The Ninth Sunday
after Trinity.
Psalm 119.129-144
xvii. Mirabilia.
THY
testimonies are wonderful; * therefore doth my soul keep them.
130
When thy word goeth forth, * it giveth light and understanding unto the simple.
131
I opened my mouth, and drew in my breath; * for my delight was in thy
commandments.
132
O look thou upon me, and be merciful unto me, * as thou usest to do unto those
that love thy Name.
133
Order my steps in thy word; * and so shall no wickedness have dominion over me.
134
O deliver me from the wrongful dealings of men; * and so shall I keep thy
commandments.
135
Show the light of thy countenance upon thy servant, * and teach me thy
statutes.
136
Mine eyes gush out with water, * because men keep not thy law.
xviii. Justus es, Domine.
RIGHTEOUS
art thou, O Lord; * and true are thy judgments.
138
The testimonies that thou hast commanded * are exceeding righteous and true.
139
My zeal hath even consumed me; * because mine enemies have forgotten thy words.
140
Thy word is tried to the uttermost, * and thy servant loveth it.
141
I am small and of no reputation; * yet do I not forget thy commandments.
142
Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, * and thy law is the truth.
143
Trouble and heaviness have taken hold upon me; * yet is my delight in thy
commandments.
144
The righteousness of thy testimonies is everlasting: * O grant me
understanding, and I shall live.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son * and to the
Holy Ghost;
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall
be * world without end. Amen.
The Collect.
GRANT to us, Lord, we beseech thee, the spirit to think and do always such
things as be rightful; that we, who cannot do any thing that is good without
thee, may by thee be enabled to live according to thy will; through Jesus
Christ our Lord. Amen.
Old
Testament Reading: 1 Kings 10.1-25
Psalter:
Psalm 46, 47 | 44, 45
Epistle
Reading: 1 Corinthians 10.1-13
Gospel
Reading: St. Luke 16.1-9
This is from my letter to
my congregation this past week:
I hope you’ve taken the time
to do as I recommended, and been reading through James to find out what he
specifically says (or implies) about the character of God. I would love to hear
from you about what you’ve found in your reading, what was corrective, and what
was most encouraging. James is a truly rich and refreshing letter!
I want to give you an example
of what to look for, and you will hear it in this Sunday’s sermon. It has to do
with James 1:16-18:
[16]
Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. [17] Every good gift and every perfect
gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is
no variation or shadow due to change. [18] Of his own will he brought us forth
by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
Observe that James 1:16-18 is
focused on how we can impugn or malign God’s character. That’s why James begins
with a serious admonition “do not be deceived”. We can easily deceive
ourselves, or be deceived. And so James is calling on us, like this: “Do not be deceived or allow someone
else to deceive you into thinking God is stingy and tightfisted.” You know
James is concerned about those times when we become tempted to think God is
miserly and ungenerous because of how v. 16 is straightened out by v. 17,
“Don’t be deceived (16), for this is how God really is (17)!”
Who do you recall used this tactic of
claiming God was cheap and grudging to sway a certain woman into disobedience?
Yes, the serpent. And so, James’s counterevidence is found in 1:18, “Of his
own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of
firstfruits of his creatures.” Now, for anyone who assumes that James is
all Law and no grace, all browbeating and no mercy, they need to sit up
straight and take serious notice of those words! God’s prior initiative is the
substantiation and foundation for all that James has said and will continue to
say, “of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth”! James
is really clear here. Don’t be fooled! God is lavish and God is life-giving.
But then, pull together both v. 17
and 18, and you can see more about God’s real character, so as not to be deceived.
Follow along: (1) God is not stingy but gift-giving – and the gifts he gives
are just the right kind of gifts (17a), “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming
down from the Father of lights”. You see an
example of the right kind of gifts he gives back up 1:5-6. (2) He is steady and
straightforward, not flippy-floppy or wishy-washy (17b), “with whom there is no
variation or shadow due to change”.
There are no “blind spots” with God, and no erratic, manic emotional shifts
that go one way and then, for no reason, turn 180 degrees in the other
direction. Steady and straightforward! (3) He is not a God of death but Giver
of life (18a), “of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth”.
Though he is over death and dying, etc., yet he delights to give life. As he
says in Ezekiel, “Say to them, As I live, declares the Lord GOD, I have no
pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live;
turn back, turn back from your evil ways, for why will you die, O house of
Israel” (33:11)? (4) And lastly, he is not demeaning but purpose-investing,
“that we should be a
kind of firstfruits of his creatures” (18b). His giving us life and just the right kinds of lavish gifts, etc.,
is to make us part of his world rescue operation, investing us with even more
purpose!
I hope that was helpful in showing
what I’m asking everyone to do. And I hope it was just as encouraging to you as
it is to me.
Pastor Mike
