1 Kings 19:1-4, (5-7), 8-15a and Psalms 42 and 43
or
Isaiah 65:1-9 and Psalm 22:19-28
Galatians 3:23-29
Luke 8:26-39

 

I Kings 19:1-15

I’m not really the best Old Testament exegete, having studied the Gospels most closely in seminary. But I’ll throw this one out for discussion, especially since I’m preaching on prayer this week. Here are my initial thoughts.

I am bewildered as to why the Lectionary considers verses 5-7 optional. To me, it is part of the crux of the narrative. Elijah, now under a death threat from Jezebel, decides he has had enough and prays to the Lord that he may die. And God answers in an unexpected way. Instead of granting Elijah’s wish, God provides food, water and strength for a forty day journey. So much for the whole “if you have enough faith you can get whatever you ask for” thing. Elijah instead had to have enough faith to accept what God gave him. That reminds me of a line from Bruce Almighty when Jim Carrey’s character saw the unfortunate consequences of giving everyone what they prayed for and God responded, “since when have people known what they really want?”

I love the imagery when Elijah responds to God’s call to stand on the mountain. There was a mighty wind, but God wasn’t in it; then an earthquake and a fire, but God wasn’t in them either. The wind, earthquake and fire are definitely theophany images but Elijah had the discernment to know that what appeared to be God wasn’t really God.

Then silence. And God was encountered in the silence. (Contemplative prayer, anyone?) Standing on Mt. Horeb (like Moses) Elijah encountered God (like Moses) and covered his face (like Moses). And just as Elijah had turned inward, God sent him outward into mission (to anoint Hazael and Jehu, and to pass the torch to Elisha).

Preaching points: Prayer doesn’t get you what you want, but it opens you to God’s will; what seems to be God isn’t always God; God is often encountered in the silence; Prayer strengthens us for mission.

Psalms 42-43

The psalmist goes from blaming God ( 42:9 I say to God, my rock, “Why have you forgotten me? Why must I walk about mournfully because the enemy oppresses me?”) to realizing the problem is with himself, not God (42:11 Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you disquieted within me?) to praising God (43:4 Then I will go to the altar of God, to God my exceeding joy; and I will praise you with the harp, O God, my God.) Isn’t that a familiar process?

Isaiah 65

Isaiah 65:8 Thus says the LORD: As the wine is found in the cluster, and they say, “Do not destroy it, for there is a blessing in it,” so I will do for my servants’ sake, and not destroy them all.

Psalm 22

22:27 All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the LORD; and all the families of the nations shall worship before him.

22:28 For dominion belongs to the LORD, and he rules over the nations.

Galatians 3

An interesting exegetical note: in verse 24 (Therefore the law was our disciplinarian until Christ came, so that we might be justified by faith) the word translated by the NRSV as “disciplinarian” is really the Greek word (paidaggos) from which we derive the word pedagogue. The Free Dictionary defines pedagogue as “A schoolteacher; an educator,” or “One who instructs in a pedantic or dogmatic manner.”

So what does Paul mean? The law was our guideline, our “gold standard?” Or was it a harsh taskmaster?

Luke 8

Luke tells the story of the healing of the Gerasene Demoniac in a way that is quite different from Mark’s version.

 

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