Lent 4A
Providence Rhode Island Skyline by Alex Grinchenko
Karla Seyb-Stockton, Words to Live By Blog
Psalm 23, Richard Bruxvoort Colliga, Psalmimmersion.com, @pomopsalmist,Patreon
Mason Parks, New Journey AME, Moline, IL
6:30 - Ephesians 5:8-14
19:30 - John 9:1-41
46:40 - Psalm 23
54:50 - 1 Samuel 16:1-13
Psalm 23, Richard Bruxvoort Colliga, Psalmimmersion.com, @pomopsalmist,Patreon
Ephesians 5:8-14 with Sarah Jayne Hewitt
Musician: Christopher Grundy, “Here in Providence” from his album Here in Providence, christophergrundy.com, @ChrstphrGrundy
Tasty Wafer of the Week:
Two similar resources to set up a “Stations of the Cross” style self-guided prayer and reflection. Each reflection builds toward the Cross, but emphasizes the life and ministry of Jesus that led him to the cross, and de-emphasizes substitutionary atonement.
John 9:1-41
Initial Thoughts
The Fifth or sixth sign in John’s Gospel depending on whether you count walking on water as sign (Water into Wine, healing the official’s son, healing the man in Bethsaida, feeding the 5000, walking on water, healing the man born blind, raising of Lazarus)
Get ready for a long reading- perhaps better as a dramatic reading between several people
Blindness
What does it mean to be blind?
Sensitivity to those born blind or who are going blind
Amazing Grace - “I was blind but now I see”
Bible Study
Structure
Healing
Pharisee Investigation
“The Jews” Investigation
Spiritual Blindness
The Blind Man
Jesus approaches him (like the woman at the well)
Like both Nicodemus and the Woman at the well goes through a transformative experience (Karoline Lewis, Feasting on the Word, year A vol. 2):
v.11 “the man called Jesus”
v.17 “he is a prophet”
v.33 “from God”
v.38 “Lord...worshiped him”
v. 37 - seeing and hearing. Interesting as “seeing” is part of his new life and “hearing” is part of his old - it is in both seeing and hearing that he recognizes Jesus
The healing
Saliva was seen to have medicinal value
A re-creation?
Like the creation of humanity out of earth and water after creating light for the world (Genesis 1:3, 2:7)- Jesus claims to be the light of the world and restores this man with saliva and mud
Pool of Siloam - literally the Pool of “sent” the end point of Hezekiah’s tunnel which brought water to Jerusalem - perhaps a connection to last week’s passage on living water)
Healing and Nature of sin & punishment
Punishment for what the parents did (cf. Exodus 34:7)? Not in this case
Was the will of God? Question of divine providence
Divine Providence (George Stroup, Feasting on the Word, year A vol. 2)
General Providence: God "watches over the order of nature set by himself." John Calvin (from Calvin’s Institutes)
Special Providence: “God so attends to the regulation of individual events, and they all so proceed from his set plan, that nothing takes place by chance." John Calvin (from Calvin’s Institutes)
Heidelberg Catechism in response to what the first line of the Apostle’s Creed means, “whatever evil he [God] sends upon me in this troubled life he will turn to my good, for he is able to do it, being almighty God, and is determined to do it, being a faithful Father."
How does one hold to divine providence in light of the horrors of mass genocide (Armenia, Holocaust, Cambodia, Bosnia, Rwanda, etc)? Was all this “so that God's works might be revealed in him.” (John 9:3)
Stroup: Jesus is speaking to a specific issue not making a broad theological claim
Jesus rejects any interpretation that connects the man’s blindness to sin, but instead focused not on the cause of the malady but on the healing.
The result of the blindness is rejection from the community
The result of the healing should be acceptance back in, except the community rejects the miracle in favor of the status quo.
Not about sin, about God at work within the Man’s Blindness
Instead of a curse his blindness is seen as a blessing - a chance to see God’s work
Jesus is responding to the Pharisees who seem to be looking for an excuse not to help or serve the blind man
Jesus’s response is not about explaining the blindness away or telling the blind man to be blessed in his blindness, but to include the blind man within the realm of God’s blessing
Jesus does not explain the blindness in terms of “sin”
How do we justify not helping our neighbors? In what ways do we “explain” poverty, isolation, addiction simply as “their” problem and not our responsibility?
Investigation:
No one, not the formerly blind man, parents, neighbors, pharisees or religious community can explain what happened. Only the blind man has the grace and faith to simply step back and say ”thank you”.
More concerned with the fact he is healed than they were that he was a beggar.
How do we respond when someone in need comes to our community? How do we respond when someone has an irrational, inexplicable experience with the divine?
Sight - what is the miracle that is performed?
The obvious answer is the restoration of sight to the man, BUT
Perhaps the miracle is Jesus claiming that God’s mighty works are being revealed in this man - even before he is healed. Jesus is trying to restore the sight of the community- not the physical sight, but their ability to see this man as a mighty work of God and not simply as the blind beggar.
Perhaps even to transform the man to see himself as something other than a blind beggar- to see himself as a mighty work of God
How often do we discount, ignore, dismiss, or isolate people we feel have no productive worth? Ignorant that mighty works of God are being displayed through them?
Thoughts and Questions
Sometimes we feel unable or ill equipped to witness to God's glory, perhaps we need to simply share the good things God has done in our lives and leave the theology alone.
Are we willing to embrace the mysteries of faith - that God is present in and among our lives even though bad things happen? Can we thank God for the good things in life without blaming someone for the bad things?
Perhaps it is time to say, “I don’t know why this happened, but I am happy that it is now better.”
How much of our status quo are we willing to sacrifice in order to bring about the Kingdom of God? Change is very difficult and the unknown can be terrifying - are we willing to let go of the present norm in order to embrace a new reality?
How do we justify not helping our neighbors? In what ways do we “explain” poverty, isolation, addiction simply as “their” problem and not our responsibility?
How often do we force people into our theological boxes?
Do we promote a creative theology or a static theology?
How? What do we convey in worship? Prayer? Song? Look?
Is it about Orthodoxy, Orthopraxis or about simply showing up and being part of the community?
Psalm 23
Initial thoughts
Psalm Song - “My Love Is My Shepherd” by Richard Bruxvoort Colligan
Check out Joan Stott’s Timeless Psalms (and from 2011)
“So, I’ve never heard this passage before in my life,” said almost no one.
According to Wikipedia, quoted in Titanic, Deep Blue Sea, We Were Soldiers, Van Helsing, Lost, Terminator: Salvation, The Book of Eli, True Grit, and War Horse.
Use C ommon English - important translation issues and the newness of it will wake people out of “Oh, I’ve heard this already.”
Bible Study
Psalm of Assurance and Trust
Joan Stott points to three aspects of God: Shepherd, Comforter, Host.
Shepherd is strong, and gives us courage
In the call to worship she writes, “in life’s complex mix, your loving arms are always open to us. We come with our fears and anxiety quietened, because you are always with us.”
God’s generosity and hospitality is radical and remarkable.
Clint McCann includes Psalm 23 in his book Great Psalms of the Bible.
Often considered “Funeral Psalm”
Not a funeral Psalm in history, or in other cultures. American churches and pop culture have put it into the realm of funerals.
Actually “it is as much about life and living as it is about death and dying.” (Great Psalms of the Bible, McCann, p 45).
Shepherd metaphor is often heard as a distinctly political metaphor.
King David is the shepherd King. The Lord is my Shepherd can be seen as a cry that “You [whichever corrupt political leader is in power right now] aren’t my shepherd”
Green pasture imply food for all, no one goes wanting.
Cup overflowing implies need to share.
Not a call to arms, but to peacemaking at the table.
Res t in God provides security and peace: “The grateful acceptance of God’s gift of life is the foundation of genuine security” (McCann, p. 52)
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What if the table is for one?
What does it mean to be at the table with your enemies?
"Every time we try to draw a line between us and others, Jesus is on the other side." Nadia Bolz-Weber
“Goodness and Mercy pursue me.”
Pursue, not follow. Pursuit is active, stalking. It is the same word as is used when enemies pursue.
There is an edge to the pursuit of God, and sometimes, only when we pause long enough to take a deep breath may that mercy catch up to us.
Thoughts and Questions
How can Scripture be used as a comfort, guide, and friend. How can familiar be a danger, lose the edge of a poem and relegate it to “special occasions.”
Where are your green pastures? When can you take the time to lie down?
Take the darkest valley seriously. God’s presence is there.
1 Samuel 16:1-13
Initial Thoughts
2 Cor. - Faith not sight. 1 Sam - Heart, not sight.
Bible Study
Skips over the monarchy of Saul, but begins with a bombshell of a verse: “The Lord regretted making Saul king over Israel.”
Saul, the king that the people demanded, did exactly what God warned he would do - taxed, and drafted soldiers.
Lost favor first in ch 13 after he gave burnt offerings when he worried about Samuel’s late arrival. Here, his dynasty was cut off.
Saul lost favor with God in chap 15 after giving in to the demands of his army, who wanted the spoils of war. Here, God decides he needs a new King.
Both times that Saul fails, it is for capitulating to the pressures of his soldiers instead of listening to God (through Samuel). He is impatient and does not trust God’s word. First his dynasty is cut off. Then he is utterly replaced (though not without intrigue and bloodshed)
Grief and Regret
Samuel is grieved over Saul and the broken relationship.
Grief over the broken relationship or grief that he picked Saul in the first place?
Even God regrets making Saul king.
If God can regret, what does that mean for the omnipotence of God? What does it mean about the nature of the future? If God knows all - even the future, how can God regret an action from the past?
God regrets God’s own action.
Samuel grieves for Saul’s lack of faith.
God pushes Samuel to move forward. There is a time for grief and regret, but God pushes Samuel to the next thing, and doesn’t allow him to wallow in grief and regret.
Saul is no longer of concern to God, but is of concern to Samuel.
Anointing a new king while there is a king is dangerous business.
God provides a cover story for Samuel, confident that the next thing is all that matters.
David
The most important figure in the nation of Israel. The turning point in the story - moving from Law and Patriarchs into Kings and Prophets.
The promise made to David is eternal and endures. The Kingship of David is unquestioned - and it is the House of David upon which Jesus builds his kingdom.
When we meet David, he is an afterthought. Not first born - not even included in the “Parade of Brothers.”
First born is Eliab, who makes a good impression on Samuel. God’s response “"Have no regard for his appearance or stature, because I haven't selected him. God doesn't look at things like humans do. Humans see only what is visible to the eyes, but the LORD sees into the heart."
“Samuel is poised to repeat his error in being impressed by the ‘appearance’ and ‘lofty stature’ of Jesse's firstborn. This whole story is also a heightened and stylized playing out of the theme of the reversal of primogeniture that dominates Genesis. Instead of an elder and a younger son, Jesse has the formulaic seven sons, plus an eighth, the youngest of all, who will be chosen.” (Robert Alter, The Hebrew Bible: The Prophets, p. 240)
Yet when we are introduced to David, the narrator can’t help but mention David’s looks.
David is tending the flocks.
Not even considered an option (like Cinderella among her sisters)
“The tending of flocks will have a symbolic implication for the future leader of Israel.” (Alter, p. 241)
For the rest of David’s life, when he is acting as a shepherd, he is doing well. He gets into trouble when he forgets his roots - the shepherd tending the flocks.
God’s choosing of David does not have immediate effect. It is almost forgotten in ensuing stories, yet it is the lens through which we see the rest of the saga/struggle between David and Saul. From this point on, God is with David, and not with Saul.
Thoughts and Questions
Nostalgia is the sin of ingratitude from the present moment - paraphrased quote by Lilian Daniel
What does it mean to worship a regretful God? Not even sure what else to say, I just think the question itself is so profound, it must be pondered.
What can we learn of God who regrets? God moves onto the next thing. There may be a time for regret, but then God moves swiftly and decisively to a new thing. God regretted Saul, so God is intentional not to make the same mistake (outward appearance doesn’t matter). When we fail, how much to do we dwell in regret and grief? The next thing is all that matters, with a simple lesson from the last thing to go with us.
God judges the heart. There is nothing about David that suggests he should be King. He is a shepherd boy, ignored even by his own family, yet it is upon David that God builds the Kingdom. This is especially good news for those who are not ‘credentialed.’ Those that have no business changing the world are the ones God usually choose to do just that.
Ephesians 5:8-14
Initial Thoughts
As has been the case through this Lent, the epistle reading feels like an addendum to one of the other readings. This time, it pairs with the Gospel, and the healing of the man born blind.
We’re stepping into the heart of a letter with no context, and next week we go back to Romans 8:6-11.
Disputed letter of Paul.
Ephesus is where Paul spent much time, but this letter is extremely general and impersonal.
Ephesus was not an easy city to live as a Christian, so the early churches must hold together, draw strength from their unity, and continue to try and live as the Body of Christ, drawing on each other’s strengths and supporting one another’s weaknesses.
Ultimately, the best hope and motivation for all action for the Christian is love.
Bible Study
Literary Context
Verses 6-7 CEB “Nobody should deceive you with stupid ideas. God’s anger comes down on those who are disobedient because of this kind of thing. So you shouldn’t have anything to do with them.”
We’re looking at you, Jim Bakker (selling a coronavirus cure)
Verse 15-17: “So be careful to live your life wisely, not foolishly. Take advantage of every opportunity because these are evil times. Because of this, don’t be ignorant, but understand the Lord’s will.”
This is a part of a larger piece that is warning people to live correctly. The thrust of chapter five is: Live like Christ, motivated by love; not like others who simply do what they want when they want.
Light/Dark
Light and Dark metaphors are not always helpful. It is possible to redefine and nuance these images, and at least acknowledge the problem with light=good dark=bad, and historically how this has been abused.
“The image of light and darkness is widespread across many cultures and religions. It has its roots in human experience of dark and light, night and day. It frequently gives expression to a dualism where darkness is on the negative side and light on the positive…The related contrast, black and white, easily becomes the prejudice of racism.But the image is just an image and has its own fragility. Yes, people have feared the darkness; they cannot see and are afraid. The darkness can be dangerous; we do not see what is coming to and we cannot see where we are or where we are going. But light can also be terrifying, blinding, overwhelming, overpowering. Darkness can be restful, beautiful. Life's joys are not all gaudy. Black can be just as beautiful as white.” (William Loder)
“Children of light” redefines family.
“Critical to the author's argument for a community ethics of transparency, honesty, justice and goodness, is the assertion that the entire community are a part of the same family: in this case, "children of light." There are many other places where the author uses kinship imagery in Ephesians to refer to the members of the churches: adoption (1:5); inheritance (1:11); members of God's household (2:19), etc. This is but one example. In this instance, the author argues that if your parent is light, you should resemble your parent in how you live: exposing what is secretive and false and showing what is good and just and truthful to the world.” (Margaret Aymer, Working Preacher)
“Ephesians 5:8a functions as a brief identity reminder where the author reminds the audience that formerly they were darkness, but now they are light in the Lord. Verse 5:8b is a call to action as a result of their light identity. They are to walk as children of light. So once again Christian identity and reality are the foundation and springboard for distinctive Christian conduct. “ (Richard Carlson, Working Preacher)
Light and Dark is associated with Wakefulness and Sleeping. “Rising from sleep” was an allusion to resurrection and conversion.
“To undergird this point, the author closes the unit in 5:14 by quoting what was most likely part of an early Christian hymn depicting the believers’ original conversion experience as awaking from sleep and arising from the dead because Christ illuminated them. This also recalls prior claims about conversion as moving from death to life and resurrection through God’s love and mercy in 2:1-6.” (Richard Carlson, Working Preacher)
Thoughts and Questions
Resurrection is offered now, to those who sleep now. Rising in Christ is not saved for after death. It is something we can accomplish and be a part of now. Choosing to live in the light, with honesty, integrity, and transparency is the authentic way of Christ.
“That is, the author of Ephesians is arguing that being a Christian in a non-Christian (or today a post-Christian) world should cause members of the church to act differently: to tell the truth, to push for justice, to uphold goodness regardless of the norms of the society at large. Members of the church are to live as those who have already been raised from the dead in a world focused on prolonging youth and life.” (Margaret Aymer, Working Preacher)
Thanks to our Psalms correspondent, Richard Bruxvoort Colligan (psalmimmersion.com, @pomopsalmist, patreon.com/RichardBC). Thank you to Scott Fletcher for our voice bumpers, Dick Dale and the Del Tones for our Theme music (“Miserlou”), Nicolai Heidlas for our transition music (“Sunday Morning”, "Real Ride" and “Summertime”) and Bryan Odeen for our closing music.