This blog will cover two Wednesdays of study. I'll begin with the first passage from Luke, which is the story of how Martha was upset with Mary, because she was not helping provide hospitality for Jesus and was simple sitting listening to him. Martha is reprimanded by Jesus saying that Mary chose the better portion. The group as a whole felt that Martha was unfairly scolded. Mary wasn't helping. What lessons can be learned from this encounter?
One observation was that Martha was going beyond the simple need of hospitality. We can be excessive. The story was told of a grandmother who spent all her time in the kitchen when the family visited. When asked to join the family in conversation, she insisted that she could hear perfectly well from the kitchen and that the family enjoyed their time together. Of course, the reason the family was together was to visit with grandmother, not each other.
Another observation was that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. He wanted to spend time with those he loved. Martha missed the point of the visit. The story was told of visiting someone as they are dying and people talking about everything else than what they need to talk about. What is really important. How to say goodbye and bring closure.
The final observation was that it was Martha's house. She was obligated to provide hospitality, not Mary. In addition, her activity was not one of joy in serving, but simple obligation. She was anxious, rather than joyful. Stories were told of doing what is right grudgingly.
The lesson from Luke is the Lord's Prayer. The question was asked. Since John was referenced as giving a prayer to his disciples, what was his prayer? There have been some suggestions:
"Father, show me you son. Son, show me your spirit. Holy Spirit grant me wisdom through your strength."
"Holy Father, consecrate me through your strength and make known the glory of your excellence and show me your son and fill me with your spirit which has received light through your knowledge."
Holy Father, guard your strength and show us your glory and make your son known to us and fill us, my Lord, with your spirit which gives light through your knowledge."
It was noted that there were those who continued to follow John the Baptist and rejected Jesus. One of those groups was the Mandaeans. They were/are a branch of gnostic thinking. Gnostic believe in general believe in a radical dualism between good and evil. They reject the God of the Old Testament and not a pure expression of the true God. They hold only to parts of the New Testament. They reject a human Jesus. The position of Gnostics was rejected by the early church and is reflected in the creeds that became the center of Christian theology.
There was conversation around "your kingdom come". This seems to echo the theme of Advent with Jesus coming again. An event, for which we would prayer. There is also the thought about God's kingdom breaking into our lives today. There was conversation about liberation theology, which argues that the church should be at work bringing in the kingdom of God through social justice. There was conversation that wherever and whenever God's will is being done, there is the kingdom of God.
Finally, there was a great deal of conversation about this prayer not really being a Christian prayer. It was a prayer offered by Jesus to his disciples that is truly a Jewish prayer that reflects Jesus' faith. It is a prayer that could be offered in any synagogue today and be accepted. All the themes and petitions are found in Judaism. All of this begs the question of rediscovering and incorporating our Jewish roots.
You are now caught up with our Wednesday conversations. Keep following this blog or join us some Wednesday at noon at the Christian Education Building. We are continuing in the 11th chapter of the gospel of Luke.
Peace,
Pastor Summer
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