Reflecting on the theme of God’s blessings in this week’s readings, we can draw out a rich tapestry of divine grace and human response: Psalm 24:1-10 presents the sovereignty of God over all creation and the call for purity in those who seek His presence. The blessing here is the invitation to stand before God, to seek...
MESSAGE 7 July – Seventh Sunday after PENTECOST YEAR B THEMES: God’s sending and God’s provision Sent forth by God and Christ’s disciples, we are called to proclaim repentance, teach God’s love, and offer Christ’s healing ministry. These scriptures warn us, however, that our gifts will not always be accepted; our ministries will not always...
The grace and care of God for humanity, and the call for us to care for one another shines through all of the readings this week. In the continuous Old Testament reading, David grieves for Saul, even though the dead king had been his enemy and persecutor. He also grieves for Jonathan whom he had...
The question of authority speaks through all of the readings this week, including both the Gospel and its related readings and the continuous Old Testament passage. The journey of David continues in the continuous Old Testament narrative. After last weeks’ account of his anointing, this week we read of how the young shepherd calls on...
Both the Gospel, and its related readings, and the continuous Old Testament reading present two main thoughts this week. The main theme is that of small things which grow to have significant impact and influence. In Samuel, the arrogant Saul is replaced by David, the youngest son of an insignificant family in an unimportant village....
The common themes between the passages from 1 Samuel 8, 2 Corinthians 4 and 5, and Mark 3 include leadership, authority, and the contrast between human weakness and divine power. So, how do we apply this to our lives in 2024? Leadership and Authority: In 1 Samuel 8, the Israelites demand a king to lead them, rejecting God’s...
Welcome to the season of bringing about God’s Kingdom Growth! The Lectionary begins the journey of challenging us again to live out the message and mission of Jesus that we have been remembering through the events of the Church Calendar so far. We hear themes of: the voice of God, the light of Christ, and...
When I think of the Triune God, I think of community and the invitation into radical transformation. What do you think of? Isaiah’s vision, with the triple “holy” of the seraphs, reveals how powerfully transforming a true encounter with the triune God can be. The psalm supports this with its celebration of God as king...
Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer. Here it is, the Day of Pentecost, where the spirit descends and fills us with courage, clarity and purpose. But before we get into the nitty gritty, can we, for a...
As the Easter season draws to a close, the final challenge of this part of the readings, before turning to Pentecost, is for us to commit to Christlike holiness – which, as it turns out, is also a call to unity and community. Two themes: Holiness and Unity 1. Holiness: In Acts, the apostles seek...
