Bible Study: Proper 19 (C) – 2025

RCL: Jeremiah 4:11-12, 22-28; Psalm 14; 1 Timothy 1:12-17; Luke 15:1-10

Jeremiah 4:11-12, 22-28

The prophet Jeremiah was active from the time of the reforms introduced by Josiah until the destruction of Jerusalem by King Nebuchadnezzar II. Josiah’s reforms were an attempt to guide Judah back to living in a faithful covenantal relationship with God, as taught by Moses and recorded in the Book of Deuteronomy. In this passage from Jeremiah, the prophet is announcing the consequences that Judah will suffer, just as the northern kingdom of Israel suffered, for breaking their covenant with God, worshiping idols and foreign gods, and coveting the riches and lifestyles of neighboring kingdoms. Those with political power live in decadence while ignoring the needs of the poor, their fellow Israelites. In the verses that are omitted from our reading, 4:13-21, Jeremiah describes Jerusalem besieged by an invading army as a result of how they have been living and their unwillingness to repent and return to God. These passages from the prophet are difficult to read and make sense of when we proclaim a gospel of grace and forgiveness, reconciliation and redemption. Rather than consider the Israelites as “sinners in the hands of an angry God,” it might be more helpful to see the plight of the people of Judah as the natural consequences of wars among nations and the rise and fall of kingdoms and empires. The natural consequence of loving God and loving our neighbors is peace; chasing wealth and power brings strife and conflict, which naturally leads to suffering and death for the innocent as well as the guilty.

• What aspects of our culture feel like idols that people worship while neglecting the needs of others? How do you resist the temptation of worshipping those idols?
• How are you and your faith community living into your covenantal relationship with God and acting as agents of peace?

Psalm 14

This psalm is one of those that can be difficult to read and reflect on, but for those of us who read the news on a daily basis, it can feel like another day of scrolling through the headlines. Maybe that’s part of what makes it hard to read; it’s all too clear about the realities of human frailty and the potential for people to exploit one another. Still, the psalm ends on a hopeful note. We are not left to our own devices as we can call upon God for comfort, courage, and strength. The corrupt state of the world does not get to have the final word.

• When have you faced adversity but found refuge in your relationship with God?
• How do you share that experience with others?

1 Timothy 1:12-17

In this passage from Paul’s letter, we hear him admitting that he has been one of the evildoers that we heard about from Jeremiah and the psalmist. Paul admits to having been a blasphemer, a persecutor, and a man of violence. He demonstrates for us the need to approach God with humility, to recognize our own faults, admit to them, and having done so, we are prepared to receive God’s grace. We know from Acts that Paul received God’s grace while he was still an evildoer, before he repented of his sins against God and the followers of Jesus. And like Paul, after we recognize the grace that God has shown to us, we can ask God to help us to show that same grace to others, because we recognize, as Paul wrote to the church in Rome, “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).

• How have God’s patience and mercy with your weaknesses and faults changed your attitude toward people whom you consider to be evildoers?

Luke 15:1-10

There are a number of places in Luke where the evangelist tells of Jesus being criticized for keeping company with people the religious authorities look down upon or reject. In addition to teaching in the Temple and synagogues and having friends and disciples among those in positions of honor and privilege, Jesus associated with people on the margins of society, those who were outcasts because of their professions or behavior. This was not a distant charitable ministry for Jesus; he shared table fellowship with them and ate and drank with them, often as a guest. Jesus became a friend to sinners, which is to say that God loved the sinners of the world so much that he became incarnate to befriend them in a very real and personal way. To the Pharisees and scribes, that idea would have been blasphemous. So, Jesus tells them a couple of stories, and after each one, points out that God rejoices in the repentance of sinners. In fact, God finds more joy in the repentance of one sinner than in the ninety-nine righteous people who don’t need to repent.

• When have you felt like one of the lost sheep, or perhaps on the outside of the sheepfold looking in?
• How do you follow Jesus in befriending those on the margins in your community? How do you welcome people that others reject?

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