My brother, a Methodist minister, gave me ‘The Lectionary 2018’\u00a0 for Christmas.\u00a0 Having never followed it, except for main Sunday services, I am amazed at how it connects, builds and illuminates the message.<\/p>\n
For instance, Sunday, the 4th Sunday of Epiphany, the message was the authority of Jesus<\/strong><\/span>.\u00a0 Monday’s reading showed Jesus exorcising a demon from Legion, shocking and scaring everyone who observed a man who was like a wild animal, transformed to a completely sane and peace loving state.\u00a0 Today Jesus raised the daughter of Jairus from the dead and healed a woman who had been bleeding for 12 years.\u00a0\u00a0 Both of these passages, revealing who Jesus is, build on the theme of the authority of Jesus<\/strong><\/span>.<\/p>\n At the same time, there is another theme being played out in 2nd Samuel.\u00a0 King David has been in exile as his son Absalom launches a power play against his father.\u00a0 Here we see David responding in a puzzling way.\u00a0 When a man comes by to curse him (yesterday’s reading) he believes that perhaps it is God’s will and allows the man to follow and throw stones.\u00a0 In his humbled state, he asks that all who wish to join him in exile turn back, he has no destination.\u00a0 Of course these groups stay with him.<\/p>\n In today’s reading we see Absalom killed by a party of David’s men even though David asked that no harm would come to him.\u00a0 The response of David is great woe.\u00a0 He is inconsolable.\u00a0 Absalom, O Absalom, why you and not me<\/strong>?\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n In David’s response we see the love of God.\u00a0 Though Absalom was a rebel, he was the son of David and David loved him.\u00a0 In Jesus, we see the love of the Father for his children.\u00a0 Lost causes, hopeless situations, life put on hold all changed by the power of love.\u00a0 Jesus has the authority<\/span><\/strong> of the Father to pour out the love of the Father on His children.<\/p>\n And what about us?\u00a0 How do we, if we have received this most awesome love, pass it on?<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" My brother, a Methodist minister, gave me ‘The Lectionary 2018’\u00a0 for Christmas.\u00a0 Having never followed it, except for main Sunday services, I am amazed at how it connects, builds and illuminates the message. For instance, Sunday, the 4th Sunday of … Continue reading