Daily Readings - Fri Nov 13 2020
2 John
4It has given me great joy to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as the Father commanded us.5And now, dear lady, I am not writing you a new command but one we have had from the beginning. I ask that we love one another.6And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love.7Many deceivers, who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh, have gone out into the world. Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist.8Watch out that you do not lose what you have worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully.9Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have God; whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son.
Luke
26"Just as it was in the days of Noah, so also will it be in the days of the Son of Man.27People were eating, drinking, marrying and being given in marriage up to the day Noah entered the ark. Then the flood came and destroyed them all.28"It was the same in the days of Lot. People were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building.29But the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all.30"It will be just like this on the day the Son of Man is revealed.31On that day no one who is on the roof of his house, with his goods inside, should go down to get them. Likewise, no one in the field should go back for anything.32Remember Lot's wife!33Whoever tries to keep his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it.34I tell you, on that night two people will be in one bed; one will be taken and the other left.35Two women will be grinding grain together; one will be taken and the other left."36Verse omitted from the New International Version37"Where, Lord?" they asked. He replied, "Where there is a dead body, there the vultures will gather."
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the themes of fidelity, preparedness, and the ultimate judgment. In the Second Letter of John, we hear a heartfelt message urging believers to walk in truth and love, while warning against the dangers of deception. John expresses joy in seeing some of the community adhering to the truth but cautions against those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as having come in the flesh. This letter, written in a time of early Christian communities facing doctrinal challenges, emphasizes the importance of remaining steadfast in the teachings of Christ.
The Gospel from Luke presents a stark reminder of the suddenness of God’s judgment, drawing parallels with the days of Noah and Lot. Jesus warns that life will seem normal, much like in the days before the flood or the destruction of Sodom, until the moment of reckoning arrives. He urges His followers not to be caught off guard, not to look back like Lot’s wife, and to be prepared to prioritize spiritual life over material possessions. This passage, part of Jesus’ eschatological teachings, calls believers to live with vigilance and single-minded commitment to God’s will.
Together, these readings challenge us to examine our lives. They remind us that fidelity to God’s truth and love is not merely a doctrinal exercise but a way of life. In a world filled with distractions and temptations, we are called to remain steadfast, avoiding the pitfalls of complacency and false teachings. The moral lesson is clear: our ultimate judgment will depend on how we live each day, whether we remain faithful, and whether we are prepared to meet the Lord when He comes. Let us strive to live with integrity, love, and purpose, keeping our eyes fixed on the eternal truths of our faith.