博客存档 - St. John's Episcopal Church New London, WI

11th Sunday after Pentecost

8/25/2025

Honor the Sabbath day and keep it holy.
It’s one of the ten commandments:
A command from God that is on par with not making idols and not murdering.

It’s not a sort of “legalistic” rule:
Like not wearing mixed fibers.
Instead, it’s one of the primary commands from our Lord.

So what do we do with today’s lesson:
Where Jesus seems to be breaking one of the primary tenants of our faith?

To see what Jesus seems to be on about with the Sabbath:
It helps to see how Luke has framed it.

This is not the first time that Jesus has had a Sabbath question in Luke’s Gospel.

Earlier, in chapter 6,
We get two instances of apparent “Sabbath Breaking”:
Once: when the disciples pluck grain on the sabbath:
And then right after when Jesus heals a man’s hand on the Sabbath.

Fascinatingly, in Luke:
We do NOT get the words from Jesus that Mark and Matthew record during the episode
of plucking grain:
Jesus does not (in Luke’s Gospel) say “The sabbath was made for man, not man for the
sabbath”

Instead, in Luke:
The focus is on Jesus being the Lord of the Sabbath.

In other words:
The focus of all of this Sabbath talk in Luke,
Is an affirmation of Jesus’ divine status.
Luke is trying to say that the Sabbath flows from HIS command:
Not the other way around.

We, however, not being God: do NOT get to make the same claim.
We are not Lords of the Sabbath:
Only Jesus is.

And so , keeping that in mind:
we get to the episode today.
Jesus heals on the Sabbath:

He heals a woman who had been infirm for 18 years:
A woman who had been rendered invisible by her illness:
An illness that that people at the time thought she “deserved” because of her sin.

When the synagogue leaders challenge Jesus on healing the woman:
We are not seeing a debate about the validity of the ten commandments:
We’re seeing a debate about interpretation of the law.

There were some who wanted a very strict interpretation of not doing any work: that
would prevent even healing.

But there was also a school of interpretation that was laxer:
Allowing healing on the Sabbath.
Perhaps Jesus was taking the side of this more lax interpretation.

OR:
Maybe Jesus is not even taking this more lax approach.
Perhaps there is something that flows out of what he said earlier in Luke:
that he was the Lord of the Sabbath.

The prohibition against healing dealt with the practicing of medical arts.
But Jesus Is not healing through human medicine:
Certainly it does not seem that he is exerting himself significantly

(perhaps equivalent to the minimal effort of untying an ox or donkey to allow them to
drink)

Jesus is Lord of the sabbath:
He is the Son of God and this is an exercise of his power that is no different from what
for all other humans would be the normal course of living life.
To heal for Jesus is no different from breathing.
It’s effortless for him.

All this is to say that this healing actually serves the PURPOSE of the Sabbath.
This woman: wracked with pain:
Was never able to truly experience Sabbath rest.

By her being healed, she could live into this day of rest:
And more than that:
To recognize that the sabbath: is to also recognize the ultimate sabbath for all creation:
The rest and wholeness of all things: promised in the New Creation.

In this case: the commandment to keep the sabbath is a matter of freedom for humans:
One that Jesus himself affirms the significance of by freeing this woman to be able to
finally TRULY have her sabbath rest.
And Jesus: as Lord of the Sabbath:
Provides this rest and relief to her.

But we might also wonder what this has to do with us?
We don’t have the effortless ability to heal:
And we certainly aren’t the Lords of the Sabbath.

Further complicating things,
Is that we live in a 21 st century, consumerist America.

For many of us, other than perhaps going to church in the morning:
Sunday, the Christian sabbath:
Is basically like any other day:
Or at least just like any other weekend.

We don’t have to worry about businesses being closed on Sunday:
We can carry on as though it were any other day.

So I think the challenge to us from this story is not to say “Observing the sabbath
doesn’t matter.”
But to recognize that it is SO important that Jesus himself made sure that Sabbath rest
and relief was available to EVERYONE.
It’s so important: that we should strive to help those who currently cannot observe it:
Be able to participate in the Sabbaths relief and rest.

This story is about a conviction:
A conviction that “All people deserve to have Sabbath rest.”

We should look at our lives and ask how we can hallow the Lord’s day:
Allow it to be a day during the week in which our attention is directed especially toward
God:
And remember that All human beings need (and deserve) rest.

ALL human beings:
Not some.
Not just those who have the have the luxury of a five day work week.
Not just those who WE think “deserve it.”
But rest and relief for all humans.

So that, as today’s collect says:
That God’s church, being gathered together in unity by the holy spirit, may show forth
God’s power among ALL Peoples.” Amen.

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10th Sunday after Pentecost

8/17/2025

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Jesus said: “Do you think that I have come to bring peace to the earth?
No, I tell you, but rather division!”

These are some hard words to hear.
This is one of those readings that many of us would rather skip over:
Pretending that it’s not really there.

And this one is especially difficult because Christians:
And Episcopalians in particular like to promote peace:
Welcome: Openness: Hospitality.
Not Division.

It’s confusing.
And at first glance, it’s not what we want to hear Jesus say.

So we better take a deeper look.

First: Let’s look at it historically.
Luke, the Gospel writer, is dealing with a lot of confused people at the time of
writing this Gospel.
And Luke isn’t exactly writing to us.

He’s writing to people who were just beginning to learn about what it meant to
be a follower of Jesus.
Many of the people he was addressing were turning form their pagan religions:
To become followers of Jesus.
And that choice would have caused division:
Even among their own families.

And not only that:
We have to take into account WHEN Luke is writing:
He’s writing in the 80’s:
Which is quite a bit after the death and resurrection of Jesus:

At that time, many people thought that Jesus would have come back again:
That the second coming would have already taken place.
But it didn’t.
So Luke keeps this in mind as he writes.

He’s trying to remind people to remain faithful:
No matter how long or intense the wait, or the conflict.

And there was certainly conflict during this time:
Especially for Christians.

As difficult as it is for us to hear these words from Jesus:
His words were truer than true during Luke’s time.

Jesus said: “From now on five in one household will be divided,
Three against two and two against three;
They will be divided:
Father against son and son against father,
Mother against daughter and daughter against mother,
Mother in law against her daughter in law and daughter in law against mother in
law.”

At first: It’s shocking.
But think about it:

These early Christians:
The early followers of Jesus,
Truly did leave their families,
They were baptized as individuals.

It wasn’t like it often is today:
Where whole families choose to baptize their children and babies.

It was a big deal:
(And still should be, by the way)
But imagine how it might cause dissention in a family:
If only one chose to leave and be baptized in Christ.

Jesus wasn’t saying that he wanted division to come to God’s people:
He was just saying that he knew that there would be.
He knew that there would be people who would turn their backs not only on him,
but on those who followed him.

Jesus wasn’t saying that he WANTED to split up families:
He was saying that it might be a part of what it means to live in obedience to
God’s call.
He was saying that he wanted his people to live out the two greatest
commandments:
To love God and one another:
To expand and grow the family of God:
And when he didn’t see that happening:
He cried out in anger.

Jesus was saying that following those two great commandments:
And walking the way of the cross:
Might lead followers to encounter hostility and rejection:
Even from those they love.

And he said all this because being in obedience to God’s call:
Walking the way of the cross:
Being baptized in the life and death of Christ:
Is a lot more than just getting some water poured on your head:

It’s a way of life that changes everything:
Maybe even our relationships.

This might make us uncomfortable.
And actually,
It probably should.
Because the life that Jesus brings:
The life that Jesus offers is THAT important.

But it also shouldn’t scare us.
It CAN actually be a source of comfort.
Just as Jesus’ words were a source of comfort for those that Luke was writing to.

To us, the division of families might not seem all that comforting.
But for Luke’s readers it was:
Because they were ALREADY disowned by their families.

They were already divided, due to their decisions to be baptized and live lives as
followers of Christ.
To read Jesus’ words would comfort those readers,
Because it would affirm their decision,
And urge them to continue, despite the trials of the Christian life.

And this is exactly what today’s Epistle is getting at too.
That life is hard.

That life is complicated, and messy.
Dissention and division, even among families is real.

Even life in Christ is hard, complicated, and messy:
In fact, at no point:
In any Gospel:
Does it say that human life or Christian life is perfectly easy with no challenges or
pain.

And while we may be divided against some:
We are at the same time united and surrounded by the great cloud of witnesses:
Those who remind us to trust and to stay faithful.

The writer of the letter to the Hebrews points to stories of faith:
A number of biblical stories:
Examples of people trusting in God:
Whose trust enables them to face the trials of life faithfully.
And not only that:
But to face the trials of life with God and one another.

Today’s readings give us a harsh slap of reality:
That no matter how much we might wish it:
The Christian life of faith can’t be captured with a sentimental greeting card:
It’s much more complicated than that.

And even though this Jesus is the same one:
Who at his birth the angels proclaimed:
“Glory to God in the highest and peace to God’s people on earth,”
Our readings today remind us that Jesus brings not our version of peace,
But God’s peace.

Which remember:
Surpasses ALL understanding.

Amen.

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9th Sunday after Pentecost

8/11/2025

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8th Sunday after Pentecost

8/3/2025

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Right now:
More than ever in the world:
There’s a lot of tension surrounding the issue of wealth and income inequality.
And so it seems fitting that this Sunday’s scriptures offer us some reflection on it.

We’ve heard: Many times:
About the two great commandments that Jesus taught.
The first is to love God will all our heart, with all our soul, with all our mind, and
with all our strength.
The second is to love our neighbor as ourselves.
In other words: The two greatest commandments are to love God and neighbor.

And this is directly related to wealth and income inequality.
It’s directly related to what Jesus says today:
“Be on your guard against all kinds of greed;
For one’s life does not consist in the abundance of possessions.”

Jesus says this to two brothers who are in dispute of the family inheritance.
Which is a REAL issue:
That REAL siblings struggle with to this very day.
Jesus reminds them that life is not about owning, or possessing things.
Abundance of possessions and wealth do not bring meaning to life.

But Love of God and neighbor does.
Jesus reminds us that we are to love God WHOLE heartedly:
And not worship our possessions as idols.

To emphasize his point, Jesus tells these two brothers the parable of a rich man:
The rich man that he also calls the “rich fool.”

This rich man had the blessing of abundant harvests.
His produce was so abundant that he didn’t have enough space to store it all.
And with this abundance, what does the rich man do?
The scripture says that his only concerns are “I” and “my”

Quite literally:
The man speaks to HIMSELF:
Saying, “I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build larger ones, and there I
will store all MY grain and MY goods. And I will say to MY soul: SOUL: You have
ample goods laid up for many years!!”

His whole thought process is only about himself.
So much so that he literally talks to himself.
There’s no love of God.
No love of neighbor.
Only love for himself.

And so: There’s a few issues here:

Greed and Foolishness.

In today’s Epistle to the Colossians,
We are reminded to “Put to death, whatever in you is earthly”
Namely Greed: Which is idolatry.

Greed is defined in the dictionary as:
“A selfish and excessive desire for more of something than is needed.”

But we must ask ourselves without rambling on and on to ourselves:
Is desiring for more of something than is needed really bad?
Don’t we all want to have abundance?
Don’t we all want to have a little leftover money to cushion ourselves in times of
need?
Isn’t that why we contribute to pensions and 401K’s for our retirement?

I think that saving up in times of need,
And desiring abundance isn’t necessarily Greed as long as it isn’t selfish and
excessive.

After all: the dictionary definition of greed is not merely the desire for more:
But the SELFISH and EXCESSIVE desire for it.

It’s the selfish and excessive desire for ONES SELF that becomes greed.
It is the way we treat our abundance and our wealth that matters to God.

It’s whether or not we invite God and others to share in our abundance that
matters.

Jesus tells us more:
Calling the man a fool:
“So it is with those who store up treasures for themselves, but are not rich
toward God.”
These people end up with spiritual death.

Who are those who are not rich toward God?
Who are those who end up with spiritual death?

Often, when we mention rich, we think only of money, wealth.
In the Bible, there are at least fifty times that money, wealth, possession or
finances are mentioned.
And funny enough:
Most of the time:
Those mentions are related to the two great commandments to love God and
neighbor.
Somehow: Loving God and neighbor:
Is deeply connected to richness and abundance.

Somehow: When we love God: We are rich toward God.
When we love our neighbor, we are rich toward God.

This rich man forgets about God:

Not because he’s rich.
But because of his selfish and excessive desire for ONLY himself.

He forgets about God:
The one who gives him all the blessings he has.
He forgets that God gives him the talents to grow the crop and to harvest the
produce abundantly.

And in forgetting:
The rich man becomes a fool.
Not because of his abundance:
But because he hoards it out of selfish greed for only himself.

If he were to show his gratitude:
his richness in produce could become richness in God.
If he were to show his gratitude:
his abundance would be shared with his neighbors who may not have such
blessings.

But instead:
He forgot that he should love God with his whole heart, whole mind, whole spirit,
and whole strength.
He forgot that he should love his neighbor as himself.
And in so doing, he experienced spiritual death.

Isn’t this one of the issues around the inequality of income and wealth in our
world today?
Loving and sharing out of gratitude and blessedness?

And yet some who are rich hoard the abundance without showing gratitude to
the creator.
Not only do they not love their neighbors by not helping them:
But they oppress them as they hoard more wealth.

If we are blessed with abundance:
If we become rich:
Will we be the rich fool?
Or rich toward God and one another?

Will we identify the worth of our lives with the value of our possessions?
Or with the gracious abundance of our relationships with God and one another?

The following list has been around on the internet,
And it captures what Jesus said in the Gospel:
It captures what truly brings meaning to our lives:

Things God won’t ask on that day:
God won’t ask what kind of car you drove.
God will ask how many people you gave a lift to who didn’t have any
transportation.

God won’t ask the square footage of your house.
But God will ask how many people you welcomed into your home.
God won’t ask about the clothes you had.
God will ask how many you helped to clothe.

God won’t ask what your highest salary was.
But God will ask if you compromised your integrity to obtain it.
God won’t ask what your job title was.
God will ask whether you performed your job to the best of your ability.

God won’t ask how many friends you had.
God will ask how many people to whom you made sure you were a friend.
God won’t ask in what neighborhood you lived.
But God will ask how you treated and behaved with your neighbors.

These things give meaning to life.

Amen.

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Weekly Lessons and Sermon

11th Sunday after Pentecost

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9th Sunday after Pentecost

8th Sunday after Pentecost

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