Proper 17 | Ordinary Time 22 - A
R. Craig Maccreary
Weapon: "1) something (as a club, knife, or gun) used to injure, defeat, or destroy; 2) a
means of contending against another." Now this seems to be something where Christian
people ought to put a lot of distance between themselves and the whole idea of clubs,
knives, or guns. Yet Paul reminds us that we are to fight the good fight, "Fight the good
fight of the faith; take hold of the eternal life, to which you were called and for which you
made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses" (1 Timothy 6:12). Paul
according to the second letter of Timothy seeks to be remembered as one who has fought
the good fight.
In the 1980s, Nike challenged athletes (and would-be athletes) with this straightforward motto: Just do it. The phrase -- and the surrounding advertising campaign -- caught fire with the public. Nike put distance between itself and its competitors, and a new generation of can-do attitudes was born.
The appeal of Nike's slogan and accompanying campaign should be encouraging to us as pastors and preachers. People were clearly attracted to the no-nonsense, no-excuses, hard-nosed, and challenging quality of the message. And, although the televised images that illustrated the slogan suggested pain rather than comfort, strenuous effort rather than relaxation, sacrifice rather than self-indulgence, the viewing public seemed to welcome the challenge and the sense of...
The appeal of Nike's slogan and accompanying campaign should be encouraging to us as pastors and preachers. People were clearly attracted to the no-nonsense, no-excuses, hard-nosed, and challenging quality of the message. And, although the televised images that illustrated the slogan suggested pain rather than comfort, strenuous effort rather than relaxation, sacrifice rather than self-indulgence, the viewing public seemed to welcome the challenge and the sense of...
Frank Ramirez
In this week’s three scriptures we encounter the holy in different yet related ways, a reminder that the kingdom of heaven is close at hand even if it is not fully visible or realized in history.
Moses retired from leadership, having failed to inspire his people to rise up against their Egyptian masters -- but God speaks from an ordinary bush to someone engaged in the ordinary profession of shepherding. That place is holy!
Paul, in instructing that we love our enemies and get revenge through kindness, may be suggesting that we meet the holy in each other, even in those who seem to be our opponents.
And Jesus challenges us to find holiness in the most unlikely places of all -- in the cross, in suffering, and in obedience.
Exodus 3...
Moses retired from leadership, having failed to inspire his people to rise up against their Egyptian masters -- but God speaks from an ordinary bush to someone engaged in the ordinary profession of shepherding. That place is holy!
Paul, in instructing that we love our enemies and get revenge through kindness, may be suggesting that we meet the holy in each other, even in those who seem to be our opponents.
And Jesus challenges us to find holiness in the most unlikely places of all -- in the cross, in suffering, and in obedience.
Exodus 3...
Frank Ramirez
Robert Frost wrote a poem titled “The Road Less Traveled,” about making a choice between one turn in the road instead of another, and, as he concludes, “…that has made all the difference.”
I think in all these scriptures we see biblical individuals take a road less traveled, and in each case, it makes a world of difference. After fleeing a murder charge and abandoning Pharaoh’s court, Moses settles into a secure, if arduous, course as a shepherd — but he turns aside from his path to see what’s going on with this burning bush thing.
The Apostle Paul addresses the Christians in Rome, who live in a culture in which preserving face is the most important thing about life and encourages them to do as he has done — follow the words of the Sermon on the Mount, a radically...
I think in all these scriptures we see biblical individuals take a road less traveled, and in each case, it makes a world of difference. After fleeing a murder charge and abandoning Pharaoh’s court, Moses settles into a secure, if arduous, course as a shepherd — but he turns aside from his path to see what’s going on with this burning bush thing.
The Apostle Paul addresses the Christians in Rome, who live in a culture in which preserving face is the most important thing about life and encourages them to do as he has done — follow the words of the Sermon on the Mount, a radically...
Mark Ellingsen
Exodus 3:1-15
The First Lesson is part of a book telling the story of the Israelites’ escape from Egyptian bondage. It is well known that the book is the product of three distinct oral traditions. This text is probably the product of the oldest of the strands identified as J (most likely a 9th-10th century BC source), so named for its use of the Name Jahweh or Yahweh (translated “Lord”). For in this text we read the account of the theophany of Moses and the burning bush, the divine commission, and the revealing of the divine Name Yahweh.
The First Lesson is part of a book telling the story of the Israelites’ escape from Egyptian bondage. It is well known that the book is the product of three distinct oral traditions. This text is probably the product of the oldest of the strands identified as J (most likely a 9th-10th century BC source), so named for its use of the Name Jahweh or Yahweh (translated “Lord”). For in this text we read the account of the theophany of Moses and the burning bush, the divine commission, and the revealing of the divine Name Yahweh.
David Coffin
A certain congregation has many problems as they survey the community where they exist grows more secular and obsessed with school sports. Fewer volunteers want to do ministry work in the church and several building projects need to be completed before the year's end. The finances are tight, the pastor is spread out thin in terms of what is expected of him or her and many people wonder, "Why not just stay home and watch church on TV?" One group within the church believes they have some great ideas as to what should be in this church to improve things (as they remember them in times past). However, this group wants other people to carry out their ideas because they believe they have "done their time." Another group in the congregation believes they have some solutions to the church's...
Schuyler Rhodes
I have a confession to make -- I am a member of Packrats Anonymous. PA is a 12-step program for those of us who find it difficult to part with anything, no matter how useless it may seem to others. You may have heard of some of our members, like the guy who saved bits of string, tying end to end until he had a ball of string over six feet high. He was not really trying to create the world's largest ball of twine; it's just that like the rest of us he never knew when a certain length of string might come in handy.
One of the side effects of being a Packrat is that we are confined to living in the same residence for all of our life. It is not that we could not move if we wanted to, but rather that the expense of moving all of our accumulated treasures is prohibitive. Not only...
One of the side effects of being a Packrat is that we are confined to living in the same residence for all of our life. It is not that we could not move if we wanted to, but rather that the expense of moving all of our accumulated treasures is prohibitive. Not only...
I have a confession to make -- I am a member of Packrats Anonymous. PA is a 12-step program for those of us who find it difficult to part with anything no matter how useless it may seem to others. You may have heard of some of our members, like the guy who saved bits of string, tying end to end until he had a ball of string over six feet high. He was not really trying to create the world's largest ball of twine; it's just that like the rest of us he never knew when a certain length of string might come in handy.
One of the side effects of being a Packrat is that we are confined to living in the same residence for all of our life. It is not that we could not move if we wanted to, but rather that the expense of moving all of our accumulated treasures is prohibitive. Not only that...
One of the side effects of being a Packrat is that we are confined to living in the same residence for all of our life. It is not that we could not move if we wanted to, but rather that the expense of moving all of our accumulated treasures is prohibitive. Not only that...
Our society is like most other societies in the history of the world. We idolize winners and have little respect for losers. Heroes are those who swing a mighty bat or throw a touchdown bomb or fly through the air from the foul line for a mighty dunk. Losers are those cut from the team or who sit on the bench watching the game like the fans. The winners are remembered, and the losers are forgotten -- until a new team of winners takes over next season.
Imagine the wonderful chaos that would ensue if the losers were those who ultimately win and the winners taste the sting of defeat. While that reversal might never happen in our world, it does seem to be the way of the kingdom of heaven.
Jeremiah 15:15-21
Imagine the wonderful chaos that would ensue if the losers were those who ultimately win and the winners taste the sting of defeat. While that reversal might never happen in our world, it does seem to be the way of the kingdom of heaven.
Jeremiah 15:15-21
(To the reader: You will note that the format changes for these articles with this September/October issue. We will go directly to a consideration of the three lessons for the day, followed by brief homiletical suggestions. HWC)
Grist For The Mill
Exodus 3:1-15
Genesis is the account of God's choice of a people. As we met each character we met them in their full human condition -- the good mingled with the bad. God could have chosen some others. But God, for reasons we do not understand, chose them.
If election is the overriding theme of Genesis, redemption is the accent of Exodus. Now God will work through a particular person to bring freedom and new life to the Hebrew people. The parallel between...
Grist For The Mill
Exodus 3:1-15
Genesis is the account of God's choice of a people. As we met each character we met them in their full human condition -- the good mingled with the bad. God could have chosen some others. But God, for reasons we do not understand, chose them.
If election is the overriding theme of Genesis, redemption is the accent of Exodus. Now God will work through a particular person to bring freedom and new life to the Hebrew people. The parallel between...
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