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UID:10001745-1844899200-1844985599@laughingbird.net
SUMMARY:Proper 6 - Year C
DESCRIPTION:Below you will find the Bible readings set for this occasion in the Revised Common Lectionary\, with our Australian idiomatic paraphrases of them\, plus prayers and sermons based on them. \nBible Readings (paraphrased)\nLections from The Revised Common Lectionary. Copyright 1992 by the Consultation on Common Texts(CCT) P.O. Box 340003\, Room 381\, Nashville\, TN 37203-0003\, USA. Used with Permission.\n \n	\n\n		\n			\n				  1 Kings 21: 1-10\, (11-14)\, 15-21a			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	A man named Naboth owned a vineyard in his hometown of Jezreel\, not far from King Ahab’s palace. One day King Ahab decided that he wanted to add Naboth’s vineyard to his own property\, so he went to Naboth and said\, “Since your vineyard is so near my house\, I’d like to have it for a vegetable garden. Sign it over to me and I’ll give you a better vineyard\, or if you prefer\, I’ll pay you a good price – cash up front.” \nBut Naboth replied\, “God forbid! I could never let go of this land. My family roots are deep in the soil that God has given us.” \nAhab stomped off home in a sulk and stewed all afternoon over Naboth’s refusal to part with his family vineyard. He lay on his bed\, scowling at the wall\, and wouldn’t even eat. His wife Jezebel came in and demanded\, “What has got you so down in the dumps that you’re off your food?” \nAhab replied\, “It’s because of Naboth. I wanted to take over his vineyard\, and I offered him a good price or even another vineyard in exchange\, but he wouldn’t part with it for love nor money.” \nJezebel retorted\, “Well\, are you the king\, or aren’t you? Get up; eat\, drink and be merry. I’ll get Naboth’s vineyard for you.” \nSo Jezebel wrote some letters on the king’s letterhead\, signed his name to them and sent them to the leaders of Naboth’s local community. The letters contained the following orders: “Call all the people together for a day of prayer and fasting. Seat Naboth up front and pay a couple of unscrupulous characters to raise accusations against him. Have them accuse him of insulting God and defaming the king. Then take him to the place of execution and stone him to death.” \nThe community leaders followed Jezebel’s orders to the letter. Just as she had written\, they called the people together for a day of prayer and fasting. They gave Naboth a seat of honour up the front. Two paid liars stood up in front of everyone and accused Naboth to his face of having bad-mouthed God and the king. An angry mob dragged Naboth outside the town and stoned him to death. They then sent word to Jezebel that Naboth had been executed. \nAs soon as Jezebel got the news of Naboth’s death\, she went and said to Ahab\, “Go and take over Naboth’s vineyard. He won’t cause you any more grief. He’s dead.” \nThe minute he heard that Naboth was dead\, Ahab jumped up and headed off to stake his claim to the vineyard. \nMeanwhile\, the LORD spoke to Elijah the prophet\, saying: \n“Go down and confront King Ahab of Israel\, who rules in Samaria. At this very moment he is in Naboth’s vineyard\, taking it over as his own. Go and say to him\, ‘This is what the LORD says: Have you murdered a man and now you’re stealing his property as well? You will pay for what you have done: in the very same spot where the dogs licked up Naboth’s blood\, so too will they lick up your blood\, Ahab.’” \n    So Elijah went and confronted Ahab in Naboth’s vineyard. Before he could say anything\, Ahab saw him coming and said\, “So my enemy\, have you found me out?” \nElijah answered\, “Yes\, I have found you out. You have sold yourself over to the ways of evil. You have done things the LORD can’t stand to see and\, as a result\, disaster is coming your way.” \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Psalm 5: 1-8			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Please listen to me\, LORD;\ntune in to my desperate words\,\nmy groans and cries for help. \nYou are my God and my ruler;\nlisten as I pray to you. \nYou’ll hear me every morning\, LORD;\nas the sun rises\, I’ll lay out my needs and wait on you. \nYou are not the kind of god who gets a laugh out of evil;\nyou don’t allow corruption to get a foothold anywhere near you. \nYou can’t stand the company of the arrogant;\nyou hate wrongdoing with a passion. \nYou unmask those who deal in deception;\nyou are disgusted by liars and blood-suckers. \nBut thanks to your extravagant and unfailing love\,\nI am free to enter your house.\nI am totally in awe of you\,\nas I bow down in your temple to worship. \nKeep me headed on the right track\, LORD;\ngive me a clear-cut path\nso I won’t get thrown off course by my enemies. \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Galatians 2: 15-21			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	We ourselves are not lawless Gentiles\, but ‘born and bred Jews’ — people of the law. However\, we now know that this gives us no particular advantage\, because God’s approval is not a reward for careful compliance with the law\, but a gift to those who entrust themselves to Jesus Christ. Once we came to understand that no code of ethics or self-improvement program could ever put us in the good books with God\, we also began to believe that Christ Jesus could\, and so we entrusted ourselves to him\, and left it to him to sort things out with God for us. \nHaving now entrusted out fate to Christ\, we are seeking to pattern our lives on his example instead of on the prescriptions of the law. Does that mean that Christ can now be held responsible for every sin we are found to commit? Don’t be ridiculous! I’m still far from perfect\, but that doesn’t mean I should reinstall the system I previously trashed. If I reverted to an obsession with avoiding mistakes\, I probably wouldn’t make any less of them; I’d just feel crippled by guilt. I’m not going back to that\, because it killed me the first time. If unfailing obedience to the law is all that matters\, I’m a dead man. So I’ve given up — but not in despair. I’ve given up in order to take up an alternative — a life open to God. I handed my life over to be crucified with Christ; and the life I now live is not my own\, but Christ’s. The only reason I am now living at all is that the risen Christ is living in me. Even my body would be dead meat by now if it weren’t for the life I live by faith in the Son of God\, who loved me and gave himself unreservedly for me. So there is no way that I’m going to reject God’s extravagant generosity and go back to trying to prove that I can make the grade on my own without it. If it were possible to make the grade by meticulous law-keeping\, then Christ died without achieving anything. \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Luke 7:36 - 8:3			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Jesus accepted an invitation to a dinner party in the home of a man named Simon\, a member of the devoutly religious Pharisee party. In Simon’s neighbourhood there lived a woman whose life was a tangled mess of degrading behaviour and shame. When she heard that Jesus was a guest in the Pharisee’s home\, she took an expensive bottle of perfumed oil and walked in on the dinner party. She knelt down and began kissing Jesus’s feet. She was crying her eyes out\, and she dried her tears from his feet with her own hair. Then she opened the perfumed oil and used it to massage his feet. \nWhen the host saw this\, he was mortified\, but one of his first thoughts was\, “If this man was really the prophet that people say he is\, he’d know straight off that this woman who’s all over him is a filthy sinner\, and he’d get rid of her.” \nBefore he had a chance to do anything though\, Jesus spoke up; “Simon\, I’ve got something you need to hear.” \n“Well\, let’s hear it then\, Teacher\,” he replied. \nJesus said\, “There was a money lender who had two bad debts. One man owed him five grand\, and the other only fifty bucks\, but neither of them had the means to pay him back. In a fit of generosity\, he wrote off the debts leaving them both owing nothing. Now\, tell me; which of the two do you think he will be the more popular with?” \nSimon answered\, “I suppose the one who was let off the bigger debt.” \n“No doubt\,” said Jesus\, and then with a smile to the woman\, he said to Simon\, “Now think about how you’re looking at this woman. When I arrived here tonight\, you didn’t even show me where the bathroom was to wash my hands\, but this woman has washed my feet with her tears and dried them with her own hair. You didn’t even offer me a warm handshake\, whereas she has hardly stopped kissing my feet. You didn’t even give me a pre-dinner drink to make me feel at home\, but she has opened an expensive bottle and given me a beautiful foot massage. Let me tell you what this proves. She knows that although she has committed every sin in the book\, she’s been forgiven the lot. Her extravagant display of love is the measure of her gratitude. But those who live so tightly that they hardly need any forgiveness strangle their capacity to love.” \nThen\, turning back to the woman\, he said\, “All that you’ve done wrong is forgiven.” \nThat set the tongues wagging among the religious heavies at the table: “Who does he think he is\, forgiving sins?” \nBut Jesus\, unperturbed\, said to the woman\, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.” \nNot long after this\, Jesus was back on the road. In cities and towns\, wherever they went\, he broadcast the message about the culture of God. The twelve travelled with him\, and so did a number of women who had found healing for physical or spiritual disorders. Among them were Mary from Magdala who had been released from seven demons that had plagued her; Joanna\, who was married to one of King Herod’s top officials; and Susanna. There were others too\, and together they provided most of the resources needed by the group as they travelled around. \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Below are the alternative 1st Reading and Psalm themed to the Gospel lection			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Prior to the revision of the Lectionary in 1992\, the 1st reading and the psalm that responded to it were chosen to link thematically with the gospel reading. After hearing the critique of those who said that the Hebrew Scriptures\, from which the first reading is usually chosen\, should be allowed to speak with their own voice rather than just add support to the gospel reading\, the Lectionary was revised so that during Ordinary Time\, the 1st reading runs in its own semi-continuous series\, working through various books of the Hebrew Bible. The older themed series continues to be available as an alternative. \nThe weekly prayers offered here at LaughingBird Resources are based on the four readings above\, and do not draw on the themed 1st reading and psalm. \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  2 Samuel 11:26 - 12:10\, 13-15			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	The news that Uriah had been killed in battle reached his wife\, Bathsheba\, and she went into mourning. When the customary time of mourning was over\, King David arranged for her to move into the palace. She became his wife\, and a son was born to them. But David’s actions had put him off side with the LORD. \nThe LORD sent the prophet Nathan to speak to David. Nathan addressed the King saying: \nConsider this case\, your Majesty. Two men lived on neighbouring properties. One of them was filthy rich. He owned huge mobs of sheep and cattle\, and plenty of land to graze them on. The other man was dirt poor. He rented his land and owned only one small lamb. The lamb was like a pet to him and his children. It even used to eat at their table and sleep on the end of their bed. People used to joke that he treated the lamb like one of his daughters. One day the rich man had a guest from out of town. He was too stingy to butcher any of his own animals to prepare a meal for his guest\, so he sent a servant over the fence to steal the poor man’s lamb. He had the lamb roasted and carved up for the evening meal.” \nDavid was so outraged he nearly exploded! He thumped the table and said\, “I swear by God\, such a cruel and callous crime will not go unpunished. Hanging’s too good for a man like that! I order that he be made to pay compensation at four times the value of what he stole.” \nNathan looked David straight in the eye and said\, “You are the man! You stand condemned by your own words! Now listen to what the LORD\, the God of Israel\, says to you: \nI chose you to be king of Israel. When Saul was trying to kill you\, I rescued you. I gave you his throne and his wives and made you king over both Israel and Judah. If that wasn’t enough\, you should have said so. I would have gladly given you whatever you asked for. So why do you spit in my face now? Why have you rejected what I taught you and committed such a horrible crime? You murdered Uriah the Hittite so you could get your hands on his wife. He was fighting for you against the Ammonites – he shouldn’t have had to guard his back against you! And now the cat’s out of the bag. Your despicable behaviour will sow seeds of violence and betrayal that will tear apart your family generation after generation.” \nDavid cried out to Nathan\, saying\, “I have sinned against the LORD.” \nNathan replied\, “You most certainly have\, but the LORD is willing to give you another chance. You will not die for your sin as you deserve. However\, you have treated the LORD with utter contempt and the damage is done. The child that is soon to be born to you will not survive.” \nWith that\, Nathan left and went home. Uriah’s wife gave birth to David’s son\, but the child was struck down by serious illness right from day one. \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Psalm 32			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	What a blessing it is to be among those you have forgiven\, LORD\,\nthose whose record of wrongdoing you have wiped clean. \nPeople who are honest about their lives\nhave everything going for them;\nthey never have to cover their tracks\nor worry that they’ll be in your bad books. \nI used to keep my sins to myself\, LORD\,\nbut they poisoned me from within;\nwasting my body\,\ntormenting my mind. \nDay and night I felt your eyes following me;\nI lived in fear that you’d see right through me.\nThe joy of living evaporated\nin the burning heat of my guilt. \nThen I decided to come clean with you\, LORD\,\nto own up to all I’d done and stop living a lie.\nI made a full confession to you\, LORD\,\nand you gave me a full pardon\, forgiving all my sin. \nNow\, like all your faithful people\, LORD\,\nI am always ready to open myself to you in prayer.\nWhen trouble breaks its banks\,\nyour faithful ones are on safe ground. \nYou are like a bomb shelter for us\, LORD;\nyou protect us from danger.\nThanks to you\, LORD\, we can still laugh;\nwe can dance around singing songs of freedom. \nYou have given us clear directions;\nyou have pointed out the path we should follow.\nYou have kept a watchful eye on us\nand made sure we understood. \nYou have encouraged us to follow willingly\,\nto understand and embrace your ways;\nnot to buck and snort like wild horses\,\nfighting the reins until our strength is broken. \nThose who refuse the straight and narrow\nwill suffer for it\, over and over;\nbut those who put their trust in you\, LORD\,\nwill find love and loyalty wherever they go. \nYou are celebrated by all right-minded people\, LORD;\nwith open hearts we shout for joy;\nwith clear minds we sing your praises. \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\nPrayers\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  Eucharistic Preface			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Let us lift up our hearts.\nWe lift them to the Lord.\nLet us give thanks to the Lord our God.\nIt is right to give our thanks and praise. \nIt is indeed right to pour out our thanks and praise\,\nas a fragrant offering to you\, O God\,\nfor you have poured out your love and mercy on us\nwith scandalous extravagance. \nYou created the earth and the heavens\,\nand gave us the land as an inheritance.\nThrough the law and the prophets you confronted us\nwhenever we sold out to do what is evil. \nWhen the law was unable to save us\,\nyou sent your child\, Jesus\, among us\,\nwith the good news of your reign.\nHe showered us with grace\nand in the face of pious hostility\nbrought us to your table.\nHe was crucified\, and we with him\,\nbut you raised him to resurrection life.\nNow it is now no longer we who live\,\nbut Christ who lives in us\,\nfor he loved us and gave himself for us\,\nsetting us right and restoring our hope. \nTherefore with ..... \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Short Preface (for insertion into Eucharistic prayers with fixed prefaces)			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	We pour out our thanks as a fragrant offering to you\, O God\,\nfor\, in Christ\, you have poured out love and mercy on us\nwith scandalous extravagance\nand it is now no longer we who live\,\nbut Christ who lives in us. \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  General Prayer of Thanksgiving			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	(Preface reformatted for use apart from communion)\n\nWe pour out thanks and praise\nas a fragrant offering to you\, O God\,\nfor you have poured out your love and mercy on us\nwith scandalous extravagance. \nYou created the earth and the heavens\,\nand gave us the land as an inheritance.\nThrough the law and the prophets you confronted us\nwhenever we sold out to do what is evil. \nWhen the law was unable to save us\,\nyou sent your child\, Jesus\, among us\,\nwith the good news of your reign.\nHe showered us with grace\nand in the face of pious hostility\nbrought us to your table.\nHe was crucified\, and we with him\,\nbut you raised him to resurrection life.\nNow it is now no longer we who live\,\nbut Christ who lives in us\,\nfor he loved us and gave himself for us\,\nsetting us right and restoring our hope. \nTherefore\, with our hearts lifted high\,\nwe offer you thanks and praise at all times\nthrough Jesus Christ our Lord\,\nwho lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit\,\none God\, for ever and ever.\nAmen. \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Declaration of Grace / Absolution			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Christ Jesus\, the Son of God\, loved us\nand gave himself for us.\nWe are put right with God through our faith in Christ.\nTherefore Jesus says to you:\n“Your faith has saved you.” \nSisters and Brothers\,\n  your sins are forgiven;\n    be at peace. \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Commission & Benediction			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Go now\, and live by faith in the Son of God.\nPray for God’s justice\,\nNever welcome evil\,\npour out your love freely. \nAnd may God hear your cries for help;\nMay Christ Jesus stand with you in the face of hostility;\nAnd may the Holy Spirit fill you with faith and life. \nWe go in peace to love and serve the Lord\,\n   In the name of Christ. Amen. \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\nSermons\nSermons will open in new tabs from our SYCBaps church website. \n\nWho makes the Grade?\nA sermon on Luke 7: 36 – 8:4 by Nathan Nettleton\nThe Power of Love versus the Love of Power\nA sermon on 1 Kings 21:1-21a & Luke 7: 36 – 8:3 by Nathan Nettleton\nIdentity and Compliance\nA sermon on Galatians 2:15-21 & Luke 7: 36 – 8:4 by Nathan Nettleton\nWicked Women Welcome\nA sermon on Luke 7: 36 – 8:4 by Alison Sampson
URL:https://laughingbird.net/occasion/cp06/2028-06-18/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://laughingbird.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/P06.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20310615
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20310616
DTSTAMP:20260406T063328
CREATED:20201112T001941Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20201112T001941Z
UID:10001746-1939248000-1939334399@laughingbird.net
SUMMARY:Proper 6 - Year C
DESCRIPTION:Below you will find the Bible readings set for this occasion in the Revised Common Lectionary\, with our Australian idiomatic paraphrases of them\, plus prayers and sermons based on them. \nBible Readings (paraphrased)\nLections from The Revised Common Lectionary. Copyright 1992 by the Consultation on Common Texts(CCT) P.O. Box 340003\, Room 381\, Nashville\, TN 37203-0003\, USA. Used with Permission.\n \n	\n\n		\n			\n				  1 Kings 21: 1-10\, (11-14)\, 15-21a			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	A man named Naboth owned a vineyard in his hometown of Jezreel\, not far from King Ahab’s palace. One day King Ahab decided that he wanted to add Naboth’s vineyard to his own property\, so he went to Naboth and said\, “Since your vineyard is so near my house\, I’d like to have it for a vegetable garden. Sign it over to me and I’ll give you a better vineyard\, or if you prefer\, I’ll pay you a good price – cash up front.” \nBut Naboth replied\, “God forbid! I could never let go of this land. My family roots are deep in the soil that God has given us.” \nAhab stomped off home in a sulk and stewed all afternoon over Naboth’s refusal to part with his family vineyard. He lay on his bed\, scowling at the wall\, and wouldn’t even eat. His wife Jezebel came in and demanded\, “What has got you so down in the dumps that you’re off your food?” \nAhab replied\, “It’s because of Naboth. I wanted to take over his vineyard\, and I offered him a good price or even another vineyard in exchange\, but he wouldn’t part with it for love nor money.” \nJezebel retorted\, “Well\, are you the king\, or aren’t you? Get up; eat\, drink and be merry. I’ll get Naboth’s vineyard for you.” \nSo Jezebel wrote some letters on the king’s letterhead\, signed his name to them and sent them to the leaders of Naboth’s local community. The letters contained the following orders: “Call all the people together for a day of prayer and fasting. Seat Naboth up front and pay a couple of unscrupulous characters to raise accusations against him. Have them accuse him of insulting God and defaming the king. Then take him to the place of execution and stone him to death.” \nThe community leaders followed Jezebel’s orders to the letter. Just as she had written\, they called the people together for a day of prayer and fasting. They gave Naboth a seat of honour up the front. Two paid liars stood up in front of everyone and accused Naboth to his face of having bad-mouthed God and the king. An angry mob dragged Naboth outside the town and stoned him to death. They then sent word to Jezebel that Naboth had been executed. \nAs soon as Jezebel got the news of Naboth’s death\, she went and said to Ahab\, “Go and take over Naboth’s vineyard. He won’t cause you any more grief. He’s dead.” \nThe minute he heard that Naboth was dead\, Ahab jumped up and headed off to stake his claim to the vineyard. \nMeanwhile\, the LORD spoke to Elijah the prophet\, saying: \n“Go down and confront King Ahab of Israel\, who rules in Samaria. At this very moment he is in Naboth’s vineyard\, taking it over as his own. Go and say to him\, ‘This is what the LORD says: Have you murdered a man and now you’re stealing his property as well? You will pay for what you have done: in the very same spot where the dogs licked up Naboth’s blood\, so too will they lick up your blood\, Ahab.’” \n    So Elijah went and confronted Ahab in Naboth’s vineyard. Before he could say anything\, Ahab saw him coming and said\, “So my enemy\, have you found me out?” \nElijah answered\, “Yes\, I have found you out. You have sold yourself over to the ways of evil. You have done things the LORD can’t stand to see and\, as a result\, disaster is coming your way.” \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Psalm 5: 1-8			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Please listen to me\, LORD;\ntune in to my desperate words\,\nmy groans and cries for help. \nYou are my God and my ruler;\nlisten as I pray to you. \nYou’ll hear me every morning\, LORD;\nas the sun rises\, I’ll lay out my needs and wait on you. \nYou are not the kind of god who gets a laugh out of evil;\nyou don’t allow corruption to get a foothold anywhere near you. \nYou can’t stand the company of the arrogant;\nyou hate wrongdoing with a passion. \nYou unmask those who deal in deception;\nyou are disgusted by liars and blood-suckers. \nBut thanks to your extravagant and unfailing love\,\nI am free to enter your house.\nI am totally in awe of you\,\nas I bow down in your temple to worship. \nKeep me headed on the right track\, LORD;\ngive me a clear-cut path\nso I won’t get thrown off course by my enemies. \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Galatians 2: 15-21			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	We ourselves are not lawless Gentiles\, but ‘born and bred Jews’ — people of the law. However\, we now know that this gives us no particular advantage\, because God’s approval is not a reward for careful compliance with the law\, but a gift to those who entrust themselves to Jesus Christ. Once we came to understand that no code of ethics or self-improvement program could ever put us in the good books with God\, we also began to believe that Christ Jesus could\, and so we entrusted ourselves to him\, and left it to him to sort things out with God for us. \nHaving now entrusted out fate to Christ\, we are seeking to pattern our lives on his example instead of on the prescriptions of the law. Does that mean that Christ can now be held responsible for every sin we are found to commit? Don’t be ridiculous! I’m still far from perfect\, but that doesn’t mean I should reinstall the system I previously trashed. If I reverted to an obsession with avoiding mistakes\, I probably wouldn’t make any less of them; I’d just feel crippled by guilt. I’m not going back to that\, because it killed me the first time. If unfailing obedience to the law is all that matters\, I’m a dead man. So I’ve given up — but not in despair. I’ve given up in order to take up an alternative — a life open to God. I handed my life over to be crucified with Christ; and the life I now live is not my own\, but Christ’s. The only reason I am now living at all is that the risen Christ is living in me. Even my body would be dead meat by now if it weren’t for the life I live by faith in the Son of God\, who loved me and gave himself unreservedly for me. So there is no way that I’m going to reject God’s extravagant generosity and go back to trying to prove that I can make the grade on my own without it. If it were possible to make the grade by meticulous law-keeping\, then Christ died without achieving anything. \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Luke 7:36 - 8:3			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Jesus accepted an invitation to a dinner party in the home of a man named Simon\, a member of the devoutly religious Pharisee party. In Simon’s neighbourhood there lived a woman whose life was a tangled mess of degrading behaviour and shame. When she heard that Jesus was a guest in the Pharisee’s home\, she took an expensive bottle of perfumed oil and walked in on the dinner party. She knelt down and began kissing Jesus’s feet. She was crying her eyes out\, and she dried her tears from his feet with her own hair. Then she opened the perfumed oil and used it to massage his feet. \nWhen the host saw this\, he was mortified\, but one of his first thoughts was\, “If this man was really the prophet that people say he is\, he’d know straight off that this woman who’s all over him is a filthy sinner\, and he’d get rid of her.” \nBefore he had a chance to do anything though\, Jesus spoke up; “Simon\, I’ve got something you need to hear.” \n“Well\, let’s hear it then\, Teacher\,” he replied. \nJesus said\, “There was a money lender who had two bad debts. One man owed him five grand\, and the other only fifty bucks\, but neither of them had the means to pay him back. In a fit of generosity\, he wrote off the debts leaving them both owing nothing. Now\, tell me; which of the two do you think he will be the more popular with?” \nSimon answered\, “I suppose the one who was let off the bigger debt.” \n“No doubt\,” said Jesus\, and then with a smile to the woman\, he said to Simon\, “Now think about how you’re looking at this woman. When I arrived here tonight\, you didn’t even show me where the bathroom was to wash my hands\, but this woman has washed my feet with her tears and dried them with her own hair. You didn’t even offer me a warm handshake\, whereas she has hardly stopped kissing my feet. You didn’t even give me a pre-dinner drink to make me feel at home\, but she has opened an expensive bottle and given me a beautiful foot massage. Let me tell you what this proves. She knows that although she has committed every sin in the book\, she’s been forgiven the lot. Her extravagant display of love is the measure of her gratitude. But those who live so tightly that they hardly need any forgiveness strangle their capacity to love.” \nThen\, turning back to the woman\, he said\, “All that you’ve done wrong is forgiven.” \nThat set the tongues wagging among the religious heavies at the table: “Who does he think he is\, forgiving sins?” \nBut Jesus\, unperturbed\, said to the woman\, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.” \nNot long after this\, Jesus was back on the road. In cities and towns\, wherever they went\, he broadcast the message about the culture of God. The twelve travelled with him\, and so did a number of women who had found healing for physical or spiritual disorders. Among them were Mary from Magdala who had been released from seven demons that had plagued her; Joanna\, who was married to one of King Herod’s top officials; and Susanna. There were others too\, and together they provided most of the resources needed by the group as they travelled around. \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Below are the alternative 1st Reading and Psalm themed to the Gospel lection			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Prior to the revision of the Lectionary in 1992\, the 1st reading and the psalm that responded to it were chosen to link thematically with the gospel reading. After hearing the critique of those who said that the Hebrew Scriptures\, from which the first reading is usually chosen\, should be allowed to speak with their own voice rather than just add support to the gospel reading\, the Lectionary was revised so that during Ordinary Time\, the 1st reading runs in its own semi-continuous series\, working through various books of the Hebrew Bible. The older themed series continues to be available as an alternative. \nThe weekly prayers offered here at LaughingBird Resources are based on the four readings above\, and do not draw on the themed 1st reading and psalm. \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  2 Samuel 11:26 - 12:10\, 13-15			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	The news that Uriah had been killed in battle reached his wife\, Bathsheba\, and she went into mourning. When the customary time of mourning was over\, King David arranged for her to move into the palace. She became his wife\, and a son was born to them. But David’s actions had put him off side with the LORD. \nThe LORD sent the prophet Nathan to speak to David. Nathan addressed the King saying: \nConsider this case\, your Majesty. Two men lived on neighbouring properties. One of them was filthy rich. He owned huge mobs of sheep and cattle\, and plenty of land to graze them on. The other man was dirt poor. He rented his land and owned only one small lamb. The lamb was like a pet to him and his children. It even used to eat at their table and sleep on the end of their bed. People used to joke that he treated the lamb like one of his daughters. One day the rich man had a guest from out of town. He was too stingy to butcher any of his own animals to prepare a meal for his guest\, so he sent a servant over the fence to steal the poor man’s lamb. He had the lamb roasted and carved up for the evening meal.” \nDavid was so outraged he nearly exploded! He thumped the table and said\, “I swear by God\, such a cruel and callous crime will not go unpunished. Hanging’s too good for a man like that! I order that he be made to pay compensation at four times the value of what he stole.” \nNathan looked David straight in the eye and said\, “You are the man! You stand condemned by your own words! Now listen to what the LORD\, the God of Israel\, says to you: \nI chose you to be king of Israel. When Saul was trying to kill you\, I rescued you. I gave you his throne and his wives and made you king over both Israel and Judah. If that wasn’t enough\, you should have said so. I would have gladly given you whatever you asked for. So why do you spit in my face now? Why have you rejected what I taught you and committed such a horrible crime? You murdered Uriah the Hittite so you could get your hands on his wife. He was fighting for you against the Ammonites – he shouldn’t have had to guard his back against you! And now the cat’s out of the bag. Your despicable behaviour will sow seeds of violence and betrayal that will tear apart your family generation after generation.” \nDavid cried out to Nathan\, saying\, “I have sinned against the LORD.” \nNathan replied\, “You most certainly have\, but the LORD is willing to give you another chance. You will not die for your sin as you deserve. However\, you have treated the LORD with utter contempt and the damage is done. The child that is soon to be born to you will not survive.” \nWith that\, Nathan left and went home. Uriah’s wife gave birth to David’s son\, but the child was struck down by serious illness right from day one. \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Psalm 32			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	What a blessing it is to be among those you have forgiven\, LORD\,\nthose whose record of wrongdoing you have wiped clean. \nPeople who are honest about their lives\nhave everything going for them;\nthey never have to cover their tracks\nor worry that they’ll be in your bad books. \nI used to keep my sins to myself\, LORD\,\nbut they poisoned me from within;\nwasting my body\,\ntormenting my mind. \nDay and night I felt your eyes following me;\nI lived in fear that you’d see right through me.\nThe joy of living evaporated\nin the burning heat of my guilt. \nThen I decided to come clean with you\, LORD\,\nto own up to all I’d done and stop living a lie.\nI made a full confession to you\, LORD\,\nand you gave me a full pardon\, forgiving all my sin. \nNow\, like all your faithful people\, LORD\,\nI am always ready to open myself to you in prayer.\nWhen trouble breaks its banks\,\nyour faithful ones are on safe ground. \nYou are like a bomb shelter for us\, LORD;\nyou protect us from danger.\nThanks to you\, LORD\, we can still laugh;\nwe can dance around singing songs of freedom. \nYou have given us clear directions;\nyou have pointed out the path we should follow.\nYou have kept a watchful eye on us\nand made sure we understood. \nYou have encouraged us to follow willingly\,\nto understand and embrace your ways;\nnot to buck and snort like wild horses\,\nfighting the reins until our strength is broken. \nThose who refuse the straight and narrow\nwill suffer for it\, over and over;\nbut those who put their trust in you\, LORD\,\nwill find love and loyalty wherever they go. \nYou are celebrated by all right-minded people\, LORD;\nwith open hearts we shout for joy;\nwith clear minds we sing your praises. \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\nPrayers\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  Eucharistic Preface			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Let us lift up our hearts.\nWe lift them to the Lord.\nLet us give thanks to the Lord our God.\nIt is right to give our thanks and praise. \nIt is indeed right to pour out our thanks and praise\,\nas a fragrant offering to you\, O God\,\nfor you have poured out your love and mercy on us\nwith scandalous extravagance. \nYou created the earth and the heavens\,\nand gave us the land as an inheritance.\nThrough the law and the prophets you confronted us\nwhenever we sold out to do what is evil. \nWhen the law was unable to save us\,\nyou sent your child\, Jesus\, among us\,\nwith the good news of your reign.\nHe showered us with grace\nand in the face of pious hostility\nbrought us to your table.\nHe was crucified\, and we with him\,\nbut you raised him to resurrection life.\nNow it is now no longer we who live\,\nbut Christ who lives in us\,\nfor he loved us and gave himself for us\,\nsetting us right and restoring our hope. \nTherefore with ..... \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Short Preface (for insertion into Eucharistic prayers with fixed prefaces)			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	We pour out our thanks as a fragrant offering to you\, O God\,\nfor\, in Christ\, you have poured out love and mercy on us\nwith scandalous extravagance\nand it is now no longer we who live\,\nbut Christ who lives in us. \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  General Prayer of Thanksgiving			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	(Preface reformatted for use apart from communion)\n\nWe pour out thanks and praise\nas a fragrant offering to you\, O God\,\nfor you have poured out your love and mercy on us\nwith scandalous extravagance. \nYou created the earth and the heavens\,\nand gave us the land as an inheritance.\nThrough the law and the prophets you confronted us\nwhenever we sold out to do what is evil. \nWhen the law was unable to save us\,\nyou sent your child\, Jesus\, among us\,\nwith the good news of your reign.\nHe showered us with grace\nand in the face of pious hostility\nbrought us to your table.\nHe was crucified\, and we with him\,\nbut you raised him to resurrection life.\nNow it is now no longer we who live\,\nbut Christ who lives in us\,\nfor he loved us and gave himself for us\,\nsetting us right and restoring our hope. \nTherefore\, with our hearts lifted high\,\nwe offer you thanks and praise at all times\nthrough Jesus Christ our Lord\,\nwho lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit\,\none God\, for ever and ever.\nAmen. \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Declaration of Grace / Absolution			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Christ Jesus\, the Son of God\, loved us\nand gave himself for us.\nWe are put right with God through our faith in Christ.\nTherefore Jesus says to you:\n“Your faith has saved you.” \nSisters and Brothers\,\n  your sins are forgiven;\n    be at peace. \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Commission & Benediction			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Go now\, and live by faith in the Son of God.\nPray for God’s justice\,\nNever welcome evil\,\npour out your love freely. \nAnd may God hear your cries for help;\nMay Christ Jesus stand with you in the face of hostility;\nAnd may the Holy Spirit fill you with faith and life. \nWe go in peace to love and serve the Lord\,\n   In the name of Christ. Amen. \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\nSermons\nSermons will open in new tabs from our SYCBaps church website. \n\nWho makes the Grade?\nA sermon on Luke 7: 36 – 8:4 by Nathan Nettleton\nThe Power of Love versus the Love of Power\nA sermon on 1 Kings 21:1-21a & Luke 7: 36 – 8:3 by Nathan Nettleton\nIdentity and Compliance\nA sermon on Galatians 2:15-21 & Luke 7: 36 – 8:4 by Nathan Nettleton\nWicked Women Welcome\nA sermon on Luke 7: 36 – 8:4 by Alison Sampson
URL:https://laughingbird.net/occasion/cp06/2031-06-15/
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