St. Thomas’ Episcopal Church, Owings Mills MD
August 11, 2024
Year B, Proper 14: The Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost
2 Samuel 18:5-9, 15, 31-33
Psalm 130
Ephesians 4:25-5:2
John 6:35, 41-51
A Good Appetite
Well, in my sermon two weeks ago, I was so busy celebrating our third anniversary together that I had no time to talk about the sordid and disturbing story of David and Bathsheba – but I promised that I would circle back to it the following Sunday.
Unfortunately, life got in the way – specifically a very unpleasant bout of vertigo that was bad enough to land me in the hospital.
And now that I’m back and feeling much better, I could just move on, but a promise is a promise.
So, a quick recap:
While his army was off fighting in battle, King David was safe and sound back home, lounging around in his palace. He took a walk on the roof, where he spotted Bathsheba while she was bathing – she was beautiful and she was also married – her husband was Uriah the Hittite, a soldier in David’s army.
Well, David was the king, after all, and he was accustomed to getting whatever – and whomever – he wanted, so Bathsheba is brought to him.
Now, today, hopefully, we are more alert to the vast power differential between David and Bathsheba.
David has all the power and Bathsheba has none.
This is not a consensual affair.
Well, Bathsheba got pregnant and then David hatched a couple of plots.
The first was to bring Uriah home, get him to be with his wife, and then everyone will think that the baby is his.
Problem solved.
But that doesn’t work because Uriah was more honorable than the king. He flat out refuses to enjoy the comforts of home while his fellow soldiers are off fighting.
So, David comes up with a second, way more evil plan.
He arranges to have Uriah fight in the front lines, where he is likely to be killed in battle. And then David can take Bathsheba for himself.
And that’s what happens – King David commits a horrible sin that greatly displeases God.
David kept his throne, but his family will be haunted by violence, rivalry, and division.
As we heard today, David’s son Absalom revolted against him and died a gruesome death.
And his father wept.
This a very troubling story.
It’s a troubling story that reminds us just how easy it is to lose our way.
David was close to God.
He knew that he was beloved by the God who had chosen him out of obscurity – the most unlikely youngest son.
He knew that he was beloved by the God who had given him the courage and strength to slay Goliath.
He knew that he was beloved by the God who placed him on Israel’s throne.
David knew all of this…and yet.
Power and comfort had dulled David’s conscience and distorted his appetite.
Instead of doing his royal duty – instead of hungering for the well-being of his people – instead of thirsting for justice and righteousness – well, David, he used his power to just take Bathsheba – he took whomever, whatever he wanted – no matter the consequences.
This story is so extreme that we might dismiss it as having nothing to do with us.
But, I don’t know about that.
I mean, there’s a reason why we say the confession and ask for forgiveness each week.
All of us can all lose our way – and all of us have to keep an eye on our appetites.
Do we hunger only for the pleasures of the world – for money, power, comfort, security?
Or do we also hunger for Jesus the Bread of Life?
Do we hunger for love, justice, kindness, forgiveness, compassion?
At this week’s Wednesday Bible Study, we talked about how fortunate we are to be members of such a loving and faithful community.
It’s a topic we return to pretty frequently.
There are lots of good reasons to be part of the church, to be part of this church.
But here’s one you might not have considered:
At its best, church – this church - is a place to develop and maintain a good appetite.
When my vertigo struck, I was in my office having a meeting with our wonderful Outreach co-chairs Margaret Green and Betsy Wilmerding, who were bringing me up to speed on all the good stuff we’re doing with Owings Mills Elementary School, the Community Crisis Center, our Afghan refugee friends – and more.
Maybe it was too much for me – maybe it was so much good stuff that it made my head spin! I don’t know, but before I lost my balance I remember feeling so inspired by all of that generosity – I remember feeling re-energized for this work – and I felt hungry to do even more.
At its best, church is a place to develop and maintain a good appetite.
And, I have to say that I love that we now have so much going on here that the announcement insert has expanded into its own booklet, including information on summer reading, St. Thomas’ at the Orioles, Adult Bible Study, Sunday School, Preschool, stewardship, and more.
It’s like a mouth-watering menu for the spirit.
At its best, church is a place to develop and maintain a good appetite.
And, finally, we meet so many wonderfully faithful people here, people who make us want to be more loving and more generous.
For example…there’s our beloved Jerry and Carolyn Hedges who are leaving us today.
Like a lot of us, I’ve been feeling very sad about their departure, it’s true, but I’ve been trying my best to focus on gratitude.
Carolyn and Jerry have given so much to our community – singing in the choir, leading the altar guild, giving tours of our historic cemetery, guiding the adult Bible Study, reading the lessons and leading the prayers, offering the Blood of Christ, the Cup of Salvation, and also serving in lots of quiet and nearly hidden ways: offering words of wisdom and encouragement, providing a shoulder to cry on.
We will miss them terribly.
You know, getting to know Jerry and Carolyn, and getting to know so many of you, it’s just good for my appetite.
Being part of this community makes me hungry – not for the pleasures of the world – but for love, justice, kindness, forgiveness, compassion.
So, I’m a little late but I kept my promise to talk about David and Bathsheba, a disturbing and tragic story that reminds us that it is very easy to lose our way.
So, it’s especially important to be here – to be here with faithful people like Carolyn and Jerry – to be here where we develop and maintain a good appetite.
Amen.
Posts
