B129 - Pentecost 7 (Prop 10)

This week we look at the arrival of the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem and David’s joy in 2 Samuel 6:1-5; 12b-19. How might our worship, so often inhibited, reflect David’s joy?  We touch on the nuanced way the presence of God is described in 2 Samuel 6, and the ways people of faith can co-opt the presence of God for self interest. Ephesians 1:3-14 is a superb summation of the gospel, overflowing with grace and blessing – an opportunity to preach on baptism. Mark 6:14-29 is an exploration of Jesus’ identity, but it’s also, in the story of John’s beheading, a detailed description of the web of compromise, untruth and fear in which leaders can find themselves when seeking to sure up their power. What grace might there be in this story of darkness and death?