Readings for February 5, 2012 - Epiphany 5

Prayer of Approach:
Gather us in, the brokenhearted and the joyful. Gather us in, the weak and the strong. Gather us in, the fearful and the brave. Gather us in, the young and the old. Gather us in, to study of God’s word. Gather us in, to follow your mission. Gather us in, to wonder and deepen. Gather us in, to know of your love, Amen

READ Isaiah 40:21-31

This chapter contains some of the most famous quotes of Isaiah – from The Messiah by Handel, to Advent readings, to funeral readings, to the more contemporary favourite: flying eagles.

Chapter 39 just prior gives the historical context:
King Hezekiah is a silly king! – a hypochondriac and extremely egocentric
He is too worried about his own welfare and self-image to think of the security of God’s people.

The Babylon king sends visitors to see Hezekiah. He is so flattered, he shows them how wealthy he is. Isaiah tells him “prophecies” (or perhaps sound political insight!) that Babylon will come and take everything, even his sons. Hezekiah really only cares that this will happen after his death, he has no concern for the fate of his people.

Then Isaiah shares a message of hope for Israel’s people. Looking to the long-term solution rather than the quick fix, however! Ultimately, he asks, who is the creator – who will have the last word?

In verses not in the lectionary passage (18-20) – Isaiah compares living God to an idol made of human hands.

The refrain: Have you not known, have you not heard? Is used twice, it recalls history/cosmology, and reminds the people that God’s perspective is infinite. “Princes” and “rulers” have no real power, they are less important than grass. Who is God’s equal?
But because God is great it does not mean that we are unimportant, we are “numbered” and not lost.

Jacob and Israel speak for the people (same person – 2 names) – they cry out in suffering: “God can’t see us!”

Refrain returns – affirmation of God’s perspective. God is infinitely involved in the lives of the people, especially those who despair. Transforming their situation. All in all a reminder that Yahweh is greater than any foreign God. Isaiah expresses the belief that human rulers and human heroes will not succeed, the people must participate in God’s master plan.

Question for Reflection: Are their times in your life that you have had to accept the notion that God has a plan and we can only wait and work it out with time?

READ 1 Corinthians 9:16-23

Corinth a community with many competing interests – between different leaders, factions - some clearly out for their own gain.

Ultimately Christians are free to make choices – but that freedom should not lead to immorality or abuse, but to responsibility, freedom from addiction. Also, choices are made for the good of the community – the strong may choose something because it strengthens the weak

The boasting Paul criticizes is not confidence, but showing off (think Hezekiah!), motivated by what one can “earn”either in concrete or spiritual achievement.
Paul says it is not for profit: “woe to me if I do not” – the gospel is for sharing.

Paul contrasts reward vs commission – whole or only partial gain depends on how fully we enter into the spirit of sharing. “Rights in the gospel” are given up, the mission is “Free of charge” – the gospel is not for personal gain, but for community health.

“Slave” to all – like our word “public servant” – his needs are lower priority than the needs of those who are just learning, growing in Christ. He becomes “all things to all people” – not duplicity or speaking out of both sides of his mouth; but in the sense of understanding what the other needs and responding with the gospel to that need.

What Paul describes here is not the simple relativism or mere assimilation. Becoming "all things to all people" does not require losing one's self. Instead, he describes a radical way of life in which he walks alongside all kinds of people in order to draw them to God. The weak do not yet understand that idols are powerless, that meat sacrificed to them ought not affect the believer. Paul does not lord this knowledge over them but walks with them in their weakness "that I might by all means save some" (verse 22). Again, therefore, Paul returns to the central exhortation of 1 Corinthians: "...be united in the same mind and the same purpose" (1 Corinthians 1:10).Eric Barreto, WorkingPreacher.org

Question for Reflection:
What does this mean for congregational life? How might we raise up the needs of the newcomer beside (ahead of?) the needs of the familiar, long-time supporter?

READ Mark 1:29-39

In 11 verses there are 19 verbs assigned to Jesus: left, entered, came, took her hands, lifted her up, brought to him, cured, cast out, would not permit demons to speak, got up, went, prayed, go on, proclaim, came, do, went, proclaim, casting out. Such a busy man! And so easy to define him by what he DID!

Contrast between healing/casting out demons and Jesus’ need to prepare for proclaiming. Are they opposed? Does his teaching mean he has less time to see people? Does his long line of clients mean he has less time to prepare for proclamation?

The two are one and the same: healing/casting out demonstrates the truth or nature of what he came to proclaim – God’s kindom is about restoring people to the work of God’s kindom.

Watch words in verse 31: Peter’s mother in law is “raised up” using same word as Jesus’ resurrection in Ch 16; Matthew and Luke don’t use the same word, they are stingy with references to resurrection! She “served” is the same as to minister, Jesus’ own ministry. Instead of dying, she is restored to an active mission of hospitality.

Only Marks says “the whole city”on the doorstep, it is more descriptive, and applies not just to those who were sick but to EVERYONE. They needed to see Jesus at work and understand his proclamation.

Jesus would not allow the demons to speak because they knew him – heal first, let the understanding emerge?

And that deserted place sounds so good, it is a small group that finds him, instead of “everyone” the crowd of the other gospels. Jesus says its time to move on “for that is what I came out to do.”
Jesus' followers have an immediate and worthy need that should be attended to. It is something they have already done - with great success - and could do again - also likely with great success. Very tempting. But it is not, "What I came out to do." David Ewert, Holy Textures

Question for Reflection: How do we get stuck in doing what we do well, instead of responding to what needs to be done?

Closing Prayer: Based on Psalm 147 –
We thank you, O God! That we have fine words and fitting melodies to praise your name!
We thank you, O God! That your abundant love delights in us.
We thank you, O God! That you have built up what is broken, that you have gathered into your own family those who were outcast by society.
We thank you, O God! That broken hearts are healed and our wounds are cared for.
We thank you, O God! For you know the number and name of every light under heaven.
Great is our God! Let us sing a song of thanksgiving, a song of praise.
Amen

Readings for January 22, 2012 Black History Sunday

This week we take a break from the lectionary readings and explore references or perspectives on race in the Bible. To centre ourselves, we begin with a quotation from Nelson Mandela's Inauguration Speech as President of South Africa:

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our Light not our darkness that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant,

gorgeous, talented, fabulous?
Actually, who are you NOT to be?
You are a child of God.
Your playing small does not serve the world.
There is nothing enlightened about shrinking
so that others won’t feel insecure around you.
We are all meant to shine, as children do.
We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.
It is not just in some of us, it is in everyone.
And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people
permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our own fear,
our presence automatically liberates others.

What follows is a long list of scripture passages that make reference to issues of ethnicity, national identity or universality. As you read through them, you will notice that there are two streams:

(1) Readings that affirm God's universal blessing to peoples of every nation and location, colour and status, gender and age group; or that affirm the worth of an outsider entering into our understanding of God's people, bringing with them diversity, richness, perspective.

(2) The second stream are readings that challenge the "people of God" to shore up their identity, reject outside influence, even destroy the outsider.

Both streams are visible in scripture of every era, often contradicting each other. What does this contradiction teach us about the authority and interpretation of scripture?

Genesis 1:26-27 - God's original, universal blessing to all the children of the world.

Genesis 21:8-13 - Abraham chooses between his wife Sarah and her child, of the same ethnic background as he, and Hagar, the Egyptian concubine, and her child Ishmael.

Exodus 1:8-14 - Pharoah makes the people of Israel slaves, fears their growing strength.

Deuteronomy 10:17-19 - The Israelites are reminded how harshly they were treated as "foreigners" in Egypt and are told to respect the outsiders they encounter.

Joshua 10:40-43 - Joshua takes "the promised land" back from the Canaanites - God fights on the side of Israel!

Ruth 4:2-12 - A Moabite (foreign) widow is rejected, then welcomed and contributes to the enriching of God's people.

Isaiah 49:6 and Psalm 67 - God's people are all people to the ends of the earth.

Malachi 3:10-12 and Nehemiah 13:23-27 - After the exile, those who intermarry with other nationalities are condemned by prophet and leader.

Matthew 15:21-28 and Mark 7:24-29 - The story of the woman who challenged Jesus' understanding of who would be God's people.

Acts 11:1-18 and Acts 15:1-11 - Both Peter and Paul are called up on the carpet to explain why they would share the gospel and baptism with "outsiders" and the "uncircumcized".

Galations 3:6-9; 6:26-29 - Paul's theology that all who believe in Christ are descendants of Abraham and Sarah - not by biology, but by faith.

Revelation 21:22-26 - Ultimately, a vision of God's kingdom - all kinds of people and nationalities are present, based on faithful living.

Closing Prayer:

Coretta Scott King: "A Public Prayer for Divine Perspective"

Eternal and everlasting God, who art the Father of all mankind,
as we turn aside from the hurly-burly of everyday living,

may our hearts and souls, yea our very spirits,

be lifted upward to Thee,

for it is from Thee that all blessing cometh.

Keep us ever mindful of our dependence upon Thee,

for without Thee our efforts are but naught.

We pray for Thy divine guidance as we travel the highways of life.

We pray for more courage.

We pray for more faith and above all we pray for more love.
May we somehow come to understand the true meaning

of Thy love as revealed to us in the life, death and resurrection

of Thy son and our Lord and Master, Jesus Christ.

May the Cross ever remind us of Thy great love,

for greater love no man hath given.
This is our supreme example, O God.

May we be constrained to follow

in the name and spirit of Jesus, we pray.

Readings for Epiphany 2 - January 15, 2012

Opening Prayer:
O God, you are full of grace; you see possibilities in us, that we do not see in ourselves. Help us to understand O God, your call to us. When we don’t hear you or heed you the first time, call us again and again. Send your spirit on us that our understanding may become clear. Prepare our spirits to act in your way. We pray in the name of the one who makes learners and disciples of us all, Jesus the Christ, Amen.

READ 1 Samuel 3:1-10, (11-20)
In scripture and lectionary studies, sometimes what comes in parentheses is more intriguing than the main scripture. Taken alone 1-10 is the story of a call, but when you add verses 11-20 , it is the harsh reality of why God goes to such lengths! And the courage it takes to follow.

Historical background – no king in Israel, a nation led by “judges” “prophets” “priests”. Eli was a priest of the temple, a good man with corrupt sons – he was either blind to their faults, or unwilling to do anything to stop them. Eli's story demonstrates that, for Israel, human succession to leadership just doesn’t work – the one worthy to lead is only demonstrated by the ability to listen to God.

Samuel is the son of a “barren” mother, Hannah, who promised him to God – thus he was taken to temple to serve Eli at a young age.

In verse 1, we are told that God's word, and visions, are rare…? Was God not speaking or was no one listening? Eli 's “eyesight dim” likely a metaphor for his blindness to sons' corruption. The lamp in the temple was a sign of God’s presence, but weakened – had their neglect of spiritual things ended in the practice of letting it go out?
Sam – u – el – means literally "God has heard", but Samuel doesn’t get it, he goes to Eli, he is young , needs Eli to interpret for him. Eli finally opens his eyes and gets it. Samuel must be ready to WAIT and LISTEN.

What he hears next will make both ears tingle! Eli knew of god's judgement but couldn’t stop his sons. Samuel developed into the kind of leader who won people's trust. In verse 19: "none of his words fell to the ground" and in verse 20: "and all knew"

The story of Samuel takes cooperation between youth and experience in order to return the community to faith. It also demonstrates how God acts through others, sometimes unexpected others – but the role of the mouthpiece depends on trust of others.

Question for Reflection: What perspectives do we have trouble hearing? What makes both ears tingle?

READ 1 Corinthians 6:12-20


Likely 2 letters were sent to Paul
1) In chapters 1-6 Paul responds to 4 problems from the first letter, written by Chloe's people: factionalism – incest – litigation – fornication with prostitutes.
2) In chapters 7-15 Paul responds to a letter from the congregation, giving them his Theology of Christian community life.

This passage is about physical freedom – it leads into theology of who we are as individuals, as God’s people in the later chapters.

What is in quotes is probably a slogan used by those who enjoyed "complete freedom". Paul’s response is that it is for their own good to curtail their behaviour – choose faithfully.
The Greek philosophy and Cynic ideal – eleutheros – true freedom to eat, love – without caring what others think. Paul is introduces another “freedom” – IN Christ means not to be dominated by addictions or desires for what is unimportant.

There are issues around food – eating meat sold from the temples. There are issues around fornication – consorting with temple prostitutes. Paul affirms the belief that the body is worthy to be raised (versus Greek soma/psyche dualism.) Therefore how we treat our bodies matters. He contrasts one flesh versus one spirit – cannot have one without the other.
The reason body is special is because the Holy Spirit has to dwell there. If one belongs to Christ, then all that we are is already "bought and paid for!"

Question for Reflection:
Modern age almost worships the body – it is the spiritual that seems less important. How do we live out Paul’s understanding of the balance between the two?

READ John 1:43-51

In John, Jesus makes several trips to Jerusalem, in this story he is heading back to Galilee. Philip is from Bethsaida on the Sea of Galilee – perhaps he is hitching a ride?
Geography is very significant in this story: Jesus was “from Nazareth” “in Galilee” – but no prophets link that area with the messiah. Philip claims Jesus fulfills the Law and Prophets, but he is also from Nazareth. Nathanael is convinced the two are contradictary, so Philip says “come and see.” But it is Jesus who “sees” Nathanael’s honesty, and rigorous faith first. Nathanael wants to know: HOW COME YOU GET ME? It seems Jesus knew him even before he knew about Jesus. Nathanael takes this as a sign – that he is fully known. Jesus promises him greater understanding, vision than he has anticipated.

Question for Reflection:
How much does our trust in someone depend on how well they “get” us?

Closing Prayer:

based on Psalm 139 by Meredith Dinsdale on 11/28/2007

Mountains are Your majesty
And flowers touched delicately
Oceans churn with veiled world
And rivers carve their freedom

Yet You know me
For You made me

In the midst of mountains
And the coast of seas
My purposeful Creator
It's in Your image You made me

And I'm ready to know
Who You wait for me to be

Your perfect water sculptures made
When icy breath halts misty haze
Then summer sunset colors drip
Off the quill of You my Creator
On the banks of raging rivers
Under illuminated canopies

My purposeful Creator
It's in Your image You made me

And I'm ready to know
Who You wait for me to be

I'm ready.