Today in the Spirit: Proper 9C
In each of the three years of the lectionary cycle, we are assigned for our worship one account of Jesus sending disciples to engage in ministry on their own: the twelve in Matthew 10 at Year A, Proper 6; the twelve in Mark 9 at Year B, Proper 10; and the seventy-two in Luke 10 at Year C, Proper 9. The unique part of this week’s gospel reading from Luke 10:1-20 is the narrative of the return of the seventy-two. They are excited to find that, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!” (17).” And Jesus replies, “Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven” (20).
The assigned OT reading from Isaiah 66:10-16 is another prophetic passage concerning Jerusalem (recalling the Zechariah 12 reading two weeks ago). Here again we contemplate in our worship Jesus’ journey to the holy city to die. The saving ministry of our Lord’s death and resurrection can easily be discerned by the words, “As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you; you shall be comforted in Jerusalem” (13).
Sponsored
The appointed Psalm 66 or 66:1-8 can likewise be treated like a song to march by as we follow the Lord to Jerusalem in anticipation of his great works there: “O come and see the works of God, how wonderful he is in his doing toward all people” (4).
This week we come to the last in the series of readings from Galatians in Pentecost, Year C. Reading the whole selection, Galatians 6:(1-5)6-18, covers the entire last chapter of the letter. In his concluding remarks, Paul encourages the community to look out for one another spiritually and practically: “Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness” (1). And then: “So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith” (10).
In response to the high standards given in the gospel reading and the epistle for carrying out ministry and living in Christian community, the appointed collect pleads for grace in the mind to “think and do always those things that are right” and with our actions to “be enabled to live according to [the Lord’s] will.”
The Collect
Grant us, O Lord, we pray, the spirit to think and do always those things that are right, that we, who can do no good thing apart from you, may by you be enabled to live according to your will; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
You Shall Be Comforted in Jerusalem (Isaiah 66:10-16)
10 “Rejoice with Jerusalem, and be glad for her,
Isaiah 66:10-16
all you who love her;
rejoice with her in joy,
all you who mourn over her;
11 that you may nurse and be satisfied
from her consoling breast;
that you may drink deeply with delight
from her glorious abundance.”
12 For thus says the Lord:
“Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river,
and the glory of the nations like an overflowing stream;
and you shall nurse, you shall be carried upon her hip,
and bounced upon her knees.
13 As one whom his mother comforts,
so I will comfort you;
you shall be comforted in Jerusalem.
14 You shall see, and your heart shall rejoice;
your bones shall flourish like the grass;
and the hand of the Lord shall be known to his servants,
and he shall show his indignation against his enemies.
15 “For behold, the Lord will come in fire,
and his chariots like the whirlwind,
to render his anger in fury,
and his rebuke with flames of fire.
16 For by fire will the Lord enter into judgment,
and by his sword, with all flesh;
and those slain by the Lord shall be many.
The end of Isaiah is a hodgepodge of verse and narrative, comprising oracles of consolation and warning, which communicate a mixed message: those who are in exile will be comforted by the restoration of Jerusalem, but the faithless — those who call themselves Israel but are not—will be judged.
In this particular passage, the Christian worshiper will notice that the promises of restoration are less for the city itself than what will happen in the city: Out of Jerusalem will come “a consoling breast and “glorious abundance” (11); and, “As one whom his mother comforts so I will comfort you; you shall be comforted in Jerusalem” (13). “In Jerusalem,” will come the Savior Jesus of Nazareth. There he will be shamefully treated, but (per an earlier oracle), “Break forth together into singing, you waste places of Jerusalem, for the Lord has comforted his people; he has redeemed Jerusalem. The Lord has bared his holy arm before the eyes of all the nations, and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God” (52:9-10).
Devotionally, we must be sure to focus our attention not on the comfort, or lack of it, we receive in society but only on Jesus who dwells with us in society and works in that society to realize his saving purposes. In America now, we may be at once overjoyed by the instant delivery of things we purchase online and frightened by increasing unrest at home and abroad as we hear in the news. We must be neither too comfortable in the conveniences nor overly distraught by the uneasy feeling that calamity is outside our front door. Instead, we are meant to be assured of the reach of Christ’s authority here and now and always into the future.
Today, Holy Spirit, teach us, the new Israel, to see the long arm of salvation through the Son of God you have extended “in Jerusalem” and in our homeland.
Sing Praises to the Honor of His Name (Psalm 66 or 66:1-8)
1 Be joyful in God, all you lands; *
Psalm 66:1-8, New Coverdale Psalter (BCP 2019)
sing praises to the honor of his Name; make his praise to be glorious.
2 Say to God, “How wonderful are your works; *
through the greatness of your power shall your enemies cower before you.
3 For all the world shall worship you, *
sing to you, and praise your Name.”
4 O come and see the works of God, *
how wonderful he is in his doing toward all people.
5 He turned the sea into dry land, so that they went through the water on foot; *
therefore in him let us rejoice.
6 He rules with his power for ever; his eyes keep watch over the nations; *
let not the rebellious exalt themselves.
7 Bless our God, you peoples, *
and make the voice of his praise to be heard,
8 Who holds our soul in life, *
and does not allow our feet to slip.
Follow the pronouns in this psalm, we can see a cycle emerging:
- Praise, “all you lands” (1);
- Praise, “you peoples” (7);
- “I will go into your house” (12).
Exhortation to the universe moves to exhortation to the people of God, which goes to personal testimony. This is not a step-by-step process for right praise, but a cycle of adoration we are coming into in the middle, like when you start playing a video clip in the middle—eventually, you get to the end and it replays from the beginning until you get back to the place where you started.
Devotionally, we are encouraged to follow the Holy Spirit, who is in us to adore the Father and the Son, as he leads us through the whole cycle of praise. At worship services, we often enter in at the universal (“All creatures of our God and King,” v.1 of the hymn), then the people of God (“And all ye saints of tender heart,” v.3). Then, having heard this, a personal testimony of praise and thanksgiving often comes to mind later. During the week, the Spirit brings to our minds a personal blessing, and that leads to universal and corporate praise. The point is that, at whatever point we enter the cycle, we let the cycle play through.
Today, in the Spirit, encouraged by this psalm, we join our hearts in the cycle of praise to God at any time (“Let all things their creator bless and worship him in humbleness, v.4).
Let Us Not Grow Weary of Doing Good (Galatians 6:[1-5]6-18)
6 Let the one who is taught the word share all good things with the one who teaches. 7 Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. 8 For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. 9 And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. 10 So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith. 11 See with what large letters I am writing to you with my own hand. 12 It is those who want to make a good showing in the flesh who would force you to be circumcised, and only in order that they may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ. 13 For even those who are circumcised do not themselves keep the law, but they desire to have you circumcised that they may boast in your flesh. 14 But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. 15 For neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation. 16 And as for all who walk by this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God. 17 From now on let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus. 18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers. Amen.
Galatians 6:6-18
In this final section of the letter, the apostle Paul repeatedly introduces the notions of “good things” (6) and “doing good” (9, 10). (Two different Greek adjectives for “good” are used, but they mean more or less the same.) As he does so, reading between the lines, we sense he is addressing a weariness that has set in among some in the church community. In trying to follow the law (as opposed to the Spirit), it appears, perhaps, that their supporting “the one who teaches” (10) and bearing one another’s burdens (2) in the fellowship has become a strain.
Devotionally, we can certainly relate to the weariness in our service to the Lord. The exhortation of Paul, “Let us not grow weary in doing good,” must be heard by us in the same way he intends for the Galatians. In making that statement, he is not saying to any of us to buck up and try harder. That would be reverting back to the spirit of observing the law as a means of righteousness. No, beloved, Paul would have us rather “keep in step with the Spirit” (5:25). It is the “fruit of the Spirit,” that is, the love, joy, peace, that is from the Spirit, that is the cure to our weariness.
Hear how Jesus’ teaching on “good works” in the sermon on the mount moves in the same direction: “In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” (Mt. 5:16). The “light” is from God. It is “your light” only in the sense that it emanates from you as its container, much like a lamp or a light bulb might be called a “light” when the light comes from another source. The light is from God. Our exertion comes only in remaining steady as a receptacle for God’s light.
Today, Holy Spirit, meet us in our weariness with renewed power to do good in such a way that it is easier to make the effort we make.
Do Not Go from House to House (Luke 10:1-20)
After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to go. 2 And he said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. 3 Go your way; behold, I am sending you out as lambs in the midst of wolves. 4 Carry no moneybag, no knapsack, no sandals, and greet no one on the road. 5 Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace be to this house!’ 6 And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest upon him. But if not, it will return to you. 7 And remain in the same house, eating and drinking what they provide, for the laborer deserves his wages. Do not go from house to house. 8 Whenever you enter a town and they receive you, eat what is set before you. 9 Heal the sick in it and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ 10 But whenever you enter a town and they do not receive you, go into its streets and say, 11 ‘Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet we wipe off against you. Nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God has come near.’ 12 I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town. 13 “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. 14 But it will be more bearable in the judgment for Tyre and Sidon than for you. 15 And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? You shall be brought down to Hades. 16 “The one who hears you hears me, and the one who rejects you rejects me, and the one who rejects me rejects him who sent me.” 17 The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!” 18 And he said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19 Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you. 20 Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”
Luke 10:1-20
In all the gospel accounts of the apostolic instructions of Jesus to his disciples, we overhear the command to “remain in the same house” (7a). And, in this reading, we find the added sharp injunction, “Do not go from house to house” (7b). It appears the rule applies even if they should find the house is not owned by a “son of peace” (but compare Mt. 10:13-14). We may wonder why the Lord should have to emphasize staying in one place in this situation. It could be simply practical convenience, setting up a home base where matters of room and board are not a constant worry. But our Lord could also be trying to develop spiritual resilience in his missionary apprentices, persevering with people even if their personalities are difficult or their accommodations unpleasant.
Devotionally, we come upon the command not to “go from house to house” and ask ourselves if we are not trying too hard to extricate ourselves from a situation and people we don’t like. Most of us are not itinerant preachers moving from place to place, but even in our settled lifestyles, we may see in ourselves too much of a desire to move from church to church, school to school, and job to job.
Today, in the Spirit, I hear the extra emphasis my Lord gives in this passage to “remain” and see if I might be called to persevere with the people in the place where he has assigned for me to be.
Today in the Spirit
Reflections and related content, sent straight to your inbox.
Today in the Spirit: Epiphany 1C
Epiphany might be understood as the celebration of God the Father’s excellence in marketing the presence of his Son in the world.
Today in the Spirit: Trinity Sunday C
Trinity Sunday C, in particular, might also be called “Holy Trinity Sunday” or “Trinity Worship Sunday.” More than in Years A and B, the readings in this cycle take us beyond just references to the three persons or the trinity or trinitarian formulas to adoration of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The…
