Looking Ahead to June 24, 2012 -- 4th Sunday After Pentecost, Proper 7

The Scripture Reading this week is:

• 1 Samuel 17:1-18:16

The Sermon Title is Victory and Jealousy

Early Thoughts: This week we have one of the stories many of us first learned in Sunday School -- David fighting Goliath.  But rather than simply telling the much beloved story of the slingshot, I thought this week we would expand the reading.

Part of that expansion is to set the scene.  But the majority of the expansion is to look at the aftermath.  What happens between David and Saul as a result of Goliath's death?

At first all is well.  David rises high in the esteem of Saul and of the people.  David becomes a leader in Saul's army.  But at some point it goes sour.  David's popularity becomes a threat to Saul.  And the relationship goes right downhill.

WE read the story knowing that David will eventually become King.   We read the story knowing that David has already been anointed and that God has made God's choice and that Saul is no longer in favour. [one of the intriguing things in the story is that a chapter before David is brought to the palace to play and sing for Saul and sooth his troubled hearts but here Saul shows no sign of having seen him before].

The plan for this week is to intersperse the reflection within the story.  It is a much beloved story.  But it is one that we often have not talked much about since we learned it as children.  Time to explore it some more.
--Gord