Queerying Easter 4A

Photo Credit: Dana Rademacher Hansen

Rev. Emily E. Ewing queeries the Acts reading.

Acts 2:42-47
⁴²They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. ⁴³Awe came upon everyone, because many wonders and signs were being done by the apostles. ⁴⁴All who believed were together and had all things in common; ⁴⁵they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need. ⁴⁶Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, ⁴⁷praising God and having the goodwill of all the people. And day by day the Becoming One added to their number those who were being saved.

Queeries for the text:
Is this a fairy tale?
What wonders and signs were being done?  What wonders and signs are being done?  What wonders and signs are we waiting for?
Who is "everyone"?
What does it mean to have all things in common?  What are "all things"?
What are today's needs?
How are needs being met?
What is it like to break bread at home?
Who has the goodwill of people?

What are your queeries?

11th after pentecost year b - john

Special thanks once again this week to River Needham for their collaboration!
 
John 6:24-35
²⁴So when the crowd saw
     that neither Jesus nor his disciples were beside the sea,
          they themselves got into the boats 
          and went to Capernaum looking for Jesus.
               ²⁵When they found Jesus on the other side of the sea, 
                    they said to him, 
                         “Rabbi, when did you come here?”  
²⁶Jesus answered them, 
     “Very truly, I tell you, 
          you are looking for me, 
               not because you saw signs, 
                    but because you ate your fill of the loaves.
          ²⁷Do not work for the food that perishes, 
               but for the food that endures for everlasting life, 
                    which the Human One will give you. 
                         For it is on the Human One 
                              that God, the Father, has set the seal.” 
²⁸Then they said to Jesus, 
     “What must we do to perform the works of God?”  
²⁹Jesus answered them, 
     “This is the work of God, 
          that you believe in the one whom God has sent.”  
³⁰So they said to Jesus, 
     “What sign are you going to give us then, 
          so that we may see it and believe you? 
               What work are you performing?
          ³¹Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; 
               as it is written, 
                    ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’” 
³²Then Jesus said to them, 
     “Very truly, I tell you, 
          it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, 
               but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven.
                    ³³For the bread of God is 
                         that which comes down from heaven 
                         and gives life to the world.”  
³⁴They said to Jesus, 
     “Ruler, give us this bread always.”  
³⁵Jesus said to them, 
     “I AM the bread of life. 
          Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, 
               and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.

Queeries for the text:
What did we skip from last week to this week?
What kind of seal did "God the Father" set on Jesus?  Can this seal be broken?  Are these seals set on other creatures also?
Is Jesus making faith into a work?
Does Jesus want them to care about the sign or not?
Do they still want to make Jesus king?  Or do they just think that Jesus is a wizard? 
Is manna true bread or elven bread?  Is Jesus manna?
Will the Human One give the bread of life or does God?  Or is the Human One the bread of life?
What am I hungering for?
How does bread quench thirst?
How does Jesus feel about low-carb diet fads? 

What are your queeries?



Sermon: 
Last night's sermon drew on my experience of queerying this text along with the first reading: Exodus 16:2-4, 9-15.  As with other sermons, I understand clearly how they connect, but if you don't or you want to know more, please ask!

The visual for today's sermon.

 

6th after pentecost year b - mark

Mark 5:21-43

21When Jesus had crossed again in the boat

    to the other side,

         a great crowd gathered around him;

         and he was by the sea.

    22Then one of the leaders of the synagogue named Jairus came

         and, when he saw Jesus,

              fell at his feet

              23and begged him repeatedly,

                   “My little daughter is at the point of death.

                        Come and lay your hands on her,

                             so that she may be made well,

                             and live.”

24So Jesus went with him.

And a large crowd followed Jesus and pressed in.

    25Now there was a woman

         who had been suffering from hemorrhages for twelve years.

         26She had endured much under many physicians,

              and had spent all that she had;

                   and she was no better,

                        but rather grew worse.

         27She had heard about Jesus,

              and came up behind him in the crowd

              and touched his cloak,

                   28for she said,

                        “If I but touch his clothes,

                             I will be made well.”

              29Immediately her hemorrhage stopped;

                   and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease.

              30Immediately aware that power had gone forth from him,

                   Jesus turned about in the crowd and said,

                        “Who touched my clothes?”

                   31And his disciples said to him,

                        “You see the crowd pressing in on you;

                             how can you say, ‘Who touched me?’”

              32Jesus looked all around to see who had done it.

              33But the woman,

                   knowing what had happened to her,

                        came in fear and trembling,

                        fell down before him,

                        and told him the whole truth.

              34Jesus said to her,

                   “Daughter, your faith has made you well;

                        go in peace,

                        and be healed of your disease.”

35While Jesus was still speaking,

    some people came from the leader’s house to say,

         “Your daughter is dead.

              Why trouble the teacher any further?”

    36But overhearing what they said,

         Jesus said to the leader of the synagogue,

              “Do not fear,

                   only believe.”

37Jesus allowed no one to follow him

    except Peter, James, and John,

         the brother of James.

    38When they came to the house of the leader of the synagogue,

         Jesus saw a commotion,

              people weeping and wailing loudly.

    39When he had entered,

         Jesus said to them,

              “Why do you make a commotion and weep?

                   The child is not dead but sleeping.”

         40And they laughed at him.

              Then Jesus put them all outside,

              and took the child’s parents and those who were with him,

                   and went in where the child was.

              41Jesus took her by the hand and said to her,

                   “Talitha cum,”

                        which means, “Little girl, get up!”

         42And immediately the girl got up

              and began to walk about

                   (she was twelve years of age).

              At this they were overcome with amazement.

43Jesus strictly ordered them that no one should know this,

    and told them to give her something to eat.

Queeries for the text:

What happened to the Gerasene with Legion?

What does it take for powerful people to beg?

How much extra do women still endure under physicians? 

What does touch have to do with healing?

How much does intention matter in power and healing?

What is the connection between desperation and faith?

When Jesus says "be healed of your disease" is he mansplaining to the woman who already knows in her body she is healed?

What is the connection between fear and belief?

What is the connection between laughter and disbelief?

Why did Mark include the Aramaic here?

Is food and eating part of the healing?

What are your queeries?


This week I preached a sermon based on this text.

This is the visual I used for the sermon.