Stressed out over the sheer amount of things to be done to prepare for this night, I called a dear friend a few days ago. “Settle down,” he said, “Christmas Eve sermons basically write themselves.”
My dear friend is usually right, but not this year. Christmas Eve sermons do usually write themselves, as we read the same story every year, we light candles the same way every year. We talk about what we are going to eat and the gifts we are going to open in the same way every year. So the message seems to stay the same year after year. But not this year.
Not this year, because something has changed. Perhaps there is some grace in this change, but most of us come to this night a little bit off kilter. More people than ever before have come to my office this year complaining that they just can’t seem to get in the holiday spirit. It doesn’t feel quite like Christmas, no matter how hard they try, no matter how many times they listen to Christmas songs, buy presents, or bake cookies. More people than ever before have stopped by the office because they have lost jobs this year and can’t afford to buy presents for their kids, and they don’t know what to do. More people have stopped by because they are afraid they are going to lose their homes this year, they’ve lost their livelihoods already. So this year, Christmas Eve doesn’t write itself because it feels like a different kind of year. A scarier year, a year that is ending without things nicely wrapped up. With our financial lives in turmoil, with friends and loved ones unemployed and losing their homes, this year ends a little messy, with people we see everyday tightening their belts and bracing for a coming year that might get even worse.
The story of this night is the same, but our hearing of it this year is different. Caesar Augustus, the most powerful man in the all the world, orders that all people shall return to their homelands to be registered and to pay a tax to the empire. There in Bethlehem these two outsiders, Mary and Joseph, can’t find room in those dark streets, so they stumble into a stable, and prepare for the birth of this most mysterious, most wonderful, most special child. I wonder if in that stable Mary remembered the words of the angel only months before, the angel who came to her and told her that she was with child, that she would give birth to the son of God, and that most of all, despite everything, that she ought not be afraid, because God was with her. I wonder if she carried those words in her heart, that hope of God’s future as they entered that humble stable and prepared for this most important birth, even if it wasn’t what she imagined, even though she was far from her family, I wonder if Mary remembered those words, if she could still hear that angel’s voice, “do not be afraid…”
Do not be afraid, we hear those same words only moments later, as angels fill the skies over shepherds watching their flocks. These outcast, lonely, shepherds not counted in this great census, doing their everyday work on an everyday kind of night. They are the first to hear tell of this good news, as the heavens break open and their everyday life is filled with an incredible light. Unto you, nameless shepherds, is born a savior in the city of David. Do not be afraid. Do not be afraid.
And so those shepherds hurry off, leaving their flocks to fend for themselves, because they have heard the greatest of news. In the middle of their everyday life, everything is drowned out by the good news, the gospel in flesh, that God has been born among them. That everything has changed. That the world has been turned upside down, and that they, who are at the bottom of the social world, they who work in the fields, they who live in the fields, they who are so far from the powerful emperor who began this story, they are the first to hear this news. They are the first to rush off with great haste. They are the first to rejoice because it is all true. They are the first to write the Christmas eve sermon, to rejoice at what God has done. In the middle of the every day.
This year is different. Christmas doesn’t write itself. Some of us come to this night in knowledge of our desperate need for this story. Understanding our most desperate need for hope. Perhaps we have become cynical, hearing stories day after day of unending greed in the people around us and even in ourselves. Perhaps we come to this night scared because things appear to be getting worse instead of better- we have realized that we can’t secure our own future, no matter how hard we try, because things happen beyond our control. Perhaps we come to this night with the deepest of sadness, because there is someone missing at the table, there is one stocking that won’t be hung this year. Perhaps we come to this night tired, just tired of the piles of stuff that fill our lives and the pull of all those things that grasp for our time. Christmas didn’t write itself this year, we don’t just fall into the spirit. We very well might enter into another year with more sadness, more despair, more darkness, more cynicism. What we need is that greatest of hopes, that reminder that we need not be afraid, because a baby has been born to shake the world from its moorings, a baby has been born to offer us hope, hope against cynicism, hope in the goodness of the world, hope that God will always be with us, will be with us so much that God will be born among us, hope that sadness and grief and pain and anger can’t have the last word, because God has so wrapped us in love that God was born among us. Born in that little child, born on that holiest of nights so that we need not be afraid.
On that cold, dark night, God met the people with the greatest of promises, in the midst of their fear. In the midst of a census meant to count them and tax them, in the midst of an oppressive rule and questions if God was even with the Israelites anymore, in the midst of greed and corruption and violence, in the midst of every reason to be afraid, God is born to two outsiders in a stable in Bethlehem. God’s reign is announced not in halls of power, but in fields among the lowliest. God’s reign is testified to by outsiders, not by kings and princes. And they go no longer afraid, no longer afraid because the promise is real. God is with us.
Tonight, born in the city of David is our Savior, Jesus Christ. Emmanuel, God with us. Tonight all that we are in bondage to, all the fear and the cynicism, all the hopelessness and the anger, all the pain and the things that separate us from each other and from God, on this night we are told that in the midst of all that we bring, God meets us. God lives among us. God has come to set us free. We do not know what the next year will look like. We do not know if we will hear more stories of pain and despair, we don’t know if those stories will be our own. But on this night, we do know that God’s reign has been proclaimed among us. That God is with us. That despite our fears, despite our lack of the Christmas spirit, despite all we might bring to this snowy evening, God’s reign has already begun. Jesus Christ has lived that we might have life. That we might, like Mary, ponder these things in our hearts. That we mi ght, no matter what surrounds us, that we might hear God’s word, “Do not be afraid.” Amen.
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Weekly Texts: Christmas Eve
First Reading
Isaiah 9:2–7
2The people who walked in darknesshave seen a great light;those who lived in a land of deep darkness — on them light has shined.3You have multiplied the nation,you have increased its joy;they rejoice before youas with joy at the harvest,as people exult when dividing plunder.4For the yoke of their burden,and the bar across their shoulders,the rod of their oppressor,you have broken as on the day of Midian.5For all the boots of the tramping warriorsand all the garments rolled in bloodshall be burned as fuel for the fire.6For a child has been born for us,a son given to us;authority rests upon his shoulders;and he is namedWonderful Counselor, Mighty God,Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.7His authority shall grow continually,and there shall be endless peacefor the throne of David and his kingdom.He will establish and uphold itwith justice and with righteousnessfrom this time onward and forevermore.The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.
Psalm (ELW)
Psalm 96
1Sing to the LORD a new song;
sing to the LORD, all the earth.
2Sing to the LORD, bless the name of the LORD;
proclaim God's salvation from day to day.
3Declare God's glory a- mong the nations
and God's wonders a- mong all peoples.
4For great is the LORD and greatly to be praised,
more to be feared than all gods. R
5As for all the gods of the nations, they are but idols;
but you, O LORD, have made the heavens.
6Majesty and magnificence are in your presence;
power and splendor are in your sanctuary.
7Ascribe to the LORD, you families of the peoples,
ascribe to the LORD hon- or and power.
8Ascribe to the LORD the honor due the holy name;
bring offerings and enter the courts of the LORD. R
9Worship the LORD in the beau- ty of holiness;
tremble before the LORD, all the earth.
10Tell it out among the nations: "The LORD is king!
The one who made the world so firm that it cannot be moved will judge the peo- ples with equity."
11Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad;
let the sea thunder and all that is in it; let the field be joyful and all that is therein.
12Then shall all the trees of the wood shout for joy at your com- ing, O LORD,
for you come to judge the earth.
13You will judge the world with righteousness
and the peoples with your truth. R
Second Reading
Titus 2:11–14
11For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all, 12training us to renounce impiety and worldly passions, and in the present age to live lives that are self-controlled, upright, and godly, 13while we wait for the blessed hope and the manifestation of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. 14He it is who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify for himself a people of his own who are zealous for good deeds.
Gospel
Luke 2:1–14 [15–20]
2This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3All went to their own towns to be registered. 4Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. 5He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. 6While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. 7And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.8In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for see — I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: 11to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. 12This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger." 13And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying,14"Glory to God in the highest heaven,and on earth peace among those whom he favors!"15When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us." 16So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. 17When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; 18and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. 19But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. 20The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.
Isaiah 9:2–7
2The people who walked in darknesshave seen a great light;those who lived in a land of deep darkness — on them light has shined.3You have multiplied the nation,you have increased its joy;they rejoice before youas with joy at the harvest,as people exult when dividing plunder.4For the yoke of their burden,and the bar across their shoulders,the rod of their oppressor,you have broken as on the day of Midian.5For all the boots of the tramping warriorsand all the garments rolled in bloodshall be burned as fuel for the fire.6For a child has been born for us,a son given to us;authority rests upon his shoulders;and he is namedWonderful Counselor, Mighty God,Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.7His authority shall grow continually,and there shall be endless peacefor the throne of David and his kingdom.He will establish and uphold itwith justice and with righteousnessfrom this time onward and forevermore.The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.
Psalm (ELW)
Psalm 96
1Sing to the LORD a new song;
sing to the LORD, all the earth.
2Sing to the LORD, bless the name of the LORD;
proclaim God's salvation from day to day.
3Declare God's glory a- mong the nations
and God's wonders a- mong all peoples.
4For great is the LORD and greatly to be praised,
more to be feared than all gods. R
5As for all the gods of the nations, they are but idols;
but you, O LORD, have made the heavens.
6Majesty and magnificence are in your presence;
power and splendor are in your sanctuary.
7Ascribe to the LORD, you families of the peoples,
ascribe to the LORD hon- or and power.
8Ascribe to the LORD the honor due the holy name;
bring offerings and enter the courts of the LORD. R
9Worship the LORD in the beau- ty of holiness;
tremble before the LORD, all the earth.
10Tell it out among the nations: "The LORD is king!
The one who made the world so firm that it cannot be moved will judge the peo- ples with equity."
11Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad;
let the sea thunder and all that is in it; let the field be joyful and all that is therein.
12Then shall all the trees of the wood shout for joy at your com- ing, O LORD,
for you come to judge the earth.
13You will judge the world with righteousness
and the peoples with your truth. R
Second Reading
Titus 2:11–14
11For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all, 12training us to renounce impiety and worldly passions, and in the present age to live lives that are self-controlled, upright, and godly, 13while we wait for the blessed hope and the manifestation of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. 14He it is who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify for himself a people of his own who are zealous for good deeds.
Gospel
Luke 2:1–14 [15–20]
2This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3All went to their own towns to be registered. 4Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. 5He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. 6While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. 7And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.8In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for see — I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: 11to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. 12This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger." 13And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying,14"Glory to God in the highest heaven,and on earth peace among those whom he favors!"15When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us." 16So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. 17When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; 18and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. 19But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. 20The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Weekly Texts: All Saints Sunday
First Reading
Revelation 7:9–17
9After this I looked, and there was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, robed in white, with palm branches in their hands. 10They cried out in a loud voice, saying,"Salvation belongs to our God who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb!"11And all the angels stood around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12singing,"Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdomand thanksgiving and honorand power and mightbe to our God forever and ever! Amen."13Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, "Who are these, robed in white, and where have they come from?" 14I said to him, "Sir, you are the one that knows." Then he said to me, "These are they who have come out of the great ordeal ;they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.15For this reason they are before the throne of God,and worship him day and night within his temple,and the one who is seated on the throne will shelter them.16They will hunger no more, and thirst no more;the sun will not strike them,nor any scorching heat;17for the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of the water of life,and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes."
Psalm (ELW)
Psalm 34:1–10, 22
I will bless the LORD at all times;
the praise of God shall ever be in my mouth.
2I will glory in the LORD;
let the lowly hear and rejoice. R
3Proclaim with me the greatness of the LORD;
let us exalt God's name together.
4I sought the LORD, who answered me
and delivered me from all my terrors.
5Look upon the LORD and be radiant,
and let not your faces be ashamed.
6I called in my affliction, and the LORD heard me
and saved me from all my troubles. R
7The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear the LORD
and de- livers them.
8Taste and see that the LORD is good;
happy are they who take ref- uge in God!
9Fear the LORD, you saints of the LORD,
for those who fear the LORD lack nothing.
10The lions are in want and suffer hunger,
but those who seek the LORD lack nothing that is good.
22O LORD, you redeem the life of your servants,
and those who put their trust in you will not be punished. R
Second Reading
1 John 3:1–3
See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and that is what we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2Beloved, we are God's children now; what we will be has not yet been revealed. What we do know is this: when he is revealed, we will be like him, for we will see him as he is. 3And all who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.
Gospel
Matthew 5:1–12
When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. 2Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying:3Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.4Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.5Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.6Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.7Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.8Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.9Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.10Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.11Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account 12Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Revelation 7:9–17
9After this I looked, and there was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, robed in white, with palm branches in their hands. 10They cried out in a loud voice, saying,"Salvation belongs to our God who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb!"11And all the angels stood around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12singing,"Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdomand thanksgiving and honorand power and mightbe to our God forever and ever! Amen."13Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, "Who are these, robed in white, and where have they come from?" 14I said to him, "Sir, you are the one that knows." Then he said to me, "These are they who have come out of the great ordeal ;they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.15For this reason they are before the throne of God,and worship him day and night within his temple,and the one who is seated on the throne will shelter them.16They will hunger no more, and thirst no more;the sun will not strike them,nor any scorching heat;17for the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of the water of life,and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes."
Psalm (ELW)
Psalm 34:1–10, 22
I will bless the LORD at all times;
the praise of God shall ever be in my mouth.
2I will glory in the LORD;
let the lowly hear and rejoice. R
3Proclaim with me the greatness of the LORD;
let us exalt God's name together.
4I sought the LORD, who answered me
and delivered me from all my terrors.
5Look upon the LORD and be radiant,
and let not your faces be ashamed.
6I called in my affliction, and the LORD heard me
and saved me from all my troubles. R
7The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear the LORD
and de- livers them.
8Taste and see that the LORD is good;
happy are they who take ref- uge in God!
9Fear the LORD, you saints of the LORD,
for those who fear the LORD lack nothing.
10The lions are in want and suffer hunger,
but those who seek the LORD lack nothing that is good.
22O LORD, you redeem the life of your servants,
and those who put their trust in you will not be punished. R
Second Reading
1 John 3:1–3
See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and that is what we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2Beloved, we are God's children now; what we will be has not yet been revealed. What we do know is this: when he is revealed, we will be like him, for we will see him as he is. 3And all who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.
Gospel
Matthew 5:1–12
When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. 2Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying:3Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.4Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.5Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.6Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.7Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.8Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.9Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.10Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.11Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account 12Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Sermon: Reformation 2008
I am the kind of Lutheran that loves this church so much that I pre-ordered my ticket to see the Luther movie in the movie theater. I can’t pretend that I didn’t cry when I saw Luther post those theses on the door of the church in Wittenberg. Our celebration of Reformation makes me proud to be a Lutheran, proud to have a heritage of reform, proud to be a part of a church grounded in growth. I love that this church was formed by a man wanting to put the scriptures into the hands of the people. I love that we believe that in those scriptures we could find a real truth. A real life. A real freedom.
The days are coming says the Lord. So begins our reading from Jeremiah for this morning. The days are surely coming when our celebration of reformation will be just a distant memory, when we will be finished with our constant reforming, when the Spirit of God will have had her way with us, and we will finally reach that place where we become our most full selves, the body of Christ in the world. The days are coming, but even on this day, those days seem far off, too far off.
I went to a small religious college. It was there that I came face to face for the first time with an altar call. It was the first time someone told me that I needed to ask Jesus into my heart. I had never heard of this before, growing up Lutheran, I was baptized, I went to church camp, I went to confirmation classes, I missed the memo about asking Jesus into my heart. I was also quite confused when I saw many of my friends asking Jesus into their hearts all the time. They would have big moments of conversion, then something would get in the way, they wouldn’t feel as close to their faith anymore, they would do a few things that definitely fell into the sin category, and there they would be again, marching down the aisle of the church and asking Jesus back into their hearts.
The days are coming says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the people. I will put my law within them, I will write it on their hearts, I will be their God and they shall be my people.
That’s the funny thing about our hearts, on this celebration of Reformation, we remember that God has promised to be with us, to wash us in grace. There is no rhyme or reason to why God has chosen to be in relationship with us. Most of us haven’t asked for it, and if we have, we certainly have trouble living as if that is the truth. We are sinners, but called saints by a God who has made an unbreakable covenant with us, has written the law in hearts, has made us God’s people, has invaded our hearts, filled them, shaped them so that they can only be called the shape of God. Walter Brueggeman says, “this covenant is given by God without reason or explanation, God wants the relationship with the people and resolves to have it. So God declares that he will write himself into the people.” It isn’t about us asking, it is about God doing. God comes down, and fills us with God’s very presence. We don’t have to keep asking, we just have to feel into those places where God already is. It isn’t about our work, it is about God’s.
We need this reminder of reformation, because it reminds us of the shape of our hearts. We don’t need flashy programs or new ideas, the covenant has been written into our hearts, we are made in the shape of a God that is constant through time, a God who has promised that we will be in relationship with him regardless of ourselves. God has wormed into our hearts, written herself upon them, and we cannot get out of this relationship without cutting out part of our own hearts.
That’s where Jeremiah and John seem to meet. Because Jeremiah tells us about the law written on our hearts, and Jesus in John’s gospel promises us that it is the writing that will set us free. It is the inscription inside of us, that gives us freedom we can’t get from anywhere else. It isn’t about heritage or ancestry; it is about what God has done and continues to do. The celebration of Reformation, for as proud as it makes us to be Lutherans, isn’t the point. The point is what God has done, where God has gone, how far God will go to be in relationship with us, to set us free from all the binds us, from all those things that hold us prisoner. We are in constant reformation, because those sinful natures keep getting in the way, keep telling us that there is something that will be more satisfying that will give us more than a relationship with God.
We are the people that both Jeremiah and Jesus are speaking about. We are the people of God, we are the ones who receive this promise. We have been grafted into this everlasting covenant. We are the ones that God loves with such depth that nothing can separate us from that love. And yet, we are also with that gathered crowd in our gospel wondering how we could ever be slave to anyone or anything. We are the ones who will listen to the freedom of the gospel and then wonder if there is something a little less difficult out there to give us the same results. We can’t imagine that we have ever been slaves, that there are forces and sins that have such a deep hold on us that we can’t even see it anymore.
Today, we will celebrate with six young adults as they affirm the promises made in their baptisms. They will stand before us and decide for themselves that they are a part of this holy family. But, confirmation is not the end, it is only another beginning. Just as we seek constant reformation in our church, we also seek constant reformation in our lives. Because for as much as we desire to live into the freedom of the gospel, to taste the free gift of grace, sin gets in the way. We do not live as we ought. We forget these promises, we ignore God’s law, we turn off the voice inside of us that urges us to live as God’s faithful people. It is in that relationship with Christ that we are set free. It is in the love that God has for us that we are set free. We exchange all the pain, all the ugliness, all the sin and the sorrow, all those things that bind us and break us down, we exchange all of it, for a relationship with God. For a return to the way we were made. And it doesn’t end on one day. It doesn’t end with one promise. It is difficult work, coming back again and again and falling down only to be covered with grace.
The truth of Reformation is that God is always doing a new thing, always within us, always with us, always covering us with grace. We will be made free. We don’t ask God into our hearts, God is already there. God desires to be in relationship with us, even as we break our end of the bargain, even as we ignore what God has done and continues to do. This is a new kind of covenant, one that cannot be broken, and so it doesn’t count on us. It counts on God. Amen.
The days are coming says the Lord. So begins our reading from Jeremiah for this morning. The days are surely coming when our celebration of reformation will be just a distant memory, when we will be finished with our constant reforming, when the Spirit of God will have had her way with us, and we will finally reach that place where we become our most full selves, the body of Christ in the world. The days are coming, but even on this day, those days seem far off, too far off.
I went to a small religious college. It was there that I came face to face for the first time with an altar call. It was the first time someone told me that I needed to ask Jesus into my heart. I had never heard of this before, growing up Lutheran, I was baptized, I went to church camp, I went to confirmation classes, I missed the memo about asking Jesus into my heart. I was also quite confused when I saw many of my friends asking Jesus into their hearts all the time. They would have big moments of conversion, then something would get in the way, they wouldn’t feel as close to their faith anymore, they would do a few things that definitely fell into the sin category, and there they would be again, marching down the aisle of the church and asking Jesus back into their hearts.
The days are coming says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the people. I will put my law within them, I will write it on their hearts, I will be their God and they shall be my people.
That’s the funny thing about our hearts, on this celebration of Reformation, we remember that God has promised to be with us, to wash us in grace. There is no rhyme or reason to why God has chosen to be in relationship with us. Most of us haven’t asked for it, and if we have, we certainly have trouble living as if that is the truth. We are sinners, but called saints by a God who has made an unbreakable covenant with us, has written the law in hearts, has made us God’s people, has invaded our hearts, filled them, shaped them so that they can only be called the shape of God. Walter Brueggeman says, “this covenant is given by God without reason or explanation, God wants the relationship with the people and resolves to have it. So God declares that he will write himself into the people.” It isn’t about us asking, it is about God doing. God comes down, and fills us with God’s very presence. We don’t have to keep asking, we just have to feel into those places where God already is. It isn’t about our work, it is about God’s.
We need this reminder of reformation, because it reminds us of the shape of our hearts. We don’t need flashy programs or new ideas, the covenant has been written into our hearts, we are made in the shape of a God that is constant through time, a God who has promised that we will be in relationship with him regardless of ourselves. God has wormed into our hearts, written herself upon them, and we cannot get out of this relationship without cutting out part of our own hearts.
That’s where Jeremiah and John seem to meet. Because Jeremiah tells us about the law written on our hearts, and Jesus in John’s gospel promises us that it is the writing that will set us free. It is the inscription inside of us, that gives us freedom we can’t get from anywhere else. It isn’t about heritage or ancestry; it is about what God has done and continues to do. The celebration of Reformation, for as proud as it makes us to be Lutherans, isn’t the point. The point is what God has done, where God has gone, how far God will go to be in relationship with us, to set us free from all the binds us, from all those things that hold us prisoner. We are in constant reformation, because those sinful natures keep getting in the way, keep telling us that there is something that will be more satisfying that will give us more than a relationship with God.
We are the people that both Jeremiah and Jesus are speaking about. We are the people of God, we are the ones who receive this promise. We have been grafted into this everlasting covenant. We are the ones that God loves with such depth that nothing can separate us from that love. And yet, we are also with that gathered crowd in our gospel wondering how we could ever be slave to anyone or anything. We are the ones who will listen to the freedom of the gospel and then wonder if there is something a little less difficult out there to give us the same results. We can’t imagine that we have ever been slaves, that there are forces and sins that have such a deep hold on us that we can’t even see it anymore.
Today, we will celebrate with six young adults as they affirm the promises made in their baptisms. They will stand before us and decide for themselves that they are a part of this holy family. But, confirmation is not the end, it is only another beginning. Just as we seek constant reformation in our church, we also seek constant reformation in our lives. Because for as much as we desire to live into the freedom of the gospel, to taste the free gift of grace, sin gets in the way. We do not live as we ought. We forget these promises, we ignore God’s law, we turn off the voice inside of us that urges us to live as God’s faithful people. It is in that relationship with Christ that we are set free. It is in the love that God has for us that we are set free. We exchange all the pain, all the ugliness, all the sin and the sorrow, all those things that bind us and break us down, we exchange all of it, for a relationship with God. For a return to the way we were made. And it doesn’t end on one day. It doesn’t end with one promise. It is difficult work, coming back again and again and falling down only to be covered with grace.
The truth of Reformation is that God is always doing a new thing, always within us, always with us, always covering us with grace. We will be made free. We don’t ask God into our hearts, God is already there. God desires to be in relationship with us, even as we break our end of the bargain, even as we ignore what God has done and continues to do. This is a new kind of covenant, one that cannot be broken, and so it doesn’t count on us. It counts on God. Amen.
Weekly Texts: Reformation Sunday
First Reading
Jeremiah 31:31–34
31The days are surely coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah. 32It will not be like the covenant that I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt — a covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, says the LORD. 33But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 34No longer shall they teach one another, or say to each other, "Know the LORD," for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, says the LORD; for I will forgive their iniquity, and remember their sin no more.
Psalm (ELW)
Psalm 46
1God is our ref- uge and strength,
a very present help in trouble.
2Therefore we will not fear, though the earth be moved,
and though the mountains shake in the depths of the sea;
3though its waters rage and foam,
and though the mountains tremble with its tumult.
4There is a river whose streams make glad the cit- y of God,
the holy habitation of the Most High.
5God is in the midst of the city; it shall not be shaken;
God shall help it at the break of day.
6The nations rage, and the kingdoms shake;
God speaks, and the earth melts away. R
7The LORD of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our stronghold.
8Come now, regard the works of the LORD,
what desolations God has brought up- on the earth;
9behold the one who makes war to cease in all the world;
who breaks the bow, and shatters the spear, and burns the shields with fire.
10"Be still, then, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations; I will be exalted in the earth."
11The LORD of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our stronghold. R
Second Reading
Romans 3:19–28
19Now we know that whatever the law says, it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. 20For "no human being will be justified in his sight" by deeds prescribed by the law, for through the law comes the knowledge of sin.21But now, apart from law, the righteousness of God has been disclosed, and is attested by the law and the prophets, 22the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction, 23since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; 24they are now justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25whom God put forward as a sacrifice of atonement by his blood, effective through faith. He did this to show his righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over the sins previously committed; 26it was to prove at the present time that he himself is righteous and that he justifies the one who has faith in Jesus.27Then what becomes of boasting? It is excluded. By what law? By that of works? No, but by the law of faith. 28For we hold that a person is justified by faith apart from works prescribed by the law.
Gospel
John 8:31–36
31Then Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, "If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples; 32and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free." 33They answered him, "We are descendants of Abraham and have never been slaves to anyone. What do you mean by saying, 'You will be made free'?"34Jesus answered them, "Very truly, I tell you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin. 35The slave does not have a permanent place in the household; the son has a place there forever. 36So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.
Jeremiah 31:31–34
31The days are surely coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah. 32It will not be like the covenant that I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt — a covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, says the LORD. 33But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 34No longer shall they teach one another, or say to each other, "Know the LORD," for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, says the LORD; for I will forgive their iniquity, and remember their sin no more.
Psalm (ELW)
Psalm 46
1God is our ref- uge and strength,
a very present help in trouble.
2Therefore we will not fear, though the earth be moved,
and though the mountains shake in the depths of the sea;
3though its waters rage and foam,
and though the mountains tremble with its tumult.
4There is a river whose streams make glad the cit- y of God,
the holy habitation of the Most High.
5God is in the midst of the city; it shall not be shaken;
God shall help it at the break of day.
6The nations rage, and the kingdoms shake;
God speaks, and the earth melts away. R
7The LORD of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our stronghold.
8Come now, regard the works of the LORD,
what desolations God has brought up- on the earth;
9behold the one who makes war to cease in all the world;
who breaks the bow, and shatters the spear, and burns the shields with fire.
10"Be still, then, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations; I will be exalted in the earth."
11The LORD of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our stronghold. R
Second Reading
Romans 3:19–28
19Now we know that whatever the law says, it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. 20For "no human being will be justified in his sight" by deeds prescribed by the law, for through the law comes the knowledge of sin.21But now, apart from law, the righteousness of God has been disclosed, and is attested by the law and the prophets, 22the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction, 23since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; 24they are now justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25whom God put forward as a sacrifice of atonement by his blood, effective through faith. He did this to show his righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over the sins previously committed; 26it was to prove at the present time that he himself is righteous and that he justifies the one who has faith in Jesus.27Then what becomes of boasting? It is excluded. By what law? By that of works? No, but by the law of faith. 28For we hold that a person is justified by faith apart from works prescribed by the law.
Gospel
John 8:31–36
31Then Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, "If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples; 32and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free." 33They answered him, "We are descendants of Abraham and have never been slaves to anyone. What do you mean by saying, 'You will be made free'?"34Jesus answered them, "Very truly, I tell you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin. 35The slave does not have a permanent place in the household; the son has a place there forever. 36So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.
Sermon: 23rd Sunday after Pentecost
If you don’t know that there is an election in exactly 16 days, than you must be living under a rock. Whether it is local or national news, we are fully immersed in the political world these days, hearing about who we should vote for, who we shouldn’t vote for, and why one candidate over the other should have our vote. For any of you that watched the most recent presidential debate between Barack Obama and John McCain, you heard plenty about a little guy from Ohio named Joe, who happens to be a plumber. Both Obama and McCain offered different explanations for what they would do for Joe the plumber, leaving many of us to think, who the heck is this Joe guy? But, at the base of all the promises to Joe was a question about taxes. Who will raise them for him and who will lower them? Who is being real about the taxes we are going to pay and who is trying to pull the wool over our eyes?
You can barely turn on the television without confronting someone who says that they are the person who is going to lower your taxes. And then, we arrive at church this morning, imaging that perhaps here we will get a break from hearing the back and forth, and what do we find Jesus talking about? Taxes.
Even if you haven’t read much of the bible, it would still be a surprise if you hadn’t at least a blurb of this passage before. Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, give to God what is God’s. For some, these words have been the warrant to head off to the hills, establish their own compound and stop paying taxes. For others, it has been a big green light to keeping a strong barrier between their political and religious lives. There are two extremes to this text, and it seems that we often head towards one or the other, leaving the middle to those who are just confused. We find ourselves trying to identify as citizens of this country, all the while know that we are citizens of a very different kingdom, the kingdom of God, where things like the economy, the structures of power and privilege, and the very day to day of life are often completely different from what might be filtering out of Springfield or Washington, DC.
Jesus is confronted by a gathering of Pharisees and Herodians. They are odd bedfellows to say the least, the Herodians were those who defended and supported the rule of the land by Herod- direct and open supporters of the Roman occupation. This tax that they come asking about was an annual tribute tax sent to Rome, a total of one denarius for each person. This was, by no means, the largest of the taxes paid by the people. They also gave tithes to the temple, paid customs taxes as well as taxes on the land. The people who worked the land were forced into subsistence farming by these taxes, taking home only about 1/3 of the production of the land. So the question isn’t really about all taxes, it is about this particular tax, a tax that was supported by the Pharisees and collected by the Herodians.
So these two sets of leaders come to Jesus and begin with some false flattery. And then comes the big question- is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar? This was the trap- either to make him lose favor with the people, oppressed by these taxes, or to cement him as a political threat, a teacher who was encouraging the people to openly defy the occupation. Either way, he was set to lose.
Which leaves us to wonder, how would we answer that question? Is it lawful for us to pay taxes? Are we first citizens of this country or world, or are we citizens the kingdom of God? Where do we have our primary allegiance? Can we really do both?
Jesus asks them for a coin, a coin bearing the face and title of Caesar. Most likely, it also included an inscription about Caesar’s divinity, he was considered descended from God to rule the people. And so Jesus tells them to give to Caesar what is Caesar’s.
Our greater church has a lot to say about this, but what I find most helpful is from our social statement on church and society, “The church must participate in social structures critically. Not only God but also sin is at work in the world. Social structures and processes combine life-giving and life-destroying dynamics in complex mixtures and in varying degrees. The church, therefore, must unite realism and vision, wisdom and courage, in its social responsibility. It needs constantly to discern when to support and when to confront society's cultural patterns, values, and powers.”
We’ve already given our allegiance, and it is an allegiance proclaimed in baptism. We are made children of God, marked with the cross of Christ, people who are called to live into the kingdom of God, making it manifest in the world. We are citizens of a kind of kingdom that is different than the one of this world, but that doesn’t mean that we don’t also, at the very same time, live in a country that both blesses and oppresses. That is what structures do- God can be found in them just as sin can corrupt them. We are citizens of both, living in the tension that this life creates. Do we pay taxes, of course. But, we don’t understand our money to come from anywhere but the hand of God. It isn’t a choice between Caesar or God- it is all God’s. What we give to Caesar, is still God’s. All we have and all we are is God’s, and so our primary allegiance will always be to that creator.
But that doesn’t mean that we aren’t pulled in all kinds of directions and our allegiance is sought after by all kinds of structures. We can ignore them, tell ourselves that they have no place and talk consistently about the evils of the world. Or we can whole heartedly fall into them, telling ourselves that our faith is relegated to only one teeny, tiny part of our lives. Either way, we lose. If we see the world around us, the political structures that have been set up, the secular world as evil, we miss the chance to discover our God hidden among the brokenness of the structure of the world. If we pretend that our faith is only something that effects us on Sunday mornings, we miss the incredible opportunity to bring our God into places that are hungry for what God is all about.
And so that is where we find Jesus’ answer to this tricky question. Somewhere in the middle. It doesn’t provide us with an easy answer, and I still find myself feeling a little uncomfortable when I see my tax dollars spent on things that I find grossly negligent of the needs of the world. But I give to Caesar what is Ceaser’s, remembering that in all reality, it is already all God’s. We are first and foremost, members of the kingdom of God, made children of God through baptism, taught to live in a world where we are marked by love and trust, hope and generosity. We can’t pretend it isn’t tricky to make our way in a world that doesn’t often reflect the gifts of God’s kingdom, but it is where we find ourselves. And regardless, we trust that because it is all God’s, because every breath and day are blessings of our God, because all we have and all we are is a blessing from God, that we are people of a different kind of kingdom. We are people of God, called to live in a broken world, called to proclaim a different kind of life. We live in the middle of the tension, in the already and not yet of the coming of the kingdom of God. Jesus gives us no easy answer, but instead a blessing to try it on our own, to be citizens of the kingdom of God while participating in the political structures of the world. We can’t separate the two, we can only live into the mystery, knowing that when we search, when we question, we will always find God. Amen.
You can barely turn on the television without confronting someone who says that they are the person who is going to lower your taxes. And then, we arrive at church this morning, imaging that perhaps here we will get a break from hearing the back and forth, and what do we find Jesus talking about? Taxes.
Even if you haven’t read much of the bible, it would still be a surprise if you hadn’t at least a blurb of this passage before. Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, give to God what is God’s. For some, these words have been the warrant to head off to the hills, establish their own compound and stop paying taxes. For others, it has been a big green light to keeping a strong barrier between their political and religious lives. There are two extremes to this text, and it seems that we often head towards one or the other, leaving the middle to those who are just confused. We find ourselves trying to identify as citizens of this country, all the while know that we are citizens of a very different kingdom, the kingdom of God, where things like the economy, the structures of power and privilege, and the very day to day of life are often completely different from what might be filtering out of Springfield or Washington, DC.
Jesus is confronted by a gathering of Pharisees and Herodians. They are odd bedfellows to say the least, the Herodians were those who defended and supported the rule of the land by Herod- direct and open supporters of the Roman occupation. This tax that they come asking about was an annual tribute tax sent to Rome, a total of one denarius for each person. This was, by no means, the largest of the taxes paid by the people. They also gave tithes to the temple, paid customs taxes as well as taxes on the land. The people who worked the land were forced into subsistence farming by these taxes, taking home only about 1/3 of the production of the land. So the question isn’t really about all taxes, it is about this particular tax, a tax that was supported by the Pharisees and collected by the Herodians.
So these two sets of leaders come to Jesus and begin with some false flattery. And then comes the big question- is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar? This was the trap- either to make him lose favor with the people, oppressed by these taxes, or to cement him as a political threat, a teacher who was encouraging the people to openly defy the occupation. Either way, he was set to lose.
Which leaves us to wonder, how would we answer that question? Is it lawful for us to pay taxes? Are we first citizens of this country or world, or are we citizens the kingdom of God? Where do we have our primary allegiance? Can we really do both?
Jesus asks them for a coin, a coin bearing the face and title of Caesar. Most likely, it also included an inscription about Caesar’s divinity, he was considered descended from God to rule the people. And so Jesus tells them to give to Caesar what is Caesar’s.
Our greater church has a lot to say about this, but what I find most helpful is from our social statement on church and society, “The church must participate in social structures critically. Not only God but also sin is at work in the world. Social structures and processes combine life-giving and life-destroying dynamics in complex mixtures and in varying degrees. The church, therefore, must unite realism and vision, wisdom and courage, in its social responsibility. It needs constantly to discern when to support and when to confront society's cultural patterns, values, and powers.”
We’ve already given our allegiance, and it is an allegiance proclaimed in baptism. We are made children of God, marked with the cross of Christ, people who are called to live into the kingdom of God, making it manifest in the world. We are citizens of a kind of kingdom that is different than the one of this world, but that doesn’t mean that we don’t also, at the very same time, live in a country that both blesses and oppresses. That is what structures do- God can be found in them just as sin can corrupt them. We are citizens of both, living in the tension that this life creates. Do we pay taxes, of course. But, we don’t understand our money to come from anywhere but the hand of God. It isn’t a choice between Caesar or God- it is all God’s. What we give to Caesar, is still God’s. All we have and all we are is God’s, and so our primary allegiance will always be to that creator.
But that doesn’t mean that we aren’t pulled in all kinds of directions and our allegiance is sought after by all kinds of structures. We can ignore them, tell ourselves that they have no place and talk consistently about the evils of the world. Or we can whole heartedly fall into them, telling ourselves that our faith is relegated to only one teeny, tiny part of our lives. Either way, we lose. If we see the world around us, the political structures that have been set up, the secular world as evil, we miss the chance to discover our God hidden among the brokenness of the structure of the world. If we pretend that our faith is only something that effects us on Sunday mornings, we miss the incredible opportunity to bring our God into places that are hungry for what God is all about.
And so that is where we find Jesus’ answer to this tricky question. Somewhere in the middle. It doesn’t provide us with an easy answer, and I still find myself feeling a little uncomfortable when I see my tax dollars spent on things that I find grossly negligent of the needs of the world. But I give to Caesar what is Ceaser’s, remembering that in all reality, it is already all God’s. We are first and foremost, members of the kingdom of God, made children of God through baptism, taught to live in a world where we are marked by love and trust, hope and generosity. We can’t pretend it isn’t tricky to make our way in a world that doesn’t often reflect the gifts of God’s kingdom, but it is where we find ourselves. And regardless, we trust that because it is all God’s, because every breath and day are blessings of our God, because all we have and all we are is a blessing from God, that we are people of a different kind of kingdom. We are people of God, called to live in a broken world, called to proclaim a different kind of life. We live in the middle of the tension, in the already and not yet of the coming of the kingdom of God. Jesus gives us no easy answer, but instead a blessing to try it on our own, to be citizens of the kingdom of God while participating in the political structures of the world. We can’t separate the two, we can only live into the mystery, knowing that when we search, when we question, we will always find God. Amen.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Weekly Texts: 23rd Sunday after Pentecost
First Reading
Isaiah 45:1–7
Thus says the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus,whose right hand I have graspedto subdue nations before himand strip kings of their robes,to open doors before him — and the gates shall not be closed:2I will go before youand level the mountains, I will break in pieces the doors of bronzeand cut through the bars of iron,3I will give you the treasures of darknessand riches hidden in secret places,so that you may know that it is I, the LORD,the God of Israel, who call you by your name.4For the sake of my servant Jacob,and Israel my chosen,I call you by your name,I surname you, though you do not know me.5I am the LORD, and there is no other;besides me there is no god.I arm you, though you do not know me,6so that they may know, from the rising of the sunand from the west, that there is no one besides me;I am the LORD, and there is no other.7I form light and create darkness,I make weal and create woe;I the LORD do all these things.
Psalm 96:1–9 [10–13]
1Sing to the LORD a new song;
sing to the LORD, all the earth.
2Sing to the LORD, bless the name of the LORD;
proclaim God's salvation from day to day.
3Declare God's glory a- mong the nations
and God's wonders a- mong all peoples.
4For great is the LORD and greatly to be praised,
more to be feared than all gods. R
5As for all the gods of the nations, they are but idols;
but you, O LORD, have made the heavens.
6Majesty and magnificence are in your presence;
power and splendor are in your sanctuary.
7Ascribe to the LORD, you families of the peoples,
ascribe to the LORD hon- or and power.
8Ascribe to the LORD the honor due the holy name;
bring offerings and enter the courts of the LORD. R
9Worship the LORD in the beau- ty of holiness;
tremble before the LORD, all the earth.
[10Tell it out among the nations: "The LORD is king!
The one who made the world so firm that it cannot be moved will judge the peo- ples with equity."
11Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad;
let the sea thunder and all that is in it; let the field be joyful and all that is therein.
12Then shall all the trees of the wood shout for joy at your com- ing, O LORD,
for you come to judge the earth.
13You will judge the world with righteousness
and the peoples with your truth.] R
Second Reading
1 Thessalonians 1:1–10
Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy,To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:Grace to you and peace.2We always give thanks to God for all of you and mention you in our prayers, constantly 3remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. 4For we know, brothers and sisters beloved by God, that he has chosen you, 5because our message of the gospel came to you not in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction; just as you know what kind of persons we proved to be among you for your sake. 6And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for in spite of persecution you received the word with joy inspired by the Holy Spirit, 7so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia. 8For the word of the Lord has sounded forth from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but in every place your faith in God has become known, so that we have no need to speak about it. 9For the people of those regions report about us what kind of welcome we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols, to serve a living and true God, 10and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead — Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath that is coming.
Gospel
Matthew 22:15–22
15Then the Pharisees went and plotted to entrap him in what he said. 16So they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, "Teacher, we know that you are sincere, and teach the way of God in accordance with truth, and show deference to no one; for you do not regard people with partiality. 17Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to the emperor, or not?" 18But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, "Why are you putting me to the test, you hypocrites? 19Show me the coin used for the tax." And they brought him a denarius. 20Then he said to them, "Whose head is this, and whose title?" 21They answered, "The emperor's." Then he said to them, "Give therefore to the emperor the things that are the emperor's, and to God the things that are God's." 22When they heard this, they were amazed; and they left him and went away.
Isaiah 45:1–7
Thus says the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus,whose right hand I have graspedto subdue nations before himand strip kings of their robes,to open doors before him — and the gates shall not be closed:2I will go before youand level the mountains, I will break in pieces the doors of bronzeand cut through the bars of iron,3I will give you the treasures of darknessand riches hidden in secret places,so that you may know that it is I, the LORD,the God of Israel, who call you by your name.4For the sake of my servant Jacob,and Israel my chosen,I call you by your name,I surname you, though you do not know me.5I am the LORD, and there is no other;besides me there is no god.I arm you, though you do not know me,6so that they may know, from the rising of the sunand from the west, that there is no one besides me;I am the LORD, and there is no other.7I form light and create darkness,I make weal and create woe;I the LORD do all these things.
Psalm 96:1–9 [10–13]
1Sing to the LORD a new song;
sing to the LORD, all the earth.
2Sing to the LORD, bless the name of the LORD;
proclaim God's salvation from day to day.
3Declare God's glory a- mong the nations
and God's wonders a- mong all peoples.
4For great is the LORD and greatly to be praised,
more to be feared than all gods. R
5As for all the gods of the nations, they are but idols;
but you, O LORD, have made the heavens.
6Majesty and magnificence are in your presence;
power and splendor are in your sanctuary.
7Ascribe to the LORD, you families of the peoples,
ascribe to the LORD hon- or and power.
8Ascribe to the LORD the honor due the holy name;
bring offerings and enter the courts of the LORD. R
9Worship the LORD in the beau- ty of holiness;
tremble before the LORD, all the earth.
[10Tell it out among the nations: "The LORD is king!
The one who made the world so firm that it cannot be moved will judge the peo- ples with equity."
11Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad;
let the sea thunder and all that is in it; let the field be joyful and all that is therein.
12Then shall all the trees of the wood shout for joy at your com- ing, O LORD,
for you come to judge the earth.
13You will judge the world with righteousness
and the peoples with your truth.] R
Second Reading
1 Thessalonians 1:1–10
Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy,To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:Grace to you and peace.2We always give thanks to God for all of you and mention you in our prayers, constantly 3remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. 4For we know, brothers and sisters beloved by God, that he has chosen you, 5because our message of the gospel came to you not in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction; just as you know what kind of persons we proved to be among you for your sake. 6And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for in spite of persecution you received the word with joy inspired by the Holy Spirit, 7so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia. 8For the word of the Lord has sounded forth from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but in every place your faith in God has become known, so that we have no need to speak about it. 9For the people of those regions report about us what kind of welcome we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols, to serve a living and true God, 10and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead — Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath that is coming.
Gospel
Matthew 22:15–22
15Then the Pharisees went and plotted to entrap him in what he said. 16So they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, "Teacher, we know that you are sincere, and teach the way of God in accordance with truth, and show deference to no one; for you do not regard people with partiality. 17Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to the emperor, or not?" 18But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, "Why are you putting me to the test, you hypocrites? 19Show me the coin used for the tax." And they brought him a denarius. 20Then he said to them, "Whose head is this, and whose title?" 21They answered, "The emperor's." Then he said to them, "Give therefore to the emperor the things that are the emperor's, and to God the things that are God's." 22When they heard this, they were amazed; and they left him and went away.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)