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Lectionary Notes - Eighth Sunday after
Pentecost
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Readings for
Eighth Sunday after Pentecost, 7/30/06:
2 Samuel 11:1-15, Psalm 14, Ephesians 3:14-21, John
6:1-21
2 Samuel 11:1-15:
- Uh-oh. Things were going so well. Then David saw
Bathsheba. Today we get part one of this story of temptation and sin. What
tempts you? When have you given into temptation? What do you think makes you
take that 'plunge' into committing a sin you know you shouldn't?
- Poor Uriah is the big loser all around in all of this.
Cheated on, by the king. Tricked. Murdered.
- No where in the story when David is having Uriah set up
does someone question his intention/authority. No doubt, people would fear
questioning the king. Still, wasn't their someone who could step in and ask
David what he was thinking? Could you question authority in a way that would
bring risk to yourself?
Psalm 14:
- "Fools say in their hearts, 'There is no God.'
Chris
Haslam, my first stop for quality exegesis, says
that this verse doesn't indicate atheism for the fools, but
those who doubt that God actually cares about human affairs and behaviors. A
lot of fools today, eh?
- "There is not one who does good, no, not one." This
statement is perhaps exaggerated, or, if not, at least extreme, unless
only in the sense that we are all sinners. But it reminds me of the quote from
Augustine: "If we have understood, than what we have understood is not God."
Likewise, we are not good, not even one of us, because God is good. If God is
good, we are only a shadow of that...
- I wonder about the context of this psalm - the psalmist
seems to have something very specific in mind - specific folks upon whom the
psalmist wants God's 'terror' poured.
Ephesians 3:14-21:
- "rooted and grounded in love" Great imagery. Roots run
deep underground, and are often invisible above the earth, except in bits. And
yet, though they often look fragile, compared to the thing they give root to,
they are essential for the livelihood of the plant/tree. What are your
roots made of and grounded in?
- "breadth and length, and height and depth" - just more
great imagery.
- "surpasses knowledge" - In today's age, it is hard for
us to deal with things that surpass knowledge. I know personally I like to
have all the answers to everything. Can we accept that God's love for us is so
great that we truly can't 'get it' all?
John 6:1-21:
- This text begins a month-long series of texts from John
6 that all talk about Jesus and bread and feeding and bread of life and living
water, etc., etc. The imagery is rich and meaningful and can communicate a
great deal. On the flip side, I remember preaching on these texts three years
ago when I was just starting at my first appointment, and wondering if I would
ever get to talk about something other than bread!
- "he said this to" - I always worry when the gospel
writers try to explain why Jesus said something. Do they really know, or are
they giving us their own guesses?
- Feeding so many, by magical multiplication or by a
generous stirring of hearts of the crowds is truly a miracle, given that so
many go without.
- "But what are they among so many people?" How often,
like Peter, do we look at what we've got and see only "not enough" to be
worthwhile? We, in our abundant society, live like we have a culture of
scarcity.
- The people follow Jesus wherever he goes. Today, it
seems only movie stars have such command of a crowd, and our attention. Who
today are you willing to follow? Really?
- "do not be afraid." A phrase so often communicated to
us by God through the scriptures. We need these words.
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 Rev. Beth Quick.
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