Living in the Spirit
August 15, 2014

 Scripture Reading: Romans 11:1-2a, 29-32 

Just as you were once disobedient to God but have now received mercy because of their disobedience, so they have now been disobedient in order that, by the mercy shown to you, they too may now receive mercy. For God has imprisoned all in disobedience so that he may be merciful to all.                                                                                                                                       —Romans 11:30-32

Paul retained a deep concern for the wellbeing of his fellow Jews throughout his ministry. He mourned the ones who could not accept Jesus as the Messiah. He writes in our scripture today that the gentiles benefited from the Jew’s rejection of Jesus in that the gentiles might never have heard the good news of the Christ had the Jew’s accepted him. Paul thus asks for the gentiles to show some mercy for the Jews.

Jesus told a parable that dealt with the same issue. In Matthew 22:1-10, he described a man planning a wedding for his son. He sent out invitation to all his friends and none of them came. So the man sent his servants into the streets to invite anyone, good or bad, who would come, to come. The room filled up quickly but the man had an expectation that the persons attending would celebrate the son’s wedding not just eat the cake and drink the punch.  Later in the story, one who did not celebrate the wedding was asked to leave.

This is another story of God working God’s purpose out in spite of the barriers raised. It is an interesting one to tell after informing the Romans, and us, that our gifts and calling are irrevocable.  I wonder if there is a bit of a warning here that we, too, should not get complacent about our faith and our relationship with God through Jesus Christ.

Prayer: Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you.
So I will bless you as long as I live; I will lift up my hands and call on your name.
My soul is satisfied as with a rich feast, and my mouth praises you with joyful lips
when I think of you on my bed, and meditate on you in the watches of the night;
for you have been my help, and in the shadow of your wings I sing for joy.  Amen. –Psalm 63:3-7

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights reserved.