Humility
30They went on from there and
passed through Galilee. He did not want anyone to know it; 31for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, "The Son
of Man is to be betrayed into human hands, and they will kill him, and three
days after being killed, he will rise again." 32But they did not understand what he was saying and were afraid
to ask him.
33Then they
came to Capernaum; and when he was in the house he asked them, "What were
you arguing about on the way?" 34But they
were silent, for on the way they had argued with one another who was the
greatest. 35He sat down,
called the twelve, and said to them, "Whoever wants to be first must be
last of all and servant of all." 36Then he took
a little child and put it among them; and taking it in his arms, he said to
them, 37"Whoever
welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me
welcomes not me but the one who sent me."
Mark 9:30-37
Christ Blessing the Children
CRANACH,
Lucas
1535-1540
Stadel
Frankfurt,
Germany
It is amazing how much people can get done
if they do not worry about who gets the credit.
~
Sandra Swinney
True humility is not thinking less of yourself;
it is thinking of yourself less.
C.S.
Lewis
Outdoor Worship Service
Sunday, September 12, 2021
Rev.
Bill Sanders was our guest in the pulpit.
Lots
of good food and company!
Painted Toe's Farewell to Joyce
Joyce Shelton is moving to Florida and we wish her well. Here, Nancy
Priest
presents
her with a special card and farewell gift/memory.
OH!
How we shall miss her!!!
Book Club
at
Bambi Moss’s home with a gorgeous view!
Donna
Bucholz, Dianne Lebsock, and Kelly Selva
The
Holy Man
by
Susan Trott
Remembering
A very special man.
David W. Rommelmann
October
30, 1948 - September 3, 2021
Rev.
Kimra Perkins offered warm and heartfelt words
in
an inspiring tribute to Dave at our Rotary meeting.
We
had a caring turnout for Dave’s tribute and our regular program.
Chew and Chat
Marilee
Ross at our Chew and Chat lunch
on
Friday at Fossil Trace in Golden.
Karla,
Sondra, and I were also there.
Open Door Studios
September 18 - 19, 2021
Laura
Mehmert in her studio.
Csilla
Florida’s studio.
Csilla
loves elephants!
While
I was driving about I stopped and picked up more wonderful peaches!
All true wisdom
is found on T-shirts.
~
Unknown
September 19, 2021 Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost
Twenty-fifth
Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year B
Previous OPQs may be found at:
13Who
is wise and understanding among you? Show by your good life that your works are
done with gentleness born of wisdom. 14But if you have bitter envy
and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not be boastful and false to the truth. 15Such wisdom does not come down from above, but is earthly,
unspiritual, devilish. 16For where there is envy and
selfish ambition, there will also be disorder and wickedness of every kind. 17But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle,
willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without a trace of partiality
or hypocrisy. 18And a harvest of
righteousness is sown in peace for those who make peace.
4:1Those conflicts and disputes among you, where do
they come from? Do they not come from your cravings that are at war within you? 2You want something and do not have it; so you commit murder. And
you covet something and cannot obtain it; so you engage in disputes and
conflicts. You do not have, because you do not ask. 3You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, in order to
spend what you get on your pleasures.
7Submit yourselves therefore
to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8Draw near to God and he will draw near to you.
James 3:13-4:3, 7-8a
Agnus Day, by James Wetzstein
Agnus Day appears with the permission of www.agnusday.org
Proverbs 31:10-31 and Psalm 1
OR
Jeremiah 11:18-20 and Psalm 54
James 3:13-4:3, 7-8a
Mark 9:30-37
Summary
Jesus’
prediction of his death and resurrection once again puzzles the disciples.
Here, their desire for status derails their spiritual journey. Though plainly
spoken, it is natural to not understand Jesus’ statement that he will die and
rise again, but the disciples are “afraid to ask him” what he meant (v. 32).
Instead they busy themselves nattering about which one of them is the greatest,
showing how they have set their minds on human ends, not on heavenly ones.
Here, Jesus takes the opportunity to instruct them on the values of his
kingdom: that humility, not pride is to be exalted. By bringing forward a
child, Jesus shows someone who is weak and helpless. Describing this powerful
symbol, Theophylact wrote “a child has no desire for honor, it is not jealous,
and it does not remember injuries.” Childlikeness is the opposite of the
strutting the disciples had done along the way and a prerequisite for entrance
into Christ’s kingdom.
The preacher will not lack for application here. The desire for recognition,
even in small and trivial ways, marks the human condition from the least to the
greatest. Sanctification in Christ is the expunging of these characteristics.
If we follow his example on the cross, then we will not shun ignominy,
suffering, and humility, since we will see that it is the road to God.
Achievement and victory are gifts and blessings when they come, but they must
not be grasped at or sought after as life’s chief aim. Somehow or other, the
crown of victory in this life must be set aside for the crown of thorns which
leads to eternal life.
https://www.preachingtoday.com/lectionary/
First Reading Proverbs 31:10-31
10A capable wife who can find?
She is far more precious than jewels.
11The heart of
her husband trusts in her,
and he will have no lack of gain.
12She does him
good, and not harm,
all the days of her life.
13She seeks
wool and flax,
and works with willing hands.
14She is like
the ships of the merchant,
she brings her food from far away.
15She rises
while it is still night
and provides food for her household
and tasks for her servant-girls.
16She
considers a field and buys it;
with the fruit of her hands she plants a
vineyard.
17She girds
herself with strength,
and makes her arms strong.
18She
perceives that her merchandise is profitable.
Her lamp does not go out at night.
19She puts her
hands to the distaff,
and her hands hold the spindle.
20She opens
her hand to the poor,
and reaches out her hands to the needy.
21She is not
afraid for her household when it snows,
for all her household are clothed in crimson.
22She makes
herself coverings;
her clothing is fine linen and purple.
23Her husband is
known in the city gates,
taking his seat among the elders of the land.
24She makes
linen garments and sells them;
she supplies the merchant with sashes.
25Strength and
dignity are her clothing,
and she laughs at the time to come.
26She opens
her mouth with wisdom,
and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
27She looks
well to the ways of her household,
and does not eat the bread of idleness.
28Her children
rise up and call her happy;
her husband too, and he praises her:
29"Many
women have done excellently,
but you surpass them all."
30Charm is
deceitful, and beauty is vain,
but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.
31Give her a
share in the fruit of her hands,
and let her works praise her in the city gates.
1Happy are those
who do not follow the advice of the wicked,
or take the path that sinners
tread,
or sit in the seat of scoffers;
2but their delight is in the law of the LORD,
and on his law they meditate day and night.
3They are like trees
planted by streams of water,
which yield their fruit in
its season,
and their leaves do not wither.
In all that they do, they
prosper.
4The wicked are not so,
but are like chaff that the wind drives away.
5Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;
6for the LORD watches over the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked will perish.
Second Reading James 3:13-4:3, 7-8a
13Who is wise and understanding among you? Show by your good life
that your works are done with gentleness born of wisdom. 14But if you have bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts,
do not be boastful and false to the truth. 15Such wisdom does not come
down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, devilish. 16For where there is envy and selfish ambition, there will also be
disorder and wickedness of every kind. 17But the wisdom from above is
first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good
fruits, without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy. 18And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace for those who
make peace.
4:1Those conflicts and disputes
among you, where do they come from? Do they not come from your cravings that
are at war within you? 2You want something and do not
have it; so you commit murder. And you covet something and cannot obtain it; so
you engage in disputes and conflicts. You do not have, because you do not ask. 3You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, in order to
spend what you get on your pleasures.
7Submit yourselves therefore
to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8Draw near to God and he will draw near to you.
30They went on from there and passed through Galilee. He did not
want anyone to know it; 31for he was
teaching his disciples, saying to them, "The Son of Man is to be betrayed
into human hands, and they will kill him, and three days after being killed, he
will rise again." 32But they did
not understand what he was saying and were afraid to ask him.
33Then they came
to Capernaum; and when he was in the house he asked them, "What were you
arguing about on the way?" 34But they
were silent, for on the way they had argued with one another who was the
greatest. 35He sat down,
called the twelve, and said to them, "Whoever wants to be first must be
last of all and servant of all." 36Then he took
a little child and put it among them; and taking it in his arms, he said to
them, 37"Whoever
welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me
welcomes not me but the one who sent me."