2 Samuel 7:1-11, 16
Keith Dennis
A Good Place To Live
My adult daughter is presently going through a nasty divorce with an emotionally abusive husband. If you have been abused, perhaps you too may have experienced such fear and anxiety. Let me tell you it isn’t easy, for the one being abused or the parent witnessing an adult child being abused.
Mary chose to leave a recently purchased home as well as most of her belongings rather than endure the barrage of swear words and belittling epitaphs that her spouse continued hurling at her. It was not a good place for her to live.
Our reading from 2 Samuel recounts a story about King David, who upon reflecting on the spoils of his conquests, decides that, since it has allowed him to build a fabulous rock-star like “crib” for himself, it would only be right to build something equally as extravagant for God, who he attributes as the source of his success.
At first, David’s advisor, the prophet Nathan, agrees; but shortly after, God comes to Nathan in a dream and says that as far as Yahweh was concerned, the Ark of the Covenant was just fine where it was, sheltered in a tent.
As the story goes, Nathan is told to go to David and tell the king, “I took you from the pasture, from following the flock, to be ruler of My people Israel, and have been with you wherever you went…”
Interestingly, the message goes on to re-affirm the many promises made to David by God, yet with all these bestowed blessings. God says in essence that while you, the King, are still living, I won’t let you “build a house for MY name”—that honor would be reserved for one of David’s off-spring, namely Solomon.
I find this very curious.
Could it be that in the hurly burly and often heady journey from shepherd to monarch, David had developed what the Germans would call an “uber” sense of entitlement? Could it be that he had developed a need to control others? And in maintaining such control, could it be that he had found himself now subject to frequent bouts of jealousness and rage just as Saul had experienced? Could it be that Yahweh—yes, God Almighty, despite His omnipotence, might have been slightly afraid of what He had wrought in David. And now—for that reason, chose not to want to live in the House of David? To the point, had the King gotten too big for his breeches? Could it be that David was starting to abuse His own people?
Of course all of this is speculation. But there’s ample verses in the Hebrew Scriptures describing many of the horrible things David was capable of doing. Remember Uriah, his trusted friend and able lieutenant—the husband of Bathsheba?
Moreover, there is David’s treatment of the Amalekite who brought the news of Saul’s death and that of his son. David said to the young, “Where are you from?” He replied, “I am the son of a resident alien, an Amalekite.” “How did you dare,” David said to him, “to lift your hand and kill the LORD’s anointed?” Thereupon David called one of the attendants and said to him, “Come over and strike him! He (the attendant) struck him down and he died.
According to notes in the Jewish study bible, David had just successfully finished a military campaign in the service of Saul. The notes say David lingered a couple days in a place called Ziklag. Underscore the word “linger.” That’s when the young Amalekite lad showed up hoping that he might be rewarded by David. It seems that many in the land of Canaan already believed Saul’s days were numbered—that the Old King had already lost favor with God due to the fact that Saul, in earlier battles, had not killed all the Amalekites as the Lord had requested.
Too bad for that young man.
Could it be that there was a motive for David lingering? Did David know of Saul’s perilous situation?
If he did, did he choose not to go to the King’s aid? I know, I know –I’m speculating again. But in the annuals of military history it’s not something that’s never been done before. Anyway, the book of Samuel chronicles the great things that David did but, likewise, it was just as explicit in pointing out David’s flaws. Was David’s decision to have the young man killed just a rouse to cover his own desire to become King? Well I guess we’ll never know for sure. But I do know that abusers have many of the baser traits displayed by David in the scriptures. Furthermore, they are often quick to beat their chests and beg forgiveness, oftentimes publicly. They tell their spouses…they tell their father-in-laws, that it will never, never happen again. But behind closed doors, the next binge, the next bad day—well, here we go again.
Chances are someone in the congregation is, or has been, in an abusive situation. This text, this sermon, may provide healing and help them get out of an abusive situation. God not wanting David to make a home for him can provide transformative healing.
The last line/s of your sermon could be: if you have a choice between living in a nice house provided for you by an abuser or living in a tent, choose the tent. Or, God didn't let David build God's house. Are there people who are not good for you who should not participate in the building your life? Maybe Christmas is a time to expect people to treat you the way God treats you.
Luke 1:26-38
Rosalie Mann
It’s Advent, almost Christmas time. Christmas is a special day to celebrate the birth of Jesus! In the United States, and some other countries, Christmas is everywhere. The houses and lawns are enveloped in lights. The stores and malls are decorated with trees, wreaths, ribbons, and Santas. Christmas movies fill the television stations. Christmas music plays on the radio stations, and follows us down the sidewalks and out to our cars in the parking lots. It is in the air we breathe. It is pretty difficult to live in America and not know that something special is happening in December.
Even those who are NOT Christians know about Christmas. My Muslim neighbors put up a Christmas tree every year in their living room window. My Hindu friend loves the season to decorate her home and shop for her family and friends. Another close friend, who is Jewish and doesn’t really care for Christmas OR Hanukah, can, at the very least, tell you that Christmas is Jesus’ birthday. I think MOST Americans can tell you that the “reason for the season” is the birth of Jesus but how many people know the story of Jesus’ birth? If someone asked you to tell them the “story of Christmas” what is the story you would tell?
A friend who is not a Christian recently asked me to tell her the story of Christmas. I am NOT the person to tell the Christmas Story. My knowledge of Jesus’ birth is limited to what I learned in Sunday School as a child, a couple of elementary school Christmas pageants (where I was always one of the angels- complete with wings), and some readings as an adult on the “historical” Jesus. I know the key words: Jesus, Virgin Mary, Joseph, Manger, Bethlehem, and angels. I know the phrases: a star in the sky, the Wise Men bringing gifts, and angels singing to the highest. But I was not so sure I could weave all of these words into a coherent (or correct) story for my inquisitive friend.
I began, as I remembered from Sunday School, with Mary’s betrothal to Joseph, then Mary’s conversation with the angel Gabriel, and Mary’s pregnancy by the Holy Ghost. My friend wanted to know HOW the Holy Ghost impregnated Mary.
“Hmmm......OK.......... well..... the Holy Ghost flew in, hovered over Mary, and “Poof!” Mary was pregnant, and then the Holy Ghost flew away.” (A loose translation, I will admit.)
“And Christians believe this?” my friend asked in shocked disbelief. She thought it sounded like a science-fiction movie.
In that moment I found myself asking, “Who really is Jesus’ Daddy?”
Some scholars believe the virgin birth of Jesus was an idea borrowed or blended from various pagan beliefs. Zoroaster, a Persian prophet of ancient Babylon, was said to have been begotten of God, and born of a virgin. Mithraism, a religion that existed at the same time as Christianity, worshipped the Persian deity, Mithras, who was said to have been born of a virgin (a birth witnessed only by shepherds) on December 25th.
Others prefer a more historical /biological interpretation of the event of Mary’s pregnancy. Thomas Jefferson, in 1823, wrote that “The day will come when the mystical generation of Jesus by the Supreme Being as his father, in the womb of a virgin, will be classed with the fable of the generation of Minerva in the brain of Jupiter.”
Who’s the daddy? Joseph would be a first choice for those inclined to believe more in human nature than in miraculous births.
Who’s the daddy? A rumor existed around the second century that a Roman soldier named Pantera may have raped Mary or had consensual sex with her. Did Joseph agree to wed Mary to save and protect her honor?
My friend sat in stunned silence. I had not given her any answers, only a variety of options, and more questions. She was confused, and so was I.
The Christmas story is a confusing story for those newly introduced to the Christmas story and for those who read the story without the baggage of traditional Christian explanations.
What if preachers in their sermons didn’t jump so quickly to answers? What if congregants were allowed to hear the Christmas story for the scandal it is? Does it matter if God or Joseph is Jesus’ daddy? Couldn’t God have used a human father to send his son into the world? Isn’t it true that everyone is a son or daughter of God? Isn’t God the daddy of us all?
There is a story, which like the Christmas story, may have more than its share of myth, but myth and truth are not enemies.
A seminary professor was vacationing with his wife in Gatlinburg, TN. One morning, they were eating breakfast at little restaurant, hoping to enjoy a quiet, family meal. While they were waiting for their food, they noticed a distinguished looking, white-haired man moving from table to table visiting with the guests. The professor leaned over and whispered to his wife, "I hope he doesn't come over here." But sure enough, the man did come over to their table.
"Where are you folks from?" he asked in a friendly voice. "Oklahoma," they answered.
"Great to have you here in Tennessee." the stranger said. "What do you do for a living?" "I teach at a seminary." he replied.
"Oh, so you teach preachers how to preach, do you? Well, I've got a really great story for you." And with that, the gentleman pulled up a chair and sat down at the table with the couple. The professor groaned and thought to himself, "Great... Just what I need... another preacher story!
The man started, "See that mountain over there? (pointing out the restaurant window). Not far from the base of that mountain, there was a boy born to an unwed mother. He had a hard time growing up, because every place he went, he was always asked the same question, 'Hey boy, Who's Your Daddy?'
Whether he was at school, in the grocery store or drug store, people would ask the same question, 'Who's Your Daddy?' He would hide at recess and lunchtime from other students. He would avoid going in to stores because that question hurt him so bad.
When he was about 12 years old, a new preacher came to his church. He would always go in late and slip out early to avoid hearing the question, 'Who's Your Daddy?'. But one day, the new preacher said the benediction so fast he got caught and had to walk out with the crowd. Just about the time he got to the back door, the new preacher, not knowing anything about him, put his hand on his shoulder and asked him, 'Son, Who's Your Daddy?'
The whole church got deathly quiet. He could feel every eye in the church looking at him. Now everyone would finally know the answer to the question, 'Who's your Daddy'. This new preacher, though, sensed the situation around him, and using discernment that only the Holy Spirit could give, said the following to that scared little boy...
'Wait a minute!' he said. 'I know who you are. I see the family resemblance now. You are a child of God.' With that he patted the boy on his shoulder and said, 'Boy, you've got a great inheritance. Go and claim it.' With that, the boy smiled for the first time in a long time and walked out the door a changed person. He was never the same again. Whenever anybody asked him, 'Who's your Daddy?' he'd just tell them, 'I'm a Child of God'."
The distinguished gentleman got up from the table and said, "Isn't that a great story?" The professor responded that it really was a great story! As the man turned to leave, he said, "You know, if that new preacher hadn't told ME that I was one of God's children, I probably never would have amounted to anything!" And then he walked away.
The seminary professor and his wife were stunned. He called the waitress over and asked her, "Do you know who that man was who just left that was sitting here at our table?"
The waitress grinned and said, "Of course. Everybody here knows him. That's Ben Hooper. He's the former governor of Tennessee!"
We all are children of God. God is our daddy.
Chris Ayers
Luke 1:47-55
Despite media reports that the movement has no clear goals, the Occupy Wall Street movement obviously wants a more equitable economic system in the United States, one which does not favor the super rich (1%) to the neglect of the 99%. It is true no specific plans have been put forward by the movement. However, no Wall Street protester is being as extreme as Mary, the mother of Jesus. When she was pregnant with Jesus she sang a song, Mary’s song, in which she has the audacity to propose that God is filling the hungry with good things and sending the rich away EMPTY. Don’t take my word for it, here read it.
he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty. (Luke 1:53)
Let me translate that for you. Empty = zero.
Of course, Mary was pregnant and probably hormonal.
Surely she was not in her right mind. On the other hand, what if Occupy Wall Street protesters are being too easy on Wall Street?
