Some points that may be worth developing

1. Being a disciple means more than just "hanging out with Jesus."
    (From http://onefamilyoutreach.com/bible/Mark/mk_09_38-50.html)
2. Test of discipleship is in life, both individual action and the quality of communal life.
3. Having salt in yourselves probably means living in the mutual loyalty of the covenant relationship.
4. From the James lesson:
   One of the essential qualities of Christian community is centrality of prayer.
5. From the Esther lesson:
   Action without specific reference to God can nonetheless be godly action.

Working theme:
God's work as we experience it may be based in the church, but is not limited to any one church, or even to the wider church. Let there be no triumphalism among Christians!

Texts: Prov 22:1-2, 8-9, 22-23; James 2:1-17; Mark 7:24-37

These pose a problem. On a day when our parish is celebrating the start of a new church season, we get three texts that challenge us about our way of thinking.

Our society honours the rich and famous -- "front of the line" treatment! Yet the Proverbs reading warns us against choosing great riches. And James castigates his church for showing favoritism to the rich. The church needs the income from those who are well off, in order to minister to all, including (especially!) those who are not. It is very tempting to favor the wealthy for their ability to contribute to our mission.

The two stories in the Gospel show Jesus pushing the envelope of his mission, ministering in Gentile territory. It is a challenge to any church which tends to see itself as "people like us."

The preacher's challenge? It is tempting on this day to speak some warm fuzzies about "good to see you after the summer." But the texts don't want to go there. They want to challenge the church to look to its behaviour, both to its members, and to those who beyond.

Texts:
1 Kings 8:22-20, 41-43 -- Solomon's dedicatory Prayer for the Temple
Psalm 84
Ephesians 6:10-20 -- "The whole armour of God"
John 6:56-69 -- "Do you also wish to go away?"

1. Some of the people who deserted Jesus did so because he would not be the kind of Messiah they wanted. Those who stayed did so because they heard God speaking through Jesus. "You have the words of eternal life.

The first parish I served had been without resident clergy for 20 years. They had developed a "Messiah complex" around having their own priest again, and some were deeply disappointed when the church did not suddenly fill up again, as it had in the '50's.

2. Solomon's prayer acknowledges the limitations of the temple, a house which "cannot contain you." The temple is not God, but the place of which God has said "My name shall be there."

The second parish I served had never had its own building. They were fixated on the need to have their own home. I heard many people say, "When we get our own building, everything will be great." Just another "Messiah complex."

When we put our trust in an individual or in a building, we have missed the point -- we have a Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth, the one who "has the words of eternal life." We put on the whole armour of God when we place our trust in him.

The church is not about individuals, whether lay or ordained. The great prayer at the heart of the Eucharist, although said mainly by the priest, is not a prayer by and for the priest, but a prayer on behalf of the people of God, led by the priest. It is all in the plural!

The church is about God, and about putting our trust in his Son.

And so we say "Lord, to whom shall we go?" To him only.