After Pentecost Pentecost 22 Matthew 25:1-13, particularly verse 13
After Pentecost Pentecost 22 Matthew 25:1-13, particularly verse 13
The Unexpected (YA No 77)
The Unexpected (YA No 77)
Matthew’s trilogy of stories in Chapter 25 - two parables and an eschatological drama - present issues for me, not the least of which is the escalating rejections and punishments. The text portrays the ‘foolish ‘ girls being shut out of the feast, the ‘lazy’ servant being ‘thrown outside into the darkness’ and the ‘goats’ being ‘sent off to eternal punishment’.
Matthew’s trilogy of stories in Chapter 25 - two parables and an eschatological drama - present issues for me, not the least of which is the escalating rejections and punishments. The text portrays the ‘foolish ‘ girls being shut out of the feast, the ‘lazy’ servant being ‘thrown outside into the darkness’ and the ‘goats’ being ‘sent off to eternal punishment’.
How does one write lyrics to be sung in worship about these outcomes?
How does one write lyrics to be sung in worship about these outcomes?
Some commentators go so far as to say that taken together, the themes in these latter chapters of Matthew’s gospel ‘distort who Jesus was’. The Five Gospels from the Jesus Seminar Page 255
Some commentators go so far as to say that taken together, the themes in these latter chapters of Matthew’s gospel ‘distort who Jesus was’. The Five Gospels from the Jesus Seminar Page 255
I have taken these passages out of their 1st Century context of presenting an anticipated immanent ‘return’ of Jesus and instead emphasized the pastoral challenge they present to contemporary disciples.
I have taken these passages out of their 1st Century context of presenting an anticipated immanent ‘return’ of Jesus and instead emphasized the pastoral challenge they present to contemporary disciples.
The stories of the long ago
The stories of the long ago
Can lead to rich insight;
Can lead to rich insight;
The unexpectedness of life
The unexpectedness of life
Can lead to happiness or strife,
Can lead to happiness or strife,
To sadness or delight;
To sadness or delight;
To sadness or delight.
To sadness or delight.
The opportunities that come
The opportunities that come
To minister with grace
To minister with grace
Come sometimes sudden, quite unplanned,
Come sometimes sudden, quite unplanned,
But these are times we can expand
But these are times we can expand
The spread of God’s embrace;
The spread of God’s embrace;
The spread of God’s embrace.
The spread of God’s embrace.
“Be ready!” is the call to heed;
“Be ready!” is the call to heed;
This time may not return
This time may not return
To show compassion, gentleness,
To show compassion, gentleness,
To speak a word of thoughtfulness –
To speak a word of thoughtfulness –
A sign of God’s concern;
A sign of God’s concern;
A sign of God’s concern.
A sign of God’s concern.
The past is past, forever fixed;
The past is past, forever fixed;
The future’s yet to come;
The future’s yet to come;
Yet here and now we have the chance
Yet here and now we have the chance
To show our love and thus enhance
To show our love and thus enhance
The life we might become;
The life we might become;
The life we might become.
The life we might become.
Tune Repton AHB 519(ii) TiS 598
a77.pdf Mus