First Reading: Leviticus 18:1-5, 19:9-18
1The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2“Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, I am the Lord your God. 3You shall not do as they do in the land of Egypt, where you lived, and you shall not do as they do in the land of Canaan, to which I am bringing you. You shall not walk in their statutes. 4You shall follow my rules and keep my statutes and walk in them. I am the Lord your God. 5You shall therefore keep my statutes and my rules; if a person does them, he shall live by them: I am the Lord.
9“When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap your field right up to its edge, neither shall you gather the gleanings after your harvest. 10And you shall not strip your vineyard bare, neither shall you gather the fallen grapes of your vineyard. You shall leave them for the poor and for the sojourner: I am the Lord your God. 11You shall not steal; you shall not deal falsely; you shall not lie to one another. 12You shall not swear by my name falsely, and so profane the name of your God: I am the Lord. 13You shall not oppress your neighbor or rob him. The wages of a hired worker shall not remain with you all night until the morning. 14You shall not curse the deaf or put a stumbling block before the blind, but you shall fear your God: I am the Lord. 15You shall do no injustice in court. You shall not be partial to the poor or defer to the great, but in righteousness shall you judge your neighbor. 16You shall not go around as a slanderer among your people, and you shall not stand up against the life of your neighbor: I am the Lord. 17You shall not hate your brother in your heart, but you shall reason frankly with your neighbor, lest you incur sin because of him. 18You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.”
Psalm 41
1Happy are they who consider the poor and needy! the Lord will deliver them in the time of trouble. 2The Lord preserves them and keeps them alive, so that they may be happy in the land; he does not hand them over to the will of their enemies. 3The Lord sustains them on their sickbed and ministers to them in their illness. 4I said, “Lord, be merciful to me; heal me, for I have sinned against you.” 5My enemies are saying wicked things about me: “When will he die, and his name perish?” 6Even if they come to see me, they speak empty words; their heart collects false rumors; they go outside and spread them. 7All my enemies whisper together about me* and devise evil against me. 8“A deadly thing,” they say, “has fastened on him; he has taken to his bed and will never get up again.” 9Even my best friend, whom I trusted, who broke bread with me, has lifted up his heel and turned against me. 10But you, O Lord, be merciful to me and raise me up, and I shall repay them. 11By this I know you are pleased with me, that my enemy does not triumph over me. 12In my integrity you hold me fast, and shall set me before your face forever. 13Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, from age to age. Amen. Amen.
Second Reading: Colossians 1:1-14
1Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, 2To the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father. 3We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, 4since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, 5because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, 6which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and increasing — as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth, 7just as you learned it from Epaphras our beloved fellow servant. He is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf 8and has made known to us your love in the Spirit. 9And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy; 12giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. 13He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
Gospel: Luke 10:25-37
25Behold, a lawyer stood up to put {Jesus} to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” 26He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” 27And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” 28And he said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.” 29But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” 30Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead. 31Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. 32So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. 34He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.’ 36Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” 37He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.”
Seven Deadly Sins
As I began to look at our readings for this week, it dawned on me that our lessons, at least our Old Testament and Gospel readings, seem very familiar. Surprisingly, the Good Samaritan story is only told by St. Luke, but it’s so well known that it seems like we address it each year. Maybe, the story is so recognizable, because it addresses important and familiar themes such as our need to be holy, our need to put God absolutely first in our lives, and our need to love our neighbors as we love ourselves. So, the question I kept asking myself was, what new can we learn here?
When it comes to helping our neighbors, both the members here at Antioch (Bethel) and at Bethel (Antioch) are very generous. Our two congregations assist ministries like Dallas High Shoals Christian ministries and Disaster Response. We’re also involved in the community by supporting our local schools, and so many more. Additionally, both congregations strive to work with other congregations of our communities to serve our children and in so many other ways, that it’s hard to say we don’t show love for our neighbor. So, we’re back to my original question, what is the Holy Spirit sharing with us today as we once again hear God’s word to His people in the desert, and Jesus’ response to the lawyer questioning Him in our Gospel reading for today. So maybe it’s best if we come at our lessons for today from a completely different direction.
With this question in mind, I began looking at commentaries and articles to see if I could come at these readings from a fresh angle. As I consulted various resources, I ran across an article that made me stop and ponder our Old Testament and Gospel readings differently. How many of you remember the sitcom Gilligan’s Island? It’s been a while since I’ve watched all 3 seasons, but with all the new channels like Hulu, Peacock and Pluto, it wouldn’t surprise me if it isn’t in a regular lineup during the programming year. The author of the article I was reading forwards, that in actuality, the parts for each cast member of Gilligan’s Island were written in a manner so that each character represented one of the seven deadly sins. According to the author of this article the cast represented each sin as follows: Envy – Mary Ann, Gluttony – The Skipper, Mr. Howell – Greed, Lust – Ginger, The Professor – Pride, Gilligan – Sloth, and Anger is represented by Mrs. Howell.
Now I’m not so sure that I agree completely with the author, but he did cause me to look at this old favorite sitcom in a new light. The reason I bring up this particular list of sins is that these are what many would consider everyday indiscretions. Unlike the Mortal sins like murder, aggravated assault, child exploitation and the like, the 7 deadly sins are ones we seem to quickly overlook. Yet when you think about the affect each of these sins has on an individual, others, and the community, should we be so quick to dismiss them? In many ways these are the sins God was addressing in speaking to the Hebrew people in the desert.
Now the closest verse you can come to with a list of the seven things the Lord hates comes from Proverbs 6:16-19 which says, “There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers.” Other than this verse, you won’t find any other verse, or series of verses, in the Bible where these are listed together. This list of sins has come down to us through the ages and all are listed in the Bible as things to avoid.
The 1st of the so-called Seven Deadly Sins is Jealousy or Envy. In Proverbs 27:4 we read, “Wrath is cruel, anger is overwhelming; but who can stand before jealousy?” For this sin Jesus told a parable to illustrate the effect of envy in Matthew 20:1-16. The illustration is about the landowner who went out to hire people to work in his vineyard. Early in the morning the landowner hired workers, and they agreed to the usual daily wage. He went out again at 9, noon, 3, and finally at 5, and with the later hired workers he only agreed to be fair. At the end of the day all were paid the same. The ones hired early in the morning became angry and expected more. Their envy drove them to grumble about the land-owner’s compassion and generosity. Their bitterness led to the second sin in the list, anger.
The 2nd deadly sin is Wrath. Again, in Proverbs 14:29-30 we read, “He who is slow to anger has great understanding, but he who has a hasty temper exalts folly. A tranquil mind gives life to the flesh, but passion makes the bones rot.” Jesus also warned against wrath in Matthew 5:21-22, “You have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, ‘You shall not murder’; and ‘whoever murders shall be liable to judgment.’ But I say to you that if you are angry with a brother or sister, you will be liable to judgment; and if you insult a brother or sister, you will be liable to the council; and if you say, ‘You fool,’ you will be liable to the hell of fire.” Anger can come upon us suddenly or slowly simmer and when left unchecked, wrath isn’t something to be brushed aside. The 3rd sin in this list is Gluttony.
Again, we look to the wisdom of Solomon to help us out here. In Proverbs 23:20-21 Solomon wrote, “Be not among winebibbers, or among gluttonous eaters of meat; for the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty, and drowsiness will clothe a man with rags.” St. Paul addressed this sin in his letter to the church at Phillipi: “For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things” (3:18-19). Our 4th in the list is that of Greed.
To see what the Bible has to say about greed, we can again turn to king Solomon. In chapter 28 verse 25 we read, “A greedy man stirs up strife, but the one who trusts in the Lord will be enriched.” St. Paul had this advice for his protégé Timothy, “But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction” (1 Timothy 6:9-10). Jesus also taught against Greed.
In Mark 10:17-27, a rich man came to Jesus and asked Him how he could have eternal life. Jesus’ response was to sell all he had and give it to the poor and come follow Him. The rich man went away saddened. He wanted his riches, for they were his god, and at the same time he wanted to have eternal life as well. Jesus said it was easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle then for a rich man to enter heaven. Greed can cost you an eternity with God. Greed for the treasures of this world has driven many to destruction. And because of greed, many have become the victims of various schemes that led to their own poverty. This brings us to the sin of Lust.
Again, we can look to Solomon’s God given wisdom for insight. In chapter 11 verse 6 we read, “The righteousness of the upright delivers them, but the treacherous are taken captive by their lust.” Jesus also dealt with this particular sin by saying, “But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Matthew 5:28). I don’t believe I need to go into depth concerning the relationships broken, or the families that have been adversely affected by this sin. Yet how quickly does society not only downplay, but far too often glorifies the sin of lust. Our second to last sin on our list is Pride. This is another sin that society not only actively ignores, it tries to forward as a virtue!
When it comes to the sin of pride, king Solomon had this to say, “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall” (16:18). How much clearer could Solomon have been? Solomon also contrasted humility and pride by saying, “When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom” (11:2) and “Pride brings a person low, but the lowly in spirit gain honor” (29:23). St. James wrote, “But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble” (4:6), and St. Paul advised, “Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited, (Romans 12:16). Jesus also warned against the sin of pride.
In Luke 18:9-15 Jesus again told a story to illustrate His point. In this story there were two people praying in the temple, one a Pharisee, the other a tax collector. The Pharisee’s prayer was that he was glad he was not like the tax collector. The tax collector’s prayer was for forgiveness. Jesus’ point was that the tax collector went home absolved from his sins, the Pharisee went away not only with his proud attitude, but also unforgiven. It would be good if Solomon’s warning were be painted on every door that leaves our home, “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.” The final sin in our list of the 7 deadly sins is Sloth or Laziness.
Again, we can turn to the Book of Proverbs for words of warning. In Proverbs 9:15 we read, “Slothfulness casts into a deep sleep, and an idle person will suffer hunger” and in chapter 6 verse 6 we read, “Go to the ant, O sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise.” And St. Paul had this to say, “For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: “The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat” (2 Thessalonians 3:10). And to St. Timothy Paul wrote, “But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever” (1 Timothy 5:8). Again, Jesus addressed laziness in parables.
In Matthew chapter 25 Jesus told 3 parables back-to-back that address both laziness and of being unprepared. The first parable Jesus told was of 10 virgins, 5 wise and 5 foolish, who went out to meet the Bridegroom. Since He was delayed, the virgins became sleepy and took a nap. When the call came that the Bridegroom was coming the wise virgins had extra oil for their lamps, the foolish needed to leave and buy some. You know the close of the parable, the wise virgins went in with the Bridegroom and the foolish were left outside and not allowed in.
Society wants to rank sin from heinous to harmless, but all sin needs to be taken seriously. Sin leaves its mark not only on the one who commits the sin, but on others as well. For us to gloss over any sin is to diminish its impact, and the impact it has on our society. This is why God commanded repeatedly in the Old Testament that His chosen people are to be holy; that our words, actions, and dealings with our neighbors be made with justice in mind and be accomplished in righteousness.
More to the point, God, in our Old Testament reading, commanded His people, “You shall not do as they do in the land of Egypt, where you lived, and you shall not do as they do in the land of Canaan, to which I am bringing you. You shall not walk in their statutes. You shall follow my rules and keep my statutes and walk in them. I am the Lord your God. You shall therefore keep my statutes and my rules; if a person does them, he shall live by them: I am the Lord (Leviticus 18:3-5). God finished our First Reading for today with the second greatest commandment, “you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord” (Leviticus 19:18).
The point I’m trying to make is that we, on many occasions, are guilty of sin not necessarily in just our deeds, but in our lack of action. This isn’t an excuse, nor is it a reason to downplay any sin, all sin impacts both the person and those affected by the sin. Paul was clear when he said, “all have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory” (Romans 3:23). And just as important are the words of St. John, “If we say we have no sin we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. But if we confess our sins, God who is faithful and just will forgive our sins and cleans us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:8-9).
This is why we begin our service each week with a prayer of confession; we pray for forgiveness not only for what we’ve done, but also for what we have left undone. Daily, we need to take time to examine not only our actions in dealing with others, but our motives as well. In both the Old Testament and New Testament, we’re told that humans look on the outward appearance, but God looks on our heart, or at our motives. In closing I’d like to leave you with a second list for you to ponder.
Thomas Aquinas, a 13th century theologian felt that sin could not be ranked and offered a list of seven virtues that we’re to seek and ask God to foster in us. These virtues are Faith, Hope, Charity or Love, Prudence, Justice, Fortitude and Temperance. Aquinas referred to the first three, Faith, Hope and Love as holy virtues. This of course echoes what St. Paul wrote in I Corinthians 13:13, “Now it is faith, hope, and love that endure, but the greatest of these is love.”
The question asked by the lawyer in our Gospel Reading for today is a valid question, who is my neighbor? Our neighbors are those that we come into contact with every day, and it’s the words Jesus gave to another lawyer in Matthew 22 starting with verse 34, the greatest commandment is to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul and mind and the second in which hangs all the law and prophets is to love your neighbor as yourself. Our call today is to be holy, set apart, to be different than those around us. We’re also being commanded to deal with others not only in love, but also in a just and right manner. Jesus’ closing words to the Lawyer are important for us as His followers today, “And Jesus said to him, ‘You go and do likewise.’”
Amen