Keys to the Kingdom - Binding and Loosing

Scripture: Exodus 1:8-2:10 and Psalm 124  • Isaiah 51:1-6 and Psalm 138  • Romans 12:1-8  • Matthew 16:13-20

In this week's gospel reading, Peter confesses that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah, and Jesus tells him that this can only be revealed by God, not man. He  tells Peter that upon this rock (Petros - Πέτρος) he will build his church. Jesus told Peter he would give him the keys to the kingdom of heaven and the authority to bind, and to loose? What kind of power is this? How is it to be used? Is it to be used to separate, divide? To include or exclude? To favor, or punish? What is to be loosed? Who do we say Jesus is - not only in our words, or as we recite the Nicene Creed, but in our hearts, and works? Does that have anything to do with loosing? What do we open, close, bind or loose? What do we use as "keys?"

Consider The Rev. Janet Hunt's "The Rock of Forgiveness: Binding and Loosing," and Professor Alyce MacKenzie's "Peter's Confession and Ours." (2 short web pages).

Who are the chosen?

Scripture: Genesis 45:1-15 and Psalm 133  • Isaiah 56:1, 6-8 and Psalm 67  • Romans 11:1-2a, 29-32  • Matthew 15: (10-20), 21-28

In Mark's account of Jesus' encounter with the Syrophoenician woman, in what is now Lebanon, Daniel Clendenin, in "Send Her Away!"  states that ..."four of the six readings this week remind us that the Christian story is fundamentally about divine inclusion conquering human exclusions.  About bringing people in to the fullness of God's shalom, rather than shutting them out in a zero sum game.  In particular, the readings show how this is true in two areas that people love to hate — sexuality and nationality," with several scriptural references. In his reading of Psalm 67, God's love crosses national boundaries, and he cites Paul's famous writing that "In Christ there is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus." What do you think? Is this relevant today? If so, how?

Jesus' ministry expands from the One who is to bring light and redemption to the Jews, as he heals the daughter of the Syrophoenician woman. In "Who are the chosen," Katerina K. Whitley says, "... The Incarnation is vivid in this story, as is the theology of kenosis [ κένωσις] – the ‘self-emptying’ of our will to become receptive to God’s will. Jesus learns something from a humble woman and from a mother’s love. This is a story to be honored, to be proclaimed and to fill us with gratitude. “Lord have mercy on me,” she cries. And the Lord shows mercy to one considered an outcast. God’s mercy covers all of us."

A God who meets us in the storms of life

Scripture: Genesis 37:1-4, 12-28 and Psalm 105: 1-6, 16-22, 45b  • 1 Kings 19:9-18 and Psalm 85:8-13  •

Romans 10:5-15  • Matthew 14:22-33

This week our Scripture ranges from Joseph's brothers selling him into slavery after deciding not to kill him, an exhausted, despairing and depressed Elijah needing desperately to hear from God as Jezebel seeks to have him killed, to Peter and the disciples cowering in a storm tossed sea when they see what?

Although I delighted in the story of Jesus walking on water as a child, and Peter trying to step out of the boat to go to Jesus, I confess, as I grew older, I had my doubts about the literal account. I believe he was both human and divine, and in his real presence, then and today.  I study Greek, and look at the story from the perspective of Jesus' words, "Take heart!" "Have courage!" θαρσεῖτε in Greek. He is the One who reaches out to lift us up, with grace, forgiveness - whatever we need to get through stormy seas.

Professor Alyce MacKenzie gives us so much more about this passage in "Walking Towards Us, A Reflection" on our gospel account from Matthew. It is on three web-linked pages, not very long, and is worth reading. As she says, Jesus is "...someone who never stands on the shore watching us suffer, but is always walking toward us on the sea, stretching out a hand to us—with forgiveness, with love. Reaching out a hand to us that is both very human, and the very hand of God."



Struggle, Seeing God Face to Face

Scripture: Genesis 32:22-31 and Psalm 17:1-7, 15  • Isaiah 55:1-5 and Psalm 145:8-9, 14-21  • Romans 9:1-5  • Matthew 14:13-21

This week's Old Testament reading is the nocturnal wrestling match between Jacob and what some commentators say is God, others an angel, and a few, a demon. The Rev. Kate Matthews, in her excellent Reflection titled "Struggle,"shares many perspectives from different commentators and offers her own thoughts. What are your thoughts about "struggle," with your faith, fears, doubts, failures - you name it. Even with struggle, in our journey with Jacob, we see the amazing and wonderful persistence of blessing. I commend this article to your reading.

There is an ancient Greek proverb: Καλεπα τά καλα: "Beautiful things are difficult," translated in a practical sense: "naught (nothing) without labor." Does this relate to our reading from Genesis?

And then there is the gospel account of a tired Jesus, wanting to get away from it all, but moved with compassion for them he healed them, and with their own 5 loaves and fishes, he fed them, and taught them, and us, how to feed the hungry - those hungry for bread, for love, for mercy, for answers, for forgiveness, and hope. Hungry for life, and the abundance of life which God offers. In Jesus, and each other, we can see the face of God. If only we care to look.

Belonging to God

Scripture: Genesis 29:15-28 and Psalm 105:1-11, 45b or Psalm 128  • 1 Kings 3:5-12 and Psalm 119:129- 136 •   Romans 8:26-39  • Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52

I really like the articles for this week's lesson. As Jesus gives us the parable of the mustard seed, the yeast, the pearl, and the basket of fish, we are shown that we can live with a sense of wonder and surprise, and, as we experience in the beautiful sacrament of baptism, we learn that we belong to God. See "Wow! Would You Look at This?" by Peter Woods, and "You Belong to God," by Daniel P. Clendenin.

Living in the kingdom. Even when things happen which we don't understand, or we can't make everything right, Paul tells us in his letter to the Romans, chapter 8, that the Spirit intercedes for us in sighs "too deep for words," and that nothing, not even death, can separate us from the love of God. So, let's open our eyes in wonder, to make way for the surprises God has in store for us. And let us respond in gratitude, and giving.

Wheat and tares sown together - a lesson on judging

Scripture:Genesis 28:10-19a and Psalm 139:1-12, 23-24  • Wisdom of Solomon 12:13, 16-19 or Isaiah 44:6-8 and Psalm 86:11-17  • Romans 8:12-25  • Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43

This week we study Jesus' second parable of sowing seeds. Again the sower broadcasts the good seed, and this time the wheat and weeds grow up together. Should we weed the field so the good plants can grow? They become entangled. Is this about judging others? What can we learn about judging others? Is this about the good and bad in all of us? 

Consider Christopher Burkett's "Tangled Humanity," and reflect on Sister Kym Harris'  "This Sunday's Exposition."

Brothers and sisters,  “Life is short, so be quick to love and make haste to be kind

to gladden the hearts of those who go the journey with us." ~Henri Frédéric Amiel

Sowing good seed

Scripture: Genesis 25:19-34 and Psalm 119:105-112  • Isaiah 55:10-13 and Psalm 65:(1-8), 9-13  • Romans 8:1-11  • Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23

Jesus gives us one of his parables of the sower in this week's gospel reading. Here, it seems, is a wild, perhaps reckless sower. Some seeds fall on rocks and hard ground. Some among thorns. And others on good soil. Several years ago I learned an important life lesson from a now retired Episcopal priest, Fr. Rodge Wood. He taught me something like this: When you make a gift, it is no longer yours to worry about how it will be used. Otherwise, in seeking to control the consequences, you have taken it back. Such is forgiveness. Be set free by giving your gift, and yourself. I texted him about this this week, and he told me that I taught him how to live an abundant life. This week's lesson is about "reckless" giving without worry or control, but trusting that every good gift comes from God, whose love is abundant, and will see us through every second of our lives together. And we can teach, and learn from each other - if only we care and try, which is what Jesus calls us to do.

Consider The Rev. Joseph Evans' "The Sower's Lesson," and "Life and Death
: God's Care Package is Bursting, " by Enuma Okoro, published in Sojourners.