Sunday School Lesson – July 24 – Year A - Pentecost +6

 

 

The scripture this week: Genesis 29:15-28 , Psalm 105:1-11, 45b, Psalm 128, 1 Kings 3:5-12, Psalm 119:129-136, Romans 8:26-39 and Romans 8:26-39.
In our Gospel reading this week, Jesus gives us five parables in rapid succession - glimpses of the kingdom of God. The Rev, Charles Hoffacker treats us to a lesson about the kingdom of God from the briefest, and often over-shadowed parable - the parable of yeast and the leavening of bread. I have mentioned it several times over the last couple of years - we are going to have to have a class where we all bring in some baked bread, and talk about its significance for us. What do we learn about the kingdom of God from this parable? What do we learn about how we can see and experience the kingdom now? What is the significance of being able to recognize, experience and live in the kingdom of God now? How does this affect our relationships with God and each other - even with "strangers, others, and even our enemies?

 

Once again The Rev. Dr. M. Craig Barnes captures our attention with the catchy title of his sermon "The Problem with two spouses," using the story of Jacob, Leah and Rachel to teach us about our relationships with not only our spouses and family, but with others - especially when we see that the other person is not who we thought he or she was. How we deal with that, and how we even see others tells us a lot about ourselves, and our relationship with God, and how God's love can transform us, our relationships, and how we see others: 

 

"...the people who were supposed to love you hurt you. When we are hurt, the temptation is great to put as much distance between them and us as possible. But Jesus is persistent in calling you to return the hurt with love. Sometimes it seems like there is no human way you are going to be able to do that. And that is exactly the right starting point. There is no human way to love this person. You will have to turn to something sacred. If you choose to be more loving, the first place to turn is not to your strained relationship, but to your God who is love. (1 John 4:8) And what do you find when you turn to God? The most amazing grace - God really knows you and God really loves you. Most of the time we think we can have this one or the other - either we can be really known or loved; but if we want people to love us, then we are terrified of letting them know all the truth about us. God really knows and really loves you. That fills our hearts with so much gratitude that the love spills over into our relationships. If your heart is not filled with gratitude, even for the Leah or Jacob in your life, then you missed the miracle of the Gospel."

 

And finally we have that strong and reassuring statement of faith and grace in Paul's letter to the Romans: "For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord."