sermons & Illuminations

First Reading (Track One): Genesis 22:1-14
It is not our faith that saves us, but God’s faithfulness to us: Hear this theme through Sunday’s Lectionary readings. In this first reading, God delivers to Abraham a shocking command: He must kill his beloved son Isaac as a sacrifice. What in Heaven’s name is going on here? Perhaps the easy way is to acknowledge that these are ancient legends, difficult for us to understand in modern context, indeed not intended to be taken literally even in their original setting. Rather, this story imagines a compassionate God who does not desire human sacrifice. Having subjected Abraham to an alarming test, God says “no” to death.

Psalm: Psalm 13
On first hearing, Psalm 13 might not seem the best choice to read to someone who is grieving or afraid. The Psalmist speaks from the depths of fear and loss, suffering deep pain. Has God’s face turned away, leaving him alone and defenseless? But even in this dark place, hope remains, the Psalmist sings; for God’s love is steadfast and abiding. God has been just and fair, and we trust that God will remain so.

Second Reading: Romans 6:12-23
Paul uses the idea of enslavement to make his point in this segment from his letter to the Romans: Through Christian baptism, we have been spared from the slavery of sin, which frees us to joyously embrace a better kind of slavery, the “enslavement” of willing submission to God through Christ. In this way, Paul writes, we receive the free gift of grace that brings eternal life.

Gospel: Matthew 10:40-42
This is the third and final passage from Matthew’s long account of Jesus teaching his recently commissioned apostles. In the past two Sundays’ Gospels, we have heard him warn them about the challenges of discipleship. Now, Jesus tells them about the rewards of following his way. Immediately following his troubling warning that those who follow him must leave friends and family behind, Jesus now echoes Psalm 13’s promise that God will be just and fair. Jesus promises that those who practice justice in his name – even in such small ways as offering water to a child – will receive God’s justice.