June 21st – 3rd after Pentecost
Readings: Psalm 86: 1-10 and Matthew 10: 24-39
Now here is a difficult section of Jesus’ teaching. One thing we need to understand is that the Jewish teachers often used exaggeration to make a point; they took an idea and made it bigger, sharper so you had to take notice. A second thing to understand is that some of us get overly anxious about not doing what God wants and some of us – if we are honest – don’t take the hard teaching of Jesus seriously enough!
Until a few weeks ago we had got used to living in a world which was peaceful and ordered and easy. Suddenly this virus has changed everything and we don’t know what will be the result. We are used to peace and stability, but that makes us unusual in the history of the world. And in many places, there is or has been hostility to the church to Jesus Christ as Saviour. Jesus came and challenged what was wrong and that got him into trouble. We too should challenge what is wrong and that will get us into some trouble.
A holy God who is a God of justice hates injustices and is angry for those who suffer. As our Psalm starts. God is concerned for the poor and needy and hears their cries.
Even before the virus, there was much that was not good in our world and the way we live. The upheaval it has caused may give us a chance to speak up more clearly for a better way of living for all not just for the few. Will we take that and follow the way of Jesus? It is not easy.
What do you notice from this passage?
