Daily Readings - Thu Jun 25 2020
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 profound lessons that invite us to reflect on the consequences of our actions and the foundation of our faith. The first reading from 2 Kings recounts the fall of Jerusalem and the exile of its people under King Jehoiachin. This passage serves as a stark reminder of the consequences of turning away from God. Despite the warnings of the prophets, the people of Judah persisted in their sinful ways, leading to their captivity in Babylon. This historical event is not merely a tale of the past but a timeless cautionary story about the importance of living in fidelity to God’s will.
The Gospel reading from Matthew offers a complementary yet distinct perspective. Jesus teaches that it is not enough to merely call him “Lord” or to perform impressive deeds in his name. True discipleship requires living out God’s will in our daily lives. Jesus uses the parable of the wise and foolish builders to illustrate this point. The wise builder, who constructs his house on rock, represents the person who hears and acts on God’s word. The foolish builder, who builds on sand, symbolizes those who hear but do not act. The storms of life will test the foundation of our faith, and only those who have rooted their lives in obedience to God’s will will stand firm.
These readings challenge us to examine the foundation of our own lives. Are we like the exiles of Judah, allowing sin and complacency to guide us? Or are we building our lives on the rock of God’s word, ensuring that our actions align with our faith? Jesus’ teaching reminds us that our relationship with God is not measured by words or outward appearances but by our commitment to living out His will. As we go about our daily lives, let us strive to be wise builders, grounding ourselves in prayer, virtue, and a deep commitment to following Christ. In doing so, we will weather the storms of life with confidence and fidelity, knowing that our foundation is unshakable.