Sunday May 16 Easter 7
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Psalm 66
God, you have made the earth wonderfully, and have rescued us from disaster so I will delight in praising you.
Psalm 67
Because of God’s blessings to nature and the nations we will all sing God’s praises.
Ezekiel 3: 16-27 What’s Ezekiel about?
God warns Ezekiel that people who abandoned justice will suffer the consequences, but Ezekiel will be the one responsible if he does not warn the people—the necessity that he communicate God’s urgent concern is that important. God does not want the people to suffer the consequences of abandoning justice—God wants Ezekiel to warn them so they can change. Because people are so resistant to becoming just, God again provides an overwhelming vision to strengthen Ezekiel and God will symbolically tie Ezekiel up to prevent him from speaking too soon, but when God releases him God will give him the necessary power to warn the people.
The author of the book understands how desperately God wants to save the people, but how strongly they resist.
Matthew 10: 24-42 What’s Matthew about?
Jesus is strengthening his disciples against the inevitable persecution they will encounter, a situation early Christians were encountering when Matthew was writing. If I am persecuted, Jesus says, what makes you think you won’t be if you follow me? Of course we will, since we are proposing a whole new way of life not based on greed and endless desire for control of other people like the rest of society does. But don’t be afraid, says Jesus, God knows what’s happening to you, and if God loves sparrows and every hair of your head, how totally safe you are! Even if your own family turns against you, which was likely happening at the time, there will always be some who welcome you and will give you refreshment.
The verse about Jesus denying disciples who betray him seems very unlike Jesus’ teaching about forgiveness. We should perhaps interpret this as Matthew’s warning that giving up the call to insist on love and justice and inclusion will have life-denying consequences for the person who does so.
This week’s collect:
Almighty God,
you have exalted your only Son Jesus Christ
with great triumph to your kingdom in heaven.
Mercifully give us faith to know
that, as he promised,
he abides with us on earth to the end of time;
who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.
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