Texts and Sermon for the Wednesday of the 14th Sunday after Pentecost


Wednesday of the 14th Sunday after Pentecost

 

Collect: O Lord, keep Your Church with Your perpetual mercy; and because of our frailty we cannot but fall, keep us ever by Your help from all things hurtful and lead us to all things profitable to our salvation; through Jesus Christ, Your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. 

 




The Epistle for the Wednesday of the 14th Sunday after Pentecost is from Paul’s letter to the Galatians, the fifth chapter. (Galatians 5:16-24)

16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21 envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. This is the Word of the Lord

C: Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia. 

 

The Holy Gospel according to St. Luke, the 17th chapter.                      (Luke 17:11-19)

11 On the way to Jerusalem he was passing along between Samaria and Galilee. 12 And as he entered a village, he was met by ten lepers, who stood at a distance 13 and lifted up their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.” 14 When he saw them he said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went they were cleansed. 15 Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; 16 and he fell on his face at Jesus' feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan. 17 Then Jesus answered, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? 18 Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” 19 And he said to him, “Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well.” This is the Gospel of the Lord.

Sermon: O Lord, your Word is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, my rock and my redeemer. Amen.

For as long as humanity has been outside of the Garden of Eden, when God interacts with us, he expects a change to come about in our thinking and behavior. The gift of God to us is that he is clear about what the change should look like. He is not vague. When he expects a change, he points in the direction in which we are to go. God clearly expresses his expectation in both Old and New Testaments. God is consistent then and now. 

For example, when God looked upon the wickedness of men during Noah’s time and he decided that he would devastate the earth with a flood, he commanded Noah to build an ark. I am confident that Noah had lots of questions that are not recorded, but Noah proceeded in faith. The way forward was clear because God not only said, “build an ark,”, he provided all the relevant directions and dimensions needed to complete the task. Noah and his family were changed. By faith they accepted an inconceivable Word from the Lord and proceeded to obey. They moved forward with God’s promises. 

Abraham is another example of a man who was changed. He received a direct call from God to leave his family of origin and venture forth. Genesis 12 says, “Now the LORD said to Abram, ‘Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. And I will make you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great so that you will be a blessing.” Abraham left the security of his family and friends. He may not have known where he was going, but he believed God. The Bible records that Abraham’s faith was reckoned unto him as righteousness by God. Abraham soon began his long journey to the promised land. 

The Apostle Paul writes to the church in Galatia in order to give them guidance as they disentangle themselves from false doctrine and practices. Writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the Apostle reminds them that the Good News of Jesus Christ changes them. Their former way of life, before being catechized and baptized into the promise of Christ’s cross and resurrection, is no longer how they shall live. Christ died so that they can live as God’s children. The Apostle echoes Jesus’ call to discipleship. Die to yourselves, live for Christ. Die to what feels “natural.” Rather, dwell in the fruits of Christ forgiveness and freedom. Because the Galatians are mostly gentiles, they do not have the foundation of a previous life informed by the instructions of God’s law. So, he makes the contrast clear. Living according to the flesh includes thinking and behavior that is primarily about the self and its basest desires: “19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21 envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these.”

Instead, embrace the Gospel. Be changed by the Good News. Encourage the Holy Spirit to transform you so that your life is shaped by Christ’s characteristics: “22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,23 gentleness, self-control;”

Christ Jesus marks us with his cross in Holy Baptism. The Holy Spirit that dwells within us changes us. The promise of the cross and resurrection leads us to grow in faith, hope, and love so that our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ moves us to love our neighbor just as we love God.   

The peace of God which passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen. 

 

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