July 5-who do We think we are?

July 5 2 Cor 12, ps. 48 Mark 6

Who do you think you are? I don’t know if that gets said as much as it used to. On the other hand, many of us have no trouble judging others, and that would be an appropriate response. We have no trouble being moral arbiters for others. Some of us love to try to tell others what to do buoyed only by the gravitas of our opinion.

Who do  we think we are? People of prayer. Some people have trouble even beginning to pray as it can be an admission of need. Ps. 4 is a great prayer of someone in real distress for a multitude of woes. In pouring out one’s life to god, one can find peace to sleep in that relationship.

thorn in the flesh v, heavenly vision-weakness interpreted-Does God work only through strength? No, the cross is proof that god can work through anything .the cult of the self interpreted-Paul has been criticized and wounded. While he speaks of spiriutal heights, he says he learns more from the spiritual depths.New Pixar movie on the emotions within is called Inside Out.

supernatural interpreted-I like this rhetorical model, as it helps us in our continued struggle with the self, with our own self-regard. My generation felt as if it was always told that it did not measure up to a standard that seemed elusive. Coaches said things like give a 110%, We over-reacted and over-praised our children, and its symbol is the participation trophy so everyone's a winner.(I recall the gales of laughter from our younger daughter when she unearthed a video tape of her as an infant and a view of her older sister’s drawings as a typical 3 year old and her mother going on about her obvious artistic talent). Mister Rogers told children that they are special. Paul tries to acknowledge achievement without getting carried away into delirium, but he also help us face weakness and despairing thoughts, as neither define him. Neither is a permanent feature of his make-up. Our constant need to build ourselves up betrays a continued doubt about self-worth.Disconnected from achievement, self-promotion is an elaborate form of bragging.

He realizes that his relationship with God goes beyond his successes or his failures; it goes beyond his personal qualities, noble or ignoble.What Paul calls righteousness is the conviction that our relationship with God is healed, saved if you will, through Jesus Christ.

Mark 6 who does Jesus think he is? Jesus seems limited by their resistance, and he marvels at that unbelief. Where is our resistance-why our resistance? Jesus does not expect uniform acceptance. knocking the dust off their feet won’t hold or receive theirs, even dust, but not a grudge either. They were guaranteed nothing, but in doing their work they brought healing words and deeds to those who would receive them.

One of the reasons worship is indispensable is to get a potent reminder, just one hour a week, of the connection, the indissoluble connection God makes with us.I don;t know when Paul had his heavenly vision or how, but I would bet it emerged during prayer and was filled with images drawn from worship.Who do we think we are? People made in the image and likeness of God.It doe snto promise visionary experiences. it does not promise that we are rendered immune from troubles in life. It does mean that God holds us as infinitely valuable, so how should we regard not only ourselves but others?  Who do we think we are? People, not better or worse than others, but buoyed with the promise of healing and salvation, in this world and the next.