Daily Readings - Tue Sep 11 2018

¹Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints?²Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?³Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?⁴If then ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church.⁵I speak to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? no, not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren?⁶But brother goeth to law with brother, and that before the unbelievers.⁷Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you, because ye go to law one with another. Why do ye not rather take wrong? why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded?⁸Nay, ye do wrong, and defraud, and that your brethren.⁹Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,¹⁰Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.¹¹And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

Luke

Chapter 6

¹²And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.¹³And when it was day, he called unto him his disciples: and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles;¹⁴Simon, (whom he also named Peter,) and Andrew his brother, James and John, Philip and Bartholomew,¹⁵Matthew and Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon called Zelotes,¹⁶And Judas the brother of James, and Judas Iscariot, which also was the traitor.¹⁷And he came down with them, and stood in the plain, and the company of his disciples, and a great multitude of people out of all Judaea and Jerusalem, and from the sea coast of Tyre and Sidon, which came to hear him, and to be healed of their diseases;¹⁸And they that were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed.¹⁹And the whole multitude sought to touch him: for there went virtue out of him, and healed them all.

Sermon

In today’s readings, we are reminded of the importance of living as children of light and the transformative power of God’s grace in our lives. The first reading from 1 Corinthians challenges us to reflect on how we handle conflicts and disputes. Paul is distressed that the Corinthians are taking their disagreements to secular courts rather than resolving them within the community of faith. He reminds them that as believers, we are called to live according to a higher standard, one that reflects the wisdom and justice of God. Paul also lists various vices that exclude people from the kingdom of God, but he quickly adds that some of the Corinthians once lived in such ways—until they were washed clean, sanctified, and justified in Christ. This is a powerful reminder that our past does not define us; it is through Christ that we are made new. The Gospel reading from Luke shifts our focus to Jesus’ ministry. After a night of prayer, Jesus selects the Twelve Apostles, entrusting them with a special mission. This moment highlights the importance of prayer in discerning God’s will and the significance of community in carrying out God’s work. When Jesus descends to the crowd, he heals the sick and those troubled by unclean spirits. The people are drawn to him because they sense the power of God at work in him. This scene invites us to reflect on our own relationship with Jesus. Do we turn to him in times of need? Do we trust in his power to heal and transform us? Both readings call us to live as people of faith and integrity. In our daily lives, we are to resolve conflicts in a way that reflects the love and justice of God. We are to trust in his power to transform us and to use us for his purposes. Let us ask ourselves: Are we living as children of light, or are we still walking in darkness? Do we turn to God in prayer when faced with decisions or challenges? May we, like the Corinthians, allow the grace of God to transform us, and may we, like the apostles, be willing to follow Jesus wherever he leads.