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In the sacrament of matrimony, there is a bond formed between a couple, between two partner, to fulfill each others needs.

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In the sacrament of Baptism, water is used to purify or cleanse the baptized from their sins. Just like in the story of Noah's Ark, God sent a flood (water) to cleanse the world of its sin and chaos.

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In the sacrament of Holy Orders, priests, deacons, nuns, bishops and the pope  devote their lives in service the to Church and to God, and to God's people. In the story of Moses, God appoints Moses to lead His people on earth, almost like a priest. Moses serves and speaks for God in order to free God's people from slavery in Egypt and guide them to the promised land.

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In the sacrament of Reconciliation God is merciful and forgives us of our sins. In the story of Joseph, so many years after they sold him into slavery, his brothers traveled to Egypt seeking food, and they don't recognize him. After a test, Joseph forgives his brothers for selling him into slavery and welcomes them into his home.

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In the sacrament of Anointing of the Sick, the ones who are frail, in pain, or are near death are blessed and anointed with help from God. We pray to heal the person physically and through their soul.

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Communion

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"When the LORD saw how great the wickedness of human beings was on earth, and how every desire that their heart conceived was always nothing but evil,

the LORD regretted making human beings on the earth, and his heart was grieved.

So the LORD said: I will wipe out from the earth the human beings I have created, and not only the human beings, but also the animals and the crawling things and the birds of the air, for I regret that I made them."
(Genesis 6:5-7)

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"Peter compares the water that ‘saved’ the family inside Noah’s ark to the water of baptism that is a symbol of Jesus’s saving grace."

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1 Peter 3:18-22 Peter compares the water that 'saved' the family inside Noah's ark to the water of baptism that is a symbol of Jesus's saving grace (see Genesis 6:9-7:24).

1 Peter 4:1-11 Peter exhorts the believers to live the rest of their lives controlled by God's will rather than by human desires. They should give up any drunkenness, lust and indecency found in the world around them, and be self-controlled and alert. They should open their homes to each other, and use whatever gifts God has given them for the good of all.

Persecution in the 'end times'

1 Peter 4:12-17 He tells the believers not to be surprised or ashamed if they have to suffer persecution and anti-Jewish or anti-Christian hatred. Instead, they should be glad that they are suffering in the same way as Christ did, because it shows that the Holy Spirit is living in them.

1 Peter 4:18-19 Peter suggests that persecution proves that the 'end times' and the 'Day of Judgement' are near, as Christians are becoming the first of God's people to be judged.

1 Peter 5:1-4 Peter - who is himself a leader of the church and personally witnessed Christ's sufferings - appeals to the church leaders to be good 'shepherds' of the 'flock' that God has entrusted to them (see John 21:15-17). They should serve willingly as a good example until the 'Chief Shepherd' appears (see John 10:11-16).

1 Peter 5:5-7 The younger men should submit to the older leaders; they should serve one another with humility (see Proverbs 3:34).

1 Peter 5:8-11 Believers should be on their guard against the devil, who roams around like a roaring lion ready to devour the unwary. But evil and persecution will not last for long, and afterwards, believers will share in Christ's eternal glory.

Closing messages

1 Peter 5:12 Peter acknowledges that he has received help in writing this letter from Silas ( Latin 'Silvanus'), a 'faithful Christian brother'.

Silas - Paul's fellow-worker from the church in Jerusalem - probably fled the build-up of violence in Jerusalem at the outbreak of war in 66AD (see Acts 15:22, 32 & 40, 16:16-40, 17:1-16, 18:5, 1 Thessalonians 1 & 2 Thessalonians 1).

1 Peter 5:13 Peter sends greetings from John Mark and the other believers in Rome - referred to here, in coded form, as "the church in Babylon " (1 Peter 5:13).

Babylon

At the end of his First Letter, Peter sends greetings from the believers in Rome, but refers to them in coded language as "the church in Babylon " (1 Peter 5:13).

Rome was well known as a city of adulterers and prostitutes - a reputation it shared with the renowned 'sin city' of Babylon. To refer to the immorality of Rome openly in this way during the time of intense Jewish and Christian persecution in 67AD could have been seen as an act of treason by the Roman authorities. So Peter reverts to a 'code name', 'Babylon', which all the believers would have recognised (see, also, a later use of this same 'code name' in Revelation 14:8 & 17:5).

Rome was referred to by
it's nickname - 'Babylon'

Peter also sends greetings from John Mark, the nephew of Barnabas (see Acts 12:12, 25, 13:5,13) who lodged with Paul while he was under house arrest in ) before returning to Rome in 60-62AD (see Colossians 4:10 & Philemon 1:24). Mark probably travelled with Paul to Map 28 Rome from Colossae in 66 or 67AD (see 2 Timothy 4:11 & Colossians 4:10). Ephesus in 62 or 63AD (see 1 Timothy 1:3 and

Many modern Egyptian Coptic Orthodox Christian scholars believe that ' Babylon' in Peter 5:13 refers to the old Roman fortress at Cairo in Egypt, which the Romans called ' Babylon'. Although tradition states that John Mark embarked on a missionary journey to Egypt and was buried in Alexandria (from where his bones were stolen by Venetian merchants in 828AD), there is no evidence to back up the suggestion that 'Babylon' refers to Cairo.

A benediction

1 Peter 5:14 Peter finishes his letter with a benediction: "Peace to all of you who are in Christ" (1 Peter 5:14).
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1 Peter 3:18-22 Peter compares the water that 'saved' the family inside Noah's ark to the water of baptism that is a symbol of Jesus's saving grace (see Genesis 6:9-7:24). 1 Peter 4:1-11 Peter exhorts the believers to live the rest of their lives controlled by God's will rather than by human desires.

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"Now, go! I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt. But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?”God answered: I will be with you; and this will be your sign that I have sent you. When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will serve God at this mountain." (Exodus 6:10-12)

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"Then his brothers also proceeded to fling themselves down before him and said, “We are your slaves!” But Joseph replied to them: “Do not fear. Can I take the place of God? Even though you meant harm to me, God meant it for good, to achieve this present end, the survival of many people. So now, do not fear. I will provide for you and for your children.” By thus speaking kindly to them, he reassured them." (Genesis 50:18-21)

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The Sacrament of Confirmation is confirming one's devotion to God and deepening one's bond with the Church. The sacrament of Confirmation involves consecrated oil, known as Chrism, that the celebrant is anointed with. Just like in the sacrament of Confirmation, King Saul was anointed king of Israel with oil by the prophet Samuel.

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"Then, from a flask he had with him, Samuel poured oil on Saul’s head and kissed him, saying: “The LORD anoints you ruler over his people Israel. You are the one who will govern the LORD’s people and save them from the power of their enemies all around them. “This will be the sign for you that the LORD has anointed you ruler over his heritage." (1 Samuel 10:1)

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Saul's anointing with the oils was his confirmation as King of Israel.

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King Saul's Calling and Confirmation

1 Samuel 9-10

The Bible Teaching Commentary

_________________________

1 Samuel 10

Paul J. Bucknell

A1. God's Calling (9) | A2. Questions on Calling | Check Old Testament Library for powerpoints, audio/visuals and handouts.

"Then Samuel took the flask of oil, poured it on his head, kissed him and said, "Has not the LORD anointed you a ruler over His inheritance?" (1 Samuel 10:1).

1 Samuel 10:1 speaks of Saul's actual anointing to be king. This confirmed God's purpose for Saul and God's readiness to equip Saul to be king. But actual rulership came only after the people saw the Lord choose him through the lot and his leadership in battle (1 Samuel 11).

Saul evidently needed God to very clearly demonstrate His grace to help Saul. From scanning over Saul's life, we find that Saul had a lot of inferiorities to overcome in his life.

Saul apparently felt very inadequate. The scriptures writes about Saul's father but little of Saul's character (just outward). There are three reasons for this observation.

(1) The scriptures seem to indicate from his conversation with his uncle upon his return that he was very reluctant to say what happened. He told a half truth (1 Samuel 10:14-16) The scriptures clearly point this out.

(2) From 1 Samuel 10:22 we find that Saul was hiding behind the luggage. What does this mean? The reluctance to be known as king probably points back to a sense of inferiority or cowardliness in Saul.

(3) Later we see Saul scared silly from his foes. "When Saul saw the camp of the Philistines, he was afraid and his heart trembled greatly" (1 Samuel 28:5).

False humility sometimes occurs when a person neglects or holds back from his or her God-given assignment due to an inner fear. The fear becomes so powerful that it overshadows the response that God had prodded one to take. God had wonderfully worked in Saul's life but he did not appropriate those many events so that he would obey the Lord.

So during the choosing of him of king by lots he hid in the luggage. Later he would offer up the sacrifice himself instead of waiting for Samuel.

Saul's confirmation in 1 Samuel 10 can best be seen in four parts. God was assuring him through various means that He would be there to help him rule.

1) Personal confirmation (1 Samuel 10:1-9)

Following verse 1 where Saul is actually anointed king, we find a whole sequence of prophetic events fulfilled. This was not just odd for us who are three millenniums separated by time but for them too.

Here are four prophecies made in 1 Samuel 10. Were they fulfilled?

"When you go from me today, then you will find two men close to Rachel's tomb in the territory of Benjamin at Zelzah; and they will say to you, 'The donkeys which you went to look for have been found. Now behold, your father has ceased to be concerned about the donkeys and is anxious for you, saying, "What shall I do about my son?"'" (1 Samuel 10:2).

"Then you will go on further from there, and you will come as far as the oak of Tabor, and there three men going up to God at Bethel will meet you, one carrying three kids, another carrying three loaves of bread, and another carrying a jug of wine; and they will greet you and give you two loaves of bread, which you will accept from their hand." (1 Samuel 10:3, 4).

"Afterward you will come to the hill of God where the Philistine garrison is; and it shall be as soon as you have come there to the city, that you will meet a group of prophets coming down from the high place with harp, tambourine, flute, and a lyre before them, and they will be prophesying." (1 Samuel 10:5).

"Then the Spirit of the LORD will come upon you mightily, and you shall prophesy with them and be changed into another man." (1 Samuel 10:6).

The Lord states that all the signs were fulfilled. "Then it happened when he turned his back to leave Samuel, God changed his heart; and all those signs came about on that day." (1 Samuel 10:9).

How amazing it is that God would list four separate events in such detail. Our question here is why does God do it this way?

From 10:7, what would you think the purpose of these signs were for?

"And it shall be when these signs come to you, do for yourself what the occasion requires; for God is with you" (1 Samuel 10:7).

Samuel had no doubt about these signs occurring. He said, "When these signs come to you..." These signs were primarily for Saul himself. Again, we need to see that Saul needs to be equipped. God was training Saul in a short time for the position of king.

The signs probably were given to establish beyond a question of doubt that God was behind him and would bring about victory. Saul's fearful responses derived from a preoccupation on himself rather than on the Lord's promises. (This is further seen in the command given to Saul in 10:8 and his problem with disobedience in chapter 13. There is a gap here but not much in time).

God strengthens us

The main principle we find here is that God will help us according to our need. When God appoints, we can trust Him to equip us for the work involved. Pay close attention to what He does, says or causes to happen around you at that time.

As with Saul, nothing happened by accident, whether it was the group of prophets that he met or the Holy Spirit mightily coming upon him. The preparations increase our sense of direction, participation and confidence from God.

All that happened to Saul was to confirm that God was with him. In other words, God would be there to help Saul in no matter what difficult situation that faced. This was to increase his faith for the assignments ahead. Like always, it would not be Saul but God with Saul that would transform things.

God was with Saul. God would empower him to succeed. This promise is awesome. But just think, the same is true with Christ followers. Jesus said all authority was His and that He appointed them (His disciples) to make disciples.

"Teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:20).

God does not send us powerless into our lives. We should be mindful that the chief purpose the Lord has in our lives is to establish our faith in Him. This pretty much enables us to overcome all sorts of temptations and troubles that we might face in life. This also helps us face our tasks of making disciples in such a way that we know He will help us in this task.

2) Spiritual confirmation (1 Samuel 10:9-13)

Two significant spiritual experiences happened to Saul. Saul's heart was changed and the Spirit of God came upon Saul in a mighty way so that he spoke and acted like a holy prophet.

"Then it happened when he turned his back to leave Samuel, God changed his heart; and all those signs came about on that day." (1 Samuel 10:9).

What does it mean that God 'changed' his heart. Does it simply mean that God made him more positive about his situation? No. There was a deep change in his life. The word 'changed' means to be transformed or overtaken. This is best understood to refer to a new heart or being 'born again.' Regeneration is the technical word that describes this change in a person's heart where once he only focused on one's own life but afterwards would genuinely be concerned for God's person and work.

One might question whether this was genuine. I believe it was, but he allowed his fear to take hold of his life and did not trust the Lord. He chose to trust in what he thought was right even though he was very inexperienced. There are some hard things to reconcile with Saul's life, but perhaps the warning we can take is to be careful of sliding back away from the Lord for without abiding in the Lord, we will carry out the deeds of the flesh.

3) Family confirmation missing (1 Samuel 10:14-16)

God perhaps would also have confirmed this calling through his uncle, but Saul purposely hid what God was doing.

"So Saul said to his uncle, "He told us plainly that the donkeys had been found." But he did not tell him about the matter of the kingdom which Samuel had mentioned" (1 Samuel 10:16).

I used to feel awkward telling my parents what really was going on. I was always suspicious if they knew, then it would embarrass me. I have since learned that I should have trusted them more. God works through our parents. This is the reason I state above that the Lord perhaps would have again confirmed Saul's calling if he would have been honest. Our deceitful ways never really work as we think.

4) National confirmation (1 Samuel 10:17-27)

"Then he brought the tribe of Benjamin near by its families, and the Matrite family was taken. And Saul the son of Kish was taken; but when they looked for him, he could not be found." (1 Samuel 10:21).

Samuel called all the people together and by lot had Saul chosen! Remarkable confirmation. This sign in and of itself is absolutely convincing. Out of hundreds of thousands, one man is chosen.

Samuel did preface this whole selection with some heavy words.

"And he said to the sons of Israel, "Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, 'I brought Israel up from Egypt, and I delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians, and from the power of all the kingdoms that were oppressing you.' "But you today rejected your God, who delivers you from all your calamities and your distresses; yet you have said, 'No, but set a king over us!' Now therefore, present yourselves before the LORD by your tribes and by your clans."" (1 Samuel 10:18, 19).

These words are not any different from before in chapter 8. "They have forsaken Me and served other gods..." (1 Samuel 8:8).

Is it possible that Saul's cowardly response, quite contrary to God's remarkable signs, somehow brought trouble upon himself? By acting cowardly, we could easily imagine how he might have instigated some men to look down on him and think he was not worthy to be king.

"But certain worthless men said, "How can this one deliver us?" And they despised him and did not bring him any present. But he kept silent" (1 Samuel 10:27).

Conclusion

God did not simply appoint Saul and expect him to go into battle and win. Our misconceptions of calling or spiritual warfare might have us make such conclusions but they need not. We are not to go out in our own strength. Saul did not have to fight or lead himself. The battle is the Lord's.

We must ascertain what God calls us to do and then follow through. Having direction, though, perhaps, is not the most difficult part. Like in Saul's case, it happens with surprise.

There will, however, be difficulties to complete the task. God allows us to face impossibilities. Again, this is true in Saul's case too. He the farmer boy chasing after donkeys is now to be the first king of a whole new dynasty. It is here, however, that we can experience the abounding grace of God which strengthens and empowers His people to accomplish God's good and perfect will.

Continue -> Check out short video on God's will or audio for 1 & 2 Samuel 9-10 or check out the BFF Bible study on 1 Samuel 9-10.

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1 Samuel 10 King Saul's Confirmation - Living Commentary on 1 & 2 Samuel

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The Bible Teaching Commentary _________________________ 1 Samuel 10 Paul J. Bucknell A1. God's Calling (9) | A2. Questions on Calling | Check Old Testament Library for powerpoints, audio/visuals and handouts. "Then Samuel took the flask of oil, poured it on his head, kissed him and said, "Has not the LORD anointed you a ruler over His inheritance?"

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In the Old Testament, "Joseph is frequently seen to be a figure who engages in an act of reconciliation."

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I really like hearing people tell their stories. That is, as long as they do it honestly. It's really encouraging to hear how God has sorted things out for people, particularly when they've been through some deep strife. But sometimes we can glamorise this and that also creates problems.

A couple of weeks ago I took a group of 3 young university students from England up to Arthurs Pass. As we shared our spiritual journeys in the car, one of them said, "I haven't got a story. I honestly can't really remember anytime when I wasn't a Christian. I haven't got any dramatic events to relate." She said it so apologetically that I felt sorry that she was almost wondering if her experience was valid. Sometimes we can emphasise the dramatic so much that when we're confronted with genuine faith in the midst of ordinary life we fail to see it.

Testimonies are smoothed out by the benefit of hindsight and selected memories. They're compressed so when the punchline comes it all seems to work out so easily. We want to celebrate the birth, but who wants to remember the anguish of labour or the morning sickness? But if we don't, only part of the story is being told and we leave other people really ill prepared to face some of those harsher realities that we haven't talked about. As we come to consider the end of the story of Joseph, I think the punchline only makes sense if we do remember the anguish.

We left Joseph in prison where he had languished for a number of years and not through any fault of his own, but because he had done exactly what God wanted. This after he'd already been threatened with death and then sold into slavery by his own brothers, and then dragged off to Egypt as just a seventeen year old. He clearly demonstrates remarkable resilience and leadership skills as first of all in the house of Potiphar and then in the prison itself Joseph rapidly gains huge respect and ends up running things.

There are a variety of themes that we could pick up here that we haven't: The significance of dreams and their interpretation; An exploration of what those leadership qualities that others found so admirable in Joseph look like and how we can develop these ourselves; Lessons about dealing with disappointment and surviving crises and unexpected reversals and transitions and career changes; And working for bosses who aren't believers and taking on major responsibilities in a pagan environment and hanging on to your faith and living it out with integrity even when you're just a minority of one. If our faith doesn't talk about these things then faith becomes just an optional extra that has to do with a set of theoretical beliefs and how we spend our leisure time, but not a fundamental shaping influence in our lives. So let's thank God the Bible is so full of down to earth realities, that it is about a faith central to our everyday lives and touching every part of life. Then Steve Muir would like us to discuss Joseph's relief programme. Was it really just the way that God planned it? Because what offered immediate relief actually led to these people becoming slaves because Joseph bought their flocks and land in exchange for food and then they ended up so much in debt they had to sell themselves. It's a very interesting case study for looking at development principles.

There are so many different angles that the story of Joseph can be read from, but it's just two that I want to emphasise strongly this morning. The first one jumps from last week to the end of the story in Genesis 50:20. The brothers of Joseph were worried about their fate now that their father was dead. They wondered if here at last Joseph will take his revenge on them for treating him so badly when they sold him into slavery. For Joseph now confronts them as the emperors second in command, a man who just has to say the word and they are dead. Joseph has leapt from being a prisoner to becoming prime minister. It's a stunning reversal when we think about those years languishing in jail that we reminded of last week. Joseph interpreted the emperors dream that warned of seven years of famine ahead, and more than that also came up with a plan explaining how in the 7 good years prior to this food could be stored so that Egypt would be saved from devastation. So the emperor immediately elevated Joseph from prisoner to his second in command to ensure that the job got done. And that's where he stood when his brothers came to Egypt to beg food as Canaan was also devastated by the famine. How Joseph dealt with the urge to exact revenge on his brothers I want to pick up in the second part of this mornings sermon.

But for now just the words of verse Genesis 50:20.

"Even though you intended to do harm to me, God intended it for good, in order to preserve a numerous people, as he is doing today."

It's a wonderful statement about what Joseph has learned about the sovreignty of God, and Joseph's willingness to live with discomfort for the sake of God's wider purposes. In God's economy something even more important is being worked out even when we cannot see or understand this.

It's also an affirmation of belief in a God who we can trust is seeking the best for us even when it doesn't look like that nor feel that way. This is no light reflection then, but a foundational belief forged on the anvil of suffering, of which Joseph knew plenty: betrayed by his brothers, dropped in a pit, threatened with death, dragged off as a slave into exile, thrown into years in prison - all this for a boy who was sure that God had given him dreams of significance and success, but who had to live for some 13 years with very few reassuring signs that any of this was going to come true. He said, " Even though you intended to do harm to me, God intended it for good, in order to preserve a numerous people, as he is doing today."

We talked last week about how do we continue to nurture our faith in the face of dreams deferred and how we need to feed on some of these stories to remind ourselves how God has been there for others sustaining them in those dark nights of the soul. There are plenty of sentimental words of reassurance from those who haven't suffered, but they sound hollow. But when they come from Joseph or Jeremiah or the apostle Paul, that's different, because we know something about where they have been and the depths that they have been forced to plumb.When Jeremiah says "I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope" in Jeremiah 29:11, we know that this is something that he has held onto and that has sustained Jeremiah in the midst of circumstances that would long ago have crushed most of us.

It's the same thing with Paul when he says in Romans 8:28 "We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose." Most of Pauls theology was penned in prison and forged in the face of severe persecution. These particular words don't come from prison, but they are written in the context of real suffering and struggle. That's plain because the words that immediately precede this verse say:

We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labor pains until now; and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. (Romans 8:22-23)

For those of you who are struggling at the moment with disappointment or anxiety or dreams deferred, or who are caught up in the middle of conflict that you would rather run miles away from, these words are for you to grasp hold of. They are backed up by lives that have proved they are true.

For long years that must have been full of a lot of confusion, Joseph had to hang on to his dreams with not much to go on. How close to the end of his tether he came we don't know. We only know that in spite of the circumstances, at the end of the day he could say God intended it for good.

These passages don't answer all our questions about how and why. They don't explain exactly how much God deliberately plans what we go through and how much he just permits us to go through difficult times but still works these into his transforming purposes. What they do say is that whatever our circumstances, God is with us and will work his good purposes out with our best interests at heart.

And so we come to think again about the encounter between Joseph and his brothers. I want to explore it from another angle, because it is not only the culmination of Josephs story but in fact the climax of the whole story of Genesis.

The first week we looked at the stories of the families of the other patriarchs: Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. In one sense it was quite reassuring to read about families that seemed to show so many dysfunctional characteristics but God still used in his purposes. Some of these stories make even some of the worst moments at our place look quite normal. Maybe God can still use the Mackenzies after all. But in spite of this assurance, they are still quite alarming - especially the conflict between brothers that seems to go from one generation to the next and then when you think about it right down to today as Muslims and Christians and Jews trace a common ancestry right back to the family of Abraham.

Indeed, conflict does not originate in the stories of the patriarchs. All the way through Genesis - even in the very first family - we find Cain killing Abel out of jealously in Genesis 4. In the midst of this recurring theme of brother versus brother we ask: Is there no end to this? Is there no way out of these ever recurring and ever escalating cycles of conflict and violence? In this context, the confrontation between Joseph and his brothers assumes epic proportions. Will it end up in sweet revenge and just another round of hatred and violence, or is there the possibility of something else happening?

Realizing that their father was dead, Joseph's brothers said, "What if Joseph still bears a grudge against us and pays us back in full for all the wrong that we did to him?" So they approached Joseph, saying, "Your father gave this instruction before he died, 'Say to Joseph: I beg you, forgive the crime of your brothers and the wrong they did in harming you.' Now therefore please forgive the crime of the servants of the God of your father." Joseph wept when they spoke to him. Then his brothers also wept, fell down before him, and said, "We are here as your slaves." But Joseph said to them, "Do not be afraid! Am I in the place of God? Even though you intended to do harm to me, God intended it for good, in order to preserve a numerous people, as he is doing today. So have no fear; I myself will provide for you and your little ones." In this way he reassured them, speaking kindly to them. (Genesis 50:15-21)

There is another way, but only if someone will back away from their desire to get revenge and act in mercy. Someone must deal with their hatred and extend the hand of friendship with a genuine offer of forgiveness and love. Something decisive has to happen to break these recurring cycles by someone taking the risk of being vulnerable and doing the unexpected, often putting their lives on the line in the process. Joseph is frequently seen to be a figure who engages in an act of reconciliation that looks forward to the coming of Jesus for its fulfilment.

As Paul says in Romans 5:8 "God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us." Then further in 2 Corinthians 5:18 we read "All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation."

Right now we live in a world teetering on the edge of war, but for me more worrying than the threat of war itself is the fact that God's name has been brought into play so often. I fear that generations of Muslims in particular will not be able to distinguish the difference between Christianity and American political agendas. Muslims and Christians and Jews share the same religious roots but the fight between brothers continues and even we who proclaim most loudly what we call a gospel of reconciliation seem unable to take it seriously. What I do feel convinced about is that, whether it is before the fighting starts or only afterwards, the only way towards a just and lasting peace will inevitably require an approach that is no longer dependent on repeating acts of violence and revenge. Because resentment once grown can only be overcome by acts of goodwill and mercy.

In that regard I give America credit for doing some very good things following World War II to help enemy nations back on their feet economically. They knew then that leaving nations poor and desperate would only be a formula for continuing resentment and future conflict, and surely that same understanding holds true now. If we can't learn to love our enemies we will just become like them. Unless we deliberately choose another way we will become just what we hate, because we end up retaliating with the same violence that has been inflicted on us.

That's not only true in international relations but also in families and personal relationships. Repeating cycles of violence and abuse and conflict need to be interrupted, and I don't mean just by us rolling over and submitting. Violence and abuse does need resisting, but with the sort of tough love that works for restoration and redemption rather than revenge.

Certainly from the point of view of Jesus, he understood that its in each of us that something has to change and that this struggle to counteract violence and abuse and conflict has to start in our own hearts and minds and be dealt with in our own homes first. So often that's exactly where it wages most intensely in the struggle between brothers and sisters and between parents and children, or maybe between flatmates. If we are honest, for many of us it is scarey how angry we can get and how bad we can feel even towards those we say we love the most. If we can't deal with it here, we will not deal with it anywhere.

From the example of Joseph these are the lessons:

1. Firstly, don't pretend that you don't feel this way. Nothing can happen so long as we are in denial.

2. Secondly, try to catch a glimpse of God's bigger purposes so that winning isn't such a big thing. Being prepared to take a step backwards may seem worth it and save us from acting presumptuously.

3. Thirdly, try to catch a glimpse of how different things might be if you can bring yourself to offer forgiveness and reach out a hand in friendship.

4. Fourthly, remind yourself that this is how God has acted towards you and you are only being challenged to give to others what has already been given to you

5. And fifthly, take the risk and do it!

6. Sixthly, if you can't ask for prayer and help.

What do you stand to lose compared with what you stand to gain? These destructive cycles must be interrupted, but nothing can really change until we are prepared to be changed. So let's take some inspiration from Joseph, along with the help of the saviour that he points us to, and with a commitment to encourage each other to do together what we might not otherwise get around to alone.

Here at the very beginning of the Bible story, Joseph shows us the most powerfully redemptive way of responding to hurt even when every fibre of our being is crying out for revenge. Surely this is very close to the essence of our Christian gospel of reconciliation as the apostle Paul says in Romans 12:9-17

Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor. Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers.

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly; do not claim to be wiser than you are. Do not repay anyone evil for evil, but take thought for what is noble in the sight of all.

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The Work of Reconciliation - Joseph Trades Revenge for Mercy (Sermon Notes) | Sermon Notes | Theology of Work

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I really like hearing people tell their stories. That is, as long as they do it honestly. It's really encouraging to hear how God has sorted things out for people, particularly when they've been through some deep strife.

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In relation to Moses, his brother Aaron was a Levite, and Levites were priests. Because Aaron was the first born, he became the first high priest, and his descendants (Levites) would too.

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By Brian Pizzalato

Beginning with Adam, we have a familial priesthood which is meant to be passed on from the father to the first-born son, thus making him the father-priest of the family. The father-priest was meant to lead the family in covenant worship.

Though this is the case, in the book of Exodus, things drastically change because of sin.

The Israelites were in for 400 years. In Exodus 4, God tells Moses to go to Pharoah and say: " is my son, my first-born. Hence I tell you: Let my son go, that he may serve me" (4:22-23a). This shows us a few important points.

First, God is a father.

Second, what Adam is at the beginning of creation, namely the first-born human son of God (cf. Luke 3:38), so too, as a nation, is .

Third, what the first-born son in the family was meant to be, namely a father-priest, so too was the nation of meant to be to all the other nations.

Fourth, , as first-born, is called to serve ("abad") God, which connotes covenant worship and sacrifice, as it did with Adam in Genesis 2:15. This is made obvious when we see what Moses says to Pharaoh in Exodus 5:3: "Let us go a three days' journey in the desert, that we may offer sacrifice to the Lord, our God..."

To see God's plan more clearly, we hear God say, "Therefore, if you hearken to my voice and keep ["shamar" means guard] my covenant...You shall be to me a kingdom of priests, a holy nation" (19:5-6).

Notice, however, the conditional nature of the statement; there is a big "if" included. In rapid fashion we find out that they do not hearken to God's voice and keep the covenant. Their sinfulness radically changes everything until the coming of Christ.

Moses, on Mount Sinai, receives such commands as: "You shall have no other gods besides me" and "You shall not carve idols for yourselves...you shall not bow down before them or worship them" and "You shall not commit adultery" and "You shall not make gods of silver to be with me, nor shall you make for yourselves gods of gold" (Exodus 20:3, 4-5, 14, 23).

As Moses is receiving these commands, the people are breaking them. "When the people became aware of Moses delay in coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said to him, 'Come, make us a god who will be our leader...' Aaron replied, 'Have your wives and sons and daughters take off the golden earrings they are wearing, and bring them to me...'and fashioning this gold with a graving tool, [Aaron] made a molten calf. Then they cried out, 'This is your God, O Israel, who brought you out of the .' On seeing this, Aaron built an altar before the calf and proclaimed, 'Tomorrow is a feast to the Lord.' Early the next day the people offered holocausts and brought peace offerings. Then they sat down to eat and drink, and they rose up to revel" (Exodus 32:1-6).

God says to Moses, "Go down at once to your people...for they have become depraved" (Exodus 32:7).

Moses comes down the mountain, breaks the tablets of stone on the base of the mountain and cries out, "Whoever is for the Lord, let him come to me!" (Exodus 32:26). The Levites come to Moses and obey his command to "put your sword on your hip, every one of you! Now go up and down the camp, from gate to gate, and slay your kinsmen, your friends and neighbors!" (Exodus 32:27) Moses then proclaims, "Today you have ordained yourselves for service to the Lord..." (Exodus 32:29).

Israel was in for 400 years, and they had fallen into the idolatrous worship of the pantheon of Egyptian gods and goddesses. God's intent was not only to bring the Israelites physically out of , but to also get Egyptian idolatry out of them. The sacrifices they were to offer during the proposed three days' journey were the very gods they had been worshiping under the form of various animals. Moses tells Pharaoh, "...we shall sacrifice to the Lord our god offerings abominable to the Egyptians" (Exodus 8:26). In sacrificing these sacred animals, they would have been renouncing their false worship.

However, in Exodus 32 we find out the Egyptian ways are still in their hearts. The golden bull represented the Egyptian god Apis, the god of wealth, fertility and power. The worship of this god involved sacrifice, a meal signifying communion with that god, and orgiastic sexual worship. "Rose up to revel," is a euphemism for this impure sexual worship.

With this comes a change in the priesthood. The Levites are now those who are ordained to serve the Lord. In particular Aaron, who is a Levite, and his sons will be the high priests, the ones who offer sacrifices. Now there are laws for animal sacrifice commanded, morning and evening, and many other times for many different situations, because of their idolatrous ways. In particular, once a year, on the Day of Atonement, Aaron and those in the priestly line of Aaron after him will have to sacrifice a bull, because of the sin of Aaron.

The letter to the Hebrews tells us, "For when there is a change in the priesthood, there is necessarily a change in the law as well" (7:12). In salvation history, this is where the book of Leviticus fits in.

God sees that it is going to take much more than a one-time sacrifice to get Egyptian sinfulness out of their hearts. He is providing them the opportunity to renounce and repent of their sins day in and day out.

Printed with permission from the Northern Cross, Diocese of Duluth, Minnesota.
Brian Pizzalato is the Director of Catechesis, R.C.I.A. & Lay Apostolate for the Diocese of Duluth . He is also a faculty member of the Theology and Philosophy departments of the Maryvale Institute, Birmingham , England . He writes a monthly catechetical article for The Northern Cross, of the Diocese of Duluth , and is a contributing author to the Association for Catechumenal Ministry's R.C.I.A. Participants Book. Brian is currently authoring the regular series, "Catechesis and Contemporary Culture," in The Sower, published by the Maryvale Institute and is also in the process of writing the Philosophy of Religion course book for the B.A. in Philosophy and the Catholic Tradition program at the Maryvale Institute. Brian holds an M.A. in Theology and Christian Ministry with a Catechetics specialization and an M.A. in Philosophy from Franciscan University of Steubenville, Ohio .

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Israel's sin leads to new kind of priesthood

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By Brian Pizzalato Beginning with Adam, we have a familial priesthood which is meant to be passed on from the father to the first-born son, thus making him the father-priest of the family. The father-priest was meant to lead the family in covenant worship.

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Suspect is guilty of the sacrament:Baptism.

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"So the LORD God cast a deep sleep on the man, and while he was asleep, he took out one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. The LORD God then built the rib that he had taken from the man into a woman. When he brought her to the man, the man said: “This one, at last, is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; This one shall be called ‘woman,’ for out of man this one has been taken. ”That is why a man leaves his father and mother and clings to his wife, and the two of them become one body. The man and his wife were both naked, yet they felt no shame."

(Genesis 2: 21 - 25)

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"He will take pity on him and say, “Deliver him from going down to the pit; I have found him a ransom.” Then his flesh shall become soft as a boy’s; he shall be again as in the days of his youth. He shall pray and God will favor him; he shall see God’s face with rejoicing; for he restores a person’s righteousness. He shall sing before all and say, “I sinned and did wrong, yet I was not punished accordingly. He delivered me from passing to the pit,and my life sees light.” See, all these things God does, two, even three times, for a man, Bringing back his soul from the pit to the light, in the light of the living. Be attentive, Job, listen to me! Be silent and I will speak. If you have anything to say, then answer me. Speak out! I should like to see you justified."
(Job 33:24-32)

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"Melchizedek, king of Salem, brought out bread and wine. He was a priest of God Most High. He blessed Abram with these words: “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, the creator of heaven and earth; And blessed be God Most High, who delivered your foes into your hand.” Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything."
(Gen 14:18-20)

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Despite being one of the least mentioned and most obscure figures in the Old Testament, Melchizedek, the king-priest of Salem, is foundational for understanding how Jesus occupies the offices of king and priest-a dual honor that finds little to no precedent among Israelite kings.

But who exactly is this mysterious figure? How does this dynastic order help us to better understand the nature of Christ's kingly and priestly roles?

King Who Prepares the Table

Melchizedek commands a disproportionate amount of importance in redemptive history compared to the amount of space devoted to him in Scripture. His name literally means "king of righteousness," and he rules over the city of Salem (or, "shalom," meaning cosmic, harmonious peace).

Melchizedek, the King-Priest of Salem, is foundational for understanding how Jesus occupies the dual offices of king and priest.

In the three verses that describe his life and ministry (Gen. 14:18-20), we're introduced to Melchizedek's authority as king of Salem and "priest of the God Most High." He speaks of God as both Creator and Deliverer. He even offers "bread and wine" to Abram after his victory in battle over his enemies. In response, Abram tithes to Melchizedek a tenth of everything, reinforcing the latter's spiritual significance. The gospel allusion to the sacrament of communion shouldn't go unnoticed.

Anticipating a Better King

As the most quoted psalm in the New Testament, Psalm 110 deserves careful attention in order to appreciate Christ's execution of the offices of king and priest. King David writes this psalm for a future king, perhaps Solomon prior to his ascension to the throne in 971 BC, or for a future messianic figure who descends from his line.

The psalm begins by declaring that this future king will be given a greater honor, power, and authority than any human king before him: he sits at Yahweh's right hand, the place of highest honor as Yahweh's vice-regent and representative (110:1). As such, he derives his authority from Yahweh and exercises Yahweh's own royal rule, resulting in the subjection of the king's enemies (110:2), as well as protection for the king's realm and his people (110:3).

But this messianic figure isn't only a king-he's also a priest in the order of Melchizedek (110:4). In one sense, this is nothing new. Davidic kings undertook "priestly" functions such as leading worship, guiding in corporate prayer, and offering sacrifices on special occasions outside of the Levitical tradition.

Yet, this verse further develops the priestly functions of the Davidic dynasty into a full-blown connection to the dynastic line of Jebusite king-priests who once ruled from Jerusalem. As a result, the Davidic dynasty can claim divine support for their rule over the Promised Land, a fulfillment of Abraham's blessing from Melchizedek in Genesis 14:18-20.

Verses 5-6 parallel verses 2-3 in Yahweh's relationship with the Davidic king. Notably, whereas the king sits at Yahweh's right hand in verse 1, Yahweh stands by the king in verse 5, noting divine protection and support. And whereas verses 2-3 portray the king as the protagonist in battle, verses 5-7 portrays Yahweh as the protagonist, or the Divine Warrior, who helps the king defeat his enemies on individual, corporate, and cosmic levels ("among the nations," "over the wide earth," and so on).

This greatly expands upon the original Israelite domain, indicating that these enemy kings represent the cosmic powers of chaos that Yahweh defeats through his ultimate Melchizedekian Priest-King on behalf of Israel and all the other nations. In other words, the application of Yahweh's salvation extends beyond that of individual souls to physical bodies, corporate systems, and cosmic powers.

The application of Yahweh's salvation extends beyond that of individual souls to physical bodies, corporate systems, and cosmic powers.

Finally, the psalm ends with Yahweh refreshing himself from a brook (110:7). Though this verse initially may seem odd, it portrays Yahweh as one who sympathizes with the human condition.

Eternal Melchizedekian King-Priest

In the New Testament, the writer of Hebrews raises Melchizedek's profile to a pre-incarnate Christ-figure. Melchizedek is eternal, having no "father or mother" and "resembling the Son of God he continues a priest forever" (Heb. 7:3). Abraham's tithe to Melchizedek also confirms his greatness (Heb. 7:4).

Following Melchizedek, Jesus is the true king of righteousness ("Melchizedek") who lived the perfect life no human being could. Jesus is also the true king of peace (Salem) who came to earth to bring peace through his sacrificial death and resurrection. Jesus is also "a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek" (Heb. 7:17) and not through Levitical lineage (Heb. 7:14), making his priesthood superior (Heb. 7:11).

As a result, "This makes Jesus the guarantor of a better covenant" (Heb. 7:22). Because "he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever" (Heb. 7:24), "he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them" (Heb. 7:25).

Thus, believers can rest knowing that Jesus is the perfect King who rules with infinite power and justice. Believers are also comforted knowing Jesus is the perfect Priest who ministers with infinite mercy and sympathizes with us in our weaknesses (Heb. 4:15).

As a result of our union with Christ, believers are reminded of our Melchizedekian calling to expand his kingdom through truth and justice as members of God's royal family and to be a channel of mercy and healing to the covenant community, as well as to the rest of the world.

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Despite being one of the least mentioned and most obscure figures in the Old Testament, Melchizedek, the king-priest of Salem, is foundational for understanding how Jesus occupies the offices of king and priest-a dual honor that finds little to no precedent among Israelite kings. But who exactly is this mysterious figure?

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"To the man he said: Because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree about which I commanded you, You shall not eat from it,cursed is the ground because of you! In toil you shall eat its yield all the days of your life."
(Genesis 3:17)

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Through the faithfulness that Job showed God, by not cursing upon him, God returned to Job the things that he had lost through the test of his faithfulness.

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When Melchizedek encounters Abraham, he was returning from battle, and gave Abraham bread a wine, which is a precursor to the future Eucharist.

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Also known as

Melchizedek , also spelled Melchisedech, in the Old Testament , a figure of importance in biblical tradition because he was both king and priest, was connected with Jerusalem , and was revered by Abraham , who paid a tithe to him. He appears as a person only in an interpolated vignette (Gen. 14:18-20) of the story of Abraham rescuing his kidnapped nephew, Lot, by defeating a coalition of Mesopotamian kings under Chedorlaomer.

In the episode, Melchizedek meets Abraham on his return from battle, gives him bread and wine (which has been interpreted by some Christian scholars as a precursor of the Eucharist, so that Melchizedek's name entered the canon of the Roman mass), and blesses Abraham in the name of "God Most High" (in Hebrew El ʿElyon). In return, Abraham gives him a tithe of the booty.

Melchizedek is an old Canaanite name meaning "My King Is [the god] Sedek" or "My King Is Righteousness" (the meaning of the similar Hebrew cognate). Salem, of which he is said to be king, is very probably Jerusalem. Psalm 76:2 refers to Salem in a way that implies that it is synonymous with Jerusalem, and the reference in Gen. 14:17 to "the King's Valley" further confirms this identification. The god whom Melchizedek serves as priest is "El ʿElyon," again a name of Canaanite origin, probably designating the high god of their pantheon. (Later, the Hebrews adapted another Canaanite name as an appellation for God.)

For Abraham to recognize the authority and authenticity of a Canaanite priest-king is startling and has no parallel in biblical literature . This story may have reached its final formulation in the days of King David, serving as an apologia for David's making Jerusalem his headquarters and setting up the priesthood there. Abraham's paying tribute to a Jerusalem priest-king then would anticipate the time when Abraham's descendants would bring tithes to the priests of Jerusalem ministering in the sanctuary at the Davidic capital. The story may also relate to the conflict between the Levite priests descended from Abraham and the Zadokite priests of Jerusalem, who later changed their allegiance to Yahweh, the Hebrew god. The Zadokites monopolized the Jerusalem priesthood until forcibly taken away to Babylon, at which time Levite priests asserted their own hegemony; the Melchizedek episode could reveal the reascendancy of Zadokite power.

The biblical account also poses textual problems. Abraham paying a tithe to Melchizedek is an interpretation, though a likely one, of the original biblical text, in which the matter is ambiguous; it seems incongruous that Abraham gives a tenth of the booty to Melchizedek and then refuses to take any of it for himself (verses 22-23). Again, some scholars have asserted that it would be unusual for an author of Davidic times to construct a narrative with a Canaanite protagonist.

Psalm 110, in referring to a future messiah of the Davidic line, alludes to the priest-king Melchizedek as a prototype of this messiah. This allusion led the author of the Letter to the Hebrews in the New Testament to translate the name Melchizedek as "king of righteousness" and Salem as "peace," so that Melchizedek is made to foreshadow Christ, stated to be the true king of righteousness and peace (Heb. 7:2). According to the analogy, just as Abraham, the ancestor of the Levites, paid tithes to Melchizedek and was therefore his inferior, so the Melchizedek-like priesthood of Christ is superior to that of the Levites. Furthermore, just as the Old Testament assigns no birth or death date to Melchizedek, so is the priesthood of Christ eternal.

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Also known as Melchizedek , also spelled Melchisedech, in the Old Testament , a figure of importance in biblical tradition because he was both king and priest, was connected with Jerusalem , and was revered by Abraham , who paid a tithe to him. He appears as a person only in an interpolated vignette (Gen.

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Suspect is guilty of the sacrament: Matrimony

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Suspect is guilty of the sacrament: Anointing of the Sick

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Suspect is guilty of the sacrament: Communion

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Suspect is guilty of the sacrament:Holy Orders

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Suspect is guilty of the sacrament:Reconciliation.

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Suspect is guilty of the sacrament:Confirmation