Read the lessons at the Vanderbilt Library website: http://divinity.lib.vanderbilt.edu/lectionary/CEpiphany/cTransfig.htm
Read
the lessons at the Vanderbilt Library website:
http://divinity.lib.vanderbilt.edu/lectionary/CEpiphany/cTransfig.htm
Emmanuel Lutheran Church at Saint Luke's Anglican Church
Family Lectionary Study;
Sundays from 9:30 to 10:15 in the Gym
Opening
Introduce:
Review of Last Week
Discuss Pew-work. Give everyone a chance to show or talk about their insights.
What was the sermon on? -- Marriage and family; that they should be based in God's love
What was the Gospel lesson? -- The Beatitudes
Did anyone have any insights about... any relationship between the sermon and the Beatitudes
Set the calendar-clock to the right date. Advent tells the story of .... Here is our memory scripture for Epiphany
14And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of him through all the region round about. 15And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all. 16And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read. 17And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet
Isaiah.
And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was
written, 18”The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath
sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the
captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty
them that are bruised,
19To preach the acceptable year
of the Lord.” 20And he closed the book, and he gave
it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that
were in the synagogue were fastened on him. 21And he began
to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.
Bible Passage
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Exodus is the second book of the Old Testament, and is part of the Pentateuch, the first five books of the Bible. Jews refer to these books as "The Torah". At times, they are referred to as "The Law", although "Torah" means teaching. Exodus centres on the rescue of God's chosen people from captivity in Egypt and the making of the great covenant, or agreement with God, at Mount Sinai.
While Moses was on Mount Sinai the first time, the people of Israel, under Aaron’s leadership, made a golden image of a calf as a symbol of God. So irate was Moses when he discovered the revelry around the Calf that he smashed the stone tablets on which the Ten Commandments were written (32:19). God was angry that the people had broken the commandment against casting idols of the deity, but in time has forgiven them; he has invited Moses to ascend the mountain again to receive a replacement set of tablets. While there, he has conversed with God. Vv. 10-26 are the “covenant” (agreement) God has made with the Israelites. In exchange for
being their god (vv. 10, 24);
acting among them so that the indigenous peoples of the land will recognize Israel’s uniqueness; and
giving them victory over these peoples (v. 11);
the Israelites must, as well as obeying the Ten Commandments:
not enter into any pact with these peoples (vv. 12, 14);
destroy their religious symbols (v. 13);
not worship with them (v. 16);
not intermarry;
dedicate their first-born to him (vv. 19-20);
keep the feasts of Passover (Weeks, Shavuot, v. 22) and “ingathering” (Tabernacles, Sukkot);
observe the Sabbath (v. 21);
make pilgrimages three times a year (v. 23), and
offer the first of the harvest to God (v. 26).
Now Moses descends the mountain again. His face is radiant: an expression of his privileged place as servant close to God: he reflects God’s glory. Perhaps “returned” (v. 31) is an echo of the Golden Calf incident. Moses dons a “veil” (v. 33) to avoid overwhelming his hearers with God’s reflected glory. Again Moses speaks with God. One account (33:11) says that “the LORD used to speak to Moses face to face” but another (from a different source) says that God only allowed Moses to see his back (33:20-33). A final point: the word translated “shining” (v. 30), karan, can be written out as keren, meaning horn. Thus Jerome translated it, and so Michelangelo sculpted Moses with horns!
© 1996-2003 Chris Haslam
This passage represents the second time David was able to catch King Saul off guard. The first time, David was able to approach the sleeping Saul by accident; David took hem of Saul's tunic, only to repent of his action.
This time, Saul pursued David [2]. Even though Saul surrounded himself with guards, David calculated his approach. Remembering God's will in the person of Saul, David resisted the temptation to kill his enemy [7-8]. Instead, David took the symbols of Saul's survival (water jug) and military power (spear) [12-13].
From an opposite high point, David taunts Saul; he challenged the King to send one of his servants to retrieve the items. This is a rhetorical remark, for David had the high ground to fend off an attack. The real purpose of the taunt was revealed; David could have killed the king but spared Saul's life at cost of his royal honor. David was the better warrior and power of this story would galvanize popular support for David. Saul was in decline. From this point on, David did not try to reconcile with Saul. In David's mind, the inevitable was in God's hands. [22-23]
No one escapes the wrath of an enemy. But, how do we, as Christians, respond to direct attack or slander? Do we return in kind, or do we trust God with the outcome? This is the true measure of our moral character.
How do you trust God with bickering? With gossip? How has God helped you in these times of temptation and trial?
Permission for use. All materials found in word-sunday.com are the property of Larry Broding (Copyright 1999-2002). Viewers may copy any material found in these pages for their personal use or for use in any non-profit ministry. Materials may not be sold or used for personal financial gain.
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Psalms is a collection of collections. The psalms were written over many centuries, stretching from the days of Solomon's temple (about 950 BC) to after the Exile (about 350 BC.) Psalms are of five types: hymns of praise, laments, thanksgiving psalms, royal psalms, and wisdom psalms. Within the book, there are five "books"; there is a doxology ("Blessed be ... Amen and Amen") at the end of each book.
This is a hymn of praise to God as king. The endings of Vv. 3, 5 and 9 are perhaps a refrain, said or sung by worshippers as they “extol” (v. 9) God. God, on his throne above the “cherubim” (v. 1, the half-human, half-animal creatures thought to hover above the altar) in the Temple, is to be praised by “all the peoples” (v. 2). V. 4 lists some qualities God has shown “Jacob”, the people of Israel. His “footstool”, v. 5, is the Ark. For Israel, God has also:
helped people in need (vv. 6, 8);
given them just laws (v. 7); and
punished and forgiven them where appropriate (v. 8).
“Moses ... Aaron” (v. 6) and “Samuel” were known for communicating with God and were his representatives. “His holy mountain” (v. 9) is Mount Zion, the hill on which Jerusalem stands.
© 1996-2003 Chris Haslam
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This is a letter, written in the style common in the first century AD. From the text, we know that Paul wrote it in Macedonia after leaving Ephesus, probably in the autumn of 57 AD. It gives us a picture of Paul the person: an affectionate man, hurt to the quick by misunderstandings and evil-doing of his beloved fellow Christians, yet happy when he can praise them. The letter's prime intent is to combat evils which have arisen in the Christian communities in the Achaian peninsula of Greece.
Paul contrasts his ministry with that of Moses. In 3:3, he says that his readers, supported and enabled by the Holy Spirit, are “a letter of Christ”, prepared by him and his colleagues: a letter written on “tablets of human hearts”, not on “tablets of stone”. This is the “confidence that we have through Christ” (3:4). The dead letter of the Law has been replaced by the living letter of the Spirit.
Moses wore a veil lest the radiance of God’s glory, shown in his face, be too much for his hearers. The new covenant in Christ sets aside the old. The thinking of Israelites was frozen in time (“hardened”, 3:14), and it still is: when they hear the Law read (“old covenant”, 3:14; “Moses”, 3:15), they only see God’s plan for saving people dimly, i.e. through a “veil”, but when one is converted (“turns to the Lord”, 3:16), one sees the plan clearly. In Judaism and Christianity, the motive force is the spirit, but for us Christ and the Holy Spirit are one (“the Lord is the Spirit”, 3:17), and in Christ we have “freedom” from the Law: as we become more and more Christ-like, we are more and more able to render to God the honour (“glory”, 3:18) he is due, with the Spirit’s help. In 10:9-11, Paul’s accusers claim that he is strong on words but weak on action. He now retorts: “by God’s mercy” (4:1) he has turned from persecuting Christians to “this ministry” which he does with “great boldness” (3:12), not losing heart. Unlike his accusers, he has cast aside his horrible hidden deeds of the past, namely unscrupulous acts and misrepresentations of the gospel (4:2). He speaks openly, appealing to all to authentically discern the truth.
© 1996-2003 Chris Haslam
15:45 “The first man, Adam, became a living being” was a combination of Genesis 1:27a (So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him) and 2:7c (man became a living being). The word “Adam” had the generic meaning of “man,” the addition of “Adam” to “man” was actually redundant.
The phrase “become a living being” was actually “become into a living (human) soul.” In other words, the verb “become” had a passive voice, that begged the question, “Who caused this “becoming?’” Of course, the answer was God. In other words, “man” (“Adam”) received life from God.
Paul balanced the first Adam with the second, the one who would give life. That phrase was literally “the last Adam into a life-giving spirit.”
The first Adam received natural life from God’s Spirit; the last would gift eternal life through that same Spirit.
15:46 “the natural” was literally the “soul-like.” Paul used the language of the human spirit (“soul”) to differentiate between the human and the divine (“spiritual”).
15:48 This sentence was a comparison between the “earthly” Adam and the “heavenly” Adam. The sons of the earthy Adam shared the same curses as the first one (“As such, the dust (one), so too, (those) dust (ones)”). Those who believe in the heavenly Adam (Christ) would share in the same blessings he does (“and as such (one) of heaven, so too, (those) of heaven”).
Paul ended the body of his letter to the Corinthian Church with arguments for the resurrection of the body. In 15:35-37, he created a “straw man’s” argument to combat. This fictitious opponent questioned the kind of body the raised would have. Paul replied with an agricultural analogy (difference between seeds and plants) and the different types of bodies (animals and people). He stressed the resurrection will basically change the body. The exact nature of the change and details of the end result were a matter of mystery. But he did say that the raised body would be “spiritual” in nature.
What is the difference between the “earthly” and the “heavenly” body? Paul did not explain physiological differences (which would be speculative, at best). But he did explain the difference in terms of the two human archetypes: Adam and the Risen Christ. Adam disobeyed God. So, he left a legacy of sin, sickness and death (from dust to dust). He represented estrangement from God. But the Risen Lord (the “second” Adam) lived perfect obedience. He was the sign of freedom from this evil. He personified life with God.
Our life with God now is a foretaste to eternity. While we struggle in our earthly form, we will be blessed with a heavenly form. Every part we possess, body and soul, mind and heart, will enjoy eternal life. Now, we wait with praise and gratitude for resurrection of the body.
How does belief in the resurrection of the body change your outlook on life? How do you hope to live like Christ?
Permission for use. All materials found in word-sunday.com are the property of Larry Broding (Copyright 1999-2002). Viewers may copy any material found in these pages for their personal use or for use in any non-profit ministry. Materials may not be sold or used for personal financial gain.
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Luke is the third synoptic (or quasi-chronological) gospel in the New Testament. Its author, traditionally Luke the physician who accompanied Paul on some of his missionary journeys, draws on three sources: Mark (via Matthew), a collection of sayings (known as Q for Quelle) and his own source. It is a gospel that emphasizes God's love for the poor, the disadvantaged, minorities, outcasts, sinners and lepers. Women play a more prominent part than in the other gospels. Luke never uses Semitic words; this is one argument for thinking that he wrote primarily for Gentiles.
Jesus has predicted his suffering, death and resurrection to his disciples; he has called on them to “take up their cross” (v. 23), has warned that those who hear the gospel but fail to trust in it will be condemned, and has promised that some present will see the kingdom of God. Now he and the inner circle of disciples ascend “the mountain” (v. 28). In Luke, Jesus always prays before an important event.
An aura of unnatural brightness is linked with mystical appearances in Exodus and Acts; “dazzling white” (v. 29) is a symbol of transcendence. In Jewish tradition, both “Moses and Elijah” (v. 30) were taken into heaven without dying. Jesus’ agenda is in accord with the Law and the prophets; he is doing God’s will. “Two men” also appear at the resurrection and at the ascension. Jesus’ “departure” (v. 31, exodos in Greek) is his journey to Jerusalem and his passage from this world. Peter clearly doesn’t understand; perhaps he thinks he is witnessing a super Feast of Tabernacles (“dwellings”, v. 33) – a time when the whole city was brightly illuminated. The “cloud” (v. 34) is a symbol of God’s presence; the words from it recall Jesus’ baptism, and add “listen to him!” (v. 35). Vv. 37-43a, the healing of an epileptic child, present three contrasts:
from the mountain to the needy world;
Jesus’ great power over evil (vs. the disciples’); and
Jesus’ fidelity to God vs. general human infidelity.
The child is in miserable condition. In healing him, Jesus shows God’s “greatness” to “all” (v. 43).
© 1996-2003 Chris Haslam
Have you ever seen the Golden Rule applied? How did it change the situation? The people involved?
What would happen if the Golden Rule were always applied? In our culture obsessed with rights denied and litigation, this guide to life seems to attract little more than lip service. But the idea behind it is universal. Treat others the way you would like to be treated. This thought has been found in almost all the world religions in one form or another. The import of the rule remains universal simply because it can be so radical, so life-changing. What would happen if the Golden Rule were always applied? Everything!
Jesus presented the Golden Rule, but gave it two interesting twists. Use the rule as an invitation to everyone (including enemies) to become followers of Jesus. And rephrase the rule. Pretend the Other is God himself.
Last week, Jesus divided the poor from the rich in Luke's version of the Beatitudes. This week, Jesus taught how the poor (Christians) should respond to their enemies, what makes them different from others, and reward they will receive for their efforts. All three of these areas were implicit in the Golden Rule.
6:27-28 In last week's study, Jesus condemned the "rich" as he compared them to the "poor." In the context of 6:22-23, the rich could be identified as Jews from the Pharisee party who controlled many of the synagogues in the region (and in the Roman Empire). The poor could be identified as the Christians who were rejected and persecuted by the Pharisees. How should the Christians respond to the persecution? Treat the antagonists as if they were welcome to the Christian community. Even persecution provided an opportunity for evangelization.
6:29 Here, Jesus addressed another prime audience for evangelization: Roman soldiers. To supplement their meager income, soldiers would beat and steal from the local populace. Such violence reinforced a policy of Roman intimidation over conquered peoples. Passive cooperation could shock the soldiers (who expected resistance) and offer a chance for evangelization.
6:30-31 These two verses summarized the teaching on love of enemy. Give selflessly. Do not seek redress. Treat everyone the same way. Such behavior opens the door to evangelization.
6:32-35 How were Christians different from other Jews and the pagans? Jesus chose three areas: relationships, ethics, and charity. Christians were not to simply extend loyalty, good works, and self-giving to other Christians. Stopping there would not distinguish followers of Jesus from any other group. No, Christians were to treat others the same. For they were to see beyond the present condition. They were to see, not with this world's eyes, but through heaven's eyes.
6:37 "judge . . . condemn . . . acquit" These three verbs describe the powers of a magistrate. Jesus used legal terms to remind his followers that these were powers best left to God, the eternal judge. In a more positive vein, Jesus implied when people refrained from these activities, they were, in effect, living in the Kingdom, living as if the Final Judgement had already taken place. Place yourself under the mercy of a just God, Jesus seemed to say, and realize life in the Kingdom here and now.
6:38 "Good measure (of grain), having been pressed down, having been shaken together, (and) overflowing, will be given into your lap (flap of your garment)." This sentence described the process and distribution of grain by the individual (not by a mill). The measure was the amount of grain distributed. The grain was pressed down to separate the grain from the kernel. Then, the grain was shaken together in order to compress (i.e., "settle") the grain into a smaller space. Notice these two verbs in these clauses were in the past tense, while the next verb ("overflowing") is in the present tense, which leads up to the future tense ("will be given") verb in the main clause. In other words, the processed grain was distributed in an overgenerous manner. The person would form a pocket with the front of their cloak in order to receive the grain. The sentence represented the distribution of grain in very prosperous times, when everyone received a surplus.
6:39 "For, in what measure you measure, it will be measured for you." Many have used this verse to justify a Christian acceptance of "karma," the Hindu and Buddhist notion that the moral universe has an unbreakable law of retribution. Taken to its logical conclusion, karma maintains that, somehow, rich people deserve their comfortable lifestyle based upon the past moral acts.
In the light of Luke 6:20-26, such a notion cannot be justified. Jesus chided the rich and praised the poor. More important, Christian faith presents the notion that everything people have are gifts from God. Gifts cannot be earned or deserved. They are freely given and received. The believer who freely gives is far more likely to realize the material and spiritual wealth they have is gift from God. In other words, the verse should not be read as quantity ("the stuff I give, I will receive in kind"). It should be read as quality ("the open heart that gives freely realizes the great wealth already received and thanks God accordingly").
As a collection of wisdom quotes, these passages followed Luke's blessings and curses we studied last week. Jesus gave us these wise sayings to guide the way we treat those who dislike us. He summed it up in the Golden Rule: "Treat others as we would like to be treated." [31]
The Golden Rule is to be universally applied and not limited to our family and friends [29-34]. It places the worth of the person over that of possessions [29-30]. It is meant to include mercy and forgiveness, since it reminds us of our faults and shortcomings [36-37]. Hence the Golden Rule can never be a measure of moral superiority; for, in the moment it becomes one, it judges us to the extent we judge others [37].
In a strange way, the Golden Rule allows us to treat others the way God treats us, with love and compassion even when we do not deserve it [35]. We are to apply the Golden Rule in a proactive way, the way Jesus ministered to people; we are to love our enemies through our actions and our actions are to be blessings [27-28]. And, as we bless others, God will bless us with abundance [38].
Truly applied, the Golden Rule becomes Christianity's most powerful weapon to evangelize. Unlike David in 1 Samuel 26 who used mercy to shame his enemy, Jesus urged us to treat enemies so that they will join us. The Golden Rule is an invitation, not a weapon.
Catechism Theme: Conscience (CCC 1795-1802)
The Golden Rule guides the formation and use of conscience. The ability to see others the same way we see ourselves changes the way we think and act. Both are intertwined. A conscience cannot grow without the Golden Rule. The Golden Rule cannot be exercised without an act of conscience.
What exactly is a "conscience?" And, what is the duty of having a conscience? A "conscience" is the judgement of the mind about the morality of an action. A person must follow their conscience if the person is absolutely sure they are acting in a moral fashion. (1796, 1800)
But, can a conscience be wrong? Yes, someone's conscience can be wrong if the person did not use their mind to think about the reason they did the act, the means they would use, and the consequences of their act. A conscience can also be wrong if the person did not seek God's will by: 1) praying to God, 2) studying about the issue, and 3) talking to other moral people about the issue.
Prayer, study, and discussion are the means to developing a good conscience. (1798, 1801, 1802) The best way to develop a good conscience is simple, however. Use the Golden Rule.
How have you used the Golden Rule? What happened?
We've discussed the evangelical power of the Golden Rule. As we close, let us reflect on the ultimate Other in the Golden Rule: God.
In Tolstoy's story, "Martin the Cobbler," old Martin waited for Christ to visit him one day. The way he treated others that day was different from any other day of his life. At the end of the day, an angel came to Martin. "Why hasn't the Savior come to see me?" Martin asked. The angel responded that Christ had indeed come to visit him, in the faces of the people he served that day.
When we treat others with the respect we desire, we treat them as if God were present in them. The Golden Rule allows Christians to make others sacrament, vessels of God's presence. The Golden Rule allows us to experience the Kingdom in action. Let's not delay applying the rule.
How can you use the Golden Rule this week?
Permission for use. All materials found in word-sunday.com are the property of Larry Broding (Copyright 1999-2002). Viewers may copy any material found in these pages for their personal use or for use in any non-profit ministry. Materials may not be sold or used for personal financial gain.
Pew-work Hand-outs
“Pew-work” is like Home-work, except that it is done in the pews, instead of being done at home. Because it is focussed on the readings (as the sermon, presumably, also is) it can be done during the sermon to help the listener concentrate. Or, it can be done while waiting for everyone else to finish their communion. It isn't done during prayers, or hymns, or the readings, because
During Prayers, we pray
During Hymns, we sing
During the Readings, we listen
Middle-school Students' Pew-work
Elementary-School Students' Pew-work