Readings for October 28 2012

Who do you trust? 

This image of Martin Luther, the great reformer,

would have inspired the trust and faith

of many Protestants in past generations. 

What do you look for in someone you can trust?

This Sunday is often called Reformation Sunday, in recognition of the historical impact of Protestant Reformers on both Reformed and even Roman Catholic churches, through the “counter-reformation”.

- Less centralized power structure
- Scripture translated to vernacular languages
- Emphasis on study, personal faith development
- Moved away from emphasis on ritual to life of faith lived in the world

On the night of October 31, 1517 Martin Luther nailed the 95 Theses on the Power and Efficacy of Indulgences to the Castle Church door in Wittenberg, Germany. Luther knew that many of the faithful would worship there for All Saints’ Day (November 1), and would see his theses in protest of church corruption and misguided theology. It also contained an invitation to a scholarly debate.

Reformation Sunday is celebrated primarily in “reformed” churches – Presbyterian, Lutheran, Calvinist, Dutch Reformed and others. Since the World Council of Churches meeting in 1982, there has been more dialogue with the Roman Catholic church. Consequently United Churches have decreased emphasis on “Reformation Sunday.



A Prayer of Martin Luther:
Behold, Lord, an empty vessel that needs to be filled.
My Lord, fill it.
I am weak in the faith; strengthen me.
I am cold in love; warm me and make me fervent,
that my love may go out to my neighbor.
I do not have a strong and firm faith;
at times I doubt and am unable to trust you altogether.
O Lord, help me. Strengthen my faith and trust in you.
In you I have sealed the treasure of all I have.
I am poor; you are rich and came to be merciful to the poor.
I am a sinner; you are upright.
With me, there is an abundance of sin;
in you is the fullness of righteousness.
Therefore I will remain with you, of whom I can receive,
but to whom I may not give.
Amen.

Question for Reflection: Dependence on God: what does it mean to you?

READ Job 42:1-6,10-17

This week’s passage is Job’s response to God, after God’s defense has been offered.

If you watch curling on TV, you know what the TSN Turning Point is: the point at which momentum changes and the probability of victory becomes clear. This passage is Job’s Turning Point. In the midst of all the arguments from his friends, in the midst of all Job’s denials, in the midst of God’s answer rising out of darkness, it all comes clear right here. Contemporary process would call it a “paradigm shift”.

It is sometimes hard to know who is speaking – initially Job, who quotes God, then confesses his ignorance. So, then why would Job go on to say that he will speak? More likely it is God’s voice who invites Job to “Hear, and I will speak;”

Job’s story reminds us of the reality of human loss; and the breakdown of the simplistic theology that if you are good, only good things will happen to you, so if bad things come, you must have done something wrong. Throughout it all, Job has trusted his heartflet experience, though he questions all human logic, he maintains his trust that somehow God will respond. Finally, in the thick of the storm that is his life, Job hears God’s voice, his eye acknowledges God’s reality. Job is pushed beyond all his expectations and welcomed into a new relationship with God. When he emerges, his perspective on all life is changed, and even his daughters receive a share of his blessing!

Job is one of the scripture stories that gets all done up with a happy ending, but somehow it seems superficial, tacked on to gloss over the real struggle for faith. Hope is already in the works, even in the midst of Job’s suffering. Job’s repentance at the end of the passage is really an acknowledgement of where he stands in relation to God, not an admission of past sin.



Questions for reflection:  What small signs of hope along the way have kept you engaged in your relationship with God, even long before a “happy ending”? 
Have you ever had a moment where you have felt like you encountered God? How did that change you?

READ Psalm 34:1-8

An individual song of thanksgiving, but not for personal use only. Often these individual testimonies to faith were made public in community to teach and inspire others for their own times of struggle.

Psalm 34 is also an acrostic psalm, which means that each line begins with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet, in sequence from A to Z, so to speak.

The section we read has 3 main themes, which give us our reflection points.

“Bless the Lord at all times” – it is not realistic to spend the whole day, every day in worship. How can we make the more mundane parts of our lives shine with the wonder of God?

“Heard by the Lord and saved from every trouble” – what do we do with the question of suffering in the short-term, when ultimately the Christian response is to focus on a long-term hope, whether you call it new life, or the kingdom of God?

“Taste and see that God is good!” – the whole person should be able to celebrate God, not just the intellect. How do YOU celebrate God with all five senses?

READ Hebrews 7:23-28

The beginning of this chapter introduced the readers to Melchizadek, at one time high priest to the people of Israel and felt by some to be greater than Abraham, whom Melchizadek blessed, according to Genesis 14. Therefore, from a Christian perspective, Christ as high priest is greater than all the Levites, even if they are descended from Abraham.

This is a good example of Christian midrash (interpretation) on an older text. The author of Hebrews is blending the story of Melchizadek with the Christian superiority complex. For early Christians with a Jewish background, this continuity between Melchizadek and Christ translates into a sense of security. While priests live and die, this is one who will intercede on their behalf forever.

The stories of priests in the scriptures often raise questions of corruption, exploitation of the role where one intercedes with God on another’s behalf. In Christian faith, especially the Reformed tradition, we are encouraged to go directly to Christ, without requiring intervention of a priest.

Question for reflection:  How do you understand the role or need for clergy, in the midst of your relationship with God?

READ Mark 10:46-52

This is the second story of Jesus healing a blind man in the gospel of Mark, the other is found at Mark 8:22-26. They bracket a section of stories where Jesus’ followers are being urged, metaphorically, to “see” what is right in front of them. Unfortunately, many seem to be “blind”, and this is a spiritual blindness that is much harder to heal!

Unlike the earlier blind man, who was supported by others in finding a way to see Jesus, in this story the crowd tries to keep Bartimaeus away – they do not want to hear what he sees in Jesus. In Mark, Bartimaeus is the first one to call Jesus “Son of David”, hinting at the procession of palms into Jerusalem, and Jesus’ confrontation with those who would accuse him of trying to reign politically. Throughout the story, Jesus’ “royal status” becomes more and more apparent, which he uses to help a noisy beggar become whole again – in a sense, they make each other whole.

Question for reflection:  In modern society, religion is often stereotyped as something that puts blinders on its believers, only science and logic can truly see. Have there been times in your life when you feel that your faith journey has helped you see something others couldn’t?

Closing Prayer: John Calvin
Grant, Almighty God, that as thou shinest on us by thy word, we may not be blind at midnight, nor wilfully seek darkness, and thus lull our minds asleep: but may we be roused daily by thy words, and may we stir up ourselves more and more to fear thy name and thus present ourselves and all our pursuits, as a sacrifice to thee, that thou mayest peaceably rule, and perpetually dwell in us, until thou gatherest us to thy celestial habitation, where there is reserved for us eternal rest and glory through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.