Collect: Proper 15

Almighty God,  you have given your only Son to be for us a sacrifice  for our sin, and also an example of godly life:  Give us grace to receive thankfully the fruits of his redeeming work, and to follow daily in the blessed steps of his most holy life, through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord , who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.  Amen

Isaiah 5: 1-7 . . . The prophet sings parable about God’s vineyard, Israel, and the destruction which must now come upon it.

Psalm 80:1-2, 8-18. . .  A Lament and a plea that the Lord will restore God’s ravaged vineyard

Hebrews 11:29-12:2 . . . Jesus the promised one has opened access to the Father in ways previous generations longed to see.

Luke 12:49-56 . . . Jesus foresees difficult times ahead; his own ordeal and the necessity of division even within families.

The Sermon

Brian McLaren, a speaker, activist, and bestselling author, begins by explaining how he got a call asking him to come to Charlottesville to join the group of clergy praying for those protesting. He didn’t tell anyone he went. Later, his pastor at his home church mentioned it in his sermon. McLaren tells how an older gentleman got in his face after the service and lectured him, saying he did not respect what he did and thought he was wrong to do it. McLaren said this experience reminds him of today’s passage from Luke 12:49-56. He says, “Jesus’ work as peacemaker often makes things worse before they get better…When Jesus came, he was not a pacifier. He was not a law and order dominator…He was an agitator. He was a fire starter. He knew that things had to heat up before people would wake up.” What needs to be heated up today? What needs to get worse before we wake up? What fires do we need to start in order to bring about justice for all?