Jesus calls us into a kingdom unlike any of the kingdoms of this world. We are called to pursue justice for all people, to care for those on the margins, to seek God’s will before our own. Jesus’ message conflicts with our common cultural messages, which tell us to seek our own profit at others’ […]
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There are many things we do in life to be ready. Sometimes readiness anticipates something good happening, and sometimes it anticipates something bad. In today’s reading from Luke 12, Jesus compares the coming of the Son of Man to something positive—the expected arrival of the head of the household—and to something negative—a thief coming in […]
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The author of Ecclesiastes believes that hard work and wisdom should be fairly rewarded, but notes that reality often turns out differently. Colossians tells us “…get rid of all such things, anger, wrath, malice, slander and abusive language fro your mother. Do not lie to one another seeing that you have …clothed yourselves with the […]
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God’s Kingdom Come In today’s gospel, Jesus’ disciples ask him to teach them how to pray. Jesus responds with the words of the Lord’s Prayer….We pray for the restoration of right relationship and wholeness in our connection to God, ourselves, and one another. We celebrate God’s kingdom as we gather around the wine and bread. […]
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Jesus’ encounter with Mary and Martha in today’s gospel is sometimes used to justify a meditative, intellectual life (represented by Mary) over a life of active service (represented by Martha). But earlier in Luke’s gospel, Jesus is clear that his family consists of “those who hear the word of God and do it” (Luke 8:21). […]
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The Parable of the Good Samaritan – Practicing Mercy In what ways is our worship an opportunity to practice for a life of service, offering mercy to those who are suffering? We draw near to one another: we sit shoulder to shoulder with people who might be very different from us. We see each other: […]
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When Jesus sends the seventy out to proclaim the good news of God in every town, he makes it clear that whether they are welcomed or rejected, they are to say plainly that “the kingdom of God has come near” (Luke 10:9). As we move about our lives, we are called to love and serve […]
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Galatians 5:22-23
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In John 16, Jesus makes a promise. As he calls the disciples to love and serve the world and reminds them of the difficulty of working for unity, he makes them a promise: the Spirit of truth will guide them into all the truth. excerpted from From sundaysandseasons.com. Copyright © 2019 Augsburg Fortress. All rights […]
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