The Sunday Lectionary and Prayers for Sunday, September 3, 2023—Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost

 

The Sunday Lectionary and Prayers
Sunday, September 3, 2023
Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost
[Ordinary 22, Proper 17]
(Revised Common Lectionary Year A)
  (Semi-continuous Reading Plan)

Standing on Holy Ground
Exodus 3:1-15; Psalm 105:1-6, 23-26, 45b;
Romans 12:9-21; Matthew 16:21-28

Opening Statement

Knowing when to turn aside makes all the difference in the world. Moses sees a burning bush and turns aside to see what is afoot. Only then does God call to Moses from the fire. The psalmist urges the people to turn aside from everyday cares to seek the Lord—the source of strength and miracles, the fountain of wonder and joy. Paul exhorts the church of Rome to forsake feelings of resentment and hate, but instead repay evil with good, doing what is noble in the sight of all. Jesus rebukes Peter for succumbing to worldly considerations over God’s purposes. To find our lives, we must lose them. Such turning leads us to realize we are standing on holy ground.

Take Up Your Cross

Opening Prayer
(Exodus 3, Romans 12)

Great I Am, you come to us in unexpected ways. Excite our curiosity, that we might turn aside and realize we are standing on holy ground. Appear to us in fire and wonder, that we might see worlds beyond the reaches of our imaginations. Reveal the glory of your kingdom—where love is genuine, where evil is forsaken, where mutual affection abides, and hospitality is shown to strangers, where all are made one. Amen.

Call to Confession
(Exodus 3, Romans 12)

Loving God, Holy Shepherd, we long for a higher calling. When we would rather tend our flocks in peace than confront the powers of this age, open our hearts to your guidance and direction. When we would rather keep silent than face the suffering of others, open our mouths to speak your truth. Turn us from human considerations and set our minds on your kingdom, through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Assurance of Pardon
(Exodus 3, Psalm 105)

The great I Am invites usto turn aside and boldly embrace paths that lead to life. Turn and receive blessing upon blessing.

Today’s Verse-of-the-Day:

Isaiah 48:17

This is what the Lord says—your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go.”

God may lead you into difficult circumstances (Mark 6:45–51), but wherever He guides you, He does it “to do good for you in the end” (Deut. 8:16).

Introduction to the Word
(Exodus 3)

As we listen for the word of God, turn aside from the worries and cares that imprison us in cages of our own making. Listen with awe and wonder to the great I Am—the one who invites us to new and wondrous possibilities. Listen well, for we worship on holy ground.

Today’s Lectionary Readings:
First Reading

Exodus 3:1-15
God calls Moses

Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. So Moses thought, “I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up.”

When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, “Moses! Moses!”

And Moses said, “Here I am.”

“Do not come any closer,” God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” Then he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.” At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God.

The Lord said, “I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey—the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them. So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.”

But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?”

And God said, “I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain.”

Moses said to God, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what shall I tell them?”

God said to Moses, “I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I am has sent me to you.’”

God also said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites, ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you.’

“This is my name forever,
    the name you shall call me

    from generation to generation.

A Psalm and A Prayer
Responsive Readings from the Psalms and Prayers
for Public Worship and Private Devotions
Psalm 105:1-6, 23-26, 45b
Remembering Moses
Confitemini Domino

Give thanks to the LORD and call upon his Name; *
  make known his deeds among the peoples.

Sing to him, sing praises to him, *
  and speak of all his marvelous works.

Glory in his holy Name; *
  let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice.

Search for the LORD and his strength; *
  continually seek his face.

Remember the marvels he has done, *
  his wonders and the judgments of his mouth,

O offspring of Abraham his servant, *
  O children of Jacob his chosen.

Israel came into Egypt, *
  and Jacob became a sojourner in the land of Ham.

The LORD made his people exceedingly fruitful; *
  he made them stronger than their enemies;

Whose heart he turned, so that they hated his people, *
  and dealt unjustly with his servants.

He sent Moses his servant, *
  and Aaron whom he had chosen.
    Hallelujah!

Lord our God, we thank you that you come to help us with your power and might. We thank you that you come to us in our suffering and strengthen us in all we must endure on earth. You help us so that what is good and full of light comes more and more to us and to all people. We thank you and pray that your power, coming from the invisible world into the visible, may continue its quiet working in us until the day when everyone can see Jesus Christ, who is the same yesterday, today, and into all eternity. Amen.

Second Reading
From the Epistles

Romans 12:9-21
Live in harmony

Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.

Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. On the contrary:

“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
    if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Today’s Gospel Reading

Matthew 16:21-28
The rebuke to Peter

From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.

Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!”

Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”

Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done.

“Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”

Here end the Readings

Click HERE to read today’s Holy Gospel Lesson message

The Nicene Creed

The Nicene Creed

• We believe in one God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible.

• And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, begotten from the Father before all ages, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made; of the same essence as the Father. Through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven; he became incarnate by the Holy Spirit and the virgin Mary, and was made human. He was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate; he suffered and was buried. The third day he rose again, according to the Scriptures. He ascended to heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again with glory to judge the living and the dead. His kingdom will never end.

• And we believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life. He proceeds from the Father and the Son, and with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified. He spoke through the prophets. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic church. We affirm one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look forward to the resurrection of the dead, and to life in the world to come. Amen.

The Lord’s Prayer

The Lord's Prayer — Our Father Who Art in Heaven

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

Holy Communion
A nondenominational serving of bread and wine

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. This table is open to all who recognize Jesus Christ as healer and redeemer. This table is open to all who work to bring God’s Kingdom here on earth. No one is turned away because of life circumstances. No one is barred from this table. No one seeking God’s abundant grace and mercy is turned aside. We see before us the abundance that a life of faith offers as we respond to God’s everlasting mercy in prayer and deed.

Benediction
(Romans 12)

Live peaceably with others. Hold fast to what is good. Honor what is just and show mutual affection for all. Go with the blessings of the almighty.

A Prayer of Surrender

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 Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. Responsive Readings from the Common Book of Prayer (1789).

The Daily Lectionary is a three year cyclical lectionary. We are currently in Year A. Beginning with the first Sunday of Advent in 2023, we will be in Year B. The year which ended at Advent 2022 was Year A. 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 on what they heard in worship. Revised Common Lectionary Daily Readings, copyright © 2005 Consultation on Common Texts. www.commontexts.org
The Sunday Lectionary and Prayers for Sunday, September 3, 2023
Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost
Exodus 3:1-15; Psalm 105:1-6, 23-26, 45b;
Romans 12:9-21; Matthew 16:21-28
Knowing when to turn aside makes all the difference in the world. Moses sees a burning bush and turns aside to see what is afoot. Only then does God call to Moses from the fire. The psalmist urges the people to turn aside from everyday cares to seek the Lord—the source of strength and miracles, the fountain of wonder and joy. Paul exhorts the church of Rome to forsake feelings of resentment and hate, but instead repay evil with good, doing what is noble in the sight of all. Jesus rebukes Peter for succumbing to worldly considerations over God’s purposes. To find our lives, we must lose them. Such turning leads us to realize we are standing on holy ground.

“Costly Grace” The Gospel Message for Sunday, September 3, 2023—Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost

Today, our gospel message comes to us from the 16th chapter of Matthew, beginning with the 21st verse, “The rebuke to Peter.”

From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.

Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!”

Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”

Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done.

“Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.” (Matthew 16:21-28)

Heavenly Father, you sent your Son to reveal your will for our lives and redeem us from sin and death. Through the power of your Holy Spirit, inspire us with confidence that you are with us in the midst of the storms of life, bring peace to our troubled souls, and lead your church throughout the ages. Enable us to live as your redeemed saints, that our lives may witness to our faith. This we ask in Christ’s holy name. Amen.

“Costly Grace”

Today’s gospel lesson follows on the heels of last week’s reading, where we saw Peter make his confession. Remember last week, Peter was the hero of our lesson because he confessed that Jesus was the Christ, the son of the living God. Jesus had asked the disciples, “Who do men say that I am?” The disciples gave him many different answers, then he asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Then we get Peter’s great confession of faith, “Jesus, you are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Peter was a hero. He understood who Jesus really was. He understood that Jesus was no mere man but a living part of the God of creation, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Jesus was the Son of God who came to this earth to show and tell the people of God, the Israelites, about God in a very real and personal way. Peter had put it all together. For that moment, at least, he knew who Jesus was.

But in today’s lesson, Peter quickly changes from the hero to the goat, from one who is expounding some great truths to one who is babbling and carrying on about things that he doesn’t understand or even wants to understand. Peter changes so quickly, in fact, that Jesus equates him with the devil when he says, “Get behind me, Satan,” you are tempting me, you are hindering me, you are trying to make me change my mind about the course that I am supposed to take. What did Peter do so wrong to change so quickly from the hero to a goat in just a few short minutes?

After Peter’s confession, Jesus began to tell the disciples about what lay ahead for him. Jesus told the disciples that he would suffer at the hands of the religious rulers, he would, in fact, be put to death by these rulers, but God would raise him on the third day. Jesus was explaining the concept of the suffering servant, the suffering Messiah to the disciples, and Peter, out of love and respect, out of his own ideas about the Messiah, out of his own sense of glory and righteousness, took Jesus in his large arms and said, “Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.” Peter could not let Jesus suffer because he loved him so much; he could not let Jesus suffer because he could not believe in a Messiah that was nothing less than a conquering Messiah. He could not let Jesus suffer because that was not the dreams and the expectations he had of Jesus and the dreams and expectations he had of himself as a follower of Jesus. No, suffering was not a part of all of this, thought Peter.

But Peter was wrong. Suffering was a part of the plan that God had for Jesus. Jesus must suffer for the sins of this world to secure our salvation in the person of Jesus Christ.

Jesus tells Peter it is God’s will for him to suffer. He says, “You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.” Men cannot understand the workings of God. Men have their own thoughts about the plans of God, Jesus is saying, but God’s plans are that I must suffer so that you will not have to suffer. Jesus tells Peter in a sense that he must understand the will of the Father for his son. Peter must understand that suffering is part of this plan, not glory, not riches, not a grand army, but suffering, death, and the cross, then God will act to raise him on the 3rd day. God will bring life where there was death. God will bring glory where there was suffering. God will deliver Jesus from the hands of the devil and exalt him to the throne of glory at His right hand in the heavenly mansion in the sky. God will do all of this because he is a God of love.

Jesus then tells Peter, especially, but the disciples also, that everyone must take up his cross to follow him. Jesus is saying that being a follower of Jesus is no easy matter. There is sacrifice. There is giving up things. There is suffering. There is setting priorities in one’s life so that those things that really do count, eternal life, have priority number one. Jesus is telling the disciples, and us this today, that whoever loses one’s life for him, will find it. Whoever forgets about the demands, the values, and the standards of this world, whoever is willing to live totally for Jesus, that person will find life in Jesus. That person will know Jesus as the savior of life.

Jesus is saying that the Christian life is not easy, that it is the most difficult life to live because it is a life of sacrifice, that it is a life living for him instead of ourselves or the demands of this world. But in our day and age, we make the Christian life so easy. We continuously appeal to new members by stating how easy it is to join the church. The rigor and discipline of being a Christian have disappeared. We come to church when we feel like it or when we have nothing else to do. Our attendance usually depends on fair weather. Another person has described the Christian life in this age in a like manner. Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a martyr during World War II in Germany, wrote in his book, The Cost of Discipleship, that Christians today are living by cheap grace. He says, “Cheap grace means the justification of sin without the justification of the sinner.… Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline, Communion without confession, and absolution without personal confession. Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate.”

Bonhoeffer describes costly grace as “the gospel which must be sought again and again and again, the gift which must be asked for, the door at which a man must knock. Such grace is costly because it calls us to follow, and it is grace because it calls us to follow Jesus Christ. It is costly because it costs a man his life, and it is grace because it gives a man the only true life. It is costly because it condemns sin, and grace because it justifies the sinner. Above all, it is costly because it cost God the life of his Son: ‘Ye were bought at a price’ and what has cost God much cannot be cheap for us. Above all, it is grace because God did not reckon his Son too dear a price to pay for our life but delivered him up for us. Costly grace is the Incarnation of God. Costly grace confronts us as a gracious call to follow Jesus. It comes as a word of forgiveness to the broken spirit and the contrite heart. It is costly because it compels a man to submit to the yoke of Christ and follow him; it is grace because Jesus says: ‘My yoke is easy and my burden is light.’”

Bonhoeffer describes a life that is fulfilling the charge of Jesus when he says, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” Bonhoeffer says we have lost sight of the grace which is so costly. We have turned the grace of God into something so simple, so watered down, something without meaning, that we don’t comprehend or fathom what it means in this day and age to be a follower of Jesus. Bonhoeffer doesn’t want to turn God’s grace into a new legalism, but he wants his readers to understand that responsibility goes along with the grace that God has given to us. He is pointing out that we have taken that responsibility too easily. We have said that God is such a loving God that he would understand and forgive when we don’t follow through on our part of the covenant he has made with us. We have taken God’s love for us for granted. It doesn’t mean anything to us that God chose to have his son die for us so that we might have eternal life. It doesn’t mean anything to us that Jesus sacrificed himself for us and our sins. It doesn’t mean anything to us that God calls upon us to live in that same kind of lifestyle, that we are to live a life that reflects the same kind of love, compassion, and concern that Jesus had for humankind.

What we are hearing from this text today is a challenge for us to live a life that is not centered on self nor the world but a life given over to Jesus and his demands. A life that is willing to sacrifice something, some priorities, some worldly values, some creature comforts so that we might serve our Lord and others around us.

I want to conclude with a story told by Victor Meyer. He says, “The party was changed with excitement... to which had been added a pinch of mellowness. It was the last time the graduating seminarians would be together before moving to their new areas of ministry.

Among all the conversations that night, one was the most memorable. You see, Ed was going deep into the heart of Appalachia, a poor mining town, to be specific. This particular field of mission would provide Ed with very little monetary compensation. He would have to be on guard to maintain his nutritional health. There would be some risk involved, too. People there didn’t like “no strangers move’ in.” He’d have to earn their trust and respect. The nearest medical doctor or facility, for that matter, was two hours away. Disease and sickness were common.

Ed was a guy with a lot going for him. He was skilled and sensitive and could serve the church almost anywhere. He could easily have gone to a nice suburban area; he didn’t have to settle for living in poverty. He could have opted for a classy church and thus spared himself the grief and ridicule he was absorbing from his father.

Ed chose freely to give up many things when he graduated. Why?? ‘Because,’ he said, ‘I believe Jesus meant it when he said I’d find real life, I’ll lose many things I enjoy and take for granted, but I expect to gain a fuller, richer life anyhow when I consider what Christ gave up for me and the people in poverty... well.... do I have another choice?’”

Do we have another choice as we live life???

Lord, thank You for the gift of this day. Whatever happens to me today, help me to consider today a blessing, for the mere fact that You’ve given me another day of life. Help me to carry my cross with strength, with humility, and with confidence. Help me to deny my own desires and to seek after Your commandments. Help me to be a good follower. Help me to do these things today, and then tomorrow, and then the next day, for as many days as You will give me in my life to carry my cross and follow. As Your cross lead you not only to crucifixion but to Resurrection, help me to carry my cross not only in this life, but into Eternal Life. Amen.

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Scripture is taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. Sermon contributed by Tim Zingale.
Jesus tells Peter to “Get behind me, Satan.”

The Morning Prayer for Sunday, September 3, 2023

 

Prayer of the Day
Sunday, September 3, 2023

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
2 Corinthians 4:16–18 (NIV)

Lord our God, we thank you that you come to help us with your power and might. We thank you that you come to us in our suffering and strengthen us in all we must endure on earth. You help us so that what is good and full of light comes more and more to us and to all people. We thank you and pray that your power, coming from the invisible world into the visible, may continue its quiet working in us until the day when everyone can see Jesus Christ, who is the same yesterday, today, and into all eternity. Amen.

Verse of the Day for Sunday, September 3, 2023

 

Verse of the Day
Sunday, September 3, 2023

Isaiah 48:17

This is what the Lord says—your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go.”

God may lead you into difficult circumstances (Mark 6:45–51), but wherever He guides you, He does it “to do good for you in the end” (Deut. 8:16).

Read all of Isaiah Chapter 48

Listen to Isaiah Chapter 48

Scripture from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.