Thursday, December 17, 2009

We've got something to drink about

I should have known this week would be hectic. The sign was there. It was not even 9:00am on Monday, and I already had an outline for a sermon. My day began, as usually, with me reading dispatches from the HOB/D Listserv. One of the delegates in our church had posted a link to a survey proclaiming Episcopalians as the most literate denomination in the United States. That same study went on to remark that Episcopalians were the most biblically illiterate mainline denomination in the United States. In other words, we like to read, we just do not like to read the Bible (by the way, this is how we described ourselves to the pollsters, not how they describe us).

Then, as I was driving to church from the kids’ school, I turned the radio channel from K-LOVE to the local Sports’ Talk radio. And to my pleasant surprise, Mike & Mike had one of my favorite singers on their show. As they were introducing him, they were describing him as a part-owner of the Miami Dolphins, a fan of the Miami Heat, the owner of the naming rights for the football stadium, and by other sports related markers. I am speaking, of course, of Jimmy Buffett. As it turned out, he had a new album coming out last week, and he needed to do some promoting. For the first time in some years, Buffett was releasing all new songs on an album (often he simply repackages old tunes and tries to take our money). When asked whether he thought any of these songs could become a classic Buffett tune, Buffett remarked that there was one.

Buffett went on to share with the hosts and the audience his thoughts regarding “We’ve got a lot to drink about.” Buffett points out that the hard part of this song was figuring what to include and what not to include in the lyrics. We have a recession, we have bailouts, we have bailed out companies refusing to work with the very taxpayers who bailed them out, we have high unemployment, we have wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, Iran wants nuclear weapons, North Korea has them—his list went on and on. What do you include in a song like that? Yes, Buffet said, we have a lot of pain to numb; we have a lot to drink about.

Now, you might be wondering what the two do with one another and our readings this week. Are we not still talking about Advent and John the Baptist? One of the themes throughout our readings this week is the idea of fear. Enemies have hounded God’s people. Sometimes, those enemies are external, like foreign armies. Sometimes, those enemies are internal, like the tax collectors who make their living extorting their brothers and sisters to pay for their licenses. Yet all the authors remind us that the Holy One is near, that He will dwell with His people, that He will protect his people, that He will save and redeem His people. So in the midst of these enemies, God’s people are reminded that they need not fear.

You and I get this exhortation often during the church year. How do we end the Eucharist most Sundays? Think of the blessing. “The peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God, and of His Son Jesus Christ our Lord. And the blessing of God Almighty . . . . “ One of our last acts, as we worship together week in and week out, is to be sent out with that reminder of our needed focus. Why? Because we are headed out of church into a wilderness that has every reason to want to numb itself from the pain. In describing his song, Jimmy Buffett was only talking about the big picture. You and I are called to work locally and often individually. To him, unemployment may be high; but you and I know people who have lost their jobs, who do not know where the next meal is coming from, or when eviction will happen. To him, the healthcare crisis is nearly overwhelming; but you and I know people who cannot seek treatment because they lack funds and insurance. And so they risk death or other consequences which, in turn, impact their own families. To him those wars are events happening “over there.” To us, those wars are impacting our brothers and sisters who offer their lives that others might experience that dream we take for granted, freedom. Anger? Pain? Hurt? We see it on the faces of those whom we serve and with whom we interact on a near daily basis. And I have yet to mention the floods, the fires, the crop failures, the human trafficking, the battered women and children, and any other of localized issues of which Mr. Buffett is unaware or unwilling to mention in a song. We’ve got a lot to drink about, if we choose to numb the pain rather than face it.

But you and I are disciples of Jesus Christ. Like that wonderful prophet John the Baptist, you and I are sent into the wilderness to proclaim the Good News! You and are I called into the world to proclaim His peace, to proclaim His coming near, to proclaim His saving grace. While the rest of the world runs from the pain and hurt or tries to numb itself from the pain, you and I are sent as His hands, His voice, His heart into painful situations. And we witness to a needy world that God became human, that God walked that path to Calvary--healing the sick, feeding the hungry, and giving hope to the hopeless—that He died for all our sins and took that pain and consequence upon Himself, and that God raised Him that wonderful Easter morning, and that the same God who raised Him to new life has promised to raise all those who believe in Him to eternal life as well! You and I are given a peace that passes all human understanding and called, not to sit and idly watch the world pass by and cluck our lips, but to share that peace with all those with whom we come in contact. The events of this world, the tragedies of our lives, have already been conquered by the Risen Christ. That is our hope! That is our promise! That is our peace!

Brothers and sisters, as a denomination, we may not be very good at telling a pollster chapter and verse of a specific biblical quote (and we should not take pride that we do not know our Bibles as well as our brothers and sisters in other denominations), but we are not necessarily biblically illiterate. Many parts of our service in the Book of Common Prayer are taken nearly verbatim from Scripture. And so, in a way, you and I are bathed in the teachings of Scripture each time we gather to celebrate the Eucharist.

Do we have a lot to drink about? You know it. But unlike those who pound beers or drinks looking for an end to the pain, you and I lift a chalice, proclaim the mystery of our faith, and rejoice that the One who redeems, the One who saves, has called each one of us to that wedding feat at the end of time. And no power on earth or in hell can separate us from that party. That’s the peace He offers each one of us. That’s the peace He offers everyone in the world. And, reminded of that certainty, reminded of His promises, we go forth into the world to do all the work He has given us to do. Not fearfully. Not worriedly. But confidently, assuredly, and peacefully!

Christ Peace,

Brian†

Thursday, December 10, 2009

Calling all John's . . .

Luke tells us that John the Baptist was fulfilling the prophecy of Isaiah as a “voice crying out in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways made smooth; and all flesh shall see the salvation of God’.” But which prophecy is being fulfilled?

Certainly, John’s act of calling to Israel to repentance is consistent with the prophesy. After all, John’s ministry is to call the world’s attention to the Messiah, and he certainly does that. In the few verses about him in the Bible, John consistently reminds his listeners and us readers that the one Whom he announces is far more significant than himself. But have you ever considered that you are called to this kind of ministry every day? And so, in a sense, your witness to Christ is a fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophesy. Heady stuff? Consider . . .

Physically, the journey from Jericho to Jerusalem is demanding. It’s not like climbing the Himalayas, but it is uphill. And the sun can be scorching if one walks at the wrong time of day. Add to that the wildlife, the rocky terrain, and brigands, and we can get a sense of why the prophet was concerned with leveling mountains and smoothing the roads. But if we think about it, sometimes the Church makes salvation like that for those around us.

Sometimes we clergy speak a little too theological. We sometimes use words like propitiation, atonement, unmerited grace and the like when talking about God. It might be an accurate and descriptive truth to a Bible study group, but is it for the unchurched? Similarly, as I am experiencing at the truck stop, sometimes we use different languages in different situations, even though we would all claim to be speaking English. In the few short weeks of that new ministry, I have learned that it will take a lot of work for me to become a “bud.” I am, in their eyes, apparently still a “sir.” Such difficult terrains are experienced by those who try to fill in as youth ministers when they, themselves, lack the call. I could go on and on with such examples.

But God has called you into ministry. God has allowed you to be formed by your experiences. And He will take your language, your experiences, your life and use it and you to reach others, if you will but let Him. Can you reach others with whom you share no experiences or common lives? To be sure, all things are possible with God. But who better to reach those from broken families than those of us who come from families with issues and subscriptions of our own? Who better to reach athletes than those who played sports themselves. Who better to reach artists than those with an eye for beauty? Who better to reach those dependent upon chemical substances than those who have been freed from such burdens by our Lord.

Brothers and sisters, in a very real sense, you and I are called to be those voices crying out in the wilderness. You and I are called to go forth in the world proclaiming salvation to all with whom we come into contact. You and I, like John, are called to place the world’s focus on the One who can save. You and I are called to share with those in our lives the paths He has smoothed for us, the valleys He has filled in for us, the mountains that He has leveled for us that we might be drawn to Him and promised life eternal. And faithfully, He turns those wildernesses into gardens and sadnesses into joy!
Peace,
Brian†

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Art imitates life (and death still sucks)

This past couple weeks, a number of players on my server have approached me about the death of one of the members of the Alliance. Word has apparently leaked out that the priest is really a priest. I have learned two important things these past few days. First, it is much easier to talk about the questions such a death provokes than to respond to as many as 8 or 10 pst’s at the same time (the challenge is remembering where in the conversation one is with each individual). The second important lesson I have learned is just how poorly we Christians have conveyed the love of God and of the hope that His Gospel gives us.

To back up a minute for those not in the game on Ysondre (our server world in World of Warcraft), one of the players died tragically near the beginning of November (I will refrain from publishing names and handles since I have asked no one for permission to post their stories and questions). One minute, this noble member of the Alliance (as opposed to those hoi polloi who choose to be members of the Horde) was preparing to run an instance. The next minute, he was dead. He was discovered by his wife, who was alerted that something might be wrong by a phone call from a friend in real life. One minute, life was good; the next, it was taken away. What made the loss even more tragic was the relative youth of the one who had died. He was of an age where one should not worry about heart failures. But, from the moment that people began to hear of his death, several questions have popped up, many of which were asked repeatedly.

How can you Christians claim that God is good when He allows things like this to happen? Where is God when someone as young as this has a bad heart? If God is omnipotent and knew this was going to happen, why did He not stop it? Have his wife be awake when he first had the heart attack? Have the doctor detect it last month?

For those who have never encountered the living, redeeming God, such questions are all important. And how we answer them is often the most important testimony that we can give about our faith. Why did God allow this to happen if He is really good? Truthfully, I am not sure. Just because I am a Christian and just because I am a priest does not mean I necessarily have all the answers. Well, I have the answer, but I do not always know what is going on in God’s plan. Heck, I do not have all the questions, let alone the answers. What I can assure them is that no actions of ours can ever thwart His purposes. No matter what we choose, He will always overcome them, redeem them, if we allow Him. And because He allows us the freedom to choose, He gives us the ability to learn. Sometimes we learn by positive reinforcement, and sometimes we learn by negative reinforcement.

So his death was punishment for us? No. Absolutely not. God became human and died on the cross so that we would not die forever. He came because He loved us. Like the perfect Father that He is, He did not want to see us suffer. When He walked the earth, He cried at our deaths. He mourned for Lazarus. He felt Jairus’ pain. This, death, was not what He intended. But He gave us the freedom to choose to accept Him or reject Him. And we so often chose poorly. And like the kids who keep reaching for the electrical socket or the hot pan who will never be satisfied with mom or dad’s “Don’t touch that,” we rejected Him. We needed to learn about His love the hard way.

So, God killed him because He loved him? No. God allowed events to proceed naturally. I don’t know what led to his heart condition. Maybe it was diet; maybe it was congenital; maybe it was genetic; maybe there was something in the environment. God only knows. But only God can overcome such a seemingly pointless death. Only God can truly redeem all things for His glory.

So how can this ever be redeemed? The fact that so many are asking questions is a start. Often, the conversations that I have with people in the game are superficial. As they get to know me, the conversations sometimes get deeper. But, for a brief time in November, a group of people who are used to rezzing at the spirit healer when they die in the game have been forced to confront the fear that plagues humanity. What happens when we die? Is this all that there is? There is no spirit healer hanging around a cemetery for us and our party members in the real world. So how do we know our lives, our faith is not pointless? Of course, as good as these conversations have been, true redemption will never be found until our Lord Jesus comes again. Until our friend is raised from the dead, glorified in Christ, and vindicated for his faith in Jesus, there can never be true redemption. His wife will suffer. His parents know the agony of burying a child. His friends will feel his absence. Heck, those of us who knew him only in WoW may even feel that we lost a good dps or good tank. And many of us will forget their grief in time. We will say stupid things to his wie or family like “at least he died playing his favorite game” or “he’s in a better place,” or “at least he is not suffering now,” as if such words are comforting for those who loved him and miss him each day. For them, the hurt, his absence is palpable. For them, his death is wrong, untimely. And for them, God offers His promise that just as He raised His Son from the dead, He will raise them and all who believe in Him from the dead as well. And some how, in some way, He will use the death of their loved one to His glory!

A few years ago, upon my arrival at my cure, I was priviledged to sit at the side of a couple, married some 60 years, who were dying within days of one another during the season of Advent. Bob and Jackie had a wonderful story, and some in our midst wanted to claim that their ending was “romantic” or a true love story. Bullshit, I said at the time. Death sucks. This was not what our Father in heaven intended. As a result of those funerals, I have become, for better or for worse, the “death sucks” preacher. The nuns and other clergy sometimes share that sermon as they selflessly minister to the dying and their families at the nursing home not too far from church. And just when I think that sermon has been forgotten, I am inevitably confronted by the words, “Hey, I know you. I have heard of you. You’re the death sucks preacher!”

Does this death suck? We are told to believe that it does. This, as good as it gets or as bad as it gets, is not what God intended for us. Thankfully, mercifully, we serve a God who knows our fears, who knows our hurts, who knows are real needs far better than we do ourselves. Thankfully, mercifully, He has chosen to redeem and to vindicate His believers. And thankfully, mercifully, He has the power to overcome all obstacles in our lives, even our deaths. Thankfully, mercifully, He has given us His promises in the Bible, that we might know that the only Name given under heaven for health and salvation is His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Do we always see how His plan is unfolding? No. But, as He has taught us so many times in the past, we can rest assured in His promises that He is still working, still saving, still redeeming, still in the business of glorifying His name in this world. Let us pray that He will redeem this seemingly senseless death to His glory and provide comfort to those who experienced a terrible loss. Lord, have mercy.

Peace,
Brian†

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

The dawn after the long dark night

Saturday afternoon, I read in Time Magazine that in a few weeks we will be ending the worst decade ever in American history. The decade that started with all the Y2K fears, included the tragedy of 9/11, the great Tsunami, destructive earthquakes in many locales around the world, and Katrina, is now ending with the great financial meltdown. Locally, we could add the tornadoes that wiped out Boy Scout troops, towns from our maps, and farmhouses from their land, and we could add floods which struck many of our friends and neighbors, and even some closer to home. When we think about it, there is a case to be made that this really has been a horrible time in our lives.

Where is God in this mess? How can a loving God allow such things to occur on His watch? Where was He when we needed Him? He could have stopped all these things, couldn’t He? -- such are the questions we may have asked of ourselves and been asked by others. What are we to make of all these events around us?

While the rest of the world is sharpening elbows and seeking those “can’t miss deals,” you and I are called to remember what these events portend. “Now when these things begin to take place, stand up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” You and I are, among other things, called to be watchmen. We are called by Jesus Himself to be alert, to be awake, to be wary in the dark. Dawn is coming, and it will spring upon us quickly like a trap. And these signs that we see, they simply remind us that His return is that much closer. And so, while the rest of the world deals with projections of gloom and doom, you and I are called to go forth into the darkness as His hands, as His arms, as His feet, as His regents, and full of His light in our lives.

While the rest of the world laments the scope of the problems, you and I and all our brothers and sisters in Christ are called to address the need and share Christ’s love with all those whom we serve. We are there both to remind them that the day of His return is drawing nearer and that He would like nothing better than for them to accept His invitation to that wonderful wedding feast. And so, in the midst of disasters, we hold up our heads, we look to the cross of Christ, and we serve.

The results? Christians risk martyrdom in Bandi Aceh and serve their Muslim neighbors, and see the fatwah calling for their deaths ended. Christians go to communities and begin the long process of mucking, tearing down, and rebuilding in communities in LA, MI, or even IA. Christians reach deep and support food pantries, homeless shelters, and all kinds of other ministries, even when they themselves lack job security or infinite resources. Why? Because one of the messages we are called to share with the world is that He is able to overcome all these things, and even our own deaths, to bring glory to Himself! When the world cannot foresee any hope or possibility, that’s when His grace is most evidenced in the world and when we are reminded that our redemption is near. The worst decade ever? I don't know about that. A decade closer to His return? Absolutely!

Peace,
Brian†

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

A king like no other . . .

It seems appropriate this Sunday to take stock of ourselves. After all, this Sunday, Christ the King Sunday, marks the last Sunday in our church year. Next week marks Advent I, and we switch from Year B to Year C in our readings. So it is a time not unlike we will all be experiencing right after Christmas and right before New Year's Day 2010. On the surface, what more needs to be said? We serve the King, the Lord. We may be Americans and think that we have jettisoned the idea of a king some 200+ years ago. But God reminds us over and over that His Son, Jesus, is the heir to David's throne. Over and over again we read about the Good King who keeps all of God's instruction, who cares for the widows and the orphan, and who defends those who suffer from injustice, and rules God’s people as He has declared. Clearly, God's idea of a king is radically different from those British kings and queens whom we rejected so long ago. So why remind ourselves who it is we are supposed to serve?

This past week, I launched the ministry at the truckstop. Initially, it will be a ministry of presence. I have no illusions that the workers and truckers will be slow to talk to me, let alone point us in the directions that we need to go to more effectively those whom we are trying to reach. Yet, even as I sat there this week, drinking a coffee and watching people, I was reminded how much the world around us needs to hear about our King. Truckers coming in from the northeast end of the building were usually on a phone or hustling to get to a phone. Over and over I heard a trucker checking in with his company. I was not eavesdropping. In some cases, I was as much as 20 or 30 feet from the driver on the phone. Apparently, it was tough to stay on schedule last week. "Yes, I know I am 71 miles behind schedule." "Yes, I know that I should have been here 1 1/2 hr ago." "You see there was a bad wreck." "You see, there was a lot of construction." The other end of the phone was concerned only for the schedule. Goods needed to be moved from point A to point B at a certain rate. No excuses. So many of those drivers which I watched grimaced, covered the phone, or simply rolled eyes at the tongue lashing from the other side. A lot of them hung up and then grumbled words best not mentioned in this article. Noticing me for the first time, a few even blushed or apologized. Who is their lord? Whom or what do they serve? They know a slavery to which some of us might relate. They need the paycheck. They need a good paycheck. They will take a tongue-lashing for the right to keep collecting that check. And, no doubt, once the re-fueling was finished, many tried to get back on schedule. They will likely make their money. But at what cost to their health, the families, and even, perhaps, to others on the road?

I have no idea what her name was. She was of Asian descent. As I neared her, I saw the vain attempt that had been made to cover the left side of her face. It had been a good attempt, but the mark was simply too big and too dark to be covered. Her business was one of selling herself to others. Language was a barrier between us. I do not know whether her boss (you and I call them pimps) or a customer had struck her. Certainly, both feel that they own her once they pay for her. Her boss expects his (or possibly her) money. Her customer expects to be pleased. Disappoint either, and the bruised face is one of the softer punishments that one might face. Kit had called offering me spots at Winnie's for any women that might want to flee their lives. This lady was not interested in seeking safety. I would like to think it was the language barrier that kept her from leaving. I fear it was her fear. This is her life, that is her master. Her fear of them is greater than anything in the world. The hope that I was offering her, from her perspective, was probably illusionary. But, I will be back. Maybe one day, she will hear His call in my voice.

He had been asked to sit with a friend of his bishop. The local priests were simply too busy to mark the passing of another life, and, I suppose, the bishop back east had more important work to do as well. But the priest set aside his work and went. Keep in mind, these people were family friends of a bishop. And as he sat and watched the husband seemingly unwilling to die, the priest turned to the soon-to-be widow and asked her “have you given your husband’s care to God?” “No, it’s too hard. I don’t want to lose him.” Softly, tenderly, the priest reminded her that she was not losing her husband, she was giving him the freedom to go home to the Lord, the Lord who had promised to redeem even death. She remarked it was hard to see her husband like this. Once again, the priest reminded her that we cannot protect any of those whom we love, really protect them. We give their care to God and trust that He will care for them. And when they stumble, we trust He will redeem their missteps. That is His promise to us.

So many of us, hopefully, as we reflect this week upon our lives and upon our Lord's calling of each one of us, will think of those things and those people whom we served before God called us. Some of us may have sold ourselves, our very identities, in pursuit of a paycheck or a career. Some of us may have sold ourselves to addictions in search of something to numb the pain that we felt in our lives. Some of us may have sought out destructive relationships thinking that we could never find love. And then He called. The God Incarnate Man Divine called to us. We heard His offer. And we accepted! And all He asked of us was for us to allow Him save us, and then to use us to reach others in our lives. So many kings in this world demand. They demand taxes. They demand military service. They demand honor. And yet, God's King, the One who saved each one of us, does not even demand of us that we serve Him for what He has done for us. Though He has acted to free each of us and all whom we encounter, He gives us a choice. "Please let Me save you." "Please serve Me." “Come, follow Me.” And, typical of Him, we are all free to reject Him. And many whom we encounter do.

And yet, that is the very message you and I are called to carry into the world. That is the truth that Jesus expects His disciples to hear, to remember, and to share. Yes, people will be like Pilate. "What is truth?" will ring out many times in our lives. Yet Jesus has called us all into relationship with Him. He has asked to be our King. Will we let Him? And if we do, will the world be able to tell that He is our King? Brothers and sisters, our King has asked you to give Him control and trust over everything in your life, even your death. As we end this liturgical year and begin a new one, what parts of your life are you withholding? Where are you, like those whom I met last week, determined to enslave yourself to another? Brothers and sisters, He called us into relationship with Him. He called us to love Him. And best of all, He has promised to free each one of us!

Peace,
Brian†

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Yet another prediction (sigh) . . .

Sometimes, we just have to laugh at God's timing. Just as the hype and publicity surrounding the release of 2012 on Friday the 13th has reached its height, you and I are reminded of the real end times in Mark's Gospel. Think on that for a second. Of all the weeks to release a movie, the producers chose one when all churches who follow either the old lectionary or the Revised Common Lectionary, will get a lesson on the end times. So, is the world going to end in 2012?

Our story from Mark this week begins with the apostles pointing out the magnificence of the Temple in Jerusalem. They remark at its seeming immovability and its beauty. The implication is, of course, this is God's house and it will never be moved. Jesus' answer no doubt surprised them. They were expecting him to remark at the permanence or beauty of God's house, and he tells them that every stone will be over-turned. I think we sometimes forget the massive scale of some of the buildings of antiquity (after all, who measures in cubits nowadays?), but these stones and buildings were magnificent. And big! And the Teacher tells them that every stone will be overturned.

As the story progresses, the apostles find themselves on the Mount of Olives alone with Jesus. They ask of Him for signs when this destruction is to occur. And Jesus begins another of His teachings about the End Times and His expectation for us. Jesus tells the apostles privately that there will be wars, that there will be earthquakes, and that there will be famines. These events, He says, are but the beginning of the birth pangs. While the timing of the reading was impeccable this year, we might wish that the editors of the lectionary would have kept the entire pericope together. Jesus's answer actually forms a chiasmus over some 21 verses. A chiasmus is, among other things, a literary way of placing emphasis on something within prose or poetry. The emphasis in these passages is Jesus' instruction to His disciples to be discerning. Really, a better translation might be "see with understanding," but we get the idea.

Events will happen around us, objects will loom large in our lives, and Jesus commands us to see with understanding. The temple, that outward sign of the immovable God of Israel, houses those who will kill God's only begotten Son. The place that houses those who ought to be watching most attentively for Him will instead house those will successfully manipulate the Romans into crucifying Jesus and the people into complacency surrounding His death. And even these horrible events can be overwhelming. Earthquakes are just weird. Who likes it when the earth moves? We call it solid ground for a reason. And wars. As we have learned, wars carry a terrible cost. The toll on those in war is nearly overwhelming. There are physical, financial, emotional, and mental strains placed upon soldiers that doctors and sociologists are only beginning to understand. And Jesus tells us that things mark the beginning of the birth pangs.

So, do I think the world going to end in 2012? I think it is as likely to end in 2012 as it is in five minutes hence. I do not mean to downplay the likelihood; rather, I mean for us to think about Jesus' teachings on the End Times. How does Jesus describe His return? The images used by Jesus are one of surprise and suddenness. "Like a thief in the night" or "like the bridegroom returning home in the middle of the night," Jesus describes His return as swift and sudden. At the end of this story, He describes His return as sudden. Even when the disciples ask Him directly about the time, Jesus says only the Father knows. But when it is time, He will come. So we are told by Him to be alert, to be awake. In other words, we do not know when He will come again, so we had better be ready at all times for our Lord's return. Maybe the bumper sticker is right: "Jesus is coming. We better look busy." Might Jesus be coming in 2012? Sure.
But He might come before then or after then. It is our job to be prepared. It is our job to finish those jobs and ministries that He has given us. It is our job to make sure that we have cast His net as wide as possible, have invited as many as we have seen to the Feast, have shared His story of redemption with all with whom we come into contact. Because His appearance will be sudden. His appearance will be decisive. His appearance will mark the gathering of humanity and the Final Judgment. For those who have accepted His offer, it will mark the beginning of a wonderful celebration. For those who have rejected His offer, it will be a terrible time, way worse than wars and earthquakes and famines. And there are no "do-over's."

Armed with that knowledge and certainty, you and I are sent into a world with urgency. Should we be scared by Mayan calendars? No. If Jesus did not know when the Father would send Him, do we really think the Mayans knew? Should we be afraid of guys or gals on the street corner holding a placard proclaiming "the end is near." No, but we should be reminded of the urgency of the work to which He has assigned to us. Should we fear natural disasters such as tornados, floods, earthquakes, and fires as harbingers of His return? No. But we should use those events as opportunities to share the hope that we have in our Lord's ability to overcome everything, even the grave. And should we fear "prophets" who claim to speak in His name and urge us to any number of crazy actions? Absolutely not. We are to look with eyes that perceive and hear with ears that hear His voice and hearts that truly understand Him so that we cannot be misled and so that we can speak out against those who would destroy more of His sheep. It is not by accident, at least I hope that it is not, that our lectionary editors chose the prayer over Scripture for this set of readings. We are called to read, learn, mark, and inwardly digest His Word. His Word, His grace, His love ought to be lived out by His disciples. Are the end times near? Absolutely. Do we know the moment of His return? No. So watch, and get busy! Someone in your life is waiting to hear His story.

Peace,
Brian†

Monday, November 9, 2009

The Redeemer . . .

When I say the word “Redeemer,” of what do you think? A few 8:00er’s were scared I was slipping into Appalachian Pentecostal mode when I mentioned it Sunday. After all, it is a word we Episcopalians don’t think that we use very much. I say “think” because we use that word specifically in Rite I and in Rite II, Prayer A, Prayer B, Prayer C, and Prayer D (the words will still be here when you get done looking for yourself). And, naturally, we often describe Christ’s work of redemption of us. So, even for us institutionalists, it is not really a four-letter word.

Our lesson from Ruth, this week, reminds us of the Gospel purpose of the Redeemer and our relationship to Him. How so? First, in Hebrew, the word translated as Redeemer is goel. Literally, it means kinsman redeemer. Leviticus 25:25 might be the quickest and simplest definition of goel, but it often exists in Scripture. In fact, Ruth is full of redemption. In quick terms, one could be in need of a redeemer if one was forced to sell oneself into slavery by force of circumstances (drought, storms, etc). A relative with resources was required to redeem the enslaved relative and family. From that time forward, the redeemer was goel to the family he redeemed. It also existed in times of war. To finance wars, kings and armies would capture hostages. Those hostages were often sold as slaves. A goel could redeem a relative by paying the ransom rather than letting the family member be sold into slavery. In our story of Ruth, both Ruth and Boaz play the role of goel for Naomi. Even the ladies who name Obed understand that.

Think, for a second, of your own extended family. Who would be within that circle that you would redeem without giving it another thought? Who in your family is in that circle of those whom you love that you would make any sacrifice to save them? Your parents? Your grandparent? Your children? Your grandchildren? Your aunts and uncles? Your cousins? How far out would your redemptive love extend? How far out has it extended thus far in your life?

And, yet, think of Jesus. He was goel to each one of us. We might like to think of Him as a figure in history from 2000 years ago, distant in time and space, but He thought enough of and loved us each enough to pay the only price that could redeem each one of us! He was to us that favorite uncle, that grandparent that spoiled us, that cousin with whom we were “thick as thieves”, and He freed us from certain slavery and death when no one else could or would.
Jesus is not just some figure in history who did some dying and rising. Jesus is that One person in all the universe who loved us the way God calls us to love everyone. And when faced with the cost of our redemption, paid it without begrudging us, without grumbling about us and our thankfulness, and without reservation! Brothers and sisters, we often grumble that we wish we were loved. We wish that spouses, children, parents, or others loved us so we could feel wanted and needed. By His work, by His actions, Jesus showed us just how much God loved us and loves us still! The creator of the universe loves you! The creator of the universe has redeemed you and set you free! That is the message to us. And that should be our message to those around us!

Peace,
Brian†

Monday, November 2, 2009

Saints before us, after us, and among us . . .

Our reading from Ruth this week, I think, turned out to be perfect both for us as a congregation and for a family about to baptize their first child into the faith. I won’t share with you again the sordid details of how we ended up with the regular RCL readings for this past weekend, as opposed to the readings assigned for All Saints’ Day. Suffice it to say that God’s grace was in our midst. The computer and the disc survived my and other volunteers’ efforts to curse them. The Old Testament reading certainly should have spoken to us on this day, this day when we baptize a new member and recall the saints that have come before us and been part of our lives.

I love the book of Ruth. For those who want to argue that God is wrathful in the OT and full of mercy primarily in the New Testament, this book will prove quite the surprise. For those who want to argue that the OT is misogynistic and paternalistic, this book screams “did you not hear what I said in Genesis?” It is a great book. There is terrible tragedy, there is amazing redemption. And it all happens in a few short pages.

Our reading begins with the reminder that “everyone is doing as he sees fit.” Judges has commented upon the fact that Israel has rejected God as king. Elimelech and Naomi are proof of this. There is a famine in the land, proof of God’s displeasure with Israel. The famine should remind Israel that they are not keeping the covenant, but this is a time that they are doing as they see fit. The warning is missed. And so, in direct rejection of God, the couple heads to Moab. If God will not provide for them, they will provide for themselves. They give up the land promised to their ancestors, and they leave.

And their decision seems to pay off. They get food. The boys grow up. Everything is moving along. In fact, the couple decides that the boys need wives, and so they get Moabite wives for their sons. It might make sense to us; after all, that is where they are living. Who else is there to marry? But God had instructed His people not to marry outside the covenant, else the people would be led by their new families to worship false gods. Nevertheless, Elimelech and Naomi get local wives for their sons.

Then tragedy strikes. Elimelech dies. Naomi is a widow. But she has her sons and their wives, until both her sons die. Now she, and her daughters, are widows. Without family, widows in the Ancient Near East had little for which to hope. Widows were seen as burdens. They cost money to feed and to clothe. And so their lives were harsh. Though God commanded His people to care for the widow and orphan, we know just how much they listened to Him.
Naomi decides to return to her people. She tells her daughters-in-law to return to theirs. She even tells us that the ladies were good wives. When the ladies protest her instruction, Naomi is the voice of reason and love. I have no husband. I cannot bear sons to marry you. Go, and I pray that you are blessed with husbands.

Orpah goes. Ruth stays. When Naomi tells her to follow her sister, Ruth refuses. In fact, Ruth clings to Naomi. “Your people shall be my people, and your God my God.” Truthfully, the story should have ended there. Two widows, no family. There was not much hope for them.
We will continue the story over the next few weeks. For those that do not know the story, there is a happy ending. In fact, the “wrathful” God of the OT does something amazing. The two ladies return. Boaz, a distant cousin of Naomi, is smitten with Ruth’s beauty and faithfulness to Naomi. He negotiates with her closest kinsman, and he acquires the right to become the kinsman redeemer. The story, if ended there, is amazing. But God is still not yet finished! Boaz and Ruth have a son named Obed. Obed has a son named Jesse. Jesse has a son named David. David has an ultimate descendant named Jesus. Yes, that Jesus. Ruth, an anonymous Moabite woman, a woman excluded from the covenant, is grafted in so fully by her faithfulness to God and to Naomi and by His grace, that she becomes a great, great, great (however many times) grandmother of Jesus Christ.

The story should speak to us this day on a couple different levels. Perhaps, as I have been telling this story and you realized then end, your response has been one of “yeah, Father, but that’s not me. I am not special like Ruth.” Nothing could be further from the truth in God’s eyes. Were you the only one in need of saving, such is His love of you that He still would have come and saved you. And think of Ruth before her declaration and His grafting of her into His vine. She was a Moabite. She was a woman who would mislead His faithful sons. Her story takes place centuries before the work and person of Christ. She should not yet know that God loves her as much as He loves His sons and daughters. And she is a widow whose in-laws cannot provide a future for her. Her future, by worldly expectations, is begging or prostitution. She seems condemned to a life of anonymity. And yet, for her simple clinging to Naomi and her God, she is lifted to unimaginable heights! Through her faithful actions, a Savior will be born! And all this occurs despite the fact that her in-laws rejected God. They left the Promised Land. They took Moabite wives for their sons. They rejected the covenant that God established with their ancestors. And still, His grace was at work in their lives.

Just as His grace has been at work in your lives, and just as His grace in your life has been at work in others. Today we celebrate All Saints’ Day. Were I to take the time and ask you who was a saint in your life, how many of you would tell me it was a famous saint? Heck, how many of you would tell me it was even a member of the clergy? Many of you would no doubt say it was your mother or father, your grandmother or grandfather, your boss, your co-worker, a friend at church, a neighbor. Few of us would say it was anybody famous by worldly standards. Yet, look at their impact in your life. Because of their faithful witness to His redeeming love, you were drawn into His kingdom. Because of their commitment to Him, you, and others like you in their lives, chose to cling to His mercy and His grace rather than go your or their own way. And brothers and sisters, I am here to tell each one of you this day that you are having the same impact on those around you each and every day of your life. How you live your life in faithful service to Him is usually the single best sermon another human being might ever hear. That is how He works. He makes the anonymous special; He makes sinners into saints.

But our story does not end there this day. In addition to remembering and honoring all those who have come before us, we are about to baptize Ezekiel into His family. Z will be part of what the diocese calls the Next Generation of Faith, those who come after us. Jason and Grace and their family and we are about to take an oath before God to help raise Him to be a Psalm 112 man. Each one of us is promising to be for him a saint who points the way to the One who saves, Jesus of Nazareth. Each one of us will promise to be a leader, a leader who leads by serving the needs of those around us as He gives us time and talents so to do. Jason and Grace, you are about to enter an amazingly difficult time in your life together. The balance of the life that you have forged with one another has now been altered. Nothing in your lives will ever be the same. Soon, as Z grows, you will find yourself on the slow, inexorable slide of becoming and sounding just like your parents. Every screw up you promised you would never make, you will make. Everything you promised to yourself you would never say to your kid, you will say. There will be times of great joy, times of great worry, times of great sadness, and even times where he may hate you for a season. But God’s promise to you is the same as it was to Naomi and Elimelech. You never have to face these things alone. Where you go, He will be in the midst of you. Where you do well, He will bless. Where you make mistakes, He will redeem. And salvation history will continue along the path He has set. And you, and Z, will be always in His care. That is His pledge to you this day, just as He promised to Sarah and Abraham and all the ancestors of Elimelech and Naomi.

And now, brothers and sisters, let us remind ourselves just how He has worked throughout salvation history and how He is making us saints in His eternal kingdom through His mercy and grace, and let us begin the process of welcoming another of His redeemed among us . . . .

Peace,
Brian†

Monday, September 21, 2009

Ambition and service

Ambition/Greatness and humility are often at war in the Christian. Far too often, our selfish desire to be prominent gets in our way to do God’s work. During the course of my sermon preparation this week, I was reminded how such as always been the case.

During the mid 1200’s, the Mongol Empire spanned all of Asia. Think on that for just a moment: all of Asia was ruled by Khubilai Khan. Anyway, during his journey to the Mongol empire, Marco Polo was able to meet the emperor and begin to speak with him. Marco Polo shared his faith as best as he was able, but the Khan no doubt had questions well above Marco’s pay grade. The Khan asked Marco to return to Rome and ask the pope to send 100 men to teach Christianity to his entire court. Marco returned and petitioned the church on behalf of the Khan. Unfortunately, it took 28 years before a single delegate reached the emperor’s court. Cardinals did not want to go for fear that the pope would die, and they would not be considered as a candidate. Bishops refused to go because they would not be considered for the role of cardinal as those positions opened up. Priests avoided the assignment like the plague for fear that they would be passed over when the next bishopric opened up. In simpler terms, the leaders of the church were afraid that the maxim “out of sight, out of mind” would hold sway. Quite simply, they forgot whom they served, and they forgot their vocation. By the time the first delegate reached the Khan and offered to begin his catechesis in the faith, the emperor responded that he had grown old in his idolatry (Douglas Weaver, A Cloud of Witnesses, 52-52).

Think for just a moment how history may have been changed if these so-called leaders of the church had responded timely to the Khan’s request for instruction. Can you imagine how a Christian Asia might look today? Would the evangelism of the empire been much different than that of Rome? Might some wars have been avoided? Might our relations be warmer today because many in the West and in Asia would share the same Lord? Possibly. Of course, human beings would still be sinful, so there would likely still be conflict.

Our Gospel lesson reminds us as well of this desire to be great and what our Lord thought of it, in case we have forgotten part of the meaning of the Incarnation. Jesus is on the road to Jerusalem. He is not looking for acclamation. He is not looking to be served. He is going where His Father commands knowing all too well how this journey will end. Contrast His behavior with that of His disciples. While He works determinedly to fulfill the role He has been asked to play, His disciples are arguing over who is the greatest for the third of six times in Mark’s Gospel (the others being 8:16; 9:14; 9:38; 14:4-5; and 14:29). And He asks them what they were arguing about. They know they are busted. They know He will be disappointed in their behavior. So they remain silent. And placing a child in their midst, Jesus teaches them that His greatest servants will be the ones who serve those beneath the notice of others.

You and I and all His disciples are called to put everyone else before us. If we want to be great by God’s standard of judging, you and I are called to serve others. Specifically, you and I are called to speak up for those who have no voice, to meet the needs of the needy, to be attentive to those of little esteem, to see the invisible among us, and remind the world that there are no insignificant members in God’s family. All were created in His image, and all should be treated accordingly.

The example of the Mongol empire, you might be thinking, is extreme when compared to your seeming sphere of influence. You are not called to evangelize emperors or presidents or chiefs of anything; your work, therefore, must not be as important as others'. Yet, when each of us considers that we are called to help raise up kings and queens and priests in His eternal kingdom, our job is no less important. When we squabble over ambition or try to determine who is greatest among us, just as Jesus’ disciples did this weekend or just as the Roman church did upon receipt of the Khan’s request in the 1200’s, we are possibly condemning others to an eternity apart from God. Considered in that light, our “little” jobs do not seem so little. In fact, God reminded us here that there is no more important job. When we serve others in His name and to His glory, seeds are spread and nourished. And the sinner is given the glorious news of God in Christ and the freedom to repent and serve Him. And when that choice is made by the sinner to serve the God, all of heaven rejoices. Think on that for just a second. By your faithful ministering to the least, the lost, the marginalized and the forgotten in your midst, you can bring a celebration to the Angels, the Archangels, the saints, and all the company of heaven. How insignificant, if you are truly serving Him, could you ever be?

Brothers and sisters, how do you treat the insignificant in your lives? Are they so insignificant that you do not even know they are there? Or has our Lord given you eyes to see them and their plight, ears to hear them and speak on their behalf and speak to them, and a heart full of His compassion that leaves you determined to share His love of them through your selfless service? They are weighty questions to be sure, but then no one ever said raising up kings and queens and priests were easy. After all, it cost Him His life to raise us up.

Peace,

Brian†

Monday, September 14, 2009

Crumbs that become feasts . . .

This summer, in our readings from John and Paul especially, we have considered our outward appearances. Both John and Paul have reminded us that we are ambassadors or representatives of God. As a result, the world often judges God by what they see in us. We should not be too surprised by such an understanding. After all, we have pithy little statements about making good “first impressions” and the like. It is hard, sometimes, to think of oneself as an ambassador for Christ, but Paul and John and other authors in the Bible remind us that such is one of our callings.

This week, however, Mark had us focus a bit internally. While we should always be concerned about the image of Christ that we project (Am I loving my neighbor as myself? Am I loving God with everything that I am), part of our ability to be good ambassadors or representatives is our recognition of our need for God’s saving grace in our lives. In other words, before we can become good representatives of Christ, we need a healthy humility. What do we mean by this and why?

Consider the Syrophoenician woman from this weekend’s readings. Jesus is anything but the warm fuzzy redeemer we all probably imagine. He is on a Sabbath. He is trying to get away from the pressures of His ministry. And so He seeks a household outside His normal stomping grounds. But such is His fame that the woman with the possessed daughter has heard of Him. And He is in her town! Though the Jews were required to remember that men and women were created in God’s image, the other ANE peoples were under no such restriction. This lady’s culture would have droned into her its understanding of her place in life. She had no business approaching, let alone expecting anything from a man, especially a foreign man. Yet she approaches Jesus, a man of reputation, a man considered a prophet of God. Who would not were they in her place? Those of us who are parents can understand her desperation. What would we not do for the safety or welfare of our children?

And look at compassionate Jesus’ response. “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the little dogs.” What a jerk! She just needs a bit of help, help well within His means.
And instead He blows her off!

Admittedly, Jesus’ use of the word first in the answer gives us some hope for later, but why on earth would he insult her and deny her request?

But look at her response. In Mark’s Gospel account, this is the first individual to engage Jesus about His work. The Syrophoenician woman does not contest the fact that the children should be fed first. Heck, she does not even fuss at Jesus for seemingly insulting her suffering daughter by labeling her a little dog. She recognizes that He is a prophet to Israel first, but she presumes to instruct Jesus and us about the role of a good master. "Yes, Lord, but even the little dogs get the crumbs from children." Better than Jesus’ disciples (remember, Jesus fed with the loaves and fishes a chapter earlier and they missed its importance), the woman understands that the Jews have priority over the Gentiles, but that the priority is for the purpose of saving the Gentiles.

More amazingly, she tells Jesus in effect that she is not asking for a feast. She does not need to go to Johnny’s Steakhouse or the Hungry Pilot or Mo Brady’s. Her needs can be satisfied by the crumbs from God’s table. His saving power is so great that His crumbs can save! And Jesus does just that. He rewards her faith and her humility by healing her daughter, and her story has been recounted now for countless generations.

The Syrophoenician woman serves for us a stark reminder of the humility we should all have before God. We cannot compel God to do anything. Though this lady’s culture would have taught her any number of formulae and superstitions to get certain benefits out of the gods that they worshipped, she recognizes that Yahweh cannot forced to do anything. Similar to the humility exhibited by Job, this lady reminds all believers of our ultimate fellowship with every other human being whom we encounter. None of us deserve any special treatment. As James remarked this weekend, none of us are deserving of any partiality.

Yet it is this humility which gives rise to the attribute of God which we value the most: His mercy! The Syrophoenician woman understands that she does not deserve Jesus’ intervention. She understands that He cannot be forced to work a miracle for her daughter. But she also understands that if He is so moved, even His briefest offer of mercy will satisfy her need. And so her great humility leads to God’s mercy. Jesus rewards her humility and answers her fondest prayer. Her little dog has become a little daughter of the saving God. And you and I are fed as we read and watch the story unfold.

Brothers and sisters we live in a world that tries hard to convince us of our self importance and self worth. We are captains of our own ships, masters of our domains. We do not need anybody to save us. We can lift ourselves up by the bootstraps, thank you very much. Yet how in charge of our lives are we really? Our material goods can be taken in the blink of an eye. Lifetimes of items can be destroyed a tornado, fire or flood; the prospect of an easy future can be shattered by an unexpected job loss or serious disease or a stock market crash; the sense of companionship can be turned into the fear of isolation by the surprise rejection by a loved one. All these, and countless others, can happen in the blink of an eye.

But God requires us to humble ourselves. We are called to throw ourselves at the foot of His cross and admit our need of Him. Like the woman in our story this weekend, who was willing to become like a dog to try and save her daughter with a crumb, we are called to humble ourselves so that we can become His disciple. And the Gospel news is that whoever exercises such a humble faith will receive the bread and mercy of God!

Brothers and sisters, do you see yourself in the story of the Syrophoenician woman? Have you approached God in humble faith? Or have you been, instead, arrogant in your faith? Have you been angry, like Jonah, because God has refused to work the way you demand of Him? Or, have you been confused like His disciples, unwilling to receive His teaching (say 9:35-37; 10:44 for example) and thus seemingly not even getting His crumbs? It is a hard lesson with which to struggle, with which to examine oneself internally, to be sure, but then the rewards of such a lesson are so much better than just His crumbs! The rewards of such a humble faith are the call to His feast. And if His crumbs are so amazingly wonderful and restoring, can you imagine His feast?

Peace,

Brian†

Monday, September 7, 2009

Honoring the one who vindicates us . . .

Shame, dishonor -- they are words that seem quaint by modern standards. Sure, the military uses terms like that, but society at large seems to have forgotten their meaning and their importance. We no longer live in a culture which values honor as it once did. Can you imagine the Bernie Madoff’s of the world, the Brandon Marshall’s or Manny Ramirez’ of the world, the Governor Mark Sanford’s of the world, or pick almost any movie star or starlet, or countless others that we could think of would act the way that they notoriously have if, as a society, we cared about honor? To put it another way, if we valued honor, they might have thought before they acted.

As Christians, we are taught that honor and shame and other such descriptives are very important to God. Our Gospel lesson this week reminded us of the importance that God places on honor. The Pharisees and scribes tried publicly to humiliate Jesus by arguing that he was a terrible teacher. They tried to shame Him and His disciples for ignoring the purity code. Jesus’ response was to shame them. He identified them as those about whom Isaiah had prophesied. Better still, in public, and by using the example of corban, Jesus demonstrates to the Pharisees and scribes how they wrongly value their legal expertise over the torah of God. In essence, Jesus tells those who consider themselves to be working on behalf of God that their efforts have subverted God’s will.

Those of us who have been raised or have come to think of Jesus as that “big teddy bear in the sky” or that “wimpy” prophet might be a bit disturbed by Jesus’ forceful and public condemnation of His accusers (though I suspect no more so that the fact that our Lord uses bodily functions to discuss purity and defilement). But it gives us some insight into our relationship with God.

God has promised throughout the entirety of Scripture that whoever accepts Him as Lord, He will vindicate. Our stories of salvation history are replete with examples of the faithful being vindicated by God. Noah, Sarah & Abraham, Esther, Job, Hannah, Mary--the list goes on and on. Better still, God promises that He will vindicate everyone who claims Him as Lord, even those who die. Think of that for just a moment. The Creator of the heavens and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen, has chosen to bind His honor to your honor. If you are humiliated, He is dishonored. If you are honored, you bring glory to Him. Such is our relationship with our Father in heaven.

Will bad things happen in life? You bet. Will people take advantage of us as we try to bring honor to His name? Certainly. But the One who raised Jesus from the dead is the One who promises to vindicate each of His adopted sons and daughters. Perhaps, if we thought more in those terms, we might not be so concerned about how the world sees us, and more concerned about honoring Him who first saved us!

Peace,
Brian†

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

We are what and who we wear . . .

“We are what we wear.” It sounds like it should have been a clothing add from the 80’s or early 90’s, but it is also a truth that the world recognizes. I was reminded of that fact watching a movie I had yet to see. The movie was Hancock. In it, Will Smith plays a drunken, misunderstood, selfish superhero. Hannah fell asleep, so I did not get to finish it yet, but there was a wonderful teaching in it. The “image consultant” who takes on the cause of Hancock shows the hero the new uniform. Hancock, predictably, is not about to wear the uniform. And the consultant reminds Hancock of the film footage and of the fact that a uniform denotes purpose. We know what firemen and police officers are doing because of what they wear. We can identify doctors, accountants, librarians, construction workers, and countless others by how they dress. Their uniforms give away their jobs. Their uniforms, in a way, give away their identity.

Paul, in his letter to the church at Ephesus, reminds us of this truth this weekend. We are what we wear. And Paul reminds us what we should be wearing and why we should be wearing it. You and I and all Christians, writes Paul, are engaged in a battle against powers and authorities unseen. Our real enemies are then enemies of God who seek to lead humanity from the mercy and love of the cross and the glorious promise of salvation. Some may be seen, but others exist in the spiritual realm, wrecking havoc as they struggle against the Gospel of Christ. You and I and all Christians, therefore, need to dress accordingly. We know we are in a battle, and we had better be prepared. So what do we wear?

Paul reminds us that we wear the armor of God. First, we are given a belt of truth. When we read that, we should hear the world and Caesar’s question “What is truth?” In a pluralistic age which denies any group’s claim to know Truth, we should not be surprised that Paul reminds us that we have been given the Truth. The truth has been revealed to us. We know that God exists, we know that He loves each one of us, through the work and person of Christ Jesus. Better still, we know that Jesus is who He says He is, the messiah, by the fact that God vindicated Him on that Easter morning and raised Him from the dead. This, the world, is not all that there is. There is a Creator, a loving God, who stretched out His hand to save humanity, a humanity which so often determines to save itself and yet fails repeatedly.

Next, Paul reminds us that we wear a breastplate of righteousness. Given that Paul was a lawyer, we probably should not be too surprised that he uses a term like righteousness. For Paul, the term means simply that we are made right before God. Our debts to Him have been paid; our sins against Him have been atoned—through the sacrifice of Christ. As a result, you and I are made sons and daughters of the living God. We are adopted into His family and restored to relationship with Him. And it is fitting that we should carry such good news close to our hearts. When the world tries to remind us that we are not special, that we are not significant, our breastplate reminds each one of us that the Creator of the universe thought us worth the cost of the cross and that we are special to Him.

Our helmet, according to Paul, is a helmet of salvation. We are reminded of the glory which we are promised by God. Yes, bad things may happen in the world. We may suffer from diseases, famine, the sins of others, or even the forces of nature. We may, in fact, suffer to the point of death. Yet each of us has been promised through Christ an eternal salvation. Whatever we suffer for His glory will be redeemed. God will vindicate all His adopted children just as He did His begotten child. We may die for a time, but we will live forever in the presence of our God, our Savior, our Creator, our Father.

Add to all this the shield of faith. In our daily life and work we will be assaulted by these forces and their puppets who rebel against God. Diseases may well afflict us; aches and pains will no doubt assault us; coworkers may use us as rungs on a ladder, companies may dismiss us as heartless institutions are wont to do, we may lack for many wants, we may be persecuted as Paul was during the composition of this letter, at times we may feel like we are in a long tunnel with no light in sight (or worried that the light is a locomotive heading our way), but we can trust that God will vindicate us. Whatever is meant for evil by others in our life, He will conquer for us. We may not know how, we may not see how such redemption is possible at times, but our shield of faith allows us to withstand the arrows and trust Him to act when necessary.

I intentionally left off the sword and the footwear. At a later date, I want to take up specifically the sword He gives us to bear and how we wield it so wrongly so often. The footwear I save for last because it reminds us of our need to be comfortable and well supported as we labor for Him. Speak to any veteran about their supplies and their attire, and you will quickly learn that the shoes are very important. A soldier is near worthless if he or she is suffering from blisters on their feet, if their toes are frostbitten, or if the sweat has led to other problems. The footwear, though seemingly insignificant, is amazingly important. You and I are told to get comfortable in our labors for His Gospel. None of us are given the same gifts and talents, yet we are all called to go forth into battle in His name. While it is true that God may use you in ways that you would not choose (Paul is in chains for no real reason), often He sends us into those places where we are most familiar to testify to His saving grace. Your work or school environment, your family, your social club—all these and countless other places may be the very place He has sent you as His ambassador and asked you to labor faithfully.

We are what we wear – I mentioned earlier that Hancock drove this home for me late last week. While I have not yet seen the entirety of the movie, I have seen enough to guess. I will be sorely disappointed if Hancock’s image is not restored. But we are all confronted with that same question each and every day as we head off to work, or school, or play. What will we wear today? Will we wear the same old same old, will we put on the armor of God and go forth into the battles He has called us? Will we garb ourselves in drab clothing and testify that the world is right, we are not special? Or will we put on His righteousness, His truth, His promise of salvation and go forth as ambassadors of the One who redeems all and has acted to redeem us?

Peace,
Brian†

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

We are what we wear . . .

“We are what we wear.” It sounds like it should have been a clothing add from the 80’s or early 90’s, but it is also a truth that the world recognizes. I was reminded of that fact watching a movie I had yet to see. The movie was Hancock. In it, Will Smith plays a drunken, misunderstood, selfish superhero. Hannah fell asleep, so I did not get to finish it yet, but there was a wonderful teaching in it. The “image consultant” who takes on the cause of Hancock shows the hero the new uniform. Hancock, predictably, is not about to wear the uniform. And the consultant reminds Hancock of the film footage and of the fact that a uniform denotes purpose. We know what firemen and police officers are doing because of what they wear. We can identify doctors, accountants, librarians, construction workers, and countless others by how they dress. Their uniforms give away their jobs. Their uniforms, in a way, give away their identity.

Paul, in his letter to the church at Ephesus, reminds us of this truth this weekend. We are what we wear. And Paul reminds us what we should be wearing and why we should be wearing it. You and I and all Christians, writes Paul, are engaged in a battle against powers and authorities unseen. Our real enemies are then enemies of God who seek to lead humanity from the mercy and love of the cross and the glorious promise of salvation. Some may be seen, but others exist in the spiritual realm, wrecking havoc as they struggle against the Gospel of Christ. You and I and all Christians, therefore, need to dress accordingly. We know we are in a battle, and we had better be prepared. So what do we wear?

Paul reminds us that we wear the armor of God. First, we are given a belt of truth. When we read that, we should hear the world and Caesar’s question “What is truth?” In a pluralistic age which denies any group’s claim to know Truth, we should not be surprised that Paul reminds us that we have been given the Truth. The truth has been revealed to us. We know that God exists, we know that He loves each one of us, through the work and person of Christ Jesus. Better still, we know that Jesus is who He says He is, the messiah, by the fact that God vindicated Him on that Easter morning and raised Him from the dead. This, the world, is not all that there is. There is a Creator, a loving God, who stretched out His hand to save humanity, a humanity which so often determines to save itself and yet fails repeatedly.

Next, Paul reminds us that we wear a breastplate of righteousness. Given that Paul was a lawyer, we probably should not be too surprised that he uses a term like righteousness. For Paul, the term means simply that we are made right before God. Our debts to Him have been paid; our sins against Him have been atoned—through the sacrifice of Christ. As a result, you and I are made sons and daughters of the living God. We are adopted into His family and restored to relationship with Him. And it is fitting that we should carry such good news close to our hearts. When the world tries to remind us that we are not special, that we are not significant, our breastplate reminds us that the Creator of the universe thought me worth the cost of the cross and that you and I are dear to Him, indeed.

Our helmet, according to Paul, is a helmet of salvation. We are reminded of the glory which we are promised by God. Yes, bad things may happen in the world. We may suffer from diseases, famine, the sins of others, or even the forces of nature. We may, in fact, suffer to the point of death. Yet each of us has been promised through Christ an eternal salvation. Whatever we suffer for His glory will be redeemed. God will vindicate all His adopted children just as He did His begotten child. We may die for a time, but we will live forever in the presence of our God, our Savior, our Creator. That is His promise to all who believe in Him.

Add to all this the shield of faith. In our daily life and work we will be assaulted by these forces and their puppets who rebel against God. Diseases may well afflict us; aches and pains will no doubt assault us; coworkers may use us as rungs on a ladder, companies may dismiss us as heartless institutions are wont to do, we may lack for many wants, we may be persecuted as Paul was during the composition of this letter, at times we may feel like we are in a long tunnel with no light in sight (or worried that the light is a locomotive heading our way), but we can trust that God will vindicate us. Whatever is meant for evil by others in our life, He will conquer for us. We may not know how, we may not see how such redemption is possible at times, but our shield of faith allows us to withstand the arrows and trust Him to act when necessary.

I intentionally left off the sword and the footwear. At a later date, I want to take up specifically the sword He gives us to bear and how we wield it so wrongly so often. The footwear I save for last because it reminds us of our need to be comfortable and well supported as we labor for Him. Speak to any veteran about their supplies and their attire, and you will quickly learn that the shoes are very important. A soldier is near worthless if he or she is suffering from blisters on their feet, if their toes are frostbitten, or if the sweat has led to fungi or other problems. The footwear, though seemingly insignificant, is amazingly important. You and I are told to get comfortable in our labors for His Gospel. None of us are given the same gifts and talents, yet we are all called to go forth into battle in His name. While it is true that God may use you in ways that you would not choose (Paul is in chains for no criminal reason), often He sends us into those places where we are most familiar to testify to His saving grace. Your work or school environment, your family, your social club, your former partiers—all these and countless other places may be the very place He has sent you as His ambassador and asked you to labor faithfully.

We are what we wear – I mentioned earlier that Hancock drove this home for me late last week. While I have not yet seen the entirety of the movie, I have seen enough to guess. I will be sorely disappointed if Hancock’s image is not restored. But we are all confronted with that same question each and every day as we head off to work, or school, or play. What will I wear today? Will we wear the same old same old, or will we put on the armor of God and go forth into the battles He has called us? Will we garb ourselves in drab clothing and testify that the world is right, we are not special? Or will we put on His righteousness, His truth, His promise of salvation and go forth as ambassadors of the One who redeems all and has acted to redeem us, living testimonies to His saving grace in the world?

Peace,
Brian†

Monday, August 24, 2009

What if there had been silence to your question?

Yes, I knew I was taking a big chance encouraging parishioners to talk about how God had been active in their lives over the past week. Yes, I knew that some did not like the idea of sharing with others His sovereign hand at work in their lives. Yes, I knew that some did not want people to think them strange or weird or different for thinking that God had acted. But, we are Christians called together in worship. We are called together to remind one another that God is at work every bit as He was in the days of David & Solomon or any other time in history. Sometimes, we need to be reminded that His work is personal, that it affects people we know and love, that He has shown his power the power of His works, not only in the cross and resurrection, but in our lives! And those sharings, particularly in dark times, can remind other Christians of His promises. The treasures of our faith are not meant to be hidden. They are meant to be shared with others for His glory!

Had I had a lot more time, I might have better developed the idea where that sharing came from. Consider Jesus’ words that “those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them.” Clearly, the word abide is very important to John, as is eating and drinking. John will pick up that abiding and its implication later in his Gospel (14:17, 15:4-7, 15:10, 17:21) and also in the letters. But here, in this little passage, John has a very specific message to us. As Adolph Schlatter summed up John, “What we have to do with his [Jesus’] flesh and blood is not chew and swallow, but that we recognize in his crucified body and poured out blood the ground of our life, that we hang our faith and hope on that body and blood and draw from there our thinking and our willing” (Das Evangelium nach Johannes, Erläuterungen 3:116) pg 95.

Put another way, all our hopes, all our futures, all our lives depend utterly and totally on Christ’s sacrifice and Resurrection. As people who eat His flesh and drink His blood, we recognize that we cannot save ourselves. However, God chose to redeem us rather than condemn us. And so He came down from heaven, died for us, and promised us eternal life and abiding presence with Him if we accept His offer. Our recognition of this kind of love, this kind of mercy, is liberating! Rather than feeling trapped by our failures, our insignificance, our impotence, and other shortcomings, we are called to remember that God loved us enough to save us. For some reason, the Creator of the universe loves each of us and acted to save us by dying for us! Talk about changing our perception of our own self-worth.

Better still, God reminds us that we are His ambassadors, His children by adoption, His heirs. And we are sent forth into the world to remind the world of His love and His mercy. What better way to do that than by sharing our stories with one another! Our collective stories remind us that we have worth before His eyes, that He deemed us worth saving, and that He is keeping His promises! When we see Him at work in our own lives, how much more excited an ambassador are we for Him? How much more do we begin to understand that He is abiding in us as we abide in Him? And so, we give thanks for His work on our behalf, and we encourage others to remember His inestimable love of them and that He wants that relationship with them! So, please, go ahead and share. How has God been at work in your life recently?

Peace,
Brian†

Monday, August 17, 2009

Images and Questions

This past Thursday, those at the Bible Study remarked how they had never considered some of our topics before, and a few people asked Sunday if I would share a few of the metaphors, themes, images, and teachings that we considered. So here goes:

2 Samuel

The Civil War (18:6-8) – this was a battle a bit bigger than our own Antietam, yet only a few sentences are devoted to it. Why?

Absalom riding a mule (18:9) – Preferred mount of kings and princes in much of Samuel and Kings. As Absalom loses his mount, he loses his kingdom.

Absalom hanging (18:9) – He has rebelled against God’s anointed. Who can support him? To whom can he look for help? Does this look forward to Judas?

How did he get stuck? (18:9) – Josephus (a Jewish Historian) attributed it to his head full of hair (14:26). If that is true, pride has certainly led to a tragic demise.

David’s mourning (18:33) -- Nathan’s words have to ring in David’s ears. Though God has taken away his guilt, David must realize that his “taking” rather than “serving” has led to this terrible moment.

Psalm 130

Who could stand? (2) – Rite 1 worshippers are reminded of this teaching every time they gather for the Eucharist: “. . . we beseech Thee to accept this our bounden duty and service, not weighing our merits, but pardoning our offenses . . . ”

Watchmen for the morning (5) – those of us who have worked graveyard shifts understand this better than others, but have you ever noticed the darkness before the dawn? Now, imagine that your family, friends, and townfolk depend upon your vigilance for their safety. How much would you long for the sunrise?

Ephesians 4

We can be angry (26) – What is anger? The emotion is not the sin, it is what we do with it that is the sin. We are told not to dwell on it, however.

Thieves and Deadbeats (27) – Human nature has changed very little the last two millennia. Paul is reminding us of our obligation to work as we are able for the lifting up of the needy.

Be forgiving (32) – Is there a harder lesson?

John 6:41-51

Bread of life – If there is a harder lesson, this might be it. We should think of Moses feeding Israel with manna and Jesus feeding the 5000. But even those images fall short of His offer now. And none can come to Him unless drawn by the Father who sent Him. Even our faith is a gift of God?

As I said Sunday, there were a host of topics and questions raised by all our readings (this list is by no means exhaustive of the possible topics/questions), many of which did not address current pastoral needs, but which might well shed new light on events in our past or get us through some trials in the future. Better still, in trying to accommodate our desires for shorter worship times and sermons, many of the readings are lifted from other teachings with which they are intertwined. (for example, though we read Nathan’s “You are the man,” we skipped the mercy offered, “The Lord has put away your sin, you shall not die) Feel free to add your own questions or to join us on Thursdays as we explore our readings each week!

Peace,

Brian†

Monday, August 10, 2009

Repentance and forgiveness . . .

And now the great King David is caught. For the past couple months, we have been following the rise of King David, the king after God’s own heart. Just to remind you of the story, since many may have missed church over the last month with your own vacations, think what we have considered about David: (1) He was anointed king as a youth, while Saul was still king; (2) He waits patiently for God’s plan to be worked out; (3) No matter how many times Saul abuses David’s loyalty (tries to withhold his daughter from marriage to David despite his pledge; tries to kill David; is even envious of David’s victories in his and God’s honor; etc), David refuses to take matters into his own hands and to kill Saul; (4) When the foreign ambassador congratulates David on Saul’s death, David kills the ambassador in a rage because God’s anointed has been killed; (5) David accepts the crown cognizant that he is but a regent for the true king of Israel, Yahweh; (6) and last week, he saw a hottie bathing on the roof and decided to take advantage of his position; (7) David set about purposely to violate not one, not two, but three of the ten commandments (coveted Uriah’s wife, committed adultery, and ordered that Uriah be killed) in one fell swoop. After the long slow build-up and praise of David, he is brought tumbling back to earth. The king after God’s own heart seems to be more like Saul that God. What in the world is God trying to teach us this week about David and about ourselves? What is He trying to teach us about Him?

Though there are any number of lessons in our reading from 2 Samuel this weekend, an easy 3 point sermon presented itself. I say easy because it is obvious, not because the teaching is anything but hard for us to accept. I have shared with this congregation a few times that one of the least discussed subjects in many Episcopal/Anglican churches (at least according to Church Times and other esteemed publications) is the idea of judgment. Very seldom, indeed, are pastors ever willing to preach on the subject of judgment. What is interesting, of course, are some of the subjects that are even less popular subjects of sermons. One such subject is central not only to our reading this weekend, but to the books of Samuel. That subject is sin. I have been accused, at times, by other clergy, of having a “high doctrine of sin.” I suppose what is meant is that I believe it to be ever present in the human condition. I do not know that it is high or low. I think God teaches us that it is ever present in our lives. In fact, I think the Bible teaches us that sin is so prevalent in our lives that we are often blind to its presence. Now, some clergy who accuse me of this high doctrine of sin encourage me to spend my time on God’s mercy and God’s grace. Yet, they are the opposite sides of the same coin, as this passage teaches us. How can God’s mercy be present, if there is no sin? How can we see His grace at work in our lives if we cannot see ourselves misled by our own efforts?

David illustrates this perfectly. David has everything. He has power. He has wealth. He has a great place to live. He has wives and concubines. All his needs are met. And why not? He has faithfully followed God’s call on his life. Should he not be thus blessed? And then, while his men are off fighting for him, he is blinded by his own lust. He sees Bathsheba sunning herself. He conspires to sleep with her (apparently his numerous wives and concubines were simply not enough). Worse, when he impregnates her, David conspires to cover up his actions. Unfortunately for David (and Uriah!), David misjudges Uriah’s righteousness. Uriah refuses the comforts of home while his men and friends are still fighting for the king and for Yahweh. So, David has Uriah killed and marries Bathsheba. Seemingly, his problem is solved. Sure, some may figure out the dates don’t quite work out when Bathsheba finally delivers her son six or seven months after the marriage, but no doubt few will play close attention. Then, as now, the powerful can get away with a lot.

Then, God’s prophet arrives on the scene. He tells David a story. And, rightfully, David is enraged. How dare the rich man take the poor man’s lamb. He deserves to die! And Nathan says to his king, “You are the man!” David was so focused on his wants, his desires, his perceived needs, that he forgot Whom he served. Rather than standing under God’s word, as he is called to do, David causes a horrible mess, and then makes it worse by sinning more to cover up his initial sin. And God’s prophet is there to remind him and us of this fact.

Far too often, we are like David. We forget that we are called to serve (or in extreme cases reject the notion that we are called to serve) God. We become so focused on our own perceived needs and wants that we become focused on their fulfillment. Like David, we will do almost anything to have those perceived needs fulfilled. Those needs or wants, rather than God, becomes our focus. Like David, we are blinded by the idols in our lives. We may think ours are different, easier to spot I mean, come on, adultery when you have multiple wives and concubines? Who would be that stupid today? And yet we look for solace, fulfillment, love in countless other places than He instructs us. We turn to alcohol, to money, to power, to prestige, to other human beings, to drugs, to any number of other idols to meet our own perceived needs. And, ultimately, each fails us. And, like David, we discover that we often make messes bigger by trying to “clean up after ourselves” in those instances when we realize that what we have done is wrong. I may have stabbed people in the back to get a job, but I’ll be a good boss once I am there. I may have been loathe to share my wealth with the needy, but if God will just give me a lottery ticket, I can help a lot of people. I may use other people for my own pleasure, but when I meet the right one . . . —on and on goes our justification of our actions. We forget that God has called. We forget that God has revealed what He expects of His adopted sons and daughters. We forget, far too often, the lesson from Psalm 51 this weekend, of our offenses, our wickedness, and our sins. We want to pretend desperately that sin is not present in our lives. But if we examine our lives as we are called so to do, we become like the psalmist. We begin to see ourselves with His eyes and realize our true need. What to do?

Unlike his predecessor, David reminds us of the only response we should have when confronted by God with our sins—we repent. Unlike Saul, who always offers an excuse for his sins, David responds to Nathan’s “You are the man!” with the simple “I have sinned against the Lord.” David, in a simple sentence (two words in Hebrew), demonstrates the proper response we should have to all our sins. We are called to turn from them and back to God. It is that simple. Though we will, lacking God’s grace in particular areas in our lives, continue to sin and sin and sin, our job is easy. We are called to recognize our sin and turn back to God. We recognize our sins through our study of Scripture and through our corporate worship. Sometimes, the number can seem overwhelming. And yet, all He requires of us is to turn away from the sin and back to Him.

Such repentance on our part leads to that one product of faith that the human condition, at least rightly understood, is so in need of—forgiveness. Though the gracious response of God is cut out by our lectionary editors (we will not read about Nathan’s reply to David’s confession next week), it is important for us, as heralds of His Gospel, to pronounce the ultimate fruit of the acknowledgement and repentance of our sins. Like David, we are forgiven if we truly repent. To accept God’s grace, we must first be made aware of our need. And our passage reminds us of the relation between repentance and forgiveness. Immediately after David’s confession, Nathan asserts that “The Lord has taken away your sin.” The rightful punishment which David himself has pronounced (“the man who did this deserves to die”), death, has been removed. The Lord has taken away David’s guilt.

As Christians who live on this side in history of God’s work in Christ, we see how all of David’s sins, and our own, have been dealt with by a just, righteous, and merciful God. Christ has died so that neither David nor us would have to die, at least eternally. The penalty for all our sins has been paid. We are no longer separated from Him by our actions, but drawn into a right relationship with Him through His efforts on our behalf! We are forgiven, if we repent and accept His offer of salvation! It is that easy.

What must we do to perform the works of God? Believe in the one whom He has sent. Brothers and sisters, as Christians, we are called to examine our lives against His instruction, against His plumb line. And where we fail, where we sin, we are called simply to repent. We are called to believe in the one whom He has sent. That is His plan of salvation for each one of us and each person that we meet. That—discerning our sins, repenting of them, and accepting His forgiveness, is His wonderful Gospel and our life’s calling!

Peace,

Brian†

Monday, July 20, 2009

"Away by themselves to a solitary place"

Our lectionary editors found themselves in a bit of a quandry with chapter 6. So, they chopped it up into several different readings and, for those of us that read the Bible, mixed up the order of events. It is an understandable effort. A lot of events and teachings occur in chapter 6 of Mark. The Twelve are sent out, John the Baptist is killed, the Twelve return to report to Jesus all their successes, Jesus and His disciples go away for a quiet moment, Jesus feeds the 5000 men plus the women and children, Jesus walks on water, and a multitude of people are healed just in 56 verses! Talk about a busy chapter.

But our section this week pulled out one important teaching that I think we as the church and we as His disciples are notoriously bad at following. "The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, "Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest." So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place." How often do we take a rest and just bask in the presence of our Lord? How often? Once, twice, maybe three times a year? It is an understandable failure on our part. We are busy beyond belief. Kids have school and sports and parties, parents have jobs and clubs and kids to shuttle, workers have jobs (and let's face it, nobody feels comfortable telling the boss "no" in this economic situation. And we all need to work our exercise in there somehow. Who has time to rest? Who has time to bask in God's presence?

Yet that rest, that basking, that prayerful solitude is of such importance that Jesus often sends His disciples away in private. Why? Part of the reason, I think, is so that His disciples can recover from the physical and mental demands of ministry in His name. The world has such need. And His faithful disciples must see no end to their work, no end until His coming again, that is. That weariness, of course, can cause us to forget ourselves. When we are drained physically and menatlly, we forget who we are. And we are called always to remember that we are His brothers and His sisters. We are called to remember that He is our Father in heaven! And so the rest period, the prayer and the worship, allows us to remember who we are.

But a second reason I think that we are commanded to rest is to remind us of whom we serve. The need in the world is so great, and we are so insignificant. Those of you who volunteer at the church office sometimes know better than most just how much need there is. Were we not rested, were we not spending time in prayer in worship, it would be far too easy for us to forget whom we serve and send people away empty-handed. Sabbath time may allow us the opportunity to remember who we are, but it should also remind us of who He is! Our Father in heaven is the Creator of heaven and earth. Nothing can thwart His will. And so, bathed in the knowledge that we are His and that He can accomplish all things, we can be sent out to face a needy world.

Part of the reason I think that chapter 6 of Mark has so much happening and in such a seemingly jumbled order is that it reflects the life of a disciple of Jesus. When we begin to see with His eyes, to hear with His voice, to have a circumsized heart like our Master's, we begin to see just how large the task really is. Worse, we begin to see just how pathetic we are to meet the need. People are always hungry, but who has the time to cook that many meals? Women and children are always being abused, but who has the time or money to find and to provide safe housing? Utilities are always being shut off, insurance is always being cancelled, cars are always being repossessed, but who has the resources to provide all those things. And what about the needs that are not as physical? People need guidance and counselling. Some want to hear the Gospel. Many just need to hear that God loves even them! The list goes on and on and on. The temptation for us is to send the needy away empty, lacking whatever need they have. Like the Twelve with the feeding of the 5000, we might very well see no way to ever meet all the need. We might be sorely tempted to shrug our shoulders and say to Him, "Lord, I/we do not have enough to meet the need that you have caused us to see."

But you and I are called to do more than lament the world's condition. You and I are called to meet material needs where He gives us ability and to minister to all the spiritual needs at the base of so many social ills. You and I are called to live with a faith that believes He can accomplish all things, no matter the odds. You and I are called to live with a faith which believes that lives can be transformed, that the world can be transformed. And so, Jesus commands us to seek Him in solitude, to seek Him in prayer, to praise Him in worship that we might be restored and better equipped for the ministries He has given us. Yes, the need is great. But God is sufficient to meet every single need we encounter. You and I sometimes need that time of solitude with Him to be reminded of that simple, but important fact.

Peace,
Brian†

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Doubts, and God's response . . .

A number of people asked me in the couple weeks before my vacation if it was worth it? Did I really believe it? So often the world seems to be winning this spiritual battle that we are in. Some complaints are more corporate in nature. We labor to feed the hungry at Community Meal and through Angel Food, and what result do we see? We seem to do a fair share of helping the needy through the Discretionary Funds and other efforts; yet what impact do we really have for the Kingdom? For some, the concerns are more personal. I have faithfully followed Jesus, but I have no job security. I have attended church except for when I am sick, but His storehouses have not been opened for me. I have sought hard a faithful relationship with Him, but He has not sent me someone special to share my life. And some simply complain about the world and its treatment of Christians. Make a joke about a Muslim around the water cooler, and the thought police descend in full SWAT gear. Make a joke about a Roman Catholic priest or and evangelical Christian, and the laughter is deafening. So, should we believe Him? Do we really think He will win?

Our reading this week ought to give us great comfort. John the Baptist has been called to proclaim the coming of the Messiah. His life has been consecrated utterly to God. And what does John get for His faithfulness, for his determination to obey God? We read about his reward this week. He gets imprisoned. He gets examined by the king. Finally, at the whim of a girl and her mom, he loses his head and his life. It is not the fairy tale ending that the world demands. It also might not be the answer that we want. You mean if I follow God, I might get imprisoned and beheaded?

In a way, Mark’s story of John the Baptist’s death serves to keep us grounded in the real world. Yes, Jesus has given us the Great Commission. Yes, He has sent us out to preach salvation in His name and to bring healing and restoration to the world. Yes, we can accomplish amazing things in His name. But, as Herod and Herodias reminds us, the world does not care. In fact, the world and even His Church is often rebelling aganst the only One who can save them.
As we learned this week, John the Baptist is killed. Though Herod knows that John is a holy man, though Herod knows that complicity in John’s death will cost him dearly with the Lord, Herod chooses to allow John’s death. The plans of Herodias finally come to fruition. And, seemingly, all is lost.

Yet, in our passage from last week we learn an important lesson. God is always raising up more to follow. Where John has gone first, preaching repentence to Israel, twelve more have now been sent by Jesus. Herod, the very representative of the powers of Rome, has allowed an innocent man to be killed. Seemingly all is lost. But twelve men have returned rejoicing that they have been given enormous responisbility and power! Theirs is the mission of bringing into peoples lives the Gospel of health and salvation in the name of Jesus, the Christ.

Sometimes, it is hard for us to see past our sufferings. We want so desperately to experience the fairy tale ending. We want so desperately to live happily ever after. And, we are promised that such will be our story, in His good time. For now, however, we are sent into the world to preach healing in His name, to be salt and light in the world, simply to be faithful. The rest of the work, as it ever has been, is up to God. So, in spite of illness, we proclaim His healing touch. In spite of our our lacks, we proclaim His bounty. In spite of our sins, we proclaim His mercy. And in spite of death, we proclaim the Resurrection eternal life in His presence.

John’s story reminds us that the world can oppose us, that the powers that be can oppose us, that even our loved ones can oppose us. But the story also serves to remind us that God cannot be thwarted by the world. When one of His servants die, God raises him or her to new life, and God sends even more to take their place. So, do I think He will win in the end? If He can ressurect a man from the dead or cause us to talk about the successful beheading of another disciple some 2000 years later, I am certain He can see all of us us safely to the end.
Peace,
Brian†