...this one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:13
Depart from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it. Psalm 34:14
The Apostle Paul could run with the best of them. Early in Philippians chapter three he tells of all his reasons to boast--a Hebrew, a Pharisee, a persecutor of the church and blameless under the law. He had been a smart, hard-charging religious leader among his people. But now he counts all of that as refuse. Oh, he's still running; but he's chasing after something else, even from his prison cell. He's chasing after Jesus and the heavenly calling of God.
What are you running after? Is it worth the effort?
Psalm 34 reminds us that if peace is going to happen in our lives and in this world, we're going to have to chase it. It must be pursued. I wonder what the world would look like if we took all the resources we expend on pursuing security--the trillions of dollars, the human life, the technology we devote to military use--and used it to pursue peace.
How are you being a peacemaker? Is peace a pursuit for you or just a vague hope?
The philosopher and mystic Simone Weil said: "Pain and suffering are a kind of false currency passed from one hand to another until they reach someone who receives them but does not pass them on." Maybe in our post-9/11 world, this is where the pursuit for peace begins.
Monday, October 10, 2011
Monday, September 26, 2011
Down to get up--Philippians 2
From his prison cell, Paul writes to the Philippians, "Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves."
Apparently, Paul had received word about what was happening in the church at Philippi. We don't know exactly what the conflict there was about, but there was division and contention of some kind. Paul calls for unity and humility. As an illustration of the humility he encourages, Paul points to Christ "who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death--even death on the cross."
We've heard this text many times and have read the early creeds, so this christological hymn doesn't strike us as odd perhaps, but to the Greco-Roman mind, this notion of a heavenly being taking on human form to be humiliated and shamed in the worst possible way--death on the cross--was ludicrous. Developing and maintaining one's honor and good name in the community was very important. We speak of societal pressure to climb the corporate ladder in today's world. Well for the ancients, it was social necessity.
But Jesus didn't climb; he descended. It was through this shameful defeat that God lifts Jesus up and gives him a name higher than any other, "that every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord."
How might God be calling you now to descend, even when every fiber of your being longs to ascend, to be strong and to dominate? Where do you need to listen rather than speak? To whom do you need to say, I was wrong?
Humility scares us because it always is accompanied by vulnerability. Yet, that is the Jesus way.
Apparently, Paul had received word about what was happening in the church at Philippi. We don't know exactly what the conflict there was about, but there was division and contention of some kind. Paul calls for unity and humility. As an illustration of the humility he encourages, Paul points to Christ "who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death--even death on the cross."
We've heard this text many times and have read the early creeds, so this christological hymn doesn't strike us as odd perhaps, but to the Greco-Roman mind, this notion of a heavenly being taking on human form to be humiliated and shamed in the worst possible way--death on the cross--was ludicrous. Developing and maintaining one's honor and good name in the community was very important. We speak of societal pressure to climb the corporate ladder in today's world. Well for the ancients, it was social necessity.
But Jesus didn't climb; he descended. It was through this shameful defeat that God lifts Jesus up and gives him a name higher than any other, "that every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord."
How might God be calling you now to descend, even when every fiber of your being longs to ascend, to be strong and to dominate? Where do you need to listen rather than speak? To whom do you need to say, I was wrong?
Humility scares us because it always is accompanied by vulnerability. Yet, that is the Jesus way.
Monday, September 19, 2011
I'm Here for You--Philippians 1:21-26
For to me living is Christ and dying is gain. If I am to remain in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which I prefer. I am hard pressed between the two: my desire to depart and be with Christ for that is far better; but to remain in the flesh is more necessary for you. Since I am convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with all of you for your progress and joy and faith, so that I may share abundantly in your boasting in Christ Jesus when I come to you again.
The life of an Apostle, for Paul, was a life of suffering. He's writing to the Philippians from the deprivation of prison. He mentions elsewhere his many hardships: countless floggings, stonings, shipwrecks, hunger, thirst, nakedness. It's clear that Paul needs to retain a life coach. Things don't seem to be going too well.
No wonder he ponders the options. If he dies in prison (which certainly eventually happened), then he will be joyfully with Christ. If he remains alive, he can more fully fulfill his mission as an Apostle but, no doubt, he will continue to suffer. What would be best? Interpreters have wondered whether Paul is just turning these ideas over in his head or if he actually is trying to decide to live or die.
A central them in this letter to the Philippians is joy. The word occurs over and over again. Paul makes the decision to continue in the flesh for the joy of encouraging and strengthening the Philippians in the faith. He has a purpose, a calling, a responsibility. And though he suffers, he finds that joy emerges even from the most painful places of his life, because he is needed.
When Fred Rogers received an Emmy for Lifetime Achievement in 1997, he said: "We've all had special ones who have loved us into being. Would you just take, along with me, 10 seconds to think about the people who have helped you be who your are? Those who have cared about you and wanted what was best for your life." After the silence, he said: "Whomever you've been thinking about, how pleased they must be to know the difference you feel they've made."
Who has encouraged you and shaped you into the person you've become? Is there a way you can express your gratitude to them? Who is with you now that you can nurture and encourage? May you find joy as you fulfill this purpose for your life.
The life of an Apostle, for Paul, was a life of suffering. He's writing to the Philippians from the deprivation of prison. He mentions elsewhere his many hardships: countless floggings, stonings, shipwrecks, hunger, thirst, nakedness. It's clear that Paul needs to retain a life coach. Things don't seem to be going too well.
No wonder he ponders the options. If he dies in prison (which certainly eventually happened), then he will be joyfully with Christ. If he remains alive, he can more fully fulfill his mission as an Apostle but, no doubt, he will continue to suffer. What would be best? Interpreters have wondered whether Paul is just turning these ideas over in his head or if he actually is trying to decide to live or die.
A central them in this letter to the Philippians is joy. The word occurs over and over again. Paul makes the decision to continue in the flesh for the joy of encouraging and strengthening the Philippians in the faith. He has a purpose, a calling, a responsibility. And though he suffers, he finds that joy emerges even from the most painful places of his life, because he is needed.
When Fred Rogers received an Emmy for Lifetime Achievement in 1997, he said: "We've all had special ones who have loved us into being. Would you just take, along with me, 10 seconds to think about the people who have helped you be who your are? Those who have cared about you and wanted what was best for your life." After the silence, he said: "Whomever you've been thinking about, how pleased they must be to know the difference you feel they've made."
Who has encouraged you and shaped you into the person you've become? Is there a way you can express your gratitude to them? Who is with you now that you can nurture and encourage? May you find joy as you fulfill this purpose for your life.
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Vacation Thoughts
I took some time off in August to go to California with my family. My oldest daughter, Ali, returned home in early August from spending a year in Chicago with Mission Year. It was good to be able to spend time with her again. Of course, riding in a minivan for 30 hours with a family of six in hot California is a pretty intensive way to re-integrate into the family, but all in all we had a great time connecting with each other as well as with extended family who live in California.
Tomorrow is the centennial worship service at Woodland Park Presbyterian Church where I serve as pastor. As I look forward to tomorrow, I find that I have plenty for which to be thankful--a church that has served faithfully for 100 years in north Seattle and a houseful of loving family who are all together again. God is good.
May you find peace this day and be aware of God's goodness to you.
Tomorrow is the centennial worship service at Woodland Park Presbyterian Church where I serve as pastor. As I look forward to tomorrow, I find that I have plenty for which to be thankful--a church that has served faithfully for 100 years in north Seattle and a houseful of loving family who are all together again. God is good.
May you find peace this day and be aware of God's goodness to you.
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Blog problems
I've been having some problems with the comments portion of my blog. I'm still trying to work these out. Hope to have the problems resolved soon. Meantime, please read Romans 8. Good for the soul.
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Obedience is Difficult--Romans 7:15-25a
I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate (vs. 15).
Monday morning I came to the church as usual but this time went straight to the sanctuary where the day before, in worship, I had encouraged the congregation to write on Post-It notes simple acts of obedience that they feel called to practice and place these on or in the baptismal font as a sign of their commitment to follow Christ. The scripture that day had been from Romans 6 where Paul proclaims that through baptism we are freed from sin and enslaved to God. A slave obeys the master. This seems offensive and anachronistic to us; we value individual freedom quite highly and are repulsed by the institution of slavery. Yet Paul was surrounded by it and found it to be an apt metaphor for the free life lived in the Spirit. Paradoxical, I know.
As I prayerfully read the notes, even the soggy one I fished out of the water, I was moved by the strong spiritual aspirations reflected in these commitments. We do want to align ourselves with God's work of shalom in the world. We do want to heed the call and be God's ministers of healing and reconciliation in a broken world. We want to be obedient.
But obedience is difficult. Paul knows that. He is not kidding himself or others with this talk of enslavement. Romans 7 attests to that. As you read this text, note the confusion and powerlessness expressed by Paul. Can you remember a time when you experienced the same thing? You know what you should do, but doing it is just so hard!
As you read this text, identify the good news amid this confusion and powerlessness. Put that on the biggest Post-It note you can find and please don't ever, ever forget it.
Saturday, June 11, 2011
Pentecost--Acts 2
On this Pentecost Sunday we wait for the emergence of the Spirit to fill our lives and eliminate our problems. But God's Spirit doesn't work in that way. We are filled with God's Spirit and our problems just begin, because we see the world with new eyes and recognize fully that our attitudes and beliefs are not consonant with this new vision.
Maybe we read Galatians and learn from Paul that the Law (scripture) is a great schoolmaster but at some point we need to grow up and learn to live by the Spirit. For him that meant that Gentiles could come to Christ through faith with nothing more required. For us maybe that means that homosexuals have the same freedom. Our old formulas for who is in and who is out of God's favor gets turned on its head. We have to make adjustments.
Perhaps our first reaction to the news that Osama Bin Laden had been killed was to party in the streets with other Americans, but somewhere deep inside there is this gnawing sense that we are simply continuing the cycle of violence and not really making our world a safer place. This thought certainly makes us feel out of place amid the celebration and self-congratulations, and we're afraid to say any such thing at the water cooler.
Yes, one can get all kinds of strange ideas when one gets filled with the Spirit. It can complicate one's life.
Has the fire touched you yet? Are you willing to be touched?
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Let God Rise Up!, Psalm 68
Let God rise up, let his enemies be scattered;
Let those who hate him flee before him...
Sing to God, sing praises to his name,
Lift up a song to him who rides upon the clouds.
(vss. 1,4)
Today is Ascension Day! Aren't you excited? Are you planning anything special for the day?
Okay, so it doesn't get the same attention in the church calendar as Christmas or Easter, but still, the last glimpses of Jesus on earth (unless you believe he appears in tree bark or a piece of toast from time to time) is a pretty special occasion.
The lectionary couples Psalm 68 with the story of Jesus' ascension in Acts. Both scriptures invite us to look up. Both scriptures invite us to imagine a God who is in control of all creation, who is set against all that wars with shalom and who will ultimately bring full shalom into being.
Life can get pretty horizontal. It's a good idea to lift your eyes toward the heavens with joy and hope, even if you have to tolerate a little rain in your face. Researchers tell us that one's environment impacts how one thinks and behaves. For instance, people who are asked to function in a room with high ceilings demonstrate a greater capacity for imaginative, creative work. Maybe that's why churches, traditionally, have developed spaces with arched ceilings. Makes it easier to catch a glimpse of that rider in the clouds. Maybe we ought to be meeting outside more often!
What aspects of your life have become way too horizontal? What ways can you orient your attention upward? If the Psalms are any indication, praise and prayer are a good place to start.
Let those who hate him flee before him...
Sing to God, sing praises to his name,
Lift up a song to him who rides upon the clouds.
(vss. 1,4)
Today is Ascension Day! Aren't you excited? Are you planning anything special for the day?
Okay, so it doesn't get the same attention in the church calendar as Christmas or Easter, but still, the last glimpses of Jesus on earth (unless you believe he appears in tree bark or a piece of toast from time to time) is a pretty special occasion.
The lectionary couples Psalm 68 with the story of Jesus' ascension in Acts. Both scriptures invite us to look up. Both scriptures invite us to imagine a God who is in control of all creation, who is set against all that wars with shalom and who will ultimately bring full shalom into being.
Life can get pretty horizontal. It's a good idea to lift your eyes toward the heavens with joy and hope, even if you have to tolerate a little rain in your face. Researchers tell us that one's environment impacts how one thinks and behaves. For instance, people who are asked to function in a room with high ceilings demonstrate a greater capacity for imaginative, creative work. Maybe that's why churches, traditionally, have developed spaces with arched ceilings. Makes it easier to catch a glimpse of that rider in the clouds. Maybe we ought to be meeting outside more often!
What aspects of your life have become way too horizontal? What ways can you orient your attention upward? If the Psalms are any indication, praise and prayer are a good place to start.
Saturday, May 21, 2011
A New Temple--1 Peter 2:2-10
Come to him, a living stone, though rejected by mortals yet chosen and precious in God's sight, and like living stones, let yourselves be built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
If you are reading this then Harold Camping, the odd biblical calculator who predicted the Rapture for May 21, either got his end time calculations wrong or you got left behind. Unless you noticed a much shorter, more grumpy, line at Starbucks this morning, it is probably the former. Not to worry. I'm sure Harold will be quick to point out where his calculations were off and issue another date for the Rapture. It's tricky work predicting the apocalypse. One can't expect infallibility.
It's not end time predictions that have bugged me about Camping. When I've seen him on TV, I've found those kind of amusing. Rather, it is his encouragement to Christians to leave their churches. It seems his primary proclamation is that the Church is corrupt, and that good Christians should leave it. Stands to reason I'd be offended by this since I'm a pastor.
His message makes no sense in light of 1 Peter 2:2-10, where the Christian community of believers--the church--is said to be the new temple (the Jerusalem temple had been destroyed by the Romans), which is built on Christ the cornerstone and is home to the very presence of God. Now, I'm quite aware that the Church is not perfect, but it still in some mysterious sense houses the presence of God.
When in your community of faith do you most sense God's presence? In worship? In serving the homeless a meal? Playing frisbee at a church picnic?
How would your church change if it really, really understood itself to be God's temple on earth?
If you are reading this then Harold Camping, the odd biblical calculator who predicted the Rapture for May 21, either got his end time calculations wrong or you got left behind. Unless you noticed a much shorter, more grumpy, line at Starbucks this morning, it is probably the former. Not to worry. I'm sure Harold will be quick to point out where his calculations were off and issue another date for the Rapture. It's tricky work predicting the apocalypse. One can't expect infallibility.
It's not end time predictions that have bugged me about Camping. When I've seen him on TV, I've found those kind of amusing. Rather, it is his encouragement to Christians to leave their churches. It seems his primary proclamation is that the Church is corrupt, and that good Christians should leave it. Stands to reason I'd be offended by this since I'm a pastor.
His message makes no sense in light of 1 Peter 2:2-10, where the Christian community of believers--the church--is said to be the new temple (the Jerusalem temple had been destroyed by the Romans), which is built on Christ the cornerstone and is home to the very presence of God. Now, I'm quite aware that the Church is not perfect, but it still in some mysterious sense houses the presence of God.
When in your community of faith do you most sense God's presence? In worship? In serving the homeless a meal? Playing frisbee at a church picnic?
How would your church change if it really, really understood itself to be God's temple on earth?
Friday, April 29, 2011
Hiatus
It's been awhile since I've blogged. Too much stuff going on. Thank you to all the blog's followers for your patience.
I'm going on study leave for a couple of weeks and hope to be blogging again by the middle of May.
Peace be with you (and now imagine Jesus breathing on you as in John 21).
I'm going on study leave for a couple of weeks and hope to be blogging again by the middle of May.
Peace be with you (and now imagine Jesus breathing on you as in John 21).
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Conversation Starters--John 3:1-17
How would you start a conversation with Jesus if you had the chance? Might be challenge enough to be able to utter anything much less something coherent.
Nicodemus comes to Jesus at nighttime, presumably because he was a religious leaders and so he had a reputation to protect. Jesus had become popular, but he was an outsider who did not always say things or do things that were considered orthodox by those who were recognized as authorities.
Nicodemus is one of those authorities, but he sees something special in the miracles Jesus has performed, so he's willing to take a step outside his acceptable circles to interact with Jesus. He'll only take a minimal risk however; he'll come under cloak of darkness.
He starts out proclaiming his brilliance, "We know you are a teacher who has come from God." Starting a conversation with Jesus by proclaiming what you know is probably not the advisable way to begin. Jesus responds, "No one can see the Kingdom without being born from above." I think this is Jesus' way of saying, You haven't a clue, Nic. All of the sudden Jesus is talking a language that Nicodemus doesn't understand at all. It's clear that Nicodemus, though he is a religious leader, knows very little about the spiritual life. Sometimes those who seem to be closest to the truth are actually furthest away. As a pastor, I am very aware of this danger.
Anyone who affiliates in some way with a religious organization should be aware of this danger, because most religious organizations lay out some kind of path to follow to gain maturity and stature in faith. Yet, according to Jesus, the Spirit of God is like a wind that blows in very unpredictable ways. We're currently reading, as a church, Sara Miles' Jesus Freak, which is her story of how the Spirit has affected her life and ministry, although some of her practices have been difficult for her church to understand or approve of.
Have you been born anew (or from above, since the Greek word here could mean either)? How did it happen? Or is it happening or yet to happen?
Nicodemus comes to Jesus at nighttime, presumably because he was a religious leaders and so he had a reputation to protect. Jesus had become popular, but he was an outsider who did not always say things or do things that were considered orthodox by those who were recognized as authorities.
Nicodemus is one of those authorities, but he sees something special in the miracles Jesus has performed, so he's willing to take a step outside his acceptable circles to interact with Jesus. He'll only take a minimal risk however; he'll come under cloak of darkness.
He starts out proclaiming his brilliance, "We know you are a teacher who has come from God." Starting a conversation with Jesus by proclaiming what you know is probably not the advisable way to begin. Jesus responds, "No one can see the Kingdom without being born from above." I think this is Jesus' way of saying, You haven't a clue, Nic. All of the sudden Jesus is talking a language that Nicodemus doesn't understand at all. It's clear that Nicodemus, though he is a religious leader, knows very little about the spiritual life. Sometimes those who seem to be closest to the truth are actually furthest away. As a pastor, I am very aware of this danger.
Anyone who affiliates in some way with a religious organization should be aware of this danger, because most religious organizations lay out some kind of path to follow to gain maturity and stature in faith. Yet, according to Jesus, the Spirit of God is like a wind that blows in very unpredictable ways. We're currently reading, as a church, Sara Miles' Jesus Freak, which is her story of how the Spirit has affected her life and ministry, although some of her practices have been difficult for her church to understand or approve of.
Have you been born anew (or from above, since the Greek word here could mean either)? How did it happen? Or is it happening or yet to happen?
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Okay, Beloved, Now What? Matt. 4:1-11
As the gospel writers tell it, immediately after Jesus is baptized and the voice from heaven proclaims, "This is my beloved son in whom I am well-pleased," God's Spirit drives Jesus into the wilderness where he suffers deprivation and is confronted by his own human need. The tempter comes along and begins his offers with, "If you are the son of God..."
The close proximity of these two scenes suggest to me that the gospel writers are trying to show us that the temptation story is about Jesus' identity, and it should lead us to wonder what Jesus will do with his knowledge that he is God's messiah. Will he use his status to alleviate his own human suffering and thus render him invulnerable to the basic human needs that all humans share or will he fully enter into the human condition? Buddha said that life is suffering. Would the son of God willingly enter into this life or use his powers to rise above it?
You know the answers because you know the temptation story. Jesus refused to turn stones into bread, throw himself down from the temple tower hoping for the deliverance of angels or seek earthly rule. Rather, he walks this lonesome valley like the rest of us and uses his power to alleviate the suffering of others.
The seeds of Jesus' resurrection are found in these decisions he makes in the wilderness because when he chooses to live a fully human life, he, of course, is choosing to die a human death. So even in the first Sunday of Lent, we can see a foreshadowing of Easter.
Given that in your baptism God has claimed you as his/her beloved, what are you doing with your considerable powers? And if you are presently in the wilderness, what kind of choices are you making?
The close proximity of these two scenes suggest to me that the gospel writers are trying to show us that the temptation story is about Jesus' identity, and it should lead us to wonder what Jesus will do with his knowledge that he is God's messiah. Will he use his status to alleviate his own human suffering and thus render him invulnerable to the basic human needs that all humans share or will he fully enter into the human condition? Buddha said that life is suffering. Would the son of God willingly enter into this life or use his powers to rise above it?
You know the answers because you know the temptation story. Jesus refused to turn stones into bread, throw himself down from the temple tower hoping for the deliverance of angels or seek earthly rule. Rather, he walks this lonesome valley like the rest of us and uses his power to alleviate the suffering of others.
The seeds of Jesus' resurrection are found in these decisions he makes in the wilderness because when he chooses to live a fully human life, he, of course, is choosing to die a human death. So even in the first Sunday of Lent, we can see a foreshadowing of Easter.
Given that in your baptism God has claimed you as his/her beloved, what are you doing with your considerable powers? And if you are presently in the wilderness, what kind of choices are you making?
Thursday, March 3, 2011
The King's Speech, Matthew 17:1-9
The best picture award at the Academy Awards this year was for The King's Speech. I saw it and also thought it was a fantastic movie. Here was this very powerful man who had a flaw--at least for him and the rest of the royal family--that made him vulnerable to feelings of shame and to ridicule from others. He worked hard and with the help of others, overcame his stammer in time to offer encouragement to his people at a dark time in British history. When the king speaks, people listen.
This Sunday is Transfiguration Sunday. All the lectionary scriptures tell of the experience of encountering a mysterious, awe-inspiring God.
In Exodus 24:12-18, Moses goes up to Mt. Sinai to receive God's commandments and is enveloped in a divine cloud. To the people of Israel below, it didn't look like a cloud but rather a devouring fire that Moses walked into. Frightening!
Psalm 99 begins: "The Lord is king; let the peoples tremble!"
And in Matthew 17, Jesus is transfigured on the mountain and appears with Elijah and Moses. Peter, James and John have some ideas about how to sustain this glorious occasion so that everyone who wishes can behold it; he wants to build some dwellings. But suddenly there appeared a bright cloud (a lot of clouds in these sorts of stories; what do you make of that?), and a voice from the cloud says, "This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him!" The disciples fall to the ground in fear.
It is clear that when this King speaks, he doesn't have any problem communicating. The natural reaction is fear and trembling.
How might this connect with the life of faith? When have you trembled in the face of a reality larger than you? Is an awe-inspired trembling healthy sometimes?
This Sunday is Transfiguration Sunday. All the lectionary scriptures tell of the experience of encountering a mysterious, awe-inspiring God.
In Exodus 24:12-18, Moses goes up to Mt. Sinai to receive God's commandments and is enveloped in a divine cloud. To the people of Israel below, it didn't look like a cloud but rather a devouring fire that Moses walked into. Frightening!
Psalm 99 begins: "The Lord is king; let the peoples tremble!"
And in Matthew 17, Jesus is transfigured on the mountain and appears with Elijah and Moses. Peter, James and John have some ideas about how to sustain this glorious occasion so that everyone who wishes can behold it; he wants to build some dwellings. But suddenly there appeared a bright cloud (a lot of clouds in these sorts of stories; what do you make of that?), and a voice from the cloud says, "This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him!" The disciples fall to the ground in fear.
It is clear that when this King speaks, he doesn't have any problem communicating. The natural reaction is fear and trembling.
How might this connect with the life of faith? When have you trembled in the face of a reality larger than you? Is an awe-inspired trembling healthy sometimes?
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Jesus Freak, Matthew 5:38-48
O to be like thee, O to be like thee,
Blessed Redeemer, pure as thou art...
Old gospel chorus
I still remember singing that song as a child in the church I grew up in. We would usually sing it with eyes closed, focused on the savior and sincerely praying to be better than we were. The tune was really smarmy, as I remember. All in all though, the sentiment is valid. If you're striving to be like someone, I guess Jesus is a pretty good standard. Theologically, we call this process of becoming more like Jesus sanctification.
Of course, then you read the Sermon on the Mount, and you wonder if you ought to be careful what you wish for. " You have heard it said and eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth, but I say do not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other one also; and if anyone wants to sue you and take your coat, give them your cloak also."
Now, this concept of an eye for an eye, for many people, illustrates what is wrong with the Old Testament. It seems angry, vindictive and vengeful. However, as one commentator says, it was meant to restrain vengeance. Vengeance is naturally disproportionate. The desire to get even usually goes beyond getting even, as people, blinded by their own rage, do more than get even. The Law of Moses wisely puts a limit on punishment--an eye for an eye.
But then here comes Jesus challenging us to go beyond the wisdom of the Law. He calls his disciples to steer clear of revenge, but also to let go of our quest for justice for ourselves. He calls his followers to be merciful. Love everyone, not just family and friends but even enemies.
Still want to be like Jesus?
Blessed Redeemer, pure as thou art...
Old gospel chorus
I still remember singing that song as a child in the church I grew up in. We would usually sing it with eyes closed, focused on the savior and sincerely praying to be better than we were. The tune was really smarmy, as I remember. All in all though, the sentiment is valid. If you're striving to be like someone, I guess Jesus is a pretty good standard. Theologically, we call this process of becoming more like Jesus sanctification.
Of course, then you read the Sermon on the Mount, and you wonder if you ought to be careful what you wish for. " You have heard it said and eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth, but I say do not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other one also; and if anyone wants to sue you and take your coat, give them your cloak also."
Now, this concept of an eye for an eye, for many people, illustrates what is wrong with the Old Testament. It seems angry, vindictive and vengeful. However, as one commentator says, it was meant to restrain vengeance. Vengeance is naturally disproportionate. The desire to get even usually goes beyond getting even, as people, blinded by their own rage, do more than get even. The Law of Moses wisely puts a limit on punishment--an eye for an eye.
But then here comes Jesus challenging us to go beyond the wisdom of the Law. He calls his disciples to steer clear of revenge, but also to let go of our quest for justice for ourselves. He calls his followers to be merciful. Love everyone, not just family and friends but even enemies.
Still want to be like Jesus?
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Thoughts! Matthew 5:21,27-28
You're familiar with the command to the ancients, "Do not murder." I'm telling you that anyone who is so much as angry with a brother or sister is guilty of murder... You know the next commandment pretty well too, "Don't go to bed with another's spouse." But don't think you've preserved you virture just by staying out of bed. Your heart can be corrupted by lust even quicker than your body. Those leering looks you think no one notices--they can corrupt also. The Message
Monitoring and controlling your behavior can be pretty difficult. Just look at the Old Testament. You get the Ten Commandments and the rest of the Law of Moses in the Torah, and most of the rest of the OT is about how the people couldn't keep the covenantal behavioral requirements. The prophets tried to set the people on the right course, but it didn't always work, so the people were exiled to Babylon as a consequence of their unrighteousness.
Obedience is difficult. We get it. We're human, after all.
But now in the Sermon on the Mount Jesus is not only calling for right behavior. He is telling us our thoughts need to be pure. Why can't I have my consciousness? Isn't this going a bit far? Can't Jesus let me have my anger? I won't get out of control and strike someone. Can't Jesus let me have my lust? I'll keep appropriate boundaries.
Historically, this teaching from Jesus has been interpreted two ways. First, some have thought that Jesus was the first great cognitive psychologist, showing us that our thoughts are important. They determine how we will experience the world. It is crucial that we are aware of our thought life and seek to bring it into submission to our will, and of course, the will of God.
Augustine, if I remember correctly, thought that Jesus was pushing this obedience thing to the extreme to show that none of us can live a righteous life and therefore are dependent on the grace of God because of our sin. Remember, the scribes and Pharisees prided themselves, according to the Gospels anyway, on their perfect behavior in accordance with the Law. When Jesus says that even our thought life must be perfect, he renders even the most righteous among us as needy.
What do you think? How's your thought life?
Monitoring and controlling your behavior can be pretty difficult. Just look at the Old Testament. You get the Ten Commandments and the rest of the Law of Moses in the Torah, and most of the rest of the OT is about how the people couldn't keep the covenantal behavioral requirements. The prophets tried to set the people on the right course, but it didn't always work, so the people were exiled to Babylon as a consequence of their unrighteousness.
Obedience is difficult. We get it. We're human, after all.
But now in the Sermon on the Mount Jesus is not only calling for right behavior. He is telling us our thoughts need to be pure. Why can't I have my consciousness? Isn't this going a bit far? Can't Jesus let me have my anger? I won't get out of control and strike someone. Can't Jesus let me have my lust? I'll keep appropriate boundaries.
Historically, this teaching from Jesus has been interpreted two ways. First, some have thought that Jesus was the first great cognitive psychologist, showing us that our thoughts are important. They determine how we will experience the world. It is crucial that we are aware of our thought life and seek to bring it into submission to our will, and of course, the will of God.
Augustine, if I remember correctly, thought that Jesus was pushing this obedience thing to the extreme to show that none of us can live a righteous life and therefore are dependent on the grace of God because of our sin. Remember, the scribes and Pharisees prided themselves, according to the Gospels anyway, on their perfect behavior in accordance with the Law. When Jesus says that even our thought life must be perfect, he renders even the most righteous among us as needy.
What do you think? How's your thought life?
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Lightly Salted, Matthew 5:13-16
You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything, but is thrown out and trampled under foot. You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it give light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your father in heaven.
Note that Jesus' Sermon on the Mount is not like the Ten Commandments. There is no law here; no Thou shalts. Rather, Jesus is simply describing reality, so that his hearers might see clearly into the nature of things. Someone has said, "What is, is the great teacher." Jesus is describing what is in the Kingdom, as if the only things needed from us is acknowledgement and vision.
Jesus doesn't say, Thou shalt be poor in spirit. He says, "Blessed are the poor in spirit..." Jesus doesn't say, Thou shalt be salt and light. He says, "You are the salt of the earth... You are the light of the world."
The only danger here, if I read Jesus correctly, is in refusing to be who you are.
Note that Jesus' Sermon on the Mount is not like the Ten Commandments. There is no law here; no Thou shalts. Rather, Jesus is simply describing reality, so that his hearers might see clearly into the nature of things. Someone has said, "What is, is the great teacher." Jesus is describing what is in the Kingdom, as if the only things needed from us is acknowledgement and vision.
Jesus doesn't say, Thou shalt be poor in spirit. He says, "Blessed are the poor in spirit..." Jesus doesn't say, Thou shalt be salt and light. He says, "You are the salt of the earth... You are the light of the world."
The only danger here, if I read Jesus correctly, is in refusing to be who you are.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
The Nearby Kingdom, Matthew 4:17
After Jesus is baptized, he is driven into the wilderness by the Spirit to be tempted, tested and tempered. After that he begins his ministry, and his first ministry action is to proclaim through the countryside: "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near."
I hate that. I don't want God's kingdom, the kingdom of peace and justice, to come near. I want it to be here. Why can't what I long for be in my grasp?
Most theologians think that when Jesus says the kingdom has come near, he is saying that the kingdom has come, in some sense, with his coming and will come fully in the near future. Jesus was an apocalyptic preacher. He believed that God's rule, the supernatural interruption of the natural order, was coming quickly, so people should get ready. The early church got the message and believed the same way. Jesus who had died and was resurrected and ascended would return imminently.
Maybe it's just my way of trying to understand Jesus' words 2,000 years later, but I think he's talking more than about time. I think he's speaking to the human longing for God's presence which is never fully satisfied. Our finite selves daily bump up against the infinite, the great mystery of existence, and we are frustrated, figuring there must be some method for experiencing the great Shalom, unity with God. But we can't find it. We are left with our craving and brokenness. Getting up for work in the morning. Helping the kids with homework.
The kingdom is near. Or to continue the U2 theme from last week: "I still haven't found what I'm looking for."
I hate that. I don't want God's kingdom, the kingdom of peace and justice, to come near. I want it to be here. Why can't what I long for be in my grasp?
Most theologians think that when Jesus says the kingdom has come near, he is saying that the kingdom has come, in some sense, with his coming and will come fully in the near future. Jesus was an apocalyptic preacher. He believed that God's rule, the supernatural interruption of the natural order, was coming quickly, so people should get ready. The early church got the message and believed the same way. Jesus who had died and was resurrected and ascended would return imminently.
Maybe it's just my way of trying to understand Jesus' words 2,000 years later, but I think he's talking more than about time. I think he's speaking to the human longing for God's presence which is never fully satisfied. Our finite selves daily bump up against the infinite, the great mystery of existence, and we are frustrated, figuring there must be some method for experiencing the great Shalom, unity with God. But we can't find it. We are left with our craving and brokenness. Getting up for work in the morning. Helping the kids with homework.
The kingdom is near. Or to continue the U2 theme from last week: "I still haven't found what I'm looking for."
Monday, January 10, 2011
Bleak Winter, Psalm 40:1-11
Ah, world, what lessons you prepare for us
even in the leafless winter,
even in the ashy city.
I am thinking now
of grief, and of getting past it.
Mary Oliver
I hate January. Have I mentioned this before?
I hate the perpetual darkness that just hangs low over your head, pressing down on you, threatening to pin you to the ground like a heavy boot. Sure, there are the sporadic glimpses of sunshine, but then everything is frozen solid including your fingers as they fruitlessly scrape the windshield of your car in which the heater doesn't work and a new heater core costs more to put in than to get a new vehicle, almost.
The church becomes unbearable in January as the charm and spiritual warmth of Christmas has given way to ordinary time and beginning-of-the-year administrative tasks that you just have to plow through by sheer act of will. Our church, like any church nowadays, is constantly processing change, adapting to new realities in the American religious landscape. This constant change requires constant energy and attention. In January, that can be hard to muster.
Do I sound grumpy? I'm grumpy. January will do that to me. Psalm 40 is perfect January reading, or not, depending on your feelings about being patient:
I waited patiently for the Lord;
he inclined to me and heard my cry.
He drew me up from the desolate pit,
out of the miry bog,
and set my feet upon a rock;
making my steps secure.
He put a new song in my mouth,
a song of praise to our God.
How are you feeling this winter? Does Psalm 40 resonate with your 2011 winter experience?
even in the leafless winter,
even in the ashy city.
I am thinking now
of grief, and of getting past it.
Mary Oliver
I hate January. Have I mentioned this before?
I hate the perpetual darkness that just hangs low over your head, pressing down on you, threatening to pin you to the ground like a heavy boot. Sure, there are the sporadic glimpses of sunshine, but then everything is frozen solid including your fingers as they fruitlessly scrape the windshield of your car in which the heater doesn't work and a new heater core costs more to put in than to get a new vehicle, almost.
The church becomes unbearable in January as the charm and spiritual warmth of Christmas has given way to ordinary time and beginning-of-the-year administrative tasks that you just have to plow through by sheer act of will. Our church, like any church nowadays, is constantly processing change, adapting to new realities in the American religious landscape. This constant change requires constant energy and attention. In January, that can be hard to muster.
Do I sound grumpy? I'm grumpy. January will do that to me. Psalm 40 is perfect January reading, or not, depending on your feelings about being patient:
I waited patiently for the Lord;
he inclined to me and heard my cry.
He drew me up from the desolate pit,
out of the miry bog,
and set my feet upon a rock;
making my steps secure.
He put a new song in my mouth,
a song of praise to our God.
How are you feeling this winter? Does Psalm 40 resonate with your 2011 winter experience?
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Baptism of Jesus Sunday
In the liturgical calendar, January 9 is Baptism of Jesus Sunday. At WPPC this Sunday, we'll baptize and confirm six youth. What a great way to celebrate the baptism of Jesus!
When Jesus came up out of the water at his baptism, according to the gospel writers, the Holy Spirit descended on him and a voice pronounced, "This is my son, the beloved, in whom I am well pleased." With this knowledge of his identity, Jesus is empowered to launch into ministry.
At their baptism and confirmation, I will anoint the youth this Sunday and pronounce that they have been sealed by the Holy Spirit in their baptism and marked as Christ's own forever. Those are pretty powerful words. Wonder what would happen if each one truly took those words to heart. How would it change their lives? What could they accomplish?
Freedom is a wonderful thing. We have a lot of it in this country, and we should be thankful. The dark side of freedom though is that we think we can go though the world making up our life as we go along. We have no sense that we are chosen or claimed, that we have a destiny or mission. We are left to wander, following our own appetites. Life lived in this kind of freedom can be very unfufilling.
Do you have the sense that you are claimed by God and that that claim matters in your daily life?
When Jesus came up out of the water at his baptism, according to the gospel writers, the Holy Spirit descended on him and a voice pronounced, "This is my son, the beloved, in whom I am well pleased." With this knowledge of his identity, Jesus is empowered to launch into ministry.
At their baptism and confirmation, I will anoint the youth this Sunday and pronounce that they have been sealed by the Holy Spirit in their baptism and marked as Christ's own forever. Those are pretty powerful words. Wonder what would happen if each one truly took those words to heart. How would it change their lives? What could they accomplish?
Freedom is a wonderful thing. We have a lot of it in this country, and we should be thankful. The dark side of freedom though is that we think we can go though the world making up our life as we go along. We have no sense that we are chosen or claimed, that we have a destiny or mission. We are left to wander, following our own appetites. Life lived in this kind of freedom can be very unfufilling.
Do you have the sense that you are claimed by God and that that claim matters in your daily life?
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