The Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 13 ), August 4, 2024

Well David is at it again. After manipulating to have his friend killed soon Uriah’s wife has been sent to him to become his wife. God is not happy with this turn of events, sends Nathan to David and relates to David a story, Preacher-Teacher we sometimes have God sending us messages in all sorts of ways, we need these variety of ways because sometimes we just do not see what we need to see, although it is right in front of us. Nathan tells a story to David A rich man taking from a poor man all that he had, a lamb to which he loved as “a daughter.” David could not believe the actions of the rich man. He believed it horrible, and Nathan had to bluntly say to David, and that is you David. V:7 Nathan said to David, “You are the man!” God using Nathan as the messenger tells David all that will happen to him because of his actions. Yes he will be King but trouble will come. God asks why do act against me? A great opportunity Preacher-teacher to ask of folks, when we attempt to do things where God is not a part, we do harm. Nathan let’s David know while he will remain King harm will come to him. And the journey with God is a lifetime journey we will make mistakes over and over again, but God will be us, God will stay with David and especially when David recognizes his ways have caused harm and now David is aware.

12:13a: David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.”

Being aware of ourselves is half the battle then we can be open to transformation to become closer to the Divine.

Awareness that is was our folks in Exodus is lacking. Food glorious food is put right in front of God’s people yet they cannot see it. And God once again is patient with the people. Preacher-teacher, let’s say it again God is very patient with us, even when all we do is complain, complain complain, go ahead folks complain, God can take it. But then what are you complainer, going to do about it? Our relationship is with God is organic, co-creative, and active. We humans are called not to forget that, but live into it. God keeps reminding the people then and reminds us today, saying to them in v:15 “It Is the bread that the Lord has given you to eat.” Bread is life. It is right in front of you and God has provided it for you. Don’t give up on God, for God has not given up on you.

It’s raining God’s goodness, Hallelujah Amen. Amen. You can have so much fun Preacher-teacher with both Psalms. A great opportunity to talk about the power of water and how we as humans need to have it, can’t go for more than three days without it. You can talk about how our bodies are made up of between 50-70% of water (depending on factors) and water covers 71% of the earth. And then connect it to baptism, that symbolic act of water reminding us that we are born anew when we participate in, and or remember our baptism. And as a Process thinker, I say we renew our baptism every morning when we splash ourselves with water as we wash our faces. The extraordinary is in the ordinary we just need to aware.

And Paul ties it all together for us right there in v 4 “one Lord, one faith, one baptism.” Paul tells us God is here and tells us the Spiritual Journey is an action phrase. We are part of it and to be co-creative with God, using our talents that make us. 4:11 “ Godself granted some are apostles, prophets , evangelists, pastors and teachers.” We do not all have the same gifts, but we are all called in our diversity of gifts. All can serve God as. we. are. All are needed. In fact the more the better. And we call that community. While the Spiritual life is unique to each one of us it is not expected to be done in a vacuum but always with others.

V:16 “from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by every ligament with which it is equipped as each part is working properly, promotes the body’s growth in building itself up in love.”

Bread, bread, bread this week begins our journey for the next several weeks with bread, bread, bread. You get to be as creative as you want these next weeks with the metaphor of bread and possibly also use real bread. An opportunity to have bread in worship, a different variety of each week. Rye one week, wheat another and so on so on. There are many types of bread, but only bread of substance can give you sustenance and life. Do not skimp on the kind of bread. That is what Jesus means ingredients matter. Jesus is telling the people then and we today; He is the sustenance of life; not sugar and empty calories, where you think you are full, but soon you are hungry and want more. So much so you follow Jesus so you can get more. Jesus does not want you to understand the Spiritual life as transactional but as transformative a life that is God centered not society centered. And when in relationship with God, God will provide for you as God provided for your ancestors 6:32 “Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness…”

6:35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.”

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This week’s lectionary integrates scripture, film, and music. Today’s congregants never receive scripture or sermon in isolation but in context of our cultural images, many of which involve drama and music. Below are some suggestions of some pop culture expressions that could add to your storytelling. This by no means is exhaustive just some that have meaning for me that might give light to your imaginations. I have my own tastes and realize there might be some genres missing, use these suggestions to let your creativity flow.

Themes: trickery, redemption, integrity, gifts, humility, faith, love.

Key words: Mercy, truth, taste and see, forgiveness, refuge bread, bread of life, eternal life, belief,

Pop Culture films and TV, musicals: Wicked, Cinderella (Brandy, Whitney Houston version) Rent the movie, Becoming Elisabeth (Prime video series), Great Gatsby (any version)

Potential songs: Aquarius Let the Sunshine In, from the musical Hair, Let Us Break Bread Together, True Colors.

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Reverend Doctor Monica Corsaro is the Settled Senior Pastor of Fairview Community Church in Costa Mesa.  Her career combines traditional ministry and political activism,steeped in a process understanding, serving diverse communities in Washington State, Illinois, Colorado, and Southern California.

Before coming to Orange County, she led United Methodist and Christian Church, Disciples of Christ congregations in the Seattle area, and served a variety of higher education communities and settings, as campus minister at the University of Washington, chaplain of community engagement at Monmouth College, University Chaplain at Illinois Wesleyan, and Director of Spiritual Life at Knox College.

She holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Political Science from Illinois State University, a Master of Divinity degree from Iliff School of Theology, and a doctoral degree from Wesley Theological Seminary.