The 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B
Then all the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron, and said, "Look, we are your bone and flesh. 2 For some time, while Saul was king over us, it was you who led out Israel and brought it in. The LORD said to you: It is you who shall be shepherd of my people Israel, you who shall be ruler over Israel." 3 So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron; and King David made a covenant with them at Hebron before the LORD, and they anointed David king over Israel. 4 David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years. 5 At Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months; and at Jerusalem he reigned over all Israel and Judah thirty-three years. 6 The king and his men marched to Jerusalem against the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land, who said to David, "You will not come in here, even the blind and the lame will turn you back"-- thinking, "David cannot come in here." 7 Nevertheless David took the stronghold of Zion, which is now the city of David. 8 David had said on that day, "Whoever would strike down the Jebusites, let him get up the water shaft to attack the lame and the blind, those whom David hates." Therefore it is said, "The blind and the lame shall not come into the house." 9 David occupied the stronghold, and named it the city of David. David built the city all around from the Millo inward. 10 And David became greater and greater, for the LORD, the God of hosts, was with him. (2 Samuel 5:1-10 NRSV)
He left that place and came to his hometown, and his disciples followed him. 2 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! 3 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. 4 Then Jesus said to them, "Prophets are not without honor, except in their hometown, and among their own kin, and in their own house." 5 And he could do no deed of power there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and cured them. 6 And he was amazed at their unbelief. Then he went about among the villages teaching. 7 He called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits. 8 He ordered them to take nothing for their journey except a staff; no bread, no bag, no money in their belts; 9 but to wear sandals and not to put on two tunics. 10 He said to them, "Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave the place. 11 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." 12 So they went out and proclaimed that all should repent. 13 They cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them. (Mark 6:1-13 NRSV)
“GETTING MAD AT JESUS”
We picture Jesus in different ways. You might have the Holman Hunt painting in mind with Jesus knocking at the doors of our souls. You might have the Good Shepherd rescuing the sheep or Jesus calming the storm on the Sea of Galilee. Perhaps it is of the feeding of the multitudes or of the baby Jesus in the manger. When I was in seminary, the assignment from one of the professors for a class was to find a picture of Jesus we liked. Most of the class liked one that was popular a few years ago, the laughing Jesus. No one had a picture of Jesus making people angry. And very few of our pictures of Jesus are that of the kid next door.
That is the picture in the Gospel reading this morning. Jesus went to his hometown with the disciples following him. He began to teach in the synagogue on the Sabbath. The people were astounded. But then the questions arise. Isn’t he from around here? Isn’t his family our neighbors? How did he get this way? What starts out as amazement and admiration ends up as being offended by him. Or, perhaps to put it another way, “This is just the kid next door, how did he get to be so great?”
Jesus replies with a proverb: “Prophets have honor, except in their hometowns and with their family.” Jesus was teaching, acting as prophets do, telling the people what God is saying to them. There is something about being one of them, though, that they can’t get past so as to see that Jesus knows more than they do. It is like the consultant who comes into a church and says the same things that the leaders have been telling the people for years. But suddenly they listen to the consultant. Jesus is telling them the truth, but he is from there. They can’t see past that, and so miss what he is saying.
There are times in life when we can’t see what we have and take that for granted as Gina Bridgeman talks about a time when they visited Phoenix’s WaterWorks at Arizona Falls on a hot, hot Saturday and enjoyed the spray from the artificial water falls. Then she recalled how they had just been at San Diego, staying near the ocean and on some of the days did not even go into the water. She was amazed at how easy it is to take God’s gifts for granted. Blessed are those who get the second chance. The people in Nazareth missed the chance to hear Jesus. It wasn’t that the crowd was too large for them to hear him or that they were not there on the right day, it was that they rejected him and what he said.
The other part of the Gospel reading is that Jesus sent out the disciples to proclaim the good news. They offered authority over unclean spirits and directed people to turn from their ways and repent. There is something interesting in the directions he gives. What they were to take along on the journey was to be simple and when they entered a house they were to stay until they left. And if the people do not welcome them they were to simply leave. The instructions are not to argue or bully people into agreement with them, but if they refuse to hear, to leave them alone. But even in this there is something surprising. It is that some of the people who hear the proclamation will reject it. It will not be welcome. It will not be good news to them. If the Kingdom of God comes to them, they will not want to have a part in it. And it makes a little bit of sense if you think your life is just fine and doesn’t need anything else. To accept the good news means that some part of what you had was not good. To accept the good news means that you are going to live differently. Some people won’t take the better thing that is offered, even though it is better; that is the part that doesn’t make sense. Some people can’t take that kind of challenge to their thinking or new way of life.
Some leaders are popular, just like King David in the Old Testament reading. He has been successful and the people proclaim him king. We like winners. Sometimes we don’t bother to look very deeply at them. It is an odd part of human behavior. The scariest part of all are the studies that say that people like to hear good things, even when they know it is a lie. They want people to tell them what they want to hear. That is the opposite of a prophet. A prophet is to speak for God. A prophet is to tell the truth, even if unpleasant. We have to learn to hear the truth even when it isn’t what we want to hear, wherever it comes from, even the kid next door.
We need to hear Jesus again, not as someone so familiar to us that we stop listening to him. We need to embrace the good news of the gospel, not just only the parts we like. Only then will we hear the good news, only then can we respond in genuine faith. It is always good when good news finds us and can lead us into doing something better.
The Gospel is truthful when it points out that even in Jesus’ day there were those who did not listen to him, who were angry with him and ignored him. And when his message went out, there were those who did not listen to it. Jesus compares himself to a prophet and that is what he is. He has a bigger purpose than to tell people what they want to hear. A prophet tells people the truth of God. Sometimes it is the news that things are not right. Other times it is the good news that God has a better way than how we are living now. Either way, let us hear it, let us believe it, let us welcome it, let us live by it.
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Saturday, December 22, 2012
Thursday, December 13, 2012
Losing Your Best Friend
The 13th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B
After the death of Saul, when David had returned from defeating the Amalekites, David remained two days in Ziklag.
17 David intoned this lamentation over Saul and his son Jonathan. 18 (He ordered that The Song of the Bow be taught to the people of Judah; it is written in the Book of Jashar.) He said: 19 Your glory, O Israel, lies slain upon your high places! How the mighty have fallen! 20 Tell it not in Gath, proclaim it not in the streets of Ashkelon; or the daughters of the Philistines will rejoice, the daughters of the uncircumcised will exult. 21 You mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew or rain upon you, nor bounteous fields! For there the shield of the mighty was defiled, the shield of Saul, anointed with oil no more. 22 From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty, the bow of Jonathan did not turn back, nor the sword of Saul return empty. 23 Saul and Jonathan, beloved and lovely! In life and in death they were not divided; they were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions. 24 O daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you with crimson, in luxury, who put ornaments of gold on your apparel. 25 How the mighty have fallen in the midst of the battle! Jonathan lies slain upon your high places. 26 I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan; greatly beloved were you to me; your love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women. 27 How the mighty have fallen, and the weapons of war perished! (2 Samuel 1:1, 17-27 NRSV)
Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD. 2 Lord, hear my voice! Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications! 3 If you, O LORD, should mark iniquities, Lord, who could stand? 4 But there is forgiveness with you, so that you may be revered. 5 I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I hope; 6 my soul waits for the Lord more than those who watch for the morning, more than those who watch for the morning. 7 O Israel, hope in the LORD! For with the LORD there is steadfast love, and with him is great power to redeem. 8 It is he who will redeem Israel from all its iniquities. (Psalm 130 NRSV)
When Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a great crowd gathered around him; and he was by the sea. 22 Then one of the leaders of the synagogue named Jairus came and, when he saw him, fell at his feet 23 and begged him repeatedly, "My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well, and live." 24 So he went with him. And a large crowd followed him and pressed in on him. 25 Now there was a woman who had been suffering from hemorrhages for twelve years. 26 She had endured much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had; and she was no better, but rather grew worse. 27 She had heard about Jesus, and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, 28 for she said, "If I but touch his clothes, I will be made well." 29 Immediately her hemorrhage stopped; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. 30 Immediately aware that power had gone forth from him, Jesus turned about in the crowd and said, "Who touched my clothes?" 31 And his disciples said to him, "You see the crowd pressing in on you; how can you say,'Who touched me?'" 32 He looked all around to see who had done it. 33 But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling, fell down before him, and told him the whole truth. 34 He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease." 35 While he was still speaking, some people came from the leader's house to say, "Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the teacher any further?" 36 But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the leader of the synagogue, "Do not fear, only believe." 37 He allowed no one to follow him except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James. 38 When they came to the house of the leader of the synagogue, he saw a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. 39 When he had entered, he said to them, "Why do you make a commotion and weep? The child is not dead but sleeping." 40 And they laughed at him. Then he put them all outside, and took the child's father and mother and those who were with him, and went in where the child was. 41 He took her by the hand and said to her, "Talitha cum," which means, "Little girl, get up!" 42 And immediately the girl got up and began to walk about (she was twelve years of age). At this they were overcome with amazement. 43 He strictly ordered them that no one should know this, and told them to give her something to eat. (Mark 5:21-43 NRSV)
“LOSING YOUR BEST FRIEND”
At the end of my first year of college I had a Physics final exam. I didn’t like the class. It was required and not well taught, by Dr. Goldberger. The only bright spot was that my best friend, Doug, was in it. I wasn’t doing that well in the class. So, it came down to this—one of the questions on the exam saved me. If you could drill a hole through the earth, through the axis, and drop a bowling ball into the hole, what would happen? Well, assuming that there is no air in the hole and that the interior of the earth is not made up of molten rock and metal, the ball would get to the end, then be drawn back by gravity, get to the other end and be drawn back, and so on, and so on. When I turned in the exam, the lack of confidence was showing on my face, and Dr. Goldberger said that I looked like I just lost my best friend. Well, in a way I was. It was the end of the school year. We all were leaving. Doug and some of his friends were going to take a year off to travel the country. They did. Something I valued greatly was being taken away from me. When he came back, things had changed, we were in different circles.
The reading from 2 Samuel this morning is David’s song of mourning over Saul, who was king, and Saul’s son, Jonathan, who was David’s best friend. He pours out his heart in this song. He said that Israel’s glory died with them, and told them not to speak about it or the Philistines would hear it and rejoice over it. There should be no life-giving dew or rain on the mountains. The fields where they fell should not yield produce. Their weapons are now idle and their power is now only a memory. So David tells them to weep and he is greatly distressed. This is something he must let out.
This type of poem or song is present in the Bible, but rare in our lives. It is called lament, the outpouring of feelings and thoughts of sadness. We like happy endings and want to forget that there is much of life that does not have a happy ending. Often we do not make time to be sad for our losses or let others be sad for theirs. Most rarely of all is when we are sad for the losses of others. We are like Linda Loman in Arthur Miller’s play Death of a Salesman. When Willy is having a life crisis all she offers is an aspirin. “Don’t feel the pain,” it says. In lament, you take the time to know and feel and express grief. It might be elegant like David’s or simple and direct. It helps when those around you, in a supportive way, can let you grieve as you grieve and not push you to where they want you to be. It is not always easy to hear someone’s pain.
Bill Tammeus is a Presbyterian elder who has recently written about the ten-year anniversary of 9/11, certainly a major event of our times, when his own nephew was among those killed. The changes in his life in the following ten years include his nephew’s son being born, never knowing his father, and the remarriage of the widow, the mourning of his sister and her husband for the loss of their son and comforting the daughters and grandchildren. He reflects on what has not changed in those ten years. The evening news still declares disaster and violence. We have not lost our need for comfort, he says, and we still want to know that God is a loving God. He writes that churches can be the space for people to grieve. The danger is when we are too superficial to allow this. When we are with people in grief, we become the church for them. He writes: “Maybe what 10 years of living with 9/11 should teach us is that we are, finally, our brother’s keeper, our sister’s shoulder to cry on. And that’s a high calling, indeed.”
We cannot control the events of our world, or the losses that come into our lives, but there is something else. That is the message of the Gospel, that there is more than what we have here. The Gospel reading is the story of Jesus in our world. As he was traveling, a crowd gathered around him. A leader of the synagogue stopped him and begged him to heal his little daughter. On the way, a woman who had been suffering for twelve years was healed. When Jesus and Jairus approach his home they find that his daughter has died. Jesus raised her from the dead. Sometimes people focus on the supernatural event in the miracle, but I think it is better to ask what the miracle does for the people who receive it. This miracle is a taste of the resurrection. It points ahead to a day when all will be raised from the dead. It also points us to God who can give meaning to our sorrows. We do not always see that when we are in the middle of them. God is with us in our difficulties. With God, we find not only strength but meaning. Because of this hope we can keep moving with purpose in life. It is a reminder that losses are not forever.
We live in a world in which we are not free from losses. Some can be small and others, well, they are like losing your best friend. David poured out his heart in song about it. We might not be able to do that but we can find a community that can hear what is in our hearts, or be that community for others. We can find hope in unlikely places, hope in the midst of loss, which reminds us that we are not alone. That might be what we gain in loss. The journey of life moves on here. For everyone that journey involves some loss. That is why we need to know what we can take on that journey.
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After the death of Saul, when David had returned from defeating the Amalekites, David remained two days in Ziklag.
17 David intoned this lamentation over Saul and his son Jonathan. 18 (He ordered that The Song of the Bow be taught to the people of Judah; it is written in the Book of Jashar.) He said: 19 Your glory, O Israel, lies slain upon your high places! How the mighty have fallen! 20 Tell it not in Gath, proclaim it not in the streets of Ashkelon; or the daughters of the Philistines will rejoice, the daughters of the uncircumcised will exult. 21 You mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew or rain upon you, nor bounteous fields! For there the shield of the mighty was defiled, the shield of Saul, anointed with oil no more. 22 From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty, the bow of Jonathan did not turn back, nor the sword of Saul return empty. 23 Saul and Jonathan, beloved and lovely! In life and in death they were not divided; they were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions. 24 O daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you with crimson, in luxury, who put ornaments of gold on your apparel. 25 How the mighty have fallen in the midst of the battle! Jonathan lies slain upon your high places. 26 I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan; greatly beloved were you to me; your love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women. 27 How the mighty have fallen, and the weapons of war perished! (2 Samuel 1:1, 17-27 NRSV)
Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD. 2 Lord, hear my voice! Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications! 3 If you, O LORD, should mark iniquities, Lord, who could stand? 4 But there is forgiveness with you, so that you may be revered. 5 I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I hope; 6 my soul waits for the Lord more than those who watch for the morning, more than those who watch for the morning. 7 O Israel, hope in the LORD! For with the LORD there is steadfast love, and with him is great power to redeem. 8 It is he who will redeem Israel from all its iniquities. (Psalm 130 NRSV)
When Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a great crowd gathered around him; and he was by the sea. 22 Then one of the leaders of the synagogue named Jairus came and, when he saw him, fell at his feet 23 and begged him repeatedly, "My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well, and live." 24 So he went with him. And a large crowd followed him and pressed in on him. 25 Now there was a woman who had been suffering from hemorrhages for twelve years. 26 She had endured much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had; and she was no better, but rather grew worse. 27 She had heard about Jesus, and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, 28 for she said, "If I but touch his clothes, I will be made well." 29 Immediately her hemorrhage stopped; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. 30 Immediately aware that power had gone forth from him, Jesus turned about in the crowd and said, "Who touched my clothes?" 31 And his disciples said to him, "You see the crowd pressing in on you; how can you say,'Who touched me?'" 32 He looked all around to see who had done it. 33 But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling, fell down before him, and told him the whole truth. 34 He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease." 35 While he was still speaking, some people came from the leader's house to say, "Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the teacher any further?" 36 But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the leader of the synagogue, "Do not fear, only believe." 37 He allowed no one to follow him except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James. 38 When they came to the house of the leader of the synagogue, he saw a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. 39 When he had entered, he said to them, "Why do you make a commotion and weep? The child is not dead but sleeping." 40 And they laughed at him. Then he put them all outside, and took the child's father and mother and those who were with him, and went in where the child was. 41 He took her by the hand and said to her, "Talitha cum," which means, "Little girl, get up!" 42 And immediately the girl got up and began to walk about (she was twelve years of age). At this they were overcome with amazement. 43 He strictly ordered them that no one should know this, and told them to give her something to eat. (Mark 5:21-43 NRSV)
“LOSING YOUR BEST FRIEND”
At the end of my first year of college I had a Physics final exam. I didn’t like the class. It was required and not well taught, by Dr. Goldberger. The only bright spot was that my best friend, Doug, was in it. I wasn’t doing that well in the class. So, it came down to this—one of the questions on the exam saved me. If you could drill a hole through the earth, through the axis, and drop a bowling ball into the hole, what would happen? Well, assuming that there is no air in the hole and that the interior of the earth is not made up of molten rock and metal, the ball would get to the end, then be drawn back by gravity, get to the other end and be drawn back, and so on, and so on. When I turned in the exam, the lack of confidence was showing on my face, and Dr. Goldberger said that I looked like I just lost my best friend. Well, in a way I was. It was the end of the school year. We all were leaving. Doug and some of his friends were going to take a year off to travel the country. They did. Something I valued greatly was being taken away from me. When he came back, things had changed, we were in different circles.
The reading from 2 Samuel this morning is David’s song of mourning over Saul, who was king, and Saul’s son, Jonathan, who was David’s best friend. He pours out his heart in this song. He said that Israel’s glory died with them, and told them not to speak about it or the Philistines would hear it and rejoice over it. There should be no life-giving dew or rain on the mountains. The fields where they fell should not yield produce. Their weapons are now idle and their power is now only a memory. So David tells them to weep and he is greatly distressed. This is something he must let out.
This type of poem or song is present in the Bible, but rare in our lives. It is called lament, the outpouring of feelings and thoughts of sadness. We like happy endings and want to forget that there is much of life that does not have a happy ending. Often we do not make time to be sad for our losses or let others be sad for theirs. Most rarely of all is when we are sad for the losses of others. We are like Linda Loman in Arthur Miller’s play Death of a Salesman. When Willy is having a life crisis all she offers is an aspirin. “Don’t feel the pain,” it says. In lament, you take the time to know and feel and express grief. It might be elegant like David’s or simple and direct. It helps when those around you, in a supportive way, can let you grieve as you grieve and not push you to where they want you to be. It is not always easy to hear someone’s pain.
Bill Tammeus is a Presbyterian elder who has recently written about the ten-year anniversary of 9/11, certainly a major event of our times, when his own nephew was among those killed. The changes in his life in the following ten years include his nephew’s son being born, never knowing his father, and the remarriage of the widow, the mourning of his sister and her husband for the loss of their son and comforting the daughters and grandchildren. He reflects on what has not changed in those ten years. The evening news still declares disaster and violence. We have not lost our need for comfort, he says, and we still want to know that God is a loving God. He writes that churches can be the space for people to grieve. The danger is when we are too superficial to allow this. When we are with people in grief, we become the church for them. He writes: “Maybe what 10 years of living with 9/11 should teach us is that we are, finally, our brother’s keeper, our sister’s shoulder to cry on. And that’s a high calling, indeed.”
We cannot control the events of our world, or the losses that come into our lives, but there is something else. That is the message of the Gospel, that there is more than what we have here. The Gospel reading is the story of Jesus in our world. As he was traveling, a crowd gathered around him. A leader of the synagogue stopped him and begged him to heal his little daughter. On the way, a woman who had been suffering for twelve years was healed. When Jesus and Jairus approach his home they find that his daughter has died. Jesus raised her from the dead. Sometimes people focus on the supernatural event in the miracle, but I think it is better to ask what the miracle does for the people who receive it. This miracle is a taste of the resurrection. It points ahead to a day when all will be raised from the dead. It also points us to God who can give meaning to our sorrows. We do not always see that when we are in the middle of them. God is with us in our difficulties. With God, we find not only strength but meaning. Because of this hope we can keep moving with purpose in life. It is a reminder that losses are not forever.
We live in a world in which we are not free from losses. Some can be small and others, well, they are like losing your best friend. David poured out his heart in song about it. We might not be able to do that but we can find a community that can hear what is in our hearts, or be that community for others. We can find hope in unlikely places, hope in the midst of loss, which reminds us that we are not alone. That might be what we gain in loss. The journey of life moves on here. For everyone that journey involves some loss. That is why we need to know what we can take on that journey.
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Thursday, December 6, 2012
Davey and Goliath
The 12th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B
Now the Philistines gathered their armies for battle;
4 And there came out from the camp of the Philistines a champion named Goliath, of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span. 5 He had a helmet of bronze on his head, and he was armed with a coat of mail; the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of bronze. 6 He had greaves of bronze on his legs and a javelin of bronze slung between his shoulders. 7 The shaft of his spear was like a weaver's beam, and his spear's head weighed six hundred shekels of iron; and his shield-bearer went before him. 8 He stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, "Why have you come out to draw up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not servants of Saul? Choose a man for yourselves, and let him come down to me. 9 If he is able to fight with me and kill me, then we will be your servants; but if I prevail against him and kill him, then you shall be our servants and serve us." 10 And the Philistine said, "Today I defy the ranks of Israel! Give me a man, that we may fight together." 11 When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid.
19 Now Saul, and they, and all the men of Israel, were in the valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines. 20 David rose early in the morning, left the sheep with a keeper, took the provisions, and went as Jesse had commanded him. He came to the encampment as the army was going forth to the battle line, shouting the war cry. 21 Israel and the Philistines drew up for battle, army against army. 22 David left the things in charge of the keeper of the baggage, ran to the ranks, and went and greeted his brothers. 23 As he talked with them, the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, came up out of the ranks of the Philistines, and spoke the same words as before. And David heard him.
32 David said to Saul, "Let no one's heart fail because of him; your servant will go and fight with this Philistine." 33 Saul said to David, "You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him; for you are just a boy, and he has been a warrior from his youth." 34 But David said to Saul, "Your servant used to keep sheep for his father; and whenever a lion or a bear came, and took a lamb from the flock, 35 I went after it and struck it down, rescuing the lamb from its mouth; and if it turned against me, I would catch it by the jaw, strike it down, and kill it. 36 Your servant has killed both lions and bears; and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be like one of them, since he has defied the armies of the living God." 37 David said, "The LORD, who saved me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, will save me from the hand of this Philistine." So Saul said to David, "Go, and may the LORD be with you!" 38 Saul clothed David with his armor; he put a bronze helmet on his head and clothed him with a coat of mail. 39 David strapped Saul's sword over the armor, and he tried in vain to walk, for he was not used to them. Then David said to Saul, "I cannot walk with these; for I am not used to them." So David removed them. 40 Then he took his staff in his hand, and chose five smooth stones from the wadi, and put them in his shepherd's bag, in the pouch; his sling was in his hand, and he drew near to the Philistine. 41 The Philistine came on and drew near to David, with his shield-bearer in front of him. 42 When the Philistine looked and saw David, he disdained him, for he was only a youth, ruddy and handsome in appearance. 43 The Philistine said to David, "Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?" And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. 44 The Philistine said to David, "Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and to the wild animals of the field." 45 But David said to the Philistine, "You come to me with sword and spear and javelin; but I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46 This very day the LORD will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down and cut off your head; and I will give the dead bodies of the Philistine army this very day to the birds of the air and to the wild animals of the earth, so that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, 47 and that all this assembly may know that the LORD does not save by sword and spear; for the battle is the LORD's and he will give you into our hand." 48 When the Philistine drew nearer to meet David, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet the Philistine. 49 David put his hand in his bag, took out a stone, slung it, and struck the Philistine on his forehead; the stone sank into his forehead, and he fell face down on the ground. (1 Samuel 17: 1a, 4-11, 19-23, 32-49a NRSV)
On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, "Let us go across to the other side." 36 And leaving the crowd behind, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. Other boats were with him. 37 A great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped. 38 But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke him up and said to him, "Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?" 39 He woke up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Peace! Be still!" Then the wind ceased, and there was a dead calm. 40 He said to them, "Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?" 41 And they were filled with great awe and said to one another, "Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?" (Mark 4:35 NRSV)
“DAVEY AND GOLIATH”
One of my first introductions, growing up Catholic, to the Protestant faith was through a TV show, a cartoon called, “Davey and Goliath”. It started in the 1960s and the theme music was based on the great Lutheran hymn, “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God”. They presented simple lessons in faith and morality to children. It was done in stop-motion animation and told stories about the Hansen family, especially Davey and his dog, Goliath. Goliath is no ordinary dog, but one who talks, although only Davey hears him. Well, sort of hears him. Many of the stories involve something that Davey wants to do and adults or Goliath gently advise him not to, “I don’t know, Davey.” When the situation goes wrong for him or for others, Goliath and others come to the rescue and there is a review of the lesson learned, “Oh, Davey.” The lesson is often about doing the right thing or asking for help. Some of the adventures were when Davey went into an abandoned silver mine or skated on thin ice, was stranded on an island, or trapped on a train. One was: “To the Rescue”: At Roaring River Camp, Davey, Goliath, and friends find that chores spoil their fun, and refuse to cooperate when their counselors plan a canoe trip. It takes a forest fire and a plane crash to teach them that people have to work together to protect the land and help each other.
This morning’s reading is a story with David and Goliath that is a lot scarier than any cartoon. Well, it isn’t if you know the ending and rush to the end. But if we read it slowly, with attention, we might see and feel what is happening as the story unfolds. We will see again what this passage has to tell us. The Philistines gathered for battle and they had a champion, a man ten feet tall, with armor weighing 150 pounds. He would call out to the Israelites and challenge them to send a warrior to fight him. A lot would be riding on the fight. They would be representatives of the groups and the losing champion’s group would serve the winning champion’s group. Everyone who heard this was afraid. Not only would he be fighting a giant, if he lost, they would become slaves of the Philistines. No one from the Israelite side came forth until David went to the front to bring provisions to his brothers. There he saw and heard the challenge. And he wanted to be the one to face him. He is not being young and reckless; he has faced big opponents like lions and bears and won. And he sees one more thing. Goliath challenges the God of the Israelites and God will help David defeat him. They put Saul’s armor on David and it does not fit, so he will not use them. He takes his weapon, five smooth stones from the brook and his sling. No huge sword. Goliath sees that he is facing a boy, and mocks them all the more. And David points out that he has one more weapon, he comes in the name of the Lord. He used the sling, struck the giant in the forehead and he went down. Boom. The boy defeated the giant.
We all face things in life that are bigger than we are. There are two kinds of things, though. One kind is the one where we are afraid of something big, something that we could do, should do. They can be such things as repairing a relationship, getting a better job, serving others in a new way, bringing fairness to a situation. All these can require us to act in new ways, to face something that frightens us. Those situations call us to be more courageous, like David was. We can do them in that same way, facing them with courage rather than fear, with confidence from the way God has led us in the past, with faith in God’s power. God made David’s arm and skill and made those five little stones. And one last thing. We must look at the enemy. It is big. It is armored. It is frightening. But if we use wisdom we will aim our weapons at where it is not armored. There is at least one spot, like Goliath’s forehead, where it is vulnerable. Too often, when we face the foe, we do not look. We shoot at it and do not aim. Then our stones go pinging off the helmet and the giant laughs. We face situations and direct our anger and our effort at everything but that one spot on the enemy that can change it. We need to aim at that spot. Otherwise we do things that do not address the situation. And then we do not win over it. There are times we need to face the challenge ahead of us.
A storm is greater than a giant warrior. The Gospel reading talks about this second type of big thing. The disciples went into the boat to cross the lake. Then came a storm. This is nothing new, there are storms all the time, but out on the lake they can be dangerous. The waves came into the boat. They woke Jesus up and asked him if he cared. He did, but to be asleep during the storm is the sign that he was not frightened like they were. He rebuked the wind and it obeyed and he asked about their faith. They, in turn, asked each other who Jesus was that he could even command the storm. He is greater than any storm and was with them. And he can be with us in ours.
There are no giants walking around challenging our armies these days. But in another way we still have giants, there are things which challenge our faith and courage and lives. There is a lesson here. Even a boy can bring down a giant, if he does it with faith, and courage, and the right small stone in the right place. If he faces it well. And we are not lost in the storms of life, those things that are above us, beyond us, around us, if we remember who is beside us. And so, knowing this, Martin Luther wrote this almost five hundred years ago:
Did we in our own strength confide,
our striving would be losing;
Were not the right Man on our side,
The Man of God’s own choosing.
Dost ask who that may be?
Christ Jesus it is He,
Lord Sabaoth His name,
From age to age the same,
And He must win the battle.
This is what we must know when we find ourselves in life at the front of a struggle. This is what gives us faith and courage to sling our stones or wake Jesus up. This is how we win the battle.
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Now the Philistines gathered their armies for battle;
4 And there came out from the camp of the Philistines a champion named Goliath, of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span. 5 He had a helmet of bronze on his head, and he was armed with a coat of mail; the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of bronze. 6 He had greaves of bronze on his legs and a javelin of bronze slung between his shoulders. 7 The shaft of his spear was like a weaver's beam, and his spear's head weighed six hundred shekels of iron; and his shield-bearer went before him. 8 He stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, "Why have you come out to draw up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not servants of Saul? Choose a man for yourselves, and let him come down to me. 9 If he is able to fight with me and kill me, then we will be your servants; but if I prevail against him and kill him, then you shall be our servants and serve us." 10 And the Philistine said, "Today I defy the ranks of Israel! Give me a man, that we may fight together." 11 When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid.
19 Now Saul, and they, and all the men of Israel, were in the valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines. 20 David rose early in the morning, left the sheep with a keeper, took the provisions, and went as Jesse had commanded him. He came to the encampment as the army was going forth to the battle line, shouting the war cry. 21 Israel and the Philistines drew up for battle, army against army. 22 David left the things in charge of the keeper of the baggage, ran to the ranks, and went and greeted his brothers. 23 As he talked with them, the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, came up out of the ranks of the Philistines, and spoke the same words as before. And David heard him.
32 David said to Saul, "Let no one's heart fail because of him; your servant will go and fight with this Philistine." 33 Saul said to David, "You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him; for you are just a boy, and he has been a warrior from his youth." 34 But David said to Saul, "Your servant used to keep sheep for his father; and whenever a lion or a bear came, and took a lamb from the flock, 35 I went after it and struck it down, rescuing the lamb from its mouth; and if it turned against me, I would catch it by the jaw, strike it down, and kill it. 36 Your servant has killed both lions and bears; and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be like one of them, since he has defied the armies of the living God." 37 David said, "The LORD, who saved me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, will save me from the hand of this Philistine." So Saul said to David, "Go, and may the LORD be with you!" 38 Saul clothed David with his armor; he put a bronze helmet on his head and clothed him with a coat of mail. 39 David strapped Saul's sword over the armor, and he tried in vain to walk, for he was not used to them. Then David said to Saul, "I cannot walk with these; for I am not used to them." So David removed them. 40 Then he took his staff in his hand, and chose five smooth stones from the wadi, and put them in his shepherd's bag, in the pouch; his sling was in his hand, and he drew near to the Philistine. 41 The Philistine came on and drew near to David, with his shield-bearer in front of him. 42 When the Philistine looked and saw David, he disdained him, for he was only a youth, ruddy and handsome in appearance. 43 The Philistine said to David, "Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?" And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. 44 The Philistine said to David, "Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and to the wild animals of the field." 45 But David said to the Philistine, "You come to me with sword and spear and javelin; but I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46 This very day the LORD will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down and cut off your head; and I will give the dead bodies of the Philistine army this very day to the birds of the air and to the wild animals of the earth, so that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, 47 and that all this assembly may know that the LORD does not save by sword and spear; for the battle is the LORD's and he will give you into our hand." 48 When the Philistine drew nearer to meet David, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet the Philistine. 49 David put his hand in his bag, took out a stone, slung it, and struck the Philistine on his forehead; the stone sank into his forehead, and he fell face down on the ground. (1 Samuel 17: 1a, 4-11, 19-23, 32-49a NRSV)
On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, "Let us go across to the other side." 36 And leaving the crowd behind, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. Other boats were with him. 37 A great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped. 38 But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke him up and said to him, "Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?" 39 He woke up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Peace! Be still!" Then the wind ceased, and there was a dead calm. 40 He said to them, "Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?" 41 And they were filled with great awe and said to one another, "Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?" (Mark 4:35 NRSV)
“DAVEY AND GOLIATH”
One of my first introductions, growing up Catholic, to the Protestant faith was through a TV show, a cartoon called, “Davey and Goliath”. It started in the 1960s and the theme music was based on the great Lutheran hymn, “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God”. They presented simple lessons in faith and morality to children. It was done in stop-motion animation and told stories about the Hansen family, especially Davey and his dog, Goliath. Goliath is no ordinary dog, but one who talks, although only Davey hears him. Well, sort of hears him. Many of the stories involve something that Davey wants to do and adults or Goliath gently advise him not to, “I don’t know, Davey.” When the situation goes wrong for him or for others, Goliath and others come to the rescue and there is a review of the lesson learned, “Oh, Davey.” The lesson is often about doing the right thing or asking for help. Some of the adventures were when Davey went into an abandoned silver mine or skated on thin ice, was stranded on an island, or trapped on a train. One was: “To the Rescue”: At Roaring River Camp, Davey, Goliath, and friends find that chores spoil their fun, and refuse to cooperate when their counselors plan a canoe trip. It takes a forest fire and a plane crash to teach them that people have to work together to protect the land and help each other.
This morning’s reading is a story with David and Goliath that is a lot scarier than any cartoon. Well, it isn’t if you know the ending and rush to the end. But if we read it slowly, with attention, we might see and feel what is happening as the story unfolds. We will see again what this passage has to tell us. The Philistines gathered for battle and they had a champion, a man ten feet tall, with armor weighing 150 pounds. He would call out to the Israelites and challenge them to send a warrior to fight him. A lot would be riding on the fight. They would be representatives of the groups and the losing champion’s group would serve the winning champion’s group. Everyone who heard this was afraid. Not only would he be fighting a giant, if he lost, they would become slaves of the Philistines. No one from the Israelite side came forth until David went to the front to bring provisions to his brothers. There he saw and heard the challenge. And he wanted to be the one to face him. He is not being young and reckless; he has faced big opponents like lions and bears and won. And he sees one more thing. Goliath challenges the God of the Israelites and God will help David defeat him. They put Saul’s armor on David and it does not fit, so he will not use them. He takes his weapon, five smooth stones from the brook and his sling. No huge sword. Goliath sees that he is facing a boy, and mocks them all the more. And David points out that he has one more weapon, he comes in the name of the Lord. He used the sling, struck the giant in the forehead and he went down. Boom. The boy defeated the giant.
We all face things in life that are bigger than we are. There are two kinds of things, though. One kind is the one where we are afraid of something big, something that we could do, should do. They can be such things as repairing a relationship, getting a better job, serving others in a new way, bringing fairness to a situation. All these can require us to act in new ways, to face something that frightens us. Those situations call us to be more courageous, like David was. We can do them in that same way, facing them with courage rather than fear, with confidence from the way God has led us in the past, with faith in God’s power. God made David’s arm and skill and made those five little stones. And one last thing. We must look at the enemy. It is big. It is armored. It is frightening. But if we use wisdom we will aim our weapons at where it is not armored. There is at least one spot, like Goliath’s forehead, where it is vulnerable. Too often, when we face the foe, we do not look. We shoot at it and do not aim. Then our stones go pinging off the helmet and the giant laughs. We face situations and direct our anger and our effort at everything but that one spot on the enemy that can change it. We need to aim at that spot. Otherwise we do things that do not address the situation. And then we do not win over it. There are times we need to face the challenge ahead of us.
A storm is greater than a giant warrior. The Gospel reading talks about this second type of big thing. The disciples went into the boat to cross the lake. Then came a storm. This is nothing new, there are storms all the time, but out on the lake they can be dangerous. The waves came into the boat. They woke Jesus up and asked him if he cared. He did, but to be asleep during the storm is the sign that he was not frightened like they were. He rebuked the wind and it obeyed and he asked about their faith. They, in turn, asked each other who Jesus was that he could even command the storm. He is greater than any storm and was with them. And he can be with us in ours.
There are no giants walking around challenging our armies these days. But in another way we still have giants, there are things which challenge our faith and courage and lives. There is a lesson here. Even a boy can bring down a giant, if he does it with faith, and courage, and the right small stone in the right place. If he faces it well. And we are not lost in the storms of life, those things that are above us, beyond us, around us, if we remember who is beside us. And so, knowing this, Martin Luther wrote this almost five hundred years ago:
Did we in our own strength confide,
our striving would be losing;
Were not the right Man on our side,
The Man of God’s own choosing.
Dost ask who that may be?
Christ Jesus it is He,
Lord Sabaoth His name,
From age to age the same,
And He must win the battle.
This is what we must know when we find ourselves in life at the front of a struggle. This is what gives us faith and courage to sling our stones or wake Jesus up. This is how we win the battle.
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