The Weekly View

Sunday, October 21, 2018

This Sunday - Acoustic Sunday

Dear St Luke Community,

When my kids were little, they would qualify what it was they wanted before they even asked. “Mom, just listen. Mom, hear me out. Mom, just say yes.” 

In Sunday’s scripture, James and John say to Jesus, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.” (10:35) Basically, they’re saying, “just say yes to what it is we’re about to ask because we don’t think you’re going to like it.” 

James and John were fishermen. They didn’t make a lot of money. They didn't have a lot of influence over what happened. And now they want seats next to Jesus when he’s glorified, they want power, they want influence. We can hardly blame them for wanting any of that. 

But Jesus, again and again in  Mark’s Gospel, flips the norms upside down. Twice he’s said, the last shall be first. He’s told them they must be like children and in this Sunday’s scripture he says;

“You know that among the Gentiles those whom they recognize as their rulers lord it over them, and their great ones are tyrants over them. But it is not so among you; but whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all.”  

So greatness and power for God and Christ look very different than it did back then and it looks very different from how we understand power today. Can we redefine power for ourselves so that it aligns with God’s definition? How do we understand the life-affirming potential of the power of service as against the power of domination? 

There’s only one song to be sung after the sermon this Sunday. Here’s a preview.

You may be an ambassador to England or France
You may like to gamble, you might like to dance
You may be the heavyweight champion of the world
You may be a socialite with a long string of pearls
But you're gonna have to serve somebody, yes
Indeed you're gonna have to serve somebody
Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord
But you're gonna have to serve somebody

Gotta Serve Somebody, by Bob Dylan

See you Sunday,
Nicole

P.S. I’ll be on Study leave for worship planning and Adult Ed from Monday, Oct 22-Sat Oct 26th. Dan White will be covering Pastoral care along with our dear Deacons. 

Continuing Events

All are welcome to attend

Bible Study Series ~ No class 10/24 but will resume on Wednesday, Oct 31st, 9:30 AM  

Morning Women's Spirituality Group ~ Thursday. Oct 25th, 9:00 AM

St. Luke Women’s Bridge Group ~ Tuesday, Oct 23rd, 10:30 AM
(3rd Monday & 4th Tuesday, Sept. to May).

Session ~ Tuesday, October 23rd, 6:30 PM

St. Luke Men's Group ~ Tuesday, Nov. 6th, Location TBD

St. Luke Women’s Association ~ Thursday. Nov. 8th, 1:00 PM
SAVE THE DATE~ December 7th 1:00-3:00, Christmas Tea & Program.

Deacons ~ Tuesday, November 13th, 6:30 PM 

Committee Meetings ~ Tuesday, November 13th, 6:30 PM 

Pizza and Theology ~ Tuesday, November 20th, 6:30 PM
Creekside, San Anselmo.