Genesis 15:1-12,17-18; Luke 13:31-35 Lent 2C This week we are grateful to John Wurster for providing the lectionary reflection. In this short passage from Luke, Jesus is lamenting over Jerusalem, foreshadowing the suffering that awaits him there in the days to come. As he laments, he says, “How often I have desired to gather your children as a hen gathers her brood under her wings.” How often I have desired.Desired. That’s a strong word. And it’s a rare word in the Gospel of Luke, appearing only one other time when Jesus is the subject. I desire. This phrase is pointing us to something significant about Jesus’ character. Jesus yearns deeply to gather us. With great feeling, great longing, Jesus seeks to gather us to himself, to bring us close, hold us, shelter us, keep us. It is a desire for an intimate relation with us. I’m not sure we very often think of God as desiring us, longing for us. We are more likely to see God as judging us or correcting us or punishing us or … [Read more...]
1st Sunday in Lent — March 10, 2019
Deuteronomy 26:1-11; Luke 4:1-13 Lent 1C What is the chief end of man? Man’s chief end is to glorify God and enjoy him forever. This is, of course, the first question of the Shorter Catechism (the Westminster Shorter Catechism, to be exact), and for many years memorizing the shorter catechism was a required aspect of Presbyterian Christian formation. As of late, there has been some discussion of bringing back memorization as a means for teaching the faith. I get the arguments: biblical illiteracy is rampant, worship attendance spotty, innovative liturgy is trumping ancient creeds. But, here’s the thing: Wagging our fingers at folks rarely brings about the change we are after. And besides, there is a counter-argument that says all that matters is to be a good person and do the right thing. What does it matter if we know man’s chief end or the Lord’s Prayer or the Apostles’ Creed or Amazing Grace or A Mighty Fortress? Like everything else, we can Google it if we need to … [Read more...]
God with us as the Holy Spirit (Horizons 8)
“God’s Promise: I Am With You” Lesson 8: John 14:1-31 “I am one in whom Christ dwells and delights and I live in the unshakeable kingdom of God.” James Bryant Smith said the above quote at a Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) conference on making disciples. I found it challenging to wrap my head around the phrase. What happens when you say to yourself, “I am one in whom Christ dwells and delights”? Are you startled, doubting, incredulous or pleased when you think about Christ delighting in you? For 60 seconds of silence, imagine Christ looking at you with pleasure. What happens when you reflect on Christ dwelling in you? Do you readily identify with the Holy Spirit having a home within you, or do you think that the Holy Spirit will only come once you have spiritually cleaned house? Do you feel like the Holy Spirit has packed up and left, or is the Spirit as close to you as breath or wind? Chapter 14 of the Gospel of John focuses on the Holy Spirit coming to lodge within the … [Read more...]
A perfect timed good work
UNIFORM LESSON FOR April 14, 2019 Scripture passage and lesson focus: Matthew 26:1-13 We continue our discussion of ministry as we jump from the beginning of Jesus’ public witness to its end, with the chief priests and elders plotting his arrest. We thus encounter a potent reminder of the potential cost of ministry in Jesus’ name, as well as examples of how we might make costly responses of our own. Matthew 26:1-5 — Risky business While the disciples quickly jumped out of boats and left family and livelihood to follow Jesus at the beginning, as we draw close to the end, the responses waver. Jesus announces that his arrest is only a couple of days away. Matthew gives us a glimpse of the leaders in Jerusalem plotting an arrest by stealth, so as not to incite the crowd. The path of discipleship begins to narrow down to a very tight spot — as tight as an under-cover arrest and subsequent assassination. The world was, and is, a dark and broken place — and did, and does, set its … [Read more...]
The Twelve sent for mission (April 7, 2019)
UNIFORM LESSON FOR April 7, 2019 Scripture passage and lesson focus: Matthew 10:1-15 This week we begin to shift from discipleship to mission. This week we encounter Matthew’s version of the missionary discourse, which precedes the actual sending of the twelve in Mark 6 and the sending of the 70 in Luke 10. Matthew 10:1-4 — The Twelve Matthew pauses his narrative to not only name the twelve disciples, but provide some running commentary on several: Simon (again cited as Peter, the Rock), Matthew (the tax collector), Simon (the Cananaean (perhaps a zealot, or one hoping for a political solution to Rome’s occupation), and Judas Iscariot (“the one who betrayed him”). Just like the 12 tribes of Israel were not anonymous groupings of humans, so the disciples are particular people with particular stories. Surprisingly, these stories are most often ones which would seem to disqualify them for such service — especially if you take Simon’s nickname, the Rock, to be both a compliment (as … [Read more...]
Retreating to move forward (March 31, 2019)
UNIFORM LESSON FOR March 31, 2019 Scripture passage and lesson focus: Matthew 4:12-22 Several weeks ago, we studied Mark’s version of the calling of the disciples. Now we come to the same story according to Matthew. If we assume Mark to be the original Gospel and Matthew a subsequent version (for a different audience and, thus, with different purposes), we might learn more about discipleship by comparing and contrasting the two. Read side by side, we can see that Matthew makes additions, deletions and modifications — each step of the way. Matthew 4:12-16 — A strategic retreat Matthew introduces the calling of the disciples with reference to the arrest of John. When Jesus receives this news, he withdraws to Galilee. From Nazareth, he shifts to Capernaum, and makes his home on the road by the sea (4:15), where the Gentiles are more numerous. Matthew cites this relocation as a fulfillment of a promise made by the prophet Isaiah regarding the redemption of this same territory … [Read more...]
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