Lessons for September 9, 2007 – Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost

The first lesson

Deuteronomy 30:15-20
 
    "Now listen! Today I am giving you a choice between prosperity and disaster, between life and death. [16] I have commanded you today to love the Lord your God and to keep his commands, laws, and regulations by walking in his ways. If you do this, you will live and become a great nation, and the Lord your God will bless you and the land you are about to enter and occupy. [17] But if your heart turns away and you refuse to listen, and if you are drawn away to serve and worship other gods, [18] then I warn you now that you will certainly be destroyed. You will not live a long, good life in the land you are crossing the Jordan to occupy. [19] "Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, that you and your descendants might live! [20] Choose to love the Lord your God and to obey him and commit yourself to him, for he is your life. Then you will live long in the land the Lord swore to give your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob."  (NLT)

Psalm 1
 
L.  Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked,
C.  or stand around with sinners, or join in with scoffers. 
L.  But they delight in doing everything the Lord wants;
C.  day and night they think about his law. 
L.  They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season without fail.
C.  Their leaves never wither, and in all they do, they prosper.
L.  But this is not true of the wicked.
C.  They are like worthless chaff, scattered by the wind. 
L.  They will be condemned at the time of judgment.
C.  Sinners will have no place among the godly.
L.  For the Lord watches over the path of the godly,
C.  but the path of the wicked leads to destruction.  (NLT)

The second lesson

Philemon 1-21
 
    This letter is from Paul, in prison for preaching the Good News about Christ Jesus, and from our brother Timothy. It is written to Philemon, our much loved co-worker, [2] and to our sister Apphia and to Archippus, a fellow soldier of the cross. I am also writing to the church that meets in your house. [3] May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace. [4] I always thank God when I pray for you, Philemon, [5] because I keep hearing of your trust in the Lord Jesus and your love for all of God's people. [6] You are generous because of your faith. And I am praying that you will really put your generosity to work, for in so doing you will come to an understanding of all the good things we can do for Christ. [7] I myself have gained much joy and comfort from your love, my brother, because your kindness has so often refreshed the hearts of God's people. [8] That is why I am boldly asking a favor of you. I could demand it in the name of Christ because it is the right thing for you to do, [9] but because of our love, I prefer just to ask you. So take this as a request from your friend Paul, an old man, now in prison for the sake of Christ Jesus. [10] My plea is that you show kindness to Onesimus. I think of him as my own son because he became a believer as a result of my ministry here in prison. [11] Onesimus hasn't been of much use to you in the past, but now he is very useful to both of us. [12] I am sending him back to you, and with him comes my own heart.  [13] I really wanted to keep him here with me while I am in these chains for preaching the Good News, and he would have helped me on your behalf. [14] But I didn't want to do anything without your consent. And I didn't want you to help because you were forced to do it but because you wanted to. [15] Perhaps you could think of it this way: Onesimus ran away for a little while so you could have him back forever. [16] He is no longer just a slave; he is a beloved brother, especially to me. Now he will mean much more to you, both as a slave and as a brother in the Lord.  [17] So if you consider me your partner, give him the same welcome you would give me if I were coming. [18] If he has harmed you in any way or stolen anything from you, charge me for it. [19] I, Paul, write this in my own handwriting: "I will repay it." And I won't mention that you owe me your very soul!  [20] Yes, dear brother, please do me this favor for the Lord's sake. Give me this encouragement in Christ. [21] I am confident as I write this letter that you will do what I ask and even more!  (NLT) 

The Gospel Lesson	

Luke 14:25-33
 
    Great crowds were following Jesus. He turned around and said to them, [26] "If you want to be my follower you must love me more than your own father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, more than your own life. Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple. [27] And you cannot be my disciple if you do not carry your own cross and follow me. [28] "But don't begin until you count the cost. For who would begin construction of a building without first getting estimates and then checking to see if there is enough money to pay the bills? [29] Otherwise, you might complete only the foundation before running out of funds. And then how everyone would laugh at you! [30] They would say, 'There's the person who started that building and ran out of money before it was finished!'  [31] "Or what king would ever dream of going to war without first sitting down with his counselors and discussing whether his army of ten thousand is strong enough to defeat the twenty thousand soldiers who are marching against him? [32] If he is not able, then while the enemy is still far away, he will send a delegation to discuss terms of peace. [33] So no one can become my disciple without giving up everything for me. (NLT)