Reading and Reflections for Thursday 25 June 2020 

2 Kings 24 : 8 – 17        Psalm 79            Matthew 7 : 21 – 29 

Collect :

Lord Jesus Christ

you tell us not to be afraid:

challenge us to abandon our selves,

encourage us to risk the sacrifice

that we may find the abundant life

you promise;

For you live and reign

with the Father and the Holy Spirit,

in the unity of the Blessed Trinity,

and God, for ever and ever. 

Amen 

The overarching theme in today’s readings has to do with obedience. We learn that the three month reign of King Jehoiachin ends with the takeover by Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon. “He (Jehoiachin) did evil in the sight of the LORD, just as his forebears had done. And Jesus tells us in the Gospel reading that He will tell them, “I never knew you. Depart from me you evildoers.”  What do we do to avoid this outcome?  Jesus says, “Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock.” Despite wind and rain the house stands. 

Today’s Gospel reading presents that marvellous set of comparisons that conclude the Sermon on the Mount. 

Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house. But it did not collapse; it had been set solidly on rock. 

And everyone who listens to these words of mine but does not act on them will be like a fool who built his house on sand. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house. And it collapsed and was completely ruined. 

The images here speak about security and safety. Yet the actions of Jesus in the previous three chapters, speak about living a life that the world would consider  the way to insecurity – being poor in spirit, being meek, being persecuted for the sake of righteousness, not storing up material goods, even loving enemies. Jesus dares to assure whoever is listening (which of course, includes you and me today) that living this way is like building a house on solid rock. And whoever fails to live this way is building on sand. 

Jesus said the same thing, without the house-building image, when he said, “Whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it” (Matt 16:25). 

Jesus used the building-on-rock image in a most encouraging way. Remember how he told Peter, “You are Petros (“Rock”), and upon this rock I will build my church” (Matt 16:18).   A few verses later, he called the Rock a stumbling stone. Yet, ultimately, even after the Rock’s cowardly denial, Jesus proved himself a to be the Master Builder of the house of the church, even using the fragile rock that Peter was.   

Jesus is the builder of the house of my life and your life, if we can live our lives  by the words of the Sermon on the Mount. In the paradox of grace, we find security by losing our lives. 

Are we obedient to the call of the Lord? 

We Pray the Collect for Peace : 

O God, the author of peace and lover of concord

to know you is eternal life

to serve you is perfect freedom:

defend us your servants from all assaults of  our enemies

that we may trust in your defence

and not fear the power of any adversaries;

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen