"Don't find fault, find a remedy"... quietly.

The sermon for the coming Sunday June 20, 2010 has moved from random thought to a stream of consciousness.

Mulling over the lessons for 6/20:

A bit different riff on 1 Kings 19 and Gospel Luke 8:26-39:

Retell the story of 1 Kings 17 - the "Sacrifice Duel" Elijah sets up with Baal's prophets. Retell this story well and you'll get the attention of the most jaded in the congregation. It ends, of course, with Elijah winning. With that particular ability to control the crowd that victors possess, Elijah orders the slaughter of the 450 prophets - out of 'zeal for the Lord'. Jezebel of the Baal faction responds, in kind, telling Elijah she's put out a contract on his life. At first Elijah seems surprised (that the Lord would let such a thing happen to him), Duh, and the flees in fear.

He arrives at the Lord's mountain where the Lord gives him a bit of a lesson. The Lord is NOT in the violent displays, but in the quiet and reflective. Its as if the Lord says, (Duh) Elijah, you didn't quite get it right. Go back and try again! You need a better 'working definition' of the Lord and the Lord's power.

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In the Gospel we see a man shackled and bound (a bit of violence there) because of his being tossed about violently by demons (outer or inner). The towns folk can only respond with a bit more of violence - shackling him. Some key words echo here - the violence/troubles of Elijah and his fear so he must go away. Also fear of the towns folk (perhaps they worried that 100 pigs might be 'charged' for each healing) but I suspect they feared more of their own inner or social demons might be disturbed by Jesus). What a change that would demand! The possessed man - and his QUIET (the man sitting quietly at Jesus' feet) and because of FEAR (the towns folk) it is Jesus who must and does go away. Do we have too many troubles/too much on our plates hence too many fears, and too little quiet?

Or consider the fortune cookie advice I received this week: "Don't find fault, find a remedy"... quietly.