Coachable, Pentecost 17, Oct. 1, 2017

Seventeenth Sunday of Pentecost (Year A)

Sunday, October 1, 2017

The hollowing happens. Life will empty us out, whether we will it or not. Yet Paul reminds us this week that we belong to the Christ who freely chose to empty himself: who gave himself completely in a way that, paradoxically, did not diminish him but helped to reveal the fullness of who he was, and is. Encompassed by the Christ who enfolds our emptiness in his own, we become free to choose how we will respond to the emptying.

– Jan Richardson, The Painted Prayerbook

Theme: Coachable

Reflection: “I just don’t want to do this job,” my friend confided to me. She was roped into it, and after doing it for a couple of weeks, she was feeling the strain. “People don’t call me back, they don’t want to do what they said they were going to do. This job isn’t for me.”

I felt for her. I know what it’s like to do a job, any job, that doesn’t feel like a good fit. Whether it is a job that I’m doing just to pay the bills, or a volunteer job that needs to be done, it’s hard to get my heart into it when I know it’s not what I would have chosen to do.

“Look at it this way,” I said, trying to be helpful. “Maybe it’s not for you, long-term, but think about what you are learning. You are meeting and talking to people you wouldn’t meet if you weren’t doing this. You’re learning about being organized. And maybe your job is to identify the person who would really delight in doing this.”

My friend looked only slightly subdued. It’s hard to soften your heart to see Spirit’s movement, putting you into an unwanted place. It’s hard to be the servant when you dislike the work.

Today’s lessons center on letting go of our control and doing what is right, what is needful, working with each other the way God would have us do. It’s pretty clear that neither of the sons was happy about working their father’s vineyard. Apparently, both had other plans. The first son refused outright, then upon further thought, changed his mind and did what his father asked. The second son said he would, then he didn’t follow through.

Ezekiel tells the people to repent and get a new heart and a new spirit. The Psalmist asks for God’s grace in teaching him to become humble and obedient. And Paul urges the Christians at Philippi to work together, focusing on what Jesus would do.

It’s not always easy. Sometimes it feels embarrassing, beneath you, or inconvenient. It may take away from your own plans or leave you with little time or energy from what renews your heart. But when you know in your heart that you are called to be a servant, you go.

A high school classmate is living in Arizona now. It wasn’t her choice. Her mom is in ill health and she’s the only one who could uproot herself and go. It wasn’t convenient. She’s never been a caregiver. It’s consuming and her mom isn’t always appreciative. But in her servant’s heart, she felt a need to care for her mom, not just place her in a nursing home and return to her own life.

I can’t count the times I’ve worked an event and been assigned to a job that felt like a horrible fit. I wasn’t the emcee or a presenter, I wasn’t a greeter or server. I was working in the kitchen or somewhere behind the scenes. But I knew it took many hands doing various jobs to pull it off, and this was where I could contribute.

I think quite often Spirit uses us in those moments to shape us and those around us. To keep us humble and to show others that we are willing to be servants. I admit there are times I was more like the first son – I did the job, but I wasn’t cheerful and open-hearted about it.

Little by little, being a servant chips away at my rough edges and wears off the pride and selfishness. It’s like when I coached youth soccer for 12 years. The kids who became good were “coachable.” They didn’t insist on their own way of doing things, they would try something new, and they played wherever I needed them. Sometimes I pray that God would work on me to make me more coachable, too.

(You always are welcome to respond with your thoughts and reflections in the comments section at the bottom of this post.) 

Faith App:  If you want to have the same mind and heart as Jesus, look to the needs and interests of others. Being a servant was how Jesus lived.

HYMN/SONG SUGGESTIONS

Change My Heart, O God, ELW 801

Lord, Let My Heart Be Good Soil, ELW 512

Jesu, Jesu, Fill Us with Your Love, ELW 708

Lord Whose Love in Humble Service, ELW 712

Send Me, Jesus, ELW 809

Lord of All Nations, Grant Me Grace, ELW 716

Lead Me, Guide Me, ELW 768

Lord, Take My Hand and Lead Me, ELW 767

Keep Making Me, Sidewalk Prophets (watch the video) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AwYv6yMuPaA

'Til You are my one desire

'Til You are my one true love

'Til You are my breath, my everything

Lord, please keep making me

In The Light, DC Talk

From the Inside Out, Seventh Day Slumber

Live Like That, Sidewalk Prophets

Oxygen, Lincoln Brewster

In the Secret, Sonicflood

Sometimes by Step, Rich Mullins

LESSONS

Ezekiel 18:1-4, 25-32 Cast away your transgressions and get a new heart and new spirit.

Psalm 25:1-9 Make me to know your ways, O LORD; teach me your paths.

Philippians 2:1-13 Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus.

Matthew 21:23-32 The chief priests and elders came to Jesus as he was teaching.

Summary:  Be coachable. Don’t cling to your sinful ways, but we willing to be taught. Be willing to become Christ’s disciple: to get a new heart and a new spirit and follow.

OPENING LITANY based on Psalm 25:1-9

L:  Lord, I give my soul to you to care for it;

C:  I surrender myself, trusting in you alone.

L:  It’s hard to me to become that vulnerable,

C:  I’m afraid when I put my heart on the line.

L:  Lord, direct me where you want me to go;

C:  Whisper to me until I’m tuned to your voice.

L:  Keep on teaching me, I’ll try to be teachable –

C:  In you I’ve found what I’ve been waiting for.

L:  Lord, all your prophets tell about your kindness.

C:  Show me mercy – you know what I’ve done wrong.  

L:  Take my pride from me, and keep my eyes on you;

C:  Be my guide forever to show me what is right.

CONFESSION

L:  Lord, how far our minds are from yours,

C:  When we insist on doing things our way,

L:  Turning away from the direction you give,

C:  Lead us in your truth and teach us, O God.

L:  Lord, how we ignore work in front of us,

C:  When we think bigger is always better,

L:  Humble us, and send us into your fields,

C:  Empty us of our pride and teach us, O God.

L:  Lord, how we like to create strain and stress,

C:  With our divisive words and selfish acts,

L:  In love, let us learn to be of one accord,

C:  Give us the same mind and teach us, O God.

(Silent reflection)

L:  In our confession, we pray together,

C:  Most Merciful God … we confess that we resist surrendering our will. Like the first Christians, we want to hold onto our own interests over other’s needs. We resist being told what to do, where to go, and when to do it. Empty us, Lord, and make us people after your own heart.

P:  Here is Good News: God is delighted when we turn back with open hearts and coachable minds. We will struggle to follow in the footsteps of Jesus – that’s a given. We will fall and hurt one another. But God is gracious and merciful and does not remember our sin. God is at work in us, creating new hearts and new spirits within us. You are forgiven and set free, in the name of…

C:  Amen

PRAYER OF THE DAY

L:  We pray together, 

C:  Ever-patient God … we pray today that you would humble us, and make us open to your direction. Work on us until we have the same mind in us that was in Christ Jesus, that we become willing to serve and obedient to your will. Change us so that we put your work first, before our own plans.  Amen.

COMMUNION BLESSING

L:  We pray together,

C:  We give you thanks, most gracious God, for your steadfast love in this bread, your patient teaching in this cup, this meal that reminds us of the One who set aside his will and laid down his life. Keep teaching us how to be your people, sending us into fields where we are needed, willing to work of one mind with other believers, for the good of your kingdom.  Amen.

SENDING

L:  God is at work in our hearts,

C:  Loosening up our set-in ways,

L:  Clearing out our selfish plans,

C:  Making us open to being taught.

L:  Go now, willing workers, to love and to serve the Lord.

C: Thanks be to God!

First Reading Ezekiel 18:1-4, 25-32 (NRSV)

Setting the Scene: Before this time, people believed God’s punishments were handed down, generation after generation. No, Ezekiel said, people’s choices determine their own judgment.

18 The word of the Lord came to me: ² What do you mean by repeating this proverb concerning the land of Israel, “The parents have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge”? ³ As I live, says the Lord God, this proverb shall no more be used by you in Israel. ⁴ Know that all lives are mine; the life of the parent as well as the life of the child is mine: it is only the person who sins that shall die.

²⁵ Yet you say, “The way of the Lord is unfair.” Hear now, O house of Israel: Is my way unfair? Is it not your ways that are unfair? ²⁶ When the righteous turn away from their righteousness and commit iniquity, they shall die for it; for the iniquity that they have committed they shall die. ²⁷ Again, when the wicked turn away from the wickedness they have committed and do what is lawful and right, they shall save their life. ²⁸ Because they considered and turned away from all the transgressions that they had committed, they shall surely live; they shall not die. ²⁹ Yet the house of Israel says, “The way of the Lord is unfair.” O house of Israel, are my ways unfair? Is it not your ways that are unfair?

³⁰ Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, all of you according to your ways, says the Lord God. Repent and turn from all your transgressions; otherwise iniquity will be your ruin. ³¹ Cast away from you all the transgressions that you have committed against me, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! Why will you die, O house of Israel? ³² For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone, says the Lord God. Turn, then, and live.

Second Reading Philippians 2:1-13 (NRSV)

Setting the Scene: Paul is believed to be quoting an early church hymn in his plea to the church at Philippi to follow Jesus and serve one another.

2 If then there is any encouragement in Christ, any consolation from love, any sharing in the Spirit, any compassion and sympathy, ² make my joy complete: be of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. ³ Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. ⁴ Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others. ⁵ Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus,

⁶ who, though he was in the form of God,
    did not regard equality with God
    as something to be exploited,
⁷ but emptied himself,
    taking the form of a slave,
    being born in human likeness.
And being found in human form,
⁸     he humbled himself
    and became obedient to the point of death—
    even death on a cross.

⁹ Therefore God also highly exalted him
    and gave him the name
    that is above every name,
¹⁰ so that at the name of Jesus
    every knee should bend,
    in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
¹¹ and every tongue should confess
    that Jesus Christ is Lord,
    to the glory of God the Father.

¹² Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed me, not only in my presence, but much more now in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; ¹³ for it is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for his good pleasure

Gospel Matthew 21:23-32 (NRSV)

Setting the Scene: After witnessing Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem and his attack on the temple moneychangers, the chief priests and elders confronted him. Jesus’ responses to the Jewish authorities tripped up all those tied to the law..

²³ When he entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him as he was teaching, and said, “By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?” ²⁴ Jesus said to them, “I will also ask you one question; if you tell me the answer, then I will also tell you by what authority I do these things. ²⁵ Did the baptism of John come from heaven, or was it of human origin?” And they argued with one another, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say to us, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ ²⁶ But if we say, ‘Of human origin,’ we are afraid of the crowd; for all regard John as a prophet.” ²⁷ So they answered Jesus, “We do not know.” And he said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.

²⁸ “What do you think? A man had two sons; he went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in the vineyard today.’ ²⁹ He answered, ‘I will not’; but later he changed his mind and went. ³⁰ The father went to the second and said the same; and he answered, ‘I go, sir’; but he did not go. ³¹ Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are going into the kingdom of God ahead of you. ³² For John came to you in the way of righteousness and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him; and even after you saw it, you did not change your minds and believe him.