The Third Sunday after Pentecost A, June 18, 2023
The Third Sunday after Pentecost A, June 18, 2023
The Lord announces a simple reality: all the earth belongs to him (vs. 5). Of all the peoples… of all the things… of the entire earth, the Lord has chosen from among all that multitude and plenitude… he has chosen the Israelites. He has made them his people. The Lord’s choosing has set them apart from the multitude of people… from the plenitude of things. The Lord’s choosing has provided them with an exclusivity not available to all other peoples or all other things.
In their exclusivity, the people of Israel have been the beneficiaries of the Lord’s mighty deeds. He overthrew the Egyptians, freeing the Israelites from bondage. The Lord carried the people as if on eagles’ wings out of Egypt and to himself there at Sinai. (vs. 4). The Lord has given them his voice… his voice speaking his word, a word not given to other people. The Lord has given the Israelites a covenant… a promise… a promise not made with other tribes or nations. As the Israelites heed this word from the Lord… as they enjoy the promise he made with them… the Israelites will be the Lord’s “treasured possession” (vs. 5). The Israelites will be the Lord’s own “holy nation” (vs. 6), a nation set apart for the Lord by the Lord himself.
You are the new Israel. Yes, you who have been chosen by the Lord himself… elected to salvation in the pouring of God’s Word into your ears… the pouring of water and Word over your head… the pouring of wine (the blood of Christ) past your lips… by the washing away of your sin in the flood of forgiveness which is the gospel of Jesus Christ. These are the mighty acts of the Lord done in your midst. These are the “eagles’ wings” which the Lord uses to bear you to himself. These deliver the promise of the Lord to you assuring you that you are his most “treasured possession.” Heed this Word… live to this promise… you are a holy nation… a nation set apart for the Lord by the Lord himself.
Table Talk: Discuss the implications of your Lord establishing a New Israel by choosing a new kingdom of priests from among the Gentiles.
Pray: Heavenly Father, speak your Word that I would live from it. Amen
Exodus 19:2-8
2 They set out from Rephidim and came into the wilderness of Sinai, and they encamped in the wilderness. There Israel encamped before the mountain, 3 while Moses went up to God. The Lord called to him out of the mountain, saying, Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the people of Israel: 4 You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. 5 Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine; 6 and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. These are the words that you shall speak to the people of Israel.
7 So Moses came and called the elders of the people and set before them all these words that the Lord had commanded him. 8 All the people answered together and said, All that the Lord has spoken we will do. And Moses reported the words of the people to the Lord.