judges: Correcting your spiritual vision
July 2 Service (Note: start time is at 10 am)
Note: There are no in-person services at CCFC this week. We will broadcast a service of Morning Prayer at 9:00 am on Sunday morning, then meet at the Aspinwall RiverTrail Park at 10 am (please note the earlier start time!) for a shortened service with a Homily & Holy Communion. Children’s Ministry will be available. Stay after for BYOB Coffee Hour!
Sermon Title: The Cycle Must Be Broken
Preacher: The Rev. Alex Shuttleworth
The collect for the day
Lord of all power and might, the author and giver of all good things: Graft in our hearts the love of your Name, increase in us true religion, nourish us with all goodness, and bring forth in us the fruit of good works; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
The FIRST lesson: Judges 2: 16-3:6
The Lord Raises Up Judges
16 Then the Lord raised up judges, who saved them out of the hand of those who plundered them. 17 Yet they did not listen to their judges, for they whored after other gods and bowed down to them. They soon turned aside from the way in which their fathers had walked, who had obeyed the commandments of the Lord, and they did not do so. 18 Whenever the Lord raised up judges for them, the Lord was with the judge, and he saved them from the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge. For the Lord was moved to pity by their groaning because of those who afflicted and oppressed them. 19 But whenever the judge died, they turned back and were more corrupt than their fathers, going after other gods, serving them and bowing down to them. They did not drop any of their practices or their stubborn ways. 20 So the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he said, “Because this people have transgressed my covenant that I commanded their fathers and have not obeyed my voice, 21 I will no longer drive out before them any of the nations that Joshua left when he died, 22 in order to test Israel by them, whether they will take care to walk in the way of the Lord as their fathers did, or not.” 23 So the Lord left those nations, not driving them out quickly, and he did not give them into the hand of Joshua.
3 Now these are the nations that the Lord left, to test Israel by them, that is, all in Israel who had not experienced all the wars in Canaan. 2 It was only in order that the generations of the people of Israel might know war, to teach war to those who had not known it before. 3 These are the nations: the five lords of the Philistines and all the Canaanites and the Sidonians and the Hivites who lived on Mount Lebanon, from Mount Baal-hermon as far as Lebo-hamath. 4 They were for the testing of Israel, to know whether Israel would obey the commandments of the Lord, which he commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses. 5 So the people of Israel lived among the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. 6 And their daughters they took to themselves for wives, and their own daughters they gave to their sons, and they served their gods.
psalm 106: 40-45
40 And he gave them over into the hands of the nations,
and those who hated them were lords over them.
41 Their enemies oppressed them
and held them in subjection.
42 Many a time did he deliver them,
but they rebelled against him through their own devices,
and were brought down in their wickedness.
43 Nevertheless, when he saw their adversity,
when he heard their lamentation,
44 He remembered his covenant and pitied them, according to the multitude of his mercies;
he made all those who led them away captive to pity them.
45 Deliver us, O Lord our God, and gather us from among the nations,
that we may give thanks to your holy Name and make our boast of your praise.
BCP 2019
The gospel: john 16: 32-33
32 Behold, the hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, each to his own home, and will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone, for the Father is with me. 33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
