Today, Consider Pentecost III

THE COLLECT AND READINGS FOR PENTECOST III

Keep, O Lord, your household the Church in your steadfast faith and love, that through your grace we may proclaim your truth with boldness, and minister your justice with compassion; for the sake of our Savior Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Today, consider what it means to be part of a household and how households are kept together through good and bad times.

Today, consider what it means to be kept in God’s steadfast faith and love.

Today, consider how grace serves as the medium for expressing God’s truth with boldness and doing God’s justice with compassion.

Today, consider what it feels like to do these gracious things for the sake of the one whom we call our Savior.

1 Samuel 15:34-16:13

Samuel went to Ramah; and Saul went up to his house in Gibeah of Saul. Samuel did not see Saul again until the day of his death, but Samuel grieved over Saul. And the LORD was sorry that he had made Saul king over Israel.

Today, consider Samuel’s grief for the man he had anointed as the first King of Israel.

Today, consider how the text says that God’s sorrow over making Saul king over Israel.

Today, consider last week’s reading from Samuel in which God saw the people’s call for a king a rejection of God, not Samuel. Why do you think having a king for Israel meant that Israel had rejected God?

The Lord said to Samuel, "How long will you grieve over Saul? I have rejected him from being king over Israel. Fill your horn with oil and set out; I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided for myself a king among his sons." Samuel said, "How can I go? If Saul hears of it, he will kill me." And the Lord said, "Take a heifer with you, and say, `I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.' Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do; and you shall anoint for me the one whom I name to you." Samuel did what the Lord commanded, and came to Bethlehem. The elders of the city came to meet him trembling, and said, "Do you come peaceably?" He said, "Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice to the Lord; sanctify yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice." And he sanctified Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.

Today, consider God’s decision to select another king to take Saul’s place. Do you get the impression that God actually chose Saul?

Today, consider the fear of those who saw the prophet Samuel coming towards their village. What might be the source of such fear?

Today, consider how God directs Samuel to relieve the fears of the villagers.

When they came, he looked on Eliab and thought, "Surely the Lord's anointed is now before the Lord." But the Lord said to Samuel, "Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for the Lord does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart." Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. He said, "Neither has the Lord chosen this one." Then Jesse made Shammah pass by. And he said, "Neither has the Lord chosen this one." Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel, and Samuel said to Jesse, "The Lord has not chosen any of these." Samuel said to Jesse, "Are all your sons here?" And he said, "There remains yet the youngest, but he is keeping the sheep." And Samuel said to Jesse, "Send and bring him; for we will not sit down until he comes here." He sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and had beautiful eyes, and was handsome. The Lord said, "Rise and anoint him; for this is the one." Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the presence of his brothers; and the spirit of the Lord came mightily upon David from that day forward. Samuel then set out and went to Ramah.

Today, consider why the selection process was so drawn out. Why didn’t God just tell Samuel to pick David?

Today, consider how we select those to lead us.

Psalm 20 Page 608, BCP Exaudiat te Dominus

1 May the LORD answer you in the day of trouble, *the Name of the God of Jacob defend you;

2 Send you help from his holy place *and strengthen you out of Zion;

3 Remember all your offerings * and accept your burnt sacrifice;

4 Grant you your heart's desire * and prosper all your plans.

5 We will shout for joy at your victory and triumph in the Name of our God; * may the LORD grant all your requests.

6 Now I know that the LORD gives victory to his anointed; * he will answer him out of his holy heaven, with the victorious strength of his right hand.

7 Some put their trust in chariots and some in horses, * but we will call upon the Name of the LORD our God.

8 They collapse and fall down, * but we will arise and stand upright.

9 O LORD, give victory to the king * and answer us when we call. Praise to the holy and undivided Trinity, one God: * as it was in the beginning, is now and will be forever. Amen. Alleluia.

Today, consider the idea contained in verse 6. Do you believe that God favors those whom he appoints by giving them victories in life?

Today, consider this idea with the death of Jesus on the cross. How does that square with this belief that God takes care of his favorites?

Mark 4:26-34

Jesus said, "The kingdom of God is as if someone would scatter seed on the ground, and would sleep and rise night and day, and the seed would sprout and grow, he does not know how. The earth produces of itself, first the stalk, then the head, then the full grain in the head. But when the grain is ripe, at once he goes in with his sickle, because the harvest has come."

Ganhdi once said: “There are so many hungry people in the world that God could only come into the world in the form of food.” Today, consider how what Ganhdi said fits with your understanding of God as “infinitely consumable.”

He also said, "With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable will we use for it? It is like a mustard seed, which, when sown upon the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth; yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes the greatest of all shrubs, and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade."

Today, consider what plant represents the Kingdom of God on earth? With many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it; he did not speak to them except in parables, but he explained everything in private to his disciples.

Today, consider why Jesus only spoke in parables.