Sunday, November 17, 2024

Theme

This week we hear about the call of Isaiah, a prophet to the southern country of Judah and its capital city of Jerusalem. He is called during the tumultuous times of the divided kingdom. The Assyrian Empire is on the rise, gobbling up all of the nations around them. Israel, Judah’s cousin-nation to the north had conquered Judah a generation before, so maybe not the most supportive of potential allies.

Both nations, Israel and Judah, have been the recipients of prophet warnings. Neither nation were particularly interested in following the instructions of the Law. The political and religious elites cared far more about themselves than the poor and marginalized in their country. Isaiah has already been at work speaking oracles against Jerusalem, he has compared Israel and Judah to children who were brought up well, but have become rebellious and evil adults. He sings a beautiful song to his beloved who planted a vineyard that produced wild grapes rather than cultivated grapes, and breaks down the wall to let it be overrun. He warns that Jerusalem has set themselves on the course of destruction, but also promises that God will preserve the remnant that survives. He casts a vision of a future Jerusalem, which unlike the current wretched hive of scum and villainy, will be the highest mountain to which all the nations will go to learn God’s Torah.

Now he has a vision of the Jerusalem Temple, filled with the LORD’s glory. He sees seraphim (burning ones) declaring the LORD’s holiness and glory, and hears God ask, ‘who shall I send?’ ‘Here I am’ he replies. But the mission he gets sounds impossible and hopeless.

Questions

–  Have you ever had a spiritual encounter? What did you feel, hear, or see?

– What challenges in your life or in the world seem impossible?

– How might an impossible mission actually be a message of hope?

Reflections:

Twenty-Sixth Sunday after Pentecost

Introit: From Rwanda, the first verse of “Heaven Opened to Isaiah” paraphrases the account of Isaiah’s vision.

Opening Hymn: When the scripture reading mentions seraphs, it almost seems like a requirement to sing “Holy, Holy, Holy! Lord, God Almighty!”

Transition Hymn: Felt like the time to sing, as a reminder, “God Is So Good”.

Special Music: The Chancel Choir will present “Do Not Be Afraid for You Are Mine”, by Lloyd Larson.

Baptism Preparation: To prepare for the Remembrance of Baptism, we sing “Wash, O God, Your Sons and Daughters”. According to the footnotes, the text incorporates many of the images found in the ‘Thanksgiving Over the Water’ found in the Book of Common Worship.

Sending Hymn: Drawing from Isaiah 6:8 as well as multiple verses from the New Testament. the 20th century text of “Will You Come and Follow Me” is understood to be in the voice of Christ for the first four verses, with the final verse as the individual singer’s response.

Benediction: “The Lord Now Sends Us Forth”, our benediction for the month of November. The text, originally from a Cuban pastor, is a call to action in the world.