Sundays at All Hallows (Sunday, October 8, 2023)
In westernmost Kentucky October is harvesttime for farmers and gardeners—beans, cabbage, carrots, chard, collards, potatoes, sweet corn, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, winter squash, zucchini and summer squash. By Thanksgiving in late November, what can be harvested will have been gathered in. On some farms in the region, the fields will have been fertilized and new crops sown. Only the Amish farmers will have ploughed their fields.
A good crop is something to celebrate. In earlier times it meant food on the table during the cold months when food was in short supply. A poor crop, on the other hand, could mean hunger, starvation, and death. For a modern-day farmer it could mean going further into debt or even selling the farm.
Whatever the harvest may yield, harvesttime is a good time to give thanks to God for all his mercies, great and small.
GATHERING IN GOD’S NAME
Worship the Lord in the splendour of holiness;
tremble before him, all the earth!
Great is the Lord and worthy of all praise.
Amen! Praise and glory and wisdom,
thanksgiving and honour, power and might,
be to our God for ever and ever! Amen!
Open this link in a new tab to hear Songs for the Masses Songs from the Scriptures’ adaptation of the Magna et Mirabilia, “Who Will Not Fear You – Revelation 15.”
Great and marvelous are your deeds, Lord God Almighty.
Just and true are your ways, King of the ages.
Who will not fear you?
Who will not fear you,
O Lord?
And bring glory to your name
You alone are holy.
All nations will come
and worship before you
your judgments made known.
Who will not fear you?
Who will not fear you,
O Lord?
Great and marvelous are your deeds, Lord God Almighty.
Just and true are your ways, King of the ages.
Who will not fear you?
Who will not fear you,
O Lord?
Who will not fear you?
Who will not fear you,
O Lord?
Hear these words of scripture.
If we claim to be sinless,
we are self-deceived and strangers to the truth.
If we confess our sins,
God is just and may be trusted to forgive our sins
and cleanse us from every kind of wrong.
Spirit of God, search our hearts.
Let us bow our heads and, in silence,
remember our need for God’s forgiveness.
Silence
Let us confess our sins to God.
Almighty and merciful God,
we have sinned against you,
in thought, word and deed.
We have not loved you with all our heart.
We have not loved others
as our Saviour Christ loves us.
We are truly sorry.
In your mercy forgive what we have been,
help us to amend what we are,
and direct what we shall be;
that we may delight in your will
and walk in your ways,
through Jesus Christ our Saviour. Amen.
Almighty God, you pardon all who truly repent,
forgive our sins, strengthen us by the Holy Spirit,
and keep us in life eternal;
through Jesus Christ our Redeemer.
Amen.
THE MINISTRY OF THE WORD
O come, let us sing to the Lord,
let us rejoice in the rock of our salvation.
We sing to you, O God, and bless your name;
and tell of your salvation from day to day.
We proclaim your glory to the nations,
your praise to the ends of the earth.
Open this link in a new tab to hear Lori True’s responsorial setting of Psalm 63, “In the Morning Let Us Sing.
In the morning let us sing,
let us sing praise to you.
Let us sing glad songs of praise to you.
In the morning let us sing,
let us sing praise to you.
Let us sing glad songs of praise to you.
1 O God, you are my God, for you I long;
for you my soul is thirsting.
My body pines for you
like a dry, weary land without water.
I gaze on you in the sanctuary
to see your strength and your glory.
In the morning let us sing,
let us sing praise to you.
Let us sing glad songs of praise to you.
In the morning let us sing,
let us sing praise to you.
Let us sing glad songs of praise to you.
2 For you love is better than life,
my lips will speak your praise.
I will bless you all my life,
in your name I will lift up my hands.
My soul shall be filled as with a banquet,
my mouth shall praise you with joy.
In the morning let us sing,
let us sing praise to you.
Let us sing glad songs of praise to you.
In the morning let us sing,
let us sing praise to you.
Let us sing glad songs of praise to you.
3 On my bed I remember you.
On you I muse through the night
for you have been my help;
in the shadow of your wings I rejoice.
My soul clings to you;
Your right hand holds me fast.
In the morning let us sing,
let us sing praise to you.
Let us sing glad songs of praise to you.
In the morning let us sing,
let us sing praise to you.
Let us sing glad songs of praise to you.
Let us sing glad songs of praise to you.
We’ll sing praise to you!
GATHERING IN GOD’S NAME
Worship the Lord in the splendour of holiness;
tremble before him, all the earth!
Great is the Lord and worthy of all praise.
Amen! Praise and glory and wisdom,
thanksgiving and honour, power and might,
be to our God for ever and ever! Amen!
Open this link in a new tab to hear Songs for the Masses Songs from the Scriptures’ adaptation of the Magna et Mirabilia, “Who Will Not Fear You – Revelation 15.”
Great and marvelous are your deeds, Lord God Almighty.
Just and true are your ways, King of the ages.
Who will not fear you?
Who will not fear you,
O Lord?
And bring glory to your name
You alone are holy.
All nations will come
and worship before you
your judgments made known.
Who will not fear you?
Who will not fear you,
O Lord?
Great and marvelous are your deeds, Lord God Almighty.
Just and true are your ways, King of the ages.
Who will not fear you?
Who will not fear you,
O Lord?
Who will not fear you?
Who will not fear you,
O Lord?
Hear these words of scripture.
If we claim to be sinless,
we are self-deceived and strangers to the truth.
If we confess our sins,
God is just and may be trusted to forgive our sins
and cleanse us from every kind of wrong.
Spirit of God, search our hearts.
Let us bow our heads and, in silence,
remember our need for God’s forgiveness.
Silence
Let us confess our sins to God.
Almighty and merciful God,
we have sinned against you,
in thought, word and deed.
We have not loved you with all our heart.
We have not loved others
as our Saviour Christ loves us.
We are truly sorry.
In your mercy forgive what we have been,
help us to amend what we are,
and direct what we shall be;
that we may delight in your will
and walk in your ways,
through Jesus Christ our Saviour. Amen.
Almighty God, you pardon all who truly repent,
forgive our sins, strengthen us by the Holy Spirit,
and keep us in life eternal;
through Jesus Christ our Redeemer.
Amen.
THE MINISTRY OF THE WORD
O come, let us sing to the Lord,
let us rejoice in the rock of our salvation.
We sing to you, O God, and bless your name;
and tell of your salvation from day to day.
We proclaim your glory to the nations,
your praise to the ends of the earth.
Open this link in a new tab to hear Lori True’s responsorial setting of Psalm 63, “In the Morning Let Us Sing.
In the morning let us sing,
let us sing praise to you.
Let us sing glad songs of praise to you.
In the morning let us sing,
let us sing praise to you.
Let us sing glad songs of praise to you.
1 O God, you are my God, for you I long;
for you my soul is thirsting.
My body pines for you
like a dry, weary land without water.
I gaze on you in the sanctuary
to see your strength and your glory.
In the morning let us sing,
let us sing praise to you.
Let us sing glad songs of praise to you.
In the morning let us sing,
let us sing praise to you.
Let us sing glad songs of praise to you.
2 For you love is better than life,
my lips will speak your praise.
I will bless you all my life,
in your name I will lift up my hands.
My soul shall be filled as with a banquet,
my mouth shall praise you with joy.
In the morning let us sing,
let us sing praise to you.
Let us sing glad songs of praise to you.
In the morning let us sing,
let us sing praise to you.
Let us sing glad songs of praise to you.
3 On my bed I remember you.
On you I muse through the night
for you have been my help;
in the shadow of your wings I rejoice.
My soul clings to you;
Your right hand holds me fast.
In the morning let us sing,
let us sing praise to you.
Let us sing glad songs of praise to you.
In the morning let us sing,
let us sing praise to you.
Let us sing glad songs of praise to you.
Let us sing glad songs of praise to you.
We’ll sing praise to you!
Silence
Open this link to hear Marty Haugen’s responsorial setting of Psalm 80, “Lord, Make Us Turn to You.”
Lord, make us turn to you,
show us your face,
and we shall be saved.
Lord, make us turn to you,
show us your face,
and we shall be saved.
1 Shepherd of Israel, hearken from your throne,
and shine forth.
O rouse your power, and come to save us.
Lord, make us turn to you,
show us your face,
and we shall be saved.
2 We are your chosen vine, only by your care
do we live,
reach out your hand, O Lord, unto your people.
Lord, make us turn to you,
show us your face,
and we shall be saved.
3 If you will dwell with us, we shall live anew
in your love.
O shine upon us, great Lord of life.
Lord, make us turn to you,
show us your face,
and we shall be saved.
Silence
A reading from the Old Testament (Isaiah 5:1–7)
Now I will sing for the one I love
a song about his vineyard:
My beloved had a vineyard
on a rich and fertile hill.
He ploughed the land, cleared its stones,
and planted it with the best vines.
In the middle he built a watchtower
and carved a winepress in the nearby rocks.
Then he waited for a harvest of sweet grapes,
but the grapes that grew were bitter.
Now, you people of Jerusalem and Judah,
you judge between me and my vineyard.
What more could I have done for my vineyard
that I have not already done?
When I expected sweet grapes,
why did my vineyard give me bitter grapes?
Now let me tell you
what I will do to my vineyard:
I will tear down its hedges
and let it be destroyed.
I will break down its walls
and let the animals trample it.
I will make it a wild place
where the vines are not pruned and the ground is not hoed,
a place overgrown with briers and thorns.
I will command the clouds
to drop no rain on it.
The nation of Israel is the vineyard of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.
The people of Judah are his pleasant garden.
He expected a crop of justice,
but instead he found oppression.
He expected to find righteousness,
but instead he heard cries of violence.
Silence
Hear what the Spirit is saying to the Church.
Thanks be to God.
Open this link in a new tab to hear Ruth Duck’s paraphrase of the Benedictus Dominus Deus, “Now Bless the God of Israel.”
1 Now bless the God of Israel who comes in love and power,
who raises from the royal house deliv’rance in this hour.
Through holy prophets God has sworn to free us from alarm,
to save us from the heavy hand of all who wish us harm.
2 Remembering the covenant, God rescues us from fear,
that we might serve in holiness and peace from year to year.
And you, my child, shall go before, to preach, to prophesy,
that all may know the tender love, the grace of God most high.
[Instrumental interlude]
3 In tender mercy, God will send the dayspring from on high,
our rising sun, the light of life for those who sit and sigh.
God comes to guide our way to peace, that death shall reign no more.
Sing praises to the Holy One, O worship and adore.
A reading from the New Testament (Matthew 21:33–46)
“Now listen to another story. A certain landowner planted a vineyard, built a wall around it, dug a pit for pressing out the grape juice, and built a lookout tower. Then he leased the vineyard to tenant farmers and moved to another country. At the time of the grape harvest, he sent his servants to collect his share of the crop. But the farmers grabbed his servants, beat one, killed one, and stoned another. So the landowner sent a larger group of his servants to collect for him, but the results were the same.
“Finally, the owner sent his son, thinking, ‘Surely they will respect my son.’
“But when the tenant farmers saw his son coming, they said to one another, ‘Here comes the heir to this estate. Come on, let’s kill him and get the estate for ourselves!’ So they grabbed him, dragged him out of the vineyard, and murdered him.
“When the owner of the vineyard returns,” Jesus asked, “what do you think he will do to those farmers?”
The religious leaders replied, “He will put the wicked men to a horrible death and lease the vineyard to others who will give him his share of the crop after each harvest.”
Then Jesus asked them, “Didn’t you ever read this in the Scriptures?
‘The stone that the builders rejected
has now become the cornerstone.
This is the Lord’s doing,
and it is wonderful to see.’*
I tell you, the Kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a nation that will produce the proper fruit.
Anyone who stumbles over that stone will be broken to pieces, and it will crush anyone it falls on.”
When the leading priests and Pharisees heard this parable, they realized he was telling the story against them—they were the wicked farmers. They wanted to arrest him, but they were afraid of the crowds, who considered Jesus to be a prophet.
Silence
Hear what the Spirit is saying to the Church..
Thanks be to God.
Open this link in a new tab to hear Christopher Idle’s paraphrase of the Te Deum, “God, We Praise You! God, We Bless You!”
1 God, we praise you! God, we bless you!
God, we name you sovereign Lord!
Mighty King whom angels worship,
Father, by your church adored:
all creation shows your glory,
heaven and earth draw near your throne
singing 'Holy, holy, holy,
Lord of hosts, and God alone!'
2 True apostles, faithful prophets,
saints who set their world ablaze,
martyrs, once unknown, unheeded,
join one growing song of praise,
while your church on earth confesses
one majestic Trinity:
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
God, our hope eternally.
3 Jesus Christ, the King of glory,
everlasting Son of God,
humble was your virgin mother,
hard the lonely path you trod:
by your cross is sin defeated,
hell confronted face to face,
heaven opened to believers,
sinners justified by grace.
4 Christ, at God's right hand victorious,
you will judge the world you made;
Lord, in mercy help your servants
for whose freedom you have paid:
raise us up from dust to glory,
guard us from all sin today;
King enthroned above all praises,
save your people, God, we pray.
Except for the short time my grandparents, my mother, my older brother, and I had lived in a council house at Stevenage, a town in Hertfordshire, England, and in my aunt’s old house in Marrero, a suburb of New Orleans, we always lived in the countryside when I was a boy and a teen. When we lived in England, the year after I started primary school my grandfather had retired and taken up farming, something that he had always wanted to do. He had bought a cottage, an apple orchard, and several acres of farmland in Suffolk. During that period of my life all my friends were children of farmers and lived on farms. I not only learned a lot about farming and gardening but also the hard work they required.
When I was 12 or 13 my family moved from Marrero, to what was then a rural district of St Tammany Parish on north shore of Lake Pontchartrain. My grandfather and my mother had bought two acres of land a few miles outside of Abita Springs and my grandfather built a house on that property. Except for a fire tower, two farms, a few houses, and a network of gravel roads, the district was largely pinewoods.
Once we had cleared the property of brush and high grass, my grandfather and my mother planted a large kitchen garden. They also planted fruit trees, strawberry beds, and muscadine grapes vines. Over a period of several years the kitchen garden, the fruit trees, the strawberry beds, and the grape vines would produce a bountiful harvest.
There were disappointments. While the kitchen garden yielded plenty of cucumbers, green beans, green peppers, squash, tomatoes, watermelons, and wax beans we had no success with leafy greens. Heavy rain and poor drainage eventually caused the garden to become water-logged. We continued to grow grape vines on the garden fence, and the fig tree and the persimmon tree yielded fruit every year. I don’t remember why we stopped growing strawberries. The peach trees my grandfather had planted for my grandmother never bore fruit.
On a few occasions what we planted did not sprout. Instead, we got a crop of weeds in its place!
Living in the country as a youngster has helped me to understand and appreciate the Old Testament and the New Testament in ways that I might not have had I lived in the city. While some things have changed since the time of Jesus’ earthly ministry, other things have not.
When you live close to the earth, you do gain a different perspective of life. You become more attuned to the changes in the seasons and how these changes affect people’s lives. You acquire a better idea of what living in a largely agrarian society is like, particularly a society that lacks a number of the amenities which we take for granted.
When my family lived in Suffolk, we had no electricity or running water until the year we immigrated to the United States. While we were building the house on the property in St. Tammany Parish, our water supply was from a hand pump well. We cooked our meals on a camp stove and slept in a tent.
Today’s Old Testament and New Testament readings both contain a parable of a vineyard. In the Old Testament reading the vineyard is the people of Israel. In the New Testament reading the wicked tenants to whom the vineyard has been leased are the leading priests and Pharisees who opposed Jesus.
Both parables point to the same truth: there are consequences for failing to produce the proper fruit The people of Israel failed to produce the fruit of justice and righteousness. Instead, they yielded a harvest of oppression and violence. The leading priests and Pharisees had failed to produce the fruit that was expected of them as the religious leaders of Judaea. Their ancestors, those like them in the past, had shown no respect for the prophets God had sent to the people of Israel and persecuted them. They themselves showed no respect for Jesus whom God had sent and were conspiring to kill him.
Jesus’ words were prophetic, “I tell you, the Kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a nation that will produce the proper fruit.”
Jerusalem would be razed to the ground and Herod’s Temple will be destroyed with it. The Jews who were not killed would be scattered far and wide and banned from even approaching the former site of Jerusalem. The priests of the Temple and the Pharisees would lose the standing that they once enjoyed with the Jewish people.
While the first parable is specifically addressed to the people of Israel and the second parable to the religious leaders of Judaea, they contain an underlying truth that applies to us, to our nation, and to every people group and nation. It is a truth which a number of Americans who identify themselves as Christians need to give their attention.
What matters to God is not something that you can enact with legislation or establish with a theocracy, a government by religious leaders. It requires a radical transformation of an individual’s attitudes, ways of thinking, and behavior, something that only the Holy Spirit can cause to happen.
It is the Holy Spirit that arouses and awakens faith and enables us to follow Jesus and to pattern our lives on his teaching and example. It is the Holy Spirit that produces in us the qualities of character which the apostle Paul called the “fruit of the Spirit.” It is the Holy Spirit that frees our will so that we can cooperate with God’s grace, the power of the Holy Spirit working in us.
Imposing what amounts to a Christian equivalent of sharia, the holy laws of Islam that cover all the parts of a Muslim’s life, on a nation would not bring that nation closer to God. It would not bring about the inner transformation of its people. At best it would result in the kind of outward conformity that the Pharisees and the teachers of the religious law exhibited. It would, to use Jesus’ own words, whitewash the exterior of what are tombs filled with corruption.
The proper fruit that God desires that we produce requires an inner transformation as well as an external one. This inner transformation is the work of the Holy Spirit. Without this internal transformation any external transformation is the equivalent of whitewash on a tomb.
The Kingdom of God cannot be spread by laws requiring adherence to a set of beliefs and values which are purported to be Christian. Nor can God’s Kingdom be spread by installing in positions of authority adherents of that set of beliefs and values.
Open this link to hear Marty Haugen’s responsorial setting of Psalm 80, “Lord, Make Us Turn to You.”
Lord, make us turn to you,
show us your face,
and we shall be saved.
Lord, make us turn to you,
show us your face,
and we shall be saved.
1 Shepherd of Israel, hearken from your throne,
and shine forth.
O rouse your power, and come to save us.
Lord, make us turn to you,
show us your face,
and we shall be saved.
2 We are your chosen vine, only by your care
do we live,
reach out your hand, O Lord, unto your people.
Lord, make us turn to you,
show us your face,
and we shall be saved.
3 If you will dwell with us, we shall live anew
in your love.
O shine upon us, great Lord of life.
Lord, make us turn to you,
show us your face,
and we shall be saved.
Silence
A reading from the Old Testament (Isaiah 5:1–7)
Now I will sing for the one I love
a song about his vineyard:
My beloved had a vineyard
on a rich and fertile hill.
He ploughed the land, cleared its stones,
and planted it with the best vines.
In the middle he built a watchtower
and carved a winepress in the nearby rocks.
Then he waited for a harvest of sweet grapes,
but the grapes that grew were bitter.
Now, you people of Jerusalem and Judah,
you judge between me and my vineyard.
What more could I have done for my vineyard
that I have not already done?
When I expected sweet grapes,
why did my vineyard give me bitter grapes?
Now let me tell you
what I will do to my vineyard:
I will tear down its hedges
and let it be destroyed.
I will break down its walls
and let the animals trample it.
I will make it a wild place
where the vines are not pruned and the ground is not hoed,
a place overgrown with briers and thorns.
I will command the clouds
to drop no rain on it.
The nation of Israel is the vineyard of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.
The people of Judah are his pleasant garden.
He expected a crop of justice,
but instead he found oppression.
He expected to find righteousness,
but instead he heard cries of violence.
Silence
Hear what the Spirit is saying to the Church.
Thanks be to God.
Open this link in a new tab to hear Ruth Duck’s paraphrase of the Benedictus Dominus Deus, “Now Bless the God of Israel.”
1 Now bless the God of Israel who comes in love and power,
who raises from the royal house deliv’rance in this hour.
Through holy prophets God has sworn to free us from alarm,
to save us from the heavy hand of all who wish us harm.
2 Remembering the covenant, God rescues us from fear,
that we might serve in holiness and peace from year to year.
And you, my child, shall go before, to preach, to prophesy,
that all may know the tender love, the grace of God most high.
[Instrumental interlude]
3 In tender mercy, God will send the dayspring from on high,
our rising sun, the light of life for those who sit and sigh.
God comes to guide our way to peace, that death shall reign no more.
Sing praises to the Holy One, O worship and adore.
A reading from the New Testament (Matthew 21:33–46)
“Now listen to another story. A certain landowner planted a vineyard, built a wall around it, dug a pit for pressing out the grape juice, and built a lookout tower. Then he leased the vineyard to tenant farmers and moved to another country. At the time of the grape harvest, he sent his servants to collect his share of the crop. But the farmers grabbed his servants, beat one, killed one, and stoned another. So the landowner sent a larger group of his servants to collect for him, but the results were the same.
“Finally, the owner sent his son, thinking, ‘Surely they will respect my son.’
“But when the tenant farmers saw his son coming, they said to one another, ‘Here comes the heir to this estate. Come on, let’s kill him and get the estate for ourselves!’ So they grabbed him, dragged him out of the vineyard, and murdered him.
“When the owner of the vineyard returns,” Jesus asked, “what do you think he will do to those farmers?”
The religious leaders replied, “He will put the wicked men to a horrible death and lease the vineyard to others who will give him his share of the crop after each harvest.”
Then Jesus asked them, “Didn’t you ever read this in the Scriptures?
‘The stone that the builders rejected
has now become the cornerstone.
This is the Lord’s doing,
and it is wonderful to see.’*
I tell you, the Kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a nation that will produce the proper fruit.
Anyone who stumbles over that stone will be broken to pieces, and it will crush anyone it falls on.”
When the leading priests and Pharisees heard this parable, they realized he was telling the story against them—they were the wicked farmers. They wanted to arrest him, but they were afraid of the crowds, who considered Jesus to be a prophet.
Silence
Hear what the Spirit is saying to the Church..
Thanks be to God.
Open this link in a new tab to hear Christopher Idle’s paraphrase of the Te Deum, “God, We Praise You! God, We Bless You!”
1 God, we praise you! God, we bless you!
God, we name you sovereign Lord!
Mighty King whom angels worship,
Father, by your church adored:
all creation shows your glory,
heaven and earth draw near your throne
singing 'Holy, holy, holy,
Lord of hosts, and God alone!'
2 True apostles, faithful prophets,
saints who set their world ablaze,
martyrs, once unknown, unheeded,
join one growing song of praise,
while your church on earth confesses
one majestic Trinity:
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
God, our hope eternally.
3 Jesus Christ, the King of glory,
everlasting Son of God,
humble was your virgin mother,
hard the lonely path you trod:
by your cross is sin defeated,
hell confronted face to face,
heaven opened to believers,
sinners justified by grace.
4 Christ, at God's right hand victorious,
you will judge the world you made;
Lord, in mercy help your servants
for whose freedom you have paid:
raise us up from dust to glory,
guard us from all sin today;
King enthroned above all praises,
save your people, God, we pray.
The Proper Fruit
Except for the short time my grandparents, my mother, my older brother, and I had lived in a council house at Stevenage, a town in Hertfordshire, England, and in my aunt’s old house in Marrero, a suburb of New Orleans, we always lived in the countryside when I was a boy and a teen. When we lived in England, the year after I started primary school my grandfather had retired and taken up farming, something that he had always wanted to do. He had bought a cottage, an apple orchard, and several acres of farmland in Suffolk. During that period of my life all my friends were children of farmers and lived on farms. I not only learned a lot about farming and gardening but also the hard work they required.
When I was 12 or 13 my family moved from Marrero, to what was then a rural district of St Tammany Parish on north shore of Lake Pontchartrain. My grandfather and my mother had bought two acres of land a few miles outside of Abita Springs and my grandfather built a house on that property. Except for a fire tower, two farms, a few houses, and a network of gravel roads, the district was largely pinewoods.
Once we had cleared the property of brush and high grass, my grandfather and my mother planted a large kitchen garden. They also planted fruit trees, strawberry beds, and muscadine grapes vines. Over a period of several years the kitchen garden, the fruit trees, the strawberry beds, and the grape vines would produce a bountiful harvest.
There were disappointments. While the kitchen garden yielded plenty of cucumbers, green beans, green peppers, squash, tomatoes, watermelons, and wax beans we had no success with leafy greens. Heavy rain and poor drainage eventually caused the garden to become water-logged. We continued to grow grape vines on the garden fence, and the fig tree and the persimmon tree yielded fruit every year. I don’t remember why we stopped growing strawberries. The peach trees my grandfather had planted for my grandmother never bore fruit.
On a few occasions what we planted did not sprout. Instead, we got a crop of weeds in its place!
Living in the country as a youngster has helped me to understand and appreciate the Old Testament and the New Testament in ways that I might not have had I lived in the city. While some things have changed since the time of Jesus’ earthly ministry, other things have not.
When you live close to the earth, you do gain a different perspective of life. You become more attuned to the changes in the seasons and how these changes affect people’s lives. You acquire a better idea of what living in a largely agrarian society is like, particularly a society that lacks a number of the amenities which we take for granted.
When my family lived in Suffolk, we had no electricity or running water until the year we immigrated to the United States. While we were building the house on the property in St. Tammany Parish, our water supply was from a hand pump well. We cooked our meals on a camp stove and slept in a tent.
Today’s Old Testament and New Testament readings both contain a parable of a vineyard. In the Old Testament reading the vineyard is the people of Israel. In the New Testament reading the wicked tenants to whom the vineyard has been leased are the leading priests and Pharisees who opposed Jesus.
Both parables point to the same truth: there are consequences for failing to produce the proper fruit The people of Israel failed to produce the fruit of justice and righteousness. Instead, they yielded a harvest of oppression and violence. The leading priests and Pharisees had failed to produce the fruit that was expected of them as the religious leaders of Judaea. Their ancestors, those like them in the past, had shown no respect for the prophets God had sent to the people of Israel and persecuted them. They themselves showed no respect for Jesus whom God had sent and were conspiring to kill him.
Jesus’ words were prophetic, “I tell you, the Kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a nation that will produce the proper fruit.”
Jerusalem would be razed to the ground and Herod’s Temple will be destroyed with it. The Jews who were not killed would be scattered far and wide and banned from even approaching the former site of Jerusalem. The priests of the Temple and the Pharisees would lose the standing that they once enjoyed with the Jewish people.
While the first parable is specifically addressed to the people of Israel and the second parable to the religious leaders of Judaea, they contain an underlying truth that applies to us, to our nation, and to every people group and nation. It is a truth which a number of Americans who identify themselves as Christians need to give their attention.
What matters to God is not something that you can enact with legislation or establish with a theocracy, a government by religious leaders. It requires a radical transformation of an individual’s attitudes, ways of thinking, and behavior, something that only the Holy Spirit can cause to happen.
It is the Holy Spirit that arouses and awakens faith and enables us to follow Jesus and to pattern our lives on his teaching and example. It is the Holy Spirit that produces in us the qualities of character which the apostle Paul called the “fruit of the Spirit.” It is the Holy Spirit that frees our will so that we can cooperate with God’s grace, the power of the Holy Spirit working in us.
Imposing what amounts to a Christian equivalent of sharia, the holy laws of Islam that cover all the parts of a Muslim’s life, on a nation would not bring that nation closer to God. It would not bring about the inner transformation of its people. At best it would result in the kind of outward conformity that the Pharisees and the teachers of the religious law exhibited. It would, to use Jesus’ own words, whitewash the exterior of what are tombs filled with corruption.
The proper fruit that God desires that we produce requires an inner transformation as well as an external one. This inner transformation is the work of the Holy Spirit. Without this internal transformation any external transformation is the equivalent of whitewash on a tomb.
The Kingdom of God cannot be spread by laws requiring adherence to a set of beliefs and values which are purported to be Christian. Nor can God’s Kingdom be spread by installing in positions of authority adherents of that set of beliefs and values.
Jesus in his teaching explained how the Kingdom of God grows and spreads when he compared God’s Kingdom to yeast in bread dough Yeast is a tiny single-celled organism, a type of fungus, that lives together in multicellular colonies. It is used in making alcoholic beverages like beer and wine and for making bread swell and become light. When yeast is added to water and flour to create dough, it consumes the sugars in the flour, divides and multiplies, and produces as a byproduct carbon dioxide gas and ethanol. This process is called fermentation. The gluten in the dough traps the carbon dioxide gas and prevents it from escaping. The trapped gas causes the dough to expand and rise. The dough may then be kneaded to further distribute the yeast throughout the dough.
Where the Kingdom of God is concerned, the disciples of Jesus act like yeast. They spread the good news, extend Jesus’ call to follow him, and disciples those who respond to that call. Just as the yeast divides and multiplies, they reproduce themselves. As more new disciples are made, God’s kingdom spreads and grows. Just as individual disciples act like yeast organisms, local churches act like yeast colonies. They are a part of the process by which people are called to follow Jesus and to become his disciples. While the disciples of Jesus play an important part in this process, at its heart, its core, is the Holy Spirit.
If we wish to see our nation mover closer to God, whether it is one of the First Nations, Canada, the United States, Mexico, or some other nation, we need to, in plain language, get off our backsides and begin doing what Jesus instructed his disciples to do before he ascended into heaven.
Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all peoples, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28: 18-20 NLT
Jesus’ call to follow him includes a call to extend that call to others, not just people like us from our particular walk of life but all peoples from all walks of life. Whether those to whom we extend Jesus’ call respond is in the hands of the Holy Spirit.
As the apostle Paul observed, some will plant, some will water, and some will reap. It is the Holy Spirit that causes the growth.
Our task is to tell people about Jesus, extend his call, disciple those who respond, and to keep loving those who do not respond, not putting any obstacle or stumbling block in their way while at the same time remaining faithful to our Lord and to his teaching and example.
Don’t think that you are up to the challenge. Pray then to the Lord to give you the grace you need to carry out his will. Then step out in faith, trusting him to supply what you need. You may be amazed at what happens next. Of one thing you can be assured. You are bearing the kind of fruit that fills your Savior’s heart with joy.
Silence
Let us affirm with Christians across the ages what we believe about God and his love for us.
I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, dead, and buried.
He descended into hell.
The third day he rose again from the dead.
He ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of God the Father
almighty;
from there he shall come 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 MINISTRY OF PRAYER
(Let us pray to the Lord, saying, “Lord, have mercy.”)
Let us ask the Lord for a lifetime of fulfilment and peace.
Lord, have mercy.
Let us ask the Lord to teach us to love others as he has loved us.
Lord, have mercy.
Let us ask the Lord for peace and justice in the world.
Lord, have mercy.
Let us ask the Lord to give strength and help to those who are
suffering or in need.
Lord, have mercy.
Let us ask the Lord to renew the Church through the power
of his life-giving Spirit.
Lord, have mercy.
Let us ask the Lord to embolden us to share and show the love of Jesus
to all peoples.
Lord, have mercy
Let us ask the Lord ….
Lord have mercy
Almighty God,
you have built your Church
on the foundation of the apostles and prophets,
Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone.
Join us together in unity of spirit by their teaching,
that we may become a holy temple, acceptable to you;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Eternal God and Father,
by whose power we are created
and by whose love we are redeemed,
guide and strengthen us by your Spirit,
that we may give ourselves to your service
and live each day in love
to one another and to you;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Let us join together in the prayer Jesus gave us.
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy Name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who 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.
THE SENDING OUT OF GOD’S PEOPLE
Let us bless the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Almighty and merciful God bless us
and keep us now and forever. Amen.
Open this link in a new tab to hear Richard Bruxvoort Colligan’ “O Christ, Surround Me.”
1 God be the love to search and keep me
God be the prayer to move my voice
God be the strength to now uphold me
O Christ, surround me
O Christ, surround me
2 Bind to myself the name of Holy
Great cloud of witnesses enfold
Prophets, apostles, angels witness
O Christ, surround me
O Christ, surround me
3 Brightness of sun and glow of moonlight
Flashing of lightning, strength of wind
Depth of the sea to soil of planet
O Christ, surround me
O Christ, surround me
4 Walking behind to hem my journey
Going ahead to light my way
And from beneath, above, and all ways
O Christ, surround me
O Christ, surround me
[Instrumental interlude]
5 Christ in the eyes of all who see me
Christ in the ears that hear my voice
Christ in the hearts of all who know me
O Christ, surround me
O Christ, surround me
O Christ, surround me
O Christ, surround me
Go now to love and serve the Lord. Go in peace
Amen. We go in the name of Christ.
Where the Kingdom of God is concerned, the disciples of Jesus act like yeast. They spread the good news, extend Jesus’ call to follow him, and disciples those who respond to that call. Just as the yeast divides and multiplies, they reproduce themselves. As more new disciples are made, God’s kingdom spreads and grows. Just as individual disciples act like yeast organisms, local churches act like yeast colonies. They are a part of the process by which people are called to follow Jesus and to become his disciples. While the disciples of Jesus play an important part in this process, at its heart, its core, is the Holy Spirit.
If we wish to see our nation mover closer to God, whether it is one of the First Nations, Canada, the United States, Mexico, or some other nation, we need to, in plain language, get off our backsides and begin doing what Jesus instructed his disciples to do before he ascended into heaven.
Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all peoples, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28: 18-20 NLT
Jesus’ call to follow him includes a call to extend that call to others, not just people like us from our particular walk of life but all peoples from all walks of life. Whether those to whom we extend Jesus’ call respond is in the hands of the Holy Spirit.
As the apostle Paul observed, some will plant, some will water, and some will reap. It is the Holy Spirit that causes the growth.
Our task is to tell people about Jesus, extend his call, disciple those who respond, and to keep loving those who do not respond, not putting any obstacle or stumbling block in their way while at the same time remaining faithful to our Lord and to his teaching and example.
Don’t think that you are up to the challenge. Pray then to the Lord to give you the grace you need to carry out his will. Then step out in faith, trusting him to supply what you need. You may be amazed at what happens next. Of one thing you can be assured. You are bearing the kind of fruit that fills your Savior’s heart with joy.
Silence
Let us affirm with Christians across the ages what we believe about God and his love for us.
I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, dead, and buried.
He descended into hell.
The third day he rose again from the dead.
He ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of God the Father
almighty;
from there he shall come 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 MINISTRY OF PRAYER
(Let us pray to the Lord, saying, “Lord, have mercy.”)
Let us ask the Lord for a lifetime of fulfilment and peace.
Lord, have mercy.
Let us ask the Lord to teach us to love others as he has loved us.
Lord, have mercy.
Let us ask the Lord for peace and justice in the world.
Lord, have mercy.
Let us ask the Lord to give strength and help to those who are
suffering or in need.
Lord, have mercy.
Let us ask the Lord to renew the Church through the power
of his life-giving Spirit.
Lord, have mercy.
Let us ask the Lord to embolden us to share and show the love of Jesus
to all peoples.
Lord, have mercy
Let us ask the Lord ….
Lord have mercy
Almighty God,
you have built your Church
on the foundation of the apostles and prophets,
Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone.
Join us together in unity of spirit by their teaching,
that we may become a holy temple, acceptable to you;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Eternal God and Father,
by whose power we are created
and by whose love we are redeemed,
guide and strengthen us by your Spirit,
that we may give ourselves to your service
and live each day in love
to one another and to you;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Let us join together in the prayer Jesus gave us.
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy Name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who 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.
THE SENDING OUT OF GOD’S PEOPLE
Let us bless the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Almighty and merciful God bless us
and keep us now and forever. Amen.
Open this link in a new tab to hear Richard Bruxvoort Colligan’ “O Christ, Surround Me.”
1 God be the love to search and keep me
God be the prayer to move my voice
God be the strength to now uphold me
O Christ, surround me
O Christ, surround me
2 Bind to myself the name of Holy
Great cloud of witnesses enfold
Prophets, apostles, angels witness
O Christ, surround me
O Christ, surround me
3 Brightness of sun and glow of moonlight
Flashing of lightning, strength of wind
Depth of the sea to soil of planet
O Christ, surround me
O Christ, surround me
4 Walking behind to hem my journey
Going ahead to light my way
And from beneath, above, and all ways
O Christ, surround me
O Christ, surround me
[Instrumental interlude]
5 Christ in the eyes of all who see me
Christ in the ears that hear my voice
Christ in the hearts of all who know me
O Christ, surround me
O Christ, surround me
O Christ, surround me
O Christ, surround me
Go now to love and serve the Lord. Go in peace
Amen. We go in the name of Christ.
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