Posts
I'm preaching this week and though I have looked at our scriptures in their original languages in preparation for my sermon, I haven't had time to do my ordinary blog work.
But, that's no excuse! You deserve a post!
Our scripture this week comes from Exodus 33:12-23 and Matthew 22:15-22.
In the Exodus scripture, God and the people have had a falling out. After the golden calf incident, God decided that maybe these people weren't the "chosen" ones after all. He's had enough of this stiff-necked people and decides not to go with them any longer. Thankfully, Moses intercedes and reminds God of all the promises God made to him and also to the people and God decides that he will remain with the people.
In our Matthew text, Jesus is confronted with the Pharisees who want to know if it is lawful to pay taxes to the government. They are trying to trap Jesus, but Jesus doesn't fall for it! Jesus points out to them that for a people who are so concerned about paying taxes to a secular government, they don't seem to have much problem dealing with Roman currency in the Temple. Moreover, he instructs them to give to the emperor what belongs to the emperor and to God what belongs to God. It's a tricky statement--everything belongs to God! Even the emperor belongs to God!
Both of these scriptures seem to be dealing with issues of identity. Exodus deals with the identity of the people before God. God and the people of Israel are still working out how this relationship is going to be. Neither is too sure of the other. Israel can't seem to work out who they are before God and God often seems to lack commitment.
The Matthew scripture presents a question of the identity of Jews in a secular situation. They are not sure what kind of relationship they should have with others--namely the government. The relationship with God seems worked out, but they are not sure how to live in a world that may not be sympathetic to their relationship with God.
Both aspects of identity are important. We have to know who we are before God and we have to know who we are in relationship to the world we live in.
Want more? Come on Sunday!!
Friday, October 17, 2008
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
"Rejoice in the Lord always!"
Philippians 4:1-9
Therefore, my beloved brothers, my longing, my joy and crown, in the same way stand firm in the Lord, beloved. I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. Indeed, I ask you, loyal comrade, help these women, who worked together with me and Clement in the Gospel and the rest my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life. Rejoice in the Lord always, again I will say Rejoice! Let your gentleness be known to all men, the Lord is near. Do not be anxious, but in everything by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, make your request be known to God. And the peace of God surpassing all reason will guard your heart and your mind in Christ Jesus. Henceforth, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is praise worthy, if any virtue and if any praise worthy thing, consider these; that which you learned and you received and you heard and you saw in me, do these and the God of peace is with you.
"Rejoice in the Lord always!" These were probably the first words of scripture I ever memorized. Maybe even before John 3:16, because these words were part of a song that we all loved to sing in Sunday school when I was a child. Easy to sing, much harder to do.
I've been thinking about and reading scripture much more these days. Our canon is one of the few things that has not changed much in the last several centuries, so it is easy to take comfort in it in this time of turmoil for our nation, and indeed, our world. I've read lots of scripture, mostly from the Psalms, but this particular scripture is not one that is easily heeded in times such as these.
It's as if we live in a suddenly upside-down world, isn't it? The economy doesn't make sense. Politics doesn't make sense (if it ever did). Our financial future seems uncertain. In the midst of it all, it's hard to say "Rejoice in the Lord always!" when there doesn't seem much to rejoice about.
I'm constantly reminded that God's demands on my life are different from those of this world. For decades, our culture has been convinced that success would be proven in our bank accounts. There has be theological support for this, even. Some call it Prosperity Gospel. Others simply believe that if they are good, honest people that they will be rewarded in their bank accounts. Somehow, that logic seems flawed now.
So, I try to remember that God's covenant with God's people asks us to love God and love neighbor. God will be faithful to God's people. We are children of God and our hope is in the resurrection, not in material wealth.
So, in this stressful time of crisis, I think it must be possible to "Rejoice in the Lord always!" because we answer to a God who is bigger than this crisis.
Therefore, my beloved brothers, my longing, my joy and crown, in the same way stand firm in the Lord, beloved. I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. Indeed, I ask you, loyal comrade, help these women, who worked together with me and Clement in the Gospel and the rest my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life. Rejoice in the Lord always, again I will say Rejoice! Let your gentleness be known to all men, the Lord is near. Do not be anxious, but in everything by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, make your request be known to God. And the peace of God surpassing all reason will guard your heart and your mind in Christ Jesus. Henceforth, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is praise worthy, if any virtue and if any praise worthy thing, consider these; that which you learned and you received and you heard and you saw in me, do these and the God of peace is with you.
"Rejoice in the Lord always!" These were probably the first words of scripture I ever memorized. Maybe even before John 3:16, because these words were part of a song that we all loved to sing in Sunday school when I was a child. Easy to sing, much harder to do.
I've been thinking about and reading scripture much more these days. Our canon is one of the few things that has not changed much in the last several centuries, so it is easy to take comfort in it in this time of turmoil for our nation, and indeed, our world. I've read lots of scripture, mostly from the Psalms, but this particular scripture is not one that is easily heeded in times such as these.
It's as if we live in a suddenly upside-down world, isn't it? The economy doesn't make sense. Politics doesn't make sense (if it ever did). Our financial future seems uncertain. In the midst of it all, it's hard to say "Rejoice in the Lord always!" when there doesn't seem much to rejoice about.
I'm constantly reminded that God's demands on my life are different from those of this world. For decades, our culture has been convinced that success would be proven in our bank accounts. There has be theological support for this, even. Some call it Prosperity Gospel. Others simply believe that if they are good, honest people that they will be rewarded in their bank accounts. Somehow, that logic seems flawed now.
So, I try to remember that God's covenant with God's people asks us to love God and love neighbor. God will be faithful to God's people. We are children of God and our hope is in the resurrection, not in material wealth.
So, in this stressful time of crisis, I think it must be possible to "Rejoice in the Lord always!" because we answer to a God who is bigger than this crisis.
Friday, August 29, 2008
Well, it's time I admitted it, friends.
The Scripture blog needs to take a break for a week or two. The fact is, even the best intentions are not enough to get this done in the last few weeks. Things are getting busier as we swing back into our regular fall programming at Trinity. I love the blog and it is a wonderful discipline for me, but right now the "real" face-to-face ministry needs to come first.
I'll take a few weeks off, brush up on my languages and be right back where we left off: providing you with original translations and Bible notes each week for the texts we'll encounter in worship. I apologize for the recent lack in posts, but sometimes it's just very important to prioritize.
It's ta-ta for now, and see you in a week or two!
The Scripture blog needs to take a break for a week or two. The fact is, even the best intentions are not enough to get this done in the last few weeks. Things are getting busier as we swing back into our regular fall programming at Trinity. I love the blog and it is a wonderful discipline for me, but right now the "real" face-to-face ministry needs to come first.
I'll take a few weeks off, brush up on my languages and be right back where we left off: providing you with original translations and Bible notes each week for the texts we'll encounter in worship. I apologize for the recent lack in posts, but sometimes it's just very important to prioritize.
It's ta-ta for now, and see you in a week or two!
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Exodus 1:8-22 for Sunday, August 24, 2008
Translation:
(1)A new king arose over Egypt who did not know Joseph. (9)And he said to his people, "Now the children of Israel are more numerous and mightier than us. (10)Come now, let us deal wisely with them, lest they become great and meet in battle, joined also with those who hate us and wage war with us and leave the land." (11)They placed over them captains of forced-labor in order to oppress them with forced labor. And they built supply cities for Pharaoh; Pithom and Ramses. (12)But as the Egyptians oppressed them, they multiplied and they spread out and the Egyptians loathed the children of Israel. (13)And the Egyptians made the children of Israel labor ruthlessly. (14)They made their lives miserable with hard labor in mortar and brick and with all the labor in the field, all labor which they worked in harshness. (15)And the King of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, the name of one was Shiphrah and the name of the second was Puah. (16)And he said "When you deliver for the Hebrew women and you see upon the birthing stool that it is a son, you will kill him. And if it is a daughter, she will live." (17)The midwives feared God and did not do as the King of Egypt said to them and they preserved the children. (18)And the King of Egypt called the midwives and said to them "Why have you done this thing? You preserved the children!" (19)And the midwives said to Pharaoh "Because [they are] not as Egyptian women, the Hebrew women are vigorous; before the midwife comes to them, they give birth." (20)And God was good to the midwives, he multiplied the people and they were very strong. (21)Because the midwives feared God, he made for them families. (22)And Pharaoh commanded to all the people saying "All the boys born, you will cast in the Nile."
What a story! This narrative begins the book of Exodus narrative. It begins the story sometimes called "The Easter of the Old Testament." Truly an epic narrative.
I think this Pharaoh has some problems. He sees problems that don't exist! He worries needlessly and makes edicts that make no sense at all! First, he sees the Hebrews as a threat. They have not done anything that would cause him to feel threatened! He is only afraid of what could happen. We all know that if we walked around in fear of what could happen, we would never accomplish anything at all. The film What About Bob illustrates this nicely.
All the same, Pharaoh is worried that the Hebrews might cause an uprising that the Egyptians would not have the resources to handle. Worse yet, they might actually leave and then there would be no peasants to do the work no one else wants to do! So, Pharaoh implements plan A. He attempts to work them so hard that they will not have the strength to cause an uprising.
Plan A fails. The work seems only to cause the Hebrew people to grow stronger! Gluttons for punishment!
Plan B is less logical than plan A. Pharaoh decides Plan B is to kill all the Hebrew baby boys. This makes sense if you are worried about a future army rising up. It makes little sense if you are hoping for a second generation of hard workers.
Plan B fails. Unfortuantely, Pharaoh's plan had Hebrew midwives killing Hebrew babies. At some level, he almost had to expect failure!
Plan C is to throw all the boy babies into the Nile. We all know how well that worked out. One mother, following the edict, puts her baby in a basket and floats him down the river where Pharaoh's daughter finds him, raises him in Pharaoh's own court and before we know it we have a Hebrew hero ready to lead the people away from Pharaoh's land. The very thing Pharaoh feared has come true after all.
I think what we have here is a Pharaoh who constantly lives out of a culture of scarcity. None of this would have started if he wasn't so afraid of not having enough. He feared not having as many resources as the Hebrews. He feared not having enough labor to build up storage cities. Since he needed storage cities, he was evidently afraid of not having enough grain. Not enough, not enough, not enough.
Meanwhile, the Hebrew people are doing just fine with what God has given them. It's not much, but they grow to be a strong and numerous people, just as God promised in Genesis 12.
What is evident to me is that Pharaoh's greed and sense of scarcity led him to make a series of decisions with varying degrees of rationality. When we do not rely on God, do we not do the same? What do you think?
(1)A new king arose over Egypt who did not know Joseph. (9)And he said to his people, "Now the children of Israel are more numerous and mightier than us. (10)Come now, let us deal wisely with them, lest they become great and meet in battle, joined also with those who hate us and wage war with us and leave the land." (11)They placed over them captains of forced-labor in order to oppress them with forced labor. And they built supply cities for Pharaoh; Pithom and Ramses. (12)But as the Egyptians oppressed them, they multiplied and they spread out and the Egyptians loathed the children of Israel. (13)And the Egyptians made the children of Israel labor ruthlessly. (14)They made their lives miserable with hard labor in mortar and brick and with all the labor in the field, all labor which they worked in harshness. (15)And the King of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, the name of one was Shiphrah and the name of the second was Puah. (16)And he said "When you deliver for the Hebrew women and you see upon the birthing stool that it is a son, you will kill him. And if it is a daughter, she will live." (17)The midwives feared God and did not do as the King of Egypt said to them and they preserved the children. (18)And the King of Egypt called the midwives and said to them "Why have you done this thing? You preserved the children!" (19)And the midwives said to Pharaoh "Because [they are] not as Egyptian women, the Hebrew women are vigorous; before the midwife comes to them, they give birth." (20)And God was good to the midwives, he multiplied the people and they were very strong. (21)Because the midwives feared God, he made for them families. (22)And Pharaoh commanded to all the people saying "All the boys born, you will cast in the Nile."
What a story! This narrative begins the book of Exodus narrative. It begins the story sometimes called "The Easter of the Old Testament." Truly an epic narrative.
I think this Pharaoh has some problems. He sees problems that don't exist! He worries needlessly and makes edicts that make no sense at all! First, he sees the Hebrews as a threat. They have not done anything that would cause him to feel threatened! He is only afraid of what could happen. We all know that if we walked around in fear of what could happen, we would never accomplish anything at all. The film What About Bob illustrates this nicely.
All the same, Pharaoh is worried that the Hebrews might cause an uprising that the Egyptians would not have the resources to handle. Worse yet, they might actually leave and then there would be no peasants to do the work no one else wants to do! So, Pharaoh implements plan A. He attempts to work them so hard that they will not have the strength to cause an uprising.
Plan A fails. The work seems only to cause the Hebrew people to grow stronger! Gluttons for punishment!
Plan B is less logical than plan A. Pharaoh decides Plan B is to kill all the Hebrew baby boys. This makes sense if you are worried about a future army rising up. It makes little sense if you are hoping for a second generation of hard workers.
Plan B fails. Unfortuantely, Pharaoh's plan had Hebrew midwives killing Hebrew babies. At some level, he almost had to expect failure!
Plan C is to throw all the boy babies into the Nile. We all know how well that worked out. One mother, following the edict, puts her baby in a basket and floats him down the river where Pharaoh's daughter finds him, raises him in Pharaoh's own court and before we know it we have a Hebrew hero ready to lead the people away from Pharaoh's land. The very thing Pharaoh feared has come true after all.
I think what we have here is a Pharaoh who constantly lives out of a culture of scarcity. None of this would have started if he wasn't so afraid of not having enough. He feared not having as many resources as the Hebrews. He feared not having enough labor to build up storage cities. Since he needed storage cities, he was evidently afraid of not having enough grain. Not enough, not enough, not enough.
Meanwhile, the Hebrew people are doing just fine with what God has given them. It's not much, but they grow to be a strong and numerous people, just as God promised in Genesis 12.
What is evident to me is that Pharaoh's greed and sense of scarcity led him to make a series of decisions with varying degrees of rationality. When we do not rely on God, do we not do the same? What do you think?
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Genesis 32:22-32 for Sunday, August 3, 2008
Translation:
(22) And he arose that very night and took his two wives, two maids his eleven children and he crossed the ford of Jabbok. (23)And he took them and crossed the wadi and that which belonged to him. (24) And Jacob remained apart and a man wrestled with him until dawn. (25)And he saw that he was not prevailing over him and he struck him in the hip socket and dislocated Jacob's hip as he wrestled with him. (26)And he said "Let me go for it is dawn." And he said "I will not let you go unless you bless me. (27)And he said to him "What is your name?" and he said "Jacob." (28)And he said "Jacob will no longer be your name, but Israel for you persisted with God and with people and you prevailed. (29)And Jacob asked and said "Now tell me your name." And he said "Why do you ask for my name?" and he blessed him there. (30)And Jacob called the place Peniel because "I saw God face to face and my being was delivered." (31)And the sun rose as he passed through Penuel and he limped upon his hip. (32)Thus the children of Israel do not eat the sinew of the thigh upon the hip socket this day because he was struck Jacob's hip socket in the sinew of the thigh.
How many times have we all wished that God would answer our prayers in obvious ways? Wouldn't it be better if God would just call you up on the telephone? Wouldn't it be easier if God would meet you in the mirror with the answers to your questions?
I've often thought this. To be honest, I am a little jealous of Jacob. He gets such awesome encounters with God and I somehow wish my own encounters were this dramatic. Jacob wrestles with God. Who among us hasn't? Jacob wrestles with God and comes away as a different man. Who among us hasn't?
Though I wish that I could see God "face-to-face" as Jacob did (what must that have been like?!), I know that my own encounters with the holy have been just as transformative. Christians have this tendency to talk about a life of faith as if it were a walk in the park with Jesus. Jacob's story proves that it doesn't work that way. A close and intimate relationship with God can sometimes cause you to walk away, not only changed, but maybe even a little disabled.Jacob walks away from Peniel with a limp. He is not the same person. He has a new name, and he is disfigured.
It works that way in the life of faith sometimes. Anyone experiencing a call to ministry knows that. How do you explain to your friends and family that God "told" you to go into ministry? There is a part of that calling that cuts very deep and feels a little painful.
How do you suppose Mary made out after discovering she was pregnant prior to marriage? Sure, the story seems to have a happy ending, giving birth to the Savior and all, but how do you suppose her life was changed? Imagine how she explained to her friends and family that God had chosen her to bear a special child. Maybe she was just a little disfigured too.
What about Moses, who received a calling from a burning bush to go face the strongest government in the region with the demand to let the slaves go free. Is that the course he imagined his life taking?
The story of Jacob wrestling with God always reminds me that the life of faith is not for the faint of heart. Frankly, it's hard and it hurts a lot. It means wrestling with God and walking away changed, and maybe not in the way you wanted to be changed.
(22) And he arose that very night and took his two wives, two maids his eleven children and he crossed the ford of Jabbok. (23)And he took them and crossed the wadi and that which belonged to him. (24) And Jacob remained apart and a man wrestled with him until dawn. (25)And he saw that he was not prevailing over him and he struck him in the hip socket and dislocated Jacob's hip as he wrestled with him. (26)And he said "Let me go for it is dawn." And he said "I will not let you go unless you bless me. (27)And he said to him "What is your name?" and he said "Jacob." (28)And he said "Jacob will no longer be your name, but Israel for you persisted with God and with people and you prevailed. (29)And Jacob asked and said "Now tell me your name." And he said "Why do you ask for my name?" and he blessed him there. (30)And Jacob called the place Peniel because "I saw God face to face and my being was delivered." (31)And the sun rose as he passed through Penuel and he limped upon his hip. (32)Thus the children of Israel do not eat the sinew of the thigh upon the hip socket this day because he was struck Jacob's hip socket in the sinew of the thigh.
How many times have we all wished that God would answer our prayers in obvious ways? Wouldn't it be better if God would just call you up on the telephone? Wouldn't it be easier if God would meet you in the mirror with the answers to your questions?
I've often thought this. To be honest, I am a little jealous of Jacob. He gets such awesome encounters with God and I somehow wish my own encounters were this dramatic. Jacob wrestles with God. Who among us hasn't? Jacob wrestles with God and comes away as a different man. Who among us hasn't?
Though I wish that I could see God "face-to-face" as Jacob did (what must that have been like?!), I know that my own encounters with the holy have been just as transformative. Christians have this tendency to talk about a life of faith as if it were a walk in the park with Jesus. Jacob's story proves that it doesn't work that way. A close and intimate relationship with God can sometimes cause you to walk away, not only changed, but maybe even a little disabled.Jacob walks away from Peniel with a limp. He is not the same person. He has a new name, and he is disfigured.
It works that way in the life of faith sometimes. Anyone experiencing a call to ministry knows that. How do you explain to your friends and family that God "told" you to go into ministry? There is a part of that calling that cuts very deep and feels a little painful.
How do you suppose Mary made out after discovering she was pregnant prior to marriage? Sure, the story seems to have a happy ending, giving birth to the Savior and all, but how do you suppose her life was changed? Imagine how she explained to her friends and family that God had chosen her to bear a special child. Maybe she was just a little disfigured too.
What about Moses, who received a calling from a burning bush to go face the strongest government in the region with the demand to let the slaves go free. Is that the course he imagined his life taking?
The story of Jacob wrestling with God always reminds me that the life of faith is not for the faint of heart. Frankly, it's hard and it hurts a lot. It means wrestling with God and walking away changed, and maybe not in the way you wanted to be changed.
Saturday, July 26, 2008
It's been a while
I apologize to any regular readers that might actually be out there for the lack of posts. I will try to post again next week. It is just that ministry has been keeping me busy and I try to make sure my real life ministry comes before the virtual ministry. If you want to see what's really been keeping me busy, bring your kids to VBS this week! :-)
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Matt 11:28-30 for Sunday, July 6, 2008
Translation:
(28)Come to me all who labor and who have been burdened and I will refresh you. (29)Take up my yoke on yourself and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in heart and you will find rest for your souls. (30)For my yoke is good and my burden is light.
What a Scripture, huh? And convenient that it is the Scripture right before July 4th. Who among us isn't ready for a break?
It's an interesting invitation. When Matthew wrote these words, it's likely he had in mind the religious baggage and burdens the Scribes and Pharisees carried. It's hard saying what exactly Jesus had in mind. The "yoke" in the Hebrew Scriptures usually refers to servanthood, and since Jesus was familiar with those scriptures, that's probably what he was talking about.
The "yoke" though? How is that restful? How is that a relief? Sounds like work to me! Well, truth be told, it is. But, it's a much better load than any other "religion" we force on ourselves. Like that "religion" that tells us we need to work 26 hours a day. Or that "religion" that tells us our life won't be complete without a boat. Or the "religion" that tells us we'd be better off walking the dog Sunday morning with our Starbucks. Or how about that "religion" that says bigger is always better?
Compared to these societal "religions," Jesus really is offering relief. Following Jesus means you don't have to conform to society. You only have to love God with all your heart, soul and mind and your neighbor as yourself. Sounds loads easier than what our society would have you believe doesn't it?
So, do you really need to work 26 hours a day? What would happen if you didn't? Do you really need that boat? What would happen if you didn't buy it?
(28)Come to me all who labor and who have been burdened and I will refresh you. (29)Take up my yoke on yourself and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in heart and you will find rest for your souls. (30)For my yoke is good and my burden is light.
What a Scripture, huh? And convenient that it is the Scripture right before July 4th. Who among us isn't ready for a break?
It's an interesting invitation. When Matthew wrote these words, it's likely he had in mind the religious baggage and burdens the Scribes and Pharisees carried. It's hard saying what exactly Jesus had in mind. The "yoke" in the Hebrew Scriptures usually refers to servanthood, and since Jesus was familiar with those scriptures, that's probably what he was talking about.
The "yoke" though? How is that restful? How is that a relief? Sounds like work to me! Well, truth be told, it is. But, it's a much better load than any other "religion" we force on ourselves. Like that "religion" that tells us we need to work 26 hours a day. Or that "religion" that tells us our life won't be complete without a boat. Or the "religion" that tells us we'd be better off walking the dog Sunday morning with our Starbucks. Or how about that "religion" that says bigger is always better?
Compared to these societal "religions," Jesus really is offering relief. Following Jesus means you don't have to conform to society. You only have to love God with all your heart, soul and mind and your neighbor as yourself. Sounds loads easier than what our society would have you believe doesn't it?
So, do you really need to work 26 hours a day? What would happen if you didn't? Do you really need that boat? What would happen if you didn't buy it?
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Genesis 22:1-14 for Sunday, June 29, 2008
Translation:
(1)It was after these things and God tested Abraham and he said to him, "Abraham!" And he said "Here I am." (2)And he said "Take your son, your only, which you love, Isaac and go to the land of Moriah and offer him as a burnt offering there, upon one of the mountains which I will say to you. (3)And Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey and he took two of his servant boys with him and Isaac his son. He cut wood for the burnt offering and he arose and he went to the place which God said to him. (4)On the third day, Abraham lifted up his eyes and he saw the place from afar. (5)And Abraham said to his servant boys, "Stay here with the donkey and I and the boy will go up to there and we will worship and we will return to you." (6)And Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it upon Isaac, his son, and he took in his hand the fire and the knife. They walked, the two of them together. (7)And Isaac said to Abraham, his father and he said "My father" and he said "Here I am, my son" and he said "Here is the fire and the wood but where is the sheep for the burnt offering?" (8)And Abraham said "God will see to the sheep for the burnt offering, my son." And they walked, the two of them together. (9)They came to the place which God said to him and Abraham built there an altar and set the wood in order and he bound Isaac, his son, and he placed him upon the altar upon the wood. (10)And Abraham sent his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son. (11)And a messenger of the LORD called out to him from the sky and said "Abraham! Abraham!" And he said "Here I am." (12)And he said, "Do not send your hand upon the boy, and do not do anything to him because now I know that you fear God and did not withhold your son, your only, from me. (13) And Abraham lifted up his eyes and he saw there a ram, caught in the thicket by its horns and Abraham went and took the ram and offered it as a burnt offering instead of his son. (14)And Abraham called the place "The LORD will provide," which is said this day "On the mount of the LORD, it will be provided."
What a scripture! I'll bet many people find would name this as their least favorite scripture. It's just such a difficult scripture to read, especially if you have children. And, it's still in our canon of scripture. Somehow we've got to reckon with it.
Since I'm preaching on Sunday, I've been thinking a lot about this scripture. In the first verse, we're told that God is testing Abraham. We're not told what kind of test God is giving Abraham, or what the intended outcome is. At the end, we're told that Abraham is spared from harming his son because he has proven that he fears God. And, most of the commentaries I could find said that God was testing Abraham's faithfulness.
Now, this just doesn't add up for me. While Abraham was not a perfect God-fearer (need I name the instance when he passed Sarah off as his sister? Or the whole Ishmael toboggle?), but he seems faithful enough to not warrant a test of his faithfulness!
I've been wondering if this was a test that Abraham passed. The scripture doesn't say if he passed the test. It only says that he is a God-fearing soul and he is not required to sacrifice his son. What if the test wasn't about finding out if Abraham was a God-fearer? What if the test was about Abraham's fidelity to the promise? Back in Genesis 12, God made some promises to Abraham, and in several instances prior to this, Abraham has seemed skeptical about the promise (doubting, for instance, that Sarah would conceive a child).
Maybe if God was testing Abraham in this way, he failed. Maybe the better answer would have been to say "No, no this isn't the promise I heard." Maybe sometimes, we all have to say something similar. When we see things like the poor getting poorer, the lack of affordable housing, lack of health care, lack of clean air to breathe, maybe then we all should say "No, this is not the kingdom of God I was promised." At what point do we refuse the things before us?
In any case, I don't know any better than you do if Abraham "passed" the test. I suspect, however, that another response to this "test" from God, may have yielded a totally different story. Maybe Abraham would have had a stronger relationship with God. Or, maybe we'd have more stories about Isaac's relationship with God. Maybe, ultimately, the people of God would not have ended up in Egypt as slaves. I don't know. What do you think?
(1)It was after these things and God tested Abraham and he said to him, "Abraham!" And he said "Here I am." (2)And he said "Take your son, your only, which you love, Isaac and go to the land of Moriah and offer him as a burnt offering there, upon one of the mountains which I will say to you. (3)And Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey and he took two of his servant boys with him and Isaac his son. He cut wood for the burnt offering and he arose and he went to the place which God said to him. (4)On the third day, Abraham lifted up his eyes and he saw the place from afar. (5)And Abraham said to his servant boys, "Stay here with the donkey and I and the boy will go up to there and we will worship and we will return to you." (6)And Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it upon Isaac, his son, and he took in his hand the fire and the knife. They walked, the two of them together. (7)And Isaac said to Abraham, his father and he said "My father" and he said "Here I am, my son" and he said "Here is the fire and the wood but where is the sheep for the burnt offering?" (8)And Abraham said "God will see to the sheep for the burnt offering, my son." And they walked, the two of them together. (9)They came to the place which God said to him and Abraham built there an altar and set the wood in order and he bound Isaac, his son, and he placed him upon the altar upon the wood. (10)And Abraham sent his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son. (11)And a messenger of the LORD called out to him from the sky and said "Abraham! Abraham!" And he said "Here I am." (12)And he said, "Do not send your hand upon the boy, and do not do anything to him because now I know that you fear God and did not withhold your son, your only, from me. (13) And Abraham lifted up his eyes and he saw there a ram, caught in the thicket by its horns and Abraham went and took the ram and offered it as a burnt offering instead of his son. (14)And Abraham called the place "The LORD will provide," which is said this day "On the mount of the LORD, it will be provided."
What a scripture! I'll bet many people find would name this as their least favorite scripture. It's just such a difficult scripture to read, especially if you have children. And, it's still in our canon of scripture. Somehow we've got to reckon with it.
Since I'm preaching on Sunday, I've been thinking a lot about this scripture. In the first verse, we're told that God is testing Abraham. We're not told what kind of test God is giving Abraham, or what the intended outcome is. At the end, we're told that Abraham is spared from harming his son because he has proven that he fears God. And, most of the commentaries I could find said that God was testing Abraham's faithfulness.
Now, this just doesn't add up for me. While Abraham was not a perfect God-fearer (need I name the instance when he passed Sarah off as his sister? Or the whole Ishmael toboggle?), but he seems faithful enough to not warrant a test of his faithfulness!
I've been wondering if this was a test that Abraham passed. The scripture doesn't say if he passed the test. It only says that he is a God-fearing soul and he is not required to sacrifice his son. What if the test wasn't about finding out if Abraham was a God-fearer? What if the test was about Abraham's fidelity to the promise? Back in Genesis 12, God made some promises to Abraham, and in several instances prior to this, Abraham has seemed skeptical about the promise (doubting, for instance, that Sarah would conceive a child).
Maybe if God was testing Abraham in this way, he failed. Maybe the better answer would have been to say "No, no this isn't the promise I heard." Maybe sometimes, we all have to say something similar. When we see things like the poor getting poorer, the lack of affordable housing, lack of health care, lack of clean air to breathe, maybe then we all should say "No, this is not the kingdom of God I was promised." At what point do we refuse the things before us?
In any case, I don't know any better than you do if Abraham "passed" the test. I suspect, however, that another response to this "test" from God, may have yielded a totally different story. Maybe Abraham would have had a stronger relationship with God. Or, maybe we'd have more stories about Isaac's relationship with God. Maybe, ultimately, the people of God would not have ended up in Egypt as slaves. I don't know. What do you think?
Apologies
Friends,
I apologize for my recent lack of posts. It's been busy! I permitted myself a blogging sabbatical for my anniversary last week. And the week before that was a busy week with Annual Conference. Though, Annual Conference was a fabulous time of fellowship with colleagues. My home conference, in Western NY, will be uniting with three other Annual Conferences in 2010. It's both exciting and scary. We had some good reports on how the uniting will happen, and what hiccups we expect now. All in all, it was a wonderful event.
That said, I'm preaching this week, so I've been spending some extra time with the text. Keep your eyes pealed for a post on Genesis 22 really soon!
I apologize for my recent lack of posts. It's been busy! I permitted myself a blogging sabbatical for my anniversary last week. And the week before that was a busy week with Annual Conference. Though, Annual Conference was a fabulous time of fellowship with colleagues. My home conference, in Western NY, will be uniting with three other Annual Conferences in 2010. It's both exciting and scary. We had some good reports on how the uniting will happen, and what hiccups we expect now. All in all, it was a wonderful event.
That said, I'm preaching this week, so I've been spending some extra time with the text. Keep your eyes pealed for a post on Genesis 22 really soon!
Friday, May 30, 2008
Gen 6:9-22; 7:24; 8:14-19 for Sun., June 1, 2008
Translation:
(9)These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation, Noah walked with God. (10)Noah had three sons, Shem, Ham and Japheth. (11)The earth was marred before God and the land was filled with violence. (12)God saw the land, how marred it was because all flesh ruined its ways upon the earth. (13)God said to Noah, "The end of all flesh has come before me. The earth is filled with violence because of them I now am going to destroy them along with the earth. (14)Make for yourself an ark from gopher trees. Make cells in the ark and cover it inside and outside with pitch. (15)And this is how you will make it: the ark will be 300 cubits long, 50 cubits wide, 30 cubits high. (16)Make a roof for the ark and finish it to a cubit above and put a door in the side of the ark. Make lower, second and third [decks]. (17)And I am bringing a flood of waters upon the earth to ruin all flesh which in it is a breath of life under the sky, everything on earth will die. (18)I will establish to my covenant with you and you will enter the ark, you and your sons and your wife and your son's wives with you. (19)And al that lives, from all flesh two from everything you will bring to the ark to preserve with you, male and female they shall be. (20)Those that fly according to their kinds, and from the animals according to their kinds and from all creeping things of the land according to their kinds. Two of each will come in with you to be preserved. (21)And take for yourself every food which will be eaten and gather up for yourself and it will be for you and for them food." (22)And Noah did everything which God commanded him, thus he did.
(7:24) And the waters prevailed over the earth 150 days.
(8:14)And in the second month on the 27th day of the month, the earth dried up. (15)God spoke to Noah saying: (16)"Go out from the ark with your wife, your sons and your son's wives with you. (17)Every living thing which is with you, all flesh and all flying things and all animals and every creeping thing which creeps upon the earth will come out with you to swarm on the earth and multiply upon the earth." (18)And Noah went out, and his sons and his wife and his sons wives with him. (19)All living things, all creeping things and all flying things and all those which creep upon the earth came out from the ark by families.
I recently attended Godly Play training, where I learned to tell biblical stories in a new way. Our instructors told us many biblical stories for us to reflect on. One of the stories was the story of Noah and the flood. There were about 30 adults in the room when the story was told and when the story was over, several were in tears. In a time where the images of Katrina, tsunamis, cyclones and earthquakes are all still very fresh, it is hard to hear a story of destruction. Especially a story of destruction initiated by God.
The story of Noah is one of the first stories in the Bible that illustrates how things have really gone wrong since the creation that God called "good." The violence and corruption of Genesis 6 is over and against the goodness of God's creation in Genesis 1. It seems that it is not just people that are corrupt, but everything has gone wrong. It is all flesh (which indicates to me, even animals and other parts of creation). God has to do something.
I think we often read this story and think that God must have been experiencing some kind of divine depression. God looked down on earth and disliked what God saw and in a fit of depression decided to end it all. Maybe this is how it happened. I like to think that God saw the earth and realized that things were not going the way God had intended. The creating was incomplete. God needed to have some form of redemption, some way to wipe this slate clean.
The flood was obviously a destructive way to cleanse the earth from it's wickedness, but I think God was searching for answers to "fix" the corruption on the earth. Short of saying God made a mistake with the flood, I think God was still creating and still finding the best ways to offer newness in a somewhat wrecked world. Obviously, God's plan was not to completely destroy the earth (he did preserve two of every species), but rather to wipe out the tendencies for corruption.
In the end, I think God discovered that the flood was perhaps not the ideal solution. Kind of in the same way none of the animals paraded before ha adam (literally "the earth-dweller") were the solution to his singular existence (Gen 2:18ff). God promises never to flood the earth again, and God does find other ways to offer redemption to the earth that do not involve mass destruction.
This Sunday, we will hear a sermon entitled "It All Belongs to God." In some sense, that fact may frighten us because the divine Creator, especially in this story, has the power to end all creation. On the other hand, the divine Creator makes a covenant with Noah and all creation to never again destroy every living being. God makes a solemn oath and we can rely on that. It doesn't mean that bad things will never happen, but it does mean that everything belonging to God is secure in God's covenant.
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Matt 6:24-34 for Sunday, May 25, 2008
Translation:
(24)No one can serve two lords; for he will hate the one and will love the other, or he will be loyal to one and the other he will despise. You cannot serve God and possessions. (25)Because of this, I say to you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, not for your body, what you will wear. (26)Look at the bird of the sky, for they do not sow, they do not reap and they do not gather up into a barns, yet your heavenly father feeds them; are you not superior to them? (27)And which of you, by worrying add to one cubit to your life? (28)And with clothes, why are you anxious? Consider the lilies of the field how they grow; they do not labor, they do not spin. (29)And I say to you, not even Solomon in all his glory was clothed as one of these. (30)But if the grass of the field is here today and tomorrow thrown into the oven and God thus clothes it, will he not do much more for you, of little faith? (31)Therefore, do not be anxious, saying "What will we eat?" or "What will we drink?" or "What will we wear?" (32)For all this Gentiles seek after, for your heavenly father knows that you need all these things. (33)Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all this will be added to you. (34)Thus, do not be anxious about tomorrow for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. The trouble of today is enough.
One of my favorite authors is Chaim Potok. He writes these amazing novels about Jewish life. You have to be a little invested in the plot to get through the first few chapters, but it's always worth it because he writes such beautiful and thought provoking stories.
One of my favorite Chaim Potok quotes is from his book The Chosen. It goes like this: "We live less than the time it takes to blink an eye, if we measure our lives against eternity. So it may be asked what value is there to a human life. There is so much pain in the world. What does it mean to have to suffer so much if our lives are nothing more than the blink of an eye?...I learned a long time ago, Reuven, that a blink of an eye in itself is nothing. But the eye that blinks, that is something. A span of life is nothing. But the man who lives the span, he is something."
I think of this quote every time I read this scripture from Matthew. I think of this quote because it reminds me that our lives are really very short, and for many people in this world life is full of suffering. Some do not have food or drink or clothing. For some people, these things are a real concern and lack of necessity. And yet, in our short lives, Matthew tells us not to worry about these kinds of things! This quote and this scripture remind me that little good comes from worrying about these things. Worrying is like being the blink of an eye.
The scripture tells us that God provides the necessary things that we need. It is true that God has provided, but it sometimes seems that things are not evenly distributed among all God's people. I doubt this has much to do with God's ability to provide and has more to do with our ability to share. Rather than worrying about whether or not goods and services are being evenly distributed, it would make more sense for me to do something about why they are not. It's better to be the eye that blinks, not the blink of the eye.
I think this week I will try to do less complaining about what I don't have and do more to think about what God provides. I think I will try more to think about what God has provided for this planet and how I can do my best to make sure I am not using more than my fair share and that everyone else gets equal opportunity.
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Matt 28:16-20 for Sunday, May 18, 2008
Translation:
(16)And the eleven disciples traveled to Galilee to the mountain which Jesus had commanded them. (17)And they saw him, they worshiped him but they doubted. (18)And Jesus was coming and spoke to them, saying "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. (19)Go, therefore, make disciples of all the people, baptizing them into the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, (20)teaching them to keep everything whatsoever I commanded you. And surely I am with you every day until the end of the age."
In preparation for writing this blog, I read (as I always do) several commentaries. One of my favorites has an "Explanation" section with these words, "Theirs is indeed an awesome responsibility: to go, make disciples of all nations, baptize, and teach. If left to their own devices and strength, the task would be overwhelming. Yet they are not left alone in this assignment. The risen, enthroned Jesus promises to be with them in their fulfillment of it, not intermittently but always." (Word Biblical Commentary, Volume 33b, pg. 889)
I totally agree with this commentator: Jesus' promised presence makes all the difference. That said, I'd like to take this commentator to task on the use of the word "overwhelming."
I think that the task wouldn't just be overwhelming, but impossible! These eleven disciples (not twelve--remember, Judas doesn't make it this far in the story) worshiped, but doubted. Some translations say that "some doubted." This is a Greek grammatical quandary, but I think Matthew does not mean that only some doubted. They all doubted. And admit it, that scares us even 2,000 years later because it means that it's possible that others (the disciples of all people!) aren't sure about this faith either.
Let me qualify the word "doubt." In this case, it means some kind of wavering. It's the kind of back-and-forth we all go through when one possibility seems reasonable and right but another pulls us in a totally opposite direction. It's indecision, uncertainty. These disciples do not know what is going on. Are they seeing things? Should they continue to take any of this seriously? They are all at a crossroads in their own lives. Of course they have doubts!
So, here we have eleven disciples, who worship but not with some sense of reservation. Then Jesus tells them to go and make disciples. Overwhelming?! Impossible! Here are eleven men who aren't even sure this is what they want to do, or what they believe, or what and how any of this happened anyway. I doubt they were feeling level headed enough to feel overwhelmed at this point. I'll bet they mostly wanted to just go back to their lives prior to meeting this Jesus. I'll bet they wanted to jump on a boat to Tarshish. I'll bet they had a hundred other things they'd rather do. In fact, if it wasn't for Jesus' final words in the Gospel of Matthew "I am with you every day until the end of the age," I wonder if we would even know anything about the disciples today.
It's not just that to "Go, therefore, make disciples of all the people" is an overwhelming task. Without Jesus' promise to remain present, I don't think it is possible at all. The fact of the matter is that no individual human being can save anyone. If we cannot point to the risen Christ as Savior when we go out to make disciples, then our message will have no power and no meaning. A disciple is literally a "follower," "pupil," "student." If Jesus did not go with us in our ministry, who would we teach folks to follow?
So, to all of those who have skipped over the last verses of Matthew thinking "not me! I could never do that!" I say, breathe easy! Your job is to show others how to follow Christ, by showing them his teachings and teaching his commands. You don't have to be Christ!
Monday, May 12, 2008
The blog hiatus of 2008
I've been absent from the blogosphere in the last two weeks, but not without good reason! I spent four days in Rochester, New York soaking up Godly Play Training. It was fabulous! Godly Play is perhaps most well known for the stories that are told to children using what appear to be "bare bones" materials that take on enormous meaning. Godly Play is incredibly difficult to explain, but is an amazing experience that I hope to share with many at Trinity.
Then it was off to my "Residency Event." In the Virginia Conference, all "probationary" clergy are required to attend two Residency Events each year, where we take in some continuing education. This time, the topic was Leadership. Though it's a long car trip to Blackstone, VA, the speakers are always wonderful and it's a lot of fun to catch up with friends and colleagues.
Then I returned to Trinity for a day. I read a lot of email. Returned a lot of phone calls and made some last preparations for Sunday before I left town one last time for a training event in Richmond.
So, after two weeks of no blogging, I'm back! This week's Scripture is Matthew 28:16-20, a very famous scripture, used at practically every commissioning ceremony that I've ever attended. I think you'll enjoy this Scripture, so be sure to check back when it's posted!
Thursday, April 24, 2008
John 14:15-21 for Sunday, April 27, 2008
Translation:
(15)If you love me you will keep my commandments. (16)And I will ask the Father and he will give to you another Paraclete, so that it may be with you into eternity, (17)the Spirit of truth, whom the world is not able to receive because it does not see him* nor does it know him*. You know him*, because he* abides in your presence and will be in you. (18)I will not leave you as orphans, I am coming to you. (19)Yet in a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me; because I live you also will live. (20)In that day you will know that I am in my Father and you in me and I in you. (21)Those who have the commandments and keep them, they are the ones who love me. And the ones who love me will be loved by my Father and I will love them and I will reveal myself to them.
*Though I am not sure it is theologically accurate to call the Paraclete a "he," the Greek uses a neuter pronoun, and there doesn't seem to be a good English alternative. I suppose I could call the Paraclete "it," but that gets redundant to a point. I apologize for the political incorrectness, and I'm open to other translation possibilities--so leave a comment!
I think this Scripture addresses every human being's most primal fear: separation. At some level, we have all been afraid of being separated from those we love. There's the fear of physical separation, like getting lost in the grocery store as a child or fearing that someone may abduct you. Then there's everyone's fear that their parent, grandparent, spouse or best friend might die and leave them alone in the world. Certainly this thought must have crossed the disciples' minds a time or two as Jesus' teachings continued to cause outrage.
But Jesus says that there is no need to be afraid of being alone. Jesus will never let that happen. Verse 18 is probably my favorite. The Greek literally reads "I will not allow you [to be] orphans." It might not be that Jesus is physically very near, but another Paraclete is coming!
Being alone is one thing. It seems unlikely that any of us should be absolutely alone, without any human contact, for very long. But being loved by those that share your company--that is something totally different. But Jesus even promises that love will continue. In verse 21 he says that those who follow the commandments (which are not restrictive rules, but life giving--another blog altogether!) will be loved. Not just loved by Jesus, but by the Father as well.
The only thing worse than feeling alone is feeling alone and unloved because when you feel alone and unloved you're pretty sure you don't matter to anyone else. The wonderful gift Jesus gave his followers was assurance that this would never happen. Even when Jesus died, the disciples were not alone or unloved. Even today, the many disciples of Jesus are not alone or unloved. To my way of thinking, that alone is a tremendous gift of life!
Thursday, April 17, 2008
John 14:1-14 for Sunday, April 20, 2008
Translation:
(1)Do not let your heart be troubled. Believe in God and also believe in me. (2)In my father's house there are many rooms, and if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. (3)And if I go and I prepare a place for you, I will come again and I will take you to myself, so that where I am you maybe also. (4)And you know the way where I am going. (5)Thomas said to him, "Lord, we do not know where you are going. How are we able to know the way?" (6)Jesus said to him, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the father if not through me. (7)If you know me, you will know my father. And from now on, you know him and have seen him." (8)And Philip said to him, "Lord, show us the father and it will satisfy us." (9) Jesus said to him, "All this time with you and you have not known me, Philip? The one who has seen me has seen the father. How can you say 'Show us the father'? (10)Do you not believe that I am in the father and the father is in me? The words which I said to you I do not speak myself, but the father who dwells in me does his works. (11)Believe me, that I am in the father and the father in me. But if not, on account of these works, believe. (12)Truly, truly I say to you, the one who believes in me, the work which I do also he will do and he will do greater [works] than these, because I am going to the father. (13)And whatever you may ask in my name I will do, in order that the father may be glorified in the Son. (14)If you ask anything in my name, I will do [it].
Jesus never speaks simply, does he?
I think if there is one word that we can choose as the most important word in this section of scripture, it might be "believe." By my count, this word crops up five times in these fourteen short verses. That's quite a lot.
Jesus is speaking in some very ethereal terms here about "going to the father" and "I am in the father and the father is in me" and the "father's house." It is pretty clear that Thomas and Philip do not know what Jesus means by all this, and I think it is safe to say that 2,000 years later, we are in no better position to definitively say what Jesus means. Some have said that the "father's house" is heaven, which would be a typical Jewish interpretation of this kind of language. But, in the Gospel of John many times Jesus uses metaphors of location to describe relationships. Perhaps the "father's house" and "preparing a room" are all metaphors for close, intimate relationship with God. Similarly, it is difficult for us to imagine that Jesus could be "in the father" or that the father could be in Jesus. It just seems physically impossible. This is probably also a metaphor for the close relationship between Jesus and God.
Jesus tells Thomas "I am the way and the truth and the life." This, coupled with last week's scripture about Jesus as the gate seems to mean that Jesus is the access to and embodiment of life with God.
None of these words and metaphors are probably any clearer now than they were before you came to this blog. But, I think Jesus knew that this was difficult to understand even as he spoke these words. He simply kept telling the disciples "believe." Somehow, I think that nothing Jesus could say would make any of this any clearer. We do not have language or appropriate earthly conventions to conceive of exactly what Jesus meant. Our task is to simply believe. Grammatically speaking, Jesus commands (use of the imperative) belief. Jesus does not use the imperative in other senses (except in the first verse, "do not let your heart be troubled"). The rest will come with spiritual maturity. For now, just believe.
This is true for so much of our lives. When we are faced with enormous life decisions, or the uncertainty of the future the only thing we can really do is rely on God and believe. This week at Trinity, we will all be participating in a survey administered by your Visioning Team. The Visioning Team has been meeting regularly to talk and pray together about where God may be leading Trinity as a faith community. This survey is one way the Visioning Team wants to engage the congregation at large in this process. We also want you to be engaged by your prayers, presence, gifts and talents.
Even as we try to discern God's vision for Trinity together, it is hard for us to see too far into the future. Thankfully we are not asked to do much more than believe. As we walk this road together, may our faith always guide us.
Thursday, April 10, 2008
John 10:1-10 for Sunday, April 13, 2008
Translation:
(1)Truly, truly I say to you, the one who does not come through the gate into the sheepfold, but comes up another way is a thief and a robber. (2)But the one who comes through the gate is a shepherd of the sheep. (3)The gatekeeper opens the gate and the sheep hear his voice and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. (4)When he has brought out all his own, he goes in front of them and the sheep follow him because they have known his voice. (5)But they will never ever follow a stranger, but they will run away from him because they have not known the voice of a stranger." (6)Jesus said this figure of speech to them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them. (7)Therefore, Jesus said again, "Truly, truly I say to you that I am the gate for the sheep. (8)Everyone who came before me is a thief and a robber, but the sheep did not listen to them. (9)I am the gate, whoever enters through me will be saved and will come in and go out and will find pasture. (10)The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came in order that they may have life and have it abundantly.
This is a complicated story. It is no wonder that no one understood Jesus the first time he told it. It is hard to understand on one telling and I encourage you to read it several times, in many different translations so that you can try to understand it too.
I think what is at the center of this story is a warning about who (and what) we choose to follow. Jesus gives us this imagery of sheep and a shepherd. The shepherd herds the sheep and keeps them safe. At night, a shepherd puts the sheep in a sheepfold so that they cannot wander off in the dark of night where many dangerous scenarios lurk. We may want to jump at thinking of Jesus as the shepherd, or the one who cares for us (the sheep), ensuring our safety. However, Jesus says explicitly "I am the gate."
Jesus is both the gate for the sheep and the gate for the shepherd. Those sheep that enter through the gate (Jesus) will be protected by the sheepfold, or the enclosure that ensures they will not wander out of the shepherd's care. The shepherd must also enter through the gate (Jesus). Many commentators think that the shepherd is imagery for the leaders of the religious community who were followers of Jesus, rather than the Pharisees who seem to climb into the sheepfold from other directions by thwarting Jesus' message at every turn. A shepherd or a true Christian leader will come through the gate (Jesus). A false leader will find another way into the sheepfold (Christian community) and will exist only to do harm.
I think this serves as a warning to us about who to follow and how to determine authentic Christian leadership. Jesus lived in a time filled with false prophets and teachers who claimed "true" knowledge. We also live in a time of false prophets. Those who claim to offer us safety and protection but do not enter through the gate (Jesus) are false prophets.
In a culture where information can be disseminated in a matter of minutes, there are false prophets everywhere. We are offered protection by financial advisors who promise to keep our money safe. We are offered protection by our government who claims to have our best interests at heart. We are offered protection by our doctors who want to keep us healthy. We are offered protection by the FDA who promises to keep our food safe for consumption. In some sense, all of these forms of protection are good, and very necessary. But, Jesus warns that if we choose to put all of our trust in these forms of protection, we will be disappointed and even harmed. Only those who enter through Jesus can point us toward abundant life.
This is an important message for me to hear because it reminds me that many of the things I rely on every day are not ultimately going to give me abundant life. Yes, antibiotics from my doctor may save me from a life-threatening infection, and wearing my seatbelt will save me from a fatal collision but if these are the things that I put all my trust in, I will never have abundant life. I will simply be living from one contained fear to another. It doesn't mean I should cease to do things that make good common sense (like wearing a seat belt or consulting a doctor), but it does mean that these things cannot give abundant life.
This scripture gives me pause to think about the people and things that I trust. Where have you put your trust? Who is your shepherd? What gates have you entered?
Monday, March 31, 2008
The Road to Emmaus for Sunday, April 6, 2008
Translation:
(13)And in the same day, two of them were going into a village about 7 miles from Jerusalem named Emmaus. (14)They were talking to one another about all that had happened. (15)As they were talking and discussing, Jesus himself came near, walking with them, (16)but their eyes were restrained and did not know him. (17)And he said to them "What are these words which you exchange with one another while walking?" And they stopped, saddened. (18)And one named Kleopas answered and said to him, "Are you only a stranger in Jerusalem and do not know the things that happened in these days?" (19)And he said to them, "What things?" And they said, "The things about Jesus of Nazareth, who was a powerful prophet in work and word before God and all the people, (20)that our chief priests and rulers handed him over into the judgement of death and they crucified him. (21)We hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel, but besides all this, it is indeed the third day since this happened. (22)Some women from among us astounded us: they were at the tomb early in the morning, (23)and not finding his body, they came and said they had seen a vision of angels who said he is alive. (24)And some from among us went to the tomb and found it just as the women said, but they did not see him." (25)And he said to them, "O foolish and slow of heart to believe all the prophets said! (26)Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer this to come into his glory?" (27)Beginning with Moses and from all the prophets he interpreted to them in all the scriptures about himself. (28)And they approached the village to which they were going and he pretended to proceed. (29)And they urged him, saying "Remain with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now drawing to a close. And he came to remain with them (30)and it was when he was reclining with them he took the bread, he blessed it and broke it and gave it to them, (31)And their eyes were opened and they came to know him and he was invisible from them. (32)And they said to one another "Were not our hearts burning as he spoke to us on the road, as he opened the scriptures to us?" (33)And rising that same hour they returned to Jerusalem and found the eleven gathered those with them. (34)They were saying, "The Lord has risen indeed and he was seen by Simon!" (35)And they related what happened on the road, and how he was made known to them in the breaking of bread.
This is one of the neatest stories in our Christian tradition. I say this a lot on this blog, but its really true this time. There is more to say about this scripture than any of you probably care to read in one blog post, so I'll narrow this down to the one thing that made me very excited as I translated this.
In verse 30, there is an interesting verb. Without getting into the nitty gritty of Greek grammar, the verb "to give" in verse 30 has some interesting translational possibilities because it is an imperfect verb (if you can't stand not knowing what an imperfect verb is, come to my office and we'll pour over Greek grammars together). We could simply say that "he gave it [the bread] to them." Or we could say "he kept on giving it [the bread] to them." Or "He began to give it [the bread] to them." Or "he was continually giving it [the bread] to them." I could keep going, but I think this last one is my favorite because it is packed with so much to think on. "He was continually giving it [the bread] to them."
Now, all the commentaries say that we should not be quick to say that Jesus was celebrating the Eucharist with the disciples. This is probably true. The text simply says they were sharing a meal, not that the were sharing any kind of sacred meal. However, surely Luke knew when he wrote this that his readers would immediately think of two other instances when Jesus also took bread, said a blessing, broke the bread and gave it: the feeding of the 5,000 and the last supper with the disciples. Even if they weren't celebrating the Eucharist, they were still eating together and we know that historically sharing a meal with anyone is a sacred affair. Take Abraham entertaining the three strangers, for example (Gen. 18).
In any case, this one verb is important to me because it is in the act of giving the bread to the disciples that they recognize him. That this one verb can mean so many things somehow adds to the mystery. We don't know exactly how the action took place. My favorite translation ("he was continually giving it [the bread] to them") is probably not the best one, but it says to me that the hospitality offered when Jesus gives the bread was always there. It was there when he taught among them. It was there when he ate with them. It was there on the cross and at the empty tomb and now it's here even though they don't recognize it.
What excites me the most about verse 30 is that it makes me believe all the more that John Wesley was right when he called the Lord's Supper (or the Eucharist or Holy Communion--or all those other names Scott mentioned on Sunday) a means of grace. As I've said before, a means of grace is just one way that we're assured we will meet God. There are other means of grace. Some people know that they meet God through art, or in music, or through nature. But no matter what, we are guaranteed to meet God through certain actions and one of them is the Lord's Supper. Whether or not the disciples celebrated this holy meal on the road to Emmaus is not important. It was through the breaking of bread and the receiving of the bread that they came to know Jesus was among them.
I think we all have the same opportunity to meet Jesus through the Lord's Supper. The giving of the bread and the cup is just as mysterious now as it is in Luke's telling. We do not know exactly how the bread is given, but we know that it is ours to receive. We do not know exactly how our eyes are opened to see God, but we know that it is possible. I hope you will look for the mystery in this meal as we celebrate it again in worship this week.
Friday, March 28, 2008
Acts 2:42-47 for Sunday, March 30, 2008
Translation:
(42)And they were devoting themselves to the teaching of the apostles and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to the prayers. (43)And everybody continually was awestruck, there were continually many wonders and signs through the apostles. (44)And all the believers were together and they possessed all things in common. (45)And the possessions and the property they sold and they distributed it all according to anyone who needed. (46)Every day they devoted themselves together in the temple, breaking bread at home, they shared food in extreme joy and humility of heart (47)praising God and having goodwill to all the people. And every day the Lord increased the number of those being saved among them.
In the early church, it seems that believers spent a lot of time together. They shared their possessions together, the praised God together, they ate together, they learned together. These days, we have a hard enough time doing these few things with our own families, let alone our faith communities!
Even so, these are important parts of building any community. We cannot be sure if the "breaking of bread" refers specifically to the Lord's Supper or Holy Communion as we know it. But we know that it refers to a meal. Just this week, I attended a meeting with people from many different faith communities. There were some folks from a Jewish Congregation, a couple Presbyterians, some Unitarian Universalists, and others. Though our work was not centered around eating together, we still shared a snack of cookies together. As we did so, we recognized that meetings in all of our faith traditions somehow feel more relaxed and more productive when we eat together.
Sharing meals together is an important way to build community. Somehow it seems that no matter what our differences, we all share one thing in common: the need for physical nourishment in order to accomplish anything.
When we share in Holy Communion together, I sometimes wonder at how it also serves as a unifying bond. Just as food solves the problem of physical nourishment, so Holy Communion seems to help with the problem of spiritual nourishment. Similarly, it seems that no matter what we believe about the holy meal we share, or how we understand theology, we all have a spiritual need to be nearer to this holy mystery.
During the 50 days of Easter, we will be receiving Communion each week here at Trinity. For centuries Christian communities have participated in this meal, even from the earliest communities in Acts and at the time of the Apostle Paul. As we participate in this sacred meal, I hope that we will remember that we participate as a believing community--not just of Christians at Trinity but with Christians of every time, place, age and denomination.
(42)And they were devoting themselves to the teaching of the apostles and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to the prayers. (43)And everybody continually was awestruck, there were continually many wonders and signs through the apostles. (44)And all the believers were together and they possessed all things in common. (45)And the possessions and the property they sold and they distributed it all according to anyone who needed. (46)Every day they devoted themselves together in the temple, breaking bread at home, they shared food in extreme joy and humility of heart (47)praising God and having goodwill to all the people. And every day the Lord increased the number of those being saved among them.
In the early church, it seems that believers spent a lot of time together. They shared their possessions together, the praised God together, they ate together, they learned together. These days, we have a hard enough time doing these few things with our own families, let alone our faith communities!
Even so, these are important parts of building any community. We cannot be sure if the "breaking of bread" refers specifically to the Lord's Supper or Holy Communion as we know it. But we know that it refers to a meal. Just this week, I attended a meeting with people from many different faith communities. There were some folks from a Jewish Congregation, a couple Presbyterians, some Unitarian Universalists, and others. Though our work was not centered around eating together, we still shared a snack of cookies together. As we did so, we recognized that meetings in all of our faith traditions somehow feel more relaxed and more productive when we eat together.
Sharing meals together is an important way to build community. Somehow it seems that no matter what our differences, we all share one thing in common: the need for physical nourishment in order to accomplish anything.
When we share in Holy Communion together, I sometimes wonder at how it also serves as a unifying bond. Just as food solves the problem of physical nourishment, so Holy Communion seems to help with the problem of spiritual nourishment. Similarly, it seems that no matter what we believe about the holy meal we share, or how we understand theology, we all have a spiritual need to be nearer to this holy mystery.
During the 50 days of Easter, we will be receiving Communion each week here at Trinity. For centuries Christian communities have participated in this meal, even from the earliest communities in Acts and at the time of the Apostle Paul. As we participate in this sacred meal, I hope that we will remember that we participate as a believing community--not just of Christians at Trinity but with Christians of every time, place, age and denomination.
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Matt 28:1-10 for Easter Sunday, 2008
Translation:
(1)Now after the Sabbath, on the dawning of the first day, Mary of Magdala and the other Mary went to see the tomb. (2)And suddenly there was a great earthquake for an angel of the Lord was descending from heaven and he rolled away the stone and sat upon it. (3)And his appearance was as lightening and his clothing white as snow. (4)And the guards were shaking for fear of him and they were like dead. (5)And the angel spoke to the women and said, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are seeking Jesus, the one who has been crucified. (6)He is not here, for he was raised just as he said. Come, see the place where he was laid. (7)Go quickly and tell his disciples that he was raised from the dead. He goes ahead of you into Galilee, there you will see him. This is what I spoke to you." (8)And going quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, they ran to tell his disciples. (9)And suddenly Jesus met them saying, "Greetings." Coming to him, they took hold of his feet and worshiped him. (10)Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go tell my brothers that they should go into Galilee. They will see me there."
For every woman reading the Gospels, this has got to be a defining moment. There aren't many women that figure prominently in the Bible, but here are two women who get center stage. Not only are they the first to learn the amazing news--not even death can keep Jesus away!--but they are also the first to meet the resurrected Christ!
Here is what I find remarkable: all of the earthly power authorities in this story no longer have power. The men in this story are noticeably absent, especially for a culture where men hold all the powerful positions. There are guards at the tomb, but when an angel from heaven descends they are as good as dead. Even though they went to great lengths to make sure that their "Jesus problem" was gone, the Romans cannot stop God's plan for salvation. The disciples are no where to be found.
(1)Now after the Sabbath, on the dawning of the first day, Mary of Magdala and the other Mary went to see the tomb. (2)And suddenly there was a great earthquake for an angel of the Lord was descending from heaven and he rolled away the stone and sat upon it. (3)And his appearance was as lightening and his clothing white as snow. (4)And the guards were shaking for fear of him and they were like dead. (5)And the angel spoke to the women and said, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are seeking Jesus, the one who has been crucified. (6)He is not here, for he was raised just as he said. Come, see the place where he was laid. (7)Go quickly and tell his disciples that he was raised from the dead. He goes ahead of you into Galilee, there you will see him. This is what I spoke to you." (8)And going quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, they ran to tell his disciples. (9)And suddenly Jesus met them saying, "Greetings." Coming to him, they took hold of his feet and worshiped him. (10)Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go tell my brothers that they should go into Galilee. They will see me there."
For every woman reading the Gospels, this has got to be a defining moment. There aren't many women that figure prominently in the Bible, but here are two women who get center stage. Not only are they the first to learn the amazing news--not even death can keep Jesus away!--but they are also the first to meet the resurrected Christ!
Here is what I find remarkable: all of the earthly power authorities in this story no longer have power. The men in this story are noticeably absent, especially for a culture where men hold all the powerful positions. There are guards at the tomb, but when an angel from heaven descends they are as good as dead. Even though they went to great lengths to make sure that their "Jesus problem" was gone, the Romans cannot stop God's plan for salvation. The disciples are no where to be found.
It just seems to me that the earthly structures of power don't have a hold anymore. Why else would the two Mary's feel empowered to go see the tomb by themselves? It doesn't matter any more if the men in their life approve. Then, when they learn that Jesus is not dead, that he is in fact alive and that they will seen him very soon, it is all confirmed! There is nothing more to fear. Not even death has a hold on them anymore.
Every Easter I am reminded that we live in a different world because of Jesus. It doesn't always seem that different. In fact, most of the time it can seem pretty miserable. But, because of Jesus we know that death no longer has a hold on us. We no longer need to live in fear of death. Imagine what that frees us to do! We can live boldly in God. We can do things, like stand up for justice without fearing our lives. I believe this firm belief in the resurrection empowered the Apostle Paul to challenge authority. It allowed Martin Luther to question the Roman Catholic Church. It gave John Wesley the courage to enter prisons and form discipleship groups with drunks. It gave people like Martin Luther King Jr. the ability to dream.
Each year Easter rolls around, I remember that Jesus lived boldly in God and that I can too because there is nothing left to fear. Living the Gospel message can be a fearsome thing, but each time I hear the story of the resurrection I am reminded that not even death can keep the Gospel down.
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Palm/Passion Sunday at Trinity
This week at Trinity, there will be lots of Scripture featured in our worship service--too much for me to pick one "central" passage, and too much for me to translate all of it. If you're interested in reading on your own, find Matthew 21:1-11 and Matthew 27:11-54. A friend of mine has already blogged a fantastic historical lesson about Palm Sunday, which would be well worth the read.
In the meantime, I've been thinking a lot about the Palm Sunday narrative--you know how Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey. I was telling this story to a group of children this week. We weren't reading from the Bible, but were retelling the story to each other. One of the children wanted to be sure that everyone knew that Jesus borrowed the donkey--it wasn't his. This detail seemed important to him.
Maybe it is an important detail. If Jesus borrowed the colt or donkey, it means that Jesus didn't raise the animal, feed it daily, make sure it had water or was safely tied to something sturdy. Someone else did all of these things. Whoever cared for the animal was intimately involved in this story, but is not even mentioned.
At another gathering with some colleagues, we read this story dramatically. It was brought to our attention that this animal probably did not know that on that day he would become famous. The donkey plays an important role! Every commentator mentions it, everyone thinks about it when they hear the story. And that animal probably had no idea that he was born to serve such a central role. We were reminded at this gathering that we're all "just the donkey." We all have some role, some purpose, that we may not even realize is important, but God needs us.
I'm constantly amazed at how God uses--even needs!--ordinary people to carry out such an extraordinary story of salvation. There's the person who cared for the donkey, all those people with palms, the ones who laid their cloaks on the ground, the disciples who fetched the animal. The list goes on. Without any of these major players, the story of salvation just wouldn't be the same. It astounds me how necessary each of us is in this greater meta-narrative.
Anyhow, there is a lot to think about as we approach Holy Week and I hope you will find time to process everything before Easter comes!
In the meantime, I've been thinking a lot about the Palm Sunday narrative--you know how Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey. I was telling this story to a group of children this week. We weren't reading from the Bible, but were retelling the story to each other. One of the children wanted to be sure that everyone knew that Jesus borrowed the donkey--it wasn't his. This detail seemed important to him.
Maybe it is an important detail. If Jesus borrowed the colt or donkey, it means that Jesus didn't raise the animal, feed it daily, make sure it had water or was safely tied to something sturdy. Someone else did all of these things. Whoever cared for the animal was intimately involved in this story, but is not even mentioned.
At another gathering with some colleagues, we read this story dramatically. It was brought to our attention that this animal probably did not know that on that day he would become famous. The donkey plays an important role! Every commentator mentions it, everyone thinks about it when they hear the story. And that animal probably had no idea that he was born to serve such a central role. We were reminded at this gathering that we're all "just the donkey." We all have some role, some purpose, that we may not even realize is important, but God needs us.
I'm constantly amazed at how God uses--even needs!--ordinary people to carry out such an extraordinary story of salvation. There's the person who cared for the donkey, all those people with palms, the ones who laid their cloaks on the ground, the disciples who fetched the animal. The list goes on. Without any of these major players, the story of salvation just wouldn't be the same. It astounds me how necessary each of us is in this greater meta-narrative.
Anyhow, there is a lot to think about as we approach Holy Week and I hope you will find time to process everything before Easter comes!
Thursday, March 6, 2008
2 Corinthians 9:6-12 for Sunday, March 9, 2008
Translation:
(9) And this is the point: the one who sows sparing also reaps sparingly; the one who sows bountifully also reaps bountifully. (7)Each person must decide in their heart, not reluctantly or out of a sense of duty, for God loves a cheerful giver. (8)And God is able to make every grace abound in you, in order that you always have a sufficiency and you may abound in all good deeds. (9)As it has been written, "He scattered abroad, he gave to the needy, his righteousness remains unto eternity." (10)And the one who provides seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed and the harvest of your righteousness will grow. (11)You will be made rich in all things for your generosity, which produces through us thanksgiving to God, (12)for the service of this ministry is not only providing that which is lacking among the saints, but also overflowing with many thanksgivings to God.
Has anyone ever heard the words "God loves a cheerful giver" and then immediately felt glad to give away your earthly possessions? Somehow this phrase (originally from Proverbs 22:8) has been manipulated so that the person speaking it immediately guilt-trips the person hearing it, influencing that person to be generous. I think this only works because we assume that the logical opposite is "God hates a miser." In any case, at least when I hear the words "God loves a cheerful giver," I brace myself for some kind of moral flogging.
Though the Apostle Paul is known for his incredible rhetoric (don't believe me? Read a commentary on Philemon!), I doubt he intended for his audience to be immediately turned off by these six verses the way many of us are. Paul is asking for the Corinthians to support the Jerusalem Church with their financial resources. But, his plea is much more theological than the way we hear the phrase "God loves a cheerful giver" in our own culture.
I think ultimately the point is that our generosity cannot be motivated by guilt, or a sense of obligation or any kind of reluctance because that is not how God loves us. God does not love us out of a sense of guilt or any kind of obligation. God loves us freely, for who we are, even as sinners. The love God shows us, we should also show others. It is that selfless, unconditional love for others that motivates us to give so freely of our own treasure. That God loves a cheerful giver is not to say that God loves a miser less, but that God loves the miser too and if we are to emulate that love in our relationships with others, we must be as radical as God is.
The following verses can start to sound like works righteousness. It almost sounds like the more you give, the better Christian you are, the nicer you are to everyone, the more grace you get. I'm not sure that things work quite that way. The more you give and the harder you work at being Christ-like, the more open you are to receiving God's grace. Suddenly God's grace abounds--not because it wasn't there before, but because you didn't have the eyes to see it before.
So, this Sunday when you hear these words in worship, I hope your body won't immediately stiffen as you ready yourself for a moral beating. These words don't have to feel like someone is wrestling your wallet out of your pocketbook. Instead, listen carefully for how God may be calling you to be generous.
(9) And this is the point: the one who sows sparing also reaps sparingly; the one who sows bountifully also reaps bountifully. (7)Each person must decide in their heart, not reluctantly or out of a sense of duty, for God loves a cheerful giver. (8)And God is able to make every grace abound in you, in order that you always have a sufficiency and you may abound in all good deeds. (9)As it has been written, "He scattered abroad, he gave to the needy, his righteousness remains unto eternity." (10)And the one who provides seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed and the harvest of your righteousness will grow. (11)You will be made rich in all things for your generosity, which produces through us thanksgiving to God, (12)for the service of this ministry is not only providing that which is lacking among the saints, but also overflowing with many thanksgivings to God.
Has anyone ever heard the words "God loves a cheerful giver" and then immediately felt glad to give away your earthly possessions? Somehow this phrase (originally from Proverbs 22:8) has been manipulated so that the person speaking it immediately guilt-trips the person hearing it, influencing that person to be generous. I think this only works because we assume that the logical opposite is "God hates a miser." In any case, at least when I hear the words "God loves a cheerful giver," I brace myself for some kind of moral flogging.
Though the Apostle Paul is known for his incredible rhetoric (don't believe me? Read a commentary on Philemon!), I doubt he intended for his audience to be immediately turned off by these six verses the way many of us are. Paul is asking for the Corinthians to support the Jerusalem Church with their financial resources. But, his plea is much more theological than the way we hear the phrase "God loves a cheerful giver" in our own culture.
I think ultimately the point is that our generosity cannot be motivated by guilt, or a sense of obligation or any kind of reluctance because that is not how God loves us. God does not love us out of a sense of guilt or any kind of obligation. God loves us freely, for who we are, even as sinners. The love God shows us, we should also show others. It is that selfless, unconditional love for others that motivates us to give so freely of our own treasure. That God loves a cheerful giver is not to say that God loves a miser less, but that God loves the miser too and if we are to emulate that love in our relationships with others, we must be as radical as God is.
The following verses can start to sound like works righteousness. It almost sounds like the more you give, the better Christian you are, the nicer you are to everyone, the more grace you get. I'm not sure that things work quite that way. The more you give and the harder you work at being Christ-like, the more open you are to receiving God's grace. Suddenly God's grace abounds--not because it wasn't there before, but because you didn't have the eyes to see it before.
So, this Sunday when you hear these words in worship, I hope your body won't immediately stiffen as you ready yourself for a moral beating. These words don't have to feel like someone is wrestling your wallet out of your pocketbook. Instead, listen carefully for how God may be calling you to be generous.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Matt 25:31-46 for Sunday, March 2, 2008
Translation:
(31) And when the Son of Man comes in his glory and all the angels with him, then he will sit upon the throne of his glory, (32)and all the peoples will gather before him and he will separate them from one another just as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. (33)And he will put the sheep at his right and the goats at his left. (34)Then, the king will say to the ones at his right, "Come, those who are blessed by my father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. (35)For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, (36)naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you cared for me, I was in prison and you came to me." (37)Then the righteous will answer him, saying "Lord, when did we see you hungry and we nourished you or thirsty and we gave you drink? (38)And when did we see you, a stranger and welcomed you or naked and we clothed you? (39)And when did we see you sick or in prison and we came to you?" (40)And answering, the King will say to them, "Truly I say to you, whatever you did for one of the least of these my brothers, you did for me. (41)Then he will say to those on his left, "Depart from me. You have been cursed into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels. (42)For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not care for me." (44)Then they will answer and say "Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison and we did not serve you?" (45)Then he will answer them saying, "Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me." (46)And they will depart into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.
I'll never forget the time I told this story to some kids at Trinity. The question I asked them was if Jesus isn't physically sitting with us, how can doing any of these things be like doing it for Jesus? One of the children responded and was almost annoyed that my question was too simple. He said "Well, since God made us there is a little piece of God inside all of us and if we help other people, you're kind of helping God too."
Our Sacred Space group watched a video that talked a little bit about this. God breathed the breath of life into each one of us. God was intimately involved in everyone's beginning. God knows each breath we take.
Its true that if we see other people as made in the image of God, it's harder to do anything to harm them. It's harder to hurt their feelings. It's harder to deny them basic rights and privileges. It's harder not to feed them and it's harder to ignore their cries. This was a very basic principle in the Nazi concentration camps such as Auschwitz. The Nazis denied inmates basic human needs such as proper nourishment, baths or even properly fitting clothes. The fact of the matter is that if someone looks less than human it is easier to treat them that way.
When we honor every life as one that was sacredly made, then we honor each person as if they were Jesus. I think Jesus was telling us to take care of each other, but I think Jesus was also telling us that ordinary people are no less worthy of our greatest care and attention than the Son of Man, the Messiah, is.
(31) And when the Son of Man comes in his glory and all the angels with him, then he will sit upon the throne of his glory, (32)and all the peoples will gather before him and he will separate them from one another just as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. (33)And he will put the sheep at his right and the goats at his left. (34)Then, the king will say to the ones at his right, "Come, those who are blessed by my father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. (35)For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, (36)naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you cared for me, I was in prison and you came to me." (37)Then the righteous will answer him, saying "Lord, when did we see you hungry and we nourished you or thirsty and we gave you drink? (38)And when did we see you, a stranger and welcomed you or naked and we clothed you? (39)And when did we see you sick or in prison and we came to you?" (40)And answering, the King will say to them, "Truly I say to you, whatever you did for one of the least of these my brothers, you did for me. (41)Then he will say to those on his left, "Depart from me. You have been cursed into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels. (42)For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not care for me." (44)Then they will answer and say "Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison and we did not serve you?" (45)Then he will answer them saying, "Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me." (46)And they will depart into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.
I'll never forget the time I told this story to some kids at Trinity. The question I asked them was if Jesus isn't physically sitting with us, how can doing any of these things be like doing it for Jesus? One of the children responded and was almost annoyed that my question was too simple. He said "Well, since God made us there is a little piece of God inside all of us and if we help other people, you're kind of helping God too."
Our Sacred Space group watched a video that talked a little bit about this. God breathed the breath of life into each one of us. God was intimately involved in everyone's beginning. God knows each breath we take.
Its true that if we see other people as made in the image of God, it's harder to do anything to harm them. It's harder to hurt their feelings. It's harder to deny them basic rights and privileges. It's harder not to feed them and it's harder to ignore their cries. This was a very basic principle in the Nazi concentration camps such as Auschwitz. The Nazis denied inmates basic human needs such as proper nourishment, baths or even properly fitting clothes. The fact of the matter is that if someone looks less than human it is easier to treat them that way.
When we honor every life as one that was sacredly made, then we honor each person as if they were Jesus. I think Jesus was telling us to take care of each other, but I think Jesus was also telling us that ordinary people are no less worthy of our greatest care and attention than the Son of Man, the Messiah, is.
Friday, February 22, 2008
Acts 2:42-47 for Sunday, February 24, 2008
Translation:
(42)And they were devoting themselves to the teaching of the apostles and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to the prayers. (43)And everybody continually was awestruck, there were continually many wonders and signs through the apostles. (44)And all the believers were together and they possessed all things in common. (45)And the possessions and the property they sold and they distributed it all according to anyone who needed. (46)Every day they devoted themselves together in the temple, breaking bread at home, they shared food in extreme joy and humility of heart (47)praising God and having goodwill to all the people. And every day the Lord increased the number of those being saved among them.
We are fortunate that Luke (who most scholars believe wrote the Gospel of Luke and Acts, sometimes called Luke-Acts) gives us descriptions of what the first communities of Jesus-followers were like. I don't think we can call them Christians as such, because I doubt they would have called themselves that. They are a distinct group of believers, though.
What is remarkable to me is how we can see just how these believers are creating their own culture. For as much heat as "culture" takes these days, it can be a good and necessary thing. Without a culture, this group of believers would be hard to distinguish from their Jewish counterparts, or maybe even from their pagan counterparts. Several things were very important to them: devoting themselves to the apostle's teachings, eating together, having fellowship together and praying. They even share their possessions together, fulfilling each other's material needs.
From the very beginning, followers of Jesus have found it necessary to gather together, eat together and share teachings together. Though some Christian mystics managed a solitary lifestyle, this is clearly not the historic norm. It's incredibly difficult to be a Christian in isolation. I think Luke demonstrates this as he describes how the earliest believers forged a community.
I also notice that this community of believers did a lot of things together, but worship is only one (v.46), in the list of many others. The way Luke describes it, most of the community's time was spent in fellowship, receiving teachings, and breaking bread together. If we were to model this in our own communities, we would spend maybe twice as much time in fellowship and study together than we would worship.
This is a difficult model to hold up today, as our hours are quickly filled with so many things. Sometimes it is a challenge just to get to worship weekly; it would be difficult to find another two hours for group study and fellowship. I think the challenge is for each of us to find ways to be in Christian community so that we can grow in our faith.
(42)And they were devoting themselves to the teaching of the apostles and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to the prayers. (43)And everybody continually was awestruck, there were continually many wonders and signs through the apostles. (44)And all the believers were together and they possessed all things in common. (45)And the possessions and the property they sold and they distributed it all according to anyone who needed. (46)Every day they devoted themselves together in the temple, breaking bread at home, they shared food in extreme joy and humility of heart (47)praising God and having goodwill to all the people. And every day the Lord increased the number of those being saved among them.
We are fortunate that Luke (who most scholars believe wrote the Gospel of Luke and Acts, sometimes called Luke-Acts) gives us descriptions of what the first communities of Jesus-followers were like. I don't think we can call them Christians as such, because I doubt they would have called themselves that. They are a distinct group of believers, though.
What is remarkable to me is how we can see just how these believers are creating their own culture. For as much heat as "culture" takes these days, it can be a good and necessary thing. Without a culture, this group of believers would be hard to distinguish from their Jewish counterparts, or maybe even from their pagan counterparts. Several things were very important to them: devoting themselves to the apostle's teachings, eating together, having fellowship together and praying. They even share their possessions together, fulfilling each other's material needs.
From the very beginning, followers of Jesus have found it necessary to gather together, eat together and share teachings together. Though some Christian mystics managed a solitary lifestyle, this is clearly not the historic norm. It's incredibly difficult to be a Christian in isolation. I think Luke demonstrates this as he describes how the earliest believers forged a community.
I also notice that this community of believers did a lot of things together, but worship is only one (v.46), in the list of many others. The way Luke describes it, most of the community's time was spent in fellowship, receiving teachings, and breaking bread together. If we were to model this in our own communities, we would spend maybe twice as much time in fellowship and study together than we would worship.
This is a difficult model to hold up today, as our hours are quickly filled with so many things. Sometimes it is a challenge just to get to worship weekly; it would be difficult to find another two hours for group study and fellowship. I think the challenge is for each of us to find ways to be in Christian community so that we can grow in our faith.
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Psalm 84 for Sunday, February 17, 2008
Translation:
(1) To the director: Upon the Gittith, for the sons of Korah, a Song
(2)How lovely are your tabernacles, O Lord of Hosts
(3)My being longs and even faints for the courts of the Lord
My mind and body shouts with joy to the Living [One]
(4)Even a bird finds a house, and a swallow a nest for itself,
where she puts her chicks; on your altars
Lord of hosts, my king and my God.
(5)Blessed is the one who lives in your house, forever praising you. (Selah)
(6)Blessed is the man whose strength is in you, whose heart are the highways.
(7)Those passing through the valley of Baca will make it a spring.
Even the rain wraps it in blessings.
(8)They go from strength to strength, it will be seen before God in Zion.
(9)Lord God of Hosts: Hear my prayer! Listen, O God of Jacob (Selah)
(10)Look at our shield, O God look on the face of your anointed.
(11)For better is a day in your courts than a thousand I have chosen
It is better to be a guard in the house of God than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.
(12)For the Lord God is a sun and shield, He gives grace and glory.
The Lord will not withhold good things to those who walk with integrity.
(13)O Lord of Hosts, blessed is the one who trusts in you.
This Psalm has been chose as the scripture for our Sunday sermon on "Passionate Worship." Some scholars think that this Psalm was recited or maybe sung by pilgrims as they mad their way toward Jerusalem for one of the three major pilgrimage feasts. You can imagine a pilgrim saying these words with anticipation of reaching the Temple to worship.
I like what this Psalm suggests about worship. To me, it suggests that worship is something powerful. The Psalmist is drawn to God in an almost magnetic way. Take a look at verses 1-3. The Hebrew words here don't leave any part of the Psalmists physical being out. The heart, the mind and the corporal body are all included. The whole being, the Psalmist's whole self is yearning for God, to sing praises to God and to just stand in God's courts.
Then, verses 4-8 seem to indicate a transformation in the worshiper. Particularly verse 7 and the valley of Baca. Though we do not know exactly where the valley of Baca would have been, the Hebrew word Baca is very close to the word for "tears." Some translations actually say "the valley of Tears." Imagine the transformation here--the valley of sadness is transformed to become a spring where the rain blesses the earth. What a powerful transformation we're talking about here!
There is some kind of petition in verses 9-10 where the Psalmist is asking God to do something. The Hebrew imperative verb form is used here, probably to indicate a sense of urgency that God should listen and hear the pleas of those who pray to him. And finally, the Psalm ends in the way it began--with the Psalmist's own experience of what it feels like to be in the presence of God.
I think this Psalm has a great stage before our own contemporary ears. Sometimes we take worship for granted. It happens every single Sunday, with much the same ordo or pattern. You might even call it predictable. But, this Psalm reminds us that our worship is more than just a pattern, more than just a weekly routine. Our worship is powerful because it happens in the presence of God. It is powerful because it is one way that we can communicate with God and a time and a place where we can have fellowship with God.
(1) To the director: Upon the Gittith, for the sons of Korah, a Song
(2)How lovely are your tabernacles, O Lord of Hosts
(3)My being longs and even faints for the courts of the Lord
My mind and body shouts with joy to the Living [One]
(4)Even a bird finds a house, and a swallow a nest for itself,
where she puts her chicks; on your altars
Lord of hosts, my king and my God.
(5)Blessed is the one who lives in your house, forever praising you. (Selah)
(6)Blessed is the man whose strength is in you, whose heart are the highways.
(7)Those passing through the valley of Baca will make it a spring.
Even the rain wraps it in blessings.
(8)They go from strength to strength, it will be seen before God in Zion.
(9)Lord God of Hosts: Hear my prayer! Listen, O God of Jacob (Selah)
(10)Look at our shield, O God look on the face of your anointed.
(11)For better is a day in your courts than a thousand I have chosen
It is better to be a guard in the house of God than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.
(12)For the Lord God is a sun and shield, He gives grace and glory.
The Lord will not withhold good things to those who walk with integrity.
(13)O Lord of Hosts, blessed is the one who trusts in you.
This Psalm has been chose as the scripture for our Sunday sermon on "Passionate Worship." Some scholars think that this Psalm was recited or maybe sung by pilgrims as they mad their way toward Jerusalem for one of the three major pilgrimage feasts. You can imagine a pilgrim saying these words with anticipation of reaching the Temple to worship.
I like what this Psalm suggests about worship. To me, it suggests that worship is something powerful. The Psalmist is drawn to God in an almost magnetic way. Take a look at verses 1-3. The Hebrew words here don't leave any part of the Psalmists physical being out. The heart, the mind and the corporal body are all included. The whole being, the Psalmist's whole self is yearning for God, to sing praises to God and to just stand in God's courts.
Then, verses 4-8 seem to indicate a transformation in the worshiper. Particularly verse 7 and the valley of Baca. Though we do not know exactly where the valley of Baca would have been, the Hebrew word Baca is very close to the word for "tears." Some translations actually say "the valley of Tears." Imagine the transformation here--the valley of sadness is transformed to become a spring where the rain blesses the earth. What a powerful transformation we're talking about here!
There is some kind of petition in verses 9-10 where the Psalmist is asking God to do something. The Hebrew imperative verb form is used here, probably to indicate a sense of urgency that God should listen and hear the pleas of those who pray to him. And finally, the Psalm ends in the way it began--with the Psalmist's own experience of what it feels like to be in the presence of God.
I think this Psalm has a great stage before our own contemporary ears. Sometimes we take worship for granted. It happens every single Sunday, with much the same ordo or pattern. You might even call it predictable. But, this Psalm reminds us that our worship is more than just a pattern, more than just a weekly routine. Our worship is powerful because it happens in the presence of God. It is powerful because it is one way that we can communicate with God and a time and a place where we can have fellowship with God.
Friday, February 8, 2008
Matt 18:1-5 for Sunday, February 10, 2008
Translation:
(1)In that time, the disciples approached Jesus saying, "Who, then, is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" (2)And summoning a child, he put him in the middle of them. (3)And he said, "Truly I say to you, if you do not change inwardly and become as the child, you may not enter the kingdom of heaven. (4)Therefore, whoever humbles himself as this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. (5)And who ever welcomes such a child in my name welcomes me."
We get all kinds of warm and fuzzy feelings when we read this scripture. When we read it, we start thinking of all the ways we could work in children's ministry. Unfortunately, I don't think this is what Jesus had in mind.
In Jesus' time, children were seen as inferior members of the human race. It makes perfect sense, if you also know that many children did not live to see their second birthdays. A child was not useful to society until he or she was old enough to contribute in meaningful ways. Until then, children were a huge liability. Very rarely would anyone consider that a rabbi would use a child in an illustration about how to become a member in the kingdom of heaven. Children did not have the kind of social status that would be noticed by a rabbi.
All the same, Jesus uses this child as an illustration to say that if you want to be in the kingdom of heaven, you must be as humble as is possible. Clearly, this is not like earthly kingdoms. In a an earthly kingdom you climb the ladder of success until you reach a very important position of power. In the kingdom of heaven, you humble yourself until you are seen as a nothing, a worthless nobody to others. Only when you are as humble as you can possibly be can you truly identify with the poor, weak, and the sick. How else could any of these persons be welcomed in Christ's name?
So, I don't think the message here is that we all need to become involved in our church's children's ministry. As it turns out, Jesus is not reminding us that children are our future. Jesus is reminding us that children are our present, for with us in this very moment are members of our society who are forgotten, lonely, and deemed worthless. If any of us wish to enter the kingdom of heaven, we must change ourselves inwardly and become as humble so that we can identify with those who have been forgotten and welcome them into the body of Christ.
(1)In that time, the disciples approached Jesus saying, "Who, then, is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" (2)And summoning a child, he put him in the middle of them. (3)And he said, "Truly I say to you, if you do not change inwardly and become as the child, you may not enter the kingdom of heaven. (4)Therefore, whoever humbles himself as this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. (5)And who ever welcomes such a child in my name welcomes me."
We get all kinds of warm and fuzzy feelings when we read this scripture. When we read it, we start thinking of all the ways we could work in children's ministry. Unfortunately, I don't think this is what Jesus had in mind.
In Jesus' time, children were seen as inferior members of the human race. It makes perfect sense, if you also know that many children did not live to see their second birthdays. A child was not useful to society until he or she was old enough to contribute in meaningful ways. Until then, children were a huge liability. Very rarely would anyone consider that a rabbi would use a child in an illustration about how to become a member in the kingdom of heaven. Children did not have the kind of social status that would be noticed by a rabbi.
All the same, Jesus uses this child as an illustration to say that if you want to be in the kingdom of heaven, you must be as humble as is possible. Clearly, this is not like earthly kingdoms. In a an earthly kingdom you climb the ladder of success until you reach a very important position of power. In the kingdom of heaven, you humble yourself until you are seen as a nothing, a worthless nobody to others. Only when you are as humble as you can possibly be can you truly identify with the poor, weak, and the sick. How else could any of these persons be welcomed in Christ's name?
So, I don't think the message here is that we all need to become involved in our church's children's ministry. As it turns out, Jesus is not reminding us that children are our future. Jesus is reminding us that children are our present, for with us in this very moment are members of our society who are forgotten, lonely, and deemed worthless. If any of us wish to enter the kingdom of heaven, we must change ourselves inwardly and become as humble so that we can identify with those who have been forgotten and welcome them into the body of Christ.
Friday, February 1, 2008
Matt 17:1-9 for Sunday, February 3, 2008
Translation:
(1)And after six days, Jesus took Peter and James and John, his brother, and he broght them up to a high mountain by themselves. (2)And he was transformed before them and his face shone as the sun and his garment was brilliant as the light. (3)Suddenly, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, speaking with him. (4)Peter responded to Jesus saying, "Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you desire, I will make here three tents, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah." (5)While he was still talking, suddenly a cloud full of light overshadowed them and suddenly a voice from the cloud said, "This is my son, the beloved, in whom I am pleased. Listen to him." (6)And when the disciples heard this, they fell upon their faces and they were very afraid. (7)Jesus came and touching them he said, "Get up and do not be afraid." (8)And lifting up their eyes, they saw no one except Jesus himself, alone. (9)And going down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them , saying "You may tell no one about the vision until the son of man has been raised from the dead."
This scripture, commonly called "The Transfiguration" is filled with references to Judaism. It all makes sense, if you consider that Matthew was probably writing to an audience of Jews who became Christians probably around 80 or 90 CE. This caused a schism in Judaism, where some Jews felt that Jesus was the Messiah and some did not. Since Matthew was writing to a group of Jews who did believe in Christ, it makes sense that he would want to portray Jesus as continuous with their Jewish roots.
Let's review some of the things Jewish readers would surely notice. Ascending the mountain is a reminder of Moses, who ascended Mt. Horeb to receive the Ten Commandments from God. Moreover, when Jesus and the disciples reach the top of the mountain, Jesus is transformed so that his face shines and even his clothes shine with bright light. Moses had a similar experience when as he came down from his mountain-top visit with God. And then Jesus appears to be conversing with Moses and Elijah, both major figures in Jewish history, responsible for carrying the promises of God forward. Both Moses and Elijah were considered to be transcendent figures, or persons who did not actually die but were taken directly to heaven by God.
After witnessing this, Peter suggests that they stay on the mountain with Moses and Elijah. He is excited and filled to the brim with the Holy Spirit. Who would want to leave? And, in his typically Jewish way, he suggests building tents, or tabernacles, as Jews do during the Festival of Booths. Some first century Jewish traditions associated the future reign of the kingdom of God with the Festival of Booths.
But just then a cloud of light comes over them! What an oxymoron! Imagine a cloud of light that is so bright that everything else seems dark. In my imagination, that is what I think they experienced. God also appeared in a cloud to Moses. The voice from the cloud speaks the same words as were heard at Jesus' baptism (Matt. 3). This whole experience was enough to bring the disciples to their knees, bowing down in fear. When they rise again, everything is back to normal. Just as it was before.
The story of the Transfiguration is very exciting to me. It is proof positive that Jesus was more than a healer or miracle worker. It proves that Jesus is part of a larger history and a bigger story. It reminds me that God's story goes back many hundreds of years and that God's work in Jesus is part of this larger work. It impresses me all the more that God would send his only son to be our savior, because I am reminded that God has an intimate knowledge of his people, a long history with these people. God knows well the shortcomings of human creatures. God knows first hand how things can go very wrong. And still, God was willing to send his only son to die on a cross so that our sins could be forgiven. Astounding!
(1)And after six days, Jesus took Peter and James and John, his brother, and he broght them up to a high mountain by themselves. (2)And he was transformed before them and his face shone as the sun and his garment was brilliant as the light. (3)Suddenly, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, speaking with him. (4)Peter responded to Jesus saying, "Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you desire, I will make here three tents, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah." (5)While he was still talking, suddenly a cloud full of light overshadowed them and suddenly a voice from the cloud said, "This is my son, the beloved, in whom I am pleased. Listen to him." (6)And when the disciples heard this, they fell upon their faces and they were very afraid. (7)Jesus came and touching them he said, "Get up and do not be afraid." (8)And lifting up their eyes, they saw no one except Jesus himself, alone. (9)And going down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them , saying "You may tell no one about the vision until the son of man has been raised from the dead."
This scripture, commonly called "The Transfiguration" is filled with references to Judaism. It all makes sense, if you consider that Matthew was probably writing to an audience of Jews who became Christians probably around 80 or 90 CE. This caused a schism in Judaism, where some Jews felt that Jesus was the Messiah and some did not. Since Matthew was writing to a group of Jews who did believe in Christ, it makes sense that he would want to portray Jesus as continuous with their Jewish roots.
Let's review some of the things Jewish readers would surely notice. Ascending the mountain is a reminder of Moses, who ascended Mt. Horeb to receive the Ten Commandments from God. Moreover, when Jesus and the disciples reach the top of the mountain, Jesus is transformed so that his face shines and even his clothes shine with bright light. Moses had a similar experience when as he came down from his mountain-top visit with God. And then Jesus appears to be conversing with Moses and Elijah, both major figures in Jewish history, responsible for carrying the promises of God forward. Both Moses and Elijah were considered to be transcendent figures, or persons who did not actually die but were taken directly to heaven by God.
After witnessing this, Peter suggests that they stay on the mountain with Moses and Elijah. He is excited and filled to the brim with the Holy Spirit. Who would want to leave? And, in his typically Jewish way, he suggests building tents, or tabernacles, as Jews do during the Festival of Booths. Some first century Jewish traditions associated the future reign of the kingdom of God with the Festival of Booths.
But just then a cloud of light comes over them! What an oxymoron! Imagine a cloud of light that is so bright that everything else seems dark. In my imagination, that is what I think they experienced. God also appeared in a cloud to Moses. The voice from the cloud speaks the same words as were heard at Jesus' baptism (Matt. 3). This whole experience was enough to bring the disciples to their knees, bowing down in fear. When they rise again, everything is back to normal. Just as it was before.
The story of the Transfiguration is very exciting to me. It is proof positive that Jesus was more than a healer or miracle worker. It proves that Jesus is part of a larger history and a bigger story. It reminds me that God's story goes back many hundreds of years and that God's work in Jesus is part of this larger work. It impresses me all the more that God would send his only son to be our savior, because I am reminded that God has an intimate knowledge of his people, a long history with these people. God knows well the shortcomings of human creatures. God knows first hand how things can go very wrong. And still, God was willing to send his only son to die on a cross so that our sins could be forgiven. Astounding!
Friday, January 25, 2008
Matthew 4:18-22 for Sunday, January 27, 2008
Translation:
(18) And walking along side the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (named Peter) and Andrew, his brother, throwing a casting net into the sea, for they were fishermen. (19)And he said to them, "Come behind me and I will make you fishermen of people." (20)And immediately, leaving behind the fishing net, they followed him. (21)And going forward from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebadee and John, his brother, in the boat with Zebadee, their father, mending their nets, and he called them. (22)And immediately, leaving behind the boat and their father they followed him.
Jesus is one very unusual rabbi. Rabbis in his day typically waited for students to find them. The more well known the rabbi was, the more students he would acquire and the more selective he could be. Not Jesus. No, Jesus went out looking for his followers. While other rabbis were waiting for applicants, Jesus was out actively searching for his.
And that's not all that's unusual about Jesus. When he finds some interesting candidates he approaches them with this statement "Come behind me and I will make you fishermen of people." Literally the Greek means "Come be my pupils" because the word meaning "behind" not only means to follow, but to follow closely as a pupil follows a teacher. And to be fishermen of people? Strange statement, huh? Well, maybe not if you lived in the first century. Religious metaphors, both in Jewish and Pagan religions, using fishing, fishermen, etc. were common ways of talking about a diety's call to a new life. Turns out, Jesus was speaking just exactly the language that these fishermen would understand. Which evidently is true since they get up immediately and follow Jesus. No questions asked. No further explanation needed. Whatever Jesus said to them was recognized immediately as truth and they were convicted enough to simply go.
But they didn't just follow after Jesus like lost puppy dogs. The Greek says they followed as a willing, committed disciple would follow. They followed Jesus at a personal cost and personal risk. It is not just that they wandered around with him, but that they made a conscious decision to change their lifestyle.
I think if we (the church) have ever wondered how to do evangelism, Jesus lays out a pretty clear plan right here.
And finally, Jesus says something the fishermen understand. He doesn't speak doctrine to them. He doesn't even quote scripture. None of that would be relevant to the fishermen. Instead, he uses a metaphor he knows that they will understand because their culture understands it. Pagan or Jewish (we don't know what the fishermen's persuasion is), Jesus is pretty certain they're going to understand what he means. And it's not a confusing message. It's pretty clear. We can't expect people are going to find following Jesus to be an attractive thing if we can't effectively and clearly articulate what we mean by it.
That said, I also think that Jesus called the fishermen to something that he was already doing. He told them that he would make them "fishermen of people." If Jesus wasn't already walking around "fishing for people," then I'm not sure exactly what he was doing. Moreover, Jesus did not have a preconceived notion that he was calling the fishermen to something they already knew how to do. The English and the Greek is abundantly clear "I will make you..." No prior experience necessary. Jesus will teach them what they need to know, something I think he'd already tried for himself.
So, those are my thoughts. Do you have any?
(18) And walking along side the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (named Peter) and Andrew, his brother, throwing a casting net into the sea, for they were fishermen. (19)And he said to them, "Come behind me and I will make you fishermen of people." (20)And immediately, leaving behind the fishing net, they followed him. (21)And going forward from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebadee and John, his brother, in the boat with Zebadee, their father, mending their nets, and he called them. (22)And immediately, leaving behind the boat and their father they followed him.
Jesus is one very unusual rabbi. Rabbis in his day typically waited for students to find them. The more well known the rabbi was, the more students he would acquire and the more selective he could be. Not Jesus. No, Jesus went out looking for his followers. While other rabbis were waiting for applicants, Jesus was out actively searching for his.
And that's not all that's unusual about Jesus. When he finds some interesting candidates he approaches them with this statement "Come behind me and I will make you fishermen of people." Literally the Greek means "Come be my pupils" because the word meaning "behind" not only means to follow, but to follow closely as a pupil follows a teacher. And to be fishermen of people? Strange statement, huh? Well, maybe not if you lived in the first century. Religious metaphors, both in Jewish and Pagan religions, using fishing, fishermen, etc. were common ways of talking about a diety's call to a new life. Turns out, Jesus was speaking just exactly the language that these fishermen would understand. Which evidently is true since they get up immediately and follow Jesus. No questions asked. No further explanation needed. Whatever Jesus said to them was recognized immediately as truth and they were convicted enough to simply go.
But they didn't just follow after Jesus like lost puppy dogs. The Greek says they followed as a willing, committed disciple would follow. They followed Jesus at a personal cost and personal risk. It is not just that they wandered around with him, but that they made a conscious decision to change their lifestyle.
I think if we (the church) have ever wondered how to do evangelism, Jesus lays out a pretty clear plan right here.
- Jesus is walking. Jesus is the active character here. He does things like walking, talking. He gets out there. He meets people. Grammatically, these are not passive verbs. They are active participles--indicating that Jesus is up and moving! Moreover, he's not just sitting around waiting for applicants. He's out there looking for them!
- Jesus meets fishermen. Where does Jesus go? Where the people are! He's not out there setting up booths and handing out brochures, but going straight to where people work--in boats in this case.
- Jesus speaks their language. Jesus says what he means in a way the fishermen can understand. None of this cryptic church speak, but he uses a metaphor he knows they will really understand. And he says it in a very convincing way, a way that really gets the Truth across. He convicts those fishermen!
And finally, Jesus says something the fishermen understand. He doesn't speak doctrine to them. He doesn't even quote scripture. None of that would be relevant to the fishermen. Instead, he uses a metaphor he knows that they will understand because their culture understands it. Pagan or Jewish (we don't know what the fishermen's persuasion is), Jesus is pretty certain they're going to understand what he means. And it's not a confusing message. It's pretty clear. We can't expect people are going to find following Jesus to be an attractive thing if we can't effectively and clearly articulate what we mean by it.
That said, I also think that Jesus called the fishermen to something that he was already doing. He told them that he would make them "fishermen of people." If Jesus wasn't already walking around "fishing for people," then I'm not sure exactly what he was doing. Moreover, Jesus did not have a preconceived notion that he was calling the fishermen to something they already knew how to do. The English and the Greek is abundantly clear "I will make you..." No prior experience necessary. Jesus will teach them what they need to know, something I think he'd already tried for himself.
So, those are my thoughts. Do you have any?
Friday, January 18, 2008
Psalm 40:1-11 for Sunday, January 20, 2008
Translation:
(1)To the director: a song of David
(2)I waited forever, the Lord stretched out to me, he heard my cry for help
(3)He lifted me from a roaring pit, from a muddy mire.
He stood my feet upon a crag and my step was set.
(4)He put a new song of praise in my mouth for our God
Many saw, and they feared and they trusted in the Lord
(5)Happy are those who put their confidence in the Lord
and do not turn to the proud, and swerve from deception.
(6)You have done much, O Lord my God, your wonderful things
And your thoughts toward us, none can compare to you.
I declare and I proclaim, they are too many to count!
(7)You do not delight in sacrifices or gifts, you gave me opened ears, you do not ask for burnt offering or sin offering
(8)Then I said, "Here I come!"
in the scroll of the book it was written about me
(9) I will delight in doing your will, my God; your laws are in the midst of my inmost parts
(10)I bear tidings of righteousness among the great congregation
behold, my lips will not be shut up, O Lord you know
(11)Your righteousness I have not concealed in my heart
of your faithfulness and your deliverance I have spoken; I have not hidden your steadfast love and your truth from your great congregation
(12)Lord, do not withhold your compassion from me
Your steadfast love and truth always guard me.
First, inquiring minds will want to know if I made a mistake. I advertised verses 1-11 here, but there appear to be 12 verses. Not a mistake, but a versification issue: Hebrew Bibles make the superscription its own verse. The superscription is the part that says "To the director: a song of David." English Bibles roll this statement into the beginning of the Psalm, which makes every English Psalm appear one verse shorter than every Hebrew Psalm. Confusing? Of course! That's what makes it fun!
The Psalms have long been recognized as a unique part of the Bible. Some have elevated them to the status of the "Bible in miniature," which is quite a statement! For millennia, they have been prayed and sung as a indispensible part of thousands of prayer lives. Somehow, the words of the Psalmist can easily become our words. Even as the world around us has changed, somehow these words are still applicable.
The Psalms have long since been put in many different categories as they all seem to serve different purposes. Just take a minute to read Psalm 137 and then read Psalm 150 and you'll know what I'm talking about. Psalm 40:1-11 seem to be a thanksgiving psalm. The Psalmist is thanking God for remaining faithful through a rough time.
The Psalmist was once in a pit--not just any pit, because there are lots of Hebrew words for pits. But, this is the same word for "pit" that is used in the Joseph story (when Joseph's brothers throw him into the pit, Genesis 37:22). This is the kind of low point that defines the direction in a person's life (as it certainly did for Joseph!). It was a chaotic pit, with roaring water, and sticky mud. And God remained close and even pulled the Psalmist out of this pit and put him on steady ground (in contrast to the mud that threatens to pull him under). As a result, the Psalmist is eager to proclaim God's praise, eager to do God's will. In verse 7, the English is best rendered as "you gave me opened ears," but the Hebrew literally says "you dug ears for me," a very physical acknowledgment that the Psalmist is now ready to do whatever God has ahead of him. He is ready to hear God. Likewise, the Psalmist does not keep his joy to himself, silently praising God, but shares it with the community.
It seems likely that anyone who reads this psalm can instantly relate. Haven't we all experienced at time in our lives when we were stuck in a pit? When the mud seemed so deep and thick and ready to swallow us up that there was no way out except through God? And for those of us that have emerged from these experiences, we sometimes do feel like praising God, sharing our story. For anyone that has been delivered from some calamity, it is hard to keep the story shut up inside. And it is hard for the community not to listen--we all love a story that gives hope.
For me, this psalm reminds me of times that I have been in the pit. It reminds me of the joy felt from emerging from a dark place. It also gives me a chance to remember that we all find ourselves at a different place on this continuum. Some of us are in the pit right now, being sucked under in the mud. Others are out there proclaiming God as their savior. Still others are just now being delivered. Where are you?
(1)To the director: a song of David
(2)I waited forever, the Lord stretched out to me, he heard my cry for help
(3)He lifted me from a roaring pit, from a muddy mire.
He stood my feet upon a crag and my step was set.
(4)He put a new song of praise in my mouth for our God
Many saw, and they feared and they trusted in the Lord
(5)Happy are those who put their confidence in the Lord
and do not turn to the proud, and swerve from deception.
(6)You have done much, O Lord my God, your wonderful things
And your thoughts toward us, none can compare to you.
I declare and I proclaim, they are too many to count!
(7)You do not delight in sacrifices or gifts, you gave me opened ears, you do not ask for burnt offering or sin offering
(8)Then I said, "Here I come!"
in the scroll of the book it was written about me
(9) I will delight in doing your will, my God; your laws are in the midst of my inmost parts
(10)I bear tidings of righteousness among the great congregation
behold, my lips will not be shut up, O Lord you know
(11)Your righteousness I have not concealed in my heart
of your faithfulness and your deliverance I have spoken; I have not hidden your steadfast love and your truth from your great congregation
(12)Lord, do not withhold your compassion from me
Your steadfast love and truth always guard me.
First, inquiring minds will want to know if I made a mistake. I advertised verses 1-11 here, but there appear to be 12 verses. Not a mistake, but a versification issue: Hebrew Bibles make the superscription its own verse. The superscription is the part that says "To the director: a song of David." English Bibles roll this statement into the beginning of the Psalm, which makes every English Psalm appear one verse shorter than every Hebrew Psalm. Confusing? Of course! That's what makes it fun!
The Psalms have long been recognized as a unique part of the Bible. Some have elevated them to the status of the "Bible in miniature," which is quite a statement! For millennia, they have been prayed and sung as a indispensible part of thousands of prayer lives. Somehow, the words of the Psalmist can easily become our words. Even as the world around us has changed, somehow these words are still applicable.
The Psalms have long since been put in many different categories as they all seem to serve different purposes. Just take a minute to read Psalm 137 and then read Psalm 150 and you'll know what I'm talking about. Psalm 40:1-11 seem to be a thanksgiving psalm. The Psalmist is thanking God for remaining faithful through a rough time.
The Psalmist was once in a pit--not just any pit, because there are lots of Hebrew words for pits. But, this is the same word for "pit" that is used in the Joseph story (when Joseph's brothers throw him into the pit, Genesis 37:22). This is the kind of low point that defines the direction in a person's life (as it certainly did for Joseph!). It was a chaotic pit, with roaring water, and sticky mud. And God remained close and even pulled the Psalmist out of this pit and put him on steady ground (in contrast to the mud that threatens to pull him under). As a result, the Psalmist is eager to proclaim God's praise, eager to do God's will. In verse 7, the English is best rendered as "you gave me opened ears," but the Hebrew literally says "you dug ears for me," a very physical acknowledgment that the Psalmist is now ready to do whatever God has ahead of him. He is ready to hear God. Likewise, the Psalmist does not keep his joy to himself, silently praising God, but shares it with the community.
It seems likely that anyone who reads this psalm can instantly relate. Haven't we all experienced at time in our lives when we were stuck in a pit? When the mud seemed so deep and thick and ready to swallow us up that there was no way out except through God? And for those of us that have emerged from these experiences, we sometimes do feel like praising God, sharing our story. For anyone that has been delivered from some calamity, it is hard to keep the story shut up inside. And it is hard for the community not to listen--we all love a story that gives hope.
For me, this psalm reminds me of times that I have been in the pit. It reminds me of the joy felt from emerging from a dark place. It also gives me a chance to remember that we all find ourselves at a different place on this continuum. Some of us are in the pit right now, being sucked under in the mud. Others are out there proclaiming God as their savior. Still others are just now being delivered. Where are you?
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