Proper 25 - Year C

Welcome Statement

Good morning church, to set the stage for today, I want us to recall last week, We looked at what it means to wrestle in faith. As we wrestle in our faith, one of the things in that struggle is the cycle of repentance. When we find ourselves to repent, we are asked to authentically repent, not simply offer sacrifice out of obligation.

We are taken to the book of Joel, which is an interesting prophetic book. Joel writes about a sort of liturgical cycle of repentance. He writes this not like a historical writing, but as a prophetic call for Israel to repent. This same cycle is applicable to us, as he talks about the Day of the Lord.

Old Testament Reading - Joel 2:23-32

Joel 2:23–32 NRSV

O children of Zion, be glad and rejoice in the Lord your God; for he has given the early rain for your vindication, he has poured down for you abundant rain, the early and the later rain, as before. The threshing floors shall be full of grain, the vats shall overflow with wine and oil. I will repay you for the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the hopper, the destroyer, and the cutter, my great army, which I sent against you. You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord your God, who has dealt wondrously with you. And my people shall never again be put to shame. You shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I, the Lord, am your God and there is no other. And my people shall never again be put to shame. Then afterward I will pour out my spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions. Even on the male and female slaves, in those days, I will pour out my spirit. I will show portents in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and columns of smoke. The sun shall be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the great and terrible day of the Lord comes. Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved; for in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be those who escape, as the Lord has said, and among the survivors shall be those whom the Lord calls.

Joels Cosmic Call

Joel most likely takes place during the post-explicit period, during Ezra-Nehemiah, addressing

Chapter 2 here is imagery of a bountiful harvest that plays out into cosmic imagery later in the book. If you look to chapters 3 and 4, you see a lot of imagery that is very similar to the great tribulation and ultimately the restoration of Israel and all of creation, a new Eden or intersection of both heaven and earth is presented.

Who Survives?

Those who are faithful, who genuinely seek God out, even through the muck and struggle, its about where the heart is.

Ends in Salvation

While this reading ends in a tough spot even in the toughness it shows

New Testament Reading - Luke 18:9-14

Luke 18:9–14 NRSV

He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and regarded others with contempt: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, was praying thus, ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people: thieves, rogues, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of all my income.’ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even look up to heaven, but was beating his breast and saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his home justified rather than the other; for all who exalt themselves will be humbled, but all who humble themselves will be exalted.”

New Testament Point #1

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Talk about coworkers driving me nuts

I don’t know where they are at, but yet I judge anyways due to frustration of my own obligations

I Don’t live on

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How do I know if its authentic?

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Closing Statement

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Closing Prayer

Heavenly Father, adfs asdfa

Amen.

Doxology / Benediction / Closing

Paul’s letter to the Church of Philippi, he says the following:

Philippians 2:6–8 NRSV

who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death— even death on a cross.

When Christ was on earth, he reflected authentic faith, by rejecting the temptations of satan, and surrendering himself to God’s will, telling God not my will but thy will. When he journey’ed to the cross, due to his humanity, he did not abuse God’s power to carry the Cross, but was faithful, so much so he needed help. God asks us to reflect this same helplessness by not trusting in just ourselves, but in God. Christ partnered with us, calling us to live and reign with him in authentic faith. It is not that he needed help, but that he chose us, his prized possession, he chose us, and is simply calling us to rend our hearts truly to the Altar so that we can be unchained of our doubts, fears and pains. As you h

May you Have a Blessed Sunday, and rest of your Week! Amen!