Lectionaries and Syllabi (as SU seem to prefer to call their schemes) can be really useful... or not.  Sometimes when I look at the lectionary readings I conclude that either (a) I'm missing something (b) the Holy Spirit has a very weird sense of humour or (c) the pepoe who collate the reading take a very old Bible, pull out the pages, discard a fair few, then toss the rest in the air and see how they land.

As I've looked at readings for the next few weeks I am drawn to the last of these options!  Can anyone please tell me the connection between either Joseph being sold in to slavery (track 1) or Elijah on Mount Horeb (track 2) and Romans 10:5-15 (including the missionary's favourite 'how shall they call...') and Jesus walking on water?  The rest of August doesn't get a whole lot easier.  One begins to appreciate why so many Baptist churches cop out and preach on half a verse from a very narrow repertoire of scriptures. Anyone got any bright ideas - not for alternative schemes I can do that easily, but for using at least two of these lectionary passages at a time?

This morning I am preparing for next Sunday's service, which will be built around Isaiah 55 and Matthew 11:28-30.  Reading various commentaries the word 'invitation' is used to describe the 'come' in both passages, but then my more clever commentary reminds me that the 'come' in Matthew is actually an imperative - a command or mandate.  Alas I can't read Hebrew, don't have a Hebrew OT and don't even possess a clever commentary on Isaiah, so I don't know if the 'come' is imperative there.  But I am intrigued - can you have an imperative invitation?  Could you send out cards saying 'come to my party' which actually meant 'I command you to come to my party'?  And if you did, would people still feel at liberty to decline?  Intriguing stuff which I need to think more about, even if I don't pursue it in the sermon.

One thing I will be picking up is the fact that Jesus is not inviting people to put their feet up and relax, rather with his non-chafing yoke comes a 'light' burden.  Somehow this feels an interesting counterpoint to 'deny yourself, take up your cross and follow me.'  Sometimes I think we see following Jesus as some sort of eternal insurance policy rather than a labour of love and service.  Sometimes I hear too much about burden-free Christianity, which clearly doesn't fit with what is said here.

In both of the readings it seems to me there is a command invitation to come to the source of refreshment and cleansing followed by an expectation of witness to the nations (Isaiah) or discipleship (which ultimately includes witness) out of which comes freedom, joy, peace and rest.  Well, that's what I intend to say to my people anyway!

If anyone can shed any light on the Greek or Hebrew verbs and how they relate to the idea of an invitation, I'd love to know your thoughts.