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Third Sunday After Pentecost

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Third Sunday After Pentecost Third Sunday after Pentecost Third Sunday after Pentecost – 30 June 2019 The Mission and Discipleship Council would like to thank Rev Dr Ana K Gobledale, Minister of Salisbury United Reformed Church and member of the Joint Liturgical Group of Great Britain, for her thoughts on the third Sunday after Pentecost. 2 Kings 2:1-2, 6-14 .......................................................................................... 2 Psalm 77:1-2, 11-20 ........................................................................................ 3 Galatians 5:1, 13-25 ....................................................................................... 5 Luke 9:51-62 (NRSV) ....................................................................................... 6 Sermon ideas ................................................................................................. 7 Time with children ........................................................................................ 10 Prayers .........................................................................................................11 Musical suggestions ...................................................................................... 13 Supporting Material ...................................................................................... 15 2 Kings 2:1-2, 6-14 The first book of Kings tells the story of Israel’s first Kings, starting with David, and the great prophets from Nathan to Elijah. Second Kings begins with the transfer of prophetic power from Elijah to Elisha. Let’s start with the names. Lest we get confused, as many do, Elijah and Elisha are not the same name. Like Anna and Hannah, they sound similar, but with correct pronunciation provide two distinct names for two distinct people. Elijah’s ministry and mission draw to a close, his life and purpose complete. Elisha follows, seemingly bewildered, anxious, unsure of himself. He seems to sense Elijah’s shoes are too large for him to fill. Perhaps Elisha’s request to Elijah for a double portion of the Spirit (Ruach: wind) arises from trepidation rather than greed. He has seen that even for Elijah it has been difficult and that a larger dose of spirit may be needed to meet what lies ahead. In spite of any uncertainty or worry, Elisha remains steadfast and constant. Three times, like Peter, he sticks by Elijah’s side. Even when Elijah instructs him to stay behind, Elisha, like Ruth, refuses to leave. He follows closely and keeps his eyes on Elijah. Their movements are intriguing. First they go to the Jordan River, standing on the Jericho side, the west bank, the Promised Land. Then crossing over to the east bank, traditionally the desert or wilderness, leaving the crowd of prophets behind. What is the significance of crossing the river, of leaving the Promised Land and re-entering the wilderness? Perhaps, given Israel’s history (outlined in 1 Kings), returning to the east side means returning to the peaceful place, leaving behind the turmoil of the people of Israel. Perhaps we hear this echoed in Jesus leaving the people of Jerusalem to go into the desert, face his initial temptations, delve into prayer, and clarify the direction of his ministry and mission. With Elijah gone, Elisha takes up his mantle, such a common phrase today. First he uses it to strike the water in doubt and anger, demanding, “Where is Yahweh, the God of Elijah?” A first miracle – parting the waters? Perhaps this is Yahweh’s way of confirming the double portion of Spirit bestowed upon Elisha? Perhaps it is an invitation of the Eternal One, like rolling out a red carpet? For now Elisha steps forth and crosses over, back to the Promised Land with the people and their turmoil. Other curious points to notice and ponder: • What do we make of the prophets, 70 in number, who foretell Elijah’s departure and keep their eyes on the unfolding events? • The image of Elijah ascending in a chariot pulled by horses shines iconic in Christian wə·sū·sê) refers not to horses but) ְ ו ס֣ וּ סֵ י imagery and art. Yet the Hebrew word used to swallows or swifts (Strongs Hebrew 5483). Is it not easier to imagine wings on birds than horses? Why and when was there the shift to steeds? • A second miracle follows (verses 19-22) when Elisha changes bad water into good water; is this an echo of water into wine?” Psalm 77:1-2, 11-20 The Psalms are divided into five books. Psalm 77, appears in Book 3 (Psalms 73-89) sometimes referred to as the ‘Dark Book’ of the Psalms. Psalm 77 provides powerful metaphors of God in nature. We can see, hear, feel and experience the presence of God in the vibrant, even violent, display of nature through the words: tremble, thunder, flash, pour out, crash, shook, whirlwind. The speaker focuses on God’s work and ‘mighty deeds’ in an attempt to comfort their soul. Do you find these metaphors comforting? Do you see them helping you fall asleep? Would this psalm be your choice to sing as a lullaby to a distressed child? The psalmist provides a formula for calming meditation. Can’t get to sleep at night? Turn to the Eternal One! ‘Count your blessings, name them one by one!’ Try counting sheep or, better yet, name the sheep in that flock: starting with Moses and Aaron. What are the elements here that can be considered essential for meditation, for moving from a disquieted state to one of praise and peace? • Verses 1-2 describe the state of agitation • In verses 11-12 the decision is made twice to meditate. ‘I will…’ ‘I will…’ reminding us that meditation is not always an automatic response to agitation. It can require an act of will, a resolute resistance to one’s own will or ‘refusal’ to be comforted. • Verses 13-19 present a rush of thoughts, a free flowing torrent. Then they calm suddenly in v.20, returning to the immediate, to God’s intervention in human experience, to God intervening now to restore comfort and open the gate to a peaceful sleep. I can easily imagine the writer, having persistently counted their blessings and named their sheep, dropping immediately into a deep slumber. One might respond to the passage asking: • In times of trouble to whom do we turn? How do we get there? What do we recall? • How do we meditate? When do we meditate? On what do we meditate? Interesting points to notice and ponder: • Might the whirlwind compare with that in which Elijah ascends to ‘heaven’? • Jeduthun and Asaph are musicians, two of the three Levites David commissions to oversee religious singing in the temple. Psalms 73-83 are a group of Psalms ‘of Asaph’. • The speaker’s focus moves back and forth from talking about God to speaking directly to God. What effect does this literary tack have on the reader and hearer of the psalm? Are the thoughts about God spoken in brackets? Or are we overhearing a dialogue, spoken by a single person? How might the congregation be drawn in to the psalm to overhear meaningfully? What if the reader were to look directly at the gathered congregation for those lines about God, and look away for the other lines? What if it was read by two voices? • Experiment by reading the Psalm, replacing ‘He’ and ‘Lord’ with God and Eternal One. Liberate your imagination, and that of the gathered people. Galatians 5:1, 13-25 Galatians is often referred to as Paul’s Declaration of Independence. Being from a nation that gives great weight to our Declaration of Independence, I can hear the Liberty Bell ringing! No more tyranny! Free at last! Citizens rush to sign their name, to declare their allegiance to this new vision, new song, new truth. The world has shifted. Verse 1 could be a rallying cry for any Civil Rights Movement: “Free at last, Free at last, Thank God almighty we are free at last.” -- Martin Luther King Jr.,1963 Paul’s rallying cry is part of the 50% of the New Testament removed from the biblical text when the so-called Slave Bible was printed for use by slaves in the British West Indies: find out more here: religionnews.com Paul’s Declaration provides a direction, a framework to avoid a spiral into anarchy. Hearing reports that followers are interpreting their new freedom as ‘anything goes,’ Paul sets out parameters. He warns that personal desires and ambitions will conflict with and even negate or destroy this new freedom. He clarifies that the fruits of the Spirit arising from this new freedom require an overarching law of love. A Law or Rule (as in Rule of Saint Benedict), like a garden trellis, provides ‘a structure which can support growth and beauty.’ (Karen O’Donnell, Sarum College lecture, 2019). Whether within a new nation, a 12-Step Programme or a Christian community, freedom is experienced only to the extent we cling to the framework and adhere to the Rule founded on love and caring for others. What constitutes this structure upon which freedom flourishes? Paul’s list of the Fruits of the Spirit (neither speaking in tongues nor prophesy are listed) are not required as religious actions, but rather as personal qualities that both come from and add up to love. Some may think ‘They’ll know us as Christians by our speaking in tongues.’ But Paul holds out for something greater: ‘They will know we are Christians by our love.’ Freedom flourishes on the trellis of love, this framework (Rule) that includes a passion for justice, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. One can be easily distracted by the specifics in Paul’s examples, or in his tendency to drift toward the Greek duality of spirit and flesh. To accompany Paul to his eventual focus on wholeness as the key (v.14) is crucial. It’s no longer a matter of cutting hair or not cutting hair, of wearing tassels or not wearing tassels. Paul moves us away from this distraction with ritual and moral detail to a focus on the Rule of Love. We are directed to let go of the laws that cage us in, and cling to the spirit of the law – love, that supportive and guiding Rule upon which we can flourish and grow in freedom.
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