Peace to you on the 19th Sunday after Pentecost: fall has arrived and we continue searching for God’s presence and guidance in our ministry.
Our invitation to worship is a prayer which asks for grace which preserves us and helps us persevere in our faith as we work for God’s ministry and mission on earth. Our first lesson from Jeremiah counters the argument that the sins of the parents are borne for multiple generations, rather that God in us will lead us in our faith. The Psalmist’s refrain reminds us that God’s instruction is something which carries us through the tough times. The New Testament reading from Paul’s second letter to Timothy describes the perseverance Christian’s need to not fall into the trap of chasing temporal glory and hollow success. Our Gospel from Luke is the parable of the perseverant widow who pleads their case before the unjust judge and gets rewarded because the judge finally gives up.
Patience is a virtue and helps us not give up on good things, stop progressing through life, or burn out from overwork. Beginning with the widow and the judge, we see the human judge contrasted with the gracious God we serve who answers our calls, not because we wear God down, but because God is faithful and gives us hope in times which overwhelm us. The letter to Timothy tells a practical story of persistence – the Christian’s job is not to chase the fleeting kudos of secular society. We must use God’s grace to persist and persevere so we can continue to tell the truth of God’s presence in our lives. We must trust God’s grace to carry us.
What could you do to help remember God’s grace and support for our patience and persistence? Who needs to hear that message of hope? I invite your comments,
Les+
Readings: Jeremiah 31:27-34; Psalm 119:97-104; 2 Timothy 3:14-4:5; Luke 18:1-8.
Sermon link: https://audiomack.com/fatherles-2/song/pentecost-19-sermon-1
