s-o-a-p-ing

[s-o-a-p-ing]

2 SAMUEL S.O.A.P. ~ CHAPTER 20

Friday, 7/28/25

Just an observation - we wrap 2 Samuel next week (Thursday, I think...) - where to next?

SCRIPTURE:

Now a despicable man named Sheba, Bichri’s son, from Benjamin, was also there.  He sounded the trumpet and said: “We don’t care about David! We have no stake in Jesse’s son! Go back to your homes, Israel!”  So all the Israelites left David to follow Bichri’s son Sheba.  But all the people of Judah stayed close to their king from the Jordan River all the way to Jerusalem. ~ 2 Samuel 20:1-2

OBSERVATION:

I'll be honest here... it took me several readings of this chapter to find (be led?), to these two verses...

I mean, I'm not one given to violence or deceit...

...am I?

I haven't "gutted" anyone... (like Joab, verses 9 and 10)

...well, physically at least...

and, to these verses, I like to think I've (almost) always stayed close to THE King - Jesse's Son - Jesus...

I've never abandoned Him the way the Israelites did David...

...but I have wandered - on too many occasions - just far enough (too far), away in pursuit of my own willful wants...

APPLICATION:

Stay close to the King...

...all the way...

...all the time...

PRAYER:

Father God - Thank You for Your Holy Spirit's continued presence and guidance, leading me to Your Word for me this morning, for His persistence and patience in speaking kindly to my shameful selfishness, revealing Your grace and forgiveness to my realization and confession of willfully following after my wants instead of obediently staying close to You in all things... If not for Jesus, Father... if not for Jesus... In His Name, and for Your glory...

If not for Him...

𝖌

<((><

[s-o-a-p-ing]

God's Etch-a-Sketch

A prison sermon on the healing of Simon's mother in law

NADIA BOLZ-WEBER

JULY 13, 2025

As soon as they left the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they told him about her at once. He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up. Then the fever left her, and she began to serve them. That evening, at sunset, they brought to him all who were sick or possessed by demons. And the whole city was gathered around the door. And he cured many who were sick with various diseases and cast out many demons, and he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him. - Mark 1

Years ago there was an episode of The Simpsons where Homer tries to say something theological, and I’ve always loved it. They are standing around looking at a huge church when he says, Well, I may not know much about God, but I have to say we built a pretty nice cage for Him.

Anyhow, our reading for today starts exactly 26 verses into the book of Mark.

Here’s a little re-cap to catch you up to speed on what’s happened in the previous 25 verses of this Gospel.

It starts with the words, The Beginning of the Good news of Jesus Christ.

Then John the Baptist appears in the wilderness with his questionable wardrobe and dietary choices and baptizes Jesus.

Then the heavens torn open and God says This is my beloved. For which Jesus is rewarded with 40 days in the wilderness with the wild beasts and angels.

Repent and believe the good news of the kingdom.

On his way to Capernum he picks up some smelly fishermen.

Then on the Sabbath he’s teaching in the synagogue – and everyone’s like “wow. That Jesus isn’t totally full of it like the other guys”

Finally he casts out an unclean spirit after commanding it to shut the hell up.

And that’s pretty much where we pick up the story today.

As soon as they leave the Synagogue they entered Simon’s house and Simon’s mother in law was sick in bed with a fever.

Jesus came and took her by the hand, lifted her up. Then the fever left her and she began to serve them.

For the record: My first reaction to a bunch of young men showing up at the house of one of their mamas who, by the way, is sick, then healing her so that she gets up and “serves them”, was like isn’t that typical - rather than scrounging around for themselves they heal the Woman Of The House so she can make them a snack.

So don’t feel bad if that’s how you heard this story too.

But I started to see the healing of Simon’s mother in law story differently after sitting with it awhile.

It’s true that Mark doesn’t tell us her name so let’s just agree to make one up for her so she has an identity other than mother in law. We’re going to call her Betty.

See, I don’t actually think Jesus healed Betty so she could make them lunch. Because the thing is, for a male Jew in 1st century, it was considered taboo to even touch an unrelated woman.

 And it was considered ritually unclean to touch someone who was sick. 

And it was considered a religious violation to do any kind of work on the Sabbath.

So I can’t imagine that Jesus would defile himself on so many levels just so he wouldn’t have to make his own sandwich.

I think this scene with Betty is a demonstration of what Jesus was talking about 11 verses earlier.

See, just 11 verses earlier is the point in when Jesus speaks for the very first time in the Gospel of Mark - and his first words were the kingdom of God has come near – repent and believe the good news.

Listen up, friends. “The kingdom of God has come near – repent and believe the good news” is like Jesus is saying “No more cages for God and while I’m at it, no more cages for you either”

Remember what an Etch-a-Sketch is?

Now it seems like a Caveman’s iPad, but as kids it was cool. You know, that toy with a screen that you can draw on by turning two knobs—one moves the line up and down, the other side to side. To erase the drawing, you just shake it.

Well, in Mark’s Gospel it’s like Jesus starts his ministry by trying to shake our religious etch a sketch. All those lines we draw between us and God, all those lines that we draw between us and other people and between others and God….all the cages we construct through religion well…Jesus shows up and shakes everything up so that those lines disappear.

Of course I have my hands on the knobs ready to keep drawing more lines so you know…that keeps Jesus pretty busy.

The point is that Jesus starts his ministry by saying forget what you thought you knew because God is near in a whole new way - and then he goes on what is like the weirdest recruiting trip ever.

It kinda looked like this:

Jesus starts by gathering up some rank fishermen…

and then he enters the synagogue with them

where his next recruit is a demoniac – a dude with a demon.

After which he makes sure he gets a sick old lady on board. Yeah, that’s Jesus dream team.

With most of the characters in scripture who only show up for a verse or two we never find out what really happens after they encounter Jesus, But that’s the cool thing about Betty, see…when Jesus reaches down and touches someone his culture had deemed unclean – when his hand touches a sick old lady - more than just a fever leaves her.

The cages of culture and religion fall away and the world according to God bursts through.

And the thing I love about Betty is that Betty knew exactly you do with hands which have received the healing touch of God….Betty used those very same hands to serve. She immediately became an agent of what she had just received. 

You may have heard the saying that hurt people hurt people.

But what is also true is that healed people heal people.

Not as an act of obligation, or law or social expectation but as an act of freedom. Which means the boundaries that Jesus transgresses allows the most unlikely and broken people to give what they have received. We see again and again Jesus literally touching the untouchable and giving them a whole new identity.

It’s like he was deputizing them.

Because Jesus was about more than just healing certain sick people…the gospel tells us that Jesus greatest desire was to restore all that has been broken. So every person who Jesus healed was conscripted into the Kingdom of God so that they may go and do likewise.

This is why the next part of the text is so great. It says that evening they brought to him all who were sick or possessed with demons and then the next verse literally says this: the whole city was gathered around the door.

THE WHOLE CITY.

Which means that there is no separate category of people called the sick and possessed.

Jesus knew this.

Some people just hide their sickness more than others and as human beings we prefer to have certain people be the identified problems so that we can look healthy or sane or good.

But Jesus shook that etch a sketch.

When Betty sees a whole city’s worth of sick and demon possessed outside her door, I like to imagine her pushing up her sleeves and touching and healing and loving and speaking truth to all of them.

She transmits what was given to her.

She gets up and serves.

She’s been deputized. 

That’s the thing with the kingdom of God, there is no personal treasure to be had…there are only gifts to be shared. God’s desire for the healing of all creation was inaugurated in a world changing way in the life of Jesus and it continues through you.

I’ve seen it in this place. I’ve seen healing happen through your hands on which still rest the waters of your baptism and the hands which, extend here at the Lord’s table, to receive Christ’s own body and blood.

Your hands are what God has to work with here. Hands that, no matter what your story is, have as much to receive as they have to give. Just by merit of being here, you’ve been recruited into this beautiful, redemptive story of God’s love for all of humanity along with smelly fishermen, demoniacs and sick old ladies.

We, every single one of us here today, we are part of Jesus’ Dream Team.

Because no matter what society says or the church says or prison culture says, there is no ranking system in God’s kingdom –no category of inmate worse than another, no gender or sexual identity worse than another.

When here at new Beginnings we say all are welcome, that is what we mean.

And just so you know, it is not as a result of our niceness, or our inclusive beliefs.

It is a result of Jesus Christ. Everyone without exception is welcome here because Christ has a made it so.

In other words, the kingdom of God has indeed come near.

So rethink all the cages and believe the good news.

Amen

[s-o-a-p-ing]

2 SAMUEL S.O.A.P. ~ CHAPTER 19

Thursday, 7/17/25

SCRIPTURE:

"Even though all the members of my grandfather’s family were nothing short of demonic toward my master and king, you still put your servant with those who eat at your table.  "So what right do I have to beg for still more from the king?” ~ 2 Samuel 19:28

OBSERVATION:

Despite my past and how I got here...

...things I had no control over...

...and things I should've controlled better...

I still get to eat at THE Master's - THE King's - table...

...because Jesus!

"So what right do I have to beg for still more from the King?"

He's given me more than I could ask for...

...let alone what I deserve...

APPLICATION:

Be thankful...

Take my place at His table...

PRAYER:

Thank You, Father God, or making a place for me at Your table despite my selfish willfulness - May I remember to take it, and to invite others through my actions and words that lead them to Jesus and their own place at Your table as well... In and through His Name, and for Your glory and praise... 

Gratefully... 

𝖌

<))><

[s-o-a-p-ing]

God's Etch-a-Sketch

A prison sermon on the healing of Simon's mother in law

NADIA BOLZ-WEBER

JULY 13, 2025

As soon as they left the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they told him about her at once. He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up. Then the fever left her, and she began to serve them. That evening, at sunset, they brought to him all who were sick or possessed by demons. And the whole city was gathered around the door. And he cured many who were sick with various diseases and cast out many demons, and he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him. - Mark 1

Years ago there was an episode of The Simpsons where Homer tries to say something theological, and I’ve always loved it. They are standing around looking at a huge church when he says, Well, I may not know much about God, but I have to say we built a pretty nice cage for Him.

Anyhow, our reading for today starts exactly 26 verses into the book of Mark.

Here’s a little re-cap to catch you up to speed on what’s happened in the previous 25 verses of this Gospel.

It starts with the words, The Beginning of the Good news of Jesus Christ.

Then John the Baptist appears in the wilderness with his questionable wardrobe and dietary choices and baptizes Jesus.

Then the heavens torn open and God says This is my beloved. For which Jesus is rewarded with 40 days in the wilderness with the wild beasts and angels.

Repent and believe the good news of the kingdom.

On his way to Capernum he picks up some smelly fishermen.

Then on the Sabbath he’s teaching in the synagogue – and everyone’s like “wow. That Jesus isn’t totally full of it like the other guys”

Finally he casts out an unclean spirit after commanding it to shut the hell up.

And that’s pretty much where we pick up the story today.

As soon as they leave the Synagogue they entered Simon’s house and Simon’s mother in law was sick in bed with a fever.

Jesus came and took her by the hand, lifted her up. Then the fever left her and she began to serve them.

For the record: My first reaction to a bunch of young men showing up at the house of one of their mamas who, by the way, is sick, then healing her so that she gets up and “serves them”, was like isn’t that typical - rather than scrounging around for themselves they heal the Woman Of The House so she can make them a snack.

So don’t feel bad if that’s how you heard this story too.

But I started to see the healing of Simon’s mother in law story differently after sitting with it awhile.

It’s true that Mark doesn’t tell us her name so let’s just agree to make one up for her so she has an identity other than mother in law. We’re going to call her Betty.

See, I don’t actually think Jesus healed Betty so she could make them lunch. Because the thing is, for a male Jew in 1st century, it was considered taboo to even touch an unrelated woman.

 And it was considered ritually unclean to touch someone who was sick. 

And it was considered a religious violation to do any kind of work on the Sabbath.

So I can’t imagine that Jesus would defile himself on so many levels just so he wouldn’t have to make his own sandwich.

I think this scene with Betty is a demonstration of what Jesus was talking about 11 verses earlier.

See, just 11 verses earlier is the point in when Jesus speaks for the very first time in the Gospel of Mark - and his first words were the kingdom of God has come near – repent and believe the good news.

Listen up, friends. “The kingdom of God has come near – repent and believe the good news” is like Jesus is saying “No more cages for God and while I’m at it, no more cages for you either”

Remember what an Etch-a-Sketch is?

Now it seems like a Caveman’s iPad, but as kids it was cool. You know, that toy with a screen that you can draw on by turning two knobs—one moves the line up and down, the other side to side. To erase the drawing, you just shake it.

Well, in Mark’s Gospel it’s like Jesus starts his ministry by trying to shake our religious etch a sketch. All those lines we draw between us and God, all those lines that we draw between us and other people and between others and God….all the cages we construct through religion well…Jesus shows up and shakes everything up so that those lines disappear.

Of course I have my hands on the knobs ready to keep drawing more lines so you know…that keeps Jesus pretty busy.

The point is that Jesus starts his ministry by saying forget what you thought you knew because God is near in a whole new way - and then he goes on what is like the weirdest recruiting trip ever.

It kinda looked like this:

Jesus starts by gathering up some rank fishermen…

and then he enters the synagogue with them

where his next recruit is a demoniac – a dude with a demon.

After which he makes sure he gets a sick old lady on board. Yeah, that’s Jesus dream team.

With most of the characters in scripture who only show up for a verse or two we never find out what really happens after they encounter Jesus, But that’s the cool thing about Betty, see…when Jesus reaches down and touches someone his culture had deemed unclean – when his hand touches a sick old lady - more than just a fever leaves her.

The cages of culture and religion fall away and the world according to God bursts through.

And the thing I love about Betty is that Betty knew exactly you do with hands which have received the healing touch of God….Betty used those very same hands to serve. She immediately became an agent of what she had just received. 

You may have heard the saying that hurt people hurt people.

But what is also true is that healed people heal people.

Not as an act of obligation, or law or social expectation but as an act of freedom. Which means the boundaries that Jesus transgresses allows the most unlikely and broken people to give what they have received. We see again and again Jesus literally touching the untouchable and giving them a whole new identity.

It’s like he was deputizing them.

Because Jesus was about more than just healing certain sick people…the gospel tells us that Jesus greatest desire was to restore all that has been broken. So every person who Jesus healed was conscripted into the Kingdom of God so that they may go and do likewise.

This is why the next part of the text is so great. It says that evening they brought to him all who were sick or possessed with demons and then the next verse literally says this: the whole city was gathered around the door.

THE WHOLE CITY.

Which means that there is no separate category of people called the sick and possessed.

Jesus knew this.

Some people just hide their sickness more than others and as human beings we prefer to have certain people be the identified problems so that we can look healthy or sane or good.

But Jesus shook that etch a sketch.

When Betty sees a whole city’s worth of sick and demon possessed outside her door, I like to imagine her pushing up her sleeves and touching and healing and loving and speaking truth to all of them.

She transmits what was given to her.

She gets up and serves.

She’s been deputized. 

That’s the thing with the kingdom of God, there is no personal treasure to be had…there are only gifts to be shared. God’s desire for the healing of all creation was inaugurated in a world changing way in the life of Jesus and it continues through you.

I’ve seen it in this place. I’ve seen healing happen through your hands on which still rest the waters of your baptism and the hands which, extend here at the Lord’s table, to receive Christ’s own body and blood.

Your hands are what God has to work with here. Hands that, no matter what your story is, have as much to receive as they have to give. Just by merit of being here, you’ve been recruited into this beautiful, redemptive story of God’s love for all of humanity along with smelly fishermen, demoniacs and sick old ladies.

We, every single one of us here today, we are part of Jesus’ Dream Team.

Because no matter what society says or the church says or prison culture says, there is no ranking system in God’s kingdom –no category of inmate worse than another, no gender or sexual identity worse than another.

When here at new Beginnings we say all are welcome, that is what we mean.

And just so you know, it is not as a result of our niceness, or our inclusive beliefs.

It is a result of Jesus Christ. Everyone without exception is welcome here because Christ has a made it so.

In other words, the kingdom of God has indeed come near.

So rethink all the cages and believe the good news.

Amen

[s-o-a-p-ing]

2 SAMUEL S.O.A.P. ~ CHAPTER 18

Wednesday, 7/16/24

SCRIPTURE:

But Zadok’s son Ahimaaz again said to Joab, “I don’t care what happens, just let me run after the Cushite too.” “Why do you want to go, son?” Joab asked. “You’ll get no reward for going.” ~ 2 Samuel 18:22

OBSERVATION:

Well, I think you might guess where this one is going (if you'll pardon the pun...)

I get distracted by something or someone...

...know what I ought to do, ought to say...

...ought NOT to do or say...

...and yet, find myself running "after the Cushite..."

...knowing I'll get no reward for going...

APPLICATION:

Think about why (and where) I want to go...

Care what happens!

Run after God's will for my life!

That's the reward...

PRAYER:

Heavenly Father - thank You for Your patience and mercy and grace that always calls me back when I take off on my own path, following my own selfish wants and willfulness... May Your Holy Spirit continue to remind me to stop and consider what I'm pursuing, and to remember Jesus's sacrifice that allows me to look forward to standing in Your presence, giving You the glory and praise You deserve above and beyond anything or anyone else... In His Name, and for Your coming Kingdom...

 “I don’t care what happens, just let me run after the Jesus!"

𝖌

<))><

[s-o-a-p-ing]

God's Etch-a-Sketch

A prison sermon on the healing of Simon's mother in law

NADIA BOLZ-WEBER

JULY 13, 2025

As soon as they left the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they told him about her at once. He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up. Then the fever left her, and she began to serve them. That evening, at sunset, they brought to him all who were sick or possessed by demons. And the whole city was gathered around the door. And he cured many who were sick with various diseases and cast out many demons, and he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him. - Mark 1

Years ago there was an episode of The Simpsons where Homer tries to say something theological, and I’ve always loved it. They are standing around looking at a huge church when he says, Well, I may not know much about God, but I have to say we built a pretty nice cage for Him.

Anyhow, our reading for today starts exactly 26 verses into the book of Mark.

Here’s a little re-cap to catch you up to speed on what’s happened in the previous 25 verses of this Gospel.

It starts with the words, The Beginning of the Good news of Jesus Christ.

Then John the Baptist appears in the wilderness with his questionable wardrobe and dietary choices and baptizes Jesus.

Then the heavens torn open and God says This is my beloved. For which Jesus is rewarded with 40 days in the wilderness with the wild beasts and angels.

Repent and believe the good news of the kingdom.

On his way to Capernum he picks up some smelly fishermen.

Then on the Sabbath he’s teaching in the synagogue – and everyone’s like “wow. That Jesus isn’t totally full of it like the other guys”

Finally he casts out an unclean spirit after commanding it to shut the hell up.

And that’s pretty much where we pick up the story today.

As soon as they leave the Synagogue they entered Simon’s house and Simon’s mother in law was sick in bed with a fever.

Jesus came and took her by the hand, lifted her up. Then the fever left her and she began to serve them.

For the record: My first reaction to a bunch of young men showing up at the house of one of their mamas who, by the way, is sick, then healing her so that she gets up and “serves them”, was like isn’t that typical - rather than scrounging around for themselves they heal the Woman Of The House so she can make them a snack.

So don’t feel bad if that’s how you heard this story too.

But I started to see the healing of Simon’s mother in law story differently after sitting with it awhile.

It’s true that Mark doesn’t tell us her name so let’s just agree to make one up for her so she has an identity other than mother in law. We’re going to call her Betty.

See, I don’t actually think Jesus healed Betty so she could make them lunch. Because the thing is, for a male Jew in 1st century, it was considered taboo to even touch an unrelated woman.

 And it was considered ritually unclean to touch someone who was sick. 

And it was considered a religious violation to do any kind of work on the Sabbath.

So I can’t imagine that Jesus would defile himself on so many levels just so he wouldn’t have to make his own sandwich.

I think this scene with Betty is a demonstration of what Jesus was talking about 11 verses earlier.

See, just 11 verses earlier is the point in when Jesus speaks for the very first time in the Gospel of Mark - and his first words were the kingdom of God has come near – repent and believe the good news.

Listen up, friends. “The kingdom of God has come near – repent and believe the good news” is like Jesus is saying “No more cages for God and while I’m at it, no more cages for you either”

Remember what an Etch-a-Sketch is?

Now it seems like a Caveman’s iPad, but as kids it was cool. You know, that toy with a screen that you can draw on by turning two knobs—one moves the line up and down, the other side to side. To erase the drawing, you just shake it.

Well, in Mark’s Gospel it’s like Jesus starts his ministry by trying to shake our religious etch a sketch. All those lines we draw between us and God, all those lines that we draw between us and other people and between others and God….all the cages we construct through religion well…Jesus shows up and shakes everything up so that those lines disappear.

Of course I have my hands on the knobs ready to keep drawing more lines so you know…that keeps Jesus pretty busy.

The point is that Jesus starts his ministry by saying forget what you thought you knew because God is near in a whole new way - and then he goes on what is like the weirdest recruiting trip ever.

It kinda looked like this:

Jesus starts by gathering up some rank fishermen…

and then he enters the synagogue with them

where his next recruit is a demoniac – a dude with a demon.

After which he makes sure he gets a sick old lady on board. Yeah, that’s Jesus dream team.

With most of the characters in scripture who only show up for a verse or two we never find out what really happens after they encounter Jesus, But that’s the cool thing about Betty, see…when Jesus reaches down and touches someone his culture had deemed unclean – when his hand touches a sick old lady - more than just a fever leaves her.

The cages of culture and religion fall away and the world according to God bursts through.

And the thing I love about Betty is that Betty knew exactly you do with hands which have received the healing touch of God….Betty used those very same hands to serve. She immediately became an agent of what she had just received. 

You may have heard the saying that hurt people hurt people.

But what is also true is that healed people heal people.

Not as an act of obligation, or law or social expectation but as an act of freedom. Which means the boundaries that Jesus transgresses allows the most unlikely and broken people to give what they have received. We see again and again Jesus literally touching the untouchable and giving them a whole new identity.

It’s like he was deputizing them.

Because Jesus was about more than just healing certain sick people…the gospel tells us that Jesus greatest desire was to restore all that has been broken. So every person who Jesus healed was conscripted into the Kingdom of God so that they may go and do likewise.

This is why the next part of the text is so great. It says that evening they brought to him all who were sick or possessed with demons and then the next verse literally says this: the whole city was gathered around the door.

THE WHOLE CITY.

Which means that there is no separate category of people called the sick and possessed.

Jesus knew this.

Some people just hide their sickness more than others and as human beings we prefer to have certain people be the identified problems so that we can look healthy or sane or good.

But Jesus shook that etch a sketch.

When Betty sees a whole city’s worth of sick and demon possessed outside her door, I like to imagine her pushing up her sleeves and touching and healing and loving and speaking truth to all of them.

She transmits what was given to her.

She gets up and serves.

She’s been deputized. 

That’s the thing with the kingdom of God, there is no personal treasure to be had…there are only gifts to be shared. God’s desire for the healing of all creation was inaugurated in a world changing way in the life of Jesus and it continues through you.

I’ve seen it in this place. I’ve seen healing happen through your hands on which still rest the waters of your baptism and the hands which, extend here at the Lord’s table, to receive Christ’s own body and blood.

Your hands are what God has to work with here. Hands that, no matter what your story is, have as much to receive as they have to give. Just by merit of being here, you’ve been recruited into this beautiful, redemptive story of God’s love for all of humanity along with smelly fishermen, demoniacs and sick old ladies.

We, every single one of us here today, we are part of Jesus’ Dream Team.

Because no matter what society says or the church says or prison culture says, there is no ranking system in God’s kingdom –no category of inmate worse than another, no gender or sexual identity worse than another.

When here at new Beginnings we say all are welcome, that is what we mean.

And just so you know, it is not as a result of our niceness, or our inclusive beliefs.

It is a result of Jesus Christ. Everyone without exception is welcome here because Christ has a made it so.

In other words, the kingdom of God has indeed come near.

So rethink all the cages and believe the good news.

Amen

[s-o-a-p-ing]

If I may weigh back in... 

This dawned on me during the commute:

All of the things provided by Nahash’s son Shobi, Ammiel’s son Machir, and Barzillai the Gileadite (verse 27) are the three things Jesus promises:

He's the bread of life for those who hunger...

He gives rest to all "...who are weary and heavy laden..."

He's the living water for those who thirst...

Enjoy your day... 𝖌

<))><

2 SAMUEL S.O.A.P. ~ CHAPTER 17

Tuesday, 7/15/25

SCRIPTURE:

...honey, curds, sheep, and cheese from the herd so that David and the troops who were with him could eat. They said, “The troops have grown hungry, tired, and thirsty in the wilderness.” ~ 2 Samuel 17:29

OBSERVATION:

I hope this isn't too much of a reach...

Everyone needs to be supported at some time in their life...

...often without asking for it...

...and sometimes without even realizing it...

Sometimes all I can do is all I can do...

Thankfully, though, Jesus makes it possible for me to do all things through Him...

...and His burden is easy compared to the burden of my sin He took from me...

APPLICATION:

Be mindful of how much others might be:

"...hungry, tired, and thirsty..."

...lost in their own wilderness...

Lean into Jesus (and others), when I find myself in the same boat...

PRAYER:

Father God - please keep me mindful of the hunger, tiredness, and thirsts of those around me, realizing that on You can satisfy and refresh me and them on our way to You... I ask forgiveness for not being as aware and responsive to their needs, let alone my own need, for You and Your forgiving grace... Thank You for Your Son Jesus and Your Holy Spirit - In Jesus's Name, and for Your honor and worship in all things at all times...

As always, your always, in all ways - through Him...

𝖌

<))><

[s-o-a-p-ing]

[s-o-a-p-ing]

2 SAMUEL S.O.A.P. ~ CHAPTER 17

Tuesday, 7/15/25

SCRIPTURE:

...honey, curds, sheep, and cheese from the herd so that David and the troops who were with him could eat. They said, “The troops have grown hungry, tired, and thirsty in the wilderness.” ~ 2 Samuel 17:29

OBSERVATION:

I hope this isn't too much of a reach...

Everyone needs to be supported at some time in their life...

...often without asking for it...

...and sometimes without even realizing it...

Sometimes all I can do is all I can do...

Thankfully, though, Jesus makes it possible for me to do all things through Him...

...and His burden is easy compared to the burden of my sin He took from me...

APPLICATION:

Be mindful of how much others might be:

"...hungry, tired, and thirsty..."

...lost in their own wilderness...

Lean into Jesus (and others), when I find myself in the same boat...

PRAYER:

Father God - please keep me mindful of the hunger, tiredness, and thirsts of those around me, realizing that on You can satisfy and refresh me and them on our way to You... I ask forgiveness for not being as aware and responsive to their needs, let alone my own need, for You and Your forgiving grace... Thank You for Your Son Jesus and Your Holy Spirit - In Jesus's Name, and for Your honor and worship in all things at all times...

As always, your always, in all ways - through Him...

𝖌

<))><

[s-o-a-p-ing]

God's Etch-a-Sketch

A prison sermon on the healing of Simon's mother in law

NADIA BOLZ-WEBER

JULY 13, 2025

As soon as they left the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they told him about her at once. He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up. Then the fever left her, and she began to serve them. That evening, at sunset, they brought to him all who were sick or possessed by demons. And the whole city was gathered around the door. And he cured many who were sick with various diseases and cast out many demons, and he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him. - Mark 1

Years ago there was an episode of The Simpsons where Homer tries to say something theological, and I’ve always loved it. They are standing around looking at a huge church when he says, Well, I may not know much about God, but I have to say we built a pretty nice cage for Him.

Anyhow, our reading for today starts exactly 26 verses into the book of Mark.

Here’s a little re-cap to catch you up to speed on what’s happened in the previous 25 verses of this Gospel.

It starts with the words, The Beginning of the Good news of Jesus Christ.

Then John the Baptist appears in the wilderness with his questionable wardrobe and dietary choices and baptizes Jesus.

Then the heavens torn open and God says This is my beloved. For which Jesus is rewarded with 40 days in the wilderness with the wild beasts and angels.

Repent and believe the good news of the kingdom.

On his way to Capernum he picks up some smelly fishermen.

Then on the Sabbath he’s teaching in the synagogue – and everyone’s like “wow. That Jesus isn’t totally full of it like the other guys”

Finally he casts out an unclean spirit after commanding it to shut the hell up.

And that’s pretty much where we pick up the story today.

As soon as they leave the Synagogue they entered Simon’s house and Simon’s mother in law was sick in bed with a fever.

Jesus came and took her by the hand, lifted her up. Then the fever left her and she began to serve them.

For the record: My first reaction to a bunch of young men showing up at the house of one of their mamas who, by the way, is sick, then healing her so that she gets up and “serves them”, was like isn’t that typical - rather than scrounging around for themselves they heal the Woman Of The House so she can make them a snack.

So don’t feel bad if that’s how you heard this story too.

But I started to see the healing of Simon’s mother in law story differently after sitting with it awhile.

It’s true that Mark doesn’t tell us her name so let’s just agree to make one up for her so she has an identity other than mother in law. We’re going to call her Betty.

See, I don’t actually think Jesus healed Betty so she could make them lunch. Because the thing is, for a male Jew in 1st century, it was considered taboo to even touch an unrelated woman.

 And it was considered ritually unclean to touch someone who was sick. 

And it was considered a religious violation to do any kind of work on the Sabbath.

So I can’t imagine that Jesus would defile himself on so many levels just so he wouldn’t have to make his own sandwich.

I think this scene with Betty is a demonstration of what Jesus was talking about 11 verses earlier.

See, just 11 verses earlier is the point in when Jesus speaks for the very first time in the Gospel of Mark - and his first words were the kingdom of God has come near – repent and believe the good news.

Listen up, friends. “The kingdom of God has come near – repent and believe the good news” is like Jesus is saying “No more cages for God and while I’m at it, no more cages for you either”

Remember what an Etch-a-Sketch is?

Now it seems like a Caveman’s iPad, but as kids it was cool. You know, that toy with a screen that you can draw on by turning two knobs—one moves the line up and down, the other side to side. To erase the drawing, you just shake it.

Well, in Mark’s Gospel it’s like Jesus starts his ministry by trying to shake our religious etch a sketch. All those lines we draw between us and God, all those lines that we draw between us and other people and between others and God….all the cages we construct through religion well…Jesus shows up and shakes everything up so that those lines disappear.

Of course I have my hands on the knobs ready to keep drawing more lines so you know…that keeps Jesus pretty busy.

The point is that Jesus starts his ministry by saying forget what you thought you knew because God is near in a whole new way - and then he goes on what is like the weirdest recruiting trip ever.

It kinda looked like this:

Jesus starts by gathering up some rank fishermen…

and then he enters the synagogue with them

where his next recruit is a demoniac – a dude with a demon.

After which he makes sure he gets a sick old lady on board. Yeah, that’s Jesus dream team.

With most of the characters in scripture who only show up for a verse or two we never find out what really happens after they encounter Jesus, But that’s the cool thing about Betty, see…when Jesus reaches down and touches someone his culture had deemed unclean – when his hand touches a sick old lady - more than just a fever leaves her.

The cages of culture and religion fall away and the world according to God bursts through.

And the thing I love about Betty is that Betty knew exactly you do with hands which have received the healing touch of God….Betty used those very same hands to serve. She immediately became an agent of what she had just received. 

You may have heard the saying that hurt people hurt people.

But what is also true is that healed people heal people.

Not as an act of obligation, or law or social expectation but as an act of freedom. Which means the boundaries that Jesus transgresses allows the most unlikely and broken people to give what they have received. We see again and again Jesus literally touching the untouchable and giving them a whole new identity.

It’s like he was deputizing them.

Because Jesus was about more than just healing certain sick people…the gospel tells us that Jesus greatest desire was to restore all that has been broken. So every person who Jesus healed was conscripted into the Kingdom of God so that they may go and do likewise.

This is why the next part of the text is so great. It says that evening they brought to him all who were sick or possessed with demons and then the next verse literally says this: the whole city was gathered around the door.

THE WHOLE CITY.

Which means that there is no separate category of people called the sick and possessed.

Jesus knew this.

Some people just hide their sickness more than others and as human beings we prefer to have certain people be the identified problems so that we can look healthy or sane or good.

But Jesus shook that etch a sketch.

When Betty sees a whole city’s worth of sick and demon possessed outside her door, I like to imagine her pushing up her sleeves and touching and healing and loving and speaking truth to all of them.

She transmits what was given to her.

She gets up and serves.

She’s been deputized. 

That’s the thing with the kingdom of God, there is no personal treasure to be had…there are only gifts to be shared. God’s desire for the healing of all creation was inaugurated in a world changing way in the life of Jesus and it continues through you.

I’ve seen it in this place. I’ve seen healing happen through your hands on which still rest the waters of your baptism and the hands which, extend here at the Lord’s table, to receive Christ’s own body and blood.

Your hands are what God has to work with here. Hands that, no matter what your story is, have as much to receive as they have to give. Just by merit of being here, you’ve been recruited into this beautiful, redemptive story of God’s love for all of humanity along with smelly fishermen, demoniacs and sick old ladies.

We, every single one of us here today, we are part of Jesus’ Dream Team.

Because no matter what society says or the church says or prison culture says, there is no ranking system in God’s kingdom –no category of inmate worse than another, no gender or sexual identity worse than another.

When here at new Beginnings we say all are welcome, that is what we mean.

And just so you know, it is not as a result of our niceness, or our inclusive beliefs.

It is a result of Jesus Christ. Everyone without exception is welcome here because Christ has a made it so.

In other words, the kingdom of God has indeed come near.

So rethink all the cages and believe the good news.

Amen

[s-o-a-p-ing]

Good morning from me to the lovely people here. I'm new here, hopefully I'm welcome, I wish y'all a great day.

[s-o-a-p-ing]

[s-o-a-p-ing]

2 SAMUEL S.O.A.P. ~ CHAPTER 16

Monday, 7/14/25

SCRIPTURE:

(Now in those days, the advice Ahithophel gave was like asking for a word from God. That’s why Ahithophel’s advice was valued by both David and Absalom.) ~ 2 Samuel 16:23

OBSERVATION:

Perhaps he was originally seeking a word from God...

Or perhaps he was always looking out for his own best interests, buttering up whomever was the king...

The advice from any man or woman needs to be seen in the light of God's Word...

...especially the decisions I make about what I want and (think), I need...

...and thankfully, Jesus made/makes it possible for me to ask directly for His Words...

...of wisdom...

...of direction...

...of forgiveness...

APPLICATION:

Be mindful who I ask for advice...

...and of any advice I might be asked to give...

In fact, prayerful seek His advice and direction...

...and follow it...

He may tell me to ask someone... 

...or give me a word to offer in humility...

PRAYER:

Father of all wisdom and grace - I ask to be forgiven for wanting immediate answers from those around me instead of patiently waiting for a word from You - May I be mindful of Your timing and direction in all things at all times, seeking guidance from Your will and Word, testing it through Your Holy Spirit to insure I'm not making decisions on my own and/or by being misled by my own selfish willfulness... Remind me to put You even before my own "humility" - standing firm in Your Word and direction, much as Jesus taught and showed through His examples and actions - in His Name, and for Your praise...

Yours - in and through Him...

𝖌

<))><

[s-o-a-p-ing]

God's Etch-a-Sketch

A prison sermon on the healing of Simon's mother in law

NADIA BOLZ-WEBER

JULY 13, 2025

As soon as they left the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they told him about her at once. He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up. Then the fever left her, and she began to serve them. That evening, at sunset, they brought to him all who were sick or possessed by demons. And the whole city was gathered around the door. And he cured many who were sick with various diseases and cast out many demons, and he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him. - Mark 1

Years ago there was an episode of The Simpsons where Homer tries to say something theological, and I’ve always loved it. They are standing around looking at a huge church when he says, Well, I may not know much about God, but I have to say we built a pretty nice cage for Him.

Anyhow, our reading for today starts exactly 26 verses into the book of Mark.

Here’s a little re-cap to catch you up to speed on what’s happened in the previous 25 verses of this Gospel.

It starts with the words, The Beginning of the Good news of Jesus Christ.

Then John the Baptist appears in the wilderness with his questionable wardrobe and dietary choices and baptizes Jesus.

Then the heavens torn open and God says This is my beloved. For which Jesus is rewarded with 40 days in the wilderness with the wild beasts and angels.

Repent and believe the good news of the kingdom.

On his way to Capernum he picks up some smelly fishermen.

Then on the Sabbath he’s teaching in the synagogue – and everyone’s like “wow. That Jesus isn’t totally full of it like the other guys”

Finally he casts out an unclean spirit after commanding it to shut the hell up.

And that’s pretty much where we pick up the story today.

As soon as they leave the Synagogue they entered Simon’s house and Simon’s mother in law was sick in bed with a fever.

Jesus came and took her by the hand, lifted her up. Then the fever left her and she began to serve them.

For the record: My first reaction to a bunch of young men showing up at the house of one of their mamas who, by the way, is sick, then healing her so that she gets up and “serves them”, was like isn’t that typical - rather than scrounging around for themselves they heal the Woman Of The House so she can make them a snack.

So don’t feel bad if that’s how you heard this story too.

But I started to see the healing of Simon’s mother in law story differently after sitting with it awhile.

It’s true that Mark doesn’t tell us her name so let’s just agree to make one up for her so she has an identity other than mother in law. We’re going to call her Betty.

See, I don’t actually think Jesus healed Betty so she could make them lunch. Because the thing is, for a male Jew in 1st century, it was considered taboo to even touch an unrelated woman.

 And it was considered ritually unclean to touch someone who was sick. 

And it was considered a religious violation to do any kind of work on the Sabbath.

So I can’t imagine that Jesus would defile himself on so many levels just so he wouldn’t have to make his own sandwich.

I think this scene with Betty is a demonstration of what Jesus was talking about 11 verses earlier.

See, just 11 verses earlier is the point in when Jesus speaks for the very first time in the Gospel of Mark - and his first words were the kingdom of God has come near – repent and believe the good news.

Listen up, friends. “The kingdom of God has come near – repent and believe the good news” is like Jesus is saying “No more cages for God and while I’m at it, no more cages for you either”

Remember what an Etch-a-Sketch is?

Now it seems like a Caveman’s iPad, but as kids it was cool. You know, that toy with a screen that you can draw on by turning two knobs—one moves the line up and down, the other side to side. To erase the drawing, you just shake it.

Well, in Mark’s Gospel it’s like Jesus starts his ministry by trying to shake our religious etch a sketch. All those lines we draw between us and God, all those lines that we draw between us and other people and between others and God….all the cages we construct through religion well…Jesus shows up and shakes everything up so that those lines disappear.

Of course I have my hands on the knobs ready to keep drawing more lines so you know…that keeps Jesus pretty busy.

The point is that Jesus starts his ministry by saying forget what you thought you knew because God is near in a whole new way - and then he goes on what is like the weirdest recruiting trip ever.

It kinda looked like this:

Jesus starts by gathering up some rank fishermen…

and then he enters the synagogue with them

where his next recruit is a demoniac – a dude with a demon.

After which he makes sure he gets a sick old lady on board. Yeah, that’s Jesus dream team.

With most of the characters in scripture who only show up for a verse or two we never find out what really happens after they encounter Jesus, But that’s the cool thing about Betty, see…when Jesus reaches down and touches someone his culture had deemed unclean – when his hand touches a sick old lady - more than just a fever leaves her.

The cages of culture and religion fall away and the world according to God bursts through.

And the thing I love about Betty is that Betty knew exactly you do with hands which have received the healing touch of God….Betty used those very same hands to serve. She immediately became an agent of what she had just received. 

You may have heard the saying that hurt people hurt people.

But what is also true is that healed people heal people.

Not as an act of obligation, or law or social expectation but as an act of freedom. Which means the boundaries that Jesus transgresses allows the most unlikely and broken people to give what they have received. We see again and again Jesus literally touching the untouchable and giving them a whole new identity.

It’s like he was deputizing them.

Because Jesus was about more than just healing certain sick people…the gospel tells us that Jesus greatest desire was to restore all that has been broken. So every person who Jesus healed was conscripted into the Kingdom of God so that they may go and do likewise.

This is why the next part of the text is so great. It says that evening they brought to him all who were sick or possessed with demons and then the next verse literally says this: the whole city was gathered around the door.

THE WHOLE CITY.

Which means that there is no separate category of people called the sick and possessed.

Jesus knew this.

Some people just hide their sickness more than others and as human beings we prefer to have certain people be the identified problems so that we can look healthy or sane or good.

But Jesus shook that etch a sketch.

When Betty sees a whole city’s worth of sick and demon possessed outside her door, I like to imagine her pushing up her sleeves and touching and healing and loving and speaking truth to all of them.

She transmits what was given to her.

She gets up and serves.

She’s been deputized. 

That’s the thing with the kingdom of God, there is no personal treasure to be had…there are only gifts to be shared. God’s desire for the healing of all creation was inaugurated in a world changing way in the life of Jesus and it continues through you.

I’ve seen it in this place. I’ve seen healing happen through your hands on which still rest the waters of your baptism and the hands which, extend here at the Lord’s table, to receive Christ’s own body and blood.

Your hands are what God has to work with here. Hands that, no matter what your story is, have as much to receive as they have to give. Just by merit of being here, you’ve been recruited into this beautiful, redemptive story of God’s love for all of humanity along with smelly fishermen, demoniacs and sick old ladies.

We, every single one of us here today, we are part of Jesus’ Dream Team.

Because no matter what society says or the church says or prison culture says, there is no ranking system in God’s kingdom –no category of inmate worse than another, no gender or sexual identity worse than another.

When here at new Beginnings we say all are welcome, that is what we mean.

And just so you know, it is not as a result of our niceness, or our inclusive beliefs.

It is a result of Jesus Christ. Everyone without exception is welcome here because Christ has a made it so.

In other words, the kingdom of God has indeed come near.

So rethink all the cages and believe the good news.

Amen

[s-o-a-p-ing]

~ Colors ~ Cerulean Blue ~