The Sunday Lectionary Readings for Sunday, August 28, 2022 — Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost

Humility and Hospitality
(The Parable of the Embarrassed Guest)
Luke 14:7-14

The Sunday Lectionary Readings

Sunday, August 28, 2022 — Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost

Jeremiah 2:4-13; Psalm 81:1, 10-16; Hebrews 13:1-8, 15-16;

Luke 14:1, 7-14

[Ordinary 22, Proper 17]

(Revised Common Lectionary Year C)

Opening Prayer

As We Gather Here

(Words for the above video)

As we gather here in the harbour of your safety

We thank you for fellowship and family.

We ask that you will strengthen us, restore us and inspire us with your love.

Lord, would fill us with your peace

So that as we journey onwards

We would pour out your love and grace to others.

We ask that our souls would catch the wind of your spirit

so that we would take your promises to all the earth.

Amen.

The Collect (Book of Common Prayers)

Lord of all power and might, the author and giver of all good things: Graft in our hearts the love of your Name; increase in us true religion; nourish us with all goodness; and bring forth in us the fruit of good works; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever. Amen.

Prayer of Confession (Based on Jeremiah 2)

Dear God, we have known you since the time you led our ancestors from bondage to freedom. We have found no fault in your promise. Yet we wander from the path that you have set and put our faith in other “gods” which lead us away from justice, compassion and hospitality. We forsake your blessing. Forgive our faithlessness and our arrogance. Restore us to right relationship with you and all those in our midst.

Assurance of Pardon

God is merciful and slow to anger. God seeks the lost and extends the invitation again and again. God welcomes us when we turn to God. Friends, believe the Good News of the Gospel, In Jesus Christ, we are forgiven.

First Reading

Jeremiah 2:4-13

2:4 Hear the word of the Lord, O house of Jacob, and all the families of the house of Israel. 5 Thus says the Lord:

   What wrong did your ancestors find in me
     that they went far from me,
   and went after worthless things, and became worthless
     themselves?
6  They did not say, “Where is the Lord
     who brought us up from the land of Egypt,
   who led us in the wilderness,
     in a land of deserts and pits,
   in a land of drought and deep darkness,
     in a land that no one passes through,
     where no one lives?”
7  I brought you into a plentiful land
     to eat its fruits and its good things.
   But when you entered you defiled my land,
     and made my heritage an abomination.
8  The priests did not say, “Where is the Lord?”
     Those who handle the law did not know me;
   the rulers transgressed against me;
     the prophets prophesied by Baal,
     and went after things that do not profit.

9  Therefore once more I accuse you,
   says the Lord,
     and I accuse your children’s children.
10 Cross to the coasts of Cyprus and look,
     send to Kedar and examine with care;
     see if there has ever been such a thing.
11 Has a nation changed its gods,
     even though they are no gods?
   But my people have changed their glory
     for something that does not profit.
12 Be appalled, O heavens, at this,
     be shocked, be utterly desolate,
   says the Lord,
13 for my people have committed two evils:
     they have forsaken me,
   the fountain of living water,
     and dug out cisterns for themselves,
   cracked cisterns
     that can hold no water.

Psalm 81:1, 10-16 Exultate Deo

1  Sing with joy to God our strength *
   and raise a loud shout to the God of Jacob.

10 I am the Lord your God,
   who brought you out of the land of Egypt and said, *
   "Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it."

11 And yet my people did not hear my voice, *
   and Israel would not obey me.

12 So I gave them over to the stubbornness of their hearts, *
   to follow their own devices.

13 Oh, that my people would listen to me! *
   that Israel would walk in my ways!

14 I should soon subdue their enemies *
   and turn my hand against their foes.

15 Those who hate the Lord would cringe before him, *
   and their punishment would last for ever.

16 But Israel would I feed with the finest wheat *
   and satisfy him with honey from the rock.

Second Reading

Hebrews 13:1-8, 15-16

Service Well-Pleasing to God
13:1 Let mutual love continue. 2 Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it. 3 Remember those who are in prison, as though you were in prison with them; those who are being tortured, as though you yourselves were being tortured. 4 Let marriage be held in honor by all, and let the marriage bed be kept undefiled; for God will judge fornicators and adulterers. 5 Keep your lives free from the love of money, and be content with what you have; for he has said, “I will never leave you or forsake you.” 6 So we can say with confidence,

   “The Lord is my helper;
     I will not be afraid.
   What can anyone do to me?”

7 Remember your leaders, those who spoke the word of God to you; consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith. 8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

15 Through him, then, let us continually offer a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that confess his name. 16 Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.

The Gospel

Luke 14:1, 7-14

14:1 On one occasion when Jesus was going to the house of a leader of the Pharisees to eat a meal on the sabbath, they were watching him closely.

Humility and Hospitality (The Parable of the Embarrassed Guest)
7 When he noticed how the guests chose the places of honor, he told them a parable. 8 “When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet, do not sit down at the place of honor, in case someone more distinguished than you has been invited by your host; 9 and the host who invited both of you may come and say to you, ‘Give this person your place,’ and then in disgrace you would start to take the lowest place. 10 But when you are invited, go and sit down at the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher’; then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at the table with you. 11 For all who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

12 He said also to the one who had invited him, “When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, in case they may invite you in return, and you would be repaid. 13 But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. 14 And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you, for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”

Here ends the Lessons

Click HERE to read today's Holy Gospel Lesson message

The Nicene Creed

We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven; by the power of the Holy Spirit he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary, and was made man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified. He has spoken through the Prophets. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.

Closing Prayer

Lord, thank you that we are a family in Christ. Help us to share his love and legacy with everyone that we encounter this week. May we lavish Christ’s abounding goodness upon our families, friends and colleagues. Holy Spirit, come and equip us in our workplace, guide us in our school life, and inspire us in our neighbourhood. May we be your hands and feet to the needy, your words of affirmation to the oppressed and your arms of comfort to the lonely.

Thank you for choosing to use us to bring your kingdom here on earth.

Amen.

Optional parts of the readings are set off in [square brackets.]

The Bible texts of the Old Testament, Epistle and Gospel lessons are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Church of Christ in the USA, and used by permission.
The parable of the Embarrassed Guest is not just a piece of practical advice, but is true at a spiritual level too. Jesus himself makes this application of the parable. He says, “For all who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”