Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - A
The scenario continues from a week ago. Then it was complaining for lack of bread and meat. Now it is water that is scarce. But now the intensity of discontent is deeper. Whereas they had merely "complained" before, now they are in open rebellion. Mumbling has broken into quarreling. Moses is at his wits' end. He fears he will be stoned, a sign that a mob mentality is beginning to take hold.
In answer to his plea, God gives yet another sign. This time it is water from the rock. This event became so deeply embedded in the history of Israel that a tradition grew up which suggested that the rock actually followed them through their wilderness journey -- a tradition reflected in Paul's reference to Christ as "the supernatural Rock that followed them" (1 Corinthians 10:4)...
In answer to his plea, God gives yet another sign. This time it is water from the rock. This event became so deeply embedded in the history of Israel that a tradition grew up which suggested that the rock actually followed them through their wilderness journey -- a tradition reflected in Paul's reference to Christ as "the supernatural Rock that followed them" (1 Corinthians 10:4)...
William H. Shepherd
They rang the church doorbell insistently. "We want to speak to the pastor!" they yelled over the intercom.
I met them at the glass doors and asked how I could help them.
The tall thin one with the long hair, granny glasses, and floppy leather Bible announced that they had a message from "Our Lord Jesus Christ" (the other one was small, tubby, had short hair, but the same floppy Bible).
"That's nice," I said, "but I'm afraid I'm rather busy right now." (I probably had an Emphasis deadline.) "Why don't you call ahead for an appointment next time?"
After I had to say that the third time, I shut the door and walked away. Behind me the tall guy kept tapping on the glass with his keys and shouting, "Our Lord Jesus Christ!"...
I met them at the glass doors and asked how I could help them.
The tall thin one with the long hair, granny glasses, and floppy leather Bible announced that they had a message from "Our Lord Jesus Christ" (the other one was small, tubby, had short hair, but the same floppy Bible).
"That's nice," I said, "but I'm afraid I'm rather busy right now." (I probably had an Emphasis deadline.) "Why don't you call ahead for an appointment next time?"
After I had to say that the third time, I shut the door and walked away. Behind me the tall guy kept tapping on the glass with his keys and shouting, "Our Lord Jesus Christ!"...
Wayne Brouwer
An ice storm on Saturday night! Everything was cancelled. Roads were closed and powerlines down.
Chad was the new pastor at Creekside Church. In fact, he was new to ministry leadership. His ordination service in this rural congregation happened only three months earlier.
The parsonage had been located next to the isolated church building for its first 75 years. But as part of the anniversary celebration four years ago, the congregation had voted to build a new minister’s residence in nearby Rheiderland, hoping to attract younger ministers in the future by offering them a modern house in town, where neighbors and stores and the school were nearby.
Now a fallen tree blocked the driveway. Chad would not be able to drive to church for Sunday worship. Phone...
Chad was the new pastor at Creekside Church. In fact, he was new to ministry leadership. His ordination service in this rural congregation happened only three months earlier.
The parsonage had been located next to the isolated church building for its first 75 years. But as part of the anniversary celebration four years ago, the congregation had voted to build a new minister’s residence in nearby Rheiderland, hoping to attract younger ministers in the future by offering them a modern house in town, where neighbors and stores and the school were nearby.
Now a fallen tree blocked the driveway. Chad would not be able to drive to church for Sunday worship. Phone...
David Kalas
The mirror on the wall gets a lot of looks. We are continually checking to see that our hair is right, that our teeth are clean, that our clothes are put together and put on in the most attractive way. We check the mirror in the bathroom, the mirror in the bedroom, the mirror in the car, perhaps a mirror in the bathroom at school or work, and we may even employ our phone as a mirror from time to time.
“Man looks at the outward appearance,” indeed (1 Samuel 16:7 NASB).
But then there is another mirror -- less used, but more useful. It does not hang on our walls but sits on our shelves. And it does not focus our attention so much on our outward appearance but gives magnificent insight into our inner beings -- our heart and soul and character.
This...
“Man looks at the outward appearance,” indeed (1 Samuel 16:7 NASB).
But then there is another mirror -- less used, but more useful. It does not hang on our walls but sits on our shelves. And it does not focus our attention so much on our outward appearance but gives magnificent insight into our inner beings -- our heart and soul and character.
This...
Sandra Herrmann
How many times are we told that “God has a plan”? A plan for your life. A plan for this earth. A plan for our nation. The trick, of course, is to align ourselves with God’s plan. We need to know God’s will. And as soon as we know what God’s will is, we have to follow it.
Who can argue with that? Well, the Bible can, for one thing. Consider the story from Exodus that is our Old Testament reading for today. Moses is following a God who sought him out, not the other way around. He has done everything God has told him to do: “confront Pharaoh; announce plagues to convince Pharaoh to let his slaves go free; organize those slaves; lead them out of Egypt and into the desert; then I will meet you and tell you what to do next.” But Moses had to go out and do the work. And God’s will,...
Who can argue with that? Well, the Bible can, for one thing. Consider the story from Exodus that is our Old Testament reading for today. Moses is following a God who sought him out, not the other way around. He has done everything God has told him to do: “confront Pharaoh; announce plagues to convince Pharaoh to let his slaves go free; organize those slaves; lead them out of Egypt and into the desert; then I will meet you and tell you what to do next.” But Moses had to go out and do the work. And God’s will,...
David Coffin
It is the first week of classes at a small college or university in the 1970s and 1980s in Midwest America. The professor stands in the auditorium with pride and asks the whole class of students to stand up. The professor tells the students to each look to their right side, then to their left side. The professor smiles and announces that one out of two of the students will not graduate from this institution. It is with a confident if not superior tone of voice that the professor says that 50% of the students will drop out of college. The students are asked to be seated, then the professor proceeds to lecture at a rapid speed as students scribble notes on their legal pads. This university professor has real authority for the times.
Wayne Brouwer
When Sadie and Bessie, the famed "Delany Sisters," were in the early years of their
second centuries (103 and 105, respectively) they told interviewers, "God only gave you
one body, so you better be nice to it. Exercise, because if you don't, by the time you're
our age, you'll be pushing up daisies." Fitness gymnasiums ought to put the Delany
Sisters on their billboards and quote them into larger profit margins.
"Sez who?"
"Sez me, that's who!"
"Yeah, well, how do you know?"
It's a standard playground or backyard exchange, one I imagine most of us have experienced at one time in our lives. The scenario usually begins when one child makes a tremendously authoritative statement about something. To make matters worse, it may be an outrageous statement, and it may go against conventional childhood wisdom. The other children gathered around can't simply believe it as delivered. No, you can't simply accept these things too readily. You have to challenge it. And so the exchange above ensues.
The topic could vary. In my experience it was mostly about one of our friends or sports, or maybe sex, which we had trouble believing anyway. But regardless of topic, the...
"Sez me, that's who!"
"Yeah, well, how do you know?"
It's a standard playground or backyard exchange, one I imagine most of us have experienced at one time in our lives. The scenario usually begins when one child makes a tremendously authoritative statement about something. To make matters worse, it may be an outrageous statement, and it may go against conventional childhood wisdom. The other children gathered around can't simply believe it as delivered. No, you can't simply accept these things too readily. You have to challenge it. And so the exchange above ensues.
The topic could vary. In my experience it was mostly about one of our friends or sports, or maybe sex, which we had trouble believing anyway. But regardless of topic, the...
Throughout the Scriptures the will of God is asserted again and again, particularly in the preaching of the Old Testament prophets and in the teachings of Jesus. Often what pleases God is indeed the faithful observance of his commands and especially the command to love one another.
Yet here and there the Bible offers other answers to the question about what pleases him, and when it does, we do well to consider the variety of ways in which God gets pleasure. Often as not, what pleases God is what he does for us.
Our lessons for this day tantalize us to consider the question as each one provides a different perspective on an answer.
Ezekiel 18:1-4, 25-32
Yet here and there the Bible offers other answers to the question about what pleases him, and when it does, we do well to consider the variety of ways in which God gets pleasure. Often as not, what pleases God is what he does for us.
Our lessons for this day tantalize us to consider the question as each one provides a different perspective on an answer.
Ezekiel 18:1-4, 25-32
We have trouble in our culture dealing with the world of the unseen. Many pastors were trained to strain out the element of the miraculous in scripture. But one can hardly preach on the texts for this day without confronting the question posed by the popular song of a decade or so ago: "Is that all there is?" Are we the only ones in the universe? Did God make no other beings?
In spite of attempts to rule out the realm of angels, archangels and other invisible beings, belief in such a world runs strong. Rather than work so hard at denying it, we would do well to capitalize on it and affirm what scripture says -- that this is not all there is, that we are not alone, and that God works to help us in ways we cannot begin to comprehend.
The angel...
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