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The Voice of God is interrupting us from our lazy Summer daydreams. The fact is that we have too many distractions from worship and obedience. The scriptures speak especially to me, but you’re invited to listen in: counter-cultural, they hit us between the eyes for not sharing, and hoarding what’s been given to us. We’re reminded of the song from PORGY & BESS that claims, “I’ve God Plenty of Nuthin'”. And indeed, without God, it IS nuthin’.

HOSEA 11:1-11 imagines God speaking to Israel and all of us rebellious children: “I will not again execute my fierce anger: I will not again destroy Ephraim …” But these children–and us–kept sacrificing to the Baals, and offering incense to idols! Is God’s just anger going to come upon us? Or does God’s compassion grow warm and tender? Does that mean we can continue putting our trust in military might and storing up junk just in case? Or will God’s patience run out? “Ephraim, an early runaway, is running still, in a mad return to enslavement.”(Paul Simpson Duke, in FEASTING on the WORD, C 3:293)

Whoever wrote it, COLOSSIANS 3:1-11 is inserted to help church members keep loyal to the Presence of Christ. Five idols are listed, and there may be more: “fornication, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed”. These are all marks of the Old System which has ruled our lives, whether we be ancient Israelites or contemporary pew-sitters anxious to get to the next thing. But by our baptism we have been given NEW clothing, putting off the old rags of idolatry and “putting on the new self” which is found in Christ.

Ruh-roh. LUKE’s Gospel, 12:13-21, is a parable of Jesus which is aimed at me! It describes an idolatry close to my own heart: Too. Much. Stuff. It seems that a guy had too much, so he did what we all would do: he got more space. Never mind sharing with those who had less. Don’t even consider giving it away. Make sure that any who get government programs of help are deserving–and temporary… But God says, “You jerk! What happens when you die? Who’s in your will?”

We’re invited to place our trust in God’s economy, rather than the ups and downs of the Global rat-race. Is God crying as God watches our planned accumulation? To God all praise and glory…

In the process of unfolding, Horace Brown King

Come listen in every Tuesday–and share with your friends–to how the scriptures to be heard on the upcoming weekend continue to accost us…at horacebrownking.com

Scripture readings for the upcoming weekend are challenging, and not for the weak at heart. They tell the Good News of God’s Love in a most primal way, and indicate that our God is a Person who can wrestle in the mud, far away from dwelling on a cloud somewhere. Here there’s no question of God’s continued presence, no requirements of passwords or devotional bribes. The God described here is one who will always be part of us, and who wants us to be a part of God…!

If you think that HOSEA 1:2-10 is about sex, you’re only partly right. (Having trouble with the “Scandal” words? Ask your grandchildren: they probably know all about them.) It seems that Hosea was told by God to marry a promiscuous wife, who then had three children–none by Hosea. The rest of the story, which should be included, is that Hosea eventually dissolved his relationship with her–but then takes her back! Did they live happily ever after? Probably not. But this is the analogy: God’s People have cheated on God, are “put away”, but THEN RECLAIMED. The broken covenant is restored…because God loves us. In spite of it all.

Some of us have been taken captive “through philosophy and empty deceit”, says Paul & Co. to the churches of Colossae (COLOSSIANS 2:6-15), “according to human tradition…and not according to Christ.” The Gospel of Reconciliation seems foolish to those who look out for only themselves, whether the fake gods are Baal or Self-Fulfillment. But this old contract has been laid aside by God in Christ, and the old Egyptians within us have been drowned in the sea of Baptism. Will we remember?

LUKE 11:1-13 is important because it gives us the Lord’s Prayer. But then it goes on to say what a prayerful life looks like: if a child asks for a fish, will the Father give him a snake? Or a scorpion for an egg? Certainly not. “So I say to you, Ask, and it will be given to you; Search and you will find it; Knock and the door (to heaven?) will be open for you.” The purpose of prayer is not just to receive what we want, but is an exercise in humility by which we acknowledge that God is God, and we’re not.

These readings picture a God not afraid to wrestle with the everyday problems of God’s People. What God expects of us is that we will see God’s Hand at work in our daily crises. Will we remain faithful to God’s Presence, or will we run off after our own answers?

In the process of unfolding, Horace Brown King

Is it Tuesday already? Time for our weekly travels to be involved in scriptures suggested by the Revised Common Lectionary for the upcoming weekend: come join us at horacebrownking.com.

We seem to be in a season of contrasts: understanding the Lord’s ethics as opposed to those of the surrounding culture. Lessons to be heard this week note that humans have a choice between the Godly Way and that of the System. This is a hard teaching, especially in the face of slogans such as “My country, right or wrong”, and “God Bless (only) America”. Are we less than patriotic when we cast our lot with God and God’s People?

AMOS is a shepherd from the South sent by God to prophesy in the North. In 8:1-12, he’s shown a basket of Summer Fruit; nicely ripe for now, but soon to spoil. It’s an analogy of Israel–pleasant enough for now, but soon to be overthrown. (The Assyrians did indeed wreck Israel in about 730 BC and sent the Northern Tribes into exile “somewhere”.) Amos was particularly concerned with economic justice: merchants were using unfair weights and selling the chaff with the wheat. They made “the epah small and the shekel great”, and cheated the widows & orphans. Amos’ message? “You’re gonna get it”, says the Lord.

COLOSSIANS 1:15-28 was probably written on behalf of Paul, telling the congregations there what the Apostle probably would say. The passage describes the Christ as “first-born of all Creation” including “all the fullness of God”. So the Church’s main duty is to proclaim the Person of God, not only by words, but by deeds of honesty and acceptance. We are challenged to decide whether to have the ethic of Christ or to sell out to the System, the culture around us.

The Gospel is the story of Martha & Mary, LUKE 10:38-42. You remember that Mary was listening at the feet of Jesus–a “masculine” thing to do–while Martha was slamming cupboard doors and banging pots and was in a dither about feeding Jesus & Co. The point of the conversation was that Mary had chosen “the better part”, risking propriety and hospitality in favor of Jesus’ words. The message for the Church of Today is that celebrating Christ should be the central thing, not being “distracted” by organizing the pot-luck for next Wednesday…

Will Wilimon, a retired Bishop of the United Methodist Church, has said (in FEASTING on the WORD, C 3:248), “One way you can tell the difference between a true and living God and a dead and fake god is that a false god will never tell you anything that will make you angry and uncomfortable!” These readings do make me uncomfortable, ’cause I care too much about the System. My personal prayer is that I can stop counting my blessings long enough to hear and respond and make the better choice…

In the process of unfolding, Horace Brown King

Every Tuesday we meet the scripture lessons assigned by the Revised Common Lectionary to the upcoming weekend; at horacebrownking.com

It was quite impossible to read these scriptures without singing Mr. Roger’s theme song: “…It’s a beautiful day for a neighbor: won’t you be mine?” These lessons are all about the tie between being Christian and acting like one. Not all “nice” people are Christians, but you really cannot be one if you trample upon the poor and needy. We were reminded of this during the recent Fourth of July telecasts where a group of lily-white folks sang about liberty and justice “for all”…

AMOS was from Tekoa, a village in Judah (the South), but he was appointed to prophesy to Israel (the North), to denounce their King Jeroboam and the accompanying injustices. They thought they were fine, since they kept all the Rules. The Plumb Line of 7:8 tells whether the structure is straight or if it’ll fall down under stress. According to God/Amos, Israel’s structure was flawed and would collapse under Divine Pressure. Does a gracious God judge God’s People? Yes, if such judgement helps them to straighten up and fly right… Are contemporary times under like judgement? Or are sophisticated moderns more at home with the status quo than they are with an ancient God?

We’re pretty sure that the Letter addressed to the COLOSSIANS wasn’t written by Paul himself, but by his team. At any rate, 1:9-14 are intercessory prayers that these Gentiles should treat the World right. Christ has transferred them from “the power of darkness to the kingdom of [God’s] beloved son” where they shall find redemption. Leading “lives worthy of the Lord” involves bearing “fruit in every good work”, evidently living for others as well as themselves.

The Gospel lesson, LUKE 10:25-37, is the familiar story of the Good Samaritan. But Samaritans are mongrels, hated foreigners and don’t worship at the True Temple in Jerusalem! Who’d want to be one of THOSE? But there are “Good Neighbor Sam” clubs dedicated to helping change a tire, etc. This is a story for those of us on a journey, for those who meet crises and need help. Will we accept help from just anyone? Don’t be too hard on the two guys who were playing by the Rules: they were choosing to be Holy over being Helpful. Inhibited by tradition, like many of us they passed by on the other side. If Jesus were telling this parable today–and who says he isn’t?–he probably would substitute “illegal alien” for the Samaritan.

We spend too much time and energy trying to decide who’s In and who’s out. Jesus keeps calling us to love God’s Created People with all we’ve got, to forget the Rules and get on with Life! Just after the Civil War, William W. How wrote, “From earth’s wide bounds, from ocean’s farthest coast, through gates of pearl streams in the countless host, singing to Father, Son, and Holy Ghost: Alleluia!” Won’t you be? Won’t you be? Please won’t you be my neighbor?

In the process of unfolding, Horace Brown King

Join us every Tuesday to be explored by Scriptures to be heard in worship on the upcoming weekend: at horacebrownking.com

When we least expect it…God shows up. We make assumptions about where God is, and where God is not. Our behaviors embrace the Holy, or they gleefully turn to the Other Side. Is it true that God is everywhere, doing godly things to everyone? Scriptures to be heard this weekend emphasize that healing is often where least expected; and that an intersection with God is with Jew and Gentile alike, even with those–gasp!–awful Samaritans. Or their descendants in the ‘hood.

Naaman, was a powerful Syrian general–but he had a troublesome skin condition known in those days as Leprosy (II KINGS 5:1-14). But he had also a Hebrew slave-girl (the least of the least) who told him about the prophet Elisha and his many miracles. He was told through Elisha to dip in the Jordan River (“What? That muddy brook? I’ve got better rivers at home!”) You remember that he WAS healed, to God’s glory. Both the King of Israel and Naaman himself were surprised that God showed up, just as later faith-heroes are surprised at the mighty works shown to the marginalized. As Carrie N. Mitchell reminds us, “God employs ordinary people to act in extraordinary ways”. (FEEDING on the WORD, C 3:198)

St. Paul concludes his letter to the GALATIANS, 6:7-16, with an exhortation to not be as the rest of the world expects, but to “work for the good of all”. The Galatians were not Jews, remember. but were from central Asia Minor, perhaps the ancestors of the Celts. As they had experienced Godly compassion, Paul expected them to show the same to all persons, regardless of theological rules.

LUKE’s Gospel, 10:1-20, is the story of Jesus sending seventy missionaries (to all the world? 70?) to proclaim that the Kingdom of God was near. Jesus himself planned to visit these places soon. They were to go without provisions, vulnerable to the hospitality of strangers. Jesus knew that God had plotted the maturity of “the harvest”, and would accept these persons wherever they were or had been. Some folks concentrate on the SCARCITY of the receptive ones (the Church today?), whereas God knew that there would always be those who lived as if the Kingdom were near…

Long ago when I was in Seminary, a preaching course sent those who would go out by twos into Greenwich Village. One evening during these times, my friend Ed and I stepped into a bar to say that the Kingdom of God was near. A woman customer, seeing our clerical collars, exclaimed to her consort, “Look! They’re EVERYwhere, aren’t they?” Thank Goodness, we WERE!

In the process of unfolding, Horace Brown King

We explore the lessons to be read on the upcoming weekend, according to the Revised Common Lectionary, every Tuesday. Come join us at horacebrownking.com

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