Proper 19
Devotional
Streams of Living Water
Lectionary Devotional for Cycle B
Proverbs 1:20-33
How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple? How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing and fools hate knowledge?
-- Proverbs 1:22
At least in American society, there has always been an anti-intellectual strain. This manifests itself within the Christian community through a disparaging of the hard intellectual wrestling with the faith. This has been exacerbated in recent times by a culture that demands fast foods and responds well to politicians who offer simple answers and easy slogans. The growth of churches that offer "the simple faith" or, as it is sometimes called, "the old time religion" is quite apparent in our society. The tragedy is that this leaves us very unprepared for the tougher challenges of our society that are being raised by our advancement in technology and genetics. Wisdom declares, "Because I have called and you refused, have stretched out my hand and no one heeded, and because you have ignored all my counsel and would have none of my reproof, I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when panic strikes you ..." (vv. 24-26).
The book of Proverbs is a compilation of wisdom drawn from keen observation of life. It is based on the assumption that a measure of God's truth is expressed through the creation and can be grasped by those who are willing to read the "signs of the times." Proverbs are not necessary conclusions but likely possibilities. Wisdom observes that those who have disparaged wisdom "shall eat the fruit of their way and be sated with their own devices. For waywardness kills the simple, and the complacency of fools destroys them; but those who listen to me will be secure and will live at ease without dread of disaster" (vv. 31-33). These observations stand as a challenge to the churches. Will we repent of our refusal to do the hard work of wrestling with the challenges of our age and therefore be prepared to offer good news in the face of the challenges of our age?
Psalm 19
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.
-- Psalm 19:14
Many a preacher has begun his sermon with this simple prayer either uttered or unuttered. There is an awareness of our own inadequacy in the task of preaching no matter how smooth we are in the process. Psalm 19 celebrates the revelation of God in two ways. In the first, the psalmist celebrates the revelation of God through creation. For him, the heavens tell "the glory of God" (v. 1). It is as if the creation is speaking of God even though "there is no speech, nor are there words ..." (v. 3). As John Calvin said, there are two books of revelation, and one of them is the creation itself. "There is no speech, nor are there words; their voice is not heard; yet their voice goes out through all the earth and their words to the end of the world."
We may pay too little attention to how the very wonder of creation speaks of God. While the character of God may depend more on the revelation of scripture, the work of God in creation displays the wonder of his work. It is hard to look at the pictures of the universe taken by the Hubble telescope or to see the delicate yet marvelously made structure of a newborn without being awed by the wisdom contained in nature. None of it insists on God as creator, but to believe it is the result of pure chance takes a larger leap of faith than to believe that intelligence is behind the creation.
If we hunger to know more of God, we turn to the law of God. It is important to note that when the scriptures speak of the law of God, they are speaking of more than a set of rules. They are speaking of the stories and commandments that reveal the character of the one who chose to reveal the divine self to us. These scripture stories provide wisdom for the simple, a rejoicing of the heart to know that we are not alone, and an enlightening of the heart for those who desire to know the true way of life. "More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey, and drippings of the honeycomb" (v. 10). These stories of the people of God and the commandments that they derived from God convey to us that we are not alone and that there is purpose and direction for our lives if we choose to follow them.
At the same time, if there is a creator that expects something of us and there is a way of life that is better than others, then we have to confront the fact that we do not always live in the way of truth. "Moreover by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward. But who can detect their errors? Clear me of hidden faults" (vv. 11-12). Our lives are dependent on the grace of God to watch over us and redeem us from all errors. The preacher comes to his task fully aware of the responsibility and of his or her own inadequacy to the task of lifting up the truth of both revelations of God in a way that directs people in the right paths. "Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, O Lord, my rock and redeemer."
James 3:1-12
How great a forest is set ablaze by a small fire! And the tongue is a fire.
-- James 3:5b-6a
Any person who has ever become involved in the workings of a church knows the power of the tongue to be destructive to the community of the church. It is little wonder that Paul named gossip as one of the fruits of the flesh that will bar one from the kingdom of heaven. Yet despite that clear warning, a church seems incapable of curbing the gossip of its members.
At the center of gossip is the tongue that makes it all possible. James begins with a reminder of the heavy responsibility of teachers. Those who have taught know how often something they have said can have a profound effect on one of their students. More often than not, they discover that the person interpreted what they said in a quite different way than they intended it. The responsibility of teaching is a heavy and often frightening responsibility. James then proceeds to suggest that though the tongue seems a very small organ in the body, it is like a bridle that guides a horse or even a rudder that guides a ship. Who has not experienced the difficulty of taming their own tongue, let alone the tongue of another?
The church, because it invites a diverse community together to pursue the faith, is subject to multiple tongues, each of which can start a series of fires. Like most powerful gifts, the tongue can become either a blessing or a curse to a community of faith. "With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse those who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing" (vv. 9-10). The constant challenge of the church is to modify the damage that is caused by a loose tongue and to enhance the blessing possible through the proper use of the tongue.
In the final analysis, we are to gauge what we say by the criterion of whether it will result in the blessing of God or the cursing of a member. It is not an easy task for pastor or member, and they need each other's support in the continual struggle.
Mark 8:27-38
He asked them, "But who do you say that I am?" Peter answered him, "You are the Messiah."
-- Mark 8:29
This passage marks the turning point in the gospel of Mark. Prior to this, most of Jesus' ministry was focused on the public ministry. After this, he spent more time instructing the disciples. There are turning points in any ministry. There is the public side of ministry that is focused on demonstrating the love of God for humanity through your service to their needs. But then comes a time when people do have to answer the question of who they believe Jesus to be. Peter represents the church in his response, "You are the Messiah." Having acknowledged that truth, it is incumbent on the church to then face a deeper responsibility of faith.
As Peter also demonstrated, the more complex issues of faith are also the more frightening aspects of faith. It is one thing to acknowledge that Jesus is the Christ, but then we have to answer whether we are willing to follow him as our Lord, even if it means suffering. Most people initially want to have a faith that fulfills their needs. It is the next stage of faith that allows us to recognize that we are called to respond to the needs of others. The scary part is that we are asked to do that even at the cost of our own comfort and security. "If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it" (vv. 34-35). This is a counterintuitive truth. Our whole inclination is to want to preserve our life and to prosper in it. While we know that there are risks involved in achieving our goals, it runs counter to our intuition to believe that we should be willing to risk our safety and security on behalf of the needs of others. Yet by Jesus' own life, he demonstrated that this was the path that leads to eternal life.
The life we lead is our wilderness experience in which we have the opportunity to learn that we are dependent on God. Along the way, precisely because of the gifts and benefits that God has blessed us with, we are tempted to conclude that we can make it on our own. At the same time, we are presented opportunities that are beyond our control, and these demonstrate God's faithfulness to us. Jesus faced the ultimate test with the cross. Here he would suffer death while witnessing the abandonment of the very disciples that he had taught. All his efforts and ideas would be wasted unless God could redeem this moment. It is with the resurrection that we learn that God, not death, has the final word.
How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple? How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing and fools hate knowledge?
-- Proverbs 1:22
At least in American society, there has always been an anti-intellectual strain. This manifests itself within the Christian community through a disparaging of the hard intellectual wrestling with the faith. This has been exacerbated in recent times by a culture that demands fast foods and responds well to politicians who offer simple answers and easy slogans. The growth of churches that offer "the simple faith" or, as it is sometimes called, "the old time religion" is quite apparent in our society. The tragedy is that this leaves us very unprepared for the tougher challenges of our society that are being raised by our advancement in technology and genetics. Wisdom declares, "Because I have called and you refused, have stretched out my hand and no one heeded, and because you have ignored all my counsel and would have none of my reproof, I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when panic strikes you ..." (vv. 24-26).
The book of Proverbs is a compilation of wisdom drawn from keen observation of life. It is based on the assumption that a measure of God's truth is expressed through the creation and can be grasped by those who are willing to read the "signs of the times." Proverbs are not necessary conclusions but likely possibilities. Wisdom observes that those who have disparaged wisdom "shall eat the fruit of their way and be sated with their own devices. For waywardness kills the simple, and the complacency of fools destroys them; but those who listen to me will be secure and will live at ease without dread of disaster" (vv. 31-33). These observations stand as a challenge to the churches. Will we repent of our refusal to do the hard work of wrestling with the challenges of our age and therefore be prepared to offer good news in the face of the challenges of our age?
Psalm 19
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.
-- Psalm 19:14
Many a preacher has begun his sermon with this simple prayer either uttered or unuttered. There is an awareness of our own inadequacy in the task of preaching no matter how smooth we are in the process. Psalm 19 celebrates the revelation of God in two ways. In the first, the psalmist celebrates the revelation of God through creation. For him, the heavens tell "the glory of God" (v. 1). It is as if the creation is speaking of God even though "there is no speech, nor are there words ..." (v. 3). As John Calvin said, there are two books of revelation, and one of them is the creation itself. "There is no speech, nor are there words; their voice is not heard; yet their voice goes out through all the earth and their words to the end of the world."
We may pay too little attention to how the very wonder of creation speaks of God. While the character of God may depend more on the revelation of scripture, the work of God in creation displays the wonder of his work. It is hard to look at the pictures of the universe taken by the Hubble telescope or to see the delicate yet marvelously made structure of a newborn without being awed by the wisdom contained in nature. None of it insists on God as creator, but to believe it is the result of pure chance takes a larger leap of faith than to believe that intelligence is behind the creation.
If we hunger to know more of God, we turn to the law of God. It is important to note that when the scriptures speak of the law of God, they are speaking of more than a set of rules. They are speaking of the stories and commandments that reveal the character of the one who chose to reveal the divine self to us. These scripture stories provide wisdom for the simple, a rejoicing of the heart to know that we are not alone, and an enlightening of the heart for those who desire to know the true way of life. "More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey, and drippings of the honeycomb" (v. 10). These stories of the people of God and the commandments that they derived from God convey to us that we are not alone and that there is purpose and direction for our lives if we choose to follow them.
At the same time, if there is a creator that expects something of us and there is a way of life that is better than others, then we have to confront the fact that we do not always live in the way of truth. "Moreover by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward. But who can detect their errors? Clear me of hidden faults" (vv. 11-12). Our lives are dependent on the grace of God to watch over us and redeem us from all errors. The preacher comes to his task fully aware of the responsibility and of his or her own inadequacy to the task of lifting up the truth of both revelations of God in a way that directs people in the right paths. "Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, O Lord, my rock and redeemer."
James 3:1-12
How great a forest is set ablaze by a small fire! And the tongue is a fire.
-- James 3:5b-6a
Any person who has ever become involved in the workings of a church knows the power of the tongue to be destructive to the community of the church. It is little wonder that Paul named gossip as one of the fruits of the flesh that will bar one from the kingdom of heaven. Yet despite that clear warning, a church seems incapable of curbing the gossip of its members.
At the center of gossip is the tongue that makes it all possible. James begins with a reminder of the heavy responsibility of teachers. Those who have taught know how often something they have said can have a profound effect on one of their students. More often than not, they discover that the person interpreted what they said in a quite different way than they intended it. The responsibility of teaching is a heavy and often frightening responsibility. James then proceeds to suggest that though the tongue seems a very small organ in the body, it is like a bridle that guides a horse or even a rudder that guides a ship. Who has not experienced the difficulty of taming their own tongue, let alone the tongue of another?
The church, because it invites a diverse community together to pursue the faith, is subject to multiple tongues, each of which can start a series of fires. Like most powerful gifts, the tongue can become either a blessing or a curse to a community of faith. "With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse those who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing" (vv. 9-10). The constant challenge of the church is to modify the damage that is caused by a loose tongue and to enhance the blessing possible through the proper use of the tongue.
In the final analysis, we are to gauge what we say by the criterion of whether it will result in the blessing of God or the cursing of a member. It is not an easy task for pastor or member, and they need each other's support in the continual struggle.
Mark 8:27-38
He asked them, "But who do you say that I am?" Peter answered him, "You are the Messiah."
-- Mark 8:29
This passage marks the turning point in the gospel of Mark. Prior to this, most of Jesus' ministry was focused on the public ministry. After this, he spent more time instructing the disciples. There are turning points in any ministry. There is the public side of ministry that is focused on demonstrating the love of God for humanity through your service to their needs. But then comes a time when people do have to answer the question of who they believe Jesus to be. Peter represents the church in his response, "You are the Messiah." Having acknowledged that truth, it is incumbent on the church to then face a deeper responsibility of faith.
As Peter also demonstrated, the more complex issues of faith are also the more frightening aspects of faith. It is one thing to acknowledge that Jesus is the Christ, but then we have to answer whether we are willing to follow him as our Lord, even if it means suffering. Most people initially want to have a faith that fulfills their needs. It is the next stage of faith that allows us to recognize that we are called to respond to the needs of others. The scary part is that we are asked to do that even at the cost of our own comfort and security. "If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it" (vv. 34-35). This is a counterintuitive truth. Our whole inclination is to want to preserve our life and to prosper in it. While we know that there are risks involved in achieving our goals, it runs counter to our intuition to believe that we should be willing to risk our safety and security on behalf of the needs of others. Yet by Jesus' own life, he demonstrated that this was the path that leads to eternal life.
The life we lead is our wilderness experience in which we have the opportunity to learn that we are dependent on God. Along the way, precisely because of the gifts and benefits that God has blessed us with, we are tempted to conclude that we can make it on our own. At the same time, we are presented opportunities that are beyond our control, and these demonstrate God's faithfulness to us. Jesus faced the ultimate test with the cross. Here he would suffer death while witnessing the abandonment of the very disciples that he had taught. All his efforts and ideas would be wasted unless God could redeem this moment. It is with the resurrection that we learn that God, not death, has the final word.
