Category: SSCSJ
Paragraphs from SSCSJ
A few paragraphs from Sacred Steps: Children’s Sermon Journal, for the Lectionary texts, Nov. 11 – Year B
Ruth 3:1-5; 4:13-17
In last week’s Lectionary selection, we read the introductory material for the Book of Ruth. When there was a famine in Bethlehem, Elimelech and Naomi moved to Moab to find food, along with their two sons, Chilion and Mahlon. This was a dangerous step because Israelites were not supposed to mix with Moabites, who were believed to have descended from an incestuous relationship between Lot and his eldest daughter (Gen 19:37). Once they settle in Moab, Elimelech dies, leaving Naomi with her two sons. They marry Moabite women, Orpah (Chilion) & Ruth (Mahlon). When her sons also die, leaving no children, Naomi is left with her two daughters-in-law and no future. Having heard that the famine is over in Bethlehem, she decides to go home. While Orpah and Ruth both initially begin the trip with her, Orpah decides to stay in Moab. Ruth pledges her loyalty and commitment to Naomi, and the two women journey to Bethlehem.
This marvelous short story about Ruth & Naomi was an important lesson to the post-exilic Jewish community about who could be part of God’s covenantal people. While Ezra wanted men to divorce their foreign wives, Ruth was a testimony to the blessings of a “foreign” wife. Ruth, the Moabite, is the example of covenant faithfulness, and she holds an important position in the lineage of Israel’s most revered king. Likewise, this story provides a counter-testimony to those in the 21st century who wish to limit God’s love to only certain people whom they deem “acceptable”. Ruth was a true “outsider”, yet she is embraced as part of the Israelite story and, for Christians, also in the lineage of Jesus (Matt 1). In what ways can the faithful in the 21st century continue to broaden our understanding of the expanses of God’s love and care? How can we follow Ruth’s example of covenant faithfulness? Is it possible that Ruth and Naomi, along with Obed, can now live out their lives without a husband?
Hebrews 9:24-28
There are times in congregational life when questions about identity, vision, and direction become the focus of proclaiming the good news of God. Sometimes this conflicts with “doing” the good news of God. These are necessary conversations and debates in the life of a system or institution, but few congregations are prepared for the intensity of these situations and the ensuing posturing, as people take sides. What is good news of God in the midst of congregational conflict? The minister is placed in a situation where she or he has to decide how to “minister” and how to “preach,” which often comes out in the content of “preaching.” The author of Hebrews chooses one path and leadership style. What are the characteristics of that style? How is he choosing to minister to people whom he most likely does not know, or with whom he does not have a relationship?
Returning to the text, one must again ask the question, “What image of God is the text portraying?” There is a misunderstanding about the sacrificial system, its purpose and function, of ancient Judaism among Christians. My hermeneutic, my way of reading and interpreting our holy book of stories, leads me to claim that sacrifices were not something that the LORD commanded, or required, of the people as a way of appeasing the LORD or manipulating the LORD.
Mark 12: 38-44
This passage is so familiar that allowing it to inform, challenge, and “work on us” can be difficult. Odds are you’ve heard sermons, preached sermons, or taught a Sunday school class/bible study on this text. With this in mind, a good first step might be asking yourself which character in the story resonates most with your experience and why? Can you read the text through a different set of eyes? How is your empathy for the scribes, for the disciples who are listening, for those “rich people” coming to the treasury, and for the widow? This is another parable about the kindom of God that draws out conversation on how our communities, religious and secular, are organized and what is valued. It’s more complex than “be like the widow” or finger-pointing judgment against the scribes.
I’ve often wondered if this is an appropriate text for commenting on a congregation’s budget. I wonder what people in the pews hear and ponder, when this story is read aloud. Who are the scribes, widows, rich, and disciples in their midst? Is this text encouraging or indicting, no matter your socioeconomic class? In this election cycle, this text also puts our politics under a microscope and opens a conversation about public policy. How is it that the communal nature of the good news of the kindom of God has become “me and my Jesus”?
Paragraphs from SSCSJ
Here are a few paragraphs from Sacred Steps: Children’s Sermon Journal. Subscribers generally get 8 to 10 pages of commentary and exegesis on the Lectionary texts each Friday.
Job 42:1-6, 10-17
In this week’s reading, Job responds one last time to this Divine encounter. Job finally gets what he has been asking for, an audience with the divine. However, the experience is more powerful than perhaps he had anticipated. In the presence of the Holy and given the opportunity to present his rebuttal, Job is reduced to only a few, well-chosen words. Like the reader, he realizes that God has not answered his questions, but he has lost his courage and bravado when confronted with God’s power. Job never says that he was wrong to question God’s part in his suffering. Instead he accepts that he will never get a straight answer to his questions from God and that even if God did try to answer, his humanity would prevent him from fully understanding the answers given. In essence, Job accepts defeat, and God has succeeded in making Job realize that God is God and he is not.
There are too many times when the suffering of people seems to be without any explanation, and it would be best to let that question of “why?” exist without feeling the need to answer it. Even if we could explain why a human suffers, would that really help to address that person’s needs? The other lesson we should take away from the Book of Job is that we should follow the example of Job’s “friends”, when they came and sat with Job in his misery and did not say anything. We do not need to explain the situation; being present is the best response. Finally, even the folktale in Job 1-2 has a message for us in the 21st century. Yes, God does make a bet with Ha-Satan that involves Job’s faith being tested by his suffering; however, God does this expecting to win. God has confidence in Job and in his ability to be faithful even without any “rewards.” Since this folktale is meant to teach a lesson, we can see ourselves in Job and know that God has faith in us. How can this shape our living today?
Hebrews 7:23-28
There are some weeks when the obligation to make the biblical witness “meaningful” for our context and our living is harder than it needs to be, because of New Testament texts like Hebrews and those who have used it as a foundation to build Christian theological hierarchies. My interpretation of the ordination promises (vows) of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), which ordained me into Christian ministry, is that I willfully accepted the responsibility to represent the good, the bad, and the questionable history of Christianity, and the good, the bad, and the questionable present of Christianity, and what Christianity can mean for future believers and the world. I willfully accepted this task and this role, which are both a burden and a sacred obligation. I often think of my response to each question of the promises (vows) I spoke, “I will with the help of God.”
The text provides the opportunity for an inspection of how one reads the bible, and specifically, how one reads the First Testament. This may be the best way for this text, and others like it, to be meaningful teaching and preaching moments in our context. What hermeneutic do you bring to the text? As noted in the Oct 14, 2013 SSCSJ, many Christians follow the example of the author of Hebrews and read Jesus into (or find Jesus in) the First Testament, where he does not belong and never existed. The author creates a “supersessionist” view of Christianity that continues to coat much of Christendom today. Like last week, the text references “King Melchizedek” of Salem as an other-worldly king of peace (or righteousness or Jerusalem depending on your translation). It is this deity-like human with which the author of Hebrews associates with Christ Jesus and his work as an intercessor for humanity in the hands of an angry God.
Mark 10:46-52
After reading this week’s text, one might ask, “What does it mean to see Jesus?” Mark’s Jesus passes through Jericho on his way to Jerusalem and is haunted by a man who sees Jesus of Nazareth without every laying eyes on him. Bartimaeus, son of Timaeus, a blind man, “sees” Jesus of Nazareth, calls him “Son of David” to get his attention, and receives a rebuff from the disciples. The blind can “see” Jesus, and in another gospel, we are told that, if the people were silenced about Jesus, the stones would shout out. When Bartimaeus’ eyesight is restored, he follows Jesus on the way. From what, metaphorically speaking, have you been restored and how have you followed Jesus on the way?
Is there a Bartimaeus figure in your congregation? Is there a person who sees Jesus and the good news of God more often than others, but who is often on the periphery of the community? What does that person need to “shout” to get the attention of your community and help you see? Think of it this way. Jesus and the disciples are walking along, and here is another outcast on the side of the road asking for help. Is it a miracle that Jesus hears, stops, listens to Bartimaeus, and sees him as a child of God?