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Scripture passages to be read on the upcoming weekend seem unrelated–yet there’s a golden thread connecting them all. These are written to communities under some duress: being exiled in a strange land with unknown deities; or searching for a central point upon which to base their faith; or trying to remember the story which enchanted and claimed them before their Lord was crucified. We who hear are encouraged to own these communities as our own, ruefully admitting to an ongoing brokenness that threatens to un-focus our hope.

ISAIAH of Babylon exhorts his fellow exiles to retain their faith (40-21-31): ”Have you not known? Have you not heard?” Despite our human limitations–and they are many–the prophet reminds them that God is still greater than all their distress: ”…who brings princes to naught, and makes the rulers of the earth as nothing”. Are you powerless? Does even the vigor of your youths grow weary and exhausted? ”Those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.”

St. Paul recognizes the diversity of the people of CORINTH (vv.9:16-23): their customs, their particular demons, their dreams. Upon what, then, can faith be centered? Can there be a common law of Christ? Even the “freedom” the Apostle claims is subject to this gospel of renewal in Christ, a command to freely enlighten the despairing and hopeless with visions of ultimate glory beyond the grim horizons of cloudy distress. 

Our exploration of MARK’s Gospel (1:29-39) continues Jesus’ encounter with the first Disciples. The story opens with five guys, dirty from work, coming into the house expecting to hear, “Wipe your feet! If I’ve told you once, I’ve told you a thousand times!” Yet all was strangely subdued: the matriarch was a-bed with a fever. Jesus helped her get up, and the fever left her–and she resumed her matriarchal duties of providing hospitality. The story continues with all of Capernaum crowding around to be healed/saved, and then with Jesus & Co. travelling around Galilee to point out that the Kingdom of God has drawn near. What are the demons (and fevers) that stand in the way of our intimacy with God?

We can gather from these accounts that God wants to be–and IS–attentive to the concerns of the People. Most of us have experienced these moments of abandonment, when the familiarity of God seems but an empty promise. YET STILL the Holy Team walks with us, to cast out the demonic and to restore the youthful strength and optimism, to point out where God is seen to be at work.

In the process of unfolding,  Horace Brown King

You’re invited to prepare your hearts and minds for the hearing of biblical readings for the upcoming weekend, every Tuesday at horacebrownking.com

I’m 80 years old, fer cryin’ out loud. Haven’t I done enough for the Kingdom? More than 40 years a pastor of United Methodist congregations. Baptized, married & buried hundreds of people (hatched, matched, and dispatched). Been on countless committees. Is there more for me to do? Scriptures to be presented on the upcoming weekend remind us that time is of the essence, that we have limited moments to point out the Good News through Christ…

The book of JONAH tells about God’s perseverance, though we be reluctant prophets. Vv. 3:1-5, 10 pick up the tale after the Fish has regurgitated Jonah: God may be saying, “OK–now let’s try it again!” The time period appears in the message, “40 days more, and Ninevah will be overthrown”. We Ninevites need to get on with our turning around, not to be distracted by other things on our agenda. According to this story, the People of Ninevah DID center their lives on YHWH, causing YHWH to change [God’s] mind about the ensuing calamity.

St. Paul expected the Second Coming of Christ, the Parousia, to happen very soon. So he told the CORINTHIANS (I, 7:29-31) that “the appointed time has grown short”. Here was an urgency to get rid of the temporal–even the good parts–in order to fully embrace the Christian lifestyle. Our days have been numbered, and we can no longer count on Tomorrow to point out the inbreaking Presence of God to those nearby. Our choices are difficult ones: either order our relationships and possessions to correspond with this mission; or to eliminate them completely! ”For the present form of this world is passing away.”

MARK 1:14-20 presents this sort of Jesus, going about his neighborhood with the message that God will have an incredible state of affairs breaking into the present time. Mark’s sense of urgency appears several times in his writing as “immediately”. Gathering Simon & Andrew, James & John to assist him with this proclamation, Jesus announces that “the time is fulfilled, and the Kingdom of God has drawn near”. Ted Smith likens this to an alarm clock: something has to happen, and you need to take care of it! (FEASTING on the WORD, B 1:285) 

So I’m compelled to tell the Story and BE IT, also. I recognize more than ever that my days are limited, and that I’d better get on with it. Many things distract me, and my life is cluttered with Stuff. Like the Wiffenpoofs, I expect to “pass and be forgotten with the rest”. In the meantime perhaps I can point to what God is doing in the world.

In the process of unfolding,   Horace Brown King

Please join me every Tuesday as we explore the lectionary assignments for the upcoming weekend; at horacebrownking.com

Yeah, I admit it: I stole this title from Jean Calvin. This is somewhat of a surprise, since Calvin and I rarely agree on anything. But the lessons to be read this weekend all have to do with relationships–God and us, and US and us. Those sitting in the pews are met with God speaking to us, choosing us, and counting on us to announce a Holy Presence through words and actions. During this Season of “AHA” we’ll be confronted several times with a word that can be difficult to perceive.

You probably remember the story of the lad Samuel who served in the Temple, assisting the elderly Eli (I SAMUEL 3:1-18). God comes by night to awaken sleeping Samuel with the news that a wide-awake God is about to do a New Thing! The Old and the Young are hereby privy to hear what God is now doing, even though “the Word of the Lord was rare in those days”. We too hear God’s voice and do a divine response, even if we don’t quite understand it. Is this really God who wakes us from our troubled sleep?

How in the world do we preach what Paul has to say to the CORINTHIANS (6:12-20)? He speaks against “fornication”, which is casual sex without involvement with the partner. It’s a relationship thing, again: we’re not to profane the wonders that God has created. ”Activities that do not glorify God skew life.” (Douglas F.Ottati, in FEASTING on the WORD, B 1:256) Our ethics are contingent upon a greater thing than Legality. This seems in sync with the bulk of this letter, all of which exhorts the cosmopolitan Corinthians to plan their lives having seen God.

JOHN 1:43-51 tells about the calling of Nathaniel by Jesus. Nathaniel was quite impressed that Jesus saw him “under the fig tree”, and immediately ascribed the Holy Presence as having found him. God is here taking “an Israelite without guile” (deceit; what you see is what you get) and refining him into a Disciple! God honors ordinary people and places with what may seem to be an unexpected entrance. Is Nathaniel–and even Nazareth–a symbol of this New Thing of Samuel’s nighttime visitation? Where have you been sought out by the God who has walked in our midst?

This God whom we proclaim during this Season of Epiphany is constantly prodding us to reflect what we not long ago saw in the Manger. Contrary to what some will tell us, it’s not obedience to a set of rules (don’t drink, smoke or play cards) but rather a meaningful reaction to what we’ve heard, what we’ve experienced. We are not our own.

In the process of unfolding,   Horace Brown King

Please join us every Tuesday to pursue the scriptural portions being presented at worship during the upcoming weekend; also note that this blog can now be assessed ONLY through my site, horacebrownking.com 

Welcome to the Season of Epiphany, between the Twelfth Day of Christmas and Lent/Ash Wednesday. The liturgical color is green, for growth and renewal. The word Epiphany comes from the Greek EPIHANEIA, the shining forth of God’s glory in the Nativity (Christian tradition). Not only are the days growing lighter, so is the concept of the presence of Jesus as a growing light. Those in the pews are called to see that light and let it shine more strongly through them.

Third ISAIAH wrote ostensibly to the returnees from Babylon; yet this oracle, 60:1-6, has been seen as a divine promise of the vindication of God’s People. We know from the headlines about “thick darkness”: it bears a personal anxiety of its own. ”But the Lord will arise upon you”! and the Nations and their rulers are expected to come to your light. The camels of rich nations will bring gold and frankincense–does this sound familiar? Will you react as People of the Light, reflecting and pointing to the Light? ”Lift up your eyes and look around…”

  St. Paul never misses a chance to tell of his own epiphany on the Damascus road. Here in EPHESIANS 3:1-12 he expands the Light to include ALL, not just the Chosen People. He speaks of the “mystery” of Christ as a revelation to humans who are waiting for access to God. Paul doesn’t know the Wise Men legend, yet he affirms the “boundless riches of Christ”: we attain “wisdom” as we accept these gifts, not just in search for the Baby Jesus but realizing that Jesus has searched for and found US! 

MATTHEW 2:1-12 tells the story of the Wise Men (sic), whom the early Church limits to three, each bearing a symbolic gift. Their epiphany was the realization that the prophecy, as in Isaiah, of a coming messianic savior has weight; and their willingness to travel a far journey to accept the Baby as the Appointed One. We hold the Wise Men dear through artistic portrayals and song, appreciating not only their travels but also their faithful sharing of their insight. Please note that they returned to their country by another road; even Wise Men do things differently when met by the Baby Jesus.

The thrust of these readings is to call the Church to see the radiance of God’s Glory and to emulate the Wise Men in going to the Ends of the Earth to tell about it. Paul-like, we’re to speak of our own epiphanies as both congregations and individuals. ””As with gladness [those] of old did the guiding star behold; As with joy they hailed its light, leading onward, beaming bright; So, most gracious Lord, may we evermore be led to thee.”–William C. Dix

In the process of unfolding,   Horace Brown King

Meet me every Tuesday as we explore passages to be read on the upcoming weekend. Please note that this blog may be accessed ONLY at horacebrownking.com