Exodus 19.2-8a

2 They had journeyed from Rephidim, entered the wilderness of Sinai, and camped in the wilderness; Israel camped there in front of the mountain. 3 Then Moses went up to God; the Lord called to him from the mountain, saying, ‘Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the Israelites: 4 You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. 5 Now therefore, if you obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession out of all the peoples. Indeed, the whole earth is mine, 6 but you shall be for me a priestly kingdom and a holy nation. These are the words that you shall speak to the Israelites.’ 7 So Moses came, summoned the elders of the people, and set before them all these words that the Lord had commanded him. 8 The people all answered as one: ‘Everything that the Lord has spoken we will do.’ Moses reported the words of the people to the Lord.

 

REFLECTION

 Here we have Moses, chosen by faith to serve the Lord. God tells Moses of his plans for the nation and Moses goes and shares God's plan. God says, ' 5 Now therefore, if you obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession out of all the peoples. Indeed, the whole earth is mine,' God's ability to use them is based on their obedience. When they hear they are enthusiastic to obey, but we know the journey and that the willingness of mind did not find fulfillment in action. To serve God is not an idea or an agreement of an idea, it is about the actions that follow. God did not say they had to do it on their own, Even in the Exodus God wanted to work through them, not them work for God.

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Psalm 100

1 O shout to the Lord in triumph, all the earth:

serve the Lord with gladness,

and come before his face with songs of joy.

2 Know that the Lord he is God:

it is he who has made us and we are his;

we are his people and the sheep of his pasture.

3 Come into his gates with thanksgiving,

and into his courts with praise:

give thanks to him, and bless his holy name.

4 For the Lord is good, his loving mercy is for ever:

his faithfulness throughout all generations.

 

 

 

Romans 5.1-11

1 Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand; and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God. 3 And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us. 6 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Indeed, rarely will anyone die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person someone might actually dare to die. 8 But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us. 9 Much more surely then, now that we have been justified by his blood, will we be saved through him from the wrath of God. 10 For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much more surely, having been reconciled, will we be saved by his life. 11 But more than that, we even boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

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REFLECTION 

 I love this passage because it tells us that suffering is not the worst thing that can happen to us. As Paul writes, 'and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God. 3 And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not disappoint us...' I have read this in isolation and there is the temptation to jump into it, but we need to take what is before and after. Before this Paul writes we have obtained grace in which we stand, and we hope to share in the glory of God. We are not doing it for suffering's sake. We do it out of grace.

After the sentence Paul writes that we that it is because of the love poured out through the Holy Spirit. I do not suffer alone, but with the Holy Spirit. 

Paul goes on to write about God's act of love in the sacrifice of Jesus. We are saved from death and guilt of sin and in this freedom, we fear nothing by the power of the Holy Spirit. This is what we share, the hope and life we have received from God. We do not proclaim the party line; we share a lived experience.

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Matthew 9.35-10.23

9 35 Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and curing every disease and every sickness. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few; 38 therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into his harvest.’ 10 1 Then Jesus summoned his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to cure every disease and every sickness. 2 These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon, also known as Peter, and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; 3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax-collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; 4 Simon the Cananaean, and Judas Iscariot, the one who betrayed him. 5 These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: ‘Go nowhere among the Gentiles, and enter no town of the Samaritans, 6 but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7 As you go, proclaim the good news, “The kingdom of heaven has come near.” 8 Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. You received without payment; give without payment. 9 Take no gold, or silver, or copper in your belts, 10 no bag for your journey, or two tunics, or sandals, or a staff; for labourers deserve their food. 11 Whatever town or village you enter, find out who in it is worthy, and stay there until you leave. 12 As you enter the house, greet it. 13 If the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it; but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. 14 If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet as you leave that house or town. 15 Truly I tell you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgement than for that town. 16 ‘See, I am sending you out like sheep into the midst of wolves; so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. 17 Beware of them, for they will hand you over to councils and flog you in their synagogues; 18 and you will be dragged before governors and kings because of me, as a testimony to them and the Gentiles. 19 When they hand you over, do not worry about how you are to speak or what you are to say; for what you are to say will be given to you at that time; 20 for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. 21 Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death; 22 and you will be hated by all because of my name. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. 23 When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next; for truly I tell you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.

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REFLECTION

This is a challenging reading in our season of growth. Is this what we are to do? I talked last week about the faith of Hosea and Abraham and those of the Bible, and I think it is important to look again today. When Jesus talks to the disciples in verse 37 I am not totally sure it was the 12 only. I believe there may have been more. In verse 10:1, Jesus calls his 12 disciples. I believe out of the many Jesus only called the 12 he felt were ready. He asks them to do some really radical things, don't money, no bag, etc. I do not think he just chose 12 men, but he chose them because he knew they had the faith to trust and obey. He even says that they do  ot need to worry about what to say because the Holy Spirit speaking through them. He also limits them to the Jewish people. Is God calling us to serve this way? It depends, do you have the faith and relationship to depend on God to provide and to trust the Holy Spirit to guide you? It is not about wanting to do the work, it is about being prepared to do the work. Will I live to grow and learn and trust the Lord that I may go out to the harvest?

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