January 19, 2023 – “Martha vs Mary”

“As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” Luke 10:38-42

“If you’ve been in church for any amount of time, you’re familiar with this phenomenon: There’s Team Mary and Team Martha. Like dueling soccer teams or dueling sides in a shipper war, everyone takes sides and you’re either one or the other, ESPECIALLY if you’re a woman.” (Mary, Martha, and everyone we know, redshoesfunnyshirt.com)

The story of Mary and Martha is a story of conflict between the old and the new. Martha was acting in the manner that the old establishment of her culture and society expected her to act. If a teacher was teaching, it would be a man, and the women would be expected to serve the teacher and any other men listening to the teacher. Mary on the other hand was doing something new, and radical. Instead of assuming the role of the servant, she assumes the role of the student – sitting at the feet of the teacher – which would have been the place where only men would gather. Oh the controversy.

Martha was mailing it in with her works, but Mary was embracing the dawning of a “new thing” – the Grace of Jesus and his teachings. It is the beginning of a new way of relating to G-d – Jesus does not want our works, Jesus wants our ears, our eyes, our hearts and our very bodies in a relationship of faith. It does not matter if we are male or female, nonbinary or cisgender, white or black, Jesus wants all of us.

Yes the church needs both “Marthas” and “Marys.” We need those who feel called to serve, and we need those who believe they are called to learn. Mary most likely will go on to serve just like her sister, Martha. And Martha will have the opportunity to listen and to learn just like Mary. Our discernment is to know when we should do one or the other – and to make sure our lives are balanced with both.

Let us pray: Dear G-d, give me the wisdom to discern when I should do your work and when I should sit and listen to your word. Amen.

Pastor Dave

January 18, 2023 – “Trust vs Proof ”

“So Joshua went up from Gilgal, he and all the fighting force with him, all the mighty warriors. The Lord said to Joshua, “Do not fear them, for I have handed them over to you; not one of them shall stand before you.” So Joshua came upon them suddenly, having marched up all night from Gilgal. And the Lord threw them into a panic before Israel, who inflicted a great slaughter on them at Gibeon, chased them by the way of the ascent of Beth-horon, and struck them down as far as Azekah and Makkedah. As they fled before Israel, while they were going down the slope of Beth-horon, the Lord threw down huge stones from heaven on them as far as Azekah, and they died; there were more who died because of the hailstones than the Israelites killed with the sword. On the day when the Lord gave the Amorites over to the Israelites, Joshua spoke to the Lord; and he said in the sight of Israel, “Sun, stand still at Gibeon, and Moon, in the valley of Aijalon.” And the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, until the nation took vengeance on their enemies. Is this not written in the Book of Jashar? The sun stopped in midheaven, and did not hurry to set for about a whole day. There has been no day like it before or since, when the Lord heeded a human voice; for the Lord fought for Israel.”  Joshua 10:7-14

The sun stood still. Did you know there are historical documents that speak evidence to this extraordinary event? Read on:

“It is reported by historians that records of the Chinese during the reign of Emperor Yeo, who lived at the same time as Joshua, report ‘a long day.’ Also, Heroditus, a Greek historian, wrote that an account of ‘a long day’ appears in records of Egyptian priests. Others cite records of Mexicans of the sun standing still for an entire day in a year denoted as ‘Seven Rabits,’ which is the same year in which Joshua defeated the Philistines and conquered Palestine.” (Bible-Science Newsletter, Daily Reading Magazine, Supplement, Vol. VIII, No. 5, May 1978, Caldwell, Idaho.)

So, why is this important? In a world where there is the continual effort to find historical proof for biblical stories, to know that other cultures report something that corroborates the account of Joshua 10 does not confirm my faith – in fact it proves nothing to me. If they actually do find Noah’s Ark one day it will do no more to confirm my faith than if they found the skeleton of a whale with the bones of a man inside (Yes I know Jonah was vomited out of the whale). I am just using hyperbole to tell you that my faith does not need any proof, for if my faith needed proof, then it would not be faith, Amen?

No, the story of Joshua and the reports from Heroditus and the account known as “Seven Rabits” just puts a smile on my face – for G-d is amazing – period – end of story.

Let us pray: Dear G-d, your world is amazing, and you are amazing. Help me to live trusting in your word, and not requiring to seek proof. Amen.

Pastor Dave