Readings for October 7, 2012 Thanksgiving and World Wide Communion

• Joel 2:21-27 and Psalm 126 • 1 Timothy 2:1-7 • Matthew 6:25-33 •

Joel 2:21-27
The first verse tells us that this book is by Joel "son of Penuel". We do not know who this Joel is, for he is not mentioned elsewhere in the Old Testament; however, the text does tell us something about him. First, he was a prophet. There are twelve prophetic books at the end of the Old Testament, of which Joel is one. Second, he has an appreciation of worship in the Temple. He mentions various officials, but never a king, so he probably lived after the return from exile. The earliest he could have written is then 515 BC, when the Temple was rebuilt. Sidon is mentioned. It was destroyed in 343 BC, so Joel wrote before that date.

After stating that his authority is from God , the prophet says that what he writes is to be told to future generations. He gives a highly realistic account of a plague of locusts. So great was the devastation that there were no grapes with which to make “sweet wine” ,) for celebrating a feast. The priests are to mourn, for no cereal offerings can be made in the Temple – all the crops have been destroyed. Even “joy withers away among the people” . This invasion, Joel says, is a foretaste of “the day of the LORD” ; it is a punishment from God. The “pastures”  are as though burnt by “fire”. Blow the shofar, the ram’s horn, he says, to warn of the approach of the End!  Judah is under attack. So thick are the locusts that the sun is obscured – a sign also of the end times The insects, like a conquering army on the move, are commanded by God. Can any survive the onslaught?  But there is still a chance: if a person repents and turns to God, perhaps he will be “gracious and merciful”

In this passage Joel advises blowing the shofar to summon the people to a fast. Put off your marriage! Priests, intercede for the people: may God spare Judah from mockery by other nations, of being thought God-less. God does forgive; he has “pity on his people”. He returns fertility to the land, restores Judah to place of honour among nations, and destroys the locusts. “Early rain” softened earth parched by the summer heat; it made ploughing possible; “later rain”, in April/May, provided sustenance for summer crops. Trees again bear fruit . God will “repay”  for the destruction by the locusts (“hopper ... cutter” – stages are in insect development) sent by him. He is still Judah’s God, “in the midst of Israel”, the only God. Judgement Day, “the day of the Lord” will come “afterward” much later. He will grant his power, his “spirit”, to all Judeans, to “sons ...” and even to “slaves” . Signs (“portents”, ) will warn of the coming of the Day. Then the remnant faithful to God “shall be saved” , including those “whom the LORD calls”. Fortunes will be reversed; those nations who have oppressed Judah will be judged adversely.

Reflection:

The prophet writes to a people who know they are dependant on the land for survival. This is an agrarian society. Locusts, rainfall...these are their preoccupations.

We too are dependant. But do we remember it? Do we need reminders?

When are you reminded of the importance of rainfall? Of good earth? What makes you remember that we are all dependant on the fruit of the land?

On World Wide Communion Sunday do we think of those who suffer because of drought or bad soil or a poor harvest?

On Thanksgiving are we grateful for the blessings that God has given?

 1 Timothy 2:1-7


1 Timothy, 2 Timothy and Titus are known as the Pastoral Epistles because the author addresses the needs and responsibilities of the leaders of Christian communities. The styles and themes of these letters are so similar that many think they were written by the same person. Although they claim to be written by Paul, the structure of the church they show and the specific content of their teaching indicate that they were written a generation or so after Paul. 1 Timothy begins by emphasizing the importance of correct belief and by cautioning against false teachers. The leaders are mentioned as bishops, deacons and elders. The term used here for the coming of Christ is not found in Paul's letters but is common in pagan Greek writings. In those days, a writer sometimes honoured an earlier leader by writing in his name.  Here the author has written: “I urge you ... [to] instruct certain people not to teach any different doctrine” but rather to teach “divine training” (or the plan of salvation) “that is known by faith”. He portrays Christian life as being like the discipline of servants in a large household. Now, at a time when Christians were suspect for not joining in worship of Roman gods, an act expected of all, the author urges them to pray for “everyone” , including civil authorities so that Christians may live “a quiet and peaceable life”, as good citizens yet faithful ones. This, he says, is in accord with God’s plan, for he wishes “everyone”  to be saved, through knowledge of Christian “truth”. God wills this for:

he is the “one God” for all people;

the “one mediator”, Christ, shared in being human with all of us, and represents us all before the Father, and

gave his life as the price of freedom (“ransom" for all.

His life and death were “attested” (shown to be an authentic part of the plan) “at the right time”, at the time chosen by God. Paul was “appointed” by God to announce (“herald”) this to all, genuinely sent out by him (“apostle”) to teach doctrine (“faith”) and the truth about God to everyone.

Reflection:

Christians have long wrestled with their relationship with secular power. Do we always obey the laws and norms dictated by governments and rulers? Do we set ourselves apart from the world and its ways?

We can think of extreme case: the Church in Nazi Germany which followed the rulers of the land, the Religious right in the US, the Russian Church which is supporting Putin with great vigour....or the Dissenting Church in Germany, religious groups like the Amish, the Mennonites, the Puritans who fled Europe, the Quakers who will not take up arms for their country...

So, when do you follow and when do you not?

Matthew 6:25-33

This passage is part of the Sermon on the Mount. In  verse 24  Jesus speaks of the impossibility of serving two masters: one cannot love both. “You cannot serve God and wealth”. (Calvin wrote that an idol is anything that comes between us and God.)

A key word in this passage is “worry” . The Greek word means be preoccupied with or be absorbed by. To be preoccupied with food and appearance is to view life much too narrowly. Birds are an example of a proper attitude towards food : they work hard to find it, but they do not store it for possible future shortages. Worry, preoccupation, is futile: people desire a long life, but excess concern for it will not lengthen it . Wild “lilies”, abundant on Palestinian hillsides but dull brown for much of the year, are only brightly coloured for a few weeks. Even “Solomon”, known for his accumulation of wealth, could not compare to their  beauty. The “grass”  ends up being “thrown into the oven” as fuel for cooking. But if God cares for such plants, how much more will he provide for, clothe those who are faithful to him. So do not be preoccupied with your physical needs (v. 31). Such preoccupation is wrong on two counts:

those who do not follow Jesus (“Gentiles”, v. 32), not knowing of God’s munificence, seek security in possessions; and

God knows the needs of his people, so worrying about them is to suspect him of forgetting or neglecting his people and their needs.

Reflection

So, what do you worry about? What is our society absorbed by...? Are their real concerns that are not useless worries?

Do we take time to consider... birds, flowers, autumn leaves in colour, the blessings and beauty that surround us? What difference does it make when we make time to pay attention to the world around us...?

What takes your mind off your worries?

What might turn worries to gratitude?