Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost
September 25, 2005
Proper 21
Ezekiel 18:1-4, 25-32
Psalm 25:1-9
Philippians 2:1-13
Matthew 21:23-32
Paul wrote the letter to the believers in Philippi when he was in prison. The letter is often described as a letter about Christian joy. While it is true that the letter has much to say about that virtue, it also talks about what it means to be citizens of heaven while living here on earth. Citizenship was an important indication of one’s status in ancient times. Paul encourages Christians to value and concentrate more on their heavenly citizenship than on the privileges that come with their earthly citizenship.
It has been four years since America suffered one of the greatest tragedies ever experienced on our own soil. We were attacked as American citizens. Lives were shattered. Certainly everyone was affected deeply in some way. Every individual, in his or her own way, has had to come to terms with the events of September 11, 2001, and the aftermath that followed.
In his letter to the Philippians, Paul makes use of an early Christian hymn to portray the magnificence of Jesus as a result of his willingness to lay aside his former glory, come to earth in the form of a human being, a servant, and die on a cross. Though there is much sorrow and suffering in this life, there is much joyfulness and pleasure, too. Our hope is in Christ alone, the one who has experienced everything we have gone through and still remained faithful to God and to his calling. Therefore, God exalted him and put him over everything. Jesus is the greatest example for us to follow. He is our champion. He will pull us through.
The prophet Isaiah (55:6-9) urges us to seek the Lord while the Lord can be found, and to call on God while God is near. We can find mercy when we turn toward God. God’s thoughts, plans, and purposes are unimaginably higher than our own. We only see little pieces of the picture, but God always has the whole picture in view. What other response but faith will suffice?
This week’s Reflection was prepared by Scott Elliott, who serves on the staff of the American Bible Society as Bible Scholar in the Education Unit of the Nida Institute for Biblical Scholarship. Mr. Elliott is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in New Testament and Early Christianity at the Caspersen School of Graduate Studies at Drew University, Madison, NJ.
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This week we remember to pray for the work of the Bible Societies in: Vietnam – With thanks to God for the launch of the Revised Vietnamese New Testament and the continued growth of Scripture distribution., and with prayers for the revision of the Old Testament and progress toward completion in 2005; Laos – With thanks to God that the draft of the Lao Revised New Testament is nearing completion and approaching publication, and with prayers for the revision team as it beings work on the Lao Old Testament; Myanmar – With thanks to God for the launch of the Common Language Sgaw Karen Bible and the Lhaovo New Testament, that the revised Tedim Chin Bible and the Ngochang New Testament have been printed, and that the final checks are being carried out on the Common Language Myanmar Bible, Jinghpaw New Testament and Siyin Chin bible, and with prayers for the 18 ongoing translation projects and that restrictions facing the Bible Society can be overcome.
Activity Corner: “Walk in Faith” Acrostic
Supplies needed: Bible; construction paper; scissors; pens pencils.
Invite each member of your household to trace their footprint on a sheet of construction paper. Cut out the footprints and write the word FAITH vertically down the middle. Using each of the letters in the word “FAITH,” ask each one to think of ways they respond to God’s love in faith. The letters can be used at the beginning, end, or in between. For example:
Following Jesus
prAying
sInging praises to God
Telling others about Jesus
Helping people in need
On the reverse side of the footprint, invite everyone to write a prayer of thanks to God for God’s gift of Jesus Christ. Conclude by reading Psalm 25:1-10. At the end of the reading, invite everyone to respond together, WE WILL FOLLOW YOU, O LORD, ALONG YOUR PATH OF LOVE AND FAITHFULNESS.