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There’s a marvelous song in PAINT YOUR WAGON: “Where’re ya going?” “I don’t know” “When will you get there?” “I ain’t certain–all that I know is I am on my way.” Scriptures read this weekend celebrate that we’re always in a Divine Process, that we’re never parked for any period as long as God has Creation to do. We also note that we constantly stand in a tension between the Good and Not So Good; not just an ethical behavior, but an acknowledgment that we believe that God is really leading us to a Holy Place.

In GENESIS 12:1-4a we read about the sending of Abram from the city of Haran in Mesopotamia to an unknown place. There he was to illuminate YHWH and call the people there into a God-formed community. “Haran” could be translated as “the crossroad” from whence Abram was sent–and isn’t this an allegory for our lives as well? We’re at an important intersection where we have no map except going forth in faith that God has an idea for us. So Abram hitched up his ox-cart, and put a bumper sticker on the back: “Don’t follow me, I’m lost too!” The call of God always leads us to a more perfect idea of who we are, and what is already unfolding.

St. Paul talks about the human side of the law in ROMANS 4:15,, 13-17, “For the promise that he would inherit the world did not come to Abraham or his descendants through the law but through the righteousness of faith.” Please note that Abraham’s blessing of inheritance wasn’t conditioned by his living right, but only because God saw in him a receptive vessel that could hold rivers of unmerited grace! Abraham’s faith, not the law, was the catalyst for demonstrating God’s Love and attendant blessing.

The Gospel reading is one we know well–or do we? JOHN 3:1-17 is used ad nauseum to bludgeon the non-Christian into conformity with Creation. It’s the conversation of Jesus with Nicodemus, who came and left in the dark, not yet understanding the mystery of the Light. But Nicodemus himself admitted that he was at a crossroads too, and realized (Abram-like) that salvation was a matter of accepting God as God was! Nor did Nicodemus have a map for the journey, as we watch his Christ-life unfold later. Are there those around us who’re fearful of coming out of the shadows? “To be born from above by water and the Spirit, to believe in Jesus, is to leave darkness and to come into the light.”–George W. Stroup, in FEASTING on the WORD

I find that there are always interesting cross-streets to lure me into more comfortable places. Will I stay the course all the way to the place God has promised?

In the process of unfolding, Horace Brown King

Every Tuesday we explore Holy Places through the scripture lessons assigned to the upcoming weekend. Come join us at horacebrownking.com

Not to disparage our grandma’s generation, but the stories about temptation really don’t have to do with sex! Readings presented this weekend address our proclivity to try to assume God’s role. These aren’t even ethical issues, but ones of our theology: who are we? and who is God? Spoiler: two of these stories talk about snakes–or at least about the powers of Evil (Satan?) that assail each of us daily. My maxim holds–“the only good snake is a DEAD snake!”

We begin with the latter parts of the Creation story, found in GENESIS 2:15-17 and 3:1-7. You’ve probably heard the story of Adam & Eve & the serpent in the Garden of Eden; unfortunately, many tellings leave us with the idea that Original Sin (whatever that is) came from eating the fruit of Knowledge of Good & Evil, thus bringing death & condemnation to all (“boo, Adam!”). One good translation of “you shall die” reads “you shall KNOW death”. And so we worry about it. Human purpose, then, isn’t to worry about life & death stuff, but to faithfully care for Creation. The Serpent told First Humans that they could do God’s work by deciding “right” from “wrong”, certainly an ongoing temptation to every generation. Lent is a season for recognizing that each of us is distracted by our own attempts at glory.

Paul’s Letter to the ROMANS (5:12-19) attempts to contrast Jesus and Adam, Grace and Temptation. He admits that “death exercised dominion” through our preoccupation with it, allowing it to shade our lives/actions with fear. The study -leader does well to survey our own angst about dying in order to set the stage for the Christian appearance. Lift up the idea that in Christ is an assurance of moving beyond death into life!

The First Weekend in Lent wouldn’t be complete without the story of Jesus being tempted in the desert (MATTHEW 4:1-11). Here comes that snake, again, with ideas about how Jesus could be in charge of everything in lieu of his Father. He spoke of relevance: turn stones into bread, feed yourself and the whole world; of being spectacular, jumping from the roof of the Temple, which would show the people his invincibility; and of being powerful, being able to direct all the nations of the world and enjoy their riches. Well, sounds good! What would YOU do if you won the big lottery? or were The Grand Marshall? or had super-powers? To what extent will Jesus trust God to be God, that is, to have all these things under control? “Now that you’ve been recently baptized, what will you do? What signs will you give us?”

The Season of Lent begins with a puzzle which tends to keep with us until the resolution of Easter. These readings are part of the contemporary story, and not just interesting incidents of Long Ago.

In the process of unfolding, Horace Brown King

Every Tuesday we’ll explore together the lections assigned to the upcoming weekend. Come along at horacebrownking.com

“Who has not known moments of surprised illumination when, through some outwardly ordinary act, episode or fragment of conversation, someone we thought we knew fairly well is suddenly revealed in a completely new light.” (Douglas John Hall. in FEASTING on the WORD< A 1:452) This Sunday, Transfiguration in most traditions, is the time for recalling all the epiphanies of the current Season–“Epiphany” can be known as “AHA!” Where has God surprised you? has that colored your life? Scripture lessons read this weekend look at such a surprise as being a strength for the Journey: the People of Israel about to undertake a 40-year community-building exercise in the Wilderness; Jesus & Co. on the Way to the Cross, with all that means; even “Peter” getting ready to preside over a world-wide group which has suddenly morphed from a regional holiness-movement…

EXODUS 24:12-18 tells the story of Moses summoned before God on Mt.Sinai. We have few details about this 40-day experience (sound familiar, Noah? 40 is TWICE what you can count on your fingers and toes), but lots of things changed. The People. Certainly Moses himself. And the Law became the driving marker of the new community of desert-dwellers (habiru). Please note that this epiphany, as in all epiphanies, is for the benefit of the Greater Community. Wherever God surprises God’s agents should be seen as a message for ALL.

2 PETER 1:16-21 may be seen as the last writing to be encapsulated in our currently accepted Scriptures. Attempting to restore some holiness to the ongoing fuss of “Who was Paul?”, the author recalls the reader to the Old Story of Transfiguration, claiming that he was part of it. And aren’t we all? The “lamp shining in a dark place” involves us as actual participants in the enlightening work of Christ and his Church. Through the years we’ve maintained this lamp in different ways–yet it continues to be a beacon to an incredible world.

The Gospel is MATTHEW 17:1-9, the story of Peter, John & James going with Jesus up the peak of the mountain, there to be met with the Spirits of Moses & Elijah, the Law & the Prophets. This, of course, legitimizes Jesus as a part of the team. It energizes the disciples–and through them, the Church–with an overview of a still-radiant Presence despite the machinations of the System. Given the sharp contrast between the Glory of the Kingdom and the shadows of the System’s “dark places” often puzzles us to a point of paralysis. But we’ll never be the same…

Hall, again, (ibid. 454)–“Epiphanies are rarely confined to the moments of their alleged occurrence; indeed, their character as extraordinary experiences of illumination may always, or usually, require significant lapses of time for contemplation.” So think about how God has surprised you: may holy light shine upon you!

In the process of unfolding, Horace Brown King

Every Tuesday you’re invited to join me at horacebrownkingcom to explore (and be explored by) Lessons designated to be heard on the upcoming weekend.

“Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,/ and sorry I could not travel both/ and be one traveler, long I stood/and peered down one as far as I could/ until it bent in the undergrowth.” (Robert Frost) Scriptures to be read during the upcoming weekend are all about alternatives–each hearer is urged to examine the possibilities, and ultimately choose The System’s way or God’s way. Usually these are difficult: God helps us, but it often demands a life-style change…

Moses addresses his People on the edge of the Promised Land: they’ve spent 40 years crossing the desert in order to become a nation under God, and now at last they’re ready to cross the Jordan. DEUTERONOMY 30:15-20–“See, I have set before you today life and prosperity, [or] death and adversity….Choose life so that you and your descendants may live.” Some of those folks were like little kids, chomping at the bit to be FREE! Moses tried to tell them and us that there’re still responsibilities to God WHEREVER they/we are. As independent people, we often boast of our Freedom of Choice; well, yes, but there are consequences to our actions. We’ve chosen Death when we settle for that which is inferior. But God wants us to choose actions and thoughts which lead to Life.

Irenaeus is reported to have said, “The Church has been planted in the world as a paradise.” It’s sometimes difficult to see the Church as a Perfect Place, where seldom is heard a discouraging word and the skies are all sunny all day. Yet Paul reminds the CORINTHIANS (I 3:1-9) that only GOD is in charge, that he and Apollos are but gardeners: one plants, another waters, but only God gives the growth. These congregations and ours need to see issues of justice and exploitation resolved. Care for the hurting, share food with the hungry. Love kindness and walk with God.

The Sermon on the Mount continues in MATTHEW 5:21-37. There are seven instances where Jesus says, “You have heard it said…but I say to you…” Unless we live on Flyspeck Island, we’re pretty familiar with how the system works. But here, Jesus demands that we do even MORE than required: to excell, and not to just get by. More (difficult) alternatives! We’re told to get right with our brother or sister, to excise those items which would keep us from the Kingdom; to stay committed to others, and to tell the truth without outside references. The Good News is that God is willing and eager to help us do this! The passage exhorts Jesus’ followers then and now to celebrate those others in the world, and to keep open the lines of communication,

Life is full of choices. We often relate to Tevye, in FIDDLER ON THE ROOF:…”but on the OTHER hand…” In all of the flux, we have a God that saves us from ourselves. “And that,” says Frost, “makes all the difference.”

In the process of unfolding, Horace Brown King

Please join us every Tuesday to be examined by the Scripture passages assigned to the upcoming weekend–at horacebrownking.com