Devotion for the Third Sunday in Lent (LCMS Daily Lectionary)

Above:  Jacob’s Ladder, by William Blake

Genesis and Mark, Part XV:  Epiphanies and Reactions or Responses Thereto

SUNDAY, MARCH 15, 2020

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Blessed Lord, who caused all holy scriptures to be written for our learning:

Grant us so to hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them,

that we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life,

which you have given us in our Savior Jesus Christ;

who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,

one God, for ever and ever.  Amen.

–The Book of Common Prayer (1979), page 236

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The Assigned Readings:

Genesis 27:30-45; 28:10-22

Psalm 84 (Morning)

Psalms 42 and 32 (Evening)

Mark 9:1-13

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Some Related Posts:

The Feast of the Transfiguration of Jesus (August 6):

http://neatnik2009.wordpress.com/2010/06/13/feast-of-the-transfiguration-of-jesus-august-6/

Kings (2009):

http://blogatheologica.wordpress.com/2012/05/17/kings-2009/

Prayer:

http://gatheredprayers.wordpress.com/2011/02/03/prayer-for-the-third-sunday-in-lent/

Prayer of Praise and Adoration:

http://gatheredprayers.wordpress.com/2011/02/02/prayer-of-praise-and-adoration-for-the-third-sunday-in-lent/

Prayer of Confession:

http://gatheredprayers.wordpress.com/2011/02/02/prayer-of-confession-for-the-third-sunday-in-lent/

Prayer of Dedication:

http://gatheredprayers.wordpress.com/2011/02/02/prayer-of-dedication-for-the-third-sunday-in-lent/

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Sometimes poetry can convey truth better than a straight-forward account .  That, I am convinced, is why the Gospel accounts of the Transfiguration work so well; they are prose poetry.

Back in Mark 8:27-38, Peter had confessed Jesus as Messiah.  then our Lord had predicted his death and resurrection, which Peter did not take well.  So Jesus rebuked him.  One must take up one’s cross and follow me, Jesus said.  Then, in 9;1, came a prediction many have misunderstood:

In truth I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God come with power.  (The New Jerusalem Bible)

The Markan account of the Transfiguration follows immediately.  Textual context matters very much.

In the Transfiguration we have the true identity of James revealed to Peter, James, and John.  The trouble with the proposed three booths (or shelters) was at least two-fold.  First, any attempt to institutionalize the moment would have prevented them from moving forward to Jerusalem and the ultimate Holy Week.  Second, the three booths would have been the same size, I presume.  What would have differentiated Jesus from Moses and Elijah?

All of that builds up to my main point.  The three Apostles were terrified.  They did not know what to say, but Peter spoke anyway.  In contrast, in Genesis 28, Jacob the schemer was

shaken (verse 17, TANAKH:  The Holy Scriptures),

was confident, and did know what to say.  When God becomes present in a spectacular manner, we might be terrified or shaken.  Yet, if we are spiritually where we ought to be, confidence is the proper result, for God is with us.  But if we are on the wrong side of God….

Recently I found Kings, a 2009 NBC television series, on DVD.  It is a retelling of sorts of the Saul-David story from 1 Samuel.  The setting is a parallel reality, in contemporary times.  Silas Benjamin is the absolute monarch of the Kingdom of Gilboa, the newly-rebuilt capital city of which is Shiloh.  Gilboa is at war with Gath, its northern neighbor.  The series ran only twelve episodes (including the two-part pilot), for it audience did not find it, unfortunately.  In the last episode King Silas, once the chosen of God, hears from God for the first time in a while.  God appears in a thunderstorm and tells Silas that David Shepherd is the new chosen king.  Silas does not take this well, and David must go into exile in Gath.

That scene culminated a series which began one Reverend Samuels confronting Silas and delivering a message of God’s rejection.  Silas said in reaction,

To hell with God.

With an attitude like that, what else was God to say at the end?

May our attitude be much better.

KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR

MAY 18, 2012 COMMON ERA

THE FEAST OF MALTBIE DAVENPORT BABCOCK, U.S. PRESBYTERIAN MINISTER AND HYMN WRITER

THE FEAST OF ERIK IX OF SWEDEN, KING AND MARTYR

THE FEAST OF JOHN I, BISHOP OF ROME

THE FEAST OF TAMIHANA TE RAUPPARAHA, ANGLICAN MISSIONARY

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http://blogatheologica.wordpress.com/2013/01/20/genesis-and-mark-part-xv-epiphanies-and-reactions-or-responses-thereto/

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