Daily Readings - Thu Jun 28 2018
2 Kings
8Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he had begun to reign, and he reigned for three months in Jerusalem. The name of his mother was Nehushta, the daughter of Elnathan, from Jerusalem9And he did evil before the Lord, in accord with all that his father had done10At that time, the servants of Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, ascended against Jerusalem. And the city was encircled with fortifications11And Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, went to the city, with his servants, so that he might fight against it12And Jehoiachin, the king of Judah, went out to the king of Babylon, he, and his mother, and his servants, and his leaders, and his eunuchs. And the king of Babylon received him, in the eighth year of his reign13And he took from there all the treasures of the house of the Lord, and the treasures of the house of the king. And he cut up all the gold vessels which Solomon, the king of Israel, had made for the temple of the Lord, in accord with the word of the Lord14And he carried away all of Jerusalem, and all the leaders, and all the strong men of the army, ten thousand, into captivity, with every artisan and craftsman. And no one was left behind, except the poor among the people of the land15Also, he carried away Jehoiachin into Babylon, and the mother of the king, and the wives of the king, and his eunuchs. And he led into captivity the judges of the land, from Jerusalem to Babylon16and all the robust men, seven thousand, and the artisans and craftsman, one thousand: all who were strong men and fit for war. And the king of Babylon led them away as captives, into Babylon17And he appointed Mattaniah, his uncle, in his place. And he imposed the name Zedekiah upon him
Matthew
21Not all who say to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the kingdom of heaven. But whoever does the will of my Father, who is in heaven, the same shall enter into the kingdom of heaven22Many will say to me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and perform many powerful deeds in your name?23And then will I disclose to them: ‘I have never known you. Depart from me, you workers of iniquity.24Therefore, everyone who hears these words of mine and does them shall be compared to a wise man, who built his house upon the rock25And the rains descended, and the floods rose up, and the winds blew, and rushed upon that house, but it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock26And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them shall be like a foolish man, who built his house upon the sand27And the rains descended, and the floods rose up, and the winds blew, and rushed upon that house, and it did fall, and great was its ruin.28And it happened, when Jesus had completed these words, that the crowds were astonished at his doctrine29For he was teaching them as one who has authority, and not like their scribes and Pharisees
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter two powerful lessons about faith, action, and the consequences of our choices. The first reading from 2 Kings describes the fall of Jerusalem and the exile of King Jehoiachin. This passage is part of the larger narrative of the kings of Judah, highlighting the consequences of turning away from God and ignoring His laws. The kingdom’s downfall was not just a political or military defeat but a spiritual one, rooted in the people’s refusal to remain faithful to the Lord. The once-great kingdom, blessed by God, was reduced to rubble and captivity because its leaders and people chose evil over righteousness.
The Gospel reading from Matthew offers a complementary yet contrasting message. Jesus teaches that not everyone who claims to know Him will enter the kingdom of heaven. It is not enough to call Him “Lord” or to perform impressive deeds in His name. True discipleship requires doing the will of the Father, which is rooted in love, obedience, and humility. Jesus uses the parable of the two builders to drive this point home. The wise builder, who constructs his house on rock, represents the one who hears God’s word and lives by it. The foolish builder, who builds on sand, represents those who hear God’s word but fail to act on it. The storms of life will reveal the foundation of our faith.
These readings remind us that our relationship with God is not about words or outward appearances but about the actions that flow from a deep commitment to Him. Like the kingdom of Judah, we risk spiritual exile when we neglect God’s will. On the other hand, when we build our lives on the solid foundation of faith and obedience, we can withstand the challenges and uncertainties of life. Let us reflect on our own lives today: Are we merely going through the motions of faith, or are we truly living out God’s will in our thoughts, words, and actions? May we strive to be wise builders, constructing our lives on the rock of Christ, so that we may stand firm in the face of life’s storms.