Proper 5 YEAr B
tHE FAMILY OF gOD
Introduction
The page image (above) is pretty clear: Who is in the family of God? Or, to be shorter, who is not? Jesus is pretty clear in the Mark gospel: whoever does the will of God. Notice what he doesn't say. He doesn't say relatives. Or older people. Or younger people. Or children. Or those in my "clique". Or those who look like me. Or . . . Isn't that amazing? And it includes me!
Mark 3:20-35
. . . A crowd was sitting around him; and they said to him, “Your mother and your brothers and sisters are outside, asking for you.” And he replied, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” And looking at those who sat around him, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.”
From sermon4kids.com: “The Bible tells us that when we trust in Jesus and are united with him in baptism, we all become the children of God. It doesn't matter if you are a boy or a girl. It doesn't matter what color your skin is. When we become a part of the family of God, we are all brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus. ”
Scripture: June 6, 2021—Track 1: 1 Samuel 8:4-11, (12-15), 16-20, (11:14-15) (image); Psalm 138 (image); Track 2: Genesis 3:8-15 (image); Psalm 130 (image); 2 Corinthians 4:13-5:1 (image); and Mark 3:20-35 (image). A visual/audio journey through the scripture.
Collect: O God, from whom all good proceeds: Grant that by your inspiration we may think those things that are right, and by your merciful guiding may do them; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Reflection: As we age, we can see how our physical bodies do indeed suffer the wear and tear of life (“our outer nature is wasting away,” as Paul puts it in 2 Cor. 4:16). Yet Paul says it is possible for our “inner nature” to be renewed every day. In your life, what contributes to your renewal? How are you being prepared “for an eternal weight of glory” (2 Cor. 4:16–18)?
Symbols of the Church
The rainbow is a symbol of God's faithfulness and his promise, . . . from the story of Noah and the Flood. After the flood, God placed a rainbow in the sky as a sign of his covenant . . .. By arching high over the horizon, the rainbow shows the all-embracing expanse of God's faithfulness through his work of grace. God’s grace through faith in Jesus Christ isn't only for a select few souls to enjoy. The gospel of salvation, like a rainbow, is all-encompassing, and everyone is invited to behold it . . ..
Writers of the Bible use rainbows to describe the glory of God. . . . In the book of Revelation, the Apostle John saw a rainbow around the throne of God in heaven . . . When believers see a rainbow, they are reminded of God’s faithfulness, his all-encompassing grace, his glorious beauty, and his holy and eternal presence on the throne of our lives.
from "Christian Symbols Glossary" website.
Eye Candy: “Kinfolk” by Jan Richardson; cartoon about the gospel; “Jesus of the People” by Janice McKenzie.
Ear Worm: “The family of God“, a praise song (with lyrics); “The Servant Song“, congregational hymn; “What a friend we have in Jesus“, sung by Alan Jackson.
Brain Food:
Family Man
It used to say, “He is beside himself,”
As if some other person stood nearby;
A twin, perhaps, who also looked the part,
But part one, now, the second part belied.
It turns out too familiar did he seem
For them to see in him the other side,
From which, this bigger family man still calls,
That those who hear, on part two might decide.
~Scott L. Barton
“Offering a wide welcome” by David Lose; “Family Reunion” from Journey to Penuel.
Parables: The themes we explore are “love” and “friendship”: “Almost famous” (2000), a coming of age drama; “Simon Birch” (1998), “the ardor and resilience of faith”; “Intouchables” (2011), a sorta French “Driving Miss Daisy”.
For families: Study guide, group activity, snacks—make a cookie and put a happy face on it; kid video.
For children: activity; bulletin games, craft;
For middlers: activity; bulletin games, craft;
For youth: For the summer, we are exploring how faith and science fit together—or do they? The second video in our summer series talks about historical figures who were ostracized from the church for their scientific beliefs. And we begin to look at these figures in greater depth. For this week, use a worksheet here. Using the balloon on the first page, write down your thoughts after watching the video. We will continue and do more next week. Share your thoughts.
In today’s Gospel reading, the radical newness of Jesus’ message prompted his family to fear that he was out of his mind and caused his critics to accuse him of serving Satan and using Satan’s power to cast out demons. Jesus reminds them that Satan would certainly never work against himself. He warns against the one sin which is unforgivable, to blaspheme the Holy Spirit; that is, to ascribe the works of God to Satan. Finally, he redefines his family as being all those who do the will of God.
Track I: As we continue the history of the period of the kingdom of David, we hear today the people’s demand to Samuel that they have a king like other people. God through Samuel foretells that the kings will oppress the people, but they still insist. The first king, Saul, is chosen, but he will displease God and be replaced.
Track II: In the first reading, we hear the account of the fall of the human race as the serpent tempts the man and woman to disobey God. Jesus, the descendant of Adam and Eve, reverses that fall and in casting down Satan in his dying and rising, he restores the whole human race, even Adam and Eve, to God.
Our life in Christ is not affected by death. Whether we live or die, Paul tells the Corinthians, we are always with God. The presence of God’s Spirit with us is the guarantee that we already live in eternal life.
From The Rite Light: Reflections on the Sunday Readings and Seasons of the Church Year. Copyright © 2007 by Michael W. Merriman. Church Publishing Incorporated, New York.