Biblical Texts: Ecclesiastes 3:9-15, Galatians 2:1-10, Mark 10:35-45
The Sunday was given to LWML – Lutheran Women’t Missionary League. The texts for the day were not the typical lectionary texts, but were chosen by the organization. And if you listen, I’m not exactly sure why. You could pick better texts. But they do contain the themes of LWML – service and mission. Which honestly are the same theme. Service is very often what mission looks like in the local context. And the LWML as a collection of people is usually what most embodies Christ’s words in the gospel lesson. That whoever would be great among you must be a servant.
So the sermon definitely intended to make that point and acknowledge the work done by the local LWML. But you can’t just throw Ecclesiastes into the reading list without addressing what The Teacher is saying. So the sermon starts out grumpier than normal because it reflects the chosen texts. But I think it has a deep point. God has put eternity in our hearts. But God has also answered most of The Teacher’s complaints about this in the person of Christ. And if you want to feel eternity now you have to lose yourself in service. Or as The Teacher put it take joy in the toil and good that is before you.
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