Zac Hicks has an intriguing analysis of the value of using the Common Lectionary as an aid to Bible study and worship. He rightly points out that this is one tool of the Holy Spirit to knit the scattered bones of the church back together as so many read, study, pray and worship around the same texts week by week.
It is also a way to be joined together in ordering our time, all of us dancing to the same delight in the same celebrations throughout the year; all of us pacing to the measure of His work rather than to the commemorations of our various States or to purely personal memorials and agendas.
I have been working on a cycle of daily Bible studies based on the daily readings from the Lectionary. The set for Lent is complete, and will soon be available for personal or group study. Below is a sample lesson. I'd love to hear your comments. Is it clear? Easy to use? Does it draw out the themes that echo among the Old and New Testament readings for the day?
Ps. 35, 148; Romans 11:25-36; Deuteronomy 30:11-20
Discussion & Study
1.What point does Moses emphasize about the Law in Deut. 30:11 – 14?
2.Where does David turn for justice when he is oppressed, according to Ps. 35?
3.Who were David’s most painful enemies according to Ps 35:12 - 17?
4.On what basis does he make his plea?Why can he expect God to take up his case?
5.Who had become the enemies of God’s people in Paul’s day (Rom 11:28)?
Comments
Our worst enemies are the ones we helped and trusted.The ones we counted as friends or family. David’s anguish is increased by the nearness of his enemies. But in his pain, he does not take matters into his own hands.
David pictures himself in the Court of Heaven. He asks for the Judge to plead his cause on the basis of His covenant, and proceeds to give evidence of his oppressors’ abuse of that covenant. He lays before God, his complaint and trusts in God’s justice and mercy.He calls for God’s punishment on the wicked and His defense of the righteous, but David understands that, particularly in the case of once-friend enemies, he himself might not know who the wicked are. “Judge me,” he says.
God knows not only the outward violations, but the inward ones as well. He knows the particular wounds and rottenness in the oppressor’s heart. He is the only one who can truly mete out justice. But God’s purposes in His justice go far beyond simple retribution. His justice not only gives the wicked his just desserts and the oppressed relief, but it produces restoration of the offender.
Israel in Paul’s day had become the enemy in God’s bosom and the God-fearing Gentiles had taken David’s place. Paul exhorts these Gentile converts to take up David’s wisdom. For God is not merely shaming and confounding covenant-breakers, but He is preparing an unprecedented union as well. Because of God’s rejection of Israel, both Israel and non-Israel know the wrath of God, so that those physical descendants of Abraham and those spiritual descendants of Abraham who fear God will be unified by their experience of God’s grace.
They will all be Israel together, beyond all pettiness, beyond all betrayal, beyond all pain.
Does one near you oppress you?Do not seek revenge.Lay your complaint before God, who is just beyond Justice. His grace will not gloss over wickedness; will not merely excuse the destroyer. But His justice will produce real healing and real unity.
Thanks for your prayers this weekend. Monday I took a turn for the better and today, I'm beginning to feel human again.
My Doc chirpily told me on Monday that all of my difficulties were within the bounds of normal expectations for this type of chemo. Well, the burning hands & feet concerned her enough to consider reducing my taxotere dose in the next round. While I'm glad to know that I won't be having to spend my most miserable days in the ER, I'm a little daunted by the prospect of anticipating this stuff in the ordinary course of affairs.
At this rate, I'm useless for a good ten days following chemo. I find being a virtual invalid as difficult as the actual symptoms. My good friend, Sandy, a breast cancer survivor, put things into perspective for me over coffee last week. "Asking for help is one of the things God wants you to be able to do."
It was an Aha! moment. These disabilities are practice for expanded ability. Ps 104 reminded me today that the waters that drowned and shrouded the mountains as they rose as scars on a broken earth, are the same waters that nourish man and nature today. All wine-gladdened feasts, all forested wonders, all mysteries of the seas flow from springs that frolic down the craigged remnants of that terrible judgment.
So once again, it's not about what we have been. It's about who we must become.
In preparation for Advent, our church commissioned me to write and direct several short scenes for our living history installation: Journey to Bethlehem. I'm posting bits of it here so that I can work out the kinks before we go to rehearsal. Please leave a comment to help me refine it.
We want our audience to be invited by our scenes to enter the story of redemption for themselves. We hope that these vignettes will help modern people connect with the ancient story and, more importantly, with the Word Who lives.
The two scenes below sketch the story of Joseph's family. It is the story of every "good Christian" family. We all have dreams about how our lives will look if we "do things right". We think that we dream big enough, and we think that the moral & relational capital we generate by 'doing things right' is for us to use as we please. But God has bigger plans, and our treasures are to advance His Kingdom. We struggle to accept this and ultimately, it takes a deep personal encounter with the living Lord to bring us to joy in His will. Not shown in this script is the reconciliation between Joseph and his mother, Rahab, which will be played in pantomime in the living creche we will build at the climax of the concert.
A blind beggar, Mephibosheth, comes into the last scene as well. He is modeled after the spunky blind man Jesus heals in Jn 9. As a social outcast, he sees in the babe carried by that other outcast - Mary - a promise of Light and Life. I hope his story helps us all to connect with the already-but-not-yet aspect of God's work that we experience living in a world that is both fallen and redeemed.
Enjoy!
SCENE 1
This group is on a shopping trip. The children
have their arms full of baskets and burlap bags of
food. Boaz has an especially large bag or, if it
can be found, a wine amphora or wineskin. The
women have baskets full of packages. They stop to
rest a moment at the well under a tree.
Lights in the square come down slightly. Subtle
spotlights on well
BOAZ (Joseph's brother)
So, do we have everything?
CHAVAH (Boaz' wife, Joseph's sister-in-law)
Let me think…we got the cheese, the wine, the raisins…
RACHEL (Boaz' & Chavah's daughter)
(advocating for more of her favorite
treat)
…the dates? Do we really have enough dates?
(Adam waves a big package, which she
grabs & hugs)
RAHAB (Joseph's & Boaz' mother)
Remember Itzak’s family will be staying with us as
well as Leah’s. I don’t think we have enough lentils
at home.
CHAVAH
No, Itzak is staying with Uncle Lev, because your
brother needs a place to stay with his new wife. You
know her time is nearly here, and I’m the best hand
with births.
RAHAB
Oh, that woman! She certainly had us all fooled. We
all thought she was so godly, such a good catch…Why
Joseph didn’t put her away, I’ll never understand.
BOAZ
Mother! We agreed we’d wait and see how it goes.
ADAM (Boaz' & Chavah's son)
Joseph saw an angel! And He told Joseph this babe
would be the Messiah!
RAHAB
(snorting derisively)
He dreamed an angel!
BOAZ
Just like he dreamed you would recover from your fever.
RAHAB
Bah! That was just kindness.
CHAVAH
But it gave you hope to fight for life. You’re still
with us because of Joseph’s kind word…and besides,
maybe he did see an angel.
RAHAB
Angels! Well, he always was a dreamer – just like his
namesake in Egypt. And he got into just as much
trouble with that as our Joseph. Sold into slavery by
his brothers! Dumped in Pharaoh's deepest dungeon
...scandalous!
BOAZ
But it turned out in the end to save our whole people.
RAHAB
Well these dreams of our Joseph's - they're dangerous.
And what about the ordinary dreams of sane people? The
whole family gathering in peace around the Sabbath
candles... Being able to hold my head up in the
synagogue because my children have spotless
reputations...
BOAZ
(sad & gentle)
Would that be enough, mother?
RAHAB
(grumpy, defensive)
It's little enough to ask.
CHAVAH
(speculative)
It's little enough to aspire to. Our fathers asked for
more...a glimpse of God's glory, freedom after slavery,
a king over all kings...
BOAZ
Dangerous dreams, indeed!
CHAVAH
Caesar wouldn't appreciate them.
RAHAB
That reprobate! Why can’t he just leave us in peace?
ADAM
Is that why we have to swear allegiance to Caesar?
Because he's afraid of the king God promised would
come?
BOAZ
Rome must believe that there is no threat to Caesar’s
rule from us. So we of the royal clan of Judah must
particularly swear allegiance to him to keep our people
invisible to him.
ADAM
But Papa, if Joseph’s dream is true, then this baby
would be…
RAHAB
(cutting him off)
...too good to be true!
SCENE 4
Enter Mary & Joseph walking toward the well.
Joseph has the luggage. During the scene,
villagers pass by, noticing the notorious couple,
and turn away, whispering. Two soldiers patrol the
square. Adam, Joseph’s nephew passes through
during the hubbub with the beggar. Spotlight on
the well group.
MARY
Whew! Now I know how the donkey feels at the end
of the day.
JOSEPH
Me, too. Caesar really should have checked with our
midwife before he scheduled his special census. After
all, he considers all the house of David potential
royal rivals.
(They arrive at the well. Joseph dusts
off the edge with a flourish, and helps
Mary sit down. He is worried about her.)
Your throne, your Majesty! How’s the prince?
MARY
Well he’s been the prince of peace up to now, your
Grace. But he’s getting restless.
(laughing, she sits carefully on the
edge of the well)
JOSEPH
I’ll just hail a passing servant for a drink for you.
(He waves at a pair of girls coming to
draw water))
Tamar! Olivia! Will you draw us a drink from the well?
(They stop, embarrassed, and run away.
Joseph is embarrassed)
MARY
(rescuing him)
They are too awestruck to approach, your Majesty.
(They laugh)
Is there still bread in the saddlebag?
(he looks)
Enter Mephibosheth, the beggar, working his way to
the well, begging from the customers at the Inn on
his way. Follow spot on the group. Two gangly teen
boys grab his cane and start shoving him around in
a sort of blind man’s bluff, tossing the cane to
each other, smacking Mephibosheth with it.
MEPHIBOSHETH
Alms! Alms!
LOT (a village bully)
What’s the matter, old man?
ANDREW (another village bully)
Can’t you stand up?
LOT
Where’s your cane?
ANDREW
What’s your story?
This is nothing new to Mephibosheth. He steadies
himself, catches the cane as it whistles towards
him and hangs on. He whirls the startled guy on
the other end around him like a hammer thrower,
toppling the other bully and scattering onlookers.
The second bully picks himself up and wrests the
cane away. Mephibosheth sprawls on the ground.Two
Roman soliders, who are patrolling the square, are
drawn to the ruckus. They catch the boy’s hand as
he is about to smash the cane down on the fallen
beggar. They take the cane away, looming
menacingly over the boys.
LUCIUS (an old Roman Legionnare)
(clicking his tongue)
Can’t have bullying in the square. Can we now, Gaius?
GAIUS (Lucius' buddy, a veteran of many campaigns)
No indeed, Lucius. Bullying is strictly forbidden.
(They laugh threateningly, shove the
boys. Lucius gets one boy in a choke
hold with the cane.)
MEPHIBOSHETH
Hey! My cane!
GAIUS
What's this?
(grabs M’s begging bowl, pours out the
coins)
LUCIUS
Looks like more tribute for Caesar.
GAIUS
Tax day!
MEPHIBOSHETH
No! Someone....please!
Just as they are about to complete the robbery and
start on the boys again, the Centurion slaps a
heavy hand on the soldiers’ shoulders. They snap
to attention, dropping everything. Mephibosheth
scrambles to retrieve his things. The boys are
frozen.
CENTURION
We’ll be mustering now to clear the square for the
night.
(in a ferocious whisper, steering his
men out of the square)
What in the five hells are you thinking? Caesar’s
census hasn’t exactly made the provincials love us!
(His eye falls on the boys. In a louder
voice)
You there! You carry their gear!
(The soldiers grin & shake off their
packs. They boys grimly pick them up.
The five of them exit. Mephibosheth
makes it to the well with Joseph’s
help.)
MEPHIBOSHETH
Alms?
JOSEPH
Sorry, friend. But what I have, I’ll share. Bread?
(He breaks some off)
MARY
Are you hurt?
MEPHIBOSHETH
Not really. No more than usual.
MARY
This happens often?
MEPHIBOSHETH
They see that I’m afraid. Sometimes I’m afraid in a
place where I don’t know my way. If I could only see, I
wouldn’t be afraid. I wouldn’t let them push me around.
I’d make them see the light!
(He devours the bread)
MARY
What's your name, young man?
MEPHIBOSHETH
I’m Mephibosheth, ma’am.
(he rises to bow & take her hand, but
misses, falls, rolls and jumps up in one
smooth move.)
I meant to do that!
(They all laugh)
JOSEPH
You aren't from around here, are you?
MEPHIBOSHETH
No, sir. I’m from Jerusalem. My parents brought me
with them when they came to pay the tax and sign the
registry. I don’t usually get to go anywhere... Born
blind... But we hoped this would be a good place for me
to beg while so many are here for the census. Besides,
the Romans even tax blind beggars!
JOSEPH
So we saw!
MEPHIBOSHETH
It sure is quiet right here. It being the inn well and
all. I’m..er..intimidating, but I usually don’t scare
people away from a well….Say! You must be that couple
everybody’s talking about.
(he realizes this is a faux pas)
MARY
Why would you think that?
MEPHIBOSHETH
Even a blind man can see you’re being shunned….Some of
them say your baby is the Messiah! Is it true? He’s
royal blood – son of David - or you wouldn’t be here.
Will he be king one day?
JOSEPH
(putting a protective arm around Mary)
Messiah? Yes, so the angel has told me. “A virgin shall
conceive and bear a son and shall call his name
Immanuel, God with us.”
MARY
But, 'king'? We have no word of that.
MEPHIBOSHETH
When I was little and I had been beaten on the streets,
my mum used to comfort me with stories of the Messiah.
She said “Behold your God will come with vengeance,
with the recompense of God. He will come and save you.
Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened.” (pause) Is
your time very near, like they all say?
MARY
yes, very...
(she takes his hand and places it on her
belly. He shouts, jerks back as if
burned, then reaches again)
MARY
What!? What?!
JOSEPH
What! What is it?
MEPHIBOSHETH
I...don't know! Something....
(He tears the bandage off his eyes,
opening them wide - but blindly.
Crestfallen, he dashes tears from his
eyes.)
I have to go now. We are leaving tonight. I won’t get
to meet Him.
(reluctantly he rises to go, then turns
back)
Wait! My mum told me that the Messiah would come to the
Temple – in Jerusalem. That’s where I live! I will wait
for Him there... Every day... Tell Him. I’ll be
waiting.
(As he leaves, Joseph begins to gather
up their belongings)
JOSEPH
We should be going, too. It will be dark soon and we’re
almost home. Boaz will have a lamb roasting and Mama
will have the place all decked out for all the family
coming in for the census…
(he breaks off, seeing Mary’s flaming
face.)
MARY
Will they? Will they have room for all of us? After
the wedding…
JOSEPH
The wedding isn't the whole story..
MARY
It is for your mother...It is for the town.
JOSEPH
I’ve written to Boaz. He understands…he believes.
He’ll welcome us… all of us. And he’s the head of the
household now. Mama will do as he says.
MARY
Boaz is a true son of David, but he can't...
JOSEPH
I can! God has appointed me to protect His promised
Messiah, and to defend his mother. It starts here…
MARY
Then don't ask me to birth this child in your mother's
house. Think of something else.
JOSEPH
It would be the gravest insult to my family not to go
to them while we are here in Bethlehem. You know that.
Boaz, Rahab, Rachel & Adam enter. Boaz calls
across the room. Lights catch them in the crowd.
BOAZ
Joseph! Mary! Adam told me you had arrived, but we
didn’t see you at the house.
JOSEPH & MARY
Boaz!
(he with joy, she with dismay. Joseph &
Boaz embrace. Joseph hugs everyone. Mary
is left out)
BOAZ
(cuffing Adam affectionately)
Where are your manners? Why didn’t you bring them with
you as soon as you saw them?
(turning back to Mary & Joseph)
I was afraid you wouldn’t come to us. Mary! Welcome.
You will always have a place in my home.
Mary smiles at him but looks past him to Rahab.
Joseph and Boaz exchange worried looks over her
head. Rahab won’t look at Mary. The brothers turn
to Rahab expectantly.
RAHAB
Hmph!
(with a forced smile)
Hello Mary. I wish we were meeting under happier
circumstances...
(she catches Joseph’s warning look)
The census. Caesar is most inconsiderate.
MARY
(with stiff politeness)
How are you?
RAHAB
Fine...
(under her breath)
...until today.
JOSEPH
(warningly)
Mother!
RAHAB
I am an old woman! She is about to give birth.
Neither of us has time for these games! How am I? NOT
fine! There is nothing fine about any of this!
JOSEPH
Did the angel’s message in my dream mean nothing to
you?
RAHAB
I too had a dream! I dreamed I had a son who would
bring glory to God and joy to my heart! This is not a
dream. This is a nightmare!
There is a long tense pause. Mary groans in
labor. The Roman squadron enters. Everyone starts
moving.
MARY
It's time! He's coming!
JOSEPH
No time to get home now!
BOAZ
Rachel! Run fetch you mother. We need her midwifery
NOW!
(Rachel runs)
RAHAB
I’ll speak to the innkeeper!
(they all turn to stare at her. She
shakes her head dismissively.)
I would do this for anyone.
CENTURION
The square is closing for the night! Go home, everyone!
He and the soldiers keep interrupting with this
message as they begin to clear the room. Lights
come up near inn.
RAHAB
(crossing to the inn)
Daniel! Have you got space for Joseph and his wife?
She’s just gone into labor. She won’t make it to my
house tonight.
DANIEL
It’s really packed. Besides, the birth will make all
my guests unclean! They’ll complain. She’ll be
miserable!
RAHAB
She’ll be miserable anyway, you oaf! How about the
stable?
JOSEPH
The sheep are all out for lambing. Isn't it nearly
empty?
DANIEL
Well...yes. and there's fresh straw ready to be strewn
there!
RAHAB
Boaz! Adam! Help Joseph get the stable ready for this
