Uniform Lesson for August 9, 2020 Scripture passage and lesson focus: James 1:19-27 As we move further into James, the reverberations from Proverbs grow louder and clearer. This is advice that’s practical, tangible and specific. James has little concern for wisdom that is limited to diplomas or creeds. James is looking for wisdom that has legs. James 1:19-21 — Acting fast and slow The world’s wisdom has a special place for quick responses — in sidewalk banter, board room discussions and presbytery deliberations. And yet, just as several authors are touting the benefits of thinking slow versus fast, so James advocates being quick to do one thing (listen), and slow to do two others (speak and get angry). Imagine, if you would, a meeting where everyone was as quick to listen as they were to speak. Have you ever noticed that, in a discussion, the one who waits longest to speak often has the most to say? And Lord have mercy on us regarding anger. The old adage about counting to 10 … [Read more...]

Uniform Lesson for August 2, 2020 Scripture passage and lesson focus: James 1:1-11 We wrap up our study of the “Many Faces of Wisdom” with five weeks in James, a practical counterpart in the New Testament to Proverbs in the Old. Many similar themes and subjects appear here. There is an emphasis on binary choices, like the invitation to the house of Woman Wisdom versus that of Woman Folly. There is a distrust of any thinking that does not translate into practice, though here the discussion shifts from wisdom and her deeds (Matthew 11:19) to faith and its works. There is a lot of talk about how we use the parts of our body, though while Proverbs talks much about the feet and their paths, James focuses more on the hands (extended in care) and the mouth (particularly the tongue). In this first lesson, we will recognize the call away from double-mindedness (James 1:8), but we may be surprised by what James has to say regarding riches and suffering. James 1:5-8 — Double-mindedness The … [Read more...]

Uniform Lesson for July 26, 2020 Scripture passage and lesson focus: John 14:1-14 Our last stop on this Wisdom/Gospel tour is John. Once more, this is a very familiar passage approached from a quite different perspective. Rather than hearing this as a word of comfort for a service of Witness to the Resurrection, let us hear the passage as a lesson from Wisdom to her class. How is Jesus, in John, portrayed as a teacher of wisdom as he prepares to depart from his students/disciples? How can Woman Wisdom help us hear the truth of Rabbi Jesus as we seek to follow in his and her way? John 14:1-6 — A homecoming invitation Way back in Proverbs, at the beginning of this series, we heard of Woman Wisdom’s invitation to come to her house: “Wisdom has built her house, she has hewn her seven pillars. She has slaughtered her animals, she has mixed her wine, she has also set her table” (Proverbs 9:1-2). Here, Jesus talks about his Father’s house with many dwelling places and promises to go and … [Read more...]

Uniform Lesson for July 19, 2020 Scripture passage and lesson focus: Mark 6:1-6 Last week in Luke, a young Jesus listens for wisdom in the Temple and amazes the teachers with his understanding and his answers. This week in Mark, Jesus comes home to his neighbors and classmates in Nazareth and receives a far different reception. It begins with astonishment. But in a matter of one verse, things change. How could the same Jesus create both amazement and offense, and why does this Jesus end up being amazed by his friends’ and neighbors’ unbelief? Why does proximity make it so difficult to hear wisdom? What prophets in our midst aren’t being heard? Mark 6:1-3 — Wisdom close to home It’s interesting that the people of Nazareth are at first astounded by Jesus’ wisdom. It’s even more interesting that they end up finding fault not with his teachings but his trade (“Is not this the carpenter?”); not with his proverbs but his parents (“the son of Mary”); not with his syllogisms but his … [Read more...]

Uniform Lesson for July 12, 2020 Scripture passage and lesson focus: Ecclesiastes 3:1,7b and Luke 2:39-52 We shift to the Gospel of Luke, continuing our study of wisdom in the Gospels. The editors have paired an excerpt from Ecclesiastes with a familiar story from Luke about Jesus as a young person in the Temple. Most of the times I’ve studied and preached this passage, I’ve focused on vocational issues and the insights this story provides regarding the particular calling of Jesus. But the pairing of this passage with Ecclesiastes, and listening to it from the perspective of wisdom, makes me wonder what Luke may have to teach us about when to keep silent and when to speak.  Ecclesiastes 3:1,7b — When to keep silent I’ve read this passage many times, but somehow my image of this scene is more about Jesus speaking and the teachers in the Temple listening. That’s the picture of this scene that became ingrained in my mind from Sunday school illustrations and art. Jesus is standing in … [Read more...]

Uniform Lesson for July 5, 2020 Scripture passage and lesson focus: Matthew 11:7-19 We now shift from Proverbs to the Gospels. As in Proverbs, two voices are calling out for our attention. First, there is the voice of John, who is crying out in “the wilderness” in order to prepare the way of the Lord. Second, there is the voice of the Son of Man, who, like Woman Wisdom, is known for his love of eating and drinking (see Proverbs 9). To whom are the crowds listening, and whose voice will they obey? Matthew 11:7-10 — Wisdom in two keys Matthew sets up the words and actions of John and Jesus as essential songs to see and hear, but songs sung in two quite different keys. John’s message of repentance and fasting replicates the words and actions of prophets in the past, who wailed yet God’s people did not mourn. In contrast, Jesus’ message of repentance and the kingdom’s drawing near is closer to the delight we’ve learned from Woman Wisdom, who plays the flute for us but we did not … [Read more...]