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On Psalm 50
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• Current Bible reading plan, Psalm 50
• We teach kids to lie.
One time a woman who was raised in a church tradition that included confession told me she would make stuff up for confession when she was a little girl.
One time a woman who was raised in a church tradition that included confession told me she would make stuff up for confession when she was a little girl.
Or how about this: Raise your hand if you’ve
ever heard (or maybe said) “I want you to apologize to so-and-so, like you mean it!” Imagine Greg takes a ball from
his older brother Charlie, and Charlie hits Greg and makes him cry.
“Say you’re sorry like
you mean it.”
Well chances are Charlie isn’t sorry for
hitting Greg, he’s sorry he got caught. It’s almost like we teach children to
lie, to say something is not true. I know I heard it, but y’know I know I
didn’t understand. We can’t impose maturity on a child, but rather we hope they
come to maturity, and we seek to train them up right.
The rule is no hitting
your brother, because he’s still learning,
just like you’re still learning.
I
love you and there’s nothing you can do about it.
• Remember Pac-Man? I was ten when it came
out and we had it on our Atari 2600 and we got real good at it. I made a Pac-Man
for my mom. It was horrible. 8-inch round Styrofoam painted yellow. Nailed it
to a board with 6d nails (those were huge. Two inches long, and I did not nail
accurately). Painted a cork black and fashioned an eye. What’d Mom do with it?
On display in the kitchen forever. To this day except they moved. It was a GIFT
of LOVE.
• Psalm 50. The mighty one, God the LORD.
Three divine names in a row, El Elohim HaShem (the unspoken name of the LORD). Emphasis.
Three divine names in a row, El Elohim HaShem (the unspoken name of the LORD). Emphasis.
Like how the President is announced… the
sergeant at arms of the House of Representatives escorts the POTUS in,
announcing The POTUS, and then the Speaker of the House announces. Very bigly,
very formal.
A paraphrase of Psalm 50, by PK:
Mighty God, God the Lord, El Elohim Jehovah,
who is above all and before all
announcing to all creation as witness,
let it be heard, hear ye hear ye…
Mighty God, God the Lord, El Elohim Jehovah,
who is above all and before all
announcing to all creation as witness,
let it be heard, hear ye hear ye…
I am sick and tired of your
mindless rituals.
I don’t want your stuff.
I don’t need your stuff!
I don’t
want you to say ‘I’m sorry’ if you don’t mean it.
I want your Pac-Man
gift of love!
You shame me how you
disgrace me.
Lying, thieving, cheating, ungrateful…
I’m not pleased by your offerings,
I’m not pleased by your offerings,
I just want a heartfelt “Thank you.”
• How might you say Yes and Thank You to God?
It comes from the heart. It’s the only and greatest gift we can
give.
Like El Elohim Jehovah gave his greatest gift to us in Jesus
Christ,
whose sacrifice we remember and celebrate in Holy Communion,
Eucharist (which means “thanksgiving”…)
whose sacrifice we remember and celebrate in Holy Communion,
Eucharist (which means “thanksgiving”…)
(into celebration of Holy Communion)
NEXT SUNDAY 3/12/17 is DST. “Spring ahead!”
Next Sunday preaching text: from 2 Samuel 10-19
Next Sunday preaching text: from 2 Samuel 10-19
Benediction
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God,
and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you always. Amen.
and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you always. Amen.
Psalm 50 (NRSV)
The mighty one, God the Lord,
speaks and summons the earth
from the rising of the sun to its setting.
2 Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty,
God shines forth.
speaks and summons the earth
from the rising of the sun to its setting.
2 Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty,
God shines forth.
3 Our God
comes and does not keep silence,
before him is a devouring fire,
and a mighty tempest all around him.
4 He calls to the heavens above
and to the earth,
that he may judge his people:
5 “Gather to me my faithful ones,
who made a covenant with me
by sacrifice!”
6 The heavens declare his righteousness,
for God himself is judge. Selah
before him is a devouring fire,
and a mighty tempest all around him.
4 He calls to the heavens above
and to the earth,
that he may judge his people:
5 “Gather to me my faithful ones,
who made a covenant with me
by sacrifice!”
6 The heavens declare his righteousness,
for God himself is judge. Selah
7 “Hear, O my
people, and I will speak,
O Israel, I will testify against you.
I am God, your God.
8 Not for your sacrifices do I rebuke you;
your burnt offerings
are continually before me.
9 I will not accept any bull from your house,
or goats from your folds.
10 For every wild animal of the forest is mine,
the cattle on a thousand hills.
11 I know all the birds of the air,
and all that moves in the field is mine.
O Israel, I will testify against you.
I am God, your God.
8 Not for your sacrifices do I rebuke you;
your burnt offerings
are continually before me.
9 I will not accept any bull from your house,
or goats from your folds.
10 For every wild animal of the forest is mine,
the cattle on a thousand hills.
11 I know all the birds of the air,
and all that moves in the field is mine.
12 “If I were
hungry, I would not tell you,
for the world and all that is in it is mine.
13 Do I eat the flesh of bulls,
or drink the blood of goats?
14 Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving,
and pay your vows to the Most High.
15 Call on me in the day of trouble;
I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.”
for the world and all that is in it is mine.
13 Do I eat the flesh of bulls,
or drink the blood of goats?
14 Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving,
and pay your vows to the Most High.
15 Call on me in the day of trouble;
I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.”
16 But to the
wicked God says:
“What right have you to recite my statutes,
or take my covenant on your lips?
17 For you hate discipline,
and you cast my words behind you.
18 You make friends with a thief
when you see one,
and you keep company with adulterers.
“What right have you to recite my statutes,
or take my covenant on your lips?
17 For you hate discipline,
and you cast my words behind you.
18 You make friends with a thief
when you see one,
and you keep company with adulterers.
19 “You give
your mouth free rein for evil,
and your tongue frames deceit.
20 You sit and speak against your kin;
you slander your own mother’s child.
21 These things you have done
and I have been silent;
you thought that I was one
just like yourself.
But now I rebuke you,
and lay the charge before you.
and your tongue frames deceit.
20 You sit and speak against your kin;
you slander your own mother’s child.
21 These things you have done
and I have been silent;
you thought that I was one
just like yourself.
But now I rebuke you,
and lay the charge before you.
22 “Mark this,
then, you who forget God,
or I will tear you apart,
and there will be no one to deliver.
23 Those who bring thanksgiving as their sacrifice honor me;
to those who go the right way
I will show the salvation of God.”
or I will tear you apart,
and there will be no one to deliver.
23 Those who bring thanksgiving as their sacrifice honor me;
to those who go the right way
I will show the salvation of God.”
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