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Mark 5:21-43 - Lectionary for Pentecost 6B

6/28/2018

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6/28/18
Many churches throughout the world use a Bible reading schedule called a "lectionary." It's just a fancy word meaning "selected readings." Posts like this reflect on the readings for an upcoming Sunday or other Church holiday, as found in the three-year lectionary.

In Mark 5:21-43 we are in the habit of noticing how Mark tells of the healing of a woman in between parts of his story about Jesus raising the synagogue leader’s daughter from the dead. We use this situation to observe how Jesus can accomplish several things at once.

What we frequently ignore is the overall setting. Jesus has arrived at the shore of the Sea of Galilee with his disciples. He’s surrounded by people who are hungry for his teaching about the kingdom of God. Mark tells us several times in short order that it’s a large crowd. The people are pressing toward him, crowding him, following him.

Any normal human being who wants to gain a following is going to do one and only one thing in this setting. He will give the crowd what they want. He will preach and teach, maybe heal a few people in the crowd, and he will make sure everyone knows what he is doing. That’s the way we gather followers. That’s the way people make a name for themselves. That’s the path to fame and fortune.

Jesus does quite the opposite. He is told of the daughter’s condition. He leaves the crowd. When they get to the house, the crowd is shut out. Even the friends and family who have gathered to mourn are closed out. With the girl lying dead on the bed, and accompanied by her parents and Peter, James and John, Jesus raises the girl from the dead. There are only seven people in the room.

The New Testament doesn’t describe a Christ who is begging for attention. It describes a Christ who cares for individuals, who gives his life for them. It describes a Christ who has given his life for you and for me. It tells of a way of salvation that passes through death and into resurrection, not the way an earthly ruler would choose to go. Jesus is no earthly ruler. He’s the divine Lord of all, who cares even about the little girl at her home, away from the crowd. He’s the Lord who lavishes his care on all who believe. He’s much more than a guy with a Messiah complex. He is the true Messiah, the anointed deliverer.

If this brief meditation was helpful to you, I hope you will check out the other materials on our website at www.WittenbergCoMo.com and consider supporting us.

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2 Corinthians 8:1-9, 13-15 - Lectionary for Pentecost 6B

6/27/2018

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6/27/18
Many churches throughout the world use a Bible reading schedule called a "lectionary." It's just a fancy word meaning "selected readings." Posts like this reflect on the readings for an upcoming Sunday or other Church holiday, as found in the three-year lectionary.

Our Epistle for this week, from 2 Corinthians chapter 8, uses the churches in Macedonia as an example to the Corinthians. Though the Macedonians at the time were undergoing trials and poverty, they acted in a generous manner, begging to be allowed to give for relief of others. The apostle Paul uses this example to urge the Corinthians, who are not in need, to dedicate themselves to helping others.

We notice a few important takeaways from this passage. First, all the giving was voluntary. There was no compulsion to help others, except the compulsion which come from a conscience stricken by the suffering of those in need. Second, there were still clear distinctions between rich and poor. Although we see a suggestion of equality in verse 14, it is immediately followed by verse 15 which allows for differences in wealth. Third, and probably most important, the churches in Macedonia were in no position to engage in charity. Apparently the Christian leaders were discouraging them from giving from their poverty. But they were determined to care for the needy. They recognized that the Lord of all had graciously provided them with what they needed for their daily life, and that they had the opportunity to be God’s instrument in helping others. They begged to be allowed to contribute to the care of the needy.

As God has blessed us, we care for others. Sometimes we have a greater ability to do so than other times. Sometimes we are the people who are cared for. Some of the care is financial, as in this Bible passage, while some is not. Whatever we have opportunity to do loving our neighbors as ourselves, we do, not because we are compelled, but because we see and care for the needs around us.

If this brief meditation was helpful to you, I hope you will check out the other materials on our website at www.WittenbergCoMo.com and consider supporting us.

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Lamentations 3:22-33 - Lectionary for Pentecost 6B

6/26/2018

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6/26/18
Many churches throughout the world use a Bible reading schedule called a "lectionary." It's just a fancy word meaning "selected readings." Posts like this reflect on the readings for an upcoming Sunday or other Church holiday, as found in the three-year lectionary.

Lamentations was written at a very bleak time in Israel’s history. The nation was falling apart, and it was doing so because of the unfaithfulness of the people. Families were being torn apart, deported, resettled, many were killed, everyone was plundered. The city Jerusalem, which had fallen to the enemies, was an occupied city but it showed all the signs of a seige. There were food shortages, the buildings which were destroyed were not being rebuit, and the defensive wall was gone.

In the midst of this time of lamentation, the prophet observes that God’s mercy is still present. He is faithful to his people. He brings salvation.

The prophet can also look around and see that the city is a wreck. Maybe we can see destruction all around us. Maybe our landscape is desolate. What’s the conclusion to take from that? God disciplines his people.

We all respond badly to news like that. Really? No, it’s all those other people who disagree with me that are being disciplined. I’m just collateral damage and it’s bothering me. After all, I’m superior to the people who would be disciplined by God.

What are God’s demands in the Bible? He requires perfection, of everyone, all the time, no matter what. We are all guilty. We are all under the discipline of God. This doesn’t seem like good news, on the surface. The good news, however, is that the Christian life is a life of repentance. If we weren’t aware of our failure, how would we ever see God’s blessing? If we were not aware of our suffering, how would we know God’s compassion? If we weren’t aware of our sin, how would we know forgiveness? The life of repentance is also a life full of forgiveness.

It’s according to God’s great grace and love that he shows compassion on us, as we walk about in desolation and chaos. The Lord is good. He rescues his people.

If this brief meditation was helpful to you, I hope you will check out the other materials on our website at www.WittenbergCoMo.com and consider supporting us.

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Psalm 30 - Lectionary for Pentecost 6B

6/25/2018

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6/25/18
Many churches throughout the world use a Bible reading schedule called a "lectionary." It's just a fancy word meaning "selected readings." Posts like this reflect on the readings for an upcoming Sunday or other Church holiday, as found in the three-year lectionary.

It is amazing how easily we find ourselves feeling either secure or insecure. Our highs are often remarkably high. We feel fine, confident, secure, unshakable. One of my co-workers would occasionally come into the office feeling “nine feet tall and bulletproof.” And frequently all it takes to convince us of that is a good night’s sleep, a nice breakfast, and somebody treating us well.

Even more easily than we trust ourselves as bulletproof, we can find ourselves certain of impending doom. It seems the lights turn out, the clouds gather, and we are certain that they are going to rain on us. Maybe the rain won’t be rain at all. Maybe it will start raining grand pianos and safes, like it always did in the cartoons from my childhood. Of course, they will fall directly on us, not on anybody else. Why? Well, why not?

The Psalmist reflects on the underlying cause of our euphoria and our despair. We feel self-confident because we trust the Lord who makes us strong. What happens then? Our reaction, as sinful humans, is to begin trusting ourselves or our circumstances. Everything’s great! We must be really great ourselves! No need for God, then? No, we’ll just trust ourselves.

What happens then? In verse 7, when God hides his face, we see we are standing out there all by ourselves. It’s terrifying. After all, deep down, we realize that we aren’t nine feet tall and we are far from bulletproof. Worse still, this isn’t just a game of cards, in which we might be able to bluff our way through. No, this is life. We’re playing for keeps.

What do we do? We call out to the Lord. We ask him to be gracious. We ask him to be the one who helps us. And he does exactly that, dressing us in gladness, filling us with hope. We don’t trust ourselves. We trust in the Lord.

If this brief meditation was helpful to you, I hope you will check out the other materials on our website at www.WittenbergCoMo.com and consider supporting us.

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