Trust for the journey
Commentary
Object:
So who do we trust while taking our journey of faith during the season of Pentecost? I observe that people who get sick or have accidents experience a rude awakening when their medical co-pays and deductibles have risen. Why does a broken arm or viral infection cost us more this year than it did last year? The rules have changed with every year and it takes a larger hit on our bank account or available cash. If we go on a vacation, quite often the tourist places have raised their rates. At the amusement park, why are the rides more expensive than they were last year? They are the same rides with the same level or adventure or fright that we had last year. Whose words can we actually trust? Who will pretend to be our friends and later let us down?
How do we carry our mission as Christians with changing circumstances? Who are the major players or, as the case may be, culprits in making our lives more complicated? This is one of the themes that tie our lessons together this Pentecost season Sunday.
1 Kings 21:1-10 (11-14) 15-21a
Marrying a foreign woman, or one who is not from the community, has an ambiguous history in the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament). Marriage is more than about love and romance (if even that in some cases) but also entails authority and property ownership rights. On one hand, Ruth the Moabite proved to be a faithful woman among the people of Israel (Ruth 3:13-17). Delilah betrayed Samson in Judges 16, which led to his downfall. Jezebel seems to fit into the latter category as demonstrated in today's text. She is married to the king of God's chosen people Israel. King Ahab is the monarch whom the people are supposed to respect as God's ruler. There is to be a certain trust relationship as King David and King Solomon demonstrated in their respective ways. Ahab married Jezebel, a foreign-born woman (Sidonians, who worshiped the Baal god).
She saw her husband's depression when citizen Naboth would neither give nor sell his vineyard. She conspired to have "scoundrels" sit next to Naboth during a meal, fabricating lies related to Naboth cursing God and king (1 Kings 21:13). The man who cherished his vineyard as a family heirloom is then executed by stoning. Here is a trustworthy man who pretty much lived by the philosophy of trusting other people at face value. In the case of King Ahab and Queen Jezebel, such trust cost him his life and later his cherished family vineyard.
Such power plays do not go unchecked! The prophet Elijah confronts the king about his abuses of the office of king. In Israel's history this is not the first time a monarch has abused his power. King David committed the same sort of act of murder with Uriah the Hittite, as King David stole Uriah's (foreign-born) wife Bathsheba. Nathan the prophet would confront David (2 Samuel 11-12). David would repent and later write Psalm 51, a song of repentance that has served many people of faith through time. However, this is not so with Ahab. He defies the prophet Elijah, and the conflict between the two men escalates.
Which people of power and leaders have found themselves to be trustworthy in our lives? Are there people in power whom we suspect are usually good people, but can be easily swayed by those around them? I once served in a community where it was said, "Everybody is related to one another, so do not say anything bad about anyone." This also meant that blood is thicker than any (baptismal) water. So otherwise sound-of-thinking leaders of families can indeed allow their views in certain situations to be swayed by influential family members -- even if they know better or can see a more ethical stance. This was the situation Ahab was in today. Maybe we need to be aware of the background "power people" behind the Ahabs in our own communities during our Pentecost journey of ministry.
Galatians 2:15-21
One of the ladies in the twelve-step groups that meet in our church basement once shared that there are two schools of thought on "trust." There are those people who trust nobody until that trust is earned. Then there are those who trust everybody until that trust has been breached.
Paul is experiencing the form of trust of the latter group, as he writes this letter from Ephesus around 52-55 AD. A group of missionaries, who are Judiazers, are twisting the gospel message Paul has already presented to mean that good works such as circumcision and assorted Sabbath regulations are additional requirements to become part of the justified family of Christ. In 2:16 Paul unapologetically repeats, "[Y]et we know that a person is justified not by the works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ." Paul held to his convictions. Paul knows his message and does "stay on script" here, while realizing that others will spin his message to their liking. One other interpretative lens text for this whole epistle is in Galatians 5:1, "For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery." Standing firm is one theme for the season of Pentecost, as the church does its mission. Yet there remain distractions.
How often has any church leader shared an idea in a church council or committee meeting, and it is "spun" to mean what the person never intended. Paul's response is to stay on script with the message of justification through faith in Jesus Christ. The season of Pentecost is the time many churches are carrying out their mission through summer programs and community outreach, as well as planning for autumn ministries. One desired outcome of this text is for the church to discover new ways that the broader community can see and experience the Christ who lives in us (2:20). The challenge here is that any given church's message or mission can be misconstrued or twisted to serve the "spin" of somebody else's agenda, as Paul experienced with the Judiazers. In such times, the church needs those who are the inner circle to step up to the plate and boldly proclaim what the faith and confidence of the church is based on in terms of the God of trust. This might be a good time to preach to the "choir" to remind them that we are all in this together. God has not abandoned us. Do not allow those who make up stories about us to go answered. We can live out our witness every day. An example might be that some churches have worship and picnics in the local parks during the summer -- and invite bystanders to fellowship.
Luke 7:36--8:3
Continuing on the journey related to trust, Luke attaches forgiveness toward those who know they are sinners such as the woman who washed Jesus' feet with her tears and dried them with her hair (7:44). The text suggests this to be another example of Jesus dining with the wrong people and then blessing them. But this is consistent with his mission in Luke's gospel stated in Luke 19:10: "For the Son of Man came to seek out and save the lost." He shares the parable of the debtors, indicating that the debtors who owed the most to the creditor will love him even more than the one who owed less to the creditor. Jesus announces forgiveness to the woman twice (7:48, 50). The woman is acting like the forgiven debtor in the parable, thus reflecting a faith and love in Jesus. It is this faith that has saved her and allowed her to continue on in life with peace (7:50). She has left behind a disordered life and taken a decisive step toward discipleship, which is also a theme in Pentecost for the community of faith.
One of the issues this text raises is Simon's assumptions about whom a true prophet welcomes. Simon believes the sinful woman to be unwelcome despite evidence to the contrary that prophets such as Elijah and Elisha did in fact spend time with outsider women (1 Kings 17; 2 Kings 4). One area to pursue in a sermon could be: Is the church perceived as a forgiving rather than judging community? Could a misunderstanding in this area feed into the modern dichotomy of being "spiritual but not religious"?
Another issue of the text relates to how and what forgiveness is about within any community. Who has the authority to grant forgiveness? Are there sins that are so despicable that they are simply too difficult to be forgiven? Are there people whom quite frankly we would prefer go to another church than to seek their forgiveness because their presence elicits unpleasant thoughts and memories? There are numerous movies about the "lost sheep" returning to the hometown, only to be received with scorn and suspicion. Pastor Brown is such a movie. It is about a clergyman's daughter who returns home from her job as an exotic dancer, only to be selected by her reverend father as his successor upon his death.
This text also provides raw material in developing or deconstructing the legend that Mary Magdalene is the forgiven sinful woman. Extra-canonical as well as texts from other gospels (John 20:11-18) when conflated can create the legend of the sinful Mary Magdalene. Relating this strand back to the Galatians 2 text, how much of it is negative spin and how much of it is truth? The bottom line here is that Jesus remains "on mission" in seeking and saving the lost (Luke 19:10).
Application
Pentecost is a season when the church carries out its mission. There are numerous books, workshops, and internet seminars on "Mission, Being Missional, and Post-Christendom Mission Outreach." All three of the texts this week serve as a source of basic tools for any church leadership team or congregational council to consider. One can covet the appealing, sweet-tasting vineyard of the local Naboth in the area -- be it a new building project, dynamic youth ministry, or developing more outreach efforts to attract "seekers." However, like Ahab neglected to do, one must ask questions such as: Who has a stake in such programs? Who will sustain such projects for the long term? What sacrifices are to be made? Who will be in opposition and is the church willing to possibly lose their support, money, and even worship presence? Are the Elijahs tolerated in a given organization? Which challenges is our given congregation being led to consider? Is there an unnamed "Jezebel" who is the real mover and shaker trying to make a certain ministry advance at the expense of other people? As the church considers its mission, 1 Kings 21 provides a "checklist" of concerns to address before the first check is written and groundbreaking shovel scoop dug up.
Along that same line, does the congregation or worship community still embrace the founding mission or core beliefs it was founded on? Paul's reminder of the Galatians church being built on the foundation or remaining "on script," with being justified by faith in Jesus Christ (apart from works of the law), is a reminder that the church may have to consider what exactly going to the next level means for this congregation. What constitutes the church straying from the intent of its original founders? Are there populist trends used by the secular marketplace inconspicuously creeping in through the cracks of church ministries and persons who are vulnerable to the latest trends in the society that the people of Christ are called to be transforming?
Luke 7 and 8 provide examples of a Jesus who stays on mission or on script regardless of the criticisms and later consequences from people in prominent power positions. Does the society at large even buy into the assumption of Jesus' parable that we are debtors and need to be made right with our creditor? On one level, theologian Paul Tillich might argue that excessive debt, credit card bills, and indulgent living have delivered many people into the yoke of slavery for perpetual servitude to big banks. The gods of money and indulgence have let many of us down -- even before the grave.
A sermon on forgiveness and what elements surround forgiveness are ways one can grow in their discipleship during the season of Pentecost. Today would the woman who is washing Jesus' feet be scorned for seeking consumer credit counseling or applying for bankruptcy through one of the numerous lawyer commercials on television? What is the church's word of "forgiveness" to those who have made poor choices in life? Jesus tells all of us what he told the woman in our gospel: "Your faith has saved you; go in peace." How do we as a people of faith live out such words in our daily ministries?
An Alternative Application
"Meal interrupted" might be a good alternative application to the gospel lesson. A family is at a local park enjoying a picnic only to see a poor, transient family who camps in that same park eating beans and hot dogs as their morning and evening meal. Shall the police be called for interrupting the family time (especially if their dog breaks off its leash)? What sort of interruptions occur in our lives that maybe were intended as opportunities to grow in how we view our daily Christian mission?
Another example might be a worker or student as part of a huge party one evening with trays of catered food. Imagine the look on the same partygoer's face when volunteering at the local food kitchen, only to see the leftover party tray being served to those without a steady income? This is an invitation to consider how mission is carried out in the Pentecost season.
How do we carry our mission as Christians with changing circumstances? Who are the major players or, as the case may be, culprits in making our lives more complicated? This is one of the themes that tie our lessons together this Pentecost season Sunday.
1 Kings 21:1-10 (11-14) 15-21a
Marrying a foreign woman, or one who is not from the community, has an ambiguous history in the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament). Marriage is more than about love and romance (if even that in some cases) but also entails authority and property ownership rights. On one hand, Ruth the Moabite proved to be a faithful woman among the people of Israel (Ruth 3:13-17). Delilah betrayed Samson in Judges 16, which led to his downfall. Jezebel seems to fit into the latter category as demonstrated in today's text. She is married to the king of God's chosen people Israel. King Ahab is the monarch whom the people are supposed to respect as God's ruler. There is to be a certain trust relationship as King David and King Solomon demonstrated in their respective ways. Ahab married Jezebel, a foreign-born woman (Sidonians, who worshiped the Baal god).
She saw her husband's depression when citizen Naboth would neither give nor sell his vineyard. She conspired to have "scoundrels" sit next to Naboth during a meal, fabricating lies related to Naboth cursing God and king (1 Kings 21:13). The man who cherished his vineyard as a family heirloom is then executed by stoning. Here is a trustworthy man who pretty much lived by the philosophy of trusting other people at face value. In the case of King Ahab and Queen Jezebel, such trust cost him his life and later his cherished family vineyard.
Such power plays do not go unchecked! The prophet Elijah confronts the king about his abuses of the office of king. In Israel's history this is not the first time a monarch has abused his power. King David committed the same sort of act of murder with Uriah the Hittite, as King David stole Uriah's (foreign-born) wife Bathsheba. Nathan the prophet would confront David (2 Samuel 11-12). David would repent and later write Psalm 51, a song of repentance that has served many people of faith through time. However, this is not so with Ahab. He defies the prophet Elijah, and the conflict between the two men escalates.
Which people of power and leaders have found themselves to be trustworthy in our lives? Are there people in power whom we suspect are usually good people, but can be easily swayed by those around them? I once served in a community where it was said, "Everybody is related to one another, so do not say anything bad about anyone." This also meant that blood is thicker than any (baptismal) water. So otherwise sound-of-thinking leaders of families can indeed allow their views in certain situations to be swayed by influential family members -- even if they know better or can see a more ethical stance. This was the situation Ahab was in today. Maybe we need to be aware of the background "power people" behind the Ahabs in our own communities during our Pentecost journey of ministry.
Galatians 2:15-21
One of the ladies in the twelve-step groups that meet in our church basement once shared that there are two schools of thought on "trust." There are those people who trust nobody until that trust is earned. Then there are those who trust everybody until that trust has been breached.
Paul is experiencing the form of trust of the latter group, as he writes this letter from Ephesus around 52-55 AD. A group of missionaries, who are Judiazers, are twisting the gospel message Paul has already presented to mean that good works such as circumcision and assorted Sabbath regulations are additional requirements to become part of the justified family of Christ. In 2:16 Paul unapologetically repeats, "[Y]et we know that a person is justified not by the works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ." Paul held to his convictions. Paul knows his message and does "stay on script" here, while realizing that others will spin his message to their liking. One other interpretative lens text for this whole epistle is in Galatians 5:1, "For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery." Standing firm is one theme for the season of Pentecost, as the church does its mission. Yet there remain distractions.
How often has any church leader shared an idea in a church council or committee meeting, and it is "spun" to mean what the person never intended. Paul's response is to stay on script with the message of justification through faith in Jesus Christ. The season of Pentecost is the time many churches are carrying out their mission through summer programs and community outreach, as well as planning for autumn ministries. One desired outcome of this text is for the church to discover new ways that the broader community can see and experience the Christ who lives in us (2:20). The challenge here is that any given church's message or mission can be misconstrued or twisted to serve the "spin" of somebody else's agenda, as Paul experienced with the Judiazers. In such times, the church needs those who are the inner circle to step up to the plate and boldly proclaim what the faith and confidence of the church is based on in terms of the God of trust. This might be a good time to preach to the "choir" to remind them that we are all in this together. God has not abandoned us. Do not allow those who make up stories about us to go answered. We can live out our witness every day. An example might be that some churches have worship and picnics in the local parks during the summer -- and invite bystanders to fellowship.
Luke 7:36--8:3
Continuing on the journey related to trust, Luke attaches forgiveness toward those who know they are sinners such as the woman who washed Jesus' feet with her tears and dried them with her hair (7:44). The text suggests this to be another example of Jesus dining with the wrong people and then blessing them. But this is consistent with his mission in Luke's gospel stated in Luke 19:10: "For the Son of Man came to seek out and save the lost." He shares the parable of the debtors, indicating that the debtors who owed the most to the creditor will love him even more than the one who owed less to the creditor. Jesus announces forgiveness to the woman twice (7:48, 50). The woman is acting like the forgiven debtor in the parable, thus reflecting a faith and love in Jesus. It is this faith that has saved her and allowed her to continue on in life with peace (7:50). She has left behind a disordered life and taken a decisive step toward discipleship, which is also a theme in Pentecost for the community of faith.
One of the issues this text raises is Simon's assumptions about whom a true prophet welcomes. Simon believes the sinful woman to be unwelcome despite evidence to the contrary that prophets such as Elijah and Elisha did in fact spend time with outsider women (1 Kings 17; 2 Kings 4). One area to pursue in a sermon could be: Is the church perceived as a forgiving rather than judging community? Could a misunderstanding in this area feed into the modern dichotomy of being "spiritual but not religious"?
Another issue of the text relates to how and what forgiveness is about within any community. Who has the authority to grant forgiveness? Are there sins that are so despicable that they are simply too difficult to be forgiven? Are there people whom quite frankly we would prefer go to another church than to seek their forgiveness because their presence elicits unpleasant thoughts and memories? There are numerous movies about the "lost sheep" returning to the hometown, only to be received with scorn and suspicion. Pastor Brown is such a movie. It is about a clergyman's daughter who returns home from her job as an exotic dancer, only to be selected by her reverend father as his successor upon his death.
This text also provides raw material in developing or deconstructing the legend that Mary Magdalene is the forgiven sinful woman. Extra-canonical as well as texts from other gospels (John 20:11-18) when conflated can create the legend of the sinful Mary Magdalene. Relating this strand back to the Galatians 2 text, how much of it is negative spin and how much of it is truth? The bottom line here is that Jesus remains "on mission" in seeking and saving the lost (Luke 19:10).
Application
Pentecost is a season when the church carries out its mission. There are numerous books, workshops, and internet seminars on "Mission, Being Missional, and Post-Christendom Mission Outreach." All three of the texts this week serve as a source of basic tools for any church leadership team or congregational council to consider. One can covet the appealing, sweet-tasting vineyard of the local Naboth in the area -- be it a new building project, dynamic youth ministry, or developing more outreach efforts to attract "seekers." However, like Ahab neglected to do, one must ask questions such as: Who has a stake in such programs? Who will sustain such projects for the long term? What sacrifices are to be made? Who will be in opposition and is the church willing to possibly lose their support, money, and even worship presence? Are the Elijahs tolerated in a given organization? Which challenges is our given congregation being led to consider? Is there an unnamed "Jezebel" who is the real mover and shaker trying to make a certain ministry advance at the expense of other people? As the church considers its mission, 1 Kings 21 provides a "checklist" of concerns to address before the first check is written and groundbreaking shovel scoop dug up.
Along that same line, does the congregation or worship community still embrace the founding mission or core beliefs it was founded on? Paul's reminder of the Galatians church being built on the foundation or remaining "on script," with being justified by faith in Jesus Christ (apart from works of the law), is a reminder that the church may have to consider what exactly going to the next level means for this congregation. What constitutes the church straying from the intent of its original founders? Are there populist trends used by the secular marketplace inconspicuously creeping in through the cracks of church ministries and persons who are vulnerable to the latest trends in the society that the people of Christ are called to be transforming?
Luke 7 and 8 provide examples of a Jesus who stays on mission or on script regardless of the criticisms and later consequences from people in prominent power positions. Does the society at large even buy into the assumption of Jesus' parable that we are debtors and need to be made right with our creditor? On one level, theologian Paul Tillich might argue that excessive debt, credit card bills, and indulgent living have delivered many people into the yoke of slavery for perpetual servitude to big banks. The gods of money and indulgence have let many of us down -- even before the grave.
A sermon on forgiveness and what elements surround forgiveness are ways one can grow in their discipleship during the season of Pentecost. Today would the woman who is washing Jesus' feet be scorned for seeking consumer credit counseling or applying for bankruptcy through one of the numerous lawyer commercials on television? What is the church's word of "forgiveness" to those who have made poor choices in life? Jesus tells all of us what he told the woman in our gospel: "Your faith has saved you; go in peace." How do we as a people of faith live out such words in our daily ministries?
An Alternative Application
"Meal interrupted" might be a good alternative application to the gospel lesson. A family is at a local park enjoying a picnic only to see a poor, transient family who camps in that same park eating beans and hot dogs as their morning and evening meal. Shall the police be called for interrupting the family time (especially if their dog breaks off its leash)? What sort of interruptions occur in our lives that maybe were intended as opportunities to grow in how we view our daily Christian mission?
Another example might be a worker or student as part of a huge party one evening with trays of catered food. Imagine the look on the same partygoer's face when volunteering at the local food kitchen, only to see the leftover party tray being served to those without a steady income? This is an invitation to consider how mission is carried out in the Pentecost season.
