Let’s get things started with the Scripture readings for the week.

The lectionary pushes us a little further into Luke and sticks with the Epistle out of Colossians, where we’ll hang out one more time next week too.

Here’s what we’ve got:

Genesis 18:20-32
 Psalm 138
 Colossians 2:6-15, (16-19)
 Luke 11:1-13

Bargaining with God.   This bit of Scripture out of Genesis always captures my imagination.  Can you fathom a relationship with God, where you are in a two-sided bargaining session?   The outrageousness of asking God to reconsider.  Whew!   I also wonder if Abraham isn’t hedging his bets a little.  I have to believe Abraham knows the wickedness of the two towns and he might have a short list in his mind of those who might be found “righteous.”  Instead of asking for just 10 off the bat, he sees if God is even willing to consider the idea of not destroying everyone.   I also wonder if Abraham is thinking to himself, surely there are at least ten amongst all who live there.  

I will always struggle to read this text without thinking about Ezekiel 16 where it says, ⁴⁹ “‘Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy. ⁵⁰ They were haughty and did detestable things before me. Therefore I did away with them as you have seen.” (NIV)

Lots to think about.

In the Psalm, it was perhaps verse 4a that stuck out to me, especially as I continue to ponder the Genesis text.  “When I called, you answered me.”  When Abraham spoke to God, he literally answered in what we have to imagine was an audible voice.  Because we do not hear that audible voice, do we profess that God answers when we call?   Do we only exclaim such a thing when God answers the way that we would like?

It's also interesting to me that we see the word “haughty” in verse 7, a word that factors prominently in the Ezekiel text I shared above.

I don’t believe in coincidence, but it is extremely strange that the Epistle this week is the same Colossians text that I read Sunday afternoon at a baptism.  The theme running through these first three readings is pretty strong.  We are pointed to not only living a Godly/righteous life, but we also see first-hand the dangers of not doing so.  I was reminded, because we’re talking about consequences, of a Q&A that the dearly departed RC Sproul was part of.   Someone asked about the downfall of man and why the punishment was so harsh.  Sproul was incredulous in his answer and to the best of my recollection, basically said that the fact that mankind, literally formed from dirt, was allowed to continue living is one of the least harsh things he can imagine.   That answer has a small taste of the Genesis reading in it as Abraham mentions his humble creation/constitution before trying to dicker God down another five or ten righteous people.

The fact that we get the first 13 verses of chapter 11 to deal with all at once is a bit unfair.  There’s so much here that some of it, a lot of it, is going to be left on the bone.   My thoughts are overrun a bit by the fact that the only time I have preached on this Scripture it was as pulpit supply years ago.  I can’t be certain if it was Luke’s account of the Lord’s Prayer or Matthew’s but in effect it’s the same.  Sometimes God is so wonderful and so glorious that it can be difficult to put into words.   I remember struggling much more than usual to put words to my thoughts on the text that seemed from the outset that it should be so simple.  I’m also amused that I read part of the Matthew account in my sermon last week. Maybe I should read a ahead a week or two so I stop doing things like this.  “Seek Ye First” is the perfect hymn to pare with the end of the reading, but we sang that less than a month ago….hmmm, maybe this reading ahead thing would really be a good idea.  Anyway, if I choose the Gospel lesson, there’s no doubt I’ll chop it up (yes, the hypocrite in me is coming out).

Looks like I am going to have a fun week with the Scripture, and I hope you join me in spending more time with these four texts this week, seeking connections and better understanding of what God wants for us in our lives.