I love it when I'm reading the Bible and the story directly relates to something that just happened/is happening in my life of faith. This ancient book is relevant! The first couple verses out of today's chapter is about the widow's mite. Last Monday at Confirmation, Karl gave me two coins that are worth about a penny...the actual coins from this story! How cool is that?!? Jordan, the widow did give all that she had financially. That doesn't mean you and Erin need to. As chair of our stewardship team and a strong defender of tithing to the synod, I know it's important to you to give generously. Celebrate that and give your entire life to God (which I know you have).
In the middle of this chapter, I read the passage, "I'll give you the words." While I blog late at night, I always read first thing in the morning, so I read these words and then preached them, regarding Jeremiah.
Jordan, the verse you noted is translated, "sky and earth will wear out" in the Message.
If you've been reading/blogging with us for all 21 days, you have now established a habit. Do it for 3 more weeks and it'll probably be a habit you'll have for the rest of your life. Please encourage others to join us. When we finish Luke in 3 days, we'll jump right into the book of Acts, which is considered to be Luke II (the same author wrote them both). Acts is early church history. It's a great book to try to live out in today's world. During February and March, we'll be starting small groups in homes. The cooking class will continue at church again on Feb 21st at 2 pm. There has even been talk of starting a motorcycle small group. If you are interested, let Paul Grassey know.
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Kelly - Luke 21
In the midst of these passages on the scary and apocolyptic events of this world I came across some words that made me smile...
v. 34 "Be on guard so that your hearts are not weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of this life, and that day catch you unexpectedly..."
To begin with, it's kinda funny to be warned about being weighed down in the middle of a passage of all the awful things in this world -- wars and famines and earthquakes (but don't be weighed down). These are certainly things that bring me down - and none of them are actually happening to me - I only see them on the news or read about them in the paper. But my heart aches.
Secondly, to equate being "weighed down with drunkenness" to being "weighed down by the worries of this life" seems a little strange - even from Jesus' perspective. Drunkenness and dissipation are wasteful and irresponsible. Being weighed down by my own small worries....is, I suppose, also wasteful and irresponsible. I have been given great joy and great promise. Being so self-absorbed that I become weighed down and unable to rejoice is a disservice to God.
These apocolyptic words are hard. But somehow I find them comforting today. Becuase the truth is that I see all that Christ talks about in this chapter - I see it in our world. And though it makes my heart ache and my stomach churn, it is comforting to know that Christ sees it, too. These things will happen, but they do not mean an end to the promise. This pain will strike, but it does not mean that God has forsaken us. Wars and rumors of wars and death and persecution will persist. But God will prevail - and we are promised a place at his side.
v. 34 "Be on guard so that your hearts are not weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of this life, and that day catch you unexpectedly..."
To begin with, it's kinda funny to be warned about being weighed down in the middle of a passage of all the awful things in this world -- wars and famines and earthquakes (but don't be weighed down). These are certainly things that bring me down - and none of them are actually happening to me - I only see them on the news or read about them in the paper. But my heart aches.
Secondly, to equate being "weighed down with drunkenness" to being "weighed down by the worries of this life" seems a little strange - even from Jesus' perspective. Drunkenness and dissipation are wasteful and irresponsible. Being weighed down by my own small worries....is, I suppose, also wasteful and irresponsible. I have been given great joy and great promise. Being so self-absorbed that I become weighed down and unable to rejoice is a disservice to God.
These apocolyptic words are hard. But somehow I find them comforting today. Becuase the truth is that I see all that Christ talks about in this chapter - I see it in our world. And though it makes my heart ache and my stomach churn, it is comforting to know that Christ sees it, too. These things will happen, but they do not mean an end to the promise. This pain will strike, but it does not mean that God has forsaken us. Wars and rumors of wars and death and persecution will persist. But God will prevail - and we are promised a place at his side.
Jordan - Luke 21
I (we, Erin and I) give out of abundance (21:3-4). Luke is really non-stop guilt trips about giving everything you can! I can't say that I'm incredibly proud of how much I give, but I'm definitely not ashamed of it. Living in the northeast, Erin and I spend an amazing amount on a mortgage and child care. Its depressing when I see the totals at tax time! But I still know we are blessed with abundance, especially, as Kelly has mentioned in previous chapters, in the global scale. I'm not sure whether to thank God for our abundance or to complain that we are only making that eye of the needle slightly smaller!
On another note, I was surprised to read verse 33, "Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away." What? Heaven has a time span? Is this translated wrong? Is it supposed to be "the heavens" (i.e. the sky)? I mean, I know I should probably focus on the meaning and not the syntax, but I guess I've aways thought of God and heaven as always together and eternal.
On another note, I was surprised to read verse 33, "Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away." What? Heaven has a time span? Is this translated wrong? Is it supposed to be "the heavens" (i.e. the sky)? I mean, I know I should probably focus on the meaning and not the syntax, but I guess I've aways thought of God and heaven as always together and eternal.
Saturday, January 30, 2010
What is heaven like?
At Camp Calumet this week, we talked about questions like, "Do dogs go to heaven?" That conversation quickly tangented into one of the topics found in today's reading, "Will I be married in heaven?" Unlike the Sadducees, we believe in the resurrection (that's why they're sad-you-see), but we claim to know more about heaven than we possibly can. I think we make a mistake when we talk about receiving rewards of differing degrees in heaven after all of this hard work and good behavior on earth. Is there anything better than simply being with God all of the time?
In the Gospel of Matthew, during the sermon on the mount, Jesus says, "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." He continues a few verses later, "No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money."
Notice the shift from "up there" to "down here". The treasures we store up in heaven are not ours personally, but God's (it all is here too). When we serve, either we take the credit or give it to him (i.e. store it up in heaven). Being a governor of 11 cities applies to here on earth, not in heaven. I'm not even sure we can image what the afterlife will be like, but we can serve God in this life. Too whom much is given, much is expected...
In the Gospel of Matthew, during the sermon on the mount, Jesus says, "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." He continues a few verses later, "No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money."
Notice the shift from "up there" to "down here". The treasures we store up in heaven are not ours personally, but God's (it all is here too). When we serve, either we take the credit or give it to him (i.e. store it up in heaven). Being a governor of 11 cities applies to here on earth, not in heaven. I'm not even sure we can image what the afterlife will be like, but we can serve God in this life. Too whom much is given, much is expected...
Kelly - Luke 20
I never noticed before that Jesus was talking about the resurrection with the Sadducees before his crucufixion. I had always assumed that concepts of the resurrection came about with Christ's resurrection - but apparently the concept was alive in Jewish thought much much earlier than that.
My Bible notes explain that the Sadducees would only believe the testimony of Moses - the Torah - and did not hold to the authority of the prophets, etc. in the Old Testament. Which is why Jesus cites the authority of Moses in his explanation of the resurrection. To my mind, Jesus' argument is weak at best. Just because God is the "God of Abraham" doesn't imply that Abraham lives in the resurrection age to my mind. But the Sadducees seem to have accepted the argument.
This story shows up in the week before Jesus' arrest and trial in Jerusalem...so Luke has obviously placed it here to focus our minds on what's next. Perhaps this passage offers a little bit of comfort in a couple of chapters of really hard words and stories. A reminder that this is not the whole story - that there is a resurrection -for all of us, and so for Christ. But just like in my daily life, the reminder of the resurrection is a partial comfort, but not a whole one. The knowledge of a resurrection brings me comfort when someone has died- but I am still left behind and sad and alone. Christ may know of his coming resurrection and remind us and his followers of that in this story - but we are still left without him here. Loneliness and anguish for the disciples who had lived with him. And loneliness for me - who never had the chance to know him here and now must learn to live as one "who believes but has never seen."
My Bible notes explain that the Sadducees would only believe the testimony of Moses - the Torah - and did not hold to the authority of the prophets, etc. in the Old Testament. Which is why Jesus cites the authority of Moses in his explanation of the resurrection. To my mind, Jesus' argument is weak at best. Just because God is the "God of Abraham" doesn't imply that Abraham lives in the resurrection age to my mind. But the Sadducees seem to have accepted the argument.
This story shows up in the week before Jesus' arrest and trial in Jerusalem...so Luke has obviously placed it here to focus our minds on what's next. Perhaps this passage offers a little bit of comfort in a couple of chapters of really hard words and stories. A reminder that this is not the whole story - that there is a resurrection -for all of us, and so for Christ. But just like in my daily life, the reminder of the resurrection is a partial comfort, but not a whole one. The knowledge of a resurrection brings me comfort when someone has died- but I am still left behind and sad and alone. Christ may know of his coming resurrection and remind us and his followers of that in this story - but we are still left without him here. Loneliness and anguish for the disciples who had lived with him. And loneliness for me - who never had the chance to know him here and now must learn to live as one "who believes but has never seen."
Friday, January 29, 2010
Jordan - Luke 19
"I tell you, to all those who have, more will be given; but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away." (19:26). Isn't this the opposite of every other parable? I thought the rich would be poor and the poor would be rich? I had to read this again before I figured that with the entrance to Jerusalem as the next story, Jesus was talking about the fact that he will bequeath his story and the good news upon his death and we, in our time on this Earth should use this news and invest it with others that they might learn of God's love.
I'm a little disappointed to know that there is a hierarchy of reward for the returns on investment. If you do better than others you get more in heaven? What does it mean to own 11 cities verses 5 in heaven?
I'm a little disappointed to know that there is a hierarchy of reward for the returns on investment. If you do better than others you get more in heaven? What does it mean to own 11 cities verses 5 in heaven?
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Jordan - Luke 18
I beat myself up over these parables. Like Peter, I ask, "Then who can be saved?" Sell all that you have, leave your family and friends and do it all in the name of God. These commands push people to break off the ties that define who they are. Living up to these expectations is practically impossible so who can be saved? Jesus answers Peter, "What is impossible for mortals is possible for God."
We are saved by God's grace. There is nothing we can sell and no act that we can perform that will save us because to live up to God's expectations is impossible. To save us, God made the ultimate sacrifice by sending His Son to die for us so that our sins might be forgiven. What He asks for us in return is to love our neighbor and be good stewards of this world.
We are saved by God's grace. There is nothing we can sell and no act that we can perform that will save us because to live up to God's expectations is impossible. To save us, God made the ultimate sacrifice by sending His Son to die for us so that our sins might be forgiven. What He asks for us in return is to love our neighbor and be good stewards of this world.
Please don't give me what I DESERVE
One day one of the local officials asked him, "Good Teacher, what must I do to deserve eternal life?"Jesus decides to focus on the word good. The one that jumped out at me was deserve. No matter how good we try to be, do we ever deserve eternal life? It's a gift. Later in the chapter, the blind man yells, "Jesus! Son of David! Mercy, have mercy on me!" This is again something we don't deserve, but Christ lavishes on us. It would seem obvious to me that Jesus knew what the BLIND man wanted, but he cared enough to ask him. "Master, I want to see again." So do I. Come, Lord Jesus. Open my eyes to the needs of this world and how you want the body of Christ called Faith to serve you in Quincy.
Kelly - Luke 18
The story of the widow and the unjust judge. I've always wondered about prayer chains, or intercessory prayer at all. Is this the story that they rely on?
I've never really understood why the prayers of a group of people are thought to be more effective than the prayers of one person. Prayer is prayer - and I never really thought of it as having a cumulative effect. I had always thought prayer chains and asking for intercessory prayer were more about the building of community than the actual prayer.
I don't think this story has really changed my mind on that, but it has given me some biblical basis for the practice. Hmmm....
I've never really understood why the prayers of a group of people are thought to be more effective than the prayers of one person. Prayer is prayer - and I never really thought of it as having a cumulative effect. I had always thought prayer chains and asking for intercessory prayer were more about the building of community than the actual prayer.
I don't think this story has really changed my mind on that, but it has given me some biblical basis for the practice. Hmmm....
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Jordan - Luke 17
"For, in fact, the kingdom of God is among you." (17:21). I love this concept. The word "among" could also be "within" which is even better. I have always had this theory that God is energy. God isn't a he or she or above us in some mansion in the sky. God is all around us and we are made up of God. Its like when you get chills down your spine because you hear a beautiful song, that's the God in you. What if, when we die, we don't "go" anywhere. Instead, our energy returns to this world. If, during our life, we've made the world a better place, thats heaven. If we've been destructive, then we return to an unhappy place.
When David asks us where is God, we tell him all around us. In the trees, in the sky, in the wind, in his heart. Of course, he doesn't really get it (I don't think) but its comforting and its the best answer we can give.
When David asks us where is God, we tell him all around us. In the trees, in the sky, in the wind, in his heart. Of course, he doesn't really get it (I don't think) but its comforting and its the best answer we can give.
Kelly - Luke 17
The story of the cleansing of the 10 lepers has some truth for me today. The imperitiveness of praising Christ above all else. Above even obeying Christ. The leper was told to go and show himself to the priest - but he turned back in order to give thanks. And for this Christ commends him.
It's like the story of the woman who bathes Jesus in the expensive perfume - the disciples complained that the money could have been better used - which is a very logical argument that I tend to agree with. But the point of that story is that it's more important to praise and honor Christ than anything else - even helping the poor.
The same story extends to Judas in my mind. I can easily see Judas thinking of a good way to raise some money for the missions of the 12 by telling the Pharisees where Jesus was. After all, Jesus himself is found in the gospels telling the Pharisees and leaders where to find him. Jesus calmed the storm and healed and fed - certainly he could evade a few Jewish leaders. I can see this story from the point of Judas's great faith in Christ's abilities - his Messiahship - that the money could be collected without any harm to Jesus - and would well-used by the disciples. From this perspective, Judas's sin is the same as the 9 lepers - not placing adoration of Christ above all else.
I've been spending the week singing "Hail to the Lord's Anointed" - because we sang it last Sunday, but we sang it wrong (and by that, I mean we didn't sing it to the tune I remember from my past....don't mess with my sacred canopy). So I've sung and re-sung the song to the tune I like best - and the words are starting to find their way into my head and heart.
Above all else, above obedience, above communion, above admiration, above faithful questioning, above service to the poor...above all else PRAISE and THANKSGIVING.
It's like the story of the woman who bathes Jesus in the expensive perfume - the disciples complained that the money could have been better used - which is a very logical argument that I tend to agree with. But the point of that story is that it's more important to praise and honor Christ than anything else - even helping the poor.
The same story extends to Judas in my mind. I can easily see Judas thinking of a good way to raise some money for the missions of the 12 by telling the Pharisees where Jesus was. After all, Jesus himself is found in the gospels telling the Pharisees and leaders where to find him. Jesus calmed the storm and healed and fed - certainly he could evade a few Jewish leaders. I can see this story from the point of Judas's great faith in Christ's abilities - his Messiahship - that the money could be collected without any harm to Jesus - and would well-used by the disciples. From this perspective, Judas's sin is the same as the 9 lepers - not placing adoration of Christ above all else.
I've been spending the week singing "Hail to the Lord's Anointed" - because we sang it last Sunday, but we sang it wrong (and by that, I mean we didn't sing it to the tune I remember from my past....don't mess with my sacred canopy). So I've sung and re-sung the song to the tune I like best - and the words are starting to find their way into my head and heart.
Above all else, above obedience, above communion, above admiration, above faithful questioning, above service to the poor...above all else PRAISE and THANKSGIVING.
Eternal Life
The theme that struck me with the last two readings is the idea of eternal life. So many times we hear how we are to gain eternal life; follow the ten commandments, leave all of your earthly treasures and follow Jesus, believe in the Lord your God with all your heart, mind and soul...etc. We read these themes time and again throughout scripture and as good christians we try to lead Godly lives and follow the commandments.
But what about the person who does not? What about those people who sin for years and then repent? We are told that they will also gain eternal life, even if on their death bed they repent and believe in Jesus.
I think this is the most difficult idea for me personnally to absorb. Why should someone who cheated, lied or even murdered inherit eternal life just because they decided to believe at the last minute? If they truly believed would they not have tried to live a better life?
Forgiveness is not one of my better qualities. I'm not saying that I don't forgive people but there have been times in my life that I have found this to be a very challenging task. Years ago my family struggled with another family in our neighborhood over many different issues concerning our children. To this day I still have not completely forgiven or forgotten our difficulties. This fact bothers me often and I wish I could get past it.
So when I read chapters 17 & 18 I was reminded again of forgiveness and how we are to gain eternal life. At our Sunday School teachers meeting we discussed Lent and having the teachers and students 'give something up' or 'take something on'. As I am writing this I have made my decision about what I will taking on during Lent; Forgiveness. I am going to ask for God's help in learning to forgive and forget. After all it is God who has the final say and he knows the true hearts of people.
But what about the person who does not? What about those people who sin for years and then repent? We are told that they will also gain eternal life, even if on their death bed they repent and believe in Jesus.
I think this is the most difficult idea for me personnally to absorb. Why should someone who cheated, lied or even murdered inherit eternal life just because they decided to believe at the last minute? If they truly believed would they not have tried to live a better life?
Forgiveness is not one of my better qualities. I'm not saying that I don't forgive people but there have been times in my life that I have found this to be a very challenging task. Years ago my family struggled with another family in our neighborhood over many different issues concerning our children. To this day I still have not completely forgiven or forgotten our difficulties. This fact bothers me often and I wish I could get past it.
So when I read chapters 17 & 18 I was reminded again of forgiveness and how we are to gain eternal life. At our Sunday School teachers meeting we discussed Lent and having the teachers and students 'give something up' or 'take something on'. As I am writing this I have made my decision about what I will taking on during Lent; Forgiveness. I am going to ask for God's help in learning to forgive and forget. After all it is God who has the final say and he knows the true hearts of people.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Jordan - Luke 16
A few random observations/questions from this chapter:
"If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced even if someone rises from the dead." (16:31). Out of curiosity, is this foreshadowing of Jesus' resurrection or just a continuation of the rich man and Lazarus?
Who are the "children of light" in 16:8?
I never thought of John as the "turning point" in the Bible until I read verse 16, "The law and the prophets were in effect until John came; since then the good news of the kingdom of God is proclaimed..." I also look at the new testament in the post-resurrection lens, but from Jesus perspective, John has pointed the way to a new life and Jesus is fulfilling the prophecy. John just took a few big steps forward in my mind :)
"If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced even if someone rises from the dead." (16:31). Out of curiosity, is this foreshadowing of Jesus' resurrection or just a continuation of the rich man and Lazarus?
Who are the "children of light" in 16:8?
I never thought of John as the "turning point" in the Bible until I read verse 16, "The law and the prophets were in effect until John came; since then the good news of the kingdom of God is proclaimed..." I also look at the new testament in the post-resurrection lens, but from Jesus perspective, John has pointed the way to a new life and Jesus is fulfilling the prophecy. John just took a few big steps forward in my mind :)
Our wants vs their needs
Last night at Confirmation, we talked about when Jesus fed 5,000 men, their families, and probably hundreds if not thousands of widows and orphans. If you spend 2+ years reading through the law and the prophets (the Old Testament), there are two commands you won't be able to miss:
1. I am the Lord your God...you shall have no other gods before me (including money, an issue the Bible specifically addresses over 2,000 times).
2. Take care of widows and orphans. Give the first and best to God and share what he has blessed you with. Once your needs are met by God, help meet the needs of others.
Then this morning, before heading off to camp, I read three stories:
1. The parable of the crooked manager
2. An interaction between Jesus and the Pharisees
3. The parable of the rich man and Lazarus (not the guy Jesus raised from the dead...apparently, Lazarus was a common name)
What caught my eye was a description of the Pharisees. These guys followed the law to a T. Every one of them tithed, but Scripture calls them "a money-obsessed bunch." They used there wealth to promote THEMSELVES, not God. During Lent, our Sunday School children and the LYFE Group will be raising money to feed starving children. I'm not sure what the Faith Center will become, but one of the visions I have is a Feeding Children International packaging location (formerly Kids Against Hunger). A HUGE part of my ministry in the past 5 years (since Adi was learning to walk) has been packaging 1,000,000 meals for local food shelves and kids around the world who would otherwise starve to death (26,000 kids under 5 do every day). With proper funding from adults (and the youth themselves...we're going to challenge them to tithe from their own money during Lent), we could be pulling kids in off the street to help package these meals.
$5,000 provides the infrastructure to set up a packing location (tables, sealers, funnels, etc). After that, the only cost is the heat for a building we already own and 10 cents/meal we package. The most meals I've helped package in any given year is 358,518 at a cost of only $35,851.80. We fed almost 1,000 kids a meal every day that year. Between Souper Bowl Sunday (Feb 7th) and the 30 Hour Famine (March 19th)--wow, that's 40 days! how Biblical--could we raise enough money to get this thing off the ground? That would be incredible. If you are interested in giving $100 or several thousand dollars anonymously, let me know.
1. I am the Lord your God...you shall have no other gods before me (including money, an issue the Bible specifically addresses over 2,000 times).
2. Take care of widows and orphans. Give the first and best to God and share what he has blessed you with. Once your needs are met by God, help meet the needs of others.
Then this morning, before heading off to camp, I read three stories:
1. The parable of the crooked manager
2. An interaction between Jesus and the Pharisees
3. The parable of the rich man and Lazarus (not the guy Jesus raised from the dead...apparently, Lazarus was a common name)
What caught my eye was a description of the Pharisees. These guys followed the law to a T. Every one of them tithed, but Scripture calls them "a money-obsessed bunch." They used there wealth to promote THEMSELVES, not God. During Lent, our Sunday School children and the LYFE Group will be raising money to feed starving children. I'm not sure what the Faith Center will become, but one of the visions I have is a Feeding Children International packaging location (formerly Kids Against Hunger). A HUGE part of my ministry in the past 5 years (since Adi was learning to walk) has been packaging 1,000,000 meals for local food shelves and kids around the world who would otherwise starve to death (26,000 kids under 5 do every day). With proper funding from adults (and the youth themselves...we're going to challenge them to tithe from their own money during Lent), we could be pulling kids in off the street to help package these meals.
$5,000 provides the infrastructure to set up a packing location (tables, sealers, funnels, etc). After that, the only cost is the heat for a building we already own and 10 cents/meal we package. The most meals I've helped package in any given year is 358,518 at a cost of only $35,851.80. We fed almost 1,000 kids a meal every day that year. Between Souper Bowl Sunday (Feb 7th) and the 30 Hour Famine (March 19th)--wow, that's 40 days! how Biblical--could we raise enough money to get this thing off the ground? That would be incredible. If you are interested in giving $100 or several thousand dollars anonymously, let me know.
Kelly - Luke 16
16:9 - "And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of dishonest wealth, so that when it is gone they may welcome you into the eternal homes." It took quite a while for me to wrap my head around this verse and figure out what Jesus is trying to say.....read all the little footnotes on this verse to figure it out.
As best I can tell, Jesus is asserting that all monetary/financial wealth is "dishonest wealth" and he places it in contrast to "true wealth" - which is later referred to as "treasures in heaven". I've always accepted the dichotomy Jesus places between "financial wealth" and "true wealth" and that makes perfect sense in my life. But to call all "financial wealth" "dishonest wealth" is striking.
In the past few years, it's certainly been easier to become cynical about financial wealth and the ways it is gained. But on the flip side, there are some very wealthy individuals - such as Bill Gates - who are extremely wealthy based on their merits and who act relatively nobly with their money.
And what about relative wealth? I am relatively wealthy on a global standard. And while I endeavor to use my finances in a Godly way....the truth is that I buy rather cheap clothing at the expense of the cheap labor of someone around the globe. Most of the food I buy is bought so cheaply that it cannot support a local farmer. And I haven't even addressed the impact of my economic choices on climate.
The truth is that despite my best intentions, much of my wealth is dishonest. And Jesus seems to accept that as a reality - even in this story from an infinitely simpler economic model. But the story does not spend its time condemning the reality - - it approaches the matter practically. The wealth is dishonest - but what are you going to do about it? How will I use it? Will I use it to show mercy - lessening the burdens of others and feeding the Lazarus's around me?
As best I can tell, Jesus is asserting that all monetary/financial wealth is "dishonest wealth" and he places it in contrast to "true wealth" - which is later referred to as "treasures in heaven". I've always accepted the dichotomy Jesus places between "financial wealth" and "true wealth" and that makes perfect sense in my life. But to call all "financial wealth" "dishonest wealth" is striking.
In the past few years, it's certainly been easier to become cynical about financial wealth and the ways it is gained. But on the flip side, there are some very wealthy individuals - such as Bill Gates - who are extremely wealthy based on their merits and who act relatively nobly with their money.
And what about relative wealth? I am relatively wealthy on a global standard. And while I endeavor to use my finances in a Godly way....the truth is that I buy rather cheap clothing at the expense of the cheap labor of someone around the globe. Most of the food I buy is bought so cheaply that it cannot support a local farmer. And I haven't even addressed the impact of my economic choices on climate.
The truth is that despite my best intentions, much of my wealth is dishonest. And Jesus seems to accept that as a reality - even in this story from an infinitely simpler economic model. But the story does not spend its time condemning the reality - - it approaches the matter practically. The wealth is dishonest - but what are you going to do about it? How will I use it? Will I use it to show mercy - lessening the burdens of others and feeding the Lazarus's around me?
Monday, January 25, 2010
Jordan - Luke 15
In the story of the Prodigal Son, when the son is returning it says: "But while he was still far off, his father saw him..." (15:20) A note in the margin of my Bible asks "What do you think [the father] had been doing before his son appeared?" I had never thought about that, it seems really trivial, who cares? And then I thought, "he was watching for him!" I can see the father now, out in the field and out of a habit that had developed over years of pain, he looks out to the distance to see, just maybe, his son walking home... What a great image of God, the always caring guardian who, even when you run off, will wait for you and watch for you to return!
And then, I thought of something that made me smile. My great-grandfather lived in Peoria, IL and I have fond memories of going to visit him with my family while growing up. As the family story goes, when my Great Grandpa knew we were coming, he would wake up early and start a batch of goulash and then sit in a rocking chair on his porch and wait for us...for hours. We would joke that he would start waiting for us the next time the moment we left. What a great memory. There is nothing like feeling welcome and appreciated.
And then, I thought of something that made me smile. My great-grandfather lived in Peoria, IL and I have fond memories of going to visit him with my family while growing up. As the family story goes, when my Great Grandpa knew we were coming, he would wake up early and start a batch of goulash and then sit in a rocking chair on his porch and wait for us...for hours. We would joke that he would start waiting for us the next time the moment we left. What a great memory. There is nothing like feeling welcome and appreciated.
Kelly - Luke 15
In Jr. High our church youth choir put on a musical every year. One year we covered these 3 stories in a nice neat package. I can still remember Todd playing the role of the lost sheep while Jake went looking for him. Jake wore they typical Sunday School shepherd's outfit (bathrobe with spare cloth tied over his head) while Todd wandered.
Todd wandered....on all fours, between and under the pews. Crawling inbetween the legs and purses of the congregation - under one pew and across the aisle to disturb the next section. The congregration jumped and laughed and was quite startled. And so were we...Todd had not done this during the dress rehearsal. As he wandered, we had to keep singing about the lost sheep without breaking into laughter ourselves, even though half the congregation was in stictches. And poor Jake had to walk around and pretend to look for this sheep - but it was fully obvious to everyone exactly where the sheep was - he was next to the legs of the woman who just shrieked.
At the end of each song (the lost coin, lost sheep, lost son) we sang a song entitled "Let's have a party!!" About the joy of finding what was lost.
These memories and that song are important to me...because sometimes I forget to revel in the joy. Let's have a party! let's make a racket! Let's disturb the congregation and crack up laughing! We have great joy....and I for one need to celebrate more.
Todd wandered....on all fours, between and under the pews. Crawling inbetween the legs and purses of the congregation - under one pew and across the aisle to disturb the next section. The congregration jumped and laughed and was quite startled. And so were we...Todd had not done this during the dress rehearsal. As he wandered, we had to keep singing about the lost sheep without breaking into laughter ourselves, even though half the congregation was in stictches. And poor Jake had to walk around and pretend to look for this sheep - but it was fully obvious to everyone exactly where the sheep was - he was next to the legs of the woman who just shrieked.
At the end of each song (the lost coin, lost sheep, lost son) we sang a song entitled "Let's have a party!!" About the joy of finding what was lost.
These memories and that song are important to me...because sometimes I forget to revel in the joy. Let's have a party! let's make a racket! Let's disturb the congregation and crack up laughing! We have great joy....and I for one need to celebrate more.
The Prodigal Father
After the Vikes blew it last night and I picked my Bible up this morning, everything snapped back into focus. My football team lost, but this father lost his son. Here's the actual story. The younger son said, "Dad, I want the money you're going to give me when you die, so be dead to me, give me the cash, and let me go." This loving father somehow does just that. The son blows it all on wasteful living and comes back to the father empty-handed and empty-hearted. My favorite line is "When the son was still a long way off, his father saw him. His heart pounding, he ran out, embraced him, and kissed him." The father's only concern was loving his son, a love the son clearly did not deserve. Everyone thinks the word "prodigal" means lost or wasteful. It means lavish, generous. It describes the father. It describes our Father.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Jordan - Luke 13-14
Jesus seems so hard on the Average Joe and certainly people in authority in the last few chapters, but then he comes up with the Parable of the Barren Fig Tree (13:6-9). I take from this parable that given the proper care and attention, people can change and there is always hope for new growth. A spiritual I sang in my church choir in Philadelphia went like this: "My way may not be easy; you did not say that it would be. But if it gets dark, and I can't see my way; you told me put my trust in thee. Lord, help me to hold out, until my change comes."
Yesterday, I was at the synod's budget hearing and it is hard to notice how much everyone is cutting back. All of the ministries of the church have been asked to reduce their budgets as much as possible. One of the presenters described the church like the fingers on the hand. The pointer finger represents our constant focus on Christ. The middle finger symbolizes that we are surrounded by community. The ring finger indicates how we are committed to one another. The thumb wraps them all in God's love. But the pinky finger, that is as important as the rest because it symbolizes the bud of new growth. It is so important that at this point in the history of our Church that we focus on new growth, outreach and change. The idea of change is such a powerful thing, especially change through God.
Yesterday, I was at the synod's budget hearing and it is hard to notice how much everyone is cutting back. All of the ministries of the church have been asked to reduce their budgets as much as possible. One of the presenters described the church like the fingers on the hand. The pointer finger represents our constant focus on Christ. The middle finger symbolizes that we are surrounded by community. The ring finger indicates how we are committed to one another. The thumb wraps them all in God's love. But the pinky finger, that is as important as the rest because it symbolizes the bud of new growth. It is so important that at this point in the history of our Church that we focus on new growth, outreach and change. The idea of change is such a powerful thing, especially change through God.
Kelly - Luke 14
Estimating the cost.
These words hit very close to home...and I'm not sure what to do with them. Sometimes the cost is just too high. When I was in college and first looking at seminary, a friend told me to be careful - I was answering the call of a God who crucified his own son. At the time I brushed the words off, attributing them to someone who was struggling and somewhat bitter about her own faith. But I have come to struggle with the same issues - and in some ways her bitterness has become like my own. Can I follow a path that may lead to crucifixion? Can I carry a cross?
I can leave my comfort zone, I can follow God and obey, I can bring good news into places that scare me, and I can be faithful in very hard times. But I have come to see that there are things I cannot or will not sacrifice to follow God's call. And I continually struggle to figure out if God is truly calling me in that direction or not. Am I unfaithful? Am I weak? Or is God's call different from what I thought it was?
I will not sacrifice my family's ultimate well-being for the sake of serving Christ's church or God's mission. If that means that I am in direct disobedience to the words of 14:26, then I am. I will not sacrifice the growth of my children's faith in God for someone else's faith in God. I'm not sure that there's ever a clear decision to be made between those two - one or the other - but the area can get very foggy sometimes.
Is my commitment to my children's well-being and faith greater than my own commitment to following Christ? And if so, is that sin?
I have estimated the cost. And I must admit I am scared and confused.
These words hit very close to home...and I'm not sure what to do with them. Sometimes the cost is just too high. When I was in college and first looking at seminary, a friend told me to be careful - I was answering the call of a God who crucified his own son. At the time I brushed the words off, attributing them to someone who was struggling and somewhat bitter about her own faith. But I have come to struggle with the same issues - and in some ways her bitterness has become like my own. Can I follow a path that may lead to crucifixion? Can I carry a cross?
I can leave my comfort zone, I can follow God and obey, I can bring good news into places that scare me, and I can be faithful in very hard times. But I have come to see that there are things I cannot or will not sacrifice to follow God's call. And I continually struggle to figure out if God is truly calling me in that direction or not. Am I unfaithful? Am I weak? Or is God's call different from what I thought it was?
I will not sacrifice my family's ultimate well-being for the sake of serving Christ's church or God's mission. If that means that I am in direct disobedience to the words of 14:26, then I am. I will not sacrifice the growth of my children's faith in God for someone else's faith in God. I'm not sure that there's ever a clear decision to be made between those two - one or the other - but the area can get very foggy sometimes.
Is my commitment to my children's well-being and faith greater than my own commitment to following Christ? And if so, is that sin?
I have estimated the cost. And I must admit I am scared and confused.
Our place in the kingdom...
And the kingdom's place in our lives. After reading this weekend about considering the lilies and the last being first, Heidi and I had a date! We talked about priorities and a busy first two weeks. We need that time away from it all. I can see why Jesus went off on his own to pray and connect with God, even when there were thousands of people to feed and heal. Do we put God and the people he puts in our lives first? Oftentimes, I find my own agenda and tasks creeping to the top of my list. On this Sabbath day, I will worship and learn, rest and connect with friends and my family...and watch the Vikes win.
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Kelly - Luke 13
Not much that caught my eye today...
I noticed in v. 31 that some Pharisees came to warn him so that he might flee from Herod...again, Pharisees trying to do the right thing, just like in ch.11 - not what I'm used to from the gospel accounts of the Pharisees.
As for implications for my life...more of the same. The narrow door/the potential for gnashing of teeth even among those who ate and drank with Christ and heard his teaching --- sounds like more "woe to you". I must admit, I'm beginning to feel like I'm being hit over the head with a sledgehammer. It's probably what I need, since there are still aspects of my life that aren't in line with the message of Luke....but I'm also afraid I'm beginning to tune it out. Like I've been cramming for a math final - and after the day of the test I just want to forget all about differential equations - not sure what the long-term impact of these words will be.
I noticed in v. 31 that some Pharisees came to warn him so that he might flee from Herod...again, Pharisees trying to do the right thing, just like in ch.11 - not what I'm used to from the gospel accounts of the Pharisees.
As for implications for my life...more of the same. The narrow door/the potential for gnashing of teeth even among those who ate and drank with Christ and heard his teaching --- sounds like more "woe to you". I must admit, I'm beginning to feel like I'm being hit over the head with a sledgehammer. It's probably what I need, since there are still aspects of my life that aren't in line with the message of Luke....but I'm also afraid I'm beginning to tune it out. Like I've been cramming for a math final - and after the day of the test I just want to forget all about differential equations - not sure what the long-term impact of these words will be.
Friday, January 22, 2010
Jordan - Luke 12
Dude, who gave Jesus the microphone in this chapter? This is like Jesus with ADD. Its almost like a random collection of thoughts than a chapter or storyline.
What I loved about reading this chapter is that I think it pinpoints Luke's characterization of Jesus. "Do you think that I have come to bring peace on the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division!" (12:51). Jesus came to make these people, and us, think! How Lutheran is that? I think that this quote justifies a bit of the attitude that Jesus has throughout the gospel of Luke. He scolds random people and answers questions with bigger questions and "Woe to you." He's not here to leave a trail of bunnies and roses, he is here to challenge and tell us to be unsatisfied with the injustices in the world.
What I loved about reading this chapter is that I think it pinpoints Luke's characterization of Jesus. "Do you think that I have come to bring peace on the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division!" (12:51). Jesus came to make these people, and us, think! How Lutheran is that? I think that this quote justifies a bit of the attitude that Jesus has throughout the gospel of Luke. He scolds random people and answers questions with bigger questions and "Woe to you." He's not here to leave a trail of bunnies and roses, he is here to challenge and tell us to be unsatisfied with the injustices in the world.
Kelly - Luke 12
Do not worry - God will provide. I have found these words much harder the past 9 years than I did before that. Jesus is a single man without any attachments speaking to 12 other men who have left their ties to their families in order to follow him. Somehow the responsibilities of family life get overlooked. It was so much easier to trust God for the basics when it was just me - but now that we've accepted the responsibility of raising 2 children and need to budget for coming orthodontia and college and all the rest....these words are much harder to read.
In the United Methodist Church, clergy are "fully itinerant" - which means you serve the church within the conference (Synod) that the Bishop tells you to...similar to the Roman Catholic Church. I learned a good deal about trust and obedience to God in that process. Every year, about March or April, a call from the Bishop's office could upend your life...all pastors begin their new pastorates on July 1. The amount of uncertainty in that time period of where you'll be living and what you'll be doing in the next months is pretty high. And though there are some very good reasons for itinterancy (theologically and adminstratively), the issues become overwhelmingly more complex for the modern family. Trust in God - though in practicality this is not the same thing as trusting in the church - the lesson in relinquishing personal control is the same. God will provide good things.
It is hard to trust God with my life, it is much harder to trust God with my children's lives. And yet God loves them more than I do.
So what sort of treasures am I teaching them about? I do not believe their education is focusing too much on monetary gain. Our family tends to focus more on academics and "well-roundedness." But today's scripture is a reminder that faith trumps all that. That their faith education is paramount.
In the United Methodist Church, clergy are "fully itinerant" - which means you serve the church within the conference (Synod) that the Bishop tells you to...similar to the Roman Catholic Church. I learned a good deal about trust and obedience to God in that process. Every year, about March or April, a call from the Bishop's office could upend your life...all pastors begin their new pastorates on July 1. The amount of uncertainty in that time period of where you'll be living and what you'll be doing in the next months is pretty high. And though there are some very good reasons for itinterancy (theologically and adminstratively), the issues become overwhelmingly more complex for the modern family. Trust in God - though in practicality this is not the same thing as trusting in the church - the lesson in relinquishing personal control is the same. God will provide good things.
It is hard to trust God with my life, it is much harder to trust God with my children's lives. And yet God loves them more than I do.
So what sort of treasures am I teaching them about? I do not believe their education is focusing too much on monetary gain. Our family tends to focus more on academics and "well-roundedness." But today's scripture is a reminder that faith trumps all that. That their faith education is paramount.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Jordan - Luke 11
The crowds in Luke are so fearful of Jesus! Granted, he is doing awesome things while simultaneously calling them evil so I guess I would be scared of this guy too...
What caught my eye today was verses 24-26. These verses talk about an unclean spirit that has been cast out of a person but returns and brings friends. I think the message here is the danger of complacency. Going through the motions because you forget "the main thing." Everyone needs to refocus every once in a while just to make sure that they are on the right path. Later, Jesus reminds us to "consider whether the light in you is not darkness" (11:36) because while the bright shiny road in front of us might seem like the right path, God may be steering us down the road less traveled.
You know, my sister-in-law just became a lawyer, poor lawyers. I had no idea they build tombs for prophets, I'm gonna have to talk to her about that and see if she is still hiding the key of knowledge...
What caught my eye today was verses 24-26. These verses talk about an unclean spirit that has been cast out of a person but returns and brings friends. I think the message here is the danger of complacency. Going through the motions because you forget "the main thing." Everyone needs to refocus every once in a while just to make sure that they are on the right path. Later, Jesus reminds us to "consider whether the light in you is not darkness" (11:36) because while the bright shiny road in front of us might seem like the right path, God may be steering us down the road less traveled.
You know, my sister-in-law just became a lawyer, poor lawyers. I had no idea they build tombs for prophets, I'm gonna have to talk to her about that and see if she is still hiding the key of knowledge...
Ask for what you NEED
The heading in my Bible for the beginning of Luke 11 is Ask for what you need. That last word grabbed me...and I hadn't even started the reading yet! Then we hear, "Ask and you'll get it; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be open." What are we asking, seeking, and knocking for? Verse 13 tells us, "Don't you think the Father who conceived you in love will give the Holy Spirit when you ask him?" Oh...the Holy Spirit. That's what we need. Is "this little light of mine" the Spirit within each of us?
Luke 11
I agree with Kelly, It seems that people could not do anything to please Jesus. In the last few chapters Jesus does not seem to be all that forgiving of people who would not do exactly as he asked. I was also struck when Jesus said that 'this generation is an evil generation'. Yes it is true people were asking for signs but weren't there people who believed in and followed him? The whole generation could not have been bad. Could it?
I can't help but continue to think about how I would react to Jesus coming to me. The people were only human after all! Were is the mercy? I know it was there but the last few chapters have not showed much at all.
Are verses 33 to 36 where the song 'This Little Light of Mine' come from?
Kelly - Luke 11
Jesus doesn't play nice. He's invited to dinner, accepts the invitation - and then proceeds to insult and condemn his host. When someone defends him, he begins to condemn that man.
In just the last chapter, Jesus answers the questions of a lawyer seeking salvation with the story of the good samaritan. Here, another lawyer calls him "teacher" - implying that he's serious about wanting to follow Christ on some level. And rather than encourage the Pharisee who wants to know more of Jesus (whatever his motivation) and the lawyer who's asking questions - Jesus goes straight to "woe to you!" Brings home the impact of those words!
So, regardless of my willingness to learn and follow, I am not immune from the "woe to you"s of Luke. Despite my reliance on the promises of Christ, I can receive a "woe to you". I need to take the care of the powerless pretty seriously.
In just the last chapter, Jesus answers the questions of a lawyer seeking salvation with the story of the good samaritan. Here, another lawyer calls him "teacher" - implying that he's serious about wanting to follow Christ on some level. And rather than encourage the Pharisee who wants to know more of Jesus (whatever his motivation) and the lawyer who's asking questions - Jesus goes straight to "woe to you!" Brings home the impact of those words!
So, regardless of my willingness to learn and follow, I am not immune from the "woe to you"s of Luke. Despite my reliance on the promises of Christ, I can receive a "woe to you". I need to take the care of the powerless pretty seriously.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Feeding of the 20,000
Rose, that's how I refer to this passage from Luke 9. Unfortunately, at the time, women didn't "count" as much as men. So the women and children were definitely there, being that a little boy shares his lunch to get the whole thing going. Rose, YOU count and can make the same impact on our planet.
Someone to walk with
Two words in the first sentence of today's reading grabbed me and wouldn't let go all day, throughout my busyness, "Later the Master selected 70 and sent them ahead of him IN PAIRS." Then we read about a man who needs someone to care for him and the most unlikely person does. Mary and Martha are quite a pair. After school today, Adi asked how she can be a good friend to the new kid in her class (I thought SHE was the new kid). I went to Ilda's wake tonight to be there for Bill & Joan and on the way home, I hear a Red Hot Chili Peppers song on the radio I hadn't heard since high school. Here are some of the lyrics, "Sometimes I feel like I don't have a partner. Sometime I feel like my only friend is the city I live in, the city of angels. Lonely as I am, together we cry. I drive on her streets 'cause she's my companion. I walk through her hills 'cause she knows who I am..." Then after outlining my homily, I re-read the Scriptures Ilda's children picked: Psalm 23 (I will fear no evil for you are with me) and John 11 (Mary and Martha at Lazarus' death). Lastly, these words from the funeral service, "We thank you for giving Ilda to us to know and to love as a companion..." Do you think God is trying to tell me something?!? 15 years and 6 days ago, I met someone who would be Jesus to me for the rest of my life. If you don't know my wife, Heidi, yet, you need to introduce yourself. You'll be blessed for knowing her. She has spent the last 11 days straight entertaining guests and unpacking our new home. I simply could not do what I do for the church and the world without her. Thank you, Jesus, for bringing her into my life.
Kelly - Luke 10
Okay - so the first day I sleep a little late and get tied up with a huge email inbox I run into this reading. As I'm contemplating all the reasons that I really don't have to focus on this reading today - coming up with some very creative and extremely valid excuses - I run smack into the story of Mary and Martha.
"Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing" (vv. 41-42). I am a Martha. There is so much to do! And while so many of the things that distract me are frivolous and unimportant - many of the things that distract me aren't. It's difficult to remember that it is crucial to take the time to be with God when there's so many things I'd rather be doing. I'd rather be working to bring justice to the poor. I'd rather be spending time with someone who's lonely. I'd rather be teaching, talking, acting....not listening, reading, praying.
The truth is, though, that I have time for both. I'd like to convince myself that I avoid simply BEING with God because I'm busy DOING for God....but I'm usually avoiding BEING with God because I'd like to watch TV.
"Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing" (vv. 41-42). I am a Martha. There is so much to do! And while so many of the things that distract me are frivolous and unimportant - many of the things that distract me aren't. It's difficult to remember that it is crucial to take the time to be with God when there's so many things I'd rather be doing. I'd rather be working to bring justice to the poor. I'd rather be spending time with someone who's lonely. I'd rather be teaching, talking, acting....not listening, reading, praying.
The truth is, though, that I have time for both. I'd like to convince myself that I avoid simply BEING with God because I'm busy DOING for God....but I'm usually avoiding BEING with God because I'd like to watch TV.
Rose, Luke 9
Rose asks,
What about the women and children? Why aren't they mentioned during the feeding of the 5000 men?
So, Jordan, Kelly, and Pastor Matthew with your study Bibles, does the Greek word translated as men mean everybody or just men?
Posted on her behalf by Marcus.
What about the women and children? Why aren't they mentioned during the feeding of the 5000 men?
So, Jordan, Kelly, and Pastor Matthew with your study Bibles, does the Greek word translated as men mean everybody or just men?
Posted on her behalf by Marcus.
Jordan - Luke 10
"The main thing is to keep the main thing, the main thing." I used to write that quote everywhere in high school and I even think that it was one of my yearbook quotes. I first saw the quote at Messiah Lutheran Church in Lynnfield, MA when I was younger (I have family out there). It was on a banner in the front of the sanctuary. Jesus tells Martha the same thing when she tells Jesus that Mary has left her to do all of the work while Mary is listening to Jesus teach. "Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing." (10:41-42).
So many times it is important to remind oneself of this. Sometimes the main thing is family, sometimes it is a friend in need, but all the time it is Jesus and God's love. I haven't thought of that quote in years! After a quick google just now, I found that it is attributed to Dr. Stephen Covey who, you might know, is author of "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People." I am just assuming that the credit to Dr. Covey is accurate, but I am pretty sure he would consider Jesus a highly effective "person!!"
So many times it is important to remind oneself of this. Sometimes the main thing is family, sometimes it is a friend in need, but all the time it is Jesus and God's love. I haven't thought of that quote in years! After a quick google just now, I found that it is attributed to Dr. Stephen Covey who, you might know, is author of "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People." I am just assuming that the credit to Dr. Covey is accurate, but I am pretty sure he would consider Jesus a highly effective "person!!"
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Going where you may not want to
In the busyness of being a pastor, the way I stay healthy is to take the down time I need with my family to recharge. Yesterday was the Martin Luther King holiday, so I didn't post. Since I have a funeral on Thursday, I took a few hours to meet with three of Ilda's children and then talked to the 4th on the phone (he's a pastor too). They selected John 11, which tells the 3rd and final story of Jesus raising someone (his dear friend, Lazarus) from the dead. Is there anything more miraculous than that? The herd of pigs deal, calming a storm, feeding thousands...those are up there, but resurrection?!? How can you beat that?
Turning from the miraculous to the mysterious...I'm pondering Christ's opposite responses to people's willingness to follow his call. The herd of pigs guy, once he's not naked and demon possessed anymore, asks to go with him and Jesus says, "Go home and tell everything God did in you." In the next chapter, he asks someone to follow him and he says, "Certainly, but first excuse me for a couple of days, please. I have to make arrangements for my father's funeral."Jesus refused. "First things first. Your business is life, not death. And life is urgent: Announce God's kingdom!" Ouch! Hard words on a week I have a funeral.
Turning from the miraculous to the mysterious...I'm pondering Christ's opposite responses to people's willingness to follow his call. The herd of pigs guy, once he's not naked and demon possessed anymore, asks to go with him and Jesus says, "Go home and tell everything God did in you." In the next chapter, he asks someone to follow him and he says, "Certainly, but first excuse me for a couple of days, please. I have to make arrangements for my father's funeral."Jesus refused. "First things first. Your business is life, not death. And life is urgent: Announce God's kingdom!" Ouch! Hard words on a week I have a funeral.
Then another said, "I'm ready to follow you, Master, but first excuse me while I get things straightened out at home."Jesus said, "No procrastination. No backward looks. You can't put God's kingdom off till tomorrow. Seize the day." What about going home to share the good news?
It all comes down to Christ's words to his disciples, "You're not in the driver's seat—I am. Don't run from suffering; embrace it. Follow me and I'll show you how. Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to finding yourself, your true self." Throughout our lives of faith, Christ's Spirit will lead us to where we may not want to go...at least initially. But there is no more fulfilling way to lead your life than following Jesus from this world to the next.
Jordan - Luke 9
I work for a rather large financial company, so a verse in chapter 9 hit home for me today. "What does it profit them if they gain the whole world, but lose or forfeit themselves?" (9:25). My company isn't after the world, but if you were to ask the "main street" person about "wall street" you might think otherwise. Yet the verse is Truth and its simplicity reminds us all that getting a big bonus, nice house etc., is only of material worth. There are bigger things out there in this world that fulfill us more deeply.
Imagine if we could fill the baskets of people in Haiti in such a way that it was if we were feeding the Five Thousand. Donations of food, materials, and time in such abundance that at the end of the recovery, we would have as much as we started with to give to other nations in need. In case you are interested, here are a couple links to get started :)
http://www.google.com/relief/haitiearthquake/
https://www.thrivent.com/helpinghaiti/index.html
Imagine if we could fill the baskets of people in Haiti in such a way that it was if we were feeding the Five Thousand. Donations of food, materials, and time in such abundance that at the end of the recovery, we would have as much as we started with to give to other nations in need. In case you are interested, here are a couple links to get started :)
http://www.google.com/relief/haitiearthquake/
https://www.thrivent.com/helpinghaiti/index.html
Kelly, Luke 9
The chapter seems pre-occupied with Christ's identity - Herod wonders about it, the disciples are quizzed over it, the Transfiguration reveals it, and throughout Christ is dropping hints about the coming crucifixion. In the middle of all of this, Jesus keeps referring to himself as the "Son of Man." I've always found that name a little curious.
Jesus is Son of God/Son of Man, fully human/fully divine. And like pretty much ever other Christian, I can accept that line, focus on part of it at a time, and struggle to wrap my mind around the full truth of it. But it always seems strange to me that while he's walking around on earth and talking with his disciples and curing some very physical diseases, Jesus keeps reminding everyone that he is a Son of Man - seems like that would be the most obvious part of his identity in this setting. Is Luke using this title to keep the church grounded in the physical realities of faith? Were the followers of Jesus at this time in danger of becoming too spiritualistic in his mind?
Rose's godmother is a bit of a Christian mystic, and the differences in the way she approaches her faith and I approach mine can be striking at times. Perhaps I've never really taken to the title "Son of Man" because that isn't where my faith needs to be stretched. Honestly, the opposite is more likely true. I need to spend more time in prayer, more time in awe, and more time with God's mysteries. Luke's work to ground me in the practical aspects of faith in Christ don't strike me because, in this case, he's preaching to the choir.
Jesus is Son of God/Son of Man, fully human/fully divine. And like pretty much ever other Christian, I can accept that line, focus on part of it at a time, and struggle to wrap my mind around the full truth of it. But it always seems strange to me that while he's walking around on earth and talking with his disciples and curing some very physical diseases, Jesus keeps reminding everyone that he is a Son of Man - seems like that would be the most obvious part of his identity in this setting. Is Luke using this title to keep the church grounded in the physical realities of faith? Were the followers of Jesus at this time in danger of becoming too spiritualistic in his mind?
Rose's godmother is a bit of a Christian mystic, and the differences in the way she approaches her faith and I approach mine can be striking at times. Perhaps I've never really taken to the title "Son of Man" because that isn't where my faith needs to be stretched. Honestly, the opposite is more likely true. I need to spend more time in prayer, more time in awe, and more time with God's mysteries. Luke's work to ground me in the practical aspects of faith in Christ don't strike me because, in this case, he's preaching to the choir.
Monday, January 18, 2010
Jordan - Luke 8
"Someone touched me, for I noticed that power had gone out from me" (8:46). What exactly was Jesus power that he could feel it? How did it feel to heal someone who had been suffering for 12 years? Did he use more power to raise someone from the dead or send a legion of demons into a herd of swine or did it always take the same amount of power? I wonder if he was energy star efficient ;) (that was poor, I know). Still, its neat to think about how it must have felt for him; something like a chill or a rush of adrenaline.
The story of the little girl being brought back to life is one of my favorites. Mostly because in Mark, the words used are "Talitha cum" (Little girl, get up!). My god-daughter is named Talitha, coming from this story. She, and the story, have a special place in my heart. And to tie it all together with the rest of the chapter, she is certainly good soil. May she continue to grow in faith and love!
The story of the little girl being brought back to life is one of my favorites. Mostly because in Mark, the words used are "Talitha cum" (Little girl, get up!). My god-daughter is named Talitha, coming from this story. She, and the story, have a special place in my heart. And to tie it all together with the rest of the chapter, she is certainly good soil. May she continue to grow in faith and love!
Kelly - Lk 8
My first impression is that I'm amazed that the disciples are amazed when Jesus calms the storm....."who is this that he commands the winds and the waves?"....so far in this gospel Jesus has healed countless people, forgiven sins, healed a man without being present, caused the fish nets to be full to breaking....why are the disciples still amazed? I'll allow for an ancient respect for the power of weather that I don't have in my central heat and air conditioned life....but I'm still stunned by their response.
My second impression is a long-time soapbox issue of mine - and since this is a blog, I feel fully entitled to jump back up on that soapbox. The parable of the sower is a generally well-known parable in the church. But those who talk about it tend to talk about the importance of being the right kind of seed in the right kind of soil - surrounding ourselves with those things that will help us grow in Christ and nurture our faith. I like to look at it from another view. We can't always control where we are, or what kind of seed we are -and God can bring growth anywhere from anything. It's not the parable of the seed - it's the parable of the sower. It's a challenge for us to spread the gospel, plant the seeds - everywhere and anywhere - and trust God for growth. I think it's especially important for Faith Lutheran - which has seeds to share - to be challenged a bit more into throwing them out there. And it's important for me - to move a bit beyond my comfort zone and into God's expectations.
My second impression is a long-time soapbox issue of mine - and since this is a blog, I feel fully entitled to jump back up on that soapbox. The parable of the sower is a generally well-known parable in the church. But those who talk about it tend to talk about the importance of being the right kind of seed in the right kind of soil - surrounding ourselves with those things that will help us grow in Christ and nurture our faith. I like to look at it from another view. We can't always control where we are, or what kind of seed we are -and God can bring growth anywhere from anything. It's not the parable of the seed - it's the parable of the sower. It's a challenge for us to spread the gospel, plant the seeds - everywhere and anywhere - and trust God for growth. I think it's especially important for Faith Lutheran - which has seeds to share - to be challenged a bit more into throwing them out there. And it's important for me - to move a bit beyond my comfort zone and into God's expectations.
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Jordan - Luke 7
"Fear seized all of them; and they glorified God, saying, 'A great prophet has risen among us!' and 'God has looked favorably on his people!' This word about him spread throughout Judea and all the surrounding country." (7:16-17)
How incredible/terrible it must have been to see a man raised from the dead! A complete reversal of the understanding of mortality. Death is supposed to be forever but on this day in Nain a man named Jesus happened to be in town and was moved and showed compassion on the man's mother and brought him back to life. Can you imagine what that would be like today? CNN would be all over the story and Twitter would be chock full of crazy headlines and misinformation. The word about him would spread about the world in under 2 minutes as long as someone had an iPhone to record the event and put it on youtube. Then, the aftermath of what was just seen; people would go nuts to see these guys, the one called Jesus and the man raised from the dead. Scientists and news pundits alike would be looking for a way to explain what just happened.
This day in age, we take "living in the moment" to a whole new level because at any given moment we are attached at the hip (anyone realize how that cliche now fits perfectly again with the smartphone age?) to information and people. Matthew wrote about observing the Sabbath and taking the time to think and process. The disciples and people that followed Jesus allowed Him to access information, but when he went off to pray, he went alone. Do you ever take time away from your electronics to process on your own? I know that to think of something to write tonight, I had to turn off the TV in order to think. All that gibberish about some Minnesota team with that guy named Favre...
How incredible/terrible it must have been to see a man raised from the dead! A complete reversal of the understanding of mortality. Death is supposed to be forever but on this day in Nain a man named Jesus happened to be in town and was moved and showed compassion on the man's mother and brought him back to life. Can you imagine what that would be like today? CNN would be all over the story and Twitter would be chock full of crazy headlines and misinformation. The word about him would spread about the world in under 2 minutes as long as someone had an iPhone to record the event and put it on youtube. Then, the aftermath of what was just seen; people would go nuts to see these guys, the one called Jesus and the man raised from the dead. Scientists and news pundits alike would be looking for a way to explain what just happened.
This day in age, we take "living in the moment" to a whole new level because at any given moment we are attached at the hip (anyone realize how that cliche now fits perfectly again with the smartphone age?) to information and people. Matthew wrote about observing the Sabbath and taking the time to think and process. The disciples and people that followed Jesus allowed Him to access information, but when he went off to pray, he went alone. Do you ever take time away from your electronics to process on your own? I know that to think of something to write tonight, I had to turn off the TV in order to think. All that gibberish about some Minnesota team with that guy named Favre...
Interrupting a funeral
Three times in the Gospels, Jesus raises someone from the dead: Lazarus, a little girl, and this widow's son from Nain. This morning, we found out that an elderly woman at our church, Bill Tuori's aunt, Ilda Stevens, passed away quickly. Oh that Jesus would come to our village on Thursday and raise her from the dead. The truth is that he will. We will not see her alive again on this earth, but she will be alive with Christ and counted among the great cloud of witnesses we call the saints. My favorite part of today's reading is the crowd's reaction, "They all realized they were in a place of holy mystery, that God was at work among them. They were quietly worshipful and then noisily grateful." Could we be like that every Sunday at church?
Kelly - Lk 7
vv. 1-10
The powerful centurion stops Jesus from coming to his home with the words "I am not worthy to have you come under my roof; therefore I did not presume to come to you...." (v. 6-7) and Jesus ends the story with "not even in Israel have I found such faith."
What is the relationship between humility and faith? We claim that "we are bold" to come into Christ's presence - and we are invited to come - but I must admit that humility is a bit of a foreign land to me. I've lived a life where I'm relatively well-respected by those I meet, I successfully play the charade of "fitting in" to the upper middle class, I'm well educated, and have had career successes. Throw into that mix that I live in a culture where we are supposed to constantly prove our own worth - make our own way - and "sell ourselves" to potential clients or employers - - I don't have much experience learning to be humble.
Almost 3 years ago I stepped away from a career and entered the world of stay-at-home mommydom. While I've qualified that by a few odd jobs and getting more education....I've mostly been mom. And in this culture, it's my first real experience with humility. It's not an esteemed position (and yes, I've heard and believe all about the role's importance), and it can be hard in a day-to-day situation to stand straight at my husband's side at a company event and admit I have no career (in this world, no identity?) of my own.
I don't claim that my pseudo-experiences with humility have done much for my faith -- but they have shown me how very far I am from true humility. I really want to think well of myself, and struggle when that isn't easy. So if I have never really known humility, before others or before God, what aspects of faith am I missing? I am bold to come before God -- and I think I need to be more aware of that boldness, more appreciative of God's greatness, and try to remember that I am a creature before the Creator.
The powerful centurion stops Jesus from coming to his home with the words "I am not worthy to have you come under my roof; therefore I did not presume to come to you...." (v. 6-7) and Jesus ends the story with "not even in Israel have I found such faith."
What is the relationship between humility and faith? We claim that "we are bold" to come into Christ's presence - and we are invited to come - but I must admit that humility is a bit of a foreign land to me. I've lived a life where I'm relatively well-respected by those I meet, I successfully play the charade of "fitting in" to the upper middle class, I'm well educated, and have had career successes. Throw into that mix that I live in a culture where we are supposed to constantly prove our own worth - make our own way - and "sell ourselves" to potential clients or employers - - I don't have much experience learning to be humble.
Almost 3 years ago I stepped away from a career and entered the world of stay-at-home mommydom. While I've qualified that by a few odd jobs and getting more education....I've mostly been mom. And in this culture, it's my first real experience with humility. It's not an esteemed position (and yes, I've heard and believe all about the role's importance), and it can be hard in a day-to-day situation to stand straight at my husband's side at a company event and admit I have no career (in this world, no identity?) of my own.
I don't claim that my pseudo-experiences with humility have done much for my faith -- but they have shown me how very far I am from true humility. I really want to think well of myself, and struggle when that isn't easy. So if I have never really known humility, before others or before God, what aspects of faith am I missing? I am bold to come before God -- and I think I need to be more aware of that boldness, more appreciative of God's greatness, and try to remember that I am a creature before the Creator.
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Jordan - Luke 6
I feel like the words in this chapter are the words I have heard over and over. Nothing new comes to me, but I am reminded of the extremely challenging rules that Jesus lays out for everyone. AND should you follow these rules of doing well unto others regardless of what they may have done or think of you you need to watch out for "Woe to you when all speak well of you..." 6:26. Can we do anything right?
I like Kelly's point about the perspective of Americans, we may be the perfect example of ones that "do not notice the log in your own eye" (6:41). We are very prosperous and could be a beacon of responsibility in this world. Yet, our education system is poor, we are extremely self centered, and I, for one, would rather blog about it than change it! From the looks of it, the U.S. seems built on a rock, but perhaps our foundation isn't as strong as we think. Hmm, what to do...
I like Kelly's point about the perspective of Americans, we may be the perfect example of ones that "do not notice the log in your own eye" (6:41). We are very prosperous and could be a beacon of responsibility in this world. Yet, our education system is poor, we are extremely self centered, and I, for one, would rather blog about it than change it! From the looks of it, the U.S. seems built on a rock, but perhaps our foundation isn't as strong as we think. Hmm, what to do...
Sabbath
Although he was on earth for 33 years, Jesus had just 3 to do all of his work. So why was he always going off on his own, praying, and taking down time? Because he was human. So are you. If you have not had a break this week, please take Sabbath tomorrow. I work on Sundays (duh!), so my Sabbath happens on Friday and Saturday. I finished my sermon at 4 am on Thursday night, so I could get a break to be with my family and friend, Lauren, visiting from Phily. She is a sister in Christ from my first call in Illinois when her partner was in vet school at the U of I. Those precious hours fill me up. Sabbath is about worship, study, fellowship, and REST. If you don't have anything better to do tomorrow afternoon, cheer for the Vikes!
Rose Hansen
The ancestors of Jesus is really boring! There's so many names. I thought the list would stop at David, but it didn't!
(sound familiar, Sue?)
(sound familiar, Sue?)
Kelly - Lk 6
The sermon on the plain. Probably something I should read and re-read and read again on a regular basis - parts of the words were familiar -but not familiar enough. And I found myself making excuses even while I was reading it.
"Woe to you who are rich" - I'm not rich - not in comparison to those in my neigborhood - or in Boston/metro. But globally? I'm obscenely rich. What do I do with this "woe to you" sentence of Christ?
"do good to those who hate you" -I'm pretty good and not returning evil for evil or anger for anger or hatred for hatred - but to actually deliberately do good to those who hate me? Those who "hate" me generally fall into 2 categories - those who hate me simply because I am an American and don't actually know me at all - and those who know me very well and temporarily "hate" me (I'm thinking primarily of raising a very tempermental daughter here). In both cases, doing good to those who hate me is difficult, dangerous, and exposes me to risk. But there are logical reasons in both cases to do this, besides it being the mandate of the gospel.
"do not judge, and you will not be judged" - yeah, again, I need some serious work here. And I'm making excuses (I need to judge some people in able to make proper decisions about how to run my life....) but in truth I move beyond judging actions and my own best course and move into judging the worth of people.
The list keeps going on....hard words today - and I make too many excuses for my own behavior.
"Woe to you who are rich" - I'm not rich - not in comparison to those in my neigborhood - or in Boston/metro. But globally? I'm obscenely rich. What do I do with this "woe to you" sentence of Christ?
"do good to those who hate you" -I'm pretty good and not returning evil for evil or anger for anger or hatred for hatred - but to actually deliberately do good to those who hate me? Those who "hate" me generally fall into 2 categories - those who hate me simply because I am an American and don't actually know me at all - and those who know me very well and temporarily "hate" me (I'm thinking primarily of raising a very tempermental daughter here). In both cases, doing good to those who hate me is difficult, dangerous, and exposes me to risk. But there are logical reasons in both cases to do this, besides it being the mandate of the gospel.
"do not judge, and you will not be judged" - yeah, again, I need some serious work here. And I'm making excuses (I need to judge some people in able to make proper decisions about how to run my life....) but in truth I move beyond judging actions and my own best course and move into judging the worth of people.
The list keeps going on....hard words today - and I make too many excuses for my own behavior.
Friday, January 15, 2010
Jordan - Luke 5
"And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the new wine will burst the skins and will be spilled, and the skins will be destroyed." (5:37)
I can't help seeing the parallels in this verse and the ones surrounding it and the future of Faith Lutheran (or the ELCA!). One might read this as "you can't teach an old dog new tricks," but I think that the metaphor can be more directly translated in that WE are vessels of Gods work. We can either choose to be old and resistant or we can choose to be loose and willing to change and grow. And yet, we must acknowledge that there are some that will be content with the "old wine" and in the context of the church (and maybe to some extent in these Gospels?) these people are the ones who keep us grounded and real.
I can't help seeing the parallels in this verse and the ones surrounding it and the future of Faith Lutheran (or the ELCA!). One might read this as "you can't teach an old dog new tricks," but I think that the metaphor can be more directly translated in that WE are vessels of Gods work. We can either choose to be old and resistant or we can choose to be loose and willing to change and grow. And yet, we must acknowledge that there are some that will be content with the "old wine" and in the context of the church (and maybe to some extent in these Gospels?) these people are the ones who keep us grounded and real.
Kelly - Lk 5
To be honest - I'm a little annoyed with Jesus again today in these verses. It's probably stemming from the fact that the news from Haiti is so grim, so some of the harder words in Luke are jumping out at me.
The story in v. 17 screams out at me today. Although I can mentally agree that the forgiveness of sins is a greater need in everyone's life (with eternal ramifications and touching the soul rather than just the temporary body) I really sympathize with the need for an immediate physical cure. If Christ walked into Port-au-Prince today and started forgiving sins - I'd be livid. And in the history of Christian mission work, the churches have come to see that the work of the gospel is intermingled with the work of creating human dignity and bodily health (and the church has struggled to figure out how to do that without westernizing the world).
Jesus telling the man that his sins are forgiven but not healing his paralysis would be like the churches of the 1830s telling slaves to rejoice because their reward was in heaven. Pie-in-the-sky rewards to help us overlook the injustices and the cruelties of reality. And not the whole gospel.
Luke is the gospel most concerned with the poor, outcast, and disenfranchised. In that sense, Luke is more in-tuned with the immediate physical realities than any of the other gospels. So the more I ponder it, the more I think Luke uses this story to make a point, more than to relate actual facts. In the end, Jesus heals the paralytic - who is now able to earn himself a living and cease being a burden on his family. Jesus is compassionate, does heal, does worry about the practical physical issues that govern our daily lives - but Luke wants us to see that Jesus does more than that. I think Jesus always intended to heal the paralysis - but wanted to have the conversation. Jesus wanted to be more than a simple healer - in a string of healings, Jesus wanted to stop a bit and take the conversation deeper. "Yes, I will heal, and I know how important that is....but this goes deeper - deeper even than what you think is your greatest need - I offer even more."
The story in v. 17 screams out at me today. Although I can mentally agree that the forgiveness of sins is a greater need in everyone's life (with eternal ramifications and touching the soul rather than just the temporary body) I really sympathize with the need for an immediate physical cure. If Christ walked into Port-au-Prince today and started forgiving sins - I'd be livid. And in the history of Christian mission work, the churches have come to see that the work of the gospel is intermingled with the work of creating human dignity and bodily health (and the church has struggled to figure out how to do that without westernizing the world).
Jesus telling the man that his sins are forgiven but not healing his paralysis would be like the churches of the 1830s telling slaves to rejoice because their reward was in heaven. Pie-in-the-sky rewards to help us overlook the injustices and the cruelties of reality. And not the whole gospel.
Luke is the gospel most concerned with the poor, outcast, and disenfranchised. In that sense, Luke is more in-tuned with the immediate physical realities than any of the other gospels. So the more I ponder it, the more I think Luke uses this story to make a point, more than to relate actual facts. In the end, Jesus heals the paralytic - who is now able to earn himself a living and cease being a burden on his family. Jesus is compassionate, does heal, does worry about the practical physical issues that govern our daily lives - but Luke wants us to see that Jesus does more than that. I think Jesus always intended to heal the paralysis - but wanted to have the conversation. Jesus wanted to be more than a simple healer - in a string of healings, Jesus wanted to stop a bit and take the conversation deeper. "Yes, I will heal, and I know how important that is....but this goes deeper - deeper even than what you think is your greatest need - I offer even more."
Benjamin Hansen
Benjamin is working through the "Children's Illustrated Bible" - which combines the stories from many gospels into one, but keeps track of where it's pulling stories from (for example, Luke 6, 11, and Matthew 5-7 is the same story in his book). He highly recommends the story of the Centurion coming up in Luke 7....just to build your anticipation a bit - he claims it's a real page-turner.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Lovely Questions
Kelly, Jordan, and Sue...thanks for being so faithful in your posting.
Jordan, you need to see Rob Bell's Nooma DVDs, especially Bullhorn Guy and Whirlwind. I have a guess on vs 23-27: Jesus answered, "I suppose you're going to quote the proverb, 'Doctor, go heal yourself. Do here in your hometown what we heard you did in Capernaum.' Well, let me tell you something: No prophet is ever welcomed in his hometown. Isn't it a fact that there were many widows in Israel at the time of Elijah during that three and a half years of drought when famine devastated the land, but the only widow to whom Elijah was sent was in Sarepta in Sidon? And there were many lepers in Israel at the time of the prophet Elisha but the only one cleansed was Naaman the Syrian." I had to preach my very first sermon in my hometown church of 100 people, all who had known my dad since he was a kid. Isn't this Marty's son? What could he possibly have to say about God?
Sue, my thoughts on your question: with Jesus, it's all timing. I just read our Gospel text from John 2 for Sunday. It's Christ's first miracle, which his mother is pushing him to do...changing water into wine. He says, "It's not my time!"...i.e. if I do this, people will figure out that I'm the Son of God. Then he does it anyway. It's so hard to pin Jesus down and when it comes to the Holy Spirit, forget about it.
Jordan, you need to see Rob Bell's Nooma DVDs, especially Bullhorn Guy and Whirlwind. I have a guess on vs 23-27: Jesus answered, "I suppose you're going to quote the proverb, 'Doctor, go heal yourself. Do here in your hometown what we heard you did in Capernaum.' Well, let me tell you something: No prophet is ever welcomed in his hometown. Isn't it a fact that there were many widows in Israel at the time of Elijah during that three and a half years of drought when famine devastated the land, but the only widow to whom Elijah was sent was in Sarepta in Sidon? And there were many lepers in Israel at the time of the prophet Elisha but the only one cleansed was Naaman the Syrian." I had to preach my very first sermon in my hometown church of 100 people, all who had known my dad since he was a kid. Isn't this Marty's son? What could he possibly have to say about God?
Sue, my thoughts on your question: with Jesus, it's all timing. I just read our Gospel text from John 2 for Sunday. It's Christ's first miracle, which his mother is pushing him to do...changing water into wine. He says, "It's not my time!"...i.e. if I do this, people will figure out that I'm the Son of God. Then he does it anyway. It's so hard to pin Jesus down and when it comes to the Holy Spirit, forget about it.
Luke 5
When I think about Jesus' life I can't help but feel bad for him and the stress he must have been under. To think that knowing what the future held and still he went about healing and teaching always giving of himself and never really taking a moment for him. It is humbling to think that this was all so that WE could be saved!
I am also in awe of the disciples. Imagine someone coming up to you at work and asking you to leave and follow him. Would we do it? I can't say positively that I would. There is this awesome song by Casting Crowns called "While you were sleeping ." The song is about how Bethlehem and Jeruselem were both sleeping when Jesus came and when he comes again will America still be sleeping and miss the coming. It is one of my favorites by this artist. It makes me think about my own faith and would I believe Jesus is he came to me.
Will we be sleeping? Will Jesus come and we just let him pass us by because we don't believe? These are questions I ask myself all the time.
Luke 4
So is he or isn't he the Son of God? I was struck today by, what seemed to me, Jesus' claiming to be the Son of God in one verse and then rebuking people a few verses later because they "knew he was the Christ".
In verse 18 he reads from the prophet Isaiah which basically states this he has been anointed by the Lord to release captives, heal the blind and free the oppressed and finally in verse 19 "to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord." then he states that "today this scripture reading has been fulfilled." To me that is Jesus proclaiming that he is Lord. Then in verse 41 demons came and said "You are the Son of God" and Jesus 'rebuked' them because they knew that he was.
What I am discovering with the readings is that I have some preconceived notions about Jesus and his life which are not all that accurate. Like I always thought that throughout his whole ministry he denied many times being the son of God. But here in the beginning of his ministry he is proclaiming the Year of the Lord is here. Like he is publicizing the fact that he is The Christ.
I love that I am relearning about Jesus' life and really thinking about what was happening and what it all means.
Jordan - Luke 4
I am starting to really enjoy the commentary in the LSB. The Temptation of Jesus is accompanied by a comment on the word "devil" (4:2). Did you know that "satan" means "the accuser" (Job 1:6)? This can be taken further to mean the examiner, one who is checking that all is in order. Satan is given access to all Job's belongings and takes full advantage by testings Job continuously and Job falters but eventually prevails. Jesus "full of the Holy Spirit" never hesitates and answers each test with Scripture. I couldn't even imagine being tested in this way. You hear about people who win the lottery and are then miserable because their world is turned upside down. Satan offers Jesus all the world, but Jesus knows that this world is not goal!
On another note, can someone PLEASE explain to me what in the world Jesus was talking about in verses 23-27? I've read it 3 or 4 times and its not conveying any meaning to me!
On another note, can someone PLEASE explain to me what in the world Jesus was talking about in verses 23-27? I've read it 3 or 4 times and its not conveying any meaning to me!
Kelly - Lk 4
And.....We're off! Jesus' ministry certainly seems to have started with a gusto - already angered a group of church leaders and healed many many people.
The scene in the synagogue is the most interesting to me today. He starts off with "All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words" (v. 22) and moves quickly to "filled with rage" (v. 28) and trying to throw him off a cliff. I can't decide if Jesus was just that naive or if he was looking for a fight. His ministry is just starting, maybe he's got to learn some political smarts. I frequently find myself in the position of having said just a little too much - those times when I should have stopped earlier, instead of elaborating and getting myself in trouble. It happens alot with my kids' questions - I should stop at "yes" or "no" but feel compelled to go on to "why" and I end up getting into issues that they're just not ready for.
There is a lot about the truth of God that I get angry about. The examples of all those not helped that Jesus gives is one of those. Sure, God relies on us to help those in need - but when there is miraculous intervention, why is it so arbitrary? Why are some people miraculously cured of cancer and others aren't?
At the end of ch. 4 Jesus is healing anyone and everyone that is brought to him - - but deliberately not in Nazareth. So in some ways it's less aribitrary (he's healing anyone who comes), but still ....not in Nazareth.
The scene in the synagogue is the most interesting to me today. He starts off with "All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words" (v. 22) and moves quickly to "filled with rage" (v. 28) and trying to throw him off a cliff. I can't decide if Jesus was just that naive or if he was looking for a fight. His ministry is just starting, maybe he's got to learn some political smarts. I frequently find myself in the position of having said just a little too much - those times when I should have stopped earlier, instead of elaborating and getting myself in trouble. It happens alot with my kids' questions - I should stop at "yes" or "no" but feel compelled to go on to "why" and I end up getting into issues that they're just not ready for.
There is a lot about the truth of God that I get angry about. The examples of all those not helped that Jesus gives is one of those. Sure, God relies on us to help those in need - but when there is miraculous intervention, why is it so arbitrary? Why are some people miraculously cured of cancer and others aren't?
At the end of ch. 4 Jesus is healing anyone and everyone that is brought to him - - but deliberately not in Nazareth. So in some ways it's less aribitrary (he's healing anyone who comes), but still ....not in Nazareth.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Jordan - Luke 3
"'His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire'...[John the Baptist] proclaimed the good news." Judgement is such good news (I say sarcastically). Especially in a society where the tax collectors and thieves and the soldiers are extortionists!
I guess I never really saw John as a preacher of fire and brimstone, but I guess its only if you focus on the "brood of vipers" and trees thrown into fire. I see this guy every once in a while in Boston. He wears a sign that says "Jesus or Hell" or something like that and hands out flyers. The difference between this guy and John, however, is that John draws a crowd. And I guess, in his way, he is doing what God called him to do. To prepare the way!
I guess I never really saw John as a preacher of fire and brimstone, but I guess its only if you focus on the "brood of vipers" and trees thrown into fire. I see this guy every once in a while in Boston. He wears a sign that says "Jesus or Hell" or something like that and hands out flyers. The difference between this guy and John, however, is that John draws a crowd. And I guess, in his way, he is doing what God called him to do. To prepare the way!
Identity
Having started this conversation about fathers, Abraham comes up today. Abraham is consider to be the uniting force of three world religions (Christians, Jews, and Muslims) and he is set aside like so much rubbish. Maybe Joseph can relate. God the Father is who we find ourselves in. Growing up, my dad didn't do a very good job of representing God. He just flew back to Minnesota today after having driven 1,653 miles for me. People change (sometimes in a good way). But God never does (good or bad). Jesus finds his identity in God..."You are my Son, chosen and marked by my love, pride of my life." Bella and everyone else out there, hear those words from God yourself..."You are my precious child, chosen and marked by my love, pride of my life."
Luke 3
Ok, I never really get why the writers of the Bible like to make exceedingly long lists of names that the normal person reading the bible gets bogged down with. I for one can never get passed these lists and usually just skip over them. I get that it is the geneology of people that is important, but the everyday reader really has trouble following these.
I agree with Jordan that I never really looked at John as a fire and brimstone preacher but in this reading that is how he seems to be portrayed. When I think of the story of John and Jesus I picture a beautiful river where Jesus comes to be baptized by John. In this reading it is barely spoke of, isn't this the beginning of Jesus' ministry? It seems that Luke really skipped over an important event in his life. It was barely mentioned that he was even baptized, by John even!
Kelly, Lk 3
Okay - first off, I was wrong with one sentence yesterday....Joseph is mentioned very briefly in 3:23 - but the point of the argument stands.
Today's reading made me laugh....beginning with a list of the great and powerful - the rulers - both Roman and Israeli, the religious leaders - all the possible mucky-mucks Luke could name. And the WORD OF GOD comes to .......(drumroll, please).......JOHN. in the wilderness. Typical God - using the ordinary - and well written by Luke, to highlight that.
Makes me think of all the times the Word of God has come to me in the ordinary -and I've been too preoccupied to see it. How many times has someone needed some of my time (my kids, or even some store clerk who desperately needed a smile from someone) and I haven't noticed because of my own agenda? How many times has God sent me grace and I haven't noticed? God uses the ordinary - and I keep waiting for the world-shaking moment -- and when I slow down to remember to look for the ordinary, I always find what I've been needing. And then I forget again.
I was also struck by John's requirements from his followers....mostly just simple justice - share what you have that is extra, don't take bribes, don't extort people. And this was striking enough for the time that people thought he was the Messiah for demanding such basics.
Today's reading made me laugh....beginning with a list of the great and powerful - the rulers - both Roman and Israeli, the religious leaders - all the possible mucky-mucks Luke could name. And the WORD OF GOD comes to .......(drumroll, please).......JOHN. in the wilderness. Typical God - using the ordinary - and well written by Luke, to highlight that.
Makes me think of all the times the Word of God has come to me in the ordinary -and I've been too preoccupied to see it. How many times has someone needed some of my time (my kids, or even some store clerk who desperately needed a smile from someone) and I haven't noticed because of my own agenda? How many times has God sent me grace and I haven't noticed? God uses the ordinary - and I keep waiting for the world-shaking moment -- and when I slow down to remember to look for the ordinary, I always find what I've been needing. And then I forget again.
I was also struck by John's requirements from his followers....mostly just simple justice - share what you have that is extra, don't take bribes, don't extort people. And this was striking enough for the time that people thought he was the Messiah for demanding such basics.
I have called you by name...
You are mine. That's what the Father tells us in our baptisms. Today, I was struck by all of the names. Starting yesterday, we find these people in the story: Zachariah, Elizabeth, John, Elijah, Gabriel, David, Joseph, Mary, Jesus, Jacob, Abraham, Caesar Augustus, Quirinius, Judah, Moses, Simeon, Anna, Phanuel, and Asher. There is a story behind each of those names. My name is Matthew Ronald. Matthew means "a gift from God". I was born on Mother's Day weekend and my mom nearly bled to death after having me. I have pondered the selection of my name often. Ronnie Dean was a friend of my dad's who survived Vietnam and then was killed in a snowmobile accident. Our children are Adeline Lydia and Malachi Walter. Adeline was my grandmother who died before I was born. Lydia was Heidi's great-grandmother who died the year before Adi was born. The name Lydia also appears in Acts 16, a strong woman of faith. Malachi is the last book of the Old Testament and Wally was Heidi's uncle who...you guessed it, survived Vietnam and then was killed by a drunk driver. Names are important. Everyone has a story. Last night, I met Bella, who will be starting Confirmation this fall. Another little Bella will be baptized on Sunday. I get to meet her tomorrow morning. These two girls will have very different stories and I am honored to be a part of them both.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Jordan - Luke 2
I too echo Kelly and Sue in that Joseph doesn't get anything in this gospel! Seemingly, the only reason he is mentioned is to explain the connection to Bethlehem! I wonder if this is an early example of the focus that some Christians put on Mary?
I'm gonna come clean here and say that I have never liked the Post-Communion canticle (Simeon's song 2:29-32) in the liturgy! :) Don't get me wrong, in the context of Simeon, it is beautiful. A man who was ready to leave this world was praising God both for the opportunity to see the Savior but also to go to glory! After reading it here it helps confirm my opinion that it doesn't make sense to have a congregation sing this! While I would love to feel that all people were moved with the same passion as Simeon during church, its a bit presumptuous. To me, it almost sounds like "Lord, I'm done here, let me go watch football..."
I don't want to post this without giving a little shout-out to Anna (2:36-38). You never hear about her, I wonder what her story is?
I'm gonna come clean here and say that I have never liked the Post-Communion canticle (Simeon's song 2:29-32) in the liturgy! :) Don't get me wrong, in the context of Simeon, it is beautiful. A man who was ready to leave this world was praising God both for the opportunity to see the Savior but also to go to glory! After reading it here it helps confirm my opinion that it doesn't make sense to have a congregation sing this! While I would love to feel that all people were moved with the same passion as Simeon during church, its a bit presumptuous. To me, it almost sounds like "Lord, I'm done here, let me go watch football..."
I don't want to post this without giving a little shout-out to Anna (2:36-38). You never hear about her, I wonder what her story is?
I read late last night right before bed! Ideally I would like to read in the am and have the day to think about the reading. We'll see how that goes. Maybe the bible on CD would be good for my long car ride everyday. If anyone knows a good one let me know.
My initial reaction to the reading was that Mary did not seem too troubled by the news she was having a child and like Kelly the absence of reference to Joesph. Having directed many children's programs dealing with this story I forget the Luke version. Most of the programs we have done go more by the Matthew version where Joesph is more of a prominent figure and Mary is greatly troubled. I think it is good to have a refresher in the difference between the gospels since all of them have their own unique spin on the stories of Jesus' life.
I look forward to hearing everyone's comments and reactions to the readings.
My initial reaction to the reading was that Mary did not seem too troubled by the news she was having a child and like Kelly the absence of reference to Joesph. Having directed many children's programs dealing with this story I forget the Luke version. Most of the programs we have done go more by the Matthew version where Joesph is more of a prominent figure and Mary is greatly troubled. I think it is good to have a refresher in the difference between the gospels since all of them have their own unique spin on the stories of Jesus' life.
I look forward to hearing everyone's comments and reactions to the readings.
Kelly - Luke 2
I'm working from the NRSV as well, but the Harper Collins Study Bible.
This chapter's hard to write on....read it so many times that very little strikes me - heard more sermons on these words than I can count. But I suppose that's the only way the words become a part of you.
Two things that were new to me today: one, poor Joseph gets nothing. He shows up without introduction in a quick reference at the beginning of the chapter - and even at the end of the chapter when Jesus is in the temple, he's not referred to by name (it even explicitly says that "my father" refers to someone else). The man raised Jesus - and did not desert Mary when he could have - he deserves more respect than Luke seems to give him. I don't think his name shows up anywhere else in Luke - just one quick note in 2:4.
Also, I never noticed before (again, since didn't grow up in the ELCA) that Simeon's song is part of the liturgy each Sunday - I believe it's the song after communion.
This chapter's hard to write on....read it so many times that very little strikes me - heard more sermons on these words than I can count. But I suppose that's the only way the words become a part of you.
Two things that were new to me today: one, poor Joseph gets nothing. He shows up without introduction in a quick reference at the beginning of the chapter - and even at the end of the chapter when Jesus is in the temple, he's not referred to by name (it even explicitly says that "my father" refers to someone else). The man raised Jesus - and did not desert Mary when he could have - he deserves more respect than Luke seems to give him. I don't think his name shows up anywhere else in Luke - just one quick note in 2:4.
Also, I never noticed before (again, since didn't grow up in the ELCA) that Simeon's song is part of the liturgy each Sunday - I believe it's the song after communion.
Monday, January 11, 2010
Passing on Faith.....
I have always wanted to have a better understanding of the Bible but have never made it a priority. As they say, if you don't do something different, nothing is going to change. I am going to take baby steps with this process!!! I will read a chapter each day but at this point commenting is way outside my comfort zone. I am hoping to learn alot from those that have made comments and when the Spirit moves me......who knows!!!! I am also hoping that my participating will spark some interest with my family. Thanks for letting me tag along.
Holy Ghost Batman!
It's nice to see a bunch of people in the system and reading the Bible daily. I'm going to be reading in the morning and posting in the evening. The word that kept jumping out at me was Holy Spirit or spirited. I'm reading The Message Bible. I am accused of being "spirited" often. I think God fills us when we are empty and we share this spirit in faith. John the Baptist and Jesus were related, but so are we as brothers and sisters in Christ (i.e. his spirit). God is in this thing and this thing is in us, the body of Christ in this place. I just met with a bunch of 7th-9th grade families to talk about this journey we are on together called Confirmation. Hopefully, we have a bunch more parents and children plugging into this discussion. We are passing on faith here and this is important work.
Jordan - Luke 1
Thanks for breaking the ice, Kelly!
I'm reading from the Lutheran Study Bible (NRSV) and the introduction to Luke tells me that the account was written after the temple in Jerusalem was destroyed (66-70 C.E.) which "adds tension to the story." I imagine the author starting his story in the temple with Zechariah as a testimony to the historical significance of the now ruined place by the hands of the Roman empire. Later, after John is born, Zechariah's prophecy relates to the author's time as if to remind everyone "that we, being rescued from the hands of our enemies, might serve him without fear" (1:73).
I never knew the historical context of this writing and it makes me appreciate it that much more. The Magnificat (1:46-55) takes on a new meaning when you imagine the hardship and persecution of the times. Its not just Mary's song, its everyone's song of praise!
Another verse that jumped out at me was a phrase that I have heard a million times (and I've probably read it here a million times) but never would have been able to tell you context. Its the angle Gabriel reminding us all that "nothing will be impossible with God" (1:37).
I'm reading from the Lutheran Study Bible (NRSV) and the introduction to Luke tells me that the account was written after the temple in Jerusalem was destroyed (66-70 C.E.) which "adds tension to the story." I imagine the author starting his story in the temple with Zechariah as a testimony to the historical significance of the now ruined place by the hands of the Roman empire. Later, after John is born, Zechariah's prophecy relates to the author's time as if to remind everyone "that we, being rescued from the hands of our enemies, might serve him without fear" (1:73).
I never knew the historical context of this writing and it makes me appreciate it that much more. The Magnificat (1:46-55) takes on a new meaning when you imagine the hardship and persecution of the times. Its not just Mary's song, its everyone's song of praise!
Another verse that jumped out at me was a phrase that I have heard a million times (and I've probably read it here a million times) but never would have been able to tell you context. Its the angle Gabriel reminding us all that "nothing will be impossible with God" (1:37).
Kelly - Luke 1
I hadn't wanted to be the first to post - but I'm a bit of a morning person, and will most likely be reading in the a.m....so I'll go ahead and take a stab.
My impressions of this chapter today were first and foremost - that it's got a ton of stuff in it. I seemed to come up with a new question or impression with almost every sentence. The most striking are:
Theophilus in v. 3...."lover of God" - I like the way that the prelude to the chapter equates love of God with curiousity and need for explanation...it relates very strongly to my own faith. I feel closest to God when I am questioning God or seeking to understand who/what/where/when/ and WHY.
Mary's initial reaction to Gabriel's greeting in v. 29 (Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be). I've somehow managed to glaze over those words the other times I've read this chapter - and I'm delighted to find that they're here. I'm used to thinking about her later words, and her song - and her reputation of willingly accepting God's plan for her life - the idealized version we've all seen so many times. I like the fact that she began by being greatly troubled - and suspect that the road from "greatly troubled" to "may it be to me as you have said" was not as smooth as these verses seem to imply. In my life, the call of God is generally troubling - God keeps asking me to move beyond where I'm comfortable and to try the new (even seems to have pulled me into this strange thing called the ELCA)....And for the ways in which her life and identity were completely changed and her well-being and security seriously threatened ....I think "greatly troubled" is a huge understatement.
My impressions of this chapter today were first and foremost - that it's got a ton of stuff in it. I seemed to come up with a new question or impression with almost every sentence. The most striking are:
Theophilus in v. 3...."lover of God" - I like the way that the prelude to the chapter equates love of God with curiousity and need for explanation...it relates very strongly to my own faith. I feel closest to God when I am questioning God or seeking to understand who/what/where/when/ and WHY.
Mary's initial reaction to Gabriel's greeting in v. 29 (Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be). I've somehow managed to glaze over those words the other times I've read this chapter - and I'm delighted to find that they're here. I'm used to thinking about her later words, and her song - and her reputation of willingly accepting God's plan for her life - the idealized version we've all seen so many times. I like the fact that she began by being greatly troubled - and suspect that the road from "greatly troubled" to "may it be to me as you have said" was not as smooth as these verses seem to imply. In my life, the call of God is generally troubling - God keeps asking me to move beyond where I'm comfortable and to try the new (even seems to have pulled me into this strange thing called the ELCA)....And for the ways in which her life and identity were completely changed and her well-being and security seriously threatened ....I think "greatly troubled" is a huge understatement.
Sunday, January 10, 2010
The year of Luke
Members of Faith,
Six weeks ago, we started the year of Luke. Most of our lectionary readings this year will be from that Gospel. Please read a chapter each day and comment on it here. I look forward to starting my call tomorrow.
Peace,
Matthew
Six weeks ago, we started the year of Luke. Most of our lectionary readings this year will be from that Gospel. Please read a chapter each day and comment on it here. I look forward to starting my call tomorrow.
Peace,
Matthew
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