Thoughts on Today’s Lessons for Sunday, Aug. 18, 2013.

First Reading: Isaiah 5:1-7
Isaiah, foreseeing the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple and Judah’s exile in Babylon, frames today’s reading as a love song to God’s beautiful vineyard; but the narrative goes downhill fast. Although it was thoughtfully planted and carefully tended, the vineyard produced sour, unusable grapes. God is outdone with it and will tend it no more. Then Isaiah names names: The vineyard is the house of Israel, the people of Judah. God planted them to reap righteousness and justice, but they’ve failed in this mission, and their harvest will be bloodshed.

Psalm: Psalm 80
The Psalmist sings a song that bears a close resemblance to Isaiah’s lyrics of God’s lost love. Here, too, we sing of Israel as God’s beloved, well-tended vine, one that grew fruitful and mighty. But now it is ravaged, eaten by forest animals, burned and cut down. Please return and tend this vine, the Psalmist prays. Return life to the exiled people and they won’t betray you again.

First Reading (Track Two): Jeremiah 23:23-29
Do you think of God as being “transcendent,” or “wholly other,” distinct from the world? Or is God “immanent,” right here around us and present in our lives? The Prophet Jeremiah, who spoke words of doom and warning before the destruction of the first Jerusalem temple, finds God in both places. Don’t think that God is only far off, Jeremiah warns: God is nearby, too. In words that Christians might see as foreshadowing Jesus’s words in today’s gospel, God has fire and destructive power ready for those who forget God’s word.

Psalm (Track Two): Psalm 82
The idea of God sitting in a divine council of other gods sounds strange to modern ears accustomed to the [idea of ]monotheism that’s fundamental in Scripture. Bible historians say this council may be an echo of ancient Near Eastern tradition, when early Israelites understood our God as supreme over the lesser gods of enemy nations. But the core of the Psalm is as relevant now as it was in the Psalmist’s time: God insists on justice, and calls us to stand up for the weak, the orphan, the lowly, the destitute and the needy.

Second Reading: Hebrews 11:29 – 12:2
Following last week’s reading in which Abraham and his descendants were praised as our ancestors in faith, we continue in Hebrews today with a series of quick snapshots from the Old Testament, praising the bible heroes who achieved greatness through their faith and who now form a “cloud of witnesses” surrounding us. These witnesses, Hebrews says, led the way to Jesus, who to perfect our faith endured the shame of crucifixion and now sits at the right hand of God.

Gospel: Luke 12:49-56
For the past seven Sundays we have been following Jesus through Luke’s account of his journey to Jerusalem, his confrontation with the temple and civil authorities, and the cross. Through lectures and parables he has warned the apostles that following his way is not an easy path. Does it surprise you to hear “the Prince of Peace” warn that he came not to bring peace but fire and division? Bursting with passion for his journey, perhaps he wants us to understand that choosing to walk this hard journey with him may divide us even from friends and family.