Today in the Spirit: Lent 4C (Laetare Sunday)
Generally, at Lent 4 every year, we can discern a transition in the Church’s selected readings from the straightforward message of the horrific consequences of failing to repent from sin (recall the “weeping and gnashing of teeth” from last week’s Gospel reading) to the promises of blessing for those who do.
This is evident nowhere more than in the selection of Luke 15:11-32, the famous Parable of the Prodigal Son, as a Gospel reading for Lent 4C. The wayward younger son of a loving father squanders his inheritance until, when “he came to himself” (17), he returns to his father only to find the latter has been waiting for him. The father rewards him lavishly for turning back home. The father’s largesse results in tremendous resentment in an older son who believes he has been neglected by the father, even though he, unlike the younger son, has remained faithful. That conflict remains unresolved in the narrative.
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The OT reading from Joshua [4:19-24]5:1[2-8]9-12 is one of only two selections from Joshua in the three-year cycle for Sunday worship (also Pentecost, Proper 16C). The choice is given of covering the entire narrative of what happens after the Israelites cross the Jordan or, by leaving out the portions in parenthesis, hearing only the LORD’s pronouncement, “‘Today, I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you’” (5:9), followed by the first celebration of Passover in the new land. On a Sunday in Lent, to emphasize the rewards of repentance and obedience, this is the message the Church would have us contemplate in worship.
The appointed Psalm 34 or Psalm 34:1-8 is a song of thanksgiving which, in our worship, we can imagine giving voice to the feelings of the Israelites arriving at long last over the Jordan or to the wayward son being welcomed by his loving father. The personal thanksgiving of “David” in the psalm (“I” and “me” in vv. 1-4) transitions to a lengthy exhortation for all Israel to praise YHWH and to “do good” (14) and receive the benefits of his protection.
The appointment of Paul’s well-known passage 2 Corinthians 5:17-21 on this Sunday in Lent recalls language we may remember from the Ash Wednesday service. Here, we learn that the supreme reward of repentance and faith, being “in Christ,” is that of being transformed into “a new creation” (17). And, being made new, we take on the role of “ambassadors for Christ,” joining the ministry of God to reconcile others to himself.
The appointed Collect, calling Jesus Christ “the true bread which gives life to the world,” is fitting, especially for Lent 4B, when we hear the Gospel reading the account of Jesus multiplying the bread and fish from John 6. But at any time, this beautiful prayer expresses that holy confluence of our desire for the Lord to give what we need to remain in him and his willingness always to provide it.
The Collect
Gracious Father, whose blessed Son Jesus Christ came down from heaven to be the true bread which gives life to the world: Evermore give us this bread, that he may live in us, and we in him; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Today I Have Rolled Away the Reproach (Joshua [4:19-24]5:1[2-8]9-12)
5:1 As soon as all the kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan to the west, and all the kings of the Canaanites who were by the sea, heard that the Lord had dried up the waters of the Jordan for the people of Israel until they had crossed over, their hearts melted and there was no longer any spirit in them because of the people of Israel. 2 At that time the Lord said to Joshua, “Make flint knives and circumcise the sons of Israel a second time.” 3 So Joshua made flint knives and circumcised the sons of Israel at Gibeath-haaraloth. 4 And this is the reason why Joshua circumcised them: all the males of the people who came out of Egypt, all the men of war, had died in the wilderness on the way after they had come out of Egypt. 5 Though all the people who came out had been circumcised, yet all the people who were born on the way in the wilderness after they had come out of Egypt had not been circumcised. 6 For the people of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness, until all the nation, the men of war who came out of Egypt, perished, because they did not obey the voice of the Lord; the Lord swore to them that he would not let them see the land that the Lord had sworn to their fathers to give to us, a land flowing with milk and honey. 7 So it was their children, whom he raised up in their place, that Joshua circumcised. For they were uncircumcised, because they had not been circumcised on the way. 8 When the circumcising of the whole nation was finished, they remained in their places in the camp until they were healed. 9 And the Lord said to Joshua, “Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you.” And so the name of that place is called Gilgal to this day. 10 While the people of Israel were encamped at Gilgal, they kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the month in the evening on the plains of Jericho. 11 And the day after the Passover, on that very day, they ate of the produce of the land, unleavened cakes and parched grain. 12 And the manna ceased the day after they ate of the produce of the land. And there was no longer manna for the people of Israel, but they ate of the fruit of the land of Canaan that year.
Joshua 5:1-12
Consider YHWH’s message to Joshua: “Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you” (9). The voice of “reproach” (or “disgrace” NET) over Israel here comes not from YHWH in this context but from the surrounding nations who look down on the Israelites for having been enslaved in Egypt for four centuries. The evidence that the situation has radically changed, or “rolled away,” is found in the narrative in v. 5:1, “As soon as all the kings of the Amorites…and all the kings of the Canaanites…heard that the Lord had dried up the waters of the Jordan for the people of Israel until they had crossed over, their hearts melted, and there was no longer any spirit in them because of the people of Israel.” None of the peoples around Palestine had shown respect for this nation roaming around the desert until this point. Now that the One LORD has shown himself to be with the Israelites, they completely lose courage. The question is, how will the Israelites respond to this dramatic turning of the tables on the other nations?
Devotionally, one problem for the Israelites is that this announcement of reproach rolling away or reproach comes to them only indirectly. It is given to Joshua alone (9). There is a disconnect. We have something of the same problem. Jesus’ teaching, “Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God…Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows.” (Lk. 12:6-7), comes to his disciples long ago. Paul’s teaching, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?…No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us” (Rom. 8:35-37) is written to a group in Rome centuries ago? It is only when the Lord meets us himself in our own day and our own circumstances that we become truly convinced to go forward. Then, the words spoken to only a few become precious to us.
Today, with the help of your Spirit, Jesus, I will hear the words given in the past to others and take up the challenge of the psalmist this morning for myself: “O taste and see how gracious the Lord is; blessed is the one who trusts in him” (Ps. 34:8).
He Delivered Me from All My Fears (Psalm 34 or 34:1-8)
1 I will always give thanks unto the Lord; *
Psalm 34:1-8, New Coverdale Psalter (BCP 2019)
his praise shall ever be in my mouth.
2 My soul shall make its boast in the Lord; *
the humble shall hear this and be glad.
3 O praise the Lord with me, *
and let us magnify his Name together.
4 I sought the Lord, and he heard me; *
he delivered me out of all my fears.
5 They looked unto him, and were made glad, *
and their faces were not ashamed.
6 Look, the poor man cries, and the Lord hears him, *
and saves him out of all his troubles.
7 The angel of the Lord camps round about those who fear him, *
and delivers them in time of need.
8 O taste and see how gracious the Lord is; *
blessed is the one who trusts in him.
This psalm is a song of thanksgiving consisting of opening praise (1-3), personal testimony and exhortation (4-10), and wisdom teaching (11-22). Consider the two similar half verses installed close together in the first half: “delivered me out of all my fears” (4) and “saves him out of all his troubles” (6). The Hebrew original for “troubles” in the second is a common word in the OT, also translated as “calamities” or “distresses.” The Hebrew for “fears” is used only three times in the OT, and it is consistently translated in English as “fears” or “dreads” (like Is. 66:4). Taken together, we find “David” grateful for delivering us from both external and internal turmoil.
So, too, devotionally, we find God is willing and able to rescue us inside and out. It is very often not both at once. Many of our most precious testimonies of the intervention of the Lord are those in which he has calmed the turbulent waters inside us long before the material circumstances have changed. This is Paul’s “peace from God that surpasses all understanding” (Phil. 4:7). And that peace comes from the Holy Spirit, as he teaches Timothy: “For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline” (internal courage, 2 Tim. 1:7).
Today, Holy Spirit, from David’s testimony of deliverance from internal “fears,” we take encouragement from the reach of God’s sovereignty, even into the deepest parts of us and outside of us.
Be Reconciled to God (2 Corinthians 5:17-21)
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 18 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. 20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
2 Corinthians 5:17-21
“Be reconciled to God.” In isolation, the command sounds like a Billy Graham invitation to non-Christians, and we are tempted to take it that way in the passage, given the nature of Paul’s discussion about our being “entrusted” with the “ministry of reconciliation” (18). But there are two important things to see here: 1) Paul is not addressing non-Christians in this letter but Christians, and 2) there is a distinction between “we” and “you” in this passage that we need to keep track of: “Therefore, we [Paul and his apostolic team] are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us [also Paul and company]. We [also Paul and company] implore you [Corinthians Christians] on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God” (21). The command here is for straying Christians (and we know how the Corinthians have strayed) to repent and return to God. It is to ongoing Christian repentance that this passage points to—literally “keep being reconciled”—in keeping with the direction of all our passages this Sunday and with Lent as a whole.
Devotionally, by this reading of the passage, please, friends, do not count yourselves released from any burden to join “the ministry of reconciliation” of the apostles. God does call us to look for every opportunity to share the good news with non-Christians around us, especially among family, friends, and work companions. But, before we can say anything like “Be reconciled to God” to another, we must first heed the apostle’s command to do so ourselves. Somehow, it is in the recognition that one sinner is reaching out to another that produces results.
Today, in the Spirit, let me hear this renowned passage of Paul’s exhortation as it was written: to keep on being reconciled to God myself and then look to others.
A Man Had Two Sons (Luke 15:11-32)
11 And he said, “There was a man who had two sons. 12 And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’ And he divided his property between them. 13 Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living. 14 And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. 16 And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything. 17 “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! 18 I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.”’ 20 And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. 21 And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 22 But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. 23 And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. 24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate. 25 “Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. 27 And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and sound.’ 28 But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, 29 but he answered his father, ‘Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’ 31 And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. 32 It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’”
Luke 15:11-32
Taken as a whole, what we have in this parable of Jesus is a story and a half. It is the account of a loving father who mentally and physically comes out (20,28) two times to meet two sons in different ways, according to the needs and circumstances of each. In the case of the encounter with the younger son, the narrative is complete with the son’s rebellion and return, followed by the father’s acceptance and celebration. As for the narrative about the older son, we hear a different kind of rejection of the father’s love, the father’s plea to return, and then–nothing. Does the older brother at any point “come to himself” like the younger? We don’t know. Does he ever respond to the father’s pleading urges? We are not sure. Is there ever a celebration of the older son for his repentance and return? The passage does not say. Why does Luke not just stop with the celebration of the younger son’s return and the celebration as he does in the previous parables in this chapter? Why does the half-story of the older brother end with the father waiting for a reply?
Devotionally, are we not meant to take the whole parable, place ourselves in the shoes of each son, and grapple with the love of the Father God has for us on both accounts? It is obvious that in the complete story of the younger son, we are meant to be overwhelmed by the welcome the Lord gives us whenever we respond to the gift of repentance and return. Less obvious, perhaps, is the demand the narrative about the older son makes that we see desire on the face of a God who waits. There is waiting in both parts of the story, and just so the Father waits to see what will happen next with us: “Will he remember that I love him? Will she come back? Let each know that when they do return, I will be here to greet them with joy.
Read this passage from the apostle Peter’s teaching in the light of this parable: “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance” (2 Pet. 3:9).
Today, Holy Spirit, as I hear this great parable in Lent, let me grapple with both the joy you have for me when I repent and return and your patience with me while you wait for me to decide.
Today in the Spirit
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