Sunday, July 28, 2024

Theme:

There is a recurring statement of God’s Character that runs throughout our scriptures. It describes the LORD as, “merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love” (Psalm 103:8). God claims this character to Moses in the Exodus, the Psalms are full of this quotation, and Jonah yells it at God as the reason he did not want to go to Nineveh in the first place.  

This litany tells of a compassionate God who not only compassionately forgives (‘mercy’, rakham) but also intentionally chooses (‘steadfast love’ khesedh) God’s people. The Greek word used by Matthew (ele’eo) was often used in the Greek translation of the Hebrew scriptures for both of these concepts, and so for the 1st century Jews, carried both meanings.  

Jesus says that both those who give compassionate mercy, and those who show steadfast love and fidelity to others are ‘living the good life’ and will receive the compassion and steadfast love that they give. 

Questions for Reflection:

• What does mercy look like today? 
• Is it easier for you to give or to receive mercy? 
• What is the difference between compassion and steadfast love? 

Reflections:

Tenth Sunday after Pentecost

Introit: The text of our Introit is a 2oth century paraphrase of Psalm 41, but the first verse could also be considered a loose translation of Matthew 5:7, “O Blest are they who in their love compassion hold for those is need…”

Opening Hymn: The choice for the opening hymn was influence by the use Psalm 103 as our Call to Worship; “Praise, My Soul, the God of Heaven” is an adapatation of an older paraphrase that is also in our hymnal (#620).

Transition Hymn: For the month of July, “Blessed Assurance”.

Special Music: Our pastor, AJ, will be singing “Ploweshare Prayer”, by Spencer LaJoye.

Responsive Hymn: Most of the hymns in our collection about mercy are focused on the mercy of GOD, so I moved to the word ‘compassion’ for the inspiration for our responsive hymn “Help Us Accept Each Other””.

Sending Hymn: For the sending hymn I went back to the mercy of God; “There’s a Wideness in God’s Mercy”.

Benediction: For the month of July, “May the Love of the Lord”.