Lessons for August 5, 2007 – Tenth Sunday after Pentecost

The first lesson

Ecclesiastes 1:2, 12-14; 2:18-23
 
    "Everything is meaningless," says the Teacher, "utterly meaningless!"  [12]  I, the Teacher, was king of Israel, and I lived in Jerusalem. [13] I devoted myself to search for understanding and to explore by wisdom everything being done in the world. I soon discovered that God has dealt a tragic existence to the human race. [14] Everything under the sun is meaningless, like chasing the wind.  [2:18] I am disgusted that I must leave the fruits of my hard work to others. [19] And who can tell whether my successors will be wise or foolish? And yet they will control everything I have gained by my skill and hard work. How meaningless! [20] So I turned in despair from hard work. It was not the answer to my search for satisfaction in this life. [21] For though I do my work with wisdom, knowledge, and skill, I must leave everything I gain to people who haven't worked to earn it. This is not only foolish but highly unfair. [22] So what do people get for all their hard work? [23] Their days of labor are filled with pain and grief; even at night they cannot rest. It is all utterly meaningless.  (NLT)

Psalm 49:1-12 

L.  Listen to this, all you people! Pay attention, everyone in the world! 
C.  High and low, rich and poor—listen! 
L.  For my words are wise, and my thoughts are filled with insight. 
C.  I listen carefully to many proverbs and solve riddles with inspiration from a harp.
L.  There is no need to fear when times of trouble come, when enemies are surrounding me. 
 C.  They trust in their wealth and boast of great riches. 
L.  Yet they cannot redeem themselves from death by paying a ransom to God. 
C.  Redemption does not come so easily, 
L.  for no one can ever pay enough to live forever and never see the grave.
C.  Those who are wise must finally die,  
L.   just like the foolish and senseless, leaving all their wealth behind. 
 C.  The grave is their eternal home, where they will stay forever.
 L.  They may name their estates after themselves, but they leave their wealth to others. 
 C.  They will not last long despite their riches—they will die like the animals. (NLT) 

The second lesson

 Colossians 3:1-11
 
    Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits at God's right hand in the place of honor and power. [2] Let heaven fill your thoughts. Do not think only about things down here on earth. [3] For you died when Christ died, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. [4] And when Christ, who is your real life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory.  [5] So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual sin, impurity, lust, and shameful desires. Don't be greedy for the good things of this life, for that is idolatry. [6] God's terrible anger will come upon those who do such things. [7] You used to do them when your life was still part of this world. [8] But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language. [9] Don't lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old evil nature and all its wicked deeds. [10] In its place you have clothed yourselves with a brand-new nature that is continually being renewed as you learn more and more about Christ, who created this new nature within you. [11] In this new life, it doesn't matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized, slave, or free. Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us.  (NLT)

The Gospel Lesson

Luke 12:13-21
 
    Then someone called from the crowd, "Teacher, please tell my brother to divide our father's estate with me."  [14] Jesus replied, "Friend, who made me a judge over you to decide such things as that?" [15] Then he said, "Beware! Don't be greedy for what you don't have. Real life is not measured by how much we own."  [16] And he gave an illustration: "A rich man had a fertile farm that produced fine crops. [17] In fact, his barns were full to overflowing. [18] So he said, 'I know! I'll tear down my barns and build bigger ones. Then I'll have room enough to store everything. [19] And I'll sit back and say to myself, My friend, you have enough stored away for years to come. Now take it easy! Eat, drink, and be merry!'  [20] "But God said to him, 'You fool! You will die this very night. Then who will get it all?'  [21] "Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God."  (NLT)