and it is God’s power that was (and is), at work among them. Secondly he is reminding them that he and Silas made no demands to be recompensed for their work among them but taught and preached at no cost to the Thessalonians. Their missionary work was not an excuse to make money. Their task was to present the Good News of Jesus to them as if they were members of the family, it was done out of joyful relationship.
Thirdly, Paul is reminding them that he and his associates have an abiding care for them and for their welfare and it is out of this concern that he writes. This final point is of great importance, for all ministry should be done out of love for the recipients. As God cares for all for their greater good so every Christian leader who speaks in God’s Name should do so in order to build up and strengthen those to whom they minister.
Prayer. Lord we thank you for the opportunities that you give to us each day; on all sides we are surrounded by the signs of your blessing. Help us to see them with eyes of praise and not just take your blessings for granted. In the freedom that we enjoy, help us to choose for you in all our decisions and so demonstrate our longing to please you always. Teach us to recognise your presence in all the situations we will face today and may that presence bring us constant joy as we venture to serve you, in Jesus name we pray. Amen.
Reading. Matthew 22:34-46. We need to note the phrase, “he had silenced the Sadducees”. The Sadducees and the Pharisees where two groups of leaders who were seldom in agreement and no doubt the Pharisees where interested to hear Jesus’ answer. At this time there was an ongoing debate about which of the commandments was most important to keep. The debate was not about which would please God the most but which would bring the greater punishment if it were not kept. Thus self interest was behind the debate. With that in mind we see the power of Jesus’ answer for the first commandment clearly implied that God should be first in every situation and pleasing him was more important than protecting one’s self. In other words, nothing less than total love for God in every situation would suffice. Then Jesus linked the love of God with love of neighbour and in so doing reminded his hearers that every commandment deals with both the love of God and the love of neighbour. This reminded everyone of how much all the commandments affected the actions of daily living. Keeping the commandments was not simply obeying a set of rules, it was a guide by which the whole of life was to be lived, always with the love of God and the love of neighbour in mind. Even today that response challenges the very way we live in relationship with each other.
Jesus had turned their question from the academic to the practical reality of daily living. Perhaps that is why his question to the Pharisee’s was about the Messiah.
There was an ongoing debate about the nature of Messiah, the one who would usher in the kingdom of God. Common wisdom looked for a powerful warrior who would lead the nation on to victory. This warrior would be a descendant of David and that is the response that the Pharisee’s give as their answer. In replay Jesus reminds them of the psalm that David wrote concerning Messiah in which he names him both “Lord” and also “Priest forever after the order of Melchizedek” (Psalm 110) It would have been a psalm that the Pharisees and the crowd would have known well. King David addresses the Messiah as both Lord and Priest implies that Messiah is ranked above him and not simply as one of his descendants. Jesus’ answer opens up the possibility that someone above David was to be Messiah. The only one ranked above David was God alone. Because people were already beginning to wonder if Jesus could be the one they were waiting for this would have shaken the Pharisees to their foundations. Perhaps then it is no wonder that after this exchange “No one dared to ask him any more questions!”
Jesus had reminded his hearers that God was to be first in every aspect of daily life, not only their religious lives. Furthermore Jesus had opened up from their own scriptures the notion that it was God alone who was going to establish the kingdom in which peace and harmony would be the norm.
Prayer. Gracious God, we praise you today for your great provision, for our lives are filled with your blessings. May we find in you both comfort and challenge so that our lives may be spent in fruitful service. Grant that we may look beyond our own thoughts and opinions and be led by your Spirit in all we do and say and think. May the victory of Christ empower our lives as each new day unfolds so that our whole life can be lived in harmony with your will. To you be all glory and praise now and forever. Amen
Collect. Jesus, teacher of love; in living and dying, you have declared and shown the greatest commandment; lead us to give of ourselves to God and to the neighbours you give us; we pray this in your name. Amen.
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