Love Carved in Stone: A Fresh Look at the Ten Commandments Lesson 2: “Words of Love: Don’t Trivialize My Name” Exodus 20:7; Matthew 7:21-23 As a child, I looked up the meaning of my name, and the name book said: “Like a beautiful rose; an ancient deep-sea monster”! “Rosalind” is Germanic in origin and combines words for horse, “(h)ros,” and “linti,” which means “soft, gentle, tender, weak.” Thus, the original meaning is a docile horse. Hmm, this doesn’t quite fit me. Knowing the ancient meaning of my name really doesn’t tell you much about me. You would have to get to know me — what I value, my eccentricities, humor, habits and moods. With any person that we know well, we link their name with their character. Some people’s names are associated with integrity and honesty, while other people’s names are associated with gossip and finding fault. To use God’s name correctly, we must know what God stands for and what God values. “You shall not use the Lord your God’s name as if … [Read more...]
Helping churches talk about racism
90-minute Presbyterian Outlook webinar Tuesday, October 29, 2019 at 2 p.m. ET / 11 a.m. PT (with on-demand video replay available after the live event) Presented by Carolyn B. Helsel If you are in one of the many predominantly-white Presbyterian congregations across the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), chances are that racism isn’t a topic that gets addressed from the pulpit unless there’s a major news event of a hate crime. Many people avoid talking about racism for a number of reasons: worry that they will say the wrong thing, the belief that avoiding the subject will make race less significant or the fear of creating conflict in the church. As a white preacher and professor of preaching, Carolyn Helsel has written two books to help churches begin these conversations, and people of different races have commented on how her books have helped them engage in deeper conversations with one another on racism. During this webinar, she will help congregations start having meaningful … [Read more...]
13th Sunday after Pentecost — September 8, 2019
Jeremiah 18:1-11; Philemon 1-21; Luke 14:25-33 Ordinary 23C; Proper 18 Can any of us, really, live up to Jesus’ expectations in the gospel reading this week? Are we truly to hate life itself on account of our discipleship? Is this an example of Messianic hyperbole, or are we literally to hate those with whom we have the tenderest, closest ties? The trajectory of Jesus’ admonitions seems off, too. Hate mother and father, carry the cross, calculate the cost as if evaluating the viability of a massive building project, take stock of all the resources needed in order to wage a war. Also this: If you cannot give up your possessions you cannot be my disciples. Is Jesus setting us up to respond: “Oh, you mean all we must do is give up all our stuff, I’m into the Marie Kondo method already, I’m all set!” In that litany of disciple requirements, giving up our possessions sounds lightweight compared to the other instructions. And yet we rarely do even that. Perhaps the root of the … [Read more...]
12 Sunday after Pentecost — September 1, 2019
Jeremiah 2:4-13; Hebrews13:1-8, 15-16; Luke 14:1, 7-14 Ordinary 22C Proper 17 DIY discipleship never turns out well. When left to our own instincts, ideas and attitudes, we inevitably make choices that hurt ourselves and others; that create lives and worlds far less joyful, abundant and beautiful than God intends. As Jeremiah puts it, we trade fountains of living water for shoddy, humanmade cisterns that don’t hold water. As Luke tells it, we think more highly of ourselves than we should, and end up embarrassed and ashamed when our cover is blown and our real lives don’t match our Instagram ones. What Hebrews admonishes against doing, we do liberally – neglecting to show hospitality to strangers, forgetting those in prison, dishonoring relationships, loving money and hoarding resources. Sometimes do it yourself leads to disaster. And yet, over and over again we think we know better than God. Each of the texts this week shines a spotlight on our hubris. Note that Jeremiah … [Read more...]
The importance of intercessors and mediators
Uniform Lesson for September 29, 2019 Scripture passage and lesson focus: Numbers 14:10b-23 The relationship we have with our parents or parent-like figures is crucially important and influential. And for many of us, it takes a long time and much suffering, perhaps even a good deal of counseling, to come to terms with this relationship. The story about the Israelites’ travels in the wilderness is comparable. The relationship between the Israelite people and God is fraught, filled with disappointment and angry outbursts. The Israelites are portrayed as faithless, weak and whining, while God is depicted as violent, rash and angry. In the middle of this stressed relationship is the key role played by Moses who acts as a mediator and intercessor between God and the people. Numbers 14:10b-20 — Divine anger and the Israelites’ unfaithfulness The pericope that begins here continues the story in Numbers 13 about how the Israelites, on the cusp of conquest, sent spies to Canaan who … [Read more...]
God and conquest (Sept. 22, 2019)
Uniform Lesson for September 22, 2019 Scripture passage and lesson focus: Numbers 13:1-14:10a In 2016, a very popular book called “Grit” argued that in order to achieve and succeed, one needed more than just talent. Rather, one needed preservation and hard work — what the author described as grit. Numbers 13 describes how the Israelites whom God has led through the wilderness under the leadership of Moses still lacked the grit to take the land promised to them. Balking at trying to conquer the Promised Land of Canaan, the Israelites whine and desist, angering God once again. Yet from a modern point of view, this story of conquest is problematic as it raises uncomfortable concerns about the ways in which theology and religion are used to justify colonialism, violence and takeover. Numbers 13:1-24 — Spies and the conquest of Canaan The Israelites – after a lengthy, dramatic and fraught journey in the wilderness under the leadership of Moses – finally arrive at the Promised Land, … [Read more...]
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