forgiveness and supper

Good evening friends,
Tonight, I'm looking forward to Supper and Scripture with mixed emotions. It's the last one for the summer, which means it's my last one at Laurelton. It has been such a wonderful part of my time here: studying scripture, sharing food and fellowship and making new friends. It has been a blessing. If you're looking for warm fellowship and food tonight, come on over from 5:30-6:30 or so.

Tonight's story is a powerful reminder of the amazing forgiveness we find in God. This is one I come back to again and again.


God bless,
Sam


Matthew 18:21-35

21Then Peter came and said to him, “Lord, if another member of the church sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?” 22Jesus said to him, “Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times. 23“For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves.24When he began the reckoning, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him; 25and, as he could not pay, his lord ordered him to be sold, together with his wife and children and all his possessions, and payment to be made.


26So the slave fell on his knees before him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ 27And out of pity for him, the lord of that slave released him and forgave him the debt.28But that same slave, as he went out, came upon one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii; and seizing him by the throat, he said, ‘Pay what you owe.’ 29Then his fellow slave fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ 30But he refused; then he went and threw him into prison until he would pay the debt. 31When his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their lord all that had taken place.


32Then his lord summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked slave! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. 33Should you not have had mercy on your fellow slave, as I had mercy on you?’34And in anger his lord handed him over to be tortured until he would pay his entire debt. 35So my heavenly Father will also do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”

song of the vineyard

Good afternoon folks,

Today's reading is something we don't see so often, an Old Testament parable. This parable from Isaiah compares Israel to God's vineyard. The point is that God has done everything for God's people and therefore expects them to bear the fruits of righteousness. Instead, they have allowed injustice and the oppression of the poor to flourish. 

This parable is interesting too, because later in his ministry Jesus also tells a parable about a vineyard with a different story but a similar point. It's not a stretch to imagine that Jesus may have had Isaiah's parable in mind, and his hearers, the religious leaders of Israel, might have remembered this parable as well.

May we bear righteous fruit in our life,
Sam

Isaiah 5:1-10

Let me sing for my beloved my love-song concerning his vineyard: My beloved had a vineyard on a very fertile hill. ²He dug it and cleared it of stones, and planted it with choice vines; he built a watchtower in the midst of it, and hewed out a wine vat in it; he expected it to yield grapes, but it yielded wild grapes. ³And now, inhabitants of Jerusalem and people of Judah, judge between me and my vineyard. ⁴What more was there to do for my vineyard that I have not done in it? When I expected it to yield grapes, why did it yield wild grapes? 

⁵And now I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard. I will remove its hedge, and it shall be devoured; I will break down its wall, and it shall be trampled down. ⁶I will make it a waste; it shall not be pruned or hoed, and it shall be overgrown with briers and thorns; I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it. ⁷For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel, and the people of Judah are his pleasant planting; he expected justice, but saw bloodshed; righteousness, but heard a cry!

⁸Ah, you who join house to house, who add field to field, until there is room for no one but you, and you are left to live alone in the midst of the land! ⁹The Lord of hosts has sworn in my hearing: Surely many houses shall be desolate, large and beautiful houses, without inhabitant.¹⁰For ten acres of vineyard shall yield but one bath, and a homer of seed shall yield a mere ephah.