Catching Up

Jim:

I apologize about missing yesterday’s posting. I flat ran out of time. But let’s see if I can get caught up today.

Yesterday’s readings had a lot to say about God’s choices, especially when it comes to choosing people.

1 Samuel 24:1-22
This passage contains a wonderfully earthy story about Saul needing to go to the bathroom; a good example of how scripture takes it’s shape from everyday life. But the verse I focused on was 20, “Now I know (says Saul to David) that you shall surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in your hand.” As it was God who chose and anointed the kings of Israel, this is essentially a proclamation by Saul that David is God’s chosen one for the future. Admitting such would have been a real blow to Saul, who presumably would have desired to see his own son on the throne. But he can no longer deny the obvious role that God is playing. David will some day be king, chosen by God, and Saul knows it.

Acts 13:44-52
I found verse 48 to be fascinating. “When the Gentiles heard this, they were gland and praised the word of the Lord; and as many as had been destined for eternal life became believers.” Obviously the hand of God is at work in the lives of those who are “destined for eternal life” and it is they who are called to be Christians. God clearly had a choice in the matter, but the interesting question is whether or not the Gentiles had a choice if they were “destined.” I think they did, just as I think we do today. We have the choice of whether to believe and whether to act on that belief. But this verse makes it clear that God plays the greater role in the process of salvation, and while this passage does not prove that there are any who are not called or elected for salvation, it does remind us that the Christian faith is a precious thing that should not be wasted. If we have been called to believe, why would we dilly-dally? Why wouldn’t we take every opportunity to participate in the community of faith and to explore what it means to be God’s people?

Mark 4:1-20
Here I chose verse 11: “And (Jesus) said to them, ‘To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but to those outside, everything comes in parables; in order that ‘they may indeed look, but not perceive, and may indeed listen, but not understand; so that they may not turn again and be forgotten.’’” Again, God is at work choosing a community, just the way that God chose Abraham and Sarah out of all humanity, and how God continued to favor the Hebrew people over all the other nations. Here God in Jesus has chosen followers to whom the truth is to be more plainly revealed. Why? We usually make the point that those we are called, or elect, are set aside for service as well as salvation, to be a blessing to the world. And I think that has a lot to with it here. The disciples have been set aside as particular followers of Jesus to do particular things. I don’t believe that this necessarily excludes anyone from the possibility of salvation because I believe that God can call anyone that God wishes. But at particular times in history God has chosen to work through particular people to achieve God’s will. And God is working though us now. How are we doing as God’s people?

Now, on to the readings for today:

Acts 14:1-18
I think verse 3 is interesting: “So they remained for a long time, speaking boldly for the Lord, who testified to the word of his grace by granting signs and wonders to be dong through them.” First of all I don’t often think of God as “testifying” as it says here. But clearly God was adding punch to the witness offered by the apostles. Think of it as an ancient Powerpoint presentation provided by God to demonstrate what the apostles were talking about. But second, it makes perfect sense to understand God as a full partner in the work of evangelism. The apostles were not out there on their own. God was with them in a very real way. God is with us, too, as we go about the very necessary work of evangelizing the world today. And God is adding testimony, too, though not necessarily in the same manner as in our reading. But God does move hearts and minds, and does provide grace in significant ways which those who are paying attention can see and rejoice in.

Mark 4:21-34
Verses 24-25 contain Mark’s version of familiar teachings contained in the other two synoptic gospels (Matthew and Luke). “And he said to them, ‘Pay attention to what you hear; the measure you give will be the measure you get, and still more will be given you. For to those who have, more will be given; and from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away.’” The overall meaning seems to be that those who strive for the reign of God and who put themselves fully into the effort will benefit greatly, while those who do little or nothing to meet God’s will can expect to receive less than nothing from their effort.