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Lectionary
Notes - 15th Sunday after Pentecost
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sermon or sermon for this text)
Readings for 15th
Sunday after Pentecost, 9/9/07:
Jeremiah 18:1-11, Psalm 139:1-6,
13-18, Philemon 1-21, Luke 14:25-33
Jeremiah 18:1-11:
- Potter imagery
- God as the potter, remolding us, remaking our clay pots. This imagery of
being remade, the flaws worked out of us can be so powerful and moving. The
problem is that this passage actually speaks of God being quite upset with
us humans! God wants to "pluck up and break down and destroy" because
we've messed up so bad! Can we handle that? Are we willing to be remolded
to that degree?
- What I do like
about the image of potter and clay is that the same piece of clay is used
- just remade. The clay is the same substance. We are not wiped out completely.
Can we read this like we read being made new in Christ, casting of the old
and putting on the new?
- I dislike
that God seems so moody and temperamental here again, like a child throwing
a tantrum - "one moment" wanting to destroy and "at another
moment" building up.
- "I am a potter
shaping evil against you and devising a plan against you." Eek! God shaping
evil against us is not good. Jeremiah is warning with full force - get you
act together, or you will have a lot to deal with!
Psalm 139:1-6, 13-18:
- Compare this with August
26th's reading from Jeremiah 1:4-10 - the same themes and imagery are
in both passages.
- Not only did God knit us together
in our mother's womb, but this whole passage reads like we are in God's womb
- hemmed in by God behind and before. Our life is in God's womb - that is
a very peaceful and comforting thought.
- How weighty to us are God's thoughts!
Indeed!
- "I am fearfully and wonderfully
made." This psalm affirms God and God's power, but also affirms our human
worth and goodness - a rare scriptural combination. You are fearfully and
wonderfully made. How well do you know that? How many in this society know
that and are taught to know that?
Philemon 1-21
- Poor little Philemon - such a
short little book - better pay it some attention on the only Sunday in the
cycle it makes it into the lectionary!
- Philemon has been an interesting
book in the past in discussions about slavery - does the Bible justify it
or not, and is that even a relevant/accurate way to ask the question? I think
Philemon brings up the importance of looking at context of scripture and what
the text says given the context. Here Paul is trying to argue for a runaway
slave to stay freed - doing a little persuasive writing to the master of Onesimus.
In a society with servants and masters, Jesus made use of these dynamics in
his own teachings to turn our understanding of these roles and our status
desires upside down. What other contexts do the scriptures work within to
transform our understandings anyway? Gender? Sexuality? Economics?
Luke 14:25-33:
- This text is another
from Luke that talks about the divisions that come with discipleship even
into the closest relationships of family. Jesus is going straight to the point
here, hitting us at our weakest points, our closest and dearest relationships
(usually, at least!) What is your discipleship worth to you? What price are
you willing to pay for the hard life of following Jesus? Count the cost!
- "All your possessions"
- The Greek word for possessions, huparcousin, is interesting in its
variety of meanings. 'Possessions' is a very accurate translation, but for
fun, it also means: to begin, to make a beginning, to be ready, to be in existence,
to be taken for granted, etc.
- Also, the Greek word translated
as disciples, mathe^te^s, literally means a 'learner' or a 'pupil'
- that's what Jesus wants us to be - students of his, learning from him as
much as possible. What will we give to be his students?
Pastor’s Note: (I use the Greek-English
Lexicon from Liddell and Scott, the “little Liddell”
and the Metzger et. al Greek New Testament in my translation work.)
Lectionary
Notes are from the Lectionary Chat Group Bible Study of St.
Paul's UMC, Oneida, NY, Rev. Beth Quick.
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