July 19, 2009

Proper 11

2 Samuel 7:1-14 * Psalm 89:20-37 * Ephesians 2:11-22 * Mark 6:30-34, 53-56

 ³⁰ The apostles returned to Jesus from their ministry tour and told him all they had done and taught. ³¹ Then Jesus said, ”Let’s go off by ourselves to a quiet place and rest awhile.” He said this because there were so many people coming and going that Jesus and his apostles didn’t even have time to eat.

 ³² So they left by boat for a quiet place, where they could be alone. ³³ But many people recognized them and saw them leaving, and people from many towns ran ahead along the shore and got there ahead of them. ³⁴ Jesus saw the huge crowd as he stepped from the boat, and he had compassion on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things.

⁵³ After they had crossed the lake, they landed at Gennesaret. They brought the boat to shore⁵⁴ and climbed out. The people recognized Jesus at once, ⁵⁵ and they ran throughout the whole area, carrying sick people on mats to wherever they heard he was. ⁵⁶ Wherever he went—in villages, cities, or the countryside—they brought the sick out to the marketplaces. They begged him to let the sick touch at least the fringe of his robe, and all who touched him were healed.

Several years ago our denomination had a Year of the Bible emphasis. They challenged everyone to read the entire Bible through the year. Our family accepted the challenge and woke up early each morning to read the passages. I remember when I came across this passage, especially the part where it talks about those who were healed simply by touching the hem of Jesus’garment. Most are familiar with the woman who had been bleeding for many years being healed by Jesus, but here we have an account of many people being healed this way. Their faith was strong and their faith made them well. Just a touch of Jesus changed their lives. The same can be true in our lives – all we need to do is to reach out in faith – will all of our troubles go away – No, we were reminded of that on Tuesday evening – but God will change us from the inside out.

Here’s what Paul writes in his letter to the church at Ephesus:

 ¹¹ Don’t forget that you Gentiles used to be outsiders. You were called “uncircumcised heathens” by the Jews, who were proud of their circumcision, even though it affected only their bodies and not their hearts. ¹² In those days you were living apart from Christ. You were excluded from citizenship among the people of Israel, and you did not know the covenant promises God had made to them. You lived in this world without God and without hope. ¹³ But now you have been united with Christ Jesus. Once you were far away from God, but now you have been brought near to him through the blood of Christ.

 ¹⁴ For Christ himself has brought peace to us. He united Jews and Gentiles into one people when, in his own body on the cross, he broke down the wall of hostility that separated us. ¹⁵He did this by ending the system of law with its commandments and regulations. He made peace between Jews and Gentiles by creating in himself one new people from the two groups.¹⁶ Together as one body, Christ reconciled both groups to God by means of his death on the cross, and our hostility toward each other was put to death.

 ¹⁷ He brought this Good News of peace to you Gentiles who were far away from him, and peace to the Jews who were near. ¹⁸ Now all of us can come to the Father through the same Holy Spirit because of what Christ has done for us.

 ¹⁹ So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God’s holy people. You are members of God’s family. ²⁰ Together, we are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself.²¹ We are carefully joined together in him, becoming a holy temple for the Lord. ²² Through him you Gentiles are also being made part of this dwelling where God lives by his Spirit.

Prayer:

Shepherd God,
you call us into a rhythm of work and rest
that our lives may be the better for it.
So shape our leisure and our labor,
that the world will recognize us
as Jesus’disciples
and our ministry
as what you would have us do. Amen.