[Uucf-bible] lectionary readings for sept. 12

[RevRonRobinson at aol.com]

Hi all. Here are two of the selections for this Sunday for our reflection. I 
know the reading from Luke contains the great parable of the prodigals that we 
have discussed before separately but there are new folks who haven't had a go 
at it yet, plus it might spark something more being placed in context with 
the story from Exodus. I like how the Exodus story of God's relenting, changing, 
coming back into covenant (even though at the time the people themselves down 
at the bottom of the mountain have not changed, or relented, and are still 
looking to worship gods of convenience and comfort rather than Yahweh) sheds 
some hope of the possibilities for the elder brother in the prodigal story, who 
is the prodigal son that most interests me and who has his own choosing and 
changing to do. the prodigal is almost too long to be considered a parable; a 
great short fable, short story, and real cliffhanger. Anyway, as always I look 
forward to hearing how you read these pieces and how they read you. blessings,
Ron Robinson
Exodus 32:1-14
32
When the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain, the 
people gathered around Aaron, and said to him, ‘Come, make gods for us, who 
shall go before us; as for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land 
of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.’ 2Aaron said to them, ‘Take 
off the gold rings that are on the ears of your wives, your sons, and your 
daughters, and bring them to me.’ 3So all the people took off the gold rings from 
their ears, and brought them to Aaron. 4He took the gold from them, formed it 
in a mold, and cast an image of a calf; and they said, ‘These are your gods, O 
Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!’ 5When Aaron saw this, 
he built an altar before it; and Aaron made proclamation and said, ‘Tomorrow 
shall be a festival to the LORD.’ 6They rose early the next day, and offered 
burnt offerings and brought sacrifices of well-being; and the people sat down to 
eat and drink, and rose up to revel. 
7 The LORD said to Moses, ‘Go down at once! Your people, whom you brought up 
out of the land of Egypt, have acted perversely; 8they have been quick to turn 
aside from the way that I commanded them; they have cast for themselves an 
image of a calf, and have worshiped it and sacrificed to it, and said, “These 
are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!”‘ 9The 
LORD said to Moses, ‘I have seen this people, how stiff-necked they are. 10Now 
let me alone, so that my wrath may burn hot against them and I may consume 
them; and of you I will make a great nation.’ 11But Moses implored the LORD his 
God, and said, ‘O LORD, why does your wrath burn hot against your people, whom 
you brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand? 
12Why should the Egyptians say, “It was with evil intent that he brought them 
out to kill them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the 
earth”? Turn from your fierce wrath; change your mind and do not bring disaster 
on your people. 13Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, your servants, how you 
swore to them by your own self, saying to them, “I will multiply your 
descendants like the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have promised I will 
give to your descendants, and they shall inherit it forever.”‘ 14And the LORD 
changed his mind about the disaster that he planned to bring on his people. 
Luke 15:1-32
15
Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to him. 
2And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, ‘This fellow 
welcomes sinners and eats with them.’ 3So he told them this parable: 4‘Which one of 
you, having a hundred sheep and losing one of them, does not leave the 
ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one that is lost until he finds it? 
5When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders and rejoices. 6And when he 
comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, “
Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.” 7Just so, I tell you, 
there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over 
ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance. 8‘Or what woman having ten silver 
coins, if she loses one of them, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and 
search carefully until she finds it? 9When she has found it, she calls 
together her friends and neighbors, saying, “Rejoice with me, for I have found the 
coin that I had lost.” 10Just so, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of 
the angels of God over one sinner who repents.’ 
11 Then Jesus said, ‘There was a man who had two sons. 12The younger of them 
said to his father, “Father, give me the share of the property that will 
belong to me.” So he divided his property between them. 13A few days later the 
younger son gathered all he had and traveled to a distant country, and there he 
squandered his property in dissolute living. 14When he had spent everything, a 
severe famine took place throughout that country, and he began to be in need. 
15So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who 
sent him to his fields to feed the pigs. 16He would gladly have filled himself 
with the pods that the pigs were eating; and no one gave him anything. 17But 
when he came to himself he said, “How many of my father’s hired hands have 
bread enough and to spare, but here I am dying of hunger! 18I will get up and go 
to my father, and I will say to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven 
and before you; 19I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me like one 
of your hired hands.’” 20So he set off and went to his father. But while he 
was still far off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion; he ran 
and put his arms around him and kissed him. 21Then the son said to him, “
Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be 
called your son.” 22But the father said to his slaves, “Quickly, bring out a robe
—the best one—and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his 
feet. 23And get the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; 
24for this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!” 
And they began to celebrate. 25‘Now his elder son was in the field; and when he 
came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing. 26He called one of 
the slaves and asked what was going on. 27He replied, “Your brother has come, 
and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has got him back safe 
and sound.” 28Then he became angry and refused to go in. His father came out 
and began to plead with him. 29But he answered his father, “Listen! For all 
these years I have been working like a slave for you, and I have never disobeyed 
your command; yet you have never given me even a young goat so that I might 
celebrate with my friends. 30But when this son of yours came back, who has 
devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fatted calf for him!” 
31Then the father said to him, “Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine 
is yours. 32But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours 
was dead and has come to life; he was lost and has been found.”’