Hear these words from I Peter 3:
13Now who will harm you if you are eager to do what is good? 14But even if you do suffer for doing what is right, you are blessed. Do not fear what they fear, and do not be intimidated, 15but in your hearts sanctify Christ as Lord. Always be ready to make your defense to anyone who demands from you an accounting for the hope that is in you;
16yet do it with gentleness and reverence. Keep your conscience clear, so that, when you are maligned, those who abuse you for your good conduct in Christ may be put to shame. 17For it is better to suffer for doing good, if suffering should be God’s will, than to suffer for doing evil.
Having a clear conscience…
Don’t be intimidated….
If you suffer for doing what is right, you will be blessed…
These are all words to encouragement
Words of Hope…Words of Ispiration.
Like the Spike Lee movie…it could summed up by the phrase:
“Do the Right Thing!”
This has a justice consequence. A consequence of integrity, of purity.
It means standing up for the moral and ethical thing in all situations.
It reminds of great resistance movements in the past…
The Civil Rights Movement, The Anti-Aparthied Movement. The Anti-War movement.
And…all those efforts are still needed today.
Have we achieved equality, justice, peace? I think not.
And…I think this is also appropriate on the Earth Day Sunday.
As a Christian Community, it is up to us to stand up for Creation. To stand up to Environmental Degradation.
ON this issue…we too need a Clear Conscience, Do what is Right and Not be intimidated by Big Money & Power
I think it is time we at this church look at our “Carbon Footprint”.
And ask ourselves, how might we more fully care for the earth?
This past Winter, First UMC of Germantown decided to switch their worship service to their chapel to reduce their carbon footprint.
A leader in Environmental Justice, they stood up for Creation.
That is just one decision they made where “doing the right thing” meant making a tough decision…that they would have a Clear Conscience.
That is where Beth Stroud was pastor.
The Apostle Peter knew this was important to the early Christian community.
They had to be strong in the face of Empire, competing faith claims and an overall…secular culture.
It is not unlike Jesus who says in his Farewell Discourse… (this passage from today)…
15”If you love me, you will keep my commandments. 16And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever.
18”I will not leave you orphaned; I am coming to you.
This is the promise of Jesus…We are not alone. The Divine Presence…leads us into all truth, wisdom, love & grace
So, how & where is Jesus leading us?
What is our Carbon Footprint & Where might we do the right thing & stand up for Creation?
This week…I read something sort of funny…but true:
"The reason mountain climbers are tied together is to keep the sane ones from going home."
Whoever said that was playing with us a bit, for we know mountain climbers are tied together to keep from getting lost or going over a cliff.
But there's another piece of truth here.
When things get tough up on the mountain, when fear sets in, many a climber is tempted to say, "This is crazy! I'm going home."
The life of faith can be like that…..
----doubts set in, despair overwhelms us, and the whole notion of believing in God seems crazy.
We go quiet instead of standing up. We roll over instead of being prophetic. We get afraid of the reaction of others…instead of being light & justice & truth.
Jesus knew his disciples would have days like that. So he told them we're tied together in Spirit & Truth. We’re tied together in Love & Justice.
Or, as Martin Luther King Jr. said in his famous “I have a Dream” speech….referring to people of all colors & creeds & cultures living together…
We have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny. And they have come to realize that their freedom is inextricably bound to our freedom.
We cannot walk alone.
Like climbers tied to the rope – we are all tied together. Tied together in Creation, as brothers & sisters, as One humanity.
Indeed, the Spirit, keep us moving ahead on the journey of faith, encouraging us when believing seems absurd.
You will be given you another Advocate, to be with you forever, says Jesus. And when we have the Advocate/Counselor, we can stand up for the right in all things! Amen.
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Saturday, April 19, 2008
A Living Stone, A Foundation of Faith
As I was meditating on these passages, I was trying to find a link between them.
In the Gospel of John, Jesus is clear about who he is….as he says… “I and the Father are One”. And… “When you see me, you see the father”….
That’s called a high Christology. It is beginning of the basis of the Trinity…God in 3 persons…Father, Son & Holy Spirit.
The culminating line…Jesus says: “I am the Way, the Truth & the Life, no one comes to the Father but by me”.
A definitive word that is both a powerful foundation and a massive stumbling block.
Foundation for countless Christians through the ages. A stumbling block to many thinking people who find it exclusionary & narrow.
Not only is it drawing a distinction from other faith groups…particularly Jews. But also all of the other religions of the NearEast
And, on top of that. Many feel it is drawing a disctinction with other early Christian groups.
It is clear & direct. Jesus is the Way. Jesus is the Foundation. Jesus is Divine.
God-Made-Flesh.
In 1 Peter, we get a similar feel. Let me read it again…
4Come to him, a living stone, though rejected by mortals yet chosen and precious in God’s sight, and 5like living stones, let yourselves be built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6For it stands in scripture: “See, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious; and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.” 7To you then who believe, he is precious; but for those who do not believe, “The stone that the builders rejected has become the very head of the corner,” 8and “A stone that makes them stumble, and a rock that makes them fall.” They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do. 9But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
So, what are we to say? I think the answer is clear: “Jesus is Lord!”
Jesus is the Way…for me.
And perhaps that last bit is vital. I don’t doubt many other people and paths have some kind of relations with God and connect to Spiritual Energy & Vitality.
But, I simply say… “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord”. And I invite you to say the same…
There is much we don’t understand, but let us with simple mind and heart…affirm Jesus as Lord.
Let him be for us our Spiritual Foundation.
Let him be for us the “Living Stone” of our lives.
There is much worse we could do. Faith in Jesus…lead us into paths of righteousness. Leads us into truth, wisdom, virtue, compassion. A life of faith in the Rock, will give us an anchor in every storm.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a Lutheran pastor, theologian & writer was martyred in WW 11. He wrote: "Faith means the finding and holding fast of this foundation: the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It means casting anchor upon it and being held fast by it. Faith means founding my life upon a foundation which is outside myself, upon an eternal and holy foundation, upon Christ."
In Baptism, we affirm this faith. Not just the family of the one being baptized, but all of us
Jesus is our Rock, our Fortress, our Guide.
And because of our faith, we become new people. We have a new ethic…An ethic of Love. An ethic of Grace. An ethic of Forgiveness.
I end with these two thoughts…
Around 125 A.D. Aristides, the philosopher, described the early Christian community to the Roman Emperor Hadrian like this:
“They love one another. They never fail to help widows; they save orphans from those who hurt them. If they have something, they give freely to the person who has nothing; if they see a stranger, they take him home as a brother or sister in the spirit, the Spirit of God.”
That’s who we are--or at least, that’s who we’ve been called to be.
If Jesus is the Foundation of our life, maybe we too would live like that.
Finally…A young Christian was returning from a retreat. Waiting for him was his boss who was always criticizing & belittling him. “Out skiving again,” the boss cuttingly greeted, “and in spite of all your costly retreats you still look no different to me.” The young Christian paused, smiled and murmured, ‘Ah, maybe; but you look different to me.”
When Jesus comes into our Hearts & is the foundation of our lives, all looks different to us! Amen.
In the Gospel of John, Jesus is clear about who he is….as he says… “I and the Father are One”. And… “When you see me, you see the father”….
That’s called a high Christology. It is beginning of the basis of the Trinity…God in 3 persons…Father, Son & Holy Spirit.
The culminating line…Jesus says: “I am the Way, the Truth & the Life, no one comes to the Father but by me”.
A definitive word that is both a powerful foundation and a massive stumbling block.
Foundation for countless Christians through the ages. A stumbling block to many thinking people who find it exclusionary & narrow.
Not only is it drawing a distinction from other faith groups…particularly Jews. But also all of the other religions of the NearEast
And, on top of that. Many feel it is drawing a disctinction with other early Christian groups.
It is clear & direct. Jesus is the Way. Jesus is the Foundation. Jesus is Divine.
God-Made-Flesh.
In 1 Peter, we get a similar feel. Let me read it again…
4Come to him, a living stone, though rejected by mortals yet chosen and precious in God’s sight, and 5like living stones, let yourselves be built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6For it stands in scripture: “See, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious; and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.” 7To you then who believe, he is precious; but for those who do not believe, “The stone that the builders rejected has become the very head of the corner,” 8and “A stone that makes them stumble, and a rock that makes them fall.” They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do. 9But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
So, what are we to say? I think the answer is clear: “Jesus is Lord!”
Jesus is the Way…for me.
And perhaps that last bit is vital. I don’t doubt many other people and paths have some kind of relations with God and connect to Spiritual Energy & Vitality.
But, I simply say… “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord”. And I invite you to say the same…
There is much we don’t understand, but let us with simple mind and heart…affirm Jesus as Lord.
Let him be for us our Spiritual Foundation.
Let him be for us the “Living Stone” of our lives.
There is much worse we could do. Faith in Jesus…lead us into paths of righteousness. Leads us into truth, wisdom, virtue, compassion. A life of faith in the Rock, will give us an anchor in every storm.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a Lutheran pastor, theologian & writer was martyred in WW 11. He wrote: "Faith means the finding and holding fast of this foundation: the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It means casting anchor upon it and being held fast by it. Faith means founding my life upon a foundation which is outside myself, upon an eternal and holy foundation, upon Christ."
In Baptism, we affirm this faith. Not just the family of the one being baptized, but all of us
Jesus is our Rock, our Fortress, our Guide.
And because of our faith, we become new people. We have a new ethic…An ethic of Love. An ethic of Grace. An ethic of Forgiveness.
I end with these two thoughts…
Around 125 A.D. Aristides, the philosopher, described the early Christian community to the Roman Emperor Hadrian like this:
“They love one another. They never fail to help widows; they save orphans from those who hurt them. If they have something, they give freely to the person who has nothing; if they see a stranger, they take him home as a brother or sister in the spirit, the Spirit of God.”
That’s who we are--or at least, that’s who we’ve been called to be.
If Jesus is the Foundation of our life, maybe we too would live like that.
Finally…A young Christian was returning from a retreat. Waiting for him was his boss who was always criticizing & belittling him. “Out skiving again,” the boss cuttingly greeted, “and in spite of all your costly retreats you still look no different to me.” The young Christian paused, smiled and murmured, ‘Ah, maybe; but you look different to me.”
When Jesus comes into our Hearts & is the foundation of our lives, all looks different to us! Amen.
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Though & Through .."Though" in Despair, I can get "Through" it!
In American Sign Language, "r" is made by crossing the middle finger over the index finger. But crossed fingers have a history as sign language that far pre--dates ASL.
In the first centuries of the Church, when Christianity was wholly illegal and Christians were vigorously persecuted, believers found ways to communicate their faith in subtle ways.
Accompanying a greeting or farewell, crossed fingers were a code sign, identifying Christians to one another as "people of the cross."
They used Fish sign in dirt as well.
One would draw on swoop of the fish as the first part of the password. The other person…the other swoop.
But today, I’m talking about the “R”.
The “R” sign…as the sign for “People of the cross”. In this sense it stands for Jesus as the Christ.
In culture and society today, the crossed finger is meant in other terms…
If I cross my fingers like this and hold it behind my back…it sorta means it negates what I say.
If I am hoping for something really desperately,
I might cross both sets of fingers in a deep hope of a positive outcome.
But for our community… perhaps we can re-discover the ancient meaning.
Crossed fingers…is Jesus as the Christ.
And it makes sense…when we see it as the letter R
R…the letter R, is the only difference between two words…
Though & Through.
When we put R, or Christ into anything, it makes a huge difference.
It is that one letter that can turn your "though" into a "through."
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff, they comfort me.
Though ….I have trouble on every side, I can get through it,…… because Christ is with me.Though ….I have failure, despair, rejection, I can get through it,…… because Christ is with me.
Here then, in many ways, is the secret to life!
Make the sign of the cross.
Worried about an outcome? About a stressful situation? Make the sign of the cross!
And things go from “Good Luck” to “I trust”. I trust Christ to get me “Through”
David, the innocent shepherd-boy, knew the truth behind that first word "though" -- there were dangers lurking around every corner.
In his case, there were “lions & tigers & bears, oh my”! There was flood and accident and starvation….truly living on the edge.
In the end though, he I believe he could say….
“Through it all, Through it all, I’ve learned to trust in God.”
Can we say the same thing?
Every one of us has a valley. Some of us have a valley we've been given at birth -- a valley of poverty, or abuse, or disability.
"Though" none of us gets out of life without walking the valley, the psalmist makes it plain that God does not intend for us to sojourn there forever.
The valley of the shadow is something one goes through. Valleys are not resting places, but passageways.
We can walk through our problems. We can walk through our sorrows. We can walk through our pain. We can walk through our screwups.
What Psalm 23 promises us is that, in all these journeys, the Lord will walk through with us."Though" and "through" differ only by one small letter -- the letter "r."; For us, the sign of the cross
This is what the crossed fingers of the letter "r," can mean.
Though we may walk in the darkness of the valley of the shadow, we are not alone.
God is with us. Walking through the valley with us is the one who suffered and died for our sake: The Crucified One. So in the end, we can say…
“Through it all, Through it all, I’ve learned to trust in Jesus, I’ve learned to trust in God.”
In the first centuries of the Church, when Christianity was wholly illegal and Christians were vigorously persecuted, believers found ways to communicate their faith in subtle ways.
Accompanying a greeting or farewell, crossed fingers were a code sign, identifying Christians to one another as "people of the cross."
They used Fish sign in dirt as well.
One would draw on swoop of the fish as the first part of the password. The other person…the other swoop.
But today, I’m talking about the “R”.
The “R” sign…as the sign for “People of the cross”. In this sense it stands for Jesus as the Christ.
In culture and society today, the crossed finger is meant in other terms…
If I cross my fingers like this and hold it behind my back…it sorta means it negates what I say.
If I am hoping for something really desperately,
I might cross both sets of fingers in a deep hope of a positive outcome.
But for our community… perhaps we can re-discover the ancient meaning.
Crossed fingers…is Jesus as the Christ.
And it makes sense…when we see it as the letter R
R…the letter R, is the only difference between two words…
Though & Through.
When we put R, or Christ into anything, it makes a huge difference.
It is that one letter that can turn your "though" into a "through."
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff, they comfort me.
Though ….I have trouble on every side, I can get through it,…… because Christ is with me.Though ….I have failure, despair, rejection, I can get through it,…… because Christ is with me.
Here then, in many ways, is the secret to life!
Make the sign of the cross.
Worried about an outcome? About a stressful situation? Make the sign of the cross!
And things go from “Good Luck” to “I trust”. I trust Christ to get me “Through”
David, the innocent shepherd-boy, knew the truth behind that first word "though" -- there were dangers lurking around every corner.
In his case, there were “lions & tigers & bears, oh my”! There was flood and accident and starvation….truly living on the edge.
In the end though, he I believe he could say….
“Through it all, Through it all, I’ve learned to trust in God.”
Can we say the same thing?
Every one of us has a valley. Some of us have a valley we've been given at birth -- a valley of poverty, or abuse, or disability.
"Though" none of us gets out of life without walking the valley, the psalmist makes it plain that God does not intend for us to sojourn there forever.
The valley of the shadow is something one goes through. Valleys are not resting places, but passageways.
We can walk through our problems. We can walk through our sorrows. We can walk through our pain. We can walk through our screwups.
What Psalm 23 promises us is that, in all these journeys, the Lord will walk through with us."Though" and "through" differ only by one small letter -- the letter "r."; For us, the sign of the cross
This is what the crossed fingers of the letter "r," can mean.
Though we may walk in the darkness of the valley of the shadow, we are not alone.
God is with us. Walking through the valley with us is the one who suffered and died for our sake: The Crucified One. So in the end, we can say…
“Through it all, Through it all, I’ve learned to trust in Jesus, I’ve learned to trust in God.”
Sunday, April 6, 2008
"In our New Beginnings, Chirst Abides With Us"
“Truth must dazzle gradually, or every man be blind.”
Emily Dickinson
The quote embodies out passage for today.
It is the classic story to “The Emmaus Road”.
Two disciples walking along the path…one named Cleopas, the other unnamed. Two that are dejected, afraid, in despair.
Their destination…Emmaus, a town about 7 miles from Jerusalem.
Along the path…a mysterious traveler joins up with them.
Here is where we see what Emily Dickenson said is right…Truth must dawn on us…not be too much at once.
The disciples are dazed & confused. They are sad, and wondering what to think.
Their beloved Lord..the one in whom they put all their trust and hope….had just died as a common criminal.
We can all probably relate to these folks. They are feeling depression & grief. We all know what it feels like to be sad after the death of a loved one.
This was compounded by despair because their Savior…had been killed. Leader of the movement.
Slowly, the new walking guide began to explain how these things had to happen.
Like a new day dawning, their understanding began to unfold and open up.
Then, just when it was almost dark they arrived at their destination.
They mysterious traveler was going to be going on…but as the text says…..they “constrained him to stay”.
So, he joined them for supper. In a scene perhaps like the Upper Room with Thomas….
They were eating a meal reminiscent of the Last Supper. They shared the cup & then the loaf.
And in doing so…suddenly their eyes were opened. The recognized Jesus as the one in their midst.
But, just as with Thomas, he vanished from their midst.
“Didn’t out hearts burn within us” they said when he was on the road…& in here, revealing to us his mystery.
Again…Emily Dickenson…“Truth must dazzle gradually, or every man be blind.”
Jesus let the truth sink in gradually….and light was then revealed.
We can all related to this story, for it reminds us of our New Beginnings. That’s what was going on with the Disciples….
It was a new beginning for them. Jesus had died and they were facing the future now without their trusted companion & friend. Without leader & guide.
Think back to some of the New Beginnings you’ve had…
Perhaps in a new school. Or new job, new relationship. Perhaps it was starting over after a divorce or death.
New beginnings can be quite scary. We feel vulnerable and lost.
But perhaps we need to remember, like those early disciples, we are not left alone…but the Risen Christ is with us….don’t always see
David E. Leininger, wrote in East of Easter, the following about the famous hymn…Abide With Me..
In the King James Version of the Bible, the invitation of the two travelers reads, "Abide with me; for it is toward evening and the day is far spent," words which were the inspiration for that beloved hymn, "Abide with me/Fast falls the eventide." The hymn was written by Henry Francis Lyte, for 25 years the vicar of the parish at Devonshire, England. He was 54 years old, broken in health and saddened by dissensions in his congregation. On Sunday, September 4, 1847 he preached his farewell sermon and went home to rest. After tea in the afternoon, he retired to his study. In an hour or two, he rejoined his family, holding in his hand the manuscript of his immortal hymn.
Despite what most think, Lyte's "eventide" has nothing to do with the end of the natural day but rather the end of life. "Swift to its close ebbs out life's little day/Earth's joys grow dim, its glories pass away." The words are about the faith that face life and death fearlessly and triumphantly in the light of the cross and the empty tomb....East of Easter. Thus Lyte could conclude, "Heaven's morning breaks, and earth's vain shadows flee/In life, in death, O Lord, abide with me." Vicar Lyte died three months later.
Don't walk in front of me; I may not follow.
Don't walk behind me; I may not lead.
Walk beside me and be my friend. Albert Camus
These words bring to mind lots of wonderful hymns of faith….
“What a friend we have in Jesus”…all our sins & griefs to bear”…..In Jesus, we have a companion, a friend, who is with us in all things. One who will never leave us or abandon us.
We also sing….
“This is a Day of New Beginnings”…time to remember and move on…
In faith we gather round the table, to taste and share what love has can do…
This day, we gather in a room as followers of Jesus. We too will break bread, share the cup.
Faithful followers accompanied by unknown guests…..
And as we break the bread & share the cup….may our eyes be opened too.
Opened to mystery. To Love. To God’s presence in our midst. For indeed, The Lord of Life…Abides With Us.
Jesus is with us…always by our side. Revealing mystery. Giving Hope. With us in our New Beginnings. Now & Always! Amen.
Emily Dickinson
The quote embodies out passage for today.
It is the classic story to “The Emmaus Road”.
Two disciples walking along the path…one named Cleopas, the other unnamed. Two that are dejected, afraid, in despair.
Their destination…Emmaus, a town about 7 miles from Jerusalem.
Along the path…a mysterious traveler joins up with them.
Here is where we see what Emily Dickenson said is right…Truth must dawn on us…not be too much at once.
The disciples are dazed & confused. They are sad, and wondering what to think.
Their beloved Lord..the one in whom they put all their trust and hope….had just died as a common criminal.
We can all probably relate to these folks. They are feeling depression & grief. We all know what it feels like to be sad after the death of a loved one.
This was compounded by despair because their Savior…had been killed. Leader of the movement.
Slowly, the new walking guide began to explain how these things had to happen.
Like a new day dawning, their understanding began to unfold and open up.
Then, just when it was almost dark they arrived at their destination.
They mysterious traveler was going to be going on…but as the text says…..they “constrained him to stay”.
So, he joined them for supper. In a scene perhaps like the Upper Room with Thomas….
They were eating a meal reminiscent of the Last Supper. They shared the cup & then the loaf.
And in doing so…suddenly their eyes were opened. The recognized Jesus as the one in their midst.
But, just as with Thomas, he vanished from their midst.
“Didn’t out hearts burn within us” they said when he was on the road…& in here, revealing to us his mystery.
Again…Emily Dickenson…“Truth must dazzle gradually, or every man be blind.”
Jesus let the truth sink in gradually….and light was then revealed.
We can all related to this story, for it reminds us of our New Beginnings. That’s what was going on with the Disciples….
It was a new beginning for them. Jesus had died and they were facing the future now without their trusted companion & friend. Without leader & guide.
Think back to some of the New Beginnings you’ve had…
Perhaps in a new school. Or new job, new relationship. Perhaps it was starting over after a divorce or death.
New beginnings can be quite scary. We feel vulnerable and lost.
But perhaps we need to remember, like those early disciples, we are not left alone…but the Risen Christ is with us….don’t always see
David E. Leininger, wrote in East of Easter, the following about the famous hymn…Abide With Me..
In the King James Version of the Bible, the invitation of the two travelers reads, "Abide with me; for it is toward evening and the day is far spent," words which were the inspiration for that beloved hymn, "Abide with me/Fast falls the eventide." The hymn was written by Henry Francis Lyte, for 25 years the vicar of the parish at Devonshire, England. He was 54 years old, broken in health and saddened by dissensions in his congregation. On Sunday, September 4, 1847 he preached his farewell sermon and went home to rest. After tea in the afternoon, he retired to his study. In an hour or two, he rejoined his family, holding in his hand the manuscript of his immortal hymn.
Despite what most think, Lyte's "eventide" has nothing to do with the end of the natural day but rather the end of life. "Swift to its close ebbs out life's little day/Earth's joys grow dim, its glories pass away." The words are about the faith that face life and death fearlessly and triumphantly in the light of the cross and the empty tomb....East of Easter. Thus Lyte could conclude, "Heaven's morning breaks, and earth's vain shadows flee/In life, in death, O Lord, abide with me." Vicar Lyte died three months later.
Don't walk in front of me; I may not follow.
Don't walk behind me; I may not lead.
Walk beside me and be my friend. Albert Camus
These words bring to mind lots of wonderful hymns of faith….
“What a friend we have in Jesus”…all our sins & griefs to bear”…..In Jesus, we have a companion, a friend, who is with us in all things. One who will never leave us or abandon us.
We also sing….
“This is a Day of New Beginnings”…time to remember and move on…
In faith we gather round the table, to taste and share what love has can do…
This day, we gather in a room as followers of Jesus. We too will break bread, share the cup.
Faithful followers accompanied by unknown guests…..
And as we break the bread & share the cup….may our eyes be opened too.
Opened to mystery. To Love. To God’s presence in our midst. For indeed, The Lord of Life…Abides With Us.
Jesus is with us…always by our side. Revealing mystery. Giving Hope. With us in our New Beginnings. Now & Always! Amen.
Monday, March 31, 2008
Doubting Thomas, Whose Twin is He? Ours!
If we were to do a “Word Association” game, some words would we could probably guess without trying to hard. Others, perhaps not.
If we said Peter, what would you say?
Faith? Disciple, Deny?
If we said Judas, you might say: Betray
& If you said Thomas, most people would probably say: “Doubter”
It sort of unfortunate that he’s gotten that label, as that’s not the only thing about him.
Tradition has it that he spread the church to India. So, clearly he was faithful.
He is mentioned several other times in the Gospel of John before our passage today…
In fact, when Jesus says that he is going to Jerusalem to die, everyone tries to talk him out of it except Thomas. Thomas steps to the plate and says, “let us all go and die with him”.
Then in another place, He also is bold enough to ask Jesus: “How can we know the way?” When Jesus says: “You know the way where I am going” predicting his own death.
To which Jesus says those famous and words…. “I am the way the truth & the life, no one comes to the Father but by me”.
Beautiful, yet troubling to the modern mind because of the implication that only believers in Jesus can “Know the Father”.
For the modern person like us,
We might like the way the poet Tennyson put it:
"There lives more faith in honest doubt, Believe me, than in half the creeds."
In this, we would say….. Doubt is not the opposite of Faith, but a part of it.
These and other lines, make it clear, that Thomas, called the Twin, is our Twin.
You see, the text refers to Thomas as Dydemis, which means Twin.
But….Whose twin was he a twin of? Was he the Twin of Jesus? Or of another named or un-named disciple?
Very possibly. But for sure, He is our Twin.
We too are doubters so often. We too are the ones who want critical evidence. We too are the modern scholars who pick apart the text and wonder how it could all be.
Indeed…Thomas is our Twin. We look like him & Act like him. Just like twins look & act alike.
And, that wouldn’t be so bad…as long as….
We close the loop like him.
Thomas misses Jesus the first time and says…I won’t believe until I see the wounds in his hands and side. Until I touch, I won’t believe.
But then, a week later, Jesus again appears when Thomas is with them.
Now, Jesus invites Thomas to see & touch & believe.
Thomas’ response: “My Lord & My God!!”
That’s what I mean about closing the loop. I trust that we will be as the Gospel writer says that Jesus said: “you believe because you see, but blessed are they that believe, even if they don’t see.”
That is really closing the loop. Not seeing, but believing.
So my question to us today: Are we Thomas’ Twin? Perhaps in our doubts, but Hopefully in our Belief.
And in our actions.
Thomas went from there and eventually spread the Gospel message to a whole new continent.
Can we be Thomas’ Twin?
Wyvetta Bullock, in Must We See to Believe? Relays this story….
There is a story about a pre-civil rights African American community in Florida . The story says that during times of political elections, this community would rent a voting machine and go through the voting process. Now, they knew that their votes would not be counted, but they voted anyway. When asked by members of the white community why they did this every year, they replied, "Oh, just practicing. Just practicing."Believing in what is not yet seen means we practice or behave as if it is already exists. The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said,
"Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase."
This is what leaders and visionaries do.
They believe in something bigger than themselves and they begin to act as if it is so.
Thomas was a visionary & leader. Are we his Twin? I end with this other story that I think says it all…..
As told by Leslie Flynn, it is of a
small boy being raised in a frontier city by his grandmother. One night the house catches on fire. The grandmother, trying to rescue the boy who was asleep in the bedroom upstairs, is overcome by the smoke and dies in the fire. This frontier city doesn't have much of a fire department. A crowd gathers around the house and they hear a small boy crying out for help. The lower floor is a wall of flames and no one seems to know what to do. Suddenly, a man pushes through the crowd and begins climbing an iron drainage pipe which runs to the roof. The pipe is hot from the fire, but he makes it to a second floor window. The man crawls through the window and locates the boy. With the crowd cheering encouragement, the man climbs back down the hot iron pipe with the boy on his back and his arms around his neck.
A few weeks later, a public meeting was held to determine in whose custody the boy would be placed. Each person wanting the child would be allowed to make a brief statement. The first man said, "I have a farm and would give the boy a good home. He would grow up on the farm and learn a trade."
The second person to speak was the local school teacher. She said, "I am a school teacher and I would see to it that he received a good education." Finally, the banker said, "Mrs. Morton and I would be able to give the boy a fine home and a fine education. We would like him to come and live with us." The presiding officer looked around and asked, "Is there anyone else who would like to say anything?" From the back row, a man rose and said, "These other people may be able to offer some things I can't. All I can offer is my love." Then, he slowly removed his hands from his coat pockets. A gasp went up from the crowd because his hands were scarred terribly from climbing up and down the hot pipe. The boy recognized the man as the one who had saved his life and ran into his waiting arms.
The farmer, teacher and the banker simply sat down. Everyone knew what the decision would be. The scarred hands proved that this man had given more than all the others.
The scarred hands of Jesus say it all to us. In his death, we have life. This day, don’t doubt, but Believe!!
If we said Peter, what would you say?
Faith? Disciple, Deny?
If we said Judas, you might say: Betray
& If you said Thomas, most people would probably say: “Doubter”
It sort of unfortunate that he’s gotten that label, as that’s not the only thing about him.
Tradition has it that he spread the church to India. So, clearly he was faithful.
He is mentioned several other times in the Gospel of John before our passage today…
In fact, when Jesus says that he is going to Jerusalem to die, everyone tries to talk him out of it except Thomas. Thomas steps to the plate and says, “let us all go and die with him”.
Then in another place, He also is bold enough to ask Jesus: “How can we know the way?” When Jesus says: “You know the way where I am going” predicting his own death.
To which Jesus says those famous and words…. “I am the way the truth & the life, no one comes to the Father but by me”.
Beautiful, yet troubling to the modern mind because of the implication that only believers in Jesus can “Know the Father”.
For the modern person like us,
We might like the way the poet Tennyson put it:
"There lives more faith in honest doubt, Believe me, than in half the creeds."
In this, we would say….. Doubt is not the opposite of Faith, but a part of it.
These and other lines, make it clear, that Thomas, called the Twin, is our Twin.
You see, the text refers to Thomas as Dydemis, which means Twin.
But….Whose twin was he a twin of? Was he the Twin of Jesus? Or of another named or un-named disciple?
Very possibly. But for sure, He is our Twin.
We too are doubters so often. We too are the ones who want critical evidence. We too are the modern scholars who pick apart the text and wonder how it could all be.
Indeed…Thomas is our Twin. We look like him & Act like him. Just like twins look & act alike.
And, that wouldn’t be so bad…as long as….
We close the loop like him.
Thomas misses Jesus the first time and says…I won’t believe until I see the wounds in his hands and side. Until I touch, I won’t believe.
But then, a week later, Jesus again appears when Thomas is with them.
Now, Jesus invites Thomas to see & touch & believe.
Thomas’ response: “My Lord & My God!!”
That’s what I mean about closing the loop. I trust that we will be as the Gospel writer says that Jesus said: “you believe because you see, but blessed are they that believe, even if they don’t see.”
That is really closing the loop. Not seeing, but believing.
So my question to us today: Are we Thomas’ Twin? Perhaps in our doubts, but Hopefully in our Belief.
And in our actions.
Thomas went from there and eventually spread the Gospel message to a whole new continent.
Can we be Thomas’ Twin?
Wyvetta Bullock, in Must We See to Believe? Relays this story….
There is a story about a pre-civil rights African American community in Florida . The story says that during times of political elections, this community would rent a voting machine and go through the voting process. Now, they knew that their votes would not be counted, but they voted anyway. When asked by members of the white community why they did this every year, they replied, "Oh, just practicing. Just practicing."Believing in what is not yet seen means we practice or behave as if it is already exists. The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said,
"Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase."
This is what leaders and visionaries do.
They believe in something bigger than themselves and they begin to act as if it is so.
Thomas was a visionary & leader. Are we his Twin? I end with this other story that I think says it all…..
As told by Leslie Flynn, it is of a
small boy being raised in a frontier city by his grandmother. One night the house catches on fire. The grandmother, trying to rescue the boy who was asleep in the bedroom upstairs, is overcome by the smoke and dies in the fire. This frontier city doesn't have much of a fire department. A crowd gathers around the house and they hear a small boy crying out for help. The lower floor is a wall of flames and no one seems to know what to do. Suddenly, a man pushes through the crowd and begins climbing an iron drainage pipe which runs to the roof. The pipe is hot from the fire, but he makes it to a second floor window. The man crawls through the window and locates the boy. With the crowd cheering encouragement, the man climbs back down the hot iron pipe with the boy on his back and his arms around his neck.
A few weeks later, a public meeting was held to determine in whose custody the boy would be placed. Each person wanting the child would be allowed to make a brief statement. The first man said, "I have a farm and would give the boy a good home. He would grow up on the farm and learn a trade."
The second person to speak was the local school teacher. She said, "I am a school teacher and I would see to it that he received a good education." Finally, the banker said, "Mrs. Morton and I would be able to give the boy a fine home and a fine education. We would like him to come and live with us." The presiding officer looked around and asked, "Is there anyone else who would like to say anything?" From the back row, a man rose and said, "These other people may be able to offer some things I can't. All I can offer is my love." Then, he slowly removed his hands from his coat pockets. A gasp went up from the crowd because his hands were scarred terribly from climbing up and down the hot pipe. The boy recognized the man as the one who had saved his life and ran into his waiting arms.
The farmer, teacher and the banker simply sat down. Everyone knew what the decision would be. The scarred hands proved that this man had given more than all the others.
The scarred hands of Jesus say it all to us. In his death, we have life. This day, don’t doubt, but Believe!!
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Easter Sunday "The Empty Tomb"
Did you ever see or collect bugs when you were a kid?
Or maybe, u didn’t just get the bug, but also the shells that the bugs left behind.
The cicadas & the cocoons & the cracked & empty birds eggs.
These signs of nature are all beautiful and fascinating to us.
They tell us of mystery & new life. They tell us Of the return of spring & summer….of the power and miracle of transformation & renewal.
We see in the Gospel of John, the divine-human version of the cicada shell.
In John 20, Mary & Peter see only the burial cloth. They see a shroud all neatly piled up and sitting there.
Like the cicada & the snake and the empty cocoon, the grave stands empty.
“He is not here, he has Risen as he said!” proclaims the Angel sitting by the grave.
Except this isn’t just a normal Spring ritual of death & renewal…of transformation & new life. This is a once-in-creation miracle.
This is the very power of God at work in the world….Bringing Death from life.
I like the way author Lindy Black put it:
“As wilderness preceded the Promise land; foolishness precedes wisdom; emptiness precedes fulfillment & suffering precedes joy.
So death precedes resurrection & darkness the light.”
The tomb was just the cicada shell with the neat slit down its back.
The living being that had once been inside of it was gone.
The singing & the love was going on…
Going somewhere else,
Which may be why Peter and the other disciple did not stay very long.
Clearly, Jesus was not there.
He had risen, just like he said.
Somewhere or other I heard of a Sunday School teacher who had justfinished telling her third graders about how Jesus was crucified andplaced in a tomb with a great stone sealing off the only way in or out.Then, wanting to share the excitement of the resurrection, and thesurprise of Easter morning, she asked: "And what do you think were Jesus'first words when he came bursting out of that tomb alive."A hand shot up into the air from the rear of the classroom. It belonged toa most excited little girl. Leaping out of her chair she shouted outexcitedly, "I know, I know, I know.""Good," said the teacher, "Tell us."Extending her arms high in the air she sang out: "TA - DA!"
You think that is what Jesus said to Mary?
No! He said: “Mary” He knew her name.
Then he said… “Be Not Afraid…..”
You see, He had outgrown his tomb & come back to emrace her as the Living Lord.
The risen one had people to see and things to do. His business was among the living, not the dead.
And….Every time he came to his friends …..they became stronger, wiser, kinder, more daring.
Every time he came to them, they became more like him.
That is what a spiritual encounter with the Risen Christ does to us.
Just like the disciples who went from scared & scattered exiles to bold & passionate proclaimers….
So, too, do we get transformed.
Because He Lives, I can face tomorrow. Because He Lives, all fear is gone…….
Our night becomes day. Our despair turns to hope. Our, blindness changes to site!
A guy named Fred R. Anderson says:
“Easter is the eighth day of creation.”
That means & is….
A new Day. A new Order. A new Realm.
The German theologian Jurgen Moltmann says:
"God weeps with us so that we may someday laugh with him."
That is the Good News!!
I end with this story….There was a cartoon showing a man about to be rescued after being ship-wrecked on a tiny deserted island.
The sailor in charge of the rescue team stepped onto the beach and handed the man a stack of newspapers.
"Compliments of the Captain," the sailor said. "
He would like you to glance at the headlines to see if you'd still like to be rescued!"
Sometimes the headlines do scare us. Sometimes we feel that evil is winning,
But then along comes Easter, to remind us that there is no grave deep enough,
no seal imposing enough, no stone heavy enough, no evil strong enough to keep Christ in the grave.
Because He Lives, I can face tomorrow!
Because He Lives, All Fear is gone…..
Brothers & Sisters, go forth from this place knowing that Christ is alive.....and with us!
Now & Always! Amen!
Or maybe, u didn’t just get the bug, but also the shells that the bugs left behind.
The cicadas & the cocoons & the cracked & empty birds eggs.
These signs of nature are all beautiful and fascinating to us.
They tell us of mystery & new life. They tell us Of the return of spring & summer….of the power and miracle of transformation & renewal.
We see in the Gospel of John, the divine-human version of the cicada shell.
In John 20, Mary & Peter see only the burial cloth. They see a shroud all neatly piled up and sitting there.
Like the cicada & the snake and the empty cocoon, the grave stands empty.
“He is not here, he has Risen as he said!” proclaims the Angel sitting by the grave.
Except this isn’t just a normal Spring ritual of death & renewal…of transformation & new life. This is a once-in-creation miracle.
This is the very power of God at work in the world….Bringing Death from life.
I like the way author Lindy Black put it:
“As wilderness preceded the Promise land; foolishness precedes wisdom; emptiness precedes fulfillment & suffering precedes joy.
So death precedes resurrection & darkness the light.”
The tomb was just the cicada shell with the neat slit down its back.
The living being that had once been inside of it was gone.
The singing & the love was going on…
Going somewhere else,
Which may be why Peter and the other disciple did not stay very long.
Clearly, Jesus was not there.
He had risen, just like he said.
Somewhere or other I heard of a Sunday School teacher who had justfinished telling her third graders about how Jesus was crucified andplaced in a tomb with a great stone sealing off the only way in or out.Then, wanting to share the excitement of the resurrection, and thesurprise of Easter morning, she asked: "And what do you think were Jesus'first words when he came bursting out of that tomb alive."A hand shot up into the air from the rear of the classroom. It belonged toa most excited little girl. Leaping out of her chair she shouted outexcitedly, "I know, I know, I know.""Good," said the teacher, "Tell us."Extending her arms high in the air she sang out: "TA - DA!"
You think that is what Jesus said to Mary?
No! He said: “Mary” He knew her name.
Then he said… “Be Not Afraid…..”
You see, He had outgrown his tomb & come back to emrace her as the Living Lord.
The risen one had people to see and things to do. His business was among the living, not the dead.
And….Every time he came to his friends …..they became stronger, wiser, kinder, more daring.
Every time he came to them, they became more like him.
That is what a spiritual encounter with the Risen Christ does to us.
Just like the disciples who went from scared & scattered exiles to bold & passionate proclaimers….
So, too, do we get transformed.
Because He Lives, I can face tomorrow. Because He Lives, all fear is gone…….
Our night becomes day. Our despair turns to hope. Our, blindness changes to site!
A guy named Fred R. Anderson says:
“Easter is the eighth day of creation.”
That means & is….
A new Day. A new Order. A new Realm.
The German theologian Jurgen Moltmann says:
"God weeps with us so that we may someday laugh with him."
That is the Good News!!
I end with this story….There was a cartoon showing a man about to be rescued after being ship-wrecked on a tiny deserted island.
The sailor in charge of the rescue team stepped onto the beach and handed the man a stack of newspapers.
"Compliments of the Captain," the sailor said. "
He would like you to glance at the headlines to see if you'd still like to be rescued!"
Sometimes the headlines do scare us. Sometimes we feel that evil is winning,
But then along comes Easter, to remind us that there is no grave deep enough,
no seal imposing enough, no stone heavy enough, no evil strong enough to keep Christ in the grave.
Because He Lives, I can face tomorrow!
Because He Lives, All Fear is gone…..
Brothers & Sisters, go forth from this place knowing that Christ is alive.....and with us!
Now & Always! Amen!
Palm Sunday "A Beautiful Mind"
This week we celebrate Jesus’ triumphant entrance into Jerusalem.
We had seen earlier that he had “set his face” toward Jerusalem…meaning, his vision was set. His mind was made up. His action was sure and clear.
Now….he enters in. The time has come.
Matthew recounts the story of how it came to be. In his version of what happened. He tells us that Jesus sends some emissaries ahead to get things prepared.
So, they go and will find an ass and a colt…..or some kind of beast that Jesus will ride on…into town.
What is noted is the OT reference to how it is to happen to fulfill the scripture.
It is also very much showing a contrast to the King of the Day…the Emporer.
Everyone who lives at this time and would read his letter knows that the King comes in on a Stead….A mighty horse of stature & grace.
Jesus, however, comes in on a humble mule.
The contrast is clear. The comparison….and therefore the challenge to political reality…to status quo is also clear.
Choose ye this day whom you will serve….The Roman Emporer, the ruling King… or,
The King of Kings & Lord of Lords.
So they bring the animal to Jesus and he rides into town. They drape their garments.
Everyone comes out of their homes and lauds his entrance. They cut branches from trees & spread them along the way.
Again…a clear reference to how the Emporer would be welcomed. But this is a different kind of King. One this world would not understand.
Having set his mind toward Jerusalem….
Having made up his mind…..
He enters in. Acclimation Now.
But oh how the tide can turn. Oh, how fickle the people can be. Oh, how quickly their allegiance can change….especially if they too could suffer.
I was reading this week about another entrance into Jerusalem. Here it is…..
“Two thousand years after Jesus' entry into Jerusalem, another visitor came to the city, Germany's last kaiser, Wilhelm II. His entourage was so grand that he had to have the Jaffe Gate in the old city widened so that his over-sized carriage could pass through. After the parade had ended, someone climbed up and attached a large sign to the gate. The sign read, "A better man than Wilhelm came through this city's gate. He rode on a donkey."
……What made Jesus a better man, do you think? What was it about him that compelled the people to spread their cloaks and wave their branches in the air?
What is it about him that still inspires millions of people to give their lives to him and even for him?
Nowhere has the paradoxical beauty of the mind of Christ been more eloquently expressed than by Paul in his Letter to the Philippians:
"Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant and humbled himself, becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross." What made him a better man? It was his beautiful mind, which was nothing less than the very mind of God.
*His beautiful mind put him on the back of that donkey. * His beautiful mind gave him the courage to speak the message of salvation no matter what it cost. * His beautiful mind opened his eyes so that he could see the people who were being put down or shut out by unjust practices and selfish ambitions on the part of others. * His beautiful mind led him to overturn the tables of the money changers in the temple, led him to cure the blind and the lame. * His beautiful mind brought him to his knees before the disciples so that he could wash their feet on the night of his betrayal. * His mind led him to the cross where he poured out his life. "Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus," Paul admonished his friends in Philippi. If you want to belong to him, the first thing you will need to do is get your mind right. Can we live that way too? Paul thought we could. "Have the same mind in you that was in Christ Jesus," he said.
Friends, this day, this week, this life….
I invite you to “Have that mind that is in Christ Jesus”.
I invite you to invite Jesus into your heart.
To…Carry Your Cross, To….Lay down your life,
To…Set your mind, your heart, your life on things that are above. And in so doing, you will be like Christ.
But I would also remind you of this promise….
To those who carry the cross, will one day receive a crown.
To those who die in Christ, we have the promise that they will be raised in Glory.
This day, we celebrate Jesus’ Beautiful Mind.
And may that word go out to us as well…
"Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant and humbled himself, becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross." Amen.
We had seen earlier that he had “set his face” toward Jerusalem…meaning, his vision was set. His mind was made up. His action was sure and clear.
Now….he enters in. The time has come.
Matthew recounts the story of how it came to be. In his version of what happened. He tells us that Jesus sends some emissaries ahead to get things prepared.
So, they go and will find an ass and a colt…..or some kind of beast that Jesus will ride on…into town.
What is noted is the OT reference to how it is to happen to fulfill the scripture.
It is also very much showing a contrast to the King of the Day…the Emporer.
Everyone who lives at this time and would read his letter knows that the King comes in on a Stead….A mighty horse of stature & grace.
Jesus, however, comes in on a humble mule.
The contrast is clear. The comparison….and therefore the challenge to political reality…to status quo is also clear.
Choose ye this day whom you will serve….The Roman Emporer, the ruling King… or,
The King of Kings & Lord of Lords.
So they bring the animal to Jesus and he rides into town. They drape their garments.
Everyone comes out of their homes and lauds his entrance. They cut branches from trees & spread them along the way.
Again…a clear reference to how the Emporer would be welcomed. But this is a different kind of King. One this world would not understand.
Having set his mind toward Jerusalem….
Having made up his mind…..
He enters in. Acclimation Now.
But oh how the tide can turn. Oh, how fickle the people can be. Oh, how quickly their allegiance can change….especially if they too could suffer.
I was reading this week about another entrance into Jerusalem. Here it is…..
“Two thousand years after Jesus' entry into Jerusalem, another visitor came to the city, Germany's last kaiser, Wilhelm II. His entourage was so grand that he had to have the Jaffe Gate in the old city widened so that his over-sized carriage could pass through. After the parade had ended, someone climbed up and attached a large sign to the gate. The sign read, "A better man than Wilhelm came through this city's gate. He rode on a donkey."
……What made Jesus a better man, do you think? What was it about him that compelled the people to spread their cloaks and wave their branches in the air?
What is it about him that still inspires millions of people to give their lives to him and even for him?
Nowhere has the paradoxical beauty of the mind of Christ been more eloquently expressed than by Paul in his Letter to the Philippians:
"Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant and humbled himself, becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross." What made him a better man? It was his beautiful mind, which was nothing less than the very mind of God.
*His beautiful mind put him on the back of that donkey. * His beautiful mind gave him the courage to speak the message of salvation no matter what it cost. * His beautiful mind opened his eyes so that he could see the people who were being put down or shut out by unjust practices and selfish ambitions on the part of others. * His beautiful mind led him to overturn the tables of the money changers in the temple, led him to cure the blind and the lame. * His beautiful mind brought him to his knees before the disciples so that he could wash their feet on the night of his betrayal. * His mind led him to the cross where he poured out his life. "Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus," Paul admonished his friends in Philippi. If you want to belong to him, the first thing you will need to do is get your mind right. Can we live that way too? Paul thought we could. "Have the same mind in you that was in Christ Jesus," he said.
Friends, this day, this week, this life….
I invite you to “Have that mind that is in Christ Jesus”.
I invite you to invite Jesus into your heart.
To…Carry Your Cross, To….Lay down your life,
To…Set your mind, your heart, your life on things that are above. And in so doing, you will be like Christ.
But I would also remind you of this promise….
To those who carry the cross, will one day receive a crown.
To those who die in Christ, we have the promise that they will be raised in Glory.
This day, we celebrate Jesus’ Beautiful Mind.
And may that word go out to us as well…
"Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant and humbled himself, becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross." Amen.
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