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UID:10001596-1789862400-1789948799@laughingbird.net
SUMMARY:Proper 20 - Year A
DESCRIPTION:Below you will find the Bible readings set for this occasion in the Revised Common Lectionary\, with our Australian idiomatic paraphrases of them\, plus prayers and sermons based on them. \n\n\n\nBible Readings (paraphrased)\n\n\n\nLections from The Revised Common Lectionary. Copyright 1992 by the Consultation on Common Texts(CCT) P.O. Box 340003\, Room 381\, Nashville\, TN 37203-0003\, USA. Used with Permission. \n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  Exodus 16: 2-15			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Once they were on their own in the outback\, the Israelite people began to lose their nerve and worry about how they were going to survive\, and the whole crowd started whingeing and criticising Moses and Aaron. The people were saying\, “We would have been better off waiting for the LORD to kill us back in Egypt. At least there was always a pot of stew on the boil there\, and as much bread as we could eat. But you two have dragged us out into the scrub so that you can starve us all to death out here.” \nThen the LORD said to Moses\, “I am going to make bread fall from the sky like rain for you. Each day the people are to go out and collect enough for that day only. I am going to test out the people to see whether or not they will do what I tell them. They are not to stockpile it\, except on the day before the Sabbath day off\, when there will be twice as much as usual for them to collect and prepare.” \nSo Moses and Aaron spoke to the people saying\, “You have been whingeing about the LORD\, and the LORD has heard you and is going to do something about your complaint. This evening you will be convinced that it was the LORD who got you out of the land of slavery\, and in the morning you will witness the glory of the LORD. So stop giving us such a hard time.” \nAnd Moses added\, “You will know that it is the LORD's doing when you have meat for dinner in the evening and all the bread you can eat in the morning\, because the LORD has listened to your complaints and responded. Then you will realise that we had nothing to do with it\, and that your whingeing has not been about us but about the LORD.” \nThen Moses said to Aaron\, “Give this message to the whole Israelite congregation: ‘Draw close to the LORD\, for the LORD has listened to your complaints.’” \nAnd even as Aaron was addressing the gathered people\, they looked out across the desert and witnessed an awesome display of the LORD’s glory in the clouds. \nThe LORD spoke to Moses and said\, “Because I have listened to the people’s problems\, I want you to give them this message: ‘At sundown you will have meat to eat\, and in the morning you will have plenty of bread. Then you will know for sure that I am the LORD your God.” \nThat evening\, an enormous flock of game birds came in and settled all over the camp where the people could pick them off with ease. Then in the morning\, the ground was covered in dew\, and as the dew dried\, it left a layer of fine flaky stuff on the ground. It looked like a light sprinkling of snow on the desert floor. When the people saw it\, they had no idea what it was and began to ask one another\, “What on earth is this stuff?” \nMoses told them\, “This is the bread that the LORD has provided for you to gather up and eat.” \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Psalm 105: 1-6\, 37-45			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	We shout your name and give you thanks\, LORD;\nwe will tell everyone what you have done for us.\nWe sing your praises in your presence\,\nand publicise your wonderful achievements. \nWe put your name up in lights\, your name alone;\nour hearts burst with joy when we approach you.\nIt is you we want most of all\, you and your strength;\nwe try to keep near to you all the time. \nLike all the descendants of Abraham and Jacob\,\nand all your chosen children\,\nwe remember all the astonishing things you have done\nand the breath-taking wisdom of your decisions. \nYou led Israel out of slavery\,\ncarrying off money and goods\,\nand every one of them made it out safely.\nThe local people were glad to see the last of them\,\nbecause they were terrified of them. \nYou rolled out a cloud like a blanket for them\,\nand lit up the night with a fire.\nThey asked for meat and you gave them quail;\nall they could eat\, you dropped from the sky.\nYou opened a rock and water poured out\,\nflowing like a river in the desert. \nYou were true to your word\, LORD\,\njust as you promised your trusty worker\, Abraham.\nYour led your chosen people to freedom\,\nlaughing and singing with joy. \nYou gave them lands as a gift\nand made them rich at the expense of others.\nIn return you asked that they follow what you said\,\nand stick to doing things your way. \nYou are the greatest\, LORD! \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Philippians 1: 21-30			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	I am on a winner whether I live or die\, because for me living is positively full of the Messiah and dying is full of positives! If I was to go on living in the here and now\, that would allow me to keep working and score a few more goals. I don’t know which to wish for! If I was given a say in it\, I’d be hard pressed to choose between them. On the one hand\, I can hardly wait for the day when I shuffle off this mortal coil to be with the Messiah. That will be the ultimate! But on the other hand I know it would be better for you if I were to stick with you. Because I know that that is the case\, I’m pretty sure that I will be sticking around and continuing to get stuck into it with all of you\, helping you to grow in the faith and enjoy it to the full. My arriving among you again will give you even more cause to trumpet on about being on the winning side with Jesus the Messiah\, and I’ll get to share in the celebrations with you. \nOne thing though! See to it that as a community\, your common life measures up to the message we proclaim about the Messiah. If it does\, I won’t have to worry about whether I make it back to be with you or whether I only ever get to hear occasional news of you. Either way I will know that you are standing firm in one spirit and working together shoulder to shoulder with your minds set on the one goal of fully living out the faith we talk about. And I will know that you are not backing down in the least before the threats that are being made against you. Such a life will stand as a warning to those who are out to get you\, pointing to the terrifying fate which awaits them and to the life of salvation which awaits you. This\, of course\, is all God’s doing. God has been generous enough to not only allow you to live with your trust in Christ\, but to give you the privilege of suffering for the Messiah as well. That is why you are now up against it so severely. I was up against the same things last time you saw me — I still am — and now it’s your turn to share in it for the sake of the Messiah. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Matthew 20: 1-16			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	While teaching his followers\, Jesus said\, “Here is a good illustration of the culture of heaven. A building contractor turned up at his job site first thing in the morning and found a queue of casual labourers at the gate looking for work. He offered to pay them the award wage for a day’s labour\, and on that understanding\, they signed on for the day and got stuck into it. At morning smoko\, the boss wandered out the front gate and found another group of labourers standing around with nothing to do\, so he said to them\, ‘Come and work the rest of the day on my site\, and I’ll pay you whatever is right.’ \nThey signed on and got stuck into it. At lunchtime and again at afternoon smoko\, the boss went down to the gate and signed on still more labourers. About an hour before they were due to down tools\, the boss went down to the gate again and found still more unemployed labourers. He said to them\, ‘What are you doing standing around here with your hands in your pockets?’ \nThey replied\, ‘We’re out of work and nothing has come up for us today.’ \nThe boss said to them\, ‘The day’s not done. Sign on here and you can work on my site for the rest of the shift.’ \nAt knock-off time\, the building contractor said to his leading hand\, ‘Call the labourers into the site office and give them their wages\, starting with those who signed on last and working through to those who signed on first thing.’ \nWhen those who had only been on the job for an hour reported in\, they were each paid the award wage for a full day’s labour. So when those who had been hired first came in\, they figured that they would get a substantial bonus\, but each of them was also paid the award wage for a day. When they saw what they had been paid\, they were ropeable\, and sent one of their number in to take it up with the boss\, saying\, ‘Some of these blokes barely worked an hour\, and you’re treating them as though they were worth the same as us who worked our guts out in the blazing sun for the whole day.’ \nBut the boss replied\, ‘I’ve done nothing wrong by you\, Mister. You signed on for the usual daily wage didn’t you? Well\, that’s what I’ve paid you\, so put it in your wallet and get off home. I can pay the latecomers as much as you if I want. It’s my site and my money\, so I can do what I like with them\, can’t I? Or are you offended by my generosity?’” \n“And so things will be completely different\,” Jesus concluded. “The last will be first\, and the first will be last.” \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Below are the alternative 1st Reading and Psalm themed to the Gospel lection			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Prior to the revision of the Lectionary in 1992\, the 1st reading and the psalm that responded to it were chosen to link thematically with the gospel reading. After hearing the critique of those who said that the Hebrew Scriptures\, from which the first reading is usually chosen\, should be allowed to speak with their own voice rather than just add support to the gospel reading\, the Lectionary was revised so that during Ordinary Time\, the 1st reading runs in its own semi-continuous series\, working through various books of the Hebrew Bible. The older themed series continues to be available as an alternative. \nThe weekly prayers offered here at LaughingBird Resources are based on the four readings above\, and do not draw on the themed 1st reading and psalm. \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Jonah 3:10 - 4:11			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	When the people of Nineveh called a day of repentance\, God saw that they really were turning away from evil and getting their lives back on track. So God had a change of heart\, and cancelled the disaster that had been planned for the people of Nineveh. \nBut this outcome was the last thing that Jonah wanted to see\, and his anger raged like a bushfire. He exploded in prayer\, saying\, “Stuff it all\, LORD! Right from the start I said that you couldn’t be trusted to destroy Nineveh! This is exactly what I was trying to avoid by running away in the first place. I knew that you were a God who is compassionate and generous\, as eager to forgive as a doting mother. Your love and loyalty always hold back your anger\, and given half a reason you withhold sentence and let everyone off the hook. Well LORD\, I’ve had a gutful of it. Just kill me now and get it over with. I’d rather die than live\, if this is how it is going to be.” \nThe LORD replied\, “Do you think this burning anger is justified?” \nBut Jonah just stormed out of the city\, heading east\, and made a camp for himself in the bush. He plonked himself down on the ground and waited to see what would become of the city. \nThe LORD commissioned a small tree to shoot up and provide Jonah with shade in an effort to cool his head\, so Jonah was pretty happy about the tree. But before the sun came up the next morning\, God commissioned a grub to bore into the tree so that it shrivelled up. When the sun rose in the sky\, God commissioned a hot muggy wind to blow on Jonah. With the heat of the sun boring into his head\, Jonah was almost passing out from heatstroke and wishing he could just die and get it over with. He said to himself\, “I would be better off dead anyway.” \nThe LORD said to Jonah\, “Do you think this burning anger is justified over losing the tree?” \nJonah snarled back\, “It is perfectly justified\, even if it kills me!” \nThen the LORD said: \n“You felt a wave of compassion for the tree\,\nwhose greatness was no thanks to anything you did\,\nand who sprouted one night and perished the next. \nSo what makes you think that I should not have compassion\nfor the great city of Nineveh\,\nwhose streets are home to a hundred and twenty thousand people\nwho left to their own devices\nwouldn’t know which way to turn\,\nand whose animals live there too?” \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Psalm 145: 1-8			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	We will declare you to be the greatest\, God our king\,\nand put your name up in lights forever. \nEvery day\, without fail\, we will sing your praises\,\nwe will honour your name now and forever. \nYou are wonderful\, LORD; you deserve the highest praise\,\nand your greatness is more than we can comprehend. \nEach generation tells the next what you have done\,\nand speaks with awe about your accomplishments. \nWe will fill our minds with your splendour and glory\,\nand with the stories of your amazing exploits. \nWe will publicise the news of your mighty deeds\nand let everyone know how great you are. \nThen everyone will celebrate your generous love;\nand applaud your justice with singing and dancing. \nYou are generous and compassionate\, LORD;\nslow to anger\, and rich in love and loyalty. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nPrayers\n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  Eucharistic Preface			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Let us lift up our hearts.\nWe lift them to the Lord.\nLet us give thanks to the Lord our God.\nIt is right to give our thanks and praise. \nIt is indeed right to give you our thanks and praise\, O God\,\nfor you provide for the needs of your people\nwith a generosity beyond our comprehension. \nIn the first of your mighty wonders you created the earth\nand filled it with good things.\nWhen you led your people out of slavery\,\nyou heard their cries in the desert\nand gave them food from heaven\nso that they might eat and give thanks to you. \nSo too\, you feed us through your child\, Jesus\,\nthe bread of heaven\,\nwho came to nourish us and strengthen us in the faith.\nThough he was killed\, you raised him to life\,\nand now he gives himself with scandalous extravagance\nto all who respond to his call\,\nthe early comers and late comers alike.\nSo now for us\, through your gracious gift of faith\,\nto live is Christ and to die is gain. \nTherefore with ..... \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Short Preface (for insertion into Eucharistic prayers with fixed prefaces)			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	We give you thanks for the bread of heaven\nwhich you give with scandalous extravagance\nto all who respond to your call\,\nso that for us\, to live is Christ and to die is gain. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  General Prayer of Thanksgiving			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	(Preface reformatted for use apart from communion)\n\nWe give you all thanks and praise\, O God\,\nfor you provide for the needs of your people\nwith a generosity beyond our comprehension. \nIn the first of your mighty wonders you created the earth\nand filled it with good things.\nWhen you led your people out of slavery\,\nyou heard their cries in the desert\nand gave them food from heaven\nand water from the rock. \nSo too\, you came among us in your child\, Jesus\,\nto nourish us and strengthen us in the faith.\nThough he was killed\, you raised him to life\,\nand now he gives himself with scandalous extravagance\nto all who respond to his call\,\nthe early comers and late comers alike.\nSo now for us\, through your gracious gift of faith\,\nto live is Christ and to die is gain. \nTherefore\, with our hearts lifted high\,\nwe offer you thanks and praise at all times\nthrough Jesus Christ our Lord\,\nwho lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit\,\none God\, for ever and ever.\nAmen. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Declaration of Grace / Absolution			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	All who respond to God’s call to repentance\nare embraced in the generous mercy of God.\nWhether you responded to God’s call at the first opportunity\,\nor whether you are responding for the first time now\,\nGod’s gracious forgiveness is yours\, in Jesus Christ. \nSisters and Brothers\,\n  your sins are forgiven;\n    be at peace. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Commission & Benediction			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Go out in the strength of God’s gracious gifts.\nLive lives worthy of the gospel of Christ.\nStand firm in one spirit.\nStrive with one mind for the faith of the gospel. \nAnd may the power and the presence of God go with you.\nMay the Call of Christ lead you into fruitful labour.\nAnd may the Holy Spirit fill you with the joy of grace. \nWe go in peace to love and serve the Lord\,\n   In the name of Christ. Amen. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nSermons\n\n\n\nSermons will open in new tabs from our SYCBaps church website. \n\n\n\n\nThe Gracious InjusticeA sermon on Matthew 20:1-16 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nBread in the WildernessA sermon on Exodus 16: 2-15 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nSometimes Grace StinksA sermon on Matthew 20:1-16 & Exodus 16: 2-15 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nShortchanged?A sermon on Matthew 20:1-16 & Exodus 16: 2-15 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nResenting EqualityA sermon on Matthew 20:1-16 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nAffirmative Action and the GospelA sermon on Matthew 20:1-16 by Nathan Nettleton
URL:https://laughingbird.net/occasion/ap20/2026-09-20/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://laughingbird.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/P20.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20290923T000000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20290923T235959
DTSTAMP:20260406T003115
CREATED:20200824T045716Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20231101T130550Z
UID:10002079-1884816000-1884902399@laughingbird.net
SUMMARY:Proper 20 - Year A
DESCRIPTION:Below you will find the Bible readings set for this occasion in the Revised Common Lectionary\, with our Australian idiomatic paraphrases of them\, plus prayers and sermons based on them. \n\n\n\nBible Readings (paraphrased)\n\n\n\nLections from The Revised Common Lectionary. Copyright 1992 by the Consultation on Common Texts(CCT) P.O. Box 340003\, Room 381\, Nashville\, TN 37203-0003\, USA. Used with Permission. \n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  Exodus 16: 2-15			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Once they were on their own in the outback\, the Israelite people began to lose their nerve and worry about how they were going to survive\, and the whole crowd started whingeing and criticising Moses and Aaron. The people were saying\, “We would have been better off waiting for the LORD to kill us back in Egypt. At least there was always a pot of stew on the boil there\, and as much bread as we could eat. But you two have dragged us out into the scrub so that you can starve us all to death out here.” \nThen the LORD said to Moses\, “I am going to make bread fall from the sky like rain for you. Each day the people are to go out and collect enough for that day only. I am going to test out the people to see whether or not they will do what I tell them. They are not to stockpile it\, except on the day before the Sabbath day off\, when there will be twice as much as usual for them to collect and prepare.” \nSo Moses and Aaron spoke to the people saying\, “You have been whingeing about the LORD\, and the LORD has heard you and is going to do something about your complaint. This evening you will be convinced that it was the LORD who got you out of the land of slavery\, and in the morning you will witness the glory of the LORD. So stop giving us such a hard time.” \nAnd Moses added\, “You will know that it is the LORD's doing when you have meat for dinner in the evening and all the bread you can eat in the morning\, because the LORD has listened to your complaints and responded. Then you will realise that we had nothing to do with it\, and that your whingeing has not been about us but about the LORD.” \nThen Moses said to Aaron\, “Give this message to the whole Israelite congregation: ‘Draw close to the LORD\, for the LORD has listened to your complaints.’” \nAnd even as Aaron was addressing the gathered people\, they looked out across the desert and witnessed an awesome display of the LORD’s glory in the clouds. \nThe LORD spoke to Moses and said\, “Because I have listened to the people’s problems\, I want you to give them this message: ‘At sundown you will have meat to eat\, and in the morning you will have plenty of bread. Then you will know for sure that I am the LORD your God.” \nThat evening\, an enormous flock of game birds came in and settled all over the camp where the people could pick them off with ease. Then in the morning\, the ground was covered in dew\, and as the dew dried\, it left a layer of fine flaky stuff on the ground. It looked like a light sprinkling of snow on the desert floor. When the people saw it\, they had no idea what it was and began to ask one another\, “What on earth is this stuff?” \nMoses told them\, “This is the bread that the LORD has provided for you to gather up and eat.” \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Psalm 105: 1-6\, 37-45			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	We shout your name and give you thanks\, LORD;\nwe will tell everyone what you have done for us.\nWe sing your praises in your presence\,\nand publicise your wonderful achievements. \nWe put your name up in lights\, your name alone;\nour hearts burst with joy when we approach you.\nIt is you we want most of all\, you and your strength;\nwe try to keep near to you all the time. \nLike all the descendants of Abraham and Jacob\,\nand all your chosen children\,\nwe remember all the astonishing things you have done\nand the breath-taking wisdom of your decisions. \nYou led Israel out of slavery\,\ncarrying off money and goods\,\nand every one of them made it out safely.\nThe local people were glad to see the last of them\,\nbecause they were terrified of them. \nYou rolled out a cloud like a blanket for them\,\nand lit up the night with a fire.\nThey asked for meat and you gave them quail;\nall they could eat\, you dropped from the sky.\nYou opened a rock and water poured out\,\nflowing like a river in the desert. \nYou were true to your word\, LORD\,\njust as you promised your trusty worker\, Abraham.\nYour led your chosen people to freedom\,\nlaughing and singing with joy. \nYou gave them lands as a gift\nand made them rich at the expense of others.\nIn return you asked that they follow what you said\,\nand stick to doing things your way. \nYou are the greatest\, LORD! \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Philippians 1: 21-30			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	I am on a winner whether I live or die\, because for me living is positively full of the Messiah and dying is full of positives! If I was to go on living in the here and now\, that would allow me to keep working and score a few more goals. I don’t know which to wish for! If I was given a say in it\, I’d be hard pressed to choose between them. On the one hand\, I can hardly wait for the day when I shuffle off this mortal coil to be with the Messiah. That will be the ultimate! But on the other hand I know it would be better for you if I were to stick with you. Because I know that that is the case\, I’m pretty sure that I will be sticking around and continuing to get stuck into it with all of you\, helping you to grow in the faith and enjoy it to the full. My arriving among you again will give you even more cause to trumpet on about being on the winning side with Jesus the Messiah\, and I’ll get to share in the celebrations with you. \nOne thing though! See to it that as a community\, your common life measures up to the message we proclaim about the Messiah. If it does\, I won’t have to worry about whether I make it back to be with you or whether I only ever get to hear occasional news of you. Either way I will know that you are standing firm in one spirit and working together shoulder to shoulder with your minds set on the one goal of fully living out the faith we talk about. And I will know that you are not backing down in the least before the threats that are being made against you. Such a life will stand as a warning to those who are out to get you\, pointing to the terrifying fate which awaits them and to the life of salvation which awaits you. This\, of course\, is all God’s doing. God has been generous enough to not only allow you to live with your trust in Christ\, but to give you the privilege of suffering for the Messiah as well. That is why you are now up against it so severely. I was up against the same things last time you saw me — I still am — and now it’s your turn to share in it for the sake of the Messiah. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Matthew 20: 1-16			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	While teaching his followers\, Jesus said\, “Here is a good illustration of the culture of heaven. A building contractor turned up at his job site first thing in the morning and found a queue of casual labourers at the gate looking for work. He offered to pay them the award wage for a day’s labour\, and on that understanding\, they signed on for the day and got stuck into it. At morning smoko\, the boss wandered out the front gate and found another group of labourers standing around with nothing to do\, so he said to them\, ‘Come and work the rest of the day on my site\, and I’ll pay you whatever is right.’ \nThey signed on and got stuck into it. At lunchtime and again at afternoon smoko\, the boss went down to the gate and signed on still more labourers. About an hour before they were due to down tools\, the boss went down to the gate again and found still more unemployed labourers. He said to them\, ‘What are you doing standing around here with your hands in your pockets?’ \nThey replied\, ‘We’re out of work and nothing has come up for us today.’ \nThe boss said to them\, ‘The day’s not done. Sign on here and you can work on my site for the rest of the shift.’ \nAt knock-off time\, the building contractor said to his leading hand\, ‘Call the labourers into the site office and give them their wages\, starting with those who signed on last and working through to those who signed on first thing.’ \nWhen those who had only been on the job for an hour reported in\, they were each paid the award wage for a full day’s labour. So when those who had been hired first came in\, they figured that they would get a substantial bonus\, but each of them was also paid the award wage for a day. When they saw what they had been paid\, they were ropeable\, and sent one of their number in to take it up with the boss\, saying\, ‘Some of these blokes barely worked an hour\, and you’re treating them as though they were worth the same as us who worked our guts out in the blazing sun for the whole day.’ \nBut the boss replied\, ‘I’ve done nothing wrong by you\, Mister. You signed on for the usual daily wage didn’t you? Well\, that’s what I’ve paid you\, so put it in your wallet and get off home. I can pay the latecomers as much as you if I want. It’s my site and my money\, so I can do what I like with them\, can’t I? Or are you offended by my generosity?’” \n“And so things will be completely different\,” Jesus concluded. “The last will be first\, and the first will be last.” \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Below are the alternative 1st Reading and Psalm themed to the Gospel lection			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Prior to the revision of the Lectionary in 1992\, the 1st reading and the psalm that responded to it were chosen to link thematically with the gospel reading. After hearing the critique of those who said that the Hebrew Scriptures\, from which the first reading is usually chosen\, should be allowed to speak with their own voice rather than just add support to the gospel reading\, the Lectionary was revised so that during Ordinary Time\, the 1st reading runs in its own semi-continuous series\, working through various books of the Hebrew Bible. The older themed series continues to be available as an alternative. \nThe weekly prayers offered here at LaughingBird Resources are based on the four readings above\, and do not draw on the themed 1st reading and psalm. \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Jonah 3:10 - 4:11			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	When the people of Nineveh called a day of repentance\, God saw that they really were turning away from evil and getting their lives back on track. So God had a change of heart\, and cancelled the disaster that had been planned for the people of Nineveh. \nBut this outcome was the last thing that Jonah wanted to see\, and his anger raged like a bushfire. He exploded in prayer\, saying\, “Stuff it all\, LORD! Right from the start I said that you couldn’t be trusted to destroy Nineveh! This is exactly what I was trying to avoid by running away in the first place. I knew that you were a God who is compassionate and generous\, as eager to forgive as a doting mother. Your love and loyalty always hold back your anger\, and given half a reason you withhold sentence and let everyone off the hook. Well LORD\, I’ve had a gutful of it. Just kill me now and get it over with. I’d rather die than live\, if this is how it is going to be.” \nThe LORD replied\, “Do you think this burning anger is justified?” \nBut Jonah just stormed out of the city\, heading east\, and made a camp for himself in the bush. He plonked himself down on the ground and waited to see what would become of the city. \nThe LORD commissioned a small tree to shoot up and provide Jonah with shade in an effort to cool his head\, so Jonah was pretty happy about the tree. But before the sun came up the next morning\, God commissioned a grub to bore into the tree so that it shrivelled up. When the sun rose in the sky\, God commissioned a hot muggy wind to blow on Jonah. With the heat of the sun boring into his head\, Jonah was almost passing out from heatstroke and wishing he could just die and get it over with. He said to himself\, “I would be better off dead anyway.” \nThe LORD said to Jonah\, “Do you think this burning anger is justified over losing the tree?” \nJonah snarled back\, “It is perfectly justified\, even if it kills me!” \nThen the LORD said: \n“You felt a wave of compassion for the tree\,\nwhose greatness was no thanks to anything you did\,\nand who sprouted one night and perished the next. \nSo what makes you think that I should not have compassion\nfor the great city of Nineveh\,\nwhose streets are home to a hundred and twenty thousand people\nwho left to their own devices\nwouldn’t know which way to turn\,\nand whose animals live there too?” \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Psalm 145: 1-8			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	We will declare you to be the greatest\, God our king\,\nand put your name up in lights forever. \nEvery day\, without fail\, we will sing your praises\,\nwe will honour your name now and forever. \nYou are wonderful\, LORD; you deserve the highest praise\,\nand your greatness is more than we can comprehend. \nEach generation tells the next what you have done\,\nand speaks with awe about your accomplishments. \nWe will fill our minds with your splendour and glory\,\nand with the stories of your amazing exploits. \nWe will publicise the news of your mighty deeds\nand let everyone know how great you are. \nThen everyone will celebrate your generous love;\nand applaud your justice with singing and dancing. \nYou are generous and compassionate\, LORD;\nslow to anger\, and rich in love and loyalty. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nPrayers\n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  Eucharistic Preface			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Let us lift up our hearts.\nWe lift them to the Lord.\nLet us give thanks to the Lord our God.\nIt is right to give our thanks and praise. \nIt is indeed right to give you our thanks and praise\, O God\,\nfor you provide for the needs of your people\nwith a generosity beyond our comprehension. \nIn the first of your mighty wonders you created the earth\nand filled it with good things.\nWhen you led your people out of slavery\,\nyou heard their cries in the desert\nand gave them food from heaven\nso that they might eat and give thanks to you. \nSo too\, you feed us through your child\, Jesus\,\nthe bread of heaven\,\nwho came to nourish us and strengthen us in the faith.\nThough he was killed\, you raised him to life\,\nand now he gives himself with scandalous extravagance\nto all who respond to his call\,\nthe early comers and late comers alike.\nSo now for us\, through your gracious gift of faith\,\nto live is Christ and to die is gain. \nTherefore with ..... \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Short Preface (for insertion into Eucharistic prayers with fixed prefaces)			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	We give you thanks for the bread of heaven\nwhich you give with scandalous extravagance\nto all who respond to your call\,\nso that for us\, to live is Christ and to die is gain. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  General Prayer of Thanksgiving			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	(Preface reformatted for use apart from communion)\n\nWe give you all thanks and praise\, O God\,\nfor you provide for the needs of your people\nwith a generosity beyond our comprehension. \nIn the first of your mighty wonders you created the earth\nand filled it with good things.\nWhen you led your people out of slavery\,\nyou heard their cries in the desert\nand gave them food from heaven\nand water from the rock. \nSo too\, you came among us in your child\, Jesus\,\nto nourish us and strengthen us in the faith.\nThough he was killed\, you raised him to life\,\nand now he gives himself with scandalous extravagance\nto all who respond to his call\,\nthe early comers and late comers alike.\nSo now for us\, through your gracious gift of faith\,\nto live is Christ and to die is gain. \nTherefore\, with our hearts lifted high\,\nwe offer you thanks and praise at all times\nthrough Jesus Christ our Lord\,\nwho lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit\,\none God\, for ever and ever.\nAmen. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Declaration of Grace / Absolution			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	All who respond to God’s call to repentance\nare embraced in the generous mercy of God.\nWhether you responded to God’s call at the first opportunity\,\nor whether you are responding for the first time now\,\nGod’s gracious forgiveness is yours\, in Jesus Christ. \nSisters and Brothers\,\n  your sins are forgiven;\n    be at peace. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Commission & Benediction			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Go out in the strength of God’s gracious gifts.\nLive lives worthy of the gospel of Christ.\nStand firm in one spirit.\nStrive with one mind for the faith of the gospel. \nAnd may the power and the presence of God go with you.\nMay the Call of Christ lead you into fruitful labour.\nAnd may the Holy Spirit fill you with the joy of grace. \nWe go in peace to love and serve the Lord\,\n   In the name of Christ. Amen. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nSermons\n\n\n\nSermons will open in new tabs from our SYCBaps church website. \n\n\n\n\nThe Gracious InjusticeA sermon on Matthew 20:1-16 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nBread in the WildernessA sermon on Exodus 16: 2-15 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nSometimes Grace StinksA sermon on Matthew 20:1-16 & Exodus 16: 2-15 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nShortchanged?A sermon on Matthew 20:1-16 & Exodus 16: 2-15 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nResenting EqualityA sermon on Matthew 20:1-16 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nAffirmative Action and the GospelA sermon on Matthew 20:1-16 by Nathan Nettleton
URL:https://laughingbird.net/occasion/ap20/2029-09-23/
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