SSJE

Br. Luke Ditewig

Titus 2:1-14

Psalm 37:1-6, 28-29

Luke 17:7-10

“Put your trust in the Lord, and do good.”[i] “Do not fret because of the wicked; do not be envious of wrong-doers, for they will soon fade like the grass … . Trust in the Lord … .”[ii] In a “trust fall,” one trusts a group below will catch them safely. To float in water, one lets go trusting water will support the body. Trust is the firm belief in the ability or strength of another.

Some trust in particular people, in technology, weapons, and possessions. Psalm 20 says, “Some put their trust in chariots and some in horses, but we will call upon the Name of the Lord our God.”[iii] At Compline, we prepare to sleep praying: “‘You are my refuge and my stronghold, my God in whom I put my trust.’”[iv] Like floating, sleep is surrender, a vulnerable letting go, not grasping or clinging.

“Do good” says the psalmist. Be righteous. Do justice. Teach, urge, and do good, says the Letter to Titus. Lead and encourage prudence, endurance, kindness, self-control, and fidelity. Personal and communal integrity matter and witness to God.

Today’s gospel and epistle texts are hard to hear with the slave language. Eugene Peterson paraphrases the end of our gospel in The Message: “Does the servant get special thanks for doing what’s expected … ? It’s the same with you. When you’ve done everything expected of you, be matter-of-fact and say, ‘The work is done. What we were told to do, we did.’”

All, including leaders of the church, are Jesus’ servants. Jesus gives a upside down image of being master and leader. Jesus does the most menial task in washing feet at the Last Supper and says do likewise.

You told us to do good, and so we have. We have no reason to be lax in integrity. Leaders are not exempt from service. As we shall sing: “O Jesus, I have promised to serve thee to the end; O give me grace to follow, my Master and my friend.”[v]

Give us grace to let go of grasping our own strength and abilities or those of another human. Grace to lean back into buoyant water, freefall into supporting arms, and go to sleep with the firm belief that God is good and will keep saving. Do good works and encourage it. Be kind, self-controlled. Keep your promises. Be sound in speech and action. Let your feet be washed and wash others’. “Put your trust in the Lord, and do good.”

[i] The refrain we sang for tonight’s psalm

[ii] Psalm 37:1-3a

[iii] Psalm 20:7

[iv] Psalm 91:2

[v] “O Jesus, I have promised” by John Ernest Bode (1816-1874), alt. #655 in The Hymnal 1982.