July 8, 2024 — suggested reading: Psalm 105:16 – 106:48

“Praise the Lord! O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever. Who can utter the mighty doings of the Lord, or declare all his praise? Happy are those who observe justice, who do righteousness at all times. Remember me, O Lord, when you show favor to your people; help me when you deliver them; that I may see the prosperity of your chosen ones, that I may rejoice in the gladness of your nation, that I may glory in your heritage.” Psalm 106:1-5

The early church used the Psalms both as liturgical materials in early Christian worship, and as a theological resource for teaching. Evidence for the first use is found in Paul’s advice to the Colossians, that they were to “sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God.”  As one commentary puts it: “The book of Psalms is quoted and alluded to in the New Testament more than any other Old Testament book.” (The New Interpreter’s Bible, Volume IV)

I think it is difficult for us to look at the Psalms as exclusively liturgical material for several reasons. First of all the Psalms are often attributed to an author which comes from the tradition of placing the text into a particular historical context. Does it really matter, after all, if the psalm in question was written by David, or some other Old Testament character? I would say no to that question – but it does help when we consider the Psalm as it relates to other Old Testament texts. In fact, we use the Psalm in our liturgy to support the Old Testament reading. And second, the Psalms are often one of the first readings I turn to at a funeral, or at the bedside of someone who is dying. The words of the Psalms bring comfort where simple contemporary poetry will not.

Whatever is determined by scholars about the authorship of the material, the psalms are a great source of liturgical poetry and words of meditation and comfort. For these reasons, and many others, we should study them as often as possible.

Pastor Dave

July 6, 2024 – suggested reading: Acts 11:27 – 12:25

“The very night before Herod was going to bring him out, Peter, bound with two chains, was sleeping between two soldiers, while guards in front of the door were keeping watch over the prison.Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He tapped Peter on the side and woke him, saying, “Get up quickly.” And the chains fell off his wrists.The angel said to him, “Fasten your belt and put on your sandals.” He did so. Then he said to him, “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me.”Peter went out and followed him; he did not realize that what was happening with the angel’s help was real; he thought he was seeing a vision. After they had passed the first and the second guard, they came before the iron gate leading into the city. It opened for them of its own accord, and they went outside and walked along a lane, when suddenly the angel left him. Then Peter came to himself and said, “Now I am sure that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from the hands of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting.”As soon as he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose other name was Mark, where many had gathered and were praying. When he knocked at the outer gate, a maid named Rhoda came to answer. On recognizing Peter’s voice, she was so overjoyed that, instead of opening the gate, she ran in and announced that Peter was standing at the gate. They said to her, “You are out of your mind!” But she insisted that it was so. They said, “It is his angel.” Meanwhile Peter continued knocking; and when they opened the gate, they saw him and were amazed. He motioned to them with his hand to be silent, and described for them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he added, “Tell this to James and to the believers.”Then he left and went to another place.” Acts 12:6-17

I love the response of Rhoda – she hears Peter’s voice and is so overjoyed to hear him that she runs to tell the others forgetting to open the door for Peter. Did you ever get so surprised by something or someone you just forgot how to react? Sometimes we have a reaction to an experience, or a person, or an encounter with the Word of G-d we lose ourselves in sheer joy. We often get to experience the sheer joy of a child who, without any hint of what is to come, gets surprised by their parent who is returning from a deployment overseas in one of our branches of the military. The sheer joy of seeing their parent after such a long period of separation is almost hard to endure for us, let alone for the child. Often their reaction is one to just freeze in the moment.

What has given you great joy this week? How has G-d touched you or surprised you or come to you in the most unexpected way that you were frozen in the moment? We must always be aware of the presence of G-d, for G-d will surprise us as well – often when we least expect it.

Pastor Dave

July 7, 2024 – Pentecost +7B

“[Jesus] came to his hometown, and his disciples followed him. On the sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astounded. They said, “Where did this man get all this? What is this wisdom that has been given to him? What deeds of power are being done by his hands! Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon, and are not his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him. Then Jesus said to them, “Prophets are not without honor, except in their hometown, and among their own kin, and in their own house.” And he could do no deed of power there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and cured them. And he was amazed at their unbelief. Then he went about among the villages teaching. He called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits. He ordered them to take nothing for their journey except a staff; no bread, no bag, no money in their belts; but to wear sandals and not to put on two tunics. He said to them, “Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave the place. If any place will not welcome you and they refuse to hear you, as you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them.” So they went out and proclaimed that all should repent. They cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them.” Mark 6:1-13

Jesus didn’t just appear in the Synagogue and in his hometown alone – his disciples followed him there. This would have marked him as a Rabbi – as a teacher – and thus would have given him some level of respect. But the hometown people were conflicted – between the carpenter Jesus and the Rabbi Jesus. We hear it in their words – here is the carpenter, the son of Mary and the brother of blah, blah, blah. They would have been comfortable asking him about how to put on an addition to their home – they were not comfortable asking him about their salvation with G-d. In the presence of the hometown boy, Jesus, the people didn’t know where to turn. Tell me, if people in our community want to ask questions about G-d, about scripture, about a religious perspective on the events of the world where are these people going to turn for answers? They are going to turn to the church – or to people they know attend church. Oh, they might come through the doors of our sanctuary, but most likely they will approach you or me, the people they know attend church, wanting to know what we know, what we think, what we believe.

Jesus taught with Love, Mercy and Grace. Jesus healed through Love, Mercy and Grace. Jesus accepted all people through his Love, Mercy and Grace. Jesus welcomed all people through his Love, Mercy and Grace. And, Jesus led through his Love, Mercy and Grace. And, this is the most important thing I will say this morning, everyone Jesus ministered to had their self-esteem jump through the roof. As such, when we learn to accept Jesus’ Love, Mercy and Grace in our own lives, then we will be able to extend his Love, Mercy and Grace to each other – and then to the strangers who come into our midst for our worship and our ministry. It will only be through the Love, Mercy and Grace of Jesus that we will be able to move boldly into the future – not only extending that Love, Mercy and Grace to each other – but then sharing the same with the community and the world.

Pastor Dave