Colossians 3:1-11
Christ the Redeemer, Rio de Janeiro
What Is the Chance Some Chants Are By Chance?
“Abusive language from your mouth”
Is something Paul declared uncouth;
What’s strange is that he doesn’t mean
That time you strike your thumb, and scream
An oath that turns the air all blue
Until the pain might be subdued;
But rather, even way back then,
The “other,” oft beyond their ken,
Would be abused - just like today!
But those renewed by Christ still say
That everyone’s a child of God,
No matter how from you they’re odd,
And even now there’s no excuse
For building cultures of abuse.
Scott Barton
So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that
are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on
things that are above, not on things that are on earth, for you have died, and
your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life is
revealed, then you also will be revealed with him in glory.
Put to death, therefore, whatever in you is earthly:
fornication, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed (which is idolatry). On
account of these the wrath of God is coming on those who are disobedient. These
are the ways you also once followed, when you were living that life.
But now you must get rid of all such things—anger, wrath,
malice, slander, and abusive language from your mouth. Do not lie to one
another, seeing that you have stripped off the old self with its practices and
have clothed yourselves with the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge
according to the image of its creator. In that renewal there is no longer Greek
and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and free;
but Christ is all and in all!
+ + +
Luke 12:13-21
Rembrandt: Parable of the Rich Fool
The "Gospel" of Prosperity
The gospel of prosperity
Is sold with such sincerity
And has such popularity
Some fail to see disparity
Between the Lord's plain clarity
And self-serving barbarity!
I hope someday posterity
Will love with regularity
And look back with hilarity
At how "they" missed faith's verity.
Scott l. Barton
(2016)
Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother
to divide the family inheritance with me.” But he said to him, “Friend, who set
me to be a judge or arbitrator over you?” And he said to them, “Take care! Be
on your guard against all kinds of greed; for one’s life does not consist in
the abundance of possessions.” Then he told them a parable: “The land of a rich
man produced abundantly. And he thought to himself, ‘What should I do, for I
have no place to store my crops?’ Then he said, ‘I will do this: I will pull
down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my
goods. And I will say to my soul, ‘Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many
years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.’ But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very
night your life is being demanded of you. And the things you have prepared,
whose will they be?’ So it is with those who store up treasures for themselves
but are not rich toward God.”
+ + +
Hosea 11:1-11
Karl Hultström: First Steps (1942), Stockholm
The Real "Old Testament God"
I read a review of the Requiem - Verdi's -
Which spoke of the fear of "Old Testament God;"
I think that ubiquitous term is a pity,
"Advanced" as we are, who "that God"
could not laud;
A dose of Hosea would do us a favor,
To hear God described as One yearning for love,
Who lifted the children, with tenderness, kissing,
But then, like a parent, got back-handed shoved;
It makes you just ache, which then turns into anger,
But being the lover, God knows how to wait;
And when there is trouble, the child returning,
And needing the things that this God can create,
Then finds this "Old Testament God" such a
blessing,
Who roars like a lion protecting the young,
Whose wrath is directed towards all that would keep God
From being the One to whom praises are sung.
Scott L. Barton
(2013)
When Israel was a child, I loved him,
and out of Egypt I called my son.
The more I called them,
the more they went from me;
they kept sacrificing to the Baals,
and offering incense to idols.
Yet it was I who taught Ephraim to walk,
I took them up in my arms;
but they did not know that I healed them.
I led them with cords of human kindness,
with bands of love.
I was to them like those
who lift infants to their cheeks.
I bent down to them and fed them.
They shall return to the land of Egypt,
and Assyria shall be their king,
because they have refused to return to me.
The sword rages in their cities,
it consumes their oracle-priests,
and devours because of their schemes.
My people are bent on turning away from me.
To the Most High they call,
but he does not raise them up at all.
How can I give you up, Ephraim?
How can I hand you over, O Israel?
How can I make you like Admah?
How can I treat you like Zeboiim?
My heart recoils within me;
my compassion grows warm and tender.
I will not execute my fierce anger;
I will not again destroy Ephraim;
for I am God and no mortal,
the Holy One in your midst,
and I will not come in wrath.
They shall go after the LORD,
who roars like a lion;
when he roars,
his children shall come
trembling from the west.
They shall come trembling like birds from Egypt,
and like doves from the land of Assyria;
and I will return them to their homes, says the LORD.
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