Monday, July 30, 2018

Monday Thoughts on the Readings for Sunday, August 5th, 2018

In the state where I grew up, students, teachers, and school officials still have another five weeks of summer vacation before the start of the new school year.  Where I am now, however, the school year starts in four days.  Therefore, this upcoming Sunday is our Rally Day/Back to School Sunday.  We will have a blessing for all students, teachers, and other school employees as they begin a new school year.  We will also have a community meal followed by a time of games and activities as one last summer bash before the work of the school year truly begins.  As we go through the week, I will be looking for ways to connect these passages to the new beginning that many are experiencing this week.

We are also on week 2 of the "Bread of Life Discourses" in John 6.  The day after the Feeding of the 5,000, a crowd travels follows Jesus to another community and initiates a conversation, hoping that Jesus will reproduce the miracle he did the previous day.  But Jesus takes the conversation in a different direction...

As always, after each reading, I leave my commentary and questions in italics.  If you have an insight to share or a question to ask, please leave it in the comment section below!


Exodus 16:2 - 4, 9 - 15

2 The whole congregation of the Israelites complained against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness.   3 The Israelites said to them, "If only we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the fleshpots and ate our fill of bread; for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger."

4 Then the LORD said to Moses, "I am going to rain bread from heaven for you, and each day the people shall go out and gather enough for that day. In that way I will test them, whether they will follow my instruction or not.

 9 Then Moses said to Aaron, "Say to the whole congregation of the Israelites, 'Draw near to the LORD, for he has heard your complaining.'"   10 And as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the Israelites, they looked toward the wilderness, and the glory of the LORD appeared in the cloud.   11 The LORD spoke to Moses and said,  12 "I have heard the complaining of the Israelites; say to them, 'At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall have your fill of bread; then you shall know that I am the LORD your God.'"

 13 In the evening quails came up and covered the camp; and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp.   14 When the layer of dew lifted, there on the surface of the wilderness was a fine flaky substance, as fine as frost on the ground.   15 When the Israelites saw it, they said to one another, "What is it?" For they did not know what it was. Moses said to them, "It is the bread that the LORD has given you to eat.

- Exodus 16 is the second story after the Israelites’ dramatic escape from Egypt (ch. 14) and the resulting celebration (ch. 15).  In the first story, the Israelites’ complained against Moses that they did not have enough clean water to drink.  Now, not only are they complaining about the lack of food, they are also claiming that life was better as slaves in Egypt!  It took that little time for the people to complain against Moses and against the Lord.
- The Israelites are in the midst of change.  But now the change is getting difficult and the people are ready to quit.  How often do we initiate change in our lives and in our communities only to quit when the process of change becomes difficult?  As one speaker at the 2018 ELCA Youth Gathering claimed, we must be willing to be uncomfortable if we are going to lead any type of change.
- The Lord’s provision of quail and manna (literally “What is it?”) lasted throughout the Exodus until the Israelites were established in the Promised Land and were harvesting their first crops.


Psalm 78:23 - 29

 23 Yet he commanded the skies above, and opened the doors of heaven;
 24 he rained down on them manna to eat, and gave them the grain of heaven.
 25 Mortals ate of the bread of angels; he sent them food in abundance.
 26 He caused the east wind to blow in the heavens, and by his power he led out the south wind;
 27 he rained flesh upon them like dust, winged birds like the sand of the seas;
 28 he let them fall within their camp, all around their dwellings.
 29 And they ate and were well filled, for he gave them what they craved.

- Psalm 78 is a poetic telling of Israel’s history from the Exodus to the appointment of David as king.  Much of this psalm focuses on the Exodus.  In this portion, we hear the account of the Lord providing food in the wilderness.

Ephesians 4:1 - 16

I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called,  2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love,  3 making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.   4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling,  5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism,  6 one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.
 7 But each of us was given grace according to the measure of Christ's gift.   8 Therefore it is said, "When he ascended on high he made captivity itself a captive; he gave gifts to his people."

 9 (When it says, "He ascended," what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower parts of the earth?   10 He who descended is the same one who ascended far above all the heavens, so that he might fill all things.)   11 The gifts he gave were that some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers,  12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,  13 until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ.   14 We must no longer be children, tossed to and fro and blown about by every wind of doctrine, by people's trickery, by their craftiness in deceitful scheming.   15 But speaking the truth in love, we must grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ,  16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by every ligament with which it is equipped, as each part is working properly, promotes the body's growth in building itself up in love.

- This Ephesians passages presents two main messages.  The most popular message is that the Lord gives each of us spiritual gifts.  While our gift(s) may not be listed in verses 11 and 12, this list (and any other list in the New Testament) is not meant to be all-inclusive.  That being said, what does it mean to be an apostle (literally a person who is sent out), a prophet, or an evangelist in our current context?
- The second message that we may skip over in our rush to talk about spiritual gifts is that these gifts are given to build up and support the united Body of Christ.  If our gifts are causing division within the Body of Christ, then either these gifts are not spiritual gifts or we are not using our gifts in accordance with our calling.

John 6:24 - 35

24 So when the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they themselves got into the boats and went to Capernaum looking for Jesus.

 25 When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, "Rabbi, when did you come here?"   26 Jesus answered them, "Very truly, I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves.   27 Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For it is on him that God the Father has set his seal."   28 Then they said to him, "What must we do to perform the works of God?"   29 Jesus answered them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent."   30 So they said to him, "What sign are you going to give us then, so that we may see it and believe you? What work are you performing?   31 Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat.'"   32 Then Jesus said to them, "Very truly, I tell you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven.   33 For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world."   34 They said to him, "Sir, give us this bread always."

 35 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.

- It appears that the people say the right thing.  When Jesus speaks of the “true bread from heaven” that “gives life to the world,” the people respond “Sir, give us this bread always.”  (John 6:32 – 34)  This is a very similar conversation to the conversation between Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well (John 4:13 – 15) where Jesus claims that he will provide water that becomes an internal “spring of water gushing up to eternal life” and the woman responds “Sir, give me this water…”  So why was the woman received positively and the crowd that followed Jesus to Capernaum received negatively?
- The crowd asked Jesus, “What sign are you going to give us then, so that we may see it and believe you?  What work are you performing?”  (John 6:30)  Though the question seems innocent enough on its own, it betrays the crowd’s purpose.  Most of the people in the crowd were present when Jesus miraculously fed 5,000 people/families with the food meant for one or two people.  The people have already received the sign to see and trust Jesus’ message!  They should not need another sign from Jesus to prove that he is the one sent by the Father into the world.
- What are the Greek terms for “hungry” and “thirsty” in John 6:35?  Are these terms significant in terms of symbolism?

Monday, July 23, 2018

Monday Thoughts on the Readings for Sunday, July 29th, 2018

This week is the start of the Revised Common Lectionary's five-week study of John 6, the "Bread of Life" discourses.  The event that kicks off this chapter is John's telling of "The Feeding of the 5,000," which offers plenty of angles for a sermon but also carries the risk of inserting details from Matthew's, Mark's, or Luke's account of the story.  Where a pastor or preacher goes with this passage depends greatly on what is happening in the life of the pastor/preacher and what is happening in the life of the community where the pastor/preacher serves.

As you read through John 6 and the other readings below, what draws your interest?  What stands out to you today that you either never noticed before or you have noticed previously but never found to be of significance before this reading?  Do you have a question about this story that no one has ever adequately answered?  What do you take away from this telling of the story?

After each reading, I will share my thoughts and responses using italics.  I invite you to share your questions and reflections in the comment section below.


Jeremiah 23:1 - 6

Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! says the LORD.  2 Therefore thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, concerning the shepherds who shepherd my people: It is you who have scattered my flock, and have driven them away, and you have not attended to them. So I will attend to you for your evil doings, says the LORD.  3 Then I myself will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the lands where I have driven them, and I will bring them back to their fold, and they shall be fruitful and multiply.  4 I will raise up shepherds over them who will shepherd them, and they shall not fear any longer, or be dismayed, nor shall any be missing, says the LORD.

5 The days are surely coming, says the LORD, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land.  6 In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. And this is the name by which he will be called: "The LORD is our righteousness."

“Baal-shalishah” is translated roughly as “master of three” or “three masters/lords”

Typically, the first fruits offering is taken straight to the Temple.  It seems significant that this unknown man deviated from this tradition (requirement?) and gave a portion of it to Elisha.

Considering that one person would travel with 2 or 3 loaves (read – dinner rolls) for a day’s journey, this offering of 20 barley loaves could feed 7 – 10 people without the Lord’s intervention.


Psalm 145:10 - 18

 10 All your works shall give thanks to you, O LORD, and all your faithful shall bless you.
 11 They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom, and tell of your power,
 12 to make known to all people your mighty deeds, and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.
 13 Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures throughout all generations. The LORD is faithful in all his words, and gracious in all his deeds.
 14 The LORD upholds all who are falling, and raises up all who are bowed down.
 15 The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food in due season.
 16 You open your hand, satisfying the desire of every living thing.
 17 The LORD is just in all his ways, and kind in all his doings.
 18 The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. 

Psalm 145 praises the Lord’s generosity in all things.  One specific claim is that the Lord “gives them their food in due season.”  The Lord generously provides for each of us; if we do not have “enough,” then either something has disrupted the Lord’s supply line or we need to re-evaluate what we define as “enough.”


Ephesians 3:14 - 21

 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth takes its name.  16 I pray that, according to the riches of his glory, he may grant that you may be strengthened in your inner being with power through his Spirit, 17 and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, as you are being rooted and grounded in love.  18 I pray that you may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth,
 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
 20 Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Ephesians 3 reads like the end of the letter; instead, it is merely the halfway point.

Here, the Lord’s generosity includes the presence of Christ and the Holy Spirit as well as the love of Christ.  I also note the claim that the Lord is able to “accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine.”  This is demonstrated by the Gospel reading.  This is also something that we need to hear today, as our concern over whether we have “enough” for the Church to survive threatens every new idea and call for ministry.


John 6:1 - 21

 After this Jesus went to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, also called the Sea of Tiberias.  2 A large crowd kept following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing for the sick.  3 Jesus went up the mountain and sat down there with his disciples.  4 Now the Passover, the festival of the Jews, was near.  5 When he looked up and saw a large crowd coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, "Where are we to buy bread for these people to eat?"  6 He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he was going to do.  7 Philip answered him, "Six months' wages would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little."  8 One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to him, 9 "There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish. But what are they among so many people?"  10 Jesus said, "Make the people sit down." Now there was a great deal of grass in the place; so they sat down, about five thousand in all.  11 Then Jesus took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated; so also the fish, as much as they wanted.  12 When they were satisfied, he told his disciples, "Gather up the fragments left over, so that nothing may be lost."  13 So they gathered them up, and from the fragments of the five barley loaves, left by those who had eaten, they filled twelve baskets.  14 When the people saw the sign that he had done, they began to say, "This is indeed the prophet who is to come into the world."
 15 When Jesus realized that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, he withdrew again to the mountain by himself.
 16 When evening came, his disciples went down to the sea, 17 got into a boat, and started across the sea to Capernaum. It was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them.  18 The sea became rough because a strong wind was blowing.  19 When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat, and they were terrified.  20 But he said to them, "It is I; do not be afraid."  21 Then they wanted to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the land toward which they were going.

According to Philip, 200 denarii would not be enough to give everyone a snack, much less a meal.  1 denarius would purchase the daily food for one person.

The five loaves and two fish sound like a meal for two people (parent and child, perhaps?).  Jesus provides generously for the people, turning this meal for two into a meal for over 5,000 people!

Wednesday, July 18, 2018

Wednesday Thoughts on the Lectionary Readings for Sunday, July 22nd, 2018

Our lectionary readings this week play on the image of a "shepherd" and the multiple levels of meaning of that image within Israel.  Sometimes, a shepherd is just a shepherd.  But at other times, a "shepherd" is actually a symbol of a king, the one who "shepherds" the kingdom and its people.  The way we hear a passage can change depending on whether the "shepherd" is a true shepherd or a reference to the king.

I have added my responses in italics below each reading.  I invite you to share your questions, insights, and responses in the comments below.

Jeremiah 23:1 - 6

"Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! says the LORD.  2 Therefore thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, concerning the shepherds who shepherd my people: It is you who have scattered my flock, and have driven them away, and you have not attended to them. So I will attend to you for your evil doings, says the LORD.  3 Then I myself will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the lands where I have driven them, and I will bring them back to their fold, and they shall be fruitful and multiply. 4 I will raise up shepherds over them who will shepherd them, and they shall not fear any longer, or be dismayed, nor shall any be missing, says the LORD. 5 The days are surely coming, says the LORD, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. 6 In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. And this is the name by which he will be called: "The LORD is our righteousness.""

The Lord is having a hard conversation with the leaders of the Israelites.  The Lord is pointing out that the leaders are the ones who have caused the people to scatter.  This is likely a result of the leaders/kings worshipping other gods, which encouraged the people to worship other gods.  The Lord will soon act to establish a new king from David’s lineage and bring the Lord’s people back into the “flock.”  We now look back at this passage and hear this as a promise of Christ.


Psalm 23

The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want.
 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside still waters;
 3 he restores my soul. He leads me in right paths for his name's sake.
 4 Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff-- they comfort me.
 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD my whole life long.

Psalm 23 is the most popular psalm.  When paired with Jeremiah 23, we hear the proclamation that “the Lord is my (king).”  How does the psalm change when we exchange the word “shepherd” for “king?”


Ephesians 2:11 - 22

 11 So then, remember that at one time you Gentiles by birth, called "the uncircumcision" by those who are called "the circumcision"-- a physical circumcision made in the flesh by human hands-- 12 remember that you were at that time without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For he is our peace; in his flesh he has made both groups into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us. 15 He has abolished the law with its commandments and ordinances, that he might create in himself one new humanity in place of the two, thus making peace, 16 and might reconcile both groups to God in one body through the cross, thus putting to death that hostility through it. 17 So he came and proclaimed peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near; 18 for through him both of us have access in one Spirit to the Father. 19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are citizens with the saints and also members of the household of God, 20 built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone. 21 In him the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord; 22 in whom you also are built together spiritually into a dwelling place for God.

“So then” means that this passage is building off of the intro we heard in last week, where the Lord does all things for us in Christ, as well as the statement in Ephesians 2:8 – 9 that we are saved by grace through faith as a gift from God.

Christ has broken the divisions between different nations and other ways of dividing us into groups.  In Christ, there is only one group: the children of God.

The Lord builds us together as the body of Christ/the Church.  The current generation of the Church is built upon all of the previous generations of the Church and the cornerstone of Christ.


Mark 6:30 - 34, 53 - 56

 30 The apostles gathered around Jesus, and told him all that they had done and taught. 31 He said to them, "Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while." For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. 32 And they went away in the boat to a deserted place by themselves. 33 Now many saw them going and recognized them, and they hurried there on foot from all the towns and arrived ahead of them. 34 As he went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things.

53 When they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret and moored the boat. 54 When they got out of the boat, people at once recognized him, 55 and rushed about that whole region and began to bring the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was. 56 And wherever he went, into villages or cities or farms, they laid the sick in the marketplaces, and begged him that they might touch even the fringe of his cloak; and all who touched it were healed.

We are skipping over some big stories in this chapter.  The gap between verse 34 and verse 53 includes Mark’s accounts of the Feeding of the 5,000 and Jesus Walking on Water.  We will pick up the Feeding of the 5,000 next week, but we will hear John’s account of it.

Mark 6:30 picks up with the disciples telling Jesus “what they had done and taught.”  They are returning from a period of time when Jesus sent them in pairs to other communities to proclaim that the Kingdom of Heaven had drawn near in Jesus and to heal the sick and cast out demons just as Jesus has been doing.

Mark 6:56 mentions that people were being healed just by touching the fringe of Jesus’ cloak.  This was the same item that the bleeding woman touched before her healing.  If it was not apparent before, it is now apparent that the woman who was unclean because of her bleeding did not cause Jesus, or his cloak, to become unclean.  Instead, she was healed…and Jesus, through the cloak, continues to heal others.

Monday, July 9, 2018

Monday Thoughts on the Readings for Sunday, July 15th, 2018

After two weeks of not preaching on Sunday (attending the ELCA Youth Gathering in Houston, Texas on July 1st and providing space on July 8th for our teenage attendees to share with the congregation their experiences at the Gathering), I am back to my regular sermon-prep schedule.  The themes from the ELCA Youth Gathering, "This (including God's call, love, grace, and hope as well as Jesus) changes everything!" and the theme from this week's Vacation Bible School, "Building Christmas," will be weighing on my mind as I prepare to preach.  Any connection back to these themes will help others hear these readings in a new way.

As always, you can find my comments in italics after each reading.  If you have an insight, a comment, or a question, please leave it in the comments below!

Amos 7:7 - 15:

7This is what [the Lord God] showed me: the Lord was standing beside a wall built with a plumb line, with a plumb line in his hand. 8And the Lord said to me, “Amos, what do you see?” And I said, “A plumb line.” Then the Lord said, 
 “See, I am setting a plumb line
  in the midst of my people Israel;
  I will never again pass them by;
9the high places of Isaac shall be made desolate,
  and the sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid waste,
  and I will rise against the house of Jeroboam with the sword.”
  10Then Amaziah, the priest of Bethel, sent to King Jeroboam of Israel, saying, “Amos has conspired against you in the very center of the house of Israel; the land is not able to bear all his words. 11For thus Amos has said, 
 ‘Jeroboam shall die by the sword,
  and Israel must go into exile
  away from his land.’ ”
12And Amaziah said to Amos, “O seer, go, flee away to the land of Judah, earn your bread there, and prophesy there; 13but never again prophesy at Bethel, for it is the king’s sanctuary, and it is a temple of the kingdom.”
  14Then Amos answered Amaziah, “I am no prophet, nor a prophet’s son; but I am a herdsman, and a dresser of sycamore trees, 15and the Lord took me from following the flock, and the Lord said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to my people Israel.’ ”

Readings from Amos 7 usually focus solely on the plumb line.  This week, we get the reaction from Amaziah and Amos’ response.  Amaziah’s report to Jeroboam intensifies (exaggerates?) Amos’ prophetic message, likely as a way of stirring Jeroboam to act against Amos.  Then Amaziah turns back to Amos, telling Amos to be a prophet somewhere else.  Amos responds by saying that the Lord has sent him to prophesy in this place to these people.  Amos may not be a citizen of the Northern Kingdom, Israel (this was during the time of the divided kingdom: Israel was the Northern Kingdom while Judah, including Jerusalem, was the Southern Kingdom), but the Lord sent him here and he will not leave until the Lord sends him elsewhere.


Have you ever been sent away from home for a season, either for work or for ministry?  What was that like for you?  Were you at peace with the change, or were you longing for home until you returned?


Psalm 85:8 - 13

8 Let me hear what God the LORD will speak, for he will speak peace to his people, to his faithful, to those who turn to him in their hearts.
 9 Surely his salvation is at hand for those who fear him, that his glory may dwell in our land.
 10 Steadfast love and faithfulness will meet; righteousness and peace will kiss each other.
 11 Faithfulness will spring up from the ground, and righteousness will look down from the sky.
 12 The LORD will give what is good, and our land will yield its increase.
 13 Righteousness will go before him, and will make a path for his steps.


We have yet to find a way to turn “righteousness” into a verb.  The best way to think about righteousness in an active way is doing or performing an act of the Lord’s justice, which is based on mercy and grace.  Thinking in these terms, it will be acts of the Lord’s justice based on the Lord’s mercy and grace that will prepare the Lord’s pathway.


Ephesians 1:3 - 14

3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, 4just as he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love. 5He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will, 6to the praise of his glorious grace that he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. 7In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace 8that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and insight 9he has made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he set forth in Christ, 10as a plan for the fullness of time, to gather up all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. 11In Christ we have also obtained an inheritance, having been destined according to the purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to his counsel and will, 12so that we, who were the first to set our hope on Christ, might live for the praise of his glory. 13In him you also, when you had heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and had believed in him, were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit; 14this is the pledge of our inheritance toward redemption as God’s own people, to the praise of his glory.

Whom do we include among the “us” in this passage?  In other words, whom has God chosen as adopted children?  What are the limits to our understanding of “us?”  If we are not among God’s adopted children, is because God has excluded us?  Or do we find ourselves on the outside because we have excluded ourselves?


We are “marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit” when we are baptized.


Mark 6:14 - 29

14King Herod heard of [the disciples’ preaching,] for Jesus’ name had become known. Some were saying, “John the baptizer has been raised from the dead; and for this reason these powers are at work in him.” 15But others said, “It is Elijah.” And others said, “It is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old.” 16But when Herod heard of it, he said, “John, whom I beheaded, has been raised.”
  17For Herod himself had sent men who arrested John, bound him, and put him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, because Herod had married her. 18For John had been telling Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” 19And Herodias had a grudge against him, and wanted to kill him. But she could not, 20for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he protected him. When he heard him, he was greatly perplexed; and yet he liked to listen to him. 21But an opportunity came when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet for his courtiers and officers and for the leaders of Galilee. 22When his daughter Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests; and the king said to the girl, “Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will give it.” 23And he solemnly swore to her, “Whatever you ask me, I will give you, even half of my kingdom.” 24She went out and said to her mother, “What should I ask for?” She replied, “The head of John the baptizer.” 25Immediately she rushed back to the king and requested, “I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.” 26The king was deeply grieved; yet out of regard for his oaths and for the guests, he did not want to refuse her. 27Immediately the king sent a soldier of the guard with orders to bring John’s head. He went and beheaded him in the prison, 28brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl. Then the girl gave it to her mother. 29When his disciples heard about it, they came and took his body, and laid it in a tomb.

This week during VBS, we are discussing how Jesus entered the world to rebuild the world.  Certainly, a world where we are more comfortable killing someone than allowing ourselves to be embarrassed in front of others is a world that needs to be repaired and rebuilt.

We see that people are still wrestling with Jesus’ identity.  The people recognize that Jesus is something more than just another rabbi, but they have yet to identify Jesus as the Messiah.  This leaves them comparing Jesus to the prophets of old…or perceiving that Jesus is the resurrected John the Baptist.

The reader remembers the scene from chapter 1 where John baptizes Jesus, so the reader knows that Herod is wrong when he identifies Jesus as the resurrected John the Baptist.