From JoeParrish at compuserve.com  Sat Aug  1 17:27:11 2009
From: JoeParrish at compuserve.com (Joe Parrish)
Date: Sat, 1 Aug 2009 17:27:11 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] Day1 sermon August 02, 2009 - The Thunk, the Gap,
	and the Six A's
Message-ID: <67A7CE332E9A4CCCB196BB3FE66342C8@YOUR264F1833C5>

The Thunk, the Gap, and the Six A's
Psalm 51
Proper 13 - Year B


Day1 sermon by the Rev. Mark 
Sargent, pastor of Embry Hills United Methodist Church, Atlanta, GA
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From JoeParrish at compuserve.com  Sat Aug  1 17:28:55 2009
From: JoeParrish at compuserve.com (Joe Parrish)
Date: Sat, 1 Aug 2009 17:28:55 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] Fw: Sermon Resources for August 2nd
Message-ID: <AFB22CDCF92F4141A59DEF58E6D1F8A6@YOUR264F1833C5>

Sermon Resources for Proper 13:
 

    John 6:24-35  -  I Am The Bread Of Life
    John 6:24-35  -  Go Fly A Kite

                                       by Leonard Sweet

 

John 6, the sermon titled "I Am The Bread of Life"

 

Sometime this week you will make a trip to the grocery store to get a loaf of bread. It will be readily available on the shelf. There will be quite a variety to choose from. You will pay little attention to the price, not realizing that the packaging that the bread is wrapped in actually costs more than the wheat that is in the bread. All in all, you will think it a very uneventful trip, but you will be wrong.

 

It is quite difficult for me, as an American, to understand the importance of bread unless I turn on my TV and watch what is going on in so many parts of the world today. When there is no staff of life there is suffering and famine. A simple loaf of bread: Something, which we do not give a second thought, but in certain parts of the world it means life itself.

 

It is only as we comprehend that situation that we can really begin to understand the importance of bread not only now but also in the time of Jesus. Just think for a moment how so many significant theological events in the Bible revolve around the subject of bread. The most important event in the Old Testament of course, was the Exodus event--the trip from Egypt to the Promised Land. But what caused the Hebrews to be in Egypt in the first place? It was for want of bread you will recall. The wheat crop had failed due to draught, and the Hebrews had migrated to the land of the Pharaoh because there was a surplus in storage there. It was bread, or the lack of it, that initiated this whole chain of events.

 

Later, when the Jews were on their way to the Promised Land, and they were facing starvation in the bleak wilderness, God rained down bread from heaven, as it was called, in the form of manna.

 

When Jesus began his ministry, he went into the dessert where he was tempted. As the hot sun braced down upon him, he looked out with sweaty eyes at the round white rocks, and we are told that they took on the appearance of loaves of bread. Satan was tempting Jesus to give bread to the people and end the suffering of world hunger. Yet, Jesus spurned that temptation because, he said, that man cannot live by bread alone.

 

One day Jesus was praying by the roadside when the disciples walked up and saw him. They were so impressed by the genuine nature of his prayer that they implored him: Master, teach us how to pray. It was in the midst of the Master's prayer that he reminds us of the importance of the staff of life. He prayed: Give us this day our daily bread.

 

Bread is central to the major stories of the bible but...

 

1. To satisfy your hunger for heaven you cannot eat the bread of earth.

2. To satisfy your hunger for heaven you must eat the bread of heaven.

 

The rest of this sermon following the outline above can be obtained by joining www.eSermons.com.


__________________________________

 

Second Sermon by Len Sweet

 

John 6, the sermon entitled "Go Fly A Kite" 

 

The health care debate is getting intense, and tense. This past week an unnamed congressman was told by another member of Congress to "Go fly a kite." 

 

There is another meaning to that phrase than "Buck Off" or "Go Jump In The Lake." I think I can count on all of you over 40 having seen a movie named "Mary Poppins." Am I right? How many of you have never seen that Disney classic? . . . Wow. [React to how few, or how many.] 

 

Those of you who have seen this movie know that it's a story about a magical nanny who saves some poor little rich kids from their father's inattention. Remember the ending? The father re-establishes his relationship with his kids by taking them kite flying. The song the re-born family joyously sings together is "Let's Go Fly A Kite." [If you can play it here, fantastic. Or better yet, get your choir to sing it.] 

 

Let's go fly a kite

Up to the highest heights

Let's go fly a kite, and send it soaring.

Up in the atmosphere,

Up where the air is clear,

Let's all go . . . fly a kite. 

 

Flying high. Flying free. Flying solo. Flying together. Flying was the great dream that drove the Apollo 11 astronauts to land on the moon 40 years ago last month (19 July 1969). 

 

Our Scripture lesson for this morning finds Jesus trying to teach people the difference between earthly bread and heavenly bread, between the visible and the invisible. It's a distinction that Paul captured in his second letter to the church at Corinth: "So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal" (2 Corinthians 4:18). This morning, I want us to explore what Jesus is driving home to the crowd by this image of being born up into the heavens by the power of the invisible, which we call flying, and in particular kite-flying. 

 

Flying drove the imaginations of all sorts of adventurers as the twentieth century dawned. Once the Wright brothers finally got aloft, partly as a result of their literal kite-flying, there was no keeping fliers down. Within two decades there were barn-stormers, wing-walkers, crop-dusters. When World War I erupted, there were dive-bombers and dog-fighters. 

 

Flying became the mark of modernity. But with everything else "modern" it came with lots of strings attached. A pilot had to get certified and licensed. There were engineering concerns. Aerodynamic logistics. Gas. Oil. Spark plugs. Electrical systems. Hydraulics. Weather issues. Visibility requirements. As air travel grew in comfort, speed, altitude, and complexity, the technology that kept flyers tethered to "ground control" became more and more of an intricately tangled web. 

 

The simple kite on the end of a single string might not get our bodies aloft, but it remains the simplest, most basic form of...  

 

The rest of Leonard Sweet's sermon can be obtained by joining www.eSermons.com.

 ________________________________ 

 

Our Help Comes from Above

 

Looking out at my backyard during the fall, I noticed the leaves falling while the tree branches remained stretching heavenward--not only did they remain that way after the leaves were gone, but when the snows came and the often brutal winds of Chicago seemed to bend them into submission. But in the spring the trees seemed to speak to me saying, "Notice that we kept our branches lifted towards where our help comes from." To me it seemed that they praised God with or without leaves, as if they knew that keeping their branches up was a means of patient waiting faith, and it was in the spring when the buds appeared on their branches that those trees seemed to say to me, "We told you. We told you that our help comes from above."
 
So not only does this text tell us that God provides through Jesus not what we want but what we need and that God's promise can sustain us through all times, but, finally, the text tells us God's presence through Jesus allows us room to grow in grace.
 
Ozzie E. Smith, Jr., What Do You Want?
_____________________________________________________

 

Can He Top Jesus?

 

The relatively brief lection before us here shows a typical interaction between Jesus and the always clueless crowds that followed him around. It's clear here - as in so many parts of the gospels - that Jesus and the crowds are quite simply talking past each other. But perhaps there are deeper issues at work here.
 
After all, Jesus had just performed a wonderful sign by feeding 5,000 people from a paltry amount of food. Earlier we read what a great impression this made on the crowds - in fact, Jesus felt it necessary to slip away unobtrusively lest he get whisked away in some political, king-making frenzy. But now suddenly it seems that even that was not quite enough. The crowds want to see more. This hankering for more blinds them to what already is present to them at that very moment. Miraculous though the multiplication of the loaves and fishes was, it was still just ordinary bread. The manna in the desert - the bread that had come straight FROM HEAVEN - was perhaps even more impressive. Can Jesus pull off something like THAT? Can he top Moses?
 
Well, of course, Jesus' ultimate point in this chapter is that just by being there, just by standing in their presence, he already was topping Moses or anything else that had ever appeared on the earth. They were looking straight at the bread of life, that bread that had come down from heaven to be made in human form. But they missed it. They couldn't see it. And maybe part of the explanation for this is because they were still looking to the past, still thinking more about what Moses did once upon a time than the new thing God was doing before their very eyes.


Scott Hoezee, Comments and Observations on John 6:24-35
_________________________________________

Spiritual Awareness

 

In a broadcast address in London, T. S. Eliot talked about "spiritual awareness." He observed that many persons aspire to become Christians and believe, presumably, in the efficacy of the Christian faith, but never reach the stage of actually experiencing it. Aspiring towards real belief, i.e., becoming truly Christian, is one thing, whereas complete awareness of it is another. Aspiring can easily become an end in itself. And, as Charles H. Duthie of Edinburgh remarked: "It is a matter of living forever in the preface and never becoming involved in the story."

 

This condition of spiritual awareness is clearly defined by Jesus in the words of our text. It is a state of soul devoutly and eagerly to be aspired to, in contrast to what Lord Cecil of Britain once referred to as "believing in God in a commonplace sort of way." And, it becomes the gift and possession of any persons who are utterly dissatisfied with themselves, and who decide to fulfill those important requisites that make them completely satisfied in Christ.

 

Donald MacLeod, Know The Way, Keep The Truth, Win The Life, CSS Publishing Co.

_____________________

 

A Messy Kitchen

 

Recently, I received an e-mail about real signs found in the real kitchens of real people.

 

"A messy kitchen is a happy kitchen and this kitchen is delirious." 

"A clean house is a sign of a misspent life." 

"If we are what we eat, then I'm easy, fast, and cheap." 

"Thou shalt not weigh more than thy refrigerator." 

"My next house will have no kitchen, just vending machines." 

"A balanced diet is a cookie in each hand."

 

These sayings point to some of our society's attitudes about food: 'only junk food is enjoyable', 'food is meant to satisfy us', 'if I had to cook it, it doesn't taste good', and 'as long as it's not good for me, I should eat as much as I want'. We stuff ourselves, trying to fill the hole inside of us with food, as if we could eat something that would satisfy us. But we could stuff ourselves at every meal and still be hungry for something deeper! 

 

Staff, www.eSermons.com

 

_______________________

 

God-shaped Vacuum

 

"There is a God-shaped vacuum in the heart of every person, and it can never be filled by any created thing. It can only be filled by God, made known through Jesus Christ." 

 

Blaise Pascal

 

________________________

  

 A Time to Remember

 

In his book The Swann's Way, the French novelist Marcel Proust wrote of returning home late one evening on a dull winter day when he faced the prospect of a depressing tomorrow. The maid greeted him and, seeing that he was tired, brought him a cup of hot tea and some cake. Being both tired and depressed he at first refused them. Only at her insistence did he finally begin to drink the tea and eat the cake. Proust wrote that an unexplainable delight suddenly came over him. His anxieties and troubles seemed to vanish. Suddenly, he wrote, I had "ceased to feel mediocre, accidental and mortal."

 

What caused this wonderful sensation to come over him? He was at a loss to explain it. How could a taste of tea and cake produce this feeling of peace? He drank and ate more but he still could not decipher the secret. The truth, he guessed, must be . . . 

 

The conclusion to this illustration and many additional illustrations and sermons for Proper 13 can be accessed at www.Sermons.com.

 

 

 
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From JoeParrish at compuserve.com  Sat Aug  1 17:35:03 2009
From: JoeParrish at compuserve.com (Joe Parrish)
Date: Sat, 1 Aug 2009 17:35:03 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] Fw: SermonWriter:  Aug. 2 (Proper 13B) John 6:24-35
Message-ID: <B9F5C482754C4E2EAC8DBDE4DF2B0E18@YOUR264F1833C5>

The following are SermonWriter materials for Aug. 2 (Proper 13B). They focus 
on John 6:24-35, the story of the people crossing the sea to find Jesus.

NO PASSWORD REQUIREMENT: We are posting these materials on the web with no 
password.  To access those files, you MUST use the following links.  If 
clicking on the link fails to work, copy the link and paste it in the 
address window near the top of your browser.  Then hit the ENTER key or 
click GO.

Microsoft Word file:
http://www.lectionary.org/SW/08-02ru/John_06.24-35.doc

HTML file (web page):
http://www.lectionary.org/SW/08-02ru/John_06.24-35.htm

WordPerfect file:
http://www.lectionary.org/SW/08-02ru/John_06.24-35.wpd


A TIP: If you want the Word or WordPerfect files, LEFT-CLICK on the link and 
see what happens.  That should bring up a dialog box that asks if you want 
to open the file or save it.  Choose OPEN.  Then save it wherever you like 
on your hard drive.

If that doesn't work, RIGHT-CLICK on the link.  You should get a sub-menu. 
Hopefully, "Save Target As" will be one of the options.  Click on that. 
Then save the file wherever you want on your hard drive.


<>
Dick Donovan


A THOUGHT ON PREACHING:  A preacher should have the skill to teach the 
unlearned simply roundly, and plainly; for teaching is of more importance 
than exhorting. (Martin Luther)


TITLE:  Relief from Soul-Killing Rules


SERMON IN A SENTENCE:  To please God, we don't need to follow soul-killing 
rulebooks, but simply need to believe in Jesus and try to follow him.


<>
Martin Luther observed:

     "God's wonderful works which happen daily are lightly esteemed,
     not because they are of no import
     but because they happen so constantly and without interruption.
     Man is used to the miracle that God rules the world and upholds all 
creation,
     and because things daily run their appointed course, it seems 
insignificant,
     and no man thinks it worth his while to meditate upon it
     and to regard it as God's wonderful work,
     and yet it is a greater wonder
     than that Christ fed five thousand men with five loaves
     and made wine from water."


<>
 The "I AM" sayings in this Gospel are as follows:

    - "Ego eimi he" (4:26)
    - "Ego eimi the bread of life" (6:35).
    - "Ego eimi the living bread" (6:51).
    - "Ego eimi the light of the world" (8:12; 9:5).
    - "Before Abraham was, Ego eimi" (8:58).
    - "Ego eimi the door of the sheep" (10:7).
    - "Ego eimi the door" (10:9).
    - "Ego eimi the good shepherd" (10:11).
    - "Ego eimi the resurrection and the life" (11:25).
    - "Ego eimi the way, the truth, and the life" (14:6).
    - "Ego eimi the true vine" (15:1).


<>
  Meister Eckhart said it well seven hundred years ago.  He said:

     "There are people who want to see God
     with the same eyes with which they look at a cow,
     and they want to love God
     the same way they love a cow -- 
     for the milk and the cheese."

<>
But there is one line in the Lord's Prayer that covers most of our 
prayers -- and it is this:  "Give us this day our daily bread."  <>
<>
In his book, Keep Your Head Down, Doug Anderson tells about his father -- a 
really lousy father -- seldom home -- usually drunk -- married three 
times -- children by two wives.  Doug seldom saw his father.  He comments:

     "Growing up without my father had certain advantages.
     My father's presence would have been worse than his absence,
     because he would have tried to kill in me what he'd killed in himself.

     "My father had turned away from his own talent.
     He was a gifted artist and photographer....
     But after the war, with my mother's help,
     he went to night school to get his CPA certificate,
     which could be had without a college degree in those days.

     "He became appallingly responsible after that.
     When...I would ask him for money... he would say things like,
     'You've got champagne taste and a beer pocketbook, son.'
     He became the practical man,
     and his considerable talent fell into shadow" (pages 32-33).

<>
FOR MORE SERMONS ON THIS TEXT, GO TO:

http://www.lectionary.org/SermLinks/NT/NT04john.htm

Scroll down to John 6.  There is one sermon on this text posted there.


TRUE STORY:

See the Doug Anderson story <> above.


THOUGHT PROVOKERS:

Who worships God as God, God hears.
But he who worships God for worldly goods, worships not God;
he worships what he worships God for
and employs God as his servant.

Meister Eckhart

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

Don't forget until too late
that the business of life is not business,
but living.

B.C. Forbes,
founder of Forbes, a magazine about business

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

For a small living, men run a great way;
for eternal life, many will scarce move a single foot from the ground.

Thomas ? Kempis

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

Pity the nation whose factory chimneys
rise higher than her church spires.

John Kelman

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

I have often thought that if Hollywood stars
have any God-given role to play in our society
it is to teach us that happiness, satisfaction in life, has nothing to do 
with fun.
These rich, beautiful and celebrated individuals
do indeed have constant access to what they desire -- 
glamorous parties, fancy cars, expensive homes, luxurious vacations,
a steady supply of attractive sex partners,
invitations to exciting sporting and theatrical events.
And yet in memoir after memoir,
many of these celebrities reveal the unhappiness hidden beneath all the fun:
depression, alcoholism, drug addiction, broken marriages,
troubled children, profound loneliness.
We should feel greatly indebted to all the Hollywood stars
who have written about their sad lives.
If we could only learn from their experiences....

Dennis Prager

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *


<>
www.sermonwriter.com

www.lectionary.org





From JoeParrish at compuserve.com  Sat Aug  1 17:36:00 2009
From: JoeParrish at compuserve.com (Joe Parrish)
Date: Sat, 1 Aug 2009 17:36:00 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] Fw: SermonWriter: Aug. 2 (Proper 13B) 2 Sam 11:26ff &
	Exod 16
Message-ID: <FBDA23E815AA49DAB86665C82350BE15@YOUR264F1833C5>

I HAVE ALREADY SENT the SermonWriter materials for August 2 (Proper 13B) 
John 6:24-35.

<>
THE FOLLOWING are links to materials for:

     2 Samuel 11:26 - 12:13a (RCL SemiContinuous Reading)
     Exodus 16:2-4, 9-15 LINKS TO SERMONS ONLY
         (RCL Paired Reading & Catholic Reading)

NO PASSWORD REQUIREMENT: We are posting these materials on the web with no 
password.
To access those files, you MUST use the following links.

IF CLICKING ON THE LINK FAILS TO WORK, copy the link and paste it in the 
address window near the top of your browser.
Then hit the ENTER key or click GO.


2 SAMUEL 11:26 - 12:13a (RCL SemiContinuous Reading)
These materials include the exegesis + a link to one sermon + a hymn list:

Microsoft Word file:
http://www.lectionary.org/SW/08-02ru/2Sam_11.26-12.15.doc

HTML file (web page):
http://www.lectionary.org/SW/08-02ru/2Sam_11.26-12.15.htm

WordPerfect file:
http://www.lectionary.org/SW/08-02ru/2Sam_11.26-12.15.wpd


EXODUS 16:2-4, 9-15 (RCL Paired & Catholic Readings)
LINK TO THREE SERMONS - NO EXEGESIS
http://www.lectionary.org/SermLinks/OT/OT02_Exodus.htm
Scroll down to Exodus 16:2-15.


A TIP: If you want the Word or WordPerfect files, LEFT-CLICK on the link and 
see what happens.
That should bring up a dialog box that asks if you want to open the file or 
save it.
Choose OPEN.  Then save it wherever you like on your hard drive.

If that doesn't work, RIGHT-CLICK on the link.  You should get a sub-menu.
Hopefully, "Save Target As" will be one of them.  Click on that.
Then save the file wherever you want on your hard drive.


WWW.LECTIONARY.ORG:
<>
Dick Donovan




From JoeParrish at compuserve.com  Sat Aug  1 17:37:18 2009
From: JoeParrish at compuserve.com (Joe Parrish)
Date: Sat, 1 Aug 2009 17:37:18 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] Textweek for August 2 sermons
Message-ID: <E6FA6F8B8E234199A939994CD624EAAD@YOUR264F1833C5>

http://www.textweek.com/yearb/properb13.htm
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From JoeParrish at compuserve.com  Sat Aug  1 17:40:20 2009
From: JoeParrish at compuserve.com (Joe Parrish)
Date: Sat, 1 Aug 2009 17:40:20 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] Fw: Inspiring Video: Don't Be Afraid to Fail
Message-ID: <405CC55DC48E416F93FBC0EDA3B5F211@YOUR264F1833C5>

tangle.com - Daily Videohttp://www.tangle.com/view_video?viewkey=16bfb07c7f3bf96d8854&utm_source=newsletter0722&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=weeklytopvideos

----- Original Message ----- 
From: tangle Video Staff 
To: joeparrish at compuserve.com 
Sent: Wednesday, July 22, 2009 10:39 AM
Subject: Inspiring Video: Don't Be Afraid to Fail


If you are unable to see the message below, click here to view.

       Famous Failures 
     
      Wednesday July 22, 2009     
      "This is an awesome encouragement."

      - Troy Pfizenmaier,
      tangle user  
         http://www.tangle.com/view_video?viewkey=16bfb07c7f3bf96d8854 
     



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From JoeParrish at compuserve.com  Sat Aug  1 18:19:21 2009
From: JoeParrish at compuserve.com (Joe Parrish)
Date: Sat, 1 Aug 2009 18:19:21 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] Gospel quotes for August 2 sermon - Part 1
Message-ID: <C7466BB6F3874CDF8A0EDAD6F13B5860@YOUR264F1833C5>

As so often happens in John, Jesus refuses to answer the question which they have asked, but instead redirects the conversation to more important issues. Because they have focused on the wrong "bread," Jesus redirects them toward the bread which "endures." The word translated "endures" (meno) in verse 27 is a word which takes on profound meaning as it is used throughout the fourth Gospel, especially to describe the relationship between Jesus and the believer. In the end, this "enduring" or "abiding" will mean nothing less than the Father and the Son dwelling with the believers through the Paraclete (14:23; see also 6:56). 

http://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?lect_date=8/2/2009&tab=4

Brian Peterson, Professor of New Testament
Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary
Columbia, SC 
- - - - -

...it seems that John doesn't want us to read, or hear, these stories on their own, but as part of a larger story, one that resembles several that we've heard before. This is one way that John wrestles with the profound question of Jesus' identity, and what it means to have faith in him. 
<>
Mahatma Gandhi, 20th century
There are people in the world so hungry, that God cannot appear to them except in the form of bread.

Mother Teresa, 20th century
There is more hunger for love and appreciation in this world than for bread.

D.T. Niles, 20th century
Christianity is one beggar telling another beggar where he found bread.

Bishop Desmond Tutu, 20th century
I don't preach a social gospel; I preach the Gospel, period. The gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ is concerned for the whole person. When people were hungry, Jesus didn't say, "Now is that political or social?" He said, "I feed you." Because the good news to a hungry person is bread.

http://i.ucc.org/StretchYourMind/OpeningtheBible/WeeklySeeds/tabid/81/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/217/Bread-of-Life-Jul-27Aug-2.aspx

Kate Huey, UCC
- - - - -

In 6:27 Jesus exhorts the crowds to work for the food of eternal life. This is an interesting use of the word, 'work', which in some of our traditions is the opposite of 'faith'. Here, on the contrary, it is a way of talking about faith and means something like: 'set your heart on, make it your goal, put your effort into, work on acquiring'. 6:29 tells us what this effort entails: believing in the one whom God has sent. 6:28 has the crowd speak of 'the works of God'. The effect of the dialogue is to address the question of spirituality. Where do we find God? In wonders? In some mighty achievements of our own or of others? John reduces the options to one: we find God in relationship. That relationship is established when we believe that Jesus is the message and messenger from God. 

http://wwwstaff.murdoch.edu.au/~loader/MkPentecost9.htm

William Loader, Murdoch University, Uniting Church in Australia
- - - - -

Jesus tries to clear up the misunderstandings: 
a.. it was God, not Moses who gave you manna; 
a.. the Father gives bread now; and 
a.. manna met physical needs but "true bread" is more than that. 
Then v. 33: Jesus himself is the true bread, the "bread of God": he "comes ... from heaven and gives life ...". They still do not grasp that he is the bread, Finally, he says: I am the sustenance of life itself, of very existence, for those who trust in me; I will fill their every need.

http://montreal.anglican.org/comments/archive/bpr18m.shtml


Chris Haslam, Anglican Diocese of Montreal

- - - - -

Verse 27: "food": The Torah was familiarly known as bread.
<>
Verse 35: The Eucharist is not yet clearly in view; the thought here is rather of the moment of conversion than of the continuing life nourished by the sacrament of the Lord's Supper. 

http://montreal.anglican.org/comments/archive/bpr18l.shtml

Chris Haslam, Anglican Diocese of Montreal
- - - - -


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From JoeParrish at compuserve.com  Sat Aug  1 19:32:00 2009
From: JoeParrish at compuserve.com (Joe Parrish)
Date: Sat, 1 Aug 2009 19:32:00 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] Gospel quotes for August 2 sermon - Part 2
Message-ID: <1C918E11ACCF484FAE68C306758BA811@YOUR264F1833C5>

It would have been as if our enslaved ancestors, who survived on leftovers and scraps, were welcomed as guests at an endless buffet. Jesus' audience sees in him an end to their perpetual hunger. Those just barely getting by on others' leftovers are finally filled. A story like this resonates with us as a people used to leftover books in public schools, leftover neighborhoods in dilapidated inner-cities, and leftover jobs that nobody else would do. In fact, the only thing we are used to getting enough of is cells in the countless new prisons where one in nine of our men are housed. 

<These lectionary commentaries are specially designed to address the liturgical moments of significance to most African American Christians.> 

http://www.theafricanamericanlectionary.org/PopupLectionaryReading.asp?LRID=46

Rodney S. Sadler Jr., Lectionary Team Commentator
- - - - -

When I first worked on these notes I had just finished reading, Sacred Cows Make Gourmet Burgers, by William Easum. The "sacred cow" he is trying to fry in this book is control. "Established churches must either cease worshiping the god of control, or they perish!" [p. 9]. "... making decisions and controlling what happens is more important in established churches than making disciples" [p. 12].
<>
A very interesting contrast is being made with regard to the church of the future. On one hand, experts are saying that a congregation's agenda needs to be set by the needs of the consumer (e.g., the unchurched). On the other hand, I believe that most of congregations are full of "consumer" Christians -- those who are involved primarily for what they can get out of it, rather than "contributing" Christians -- those who are involved primarily for what they can give to the ministry of the body.

<>

In my experience, people can "place in stone" a past gracious act of God so that they are unable to see the present activities of God. Adults who brag about their long line of perfect attendance at Sunday school with attendance pins to prove it, but have little contact with church as an adult. I've heard testimonies from people about the wonderful way God saved them or healed them way back in history. I wonder, "What is God doing in their lives now?" The phrase, "We've always done it this way," may blind one to the present activities of the God who is making all things new (Rev. 21:5). Even in our tradition, some people may figure, I was baptized as an infant and that's enough.

Although Martin Luther wrote some wonderful things about God's grace being conveyed through the sacrament of baptism, he ends the baptism section in the Small Catechism by talking about "daily baptism." It is our walk with God today -- in the present -- that is important.

http://www.crossmarks.com/brian/john6x24.htm

Brian Stoffregen

- - - - -

 Nothing is free, or so it seems, and so the crowd asks Jesus what duty they have to perform for God to get this bread. Jesus' answer is actually too simple; the gospel is always too simple. Anyway, the crowd thinks that just trusting Jesus that he will come up with this amazing bread for the asking, is stretching reality a bit. 

<>

v29 

[Greek] to ergon tou qeou -  "the work of God" - Note, the work is now singular. Often classed as an objective genitive, God receives the action, our "spiritual labor", Lindars, and sometimes a subjective genitive in that God produces the action, in the sense of "the work that God does", ie. accomplishes in Jesus such that those who believe in him (eat him [figuratively of course]) receive the gift of eternal life. It can be argued that it is plenary, ie. both objective and subjective. It may also be argued that not only is the possibility of life through faith a work of God, in the sense that he makes it possible, but that also the response of faith itself is God's work in that he gives the faith to those he calls ("no man comes to me, except the Father..... draw him"). Of course, a simple adjectival sense can explain the genitive, where the genitive "of God" limits "work", producing the type of work required by God, namely, reliance (faith, belief) in the reliant one. "God wants you to have faith in the one he sent", CEV.

http://www.lectionarystudies.com/studyg/sunday18bg.html

Rev. Bryan Findlayson

- - - - -

In the text's move from the bread of earth to the bread of heaven, one should not accuse John of "spiritualizing" the gospel and ignoring human need. Check out John 6:5 and James 2:15-16. That's why "Bread for the World." Feeding the hungry is indeed a good, lively and godly work! 

http://www.crossings.org/theology/2009/theolo740.shtml

Norb E. Kabelitz, 2009

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From JoeParrish at compuserve.com  Sat Aug  1 20:02:42 2009
From: JoeParrish at compuserve.com (Joe Parrish)
Date: Sat, 1 Aug 2009 20:02:42 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] Gospel quotes for August 2 sermon - Part 3
Message-ID: <B02617CDB2704D8697C1A6C481147F33@YOUR264F1833C5>

The three year lectionary presents difficulties for the proclaimer involved in interpreting
the Fourth Gospel. Since there is not a year given to the Gospel of John, it is divided up over the
three years: 11 texts in Series A; 19 texts in Series B; and 10 texts in Series C, for a total of 40
texts. This solution gives "equal time" to each of the evangelists over the three liturgical years
(Matthew-41 texts in Series A, Mark-33 texts in Series B, Luke-42 texts in Series C), but
does not allow the pastor to develop the portrait of Jesus in John's Gospel as with the synoptic
gospels.
In Series B, however, the lectionary has clustered five texts from John 6 in consecutive
Sundays. From the 10th Sunday after Pentecost to the 14th, we meet the following texts: John
6:1-15, 24-35, 41-51, 51-58 and 60-69.
<>
 "This    is the work of God, that you believe in him (Jesus) whom he (God) has sent" (6:29). Could there
be anything more clearly expressed than this? But wait. The crowd still has not seen and heard;
they ask Jesus, "Then what sign do you do, that we may see and believe you? What work do you
perform?" (6:30).
With these questions we are brought back to square one. Nothing appears to have
happened to the sight of the people. They, like us, are blind to the sign/work of God. Can Jesus
really accomplish the purpose of the Gospel-to make God known? The evangelist takes our
perplexity and uses it as the occasion for yet another word or act of revelation, this time by a
story. Do you remember the manna in the wilderness story?
 
http://www.luthersem.edu/word&world/Archives/5-3_Imagination/5-3_Berge.pdf
                      
PAUL S. BERGE, Luther Northwestern Theological Seminary, St. Paul, Minnesota, 1985
 - - - - -
Unwittingly, they asked him an important question, "Where did you come from?" This pattern often occurs in the Gospel of John. People ask an important question but don't realize it. One of the most significant questions of the gospels is "Where do you come from, Jesus?" Of course, the right answer is "from God." But these people did not know the right answer nor the importance of their question.

John's gospel uses this literary technique often, whereby people ask a profound question, with apparent innocence and naivet?.  

<>

That is still a problem today. People work so hard to get ahead financially and materially that we human being often slip into thinking that food and prosperity are the primary sources of our happiness. We human beings slowly discover the truth that genuine happiness is not found in money and material goods. As human beings, we work so hard for the things of this world which quickly run down, break down, rust, and rot, crumble and corrode. Everything does. 

http://www.sermonsfromseattle.com/series_b_bread_of_life_GA.htm

Edward F. Markquart, Grace Lutheran Church, Seattle, Washington

- - - - -

When it comes to our own physical needs, we can be right on the ball. But how easily we 'spiritualise' other people's needs so we don't have to do much about them. After all, spiritual things are God's realm, aren't they, so we can leave that kind of thing to him! Jesus here tries to re-connect the people & their physical need (they rarely had a decent feed!) back to their spirituality. Back to eternal life, or as I have come much to prefer, 'real life' as my 'Complete Gospels' puts it. [Polebridge (Harper) '94]

http://www.angelfire.com/journal2/marginallymark/MMKJN62435P8.html

Brian McGowan, Anglican priest in Western Australia

- - - - -

For John's audience, of course, only the Christian community held up the Christ as one to be worshiped as God. So, the only way to come and trust was through that community. This was the challenge Christianity lay before its Jewish competitors. The activity of God was present in the community, because the Christ was present. While what God did was important, what God was doing now was more important.

http://www.word-sunday.com/Files/b/18-b/A-18-b.html

Larry Broding's Word-Sunday.Com: A Catholic Resource for This Sunday's Gospel

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From JoeParrish at compuserve.com  Sat Aug  1 20:25:33 2009
From: JoeParrish at compuserve.com (Joe Parrish)
Date: Sat, 1 Aug 2009 20:25:33 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] Gospel quotes for August 2 sermon - Part 4
Message-ID: <467B876D91CE44AF9B85DF65A24F5FA0@YOUR264F1833C5>

When I first knew Flor she was a lovely girl but totally lacking in self confidence. She had no initiative and was afraid to contribute to any group activity. Flor, came from a big family. One day she said, "In our family you could work for 24 hours and nobody would ever have a word of thanks or praise for you, but if you made the slightest mistake it was as if another world war had been declared." The deprivation of affirmation that she had experienced made her terrified of any situation in which she may be criticized.

       Susan, on the other hand, had experienced that whenever she was with a new group she was the life of the party for a while, but then she noticed that her presence could empty a room in minutes. It emerged that she was a menopausal child - born eight years after the youngest of her six siblings. She was her father's pet and a little doll for her older brothers and sisters. She was always center stage singing or dancing for family guests. With this much affirmation in childhood, she felt in later life that she should always be at the center of the stage. Soon others found this very demanding and avoided her so as not to have to be constantly worshipping at her shrine.
<>

Unfortunately, like Flor and Susan, many of us are fixated in our needs.

http://www.bible.claret.org/liturgy/daily/sundays_pierse/cycleB/B_18thSunOT.htm

Fr. Gerry Pierse

- - - - -

There is an attraction - perhaps watching a Nativity or Passion Play - or hearing one of his parables - or one of his sayings that seems to speak to the searcher's condition. The attraction may lead them to look for more of the same - more comforting sayings - more though-provoking stories. For some, that is enough - but Jesus does not always allow people to stay there. At some point, people may be brought face to face with a challenge - and have to decide whether they are prepared to go more deeply into the Mystery... The choice is theirs. 

http://www.wellsprings.org.uk/weekly_wellsprings/year_b/sunday_18.htm

Catherine McElhinney and Kathryn Turner

- - - - -

There is something much deeper that Christ seeks to offer these people than mere physical sustenance; he wants to give them dignity!  A person with dignity is never powerless; they will never be anyone's slave or prisoner.  A person with dignity has the power to reform their world.  A person with dignity has the power of hope and can give dignity to others.  Christ tells us that God has given him the authority and power to grant that dignity to his people; for what dignity could we ever have as dependent victims of our basic needs?

<>

http://onefamilyoutreach.com/bible/John/jn_06_24-35.html

Source: Jerry Goebel: 2003 ? http://onefamilyoutreach.com. 

- - - - -

Note also the interplay between works and faith in Johannine thought: The crowd asks Jesus (6:28), "What must we do that we may work the works of God?" Note Jesus' reply: "This is the work of God: that you believe in the one he sent." By the very phrase Jesus has shifted the emphasis from a work of man to the work of God-the initiative which God took in sending the Son into the world. (Qeou' is best understood as a subjective genitive in 6:32-34.) Note that at this point the crowd still misunderstands the nature of the true bread from heaven: "Lord, give us this bread." If they conceive of it as something that Jesus himself gives them, they have still missed it, because he himself is the 'Bread' from heaven. 

<>

Hall Harris 

http://bible.org/seriespage/exegetical-commentary-john-6

- - - - -

Verse 27: "Son of Man": Elsewhere in John, "Son of Man" means a messenger from heaven to make God known (see 3:13) and the judge at the end of time (see 5:27). Here Jesus is speaking in Jewish terms: a son of man, whose coming was prophesied in Daniel 7:13-14 ("one like a son of man", *Septuagint translation). People saw this figure as the coming Messiah: when he comes, he will glorify the people of Israel by transforming them into the everlasting kingdom of God. To us (as to John), Jesus is the embodiment of salvation, the mediator where heaven and earth meet.

http://montreal.anglican.org/comments/archive/ctksgl.shtml

Chris Haslam, Anglican Diocese of Montreal 

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From JoeParrish at compuserve.com  Sat Aug  1 21:12:53 2009
From: JoeParrish at compuserve.com (Joe Parrish)
Date: Sat, 1 Aug 2009 21:12:53 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] Gospel quotes for August 2 sermon - Part 5
Message-ID: <511BCFFED1AD4C45BA465DB3D1ADC904@YOUR264F1833C5>

I know what its like to get excited about "free bread." A few years ago, my brother Dan was visiting us over the Christmas holidays. On Christmas eve, we went to a nearby Safeway grocery store to purchase a few last-minute items, knowing all the stores would be closed on Christmas day. When we got to the checkout counter, I thought I overheard the clerk tell someone there was free bread. Did my ears ever perk up! When I inquired, the clerk said that since the store would be closed the next day, all the bread on the shelves was free. 

You should have seen what happened from this point on. Some folks were too proud to go back for free bread; others made their way back to the bread and discretely picked through the loaves, taking one or two of their favorite varieties. Then there was me. I should begin by telling you we had come in our van-a large van. Signaling Dan to gather up some shopping carts, I proceeded to clear the shelves, raking the loaves into the carts, and with Dan's help, wheeling multiple cart loads out to the van. Now some of you would not have wanted to be anywhere near me as I "gleaned" in the "field" of that Safeway store. I must tell you, though, that some of you in the audience ate that bread. Dan and I loaded the van, then I proceeded to call everyone I knew in our church who could use some free bread, and we had a number of takers.

http://bible.org/seriespage/bread-life-john-622-71

Bob Deffinbaugh
- - - - -

Jesus had given them more than free bread. The bread that Jesus gave them wasn't just free, it came out of nowhere. And it came to them in the middle of nowhere. 

<>

But then he makes a bold move. He says, "I AM the bread of life." He identifies himself with Yahweh, the great I AM. He identifies Yahweh as the bread of life for the world. This is in contrast to the bread which feeds but does not satisfy. The question is how? How is Jesus the bread of life? How does Jesus satisfy hunger and thirst? How does Jesus provide life for the world.

One analogy, suggested by Walt Wangerin Jr. in his book, Ragman and Other Cries of Faith, is found in a particular species of Spider. While most spiders leave their eggs in a sac and wander off, one species does not leave them thus to chance, but stays to protect them and find food for them. Like all spiders, when this one eats, she injects her poison and digestive juices into her prey and the victim becomes her stomach as she sucks out the life and the food from the bodies empty shell. Except when there are no victims. When there is no food for the little spiders, the mother of this species will inject her poison into her own body and give her young one last meal, herself. She dies and gives them life.
Wangerin, Walter, Jr. Ragman and Other Cries of Faith, Harper and Row, Publishers, San Francisco, 1984, pp. 26-27.

http://www.predigten.uni-goettingen.de/archiv-8/060806-5-e.html

 Luke Bouman, 6 August 2006

- - - - -

God, we thank you for your amazing, abundant grace that supplies us in times of need. Help us to know that you are always watching and always providing. Let your word go forth and find fertile souls, listening ears, and hearing hearts. And we'll be careful always to praise you. In the name of your Son, Jesus Christ, we pray with thanksgiving. Amen.

http://day1.org/504-what_do_you_want

The Rev. Dr. Ozzie E. Smith, Jr., pastor of Covenant United Church of Christ, South Holland, IL
- - - - -

Jesus is at the grocery stores of our lives, in all those common and public places that we visit everyday. The bank. The post office. The highway. And we need to be people of infinite love, gentle love, compassionate love for everyone. The bread of life and energy of love needs to be living inside of all of us as we visit all those public places in our lives each day. 

<>
The basic food staple of the world is bread and Jesus is the basic spiritual staple of the world. There is a shortage of physical bread in this world of ours, but there is even a greater shorter of the bread of love.

http://www.sermonsfromseattle.com/series_b_bread_of_life.htm

Pastor Edward F. Markquart, Grace Lutheran Church, Seattle, Washington

- - - - -

Hunger hurts.
One estimate is that 12 million children and 19 million adults in the U.S. can not afford the food they need. [From the website of Bread for the World: http://www.bread.org/  ] If you have ever encountered hungry child "up close and personal", you have never forgotten it.

Some years ago, I was riding with a sheriff's deputy who was a member of our church.  He was called to an apartment building to investigate possible domestic violence. When we arrived at the apartment, there was a young woman and a small child about 18 months. The woman (actually just a girl about 17 or 18 years old) said her boyfriend had been yelling at her during an argument and the neighbors had called the police. The place was filthy and smelled. The little girl wore diapers which had obviously been soiled for some time. She followed us around the apartment crying and clutching empty,  dirty bottle. The apartment was almost empty.  There was an old couch in the living room, a mattress on the floor in the tiny bedroom. Cushions on the floor were likely the girl's bed.

My friend went to the refrigerator and there was a single small jar of mustard and a plastic bread bag with two or three moldy pieces of bread.  That was it. There was no other food or drink in the place.  The deputy called human services and the child was taken to a foster home that night.

My friend said to me the next day, "The poor thing was starved. The child welfare worker told me she ate for half the night!" 

http://www.lectionarysermons.com/aug06.00.htm

John Jewell, 2000

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From JoeParrish at compuserve.com  Sun Aug  2 04:50:02 2009
From: JoeParrish at compuserve.com (Joe Parrish)
Date: Sun, 2 Aug 2009 04:50:02 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] Draft of sermon for August 2 on John 6:24-35
Message-ID: <6A45C9F11EBE43A3B55DD863EDB81DCD@YOUR264F1833C5>

Here is a draft of my sermon for August 2 on John 6:24-35.  A final version will be posted on our church web site at http://sjnj.org on our Home Page early this week, God willing.

Peace and blessings,

Joe 

St. John's Episcopal Church

61 Broad Street
Elizabeth, New Jersey 07201

The Ninth Sunday after Pentecost: Proper 13B

DRAFT

August 2, 2009

A Sermon by the Rev. Joe Parrish

The Holy Gospel according to

John 6:24-35
 

     Lord, give us the bread that comes down from heaven, your Son, Jesus Christ.

     Amen.

 

     A story is told about a Jewish family who survived a Nazi death camp by observing the Sabbath religiously, faithfully, week in and week out.  Despite their stringent conditions each Sabbath they managed to find and light a candle, recall their Sabbath prayers, and pronounce the Sabbath blessings every week without fail in the midst of this camp of death.  Their captors gave them each week barely enough food to survive-some water, stale bread, and a spoonful of lard.  One week they found there was no candle to be had anywhere.  So when it was time for the Sabbath meal the father took some of the lard, molded it around a sting from their tattered clothing, and lit the makeshift candle while leading his family in prayers and blessings.  His son was enraged.  When the prayers were over, he confronted his father: "How could you waste what little lard we have to make a candle?"  His father answered: "Son, without food we can live for several days.  Without hope, we can't live for a single hour."

     What would you do when there is little or no hope?  Most Christians would skip church on a Sunday.  They would seek some place else to express themselves.  Many would attend to a feeling of some urgent need to shop.  If you don't believe me, just go over to the Garden State Mall sometime today, or to a big grocery store in Elizabeth.  There you will see tens of thousands of people without hope, trying to fill in the emptiness of their lives by shopping or looking for something that will make them happier, or so they think.  They will spend their meager paychecks on some frivolity, or on something they could just as well live without, and they will go home just as empty as when they began their shopping and looking spree.  They are living without hope.  They live with a day to day horizon.  

       I go through the toll booths of the New Jersey Turnpike and the Holland or Lincoln Tunnel each day, and I am amazed at how many people are living without enough credit on their credit card to buy an EZ Pass.  You can observe how many have to wait in lines for up to an hour or more a day to pay cash for a six or eight dollar or so toll.  And it's not just New Jersey; this week driving north to a Christian retreat I found exactly the same thing happening in New York State, and Connecticut, and Massachusetts, and New Hampshire.  People are overwhelmed with credit card debt, most paying up to twenty-five percent interest or more on their maximum credit limit.  They live from hand to mouth to spend all they can get their hands on for things they really don't need.  And their time is worth essentially nothing.  They will wait in line up to an hour or more a day to pay something less than twenty dollars in daily tolls.  It is incredible, but it is true.  It shows how little they value their time, how much they have overextended themselves, how little concern they have for their wellbeing on an ongoing basis.  But at a mall or grocery store, they will charge anything to get something that makes them feel they are as good as or better than their neighbor, as good as the person in the car riding next to them, until they hit the toll booths.  And the more clever ones will even keep away from the toll booths so they won't have to face the reality of their precarious financial situation.  America, in a word, is charged out.  And until spending habits change, America will continue to be charged out, and the financial doldrums will continue to haunt us.

     So what is the antidote for us?  I think it is to get back to a true Sabbath observance, where at least one day in seven we don't spend what we don't have.

     Bill Hybels who heads up one of the largest churches in America, the Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrington, Illinois, says churches themselves need to focus more on what is their mission, and to articulate their mission in a phrase that can be written in large letters on one side of a t-shirt.  I must say, St. John's and the Diocese of New Jersey have both articulated their mission, our vision statement, in seven sentences, not likely something that will go on the front of any t-shirt that is smaller than the side of a very large tractor trailer truck.   I won't even begin to tell you this Vision Statement of the Diocese that we as a church have adopted as our Mission Statement.  And let us not quibble about what is a Vision Statement and what is a Mission Statement.  We all know we try to get the very best "Christian angle" on what we do, making something that sounds very loving and kind, and indeed the Visioning Group that has helped us articulate what we are all about has spent enormous amounts of effort, and not inconsiderable money and staff time and volunteer time, to develop this elaborate and beautiful Vision Statement.  Every church has even been given a DVD expressing their Vision ideas, and I consider that very thoughtful and considerate.  But in my humble opinion, having heard Bill Hybels express his growing church's view of a mission statement, I think we all may have vastly 'missed the mark'.  Each year our Diocese gets less and less money for its Fair Share pledges from the churches and missions.  And each year we have to cut back and cut back.  And still the churches are unable even to fulfill their meager pledges.  We are on a road to perdition, I believe.  So how can we turn this thing around?  Aren't we all living on money we don't have?  Certainly St. John's has done this as long as I have been aware, at least since the 1950's when St. John's was the richest church in the Diocese, and the Diocese was one of the richest dioceses in The Episcopal Church.  And now as a result we are one of the poorest churches, and our Diocese can barely pull its weight among all other dioceses in the land.  In April, our single bishop will have to try to visit 160 churches every three years by himself, and that's impossible to do mathematically on Sundays since there are 156 Sundays in three years, assuming our bishop takes no Sunday off, and that's not going to happen.  So what will happen is that our bishop will gradually be worked into the ground; he will be making more and more visitations on a Wednesday evening when most churches can't get even a quarter of their parishioners to attend.  And finally we will have to admit we can no longer fulfill our pledge to the national church.  Sooner or later reality will sink in.  This very year our Diocese is spending $400,000 it does not have, from so called, 'prior investment earnings'.  And those 'prior investment earnings' will be depleted by the end of this year or early next year.  What that means is that the Missions Budget will be further curtailed-this year $100,000 was summarily cut out of the Missions Budget just to keep us from invading our Diocesan principal before December 2009.  Otherwise our deficit spending would throw our Diocese a half a million dollars in the red instead of only $400,000.  We have cut out our Church Diocesan Deployment Officer already, and by April of next year we will cut out our Assisting Bishop.

     And for the 'local issue' right here at St. John's Church, sometime in mid November we won't have enough money to buy another tank of oil.  The three quarters of a tank of oil we have now will be gone and the church will be concerned about which pipes will freeze first.  We do expect some salvation from a large bequest that will 'tide us over' for a year or so, but beyond that we have no idea of how to keep this church going.

     A very simple solution would be for everyone to double their pledge or their giving here at St. John's Church.  That would at least solve our problem on a local basis; then our deficit would only be about $20,000 a year, one fifth of the deficit we are currently running.  But without the help of the Diocese, which is already greatly strapped for funds, this big building could get very, very cold on a Sunday sometime in 2010.  So we at least have to ask people now to consider doubling their pledges, or simply pay twice what they pledged.  Our treasurer and stewardship chairs think no one is tithing anyway, so doubling our pledges will still not actually require tithing for most people.  We are probably far richer than we admit.  But we don't really have tithing on the top of our personal or family agendas.

     Now for our mission statement, what would you say should be on our t-shirt?  What simple five or six words would describe what we are about?

     Jesus came up with seven 'words'.  Today we hear one of them that would go on his t-shirt.  "I am the bread of life."  Isn't that succinct?  Isn't that very descriptive?  "Jesus is the bread of life."  That could go on our t-shirts.  Or what about, "Jesus is the good shepherd"?  Or "Jesus is the door"?  Or maybe, "Jesus is the way, the truth, and the light"?  That's nine words, probably longer than Bill Hybels envisioned for a Mission Statement.  But we have to give Jesus some leeway, don't we?  After all, Jesus Christ is our Savior!  I guess even that could be our t-shirt phrase.

     Thursday night I attended an outdoor concert up in New Hampshire that was attended by at least fifteen thousand other people, mostly Christians, I assume.  It was the largest outdoor concert in the state of New Hampshire, and has been for a number of years, I believe.  But what impressed me as I looked around was that people were more or less divided up into sections of maybe fifty or a hundred or so per section.  Most were sitting on blankets on green grass.  And, maybe you can see where I am going with this.  It was a crowd about the size of what Jesus and his disciples fed out there in the wilderness of Israel; and we were in the wilderness of New Hampshire.  And amazingly enough, we were all fed, spiritually perhaps, although there were probably enough hot dog stands to feed most of us if we paid for them, and many brought food from home to share with each other.  We were re-enacting the Lord's Supper, at least in a spiritual way.  And the Bread of Life fed us, each of us, enough that we were satisfied by the end of the night. The Holy Spirit was indeed there.  And we were satisfied.

     So think of what you would put on your personal t-shirt to show the world.  Would you be willing to declare yourself a Christian to the world?  Or would you rather hide that fact from your next door neighbors?

     Once I wore a button to work that said, "I found it", and I was fired by unbelievers.  It changed my life, actually.  I went from a nice salary to nothing.  I was told it was OK to be religious, but that I could not 'show it'.  In a year my church had pity on me and hired me to do their business and building things-that church actually had more money than the Diocese at that time and had a commensurate staff of 65, pretty large for a church, wouldn't you say?!  I'm not sure any Diocese in The Episcopal Church has 65 employees.  We have less than a dozen employees in the Diocese of New Jersey, I think.  Of course our international church headquarters in Manhattan had 180 employees up until our recent General Convention, and now we are cutting about a fifth of them, about 30 are now looking for other jobs.  So the national church has this week and this year suffered significant downsizing.  I use the term, national, but really The Episcopal Church represents 16 nations, it's just that the US is by far the biggest contributor.  But in any event, the cuts are in.  And of course we have had to make serious cuts here at St. John's as well, as has our Diocese.

     So what we need to do is to figure out what our personal 't-shirt' will say.  What would you wear on your t-shirt?  "Jesus is Lord"?  "Jesus is my Good Shepherd"?  "Jesus is the Bread of Life"?  I sort of like that one, actually: "Jesus is the Bread of Life".  Wear that to the Stop and Shop and see what comments we might get!

     But let us in all seriousness decide Who is our Savior and why we think that.  And come up with some small phrase we should have here at St. John's as our Mission and Vision Statement.

     Amen.

 
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From chadwohl at satucket.com  Sun Aug  2 22:07:08 2009
From: chadwohl at satucket.com (Charles Wohlers)
Date: Sun, 2 Aug 2009 22:07:08 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] READINGS for the TENTH SUNDAY after PENTECOST
Message-ID: <4A1853D6C7E64243B8E89B2BB246FF6B@cranmer>

The following are the readings for the Tenth Sunday after Pentecost, August 
9, (Proper 14, ECUSA; Proper 19, RCL & Roman Catholic) according to the 
Revised Common (RCL), Episcopal (ECUSA), Roman Catholic, Church of England, 
and Canadian (BAS) Lectionaries. All readings are taken from the New Revised 
Standard Version (NRSV) of the Bible. Unless noted otherwise, the 
lectionaries of ECUSA, Canada and England are identical to the RCL this 
Sunday.



OLD TESTAMENT:  2 Samuel 18: 5 - 9, 15, 31 - 33   (RCL)

2Sam 18:5 (NRSV) The king ordered Jo'ab and Abi'shai and It'tai, saying, 
"Deal gently for my sake with the young man Ab'salom." And all the people 
heard when the king gave orders to all the commanders concerning Ab'salom.
6 So the army went out into the field against Israel; and the battle was 
fought in the forest of E'phraim. 7 The men of Israel were defeated there by 
the servants of David, and the slaughter there was great on that day, twenty 
thousand men. 8 The battle spread over the face of all the country; and the 
forest claimed more victims that day than the sword.
9 Ab'salom happened to meet the servants of David. Ab'salom was riding on 
his mule, and the mule went under the thick branches of a great oak. His 
head caught fast in the oak, and he was left hanging between heaven and 
earth, while the mule that was under him went on.

15 And ten young men, Jo'ab's armor-bearers, surrounded Ab'salom and struck 
him, and killed him.

31 Then the Cu'shite came; and the Cu'shite said, "Good tidings for my lord 
the king! For the LORD has vindicated you this day, delivering you from the 
power of all who rose up against you." 32 The king said to the Cu'shite, "Is 
it well with the young man Ab'salom?" The Cu'shite answered, "May the 
enemies of my lord the king, and all who rise up to do you harm, be like 
that young man."
33 The king was deeply moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and 
wept; and as he went, he said, "O my son Ab'salom, my son, my son Ab'salom! 
Would I had died instead of you, O Ab'salom, my son, my son!"


2 Samuel 18: 1, 5, 9 - 15   (Can. BAS)

2Sam 18:1 (NRSV) {The Defeat and Death of Absalom} Then David mustered the 
men who were with him, and set over them commanders of thousands and 
commanders of hundreds.

5 The king ordered Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, "Deal gently for my 
sake with the young man Absalom." And all the people heard when the king 
gave orders to all the commanders concerning Absalom.

9 Absalom happened to meet the servants of David. Absalom was riding on his 
mule, and the mule went under the thick branches of a great oak. His head 
caught fast in the oak, and he was left hanging {Gk Syr Tg: Heb [was put] } 
between heaven and earth, while the mule that was under him went on. 10 A 
man saw it, and told Joab, "I saw Absalom hanging in an oak." 11 Joab said 
to the man who told him, "What, you saw him! Why then did you not strike him 
there to the ground? I would have been glad to give you ten pieces of silver 
and a belt." 12 But the man said to Joab, "Even if I felt in my hand the 
weight of a thousand pieces of silver, I would not raise my hand against the 
king's son; for in our hearing the king commanded you and Abishai and Ittai, 
saying: For my sake protect the young man Absalom! 13 On the other hand, if 
I had dealt treacherously against his life {Another reading is [at the risk 
of my life] } (and there is nothing hidden from the king), then you yourself 
would have stood aloof." 14 Joab said, "I will not waste time like this with 
you." He took three spears in his hand, and thrust them into the heart of 
Absalom, while he was still alive in the oak. 15 And ten young men, Joab's 
armor-bearers, surrounded Absalom and struck him, and killed him.


1 Kings 19: 4 - 8   (Roman Catholic, alt. for RCL)

1Kin 19:4 (NRSV) But he [Elijah] himself went a day's journey into the 
wilderness, and came and sat down under a solitary broom tree. He asked that 
he might die: "It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life, for I am no 
better than my ancestors." 5 Then he lay down under the broom tree and fell 
asleep. Suddenly an angel touched him and said to him, "Get up and eat." 6 
He looked, and there at his head was a cake baked on hot stones, and a jar 
of water. He ate and drank, and lay down again. 7 The angel of the LORD came 
a second time, touched him, and said, "Get up and eat, otherwise the journey 
will be too much for you." 8 He got up, and ate and drank; then he went in 
the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Ho'reb the mount of 
God.


PSALM 130   (RCL)

Psal 130:1 (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 143   Domine, exaudi   (Can. BAS)

1   Lord, hear my prayer,
and in your faithfulness heed my supplications; *
  answer me in your righteousness.

2   Enter not into judgment with your servant, *
  for in your sight shall no one living be justified.

3   For my enemy has sought my life;
he has crushed me to the ground; *
  he has made me live in dark places like those who
  are long dead.

4   My spirit faints within me; *
  my heart within me is desolate.

5   I remember the time past;
I muse upon all your deeds; *
  I consider the works of your hands.

6   I spread out my hands to you; *
  my soul gasps to you like a thirsty land.

7   O Lord, make haste to answer me; my spirit fails me; *
  do not hide your face from me
  or I shall be like those who go down to the Pit.

8   Let me hear of your loving-kindness in the morning,
for I put my trust in you; *
  show me the road that I must walk,
  for I lift up my soul to you.


Psalm 34: 1 - 8   (Roman Catholic, alt. for RCL)

Psal 34:1 (NRSV) I will bless the LORD at all times;
his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
2 My soul makes its boast in the LORD;
let the humble hear and be glad.
3 O magnify the LORD with me,
and let us exalt his name together.
4 I sought the LORD, and he answered me,
and delivered me from all my fears.
5 Look to him, and be radiant;
so your faces shall never be ashamed.
6 This poor soul cried, and was heard by the LORD,
and was saved from every trouble.
7 The angel of the LORD encamps
around those who fear him, and delivers them.
8 O taste and see that the LORD is good;
happy are those who take refuge in him.

Note: Verse numbering in Roman Catholic bibles is one greter than the above.


NEW TESTAMENT:   Ephesians 4: 25 - 5: 2   (RCL)
                                      Ephesians 4: 30 - 5:2   (Roman 
Catholic)

Ephe 4:25 (NRSV) So then, putting away falsehood, let all of us speak the 
truth to our neighbors, for we are members of one another. 26 Be angry but 
do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 27 and do not make 
room for the devil. 28 Thieves must give up stealing; rather let them labor 
and work honestly with their own hands, so as to have something to share 
with the needy. 29 Let no evil talk come out of your mouths, but only what 
is useful for building up, as there is need, so that your words may give 
grace to those who hear. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with 
which you were marked with a seal for the day of redemption. 31 Put away 
from you all bitterness and wrath and anger and wrangling and slander, 
together with all malice, 32 and be kind to one another, tenderhearted, 
forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you. 5:1 Therefore be 
imitators of God, as beloved children, 2 and live in love, as Christ loved 
us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.


GOSPEL:   John 6: 35, 41 - 51   (RCL)
                    John 6: 41 - 51   (Roman Catholic)

John 6:35 (NRSV) Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes 
to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be 
thirsty.

41 Then the Jews began to complain about him because he said, "I am the 
bread that came down from heaven." 42 They were saying, "Is not this Jesus, 
the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, "I 
have come down from heaven'?" 43 Jesus answered them, "Do not complain among 
yourselves. 44 No one can come to me unless drawn by the Father who sent me; 
and I will raise that person up on the last day. 45 It is written in the 
prophets, "And they shall all be taught by God.' Everyone who has heard and 
learned from the Father comes to me. 46 Not that anyone has seen the Father 
except the one who is from God; he has seen the Father. 47 Very truly, I 
tell you, whoever believes has eternal life. 48 I am the bread of life. 49 
Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. 50 This is 
the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not 
die. 51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of 
this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give for the life of 
the world is my flesh."




From JoeParrish at compuserve.com  Mon Aug  3 21:27:24 2009
From: JoeParrish at compuserve.com (Joe Parrish)
Date: Mon, 3 Aug 2009 21:27:24 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] Lectionary Scripture Notes for August 9,
	2009 (Proper 14 | OT 19 | Pentecost 10)
Message-ID: <115AC58DA3B4414D9CE9B7DDD379F566@YOUR264F1833C5>

[Delete if this is a duplicate message]
Proper 14 | OT 19 | Pentecost 10
John 6:35, 41-51

Within the similarities and differences between this account in John 6:35, 41-51 and the Mark 6:1-6a account describing activities of Jesus in his hometown, we can see the distinction between "the Jesus of history" and "the Christ of faith." In the Mark 6 account there is still a recollection of Jesus, the Jesus of history, as a son of Joseph, as a 1st century Jewish religious and political figure whose father Joseph and mother Mary had been known to other Jews in the village of Nazareth. In John 6:35, 41-51, however, and throughout the Fourth Gospel, Jesus is the Christ of faith, the Son of God who is said to have pre-existed before the foundation of the world was laid, who was the Logos, the "Word" by which the world was called into being. As the Christ of faith in John 6, Jesus is presented as having an exclusivistic claim to God as Father, as one who comes from God and has seen God. It is affirmed that no one can come to Jesus as the Christ unless God the Father draws that person to Jesus as the Christ, and that Jesus as the Christ of faith will raise such a person from the dead on the last day. The person who "eats" of this "bread from heaven" will not die. Jesus the Christ as this "bread from heaven" is far superior to the manna that the fathers of the 1st century Jews had eaten in the wilderness, for although they ate they still died. According to John 6, the bread that the Johannine Jesus as the Christ of faith will give for the life of the world is the flesh of the Christ of faith, the Lamb of God who in Johannine terms "takes away the sin of the world."

When this John 6:35, 41-51 text is read and when it forms the primary basis for the worship service, we have an obligation to the people of the congregations in which we serve to say something about the theological development that occurred between perceiving Jesus as the Jesus of history, one among several sons of Joseph and his wife Mary, and Jesus as the Christ of faith, the only-begotten Son of God. If we do not indicate this development and show that we are aware of this distinction, we shall be propagating the longstanding and non-productive anti-Jewish polemic that is associated with this text. If we do not share some of our understanding of this theological development and of this distinction in perceptions of Jesus, we shall simply be promulgating supersessionistic anti-Jewish polemic without helping the thinking people within the congregations in which we serve to come to a better understanding of the process in the development of their Chris tian religion as the impact that the Jesus of history had made on some of his followers was shaped by the inspiration of God into belief in Jesus as the Christ of faith, one with God, through whom salvation and eternal life is offered to all of us.

      LectionaryScriptureNotes.com is a free website that provides brief yet probing exegetical commentary for: 
        a.. Pastors who need inspiration and idea starters for their sermons 
        b.. Church musicians who want to coordinate music and hymn selections with scriptural themes 
        c.. Anyone who wants deeper insight into each week's lectionary passages 
      These background notes cover every assigned text in the Revised Common Lectionary for each Sunday and major observance throughout the year. 

Ephesians 4:25--5:2

Here in Ephesians 4:25-5:2 we have the parenesis, the guidelines of how we should respond to the proclamation that Jesus as the Christ provides eternal life for us. As among those who as the "Body of Christ" are "in Christ," we should put aside all bitterness, anger, and slander and replace them with kindness and forgiveness. Then we will not grieve the Holy Spirit of God. We are exhorted to be imitators of God and to conduct ourselves in a life that is characterized by love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. We see that by the time that this section of the epistle "to the Ephesians" was written much reflection had occurred within the thoughts of some of the followers of Jesus about the significance of Jesus' life, of his death, and of his resurrection as the Christ of faith. In some ways this Ephesians 4:25--5:2 text is similar to that of the Fourth Gospel and of the "Epistle to the Hebrews," all of which may stem from approximately the same period in the development of the early Church.

1 Kings 19:4-8

The food that the Lord provided for Elijah in this Elijah story was so nutritious that it sustained Elijah during his journey of forty days and forty nights to the mountain of God at Horeb. It is said that Elijah would have preferred to die under the broom tree, but the Lord would not permit that to occur. Instead, the Lord permitted Elijah only to sleep, and then through the intermediary of an angel in this story twice touched him and told him to eat the freshly baked cake and the jar of water provided for him so that he would be strengthened. This story about Elijah obviously has a message for us also in our discouragement and in our need.

Psalm 34:1-8

This Individual Hymn of Praise and Thanksgiving is appropriately used in conjunction with the Elijah story in 1 Kings 19:4-8. It is a poetic, hymnic rendition of the Elijah story situation. The psalmist cried unto the Lord, and the Lord heard the psalmist. The angel of the Lord is said to camp around those who fear the Lord in order to deliver them. "O taste and see that the Lord is good" can be understood metaphorically, or almost literally with reference to the freshly baked cakes of the Elijah story in 1 Kings 19:4-8 or of the bread and wine of the Christian Eucharist.

2 Samuel 18:5-9, 15, 31-33

The situation depicted here is most understandable to those who have participated in war and battle conditions in which the combatants are conditioned to do everything possible to destroy the enemy and to preserve one's own life and the lives of one's buddies. David as king confounds his general and the men who are engaged in the horrible conditions of battle in behalf of David and of the nation in his desire to spare the life of his own son Absalom who has rebelled against David. We are torn as we read and hear this story between identification with David as a father trying to save his son from death and with Joab and the soldiers under Joab's command who are being killed or injured because of the horrible civil war that was caused by David and by David's son. Perhaps this text should be used in high school and adult Bible study sessions rather than in a worship setting, so that we will be able to share and discuss our feelings. The story provides a g ood opportunity for those who have been involved in the horrors of military combat to talk within a supportive congregational setting about their experiences and their feelings.

Psalm 130

Out of the depths of despair the psalmist cries for help from the Lord. The psalmist waits for the Lord to come, for the Lord to rescue the psalmist and to rescue the people of Israel. Although the situation depicted in this prayer is not specifically a situation of war and of the horrible conditions endured during battle conditions, the psalm certainly can be associated with war, as it is when the reading of this psalm is linked to the 2 Samuel 18:5-9, 15, 31-33 reading.
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From robertpmorrison at charterinternet.com  Mon Aug  3 21:37:23 2009
From: robertpmorrison at charterinternet.com (Robert P Morrison)
Date: Mon, 3 Aug 2009 18:37:23 -0700
Subject: [Propertalk] Lectionary Scripture Notes for August 9,
 2009 (Proper 14 | OT 19 | Pentecost 10)
In-Reply-To: <115AC58DA3B4414D9CE9B7DDD379F566@YOUR264F1833C5>
Message-ID: <20090803213723.9P6OQ.1129148.root@mp15>

Thanks, Joe.

Through August we're having a Wednesday evening series of classes on Prayer Book ancestry - 1552, 1662, 1892, 1928 - and using these books on the Sunday following discussion. I have yet to make up my mind whether or not to follow these book's lectionaries. Or I could read the Exhortations! That ought to liven things up a bit!!

Thanks for the notes,

Bob
--
Robert P. Morrison
The Episcopal Parish of St James,
PO Box 789
Lincoln City, Oregon, 97367

541-994-2426 (Church)





From Brian.Hazard at ecunet.org  Mon Aug  3 22:30:15 2009
From: Brian.Hazard at ecunet.org (Brian Hazard)
Date: Mon, 03 Aug 2009 21:30:15 -0500
Subject: [Propertalk] Lectionary Scripture Notes for August 9,
 2009 (Proper 14 | OT 19 | Pentecost 10)
In-Reply-To: <20090803213723.9P6OQ.1129148.root@mp15>
References: <20090803213723.9P6OQ.1129148.root@mp15>
Message-ID: <4A779D37.3090100@ecunet.org>

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From joeparrish at compuserve.com  Mon Aug  3 21:24:12 2009
From: joeparrish at compuserve.com (joeparrish at compuserve.com)
Date: Mon, 3 Aug 2009 20:24:12 -0500
Subject: [Propertalk] Fwd: Lectionary Scripture Notes for August 9,
	2009 (Proper 14 | OT 19 | Pentecost 10)
Message-ID: <382b09600760eb775ac8715bbf0e5fdb@thisweek.lectionaryscripturenotes.com>

 Click here to view as web page.
<http://www.lectionaryscripturenotes.com/newsletter.html>

 <http://www.lectionaryscripturenotes.com/>

 This Week's Texts

 John 6:35, 41-51

 Ephesians 4:25--5:2

 1 Kings 19:4-8

 2 Samuel 18:5-9, 15, 31-33

 Psalm 130

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and also give to each other, help in times of despair. Ron Lavin
illustrates this principle elegantly in the following chapters as he
examines the passages in John's gospel concerning the admonition not
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struggles, faith, and ancient biblical history in a country that we
read about daily -- Iraq./

 -- Rear Admiral Fred Metz, US Navy (Retired)

 <http://www.csspub.com/prod-0788026178.htm>

 LectionaryScriptureNotes.com is a free website that provides brief
yet probing exegetical commentary for:
 
 Pastors who need inspiration and idea starters for their sermons
 Church musicians who want to coordinate music and hymn selections
with scriptural themes
 Anyone who wants deeper insight into each week's lectionary passages
 
 These background notes cover every assigned text in the Revised
Common Lectionary for each Sunday and major observance throughout the
year.

 Proper 14 | OT 19 | Pentecost 10
 John 6:35, 41-51

 Within the similarities and differences between this account in John
6:35, 41-51 and the Mark 6:1-6a account describing activities of Jesus
in his hometown, we can see the distinction between "the Jesus of
history" and "the Christ of faith." In the Mark 6 account there is
still a recollection of Jesus, the Jesus of history, as a son of
Joseph, as a 1st century Jewish religious and political figure whose
father Joseph and mother Mary had been known to other Jews in the
village of Nazareth. In John 6:35, 41-51, however, and throughout the
Fourth Gospel, Jesus is the Christ of faith, the Son of God who is
said to have pre-existed before the foundation of the world was laid,
who was the Logos, the "Word" by which the world was called into
being. As the Christ of faith in John 6, Jesus is presented as having
an exclusivistic claim to God as Father, as one who comes from God and
has seen God. It is affirmed that no one can come to Jesus as the
Christ unless God the Father draws that person to Jesus as the Christ,
and that Jesus as the Christ of faith will raise such a person from
the dead on the last day. The person who "eats" of this "bread from
heaven" will not die. Jesus the Christ as this "bread from heaven" is
far superior to the manna that the fathers of the 1st century Jews had
eaten in the wilderness, for although they ate they still died.
According to John 6, the bread that the Johannine Jesus as the Christ
of faith will give for the life of the world is the flesh of the
Christ of faith, the Lamb of God who in Johannine terms "takes away
the sin of the world."

 When this John 6:35, 41-51 text is read and when it forms the
primary basis for the worship service, we have an obligation to the
people of the congregations in which we serve to say something about
the theological development that occurred between perceiving Jesus as
the Jesus of history, one among several sons of Joseph and his wife
Mary, and Jesus as the Christ of faith, the only-begotten Son of God.
If we do not indicate this development and show that we are aware of
this distinction, we shall be propagating the longstanding and
non-productive anti-Jewish polemic that is associated with this text.
If we do not share some of our understanding of this theological
development and of this distinction in perceptions of Jesus, we shall
simply be promulgating supersessionistic anti-Jewish polemic without
helping the thinking people within the congregations in which we serve
to come to a better understanding of the process in the development of
their Christian religion as the impact that the Jesus of history had
made on some of his followers was shaped by the inspiration of God
into belief in Jesus as the Christ of faith, one with God, through
whom salvation and eternal life is offered to all of us.

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 Ephesians 4:25--5:2

 Here in Ephesians 4:25-5:2 we have the parenesis, the guidelines of
how we should respond to the proclamation that Jesus as the Christ
provides eternal life for us. As among those who as the "Body of
Christ" are "in Christ," we should put aside all bitterness, anger,
and slander and replace them with kindness and forgiveness. Then we
will not grieve the Holy Spirit of God. We are exhorted to be
imitators of God and to conduct ourselves in a life that is
characterized by love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself for us
as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. We see that by the time
that this section of the epistle "to the Ephesians" was written much
reflection had occurred within the thoughts of some of the followers
of Jesus about the significance of Jesus' life, of his death, and of
his resurrection as the Christ of faith. In some ways this Ephesians
4:25--5:2 text is similar to that of the Fourth Gospel and of the
"Epistle to the Hebrews," all of which may stem from approximately the
same period in the development of the early Church.

 1 Kings 19:4-8

 The food that the Lord provided for Elijah in this Elijah story was
so nutritious that it sustained Elijah during his journey of forty
days and forty nights to the mountain of God at Horeb. It is said that
Elijah would have preferred to die under the broom tree, but the Lord
would not permit that to occur. Instead, the Lord permitted Elijah
only to sleep, and then through the intermediary of an angel in this
story twice touched him and told him to eat the freshly baked cake and
the jar of water provided for him so that he would be strengthened.
This story about Elijah obviously has a message for us also in our
discouragement and in our need.

 Psalm 34:1-8

 This Individual Hymn of Praise and Thanksgiving is appropriately
used in conjunction with the Elijah story in 1 Kings 19:4-8. It is a
poetic, hymnic rendition of the Elijah story situation. The psalmist
cried unto the Lord, and the Lord heard the psalmist. The angel of the
Lord is said to camp around those who fear the Lord in order to
deliver them. "O taste and see that the Lord is good" can be
understood metaphorically, or almost literally with reference to the
freshly baked cakes of the Elijah story in 1 Kings 19:4-8 or of the
bread and wine of the Christian Eucharist.

 2 Samuel 18:5-9, 15, 31-33

 The situation depicted here is most understandable to those who have
participated in war and battle conditions in which the combatants are
conditioned to do everything possible to destroy the enemy and to
preserve one's own life and the lives of one's buddies. David as king
confounds his general and the men who are engaged in the horrible
conditions of battle in behalf of David and of the nation in his
desire to spare the life of his own son Absalom who has rebelled
against David. We are torn as we read and hear this story between
identification with David as a father trying to save his son from
death and with Joab and the soldiers under Joab's command who are
being killed or injured because of the horrible civil war that was
caused by David and by David's son. Perhaps this text should be used
in high school and adult Bible study sessions rather than in a worship
setting, so that we will be able to share and discuss our feelings.
The story provides a good opportunity for those who have been involved
in the horrors of military combat to talk within a supportive
congregational setting about their experiences and their feelings.

 Psalm 130

 Out of the depths of despair the psalmist cries for help from the
Lord. The psalmist waits for the Lord to come, for the Lord to rescue
the psalmist and to rescue the people of Israel. Although the
situation depicted in this prayer is not specifically a situation of
war and of the horrible conditions endured during battle conditions,
the psalm certainly can be associated with war, as it is when the
reading of this psalm is linked to the 2 Samuel 18:5-9, 15, 31-33
reading.

 Click here for future days.
<http://www.lectionaryscripturenotes.com/looking-ahead>

 <http://www.csspub.com/prod-0788018019.htm>

 <http://www.sermonsuite.com>

 				Mary Austin 

 A New Society In Christ?

 In verse 31, Paul gives advice that seems eerily prescient: "Put
away from you all bitterness and wrath and anger and wrangling and
slander, together with all malice, and be kind to one another,
tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven
you." Perhaps Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. and Cambridge
police officer James Crowley would have done well to follow that
advice last week. Though only those two gentlemen (and God) know the
true details that led to Gates' arrest for disorderly conduct, the
incident -- particularly in the wake of President Obama's comments on
the matter -- has led to a renewed national conversation on race and
racial profiling. Mary Austin will examine not only how following
Paul's guidelines can make us into better people in Christ, but also
how doing so individually in great numbers can make us over
collectively into a new society in Christ -- one that is marked by
tolerance, lack of fear, lack of anger, and racial harmony....more
<http://www.sermonsuite.com/index.php?s=tiw>

 Holy Believing

 No one wants to die. Yet who among us would like to live forever?
This is our paradox. This is our dilemma. To die means the end of what
we are and have; it signifies also the cessation of whatever yet we
had hoped to be. But wouldn't living forever be equally undesirable?
For it holds out endlessness and sameness, like Shakespeare's
"Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow..." On the other hand, however,
who would want to play a harp throughout all time, or listen endlessly
to "The Hallelujah Chorus"? It is obvious that such questions and
thinking are colored and even determined by our worldly concepts. Our
idioms come from the vocabulary of time and space...more
<http://www.sermonsuite.com/index.php?s=stu>

 <http://www.sermonsuite.com/emphasis-online.html>

 <http://www.sermonsuite.com/emphasis-online.html>

 				David Kalas

 Appetites

 From our very first day out of the womb, we are introduced to the
experience of hunger. I suspect that we don't understand it much at
first; we just feel it. And when we feel it, it makes us cry. As we
grow up, our hunger may make us cry less and less, but it remains a
strong feeling. Our understanding of the feeling remains imperfect. We
are certainly better equipped than a newborn to recognize what we are
feeling, but still it is often unclear to us. We think we're hungry at
times when what we're really feeling is tired. Sometimes boredom
masquerades as hunger. Sadness and discouragement, likewise, can
prompt us to want to eat...more
<http://www.sermonsuite.com/emphasis-online.html>

 <http://www.sermonsuite.com/storyshare.html>

 <http://www.sermonsuite.com/storyshare.html>

 				David O. Bales 			

 The Final Robert

 Everything seemed strange. The church was long and dark, and from
the back it was difficult to see in the subdued light. The extreme
strangeness began with the first speaker. "When the final Robert was
the original Bobby we had to play his games. At anyone else's birthday
he was always last to come to the table; and, if we were going
somewhere for someone else's birthday, we had to sit and wait for him
until Dad blew the horn a couple times." Other people spoke, and then
Aunt Virginia. Didn't she die ten years ago? "We gave the final Robert
all the chances we gave others -- the hugs and presents, and we
listened to his childhood concerns. Yet he was the child of the
permanent scowl and the word 'No' "...more
<http://www.sermonsuite.com/storyshare.html>

 <http://www.sermonsuite.com/the-village-shepherd.html>

 <http://www.sermonsuite.com/the-village-shepherd.html>

 				Janice Scott 

 Unnoticed Gifts

 When Jesus was on this earth, some people realized what a huge and
wonderful gift from God they'd been given. But others were
antagonistic and hostile, and in effect threw the gift back into God's
face. It started in Nazareth, Jesus' own village. There were all sorts
of murmurings against Jesus. "Isn't this the guy we grew up with? How
could he be anything special? Get him out of here!" And Jesus was
unable to perform many miracles in his home village, because of the
attitude of those who knew him well. In today's gospel we see the
discontent spreading...more
<http://www.sermonsuite.com/the-village-shepherd.html>

 <http://www.sermonsuite.com/children-sermons.html>

 <http://www.sermonsuite.com/children-sermons.html>

 				Leah Thompson 

 Building 

 Others Up

 *Object: Legos*

 How many of you have played with Legos before? /(allow answers)/ How
many of you build things with K'nex or Lincoln Logs? Building things
can be a lot of fun! There are all kinds of things you can build with
building blocks. What kind of things have you built? /(allow answers)/
Using Legos, you can build castles, houses, helicopters, or ships.
Building is fun! Sometimes we help other people build things out of
Legos or other building blocks. When we are helping to build
something, we have to talk to the other people. What are some things
you talk about when you are helping someone build?...more
<http://www.sermonsuite.com/children-sermons.html>

 Author of 

 /Lectionary Scripture Notes/

 Dr. Norman A. Beck
<http://www.lectionaryscripturenotes.com/norman-beck>

 "Risky business writing a book like this one ... I loved it!" 

 ??? Leonard Sweet 

 <http://www.csspub.com/prod-078802616X.htm>

 Mark Elliott bares his soul as he takes a brutally honest look at
the real person we pastors are on the inside that few people ever
know. Each page speaks to the honest confessions inside and draws out
the hidden person in us all. /*This book is destined to set you
free!*/

 <http://www.csspub.com/prod-078802616X.htm>

 Copyright ? 1970 - 2009 CSS Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

 517 S. Main Street ??? Lima, OH 45804 ???http://www.csspub.com



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From robertpmorrison at charterinternet.com  Mon Aug  3 23:13:42 2009
From: robertpmorrison at charterinternet.com (Robert P Morrison)
Date: Mon, 3 Aug 2009 20:13:42 -0700
Subject: [Propertalk] Lectionary Scripture Notes for August 9,
 2009 (Proper 14 | OT 19 | Pentecost 10)
In-Reply-To: <4A779D37.3090100@ecunet.org>
Message-ID: <20090803231342.51DM7.1135216.root@mp15>

The prayer books leading up to the current (1979) one contain exhortations - there can be one right at the start of the Communion liturgy, exhorting people to come to penitence; there are also ones, of fair ferocity, which warn the congregation that Communion is to be celebrated the following Sunday and you'd better get your "house" in order before considering receiving.

http://justus.anglican.org/resources/bcp/

Looking at this site, you can bring up some of the older books and check then out. The principle exhortations usually come after the offertopry sentences.

I hope this helps.

Bob
--
Robert P. Morrison
The Episcopal Parish of St James,
PO Box 789
Lincoln City, Oregon, 97367

541-994-2426 (Church)



From hughstrickland at gmail.com  Mon Aug  3 23:18:42 2009
From: hughstrickland at gmail.com (J. Hugh Strickland)
Date: Mon, 3 Aug 2009 23:18:42 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] Lectionary Scripture Notes for August 9,
	2009 (Proper 14 | OT 19 | Pentecost 10)
In-Reply-To: <4A779D37.3090100@ecunet.org>
References: <20090803213723.9P6OQ.1129148.root@mp15>
	<4A779D37.3090100@ecunet.org>
Message-ID: <1AF8A53752064E45AE3C03A6B8B527E0@OwnerPC>

Dear Joe and Bob,

Liturgical humor is so esoteric.  but please let Brian know what you are talking about.  Live things up a bit!

+Hugh Strickland
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Brian Hazard 
  Cc: Propertalk 
  Sent: Monday, August 03, 2009 10:30 PM
  Subject: Re: [Propertalk] Lectionary Scripture Notes for August 9, 2009 (Proper 14 | OT 19 | Pentecost 10)


  Exhortations?  I'm United Methodist and the only Book of Common Prayer I have is dated (certified) 1979.  I found no exhortations.

  Robert P Morrison wrote: 
Thanks, Joe.

Through August we're having a Wednesday evening series of classes on Prayer Book ancestry - 1552, 1662, 1892, 1928 - and using these books on the Sunday following discussion. I have yet to make up my mind whether or not to follow these book's lectionaries. Or I could read the Exhortations! That ought to liven things up a bit!!

Thanks for the notes,

Bob
--
Robert P. Morrison
The Episcopal Parish of St James,
PO Box 789
Lincoln City, Oregon, 97367

541-994-2426 (Church)



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From robertpmorrison at charterinternet.com  Mon Aug  3 23:30:50 2009
From: robertpmorrison at charterinternet.com (Robert P Morrison)
Date: Mon, 3 Aug 2009 20:30:50 -0700
Subject: [Propertalk] Clarification re Exhortations
In-Reply-To: <20090803231342.51DM7.1135216.root@mp15>
Message-ID: <20090803233050.A5VK2.1135970.root@mp15>

The Exhortations to which I was referring are as follows. I hope they're of interest. The purpose was to lean heavily on the sinful nature of human beings as well as our laziness (in times past?) of receiving Communion.

They're not in the current book of common prayer, and probably won't resurface.

Bob

THE EXHORTATIONS

To be used when the Minister giveth warning for the celebration of the Holy Communion.

DEARLY beloved, on ?? I purpose, through God?s assistance, to administer to all such as shall be religiously and devoutly disposed the most comfortable Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ ; to be by them received in remembrance of his meritorious Cross and Passion; whereby alone we obtain remission of our sins, and are made partakers of the Kingdom of heaven.
    Wherefore it is our duty to render most humble and hearty thanks to Almighty God our heavenly Father, for that he hath given his Son our Saviour Jesus Christ, not only to die for us, but also to be our spiritual food and sustenance in that holy Sacrament.
    Which being so divine and comfortable a thing to them who receive it worthily, and so dangerous to them that will presume to receive it unworthily; my duty is to exhort you in the mean season to consider the dignity of that holy mystery, and the great peril of the unworthy receiving thereof; and so to search and examine your own consciences, (and that not lightly, and after the manner of dissemblers with God; but so) that ye may come holy and clean to such a heavenly Feast, in the marriage-garment required by God in holy Scripture, and be received as worthy partakers of that holy Table.
    The way and means thereto is; First, to examine your lives and conversations by the rule of God?s commandments; and whereinsoever ye shall perceive yourselves to have offended, either by will, word, or deed, there to bewail your own sinfulness, and to confess yourselves to Almighty God, with full purpose of amendment of life.
    And if ye shall perceive your offences to be such as are not only against God, but also against your neighbours; then ye shall reconcile yourselves unto them; being ready to make restitution and satisfaction, according to the uttermost of your powers, for all injuries and wrongs done by you to any other; and being likewise ready to forgive others that have offended you, as ye would have forgiveness of your offences at God?s hand: for otherwise the receiving of the Holy Communion doth nothing else but increase your guilt.
    Therefore if any of you be a blasphemer of God, an hinderer or slanderer of his Word, an adulterer, or be in malice, or envy, or in any other grievous crime, repent you of your sins, or else come not to that Holy Table.
    And because it is requisite, that no man should come to the holy Communion, but with a full trust in God?s mercy, and with a quiet conscience; therefore if there be any of you, who by this means cannot quiet his own conscience herein, but requireth further comfort or counsel, let him come to me, or to some other discreet and learned Minister of God?s Word, and open his grief; that by the ministry of God?s holy Word he may receive the benefit of absolution, together with ghostly counsel and advice, to the quieting of his conscience, and avoiding of all scruple and doubtfulness.


Or, in case he shall see the people negligent to come to the Holy Communion, instead of the former, he may use this Exhortation.


DEARLY beloved brethren, on I intend, by God?s grace, to celebrate the Lord?s Supper: unto which, in God?s behalf, I bid you all that are here present; and beseech you, for the Lord Jesus Christ?s sake, that ye will not refuse to come thereto, being so lovingly called and bidden by God himself.
    Ye know how grievous and unkind a thing it is, when a man hath prepared a rich feast, decked his table with all kind of provision, so that there lacketh nothing but the guests to sit down; and yet they who are called (without any cause) most unthankfully refuse to come. Which of you in such a case would not be moved? Who would not think a great injury and wrong done unto him? Wherefore, most dearly beloved in Christ, take ye good heed, lest ye, withdrawing yourselves from this holy Supper, provoke God?s indignation against you. It is an easy matter for a man to say, I will not communicate, because I am otherwise hindered with worldly business. But such excuses are not so easily accepted and allowed before God. If any man say, I am a grievous sinner, and therefore am afraid to come: wherefore then do ye not repent and amend? When God calleth you, are ye not ashamed to say ye will not come? When ye should return to God, will ye excuse yourselves, and say ye are not ready? Consider earnestly with yourselves how little such feigned excuses will avail before God. ?rhey that refused the feast in the Gospel, because they had bought a farm, or would try their yokes of oxen, or because they were married, were not so excused, but counted unworthy of the heavenly feast.
    I, for my part, shall be ready; and, according to mine office, I bid you in the name of God, I call you in Christ?s behalf, I exhort you, as ye love your own salvation, that ye will be partakers of this Holy Communion. And as the Son of God did vouchsafe to yield up his soul by death upon the Cross for your salvation; so it is your duty to receive the Communion in remembrance of the sacrifice of his death, as he himself hath commanded: which if ye shall neglect to do, consider with yourselves how great injury ye do unto God, and how sore punishment hangeth over your heads for the same; when ye wilfully abstain from the Lord?s Table, and separate from your brethren, who come to feed on the banquet of that most heavenly food.
    These things if ye earnestly consider, ye will by God?s grace return to a better mind: for the obtaining whereof we shall not cease to make our humble petitions unto Almighty God our heavenly Father.


--
Robert P. Morrison
The Episcopal Parish of St James,
PO Box 789
Lincoln City, Oregon, 97367

541-994-2426 (Church)



From jafcjr at charter.net  Mon Aug  3 23:48:08 2009
From: jafcjr at charter.net (J. A. Frazer Crocker, Jr.)
Date: Mon, 03 Aug 2009 20:48:08 -0700
Subject: [Propertalk] Lectionary Scripture Notes for August 9,
 2009 (Proper 14 | OT 19 | Pentecost 10)
In-Reply-To: <20090803231342.51DM7.1135216.root@mp15>
References: <20090803231342.51DM7.1135216.root@mp15>
Message-ID: <4A77AF78.1060104@charter.net>

There is an exhortation in the 1979 book on page 316, as part of the 
Rite I penitential order.
It is a conflation of the three exhortations (one of them quite 
daunting, as Bob says) which,
with some wording changes were in all BCPs up to 1979.  In 1928 BCP one 
of them was
required to be read on Advent I, Lent I, and Trinity Sunday.  Now its 
use is optional.


Robert P Morrison wrote:
> The prayer books leading up to the current (1979) one contain exhortations - there can be one right at the start of the Communion liturgy, exhorting people to come to penitence; there are also ones, of fair ferocity, which warn the congregation that Communion is to be celebrated the following Sunday and you'd better get your "house" in order before considering receiving.
>
> http://justus.anglican.org/resources/bcp/
>
> Looking at this site, you can bring up some of the older books and check then out. The principle exhortations usually come after the offertopry sentences.
>
> I hope this helps.
>
> Bob
> --
> Robert P. Morrison
> The Episcopal Parish of St James,
> PO Box 789
> Lincoln City, Oregon, 97367
>
> 541-994-2426 (Church)
>
> _______________________________________________
> Propertalk mailing list
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3541 Ocean View Drive        
Florence, OR 97439           
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E-mail: jafcjr at charter.net

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From robertpmorrison at charterinternet.com  Mon Aug  3 23:53:14 2009
From: robertpmorrison at charterinternet.com (Robert P Morrison)
Date: Mon, 3 Aug 2009 20:53:14 -0700
Subject: [Propertalk] Lectionary Scripture Notes for August 9,
 2009 (Proper 14 | OT 19 | Pentecost 10)
In-Reply-To: <4A77AF78.1060104@charter.net>
Message-ID: <20090803235314.4RJBD.1136804.root@mp15>

Thanks, Frazer - I forgot about the Exhortation you mentioned.

Bob

--
Robert P. Morrison
The Episcopal Parish of St James,
PO Box 789
Lincoln City, Oregon, 97367

541-994-2426 (Church)





From marengstrom at bresnan.net  Tue Aug  4 09:02:27 2009
From: marengstrom at bresnan.net (Marilyn Engstrom)
Date: Tue, 4 Aug 2009 07:02:27 -0600
Subject: [Propertalk] unsubscribe
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Today's Topics:

   1. Lectionary Scripture Notes for August 9,	2009 (Proper 14 | OT
      19 | Pentecost 10) (Joe Parrish)
   2. Re: Lectionary Scripture Notes for August 9, 2009 (Proper 14
      | OT 19 | Pentecost 10) (Robert P Morrison)
   3. Re: Lectionary Scripture Notes for August 9, 2009 (Proper 14
      | OT 19 | Pentecost 10) (Brian Hazard)
   4. Fwd: Lectionary Scripture Notes for August 9,	2009 (Proper 14
      | OT 19 | Pentecost 10) (joeparrish at compuserve.com)


----------------------------------------------------------------------

Message: 1
Date: Mon, 3 Aug 2009 21:27:24 -0400
From: "Joe Parrish" <JoeParrish at compuserve.com>
Subject: [Propertalk] Lectionary Scripture Notes for August 9,	2009
	(Proper 14 | OT 19 | Pentecost 10)
To: "Propertalk" <Propertalk at stsams.org>
Cc: PROPERTALK.topic at ecunet.org
Message-ID: <115AC58DA3B4414D9CE9B7DDD379F566 at YOUR264F1833C5>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

[Delete if this is a duplicate message]
Proper 14 | OT 19 | Pentecost 10
John 6:35, 41-51

Within the similarities and differences between this account in John 6:35,
41-51 and the Mark 6:1-6a account describing activities of Jesus in his
hometown, we can see the distinction between "the Jesus of history" and "the
Christ of faith." In the Mark 6 account there is still a recollection of
Jesus, the Jesus of history, as a son of Joseph, as a 1st century Jewish
religious and political figure whose father Joseph and mother Mary had been
known to other Jews in the village of Nazareth. In John 6:35, 41-51,
however, and throughout the Fourth Gospel, Jesus is the Christ of faith, the
Son of God who is said to have pre-existed before the foundation of the
world was laid, who was the Logos, the "Word" by which the world was called
into being. As the Christ of faith in John 6, Jesus is presented as having
an exclusivistic claim to God as Father, as one who comes from God and has
seen God. It is affirmed that no one can come to Jesus as the Christ unless
God the Father draws that person to Jesus as the Christ, and that Jesus as
the Christ of faith will raise such a person from the dead on the last day.
The person who "eats" of this "bread from heaven" will not die. Jesus the
Christ as this "bread from heaven" is far superior to the manna that the
fathers of the 1st century Jews had eaten in the wilderness, for although
they ate they still died. According to John 6, the bread that the Johannine
Jesus as the Christ of faith will give for the life of the world is the
flesh of the Christ of faith, the Lamb of God who in Johannine terms "takes
away the sin of the world."

When this John 6:35, 41-51 text is read and when it forms the primary basis
for the worship service, we have an obligation to the people of the
congregations in which we serve to say something about the theological
development that occurred between perceiving Jesus as the Jesus of history,
one among several sons of Joseph and his wife Mary, and Jesus as the Christ
of faith, the only-begotten Son of God. If we do not indicate this
development and show that we are aware of this distinction, we shall be
propagating the longstanding and non-productive anti-Jewish polemic that is
associated with this text. If we do not share some of our understanding of
this theological development and of this distinction in perceptions of
Jesus, we shall simply be promulgating supersessionistic anti-Jewish polemic
without helping the thinking people within the congregations in which we
serve to come to a better understanding of the process in the development of
their Chris tian religion as the impact that the Jesus of history had made
on some of his followers was shaped by the inspiration of God into belief in
Jesus as the Christ of faith, one with God, through whom salvation and
eternal life is offered to all of us.

      LectionaryScriptureNotes.com is a free website that provides brief yet
probing exegetical commentary for: 
        a.. Pastors who need inspiration and idea starters for their sermons

        b.. Church musicians who want to coordinate music and hymn
selections with scriptural themes 
        c.. Anyone who wants deeper insight into each week's lectionary
passages 
      These background notes cover every assigned text in the Revised Common
Lectionary for each Sunday and major observance throughout the year. 

Ephesians 4:25--5:2

Here in Ephesians 4:25-5:2 we have the parenesis, the guidelines of how we
should respond to the proclamation that Jesus as the Christ provides eternal
life for us. As among those who as the "Body of Christ" are "in Christ," we
should put aside all bitterness, anger, and slander and replace them with
kindness and forgiveness. Then we will not grieve the Holy Spirit of God. We
are exhorted to be imitators of God and to conduct ourselves in a life that
is characterized by love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself for us as
a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. We see that by the time that this
section of the epistle "to the Ephesians" was written much reflection had
occurred within the thoughts of some of the followers of Jesus about the
significance of Jesus' life, of his death, and of his resurrection as the
Christ of faith. In some ways this Ephesians 4:25--5:2 text is similar to
that of the Fourth Gospel and of the "Epistle to the Hebrews," all of which
may stem from approximately the same period in the development of the early
Church.

1 Kings 19:4-8

The food that the Lord provided for Elijah in this Elijah story was so
nutritious that it sustained Elijah during his journey of forty days and
forty nights to the mountain of God at Horeb. It is said that Elijah would
have preferred to die under the broom tree, but the Lord would not permit
that to occur. Instead, the Lord permitted Elijah only to sleep, and then
through the intermediary of an angel in this story twice touched him and
told him to eat the freshly baked cake and the jar of water provided for him
so that he would be strengthened. This story about Elijah obviously has a
message for us also in our discouragement and in our need.

Psalm 34:1-8

This Individual Hymn of Praise and Thanksgiving is appropriately used in
conjunction with the Elijah story in 1 Kings 19:4-8. It is a poetic, hymnic
rendition of the Elijah story situation. The psalmist cried unto the Lord,
and the Lord heard the psalmist. The angel of the Lord is said to camp
around those who fear the Lord in order to deliver them. "O taste and see
that the Lord is good" can be understood metaphorically, or almost literally
with reference to the freshly baked cakes of the Elijah story in 1 Kings
19:4-8 or of the bread and wine of the Christian Eucharist.

2 Samuel 18:5-9, 15, 31-33

The situation depicted here is most understandable to those who have
participated in war and battle conditions in which the combatants are
conditioned to do everything possible to destroy the enemy and to preserve
one's own life and the lives of one's buddies. David as king confounds his
general and the men who are engaged in the horrible conditions of battle in
behalf of David and of the nation in his desire to spare the life of his own
son Absalom who has rebelled against David. We are torn as we read and hear
this story between identification with David as a father trying to save his
son from death and with Joab and the soldiers under Joab's command who are
being killed or injured because of the horrible civil war that was caused by
David and by David's son. Perhaps this text should be used in high school
and adult Bible study sessions rather than in a worship setting, so that we
will be able to share and discuss our feelings. The story provides a g ood
opportunity for those who have been involved in the horrors of military
combat to talk within a supportive congregational setting about their
experiences and their feelings.

Psalm 130

Out of the depths of despair the psalmist cries for help from the Lord. The
psalmist waits for the Lord to come, for the Lord to rescue the psalmist and
to rescue the people of Israel. Although the situation depicted in this
prayer is not specifically a situation of war and of the horrible conditions
endured during battle conditions, the psalm certainly can be associated with
war, as it is when the reading of this psalm is linked to the 2 Samuel
18:5-9, 15, 31-33 reading.
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Message: 2
Date: Mon, 3 Aug 2009 18:37:23 -0700
From: Robert P Morrison <robertpmorrison at charterinternet.com>
Subject: Re: [Propertalk] Lectionary Scripture Notes for August 9,
	2009 (Proper 14 | OT 19 | Pentecost 10)
To: Propertalk <Propertalk at stsams.org>, Joe Parrish
	<JoeParrish at compuserve.com>
Message-ID: <20090803213723.9P6OQ.1129148.root at mp15>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8

Thanks, Joe.

Through August we're having a Wednesday evening series of classes on Prayer
Book ancestry - 1552, 1662, 1892, 1928 - and using these books on the Sunday
following discussion. I have yet to make up my mind whether or not to follow
these book's lectionaries. Or I could read the Exhortations! That ought to
liven things up a bit!!

Thanks for the notes,

Bob
--
Robert P. Morrison
The Episcopal Parish of St James,
PO Box 789
Lincoln City, Oregon, 97367

541-994-2426 (Church)





------------------------------

Message: 3
Date: Mon, 03 Aug 2009 21:30:15 -0500
From: Brian Hazard <Brian.Hazard at ecunet.org>
Subject: Re: [Propertalk] Lectionary Scripture Notes for August 9,
	2009 (Proper 14 | OT 19 | Pentecost 10)
Cc: Propertalk <Propertalk at stsams.org>
Message-ID: <4A779D37.3090100 at ecunet.org>
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Message: 4
Date: Mon, 3 Aug 2009 20:24:12 -0500
From: joeparrish at compuserve.com
Subject: [Propertalk] Fwd: Lectionary Scripture Notes for August 9,
	2009 (Proper 14 | OT 19 | Pentecost 10)
To: Propertalk at stsams.org
Message-ID:
	
<382b09600760eb775ac8715bbf0e5fdb at thisweek.lectionaryscripturenotes.com>
	
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"

 Click here to view as web page.
<http://www.lectionaryscripturenotes.com/newsletter.html>

 <http://www.lectionaryscripturenotes.com/>

 This Week's Texts

 John 6:35, 41-51

 Ephesians 4:25--5:2

 1 Kings 19:4-8

 2 Samuel 18:5-9, 15, 31-33

 Psalm 130

 <http://www.lectionaryscripturenotes.com/>

 <http://www.lectionaryscripturenotes.com/about>

 <http://www.lectionaryscripturenotes.com/norman-beck>

 <http://www.lectionaryscripturenotes.com/looking-ahead>

 "Chock full of illustrations that bring God's word alive"

 <http://www.csspub.com/prod-0788026038.htm>

 /These twelve sermons are chock full of illustrations that bring
God's word alive. You can almost smell the bread as he describes a
bakery in Manhattan, and you can feel both the raw tension and
emerging unity in the diverse communities of the Namibian church.
Wuchter gives us himself and his insights in these carefully crafted
sermons. They are both a joy and a challenge to read./

 --Rev. John D. Morris, Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, Dublin, Ohio

 <http://www.csspub.com/prod-0788026038.htm>

 Fifteen 

 Eye-Opening Stories from the Bible

 <http://www.csspub.com/prod-0788026127.htm>

 The Bible has its share of sensational literature, and this book's
modern retelling of fifteen earthy narratives from scripture is
definitely not for the squeamish. But adventuresome readers will find
that these curious tales will stir the blood while evoking laughter
and tears. With themes such as grace, forgiveness, and redemption set
against the background of rebellion, drunkenness, sexual infidelity,
and even bloody revenge, these two-fisted, no-holds-barred Bible
stories ? sometimes with amusing punch lines ? are a great tool
for teaching deep truths about humanity, the world, and God.

 <http://www.csspub.com/prod-0788026127.htm>

 ...for comfort and release in times of turmoil

 <http://www.csspub.com/prod-978-0-7880-2555-6.htm>

 /It's a lovely thought that through one's congregation we can gain,
and also give to each other, help in times of despair. Ron Lavin
illustrates this principle elegantly in the following chapters as he
examines the passages in John's gospel concerning the admonition not
to despair. John quotes Jesus as saying to his disciples reassuring
words such as, "Do not let your hearts be troubled..." Lavin covers
the rest John has to say on the subject very well. Do not despair and
do read on./

 ? Jerry L. Schmalenberger, President, Pacific Lutheran Theological
Seminary (Retired)

 Berkeley, California

 <http://www.csspub.com/prod-978-0-7880-2555-6.htm>

 A Pastor's

 Perspective 

 of Iraq

 <http://www.csspub.com/prod-0788026178.htm>

 /From the Bronx to the rivers of Babylon, the "Mayor of Babylon"
Chaplain Emilio Marrero tells a fascinating story of war, compassion,
struggles, faith, and ancient biblical history in a country that we
read about daily -- Iraq./

 -- Rear Admiral Fred Metz, US Navy (Retired)

 <http://www.csspub.com/prod-0788026178.htm>

 LectionaryScriptureNotes.com is a free website that provides brief
yet probing exegetical commentary for:
 
 Pastors who need inspiration and idea starters for their sermons
 Church musicians who want to coordinate music and hymn selections
with scriptural themes
 Anyone who wants deeper insight into each week's lectionary passages
 
 These background notes cover every assigned text in the Revised
Common Lectionary for each Sunday and major observance throughout the
year.

 Proper 14 | OT 19 | Pentecost 10
 John 6:35, 41-51

 Within the similarities and differences between this account in John
6:35, 41-51 and the Mark 6:1-6a account describing activities of Jesus
in his hometown, we can see the distinction between "the Jesus of
history" and "the Christ of faith." In the Mark 6 account there is
still a recollection of Jesus, the Jesus of history, as a son of
Joseph, as a 1st century Jewish religious and political figure whose
father Joseph and mother Mary had been known to other Jews in the
village of Nazareth. In John 6:35, 41-51, however, and throughout the
Fourth Gospel, Jesus is the Christ of faith, the Son of God who is
said to have pre-existed before the foundation of the world was laid,
who was the Logos, the "Word" by which the world was called into
being. As the Christ of faith in John 6, Jesus is presented as having
an exclusivistic claim to God as Father, as one who comes from God and
has seen God. It is affirmed that no one can come to Jesus as the
Christ unless God the Father draws that person to Jesus as the Christ,
and that Jesus as the Christ of faith will raise such a person from
the dead on the last day. The person who "eats" of this "bread from
heaven" will not die. Jesus the Christ as this "bread from heaven" is
far superior to the manna that the fathers of the 1st century Jews had
eaten in the wilderness, for although they ate they still died.
According to John 6, the bread that the Johannine Jesus as the Christ
of faith will give for the life of the world is the flesh of the
Christ of faith, the Lamb of God who in Johannine terms "takes away
the sin of the world."

 When this John 6:35, 41-51 text is read and when it forms the
primary basis for the worship service, we have an obligation to the
people of the congregations in which we serve to say something about
the theological development that occurred between perceiving Jesus as
the Jesus of history, one among several sons of Joseph and his wife
Mary, and Jesus as the Christ of faith, the only-begotten Son of God.
If we do not indicate this development and show that we are aware of
this distinction, we shall be propagating the longstanding and
non-productive anti-Jewish polemic that is associated with this text.
If we do not share some of our understanding of this theological
development and of this distinction in perceptions of Jesus, we shall
simply be promulgating supersessionistic anti-Jewish polemic without
helping the thinking people within the congregations in which we serve
to come to a better understanding of the process in the development of
their Christian religion as the impact that the Jesus of history had
made on some of his followers was shaped by the inspiration of God
into belief in Jesus as the Christ of faith, one with God, through
whom salvation and eternal life is offered to all of us.

 Get a Jump on Advent/Christmas Programming ? SAVE 53%!

 <http://www.csspub.com/julychristmas.html>

 /* ? Stimulating sermon material for the busiest season of the
year

 ? Dramatic worship ideas that will captivate your congregation

 ? Flexible material that can be customized for many settings*/

 <http://www.csspub.com/julychristmas.html>

 Ephesians 4:25--5:2

 Here in Ephesians 4:25-5:2 we have the parenesis, the guidelines of
how we should respond to the proclamation that Jesus as the Christ
provides eternal life for us. As among those who as the "Body of
Christ" are "in Christ," we should put aside all bitterness, anger,
and slander and replace them with kindness and forgiveness. Then we
will not grieve the Holy Spirit of God. We are exhorted to be
imitators of God and to conduct ourselves in a life that is
characterized by love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself for us
as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. We see that by the time
that this section of the epistle "to the Ephesians" was written much
reflection had occurred within the thoughts of some of the followers
of Jesus about the significance of Jesus' life, of his death, and of
his resurrection as the Christ of faith. In some ways this Ephesians
4:25--5:2 text is similar to that of the Fourth Gospel and of the
"Epistle to the Hebrews," all of which may stem from approximately the
same period in the development of the early Church.

 1 Kings 19:4-8

 The food that the Lord provided for Elijah in this Elijah story was
so nutritious that it sustained Elijah during his journey of forty
days and forty nights to the mountain of God at Horeb. It is said that
Elijah would have preferred to die under the broom tree, but the Lord
would not permit that to occur. Instead, the Lord permitted Elijah
only to sleep, and then through the intermediary of an angel in this
story twice touched him and told him to eat the freshly baked cake and
the jar of water provided for him so that he would be strengthened.
This story about Elijah obviously has a message for us also in our
discouragement and in our need.

 Psalm 34:1-8

 This Individual Hymn of Praise and Thanksgiving is appropriately
used in conjunction with the Elijah story in 1 Kings 19:4-8. It is a
poetic, hymnic rendition of the Elijah story situation. The psalmist
cried unto the Lord, and the Lord heard the psalmist. The angel of the
Lord is said to camp around those who fear the Lord in order to
deliver them. "O taste and see that the Lord is good" can be
understood metaphorically, or almost literally with reference to the
freshly baked cakes of the Elijah story in 1 Kings 19:4-8 or of the
bread and wine of the Christian Eucharist.

 2 Samuel 18:5-9, 15, 31-33

 The situation depicted here is most understandable to those who have
participated in war and battle conditions in which the combatants are
conditioned to do everything possible to destroy the enemy and to
preserve one's own life and the lives of one's buddies. David as king
confounds his general and the men who are engaged in the horrible
conditions of battle in behalf of David and of the nation in his
desire to spare the life of his own son Absalom who has rebelled
against David. We are torn as we read and hear this story between
identification with David as a father trying to save his son from
death and with Joab and the soldiers under Joab's command who are
being killed or injured because of the horrible civil war that was
caused by David and by David's son. Perhaps this text should be used
in high school and adult Bible study sessions rather than in a worship
setting, so that we will be able to share and discuss our feelings.
The story provides a good opportunity for those who have been involved
in the horrors of military combat to talk within a supportive
congregational setting about their experiences and their feelings.

 Psalm 130

 Out of the depths of despair the psalmist cries for help from the
Lord. The psalmist waits for the Lord to come, for the Lord to rescue
the psalmist and to rescue the people of Israel. Although the
situation depicted in this prayer is not specifically a situation of
war and of the horrible conditions endured during battle conditions,
the psalm certainly can be associated with war, as it is when the
reading of this psalm is linked to the 2 Samuel 18:5-9, 15, 31-33
reading.

 Click here for future days.
<http://www.lectionaryscripturenotes.com/looking-ahead>

 <http://www.csspub.com/prod-0788018019.htm>

 <http://www.sermonsuite.com>

 				Mary Austin 

 A New Society In Christ?

 In verse 31, Paul gives advice that seems eerily prescient: "Put
away from you all bitterness and wrath and anger and wrangling and
slander, together with all malice, and be kind to one another,
tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven
you." Perhaps Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. and Cambridge
police officer James Crowley would have done well to follow that
advice last week. Though only those two gentlemen (and God) know the
true details that led to Gates' arrest for disorderly conduct, the
incident -- particularly in the wake of President Obama's comments on
the matter -- has led to a renewed national conversation on race and
racial profiling. Mary Austin will examine not only how following
Paul's guidelines can make us into better people in Christ, but also
how doing so individually in great numbers can make us over
collectively into a new society in Christ -- one that is marked by
tolerance, lack of fear, lack of anger, and racial harmony....more
<http://www.sermonsuite.com/index.php?s=tiw>

 Holy Believing

 No one wants to die. Yet who among us would like to live forever?
This is our paradox. This is our dilemma. To die means the end of what
we are and have; it signifies also the cessation of whatever yet we
had hoped to be. But wouldn't living forever be equally undesirable?
For it holds out endlessness and sameness, like Shakespeare's
"Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow..." On the other hand, however,
who would want to play a harp throughout all time, or listen endlessly
to "The Hallelujah Chorus"? It is obvious that such questions and
thinking are colored and even determined by our worldly concepts. Our
idioms come from the vocabulary of time and space...more
<http://www.sermonsuite.com/index.php?s=stu>

 <http://www.sermonsuite.com/emphasis-online.html>

 <http://www.sermonsuite.com/emphasis-online.html>

 				David Kalas

 Appetites

 From our very first day out of the womb, we are introduced to the
experience of hunger. I suspect that we don't understand it much at
first; we just feel it. And when we feel it, it makes us cry. As we
grow up, our hunger may make us cry less and less, but it remains a
strong feeling. Our understanding of the feeling remains imperfect. We
are certainly better equipped than a newborn to recognize what we are
feeling, but still it is often unclear to us. We think we're hungry at
times when what we're really feeling is tired. Sometimes boredom
masquerades as hunger. Sadness and discouragement, likewise, can
prompt us to want to eat...more
<http://www.sermonsuite.com/emphasis-online.html>

 <http://www.sermonsuite.com/storyshare.html>

 <http://www.sermonsuite.com/storyshare.html>

 				David O. Bales 			

 The Final Robert

 Everything seemed strange. The church was long and dark, and from
the back it was difficult to see in the subdued light. The extreme
strangeness began with the first speaker. "When the final Robert was
the original Bobby we had to play his games. At anyone else's birthday
he was always last to come to the table; and, if we were going
somewhere for someone else's birthday, we had to sit and wait for him
until Dad blew the horn a couple times." Other people spoke, and then
Aunt Virginia. Didn't she die ten years ago? "We gave the final Robert
all the chances we gave others -- the hugs and presents, and we
listened to his childhood concerns. Yet he was the child of the
permanent scowl and the word 'No' "...more
<http://www.sermonsuite.com/storyshare.html>

 <http://www.sermonsuite.com/the-village-shepherd.html>

 <http://www.sermonsuite.com/the-village-shepherd.html>

 				Janice Scott 

 Unnoticed Gifts

 When Jesus was on this earth, some people realized what a huge and
wonderful gift from God they'd been given. But others were
antagonistic and hostile, and in effect threw the gift back into God's
face. It started in Nazareth, Jesus' own village. There were all sorts
of murmurings against Jesus. "Isn't this the guy we grew up with? How
could he be anything special? Get him out of here!" And Jesus was
unable to perform many miracles in his home village, because of the
attitude of those who knew him well. In today's gospel we see the
discontent spreading...more
<http://www.sermonsuite.com/the-village-shepherd.html>

 <http://www.sermonsuite.com/children-sermons.html>

 <http://www.sermonsuite.com/children-sermons.html>

 				Leah Thompson 

 Building 

 Others Up

 *Object: Legos*

 How many of you have played with Legos before? /(allow answers)/ How
many of you build things with K'nex or Lincoln Logs? Building things
can be a lot of fun! There are all kinds of things you can build with
building blocks. What kind of things have you built? /(allow answers)/
Using Legos, you can build castles, houses, helicopters, or ships.
Building is fun! Sometimes we help other people build things out of
Legos or other building blocks. When we are helping to build
something, we have to talk to the other people. What are some things
you talk about when you are helping someone build?...more
<http://www.sermonsuite.com/children-sermons.html>

 Author of 

 /Lectionary Scripture Notes/

 Dr. Norman A. Beck
<http://www.lectionaryscripturenotes.com/norman-beck>

 "Risky business writing a book like this one ... I loved it!" 

 ? Leonard Sweet 

 <http://www.csspub.com/prod-078802616X.htm>

 Mark Elliott bares his soul as he takes a brutally honest look at
the real person we pastors are on the inside that few people ever
know. Each page speaks to the honest confessions inside and draws out
the hidden person in us all. /*This book is destined to set you
free!*/

 <http://www.csspub.com/prod-078802616X.htm>

 Copyright ? 1970 - 2009 CSS Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

 517 S. Main Street ? Lima, OH 45804 ?http://www.csspub.com



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End of Propertalk Digest, Vol 59, Issue 6
*****************************************




From annfontaine at mac.com  Tue Aug  4 10:24:58 2009
From: annfontaine at mac.com (Ann Fontaine)
Date: Tue, 04 Aug 2009 07:24:58 -0700
Subject: [Propertalk] emergent psalter
Message-ID: <EE22764E-FBCD-443D-9DBD-FB44421011B2@mac.com>

New settings for the psalms

Psalm 130

http://www.isaaceverett.com/2009/08/04/psalm-130-todd-and-angie-fadel/



Ann Fontaine c3
Lander, Wyoming


4328







From joeparrish at compuserve.com  Wed Aug  5 09:25:30 2009
From: joeparrish at compuserve.com (joeparrish at compuserve.com)
Date: Wed, 05 Aug 2009 09:25:30 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] Fwd: [Goodsermons] Free Preaching Resources John 6:35,
	41-51
In-Reply-To: <20090804171018.55EF313B874B@mail.vaxicom.com>
References: <20090804171018.55EF313B874B@mail.vaxicom.com>
Message-ID: <8CBE3E7569B13C4-ED0-6E4@angweb-usm004.sysops.aol.com>

???Forwarded:


-----Original Message-----
From: Office <office at goodpreacher.com>
To: Goodsermons at GoodPreacher.com
Sent: Tue, Aug 4, 2009 12:42 pm
Subject: [Goodsermons] Free Preaching Resources

PREACHING THE LESSON: John 6:35, 41-51

The connections between this text and the Eucharist are strong. Jesus??? 
words in verse 35 bring comfort like an old familiar hymn sung by 
saints of every time and place. The final verse of this passage (v. 51) 
has sparked debate among liturgical scholars for centuries. By paying 
close attention to the verses in between, as well, preaching may be 
able to provide new relevance, not only for our Eucharistic practices, 
but for our daily lives.

If the qu
 estion which began last week???s sermon was, ???What???s for 
lunch????, then the question for this week???s sermon text is, ???Who???s 
making supper???? In this week???s text we find questions about who 
actually can feed us in a life-giving way and what is being served. In 
a nation where one out of every ten people is underfed, these are not 
trivial questions. For ancient Christians, as well as contemporary 
ones, these questions are crucial in revealing how God intends for 
people to live and be fed.
??
Who is making dinner? Drive with me over to the local grocery store and 
watch those weary weekday warriors searching for a parking space and 

 I???ll show you who is making dinner. It is 5:35 p.m. following a day of 
work and the aisles are clogged with moms and dads, singles and 
seniors, all searching the shelves for affordable food for themselves 
and their families. Gathering into baskets their daily manna, now 
packaged in boxes, cans, and cartons, they take their place in a line, 
silently waiting for their items to be weighed, scanned, and assessed, 
their daily wages to be exchanged for nourishment. No wonder the faces 
of people in supermarkets look so empty and lifeless. Making dinner is 
often a thankless task and a duty for those who see the future holding 
only the preparation of their next meal. It is made even more
  mundane 
by the contemporary supermarket that sterilizes, compartmentalizes, and 
depersonalizes this essentially social custom of eating and drinking to 
the point that it no longer seems to have any relationship to God, the 
earth, or human community.
??
Do churches correct that misperception? Our concern over sanitation has 
changed the sacramental practices of some Christian churches. Nothing 
reflects this change more than the pre-packaged, individualized 
communion elements that are passed from stranger to stranger in the 
pews. Pull back the cellophane to unveil the uniformly constructed 
???body of Christ??? conveniently nestled over a plastic container of ???the 
blood of Christ,??? a
 s if the portable bread and juice have been taken 
 from a heavenly lunch box packed by Jesus. It is hard to call this 
stuff ???living bread.??? When congregants complain about eating from a 
loaf after it has been touched by the hands of other people, the 
intended ???communion??? with God and neighbor has already been shattered 
by ???murmuring.???
??
People of all religious traditions practice some form of common meal as 
a sacred ritual that connects humanity with God. The sharing of food 
models the interconnection of human beings with each other, the Source 
of creation, and the earth itself. For Christians, this ???breaking 
bread??? provides a window 20into the nature of God as Trinity, an eternal 
life shared among three persons. The self-giving of Jesus revealed in 
this meal introduces a model of ongoing community through the 
continuous cycle of self-giving in God???s economy on earth.1 When asked, 
???Who is making dinner???? Christians may answer, ???Jesus, the self-giving 
of God in human flesh??? is making dinner, not just for us, but for the 
whole world.
??
So, what is Jesus serving? ???The bread that I will give for the life of 
the world is my flesh,??? says Jesus. Remember the earlier words in 
John???s gospel (1:14) that declared that the same Word that was 
participating from the beginning
  in the creation of the world actually 
became flesh and lived on earth. This fleshly, eternal Word sent from 
God will share himself completely with everyone who is willing to be 
connected to his humanity and who can believe that this connection will 
bring life, even in the face of death.

In our city, faith groups provide most of the support for persons 
without permanent homes or adequate supplies of food. One of those 
groups is the Metropolitan Inter-faith Association (MIFA),2 formed in 
Memphis in 1968 as an outgrowth of inter-faith efforts to address the 
social inequities of that time. The presenting issue was the sanitation 
worker???s strike (an event which brought Martin Luther 
 King, Jr. to the 
city where his life was ended by an assassin???s bullet). When clergy 
came together to speak out against racial and economic injustice, the 
community responded in outrage that these people of God dared to take a 
stand on such controversial issues. This reaction convinced religious 
leaders that future efforts to combat injustice must arise from unified 
voices and actions, so they joined in a common action to create MIFA. 
Now over fifty years old, MIFA provides services for 60,000 persons 
annually who find themselves outside the circle of self-sufficiency in 
society. People are fed. Lives are saved.

Another simple program in the city is called, ???More on Monday,??
 ? because 
it supplements what other programs are already doing. The director of 
this effort is a young adult who knows first hand what life is like on 
the streets. Although years of reckless living left this person with 
limited resources and a life-threatening illness, this person has 
entered a life of service to others who hunger and thirst on a daily 
basis. On each Monday afternoon, a group of homeless people receive 
baggies of food and bottles of water from the trunk of a car driven by 
a person who knows their needs, having once walked the same pathways 
that they now walk.

Who is making dinner and what is being served? Jesus sets the table of 
God???s cosmic ban
 quet and invites us to dine on the generosity of his 
own self-giving. Within this economy all receive what they need each 
day, not because they are good consumers, but because God is a good and 
merciful provider.

Mary Lin Hudson
Professor of Homiletics and Liturgics
Memphis Theological Seminary

Notes
1. For a newly published perspective on this subject see Angel F. 
Mendez Montoya, The Theology of Food, Eating and the Eucharist 
(Illuminations: Theory & Religion), (Wiley-Blackwell, 2009).
2. www.mifa.org/ourhistory

(Subscribers to GoodPreacher.com have access to more than 60 articles 
and sermons on the texts this week like the one above. For a limited 
time, we invite all pastors to=2
 0subscribe at the student rate of $49.99.)

Be sure to check out the free preaching resources at 
www.GoodPreacher.com (Homiletical Hot Tub) and see below for a free 
preaching article on this Sunday's Gospel text.

Register for the 2010 Festival of Homiletics and then purchase audio 
recordings of the 2009 Festival of Homiletics.
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From joeparrish at compuserve.com  Wed Aug  5 09:32:36 2009
From: joeparrish at compuserve.com (joeparrish at compuserve.com)
Date: Wed, 05 Aug 2009 09:32:36 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] Fwd: Sermon Resources for August 9th
In-Reply-To: <676856C474C84B88AAC679917BFD211A@yourw04gtxld67>
References: <676856C474C84B88AAC679917BFD211A@yourw04gtxld67>
Message-ID: <8CBE3E854381D6F-ED0-6E7@angweb-usm004.sysops.aol.com>

???Forwarded:


-----Original Message-----
From: Sermons.com <illustrations at CLERGY.NET>
To: ESERMONS-WEEKLY at MAIL.IHS.NET
Sent: Mon, Aug 3, 2009 1:05 pm
Subject: Sermon Resources for August 9th




Sermon Resources for Proper 14:

??

????????John 6:35, 41-51?? - ??Jesus: Liar, Lunatic, Legend, or Lord?
?????? Ephesians 4:25-5:2 ??-?? Tinctures of Truth in the Tincture of Time

??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????by Leonard Sweet

??
John 6, the sermon titled ???Jesus: Liar, Lunatic, Legend, or Lord"

Before
  we read the text for this morning I am going to ask you to do 
something a little different. I want you to listen to the reading not 
with a heart of faith but with a skeptical mind. If it helps, imagine 
that you do not know that Jesus is anything else but a teacher. You are 
a first century person who has just been introduced to him. [Read John 
6:35, 41-51]

Pretty incredible isn't it? For someone to make such claims. What if, 
later today, you were introduced to someone and that someone said, "Hi, 
I am the bread that has came down from heaven." You would look at your 
friend who just introduced you to this person and you would say, "I'm 
sorry, what did he just 
 say?" Anyone who seriously made such claims 
would easily be labeled a kook, a nut, certifiable.

??

C.S. Lewis, in his book "Mere Christianity," makes the following 
statement about Jesus: "A man who was merely a man and said the sort of 
things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either 
be a lunatic--on the level with a man who says he is a poached egg--or 
he would be the devil of hell. You must take your choice. Either this 
was, and is, the Son of God, or else a madman or something worse. You 
can shut him up for a fool or you can fall at his feet and call him 
Lord and God. But let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about 

 his being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us."

??

Throughout the book Lewis argues for the truthfulness and importance of 
the Christian faith. But before we go any further, let me recommend 
this: If you have a friend who has doubts about the Christian faith, go 
get this book "Mere Christianity" and give it to them. If they are 
honest in their doubts it will overcome many of them. In the book you 
will find the following idea put forth: Jesus was either a liar, 
lunatic, legend, or Lord.

??

This scene from Jesus' life (John 6:41-52) demonstrates these four 
possibilities. Jesus is either...

??

1. A Liar

2. A Lunatic 0D

3. A Legend

4. Or Lord

??

The rest of this sermon following the outline above can be obtained by 
joining www.eSermons.com.
_________________________________

??

Second Sermon by Len Sweet

Ephesians 4, the sermon entitled ???Tinctures of Truth in the Tincture of 
Time"

??

Our lectionary reading from Ephesians this morning offers a healing 
ointment to a church that is sick and in need of salve, a word from 
which we drive our word ???salvation.???

??

This morning I have before me some salves I grew up with: a bottle of 
iodine, a bottle of merthiolate, a bottle of mercurochrome. [It will 
not be easy to f
 ind these except by asking some of your older members 
if they still have any samples in their medicine chests.]

??

Here are their replacements today: bacitracin, neosporin. [These will 
be easy to find.]

??

We don???t have either mercurochrome or merthiolate because both these 
compounds contained mercury, one mercury and bromine (Mercurochrome) 
and the other mercury and sodium (merthiolate). The FDA has decided 
that things with mercury in them were not good for you, which sounds 
about right to me. But why you can have mercury in your mouth through 
tooth fillings, or mercury in your home through fluorescent bulbs, and 
not in anti-bacterial medicines and antiseptics is 20a mystery to me.

??

But let???s see this morning how many of you remember being tortured by 
your parents with the germ-killing sting of a tincture of iodine or a 
tincture of merthiolate. Raise your hand. . . . My parents never used 
mercurochrome because it didn???t sting, and thus it couldn???t possibly be 
working to wipe out bacteria.

??

Those of you who put your hands up know that these killer fluids came 
in tiny brown bottles with a long glass dropper inside. [If you don???t 
have the real thing, you will need to make sure they can picture it.] 
The glass dropper would hover over whatever wound was being treated, a 
scraped knee, a
  sliced toe, a de-slivered finger-tip, while the howling 
child (that???s you) waited for that first bright red drop of medicine to 
hit home???

??

Outside of the chemistry lab, though, a ???tincture??? has come to be 
recognized as a generic term for a kind of healing, restorative tonic. 
Originally many of the healing ???tinctures??? were herbal infusions ??? 
gentle healers, less concentrated, and less medicinally recognized, as 
the twentieth century wore on.

??

The key to an herbal ???tincture??? was not unlike making a good cup of 
tea. It required ???steeping time??? ??? letting the restorative agents just 
???sit 20and soak??? until the greatest part of their essence had seeped out 
into the surrounding liquid. Eventually, savvy parents began 
subtracting the herbs and opting for a simpler, purer form of healing ??? 
a ???tincture of time.??? In layman???s terms, ???let time heal the wound.???

??

In today???s Ephesians text the Body of Christ is being gently dosed (not 
hosed) with some healing tinctures ??? infusions of character, attitude, 
practice, and patience that will work together and synergize to create 
a stronger, healthier ???body.??? All the qualities, the ???virtues??? today???s 
text advocates, require the ???tincture of time???=E
 2??

??

The rest of Leonard Sweet's sermon can be obtained by joining 
www.eSermons.com.

??

Click here:?? http://www.esermons.com/signup or call 1-800-777-7731 to 
join.

??

________________________________

??

Stewardship Campaign: A complete approach to stewardship.?? Please click 
here for more information

??

http://www.sermons.com/sampleStewardship.asp

??

_________________________________

??

Clothed in Human Flesh

??

Next to the Bible, my favorite book is Harper Lee's award-winning 
novel, "To Kill a Mockingbird." I love both the book and the movie. The 
main character, the one who tells the story, is 
 a little girl named 
Jean Louise Finch, who goes by the name of Scout. Her father, Atticus 
Finch, is the town's lawyer and a man of deep principles and integrity. 
I always wanted to grow up and be like Atticus Finch.

??

One day, Scout came home from school and told her father about some 
problems she was having with the teacher and several other students. In 
an effort to help her get along better with others, Atticus gave her 
this advice:

??

"First of all, if you can learn a simple trick, Scout, you'll get along 
a lot better with all kinds of folks. You never really understand a 
person until you consider things from his point of view... until you 
 
climb into his skin and walk around in it."

??

That's exactly what Jesus did. Clothed in human flesh, Jesus felt pain 
as we feel pain. He suffered as we suffer. He even experienced death. 
Jesus climbed into our skin and walked around in it.

??

Billy D. Strayhorn, Beyond Skin Deep

________________________

??

Our Christian Landmarks

??

During World War II allied armies marched into Germany on their way to 
Berlin. Retreating German soldiers switched road signs and destroyed 
landmarks in an effort to confuse their enemy. And, to an extent, it 
worked, for many a G.I. followed a false marker only to end up in the 
wrong place. Th
 at just goes to show the need for landmarks, the 
importance of reliable signposts by which to steer.

??

Here locally, landmarks like the courthouse, the river, the college, or 
the bridge are important in helping us find our bearings. Why, if some 
villain came in one night and removed our signposts, the next day would 
become a bewildering jumble of uncertainties, and we'd all be lost.??

??

The text is about landmarks. It refers to the Jewish custom of setting 
boundary stones to mark out property. Just as we do today, so our 
Hebrew forefathers did then. Wells, fords, buildings, and stone 
sentinels were their guides. Hence the strict law: "Remove not the 
ancie
 nt landmark which your fathers have set."??

??

We live in a day of rapid change, and this law is being grossly 
ignored. Our history is being bulldozed to clear the way for 
development. Some professors are twisting the guideposts in the minds 
and hearts of our students. Traditions are forgotten, manners ignored. 
The result is a kind of chaos -- social confusion and rootless 
individualism. We live in a society that's lost its bearings and is 
adrift on a sea of change.??

??

The Lord's Table is a landmark. For nearly 2,000 years Christians have 
been gathering to eat this meal. And, for all, it can be the means of 
getting one's bearings.

??
=0
 A
Stephen M. Crotts, Sermons for Sundays after Pentecost, CSS Publishing

??

____________________________

??

A Reminder of Our True Home

??

The influence that??food can have on us appears in a Chinese story 
originally told by Linda Fang. She presented this story at the 
Smithsonian Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, Washington, D.C., March 19, 1988.
??
At the foot of a great mountain in China lived a father and his three 
sons.?? They were a simple and loving family.??The father noticed that 
travelers came from afar eager to climb the dangerous mountain.?? But 
not one of them ever returned! The three sons heard stories about the 
mountain, how it=2
 0was made all of gold and silver at the top.?? Despite 
their father's warnings, they could not resist venturing up the 
mountain.
??
Along the way, under a tree, sat a beggar, but the sons did not speak 
to him or give him anything.?? They ignored him. One by one, the sons 
disappeared up the mountain, the first to a house of rich food, the 
second to a house of fine wine, the third to a house of gambling.?? Each 
became a slave to his desire and forgot his home.?? Meanwhile, their 
father became heartsick.?? He missed them terribly.?? "Danger aside," he 
said, "I must find my sons."
??
Once he scaled the mountain, the father found that indeed the rocks 
 
were gold, the streams silver.?? But he hardly noticed.?? He only wanted 
to reach his sons, to help them remember the life of love they once 
knew.?? On the way down, having failed to find them, the father noticed 
the beggar under the tree and asked for his advice.
??
"The mountain will give your sons back," said the beggar, "only if you 
bring something from home to cause them to remember the love of their 
family."
??
The father raced home, brought back a bowl full of rice, and gave the 
beggar some as a thank-you for his wisdom.?? He then found his sons, one 
at a time, and carefully placed a grain of rice on the tongue of each 
of them.?? At=2
 0that moment, the sons recognized their foolhardiness.?? 
Their real life was now apparent to them.?? They returned home with 
their father, and as one loving family lived happily ever after.
??
Today we gather in this church to receive a reminder of home, a taste 
of food that will help us remember who we are.?? I mean the bread of 
life, our Father's gift to us.?? This is the food of God's kingdom, and 
reminds us that this kingdom is our true home.
??
Charles Hoffacker, Food from Home
________________________________________

??

Missing the Point

??

The German theologian Helmut Thielicke told of a hungry man passing a 
store with a sign in th
 e window, "We Sell Bread." He entered the store, 
put some money on the counter, and said, "I would like to buy some 
bread." The women behind the counter replied, "We don???t sell bread." 
"The sign in the window says that you do," the hungry man said. The 
woman explained, "We make signs here like the one in the window that 
says ???We Sell Bread.???" But, as Thielicke concludes, a hungry man can???t 
eat signs.

??Life sometimes fools us too. Bread isn???t always found where it seems 
to be. Today???s Gospel lesson picks up where we left off last week in 
John 6. Like the crowds looking for something else or that man looking 
in the wrong store, we 20often miss the point when God offers us enduring 
life in Jesus.

??

Michael J. Heggen, The Bread of Life

_____________________________

??

Spirit and Life

??

Years ago, Harry Emerson Fosdick, then at the height of his influence 
as minister of the Riverside Church, New York City, was making a tour 
of Palestine and other countries of the Near and Middle East. He was 
invited to give an address at the American University of Beirut, 
Lebanon, where the student body comprised citizens of many countries 
and representatives from sixteen different religions. What could one 
say that would be relevant or of interest to so mixed and varied a 
group? This
  is how Fosdick began: "I do not ask anyone here to change 
his religion; but I do ask all of you to face up to this question: What 
is your religion doing to your character?"
??
This was a call to consider one of the great issues of human belief: 
religion and life, Christianity and character, word and spirit. Emerson 
once said, "What you are speaks so loudly I cannot hear a word you 
say." Jesus' discourse in this whole sixth chapter of the Gospel of 
John had two foci - spirit and life. "The words that I have spoken to 
you are spirit and life." By this he meant that those who appropriated 
his spirit, i.e., fed upon him as the bread of life, would find, 
thereby,=2
 0a fulfillment and satisfaction no other means could give.

Donald Macleod, Know the Way, Keep the Truth, Win the Life, CSS 
Publishing Company
_______________________

??

A More Wholesome Grain

??

Turkey Red Wheat. The hard wheat from which a high quality flour is 
made has an interesting history. Mennonites lived in the Ukraine, a 
part of nineteenth century Russia. Because of their opposition to war 
arising from their Christian faith, they decided to emigrate when 
Russia introduced military conscription. As families packed to leave, 
they selected the best of their Turkey red seed grain and filled a 
trunk to take with them.

??

When the Mennonite refuge
 es migrated to the prairie provinces of Canada 
and the plains states of the United States, they brought the seed with 
them and found the prairie land receptive. From these trunks of wheat 
have come the hard flour that is preferred for many purposes over the 
soft wheat which was the only kind available earlier. This wheat made 
the prairies a breadbasket that has shipped wheat and flour all over 
the world.

??

William E. Keeney, Preaching the Parables, CSS Publishing Company

??

_________________

??

Human Knowledge

??

Listen to this statistic: Knowledge is exploding at such a rate--more 
than 2000 pages a minute--that even Einstein couldn't k
 eep up. In fact, 
if you read 24 hours a day, from age 21 to 70, and retained all you 
read, you would be one and a half million years behind when you 
finished (Campus Life)

??

An amazing statistic. Now tell me when do you suppose this information 
was compiled? It will alarm you that these statistics do not take into 
account the Internet. They do not even take into account the personal 
computer???

??

The conclusion to this illustration and many additional illustrations 
and sermons for Proper 14 can be accessed at www.Sermons.com.

??





From JoeParrish at compuserve.com  Wed Aug  5 09:58:00 2009
From: JoeParrish at compuserve.com (Joe Parrish)
Date: Wed, 5 Aug 2009 09:58:00 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] Fw: SermonWriter:  Aug. 9 (Proper 14B) John 6:35, 41-51
Message-ID: <ADBEDA77634545AE9A12C8159CB1AF50@YOUR264F1833C5>

The following are SermonWriter materials for Aug. 9 (Proper 14B). They focus 
on John 6:35, 41-51, where Jesus says, "I am the bread of life."

NO PASSWORD REQUIREMENT: We are posting these materials on the web with no 
password.  To access those files, you MUST use the following links.  If 
clicking on the link fails to work, copy the link and paste it in the 
address window near the top of your browser.  Then hit the ENTER key or 
click GO.

Microsoft Word file:
http://www.lectionary.org/SW/08-09sP/John_6.35_41-51.doc

HTML file (web page):
http://www.lectionary.org/SW/08-09sP/John_6.35_41-51.htm

WordPerfect file:
http://www.lectionary.org/SW/08-09sP/John_6.35_41-51.wpd


A TIP: If you want the Word or WordPerfect files, LEFT-CLICK on the link and 
see what happens.  That should bring up a dialog box that asks if you want 
to open the file or save it.  Choose OPEN.  Then save it wherever you like 
on your hard drive.

If that doesn't work, RIGHT-CLICK on the link.  You should get a sub-menu. 
Hopefully, "Save Target As" will be one of the options.  Click on that. 
Then save the file wherever you want on your hard drive.


<>
Dick Donovan


A THOUGHT ON PREACHING:  I would not have preachers torment their hearers, 
and detain them with long and tedious preaching. (Martin Luther)


TITLE:  Food from Home


SERMON IN A SENTENCE:  When we climb the mountain of illusion, the Eucharist 
calls us back home.


SCRIPTURE:  John 6:35, 41-51


<>

FOR ANOTHER SERMON ON THIS TEXT, GO TO:

http://www.lectionary.org/SermLinks/NT/NT04john.htm

Scroll down to John 6.  There is one additional sermon on this text posted 
there.


TRUE STORY:

In his book, Growing Spiritually, E. Stanley Jones tells of a guide taking 
his group through a grand cavern.  There were many beautiful stalactites 
hanging from the roof and stalagmites growing up from the floor.  The 
stalactites and stalagmites are formed by water dripping from the ceiling. 
Each drop of water, having percolated through layers of rock, had a tiny 
amount of minerals dissolved within.  As those drops of water dripped from 
the stalactites (the ones that hang from the roof), each one deposited a 
molecule or two of mineral on the stalactite or the stalagmite.  Over the 
years, those little bits of dissolved mineral formed those beautiful 
stalactites and stalagmites -- some of them many feet in length.

But the guide told them that the water traveled through the center of the 
stalactites -- not on the outer surface.  He said that when that channel 
becomes clogged, that stalactite stops growing.

Stanley Jones commented that we are like that.  Many people "are spiritual 
stalactites with channels clogged."  He went on to say, "We need perpetually 
to get rid of the things that clog mind and spirit."


THOUGHT PROVOKERS:

No person in this world attains to freedom from any slavery
except by entrance into some higher servitude.
There is no such thing as an entirely free person conceivable.

Phillips Brooks


*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

Our disciplines at Church of the Saviour are that we will worship each 
Sunday.  We will have an hour of devotion each morning.  We will be in one 
of the mission groups of the church, engaged with the world at some place of 
need.  And we will tithe proportionately, beginning with a tenth of our 
income.  As I began to practice these, my faith deepened and grew and has 
ever since..

(Don't disciplines drive people away?  Some.  They attract others.)  We 
recognize this in every other area of life.  Take medical students.  They 
accept immense disciplines!  Think of what they go through in order to 
obtain their medical degree.  To think we Christians can grow in faith and 
grow into the full stature of Christ without disciplines is a kind of folly.

Elizabeth O'Connor, in Context, March 1, 1989

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

Christians today bear little resemblance to those of the first century.
We twentieth-century Christians have become soft.
We have become absorbed with the world,
until it is now difficult to tell the difference
between the Christian and the worldling.
The Bible teaches that every Christian is to live a life of self-discipline.
We Christians need to tighten our belts
and harden ourselves for the trials that lie ahead.

Billy Graham


*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *


Self-discipline never means giving up anything -- 
for giving up is a loss.
Our Lord did not ask us to give up the things of earth,
but to exchange them for better things.

Fulton J. Sheen

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

I discover an arrant laziness in my soul.
For when I am to read a chapter in the Bible,
before I begin I look where it endeth.
And if it endeth not on the same side,
I cannot keep my hands from turning over the leaf,
to measure the length thereof on the other side;
if it swells to many verses, I begin in grudge.
Surely my heart is not rightly affected.
Were I truly hungry after heavenly food,
I would not complain of meat.

Scourge, Lord, this laziness of my soul;
make the reading of thy Word not a penance
but a pleasure unto me;
so I may esteem that chapter in Thy Word the best
which is the longest.

Thomas Fuller

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *



BIBLIOGRAPHY:

Barclay, William, The Daily Study Bible, "The Gospel of John," Vol. 1 
(Edinburgh: The Saint Andrew Press, 1955)

Borchert, Gerald L., New American Commentary: John 1-11, Vol. 25A 
(Nashville: Broadman Press, 1996)

Bruce, F. F., The Gospel of John (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing 
Co., 1983).

Brueggemann, Walter; Cousar, Charles B.; Gaventa, Beverly R. and Newsome, 
James D., Texts for Preaching: A Lectionary Commentary Based on the 
NRSV--Year B (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 1993)

Carson, D. A., The Pillar New Testament Commentary: The Gospel of John 
(Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1991).

Craddock, Fred R.; Hayes, John H.; Holladay, Carl R.; and Tucker, Gene M., 
Preaching Through the Christian Year B (Valley Forge: Trinity Press 
International, 1993)

Gossip, Arthur John and Howard, Wilbert F., The Interpreter's Bible, Volume 
8 (Nashville: Abingdon, 1952)

Howard-Brook, Wes, Becoming the Children of God: John's Gospel and Radical 
Discipleship (New York: Maryknoll, 1994)

Hoyer, Robert J., Lectionary Bible Studies: The Year of Mark, Study Book

Kostenberger, Andreas J., Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament: 
John (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2004)

Lincoln, Andrew T., Black's New Testament Commentary: The Gospel According 
to Saint John (London: Continuum, 2005)

Morris, Leon, The New International Commentary on the New Testament: The 
Gospel According to John (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 
1995).

O'Day, Gail R., The New Interpreter's Bible, Volume IX (Nashville: Abingdon, 
1995)

Ridderbos, Herman (translated by John Vriend), The Gospel of John: A 
Theological Commentary (Grand Rapids:  William B. Eerdmans Publishing 
Company, 1997)

Sloyan, Gerald, "John," Interpretation (Atlanta: John Knox Press, 1988)

Smith, D. Moody, Jr., Abingdon New Testament Commentaries: John (Nashville: 
Abingdon, 1999)

www.sermonwriter.com

www.lectionary.org





From JoeParrish at compuserve.com  Wed Aug  5 09:59:14 2009
From: JoeParrish at compuserve.com (Joe Parrish)
Date: Wed, 5 Aug 2009 09:59:14 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] Fw: SermonWriter: Aug. 9 (Proper 14B) 2 Sam 18 & 2
	Kings 19
Message-ID: <8FA1A9089BC349A397E4D44B4DDB2EC7@YOUR264F1833C5>

THE FOLLOWING are links to materials for:

   2 Samuel 18:5-9, 15, 31-33 (RCL SemiContinuous Reading)

   1 Kings 19:4-8 (RCL Paired Reading & Catholic Reading)

NO PASSWORD REQUIREMENT: We are posting these materials on the web with no 
password.
To access those files, you MUST use the following links.

IF CLICKING ON THE LINK FAILS TO WORK, copy the link and paste it in the 
address window near the top of your browser.
Then hit the ENTER key or click GO.


2 SAMUEL 18:5-9, 15, 31-33 (RCL SemiContinuous Reading)
These materials include the exegesis + a link to one sermon + a hymn list:

Microsoft Word file:
http://www.lectionary.org/SW/08-09sP/2Sam_18.5-9_15_31-33.doc

HTML file (web page):
http://www.lectionary.org/SW/08-09sP/2Sam_18.5-9_15_31-33.htm

WordPerfect file:
http://www.lectionary.org/SW/08-09sP/2Sam_18.5-9_15_31-33.wpd


1 KINGS 19:4-8 (RCL Paired & Catholic Readings)

Microsoft Word file:
http://www.lectionary.org/SW/08-09sP/1Kings_19.01-21.doc

HTML file (web page):
http://www.lectionary.org/SW/08-09sP/1Kings_19.01-21.htm

WordPerfect file:
http://www.lectionary.org/SW/08-09sP/1Kings_19.01-21.wpd

A TIP: If you want the Word or WordPerfect files, LEFT-CLICK on the link and 
see what happens.
That should bring up a dialog box that asks if you want to open the file or 
save it.
Choose OPEN.  Then save it wherever you like on your hard drive.

If that doesn't work, RIGHT-CLICK on the link.  You should get a sub-menu.
Hopefully, "Save Target As" will be one of them.  Click on that.
Then save the file wherever you want on your hard drive.


WWW.LECTIONARY.ORG:
<>
Dick Donovan




From robertpmorrison at charterinternet.com  Sat Aug  8 00:06:47 2009
From: robertpmorrison at charterinternet.com (Robert P Morrison)
Date: Fri, 7 Aug 2009 21:06:47 -0700
Subject: [Propertalk] Homily for 1552
Message-ID: <20090808000647.6JF0N.3125207.root@mp20>

For your entertainment, or not, here's the homily I've written for using with the 1552 prayer book service.

I like the way the "day" is designated in 1552 as "The ix Sonday"!

The Gospel is the story of the steward who was siphoning off the owner's profits.

Bob

THE EPISCOPAL PARISH OF ST. JAMES, LINCOLN CITY          THE ix SONDAY 
1 CORINTHIANS10:1-13		                 [ PROPER 14 b RCL  ]
 LUKE 16:1-92	                 [ THE TENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST ]
9th AUGUST, 2009
LITURGY USING 1552 PRAYER BOOK

	One of the e-mails I look forward to receiving on a somewhat sporadic basic is called ?A Pause for Beauty: The Heron Dance E-Newsletter?. 1
	I?ve referred to it from time to time in sermons, more by way of passing along some of the verbal thoughts of an artist. What I may not have mentioned is that a picture of one of his original water colours accompanies each short essay. I don?t think I?ve seen one that I haven?t stopped to ask myself if there?s any way I could afford a print of these paintings. I think that?s where my mind latches on to the letter?s title ? ?Pause?. To pause is to stop what one is doing; to take time to allow every detail to register with one; to allow both sound and silence to penetrate one?s being; to give the possibility of thinking over all the choices, and decisions, and opportunities one can experience and in which one can participate ? on a daily basis.
	The whole idea behind pausing ? Rod MacIver?s pausing, anyway, I feel ? is to help everyone who sees and reads what he paints and writes to understand that he details the sort of things we see, even in the short distance between the door of the Church and the end of NE 25th Street, before we even get to Highway 101.
	No, we may not see the proverbial heron of the title of his newsletter ? but there are SO many things to notice, that we simply fail to allow to touch us.
	For instance, no matter how well the parking lot is blown free of leaves and debris, little patches of dried or not-quite-dry particles remain. Look, if you will, at the way that these arrange themselves according to the way the wind blows. See how one little cluster may sit comparatively still while another is constantly moving? Do we notice that? And, if we do, do we ever wonder why? Do we stop to ask about the way that even the slightest-looking piece of vegetation can alter the wind speed and direction?
	If we stand at the north edge of our property, and if we?re still enough, what do we see moving in the brush? And what DO these crows see in us and pass along to their friends? Are they laughing at the things we do? Or do they see in us some redeeming features and are telling one another to pay attention to what other species can tell them about God?
	Of course, pausing may seem foreign to our natures. We want to move quickly; we feel a need to get something done instantly. Maybe we worry that the opportunity may never return, and so, if we hesitate, for whatever reason, it?ll be lost. We?d rather tie up loose ends that allow for speculation, even at the expense of missing out on some details or different opportunities.
	Pausing is good for the soul, then, as well as for the body and the mind. It may even be seen as a sign of faith ? that we trust God to be able to speak through inaction as well as action, through silence as well as sound. Pausing, then, could be defined as risking the discovery of God, no matter what the circumstances. It?s that burst of light that offers tremendous insight into the beauty all around us and helps us come closer to understanding that conundrum about the meaning of life.
	This is a bit like what we?re doing today and for the next three weeks. Most of us have at least a sense of the outline and flow of what we call ?Holy Eucharist?. We may have come so close to the point of being able to work our way through the liturgy that we don?t notice the whirls of the Spirit?s movement in the words and actions. We may be in such a hurry that we fail to notice the miniaturized miraculous.
	Some people call these ?God winks? ? little moments through which the common-place take on a significance in which God speaks reassuringly, not necessarily of instant healing, but of God?s full Presence and knowledge of what?s engaging our attention and energy.
	But here we are immersed in different words, drawn into different sequences, offered in a different way. Instead of a usual Sunday, we?re drawn to think about the words we hear and the actions we see today, and to ask how they relate to our usual experience. We are, in a sense, taking stock of our place in our journey of salvation.
	That could be what Jesus was getting at in the really strange parable offered in this morning?s Gospel. It contains some pretty questionable activities. Someone who was supposed to be safeguarding another?s property, someone who was trusted and respected, had been ripping off the owner. So how does the thief try to remedy the situation? He compounds it by cheating in order to butter up a few of the owner?s clients. And this supposedly pleased God, said Jesus.
	Commentators have been rushing for a couple of thousand years now to absolve Jesus from blessing impropriety, and they?ve raised several different points.  
	One interesting tack has been developed. The Dead Sea Scrolls reveal that there was internal fighting among different groups of Jews in the time of Jesus. In the Qumran settlement there was a so-called ?Community Rule? in which the phrase ?sons of light? was used to describe sect members ? the very phrase used in a disparaging way by Jesus in the parable. ?If Jesus means to criticize 'the sons of light' here, the parable may be seen as being in line with many others of his sayings warning against spiritual vanity, the tendency of religious people to believe themselves better than 'irreligious' people;? 2
	What Jesus may have been saying, therefore, might not be that far off from what Rod MacIver implies by titling his reflections in water colour and word a ?Pause? in which we can re-evaluate our lives. If Jesus? story shocked everyone ? as much today as if may have two thousand years ago ? if Jesus? story made people stop to look at how the Spirit may be swirling through word patterns and ritual, then maybe our use of the 1552 Prayer Book; maybe our surprise at the lack of ornaments and subdued colours at the Table; maybe the possible puzzlement, if not frustration, in being silent for so much of what is happening over a sixty minute period ? all of these may give us as much pause as Jesus? jolting message, and help us come closer to understanding and appreciating what Jesus said and did for us; what Jesus stands ready to say and do for us now ? if only we take the time to pause now and again. The combination of this 1552 Prayer Book celebration and the Gospel assigned for today ? assigned, by the way, back in the 1540s ? this combination may remind us never to take anything for granted ? whether it be the familiar Sunday observance and celebration of Jesus? resurrection, or of our status as Episcopalians, whatever we may think that might be.
	Pausing may not always be at our own discretion. Perhaps it?s put on us by someone or something outside. Yet it?s STILL a gift. Pausing may not always show us only the beautiful, the comforting, the joyful. But it can bring us strength and growth ? spiritual as well as emotional.
	Rod MacIver said in his ?Pause for Beauty? offering this past week, ?Love is a combination of positive energy and enthusiasm for life, or some aspect of life. Love is a celebration of life. Of all of the negatives that one can focus on?pain, suffering, adversity, violence?love is an affirmation of the beauty that nonetheless exists. It is a choice that despite the downers, life is good. Love is a vote for the beauty and mystery that surrounds us. It is a triumph. Love is a choice.?
	So unaccustomed congregational silence and strongly worded exhortations MAY remind us of the seriousness of our call to follow Jesus and commit to God.
	And to define all of this ? a gift from 1552 -  I wonder if we realized fully that when we came into this room, the Table was already set ? the bread was on the Table, so was the wine. Just as in all of life, God had prepared for us even before we walked in through the door.
	God give us Pause!

NOTES

1	My thoughts were inspired by  Up on Trickle Creek - A Pause for Beauty 314 Heron Dance Rod MacIver 311  pauseforbeauty.blogspot.com/
2	Parable of the Unjust Steward - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jun 3, 2009 en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parable_of_the_Unjust_Steward

--
Robert P. Morrison
The Episcopal Parish of St James,
PO Box 789
Lincoln City, Oregon, 97367

541-994-2426 (Church)




From aacline at isys.ca  Sat Aug  8 12:22:33 2009
From: aacline at isys.ca (Allison Cline-Dean & Alastair Dean)
Date: Sat, 08 Aug 2009 12:22:33 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] FT Sermon:  Towards Becoming a Channel of Peace
Message-ID: <4A7DA649.8040006@isys.ca>

Good afternoon fellow list-sibs.

A rare sermon and preaching for the first time in front of my home 
parish.  Many thanks to whomever reminded me of the Northumbria 
Community's Evening Prayer service which I often use as well as to the 
rest of you for your thoughts, meditations, and reflections. 

Allison Cline-Dean
Chaplain, Pioneer Manor
Sudbury, ON, Canada

In his book, /Growing Spiritually/, E. Stanley Jones tells of a guide 
taking his group through a grand cavern.  There were many beautiful 
stalactites hanging from the roof and stalagmites growing up from the 
floor.  Water dripping from the ceiling form the stalactites and 
stalagmites.  Each drop of water, having percolated through layers of 
rock, had a tiny amount of minerals dissolved within.  As those drops of 
water dripped from the stalactites (the ones that hang from the roof), 
each one deposited a molecule or two of mineral on the stalactite or the 
stalagmite.  Over the years, those little bits of dissolved mineral 
formed those beautiful stalactites and stalagmites - some of them many 
feet in length.  The guide told them that the water travelled through 
the centre of the stalactites - not on the outer surface.  He said that 
when that channel becomes clogged, that stalactite stops growing.  
Stanley Jones commented that we are like that.  Many people "are 
spiritual stalactites with channels clogged."  He went on to say, "We 
need perpetually to get rid of the things that clog mind and spirit."

The reading from Ephesians is a guide about not letting our hearts and 
spirit become so clogged that we separate ourselves from God?s love and 
the Bread of Life.  I don?t know about you, but sometimes it is a much 
easier to hold onto anger and grudges than it is to let them go.  Yet, 
Paul in his wisdom tells us that to hold onto hurts, resentments, and 
anger will slow and possibly stop our growth in Christ, destroying 
relationships with others including our families, those in the community 
and the Church. 

 Working as a long-term care chaplain provides me with the opportunity 
to meet with people shortly after they come to Pioneer Manor.  Many are 
angry about how their health has let them down, forcing them to leave 
behind their homes of many years, belongings, and familiar routines.  
Others are angry because their spouse has died or their caregiver can no 
longer continue caring for them.  Their words and stories speak of their 
disappointment, their shock, their bitterness, and their loneliness.  
Many of these residents are devout persons but they wonder where God is 
in all that has happened.  Their words often echo today?s psalm ?Out of 
the depths I have called to you O Lord, hear my voice!  Let your ears be 
attentive to the voice of my supplications.?  Much of what I do is to 
sit with residents and explore where God is in all that has happened.  
As we do the exploration, many residents have been gradually able to let 
go of the anger and the hurt.  They are able to accept that while 
Pioneer Manor is not where they had planned to finish living out the 
final years of their life, that they are still able do some of what is 
important to them ? and Pioneer Manor slowly becomes home.  This 
includes seeing family members and friends, listening to music, taking 
part in various activities, making new friends, as well as continuing 
their faith journey.  They have learned the difficult lesson at 80, 90, 
or 100 years of age of how to live in the moment, to live in love, and 
experience personal transformation.  They have discovered how to unclog 
the channel to find God?s peace and love, and to receive Christ, the 
Bread of Life.

The residents who do not do well at Pioneer Manor are those who hold 
onto the anger and pain, allowing it to clog the channel that enables 
them to give and receive the peace and love of family, friends, and 
God.  Their hurtful, biting words and sarcasm create roadblocks to 
personal growth and relationships with their family, friends, and the 
community around them.  These residents remain prisoners in the darkness 
of the pit of despair as they search for others to blame for their 
deteriorating health and lack of visits from family, friends, or other 
residents. 

There are times when anger is justified but we need to deal with it 
constructively so that it does not bring harm to ourselves, to those 
around us, and to our environment.  Sometimes it means signing a 
petition, working in a soup kitchen, knitting baby layettes for the 
Guardian Angels project, or other ways to bring about positive change in 
our world and our community.   

 There have been, possibly are, and will be times when we feel like the 
psalmist, imprisoned by a deep pit?s darkness, holding onto whatever 
smidgen of faith we have left with every ounce of our strength, praying 
that God hears us.  We put our trust in God?s word as we sink deeper 
into the abyss.  Herbert O?Driscoll writes ?We are shown the depths to 
which we must sometimes go before we can taste God?s great power to 
redeem.  Thank God  - others around us and before us can witness to this 
power being stronger than the darkness.?  Christ invites us to let go of 
our hurt, resentments, and anger ? to offer them to him so that we can 
learn how to forgive with grace and love.  Learning this lesson of God?s 
gracious love and forgiveness means our lives and relationships are no 
longer clogged by constant, unfocussed anger and hurt.  It does not that 
mean that we have to forget what caused the pain, but in following 
Christ?s example of forgiveness, we discover how to deal with what would 
separate us from God and from others so that we do not make the same 
mistake again. 

Christ forgave and accepted us because He loved us, dying on the Cross 
for us.  As we remove those things that spiritually clog our minds and 
spirits and try to imitate Jesus, we prepare to receive Christ, the 
Bread of Life, our Redeemer, our Sanctifier, and our Sustainer to whom 
we pray together with the Northumbria Community:

 Lord, You have always given bread for the coming day;
and though I am poor, today I believe.

Lord, You have always given strength for the coming days;
and though I am weak, today I believe.

 Lord, You have always given peace for the coming day;
and though of anxious heart, today I believe.

Lord, You have always kept me safe in trials;
and now, tired as I am, today I believe.

 Lord, You have always marked the road for the coming day;
and though it may be hidden, today I believe.

 Lord, You have always lightened the darkness of mine;
and though the night is here, today I believe.

Lord, You have always spoken when the time was ripe;
and though you be silent now, today I believe.  Amen

-- 
Edward Bear . . . permeates the whole structure of society.  This is because he is a truly international figure
who is non-religious and yet universally recognized as a symbol of love.  He represents friendship, and so is a
powerful instrument of good will, a wonderful ambassador of peace, functioning as a leavening influence amid
the trials and tribulations of life in the modern world.  (Colonel Bob Henderson)

          World Government Needs Bears!!!  (Helen Exley)


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From chadwohl at satucket.com  Sun Aug  9 21:24:34 2009
From: chadwohl at satucket.com (Charles Wohlers)
Date: Sun, 9 Aug 2009 21:24:34 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] READINGS for the ELEVENTH SUNDAY after PENTECOST
Message-ID: <C42845C4AEA341A5A2299222EF5067CD@cranmer>

The following are the readings for the Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost, 
August 16, (Proper 15, ECUSA; Proper 20, RCL & Roman Catholic) according to 
the Revised Common (RCL), Episcopal (ECUSA), Roman Catholic,  Church of 
England, and Canadian (BAS) Lectionaries. All readings are taken from the 
New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) of the Bible. Unless noted otherwise, 
the lectionaries of ECUSA, Canada and England are identical to the RCL this 
Sunday.



OLD TESTAMENT:  1 Kings 2: 10 - 12, 3: 3 - 14   (RCL)

1Kin 2:10 (NRSV) Then David slept with his ancestors, and was buried in the 
city of David. 11 The time that David reigned over Israel was forty years; 
he reigned seven years in He'bron, and thirty-three years in Jerusalem. 12 
So Solomon sat on the throne of his father David; and his kingdom was firmly 
established.

3:3 Solomon loved the LORD, walking in the statutes of his father David; 
only, he sacrificed and offered incense at the high places. 4 The king went 
to Gib'eon to sacrifice there, for that was the principal high place; 
Solomon used to offer a thousand burnt offerings on that altar. 5 At Gib'eon 
the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said, "Ask what I 
should give you." 6 And Solomon said, "You have shown great and steadfast 
love to your servant my father David, because he walked before you in 
faithfulness, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart toward you; and 
you have kept for him this great and steadfast love, and have given him a 
son to sit on his throne today. 7 And now, O LORD my God, you have made your 
servant king in place of my father David, although I am only a little child; 
I do not know how to go out or come in. 8 And your servant is in the midst 
of the people whom you have chosen, a great people, so numerous they cannot 
be numbered or counted. 9 Give your servant therefore an understanding mind 
to govern your people, able to discern between good and evil; for who can 
govern this your great people?"
10 It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this. 11 God said to him, 
"Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life or 
riches, or for the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself 
understanding to discern what is right, 12 I now do according to your word. 
Indeed I give you a wise and discerning mind; no one like you has been 
before you and no one like you shall arise after you. 13 I give you also 
what you have not asked, both riches and honor all your life; no other king 
shall compare with you. 14 If you will walk in my ways, keeping my statutes 
and my commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your 
life."


Proverbs 9: 1 - 6   (Roman Catholic, alt. for RCL)

Prov 9:1 (NRSV) Wisdom has built her house,
she has hewn her seven pillars.
2 She has slaughtered her animals, she has mixed her wine,
she has also set her table.
3 She has sent out her servant-girls, she calls
from the highest places in the town,
4 "You that are simple, turn in here!"
To those without sense she says,
5 "Come, eat of my bread
and drink of the wine I have mixed.
6 Lay aside immaturity, and live,
and walk in the way of insight."


2 Samuel 18: 24 - 33   (Can. BAS)

2Sam 18:24 (NRSV) Now David was sitting between the two gates. The sentinel 
went up to the roof of the gate by the wall, and when he looked up, he saw a 
man running alone. 25 The sentinel shouted and told the king. The king said, 
"If he is alone, there are tidings in his mouth." He kept coming, and drew 
near. 26 Then the sentinel saw another man running; and the sentinel called 
to the gatekeeper and said, "See, another man running alone!" The king said, 
"He also is bringing tidings." 27 The sentinel said, "I think the running of 
the first one is like the running of Ahimaaz son of Zadok." The king said, 
"He is a good man, and comes with good tidings."
28 Then Ahimaaz cried out to the king, "All is well!" He prostrated himself 
before the king with his face to the ground, and said, "Blessed be the LORD 
your God, who has delivered up the men who raised their hand against my lord 
the king." 29 The king said, "Is it well with the young man Absalom?" 
Ahimaaz answered, "When Joab sent your servant, I saw a great tumult, but I 
do not know what it was." 30 The king said, "Turn aside, and stand here." So 
he turned aside, and stood still.
31 Then the Cushite came; and the Cushite said, "Good tidings for my lord 
the king! For the LORD has vindicated you this day, delivering you from the 
power of all who rose up against you." 32 The king said to the Cushite, "Is 
it well with the young man Absalom?" The Cushite answered, "May the enemies 
of my lord the king, and all who rise up to do you harm, be like that young 
man."
33 The king was deeply moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and 
wept; and as he went, he said, "O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! 
Would I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son!"


PSALM 111   (RCL)

Psal 111:1 (NRSV) Praise the LORD!
I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart,
in the company of the upright, in the congregation.
2 Great are the works of the LORD,
studied by all who delight in them.
3 Full of honor and majesty is his work,
and his righteousness endures forever.
4 He has gained renown by his wonderful deeds;
the LORD is gracious and merciful.
5 He provides food for those who fear him;
he is ever mindful of his covenant.
6 He has shown his people the power of his works,
in giving them the heritage of the nations.
7 The works of his hands are faithful and just;
all his precepts are trustworthy.
8 They are established forever and ever,
to be performed with faithfulness and uprightness.
9 He sent redemption to his people;
he has commanded his covenant forever.
Holy and awesome is his name.
10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom;
all those who practice it have a good understanding.
His praise endures forever.


10   The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; *
  those who act accordingly have a good understanding;
  his praise endures for ever.


102   Domine, exaudi   (Can. BAS)

1   Lord, hear my prayer, and let my cry come before you; *
  hide not your face from me in the day of my trouble.

2   Incline your ear to me; *
  when I call, make haste to answer me,

3   For my days drift away like smoke, *
  and my bones are hot as burning coals.

4   My heart is smitten like grass and withered, *
  so that I forget to eat my bread.

5   Because of the voice of my groaning *
  I am but skin and bones.

6   I have become like a vulture in the wilderness, *
  like an owl among the ruins.

7   I lie awake and groan; *
  I am like a sparrow, lonely on a house-top.

8   My enemies revile me all day long, *
  and those who scoff at me have taken an oath against me.

9   For I have eaten ashes for bread *
  and mingled my drink with weeping.

10   Because of your indignation and wrath *
  you have lifted me up and thrown me away.

11   My days pass away like a shadow, *
  and I wither like the grass.

12   But you, O Lord, endure for ever, *
  and your Name from age to age.


Psalm 34: 1 - 6   (Roman Catholic)

Psal 34:1 (NRSV) I will bless the LORD at all times;
his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
2 My soul makes its boast in the LORD;
let the humble hear and be glad.
3 O magnify the LORD with me,
and let us exalt his name together.
4 I sought the LORD, and he answered me,
and delivered me from all my fears.
5 Look to him, and be radiant;
so your {Gk Syr Jerome: Heb [their] } faces shall never be ashamed.
6 This poor soul cried, and was heard by the LORD,
and was saved from every trouble.


Psalm 34: 9 - 14   (alt. for RCL)

Psal 34:9 (NRSV)  O fear the LORD, you his holy ones,
for those who fear him have no want.
10 The young lions suffer want and hunger,
but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.
11 Come, O children, listen to me;
I will teach you the fear of the LORD.
12 Which of you desires life,
and covets many days to enjoy good?
13 Keep your tongue from evil,
and your lips from speaking deceit.
14 Depart from evil, and do good;
seek peace, and pursue it.


NEW TESTAMENT:   Ephesians 5: 15 - 20   (all)

Ephe 5:15 (NRSV) Be careful then how you live, not as unwise people but as 
wise, 16 making the most of the time, because the days are evil. 17 So do 
not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18 Do not get 
drunk with wine, for that is debauchery; but be filled with the Spirit, 19 
as you sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, singing 
and making melody to the Lord in your hearts, 20 giving thanks to God the 
Father at all times and for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.


GOSPEL:   John 6: 51 - 58   (RCL, Roman Catholic)

John 6:51 (NRSV) I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever 
eats of this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give for the 
life of the world is my flesh."
52 The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, "How can this man give 
us his flesh to eat?" 53 So Jesus said to them, "Very truly, I tell you, 
unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no 
life in you. 54 Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, 
and I will raise them up on the last day; 55 for my flesh is true food and 
my blood is true drink. 56 Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide 
in me, and I in them. 57 Just as the living Father sent me, and I live 
because of the Father, so whoever eats me will live because of me. 58 This 
is the bread that came down from heaven, not like that which your ancestors 
ate, and they died. But the one who eats this bread will live forever."


Chad Wohlers
East Bridgewater, Mass.   USA
chadwohl at satucket.com
cwohlers at bridgew.edu




From annfontaine at mac.com  Fri Aug 14 14:30:39 2009
From: annfontaine at mac.com (Ann Fontaine)
Date: Fri, 14 Aug 2009 11:30:39 -0700
Subject: [Propertalk] Psalm 111
Message-ID: <FDA0F4D7-0367-475E-8498-39A0711996A3@mac.com>

http://www.isaaceverett.com/2009/08/10/psalm-111-lacey-brown/

for this week from the Emergent Psalter



Ann Fontaine c3
Lander, Wyoming


4331







From JoeParrish at compuserve.com  Sat Aug 15 15:12:56 2009
From: JoeParrish at compuserve.com (Joe Parrish)
Date: Sat, 15 Aug 2009 15:12:56 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] Day1 Sermon for August 9, 2009, on Psalm 130
Message-ID: <6E75B3AA363A463482F80FD33B50D14A@YOUR264F1833C5>

http://day1.org/1401-out_of_the_depths
by the Rev. Benno Pattison,   Rector of the Episcopal Church of the Epiphany in Atlanta, GA
"Out of the Depths"
Psalm 130
Proper 14 - Year B
August 09, 2009
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From JoeParrish at compuserve.com  Sat Aug 15 15:14:58 2009
From: JoeParrish at compuserve.com (Joe Parrish)
Date: Sat, 15 Aug 2009 15:14:58 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] Textweek resources for August 16, 2009
Message-ID: <7D2A1B8E5E2942A9937077B143841370@YOUR264F1833C5>

http://www.textweek.com/yearb/properb15.htm
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From JoeParrish at compuserve.com  Sat Aug 15 15:09:39 2009
From: JoeParrish at compuserve.com (Joe Parrish)
Date: Sat, 15 Aug 2009 15:09:39 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] Fw: Sermon Resources for August 16
Message-ID: <3F18F08D870244888D861001E4497286@YOUR264F1833C5>

Subject: Sermon Resources for August 16


Sermon Resources for Proper 15:

 

    Ephesians 5:15-20  -  Be Careful How You Live
    Ephesians 5:15-20  -  Wise, Worshipful, and Wonderfully Wayward

                                       by Leonard Sweet

 

Ephesians 5, the sermon titled "Be Careful How You Live" 

 

There are two birds that fly over our nation's deserts: One is the hummingbird and the other is the vulture. The vultures find the rotting meat of the desert, because that is what they look for. They thrive on that diet. But hummingbirds ignore the smelly flesh of dead animals. Instead, they look for the colorful blossoms of desert plants. The vultures live on what was. They live on the past. They fill themselves with what is dead and gone. But hummingbirds live on what is. They seek new life. They fill themselves with freshness and life. Each bird finds what it is looking for. We all do.

That is the essence of Paul's teaching: In life, there are two birds. The one bird looks for foolishness and stupidity, the other looks for wisdom. The vultures seek to fill themselves with the rotting flesh of drunkenness and debauchery, the hummingbird sobriety, freshness, and the Spirit. In the desert of this world you have your scavengers who are angry and ungrateful, but you also have those who hum a grateful hymn of thanksgiving. The irony is that you find what you are looking for.

In the fifth chapter of Ephesians Paul outlines proper behavior for good living. In our short passage he admonishes his readers to be careful how they live. He is brief and to the point. Three things we must do: Be wise, be sober, and be thankful. It's a short list but if we can orient our daily lives around these three-be wise, be sober, be thankful-we will transform not only our lives but also the lives of our family, friends, church, and neighbors. Paul then offers these admonitions:

1. Be Careful How You Live: Be Wise
2. Be Careful How You Live: Be Sober
3. Be Careful How You Live: Be Thankful

 

The rest of this sermon following the outline above can be obtained by joining www.eSermons.com.


__________________________________

 

Second Sermon by Len Sweet

 

Ephesians 5, the sermon entitled "Wise, Worshipful and Wonderfully Wayward" 

 

We used to tell these people, "Get off your high horse." I never knew what that meant literally, for they weren't on any horse, high or low. But we all knew what the expression meant. 

 

Is there anyone more annoying, more off-putting, more "fur-rubbed-the-wrong-way," than someone who is convinced they are "better" than you? Whether they are richer, or smarter, or prettier, or stronger, there are those who love going around "on their high horse."

 

In junior highs and high schools "cliques" rule the world. Every possible grouping of people gets its own label. Every pack has its own indelible identity. There are "jocks" and "cheerleaders." There are "Goths" and "Geeks." There are "Nerds" and "Freaks." How ironic that it is in school - the place we are primed and prepared for the expansive possibilities of the future that everyone is so tightly pigeon-holed and securely marked. 

 

Jesus failed to fit into any of the preconceived plans people had for a Messiah, for a Leader, for a Savior. And so did the first generations of Jesus' disciples fail to fit into any of the cultural conceptions of what was a "religion" or a "community." These "Christians" weren't Jews. These "Christians" weren't Gentiles. These Christians performed rites and rituals that sounded salacious and suspicious - what about all this drinking the blood and eating the body of a dead guy? Isn't that cannibalism? And this rhetoric about everyone loving one another? Isn't that the codeword for orgies? And these Christians kiss one another whenever they get together, regardless of social rank or color or economic status. 

 

The truth was these Christians came together to sing and pray and talk and give thanks. When Christians "celebrated" the wine did not flow and the moral boundaries did not disappear. In a world where religious ecstasy, mysterious secret rites, and  sexual excess were the "norms," these new "kids on the block," these "Christians" weren't "worse," they weren't "better." They were just really, really "different." So "different" that it was hard finding any category to place them in. 

 

If you've survived grades 1-12, and it looks like many of you have, you know that being tagged as "different" is never a good thing. Even though Jesus tried to keep a low profile, being "different" got Jesus in big trouble with the Jewish religious hierarchy, who then quickly passed him on to the Roman political hierarchy, where he got in more trouble. 

 

Being "different" paved Jesus' path to the cross.

 

Embodying Jesus' "differentness" got the first Christians in trouble too. They didn't fit within Judaism. Yet they stood completely outside the pagan, cultic traditions. The first century religious world didn't know what to do with these disciples of a crucified criminal. Eventually Judaism, which was already on the "suspect" list of the Roman Empire, chose to put its head down, "hunker-in-the-bunker" and distance itself from these Christians. Eventually Rome found Christians made excellent fall-guys and fodder for the Coliseum carnage. Christians vs. Lions was a game with a predictable out-come. But many found it fun to watch, and cities competed with one another as to who could build the biggest and best stadium where these games could take place. 

 

How did it happen that Christians now have a "holier-than-thou," "better-than-you" reputation? Being "Christian" has never been about being "better" than others. Being "Christian" has always been about being "different." Living "differently" than the world. Seeing different solutions to the problems of humanity. Celebrating a very "different" kind of victory - a victory that starts with a death on a cross and whose end was not yet come. The gospel is less about "better" than "different." Disciples of Jesus are not just called to be "better" but to be "different." A Christian's motto might be "I beg to differ." 

 

Being different, living different - that is the life-blood which keeps the circulation of the body alive and separated from the rest of the world, even while living in its midst. The Ephesians writer in today's text looked at three ways these Christians were "different."  

 

First, they were wise.

Second, they were worshipful.

Third, they were wondrously wayward.

 

The rest of Leonard Sweet's sermon can be obtained by joining www.eSermons.com.

 

Click here:  http://www.esermons.com/signup or call 1-800-777-7731 to join.

 

________________________________ 

 

Stewardship Campaign: A complete approach to stewardship.  Please click here for more information

 

http://www.sermons.com/sampleStewardship.asp

 

_________________________________

 

Abiding with Christ

 

Eat this Bread and you will live, he promises. But even more than that, eat this Bread and I will abide with you, and you will abide with me. I like that word abide. I have pictures again: look, can you see them? They are images of home, of dwelling, of staying with, of living in and with, of trusting and being there. To abide is to know that no matter what comes our way, we will not be deserted nor left to face whatever the matter is on our own. Christ comes to live within us, to take up residence in our spirits, and promises not to leave. 

 

Over the years I have witnessed many scenes of this abiding presence played out in the lives of persons I have known. None are more powerful, more moving, more meaningful than the images which walk across my mind of faithful spouses who care for each other to the very end. Let me draw them for you. There is one now, walking his wife, a victim of Alzheimer's disease, down the streets in front of the nursing home. She in a wheelchair, not knowing a thing. He pushing her faithfully day after day. Their love of more than 60 years abides in his heart. Here is another: the picture of a woman standing beside the bed of her husband, holding a hand, offering a calm, reassuring voice to this one who has only moments before been thrown into convulsions. "I will not leave you." Finally, here is the unspoken presence of a Loving Friend who calms my own grieving spirit in the dark hospital room where my father lays dying. "Those who eat my flesh? abide in me, and I in them (John 6:56, NRSV)." 

 

In a world of fast food chains in every village, of drive-through windows, of buffet lines and all-you-can-eat salad bars, we are today offered a different food, the Bread of Life. It is food for a hungry soul. It is eternal food which, when you eat it, satisfies the craving of your heart and opens your eyes to see that all else is imitation and second rate.
 
Larry M. Goodpaster, Like a Breath of Fresh Air, CSS Publishing Company  
___________________________________

O, Lord Give Me a Penny

 

A man asked God, "What does a billion dollars mean to you who are all powerful?"

 

"Hardly a penny." God said.

 

Then the man asked God , "And what are a thousand centuries to you?" God answered "Hardly a second!!"

 

Thinking he had God backed into a corner, the man then said, "Then if that's the case, O, Lord give me a penny !!"

 

"Sure," God replied. "In just a minute."

 

Wisdom isn't outsmarting God, wisdom is living in and with God. Wisdom is being in Christ and surrounded by Christ. Wisdom is eating and drinking from the feast which God has prepared for us.

 

Traditional

 

________________________

 

Bread Is Not a Mere Commodity

 

The theologian John Macquarrie relates that the Scottish churchman, George Macleod, used to watch grain ships from Canada and the United States bringing their cargoes of wheat into Liverpool harbor, and he reflected that the wheat has the potentiality of becoming the body of Christ. This is the point at which sacramental theology spills over into the market place. Bread is not a mere commodity; things are not mere bits of matter. We can learn something of this from natural theology, but we learn it above all from Jesus Christ, the bread of God which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.

 

John Macquarrie, A Guide to the Sacraments, p,156 

__________________________

 

The Truth

 

There is an Irish saying, "the person who speaks the truth should have one foot in the stirrup." He should be ready to ride off at once. People do not like the truth, especially when it challenges their attitudes; and the reaction is often to try to destroy the evidence of the truth or the one who witnesses to it. 
 
Father Gerry Pierse, The Dangerous Memory of Jesus

 

_______________________

 

Dining with God

 

When Seymour passed away, God greeted him at the Pearly Gates. "Thou be hungry, Seymour?" said God.

 

"I could eat," Seymour replied.

 

So God opened a can of tuna and reached for a chunk of rye bread and they shared it. While eating this humble meal, Seymour glanced down into Hell and saw the inhabitants devouring huge steaks, lobsters, pheasants, pastries, and fine wines. Curious, but deeply trusting, Seymour remained quiet.

 

The next day God again invited Seymour for another meal. Again, it was tuna and rye bread. Once again looking down, Seymour could see the denizens of Hell enjoying caviar, champagne, lamb, truffles, and chocolates. Still Seymour said nothing.

 

The following day, mealtime arrived and God opened another can of tuna. Seymour could contain himself no longer. Meekly, he said: "God, I am grateful to be in heaven with you as a reward for the pious, obedient life I led. But here in heaven all I get to eat is tuna and a piece of rye bread and in the Other Place they eat like emperors and kings! Forgive me, O God, but I just don't understand."

 

God sighed: "Let's be honest, Seymour. For just two people does it pay to cook?"

 

Donel McClellan, The Imaginary God

 

________________________

 

Meeting God

 

Barbara Brokhoff says in her book, Faith Alive, "The Happy Hour for the Christian should be the hour of worship on Sunday morning, but how do you honestly feel when you are awakened by the alarm on the Lord's Day and you realize it is another "Church Day"? Can you hardly wait for the service time to roll around or do you roll over in bed, moan and groan and cover your head, and wish that once, once again maybe once more like last Sunday the one before, you would, or could sleep in and forget the whole boring, time consuming thing?? Is the thought of worship agony or ecstasy? I think we are coming to meet God--not just any body, but God!! Shouldn't the delightful suspense of worship make our breath short and our hearts beat faster?" 

 

Barbara Brokhoff, Faith Alive, quoted by Tim Zingale, Wisdom = Being in Christ

_____________________

 

Bread from Home

 

I'm reminded of a true story of a soldier who was severely wounded. When he was out of surgery, the doctors said that there was a good chance for recovery, except that the soldier wouldn't eat anything. The nurses and nuns tried everything, but he refused all food-drinking only water and juice.

 

One of his buddies knew why the soldier wouldn't eat-he was homesick. So, his friend, since the hospital wasn't too far from the soldier's home, offered to bring the young man's father to visit him. The commanding officer approved and the friend went to the parents' home. As the father was about to leave for the hospital, the mother wrapped up a loaf of fresh bread for her son.

 

Well, the patient was very happy to see his father but he still wouldn't eat-that is, until the father said; "Son, this bread was made by your mother, especially for you". The boy brightened and began to eat.

 

I think that you can guess where I'm going with that story. You and I are that boy. We are the ones who have been wounded in the battle of life. We are the ones who've been wounded by sin, by trials and pains, by loss and by our forgetfulness of God.

 

We lose our taste for the food that will strengthen our souls. Holy Communion gives us life, spiritual life, God's life. It gives us spiritual healing and spiritual strength.

 

There was nothing 'magic' about the mother's bread unless, that is, one feels that 'love' is magic--which, of course, it is.

 

Author unknown

 

____________________

 

 The Communion of Empty Hands

 

There's a beautiful incident recorded by Thomas Pettepiece, a Methodist pastor, who was a political prisoner, a prisoner of conscience. Pettepiece writes of his first Easter Sunday spent in prison. He was among 10,000 prisoners. Most of the men had lost everything: their homes, their jobs, their furniture, their contact with their families. It was Easter Sunday, and they wanted to celebrate Communion. But, they had no cup for Communion. They had no wine for Communion. They didn't even have water for Communion. Nor did they have any bread for the Sacrament.

 

So, they practiced the Communion of Empty Hands. "This meal in which we take part," Pettepeice said, "reminds us of the imprisonment, the torture, the death and final victory of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The bread is the body which he gave for humanity. The fact that we have none represents very well the lack of bread in the hunger of so many millions of human beings. The wine, which we don't have today, is his blood, and represents our dream of a united humanity, of a just society, without difference of race or class."

 

Then Pettepiece, the pastor, held out his empty hand to the next person on his right, and passed on the imaginary loaf. Each one took a piece and passed it on. Then he said, "Take, eat, this is my body, which is broken for you. Do this in remembrance of me." And together they ate the imaginary bread, trying to imagine tasting it.

 

After a moment they passed around the non-existent chalice, each imagining he was drinking from it. "Take, drink, this is the blood of Christ which was shed for you ... Let us give thanks, sure that Christ is here with us, strengthening us."

 

They gave thanks to God and then stood up and embraced each other. And a while later, one of the non-Christian prisoners came up to them and said, "You people have something special, which I would like to have." And the father of a girl who had died came up to Pettepiece and said, "Pastor, this was a real experience. I believe that today I discovered what faith is ..." (from Visions of a World Hungry, quoted in A Guide To Prayer, Rueben P. Job and Norman Shawchuck, editors, The Upper Room, p. 143).

 

Alex Gondola, Jr., Come As You Are, CSS Publishing Company.

________________________

 

Togetherness in the Eucharist

 

Bread suggests togetherness, care and love, hopes and dreams, fun and adventure.  

 

Let's say some new friends invite you to their house for a meal. When you are a guest in their home, they are sharing their intimacy with you. They are sharing with you some of the privacy of that place where they live every day, eat every day, love every day, work on their problems, argue from time to time, sleep and depart for work and pleasure and return for rest, every day.   

 

After graciously receiving you, they show you around their home in which they take deep pride. Then you go to the dining room for the meal. You find the table set with care, the food exceptionally delicious, and the conversation flows easily. Simply put, it becomes a lovely evening and you leave feeling full in every way. You enjoy bread from the kitchen, but much more. You enjoy the bread of being graciously received, the bread of informed and lively conversation, and the bread of being in beautiful surroundings..  

 

Magnify that thousands of times and you begin to have a glimmer of what the church perceives the Holy Eucharist to be. In the Eucharist Jesus and "Bread of Life" are one. In the Eucharist bread and wine are the elements that nurture faith in God.

 

Charles R. Leary, Mission Ready!, CSS Publishing Company 

_____________________

 

Full Devotion

 

Several years ago a couple of reporters conducted an experiment on the streets of Miami, Florida. They printed up a copy of the Bill of Rights in the form of a petition, put it on a clipboard, and then stopped people on the sidewalk and asked them to sign it. As you know, the first ten amendments to the United States Constitution are the Bill of Rights, and they were adopted and put into effect in December of 1791. The reporters were surprised at people's reaction when asked to add their names to the so-called petition. Most people glanced at the document, shook their heads, and walked on by without signing. Several people became angry with the reporters and accused them of being radical enemies of the American way of life. In fact, the experiment ended when the reporters found themselves surrounded by a dozen or so passers-by who were shaking their fists at them and calling them subversive Communists who ought to be thrown in jail.

 

What the experiment demonstrated is what we already know. Many citizens of the United States pay lip service to their country and its heritage. They claim to be loyal and patriotic in every way. They say they are proud to belong to a country as great as ours. And yet at the same time they haven't the vaguest notion what the United States Constitution actually says, and they consider the Bill of Rights to be a radical, anti-American document. In other words, these people claim citizenship, but they have not internalized the basic meaning of being a citizen. They claim the privilege, but they will not eat and drink the ethos of United States of America.

 

The same sort of thing is described in today's Gospel. Jesus says, I am the living bread that came down from heaven. . . Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Most people probably think Jesus is talking about communion. He isn't. He's talking about the difference between external lip service and internal embodiment. He's talking about the difference between admiring him and actually taking up one's cross and following him. He's talking about the difference between acting like a Christian on the outside and being a Christian on the inside.

 

Edwin D. Peterman

 

_________________

 

Christ in Me and I in Him

 

There is an story about minister walking along the ocean with his small son. The boy questioned his father about Sunday's sermon. The boy said, "Dad, I cannot understand how Christ can live in us and we live in him at the same time." Further down the beach, the father noticed an empty bottle with a cork in it. Taking the bottle, he half filled it with water, re-corked it and flung it out into the ocean.

 

As they watched the bottle bob up and down he said, "Son, the sea is in the bottle and the bottle is in the sea. It is a picture of life in Christ. You live under the Lordship of Christ and He lives in you."

 

Traditional

 

___________________________________

 

ILLUSTRATIONS FOR EPHESIANS 5:15-20

___________________________________

 

 

Unwise and Wise Living

 

Jewish rabbis tell a poignant story that drives home the point of Proverbs 18:21. As the story goes (and five versions of this appear in Greek literature), Rabbi Simeon ben Gamaliel one day asked his servant to go to buy some good food for him in the market. When the servant returned home, he presented the rabbi with a tongue.

 

The next day, the rabbi told the servant to go to the market to buy some bad food. Again, the servant returned with a tongue.

 

When the rabbi asked the servant why he returned with a tongue both times, the servant made this astute observation: "Good comes from it and bad comes from it. When the tongue is good, there is nothing better, and when it is bad, there is nothing worse."

 

William R. Baker, Sticks & Stones: The Discipleship of Our Speech, Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1996), p. 17.

 

_________________

 

Experience comes from what we have done. Wisdom comes from what we have done badly.

 

Theodore Levitt, Harvard Business School

 

_________________

 

Wisdom

 

An angel appears at a faculty meeting and tells the dean that in return for his unselfish and exemplary behavior, the Lord will reward him with his choice of infinite wealth, wisdom or beauty. Without hesitating, the dean selects infinite wisdom.

 

"Done!" says the angel, and disappears in a cloud of smoke and a bolt of lightning. Now, all heads turn toward the dean, who sits surrounded by a faint halo of light. At length, one of his colleagues whispers, "Say something."

 

The dean looks intently at his colleagues gathered around him and says.

 

The conclusion to this illustration and many additional illustrations and sermons for Proper 15 can be accessed at www.Sermons.com.

 

 
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From JoeParrish at compuserve.com  Sat Aug 15 15:23:12 2009
From: JoeParrish at compuserve.com (Joe Parrish)
Date: Sat, 15 Aug 2009 15:23:12 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] Fw: SermonWriter:  Aug. 16 (Proper 15B) John 6:51-58
Message-ID: <91F4FC2ABAAE4EEF9936D2BE26601EE7@YOUR264F1833C5>

The following are SermonWriter materials for Aug. 16 (Proper 15B). They 
focus on John 6:51-58, where Jesus says, "I am the living bread that came 
down from heaven."

NO PASSWORD REQUIREMENT: We are posting these materials on the web with no 
password.  To access those files, you MUST use the following links.  If 
clicking on the link fails to work, copy the link and paste it in the 
address window near the top of your browser.  Then hit the ENTER key or 
click GO.

Microsoft Word file:
http://www.lectionary.org/SW/08-16WI/John_6.51-58.doc

HTML file (web page):
http://www.lectionary.org/SW/08-16WI/John_6.51-58.htm

WordPerfect file:
http://www.lectionary.org/SW/08-16WI/John_6.51-58.wpd


A TIP: If you want the Word or WordPerfect files, LEFT-CLICK on the link and 
see what happens.  That should bring up a dialog box that asks if you want 
to open the file or save it.  Choose OPEN.  Then save it wherever you like 
on your hard drive.

If that doesn't work, RIGHT-CLICK on the link.  You should get a sub-menu. 
Hopefully, "Save Target As" will be one of the options.  Click on that. 
Then save the file wherever you want on your hard drive.


Dick Donovan


A THOUGHT ON PREACHING:  Some plague the people with too long sermons; for 
the faculty of listening is a tender thing, and soon becomes weary and 
satiated. (Martin Luther)


TITLE:  Jesus' Forever Bread


SERMON IN A SENTENCE:  When we partake of Jesus (whether through the Lord's 
Supper or just believing in him), he gives us the sustenance that satisfies 
today and through eternity.


SCRIPTURE:  John 6:51-58

<>

FOR MORE SERMONS ON THIS TEXT, GO TO:

http://www.lectionary.org/SermLinks/NT/NT04john.htm

Scroll down to John 6.  There are two sermons on this text posted there.


TRUE STORY:

There is real hunger in this country.  In his autobiography, Malcolm X told 
of his childhood.  He said:

     "My mother was working, when she could find any kind of job.
     In Lansing, there was a bakery where, for a nickel,
     a couple of us children would buy a tall flour sack
     of day-old bread and cookies,
     and then walk the two miles back out into the country to our house.

     "Our mother knew...dozens of ways to cook things with bread and out of 
bread.
     Stewed tomatoes with bread, maybe that would be a meal.
     Something like French toast, if we had any eggs.
     Bread pudding, sometimes with raisins in it.
     If we got hold of some hamburger,
     it came to the table more bread than meat.
     The cookies that were always in the sack with the bread,
     we just gobbled down straight.

     "But there were times when there wasn't even a nickel
     and we would be so hungry that we were dizzy.
     My mother would boil a big pot of dandelion greens, and we would eat 
that.
     I remember that...children would tease us, that we ate 'fried grass.'

     "Sometimes, if we were lucky,
     we would have oatmeal or cornmeal mush three times a day.
     Or mush in the morning and cornbread at night."
- - - - -

I read a story about a hungry man who, through the kindness of one man, 
received what I call Jesus' "Forever Bread."  The man's name was Larry 
Stewart.  In 1971, Larry was working as a salesman, but wasn't selling 
anything.  When I say that he was hungry, I mean that he hadn't eaten in two 
days.  Finally, in desperation, he went to the Dixie Diner and ordered a 
breakfast for which he could not pay.  When the check came, he confessed his 
plight to the owner, Ted Horn.  Instead of calling the police, Ted reached 
down under Larry's chair and came up with a twenty dollar bill in his hand. 
He said, "Son, you must have dropped this."

Larry said, "It was like a fortune to me."  But listen to what he said next. 
Listen carefully.  Larry said, "Thank you, Lord."  You see, he knew where 
that twenty dollar bill came from.  I'm sure that he thanked Ted Horn, but 
he said, "Thank you, Lord!"  He went on to say:

     "Right then, I just made a promise.
     I said, 'Lord, if you ever put me in a position to help other people,
     I'll do it."

You see, Larry had received food for his stomach, but there was something in 
him that understood that he could have even more -- food for his soul.  And 
so he said:

     "Lord, if you ever put me in a position to help other people,
     I'll do it."

Larry got his life turned around financially, and he remembered Ted Horn's 
kindness -- and he remembered his promise to the Lord.  He became a Secret 
Santa.  For 26 Christmases, he anonymously gave hundred dollar bills to 
people in need.  During those years, he gave away more than a million 
dollars.  I don't know how many people he helped during those years, but I 
know that the Lord helped him.  The Lord gave Larry food for his soul.  The 
satisfaction that he received never rang hollow.

- - - - -

THOUGHT PROVOKERS:

God's help is nearer than the door.

William G. Benham

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

It is impossible for that person to despair
who remembers that his helper is omnipotent.

Jeremy Taylor

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

God is no distant deity but a constant reality,
a very present help whenever needs occur.
So?  So live like it.  And laugh like it!
(The apostle) Paul did.
While he lived, he drained very drop of joy
out of every day that passed.

Charles R. Swindoll

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

O Lord, support us all the day long,
until the shadows lengthen
and the evening comes,
and the busy world is hushed,
and the fever of life is over,
and our work is done.

Then in Thy mercy grant us a safe lodging,
and a holy rest,
and peace at the last.

Book of Common Prayer

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

God does not offer us a way out of testings of life.
He offers us a way through,
and that makes all the difference.

W. T. Purkiser

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

<>

HYMN STORY:  Now Thank We All Our God

Martin Rinckart (1586-1649 A.D.) was born in Eilenburg, Germany -- a small 
city near Leipzig, which in the 20th century ended up behind the Iron 
Curtain in East Germany for several decades.

Rinckart studied for the Lutheran ministry, and was called to serve as 
pastor of the church at Eilenburg, his home town.   He arrived there just 
before the beginning of the Thirty Years War, a war that devastated Germany 
in general and Eilenburg in particular.  Being a walled city, Eilenburg 
became a place of refuge and soon became badly overcrowded, rendering it 
susceptible to disease.  The plague of 1637 decimated the town, killing 
8,000 people, including Rinckart's wife.  Rinckart often conducted forty or 
fifty funerals in a day for plague victims.

It seems incongruous that a hymn like "Now Thank We All Our God" should come 
out of such circumstances.  However, Rinckart wrote the first two stanzas, 
not as a hymn for public worship, but as a table grace for his family.  At 
the end of the war, his hymn was sung to celebrate the signing of the Peace 
of Westphalia -- the treaty that ended the war.

But we would know nothing of this hymn except for the good work of Catherine 
Winkworth, an English woman who translated many German hymns into English --  
this hymn and "Christ the Lord is Risen Today" being the best known.

NOTE:  See other hymn stories at http://www.lectionary.org/hymnstories.htm


<>
BIBLIOGRAPHY:

Barclay, William, The Daily Study Bible, "The Gospel of John," Vol. 1 
(Edinburgh: The Saint Andrew Press, 1955)

Borchert, Gerald L., New American Commentary: John 1-11, Vol. 25A 
(Nashville: Broadman Press, 1996)

Brown, Raymond, The Anchor Bible: The Gospel According to John I-XII (Garden 
City: Doubleday, 1966)

Bruce, F. F., The Gospel of John (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing 
Co., 1983).

Brueggemann, Walter; Cousar, Charles B.; Gaventa, Beverly R. and Newsome, 
James D., Texts for Preaching: A Lectionary Commentary Based on the 
NRSV--Year B (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 1993)

Carson, D. A., The Pillar New Testament Commentary: The Gospel of John 
(Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1991).

Craddock, Fred R.; Hayes, John H.; Holladay, Carl R.; and Tucker, Gene M., 
Preaching Through the Christian Year B (Valley Forge: Trinity Press 
International, 1993)

Gossip, Arthur John and Howard, Wilbert F., The Interpreter's Bible, Volume 
8 (Nashville: Abingdon, 1952)

Guelich, Robert A., Word Biblical Commentary:  Mark 1 - 8:26 (Dallas:  Word 
Books, 1989)

Howard-Brook, Wes, Becoming the Children of God: John's Gospel and Radical 
Discipleship (New York: Maryknoll, 1994).

Lincoln, Andrew T., Black's New Testament Commentary: The Gospel According 
to Saint John (London: Continuum, 2005)

Kostenberger, Andreas J., Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament: 
John (Grand Rapids:  Baker Academic, 2004)

Marcus, Joel, The Anchor Bible:  Mark 1-8 (New York:  Doubleday, 1999)

Morris, Leon, The New International Commentary on the New Testament: The 
Gospel According to John (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 
1995).

O'Day, Gail R., The New Interpreter's Bible, Volume IX (Nashville: Abingdon, 
1995)

Ridderbos, Herman (translated by John Vriend), The Gospel of John: A 
Theological Commentary (Grand Rapids:  William B. Eerdmans Publishing 
Company, 1997)

Sloyan, Gerald, "John," Interpretation (Atlanta: John Knox Press, 1988)

Smith, D. Moody, Jr., Abingdon New Testament Commentaries: John (Nashville: 
Abingdon, 1999)

www.sermonwriter.com

www.lectionary.org





From JoeParrish at compuserve.com  Sat Aug 15 15:24:38 2009
From: JoeParrish at compuserve.com (Joe Parrish)
Date: Sat, 15 Aug 2009 15:24:38 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] Fw: SermonWriter: Aug. 16 (Proper 15B) 1 Kings 2 &
	Prov 9
Message-ID: <DA5107DF5627492B8E3AA9288DF53EC3@YOUR264F1833C5>

THE FOLLOWING are links to materials for:

1 Kings 2:10-12; 3:3-14 (RCL SemiContinuous Reading)

Proverbs 9:1-6 (RCL Paired Reading & Catholic Reading)

NO PASSWORD REQUIREMENT: We are posting these materials on the web with no 
password.
To access those files, you MUST use the following links.

IF CLICKING ON THE LINK FAILS TO WORK, copy the link and paste it in the 
address window near the top of your browser.
Then hit the ENTER key or click GO.


1 KINGS 2:10-12; 3:3-14 (RCL SemiContinuous Reading)
These materials include the exegesis + a link to one sermon + a hymn list:

Microsoft Word file:
http://www.lectionary.org/SW/08-16WI/1_Kings_2.10-12_03.03-14.doc

HTML file (web page):
http://www.lectionary.org/SW/08-16WI/1_Kings_2.10-12_03.03-14.htm

WordPerfect file:
http://www.lectionary.org/SW/08-16WI/1_Kings_2.10-12_03.03-14.wpd


PROVERBS 9:1-6 (RCL Paired & Catholic Readings)

Microsoft Word file:
http://www.lectionary.org/SW/08-16WI/Proverbs_09.1-6.doc

HTML file (web page):
http://www.lectionary.org/SW/08-16WI/Proverbs_09.1-6.htm

WordPerfect file:
http://www.lectionary.org/SW/08-16WI/Proverbs_09.1-6.wpd

A TIP: If you want the Word or WordPerfect files, LEFT-CLICK on the link and 
see what happens.
That should bring up a dialog box that asks if you want to open the file or 
save it.
Choose OPEN.  Then save it wherever you like on your hard drive.

If that doesn't work, RIGHT-CLICK on the link.  You should get a sub-menu.
Hopefully, "Save Target As" will be one of them.  Click on that.
Then save the file wherever you want on your hard drive.


WWW.LECTIONARY.ORG:
<>
Dick Donovan




From robertpmorrison at charterinternet.com  Sat Aug 15 15:45:26 2009
From: robertpmorrison at charterinternet.com (Robert P Morrison)
Date: Sat, 15 Aug 2009 12:45:26 -0700
Subject: [Propertalk] Thanks
In-Reply-To: <DA5107DF5627492B8E3AA9288DF53EC3@YOUR264F1833C5>
Message-ID: <20090815154526.1DOXV.3458569.root@mp08>

Thanks, Joe.

I'm not preaching this week - our Deacon is - and we're continuing our study and use of ancestral prayer books. Tomorrow we use the 1662 PB. Next week it's the 1892, and I'll preach on the lections listed in that book: 1 Corinthians 15:1-11 and Luke 18:9-14

Happy sermon wrestling to all!

Bob
--
Robert P. Morrison
The Episcopal Parish of St James,
PO Box 789
Lincoln City, Oregon, 97367

541-994-2426 (Church)




From JoeParrish at compuserve.com  Sat Aug 15 16:20:31 2009
From: JoeParrish at compuserve.com (Joe Parrish)
Date: Sat, 15 Aug 2009 16:20:31 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] Fw: Sermon Resources for August 16 - Part 1 of 3
Message-ID: <9E76FEBBBB7F4E98A83BE68327F87080@YOUR264F1833C5>

Subject: Sermon Resources for August 16 - Part 1 of 3


Sermon Resources for Proper 15:

 

    Ephesians 5:15-20  -  Be Careful How You Live
    Ephesians 5:15-20  -  Wise, Worshipful, and Wonderfully Wayward

                                       by Leonard Sweet

 

Ephesians 5, the sermon titled "Be Careful How You Live" 

 

There are two birds that fly over our nation's deserts: One is the hummingbird and the other is the vulture. The vultures find the rotting meat of the desert, because that is what they look for. They thrive on that diet. But hummingbirds ignore the smelly flesh of dead animals. Instead, they look for the colorful blossoms of desert plants. The vultures live on what was. They live on the past. They fill themselves with what is dead and gone. But hummingbirds live on what is. They seek new life. They fill themselves with freshness and life. Each bird finds what it is looking for. We all do.

That is the essence of Paul's teaching: In life, there are two birds. The one bird looks for foolishness and stupidity, the other looks for wisdom. The vultures seek to fill themselves with the rotting flesh of drunkenness and debauchery, the hummingbird sobriety, freshness, and the Spirit. In the desert of this world you have your scavengers who are angry and ungrateful, but you also have those who hum a grateful hymn of thanksgiving. The irony is that you find what you are looking for.

In the fifth chapter of Ephesians Paul outlines proper behavior for good living. In our short passage he admonishes his readers to be careful how they live. He is brief and to the point. Three things we must do: Be wise, be sober, and be thankful. It's a short list but if we can orient our daily lives around these three-be wise, be sober, be thankful-we will transform not only our lives but also the lives of our family, friends, church, and neighbors. Paul then offers these admonitions:

1. Be Careful How You Live: Be Wise
2. Be Careful How You Live: Be Sober
3. Be Careful How You Live: Be Thankful

 

The rest of this sermon following the outline above can be obtained by joining www.eSermons.com.


__________________________________

 

Second Sermon by Len Sweet

 

Ephesians 5, the sermon entitled "Wise, Worshipful and Wonderfully Wayward" 

 

We used to tell these people, "Get off your high horse." I never knew what that meant literally, for they weren't on any horse, high or low. But we all knew what the expression meant. 

 

Is there anyone more annoying, more off-putting, more "fur-rubbed-the-wrong-way," than someone who is convinced they are "better" than you? Whether they are richer, or smarter, or prettier, or stronger, there are those who love going around "on their high horse."

 

In junior highs and high schools "cliques" rule the world. Every possible grouping of people gets its own label. Every pack has its own indelible identity. There are "jocks" and "cheerleaders." There are "Goths" and "Geeks." There are "Nerds" and "Freaks." How ironic that it is in school - the place we are primed and prepared for the expansive possibilities of the future that everyone is so tightly pigeon-holed and securely marked. 

 

Jesus failed to fit into any of the preconceived plans people had for a Messiah, for a Leader, for a Savior. And so did the first generations of Jesus' disciples fail to fit into any of the cultural conceptions of what was a "religion" or a "community." These "Christians" weren't Jews. These "Christians" weren't Gentiles. These Christians performed rites and rituals that sounded salacious and suspicious - what about all this drinking the blood and eating the body of a dead guy? Isn't that cannibalism? And this rhetoric about everyone loving one another? Isn't that the codeword for orgies? And these Christians kiss one another whenever they get together, regardless of social rank or color or economic status. 

 

The truth was these Christians came together to sing and pray and talk and give thanks. When Christians "celebrated" the wine did not flow and the moral boundaries did not disappear. In a world where religious ecstasy, mysterious secret rites, and  sexual excess were the "norms," these new "kids on the block," these "Christians" weren't "worse," they weren't "better." They were just really, really "different." So "different" that it was hard finding any category to place them in. 

 

If you've survived grades 1-12, and it looks like many of you have, you know that being tagged as "different" is never a good thing. Even though Jesus tried to keep a low profile, being "different" got Jesus in big trouble with the Jewish religious hierarchy, who then quickly passed him on to the Roman political hierarchy, where he got in more trouble. 

 

Being "different" paved Jesus' path to the cross.

 

Embodying Jesus' "differentness" got the first Christians in trouble too. They didn't fit within Judaism. Yet they stood completely outside the pagan, cultic traditions. The first century religious world didn't know what to do with these disciples of a crucified criminal. Eventually Judaism, which was already on the "suspect" list of the Roman Empire, chose to put its head down, "hunker-in-the-bunker" and distance itself from these Christians. Eventually Rome found Christians made excellent fall-guys and fodder for the Coliseum carnage. Christians vs. Lions was a game with a predictable out-come. But many found it fun to watch, and cities competed with one another as to who could build the biggest and best stadium where these games could take place. 

 

How did it happen that Christians now have a "holier-than-thou," "better-than-you" reputation? Being "Christian" has never been about being "better" than others. Being "Christian" has always been about being "different." Living "differently" than the world. Seeing different solutions to the problems of humanity. Celebrating a very "different" kind of victory - a victory that starts with a death on a cross and whose end was not yet come. The gospel is less about "better" than "different." Disciples of Jesus are not just called to be "better" but to be "different." A Christian's motto might be "I beg to differ." 

 

Being different, living different - that is the life-blood which keeps the circulation of the body alive and separated from the rest of the world, even while living in its midst. The Ephesians writer in today's text looked at three ways these Christians were "different."  

 

First, they were wise.

Second, they were worshipful.

Third, they were wondrously wayward.

 

The rest of Leonard Sweet's sermon can be obtained by joining www.eSermons.com.

 

Click here:  http://www.esermons.com/signup or call 1-800-777-7731 to join.

 

________________________________ 

 



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From JoeParrish at compuserve.com  Sat Aug 15 16:21:04 2009
From: JoeParrish at compuserve.com (Joe Parrish)
Date: Sat, 15 Aug 2009 16:21:04 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] Sermon Resources for August 16 - Part 2 of 3
Message-ID: <BA5DBBDEA0C044CBB9C08EAB31F80468@YOUR264F1833C5>

Subject: Sermon Resources for August 16 - Part 2 of 3


Sermon Resources for Proper 15:

Abiding with Christ
 

Eat this Bread and you will live, he promises. But even more than that, eat this Bread and I will abide with you, and you will abide with me. I like that word abide. I have pictures again: look, can you see them? They are images of home, of dwelling, of staying with, of living in and with, of trusting and being there. To abide is to know that no matter what comes our way, we will not be deserted nor left to face whatever the matter is on our own. Christ comes to live within us, to take up residence in our spirits, and promises not to leave. 

 

Over the years I have witnessed many scenes of this abiding presence played out in the lives of persons I have known. None are more powerful, more moving, more meaningful than the images which walk across my mind of faithful spouses who care for each other to the very end. Let me draw them for you. There is one now, walking his wife, a victim of Alzheimer's disease, down the streets in front of the nursing home. She in a wheelchair, not knowing a thing. He pushing her faithfully day after day. Their love of more than 60 years abides in his heart. Here is another: the picture of a woman standing beside the bed of her husband, holding a hand, offering a calm, reassuring voice to this one who has only moments before been thrown into convulsions. "I will not leave you." Finally, here is the unspoken presence of a Loving Friend who calms my own grieving spirit in the dark hospital room where my father lays dying. "Those who eat my flesh? abide in me, and I in them (John 6:56, NRSV)." 

 

In a world of fast food chains in every village, of drive-through windows, of buffet lines and all-you-can-eat salad bars, we are today offered a different food, the Bread of Life. It is food for a hungry soul. It is eternal food which, when you eat it, satisfies the craving of your heart and opens your eyes to see that all else is imitation and second rate.
 
Larry M. Goodpaster, Like a Breath of Fresh Air, CSS Publishing Company  
___________________________________

O, Lord Give Me a Penny

 

A man asked God, "What does a billion dollars mean to you who are all powerful?"

 

"Hardly a penny." God said.

 

Then the man asked God , "And what are a thousand centuries to you?" God answered "Hardly a second!!"

 

Thinking he had God backed into a corner, the man then said, "Then if that's the case, O, Lord give me a penny !!"

 

"Sure," God replied. "In just a minute."

 

Wisdom isn't outsmarting God, wisdom is living in and with God. Wisdom is being in Christ and surrounded by Christ. Wisdom is eating and drinking from the feast which God has prepared for us.

 

Traditional

 

________________________

 

Bread Is Not a Mere Commodity

 

The theologian John Macquarrie relates that the Scottish churchman, George Macleod, used to watch grain ships from Canada and the United States bringing their cargoes of wheat into Liverpool harbor, and he reflected that the wheat has the potentiality of becoming the body of Christ. This is the point at which sacramental theology spills over into the market place. Bread is not a mere commodity; things are not mere bits of matter. We can learn something of this from natural theology, but we learn it above all from Jesus Christ, the bread of God which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.

 

John Macquarrie, A Guide to the Sacraments, p,156 

__________________________

 

The Truth

 

There is an Irish saying, "the person who speaks the truth should have one foot in the stirrup." He should be ready to ride off at once. People do not like the truth, especially when it challenges their attitudes; and the reaction is often to try to destroy the evidence of the truth or the one who witnesses to it. 
 
Father Gerry Pierse, The Dangerous Memory of Jesus

 

_______________________

 

Dining with God

 

When Seymour passed away, God greeted him at the Pearly Gates. "Thou be hungry, Seymour?" said God.

 

"I could eat," Seymour replied.

 

So God opened a can of tuna and reached for a chunk of rye bread and they shared it. While eating this humble meal, Seymour glanced down into Hell and saw the inhabitants devouring huge steaks, lobsters, pheasants, pastries, and fine wines. Curious, but deeply trusting, Seymour remained quiet.

 

The next day God again invited Seymour for another meal. Again, it was tuna and rye bread. Once again looking down, Seymour could see the denizens of Hell enjoying caviar, champagne, lamb, truffles, and chocolates. Still Seymour said nothing.

 

The following day, mealtime arrived and God opened another can of tuna. Seymour could contain himself no longer. Meekly, he said: "God, I am grateful to be in heaven with you as a reward for the pious, obedient life I led. But here in heaven all I get to eat is tuna and a piece of rye bread and in the Other Place they eat like emperors and kings! Forgive me, O God, but I just don't understand."

 

God sighed: "Let's be honest, Seymour. For just two people does it pay to cook?"

 

Donel McClellan, The Imaginary God

 

________________________

 

Meeting God

 

Barbara Brokhoff says in her book, Faith Alive, "The Happy Hour for the Christian should be the hour of worship on Sunday morning, but how do you honestly feel when you are awakened by the alarm on the Lord's Day and you realize it is another "Church Day"? Can you hardly wait for the service time to roll around or do you roll over in bed, moan and groan and cover your head, and wish that once, once again maybe once more like last Sunday the one before, you would, or could sleep in and forget the whole boring, time consuming thing?? Is the thought of worship agony or ecstasy? I think we are coming to meet God--not just any body, but God!! Shouldn't the delightful suspense of worship make our breath short and our hearts beat faster?" 

 

Barbara Brokhoff, Faith Alive, quoted by Tim Zingale, Wisdom = Being in Christ


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From JoeParrish at compuserve.com  Sat Aug 15 16:21:47 2009
From: JoeParrish at compuserve.com (Joe Parrish)
Date: Sat, 15 Aug 2009 16:21:47 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] Sermon Resources for August 16 - Part 3 of 3
Message-ID: <C18D3CA4C3D54DED9201B45BC66E0009@YOUR264F1833C5>

Sermon Resources for August 16 - Part 3 of 3

Bread from Home
 

I'm reminded of a true story of a soldier who was severely wounded. When he was out of surgery, the doctors said that there was a good chance for recovery, except that the soldier wouldn't eat anything. The nurses and nuns tried everything, but he refused all food-drinking only water and juice.

 

One of his buddies knew why the soldier wouldn't eat-he was homesick. So, his friend, since the hospital wasn't too far from the soldier's home, offered to bring the young man's father to visit him. The commanding officer approved and the friend went to the parents' home. As the father was about to leave for the hospital, the mother wrapped up a loaf of fresh bread for her son.

 

Well, the patient was very happy to see his father but he still wouldn't eat-that is, until the father said; "Son, this bread was made by your mother, especially for you". The boy brightened and began to eat.

 

I think that you can guess where I'm going with that story. You and I are that boy. We are the ones who have been wounded in the battle of life. We are the ones who've been wounded by sin, by trials and pains, by loss and by our forgetfulness of God.

 

We lose our taste for the food that will strengthen our souls. Holy Communion gives us life, spiritual life, God's life. It gives us spiritual healing and spiritual strength.

 

There was nothing 'magic' about the mother's bread unless, that is, one feels that 'love' is magic--which, of course, it is.

 

Author unknown

 

____________________

 

 The Communion of Empty Hands

 

There's a beautiful incident recorded by Thomas Pettepiece, a Methodist pastor, who was a political prisoner, a prisoner of conscience. Pettepiece writes of his first Easter Sunday spent in prison. He was among 10,000 prisoners. Most of the men had lost everything: their homes, their jobs, their furniture, their contact with their families. It was Easter Sunday, and they wanted to celebrate Communion. But, they had no cup for Communion. They had no wine for Communion. They didn't even have water for Communion. Nor did they have any bread for the Sacrament.

 

So, they practiced the Communion of Empty Hands. "This meal in which we take part," Pettepeice said, "reminds us of the imprisonment, the torture, the death and final victory of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The bread is the body which he gave for humanity. The fact that we have none represents very well the lack of bread in the hunger of so many millions of human beings. The wine, which we don't have today, is his blood, and represents our dream of a united humanity, of a just society, without difference of race or class."

 

Then Pettepiece, the pastor, held out his empty hand to the next person on his right, and passed on the imaginary loaf. Each one took a piece and passed it on. Then he said, "Take, eat, this is my body, which is broken for you. Do this in remembrance of me." And together they ate the imaginary bread, trying to imagine tasting it.

 

After a moment they passed around the non-existent chalice, each imagining he was drinking from it. "Take, drink, this is the blood of Christ which was shed for you ... Let us give thanks, sure that Christ is here with us, strengthening us."

 

They gave thanks to God and then stood up and embraced each other. And a while later, one of the non-Christian prisoners came up to them and said, "You people have something special, which I would like to have." And the father of a girl who had died came up to Pettepiece and said, "Pastor, this was a real experience. I believe that today I discovered what faith is ..." (from Visions of a World Hungry, quoted in A Guide To Prayer, Rueben P. Job and Norman Shawchuck, editors, The Upper Room, p. 143).

 

Alex Gondola, Jr., Come As You Are, CSS Publishing Company.

________________________

 

Togetherness in the Eucharist

 

Bread suggests togetherness, care and love, hopes and dreams, fun and adventure.  

 

Let's say some new friends invite you to their house for a meal. When you are a guest in their home, they are sharing their intimacy with you. They are sharing with you some of the privacy of that place where they live every day, eat every day, love every day, work on their problems, argue from time to time, sleep and depart for work and pleasure and return for rest, every day.   

 

After graciously receiving you, they show you around their home in which they take deep pride. Then you go to the dining room for the meal. You find the table set with care, the food exceptionally delicious, and the conversation flows easily. Simply put, it becomes a lovely evening and you leave feeling full in every way. You enjoy bread from the kitchen, but much more. You enjoy the bread of being graciously received, the bread of informed and lively conversation, and the bread of being in beautiful surroundings..  

 

Magnify that thousands of times and you begin to have a glimmer of what the church perceives the Holy Eucharist to be. In the Eucharist Jesus and "Bread of Life" are one. In the Eucharist bread and wine are the elements that nurture faith in God.

 

Charles R. Leary, Mission Ready!, CSS Publishing Company 

_____________________

 

Full Devotion

 

Several years ago a couple of reporters conducted an experiment on the streets of Miami, Florida. They printed up a copy of the Bill of Rights in the form of a petition, put it on a clipboard, and then stopped people on the sidewalk and asked them to sign it. As you know, the first ten amendments to the United States Constitution are the Bill of Rights, and they were adopted and put into effect in December of 1791. The reporters were surprised at people's reaction when asked to add their names to the so-called petition. Most people glanced at the document, shook their heads, and walked on by without signing. Several people became angry with the reporters and accused them of being radical enemies of the American way of life. In fact, the experiment ended when the reporters found themselves surrounded by a dozen or so passers-by who were shaking their fists at them and calling them subversive Communists who ought to be thrown in jail.

 

What the experiment demonstrated is what we already know. Many citizens of the United States pay lip service to their country and its heritage. They claim to be loyal and patriotic in every way. They say they are proud to belong to a country as great as ours. And yet at the same time they haven't the vaguest notion what the United States Constitution actually says, and they consider the Bill of Rights to be a radical, anti-American document. In other words, these people claim citizenship, but they have not internalized the basic meaning of being a citizen. They claim the privilege, but they will not eat and drink the ethos of United States of America.

 

The same sort of thing is described in today's Gospel. Jesus says, I am the living bread that came down from heaven. . . Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Most people probably think Jesus is talking about communion. He isn't. He's talking about the difference between external lip service and internal embodiment. He's talking about the difference between admiring him and actually taking up one's cross and following him. He's talking about the difference between acting like a Christian on the outside and being a Christian on the inside.

 

Edwin D. Peterman

 

_________________

 

Christ in Me and I in Him

 

There is an story about minister walking along the ocean with his small son. The boy questioned his father about Sunday's sermon. The boy said, "Dad, I cannot understand how Christ can live in us and we live in him at the same time." Further down the beach, the father noticed an empty bottle with a cork in it. Taking the bottle, he half filled it with water, re-corked it and flung it out into the ocean.

 

As they watched the bottle bob up and down he said, "Son, the sea is in the bottle and the bottle is in the sea. It is a picture of life in Christ. You live under the Lordship of Christ and He lives in you."

 

Traditional

 

___________________________________

 

ILLUSTRATIONS FOR EPHESIANS 5:15-20

___________________________________

 

 

Unwise and Wise Living

 

Jewish rabbis tell a poignant story that drives home the point of Proverbs 18:21. As the story goes (and five versions of this appear in Greek literature), Rabbi Simeon ben Gamaliel one day asked his servant to go to buy some good food for him in the market. When the servant returned home, he presented the rabbi with a tongue.

 

The next day, the rabbi told the servant to go to the market to buy some bad food. Again, the servant returned with a tongue.

 

When the rabbi asked the servant why he returned with a tongue both times, the servant made this astute observation: "Good comes from it and bad comes from it. When the tongue is good, there is nothing better, and when it is bad, there is nothing worse."

 

William R. Baker, Sticks & Stones: The Discipleship of Our Speech, Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1996), p. 17.

 

_________________

 

Experience comes from what we have done. Wisdom comes from what we have done badly.

 

Theodore Levitt, Harvard Business School

 

_________________

 

Wisdom

 

An angel appears at a faculty meeting and tells the dean that in return for his unselfish and exemplary behavior, the Lord will reward him with his choice of infinite wealth, wisdom or beauty. Without hesitating, the dean selects infinite wisdom.

 

"Done!" says the angel, and disappears in a cloud of smoke and a bolt of lightning. Now, all heads turn toward the dean, who sits surrounded by a faint halo of light. At length, one of his colleagues whispers, "Say something."

 

The dean looks intently at his colleagues gathered around him and says.

 

The conclusion to this illustration and many additional illustrations and sermons for Proper 15 can be accessed at www.Sermons.com.

 

 
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From JoeParrish at compuserve.com  Sat Aug 15 17:19:48 2009
From: JoeParrish at compuserve.com (Joe Parrish)
Date: Sat, 15 Aug 2009 17:19:48 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] Information tsunami
Message-ID: <CDFF10022E3B450FBDEB9AAC481149BF@YOUR264F1833C5>

See this and think how church figures into the current information tsunami: 

http://www.youtube.com/v/sIFYPQjYhv8&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&feature=player_embedded&fs=1 

(Turn off sound--it's a bit irritating.)

Peace and blessings,
Joe
St. John's, Elizabeth, NJ
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From JoeParrish at compuserve.com  Sat Aug 15 21:00:07 2009
From: JoeParrish at compuserve.com (Joe Parrish)
Date: Sat, 15 Aug 2009 21:00:07 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] Gospel references for August 16, 2009, Part 1
Message-ID: <1162153DF17F4151A0D7129BCA976B11@YOUR264F1833C5>

In verse 53, however, Jesus switches to a less common word, trogo, a rather onomatopoetic word that has a connotation closer to "munch" or "gnaw." It is a graphic word of noisy eating, the sort of eating an animal does. The audibility of the eating, however, is not the important point; this is eating that is urgent, even desperate. It is eating as though life depends on it, because it does.

Just what this "gnawing" means, however, is not easy to discern. In fact, verses 51-58 make up one of the most widely and hotly disputed passages in John's Gospel. At the heart of the debate is whether or not these statements refer to the eating and drinking of the Eucharist, a question only compounded by the absence of Jesus' words regarding his body and blood at the last supper in John. 

<>
...the early church (for example, Ignatius and Justin Martyr) did speak about the "flesh" of Jesus in the Eucharist. 
<>
this text is at one level a meditation on the Eucharist... 

http://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?lect_date=8/16/2009&tab=4

Brian Peterson,Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary
Columbia, SC  
- - - - - 

...to eat someone's flesh was a Semitic figure of speech for to slander did not make Jesus' statement easier to understand!

http://montreal.anglican.org/comments/archive/bpr20m.shtml

Chris Haslam, Anglican Diocese of Montreal 
- - - - -

John uses the word "flesh" (Greek: sarx) while the synoptic gospels and Paul use the word "body" (Greek: soma). 
<>
Verse 53: The separation of blood from flesh emphasize the reality of Jesus' death. 
<>
This passage speaks of salvation many times, sometimes in the present (a present reality) (in vv. 53a, 54a) and sometimes in the future (in vv. 54b, 57b, 58b). Salvation through participating in the Eucharist is happening now, and will happen in the future. While this is obvious in John, it can also be found in Matthew.

http://montreal.anglican.org/comments/archive/bpr20l.shtml

Chris Haslam, Anglican Diocese of Montreal 
- - - - -

As the text stands which has been passed on to us, we see that the eucharist is clearly being understood as a means of opening oneself to this life. It would be a mistake, however, to isolate it as though it were the only means and especially to isolate its elements as having a power which exists independently of the Son and are somehow at our disposal, like medicine. 

http://wwwstaff.murdoch.edu.au/~loader/MkPentecost11.htm

William Loader, Murdoch University, Uniting Church in Australia
- - - - -

How frequently does one need to eat and drink in order to have this life? Martin Luther writes: "You have to worry that whoever does not desire or receive the sacrament at the very least around four times a year despises the sacrament and is no Christian, just as anyone who does not listen to or believe the gospel is no Christian" ["Preface to the Small Catechism," Book of Concord, Kolb & Wengert, ed., p. 250]
And a little later: "... you do not have to make any law concerning this.... Only emphasize clearly the benefit and the harm, the need and the blessing, the danger and the salvation in this sacrament. Then they will doubtless come on their own without any compulsion. If they do not come, give up on them and tell them that those who do not pay attention to or feel their great need and God's gracious help belong to the devil" ["Preface to the Small Catechism," Book of Concord, Kolb & Wengert, ed., p. 251]

<>
Besides the word "flesh" (sarx,) being distinctively Johannine in regards to the eucharist feast, John is also unique in using the word trogo for "to eat" (vv. 54, 56, 57, 58). (He also uses the more common esthio -- vv. 5, 23, 26, 31, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 58.) Trogo is a cruder term, sometimes translated: "to chew" or "to gnaw" or "to eat audibly". BAGD says: "John uses it, in order to offset any Docetic tendencies to 'spiritualize' the concept so that nothing physical remains in it, in what many hold to be the language of the Lord's Supper."

http://www.crossmarks.com/brian/john6x51.htm

Brian Stoffregen
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From JoeParrish at compuserve.com  Sat Aug 15 21:42:33 2009
From: JoeParrish at compuserve.com (Joe Parrish)
Date: Sat, 15 Aug 2009 21:42:33 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] Gospel references for August 16, 2009, Part 2
Message-ID: <650242BC49BF4CE4AEBD6F2812377FB9@YOUR264F1833C5>

In Genesis 9:3-4, God explicitly forbids Noah and his family (and thereby, all humans, because in the Biblical story, since they are the only human survivors of the flood, all humans are descended from them) from eating blood:
          Every living thing shall be food for you; and just as I gave you the green plants, I give you everything.
          Only, you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood.

Malina and Rorhbaugh then point out that in Leviticus both blood and the flesh of the kidney and its surrounding fat are ritually dedicated exclusively for God: the blood is thrown on the altar; the kidney and its fat are burnt. They comment:

  Thus, the prohibitions of fat and blood (from human consumption) single out those organs ... that serve as the seat of life. Life is from God alone and belongs to God alone. To ingest fat or blood is to strive to be like God. Page 136.

Thus, the crowd listening to Jesus would hear his words, "eat my flesh and drink my blood," as blasphemy, as an abomination, as a violation of a core belief about the Holy and our proper relationship with the Holy. 

http://www.holytextures.com/2009/07/john-6-51-58-year-b-pentecost-august-14-august-20-sermon.html

David Ewart, United Church of Canada, 2009

- - - - -

The text calls us beyond being casual receivers of God's bounty John 6:1-16) and connected recognizers of God's presence (John 6:17-26) to a new committed relationship with Christ, the bread of heaven.

http://jointhefeast.blogspot.com/2009/07/august-16-2009-john-651-58-martha.html

Martha Rollins, Union Theological Seminary & Presbyterian School of Christian Education, Richmond, VA 2009

- - - - -
What bread and wine do we feed on, do we abide in? Do we abide in the bread and wine of human reason? Experience? Logic? Do we abide in the bread and wine of the Mosaic Passover, i.e. the Law? Or, do we abide in the bread and wine that is the flesh and blood of Christ?

http://www.crossings.org/theology/2009/theolo742.shtml

Bill White, Crossings Community,  Chesterfield, MO

- - - - -

In my own spiritual path, sometimes I've confused manna for living bread. Both are God-given, but manna doesn't nourish indefinitely. Think of manna as the aspects of the church life that are suitable and grace-full but fleeting. Manna is the preaching style of a certain pastor whom you love (but what do you do when a new pastor comes along with a different style)? Manna is the program ministry of the congregation, or the church's music, wonderful and beneficial but sometimes a source of disagreement. Manna is the small group to which you're attached -- but people move away and the group magic disappears. Manna is the congregation that you love -- that you'd rather would never change. And what if a crisis in your congregation brings out the worst in the people you trusted as spiritual models? Our walk with Christ can be hampered, even ruined, when we allow impermanent aspects of church to define our spiritual journey.

http://www.religion-online.org/showarticle.asp?title=3421

Paul Stroble, 2006

- - - - -

51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. This is the only time that the phrase, "living bread," is used in the Scriptures and is parallel to Jesus saying that he was the "living water" to the Samaritan woman at the well (John 4:10).

Jesus is the source of life, the source of eternal life, the source of the values of our daily lives, the source of love for our daily lives. The basic food staple of the world is bread and Jesus is the basic spiritual staple of the world. 

<>

...the English word, "forever," occurs 352 times in the whole Bible; 302 times in the Old Testament and 52 times in the New Testament. It occurs seven times in the four gospels and five times in the Gospel of John. In other words, the word, "forever," is important in this gospel. 

<>

Capernaum was in existence from the second century BCE. to the seventh century CE. Capernaum was built along the edge of the Sea of Galilee and had up to 1500 residents. 

http://www.sermonsfromseattle.com/series_b_holy_communion_GA.htm

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From chadwohl at satucket.com  Sat Aug 15 22:18:09 2009
From: chadwohl at satucket.com (Charles Wohlers)
Date: Sat, 15 Aug 2009 22:18:09 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] READINGS for the TWELFTH SUNDAY after PENTECOST
Message-ID: <E54438EDEDF749179D29E483C1B185E8@cranmer>

Note: These are a day early as we'll be away tomorrow evening.

The following are the readings for the Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost, 
August 23, (Proper 21, RCL, Proper 16, ECUSA), according to the Revised 
Common (RCL), Episcopal (ECUSA), Roman Catholic, Canadian (BAS), and 
English (Common Worship) lectionaries. Unless noted otherwise, the 
lectionaries of ECUSA, Canada and the C of E are identical to the RCL this 
Sunday. The NRSV translation is used.


OLD TESTAMET:  1 Kings 8: (1, 6, 10, 11) 22 - 30, 41 - 43   (RCL)

1Kin 8:1 (NRSV) Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel and all the 
heads of the tribes, the leaders of the ancestral houses of the Israelites, 
before King Solomon in Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the covenant of the 
LORD out of the city of David, which is Zion.

6 Then the priests brought the ark of the covenant of the LORD to its place, 
in the inner sanctuary of the house, in the most holy place, underneath the 
wings of the cherubim.

10 And when the priests came out of the holy place, a cloud filled the house 
of the LORD, 11 so that the priests could not stand to minister because of 
the cloud; for the glory of the LORD filled the house of the LORD.

22 Then Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in the presence of all 
the assembly of Israel, and spread out his hands to heaven. 23 He said, "O 
LORD, God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven above or on earth 
beneath, keeping covenant and steadfast love for your servants who walk 
before you with all their heart, 24 the covenant that you kept for your 
servant my father David as you declared to him; you promised with your mouth 
and have this day fulfilled with your hand. 25 Therefore, O LORD, God of 
Israel, keep for your servant my father David that which you promised him, 
saying, "There shall never fail you a successor before me to sit on the 
throne of Israel, if only your children look to their way, to walk before me 
as you have walked before me.' 26 Therefore, O God of Israel, let your word 
be confirmed, which you promised to your servant my father David.
27 "But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Even heaven and the highest 
heaven cannot contain you, much less this house that I have built! 28 Regard 
your servant's prayer and his plea, O LORD my God, heeding the cry and the 
prayer that your servant prays to you today; 29 that your eyes may be open 
night and day toward this house, the place of which you said, "My name shall 
be there,' that you may heed the prayer that your servant prays toward this 
place. 30 Hear the plea of your servant and of your people Israel when they 
pray toward this place; O hear in heaven your dwelling place; heed and 
forgive.

41 "Likewise when a foreigner, who is not of your people Israel, comes from 
a distant land because of your name 42 --for they shall hear of your great 
name, your mighty hand, and your outstretched arm--when a foreigner comes 
and prays toward this house, 43 then hear in heaven your dwelling place, and 
do according to all that the foreigner calls to you, so that all the peoples 
of the earth may know your name and fear you, as do your people Israel, and 
so that they may know that your name has been invoked on this house that I 
have built.


Joshua 24: 1 - 2a, 15 - 17, 18b   (Roman Catholic)
Joshua 24: 1 - 2a, 14 - 18   (alt. for RCL)

Josh 24:1 (NRSV) Then Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to She'chem, 
and summoned the elders, the heads, the judges, and the officers of Israel; 
and they presented themselves before God. 2 And Joshua said to all the 
people, "Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel:

14 "Now therefore revere the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in 
faithfulness; put away the gods that your ancestors served beyond the River 
and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. 15 Now if you are unwilling to serve the 
LORD, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors 
served in the region beyond the River or the gods of the Am'orites in whose 
land you are living; but as for me and my household, we will serve the 
LORD."
16 Then the people answered, "Far be it from us that we should forsake the 
LORD to serve other gods; 17 for it is the LORD our God who brought us and 
our ancestors up from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, and 
who did those great signs in our sight. He protected us along all the way 
that we went, and among all the peoples through whom we passed; 18 and the 
LORD drove out before us all the peoples, the Am'orites who lived in the 
land. Therefore we also will serve the LORD, for he is our God."


2 Samuel 23: 1 - 7   (Can. BAS)

2Sam 23:1 (NRSV) Now these are the last words of David:
The oracle of David, son of Jesse,
the oracle of the man whom God exalted,
the anointed of the God of Jacob,
the favorite of the Strong One of Israel:
2 The spirit of the LORD speaks through me,
his word is upon my tongue.
3 The God of Israel has spoken,
the Rock of Israel has said to me:
One who rules over people justly,
ruling in the fear of God,
4 is like the light of morning,
like the sun rising on a cloudless morning,
gleaming from the rain on the grassy land.
5 Is not my house like this with God?
For he has made with me an everlasting covenant,
ordered in all things and secure.
Will he not cause to prosper
all my help and my desire?
6 But the godless are all like thorns that are thrown away;
for they cannot be picked up with the hand;
7 to touch them one uses an iron bar
or the shaft of a spear.
And they are entirely consumed in fire on the spot.


PSALM 84   (RCL)

Psal 84:1 (NRSV) How lovely is your dwelling place,
O LORD of hosts!
2 My soul longs, indeed it faints
for the courts of the LORD;
my heart and my flesh sing for joy
to the living God.
3 Even the sparrow finds a home,
and the swallow a nest for herself,
where she may lay her young,
at your altars, O LORD of hosts,
my King and my God.
4 Happy are those who live in your house,
ever singing your praise. [Se'lah]
5 Happy are those whose strength is in you,
in whose heart are the highways to Zion.
6 As they go through the valley of Ba'ca
they make it a place of springs;
the early rain also covers it with pools.
7 They go from strength to strength;
the God of gods will be seen in Zion.
8 O LORD God of hosts, hear my prayer;
give ear, O God of Jacob! [Se'lah]
9 Behold our shield, O God;
look on the face of your anointed.
10 For a day in your courts is better
than a thousand elsewhere.
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
than live in the tents of wickedness.
11 For the LORD God is a sun and shield;
he bestows favor and honor.
No good thing does the LORD withhold
from those who walk uprightly.
12 O LORD of hosts,
happy is everyone who trusts in you.


Psalm 34: 15 - 22   (alt. for RCL)
Psalm 34: 1 - 2, 15 - 20   (Roman Catholic)

Psal 34:1 (NRSV) I will bless the LORD at all times;
his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
2 My soul makes its boast in the LORD;
let the humble hear and be glad.

15 The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous,
and his ears are open to their cry.
16 The face of the LORD is against evildoers,
to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.
17 When the righteous cry for help, the LORD hears,
and rescues them from all their troubles.
18 The LORD is near to the brokenhearted,
and saves the crushed in spirit.
19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous,
but the LORD rescues them from them all.
20 He keeps all their bones;
not one of them will be broken.
21 Evil brings death to the wicked,
and those who hate the righteous will be condemned.
22 The LORD redeems the life of his servants;
none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.

Note: Verse numbering in Roman Catholic bibles is one greater than the 
above.


Psalm 67   Deus misereatur   (Can. BAS)

1   May God be merciful to us and bless us, *
  show us the light of his countenance and come to us.

2   Let your ways be known upon earth, *
  your saving health among all nations.

3   Let the peoples praise you, O God; *
  let all the peoples praise you.

4   Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, *
  for you judge the peoples with equity
  and guide all the nations upon earth.

5   Let the peoples praise you, O God; *
  let all the peoples praise you.

6   The earth has brought forth her increase; *
  may God, our own God, give us his blessing.

7   May God give us his blessing, *
  and may all the ends of the earth stand in awe of him.


NEW TESTAMENT:   Ephesians 6: 10 - 20   (RCL)

Ephe 6:10 (NRSV) Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his 
power. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to stand 
against the wiles of the devil. 12 For our struggle is not against enemies 
of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against 
the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of 
evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, so 
that you may be able to withstand on that evil day, and having done 
everything, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, and fasten the belt of truth 
around your waist, and put on the breastplate of righteousness. 15 As shoes 
for your feet put on whatever will make you ready to proclaim the gospel of 
peace. 16 With all of these, take the shield of faith, with which you will 
be able to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet 
of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
18 Pray in the Spirit at all times in every prayer and supplication. To that 
end keep alert and always persevere in supplication for all the saints. 19 
Pray also for me, so that when I speak, a message may be given to me to make 
known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an 
ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it boldly, as I must speak.


Ephesians 5: 21 - 33   (Can. BAS)
Ephesians 5: (2a, 21 - 24) 25 - 32   (Roman Catholic)

Ephe 5:2a (NRSV) [L]ive in love, as Christ loved us

21Be subject to one another out of reverence for Christ.
22 Wives, be subject to your husbands as you are to the Lord. 23 For the 
husband is the head of the wife just as Christ is the head of the church, 
the body of which he is the Savior. 24 Just as the church is subject to 
Christ, so also wives ought to be, in everything, to their husbands.
25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave 
himself up for her, 26 in order to make her holy by cleansing her with the 
washing of water by the word, 27 so as to present the church to himself in 
splendor, without a spot or wrinkle or anything of the kind--yes, so that 
she may be holy and without blemish. 28 In the same way, husbands should 
love their wives as they do their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves 
himself. 29 For no one ever hates his own body, but he nourishes and 
tenderly cares for it, just as Christ does for the church, 30 because we are 
members of his body. 31 "For this reason a man will leave his father and 
mother and be joined to his wife, and the two will become one flesh." 32 
This is a great mystery, and I am applying it to Christ and the church. 33 
Each of you, however, should love his wife as himself, and a wife should 
respect her husband.


GOSPEL:   John 6: 56 - 69   (RCL)
                    John 6: 60 - 69   (Roman Catholic)
                    John 6: 55 - 69   (Can. BAS)

John 6:55 (NRSV) for my flesh is true food and my blood is true drink. 56 
Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them. 57 
Just as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so 
whoever eats me will live because of me. 58 This is the bread that came down 
from heaven, not like that which your ancestors ate, and they died. But the 
one who eats this bread will live forever." 59 He said these things while he 
was teaching in the synagogue at Caper'naum.
60 When many of his disciples heard it, they said, "This teaching is 
difficult; who can accept it?" 61 But Jesus, being aware that his disciples 
were complaining about it, said to them, "Does this offend you? 62 Then what 
if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? 63 It is 
the spirit that gives life; the flesh is useless. The words that I have 
spoken to you are spirit and life. 64 But among you there are some who do 
not believe." For Jesus knew from the first who were the ones that did not 
believe, and who was the one that would betray him. 65 And he said, "For 
this reason I have told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted 
by the Father."
66 Because of this many of his disciples turned back and no longer went 
about with him. 67 So Jesus asked the twelve, "Do you also wish to go away?" 
68 Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of 
eternal life. 69 We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One 
of God."


Chad Wohlers
East Bridgewater, Mass.   USA
chadwohl at satucket.com
cwohlers at bridgew.edu




From JoeParrish at compuserve.com  Sat Aug 15 23:22:42 2009
From: JoeParrish at compuserve.com (Joe Parrish)
Date: Sat, 15 Aug 2009 23:22:42 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] Gospel references for August 16, 2009, Part 3
Message-ID: <4F33F63432A44B539EBFF24D32D1D388@YOUR264F1833C5>

Belief in the proposition that Jesus' death is efficacious for salvation, no
matter how fervently held, does not have the power to communicate divinity from
Jesus to the one who holds the proposition to be true. There must be something
bodily going on between Christ and believers (starting with Christ and moving to
believers!) in order that the life of God, which is fully present in the Son, becomes
their life as well.
Such a communication of divine life is indeed the promise given by Jesus to
all who eat his flesh and drink his blood.

http://www.luthersem.edu/word&world/Archives/17-1_Communion/17-1_Fredrickson.pdf

David E. Fredrickson, 1997
- - - - -

In Series B, however, the lectionary has clustered five texts from John 6 in consecutive
Sundays. From the 10th Sunday after Pentecost to the 14th, we meet the following texts: John
6:1-15, 24-35, 41-51, 51-58 and 60-69. If you are a solo pastor, preaching on the same chapter in
John for the four Sundays in August and Labor Day weekend is not the most attractive option.
Vacation plans might thankfully intervene in your schedule. If you serve in a staff situation, more
than likely the one who is up for the Sunday following your sermon on John 6 will kindly inform
you that you just preached the sermon being developed from the text for the next Sunday. If you
find yourself in either situation, you might wonder what to do that is responsible and faithful not
only to the text but also to your context of ministry. It is a splendid opportunity to help your
congregation begin to see the majesty and depth of this Gospel as seen through one of its finest
chapters.

http://www.luthersem.edu/word&world/Archives/5-3_Imagination/5-3_Berge.pdf

Paul S. Berge, Luther Northwestern Theological Seminary, 1985

- - - - -

If we're to make any impact for God on the life of the world, even our own small bit of it, like Jesus we have to become bread for it. Give our humanity for it. ('Flesh' translates very adequately as 'humanity', I suggest.) 

http://www.angelfire.com/journal2/marginallymark/MMKJN65158P10.html

Brian McGowan, Anglican priest in Western Australia

- - - - -

There is an Irish saying, "the person who speaks the truth should have one foot in the stirrup." He should be ready to ride off at once. People do not like the truth, especially when it challenges their attitudes; and the reaction is often to try to destroy the evidence of the truth or the one who witnesses to it. The political and religious authorities of the time of Jesus were at enmity most of the time. Now, instead of listening to his challenge to internalize their publicized values and bring their attitudes and behavior into conformity with them, they decide to work together to plot the death of Jesus. 

http://www.bible.claret.org/liturgy/daily/sundays_pierse/cycleB/B_20thSunOT.htm

Gerry Pierse

- - - - -

Early Christians were indeed accused of human sacrifice - cannibalism - and the drinking of human blood as people heard snippets of their beliefs: "they meet to eat flesh and drink blood". These accusations were cited as cause for persecution - after all, what civilised society would tolerate such behaviour?



In response, we tend to over-spiritualise this teaching. We know that Jesus is speaking of a mystical Body and mystical Blood and that their meaning goes beyond mere altar bread and sip of wine. We know that receiving Bread and Wine brings us into Communion with Christ himself and with all who form the Body of Christ - living and dead. 


http://www.wellsprings.org.uk/weekly_wellsprings/year_b/sunday_20.htm

Catherine McElhinney and Kathryn Turner

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From JoeParrish at compuserve.com  Sun Aug 16 00:40:36 2009
From: JoeParrish at compuserve.com (Joe Parrish)
Date: Sun, 16 Aug 2009 00:40:36 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] Gospel references for August 16, 2009, Part 4
Message-ID: <BBE78176139B416FBF77B6AF4B004739@YOUR264F1833C5>

John 6:54 (56-58) "The (person) gnawing on my flesh" John chose the verb "gnaw" to show the graphic nature of Jesus' statement. In the mind of the Christian, there is a direct connection between partaking in the very being of Christ and eternal life. They are one and the same.

<>

But it was not enough for the follower to simply take polite bites. He or she needed total involvement (hence the verb that meant "gnaw" or "chew"). The Christian should continuously gnaw on the living bread like a good barbequed pork rib. The act was to be messy. The act required total immersion, total concentration, total commitment. The act itself caused scandal.

http://www.word-sunday.com/Files/b/20-b/A-20-b.html

Larry Broding

- - - - -

This is Jesus drawing lines, dividing his followers between those who are looking for a handout and those who will go the distance.

Quite literally, Jesus is telling us; "If you are not willing to share in my death and drink from my suffering then you should turn back now."

How do we introduce this type of commitment into our "social club congregations" today?  So many churches deny their role of ministering to the wounded and bleeding Jesus in the form of the outcast and needy.  After Jesus preached this message to the thousands, only the twelve remained, and even they were struggling with this statement.  Would we be counted among the twelve if we were challenged to take our faith beyond what is comfortable?

<>

It is sleep our enemy desires, dullness and comfort, he wants us contentedly slumbering in deep repose.  I believe we will be able to tell the time is near when those who shout; "Awake, awake the enemy is near," are drowned out by those who shout; "Shut up, we need our beauty sleep."

http://onefamilyoutreach.com/bible/John/jn_06_51-58.html

Jerry Goebel: 2003 ? http://onefamilyoutreach.com

- - - - -

Friend of mine who left the church as an adolescent and never returned traces his disillusionment to several incidents, including a memorable discussion about the Lord's Supper in his confirmation class. He asked his teacher how the sacrament was any different from the ritual cannibalism practiced in some tribes in which they eat the body of the departed leader in the belief that by doing so they will manifest the leader's powers. The teacher was obviously agitated by the question and responded, "What a disgusting suggestion! It has nothing to do with cannibalism. We're talking about a blessed sacrament, not some primitive ritual. It's completely different." The teacher refused to continue the discussion.

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1058/is_n22_v111/ai_15699990/

Martin B. Copenhaver, 1994

- - - - -

Check out the premise of the 'Nigerians' in the new sci fi movie, District 9!  They thought they could gain the powers of the alien 'prawns' if they could eat them.

- - - - - 

The participle in verse 54, trwvgwn, is almost shockingly graphic: it means to eat noisily, often used of animals ("gnaw," "nibble," "munch"). When used with reference to people, it often has the idea of enjoyment (Matt 24:38) and close comradeship. Some have thought it refers to a literal feeding, and thus to the Eucharist. But this does not follow: by anyone's definition there must be a symbolic element to the eating which Jesus speaks of in the discourse, and once this is admitted, it is better to understand it here, as in the previous references in the passage, to a personal receiving of (or appropriation of) Christ and his work.

http://bible.org/seriespage/exegetical-commentary-john-6

 W. Hall Harris III

- - - - -

We are tempted to believe that this right now is all that is. We show that in our attempt to enjoy as much as possible while we are "alive." 
We attempt to remain young, because old means the end. Even in retirement complexes, those with canes, walkers, and wheelchairs don't want to be seen by those without these devices, because, well, they mean the lost of independence, and the end coming.

As we eat and drink Jesus in the Sacrament, I would hope that we enjoy life now because Jesus is with you every week. And the Blessed Sacrament received each week is to counter the world which says life with this religious claptrap isn't where life really is. We need to know that "to be" is only when Jesus is in us, and it is always "not to be" when Jesus is not in us.


http://www.predigten.uni-goettingen.de/archiv-8/060820-5-e.html

Walter W. Harms, retired pastor, Austin, TX

- - - - -

What do people feel is the most important part of the worship service? In the recent past, when studies were made within the Lutheran church, 83% of Lutherans rated Holy Communion as the most important part of the worship service.  More important than preaching. More important than singing hymns and praise songs. More important than praying and the prayers of the church. 

<>

Some years ago, when I was giving Holy Communion to Edie Wills of our parish who was dying of cancer of the esophagus. She had a tracheotomy and could speak only with airy, whispered sounds.  I spoke to her the words of John 6: "Whoever eats my body and drinks my blood (will never die) but live forever."  She shot back at me from her hospital bed, "What did you say?" I replied, "I didn't say it but God's Word said it, "Whoever eats my body and drinks my blood will live forever." With her breathy voice, Edie whispered loudly and forcefully to me through her wind pipe and tracheotomy, "Give me some of that bread and wine." It was as if Edie had heard these words for the first time. The words penetrated her mind and she knew that she was eating soul food and drinking soul wine for all eternity.before her body died.

http://www.sermonsfromseattle.com/series_b_holy_communion.htm

Edward F. Markquart, Grace Lutheran Church, Seattle, Washington

- - - - -

The promise of this new world is set forth in the strongest possible terms when Jesus declares, "My flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me and I in them. This is the bread that comes down from heaven, not like your ancestors ate and still they died, because whoever eats this bread will live forever."

Can this be possible? One man set free is worth a thousand speeches. The first time I heard these words I was listening to the radio as I drove my car down a highway in Washington, D.C. I wanted to pull over and roll down my windows and shout to all who were passing by, "Did you hear that? Isn't that the truth? Isn't that the God-honest truth? One person set free is worth a thousand speeches?" 

http://day1.org/668-a_taste_of_freedom_food

The Rev. Dr. Harvard Stephens, Jr., dean of the chapel,  Carthage College, Kenosha, WI, 2000

- - - - -

Communion with Christ means a restoration of the intimacy with God that brings fulfillment and satisfaction.  There is no life sustaining nourishment for the spirit to be had apart from the Lord.  "I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live forever..."

http://www.lectionarysermons.com/aug20.00.htm

John Jewell, 2000

- - - - -

One must not take this passage as a description of an actual dialogue between Jesus and some of those who followed him. Rather it doubtless refers to a difficulty in St. John's community over the Eucharist and the presence of Jesus in the Eucharist, a difficulty which has plagued the Church through it's history, mostly because have tried to reduce mystery to prose, to explain the inexplicable. 

http://www.agreeley.com/hom09/aug16.htm

Andrew M. Greeley, 2009

- - - - -


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From JoeParrish at compuserve.com  Sun Aug 16 04:08:05 2009
From: JoeParrish at compuserve.com (Joe Parrish)
Date: Sun, 16 Aug 2009 04:08:05 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] Sermon on John 6:51-58 for August 16
Message-ID: <DCB6DC2BE9EA451EA7F800AFD70FA331@YOUR264F1833C5>

My sermon for August 16 on John 6:51-58 is here: http://tiny.cc/XEWpT
Peace and blessings,
Joe
St. John's Episcopal Church, Elizabeth, NJ
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From JoeParrish at compuserve.com  Mon Aug 17 15:08:45 2009
From: JoeParrish at compuserve.com (Joe Parrish)
Date: Mon, 17 Aug 2009 15:08:45 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] Fw: SermonWriter:  Aug. 23 (Proper 16B) John 6:56-69
Message-ID: <18B9F2B8F43642849537E009EBFF0F31@YOUR264F1833C5>

The following are SermonWriter materials for Aug. 23 (Proper 16B). They 
focus on John 6:56-69, where Jesus asks the apostles, "Do you also wish to 
go away?"

NO PASSWORD REQUIREMENT: We are posting these materials on the web with no 
password.  To access those files, you MUST use the following links.  If 
clicking on the link fails to work, copy the link and paste it in the 
address window near the top of your browser.  Then hit the ENTER key or 
click GO.

Microsoft Word file:
http://www.lectionary.org/SW/08-23oW/John_6.56-69.doc

HTML file (web page):
http://www.lectionary.org/SW/08-23oW/John_6.56-69.htm

WordPerfect file:
http://www.lectionary.org/SW/08-23oW/John_6.56-69.wpd


A TIP: If you want the Word or WordPerfect files, LEFT-CLICK on the link and 
see what happens.  That should bring up a dialog box that asks if you want 
to open the file or save it.  Choose OPEN.  Then save it wherever you like 
on your hard drive.

If that doesn't work, RIGHT-CLICK on the link.  You should get a sub-menu. 
Hopefully, "Save Target As" will be one of the options.  Click on that. 
Then save the file wherever you want on your hard drive.


<>
Dick Donovan


A THOUGHT ON PREACHING:  The Christian ministry is the worst of all trades, 
but the best of all professions (Sir Isaac Newton)


TITLE:  A Story of Two Dolls


SERMON IN A SENTENCE:  Jesus calls us to be faithful even when people take 
offense at our faith.

<>
I came across two stories that I would like to share with you.  They are 
both stories about dolls -- the kind of dolls that people give to children. 
They are interesting stories, but they also serve as windows into our Gospel 
lesson today.

The first story has to do with a Toys for Tots program sponsored by the U.S. 
Marines.  You might be surprised to learn that the U.S. Marines would 
sponsor a Toys for Tots program, but they do.  Soldiers and Marines have a 
heart for children.  In countries around the world, they have given food to 
children -- given chewing gum to children -- sponsored orphanages -- and 
even adopted orphans.

So I was not surprised to see a couple of U.S. Marines in dress uniform 
standing near the entrance of a store collecting donations for Toys for 
Tots.

But I was surprised to learn that Toys for Tots had turned down a gift of 
4,000 Jesus dolls.  The dolls were new.  They would recite some of Jesus' 
sayings, like "Love your neighbor as yourself."

A spokesman for Toys for Tots explained that, as a government entity, the 
Marines "can't take a chance on sending a Talking Jesus doll to a Jewish 
family or a Muslim family."  He also said, "Kids, want a gift for the 
holiday season that is fun."

But later, probably in response to negative publicity, they reversed their 
decision.  A Toys for Tots spokesperson said, "We believe that with some 
effort we will be able to find homes for them all" -- and they did.


The second story has to do with another Jesus doll -- a plush doll --  
huggable and washable.  It was a talking doll too.  It said things like, 
"Your life matters so much to me."  That's a nice thing to say, of course, 
but it didn't come from Jesus.  I think it came from Mr. Rogers.


I mention these two dolls because they illustrate two things about the Jesus 
whom we find in our Gospel lesson today.

- First, in our Gospel lesson, people took offense at Jesus.  The Toys for 
Tots story illustrates that Jesus still gives offense today, just as he did 
two thousand years ago.

- Second, the plush doll that said, "Your life matters to me" illustrates 
the kind of Jesus that people prefer -- a cuddly Jesus who affirms instead 
of offends -- a Jesus quite unlike the one whom we find portrayed in the 
Gospels.


<>
FOR MORE SERMONS ON THIS TEXT, GO TO:

http://www.lectionary.org/SermLinks/NT/NT04john.htm

Scroll down to John 6.  There is one sermon on this text posted there.


TRUE STORY:

See the stories of the two dolls in the sermon above.  Also the story of the 
white Southerner in Robert Coles' book.


THOUGHT PROVOKERS:

In the best sense of the word, Jesus was a radical....
His religion has so long been identified with conservatism...
that it is almost startling sometimes to remember
that all the conservatives of his own times were against him;
that it was the young, free, restless, sanguine,
progressive part of the people
who flocked to him.

Phillips Brooks

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

The essential teachings of Jesus...were literally revolutionary,
and will always remain so if they are taken seriously.

Herbert J. Muller

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

Christ is God
or He is the world's greatest liar and impostor.

Dorothy Day

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

A man who was merely a man
and said the sort of things Jesus said
wouldn't be a great moral teacher.
He'd either be a lunatic --
on the level with a man who says he's a poached egg --
or else he'd be the Devil of Hell.
You must make your choice.
Either this man was, and is, the Son of God,
or else a madman or something worse.

C.S. Lewis

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

"Gentle Jesus, meek and mild" is a sniveling modern invention,
with no warrant in the Gospels.

George Bernard Shaw

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

<>

HYMN STORY:  A Mighty Fortress is Our God

Martin Luther was familiar with conflict.  An Augustinian monk, his 
understanding of the Christian faith was radically reshaped by his reading 
about faith and grace in the book of Romans -- setting the stage for his 
opposition when the Pope authorized the sale of indulgences to fund the 
building of St. Peter's Cathedral in Rome.  Luther's ninety-five theses and 
his arrest and trial at Worms followed.

We think that this hymn was written at Coberg, Germany and was inspired by 
the Diet of Spires (1529), which sought to suppress the Lutheran movement. 
The Holy Roman Emperor, Charles V, supported that effort, but was opposed by 
a number of German princes who supported Luther.  This hymn became Luther's 
battle-cry in that conflict.  Its theme comes from Psalm 46, which says:

"God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change,
though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea;
though its waters roar and foam,
though the mountains tremble with its tumult" (Psalm 46:1-3)

Luther wrote thirty-seven hymns altogether, and his followers wrote tens of 
thousands.  This hymn is by far the most familiar.  It is found in many 
hymnals, including three Catholic hymnals.

<>
BIBLIOGRAPHY:

Barclay, William, The Daily Study Bible, "The Gospel of John," Vol. 1 
(Edinburgh: The Saint Andrew Press, 1955)

Borchert, Gerald L., New American Commentary: John 1-11, Vol. 25A 
(Nashville: Broadman Press, 1996)

Bromiley, Geoffrey (General Editor), The International Standard Bible 
Encyclopedia, Volume Four: Q-Z - Revised, the article, "Stumbling Block," by 
G.L. Archer (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1988)

Brown, Raymond, The Anchor Bible: The Gospel According to John I-XII (Garden 
City: Doubleday, 1966)

Bruce, F. F., The Gospel of John (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing 
Co., 1983).

Brueggemann, Walter; Cousar, Charles B.; Gaventa, Beverly R. and Newsome, 
James D., Texts for Preaching: A Lectionary Commentary Based on the 
NRSV--Year B (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 1993)

Carson, D. A., The Pillar New Testament Commentary: The Gospel of John 
(Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1991).

Craddock, Fred R.; Hayes, John H.; Holladay, Carl R.; and Tucker, Gene M., 
Preaching Through the Christian Year B (Valley Forge: Trinity Press 
International, 1993)

Gossip, Arthur John and Howard, Wilbert F., The Interpreter's Bible, Volume 
8 (Nashville: Abingdon, 1952)

Howard-Brook, Wes, Becoming the Children of God: John's Gospel and Radical 
Discipleship (New York: Maryknoll, 1994).

Kostenberger, Andreas J., Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament: 
John (Grand Rapids:  Baker Academic, 2004)

Lincoln, Andrew T., Black's New Testament Commentary: The Gospel According 
to Saint John (London: Continuum, 2005)

Moloney, Francis J., Sacra Pagina: The Gospel of John (Collegeville: The 
Liturgical Press, 1998)

Morris, Leon, The New International Commentary on the New Testament: The 
Gospel According to John (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 
1995).

O'Day, Gail R., The New Interpreter's Bible, Volume IX (Nashville: Abingdon, 
1995)

Ridderbos, Herman (translated by John Vriend), The Gospel of John: A 
Theological Commentary (Grand Rapids:  William B. Eerdmans Publishing 
Company, 1997)

Sloyan, Gerald, "John," Interpretation (Atlanta: John Knox Press, 1988)

Smith, D. Moody, Jr., Abingdon New Testament Commentaries: John (Nashville: 
Abingdon, 1999)

www.sermonwriter.com

www.lectionary.org





From JoeParrish at compuserve.com  Mon Aug 17 15:27:43 2009
From: JoeParrish at compuserve.com (Joe Parrish)
Date: Mon, 17 Aug 2009 15:27:43 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] Fw: SermonWriter:  Aug. 23 (Proper 16B) 1 Kings 8
Message-ID: <A0AB68357DDC4E0A991EA8BF29621862@YOUR264F1833C5>

THE FOLLOWING are links to materials for:

1 Kings 8:1, 6, 10-11, 22-30, 41-43 (RCL SemiContinuous Reading)


NO PASSWORD REQUIREMENT: We are posting these materials on the web with no 
password.
To access those files, you MUST use the following links.

IF CLICKING ON THE LINK FAILS TO WORK, copy the link and paste it in the 
address window near the top of your browser.
Then hit the ENTER key or click GO.


1 KINGS 8:1, 6, 10-11, 22-30, 41-43 (RCL SemiContinuous Reading)
These materials include the exegesis + a link to one sermon + a hymn list:

Microsoft Word file:
http://www.lectionary.org/SW/08-23oW/1_Kings_8.01-06_10-11_22-30_41-43.doc

HTML file (web page):
http://www.lectionary.org/SW/08-23oW/1_Kings_8.01-06_10-11_22-30_41-43.htm

WordPerfect file:
http://www.lectionary.org/SW/08-23oW/1_Kings_8.01-06_10-11_22-30_41-43.wpd


A TIP: If you want the Word or WordPerfect files, LEFT-CLICK on the link and 
see what happens.
That should bring up a dialog box that asks if you want to open the file or 
save it.
Choose OPEN.  Then save it wherever you like on your hard drive.

If that doesn't work, RIGHT-CLICK on the link.  You should get a sub-menu.
Hopefully, "Save Target As" will be one of them.  Click on that.
Then save the file wherever you want on your hard drive.


WWW.LECTIONARY.ORG
<>
Dick Donovan




From lynbriggs at hotmail.com  Tue Aug 18 12:00:17 2009
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Date: Tue, 18 Aug 2009 18:10:32 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] Spam coming from Propertalk@stsams
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Anyone know how to defeat this Propertalk spammer?
Peace and blessings,
Joe

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style=3D"font-size:12=
pt"><font face=3D"Times New Roman"><span style=3D"">=A0=A0=A0=A0 
</span>Thi=
s is the greeting from keviop LTD.=2Cone of the<span style=3D"">=A0 
</span>=
big Electrical wholesaler and Retailer in China.We mainly sell 
electrical p=
roduct such as digital cameras=2C<span style=3D"">=A0 
</span>mobile=2CLCD T=
V=2Cxbox=2C Laptops=2CDV=2CMp4=2C GPS=2C please visit<span 
style=3D"">=A0 <=
/span>our website: <span style=3D"">=A0</span><span 
style=3D"color:blue">ke=
viop.com</span> We can offer you both high quality products and good 
price =
.All items we list on this website are brand new and original with 
sealed b=
ox. and come with official warranty .</font></span></p>
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</sp=
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From annfontaine at mac.com  Tue Aug 18 19:34:25 2009
From: annfontaine at mac.com (Ann Fontaine)
Date: Tue, 18 Aug 2009 17:34:25 -0600
Subject: [Propertalk] Psalm 84
Message-ID: <085EF91C-28F4-47BD-B709-B0F010EAEB60@mac.com>

http://www.isaaceverett.com/2009/08/18/psalm-84-deanna-witkowski/

from the Emergent Psalter


Ann


Ann Fontaine
Lander, Wyoming

Note: new email address
annfontaine at me.com











Ann Fontaine
Lander, Wyoming

Note: new email address
annfontaine at me.com









From michael at st-davids.org  Wed Aug 19 10:03:42 2009
From: michael at st-davids.org (michael at st-davids.org)
Date: Wed, 19 Aug 2009 14:03:42 +0000
Subject: [Propertalk] Jesus doesn't make it easy
Message-ID: <W9053619487159771250690622@webmail6>

Bill Loader, an excellent biblical scholar from Australia writes:

"Theclaim of the fourth gospel is that Israel?s religious heritage is notto be abandoned but to be owned as metaphor which bears witness to thetruth."

Which is to say that what was so hard for Jews followingJesus was that at some point he becomes something akin to a new Torah,new Bible, new Law. Not another Torah, but an updated version. He has'the words of eternal life.'

The Gospel of John is usually hardfor me. It seems gnostic sometimes--full of specialized secretknowledge you have to be initiated into to understand (or appreciate!).It's helpful to think of this section of John's gospel in Bill Loader'sterms--something we have truly to own as metaphor that bears witness tothe truth.

it's still challenging--even to understand. And as weunderstand, we still have to deal with the realization that Jesusdoesn't make it easy. Like in Chapter 3--with Nicodemus--we are calledto be born again! And what does that mean for each of us? What cruciallife-passage does that bear witness to? And can we stand the persistentdiscomfort and disorientation that comes to everybody who decides tostay with Jesus to find out?

The above is also posted on Homilyblog

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From JoeParrish at compuserve.com  Wed Aug 19 10:44:38 2009
From: JoeParrish at compuserve.com (Joe Parrish)
Date: Wed, 19 Aug 2009 10:44:38 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] Day1 Sermon for August 23, 2009, Proper 16B
Message-ID: <79B145D8B5BA4B9FB8982DFC37228C7F@YOUR264F1833C5>

http://day1.org/1405-words_of_eternal_life
Words of Eternal Life
John 6:59-69
Proper 16 - Year B
August 23, 2009
by the Rev. Dr. David Lose, the Marbury E. Anderson Chair in Biblical Preaching at Luther Seminary in St. Paul, MN
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From robertpmorrison at charterinternet.com  Sat Aug 22 02:09:39 2009
From: robertpmorrison at charterinternet.com (Robert P Morrison)
Date: Fri, 21 Aug 2009 23:09:39 -0700
Subject: [Propertalk] Sermon for 1892
Message-ID: <20090822020939.8ZQJ2.3909747.root@mp20>

We're continuing our study and usage of ancestral Prayer books, and have will have reached 1892 by Sunday 23rd.

Here's what I have prepared to read and edit tomorrow. The Gospel is the Pharisee and tha Tax Collector.

Bob


THE EPISCOPAL PARISH OF ST. JAMES, LINCOLN CITY    THE  11th SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY 
1 CORINTHIANS15:1-11		                 [ PROPER 16 b RCL  ]
 LUKE 18:9-14      		               [ THE TWELFTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST ]

23rd  AUGUST, 2009
LITURGY USING 1892 U.S. PRAYER BOOK

	According to some people, our Presiding Bishop set another cat out with the pigeons this summer. In a sermon at General Convention, she talked about what she called the heresy of individual salvation. Of course, before the words were half-way across the huge worship space, she was being called a heretic herself.
	On a simple level, what she was trying to reinforce is the belief that we?re all born, physically and spiritually, into a community. Yes, each of us has a responsibility for him or herself. We each have to govern our tongues, and our hearts, and our minds; we each have to mull over the norms of whatever groups to which we belong ? ESPECIALLY congregations - to see if they fit where we find ourselves. And we each have to decide whether we want to conform to the rules and regulations. Once in, however, we have to live out our commitment, all day, every day. We don?t get to pass on one thing or another. We DO decide for ourselves how to live what we say we profess. But once the decision has been made we?re no longer an individual ? we?re a part, a vital, a respected, an honoured, a necessary part of the community, and it?s on our behaviour towards every other member of the community that we?re judged.
	No exceptions! 
	Think for a moment about the stories Jesus told as He worked to prepare people for living with God. Sheep, goats, fish, seeds, birds, pigs, trees ? they all existed in relationships. And people ? marriages, burials, child-rearing; and work - power, responsibility, stewardship ? ALL about relationships. The Church itself was formed as community, although :Church? wasn?t the name for it at first. It was simply a group of Friends of Jesus who met worship God and the mutual encouragement of one another. So our relationship with Jesus is defined by our relationship, our commitment, our involvement here. This CAN?T be done, or experienced, in isolation.
	If we?ve boticed anything about the liturgies from the early English Prayer Books which we?ve been using for the oast three Sundays, it will be helpful if we pay attention to the rubrics (directions) that the minister/priest cannot have Communion unless there be at least ONE congregant making Communion at the same time.
	This is both a reaction against Roman Catholic practice of the priest celebrating and serving alone AND also the positive encouragement to everyone to participate. That?s what the stern Exhortations were all about. The first is to encourage those who might hold back. They were told that they were part of the family, and should come to the Table frequently. Then the other Exhortations give warning. If you?re coming to Jesus Presence, if you?re receiving Him as your guest, then you have to do everything in your power to keep God?s law as closely as possible.
Yes, it?s impossible to keep the law fully, but the point is that we?re to try, in order to honour God. If we?ve done anything at all to fracture the family?s community, to distance ourselves from one person or one group; to cause one person to become isolated because of something we?ve done or said; to create circumstances in which one or more are made to feel unwelcome and not wanted as a part of the community ? if we?ve broken community, then we need to confess it and do everything, absolutely everything ? whatever it takes ? to restore what has been broken, and to ensure that not a single person is made to feel or be separated from others.
	Jesus? goal ? and I?ll refer to this again ? Jesus? goal is to ensure that absolutely everyone is able to take her or his place at the table ? a place prepared by God from the beginning.	
	As strange as it may seem, I think that?s what each successive revision of the English language Prayer Book has been aiming at. Of course there were political aspects to every edition ? prayers shuffled from one place to another; words, phrases or sentences dropped, reinserted or added, and so on, all to make a point ? one of which is that the priest and people are to work together to make liturgy, to celebrate Communion not just with God, but with one another.
	You might be forgiven for not picking up on this on the first week of this Prayer Book journey; maybe even on the second. However, slowly but surely, more and more elements are given to the people and priest together, until next week we?ll see how we?ve reached this particular point in our liturgical history.
	It?s interesting, then, that today assigned Gospel passage deals with the idea of righteousness, particularly as expressed through prayer.
	?Prayer, according to the piety of first-century Judaism, was of three types: confession of sin; thanks for bounty received; petitions for oneself and others, The Pharisee?s prayer does not fall into any of these cateogories. ? His public remarks are an attack on others clothed in self-advertisement.? 1
	Compare that to the attitude and demeanor of the Tax Collector. Not only does he stare at the ground, he beats his breast. ?In the Bible, the only other case of people beating their chests is at the cross when the crowds, deeply disturbed at what had taken place, beat their chests at the end of the day just after Jesus died. ?
?Both the Pharisee and the Tax Collector are standing in front of the great high altar on which a lamb, without blemish, has just been sacrificed for the sins of Israel.?  2 A commentator makes the very critical remark about the Pharisee?s behaviour that what happened with him was ?The perversion of perception. Self-righteousness distorts visions of self, God and neighbor.? 3
	What struck me from this story Jesus told is the way the Pharisee held himself apart from the rest of the community. He put himself far above them, and, in doing so, he consigned the others to the outer extremities of both religious and social participation. It wasn?t that he didn?t see the Tax Collector. He saw the other very plainly. He thoroughly despised him and all he stood for. He isolated the very person whose greatest needs were friends, and support, and every a tiny drop of compassion.
	And this Gospel story has been read how many times since Jesus told it?
	The primary purpose of Jesus? birth, Jesus self-examination and acceptance of ministry, of Jesus? death was to bring EVERYONE to the Table which He was preparing to spread. Anything which keeps even one person from finding her or his seat at the table, therefore, for whatever reason, is a defiance of Jesus? whole life. It?s a denial of God?s design of community. It?s a rejection of the ability and call of the Friend of Jesus to make a difference, to help everyone around us understand the extent to which God is willing to go to make us whole individuals and at one with one another. Of the heresies into which we can all slip so easily, one is that this person or that ? the Tax Collector, if you like, the person who?s made a horrendous mistake and hurt someone ? one heresy is that that THAT person can never change. Besides, he or she will never look like us or fit our standards. The second is that there are people who?re simply not worth bothering about, so isolating them, making sure they stay out of our way, not bothering about anything which can emphasise their humanity, can help them see the God in them. Separating even ONE person from ourselves means taking on the persona of the Pharisee in the story.
	What is this, though, but a destruction of community? What is this but a denial of God?s Love? What is this but an intended slap in the face to another, but is, in reality, the condemnation and denial of ourselves?
	Jim Wallis is a bestselling author, public theologian, speaker, preacher, and international commentator on religion and public life, faith and politics. This doesn?t automatically make him the darling of either Church or society. In fact, both often criticize him quite severely. He was raised in a Midwest evangelical family. As a teenager, his questioning of the racial segregation in his church and community led him to the black churches and neighborhoods of inner-city Detroit. Last week he wrote, in anger and terrible sadness, ?Two weeks ago, Sam died suddenly. He was only 21 years old, strong and healthy, preparing for a life ministering to youth.
	?Cause of death: acute pancreatitis and previously undiagnosed diabetes.
	?Reason for death: no access to health care to treat the incredible pain in his stomach - until it was too late.
	?The bottom line: While angry protesters disrupt town hall meetings and national organizations spread fear-based lies, lives are lost.? 4
	There may be a bit of exaggeration there. Had two or three protestors not been at any of the Town Hall meetings around the country, would it have made Sam?s death less likely? Probably not, because of sheer timing. But what of Sam?s brothers and sisters across the country? What of Sam?s brothers and sisters here in Lincoln City, who can?t get in to clinics because they can?t afford it, and couldn?t get the medications they need even if they could get a prescription? For that matter, what of those clinics which DO take in Sam?s, knowing full well there will be no reimbursement?
	How DO we get Sam, along with everyone else in the world, to find their God-given place at the Table? We do it by recognizing the universal worth of all in God?s creation. We do it by making ourselves facilitators, and by understanding that our place at the Table depends on whether or not we bring others into the community ? never shutting them out.
	?On 30 July, with the mayor of the Kurdish village Kaladze and his gracious staff, (members of Christian Peacemaker Teams) sat and ate on the Iraqi/Iranian border. For some time, the Iraq team had asked for access to this section, not only to observe the damages from continuing attacks along the border but also to accompany villagers who have decided to return to their homes in this beautiful mountainous region. 
	?Displaced by both unregulated bombings from Turkish fighter jets and random shellings by Iranian rockets and mortars, families had moved out of the area, appealing for protection. Yet, circumstances of their temporary relocation are less fulfilling than living again, despite the risks, in their villages-the place where their families have followed rich traditions and experienced the blessings of community for centuries.?  5
	Members of the team wrote, ?The mayor assisted his staff in preparing food and serving us. They spread the table in the presence of sophisticated surveillance operations monitored by both U.S. and Turkish military agencies. At this border between Iraq and Iran, we enjoyed kabobs, stuffed grape leaves, fresh vegetables, fruits, and tea. As we ate, we talked about families and vocations, experiences in Kurdistan and Iraq, and relations among other countries both nearby and far away. We talked about our concerns for the welfare of the villagers who are vulnerable to recurring violent disruptions. 
	?We talked with the mayor about relationships and personal dignity and our dream of finding a way for every person in the earth to live peacefully within the human family. We spoke about our belief that all persons should enjoy the blessings of community and the pleasure of anticipating a safe future for their children.  The mayor dismissed our vision as unrealistic, indicating this kind of inclusive respectful community is only an apparition, an empty hope, a fantasy.  We confessed our belief that this kind of existence would please Allah. The mayor confessed his belief that if Allah desires this kind of life in the earth then Allah would bring it to pass.?
	Jesus didn?t say that things would be easy. He talked about the perversion of perception.
	?We wonder,? wrote those who dined in the Kurdish village ? and I wonder ? ?if a table could be spread so that every person on this planet could eat and visit together, and if we could do something to help make it happen.?
	Or even one person, one living on the edge of fear, and hopelessness, and guilt and remorse ? could we even do it for ONE person this week? Or is that too much to ask? 

NOTES:

 	?Jesus through Middle Eastern Eyes? by Kenneth E. Bailey. IVP Academic, Downers Grove, Ill. ? 2008. Page 347 ff. 
2	Bailey. Op. cit. p. 348 
3	Bailey. Op cit. p. 354
4	Sojourners   Sojourners at sojo.net  Wednesday, August 19, 2009 7:00 am
5	?IRAQ REFLECTION: A table prepared? by Garland Robertson CPTnet 20 August 2009  

--
Robert P. Morrison
The Episcopal Parish of St James,
PO Box 789
Lincoln City, Oregon, 97367

541-994-2426 (Church)




From chadwohl at satucket.com  Sun Aug 23 22:06:49 2009
From: chadwohl at satucket.com (Charles Wohlers)
Date: Sun, 23 Aug 2009 22:06:49 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] READINGS for the THITEENTH SUNDAY after PENTECOST
Message-ID: <78CBFFE10C4649E2B3FEC346471DEC9A@ThinkpadT60CCW>

The following are the readings for the Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost, August 30, (Proper 17, ECUSA; Proper 22, RCL & Roman Catholic) according to the Revised Common (RCL), Episcopal (ECUSA), Roman Catholic, Church of England (Common Worship), and Canadian (BAS) Lectionaries. All readings are taken from the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) of the Bible. Unless noted otherwise, the lectionaries of ECUSA, Canada and England are identical to the RCL this Sunday.



OLD TESTAMENT:   Song of Solomon 2: 8 - 13   (RCL)

Song 2:8 (NRSV) The voice of my beloved! 
Look, he comes, 
leaping upon the mountains, 
bounding over the hills. 
9 My beloved is like a gazelle 
or a young stag. 
Look, there he stands 
behind our wall, 
gazing in at the windows, 
looking through the lattice. 
10 My beloved speaks and says to me: 
"Arise, my love, my fair one, 
and come away; 
11 for now the winter is past, 
the rain is over and gone. 
12 The flowers appear on the earth; 
the time of singing has come, 
and the voice of the turtledove 
is heard in our land. 
13 The fig tree puts forth its figs, 
and the vines are in blossom; 
they give forth fragrance. 
Arise, my love, my fair one, 
and come away. 


Deuteronomy 4: 1 - 2, 6 - 8   (Roman Catholic)
Deuteronomy 4: 1 - 2, 6 - 9   (alt. for RCL)

Deut 4:1 (NRSV) So now, Israel, give heed to the statutes and ordinances that I am teaching you to observe, so that you may live to enter and occupy the land that the LORD, the God of your ancestors, is giving you. 2 You must neither add anything to what I command you nor take away anything from it, but keep the commandments of the LORD your God with which I am charging you. 

6 You must observe them diligently, for this will show your wisdom and discernment to the peoples, who, when they hear all these statutes, will say, "Surely this great nation is a wise and discerning people!" 7 For what other great nation has a god so near to it as the LORD our God is whenever we call to him? 8 And what other great nation has statutes and ordinances as just as this entire law that I am setting before you today? 
9 But take care and watch yourselves closely, so as neither to forget the things that your eyes have seen nor to let them slip from your mind all the days of your life; make them known to your children and your children's children-- 


1 Kings 2: 1 - 4, 10 - 12   (Can. BAS)

1Kin 2:1 (NRSWV) {David's Instruction to Solomon} When David's time to die drew near, he charged his son Solomon, saying: 2 "I am about to go the way of all the earth. Be strong, be courageous, 3 and keep the charge of the LORD your God, walking in his ways and keeping his statutes, his commandments, his ordinances, and his testimonies, as it is written in the law of Moses, so that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn. 4 Then the LORD will establish his word that he spoke concerning me: "If your heirs take heed to their way, to walk before me in faithfulness with all their heart and with all their soul, there shall not fail you a successor on the throne of Israel.' 

10 {Death of David} Then David slept with his ancestors, and was buried in the city of David. 11 The time that David reigned over Israel was forty years; he reigned seven years in Hebron, and thirty-three years in Jerusalem. 12 So Solomon sat on the throne of his father David; and his kingdom was firmly established. 


PSALM 45   (RCL)

Psal 45:1 (NRSV) My heart overflows with a goodly theme; 
I address my verses to the king; 
my tongue is like the pen of a ready scribe. 
2 You are the most handsome of men; 
grace is poured upon your lips; 
therefore God has blessed you forever. 

6 Your throne, O God, endures forever and ever. 
Your royal scepter is a scepter of equity; 
7 you love righteousness and hate wickedness. 
Therefore God, your God, has anointed you 
with the oil of gladness beyond your companions; 
8 your robes are all fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia. 
>From ivory palaces stringed instruments make you glad; 
9 daughters of kings are among your ladies of honor; 
at your right hand stands the queen in gold of O'phir. 

Note: Verse numbering in your psalter may differ from the above


45   Eructavit cor meum   (ECUSA BCP)
 
1   My heart is stirring with a noble song;
let me recite what I have fashioned for the king; *
  my tongue shall be the pen of a skilled writer.
 
2   You are the fairest of men; *
  grace flows from your lips,
  because God has blessed you for ever.
 

7   Your throne, O God, endures for ever and ever, *
  a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of your kingdom;
  you love righteousness and hate iniquity.
 
8   Therefore God, your God, has anointed you *
  with the oil of gladness above your fellows.
 
9   All your garments are fragrant with myrrh, aloes, and cassia, *
  and the music of strings from ivory palaces makes you glad.
 
10   Kings? daughters stand among the ladies of the court; *
  on your right hand is the queen,
  adorned with the gold of Ophir.
 


Psalm 15   (alt. for RCL)
Psalm 15: 2 - 5   (Roman Catholic)

Psal 15:1 (NRSV) O LORD, who may abide in your tent? 
Who may dwell on your holy hill? 
2 Those who walk blamelessly, and do what is right, 
and speak the truth from their heart; 
3 who do not slander with their tongue, 
and do no evil to their friends, 
nor take up a reproach against their neighbors; 
4 in whose eyes the wicked are despised, 
but who honor those who fear the LORD; 
who stand by their oath even to their hurt; 
5 who do not lend money at interest, 
and do not take a bribe against the innocent. 
Those who do these things shall never be moved. 


15   Domine, quis habitabit?   (ECUSA BCP)
 
1   Lord, who may dwell in your tabernacle? *
 who may abide upon your holy hill?
 
2   Whoever leads a blameless life and does what is right, *
 who speaks the truth from his heart.
 
3   There is no guile upon his tongue;
he does no evil to his friend; *
 he does not heap contempt upon his neighbor.
 
4   In his sight the wicked is rejected, *
 but he honors those who fear the Lord.
 
5   He has sworn to do no wrong *
 and does not take back his word.
 
6   He does not give his money in hope of gain, *
 nor does he take a bribe against the innocent.
 
7   Whoever does these things *
 shall never be overthrown.
 

121   Levavi oculos   (Can. BAS)
 
1   I lift up my eyes to the hills; *
  from where is my help to come?
 
2   My help comes from the Lord, *
  the maker of heaven and earth.
 
3   He will not let your foot be moved *
  and he who watches over you will not fall asleep.
 
4   Behold, he who keeps watch over Israel *
  shall neither slumber nor sleep;
 
5   The Lord himself watches over you; *
  the Lord is your shade at your right hand,
 
6   So that the sun shall not strike you by day, *
  nor the moon by night.
 
7   The Lord shall preserve you from all evil; *
  it is he who shall keep you safe.
 
8   The Lord shall watch over your going out and
  your coming in, *
  from this time forth for evermore.


NEW TESTAMENT:   James 1: 17 - 27   (RCL)
                                      James 1: 17 - 18, 21b - 22, 27   (Roman Catholic)

Jame 1:17 (NRSV) Every generous act of giving, with every perfect gift, is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. 18 In fulfillment of his own purpose he gave us birth by the word of truth, so that we would become a kind of first fruits of his creatures. 
19 You must understand this, my beloved: let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger; 20 for your anger does not produce God's righteousness. 21 Therefore rid yourselves of all sordidness and rank growth of wickedness, and welcome with meekness the implanted word that has the power to save your souls. 
22 But be doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves. 23 For if any are hearers of the word and not doers, they are like those who look at themselves in a mirror; 24 for they look at themselves and, on going away, immediately forget what they were like. 25 But those who look into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and persevere, being not hearers who forget but doers who act--they will be blessed in their doing. 
26 If any think they are religious, and do not bridle their tongues but deceive their hearts, their religion is worthless. 27 Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world. 


GOSPEL:   Mark 7: 1 - 8, 14 - 15, 21 - 23   (all)

Mark 7:1 (NRSV) Now when the Phar'isees and some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered around him, 2 they noticed that some of his disciples were eating with defiled hands, that is, without washing them. 3 (For the Phar'isees, and all the Jews, do not eat unless they thoroughly wash their hands, thus observing the tradition of the elders; 4 and they do not eat anything from the market unless they wash it; and there are also many other traditions that they observe, the washing of cups, pots, and bronze kettles. 5 So the Phar'isees and the scribes asked him, "Why do your disciples not live according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands?" 6 He said to them, "Isai'ah prophesied rightly about you hypocrites, as it is written, 
"This people honors me with their lips, 
but their hearts are far from me; 
7 in vain do they worship me, 
teaching human precepts as doctrines.' 
8 You abandon the commandment of God and hold to human tradition." 

14 Then he called the crowd again and said to them, "Listen to me, all of you, and understand: 15 there is nothing outside a person that by going in can defile, but the things that come out are what defile." 

20 And he said, "It is what comes out of a person that defiles. 21 For it is from within, from the human heart, that evil intentions come: fornication, theft, murder, 22 adultery, avarice, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, envy, slander, pride, folly. 23 All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person." 


Chad Wohlers
right now in Hardwick, VT, but usually in
East Bridgewater, Mass.   USA
chadwohl at satucket.com
cwohlers at bridgew.edu
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From JoeParrish at compuserve.com  Mon Aug 24 21:13:08 2009
From: JoeParrish at compuserve.com (Joe Parrish)
Date: Mon, 24 Aug 2009 21:13:08 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] Fw: SermonWriter:  Aug. 30 (Proper 17B) Mark 7:1-8,
	14-15, 21-23
Message-ID: <21C8803BDF5643CFAB56C96EA579819A@YOUR264F1833C5>

SermonWriter:  Aug. 30 (Proper 17B) Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23

Dear Joe,

The following are SermonWriter materials for Aug. 30 (Proper 17B). They 
focus on Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23, where the Pharisees criticized Jesus for 
not keeping the Jewish law as they understood the law.

NO PASSWORD REQUIREMENT: We are posting these materials on the web with no 
password.  To access those files, you MUST use the following links.  If 
clicking on the link fails to work, copy the link and paste it in the 
address window near the top of your browser.  Then hit the ENTER key or 
click GO.

Microsoft Word file:
http://www.lectionary.org/SW/08-30Ru/Mark_7.1-8_14-15_21-23_SW.doc

HTML file (web page):
http://www.lectionary.org/SW/08-30Ru/Mark_7.1-8_14-15_21-23_SW.htm

WordPerfect file:
http://www.lectionary.org/SW/08-30Ru/Mark_7.1-8_14-15_21-23_SW.wpd


A TIP: If you want the Word or WordPerfect files, LEFT-CLICK on the link and 
see what happens.  That should bring up a dialog box that asks if you want 
to open the file or save it.  Choose OPEN.  Then save it wherever you like 
on your hard drive.

If that doesn't work, RIGHT-CLICK on the link.  You should get a sub-menu. 
Hopefully, "Save Target As" will be one of the options.  Click on that. 
Then save the file wherever you want on your hard drive.


<>
Dick Donovan


A THOUGHT ON PREACHING:  To endeavor to move by the same discourse hearers 
who differ in age, sex, position and education is to attempt to open all 
locks with the same key. (Jean-Antoine Petit-Senn)


TITLE:  Changing Hearts


SERMON IN A SENTENCE:  Christ calls us not to judge people -- not to exclude 
people -- but to allow him to redeem them and us.


<>

FOR MORE SERMONS ON THIS TEXT, GO TO:
http://www.lectionary.org/SermLinks/NT/NT02mark.htm

Scroll down to Mark 7.  There are three additional sermons on this text 
posted there.


TRUE STORY:

On one occasion Stephen Douglas sneeringly referred to the fact that he once 
saw Lincoln retailing whiskey.

"Yes," replied Lincoln, "it is true that the first time I saw Judge Douglas 
I was selling whiskey by the drink.  I was on the inside of the bar, and the 
judge was on the outside; I busy selling, he busy buying."

Richard Shenkman and Kurt Reiger, One-Night Stands with American History


THOUGHT PROVOKERS:

He that accuses all mankind of corruption
ought to remember that he is sure to convict only one.

Edmund Burke

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

No man's really any good
till he knows how bad he is, or might be;
till he's realized exactly how much right he has
to all this snobbery and sneering,
and talking about "criminals"
as if they were apes in a forest ten thousand miles away;
till he's got rid of all the dirty self-deception
of talking about low types and deficient skulls;
till he's squeezed out of his soul
the last drop of the oil of the Pharisees;
till his only hope is somehow or other
to have captured one criminal,
and kept him safe and sane under his own hat.

G.K. Chesterton

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

If you judge people,
you have no time to love them.

Mother Teresa

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

If it be an evil to judge rashly or untruly any single man,
how much greater sin it is to condemn a whole people.

William Penn, A Key Opening the Way

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

Rare is the person who can weigh the faults of others
without putting his thumb on the scales.

Byron J. Langenfield

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *


<>


HYMN STORY:  Jesus, Thou Joy of Loving Hearts

This hymn, attributed to Bernard of Clairvaux, was translated from the Latin 
in 1858 (a loose paraphrase rather than a strict translation) by Dr. Ray 
Palmer, a Congregational pastor from Albany, New York.  It would seem almost 
fair to say that the hymn as we know it was written by Bernard of Clairvaux 
and Palmer of Albany.  Dr. Palmer also wrote several hymns on his own, the 
best known being "My Faith Looks Up to Thee."

Bernard of Clairvaux was born of well-to-do parents in central France -- in 
what we know as burgundy wine country -- near Dijon.  He didn't grow up as a 
spoiled rich kid, though.  His parents, especially his mother, Aleth, taught 
him the virtues of justice, mercy, and affection for others.

His mother's death, when he was seventeen, affected Bernard profoundly.  He 
began to experience a more profound conversion and a call to study theology. 
He entered a Benedictine monastery in 1112 A.D.  His talent was soon 
recognized, and three years later he was asked to establish a monastery at 
Clairvaux.  That was a successful venture, and a number of monasteries were 
established throughout France under his leadership.  He became a confidant 
of Popes and a preacher to the King of France.  In spite of these remarkable 
achievements, the focus of his life remained twofold: Knowing God and 
serving the needy.

"Jesus, Thou Joy of Loving Hearts," like many hymns, is a prayer -- in this 
case, a prayer to Jesus.  It celebrates the joy that we have in Jesus -- the 
peace that his love imparts -- the filling of our souls through the bread 
and wine of the Lord's Supper.  It concludes with a prayer for Christ's 
continuing presence:

"O Jesus, ever with us stay;
make all our moments calm and bright;
oh, chase the night of sin away,
shed o'er the world your holy light."

<>

See other hymn stories at http://www.lectionary.org/hymnstories.htm

<>

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

Boring, M. Eugene, The New Testament Library, Mark, A Commentary 
(Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2006)

Barclay, William, The Daily Study Bible: Gospel of Mark (Edinburgh: The 
Saint Andrew Press, 1954)

Brooks, James A, The New American Commentary: Mark (Nashville: Broadman 
Press, 1991)

Brueggemann, Walter; Cousar, Charles B.; Gaventa, Beverly R.; and Newsome, 
James D., Texts for Preaching: A Lectionary Commentary Based on the NRSV --  
Year B (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 1993)

Craddock, Fred B.; Hayes, John H.; Holladay, Carl R.; Tucker, Gene M., 
Preaching Through the Christian Year, B (Valley Forge: Trinity Press 
International, 1993)

Edwards, James R., The Pillar New Testament Commentary: The Gospel According 
to Mark (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2002)

France, R.T., The New International Greek Testament Commentary: The Gospel 
of Mark (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2002)

Geddert, Timothy J., Believers Church Bible Commentary: Mark (Scottdale, PA: 
Herald Press, 2001)

Grant, Frederick C. and Luccock, Halford E., The Interpreter's Bible, Vol. 7 
(Nashville: Abingdon, 1951)

Guelich, Robert A., Word Biblical Commentary: Mark 1 - 8:26 (Dallas: Word 
Books, 1989)

Hare, Douglas R. A., Westminster Bible Companion: Mark (Louisville: 
Westminster John Knox Press, 1996)

Hooker, Morna D., Black's New Testament Commentary: The Gospel According to 
Saint Mark (Hendrickson Publishers, 1991)

Hurtado, Larry W., New International Biblical Commentary:  Mark (Peabody, 
Massachusetts: Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., 1983, 1989)

Lane, William L., The New International Commentary on the New Testament: The 
Gospel of Mark (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1974)

Marcus, Joel, The Anchor Bible: Mark 1-8 (New York: Doubleday, 1999)

Moule, C.F.D., The Cambridge Bible Commentary on the New English Bible: The 
Gospel of Mark (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1965)

Perkins, Pheme, The New Interpreter's Bible, Vol. VIII (Nashville: Abingdon, 
1995)

Williamson, Lamar Jr., Interpretation: Mark (Atlanta: John Knox Press, 1983)

www.sermonwriter.com

www.lectionary.org





From JoeParrish at compuserve.com  Tue Aug 25 09:13:55 2009
From: JoeParrish at compuserve.com (Joe Parrish)
Date: Tue, 25 Aug 2009 09:13:55 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] Fw: Sermon Resources for August 30th
Message-ID: <451485B6D26347E189132DF832948C33@YOUR264F1833C5>

Sermon Resources for Proper 17:
 

    Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23  -  Creeds or Deeds
    James 1: 17-27  -  The "Gratitude Salute" 

                                       by Leonard Sweet

 _________________________________________

 

Mark 7, the sermon titled "Creeds or Deeds" 

 

Rev. David Chadwell posed a rather interesting question: Which would you prefer for a next-door neighbor: a person of excellent habits or a person with a good heart? Which would you prefer for a good friend: a person of excellent habits, or a person with a good heart? Which would you prefer for a husband or a wife: a person of excellent habits, or a person with a good heart? Which would you prefer for a child: a child with excellent habits, or a child with a good heart? 

 

It is wonderful to have a neighbor who conscientiously cares for his property while respecting your property. It is wonderful to have a friend who always treats you with consideration. It is wonderful to be married to a husband who always is thoughtful and courteous, or to a wife who always is gracious in her comments and deeds. It is wonderful to have a son or daughter who shows respect and uses good manners. 

 

As wonderful as those situations are, none of them compare to having a neighbor, a friend, a husband, a wife, a son, or a daughter with a good heart. 

 

When you discuss good behavior, you are discussing the quality of a person's self-control. When you discuss a good heart, you are discussing the quality of the person. 

 

This is the focus of today's Scripture. Pharisees and teachers have come down from Jerusalem and, interestingly, they are gathered around Jesus watching the disciples. The disciples, it seems, are eating lunch. They have come in from the day's work. Too tired and too hungry to care that their hands and faces were dirty, they immediately sat down to eat without washing.

 

The Pharisees cease upon this ceremonial oversight and question Jesus: Why don't your disciples live according to the traditions of the elders and clean their hands before they eat? This is all that Jesus needs to hear. He sticks up for his disciples, turns on these teachers and says in essence, "Why do you not live according to the traditions of God and clean your hearts?"

 

What mistake did these Pharisees make? What is Jesus trying to convey, not only to them, but to us as well. For you see, it is just as easy for us to fall into a good habit and leave behind a good heart. What is Jesus' warning to us?

 

1.    We prefer creeds rather than deeds.

2.    We look at the outside not the inside.

3.  But God requires good Creeds, Deeds, and Hearts.

 

The rest of this sermon following the outline above can be obtained by joining www.eSermons.com.


__________________________________

 

Second Sermon by Len Sweet

 

James 1, the sermon entitled 'The "Gratitude Salute"' 

 

Why are you here? 

 

Why did you come to church this morning?

 

What made you voluntarily choose to spend the last summer Sunday -- before the too busy, too crowded Labor Day weekend -- inside a church? 

 

Why aren't you lolling on some beach? (Okay, okay--maybe you will be later this afternoon!) 

 

Maybe you are here out of habit. 

Maybe going to church is "what you do" on Sunday morning. 

Maybe you are here because your parents dragged you into the car, kicking and screaming, and you would rather be anywhere else. 

Maybe you are here because you are lonely.

Maybe you are here because you feel something is wrong or missing in your life. 

Maybe you are here hoping that something in here will make you different in here (point to heart).

 

None of these are bad reasons to be at church on a sunny August Sunday (nope, not even being brought by your parents). But here's the reason we Christians gather for worship week after week: We worship to wake up. We worship to come alive and take notice of the presence and power of God in the world, in our lives, in everything we see and do and touch and feel. 

 

The Latin "re-ligare" from which we get our word "religion" has the root "lig" - which scholars have traced back partly to meaning "pay attention." Any religious service, any religious act, should make us sit up, shake our heads, and focus in on the divine. When our lives adhere to a set schedule of work, when everyday routines can be acted out without even thinking about them, we loose consciousness to the wonders that surround us. 

 

The wonder of God's creation. 

The wonder of love. 

The wonder of family. 

The wonder of breathing in and out. The wonder of life. 

 

G. K. Chesterton, one of the most important writers of the last century, put it like this: "The world shall perish not for lack of wonders but for lack of wonder."

 

This week's epistle text is from the Letter of James, the letter Martin Luther famously pooh-poohed as "an epistle of straw." Luther's words gave a lot of us a "free pass" on James. James was seen as "weak sauce" - not worthy of much attention. But skipping James lets us slip by to our peril of slipping up and missing some of the most real life, faith-in-action admonishments in the New Testament. Could that be the real reason it is so tempting to keep James on the back burner? James won't let us get away with some things we like getting away with? 

 

The rest of Leonard Sweet's sermon can be obtained by joining www.eSermons.com.


________________________________ 

 

Melting Mountains of Ice

 

William Lloyd Garrison was the greatest abolitionist this country has ever known. He was a publisher of a newspaper called the Liberator, an antislavery publication. Garrison was an angry man, angry with indignation caused by the unbelievably inhumane treatment many of the slaves experienced. He hated slavery with everything that was in him. One day one of his best friends, Samuel May, tried to calm him down. He said to Garrison, "Oh, my friend, try to moderate your indignation and keep more cool. Why, you are all on fire." Garrison replied, "Brother May, I have need to be all on fire, for I have mountains of ice around me to melt." Well, the only way any of us can melt mountains of ice is to be on fire. 

The only way Christ can use any of us is when we are driven by a great passion, when we feel or hear his voice within our heart showing us a great cause that needs to be championed. Nothing is accomplished in this world by people who have no passion. That's one reason we need God in our hearts as well as on our lips. 

King Duncan, Collected Sermons, www.Sermons.com


____________________________________

Lip Service

 

According to the story, Queen Victoria was once at a diplomatic reception in London. The guest of honor was an African chieftain. All went well during the meal until, at the end, finger bowls were served. The guest of honor had never seen a British finger bowl, and no one had thought to brief him beforehand about its purpose. So he took the finger bowl in his two hands, lifted it to his mouth, and drank its contents--down to the very last drop!

 

For an instant there was breathless silence among the British upper crust and then they began to whisper to one another.

 

All that stopped in the next instant as the Queen, Victoria, silently took her finger bowl in her two hands, lifted it, and drank its contents!  A moment later 500 surprised British ladies and gentlemen simultaneously drank the contents of their own fingerbowls.

 

It was "against the rules" to drink from a fingerbowl, but on that particular evening Victoria changed the rules---because she was, after all, the Queen. It is "against the rules" not to wash your hands before you eat and on that the Pharisees called the hand of the disciples who follow Jesus. But Jesus recognizes their hypocrisy and he quotes from Isaiah, "These people honor me with their lips but their hearts are far from me."

 

Brett Blair, www.eSermons.com. Thanks to Winfield Casey Jones for this story.

 

___________________

 

Seeing Only the Smoke, Never the Fire

 

In Luke 7:32, Jesus observed that this generation is like school children who pipe and their friends won't dance, who wail and their chums won't cry. "There is no pleasing you!" We simply find something wrong with everything. 

 

John Wesley pointed out that every gift God gives man is quickly sullied by human hands. He said every revival comes with defects. So he'd pray, "Lord, send revival without the defects." But then he told the Lord, "If you won't do it, then send the revival with the defects." 

 

Pharisees only see the smoke, never the fire. They complain about defects, never seeing the revival. Negative, critical persons, they are judgmental. 

 

Stephen M. Crotts, Sermons for Sundays after Pentecost, CSS Publishing 

_____________________

 

Tradition Is a Powerful Thing

 

Years ago Harry Emerson Fosdick told about a church in Denmark where the worshipers bowed regularly before a certain spot on the wall. They had been doing that for three centuries -- bowing at that one spot in the sanctuary. Nobody could remember why. One day in renovating the church, they removed some of the whitewash on the walls. At the exact spot where the people bowed they found the image of the Madonna under the whitewash. People had become so accustomed to bowing before that image that even after it was covered up for three centuries, people still bowed. 

Tradition is a powerful thing. The Pharisees had learned to substitute tradition, custom, habit for the presence of the living God. Traditionalism rears its head in many ways, in many times and in many places. 

King Duncan, Collected Sermons, www.Sermons.com

_______________________

 

Fault-Finding

 

Shakespeare said, "What's in a name? That which we call a rose, by any other name would smell as sweet." Would a rose by any other name smell as sweet? I'm sure it would. You see, the truth is that the thing is what it is, not what someone calls it. Names are assigned to us, based on our outward circumstances by ourselves and other people. "Sinner, Failure, Stupid, Dummy, Unclean" all are names which label us. But what we are called, either by others or by ourselves does not determine who we are. It might speak of those external circumstances, but it might be wholly inaccurate. You see, a failure is not someone who fails. In reality, the people who fail the most are the ones who succeed. You only get to success by taking risks and risk-taking brings many failures along the way. A failure is someone who simply doesn't try. No, names do not determine who you are. You are who you are on the inside.

 

So, the first important lesson is that we must cultivate the inner person.

The inner person is the person who counts. The apostle Paul desired that we

be strengthened in the inner man.

 

It boils down to relationship. We are only as strong as our personal relationship with Christ.

 

J. David Hoke, The Inside Story, Mark 7:14-23.

 

_________________

 

The Shoeshine Boy

 

A certain downtown businessman became fond of the little boy who shined his shoes every day. He did such a good job that one day the businessman asked him, "Son, how come you are so conscientious about your work?" The boy felt complimented. He looked up to the man, and said, "Mister, I'm a Christian and I try to shine every pair of shoes as if Jesus Christ were wearing them."

 

The businessman saw something genuine in the shoeshine boy. Soon after that he began reading his Bible. When he decided to be a Christian himself, he credited his decision to the little boy who shined every pair of shoes "as if Jesus Christ were wearing them." That's a blessing.

 

Charles R. Leary, Mission Ready!, CSS Publishing Company.

 

___________________

 

Which Flowers Are Real?

 

The queen of Sheba came to visit Solomon, and one day she put him to the test. She brought artificial flowers so perfectly formed that no human eye could detect them from real flowers. She put them in a vase on Solomon's table, in his throne room next to his flowers. As he came in, the queen of Sheba is reported to have said, "Solomon, you are the wisest man in the world. Tell me without touching these flowers, which are real and which are artificial." It is said that Solomon studied the flowers for a long time and spoke nothing, until finally he said, "Open the windows and let the bees come in." 

 

There are ways to tell the artificial from the real-let the bees come in; they will know where the real is. If we live with the authentic Jesus long enough, we will recognize the artificial when we see it. 

 

Brooks Ramsey, When Religion Becomes Real 

 

________________________

  

Humor: A Tradition of Fighting

 

There is a story about a young, newly ordained minister who went to serve his first church. He noticed that on the first Sunday, when he said the prayers, the congregation on the left side of the church stood at the beginning of the prayers, and the congregation on the right side remained seated. The young minister thought this was a bit odd, but he kept going in the prayers-until he began to hear some murmuring between the two sides, then the murmuring turned into grumbling and then people yelling at each other, proclaiming that they were doing the right thing when came to the tradition of the church.

 

Distressed by what he had seen and all that was taking place, the young pastor went to seek the council of the former, now elderly pastor, who had served this congregation for years. He asked him, "So is it the tradition of the congregation to stand during the prayers?"

 

The older minister, whose memory was now failing, stroked his beard, replied, "No, that is not the tradition, as I recall."

 

"So, the tradition is that they remain seated during the prayers?"

 

To which the old minister responded, "No, that's not the tradition either."

 

The young pastor threw his hands in the air in exasperation, and said, "There must be some solution to this! The way things are now, half stand and half sit and all end up screaming at one another during the prayers."

 

The old pastor's face lit up in a smile.

 

The conclusion to this illustration and many additional illustrations and sermons for Proper 17 can be accessed at www.Sermons.com.

 
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From JoeParrish at compuserve.com  Tue Aug 25 12:09:37 2009
From: JoeParrish at compuserve.com (Joe Parrish)
Date: Tue, 25 Aug 2009 12:09:37 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] Sermon Resources for August 30th - Part 1 of 2
Message-ID: <0FE4A3CC632F48D9BE6B3F32A61C6219@YOUR264F1833C5>

Sermon Resources for Proper 17:
 

    Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23  -  Creeds or Deeds
    James 1: 17-27  -  The "Gratitude Salute" 

                                       by Leonard Sweet

 _________________________________________

 

Mark 7, the sermon titled "Creeds or Deeds" 

 

Rev. David Chadwell posed a rather interesting question: Which would you prefer for a next-door neighbor: a person of excellent habits or a person with a good heart? Which would you prefer for a good friend: a person of excellent habits, or a person with a good heart? Which would you prefer for a husband or a wife: a person of excellent habits, or a person with a good heart? Which would you prefer for a child: a child with excellent habits, or a child with a good heart? 

 

It is wonderful to have a neighbor who conscientiously cares for his property while respecting your property. It is wonderful to have a friend who always treats you with consideration. It is wonderful to be married to a husband who always is thoughtful and courteous, or to a wife who always is gracious in her comments and deeds. It is wonderful to have a son or daughter who shows respect and uses good manners. 

 

As wonderful as those situations are, none of them compare to having a neighbor, a friend, a husband, a wife, a son, or a daughter with a good heart. 

 

When you discuss good behavior, you are discussing the quality of a person's self-control. When you discuss a good heart, you are discussing the quality of the person. 

 

This is the focus of today's Scripture. Pharisees and teachers have come down from Jerusalem and, interestingly, they are gathered around Jesus watching the disciples. The disciples, it seems, are eating lunch. They have come in from the day's work. Too tired and too hungry to care that their hands and faces were dirty, they immediately sat down to eat without washing.

 

The Pharisees cease upon this ceremonial oversight and question Jesus: Why don't your disciples live according to the traditions of the elders and clean their hands before they eat? This is all that Jesus needs to hear. He sticks up for his disciples, turns on these teachers and says in essence, "Why do you not live according to the traditions of God and clean your hearts?"

 

What mistake did these Pharisees make? What is Jesus trying to convey, not only to them, but to us as well. For you see, it is just as easy for us to fall into a good habit and leave behind a good heart. What is Jesus' warning to us?

 

1.    We prefer creeds rather than deeds.

2.    We look at the outside not the inside.

3.  But God requires good Creeds, Deeds, and Hearts.

 

The rest of this sermon following the outline above can be obtained by joining www.eSermons.com.


__________________________________

 

Second Sermon by Len Sweet

 

James 1, the sermon entitled 'The "Gratitude Salute"' 

 

Why are you here? 

 

Why did you come to church this morning?

 

What made you voluntarily choose to spend the last summer Sunday -- before the too busy, too crowded Labor Day weekend -- inside a church? 

 

Why aren't you lolling on some beach? (Okay, okay--maybe you will be later this afternoon!) 

 

Maybe you are here out of habit. 

Maybe going to church is "what you do" on Sunday morning. 

Maybe you are here because your parents dragged you into the car, kicking and screaming, and you would rather be anywhere else. 

Maybe you are here because you are lonely.

Maybe you are here because you feel something is wrong or missing in your life. 

Maybe you are here hoping that something in here will make you different in here (point to heart).

 

None of these are bad reasons to be at church on a sunny August Sunday (nope, not even being brought by your parents). But here's the reason we Christians gather for worship week after week: We worship to wake up. We worship to come alive and take notice of the presence and power of God in the world, in our lives, in everything we see and do and touch and feel. 

 

The Latin "re-ligare" from which we get our word "religion" has the root "lig" - which scholars have traced back partly to meaning "pay attention." Any religious service, any religious act, should make us sit up, shake our heads, and focus in on the divine. When our lives adhere to a set schedule of work, when everyday routines can be acted out without even thinking about them, we loose consciousness to the wonders that surround us. 

 

The wonder of God's creation. 

The wonder of love. 

The wonder of family. 

The wonder of breathing in and out. The wonder of life. 

 

G. K. Chesterton, one of the most important writers of the last century, put it like this: "The world shall perish not for lack of wonders but for lack of wonder."

 

This week's epistle text is from the Letter of James, the letter Martin Luther famously pooh-poohed as "an epistle of straw." Luther's words gave a lot of us a "free pass" on James. James was seen as "weak sauce" - not worthy of much attention. But skipping James lets us slip by to our peril of slipping up and missing some of the most real life, faith-in-action admonishments in the New Testament. Could that be the real reason it is so tempting to keep James on the back burner? James won't let us get away with some things we like getting away with? 

 

The rest of Leonard Sweet's sermon can be obtained by joining www.eSermons.com.


________________________________ 

 

Melting Mountains of Ice

 

William Lloyd Garrison was the greatest abolitionist this country has ever known. He was a publisher of a newspaper called the Liberator, an antislavery publication. Garrison was an angry man, angry with indignation caused by the unbelievably inhumane treatment many of the slaves experienced. He hated slavery with everything that was in him. One day one of his best friends, Samuel May, tried to calm him down. He said to Garrison, "Oh, my friend, try to moderate your indignation and keep more cool. Why, you are all on fire." Garrison replied, "Brother May, I have need to be all on fire, for I have mountains of ice around me to melt." Well, the only way any of us can melt mountains of ice is to be on fire. 

The only way Christ can use any of us is when we are driven by a great passion, when we feel or hear his voice within our heart showing us a great cause that needs to be championed. Nothing is accomplished in this world by people who have no passion. That's one reason we need God in our hearts as well as on our lips. 

King Duncan, Collected Sermons, www.Sermons.com


____________________________________

Lip Service

 

According to the story, Queen Victoria was once at a diplomatic reception in London. The guest of honor was an African chieftain. All went well during the meal until, at the end, finger bowls were served. The guest of honor had never seen a British finger bowl, and no one had thought to brief him beforehand about its purpose. So he took the finger bowl in his two hands, lifted it to his mouth, and drank its contents--down to the very last drop!

 

For an instant there was breathless silence among the British upper crust and then they began to whisper to one another.

 

All that stopped in the next instant as the Queen, Victoria, silently took her finger bowl in her two hands, lifted it, and drank its contents!  A moment later 500 surprised British ladies and gentlemen simultaneously drank the contents of their own fingerbowls.

 

It was "against the rules" to drink from a fingerbowl, but on that particular evening Victoria changed the rules---because she was, after all, the Queen. It is "against the rules" not to wash your hands before you eat and on that the Pharisees called the hand of the disciples who follow Jesus. But Jesus recognizes their hypocrisy and he quotes from Isaiah, "These people honor me with their lips but their hearts are far from me."

 

Brett Blair, www.eSermons.com. Thanks to Winfield Casey Jones for this story.

 

___________________



[Sent 12:09 PM Tuesday, August 25,2009]
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From JoeParrish at compuserve.com  Tue Aug 25 12:10:11 2009
From: JoeParrish at compuserve.com (Joe Parrish)
Date: Tue, 25 Aug 2009 12:10:11 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] Sermon Resources for August 30th - Part 2 of 2
Message-ID: <0D89E1C012054FB6947E03C782DA7086@YOUR264F1833C5>

Sermon Resources for Proper 17 (continued):
 

  

Seeing Only the Smoke, Never the Fire

 

In Luke 7:32, Jesus observed that this generation is like school children who pipe and their friends won't dance, who wail and their chums won't cry. "There is no pleasing you!" We simply find something wrong with everything. 

 

John Wesley pointed out that every gift God gives man is quickly sullied by human hands. He said every revival comes with defects. So he'd pray, "Lord, send revival without the defects." But then he told the Lord, "If you won't do it, then send the revival with the defects." 

 

Pharisees only see the smoke, never the fire. They complain about defects, never seeing the revival. Negative, critical persons, they are judgmental. 

 

Stephen M. Crotts, Sermons for Sundays after Pentecost, CSS Publishing 

_____________________

 

Tradition Is a Powerful Thing

 

Years ago Harry Emerson Fosdick told about a church in Denmark where the worshipers bowed regularly before a certain spot on the wall. They had been doing that for three centuries -- bowing at that one spot in the sanctuary. Nobody could remember why. One day in renovating the church, they removed some of the whitewash on the walls. At the exact spot where the people bowed they found the image of the Madonna under the whitewash. People had become so accustomed to bowing before that image that even after it was covered up for three centuries, people still bowed. 

Tradition is a powerful thing. The Pharisees had learned to substitute tradition, custom, habit for the presence of the living God. Traditionalism rears its head in many ways, in many times and in many places. 

King Duncan, Collected Sermons, www.Sermons.com

_______________________

 

Fault-Finding

 

Shakespeare said, "What's in a name? That which we call a rose, by any other name would smell as sweet." Would a rose by any other name smell as sweet? I'm sure it would. You see, the truth is that the thing is what it is, not what someone calls it. Names are assigned to us, based on our outward circumstances by ourselves and other people. "Sinner, Failure, Stupid, Dummy, Unclean" all are names which label us. But what we are called, either by others or by ourselves does not determine who we are. It might speak of those external circumstances, but it might be wholly inaccurate. You see, a failure is not someone who fails. In reality, the people who fail the most are the ones who succeed. You only get to success by taking risks and risk-taking brings many failures along the way. A failure is someone who simply doesn't try. No, names do not determine who you are. You are who you are on the inside.

 

So, the first important lesson is that we must cultivate the inner person.

The inner person is the person who counts. The apostle Paul desired that we

be strengthened in the inner man.

 

It boils down to relationship. We are only as strong as our personal relationship with Christ.

 

J. David Hoke, The Inside Story, Mark 7:14-23.

 

_________________

 

The Shoeshine Boy

 

A certain downtown businessman became fond of the little boy who shined his shoes every day. He did such a good job that one day the businessman asked him, "Son, how come you are so conscientious about your work?" The boy felt complimented. He looked up to the man, and said, "Mister, I'm a Christian and I try to shine every pair of shoes as if Jesus Christ were wearing them."

 

The businessman saw something genuine in the shoeshine boy. Soon after that he began reading his Bible. When he decided to be a Christian himself, he credited his decision to the little boy who shined every pair of shoes "as if Jesus Christ were wearing them." That's a blessing.

 

Charles R. Leary, Mission Ready!, CSS Publishing Company.

 

___________________

 

Which Flowers Are Real?

 

The queen of Sheba came to visit Solomon, and one day she put him to the test. She brought artificial flowers so perfectly formed that no human eye could detect them from real flowers. She put them in a vase on Solomon's table, in his throne room next to his flowers. As he came in, the queen of Sheba is reported to have said, "Solomon, you are the wisest man in the world. Tell me without touching these flowers, which are real and which are artificial." It is said that Solomon studied the flowers for a long time and spoke nothing, until finally he said, "Open the windows and let the bees come in." 

 

There are ways to tell the artificial from the real-let the bees come in; they will know where the real is. If we live with the authentic Jesus long enough, we will recognize the artificial when we see it. 

 

Brooks Ramsey, When Religion Becomes Real 

 

________________________

  

Humor: A Tradition of Fighting

 

There is a story about a young, newly ordained minister who went to serve his first church. He noticed that on the first Sunday, when he said the prayers, the congregation on the left side of the church stood at the beginning of the prayers, and the congregation on the right side remained seated. The young minister thought this was a bit odd, but he kept going in the prayers-until he began to hear some murmuring between the two sides, then the murmuring turned into grumbling and then people yelling at each other, proclaiming that they were doing the right thing when came to the tradition of the church.

 

Distressed by what he had seen and all that was taking place, the young pastor went to seek the council of the former, now elderly pastor, who had served this congregation for years. He asked him, "So is it the tradition of the congregation to stand during the prayers?"

 

The older minister, whose memory was now failing, stroked his beard, replied, "No, that is not the tradition, as I recall."

 

"So, the tradition is that they remain seated during the prayers?"

 

To which the old minister responded, "No, that's not the tradition either."

 

The young pastor threw his hands in the air in exasperation, and said, "There must be some solution to this! The way things are now, half stand and half sit and all end up screaming at one another during the prayers."

 

The old pastor's face lit up in a smile.Yes, that is the tradition I recall.

 

 

Many additional illustrations and sermons for Proper 17 can be accessed at www.Sermons.com.

 



[Sent 12:10 PM Tuesday, August 25,2009]
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From JoeParrish at compuserve.com  Sat Aug 29 10:06:23 2009
From: JoeParrish at compuserve.com (Joe Parrish)
Date: Sat, 29 Aug 2009 10:06:23 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] Fw: Sermon for Aug 30th
Message-ID: <0640869CE4A14CB49172B42BE7021578@YOUR264F1833C5>

Sermon for Sunday:

    Mark 4:26-34  -  The Gratitude Salute

Why are you here?

Why did you come to church this morning?

What made you voluntarily choose to spend the last summer Sunday -- before
the too busy, too crowded Labor Day weekend -- inside a church?

Why aren't you lolling on some beach? (Okay, okay--maybe you will be later
this afternoon!)

Maybe you are here out of habit.
Maybe going to church is "what you do" on Sunday morning.
Maybe you are here because your parents dragged you into the car, kicking
and screaming, and you would rather be anywhere else.
Maybe you are here because you are lonely.
Maybe you are here because you feel something is wrong or missing in your
life.
Maybe you are here hoping that something in here will make you different in
here (point to heart).

None of these are bad reasons to be at church on a sunny August Sunday
(nope, not even being brought by your parents). But here's the reason we
Christians gather for worship week after week: We worship to wake up. We
worship to come alive and take notice of the presence and power of God in
the world, in our lives, in everything we see and do and touch and feel.

The Latin "re-ligare" from which we get our word "religion" has the root
"lig" - which scholars have traced back partly to meaning "pay attention."
Any religious service, any religious act, should make us sit up, shake our
heads, and focus in on the divine. When our lives adhere to a set schedule
of work, when everyday routines can be acted out without even thinking about
them, we loose consciousness to the wonders that surround us.

The wonder of God's creation.
The wonder of love.
The wonder of family.
The wonder of breathing in and out. The wonder of life.

G. K. Chesterton, one of the most important writers of the last century, put
it like this: "The world shall perish not for lack of wonders but for lack
of wonder."

This week's epistle text is from the Letter of James, the letter Martin
Luther famously pooh-poohed as "an epistle of straw." Luther's words gave a
lot of us a "free pass" on James. James was seen as "weak sauce" - not
worthy of much attention. But skipping James lets us slip by to our peril of
slipping up and missing some of the most real life, faith-in-action
admonishments in the New Testament. Could that be the real reason it is so
tempting to keep James on the back burner? James won't let....

The rest of Leonard Sweet's sermon can be obtained by joining
www.eSermons.com.





From JoeParrish at compuserve.com  Sat Aug 29 10:13:00 2009
From: JoeParrish at compuserve.com (Joe Parrish)
Date: Sat, 29 Aug 2009 10:13:00 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] Day1 Sermon for August 30
Message-ID: <E69DC6F8427248F0A83A5D3FD89C2765@YOUR264F1833C5>

http://day1.org/1406-looking_in_the_mirror
Looking in the Mirror
James 1:22-25
Proper 17 - Year B
August 30, 2009
by the Rev. Martha Sterne, associate rector of Holy Innocents' Episcopal Church in Atlanta, GA
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From JoeParrish at compuserve.com  Sat Aug 29 10:15:17 2009
From: JoeParrish at compuserve.com (Joe Parrish)
Date: Sat, 29 Aug 2009 10:15:17 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] Textweek for August 30
Message-ID: <8BAC03A8E0D04B2696A179A23AB510B5@YOUR264F1833C5>

http://www.textweek.com/yearb/properb17.htm
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From russellmeyer at att.net  Sat Aug 29 12:16:48 2009
From: russellmeyer at att.net (Russell Meyer)
Date: Sat, 29 Aug 2009 12:16:48 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] Fw: Sermon for Aug 30th
In-Reply-To: <0640869CE4A14CB49172B42BE7021578@YOUR264F1833C5>
References: <0640869CE4A14CB49172B42BE7021578@YOUR264F1833C5>
Message-ID: <001101ca28c4$1d4bac00$57e30400$@net>

Note: Full-disclosure, I'm a Lutheran.

Luther gets a bad rap about the epistle of straw remark, which illustrates
the risk of misreading that's always present with everyone.

Luther's comment, which he withdrew in later prefaces to the epistle, arose
out of his early years of trying to communicate the wonder and power of the
gospel of grace which had been deeply buried in his native Germany under
piles of duties and obligations for meriting favor. We should remember that
the 95 Theses was motivated by a desire to improve the lot of the poor in
his parish whose meager income was being siphoned off by donations and
indulgences and fees for kissing relics.

Luther was convinced that the gospel of grace, when received faithfully,
would move one to do far more for the disadvantaged than mere calls of duty
could ever perform. The love of Christ will exceed the law of the neighbor
in real outcomes of the common weal. Why shoot for second best? How is that
a "free pass"? If anything, Luther in his exuberance for the gospel
temporarily was distracted by the way the power of sin will misread the
challenge of the good to one's own unjust advantage. That's the double bind
of the law/gospel distinction, which Luther often shows knowledge but
doesn't often analyze thoroughly. Those who find a free pass in the epistle
of straw remark only show the grip the power of sin has on their
imagination.

Ok. Thanks for letting sound my Luther trumpet.

Russell Meyer
Tampa FL

-----Original Message-----
From: propertalk-bounces at stsams.org [mailto:propertalk-bounces at stsams.org]
On Behalf Of Joe Parrish
Sent: Saturday, August 29, 2009 10:06 AM
To: Propertalk
Cc: PROPERTALK.topic at ecunet.org
Subject: [Propertalk] Fw: Sermon for Aug 30th

Sermon for Sunday:

    Mark 4:26-34  -  The Gratitude Salute

Why are you here?

Why did you come to church this morning?

What made you voluntarily choose to spend the last summer Sunday -- before
the too busy, too crowded Labor Day weekend -- inside a church?

Why aren't you lolling on some beach? (Okay, okay--maybe you will be later
this afternoon!)

Maybe you are here out of habit.
Maybe going to church is "what you do" on Sunday morning.
Maybe you are here because your parents dragged you into the car, kicking
and screaming, and you would rather be anywhere else.
Maybe you are here because you are lonely.
Maybe you are here because you feel something is wrong or missing in your
life.
Maybe you are here hoping that something in here will make you different in
here (point to heart).

None of these are bad reasons to be at church on a sunny August Sunday
(nope, not even being brought by your parents). But here's the reason we
Christians gather for worship week after week: We worship to wake up. We
worship to come alive and take notice of the presence and power of God in
the world, in our lives, in everything we see and do and touch and feel.

The Latin "re-ligare" from which we get our word "religion" has the root
"lig" - which scholars have traced back partly to meaning "pay attention."
Any religious service, any religious act, should make us sit up, shake our
heads, and focus in on the divine. When our lives adhere to a set schedule
of work, when everyday routines can be acted out without even thinking about
them, we loose consciousness to the wonders that surround us.

The wonder of God's creation.
The wonder of love.
The wonder of family.
The wonder of breathing in and out. The wonder of life.

G. K. Chesterton, one of the most important writers of the last century, put
it like this: "The world shall perish not for lack of wonders but for lack
of wonder."

This week's epistle text is from the Letter of James, the letter Martin
Luther famously pooh-poohed as "an epistle of straw." Luther's words gave a
lot of us a "free pass" on James. James was seen as "weak sauce" - not
worthy of much attention. But skipping James lets us slip by to our peril of
slipping up and missing some of the most real life, faith-in-action
admonishments in the New Testament. Could that be the real reason it is so
tempting to keep James on the back burner? James won't let....

The rest of Leonard Sweet's sermon can be obtained by joining
www.eSermons.com.



_______________________________________________
Propertalk mailing list
Propertalk at stsams.org
http://mail.stsams.org/mailman/listinfo/propertalk_stsams.org




From JoeParrish at compuserve.com  Sat Aug 29 15:58:10 2009
From: JoeParrish at compuserve.com (Joe Parrish)
Date: Sat, 29 Aug 2009 15:58:10 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] Looking up a definition of "licentiousness" for Mark
	7:22
Message-ID: <7E712C486D6048FCBA2D8D1E961A8CD4@YOUR264F1833C5>

      li?cen?tious (l-snshs) 
      adj. 
      1. Lacking moral discipline or ignoring legal restraint, especially in sexual conduct.
      2. Having no regard for accepted rules or standards.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

      [Latin licentisus, from licentia, freedom, license; see license.]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

      li?centious?ly adv.
      li?centious?ness n. 

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/licentiousness

- - - - -

The American Heritage? Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ?2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Thesaurus
Legend:  Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
      Noun 1. licentiousness - the quality of being lewd and lascivious 
      wantonness
      immorality - the quality of not being in accord with standards of right or good conduct; "the immorality of basing the defense of the West on the threat of mutual assured destruction" 
     2. licentiousness - dissolute indulgence in sensual pleasure 
      dissipation, profligacy, dissolution, looseness
      intemperateness, self-indulgence, intemperance - excess in action and immoderate indulgence of bodily appetites, especially in passion or indulgence; "the intemperance of their language"

      Cite this page:   


      MLA Style
      "licentiousness." Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary. 2009.

      Merriam-Webster Online. 29 August 2009
      <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/licentiousness>

      APA Style
      licentiousness. (2009). In Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary.

      Retrieved August 29, 2009, from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/licentiousness

      - - - - -

      licentious
      One entry found.






        a.. Main Entry: li?cen?tious 
        b.. Pronunciation: \li-'sen(t)-sh?s\
        c.. Function: adjective 
        d.. Etymology: Latin licentiosus, from licentia
        e.. Date: 1535
      1 : lacking legal or moral restraints; especially : disregarding sexual restraints
      2 : marked by disregard for strict rules of correctness

      - li?cen?tious?ly adverb 

      - li?cen?tious?ness noun 

      http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/licentiousness

      - - - - -

      Etymology

      Latin licentiosus, from licentia ("'license, freedom'")


      Adjective
      licentious (comparative more licentious, superlative most licentious)

            Positive
            licentious
            Comparative
            more licentious
            Superlative
            most licentious
           

        1.. Lacking restraint, or ignoring societal standards, particularly in sexual conduct. 
        2.. Disregard for accepted rules. 

       Derived terms
        a.. licentiousness 

       See also
        a.. incontinent 
      http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/licentious

      - - - - -

      licentiousness
      Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary

      English

       Noun
      licentiousness

        1.. The property of being licentious. 

               Translations
        a.. Hebrew: ?????? (he) (p"ritz?t) 
      Retrieved from "http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/licentiousness"
      - - - - -




       
        a..   
        

            Law Encyclopedia: Licentiousness  
      Top 
      Home > Library > Law & Legal Issues > Law Encyclopedia
      This entry contains information applicable to United States law only.


      Acting without regard to law, ethics, or the rights of others.

      The term licentiousness is often used interchangeably with lewdness or lasciviousness, which relate to moral impurity in a sexual context.
     

http://www.answers.com/topic/licentiousness

- - - - -
Galatians 5:19

Darby Bible Translation
      Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are fornication, uncleanness, licentiousness,

            NIV The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 

      http://bible.cc/galatians/5-19.htm
      - - - - -

      licentious
      ???????? (Greek) - ellanika'
      adj. - ????????????, ????????? 

      http://www.answers.com/topic/licentious

      - - - -

      But, "aselgeia" is used in Greek NT in both Mark 7:22 and Galatians  5:19 - lewdness

      - - - -

      "aselgeia" f. sensuality, indecency, vice

      The Greek New Testament, Kurt Aland, et al., Third Edition (corrected), Dictionary section, Page 26, 1983 
     


     

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From JoeParrish at compuserve.com  Sat Aug 29 16:51:01 2009
From: JoeParrish at compuserve.com (Joe Parrish)
Date: Sat, 29 Aug 2009 16:51:01 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] Sermon quotes for August 30 - Mark 7 - Part 1
Message-ID: <90D36ED30A6B4BC9AD32CD799DE79DE6@YOUR264F1833C5>

>From "Fiddler on the Roof":

Then came the third daughter, and it was the same story all over again.  Not only did she not use the matchmaker; but worse yet, in fact the worse thing that ever could happen to a Jewish family, was that she fell in love with a non-Jew, with a Gentile.  With a Bolshevik soldier.  And to marry a non-Jew, a Gentile, that was the unforgivable sin.  Now, when this young couple came to Tevye and announced their intentions, Tevye could bend no further.  He refused to give his daughter in marriage; he refused to bless her; he kicked her out of the house; he declared her as dead; her name was never to be mentioned again in his home; and so his deeply loved daughter was lost.  His daughter was now dead to Tevye.

Much later, at the very end of the story, the revolution was starting in Russia, and the Jews, including Tevye and Golda, were fleeing to America.  This historic Jewish family was being fractured, never to see each other again.  And then comes the last scene, the most touching scene of the whole movie.  The whole family said good-bye to each other, and suddenly the youngest daughter and her Bolshevik husband walk forward, coming from nowhere, and standing outside the family gate, to say the last goodbye to her father.  And perhaps, just perhaps, to be blessed by him.  Perhaps, just perhaps, to be at peace with the man she so deeply loved.

Tevye was caught.  What should he do?  He had vowed that his daughter was  dead, that he would never speak with her again, now he was caught.  And he needed to say goodbye to that daughter.  And finally, in despair, Tevye turned his back on his daughter.  He turned away from her, and he bent over the fence in brokenness and in grief.  No blessing,  No peace.  And the story ends tragically.

"Fiddler on the Roof" is a story about a good man, Tevye, whose traditions are more important to him that the commandment to love and forgive as God loves and forgives. 

http://www.sermonsfromseattle.com/series_b_tradition_fiddler_on_the_roof.htm

Edward F. Markquart

- - - - -
A friend of mine, a Dominican priest, puts a finer point on it. Good people, he says, are more likely to be tempted by what is best about them than by what is worst. In a world that badly needs change, how many times have we good people let the warm glow of our acts of charity shield us from the disturbing risk of the change we need to make? In a church that badly needs to demonstrate its integrity, how many times have we good people wounded each other with the opinions and judgements we wield?

http://covenantnetwork.org/sermon&papers/spaulding.htm

The Rev. Richard E. Spalding, 2004

- - - - -

Is the church primarily holy space, separate from the world in its confusion, or is the church a launching pad for service and a gathering place for the least and the lost?

<>

Jesus and the Pharisees were arguing a very basic point. What do faithful people do to be faithful? What are the interests of God and how do we serve them? Ritual is important and so is the manner and the degree to which we are distinct from the world around us. There can be no doubt about that. The Pharisees have a good point. Jesus seems to be saying that engagement with the world is even more important. 

http://day1.org/500-what_matters_to_god

The Rev. Dr. Francis H. Wade, former rector of St. Alban's Episcopal Church, Washington, DC, 2003

- - - - -

... maybe our deepest fear is that our status quo is not so good anyway. Our deepest fear is that there really is uncleanness in us and we are afraid to face it. 

http://day1.org/666-why_dont_you_wash_your_hands

The Very Rev. Samuel G. Candler, Dean of the Cathedral of St. Philip, Atlanta, GA, 2000 

- - - - -

You and I know that Jesus was not advocating eating with dirty hands in our gospel reading for today.  The lesson is not really about hand washing at all -- it is about fault-finding and nitpicking. 

<>

Professor Charles Neilson, a Presbyterian pastor and teacher of Church History, compared some modern Christians with the scribes and Pharisees of Jesus' time and said, "Their difficulty is that they are trying to be more religious than God."  

http://www.lectionarysermons.com/sep.03.00.htm

John Jewell, 2000

- - - - -

What does God want. Well said the man, the [new Pope] wants all those women off the altar. Women should be reading the scriptures or distributing Communion, or directing music, not even if they're nuns. Indeed, said the pastor. And he should put the mass back into Latin, that's God's language. Why did we have to change it. Actually said the pastor, maybe it should go back into Aramaic.

http://www.agreeley.com/hom09/aug30.htm

Andrew M. Greeley, 2009

- - - - -

After the wedding party processed up the aisle and before the ceremony began, the celebrant made an announcement. Only baptized Catholics in the state of grace would be allowed to receive Holy Communion during the Eucharistic celebration. Anyone who had committed a mortal sin and had not received absolution from a priest should not approach the altar. <> One guest, herself very active in her own parish community, observed, wryly, that it was interesting that the only cardinal sin mentioned was lust. Could it be that if he mentioned all the possible manifestations of all the deadly sins, no one would be permitted to approach the altar?

http://www.agreeley.com/homilies00/sept03.htm

Andrew M. Greeley, 2000

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From JoeParrish at compuserve.com  Sat Aug 29 17:56:53 2009
From: JoeParrish at compuserve.com (Joe Parrish)
Date: Sat, 29 Aug 2009 17:56:53 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] Sermon quotes for August 30 - Mark 7 - Part 2
Message-ID: <D93FEAD66F3E4918898BD7FC8D122E61@YOUR264F1833C5>

When the core commitments of divine law (mercy, justice, and even care for parents) are eclipsed by human teachings and practices, it means that we have chosen to determine for our own selves what makes us righteous (self-righteousness), so washing the fruit we buy becomes more important than giving fruit to the hungry. 

http://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?lect_date=8/30/2009&tab=4

Henry Langknecht, 2009
- - - - -

Verses 6-7: The quotation is from the Septuagint translation of Isaiah 29:1

http://montreal.anglican.org/comments/archive/bpr22l.shtml

Chris Haslam, Anglican Diocese of Montreal
- - - - -

21 It is the kosher laws of purity that are here at stake: Jesus' disciples eat bread with "unclean" or "impure" or "profane" hands. The Greek word here translated thus is ???????, basically meaning "common" -- not distinctive, and the sense here is not ritually cleansed and distanced from what is profane or common.

http://artsci.wustl.edu/~cwconrad/Mark/mk6notes.html#anchor298497

Carl W. Conrad
- - - - -

v2: Handwashing is not known from the OT. However, the Mishnah (c. 200 CE) does have rules for handwashing associated with purity. 
<>

v6-8: Jesus is quoting the Greek Septaugint Isa 29:13. Isa 29 is part of the background of the gospel. It is highly implausible that Jesus disputed with the Pharisees by buttressing his arguments with a Greek text of the Hebrew, especially as the Greek text differs from the Hebrew text at this point (Wells 1999, p179). Loader (1998) argues, however, that:

"The use of Isa 29:13 LXX need not, in itself rule out the possibility of earlier traditional use, since the difference of the LXX from the MT text may well reflect a variant Hebrew text which read whtw ("void/in vain") instead of yhtw ("and is") of MT. The same might apply to Mark's additional word: "teaching .. as teaching", though this is less likely" (p17) 

<>
      v15: similar to Romans 14:14 and 14:20.


           14: 14: As one who is in the Lord Jesus, I am fully convinced that no food is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for him it is unclean.(NIV)

            14:20: Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a man to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble. (NIV)
           

      v. 16 this is considered spurious although several ancient manuscripts have it. It reads "Anyone who has ears ought to hear" (Donahue and Harrington 2002, p224). <>

      v.20-23 Similar lists exist in 1 Cor 6:9-10, Rom 1:29-31, and Gal 5:19-21
     
http://www.michaelturton.com/Mark/GMark07.html#7.p.1.23

Michael A. Turton
- - - - -

Mark is wanting to show that such biblical provisions must be set aside because he knows they have created enormous tensions between Christian Jews and Christian Gentiles. Already Paul in Galatians 2 tells of such disputes. According to Mark such biblical injunctions must be exposed as invalid (not just abolished, as though they once made sense) in the interests of being inclusive of all people. Food laws and laws of clean and unclean must not be used to discriminate against Gentiles. The laws are nonsense anyway. This is all part of Mark's theme in these chapters, where he is showing the bread of salvation offered equally to the Jews, 5000 of them in Jewish land, as to the Gentiles, 4000 of them in Gentile land.

http://wwwstaff.murdoch.edu.au/~loader/MkPentecost13.htm

William Loader, Murdoch University, Uniting Church in Australia

- - - - -
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From JoeParrish at compuserve.com  Sat Aug 29 18:37:23 2009
From: JoeParrish at compuserve.com (Joe Parrish)
Date: Sat, 29 Aug 2009 18:37:23 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] Sermon quotes for August 30 - Mark 7 - Part 3
Message-ID: <E8642BFF1AD64AAD8CC62667FD7A1715@YOUR264F1833C5>

While the issue in this text centers on the tradition of the elders; they grow out of a serious command given in Exodus 30:17-21 [nipto is the word used throughout for "wash" in the LXX]:

  The LORD spoke to Moses: You shall make a bronze basin with a bronze stand for washing. You shall put it between the tent of meeting and the altar, and you shall put water in it; with the water Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet. When they go into the tent of meeting, or when they come near the altar to minister, to make an offering by fire to the LORD, they shall wash with water, so that they may not die. They shall wash their hands and their feet, so that they may not die: it shall be a perpetual ordinance for them, for him and for his descendants throughout their generations.

The repeated threat of death indicates that this washing was a very important ritual.

http://www.crossmarks.com/brian/mark7x1.htm

Brian Stoffregen
- - - - -

  I've found it humbling to ask what "outcasts" do I sanctimoniously spurn as impure, unclean, dirty, contaminated, and, in my mind, far from God. The mentally ill, people who have married three or four times, wealthy executives, welfare recipients, people who hold conservative political opinions, or maybe people with AIDS? How have I distorted the self-sacrificing, egalitarian love of God into self-serving, exclusionary elitism? What boundaries do I wrongly build or might I bravely shatter? 

http://www.journeywithjesus.net/Essays/20090824JJ.shtml

Dan Clendenin 
- - - - -

Today, in our Christian faith, we also learn to love the "old traditions" that are part of our faith. We love the "old favorite traditions" of Christmas, Christmas hymns, Easter, Easter hymns. Most congregations (and individuals) have numerous traditions that are not part of their constitution, by-laws, or any legal documents; nor are these numerous traditions part of the Scriptures or even our denominational heritage. Rather, within the congregation, there are traditions that become holy, sanctified, and "don't you mess with our way we of doing things around here." In other words, don't mess with our traditions. In fact, people will hold fast to their human traditions more than the commandments of God to love God and love one another.

http://www.sermonsfromseattle.com/series_b_traditions_GA.htm

Edward F. Markquart
- - - - -

If Jesus has been so free from the anxiety of keeping himself clean that he has shared our uncleanness to death in order to infect us with his cleanness, then no wonder his disciples feel free to forget to wash their hands. They are no longer thinking about who is clean and who is not and how they can stay on the clean side of that calculation. Jesus gave his disciples authority over unclean spirits, too (Mark 6:7), and so we are sent out to handle what is unclean with Jesus' cleansing life. Will we be defiled in the process? Absolutely. But we know what to do with that; it goes with Jesus to the cross to get sanitized in his risen life for us and for others. 

http://www.crossings.org/theology/2009/theolo744.shtml

Carolyn Schneider, 2009
- - - - -

 In fact, the three sexual evils that he includes in his catalogue of perversity can apply equally to heterosexuals or to gays:  fornication, adultery, and licentiousness.  These three vices are orientation-neutral.

http://gospelforgays.com/?p=461

Jeremiah Bartram, 2009
- - - - -

For many Christians, there seems to be a need to find ways to guard the borders of religious identity All sorts of issues are lifted up as identity-defining, and the stance one takes with respect to them determines whether one is a "real Christian." In the American context, most of these issues have to do with human sexuality. Abortion, contraception and homosexuality have all been made into boundary-defining issues; they have become the "lines in the sand" for whether one judges others to be Christian or not. In the minds of many, these are not matters on which Christians may hold divergent opinions and remain in fellowship with others. Rather, opposition to these practices is seen as part and parcel of maintaining the core of Christian faith in an increasingly secular world.
<>
...how does one maintain Christian identity and integrity? When we respond, we can do no better than Jesus did when asked what was the greatest of all of God's commands -- love God and neighbor. 

http://www.religion-online.org/showarticle.asp?title=3435

Cynthia M. Campbell, 2006
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From JoeParrish at compuserve.com  Sat Aug 29 19:26:16 2009
From: JoeParrish at compuserve.com (Joe Parrish)
Date: Sat, 29 Aug 2009 19:26:16 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] Sermon quotes for August 30 - Mark 7 - Part 4
Message-ID: <FBE6D6DB8D5B44C5908442FCDAC57F45@YOUR264F1833C5>

Gregory Peck, not long before he died, said that if you're going to play the part of the devil you have to look for the angel in him, and if you're going to play an angel you have to look for the devil in him -- a kind of actor's "hermeneutic of charity." 
<>
There is a self-righteousness in me that does not want to die. There is something inside me that is not bothered when others are excluded, that wants others to be excluded, that feels more special when I'm on the inside and somebody else is not.  
<>
We will look for substitute ways of distinguishing ourselves from those on the outside. The boundary markers change from century to century, but they all reinforce a false sense of superiority, fed by the intent to exclude others.

http://www.religion-online.org/showarticle.asp?title=2898

John Ortberg, 2003
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The phrase "hardness of heart" is used not only for God's people's enemies, like Pharaoh in Egypt, but also for God's people, Israel. In the New Testament it describes not only the scribes and Pharisees but also the disciples (Mark 6:52). A hardhearted person is self-centered, impervious to spiritual things, resistant or closed off to God and what God wants to do in that person's life. 
<>
Mary Ann Tolbert says in Sowing the Gospel, "if the heart is God's ground, nothing else is required; and if the heart is not God's ground, nothing else will suffice." 

http://www.religion-online.org/showarticle.asp?title=1983

Heidi Husted, 2000 
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Ironically, even as the Christian church was suffering brutal persecution at the hands of the Roman Empire and evolving to become the religion of that empire, Christianity was creating forms of ritualistic legalism that were as out of phase with the teachings of Jesus as the legalisms of the Pharisees and scribes.

It would be hard to deny that historically, the majority of Christians have advocated ethics closer to those of the ancient catholic church and the Pharisees than to those of Jesus. 
<>
Given that we are rich when the world is poor, that we cling to our nuclear arms as if world extermination were a noble risk, destroy ancient forests, gouge the landscape, pollute the soil, water and air, that we copulate and abort with unrestrained abandon -- how then are we to interpret Jesus' words, "It is what comes out of a person that defiles," so as to come up smelling like roses?

http://www.religion-online.org/showarticle.asp?title=659

Ronald Goetz, 1997
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 "No outcasts," writes Garry Wills in What Jesus Meant, "were cast out far enough in Jesus' world to make him shun them-not Roman collaborators, not lepers, not prostitutes, not the crazed, not the possessed. Are there people now who could possibly be outside his encompassing love?" In a tragic irony, of course, some Christians have considered Jews accursed, not to mention gays. I've found it a humbling exercise to ask what categories of "outcasts" do I sanctimoniously spurn as impure, unclean, dirty, contaminated, and, in my mind, far from God. The mentally ill, people who have married three or four times, wealthy executives, welfare recipients, people who hold conservative political opinions, or maybe people with AIDS? How have I distorted the self-sacrificing, egalitarian love of God into self-serving, exclusionary elitism? What boundaries do I wrongly build or might I bravely shatter?

http://www.journeywithjesus.net/Essays/20060828JJ.shtml

Dan Clendenin, 2006
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The precise difference between Jesus and the Pharisees was that they looked at the external activity whereas Jesus looked at the heart, the source of activity. They looked to the fulfillment of law and tradition while he looked to love and commitment. They looked at the letter of the law while he looked at it's spirit.

         We can also find the same tendency in our selves. If we are honest enough to look into our hearts we will discover elements of the childishness of Ahab and the rootlessness of his wife Jezebel as we subtly make events work out for our own benefit. We can find people who are very careful about their devotions and have no problem in treating their maids worse than their pets. Where are those who will travel hundreds of kilometers to see a dancing sun but who make very little effort to live the words of the gospels in their lives.

http://www.bible.claret.org/liturgy/daily/sundays_pierse/cycleB/B_22ndSunOT.htm
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Their question about why Jesus and his disciples do not  observe the practice of washing their hands is, therefore, fairly straightforward. It is, in fact, Jesus who puts the cat among the pigeons by calling them hypocrites and quoting Isaiah's condemnation of those who honour God only with lip-service - seeming to denounce them and their religious practices.

http://www.wellsprings.org.uk/weekly_wellsprings/year_b/sunday_22.htm

Catherine McElhinney and Kathryn Turner, 2006
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I don't know where the expression 'cleanliness is next to godliness' comes from, but some significant godliness I've experienced out in life's margins has been in the person of people none too clean in soap & water terms. 'The Great Unwashed'! Not the kind of person we want sitting near us in the pews! But maybe just the one to rescue us in some hour of need out there somewhere. I doubt any of us would want Jesus on his way to Golgotha reeking of his own sweat & blood, or hanging up there on the cross without deodorant, aftershave, or even fly-spray, too close to us either. 

http://www.angelfire.com/journal2/marginallymark/MMK7123P12.html

Brian McGowan, Anglican priest in Western Australia.
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We can eat with family and friends. But, what would we do to prepare to eat a meal with God? This simple question cut to the heart of one's relationship with God. Do we prepare by removing ourselves from the dirt of the world? Or do we prepare ourselves by removing the dirt of the heart? 

http://www.word-sunday.com/Files/b/22-b/A-22-b.html

Larry Broding 
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Why is it, when the heart is not renewed, that a religious person often becomes consumed by their religiosity? 

http://www.lectionarystudies.com/studyg/sunday22bg.html

Bryan Findlayson
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From joeparrish at compuserve.com  Sat Aug 29 20:01:27 2009
From: joeparrish at compuserve.com (joeparrish at compuserve.com)
Date: Sat, 29 Aug 2009 20:01:27 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] Fwd: 13th Sunday after Pentecost Proper 17 Lectionary
	22 Sermon
In-Reply-To: <h6unrk$kif$1@ecunet-web-1.ecunet.org>
References: <h6unrk$kif$1@ecunet-web-1.ecunet.org>
Message-ID: <8CBF71C28084365-12C-996@angweb-usd010.sysops.aol.com>



Forwarded:



13th Sunday after Pentecost

Proper 17

Lectionary 22

Mark 7:1-8,14-15, 21-23

"Using Religion to Escape Religion"


?

7:1 ? Now when the Pharisees gathered together to him, with some of the scribes, who had come from Jerusalem,

2 they saw that some of his disciples ate with hands defiled, that is, unwashed.

3 (For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, do not eat unless they wash their hands, observing the tradition of the elders;

4 and when they come from the market place, they do not eat unless they purify themselves; and there are many other traditions which they observe, the washing of cups and pots and vessels of bronze.)

5 And the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, "Why do
  your disciples not live according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with hands defiled?"

6 And he said to them, "Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, 'This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me;

7 in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the precepts of men.'

8 You leave the commandment of God, and hold fast the tradition of men."

14 And he called the people to him again, and said to them, "Hear me, all of you, and understand:

15 there is nothing outside a man which by going into him can defile him; but the things which come out of a man are what defile him."

21 For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, 20fornication, theft, murder, adultery,

22 coveting, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, envy, slander, pride, foolishness.

23 All these evil things come from within, and they defile a man."

Ephesians 6: 10-20

10 ? Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.

11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

12 For we are not contending against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

13 Therefore take the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to=2
 0stand.

14 Stand therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,

15 and having shod your feet with the equipment of the gospel of peace;

16 besides all these, taking the shield of faith, with which you can quench all the flaming darts of the evil one.

17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

18 Pray at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,

19 ? and also for me, that utterance may be given me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel,

20 for which I am an ambassador 20in chains; that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.

Grace and peace to you from our Lord and Saviour, Jesus who is the Christ. Amen

A man fell ill, so an ancient story goes, between two villages. It was exactly halfway between the two villages and that presented a problem to the authorities as to which village should take care of the stricken man. It had to be decided which community the man was actually closest to. And therein lay the disagreement. One village maintained that the distance should be measured from the man's navel; the other village argued that it should be calculated from the man's mouth.

The outcome of the little drama was obvious, of course. as the two communities argued over the leg
 ality of the problems the poor fellow died.

Remember the story of Gulliver's travels. He came to a land of tiny people, Lilliput and do you remember the legality those tiny people were going to war over. It was whether one should crack the big end of an egg or the little end. The two sides became known as the big enders vs. the little enders.

Throughout the history of civilization, people have hated, people have gone to war, people have killed others in the name of legality, in the name of a law that one side perceived right, and the other side didn't. Laws have been good in that they shape the conduct of society, but they have been harmful to society when the law becomes more important than the principle it=2
 0is trying to up hold.

Jesus met this same problem in our gospel lesson this morning. The scribes and Pharisees had come to Jesus and had seen that Jesus' disciples didn't wash their hands, an act prescribed by the law before they ate. They asked Jesus why.

To understand this encounter between Jesus and these upholders of the law, we must understand the Jewish law that they were working from. The law as given to the nation of Israel in the book of Deuteronomy and Leviticus. But it was given in broad principals so that the people might have some freedom in interpreting the law for themselves. But about 500 years before Jesus was born, a group of people emerged, the scribes, who were interested in upholding the letter=2
 0of the law as they saw it. So they developed their own oral law, or the law of the elders, to put exactness into these broad principles. Over the course of time, the broad principles of the law became lost to the exact rules and regulations that were being poured out by these scribes.

For example, the hand washing law became something like this: Before one ate, one must pour 1 1/2 egg-shells of water over his hands, but not just in any manner, but in this prescribed manner. He must hold the hands with the finger-tips upwards and pour the water over them until it ran down his writs; he must then cleanse the palm of each hand with the fist of the other; he must then hold the hands with the fingertips pointing 20downwards and pour water on them from the wrists downwards so that ran off at the fingertips. This was not a matter of hygiene; it was a matter of ritual, even if the hands were spotless it must be done. To do it was to please God, to fail to do it was to sin.

So, can you see why the scribes and the Pharisees were wondering why Jesus' disciples didn't wash in the prescribed manner. But Jesus in one sentence, in one breath does away with all these oral laws, for he saw in them that they were not worshiping God but the law itself. He says: "You leave the commandment of God, and hold fast the tradition of man."?Jesus saw that the law was being used to turn people away from God by being so exact, i
 nstead of it being used to bring people to God to see his love and mercy. Jesus goes on to say that it s not what is outside of a person that makes that person unclean, but itis what is in his/her heart that matters. Jesus saw that religion was being used to escape the true religion, the worship of God. The religious leaders were using the law of men to gain respect, position and wealth over the people instead of showing the people how the law can help them to find God in their lives. Jesus was freeing the people from the tyranny of the externals, and giving them a freedom to live with the law of love in their hearts.

You know that the only laws that Jesus tells us in the whole of the New Testament 
 is two. They go together.?"You should love the Lord your God with all of your heart, with all of your soul, with all of your mind, and you shall love your neighbor as your self."?Notice Jesus doesn't go beyond the broad principle of the laws, he doesn't define in exact detail how one should love God and how one should love a neighbor. But in the rest of his teachings, in the way he lives, in how he acted, he showed us how one is to love God and one's neighbor.

But he gives us the freedom to express our love for God and our love for our neighbor in our own way, in our own unique God given way. The religious leaders of Jesus day has lost the concept of the uniqueness of the human race. God has
  created each of us different, and in that difference, in that uniqueness we all have different talents, different ways, different abilities to worship God and to love our neighbor. We have been given the freedom to express our uniqueness as we live our Christian life. But notice the broad principle still stands: The command is to love God with our whole being, and to love our neighbor as ourselves. That is a command. There is no freedom not to follow or live by that command.

That is God's command to those of us who want to be his followers. It is God's command for those of us who have been called by him in love and mercy. That command is not something we might say: "Well God today will worship you because I 
 don't have anything better to do, or today God l will be good to my neighbor because I feel good." NO, that command transcends all of life. That command is not something we can turn on and off, but it is a reality that the people of God must live with. But how I worship God, how I love my neighbor, is up to my own uniqueness.

Now you see how radical Jesus' words are in our gospel lesson.

He puts each person in an unique position to be of special importance to God. For God enjoys, I think, the way each of us use the resources he has given us to worship him and to serve him through our neighbor. In some ways, this freedom to live in the principle of the law is more difficult that living by the 
 letter of the law. Living by the letter of the law is easier because it is all spelled out in black and white. I don't have to take any responsibility for my own actions, if I follow the law I can say it is good law, if I cannot follow the law I can say it is a bad law.

But when I am given the freedom to express the principle of the law in my own way, then I have to take the full responsibility for my actions. I stand alone before God. I cannot blame anyone or anything for my failure to act, or for my failure for acting wrong. I have a greater responsibility, but I think it is in that very freedom to act and to fail that I am more confident of the grace of God in my life. For when I 
 fail, I know his forgiveness is there for me, and when I succeed, I know it is by the grace of God, the love that God has for me that has seen me through. I stand alone and naked by myself in the freedom of the law to worship God in my uniqueness and the serve him by serving my neighbor. It is literary God and I in the world together.

This idea then moves us into the second lesson, from last week, the lesson where Paul speaks about living a life of integrity for the law. Paul is using an analogy of a soldier doing battle as we face all the temptations of live. And Paul is saying that just as a soldier needs to have the right equipment, a person who is fighting the battle of life, needs to have=2
 0the equipment of God with him. We need to know that the truth of God is with us, the righteousness of God is there as well as the peace of God along with faith and also salvation. With these tools, we can stand on the principles of the law in the freedom of our uniqueness and to fight the good fight of salvation, Paul is saying if you know where your strength lies, if you know your equipment is of God and from God, then the battle of life can be won. If the equipment is not just outward externals but if it is truly the equipment of the heart, then the battle of live will be won.

And James in the second lesson from this week says:?22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving you
 rselves.

Which means that we must not only hear the word of God, but live it and do it in our lives.

That is seen very clearly in the following:

There is a story about an evangelist who was preaching a series of sermons on the 10 commandments. One night he used "Thou shalt not steal" as his text, and stressed the necessity of absolute integrity in everything.

The next day the evangelist had to go on a bus and handed the driver a dollar bill for his ticket. When he counted his change he discovered he had received an extra dime. He could have kept the dime and said nothing about it. However he want to the driver and said, "You gave me a dine too much."

"Yes, I know," said the driver, "I did it=2
 0on purpose to see what you would do. Last night I was in your congregation and heard your sermon. I have always been suspicious of Christians, so when I recognized you this morning I said," If he practiced what he preached, I'll go an hear him again but if he keeps the dime, I'll know he is a fake."

The evangelist had freedom to act. He could have kept the dime or he could have loved his neighbor by respecting him and return the dime. In his freedom he acted, he loved his neighbor, returned a had a chance to speak to someone about God and God's gospel of power in life.

Yes, Jesus says we are free, free from the burdens of the law, but in that freedom we are given responsibility to act, to act with=2
 0our unique gifts, and resources to worship God and to love our neighbor.

How will you use your freedom.? How will you worship God and love your neighbor?

Amen


Written by Pastor Tim Zingale?

?You may freely use this but please give credit. Not for commercial use.

?
? 
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From robertpmorrison at charterinternet.com  Sat Aug 29 22:48:54 2009
From: robertpmorrison at charterinternet.com (Robert P Morrison)
Date: Sat, 29 Aug 2009 19:48:54 -0700
Subject: [Propertalk] Proper 17 b BCP lectionary
Message-ID: <20090829224854.22MZM.4313366.root@mp12>

We're up to 1979 in our prayer book usage, so this is based on that lectionary.

This now goes home for reading and editing.

Bob

THE EPISCOPAL PARISH OF ST. JAMES, LINCOLN CITY   THE THIRTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
DEUTERONOMY 4:1-9			    PROPER 17 b BCP 
EPHESIAND 6:10-20			    30th AUGUST, 2009
MARK 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23		                          PSALM 15
LAST SUNDAY OF STUDY OF ANCESTRAL PRAYER BOOKS ? THIS DAY USING 1979 ? RITE II

	?Some scribes ? noticed that some of (Jesus?) disciples were eating their food with defiled hands ? in other words, without washing them.? Heavens! What WOULD Emily Post have thought? Or Mrs. Bouquet, of BBC TV ? PBS fame?
	Back in January, Newsweek ran an article about ?The Quest for a Spiritual Home?. 1 The author was focussing on the fact ?that 40% of Americans profess a different religious affiliation from the one they were raised in.? I?m one of them. Not that I was surveyed as a member of that statistical sample. I became a member of The Episcopal Church because, in addition to an emphasis on the responsibility of feeding people homiletically, The Episcopal Church didn?t shy away in fear from the unknown, from questions that seem to well up every time one turns on the TV, or picks up a print media offering, or walks into a bank, or an office, or sits at dinner with a friend.
	I, along with a great many who currently who adorn Episcopal pews, relish, if not actually NEED, to accept and to honour mystery. There IS no way we can know everything. In fact, God doesn?t WANT us to know everything. Not right now, anyway. We simply cannot cope. So we need to keep asking questions ? AND being patient. 
	There?s a third thing which drew me to The Episcopal Church, though, and which has kept me here, and that is what seems like the glue that holds most of the other elements of Episcopal life together and in tension. The Episcopal Church acknowledges that there needs to be, and also seems to flourish, where there is social responsibility. If you like, you can call this a sense of moral responsibility that MUST inform everything we do, and MUST challenge us every time an issue comes up, whether in our minds alone, or before the whole community. We cannot, ever, remain silent. Jesus, our fearless leader, never did
	It wasn?t that Jesus was insensitive to the cultural norms of religion and society. He valued the power these had to shape peoples? lives. But He was analysing the effects of these norms constantly. He DIDN?T set out to pick fights, whether with His parents and siblings, or villagers and city fathers, or with those elected or born into authority. But He didn?t shy away from challenging them to question their own attitudes. He forced people to try to determine if they were behaving and regulating not out of pure motives that would help and reform society as a community of God, but out of the dark motives of trying to silence those who asked awkward questions and presented them with uncomfortable choices ? or held a mirror up to them too closely.
	Back to the Newsweek article: ?Fr. Albert wasn?t born an Episcopalian. In fact, he first walked into St. John?s (Episcopal Church in Washington, D.C.?s Georgetown) about twenty years ago as a Jewish physician. He had done a lot of searching to find a spiritual home since his high school days ?
	?In his former career, Albert Scariato specialized in radiation oncology. He?d often found himself at night tossing and turning, agonizing over the sufferings of his patients. Almost all were battling cancer, but in the mid-80s, AIDS was also becoming a potent force ? something Scariato felt keenly as a gay man. ?If someone came in with AIDS, it was usually a young man with pneumocystis pneumonia and he was dead within a matter of days,? he says. ?I had no idea if [one day] I were going to be that man on a stretcher, and that really made me identify with my patients in a huge way.??
	Stop right there in that story for a moment, though. Jesus ? God?s Son ? with all the perks that that entailed ? you know, eternal life, never having to worry about where the next meal was coming from, never having to deal with anything more serious that figuring out some sort of a Trinitarian theology that would stand up to human scrutiny, yet not be resolved or understood too easily ? Jesus set aside all these perks and took on that human existence precisely so that He could identify with US in a HUGE way. And, here?s the mystery, so that He could draw us into the glorious company of God and all the saints in Light.
	Albert Scariato said that in his own spiritual quest he was ?humbled by the courage and fortitude he saw on a daily basis.? Beside the usual questions about medical history and so on, he ?would also see other questions in their eyes ? unspoken questions: ?Why do you think this happened to me?? ?Am I being punished for something??
	Sound familiar? Jesus dealt with it every day. So do we, in one way or another. Jesus? answer to these sorts of questions may not seem helpful, initially. He talked about continually looking for sign?s of God?s glory, even in the dirt, and the pain, and the stress. Jesus was arguing that there were more productive things to do than wring one?s hands. He DIDN?T mean we shouldn?t check to see what behaviour may have placed us in a bind. What I DO think He meant was that first, second, and last, we should be looking for God in our routines, not as someone to blame, nor as someone who toys with us, nor even punishes ? but as someone present to be there when we meet danger, or decisive action is needed.
	Nor, actually, is Jesus condemning ritual. The Pharisees ought not to be condemned at every opportunity. They have a good point, here at least. But, as our General Convention Chaplain points out, ?Jesus seems to be saying that engagement with the world is even more important.?  2 This is where what happened to Christ on the cross is brought into our own lives. This is where our traditions can be questioned. Do they get in the way of what we need to be doing? Do we fuss far too much with external matters, with our own personal appearances, or those of the gathered community, and how we maintain our reputations in society? Is this how we?d like God to see us? Or  does Jesus not imply that it?s only after the poor, the downtrodden, the un- or under-insured are comforted that we can start to think about cleaning our hands?
	I see in this sort of debate which Jesus was having with the Pharisees something like a modern-day politician, plunging into the crowd to shake hands, to kiss babies, to stop to talk to the person in the wheelchair or the veteran with some form of disablement. And, all the while, the Secret Service personnel are scared spitless that somewhere, some lunatic is going to go off half-cocked and try to harm the politician.
	Both have a point. Both are necessary. You make plans for any sort of a Town Hall meeting this week, and you have to have someone who?s worrying about who?s going to do what. But, ultimately, one tactic has to have priority. And Jesus says to you and to me, always err on the side of the other person?s needs and concerns, even if it puts you in some form of danger. If you?re forever dealing with dirt, whether it be on your body, or on the floor, or in someone?s mind, then your entire ministry is going to be filled with preoccupation with what are non-essentials.
	Yesterday I heard a broadcast of Beethoven?s opera ?Fidelio?. It was written, with much sweat and hard thought, about the matter of freedom of expression and the triumph of love. The performance I heard was of a concert performance. In other words, the soloists were standing along the front of the stage, more or less motionless, while the orchestra and chorus were behind them. The leading woman was asked whether a concert performance generates as much energy for her as does a staged performance. She replied that it didn?t make any difference whether one is on concert dress ? however fancy that may be ? standing in front of an orchestra and chorus, or in full costume, on a stage, with the orchestra somewhat out of sight in the pit in front of one. She said, ?Everything depends on what is inside.? 3
	Whether you sing, or teach a class, or work in or run a business ? whatever you and I may do, at any time in our lives, everything depends on what is inside. Everything DOES depend on how well we?ve listened and responded, both to God?s word and to the needs of the entirety of creation.
	Back to the story told by Albert Scariato. ?(I)n 1989 his partner was diagnosed with AIDS. He?d been raised Episcopalian, and the couple started attending first the National cathedral in Washington, and then the smaller, more intimate St. John?s in Georgetown. The Sunday before (Albert?s) partner entered the hospital to participate in an experimental medical trial, the sermon was about how Jesus had taken the cross ? an instrument of unspeakable torture ? and transformed it into a symbol before people genuflect. The priest asked: what in our lives is so unbearable, so unspeakable, and what can we do with God?s help to turn it around? Sitting in the pews, Scariato says, he realized, ?This is what I feel I?m being called to do.? ?
                      ?Scariato?s last day as a radiation oncologist was August 27, 1993. Two days later he was sitting in the chapel of Virginia Theological Seminary. (Now he) says he is most comfortable in a place of worship where people with doubts and questions are welcome. ? He?s known for biblically based sermons that can be applied to daily life and that convey a message of social justice. He spends much of his time ministering to the sick and dying, and reaching out to the poor. Does he miss his old profession? ?I feel I never left it.? replies Fr. Albert Scariato. Dirt, illness, heartache, crying, these are what define a great deal of the ministry of the followers of Jesus.
                      Something that was said in a worship service spoke to what was at the heart of that oncologist-priest?s being. and he found that what he?d been doing was part of the outreach of Jesus from the cross.
                      Nothing was said or done about washing up before the priest or Scariato went to that Eucharist, although undoubtedly all his medical training about taking infection-control precautions was still part of his routine. Nothing was said or done about smoothing off the rough edges of Jesus? cross ? or of the Church pew, for that matter.
                      What WAS offered was Jesus? heart-breaking welcome, that ALL might come within His embrace, which I can?t imagine as anything BUT sweaty, and dirty, and probably blood-stained also. That?s simply the nature of things in this world. And it strikes me that whenever we try to pretty things up too much, or too often, we deny something about creation, maybe even about God.
	Yesterday I came across something written by a friend, a priest in Virginia. She was seeking permission to put up a poster about a Spanish language service beginning in her congregation and got into a long conversation with a Hispanic woman who?d been brought up Roman Catholic, but no longer attends. ?she said, 'I am a feminista, I don't believe a lot of what the Bible says... I don't see why women can't be ordained--why the church puts women down.' I guess the collar around my neck didn't register with her --so I merely said, 'the Episcopal church ordains women.' And then she said, 'And I think priests ought to be able to get married if they want to.' --and I said that clergy in the Episcopal church could marry and form lifelong relationships, that I am the priest and I am married. ...?
                      Then ?(s)he said, 'What does your church believe about gay people.' And I didn't know whether this question would bring condemnation or the refusal to post the poster or what....
                      ?So, I said as plainly as I could that if she came to St X she would see many loving couples and families, and some would be two men, and some two women and some a man and a woman, and some with children and... ---- and then I stopped. Mid sentence. Her eyes were filling with tears as she said, 'I haven't been to church because my family and my church don't approve of my relationship or who I am.' -- Come to church, I said....?  4
	There are all kinds of dirt. NONE of it should prevent anyone from discovering how Jesus? heart burns in desire for all of us.


NOTES:

1	?The Quest for a Spiritual Home? by Eleanor Clift. Newsweek. Published January 17, 2009: Magazine issue dated January 26, 2009.     http://www.newsweek.com/id/180039 (c) 2009.
2	What Matters to God  The Rev?d. Dr Francis Wade Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23   13th Sunday After Pentecost (Proper 17) August 31, 2003  http://day1.org/500-what_matters_to_god
3	Waltraud Meier on a concert performance of Beethoven?s ?Fidelio? at the BBC Proms, 22nd August, 2009 http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00m8b67 
4	?come beloved of God? 	Margaret: ?leave it lay where Jesus flang it? Friday, August 28, 2009
http://leaveitlay.blogspot.com/2009/08/come-beloved-of-god.html 

--
Robert P. Morrison
The Episcopal Parish of St James,
PO Box 789
Lincoln City, Oregon, 97367

541-994-2426 (Church)




From JoeParrish at compuserve.com  Sun Aug 30 05:22:25 2009
From: JoeParrish at compuserve.com (Joe Parrish)
Date: Sun, 30 Aug 2009 05:22:25 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] Sermon for August 30 based on Mark 7:1-89, 14-15, 21-23
Message-ID: <9CDD2A20227141EA960F38BD1FF107B2@YOUR264F1833C5>

Our sermon for August 30 based on Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23 is here:  http://tiny.cc/0fpCg 

Peace and blessings,
Joe
St. John's Episcopal Church
Elizabeth, NJ
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From chadwohl at satucket.com  Sun Aug 30 12:29:36 2009
From: chadwohl at satucket.com (Charles Wohlers)
Date: Sun, 30 Aug 2009 12:29:36 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] READINGS for the FORTEENTH SUNDAY after PENTECOST
Message-ID: <2F36E23374834EEB96DE9AB5DE90D73F@cranmer>

The following are the readings for the Fourrteenth Sunday after Pentecost, 
September 6, (Proper 18, ECUSA; Proper 23, RCL & Roman Catholic) according 
to the Revised Common (RCL), Episcopal (ECUSA), Roman Catholic, Church of 
England, and Canadian (BAS) Lectionaries. All readings are taken from the 
New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) of the Bible. Unless noted otherwise, 
the lectionaries of ECUSA, Canada and England are identical to the RCL this 
Sunday.

(These are being sent out a bit early as Lee & I leave shortly for Vermont, 
for a house inspection tomorrow).


OLD TESTAMENT: Proverbs 22: 1 - 2, 8 - 9, 22 - 23   (RCL)

Prov 22:1 (NRSV) A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches,
and favor is better than silver or gold.
2 The rich and the poor have this in common:
the LORD is the maker of them all.
8 Whoever sows injustice will reap calamity,
and the rod of anger will fail.
9 Those who are generous are blessed,
for they share their bread with the poor.
22 Do not rob the poor because they are poor,
or crush the afflicted at the gate;
23 for the LORD pleads their cause
and despoils of life those who despoil them.


Isaiah 35: 4 - 7a (Roman Catholic, alt. for RCL)

Isai 35:4 (NRSV) Say to those who are of a fearful heart,
""Be strong, do not fear!
Here is your God.
He will come with vengeance,
with terrible recompense.
He will come and save you."
5 Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened,
and the ears of the deaf unstopped;
6 then the lame shall leap like a deer,
and the tongue of the speechless sing for joy.
For waters shall break forth in the wilderness,
and streams in the desert;
7 the burning sand shall become a pool,
and the thirsty ground springs of water;


Sirach (Ecclesiasticus) 5: 8 - 15   (Can. BAS)

Sir 5:8 (NRSV) Do not depend on dishonest wealth,
for it will not benefit you on the day of calamity.
9 Do not winnow in every wind,
or follow every path.
10 Stand firm for what you know,
and let your speech be consistent.
11 Be quick to hear,
but deliberate in answering.
12 If you know what to say, answer your neighbor;
but if not, put your hand over your mouth.
13 Honor and dishonor come from speaking,
and the tongue of mortals may be their downfall.
14 Do not be called double-tongued
and do not lay traps with your tongue;
for shame comes to the thief,
and severe condemnation to the double-tongued.
15 In great and small matters cause no harm,


Proverbs 2: 1 - 8   (alt. for Can. BAS)

Prov 2:1 (NRSV) My child, if you accept my words
and treasure up my commandments within you,
2 making your ear attentive to wisdom
and inclining your heart to understanding;
3 if you indeed cry out for insight,
and raise your voice for understanding;
4 if you seek it like silver,
and search for it as for hidden treasures-
5 then you will understand the fear of the LORD
and find the knowledge of God.
6 For the LORD gives wisdom;
from his mouth come knowledge and understanding;
7 he stores up sound wisdom for the upright;
he is a shield to those who walk blamelessly,
8 guarding the paths of justice
and preserving the way of his faithful ones.


PSALM 125 (RCL)

Psal 125:1 (NRSV) Those who trust in the LORD are like Mount Zion,
which cannot be moved, but abides forever.
2 As the mountains surround Jerusalem,
so the LORD surrounds his people,
from this time on and forevermore.
3 For the scepter of wickedness shall not rest
on the land allotted to the righteous,
so that the righteous might not stretch out
their hands to do wrong.
4 Do good, O LORD, to those who are good,
and to those who are upright in their hearts.
5 But those who turn aside to their own crooked ways
the LORD will lead away with evildoers.
Peace be upon Israel!


Psalm 146: 7 - 10   (Roman Catholic)
Psalm 146   (alt. for RCL)

Psal 146:1 (NRSv) Praise the LORD!
Praise the LORD, O my soul!
2 I will praise the LORD as long as I live;
I will sing praises to my God all my life long.
3 Do not put your trust in princes,
in mortals, in whom there is no help.
4 When their breath departs, they return to the earth;
on that very day their plans perish.
5 Happy are those whose help is the God of Jacob,
whose hope is in the LORD their God,
6 who made heaven and earth,
the sea, and all that is in them;
who keeps faith forever; 7 who executes justice for the oppressed;
who gives food to the hungry.
The LORD sets the prisoners free; 8 the LORD opens the eyes of the blind.
The LORD lifts up those who are bowed down;
the LORD loves the righteous.
9 The LORD watches over the strangers;
he upholds the orphan and the widow,
but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin.
10 The LORD will reign forever,
your God, O Zion, for all generations.
Praise the LORD!


Psalm 119: 139 - 136   (Can. BAS)

129   Your decrees are wonderful; *
  therefore I obey them with all my heart.

130   When your word goes forth it gives light; *
  it gives understanding to the simple.

131   I open my mouth and pant; *
  I long for your commandments.

132   Turn to me in mercy, *
  as you always do to those who love your Name.

133   Steady my footsteps in your word; *
  let no iniquity have dominion over me.

134   Rescue me from those who oppress me, *
  and I will keep your commandments.

135   Let your countenance shine upon your servant *
  and teach me your statutes.

136   My eyes shed streams of tears, *
  because people do not keep your law.


NEW TESTAMENT: James 2: 1 - 10 (11 - 13) 14 - 17 (RCL)
                                    James 2: 1 - 5 (Roman Catholic)

Jame 2:1 (NRSV) My brothers and sisters, do you with your acts of favoritism 
really believe in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ? 2 For if a person with 
gold rings and in fine clothes comes into your assembly, and if a poor 
person in dirty clothes also comes in, 3 and if you take notice of the one 
wearing the fine clothes and say, "Have a seat here, please," while to the 
one who is poor you say, "Stand there," or, "Sit at my feet," 4 have you not 
made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts? 5 
Listen, my beloved brothers and sisters. Has not God chosen the poor in the 
world to be rich in faith and to be heirs of the kingdom that he has 
promised to those who love him? 6 But you have dishonored the poor. Is it 
not the rich who oppress you? Is it not they who drag you into court? 7 Is 
it not they who blaspheme the excellent name that was invoked over you?
8 You do well if you really fulfill the royal law according to the 
scripture, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." 9 But if you show 
partiality, you commit sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. 10 
For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become 
accountable for all of it. 11 For the one who said, "You shall not commit 
adultery," also said, "You shall not murder." Now if you do not commit 
adultery but if you murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. 12 So 
speak and so act as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty. 13 For 
judgment will be without mercy to anyone who has shown no mercy; mercy 
triumphs over judgment.
14 What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but 
do not have works? Can faith save you? 15 If a brother or sister is naked 
and lacks daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, "Go in peace; keep 
warm and eat your fill," and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what 
is the good of that? 17 So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead.


James 1: 17 - 27 (Can. BAS)

Jame 1:17 (NRSV) Every generous act of giving, with every perfect gift, is 
from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no 
variation or shadow due to change. 18 In fulfillment of his own purpose he 
gave us birth by the word of truth, so that we would become a kind of first 
fruits of his creatures.
19 You must understand this, my beloved: let everyone be quick to listen, 
slow to speak, slow to anger; 20 for your anger does not produce God's 
righteousness. 21 Therefore rid yourselves of all sordidness and rank growth 
of wickedness, and welcome with meekness the implanted word that has the 
power to save your souls.
22 But be doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves. 
23 For if any are hearers of the word and not doers, they are like those who 
look at themselves in a mirror; 24 for they look at themselves and, on going 
away, immediately forget what they were like. 25 But those who look into the 
perfect law, the law of liberty, and persevere, being not hearers who forget 
but doers who act-they will be blessed in their doing.
26 If any think they are religious, and do not bridle their tongues but 
deceive their hearts, their religion is worthless. 27 Religion that is pure 
and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to care for orphans and 
widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.


GOSPEL: Mark 7: 24 - 37 (RCL)
                  Mark 7: 31 - 37 (Can. BAS, Roman Catholic)

Mark 7:24 (NRSV) From there he set out and went away to the region of Tyre. 
He entered a house and did not want anyone to know he was there. Yet he 
could not escape notice, 25 but a woman whose little daughter had an unclean 
spirit immediately heard about him, and she came and bowed down at his feet. 
26 Now the woman was a Gentile, of Syrophoenician origin. She begged him to 
cast the demon out of her daughter. 27 He said to her, "Let the children be 
fed first, for it is not fair to take the children's food and throw it to 
the dogs." 28 But she answered him, "Sir, even the dogs under the table eat 
the children's crumbs." 29 Then he said to her, "For saying that, you may 
go-the demon has left your daughter." 30 So she went home, found the child 
lying on the bed, and the demon gone.
31 Then he returned from the region of Tyre, and went by way of Sidon 
towards the Sea of Galilee, in the region of the Decapolis. 32 They brought 
to him a deaf man who had an impediment in his speech; and they begged him 
to lay his hand on him. 33 He took him aside in private, away from the 
crowd, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spat and touched his 
tongue. 34 Then looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, 
"Ephphatha," that is, "Be opened." 35 And immediately his ears were opened, 
his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly. 36 Then Jesus ordered them to 
tell no one; but the more he ordered them, the more zealously they 
proclaimed it. 37 They were astounded beyond measure, saying, "He has done 
everything well; he even makes the deaf to hear and the mute to speak."


Chad Wohlers
East Bridgewater, Mass.   USA
chadwohl at satucket.com
cwohlers at bridgew.edu




From ronmccr at juno.com  Sun Aug 30 13:05:23 2009
From: ronmccr at juno.com (Ronald W McCracken)
Date: Sun, 30 Aug 2009 13:05:23 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] Fw: Sermon for Aug 30th
Message-ID: <20090830.130523.2552.1.ronmccr@juno.com>

Dallas Willard in his excellent book 'Divine Conspiracy' supports your
comments and Luther's intent. Blessings.
____________________________________________________________
Lose up to 20 lbs in one month with a new diet. Click here.
http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL2141/fc/BLSrjpTFoYb8m8eIxtYQ8ckrqDly9CeGCt4K6CTEI1YwswE9aRmrqkoiPLq/



From joeparrish at compuserve.com  Sun Aug 30 21:28:45 2009
From: joeparrish at compuserve.com (joeparrish at compuserve.com)
Date: Sun, 30 Aug 2009 21:28:45 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] Textweek for this week, Sept. 6
Message-ID: <8CBF7F1845CE9E1-3F8-B2F@angweb-usm003.sysops.aol.com>


Here is Textweek for this week, Sept. 6: ?

http://www.textweek.com/yearb/properb18.htm

?

Peace and blessings,

Joe
St. John's Episcopal Church, Elizabeth, NJ


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From JoeParrish at compuserve.com  Sun Aug 30 21:42:13 2009
From: JoeParrish at compuserve.com (Joe Parrish)
Date: Sun, 30 Aug 2009 21:42:13 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] Sermon for today
Message-ID: <40AE587FDF5149119E463E98C7426877@YOUR264F1833C5>

http://tiny.cc/0fpCg

Peace and blessings,
Joe
St. John's Episcopal, Elizabeth, NJ
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From annfontaine at mac.com  Mon Aug 31 17:53:29 2009
From: annfontaine at mac.com (Ann Fontaine)
Date: Mon, 31 Aug 2009 15:53:29 -0600
Subject: [Propertalk] towards Sunday
Message-ID: <944C535F-5B06-4D8F-BC04-181DC6F3A6B6@mac.com>

http://edgeofenclosure.org/proper18b.html

some meditations on the readings for Sunday.



Ann Fontaine
Lander, Wyoming

Note: new email address
annfontaine at me.com









From JoeParrish at compuserve.com  Sat Aug  1 17:27:11 2009
From: JoeParrish at compuserve.com (Joe Parrish)
Date: Sat, 1 Aug 2009 17:27:11 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] Day1 sermon August 02, 2009 - The Thunk, the Gap,
	and the Six A's
Message-ID: <67A7CE332E9A4CCCB196BB3FE66342C8@YOUR264F1833C5>

The Thunk, the Gap, and the Six A's
Psalm 51
Proper 13 - Year B


Day1 sermon by the Rev. Mark 
Sargent, pastor of Embry Hills United Methodist Church, Atlanta, GA
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From JoeParrish at compuserve.com  Sat Aug  1 17:28:55 2009
From: JoeParrish at compuserve.com (Joe Parrish)
Date: Sat, 1 Aug 2009 17:28:55 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] Fw: Sermon Resources for August 2nd
Message-ID: <AFB22CDCF92F4141A59DEF58E6D1F8A6@YOUR264F1833C5>

Sermon Resources for Proper 13:
 

    John 6:24-35  -  I Am The Bread Of Life
    John 6:24-35  -  Go Fly A Kite

                                       by Leonard Sweet

 

John 6, the sermon titled "I Am The Bread of Life"

 

Sometime this week you will make a trip to the grocery store to get a loaf of bread. It will be readily available on the shelf. There will be quite a variety to choose from. You will pay little attention to the price, not realizing that the packaging that the bread is wrapped in actually costs more than the wheat that is in the bread. All in all, you will think it a very uneventful trip, but you will be wrong.

 

It is quite difficult for me, as an American, to understand the importance of bread unless I turn on my TV and watch what is going on in so many parts of the world today. When there is no staff of life there is suffering and famine. A simple loaf of bread: Something, which we do not give a second thought, but in certain parts of the world it means life itself.

 

It is only as we comprehend that situation that we can really begin to understand the importance of bread not only now but also in the time of Jesus. Just think for a moment how so many significant theological events in the Bible revolve around the subject of bread. The most important event in the Old Testament of course, was the Exodus event--the trip from Egypt to the Promised Land. But what caused the Hebrews to be in Egypt in the first place? It was for want of bread you will recall. The wheat crop had failed due to draught, and the Hebrews had migrated to the land of the Pharaoh because there was a surplus in storage there. It was bread, or the lack of it, that initiated this whole chain of events.

 

Later, when the Jews were on their way to the Promised Land, and they were facing starvation in the bleak wilderness, God rained down bread from heaven, as it was called, in the form of manna.

 

When Jesus began his ministry, he went into the dessert where he was tempted. As the hot sun braced down upon him, he looked out with sweaty eyes at the round white rocks, and we are told that they took on the appearance of loaves of bread. Satan was tempting Jesus to give bread to the people and end the suffering of world hunger. Yet, Jesus spurned that temptation because, he said, that man cannot live by bread alone.

 

One day Jesus was praying by the roadside when the disciples walked up and saw him. They were so impressed by the genuine nature of his prayer that they implored him: Master, teach us how to pray. It was in the midst of the Master's prayer that he reminds us of the importance of the staff of life. He prayed: Give us this day our daily bread.

 

Bread is central to the major stories of the bible but...

 

1. To satisfy your hunger for heaven you cannot eat the bread of earth.

2. To satisfy your hunger for heaven you must eat the bread of heaven.

 

The rest of this sermon following the outline above can be obtained by joining www.eSermons.com.


__________________________________

 

Second Sermon by Len Sweet

 

John 6, the sermon entitled "Go Fly A Kite" 

 

The health care debate is getting intense, and tense. This past week an unnamed congressman was told by another member of Congress to "Go fly a kite." 

 

There is another meaning to that phrase than "Buck Off" or "Go Jump In The Lake." I think I can count on all of you over 40 having seen a movie named "Mary Poppins." Am I right? How many of you have never seen that Disney classic? . . . Wow. [React to how few, or how many.] 

 

Those of you who have seen this movie know that it's a story about a magical nanny who saves some poor little rich kids from their father's inattention. Remember the ending? The father re-establishes his relationship with his kids by taking them kite flying. The song the re-born family joyously sings together is "Let's Go Fly A Kite." [If you can play it here, fantastic. Or better yet, get your choir to sing it.] 

 

Let's go fly a kite

Up to the highest heights

Let's go fly a kite, and send it soaring.

Up in the atmosphere,

Up where the air is clear,

Let's all go . . . fly a kite. 

 

Flying high. Flying free. Flying solo. Flying together. Flying was the great dream that drove the Apollo 11 astronauts to land on the moon 40 years ago last month (19 July 1969). 

 

Our Scripture lesson for this morning finds Jesus trying to teach people the difference between earthly bread and heavenly bread, between the visible and the invisible. It's a distinction that Paul captured in his second letter to the church at Corinth: "So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal" (2 Corinthians 4:18). This morning, I want us to explore what Jesus is driving home to the crowd by this image of being born up into the heavens by the power of the invisible, which we call flying, and in particular kite-flying. 

 

Flying drove the imaginations of all sorts of adventurers as the twentieth century dawned. Once the Wright brothers finally got aloft, partly as a result of their literal kite-flying, there was no keeping fliers down. Within two decades there were barn-stormers, wing-walkers, crop-dusters. When World War I erupted, there were dive-bombers and dog-fighters. 

 

Flying became the mark of modernity. But with everything else "modern" it came with lots of strings attached. A pilot had to get certified and licensed. There were engineering concerns. Aerodynamic logistics. Gas. Oil. Spark plugs. Electrical systems. Hydraulics. Weather issues. Visibility requirements. As air travel grew in comfort, speed, altitude, and complexity, the technology that kept flyers tethered to "ground control" became more and more of an intricately tangled web. 

 

The simple kite on the end of a single string might not get our bodies aloft, but it remains the simplest, most basic form of...  

 

The rest of Leonard Sweet's sermon can be obtained by joining www.eSermons.com.

 ________________________________ 

 

Our Help Comes from Above

 

Looking out at my backyard during the fall, I noticed the leaves falling while the tree branches remained stretching heavenward--not only did they remain that way after the leaves were gone, but when the snows came and the often brutal winds of Chicago seemed to bend them into submission. But in the spring the trees seemed to speak to me saying, "Notice that we kept our branches lifted towards where our help comes from." To me it seemed that they praised God with or without leaves, as if they knew that keeping their branches up was a means of patient waiting faith, and it was in the spring when the buds appeared on their branches that those trees seemed to say to me, "We told you. We told you that our help comes from above."
 
So not only does this text tell us that God provides through Jesus not what we want but what we need and that God's promise can sustain us through all times, but, finally, the text tells us God's presence through Jesus allows us room to grow in grace.
 
Ozzie E. Smith, Jr., What Do You Want?
_____________________________________________________

 

Can He Top Jesus?

 

The relatively brief lection before us here shows a typical interaction between Jesus and the always clueless crowds that followed him around. It's clear here - as in so many parts of the gospels - that Jesus and the crowds are quite simply talking past each other. But perhaps there are deeper issues at work here.
 
After all, Jesus had just performed a wonderful sign by feeding 5,000 people from a paltry amount of food. Earlier we read what a great impression this made on the crowds - in fact, Jesus felt it necessary to slip away unobtrusively lest he get whisked away in some political, king-making frenzy. But now suddenly it seems that even that was not quite enough. The crowds want to see more. This hankering for more blinds them to what already is present to them at that very moment. Miraculous though the multiplication of the loaves and fishes was, it was still just ordinary bread. The manna in the desert - the bread that had come straight FROM HEAVEN - was perhaps even more impressive. Can Jesus pull off something like THAT? Can he top Moses?
 
Well, of course, Jesus' ultimate point in this chapter is that just by being there, just by standing in their presence, he already was topping Moses or anything else that had ever appeared on the earth. They were looking straight at the bread of life, that bread that had come down from heaven to be made in human form. But they missed it. They couldn't see it. And maybe part of the explanation for this is because they were still looking to the past, still thinking more about what Moses did once upon a time than the new thing God was doing before their very eyes.


Scott Hoezee, Comments and Observations on John 6:24-35
_________________________________________

Spiritual Awareness

 

In a broadcast address in London, T. S. Eliot talked about "spiritual awareness." He observed that many persons aspire to become Christians and believe, presumably, in the efficacy of the Christian faith, but never reach the stage of actually experiencing it. Aspiring towards real belief, i.e., becoming truly Christian, is one thing, whereas complete awareness of it is another. Aspiring can easily become an end in itself. And, as Charles H. Duthie of Edinburgh remarked: "It is a matter of living forever in the preface and never becoming involved in the story."

 

This condition of spiritual awareness is clearly defined by Jesus in the words of our text. It is a state of soul devoutly and eagerly to be aspired to, in contrast to what Lord Cecil of Britain once referred to as "believing in God in a commonplace sort of way." And, it becomes the gift and possession of any persons who are utterly dissatisfied with themselves, and who decide to fulfill those important requisites that make them completely satisfied in Christ.

 

Donald MacLeod, Know The Way, Keep The Truth, Win The Life, CSS Publishing Co.

_____________________

 

A Messy Kitchen

 

Recently, I received an e-mail about real signs found in the real kitchens of real people.

 

"A messy kitchen is a happy kitchen and this kitchen is delirious." 

"A clean house is a sign of a misspent life." 

"If we are what we eat, then I'm easy, fast, and cheap." 

"Thou shalt not weigh more than thy refrigerator." 

"My next house will have no kitchen, just vending machines." 

"A balanced diet is a cookie in each hand."

 

These sayings point to some of our society's attitudes about food: 'only junk food is enjoyable', 'food is meant to satisfy us', 'if I had to cook it, it doesn't taste good', and 'as long as it's not good for me, I should eat as much as I want'. We stuff ourselves, trying to fill the hole inside of us with food, as if we could eat something that would satisfy us. But we could stuff ourselves at every meal and still be hungry for something deeper! 

 

Staff, www.eSermons.com

 

_______________________

 

God-shaped Vacuum

 

"There is a God-shaped vacuum in the heart of every person, and it can never be filled by any created thing. It can only be filled by God, made known through Jesus Christ." 

 

Blaise Pascal

 

________________________

  

 A Time to Remember

 

In his book The Swann's Way, the French novelist Marcel Proust wrote of returning home late one evening on a dull winter day when he faced the prospect of a depressing tomorrow. The maid greeted him and, seeing that he was tired, brought him a cup of hot tea and some cake. Being both tired and depressed he at first refused them. Only at her insistence did he finally begin to drink the tea and eat the cake. Proust wrote that an unexplainable delight suddenly came over him. His anxieties and troubles seemed to vanish. Suddenly, he wrote, I had "ceased to feel mediocre, accidental and mortal."

 

What caused this wonderful sensation to come over him? He was at a loss to explain it. How could a taste of tea and cake produce this feeling of peace? He drank and ate more but he still could not decipher the secret. The truth, he guessed, must be . . . 

 

The conclusion to this illustration and many additional illustrations and sermons for Proper 13 can be accessed at www.Sermons.com.

 

 

 
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From JoeParrish at compuserve.com  Sat Aug  1 17:35:03 2009
From: JoeParrish at compuserve.com (Joe Parrish)
Date: Sat, 1 Aug 2009 17:35:03 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] Fw: SermonWriter:  Aug. 2 (Proper 13B) John 6:24-35
Message-ID: <B9F5C482754C4E2EAC8DBDE4DF2B0E18@YOUR264F1833C5>

The following are SermonWriter materials for Aug. 2 (Proper 13B). They focus 
on John 6:24-35, the story of the people crossing the sea to find Jesus.

NO PASSWORD REQUIREMENT: We are posting these materials on the web with no 
password.  To access those files, you MUST use the following links.  If 
clicking on the link fails to work, copy the link and paste it in the 
address window near the top of your browser.  Then hit the ENTER key or 
click GO.

Microsoft Word file:
http://www.lectionary.org/SW/08-02ru/John_06.24-35.doc

HTML file (web page):
http://www.lectionary.org/SW/08-02ru/John_06.24-35.htm

WordPerfect file:
http://www.lectionary.org/SW/08-02ru/John_06.24-35.wpd


A TIP: If you want the Word or WordPerfect files, LEFT-CLICK on the link and 
see what happens.  That should bring up a dialog box that asks if you want 
to open the file or save it.  Choose OPEN.  Then save it wherever you like 
on your hard drive.

If that doesn't work, RIGHT-CLICK on the link.  You should get a sub-menu. 
Hopefully, "Save Target As" will be one of the options.  Click on that. 
Then save the file wherever you want on your hard drive.


<>
Dick Donovan


A THOUGHT ON PREACHING:  A preacher should have the skill to teach the 
unlearned simply roundly, and plainly; for teaching is of more importance 
than exhorting. (Martin Luther)


TITLE:  Relief from Soul-Killing Rules


SERMON IN A SENTENCE:  To please God, we don't need to follow soul-killing 
rulebooks, but simply need to believe in Jesus and try to follow him.


<>
Martin Luther observed:

     "God's wonderful works which happen daily are lightly esteemed,
     not because they are of no import
     but because they happen so constantly and without interruption.
     Man is used to the miracle that God rules the world and upholds all 
creation,
     and because things daily run their appointed course, it seems 
insignificant,
     and no man thinks it worth his while to meditate upon it
     and to regard it as God's wonderful work,
     and yet it is a greater wonder
     than that Christ fed five thousand men with five loaves
     and made wine from water."


<>
 The "I AM" sayings in this Gospel are as follows:

    - "Ego eimi he" (4:26)
    - "Ego eimi the bread of life" (6:35).
    - "Ego eimi the living bread" (6:51).
    - "Ego eimi the light of the world" (8:12; 9:5).
    - "Before Abraham was, Ego eimi" (8:58).
    - "Ego eimi the door of the sheep" (10:7).
    - "Ego eimi the door" (10:9).
    - "Ego eimi the good shepherd" (10:11).
    - "Ego eimi the resurrection and the life" (11:25).
    - "Ego eimi the way, the truth, and the life" (14:6).
    - "Ego eimi the true vine" (15:1).


<>
  Meister Eckhart said it well seven hundred years ago.  He said:

     "There are people who want to see God
     with the same eyes with which they look at a cow,
     and they want to love God
     the same way they love a cow -- 
     for the milk and the cheese."

<>
But there is one line in the Lord's Prayer that covers most of our 
prayers -- and it is this:  "Give us this day our daily bread."  <>
<>
In his book, Keep Your Head Down, Doug Anderson tells about his father -- a 
really lousy father -- seldom home -- usually drunk -- married three 
times -- children by two wives.  Doug seldom saw his father.  He comments:

     "Growing up without my father had certain advantages.
     My father's presence would have been worse than his absence,
     because he would have tried to kill in me what he'd killed in himself.

     "My father had turned away from his own talent.
     He was a gifted artist and photographer....
     But after the war, with my mother's help,
     he went to night school to get his CPA certificate,
     which could be had without a college degree in those days.

     "He became appallingly responsible after that.
     When...I would ask him for money... he would say things like,
     'You've got champagne taste and a beer pocketbook, son.'
     He became the practical man,
     and his considerable talent fell into shadow" (pages 32-33).

<>
FOR MORE SERMONS ON THIS TEXT, GO TO:

http://www.lectionary.org/SermLinks/NT/NT04john.htm

Scroll down to John 6.  There is one sermon on this text posted there.


TRUE STORY:

See the Doug Anderson story <> above.


THOUGHT PROVOKERS:

Who worships God as God, God hears.
But he who worships God for worldly goods, worships not God;
he worships what he worships God for
and employs God as his servant.

Meister Eckhart

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

Don't forget until too late
that the business of life is not business,
but living.

B.C. Forbes,
founder of Forbes, a magazine about business

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

For a small living, men run a great way;
for eternal life, many will scarce move a single foot from the ground.

Thomas ? Kempis

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

Pity the nation whose factory chimneys
rise higher than her church spires.

John Kelman

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

I have often thought that if Hollywood stars
have any God-given role to play in our society
it is to teach us that happiness, satisfaction in life, has nothing to do 
with fun.
These rich, beautiful and celebrated individuals
do indeed have constant access to what they desire -- 
glamorous parties, fancy cars, expensive homes, luxurious vacations,
a steady supply of attractive sex partners,
invitations to exciting sporting and theatrical events.
And yet in memoir after memoir,
many of these celebrities reveal the unhappiness hidden beneath all the fun:
depression, alcoholism, drug addiction, broken marriages,
troubled children, profound loneliness.
We should feel greatly indebted to all the Hollywood stars
who have written about their sad lives.
If we could only learn from their experiences....

Dennis Prager

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *


<>
www.sermonwriter.com

www.lectionary.org





From JoeParrish at compuserve.com  Sat Aug  1 17:36:00 2009
From: JoeParrish at compuserve.com (Joe Parrish)
Date: Sat, 1 Aug 2009 17:36:00 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] Fw: SermonWriter: Aug. 2 (Proper 13B) 2 Sam 11:26ff &
	Exod 16
Message-ID: <FBDA23E815AA49DAB86665C82350BE15@YOUR264F1833C5>

I HAVE ALREADY SENT the SermonWriter materials for August 2 (Proper 13B) 
John 6:24-35.

<>
THE FOLLOWING are links to materials for:

     2 Samuel 11:26 - 12:13a (RCL SemiContinuous Reading)
     Exodus 16:2-4, 9-15 LINKS TO SERMONS ONLY
         (RCL Paired Reading & Catholic Reading)

NO PASSWORD REQUIREMENT: We are posting these materials on the web with no 
password.
To access those files, you MUST use the following links.

IF CLICKING ON THE LINK FAILS TO WORK, copy the link and paste it in the 
address window near the top of your browser.
Then hit the ENTER key or click GO.


2 SAMUEL 11:26 - 12:13a (RCL SemiContinuous Reading)
These materials include the exegesis + a link to one sermon + a hymn list:

Microsoft Word file:
http://www.lectionary.org/SW/08-02ru/2Sam_11.26-12.15.doc

HTML file (web page):
http://www.lectionary.org/SW/08-02ru/2Sam_11.26-12.15.htm

WordPerfect file:
http://www.lectionary.org/SW/08-02ru/2Sam_11.26-12.15.wpd


EXODUS 16:2-4, 9-15 (RCL Paired & Catholic Readings)
LINK TO THREE SERMONS - NO EXEGESIS
http://www.lectionary.org/SermLinks/OT/OT02_Exodus.htm
Scroll down to Exodus 16:2-15.


A TIP: If you want the Word or WordPerfect files, LEFT-CLICK on the link and 
see what happens.
That should bring up a dialog box that asks if you want to open the file or 
save it.
Choose OPEN.  Then save it wherever you like on your hard drive.

If that doesn't work, RIGHT-CLICK on the link.  You should get a sub-menu.
Hopefully, "Save Target As" will be one of them.  Click on that.
Then save the file wherever you want on your hard drive.


WWW.LECTIONARY.ORG:
<>
Dick Donovan




From JoeParrish at compuserve.com  Sat Aug  1 17:37:18 2009
From: JoeParrish at compuserve.com (Joe Parrish)
Date: Sat, 1 Aug 2009 17:37:18 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] Textweek for August 2 sermons
Message-ID: <E6FA6F8B8E234199A939994CD624EAAD@YOUR264F1833C5>

http://www.textweek.com/yearb/properb13.htm
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From JoeParrish at compuserve.com  Sat Aug  1 17:40:20 2009
From: JoeParrish at compuserve.com (Joe Parrish)
Date: Sat, 1 Aug 2009 17:40:20 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] Fw: Inspiring Video: Don't Be Afraid to Fail
Message-ID: <405CC55DC48E416F93FBC0EDA3B5F211@YOUR264F1833C5>

tangle.com - Daily Videohttp://www.tangle.com/view_video?viewkey=16bfb07c7f3bf96d8854&utm_source=newsletter0722&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=weeklytopvideos

----- Original Message ----- 
From: tangle Video Staff 
To: joeparrish at compuserve.com 
Sent: Wednesday, July 22, 2009 10:39 AM
Subject: Inspiring Video: Don't Be Afraid to Fail


If you are unable to see the message below, click here to view.

       Famous Failures 
     
      Wednesday July 22, 2009     
      "This is an awesome encouragement."

      - Troy Pfizenmaier,
      tangle user  
         http://www.tangle.com/view_video?viewkey=16bfb07c7f3bf96d8854 
     



      Trouble viewing this page? Click here.

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From JoeParrish at compuserve.com  Sat Aug  1 18:19:21 2009
From: JoeParrish at compuserve.com (Joe Parrish)
Date: Sat, 1 Aug 2009 18:19:21 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] Gospel quotes for August 2 sermon - Part 1
Message-ID: <C7466BB6F3874CDF8A0EDAD6F13B5860@YOUR264F1833C5>

As so often happens in John, Jesus refuses to answer the question which they have asked, but instead redirects the conversation to more important issues. Because they have focused on the wrong "bread," Jesus redirects them toward the bread which "endures." The word translated "endures" (meno) in verse 27 is a word which takes on profound meaning as it is used throughout the fourth Gospel, especially to describe the relationship between Jesus and the believer. In the end, this "enduring" or "abiding" will mean nothing less than the Father and the Son dwelling with the believers through the Paraclete (14:23; see also 6:56). 

http://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?lect_date=8/2/2009&tab=4

Brian Peterson, Professor of New Testament
Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary
Columbia, SC 
- - - - -

...it seems that John doesn't want us to read, or hear, these stories on their own, but as part of a larger story, one that resembles several that we've heard before. This is one way that John wrestles with the profound question of Jesus' identity, and what it means to have faith in him. 
<>
Mahatma Gandhi, 20th century
There are people in the world so hungry, that God cannot appear to them except in the form of bread.

Mother Teresa, 20th century
There is more hunger for love and appreciation in this world than for bread.

D.T. Niles, 20th century
Christianity is one beggar telling another beggar where he found bread.

Bishop Desmond Tutu, 20th century
I don't preach a social gospel; I preach the Gospel, period. The gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ is concerned for the whole person. When people were hungry, Jesus didn't say, "Now is that political or social?" He said, "I feed you." Because the good news to a hungry person is bread.

http://i.ucc.org/StretchYourMind/OpeningtheBible/WeeklySeeds/tabid/81/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/217/Bread-of-Life-Jul-27Aug-2.aspx

Kate Huey, UCC
- - - - -

In 6:27 Jesus exhorts the crowds to work for the food of eternal life. This is an interesting use of the word, 'work', which in some of our traditions is the opposite of 'faith'. Here, on the contrary, it is a way of talking about faith and means something like: 'set your heart on, make it your goal, put your effort into, work on acquiring'. 6:29 tells us what this effort entails: believing in the one whom God has sent. 6:28 has the crowd speak of 'the works of God'. The effect of the dialogue is to address the question of spirituality. Where do we find God? In wonders? In some mighty achievements of our own or of others? John reduces the options to one: we find God in relationship. That relationship is established when we believe that Jesus is the message and messenger from God. 

http://wwwstaff.murdoch.edu.au/~loader/MkPentecost9.htm

William Loader, Murdoch University, Uniting Church in Australia
- - - - -

Jesus tries to clear up the misunderstandings: 
a.. it was God, not Moses who gave you manna; 
a.. the Father gives bread now; and 
a.. manna met physical needs but "true bread" is more than that. 
Then v. 33: Jesus himself is the true bread, the "bread of God": he "comes ... from heaven and gives life ...". They still do not grasp that he is the bread, Finally, he says: I am the sustenance of life itself, of very existence, for those who trust in me; I will fill their every need.

http://montreal.anglican.org/comments/archive/bpr18m.shtml


Chris Haslam, Anglican Diocese of Montreal

- - - - -

Verse 27: "food": The Torah was familiarly known as bread.
<>
Verse 35: The Eucharist is not yet clearly in view; the thought here is rather of the moment of conversion than of the continuing life nourished by the sacrament of the Lord's Supper. 

http://montreal.anglican.org/comments/archive/bpr18l.shtml

Chris Haslam, Anglican Diocese of Montreal
- - - - -


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From JoeParrish at compuserve.com  Sat Aug  1 19:32:00 2009
From: JoeParrish at compuserve.com (Joe Parrish)
Date: Sat, 1 Aug 2009 19:32:00 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] Gospel quotes for August 2 sermon - Part 2
Message-ID: <1C918E11ACCF484FAE68C306758BA811@YOUR264F1833C5>

It would have been as if our enslaved ancestors, who survived on leftovers and scraps, were welcomed as guests at an endless buffet. Jesus' audience sees in him an end to their perpetual hunger. Those just barely getting by on others' leftovers are finally filled. A story like this resonates with us as a people used to leftover books in public schools, leftover neighborhoods in dilapidated inner-cities, and leftover jobs that nobody else would do. In fact, the only thing we are used to getting enough of is cells in the countless new prisons where one in nine of our men are housed. 

<These lectionary commentaries are specially designed to address the liturgical moments of significance to most African American Christians.> 

http://www.theafricanamericanlectionary.org/PopupLectionaryReading.asp?LRID=46

Rodney S. Sadler Jr., Lectionary Team Commentator
- - - - -

When I first worked on these notes I had just finished reading, Sacred Cows Make Gourmet Burgers, by William Easum. The "sacred cow" he is trying to fry in this book is control. "Established churches must either cease worshiping the god of control, or they perish!" [p. 9]. "... making decisions and controlling what happens is more important in established churches than making disciples" [p. 12].
<>
A very interesting contrast is being made with regard to the church of the future. On one hand, experts are saying that a congregation's agenda needs to be set by the needs of the consumer (e.g., the unchurched). On the other hand, I believe that most of congregations are full of "consumer" Christians -- those who are involved primarily for what they can get out of it, rather than "contributing" Christians -- those who are involved primarily for what they can give to the ministry of the body.

<>

In my experience, people can "place in stone" a past gracious act of God so that they are unable to see the present activities of God. Adults who brag about their long line of perfect attendance at Sunday school with attendance pins to prove it, but have little contact with church as an adult. I've heard testimonies from people about the wonderful way God saved them or healed them way back in history. I wonder, "What is God doing in their lives now?" The phrase, "We've always done it this way," may blind one to the present activities of the God who is making all things new (Rev. 21:5). Even in our tradition, some people may figure, I was baptized as an infant and that's enough.

Although Martin Luther wrote some wonderful things about God's grace being conveyed through the sacrament of baptism, he ends the baptism section in the Small Catechism by talking about "daily baptism." It is our walk with God today -- in the present -- that is important.

http://www.crossmarks.com/brian/john6x24.htm

Brian Stoffregen

- - - - -

 Nothing is free, or so it seems, and so the crowd asks Jesus what duty they have to perform for God to get this bread. Jesus' answer is actually too simple; the gospel is always too simple. Anyway, the crowd thinks that just trusting Jesus that he will come up with this amazing bread for the asking, is stretching reality a bit. 

<>

v29 

[Greek] to ergon tou qeou -  "the work of God" - Note, the work is now singular. Often classed as an objective genitive, God receives the action, our "spiritual labor", Lindars, and sometimes a subjective genitive in that God produces the action, in the sense of "the work that God does", ie. accomplishes in Jesus such that those who believe in him (eat him [figuratively of course]) receive the gift of eternal life. It can be argued that it is plenary, ie. both objective and subjective. It may also be argued that not only is the possibility of life through faith a work of God, in the sense that he makes it possible, but that also the response of faith itself is God's work in that he gives the faith to those he calls ("no man comes to me, except the Father..... draw him"). Of course, a simple adjectival sense can explain the genitive, where the genitive "of God" limits "work", producing the type of work required by God, namely, reliance (faith, belief) in the reliant one. "God wants you to have faith in the one he sent", CEV.

http://www.lectionarystudies.com/studyg/sunday18bg.html

Rev. Bryan Findlayson

- - - - -

In the text's move from the bread of earth to the bread of heaven, one should not accuse John of "spiritualizing" the gospel and ignoring human need. Check out John 6:5 and James 2:15-16. That's why "Bread for the World." Feeding the hungry is indeed a good, lively and godly work! 

http://www.crossings.org/theology/2009/theolo740.shtml

Norb E. Kabelitz, 2009

- - - - -



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From JoeParrish at compuserve.com  Sat Aug  1 20:02:42 2009
From: JoeParrish at compuserve.com (Joe Parrish)
Date: Sat, 1 Aug 2009 20:02:42 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] Gospel quotes for August 2 sermon - Part 3
Message-ID: <B02617CDB2704D8697C1A6C481147F33@YOUR264F1833C5>

The three year lectionary presents difficulties for the proclaimer involved in interpreting
the Fourth Gospel. Since there is not a year given to the Gospel of John, it is divided up over the
three years: 11 texts in Series A; 19 texts in Series B; and 10 texts in Series C, for a total of 40
texts. This solution gives "equal time" to each of the evangelists over the three liturgical years
(Matthew-41 texts in Series A, Mark-33 texts in Series B, Luke-42 texts in Series C), but
does not allow the pastor to develop the portrait of Jesus in John's Gospel as with the synoptic
gospels.
In Series B, however, the lectionary has clustered five texts from John 6 in consecutive
Sundays. From the 10th Sunday after Pentecost to the 14th, we meet the following texts: John
6:1-15, 24-35, 41-51, 51-58 and 60-69.
<>
 "This    is the work of God, that you believe in him (Jesus) whom he (God) has sent" (6:29). Could there
be anything more clearly expressed than this? But wait. The crowd still has not seen and heard;
they ask Jesus, "Then what sign do you do, that we may see and believe you? What work do you
perform?" (6:30).
With these questions we are brought back to square one. Nothing appears to have
happened to the sight of the people. They, like us, are blind to the sign/work of God. Can Jesus
really accomplish the purpose of the Gospel-to make God known? The evangelist takes our
perplexity and uses it as the occasion for yet another word or act of revelation, this time by a
story. Do you remember the manna in the wilderness story?
 
http://www.luthersem.edu/word&world/Archives/5-3_Imagination/5-3_Berge.pdf
                      
PAUL S. BERGE, Luther Northwestern Theological Seminary, St. Paul, Minnesota, 1985
 - - - - -
Unwittingly, they asked him an important question, "Where did you come from?" This pattern often occurs in the Gospel of John. People ask an important question but don't realize it. One of the most significant questions of the gospels is "Where do you come from, Jesus?" Of course, the right answer is "from God." But these people did not know the right answer nor the importance of their question.

John's gospel uses this literary technique often, whereby people ask a profound question, with apparent innocence and naivet?.  

<>

That is still a problem today. People work so hard to get ahead financially and materially that we human being often slip into thinking that food and prosperity are the primary sources of our happiness. We human beings slowly discover the truth that genuine happiness is not found in money and material goods. As human beings, we work so hard for the things of this world which quickly run down, break down, rust, and rot, crumble and corrode. Everything does. 

http://www.sermonsfromseattle.com/series_b_bread_of_life_GA.htm

Edward F. Markquart, Grace Lutheran Church, Seattle, Washington

- - - - -

When it comes to our own physical needs, we can be right on the ball. But how easily we 'spiritualise' other people's needs so we don't have to do much about them. After all, spiritual things are God's realm, aren't they, so we can leave that kind of thing to him! Jesus here tries to re-connect the people & their physical need (they rarely had a decent feed!) back to their spirituality. Back to eternal life, or as I have come much to prefer, 'real life' as my 'Complete Gospels' puts it. [Polebridge (Harper) '94]

http://www.angelfire.com/journal2/marginallymark/MMKJN62435P8.html

Brian McGowan, Anglican priest in Western Australia

- - - - -

For John's audience, of course, only the Christian community held up the Christ as one to be worshiped as God. So, the only way to come and trust was through that community. This was the challenge Christianity lay before its Jewish competitors. The activity of God was present in the community, because the Christ was present. While what God did was important, what God was doing now was more important.

http://www.word-sunday.com/Files/b/18-b/A-18-b.html

Larry Broding's Word-Sunday.Com: A Catholic Resource for This Sunday's Gospel

- - - - -






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From JoeParrish at compuserve.com  Sat Aug  1 20:25:33 2009
From: JoeParrish at compuserve.com (Joe Parrish)
Date: Sat, 1 Aug 2009 20:25:33 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] Gospel quotes for August 2 sermon - Part 4
Message-ID: <467B876D91CE44AF9B85DF65A24F5FA0@YOUR264F1833C5>

When I first knew Flor she was a lovely girl but totally lacking in self confidence. She had no initiative and was afraid to contribute to any group activity. Flor, came from a big family. One day she said, "In our family you could work for 24 hours and nobody would ever have a word of thanks or praise for you, but if you made the slightest mistake it was as if another world war had been declared." The deprivation of affirmation that she had experienced made her terrified of any situation in which she may be criticized.

       Susan, on the other hand, had experienced that whenever she was with a new group she was the life of the party for a while, but then she noticed that her presence could empty a room in minutes. It emerged that she was a menopausal child - born eight years after the youngest of her six siblings. She was her father's pet and a little doll for her older brothers and sisters. She was always center stage singing or dancing for family guests. With this much affirmation in childhood, she felt in later life that she should always be at the center of the stage. Soon others found this very demanding and avoided her so as not to have to be constantly worshipping at her shrine.
<>

Unfortunately, like Flor and Susan, many of us are fixated in our needs.

http://www.bible.claret.org/liturgy/daily/sundays_pierse/cycleB/B_18thSunOT.htm

Fr. Gerry Pierse

- - - - -

There is an attraction - perhaps watching a Nativity or Passion Play - or hearing one of his parables - or one of his sayings that seems to speak to the searcher's condition. The attraction may lead them to look for more of the same - more comforting sayings - more though-provoking stories. For some, that is enough - but Jesus does not always allow people to stay there. At some point, people may be brought face to face with a challenge - and have to decide whether they are prepared to go more deeply into the Mystery... The choice is theirs. 

http://www.wellsprings.org.uk/weekly_wellsprings/year_b/sunday_18.htm

Catherine McElhinney and Kathryn Turner

- - - - -

There is something much deeper that Christ seeks to offer these people than mere physical sustenance; he wants to give them dignity!  A person with dignity is never powerless; they will never be anyone's slave or prisoner.  A person with dignity has the power to reform their world.  A person with dignity has the power of hope and can give dignity to others.  Christ tells us that God has given him the authority and power to grant that dignity to his people; for what dignity could we ever have as dependent victims of our basic needs?

<>

http://onefamilyoutreach.com/bible/John/jn_06_24-35.html

Source: Jerry Goebel: 2003 ? http://onefamilyoutreach.com. 

- - - - -

Note also the interplay between works and faith in Johannine thought: The crowd asks Jesus (6:28), "What must we do that we may work the works of God?" Note Jesus' reply: "This is the work of God: that you believe in the one he sent." By the very phrase Jesus has shifted the emphasis from a work of man to the work of God-the initiative which God took in sending the Son into the world. (Qeou' is best understood as a subjective genitive in 6:32-34.) Note that at this point the crowd still misunderstands the nature of the true bread from heaven: "Lord, give us this bread." If they conceive of it as something that Jesus himself gives them, they have still missed it, because he himself is the 'Bread' from heaven. 

<>

Hall Harris 

http://bible.org/seriespage/exegetical-commentary-john-6

- - - - -

Verse 27: "Son of Man": Elsewhere in John, "Son of Man" means a messenger from heaven to make God known (see 3:13) and the judge at the end of time (see 5:27). Here Jesus is speaking in Jewish terms: a son of man, whose coming was prophesied in Daniel 7:13-14 ("one like a son of man", *Septuagint translation). People saw this figure as the coming Messiah: when he comes, he will glorify the people of Israel by transforming them into the everlasting kingdom of God. To us (as to John), Jesus is the embodiment of salvation, the mediator where heaven and earth meet.

http://montreal.anglican.org/comments/archive/ctksgl.shtml

Chris Haslam, Anglican Diocese of Montreal 

- - - - -
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From JoeParrish at compuserve.com  Sat Aug  1 21:12:53 2009
From: JoeParrish at compuserve.com (Joe Parrish)
Date: Sat, 1 Aug 2009 21:12:53 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] Gospel quotes for August 2 sermon - Part 5
Message-ID: <511BCFFED1AD4C45BA465DB3D1ADC904@YOUR264F1833C5>

I know what its like to get excited about "free bread." A few years ago, my brother Dan was visiting us over the Christmas holidays. On Christmas eve, we went to a nearby Safeway grocery store to purchase a few last-minute items, knowing all the stores would be closed on Christmas day. When we got to the checkout counter, I thought I overheard the clerk tell someone there was free bread. Did my ears ever perk up! When I inquired, the clerk said that since the store would be closed the next day, all the bread on the shelves was free. 

You should have seen what happened from this point on. Some folks were too proud to go back for free bread; others made their way back to the bread and discretely picked through the loaves, taking one or two of their favorite varieties. Then there was me. I should begin by telling you we had come in our van-a large van. Signaling Dan to gather up some shopping carts, I proceeded to clear the shelves, raking the loaves into the carts, and with Dan's help, wheeling multiple cart loads out to the van. Now some of you would not have wanted to be anywhere near me as I "gleaned" in the "field" of that Safeway store. I must tell you, though, that some of you in the audience ate that bread. Dan and I loaded the van, then I proceeded to call everyone I knew in our church who could use some free bread, and we had a number of takers.

http://bible.org/seriespage/bread-life-john-622-71

Bob Deffinbaugh
- - - - -

Jesus had given them more than free bread. The bread that Jesus gave them wasn't just free, it came out of nowhere. And it came to them in the middle of nowhere. 

<>

But then he makes a bold move. He says, "I AM the bread of life." He identifies himself with Yahweh, the great I AM. He identifies Yahweh as the bread of life for the world. This is in contrast to the bread which feeds but does not satisfy. The question is how? How is Jesus the bread of life? How does Jesus satisfy hunger and thirst? How does Jesus provide life for the world.

One analogy, suggested by Walt Wangerin Jr. in his book, Ragman and Other Cries of Faith, is found in a particular species of Spider. While most spiders leave their eggs in a sac and wander off, one species does not leave them thus to chance, but stays to protect them and find food for them. Like all spiders, when this one eats, she injects her poison and digestive juices into her prey and the victim becomes her stomach as she sucks out the life and the food from the bodies empty shell. Except when there are no victims. When there is no food for the little spiders, the mother of this species will inject her poison into her own body and give her young one last meal, herself. She dies and gives them life.
Wangerin, Walter, Jr. Ragman and Other Cries of Faith, Harper and Row, Publishers, San Francisco, 1984, pp. 26-27.

http://www.predigten.uni-goettingen.de/archiv-8/060806-5-e.html

 Luke Bouman, 6 August 2006

- - - - -

God, we thank you for your amazing, abundant grace that supplies us in times of need. Help us to know that you are always watching and always providing. Let your word go forth and find fertile souls, listening ears, and hearing hearts. And we'll be careful always to praise you. In the name of your Son, Jesus Christ, we pray with thanksgiving. Amen.

http://day1.org/504-what_do_you_want

The Rev. Dr. Ozzie E. Smith, Jr., pastor of Covenant United Church of Christ, South Holland, IL
- - - - -

Jesus is at the grocery stores of our lives, in all those common and public places that we visit everyday. The bank. The post office. The highway. And we need to be people of infinite love, gentle love, compassionate love for everyone. The bread of life and energy of love needs to be living inside of all of us as we visit all those public places in our lives each day. 

<>
The basic food staple of the world is bread and Jesus is the basic spiritual staple of the world. There is a shortage of physical bread in this world of ours, but there is even a greater shorter of the bread of love.

http://www.sermonsfromseattle.com/series_b_bread_of_life.htm

Pastor Edward F. Markquart, Grace Lutheran Church, Seattle, Washington

- - - - -

Hunger hurts.
One estimate is that 12 million children and 19 million adults in the U.S. can not afford the food they need. [From the website of Bread for the World: http://www.bread.org/  ] If you have ever encountered hungry child "up close and personal", you have never forgotten it.

Some years ago, I was riding with a sheriff's deputy who was a member of our church.  He was called to an apartment building to investigate possible domestic violence. When we arrived at the apartment, there was a young woman and a small child about 18 months. The woman (actually just a girl about 17 or 18 years old) said her boyfriend had been yelling at her during an argument and the neighbors had called the police. The place was filthy and smelled. The little girl wore diapers which had obviously been soiled for some time. She followed us around the apartment crying and clutching empty,  dirty bottle. The apartment was almost empty.  There was an old couch in the living room, a mattress on the floor in the tiny bedroom. Cushions on the floor were likely the girl's bed.

My friend went to the refrigerator and there was a single small jar of mustard and a plastic bread bag with two or three moldy pieces of bread.  That was it. There was no other food or drink in the place.  The deputy called human services and the child was taken to a foster home that night.

My friend said to me the next day, "The poor thing was starved. The child welfare worker told me she ate for half the night!" 

http://www.lectionarysermons.com/aug06.00.htm

John Jewell, 2000

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From JoeParrish at compuserve.com  Sun Aug  2 04:50:02 2009
From: JoeParrish at compuserve.com (Joe Parrish)
Date: Sun, 2 Aug 2009 04:50:02 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] Draft of sermon for August 2 on John 6:24-35
Message-ID: <6A45C9F11EBE43A3B55DD863EDB81DCD@YOUR264F1833C5>

Here is a draft of my sermon for August 2 on John 6:24-35.  A final version will be posted on our church web site at http://sjnj.org on our Home Page early this week, God willing.

Peace and blessings,

Joe 

St. John's Episcopal Church

61 Broad Street
Elizabeth, New Jersey 07201

The Ninth Sunday after Pentecost: Proper 13B

DRAFT

August 2, 2009

A Sermon by the Rev. Joe Parrish

The Holy Gospel according to

John 6:24-35
 

     Lord, give us the bread that comes down from heaven, your Son, Jesus Christ.

     Amen.

 

     A story is told about a Jewish family who survived a Nazi death camp by observing the Sabbath religiously, faithfully, week in and week out.  Despite their stringent conditions each Sabbath they managed to find and light a candle, recall their Sabbath prayers, and pronounce the Sabbath blessings every week without fail in the midst of this camp of death.  Their captors gave them each week barely enough food to survive-some water, stale bread, and a spoonful of lard.  One week they found there was no candle to be had anywhere.  So when it was time for the Sabbath meal the father took some of the lard, molded it around a sting from their tattered clothing, and lit the makeshift candle while leading his family in prayers and blessings.  His son was enraged.  When the prayers were over, he confronted his father: "How could you waste what little lard we have to make a candle?"  His father answered: "Son, without food we can live for several days.  Without hope, we can't live for a single hour."

     What would you do when there is little or no hope?  Most Christians would skip church on a Sunday.  They would seek some place else to express themselves.  Many would attend to a feeling of some urgent need to shop.  If you don't believe me, just go over to the Garden State Mall sometime today, or to a big grocery store in Elizabeth.  There you will see tens of thousands of people without hope, trying to fill in the emptiness of their lives by shopping or looking for something that will make them happier, or so they think.  They will spend their meager paychecks on some frivolity, or on something they could just as well live without, and they will go home just as empty as when they began their shopping and looking spree.  They are living without hope.  They live with a day to day horizon.  

       I go through the toll booths of the New Jersey Turnpike and the Holland or Lincoln Tunnel each day, and I am amazed at how many people are living without enough credit on their credit card to buy an EZ Pass.  You can observe how many have to wait in lines for up to an hour or more a day to pay cash for a six or eight dollar or so toll.  And it's not just New Jersey; this week driving north to a Christian retreat I found exactly the same thing happening in New York State, and Connecticut, and Massachusetts, and New Hampshire.  People are overwhelmed with credit card debt, most paying up to twenty-five percent interest or more on their maximum credit limit.  They live from hand to mouth to spend all they can get their hands on for things they really don't need.  And their time is worth essentially nothing.  They will wait in line up to an hour or more a day to pay something less than twenty dollars in daily tolls.  It is incredible, but it is true.  It shows how little they value their time, how much they have overextended themselves, how little concern they have for their wellbeing on an ongoing basis.  But at a mall or grocery store, they will charge anything to get something that makes them feel they are as good as or better than their neighbor, as good as the person in the car riding next to them, until they hit the toll booths.  And the more clever ones will even keep away from the toll booths so they won't have to face the reality of their precarious financial situation.  America, in a word, is charged out.  And until spending habits change, America will continue to be charged out, and the financial doldrums will continue to haunt us.

     So what is the antidote for us?  I think it is to get back to a true Sabbath observance, where at least one day in seven we don't spend what we don't have.

     Bill Hybels who heads up one of the largest churches in America, the Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrington, Illinois, says churches themselves need to focus more on what is their mission, and to articulate their mission in a phrase that can be written in large letters on one side of a t-shirt.  I must say, St. John's and the Diocese of New Jersey have both articulated their mission, our vision statement, in seven sentences, not likely something that will go on the front of any t-shirt that is smaller than the side of a very large tractor trailer truck.   I won't even begin to tell you this Vision Statement of the Diocese that we as a church have adopted as our Mission Statement.  And let us not quibble about what is a Vision Statement and what is a Mission Statement.  We all know we try to get the very best "Christian angle" on what we do, making something that sounds very loving and kind, and indeed the Visioning Group that has helped us articulate what we are all about has spent enormous amounts of effort, and not inconsiderable money and staff time and volunteer time, to develop this elaborate and beautiful Vision Statement.  Every church has even been given a DVD expressing their Vision ideas, and I consider that very thoughtful and considerate.  But in my humble opinion, having heard Bill Hybels express his growing church's view of a mission statement, I think we all may have vastly 'missed the mark'.  Each year our Diocese gets less and less money for its Fair Share pledges from the churches and missions.  And each year we have to cut back and cut back.  And still the churches are unable even to fulfill their meager pledges.  We are on a road to perdition, I believe.  So how can we turn this thing around?  Aren't we all living on money we don't have?  Certainly St. John's has done this as long as I have been aware, at least since the 1950's when St. John's was the richest church in the Diocese, and the Diocese was one of the richest dioceses in The Episcopal Church.  And now as a result we are one of the poorest churches, and our Diocese can barely pull its weight among all other dioceses in the land.  In April, our single bishop will have to try to visit 160 churches every three years by himself, and that's impossible to do mathematically on Sundays since there are 156 Sundays in three years, assuming our bishop takes no Sunday off, and that's not going to happen.  So what will happen is that our bishop will gradually be worked into the ground; he will be making more and more visitations on a Wednesday evening when most churches can't get even a quarter of their parishioners to attend.  And finally we will have to admit we can no longer fulfill our pledge to the national church.  Sooner or later reality will sink in.  This very year our Diocese is spending $400,000 it does not have, from so called, 'prior investment earnings'.  And those 'prior investment earnings' will be depleted by the end of this year or early next year.  What that means is that the Missions Budget will be further curtailed-this year $100,000 was summarily cut out of the Missions Budget just to keep us from invading our Diocesan principal before December 2009.  Otherwise our deficit spending would throw our Diocese a half a million dollars in the red instead of only $400,000.  We have cut out our Church Diocesan Deployment Officer already, and by April of next year we will cut out our Assisting Bishop.

     And for the 'local issue' right here at St. John's Church, sometime in mid November we won't have enough money to buy another tank of oil.  The three quarters of a tank of oil we have now will be gone and the church will be concerned about which pipes will freeze first.  We do expect some salvation from a large bequest that will 'tide us over' for a year or so, but beyond that we have no idea of how to keep this church going.

     A very simple solution would be for everyone to double their pledge or their giving here at St. John's Church.  That would at least solve our problem on a local basis; then our deficit would only be about $20,000 a year, one fifth of the deficit we are currently running.  But without the help of the Diocese, which is already greatly strapped for funds, this big building could get very, very cold on a Sunday sometime in 2010.  So we at least have to ask people now to consider doubling their pledges, or simply pay twice what they pledged.  Our treasurer and stewardship chairs think no one is tithing anyway, so doubling our pledges will still not actually require tithing for most people.  We are probably far richer than we admit.  But we don't really have tithing on the top of our personal or family agendas.

     Now for our mission statement, what would you say should be on our t-shirt?  What simple five or six words would describe what we are about?

     Jesus came up with seven 'words'.  Today we hear one of them that would go on his t-shirt.  "I am the bread of life."  Isn't that succinct?  Isn't that very descriptive?  "Jesus is the bread of life."  That could go on our t-shirts.  Or what about, "Jesus is the good shepherd"?  Or "Jesus is the door"?  Or maybe, "Jesus is the way, the truth, and the light"?  That's nine words, probably longer than Bill Hybels envisioned for a Mission Statement.  But we have to give Jesus some leeway, don't we?  After all, Jesus Christ is our Savior!  I guess even that could be our t-shirt phrase.

     Thursday night I attended an outdoor concert up in New Hampshire that was attended by at least fifteen thousand other people, mostly Christians, I assume.  It was the largest outdoor concert in the state of New Hampshire, and has been for a number of years, I believe.  But what impressed me as I looked around was that people were more or less divided up into sections of maybe fifty or a hundred or so per section.  Most were sitting on blankets on green grass.  And, maybe you can see where I am going with this.  It was a crowd about the size of what Jesus and his disciples fed out there in the wilderness of Israel; and we were in the wilderness of New Hampshire.  And amazingly enough, we were all fed, spiritually perhaps, although there were probably enough hot dog stands to feed most of us if we paid for them, and many brought food from home to share with each other.  We were re-enacting the Lord's Supper, at least in a spiritual way.  And the Bread of Life fed us, each of us, enough that we were satisfied by the end of the night. The Holy Spirit was indeed there.  And we were satisfied.

     So think of what you would put on your personal t-shirt to show the world.  Would you be willing to declare yourself a Christian to the world?  Or would you rather hide that fact from your next door neighbors?

     Once I wore a button to work that said, "I found it", and I was fired by unbelievers.  It changed my life, actually.  I went from a nice salary to nothing.  I was told it was OK to be religious, but that I could not 'show it'.  In a year my church had pity on me and hired me to do their business and building things-that church actually had more money than the Diocese at that time and had a commensurate staff of 65, pretty large for a church, wouldn't you say?!  I'm not sure any Diocese in The Episcopal Church has 65 employees.  We have less than a dozen employees in the Diocese of New Jersey, I think.  Of course our international church headquarters in Manhattan had 180 employees up until our recent General Convention, and now we are cutting about a fifth of them, about 30 are now looking for other jobs.  So the national church has this week and this year suffered significant downsizing.  I use the term, national, but really The Episcopal Church represents 16 nations, it's just that the US is by far the biggest contributor.  But in any event, the cuts are in.  And of course we have had to make serious cuts here at St. John's as well, as has our Diocese.

     So what we need to do is to figure out what our personal 't-shirt' will say.  What would you wear on your t-shirt?  "Jesus is Lord"?  "Jesus is my Good Shepherd"?  "Jesus is the Bread of Life"?  I sort of like that one, actually: "Jesus is the Bread of Life".  Wear that to the Stop and Shop and see what comments we might get!

     But let us in all seriousness decide Who is our Savior and why we think that.  And come up with some small phrase we should have here at St. John's as our Mission and Vision Statement.

     Amen.

 
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From chadwohl at satucket.com  Sun Aug  2 22:07:08 2009
From: chadwohl at satucket.com (Charles Wohlers)
Date: Sun, 2 Aug 2009 22:07:08 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] READINGS for the TENTH SUNDAY after PENTECOST
Message-ID: <4A1853D6C7E64243B8E89B2BB246FF6B@cranmer>

The following are the readings for the Tenth Sunday after Pentecost, August 
9, (Proper 14, ECUSA; Proper 19, RCL & Roman Catholic) according to the 
Revised Common (RCL), Episcopal (ECUSA), Roman Catholic, Church of England, 
and Canadian (BAS) Lectionaries. All readings are taken from the New Revised 
Standard Version (NRSV) of the Bible. Unless noted otherwise, the 
lectionaries of ECUSA, Canada and England are identical to the RCL this 
Sunday.



OLD TESTAMENT:  2 Samuel 18: 5 - 9, 15, 31 - 33   (RCL)

2Sam 18:5 (NRSV) The king ordered Jo'ab and Abi'shai and It'tai, saying, 
"Deal gently for my sake with the young man Ab'salom." And all the people 
heard when the king gave orders to all the commanders concerning Ab'salom.
6 So the army went out into the field against Israel; and the battle was 
fought in the forest of E'phraim. 7 The men of Israel were defeated there by 
the servants of David, and the slaughter there was great on that day, twenty 
thousand men. 8 The battle spread over the face of all the country; and the 
forest claimed more victims that day than the sword.
9 Ab'salom happened to meet the servants of David. Ab'salom was riding on 
his mule, and the mule went under the thick branches of a great oak. His 
head caught fast in the oak, and he was left hanging between heaven and 
earth, while the mule that was under him went on.

15 And ten young men, Jo'ab's armor-bearers, surrounded Ab'salom and struck 
him, and killed him.

31 Then the Cu'shite came; and the Cu'shite said, "Good tidings for my lord 
the king! For the LORD has vindicated you this day, delivering you from the 
power of all who rose up against you." 32 The king said to the Cu'shite, "Is 
it well with the young man Ab'salom?" The Cu'shite answered, "May the 
enemies of my lord the king, and all who rise up to do you harm, be like 
that young man."
33 The king was deeply moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and 
wept; and as he went, he said, "O my son Ab'salom, my son, my son Ab'salom! 
Would I had died instead of you, O Ab'salom, my son, my son!"


2 Samuel 18: 1, 5, 9 - 15   (Can. BAS)

2Sam 18:1 (NRSV) {The Defeat and Death of Absalom} Then David mustered the 
men who were with him, and set over them commanders of thousands and 
commanders of hundreds.

5 The king ordered Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, "Deal gently for my 
sake with the young man Absalom." And all the people heard when the king 
gave orders to all the commanders concerning Absalom.

9 Absalom happened to meet the servants of David. Absalom was riding on his 
mule, and the mule went under the thick branches of a great oak. His head 
caught fast in the oak, and he was left hanging {Gk Syr Tg: Heb [was put] } 
between heaven and earth, while the mule that was under him went on. 10 A 
man saw it, and told Joab, "I saw Absalom hanging in an oak." 11 Joab said 
to the man who told him, "What, you saw him! Why then did you not strike him 
there to the ground? I would have been glad to give you ten pieces of silver 
and a belt." 12 But the man said to Joab, "Even if I felt in my hand the 
weight of a thousand pieces of silver, I would not raise my hand against the 
king's son; for in our hearing the king commanded you and Abishai and Ittai, 
saying: For my sake protect the young man Absalom! 13 On the other hand, if 
I had dealt treacherously against his life {Another reading is [at the risk 
of my life] } (and there is nothing hidden from the king), then you yourself 
would have stood aloof." 14 Joab said, "I will not waste time like this with 
you." He took three spears in his hand, and thrust them into the heart of 
Absalom, while he was still alive in the oak. 15 And ten young men, Joab's 
armor-bearers, surrounded Absalom and struck him, and killed him.


1 Kings 19: 4 - 8   (Roman Catholic, alt. for RCL)

1Kin 19:4 (NRSV) But he [Elijah] himself went a day's journey into the 
wilderness, and came and sat down under a solitary broom tree. He asked that 
he might die: "It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life, for I am no 
better than my ancestors." 5 Then he lay down under the broom tree and fell 
asleep. Suddenly an angel touched him and said to him, "Get up and eat." 6 
He looked, and there at his head was a cake baked on hot stones, and a jar 
of water. He ate and drank, and lay down again. 7 The angel of the LORD came 
a second time, touched him, and said, "Get up and eat, otherwise the journey 
will be too much for you." 8 He got up, and ate and drank; then he went in 
the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Ho'reb the mount of 
God.


PSALM 130   (RCL)

Psal 130:1 (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 143   Domine, exaudi   (Can. BAS)

1   Lord, hear my prayer,
and in your faithfulness heed my supplications; *
  answer me in your righteousness.

2   Enter not into judgment with your servant, *
  for in your sight shall no one living be justified.

3   For my enemy has sought my life;
he has crushed me to the ground; *
  he has made me live in dark places like those who
  are long dead.

4   My spirit faints within me; *
  my heart within me is desolate.

5   I remember the time past;
I muse upon all your deeds; *
  I consider the works of your hands.

6   I spread out my hands to you; *
  my soul gasps to you like a thirsty land.

7   O Lord, make haste to answer me; my spirit fails me; *
  do not hide your face from me
  or I shall be like those who go down to the Pit.

8   Let me hear of your loving-kindness in the morning,
for I put my trust in you; *
  show me the road that I must walk,
  for I lift up my soul to you.


Psalm 34: 1 - 8   (Roman Catholic, alt. for RCL)

Psal 34:1 (NRSV) I will bless the LORD at all times;
his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
2 My soul makes its boast in the LORD;
let the humble hear and be glad.
3 O magnify the LORD with me,
and let us exalt his name together.
4 I sought the LORD, and he answered me,
and delivered me from all my fears.
5 Look to him, and be radiant;
so your faces shall never be ashamed.
6 This poor soul cried, and was heard by the LORD,
and was saved from every trouble.
7 The angel of the LORD encamps
around those who fear him, and delivers them.
8 O taste and see that the LORD is good;
happy are those who take refuge in him.

Note: Verse numbering in Roman Catholic bibles is one greter than the above.


NEW TESTAMENT:   Ephesians 4: 25 - 5: 2   (RCL)
                                      Ephesians 4: 30 - 5:2   (Roman 
Catholic)

Ephe 4:25 (NRSV) So then, putting away falsehood, let all of us speak the 
truth to our neighbors, for we are members of one another. 26 Be angry but 
do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 27 and do not make 
room for the devil. 28 Thieves must give up stealing; rather let them labor 
and work honestly with their own hands, so as to have something to share 
with the needy. 29 Let no evil talk come out of your mouths, but only what 
is useful for building up, as there is need, so that your words may give 
grace to those who hear. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with 
which you were marked with a seal for the day of redemption. 31 Put away 
from you all bitterness and wrath and anger and wrangling and slander, 
together with all malice, 32 and be kind to one another, tenderhearted, 
forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you. 5:1 Therefore be 
imitators of God, as beloved children, 2 and live in love, as Christ loved 
us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.


GOSPEL:   John 6: 35, 41 - 51   (RCL)
                    John 6: 41 - 51   (Roman Catholic)

John 6:35 (NRSV) Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes 
to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be 
thirsty.

41 Then the Jews began to complain about him because he said, "I am the 
bread that came down from heaven." 42 They were saying, "Is not this Jesus, 
the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, "I 
have come down from heaven'?" 43 Jesus answered them, "Do not complain among 
yourselves. 44 No one can come to me unless drawn by the Father who sent me; 
and I will raise that person up on the last day. 45 It is written in the 
prophets, "And they shall all be taught by God.' Everyone who has heard and 
learned from the Father comes to me. 46 Not that anyone has seen the Father 
except the one who is from God; he has seen the Father. 47 Very truly, I 
tell you, whoever believes has eternal life. 48 I am the bread of life. 49 
Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. 50 This is 
the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not 
die. 51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of 
this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give for the life of 
the world is my flesh."




From JoeParrish at compuserve.com  Mon Aug  3 21:27:24 2009
From: JoeParrish at compuserve.com (Joe Parrish)
Date: Mon, 3 Aug 2009 21:27:24 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] Lectionary Scripture Notes for August 9,
	2009 (Proper 14 | OT 19 | Pentecost 10)
Message-ID: <115AC58DA3B4414D9CE9B7DDD379F566@YOUR264F1833C5>

[Delete if this is a duplicate message]
Proper 14 | OT 19 | Pentecost 10
John 6:35, 41-51

Within the similarities and differences between this account in John 6:35, 41-51 and the Mark 6:1-6a account describing activities of Jesus in his hometown, we can see the distinction between "the Jesus of history" and "the Christ of faith." In the Mark 6 account there is still a recollection of Jesus, the Jesus of history, as a son of Joseph, as a 1st century Jewish religious and political figure whose father Joseph and mother Mary had been known to other Jews in the village of Nazareth. In John 6:35, 41-51, however, and throughout the Fourth Gospel, Jesus is the Christ of faith, the Son of God who is said to have pre-existed before the foundation of the world was laid, who was the Logos, the "Word" by which the world was called into being. As the Christ of faith in John 6, Jesus is presented as having an exclusivistic claim to God as Father, as one who comes from God and has seen God. It is affirmed that no one can come to Jesus as the Christ unless God the Father draws that person to Jesus as the Christ, and that Jesus as the Christ of faith will raise such a person from the dead on the last day. The person who "eats" of this "bread from heaven" will not die. Jesus the Christ as this "bread from heaven" is far superior to the manna that the fathers of the 1st century Jews had eaten in the wilderness, for although they ate they still died. According to John 6, the bread that the Johannine Jesus as the Christ of faith will give for the life of the world is the flesh of the Christ of faith, the Lamb of God who in Johannine terms "takes away the sin of the world."

When this John 6:35, 41-51 text is read and when it forms the primary basis for the worship service, we have an obligation to the people of the congregations in which we serve to say something about the theological development that occurred between perceiving Jesus as the Jesus of history, one among several sons of Joseph and his wife Mary, and Jesus as the Christ of faith, the only-begotten Son of God. If we do not indicate this development and show that we are aware of this distinction, we shall be propagating the longstanding and non-productive anti-Jewish polemic that is associated with this text. If we do not share some of our understanding of this theological development and of this distinction in perceptions of Jesus, we shall simply be promulgating supersessionistic anti-Jewish polemic without helping the thinking people within the congregations in which we serve to come to a better understanding of the process in the development of their Chris tian religion as the impact that the Jesus of history had made on some of his followers was shaped by the inspiration of God into belief in Jesus as the Christ of faith, one with God, through whom salvation and eternal life is offered to all of us.

      LectionaryScriptureNotes.com is a free website that provides brief yet probing exegetical commentary for: 
        a.. Pastors who need inspiration and idea starters for their sermons 
        b.. Church musicians who want to coordinate music and hymn selections with scriptural themes 
        c.. Anyone who wants deeper insight into each week's lectionary passages 
      These background notes cover every assigned text in the Revised Common Lectionary for each Sunday and major observance throughout the year. 

Ephesians 4:25--5:2

Here in Ephesians 4:25-5:2 we have the parenesis, the guidelines of how we should respond to the proclamation that Jesus as the Christ provides eternal life for us. As among those who as the "Body of Christ" are "in Christ," we should put aside all bitterness, anger, and slander and replace them with kindness and forgiveness. Then we will not grieve the Holy Spirit of God. We are exhorted to be imitators of God and to conduct ourselves in a life that is characterized by love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. We see that by the time that this section of the epistle "to the Ephesians" was written much reflection had occurred within the thoughts of some of the followers of Jesus about the significance of Jesus' life, of his death, and of his resurrection as the Christ of faith. In some ways this Ephesians 4:25--5:2 text is similar to that of the Fourth Gospel and of the "Epistle to the Hebrews," all of which may stem from approximately the same period in the development of the early Church.

1 Kings 19:4-8

The food that the Lord provided for Elijah in this Elijah story was so nutritious that it sustained Elijah during his journey of forty days and forty nights to the mountain of God at Horeb. It is said that Elijah would have preferred to die under the broom tree, but the Lord would not permit that to occur. Instead, the Lord permitted Elijah only to sleep, and then through the intermediary of an angel in this story twice touched him and told him to eat the freshly baked cake and the jar of water provided for him so that he would be strengthened. This story about Elijah obviously has a message for us also in our discouragement and in our need.

Psalm 34:1-8

This Individual Hymn of Praise and Thanksgiving is appropriately used in conjunction with the Elijah story in 1 Kings 19:4-8. It is a poetic, hymnic rendition of the Elijah story situation. The psalmist cried unto the Lord, and the Lord heard the psalmist. The angel of the Lord is said to camp around those who fear the Lord in order to deliver them. "O taste and see that the Lord is good" can be understood metaphorically, or almost literally with reference to the freshly baked cakes of the Elijah story in 1 Kings 19:4-8 or of the bread and wine of the Christian Eucharist.

2 Samuel 18:5-9, 15, 31-33

The situation depicted here is most understandable to those who have participated in war and battle conditions in which the combatants are conditioned to do everything possible to destroy the enemy and to preserve one's own life and the lives of one's buddies. David as king confounds his general and the men who are engaged in the horrible conditions of battle in behalf of David and of the nation in his desire to spare the life of his own son Absalom who has rebelled against David. We are torn as we read and hear this story between identification with David as a father trying to save his son from death and with Joab and the soldiers under Joab's command who are being killed or injured because of the horrible civil war that was caused by David and by David's son. Perhaps this text should be used in high school and adult Bible study sessions rather than in a worship setting, so that we will be able to share and discuss our feelings. The story provides a g ood opportunity for those who have been involved in the horrors of military combat to talk within a supportive congregational setting about their experiences and their feelings.

Psalm 130

Out of the depths of despair the psalmist cries for help from the Lord. The psalmist waits for the Lord to come, for the Lord to rescue the psalmist and to rescue the people of Israel. Although the situation depicted in this prayer is not specifically a situation of war and of the horrible conditions endured during battle conditions, the psalm certainly can be associated with war, as it is when the reading of this psalm is linked to the 2 Samuel 18:5-9, 15, 31-33 reading.
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From robertpmorrison at charterinternet.com  Mon Aug  3 21:37:23 2009
From: robertpmorrison at charterinternet.com (Robert P Morrison)
Date: Mon, 3 Aug 2009 18:37:23 -0700
Subject: [Propertalk] Lectionary Scripture Notes for August 9,
 2009 (Proper 14 | OT 19 | Pentecost 10)
In-Reply-To: <115AC58DA3B4414D9CE9B7DDD379F566@YOUR264F1833C5>
Message-ID: <20090803213723.9P6OQ.1129148.root@mp15>

Thanks, Joe.

Through August we're having a Wednesday evening series of classes on Prayer Book ancestry - 1552, 1662, 1892, 1928 - and using these books on the Sunday following discussion. I have yet to make up my mind whether or not to follow these book's lectionaries. Or I could read the Exhortations! That ought to liven things up a bit!!

Thanks for the notes,

Bob
--
Robert P. Morrison
The Episcopal Parish of St James,
PO Box 789
Lincoln City, Oregon, 97367

541-994-2426 (Church)





From Brian.Hazard at ecunet.org  Mon Aug  3 22:30:15 2009
From: Brian.Hazard at ecunet.org (Brian Hazard)
Date: Mon, 03 Aug 2009 21:30:15 -0500
Subject: [Propertalk] Lectionary Scripture Notes for August 9,
 2009 (Proper 14 | OT 19 | Pentecost 10)
In-Reply-To: <20090803213723.9P6OQ.1129148.root@mp15>
References: <20090803213723.9P6OQ.1129148.root@mp15>
Message-ID: <4A779D37.3090100@ecunet.org>

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From joeparrish at compuserve.com  Mon Aug  3 21:24:12 2009
From: joeparrish at compuserve.com (joeparrish at compuserve.com)
Date: Mon, 3 Aug 2009 20:24:12 -0500
Subject: [Propertalk] Fwd: Lectionary Scripture Notes for August 9,
	2009 (Proper 14 | OT 19 | Pentecost 10)
Message-ID: <382b09600760eb775ac8715bbf0e5fdb@thisweek.lectionaryscripturenotes.com>

 Click here to view as web page.
<http://www.lectionaryscripturenotes.com/newsletter.html>

 <http://www.lectionaryscripturenotes.com/>

 This Week's Texts

 John 6:35, 41-51

 Ephesians 4:25--5:2

 1 Kings 19:4-8

 2 Samuel 18:5-9, 15, 31-33

 Psalm 130

 <http://www.lectionaryscripturenotes.com/>

 <http://www.lectionaryscripturenotes.com/about>

 <http://www.lectionaryscripturenotes.com/norman-beck>

 <http://www.lectionaryscripturenotes.com/looking-ahead>

 "Chock full of illustrations that bring God's word alive"

 <http://www.csspub.com/prod-0788026038.htm>

 /These twelve sermons are chock full of illustrations that bring
God's word alive. You can almost smell the bread as he describes a
bakery in Manhattan, and you can feel both the raw tension and
emerging unity in the diverse communities of the Namibian church.
Wuchter gives us himself and his insights in these carefully crafted
sermons. They are both a joy and a challenge to read./

 --Rev. John D. Morris, Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, Dublin, Ohio

 <http://www.csspub.com/prod-0788026038.htm>

 Fifteen 

 Eye-Opening Stories from the Bible

 <http://www.csspub.com/prod-0788026127.htm>

 The Bible has its share of sensational literature, and this book's
modern retelling of fifteen earthy narratives from scripture is
definitely not for the squeamish. But adventuresome readers will find
that these curious tales will stir the blood while evoking laughter
and tears. With themes such as grace, forgiveness, and redemption set
against the background of rebellion, drunkenness, sexual infidelity,
and even bloody revenge, these two-fisted, no-holds-barred Bible
stories ??? sometimes with amusing punch lines ??? are a great tool
for teaching deep truths about humanity, the world, and God.

 <http://www.csspub.com/prod-0788026127.htm>

 ...for comfort and release in times of turmoil

 <http://www.csspub.com/prod-978-0-7880-2555-6.htm>

 /It's a lovely thought that through one's congregation we can gain,
and also give to each other, help in times of despair. Ron Lavin
illustrates this principle elegantly in the following chapters as he
examines the passages in John's gospel concerning the admonition not
to despair. John quotes Jesus as saying to his disciples reassuring
words such as, "Do not let your hearts be troubled..." Lavin covers
the rest John has to say on the subject very well. Do not despair and
do read on./

 ??? Jerry L. Schmalenberger, President, Pacific Lutheran Theological
Seminary (Retired)

 Berkeley, California

 <http://www.csspub.com/prod-978-0-7880-2555-6.htm>

 A Pastor's

 Perspective 

 of Iraq

 <http://www.csspub.com/prod-0788026178.htm>

 /From the Bronx to the rivers of Babylon, the "Mayor of Babylon"
Chaplain Emilio Marrero tells a fascinating story of war, compassion,
struggles, faith, and ancient biblical history in a country that we
read about daily -- Iraq./

 -- Rear Admiral Fred Metz, US Navy (Retired)

 <http://www.csspub.com/prod-0788026178.htm>

 LectionaryScriptureNotes.com is a free website that provides brief
yet probing exegetical commentary for:
 
 Pastors who need inspiration and idea starters for their sermons
 Church musicians who want to coordinate music and hymn selections
with scriptural themes
 Anyone who wants deeper insight into each week's lectionary passages
 
 These background notes cover every assigned text in the Revised
Common Lectionary for each Sunday and major observance throughout the
year.

 Proper 14 | OT 19 | Pentecost 10
 John 6:35, 41-51

 Within the similarities and differences between this account in John
6:35, 41-51 and the Mark 6:1-6a account describing activities of Jesus
in his hometown, we can see the distinction between "the Jesus of
history" and "the Christ of faith." In the Mark 6 account there is
still a recollection of Jesus, the Jesus of history, as a son of
Joseph, as a 1st century Jewish religious and political figure whose
father Joseph and mother Mary had been known to other Jews in the
village of Nazareth. In John 6:35, 41-51, however, and throughout the
Fourth Gospel, Jesus is the Christ of faith, the Son of God who is
said to have pre-existed before the foundation of the world was laid,
who was the Logos, the "Word" by which the world was called into
being. As the Christ of faith in John 6, Jesus is presented as having
an exclusivistic claim to God as Father, as one who comes from God and
has seen God. It is affirmed that no one can come to Jesus as the
Christ unless God the Father draws that person to Jesus as the Christ,
and that Jesus as the Christ of faith will raise such a person from
the dead on the last day. The person who "eats" of this "bread from
heaven" will not die. Jesus the Christ as this "bread from heaven" is
far superior to the manna that the fathers of the 1st century Jews had
eaten in the wilderness, for although they ate they still died.
According to John 6, the bread that the Johannine Jesus as the Christ
of faith will give for the life of the world is the flesh of the
Christ of faith, the Lamb of God who in Johannine terms "takes away
the sin of the world."

 When this John 6:35, 41-51 text is read and when it forms the
primary basis for the worship service, we have an obligation to the
people of the congregations in which we serve to say something about
the theological development that occurred between perceiving Jesus as
the Jesus of history, one among several sons of Joseph and his wife
Mary, and Jesus as the Christ of faith, the only-begotten Son of God.
If we do not indicate this development and show that we are aware of
this distinction, we shall be propagating the longstanding and
non-productive anti-Jewish polemic that is associated with this text.
If we do not share some of our understanding of this theological
development and of this distinction in perceptions of Jesus, we shall
simply be promulgating supersessionistic anti-Jewish polemic without
helping the thinking people within the congregations in which we serve
to come to a better understanding of the process in the development of
their Christian religion as the impact that the Jesus of history had
made on some of his followers was shaped by the inspiration of God
into belief in Jesus as the Christ of faith, one with God, through
whom salvation and eternal life is offered to all of us.

 Get a Jump on Advent/Christmas Programming ??? SAVE 53%!

 <http://www.csspub.com/julychristmas.html>

 /* ??? Stimulating sermon material for the busiest season of the
year

 ??? Dramatic worship ideas that will captivate your congregation

 ??? Flexible material that can be customized for many settings*/

 <http://www.csspub.com/julychristmas.html>

 Ephesians 4:25--5:2

 Here in Ephesians 4:25-5:2 we have the parenesis, the guidelines of
how we should respond to the proclamation that Jesus as the Christ
provides eternal life for us. As among those who as the "Body of
Christ" are "in Christ," we should put aside all bitterness, anger,
and slander and replace them with kindness and forgiveness. Then we
will not grieve the Holy Spirit of God. We are exhorted to be
imitators of God and to conduct ourselves in a life that is
characterized by love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself for us
as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. We see that by the time
that this section of the epistle "to the Ephesians" was written much
reflection had occurred within the thoughts of some of the followers
of Jesus about the significance of Jesus' life, of his death, and of
his resurrection as the Christ of faith. In some ways this Ephesians
4:25--5:2 text is similar to that of the Fourth Gospel and of the
"Epistle to the Hebrews," all of which may stem from approximately the
same period in the development of the early Church.

 1 Kings 19:4-8

 The food that the Lord provided for Elijah in this Elijah story was
so nutritious that it sustained Elijah during his journey of forty
days and forty nights to the mountain of God at Horeb. It is said that
Elijah would have preferred to die under the broom tree, but the Lord
would not permit that to occur. Instead, the Lord permitted Elijah
only to sleep, and then through the intermediary of an angel in this
story twice touched him and told him to eat the freshly baked cake and
the jar of water provided for him so that he would be strengthened.
This story about Elijah obviously has a message for us also in our
discouragement and in our need.

 Psalm 34:1-8

 This Individual Hymn of Praise and Thanksgiving is appropriately
used in conjunction with the Elijah story in 1 Kings 19:4-8. It is a
poetic, hymnic rendition of the Elijah story situation. The psalmist
cried unto the Lord, and the Lord heard the psalmist. The angel of the
Lord is said to camp around those who fear the Lord in order to
deliver them. "O taste and see that the Lord is good" can be
understood metaphorically, or almost literally with reference to the
freshly baked cakes of the Elijah story in 1 Kings 19:4-8 or of the
bread and wine of the Christian Eucharist.

 2 Samuel 18:5-9, 15, 31-33

 The situation depicted here is most understandable to those who have
participated in war and battle conditions in which the combatants are
conditioned to do everything possible to destroy the enemy and to
preserve one's own life and the lives of one's buddies. David as king
confounds his general and the men who are engaged in the horrible
conditions of battle in behalf of David and of the nation in his
desire to spare the life of his own son Absalom who has rebelled
against David. We are torn as we read and hear this story between
identification with David as a father trying to save his son from
death and with Joab and the soldiers under Joab's command who are
being killed or injured because of the horrible civil war that was
caused by David and by David's son. Perhaps this text should be used
in high school and adult Bible study sessions rather than in a worship
setting, so that we will be able to share and discuss our feelings.
The story provides a good opportunity for those who have been involved
in the horrors of military combat to talk within a supportive
congregational setting about their experiences and their feelings.

 Psalm 130

 Out of the depths of despair the psalmist cries for help from the
Lord. The psalmist waits for the Lord to come, for the Lord to rescue
the psalmist and to rescue the people of Israel. Although the
situation depicted in this prayer is not specifically a situation of
war and of the horrible conditions endured during battle conditions,
the psalm certainly can be associated with war, as it is when the
reading of this psalm is linked to the 2 Samuel 18:5-9, 15, 31-33
reading.

 Click here for future days.
<http://www.lectionaryscripturenotes.com/looking-ahead>

 <http://www.csspub.com/prod-0788018019.htm>

 <http://www.sermonsuite.com>

 				Mary Austin 

 A New Society In Christ?

 In verse 31, Paul gives advice that seems eerily prescient: "Put
away from you all bitterness and wrath and anger and wrangling and
slander, together with all malice, and be kind to one another,
tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven
you." Perhaps Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. and Cambridge
police officer James Crowley would have done well to follow that
advice last week. Though only those two gentlemen (and God) know the
true details that led to Gates' arrest for disorderly conduct, the
incident -- particularly in the wake of President Obama's comments on
the matter -- has led to a renewed national conversation on race and
racial profiling. Mary Austin will examine not only how following
Paul's guidelines can make us into better people in Christ, but also
how doing so individually in great numbers can make us over
collectively into a new society in Christ -- one that is marked by
tolerance, lack of fear, lack of anger, and racial harmony....more
<http://www.sermonsuite.com/index.php?s=tiw>

 Holy Believing

 No one wants to die. Yet who among us would like to live forever?
This is our paradox. This is our dilemma. To die means the end of what
we are and have; it signifies also the cessation of whatever yet we
had hoped to be. But wouldn't living forever be equally undesirable?
For it holds out endlessness and sameness, like Shakespeare's
"Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow..." On the other hand, however,
who would want to play a harp throughout all time, or listen endlessly
to "The Hallelujah Chorus"? It is obvious that such questions and
thinking are colored and even determined by our worldly concepts. Our
idioms come from the vocabulary of time and space...more
<http://www.sermonsuite.com/index.php?s=stu>

 <http://www.sermonsuite.com/emphasis-online.html>

 <http://www.sermonsuite.com/emphasis-online.html>

 				David Kalas

 Appetites

 From our very first day out of the womb, we are introduced to the
experience of hunger. I suspect that we don't understand it much at
first; we just feel it. And when we feel it, it makes us cry. As we
grow up, our hunger may make us cry less and less, but it remains a
strong feeling. Our understanding of the feeling remains imperfect. We
are certainly better equipped than a newborn to recognize what we are
feeling, but still it is often unclear to us. We think we're hungry at
times when what we're really feeling is tired. Sometimes boredom
masquerades as hunger. Sadness and discouragement, likewise, can
prompt us to want to eat...more
<http://www.sermonsuite.com/emphasis-online.html>

 <http://www.sermonsuite.com/storyshare.html>

 <http://www.sermonsuite.com/storyshare.html>

 				David O. Bales 			

 The Final Robert

 Everything seemed strange. The church was long and dark, and from
the back it was difficult to see in the subdued light. The extreme
strangeness began with the first speaker. "When the final Robert was
the original Bobby we had to play his games. At anyone else's birthday
he was always last to come to the table; and, if we were going
somewhere for someone else's birthday, we had to sit and wait for him
until Dad blew the horn a couple times." Other people spoke, and then
Aunt Virginia. Didn't she die ten years ago? "We gave the final Robert
all the chances we gave others -- the hugs and presents, and we
listened to his childhood concerns. Yet he was the child of the
permanent scowl and the word 'No' "...more
<http://www.sermonsuite.com/storyshare.html>

 <http://www.sermonsuite.com/the-village-shepherd.html>

 <http://www.sermonsuite.com/the-village-shepherd.html>

 				Janice Scott 

 Unnoticed Gifts

 When Jesus was on this earth, some people realized what a huge and
wonderful gift from God they'd been given. But others were
antagonistic and hostile, and in effect threw the gift back into God's
face. It started in Nazareth, Jesus' own village. There were all sorts
of murmurings against Jesus. "Isn't this the guy we grew up with? How
could he be anything special? Get him out of here!" And Jesus was
unable to perform many miracles in his home village, because of the
attitude of those who knew him well. In today's gospel we see the
discontent spreading...more
<http://www.sermonsuite.com/the-village-shepherd.html>

 <http://www.sermonsuite.com/children-sermons.html>

 <http://www.sermonsuite.com/children-sermons.html>

 				Leah Thompson 

 Building 

 Others Up

 *Object: Legos*

 How many of you have played with Legos before? /(allow answers)/ How
many of you build things with K'nex or Lincoln Logs? Building things
can be a lot of fun! There are all kinds of things you can build with
building blocks. What kind of things have you built? /(allow answers)/
Using Legos, you can build castles, houses, helicopters, or ships.
Building is fun! Sometimes we help other people build things out of
Legos or other building blocks. When we are helping to build
something, we have to talk to the other people. What are some things
you talk about when you are helping someone build?...more
<http://www.sermonsuite.com/children-sermons.html>

 Author of 

 /Lectionary Scripture Notes/

 Dr. Norman A. Beck
<http://www.lectionaryscripturenotes.com/norman-beck>

 "Risky business writing a book like this one ... I loved it!" 

 ??? Leonard Sweet 

 <http://www.csspub.com/prod-078802616X.htm>

 Mark Elliott bares his soul as he takes a brutally honest look at
the real person we pastors are on the inside that few people ever
know. Each page speaks to the honest confessions inside and draws out
the hidden person in us all. /*This book is destined to set you
free!*/

 <http://www.csspub.com/prod-078802616X.htm>

 Copyright ? 1970 - 2009 CSS Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

 517 S. Main Street ??? Lima, OH 45804 ???http://www.csspub.com



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From robertpmorrison at charterinternet.com  Mon Aug  3 23:13:42 2009
From: robertpmorrison at charterinternet.com (Robert P Morrison)
Date: Mon, 3 Aug 2009 20:13:42 -0700
Subject: [Propertalk] Lectionary Scripture Notes for August 9,
 2009 (Proper 14 | OT 19 | Pentecost 10)
In-Reply-To: <4A779D37.3090100@ecunet.org>
Message-ID: <20090803231342.51DM7.1135216.root@mp15>

The prayer books leading up to the current (1979) one contain exhortations - there can be one right at the start of the Communion liturgy, exhorting people to come to penitence; there are also ones, of fair ferocity, which warn the congregation that Communion is to be celebrated the following Sunday and you'd better get your "house" in order before considering receiving.

http://justus.anglican.org/resources/bcp/

Looking at this site, you can bring up some of the older books and check then out. The principle exhortations usually come after the offertopry sentences.

I hope this helps.

Bob
--
Robert P. Morrison
The Episcopal Parish of St James,
PO Box 789
Lincoln City, Oregon, 97367

541-994-2426 (Church)



From hughstrickland at gmail.com  Mon Aug  3 23:18:42 2009
From: hughstrickland at gmail.com (J. Hugh Strickland)
Date: Mon, 3 Aug 2009 23:18:42 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] Lectionary Scripture Notes for August 9,
	2009 (Proper 14 | OT 19 | Pentecost 10)
In-Reply-To: <4A779D37.3090100@ecunet.org>
References: <20090803213723.9P6OQ.1129148.root@mp15>
	<4A779D37.3090100@ecunet.org>
Message-ID: <1AF8A53752064E45AE3C03A6B8B527E0@OwnerPC>

Dear Joe and Bob,

Liturgical humor is so esoteric.  but please let Brian know what you are talking about.  Live things up a bit!

+Hugh Strickland
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Brian Hazard 
  Cc: Propertalk 
  Sent: Monday, August 03, 2009 10:30 PM
  Subject: Re: [Propertalk] Lectionary Scripture Notes for August 9, 2009 (Proper 14 | OT 19 | Pentecost 10)


  Exhortations?  I'm United Methodist and the only Book of Common Prayer I have is dated (certified) 1979.  I found no exhortations.

  Robert P Morrison wrote: 
Thanks, Joe.

Through August we're having a Wednesday evening series of classes on Prayer Book ancestry - 1552, 1662, 1892, 1928 - and using these books on the Sunday following discussion. I have yet to make up my mind whether or not to follow these book's lectionaries. Or I could read the Exhortations! That ought to liven things up a bit!!

Thanks for the notes,

Bob
--
Robert P. Morrison
The Episcopal Parish of St James,
PO Box 789
Lincoln City, Oregon, 97367

541-994-2426 (Church)



_______________________________________________
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From robertpmorrison at charterinternet.com  Mon Aug  3 23:30:50 2009
From: robertpmorrison at charterinternet.com (Robert P Morrison)
Date: Mon, 3 Aug 2009 20:30:50 -0700
Subject: [Propertalk] Clarification re Exhortations
In-Reply-To: <20090803231342.51DM7.1135216.root@mp15>
Message-ID: <20090803233050.A5VK2.1135970.root@mp15>

The Exhortations to which I was referring are as follows. I hope they're of interest. The purpose was to lean heavily on the sinful nature of human beings as well as our laziness (in times past?) of receiving Communion.

They're not in the current book of common prayer, and probably won't resurface.

Bob

THE EXHORTATIONS

To be used when the Minister giveth warning for the celebration of the Holy Communion.

DEARLY beloved, on ?? I purpose, through God?s assistance, to administer to all such as shall be religiously and devoutly disposed the most comfortable Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ ; to be by them received in remembrance of his meritorious Cross and Passion; whereby alone we obtain remission of our sins, and are made partakers of the Kingdom of heaven.
    Wherefore it is our duty to render most humble and hearty thanks to Almighty God our heavenly Father, for that he hath given his Son our Saviour Jesus Christ, not only to die for us, but also to be our spiritual food and sustenance in that holy Sacrament.
    Which being so divine and comfortable a thing to them who receive it worthily, and so dangerous to them that will presume to receive it unworthily; my duty is to exhort you in the mean season to consider the dignity of that holy mystery, and the great peril of the unworthy receiving thereof; and so to search and examine your own consciences, (and that not lightly, and after the manner of dissemblers with God; but so) that ye may come holy and clean to such a heavenly Feast, in the marriage-garment required by God in holy Scripture, and be received as worthy partakers of that holy Table.
    The way and means thereto is; First, to examine your lives and conversations by the rule of God?s commandments; and whereinsoever ye shall perceive yourselves to have offended, either by will, word, or deed, there to bewail your own sinfulness, and to confess yourselves to Almighty God, with full purpose of amendment of life.
    And if ye shall perceive your offences to be such as are not only against God, but also against your neighbours; then ye shall reconcile yourselves unto them; being ready to make restitution and satisfaction, according to the uttermost of your powers, for all injuries and wrongs done by you to any other; and being likewise ready to forgive others that have offended you, as ye would have forgiveness of your offences at God?s hand: for otherwise the receiving of the Holy Communion doth nothing else but increase your guilt.
    Therefore if any of you be a blasphemer of God, an hinderer or slanderer of his Word, an adulterer, or be in malice, or envy, or in any other grievous crime, repent you of your sins, or else come not to that Holy Table.
    And because it is requisite, that no man should come to the holy Communion, but with a full trust in God?s mercy, and with a quiet conscience; therefore if there be any of you, who by this means cannot quiet his own conscience herein, but requireth further comfort or counsel, let him come to me, or to some other discreet and learned Minister of God?s Word, and open his grief; that by the ministry of God?s holy Word he may receive the benefit of absolution, together with ghostly counsel and advice, to the quieting of his conscience, and avoiding of all scruple and doubtfulness.


Or, in case he shall see the people negligent to come to the Holy Communion, instead of the former, he may use this Exhortation.


DEARLY beloved brethren, on I intend, by God?s grace, to celebrate the Lord?s Supper: unto which, in God?s behalf, I bid you all that are here present; and beseech you, for the Lord Jesus Christ?s sake, that ye will not refuse to come thereto, being so lovingly called and bidden by God himself.
    Ye know how grievous and unkind a thing it is, when a man hath prepared a rich feast, decked his table with all kind of provision, so that there lacketh nothing but the guests to sit down; and yet they who are called (without any cause) most unthankfully refuse to come. Which of you in such a case would not be moved? Who would not think a great injury and wrong done unto him? Wherefore, most dearly beloved in Christ, take ye good heed, lest ye, withdrawing yourselves from this holy Supper, provoke God?s indignation against you. It is an easy matter for a man to say, I will not communicate, because I am otherwise hindered with worldly business. But such excuses are not so easily accepted and allowed before God. If any man say, I am a grievous sinner, and therefore am afraid to come: wherefore then do ye not repent and amend? When God calleth you, are ye not ashamed to say ye will not come? When ye should return to God, will ye excuse yourselves, and say ye are not ready? Consider earnestly with yourselves how little such feigned excuses will avail before God. ?rhey that refused the feast in the Gospel, because they had bought a farm, or would try their yokes of oxen, or because they were married, were not so excused, but counted unworthy of the heavenly feast.
    I, for my part, shall be ready; and, according to mine office, I bid you in the name of God, I call you in Christ?s behalf, I exhort you, as ye love your own salvation, that ye will be partakers of this Holy Communion. And as the Son of God did vouchsafe to yield up his soul by death upon the Cross for your salvation; so it is your duty to receive the Communion in remembrance of the sacrifice of his death, as he himself hath commanded: which if ye shall neglect to do, consider with yourselves how great injury ye do unto God, and how sore punishment hangeth over your heads for the same; when ye wilfully abstain from the Lord?s Table, and separate from your brethren, who come to feed on the banquet of that most heavenly food.
    These things if ye earnestly consider, ye will by God?s grace return to a better mind: for the obtaining whereof we shall not cease to make our humble petitions unto Almighty God our heavenly Father.


--
Robert P. Morrison
The Episcopal Parish of St James,
PO Box 789
Lincoln City, Oregon, 97367

541-994-2426 (Church)



From jafcjr at charter.net  Mon Aug  3 23:48:08 2009
From: jafcjr at charter.net (J. A. Frazer Crocker, Jr.)
Date: Mon, 03 Aug 2009 20:48:08 -0700
Subject: [Propertalk] Lectionary Scripture Notes for August 9,
 2009 (Proper 14 | OT 19 | Pentecost 10)
In-Reply-To: <20090803231342.51DM7.1135216.root@mp15>
References: <20090803231342.51DM7.1135216.root@mp15>
Message-ID: <4A77AF78.1060104@charter.net>

There is an exhortation in the 1979 book on page 316, as part of the 
Rite I penitential order.
It is a conflation of the three exhortations (one of them quite 
daunting, as Bob says) which,
with some wording changes were in all BCPs up to 1979.  In 1928 BCP one 
of them was
required to be read on Advent I, Lent I, and Trinity Sunday.  Now its 
use is optional.


Robert P Morrison wrote:
> The prayer books leading up to the current (1979) one contain exhortations - there can be one right at the start of the Communion liturgy, exhorting people to come to penitence; there are also ones, of fair ferocity, which warn the congregation that Communion is to be celebrated the following Sunday and you'd better get your "house" in order before considering receiving.
>
> http://justus.anglican.org/resources/bcp/
>
> Looking at this site, you can bring up some of the older books and check then out. The principle exhortations usually come after the offertopry sentences.
>
> I hope this helps.
>
> Bob
> --
> Robert P. Morrison
> The Episcopal Parish of St James,
> PO Box 789
> Lincoln City, Oregon, 97367
>
> 541-994-2426 (Church)
>
> _______________________________________________
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-- 
J. A. Frazer Crocker, Jr.    
3541 Ocean View Drive        
Florence, OR 97439           
541-902-0554                        
E-mail: jafcjr at charter.net

"Searching for God is the first thing and the last,
 but in between such trouble, and such pain."
       --Jane Kenyon

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From robertpmorrison at charterinternet.com  Mon Aug  3 23:53:14 2009
From: robertpmorrison at charterinternet.com (Robert P Morrison)
Date: Mon, 3 Aug 2009 20:53:14 -0700
Subject: [Propertalk] Lectionary Scripture Notes for August 9,
 2009 (Proper 14 | OT 19 | Pentecost 10)
In-Reply-To: <4A77AF78.1060104@charter.net>
Message-ID: <20090803235314.4RJBD.1136804.root@mp15>

Thanks, Frazer - I forgot about the Exhortation you mentioned.

Bob

--
Robert P. Morrison
The Episcopal Parish of St James,
PO Box 789
Lincoln City, Oregon, 97367

541-994-2426 (Church)





From marengstrom at bresnan.net  Tue Aug  4 09:02:27 2009
From: marengstrom at bresnan.net (Marilyn Engstrom)
Date: Tue, 4 Aug 2009 07:02:27 -0600
Subject: [Propertalk] unsubscribe
In-Reply-To: <mailman.242.1249353110.21983.propertalk_stsams.org@stsams.org>
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Today's Topics:

   1. Lectionary Scripture Notes for August 9,	2009 (Proper 14 | OT
      19 | Pentecost 10) (Joe Parrish)
   2. Re: Lectionary Scripture Notes for August 9, 2009 (Proper 14
      | OT 19 | Pentecost 10) (Robert P Morrison)
   3. Re: Lectionary Scripture Notes for August 9, 2009 (Proper 14
      | OT 19 | Pentecost 10) (Brian Hazard)
   4. Fwd: Lectionary Scripture Notes for August 9,	2009 (Proper 14
      | OT 19 | Pentecost 10) (joeparrish at compuserve.com)


----------------------------------------------------------------------

Message: 1
Date: Mon, 3 Aug 2009 21:27:24 -0400
From: "Joe Parrish" <JoeParrish at compuserve.com>
Subject: [Propertalk] Lectionary Scripture Notes for August 9,	2009
	(Proper 14 | OT 19 | Pentecost 10)
To: "Propertalk" <Propertalk at stsams.org>
Cc: PROPERTALK.topic at ecunet.org
Message-ID: <115AC58DA3B4414D9CE9B7DDD379F566 at YOUR264F1833C5>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

[Delete if this is a duplicate message]
Proper 14 | OT 19 | Pentecost 10
John 6:35, 41-51

Within the similarities and differences between this account in John 6:35,
41-51 and the Mark 6:1-6a account describing activities of Jesus in his
hometown, we can see the distinction between "the Jesus of history" and "the
Christ of faith." In the Mark 6 account there is still a recollection of
Jesus, the Jesus of history, as a son of Joseph, as a 1st century Jewish
religious and political figure whose father Joseph and mother Mary had been
known to other Jews in the village of Nazareth. In John 6:35, 41-51,
however, and throughout the Fourth Gospel, Jesus is the Christ of faith, the
Son of God who is said to have pre-existed before the foundation of the
world was laid, who was the Logos, the "Word" by which the world was called
into being. As the Christ of faith in John 6, Jesus is presented as having
an exclusivistic claim to God as Father, as one who comes from God and has
seen God. It is affirmed that no one can come to Jesus as the Christ unless
God the Father draws that person to Jesus as the Christ, and that Jesus as
the Christ of faith will raise such a person from the dead on the last day.
The person who "eats" of this "bread from heaven" will not die. Jesus the
Christ as this "bread from heaven" is far superior to the manna that the
fathers of the 1st century Jews had eaten in the wilderness, for although
they ate they still died. According to John 6, the bread that the Johannine
Jesus as the Christ of faith will give for the life of the world is the
flesh of the Christ of faith, the Lamb of God who in Johannine terms "takes
away the sin of the world."

When this John 6:35, 41-51 text is read and when it forms the primary basis
for the worship service, we have an obligation to the people of the
congregations in which we serve to say something about the theological
development that occurred between perceiving Jesus as the Jesus of history,
one among several sons of Joseph and his wife Mary, and Jesus as the Christ
of faith, the only-begotten Son of God. If we do not indicate this
development and show that we are aware of this distinction, we shall be
propagating the longstanding and non-productive anti-Jewish polemic that is
associated with this text. If we do not share some of our understanding of
this theological development and of this distinction in perceptions of
Jesus, we shall simply be promulgating supersessionistic anti-Jewish polemic
without helping the thinking people within the congregations in which we
serve to come to a better understanding of the process in the development of
their Chris tian religion as the impact that the Jesus of history had made
on some of his followers was shaped by the inspiration of God into belief in
Jesus as the Christ of faith, one with God, through whom salvation and
eternal life is offered to all of us.

      LectionaryScriptureNotes.com is a free website that provides brief yet
probing exegetical commentary for: 
        a.. Pastors who need inspiration and idea starters for their sermons

        b.. Church musicians who want to coordinate music and hymn
selections with scriptural themes 
        c.. Anyone who wants deeper insight into each week's lectionary
passages 
      These background notes cover every assigned text in the Revised Common
Lectionary for each Sunday and major observance throughout the year. 

Ephesians 4:25--5:2

Here in Ephesians 4:25-5:2 we have the parenesis, the guidelines of how we
should respond to the proclamation that Jesus as the Christ provides eternal
life for us. As among those who as the "Body of Christ" are "in Christ," we
should put aside all bitterness, anger, and slander and replace them with
kindness and forgiveness. Then we will not grieve the Holy Spirit of God. We
are exhorted to be imitators of God and to conduct ourselves in a life that
is characterized by love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself for us as
a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. We see that by the time that this
section of the epistle "to the Ephesians" was written much reflection had
occurred within the thoughts of some of the followers of Jesus about the
significance of Jesus' life, of his death, and of his resurrection as the
Christ of faith. In some ways this Ephesians 4:25--5:2 text is similar to
that of the Fourth Gospel and of the "Epistle to the Hebrews," all of which
may stem from approximately the same period in the development of the early
Church.

1 Kings 19:4-8

The food that the Lord provided for Elijah in this Elijah story was so
nutritious that it sustained Elijah during his journey of forty days and
forty nights to the mountain of God at Horeb. It is said that Elijah would
have preferred to die under the broom tree, but the Lord would not permit
that to occur. Instead, the Lord permitted Elijah only to sleep, and then
through the intermediary of an angel in this story twice touched him and
told him to eat the freshly baked cake and the jar of water provided for him
so that he would be strengthened. This story about Elijah obviously has a
message for us also in our discouragement and in our need.

Psalm 34:1-8

This Individual Hymn of Praise and Thanksgiving is appropriately used in
conjunction with the Elijah story in 1 Kings 19:4-8. It is a poetic, hymnic
rendition of the Elijah story situation. The psalmist cried unto the Lord,
and the Lord heard the psalmist. The angel of the Lord is said to camp
around those who fear the Lord in order to deliver them. "O taste and see
that the Lord is good" can be understood metaphorically, or almost literally
with reference to the freshly baked cakes of the Elijah story in 1 Kings
19:4-8 or of the bread and wine of the Christian Eucharist.

2 Samuel 18:5-9, 15, 31-33

The situation depicted here is most understandable to those who have
participated in war and battle conditions in which the combatants are
conditioned to do everything possible to destroy the enemy and to preserve
one's own life and the lives of one's buddies. David as king confounds his
general and the men who are engaged in the horrible conditions of battle in
behalf of David and of the nation in his desire to spare the life of his own
son Absalom who has rebelled against David. We are torn as we read and hear
this story between identification with David as a father trying to save his
son from death and with Joab and the soldiers under Joab's command who are
being killed or injured because of the horrible civil war that was caused by
David and by David's son. Perhaps this text should be used in high school
and adult Bible study sessions rather than in a worship setting, so that we
will be able to share and discuss our feelings. The story provides a g ood
opportunity for those who have been involved in the horrors of military
combat to talk within a supportive congregational setting about their
experiences and their feelings.

Psalm 130

Out of the depths of despair the psalmist cries for help from the Lord. The
psalmist waits for the Lord to come, for the Lord to rescue the psalmist and
to rescue the people of Israel. Although the situation depicted in this
prayer is not specifically a situation of war and of the horrible conditions
endured during battle conditions, the psalm certainly can be associated with
war, as it is when the reading of this psalm is linked to the 2 Samuel
18:5-9, 15, 31-33 reading.
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------------------------------

Message: 2
Date: Mon, 3 Aug 2009 18:37:23 -0700
From: Robert P Morrison <robertpmorrison at charterinternet.com>
Subject: Re: [Propertalk] Lectionary Scripture Notes for August 9,
	2009 (Proper 14 | OT 19 | Pentecost 10)
To: Propertalk <Propertalk at stsams.org>, Joe Parrish
	<JoeParrish at compuserve.com>
Message-ID: <20090803213723.9P6OQ.1129148.root at mp15>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8

Thanks, Joe.

Through August we're having a Wednesday evening series of classes on Prayer
Book ancestry - 1552, 1662, 1892, 1928 - and using these books on the Sunday
following discussion. I have yet to make up my mind whether or not to follow
these book's lectionaries. Or I could read the Exhortations! That ought to
liven things up a bit!!

Thanks for the notes,

Bob
--
Robert P. Morrison
The Episcopal Parish of St James,
PO Box 789
Lincoln City, Oregon, 97367

541-994-2426 (Church)





------------------------------

Message: 3
Date: Mon, 03 Aug 2009 21:30:15 -0500
From: Brian Hazard <Brian.Hazard at ecunet.org>
Subject: Re: [Propertalk] Lectionary Scripture Notes for August 9,
	2009 (Proper 14 | OT 19 | Pentecost 10)
Cc: Propertalk <Propertalk at stsams.org>
Message-ID: <4A779D37.3090100 at ecunet.org>
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------------------------------

Message: 4
Date: Mon, 3 Aug 2009 20:24:12 -0500
From: joeparrish at compuserve.com
Subject: [Propertalk] Fwd: Lectionary Scripture Notes for August 9,
	2009 (Proper 14 | OT 19 | Pentecost 10)
To: Propertalk at stsams.org
Message-ID:
	
<382b09600760eb775ac8715bbf0e5fdb at thisweek.lectionaryscripturenotes.com>
	
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"

 Click here to view as web page.
<http://www.lectionaryscripturenotes.com/newsletter.html>

 <http://www.lectionaryscripturenotes.com/>

 This Week's Texts

 John 6:35, 41-51

 Ephesians 4:25--5:2

 1 Kings 19:4-8

 2 Samuel 18:5-9, 15, 31-33

 Psalm 130

 <http://www.lectionaryscripturenotes.com/>

 <http://www.lectionaryscripturenotes.com/about>

 <http://www.lectionaryscripturenotes.com/norman-beck>

 <http://www.lectionaryscripturenotes.com/looking-ahead>

 "Chock full of illustrations that bring God's word alive"

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emerging unity in the diverse communities of the Namibian church.
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sermons. They are both a joy and a challenge to read./

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 The Bible has its share of sensational literature, and this book's
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that these curious tales will stir the blood while evoking laughter
and tears. With themes such as grace, forgiveness, and redemption set
against the background of rebellion, drunkenness, sexual infidelity,
and even bloody revenge, these two-fisted, no-holds-barred Bible
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 <http://www.csspub.com/prod-0788026127.htm>

 ...for comfort and release in times of turmoil

 <http://www.csspub.com/prod-978-0-7880-2555-6.htm>

 /It's a lovely thought that through one's congregation we can gain,
and also give to each other, help in times of despair. Ron Lavin
illustrates this principle elegantly in the following chapters as he
examines the passages in John's gospel concerning the admonition not
to despair. John quotes Jesus as saying to his disciples reassuring
words such as, "Do not let your hearts be troubled..." Lavin covers
the rest John has to say on the subject very well. Do not despair and
do read on./

 ? Jerry L. Schmalenberger, President, Pacific Lutheran Theological
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 Berkeley, California

 <http://www.csspub.com/prod-978-0-7880-2555-6.htm>

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Chaplain Emilio Marrero tells a fascinating story of war, compassion,
struggles, faith, and ancient biblical history in a country that we
read about daily -- Iraq./

 -- Rear Admiral Fred Metz, US Navy (Retired)

 <http://www.csspub.com/prod-0788026178.htm>

 LectionaryScriptureNotes.com is a free website that provides brief
yet probing exegetical commentary for:
 
 Pastors who need inspiration and idea starters for their sermons
 Church musicians who want to coordinate music and hymn selections
with scriptural themes
 Anyone who wants deeper insight into each week's lectionary passages
 
 These background notes cover every assigned text in the Revised
Common Lectionary for each Sunday and major observance throughout the
year.

 Proper 14 | OT 19 | Pentecost 10
 John 6:35, 41-51

 Within the similarities and differences between this account in John
6:35, 41-51 and the Mark 6:1-6a account describing activities of Jesus
in his hometown, we can see the distinction between "the Jesus of
history" and "the Christ of faith." In the Mark 6 account there is
still a recollection of Jesus, the Jesus of history, as a son of
Joseph, as a 1st century Jewish religious and political figure whose
father Joseph and mother Mary had been known to other Jews in the
village of Nazareth. In John 6:35, 41-51, however, and throughout the
Fourth Gospel, Jesus is the Christ of faith, the Son of God who is
said to have pre-existed before the foundation of the world was laid,
who was the Logos, the "Word" by which the world was called into
being. As the Christ of faith in John 6, Jesus is presented as having
an exclusivistic claim to God as Father, as one who comes from God and
has seen God. It is affirmed that no one can come to Jesus as the
Christ unless God the Father draws that person to Jesus as the Christ,
and that Jesus as the Christ of faith will raise such a person from
the dead on the last day. The person who "eats" of this "bread from
heaven" will not die. Jesus the Christ as this "bread from heaven" is
far superior to the manna that the fathers of the 1st century Jews had
eaten in the wilderness, for although they ate they still died.
According to John 6, the bread that the Johannine Jesus as the Christ
of faith will give for the life of the world is the flesh of the
Christ of faith, the Lamb of God who in Johannine terms "takes away
the sin of the world."

 When this John 6:35, 41-51 text is read and when it forms the
primary basis for the worship service, we have an obligation to the
people of the congregations in which we serve to say something about
the theological development that occurred between perceiving Jesus as
the Jesus of history, one among several sons of Joseph and his wife
Mary, and Jesus as the Christ of faith, the only-begotten Son of God.
If we do not indicate this development and show that we are aware of
this distinction, we shall be propagating the longstanding and
non-productive anti-Jewish polemic that is associated with this text.
If we do not share some of our understanding of this theological
development and of this distinction in perceptions of Jesus, we shall
simply be promulgating supersessionistic anti-Jewish polemic without
helping the thinking people within the congregations in which we serve
to come to a better understanding of the process in the development of
their Christian religion as the impact that the Jesus of history had
made on some of his followers was shaped by the inspiration of God
into belief in Jesus as the Christ of faith, one with God, through
whom salvation and eternal life is offered to all of us.

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 Ephesians 4:25--5:2

 Here in Ephesians 4:25-5:2 we have the parenesis, the guidelines of
how we should respond to the proclamation that Jesus as the Christ
provides eternal life for us. As among those who as the "Body of
Christ" are "in Christ," we should put aside all bitterness, anger,
and slander and replace them with kindness and forgiveness. Then we
will not grieve the Holy Spirit of God. We are exhorted to be
imitators of God and to conduct ourselves in a life that is
characterized by love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself for us
as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. We see that by the time
that this section of the epistle "to the Ephesians" was written much
reflection had occurred within the thoughts of some of the followers
of Jesus about the significance of Jesus' life, of his death, and of
his resurrection as the Christ of faith. In some ways this Ephesians
4:25--5:2 text is similar to that of the Fourth Gospel and of the
"Epistle to the Hebrews," all of which may stem from approximately the
same period in the development of the early Church.

 1 Kings 19:4-8

 The food that the Lord provided for Elijah in this Elijah story was
so nutritious that it sustained Elijah during his journey of forty
days and forty nights to the mountain of God at Horeb. It is said that
Elijah would have preferred to die under the broom tree, but the Lord
would not permit that to occur. Instead, the Lord permitted Elijah
only to sleep, and then through the intermediary of an angel in this
story twice touched him and told him to eat the freshly baked cake and
the jar of water provided for him so that he would be strengthened.
This story about Elijah obviously has a message for us also in our
discouragement and in our need.

 Psalm 34:1-8

 This Individual Hymn of Praise and Thanksgiving is appropriately
used in conjunction with the Elijah story in 1 Kings 19:4-8. It is a
poetic, hymnic rendition of the Elijah story situation. The psalmist
cried unto the Lord, and the Lord heard the psalmist. The angel of the
Lord is said to camp around those who fear the Lord in order to
deliver them. "O taste and see that the Lord is good" can be
understood metaphorically, or almost literally with reference to the
freshly baked cakes of the Elijah story in 1 Kings 19:4-8 or of the
bread and wine of the Christian Eucharist.

 2 Samuel 18:5-9, 15, 31-33

 The situation depicted here is most understandable to those who have
participated in war and battle conditions in which the combatants are
conditioned to do everything possible to destroy the enemy and to
preserve one's own life and the lives of one's buddies. David as king
confounds his general and the men who are engaged in the horrible
conditions of battle in behalf of David and of the nation in his
desire to spare the life of his own son Absalom who has rebelled
against David. We are torn as we read and hear this story between
identification with David as a father trying to save his son from
death and with Joab and the soldiers under Joab's command who are
being killed or injured because of the horrible civil war that was
caused by David and by David's son. Perhaps this text should be used
in high school and adult Bible study sessions rather than in a worship
setting, so that we will be able to share and discuss our feelings.
The story provides a good opportunity for those who have been involved
in the horrors of military combat to talk within a supportive
congregational setting about their experiences and their feelings.

 Psalm 130

 Out of the depths of despair the psalmist cries for help from the
Lord. The psalmist waits for the Lord to come, for the Lord to rescue
the psalmist and to rescue the people of Israel. Although the
situation depicted in this prayer is not specifically a situation of
war and of the horrible conditions endured during battle conditions,
the psalm certainly can be associated with war, as it is when the
reading of this psalm is linked to the 2 Samuel 18:5-9, 15, 31-33
reading.

 Click here for future days.
<http://www.lectionaryscripturenotes.com/looking-ahead>

 <http://www.csspub.com/prod-0788018019.htm>

 <http://www.sermonsuite.com>

 				Mary Austin 

 A New Society In Christ?

 In verse 31, Paul gives advice that seems eerily prescient: "Put
away from you all bitterness and wrath and anger and wrangling and
slander, together with all malice, and be kind to one another,
tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven
you." Perhaps Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. and Cambridge
police officer James Crowley would have done well to follow that
advice last week. Though only those two gentlemen (and God) know the
true details that led to Gates' arrest for disorderly conduct, the
incident -- particularly in the wake of President Obama's comments on
the matter -- has led to a renewed national conversation on race and
racial profiling. Mary Austin will examine not only how following
Paul's guidelines can make us into better people in Christ, but also
how doing so individually in great numbers can make us over
collectively into a new society in Christ -- one that is marked by
tolerance, lack of fear, lack of anger, and racial harmony....more
<http://www.sermonsuite.com/index.php?s=tiw>

 Holy Believing

 No one wants to die. Yet who among us would like to live forever?
This is our paradox. This is our dilemma. To die means the end of what
we are and have; it signifies also the cessation of whatever yet we
had hoped to be. But wouldn't living forever be equally undesirable?
For it holds out endlessness and sameness, like Shakespeare's
"Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow..." On the other hand, however,
who would want to play a harp throughout all time, or listen endlessly
to "The Hallelujah Chorus"? It is obvious that such questions and
thinking are colored and even determined by our worldly concepts. Our
idioms come from the vocabulary of time and space...more
<http://www.sermonsuite.com/index.php?s=stu>

 <http://www.sermonsuite.com/emphasis-online.html>

 <http://www.sermonsuite.com/emphasis-online.html>

 				David Kalas

 Appetites

 From our very first day out of the womb, we are introduced to the
experience of hunger. I suspect that we don't understand it much at
first; we just feel it. And when we feel it, it makes us cry. As we
grow up, our hunger may make us cry less and less, but it remains a
strong feeling. Our understanding of the feeling remains imperfect. We
are certainly better equipped than a newborn to recognize what we are
feeling, but still it is often unclear to us. We think we're hungry at
times when what we're really feeling is tired. Sometimes boredom
masquerades as hunger. Sadness and discouragement, likewise, can
prompt us to want to eat...more
<http://www.sermonsuite.com/emphasis-online.html>

 <http://www.sermonsuite.com/storyshare.html>

 <http://www.sermonsuite.com/storyshare.html>

 				David O. Bales 			

 The Final Robert

 Everything seemed strange. The church was long and dark, and from
the back it was difficult to see in the subdued light. The extreme
strangeness began with the first speaker. "When the final Robert was
the original Bobby we had to play his games. At anyone else's birthday
he was always last to come to the table; and, if we were going
somewhere for someone else's birthday, we had to sit and wait for him
until Dad blew the horn a couple times." Other people spoke, and then
Aunt Virginia. Didn't she die ten years ago? "We gave the final Robert
all the chances we gave others -- the hugs and presents, and we
listened to his childhood concerns. Yet he was the child of the
permanent scowl and the word 'No' "...more
<http://www.sermonsuite.com/storyshare.html>

 <http://www.sermonsuite.com/the-village-shepherd.html>

 <http://www.sermonsuite.com/the-village-shepherd.html>

 				Janice Scott 

 Unnoticed Gifts

 When Jesus was on this earth, some people realized what a huge and
wonderful gift from God they'd been given. But others were
antagonistic and hostile, and in effect threw the gift back into God's
face. It started in Nazareth, Jesus' own village. There were all sorts
of murmurings against Jesus. "Isn't this the guy we grew up with? How
could he be anything special? Get him out of here!" And Jesus was
unable to perform many miracles in his home village, because of the
attitude of those who knew him well. In today's gospel we see the
discontent spreading...more
<http://www.sermonsuite.com/the-village-shepherd.html>

 <http://www.sermonsuite.com/children-sermons.html>

 <http://www.sermonsuite.com/children-sermons.html>

 				Leah Thompson 

 Building 

 Others Up

 *Object: Legos*

 How many of you have played with Legos before? /(allow answers)/ How
many of you build things with K'nex or Lincoln Logs? Building things
can be a lot of fun! There are all kinds of things you can build with
building blocks. What kind of things have you built? /(allow answers)/
Using Legos, you can build castles, houses, helicopters, or ships.
Building is fun! Sometimes we help other people build things out of
Legos or other building blocks. When we are helping to build
something, we have to talk to the other people. What are some things
you talk about when you are helping someone build?...more
<http://www.sermonsuite.com/children-sermons.html>

 Author of 

 /Lectionary Scripture Notes/

 Dr. Norman A. Beck
<http://www.lectionaryscripturenotes.com/norman-beck>

 "Risky business writing a book like this one ... I loved it!" 

 ? Leonard Sweet 

 <http://www.csspub.com/prod-078802616X.htm>

 Mark Elliott bares his soul as he takes a brutally honest look at
the real person we pastors are on the inside that few people ever
know. Each page speaks to the honest confessions inside and draws out
the hidden person in us all. /*This book is destined to set you
free!*/

 <http://www.csspub.com/prod-078802616X.htm>

 Copyright ? 1970 - 2009 CSS Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

 517 S. Main Street ? Lima, OH 45804 ?http://www.csspub.com



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From annfontaine at mac.com  Tue Aug  4 10:24:58 2009
From: annfontaine at mac.com (Ann Fontaine)
Date: Tue, 04 Aug 2009 07:24:58 -0700
Subject: [Propertalk] emergent psalter
Message-ID: <EE22764E-FBCD-443D-9DBD-FB44421011B2@mac.com>

New settings for the psalms

Psalm 130

http://www.isaaceverett.com/2009/08/04/psalm-130-todd-and-angie-fadel/



Ann Fontaine c3
Lander, Wyoming


4328







From joeparrish at compuserve.com  Wed Aug  5 09:25:30 2009
From: joeparrish at compuserve.com (joeparrish at compuserve.com)
Date: Wed, 05 Aug 2009 09:25:30 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] Fwd: [Goodsermons] Free Preaching Resources John 6:35,
	41-51
In-Reply-To: <20090804171018.55EF313B874B@mail.vaxicom.com>
References: <20090804171018.55EF313B874B@mail.vaxicom.com>
Message-ID: <8CBE3E7569B13C4-ED0-6E4@angweb-usm004.sysops.aol.com>

???Forwarded:


-----Original Message-----
From: Office <office at goodpreacher.com>
To: Goodsermons at GoodPreacher.com
Sent: Tue, Aug 4, 2009 12:42 pm
Subject: [Goodsermons] Free Preaching Resources

PREACHING THE LESSON: John 6:35, 41-51

The connections between this text and the Eucharist are strong. Jesus??? 
words in verse 35 bring comfort like an old familiar hymn sung by 
saints of every time and place. The final verse of this passage (v. 51) 
has sparked debate among liturgical scholars for centuries. By paying 
close attention to the verses in between, as well, preaching may be 
able to provide new relevance, not only for our Eucharistic practices, 
but for our daily lives.

If the qu
 estion which began last week???s sermon was, ???What???s for 
lunch????, then the question for this week???s sermon text is, ???Who???s 
making supper???? In this week???s text we find questions about who 
actually can feed us in a life-giving way and what is being served. In 
a nation where one out of every ten people is underfed, these are not 
trivial questions. For ancient Christians, as well as contemporary 
ones, these questions are crucial in revealing how God intends for 
people to live and be fed.
??
Who is making dinner? Drive with me over to the local grocery store and 
watch those weary weekday warriors searching for a parking space and 

 I???ll show you who is making dinner. It is 5:35 p.m. following a day of 
work and the aisles are clogged with moms and dads, singles and 
seniors, all searching the shelves for affordable food for themselves 
and their families. Gathering into baskets their daily manna, now 
packaged in boxes, cans, and cartons, they take their place in a line, 
silently waiting for their items to be weighed, scanned, and assessed, 
their daily wages to be exchanged for nourishment. No wonder the faces 
of people in supermarkets look so empty and lifeless. Making dinner is 
often a thankless task and a duty for those who see the future holding 
only the preparation of their next meal. It is made even more
  mundane 
by the contemporary supermarket that sterilizes, compartmentalizes, and 
depersonalizes this essentially social custom of eating and drinking to 
the point that it no longer seems to have any relationship to God, the 
earth, or human community.
??
Do churches correct that misperception? Our concern over sanitation has 
changed the sacramental practices of some Christian churches. Nothing 
reflects this change more than the pre-packaged, individualized 
communion elements that are passed from stranger to stranger in the 
pews. Pull back the cellophane to unveil the uniformly constructed 
???body of Christ??? conveniently nestled over a plastic container of ???the 
blood of Christ,??? a
 s if the portable bread and juice have been taken 
 from a heavenly lunch box packed by Jesus. It is hard to call this 
stuff ???living bread.??? When congregants complain about eating from a 
loaf after it has been touched by the hands of other people, the 
intended ???communion??? with God and neighbor has already been shattered 
by ???murmuring.???
??
People of all religious traditions practice some form of common meal as 
a sacred ritual that connects humanity with God. The sharing of food 
models the interconnection of human beings with each other, the Source 
of creation, and the earth itself. For Christians, this ???breaking 
bread??? provides a window 20into the nature of God as Trinity, an eternal 
life shared among three persons. The self-giving of Jesus revealed in 
this meal introduces a model of ongoing community through the 
continuous cycle of self-giving in God???s economy on earth.1 When asked, 
???Who is making dinner???? Christians may answer, ???Jesus, the self-giving 
of God in human flesh??? is making dinner, not just for us, but for the 
whole world.
??
So, what is Jesus serving? ???The bread that I will give for the life of 
the world is my flesh,??? says Jesus. Remember the earlier words in 
John???s gospel (1:14) that declared that the same Word that was 
participating from the beginning
  in the creation of the world actually 
became flesh and lived on earth. This fleshly, eternal Word sent from 
God will share himself completely with everyone who is willing to be 
connected to his humanity and who can believe that this connection will 
bring life, even in the face of death.

In our city, faith groups provide most of the support for persons 
without permanent homes or adequate supplies of food. One of those 
groups is the Metropolitan Inter-faith Association (MIFA),2 formed in 
Memphis in 1968 as an outgrowth of inter-faith efforts to address the 
social inequities of that time. The presenting issue was the sanitation 
worker???s strike (an event which brought Martin Luther 
 King, Jr. to the 
city where his life was ended by an assassin???s bullet). When clergy 
came together to speak out against racial and economic injustice, the 
community responded in outrage that these people of God dared to take a 
stand on such controversial issues. This reaction convinced religious 
leaders that future efforts to combat injustice must arise from unified 
voices and actions, so they joined in a common action to create MIFA. 
Now over fifty years old, MIFA provides services for 60,000 persons 
annually who find themselves outside the circle of self-sufficiency in 
society. People are fed. Lives are saved.

Another simple program in the city is called, ???More on Monday,??
 ? because 
it supplements what other programs are already doing. The director of 
this effort is a young adult who knows first hand what life is like on 
the streets. Although years of reckless living left this person with 
limited resources and a life-threatening illness, this person has 
entered a life of service to others who hunger and thirst on a daily 
basis. On each Monday afternoon, a group of homeless people receive 
baggies of food and bottles of water from the trunk of a car driven by 
a person who knows their needs, having once walked the same pathways 
that they now walk.

Who is making dinner and what is being served? Jesus sets the table of 
God???s cosmic ban
 quet and invites us to dine on the generosity of his 
own self-giving. Within this economy all receive what they need each 
day, not because they are good consumers, but because God is a good and 
merciful provider.

Mary Lin Hudson
Professor of Homiletics and Liturgics
Memphis Theological Seminary

Notes
1. For a newly published perspective on this subject see Angel F. 
Mendez Montoya, The Theology of Food, Eating and the Eucharist 
(Illuminations: Theory & Religion), (Wiley-Blackwell, 2009).
2. www.mifa.org/ourhistory

(Subscribers to GoodPreacher.com have access to more than 60 articles 
and sermons on the texts this week like the one above. For a limited 
time, we invite all pastors to=2
 0subscribe at the student rate of $49.99.)

Be sure to check out the free preaching resources at 
www.GoodPreacher.com (Homiletical Hot Tub) and see below for a free 
preaching article on this Sunday's Gospel text.

Register for the 2010 Festival of Homiletics and then purchase audio 
recordings of the 2009 Festival of Homiletics.
Go to the revised Festival of Homiletics site at www.GoodPreacher.com 
and click on link to purchase recordings.

Reserve your room at Go to the revised Festival of Homiletics site at 
www.GoodPreacher.com and click on link to purchase recordings.

Reserve your room at Scarritt Bennett Center, (866)-420-5486, 1008 19th 
Ave. South, *near Vanderbilt University; not within wal
 king distance to 
First Baptist Church; approximately 10 minute drive; on bus route to 
downtown (see nashvillemta.org); $45 (standard), $62 (upgraded: tv and 
high speed internet). These rooms will fill up fast since we have 
another great lineup of speakers and musicians.

Free article for 08.09.2009: (Subscribers to GoodPreacher.com have 
access to more than 60 articles and sermons on the texts this week like 
the one below. For a limited time, we invite all pastors to subscribe 
at the student rate of $49.99.)
To unsubscribe from this email list please send an email to
Office at GoodPreacher.com
and put UNSUBSCRIBE in the subject line.
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From joeparrish at compuserve.com  Wed Aug  5 09:32:36 2009
From: joeparrish at compuserve.com (joeparrish at compuserve.com)
Date: Wed, 05 Aug 2009 09:32:36 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] Fwd: Sermon Resources for August 9th
In-Reply-To: <676856C474C84B88AAC679917BFD211A@yourw04gtxld67>
References: <676856C474C84B88AAC679917BFD211A@yourw04gtxld67>
Message-ID: <8CBE3E854381D6F-ED0-6E7@angweb-usm004.sysops.aol.com>

???Forwarded:


-----Original Message-----
From: Sermons.com <illustrations at CLERGY.NET>
To: ESERMONS-WEEKLY at MAIL.IHS.NET
Sent: Mon, Aug 3, 2009 1:05 pm
Subject: Sermon Resources for August 9th




Sermon Resources for Proper 14:

??

????????John 6:35, 41-51?? - ??Jesus: Liar, Lunatic, Legend, or Lord?
?????? Ephesians 4:25-5:2 ??-?? Tinctures of Truth in the Tincture of Time

??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????by Leonard Sweet

??
John 6, the sermon titled ???Jesus: Liar, Lunatic, Legend, or Lord"

Before
  we read the text for this morning I am going to ask you to do 
something a little different. I want you to listen to the reading not 
with a heart of faith but with a skeptical mind. If it helps, imagine 
that you do not know that Jesus is anything else but a teacher. You are 
a first century person who has just been introduced to him. [Read John 
6:35, 41-51]

Pretty incredible isn't it? For someone to make such claims. What if, 
later today, you were introduced to someone and that someone said, "Hi, 
I am the bread that has came down from heaven." You would look at your 
friend who just introduced you to this person and you would say, "I'm 
sorry, what did he just 
 say?" Anyone who seriously made such claims 
would easily be labeled a kook, a nut, certifiable.

??

C.S. Lewis, in his book "Mere Christianity," makes the following 
statement about Jesus: "A man who was merely a man and said the sort of 
things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either 
be a lunatic--on the level with a man who says he is a poached egg--or 
he would be the devil of hell. You must take your choice. Either this 
was, and is, the Son of God, or else a madman or something worse. You 
can shut him up for a fool or you can fall at his feet and call him 
Lord and God. But let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about 

 his being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us."

??

Throughout the book Lewis argues for the truthfulness and importance of 
the Christian faith. But before we go any further, let me recommend 
this: If you have a friend who has doubts about the Christian faith, go 
get this book "Mere Christianity" and give it to them. If they are 
honest in their doubts it will overcome many of them. In the book you 
will find the following idea put forth: Jesus was either a liar, 
lunatic, legend, or Lord.

??

This scene from Jesus' life (John 6:41-52) demonstrates these four 
possibilities. Jesus is either...

??

1. A Liar

2. A Lunatic 0D

3. A Legend

4. Or Lord

??

The rest of this sermon following the outline above can be obtained by 
joining www.eSermons.com.
_________________________________

??

Second Sermon by Len Sweet

Ephesians 4, the sermon entitled ???Tinctures of Truth in the Tincture of 
Time"

??

Our lectionary reading from Ephesians this morning offers a healing 
ointment to a church that is sick and in need of salve, a word from 
which we drive our word ???salvation.???

??

This morning I have before me some salves I grew up with: a bottle of 
iodine, a bottle of merthiolate, a bottle of mercurochrome. [It will 
not be easy to f
 ind these except by asking some of your older members 
if they still have any samples in their medicine chests.]

??

Here are their replacements today: bacitracin, neosporin. [These will 
be easy to find.]

??

We don???t have either mercurochrome or merthiolate because both these 
compounds contained mercury, one mercury and bromine (Mercurochrome) 
and the other mercury and sodium (merthiolate). The FDA has decided 
that things with mercury in them were not good for you, which sounds 
about right to me. But why you can have mercury in your mouth through 
tooth fillings, or mercury in your home through fluorescent bulbs, and 
not in anti-bacterial medicines and antiseptics is 20a mystery to me.

??

But let???s see this morning how many of you remember being tortured by 
your parents with the germ-killing sting of a tincture of iodine or a 
tincture of merthiolate. Raise your hand. . . . My parents never used 
mercurochrome because it didn???t sting, and thus it couldn???t possibly be 
working to wipe out bacteria.

??

Those of you who put your hands up know that these killer fluids came 
in tiny brown bottles with a long glass dropper inside. [If you don???t 
have the real thing, you will need to make sure they can picture it.] 
The glass dropper would hover over whatever wound was being treated, a 
scraped knee, a
  sliced toe, a de-slivered finger-tip, while the howling 
child (that???s you) waited for that first bright red drop of medicine to 
hit home???

??

Outside of the chemistry lab, though, a ???tincture??? has come to be 
recognized as a generic term for a kind of healing, restorative tonic. 
Originally many of the healing ???tinctures??? were herbal infusions ??? 
gentle healers, less concentrated, and less medicinally recognized, as 
the twentieth century wore on.

??

The key to an herbal ???tincture??? was not unlike making a good cup of 
tea. It required ???steeping time??? ??? letting the restorative agents just 
???sit 20and soak??? until the greatest part of their essence had seeped out 
into the surrounding liquid. Eventually, savvy parents began 
subtracting the herbs and opting for a simpler, purer form of healing ??? 
a ???tincture of time.??? In layman???s terms, ???let time heal the wound.???

??

In today???s Ephesians text the Body of Christ is being gently dosed (not 
hosed) with some healing tinctures ??? infusions of character, attitude, 
practice, and patience that will work together and synergize to create 
a stronger, healthier ???body.??? All the qualities, the ???virtues??? today???s 
text advocates, require the ???tincture of time???=E
 2??

??

The rest of Leonard Sweet's sermon can be obtained by joining 
www.eSermons.com.

??

Click here:?? http://www.esermons.com/signup or call 1-800-777-7731 to 
join.

??

________________________________

??

Stewardship Campaign: A complete approach to stewardship.?? Please click 
here for more information

??

http://www.sermons.com/sampleStewardship.asp

??

_________________________________

??

Clothed in Human Flesh

??

Next to the Bible, my favorite book is Harper Lee's award-winning 
novel, "To Kill a Mockingbird." I love both the book and the movie. The 
main character, the one who tells the story, is 
 a little girl named 
Jean Louise Finch, who goes by the name of Scout. Her father, Atticus 
Finch, is the town's lawyer and a man of deep principles and integrity. 
I always wanted to grow up and be like Atticus Finch.

??

One day, Scout came home from school and told her father about some 
problems she was having with the teacher and several other students. In 
an effort to help her get along better with others, Atticus gave her 
this advice:

??

"First of all, if you can learn a simple trick, Scout, you'll get along 
a lot better with all kinds of folks. You never really understand a 
person until you consider things from his point of view... until you 
 
climb into his skin and walk around in it."

??

That's exactly what Jesus did. Clothed in human flesh, Jesus felt pain 
as we feel pain. He suffered as we suffer. He even experienced death. 
Jesus climbed into our skin and walked around in it.

??

Billy D. Strayhorn, Beyond Skin Deep

________________________

??

Our Christian Landmarks

??

During World War II allied armies marched into Germany on their way to 
Berlin. Retreating German soldiers switched road signs and destroyed 
landmarks in an effort to confuse their enemy. And, to an extent, it 
worked, for many a G.I. followed a false marker only to end up in the 
wrong place. Th
 at just goes to show the need for landmarks, the 
importance of reliable signposts by which to steer.

??

Here locally, landmarks like the courthouse, the river, the college, or 
the bridge are important in helping us find our bearings. Why, if some 
villain came in one night and removed our signposts, the next day would 
become a bewildering jumble of uncertainties, and we'd all be lost.??

??

The text is about landmarks. It refers to the Jewish custom of setting 
boundary stones to mark out property. Just as we do today, so our 
Hebrew forefathers did then. Wells, fords, buildings, and stone 
sentinels were their guides. Hence the strict law: "Remove not the 
ancie
 nt landmark which your fathers have set."??

??

We live in a day of rapid change, and this law is being grossly 
ignored. Our history is being bulldozed to clear the way for 
development. Some professors are twisting the guideposts in the minds 
and hearts of our students. Traditions are forgotten, manners ignored. 
The result is a kind of chaos -- social confusion and rootless 
individualism. We live in a society that's lost its bearings and is 
adrift on a sea of change.??

??

The Lord's Table is a landmark. For nearly 2,000 years Christians have 
been gathering to eat this meal. And, for all, it can be the means of 
getting one's bearings.

??
=0
 A
Stephen M. Crotts, Sermons for Sundays after Pentecost, CSS Publishing

??

____________________________

??

A Reminder of Our True Home

??

The influence that??food can have on us appears in a Chinese story 
originally told by Linda Fang. She presented this story at the 
Smithsonian Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, Washington, D.C., March 19, 1988.
??
At the foot of a great mountain in China lived a father and his three 
sons.?? They were a simple and loving family.??The father noticed that 
travelers came from afar eager to climb the dangerous mountain.?? But 
not one of them ever returned! The three sons heard stories about the 
mountain, how it=2
 0was made all of gold and silver at the top.?? Despite 
their father's warnings, they could not resist venturing up the 
mountain.
??
Along the way, under a tree, sat a beggar, but the sons did not speak 
to him or give him anything.?? They ignored him. One by one, the sons 
disappeared up the mountain, the first to a house of rich food, the 
second to a house of fine wine, the third to a house of gambling.?? Each 
became a slave to his desire and forgot his home.?? Meanwhile, their 
father became heartsick.?? He missed them terribly.?? "Danger aside," he 
said, "I must find my sons."
??
Once he scaled the mountain, the father found that indeed the rocks 
 
were gold, the streams silver.?? But he hardly noticed.?? He only wanted 
to reach his sons, to help them remember the life of love they once 
knew.?? On the way down, having failed to find them, the father noticed 
the beggar under the tree and asked for his advice.
??
"The mountain will give your sons back," said the beggar, "only if you 
bring something from home to cause them to remember the love of their 
family."
??
The father raced home, brought back a bowl full of rice, and gave the 
beggar some as a thank-you for his wisdom.?? He then found his sons, one 
at a time, and carefully placed a grain of rice on the tongue of each 
of them.?? At=2
 0that moment, the sons recognized their foolhardiness.?? 
Their real life was now apparent to them.?? They returned home with 
their father, and as one loving family lived happily ever after.
??
Today we gather in this church to receive a reminder of home, a taste 
of food that will help us remember who we are.?? I mean the bread of 
life, our Father's gift to us.?? This is the food of God's kingdom, and 
reminds us that this kingdom is our true home.
??
Charles Hoffacker, Food from Home
________________________________________

??

Missing the Point

??

The German theologian Helmut Thielicke told of a hungry man passing a 
store with a sign in th
 e window, "We Sell Bread." He entered the store, 
put some money on the counter, and said, "I would like to buy some 
bread." The women behind the counter replied, "We don???t sell bread." 
"The sign in the window says that you do," the hungry man said. The 
woman explained, "We make signs here like the one in the window that 
says ???We Sell Bread.???" But, as Thielicke concludes, a hungry man can???t 
eat signs.

??Life sometimes fools us too. Bread isn???t always found where it seems 
to be. Today???s Gospel lesson picks up where we left off last week in 
John 6. Like the crowds looking for something else or that man looking 
in the wrong store, we 20often miss the point when God offers us enduring 
life in Jesus.

??

Michael J. Heggen, The Bread of Life

_____________________________

??

Spirit and Life

??

Years ago, Harry Emerson Fosdick, then at the height of his influence 
as minister of the Riverside Church, New York City, was making a tour 
of Palestine and other countries of the Near and Middle East. He was 
invited to give an address at the American University of Beirut, 
Lebanon, where the student body comprised citizens of many countries 
and representatives from sixteen different religions. What could one 
say that would be relevant or of interest to so mixed and varied a 
group? This
  is how Fosdick began: "I do not ask anyone here to change 
his religion; but I do ask all of you to face up to this question: What 
is your religion doing to your character?"
??
This was a call to consider one of the great issues of human belief: 
religion and life, Christianity and character, word and spirit. Emerson 
once said, "What you are speaks so loudly I cannot hear a word you 
say." Jesus' discourse in this whole sixth chapter of the Gospel of 
John had two foci - spirit and life. "The words that I have spoken to 
you are spirit and life." By this he meant that those who appropriated 
his spirit, i.e., fed upon him as the bread of life, would find, 
thereby,=2
 0a fulfillment and satisfaction no other means could give.

Donald Macleod, Know the Way, Keep the Truth, Win the Life, CSS 
Publishing Company
_______________________

??

A More Wholesome Grain

??

Turkey Red Wheat. The hard wheat from which a high quality flour is 
made has an interesting history. Mennonites lived in the Ukraine, a 
part of nineteenth century Russia. Because of their opposition to war 
arising from their Christian faith, they decided to emigrate when 
Russia introduced military conscription. As families packed to leave, 
they selected the best of their Turkey red seed grain and filled a 
trunk to take with them.

??

When the Mennonite refuge
 es migrated to the prairie provinces of Canada 
and the plains states of the United States, they brought the seed with 
them and found the prairie land receptive. From these trunks of wheat 
have come the hard flour that is preferred for many purposes over the 
soft wheat which was the only kind available earlier. This wheat made 
the prairies a breadbasket that has shipped wheat and flour all over 
the world.

??

William E. Keeney, Preaching the Parables, CSS Publishing Company

??

_________________

??

Human Knowledge

??

Listen to this statistic: Knowledge is exploding at such a rate--more 
than 2000 pages a minute--that even Einstein couldn't k
 eep up. In fact, 
if you read 24 hours a day, from age 21 to 70, and retained all you 
read, you would be one and a half million years behind when you 
finished (Campus Life)

??

An amazing statistic. Now tell me when do you suppose this information 
was compiled? It will alarm you that these statistics do not take into 
account the Internet. They do not even take into account the personal 
computer???

??

The conclusion to this illustration and many additional illustrations 
and sermons for Proper 14 can be accessed at www.Sermons.com.

??





From JoeParrish at compuserve.com  Wed Aug  5 09:58:00 2009
From: JoeParrish at compuserve.com (Joe Parrish)
Date: Wed, 5 Aug 2009 09:58:00 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] Fw: SermonWriter:  Aug. 9 (Proper 14B) John 6:35, 41-51
Message-ID: <ADBEDA77634545AE9A12C8159CB1AF50@YOUR264F1833C5>

The following are SermonWriter materials for Aug. 9 (Proper 14B). They focus 
on John 6:35, 41-51, where Jesus says, "I am the bread of life."

NO PASSWORD REQUIREMENT: We are posting these materials on the web with no 
password.  To access those files, you MUST use the following links.  If 
clicking on the link fails to work, copy the link and paste it in the 
address window near the top of your browser.  Then hit the ENTER key or 
click GO.

Microsoft Word file:
http://www.lectionary.org/SW/08-09sP/John_6.35_41-51.doc

HTML file (web page):
http://www.lectionary.org/SW/08-09sP/John_6.35_41-51.htm

WordPerfect file:
http://www.lectionary.org/SW/08-09sP/John_6.35_41-51.wpd


A TIP: If you want the Word or WordPerfect files, LEFT-CLICK on the link and 
see what happens.  That should bring up a dialog box that asks if you want 
to open the file or save it.  Choose OPEN.  Then save it wherever you like 
on your hard drive.

If that doesn't work, RIGHT-CLICK on the link.  You should get a sub-menu. 
Hopefully, "Save Target As" will be one of the options.  Click on that. 
Then save the file wherever you want on your hard drive.


<>
Dick Donovan


A THOUGHT ON PREACHING:  I would not have preachers torment their hearers, 
and detain them with long and tedious preaching. (Martin Luther)


TITLE:  Food from Home


SERMON IN A SENTENCE:  When we climb the mountain of illusion, the Eucharist 
calls us back home.


SCRIPTURE:  John 6:35, 41-51


<>

FOR ANOTHER SERMON ON THIS TEXT, GO TO:

http://www.lectionary.org/SermLinks/NT/NT04john.htm

Scroll down to John 6.  There is one additional sermon on this text posted 
there.


TRUE STORY:

In his book, Growing Spiritually, E. Stanley Jones tells of a guide taking 
his group through a grand cavern.  There were many beautiful stalactites 
hanging from the roof and stalagmites growing up from the floor.  The 
stalactites and stalagmites are formed by water dripping from the ceiling. 
Each drop of water, having percolated through layers of rock, had a tiny 
amount of minerals dissolved within.  As those drops of water dripped from 
the stalactites (the ones that hang from the roof), each one deposited a 
molecule or two of mineral on the stalactite or the stalagmite.  Over the 
years, those little bits of dissolved mineral formed those beautiful 
stalactites and stalagmites -- some of them many feet in length.

But the guide told them that the water traveled through the center of the 
stalactites -- not on the outer surface.  He said that when that channel 
becomes clogged, that stalactite stops growing.

Stanley Jones commented that we are like that.  Many people "are spiritual 
stalactites with channels clogged."  He went on to say, "We need perpetually 
to get rid of the things that clog mind and spirit."


THOUGHT PROVOKERS:

No person in this world attains to freedom from any slavery
except by entrance into some higher servitude.
There is no such thing as an entirely free person conceivable.

Phillips Brooks


*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

Our disciplines at Church of the Saviour are that we will worship each 
Sunday.  We will have an hour of devotion each morning.  We will be in one 
of the mission groups of the church, engaged with the world at some place of 
need.  And we will tithe proportionately, beginning with a tenth of our 
income.  As I began to practice these, my faith deepened and grew and has 
ever since..

(Don't disciplines drive people away?  Some.  They attract others.)  We 
recognize this in every other area of life.  Take medical students.  They 
accept immense disciplines!  Think of what they go through in order to 
obtain their medical degree.  To think we Christians can grow in faith and 
grow into the full stature of Christ without disciplines is a kind of folly.

Elizabeth O'Connor, in Context, March 1, 1989

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

Christians today bear little resemblance to those of the first century.
We twentieth-century Christians have become soft.
We have become absorbed with the world,
until it is now difficult to tell the difference
between the Christian and the worldling.
The Bible teaches that every Christian is to live a life of self-discipline.
We Christians need to tighten our belts
and harden ourselves for the trials that lie ahead.

Billy Graham


*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *


Self-discipline never means giving up anything -- 
for giving up is a loss.
Our Lord did not ask us to give up the things of earth,
but to exchange them for better things.

Fulton J. Sheen

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

I discover an arrant laziness in my soul.
For when I am to read a chapter in the Bible,
before I begin I look where it endeth.
And if it endeth not on the same side,
I cannot keep my hands from turning over the leaf,
to measure the length thereof on the other side;
if it swells to many verses, I begin in grudge.
Surely my heart is not rightly affected.
Were I truly hungry after heavenly food,
I would not complain of meat.

Scourge, Lord, this laziness of my soul;
make the reading of thy Word not a penance
but a pleasure unto me;
so I may esteem that chapter in Thy Word the best
which is the longest.

Thomas Fuller

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *



BIBLIOGRAPHY:

Barclay, William, The Daily Study Bible, "The Gospel of John," Vol. 1 
(Edinburgh: The Saint Andrew Press, 1955)

Borchert, Gerald L., New American Commentary: John 1-11, Vol. 25A 
(Nashville: Broadman Press, 1996)

Bruce, F. F., The Gospel of John (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing 
Co., 1983).

Brueggemann, Walter; Cousar, Charles B.; Gaventa, Beverly R. and Newsome, 
James D., Texts for Preaching: A Lectionary Commentary Based on the 
NRSV--Year B (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 1993)

Carson, D. A., The Pillar New Testament Commentary: The Gospel of John 
(Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1991).

Craddock, Fred R.; Hayes, John H.; Holladay, Carl R.; and Tucker, Gene M., 
Preaching Through the Christian Year B (Valley Forge: Trinity Press 
International, 1993)

Gossip, Arthur John and Howard, Wilbert F., The Interpreter's Bible, Volume 
8 (Nashville: Abingdon, 1952)

Howard-Brook, Wes, Becoming the Children of God: John's Gospel and Radical 
Discipleship (New York: Maryknoll, 1994)

Hoyer, Robert J., Lectionary Bible Studies: The Year of Mark, Study Book

Kostenberger, Andreas J., Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament: 
John (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2004)

Lincoln, Andrew T., Black's New Testament Commentary: The Gospel According 
to Saint John (London: Continuum, 2005)

Morris, Leon, The New International Commentary on the New Testament: The 
Gospel According to John (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 
1995).

O'Day, Gail R., The New Interpreter's Bible, Volume IX (Nashville: Abingdon, 
1995)

Ridderbos, Herman (translated by John Vriend), The Gospel of John: A 
Theological Commentary (Grand Rapids:  William B. Eerdmans Publishing 
Company, 1997)

Sloyan, Gerald, "John," Interpretation (Atlanta: John Knox Press, 1988)

Smith, D. Moody, Jr., Abingdon New Testament Commentaries: John (Nashville: 
Abingdon, 1999)

www.sermonwriter.com

www.lectionary.org





From JoeParrish at compuserve.com  Wed Aug  5 09:59:14 2009
From: JoeParrish at compuserve.com (Joe Parrish)
Date: Wed, 5 Aug 2009 09:59:14 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] Fw: SermonWriter: Aug. 9 (Proper 14B) 2 Sam 18 & 2
	Kings 19
Message-ID: <8FA1A9089BC349A397E4D44B4DDB2EC7@YOUR264F1833C5>

THE FOLLOWING are links to materials for:

   2 Samuel 18:5-9, 15, 31-33 (RCL SemiContinuous Reading)

   1 Kings 19:4-8 (RCL Paired Reading & Catholic Reading)

NO PASSWORD REQUIREMENT: We are posting these materials on the web with no 
password.
To access those files, you MUST use the following links.

IF CLICKING ON THE LINK FAILS TO WORK, copy the link and paste it in the 
address window near the top of your browser.
Then hit the ENTER key or click GO.


2 SAMUEL 18:5-9, 15, 31-33 (RCL SemiContinuous Reading)
These materials include the exegesis + a link to one sermon + a hymn list:

Microsoft Word file:
http://www.lectionary.org/SW/08-09sP/2Sam_18.5-9_15_31-33.doc

HTML file (web page):
http://www.lectionary.org/SW/08-09sP/2Sam_18.5-9_15_31-33.htm

WordPerfect file:
http://www.lectionary.org/SW/08-09sP/2Sam_18.5-9_15_31-33.wpd


1 KINGS 19:4-8 (RCL Paired & Catholic Readings)

Microsoft Word file:
http://www.lectionary.org/SW/08-09sP/1Kings_19.01-21.doc

HTML file (web page):
http://www.lectionary.org/SW/08-09sP/1Kings_19.01-21.htm

WordPerfect file:
http://www.lectionary.org/SW/08-09sP/1Kings_19.01-21.wpd

A TIP: If you want the Word or WordPerfect files, LEFT-CLICK on the link and 
see what happens.
That should bring up a dialog box that asks if you want to open the file or 
save it.
Choose OPEN.  Then save it wherever you like on your hard drive.

If that doesn't work, RIGHT-CLICK on the link.  You should get a sub-menu.
Hopefully, "Save Target As" will be one of them.  Click on that.
Then save the file wherever you want on your hard drive.


WWW.LECTIONARY.ORG:
<>
Dick Donovan




From robertpmorrison at charterinternet.com  Sat Aug  8 00:06:47 2009
From: robertpmorrison at charterinternet.com (Robert P Morrison)
Date: Fri, 7 Aug 2009 21:06:47 -0700
Subject: [Propertalk] Homily for 1552
Message-ID: <20090808000647.6JF0N.3125207.root@mp20>

For your entertainment, or not, here's the homily I've written for using with the 1552 prayer book service.

I like the way the "day" is designated in 1552 as "The ix Sonday"!

The Gospel is the story of the steward who was siphoning off the owner's profits.

Bob

THE EPISCOPAL PARISH OF ST. JAMES, LINCOLN CITY          THE ix SONDAY 
1 CORINTHIANS10:1-13		                 [ PROPER 14 b RCL  ]
 LUKE 16:1-92	                 [ THE TENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST ]
9th AUGUST, 2009
LITURGY USING 1552 PRAYER BOOK

	One of the e-mails I look forward to receiving on a somewhat sporadic basic is called ?A Pause for Beauty: The Heron Dance E-Newsletter?. 1
	I?ve referred to it from time to time in sermons, more by way of passing along some of the verbal thoughts of an artist. What I may not have mentioned is that a picture of one of his original water colours accompanies each short essay. I don?t think I?ve seen one that I haven?t stopped to ask myself if there?s any way I could afford a print of these paintings. I think that?s where my mind latches on to the letter?s title ? ?Pause?. To pause is to stop what one is doing; to take time to allow every detail to register with one; to allow both sound and silence to penetrate one?s being; to give the possibility of thinking over all the choices, and decisions, and opportunities one can experience and in which one can participate ? on a daily basis.
	The whole idea behind pausing ? Rod MacIver?s pausing, anyway, I feel ? is to help everyone who sees and reads what he paints and writes to understand that he details the sort of things we see, even in the short distance between the door of the Church and the end of NE 25th Street, before we even get to Highway 101.
	No, we may not see the proverbial heron of the title of his newsletter ? but there are SO many things to notice, that we simply fail to allow to touch us.
	For instance, no matter how well the parking lot is blown free of leaves and debris, little patches of dried or not-quite-dry particles remain. Look, if you will, at the way that these arrange themselves according to the way the wind blows. See how one little cluster may sit comparatively still while another is constantly moving? Do we notice that? And, if we do, do we ever wonder why? Do we stop to ask about the way that even the slightest-looking piece of vegetation can alter the wind speed and direction?
	If we stand at the north edge of our property, and if we?re still enough, what do we see moving in the brush? And what DO these crows see in us and pass along to their friends? Are they laughing at the things we do? Or do they see in us some redeeming features and are telling one another to pay attention to what other species can tell them about God?
	Of course, pausing may seem foreign to our natures. We want to move quickly; we feel a need to get something done instantly. Maybe we worry that the opportunity may never return, and so, if we hesitate, for whatever reason, it?ll be lost. We?d rather tie up loose ends that allow for speculation, even at the expense of missing out on some details or different opportunities.
	Pausing is good for the soul, then, as well as for the body and the mind. It may even be seen as a sign of faith ? that we trust God to be able to speak through inaction as well as action, through silence as well as sound. Pausing, then, could be defined as risking the discovery of God, no matter what the circumstances. It?s that burst of light that offers tremendous insight into the beauty all around us and helps us come closer to understanding that conundrum about the meaning of life.
	This is a bit like what we?re doing today and for the next three weeks. Most of us have at least a sense of the outline and flow of what we call ?Holy Eucharist?. We may have come so close to the point of being able to work our way through the liturgy that we don?t notice the whirls of the Spirit?s movement in the words and actions. We may be in such a hurry that we fail to notice the miniaturized miraculous.
	Some people call these ?God winks? ? little moments through which the common-place take on a significance in which God speaks reassuringly, not necessarily of instant healing, but of God?s full Presence and knowledge of what?s engaging our attention and energy.
	But here we are immersed in different words, drawn into different sequences, offered in a different way. Instead of a usual Sunday, we?re drawn to think about the words we hear and the actions we see today, and to ask how they relate to our usual experience. We are, in a sense, taking stock of our place in our journey of salvation.
	That could be what Jesus was getting at in the really strange parable offered in this morning?s Gospel. It contains some pretty questionable activities. Someone who was supposed to be safeguarding another?s property, someone who was trusted and respected, had been ripping off the owner. So how does the thief try to remedy the situation? He compounds it by cheating in order to butter up a few of the owner?s clients. And this supposedly pleased God, said Jesus.
	Commentators have been rushing for a couple of thousand years now to absolve Jesus from blessing impropriety, and they?ve raised several different points.  
	One interesting tack has been developed. The Dead Sea Scrolls reveal that there was internal fighting among different groups of Jews in the time of Jesus. In the Qumran settlement there was a so-called ?Community Rule? in which the phrase ?sons of light? was used to describe sect members ? the very phrase used in a disparaging way by Jesus in the parable. ?If Jesus means to criticize 'the sons of light' here, the parable may be seen as being in line with many others of his sayings warning against spiritual vanity, the tendency of religious people to believe themselves better than 'irreligious' people;? 2
	What Jesus may have been saying, therefore, might not be that far off from what Rod MacIver implies by titling his reflections in water colour and word a ?Pause? in which we can re-evaluate our lives. If Jesus? story shocked everyone ? as much today as if may have two thousand years ago ? if Jesus? story made people stop to look at how the Spirit may be swirling through word patterns and ritual, then maybe our use of the 1552 Prayer Book; maybe our surprise at the lack of ornaments and subdued colours at the Table; maybe the possible puzzlement, if not frustration, in being silent for so much of what is happening over a sixty minute period ? all of these may give us as much pause as Jesus? jolting message, and help us come closer to understanding and appreciating what Jesus said and did for us; what Jesus stands ready to say and do for us now ? if only we take the time to pause now and again. The combination of this 1552 Prayer Book celebration and the Gospel assigned for today ? assigned, by the way, back in the 1540s ? this combination may remind us never to take anything for granted ? whether it be the familiar Sunday observance and celebration of Jesus? resurrection, or of our status as Episcopalians, whatever we may think that might be.
	Pausing may not always be at our own discretion. Perhaps it?s put on us by someone or something outside. Yet it?s STILL a gift. Pausing may not always show us only the beautiful, the comforting, the joyful. But it can bring us strength and growth ? spiritual as well as emotional.
	Rod MacIver said in his ?Pause for Beauty? offering this past week, ?Love is a combination of positive energy and enthusiasm for life, or some aspect of life. Love is a celebration of life. Of all of the negatives that one can focus on?pain, suffering, adversity, violence?love is an affirmation of the beauty that nonetheless exists. It is a choice that despite the downers, life is good. Love is a vote for the beauty and mystery that surrounds us. It is a triumph. Love is a choice.?
	So unaccustomed congregational silence and strongly worded exhortations MAY remind us of the seriousness of our call to follow Jesus and commit to God.
	And to define all of this ? a gift from 1552 -  I wonder if we realized fully that when we came into this room, the Table was already set ? the bread was on the Table, so was the wine. Just as in all of life, God had prepared for us even before we walked in through the door.
	God give us Pause!

NOTES

1	My thoughts were inspired by  Up on Trickle Creek - A Pause for Beauty 314 Heron Dance Rod MacIver 311  pauseforbeauty.blogspot.com/
2	Parable of the Unjust Steward - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jun 3, 2009 en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parable_of_the_Unjust_Steward

--
Robert P. Morrison
The Episcopal Parish of St James,
PO Box 789
Lincoln City, Oregon, 97367

541-994-2426 (Church)




From aacline at isys.ca  Sat Aug  8 12:22:33 2009
From: aacline at isys.ca (Allison Cline-Dean & Alastair Dean)
Date: Sat, 08 Aug 2009 12:22:33 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] FT Sermon:  Towards Becoming a Channel of Peace
Message-ID: <4A7DA649.8040006@isys.ca>

Good afternoon fellow list-sibs.

A rare sermon and preaching for the first time in front of my home 
parish.  Many thanks to whomever reminded me of the Northumbria 
Community's Evening Prayer service which I often use as well as to the 
rest of you for your thoughts, meditations, and reflections. 

Allison Cline-Dean
Chaplain, Pioneer Manor
Sudbury, ON, Canada

In his book, /Growing Spiritually/, E. Stanley Jones tells of a guide 
taking his group through a grand cavern.  There were many beautiful 
stalactites hanging from the roof and stalagmites growing up from the 
floor.  Water dripping from the ceiling form the stalactites and 
stalagmites.  Each drop of water, having percolated through layers of 
rock, had a tiny amount of minerals dissolved within.  As those drops of 
water dripped from the stalactites (the ones that hang from the roof), 
each one deposited a molecule or two of mineral on the stalactite or the 
stalagmite.  Over the years, those little bits of dissolved mineral 
formed those beautiful stalactites and stalagmites - some of them many 
feet in length.  The guide told them that the water travelled through 
the centre of the stalactites - not on the outer surface.  He said that 
when that channel becomes clogged, that stalactite stops growing.  
Stanley Jones commented that we are like that.  Many people "are 
spiritual stalactites with channels clogged."  He went on to say, "We 
need perpetually to get rid of the things that clog mind and spirit."

The reading from Ephesians is a guide about not letting our hearts and 
spirit become so clogged that we separate ourselves from God?s love and 
the Bread of Life.  I don?t know about you, but sometimes it is a much 
easier to hold onto anger and grudges than it is to let them go.  Yet, 
Paul in his wisdom tells us that to hold onto hurts, resentments, and 
anger will slow and possibly stop our growth in Christ, destroying 
relationships with others including our families, those in the community 
and the Church. 

 Working as a long-term care chaplain provides me with the opportunity 
to meet with people shortly after they come to Pioneer Manor.  Many are 
angry about how their health has let them down, forcing them to leave 
behind their homes of many years, belongings, and familiar routines.  
Others are angry because their spouse has died or their caregiver can no 
longer continue caring for them.  Their words and stories speak of their 
disappointment, their shock, their bitterness, and their loneliness.  
Many of these residents are devout persons but they wonder where God is 
in all that has happened.  Their words often echo today?s psalm ?Out of 
the depths I have called to you O Lord, hear my voice!  Let your ears be 
attentive to the voice of my supplications.?  Much of what I do is to 
sit with residents and explore where God is in all that has happened.  
As we do the exploration, many residents have been gradually able to let 
go of the anger and the hurt.  They are able to accept that while 
Pioneer Manor is not where they had planned to finish living out the 
final years of their life, that they are still able do some of what is 
important to them ? and Pioneer Manor slowly becomes home.  This 
includes seeing family members and friends, listening to music, taking 
part in various activities, making new friends, as well as continuing 
their faith journey.  They have learned the difficult lesson at 80, 90, 
or 100 years of age of how to live in the moment, to live in love, and 
experience personal transformation.  They have discovered how to unclog 
the channel to find God?s peace and love, and to receive Christ, the 
Bread of Life.

The residents who do not do well at Pioneer Manor are those who hold 
onto the anger and pain, allowing it to clog the channel that enables 
them to give and receive the peace and love of family, friends, and 
God.  Their hurtful, biting words and sarcasm create roadblocks to 
personal growth and relationships with their family, friends, and the 
community around them.  These residents remain prisoners in the darkness 
of the pit of despair as they search for others to blame for their 
deteriorating health and lack of visits from family, friends, or other 
residents. 

There are times when anger is justified but we need to deal with it 
constructively so that it does not bring harm to ourselves, to those 
around us, and to our environment.  Sometimes it means signing a 
petition, working in a soup kitchen, knitting baby layettes for the 
Guardian Angels project, or other ways to bring about positive change in 
our world and our community.   

 There have been, possibly are, and will be times when we feel like the 
psalmist, imprisoned by a deep pit?s darkness, holding onto whatever 
smidgen of faith we have left with every ounce of our strength, praying 
that God hears us.  We put our trust in God?s word as we sink deeper 
into the abyss.  Herbert O?Driscoll writes ?We are shown the depths to 
which we must sometimes go before we can taste God?s great power to 
redeem.  Thank God  - others around us and before us can witness to this 
power being stronger than the darkness.?  Christ invites us to let go of 
our hurt, resentments, and anger ? to offer them to him so that we can 
learn how to forgive with grace and love.  Learning this lesson of God?s 
gracious love and forgiveness means our lives and relationships are no 
longer clogged by constant, unfocussed anger and hurt.  It does not that 
mean that we have to forget what caused the pain, but in following 
Christ?s example of forgiveness, we discover how to deal with what would 
separate us from God and from others so that we do not make the same 
mistake again. 

Christ forgave and accepted us because He loved us, dying on the Cross 
for us.  As we remove those things that spiritually clog our minds and 
spirits and try to imitate Jesus, we prepare to receive Christ, the 
Bread of Life, our Redeemer, our Sanctifier, and our Sustainer to whom 
we pray together with the Northumbria Community:

 Lord, You have always given bread for the coming day;
and though I am poor, today I believe.

Lord, You have always given strength for the coming days;
and though I am weak, today I believe.

 Lord, You have always given peace for the coming day;
and though of anxious heart, today I believe.

Lord, You have always kept me safe in trials;
and now, tired as I am, today I believe.

 Lord, You have always marked the road for the coming day;
and though it may be hidden, today I believe.

 Lord, You have always lightened the darkness of mine;
and though the night is here, today I believe.

Lord, You have always spoken when the time was ripe;
and though you be silent now, today I believe.  Amen

-- 
Edward Bear . . . permeates the whole structure of society.  This is because he is a truly international figure
who is non-religious and yet universally recognized as a symbol of love.  He represents friendship, and so is a
powerful instrument of good will, a wonderful ambassador of peace, functioning as a leavening influence amid
the trials and tribulations of life in the modern world.  (Colonel Bob Henderson)

          World Government Needs Bears!!!  (Helen Exley)


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From chadwohl at satucket.com  Sun Aug  9 21:24:34 2009
From: chadwohl at satucket.com (Charles Wohlers)
Date: Sun, 9 Aug 2009 21:24:34 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] READINGS for the ELEVENTH SUNDAY after PENTECOST
Message-ID: <C42845C4AEA341A5A2299222EF5067CD@cranmer>

The following are the readings for the Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost, 
August 16, (Proper 15, ECUSA; Proper 20, RCL & Roman Catholic) according to 
the Revised Common (RCL), Episcopal (ECUSA), Roman Catholic,  Church of 
England, and Canadian (BAS) Lectionaries. All readings are taken from the 
New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) of the Bible. Unless noted otherwise, 
the lectionaries of ECUSA, Canada and England are identical to the RCL this 
Sunday.



OLD TESTAMENT:  1 Kings 2: 10 - 12, 3: 3 - 14   (RCL)

1Kin 2:10 (NRSV) Then David slept with his ancestors, and was buried in the 
city of David. 11 The time that David reigned over Israel was forty years; 
he reigned seven years in He'bron, and thirty-three years in Jerusalem. 12 
So Solomon sat on the throne of his father David; and his kingdom was firmly 
established.

3:3 Solomon loved the LORD, walking in the statutes of his father David; 
only, he sacrificed and offered incense at the high places. 4 The king went 
to Gib'eon to sacrifice there, for that was the principal high place; 
Solomon used to offer a thousand burnt offerings on that altar. 5 At Gib'eon 
the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said, "Ask what I 
should give you." 6 And Solomon said, "You have shown great and steadfast 
love to your servant my father David, because he walked before you in 
faithfulness, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart toward you; and 
you have kept for him this great and steadfast love, and have given him a 
son to sit on his throne today. 7 And now, O LORD my God, you have made your 
servant king in place of my father David, although I am only a little child; 
I do not know how to go out or come in. 8 And your servant is in the midst 
of the people whom you have chosen, a great people, so numerous they cannot 
be numbered or counted. 9 Give your servant therefore an understanding mind 
to govern your people, able to discern between good and evil; for who can 
govern this your great people?"
10 It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this. 11 God said to him, 
"Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life or 
riches, or for the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself 
understanding to discern what is right, 12 I now do according to your word. 
Indeed I give you a wise and discerning mind; no one like you has been 
before you and no one like you shall arise after you. 13 I give you also 
what you have not asked, both riches and honor all your life; no other king 
shall compare with you. 14 If you will walk in my ways, keeping my statutes 
and my commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your 
life."


Proverbs 9: 1 - 6   (Roman Catholic, alt. for RCL)

Prov 9:1 (NRSV) Wisdom has built her house,
she has hewn her seven pillars.
2 She has slaughtered her animals, she has mixed her wine,
she has also set her table.
3 She has sent out her servant-girls, she calls
from the highest places in the town,
4 "You that are simple, turn in here!"
To those without sense she says,
5 "Come, eat of my bread
and drink of the wine I have mixed.
6 Lay aside immaturity, and live,
and walk in the way of insight."


2 Samuel 18: 24 - 33   (Can. BAS)

2Sam 18:24 (NRSV) Now David was sitting between the two gates. The sentinel 
went up to the roof of the gate by the wall, and when he looked up, he saw a 
man running alone. 25 The sentinel shouted and told the king. The king said, 
"If he is alone, there are tidings in his mouth." He kept coming, and drew 
near. 26 Then the sentinel saw another man running; and the sentinel called 
to the gatekeeper and said, "See, another man running alone!" The king said, 
"He also is bringing tidings." 27 The sentinel said, "I think the running of 
the first one is like the running of Ahimaaz son of Zadok." The king said, 
"He is a good man, and comes with good tidings."
28 Then Ahimaaz cried out to the king, "All is well!" He prostrated himself 
before the king with his face to the ground, and said, "Blessed be the LORD 
your God, who has delivered up the men who raised their hand against my lord 
the king." 29 The king said, "Is it well with the young man Absalom?" 
Ahimaaz answered, "When Joab sent your servant, I saw a great tumult, but I 
do not know what it was." 30 The king said, "Turn aside, and stand here." So 
he turned aside, and stood still.
31 Then the Cushite came; and the Cushite said, "Good tidings for my lord 
the king! For the LORD has vindicated you this day, delivering you from the 
power of all who rose up against you." 32 The king said to the Cushite, "Is 
it well with the young man Absalom?" The Cushite answered, "May the enemies 
of my lord the king, and all who rise up to do you harm, be like that young 
man."
33 The king was deeply moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and 
wept; and as he went, he said, "O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! 
Would I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son!"


PSALM 111   (RCL)

Psal 111:1 (NRSV) Praise the LORD!
I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart,
in the company of the upright, in the congregation.
2 Great are the works of the LORD,
studied by all who delight in them.
3 Full of honor and majesty is his work,
and his righteousness endures forever.
4 He has gained renown by his wonderful deeds;
the LORD is gracious and merciful.
5 He provides food for those who fear him;
he is ever mindful of his covenant.
6 He has shown his people the power of his works,
in giving them the heritage of the nations.
7 The works of his hands are faithful and just;
all his precepts are trustworthy.
8 They are established forever and ever,
to be performed with faithfulness and uprightness.
9 He sent redemption to his people;
he has commanded his covenant forever.
Holy and awesome is his name.
10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom;
all those who practice it have a good understanding.
His praise endures forever.


10   The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; *
  those who act accordingly have a good understanding;
  his praise endures for ever.


102   Domine, exaudi   (Can. BAS)

1   Lord, hear my prayer, and let my cry come before you; *
  hide not your face from me in the day of my trouble.

2   Incline your ear to me; *
  when I call, make haste to answer me,

3   For my days drift away like smoke, *
  and my bones are hot as burning coals.

4   My heart is smitten like grass and withered, *
  so that I forget to eat my bread.

5   Because of the voice of my groaning *
  I am but skin and bones.

6   I have become like a vulture in the wilderness, *
  like an owl among the ruins.

7   I lie awake and groan; *
  I am like a sparrow, lonely on a house-top.

8   My enemies revile me all day long, *
  and those who scoff at me have taken an oath against me.

9   For I have eaten ashes for bread *
  and mingled my drink with weeping.

10   Because of your indignation and wrath *
  you have lifted me up and thrown me away.

11   My days pass away like a shadow, *
  and I wither like the grass.

12   But you, O Lord, endure for ever, *
  and your Name from age to age.


Psalm 34: 1 - 6   (Roman Catholic)

Psal 34:1 (NRSV) I will bless the LORD at all times;
his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
2 My soul makes its boast in the LORD;
let the humble hear and be glad.
3 O magnify the LORD with me,
and let us exalt his name together.
4 I sought the LORD, and he answered me,
and delivered me from all my fears.
5 Look to him, and be radiant;
so your {Gk Syr Jerome: Heb [their] } faces shall never be ashamed.
6 This poor soul cried, and was heard by the LORD,
and was saved from every trouble.


Psalm 34: 9 - 14   (alt. for RCL)

Psal 34:9 (NRSV)  O fear the LORD, you his holy ones,
for those who fear him have no want.
10 The young lions suffer want and hunger,
but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.
11 Come, O children, listen to me;
I will teach you the fear of the LORD.
12 Which of you desires life,
and covets many days to enjoy good?
13 Keep your tongue from evil,
and your lips from speaking deceit.
14 Depart from evil, and do good;
seek peace, and pursue it.


NEW TESTAMENT:   Ephesians 5: 15 - 20   (all)

Ephe 5:15 (NRSV) Be careful then how you live, not as unwise people but as 
wise, 16 making the most of the time, because the days are evil. 17 So do 
not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18 Do not get 
drunk with wine, for that is debauchery; but be filled with the Spirit, 19 
as you sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, singing 
and making melody to the Lord in your hearts, 20 giving thanks to God the 
Father at all times and for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.


GOSPEL:   John 6: 51 - 58   (RCL, Roman Catholic)

John 6:51 (NRSV) I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever 
eats of this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give for the 
life of the world is my flesh."
52 The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, "How can this man give 
us his flesh to eat?" 53 So Jesus said to them, "Very truly, I tell you, 
unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no 
life in you. 54 Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, 
and I will raise them up on the last day; 55 for my flesh is true food and 
my blood is true drink. 56 Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide 
in me, and I in them. 57 Just as the living Father sent me, and I live 
because of the Father, so whoever eats me will live because of me. 58 This 
is the bread that came down from heaven, not like that which your ancestors 
ate, and they died. But the one who eats this bread will live forever."


Chad Wohlers
East Bridgewater, Mass.   USA
chadwohl at satucket.com
cwohlers at bridgew.edu




From annfontaine at mac.com  Fri Aug 14 14:30:39 2009
From: annfontaine at mac.com (Ann Fontaine)
Date: Fri, 14 Aug 2009 11:30:39 -0700
Subject: [Propertalk] Psalm 111
Message-ID: <FDA0F4D7-0367-475E-8498-39A0711996A3@mac.com>

http://www.isaaceverett.com/2009/08/10/psalm-111-lacey-brown/

for this week from the Emergent Psalter



Ann Fontaine c3
Lander, Wyoming


4331







From JoeParrish at compuserve.com  Sat Aug 15 15:12:56 2009
From: JoeParrish at compuserve.com (Joe Parrish)
Date: Sat, 15 Aug 2009 15:12:56 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] Day1 Sermon for August 9, 2009, on Psalm 130
Message-ID: <6E75B3AA363A463482F80FD33B50D14A@YOUR264F1833C5>

http://day1.org/1401-out_of_the_depths
by the Rev. Benno Pattison,   Rector of the Episcopal Church of the Epiphany in Atlanta, GA
"Out of the Depths"
Psalm 130
Proper 14 - Year B
August 09, 2009
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From JoeParrish at compuserve.com  Sat Aug 15 15:14:58 2009
From: JoeParrish at compuserve.com (Joe Parrish)
Date: Sat, 15 Aug 2009 15:14:58 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] Textweek resources for August 16, 2009
Message-ID: <7D2A1B8E5E2942A9937077B143841370@YOUR264F1833C5>

http://www.textweek.com/yearb/properb15.htm
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From JoeParrish at compuserve.com  Sat Aug 15 15:09:39 2009
From: JoeParrish at compuserve.com (Joe Parrish)
Date: Sat, 15 Aug 2009 15:09:39 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] Fw: Sermon Resources for August 16
Message-ID: <3F18F08D870244888D861001E4497286@YOUR264F1833C5>

Subject: Sermon Resources for August 16


Sermon Resources for Proper 15:

 

    Ephesians 5:15-20  -  Be Careful How You Live
    Ephesians 5:15-20  -  Wise, Worshipful, and Wonderfully Wayward

                                       by Leonard Sweet

 

Ephesians 5, the sermon titled "Be Careful How You Live" 

 

There are two birds that fly over our nation's deserts: One is the hummingbird and the other is the vulture. The vultures find the rotting meat of the desert, because that is what they look for. They thrive on that diet. But hummingbirds ignore the smelly flesh of dead animals. Instead, they look for the colorful blossoms of desert plants. The vultures live on what was. They live on the past. They fill themselves with what is dead and gone. But hummingbirds live on what is. They seek new life. They fill themselves with freshness and life. Each bird finds what it is looking for. We all do.

That is the essence of Paul's teaching: In life, there are two birds. The one bird looks for foolishness and stupidity, the other looks for wisdom. The vultures seek to fill themselves with the rotting flesh of drunkenness and debauchery, the hummingbird sobriety, freshness, and the Spirit. In the desert of this world you have your scavengers who are angry and ungrateful, but you also have those who hum a grateful hymn of thanksgiving. The irony is that you find what you are looking for.

In the fifth chapter of Ephesians Paul outlines proper behavior for good living. In our short passage he admonishes his readers to be careful how they live. He is brief and to the point. Three things we must do: Be wise, be sober, and be thankful. It's a short list but if we can orient our daily lives around these three-be wise, be sober, be thankful-we will transform not only our lives but also the lives of our family, friends, church, and neighbors. Paul then offers these admonitions:

1. Be Careful How You Live: Be Wise
2. Be Careful How You Live: Be Sober
3. Be Careful How You Live: Be Thankful

 

The rest of this sermon following the outline above can be obtained by joining www.eSermons.com.


__________________________________

 

Second Sermon by Len Sweet

 

Ephesians 5, the sermon entitled "Wise, Worshipful and Wonderfully Wayward" 

 

We used to tell these people, "Get off your high horse." I never knew what that meant literally, for they weren't on any horse, high or low. But we all knew what the expression meant. 

 

Is there anyone more annoying, more off-putting, more "fur-rubbed-the-wrong-way," than someone who is convinced they are "better" than you? Whether they are richer, or smarter, or prettier, or stronger, there are those who love going around "on their high horse."

 

In junior highs and high schools "cliques" rule the world. Every possible grouping of people gets its own label. Every pack has its own indelible identity. There are "jocks" and "cheerleaders." There are "Goths" and "Geeks." There are "Nerds" and "Freaks." How ironic that it is in school - the place we are primed and prepared for the expansive possibilities of the future that everyone is so tightly pigeon-holed and securely marked. 

 

Jesus failed to fit into any of the preconceived plans people had for a Messiah, for a Leader, for a Savior. And so did the first generations of Jesus' disciples fail to fit into any of the cultural conceptions of what was a "religion" or a "community." These "Christians" weren't Jews. These "Christians" weren't Gentiles. These Christians performed rites and rituals that sounded salacious and suspicious - what about all this drinking the blood and eating the body of a dead guy? Isn't that cannibalism? And this rhetoric about everyone loving one another? Isn't that the codeword for orgies? And these Christians kiss one another whenever they get together, regardless of social rank or color or economic status. 

 

The truth was these Christians came together to sing and pray and talk and give thanks. When Christians "celebrated" the wine did not flow and the moral boundaries did not disappear. In a world where religious ecstasy, mysterious secret rites, and  sexual excess were the "norms," these new "kids on the block," these "Christians" weren't "worse," they weren't "better." They were just really, really "different." So "different" that it was hard finding any category to place them in. 

 

If you've survived grades 1-12, and it looks like many of you have, you know that being tagged as "different" is never a good thing. Even though Jesus tried to keep a low profile, being "different" got Jesus in big trouble with the Jewish religious hierarchy, who then quickly passed him on to the Roman political hierarchy, where he got in more trouble. 

 

Being "different" paved Jesus' path to the cross.

 

Embodying Jesus' "differentness" got the first Christians in trouble too. They didn't fit within Judaism. Yet they stood completely outside the pagan, cultic traditions. The first century religious world didn't know what to do with these disciples of a crucified criminal. Eventually Judaism, which was already on the "suspect" list of the Roman Empire, chose to put its head down, "hunker-in-the-bunker" and distance itself from these Christians. Eventually Rome found Christians made excellent fall-guys and fodder for the Coliseum carnage. Christians vs. Lions was a game with a predictable out-come. But many found it fun to watch, and cities competed with one another as to who could build the biggest and best stadium where these games could take place. 

 

How did it happen that Christians now have a "holier-than-thou," "better-than-you" reputation? Being "Christian" has never been about being "better" than others. Being "Christian" has always been about being "different." Living "differently" than the world. Seeing different solutions to the problems of humanity. Celebrating a very "different" kind of victory - a victory that starts with a death on a cross and whose end was not yet come. The gospel is less about "better" than "different." Disciples of Jesus are not just called to be "better" but to be "different." A Christian's motto might be "I beg to differ." 

 

Being different, living different - that is the life-blood which keeps the circulation of the body alive and separated from the rest of the world, even while living in its midst. The Ephesians writer in today's text looked at three ways these Christians were "different."  

 

First, they were wise.

Second, they were worshipful.

Third, they were wondrously wayward.

 

The rest of Leonard Sweet's sermon can be obtained by joining www.eSermons.com.

 

Click here:  http://www.esermons.com/signup or call 1-800-777-7731 to join.

 

________________________________ 

 

Stewardship Campaign: A complete approach to stewardship.  Please click here for more information

 

http://www.sermons.com/sampleStewardship.asp

 

_________________________________

 

Abiding with Christ

 

Eat this Bread and you will live, he promises. But even more than that, eat this Bread and I will abide with you, and you will abide with me. I like that word abide. I have pictures again: look, can you see them? They are images of home, of dwelling, of staying with, of living in and with, of trusting and being there. To abide is to know that no matter what comes our way, we will not be deserted nor left to face whatever the matter is on our own. Christ comes to live within us, to take up residence in our spirits, and promises not to leave. 

 

Over the years I have witnessed many scenes of this abiding presence played out in the lives of persons I have known. None are more powerful, more moving, more meaningful than the images which walk across my mind of faithful spouses who care for each other to the very end. Let me draw them for you. There is one now, walking his wife, a victim of Alzheimer's disease, down the streets in front of the nursing home. She in a wheelchair, not knowing a thing. He pushing her faithfully day after day. Their love of more than 60 years abides in his heart. Here is another: the picture of a woman standing beside the bed of her husband, holding a hand, offering a calm, reassuring voice to this one who has only moments before been thrown into convulsions. "I will not leave you." Finally, here is the unspoken presence of a Loving Friend who calms my own grieving spirit in the dark hospital room where my father lays dying. "Those who eat my flesh? abide in me, and I in them (John 6:56, NRSV)." 

 

In a world of fast food chains in every village, of drive-through windows, of buffet lines and all-you-can-eat salad bars, we are today offered a different food, the Bread of Life. It is food for a hungry soul. It is eternal food which, when you eat it, satisfies the craving of your heart and opens your eyes to see that all else is imitation and second rate.
 
Larry M. Goodpaster, Like a Breath of Fresh Air, CSS Publishing Company  
___________________________________

O, Lord Give Me a Penny

 

A man asked God, "What does a billion dollars mean to you who are all powerful?"

 

"Hardly a penny." God said.

 

Then the man asked God , "And what are a thousand centuries to you?" God answered "Hardly a second!!"

 

Thinking he had God backed into a corner, the man then said, "Then if that's the case, O, Lord give me a penny !!"

 

"Sure," God replied. "In just a minute."

 

Wisdom isn't outsmarting God, wisdom is living in and with God. Wisdom is being in Christ and surrounded by Christ. Wisdom is eating and drinking from the feast which God has prepared for us.

 

Traditional

 

________________________

 

Bread Is Not a Mere Commodity

 

The theologian John Macquarrie relates that the Scottish churchman, George Macleod, used to watch grain ships from Canada and the United States bringing their cargoes of wheat into Liverpool harbor, and he reflected that the wheat has the potentiality of becoming the body of Christ. This is the point at which sacramental theology spills over into the market place. Bread is not a mere commodity; things are not mere bits of matter. We can learn something of this from natural theology, but we learn it above all from Jesus Christ, the bread of God which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.

 

John Macquarrie, A Guide to the Sacraments, p,156 

__________________________

 

The Truth

 

There is an Irish saying, "the person who speaks the truth should have one foot in the stirrup." He should be ready to ride off at once. People do not like the truth, especially when it challenges their attitudes; and the reaction is often to try to destroy the evidence of the truth or the one who witnesses to it. 
 
Father Gerry Pierse, The Dangerous Memory of Jesus

 

_______________________

 

Dining with God

 

When Seymour passed away, God greeted him at the Pearly Gates. "Thou be hungry, Seymour?" said God.

 

"I could eat," Seymour replied.

 

So God opened a can of tuna and reached for a chunk of rye bread and they shared it. While eating this humble meal, Seymour glanced down into Hell and saw the inhabitants devouring huge steaks, lobsters, pheasants, pastries, and fine wines. Curious, but deeply trusting, Seymour remained quiet.

 

The next day God again invited Seymour for another meal. Again, it was tuna and rye bread. Once again looking down, Seymour could see the denizens of Hell enjoying caviar, champagne, lamb, truffles, and chocolates. Still Seymour said nothing.

 

The following day, mealtime arrived and God opened another can of tuna. Seymour could contain himself no longer. Meekly, he said: "God, I am grateful to be in heaven with you as a reward for the pious, obedient life I led. But here in heaven all I get to eat is tuna and a piece of rye bread and in the Other Place they eat like emperors and kings! Forgive me, O God, but I just don't understand."

 

God sighed: "Let's be honest, Seymour. For just two people does it pay to cook?"

 

Donel McClellan, The Imaginary God

 

________________________

 

Meeting God

 

Barbara Brokhoff says in her book, Faith Alive, "The Happy Hour for the Christian should be the hour of worship on Sunday morning, but how do you honestly feel when you are awakened by the alarm on the Lord's Day and you realize it is another "Church Day"? Can you hardly wait for the service time to roll around or do you roll over in bed, moan and groan and cover your head, and wish that once, once again maybe once more like last Sunday the one before, you would, or could sleep in and forget the whole boring, time consuming thing?? Is the thought of worship agony or ecstasy? I think we are coming to meet God--not just any body, but God!! Shouldn't the delightful suspense of worship make our breath short and our hearts beat faster?" 

 

Barbara Brokhoff, Faith Alive, quoted by Tim Zingale, Wisdom = Being in Christ

_____________________

 

Bread from Home

 

I'm reminded of a true story of a soldier who was severely wounded. When he was out of surgery, the doctors said that there was a good chance for recovery, except that the soldier wouldn't eat anything. The nurses and nuns tried everything, but he refused all food-drinking only water and juice.

 

One of his buddies knew why the soldier wouldn't eat-he was homesick. So, his friend, since the hospital wasn't too far from the soldier's home, offered to bring the young man's father to visit him. The commanding officer approved and the friend went to the parents' home. As the father was about to leave for the hospital, the mother wrapped up a loaf of fresh bread for her son.

 

Well, the patient was very happy to see his father but he still wouldn't eat-that is, until the father said; "Son, this bread was made by your mother, especially for you". The boy brightened and began to eat.

 

I think that you can guess where I'm going with that story. You and I are that boy. We are the ones who have been wounded in the battle of life. We are the ones who've been wounded by sin, by trials and pains, by loss and by our forgetfulness of God.

 

We lose our taste for the food that will strengthen our souls. Holy Communion gives us life, spiritual life, God's life. It gives us spiritual healing and spiritual strength.

 

There was nothing 'magic' about the mother's bread unless, that is, one feels that 'love' is magic--which, of course, it is.

 

Author unknown

 

____________________

 

 The Communion of Empty Hands

 

There's a beautiful incident recorded by Thomas Pettepiece, a Methodist pastor, who was a political prisoner, a prisoner of conscience. Pettepiece writes of his first Easter Sunday spent in prison. He was among 10,000 prisoners. Most of the men had lost everything: their homes, their jobs, their furniture, their contact with their families. It was Easter Sunday, and they wanted to celebrate Communion. But, they had no cup for Communion. They had no wine for Communion. They didn't even have water for Communion. Nor did they have any bread for the Sacrament.

 

So, they practiced the Communion of Empty Hands. "This meal in which we take part," Pettepeice said, "reminds us of the imprisonment, the torture, the death and final victory of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The bread is the body which he gave for humanity. The fact that we have none represents very well the lack of bread in the hunger of so many millions of human beings. The wine, which we don't have today, is his blood, and represents our dream of a united humanity, of a just society, without difference of race or class."

 

Then Pettepiece, the pastor, held out his empty hand to the next person on his right, and passed on the imaginary loaf. Each one took a piece and passed it on. Then he said, "Take, eat, this is my body, which is broken for you. Do this in remembrance of me." And together they ate the imaginary bread, trying to imagine tasting it.

 

After a moment they passed around the non-existent chalice, each imagining he was drinking from it. "Take, drink, this is the blood of Christ which was shed for you ... Let us give thanks, sure that Christ is here with us, strengthening us."

 

They gave thanks to God and then stood up and embraced each other. And a while later, one of the non-Christian prisoners came up to them and said, "You people have something special, which I would like to have." And the father of a girl who had died came up to Pettepiece and said, "Pastor, this was a real experience. I believe that today I discovered what faith is ..." (from Visions of a World Hungry, quoted in A Guide To Prayer, Rueben P. Job and Norman Shawchuck, editors, The Upper Room, p. 143).

 

Alex Gondola, Jr., Come As You Are, CSS Publishing Company.

________________________

 

Togetherness in the Eucharist

 

Bread suggests togetherness, care and love, hopes and dreams, fun and adventure.  

 

Let's say some new friends invite you to their house for a meal. When you are a guest in their home, they are sharing their intimacy with you. They are sharing with you some of the privacy of that place where they live every day, eat every day, love every day, work on their problems, argue from time to time, sleep and depart for work and pleasure and return for rest, every day.   

 

After graciously receiving you, they show you around their home in which they take deep pride. Then you go to the dining room for the meal. You find the table set with care, the food exceptionally delicious, and the conversation flows easily. Simply put, it becomes a lovely evening and you leave feeling full in every way. You enjoy bread from the kitchen, but much more. You enjoy the bread of being graciously received, the bread of informed and lively conversation, and the bread of being in beautiful surroundings..  

 

Magnify that thousands of times and you begin to have a glimmer of what the church perceives the Holy Eucharist to be. In the Eucharist Jesus and "Bread of Life" are one. In the Eucharist bread and wine are the elements that nurture faith in God.

 

Charles R. Leary, Mission Ready!, CSS Publishing Company 

_____________________

 

Full Devotion

 

Several years ago a couple of reporters conducted an experiment on the streets of Miami, Florida. They printed up a copy of the Bill of Rights in the form of a petition, put it on a clipboard, and then stopped people on the sidewalk and asked them to sign it. As you know, the first ten amendments to the United States Constitution are the Bill of Rights, and they were adopted and put into effect in December of 1791. The reporters were surprised at people's reaction when asked to add their names to the so-called petition. Most people glanced at the document, shook their heads, and walked on by without signing. Several people became angry with the reporters and accused them of being radical enemies of the American way of life. In fact, the experiment ended when the reporters found themselves surrounded by a dozen or so passers-by who were shaking their fists at them and calling them subversive Communists who ought to be thrown in jail.

 

What the experiment demonstrated is what we already know. Many citizens of the United States pay lip service to their country and its heritage. They claim to be loyal and patriotic in every way. They say they are proud to belong to a country as great as ours. And yet at the same time they haven't the vaguest notion what the United States Constitution actually says, and they consider the Bill of Rights to be a radical, anti-American document. In other words, these people claim citizenship, but they have not internalized the basic meaning of being a citizen. They claim the privilege, but they will not eat and drink the ethos of United States of America.

 

The same sort of thing is described in today's Gospel. Jesus says, I am the living bread that came down from heaven. . . Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Most people probably think Jesus is talking about communion. He isn't. He's talking about the difference between external lip service and internal embodiment. He's talking about the difference between admiring him and actually taking up one's cross and following him. He's talking about the difference between acting like a Christian on the outside and being a Christian on the inside.

 

Edwin D. Peterman

 

_________________

 

Christ in Me and I in Him

 

There is an story about minister walking along the ocean with his small son. The boy questioned his father about Sunday's sermon. The boy said, "Dad, I cannot understand how Christ can live in us and we live in him at the same time." Further down the beach, the father noticed an empty bottle with a cork in it. Taking the bottle, he half filled it with water, re-corked it and flung it out into the ocean.

 

As they watched the bottle bob up and down he said, "Son, the sea is in the bottle and the bottle is in the sea. It is a picture of life in Christ. You live under the Lordship of Christ and He lives in you."

 

Traditional

 

___________________________________

 

ILLUSTRATIONS FOR EPHESIANS 5:15-20

___________________________________

 

 

Unwise and Wise Living

 

Jewish rabbis tell a poignant story that drives home the point of Proverbs 18:21. As the story goes (and five versions of this appear in Greek literature), Rabbi Simeon ben Gamaliel one day asked his servant to go to buy some good food for him in the market. When the servant returned home, he presented the rabbi with a tongue.

 

The next day, the rabbi told the servant to go to the market to buy some bad food. Again, the servant returned with a tongue.

 

When the rabbi asked the servant why he returned with a tongue both times, the servant made this astute observation: "Good comes from it and bad comes from it. When the tongue is good, there is nothing better, and when it is bad, there is nothing worse."

 

William R. Baker, Sticks & Stones: The Discipleship of Our Speech, Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1996), p. 17.

 

_________________

 

Experience comes from what we have done. Wisdom comes from what we have done badly.

 

Theodore Levitt, Harvard Business School

 

_________________

 

Wisdom

 

An angel appears at a faculty meeting and tells the dean that in return for his unselfish and exemplary behavior, the Lord will reward him with his choice of infinite wealth, wisdom or beauty. Without hesitating, the dean selects infinite wisdom.

 

"Done!" says the angel, and disappears in a cloud of smoke and a bolt of lightning. Now, all heads turn toward the dean, who sits surrounded by a faint halo of light. At length, one of his colleagues whispers, "Say something."

 

The dean looks intently at his colleagues gathered around him and says.

 

The conclusion to this illustration and many additional illustrations and sermons for Proper 15 can be accessed at www.Sermons.com.

 

 
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From JoeParrish at compuserve.com  Sat Aug 15 15:23:12 2009
From: JoeParrish at compuserve.com (Joe Parrish)
Date: Sat, 15 Aug 2009 15:23:12 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] Fw: SermonWriter:  Aug. 16 (Proper 15B) John 6:51-58
Message-ID: <91F4FC2ABAAE4EEF9936D2BE26601EE7@YOUR264F1833C5>

The following are SermonWriter materials for Aug. 16 (Proper 15B). They 
focus on John 6:51-58, where Jesus says, "I am the living bread that came 
down from heaven."

NO PASSWORD REQUIREMENT: We are posting these materials on the web with no 
password.  To access those files, you MUST use the following links.  If 
clicking on the link fails to work, copy the link and paste it in the 
address window near the top of your browser.  Then hit the ENTER key or 
click GO.

Microsoft Word file:
http://www.lectionary.org/SW/08-16WI/John_6.51-58.doc

HTML file (web page):
http://www.lectionary.org/SW/08-16WI/John_6.51-58.htm

WordPerfect file:
http://www.lectionary.org/SW/08-16WI/John_6.51-58.wpd


A TIP: If you want the Word or WordPerfect files, LEFT-CLICK on the link and 
see what happens.  That should bring up a dialog box that asks if you want 
to open the file or save it.  Choose OPEN.  Then save it wherever you like 
on your hard drive.

If that doesn't work, RIGHT-CLICK on the link.  You should get a sub-menu. 
Hopefully, "Save Target As" will be one of the options.  Click on that. 
Then save the file wherever you want on your hard drive.


Dick Donovan


A THOUGHT ON PREACHING:  Some plague the people with too long sermons; for 
the faculty of listening is a tender thing, and soon becomes weary and 
satiated. (Martin Luther)


TITLE:  Jesus' Forever Bread


SERMON IN A SENTENCE:  When we partake of Jesus (whether through the Lord's 
Supper or just believing in him), he gives us the sustenance that satisfies 
today and through eternity.


SCRIPTURE:  John 6:51-58

<>

FOR MORE SERMONS ON THIS TEXT, GO TO:

http://www.lectionary.org/SermLinks/NT/NT04john.htm

Scroll down to John 6.  There are two sermons on this text posted there.


TRUE STORY:

There is real hunger in this country.  In his autobiography, Malcolm X told 
of his childhood.  He said:

     "My mother was working, when she could find any kind of job.
     In Lansing, there was a bakery where, for a nickel,
     a couple of us children would buy a tall flour sack
     of day-old bread and cookies,
     and then walk the two miles back out into the country to our house.

     "Our mother knew...dozens of ways to cook things with bread and out of 
bread.
     Stewed tomatoes with bread, maybe that would be a meal.
     Something like French toast, if we had any eggs.
     Bread pudding, sometimes with raisins in it.
     If we got hold of some hamburger,
     it came to the table more bread than meat.
     The cookies that were always in the sack with the bread,
     we just gobbled down straight.

     "But there were times when there wasn't even a nickel
     and we would be so hungry that we were dizzy.
     My mother would boil a big pot of dandelion greens, and we would eat 
that.
     I remember that...children would tease us, that we ate 'fried grass.'

     "Sometimes, if we were lucky,
     we would have oatmeal or cornmeal mush three times a day.
     Or mush in the morning and cornbread at night."
- - - - -

I read a story about a hungry man who, through the kindness of one man, 
received what I call Jesus' "Forever Bread."  The man's name was Larry 
Stewart.  In 1971, Larry was working as a salesman, but wasn't selling 
anything.  When I say that he was hungry, I mean that he hadn't eaten in two 
days.  Finally, in desperation, he went to the Dixie Diner and ordered a 
breakfast for which he could not pay.  When the check came, he confessed his 
plight to the owner, Ted Horn.  Instead of calling the police, Ted reached 
down under Larry's chair and came up with a twenty dollar bill in his hand. 
He said, "Son, you must have dropped this."

Larry said, "It was like a fortune to me."  But listen to what he said next. 
Listen carefully.  Larry said, "Thank you, Lord."  You see, he knew where 
that twenty dollar bill came from.  I'm sure that he thanked Ted Horn, but 
he said, "Thank you, Lord!"  He went on to say:

     "Right then, I just made a promise.
     I said, 'Lord, if you ever put me in a position to help other people,
     I'll do it."

You see, Larry had received food for his stomach, but there was something in 
him that understood that he could have even more -- food for his soul.  And 
so he said:

     "Lord, if you ever put me in a position to help other people,
     I'll do it."

Larry got his life turned around financially, and he remembered Ted Horn's 
kindness -- and he remembered his promise to the Lord.  He became a Secret 
Santa.  For 26 Christmases, he anonymously gave hundred dollar bills to 
people in need.  During those years, he gave away more than a million 
dollars.  I don't know how many people he helped during those years, but I 
know that the Lord helped him.  The Lord gave Larry food for his soul.  The 
satisfaction that he received never rang hollow.

- - - - -

THOUGHT PROVOKERS:

God's help is nearer than the door.

William G. Benham

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

It is impossible for that person to despair
who remembers that his helper is omnipotent.

Jeremy Taylor

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

God is no distant deity but a constant reality,
a very present help whenever needs occur.
So?  So live like it.  And laugh like it!
(The apostle) Paul did.
While he lived, he drained very drop of joy
out of every day that passed.

Charles R. Swindoll

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

O Lord, support us all the day long,
until the shadows lengthen
and the evening comes,
and the busy world is hushed,
and the fever of life is over,
and our work is done.

Then in Thy mercy grant us a safe lodging,
and a holy rest,
and peace at the last.

Book of Common Prayer

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

God does not offer us a way out of testings of life.
He offers us a way through,
and that makes all the difference.

W. T. Purkiser

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

<>

HYMN STORY:  Now Thank We All Our God

Martin Rinckart (1586-1649 A.D.) was born in Eilenburg, Germany -- a small 
city near Leipzig, which in the 20th century ended up behind the Iron 
Curtain in East Germany for several decades.

Rinckart studied for the Lutheran ministry, and was called to serve as 
pastor of the church at Eilenburg, his home town.   He arrived there just 
before the beginning of the Thirty Years War, a war that devastated Germany 
in general and Eilenburg in particular.  Being a walled city, Eilenburg 
became a place of refuge and soon became badly overcrowded, rendering it 
susceptible to disease.  The plague of 1637 decimated the town, killing 
8,000 people, including Rinckart's wife.  Rinckart often conducted forty or 
fifty funerals in a day for plague victims.

It seems incongruous that a hymn like "Now Thank We All Our God" should come 
out of such circumstances.  However, Rinckart wrote the first two stanzas, 
not as a hymn for public worship, but as a table grace for his family.  At 
the end of the war, his hymn was sung to celebrate the signing of the Peace 
of Westphalia -- the treaty that ended the war.

But we would know nothing of this hymn except for the good work of Catherine 
Winkworth, an English woman who translated many German hymns into English --  
this hymn and "Christ the Lord is Risen Today" being the best known.

NOTE:  See other hymn stories at http://www.lectionary.org/hymnstories.htm


<>
BIBLIOGRAPHY:

Barclay, William, The Daily Study Bible, "The Gospel of John," Vol. 1 
(Edinburgh: The Saint Andrew Press, 1955)

Borchert, Gerald L., New American Commentary: John 1-11, Vol. 25A 
(Nashville: Broadman Press, 1996)

Brown, Raymond, The Anchor Bible: The Gospel According to John I-XII (Garden 
City: Doubleday, 1966)

Bruce, F. F., The Gospel of John (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing 
Co., 1983).

Brueggemann, Walter; Cousar, Charles B.; Gaventa, Beverly R. and Newsome, 
James D., Texts for Preaching: A Lectionary Commentary Based on the 
NRSV--Year B (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 1993)

Carson, D. A., The Pillar New Testament Commentary: The Gospel of John 
(Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1991).

Craddock, Fred R.; Hayes, John H.; Holladay, Carl R.; and Tucker, Gene M., 
Preaching Through the Christian Year B (Valley Forge: Trinity Press 
International, 1993)

Gossip, Arthur John and Howard, Wilbert F., The Interpreter's Bible, Volume 
8 (Nashville: Abingdon, 1952)

Guelich, Robert A., Word Biblical Commentary:  Mark 1 - 8:26 (Dallas:  Word 
Books, 1989)

Howard-Brook, Wes, Becoming the Children of God: John's Gospel and Radical 
Discipleship (New York: Maryknoll, 1994).

Lincoln, Andrew T., Black's New Testament Commentary: The Gospel According 
to Saint John (London: Continuum, 2005)

Kostenberger, Andreas J., Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament: 
John (Grand Rapids:  Baker Academic, 2004)

Marcus, Joel, The Anchor Bible:  Mark 1-8 (New York:  Doubleday, 1999)

Morris, Leon, The New International Commentary on the New Testament: The 
Gospel According to John (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 
1995).

O'Day, Gail R., The New Interpreter's Bible, Volume IX (Nashville: Abingdon, 
1995)

Ridderbos, Herman (translated by John Vriend), The Gospel of John: A 
Theological Commentary (Grand Rapids:  William B. Eerdmans Publishing 
Company, 1997)

Sloyan, Gerald, "John," Interpretation (Atlanta: John Knox Press, 1988)

Smith, D. Moody, Jr., Abingdon New Testament Commentaries: John (Nashville: 
Abingdon, 1999)

www.sermonwriter.com

www.lectionary.org





From JoeParrish at compuserve.com  Sat Aug 15 15:24:38 2009
From: JoeParrish at compuserve.com (Joe Parrish)
Date: Sat, 15 Aug 2009 15:24:38 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] Fw: SermonWriter: Aug. 16 (Proper 15B) 1 Kings 2 &
	Prov 9
Message-ID: <DA5107DF5627492B8E3AA9288DF53EC3@YOUR264F1833C5>

THE FOLLOWING are links to materials for:

1 Kings 2:10-12; 3:3-14 (RCL SemiContinuous Reading)

Proverbs 9:1-6 (RCL Paired Reading & Catholic Reading)

NO PASSWORD REQUIREMENT: We are posting these materials on the web with no 
password.
To access those files, you MUST use the following links.

IF CLICKING ON THE LINK FAILS TO WORK, copy the link and paste it in the 
address window near the top of your browser.
Then hit the ENTER key or click GO.


1 KINGS 2:10-12; 3:3-14 (RCL SemiContinuous Reading)
These materials include the exegesis + a link to one sermon + a hymn list:

Microsoft Word file:
http://www.lectionary.org/SW/08-16WI/1_Kings_2.10-12_03.03-14.doc

HTML file (web page):
http://www.lectionary.org/SW/08-16WI/1_Kings_2.10-12_03.03-14.htm

WordPerfect file:
http://www.lectionary.org/SW/08-16WI/1_Kings_2.10-12_03.03-14.wpd


PROVERBS 9:1-6 (RCL Paired & Catholic Readings)

Microsoft Word file:
http://www.lectionary.org/SW/08-16WI/Proverbs_09.1-6.doc

HTML file (web page):
http://www.lectionary.org/SW/08-16WI/Proverbs_09.1-6.htm

WordPerfect file:
http://www.lectionary.org/SW/08-16WI/Proverbs_09.1-6.wpd

A TIP: If you want the Word or WordPerfect files, LEFT-CLICK on the link and 
see what happens.
That should bring up a dialog box that asks if you want to open the file or 
save it.
Choose OPEN.  Then save it wherever you like on your hard drive.

If that doesn't work, RIGHT-CLICK on the link.  You should get a sub-menu.
Hopefully, "Save Target As" will be one of them.  Click on that.
Then save the file wherever you want on your hard drive.


WWW.LECTIONARY.ORG:
<>
Dick Donovan




From robertpmorrison at charterinternet.com  Sat Aug 15 15:45:26 2009
From: robertpmorrison at charterinternet.com (Robert P Morrison)
Date: Sat, 15 Aug 2009 12:45:26 -0700
Subject: [Propertalk] Thanks
In-Reply-To: <DA5107DF5627492B8E3AA9288DF53EC3@YOUR264F1833C5>
Message-ID: <20090815154526.1DOXV.3458569.root@mp08>

Thanks, Joe.

I'm not preaching this week - our Deacon is - and we're continuing our study and use of ancestral prayer books. Tomorrow we use the 1662 PB. Next week it's the 1892, and I'll preach on the lections listed in that book: 1 Corinthians 15:1-11 and Luke 18:9-14

Happy sermon wrestling to all!

Bob
--
Robert P. Morrison
The Episcopal Parish of St James,
PO Box 789
Lincoln City, Oregon, 97367

541-994-2426 (Church)




From JoeParrish at compuserve.com  Sat Aug 15 16:20:31 2009
From: JoeParrish at compuserve.com (Joe Parrish)
Date: Sat, 15 Aug 2009 16:20:31 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] Fw: Sermon Resources for August 16 - Part 1 of 3
Message-ID: <9E76FEBBBB7F4E98A83BE68327F87080@YOUR264F1833C5>

Subject: Sermon Resources for August 16 - Part 1 of 3


Sermon Resources for Proper 15:

 

    Ephesians 5:15-20  -  Be Careful How You Live
    Ephesians 5:15-20  -  Wise, Worshipful, and Wonderfully Wayward

                                       by Leonard Sweet

 

Ephesians 5, the sermon titled "Be Careful How You Live" 

 

There are two birds that fly over our nation's deserts: One is the hummingbird and the other is the vulture. The vultures find the rotting meat of the desert, because that is what they look for. They thrive on that diet. But hummingbirds ignore the smelly flesh of dead animals. Instead, they look for the colorful blossoms of desert plants. The vultures live on what was. They live on the past. They fill themselves with what is dead and gone. But hummingbirds live on what is. They seek new life. They fill themselves with freshness and life. Each bird finds what it is looking for. We all do.

That is the essence of Paul's teaching: In life, there are two birds. The one bird looks for foolishness and stupidity, the other looks for wisdom. The vultures seek to fill themselves with the rotting flesh of drunkenness and debauchery, the hummingbird sobriety, freshness, and the Spirit. In the desert of this world you have your scavengers who are angry and ungrateful, but you also have those who hum a grateful hymn of thanksgiving. The irony is that you find what you are looking for.

In the fifth chapter of Ephesians Paul outlines proper behavior for good living. In our short passage he admonishes his readers to be careful how they live. He is brief and to the point. Three things we must do: Be wise, be sober, and be thankful. It's a short list but if we can orient our daily lives around these three-be wise, be sober, be thankful-we will transform not only our lives but also the lives of our family, friends, church, and neighbors. Paul then offers these admonitions:

1. Be Careful How You Live: Be Wise
2. Be Careful How You Live: Be Sober
3. Be Careful How You Live: Be Thankful

 

The rest of this sermon following the outline above can be obtained by joining www.eSermons.com.


__________________________________

 

Second Sermon by Len Sweet

 

Ephesians 5, the sermon entitled "Wise, Worshipful and Wonderfully Wayward" 

 

We used to tell these people, "Get off your high horse." I never knew what that meant literally, for they weren't on any horse, high or low. But we all knew what the expression meant. 

 

Is there anyone more annoying, more off-putting, more "fur-rubbed-the-wrong-way," than someone who is convinced they are "better" than you? Whether they are richer, or smarter, or prettier, or stronger, there are those who love going around "on their high horse."

 

In junior highs and high schools "cliques" rule the world. Every possible grouping of people gets its own label. Every pack has its own indelible identity. There are "jocks" and "cheerleaders." There are "Goths" and "Geeks." There are "Nerds" and "Freaks." How ironic that it is in school - the place we are primed and prepared for the expansive possibilities of the future that everyone is so tightly pigeon-holed and securely marked. 

 

Jesus failed to fit into any of the preconceived plans people had for a Messiah, for a Leader, for a Savior. And so did the first generations of Jesus' disciples fail to fit into any of the cultural conceptions of what was a "religion" or a "community." These "Christians" weren't Jews. These "Christians" weren't Gentiles. These Christians performed rites and rituals that sounded salacious and suspicious - what about all this drinking the blood and eating the body of a dead guy? Isn't that cannibalism? And this rhetoric about everyone loving one another? Isn't that the codeword for orgies? And these Christians kiss one another whenever they get together, regardless of social rank or color or economic status. 

 

The truth was these Christians came together to sing and pray and talk and give thanks. When Christians "celebrated" the wine did not flow and the moral boundaries did not disappear. In a world where religious ecstasy, mysterious secret rites, and  sexual excess were the "norms," these new "kids on the block," these "Christians" weren't "worse," they weren't "better." They were just really, really "different." So "different" that it was hard finding any category to place them in. 

 

If you've survived grades 1-12, and it looks like many of you have, you know that being tagged as "different" is never a good thing. Even though Jesus tried to keep a low profile, being "different" got Jesus in big trouble with the Jewish religious hierarchy, who then quickly passed him on to the Roman political hierarchy, where he got in more trouble. 

 

Being "different" paved Jesus' path to the cross.

 

Embodying Jesus' "differentness" got the first Christians in trouble too. They didn't fit within Judaism. Yet they stood completely outside the pagan, cultic traditions. The first century religious world didn't know what to do with these disciples of a crucified criminal. Eventually Judaism, which was already on the "suspect" list of the Roman Empire, chose to put its head down, "hunker-in-the-bunker" and distance itself from these Christians. Eventually Rome found Christians made excellent fall-guys and fodder for the Coliseum carnage. Christians vs. Lions was a game with a predictable out-come. But many found it fun to watch, and cities competed with one another as to who could build the biggest and best stadium where these games could take place. 

 

How did it happen that Christians now have a "holier-than-thou," "better-than-you" reputation? Being "Christian" has never been about being "better" than others. Being "Christian" has always been about being "different." Living "differently" than the world. Seeing different solutions to the problems of humanity. Celebrating a very "different" kind of victory - a victory that starts with a death on a cross and whose end was not yet come. The gospel is less about "better" than "different." Disciples of Jesus are not just called to be "better" but to be "different." A Christian's motto might be "I beg to differ." 

 

Being different, living different - that is the life-blood which keeps the circulation of the body alive and separated from the rest of the world, even while living in its midst. The Ephesians writer in today's text looked at three ways these Christians were "different."  

 

First, they were wise.

Second, they were worshipful.

Third, they were wondrously wayward.

 

The rest of Leonard Sweet's sermon can be obtained by joining www.eSermons.com.

 

Click here:  http://www.esermons.com/signup or call 1-800-777-7731 to join.

 

________________________________ 

 



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From JoeParrish at compuserve.com  Sat Aug 15 16:21:04 2009
From: JoeParrish at compuserve.com (Joe Parrish)
Date: Sat, 15 Aug 2009 16:21:04 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] Sermon Resources for August 16 - Part 2 of 3
Message-ID: <BA5DBBDEA0C044CBB9C08EAB31F80468@YOUR264F1833C5>

Subject: Sermon Resources for August 16 - Part 2 of 3


Sermon Resources for Proper 15:

Abiding with Christ
 

Eat this Bread and you will live, he promises. But even more than that, eat this Bread and I will abide with you, and you will abide with me. I like that word abide. I have pictures again: look, can you see them? They are images of home, of dwelling, of staying with, of living in and with, of trusting and being there. To abide is to know that no matter what comes our way, we will not be deserted nor left to face whatever the matter is on our own. Christ comes to live within us, to take up residence in our spirits, and promises not to leave. 

 

Over the years I have witnessed many scenes of this abiding presence played out in the lives of persons I have known. None are more powerful, more moving, more meaningful than the images which walk across my mind of faithful spouses who care for each other to the very end. Let me draw them for you. There is one now, walking his wife, a victim of Alzheimer's disease, down the streets in front of the nursing home. She in a wheelchair, not knowing a thing. He pushing her faithfully day after day. Their love of more than 60 years abides in his heart. Here is another: the picture of a woman standing beside the bed of her husband, holding a hand, offering a calm, reassuring voice to this one who has only moments before been thrown into convulsions. "I will not leave you." Finally, here is the unspoken presence of a Loving Friend who calms my own grieving spirit in the dark hospital room where my father lays dying. "Those who eat my flesh? abide in me, and I in them (John 6:56, NRSV)." 

 

In a world of fast food chains in every village, of drive-through windows, of buffet lines and all-you-can-eat salad bars, we are today offered a different food, the Bread of Life. It is food for a hungry soul. It is eternal food which, when you eat it, satisfies the craving of your heart and opens your eyes to see that all else is imitation and second rate.
 
Larry M. Goodpaster, Like a Breath of Fresh Air, CSS Publishing Company  
___________________________________

O, Lord Give Me a Penny

 

A man asked God, "What does a billion dollars mean to you who are all powerful?"

 

"Hardly a penny." God said.

 

Then the man asked God , "And what are a thousand centuries to you?" God answered "Hardly a second!!"

 

Thinking he had God backed into a corner, the man then said, "Then if that's the case, O, Lord give me a penny !!"

 

"Sure," God replied. "In just a minute."

 

Wisdom isn't outsmarting God, wisdom is living in and with God. Wisdom is being in Christ and surrounded by Christ. Wisdom is eating and drinking from the feast which God has prepared for us.

 

Traditional

 

________________________

 

Bread Is Not a Mere Commodity

 

The theologian John Macquarrie relates that the Scottish churchman, George Macleod, used to watch grain ships from Canada and the United States bringing their cargoes of wheat into Liverpool harbor, and he reflected that the wheat has the potentiality of becoming the body of Christ. This is the point at which sacramental theology spills over into the market place. Bread is not a mere commodity; things are not mere bits of matter. We can learn something of this from natural theology, but we learn it above all from Jesus Christ, the bread of God which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.

 

John Macquarrie, A Guide to the Sacraments, p,156 

__________________________

 

The Truth

 

There is an Irish saying, "the person who speaks the truth should have one foot in the stirrup." He should be ready to ride off at once. People do not like the truth, especially when it challenges their attitudes; and the reaction is often to try to destroy the evidence of the truth or the one who witnesses to it. 
 
Father Gerry Pierse, The Dangerous Memory of Jesus

 

_______________________

 

Dining with God

 

When Seymour passed away, God greeted him at the Pearly Gates. "Thou be hungry, Seymour?" said God.

 

"I could eat," Seymour replied.

 

So God opened a can of tuna and reached for a chunk of rye bread and they shared it. While eating this humble meal, Seymour glanced down into Hell and saw the inhabitants devouring huge steaks, lobsters, pheasants, pastries, and fine wines. Curious, but deeply trusting, Seymour remained quiet.

 

The next day God again invited Seymour for another meal. Again, it was tuna and rye bread. Once again looking down, Seymour could see the denizens of Hell enjoying caviar, champagne, lamb, truffles, and chocolates. Still Seymour said nothing.

 

The following day, mealtime arrived and God opened another can of tuna. Seymour could contain himself no longer. Meekly, he said: "God, I am grateful to be in heaven with you as a reward for the pious, obedient life I led. But here in heaven all I get to eat is tuna and a piece of rye bread and in the Other Place they eat like emperors and kings! Forgive me, O God, but I just don't understand."

 

God sighed: "Let's be honest, Seymour. For just two people does it pay to cook?"

 

Donel McClellan, The Imaginary God

 

________________________

 

Meeting God

 

Barbara Brokhoff says in her book, Faith Alive, "The Happy Hour for the Christian should be the hour of worship on Sunday morning, but how do you honestly feel when you are awakened by the alarm on the Lord's Day and you realize it is another "Church Day"? Can you hardly wait for the service time to roll around or do you roll over in bed, moan and groan and cover your head, and wish that once, once again maybe once more like last Sunday the one before, you would, or could sleep in and forget the whole boring, time consuming thing?? Is the thought of worship agony or ecstasy? I think we are coming to meet God--not just any body, but God!! Shouldn't the delightful suspense of worship make our breath short and our hearts beat faster?" 

 

Barbara Brokhoff, Faith Alive, quoted by Tim Zingale, Wisdom = Being in Christ


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From JoeParrish at compuserve.com  Sat Aug 15 16:21:47 2009
From: JoeParrish at compuserve.com (Joe Parrish)
Date: Sat, 15 Aug 2009 16:21:47 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] Sermon Resources for August 16 - Part 3 of 3
Message-ID: <C18D3CA4C3D54DED9201B45BC66E0009@YOUR264F1833C5>

Sermon Resources for August 16 - Part 3 of 3

Bread from Home
 

I'm reminded of a true story of a soldier who was severely wounded. When he was out of surgery, the doctors said that there was a good chance for recovery, except that the soldier wouldn't eat anything. The nurses and nuns tried everything, but he refused all food-drinking only water and juice.

 

One of his buddies knew why the soldier wouldn't eat-he was homesick. So, his friend, since the hospital wasn't too far from the soldier's home, offered to bring the young man's father to visit him. The commanding officer approved and the friend went to the parents' home. As the father was about to leave for the hospital, the mother wrapped up a loaf of fresh bread for her son.

 

Well, the patient was very happy to see his father but he still wouldn't eat-that is, until the father said; "Son, this bread was made by your mother, especially for you". The boy brightened and began to eat.

 

I think that you can guess where I'm going with that story. You and I are that boy. We are the ones who have been wounded in the battle of life. We are the ones who've been wounded by sin, by trials and pains, by loss and by our forgetfulness of God.

 

We lose our taste for the food that will strengthen our souls. Holy Communion gives us life, spiritual life, God's life. It gives us spiritual healing and spiritual strength.

 

There was nothing 'magic' about the mother's bread unless, that is, one feels that 'love' is magic--which, of course, it is.

 

Author unknown

 

____________________

 

 The Communion of Empty Hands

 

There's a beautiful incident recorded by Thomas Pettepiece, a Methodist pastor, who was a political prisoner, a prisoner of conscience. Pettepiece writes of his first Easter Sunday spent in prison. He was among 10,000 prisoners. Most of the men had lost everything: their homes, their jobs, their furniture, their contact with their families. It was Easter Sunday, and they wanted to celebrate Communion. But, they had no cup for Communion. They had no wine for Communion. They didn't even have water for Communion. Nor did they have any bread for the Sacrament.

 

So, they practiced the Communion of Empty Hands. "This meal in which we take part," Pettepeice said, "reminds us of the imprisonment, the torture, the death and final victory of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The bread is the body which he gave for humanity. The fact that we have none represents very well the lack of bread in the hunger of so many millions of human beings. The wine, which we don't have today, is his blood, and represents our dream of a united humanity, of a just society, without difference of race or class."

 

Then Pettepiece, the pastor, held out his empty hand to the next person on his right, and passed on the imaginary loaf. Each one took a piece and passed it on. Then he said, "Take, eat, this is my body, which is broken for you. Do this in remembrance of me." And together they ate the imaginary bread, trying to imagine tasting it.

 

After a moment they passed around the non-existent chalice, each imagining he was drinking from it. "Take, drink, this is the blood of Christ which was shed for you ... Let us give thanks, sure that Christ is here with us, strengthening us."

 

They gave thanks to God and then stood up and embraced each other. And a while later, one of the non-Christian prisoners came up to them and said, "You people have something special, which I would like to have." And the father of a girl who had died came up to Pettepiece and said, "Pastor, this was a real experience. I believe that today I discovered what faith is ..." (from Visions of a World Hungry, quoted in A Guide To Prayer, Rueben P. Job and Norman Shawchuck, editors, The Upper Room, p. 143).

 

Alex Gondola, Jr., Come As You Are, CSS Publishing Company.

________________________

 

Togetherness in the Eucharist

 

Bread suggests togetherness, care and love, hopes and dreams, fun and adventure.  

 

Let's say some new friends invite you to their house for a meal. When you are a guest in their home, they are sharing their intimacy with you. They are sharing with you some of the privacy of that place where they live every day, eat every day, love every day, work on their problems, argue from time to time, sleep and depart for work and pleasure and return for rest, every day.   

 

After graciously receiving you, they show you around their home in which they take deep pride. Then you go to the dining room for the meal. You find the table set with care, the food exceptionally delicious, and the conversation flows easily. Simply put, it becomes a lovely evening and you leave feeling full in every way. You enjoy bread from the kitchen, but much more. You enjoy the bread of being graciously received, the bread of informed and lively conversation, and the bread of being in beautiful surroundings..  

 

Magnify that thousands of times and you begin to have a glimmer of what the church perceives the Holy Eucharist to be. In the Eucharist Jesus and "Bread of Life" are one. In the Eucharist bread and wine are the elements that nurture faith in God.

 

Charles R. Leary, Mission Ready!, CSS Publishing Company 

_____________________

 

Full Devotion

 

Several years ago a couple of reporters conducted an experiment on the streets of Miami, Florida. They printed up a copy of the Bill of Rights in the form of a petition, put it on a clipboard, and then stopped people on the sidewalk and asked them to sign it. As you know, the first ten amendments to the United States Constitution are the Bill of Rights, and they were adopted and put into effect in December of 1791. The reporters were surprised at people's reaction when asked to add their names to the so-called petition. Most people glanced at the document, shook their heads, and walked on by without signing. Several people became angry with the reporters and accused them of being radical enemies of the American way of life. In fact, the experiment ended when the reporters found themselves surrounded by a dozen or so passers-by who were shaking their fists at them and calling them subversive Communists who ought to be thrown in jail.

 

What the experiment demonstrated is what we already know. Many citizens of the United States pay lip service to their country and its heritage. They claim to be loyal and patriotic in every way. They say they are proud to belong to a country as great as ours. And yet at the same time they haven't the vaguest notion what the United States Constitution actually says, and they consider the Bill of Rights to be a radical, anti-American document. In other words, these people claim citizenship, but they have not internalized the basic meaning of being a citizen. They claim the privilege, but they will not eat and drink the ethos of United States of America.

 

The same sort of thing is described in today's Gospel. Jesus says, I am the living bread that came down from heaven. . . Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Most people probably think Jesus is talking about communion. He isn't. He's talking about the difference between external lip service and internal embodiment. He's talking about the difference between admiring him and actually taking up one's cross and following him. He's talking about the difference between acting like a Christian on the outside and being a Christian on the inside.

 

Edwin D. Peterman

 

_________________

 

Christ in Me and I in Him

 

There is an story about minister walking along the ocean with his small son. The boy questioned his father about Sunday's sermon. The boy said, "Dad, I cannot understand how Christ can live in us and we live in him at the same time." Further down the beach, the father noticed an empty bottle with a cork in it. Taking the bottle, he half filled it with water, re-corked it and flung it out into the ocean.

 

As they watched the bottle bob up and down he said, "Son, the sea is in the bottle and the bottle is in the sea. It is a picture of life in Christ. You live under the Lordship of Christ and He lives in you."

 

Traditional

 

___________________________________

 

ILLUSTRATIONS FOR EPHESIANS 5:15-20

___________________________________

 

 

Unwise and Wise Living

 

Jewish rabbis tell a poignant story that drives home the point of Proverbs 18:21. As the story goes (and five versions of this appear in Greek literature), Rabbi Simeon ben Gamaliel one day asked his servant to go to buy some good food for him in the market. When the servant returned home, he presented the rabbi with a tongue.

 

The next day, the rabbi told the servant to go to the market to buy some bad food. Again, the servant returned with a tongue.

 

When the rabbi asked the servant why he returned with a tongue both times, the servant made this astute observation: "Good comes from it and bad comes from it. When the tongue is good, there is nothing better, and when it is bad, there is nothing worse."

 

William R. Baker, Sticks & Stones: The Discipleship of Our Speech, Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1996), p. 17.

 

_________________

 

Experience comes from what we have done. Wisdom comes from what we have done badly.

 

Theodore Levitt, Harvard Business School

 

_________________

 

Wisdom

 

An angel appears at a faculty meeting and tells the dean that in return for his unselfish and exemplary behavior, the Lord will reward him with his choice of infinite wealth, wisdom or beauty. Without hesitating, the dean selects infinite wisdom.

 

"Done!" says the angel, and disappears in a cloud of smoke and a bolt of lightning. Now, all heads turn toward the dean, who sits surrounded by a faint halo of light. At length, one of his colleagues whispers, "Say something."

 

The dean looks intently at his colleagues gathered around him and says.

 

The conclusion to this illustration and many additional illustrations and sermons for Proper 15 can be accessed at www.Sermons.com.

 

 
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From JoeParrish at compuserve.com  Sat Aug 15 17:19:48 2009
From: JoeParrish at compuserve.com (Joe Parrish)
Date: Sat, 15 Aug 2009 17:19:48 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] Information tsunami
Message-ID: <CDFF10022E3B450FBDEB9AAC481149BF@YOUR264F1833C5>

See this and think how church figures into the current information tsunami: 

http://www.youtube.com/v/sIFYPQjYhv8&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&feature=player_embedded&fs=1 

(Turn off sound--it's a bit irritating.)

Peace and blessings,
Joe
St. John's, Elizabeth, NJ
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From JoeParrish at compuserve.com  Sat Aug 15 21:00:07 2009
From: JoeParrish at compuserve.com (Joe Parrish)
Date: Sat, 15 Aug 2009 21:00:07 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] Gospel references for August 16, 2009, Part 1
Message-ID: <1162153DF17F4151A0D7129BCA976B11@YOUR264F1833C5>

In verse 53, however, Jesus switches to a less common word, trogo, a rather onomatopoetic word that has a connotation closer to "munch" or "gnaw." It is a graphic word of noisy eating, the sort of eating an animal does. The audibility of the eating, however, is not the important point; this is eating that is urgent, even desperate. It is eating as though life depends on it, because it does.

Just what this "gnawing" means, however, is not easy to discern. In fact, verses 51-58 make up one of the most widely and hotly disputed passages in John's Gospel. At the heart of the debate is whether or not these statements refer to the eating and drinking of the Eucharist, a question only compounded by the absence of Jesus' words regarding his body and blood at the last supper in John. 

<>
...the early church (for example, Ignatius and Justin Martyr) did speak about the "flesh" of Jesus in the Eucharist. 
<>
this text is at one level a meditation on the Eucharist... 

http://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?lect_date=8/16/2009&tab=4

Brian Peterson,Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary
Columbia, SC  
- - - - - 

...to eat someone's flesh was a Semitic figure of speech for to slander did not make Jesus' statement easier to understand!

http://montreal.anglican.org/comments/archive/bpr20m.shtml

Chris Haslam, Anglican Diocese of Montreal 
- - - - -

John uses the word "flesh" (Greek: sarx) while the synoptic gospels and Paul use the word "body" (Greek: soma). 
<>
Verse 53: The separation of blood from flesh emphasize the reality of Jesus' death. 
<>
This passage speaks of salvation many times, sometimes in the present (a present reality) (in vv. 53a, 54a) and sometimes in the future (in vv. 54b, 57b, 58b). Salvation through participating in the Eucharist is happening now, and will happen in the future. While this is obvious in John, it can also be found in Matthew.

http://montreal.anglican.org/comments/archive/bpr20l.shtml

Chris Haslam, Anglican Diocese of Montreal 
- - - - -

As the text stands which has been passed on to us, we see that the eucharist is clearly being understood as a means of opening oneself to this life. It would be a mistake, however, to isolate it as though it were the only means and especially to isolate its elements as having a power which exists independently of the Son and are somehow at our disposal, like medicine. 

http://wwwstaff.murdoch.edu.au/~loader/MkPentecost11.htm

William Loader, Murdoch University, Uniting Church in Australia
- - - - -

How frequently does one need to eat and drink in order to have this life? Martin Luther writes: "You have to worry that whoever does not desire or receive the sacrament at the very least around four times a year despises the sacrament and is no Christian, just as anyone who does not listen to or believe the gospel is no Christian" ["Preface to the Small Catechism," Book of Concord, Kolb & Wengert, ed., p. 250]
And a little later: "... you do not have to make any law concerning this.... Only emphasize clearly the benefit and the harm, the need and the blessing, the danger and the salvation in this sacrament. Then they will doubtless come on their own without any compulsion. If they do not come, give up on them and tell them that those who do not pay attention to or feel their great need and God's gracious help belong to the devil" ["Preface to the Small Catechism," Book of Concord, Kolb & Wengert, ed., p. 251]

<>
Besides the word "flesh" (sarx,) being distinctively Johannine in regards to the eucharist feast, John is also unique in using the word trogo for "to eat" (vv. 54, 56, 57, 58). (He also uses the more common esthio -- vv. 5, 23, 26, 31, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 58.) Trogo is a cruder term, sometimes translated: "to chew" or "to gnaw" or "to eat audibly". BAGD says: "John uses it, in order to offset any Docetic tendencies to 'spiritualize' the concept so that nothing physical remains in it, in what many hold to be the language of the Lord's Supper."

http://www.crossmarks.com/brian/john6x51.htm

Brian Stoffregen
- - - - -
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From JoeParrish at compuserve.com  Sat Aug 15 21:42:33 2009
From: JoeParrish at compuserve.com (Joe Parrish)
Date: Sat, 15 Aug 2009 21:42:33 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] Gospel references for August 16, 2009, Part 2
Message-ID: <650242BC49BF4CE4AEBD6F2812377FB9@YOUR264F1833C5>

In Genesis 9:3-4, God explicitly forbids Noah and his family (and thereby, all humans, because in the Biblical story, since they are the only human survivors of the flood, all humans are descended from them) from eating blood:
          Every living thing shall be food for you; and just as I gave you the green plants, I give you everything.
          Only, you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood.

Malina and Rorhbaugh then point out that in Leviticus both blood and the flesh of the kidney and its surrounding fat are ritually dedicated exclusively for God: the blood is thrown on the altar; the kidney and its fat are burnt. They comment:

  Thus, the prohibitions of fat and blood (from human consumption) single out those organs ... that serve as the seat of life. Life is from God alone and belongs to God alone. To ingest fat or blood is to strive to be like God. Page 136.

Thus, the crowd listening to Jesus would hear his words, "eat my flesh and drink my blood," as blasphemy, as an abomination, as a violation of a core belief about the Holy and our proper relationship with the Holy. 

http://www.holytextures.com/2009/07/john-6-51-58-year-b-pentecost-august-14-august-20-sermon.html

David Ewart, United Church of Canada, 2009

- - - - -

The text calls us beyond being casual receivers of God's bounty John 6:1-16) and connected recognizers of God's presence (John 6:17-26) to a new committed relationship with Christ, the bread of heaven.

http://jointhefeast.blogspot.com/2009/07/august-16-2009-john-651-58-martha.html

Martha Rollins, Union Theological Seminary & Presbyterian School of Christian Education, Richmond, VA 2009

- - - - -
What bread and wine do we feed on, do we abide in? Do we abide in the bread and wine of human reason? Experience? Logic? Do we abide in the bread and wine of the Mosaic Passover, i.e. the Law? Or, do we abide in the bread and wine that is the flesh and blood of Christ?

http://www.crossings.org/theology/2009/theolo742.shtml

Bill White, Crossings Community,  Chesterfield, MO

- - - - -

In my own spiritual path, sometimes I've confused manna for living bread. Both are God-given, but manna doesn't nourish indefinitely. Think of manna as the aspects of the church life that are suitable and grace-full but fleeting. Manna is the preaching style of a certain pastor whom you love (but what do you do when a new pastor comes along with a different style)? Manna is the program ministry of the congregation, or the church's music, wonderful and beneficial but sometimes a source of disagreement. Manna is the small group to which you're attached -- but people move away and the group magic disappears. Manna is the congregation that you love -- that you'd rather would never change. And what if a crisis in your congregation brings out the worst in the people you trusted as spiritual models? Our walk with Christ can be hampered, even ruined, when we allow impermanent aspects of church to define our spiritual journey.

http://www.religion-online.org/showarticle.asp?title=3421

Paul Stroble, 2006

- - - - -

51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. This is the only time that the phrase, "living bread," is used in the Scriptures and is parallel to Jesus saying that he was the "living water" to the Samaritan woman at the well (John 4:10).

Jesus is the source of life, the source of eternal life, the source of the values of our daily lives, the source of love for our daily lives. The basic food staple of the world is bread and Jesus is the basic spiritual staple of the world. 

<>

...the English word, "forever," occurs 352 times in the whole Bible; 302 times in the Old Testament and 52 times in the New Testament. It occurs seven times in the four gospels and five times in the Gospel of John. In other words, the word, "forever," is important in this gospel. 

<>

Capernaum was in existence from the second century BCE. to the seventh century CE. Capernaum was built along the edge of the Sea of Galilee and had up to 1500 residents. 

http://www.sermonsfromseattle.com/series_b_holy_communion_GA.htm

- - - - -

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From chadwohl at satucket.com  Sat Aug 15 22:18:09 2009
From: chadwohl at satucket.com (Charles Wohlers)
Date: Sat, 15 Aug 2009 22:18:09 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] READINGS for the TWELFTH SUNDAY after PENTECOST
Message-ID: <E54438EDEDF749179D29E483C1B185E8@cranmer>

Note: These are a day early as we'll be away tomorrow evening.

The following are the readings for the Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost, 
August 23, (Proper 21, RCL, Proper 16, ECUSA), according to the Revised 
Common (RCL), Episcopal (ECUSA), Roman Catholic, Canadian (BAS), and 
English (Common Worship) lectionaries. Unless noted otherwise, the 
lectionaries of ECUSA, Canada and the C of E are identical to the RCL this 
Sunday. The NRSV translation is used.


OLD TESTAMET:  1 Kings 8: (1, 6, 10, 11) 22 - 30, 41 - 43   (RCL)

1Kin 8:1 (NRSV) Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel and all the 
heads of the tribes, the leaders of the ancestral houses of the Israelites, 
before King Solomon in Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the covenant of the 
LORD out of the city of David, which is Zion.

6 Then the priests brought the ark of the covenant of the LORD to its place, 
in the inner sanctuary of the house, in the most holy place, underneath the 
wings of the cherubim.

10 And when the priests came out of the holy place, a cloud filled the house 
of the LORD, 11 so that the priests could not stand to minister because of 
the cloud; for the glory of the LORD filled the house of the LORD.

22 Then Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in the presence of all 
the assembly of Israel, and spread out his hands to heaven. 23 He said, "O 
LORD, God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven above or on earth 
beneath, keeping covenant and steadfast love for your servants who walk 
before you with all their heart, 24 the covenant that you kept for your 
servant my father David as you declared to him; you promised with your mouth 
and have this day fulfilled with your hand. 25 Therefore, O LORD, God of 
Israel, keep for your servant my father David that which you promised him, 
saying, "There shall never fail you a successor before me to sit on the 
throne of Israel, if only your children look to their way, to walk before me 
as you have walked before me.' 26 Therefore, O God of Israel, let your word 
be confirmed, which you promised to your servant my father David.
27 "But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Even heaven and the highest 
heaven cannot contain you, much less this house that I have built! 28 Regard 
your servant's prayer and his plea, O LORD my God, heeding the cry and the 
prayer that your servant prays to you today; 29 that your eyes may be open 
night and day toward this house, the place of which you said, "My name shall 
be there,' that you may heed the prayer that your servant prays toward this 
place. 30 Hear the plea of your servant and of your people Israel when they 
pray toward this place; O hear in heaven your dwelling place; heed and 
forgive.

41 "Likewise when a foreigner, who is not of your people Israel, comes from 
a distant land because of your name 42 --for they shall hear of your great 
name, your mighty hand, and your outstretched arm--when a foreigner comes 
and prays toward this house, 43 then hear in heaven your dwelling place, and 
do according to all that the foreigner calls to you, so that all the peoples 
of the earth may know your name and fear you, as do your people Israel, and 
so that they may know that your name has been invoked on this house that I 
have built.


Joshua 24: 1 - 2a, 15 - 17, 18b   (Roman Catholic)
Joshua 24: 1 - 2a, 14 - 18   (alt. for RCL)

Josh 24:1 (NRSV) Then Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to She'chem, 
and summoned the elders, the heads, the judges, and the officers of Israel; 
and they presented themselves before God. 2 And Joshua said to all the 
people, "Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel:

14 "Now therefore revere the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in 
faithfulness; put away the gods that your ancestors served beyond the River 
and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. 15 Now if you are unwilling to serve the 
LORD, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors 
served in the region beyond the River or the gods of the Am'orites in whose 
land you are living; but as for me and my household, we will serve the 
LORD."
16 Then the people answered, "Far be it from us that we should forsake the 
LORD to serve other gods; 17 for it is the LORD our God who brought us and 
our ancestors up from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, and 
who did those great signs in our sight. He protected us along all the way 
that we went, and among all the peoples through whom we passed; 18 and the 
LORD drove out before us all the peoples, the Am'orites who lived in the 
land. Therefore we also will serve the LORD, for he is our God."


2 Samuel 23: 1 - 7   (Can. BAS)

2Sam 23:1 (NRSV) Now these are the last words of David:
The oracle of David, son of Jesse,
the oracle of the man whom God exalted,
the anointed of the God of Jacob,
the favorite of the Strong One of Israel:
2 The spirit of the LORD speaks through me,
his word is upon my tongue.
3 The God of Israel has spoken,
the Rock of Israel has said to me:
One who rules over people justly,
ruling in the fear of God,
4 is like the light of morning,
like the sun rising on a cloudless morning,
gleaming from the rain on the grassy land.
5 Is not my house like this with God?
For he has made with me an everlasting covenant,
ordered in all things and secure.
Will he not cause to prosper
all my help and my desire?
6 But the godless are all like thorns that are thrown away;
for they cannot be picked up with the hand;
7 to touch them one uses an iron bar
or the shaft of a spear.
And they are entirely consumed in fire on the spot.


PSALM 84   (RCL)

Psal 84:1 (NRSV) How lovely is your dwelling place,
O LORD of hosts!
2 My soul longs, indeed it faints
for the courts of the LORD;
my heart and my flesh sing for joy
to the living God.
3 Even the sparrow finds a home,
and the swallow a nest for herself,
where she may lay her young,
at your altars, O LORD of hosts,
my King and my God.
4 Happy are those who live in your house,
ever singing your praise. [Se'lah]
5 Happy are those whose strength is in you,
in whose heart are the highways to Zion.
6 As they go through the valley of Ba'ca
they make it a place of springs;
the early rain also covers it with pools.
7 They go from strength to strength;
the God of gods will be seen in Zion.
8 O LORD God of hosts, hear my prayer;
give ear, O God of Jacob! [Se'lah]
9 Behold our shield, O God;
look on the face of your anointed.
10 For a day in your courts is better
than a thousand elsewhere.
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
than live in the tents of wickedness.
11 For the LORD God is a sun and shield;
he bestows favor and honor.
No good thing does the LORD withhold
from those who walk uprightly.
12 O LORD of hosts,
happy is everyone who trusts in you.


Psalm 34: 15 - 22   (alt. for RCL)
Psalm 34: 1 - 2, 15 - 20   (Roman Catholic)

Psal 34:1 (NRSV) I will bless the LORD at all times;
his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
2 My soul makes its boast in the LORD;
let the humble hear and be glad.

15 The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous,
and his ears are open to their cry.
16 The face of the LORD is against evildoers,
to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.
17 When the righteous cry for help, the LORD hears,
and rescues them from all their troubles.
18 The LORD is near to the brokenhearted,
and saves the crushed in spirit.
19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous,
but the LORD rescues them from them all.
20 He keeps all their bones;
not one of them will be broken.
21 Evil brings death to the wicked,
and those who hate the righteous will be condemned.
22 The LORD redeems the life of his servants;
none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.

Note: Verse numbering in Roman Catholic bibles is one greater than the 
above.


Psalm 67   Deus misereatur   (Can. BAS)

1   May God be merciful to us and bless us, *
  show us the light of his countenance and come to us.

2   Let your ways be known upon earth, *
  your saving health among all nations.

3   Let the peoples praise you, O God; *
  let all the peoples praise you.

4   Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, *
  for you judge the peoples with equity
  and guide all the nations upon earth.

5   Let the peoples praise you, O God; *
  let all the peoples praise you.

6   The earth has brought forth her increase; *
  may God, our own God, give us his blessing.

7   May God give us his blessing, *
  and may all the ends of the earth stand in awe of him.


NEW TESTAMENT:   Ephesians 6: 10 - 20   (RCL)

Ephe 6:10 (NRSV) Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his 
power. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to stand 
against the wiles of the devil. 12 For our struggle is not against enemies 
of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against 
the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of 
evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, so 
that you may be able to withstand on that evil day, and having done 
everything, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, and fasten the belt of truth 
around your waist, and put on the breastplate of righteousness. 15 As shoes 
for your feet put on whatever will make you ready to proclaim the gospel of 
peace. 16 With all of these, take the shield of faith, with which you will 
be able to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet 
of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
18 Pray in the Spirit at all times in every prayer and supplication. To that 
end keep alert and always persevere in supplication for all the saints. 19 
Pray also for me, so that when I speak, a message may be given to me to make 
known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an 
ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it boldly, as I must speak.


Ephesians 5: 21 - 33   (Can. BAS)
Ephesians 5: (2a, 21 - 24) 25 - 32   (Roman Catholic)

Ephe 5:2a (NRSV) [L]ive in love, as Christ loved us

21Be subject to one another out of reverence for Christ.
22 Wives, be subject to your husbands as you are to the Lord. 23 For the 
husband is the head of the wife just as Christ is the head of the church, 
the body of which he is the Savior. 24 Just as the church is subject to 
Christ, so also wives ought to be, in everything, to their husbands.
25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave 
himself up for her, 26 in order to make her holy by cleansing her with the 
washing of water by the word, 27 so as to present the church to himself in 
splendor, without a spot or wrinkle or anything of the kind--yes, so that 
she may be holy and without blemish. 28 In the same way, husbands should 
love their wives as they do their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves 
himself. 29 For no one ever hates his own body, but he nourishes and 
tenderly cares for it, just as Christ does for the church, 30 because we are 
members of his body. 31 "For this reason a man will leave his father and 
mother and be joined to his wife, and the two will become one flesh." 32 
This is a great mystery, and I am applying it to Christ and the church. 33 
Each of you, however, should love his wife as himself, and a wife should 
respect her husband.


GOSPEL:   John 6: 56 - 69   (RCL)
                    John 6: 60 - 69   (Roman Catholic)
                    John 6: 55 - 69   (Can. BAS)

John 6:55 (NRSV) for my flesh is true food and my blood is true drink. 56 
Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them. 57 
Just as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so 
whoever eats me will live because of me. 58 This is the bread that came down 
from heaven, not like that which your ancestors ate, and they died. But the 
one who eats this bread will live forever." 59 He said these things while he 
was teaching in the synagogue at Caper'naum.
60 When many of his disciples heard it, they said, "This teaching is 
difficult; who can accept it?" 61 But Jesus, being aware that his disciples 
were complaining about it, said to them, "Does this offend you? 62 Then what 
if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? 63 It is 
the spirit that gives life; the flesh is useless. The words that I have 
spoken to you are spirit and life. 64 But among you there are some who do 
not believe." For Jesus knew from the first who were the ones that did not 
believe, and who was the one that would betray him. 65 And he said, "For 
this reason I have told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted 
by the Father."
66 Because of this many of his disciples turned back and no longer went 
about with him. 67 So Jesus asked the twelve, "Do you also wish to go away?" 
68 Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of 
eternal life. 69 We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One 
of God."


Chad Wohlers
East Bridgewater, Mass.   USA
chadwohl at satucket.com
cwohlers at bridgew.edu




From JoeParrish at compuserve.com  Sat Aug 15 23:22:42 2009
From: JoeParrish at compuserve.com (Joe Parrish)
Date: Sat, 15 Aug 2009 23:22:42 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] Gospel references for August 16, 2009, Part 3
Message-ID: <4F33F63432A44B539EBFF24D32D1D388@YOUR264F1833C5>

Belief in the proposition that Jesus' death is efficacious for salvation, no
matter how fervently held, does not have the power to communicate divinity from
Jesus to the one who holds the proposition to be true. There must be something
bodily going on between Christ and believers (starting with Christ and moving to
believers!) in order that the life of God, which is fully present in the Son, becomes
their life as well.
Such a communication of divine life is indeed the promise given by Jesus to
all who eat his flesh and drink his blood.

http://www.luthersem.edu/word&world/Archives/17-1_Communion/17-1_Fredrickson.pdf

David E. Fredrickson, 1997
- - - - -

In Series B, however, the lectionary has clustered five texts from John 6 in consecutive
Sundays. From the 10th Sunday after Pentecost to the 14th, we meet the following texts: John
6:1-15, 24-35, 41-51, 51-58 and 60-69. If you are a solo pastor, preaching on the same chapter in
John for the four Sundays in August and Labor Day weekend is not the most attractive option.
Vacation plans might thankfully intervene in your schedule. If you serve in a staff situation, more
than likely the one who is up for the Sunday following your sermon on John 6 will kindly inform
you that you just preached the sermon being developed from the text for the next Sunday. If you
find yourself in either situation, you might wonder what to do that is responsible and faithful not
only to the text but also to your context of ministry. It is a splendid opportunity to help your
congregation begin to see the majesty and depth of this Gospel as seen through one of its finest
chapters.

http://www.luthersem.edu/word&world/Archives/5-3_Imagination/5-3_Berge.pdf

Paul S. Berge, Luther Northwestern Theological Seminary, 1985

- - - - -

If we're to make any impact for God on the life of the world, even our own small bit of it, like Jesus we have to become bread for it. Give our humanity for it. ('Flesh' translates very adequately as 'humanity', I suggest.) 

http://www.angelfire.com/journal2/marginallymark/MMKJN65158P10.html

Brian McGowan, Anglican priest in Western Australia

- - - - -

There is an Irish saying, "the person who speaks the truth should have one foot in the stirrup." He should be ready to ride off at once. People do not like the truth, especially when it challenges their attitudes; and the reaction is often to try to destroy the evidence of the truth or the one who witnesses to it. The political and religious authorities of the time of Jesus were at enmity most of the time. Now, instead of listening to his challenge to internalize their publicized values and bring their attitudes and behavior into conformity with them, they decide to work together to plot the death of Jesus. 

http://www.bible.claret.org/liturgy/daily/sundays_pierse/cycleB/B_20thSunOT.htm

Gerry Pierse

- - - - -

Early Christians were indeed accused of human sacrifice - cannibalism - and the drinking of human blood as people heard snippets of their beliefs: "they meet to eat flesh and drink blood". These accusations were cited as cause for persecution - after all, what civilised society would tolerate such behaviour?



In response, we tend to over-spiritualise this teaching. We know that Jesus is speaking of a mystical Body and mystical Blood and that their meaning goes beyond mere altar bread and sip of wine. We know that receiving Bread and Wine brings us into Communion with Christ himself and with all who form the Body of Christ - living and dead. 


http://www.wellsprings.org.uk/weekly_wellsprings/year_b/sunday_20.htm

Catherine McElhinney and Kathryn Turner

- - - - -
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From JoeParrish at compuserve.com  Sun Aug 16 00:40:36 2009
From: JoeParrish at compuserve.com (Joe Parrish)
Date: Sun, 16 Aug 2009 00:40:36 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] Gospel references for August 16, 2009, Part 4
Message-ID: <BBE78176139B416FBF77B6AF4B004739@YOUR264F1833C5>

John 6:54 (56-58) "The (person) gnawing on my flesh" John chose the verb "gnaw" to show the graphic nature of Jesus' statement. In the mind of the Christian, there is a direct connection between partaking in the very being of Christ and eternal life. They are one and the same.

<>

But it was not enough for the follower to simply take polite bites. He or she needed total involvement (hence the verb that meant "gnaw" or "chew"). The Christian should continuously gnaw on the living bread like a good barbequed pork rib. The act was to be messy. The act required total immersion, total concentration, total commitment. The act itself caused scandal.

http://www.word-sunday.com/Files/b/20-b/A-20-b.html

Larry Broding

- - - - -

This is Jesus drawing lines, dividing his followers between those who are looking for a handout and those who will go the distance.

Quite literally, Jesus is telling us; "If you are not willing to share in my death and drink from my suffering then you should turn back now."

How do we introduce this type of commitment into our "social club congregations" today?  So many churches deny their role of ministering to the wounded and bleeding Jesus in the form of the outcast and needy.  After Jesus preached this message to the thousands, only the twelve remained, and even they were struggling with this statement.  Would we be counted among the twelve if we were challenged to take our faith beyond what is comfortable?

<>

It is sleep our enemy desires, dullness and comfort, he wants us contentedly slumbering in deep repose.  I believe we will be able to tell the time is near when those who shout; "Awake, awake the enemy is near," are drowned out by those who shout; "Shut up, we need our beauty sleep."

http://onefamilyoutreach.com/bible/John/jn_06_51-58.html

Jerry Goebel: 2003 ? http://onefamilyoutreach.com

- - - - -

Friend of mine who left the church as an adolescent and never returned traces his disillusionment to several incidents, including a memorable discussion about the Lord's Supper in his confirmation class. He asked his teacher how the sacrament was any different from the ritual cannibalism practiced in some tribes in which they eat the body of the departed leader in the belief that by doing so they will manifest the leader's powers. The teacher was obviously agitated by the question and responded, "What a disgusting suggestion! It has nothing to do with cannibalism. We're talking about a blessed sacrament, not some primitive ritual. It's completely different." The teacher refused to continue the discussion.

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1058/is_n22_v111/ai_15699990/

Martin B. Copenhaver, 1994

- - - - -

Check out the premise of the 'Nigerians' in the new sci fi movie, District 9!  They thought they could gain the powers of the alien 'prawns' if they could eat them.

- - - - - 

The participle in verse 54, trwvgwn, is almost shockingly graphic: it means to eat noisily, often used of animals ("gnaw," "nibble," "munch"). When used with reference to people, it often has the idea of enjoyment (Matt 24:38) and close comradeship. Some have thought it refers to a literal feeding, and thus to the Eucharist. But this does not follow: by anyone's definition there must be a symbolic element to the eating which Jesus speaks of in the discourse, and once this is admitted, it is better to understand it here, as in the previous references in the passage, to a personal receiving of (or appropriation of) Christ and his work.

http://bible.org/seriespage/exegetical-commentary-john-6

 W. Hall Harris III

- - - - -

We are tempted to believe that this right now is all that is. We show that in our attempt to enjoy as much as possible while we are "alive." 
We attempt to remain young, because old means the end. Even in retirement complexes, those with canes, walkers, and wheelchairs don't want to be seen by those without these devices, because, well, they mean the lost of independence, and the end coming.

As we eat and drink Jesus in the Sacrament, I would hope that we enjoy life now because Jesus is with you every week. And the Blessed Sacrament received each week is to counter the world which says life with this religious claptrap isn't where life really is. We need to know that "to be" is only when Jesus is in us, and it is always "not to be" when Jesus is not in us.


http://www.predigten.uni-goettingen.de/archiv-8/060820-5-e.html

Walter W. Harms, retired pastor, Austin, TX

- - - - -

What do people feel is the most important part of the worship service? In the recent past, when studies were made within the Lutheran church, 83% of Lutherans rated Holy Communion as the most important part of the worship service.  More important than preaching. More important than singing hymns and praise songs. More important than praying and the prayers of the church. 

<>

Some years ago, when I was giving Holy Communion to Edie Wills of our parish who was dying of cancer of the esophagus. She had a tracheotomy and could speak only with airy, whispered sounds.  I spoke to her the words of John 6: "Whoever eats my body and drinks my blood (will never die) but live forever."  She shot back at me from her hospital bed, "What did you say?" I replied, "I didn't say it but God's Word said it, "Whoever eats my body and drinks my blood will live forever." With her breathy voice, Edie whispered loudly and forcefully to me through her wind pipe and tracheotomy, "Give me some of that bread and wine." It was as if Edie had heard these words for the first time. The words penetrated her mind and she knew that she was eating soul food and drinking soul wine for all eternity.before her body died.

http://www.sermonsfromseattle.com/series_b_holy_communion.htm

Edward F. Markquart, Grace Lutheran Church, Seattle, Washington

- - - - -

The promise of this new world is set forth in the strongest possible terms when Jesus declares, "My flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me and I in them. This is the bread that comes down from heaven, not like your ancestors ate and still they died, because whoever eats this bread will live forever."

Can this be possible? One man set free is worth a thousand speeches. The first time I heard these words I was listening to the radio as I drove my car down a highway in Washington, D.C. I wanted to pull over and roll down my windows and shout to all who were passing by, "Did you hear that? Isn't that the truth? Isn't that the God-honest truth? One person set free is worth a thousand speeches?" 

http://day1.org/668-a_taste_of_freedom_food

The Rev. Dr. Harvard Stephens, Jr., dean of the chapel,  Carthage College, Kenosha, WI, 2000

- - - - -

Communion with Christ means a restoration of the intimacy with God that brings fulfillment and satisfaction.  There is no life sustaining nourishment for the spirit to be had apart from the Lord.  "I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live forever..."

http://www.lectionarysermons.com/aug20.00.htm

John Jewell, 2000

- - - - -

One must not take this passage as a description of an actual dialogue between Jesus and some of those who followed him. Rather it doubtless refers to a difficulty in St. John's community over the Eucharist and the presence of Jesus in the Eucharist, a difficulty which has plagued the Church through it's history, mostly because have tried to reduce mystery to prose, to explain the inexplicable. 

http://www.agreeley.com/hom09/aug16.htm

Andrew M. Greeley, 2009

- - - - -


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From JoeParrish at compuserve.com  Sun Aug 16 04:08:05 2009
From: JoeParrish at compuserve.com (Joe Parrish)
Date: Sun, 16 Aug 2009 04:08:05 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] Sermon on John 6:51-58 for August 16
Message-ID: <DCB6DC2BE9EA451EA7F800AFD70FA331@YOUR264F1833C5>

My sermon for August 16 on John 6:51-58 is here: http://tiny.cc/XEWpT
Peace and blessings,
Joe
St. John's Episcopal Church, Elizabeth, NJ
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From JoeParrish at compuserve.com  Mon Aug 17 15:08:45 2009
From: JoeParrish at compuserve.com (Joe Parrish)
Date: Mon, 17 Aug 2009 15:08:45 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] Fw: SermonWriter:  Aug. 23 (Proper 16B) John 6:56-69
Message-ID: <18B9F2B8F43642849537E009EBFF0F31@YOUR264F1833C5>

The following are SermonWriter materials for Aug. 23 (Proper 16B). They 
focus on John 6:56-69, where Jesus asks the apostles, "Do you also wish to 
go away?"

NO PASSWORD REQUIREMENT: We are posting these materials on the web with no 
password.  To access those files, you MUST use the following links.  If 
clicking on the link fails to work, copy the link and paste it in the 
address window near the top of your browser.  Then hit the ENTER key or 
click GO.

Microsoft Word file:
http://www.lectionary.org/SW/08-23oW/John_6.56-69.doc

HTML file (web page):
http://www.lectionary.org/SW/08-23oW/John_6.56-69.htm

WordPerfect file:
http://www.lectionary.org/SW/08-23oW/John_6.56-69.wpd


A TIP: If you want the Word or WordPerfect files, LEFT-CLICK on the link and 
see what happens.  That should bring up a dialog box that asks if you want 
to open the file or save it.  Choose OPEN.  Then save it wherever you like 
on your hard drive.

If that doesn't work, RIGHT-CLICK on the link.  You should get a sub-menu. 
Hopefully, "Save Target As" will be one of the options.  Click on that. 
Then save the file wherever you want on your hard drive.


<>
Dick Donovan


A THOUGHT ON PREACHING:  The Christian ministry is the worst of all trades, 
but the best of all professions (Sir Isaac Newton)


TITLE:  A Story of Two Dolls


SERMON IN A SENTENCE:  Jesus calls us to be faithful even when people take 
offense at our faith.

<>
I came across two stories that I would like to share with you.  They are 
both stories about dolls -- the kind of dolls that people give to children. 
They are interesting stories, but they also serve as windows into our Gospel 
lesson today.

The first story has to do with a Toys for Tots program sponsored by the U.S. 
Marines.  You might be surprised to learn that the U.S. Marines would 
sponsor a Toys for Tots program, but they do.  Soldiers and Marines have a 
heart for children.  In countries around the world, they have given food to 
children -- given chewing gum to children -- sponsored orphanages -- and 
even adopted orphans.

So I was not surprised to see a couple of U.S. Marines in dress uniform 
standing near the entrance of a store collecting donations for Toys for 
Tots.

But I was surprised to learn that Toys for Tots had turned down a gift of 
4,000 Jesus dolls.  The dolls were new.  They would recite some of Jesus' 
sayings, like "Love your neighbor as yourself."

A spokesman for Toys for Tots explained that, as a government entity, the 
Marines "can't take a chance on sending a Talking Jesus doll to a Jewish 
family or a Muslim family."  He also said, "Kids, want a gift for the 
holiday season that is fun."

But later, probably in response to negative publicity, they reversed their 
decision.  A Toys for Tots spokesperson said, "We believe that with some 
effort we will be able to find homes for them all" -- and they did.


The second story has to do with another Jesus doll -- a plush doll --  
huggable and washable.  It was a talking doll too.  It said things like, 
"Your life matters so much to me."  That's a nice thing to say, of course, 
but it didn't come from Jesus.  I think it came from Mr. Rogers.


I mention these two dolls because they illustrate two things about the Jesus 
whom we find in our Gospel lesson today.

- First, in our Gospel lesson, people took offense at Jesus.  The Toys for 
Tots story illustrates that Jesus still gives offense today, just as he did 
two thousand years ago.

- Second, the plush doll that said, "Your life matters to me" illustrates 
the kind of Jesus that people prefer -- a cuddly Jesus who affirms instead 
of offends -- a Jesus quite unlike the one whom we find portrayed in the 
Gospels.


<>
FOR MORE SERMONS ON THIS TEXT, GO TO:

http://www.lectionary.org/SermLinks/NT/NT04john.htm

Scroll down to John 6.  There is one sermon on this text posted there.


TRUE STORY:

See the stories of the two dolls in the sermon above.  Also the story of the 
white Southerner in Robert Coles' book.


THOUGHT PROVOKERS:

In the best sense of the word, Jesus was a radical....
His religion has so long been identified with conservatism...
that it is almost startling sometimes to remember
that all the conservatives of his own times were against him;
that it was the young, free, restless, sanguine,
progressive part of the people
who flocked to him.

Phillips Brooks

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

The essential teachings of Jesus...were literally revolutionary,
and will always remain so if they are taken seriously.

Herbert J. Muller

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

Christ is God
or He is the world's greatest liar and impostor.

Dorothy Day

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

A man who was merely a man
and said the sort of things Jesus said
wouldn't be a great moral teacher.
He'd either be a lunatic --
on the level with a man who says he's a poached egg --
or else he'd be the Devil of Hell.
You must make your choice.
Either this man was, and is, the Son of God,
or else a madman or something worse.

C.S. Lewis

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

"Gentle Jesus, meek and mild" is a sniveling modern invention,
with no warrant in the Gospels.

George Bernard Shaw

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

<>

HYMN STORY:  A Mighty Fortress is Our God

Martin Luther was familiar with conflict.  An Augustinian monk, his 
understanding of the Christian faith was radically reshaped by his reading 
about faith and grace in the book of Romans -- setting the stage for his 
opposition when the Pope authorized the sale of indulgences to fund the 
building of St. Peter's Cathedral in Rome.  Luther's ninety-five theses and 
his arrest and trial at Worms followed.

We think that this hymn was written at Coberg, Germany and was inspired by 
the Diet of Spires (1529), which sought to suppress the Lutheran movement. 
The Holy Roman Emperor, Charles V, supported that effort, but was opposed by 
a number of German princes who supported Luther.  This hymn became Luther's 
battle-cry in that conflict.  Its theme comes from Psalm 46, which says:

"God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change,
though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea;
though its waters roar and foam,
though the mountains tremble with its tumult" (Psalm 46:1-3)

Luther wrote thirty-seven hymns altogether, and his followers wrote tens of 
thousands.  This hymn is by far the most familiar.  It is found in many 
hymnals, including three Catholic hymnals.

<>
BIBLIOGRAPHY:

Barclay, William, The Daily Study Bible, "The Gospel of John," Vol. 1 
(Edinburgh: The Saint Andrew Press, 1955)

Borchert, Gerald L., New American Commentary: John 1-11, Vol. 25A 
(Nashville: Broadman Press, 1996)

Bromiley, Geoffrey (General Editor), The International Standard Bible 
Encyclopedia, Volume Four: Q-Z - Revised, the article, "Stumbling Block," by 
G.L. Archer (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1988)

Brown, Raymond, The Anchor Bible: The Gospel According to John I-XII (Garden 
City: Doubleday, 1966)

Bruce, F. F., The Gospel of John (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing 
Co., 1983).

Brueggemann, Walter; Cousar, Charles B.; Gaventa, Beverly R. and Newsome, 
James D., Texts for Preaching: A Lectionary Commentary Based on the 
NRSV--Year B (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 1993)

Carson, D. A., The Pillar New Testament Commentary: The Gospel of John 
(Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1991).

Craddock, Fred R.; Hayes, John H.; Holladay, Carl R.; and Tucker, Gene M., 
Preaching Through the Christian Year B (Valley Forge: Trinity Press 
International, 1993)

Gossip, Arthur John and Howard, Wilbert F., The Interpreter's Bible, Volume 
8 (Nashville: Abingdon, 1952)

Howard-Brook, Wes, Becoming the Children of God: John's Gospel and Radical 
Discipleship (New York: Maryknoll, 1994).

Kostenberger, Andreas J., Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament: 
John (Grand Rapids:  Baker Academic, 2004)

Lincoln, Andrew T., Black's New Testament Commentary: The Gospel According 
to Saint John (London: Continuum, 2005)

Moloney, Francis J., Sacra Pagina: The Gospel of John (Collegeville: The 
Liturgical Press, 1998)

Morris, Leon, The New International Commentary on the New Testament: The 
Gospel According to John (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 
1995).

O'Day, Gail R., The New Interpreter's Bible, Volume IX (Nashville: Abingdon, 
1995)

Ridderbos, Herman (translated by John Vriend), The Gospel of John: A 
Theological Commentary (Grand Rapids:  William B. Eerdmans Publishing 
Company, 1997)

Sloyan, Gerald, "John," Interpretation (Atlanta: John Knox Press, 1988)

Smith, D. Moody, Jr., Abingdon New Testament Commentaries: John (Nashville: 
Abingdon, 1999)

www.sermonwriter.com

www.lectionary.org





From JoeParrish at compuserve.com  Mon Aug 17 15:27:43 2009
From: JoeParrish at compuserve.com (Joe Parrish)
Date: Mon, 17 Aug 2009 15:27:43 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] Fw: SermonWriter:  Aug. 23 (Proper 16B) 1 Kings 8
Message-ID: <A0AB68357DDC4E0A991EA8BF29621862@YOUR264F1833C5>

THE FOLLOWING are links to materials for:

1 Kings 8:1, 6, 10-11, 22-30, 41-43 (RCL SemiContinuous Reading)


NO PASSWORD REQUIREMENT: We are posting these materials on the web with no 
password.
To access those files, you MUST use the following links.

IF CLICKING ON THE LINK FAILS TO WORK, copy the link and paste it in the 
address window near the top of your browser.
Then hit the ENTER key or click GO.


1 KINGS 8:1, 6, 10-11, 22-30, 41-43 (RCL SemiContinuous Reading)
These materials include the exegesis + a link to one sermon + a hymn list:

Microsoft Word file:
http://www.lectionary.org/SW/08-23oW/1_Kings_8.01-06_10-11_22-30_41-43.doc

HTML file (web page):
http://www.lectionary.org/SW/08-23oW/1_Kings_8.01-06_10-11_22-30_41-43.htm

WordPerfect file:
http://www.lectionary.org/SW/08-23oW/1_Kings_8.01-06_10-11_22-30_41-43.wpd


A TIP: If you want the Word or WordPerfect files, LEFT-CLICK on the link and 
see what happens.
That should bring up a dialog box that asks if you want to open the file or 
save it.
Choose OPEN.  Then save it wherever you like on your hard drive.

If that doesn't work, RIGHT-CLICK on the link.  You should get a sub-menu.
Hopefully, "Save Target As" will be one of them.  Click on that.
Then save the file wherever you want on your hard drive.


WWW.LECTIONARY.ORG
<>
Dick Donovan




From lynbriggs at hotmail.com  Tue Aug 18 12:00:17 2009
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Subject: [Propertalk] Spam coming from Propertalk@stsams
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Anyone know how to defeat this Propertalk spammer?
Peace and blessings,
Joe

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<p class=3DEC_MsoNormal style=3D""><span lang=3DEN-US 
style=3D"font-size:12=
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<p class=3DEC_MsoNormal style=3D""><span lang=3DEN-US 
style=3D"font-size:12=
pt"><font face=3D"Times New Roman"><span style=3D"">=A0=A0=A0=A0 
</span>Thi=
s is the greeting from keviop LTD.=2Cone of the<span style=3D"">=A0 
</span>=
big Electrical wholesaler and Retailer in China.We mainly sell 
electrical p=
roduct such as digital cameras=2C<span style=3D"">=A0 
</span>mobile=2CLCD T=
V=2Cxbox=2C Laptops=2CDV=2CMp4=2C GPS=2C please visit<span 
style=3D"">=A0 <=
/span>our website: <span style=3D"">=A0</span><span 
style=3D"color:blue">ke=
viop.com</span> We can offer you both high quality products and good 
price =
.All items we list on this website are brand new and original with 
sealed b=
ox. and come with official warranty .</font></span></p>
<p class=3DEC_MsoNormal style=3D""><span lang=3DEN-US 
style=3D"font-size:12=
pt"><font face=3D"Times New Roman">=A0</font></span></p>
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yle=3D"color:blue">keviop_lemon at hotmail.com</span></font></span></p>
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style=3D"font-size:12=
pt"><font face=3D"Times New Roman">Email:<span style=3D"">=A0 
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style=3D"color:blue">keviop at keviop.com</span></font></span></p>
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style=3D"font-size:12=
pt"><font face=3D"Times New Roman"><span style=3D"">=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 
</sp=
an><span 
style=3D"color:blue">keviop_good at 188.com</span></font></span></p>=


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From annfontaine at mac.com  Tue Aug 18 19:34:25 2009
From: annfontaine at mac.com (Ann Fontaine)
Date: Tue, 18 Aug 2009 17:34:25 -0600
Subject: [Propertalk] Psalm 84
Message-ID: <085EF91C-28F4-47BD-B709-B0F010EAEB60@mac.com>

http://www.isaaceverett.com/2009/08/18/psalm-84-deanna-witkowski/

from the Emergent Psalter


Ann


Ann Fontaine
Lander, Wyoming

Note: new email address
annfontaine at me.com











Ann Fontaine
Lander, Wyoming

Note: new email address
annfontaine at me.com









From michael at st-davids.org  Wed Aug 19 10:03:42 2009
From: michael at st-davids.org (michael at st-davids.org)
Date: Wed, 19 Aug 2009 14:03:42 +0000
Subject: [Propertalk] Jesus doesn't make it easy
Message-ID: <W9053619487159771250690622@webmail6>

Bill Loader, an excellent biblical scholar from Australia writes:

"Theclaim of the fourth gospel is that Israel?s religious heritage is notto be abandoned but to be owned as metaphor which bears witness to thetruth."

Which is to say that what was so hard for Jews followingJesus was that at some point he becomes something akin to a new Torah,new Bible, new Law. Not another Torah, but an updated version. He has'the words of eternal life.'

The Gospel of John is usually hardfor me. It seems gnostic sometimes--full of specialized secretknowledge you have to be initiated into to understand (or appreciate!).It's helpful to think of this section of John's gospel in Bill Loader'sterms--something we have truly to own as metaphor that bears witness tothe truth.

it's still challenging--even to understand. And as weunderstand, we still have to deal with the realization that Jesusdoesn't make it easy. Like in Chapter 3--with Nicodemus--we are calledto be born again! And what does that mean for each of us? What cruciallife-passage does that bear witness to? And can we stand the persistentdiscomfort and disorientation that comes to everybody who decides tostay with Jesus to find out?

The above is also posted on Homilyblog

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From JoeParrish at compuserve.com  Wed Aug 19 10:44:38 2009
From: JoeParrish at compuserve.com (Joe Parrish)
Date: Wed, 19 Aug 2009 10:44:38 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] Day1 Sermon for August 23, 2009, Proper 16B
Message-ID: <79B145D8B5BA4B9FB8982DFC37228C7F@YOUR264F1833C5>

http://day1.org/1405-words_of_eternal_life
Words of Eternal Life
John 6:59-69
Proper 16 - Year B
August 23, 2009
by the Rev. Dr. David Lose, the Marbury E. Anderson Chair in Biblical Preaching at Luther Seminary in St. Paul, MN
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From robertpmorrison at charterinternet.com  Sat Aug 22 02:09:39 2009
From: robertpmorrison at charterinternet.com (Robert P Morrison)
Date: Fri, 21 Aug 2009 23:09:39 -0700
Subject: [Propertalk] Sermon for 1892
Message-ID: <20090822020939.8ZQJ2.3909747.root@mp20>

We're continuing our study and usage of ancestral Prayer books, and have will have reached 1892 by Sunday 23rd.

Here's what I have prepared to read and edit tomorrow. The Gospel is the Pharisee and tha Tax Collector.

Bob


THE EPISCOPAL PARISH OF ST. JAMES, LINCOLN CITY    THE  11th SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY 
1 CORINTHIANS15:1-11		                 [ PROPER 16 b RCL  ]
 LUKE 18:9-14      		               [ THE TWELFTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST ]

23rd  AUGUST, 2009
LITURGY USING 1892 U.S. PRAYER BOOK

	According to some people, our Presiding Bishop set another cat out with the pigeons this summer. In a sermon at General Convention, she talked about what she called the heresy of individual salvation. Of course, before the words were half-way across the huge worship space, she was being called a heretic herself.
	On a simple level, what she was trying to reinforce is the belief that we?re all born, physically and spiritually, into a community. Yes, each of us has a responsibility for him or herself. We each have to govern our tongues, and our hearts, and our minds; we each have to mull over the norms of whatever groups to which we belong ? ESPECIALLY congregations - to see if they fit where we find ourselves. And we each have to decide whether we want to conform to the rules and regulations. Once in, however, we have to live out our commitment, all day, every day. We don?t get to pass on one thing or another. We DO decide for ourselves how to live what we say we profess. But once the decision has been made we?re no longer an individual ? we?re a part, a vital, a respected, an honoured, a necessary part of the community, and it?s on our behaviour towards every other member of the community that we?re judged.
	No exceptions! 
	Think for a moment about the stories Jesus told as He worked to prepare people for living with God. Sheep, goats, fish, seeds, birds, pigs, trees ? they all existed in relationships. And people ? marriages, burials, child-rearing; and work - power, responsibility, stewardship ? ALL about relationships. The Church itself was formed as community, although :Church? wasn?t the name for it at first. It was simply a group of Friends of Jesus who met worship God and the mutual encouragement of one another. So our relationship with Jesus is defined by our relationship, our commitment, our involvement here. This CAN?T be done, or experienced, in isolation.
	If we?ve boticed anything about the liturgies from the early English Prayer Books which we?ve been using for the oast three Sundays, it will be helpful if we pay attention to the rubrics (directions) that the minister/priest cannot have Communion unless there be at least ONE congregant making Communion at the same time.
	This is both a reaction against Roman Catholic practice of the priest celebrating and serving alone AND also the positive encouragement to everyone to participate. That?s what the stern Exhortations were all about. The first is to encourage those who might hold back. They were told that they were part of the family, and should come to the Table frequently. Then the other Exhortations give warning. If you?re coming to Jesus Presence, if you?re receiving Him as your guest, then you have to do everything in your power to keep God?s law as closely as possible.
Yes, it?s impossible to keep the law fully, but the point is that we?re to try, in order to honour God. If we?ve done anything at all to fracture the family?s community, to distance ourselves from one person or one group; to cause one person to become isolated because of something we?ve done or said; to create circumstances in which one or more are made to feel unwelcome and not wanted as a part of the community ? if we?ve broken community, then we need to confess it and do everything, absolutely everything ? whatever it takes ? to restore what has been broken, and to ensure that not a single person is made to feel or be separated from others.
	Jesus? goal ? and I?ll refer to this again ? Jesus? goal is to ensure that absolutely everyone is able to take her or his place at the table ? a place prepared by God from the beginning.	
	As strange as it may seem, I think that?s what each successive revision of the English language Prayer Book has been aiming at. Of course there were political aspects to every edition ? prayers shuffled from one place to another; words, phrases or sentences dropped, reinserted or added, and so on, all to make a point ? one of which is that the priest and people are to work together to make liturgy, to celebrate Communion not just with God, but with one another.
	You might be forgiven for not picking up on this on the first week of this Prayer Book journey; maybe even on the second. However, slowly but surely, more and more elements are given to the people and priest together, until next week we?ll see how we?ve reached this particular point in our liturgical history.
	It?s interesting, then, that today assigned Gospel passage deals with the idea of righteousness, particularly as expressed through prayer.
	?Prayer, according to the piety of first-century Judaism, was of three types: confession of sin; thanks for bounty received; petitions for oneself and others, The Pharisee?s prayer does not fall into any of these cateogories. ? His public remarks are an attack on others clothed in self-advertisement.? 1
	Compare that to the attitude and demeanor of the Tax Collector. Not only does he stare at the ground, he beats his breast. ?In the Bible, the only other case of people beating their chests is at the cross when the crowds, deeply disturbed at what had taken place, beat their chests at the end of the day just after Jesus died. ?
?Both the Pharisee and the Tax Collector are standing in front of the great high altar on which a lamb, without blemish, has just been sacrificed for the sins of Israel.?  2 A commentator makes the very critical remark about the Pharisee?s behaviour that what happened with him was ?The perversion of perception. Self-righteousness distorts visions of self, God and neighbor.? 3
	What struck me from this story Jesus told is the way the Pharisee held himself apart from the rest of the community. He put himself far above them, and, in doing so, he consigned the others to the outer extremities of both religious and social participation. It wasn?t that he didn?t see the Tax Collector. He saw the other very plainly. He thoroughly despised him and all he stood for. He isolated the very person whose greatest needs were friends, and support, and every a tiny drop of compassion.
	And this Gospel story has been read how many times since Jesus told it?
	The primary purpose of Jesus? birth, Jesus self-examination and acceptance of ministry, of Jesus? death was to bring EVERYONE to the Table which He was preparing to spread. Anything which keeps even one person from finding her or his seat at the table, therefore, for whatever reason, is a defiance of Jesus? whole life. It?s a denial of God?s design of community. It?s a rejection of the ability and call of the Friend of Jesus to make a difference, to help everyone around us understand the extent to which God is willing to go to make us whole individuals and at one with one another. Of the heresies into which we can all slip so easily, one is that this person or that ? the Tax Collector, if you like, the person who?s made a horrendous mistake and hurt someone ? one heresy is that that THAT person can never change. Besides, he or she will never look like us or fit our standards. The second is that there are people who?re simply not worth bothering about, so isolating them, making sure they stay out of our way, not bothering about anything which can emphasise their humanity, can help them see the God in them. Separating even ONE person from ourselves means taking on the persona of the Pharisee in the story.
	What is this, though, but a destruction of community? What is this but a denial of God?s Love? What is this but an intended slap in the face to another, but is, in reality, the condemnation and denial of ourselves?
	Jim Wallis is a bestselling author, public theologian, speaker, preacher, and international commentator on religion and public life, faith and politics. This doesn?t automatically make him the darling of either Church or society. In fact, both often criticize him quite severely. He was raised in a Midwest evangelical family. As a teenager, his questioning of the racial segregation in his church and community led him to the black churches and neighborhoods of inner-city Detroit. Last week he wrote, in anger and terrible sadness, ?Two weeks ago, Sam died suddenly. He was only 21 years old, strong and healthy, preparing for a life ministering to youth.
	?Cause of death: acute pancreatitis and previously undiagnosed diabetes.
	?Reason for death: no access to health care to treat the incredible pain in his stomach - until it was too late.
	?The bottom line: While angry protesters disrupt town hall meetings and national organizations spread fear-based lies, lives are lost.? 4
	There may be a bit of exaggeration there. Had two or three protestors not been at any of the Town Hall meetings around the country, would it have made Sam?s death less likely? Probably not, because of sheer timing. But what of Sam?s brothers and sisters across the country? What of Sam?s brothers and sisters here in Lincoln City, who can?t get in to clinics because they can?t afford it, and couldn?t get the medications they need even if they could get a prescription? For that matter, what of those clinics which DO take in Sam?s, knowing full well there will be no reimbursement?
	How DO we get Sam, along with everyone else in the world, to find their God-given place at the Table? We do it by recognizing the universal worth of all in God?s creation. We do it by making ourselves facilitators, and by understanding that our place at the Table depends on whether or not we bring others into the community ? never shutting them out.
	?On 30 July, with the mayor of the Kurdish village Kaladze and his gracious staff, (members of Christian Peacemaker Teams) sat and ate on the Iraqi/Iranian border. For some time, the Iraq team had asked for access to this section, not only to observe the damages from continuing attacks along the border but also to accompany villagers who have decided to return to their homes in this beautiful mountainous region. 
	?Displaced by both unregulated bombings from Turkish fighter jets and random shellings by Iranian rockets and mortars, families had moved out of the area, appealing for protection. Yet, circumstances of their temporary relocation are less fulfilling than living again, despite the risks, in their villages-the place where their families have followed rich traditions and experienced the blessings of community for centuries.?  5
	Members of the team wrote, ?The mayor assisted his staff in preparing food and serving us. They spread the table in the presence of sophisticated surveillance operations monitored by both U.S. and Turkish military agencies. At this border between Iraq and Iran, we enjoyed kabobs, stuffed grape leaves, fresh vegetables, fruits, and tea. As we ate, we talked about families and vocations, experiences in Kurdistan and Iraq, and relations among other countries both nearby and far away. We talked about our concerns for the welfare of the villagers who are vulnerable to recurring violent disruptions. 
	?We talked with the mayor about relationships and personal dignity and our dream of finding a way for every person in the earth to live peacefully within the human family. We spoke about our belief that all persons should enjoy the blessings of community and the pleasure of anticipating a safe future for their children.  The mayor dismissed our vision as unrealistic, indicating this kind of inclusive respectful community is only an apparition, an empty hope, a fantasy.  We confessed our belief that this kind of existence would please Allah. The mayor confessed his belief that if Allah desires this kind of life in the earth then Allah would bring it to pass.?
	Jesus didn?t say that things would be easy. He talked about the perversion of perception.
	?We wonder,? wrote those who dined in the Kurdish village ? and I wonder ? ?if a table could be spread so that every person on this planet could eat and visit together, and if we could do something to help make it happen.?
	Or even one person, one living on the edge of fear, and hopelessness, and guilt and remorse ? could we even do it for ONE person this week? Or is that too much to ask? 

NOTES:

 	?Jesus through Middle Eastern Eyes? by Kenneth E. Bailey. IVP Academic, Downers Grove, Ill. ? 2008. Page 347 ff. 
2	Bailey. Op. cit. p. 348 
3	Bailey. Op cit. p. 354
4	Sojourners   Sojourners at sojo.net  Wednesday, August 19, 2009 7:00 am
5	?IRAQ REFLECTION: A table prepared? by Garland Robertson CPTnet 20 August 2009  

--
Robert P. Morrison
The Episcopal Parish of St James,
PO Box 789
Lincoln City, Oregon, 97367

541-994-2426 (Church)




From chadwohl at satucket.com  Sun Aug 23 22:06:49 2009
From: chadwohl at satucket.com (Charles Wohlers)
Date: Sun, 23 Aug 2009 22:06:49 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] READINGS for the THITEENTH SUNDAY after PENTECOST
Message-ID: <78CBFFE10C4649E2B3FEC346471DEC9A@ThinkpadT60CCW>

The following are the readings for the Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost, August 30, (Proper 17, ECUSA; Proper 22, RCL & Roman Catholic) according to the Revised Common (RCL), Episcopal (ECUSA), Roman Catholic, Church of England (Common Worship), and Canadian (BAS) Lectionaries. All readings are taken from the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) of the Bible. Unless noted otherwise, the lectionaries of ECUSA, Canada and England are identical to the RCL this Sunday.



OLD TESTAMENT:   Song of Solomon 2: 8 - 13   (RCL)

Song 2:8 (NRSV) The voice of my beloved! 
Look, he comes, 
leaping upon the mountains, 
bounding over the hills. 
9 My beloved is like a gazelle 
or a young stag. 
Look, there he stands 
behind our wall, 
gazing in at the windows, 
looking through the lattice. 
10 My beloved speaks and says to me: 
"Arise, my love, my fair one, 
and come away; 
11 for now the winter is past, 
the rain is over and gone. 
12 The flowers appear on the earth; 
the time of singing has come, 
and the voice of the turtledove 
is heard in our land. 
13 The fig tree puts forth its figs, 
and the vines are in blossom; 
they give forth fragrance. 
Arise, my love, my fair one, 
and come away. 


Deuteronomy 4: 1 - 2, 6 - 8   (Roman Catholic)
Deuteronomy 4: 1 - 2, 6 - 9   (alt. for RCL)

Deut 4:1 (NRSV) So now, Israel, give heed to the statutes and ordinances that I am teaching you to observe, so that you may live to enter and occupy the land that the LORD, the God of your ancestors, is giving you. 2 You must neither add anything to what I command you nor take away anything from it, but keep the commandments of the LORD your God with which I am charging you. 

6 You must observe them diligently, for this will show your wisdom and discernment to the peoples, who, when they hear all these statutes, will say, "Surely this great nation is a wise and discerning people!" 7 For what other great nation has a god so near to it as the LORD our God is whenever we call to him? 8 And what other great nation has statutes and ordinances as just as this entire law that I am setting before you today? 
9 But take care and watch yourselves closely, so as neither to forget the things that your eyes have seen nor to let them slip from your mind all the days of your life; make them known to your children and your children's children-- 


1 Kings 2: 1 - 4, 10 - 12   (Can. BAS)

1Kin 2:1 (NRSWV) {David's Instruction to Solomon} When David's time to die drew near, he charged his son Solomon, saying: 2 "I am about to go the way of all the earth. Be strong, be courageous, 3 and keep the charge of the LORD your God, walking in his ways and keeping his statutes, his commandments, his ordinances, and his testimonies, as it is written in the law of Moses, so that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn. 4 Then the LORD will establish his word that he spoke concerning me: "If your heirs take heed to their way, to walk before me in faithfulness with all their heart and with all their soul, there shall not fail you a successor on the throne of Israel.' 

10 {Death of David} Then David slept with his ancestors, and was buried in the city of David. 11 The time that David reigned over Israel was forty years; he reigned seven years in Hebron, and thirty-three years in Jerusalem. 12 So Solomon sat on the throne of his father David; and his kingdom was firmly established. 


PSALM 45   (RCL)

Psal 45:1 (NRSV) My heart overflows with a goodly theme; 
I address my verses to the king; 
my tongue is like the pen of a ready scribe. 
2 You are the most handsome of men; 
grace is poured upon your lips; 
therefore God has blessed you forever. 

6 Your throne, O God, endures forever and ever. 
Your royal scepter is a scepter of equity; 
7 you love righteousness and hate wickedness. 
Therefore God, your God, has anointed you 
with the oil of gladness beyond your companions; 
8 your robes are all fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia. 
>From ivory palaces stringed instruments make you glad; 
9 daughters of kings are among your ladies of honor; 
at your right hand stands the queen in gold of O'phir. 

Note: Verse numbering in your psalter may differ from the above


45   Eructavit cor meum   (ECUSA BCP)
 
1   My heart is stirring with a noble song;
let me recite what I have fashioned for the king; *
  my tongue shall be the pen of a skilled writer.
 
2   You are the fairest of men; *
  grace flows from your lips,
  because God has blessed you for ever.
 

7   Your throne, O God, endures for ever and ever, *
  a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of your kingdom;
  you love righteousness and hate iniquity.
 
8   Therefore God, your God, has anointed you *
  with the oil of gladness above your fellows.
 
9   All your garments are fragrant with myrrh, aloes, and cassia, *
  and the music of strings from ivory palaces makes you glad.
 
10   Kings? daughters stand among the ladies of the court; *
  on your right hand is the queen,
  adorned with the gold of Ophir.
 


Psalm 15   (alt. for RCL)
Psalm 15: 2 - 5   (Roman Catholic)

Psal 15:1 (NRSV) O LORD, who may abide in your tent? 
Who may dwell on your holy hill? 
2 Those who walk blamelessly, and do what is right, 
and speak the truth from their heart; 
3 who do not slander with their tongue, 
and do no evil to their friends, 
nor take up a reproach against their neighbors; 
4 in whose eyes the wicked are despised, 
but who honor those who fear the LORD; 
who stand by their oath even to their hurt; 
5 who do not lend money at interest, 
and do not take a bribe against the innocent. 
Those who do these things shall never be moved. 


15   Domine, quis habitabit?   (ECUSA BCP)
 
1   Lord, who may dwell in your tabernacle? *
 who may abide upon your holy hill?
 
2   Whoever leads a blameless life and does what is right, *
 who speaks the truth from his heart.
 
3   There is no guile upon his tongue;
he does no evil to his friend; *
 he does not heap contempt upon his neighbor.
 
4   In his sight the wicked is rejected, *
 but he honors those who fear the Lord.
 
5   He has sworn to do no wrong *
 and does not take back his word.
 
6   He does not give his money in hope of gain, *
 nor does he take a bribe against the innocent.
 
7   Whoever does these things *
 shall never be overthrown.
 

121   Levavi oculos   (Can. BAS)
 
1   I lift up my eyes to the hills; *
  from where is my help to come?
 
2   My help comes from the Lord, *
  the maker of heaven and earth.
 
3   He will not let your foot be moved *
  and he who watches over you will not fall asleep.
 
4   Behold, he who keeps watch over Israel *
  shall neither slumber nor sleep;
 
5   The Lord himself watches over you; *
  the Lord is your shade at your right hand,
 
6   So that the sun shall not strike you by day, *
  nor the moon by night.
 
7   The Lord shall preserve you from all evil; *
  it is he who shall keep you safe.
 
8   The Lord shall watch over your going out and
  your coming in, *
  from this time forth for evermore.


NEW TESTAMENT:   James 1: 17 - 27   (RCL)
                                      James 1: 17 - 18, 21b - 22, 27   (Roman Catholic)

Jame 1:17 (NRSV) Every generous act of giving, with every perfect gift, is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. 18 In fulfillment of his own purpose he gave us birth by the word of truth, so that we would become a kind of first fruits of his creatures. 
19 You must understand this, my beloved: let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger; 20 for your anger does not produce God's righteousness. 21 Therefore rid yourselves of all sordidness and rank growth of wickedness, and welcome with meekness the implanted word that has the power to save your souls. 
22 But be doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves. 23 For if any are hearers of the word and not doers, they are like those who look at themselves in a mirror; 24 for they look at themselves and, on going away, immediately forget what they were like. 25 But those who look into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and persevere, being not hearers who forget but doers who act--they will be blessed in their doing. 
26 If any think they are religious, and do not bridle their tongues but deceive their hearts, their religion is worthless. 27 Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world. 


GOSPEL:   Mark 7: 1 - 8, 14 - 15, 21 - 23   (all)

Mark 7:1 (NRSV) Now when the Phar'isees and some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered around him, 2 they noticed that some of his disciples were eating with defiled hands, that is, without washing them. 3 (For the Phar'isees, and all the Jews, do not eat unless they thoroughly wash their hands, thus observing the tradition of the elders; 4 and they do not eat anything from the market unless they wash it; and there are also many other traditions that they observe, the washing of cups, pots, and bronze kettles. 5 So the Phar'isees and the scribes asked him, "Why do your disciples not live according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands?" 6 He said to them, "Isai'ah prophesied rightly about you hypocrites, as it is written, 
"This people honors me with their lips, 
but their hearts are far from me; 
7 in vain do they worship me, 
teaching human precepts as doctrines.' 
8 You abandon the commandment of God and hold to human tradition." 

14 Then he called the crowd again and said to them, "Listen to me, all of you, and understand: 15 there is nothing outside a person that by going in can defile, but the things that come out are what defile." 

20 And he said, "It is what comes out of a person that defiles. 21 For it is from within, from the human heart, that evil intentions come: fornication, theft, murder, 22 adultery, avarice, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, envy, slander, pride, folly. 23 All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person." 


Chad Wohlers
right now in Hardwick, VT, but usually in
East Bridgewater, Mass.   USA
chadwohl at satucket.com
cwohlers at bridgew.edu
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From JoeParrish at compuserve.com  Mon Aug 24 21:13:08 2009
From: JoeParrish at compuserve.com (Joe Parrish)
Date: Mon, 24 Aug 2009 21:13:08 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] Fw: SermonWriter:  Aug. 30 (Proper 17B) Mark 7:1-8,
	14-15, 21-23
Message-ID: <21C8803BDF5643CFAB56C96EA579819A@YOUR264F1833C5>

SermonWriter:  Aug. 30 (Proper 17B) Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23

Dear Joe,

The following are SermonWriter materials for Aug. 30 (Proper 17B). They 
focus on Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23, where the Pharisees criticized Jesus for 
not keeping the Jewish law as they understood the law.

NO PASSWORD REQUIREMENT: We are posting these materials on the web with no 
password.  To access those files, you MUST use the following links.  If 
clicking on the link fails to work, copy the link and paste it in the 
address window near the top of your browser.  Then hit the ENTER key or 
click GO.

Microsoft Word file:
http://www.lectionary.org/SW/08-30Ru/Mark_7.1-8_14-15_21-23_SW.doc

HTML file (web page):
http://www.lectionary.org/SW/08-30Ru/Mark_7.1-8_14-15_21-23_SW.htm

WordPerfect file:
http://www.lectionary.org/SW/08-30Ru/Mark_7.1-8_14-15_21-23_SW.wpd


A TIP: If you want the Word or WordPerfect files, LEFT-CLICK on the link and 
see what happens.  That should bring up a dialog box that asks if you want 
to open the file or save it.  Choose OPEN.  Then save it wherever you like 
on your hard drive.

If that doesn't work, RIGHT-CLICK on the link.  You should get a sub-menu. 
Hopefully, "Save Target As" will be one of the options.  Click on that. 
Then save the file wherever you want on your hard drive.


<>
Dick Donovan


A THOUGHT ON PREACHING:  To endeavor to move by the same discourse hearers 
who differ in age, sex, position and education is to attempt to open all 
locks with the same key. (Jean-Antoine Petit-Senn)


TITLE:  Changing Hearts


SERMON IN A SENTENCE:  Christ calls us not to judge people -- not to exclude 
people -- but to allow him to redeem them and us.


<>

FOR MORE SERMONS ON THIS TEXT, GO TO:
http://www.lectionary.org/SermLinks/NT/NT02mark.htm

Scroll down to Mark 7.  There are three additional sermons on this text 
posted there.


TRUE STORY:

On one occasion Stephen Douglas sneeringly referred to the fact that he once 
saw Lincoln retailing whiskey.

"Yes," replied Lincoln, "it is true that the first time I saw Judge Douglas 
I was selling whiskey by the drink.  I was on the inside of the bar, and the 
judge was on the outside; I busy selling, he busy buying."

Richard Shenkman and Kurt Reiger, One-Night Stands with American History


THOUGHT PROVOKERS:

He that accuses all mankind of corruption
ought to remember that he is sure to convict only one.

Edmund Burke

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

No man's really any good
till he knows how bad he is, or might be;
till he's realized exactly how much right he has
to all this snobbery and sneering,
and talking about "criminals"
as if they were apes in a forest ten thousand miles away;
till he's got rid of all the dirty self-deception
of talking about low types and deficient skulls;
till he's squeezed out of his soul
the last drop of the oil of the Pharisees;
till his only hope is somehow or other
to have captured one criminal,
and kept him safe and sane under his own hat.

G.K. Chesterton

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

If you judge people,
you have no time to love them.

Mother Teresa

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

If it be an evil to judge rashly or untruly any single man,
how much greater sin it is to condemn a whole people.

William Penn, A Key Opening the Way

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

Rare is the person who can weigh the faults of others
without putting his thumb on the scales.

Byron J. Langenfield

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *


<>


HYMN STORY:  Jesus, Thou Joy of Loving Hearts

This hymn, attributed to Bernard of Clairvaux, was translated from the Latin 
in 1858 (a loose paraphrase rather than a strict translation) by Dr. Ray 
Palmer, a Congregational pastor from Albany, New York.  It would seem almost 
fair to say that the hymn as we know it was written by Bernard of Clairvaux 
and Palmer of Albany.  Dr. Palmer also wrote several hymns on his own, the 
best known being "My Faith Looks Up to Thee."

Bernard of Clairvaux was born of well-to-do parents in central France -- in 
what we know as burgundy wine country -- near Dijon.  He didn't grow up as a 
spoiled rich kid, though.  His parents, especially his mother, Aleth, taught 
him the virtues of justice, mercy, and affection for others.

His mother's death, when he was seventeen, affected Bernard profoundly.  He 
began to experience a more profound conversion and a call to study theology. 
He entered a Benedictine monastery in 1112 A.D.  His talent was soon 
recognized, and three years later he was asked to establish a monastery at 
Clairvaux.  That was a successful venture, and a number of monasteries were 
established throughout France under his leadership.  He became a confidant 
of Popes and a preacher to the King of France.  In spite of these remarkable 
achievements, the focus of his life remained twofold: Knowing God and 
serving the needy.

"Jesus, Thou Joy of Loving Hearts," like many hymns, is a prayer -- in this 
case, a prayer to Jesus.  It celebrates the joy that we have in Jesus -- the 
peace that his love imparts -- the filling of our souls through the bread 
and wine of the Lord's Supper.  It concludes with a prayer for Christ's 
continuing presence:

"O Jesus, ever with us stay;
make all our moments calm and bright;
oh, chase the night of sin away,
shed o'er the world your holy light."

<>

See other hymn stories at http://www.lectionary.org/hymnstories.htm

<>

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

Boring, M. Eugene, The New Testament Library, Mark, A Commentary 
(Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2006)

Barclay, William, The Daily Study Bible: Gospel of Mark (Edinburgh: The 
Saint Andrew Press, 1954)

Brooks, James A, The New American Commentary: Mark (Nashville: Broadman 
Press, 1991)

Brueggemann, Walter; Cousar, Charles B.; Gaventa, Beverly R.; and Newsome, 
James D., Texts for Preaching: A Lectionary Commentary Based on the NRSV --  
Year B (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 1993)

Craddock, Fred B.; Hayes, John H.; Holladay, Carl R.; Tucker, Gene M., 
Preaching Through the Christian Year, B (Valley Forge: Trinity Press 
International, 1993)

Edwards, James R., The Pillar New Testament Commentary: The Gospel According 
to Mark (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2002)

France, R.T., The New International Greek Testament Commentary: The Gospel 
of Mark (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2002)

Geddert, Timothy J., Believers Church Bible Commentary: Mark (Scottdale, PA: 
Herald Press, 2001)

Grant, Frederick C. and Luccock, Halford E., The Interpreter's Bible, Vol. 7 
(Nashville: Abingdon, 1951)

Guelich, Robert A., Word Biblical Commentary: Mark 1 - 8:26 (Dallas: Word 
Books, 1989)

Hare, Douglas R. A., Westminster Bible Companion: Mark (Louisville: 
Westminster John Knox Press, 1996)

Hooker, Morna D., Black's New Testament Commentary: The Gospel According to 
Saint Mark (Hendrickson Publishers, 1991)

Hurtado, Larry W., New International Biblical Commentary:  Mark (Peabody, 
Massachusetts: Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., 1983, 1989)

Lane, William L., The New International Commentary on the New Testament: The 
Gospel of Mark (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1974)

Marcus, Joel, The Anchor Bible: Mark 1-8 (New York: Doubleday, 1999)

Moule, C.F.D., The Cambridge Bible Commentary on the New English Bible: The 
Gospel of Mark (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1965)

Perkins, Pheme, The New Interpreter's Bible, Vol. VIII (Nashville: Abingdon, 
1995)

Williamson, Lamar Jr., Interpretation: Mark (Atlanta: John Knox Press, 1983)

www.sermonwriter.com

www.lectionary.org





From JoeParrish at compuserve.com  Tue Aug 25 09:13:55 2009
From: JoeParrish at compuserve.com (Joe Parrish)
Date: Tue, 25 Aug 2009 09:13:55 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] Fw: Sermon Resources for August 30th
Message-ID: <451485B6D26347E189132DF832948C33@YOUR264F1833C5>

Sermon Resources for Proper 17:
 

    Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23  -  Creeds or Deeds
    James 1: 17-27  -  The "Gratitude Salute" 

                                       by Leonard Sweet

 _________________________________________

 

Mark 7, the sermon titled "Creeds or Deeds" 

 

Rev. David Chadwell posed a rather interesting question: Which would you prefer for a next-door neighbor: a person of excellent habits or a person with a good heart? Which would you prefer for a good friend: a person of excellent habits, or a person with a good heart? Which would you prefer for a husband or a wife: a person of excellent habits, or a person with a good heart? Which would you prefer for a child: a child with excellent habits, or a child with a good heart? 

 

It is wonderful to have a neighbor who conscientiously cares for his property while respecting your property. It is wonderful to have a friend who always treats you with consideration. It is wonderful to be married to a husband who always is thoughtful and courteous, or to a wife who always is gracious in her comments and deeds. It is wonderful to have a son or daughter who shows respect and uses good manners. 

 

As wonderful as those situations are, none of them compare to having a neighbor, a friend, a husband, a wife, a son, or a daughter with a good heart. 

 

When you discuss good behavior, you are discussing the quality of a person's self-control. When you discuss a good heart, you are discussing the quality of the person. 

 

This is the focus of today's Scripture. Pharisees and teachers have come down from Jerusalem and, interestingly, they are gathered around Jesus watching the disciples. The disciples, it seems, are eating lunch. They have come in from the day's work. Too tired and too hungry to care that their hands and faces were dirty, they immediately sat down to eat without washing.

 

The Pharisees cease upon this ceremonial oversight and question Jesus: Why don't your disciples live according to the traditions of the elders and clean their hands before they eat? This is all that Jesus needs to hear. He sticks up for his disciples, turns on these teachers and says in essence, "Why do you not live according to the traditions of God and clean your hearts?"

 

What mistake did these Pharisees make? What is Jesus trying to convey, not only to them, but to us as well. For you see, it is just as easy for us to fall into a good habit and leave behind a good heart. What is Jesus' warning to us?

 

1.    We prefer creeds rather than deeds.

2.    We look at the outside not the inside.

3.  But God requires good Creeds, Deeds, and Hearts.

 

The rest of this sermon following the outline above can be obtained by joining www.eSermons.com.


__________________________________

 

Second Sermon by Len Sweet

 

James 1, the sermon entitled 'The "Gratitude Salute"' 

 

Why are you here? 

 

Why did you come to church this morning?

 

What made you voluntarily choose to spend the last summer Sunday -- before the too busy, too crowded Labor Day weekend -- inside a church? 

 

Why aren't you lolling on some beach? (Okay, okay--maybe you will be later this afternoon!) 

 

Maybe you are here out of habit. 

Maybe going to church is "what you do" on Sunday morning. 

Maybe you are here because your parents dragged you into the car, kicking and screaming, and you would rather be anywhere else. 

Maybe you are here because you are lonely.

Maybe you are here because you feel something is wrong or missing in your life. 

Maybe you are here hoping that something in here will make you different in here (point to heart).

 

None of these are bad reasons to be at church on a sunny August Sunday (nope, not even being brought by your parents). But here's the reason we Christians gather for worship week after week: We worship to wake up. We worship to come alive and take notice of the presence and power of God in the world, in our lives, in everything we see and do and touch and feel. 

 

The Latin "re-ligare" from which we get our word "religion" has the root "lig" - which scholars have traced back partly to meaning "pay attention." Any religious service, any religious act, should make us sit up, shake our heads, and focus in on the divine. When our lives adhere to a set schedule of work, when everyday routines can be acted out without even thinking about them, we loose consciousness to the wonders that surround us. 

 

The wonder of God's creation. 

The wonder of love. 

The wonder of family. 

The wonder of breathing in and out. The wonder of life. 

 

G. K. Chesterton, one of the most important writers of the last century, put it like this: "The world shall perish not for lack of wonders but for lack of wonder."

 

This week's epistle text is from the Letter of James, the letter Martin Luther famously pooh-poohed as "an epistle of straw." Luther's words gave a lot of us a "free pass" on James. James was seen as "weak sauce" - not worthy of much attention. But skipping James lets us slip by to our peril of slipping up and missing some of the most real life, faith-in-action admonishments in the New Testament. Could that be the real reason it is so tempting to keep James on the back burner? James won't let us get away with some things we like getting away with? 

 

The rest of Leonard Sweet's sermon can be obtained by joining www.eSermons.com.


________________________________ 

 

Melting Mountains of Ice

 

William Lloyd Garrison was the greatest abolitionist this country has ever known. He was a publisher of a newspaper called the Liberator, an antislavery publication. Garrison was an angry man, angry with indignation caused by the unbelievably inhumane treatment many of the slaves experienced. He hated slavery with everything that was in him. One day one of his best friends, Samuel May, tried to calm him down. He said to Garrison, "Oh, my friend, try to moderate your indignation and keep more cool. Why, you are all on fire." Garrison replied, "Brother May, I have need to be all on fire, for I have mountains of ice around me to melt." Well, the only way any of us can melt mountains of ice is to be on fire. 

The only way Christ can use any of us is when we are driven by a great passion, when we feel or hear his voice within our heart showing us a great cause that needs to be championed. Nothing is accomplished in this world by people who have no passion. That's one reason we need God in our hearts as well as on our lips. 

King Duncan, Collected Sermons, www.Sermons.com


____________________________________

Lip Service

 

According to the story, Queen Victoria was once at a diplomatic reception in London. The guest of honor was an African chieftain. All went well during the meal until, at the end, finger bowls were served. The guest of honor had never seen a British finger bowl, and no one had thought to brief him beforehand about its purpose. So he took the finger bowl in his two hands, lifted it to his mouth, and drank its contents--down to the very last drop!

 

For an instant there was breathless silence among the British upper crust and then they began to whisper to one another.

 

All that stopped in the next instant as the Queen, Victoria, silently took her finger bowl in her two hands, lifted it, and drank its contents!  A moment later 500 surprised British ladies and gentlemen simultaneously drank the contents of their own fingerbowls.

 

It was "against the rules" to drink from a fingerbowl, but on that particular evening Victoria changed the rules---because she was, after all, the Queen. It is "against the rules" not to wash your hands before you eat and on that the Pharisees called the hand of the disciples who follow Jesus. But Jesus recognizes their hypocrisy and he quotes from Isaiah, "These people honor me with their lips but their hearts are far from me."

 

Brett Blair, www.eSermons.com. Thanks to Winfield Casey Jones for this story.

 

___________________

 

Seeing Only the Smoke, Never the Fire

 

In Luke 7:32, Jesus observed that this generation is like school children who pipe and their friends won't dance, who wail and their chums won't cry. "There is no pleasing you!" We simply find something wrong with everything. 

 

John Wesley pointed out that every gift God gives man is quickly sullied by human hands. He said every revival comes with defects. So he'd pray, "Lord, send revival without the defects." But then he told the Lord, "If you won't do it, then send the revival with the defects." 

 

Pharisees only see the smoke, never the fire. They complain about defects, never seeing the revival. Negative, critical persons, they are judgmental. 

 

Stephen M. Crotts, Sermons for Sundays after Pentecost, CSS Publishing 

_____________________

 

Tradition Is a Powerful Thing

 

Years ago Harry Emerson Fosdick told about a church in Denmark where the worshipers bowed regularly before a certain spot on the wall. They had been doing that for three centuries -- bowing at that one spot in the sanctuary. Nobody could remember why. One day in renovating the church, they removed some of the whitewash on the walls. At the exact spot where the people bowed they found the image of the Madonna under the whitewash. People had become so accustomed to bowing before that image that even after it was covered up for three centuries, people still bowed. 

Tradition is a powerful thing. The Pharisees had learned to substitute tradition, custom, habit for the presence of the living God. Traditionalism rears its head in many ways, in many times and in many places. 

King Duncan, Collected Sermons, www.Sermons.com

_______________________

 

Fault-Finding

 

Shakespeare said, "What's in a name? That which we call a rose, by any other name would smell as sweet." Would a rose by any other name smell as sweet? I'm sure it would. You see, the truth is that the thing is what it is, not what someone calls it. Names are assigned to us, based on our outward circumstances by ourselves and other people. "Sinner, Failure, Stupid, Dummy, Unclean" all are names which label us. But what we are called, either by others or by ourselves does not determine who we are. It might speak of those external circumstances, but it might be wholly inaccurate. You see, a failure is not someone who fails. In reality, the people who fail the most are the ones who succeed. You only get to success by taking risks and risk-taking brings many failures along the way. A failure is someone who simply doesn't try. No, names do not determine who you are. You are who you are on the inside.

 

So, the first important lesson is that we must cultivate the inner person.

The inner person is the person who counts. The apostle Paul desired that we

be strengthened in the inner man.

 

It boils down to relationship. We are only as strong as our personal relationship with Christ.

 

J. David Hoke, The Inside Story, Mark 7:14-23.

 

_________________

 

The Shoeshine Boy

 

A certain downtown businessman became fond of the little boy who shined his shoes every day. He did such a good job that one day the businessman asked him, "Son, how come you are so conscientious about your work?" The boy felt complimented. He looked up to the man, and said, "Mister, I'm a Christian and I try to shine every pair of shoes as if Jesus Christ were wearing them."

 

The businessman saw something genuine in the shoeshine boy. Soon after that he began reading his Bible. When he decided to be a Christian himself, he credited his decision to the little boy who shined every pair of shoes "as if Jesus Christ were wearing them." That's a blessing.

 

Charles R. Leary, Mission Ready!, CSS Publishing Company.

 

___________________

 

Which Flowers Are Real?

 

The queen of Sheba came to visit Solomon, and one day she put him to the test. She brought artificial flowers so perfectly formed that no human eye could detect them from real flowers. She put them in a vase on Solomon's table, in his throne room next to his flowers. As he came in, the queen of Sheba is reported to have said, "Solomon, you are the wisest man in the world. Tell me without touching these flowers, which are real and which are artificial." It is said that Solomon studied the flowers for a long time and spoke nothing, until finally he said, "Open the windows and let the bees come in." 

 

There are ways to tell the artificial from the real-let the bees come in; they will know where the real is. If we live with the authentic Jesus long enough, we will recognize the artificial when we see it. 

 

Brooks Ramsey, When Religion Becomes Real 

 

________________________

  

Humor: A Tradition of Fighting

 

There is a story about a young, newly ordained minister who went to serve his first church. He noticed that on the first Sunday, when he said the prayers, the congregation on the left side of the church stood at the beginning of the prayers, and the congregation on the right side remained seated. The young minister thought this was a bit odd, but he kept going in the prayers-until he began to hear some murmuring between the two sides, then the murmuring turned into grumbling and then people yelling at each other, proclaiming that they were doing the right thing when came to the tradition of the church.

 

Distressed by what he had seen and all that was taking place, the young pastor went to seek the council of the former, now elderly pastor, who had served this congregation for years. He asked him, "So is it the tradition of the congregation to stand during the prayers?"

 

The older minister, whose memory was now failing, stroked his beard, replied, "No, that is not the tradition, as I recall."

 

"So, the tradition is that they remain seated during the prayers?"

 

To which the old minister responded, "No, that's not the tradition either."

 

The young pastor threw his hands in the air in exasperation, and said, "There must be some solution to this! The way things are now, half stand and half sit and all end up screaming at one another during the prayers."

 

The old pastor's face lit up in a smile.

 

The conclusion to this illustration and many additional illustrations and sermons for Proper 17 can be accessed at www.Sermons.com.

 
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From JoeParrish at compuserve.com  Tue Aug 25 12:09:37 2009
From: JoeParrish at compuserve.com (Joe Parrish)
Date: Tue, 25 Aug 2009 12:09:37 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] Sermon Resources for August 30th - Part 1 of 2
Message-ID: <0FE4A3CC632F48D9BE6B3F32A61C6219@YOUR264F1833C5>

Sermon Resources for Proper 17:
 

    Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23  -  Creeds or Deeds
    James 1: 17-27  -  The "Gratitude Salute" 

                                       by Leonard Sweet

 _________________________________________

 

Mark 7, the sermon titled "Creeds or Deeds" 

 

Rev. David Chadwell posed a rather interesting question: Which would you prefer for a next-door neighbor: a person of excellent habits or a person with a good heart? Which would you prefer for a good friend: a person of excellent habits, or a person with a good heart? Which would you prefer for a husband or a wife: a person of excellent habits, or a person with a good heart? Which would you prefer for a child: a child with excellent habits, or a child with a good heart? 

 

It is wonderful to have a neighbor who conscientiously cares for his property while respecting your property. It is wonderful to have a friend who always treats you with consideration. It is wonderful to be married to a husband who always is thoughtful and courteous, or to a wife who always is gracious in her comments and deeds. It is wonderful to have a son or daughter who shows respect and uses good manners. 

 

As wonderful as those situations are, none of them compare to having a neighbor, a friend, a husband, a wife, a son, or a daughter with a good heart. 

 

When you discuss good behavior, you are discussing the quality of a person's self-control. When you discuss a good heart, you are discussing the quality of the person. 

 

This is the focus of today's Scripture. Pharisees and teachers have come down from Jerusalem and, interestingly, they are gathered around Jesus watching the disciples. The disciples, it seems, are eating lunch. They have come in from the day's work. Too tired and too hungry to care that their hands and faces were dirty, they immediately sat down to eat without washing.

 

The Pharisees cease upon this ceremonial oversight and question Jesus: Why don't your disciples live according to the traditions of the elders and clean their hands before they eat? This is all that Jesus needs to hear. He sticks up for his disciples, turns on these teachers and says in essence, "Why do you not live according to the traditions of God and clean your hearts?"

 

What mistake did these Pharisees make? What is Jesus trying to convey, not only to them, but to us as well. For you see, it is just as easy for us to fall into a good habit and leave behind a good heart. What is Jesus' warning to us?

 

1.    We prefer creeds rather than deeds.

2.    We look at the outside not the inside.

3.  But God requires good Creeds, Deeds, and Hearts.

 

The rest of this sermon following the outline above can be obtained by joining www.eSermons.com.


__________________________________

 

Second Sermon by Len Sweet

 

James 1, the sermon entitled 'The "Gratitude Salute"' 

 

Why are you here? 

 

Why did you come to church this morning?

 

What made you voluntarily choose to spend the last summer Sunday -- before the too busy, too crowded Labor Day weekend -- inside a church? 

 

Why aren't you lolling on some beach? (Okay, okay--maybe you will be later this afternoon!) 

 

Maybe you are here out of habit. 

Maybe going to church is "what you do" on Sunday morning. 

Maybe you are here because your parents dragged you into the car, kicking and screaming, and you would rather be anywhere else. 

Maybe you are here because you are lonely.

Maybe you are here because you feel something is wrong or missing in your life. 

Maybe you are here hoping that something in here will make you different in here (point to heart).

 

None of these are bad reasons to be at church on a sunny August Sunday (nope, not even being brought by your parents). But here's the reason we Christians gather for worship week after week: We worship to wake up. We worship to come alive and take notice of the presence and power of God in the world, in our lives, in everything we see and do and touch and feel. 

 

The Latin "re-ligare" from which we get our word "religion" has the root "lig" - which scholars have traced back partly to meaning "pay attention." Any religious service, any religious act, should make us sit up, shake our heads, and focus in on the divine. When our lives adhere to a set schedule of work, when everyday routines can be acted out without even thinking about them, we loose consciousness to the wonders that surround us. 

 

The wonder of God's creation. 

The wonder of love. 

The wonder of family. 

The wonder of breathing in and out. The wonder of life. 

 

G. K. Chesterton, one of the most important writers of the last century, put it like this: "The world shall perish not for lack of wonders but for lack of wonder."

 

This week's epistle text is from the Letter of James, the letter Martin Luther famously pooh-poohed as "an epistle of straw." Luther's words gave a lot of us a "free pass" on James. James was seen as "weak sauce" - not worthy of much attention. But skipping James lets us slip by to our peril of slipping up and missing some of the most real life, faith-in-action admonishments in the New Testament. Could that be the real reason it is so tempting to keep James on the back burner? James won't let us get away with some things we like getting away with? 

 

The rest of Leonard Sweet's sermon can be obtained by joining www.eSermons.com.


________________________________ 

 

Melting Mountains of Ice

 

William Lloyd Garrison was the greatest abolitionist this country has ever known. He was a publisher of a newspaper called the Liberator, an antislavery publication. Garrison was an angry man, angry with indignation caused by the unbelievably inhumane treatment many of the slaves experienced. He hated slavery with everything that was in him. One day one of his best friends, Samuel May, tried to calm him down. He said to Garrison, "Oh, my friend, try to moderate your indignation and keep more cool. Why, you are all on fire." Garrison replied, "Brother May, I have need to be all on fire, for I have mountains of ice around me to melt." Well, the only way any of us can melt mountains of ice is to be on fire. 

The only way Christ can use any of us is when we are driven by a great passion, when we feel or hear his voice within our heart showing us a great cause that needs to be championed. Nothing is accomplished in this world by people who have no passion. That's one reason we need God in our hearts as well as on our lips. 

King Duncan, Collected Sermons, www.Sermons.com


____________________________________

Lip Service

 

According to the story, Queen Victoria was once at a diplomatic reception in London. The guest of honor was an African chieftain. All went well during the meal until, at the end, finger bowls were served. The guest of honor had never seen a British finger bowl, and no one had thought to brief him beforehand about its purpose. So he took the finger bowl in his two hands, lifted it to his mouth, and drank its contents--down to the very last drop!

 

For an instant there was breathless silence among the British upper crust and then they began to whisper to one another.

 

All that stopped in the next instant as the Queen, Victoria, silently took her finger bowl in her two hands, lifted it, and drank its contents!  A moment later 500 surprised British ladies and gentlemen simultaneously drank the contents of their own fingerbowls.

 

It was "against the rules" to drink from a fingerbowl, but on that particular evening Victoria changed the rules---because she was, after all, the Queen. It is "against the rules" not to wash your hands before you eat and on that the Pharisees called the hand of the disciples who follow Jesus. But Jesus recognizes their hypocrisy and he quotes from Isaiah, "These people honor me with their lips but their hearts are far from me."

 

Brett Blair, www.eSermons.com. Thanks to Winfield Casey Jones for this story.

 

___________________



[Sent 12:09 PM Tuesday, August 25,2009]
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From JoeParrish at compuserve.com  Tue Aug 25 12:10:11 2009
From: JoeParrish at compuserve.com (Joe Parrish)
Date: Tue, 25 Aug 2009 12:10:11 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] Sermon Resources for August 30th - Part 2 of 2
Message-ID: <0D89E1C012054FB6947E03C782DA7086@YOUR264F1833C5>

Sermon Resources for Proper 17 (continued):
 

  

Seeing Only the Smoke, Never the Fire

 

In Luke 7:32, Jesus observed that this generation is like school children who pipe and their friends won't dance, who wail and their chums won't cry. "There is no pleasing you!" We simply find something wrong with everything. 

 

John Wesley pointed out that every gift God gives man is quickly sullied by human hands. He said every revival comes with defects. So he'd pray, "Lord, send revival without the defects." But then he told the Lord, "If you won't do it, then send the revival with the defects." 

 

Pharisees only see the smoke, never the fire. They complain about defects, never seeing the revival. Negative, critical persons, they are judgmental. 

 

Stephen M. Crotts, Sermons for Sundays after Pentecost, CSS Publishing 

_____________________

 

Tradition Is a Powerful Thing

 

Years ago Harry Emerson Fosdick told about a church in Denmark where the worshipers bowed regularly before a certain spot on the wall. They had been doing that for three centuries -- bowing at that one spot in the sanctuary. Nobody could remember why. One day in renovating the church, they removed some of the whitewash on the walls. At the exact spot where the people bowed they found the image of the Madonna under the whitewash. People had become so accustomed to bowing before that image that even after it was covered up for three centuries, people still bowed. 

Tradition is a powerful thing. The Pharisees had learned to substitute tradition, custom, habit for the presence of the living God. Traditionalism rears its head in many ways, in many times and in many places. 

King Duncan, Collected Sermons, www.Sermons.com

_______________________

 

Fault-Finding

 

Shakespeare said, "What's in a name? That which we call a rose, by any other name would smell as sweet." Would a rose by any other name smell as sweet? I'm sure it would. You see, the truth is that the thing is what it is, not what someone calls it. Names are assigned to us, based on our outward circumstances by ourselves and other people. "Sinner, Failure, Stupid, Dummy, Unclean" all are names which label us. But what we are called, either by others or by ourselves does not determine who we are. It might speak of those external circumstances, but it might be wholly inaccurate. You see, a failure is not someone who fails. In reality, the people who fail the most are the ones who succeed. You only get to success by taking risks and risk-taking brings many failures along the way. A failure is someone who simply doesn't try. No, names do not determine who you are. You are who you are on the inside.

 

So, the first important lesson is that we must cultivate the inner person.

The inner person is the person who counts. The apostle Paul desired that we

be strengthened in the inner man.

 

It boils down to relationship. We are only as strong as our personal relationship with Christ.

 

J. David Hoke, The Inside Story, Mark 7:14-23.

 

_________________

 

The Shoeshine Boy

 

A certain downtown businessman became fond of the little boy who shined his shoes every day. He did such a good job that one day the businessman asked him, "Son, how come you are so conscientious about your work?" The boy felt complimented. He looked up to the man, and said, "Mister, I'm a Christian and I try to shine every pair of shoes as if Jesus Christ were wearing them."

 

The businessman saw something genuine in the shoeshine boy. Soon after that he began reading his Bible. When he decided to be a Christian himself, he credited his decision to the little boy who shined every pair of shoes "as if Jesus Christ were wearing them." That's a blessing.

 

Charles R. Leary, Mission Ready!, CSS Publishing Company.

 

___________________

 

Which Flowers Are Real?

 

The queen of Sheba came to visit Solomon, and one day she put him to the test. She brought artificial flowers so perfectly formed that no human eye could detect them from real flowers. She put them in a vase on Solomon's table, in his throne room next to his flowers. As he came in, the queen of Sheba is reported to have said, "Solomon, you are the wisest man in the world. Tell me without touching these flowers, which are real and which are artificial." It is said that Solomon studied the flowers for a long time and spoke nothing, until finally he said, "Open the windows and let the bees come in." 

 

There are ways to tell the artificial from the real-let the bees come in; they will know where the real is. If we live with the authentic Jesus long enough, we will recognize the artificial when we see it. 

 

Brooks Ramsey, When Religion Becomes Real 

 

________________________

  

Humor: A Tradition of Fighting

 

There is a story about a young, newly ordained minister who went to serve his first church. He noticed that on the first Sunday, when he said the prayers, the congregation on the left side of the church stood at the beginning of the prayers, and the congregation on the right side remained seated. The young minister thought this was a bit odd, but he kept going in the prayers-until he began to hear some murmuring between the two sides, then the murmuring turned into grumbling and then people yelling at each other, proclaiming that they were doing the right thing when came to the tradition of the church.

 

Distressed by what he had seen and all that was taking place, the young pastor went to seek the council of the former, now elderly pastor, who had served this congregation for years. He asked him, "So is it the tradition of the congregation to stand during the prayers?"

 

The older minister, whose memory was now failing, stroked his beard, replied, "No, that is not the tradition, as I recall."

 

"So, the tradition is that they remain seated during the prayers?"

 

To which the old minister responded, "No, that's not the tradition either."

 

The young pastor threw his hands in the air in exasperation, and said, "There must be some solution to this! The way things are now, half stand and half sit and all end up screaming at one another during the prayers."

 

The old pastor's face lit up in a smile.Yes, that is the tradition I recall.

 

 

Many additional illustrations and sermons for Proper 17 can be accessed at www.Sermons.com.

 



[Sent 12:10 PM Tuesday, August 25,2009]
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From JoeParrish at compuserve.com  Sat Aug 29 10:06:23 2009
From: JoeParrish at compuserve.com (Joe Parrish)
Date: Sat, 29 Aug 2009 10:06:23 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] Fw: Sermon for Aug 30th
Message-ID: <0640869CE4A14CB49172B42BE7021578@YOUR264F1833C5>

Sermon for Sunday:

    Mark 4:26-34  -  The Gratitude Salute

Why are you here?

Why did you come to church this morning?

What made you voluntarily choose to spend the last summer Sunday -- before
the too busy, too crowded Labor Day weekend -- inside a church?

Why aren't you lolling on some beach? (Okay, okay--maybe you will be later
this afternoon!)

Maybe you are here out of habit.
Maybe going to church is "what you do" on Sunday morning.
Maybe you are here because your parents dragged you into the car, kicking
and screaming, and you would rather be anywhere else.
Maybe you are here because you are lonely.
Maybe you are here because you feel something is wrong or missing in your
life.
Maybe you are here hoping that something in here will make you different in
here (point to heart).

None of these are bad reasons to be at church on a sunny August Sunday
(nope, not even being brought by your parents). But here's the reason we
Christians gather for worship week after week: We worship to wake up. We
worship to come alive and take notice of the presence and power of God in
the world, in our lives, in everything we see and do and touch and feel.

The Latin "re-ligare" from which we get our word "religion" has the root
"lig" - which scholars have traced back partly to meaning "pay attention."
Any religious service, any religious act, should make us sit up, shake our
heads, and focus in on the divine. When our lives adhere to a set schedule
of work, when everyday routines can be acted out without even thinking about
them, we loose consciousness to the wonders that surround us.

The wonder of God's creation.
The wonder of love.
The wonder of family.
The wonder of breathing in and out. The wonder of life.

G. K. Chesterton, one of the most important writers of the last century, put
it like this: "The world shall perish not for lack of wonders but for lack
of wonder."

This week's epistle text is from the Letter of James, the letter Martin
Luther famously pooh-poohed as "an epistle of straw." Luther's words gave a
lot of us a "free pass" on James. James was seen as "weak sauce" - not
worthy of much attention. But skipping James lets us slip by to our peril of
slipping up and missing some of the most real life, faith-in-action
admonishments in the New Testament. Could that be the real reason it is so
tempting to keep James on the back burner? James won't let....

The rest of Leonard Sweet's sermon can be obtained by joining
www.eSermons.com.





From JoeParrish at compuserve.com  Sat Aug 29 10:13:00 2009
From: JoeParrish at compuserve.com (Joe Parrish)
Date: Sat, 29 Aug 2009 10:13:00 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] Day1 Sermon for August 30
Message-ID: <E69DC6F8427248F0A83A5D3FD89C2765@YOUR264F1833C5>

http://day1.org/1406-looking_in_the_mirror
Looking in the Mirror
James 1:22-25
Proper 17 - Year B
August 30, 2009
by the Rev. Martha Sterne, associate rector of Holy Innocents' Episcopal Church in Atlanta, GA
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From JoeParrish at compuserve.com  Sat Aug 29 10:15:17 2009
From: JoeParrish at compuserve.com (Joe Parrish)
Date: Sat, 29 Aug 2009 10:15:17 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] Textweek for August 30
Message-ID: <8BAC03A8E0D04B2696A179A23AB510B5@YOUR264F1833C5>

http://www.textweek.com/yearb/properb17.htm
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From russellmeyer at att.net  Sat Aug 29 12:16:48 2009
From: russellmeyer at att.net (Russell Meyer)
Date: Sat, 29 Aug 2009 12:16:48 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] Fw: Sermon for Aug 30th
In-Reply-To: <0640869CE4A14CB49172B42BE7021578@YOUR264F1833C5>
References: <0640869CE4A14CB49172B42BE7021578@YOUR264F1833C5>
Message-ID: <001101ca28c4$1d4bac00$57e30400$@net>

Note: Full-disclosure, I'm a Lutheran.

Luther gets a bad rap about the epistle of straw remark, which illustrates
the risk of misreading that's always present with everyone.

Luther's comment, which he withdrew in later prefaces to the epistle, arose
out of his early years of trying to communicate the wonder and power of the
gospel of grace which had been deeply buried in his native Germany under
piles of duties and obligations for meriting favor. We should remember that
the 95 Theses was motivated by a desire to improve the lot of the poor in
his parish whose meager income was being siphoned off by donations and
indulgences and fees for kissing relics.

Luther was convinced that the gospel of grace, when received faithfully,
would move one to do far more for the disadvantaged than mere calls of duty
could ever perform. The love of Christ will exceed the law of the neighbor
in real outcomes of the common weal. Why shoot for second best? How is that
a "free pass"? If anything, Luther in his exuberance for the gospel
temporarily was distracted by the way the power of sin will misread the
challenge of the good to one's own unjust advantage. That's the double bind
of the law/gospel distinction, which Luther often shows knowledge but
doesn't often analyze thoroughly. Those who find a free pass in the epistle
of straw remark only show the grip the power of sin has on their
imagination.

Ok. Thanks for letting sound my Luther trumpet.

Russell Meyer
Tampa FL

-----Original Message-----
From: propertalk-bounces at stsams.org [mailto:propertalk-bounces at stsams.org]
On Behalf Of Joe Parrish
Sent: Saturday, August 29, 2009 10:06 AM
To: Propertalk
Cc: PROPERTALK.topic at ecunet.org
Subject: [Propertalk] Fw: Sermon for Aug 30th

Sermon for Sunday:

    Mark 4:26-34  -  The Gratitude Salute

Why are you here?

Why did you come to church this morning?

What made you voluntarily choose to spend the last summer Sunday -- before
the too busy, too crowded Labor Day weekend -- inside a church?

Why aren't you lolling on some beach? (Okay, okay--maybe you will be later
this afternoon!)

Maybe you are here out of habit.
Maybe going to church is "what you do" on Sunday morning.
Maybe you are here because your parents dragged you into the car, kicking
and screaming, and you would rather be anywhere else.
Maybe you are here because you are lonely.
Maybe you are here because you feel something is wrong or missing in your
life.
Maybe you are here hoping that something in here will make you different in
here (point to heart).

None of these are bad reasons to be at church on a sunny August Sunday
(nope, not even being brought by your parents). But here's the reason we
Christians gather for worship week after week: We worship to wake up. We
worship to come alive and take notice of the presence and power of God in
the world, in our lives, in everything we see and do and touch and feel.

The Latin "re-ligare" from which we get our word "religion" has the root
"lig" - which scholars have traced back partly to meaning "pay attention."
Any religious service, any religious act, should make us sit up, shake our
heads, and focus in on the divine. When our lives adhere to a set schedule
of work, when everyday routines can be acted out without even thinking about
them, we loose consciousness to the wonders that surround us.

The wonder of God's creation.
The wonder of love.
The wonder of family.
The wonder of breathing in and out. The wonder of life.

G. K. Chesterton, one of the most important writers of the last century, put
it like this: "The world shall perish not for lack of wonders but for lack
of wonder."

This week's epistle text is from the Letter of James, the letter Martin
Luther famously pooh-poohed as "an epistle of straw." Luther's words gave a
lot of us a "free pass" on James. James was seen as "weak sauce" - not
worthy of much attention. But skipping James lets us slip by to our peril of
slipping up and missing some of the most real life, faith-in-action
admonishments in the New Testament. Could that be the real reason it is so
tempting to keep James on the back burner? James won't let....

The rest of Leonard Sweet's sermon can be obtained by joining
www.eSermons.com.



_______________________________________________
Propertalk mailing list
Propertalk at stsams.org
http://mail.stsams.org/mailman/listinfo/propertalk_stsams.org




From JoeParrish at compuserve.com  Sat Aug 29 15:58:10 2009
From: JoeParrish at compuserve.com (Joe Parrish)
Date: Sat, 29 Aug 2009 15:58:10 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] Looking up a definition of "licentiousness" for Mark
	7:22
Message-ID: <7E712C486D6048FCBA2D8D1E961A8CD4@YOUR264F1833C5>

      li?cen?tious (l-snshs) 
      adj. 
      1. Lacking moral discipline or ignoring legal restraint, especially in sexual conduct.
      2. Having no regard for accepted rules or standards.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

      [Latin licentisus, from licentia, freedom, license; see license.]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

      li?centious?ly adv.
      li?centious?ness n. 

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/licentiousness

- - - - -

The American Heritage? Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ?2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Thesaurus
Legend:  Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
      Noun 1. licentiousness - the quality of being lewd and lascivious 
      wantonness
      immorality - the quality of not being in accord with standards of right or good conduct; "the immorality of basing the defense of the West on the threat of mutual assured destruction" 
     2. licentiousness - dissolute indulgence in sensual pleasure 
      dissipation, profligacy, dissolution, looseness
      intemperateness, self-indulgence, intemperance - excess in action and immoderate indulgence of bodily appetites, especially in passion or indulgence; "the intemperance of their language"

      Cite this page:   


      MLA Style
      "licentiousness." Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary. 2009.

      Merriam-Webster Online. 29 August 2009
      <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/licentiousness>

      APA Style
      licentiousness. (2009). In Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary.

      Retrieved August 29, 2009, from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/licentiousness

      - - - - -

      licentious
      One entry found.






        a.. Main Entry: li?cen?tious 
        b.. Pronunciation: \li-'sen(t)-sh?s\
        c.. Function: adjective 
        d.. Etymology: Latin licentiosus, from licentia
        e.. Date: 1535
      1 : lacking legal or moral restraints; especially : disregarding sexual restraints
      2 : marked by disregard for strict rules of correctness

      - li?cen?tious?ly adverb 

      - li?cen?tious?ness noun 

      http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/licentiousness

      - - - - -

      Etymology

      Latin licentiosus, from licentia ("'license, freedom'")


      Adjective
      licentious (comparative more licentious, superlative most licentious)

            Positive
            licentious
            Comparative
            more licentious
            Superlative
            most licentious
           

        1.. Lacking restraint, or ignoring societal standards, particularly in sexual conduct. 
        2.. Disregard for accepted rules. 

       Derived terms
        a.. licentiousness 

       See also
        a.. incontinent 
      http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/licentious

      - - - - -

      licentiousness
      Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary

      English

       Noun
      licentiousness

        1.. The property of being licentious. 

               Translations
        a.. Hebrew: ?????? (he) (p"ritz?t) 
      Retrieved from "http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/licentiousness"
      - - - - -




       
        a..   
        

            Law Encyclopedia: Licentiousness  
      Top 
      Home > Library > Law & Legal Issues > Law Encyclopedia
      This entry contains information applicable to United States law only.


      Acting without regard to law, ethics, or the rights of others.

      The term licentiousness is often used interchangeably with lewdness or lasciviousness, which relate to moral impurity in a sexual context.
     

http://www.answers.com/topic/licentiousness

- - - - -
Galatians 5:19

Darby Bible Translation
      Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are fornication, uncleanness, licentiousness,

            NIV The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 

      http://bible.cc/galatians/5-19.htm
      - - - - -

      licentious
      ???????? (Greek) - ellanika'
      adj. - ????????????, ????????? 

      http://www.answers.com/topic/licentious

      - - - -

      But, "aselgeia" is used in Greek NT in both Mark 7:22 and Galatians  5:19 - lewdness

      - - - -

      "aselgeia" f. sensuality, indecency, vice

      The Greek New Testament, Kurt Aland, et al., Third Edition (corrected), Dictionary section, Page 26, 1983 
     


     

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From JoeParrish at compuserve.com  Sat Aug 29 16:51:01 2009
From: JoeParrish at compuserve.com (Joe Parrish)
Date: Sat, 29 Aug 2009 16:51:01 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] Sermon quotes for August 30 - Mark 7 - Part 1
Message-ID: <90D36ED30A6B4BC9AD32CD799DE79DE6@YOUR264F1833C5>

>From "Fiddler on the Roof":

Then came the third daughter, and it was the same story all over again.  Not only did she not use the matchmaker; but worse yet, in fact the worse thing that ever could happen to a Jewish family, was that she fell in love with a non-Jew, with a Gentile.  With a Bolshevik soldier.  And to marry a non-Jew, a Gentile, that was the unforgivable sin.  Now, when this young couple came to Tevye and announced their intentions, Tevye could bend no further.  He refused to give his daughter in marriage; he refused to bless her; he kicked her out of the house; he declared her as dead; her name was never to be mentioned again in his home; and so his deeply loved daughter was lost.  His daughter was now dead to Tevye.

Much later, at the very end of the story, the revolution was starting in Russia, and the Jews, including Tevye and Golda, were fleeing to America.  This historic Jewish family was being fractured, never to see each other again.  And then comes the last scene, the most touching scene of the whole movie.  The whole family said good-bye to each other, and suddenly the youngest daughter and her Bolshevik husband walk forward, coming from nowhere, and standing outside the family gate, to say the last goodbye to her father.  And perhaps, just perhaps, to be blessed by him.  Perhaps, just perhaps, to be at peace with the man she so deeply loved.

Tevye was caught.  What should he do?  He had vowed that his daughter was  dead, that he would never speak with her again, now he was caught.  And he needed to say goodbye to that daughter.  And finally, in despair, Tevye turned his back on his daughter.  He turned away from her, and he bent over the fence in brokenness and in grief.  No blessing,  No peace.  And the story ends tragically.

"Fiddler on the Roof" is a story about a good man, Tevye, whose traditions are more important to him that the commandment to love and forgive as God loves and forgives. 

http://www.sermonsfromseattle.com/series_b_tradition_fiddler_on_the_roof.htm

Edward F. Markquart

- - - - -
A friend of mine, a Dominican priest, puts a finer point on it. Good people, he says, are more likely to be tempted by what is best about them than by what is worst. In a world that badly needs change, how many times have we good people let the warm glow of our acts of charity shield us from the disturbing risk of the change we need to make? In a church that badly needs to demonstrate its integrity, how many times have we good people wounded each other with the opinions and judgements we wield?

http://covenantnetwork.org/sermon&papers/spaulding.htm

The Rev. Richard E. Spalding, 2004

- - - - -

Is the church primarily holy space, separate from the world in its confusion, or is the church a launching pad for service and a gathering place for the least and the lost?

<>

Jesus and the Pharisees were arguing a very basic point. What do faithful people do to be faithful? What are the interests of God and how do we serve them? Ritual is important and so is the manner and the degree to which we are distinct from the world around us. There can be no doubt about that. The Pharisees have a good point. Jesus seems to be saying that engagement with the world is even more important. 

http://day1.org/500-what_matters_to_god

The Rev. Dr. Francis H. Wade, former rector of St. Alban's Episcopal Church, Washington, DC, 2003

- - - - -

... maybe our deepest fear is that our status quo is not so good anyway. Our deepest fear is that there really is uncleanness in us and we are afraid to face it. 

http://day1.org/666-why_dont_you_wash_your_hands

The Very Rev. Samuel G. Candler, Dean of the Cathedral of St. Philip, Atlanta, GA, 2000 

- - - - -

You and I know that Jesus was not advocating eating with dirty hands in our gospel reading for today.  The lesson is not really about hand washing at all -- it is about fault-finding and nitpicking. 

<>

Professor Charles Neilson, a Presbyterian pastor and teacher of Church History, compared some modern Christians with the scribes and Pharisees of Jesus' time and said, "Their difficulty is that they are trying to be more religious than God."  

http://www.lectionarysermons.com/sep.03.00.htm

John Jewell, 2000

- - - - -

What does God want. Well said the man, the [new Pope] wants all those women off the altar. Women should be reading the scriptures or distributing Communion, or directing music, not even if they're nuns. Indeed, said the pastor. And he should put the mass back into Latin, that's God's language. Why did we have to change it. Actually said the pastor, maybe it should go back into Aramaic.

http://www.agreeley.com/hom09/aug30.htm

Andrew M. Greeley, 2009

- - - - -

After the wedding party processed up the aisle and before the ceremony began, the celebrant made an announcement. Only baptized Catholics in the state of grace would be allowed to receive Holy Communion during the Eucharistic celebration. Anyone who had committed a mortal sin and had not received absolution from a priest should not approach the altar. <> One guest, herself very active in her own parish community, observed, wryly, that it was interesting that the only cardinal sin mentioned was lust. Could it be that if he mentioned all the possible manifestations of all the deadly sins, no one would be permitted to approach the altar?

http://www.agreeley.com/homilies00/sept03.htm

Andrew M. Greeley, 2000

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From JoeParrish at compuserve.com  Sat Aug 29 17:56:53 2009
From: JoeParrish at compuserve.com (Joe Parrish)
Date: Sat, 29 Aug 2009 17:56:53 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] Sermon quotes for August 30 - Mark 7 - Part 2
Message-ID: <D93FEAD66F3E4918898BD7FC8D122E61@YOUR264F1833C5>

When the core commitments of divine law (mercy, justice, and even care for parents) are eclipsed by human teachings and practices, it means that we have chosen to determine for our own selves what makes us righteous (self-righteousness), so washing the fruit we buy becomes more important than giving fruit to the hungry. 

http://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?lect_date=8/30/2009&tab=4

Henry Langknecht, 2009
- - - - -

Verses 6-7: The quotation is from the Septuagint translation of Isaiah 29:1

http://montreal.anglican.org/comments/archive/bpr22l.shtml

Chris Haslam, Anglican Diocese of Montreal
- - - - -

21 It is the kosher laws of purity that are here at stake: Jesus' disciples eat bread with "unclean" or "impure" or "profane" hands. The Greek word here translated thus is ???????, basically meaning "common" -- not distinctive, and the sense here is not ritually cleansed and distanced from what is profane or common.

http://artsci.wustl.edu/~cwconrad/Mark/mk6notes.html#anchor298497

Carl W. Conrad
- - - - -

v2: Handwashing is not known from the OT. However, the Mishnah (c. 200 CE) does have rules for handwashing associated with purity. 
<>

v6-8: Jesus is quoting the Greek Septaugint Isa 29:13. Isa 29 is part of the background of the gospel. It is highly implausible that Jesus disputed with the Pharisees by buttressing his arguments with a Greek text of the Hebrew, especially as the Greek text differs from the Hebrew text at this point (Wells 1999, p179). Loader (1998) argues, however, that:

"The use of Isa 29:13 LXX need not, in itself rule out the possibility of earlier traditional use, since the difference of the LXX from the MT text may well reflect a variant Hebrew text which read whtw ("void/in vain") instead of yhtw ("and is") of MT. The same might apply to Mark's additional word: "teaching .. as teaching", though this is less likely" (p17) 

<>
      v15: similar to Romans 14:14 and 14:20.


           14: 14: As one who is in the Lord Jesus, I am fully convinced that no food is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for him it is unclean.(NIV)

            14:20: Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a man to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble. (NIV)
           

      v. 16 this is considered spurious although several ancient manuscripts have it. It reads "Anyone who has ears ought to hear" (Donahue and Harrington 2002, p224). <>

      v.20-23 Similar lists exist in 1 Cor 6:9-10, Rom 1:29-31, and Gal 5:19-21
     
http://www.michaelturton.com/Mark/GMark07.html#7.p.1.23

Michael A. Turton
- - - - -

Mark is wanting to show that such biblical provisions must be set aside because he knows they have created enormous tensions between Christian Jews and Christian Gentiles. Already Paul in Galatians 2 tells of such disputes. According to Mark such biblical injunctions must be exposed as invalid (not just abolished, as though they once made sense) in the interests of being inclusive of all people. Food laws and laws of clean and unclean must not be used to discriminate against Gentiles. The laws are nonsense anyway. This is all part of Mark's theme in these chapters, where he is showing the bread of salvation offered equally to the Jews, 5000 of them in Jewish land, as to the Gentiles, 4000 of them in Gentile land.

http://wwwstaff.murdoch.edu.au/~loader/MkPentecost13.htm

William Loader, Murdoch University, Uniting Church in Australia

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From JoeParrish at compuserve.com  Sat Aug 29 18:37:23 2009
From: JoeParrish at compuserve.com (Joe Parrish)
Date: Sat, 29 Aug 2009 18:37:23 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] Sermon quotes for August 30 - Mark 7 - Part 3
Message-ID: <E8642BFF1AD64AAD8CC62667FD7A1715@YOUR264F1833C5>

While the issue in this text centers on the tradition of the elders; they grow out of a serious command given in Exodus 30:17-21 [nipto is the word used throughout for "wash" in the LXX]:

  The LORD spoke to Moses: You shall make a bronze basin with a bronze stand for washing. You shall put it between the tent of meeting and the altar, and you shall put water in it; with the water Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet. When they go into the tent of meeting, or when they come near the altar to minister, to make an offering by fire to the LORD, they shall wash with water, so that they may not die. They shall wash their hands and their feet, so that they may not die: it shall be a perpetual ordinance for them, for him and for his descendants throughout their generations.

The repeated threat of death indicates that this washing was a very important ritual.

http://www.crossmarks.com/brian/mark7x1.htm

Brian Stoffregen
- - - - -

  I've found it humbling to ask what "outcasts" do I sanctimoniously spurn as impure, unclean, dirty, contaminated, and, in my mind, far from God. The mentally ill, people who have married three or four times, wealthy executives, welfare recipients, people who hold conservative political opinions, or maybe people with AIDS? How have I distorted the self-sacrificing, egalitarian love of God into self-serving, exclusionary elitism? What boundaries do I wrongly build or might I bravely shatter? 

http://www.journeywithjesus.net/Essays/20090824JJ.shtml

Dan Clendenin 
- - - - -

Today, in our Christian faith, we also learn to love the "old traditions" that are part of our faith. We love the "old favorite traditions" of Christmas, Christmas hymns, Easter, Easter hymns. Most congregations (and individuals) have numerous traditions that are not part of their constitution, by-laws, or any legal documents; nor are these numerous traditions part of the Scriptures or even our denominational heritage. Rather, within the congregation, there are traditions that become holy, sanctified, and "don't you mess with our way we of doing things around here." In other words, don't mess with our traditions. In fact, people will hold fast to their human traditions more than the commandments of God to love God and love one another.

http://www.sermonsfromseattle.com/series_b_traditions_GA.htm

Edward F. Markquart
- - - - -

If Jesus has been so free from the anxiety of keeping himself clean that he has shared our uncleanness to death in order to infect us with his cleanness, then no wonder his disciples feel free to forget to wash their hands. They are no longer thinking about who is clean and who is not and how they can stay on the clean side of that calculation. Jesus gave his disciples authority over unclean spirits, too (Mark 6:7), and so we are sent out to handle what is unclean with Jesus' cleansing life. Will we be defiled in the process? Absolutely. But we know what to do with that; it goes with Jesus to the cross to get sanitized in his risen life for us and for others. 

http://www.crossings.org/theology/2009/theolo744.shtml

Carolyn Schneider, 2009
- - - - -

 In fact, the three sexual evils that he includes in his catalogue of perversity can apply equally to heterosexuals or to gays:  fornication, adultery, and licentiousness.  These three vices are orientation-neutral.

http://gospelforgays.com/?p=461

Jeremiah Bartram, 2009
- - - - -

For many Christians, there seems to be a need to find ways to guard the borders of religious identity All sorts of issues are lifted up as identity-defining, and the stance one takes with respect to them determines whether one is a "real Christian." In the American context, most of these issues have to do with human sexuality. Abortion, contraception and homosexuality have all been made into boundary-defining issues; they have become the "lines in the sand" for whether one judges others to be Christian or not. In the minds of many, these are not matters on which Christians may hold divergent opinions and remain in fellowship with others. Rather, opposition to these practices is seen as part and parcel of maintaining the core of Christian faith in an increasingly secular world.
<>
...how does one maintain Christian identity and integrity? When we respond, we can do no better than Jesus did when asked what was the greatest of all of God's commands -- love God and neighbor. 

http://www.religion-online.org/showarticle.asp?title=3435

Cynthia M. Campbell, 2006
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From JoeParrish at compuserve.com  Sat Aug 29 19:26:16 2009
From: JoeParrish at compuserve.com (Joe Parrish)
Date: Sat, 29 Aug 2009 19:26:16 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] Sermon quotes for August 30 - Mark 7 - Part 4
Message-ID: <FBE6D6DB8D5B44C5908442FCDAC57F45@YOUR264F1833C5>

Gregory Peck, not long before he died, said that if you're going to play the part of the devil you have to look for the angel in him, and if you're going to play an angel you have to look for the devil in him -- a kind of actor's "hermeneutic of charity." 
<>
There is a self-righteousness in me that does not want to die. There is something inside me that is not bothered when others are excluded, that wants others to be excluded, that feels more special when I'm on the inside and somebody else is not.  
<>
We will look for substitute ways of distinguishing ourselves from those on the outside. The boundary markers change from century to century, but they all reinforce a false sense of superiority, fed by the intent to exclude others.

http://www.religion-online.org/showarticle.asp?title=2898

John Ortberg, 2003
- - - - -

The phrase "hardness of heart" is used not only for God's people's enemies, like Pharaoh in Egypt, but also for God's people, Israel. In the New Testament it describes not only the scribes and Pharisees but also the disciples (Mark 6:52). A hardhearted person is self-centered, impervious to spiritual things, resistant or closed off to God and what God wants to do in that person's life. 
<>
Mary Ann Tolbert says in Sowing the Gospel, "if the heart is God's ground, nothing else is required; and if the heart is not God's ground, nothing else will suffice." 

http://www.religion-online.org/showarticle.asp?title=1983

Heidi Husted, 2000 
- - - - -

Ironically, even as the Christian church was suffering brutal persecution at the hands of the Roman Empire and evolving to become the religion of that empire, Christianity was creating forms of ritualistic legalism that were as out of phase with the teachings of Jesus as the legalisms of the Pharisees and scribes.

It would be hard to deny that historically, the majority of Christians have advocated ethics closer to those of the ancient catholic church and the Pharisees than to those of Jesus. 
<>
Given that we are rich when the world is poor, that we cling to our nuclear arms as if world extermination were a noble risk, destroy ancient forests, gouge the landscape, pollute the soil, water and air, that we copulate and abort with unrestrained abandon -- how then are we to interpret Jesus' words, "It is what comes out of a person that defiles," so as to come up smelling like roses?

http://www.religion-online.org/showarticle.asp?title=659

Ronald Goetz, 1997
- - - - -

 "No outcasts," writes Garry Wills in What Jesus Meant, "were cast out far enough in Jesus' world to make him shun them-not Roman collaborators, not lepers, not prostitutes, not the crazed, not the possessed. Are there people now who could possibly be outside his encompassing love?" In a tragic irony, of course, some Christians have considered Jews accursed, not to mention gays. I've found it a humbling exercise to ask what categories of "outcasts" do I sanctimoniously spurn as impure, unclean, dirty, contaminated, and, in my mind, far from God. The mentally ill, people who have married three or four times, wealthy executives, welfare recipients, people who hold conservative political opinions, or maybe people with AIDS? How have I distorted the self-sacrificing, egalitarian love of God into self-serving, exclusionary elitism? What boundaries do I wrongly build or might I bravely shatter?

http://www.journeywithjesus.net/Essays/20060828JJ.shtml

Dan Clendenin, 2006
- - - - -
 
The precise difference between Jesus and the Pharisees was that they looked at the external activity whereas Jesus looked at the heart, the source of activity. They looked to the fulfillment of law and tradition while he looked to love and commitment. They looked at the letter of the law while he looked at it's spirit.

         We can also find the same tendency in our selves. If we are honest enough to look into our hearts we will discover elements of the childishness of Ahab and the rootlessness of his wife Jezebel as we subtly make events work out for our own benefit. We can find people who are very careful about their devotions and have no problem in treating their maids worse than their pets. Where are those who will travel hundreds of kilometers to see a dancing sun but who make very little effort to live the words of the gospels in their lives.

http://www.bible.claret.org/liturgy/daily/sundays_pierse/cycleB/B_22ndSunOT.htm
- - - - -

Their question about why Jesus and his disciples do not  observe the practice of washing their hands is, therefore, fairly straightforward. It is, in fact, Jesus who puts the cat among the pigeons by calling them hypocrites and quoting Isaiah's condemnation of those who honour God only with lip-service - seeming to denounce them and their religious practices.

http://www.wellsprings.org.uk/weekly_wellsprings/year_b/sunday_22.htm

Catherine McElhinney and Kathryn Turner, 2006
- - - - -

I don't know where the expression 'cleanliness is next to godliness' comes from, but some significant godliness I've experienced out in life's margins has been in the person of people none too clean in soap & water terms. 'The Great Unwashed'! Not the kind of person we want sitting near us in the pews! But maybe just the one to rescue us in some hour of need out there somewhere. I doubt any of us would want Jesus on his way to Golgotha reeking of his own sweat & blood, or hanging up there on the cross without deodorant, aftershave, or even fly-spray, too close to us either. 

http://www.angelfire.com/journal2/marginallymark/MMK7123P12.html

Brian McGowan, Anglican priest in Western Australia.
- - - - -

We can eat with family and friends. But, what would we do to prepare to eat a meal with God? This simple question cut to the heart of one's relationship with God. Do we prepare by removing ourselves from the dirt of the world? Or do we prepare ourselves by removing the dirt of the heart? 

http://www.word-sunday.com/Files/b/22-b/A-22-b.html

Larry Broding 
- - - - -

Why is it, when the heart is not renewed, that a religious person often becomes consumed by their religiosity? 

http://www.lectionarystudies.com/studyg/sunday22bg.html

Bryan Findlayson
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From joeparrish at compuserve.com  Sat Aug 29 20:01:27 2009
From: joeparrish at compuserve.com (joeparrish at compuserve.com)
Date: Sat, 29 Aug 2009 20:01:27 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] Fwd: 13th Sunday after Pentecost Proper 17 Lectionary
	22 Sermon
In-Reply-To: <h6unrk$kif$1@ecunet-web-1.ecunet.org>
References: <h6unrk$kif$1@ecunet-web-1.ecunet.org>
Message-ID: <8CBF71C28084365-12C-996@angweb-usd010.sysops.aol.com>



Forwarded:



13th Sunday after Pentecost

Proper 17

Lectionary 22

Mark 7:1-8,14-15, 21-23

"Using Religion to Escape Religion"


?

7:1 ? Now when the Pharisees gathered together to him, with some of the scribes, who had come from Jerusalem,

2 they saw that some of his disciples ate with hands defiled, that is, unwashed.

3 (For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, do not eat unless they wash their hands, observing the tradition of the elders;

4 and when they come from the market place, they do not eat unless they purify themselves; and there are many other traditions which they observe, the washing of cups and pots and vessels of bronze.)

5 And the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, "Why do
  your disciples not live according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with hands defiled?"

6 And he said to them, "Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, 'This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me;

7 in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the precepts of men.'

8 You leave the commandment of God, and hold fast the tradition of men."

14 And he called the people to him again, and said to them, "Hear me, all of you, and understand:

15 there is nothing outside a man which by going into him can defile him; but the things which come out of a man are what defile him."

21 For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, 20fornication, theft, murder, adultery,

22 coveting, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, envy, slander, pride, foolishness.

23 All these evil things come from within, and they defile a man."

Ephesians 6: 10-20

10 ? Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.

11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

12 For we are not contending against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

13 Therefore take the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to=2
 0stand.

14 Stand therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,

15 and having shod your feet with the equipment of the gospel of peace;

16 besides all these, taking the shield of faith, with which you can quench all the flaming darts of the evil one.

17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

18 Pray at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,

19 ? and also for me, that utterance may be given me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel,

20 for which I am an ambassador 20in chains; that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.

Grace and peace to you from our Lord and Saviour, Jesus who is the Christ. Amen

A man fell ill, so an ancient story goes, between two villages. It was exactly halfway between the two villages and that presented a problem to the authorities as to which village should take care of the stricken man. It had to be decided which community the man was actually closest to. And therein lay the disagreement. One village maintained that the distance should be measured from the man's navel; the other village argued that it should be calculated from the man's mouth.

The outcome of the little drama was obvious, of course. as the two communities argued over the leg
 ality of the problems the poor fellow died.

Remember the story of Gulliver's travels. He came to a land of tiny people, Lilliput and do you remember the legality those tiny people were going to war over. It was whether one should crack the big end of an egg or the little end. The two sides became known as the big enders vs. the little enders.

Throughout the history of civilization, people have hated, people have gone to war, people have killed others in the name of legality, in the name of a law that one side perceived right, and the other side didn't. Laws have been good in that they shape the conduct of society, but they have been harmful to society when the law becomes more important than the principle it=2
 0is trying to up hold.

Jesus met this same problem in our gospel lesson this morning. The scribes and Pharisees had come to Jesus and had seen that Jesus' disciples didn't wash their hands, an act prescribed by the law before they ate. They asked Jesus why.

To understand this encounter between Jesus and these upholders of the law, we must understand the Jewish law that they were working from. The law as given to the nation of Israel in the book of Deuteronomy and Leviticus. But it was given in broad principals so that the people might have some freedom in interpreting the law for themselves. But about 500 years before Jesus was born, a group of people emerged, the scribes, who were interested in upholding the letter=2
 0of the law as they saw it. So they developed their own oral law, or the law of the elders, to put exactness into these broad principles. Over the course of time, the broad principles of the law became lost to the exact rules and regulations that were being poured out by these scribes.

For example, the hand washing law became something like this: Before one ate, one must pour 1 1/2 egg-shells of water over his hands, but not just in any manner, but in this prescribed manner. He must hold the hands with the finger-tips upwards and pour the water over them until it ran down his writs; he must then cleanse the palm of each hand with the fist of the other; he must then hold the hands with the fingertips pointing 20downwards and pour water on them from the wrists downwards so that ran off at the fingertips. This was not a matter of hygiene; it was a matter of ritual, even if the hands were spotless it must be done. To do it was to please God, to fail to do it was to sin.

So, can you see why the scribes and the Pharisees were wondering why Jesus' disciples didn't wash in the prescribed manner. But Jesus in one sentence, in one breath does away with all these oral laws, for he saw in them that they were not worshiping God but the law itself. He says: "You leave the commandment of God, and hold fast the tradition of man."?Jesus saw that the law was being used to turn people away from God by being so exact, i
 nstead of it being used to bring people to God to see his love and mercy. Jesus goes on to say that it s not what is outside of a person that makes that person unclean, but itis what is in his/her heart that matters. Jesus saw that religion was being used to escape the true religion, the worship of God. The religious leaders were using the law of men to gain respect, position and wealth over the people instead of showing the people how the law can help them to find God in their lives. Jesus was freeing the people from the tyranny of the externals, and giving them a freedom to live with the law of love in their hearts.

You know that the only laws that Jesus tells us in the whole of the New Testament 
 is two. They go together.?"You should love the Lord your God with all of your heart, with all of your soul, with all of your mind, and you shall love your neighbor as your self."?Notice Jesus doesn't go beyond the broad principle of the laws, he doesn't define in exact detail how one should love God and how one should love a neighbor. But in the rest of his teachings, in the way he lives, in how he acted, he showed us how one is to love God and one's neighbor.

But he gives us the freedom to express our love for God and our love for our neighbor in our own way, in our own unique God given way. The religious leaders of Jesus day has lost the concept of the uniqueness of the human race. God has
  created each of us different, and in that difference, in that uniqueness we all have different talents, different ways, different abilities to worship God and to love our neighbor. We have been given the freedom to express our uniqueness as we live our Christian life. But notice the broad principle still stands: The command is to love God with our whole being, and to love our neighbor as ourselves. That is a command. There is no freedom not to follow or live by that command.

That is God's command to those of us who want to be his followers. It is God's command for those of us who have been called by him in love and mercy. That command is not something we might say: "Well God today will worship you because I 
 don't have anything better to do, or today God l will be good to my neighbor because I feel good." NO, that command transcends all of life. That command is not something we can turn on and off, but it is a reality that the people of God must live with. But how I worship God, how I love my neighbor, is up to my own uniqueness.

Now you see how radical Jesus' words are in our gospel lesson.

He puts each person in an unique position to be of special importance to God. For God enjoys, I think, the way each of us use the resources he has given us to worship him and to serve him through our neighbor. In some ways, this freedom to live in the principle of the law is more difficult that living by the 
 letter of the law. Living by the letter of the law is easier because it is all spelled out in black and white. I don't have to take any responsibility for my own actions, if I follow the law I can say it is good law, if I cannot follow the law I can say it is a bad law.

But when I am given the freedom to express the principle of the law in my own way, then I have to take the full responsibility for my actions. I stand alone before God. I cannot blame anyone or anything for my failure to act, or for my failure for acting wrong. I have a greater responsibility, but I think it is in that very freedom to act and to fail that I am more confident of the grace of God in my life. For when I 
 fail, I know his forgiveness is there for me, and when I succeed, I know it is by the grace of God, the love that God has for me that has seen me through. I stand alone and naked by myself in the freedom of the law to worship God in my uniqueness and the serve him by serving my neighbor. It is literary God and I in the world together.

This idea then moves us into the second lesson, from last week, the lesson where Paul speaks about living a life of integrity for the law. Paul is using an analogy of a soldier doing battle as we face all the temptations of live. And Paul is saying that just as a soldier needs to have the right equipment, a person who is fighting the battle of life, needs to have=2
 0the equipment of God with him. We need to know that the truth of God is with us, the righteousness of God is there as well as the peace of God along with faith and also salvation. With these tools, we can stand on the principles of the law in the freedom of our uniqueness and to fight the good fight of salvation, Paul is saying if you know where your strength lies, if you know your equipment is of God and from God, then the battle of life can be won. If the equipment is not just outward externals but if it is truly the equipment of the heart, then the battle of live will be won.

And James in the second lesson from this week says:?22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving you
 rselves.

Which means that we must not only hear the word of God, but live it and do it in our lives.

That is seen very clearly in the following:

There is a story about an evangelist who was preaching a series of sermons on the 10 commandments. One night he used "Thou shalt not steal" as his text, and stressed the necessity of absolute integrity in everything.

The next day the evangelist had to go on a bus and handed the driver a dollar bill for his ticket. When he counted his change he discovered he had received an extra dime. He could have kept the dime and said nothing about it. However he want to the driver and said, "You gave me a dine too much."

"Yes, I know," said the driver, "I did it=2
 0on purpose to see what you would do. Last night I was in your congregation and heard your sermon. I have always been suspicious of Christians, so when I recognized you this morning I said," If he practiced what he preached, I'll go an hear him again but if he keeps the dime, I'll know he is a fake."

The evangelist had freedom to act. He could have kept the dime or he could have loved his neighbor by respecting him and return the dime. In his freedom he acted, he loved his neighbor, returned a had a chance to speak to someone about God and God's gospel of power in life.

Yes, Jesus says we are free, free from the burdens of the law, but in that freedom we are given responsibility to act, to act with=2
 0our unique gifts, and resources to worship God and to love our neighbor.

How will you use your freedom.? How will you worship God and love your neighbor?

Amen


Written by Pastor Tim Zingale?

?You may freely use this but please give credit. Not for commercial use.

?
? 
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From robertpmorrison at charterinternet.com  Sat Aug 29 22:48:54 2009
From: robertpmorrison at charterinternet.com (Robert P Morrison)
Date: Sat, 29 Aug 2009 19:48:54 -0700
Subject: [Propertalk] Proper 17 b BCP lectionary
Message-ID: <20090829224854.22MZM.4313366.root@mp12>

We're up to 1979 in our prayer book usage, so this is based on that lectionary.

This now goes home for reading and editing.

Bob

THE EPISCOPAL PARISH OF ST. JAMES, LINCOLN CITY   THE THIRTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
DEUTERONOMY 4:1-9			    PROPER 17 b BCP 
EPHESIAND 6:10-20			    30th AUGUST, 2009
MARK 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23		                          PSALM 15
LAST SUNDAY OF STUDY OF ANCESTRAL PRAYER BOOKS ? THIS DAY USING 1979 ? RITE II

	?Some scribes ? noticed that some of (Jesus?) disciples were eating their food with defiled hands ? in other words, without washing them.? Heavens! What WOULD Emily Post have thought? Or Mrs. Bouquet, of BBC TV ? PBS fame?
	Back in January, Newsweek ran an article about ?The Quest for a Spiritual Home?. 1 The author was focussing on the fact ?that 40% of Americans profess a different religious affiliation from the one they were raised in.? I?m one of them. Not that I was surveyed as a member of that statistical sample. I became a member of The Episcopal Church because, in addition to an emphasis on the responsibility of feeding people homiletically, The Episcopal Church didn?t shy away in fear from the unknown, from questions that seem to well up every time one turns on the TV, or picks up a print media offering, or walks into a bank, or an office, or sits at dinner with a friend.
	I, along with a great many who currently who adorn Episcopal pews, relish, if not actually NEED, to accept and to honour mystery. There IS no way we can know everything. In fact, God doesn?t WANT us to know everything. Not right now, anyway. We simply cannot cope. So we need to keep asking questions ? AND being patient. 
	There?s a third thing which drew me to The Episcopal Church, though, and which has kept me here, and that is what seems like the glue that holds most of the other elements of Episcopal life together and in tension. The Episcopal Church acknowledges that there needs to be, and also seems to flourish, where there is social responsibility. If you like, you can call this a sense of moral responsibility that MUST inform everything we do, and MUST challenge us every time an issue comes up, whether in our minds alone, or before the whole community. We cannot, ever, remain silent. Jesus, our fearless leader, never did
	It wasn?t that Jesus was insensitive to the cultural norms of religion and society. He valued the power these had to shape peoples? lives. But He was analysing the effects of these norms constantly. He DIDN?T set out to pick fights, whether with His parents and siblings, or villagers and city fathers, or with those elected or born into authority. But He didn?t shy away from challenging them to question their own attitudes. He forced people to try to determine if they were behaving and regulating not out of pure motives that would help and reform society as a community of God, but out of the dark motives of trying to silence those who asked awkward questions and presented them with uncomfortable choices ? or held a mirror up to them too closely.
	Back to the Newsweek article: ?Fr. Albert wasn?t born an Episcopalian. In fact, he first walked into St. John?s (Episcopal Church in Washington, D.C.?s Georgetown) about twenty years ago as a Jewish physician. He had done a lot of searching to find a spiritual home since his high school days ?
	?In his former career, Albert Scariato specialized in radiation oncology. He?d often found himself at night tossing and turning, agonizing over the sufferings of his patients. Almost all were battling cancer, but in the mid-80s, AIDS was also becoming a potent force ? something Scariato felt keenly as a gay man. ?If someone came in with AIDS, it was usually a young man with pneumocystis pneumonia and he was dead within a matter of days,? he says. ?I had no idea if [one day] I were going to be that man on a stretcher, and that really made me identify with my patients in a huge way.??
	Stop right there in that story for a moment, though. Jesus ? God?s Son ? with all the perks that that entailed ? you know, eternal life, never having to worry about where the next meal was coming from, never having to deal with anything more serious that figuring out some sort of a Trinitarian theology that would stand up to human scrutiny, yet not be resolved or understood too easily ? Jesus set aside all these perks and took on that human existence precisely so that He could identify with US in a HUGE way. And, here?s the mystery, so that He could draw us into the glorious company of God and all the saints in Light.
	Albert Scariato said that in his own spiritual quest he was ?humbled by the courage and fortitude he saw on a daily basis.? Beside the usual questions about medical history and so on, he ?would also see other questions in their eyes ? unspoken questions: ?Why do you think this happened to me?? ?Am I being punished for something??
	Sound familiar? Jesus dealt with it every day. So do we, in one way or another. Jesus? answer to these sorts of questions may not seem helpful, initially. He talked about continually looking for sign?s of God?s glory, even in the dirt, and the pain, and the stress. Jesus was arguing that there were more productive things to do than wring one?s hands. He DIDN?T mean we shouldn?t check to see what behaviour may have placed us in a bind. What I DO think He meant was that first, second, and last, we should be looking for God in our routines, not as someone to blame, nor as someone who toys with us, nor even punishes ? but as someone present to be there when we meet danger, or decisive action is needed.
	Nor, actually, is Jesus condemning ritual. The Pharisees ought not to be condemned at every opportunity. They have a good point, here at least. But, as our General Convention Chaplain points out, ?Jesus seems to be saying that engagement with the world is even more important.?  2 This is where what happened to Christ on the cross is brought into our own lives. This is where our traditions can be questioned. Do they get in the way of what we need to be doing? Do we fuss far too much with external matters, with our own personal appearances, or those of the gathered community, and how we maintain our reputations in society? Is this how we?d like God to see us? Or  does Jesus not imply that it?s only after the poor, the downtrodden, the un- or under-insured are comforted that we can start to think about cleaning our hands?
	I see in this sort of debate which Jesus was having with the Pharisees something like a modern-day politician, plunging into the crowd to shake hands, to kiss babies, to stop to talk to the person in the wheelchair or the veteran with some form of disablement. And, all the while, the Secret Service personnel are scared spitless that somewhere, some lunatic is going to go off half-cocked and try to harm the politician.
	Both have a point. Both are necessary. You make plans for any sort of a Town Hall meeting this week, and you have to have someone who?s worrying about who?s going to do what. But, ultimately, one tactic has to have priority. And Jesus says to you and to me, always err on the side of the other person?s needs and concerns, even if it puts you in some form of danger. If you?re forever dealing with dirt, whether it be on your body, or on the floor, or in someone?s mind, then your entire ministry is going to be filled with preoccupation with what are non-essentials.
	Yesterday I heard a broadcast of Beethoven?s opera ?Fidelio?. It was written, with much sweat and hard thought, about the matter of freedom of expression and the triumph of love. The performance I heard was of a concert performance. In other words, the soloists were standing along the front of the stage, more or less motionless, while the orchestra and chorus were behind them. The leading woman was asked whether a concert performance generates as much energy for her as does a staged performance. She replied that it didn?t make any difference whether one is on concert dress ? however fancy that may be ? standing in front of an orchestra and chorus, or in full costume, on a stage, with the orchestra somewhat out of sight in the pit in front of one. She said, ?Everything depends on what is inside.? 3
	Whether you sing, or teach a class, or work in or run a business ? whatever you and I may do, at any time in our lives, everything depends on what is inside. Everything DOES depend on how well we?ve listened and responded, both to God?s word and to the needs of the entirety of creation.
	Back to the story told by Albert Scariato. ?(I)n 1989 his partner was diagnosed with AIDS. He?d been raised Episcopalian, and the couple started attending first the National cathedral in Washington, and then the smaller, more intimate St. John?s in Georgetown. The Sunday before (Albert?s) partner entered the hospital to participate in an experimental medical trial, the sermon was about how Jesus had taken the cross ? an instrument of unspeakable torture ? and transformed it into a symbol before people genuflect. The priest asked: what in our lives is so unbearable, so unspeakable, and what can we do with God?s help to turn it around? Sitting in the pews, Scariato says, he realized, ?This is what I feel I?m being called to do.? ?
                      ?Scariato?s last day as a radiation oncologist was August 27, 1993. Two days later he was sitting in the chapel of Virginia Theological Seminary. (Now he) says he is most comfortable in a place of worship where people with doubts and questions are welcome. ? He?s known for biblically based sermons that can be applied to daily life and that convey a message of social justice. He spends much of his time ministering to the sick and dying, and reaching out to the poor. Does he miss his old profession? ?I feel I never left it.? replies Fr. Albert Scariato. Dirt, illness, heartache, crying, these are what define a great deal of the ministry of the followers of Jesus.
                      Something that was said in a worship service spoke to what was at the heart of that oncologist-priest?s being. and he found that what he?d been doing was part of the outreach of Jesus from the cross.
                      Nothing was said or done about washing up before the priest or Scariato went to that Eucharist, although undoubtedly all his medical training about taking infection-control precautions was still part of his routine. Nothing was said or done about smoothing off the rough edges of Jesus? cross ? or of the Church pew, for that matter.
                      What WAS offered was Jesus? heart-breaking welcome, that ALL might come within His embrace, which I can?t imagine as anything BUT sweaty, and dirty, and probably blood-stained also. That?s simply the nature of things in this world. And it strikes me that whenever we try to pretty things up too much, or too often, we deny something about creation, maybe even about God.
	Yesterday I came across something written by a friend, a priest in Virginia. She was seeking permission to put up a poster about a Spanish language service beginning in her congregation and got into a long conversation with a Hispanic woman who?d been brought up Roman Catholic, but no longer attends. ?she said, 'I am a feminista, I don't believe a lot of what the Bible says... I don't see why women can't be ordained--why the church puts women down.' I guess the collar around my neck didn't register with her --so I merely said, 'the Episcopal church ordains women.' And then she said, 'And I think priests ought to be able to get married if they want to.' --and I said that clergy in the Episcopal church could marry and form lifelong relationships, that I am the priest and I am married. ...?
                      Then ?(s)he said, 'What does your church believe about gay people.' And I didn't know whether this question would bring condemnation or the refusal to post the poster or what....
                      ?So, I said as plainly as I could that if she came to St X she would see many loving couples and families, and some would be two men, and some two women and some a man and a woman, and some with children and... ---- and then I stopped. Mid sentence. Her eyes were filling with tears as she said, 'I haven't been to church because my family and my church don't approve of my relationship or who I am.' -- Come to church, I said....?  4
	There are all kinds of dirt. NONE of it should prevent anyone from discovering how Jesus? heart burns in desire for all of us.


NOTES:

1	?The Quest for a Spiritual Home? by Eleanor Clift. Newsweek. Published January 17, 2009: Magazine issue dated January 26, 2009.     http://www.newsweek.com/id/180039 (c) 2009.
2	What Matters to God  The Rev?d. Dr Francis Wade Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23   13th Sunday After Pentecost (Proper 17) August 31, 2003  http://day1.org/500-what_matters_to_god
3	Waltraud Meier on a concert performance of Beethoven?s ?Fidelio? at the BBC Proms, 22nd August, 2009 http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00m8b67 
4	?come beloved of God? 	Margaret: ?leave it lay where Jesus flang it? Friday, August 28, 2009
http://leaveitlay.blogspot.com/2009/08/come-beloved-of-god.html 

--
Robert P. Morrison
The Episcopal Parish of St James,
PO Box 789
Lincoln City, Oregon, 97367

541-994-2426 (Church)




From JoeParrish at compuserve.com  Sun Aug 30 05:22:25 2009
From: JoeParrish at compuserve.com (Joe Parrish)
Date: Sun, 30 Aug 2009 05:22:25 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] Sermon for August 30 based on Mark 7:1-89, 14-15, 21-23
Message-ID: <9CDD2A20227141EA960F38BD1FF107B2@YOUR264F1833C5>

Our sermon for August 30 based on Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23 is here:  http://tiny.cc/0fpCg 

Peace and blessings,
Joe
St. John's Episcopal Church
Elizabeth, NJ
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From chadwohl at satucket.com  Sun Aug 30 12:29:36 2009
From: chadwohl at satucket.com (Charles Wohlers)
Date: Sun, 30 Aug 2009 12:29:36 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] READINGS for the FORTEENTH SUNDAY after PENTECOST
Message-ID: <2F36E23374834EEB96DE9AB5DE90D73F@cranmer>

The following are the readings for the Fourrteenth Sunday after Pentecost, 
September 6, (Proper 18, ECUSA; Proper 23, RCL & Roman Catholic) according 
to the Revised Common (RCL), Episcopal (ECUSA), Roman Catholic, Church of 
England, and Canadian (BAS) Lectionaries. All readings are taken from the 
New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) of the Bible. Unless noted otherwise, 
the lectionaries of ECUSA, Canada and England are identical to the RCL this 
Sunday.

(These are being sent out a bit early as Lee & I leave shortly for Vermont, 
for a house inspection tomorrow).


OLD TESTAMENT: Proverbs 22: 1 - 2, 8 - 9, 22 - 23   (RCL)

Prov 22:1 (NRSV) A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches,
and favor is better than silver or gold.
2 The rich and the poor have this in common:
the LORD is the maker of them all.
8 Whoever sows injustice will reap calamity,
and the rod of anger will fail.
9 Those who are generous are blessed,
for they share their bread with the poor.
22 Do not rob the poor because they are poor,
or crush the afflicted at the gate;
23 for the LORD pleads their cause
and despoils of life those who despoil them.


Isaiah 35: 4 - 7a (Roman Catholic, alt. for RCL)

Isai 35:4 (NRSV) Say to those who are of a fearful heart,
""Be strong, do not fear!
Here is your God.
He will come with vengeance,
with terrible recompense.
He will come and save you."
5 Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened,
and the ears of the deaf unstopped;
6 then the lame shall leap like a deer,
and the tongue of the speechless sing for joy.
For waters shall break forth in the wilderness,
and streams in the desert;
7 the burning sand shall become a pool,
and the thirsty ground springs of water;


Sirach (Ecclesiasticus) 5: 8 - 15   (Can. BAS)

Sir 5:8 (NRSV) Do not depend on dishonest wealth,
for it will not benefit you on the day of calamity.
9 Do not winnow in every wind,
or follow every path.
10 Stand firm for what you know,
and let your speech be consistent.
11 Be quick to hear,
but deliberate in answering.
12 If you know what to say, answer your neighbor;
but if not, put your hand over your mouth.
13 Honor and dishonor come from speaking,
and the tongue of mortals may be their downfall.
14 Do not be called double-tongued
and do not lay traps with your tongue;
for shame comes to the thief,
and severe condemnation to the double-tongued.
15 In great and small matters cause no harm,


Proverbs 2: 1 - 8   (alt. for Can. BAS)

Prov 2:1 (NRSV) My child, if you accept my words
and treasure up my commandments within you,
2 making your ear attentive to wisdom
and inclining your heart to understanding;
3 if you indeed cry out for insight,
and raise your voice for understanding;
4 if you seek it like silver,
and search for it as for hidden treasures-
5 then you will understand the fear of the LORD
and find the knowledge of God.
6 For the LORD gives wisdom;
from his mouth come knowledge and understanding;
7 he stores up sound wisdom for the upright;
he is a shield to those who walk blamelessly,
8 guarding the paths of justice
and preserving the way of his faithful ones.


PSALM 125 (RCL)

Psal 125:1 (NRSV) Those who trust in the LORD are like Mount Zion,
which cannot be moved, but abides forever.
2 As the mountains surround Jerusalem,
so the LORD surrounds his people,
from this time on and forevermore.
3 For the scepter of wickedness shall not rest
on the land allotted to the righteous,
so that the righteous might not stretch out
their hands to do wrong.
4 Do good, O LORD, to those who are good,
and to those who are upright in their hearts.
5 But those who turn aside to their own crooked ways
the LORD will lead away with evildoers.
Peace be upon Israel!


Psalm 146: 7 - 10   (Roman Catholic)
Psalm 146   (alt. for RCL)

Psal 146:1 (NRSv) Praise the LORD!
Praise the LORD, O my soul!
2 I will praise the LORD as long as I live;
I will sing praises to my God all my life long.
3 Do not put your trust in princes,
in mortals, in whom there is no help.
4 When their breath departs, they return to the earth;
on that very day their plans perish.
5 Happy are those whose help is the God of Jacob,
whose hope is in the LORD their God,
6 who made heaven and earth,
the sea, and all that is in them;
who keeps faith forever; 7 who executes justice for the oppressed;
who gives food to the hungry.
The LORD sets the prisoners free; 8 the LORD opens the eyes of the blind.
The LORD lifts up those who are bowed down;
the LORD loves the righteous.
9 The LORD watches over the strangers;
he upholds the orphan and the widow,
but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin.
10 The LORD will reign forever,
your God, O Zion, for all generations.
Praise the LORD!


Psalm 119: 139 - 136   (Can. BAS)

129   Your decrees are wonderful; *
  therefore I obey them with all my heart.

130   When your word goes forth it gives light; *
  it gives understanding to the simple.

131   I open my mouth and pant; *
  I long for your commandments.

132   Turn to me in mercy, *
  as you always do to those who love your Name.

133   Steady my footsteps in your word; *
  let no iniquity have dominion over me.

134   Rescue me from those who oppress me, *
  and I will keep your commandments.

135   Let your countenance shine upon your servant *
  and teach me your statutes.

136   My eyes shed streams of tears, *
  because people do not keep your law.


NEW TESTAMENT: James 2: 1 - 10 (11 - 13) 14 - 17 (RCL)
                                    James 2: 1 - 5 (Roman Catholic)

Jame 2:1 (NRSV) My brothers and sisters, do you with your acts of favoritism 
really believe in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ? 2 For if a person with 
gold rings and in fine clothes comes into your assembly, and if a poor 
person in dirty clothes also comes in, 3 and if you take notice of the one 
wearing the fine clothes and say, "Have a seat here, please," while to the 
one who is poor you say, "Stand there," or, "Sit at my feet," 4 have you not 
made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts? 5 
Listen, my beloved brothers and sisters. Has not God chosen the poor in the 
world to be rich in faith and to be heirs of the kingdom that he has 
promised to those who love him? 6 But you have dishonored the poor. Is it 
not the rich who oppress you? Is it not they who drag you into court? 7 Is 
it not they who blaspheme the excellent name that was invoked over you?
8 You do well if you really fulfill the royal law according to the 
scripture, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." 9 But if you show 
partiality, you commit sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. 10 
For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become 
accountable for all of it. 11 For the one who said, "You shall not commit 
adultery," also said, "You shall not murder." Now if you do not commit 
adultery but if you murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. 12 So 
speak and so act as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty. 13 For 
judgment will be without mercy to anyone who has shown no mercy; mercy 
triumphs over judgment.
14 What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but 
do not have works? Can faith save you? 15 If a brother or sister is naked 
and lacks daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, "Go in peace; keep 
warm and eat your fill," and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what 
is the good of that? 17 So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead.


James 1: 17 - 27 (Can. BAS)

Jame 1:17 (NRSV) Every generous act of giving, with every perfect gift, is 
from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no 
variation or shadow due to change. 18 In fulfillment of his own purpose he 
gave us birth by the word of truth, so that we would become a kind of first 
fruits of his creatures.
19 You must understand this, my beloved: let everyone be quick to listen, 
slow to speak, slow to anger; 20 for your anger does not produce God's 
righteousness. 21 Therefore rid yourselves of all sordidness and rank growth 
of wickedness, and welcome with meekness the implanted word that has the 
power to save your souls.
22 But be doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves. 
23 For if any are hearers of the word and not doers, they are like those who 
look at themselves in a mirror; 24 for they look at themselves and, on going 
away, immediately forget what they were like. 25 But those who look into the 
perfect law, the law of liberty, and persevere, being not hearers who forget 
but doers who act-they will be blessed in their doing.
26 If any think they are religious, and do not bridle their tongues but 
deceive their hearts, their religion is worthless. 27 Religion that is pure 
and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to care for orphans and 
widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.


GOSPEL: Mark 7: 24 - 37 (RCL)
                  Mark 7: 31 - 37 (Can. BAS, Roman Catholic)

Mark 7:24 (NRSV) From there he set out and went away to the region of Tyre. 
He entered a house and did not want anyone to know he was there. Yet he 
could not escape notice, 25 but a woman whose little daughter had an unclean 
spirit immediately heard about him, and she came and bowed down at his feet. 
26 Now the woman was a Gentile, of Syrophoenician origin. She begged him to 
cast the demon out of her daughter. 27 He said to her, "Let the children be 
fed first, for it is not fair to take the children's food and throw it to 
the dogs." 28 But she answered him, "Sir, even the dogs under the table eat 
the children's crumbs." 29 Then he said to her, "For saying that, you may 
go-the demon has left your daughter." 30 So she went home, found the child 
lying on the bed, and the demon gone.
31 Then he returned from the region of Tyre, and went by way of Sidon 
towards the Sea of Galilee, in the region of the Decapolis. 32 They brought 
to him a deaf man who had an impediment in his speech; and they begged him 
to lay his hand on him. 33 He took him aside in private, away from the 
crowd, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spat and touched his 
tongue. 34 Then looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, 
"Ephphatha," that is, "Be opened." 35 And immediately his ears were opened, 
his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly. 36 Then Jesus ordered them to 
tell no one; but the more he ordered them, the more zealously they 
proclaimed it. 37 They were astounded beyond measure, saying, "He has done 
everything well; he even makes the deaf to hear and the mute to speak."


Chad Wohlers
East Bridgewater, Mass.   USA
chadwohl at satucket.com
cwohlers at bridgew.edu




From ronmccr at juno.com  Sun Aug 30 13:05:23 2009
From: ronmccr at juno.com (Ronald W McCracken)
Date: Sun, 30 Aug 2009 13:05:23 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] Fw: Sermon for Aug 30th
Message-ID: <20090830.130523.2552.1.ronmccr@juno.com>

Dallas Willard in his excellent book 'Divine Conspiracy' supports your
comments and Luther's intent. Blessings.
____________________________________________________________
Lose up to 20 lbs in one month with a new diet. Click here.
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From joeparrish at compuserve.com  Sun Aug 30 21:28:45 2009
From: joeparrish at compuserve.com (joeparrish at compuserve.com)
Date: Sun, 30 Aug 2009 21:28:45 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] Textweek for this week, Sept. 6
Message-ID: <8CBF7F1845CE9E1-3F8-B2F@angweb-usm003.sysops.aol.com>


Here is Textweek for this week, Sept. 6: ?

http://www.textweek.com/yearb/properb18.htm

?

Peace and blessings,

Joe
St. John's Episcopal Church, Elizabeth, NJ


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From JoeParrish at compuserve.com  Sun Aug 30 21:42:13 2009
From: JoeParrish at compuserve.com (Joe Parrish)
Date: Sun, 30 Aug 2009 21:42:13 -0400
Subject: [Propertalk] Sermon for today
Message-ID: <40AE587FDF5149119E463E98C7426877@YOUR264F1833C5>

http://tiny.cc/0fpCg

Peace and blessings,
Joe
St. John's Episcopal, Elizabeth, NJ
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From annfontaine at mac.com  Mon Aug 31 17:53:29 2009
From: annfontaine at mac.com (Ann Fontaine)
Date: Mon, 31 Aug 2009 15:53:29 -0600
Subject: [Propertalk] towards Sunday
Message-ID: <944C535F-5B06-4D8F-BC04-181DC6F3A6B6@mac.com>

http://edgeofenclosure.org/proper18b.html

some meditations on the readings for Sunday.



Ann Fontaine
Lander, Wyoming

Note: new email address
annfontaine at me.com









