The assignment was take the lectionary texts nearest our birthday's and write a five-minute message. I hit 5:21.
Today’s lessons come from the 5th Sunday of Epiphany. We will touch on each one in our fly-by today, but before we do, I have a simple question. Do you want to stop at good enough or push on to the best?
Isaiah comes at this as he considers the greatness of G-d compared with the plans of people. Princes and rulers approach life with considerable confidence in the power of their sovereignty. From the Lord’s time frame their plans “are like grasshoppers.” For the One who stands outside of time Scarcely are they planted, scarcely sown, scarcely has their stem taken root in the earth, when he blows upon them, and they wither, and the tempest carries them off like stubble. We wither not under the wrath of the Divine, but because of our temporal nature. G-d is beyond time; we are wrapped in it. G-d’s nature is to be above all things and yet in all things. How does the Unsearchable One treat grasshoppers trapped in time, He gives power to the faint, and strengthens the powerless. … those who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.
The Psalmist celebrates G-d’s nature in much the same way in Psalm 147. He determines the number of the stars; he gives to all of them their names. Great is our Lord, and abundant in power; his understanding is beyond measure. We have yet to count all the stars in our every expanding universe. We have yet to plumb the depths of the ultramicroscopic world. G-d not only knows all the stars by name, but also knows the names of the basic building blocks used to speak all of existence into being. With intimate knowledge of the “verses”—the universe and the microverse--we might glory in our power sitting smugly back to watch the story play out. Listen to these additional thoughts from the Psalmist: * He heals the brokenhearted, and binds up their wounds * The LORD lifts up the downtrodden * the LORD takes pleasure in those who fear him. With knowledge and power, the Lord reaches out to hold us and nurture us.
Turning to Paul, we hear him explaining the nature of a servant in his first letter to the Corinthians. If I proclaim the gospel, this gives me no ground for boasting, for an obligation is laid on me, and woe to me if I do not proclaim the gospel! Paul talks at length about being all things to all people, hardly sounding like one true to his best. He claims to be as a Jew, as one under the law, as one not under the law, as one weak. He goes so far as to state: I have become all things to all people, that I might by all means save some. The uniting thread for Paul is his calling as a servant of the Most High. For him, spreading the Gospel is not just his highest calling; it is life and breath.
We have seen how G-d’s singular focus not only draws us to worship and adore the Ancient of Days, but also causes the Father of Lights to shine his life-giving presence into our lives healing, strengthening, and freeing us. We have seen how Paul found his mission in being Christ’s servant. How does it look when we combine the all-encompassing presence of the Divine with the immediacy of humankind? Mark recounts an episode in the life of the Lamb of G-d that reminds us what purpose is all about.
Early in his ministry, Jesus finished a long day of teaching in Capernaum, Simon and Andrew’s hometown. Simon and Andrew invited everyone over for dinner, but the forgot the check with Mom who was down with a fever. Think about this from Mrs. Bar Jonah’s point of view. She was most likely shamed to have friends over and not be able to provide hospitality. By lifting the fever, Jesus also lifted the shame. If you thought that after dinner, they could kick back, read on: … they brought to him all who were sick or possessed with demons. And the whole city was gathered around the door. And he cured many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons… In the morning, what would you want to do? The disciples wanted to heal the sick and deliver the unclean. Why interrupt a good thing? When the good thing keeps you from the best thing, then the good needs to be set aside. …Simon and his companions hunted for him. When they found him, they said to him, "Everyone is searching for you." He answered, "Let us go on to the neighboring towns, so that I may proclaim the message there also; for that is what I came out to do."
For me the take-away from all this is that I need to stay focused on find my calling. Paul preached throughout most of the Western world of his time. Jesus stayed true to his purpose from Capernaum to Gethsemane to Calvary to the right hand of G-d the Father Almighty. Each day we all have the choice to do the next good thing in life or follow G-d’s highest.
Today’s lessons come from the 5th Sunday of Epiphany. We will touch on each one in our fly-by today, but before we do, I have a simple question. Do you want to stop at good enough or push on to the best?
Isaiah comes at this as he considers the greatness of G-d compared with the plans of people. Princes and rulers approach life with considerable confidence in the power of their sovereignty. From the Lord’s time frame their plans “are like grasshoppers.” For the One who stands outside of time Scarcely are they planted, scarcely sown, scarcely has their stem taken root in the earth, when he blows upon them, and they wither, and the tempest carries them off like stubble. We wither not under the wrath of the Divine, but because of our temporal nature. G-d is beyond time; we are wrapped in it. G-d’s nature is to be above all things and yet in all things. How does the Unsearchable One treat grasshoppers trapped in time, He gives power to the faint, and strengthens the powerless. … those who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.
The Psalmist celebrates G-d’s nature in much the same way in Psalm 147. He determines the number of the stars; he gives to all of them their names. Great is our Lord, and abundant in power; his understanding is beyond measure. We have yet to count all the stars in our every expanding universe. We have yet to plumb the depths of the ultramicroscopic world. G-d not only knows all the stars by name, but also knows the names of the basic building blocks used to speak all of existence into being. With intimate knowledge of the “verses”—the universe and the microverse--we might glory in our power sitting smugly back to watch the story play out. Listen to these additional thoughts from the Psalmist: * He heals the brokenhearted, and binds up their wounds * The LORD lifts up the downtrodden * the LORD takes pleasure in those who fear him. With knowledge and power, the Lord reaches out to hold us and nurture us.
Turning to Paul, we hear him explaining the nature of a servant in his first letter to the Corinthians. If I proclaim the gospel, this gives me no ground for boasting, for an obligation is laid on me, and woe to me if I do not proclaim the gospel! Paul talks at length about being all things to all people, hardly sounding like one true to his best. He claims to be as a Jew, as one under the law, as one not under the law, as one weak. He goes so far as to state: I have become all things to all people, that I might by all means save some. The uniting thread for Paul is his calling as a servant of the Most High. For him, spreading the Gospel is not just his highest calling; it is life and breath.
We have seen how G-d’s singular focus not only draws us to worship and adore the Ancient of Days, but also causes the Father of Lights to shine his life-giving presence into our lives healing, strengthening, and freeing us. We have seen how Paul found his mission in being Christ’s servant. How does it look when we combine the all-encompassing presence of the Divine with the immediacy of humankind? Mark recounts an episode in the life of the Lamb of G-d that reminds us what purpose is all about.
Early in his ministry, Jesus finished a long day of teaching in Capernaum, Simon and Andrew’s hometown. Simon and Andrew invited everyone over for dinner, but the forgot the check with Mom who was down with a fever. Think about this from Mrs. Bar Jonah’s point of view. She was most likely shamed to have friends over and not be able to provide hospitality. By lifting the fever, Jesus also lifted the shame. If you thought that after dinner, they could kick back, read on: … they brought to him all who were sick or possessed with demons. And the whole city was gathered around the door. And he cured many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons… In the morning, what would you want to do? The disciples wanted to heal the sick and deliver the unclean. Why interrupt a good thing? When the good thing keeps you from the best thing, then the good needs to be set aside. …Simon and his companions hunted for him. When they found him, they said to him, "Everyone is searching for you." He answered, "Let us go on to the neighboring towns, so that I may proclaim the message there also; for that is what I came out to do."
For me the take-away from all this is that I need to stay focused on find my calling. Paul preached throughout most of the Western world of his time. Jesus stayed true to his purpose from Capernaum to Gethsemane to Calvary to the right hand of G-d the Father Almighty. Each day we all have the choice to do the next good thing in life or follow G-d’s highest.
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