Difference between revisions of "Sermon for January 26th, 2025"

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1 Samuel 18:6-16 (OT p.262)

6 As they were coming home, when David returned from killing the Philistine, the women came out of all the towns of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with tambourines, with songs of joy, and with musical instruments. 7 And the women sang to one another as they made merry, ‘Saul has killed his thousands, and David his tens of thousands.’ 8 Saul was very angry, for this saying displeased him. He said, ‘They have ascribed to David tens of thousands, and to me they have ascribed thousands; what more can he have but the kingdom?’ 9 So Saul eyed David from that day on.

10 The next day an evil spirit from God rushed upon Saul, and he raved within his house, while David was playing the lyre, as he did day by day. Saul had his spear in his hand; 11 and Saul threw the spear, for he thought, ‘I will pin David to the wall.’ But David eluded him twice. 12 Saul was afraid of David, because the Lord was with him but had departed from Saul. 13 So Saul removed him from his presence, and made him a commander of a thousand; and David marched out and came in, leading the army. 14 David had success in all his undertakings; for the Lord was with him. 15 When Saul saw that he had great success, he stood in awe of him. 16 But all Israel and Judah loved David; for it was he who marched out and came in leading them.

Faith & Film XIII: A Complete Unknown

• Film Clip #1 - Trailer

Three Minute Film Summary

The film opens as a young Bob Dylan arrives in New York City in 1961 to meet his musical hero, the folk singer Woody Guthrie. Guthrie is in long-term care at the Greystone Park Psychiatric Hospital. Another famous folk singer, Pete Seeger, also happens to be visiting Guthrie that day, and so Bob Dylan plays a song for both musicians, impressing them. Pete Seeger takes Dylan home to stay with him, and then takes him under his wing, introducing him to the New York folk music scene. As Dylan's career begins, he develops a relationship with Sylvie Russo, a young artist and social activist. He also develops a relationship with popular folk singer Joan Baez. Both women (and the back and forth tension in their respective relationships) influence Dylan's emerging style. Both women are also frequently puzzled, frustrated, and disappointed by Dylan's enigmatic personality.

In 1963, Dylan makes his first appearance at the Newport Folk Music festival, and is hailed as the voice of a new generation. As his popularity grows, he becomes uncomfortable with fame, and at the same time he begins to feel boxed in by the folk music community--in particular, by Pete Seeger's insistence on the "purity" of folk music, specifically that it should be simple, no frills, and above all, acoustic. Dylan starts playing with a band, and experiments with amplified or "electric" rock-n-roll music, encouraged by none other than Johnny Cash. This creates tension between Dylan and Seeger, in the lead up to the film's climax at the 1965 Newport Folk Music Festival. Dylan arrives with his band, but wavers back and forth about whether he will play his older folk music... or his new "electric" music. At the last minute, Dylan decides to plug in and launches into a series of songs that will divide the audience, shatter old relationships, and make musical history, putting him on a path to becoming one of the most legendary (though still enigmatic) musicians of modern history.

Rising Stars

In the Bible, there is also a story about a young, unknown boy from a rural upbringing, who comes to the big city with his harp (that's the biblical version of the guitar) to play his songs and make a name for himself. This is, of course, David, and you can find his story in the books of 1st and 2nd Samuel. King Saul takes David under his wing, and introduces him to the royal court. David is bold and brash--sometimes a bit of a jerk--but he is also talented and blessed by God. He soon takes to the stage (so to speak) when he defeats the giant, Goliath in battle. You might say that his performance "brings down the house." After this, David's fame grows, gaining him tens of thousands of fans, and also leading to tension between David and his mentor, King Saul. Eventually, David breaks free from Saul's shadow, becoming king in his own right, and one of the most legendary figures in the Bible. Right up to the end of his life, David continues to write songs and play his harp.

The Times, They Are a Changin'

• Conversion/Transformation
• 1 Chronicles

Who Do You Say That I Am?

• Unknown and Unknowable
• Messiah figures
• Disappointing the Crowd