Ordinary Time: Monday, November 13, 2006

Old Testament Lesson

Joel 1:1-13

One of the notions you see a lot in the Bible in terms of judgment is that people need to wake up. Here it tells folks to wake up and see. We see that same notion all throughout the prophets and into the New Testament. People fall deep asleep, and judgment comes.

And, this judgment comes while they are still sleeping, but they do not even wake up to realize that they are being judged. That is, to me, a metaphor for sin. When we are in sin, it is like we asleep; we cannot see. And, when we cannot see, we do not see, not do we care, about the coming judgment. We are too busy within our sin, and that sin has blinded us.

Today, we too should awake. Look around. Take a fresh perspective. See what sin is doing in your life, in the life of your family, in the life of your church. Wake, before the judgement comes. For, once the judgment come, there it is too late to wake.

New Testament Lesson

Revelation 18:15-24

We see this notion of judgment continue in the passage from Revelation. God will judge Babylon the great, and punish her for sins, specifically her persecution of God's people. God will intervene in the course of history for His people. Sometimes, we think that things will only get worse, sometimes, we think that thing will continue in the way that they are and they have been. But, we have hope. We know that in the end, evil will not win, but God will. We know that God will step in on the side of right and will protect His people.

To me, that is the message of hope of Revelation. God will win. Good will win. Evil and the devil will be defeated and destroyed. Judgment will come to those that have opposed God and His plan. God will save His people. Today, because of this great knowledge, we have a great hope.

Gospel Lesson

Luke 14:12-24

We see two images in this passage. We first see those that are invited to the dinner, and they refuse to come. Then, we see the poor, the crippled, and the lame, and they are invited in; and they come.

First, those that hear the invitation. We have folks that sit in the pews every Sunday and hear the Word preached, know they are need, know they need to change; but they remain unmoved. They have been given an invitation, and they refuse to enter. There will come a day, when they will be unable to enter; based either upon the hardness of their heart, or that there time has run out.

Second, there are those that know they are undeserving of God's grace, and they run at the first chance to take part of in His grace. The invitation is offered, and they come immediately, and they enter in.

Today, which group are you a part of. Have you heard the invitation so many times that you no longer care? Are, do you hunger and thirst for that invitation of grace that you cannot wait to enter in. Today, which group are you a part of?