Get reading for Worship!
Did you know that most of the time we follow a pattern of scripture readings in our worship services? It’s called “following the lectionary” and it is based upon a three-year cycle of Bible readings. Many churches follow this pattern — Lutheran, Presbyterian, Catholic, etc. Sometimes, we set aside the lectionary readings in order to do a sermon series based upon other Scripture readings that we would not otherwise hear in worship.
We invite you to spend some time each week “reading ahead” and pondering the readings that you will hear in upcoming worship services. If you take this challenge, think about how it will change how you hear the word in worship after you have spent reading it during the week. It’s a great way to get ready for worship by reading for worship!
Sun. July 27, Seventh Sunday of Pentecost
Readings and Psalms
- Genesis 18:20-32
Abraham bargains with God for the righteous of Sodom and Gomorrah - Psalm 138
Your steadfast love endures forever; do not abandon the works of your hands. (Ps. 138:8) - Colossians 2:6-15 [16-19]
Buried with Christ in baptism, raised with him through faith - Luke 11:1-13
Jesus teaches the disciples to pray
Semicontinuous First Reading and Psalm
- Hosea 1:2-10
Hosea’s marriage: a message to Israel - Psalm 85
Righteousness shall go before the Lord. (Ps. 85:13)
Overview
Today’s readings incorporate several themes: negotiation, commands, persistence, and expectation. And surrounding all these themes is a bigger theme: boldness. Abraham is bold in speaking with God, so bold in fact that he not only negotiates with the Almighty, the Almighty willingly grants his request. Abraham had no fear in speaking in such a way to God, because he knew that God was listening and appreciating his concern. The disciples, too, speak with boldness. They don’t ask Jesus to teach them how to pray, they tell him to teach them how to pray. Their imperative sets up a pattern of imperatives as Jesus teaches them the prayer that has been prayed unceasingly in the church catholic. These themes continue in boldness as persistence is encouraged, even to the extent of being able to ask, search, and knock, knowing that the Lord says we will receive what we ask for. And God wants to give to those who ask God. We are to ask in boldness, which comes from being “rooted and built up in [Christ]” (Col. 2:7). Strengthened by the Lord’s supper, we are filled with God’s Spirit to speak boldly and to be persistent in our prayers, and to be ready to receive the things for which we ask. The question becomes, then, what is it we want and need?
Sun. August 3 — Eight Sunday after Pentecost
Readings and Psalms
- Ecclesiastes 1:2, 12-14; 2:18-23
Search out wisdom, for all is vanity - Psalm 49:1-12
My mouth shall speak of wisdom. (Ps. 49:3) - Colossians 3:1-11
Clothed in Christ, your life is hidden with him in God - Luke 12:13-21
Jesus says: Be on guard against greed; be rich toward God, your treasure
Semicontinuous First Reading and Psalm
- Hosea 11:1-11
Like a mother, God will love Israel forever - Psalm 107:1-9, 43
We give thanks to you, Lord, for your wonderful works. (Ps. 107:8)
Overview
“All is vanity and a chasing after wind,” says Ecclesiastes, yet we chase wealth like it will last forever, forgetting that we ourselves will one day die and that everything we have stored up here will be useless to us. Into the tragedy of our human drive to be rich in possessions, even at the cost of being poor in everything else, Jesus tells the parable of the rich fool. It is first told to brothers squabbling over an inheritance, and now it is told to us, some of us squabbling with our relatives or neighbors over wealth and possessions. The rich fool, despite his great wealth, is poor in every other way, eating alone, and even dying alone. In Jesus’ depiction of this fool our own sinful hearts are exposed. We too vainly chase after even more, sacrificing right relationship with God and neighbor in the process. Death comes to the rich fool when he least expects it, as it must come to all of us. How, then, are we to be “rich toward God”? Paul reminds the Colossian Christians of their own unexpected deaths in the waters of baptism: “you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.” In baptism we are joined to Christ’s death, and we are to be dead to all foolish chasing after more possessions. We have died, not alone, but with Christ. Our lives now are hidden with Christ in God, and in Christ we share a fortune of true riches that also are good for our neighbors. Death will come, but our treasure is already secure. By faith we have acquired abounding riches above, and by faith we are freed from storing up treasures for ourselves here on earth.
Sun. August 10 — Ninth Sunday after Pentecost
Readings and Psalms
- Genesis 15:1-6
God’s promise of a child for Abram and Sarai - Psalm 33:12-22
Let your lovingkindness be upon us, as we place our hope in you. (Ps. 33:22) - Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16
A model for us: Abraham’s faith in a new home given by God - Luke 12:32-40
God will give you the treasure of the kingdom; sell all that you have
Semicontinuous First Reading and Psalm
- Isaiah 1:1, 10-20
Learn to do good, seek justice, and rescue the oppressed - Psalm 50:1-8, 22-23
To those who go the right way I will show the salvation of God. (Ps. 50:23)
Overview
“Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” Jesus promises the kingdom to us, his little flock, straining our minds with this uninhibited generosity. Even to us, so little and undeserving? Even to us, in the face of so many things to be afraid of? Suddenly everything we hold dear in this world is repriced, and the true value of things becomes plainly clear. We are being given the kingdom! So why not sell our possessions and give to those in need? We are being given the kingdom! So why not wait on expectant tiptoes for the master? When he comes he will wait on us! The Father’s free generosity calls forth in us a generosity we have never before known. Fear is now met with anticipation, and tightfistedness with open hands. We are being given the kingdom, so now we know what true treasure looks like. And yet, like our fathers and mothers in faith that the Hebrews reading speaks of, we too “desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one.” But in Christ our heavenly country has already arrived. In him, God has freely given us the kingdom.
Sun. August 24 — 11th Sunday of Pentecost
Readings and Psalms
- Isaiah 58:9b-14
Do not trample the sabbath, but feed the hungry - Psalm 103:1-8
The Lord crowns you with mercy and steadfast love. (Ps. 103:4) - Hebrews 12:18-29
You have come to the city of the living God and to Jesus - Luke 13:10-17
Jesus heals a crippled woman on the sabbath and is condemned
Overview
Through the lens of the gospel, today’s texts offer a clear identification of God’s work. What is God doing? God is reaching out to the bound-up to proclaim release from captivity. God is lifting up the oppressed. God is satisfying the needs of the afflicted. God raises up foundations. God restores and rebuilds, reconciles and sets free. God, whose word can shake the very foundations of the earth, speaks a better word than we’ve ever heard, or that we could ever speak. Like yeast that’s included in bread dough or the seed of a particularly stubborn weed sown in the garden (Luke 13:18-21), when God speaks, there’s no going back. The bread will be leavened; the garden will have a mustard bush; and precious daughters and sons of Abraham will be set free. It is God’s work and God’s activity that Isaiah calls us to be about. Why is the prophet so confident that light will conquer darkness and needs will be satisfied? Because this is already God’s work, or as the prophet says, because “the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”
These texts focus us on the verbs, the actions, of God. When we’re attuned to the verbs of God within passages like these, it might make it easier to see and give witness to God’s work and the verbs around us right now.
Sun. August 31 — 12th Sunday of Pentecost
Readings and Psalms
- Proverbs 25:6-7a
Do not put yourself forward - Sirach 10:12-18 (alternate)
Judgment upon the proud - Psalm 112
The righteous are merciful and full of compassion. (Ps. 112:4) - Hebrews 13:1-8, 15-16
God is with us: let acts of mutual love continue - Luke 14:1, 7-14
An image of God’s reign: invite the poor, crippled to your banquet
Overview
For most of human history wisdom was largely part of an oral tradition. From one generation to the next, wisdom was passed down. These days it sometimes seems that technology has replaced that tradition of shared wisdom. Rather than ask a trusted elder the temptation is to pull out a smartphone and do a quick Internet search. Next thing you know, there it is, wisdom at your fingertips—maybe. Could it be that something is lost in the process? We can find facts online, but virtues like humility, respect of elders, hospitality, servanthood, and peacemaking do not seem to translate as easily in the electronic age. In the gospel reading Jesus takes the time to pass on some ancient-yet-prudent wisdom from the proverbs of Solomon to a crowd of social climbers who obviously were not familiar with such prudence or wisdom.
More significantly Jesus lifts up the mysteriously gracious and life-transforming values of the kingdom of God. Jesus lifts up the humility required to take the lowest seat at the table, never hoping to be invited to a place of greater honor or status. Jesus invites his followers to practice the hospitality that offers a banquet of the finest of foods for people who cannot repay. Jesus invites his followers to embody the kind of radical-yet-relational love of Jesus himself. This radical love is taught by both individuals and congregations. Communities of faith by their practices of generosity and compassion embody the love of Jesus in their communities.
Sun. September 7 — 13th Sunday of Pentecost
Readings and Psalms
- Deuteronomy 30:15-20
Walk in the way of life and hold fast to God - Psalm 1
They are like trees planted by streams of water. (Ps. 1:3) - Philemon 1-21
Paul says: Receive Onesimus as a coworker - Luke 14:25-33
Jesus says: Disciples, give up your possessions and carry the cross
Overview
Freedom flows through all the readings this day. Moses reminds the people of Israel they have the freedom to choose between life and prosperity or death and adversity. Ironically, this freedom to choose life comes through the freedom to choose obedience to the commands of God. In other words, Moses tells the people, they are free to choose bondage to God and life or bondage to sin and death. Either way they will be bound to something.
In the second reading Paul reminds Philemon that he—Paul—is not free but is a “prisoner of Christ Jesus.” This is Paul’s linguistic wordplay to help convince Philemon to free his slave Onesimus. Paul reminds Philemon that he has the freedom to hold on to his slave Onesimus and the freedom to grant Onesimus freedom as his brother in Christ.
In the gospel Jesus speaks a challenging word, which resonates in ways that might make modern people a tad uncomfortable. You might phrase it: Do you own your stuff or does your stuff own you? Jesus seems to suggest that our stuff, our possessions, could make it difficult to follow faithfully. It is easy to dismiss this suggestion with a wave of the hand, “Oh, that certainly is not me”—until you start to consider just how much stuff is stored up in our homes and attics and garages (some of the latter with no room for cars).
In Christ, freedom comes from letting go. Freedom comes through giving away and trusting Jesus. In Christ we are free people. Free to choose life, free to choose faithfulness, and free to open our arms wide and receive the free grace of God. This is the God who chooses to never stop loving us.
Sun. September 14 — 14th Sunday of Pentecost
Readings and Psalms
- Exodus 32:7-14
Moses begs the Lord to turn from anger against the Hebrews - Psalm 51:1-10
Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love. (Ps. 51:1) - 1 Timothy 1:12-17
Christ Jesus came for sinners - Luke 15:1-10
Looking for the lost sheep, silver coin: Jesus eating with sinners
Overview
Today’s readings give witness that God has a heart for losers. God reconciles with the idol-worshiping people of Israel. The risen Lord calls the violent, blasphemous persecutor, Paul. The faithful shepherd rescues the wandering sheep and carries it home. The woman who lost one of her ten silver coins searches for it until she finds it. Similarly, God doesn’t abandon people even when people abandon God. The cross and resurrection testify to God’s faithfulness in that regard. God rescues strays one by one, making the first move to find the lost and create new hearts in them. When (in the first reading) Moses holds God to promises already made in the covenant, the breathtaking picture emerges of a God so committed to relationship that God is influenced—changed—by what people need and ask. This faithfulness of God, shared with overflowing grace in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus, is patient, forgiving, energetic, and ready to celebrate. Take the bread and cup—Jesus hosts the worshiping assembly again this week to welcome sinners and eat with them! Suddenly, “sinner” is no longer the best name for us. Try “guest,” “graced,” “gifted,” “loved,” and “empowered.” Then it’s time to follow Jesus out of the gathered assembly and into the world as apprentice sleuths for missing persons, bent on finding the lost and the broken and giving them an invitation to come home.
Sun. September 21 — 15th Sunday of Pentecost
Readings and Psalms
- Amos 8:4-7
Warnings to those who trample on the needy and poor - Psalm 113
The Lord lifts up the poor from the ashes. (Ps. 113:7) - 1 Timothy 2:1-7
One God, one mediator—Christ Jesus—who gave himself for all people - Luke 16:1-13
A shrewd manager: faithful in little, faithful in much; serving God/wealth
Overview
A rich landowner tells his unsatisfactory manager he’s going to fire him. We don’t know how long the employee had to clear his desk, but apparently it was long enough to win friends and influence the people who had accounts with his boss. The manager called them in and reduced their debt. When the boss heard about it, for some reason he didn’t call his lawyer but sat back and laughed in admiration.
How could Jesus tell a story where the main character is a crook? Why did the boss commend the bad manager? What is Jesus trying to tell us? This parable can be difficult for us to interpret. One possibility: Dr. Audrey West, in the 2004 Lutheran Woman Today Bible study, described a parable as a story about something ordinary, with a surprise or twist that leads us to experience reality in a new way, so that it may even transform our daily living. The surprise in this parable is not the manager’s self-serving behavior, as we’ve seen for ourselves in some corporate accounting scandals in the news. The surprise is the boss showing mercy.
Does this boss remind you of someone? Maybe the landowner in another parable who pays a full day’s wage to farm workers who spent barely one hour in the vineyard? The father running out to welcome a shamed and destitute, long-lost son? Or someone who’s been in the news lately? Is there any way that he reminds you of God?
In God’s economy, people matter more than profits. The prophet (first reading), the psalmist, and Jesus, telling the parable, agree on this. The epistle writer adds a prayer for “a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and dignity” for everyone, boss and beggar alike.