6th Sunday of the Cross
This Sunday's Summary
Freedom is the concept linking our readings today. Paul describes it and Jesus embodies it. St. Paul reminds the people in his church that they are to be free as Christians, no longer slaves to anxieties, habits and fears which once ruled them. Our Gospel reading describes Jesus’ first public ‘sermon’ where he fearlessly proclaims to his hometown that he is the chosen One who will free those captive, heal the brokenhearted, and restore sight to the blind.When we believers listen to Paul and follow Jesus, we lay claim to our identity as sons and daughters of God, and Jesus’ revolutionary work continues through us. We ourselves are the first captive set free, and become a means for God’s healing presence and true freedom for those around us.
This Sunday's Readings
Old Testament Reading
Isaiah 20:2-21:6
at the same time theLordspoke by Isaiah the son of Amoz, saying, “Go, and removethe sackcloth from yourbody, and take your sandals off your feet.” And he did so,walking naked and barefoot.
Then theLordsaid, “Just as My servant Isaiah has walked naked and barefoot three yearsfora sign and a wonder against Egypt and Ethiopia,so shall theking of Assyria lead away the Egyptians as prisoners and the Ethiopians as captives, young and old, naked and barefoot,with their buttocks uncovered, to the shame of Egypt.Then they shall be afraid and ashamed of Ethiopia their expectation and Egypt their glory.And the inhabitant of this territory will say in that day, ‘Surely suchisour expectation, wherever we flee forhelp to be delivered from the king of Assyria; and how shall we escape?’ ”
Theburden against the Wilderness of the Sea.
Aswhirlwinds in the South pass through,
Soit comes from the desert, from a terrible land.
A distressing vision is declared to me;
The treacherous dealer deals treacherously,
And the plunderer plunders.
Go up, O Elam!
Besiege, O Media!
All its sighing I have made to cease.
Thereforemy loins are filled with pain;
Pangs have taken hold of me, like the pangs of a woman in labor.
I wasdistressed whenIheardit;
I was dismayed whenIsawit.
My heart wavered, fearfulness frightened me;
The night for which I longed He turned into fear for me.
Prepare the table,
Set a watchman in the tower,
Eat and drink.
Arise, you princes,
Anoint the shield!
For thus has the Lord said to me:
“Go, set a watchman,
Let him declare what he sees.”
Epistle Reading
Galatians 4:3-18
Even so we, when we were children,were in bondage under the elements of the world.Butwhen the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son,bornof a woman,born under the law,to redeem those who were under the law,that we might receive the adoption as sons.
And because you are sons, God has sent forththe Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out,“Abba, Father!”Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son,and if a son, then an heirof Godthrough Christ.
But then, indeed,when you did not know God,you served those which by nature are not gods.But nowafter you have known God, or rather are known by God,howis it thatyou turn again tothe weak and beggarly elements, to which you desire again to be in bondage?You observe days and months and seasons and years.I am afraid for you,lest I have labored for you in vain.
Brethren, I urge you to become like me, for Ibecamelike you.You have not injured me at all.You know thatbecause of physical infirmity I preached the gospel to you at the first.And my trial which was in my flesh you did not despise or reject, but you received meas anangel of God,evenas Christ Jesus.What then was the blessing youenjoyed?For I bear you witness that, if possible, you would have plucked out your own eyes and given them to me.Have I therefore become your enemy because I tell you the truth?
Theyzealously court you,butfor no good; yes, they want to exclude you, that you may be zealous for them.But it is good to be zealous in a good thing always, and not only when I am present with you.
Gospel Reading
Luke 4:14-23
Then Jesus returnedin the power of the Spirit toGalilee, andnews of Him went out through all the surrounding region.And Hetaught in their synagogues,being glorified by all.
So He came toNazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was,He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read.And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written:
“TheSpirit of theLordisupon Me,
Because He has anointed Me
To preach the gospel tothepoor;
He has sent Meto heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty tothecaptives
And recovery of sight totheblind,
Toset at liberty those who areoppressed;
To proclaim the acceptable year of theLord.”
Then He closed the book, and gaveitback to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him.And He began to say to them,“Today this Scripture isfulfilled in your hearing.”So all bore witness to Him, andmarveled at the gracious words which proceeded out of His mouth. And they said,“Is this not Joseph’s son?”
He said to them,“You will surely say this proverb to Me, ‘Physician, heal yourself! Whatever we have heard done inCapernaum,do also here inYour country.’ ”
This Sunday's Lesson Plans
Ages 5-8
Ages 9-14
Ages 14-17
This Sunday's Sermons & Videos
This Season's Saints
Tuesday, Sep 22
St. Shoushanik
Saturday, Sep 26
St. George
Saturday, Oct 03
Seventy-Two Disciples of Christ
Saturday, Oct 10
Holy Translators
Saturday, Oct 31
All Saints
Saturday, Nov 07