Ministry Matters of Nashville,Tennessee, United States "Fixing health care | Life in another solar system? | Christians as peculiar people" for Wednesday, 22 March 2017-------
Insurance for dummies and suggestions for the church by Christy Thomas
Bigstock/designer491
I’ve read most of it. All the analyses about the AHCA (“Trumpcare” or “Ryancare”), the proposed GOP replacement for the Affordable Care Act (“Obamacare”) have taken residence in my brain. I’ve also logged countless hours in conversation with an expert in the insurance world.
So now I now offer a quick, admittedly simplistic summary for the non-insurance professional, coupled with suggestions for the church’s response.
Insurance company basics
Insurance companies, health, life, auto, home, etc., are for-profit entities. In our capitalistic economy, it means that they exist to create profits for their shareholders. That’s their business.
For-profit insurers may not be the best way to pay for health care, but that’s not the point. This is what we have.
Reputable insurance companies create good products. Independent agents sell these products earning their living totally by commissions from their sales. Insurance companies manage the funds paid in so there are adequate reserves to pay claims, some of which can run well into the millions.
State laws require insurance companies to keep significant reserve funds on hand to pay claims as they come in. State regulations also require insurers to pay out a certain percentage of their policy revenues each year. It is a highly regulated business.
The management of these vast sums means that insurance companies hold investments in myriad other companies, both in the US and around the world. Insurance companies and the banking system, another for-profit industry, are very entangled with each other.
Because insurance companies are pretty consistently profitable, many pension funds hold massive investments in them. A move to nationalize the insurance industry, i.e., go to a “single-payer” option, would play havoc with those retirement funds.
Insurance = shared risk
Insurance is also a shared-risk business. By its very nature, most people who purchase insurance will not need it, or if they do, will use less than they paid in.
No one likes buying it until they need it. But when they need it, it is a godsend. The nature of health-care pricing in the U.S. makes it scarily risky to be without health insurance. Unfortunately, because of the high cost of medical care in the U.S., one medical emergency can tip a family firmly into bankruptcy or at the least into on-going financial fragility.
State insurance commissioners regulate insurers rate increases. Insurers must set their rates over a year in advance. The rates fluctuate depending upon the anticipated sales and claims.
Inaccurate predictions can and have brought massively well-capitalized companies down. Everyone gets hurt when that happens. All insurers base their premiums on formulas that rely on the fact that most policy holders will not make a claim in a given year.
If the balance of policy holders swings heavily in the direction of those who will be more likely to make claims, rates must go up or no one will have their claims paid.
Socialist systems vs capitalistic systems
In socialist economies, governments cover health care costs. This is the so-called “single payer system.” Those countries fund health care services by levying high taxes on wage-earners, often as much as 50%.
However, many who live in countries with socialized medicine plans also carry private insurance because it can be difficult to access elective procedures, like knee and hip replacements, otherwise.
In a capitalistic economy which predominates in the United States, private insurers cover a large percentage of health care costs, with exceptions I will mention below. Funds come from the above-explained shared risk principle. Most current health insurance plans have nearly unlimited ceilings for life-time costs.
The U.S. government, under Medicaid, does up the costs for the extremely poor. However, their reimbursement rates are so low that many health care providers won’t take Medicaid patients, effectively rationing their care.
The U.S. also covers the V.A. health care system. It is not working well.
Now, about Medicare, often held up as a model to use. Many are unaware that those on Medicare who opted to enroll in Medicare Advantage programs use private insurers to pay their claims, not the U.S. government. Thus, those under Medicare Advantage programs have restricted access to various providers, but the programs are fairly cost-effective as the private sector has major motivations to keep costs under control. In a sense, their health care also is rationed.
Retirees who opted for the more expensive Medicare/Medigap programs have no restrictions, no rationing. They pay far more. The government, the “single-payer” remains fully liable for those payments. These are costs that are spiraling out of control and problematic for the national debt.
The ACA and its current fragility
Before the ACA, health insurers (remember, they are for-profit companies) could and did decline to insure those whose coverage would inevitably be very, very expensive, i.e., the older and those with pre-existing conditions.
Since the ACA insisted that insurers not discriminate against those people, the only way it could work was to also insist that the young and healthy become a part of it. Remember: the ACA did not create insurance companies: it used the for-profit ones already in place.
What happened? Because of the lack of restrictions on pre-existing conditions and because the tax penalties were not high enough to force enrollment, often people would wait until some horrific disease was diagnosed and then enroll in an ACA insurance plan.
Insurance companies would pay out thousands to cover medical bills, but the newly insured might pay in only several hundred dollars in premiums. Often, once cared for, those newly insured would then drop out and thus not contribute to the shared risk pool of funds available to pay claims.
Insurance companies, again responsible to their stockholders, began to both raise rates and to bail out of certain markets. More will do so in the future. That much is inevitable.
In the short run, the ACA has been a profound success. More have insurance than ever before. However, its long-term success is questionable. As noted, insurers are pulling out because there is an inadequate pool of healthy, younger people to share the risk.
In addition, for some reason, the previous administration also decreed in 2016 that agents would no longer be paid a commission when selling ACA products, effectively eliminating their income and/or any incentive to sell ACA products.
Clearly, current structure is not sustainable in the long run.
We face a very messy situation. There are no simple answers or quick and easy fixes.
The proposed GOP replacement
Underlying the ACHA (i.e., “Trumpcare”) proposal is the principle of individual freedoms: no one should be mandated to purchase insurance if they don’t want it. Let the free market regulate the rates.
That’s what we had before the ACA. That’s why older people and people with pre-existing conditions were denied coverage in the individual market, although they often could still get in under large group plans. Naturally, employers offering those group plans as part of benefit packages would seek to refrain from hiring those whose health issues might raise their plan prices.
Since the GOP doesn’t want to go on record as denying people health insurance completely, insurers will still be required to accept everyone.
However, they can charge the rates necessary for those otherwise considered uninsurable.
Thus older and generally sicker Americans may need to pay up to 60 percent of their income for insurance under Trumpcare. Nonetheless, the GOP will keep a promise: everyone technically has “access.” They just can’t afford it.
Unregulated capitalism = survival of the fittest
What we have, then, is a “survival of the fittest” society. It’s what capitalism does. President Obama unquestionably took the country in a socialist, and kinder, direction by his signature achievement.
He also flamed a fire under the libertarians and the conservatives who stand firmly on the idea of encouraging free markets as the guiding principle underlying political decisions.
What does the church do?
The U.S. church tends to operate as capitalists, i.e., the big eat the small, the most social-media adept rise to the top.
However religion as Jesus taught it is inherently socialist, i.e., the last shall become first, everyone shares with everyone else.
The church growth movement rewards an entrepreneurial, competitive, “survival of the fittest” mindset. This competitive mindset can and often does produce huge churches. In both subtle and obvious ways this mindset supports the GOP plan.
It’s just not very Jesus-like.
In addition, it likely that churches will be called on to fill the gaps in our health care system.
Here are some options.
First, let’s look at options within the church.
Remember, our spiritual health and vitality intertwine with our physical health and vitality. Start with aggressively promoting health within church communities. Instead of Bible studies, take a year and gather everyone for a study of Gary Taubes' latest book, The Case Against Sugar. Here’s a fairly comprehensive review of the book. I suspect that if we’d all cut our sugar ingestion by 2/3, many of the costly diseases of civilization would simply disappear.
Intentionally go small. Recognize that real disciple-making activity is far more a one-on-one process than large and expensive buildings and state-of-the-art worship teams. We need intensive accountability.
Sit down with any health professionals in your congregations and ask for their ideas to improve community health.
Second, let’s look at political options.
Using respectful dialogue, request your elected representatives to consider the necessary modifications to the ACA so that it will hold together for the next five to ten years while more creative and cost-effective structures can be designed and implemented. The entire nation suffers when we have a chronically ill and uncared-for population.
Request as well that Planned Parenthood retain its funding. Remember, no federal funds are used for abortion procedures. But without adequate access to women’s health providers and birth control, we will face a nation of babies born from inadequate uterine environments, virtually guaranteeing an unhealthy childhood, learning disabilities, massive medical needs and early deaths.
Finally, ask your legislative representatives to insist on programs for free and universal child-care. The poorest of our poor children need the best options available, both mentally and physically, in order to develop into healthy, functioning adults.
If we can marry the best of capitalistic energy and socialistic humaneness, we have the basis for a nation to continue to go foward.
If you’ve got other suggestions, please leave them in the comments section below. We can help deal with the growing crisis of inadequate health care in the U.S.
Christy Thomas blogs at Patheos.
I’ve read most of it. All the analyses about the AHCA (“Trumpcare” or “Ryancare”), the proposed GOP replacement for the Affordable Care Act (“Obamacare”) have taken residence in my brain. I’ve also logged countless hours in conversation with an expert in the insurance world.
So now I now offer a quick, admittedly simplistic summary for the non-insurance professional, coupled with suggestions for the church’s response.
Insurance company basics
Insurance companies, health, life, auto, home, etc., are for-profit entities. In our capitalistic economy, it means that they exist to create profits for their shareholders. That’s their business.
For-profit insurers may not be the best way to pay for health care, but that’s not the point. This is what we have.
Reputable insurance companies create good products. Independent agents sell these products earning their living totally by commissions from their sales. Insurance companies manage the funds paid in so there are adequate reserves to pay claims, some of which can run well into the millions.
State laws require insurance companies to keep significant reserve funds on hand to pay claims as they come in. State regulations also require insurers to pay out a certain percentage of their policy revenues each year. It is a highly regulated business.
The management of these vast sums means that insurance companies hold investments in myriad other companies, both in the US and around the world. Insurance companies and the banking system, another for-profit industry, are very entangled with each other.
Because insurance companies are pretty consistently profitable, many pension funds hold massive investments in them. A move to nationalize the insurance industry, i.e., go to a “single-payer” option, would play havoc with those retirement funds.
Insurance = shared risk
Insurance is also a shared-risk business. By its very nature, most people who purchase insurance will not need it, or if they do, will use less than they paid in.
No one likes buying it until they need it. But when they need it, it is a godsend. The nature of health-care pricing in the U.S. makes it scarily risky to be without health insurance. Unfortunately, because of the high cost of medical care in the U.S., one medical emergency can tip a family firmly into bankruptcy or at the least into on-going financial fragility.
State insurance commissioners regulate insurers rate increases. Insurers must set their rates over a year in advance. The rates fluctuate depending upon the anticipated sales and claims.
Inaccurate predictions can and have brought massively well-capitalized companies down. Everyone gets hurt when that happens. All insurers base their premiums on formulas that rely on the fact that most policy holders will not make a claim in a given year.
If the balance of policy holders swings heavily in the direction of those who will be more likely to make claims, rates must go up or no one will have their claims paid.
Socialist systems vs capitalistic systems
In socialist economies, governments cover health care costs. This is the so-called “single payer system.” Those countries fund health care services by levying high taxes on wage-earners, often as much as 50%.
However, many who live in countries with socialized medicine plans also carry private insurance because it can be difficult to access elective procedures, like knee and hip replacements, otherwise.
In a capitalistic economy which predominates in the United States, private insurers cover a large percentage of health care costs, with exceptions I will mention below. Funds come from the above-explained shared risk principle. Most current health insurance plans have nearly unlimited ceilings for life-time costs.
The U.S. government, under Medicaid, does up the costs for the extremely poor. However, their reimbursement rates are so low that many health care providers won’t take Medicaid patients, effectively rationing their care.
The U.S. also covers the V.A. health care system. It is not working well.
Now, about Medicare, often held up as a model to use. Many are unaware that those on Medicare who opted to enroll in Medicare Advantage programs use private insurers to pay their claims, not the U.S. government. Thus, those under Medicare Advantage programs have restricted access to various providers, but the programs are fairly cost-effective as the private sector has major motivations to keep costs under control. In a sense, their health care also is rationed.
Retirees who opted for the more expensive Medicare/Medigap programs have no restrictions, no rationing. They pay far more. The government, the “single-payer” remains fully liable for those payments. These are costs that are spiraling out of control and problematic for the national debt.
The ACA and its current fragility
Before the ACA, health insurers (remember, they are for-profit companies) could and did decline to insure those whose coverage would inevitably be very, very expensive, i.e., the older and those with pre-existing conditions.
Since the ACA insisted that insurers not discriminate against those people, the only way it could work was to also insist that the young and healthy become a part of it. Remember: the ACA did not create insurance companies: it used the for-profit ones already in place.
What happened? Because of the lack of restrictions on pre-existing conditions and because the tax penalties were not high enough to force enrollment, often people would wait until some horrific disease was diagnosed and then enroll in an ACA insurance plan.
Insurance companies would pay out thousands to cover medical bills, but the newly insured might pay in only several hundred dollars in premiums. Often, once cared for, those newly insured would then drop out and thus not contribute to the shared risk pool of funds available to pay claims.
Insurance companies, again responsible to their stockholders, began to both raise rates and to bail out of certain markets. More will do so in the future. That much is inevitable.
In the short run, the ACA has been a profound success. More have insurance than ever before. However, its long-term success is questionable. As noted, insurers are pulling out because there is an inadequate pool of healthy, younger people to share the risk.
In addition, for some reason, the previous administration also decreed in 2016 that agents would no longer be paid a commission when selling ACA products, effectively eliminating their income and/or any incentive to sell ACA products.
Clearly, current structure is not sustainable in the long run.
We face a very messy situation. There are no simple answers or quick and easy fixes.
The proposed GOP replacement
Underlying the ACHA (i.e., “Trumpcare”) proposal is the principle of individual freedoms: no one should be mandated to purchase insurance if they don’t want it. Let the free market regulate the rates.
That’s what we had before the ACA. That’s why older people and people with pre-existing conditions were denied coverage in the individual market, although they often could still get in under large group plans. Naturally, employers offering those group plans as part of benefit packages would seek to refrain from hiring those whose health issues might raise their plan prices.
Since the GOP doesn’t want to go on record as denying people health insurance completely, insurers will still be required to accept everyone.
However, they can charge the rates necessary for those otherwise considered uninsurable.
Thus older and generally sicker Americans may need to pay up to 60 percent of their income for insurance under Trumpcare. Nonetheless, the GOP will keep a promise: everyone technically has “access.” They just can’t afford it.
Unregulated capitalism = survival of the fittest
What we have, then, is a “survival of the fittest” society. It’s what capitalism does. President Obama unquestionably took the country in a socialist, and kinder, direction by his signature achievement.
He also flamed a fire under the libertarians and the conservatives who stand firmly on the idea of encouraging free markets as the guiding principle underlying political decisions.
What does the church do?
The U.S. church tends to operate as capitalists, i.e., the big eat the small, the most social-media adept rise to the top.
However religion as Jesus taught it is inherently socialist, i.e., the last shall become first, everyone shares with everyone else.
The church growth movement rewards an entrepreneurial, competitive, “survival of the fittest” mindset. This competitive mindset can and often does produce huge churches. In both subtle and obvious ways this mindset supports the GOP plan.
It’s just not very Jesus-like.
In addition, it likely that churches will be called on to fill the gaps in our health care system.
Here are some options.
First, let’s look at options within the church.
Remember, our spiritual health and vitality intertwine with our physical health and vitality. Start with aggressively promoting health within church communities. Instead of Bible studies, take a year and gather everyone for a study of Gary Taubes' latest book, The Case Against Sugar. Here’s a fairly comprehensive review of the book. I suspect that if we’d all cut our sugar ingestion by 2/3, many of the costly diseases of civilization would simply disappear.
Intentionally go small. Recognize that real disciple-making activity is far more a one-on-one process than large and expensive buildings and state-of-the-art worship teams. We need intensive accountability.
Sit down with any health professionals in your congregations and ask for their ideas to improve community health.
Second, let’s look at political options.
Using respectful dialogue, request your elected representatives to consider the necessary modifications to the ACA so that it will hold together for the next five to ten years while more creative and cost-effective structures can be designed and implemented. The entire nation suffers when we have a chronically ill and uncared-for population.
Request as well that Planned Parenthood retain its funding. Remember, no federal funds are used for abortion procedures. But without adequate access to women’s health providers and birth control, we will face a nation of babies born from inadequate uterine environments, virtually guaranteeing an unhealthy childhood, learning disabilities, massive medical needs and early deaths.
Finally, ask your legislative representatives to insist on programs for free and universal child-care. The poorest of our poor children need the best options available, both mentally and physically, in order to develop into healthy, functioning adults.
If we can marry the best of capitalistic energy and socialistic humaneness, we have the basis for a nation to continue to go foward.
If you’ve got other suggestions, please leave them in the comments section below. We can help deal with the growing crisis of inadequate health care in the U.S.
Christy Thomas blogs at Patheos.
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CHRISTIANS AS PECULIAR PEOPLE by David F. Watson
Bigstock/VadimGuzhva
You’ve probably seen the much-ballyhooed PRRI survey, a segment of which indicates that white evangelical Christians feel that Christians are more discriminated against than Muslims in the United States. (If you haven’t, you have to scroll down for a while to get to this table.) Other groups interviewed for the survey disagree. I was intrigued by a recent article by Rabbi Brad Hirschfield on why white evangelicals might feel this way and how people of other faiths might best respond to these feelings.
Christians do at times face discrimination, but it’s hard to argue that they do so more often than Muslims in the United States. What could be behind these feelings by white evangelicals? I’d like to offer an utterly unscientific theory: They (okay, we) are beginning to feel cultural dissonance as the influence of Christianity has diminished in the West.
Mainline Protestantism is rapidly collapsing. Evangelicalism is on a slower decline, and in some places is looking more like mainline Protestantism, which will likely accelerate the evangelical demise. Values traditionally associated with Christian groups no longer hold the sway they once did. Christians, particularly those of a more conservative bent, are beginning to feel like they no longer belong. Perhaps they never belonged in the first place. More on that below.
I’ve long heard people argue that the United States is a “Christian nation.” I take this to mean that there are values associated with Christianity that found their way into our founding documents and the philosophy that undergirds our system of government. Be that as it may, the United States is not, nor has it ever been, a theocracy. The values of Christians — even when we have been able to agree on what these are — have always stood in tension with the prohibition of a state church, the political influence of people of other faiths and the values of secularism. Remember that as much as the United States was founded upon Christian ideals, it was also founded upon Enlightenment ideals, and Enlightenment ideals have posed serious intellectual challenges to traditional Christian belief.
The Christian presence in the United States is still quite strong, but it now shares the stage with other worldviews much more obviously than in decades gone by. This is creating a certain discomfort, particularly among more conservative Christians.
Perhaps, however, this discomfort with the ambient culture is not a problem, but a sign of the growing awareness that Christians should think, speak and act differently than people who do not share their faith. As my friend Joy Moore once put it, maybe the church will once again begin to understand itself as a peculiar people.
Years ago I read Resident Aliens by Stanley Hauerwas and William Willimon. Few books have had the kind of effect upon me that this book did. It changed the way I thought about the church quite profoundly, and in a way that I am grateful for to this day.
I suppose that, prior to that time, I had thought about the relationship between Christ and culture along the lines of H. Richard Niebuhr: Christ is the transformer of culture. That seemed quite reasonable to me, even attainable. Reading Hauerwas and Willimon helped me to see the problems with that perspective. Years later, life has shown me many of the problems with that perspective as well.
Christians who hold to traditional views of sin, redemption and sanctification will most often end up seeing Christ standing against culture rather than seeing him as the transformer of culture. Our doctrine of sin holds that sin affects not only the way we act, but the way we think. Sin distorts our worldview. Put differently, sin has what theologians call “epistemic consequences.” According to Paul, there is a fundamental shift that takes place in the mind of a Christian believer, the “renewal of the mind” of which we read in Romans 12:2. In other words, just as there are epistemic consequences to sin, there are epistemic effects of redemption. It’s as we sing in “Amazing Grace”: “I once was lost, but now I’m found, was blind, but now I see.” Through the redemptive work of Christ on the cross and the power of the Holy Spirit to mediate that work to us, we come to understand our entire lives in a new way.
Now, in light of this perspective, how comfortable should we really be in the world around us? We are aliens and exiles (1 Peter 12:2). No political party, no secular lifestyle, no philosophy can possibly satisfy us if we view the world in this way. We will walk around knowing that we are outsiders, that our true citizenship is in God’s kingdom, and we will try to help other people find their way into the new reality of God’s kingdom as well. That is how people will be transformed–not by living within a culture shaped by the presence of Christians, but by receiving the life-changing power of Jesus Christ given to us through the work of the Holy Spirit.
The dissonance we experience with the world around us can be painful. It is, however, not nearly as acute as that which the first Christians experienced in the Greco-Roman world, nor as that which many Christians around the globe experience today. Comparatively speaking, we still have it really easy.
Let’s bear in mind that if we are too at home in the world around us, then, well, we’re doing it wrong. Perhaps in the United States we have simply been too comfortable, and this has given rise to both complacency and entitlement. Following Jesus will make us a peculiar people, so let’s embrace that identity and get on with the peculiar work to which we are called.
This post originally appeared on David Watson's blog.
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More exorcisms and better health careNews and Religion podcast
Reports continue to indicate an increase in the number of exorcisms being performed by the Roman Catholic Church in the United States. Patti Armstrong, a correspondent for the National Catholic Register, offers insight. And Christy Thomas joins Shane Raynor to discuss the state of health care in America.
Bigstock/ioannicolae
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Life in another solar system? by Jill M. Johnson
TRAPPIST-1 planetary system: An exciting discovery
Exoplanets are planets outside of our own solar system, and thousands have been discovered in the past several decades. With the help of NASA’s Kepler space telescope, astronomers have identified a wide variety of these exoplanets — some are icy, some rocky, and others enormous balls of gas. NASA has an Exoplanet Exploration Program, focused on finding habitable planets and life beyond our own system. As of this writing, NASA has confirmed the existence of 2,581 solar systems and 3,458 exoplanets, 352 of which are terrestrial (composed mainly of rocks or metals, like Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars).
The main goal for these scientists is to find a planet about the same size as Earth orbiting a star similar to our own. They theorize this is the best opportunity to find life beyond our world. In February of this year, NASA and the European astronomers they’ve been working with announced an exciting discovery: confirmation of seven exoplanets orbiting a dwarf star named TRAPPIST-1. They believe some of these planets have the right conditions for water, a known basis for life. Although TRAPPIST-1 is about 40 light-years, or 235 trillion miles, from Earth, scientists consider that to be close in cosmic terms. The proximity and orientation of these planets allows for detailed studies by astronomers.
Scientists acknowledge this is the first time so many planets with these conditions have been found orbiting the same star. “I think that we have made a crucial step toward finding if there is life out there. Here, if life managed to thrive and releases gases similar to that we have on Earth, then we will know,” said Amaury H. M. J. Triaud, a member of the research team and astronomer at the University of Cambridge in England.
Habitable zones
TRAPPIST-1 is named after a telescope in the desert of Chile initially used to study this star. TRAPPIST is short for Transitioning Planets and Planetesimals Small Telescope. The TRAPPIST-1 star is an “ultracool dwarf,” one twelfth the mass of our sun. With a surface temperature of 4,150 degrees Fahrenheit, it’s much cooler than our 10,000-degree sun. Michael Gillon, an astronomer at the University of Liege in Belgium and leader of the international team observing this star gave this analogy: If our sun were a basketball, TRAPPIST-1 would be a golf ball.
It’s smaller, but so are its planets. These planets are very close to its star and circle it quickly. The closest planet orbits TRAPPIST-1 in just 1.5 days and the furthest in about 20 days. Because they’re compact, this planetary system is more like Jupiter and its moons than our own solar system. These planets are also likely “gravitationally locked” to the star, so one side of the planet would be warmer.
Astronomers believe the fourth, fifth and sixth planets in this system are in the “habitable zone” with the possibility of oceans. Gillon said that as scientists continue to study this system, they’ll look for oxygen, ozone and carbon dioxide. In particular proportions, these elements “would tell us that there is life with 99 percent confidence,” he noted.
The heliocentric challenge
One of the first science-versus-religion controversies the church had to reckon with was the introduction of heliocentric theory. Since the beginning of humankind, people had studied and looked to the “heavenly realms” not just for spiritual guidance but also to give them information about seasons and the weather. Thinkers such as Aristotle believed in two distinct regions: the heavens (perfection) and earth (corruption). A dropped stone fell back to the ground because earth was at the center of the universe. For centuries, everyone, including scientists, believed in this geocentric view of the solar system. Although a heliocentric view (that the sun was at the center and the Earth revolved around it) was proposed as early as 200 B.C., it didn’t get widely noticed until Nicholas Copernicus published this theory in 1543. Galileo Galilei raised the theory again in the 1600s, resulting in an Inquisition by the Catholic Church because this view was considered heresy.
In the article “The Galileo Controversy” on Catholic.com, the writer states the church was not antiscience. Rather, Galileo only ran afoul of the Catholic Church because he decided to mix theology with science. Opponents of the heliocentric view pointed to Scripture verses such as Joshua 10:13 (“The sun stood still and the moon stood motionless”). It was when Galileo tried to argue his view from a theological stance, challenging the church’s biblical literalism, that his troubles began. This article also reminds readers that during Galileo’s time, “the Jesuits had a highly respected group of astronomers and scientists in Rome,” and many notable scientists received funding from the Catholic Church. Science eventually provided plenty of evidence to prove the heliocentric theory, and the issue was laid to rest. But until then, individuals and religious institutions had to wrestle with long-held views of their world.
What Is Life? and Other Perplexing Questions
There’s an intriguing article on BBC.com titled “If We Made Contact With Aliens, How Would Religions React?” The author, Brandon Ambrosino, raises a number of interesting questions, some of which you might have already wondered yourself. He states that questions such as “What is life?” are both scientific and theological and should be explored across disciplines since scientists believe it’s a matter of when, not if, extraterrestrial life will be detected. There are even terms for this exploration defined by Ted Peters, a professor at Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary: exotheology or astrotheology.
Ambrosino explores three principles that can guide our ponderings. First is the question of our uniqueness. The principle of nature’s uniformity means that the same processes that produce life here on Earth produce life everywhere. The second principle involves plenitude, which affirms that everything that’s possible will happen. As Carl Sagan puts it, “The origin of life on suitable planets seems built into the chemistry of the Universe.” And third, which could be the most troublesome for traditional religions, is the mediocrity principle. Nothing is special about Earth’s status or position in the universe.
Ambrosino asks, “But how could a believer reconcile this with their faith that humans are the crowning achievement of God’s creation? How could humans believe they were the apple of their Creator’s eye if their planet was just one of billions?” One answer, of course, is that if we believe in a big God, then this God is capable of loving all of his “starchildren,” just as a parent can love more than one offspring. Ambrosino also speculates on the nature of other life forms and their need for salvation. What if redemption is an Earth-only concept because only humans are affected by the sins of Adam and Eve?
Core patterns in the universe
In his writings, priest and theologian Richard Rohr claims that the mystery of the Trinity is embedded in code not just in religion, but in everything. “If there is only one creator God, and if there is one core pattern to this God, then we can expect to find that pattern everywhere else too,” Rohr writes. He also states that our scientific understanding of how everything works, from atoms to galaxies, affirms that nature operates the same way as the Trinity does, together in harmony for one eternal purpose.
“Atomic scientists looking through microscopes and astrophysicists looking through telescopes are seeing a similarity of pattern: everything is in relationship with everything else,” Rohr states. If God is always working toward wholeness by repairing the world through relationship, then our relationship to extraterrestrial life might be the biggest challenge for future generations of believers.
Be sure to check out FaithLink, a weekly downloadable discussion guide for classes and small groups.
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Will Willimon: Let's let the experts handle this
By William H. WillimonBishop Will Willimon preaches from John 9:1-41, exploring how the blind man's encounter with Jesus moves the man from darkness to light.
Will Willimon is the author of Fear of the Other and Who Lynched Willie Earle? Preaching to Confront Racism, both from Abingdon Press. He also publishes Pulpit Resource, a weekly preaching resource available through Ministry Matters. This sermon is from A Sermon for Every Sunday, a series of lectionary-based video sermons designed for use in worship, Bible study, small groups, Sunday school classes or for individual use.-------
The sanctuary movement
By Alex JoynerSupporters surround Javier Flores and his family during a press conference in the basement of Arch Street United Methodist Church in Philadelphia on Nov. 15, 2016. RNS photo by Elizabeth Evans
ICE comes to town
The Reverend Verónica Barrell received a call telling her that a fleet of large vehicles with Immigration and Custom Enforcement (ICE) agents had been seen at the Royal Farms convenience store, Food Lion and Walmart, and they were stopping people. Barrell, a United Methodist clergywoman from Uruguay, has been directing the Una Familia afternoon tutoring program on Virginia’s Eastern Shore. In that role, she has had the opportunity to work with many Latino families, including undocumented migrants who have come to work in the chicken industry and on large farms. So when she heard that ICE agents had shown up in an unusually visible way, she knew it would ripple through the families her program serves. By the end of the day, while children still came to the tutoring program, she heard of parents who were afraid to leave their homes or workplaces for fear of being separated from their children.
When new detention and deportation orders were released by the U.S. federal government in February, stories like Barrell’s began to pop up around the country. The nation’s much-disputed and creaky immigration policy was suddenly in the spotlight, and at-risk migrants had many questions about who was affected by the new rules and how they would be implemented. Churches had a lot of questions, too, as they considered how to remain in ministry with these migrants. With churches and cities exploring sanctuary as a way to protect those who might otherwise face deportation, many Christians look to their faith to inform ways they can care for those who are vulnerable.
The order and the effects
Enforcing immigration laws is an important function for any nation, and expulsions of those who entered the United States without proper documentation had been ongoing prior to the new administration’s rules. However, as The New York Times reported, under the Obama administration, “undocumented immigrants convicted of serious crimes were the priority for deportation.” The new executive order removes this priority, and according to a Department of Homeland Security fact sheet, “all of those present in violation of the immigration laws may be subject to immigration arrest, detention, and, if found removable by final order, removal from the United States.”
Almost as soon as the new rules were announced, there were a series of high-profile operations by ICE agents. In Mississippi, 55 people were detained across the state in a series of raids on Asian restaurants, according to the Los Angeles Times. Outside Rising Hope United Methodist Church in Alexandria, Virginia, ICE agents arrested at least two men as they exited the church’s overnight hypothermia shelter for homeless persons. As The Washington Post reported, “Both had been identified . . . as ‘criminal aliens amenable to [removal]’ — meaning deportation.” Overall, the Post reported, at least 683 persons were detained in the first week of raids following the new orders.
Roots of the sanctuary movement
At Saint John’s United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee, a regular Wednesday night dinner drew overflow crowds in mid-February when the topic was immigrant rights. The Reverend Daniel Castillo spoke to people from five Latin American countries who had come to seek information as reports of raids by ICE agents spread. As reported in The Daily Times, Roberta Vargas, a mother of six children, said, “I’m afraid that I will be at the store, and they will get me while the kids are in school.”
Castillo gave out basic information such as, “Do not sign anything. . . . Do not say anything. . . . Ask for a lawyer.” But he also urged the crowd not to overreact. “Go on with your life. Be careful. Don’t do anything illegal or stupid — but you don’t have to live in fear.” Later, Castillo told The Daily Times, “Many people think they don’t have rights when they don’t have papers. . . . When people think they don’t have rights, authorities can abuse their power.”
Other churches are offering sanctuary to migrants. Lutheran pastor Alexia Salvatierra, in a Christian Century interview, says the notion of sanctuary goes back to Numbers 35 and the cities of refuge. “That tradition has been carried forward this way: if someone has broken a law, either an unjust law or a law for which the typical punishment is unjust, the people of God have said, ‘We will shelter you until you can get a fair hearing.’ That’s the core meaning of sanctuary.”
Sanctuary was a feature of the Christian church throughout the ages and influenced the development of the Underground Railroad during the U.S. slavery era. The modern sanctuary movement dates to the 1980s when churches began to house refugees fleeing Central American conflicts. According to Salvatierra, “More than 500 churches participated over about a ten-year period, sheltering about 500,000 refugees.”
Changing landscape of sanctuary
Sanctuary has been effective because traditionally, enforcement agents have been reluctant to enter a church building to remove a person for deportation. ICE guidelines implemented in recent years have declared churches, along with hospitals and schools, as “sensitive zones” where ICE agents “would not go unless they had a judicial warrant for an individual person who had committed a crime,” according to Salvatierra. It’s not clear that these zones will continue to be respected under the new ICE guidelines. In fact, the detention of men exiting the hypothermia shelter at Rising Hope United Methodist Church (mentioned earlier) concerns its pastor, the Reverend Keary Kincannon. “They were heading out to their jobs or to look for work, and it is offensive that ICE targeted them just as they left church property.”
Attempts to criminalize the sanctuary movement or even those who aid undocumented migrants have also been growing. In 2005, the US House passed the Sensenbrenner immigration bill, which would have made aiding an undocumented person a felony. Though it was defeated, Roman Catholic cardinal Roger Mahony said, “If this bill passes the Senate, I am calling on all Catholics across the country to continue to minister in humanitarian ways to undocumented people, to all people regardless of their immigration status, even if you have to go to prison for it.”
“Back in business”
For some Americans, however, the strict enforcement of immigration laws is seen as a necessary corrective after years of neglect. “The message is: The immigration law is back in business,” Mark Krikorian, executive director of the Center for Immigration Studies, was quoted as saying by The New York Times. “Violating immigration law is no longer a secondary offense.” Supporters of strict enforcement worry about the impact on society of a large population of undocumented persons, some of whom may be a threat to the nation’s security.
The Pew Research Center estimates that there were about 11.1 million unauthorized immigrants in the United States in 2014, a number that has been relatively stable since 2009 and that has declined from the peak number of 2007. The same report suggests that a greater number of these immigrants are setting down roots, with about 66 percent of adult unauthorized immigrants saying that they have been in the United States at least a decade.
A just and compassionate policy
For Christians like Verónica Barrell, the primary lens through which they view the current immigration debates is not legal, but scriptural. While recognizing the need for good order and security, Christians also respond to the biblical imperatives to care for the vulnerable in our midst and to ensure they’re treated with dignity.
In the wake of the new administration’s actions on immigration and refugees, The United Methodist Church’s General Board of Church and Society (GBCS) issued a statement affirming the stance of the denomination. Citing a 2016 resolution on migrants, the GBCS called “upon all policy makers to work for just and compassionate migration policies that affirm the worth, dignity, and inherent value and rights of all persons regardless of nationality or legal status.” The statement expressed its support for churches “offering sanctuary to migrants.”
The offering of sanctuary is a radical step for churches to take, and one that involves significant commitments to addressing the realities of offering living arrangements and security to migrants. But churches can also take smaller steps to guard and protect the vulnerable. “Whatever decision the larger society makes about how to treat immigrants, they should be recognized as our brothers and sisters in one human family,” notes Salvatierra. “Our willingness to stand with our brothers and sisters and to suffer with them wakes people up to reconsider the situation, to ask deeper questions, to pay more attention.”
Be sure to check out FaithLink, a weekly downloadable discussion guide for classes and small groups.
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Top 5 lessons I'm learning about leadership after 50
By Talbot DavisBigstock/tashatuvango
I remember that time several years ago when I told a friend I wasn’t sure I’d still be in ministry once I turned 55 because I didn’t think I’d still have anything of value to contribute to the church or to the world.
Wooops. I’m now 55. And a half. 55.5 if you’re more digital than analog.
And I’m obviously still in ministry. And I’m evidently liking it better than I did when I was 45 or 35.
So what are some leadership lessons I have learned “post 50”? Here are five:
1. Improvement is not only possible, it can become inevitable. I feel like I have improved more in the last five years than in the previous ten. I’m not sure why — part of it is the encouragement from people at Abingdon Press as well as the staff that surrounds me at Good Shepherd. Another part is this very forum you are reading right now: daily blogging for the last nine years has improved both my writing and my thinking, both of which are, um, essential to preaching.
2. It’s easier to speak with honesty. I’m better able to have difficult conversations than I was in the past. These will never be my forte, but at least I no longer avoid at all costs.
3. Your body really matters. I suppose there’s a reason our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit. I’m so captured by the ancient Hebrew thinking that we don’t “have” bodies; we “are” bodies. The best way to combat aging and fatigue is to do so head on … sometimes I think that if I didn’t have my local YMCA, I might lose my mind and my motivation.
4. It never hurts to mention your reservoir of experience. This really helps in talking to families about weddings and funerals. “I’ve led a lot of these and I know from experience what works and what doesn’t.” Those words not only convey authority, but they also serve to calm the anxieties of those who are (understandably) going through these rites of passage for the first time.
5. Work on your strengths. Back in my tennis days, I made a critical mistake: because my forehand was considerably weaker than my backhand, I practiced it incessantly. All that accomplished was making me more forehand-averse AND it compromised my backhand. Years later I remember reading about how Billie Jean King, who also had a notoriously weak forehand, spent the bulk of her practice time on her serve and her backhand. The result? Six Wimbledons. Too late for me in tennis, but not in ministry. At 55, I realize life is too short for me to obsess over my myriad of weaknesses; I better spend that time growing my strengths.
Talbot Davis is pastor of Good Shepherd United Methodist Church in Charlotte, North Carolina and the author of Solve, Head Scratchers: When the Words of Jesus Don't Make Sense, The Storm Before the Calm and The Shadow of a Doubt, all from Abingdon Press.
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Beauty and the Beast
By Tamara FykeIllustration by Walter Crane for "Beauty and the Beast." London: George Routledge and Sons, 1874.
Just the other day a colleague at work mentioned in passing that there was controversy about the release of Disney’s new live-action movie, Beauty & the Beast. My other co-worker and I were shocked. Both of us remembered Disney’s cartoon classic released in 1991. What could be causing such a stir?
I, for one, hailed the original as a breakthrough film for Disney because the heroine was smart and kind. Her favorite pastime was reading. Even though other’s made fun of her, she embraced her uniqueness. This leading lady was not portrayed as a damsel in distress. She was both self-aware and self-confident…a new kind of princess. I expected much the same from the new version but without animation.
I’m really not trying to cause trouble. My goal is to offer another lens for the current conversation. Consider this: What does the story of Beauty & the Beast tell us about ourselves? How does it read us?
Although the fairy tale was introduced in the mid-1700’s, it resonates with us today because it is a story of redemption. Beauty buys back her father’s life by taking his place in the Beast’s palace. She willingly gives herself for her father’s freedom.
As she becomes acquainted with the Beast, “Beauty began to think the Beast was not nearly so terrible as she had supposed at first.” Night after night, the Beast asks her to marry him. Night after night, she refuses, even though she knows his gentle heart and good nature. It is not until the Beast almost dies that Beauty realizes she loves him. Upon profession of their mutual love, the Beast is released from the curse and changed back to his true identity as a Prince.
Is this not the story of every believer? Were we not all once Beasts, angry and isolated in our own self-made castles of despair? And then our Rescuer came to set us free from the curse and restore our true identity as Princes and Princesses of the Most High. If it were not for the love of Jesus, I, for one, would still be locked away in my own dark palace.
Likewise, are we not all called to be Beauty, ezer-kenegdo, the lifesaver…the embodiment of unconditional love toward both her father and the Beast? We are commanded to love our neighbor. I’m reminded of the Prayer of St. Frances, “Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace; where there is hatred, let me sow love…”
Instead of boycotting the new movie, why don’t we as people of faith go and watch the film with our children, using it as a springboard for conversation about our own story of salvation? And if there is a part with which we disagree, let’s talk about it with our kids. Instead of reacting, let’s seize the opportunity to deepen our children’s social and spiritual formation, remembering that “Jesus stretched out His arms…that everyone might come within the reach of His saving embrace.”
This is one of my favorite stories of transformation, illustrating how people can be changed by love and how they can make a difference by choosing to love. This is what Love In A Big World is all about. So…who do you choose to be today…Beauty or the Beast?
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Missional communities
By ReClaimed PodcastCharles and Eric Moen are joined by Beth Magill to discuss missional communities and how they are transforming churches throughout Texas and engaging meaningful work in neighborhoods. Rev. Beth Magill is Associate Missioner for Congregational Initiatives at the Episcopal Diocese of Texas. Learn more about the Missional Communities of the Episcopal Diocese of Texas here.
This Sunday, March 26, 2017
Fourth Sunday in Lent: 1 Samuel 16:1-13; Psalm 23; Ephesians 5:8-14; John 9:1-41
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Lectionary Readings:
Sunday, 26 March 2017
(Courtesy of Vanderbilt Divinity Library)
1 Samuel 16:1-13
Psalm 23
Ephesians 5:8-14
John 9:1-41
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Sunday, 26 March 2017
(Courtesy of Vanderbilt Divinity Library)
1 Samuel 16:1-13
Psalm 23
Ephesians 5:8-14
John 9:1-41
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Scripture Texts: 1 Samuel 16:1 Adonai said to Sh’mu’el, “How much longer are you going to go on grieving for Sha’ul, now that I have rejected him as king over Isra’el? Fill your horn with oil, and set out; I will send you to Yishai the Beit-Lachmi, because I have chosen myself a king from among his sons.” 2 Sh’mu’el said, “How can I go? If Sha’ul hears of it, he will have me killed.” Adonai said, “Take a female cow with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to Adonai.’ 3 Summon Yishai to the sacrifice. I will tell you what to do, and you are to anoint for me the person I point out to you.”
4 Sh’mu’el did what Adonai said and arrived at Beit-Lechem. The leaders of the city came trembling to meet him and asked, “Are you coming in peace?” 5 He answered, “In peace. I have come to sacrifice to Adonai. Consecrate yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice.” He consecrated Yishai and his sons and summoned them to the sacrifice. 6 When they had come, he looked at Eli’av and said, “This has to be Adonai’s anointed one, here before him.” 7 But Adonai said to Sh’mu’el, “Don’t pay attention to how he looks or how tall he is, because I have rejected him. Adonai doesn’t see the way humans see — humans look at the outward appearance, but Adonai looks at the heart.” 8 Then Yishai called Avinadav and presented him to Sh’mu’el; but he said, “Adonai hasn’t chosen this one either.” 9 Yishai presented Shammah; again Sh’mu’el said, “Adonai hasn’t chosen this one either.” 10 Yishai presented seven of his sons to Sh’mu’el; but Sh’mu’el told Yishai, “Adonai has not chosen these. 11 Are all your sons here?” Sh’mu’el asked Yishai. He replied, “There is still the youngest; he’s out there tending the sheep.” Sh’mu’el said to Yishai, “Send and bring him back, because we won’t sit down to eat until he gets here.” 12 He sent and brought him in. With ruddy cheeks, red hair and bright eyes, he was a good-looking fellow. Adonai said, “Stand up and anoint him; he’s the one.” 13 Sh’mu’el took the horn of oil and anointed him there in his brothers’ presence. From that day on, the Spirit of Adonai would fall upon David with power. So Sh’mu’el set out and went to Ramah.
Psalm 23: (0) A psalm of David:
(1) Adonai is my shepherd; I lack nothing.
2 He has me lie down in grassy pastures,
he leads me by quiet water,
3 he restores my inner person.
He guides me in right paths
for the sake of his own name.
4 Even if I pass through death-dark ravines,
I will fear no disaster; for you are with me;
your rod and staff reassure me.
5 You prepare a table for me,
even as my enemies watch;
you anoint my head with oil
from an overflowing cup.
6 Goodness and grace will pursue me
every day of my life;
and I will live in the house of Adonai
for years and years to come.
Ephesians 5:8 For you used to be darkness; but now, united with the Lord, you are light. Live like children of light, 9 for the fruit of the light is in every kind of goodness, rightness and truth — 10 try to determine what will please the Lord. 11 Have nothing to do with the deeds produced by darkness, but instead expose them, 12 for it is shameful even to speak of the things these people do in secret. 13 But everything exposed to the light is revealed clearly for what it is, 14 since anything revealed is a light. This is why it says,
John 9:1 As Yeshua passed along, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 His talmidim asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned — this man or his parents — to cause him to be born blind?” 3 Yeshua answered, “His blindness is due neither to his sin nor to that of his parents; it happened so that God’s power might be seen at work in him. 4 As long as it is day, we must keep doing the work of the One who sent me; the night is coming, when no one can work. 5 While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”
6 Having said this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, put the mud on the man’s eyes, 7 and said to him, “Go, wash off in the Pool of Shiloach!” (The name means “sent.”) So he went and washed and came away seeing.
8 His neighbors and those who previously had seen him begging said, “Isn’t this the man who used to sit and beg?” 9 Some said, “Yes, he’s the one”; while others said, “No, but he looks like him.” However, he himself said, “I’m the one.” 10 “How were your eyes opened?” they asked him. 11 He answered, “The man called Yeshua made mud, put it on my eyes, and told me, ‘Go to Shiloach and wash!’ So I went; and as soon as I had washed, I could see.” 12 They said to him, “Where is he?” and he replied, “I don’t know.”
13 They took the man who had been blind to the P’rushim. 14 Now the day on which Yeshua had made the mud and opened his eyes was Shabbat. 15 So the P’rushim asked him again how he had become able to see; and he told them, “He put mud on my eyes, then I washed, and now I can see.” 16 At this, some of the P’rushim said, “This man is not from God, because he doesn’t keep Shabbat.” But others said, “How could a man who is a sinner do miracles like these?” And there was a split among them. 17 So once more they spoke to the blind man: “Since you’re the one whose eyes he opened, what do you say about him?” He replied: “He is a prophet.”
18 The Judeans, however, were unwilling to believe that he had formerly been blind, but now could see, until they had summoned the man’s parents. 19 They asked them, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How is it that now he can see?” 20 His parents answered, “We know that this is our son and that he was born blind; 21 but how it is that he can see now, we don’t know; nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him — he’s old enough, he can speak for himself!” 22 The parents said this because they were afraid of the Judeans, for the Judeans had already agreed that anyone who acknowledged Yeshua as the Messiah would be banned from the synagogue. 23 This is why his parents said, “He’s old enough, ask him.”
24 So a second time they called the man who had been blind; and they said to him, “Swear to God that you will tell the truth! We know that this man is a sinner.” 25 He answered, “Whether he’s a sinner or not I don’t know. One thing I do know: I was blind, now I see.” 26 So they said to him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?” 27 “I already told you,” he answered, “and you didn’t listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Maybe you too want to become his talmidim?” 28 Then they railed at him. “You may be his talmid,” they said, “but we are talmidim of Moshe! 29 We know that God has spoken to Moshe, but as for this fellow — we don’t know where he’s from!” 30 “What a strange thing,” the man answered, “that you don’t know where he’s from — considering that he opened my eyes! 31 We know that God doesn’t listen to sinners; but if anyone fears God and does his will, God does listen to him. 32 In all history no one has ever heard of someone’s opening the eyes of a man born blind. 33 If this man were not from God, he couldn’t do a thing!” 34 “Why, you mamzer!” they retorted, “Are you lecturing us?” And they threw him out.
35 Yeshua heard that they had thrown the man out. He found him and said, “Do you trust in the Son of Man?” 36 “Sir,” he answered, “tell me who he is, so that I can trust in him.” 37 Yeshua said to him, “You have seen him. In fact, he’s the one speaking with you now.” 38 “Lord, I trust!” he said, and he kneeled down in front of him.
39 Yeshua said, “It is to judge that I came into this world, so that those who do not see might see, and those who do see might become blind.” 40 Some of the P’rushim nearby heard this and said to him, “So we’re blind too, are we?” 41 Yeshua answered them, “If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin. But since you still say, ‘We see,’ your guilt remains.
4 Sh’mu’el did what Adonai said and arrived at Beit-Lechem. The leaders of the city came trembling to meet him and asked, “Are you coming in peace?” 5 He answered, “In peace. I have come to sacrifice to Adonai. Consecrate yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice.” He consecrated Yishai and his sons and summoned them to the sacrifice. 6 When they had come, he looked at Eli’av and said, “This has to be Adonai’s anointed one, here before him.” 7 But Adonai said to Sh’mu’el, “Don’t pay attention to how he looks or how tall he is, because I have rejected him. Adonai doesn’t see the way humans see — humans look at the outward appearance, but Adonai looks at the heart.” 8 Then Yishai called Avinadav and presented him to Sh’mu’el; but he said, “Adonai hasn’t chosen this one either.” 9 Yishai presented Shammah; again Sh’mu’el said, “Adonai hasn’t chosen this one either.” 10 Yishai presented seven of his sons to Sh’mu’el; but Sh’mu’el told Yishai, “Adonai has not chosen these. 11 Are all your sons here?” Sh’mu’el asked Yishai. He replied, “There is still the youngest; he’s out there tending the sheep.” Sh’mu’el said to Yishai, “Send and bring him back, because we won’t sit down to eat until he gets here.” 12 He sent and brought him in. With ruddy cheeks, red hair and bright eyes, he was a good-looking fellow. Adonai said, “Stand up and anoint him; he’s the one.” 13 Sh’mu’el took the horn of oil and anointed him there in his brothers’ presence. From that day on, the Spirit of Adonai would fall upon David with power. So Sh’mu’el set out and went to Ramah.
Psalm 23: (0) A psalm of David:
(1) Adonai is my shepherd; I lack nothing.
2 He has me lie down in grassy pastures,
he leads me by quiet water,
3 he restores my inner person.
He guides me in right paths
for the sake of his own name.
4 Even if I pass through death-dark ravines,
I will fear no disaster; for you are with me;
your rod and staff reassure me.
5 You prepare a table for me,
even as my enemies watch;
you anoint my head with oil
from an overflowing cup.
6 Goodness and grace will pursue me
every day of my life;
and I will live in the house of Adonai
for years and years to come.
Ephesians 5:8 For you used to be darkness; but now, united with the Lord, you are light. Live like children of light, 9 for the fruit of the light is in every kind of goodness, rightness and truth — 10 try to determine what will please the Lord. 11 Have nothing to do with the deeds produced by darkness, but instead expose them, 12 for it is shameful even to speak of the things these people do in secret. 13 But everything exposed to the light is revealed clearly for what it is, 14 since anything revealed is a light. This is why it says,
John 9:1 As Yeshua passed along, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 His talmidim asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned — this man or his parents — to cause him to be born blind?” 3 Yeshua answered, “His blindness is due neither to his sin nor to that of his parents; it happened so that God’s power might be seen at work in him. 4 As long as it is day, we must keep doing the work of the One who sent me; the night is coming, when no one can work. 5 While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”
6 Having said this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, put the mud on the man’s eyes, 7 and said to him, “Go, wash off in the Pool of Shiloach!” (The name means “sent.”) So he went and washed and came away seeing.
8 His neighbors and those who previously had seen him begging said, “Isn’t this the man who used to sit and beg?” 9 Some said, “Yes, he’s the one”; while others said, “No, but he looks like him.” However, he himself said, “I’m the one.” 10 “How were your eyes opened?” they asked him. 11 He answered, “The man called Yeshua made mud, put it on my eyes, and told me, ‘Go to Shiloach and wash!’ So I went; and as soon as I had washed, I could see.” 12 They said to him, “Where is he?” and he replied, “I don’t know.”
13 They took the man who had been blind to the P’rushim. 14 Now the day on which Yeshua had made the mud and opened his eyes was Shabbat. 15 So the P’rushim asked him again how he had become able to see; and he told them, “He put mud on my eyes, then I washed, and now I can see.” 16 At this, some of the P’rushim said, “This man is not from God, because he doesn’t keep Shabbat.” But others said, “How could a man who is a sinner do miracles like these?” And there was a split among them. 17 So once more they spoke to the blind man: “Since you’re the one whose eyes he opened, what do you say about him?” He replied: “He is a prophet.”
18 The Judeans, however, were unwilling to believe that he had formerly been blind, but now could see, until they had summoned the man’s parents. 19 They asked them, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How is it that now he can see?” 20 His parents answered, “We know that this is our son and that he was born blind; 21 but how it is that he can see now, we don’t know; nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him — he’s old enough, he can speak for himself!” 22 The parents said this because they were afraid of the Judeans, for the Judeans had already agreed that anyone who acknowledged Yeshua as the Messiah would be banned from the synagogue. 23 This is why his parents said, “He’s old enough, ask him.”
24 So a second time they called the man who had been blind; and they said to him, “Swear to God that you will tell the truth! We know that this man is a sinner.” 25 He answered, “Whether he’s a sinner or not I don’t know. One thing I do know: I was blind, now I see.” 26 So they said to him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?” 27 “I already told you,” he answered, “and you didn’t listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Maybe you too want to become his talmidim?” 28 Then they railed at him. “You may be his talmid,” they said, “but we are talmidim of Moshe! 29 We know that God has spoken to Moshe, but as for this fellow — we don’t know where he’s from!” 30 “What a strange thing,” the man answered, “that you don’t know where he’s from — considering that he opened my eyes! 31 We know that God doesn’t listen to sinners; but if anyone fears God and does his will, God does listen to him. 32 In all history no one has ever heard of someone’s opening the eyes of a man born blind. 33 If this man were not from God, he couldn’t do a thing!” 34 “Why, you mamzer!” they retorted, “Are you lecturing us?” And they threw him out.
35 Yeshua heard that they had thrown the man out. He found him and said, “Do you trust in the Son of Man?” 36 “Sir,” he answered, “tell me who he is, so that I can trust in him.” 37 Yeshua said to him, “You have seen him. In fact, he’s the one speaking with you now.” 38 “Lord, I trust!” he said, and he kneeled down in front of him.
39 Yeshua said, “It is to judge that I came into this world, so that those who do not see might see, and those who do see might become blind.” 40 Some of the P’rushim nearby heard this and said to him, “So we’re blind too, are we?” 41 Yeshua answered them, “If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin. But since you still say, ‘We see,’ your guilt remains.
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John Wesley's Notes-Commentary: 1 Samuel 16:1-13
(Read all of 1 Samuel 16)
Verse 1
[1] And the LORD said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons.
Mourn — And pray for his restitution, which the following words imply he did.
Oil — Which was used in the inauguration of kings. But here it is used in the designation of a king; for David was not actually made king by it, but still remained a subject. And the reason of this anticipation was the comfort of Samuel, and other good men, against their fears in case of Saul's death, and the assurance of David's title, which otherwise would have been doubtful.
I have provided — This phrase is very emphatical, and implies the difference between this and the former king. Saul was a king of the people's providing, he was the product of their sinful desires: but this is a king of my own providing, to fulfil all my will, and to serve my glory.
Verse 4
[4] And Samuel did that which the LORD spake, and came to Bethlehem. And the elders of the town trembled at his coming, and said, Comest thou peaceably?
Trembled — Because it was strange and unexpected to them, this being but an obscure town, and remote from Samuel, and therefore they justly thought there was some extraordinary reason for it.
Peaceable — The Hebrew phrase, comest thou in peace, is as much as to say (in our phrase) is all well?
Verse 5
[5] And he said, Peaceably: I am come to sacrifice unto the LORD: sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice. And he sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice.
He sanctified — It seems evident that there was something peculiar in Jesse's invitation. For first, both he and his sons were invited, whereas the others were only invited for their own persons. Secondly, the different phrase here used, that he sanctified these, when he only bade the other sanctify themselves; argues a singular care of Samuel in their sanctification. Which makes it probable, that the rest were only to join with them in the act of sacrificing; but these, and only these, were invited to feast upon the remainders of the sacrifices.
Verse 6
[6] And it came to pass, when they were come, that he looked on Eliab, and said, Surely the LORD's anointed is before him.
Before him — That is, in this place where God is now present. For it is observable, that not only the sacrifice is said to be offered, but even the feast upon the remainders of it is said, to be eaten before the Lord, Deuteronomy 12:7, that is, before or near his altar, where God was present in a special manner. This I take to be the person I am sent to anoint: wherein yet be was mistaken, as other prophets sometimes were, when they hastily spake their own thoughts, before they had consulted God.
Verse 10
[10] Again, Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. And Samuel said unto Jesse, The LORD hath not chosen these.
Seven — There are but seven named, 1 Chronicles 2:13-15, because one of them was either born of a concubine: or, died immediately after this time.
Verse 11
[11] And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all thy children? And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him: for we will not sit down till he come hither.
Keepeth sheep — And consequently is the most unfit of all my sons for that high employment. Either therefore he did not understand David's wisdom and valour, or he judged him unfit, by reason of his mean education. And God so ordered it by his providence, that David's choice might plainly appear to be God's work, and not Samuel's, or Jesse's. David signifies beloved: a fit name for so eminent a type of the Beloved Son. It is supposed, David was now about twenty years old. If so, his troubles by Saul lasted near ten years: for he was thirty years old when Saul died. Samuel having done this went to Ramah. He retired to die in peace, since his eyes had seen the salvation, even the sceptre brought into the tribe of Judah.
Verse 13
[13] Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.
Anointed him — David's brethren saw David's unction, yet did not understand, that he was anointed to the kingdom; but were only told by Samuel, that he was anointed to some great service, which hereafter they should know. Thus Jesse only, and David, understood the whole business, and his brethren were able to attest to that act of Samuel's anointing him, which, with other collateral evidences, was abundantly sufficient to prove David's right to the kingdom, if need should be.
The spirit, etc., — That is, he was immediately endowed with extraordinary gifts of God's Spirit, as strength, and courage, and wisdom, and other excellent qualities which fitted him for, and put him upon noble attempts.
[8] For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:
Ye were once darkness — Total blindness and ignorance.
Walk as children of light — Suitably to your present knowledge.
Verse 9
[9] (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)
The fruit of the light — Opposite to " the unfruitful works of darkness," Ephesians 4:11.
Is in — That is, consists in.
Goodness and righteousness and truth — Opposite to the sins spoken of, Ephesians 4:25,etc.
Verse 11
[11] And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.
Reprove them — To avoid them is not enough.
Verse 12
[12] For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret.
In secret — As flying the light.
Verse 13
[13] But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light.
But all things which are reproved, are thereby dragged out into the light, and made manifest - Shown in their proper colours, by the light. For whatsoever doth make manifest is light - That is, for nothing but light, yea, light from heaven, can make anything manifest.
Verse 14
[14] Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.
Wherefore he — God.
Saith — In the general tenor of his word, to all who are still in darkness.
Awake thou that steepest — In ignorance of God and thyself; in stupid insensibility.
And arise from the dead — From the death of sin.
And Christ shall give thee light — Knowledge, holiness, happiness.
Verse 3
[3] Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.
Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents — It was not the manner of our Lord to answer any questions that were of no use, but to gratify an idle curiosity. Therefore he determines nothing concerning this. The scope of his answer is, It was neither for any sins of his own, nor yet of his parents; but that the power of God might be displayed.
Verse 4
[4] I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.
The night is coming — Christ is the light. When the light is withdrawn night comes, when no man can work - No man can do any thing toward working out his salvation after this life is ended. Yet Christ can work always. But he was not to work upon earth, only during the day, or season which was appointed for him.
Verse 5
[5] As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.
I am the light of the world — I teach men inwardly by my Spirit, and outwardly by my preaching, what is the will of God; and I show them, by my example, how they must do it.
Verse 6
[6] When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay,
He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay — This might almost have blinded a man that had sight. But what could it do toward curing the blind? It reminds us that God is no farther from the event, when he works either with, or without means, and that all the creatures are only that which his almighty operation makes them.
Verse 7
[7] And said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is by interpretation, Sent.) He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing.
Go, wash at the pool of Siloam — Perhaps our Lord intended to make the miracle more taken notice of. For a crowd of people would naturally gather round him to observe the event of so strange a prescription, and it is exceeding probable, the guide who must have led him in traversing a great part of the city, would mention the errand he was going upon, and so call all those who saw him to a greater attention. From the fountain of Siloam, which was without the walls of Jerusalem, a little stream flowed into the city, and was received in a kind of basin, near the temple, and called the pool of Siloam.
Which is, by interpretation, Sent — And so was a type of the Messiah, who was sent of God.
He went and washed, and came seeing — He believed, and obeyed, and found a blessing. Had he been wise in his own eyes, and reasoned, like Naaman, on the impropriety of the means, he had justly been left in darkness. Lord, may our proud hearts be subdued to the methods of thy recovering grace! May we leave thee to choose how thou wilt bestow favours, which it is our highest interest to receive on any terms.
Verse 11
[11] He answered and said, A man that is called Jesus made clay, and anointed mine eyes, and said unto me, Go to the pool of Siloam, and wash: and I went and washed, and I received sight.
A man called Jesus — He seems to have been before totally ignorant of him.
Verse 14
[14] And it was the sabbath day when Jesus made the clay, and opened his eyes.
Anointing the eyes — With any kind of medicine on the Sabbath, was particularly forbidden by the tradition of the elders.
Verse 16
[16] Therefore said some of the Pharisees, This man is not of God, because he keepeth not the sabbath day. Others said, How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles? And there was a division among them.
This man is not of God — Not sent of God.
How can a man that is a sinner — That is, one living in wilful sin, do such miracles?
Verse 17
[17] They say unto the blind man again, What sayest thou of him, that he hath opened thine eyes? He said, He is a prophet.
What sayest thou of him, for that he hath opened thine eyes? — What inference dost thou draw herefrom?
Verse 22
[22] These words spake his parents, because they feared the Jews: for the Jews had agreed already, that if any man did confess that he was Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue.
He should be put out of the synagogue — That is be excommunicated.
Verse 27
[27] He answered them, I have told you already, and ye did not hear: wherefore would ye hear it again? will ye also be his disciples?
Are ye also — As well as I, at length convinced and willing to be his disciples?
Verse 29
[29] We know that God spake unto Moses: as for this fellow, we know not from whence he is.
We know not whence he is — By what power and authority he does these things.
Verse 30
[30] The man answered and said unto them, Why herein is a marvellous thing, that ye know not from whence he is, and yet he hath opened mine eyes.
The man answered — Utterly illiterate as he was. And with what strength and clearness of reason! So had God opened the eyes of his understanding, as well as his bodily eyes.
Why, herein is a marvellous thing, that ye — The teachers and guides of the people, should not know, that a man who has wrought a miracle, the like of which was never heard of before, must be from heaven, sent by God.
Verse 31
[31] Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth.
We — Even we of the populace, know that God heareth not sinners - Not impenitent sinners, so as to answer their prayers in this manner. The honest courage of this man in adhering to the truth, though he knew the consequence, John 9:22, gives him claim to the title of a confessor.
Verse 33
[33] If this man were not of God, he could do nothing.
He could do nothing — Of this kind; nothing miraculous.
Verse 34
[34] They answered and said unto him, Thou wast altogether born in sins, and dost thou teach us? And they cast him out.
Born in sin — And therefore, they supposed, born blind.
They cast him out — Of the synagogue; excommunicated him.
Verse 35
[35] Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when he had found him, he said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God?
Having found him — For he had sought him.
Verse 36
[36] He answered and said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him?
Who is he, that I may believe? — This implies some degree of faith already. He was ready to receive whatever Jesus said.
Verse 37
[37] And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee.
Lord, I believe — What an excellent spirit was this man of! Of so deep and strong an understanding; (as he had just shown to the confusion of the Pharisees,) and yet of so teachable a temper!
Verse 39
[39] And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind.
For judgment am I come into the world — That is, the consequence of my coming will be, that by the just judgment of God, while the blind in body and soul receive their sight, they who boast they see, will be given up to still greater blindness than before.
Verse 41
[41] Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth.
If ye had been blind — Invincibly ignorant; if ye had not had so many means of knowing: ye would have had no sin - Comparatively to what ye have now.
But now ye say — Ye yourselves acknowledge, Ye see, therefore your sin remaineth - Without excuse, without remedy.
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The Upper Room Ministries ®. Copyright © 2017
(Read all of 1 Samuel 16)
Verse 1
[1] And the LORD said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons.
Mourn — And pray for his restitution, which the following words imply he did.
Oil — Which was used in the inauguration of kings. But here it is used in the designation of a king; for David was not actually made king by it, but still remained a subject. And the reason of this anticipation was the comfort of Samuel, and other good men, against their fears in case of Saul's death, and the assurance of David's title, which otherwise would have been doubtful.
I have provided — This phrase is very emphatical, and implies the difference between this and the former king. Saul was a king of the people's providing, he was the product of their sinful desires: but this is a king of my own providing, to fulfil all my will, and to serve my glory.
Verse 4
[4] And Samuel did that which the LORD spake, and came to Bethlehem. And the elders of the town trembled at his coming, and said, Comest thou peaceably?
Trembled — Because it was strange and unexpected to them, this being but an obscure town, and remote from Samuel, and therefore they justly thought there was some extraordinary reason for it.
Peaceable — The Hebrew phrase, comest thou in peace, is as much as to say (in our phrase) is all well?
Verse 5
[5] And he said, Peaceably: I am come to sacrifice unto the LORD: sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice. And he sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice.
He sanctified — It seems evident that there was something peculiar in Jesse's invitation. For first, both he and his sons were invited, whereas the others were only invited for their own persons. Secondly, the different phrase here used, that he sanctified these, when he only bade the other sanctify themselves; argues a singular care of Samuel in their sanctification. Which makes it probable, that the rest were only to join with them in the act of sacrificing; but these, and only these, were invited to feast upon the remainders of the sacrifices.
Verse 6
[6] And it came to pass, when they were come, that he looked on Eliab, and said, Surely the LORD's anointed is before him.
Before him — That is, in this place where God is now present. For it is observable, that not only the sacrifice is said to be offered, but even the feast upon the remainders of it is said, to be eaten before the Lord, Deuteronomy 12:7, that is, before or near his altar, where God was present in a special manner. This I take to be the person I am sent to anoint: wherein yet be was mistaken, as other prophets sometimes were, when they hastily spake their own thoughts, before they had consulted God.
Verse 10
[10] Again, Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. And Samuel said unto Jesse, The LORD hath not chosen these.
Seven — There are but seven named, 1 Chronicles 2:13-15, because one of them was either born of a concubine: or, died immediately after this time.
Verse 11
[11] And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all thy children? And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him: for we will not sit down till he come hither.
Keepeth sheep — And consequently is the most unfit of all my sons for that high employment. Either therefore he did not understand David's wisdom and valour, or he judged him unfit, by reason of his mean education. And God so ordered it by his providence, that David's choice might plainly appear to be God's work, and not Samuel's, or Jesse's. David signifies beloved: a fit name for so eminent a type of the Beloved Son. It is supposed, David was now about twenty years old. If so, his troubles by Saul lasted near ten years: for he was thirty years old when Saul died. Samuel having done this went to Ramah. He retired to die in peace, since his eyes had seen the salvation, even the sceptre brought into the tribe of Judah.
Verse 13
[13] Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.
Anointed him — David's brethren saw David's unction, yet did not understand, that he was anointed to the kingdom; but were only told by Samuel, that he was anointed to some great service, which hereafter they should know. Thus Jesse only, and David, understood the whole business, and his brethren were able to attest to that act of Samuel's anointing him, which, with other collateral evidences, was abundantly sufficient to prove David's right to the kingdom, if need should be.
The spirit, etc., — That is, he was immediately endowed with extraordinary gifts of God's Spirit, as strength, and courage, and wisdom, and other excellent qualities which fitted him for, and put him upon noble attempts.
Psalm 23
(Read all of Psalm 23)
Verse 2
[2] He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
Lie down — To repose myself at noon, as the manner was in those hot countries.
Green — Where there is both delight and plenty of provisions.
Verse 3
[3] He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
Restoreth — Heb. He bringeth it back; from its errors and wandering.
For — Not for any worth in me, but for the glory of his justice, and faithfulness, and goodness.
Verse 4
[4] Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
Thy rod and thy staff — Two words denoting the same thing, and both designing God's pastoral care over him.
Verse 5
[5] Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
A table — Thou furnishest me with plenty of provisions and comforts.
Oil — With aromatic ointments, which were then used at great feasts; thy comforts delight my soul.
Runneth over — Thou hast given me a plentiful portions, signified by the cup, given to the guests by the master of the feast.
(Read all of Psalm 23)
Verse 2
[2] He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
Lie down — To repose myself at noon, as the manner was in those hot countries.
Green — Where there is both delight and plenty of provisions.
Verse 3
[3] He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
Restoreth — Heb. He bringeth it back; from its errors and wandering.
For — Not for any worth in me, but for the glory of his justice, and faithfulness, and goodness.
Verse 4
[4] Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
Thy rod and thy staff — Two words denoting the same thing, and both designing God's pastoral care over him.
Verse 5
[5] Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
A table — Thou furnishest me with plenty of provisions and comforts.
Oil — With aromatic ointments, which were then used at great feasts; thy comforts delight my soul.
Runneth over — Thou hast given me a plentiful portions, signified by the cup, given to the guests by the master of the feast.
Ephesians 5:8-14
Verse 8[8] For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:
Ye were once darkness — Total blindness and ignorance.
Walk as children of light — Suitably to your present knowledge.
Verse 9
[9] (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)
The fruit of the light — Opposite to " the unfruitful works of darkness," Ephesians 4:11.
Is in — That is, consists in.
Goodness and righteousness and truth — Opposite to the sins spoken of, Ephesians 4:25,etc.
Verse 11
[11] And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.
Reprove them — To avoid them is not enough.
Verse 12
[12] For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret.
In secret — As flying the light.
Verse 13
[13] But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light.
But all things which are reproved, are thereby dragged out into the light, and made manifest - Shown in their proper colours, by the light. For whatsoever doth make manifest is light - That is, for nothing but light, yea, light from heaven, can make anything manifest.
Verse 14
[14] Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.
Wherefore he — God.
Saith — In the general tenor of his word, to all who are still in darkness.
Awake thou that steepest — In ignorance of God and thyself; in stupid insensibility.
And arise from the dead — From the death of sin.
And Christ shall give thee light — Knowledge, holiness, happiness.
John 9:1-41
(Read all of John 9)Verse 3
[3] Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.
Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents — It was not the manner of our Lord to answer any questions that were of no use, but to gratify an idle curiosity. Therefore he determines nothing concerning this. The scope of his answer is, It was neither for any sins of his own, nor yet of his parents; but that the power of God might be displayed.
Verse 4
[4] I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.
The night is coming — Christ is the light. When the light is withdrawn night comes, when no man can work - No man can do any thing toward working out his salvation after this life is ended. Yet Christ can work always. But he was not to work upon earth, only during the day, or season which was appointed for him.
Verse 5
[5] As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.
I am the light of the world — I teach men inwardly by my Spirit, and outwardly by my preaching, what is the will of God; and I show them, by my example, how they must do it.
Verse 6
[6] When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay,
He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay — This might almost have blinded a man that had sight. But what could it do toward curing the blind? It reminds us that God is no farther from the event, when he works either with, or without means, and that all the creatures are only that which his almighty operation makes them.
Verse 7
[7] And said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is by interpretation, Sent.) He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing.
Go, wash at the pool of Siloam — Perhaps our Lord intended to make the miracle more taken notice of. For a crowd of people would naturally gather round him to observe the event of so strange a prescription, and it is exceeding probable, the guide who must have led him in traversing a great part of the city, would mention the errand he was going upon, and so call all those who saw him to a greater attention. From the fountain of Siloam, which was without the walls of Jerusalem, a little stream flowed into the city, and was received in a kind of basin, near the temple, and called the pool of Siloam.
Which is, by interpretation, Sent — And so was a type of the Messiah, who was sent of God.
He went and washed, and came seeing — He believed, and obeyed, and found a blessing. Had he been wise in his own eyes, and reasoned, like Naaman, on the impropriety of the means, he had justly been left in darkness. Lord, may our proud hearts be subdued to the methods of thy recovering grace! May we leave thee to choose how thou wilt bestow favours, which it is our highest interest to receive on any terms.
Verse 11
[11] He answered and said, A man that is called Jesus made clay, and anointed mine eyes, and said unto me, Go to the pool of Siloam, and wash: and I went and washed, and I received sight.
A man called Jesus — He seems to have been before totally ignorant of him.
Verse 14
[14] And it was the sabbath day when Jesus made the clay, and opened his eyes.
Anointing the eyes — With any kind of medicine on the Sabbath, was particularly forbidden by the tradition of the elders.
Verse 16
[16] Therefore said some of the Pharisees, This man is not of God, because he keepeth not the sabbath day. Others said, How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles? And there was a division among them.
This man is not of God — Not sent of God.
How can a man that is a sinner — That is, one living in wilful sin, do such miracles?
Verse 17
[17] They say unto the blind man again, What sayest thou of him, that he hath opened thine eyes? He said, He is a prophet.
What sayest thou of him, for that he hath opened thine eyes? — What inference dost thou draw herefrom?
Verse 22
[22] These words spake his parents, because they feared the Jews: for the Jews had agreed already, that if any man did confess that he was Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue.
He should be put out of the synagogue — That is be excommunicated.
Verse 27
[27] He answered them, I have told you already, and ye did not hear: wherefore would ye hear it again? will ye also be his disciples?
Are ye also — As well as I, at length convinced and willing to be his disciples?
Verse 29
[29] We know that God spake unto Moses: as for this fellow, we know not from whence he is.
We know not whence he is — By what power and authority he does these things.
Verse 30
[30] The man answered and said unto them, Why herein is a marvellous thing, that ye know not from whence he is, and yet he hath opened mine eyes.
The man answered — Utterly illiterate as he was. And with what strength and clearness of reason! So had God opened the eyes of his understanding, as well as his bodily eyes.
Why, herein is a marvellous thing, that ye — The teachers and guides of the people, should not know, that a man who has wrought a miracle, the like of which was never heard of before, must be from heaven, sent by God.
Verse 31
[31] Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth.
We — Even we of the populace, know that God heareth not sinners - Not impenitent sinners, so as to answer their prayers in this manner. The honest courage of this man in adhering to the truth, though he knew the consequence, John 9:22, gives him claim to the title of a confessor.
Verse 33
[33] If this man were not of God, he could do nothing.
He could do nothing — Of this kind; nothing miraculous.
Verse 34
[34] They answered and said unto him, Thou wast altogether born in sins, and dost thou teach us? And they cast him out.
Born in sin — And therefore, they supposed, born blind.
They cast him out — Of the synagogue; excommunicated him.
Verse 35
[35] Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when he had found him, he said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God?
Having found him — For he had sought him.
Verse 36
[36] He answered and said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him?
Who is he, that I may believe? — This implies some degree of faith already. He was ready to receive whatever Jesus said.
Verse 37
[37] And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee.
Lord, I believe — What an excellent spirit was this man of! Of so deep and strong an understanding; (as he had just shown to the confusion of the Pharisees,) and yet of so teachable a temper!
Verse 39
[39] And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind.
For judgment am I come into the world — That is, the consequence of my coming will be, that by the just judgment of God, while the blind in body and soul receive their sight, they who boast they see, will be given up to still greater blindness than before.
Verse 41
[41] Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth.
If ye had been blind — Invincibly ignorant; if ye had not had so many means of knowing: ye would have had no sin - Comparatively to what ye have now.
But now ye say — Ye yourselves acknowledge, Ye see, therefore your sin remaineth - Without excuse, without remedy.
The Upper Room Ministries ®. Copyright © 2017
PO Box 340004
Nashville, Tennessee 37203-0004, United States
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VICTORY IN JESUSAfter he said this, he spit on the ground, made mud with the saliva, and smeared the mud on the man’s eyes. Jesus said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (this word means sent). So the man went away and washed. When he returned, he could see. (John 9:6-7)
It was a beautiful Saturday night in June, and seventeen-year-old Daniel jumped into his pickup after saying good night to his girlfriend. He had just enough time to make it home before his midnight curfew. It had been an exciting day spent cooling off from the summer sun by swimming. He was driving south on state highway 54, barefoot and still wearing his swimsuit without a T-shirt.
It was dark on the desolate little highway — so dark that Daniel didn’t see the black cow that had wondered onto the pavement. He slammed on the brakes, but it was too late. He hit the cow and the pickup started to flip. Since he wasn’t wearing his seat belt, he was thrown through the windshield. His head hit the pavement, and then, his scantily clad body skidded across the caustic surface. The momentum of the ejection finally slowed, and Daniel came to a stop. He was barely conscious, but he was aware enough to move himself commando style to the side of the road. He wanted to avoid traffic although there was hardly any on the highway so late at night.
In fact, Daniel lay by the side of the highway for forty minutes until someone drove by, saw his truck, and then found him. As they were loading him in the ambulance, his parents drove upon the scene as they were now retracing Daniel’s steps. He was rushed to the hospital thirty miles away.
Daniel’s church was buzzing the next day with the news of the accident. The minister went to the hospital after the service. The first person he saw was Daniel’s grandmother. Her face revealed that she was reliving the experience of another grandson who was paralyzed because of a car wreck about a year earlier.
Daniel was in ICU with severe head trauma. He was alive, but unconscious. The extent of the damage was unknown, but the doctors were hopeful. Over the next few weeks, Daniel began to regain consciousness, but only for brief periods of time. With slurred speech, he would identify the people in the room. He recognized the minister but couldn’t recall his name. He simply called him Preacher. It became apparent that recovery would be a long process. His mind was like that of a child, and he would have to start over with his education. He would probably miss his senior year of high school just to relearn the basics in life such as walking, talking, eating, and dressing. After a month-long stay in the local hospital, Daniel would be transferred to a specialized rehabilitation center in Dallas. As soon as the paperwork was cleared, Daniel was moved.
At the end of the week, the minister was shopping at Walmart with his family. While pushing the cart past the men’s wear section, he was surprised when Daniel’s dad stepped into the aisle. The father was equally surprised to see the minister and his family. He simply asked the minister and family to follow him. He led them to the pharmacy where Daniel was picking up a prescription with his mother and his brother. Daniel had been released from the rehabilitation center. What was supposed to be months of rehabilitation turned out to be a week. The doctors couldn’t explain it. The area on his brain that was bruised had mysteriously cleared up on its own. Daniel’s motor skills were still a little slow, but they were functioning normally.
Two days later, the minister fully expected to see Daniel and his family in worship. He was a little disappointed to walk into the sanctuary as the service started and see their regular pew still empty. But dismay soon turned to a joy. As soon as the congregation began to sing the chorus of the first hymn, the family walked in. The timing couldn’t have been more perfect. Shivers went up and down many a spine as they sang “O victory in Jesus, my savior forever!”
The doctors couldn’t medically explain Daniel’s recovery. But it was obvious to the church people. After all, they sang about it in the hymn. There is victory in Jesus. In this case, that victory meant the physical healing of a young man. Thanks be to God.
This article originally appeared in Lectionary Tales for the Pulpit, Series VI, Cycle A Copyright © 2007 CSS Publishing.read more
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LET'S LET THE EXPERTS HANDLE THISBy William H. Willimon
Bishop Will Willimon preaches from John 9:1-41, exploring how the blind man's encounter with Jesus moves the man from darkness to light.
Will Willimon is the author of Fear of the Other and Who Lynched Willie Earle? Preaching to Confront Racism, both from Abingdon Press. He also publishes Pulpit Resource, a weekly preaching resource available through Ministry Matters. This sermon is from A Sermon for Every Sunday, a series of lectionary-based video sermons designed for use in worship, Bible study, small groups, Sunday school classes or for individual use.read more
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WORSHIP ELEMENTS: MARCH 26, 2017 by Sharon McCartFourth Sunday in Lent
COLOR: Purple
SCRIPTURE READINGS: 1 Samuel 16:1-13; Psalm 23; Ephesians 5:8-14; John 9:1-41
THEME IDEAS
When we see clearly, our lives are transformed. But seeing God clearly, recognizing Christ, and perceiving the anointing of God requires the work and light of the Holy Spirit. When we have the light of the Spirit, we see God and understand things more fully, we see others with the eyes of Christ. God does not value us for what we look like. God sees into our hearts and knows what we feel and believe. Anyone can be called by God to achieve greatness. And everyone is cared for by the Good Shepherd, who gives us all that we need. For we are all “children of light,” created by the One who is light, and in whom there is no darkness at all. Yet, we are also all blind and in need of healing so that we might be the sight of God, clear and undistorted by our sin, our hurts, our agendas, and our prejudices. The light of the world shines, and the darkness that is in the world has not overcome it—not in our individual lives, not in our collective lives, not in the history of the world as a whole. The light will not be extinguished. We must let it shine through us!
INVITATION AND GATHERING
Call to Worship (Ephesians 5, John 9)
When the world is dark and full of hate and fear,
when we cannot see God
we will turn on the light.
When we cannot find our way back to love and peace
we will turn on the light.
When our vision dims due to the darkness within
we will turn on the light.
Christ opens our eyes with the gift of sight.
The light of the world is Jesus Christ.
Come and worship the one
who brings sight to the blind.
Hallelujah! Praise God, the light of the world!
Opening Prayer (Ephesians 5, John 9)
Gracious God, who created us in God’s own image,
we are grateful for all that you have done for us,
for all that you are doing in us,
and for all that you will do through us.
Open our eyes to see your presence among us,
moving in powerful ways at all times
and in all places.
Open our ears to hear familiar words in new ways—
ways that will change us and challenge us
to become the people you created us to be.
Grant us the power and the courage
to come out of the darkness
and into the light of Jesus Christ,
that we may serve you by serving others.
We love you with all our heart, soul, mind,
and strength. Amen.
PROCLAMATION AND RESPONSE
Prayer of Confession (1 Samuel 16, Ephesians 5, John 9)
Forgiving God, in a world filled with so much pain,
we would rather shut our eyes and be blind
than see things as they really are.
Grant us the courage to face the reality of our world,
and give us the strength to bring your light
to those who walk in darkness.
Help us see others as you see them,
and forgive us when we do not trust you enough
to open our eyes to the possibilities before us.
Heal our self-inflicted blindness, O God,
and lead us in the footsteps
of the Light of the World,
who reveals your glory in his life,
his teachings, and his love.
In his holy name, we pray. Amen.
Words of Assurance (Psalm 23)
Christ came to lead us in paths of righteousness
and to guide us through our lives.
Christ is with us in times of danger and times of peace.
The goodness and mercy of God
are given to us each and every day of our lives.
God forgives us for our failings, upholds us in love,
and leads us to the place
that Christ has prepared for us.
Believe in your heart that God loves you
and forgives you.
We believe! God help our unbelief!
Response to the Word (Ephesians 5, John 9)
In the light of God, all is made clear. We see how much God loves us and how much God loves all people. We see Christ, the Light of the World, in Scripture and in our lives; and although we once were blind, now we see!
THANKSGIVING AND COMMUNION
Offering Prayer (Psalm 23)
God of light and love and peace,
we praise your name
for leading us in paths of righteousness,
that we may come into your presence,
forgiven and free.
We give you thanks for guiding us to this place:
where we may rest beside the still waters
of your grace,
where we are filled with the good gifts
of your goodness and mercy.
We worship you with all that we are,
and we bless your name for all that we will be
as we continue on our journey—
a journey that leads us to your kingdom,
where we will dwell with you forever.
We offer you these gifts,
that you might bless them and send them out
into the valley of the shadow of death,
and everywhere in need of your light. Amen.
SENDING FORTH
Benediction (Psalm 23, Ephesians 5)
Go into the world, carrying the light of Christ
into the darkness!
We go, with hearts full and eyes open!
Receive God’s love and care,
and share that love and care with others!
We go, with eyes reflecting God’s light
and hands open to share it!
May you walk in the light of Christ
all the days of your life!
We will follow Christ wherever he leads us! Amen!
CONTEMPORARY OPTIONS
Gathering Words (Psalm 23)
Let’s go to some place green and cool!
But we have to go through that industrial area
to get there!
We’ll just take the shortcut by the river.
And let’s take something to eat!
Good idea! We can share it with the people
over on the other side!
They never have enough to eat!
And tonight we can sleep out under the stars!
We are part of God’s creation
and God will take care of us!
God is good, all the time!
And all the time, God is good!
Praise Sentences (Psalm 23)
God gives us what we need!
God shows us how to live!
Praise God for being with us no matter what!
Love the Lord your God,
with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength!
From The Abingdon Worship Annual edited by Mary J. Scifres and B.J. Beu, Copyright © Abingdon Press. The Abingdon Worship Annual 2017 is now available.read more
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WORSHIP CONNECTION: MARCH 26, 2017 by Nancy C. TownleyFourth Sunday in Lent
COLOR: Purple
SCRIPTURE READINGS: 1 Samuel 16:1-13; Psalm 23; Ephesians 5:8-14; John 9:1-41
The theme for Lent: CLOSE ENCOUNTERS AT THE CROSS
Each week a script will be provided, following the gospel lesson, concerning those whom Jesus met.
Fourth Sunday in Lent: CLOSE ENCOUNTERS AT THE CROSS: THE MAN BORN BLIND
CALLS TO WORSHIP
Call to Worship #1:
L: Once you lived in darkness.
P: Now the light of God has shone upon us.
L: Find what is pleasing to God and follow God’s ways.
P: The acts of darkness are left behind as we journey to God’s light.
L: Thanks be to God who gives us the light.
P: Open our eyes and our hearts to receive your light of salvation. AMEN.
Call to Worship #2:
L: The Lord is our shepherd; we will have all that we need; we are released from fear.
P: The Shepherd guides us in fruitful living, giving us healing and pardon.
L: Even though difficulties and dangers may lie ahead, we do not need to fear.
P: God’s love and strength are as a rod and staff for us.
L: God will give us abundantly from God’s own love.
P: Surely this goodness and mercy will be with us all of our days, and we will dwell in God’s loving care forevermore. AMEN.
Call to Worship #3:
[Using THE FAITH WE SING, p. 2058, “Shepherd Me, O God,” the refrain only, offer the following call to worship as directed.]
L: The Lord is my shepherd.
P: I am troubled, O Lord, and fearful. I cannot find my way to you.
L: I will give you what you need.
P: But I am weak; my courage has failed.
Soloist: singing the refrain of “Shepherd Me, O God”
L: You are given healing, beloved child.
P: Take me beyond my wants and burdens.
L: You are invited to dwell in the house of peace forever.
P: Lord, I come to you, seeking your healing love and salvation. AMEN.
Soloist: singing the refrain of “Shepherd Me, O God” Call to Worship #4:
L: We are blind to many things.
P: Lord, cure our blindness.
L: The light of God shines for us today.
P: Lord, pour that light on us.
L: Come, worship God who forgives and heals your blindness.
P: Open our eyes, O Lord, that we might see opportunities to serve you. AMEN.
PRAYERS, READING, BENEDICTION
Opening Prayer
Source of Light, God of great mercy and love, we come to you this day seeking restoration of our sight. Clear away our blindness, and give us a new vision of all that we can accomplish in your name. Give us strength and confidence to truly witness to your abiding love and faithfulness. For we offer this prayer in Jesus’ Name. AMEN.
Prayer of Confession
Healing God, we have languished in our blindness. We have chosen to hide in darkness in order to avoid reaching out and risking acceptance. We are afraid of the light, and yet we crave it. In your light, there is healing and hope, restoration and transformation. Forgive our lack of faith and our fearfulness, O Lord. Give us courage to reach out to the light and accept its healing rays. May our lives be transformed by your mercy, for we pray this in Jesus’ Name. AMEN.
Words of Assurance
Even though you have lived in darkness, God’s light is being poured out for you. Accept the light and love that is freely offered, and be transformed by its healing mercies. AMEN.
Pastoral Prayer
Lord of life, we surely are a stubborn people. We wail and whine about the darkness that seems to claim our lives, yet we persist in creating that darkness to cover our mistakes and our misdeeds. You are merciful and will pardon and heal us. But we are afraid because we cannot forgive ourselves for our own transgressions. Help us let go of the need to continually hide and punish ourselves. Free us from the angry spirit that dwells so deeply in us and in our land. Give us courage and confidence to be people of love, hope and peace; for we ask this in Jesus’ Name. AMEN.
Readers’ Theater: CLOSE ENCOUNTERS AT THE CROSS: THE MAN BORN BLIND
[The large rough wooden cross is placed in the front of the chancel/worship area. Place burlap at the base to cover the stand. Have the same person read the part of Jesus each week. It should be someone with a good speaking voice. Each person who encounters Jesus will be wearing/carrying a length of cloth. When their encounter with Jesus is complete, they place the cloth over the arm of the cross and leave. The red fabric, worn last week by the woman at the well, is removed from the cross and draped down the left front of the worship center, slightly overlapping the purple fabric of Nicodemus. The color of the fabric for the man born blind is navy blue.]
Narrator: As Jesus walked with his disciples, they saw a man who had been born blind.
The disciples asked Jesus whether the blindness was the fault of the man or of his parents. Jesus responded that it was the fault of neither the man nor his parents but stated that this would be an opportunity for people to see God’s work in this man.
Jesus: I am the light of the world. See, I have spat on the ground, have made a paste with the soil and saliva and have placed it on your eyes. Now, go and wash yourself in the Pool of Siloam.
Narrator: And the man did as Jesus instructed, and immediately his sight was restored. The people who had seen the man begging at the corner were astonished and asked how this would be possible.
Man: There was this man, Jesus, who made the mud, spread it on my eyes, and said to me, "Go to Siloam and wash." And I went and washed and received my sight. I do not know where he is right now.
Narrator: Now it was on the Sabbath day when Jesus had performed this miracle; and they brought the previously blind man to the Pharisees to show them what had happened. The man told them about the miracle, but the Pharisees were divided on their understanding. Some thought he might be from God because of the miracle; but others said that he could not be from God, because he had performed the miracle on the Sabbath. The man however was convinced that Jesus was, indeed, a prophet. They went to the parents of the man and asked if he had always been blind. They were afraid of the Pharisees, but answered truthfully that he had always been blind. They did not know how he received his sight or who gave it to him.
Man: I don’t know what else to tell you. I was born blind. I have never had eyesight, and yet this man, this Jesus, made the mud, spread it on my eyes, told me to go and wash in the Pool of Siloam. I did. And I received my sight. That’s the honest truth. Perhaps you might want to become his disciples because of the miracle he did. It is an astonishing thing! You do not know where the man comes from, and yet he opened my eyes. We know that God does not listen to sinners, but he does listen to one who worships him and obeys his will. Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a person born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.
Narrator: The Pharisees were so upset over the man’s words that they drove him out of the Temple.
Jesus: Do you believe in the Son of Man?
Man: And who is he, sir? Tell me, so that I may believe in him.
Jesus: You have seen him, and the one who is speaking with you is he.
Man: Lord, I believe.
Jesus: I came into this world for judgment so that those who do not see may see, and those who do see may become blind.
Narrator: Some of the Pharisees near him heard this and asked him if he thought that they were blind.
Jesus: If you were blind, you would not have sin. But now that you say, "We see," your sin remains.
Benediction
Lord, give us such sight, that we may see the many ways of serving you by helping others. Help us bring sight to others who dwell in deep darkness. AMEN.
ARTISTIC ELEMENTS
The traditional color for today is: Purple; and I have added “character” colors to the worship setting.
SURFACE: There are no risers on the worship center.
FABRIC: Cover the worship center with purple cloth. On the left side of the worship center there should be the black cloth of Satan, the purple cloth of Nicodemus, the red cloth of the Samaritan woman at the well. Those strips of cloth should puddle to the floor. [Note: You may be approaching the middle of the table, which is OK because you will want the fabric to go across the entire worship center by the time we get to Holy Thursday.]
CANDLES: Place two candles on either side of the open Bible.
FLOWERS/PLANTS: Not necessary for this setting.
ROCKS/WOOD: Not necessary for this setting.
OTHER: Place an open Bible on the center of the worship table.read more
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WORSHIP FOR KIDS: MARCH 26, 2017 by Carolyn C. BrownFrom a Child's Point of View
Old Testament: I Samuel 16:1-13. This story of Samuel anointing David king gives children hope. God did not select the oldest or most grown-up, but the one his family considered too young to come to the sacrificial feast. Children who eat in the kitchen while adults eat in the dining room, or who are left at home with a baby-sitter while parents go to interesting-sounding parties and movies, appreciate God's choice of someone like them.
God's message to Samuel about how God "sees" or judges a person offers children both security and a challenge. The security is that God sees them as they really are. Teachers, coaches, other kids, and even parents may misjudge their behavior. But God knows who they really are, appreciates good intentions that come out all wrong, and empathizes with their internal struggles with problems that others discount. The challenge is to use God's standards in judging others. God sees beyond what a person looks like and does, to what a person thinks and feels. We are to try to do the same.
Psalm: 23. This psalm of trust in God's care and protection is based on two images—the shepherd and the banquet table. Children who attend church school throughout childhood collect the details of shepherd life (pastures, still waters, rods, staffs) and explore the figure of the shepherd as one who is devoted to the sheep and can be depended upon to care for them. These children recognize at an early age that in the Bible sheep often stand for God's people in the same way the American eagle stands for Americans. The unchurched urban child, however, is likely to identify a shepherd as a fierce guard dog, and thus be baffled by the psalm.
Among the banquet images, the overflowing cup needs to be introduced as a continually refilled cup. There are children for whom an overflowing cup at the dinner table rates a scolding for clumsiness. And the only sensible response to having oil poured on your head is gratitude that you do not live in the day when that was considered a treat.
Epistle: Ephesians 5:8-14. Light and darkness are rich images, based in experiences shared by people of all ages. When children are in bed, they are afraid of what they think they may see in the dark. They also worry about bumping into things or falling down if they try to move about in the dark. Based on such experiences, they prefer to be children of light rather than children of the dark. Younger children accept the designation of God's people as the children of light in the same way they accept the name and symbol of their sport team. Older children can begin to identify ways that God's people are like light for the world: We light up the world by loving instead of hating and by caring for those who need help.
Those children who hide in the darkness under the covers, in the closet, or in a clubhouse, to do things they know they should not be doing, understand Paul's instructions to do only those things that can be done without shame in full daylight.
Gospel: John 9:1-41. This story is long and complicated. After hearing it read, few children will be able to retell it in any detail. They will depend on the preacher to raise a few key points and retell the related parts of the story.
Chief among those points is that Jesus loved the blind man enough to do what he could (in Jesus' case, to heal him!). Everyone else was sitting around feeling sad about the man's blindness and wondering why he was blind. We can expect God to respond to our problems with action, just as we are to follow Jesus' example in responding to the needs of others.
Older children enjoy exploring the comparison of the physical blindness of the man with the blindness of the religious leaders (their refusal to see who Jesus was and what God was doing). With help, they can identify other attitudes as blindness: racial or ethnic prejudice (refusal to see certain groups as children of God); hatred of individuals (refusal to see even disagreeable people as God's children); and greedy self-centeredness (refusal to see anyone's needs but our own).
Watch Words
Be careful about "shepherd" vocabulary. Rods and staffs, in particular, may need explanation.
Let the Children Sing
Choose a hymn version of Psalm 23 that is familiar to your congregation and follows the biblical text closely.
Beware of the confusing light images and difficult light language of many hymns focused on light. To sing about our mission to the world, try "God of Grace and God of Glory." Younger children will pick up the repeated phrases.
If your children are familiar with "What a Friend We Have in Jesus," sing it to celebrate Jesus' loving action.
If you focus on David's character, sing of other faith heroes with "I Sing a Song of the Saints of God."
The Liturgical Child
1. If you use candles in your Sunday morning worship, take time to point out their significance in relation to today's texts about light.
2. To help children keep up with the story in John 9, ask a group to pantomime the story as it is read. Since this requires at least ten players (2 disciples, 2 neighbors, 2 Pharisees, the blind man, his 2 parents, and Jesus), it may be a good project for a youth class. Because there is so much movement, plan for at least one good rehearsal. Costumes would be nice but are not essential.
3. Offer a Confession of Sin based on light and dark:
Lord, you have called us to be children of light, but we live more like children of darkness. We allow dark, unhappy feelings to run our lives. We do, in secret, things we want to hide from everyone—especially from you. And we openly say and do things that make people's lives dark and miserable. Forgive us. Help us to soak up so much of your light and love that we cannot help shining for others. We pray in the name of Jesus, who is the light of the whole world. Amen.
Assurance of Pardon: Jesus said, "I am the light of the world," and he said to his disciples, "You are the light of the world." The Bible promises us that "the light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not put it out." So we are forgiven and are called to be the children of light.
Sermon Resources
1. David is often referred to as "a man after God's own heart." Explore Psalm 23 to learn what God might have liked about the person who wrote it, and what God might want to see in us:
Verses 1-2: David did not worry about what he would eat or wear. He trusted God's loving care.
Verse 3b: David expected God to tell him what to do. He knew that God would help him know right from wrong. Note his response when Nathan pointed out his murder of Uraih.
Verse 4: David was brave. Nothing frightened him when he was doing God's work. Cite as an example his killing of Goliath.
Verse 5: David was willing to live with some enemies around, and he expected that life would be good in spite of them.
Verse 6a: David enjoyed life as God's good gift and expected it to be good and happy.
Verse 6b: David wanted to be near God every day, especially in worship. Point to his writing of psalms and the abandon with which he danced before the Ark of the Covenant. read more
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SERMON OPTIONS: MARCH 26, 2017A KID AFTER GOD'S OWN HEART1 SAMUEL 16:1-13
Question: What do the following stories have in common? Noah building an ark. Abraham setting out to sacrifice Isaac. Rahab harboring the spies. It's true they're all Old Testament stories about early heroes, but that's not the answer. They're all stories about God, first and foremost. Bible stories aren't so much about the characters as they are about the God who works divine purposes through them and sometimes in spite of them.
I. God Selects His Servants
The story before us isn't so much about David as it is about God. God tells Samuel to anoint a new king. God warns against trusting outward appearances. God chooses David. God is the leading actor in this story.
II. God Doesn't Select as We Would
Samuel is to anoint a new king from among Jesse's sons. Eliab, the eldest, is striking, but he is not God's choice. Neither are the others. Samuel asks, "You don't have any other sons?"
"Well, just a shepherd boy."
"Go get him."
David enters, and Samuel announces, "You're the one." Young David is anointed Israel's next king. What a selection—not just that God selects an insignificant shepherd, but David was the last of eight sons.
Psychologists note that a person's birth order impacts personality; for example, firstborns might be passive and those born second might be aggressive, and so forth. David was the eighth of eight boys. In psychological terms, he had to fight for even one chicken leg at dinner, and he could forget about using the telephone.
David was twelve, maybe thirteen. At an age when most kids think about making the team, David was selected king. An adolescent king? Do you remember Mark Twain's line? "When kids become teenagers, parents should put them in a barrel and feed them through the knot hole. When they become sixteen, plug the knot hole."
David was a teenager. Remember? A time of changing voices and bodies, pimples, and girls towering over boys. It was in this stage of life that God named David as Israel's king.
Of course, God has done this kind of thing more than once. God called Jeremiah before he began shaving. God chose the teenager Mary to carry the Messiah. And when Jesus was twelve, his parents found him in the Temple discussing theology.
It's not just in biblical times. In 1947, two shepherd boys were grazing their flocks in the Middle East. One of the animals strayed off, so Muhammed el-Dib went searching, hoping to find his sheep. He found something else—the Dead Sea Scrolls, the greatest archaeological find ever.
III. God Selects Servants Based on What's Inside
So, God picked an adolescent for king. Why?
Do you remember Cinderella's story? She lives with her cruel stepmother and stepsisters. Cinderella does all the work. Then the invitation comes for the royal ball. Cinderella dreams of going but can't. Later, her fairy godmother grants her wish. The prince falls in love with her, but she flees at midnight and he's left with her glass slipper. He searches for her everywhere. The stepsisters and the stepmother try the slipper on, but with no luck. The prince asks if others live there. "No one else, just Cinderella."
"Bring her here at once."
"But why? She's a nobody."
"Bring her here."
Remember? The prince slides it on her foot, looks into her eyes, and says, "You're the one."
What was it God saw in David? A heart. David was a kid after God's own heart. Of course, that can happen at any age and to anyone. A crown that fit. A slipper that fit. God looks into your eyes and says, "You're the one." (Mike Graves)
LIFE IN THE LIGHT
EPHESIANS 5:8-14
First-century Christian gatherings had different nuances from our contemporary worship traditions. This text may give us insight into the worship and faith of the first-century churches. The exhortations in verses 8-12 rest on the principles of verses 13-14. The principle is, everything exposed by light becomes visible as a result of the light.
This is a truth taken from the natural world. This is also true in the spiritual realm because Christ is the light. Verse 14 may very well be a baptismal hymn used in first-century worship. The hymn exhorts the new believers as they emerge in baptism, symbolizing their movement from death into life: "Rise from the death of your dark sins, and Christ our light will shine upon you!" If this is the understanding of the initial steps in faith, then Paul's exhortations in verses 8-12 take on great significance.
I. We Share a Dark Past
Paul tells his readers that at one time they were darkness. Before conversion, believers abode in the dark chaos to which blindness is the best analogy. Before faith in Christ, improper judgment without discernment was the guiding force. This darkness is that of disobedience, and Paul states to even mention the specific deeds of people in darkness would be shameful (v. 12). The spiritual blindness of disobedience is magnified in that those abiding in the spiritual darkness do not have a desire to know their faults or shortcomings. We must be careful at this point, lest we look too harshly at persons disobedient in Paul's day or in ours. Though sinful deeds make us blush with shame for them, we cannot be judgmental because Paul began by noting "once you were darkness." The point is for us to marvel at the grace of God in our lives, to "awake" us from our spiritual death and heal us from our spiritual blindness to see the light of the world, Jesus Christ.
II. We Are Called to Life in the Light
Life in the darkness is fruitless and is to be avoided by children of God (v. 11). As "children of light," we are to bear fruit in contrast to the barrenness of our former disobedience. Three commands outline how our lives should bear fruit of being children of light.
First, Paul says we are to "live as children of light" (v. 8). Children bear a resemblance to their parents: facial features, character flaws, attitudes, life views, and so on. As children of light, we must bear in us the likeness or image of the source of life, Jesus Christ. As children grow in the image of their parents, so we are to grow spiritually, being shaped into the image and likeness of Christ. With John the Baptist we must decidedly declare, "I must decrease that he might increase." Elsewhere Paul viewed this as a daily death to self, but a rebirth in the nature of Christ.
The fruit of light that we are to bear is all goodness, righteousness, and truth. These three general aspects of Christ's nature should be growing in our lives. Those who are willing to die to self, as symbolized in baptism, can be resurrected in Christ's life, bearing the fruit of goodness, righteousness, and truth.
Second, Paul makes clear that children of light should "find out" what pleases the Lord (v. 10). Darkness is a good place to hide—no one can see our faltering. We are brought out of the dark to be obedient children of God who are willing to know what God desires in our lives. When in darkness, we had no desire to please God, but as children of light, we should be looking to find those things God desires.
Finally, Paul exhorts us to avoid those deeds of darkness that once plagued our lives (v. 11). New Testament conversion always anticipated a change in character. A clear and radical change in nature, character, and deeds was assumed to be normative. Paul now encourages believers to avoid those deeds associated with the past. Although it is not popular today, the New Testament is as clear about personal holiness as salvation. Our nature, character, and deeds are to be transformed by the Holy Spirit who moves us from our death of sin into the enlightened resurrected life of faith. We are to heed the Spirit's work, "Wake up, O sleeper." (Joseph Byrd)
A BLIND MAN AS A WITNESSING GUIDE
JOHN 9:1-41
Let's get the basic picture of this fascinating story. Jesus is teaching in the Temple when the Jews take up stones to kill him. He manages to escape them, melting into the crowd and making his way out of the Temple precincts. But in passing out of the Temple area he sees a man who has been born blind—the only case in all the Gospels of one who was so disabled and healed. Jesus stops. It is instructive that Jesus stops and notices the man under the circumstances, fleeing from his enemies who would kill him. And what happens after that is a marvelous lesson in witnessing.
Let this blind man be our witnessing guide. But you say, "Wait a minute! That's not fair. My conversion is not at all like his conversion experience. His was dramatic; mine was prosaic." Remember that whether your conversion was a slow turning to Christ as a child in the bosom of the church or a dramatic shattering of an old life, in both cases the same Christ has brought salvation. Remember that we are alike in that we all have a need that we bring to Christ. This man's need was not only physical blindness but also spiritual—he needed acceptance; he needed to know somebody cared. He needed to know that God cared. And Jesus filled his need. Jesus fills that need in all of our lives. When Jesus met that need for this blind man, it made a difference in his life. Look with me at the differences.
I. A Genuine Conversion Raises Questions About You
Look at verses 8-9. His neighbors, those who formerly knew the man, that he was blind, said, "This is not the blind man, is it?" And some people said, "Oh, yes, this is he." Others said, "No, this is not the blind man—it just looks like him." The man himself insisted, "Wait a minute. It is I!" The tragedy is that we overlook people, and that's why they didn't really know whether he was the blind man or not. The physical change was very small. His eyes were shut, and now they were open. Why did they suddenly not know a man because his eyes were open?
Because they didn't notice him when his eyes were shut! But there was a definite change in the man who had been blind, not a big one physically, but very real—something definitely happened. He was running around, he was seeing, he was talking to people—he was different. And they were asking questions about it.
A genuine conversion experience ought to make changes. When you and I become Christians, there ought to be an obvious dimension of difference in our lives, an attractive difference, a good difference. I read of a little fellow who got converted and then went a week or so later to a camp. It was not a church camp but one sponsored by a community or civic club. Afterward he was unpacking and said to his mother, "Mom, we were there a whole week, and not one of them found out I was a Christian." I'm afraid that's all too true. They asked questions not just about the man himself but also about Jesus: "Where is the man who did this? Tell us about him." It's good to see a crowd of people wanting to see Jesus without rocks in their hands. They were going to build their idea about the man who healed the blindness on the basis of what the healed man said and how he acted. That's worth noticing. It's really all the world has to go on.
II. A Genuine Conversion Leaves Room to Grow
Questions were left in the mind of the man who had been blind, too. They said to him, "Where is he?" (v. 12). And he said, "I don't know." The Pharisees criticized Jesus. "This man is a sinner," they said. "Give credit to God" (v. 24). The man's response was that he didn't know whether Jesus was a sinner or not. The fellow didn't have all the answers.
In witnessing there are two heresies. The first is to say you know it all—that is neither biblical nor true, and it damages your witness to say such. The other heresy is to say that since you became a Christian, all problems are gone, and all is sweetness, peace, and light. That's not true. The man still didn't know why he was born blind. Think about that. Jesus only told him what he was going to do with the blindness—glorify God. The man did not find out why Jesus picked him of all the people there on that particular Sunday afternoon who needed healing. You do not have to know everything to be a good witness.
III. A Genuine Conversion Brings Varying Responses
We also find that his sharing of what happened to him brought forth varying responses from the people around him. When the man was brought to the Pharisees and questioned, they were divided. Some said, "This man Jesus can't be from God. He healed on the Sabbath." Others said, "What do you mean? A man cannot do these things unless he's from God!" The Pharisees came back to the once blind man and said, "Well, what do you say? He healed you, you say. What do you think about it?" "He's a prophet." Then they laughed in his face, and it was clear they really didn't believe he had ever been blind.
There was also the response of withdrawal as his parents backed off in fear of the authorities. People are that way, even about their religion. And some folks get downright angry. The man was summoned again by the Pharisees who said, "Well, fellow, you might as well admit that this man's a sinner." That was when he got angry and suggested that they were supposed to know the answers: "You don't even know where he is from, and he healed me!" Their reply was to kick him out of the synagogue!
IV. A Genuine Conversion Gives a Natural Testimony
People say, "I don't know how to share what God has done for me. I don't know how to talk about it." Just share it as this man did. It was very natural—he just told what had happened to him. He told them, to the best of his ability, who did it. He didn't embellish it. He just told what happened. People are interested in your story and my story; they want to know what happened to us when we met Jesus. The man witnessed naturally because he had been genuinely converted.
V. A Genuine Conversion Gives an Unshakable Assurance
Finally, here is a man who, because he was genuinely converted, had an unshakable assurance. He said, "Whether this man is a sinner or not, I don't know." He had a beautiful disregard for theological hairsplitting. Sinner or not, I don't know, but one thing I do know! Unshakable assurance. I was blind and now I see. One thing I do know—my life is not what it was or what it would have been without him.
So often you and I think that because we weren't saved from the very gutter, from the gates of hell itself, we are not different from what we would have been, but we are. I am not a child of the devil; I am a child of God. I am going to heaven. Change has been made, and because we love God, and because we pray, and because we study God's Word, and because we want to have fellowship with others who trust him—we have the assurance, as John says in his letters, that we have been born again. (Earl E. Davis)
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MARCH 26, 2017 - HERE'S WHAT I KNOW by William H. WilsonPULPIT RESOURCE
INSPIRING-HUMOROUS-EDGY-CONFRONTING-RELEVANTDOWNLOAD A SAMPLE NOW
Welcome to the new Pulpit Resource from Will Willimon. For over three decades Pulpit Resource helps preachers prepare to preach. Now in partnership with Abingdon Press, this homiletical weekly is available with fresh and timely accessibility to a new generation of preachers.
No sermon is a solo production. Every preacher relies on inherited models, mentors in the preacher’s past, commentaries on biblical texts by people who have given their lives to such study, comments received from members of the congregation, last week’s news headlines, and all the other things that make a sermon communal.
No Christian does anything on their own. We live through the witness of the saints; preachers of the past inspire us and judge us. Scripture itself is a product of the community of faith. A host of now-forgotten teachers taught us how to speak. Nobody is born a preacher.
Pulpit Resource is equivalent to sitting down with a trusted clergy friend over a cup of coffee and asking, “What will you preach next Sunday?” Whenever I’ve been asked by new preachers, “How can I develop as a preacher?” my usual response is, “Get in a group of preachers. Meet regularly. Learn how to give and how to receive help. Sort through the advice of others, and utilize helpful insights.”
That’s Pulpit Resource.
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You now have the new option of subscribing to Pulpit Resource online to allow you easy access at any time. The print version is also still available for subscription. Simply pick the option that best meets your needs to subscribe today.
ONLINE ONLY SUBSCRIPTION – $70 PRINT SUBSCRIPTION – $70 ONLINE AND PRINT SUBSCRIPTION – $80
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If you subscribed to Will Willimon’s Pulpit Resource through Logos Productions before December 31, 2015, we have a record of your postal address and subscription expiration date, but we do not have your account in our system. To continue receiving Pulpit Resource for the life of your paid subscription, you must call customer service at 1-800-409-5346 or email subscriptions@ministrymatters.com. Your new account will not be charged until it is time to renew your annual subscription.
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MARCH 26, 2017 - FOURTH SUNDAY OF LENT By Gerald LiuPREACHING ANNUAL
The Abingdon Preaching Annual includes:
The Primary Theme Fleshed out with brief, pithy nuggets of thought, idea jump-starters, or questions designed to spur the preacher’s imagination.
Secondary or Parallel Themes Two or three themes or streams of thought that are related to but separate from the primary theme offered.
Worship Helps Including Gathering Prayer, Collect, Pastoral Prayer, Congregational Prayer, Responsive Reading, and a Closing Prayer or Benediction.
Topical Essays These 700 word essays cover a variety of current and critical topics for the preacher—contributed by leading homileticians.
Full Sermons The full text from six to twelve sermons will be included. Additional are available online. These sermons will highlight best practices, unique approaches, and fresh voices.
Sermon Series Ideas This section will briefly outline and describe ideas for unique sermon series based on lectionary readings.
"As a weekly preacher, I often find that preparing for preaching and crafting sermons are spiritual disciplines for me. It is a time in which I try to quiet all of the other 'to do' lists that occupy much of my ministry. This resource from Abingdon Press will now be a partner in those conversations, almost like a new personal devotional guide. I am grateful for additional voices who can help me make space for God’s Living Word." - Shannon J Kershner, Pastor, Fourth Presbyterian Church, Chicago, IL
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You now have the new option of subscribing to the Preaching Annual online to allow you easy access at any time. The print version is also still available for subscription. Simply pick the option that best meets your needs to subscribe today.
ONLINE ONLY SUBSCRIPTION – $20.00 PRINT SUBSCRIPTION – $20.00PULPIT RESOURCE COMBO ONLINE SUBSCRIPTION – $86.75PULPIT RESOURCE COMBO PRINT SUBSCRIPTION – $86.75read more
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