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Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost
– September 5, 2010
First Reading:
Deuteronomy 30:15–20
Moses speaks to the
Israelites, who are
about to enter the land
promised to their
ancestors, Abraham,
Isaac, and Jacob. In
this passage, he lays
out the stark choice
before them: choose life
by loving and obeying
the Lord; or choose
death by following other
gods.
15See, I have set before you today life and prosperity, death and adversity. 16If you obey the commandments of the LORD your God that I am commanding you today, by loving the LORD your God, walking in his ways, and observing his commandments, decrees, and ordinances, then you shall live and become numerous, and the LORD your God will bless you in the land that you are entering to possess. 17But if your heart turns away and you do not hear, but are led astray to bow down to other gods and serve them, 18I declare to you today that you shall perish; you shall not live long in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess. 19I call heaven and earth to witness against you today that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Choose life so that you and your descendants may live, 20loving the LORD your God, obeying him, and holding fast to him; for that means life to you and length of days, so that you may live in the land that the LORD swore to give to your ancestors, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.
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Psalm Psalm 1
They are like trees planted by streams of water. (Ps. 1:3)1LORD, you have | searched me out;
O LORD, | you have known me.
2You know my sitting down and my | rising up;
you discern my thoughts | from afar.
3You trace my journeys and my | resting-places
and are acquainted with | all my ways.
4Indeed, there is not a word | on my lips,
but you, O LORD, know it | altogether. R
5You encompass me, behind | and before,
and lay your | hand upon me.
6Such knowledge is too wonder- | ful for me;
it is so high that I cannot at- | tain to it.
13For you yourself created my | inmost parts;
you knit me together in my | mother's womb.
14I will thank you because I am mar- | velously made;
your works are wonderful, and I | know it well. R
15My body was not hid- | den from you,
while I was being made in secret and woven in the depths | of the earth.
16Your eyes beheld my limbs, yet unfinished in the womb; all of them were written | in your book;
my days were fashioned before they | came to be.
17How deep I find your | thoughts, O God!
How great is the | sum of them!
18If I were to count them, they would be more in number | than the sand;
to count them all, my life span would need to | be like yours. R
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Second Reading:
Philemon 1:1–21
While Paul was in
prison, he was aided by
a runaway slave named
Onesimus. The slave's
master, Philemon, was a
Christian friend of
Paul. Paul told Onesimus
to return to his master
and encouraged Philemon
to receive Onesimus back
as a Christian brother.
Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother,
To Philemon our dear friend and co-worker, 2to Apphia our sister, to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church in your house:
3Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
4When I remember you in my prayers, I always thank my God 5because I hear of your love for all the saints and your faith toward the Lord Jesus. 6I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective when you perceive all the good that we may do for Christ. 7I have indeed received much joy and encouragement from your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, my brother.
8For this reason, though I am bold enough in Christ to command you to do your duty, 9yet I would rather appeal to you on the basis of love — and I, Paul, do this as an old man, and now also as a prisoner of Christ Jesus. 10I am appealing to you for my child, Onesimus, whose father I have become during my imprisonment. 11Formerly he was useless to you, but now he is indeed useful both to you and to me. 12I am sending him, that is, my own heart, back to you. 13I wanted to keep him with me, so that he might be of service to me in your place during my imprisonment for the gospel; 14but I preferred to do nothing without your consent, in order that your good deed might be voluntary and not something forced. 15Perhaps this is the reason he was separated from you for a while, so that you might have him back forever, 16no longer as a slave but more than a slave, a beloved brother — especially to me but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.
17So if you consider me your partner, welcome him as you would welcome me. 18If he has wronged you in any way, or owes you anything, charge that to my account. 19I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand: I will repay it. I say nothing about your owing me even your own self. 20Yes, brother, let me have this benefit from you in the Lord! Refresh my heart in Christ. 21Confident of your obedience, I am writing to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say.
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Gospel: Luke Luke 14:25–33
Jesus speaks
frankly about
the fearsome
costs of
discipleship.
Those who follow
him should know
from the outset
that completing
the course of
discipleship
will finally
mean renouncing
all other
allegiances.
25Now large crowds were traveling with him; and he turned and said to them, 26"Whoever comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and even life itself, cannot be my disciple. 27Whoever does not carry the cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. 28For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not first sit down and estimate the cost, to see whether he has enough to complete it? 29Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it will begin to ridicule him, 30saying, 'This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.' 31Or what king, going out to wage war against another king, will not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to oppose the one who comes against him with twenty thousand? 32If he cannot, then, while the other is still far away, he sends a delegation and asks for the terms of peace. 33So therefore, none of you can become my disciple if you do not give up all your possessions.
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This month we're
praying for:
Richard and
Norma Riese
Ernest and Diane
Riesen
Larry Sr, Karin,
Larry Jr., Ryan
and Emily Riley
Lori, Sebastian
and Griffon
Rippl
Mark Robb
Kyle Robertson
Roger and Lois
Roen
Deborah Rogers
Martin Rognlien
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