Musings for Pentecost 17

Sunday, September 27, 2009
Lectionary 26
Proper 21
Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost
Midweek Musings
Reflections by Judy Lazenby

INTRODUCTION
Someone is casting out demons in Jesus' name who isn't part of Jesus' own circle, and the disciples want him stopped. They appeal to Jesus, as Joshua did to Moses about the elders who prophesied without official authorization. Like Moses, Jesus refuses to see this as a threat. Jesus welcomes good being done in his name, even when it is not under his control. The circle we form around Jesus' word must be able to value good being done in ways we wouldn't do it, by people we can't keep tabs on.


Prayer of the Day (ELW)
Generous God, your Son gave his life that we might come to peace with you. Give us a share of your Spirit, and in all we do empower us to bear the name of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.


First Reading Numbers 11:4–6, 10–16, 24–29
What constitutes legitimate need and legitimate leadership is the focus of this reading. God provides manna in the wilderness, yet the people crave meat. What is truly needful? God bestows the spirit on seventy elders, yet two men not designated as leaders prophesy in the power of God’s spirit. What constitutes real leadership?

4The rabble among them had a strong craving; and the Israelites also wept again, and said, "If only we had meat to eat! 5We remember the fish we used to eat in Egypt for nothing, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic; 6but now our strength is dried up, and there is nothing at all but this manna to look at."
10Moses heard the people weeping throughout their families, all at the entrances of their tents. Then the LORD became very angry, and Moses was displeased. 11So Moses said to the LORD, "Why have you treated your servant so badly? Why have I not found favor in your sight, that you lay the burden of all this people on me? 12Did I conceive all this people? Did I give birth to them, that you should say to me, 'Carry them in your bosom, as a nurse carries a sucking child,' to the land that you promised on oath to their ancestors? 13Where am I to get meat to give to all this people? For they come weeping to me and say, 'Give us meat to eat!' 14I am not able to carry all this people alone, for they are too heavy for me. 15If this is the way you are going to treat me, put me to death at once — if I have found favor in your sight — and do not let me see my misery."
16So the LORD said to Moses, "Gather for me seventy of the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people and officers over them; bring them to the tent of meeting, and have them take their place there with you. 24So Moses went out and told the people the words of the LORD; and he gathered seventy elders of the people, and placed them all around the tent. 25Then the LORD came down in the cloud and spoke to him, and took some of the spirit that was on him and put it on the seventy elders; and when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied. But they did not do so again.
26Two men remained in the camp, one named Eldad, and the other named Medad, and the spirit rested on them; they were among those registered, but they had not gone out to the tent, and so they prophesied in the camp. 27And a young man ran and told Moses, "Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp." 28And Joshua son of Nun, the assistant of Moses, one of his chosen men, said, "My lord Moses, stop them!" 29But Moses said to him, "Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the LORD's people were prophets, and that the LORD would put his spirit on them!"

Psalm 19:7–14

The commandment of the LORD gives light to the eyes. (Ps. 19:8)

7The teaching of the LORD is perfect and re- vives the soul;

the testimony of the LORD is sure and gives wisdom to the simple.

8The statutes of the LORD are just and re- joice the heart;

the commandment of the LORD is clear

and gives light to the eyes.

9The fear of the LORD is clean and en- dures forever;

the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.

10More to be desired are they than gold, more than much fine gold,

sweeter far than honey, than honey in the comb.

11By them also is your ser- vant enlightened,

and in keeping them there is great reward.

12Who can detect one's own offenses?

Cleanse me from my secret faults.

13Above all, keep your servant from presumptuous sins;

let them not get dominion over me;

then shall I be whole and sound, and innocent of a great offense.

14Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart

be acceptable in your sight,

O LORD, my strength and my redeemer.

Second Reading James 5:13–20
Marks of the Christian community include praying for those who are sick and in need, celebrating with those in good health, restoring those who have strayed, confessing sins to one another, and offering forgiveness to each other.

13Are any among you suffering? They should pray. Are any cheerful? They should sing songs of praise. 14Are any among you sick? They should call for the elders of the church and have them pray over them, anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord. 15The prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise them up; and anyone who has committed sins will be forgiven. 16Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective. 17Elijah was a human being like us, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. 18Then he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain and the earth yielded its harvest.
19My brothers and sisters, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and is brought back by another, 20you should know that whoever brings back a sinner from wandering will save the sinner's soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.

Gospel Mark 9:38–50
On the way to Jerusalem, Jesus teaches his disciples about ministry that involves service and sacrifice. His disciples are slow to realize that these words apply to them as well as to others.

38John said to him, "Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he was not following us." 39But Jesus said, "Do not stop him; for no one who does a deed of power in my name will be able soon afterward to speak evil of me. 40Whoever is not against us is for us. 41For truly I tell you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you bear the name of Christ will by no means lose the reward.
42If any of you put a stumbling block before one of these little ones who believe in me, it would be better for you if a great millstone were hung around your neck and you were thrown into the sea. 43If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life maimed than to have two hands and to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire. 45And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life lame than to have two feet and to be thrown into hell. 47And if your eye causes you to stumble, tear it out; it is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and to be thrown into hell, 48where their worm never dies, and the fire is never quenched.
49For everyone will be salted with fire.
50Salt is good; but if salt has lost its saltiness, how can you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another."

Reflections

Salt is such a marvelous thing. It preserves pork and makes a great ham or bacon, makes sweet things sweeter when used in appropriate amounts, helps us sweat when we need to, raises our blood pressure when we don’t want it to, can be addictive as in potato chips or nuts, melts ice on slippery roads and walks, and helps make great homemade ice cream. One web site claims there are some 14,000 uses for salt.

Jesus is using a salt analogy here in a conversation with his disciples to teach them about discipleship. If dedication and commitment are essential to being a true disciple, what happens when the salt, or discipleship, loses its saltiness, dedication and commitment? What good can come of it? We all know people who call themselves Christian, but have no dedication and commitment; no saltiness. There is a problem with their discipleship.

So Jesus says have salt within you and if you do, you will live in peace. His grace is a wonderful gift.


Quote
“The relationship between commitment and doubt is by no means an antagonistic one. Commitment is healthiest when it's not without doubt but in spite of doubt.”

Dr. Rollo May

Prayers

Let us pray for

those families dealing with the hardship of long illnesses

those five year olds just beginning their educational journey

those mourning loss of loved ones

those struggling to reform the health care of Americans

those working to divert an H1N1 pandemic