9th after pentecost year b - mark

Mark 6:30-34, 53-56

30The apostles gathered around Jesus,

    and told him all that they had done and taught.

31Jesus said to them,

    “Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves

         and rest a while.”

    For many were coming and going,

         and they had no leisure even to eat.

32And they went away in the boat to a deserted place by themselves.

    33Now many saw them going and recognized them,

         and they hurried there on foot from all the towns

              and arrived ahead of them.

34As Jesus went ashore,

    he saw a great crowd;

         and he had compassion for them,

              because they were like sheep without a shepherd;

         and Jesus began to teach them many things.
  
53When Jesus and the disciples had crossed over,

    they came to land at Gennesaret

    and moored the boat.

         54When they got out of the boat,

              people at once recognized Jesus,

              55and rushed about that whole region

              and began to bring the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was.

                   56And wherever Jesus went,

                        into villages or cities or farms,

                             they laid the sick in the marketplaces,

                             and begged him that they might touch 
                                  even the fringe of his cloak;

                                  and all who touched it were healed.

Queeries for the text:

What is missing?
Does Jesus ever actually succeed at resting?
How much unpaid labor is unquestioningly expected from others?
Where does Jesus' compassion lead us now?
Who are the sheep without a shepherd, living aimlessly, in our time?
Which many things did Jesus teach them?
How long does it take to "rush about that whole region"?
How fast could word spread about the woman who touched Jesus' cloak?
What is the power of the fringe?
What artificial boundaries does Jesus continue to cross?

What are your queeries?



Sermon:

Today's sermon drew on both the queeries in this text and today's second reading: Ephesians 2:11-22.  I understand the connections between the queerying my sermon and am happy to share if you have any questions or queeries of your own, just let me know!

This is the visual for my sermon.

If you'd like to listen to the sermon, the second reading begins at 17:10, the gospel reading begins at 19:35, and the sermon itself begins at 21:27.

8th after pentecost year b - mark

Special thanks to River Needham for their queerying collaboration this week!
 
Mark 6:14-29

14King Herod heard of the disciples’ preaching,

    for Jesus’ name had become known.

    Some were saying,

         “John the baptizer has been raised from the dead;

              and for this reason these powers are at work in him.”

    15But others said,

         “It is Elijah.”

    And others said,

         “It is a prophet,

              like one of the prophets of old.”

    16But when Herod heard of it, he said,

         “John, whom I beheaded,

              has been raised.”

17For Herod himself had sent men who arrested John,

    bound him,

    and put him in prison on account of Herodias,

         his brother Philip’s wife,

              because Herod had married her.

         18For John had been telling Herod,

              “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.”

    19And Herodias had a grudge against him,

         and wanted to kill him.

              But she could not,

                   20for Herod feared John,

                        knowing that he was a righteous and holy man,

                   and he protected him.

    When Herod heard John,

         he was greatly perplexed;

              and yet he liked to listen to him.

         21But an opportunity came when Herod

              on his birthday

                   gave a banquet for his courtiers and officers

                        and for the leaders of Galilee.

              22When his daughter Herodias came in and danced,

                   she pleased Herod and his guests;

                   and the king said to the girl,

                        “Ask me for whatever you wish,

                             and I will give it.”

                        23And he solemnly swore to her,

                             “Whatever you ask me,

                                  I will give you,

                                       even half of my kingdom.”

                   24She went out and said to her mother,

                        “What should I ask for?”

                   She replied,

                        “The head of John the baptizer.”

25Immediately she rushed back to the king and requested,

    “I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.”

         26The king was deeply grieved;

              yet out of regard for his oaths and for the guests,

                   he did not want to refuse her.

27Immediately the king sent a soldier of the guard

    with orders to bring John’s head.

    The soldier went and beheaded him in the prison,

         28brought his head on a platter,

              and gave it to the girl.

                   Then the girl gave it to her mother.

         29When his disciples heard about it,

              they came and took his body,

                   and laid it in a tomb.

Queeries for the text:
Is Mark a Time Lord, experiencing everything as "a big ball of wibbly-wobbly, timey-wimey...stuff"?
How does life continue after death?
Is Jesus restricted to being just one of the roles people name? Does Jesus have to be any of them?
Is Herodias, the wife of Philip then Herod, trying to pull a Zeresh? 
How can celebration and death coexist?
Does Herodias, the daughter of Herodias and Herod, have PTSD from this experience?
Could Herod have put John's whole body on a giant platter alive instead of killing him?
Was Herodias' second marriage consensual?
Is it possible to be more dysfunctional than this family?

What are your queeries?

7th after pentecost year b - a sermon

For the sermon I preached today, I drew on both of the texts I queeried this week.  If you'd like to check out my queeries, 2 Corinthians 12:2-10 is here and Mark 6:1-13 is here.  In crafting the sermon and looking back on it now, it is clear to me how the queeries informed the sermon, though if you have questions, feel free to post them and I will respond.

The congregation where I preached also records their services.  If you'd like to listen, the gospel reading begins at 16 minutes 53 seconds.

7th after pentecost year b - mark

Mark 6:1-13

Jesus left that place and came to his hometown,

    and his disciples followed him.

    2On the sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue,

         and many who heard him were astounded.

         They said,

              “Where did this man get all this?

              What is this wisdom that has been given to him?

              What deeds of power are being done by his hands!

                   3Is not this the carpenter,

                        the son of Mary

                        and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon,

                             and are not his sisters here with us?”

                                  And they took offense at him.

4Then Jesus said to them,

    “Prophets are not without honor,

         except in their hometown,

         and among their own kin,

         and in their own house.”

    5And he could do no deed of power there,

         except that he laid his hands on a few sick people

         and cured them.

              6And he was amazed at their unbelief.

Then Jesus went about among the villages teaching.

    7He called the twelve

         and began to send them out two by two,

         and gave them authority over the unclean spirits.

     8He ordered them to take nothing for their journey except a staff;

         no bread, no bag, no money in their belts;

              9but to wear sandals and not to put on two tunics.

10He said to them,

    “Wherever you enter a house,

         stay there until you leave the place.

              11If any place will not welcome you

              and they refuse to hear you,

                   as you leave,

                        shake off the dust that is on your feet

                             as a testimony against them.”

12So they went out and proclaimed that all should repent.

    13They cast out many demons,

         and anointed with oil many who were sick

              and cured them.

Queeries for the text:
Did Jesus' hometown ever end up embracing him after he came out?
Can you ever be viewed as an adult in the faith community you grew up in?
What are Jesus' sisters' names???
How much can anyone be known by way of their family?
How are people offended by Jesus' ministry?
How much does intention matter in power and healing?
What did Jesus teach in the villages?
What would happen if people took nothing for a journey today?
How often did they shake off the dust?
How many ways are there to give a testimony?
What should we repent of?

What are your queeries?

7th after pentecost year b - 2 corinthians

2 Corinthians 12:2-10

2I know a person in Christ

    who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven—

         whether in the body or out of the body I do not know;

              God knows.

    3And I know that such a person—

         whether in the body or out of the body I do not know;

              God knows—

                   4was caught up into Paradise

                   and heard things that are not to be told,

                        that no mortal is permitted to repeat.

    5On behalf of such a one I will boast,

         but on my own behalf I will not boast,

              except of my weaknesses.

         6But if I wish to boast,

              I will not be a fool,

                   for I will be speaking the truth.

              But I refrain from it,

                   so that no one may think better of me

                        than what is seen in me or heard from me,

                             7even considering 
                        the exceptional character of the revelations.

         Therefore, to keep me from being too elated,

              a thorn was given me in the flesh,

                   a messenger of Satan to torment me,

                        to keep me from being too elated.

                   8Three times I appealed to God about this,

                        that it would leave me,

                             9but God said to me,

                                  “My grace is sufficient for you,

                                       for power is made perfect in weakness.”

         So, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses,

              so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.

         10Therefore I am content with weaknesses,

              insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities

                   for the sake of Christ;

                        for whenever I am weak,

                             then I am strong.

Queeries for the text:

Which heaven is the third one?
What doesn't God know?
Why does Paul do so much boasting?
Did Paul create the humblebrag?
What was Paul's thorn?
How many different, potentially problematic, interpretations exist of Paul's thorn?
Was it really a thorn or was Paul just caught in the cultural thinking of his day?
Was God telling Paul the thorn was not a bad thing?
What makes me weak?
What makes me strong?

What are your queeries?