Emphasis Preaching Journal

In each of these scriptures it is up to recognize who is the star of the show. We might be surprised. David thinks he is honoring God by building a temple, but isn’t he really honoring himself as the typical conqueror who builds temples to the gods as a testimony to his accomplishments as a ruler? Paul, addressing the class-conscious Roman society of the Ephesian church, asks, “Is the star of the church one of the muckety-mucks, or should be we paying attention to the outsiders, perhaps even those totally outside the church’s orbit?” And finally Mark’s Gospel encourages us to think of ourselves when it comes to self-maintenance, but also to remember the true shepherd acts out of compassion towards others who are hurting.

2 Samuel 7:1-14a
David asks to build the temple but gets a dynasty instead. Kings, especially conquerors, were expected to also be builders. No, they were not expected to get their hands dirty. That’s what slaves were for.

David, anointed king as a child, after decades of struggle, risk, and danger, is finally ruler of a united kingdom in a new capital of Jerusalem. He is expected to build, and what’s not to like about his first proposed project which is intended to honor God? Here we are introduced to a prophet who interprets David’s success as a sign that God will bless his every endeavor.

But will this temple honor God or David? Certainly, but it may honor David even more. At any rate, it is God’s prerogative not David’s because God is the star of the show. I suspect some of the things we think are priorities are not as important as we think. In this passage Nathan the prophet (his name means gift) acts as God’s intermediary. As one body in Christ we need to pray and discern together as we determine priorities, remembering God, not us, is the star of the show.

Ephesians 2:11-22
When it comes to the growing church, who's the star of the show? The outsiders. Those far off now brought near. The apostle’s argument to the outsiders is that they have been become insiders through the sacrifice of Jesus. This has been made possible through the cross. And this is not just an admonition for first century Christians. There are outsiders in our country, in our community, and perhaps even in our churches, who need to be the priority, not the usual suspects.

For first century Christians with different ethnic backgrounds the issue of circumcising was charged with emotion from both sides of the controversy, one side thinking of the other as unclean, the other considering the matter one of disfigurement. It’s not an issue in the same way now. But there are other ways some may consider others unclean. But we are to consider each other through the eyes of Christ. Whether it’s fashions in clothes, body ornaments, language, profession, ethnic, or other differences, our priorities include welcome and inclusion.

Mark 6:30-34, 53-46
Jesus is the Son of God. His priorities should have priority. Right? And Jesus, in prioritizing both physical and spiritual rest is setting a great example. But compassion is also a priority of a ministry that calls to mind Ezekiel's words about God’s style of shepherding leadership versus the predatory shepherding of the false rulers. Indeed, the prophet condemns the rulers who fail to rule as shepherds and predicts their downfall. (See Ezekiel 34).

Jesus acts with compassion — the gut-wrenching kind. The word translated compassion is splagknos, derived from the word for colon. They believed we felt emotions in the gut, not the heart. That’s the kind of compassion Jesus feels for the sheep without a shepherd.

Jesus will get his rest, and in addition between these two linked passages there will be the feeding of the multitudes, as well as walking on water and the stilling of the storm. Nothing to sneeze at. But the priority remains with the poor ornery folks like you and me. So how did we get to be the star of the show? Not sure. And don’t discount self-care. But prioritize compassion!