Weekly Bible Notes

Ordinary 17 Year A  (Trinity 9)

Introduction

Opening Verses of Scripture    Romans 8:38-39

God, you have poured the Spirit of your Son into our hearts so that we call you father. Give us grace to devote our freedom to your service that we and all creation may be brought into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For the kingdom the power and the glory are yours, now and forever. Amen.


First Bible Reading  1 Kings3: 5-12

At Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon during the night in a dream, and God said, "Ask for whatever you want me to give you." Solomon answered, "You have shown great kindness to your servant, my father David, because he was faithful to you and righteous and upright in heart. You have continued this great kindness to him and have given him a son to sit on his throne this very day. "Now, O LORD my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties. Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number. So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?" The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this. So God said to him, "Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice, I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be. (This is the word of the Lord -- Thanks be to God)

Second Reading  Romans Chapter 8: 26-39

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written:  "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered. "No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
(This is the word of the Lord -- Thanks be to God)

31-33    He told them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all your seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and perch in its branches." He told them still another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into a large amount of flour until it worked all through the dough."

44-52 The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it. "Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish. When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad away. This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. "Have you understood all these things?" Jesus asked.  "Yes," they replied. He said to them, "Therefore every teacher of the law who has been instructed about the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old."  (This is the word of the Lord– Thanks be to God)

Post Communion Sentence

Holy Father, who gathered us here around the table of your Son to share this meal with the whole household of God: in that new world where you reveal the fullness of your peace, gather people of every race and language to share in the eternal banquet of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
 

Commentary

A Collection of Parables
From Matthew today we have a series of pictures which describe the kingdom of heaven and what our response and attitude should be to it. Matthew uses the term ‘Kingdom of heaven’, but it means the same as ‘Kingdom of God,’ it is simply that he does not want to write the word ‘God’ out of a respect for the holiness of God's name.
 

The mustard seed and the yeast - parables of growth
These two short parables contrast the small beginning of the kingdom with the greatness of its effects. Our faith came out of the birth of a baby in a manger, failed disciples who ran away and death on a cross. We need to remind ourselves of this fact when we are tempted to feel small and insignificant. God’s kingdom has secret power which confounds the wisdom of the world. The parables remind us that in humility God’s kingdom is established. Jesus disciples faced daunting odds, you would not have thought it was possible for them to achieve the promises of Jesus.
We need to consider why Jesus choose a mustard seed. The mustard seed is tiny, but is not, in fact, the smallest of all seeds. The shrub that grows from the tiny seed is great by comparison with its beginnings, the mustard shrub typically grows to between 8 and 12 feet, but this is hardly comparable to the mighty cedars of Lebanon, with which Israel preferred to liken itself. Why would Jesus not compare the kingdom of heaven to a great tree instead of a shrub that a farmer might consider a weed? Perhaps the lesson of the mustard shrub is that Christians should live expectantly, knowing that God brings great things out of small beginnings, but that we should not expect the kingdom to be great as the world counts greatness. The parable of the leaven also encourages us to avoid seclusion and to be involved in the world. Leaven works as it is worked into the dough. So as Christians we are encouraged to go into all the world and have an effect for good.
 

Treasure and Pearls - The Kingdom is worth everything
The Parable of the Hidden Treasure and the Parable of the Pearl are parables which underscore the unique value of the kingdom. The discovery of things of great value produces joy and a willingness to give up everything for that which is best. The merchant is actively looking for pearls, while the other man just stumbles onto treasure in a field. Both, however, recognize the overwhelming value of their discovery, and sell everything so that they might buy it. In neither case is there any hint of sacrifice -- of giving up something precious -- of having to make a difficult decision. Neither man is sad to sell everything, because they are both overwhelmed with the joy of discovery and the prospect of possessing such treasure. They are like the disciples, who left everything to follow Jesus (4:18-22; 19:27-30). It is worth remembering the rich young ruler who "went away grieving," because he could not bear to part with his many possessions (19:16-26). This young man understood how radical the demands of following Jesus were. He begrudged loosing what he already had, he had become attached to other things than Jesus and was not overwhelmed by a spontaneous gesture to give it all up and follow..
We have to decide whether the price is worth paying and make the appropriate response of total commitment. We cannot serve two masters (6:24). If we are unwilling to pay the price of commitment then we will not gain the treasure. The men who gain the treasure do not sell everything and buy the treasure because they feel it is something which they should do out of duty. Rather they are prompted by the conviction that it is worth it the sacrifices. They are so overjoyed at the prospect of what will be theirs that they freely give everything.

The parable of the net - Judgement will follow
This parable is very similar to the parable of the weeds which we read last week. The message is that judgment belongs to God and nobody else. In this parable, a dragnet scoops up all sorts of fish, both good and bad. Jews were prohibited (Lev. 11:9-12) from eating certain types of sea life, creatures without scales or fins, so the fishermen would discard unusable fish. The message for the disciples is clear, the net will be sorted but not yet. The timetable for God’s judgement is not ours, and be careful, the measure of God’s judgement is not ours. God will decide not us. Be careful in judging others, if we really want somebody to judge then we can have a full time job dealing with ourselves. Charles Royden

 

Meditation

Forgiveness is understanding and holding the pain of another; it is compassion.
Forgiveness is the acceptance of our brokenness, yours and mine.
Forgiveness is letting go of unrealistic expectations of others,
and of the desire that they be other than they are.
Forgiveness is liberating others to be themselves, not making them feel guilty for what may have been…
Forgiveness is peace-making:
struggling to create unity, to build one body, to heal the broken body of humanity.
Jean Vanier, ‘Forgiveness in Community’


 

Hymns

(Please distribute Hymns and Psalms and Morning Worship)

1. Tell out my soul 86 (Tune: Woodlands)
2. He is Lord 256 (played rousing!) (Tune: He is Lord)
3. God of grace and god of glory 712 (Tune: Rhuddland)
4. Lord thy word abideth 476 (Tune: Ravenshaw)
5. Thine be the glory 212 (Tune:Maccabeus) Requested
   
   

Prayers for Sunday and the week ahead

Additional Material

I am pleased that Jesus said the Mustard seed was the smallest of your seeds, because it gives me licence to exaggerate when I preach, if Jesus did it then it is OK for me too. But the point is valid, we have a tiny seed which grows into a big bush, and yeast which acts in the whole loaf. If Jesus was alive today in Bedford he might use the illustration of an acorn and say look how a tiny acorn, the smallest of seeds grows into our biggest tree. The kingdom may be small but nevertheless have great effects. This parable offers hope, promising great outcomes from small beginnings. 

The Parables of the Hidden Treasure and the Pearl have to do with objects of great value which spark great commitment.  They are both parables of discovery, joy, and action. The merchant is actively looking for pearls, while the other man just stumbles onto treasure in a field.  Both, however, recognize the overwhelming value of their discovery, and sell everything so that they might buy it.  

In neither case is there any hint of sacrifice -- of giving up something precious -- of having to make a difficult decision.  Neither is sad to sell everything, because they are both overwhelmed with the joy of discovery and the prospect of possessing such treasure.  They are like the disciples, who left everything to follow Jesus (4:18-22; 19:27-30) -- and Paul, who regarded all else as loss "because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord" (Phil. 3:8).  They are unlike the rich young ruler who "went away grieving," because he could not bear to part with his many possessions (19:16-26).

Last week we heard about the "weeds and wheat" in the same field. Today it's a net which collects "fish of every kind." The "bad" are thrown out, eventually; as were last week's weeds that an enemy sowed in the field. We can tell that the church felt it was experiencing influences from good and bad people, we know that this was the case. But the message here is not to be judgemental. The slaves wanted to rip up the weeds right away (13: 24-30), the householder orders them to wait. They really don't know what they are doing and will rip up the valuable grain in its early stages. Let things wait until another group who will know better, the "harvesters," do the sorting. 

It's the same with the net that gathers both acceptable and unacceptable fish. When the full net is finally pulled in, then sorting will happen by God, not us! We perhaps want to protest that we know now who the trouble makers are, who the immoral ones are. But Jesus spells out his plan and his assurance quite clearly, leave it to God. The lessons is that judgment belongs, not to the disciples, not to us but to God. Later, at the end, when God directs the sorting process, we might be surprised at who, after all, were the truly acceptable disciples. Maybe not the "fish" we had in mind. Charles Royden

Meditation - Love's secret

Love's secret is to be doing things for God, and not to mind because they are such very little ones. Frederick W. Faber

Hymns (Hymns and Psalms)

1. Praise to the holiest in the height 231 
2. Seek ye first 138
3. Thy kingdom come O God 783 
4. Be thou my vision 378 
5. Immortal invisible God only wise 9
   

Prayers for Sunday and the week ahead 

Gracious God, your Son Jesus Christ fed the hungry with the bread of life and the word of your kingdom. Renew your people with your heavenly grace, and in all our weakness sustain us by your true and living bread, even Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

God you poured the Spirit of your Son into our hearts so that we call you Father. give us grace to devote our freedom to your service.

Gracious God, you call each one of us to different types of ministry in your service. We pray for Rowan Williams who has been called to a most difficult ministry. We ask that you would strengthen and encourage him in the days ahead. When he reads hurtful things about himself on the radio or in the newspapers, help him to hear instead your voice. Reassure him of the knowledge of your love and commitment, that as he has been called in your service, so you will sustain and empower him with your strength. Give to him wisdom and patience, and a sense of humour. Amen.

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