'He will swallow up death forever; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces, and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth,' (ESV)
The words of that great Spiritual echo in my head: 'No more crying there, for we're going to see the King'. Here we have the promise of the return of the King and an end to death and sin and peace shall surely reign. This is the promise that Karl Marx looked to when he spoke of our faith in Christ being the 'opiate of the people' - for it was not the negative many portray it as but a reflection that this hope raised the peasants up and took them on through their pain and hardship. It is a promise that lights the drear days and encourages us on and in the company of Psalm 23 starts our reflections off in a hopeful, promise filled, manner.
The Philippians passage adds nicely to the tone set thus far as we are called to 'stand firm' - not always an easy task - and rather than let our heads drop with the challenges, trials and tests, we are encouraged to rejoice and keep doing rejoicing - and to be balanced and to 'rest in God', giving Him all our needs and our worship. We need to rise above our immediate, above our trials and troubles and focussing and relying on Him let the peace of God (the presence of Jesus, the Christ, which is His Holy Spirit) be our protection and our strength.
'Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.' (ESV)
The pinnacle is to be found in the Gospel where we learn that those invited to the feast not only refused to come but forcibly opposed the King and those He sent, an act that resulted in death for them and opened the feast to all who remained - the 'good and the the bad' - which is great because it means that we are looking at Grace. Grace that breaks the power of sin (death), that fills us with the peace of God (the Holy Spirit) and a celebration banquet too!
Now that has to be worth a Hallelujah!
The Collect
Gracious God, you call us to fullness of life: deliver us from unbelief and banish our anxieties with the liberating love of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Father, we thank you for the gift of your love and the hope we have through the cross of the Christ,
Keep us ever hopeful and rejoicing,
especially when the days are dark and difficult,
and herald in that day when Jesus comes again and death and tears are no more.
Take my life and make it a beacon in this dark world that others may learn of you love,
and eternal life and that feast which you have prepared for us. Amen.
Isaiah 25.1-9
O Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you, I will praise your name; for you have done wonderful things, plans formed of old, faithful and sure. For you have made the city a heap, the fortified city a ruin; the palace of aliens is a city no more, it will never be rebuilt. Therefore strong peoples will glorify you; cities of ruthless nations will fear you. For you have been a refuge to the poor, a refuge to the needy in their distress, a shelter from the rainstorm and a shade from the heat. When the blast of the ruthless was like a winter rainstorm, the noise of aliens like heat in a dry place, you subdued the heat with the shade of clouds; the song of the ruthless was stilled.
On this mountain the Lord of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food, a feast of well-matured wines, of rich food filled with marrow, of well-matured wines strained clear. And he will destroy on this mountain the shroud that is cast over all peoples, the sheet that is spread over all nations; he will swallow up death for ever. Then the Lord God will wipe away the tears from all faces, and the disgrace of his people he will take away from all the earth, for the Lord has spoken. It will be said on that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, so that he might save us. This is the Lord for whom we have waited; let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.
Psalm 23
The Lord is my shepherd; therefore can I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures and leads me beside still waters. He shall refresh my soul and guide me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You spread a table before me in the presence of those who trouble me; you have anointed my head with oil and my cup shall be full. Surely goodness and loving mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.
Philippians 4.1-9
Therefore, my brothers and sisters, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, my beloved. I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. Yes, and I ask you also, my loyal companion, help these women, for they have struggled beside me in the work of the gospel, together with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are in the book of life.
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Keep on doing the things that you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you.
Matthew 22.1-14
Once more Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying: ‘The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son. He sent his slaves to call those who had been invited to the wedding banquet, but they would not come. Again he sent other slaves, saying, “Tell those who have been invited: Look, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready; come to the wedding banquet.” But they made light of it and went away, one to his farm, another to his business, while the rest seized his slaves, maltreated them, and killed them. The king was enraged. He sent his troops, destroyed those murderers, and burned their city. Then he said to his slaves, “The wedding is ready, but those invited were not worthy. Go therefore into the main streets, and invite everyone you find to the wedding banquet.” Those slaves went out into the streets and gathered all whom they found, both good and bad; so the wedding hall was filled with guests.
‘But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing a wedding robe, and he said to him, “Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding robe?” And he was speechless. Then the king said to the attendants, “Bind him hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” For many are called, but few are chosen.’
Post Communion Prayer
Lord, we pray that your grace may always precede and follow us,
and make us continually to be given to all good works;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
The final piece of music caused total mayhem when the person leading it ended up singing 'I cannot come to the banquet with you right now, I've got me a wife, I married a cow!"
Being part of the family of God is sometimes more of a joy that we expected - so this is here for Bob and Morag - a couple of God's stars to be sure :-)
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