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June 14, 2015Highlands Lutheran ChurchDenver, CO

Pastor Dena Williams3rd Sunday after PentecostYear B

The First Lesson from the Book of 1st Samuel in the 16th Chapter The LORD said to Samuel, "How long will you grieve over Saul? I have rejected him from being king over Israel. Fill your horn with oil and set out; I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided for myself a new king from among his sons."

Samuel said, "How can I go? If Saul hears of it, he will kill me." And the LORD said, "Take a heifer with you, and say, 'I have come to sacrifice to the LORD.'

Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do; and you shall anoint for me the one whom I name to you."

Samuel did what the LORD commanded, and came to Bethlehem. The elders of the city came to meet him trembling, and said, "Do you come peaceably?"He said, "Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice to the LORD; sanctify yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice." And he sanctified Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.

When they came, Samuel looked on Jesses son, Eliab, and thought, "Surely the Lord's anointed is now before the LORD."

But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for the LORD does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart."

Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. Samuel said, "Neither has the LORD chosen this one."

Then Jesse made Shammah pass by. And Samuel said, "Neither has the LORD chosen this one."

Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel, and Samuel said to Jesse, "The LORD has not chosen any of these."

Samuel said to Jesse, "Are all your sons here?" And Jesse said, "There remains yet the youngest, but he is keeping the sheep." And Samuel said to Jesse, "Send and bring him; for we will not sit down until he comes here."

Jesse sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and had beautiful eyes, and was handsome. The LORD said, "Rise and anoint him; for this is the one."

Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the presence of his brothers; and the spirit of the LORD came mightily upon David from that day forward. Samuel then set out and went to Ramah.

Here ends the lesson.Thanks be to God.

The Holy Gospel according to the Community of St. Mark in the 4th ChapterGlory to you, O Lord

Jesus said, "The kingdom of God is as if someone would scatter seed on the ground,

and would sleep and rise night and day, and the seed would sprout and grow, he does not know how.

The earth produces of itself, first the stalk, then the head, then the full grain in the head.

But when the grain is ripe, at once the planter goes in with his sickle, because the harvest has come."

Jesus also said, "With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable will we use for it?

The Kingdom of God is like a mustard seed, which, when sown upon the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth;

yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes the greatest of all shrubs, and puts forth branches so large that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade."

With many such parables Jesus spoke the word to the people, as they were able to hear it;he did not speak to them except in parables, but he explained everything in private to his disciples.

The Gospel of the LordPraise to you, O Christ

He Does Not Know How . . .

When the Prophet Samuel,sent by God,comes looking for a new King,a King God chooses for the whole people of Israel,a King to anoint,it never even occurs to Jesse to bother to call his son, David, in from the sheep pastures.

David, the youngest of Jesses sons,just a boy, is a shepherd, brown from the sun,dirty from sleeping outside with the sheep,his hair uncombed,his clothes unwashed.Hes alone . . . playing his harp . . . making up songs . . . singing to his sheep! He probably hasnt had a conversation with another person for weeks!Hes just not presentable in polite company. He certainly does not know how to be a King.

A man named Paul makes tents for a living.He works with his hands,cutting and sewing heavy fabric by hand.He is a good judge of clothhe knows a quality piece of canvas when he sees it.He understands the importance of strong seams needed to withstand wind and rain.His customers depend on him to make sturdy tents.They recommend his skills to their friends.

Paul is a devout Jew and a Roman citizen.When some upstart from the backwaters of Nazareth comes along and proclaims himself Messiah,Paul knows better!When hes not making tents,he hunts down and kills followers of this so-called Messiah.Hes good at this trade, as well.

Jesus tells a man named Ananias to go and find Paulbecause God has chosen Paul to bring the good news of the Messiah to the people of Israel and the Gentiles and the Kings.

Ananias says, But Jesus! This man kills the followers of the Messiah. The chief priests gave him the authority to kill anyone who even mentions your name!

Pauls hands are callused and rough from sewing.His hands are covered, as well, with the blood of innocent people.He certainly does not know how to tell the good news of the Messiah.

I planted my first herb garden this Spring.I am a reasonably good gardener,but this is my first attempt at herbs.

I got those little fiber pots that come with seeds fororegano, cilantro, sweet mint, rosemary, lavender, and parsley.

I planted the seeds and watered the pots.I put the little tags with the name of the herbs in the pots.I really didnt think the seeds would sprout,but if they did I wanted to be able to identify the plants.They sprouted!

I transplanted the little seedlings into two large, round, shallow pots on my back porch.

I didnt tell anyone about my herb experiment.I was sure I was doing it all wrong.I could just hear my friends say,She certainly does not know how to grow herbs.

David, the shepherd boy, certainly does not know how to be a King!And yet, God calls him,Samuel anoints him and he becomes the King of Israel.

Well, how did he do as King?He did well!He made huge mistakes!He sinned in grievous ways!He reigned wisely and well!

We heard one of Davids songs today,maybe he first hummed the melody for his sheep.

In Psalm 20, David writes:Now I know that the Lord will help his anointed;he will answer him from his holy heavenwith might victories by his right hand.Some take pride in chariots,and some in horses,but our pride is in the name of the Lord our God.They will collapse and fall,but we shall rise and stand upright.

David does not know how to be a King?He sounds like a King to me!

Paul certainly does not know how to be an evangelist, to tell the good news of the Messiah.Well, how did he do as an evangelist for the Messiah?He did well!He traveled to several countries to share the good news!He went to prison!He preached the Gospel!He started communities of faith!

He wrote some letters!We heard from one of Pauls letters today:we walk by faith he writes,for the love of Christ urges us on.If anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new!

Paul certainly does not know how to tell the good news of the Messiah?He sounds like an evangelist to me!

David the shepherd boy,Paul the tentmaker;called by God.David and Paul, the sinners,called by God.

God calls, it seems the unlikely.God calls, it seems the sinners.In other words, God calls us! The unlikely, the sinners, God calls us!

David writes: Do not remember the sins of my youth or my transgressions;according to your steadfast love remember me,for your goodness sake, O Lord.

Paul writes:God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

God calls sinners.God calls us.Calls us . . . to be a King? to be an evangelist?To what are we called?

David writes:Trust in the Lord and do good.The mouths of the righteous utter wisdomand their tongues speak justice.Happy are those who consider the poor.

Goodness, wisdom, justice, care for the poorthese are the things to which God calls us.

Paul writes:Let love be genuine;hate what is evil,hold fast to what is good;love one another with mutual affection;outdo one another in showing honor.Contribute to the needs of the saints;extend hospitality to strangers.

Goodness, love, honor, care for others, hospitality to strangersthese are the things to which God calls us.

We are unlikely sinnerscalled by God to goodness, love, and kindness.We certainly do not know how to do and be all those things all the time.

We heard today from Marks Jesus:The kingdom of God is as if someone would scatter seed on the ground, and would sleep and rise night and day, and the seed would sprout and grow, the planterdoes not know how!

How does the seed grow?God knows!How do we, the most unlikely, the sinners answer Gods call to goodness, and love, and kindness,to wisdom and justiceHow do we answer Gods call?God knows!

So does David:I bless the Lord who gives me counsel;in the night also my heart instructs me.For the king trusts in the Lord,and the Lords steadfast love.

Paul knows, as well:I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

We who are the most unlikely,chief of sinners though we be,God calls us anyway,God calls us and promises the love and forgiveness of Christ.

Paul writes:Nothing will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.Nothing, not our unlikeliness, not our sin, I dont know how,but I do know, nothing will ever separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. AmenAmen