One of the things that we used to do here at University Lutheran is produce a resource called “Living the Lectionary”. The idea was that it was to be a devotional/discipleship guide that members could bring home with them and use throughout the week as they considered the readings from that Sunday. After a while it became obvious that most people were just leaving the “Living the Lectionary” behind with their bulletin, so to save on paper and work, we discontinued it. 
And while “Living the Lectionary” is a thing of the past, the old format may still be of use. The format came in five parts: 1. A little understanding of the season of the church and the context of the readings in that sense. 2. An overall picture of the them of a given week’s readings. 3. Briefly looking at each reading. 4. Looking at the readings in a Law lens and then in a Gospel lens 5. Looking at three possibilities for engaging with the readings that week, around the ideas of “learn,” “do,” and “live.”
So for this past week:
Season of the Church/Context of the Readings – We’re in the season of many names, from Sundays after Pentecost, to “Ordinary Time”, to our local “Big Green” nickname. The context of this season’s readings is that this is a time to consider our growth and discipleship.
Theme of the Week – The theme this past week was one of lives in comparison. We compared our earthly life with the heavenly life offered to us in Christ.
The Readings Themselves
- Ecclesiastes 1:2, 12-14, 2:18-26 – This weird “Frankensteined” reading that splices together lines from two chapters of text highlights the frailty, meaninglessness, and “vanity” of the human life and eventually arrives at the notion that the only thing worthwhile in life is to enjoy eating, drinking, and vocation. When have you had moments when you have wondered about the meaningfulness or meaninglessness of your life?
- Psalm 100 – This psalm of thanksgiving puts us in the position where we are “appropriately humbled” and owned by an almighty God who “made us, and we are His”. What does it feel like to hear that you are “owned” like this, in the way that the psalm states it?
- Colossians 3:1-11 – (Rogue reading) – While the Epistle is normally off on its own, this week it works well with the theme of the week, comparing the obsession of the Christian mind (“Set your mind on things that are above, not on earth”) with the sinful obsessions that Paul says are to be put to death. What are you obsessed with? Would anyone accuse you of having your gaze too much on “things that are above”?
- Luke 12:13-21 – Jesus refuses to solve a dispute between to arguing men, and instead tells a parable that has as its stated moral, not to “lay up treasures for yourself but not be rich toward God.” What does it mean to be “rich toward God”?
Law/Gospel
- Law – These readings show the relative worthlessness of our lives on their own. Without Christ, not only are our lives sinful, but in their sinfulness, they are worthless. Our actions too, are worthless because as the writer of Ecclesiastes explains – our work may not produce, or may produce only to be given to someone who isn’t deserving. When have you felt like your life and/or work has been worth less than you would hope?
- Gospel – In our Baptisms and in the forgiveness offered to us, our lives have worth. We can now say, “My life is worth the life of the Son of God offered on my behalf on the Cross.” Also our actions are given worth because they are no longer our actions alone, but they are actions and activities within the body of Christ. How does knowing that Christ died for you and has now made you His body change the reasons and hopes for your work?
“Living the Lectionary”
- Learn (knowledge) – The book of Ecclesiastes only comes up in our readings about once a year. What might you learn about this book? Where would you find resources to help you learn?
- Do (skills) – We often think of giving offerings and tithing in the wrong ways. These actions are supposed to be disciplines of the Christian life, not simply “paying dues” and also not simply “being generous”. Can you change your practice of giving, or your thinking around giving so that it better fits Christ’s warning to be “rich toward God?”
- Live (attitude) – As Christians we are to live in a way that shows an attitude that is somewhat aloof when it comes to this world. Where are your attitudes too connected to worldly things and how might you decrease your attachment to those things?