Propio 12 B + Redeemed / Redimidos + 7.25.21

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M. Campbell-Langdell

All Santos, Oxnard

(2 Samuel 11:1-15; Psalm 14; Ephesians 3:14-21; John 6:1-21)

Por esta razón me pongo de rodillas delante del Padre, de quien recibe su nombre toda familia, tanto en el cielo como en la tierra. I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth takes its name. And I offer these words to God, who welcomes us all, despite or because of our defects. Y ofrezco estas palabras a ti o Dios, quien nos reciba, a pesar de que (o posiblemente por qué) todos tenemos defectos.

Why even is David in the Bible? ¿Porque es David en la biblia? Think for a moment about the first thing that comes to mind when you think of King David. Si son como yo, piensan en David y Goliat, o posiblemente David el salmista con su arpa. You may think of David and Goliath, or David and Jonathan, bosom friends and perhaps more. You may think of the psalmist. Unless you are a dedicated womanist scholar, chances are you try to forget about the part of the story we hear today and next week. Posiblemente no quieren recordar de la parte de esta historia que escuchamos hoy y la semana que viene.
Because David is, quite simply, despicable here. It all starts with him being where he shouldn’t be. We all know it. Cuando empezamos a salir fuera de lo que debemos hacer, cosas malas pasan. He should have been with his men, if he was going to send them out to war. Instead he is in the palace getting bored and his head is turned by the sight of a lovely woman. Betsabé, la esposa de Urías, está haciendo lo que debe hacer. Se está limpiando después de su periodo menstrual y ella no necesariamente tiene el poder de rechazar a David. David knows that Bathsheba is without her typical defenses since all the men of her house are in battle, and in addition she thinks she is out of sight in a courtyard only visible from above. Only the King can get high enough to see her, and she didn’t think him that low. Ella no pensaba que el rey iba a faltar así de respeto en su tiempo de bañarse. On top of all this, when Bathsheba gets pregnant, David calls Uriah home to have relations with his wife so it will get him off the hook. Again, David shirks responsibility. David no toma responsabilidad y en decir que tiene que lavar sus pies quiere decir que tiene que tener sexo con su mujer Urias. But Uriah is too honorable. He does not “wash his feet” – Hebrew polite speech for having sex with his wife – because he is a foil for David’s lack of responsibility. He shows honor in staying with the other soldiers.
And so, what does David do? ¿Que hace David? Claro que piensa que tiene que ponerlo en una posición de peligro. En efecto, lo mata a Urías. He kills Uriah, conveniently using a military maneuver.
Next week, we will see how the prophet Nathan calls David to repent. And he does, and is forgiven. David está llamado a arrepentir por sus acciones, y lo hace. Pero hay consecuencias. As with any wrongdoing that truly wounds others, David suffers consequences. And I do not mean the death of his son. Muchas veces interpretamos la muerte de su hijo como una consecuencia de sus acciones de David. Creo que esto fue una triste tragedia que sirvió para entender mejor lo que fue importante en la vida. I think if anything his loss brought David to the place of appreciating Bathsheba and his life more, realizing how vulnerable it is. But I do think his family life was more difficult as a result of his actions. Su vida familiar fue mas dificil como el resultado de sus acciones. However I do not believe in a God who punishes the son for the father’s sins, and in fact Jeremiah and Ezekiel agree with me. No creo que Dios estaba castigando David por sus pecados en matar a su bebe.
So, what is the Good news in all of this? ¿Que son las buenas nuevas en esto entonces? That David was forgiven, and we are too. If we turn to God, there is nothing that we cannot be forgiven. Cuando venimos ante Dios, verdaderamente arrepintiéndonos de nuestros pecados, no hay nada que no se puede perdonar. If David, in his lying, cheating, murderous ways could find his way back to God and to his family, so can we, with the smaller things that have multiplied in size in our hearts.

No importa lo que has escuchado de la iglesia antes, no hay nada que te puede separar de Dios y de su amor. I do not care what you may have heard from the church before. There is nothing that can separate you from God and God’s love. Nada. Nothing. Not a divorce. No un divorcio. Not an affair. No una relación extramarital. Not a time when you lied or cheated. Ni un tiempo que en que mentiste o engañaste a alguien. Si verdaderamente arrepientes de cualquiera parte que tuviste en esto y tratas de hacer lo mejor de la situación en adelante, esto es lo que Dios pide de ti. No alejarse de Dios. If you genuinely come to God asking for forgiveness for your part, and you say you will do better in the future, making the best of the situation at hand, that is what God asks of you. This means moving forward in the way that is most healing to all concerned- note that David did not divorce Bathsheba since that would have done more hardm. Esto significa mover adelante en la manera más sanativa para todos – nota que David no divorcio a Betsabé. It doesn’t mean distancing yourself from God.
At the feeding of the five thousand, Jesus and his disciples feed everyone. En dar de comer a los cinco mil, Jesús y sus discípulos dan de comer a todos y todas. No one is left out. Nadie esta rechazado. Y es así con la Santa Comunión también. Nothing should serve as an impediment from you receiving communion either. You are forgiven! Están perdonados, así que nada puede servir como impedimento para recibir la santa comunión. I understand about the kids who want to prepare for first communion. You are forgiven too and will receive your blessing and we are waiting on the communion for your big day. También están perdonados y recibirán tus bendiciones hoy y van a recibir su comunión en tu día especial.

Because, you know what? God is so good. God is so good because after all that happens with David and Bathsheba, even after the loss, they have Solomon. Después de todo lo que pasa, David y Betsabé tienen Solomon, el rey más sabio de Israel. The wisest king of Israel. He is not without his issues, either, but that is a story for another day. El también tiene sus problemitas, pero es un rey muy bueno en general. And do you know who comes from the line of David and Solomon? ¿Saben quién viene de la línea genética de David y Solomon? Jesus! Jesus is not the descendent of Michal, or any other of David’s wives, except Bathsheba. David’s sin was not only forgiven, but redeemed. ¡Su pecado de David fue redimido, y esta redención salvó a todos nosotros! David’s redemption is our redemption. La redención de David es nuestra redención. We are forgiven. Estamos salvados y perdonados. We are saved. What better news is there? No hay mejor noticia.

So, let us close with a reminder- that God can do more in us than we can ask for or imagine. Y ahora, gloria sea a Dios, que puede hacer muchísimo más de lo que nosotros pedimos o pensamos, gracias a su poder que actúa en nosotros. To [God] be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen! Amén.

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