The Daily Readings for SUNDAY, November 1, 2020 — 22nd Sunday After Pentecost

 

The Daily Readings
SUNDAY, November 1, 2020 — 22nd Sunday After Pentecost

Come All Who Would be Leaders
Joshua 3:7-17; Psalm 107:1-7, 33-37; 1 Thessalonians 2:9-13;
Matthew 23:1-12
The Holy Bible, King James Version (KJV)

Sometimes it’s difficult to see God in America. The principles on which we were founded are no longer the principles by which we live. Slowly, our nation has forgotten where its freedom came from. As election day approaches, many of us are filled with indecision. How do we make a choice when it’s so difficult to see the hand of God? The truth is, there are times when we simply need to pray and trust in God. Because, even in the chaos, He is sovereign, He is holy, He is faithful and He is Lord.

Opening Sentences

Our baptism into the life of Christ recalls Israel’s miraculous crossing of the river Jordan into the Promised Land. Even as baptized Christians, we sometimes wander in the wilderness of our existence, facing spiritual hunger, thirst, temptation to fall away, restlessness, and bitterness. We await God’s deliverance into the promised land of intimate relationship with the divine. Such a relationship is not without work and responsibility. Paul underscores this in his letter to the Thessalonians, and Jesus warns disciples against religious complacency. But in our hard work and spiritual diligence, God’s purposes undergird our lives.

Opening Prayer

God of mercy and truth, through the waters of our baptism you have made us your own. From the wandering wilderness of our existence, you lead us to the river’s shore, part the waters, and bring us to where we can abide with you in peace. We pray that our lives and the work of our hands may please you and accomplish your will for creation. Amen.

Prayer of Confession

Lord, you provide rushing waters to quench our thirst, and we complain about vast deserts. You shower us with love and guidance, and we whine about all the work placed before us. You give us gifts for healing and building and we denigrate those gifts. Forgive us the very many times when we are angry, greedy, lazy and weak. Pick us up, O Lord, and heal those wounds that we can serve you more effectively. Dust us off, O Lord, and place us on pathways of peace. Embrace us, the apathetic and ignorant ones, the angry and greedy, with your mercy and justice that we may grow in your spirit to live lives of great compassion and witness to your love and power for all people. We pray these things in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Assurance of Pardon

Rise up! God has heard your cries. You are healed and restored. Nothing can hold you back from serving God who walks with you. This is the great good news!

First Reading
Joshua 3:7-17
Crossing into the promised land

3:7 And the Lord said unto Joshua, This day will I begin to magnify thee in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee.

8 And thou shalt command the priests that bear the ark of the covenant, saying, When ye are come to the brink of the water of Jordan, ye shall stand still in Jordan.

9 And Joshua said unto the children of Israel, Come hither, and hear the words of the Lord your God.

10 And Joshua said, Hereby ye shall know that the living God is among you, and that he will without fail drive out from before you the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Hivites, and the Perizzites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Jebusites.

11 Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth passeth over before you into Jordan.

12 Now therefore take you twelve men out of the tribes of Israel, out of every tribe a man.

13 And it shall come to pass, as soon as the soles of the feet of the priests that bear the ark of the Lord, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of Jordan, that the waters of Jordan shall be cut off from the waters that come down from above; and they shall stand upon an heap.

14 And it came to pass, when the people removed from their tents, to pass over Jordan, and the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people;

15 And as they that bare the ark were come unto Jordan, and the feet of the priests that bare the ark were dipped in the brim of the water, (for Jordan overfloweth all his banks all the time of harvest,)

16 That the waters which came down from above stood and rose up upon an heap very far from the city Adam, that is beside Zaretan: and those that came down toward the sea of the plain, even the salt sea, failed, and were cut off: and the people passed over right against Jericho.

17 And the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firm on dry ground in the midst of Jordan, and all the Israelites passed over on dry ground, until all the people were passed clean over Jordan.

Commentary
The waters of Jordan shall be cut off. This must be done in such a way as never was done, but in dividing the Red sea. That miracle is here repeated; God has the same power to finish the salvation of his people, as to begin it; the WORD of the Lord was as truly with Joshua as with Moses. God's appearances for his people ought to encourage faith and hope. God's work is perfect; he will keep his people. Jordan's flood cannot keep out Israel, Canaan's force cannot turn them out again.

Jordan overflowed all its banks. This magnified the power of God and his kindness to Israel. Although those who oppose the salvation of God's people have all advantages, yet God can and will conquer. This passage over Jordan, as an entrance to Canaan, after their long, weary wanderings in the wilderness, shadowed out the believer's passage through death to heaven, after he has finished his wanderings in this sinful world. Jesus, typified by the ark, hath gone before, and he crossed the river when it most flooded the country around. Let us treasure up experiences of His faithful and tender care, that they may help our faith and hope in the last conflict.

Psalm 107:1-7, 33-37
Thanks for a beautiful land

1 O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.

2 Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy;

3 And gathered them out of the lands, from the east, and from the west, from the north, and from the south.

4 They wandered in the wilderness in a solitary way; they found no city to dwell in.

5 Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them.

6 Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses.

7 And he led them forth by the right way, that they might go to a city of habitation.

33 He turneth rivers into a wilderness, and the watersprings into dry ground;

34 A fruitful land into barrenness, for the wickedness of them that dwell therein.

35 He turneth the wilderness into a standing water, and dry ground into watersprings.

36 And there he maketh the hungry to dwell, that they may prepare a city for habitation;

37 And sow the fields, and plant vineyards, which may yield fruits of increase.

Commentary
In these verses, there is a reference to Egypt's deliverance, and perhaps that from Babylon: but the circumstances of travelers in those countries are also noted. It is scarcely possible to conceive the horrors suffered by the hapless traveler when crossing the trackless sands, exposed to the burning rays of the sun. The words describe their case whom the Lord has redeemed from the bondage of Satan, who pass through the world as a dangerous and dreary wilderness, often ready to faint through troubles, fears, and temptations. Those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, after God, and communion with him, shall be filled with the goodness of his house, both in grace and glory.

What surprising changes are often made in the affairs of men! Let the present desolate state of Judea and other countries explain this. If we look abroad in the world, we see many greatly increase, whose beginning was small. We see many who have thus suddenly risen, as suddenly brought to nothing. Worldly wealth is uncertain; often, those filled with it, where they are aware, lose it again. God has many ways of making men poor. The righteous shall rejoice. It shall fully convince all those who deny the Divine Providence. When sinners see how justly God takes away the gifts they have abused, they will not have a word to say. It is of great use to us to be fully assured of God's goodness and duly affected with it. It is our wisdom to mind our duty and to refer our comfort to him. A truly wise person will treasure in his heart this delightful psalm. From it, he will fully understand the weakness and wretchedness of man, and the power and loving-kindness of God, not for our merit, but for his mercy's sake.

Second Reading
1 Thessalonians 2:9-13
The apostle’s teaching

2:9 For ye remember, brethren, our labour and travail: for labouring night and day, because we would not be chargeable unto any of you, we preached unto you the gospel of God.

10 Ye are witnesses, and God also, how holily and justly and unblameably we behaved ourselves among you that believe:

11 As ye know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you, as a father doth his children,

12 That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory.

13 For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.

Commentary
Mildness and tenderness greatly recommend religion and are most conformable to God's gracious dealing with sinners, in and by the gospel. This is the way to win people. We should not only be faithful to our calling as Christians but in our particular callings and relations. Our great gospel privilege is that God has called us to his kingdom and glory. The great gospel duty is that we walk worthy of God. We should live as becomes those called with such a high and holy calling. Our great business is to honor, serve, and please God and to seek to be worthy of him. We should receive the word of God with affections suitable to its holiness, wisdom, truth, and goodness. The words of men are frail and perishing, like themselves, and sometimes false, foolish, and fickle; but God's word is holy, wise, just, and faithful. Let us receive and regard it accordingly.

The Gospel
Matthew 23:1-12
Loving God and neighbor

23:1 Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples,

2 Saying The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat:

3 All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.

4 For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.

5 But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,

6 And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues,

7 And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.

8 But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren.

9 And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.

10 Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ.

11 But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.

12 And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.

Commentary
The scribes and Pharisees explained the law of Moses and enforced obedience to it. They are charged with hypocrisy in religion. We can only judge according to outward appearance, but God searches the heart. They made phylacteries. These were scrolls of paper or parchment, wherein were written four paragraphs of the law, to be worn on their foreheads and left arms, Exodus 13:2-10, Exodus 13:11-16; Deuteronomy 6:4-9, Deuteronomy 6:13-21. They made these phylacteries broad that they might be thought more zealous for the law than others. God appointed the Jews to make fringes upon their garments, Numbers 15:38, to remind them of their being a peculiar people. Still, the Pharisees made them larger than common, as if they were thereby more religious than others. Pride was the darling, reigning sin of the Pharisees, the sin that most easily beset them, and which our Lord Jesus takes all occasions to speak against. For him, that is taught in the word to give respect to him that teaches, is commendable, but for him, that teaches, to demand it, to be puffed up with it, is sinful. How much is all this against the spirit of Christianity! The consistent disciple of Christ is pained by being put into chief places. But who that looks around on the visible church would think this was the spirit required? It is plain that some measure of this antichristian spirit prevails in every religious society and in every one of our hearts.

Here end the Readings

The Apostles’ Creed

• I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.

• I believe in Jesus Christ, his only son, our Lord, who was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to hell. On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father, and he will come again to judge the living and the dead.

• I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

The Lord’s Prayer

Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us; And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil:

For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.

Holy Communion

A nondenominational serving of bread and wine

Many churches around the world are working hard to adapt to online worship, and one challenge is how our members can celebrate communion from home. Though no video can truly replace the experience of celebrating together in our places of worship, we know that where two or more are gathered, the Lord is present.

Sending

Go in peace! Walk in confidence! Follow God’s leading! Rely on God’s love! Be people of peace!

Politics Of Jesus

The Bible texts of the Old Testament, Epistle, and Gospel lessons are from The Holy Bible, King James Version (KJV).

The Daily Bible Readings are selected from the Revised Common Lectionary Daily Readings, a three-year cyclical lectionary. We are currently in Year A. Beginning with the first Sunday of Advent in 2020, we will be in Year B. The year which ended at Advent 2019 was Year C. These readings complement the Sunday and festival readings: Thursday through Saturday readings help prepare the reader for the Sunday ahead; Monday through Wednesday readings help the reader reflect and digest what they heard in worship. Revised Common Lectionary Daily Readings, copyright © 2005 Consultation on Common Texts. www.commontexts.org
Our baptism into the life of Christ recalls Israel’s miraculous crossing of the river Jordan into the Promised Land. Even as baptized Christians, we sometimes wander in the wilderness of our existence, facing spiritual hunger, thirst, temptation to fall away, restlessness, and bitterness. We await God’s deliverance into the promised land of intimate relationship with the divine. Such a relationship is not without work and responsibility. Paul underscores this in his letter to the Thessalonians, and Jesus warns disciples against religious complacency. But in our hard work and spiritual diligence, God’s purposes undergird our lives.
Joshua 3:7-17; Psalm 107:1-7, 33-37; 1 Thessalonians 2:9-13; Matthew 23:1-12
The Holy Bible, King James Version (KJV)