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To the Praise of God's Glory 2009-07-10 by Pat Harbison Ephesians 1:3=14 God is blessed b/c God has blessed us - blessed us ‘in Christ with every spiritual blessing: 1. “God chose us in Christ to be God’s people” (REB)/ ‘to be holy and blameless and full of love’ (NRSV) 2. God destined us for adoption - God’s grace bestowed on us in ‘the Beloved’. 3.. In Christ, we have been forgiven (‘have redemption’) 4. In Christ we have been given an inheritance. God is the subject - God acts graciously toward us and we know of God/ what God does for us in Christ. ‘In Christ’ echoes throughout this passage following the triple use of blessing. If nothing else comes out of Paul’s confusing writing, this message is clear: IN CHRIST, God blesses. I am blessed by God when I am IN CHRIST. The Message rephrases Paul’s confusing syntax to reveal Paul’s emphasis on the people in the church (in Ephesus and today). God remains the subject/ the One who acts, but the object of God’s actions clearly focuses on the people who make up the church - who are ‘in Christ.’ ‘Long before he [God] laid down earth’s foundation, he [God] had us in mind... Long ago he [God] decided to adopt us... [God] wanted us to enter into the celebration of his [God’s] lavish gift-giving... and it goes on. The pitfall fo this passage is its egocentrism. Too quickly we let the spotlight ofGod’s favor/ blessing fall on us and we absorb the light of blessing and let it stay there. I think Paul may be attempting to move the people to gratitude b/c of the wonder of the Creator God focusing on us. Surely this is Paul’s intention as this passage ends with ‘to the praise of his [God’s] glory. The church fails whenit receives blessings in Christ without using those blessings to the praise of God’s glory in building God’s kingdom in the world by sharing those blessings. Forgiving and Merciful God, for thinking it’s all about us - it’s all about me! Thank you for placing my life ‘in Christ.’ May that relationship grow in every aspect of my personal life and in your church - to the praise of your glory.
Pat Harbison and Hearing 2009-07-09 by David von Schlichten Our guest blogger has done an excellent job of amplifying key themes in the texts. Please scroll down to "listen" to her contributions. Thank you, also, to Rosemary Beales for her input. The more in the tub, the better! I am in the midst of preaching a seven-part series about a pastor on a journey first through hell and then through heaven. The sermons end up being more like stories, but I pray that proclamation of the Good News is happening. Sometimes I wonder what makes a sermon a sermon. Yours in Christ, David von Schlichten The Prophet Versus the Establishment 2009-07-09 by Pat Harbison Amos 7:7-15 I’m first struck by God’s words: “I will never again pass them by.” Does this mean that God will NOT ignore them/ neglect them/ walk by them again? -OR- as in the Message, does this mean that God will not ‘spare them again’ -OR- does this refer to a theophany as when God passed by Elijah when the prophet was in the cave or when Jesus was about to pass by the disciples when they were in the boat and Jesus walked to them on the sea?? The latter two fit the rest of Amos’s prophetic words. It seems that God has had enough of the people’s unfaithfulness. God will no longer spare them and will no longer favor them with God’s presence. Furthermore, their ‘holy’ places will be destroyed. Amos and his prophecy come in direct conflict with the religious establishment which seems to be telling the people what they want to hear. The established priest of Bethel, Amaziah, informed the king of Amos’ message and sent Amos away so that he would no longer speak such difficult words. Amos retorted with, ‘I’m only doing what God has called me to do. Amos does not claim the role of prophet for himself, but identifies himself as one who was minding his own business, doing his own thing as a hersdman and dresser of sycamore trees when God gave him the words to speak. Ironically, his obedience to God put him in danger as he clashed with worldly powers. Several issues arise: 1. Places designated as ‘holy’ by the people may not be considered holy by God. 2. Amos is a prophet by God’s calling not by his own self-identity. 3. The ‘established’ priest was in tight with the king. 4. Obedience to God requires risk (cf. John the Baptist, Amos) Might this narrative be morphed into a message for the church today? Could the mainline, American church be in decline b/c the high places we have established for ourselves are being torn down by God so that we might hear the prophetic challenges of God’s desire for God’s people? Has God decided to not ‘pass us by’ - that is, not show us God’s presence - until we act according to the prophetic word of justice and true holiness? Holy God, help your church hear the prophetic word then give us courage to respond in fiathfulness. Speaking and Silence 2009-07-08 by Rosemary Beales Thank you, Pat, for your fruitful meditations on the psalm. This is an especially challenging gospel since we have barely a glimpse of Jesus, and we hear nothing from him or for that matter, from John in the present tense. But it comes after the deeds of power that disciples were doing, the deeds that stirred up Herod's anxiety. So Jesus' power hovers over this passage whic,h as you rightly remind us, is about politics and power. I have a little grandson who is 3 years old. These days, we can have a conversation on the phone. Just the other day, i was struck that now he knows how to talk, he is learning to say something. There is a difference. It takes 2-3 years to learn to talk. It takes a lifetime to learn to say something. John, and Jesus, had learned to say something that mattered, and it cost them their lives. When do I have the courage to say what really matters? And when, equally important, do I silence others who are speaking hard truths -- not by beheading, surely, but by easy dismissal, ridicule or hasty counter argument? These are what I'm pondering as Sunday draws near. Good and Evil 2009-07-08 by Pat Harbison Psalm 85:8-13 The psalmist prays for the ability to hear what God will speak to God’s people. The psalmist is confident that God will speak peace to those who are aligned with God’s purposes - ‘to those who turn to God their hearts.’ God’s speaking, then is made real/ is incarnate in god’s actions. I remember learning in Hebrew class that dabar = God’s word = God’s deeds/ action; either translation is accurate in Genesis. God’s word and God’s acting is one in the same. God is the One of perfect integrity of word and deed. The result of God’s word/ deed is God’s salvation which is described in the poetic language of verses 10 & 11: steadfast love and faithfulness meeting - righteousness and peace kissing each other - further emphasizing this aspect of God’s being. The psalmist acknowledges that it is God who gives what is good. Herod did not hear God speak peace and as a result, John was beheaded. This psalm may contribute to a theodicy discussion when read with the gospel lesson. Understanding John to be among the faithful of God’s people, the question arises, ‘why do bad things happen to good people?’ Why did John not experience the goodness described in Ps 85:12? (I could also ask , ‘Why was Jesus crucified?) The answer doesn’t have to do with God but with Herod who did ‘not turn to God in his heart.’ Herod w as attracted to the gospel message of John but was too caught up in himself to let that message rule his life. Instead, his lust, power and ego all lead to John’s death. There will always be Herods in our lives/ in this world until ‘thy kingdom com, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.’ Therefore, this psalm points to an eschatalogical vision of God’s kingdom/ a hope for God’s people. In the meantime, we are called to strain to hear what God will speak. We are beckoned to turn to God in our hearts so that God’s salvation/ God’s kingdom may be near/ among/ within us as Jesus speaks about it in the gospel. Holy God, thank you for the tastes of the kingdom with which you bless me each day. For the beauty of the earth, the wonders of creation, your amazing love that I experience through my husband and children, your creativity in the delightful joys of my grandchildren and so much more. Let me hear what you speak so that I may share the good news of your love with others. You do give what is good. May your kingdom grow. Use me to that end to your glory.
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