Where's the gospel? (Proper C23)

My Lutheran friend, Ray Orth, is fond of asking, “Where is the gospel in this text.” Often he will look to the other readings to bring grace to the table. In talking today we decided that Paul must have been a Lutheran too, because a lot of the time he is good for it.

There is a thread through the Jeremiah 29:1-7 and 2 Timothy 2:8-15 about blooming where you are planted. Both speak of an exile and hardship; both speak of faithfulness and glorifying God through the situation.

Paul offers:
“If we endure we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he will also deny us; if we are faithless, he remains faithful-- for he cannot deny himself.” (wow)

Jeremiah says, “Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you," declares the LORD

I wonder why that isn’t in the reading—plenty of grace there! The reading does give us the sense that God is here, in this foreign ground away from the temple and Promised Land, and he asks them to pray for their new home.

If this thread intersects the gospel text, it barely does so in the cry for mercy where none should be expected.

Still—what does all this mean to my audience?!