THE BIBLE – DISCOVERY YEAR 07 – WITH LUKE’S GOSPEL
COMMENT FOR PENTECOST 6 – 08-07-07
2 Kings 5: 1-14
Think of the characters in this story!  A young Hebrew girl hostage is worried about the health of her captor, the Syrian armed forces commander, who put his dignity before his health; a Hebrew King who thought every action was political; and a prophet whose spiritual power was not for hire.  The commander was saved by the common sense of his staff, while the prophet was betrayed by the greed of his servant.  Do you find any parallels in Australia’s election year?
Psalm 30
We have problems with this Psalm because it sees illness as God’s punishment for arrogance, and prosperity as a mark of God’s favour.  We think of the Eternal Spirit forever and everywhere working for health and wholeness.  So we join in the joy of thanksgiving for the life-giving and life affirming experiences of the Grace of God seen in the recovery from illness and the brightness of the morning light. 
Galatians 6: 1-16
Paul is clearly worried.  He uses every argument he can find to persuade the people of Galatia to resist the cultural drag of their past and their everyday lives, and live out their freedom under the law of the love of God in Christ.  Now (verse 11) he takes the pen from his amaneuensis and makes the large letters of a royal proclamation for the People of the Way of the Family of God.  Then his concern really shows in two terse verses (17 and 18). 
Luke 10: 1-11, 16-20 
This is a crucial time in the ministry of Jesus as he sends out seventy two (six times as many helpers as before) giving them the same realistic advice of what to expect.  These inexperienced helpers tapped into the joy of working in the power of the creative, life-giving, loving Eternal Spirit.  They did the best they could in the work of God.  In their reports Jesus sees such faithful living (verse 18) as the way by which the human spirit will rise to the expectation of the Loving Creator.
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N.B.  We shall continue the story of Luke’s discovery of the Man from Nazareth in the Pentecost Sundays 7,8, and 9,  after Monday 23 July, when the comment will also resume.
We are sorry for this short gap, and hope you will continue your interest.

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