Ep. 20: Chariots of Jesus or  Proper 8C / Ordinary 13C / Pentecost +6

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For Sunday, June 30th
Episode 20 - Proper 8C / Ordinary 13C / Pentecost +6
SHOW NOTES -  6/30/2013
Intro Music: Chariots of Fire theme
Introduction: Episode 20 - Proper 8C / Ordinary 13C / Pentecost +6
Luke 9:51-62
2 Kings 2:1-14

Check-in
  • Explain Summer Splash, our version of VBS
  • Independence Day this week
    • What will you do or not do?
    • It is on a Thursday? Eric recommends not addressing it at all- not on a Sunday, not a religious Holiday, skip it.
    • Might be a fun connection between fireworks and “fires from heaven” in both stories

Primary Scripture -– Luke 9:51-62 - Jesus seeks complete devotion

  • Jesus sets out toward Jerusalem
    • Knows this will lead to Crucifixion (did he know the future by divine power, or simply understand there were consequences of his actions)
    • “Taken Up” - Jesus will not die, but will be united with God in heaven
      • Like Moses and Elijah (transfiguration was shortly before this)
    • Either way, his mission took him to Jerusalem, so he went

  • Cost of Discipleship
    • “Cheap grace is the mortal enemy of our church. Our struggle today is for costly grace. Cheap grace is grace … without costs. Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without the living incarnate Jesus Christ… . Costly grace is the gospel which must be sought again and again, the gift which has to be asked for, the door at which one has to knock. It is costly, because it calls to discipleship; it is grace, because it calls us to follow Jesus Christ. It is costly because it costs people their lives; it is grace because it thereby makes them live.” - Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Discipleship (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2001), 43-45

    • No Vengeance
      • Jesus resists violent retribution
      • Can we accept Jesus’ death?
      • Luke 9:5 (cf. 10:6-16) - not violent retribution, simply move on
      • The use of violence is never an acceptable form of evangelism...
      • Elijah -1 Kings 18:40, 2 Kings 1:10
    • No Material Possessions
      • “There is no where for the Son of Man to lay his head”
      • What does this mean for Church buildings/institutions? Do we as a church rely on the grace of others?
      • Justification for house churches?
    • No other loyalties
      • “Let the dead bury the dead.”
        • Placing the bones of the Father in the ossuary box
      • What do we need to take care of before we are willing to follow?
        • There is always a reason not to follow
        • Following Christ isn’t another box on the to-do list.
      • 1 Kings 19 - Elisha asks to say goodbye to his parents before following Elijah...why is this any different?
        • signified a change
        • perhaps this man does not signify a change- he is not leaving behind to be transformed but is clinging to his old ways
      • When other loyalties take the place of our loyalty to God- we become unfaithful
    • Asking for volunteers.
  • Jesus is up front with the cost and requirements
      • He doesn’t say, “It’s no big deal, anyone can do it.”

Secondary scripture -2 Kings 2:1-14 - Elisha succeeds Elijah.

  • Lectionary choice, omits some of the redundancy, but no reason to take it out
    • Draw it out, tell the story!
    • What is the climax?
      • not Elijah and the fiery chariot- Elisha hitting the water with the mantle
      • Think Star Wars - the death of Yoda or Obi Wan is not important- it is Luke becoming a Jedi
    • Transition from Elijah to Elisha is complete (out of the blue unless you read whole story last week)

  • Elisha seeks “double your spirit”
    • Importance of leaving a legacy, giving something to those that follow.
    • Typical inheritance to a first son- signifying Elisha would inherit Elijah’s ministry (seeDeut. 21:17)
    • Reminder of Solomon asking for wisdom.

  • Connections to Moses
    • Divides the water in two and walks on dry land (Ex 14 and Josh. 3)
    • Elisha is to Elijah as Joshua is to Moses - the inheritor
    • Neither Elijah nor Moses have tombs (unlike the Patriarchs)

  • Importance of seeing- Elisha must see the power of God in order to become the prophet
    • Seeing the power of God reveals the illusion of human power
    • The unique call of the prophet, in this context, is to open the nation's eyes to the illusory nature of Pharaoh's power and the ultimate reality of YHWH's. In order to do so, however, the prophet must be equipped with the penetrating vision that is required to perceive YHWH's supreme power and authority through Pharaoh's thick smoke screen. - Trevor Eppenheimer - Feasting on the Word: Preaching the Revised Common Lectionary - Feasting on the Word – Year C, Volume 3: Pentecost and Season After Pentecost 1 (Propers 3-16).
    • Can the church see the power of God or is it blinded by the power of Pharaohs and Kings

Closing
TY: listeners, Opening music, Dick Dale and the Deltones, “Misirlou”
TY: Closing music,Paul and Storm, “Oh No”

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All, Luke, Proper 8CEric FistlerComment