Strangeness in this weeks readings

There are some incongruities that texture this week's readings. Martha seems often to be our negative example of discipleship. To be sure she is distracted, but she is concerned with hospitality and the physical needs of Jesus and his party. Is that not the mercy of the Good Samaritan? Doesn't Abraham offer this kind of hospitality to the Lord?

Like Martha, Sarah is distracted with preparations. While Abraham is standing by pleasantly watching his guests eat, Sarah remains in the tent. Though the Lord is far from condemning Sarah, instead he promises her the blessing of child.

All Martha's preparations are good and well, her devotion to Jesus is expressed in the lavish meal she is preparing. We are reminded with her that all our acts of devotion, all of our disciplines are means to an end. We seek Jesus and when we are in his presence even our best actions seem dull in his light. As The Message puts it,

"Martha, dear Martha, you're fussing far too much and getting yourself worked up over nothing. One thing only is essential, and Mary has chosen it—it's the main course, and won't be taken from her."

Mystic Martha

Lost in God

This is the notion of Eckhart and some other 13th-century mystics of living "without a why." "Living without a why" means that you don't ask, What's in it for me? or Why am I doing this? You just do the good spontaneously, the way that God acts. God doesn't act because of the why or for any interest of his own....

In his treatment of the Martha and Mary text (Luke 10:38-42), Eckhart defends Martha's focus on the tasks of hospitality. Is that a striking departure from the traditional understanding?

Yes, Eckhart is the first commentator to elevate Martha above Mary. The earlier commentators tried to show that both Martha and Mary were necessary, though Mary's approach is higher. Eckhart says that Mary is the one who's still learning, whereas Martha is the one who has learned perfectly because she combines contemplation and action--though Eckhart doesn't use those words--in an unselfish, detached way. She can now operate as the soul "without a why" and be effective spontaneously without losing that contact with God. Mary's just on the way to that. She needs to learn life.

I get the feeling that living spontaneously in God, or living without a why, is a lot like living the Christian life generally. At some point it becomes second nature, and goodness and holiness seem effortless. But getting to that point is the hard part.

Why, Jesus?

So, I was studying for my sermon last night and this morning and I had to question something Jesus did.

1 After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. 2 He told them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. 3 Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. 4 Do not take a purse or bag or sandals; and do not greet anyone on the road. 5 "When you enter a house, first say, 'Peace to this house.' 6 If a man of peace is there, your peace will rest on him; if not, it will return to you. 7 Stay in that house, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for the worker deserves his wages. Do not move around from house to house. 8 "When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is set before you. 9 Heal the sick who are there and tell them, 'The kingdom of God is near you.' 10 But when you enter a town and are not welcomed, go into its streets and say, 11 'Even the dust of your town that sticks to our feet we wipe off against you. Yet be sure of this: The kingdom of God is near.'

16 "He who listens to you listens to me; he who rejects you rejects me; but he who rejects me rejects him who sent me." 17 The seventy-two returned with joy and said, "Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name." 18 He replied, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19 I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. 20 However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven."

Luke 10:1-11, 16-20 NIV

Why did Jesus send these people out? Wasn't he getting well known enough without additional help? Of course I realize that any publicity is good publicity, but I still could not see a practical reason behind what he did. I'm a very practical, reasonable person. Things should always be reasonable and practical. I am a practical preacher, as well. This is a very good thing because my hubby preaches very philosophically. We balance each other well. Anyways, I realized as I continued to study,that there is a very good reason that Jesus sent these people out. He sent them out to advertise, but also to see which towns would listen to him. If they did not listen to those he sent out, he knew they would not listen to him. At this time, Jesus' last year of ministry, Jesus was running out of time and wanted to use his time wisely. The disciples went out, returned and reported back where Jesus should and should not go. That is very practical.

After that I got to wondering what this meant for us. Jesus has sent us out. What is the reason? We are to proclaim him and prepare the way for his second coming! He knows everything, but through our trying to preach to others, he knows who listens and who doesn't. When he returns, those who do not know him as their personal savior will be cast into hell. Those who do, will reign with him on Earth. What a great calling! And what great power we have at our hands to fulfill our calling!

Counting the Cost

Little Pedro

A missionary was preaching to some Mexicans. After the service, a little boy came walking down the aisle on little fat brown legs. With serious eyes, he looked up at the missionary and said, “You ask what I would have done if I had been in the crowd when Jesus fell, carrying His Cross? Please sir, if I had been there, I would have helped him carry it!”

The missionary said, “But, Pedro, if you had helped Jesus carry his cross, the cruel Roman soldiers would have beaten your back with a whip until the blood ran down to your heels.”

With a look of courage, the little boy said, “I don't care. I would have helped him carry it just the same.”

Two weeks later, little Pedro was at the mission again. The missionary patted him on his back. Pedro winced. “Don't do that, my back is sore, my back hurts.” The missionary took the little boy into another room and looked at his back. It was covered with big bloody welts. “Who did that?” the missionary asked.

“Mother did it. She whipped me because I love Jesus. But I don't care I will always love and serve Jesus!”

Our Lamb Has Conqured Let Us Follow Him

The Moravians had learned that the secret of loving the souls of men was found in loving the Savior of men. On October 8,1732, a Dutch ship left the Copenhagen harbor bound for the Danish West Indies. On board were the two first Moravian missionaries; John Leonard Dober, a potter, and David Nitschman, a carpenter. Both were skilled speakers and ready to sell themselves into slavery to reach the slaves of the West Indies. As the ship slipped away, they lifted up a cry that would one day become the rallying call for all Moravian missionaries, "May the Lamb that was slain receive the reward of His suffering." The Moravian's passion for souls was surpassed only by their passion for the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ.

Psalm 30

Letio continua, continua and continua

A colluege of mine from a church for whom the RCL is no strange thing, expressed disatisfaction with it because he wanted to preach straight through books (I assume of the Bible, but since he follows Schuller , who knows.) His dissatisfaction stunned me. We are entering ordinary time and everything is Lectio Continua. My biggest struggle is which route to preach.

Do I preach through the shorter Epistles? Do I do the Prophets? Do I go for the long haul and preach straight through Luke to the end of the year? Three years ago I think I started in the Epistles and jumped over to do a series in Jeremiah (That is when I started this blog). So this time I guess I ought to buckle down and preach the gospel. That should make my Lutheran friends happy since that is all they preach.