Illustrations for Proper 5 | Ordinary Time 10 (2024)
Illustration
1 Samuel 8:4-11 (12-15) 16-20 (11:14-15)
I am a fan of the Twilight Zone television show. Though it first aired in 1958, I find the topics it addresses to be fascinating. One episode from season five, “Number 12 Looks Just Like You,” came to mind as I thought about this familiar text.
In this episode, we see a future society, all nineteen-year-olds go through a process known as "the Transformation", in which each person's body is changed to a physically attractive design selected from a few models. Because female model 12 and male model 17 are so popular and chosen by lots of people, all adults wear name badges to avoid confusion. Eighteen-year-old Marilyn Cuberle decides not to undergo the transformation. No one around her can understand what she is thinking. They try many ways to talk her into doing what everyone else does. She tries to escape from the hospital but ends up in the operating room. At the end of the episode, a “new” Marilyn gushes to her friend, “And the nicest part of all, I look just like you.”
“Just like you” is a chilling phrase in the Twilight Zone episode. It was also the tragic desire of God’s people. As Samuel grew older, his sons were not following the Lord. The elders of Israel came to Samuel and addressed him about the situation. Their request? We want a king to rule us like all the other nations have. This could not have been pleasing to the Lord and Samuel tried to warn them. They would not be dissuaded. The people wanted to be like all the other nations. Not long after this, Saul became king and Israel had a monarchy. Being like all the other nations would bring the Hebrew people much heartache. Of course, trying to be like everyone else rather than doing what God wants us to do usually makes life harder.
Bill T.
* * *
1 Samuel 8:4-11 (12-15) 16-20 (11:14-15)
With election campaigns starting to heat up, this text’s emphasis on Saul gaining power is certainly appropriate for this season. There is a pessimism or cynicism about people and politics reflected in the text which we can certainly use in the next months. Martin Luther well expressed this line of thinking:
A worldly kingdom, however, prefers to make enemies of friends by taking and demanding what is good... For how would a worldly king maintain himself if he did not demand or take anything from his subjects and friends but instead tolerated every evil, punished nothing, and let everyone ridicule him and make a fool of him? (Luther’s Works, Vol.20, p.200)
The famed French intellectual Blaise Pascal made a similar observation. In his view “The power of kings is founded on the reason and folly of the people, but especially on their folly.” (Pensées, p.36)
Of course, despite all the abuses associated with power, the text makes clear we need government. In one of his contributions to The Federalist Papers (#2, p.37), Founder John Jay made it clear why. As he put it:
Nothing is more certain than the indispensable necessity of government; and it is equally undeniable that whenever and however it is instituted the people must cede to it some of their natural rights...
As Ronald Reagan once observed: “Government protects us from each other.”
Mark E.
* * *
1 Samuel 8:4-11 (12-15) 16-20 (11:14-15)
This cautionary passage makes it clear that having a king like all their neighbors will prove to be a disaster for God’s people — and indeed, although there are a few exceptions, the history of the kings is one of apostasy and disaster. Even kings like David and Solomon, remembered fondly by the historians, make grave errors and fall into folly. This leads to what seems like a broken promise on God’s part — the promise to David that one of his descendants will always sit on the throne. With the destruction of the temple by the Babylonian Empire the royal line was ended, and except for a brief period under the leadership of the Maccabees in the second century before Jesus there was no king.
But a descendant of David will finally come to claim his throne. He will not fulfill any of these prophetic warnings by Samuel. Jesus does not requisition slaves, create a command structure, coerce the best tithe, nor does he lead the young people of the country into battle. Jesus is the savior of the world, the king of kings, but also the prince of peace. When he entered Jerusalem Jesus did not ride a giant war horse, but humbly rode a donkey.
Much better, don’t you think?
Frank R.
* * *
2 Corinthians 4:13--5:1
When I was in my doctor of ministry program, I did some qualitative research around grief and its impact on individuals. As a part of that work, I developed a model for grief, based on a river — because it ebbs and flows, switches back on itself, has stagnant waters and rapids. A river is not linear, not precise, and cannot always be counted on to be the same day by day. It is affected by the wind, the rain, the drought, the sun, and myriad factors in nature. Grief is not stable, not linear and cannot be predicted or prescribed.
When I read this part of Paul’s letter to the church in Corinth, I reflected on grief and its changeable nature, its unseen nature and existence in our lives. Paul reminds the church that the earthly experiences we have will fade away, will change, and will, at some point, be less important. All the people with whom I spoke in my research and all the people I have counseled since then as a pastor, recognize the limitations of our earthly lives. We know the eternal is waiting. And we are human, so we move into our life experiences, sometimes forgetting how present God is to us in this moment and all those yet to come.
Bonnie B.
* * *
2 Corinthians 4:13--5:1
Augustine makes clear that this text testifies to the grace of God, that we do not of ourselves achieve good in service to God or in our lives. He writes:
... Since then it was not man himself, but God, who made man good; so also is it God and not man himself, who remakes him to be good, while liberating him from evil which he himself did upon his wishing, believing, and invoking such a deliverance. But all this is affected by the renewal day by day of the inward man, by the grace of God... (Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series, Vol.5, p.162)
In a similar line regarding the transforming character of faith (which most people reject, seeing faith and dependence on God as causing inertia), Martin Luther writes that faith “is not the cold ineffective, empty lifeless conception which... others imagine it to be; no, it is a living, active power, ever followed by victories and other appropriate fruits.” (Complete Sermons, Vol.4/1, p.240) To these observations, the French intellectual Blaise Pascal added:
Without Christ, man can only be vicious and wretched. With Christ, man is free from vice and wretchedness. In him is all our virtue and all our happiness. (Pensées, p.148)
Mark E.
* * *
Mark 3:20-35
I came across this little story that I thought was insightful. After the dedication of her baby brother in church, a four-year-old girl sobbed all the way home in the back seat of the car. Her dad asked her three times what was wrong. Finally, the little girl replied, “The preacher said he wanted us brought up in a Christian home, and I want to stay with you guys!”
That story is a bit humorous and a bit pointed. Jesus identifies who his family members are in this passage. “Whoever does the will of God is my brother, sister and mother.” Knowing that we want to be his family members, how do we know his will?
Carolyn Arends was a Canadian Christian musician who once wrote for Christianity Today about how she used to open for Rich Mullins. She told of how he answered questions about knowing the will of God. He’d say, “I don’t think finding God’s plan for you has to be complicated. God’s will is that you love him with all your heart and soul and mind, and also that you love your neighbor as yourself. Get busy with that, and then, if God wants you to do something unusual, he’ll take care of it. Say, for example, he wants you to go to Egypt.” Rich would pause for a moment before flashing his trademark grin. “If that’s the case, he’ll provide eleven jealous brothers, and they’ll sell you into slavery.” She concluded, “When I find myself wrestling with life decisions, I think of Rich’s Egypt principle. It makes me laugh, and then it asks me to get down to the serious business of determining which of my options allow me to best love God and other people.”
Will we seek to do his will?
Bill T.
* * *
Mark 3:20-35
It seems to me that this passage gets to the heart of truth — and is also ripe for abuse and misuse. The central controversy — the accusation that because Jesus cast out demons he must be possessed by demons — Jesus addresses directly. Why would the adversary work for us by casting out demons instead of against us? Surely if anyone were the ruler of the demons they would be furthering their cause, not casting them out.
It’s the framing portion that is open to misinterpretation. As the oldest son, it might have been considered the duty of Jesus to care for his mother and run the family business. Like many in his day he belonged to a large family — four brothers, and at least two sisters. To some it might seem Jesus abandoned these responsibilities — which would have been taken up by one of the younger brothers, The family, thinking him crazy, set out to fetch him. They find him at last preaching to a full house. When they send word to Jesus that they are waiting outside, he responds that his true family consists of those who do the will of God. For all of us living today, this signifies that we are part of the family of God, all of us together who listen to Jesus and do the work of God.
But this text could be used by some to suggest that they have no obligation to their families. Bear in mind, of course, that some families are toxic, and individuals may need to chart a different course and build a healthier family situation. Others, however, including leaders of cults, will use texts like these to separate individuals from their family. These unscrupulous people want to make themselves dictators over the lives of others, and one of the strategies of cult leaders is to cut off people from their roots and their senses.
Let’s look at the larger picture. In this same Gospel of Mark, Jesus criticizes those who use the Law of Corban, a custom that allowed people to set aside their assets for the temple after they die, meaning they get to keep their money while they’re alive, as an excuse not to care for their parents, in direct violation of the Ten Commandments. (Mark 7:9-13)
Jesus in his agony on the cross nevertheless takes care of his mother’s future welfare by directing the beloved disciple and Mary to act as son and mother (John 19:25-27). One sees Mary following the resurrection as part of the larger Christian family before and for Pentecost. (Acts 1: 14)
And finally, Jesus made a special resurrection appearance to his brother Jacob (generally translated as James), and one sees in the Acts of the Apostles that James became leader of the Jerusalem Christians. (1 Corinthians 15:7; Acts 15:13, and Galatians 2:9) So before taking this passage as a license to abandon family responsibilities, one must look at the wider context.
Frank R.
* * *
Mark 3:20-35
Family is vitally important to most of us. Therefore, we may not understand the remarks Jesus makes, seemingly discounting his own biological family. Yet, that is not what Jesus is doing. Rather than relying on biology to define family, Jesus expands the circle of family to include all who believe in and follow him.
Sometimes we think too narrowly about who can be included, who “should” be included, and how and when people should be included. Jesus knew that us humans were all about boundaries and sometimes barriers to inclusion. Jesus knew we needed to expand our understanding of the world in which we function, in which we “live and breathe and have our being.” Fortunately, when we choose to follow Jesus, we become a part of the family. Let’s remember that Jesus sets the boundaries. We do not. Let us welcome in all those who love God and love Jesus. That is our family.
Bonnie B.
I am a fan of the Twilight Zone television show. Though it first aired in 1958, I find the topics it addresses to be fascinating. One episode from season five, “Number 12 Looks Just Like You,” came to mind as I thought about this familiar text.
In this episode, we see a future society, all nineteen-year-olds go through a process known as "the Transformation", in which each person's body is changed to a physically attractive design selected from a few models. Because female model 12 and male model 17 are so popular and chosen by lots of people, all adults wear name badges to avoid confusion. Eighteen-year-old Marilyn Cuberle decides not to undergo the transformation. No one around her can understand what she is thinking. They try many ways to talk her into doing what everyone else does. She tries to escape from the hospital but ends up in the operating room. At the end of the episode, a “new” Marilyn gushes to her friend, “And the nicest part of all, I look just like you.”
“Just like you” is a chilling phrase in the Twilight Zone episode. It was also the tragic desire of God’s people. As Samuel grew older, his sons were not following the Lord. The elders of Israel came to Samuel and addressed him about the situation. Their request? We want a king to rule us like all the other nations have. This could not have been pleasing to the Lord and Samuel tried to warn them. They would not be dissuaded. The people wanted to be like all the other nations. Not long after this, Saul became king and Israel had a monarchy. Being like all the other nations would bring the Hebrew people much heartache. Of course, trying to be like everyone else rather than doing what God wants us to do usually makes life harder.
Bill T.
* * *
1 Samuel 8:4-11 (12-15) 16-20 (11:14-15)
With election campaigns starting to heat up, this text’s emphasis on Saul gaining power is certainly appropriate for this season. There is a pessimism or cynicism about people and politics reflected in the text which we can certainly use in the next months. Martin Luther well expressed this line of thinking:
A worldly kingdom, however, prefers to make enemies of friends by taking and demanding what is good... For how would a worldly king maintain himself if he did not demand or take anything from his subjects and friends but instead tolerated every evil, punished nothing, and let everyone ridicule him and make a fool of him? (Luther’s Works, Vol.20, p.200)
The famed French intellectual Blaise Pascal made a similar observation. In his view “The power of kings is founded on the reason and folly of the people, but especially on their folly.” (Pensées, p.36)
Of course, despite all the abuses associated with power, the text makes clear we need government. In one of his contributions to The Federalist Papers (#2, p.37), Founder John Jay made it clear why. As he put it:
Nothing is more certain than the indispensable necessity of government; and it is equally undeniable that whenever and however it is instituted the people must cede to it some of their natural rights...
As Ronald Reagan once observed: “Government protects us from each other.”
Mark E.
* * *
1 Samuel 8:4-11 (12-15) 16-20 (11:14-15)
This cautionary passage makes it clear that having a king like all their neighbors will prove to be a disaster for God’s people — and indeed, although there are a few exceptions, the history of the kings is one of apostasy and disaster. Even kings like David and Solomon, remembered fondly by the historians, make grave errors and fall into folly. This leads to what seems like a broken promise on God’s part — the promise to David that one of his descendants will always sit on the throne. With the destruction of the temple by the Babylonian Empire the royal line was ended, and except for a brief period under the leadership of the Maccabees in the second century before Jesus there was no king.
But a descendant of David will finally come to claim his throne. He will not fulfill any of these prophetic warnings by Samuel. Jesus does not requisition slaves, create a command structure, coerce the best tithe, nor does he lead the young people of the country into battle. Jesus is the savior of the world, the king of kings, but also the prince of peace. When he entered Jerusalem Jesus did not ride a giant war horse, but humbly rode a donkey.
Much better, don’t you think?
Frank R.
* * *
2 Corinthians 4:13--5:1
When I was in my doctor of ministry program, I did some qualitative research around grief and its impact on individuals. As a part of that work, I developed a model for grief, based on a river — because it ebbs and flows, switches back on itself, has stagnant waters and rapids. A river is not linear, not precise, and cannot always be counted on to be the same day by day. It is affected by the wind, the rain, the drought, the sun, and myriad factors in nature. Grief is not stable, not linear and cannot be predicted or prescribed.
When I read this part of Paul’s letter to the church in Corinth, I reflected on grief and its changeable nature, its unseen nature and existence in our lives. Paul reminds the church that the earthly experiences we have will fade away, will change, and will, at some point, be less important. All the people with whom I spoke in my research and all the people I have counseled since then as a pastor, recognize the limitations of our earthly lives. We know the eternal is waiting. And we are human, so we move into our life experiences, sometimes forgetting how present God is to us in this moment and all those yet to come.
Bonnie B.
* * *
2 Corinthians 4:13--5:1
Augustine makes clear that this text testifies to the grace of God, that we do not of ourselves achieve good in service to God or in our lives. He writes:
... Since then it was not man himself, but God, who made man good; so also is it God and not man himself, who remakes him to be good, while liberating him from evil which he himself did upon his wishing, believing, and invoking such a deliverance. But all this is affected by the renewal day by day of the inward man, by the grace of God... (Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series, Vol.5, p.162)
In a similar line regarding the transforming character of faith (which most people reject, seeing faith and dependence on God as causing inertia), Martin Luther writes that faith “is not the cold ineffective, empty lifeless conception which... others imagine it to be; no, it is a living, active power, ever followed by victories and other appropriate fruits.” (Complete Sermons, Vol.4/1, p.240) To these observations, the French intellectual Blaise Pascal added:
Without Christ, man can only be vicious and wretched. With Christ, man is free from vice and wretchedness. In him is all our virtue and all our happiness. (Pensées, p.148)
Mark E.
* * *
Mark 3:20-35
I came across this little story that I thought was insightful. After the dedication of her baby brother in church, a four-year-old girl sobbed all the way home in the back seat of the car. Her dad asked her three times what was wrong. Finally, the little girl replied, “The preacher said he wanted us brought up in a Christian home, and I want to stay with you guys!”
That story is a bit humorous and a bit pointed. Jesus identifies who his family members are in this passage. “Whoever does the will of God is my brother, sister and mother.” Knowing that we want to be his family members, how do we know his will?
Carolyn Arends was a Canadian Christian musician who once wrote for Christianity Today about how she used to open for Rich Mullins. She told of how he answered questions about knowing the will of God. He’d say, “I don’t think finding God’s plan for you has to be complicated. God’s will is that you love him with all your heart and soul and mind, and also that you love your neighbor as yourself. Get busy with that, and then, if God wants you to do something unusual, he’ll take care of it. Say, for example, he wants you to go to Egypt.” Rich would pause for a moment before flashing his trademark grin. “If that’s the case, he’ll provide eleven jealous brothers, and they’ll sell you into slavery.” She concluded, “When I find myself wrestling with life decisions, I think of Rich’s Egypt principle. It makes me laugh, and then it asks me to get down to the serious business of determining which of my options allow me to best love God and other people.”
Will we seek to do his will?
Bill T.
* * *
Mark 3:20-35
It seems to me that this passage gets to the heart of truth — and is also ripe for abuse and misuse. The central controversy — the accusation that because Jesus cast out demons he must be possessed by demons — Jesus addresses directly. Why would the adversary work for us by casting out demons instead of against us? Surely if anyone were the ruler of the demons they would be furthering their cause, not casting them out.
It’s the framing portion that is open to misinterpretation. As the oldest son, it might have been considered the duty of Jesus to care for his mother and run the family business. Like many in his day he belonged to a large family — four brothers, and at least two sisters. To some it might seem Jesus abandoned these responsibilities — which would have been taken up by one of the younger brothers, The family, thinking him crazy, set out to fetch him. They find him at last preaching to a full house. When they send word to Jesus that they are waiting outside, he responds that his true family consists of those who do the will of God. For all of us living today, this signifies that we are part of the family of God, all of us together who listen to Jesus and do the work of God.
But this text could be used by some to suggest that they have no obligation to their families. Bear in mind, of course, that some families are toxic, and individuals may need to chart a different course and build a healthier family situation. Others, however, including leaders of cults, will use texts like these to separate individuals from their family. These unscrupulous people want to make themselves dictators over the lives of others, and one of the strategies of cult leaders is to cut off people from their roots and their senses.
Let’s look at the larger picture. In this same Gospel of Mark, Jesus criticizes those who use the Law of Corban, a custom that allowed people to set aside their assets for the temple after they die, meaning they get to keep their money while they’re alive, as an excuse not to care for their parents, in direct violation of the Ten Commandments. (Mark 7:9-13)
Jesus in his agony on the cross nevertheless takes care of his mother’s future welfare by directing the beloved disciple and Mary to act as son and mother (John 19:25-27). One sees Mary following the resurrection as part of the larger Christian family before and for Pentecost. (Acts 1: 14)
And finally, Jesus made a special resurrection appearance to his brother Jacob (generally translated as James), and one sees in the Acts of the Apostles that James became leader of the Jerusalem Christians. (1 Corinthians 15:7; Acts 15:13, and Galatians 2:9) So before taking this passage as a license to abandon family responsibilities, one must look at the wider context.
Frank R.
* * *
Mark 3:20-35
Family is vitally important to most of us. Therefore, we may not understand the remarks Jesus makes, seemingly discounting his own biological family. Yet, that is not what Jesus is doing. Rather than relying on biology to define family, Jesus expands the circle of family to include all who believe in and follow him.
Sometimes we think too narrowly about who can be included, who “should” be included, and how and when people should be included. Jesus knew that us humans were all about boundaries and sometimes barriers to inclusion. Jesus knew we needed to expand our understanding of the world in which we function, in which we “live and breathe and have our being.” Fortunately, when we choose to follow Jesus, we become a part of the family. Let’s remember that Jesus sets the boundaries. We do not. Let us welcome in all those who love God and love Jesus. That is our family.
Bonnie B.
