I continue to read from Zechariah. Today it was Chapter 13, verses 1-9.
These
speak of the shepherds being struck down, and the resulting scattering
of the sheep. You may recall that this imagery is used in reference to
what happened to Jesus' followers, when he was arrested. "Two thirds"
of the sheep will "be cut off and perish." Two thirds!
The other third will be put into the fire. God will "refine them as one refines silver, and test them as gold is tested."
Some
within the Church see the need for such a process in today's Church.
They speak of turning our attention away from gathering the masses and
to focus on refining those who are of pure heart. Their proclamations
of the Gospel say it matters not how large we are; what matters is how
faithful we are.
Two weeks ago I spoke to you of the Gospel
reading in which Jesus' disciples were warned not to be "led astray." I
was asked, "How do I know if I am being following a false teaching or
teacher?" In those conversations, I acknowledged my fear that the Word I
speak might lead astray, rather than leading into all righteousness.
These verses from Zechariah expose one of the areas where there is great
debate about what has passed through the refiner's fire, and what is of
our own desire.
There is a teacher, followed by many, by the
name of Yoder. He was at Union Seminary, reaching the height of his
prominence about 30 years ago. He had many admirers, one of them taught
at our Lutheran Seminary in Columbia. Another like-minded professor
was one of my teachers. To him I owe my understanding of the Trinity
and Christology. Brilliant man and wonderful teacher. While it is not
Yoder who influenced him, Pope Benedict (while still the Bishop of
Passau, Germany) wrote of a similar need for the Church to be devoted to
purity of teaching, rather than to be focused on gathering as many as
possible under its wings.
I do not share their zeal for doctrinal
purity. I am much more inclined to seek including others, and even to
allow my own statements of faith to be adjusted so as to allow the
continually forming community to speak to and for all of its members.
While wanting to avoid (completely avoid) labeling one as "right" and the other as "wrong," there are choices to be made.
I
have a captive audience - you read these humble offerings. In them,
you are surely collecting some of the revelation given to me. I am
convinced it is a revelation from God. But form time to time I need to
acknowledge there are other voices, and I need to make sure you realize I
am self-reflective enough to wonder, "Would these words make it through
the refiner's fire?"
It is the question we each must ask
yourselves - of what we read, of what we think, of what we say, and of
how we live our lives. Zechariah lifts up the image - we are the one
who applies it to our lives.
Thursday, November 29, 2012
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Devotion - Wednesday, November 28
I cannot say enough about the benefits of following a proscribed
lectionary. When we pick and choose what verses we will read, we tend to
look for answers in the Bible, rather than allowing God to inform us of
the essential questions.
This week, my lectionary is directing me to verses from Zechariah. This is a book I would seldom refer to, if left on my own. If you open your bibles and start to read this short book, you may say, "With good reason!" There are images and references in there which could confuse us and make us wonder about the geography of the ancient world. He names cities and countries which have long gone away or been renamed.
But the message of Zechariah's contribution to Holy Scripture comes through.
In the 11th chapter, he recounts an experience of serving as shepherd. He serves not just any flock, but over "the flock doomed to slaughter." He sets about the task of admonishing the other shepherds, with the aim of providing "Favor" and "Unity." But there is a rebellion and Zechariah is opposed. Finally, he leaves the sheep, doomed to slaughter, to their end.
What is it with these sheep? Why do they reject the oversight and care of the shepherd attempting to be helpful? Why is there a rejection of the one who comes in order to make things right?
Good questions. Pertinent questions. Eternal questions.
We never seem to fully grasp the opportunity which is set before us. We have been shown a King who uses his position to serve and provide; we choose instead the kings which enslave and drain us of life.
There is something alluring about that which glitters and sparkles and offers us the chance at self-aggrandizement. But life is found, life occurs when we devote ourselves to those things which unite us and make us one with each other, with creation, and with the God who created us.
During this week of Christ the King, we reflect on the daily decision of which king we will follow.
This week, my lectionary is directing me to verses from Zechariah. This is a book I would seldom refer to, if left on my own. If you open your bibles and start to read this short book, you may say, "With good reason!" There are images and references in there which could confuse us and make us wonder about the geography of the ancient world. He names cities and countries which have long gone away or been renamed.
But the message of Zechariah's contribution to Holy Scripture comes through.
In the 11th chapter, he recounts an experience of serving as shepherd. He serves not just any flock, but over "the flock doomed to slaughter." He sets about the task of admonishing the other shepherds, with the aim of providing "Favor" and "Unity." But there is a rebellion and Zechariah is opposed. Finally, he leaves the sheep, doomed to slaughter, to their end.
What is it with these sheep? Why do they reject the oversight and care of the shepherd attempting to be helpful? Why is there a rejection of the one who comes in order to make things right?
Good questions. Pertinent questions. Eternal questions.
We never seem to fully grasp the opportunity which is set before us. We have been shown a King who uses his position to serve and provide; we choose instead the kings which enslave and drain us of life.
There is something alluring about that which glitters and sparkles and offers us the chance at self-aggrandizement. But life is found, life occurs when we devote ourselves to those things which unite us and make us one with each other, with creation, and with the God who created us.
During this week of Christ the King, we reflect on the daily decision of which king we will follow.
Devotion - Tuesday, November 27
In our Gospel lesson this past Sunday, when asked whether he was a king,
Jesus spoke of his kingdom as one that "was not of this world." He
said that if his kingdom were of this world, his followers would come
and fight for him.
Too often we make assumptions about such Jesus comments. We may be inclined to think, "In the place where Jesus is King, the followers do fight for him." I am of the mindset which believes that Jesus is saying, "My subjects belong to a kingdom in which no one is threatened or harmed or murdered. In my kingdom, the subjects lay down their lives for others. Even for their enemies."
Jesus sets before us a choice between Kings, and between kingdoms.
The Kingdom of God is like so many things, yet it is unlike anything we have ever experienced. It is different, so entirely different. And we need to be careful not to think of it as more of the best of what the kingdoms of the world so desperately seek.
One of the challenges of this Christ the King week is to be able to discern the kingdom(s) which currently hold sway in our lives. to what degree are we able to even discern the cultural assumptions which abound around us? Whole books have been written about this. Two which I recommend are Carter's "Culture of Disbelief" and Hall's "Stewardship of Life in a Kingdom of Death."
We "sell our soul to the devil" in so many ways and are not even aware of it. The transaction seldom involves the 30 pieces of silver, but it does rob us of all that is precious and dear and life-giving.
When Jesus says, "Be in the world but not of the world" he is encouraging us be aware of the ways in which we are lured away from the loving, giving, caring, forgiving way which he reveals in his life and in his words.
Too often we make assumptions about such Jesus comments. We may be inclined to think, "In the place where Jesus is King, the followers do fight for him." I am of the mindset which believes that Jesus is saying, "My subjects belong to a kingdom in which no one is threatened or harmed or murdered. In my kingdom, the subjects lay down their lives for others. Even for their enemies."
Jesus sets before us a choice between Kings, and between kingdoms.
The Kingdom of God is like so many things, yet it is unlike anything we have ever experienced. It is different, so entirely different. And we need to be careful not to think of it as more of the best of what the kingdoms of the world so desperately seek.
One of the challenges of this Christ the King week is to be able to discern the kingdom(s) which currently hold sway in our lives. to what degree are we able to even discern the cultural assumptions which abound around us? Whole books have been written about this. Two which I recommend are Carter's "Culture of Disbelief" and Hall's "Stewardship of Life in a Kingdom of Death."
We "sell our soul to the devil" in so many ways and are not even aware of it. The transaction seldom involves the 30 pieces of silver, but it does rob us of all that is precious and dear and life-giving.
When Jesus says, "Be in the world but not of the world" he is encouraging us be aware of the ways in which we are lured away from the loving, giving, caring, forgiving way which he reveals in his life and in his words.
Monday, November 26, 2012
Devotion - Monday, November 26
I am grateful to our friends at Peace Congregational Church who brought
Lilian Daniel into our community. Pastor in Glen Elyn, IL, Lillian was a
contributor to the "Animate" curriculum we use on Sunday morning.
She used as her text a reading from James and a reading from Romans - both of which raised the issue of criticism and coveting.
"We live in a culture of critique," she said. We have learned the erroneous lesson that the strongest person in the room is the one who can tear down everyone else in the room.
On coveting, she reminded us that the abundance of God debunks the myth of a limited sum gain. Jesus' feeds the 5,000 with a few morsels of fish and bread. In God's Kingdom there is plenty to go around - so long as we share.
"What would it be like if we responded with gratitude?" How might the world be different (be more like God intends) if we interjected into cycles of criticism the attributes of the other? When we covet, often it isn't simply that we want something - we want to take that something away from someone else.
This is the most appropriate time of the year for us to have these kinds of conversations. All around us there are enticements to abandon God's call to look for the lowly and to embrace our own greed. We are being asked, "What would you like for Christmas?" by family and friends. "What I want is for God's will to be done."
God's will will be done, but in our prayer we pray that it might also be done in our lives.
Let us pray that God's will strengthen us in our resolve to overcome a culture of critique and a culture of covetous. In their place might we come to live in a culture of gratitude and gratefulness.
She used as her text a reading from James and a reading from Romans - both of which raised the issue of criticism and coveting.
"We live in a culture of critique," she said. We have learned the erroneous lesson that the strongest person in the room is the one who can tear down everyone else in the room.
On coveting, she reminded us that the abundance of God debunks the myth of a limited sum gain. Jesus' feeds the 5,000 with a few morsels of fish and bread. In God's Kingdom there is plenty to go around - so long as we share.
"What would it be like if we responded with gratitude?" How might the world be different (be more like God intends) if we interjected into cycles of criticism the attributes of the other? When we covet, often it isn't simply that we want something - we want to take that something away from someone else.
This is the most appropriate time of the year for us to have these kinds of conversations. All around us there are enticements to abandon God's call to look for the lowly and to embrace our own greed. We are being asked, "What would you like for Christmas?" by family and friends. "What I want is for God's will to be done."
God's will will be done, but in our prayer we pray that it might also be done in our lives.
Let us pray that God's will strengthen us in our resolve to overcome a culture of critique and a culture of covetous. In their place might we come to live in a culture of gratitude and gratefulness.
Sunday, November 25, 2012
Sermon - Christ the King Sunday
John 18:33-37
Christ
the King
It is
Christ the King Sunday. I reminded you
of that last Sunday – sort of looking ahead.
And, as promised, I did sit back there and listen to the chatter as you
were coming in – whether you were talking about your preparation for Christ the
King; recounting stories of Thursday’s meal; bragging about Friday’s shopping;
or bemoaning or Saturday’s football game.
I had
no intention of shaming you with the results to such an informal and completely
unscientific poll. I know that Christ
the King Sunday is a difficult sale.
There are just too many things vying for our attention. It comes at a bad time, right? This time of the year is given over to family
gatherings, and to parties, and to wrapping up the fall’s activities. It is difficult enough, when it comes the
Sunday before Thanksgiving (which is usually the case.) When it comes Thanksgiving weekend – you can
almost forget it.
Calendar
aside – Christ the King is a difficult sale.
It isn’t a concept which plays very well in our society or among our
culture. This great nation was birthed
at the overthrow of a “King.” We are
getting along just fine without one, thank you very much. Aren’t practically all the images of “king”
negative ones? Aren’t they the folks who
sit on thrones and expect loyal subjects to be – well – subject to them? It is difficult to convince freedom-loving
people everywhere that we need to place ourselves under the control of a
“king.”
Something
within the psyche of most red-blooded Americans recoils at such a suggestion.
That may
be our reaction at the front of our cerebral cortex. But deep within our subconscious and down
there within our learned behaviors allegiances have been made and we do allow
ourselves to form strong devotions. And
those glittering images which have competed for our attention these past seven
days are working to expose the king or kings to which we are devoted. There is a reason why advertising folks make
so much money. They are really good at
selling us an image of ourselves – an improved self-image. Of course that improved self-image involves
owning their automobile or giving the perfect diamond to our
love-interest. It is not all about
buying things – there are also many allegiances sought for listening to the
right kind of music or following a particular political agenda, or presiding
over the ideal social gathering.
We do
allow a number of “kings” to rule over us – we just aren’t always aware of
their power and influence.
The task
of Christ the King Sunday involves asking us “to which king will you devote
your life?” It is also devoted to
helping us realize that some kings are power-hungry and demanding, while other
kings (can be) serving and life-giving. This
day is not merely a choice between which king you will serve; it is a choice
about the kind of king we will follow.
Practically
all the language about Christ as King comes from those portions of the Gospels
where Jesus is on trial or about to be executed. This reading from John 18 has been very
carefully selected. Inherent in the
exchange between Jesus and Pilate is this debate over what kings and kingship
is all about.
Pilate
was the most powerful man in Jerusalem.
He was there, assigned to this post, by the Emperor. He was the ruling authority; he was the one
to whom allegiances were to be made. And
yet, particularly in the Gospel of John, we can see his wavering over what to do
about Jesus.
Look carefully,
back at the 33rd verse. See that
word, at the end of the first phrase? “Again.” Pilate enters the praetorium “again.” He had been moving between Jesus and the
Jewish leaders and the angry crowd – trying to find a way around this impasse. In the extended story (which stretches from
John 18:28 to 19:16 Pilate moves back and forth a total of nine times. This movement back in forth of the one who is
supposed to be the one with authority is contrasted with Jesus, who will not be
moved – physically or in his words.
Jesus remains. Jesus is unflappable.
Pilate
asks him if he presumes to be a “King.”
Notice in verse 34 Jesus’ reply to him.
Jesus, on trial for his life, remains unimpressed with Pilate’s power
and authority. Jesus’ reply moves Pilate
to the point of personal decision. “Do
you ask this on your own, or did others tell you about me?” It is practically the same question put
before the disciples as Jesus moves them past “Who do people say that I am?”
to ”But who do you say that I am?”
Remember that it is that question which leads to Peter’s confession, “You
are the Christ.”
It is
pretty clear, by this point in the story that Jesus isn’t going to make
it. All of the forces have been aligned
against him. He has been warned of the
danger which awaits him in Jerusalem but goes there anyway. He was told to stay out of the Temple but
goes back and continues to heal on the Sabbath.
But it is not a defeatist attitude which motivates Jesus at this point –
it is his single minded dedication to bringing the Good News to the poor,
mislead people. “You want to know what
kingship looks like?” he asks. “Here it
is.” he says. “Devotion to God and to
God’s created ones.”
Here
is where you need your Bibles. If you
have them, look at the verse which is cut off from today’s appointed text. Look at John 18:38. (By the way – this is the latest excuse for
your smart phone going off during worship.
If you download a bible on your phone, and start to use it, you have a
built in excuse if yours starts to ring.
“I had it on so I could look up the verse the pastor said wasn’t in my
bulletin.”)
Look
at John 18:38. Jesus and Pilate have
been going back and forth about Kings and kingship and whether Jesus fits the
mold. Jesus is working to break the
mold. In the exchange (and this part is
on your bulletin,) Jesus says “For this reason I was born, and for this I
came into the world, to testify to the truth.
Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.” Jesus isn’t about public opinion or presumed
power. Jesus is dealing with “Truth.” The stinger is when he says that everyone
(not just some but EVERYONE) who belongs to the truth will listen to his
voice.
The verse
which is cut off, is John 18:38. It reads,
“Pilate asked him, ‘What is truth?’”
And while
you have your bibles turned to that verse – look at what comes next. Pilate shuffles again. He breaks himself away from Jesus’ presence
and goes out to the Jews to tell them, “I find no case against this Jesus.”
Pilate
knows; he understands; is realizes that he is being asked to choose. Maybe I should have worded that differently: Pilate’s portrayal, in the Gospel of John, is
of one who realizes that we will all choose between kings; that we will all have
to decide whether we will be devoted to this way of thinking, or to that way of
living. And, the writer of John’s Gospel
allows it to be Pilate who teeters between choosing the truth and merely going
along with the crowd.
It is
Christ the King Sunday. It is the day
designed to ask each of us, “Who do you say Jesus is?” You have heard that question earlier in the church
year, when we read the story of Jesus asking his disciples. Now, at the end of the Church Year, we hear
it again. This time, the stakes are
higher. It isn’t simply a matter of
opinion, this question as to who we see Jesus to be, it is a matter of life and
death. In the story, it is Jesus’ life
or death. Here, today, it is ours.
Amen.
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Devotion - Tuesday, November 20
If you are on Facebook you no doubt have at least a couple of friends
who are about mid-way through their "30 days of thankfulness." I do not
mean to sound critical; I have been very impressed with their posts,
and impressed at the depth of their reflection. It is a good
discipline, and one which has given increased attention to the portion
of my morning prayers in which I express my thankfulness to God.
We do have so much to be thankful for. More than we can imagine; more than we can recall.
In The Small Catechism, Luther encourages us to remember this as we pray The Lord's Prayer. "Give us this day our daily bread," is a request that God will provide for us bread, but also life and family and a means of making a living. All that we have is a gift from God; a gift which comes to us daily.
The Manna came daily to the Israelites, wondering in the wilderness. It came daily so they would not horde, so that they would be continually reminded that it is God who provides. Part of my morning prayer of thankfulness gives a nod toward remembering this - even as I remember the money in my retirement account or invested.
What are you thankful for? How actively do you list those things? And do you realize those things to be gifts from God? Or things which you have earned and thus deserve?
Mostly, I am thankful for you all. It is a wonderful thing to have a community where I can be myself (spelling errors and all) and yet know that you care about me. It is a gift from God to be connected to others and to have persons praying for me and for whom I can pray. It is an expression of God's grace - to be in this relationship with you.
We do have so much to be thankful for. More than we can imagine; more than we can recall.
In The Small Catechism, Luther encourages us to remember this as we pray The Lord's Prayer. "Give us this day our daily bread," is a request that God will provide for us bread, but also life and family and a means of making a living. All that we have is a gift from God; a gift which comes to us daily.
The Manna came daily to the Israelites, wondering in the wilderness. It came daily so they would not horde, so that they would be continually reminded that it is God who provides. Part of my morning prayer of thankfulness gives a nod toward remembering this - even as I remember the money in my retirement account or invested.
What are you thankful for? How actively do you list those things? And do you realize those things to be gifts from God? Or things which you have earned and thus deserve?
Mostly, I am thankful for you all. It is a wonderful thing to have a community where I can be myself (spelling errors and all) and yet know that you care about me. It is a gift from God to be connected to others and to have persons praying for me and for whom I can pray. It is an expression of God's grace - to be in this relationship with you.
Monday, November 19, 2012
Devotion - Monday, November 19
It isn't often that the appointed lessons for Sunday match the appointed daily lessons. This is happening, now.
Yesterday's gospel reading was from Mark 13 - the so called "apocalyptic" chapter of Mark. Today's daily reading is from Luke 12 - his inclusion of the same sort of thoughts.
Luke is less comforting that Mark; in his writings, Jesus is more critical. He says, "You see a cloud rising in the west, and you say at once, 'A shower is coming'; and so it is... You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky; but why do you not know how to interpret the present time?"
I want to pull your attention from the insult, to encourage you to focus on the question. Why is it that we can interpret so many other signs in our world, but are so slow to recognize what God is doing?
Perhaps it is the image of God which developed during the Newtonian period of history. That would be of God as unchanging, unflappable. When researchers were shaking the solid foundations of everything, Christians developed this notion in order to provide comfort and security. Just as we have moved a bit beyond Newtonian physics, so also has theology found other ways to speak of God. The creativity and spontaneity celebrated in more recent physics theories is more in line with the Bible's talk of God as a living, active presence among us.
This moving, active presence among us is changing things - changing us. And, there are signs and indications that this change is occurring.
Are we able to read them? Do we even see them?
If today's reading is like yesterdays; then today's devotion ought to end a bit like yesterday's sermon - not with some dictum but with questions:
Yesterday's gospel reading was from Mark 13 - the so called "apocalyptic" chapter of Mark. Today's daily reading is from Luke 12 - his inclusion of the same sort of thoughts.
Luke is less comforting that Mark; in his writings, Jesus is more critical. He says, "You see a cloud rising in the west, and you say at once, 'A shower is coming'; and so it is... You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky; but why do you not know how to interpret the present time?"
I want to pull your attention from the insult, to encourage you to focus on the question. Why is it that we can interpret so many other signs in our world, but are so slow to recognize what God is doing?
Perhaps it is the image of God which developed during the Newtonian period of history. That would be of God as unchanging, unflappable. When researchers were shaking the solid foundations of everything, Christians developed this notion in order to provide comfort and security. Just as we have moved a bit beyond Newtonian physics, so also has theology found other ways to speak of God. The creativity and spontaneity celebrated in more recent physics theories is more in line with the Bible's talk of God as a living, active presence among us.
This moving, active presence among us is changing things - changing us. And, there are signs and indications that this change is occurring.
Are we able to read them? Do we even see them?
If today's reading is like yesterdays; then today's devotion ought to end a bit like yesterday's sermon - not with some dictum but with questions:
- What are the signs in your life, today, of God's activity?
- How will you interpret them; how will you act on them?
Sunday, November 18, 2012
Sermon - November 18, 2012
25th Sunday in
Pentecost – Year B(Pr 33)
Mark
13:1-8, Daniel 12:1-3
Just
What is the Crisis?
I didn’t stay for the whole game
yesterday, but I was there to experience the first quarter. In case you aren’t football fans, Clemson
jumped out to a 13 point lead – which was pretty much expected. The only thing surprising about those first
three Clemson drives is that two ended in field goals rather than touchdowns. What happened next was not expected. And as it occurred, there was a palatable
gasp of disbelief making its way through the stadium. NC State rattled off 21 unanswered points –
14 of them in two, one play drives.
The conversation in the stands,
prior to the kickoff, was “Which BCS Bowl is Clemson going to.” As the 21st NCSU point went on the
board, the world seemed to be crashing around us.
The world crashing around us is a
scary thing. To think that everything we
had aspired to might be removed is frightening.
If the horror and dread of losing
something as relatively unimportant (yes – I said something as relatively
unimportant) as a football game could do that to Tiger fans everywhere, what is
to be our response to losing something which really matters?
Maybe there is nothing which
matters more than football. I will have
to say, it seems that way, at times. We
have to put up signs and threaten to tow cars in order to keep the parking lot
from becoming a disaster on Saturday. I
know it can be tough to get a spot on Sunday morning, but there are plenty
across the street – an option not available on game day – the parking deck is
full, too.
Sometimes it seems that the
things designed to amuse us or impress us hold our attention very well. While the things to which we claim our lives
are committed – well, they are held a bit closer to the vest. And, while no one may doubt our allegiance
with regard to the Pack or the Gamecocks – do they know of our convictions with
regard to the coming of the Kingdom of God?
We have just heard two
apocalyptic readings. In each, images
are shared of great anguish and of great buildings being thrown down. Both Mark and Daniel felt it important to
speak to a people who were looking, at horror, at what was happening before
them. And, they weren’t talking about
the Saturday afternoon football game.
They were referring to the future of the people of God.
It is impossible to know whether
the people were worried before Daniel or Mark did their writing, or if Daniel
and Mark were pointing out the tenuous nature of the lives they were
living. This is particularly true in
Mark – where all of this conversation arises as the disciples are looking up,
at the impressive buildings of the temple.
They are rather amused by what they see and impressed with what human
ingenuity has been able to accomplish.
Jesus tells them to stop prairie-dogging it and pay attention to the
things which really matter.
I wrote a little about this in
the e-news on Wednesday. There are an
increasing number of doomsayers around us these days. Some seem to just be stirring things up;
others seem to be right on target.
In Harcombe on Tuesday, a guy I
hardly know gleefully announced to me that there are now thirty states with
petitions underway to seek succession from the Union. Really?
All this over the results of the last election cycle?
One surprising and alarming
sub-plot of the election was the shifting of political allegiances after
Hurricane Sandy hit New York City. The
politician in question said he had to support for President someone who would
take global warming seriously. If you
have seen the photos from Venice you might understand why those living near the
sea level have fears of doom and gloom.
Serious and worrisome stuff.
If you have a Facebook account or
are checking your Twitter feed, then you know of the tremendous shock waves
circling the globe over Thursday’s announcement that Hostess would no longer be
making Twinkies! “How will live without them?” was re-tweeted
more times than I care to count.
Israel and Hamas have resumed
bombings. Those of us who came of age
during the time when nuclear winter was an active fear remember that what we
feared most was a middle-east confrontation in which two or more of the nations
there had nuclear capabilities. What
happens if Hamas gets a rocket to make it to Jerusalem, and Iran loans them the
nuclear fuel?
I would raise a different sort of
concern. Practically every indicator
which exists tells us that the role of organized religion is on the
decline. The mirage of a few large, mega
congregations distracts us from the continued and steady dead of more local,
neighborhood churches. There aren’t as
many folks joining the big ones as there are leaving the small ones. “Church” as we have known it is certainly
changing. You can call it a
re-adjustment; or you might label it as an ending.
There are doomsayers all around
us. And they have lots of fodder to feed
on. Do you feel anxious? Are you worried? One of the books I recommend to parents of
college students is titled “College of the Overwhelmed.” In it, the director of mental health services
at Harvard University puts together a persuasive argument that the world into
which they have stepped is overwhelming to the current collegiate
generation. What about you – their
parents, (or grandparents)?
It is the aging of the Church
which has me most concerned and anxious.
Were the people to whom Daniel
and Mark wrote already anxious, or were Daniel and Mark trying to wake them
from some amusement induced indifference?
Hard to know. Impossible to say.
But, I fear it is indifference,
or a paralysis of anxiety, which most threatens us. A professor at Luther Seminary asks how we
read these texts differently if the danger on the horizon isn’t the Roman
destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem, but the slow demise of the Church. Are we alarmed? Do we see the danger at the door? It is not about institutional preservation –
what worries me is an end to the proclamation of the Good News. Of course, some would say that proclamation
has already ceased; that the current decline is a result of churches becoming
more of a social club than a center of life-changing study and devotion.
Jesus doesn’t tell his disciples
there are no reasons to be concerned.
There are reasons – lots of reasons.
And, he tells us, there will always be reasons. There are many facing us - as a nation, as
inhabitants on planet earth, as persons on the membership rolls of Christian
churches.
Now that we are feeling a bit
anxious, it is time to remember that “apocalypse” is really a “revelation”. And what is revealed is our Biblical
apocalyptic writings is God’s steadfastness.
What is revealed to us is that God will remain by our side and in our
midst. These are but the birth
pangs. They are the interlude which
stands between us and the joy and happiness which is to come.
Will we experience that joy and
happiness? Probably not unless and until
we share in the prophet’s pain. It is
unlikely to occur, so long as we lose our voice yelling at a Saturday afternoon
football game, when all we muster on a Sunday morning is a few well scripted
and softly stated “Amen’s.”
Today, this Sunday, is the final
Sunday of Ordinary Time. Next Sunday,
our church year comes to an end. Next
Sunday, we will be asked to affirm Christ as our King. During the week to come, it is appropriate
for us to reflect on all that the past year has brought us, all that a year’s
worth of readings and sermons have taught us.
That is what we ought to do during the week, so that next Sunday when we
walk through those we are prepared to shout at the top of our lungs, “YES,
JESUS!!! YOU ARE MY LORD AND MY
MASTER! AND I AFFRIM YOU AS MY KING!”
That is what is supposed to
happen next Sunday. But I am going to
sit in that chair back there and listen and I am going to keep a tally. And I fear that there will be more
conversations about the football game with USC than discussions of what our
commitment to Christ as King means in our lives.
Please don’t let that happen.
I think I can survive wars,
rumors of war. Even famine and
earthquakes do not scare me as much as a lukewarm Church filled with folks whose
devotion to Christ is about as deep as a puddle of rainwater on the sidewalk.
The thing which frightens me the
most is the intensity with which we seek out our amusements; and the mediocrity
with which we approach our professions of faith. And I fear that even God’s faithfulness can
never fully overcome the latter.
Amen.
Thursday, November 15, 2012
Devotion - Thursday, November 15
Luke 11:53 reveals the evil intentions of the crowd. Luke tells us that
among those who were hearing Jesus' speak were some who were trying to
"catch him at something he might say." They had already made their
minds up about him. They didn't like him. They didn't like what he was
saying. So nothing he could say was going to be heard. The only thing
they were listening for were opportunities to trap him.
How hopeless a situation was that?
When Jesus tries to say something, to quell their fears or to address their issues, he is seen as two faced. He points out that this is the crowd who considered John a lunatic because his disciples were so rigid and then they considered his disciples slackards because they were not fanatics.
We know the end of this story; we know where this type of behavior leads. Eventually, those who will not listen succeed in murdering the messenger. But God will not allow the message to be silenced.
Sometimes the important lesson to be learned is the simple one: prejudging and condemning places us on the wrong side of God's struggle to bring the world to the place where Jesus reigns.
Can we learn to hear and to listen? Can we develop the ability to abide by Luther's explanation to the 8th commandment and "interpret our neighbor's actions in the kindest way"?
Let's hope so. Let us make it so.
How hopeless a situation was that?
When Jesus tries to say something, to quell their fears or to address their issues, he is seen as two faced. He points out that this is the crowd who considered John a lunatic because his disciples were so rigid and then they considered his disciples slackards because they were not fanatics.
We know the end of this story; we know where this type of behavior leads. Eventually, those who will not listen succeed in murdering the messenger. But God will not allow the message to be silenced.
Sometimes the important lesson to be learned is the simple one: prejudging and condemning places us on the wrong side of God's struggle to bring the world to the place where Jesus reigns.
Can we learn to hear and to listen? Can we develop the ability to abide by Luther's explanation to the 8th commandment and "interpret our neighbor's actions in the kindest way"?
Let's hope so. Let us make it so.
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Devotion - Wednesday, November 14
It may just be a phase, and we will see how long it lasts, but these
days I am continually struggling with the question of how Christianity
has become something we think about as opposed to a way of life.
It may have something to do with the recent election cycle. The talk of how a Christian should vote centered on which candidate one ought to vote for, rather than the issues which matter to the Christian community. There are some hot button issues, but (in my opinion) far too little discussion about the way in which scripture speaks to issues of war, and oppression, and equity.
Christianity seems to have become an opinion we hold with regard to some particular questions; rather than a way of life. "Are you for or against?" "Don't you agree that this is right and that is wrong?"
I was reading Luke 11:37-52 this morning. Jesus condemns those who heap regulations on others, while ignoring those instructions which apply to their own lives.
How can we make blanket statements about the behavior of others when we fail to even be willing to examine our own failings?
I realize that we all do some of this, in our own heads or in the privacy of our own homes. But the reason Jesus established the Church was so we would have a place to help one another in these discussions and decisions. Yet, it is impolite to have these kinds of conversations. So we show up on Sunday morning and ask, "How are you today?" without ever being prepared to hear the answer and discuss the response.
I don't mean to scold anyone. Do not hear this as anything other than an invitation to more fully embrace the opportunity set before us to experience community and togetherness in a way which few (very few) can even imagine.
Jesus didn't come to the earth to change our minds. He could have done that by dropping information bombs from heaven. Jesus came so that we might lived changed lives. Let us hope and pray that did not come in vain.
It may have something to do with the recent election cycle. The talk of how a Christian should vote centered on which candidate one ought to vote for, rather than the issues which matter to the Christian community. There are some hot button issues, but (in my opinion) far too little discussion about the way in which scripture speaks to issues of war, and oppression, and equity.
Christianity seems to have become an opinion we hold with regard to some particular questions; rather than a way of life. "Are you for or against?" "Don't you agree that this is right and that is wrong?"
I was reading Luke 11:37-52 this morning. Jesus condemns those who heap regulations on others, while ignoring those instructions which apply to their own lives.
How can we make blanket statements about the behavior of others when we fail to even be willing to examine our own failings?
I realize that we all do some of this, in our own heads or in the privacy of our own homes. But the reason Jesus established the Church was so we would have a place to help one another in these discussions and decisions. Yet, it is impolite to have these kinds of conversations. So we show up on Sunday morning and ask, "How are you today?" without ever being prepared to hear the answer and discuss the response.
I don't mean to scold anyone. Do not hear this as anything other than an invitation to more fully embrace the opportunity set before us to experience community and togetherness in a way which few (very few) can even imagine.
Jesus didn't come to the earth to change our minds. He could have done that by dropping information bombs from heaven. Jesus came so that we might lived changed lives. Let us hope and pray that did not come in vain.
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
Devotion - Tuesday, November 13
I am feeling very blessed today! Part of it has to do with it being Tuesday.
Tuesday is a very good day for us in LCM-C. A group of us have lunch in
Harcombe, there is Praise Band and handbells, and we round out the
evening with our Bible study.
But there are deeper and more substantial reasons for me to feel blessed. The blessings which endure are those which do not depend on the waxing or waning of fortune. Those blessings remain with us through all things and come to us from a source greater than our immediate lives.
In Luke 11, Jesus' is interrupted by a woman in the crowd. She shouts, "Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breast that you sucked!" Her expression of admiration for Mary, the mother of Jesus, is repeated millions of times every day. Surely, Mary was blessed by God and worthy of being honored. What filled me with a sense of blessing this morning was Jesus' response to her shout.
Jesus says in reply, "Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!"
The blessings which Jesus comes to share are given to me, to you, to all those who listen to him and live the life he makes possible.
Surely, Mary is blessed. And, appropriately, the Church remembers her and her blessing. And yet, the one whom she bore speaks of us as those whom he blesses.
May these words of scripture be a blessing to you. And may you know this day (and every day) that you are truly blessed.
But there are deeper and more substantial reasons for me to feel blessed. The blessings which endure are those which do not depend on the waxing or waning of fortune. Those blessings remain with us through all things and come to us from a source greater than our immediate lives.
In Luke 11, Jesus' is interrupted by a woman in the crowd. She shouts, "Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breast that you sucked!" Her expression of admiration for Mary, the mother of Jesus, is repeated millions of times every day. Surely, Mary was blessed by God and worthy of being honored. What filled me with a sense of blessing this morning was Jesus' response to her shout.
Jesus says in reply, "Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!"
The blessings which Jesus comes to share are given to me, to you, to all those who listen to him and live the life he makes possible.
Surely, Mary is blessed. And, appropriately, the Church remembers her and her blessing. And yet, the one whom she bore speaks of us as those whom he blesses.
May these words of scripture be a blessing to you. And may you know this day (and every day) that you are truly blessed.
Monday, November 12, 2012
Devotion - Monday, November 12
Yesterday's LCM Sunday School Lesson continues to occupy my thinking and
my prayers. Session 3 in the "Animate" curriculum, the presentation
was about living as Jesus lived. It was about moving beyond boring
Sunday morning sermons, and transforming Church into a place where we
gather in order to practice what it means to be a disciple.
The materials spoke of the risky actions Jesus took; and encouraged us to think about the risk we might take - for Jesus.
In our conversation, we acknowledged the ever present danger of extreme thinking. We think that the only options are to either continue living as we live, or to sell everything we have, give the money to poor, put on the robes of some begging order, and live off the good will of others.
"Wouldn't the whole economy collapse?" Someone asked.
First, a few dozen of us making such a radical shift won't crash the whole economy. If a few million of us began to make small steps in the direction of a risky following of Jesus, the economy would surely shift to meet the new market opportunities. The folks who make Rolex watches might learn to also produce something less expensive but more useful to a wider range of persons.
The SCS lesson left me re-evaluating the choices I make every day about the life I live. Have I become so comfortable in my lifestyle that I assume Jesus is comfortable with it, too.
Do you know where the local free-food distribution center is? Have you ever been there? Or given two hours to re-stock food on the shelves? One of the questions we asked yesterday is how many persons can we name who live below the poverty line. One in eight Americans do.
Some analysis of Christianity suggests that it is dying. The warning signs are pretty dire. It is easy for an idea or a philosophy to be replaced by something different. The reason the early Church could not be stopped is that the followers of Jesus knew that Christianity was a way of life.
Let's talk together about how we can make it our way of life.
The materials spoke of the risky actions Jesus took; and encouraged us to think about the risk we might take - for Jesus.
In our conversation, we acknowledged the ever present danger of extreme thinking. We think that the only options are to either continue living as we live, or to sell everything we have, give the money to poor, put on the robes of some begging order, and live off the good will of others.
"Wouldn't the whole economy collapse?" Someone asked.
First, a few dozen of us making such a radical shift won't crash the whole economy. If a few million of us began to make small steps in the direction of a risky following of Jesus, the economy would surely shift to meet the new market opportunities. The folks who make Rolex watches might learn to also produce something less expensive but more useful to a wider range of persons.
The SCS lesson left me re-evaluating the choices I make every day about the life I live. Have I become so comfortable in my lifestyle that I assume Jesus is comfortable with it, too.
Do you know where the local free-food distribution center is? Have you ever been there? Or given two hours to re-stock food on the shelves? One of the questions we asked yesterday is how many persons can we name who live below the poverty line. One in eight Americans do.
Some analysis of Christianity suggests that it is dying. The warning signs are pretty dire. It is easy for an idea or a philosophy to be replaced by something different. The reason the early Church could not be stopped is that the followers of Jesus knew that Christianity was a way of life.
Let's talk together about how we can make it our way of life.
Thursday, November 8, 2012
Devotinon - Thursday, Nov 8
Luke 10:25-37 contains the parable typically referred to as the Good
Samaritan. This parable is so popular that even those of no faith
tradition will speak of being a "Good Samaritan."
The parable arises out of a challenge to Jesus. "A lawyer stood up to put (Jesus) to the test, saying, 'Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?'" This "lawyer" should not be confused with our understanding of a lawyer, one who works in courtrooms and such. This lawyer would have been an expert on the religious laws of the day. He was probably in one of the groups which opposed Jesus' words on the will of God.
Jesus allows this lawyer to repeat for him the laws. Jesus asks, "What is written in the law?"
"You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself."
The lawyer tries to justify himself, by asking "Who is my neighbor." And Jesus tells the parable.
But there is one more line, in this exchange, which I would like to call to your attention.
When the lawyer gives his answer, Jesus says to him, "You have answered right; do this and you will live." This morning, this is what stuck with me. The lawyer asks what he must do to inherit eternal life. When Jesus replies he omits the word "eternal." Jesus speaks directly about living.
The preoccupation with eternal life sometimes encroaches on living. When we become fixated on life after death we forth how important life is. And, this comment from Jesus may suggest to us that to be truly alive is live as a Good Samaritan.
One of the catch phrases of my young adult years was this: "Don't be so heavenly minded that you are of no earthly good."
Eternal life begins when we start to live eternally. Living eternally means to live in such a way as to link ourselves with the One who is eternal. The path which leads to eternal life is a life lived well here, now. This is reinforced for us in that when God sought to make salvation real he left behind the heaens in order to dwell among us.
Pastor Chris
The parable arises out of a challenge to Jesus. "A lawyer stood up to put (Jesus) to the test, saying, 'Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?'" This "lawyer" should not be confused with our understanding of a lawyer, one who works in courtrooms and such. This lawyer would have been an expert on the religious laws of the day. He was probably in one of the groups which opposed Jesus' words on the will of God.
Jesus allows this lawyer to repeat for him the laws. Jesus asks, "What is written in the law?"
"You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself."
The lawyer tries to justify himself, by asking "Who is my neighbor." And Jesus tells the parable.
But there is one more line, in this exchange, which I would like to call to your attention.
When the lawyer gives his answer, Jesus says to him, "You have answered right; do this and you will live." This morning, this is what stuck with me. The lawyer asks what he must do to inherit eternal life. When Jesus replies he omits the word "eternal." Jesus speaks directly about living.
The preoccupation with eternal life sometimes encroaches on living. When we become fixated on life after death we forth how important life is. And, this comment from Jesus may suggest to us that to be truly alive is live as a Good Samaritan.
One of the catch phrases of my young adult years was this: "Don't be so heavenly minded that you are of no earthly good."
Eternal life begins when we start to live eternally. Living eternally means to live in such a way as to link ourselves with the One who is eternal. The path which leads to eternal life is a life lived well here, now. This is reinforced for us in that when God sought to make salvation real he left behind the heaens in order to dwell among us.
Pastor Chris
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
Devotion - Wednesday, Nov 7
My devotional guide has me reading Micah. Today I read Micah 3.9-4.5.
Like so many books of the Bible, Micah addresses the issue of how we
care for the least among us. It speaks of the ever present danger that
we will fail to realize how our faith informs and directs our life
together. The word preferred by the Bible is "justice."
I have written of justice before, and been challenged on what justice means. Those challenges fell along political lines. Political ideology has the potential to alter our perception of what is just and fair. This is one of the blocks which we must get around.
Micah warns: "Hear this.... you .... who abhor justice and pervert all equity, who build Zion with blood and Jerusalem with wrong. Its heads give judgment for a bribe, its priests teach for hire, it prophets divine for money."
Translating these words into contemporary life takes some work. But I think we can do it. It begins with looking to the word and the ways of God, and judging our actions. It means having our membership in the Kingdom supersede our participation in the state.
Micah continues: "Yet they lean upon the Lord and say, 'Is not the Lord in the midst of us?'"
It is much easier to say that God is with us than it is to live the life which acknowledges God's presence. Being a follower of Jesus may begin with a verbal confession of him as Lord, but it finds its life in caring for those who are loved by God.
Join me in reading Micah. It is a short book. Yes, there are names of cities and such which will cause you to get confused. But don't let that stop you. You will understand what is being said. When we understand, then will come to pass the words of the prophet:
I have written of justice before, and been challenged on what justice means. Those challenges fell along political lines. Political ideology has the potential to alter our perception of what is just and fair. This is one of the blocks which we must get around.
Micah warns: "Hear this.... you .... who abhor justice and pervert all equity, who build Zion with blood and Jerusalem with wrong. Its heads give judgment for a bribe, its priests teach for hire, it prophets divine for money."
Translating these words into contemporary life takes some work. But I think we can do it. It begins with looking to the word and the ways of God, and judging our actions. It means having our membership in the Kingdom supersede our participation in the state.
Micah continues: "Yet they lean upon the Lord and say, 'Is not the Lord in the midst of us?'"
It is much easier to say that God is with us than it is to live the life which acknowledges God's presence. Being a follower of Jesus may begin with a verbal confession of him as Lord, but it finds its life in caring for those who are loved by God.
Join me in reading Micah. It is a short book. Yes, there are names of cities and such which will cause you to get confused. But don't let that stop you. You will understand what is being said. When we understand, then will come to pass the words of the prophet:
It
shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the house of
the Lord shall be established as he highest of the mountains, and shall
be raised up above the hills; and peoples shall flow to it, and many
nations shall come, and say: "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the
Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; that he may teach us his ways
and we may walk in his paths."
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
Devotion - Tuesday, Nov 6
While some might shy away from mixing religion and politics, I do not.
Our faith, and our life in the community must intersect - they overlap.
What I reject is the mixing of religion and partisanship. There is no one candidate or one party that can be equated with God, or God's purposes. But then, I reject partisanship itself.
This is not to say that I am independent, or a member of no party. I am. And I am firmly committed to the platform of the political party with which I am affiliated.
But I reject (and am calling on all of you to reject) the partisanship which refuses to allow any movement unless that movement advances one party over the other, unless that movement can be seen as a victory for one side. We must move beyond such bickering.
As God's people, we ought to be able to lead in learning to compromise. We know that as important as this political point may be, that there is a Kingdom which matters more. We understand that no human is wise enough to know the limitations of every action. It is when we work together that we are most likely to get things right.
The serpent waited till Eve was alone to convince her to eat of the tree.
Jesus made sure that every disciple had a traveling companion as they went out to preach the good news.
We need others. We need the wisdom of those who lost the election (when did a 4% advantage become a mandate?)
When this day is over, let's not be a part of the discussion of who won and why; let's be part of the conversation about how we will put aside the hurtful things said during the campaign in order to work cooperatively on the issues before us.
As Christians, we are trained in this kind of work. Let's offer it to the world.
What I reject is the mixing of religion and partisanship. There is no one candidate or one party that can be equated with God, or God's purposes. But then, I reject partisanship itself.
This is not to say that I am independent, or a member of no party. I am. And I am firmly committed to the platform of the political party with which I am affiliated.
But I reject (and am calling on all of you to reject) the partisanship which refuses to allow any movement unless that movement advances one party over the other, unless that movement can be seen as a victory for one side. We must move beyond such bickering.
As God's people, we ought to be able to lead in learning to compromise. We know that as important as this political point may be, that there is a Kingdom which matters more. We understand that no human is wise enough to know the limitations of every action. It is when we work together that we are most likely to get things right.
The serpent waited till Eve was alone to convince her to eat of the tree.
Jesus made sure that every disciple had a traveling companion as they went out to preach the good news.
We need others. We need the wisdom of those who lost the election (when did a 4% advantage become a mandate?)
When this day is over, let's not be a part of the discussion of who won and why; let's be part of the conversation about how we will put aside the hurtful things said during the campaign in order to work cooperatively on the issues before us.
As Christians, we are trained in this kind of work. Let's offer it to the world.
Monday, November 5, 2012
Devotion - Monday, November 5
I was reading this morning from Luke 9. And I thought, "How far we have come."
This was not a pleasant thought.
In Luke 9, Jesus encounters a couple of would-be followers. One, he warns that the way will be long and hard. From Luke 9 we get the saying, "Foxes have holes and birds have nests; but the Son of man has no where to lay his head."
Another promises to follow, once he has buried his father. "Let the dead bury the dead." Jesus tells him.
The third asks for enough time to say farewell to those at home. "No one who puts their hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God."
As our LCM Leadership Teams met last night, one of the growth areas for us is increased participation in the monthly fixing and distributing sandwiches to the homeless in Greenville. "Friday night is not a convenient night." someone acknowledged. "But Saturday is the day they don't have lunch - unless some group like ours serves them."
Please do not allow this morning's reflection to trump my continued reminder to all of you that your lives are too busy and that there are way too many things clambering for your time. However, not all those things are of equal value. And I want to lift up for you the value of serving others. The importance of doing what Jesus would do.
Luke 9 would teach us that to follow Jesus is an all consuming endeavor. Luke 9 would challenge us to look to the call to follow as the prime commitment in our lives.
We might want to say that the world has changed since the days of Jesus. That contemporary disciples can't be expected to live the say way as those first disciples. But I am not sure such arguments would hold water.
We have come a long way. But we have even further to go. The journey begins with a willingness to set aside all things and follow Jesus. Where will he take you today? And, will you be willing to follow the way he reveals to you.
Thursday, November 1, 2012
Devotion - All Saints' Day
For those of you in attendance at last night's LCM Dinner and who will read this morning's devotion, I apologize for the repeat. But something shared by Father Bob bears repeating. (We had as our guest speaker last night Fr. Bob, Franciscan Priest serving the Roman Catholic ministry at Clemson.)
We had invited him to talk with us about the Saints: what makes one a saint and what role they have in the life of the Church. He began by saying that Saints are made by God, and affirmed by the faithful. He shared that the role of a saint is to assist others in their devotion to God.
When addressing the issue of veneration of the saints, he shared that a its roots, any mention of saints in the prayers of the living is primarily an affirmation of the communion of saints. It is an acknowledgement that when we pray we are united with all the faithful in every time and every place. It is a celebration that distance, time, nor even death separates us from those who have informed and/or strengthened our faith.
When invokes St. Peter, the prayer which follows connects my experience with his: his devotion to Jesus, as well as his doubting, are brought into my current prayer. Fr. Bob's Order would speak in their prayers of St. Francis, and in so doing re-affirm their commitment to simplicity and service.
These are some of the Saints known the all of Christendom. Our invocations are more likely to include our grandparents, or SCS Teachers. No less than the Saints mentioned above, these Saints are also with us, in the Communion of the Saints - they are present and the mentioning of their name and their witness
brings their faith and their strengthening of my faith into the current petition.
Fr. Bob reminded us that the communion of saints is an assurance that when our faith is weak or wavering, the faith of others will bear us up. When their faith wavers, ours does the same for them. We draw from the strength of the Saints - they are with us, regardless of separation of time and distance. Not even death can separate us from one another.
As you observe this All Saints' Day, remember those who have strengthened your faith. Give thanks for them, and know that they are still with you.
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