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Contexts create meaning to stories and sayings. That’s what predominate today’s lessons. In the Psalms, we are given two contexts for why we should offer praise to God; in Hosea, the prophet names the damning behavior of Israel that keeps God at a distance; in Colossians we begin in heaven but end up firmly grounded in the gritty grime of daily living. And in the gospel lesson, an interruption turns into a powerful context for teaching about greed.

PSALM 107:1-9; 43-CONTEXTS FOR PRAISE

What a marvelous invitation to offer God thanks for extraordinary interventions and rescues. This psalm doesn’t just command our praise and thanks, it gives us four examples or contexts that make such a response truly appropriate. In our lesson we have the first context: a community wanders the desert in desperate need of sustenance (vv. 4-9) and they cry out to God they are "saved." The operative word that God apparently awaits to hear before launching into the divine search and rescue mission is, "Help!" In the end, all are invited to "sing joyfully about his glorious acts" (v. 22) as we discover God’s faithful love in our history.

HOSEA 11:1-11-HOW CAN I GIVE YOU UP?

In this section, Hosea uses the metaphor of parent and rebellious child to describe God’s faithful love and care for Israel, yet Israel’s syncretism and rejection of God. God speaks powerfully in predictive and forthtelling ways through the prophet that Israel will be carted off to another place-Assyria-and will there be held in servitude. But almost in the same breath we hear the yearnings of the divine parent rhetorically asking how Israel could ever be given up or relinquished from God’s care and faithful love. The lesson ends on a positive note with God promising to "bring them home again" (v. 11).

COLOSSIANS 3:1-11-PAUL’S INDICATIVE AND IMPERATIVE

Paul begins this section in his letter to the Colossians with the mystical union of believer and Christ. Since positionally, we’re seated with Christ we are to live our new life in very earthy and practical ways. What follows is a rather creative yet true-to-life laundry list of sins and behaviors that have no place in the new life of the believer in Jesus Christ-sexual sin, impurity, lust, shameful desires, greed, anger, malicious behavior, slander, and inappropriate language.

LUKE 12:13-21-EXCUSE, JESUS, BUT COULD YOU TELL MY BROTHER . . .

This is one of the few times when someone interrupts the preacher. Jesus is in the middle of his "No Fear" sermon, winding up to a climax when some guy asks one of those off-the-wall questions that has nothing whatever to do with Jesus’ topic. Jesus first gives his short response, "No!" and then goes on to describe the cancerous greed that drives people to keep grasping after bigger, better, and more and more. Such a powerful word of correction and given with such candor, that just the reading of this lesson may spark discussion and reflection.