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Ninth Sunday after Pentecost
17 July 2016
The Mission and Discipleship Council would like to thank Rev Dr Moyna McGlynn, Minister of
Glasgow: Govan and Linthouse, for her thoughts on the ninth Sunday after Pentecost.
Contents
Amos 8: 1-12 ............................................................................................................................................ 2
Psalm 52..................................................................................................................................................3
Colossians 1: 15-28 ................................................................................................................................. 4
Luke 10: 38-42 .........................................................................................................................................5
Sermon Ideas ........................................................................................................................................ 6
Time with Children ................................................................................................................................ 6
Prayers .................................................................................................................................................... 7
Musical Suggestions ............................................................................................................................. 9
Additional Resources ........................................................................................................................... 10
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Helping people prepare for reading the Bible in worship can make a
real difference. Overcoming nerves, reading in ways suitable to the
text, speaking clearly etc.
You may wish to email these three links to the people reading Scripture on Sunday to support them
in their involvement in worship: Managing your nerves; Creative readings; Worship at the Lectern
Amos 8: 1-12
Amos was, as he described himself, a shepherd and a dresser of sycamore fig trees – making a
living in Tekoa in Judah, from where he came, during the reigns of Jeroboam II (782-753 B.C.)
King of Israel and Uzziah (767-740 B.C.) King of Judah.
Amos begins with a critique of the neighbouring countries in their attitudes to Israel and Judah.
They are threatened with divine revenge for the atrocities they have committed. Then, in an
unexpected twist, the prophetic message turns to Israel and Judah, with the staggering
suggestion that they too have failed to live out the requirements of being God’s people and will
also face retribution.
Five visions follow in quick succession (7: 1-3 Locusts; 7: 4-6 the Great Fire; 7: 7-9 the Plumb line of
God; 8: 1-12 the Basket of Fruit, our passage which includes a bitter social critique; and, finally,
the Lord standing at the altar announcing the destruction of the people (9: 1-4). The passage,
then, is set in the middle of an escalating series of warnings of catastrophe, brought about by
God, in return for Israel/Judah’s breaking of the covenant.
The principal reason for Israel/Judah’s punishment is the indifference, brought about by idolatry
- always the root sin - of an affluent, urban society to the plight of the poor, who are cheated by
dishonest merchants, sold into slavery or denied justice for lack of a sufficient bribe. The
countryside, where Amos works, is understood as keeping the terms of the covenant and all that
it implies in respect of social responsibility and care. The conservative nature of country life,
lesser participation in urban commerce and less worldly gain, is seen as a protection for the
values of the covenant. This is a theology which still exists in some forms today, e.g. the posters
of country scenes illustrating particular texts.
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The threat of divine punishment echoes the unravelling of Egypt in the plagues of Exodus:
locusts; fire, judgement; the pollution of food and water, and the mourning for the first-born. In
the closing chapter of Amos, the prophet talks about the restoration of Israel.
Psalm 52
Psalm 52 is one of a number of psalms associated, traditionally, with the events of David’s life. It
appears under the heading of ‘a maskil of David’ and was believed to refer to the actions of
Doeg the Edomite, who arranged for the destruction of the priests of Nob (the house of
Ahimelech) by reporting their support of David to King Saul, and subsequently being responsible
for their massacre. Whether or not it bears any relation to this incident is questionable. Doeg, in I
Samuel, is not accused of lying, unlike the boastful man in Psalm 52. Instead the man in Psalm 52
is without faith. He sees his opportunity in the destruction of others, and will invent the
circumstances that bring them down if need be. He is what we would call a ruined soul, boasting
of his wickedness and deliberately undermining the trust and damaging the reputation of others.
He is set in contrast to the righteous man growing like an olive tree in the House of God (it has
been suggested that olive trees grew in the temple precincts). The righteous man places his
trust in the constant love of God and, in return, declares God’s goodness in a public forum, i.e.
the Temple.
It is worth noting that one of the things of which the boastful man is accused is depending not
on God for his security, but on his great wealth and presumably on the power that attaches itself
to wealth. This links the Psalm to our earlier passage in Amos, where the punishment of God falls
upon the nation because the people have placed their trust in the acquisition of wealth. There is,
consequently, a link between the social critique of God’s people, and the distorted values of the
boastful man.
Finally, the emphasis on deceit and its consequences in the Psalm form the subject matter of the
apocryphal Wisdom of Solomon (Ch.1), where wicked rulers plan the destruction of others and
are abandoned by the Holy Spirit (Wisdom). It is hardly surprising that, in a culture which
depended on the ‘word of God’ for the creation and sustaining of life, deceit, or the betrayal of
truth, was a kind of idolatry and led to the depths of sin.
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Colossians 1: 15-28
The Letter to the Colossians, regarded as ‘Deutero-Pauline’ by many scholars, is an attempt to
deal with theological understanding and rituals growing within the young church. The developed
Christology within the body of the passage appears to be the result of reflection and perhaps
opposition. The rituals of the church place Christ on the same level as the elemental spirits of the
universe, rather than as the pre-eminent one in creation, the being by which God and humankind
are reconciled. The passage has been regarded as one of the most debated in the New
Testament.
What had undermined the confidence and faith of the Colossian believers?
‘You must’ says the letter, ‘continue faithful on a firm and sure foundation, and must not allow
yourselves to be shaken from the hope you gained when you heard the gospel’ (1: 23).
In the more general elements of the letter, it seems as though the rival ideology is heavily based
upon Judaism with a strong emphasis on circumcision, on diet and on holy days.
What appears to have grown within the community is a kind of mystical expression of faith
which requires some understanding of Jesus Christ as an introduction, or perhaps a pathway.
Set against this, the author of Colossians writes of the relationship of Christ with God: Christ is
the visible likeness of the invisible God through whom everything in heaven and on earth was
created. He existed before all things, is the spiritual ruler of all authorities and powers. He has
the full nature of God, and through him God restores everything. The letter encourages those
who are baptised into a full participation in the whole being of Christ, in all the fruits of his
sacrifice and exaltation. Through Christ, believers enter into the fullness of life and the fullness
of God.
The contrasts between the experience of Christ’s supremacy in the created world, and the
mystical intensity of the church members in this passage in Colossians, are very stark. The
transformative power of Christ’s new nature is what brings in forgiveness, love and peace for it
is the resurrected Christ who bears the image of the creator. According to the letter’s author,
spiritual rigours, personal discipline and visionary experiences cannot give the wisdom and
knowledge of God.
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Luke 10: 38-42
Luke 10: 38-42 appears to describe a domestic scene. Jesus and his disciples arrive in the village
and the two sisters, Mary and Martha, invite them into the house and, presumably, for food and
hospitality. Mary sits at Jesus’ feet, absorbing all his teaching. Meanwhile Martha is harassed
with preparations. She finally complains to Jesus that she has been left with all the work while
her sister does nothing. Instead of asking Mary to help Martha, Jesus points out that the
teaching is the most important thing, and that Mary has understood what the priorities are on
this occasion.
This explanation, or something very like it, is how most of us have understood this passage. In
fact, there is more to it than there seems on the surface of the narrative. Within the Gospels,
there is a motif of food and table-fellowship as the setting for significant teaching. The passage
may have the backdrop of ‘the bridegroom’, as Jesus sometimes spoke of himself, and the
shared food an earthly counterpart of the heavenly banquet. This food can also highlight the
creation of new family relationships and bonds as well as new festivities. It is also possible that
the passage carries the idea that the new teaching, as heard by Mary, takes precedence over the
old teaching, here represented by Martha. The new teaching has an urgency which prioritises it
over historic understanding of scripture - it will burst from the wineskins, it will strain the seams
of the cloth.
It is also the case that Jesus, in Luke’s account of events, has already set the scene of tablefellowship as a place where sinners are called to repentance (5: 32). Although the contrasts are
expressed as a parable, it is possible that the two sisters are representing the old and new
covenants, and possibly even the intrinsic incompatibility of their teaching.
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Sermon Ideas
The themes of our different passages, essentially, draw us back to one theme expressed in
different ways: i.e. contrasting understandings of how God engages with people and the effect
of that engagement on individuals and social groups. In Amos the theme is depicted by the
vision of the basket of fruit accompanied by the critique of a society where the false valuation of
wealth (idolatry) has led to impoverishment and a breaking of the covenant relationship. In
Psalm 52, that distortion has been laid at the door of an individual, portrayed as no longer
flourishing, no longer growing, but trapped in lies and destruction. Colossians shows us the
contrast between those who participate in Christ, the exalted Son of God, and those who follow
Christ as a pathway into a form of spiritual Judaism and the Law. And finally, the story of Mary
and Martha may suggest the priority and urgency of the Christ’s teaching over the teaching of
the earlier covenant.
Jesus had nothing other than the teaching of the Old Testament – he gave it fresh life, but its
principles were the foundation of his insights. The Gospels, on the other hand, are recording not
just his teaching, but the gap that was increasing between synagogue and church.
Time with Children
The classic story of the Town Mouse and the Country Mouse, the ways in which different
creatures adapt to different environments, could be one way of creating an analogy for the
contrasting pictures of faith shown in these different readings.
The children's story tells the tale of two mice: one living in the country and one in the city. For a
time they live together, but in each and either case, the displaced mouse has become
accustomed to their own way of living - sounds and noises, dangers, where to collect food. In
the end , they agree to return to living in their own space where they have adapted to life. The
story promotes recognition of differences - differences of ability, different coping strategies, and
different environments. It can even be expanded to cover different expressions of Christian
worship and service. There is no right way - only those things we have adapted - and that doesn't
rule out others who understand things differently as being part of the church and the body of
Christ.
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Prayers
Collect
Almighty God,
Your Son has opened for us
a new and living way into your presence.
Give us pure hearts and constant wills
to worship you in spirit and in truth;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns
with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
Prayer of Approach
O Lord, your faithfulness is for ever.
By your grace we come together, loving God,
trusting not in our own strength, our knowledge, our successes,
but in your mercy and your tender care for us and for all people.
You have nurtured and taught us.
All that we are, and all that we have, comes from you.
O Lord, your faithfulness is for ever.
Holy Spirit of God, come to us in mercy,
free us from all that prevents us from serving you,
free us from all that we have done, or continue to do,
which stops others from seeing you – in us- and in your church.
We look for your forgiveness, Father in heaven,
so that we may become the people you meant us to be.
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O Lord, your faithfulness is for ever.
At the beginning of a new week, lead us, loving God,
shield us from harm and guide us in our thoughts and our actions.
Help us to discover ourselves and others in the world around us,
give us humility, honesty, and a willingness to step back,
may we know the work of Your Spirit in our lives,
that we may be inspired to work in the lives of others.
We thank you, Lord, for your great faithfulness and love,
For your faithfulness is for ever. Amen.
Prayer of Intercession
(may be used responsorially if appropriate).
When I am down, and helpless
against the lies that are reigning,
when fear and indifference are growing,
may your Kingdom come.
When joy is missing
when love is missing
and unbelief is growing,
may your kingdom come.
For the sick and lonely,
for the imprisoned and tortured
may your kingdom come
into our churches,
into our praying,
into our singing,
may your kingdom come.
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Into our hearts
into our hands,
into our eyes,
May your kingdom come.
Make us receptive and open
and may we accept your kingdom
like children taking bread from the hands of their father
let us live in your peace,
may your kingdom come.
In addition to the above prayers, prepared by our contributor, other prayers may
be found in People of the Way which is the theme for this year’s Pray Now. It was
also the theme for Heart and Soul 2016. People of the Way is available from St
Andrew Press.
Musical Suggestions
CH4 96
You are before me, Lord, you are behind
CH4 144
I love the sun
CH4 111
Holy, Holy, Holy.
CH4 166
Lord of all Hopefulness
CH4 181
For the beauty of the Earth.
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Additional Resources
Resourcing Mission
Resourcing Mission is host to Starters for Sunday and other key mission
resources for download and purchase. Online booking is available for
Mission & Discipleship events. Please check back regularly, as new items
are being added all the time. If there is something you’d like to see on
this new site, please contact us via the website.
Prayer Resources
These materials are designed to be a starting point for what you might look for in prayers.
People of the Way is available from St Andrew Press.
Music Resources
The hymns mentioned in this material are ideas of specific hymns you might choose for this
week’s themes. However, for some excellent articles on church music and ideas for new music
resources, please check out our online music pages Different Voices.
Preaching Resources
These materials are designed to be a starting point for what you
might preach this Sunday. Preachers Perspectives is a resource
where we have asked twelve preachers to share the insights they
have gathered through their experiences of writing and delivering sermons regularly.
Scots Worship Resources
The Kirk's Ear - Scots i the Kirk series for Advent, Christmas, Lent, Easter, Pentecost and other
times of the year
Wurship Ouk bi Ouk - Metrical psalms, hymns, prayers and words for worship
Scots Sacraments may give you helpful material if you are celebrating Communion or have a
Baptism.
The Mission and Discipleship Council would like to express its thanks to the Rev Dr Moyna McGlynn
for providing us with this Sunday’s material.
Please note that the views expressed in these materials are those of the individual writer and not
necessarily the official view of the Church of Scotland, which can be laid down only by the General
Assembly.