Year B, Ordinary 14 (Prop9, Pent+7), 2018 – Look Who’s So Smart

Hey all! We’re back from a week of Vacation Bible School! We had a wonderful experience and are so grateful for a tremendous staff that gave so much of themselves on behalf of the kids. The Spirit of God was moving, indeed! That movement is vital – providing support and guidance for disciples as they teach and learn and interact. In the Gospel selection for this week’s lectionary, Jesus sends the twelve out with authority to cast out demons and heal. They come back to report on their successes and are quite happy with their accomplishments. As readers, we are also pleased and we notice the marked contrast between their ministry out in the countryside and Jesus’ inability to do much at all in his hometown. Is it because people in Nazareth couldn’t see Jesus as anything other than the boy they once knew? “Look at Mary’s kid thinking he knows so much!”, you might hear them saying to one another. Did their familiarity precluded the Spirit’s movement among them? Either way, may we all be so receptive to the Spirit moving in our own lives that the children we touch will come back in later years and astonish us with their own teaching and healing!    This week’s text is: Mark 6:1-13 [01:58] Jesus’ hometown folk are not impressed with him and their comments made us think about a couple phrases in our culture’s vernacular that express a similar disdain. (Who knew that “too big for his britches” was coined by Davy Crockett about Andrew Jackson?) We examine these idioms in WORD smart. We think you could demonstrate these phrases in EYE smart, too! For MATH smart, utilize a chart to show the level of respect and honor given a prophet by different groups (see this week’s worksheet for an example). In BODY smart, talk about a time when you literally shook off the dust of an experience and then invite your congregation to do the same. We each thought of a song that relates to this passage for MUSIC smart that doesn’t entirely fit – so play with the lyrics! Being sent out with only the clothes on your back relates to NATURE smart survival techniques. We have a link to a rather unusual television show in PEOPLE smart that sends people out in a way Jesus probably never thought of – I hope. Relying on hospitality is both a SELF smart issue as well as a PEOPLE smart consideration, especially when hospitality is not extended, or worse, is rescinded. Smarts – Word [04:14], Eye [(02:30/06:42)], Math [07:03], Body [08:44], Music [09:57], Nature [11:00], People [12:07], Self [16:22] Mark 6 worksheet Links in Mark WORD smart – Too big for his britches; said by Davy Crockett about Andrew Jackson Jesus accused of “putting on airs” BODY smart – As Pumba said, “Put your behind in your past!” MUSIC smart – Children, Go Where I Send Thee Or, try adapting the lyrics to Shake it Off! NATURE smart – Wilderness survival tips PEOPLE smart – TV show called Naked and Afraid SELF smart – The psychology of being under appreciated   Image Credit: Photo by Joe Green on Unsplash. Used by permission.