The Rev. Jay Lawlor sermon “Keeping Time with Jesus” for the 2nd Sunday After Pentecost, June 18, 2017

The Rev. Jay Lawlor was visiting clergy at Church of the Nativity (Episcopal), Indianapolis on June 18, 2017.

INDIANAPOLIS, IN, US, February 22, 2018 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The Rev. Jay Lawlor preached a sermon titled “Keeping Time with Jesus” for the Second Sunday After Pentecost, Year A, June 18, 2017 at Church of the Nativity (Episcopal) in Indianapolis, Indiana. The readings for the day were: Genesis 18:1-15, 21:1-7; Psalm 116:1, 10-17; Romans 5:1-8; and Matthew 9:35—10:14. Following is an excerpt from the Rev. Lawlor's sermon:

Following Trinity Sunday last week, the lectionary begins the longest season of the Church year. The Season After Pentecost, also known as Ordinary Time. If you like the color green, you are in luck. If you don’t, then you will need to grin and bear it.

And while this Season After Pentecost is often referred to as Ordinary Time, there really is nothing “ordinary” about it. Not in the sense of being routine or regular. The word Ordinary means Counted Time. Now this is not to be confused with Episcospeak when we say “Ordinary” in referring to the bishop. So if Ordinary Time is Counted Time, what does that mean for us? It is the daily life of the Church – our daily life as followers of Jesus. So this is Counted Time with Jesus. We are keeping time with Jesus.

As we are keeping time with Jesus we are exploring more deeply the Gospel featured during this season, based on the three-year lectionary cycle. Year A is Matthew, Year B is Mark, and Year C is Luke. John doesn’t get his own year, but is sprinkled throughout. We are in Year A, so we will be exploring deeply the Gospel According to Matthew.

On Trinity Sunday we found ourselves at the very end of Matthew’s Gospel with the Great Commission. Jesus gave us some wonderful teaching on the meaning of discipleship/what discipleship is all about. This week we are journeying through Matthew chapters nine and ten. And today’s lesson is all about moving out into the world. It’s where the souls of the disciples sandals meet the dusty roads.

As Jesus sends the disciples to bring the Good News of the Reign of God, there are two important things we should notice. The first is that as Jesus saw the crowds he had compassion – particularly for those who are excluded. Jesus is sending the disciples out in love. Everything to come in Matthew’s gospel during this long stretch of the Church year needs to be seen through this lens of love.

The full transcript of the Rev. Jay Lawlor's sermon "Keeping Time with Jesus" is available at https://www.therevjaylawlor.com/rev-jay-lawlor-sermon-2nd-sun-pentecost-year-jun-18-2017/

The Rev. Jay Lawlor
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