Daily Readings - Thu Jun 25 2020
2 Kings
8Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem three months. And his mother's name was Nehushta, the daughter of Elnathan of Jerusalem.9And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father had done.10At that time the servants of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up against Jerusalem, and the city was besieged.11And Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came against the city, and his servants did besiege it.12And Jehoiachin the king of Judah went out to the king of Babylon, he, and his mother, and his servants, and his princes, and his officers: and the king of Babylon took him in the eighth year of his reign.13And he carried out thence all the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king's house, and cut in pieces all the vessels of gold which Solomon king of Israel had made in the temple of the LORD, as the LORD had said.14And he carried away all Jerusalem, and all the princes, and all the mighty men of valour, even ten thousand captives, and all the craftsmen and smiths: none remained, save the poorest sort of the people of the land.15And he carried away Jehoiachin to Babylon, and the king's mother, and the king's wives, and his officers, and the mighty of the land, those carried he into captivity from Jerusalem to Babylon.16And all the men of might, even seven thousand, and craftsmen and smiths a thousand, all that were strong and apt for war, even them the king of Babylon brought captive to Babylon.17And the king of Babylon made Mattaniah his father's brother king in his stead, and changed his name to Zedekiah.
Matthew
21Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.22Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?23And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.24Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:25And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.26And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:27And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.28And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine:29For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.
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.