14 July 2024 - Proper 10, Year B

Theme

This week’s readings speak of how we are called to speak God’s truths, regardless of the response we may get. God is the one who saves and protects us, not worldly powers and authorities. In Mark, King Herod uses his power to kill John the Baptizer who was prophesying in Herod’s “kingdom.” Amos speaks against King Jeroboam and is excommunicated. In Ephesians and the Psalm, we are reminded how we have been adopted as God’s children and how God saves and protects us.

Scripture Readings

  • Mark 6:14-29 - The story of John the Baptizer’s death. King Herod sends people to behead John the Baptizer, at the request of his wife. Herod did not want to kill him because he enjoyed listening to him. However, when his daughter danced for Herod and his guests, she pleased them and the king promised her anything she wanted, even half the kingdom. After consulting her mother, the daughter asked for John’s head. The king was grieved, but honored his promises and had John beheaded and delivered his head to the girl and her mother. When Jesus started gaining fame, some (like Herod) were saying that it was John the baptizer who had been raised from the dead and others said it was Elijah or one of the prophets.
  • Ephesians 1:3-14 - The apostle Paul explains how we have been chosen and adopted into God’s family because of Christ’s life, death and resurrection. God has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing. He chose us in Christ to be holy and blameless before him in love. We have redemption through his blood and forgiveness of our trespasses. We know his will because of what he set forth in Christ - to gather up all things in him, things in heaven and on earth. We respond to this adoption by praising God and doing God’s will.
  • Amos 7:7-15 - God tells Amos that he is no longer going to spare Israel and will destroy them. The priest of Bethel told King Jeroboam that Amos was conspiring against him. Amos is thus sent away to prophesy in Judah and is forbidden from prophesying in Bethel, the king’s sanctuary. Amos declares that he is not a prophet but God called him to prophesy to God’s people, Israel.
  • Psalm 85:8-13 - A reminder that God will save and protect his people; those who turn their hearts to him.

The Context

This week’s readings remind me why I value following the lectionary when I preach and read the bible. This week’s passages, particularly the Gospel reading, are ones that I would love to skip past and ignore. They are morbid, graphic and not easy to find the Gospel truth in a simple, plain reading of the text. But the lectionary encourages us to unpack the texts presented and to discern what God is trying to tell us through these seldom-read and little-studied passages. Often what we find when we do this is powerful new insights into God’s Kindom and the Good News of the Gospel.

Personal Application

In Ephesians, the apostle Paul tells his readers how they have been chosen by God and adopted into God’s family. As children of God, they are invited to praise God and follow God’s will. God’s will has been set forth in Jesus’ life, death and resurrection. It is primarily to “gather up all things in him, things in heaven and on earth.” I love this phrase.

When I think of gathering up things, I immediately think of walking around my house in the evenings and gathering up all of the toys and mess that my daughter has made throughout the course of the day. Some days, I can’t believe how she was able to make such a mess in the short amount of time she spent there. I often feel frustrated that my daughter doesn’t always clean up after herself like we ask her to. But then I think of the joy she had while making that mess, and how she tries so hard to clean up after herself. I think of how much I love her and how I would be willing to help her clean up her mess every day for the rest of our lives; not because she deserves my help, but because I love her and this is one way that I can help her feel loved, cared for and protected.

I wonder if this could be a metaphor for our relationship with God. Like all metaphors, I am sure that it eventually falls short, but as God’s adopted children, God is in the business of cleaning up our mess. God goes before us, with us and behind us, gathering up all of the mess that we create and restoring all things to Godself. Yes, God wishes that we wouldn’t go about our lives making such a mess, but God is willing to partner with us in cleaning up our mess, and will continue to do so for the rest of our lives. God does this, not because we deserve it, but because God loves us and God desires to see us feeling loved, cared for and protected.

What does it mean for you to claim your adoption as God’s beloved child? How can you live faithfully as God’s child as you praise God and follow God’s will? How can you partner with God in cleaning up the mess humanity has made and continues to make?

Communal Application

In last week’s readings, Jesus explains how prophets are often not welcomed by others, particularly those in power. We see these words come to fruition once again in this week’s readings. John the Baptist is first arrested and then executed for speaking truth to power. The prophet Amos is excommunicated for doing the same.

The problem with power and status is that once it is obtained, those in power will do anything they can to ensure that things remain the same and that anyone who wants to upset the apple cart is quickly disposed of. Even if someone gains power by just means and with good intentions, they often find it challenging to remain true to their values when power, status and wealth come into the equation. We have seen this truth play out regularly in the political sphere throughout the world.

Unfortunately, the Church is not immune to these dangers. We have seen countless church leaders climb the ranks and gain more and more followers until eventually every decision they make and every word they speak reveals their ultimate desire to protect their own position and status, even at the expense of the most vulnerable members of society. They forget their core values and original calling to grow God’s Kindom by focusing instead on growing their own little kingdoms.

The Good News is that God doesn’t rely on the powerful elite to speak God’s truth in the world. God called Amos to prophesy who himself denied any status or rights as a prophet. God called John the Baptist to prophesy, a wild man who ate locusts and wore clothes made of camel hair. God sent Jesus, a homeless son of a carpenter, to change the world and bring salvation to all.

All of us are bound to find ourselves in positions of power at various points in our lives. Whether it is power over our children, our friends, a church community or colleagues at work, we have a choice of how we are going to exercise our power - selfishly like King Herod and King Jeroboam, or humbly like Jesus, John the Baptist and Amos.

Where do you have power in your own life? How can you exercise your power humbly and not for selfish purposes? How can you speak God’s truths of mercy, liberation and justice for all to those in power around you?

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