Daily Readings - Sun Jun 30 2019
1 Kings
16And Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel: and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room.19So he departed thence, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth: and Elijah passed by him, and cast his mantle upon him.20And he left the oxen, and ran after Elijah, and said, Let me, I pray thee, kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow thee. And he said unto him, Go back again: for what have I done to thee?21And he returned back from him, and took a yoke of oxen, and slew them, and boiled their flesh with the instruments of the oxen, and gave unto the people, and they did eat. Then he arose, and went after Elijah, and ministered unto him.
Galatians
1Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.13For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.14For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.15But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.16This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.17For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.18But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.
Luke
51And it came to pass, when the time was come that he should be received up, he stedfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem,52And sent messengers before his face: and they went, and entered into a village of the Samaritans, to make ready for him.53And they did not receive him, because his face was as though he would go to Jerusalem.54And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did?55But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of.56For the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them. And they went to another village.57And it came to pass, that, as they went in the way, a certain man said unto him, Lord, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest.58And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.59And he said unto another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.60Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God.61And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house.62And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter powerful lessons about commitment, freedom, and the call to follow God without reservation. The first reading from 1 Kings tells the story of Elijah calling Elisha to be a prophet. Elisha, though deeply rooted in his life as a farmer, leaves everything behind—his oxen, his family, and his familiar routines—to follow Elijah. This act of radical obedience is a testament to the transformative power of God’s call. Elisha’s willingness to let go of the familiar and step into the unknown reflects the kind of trust and surrender that faith demands.
The second reading from Galatians shifts our focus to the nature of freedom. Paul reminds us that our freedom in Christ is not a license for self-indulgence but an invitation to live in service to others. He warns against allowing our fleshly desires to dominate us, urging us instead to be guided by the Spirit. This reading challenges us to consider how we use our freedom: do we use it to serve one another in love, or do we allow it to lead us into division and selfishness? True freedom, Paul teaches, is found in living according to the Spirit and fulfilling the law of love.
In the Gospel, Luke presents Jesus resolutely journeying toward Jerusalem, knowing the suffering that awaits him. Along the way, he encounters resistance and potential followers who are hesitant to commit fully. Jesus’ responses to them are striking: he rebukes the disciples who seek revenge, and he challenges would-be followers to prioritize the kingdom of God above all else. These exchanges underscore the cost of discipleship. Following Jesus is not a part-time endeavor; it requires total commitment and a willingness to let go of worldly attachments.
These readings call us to reflect on our own lives. Are we like Elisha, willing to leave behind comfort and security to follow God’s call? Or are we like the hesitant followers in the Gospel, allowing fear or attachment to hold us back? The readings remind us that true freedom and fulfillment are found not in clinging to our own desires but in surrendering to God’s will and living in love and service to others. As we navigate our own journeys, may we embrace the radical commitment required to follow Christ, trusting that in doing so, we will find the freedom and purpose for which we were created.