The Adventurous Lectionary -The Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost – September 11, 2016

Last updated on: September 2, 2016 at 7:31 am by Bruce Epperly

The Adventurous Lectionary -The Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost – September 11, 2016 2016-09-02T07:31:53-04:00 Bruce Epperly

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Jeremiah 4:11-12, 22-28
Psalm 14
I Timothy 1:12-17
Luke 15:1-10

Today’s readings speak of being lost and finding your way home. Nations as well as persons can be lost. Our behaviors and lifestyle can destroy the planet and future generations. Yet, God seeks our healing, even when we have gone astray.

Jeremiah speaks of a day of destruction as a result of the nation’s foolishness. We are skilled at doing evil, but we are not skilled at doing good. This God’s message Jeremiah’s listeners and the prophet and says to us today. The nation has turned away from its creator and liberator and there will be consequences. While there always have been natural and meteorological disasters, today’s readers can’t avoid reading these scriptures in light of our current situation of flood, forest fire, and earthquake. The earth appears to be in upheaval, and some of this, including fracking-related earthquakes and severe weather, may be the result of our own human actions. We are foolish in our lack of earth care. The signs of global climate change are obvious – and the scientific community is almost unanimous in connecting human actions to climate change – and yet we are responding at what used to be known as a “glacial pace.” Now, the glaciers are moving faster than we are in responding to human made climate changes. The handwriting is on the wall, the seas are rising, the unusual is becoming normal, and our children’s children are in peril, and yet we are doing virtually nothing. While the issues are complicated, we often prefer comfort and short-term economic gain to protecting our planet. There is a cost, and Jeremiah’s words describe the future that lies before us!

Psalm 14 continues a theme of divine denunciation. Fools say that there is no God. I don’t believe that the Psalmist is talking about garden variety atheism. He is addressing those who believe that they can do whatever they want because there is no future cost, no divine judgment, and no consequence to their behavior. The poor and vulnerable can be mistreated because there is no judgment either in history or through divine action. The worst kind of atheism is not intellectual – indeed many atheists are responding to dysfunctional images of God perpetuated by people of faith! – but “practical atheism,” the belief that we can do what we want, that we are in control, that we owe nothing to a higher power or to our fellow humans, and that we can use the earth and its peoples as we please. This is the practical atheism of “it’s my property,” “it’s my business,” “it’s my choice,” “it’s my gun,” without any concern for the larger good. Foolish humans, believing they are in control and can conduct their lives as they please without concern for the common good, wreak havoc on the planet and its peoples.

The author of Timothy, speaking in the spirit of Paul, confesses his sin, but proclaims more fully God’s grace. I was ignorant in my turning from God’s way, the author claims, but God’s mercy was greater than my sin. There is hope that we can turn from our foolishness and work toward a God-oriented, life-oriented, planet-oriented social and political order. This can only come from radical transformation, and ultimately this comes from God’s grace.

Luke 15 addresses three experiences of being lost. The first is subtle: the lostness of those who think they are righteous. Jesus tells the parables of the lost sheep, coin, and son in response to those who criticize Jesus for welcoming sinners and eating with them. They believe they are righteous – good citizens, faithful churchgoers – but they lack grace and forgiveness. Their hearts have closed down to sinners and in so doing they have closed their hearts to God.

In today’s reading Jesus talks about a lost sheep and a lost coin – in neither case is the issue moral. The sheep foolishly wanders off. There is no malicious intent, just unintentional stupidity that leads to being lost and far from home, with no sense of how to get back. The coin just slips in the cracks, misplaced and forgotten by others. The lost coin reflects the overlooked and forgotten in our society. They have done no wrong, but they have no prestige and power and thus are unimportant to politicians, business people, and even churches.

In the case of the lost sheep, survival is at stake, but it is not just the sheep’s survival, but also the survival of the flock. The ninety nine can’t be complete until the hundredth is found. One hundred is a perfect number and perhaps in a parable that reflects later Jewish mysticism (Kabbalah), Jesus knew that when you save one soul, you save the world. The whole can’t be redeemed without all the parts reunited.

In the case of the lost coin, the watchword is “wake up,” see what others miss, look to the places where people are forgotten, and you will find a great treasure. Everyone matters to God, and this lays a moral burden on those who seek to be righteous.

God cares about all things lost. God rejoices in the discovery and redemption of lost coins, lost sheep, and lost people. Though there are consequences to our turning, God is able to transform any situation. God wants justice, hospitality, and healing, and we can be God’s partners in this process of healing the world.

+++
Bruce Epperly is pastor of South Congregational Church, United Church of Christ, in Centerville, MA, on Cape Cod. He is the author of forty books, including “Becoming Fire: Spiritual Practices for Global Christians,” “A Center in the Cyclone: 21 Century Clergy Self-care,” and “Process Theology: Embracing Adventure God.” He can be reached at [email protected].

Uncategorized

Previous Post

August 26, 2016

The Adventurous Lectionary – September 4, 2016 – Pentecost 16

Next Post

September 9, 2016 The Adventurous Lectionary – The Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost – September 18, 2016

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Book Reviews The Adventurous Lectionary Uncategorized

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 April 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 December 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz