PROPER 6
Worship
Scripture Notes
For use with Common, Lutheran and Roman Catholic Lectionaries
The texts selected for this occasion include the basic elements of worship of God and of the life and mission of the People of God. Psalm 100 is obviously an entrance song, a song of praise, adoration, and thanksgiving. Psalm 46 expresses faith and trust in God in spite of political and physical catastrophes of awesome magnitude. Romans 5:6-11 includes confession, repentance, forgiveness, and absolution. Matthew 9:35--10:8 provides the commission to go out to preach, heal, and work. In Genesis 25:19-34 Isaac's prayer for a child was granted when Isaac's wife Rebekah gave birth to twin sons. Finally, Exodus 19:2-8a concludes with the affirmative response of the People of God.
Because the texts selected for next Sunday include the basic elements of worship of God and of the life and mission of the People of God, it would be particularly appropriate on this occasion to have heavy involvement by the People of God of the congregation in this service. For variety and for emphasis we could, for example, move the Scripture readings from their usual place and sequences to the positions in the service in which the various texts would be most appropriate. Psalm 100 could be sung by a choir, cantor, or by the entire congregation as the entrance song in the Lutheran and Roman Catholic settings. For those using the Common Lectionary readings, Psalm 46 could be read or sung at the beginning of the service, perhaps by three different groups of people, offering respectively verses 1-3, 4-7, and 8-11. Romans 5:6-11 could be read in connection with the confession and absolution. The Order for Baptism could come at this point if there are to be baptisms in the service. Matthew 9:35--10:8 could be read as the Gospel, which in this instance is a call and a commission. The Creed, the Offering, and the Eucharist could be followed by the Exodus 19:2-8a text, which concludes with its positive response by the People of God. For those using the Common Lectionary readings, Genesis 25:19-34 could be summarized or paraphrased as the basis for a children's sermon somewhere during the service. Each text reading could be followed or preceded by brief comments by a member of the congregation and by an accompanying hymn so that the entire congregation can be fully involved. A sermon could simply and briefly pull all elements of the service together, or the sermon could be omitted, its function fulfilled by the comments on the various texts.
Common:
Psalm 46
The psalm and Luther's "Em Feste Burg" hymn obviously belong together at the beginning of the service. Perhaps during a prelude with some variation of the hymn tune, several ushers or other persons from the congregation could march in formal procession to the lectern or to the pulpit, carrying a large lectern Bible or pulpit Bible to be used during the reading of the psalm. The congregation could join then in singing the hymn, "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God," the battle cry not so much of the Reformation alone but of the oppressed against oppression by any oppressors in the world today. Any service that begins in this way will have to be memorable!
Lutheran: Psalm 100
Roman Catholic: Psalm 100:1-2, 5
The message of this psalm remains appropriate even though many centuries have passed since it first was sung. "Yahweh" for the Israelites becomes "the Lord" with all of the significance that the words "the Lord" has for the People of God, Jewish or Christian, who read, think, and speak in English. "The Lord" will have specific meaning for each individual, even though "the Lord" is one, ultimate, absolute. "All the lands" at the end of Psalm 100:1 is literally "all the earth" or "all the land." Originally it may have referred to the land of the people who came together to worship Yahweh and who perceived "all the land" in a local or regional sense. Then, as the horizons of the people expanded, the words "all the land" would denote the land of Israel as Israel expanded and then declined as a physical entity. Still later, "all the land" would refer to the entire earth as a perception of the entire earth was gained. In our times, "all the land" can refer to the expanding universe.
Common: Genesis 25:19-34
Some biblical texts are more effective for use in our time when they are summarized and paraphrased for use, particularly with children, than when they are read in full. This Genesis 25:19-34 story about the birth and the birthright of Jacob and of Esau is such a text. The text has the characteristics of itself being a summary and a paraphrase of what actually happened in the lives of the Israelite patriarchs in early Israelite tribal history. We can say this because we know that at their inception Israel and Edom were, in a sense, twin tribal groups striving against each other. We know that, although Edom had a slight headstart, Israel prevailed. From the persepective of Israel, its superiority over Edom was in accordance with the will of Yahweh, and the Israelites looked with some contempt at their neighboring and related tribal group, the Edomites. They dominated the Edomites politically during the time of their United Kingdom, and for a period after that Judah controlled Edom. All of this is summarized and paraphrased in this Genesis 25:19-34 account. For this reason, since we are separated by so much additional time from the period in which this text was first used, it is appropriate for us to summarize and paraphrase the text still more, and to focus on the prayers of Isaac and of Rebekah and on the way in which it is perceived in this text that God used the mental lethargy of Esau as a means of giving an advantage to Jacob.
Romans 5:6-11
This text is only one segment of Paul's exposition about how the death of Jesus was not in vain, but was used by God as an atonement for our sins. The word echthroi in 5:10 is usually translated as "enemies" in the popular translations that we use. The Revised Standard Version, Today's English Verison, and The New American Bible, for example, all render it in this way. In the context of 5:10, however, it would be more accurate to say that "Although we were alienated from God because of our sins, through the death of God's Son we have been reconciled to God ..." The opposite of reconciliation is alienation. When we are alienated, we are in need of reconciliation. The relationships that Paul was depicting here are basically family relationships. Children who sin against their father are alienated from their father. They are not their father's enemies. Through the life of the Risen Christ we have life. We are "saved" from the well-deserved "wrath" of the Father. We reactualize this each time we include a corporate confession and absolution in the service. Baptism expresses this even more vividly.
Common, Lutheran: Matthew 9:35--10:8
Roman Catholic: Matthew 9:36--10:8
The gospel in this text is the good news that God's kingdom is coming to replace the oppressive kingdom of Caesar. The oppressed lost sheep of the house of Israel were said to have been like sheep without a shepherd. Those who cooperated with the Roman oppressors were possessed by unclean spirits. Those who were afraid of the Roman oppressors were harassed and helpless, filled with every kind of disease and infirmity. They had no power. The text is a proclamation that Jesus as the Christ sends disciples with authority over the oppressors, to cast out demons and to heal every infirmity. That is what we are called and commissioned to do also today. The healing is not limited to medical action with medication and surgery. It involves removal of the oppressors and of oppressive systems. It means courageous opposition to exploiters and exploitation. This requires involvement by the total People of God, certainly not merely by those who are ordained as clergy. It is essential that the total People of God recognize this themselves. It should not be pushed upon them by the clergy. This is substantially why it is important that the service when this text is used be led by the total People of God.
Lutheran: Exodus 19:2-8a
Roman Catholic: Exodus 19:2-6
The covenant promise of God that if the People of God obey the voice of God and keep God's covenant they will be God's holy People (Exodus 19:5-6) is followed in Exodus 19:8a by the covenant promise of the People of God that they will do all that God has commanded. Even though neither the People of God depicted in the Exodus account nor the People of God today have done "all that the Lord has commanded," it is important that this affirmative response to God be made. Certainly one of the most significant reasons that we come together corporately in our congregations is to hear the covenant promise of God together and to make our covenant promise to God together. This Exodus text will help us to do this next Sunday. It provides the biblical model for a contemporary covenant promise of God and a contemporary covenant promise to God to be written and used in connection with this text in the service.
Because the texts selected for next Sunday include the basic elements of worship of God and of the life and mission of the People of God, it would be particularly appropriate on this occasion to have heavy involvement by the People of God of the congregation in this service. For variety and for emphasis we could, for example, move the Scripture readings from their usual place and sequences to the positions in the service in which the various texts would be most appropriate. Psalm 100 could be sung by a choir, cantor, or by the entire congregation as the entrance song in the Lutheran and Roman Catholic settings. For those using the Common Lectionary readings, Psalm 46 could be read or sung at the beginning of the service, perhaps by three different groups of people, offering respectively verses 1-3, 4-7, and 8-11. Romans 5:6-11 could be read in connection with the confession and absolution. The Order for Baptism could come at this point if there are to be baptisms in the service. Matthew 9:35--10:8 could be read as the Gospel, which in this instance is a call and a commission. The Creed, the Offering, and the Eucharist could be followed by the Exodus 19:2-8a text, which concludes with its positive response by the People of God. For those using the Common Lectionary readings, Genesis 25:19-34 could be summarized or paraphrased as the basis for a children's sermon somewhere during the service. Each text reading could be followed or preceded by brief comments by a member of the congregation and by an accompanying hymn so that the entire congregation can be fully involved. A sermon could simply and briefly pull all elements of the service together, or the sermon could be omitted, its function fulfilled by the comments on the various texts.
Common:
Psalm 46
The psalm and Luther's "Em Feste Burg" hymn obviously belong together at the beginning of the service. Perhaps during a prelude with some variation of the hymn tune, several ushers or other persons from the congregation could march in formal procession to the lectern or to the pulpit, carrying a large lectern Bible or pulpit Bible to be used during the reading of the psalm. The congregation could join then in singing the hymn, "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God," the battle cry not so much of the Reformation alone but of the oppressed against oppression by any oppressors in the world today. Any service that begins in this way will have to be memorable!
Lutheran: Psalm 100
Roman Catholic: Psalm 100:1-2, 5
The message of this psalm remains appropriate even though many centuries have passed since it first was sung. "Yahweh" for the Israelites becomes "the Lord" with all of the significance that the words "the Lord" has for the People of God, Jewish or Christian, who read, think, and speak in English. "The Lord" will have specific meaning for each individual, even though "the Lord" is one, ultimate, absolute. "All the lands" at the end of Psalm 100:1 is literally "all the earth" or "all the land." Originally it may have referred to the land of the people who came together to worship Yahweh and who perceived "all the land" in a local or regional sense. Then, as the horizons of the people expanded, the words "all the land" would denote the land of Israel as Israel expanded and then declined as a physical entity. Still later, "all the land" would refer to the entire earth as a perception of the entire earth was gained. In our times, "all the land" can refer to the expanding universe.
Common: Genesis 25:19-34
Some biblical texts are more effective for use in our time when they are summarized and paraphrased for use, particularly with children, than when they are read in full. This Genesis 25:19-34 story about the birth and the birthright of Jacob and of Esau is such a text. The text has the characteristics of itself being a summary and a paraphrase of what actually happened in the lives of the Israelite patriarchs in early Israelite tribal history. We can say this because we know that at their inception Israel and Edom were, in a sense, twin tribal groups striving against each other. We know that, although Edom had a slight headstart, Israel prevailed. From the persepective of Israel, its superiority over Edom was in accordance with the will of Yahweh, and the Israelites looked with some contempt at their neighboring and related tribal group, the Edomites. They dominated the Edomites politically during the time of their United Kingdom, and for a period after that Judah controlled Edom. All of this is summarized and paraphrased in this Genesis 25:19-34 account. For this reason, since we are separated by so much additional time from the period in which this text was first used, it is appropriate for us to summarize and paraphrase the text still more, and to focus on the prayers of Isaac and of Rebekah and on the way in which it is perceived in this text that God used the mental lethargy of Esau as a means of giving an advantage to Jacob.
Romans 5:6-11
This text is only one segment of Paul's exposition about how the death of Jesus was not in vain, but was used by God as an atonement for our sins. The word echthroi in 5:10 is usually translated as "enemies" in the popular translations that we use. The Revised Standard Version, Today's English Verison, and The New American Bible, for example, all render it in this way. In the context of 5:10, however, it would be more accurate to say that "Although we were alienated from God because of our sins, through the death of God's Son we have been reconciled to God ..." The opposite of reconciliation is alienation. When we are alienated, we are in need of reconciliation. The relationships that Paul was depicting here are basically family relationships. Children who sin against their father are alienated from their father. They are not their father's enemies. Through the life of the Risen Christ we have life. We are "saved" from the well-deserved "wrath" of the Father. We reactualize this each time we include a corporate confession and absolution in the service. Baptism expresses this even more vividly.
Common, Lutheran: Matthew 9:35--10:8
Roman Catholic: Matthew 9:36--10:8
The gospel in this text is the good news that God's kingdom is coming to replace the oppressive kingdom of Caesar. The oppressed lost sheep of the house of Israel were said to have been like sheep without a shepherd. Those who cooperated with the Roman oppressors were possessed by unclean spirits. Those who were afraid of the Roman oppressors were harassed and helpless, filled with every kind of disease and infirmity. They had no power. The text is a proclamation that Jesus as the Christ sends disciples with authority over the oppressors, to cast out demons and to heal every infirmity. That is what we are called and commissioned to do also today. The healing is not limited to medical action with medication and surgery. It involves removal of the oppressors and of oppressive systems. It means courageous opposition to exploiters and exploitation. This requires involvement by the total People of God, certainly not merely by those who are ordained as clergy. It is essential that the total People of God recognize this themselves. It should not be pushed upon them by the clergy. This is substantially why it is important that the service when this text is used be led by the total People of God.
Lutheran: Exodus 19:2-8a
Roman Catholic: Exodus 19:2-6
The covenant promise of God that if the People of God obey the voice of God and keep God's covenant they will be God's holy People (Exodus 19:5-6) is followed in Exodus 19:8a by the covenant promise of the People of God that they will do all that God has commanded. Even though neither the People of God depicted in the Exodus account nor the People of God today have done "all that the Lord has commanded," it is important that this affirmative response to God be made. Certainly one of the most significant reasons that we come together corporately in our congregations is to hear the covenant promise of God together and to make our covenant promise to God together. This Exodus text will help us to do this next Sunday. It provides the biblical model for a contemporary covenant promise of God and a contemporary covenant promise to God to be written and used in connection with this text in the service.
