Readings June 27th

1 Kings 19:15-16,19-21
Galatians 5:1,13-25
Luke 9:51-62

On first looking, the link between these 3 readings seems to be yokes & ploughing (or plowing, as our US friends would have it): but of course in each reading this is used as a metaphor for discipleship. This links quite well with what I was saying last week - but one of the small frustrations of being in 4 churches is that I am at the 'other' 2 churches this week, and they won't have heard the sermon for June 20th. Still. it keeps the preacher humble!

I am struck by the all or nothing nature of following God's way - Elisha demonstrates this perfectly by slaughtering the oxen with which he had been ploughing. I wonder what his parents thought? Not only is he saying he won't return, he's assuming the land will now just fall into misuse - or maybe be sold off - no-one else will need his plough either!
It's scary stuff, this following God's way - no dipping your toe in the water, or wondering how life would be if you made different choices.

Comments

Lythan said…
Oooh liking that thought about what happens to the animals. Thanks!
BTW I once did a joint service at the end of a series with my two churches where I did a quiz on what we had learnt over the last 4 weeks, knowing that at least one lot had heard the information. Baaaaaad mistake....
22 June 2010 at 08:56
Ruth said…
Yes, I realised when I started teaching why teachers are always grumpy about test results: it's because you realise how little has gone in! I draw comfort from the fact that although I remember very little about most sermons I have heard, the worship touched me at the time, and I remember the people who preached. Tho come to think of it, that's quite scary, too!
22 June 2010 at 09:00
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Spring IS coming!

I love to dip into Revgalblogpals, and though I don't usually 'play' at the Friday five questions, I thought that with no sermon to do I would, for a change: Sally writes: Candlemass is past, and Christmas is well and truly over, here in the UK February looks set to be its usual grey and cold self. Signs of spring are yet to emerge; if like me you long for them perhaps you need ways to get through these long dark days. So lets share a few tips for a cold and rainy/ snowy day.... 1. Exercise, what do you do if you can't face getting out into the cold and damp? I do find it therapeutic to clean the house vigourously - but if you could see the dust you'd know I don't often get round to it! I also make a point of always running, rather than walking, upstairs - something my mum always did until her stroke. 2. Food; time to comfort eat, or time to prepare your body for the coming spring/summer? I try to eat healthily, but my body craves carbohydrate. 3. Brainpower; do...
Read more

Judging.

Amos 7: 7-15;   Mark 6: 14-29 To be honest, I’ve had a bit of a hectic week since returning from URC General Assembly late on Monday night; involving a church path, a funeral, 2 more funerals to organize, and many more things you don’t need to know about. What I really needed was a break after Assembly – which was hard work and faced the URC with some tough choices about budget cuts and how to find God’s way forward. Of course the general Synod of the Church of England was no picnic, either – and I know Methodist Conference had a hairy time, too. I’m left feeling that Church politics is bad for your health. And anyway, the Gospel reading seems a bit gory and unnecessary and I’m tired and ready for a holiday. So I was all ready to preach about Amos and plumblines & how God helps us to sort our lives out by showing us what is good and true and straight. In any case I’m sure I’m not the only one who feels uncomfortable with the idea of a God who judges you – or will ...
Read more

Epiphany 2: Nathanael... & Jacob

Genesis 28: 10-22 (not the lectionary reading!); John 1: 43-51 I love the Sundays of Epiphany – starting with the visit of the Magi (which we celebrated last week) and then moving on to other stories of God’s presence on earth being revealed to people. I think what I most love is the idea that we don’t just pack away the Christmas decorations and forget about God’s love being incarnate in Jesus, but we allow the story of Jesus’ coming to earth to open our eyes to other ways in which God’s love is present to us.   What can be better to start the new year than a series of reminders that God is with us and that we can expect to meet with God in 2024.   Today we heard two very related Biblical stories of God’s presence.   The first is the vision given to Jacob, when he saw angels going up and down a ladder between earth and heaven.    You might think that Jacob is a specially holy person to be given this vision: nothing could be further from the truth. Jacob is the ...
Read more