Monday December 6 Advent 2
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Psalm 25
I desperately need God’s support both from those who attack me, and from actions that are my own fault, and I know God is always generous to those in such a situation.
Amos 7.1-9 What’s Amos about?
Amos pleads with God not to destroy the nation with locusts and starvation, and God relents. Amos pleads with God not to destroy them with fire, and God relents. God is constantly offering to restore the relationship. But finally, God cannot remove all consequences of the people’s injustice, and the time will come when like a carpenter removing a wall that was crooked, the holy places of Israel will be demolished.
Matthew 22: 23-33 What’s Matthew about?
Confrontations with Jesus continue. In this confrontation religious leaders attempt to make Jesus’ claim about resurrection look ridiculous. They point out that Biblical law required a widow to marry the brother of her deceased husband. If her husband had six brothers, each of whom died, the widow would have to marry each in turn. So if resurrection happens, the widow would have to commit bigamy in heaven with all seven men! We may be hearing arguments against Jesus’ resurrection being made by early critics of Christianity. Jesus’ response is that resurrection is not a repetition of current life and that God is interested in the living—the ones who participate in his resurrection—not those who choose to be dead like his critics. The common people are amazed at how Jesus gives them hope of God’s care for them, the unsophisticated in Biblical arguments.
This week’s collect:
Almighty God,
who sent your servant John the Baptist
to prepare your people to welcome the Messiah,
inspire us, the ministers and stewards of your truth,
to turn our disobedient hearts to you,
that when the Christ shall come again to be our judge,
we may stand with confidence before his glory;
who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.
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