Keep Awake

Sunday, November 8th, 2020 Proper 27

The Collect

 O God, whose blessed Son came into the world that he might destroy the works of the devil and make us children of God and heirs of eternal life: Grant that, having this hope, we may purify ourselves as he is pure; that, when he comes again with power and great glory, we may be made like him in his eternal and glorious kingdom; where he lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. 

First Lesson Joshua 24:1-3a, 14-25 

Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, and summoned the elders, the heads, the judges, and the officers of Israel; and they presented themselves before God. And Joshua said to all the people, “Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: Long ago your ancestors—Terah and his sons Abraham and Nahor—lived beyond the Euphrates and served other gods. Then I took your father Abraham from beyond the River and led him through all the land of Canaan and made his offspring many. “Now therefore revere the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness; put away the gods that your ancestors served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. Now if you are unwilling to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served in the region beyond the River or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.” Then the people answered, “Far be it from us that we should forsake the LORD to serve other gods; for it is the LORD our God who brought us and our ancestors up from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, and who did those great signs in our sight. He protected us along all the way that we went, and among all the peoples through whom we passed; and the LORD drove out before us all the peoples, the Amorites who lived in the land. Therefore we also will serve the LORD, for he is our God.” But Joshua said to the people, “You cannot serve the LORD, for he is a holy God. He is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions or your sins. If you forsake the LORD and serve foreign gods, then he will turn and do you harm, and consume you, after having done you good.” And the people said to Joshua, “No, we will serve the LORD!” Then Joshua said to the people, “You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen the LORD, to serve him.” And they said, “We are witnesses.” He said, “Then put away the foreign gods that are among you, and incline your hearts to the LORD, the God of Israel.” The people said to Joshua, “The LORD our God we will serve, and him we will obey.” So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and made statutes and ordinances for them at Shechem.

 

Psalm 78:1-7 

1 Hear my teaching, O my people; * 

incline your ears to the words of my mouth. 

2 I will open my mouth in a parable; *

 I will declare the mysteries of ancient times. 

3 That which we have heard and known,

 and what our forefathers have told us, * 

we will not hide from their children. 

4 We will recount to generations to come the

 praiseworthy deeds and the power of the LORD, *

 and the wonderful works he has done. 

5 He gave his decrees to Jacob and established a law for Israel, * 

which he commanded them to teach their children; 

6 That the generations to come might know, 

and the children yet unborn; *

 that they in their turn might tell it to their children; 

7 So that they might put their trust in God, *

 and not forget the deeds of God, 

but keep his commandments; 

Second Lesson 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 

We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about those who have died, so that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have died. For this we declare to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will by no means precede those who have died. For the Lord himself, with a cry of command, with the archangel's call and with the sound of God's trumpet, will descend from heaven, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up in the clouds together with them to meet the Lord in the air; and so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words. 

The Gospel Matthew 25:1-13

 Jesus said, “Then the kingdom of heaven will be like this. Ten bridesmaids took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. When the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them; but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. As the bridegroom was delayed, all of them became drowsy and slept. But at midnight there was a shout, ‘Look! Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ Then all those bridesmaids got up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise replied, ‘No! there will not be enough for you and for us; you had better go to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.’ And while they went to buy it, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went with him into the wedding banquet; and the door was shut. Later the other bridesmaids came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I do not know you.’ Keep awake therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.”

Keep Awake - A Litany 

Gracious and most loving God

you are the Author of justice

the One who is the source of Peace

and the Remedy for all our woes.

Help us to stay awake and keep our lamps burning.

We have spent our days in anxiety

on the edge and  hardly able to sleep

there is so much disease and division

our hearts are heavy with our failures.

Help us to stay awake and keep our lamps burning.

The evil we know as a pandemic

is revived and striking all over

the evil we see as greed and selfishness

is tearing our communities apart.

Help us to stay awake and keep our lamps burning.

O loving Creator remake us all

give us hearts that embrace all

make us sisters, brothers and family again

so that peace might reign once again.

Help us to stay awake and keep our lamps burning.Amen