Pentecost 9BPentecost 9BJuly 26, 2015July 26, 2015

2 Samuel 11:1-152 Samuel 11:1-15

Ephesians 3:14-21Ephesians 3:14-21

John 6:1-21John 6:1-21

Saint James bar Saint James bar ZebedeeZebedee

St. John’s Episcopal Church, Centreville VA Adult Lectionary Forum 2015

11stst Apostle Martyred Apostle Martyred25 July 41 AD25 July 41 AD

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Saint JamesSaint James11stst Martyred Martyred

ApostleApostle

•Birth: Bethsaida, Galilee•Occupation: Fisherman•Elder brother of Apostle Peter•12 years older than Jesus•3rd Apostle Jesus selects

Saint JAMES bar Zebedee• James & John, sons of Zebedee & Salome, were among Jesus original 12 disciples. They & Peter were the three who witnessed Jesus’ Transfiguration (Mark 17:1 & Luke 9:28), as well as Jesus healing Peter's mother-in-law (P 1:29), raising Jarius’ daughter (Luke 8:51) and to be tapped to watch & pray with Jesus in Gethsemane on the eve of his crucifixion (Mark 26:37).•James & John were from a higher social level than the average Galilean fisherman. Their father could afford hired servants (P 1:20), & John (who many presume to be the "beloved disciple") had connections with the high priest (John 18:15). Jesus nicknamed the brothers "sons of thunder" (P 3:17), no doubt because they were both headstrong, hot-tempered & impulsive. •Shortly before Passover in 41 AD (Acts 12), James was beheaded at King Herod Agrippa I’s behest [grandson of Herod the Great (who tried to kill the infant Jesus [Matthew 2]), nephew of Herod Antipas (who ordered John the Baptist’s death [Mark 6] & examined Jesus on Good Friday [Luke 23]) & father of Herod Agrippa II, who heard Paul’s legal defense before Procurator Porcius Festus [Acts 25]). James was the first of the 12 to suffer martyrdom & is the only one of them whose death is recorded in the New Testament.•He is often called James Major/Greater/Elder to distinguish him from others in the New Testament with his name. •Tradition has it that he made a missionary journey to Spain &, after his death his body was taken to Spain for burial. Compostela, his alleged burial site, became a major pilgrimage destination in the Middle Ages; Spaniards fighting to drive the Moors from Spain adopted Santiago de Compostela! as one of their battle cries. His Feast Day is July 25th & he is considered Spain’s patron saint. San Diego & Santiago are both named in his honor.

Cross of Cross of SantiagoSantiago

 

St. John’s Episcopal Church, Centreville VA -- Adult Lectionary Forum 2015

Prayer for Pentecost 9B [St. James the Elder]Prayer for Pentecost 9B [St. James the Elder]O gracious God, we remember today your servant & apostle James, first among the 12 to suffer martyrdom in Christ’s name. We pray you will pour upon the leaders of your Church that spirit of self-denying service by which alone they may have true authority among your people; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives & reigns with you & the Holy Spirit, one God, now & forever.

Collect for Pentecost 9BCollect for Pentecost 9BO God, the protector of all who trust in you, without whom nothing is strong, nothing is holy: Increase & multiply your mercy on us; that, with you as our ruler & guide, we may pass through temporal things without losing those things eternal; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives & reigns with you & the Holy Spirit, one God, forever & ever. Amen.

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Time Stamp: 1037 BCThe all too human, King David commits adultery with Bathsheba, unsuccessfully tries to cover it up & compounds his guilt with murder.

Adultery, Murder, Hubris•Even the best of us fall short•4 factors undermine David•--Neglect of duty: Stays in town rather than leading his troops•--Love of ease: idle & bored, David grows restless•--Roving eye: Covets another man’s wife; Moses would be furious• --Abuse of power: Recall Samuel’s warning; what the king wants, he often gets•Is it any different today? •Consider these modern icons:•--General David Petraeus•--Comedian Bill Cosby•--President Bill Clinton•--Anchorman Brian Williams

14In the morning David wrote a letter to Joab, and sent it by the hand of Uriah. 15In the letter he wrote, “Set Uriah in the forefront of the hardest fighting, and then draw back from him, so that he may be struck down and die.”

2It happened, late one afternoon, when David rose from his couch and was walking about on the roof of the king’s house, that he saw from the roof a woman bathing; the woman was very beautiful. 3David sent someone to inquire about the woman. It was reported, “This is Bathsheba daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite.”

St. John’s Episcopal Church, Centreville VA Adult Lectionary Forum 2015

20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church & in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever & ever! Amen.

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Time Stamp: 61 ADPaul is certain Ephesians, through Christ’s presence, will grow in their knowledge & love of the Lord.

Bridging Faith’ s Synapse!oPaul’s prayer [Vv 14-16a]o--Prays in Christ’s nameo--Universal church depends on ChristoPrayer Goal 1 [Vv 16b-17]o--Spiritual blessingso--Hopes Christ dwells in their heartso--Fix soul’s pious, devout affectionsoPrayer Goal 2 [Vv 18-19]o--Attain what saints before us haveo--More intimate bond with Christo--We may be filled w/God’s fullnessoCloses with a Doxology [Vv 20-21]o--Reaffirms glory of Godo--Every benefit God bestows is manifestation of His grace & love

14 For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven & on earth derives its name. 16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted & established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide & long & high & deep is the love of Christ, 19 & to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

St. John’s Episcopal Church, Centreville VA Adult Lectionary Forum 2015

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SummaryJesus uses everyday food--loaves & fish—showing God's deep concern for all who hunger. Later, he shocks Disciples by doing something even more astonishing

Bread, Fish, Walk on WaterJesus’ “catering miracle” has a great effect on those who came to hear him --Even common Jews expected a Messiah to appear who would also be a great prophet--Many others who acknowledged Christ as that Prophet still turned a deaf ear to him--Feed so many with so little got their attention5 barley loaves ~ PentateuchCrowd views him as a Mosaic figure--Both feed multitudes in wilderness--Moses asks God’s help feed them--Jesus knows well that he can do it--Question to Philip is a test he fails--Moses asks God to part Red Sea--Jesus literally walks on water!--Moses is God’s greatest prophet--Jesus is God Incarnate—Whoah!

St. John’s Episcopal Church, Centreville VA Adult Lectionary Forum 2015

5 When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” 6 He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do. 7 Philip answered him, “It would take more than half a year’s wages to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!” 8 Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, 9 “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves & two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?”

10 Jesus said, “Have the people sit.” There was plenty of grass in that place, & they sat down (about 5,000 men were there).11 Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks & distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish. 12 When they all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces left over. Let nothing be wasted.” 13 So they gathered them & filled 12 baskets with the pieces…left over…