Daily Readings - Fri Nov 11 2022

⁴I rejoiced greatly to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as we were commanded by the Father.⁵And now I ask you, dear lady--not as though I were writing you a new commandment, but the one we have had from the beginning--that we love one another.⁶And this is love, that we walk according to his commandments; this is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, so that you should walk in it.⁷For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Such a one is the deceiver and the antichrist.⁸Watch yourselves, so that you may not lose what we have worked for, but may win a full reward.⁹Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son.

Luke

Chapter 17

²⁶Just as it was in the days of Noah, so will it be in the days of the Son of Man.²⁷They were eating and drinking and marrying and being given in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all.²⁸Likewise, just as it was in the days of Lot--they were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building,²⁹but on the day when Lot went out from Sodom, fire and sulfur rained from heaven and destroyed them all--³⁰so will it be on the day when the Son of Man is revealed.³¹On that day, let the one who is on the housetop, with his goods in the house, not come down to take them away, and likewise let the one who is in the field not turn back.³²Remember Lot's wife.³³Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will keep it.³⁴I tell you, in that night there will be two in one bed. One will be taken and the other left.³⁵There will be two women grinding together. One will be taken and the other left."³⁶See Footnote³⁷And they said to him, "Where, Lord?" He said to them, "Where the corpse is, there the vultures will gather."

Sermon

The readings today from 2 John and Luke invite us to reflect on the themes of faithfulness, love, and preparedness. In 2 John, the apostle expresses joy in seeing some of the community walking in truth and obedience to the commandment of love. He emphasizes that this is not a new instruction but one rooted in the teachings of Christ. John warns against those who deceive by denying Jesus as the Messiah, urging the community to remain steadfast in their faith to maintain a deep connection with both the Father and the Son. In Luke's Gospel, Jesus uses the examples of Noah and Lot to illustrate the unexpected nature of God's judgment. He cautions against being consumed by worldly distractions and material attachments, using Lot's wife as a symbol of the consequences of looking back. Jesus emphasizes that when the Son of Man is revealed, there will be a separation, and one's preparedness will determine their fate. The eagles gathering where the body is serve as a metaphor for the inevitability of judgment. Both readings connect through their emphasis on vigilance and adherence to God's word. John's letter and Jesus' teachings remind us to stay true to our faith and be prepared for life's uncertainties. In our daily lives, this means cultivating a deep love for one another and remaining faithful despite the world's distractions. The moral lesson is clear: perseverance in faith and love is essential. As we navigate life, let us stay vigilant, keeping our hearts and minds focused on Christ, ensuring we are prepared for whatever comes our way.