2nd Sunday After Pentecost

Peter H. Davids

Byzantine Homilies • Sermon • Submitted 3 years ago

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Right living demands both an objective standard and a righteous enforcer. Bother are in short supply in our relativistic days. In Romans either the Torah or natural law is the standard and God is the enforcer, although we learn in other passages that God offers grace. In Matthew we see Jesus as the standard in person and the king in person, calling people follow him, even if it meant turning their lives upside down. They end up empowered to live the standard and enabled to call others into the community of followers where they receive the grace of the king.

Notes

Transcript

Title

Follow Me

Outline

“In those days there was no king in Israel and everyone did what was right in their own eyes”

This is a repeated phrase from Judges

The king was to ensure that justice was kept; the king learned justice by having a copy of the Torah written in his presence so he heard every word dictated.

In other words, two things were needed for justice: an established standard, divine Torah, and someone to enforce it, particularly to secure the rights of the underprivileged

But in those days neither was present and so horrible things happened - we are intended to be shocked and appalled. Perhaps that is what you feel like in this world today.

Romans tells us that the same two factors are needed today

There is a Torah, a law, which can be known through written Torah or through the conscience informed by natural law: “When Gentiles who have not the law do by nature what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. 15 They show that what the law requires is written on their hearts.”

The problem is that those who have scripture twist or ignore scripture to fit their desires, while those who do not follow their desires rather than natural law or conscience. It is too often that we can tell when someone is lying (either consciously or through some form of deception) because their lips are moving.

There is an enforcer, God, who shows no partiality, although he is especially interesting in the poor and oppressed who are in more need of an enforcer.

And yet, especially in Romans, there is a solution when we realize that we blew it, for this same God joined to humanity in Jesus offers release and forgiveness

But release and forgiveness comes through committing to Jesus as the Torah, law, in person, and the king in person.

He sums it up in the simple phrase: “Follow me.” “Follow my teaching.” yes, but more than that, “Commit to my person as Lord.” And that turns one’s life and values upside down.

Two fishermen, casting their nets into the shallow water, trying to catch breakfast with a bit to sell to support their families: "Follow me and I will make you fishers of men.” We never find out whether anyone had anything for breakfast that day. We never discover what Mrs. Peter thought of her husband’s walking away from his nets (although we learn that she later walked with him around the Roman world). They leave, trusting Jesus. He would provide, and in particular he would provide the re-education necessary to be part of the Messianic gathering, that is, the “fishers of men” thing.

Two brothers in a boat with their father, mending nets after a night’s work. “Follow me.” They leave their father’s authority for this Jesus’ authority, dropping the nets, climbing out of the boat, and following him. The king had spoken, he had offered his new law and new way of life, and they committed. We never hear what their father thought of their leaving. Perhaps he was too shocked to say anything.

We live in a world in which everyone does what is right in their own eyes, or at least tries too

Some people impose what is right in their eyes on others, for they have the force to do so

Some people protest that their rights are trampled, but what basis do they appeal to to establish their rights? Is there any natural law that all appeal to? Is there any king out there listening to them, at least listening if their concerns do not happen to help establish his or her power base?

Christians are those following a different drummer.

They have an objective Torah or law, that Torah or will of God as interpreted by Jesus

They follow the one who not only will teach them how to follow this true law, but also who has the power to enforce this law.

But they learn that something comes before ultimate enforcement, and that is fishing for me, i.e. calling men and women into the company of followers in which they find forgiveness for the past and a way to live for the future.

And that is what our gospel, our good news, and all good news is ultimately about. We just happen to have it from Romans and Matthew.

Readings

Byzantine Lectionary (Revised Julian) 7-4-2021: Second Sunday after Pentecost

EPISTLE

Romans 2:10–16

10 but glory and honor and peace for every one who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek. 11 For God shows no partiality.

12 All who have sinned without the law will also perish without the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law. 13 For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified. 14 When Gentiles who have not the law do by nature what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. 15 They show that what the law requires is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness and their conflicting thoughts accuse or perhaps excuse them 16 on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus.

GOSPEL

Matthew 4:18–23

18 As he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon who is called Peter and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. 19 And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” 20 Immediately they left their nets and followed him. 21 And going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and he called them. 22 Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed him.

23 And he went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and preaching the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every infirmity among the people.

Notes

Byzantine Lectionary (Revised Julian) 7-4-2021: Second Sunday after Pentecost

SUNDAY, JULY 4, 2021 | OCTOECHOS

SECOND SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

Bright Vestments

Matins Gospel Mark 16:1–8

Epistle Romans 2:10–16

Gospel Matthew 4:18–23

GREEN

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