A sermon/reflection for The Twentieth Sunday after Trinity
The readings for this Sunday are those of Twentieth Sunday after Trinity Sunday:
Leviticus 19.1-2, 15-18
Psalm 1
Thessalonians 2. 1-8
Matthew 22. 34-46
You might like to use the link below to find the above readings and click on any of the reading above that you wish to use:
http://www.katapi.org.uk/CommonWorship/CWLectionarySelV.php
Collect of the day (Bible Sunday)
Let us first spend a few moments in silence to centre ourselves,
to gather ourselves in our souls, to come before the Lord just as we are with our joys and sorrows, our hopes and our fears, our loves and our pains.
Let us just focus our minds and hearts on Jesus
who is the answer for every problem.
Let us pray that the Spirit will work through our lives
to bring Christ to the world.
Silence is kept
Blessed Lord,
Who caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning:
Help us so to hear them,
to read, mark, learn and inwardly digest them
that, through patience, and the comfort ofyour holy word,
we may embrace and for ever hold fast
the hope of everlasting life,
which you have given us in our
Saviour Jesus Christ,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
One God, now and forever.
Amen.
Prayer before the Sermon
Loving Heavenly Father,
we thank you for the words you have given us today.
We know they are words of life and salvation.
Open our hearts Father,
touch our souls,
forgive us our sins,
especially our lack of faith,
help us to respond to your word.
May we know
that you are our Lord and Saviour
who promises us the power from on high,
your Holy Spirit.
May we experience in our hearts
your love and your presence always.
Amen.
A Homily based on the three readings of today is given below:
“The Greatest Commandment”
God’s commandments are for our good.
Baptist minister Steve Chalke wrote about a media experience he once had. He says
A few years ago I was taking part in a live debate on the BBC’s Radio Five Live Drive Time show. One of the stories was on the issue of adultery. As we chatted the presenter chipped in, “Why is God so miserable? Why has he got a downer on everything we do?” And then building into an anti-God rant, she added, “Don’t do this, don’t do that. Don’t commit adultery. It’s pathetic.”
I interrupted her with a question. “Does the Bible really say, ‘Don’t commit adultery?’”
“Yes it does,” came her rapier reply.
“Well, I’ve never read that bit,” I said.
“You know very well it’s there,” she retorted. In fact it’s there twice. It’s one of the Ten Commandments.”
“Oh, now I know what you’re talking about,” I exclaimed. It’s just that I didn’t recognise it from the tone of your voice.
“What do you mean,” she asked.
“You’re absolutely right,” I continued. “God does say that we shouldn’t commit adultery, but not in the way you’ve read it. You see, before he gives the Ten Commandments he introduces himself as the God who loves Israel. He wants them to know that he’s for them and not against them. He wants the best for them. God didn’t sit in heaven making a list of all the things he knows humans like to do and then outlaw them to spoil their fun. Rather, he knows the pain and heartache that we will cause ourselves and others if we pursue agendas that are contrary to the ways he made us to be, The Ten Commandments is a loving God saying, “Look, I am the God who loves you. I’m on your side. I got you out of slavery in Egypt. I’m the best deal you’ve got going for you. Trust me. Don’t steal. Don’t lie. Don’t abandon me. Don’t commit adultery, because if you do it will unleash destructive powers that will slowly overshadow you, destroying you, your families and your society. Trust me. Don’t be stupid.
Rob Bell also points out that the people had only just come out of slavery and he was humanising them – teaching them how to be human beings.
Another story.
Jim Wallis was brought up in a Southern Baptist Church in the U.S. Bible Belt. The purpose of church was to get people to say the “Sinner’s Prayer” and be saved. He decided that he wanted to become a pastor and save people.
To finance himself he started working in a low paid job like McDonalds. Many of the other workers were from across the other side of the tracks – black and poor. Asking them if they were Christians they would say, “Yes’” but he discovered that their belief was in a God who rescued and cared for the poor, who believed in social outreach and community.
Wallis had never heard a sermon on this topic and so he and some of his fellow students made a study of every mention of the poor in the Bible. They found it was the second most prominent theme, faithfulness to God being the first.
In the New Testament one out of every sixteen verses had to do with wealth and poverty. It was even greater in the Gospels.
So they took a Bible and proceeded to cut out every single reference to the poor. When they had finished the book was decimated – it was full of holes. Wallis used it to preach. He would hold up the floppy book and proclaim, “Brothers and sisters, this is our American Bible. It’s full of holes!”
So, the theme of loving our neighbour is almost the most important Biblical theme.
Why is faithfulness to God the most important theme in the Bible?
Wallis found that the most important theme was to worship, honour and love God. Like a wise father he wants us to trust him because his way is to avoid the pain and heartache that we will cause others and ourselves if we pursue agendas that are contrary to the ways he made us to be. He requires us to place him above all else.
Now, it can be quite easy to choose to use our natural compassion to care for our neighbours. But loving isn’t something that we can naturally turn on.
Let’s look at the communion that we are partaking in. The Last Supper was originally the remembrance of the Passover.
In that meal they ate unleavened bread. Leavened bread contains microbes that cause it to decay. The unleavened bread or matzah that Jesus held up was uncontaminated. It symbolises the purity of Jesus. The stripes in matzah also remind us of the stripes on his back when he was wickedly flogged. And the holes remind us of the nails that pierced his skin and bones. This bread is then broken. Look up to see Father Sebastian perform this action and think of how Jesus was broken for us.
In the Passover meal they also drank four cups of wine. The third cup was the Cup of Redemption . It symbolised the blood of the lamb that was painted on the sides and tops of door frames. When the Lord saw the blood it was a sign for him to pass over that home with the plague he was bringing on the Egyptians. It was this cup that Jesus gave to the disciples saying, in effect, that his blood was now the pass over ticket for those who believed in him.
In this meal – in this communion we see Jesus’ saving act symbolised for us. See his work for us and love him for it.
The other way I find to grow in love for God is to spend time in his presence. As you sit there he will do his work upon you. If you come to him he will deepen your love for him.
I recommend that you treat yourself to some Bible Reading notes. Melanie Carroll who runs the Unicorn Tree Bookstall in Lincoln Market can help you to find some notes that are good for you.
[Mr John Beverly, Reader, Springline Parish]
Pause to pray
A Prayer you can say now:
Lord Jesus,
I believe you are the Son of God.
Thank you for becoming one of us.
Thank you for dying on the cross for my sins.
Thank you for rising from the dead
to give me hope and the gift of eternal life.
I repent of my sins
and invite you into heart and life
as my Lord and Saviour.
Please grant me your Holy Spirit
so that I may know you, love you
and follow you every day of my life.
Amen.
You might like to use the intercessions given after you have listened to the worship song.