The people who had lost everything, who were held in captivity, were starting to fall away from the covenant and taking up the customs and religion of their captors. Life was probably much easier that way. God sent Isaiah to this weary and tired people who were ready to give up.

While our society has bought the lie that the only person we need to worry about is ourself and that we can do whatever we desire without having any concern about anyone else, as a quick look at television advertisements or the anti-vaccination movement shows. It seems that was one of the problems in the community to which the book of James was written.

His point is that the Pharisees and scribes were following the law for the wrong purpose. They were using the law to set themselves apart from everyone else as the true followers of God. Which is the opposite of what our text from Deuteronomy called them to do.

With books being expensive before Gutenberg, most people could not read or could only read a little. Luther taught the scriptures and theology by song. He would often choose a tune that everyone knew and write words to it. If he wrote the tune he would make it simple and rhythmic.

If God was able to consume the altar and all that was on it, could God not protect him? The answer is, “Yes.” But Elijah, just like us, was all too human. He was capable of great things when he did not let his fears and self-doubt get in the way.

We also note that the people seem not to thank God for their deliverance when it does happen. They expected God to save them, feed them, heal them, and take care of all their needs only to complain when these things did not happen and forgetting God when things were good. Wait! That is the story of all of God’s people. Isn’t it?

We are not called to question whether or not this happened and Elisha and Jesus created a large quantity of food out of little. We are called to see the abundance of God. Perhaps the reason many focus on the question of how this happened is that they cannot see the abundance that God has given them or do not want to hear the call to share their abundance with others.

Our text from Jeremiah today is addressed to the leaders of the people of Israel: the priests and the king. They were the ones whom God called to shepherd God’s people and to guide them so that the whole community would live in the covenant and enjoy the life God had called them to. That life was one of trust and belief. But those same leaders did not themselves trust and believe. They looked around and saw the powerful nations that surrounded them. They saw the riches that other nations had and wanted it.

With no outside forces trying to conquer Israel, prosperity abounded. The wealthy were living the life of luxury while forgetting about the poor and alien in the land. Believing that their wealth and prosperity came from their own hand they had forgotten God.

Fortunately for Ezekiel he was not judged on whether or not the people listened to him. His task was to proclaim God’s word. While his task was difficult he was not required to make them listen which might have been an impossible task. All this is a reminder that we all are called to some task in the kingdom of God.

They were waiting for salvation and God was taking God’s own time about it. That is how the people waited for the seemingly impossible. They wait by “bearing the yoke in youth, sitting alone in silence, putting their mouth to the dust, and to give their cheek to the smiter.” Well, that’s not the way we want to wait. That’s just too hard and inconvenient.

Or how many times have we been envious of what others have, especially those who are selfish, mean, and unholy? Both of those attitudes are expressed in Job. The book calls us to examine our own lives to see where we have tried to tell God what should happen, to ask forgiveness for that, and then to ask for the courage and strength to proclaim God’s saving grace in Christ Jesus.

It is always like that for God. Even though the people walk away to look for another savior – whether it be gold, land, famous friends, outward appearances, retirement benefits, or whatever – God does not walk away from the people.

They wanted to know what God was planning. They became concerned about themselves and forgot the garden and their task to tend to it. They went from being a harmonious community to selfish desire.

He did not ask what the task was or argue that he did not have the skill set necessary for it. He immediately asked to be sent. Once cleansed from sin in the presence of God you know you can do whatever God asks.

When they get to the source [of the wind] they are confused by what they hear. People talking in their own languages. Luke is quite sparse on the details here. The story starts in the house where the disciples were staying, then they were outside. Were they all speaking at the same time? That is, in the language that the Spirit had given them? It sounds like a cacophonous time. How did anyone understand what was going on?

Even though it may seem random to some, we do not choose leaders of the church this way. We have a much more formalized method: a committee chosen, forms filled out, candidates selected by the bishop, interviews, trial sermons, and finally a vote by the congregation. The method in Acts is much simpler. Draw lots.

You know the words and probably have said them yourself, “We have never done it that way.” But God calls us to new things, new people, and new situations – opportunities to share the love of God.

The early apostles did not require everyone who wished to be baptized to follow the same path (no inquirer’s class, no specific number of times required to attend worship, no accepting of Jesus as their personal savior). There is even confusion over the Holy Spirit. Some received the Spirit before baptism some after. How the conversion happened did not matter.