Shhh! There’s a TV show that I’m not allowed to watch. My wife, Lisa, won’t let me. South Park, it’s called. It’s a cartoon. How could a harmless, little, cartoon get on Lisa’s banned list? Well, she thinks it’s vulgar (and it is). But it’s funny, too! How do I know? Uhh, somebody must of told me it was. That’s it. Or no, ahh, I’ve seen commercials for it. Yeah, that’s the ticket! Okay, okay! I’ve watched it once or twice…ahh—several times…oh—whenever I want to when Lisa’s not around. Mea culpa!
You know, Lisa also won’t even let me imitate the characters (especially Cartman), or quote them in conversation. Granted, most of what they say is shockingly controversial, lewd, or just plain offensive. But there are a few less vulgar catch-phrases that could be fit into a scholarly discussion. For instance, is it so wrong to interject into the after dinner repartee something like—I don’t know—“Oh my gosh, they killed Kenny!” (Not to worry. The character Kenny gets “done in” in every episode. And before you get self righteous over the difference between cartoon violence now and when you were a kid, may I remind you that you watched Wiley Coyote fall off that cliff hundreds of times!)
Practically speaking, there’s only one other bit of South Park dialog that I can quote for you this morning and not be in the Bishop’s office tomorrow morning. It comes from the aforementioned character Cartman, and it originated, I believe, in the episode where Cartman becomes either hall monitor or crossing guard at his school. He has his badge and safety sash, but as he calls out orders left and right to the other kids, they don’t listen to him. In fact they run him over! To which Cartman, in his best southern police trooper’s accent says, “Respect mah authoritah” Respect my authority! [We have a fashionable illustration thereof. (show t-shirt)] Hilarious!
From that point on, Cartman uses that line whenever he tries to bend someone to his will. But the problem is: they don’t bend. Ever. That’s because Cartman attempts to derive his authority from his position and attire, and his loud obnoxiousness. While in this world of ours, real authority is not conveyed upon someone like a uniform, rather it is granted by those under that authority.
The gospel reading from Matthew this morning presents an exchange between Jesus and the chief priests and elders, in the Jerusalem temple. The topic is Jesus’ authoritah, supposedly. But nearer the truth is that these religious professionals had experienced a dip in their approval ratings (thanks to Jesus), and were keen for the people (and Jesus), to respect their authority.
They had ample evidence that Jesus didn’t respect them. Just previous to this encounter, Jesus had ridden into the city on a donkey (symbolic of the return of Davidic kingship), and proceeded to ransack the temple market place—claiming that the powers that be had turned the temple into a place of cheating and fraudulent commerce. And he didn’t stop there.
He also invited into the temple all the blind and lame, where he healed them. Which incited the crowds gathered to the point where they were crying out, “Hosanna to the Son of David,” (Read ‘Messiah.’) When the chief priests hear this, they stop picking up the money, and rounding up the doves and goats, and they lambaste Jesus. “Aren’t you going to stop them from calling you that? Have some respect!” Jesus answers with a scripture, then leaves for the night.
But he’s back again first thing in the morning, teaching in the temple. And then comes the scenario detailed for us in today’s gospel. You can see that the chief priests and elders had reason to be angry. Not because Jesus had broken several “laws” in the past day, but because he acted like he owned the place, and he wasn’t answering to their authority. He seemed to think he had his own authority. And that is what they called him on.
“By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?” they ask him—thinking in their own minds that only priestly authority can be recognized (beyond that of Rome, of course). And they know they didn’t give this Jesus any authority to teach in their temple, to disrupt their temple business, to question their authority—criticizing them and hinting that they had somehow missed the boat when it came to understanding God’s authority. Outrageous! From where does this authority come? Who died and made you King, Jesus?
It was a trap of course. Their question. They hoped Jesus would say that his authority came from God—that he acted with God’s authority—as God. Authoritatively forgiving sins, healing the sick, and “fulfilling the law,” as he called it. That was what the chief priests call blasphemy, and it would be especially heinous for them to hear it uttered within temple walls—the holiest structure in all of Israel!
But Jesus replies in a way that implies the answer they were looking for, but does so in a way in which the chief priests would either be forced to admit that John’s (and therefore Jesus’) authority came from God, or to say that he was a fraud. Not a crowd pleaser. They decline to answer. And so Jesus does too.
But he doesn’t have to answer because his authority is both otherworldly—given to him by the ultimate authority, God, and real worldly authority because it is accepted by the crowds. (For the most part.)
Anyone can claim to have authority over you—but unless you surrender your free will, they have only a small measure of control over you. (Take as a for instance the French Resistance during WWII. A less extreme example would be the relationship between your average teenager and her parents.) The chief priests and the elders were experiencing a slippage in the people’s acceptance of their authority, as Jesus siphoned it away with the radical grace of the gospel. A confrontation was inevitable. And it came—the passion. An excellent example of how fickle people can be when it comes to recognizing authority. Good thing Jesus doesn’t hold it against them Because, even hanging on a Roman cross, Jesus exudes authority. Over life, and over death. Over sin and over hell. Over you and over me. When we respect that authoritah, and even when we don’t.
There’s a difference, you see, between accepting Jesus Christ as Lord of your life—allowing his authority over you, living according to his example, proclaiming the same radical grace of God that he did—there’s a difference between that and Jesus having the authority to come to us even while we reject his earthly authority by living life as if we had never heard of Jesus of Nazareth. To come to us and to love and forgive us despite our self-involved practice of idolatry. For when we place our ultimate trust in anything ahead of faith in Christ—be it billion dollar bailouts, our own intelligence, power, riches, or talent—when we rely on these for grace and salvation, we are praying to false gods. And that is idolatry.
But even if we ignore Jesus in this way, Christ still has the authority to release us from this idolatrous trap, even while we prefer to remain entangled within it. Case in point: baptism.
Today Ryan and JaNene have brought their children, Dwight and Cassandra here to God’s house to be brought into the family of God and the fellowship of the church through the water and the promise of baptism. These two little children, smart as they are, cannot profess their faith in Christ or come to him of their own accord. They are here, not because they acknowledge Christ’s authority. They are here because the Holy Spirit drew them here by means of God’s Word reverberating in the hearts and minds of their family. And God, by his authority over heaven and earth, will unilaterally give them forgiveness and make them worthy of the title he will bestow upon them—beloved child of God!
It is the same for all of us here today. God forgives our inborn propensity towards looking out for old numero uno, and frees us to place ourselves under the authority of Jesus Christ. Yet that is a choice we make each and every day as we struggle with the remnants of our sinful selves. And Jesus knows that.
He told the people gathered in the temple a parable. It mainly pointed to the religious authorities’ complete failure to recognize the authority of the Messiah. But it is illustrative today as well.
A father has two sons. He tells them both to get to work in the vineyard. The first flat out says “no way,” but later has a change of heart and does what he was asked to The other one says, “Righto, pops!” And then goes back to his comic book. Which did the Father’s will?
The first, the one who struggled with himself over who was the boss—who eventually came around to accepting the father’s authority. The second does not recognize the authority of the father, despite his obedient words. Perhaps he’ll come around later—who knows.
Jesus’ point is all of us struggle with our new identities as children of God, as the sinful self, drowned in baptism, keeps on popping to the surface—like Jason at the end of that horror movie. If we accept Jesus authority over us, we are empowered to dunk him back under and live another day for Christ. If we don’t—there’s always tomorrow.
One last thing. And that’s a “what if?” What if we all gave Jesus authority over our lives, totally and completely? What if we really listened to—and then really did the things he taught? What if we respected Jesus’ authoritah? Well, brothers and sisters in Christ, that’s about a good a definition of the kingdom of God that you’ll get anywhere. And someday, that’ll be the case, and grace will rule, and mercy will win out over justice.
Until that day, we can pray that we follow Jesus closely, that we rejoice in the authority that God has given him over us, and that, when we start to lose faith in Jesus and grab onto as much of the world as we can for comfort and safety, Jesus will come to us, not saying “respect my authoritah,” but “follow me.”
Welcome to the Pantry! If your larder and fridge are anything like mine, there's good things in them, and there's some things that are good for you. And then there's the out of date, the mystery meat, and the 5th grade science projects. Life with Parkinson's Disease is like that too...
Monday, September 29, 2008
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Sour Grapes
"What do you mean by repeating this proverb concerning the land of Israel, 'The parents have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge?'" - Ezekiel 18:2
(In other words, the older generation has done wrong, but the younger generation pays for it.)
The LORD told Ezekiel to ask this of the people of Israel, who (according to the blurb before the reading in Celebrate) thought that the sins of their wayward ancestors and parents doomed them to more of the same. They didn't feel capable of repentance. They didn't feel worthy of God's love, and they were more than a bit whiny about it. Classic blame casting. Also classic resignation.
Ezekiel was giving the next generation of Israelites the good news that the past was the past, and only what they did with their lives really mattered. Their parents may have sinned, and it may even have had effect upon them. But when it comes to God's love, it's the same. Turn and live. Look to the God who loves you and follow his precepts.
This passage made me think of the mess we're leaving the next generation. Global warming, wars, poverty, corruption--the list goes on. We have feasted on sour grapes, and left those who follow to receive the bad taste in their mouths. They, in turn, feel a sense of doom and become resigned to living in some post-apocalyptic world.
But with God there is no statute of limitations for eating or tasting sour grapes. The parents can turn and live, and so can the the children. Turning and living can restore what was damaged by sin, and it can restore, more importantly, the relationship we have with God. So we are responsible for our own sin, but the consequences of sin are not forever. We can work towards the kingdom of heaven, despite the debris and obstacles left by others--and those others can change and help instead of hinder.
We can make a difference in the really big issues of the day. We need only turn and live lives worthy of Christ Jesus.
A story to finish--My friend, a vintner on Long Island, once gave us a bottle of Merlot. We tasted it and was it ever sour and dry. We mentioned that to Rich, and I'll never forget what that master wine maker said. "Just put some sugar in it." So if life gives you sour grapes, I guess with God's gracious help, we can make grape-ade.
(In other words, the older generation has done wrong, but the younger generation pays for it.)
The LORD told Ezekiel to ask this of the people of Israel, who (according to the blurb before the reading in Celebrate) thought that the sins of their wayward ancestors and parents doomed them to more of the same. They didn't feel capable of repentance. They didn't feel worthy of God's love, and they were more than a bit whiny about it. Classic blame casting. Also classic resignation.
Ezekiel was giving the next generation of Israelites the good news that the past was the past, and only what they did with their lives really mattered. Their parents may have sinned, and it may even have had effect upon them. But when it comes to God's love, it's the same. Turn and live. Look to the God who loves you and follow his precepts.
This passage made me think of the mess we're leaving the next generation. Global warming, wars, poverty, corruption--the list goes on. We have feasted on sour grapes, and left those who follow to receive the bad taste in their mouths. They, in turn, feel a sense of doom and become resigned to living in some post-apocalyptic world.
But with God there is no statute of limitations for eating or tasting sour grapes. The parents can turn and live, and so can the the children. Turning and living can restore what was damaged by sin, and it can restore, more importantly, the relationship we have with God. So we are responsible for our own sin, but the consequences of sin are not forever. We can work towards the kingdom of heaven, despite the debris and obstacles left by others--and those others can change and help instead of hinder.
We can make a difference in the really big issues of the day. We need only turn and live lives worthy of Christ Jesus.
A story to finish--My friend, a vintner on Long Island, once gave us a bottle of Merlot. We tasted it and was it ever sour and dry. We mentioned that to Rich, and I'll never forget what that master wine maker said. "Just put some sugar in it." So if life gives you sour grapes, I guess with God's gracious help, we can make grape-ade.
Monday, September 22, 2008
Unfair!
Note - this sermon contains references to the presidential campaign--as an organizational device for the message, and an attempt at humor. In no way does it endorse one candidate or the other. Can you spot the references?
May the boundless grace and total peace of our almighty, merciful God, and of his Christ, be with you now and forevermore.
(Come out from sacristy with a handheld sign that says “UNFAIR!”)
Unfair! Unfair! God is unfair!
Unfair! Unfair! Unfair! God is unfair!
You’ll never guess what God did! Unfair!
I mean it’s outrageous! Unfair! God is unfair!
You haven’t heard about this?
Weeeell, you’re in for a shocker! Let me tell you.
Unfair! God is unfair!
Listen to this…Jonah—you remember Jonah don’t you? Prophet? Sent by God to warn Ninevah to clean up her act? Didn’t want to go—didn’t want to warn those hated Ninevites? Ran away to sea, got caught in a storm, was unceremoniously thrown overboard, and swallowed by a whale?
Yeah, that Jonah! He didn’t want to go because he was afraid. Not scared of the Ninevites, or of the big city. Not frightened of God’s retribution for his disobedience—he was ready to die rather than give the enemy the heads up.
Jonah wasn’t afraid because God was worked up over the sins of the Ninevites—fire and brimstone mad at them. No, Jonah liked that. He was afraid if he warned them what was headed their way, they might just, might just change their evil ways. Put on the old sackcloth and ashes and repent. Which wouldn’t be so bad—seeing those suckers groveling at God’s feet. Oh no, that would be most excellent! What would definitely stink is if God changed his mind and didn’t pulverize the curs. Forgave them instead! That would stink big time.
Well finally Jonah does his job, and dontcha know the Ninevites repent, and God spares the city. Jonah is miffed, to say the least. “That not fair,” he complained. “That’s just more of my grace,” said the Lord.
Unfair! Unfair! God is unfair!
You know, God has a record of this unfairness. In fact, 95% of the time, when confronted with sin against him, God voted to forgive it. That’s not so bad for those little sins, but when he forgives a whole people at once (which he does time after time with Israel) and he bails out the ones who should have known better—then that’s , that’s…that’s unfair!
Some of the biggest names in the bible were treated unfairly by God. Abraham—Abraham passed his wife Sarah off as his sister to two powerful kings. Kings with romance on the mind. Despite that cowardly act, God blessed Abraham and made of him a nation blessed by God. Unfair!
Speaking of blessings—Jacob stole his brother Esau’s paternal blessing. A crime so devious, that Jacob fled from his bother’s wrath. But not from God’s. Instead of wrath, Jacob gets a heavenly vision, two wives, a passel of kids, a beasts-load of household goods, and the title in a wrestling match with God. Unfair!
One more—Joseph. That egotistical, self-righteous, amazing techno-colored coat wearing dreamer. You’d think he was getting his just desserts being tossed in a pit and then sold off to slavery in Egypt. But, nooooo! In a surprise move, God arranges for Joseph to be the Pharaoh’s second in command—despite his lack of foreign policy experience. Unfair!
God is unfair. At least to our way of thinking. That’s because God’s way of thinking is radically different from ours. Well….there are some similarities. Say for instance, you have a homework to write an essay every night. And every day the teacher has each student read their essay aloud to see if it’s been done. Done earns you an “A,” not done lands you and “F.” Now you, being the free spirit you are, you rarely do the assignment. And imagine if you will, a straight A student who never ever neglected to write an essay, but had a rough day and didn’t complete the assignment. So the both of you are not “ready to read.” But the teacher, after red-penning your F in her collection, gives the other student a chance to make up the assignment. No F. You say, “Not fair!”
Actually, it is fair. It’s just not equal. And about as foolish as a bridge to nowhere.
But, now, turn that around. Imagine you’re the straight A student, who did the assignment, and the person sitting next to you is the slacker. Tell me. How would you feel if the teacher gives that ne’re-do-well a great big A plus plus plus (with a gold star), and gives you an A. Now that’s unfair. But that’s the way things work in the kingdom of God. It’s radical, man! Radical grace.
The kind you can’t earn, no matter how early you hit the bricks. No matter how hard you work. No matter in what order you were “hired.” Everybody gets the same daily recommended allowance of God’s grace. Because that’s all you could ever need. It’s one size fits all. If I have been on the Gospel Talk Express from day one and I get the same amount of grace, love, forgiveness, acceptance—that feels a little bit unfair.
But from the underside of the gospel story today, that sounds real good. If I come to faith later in life, or drift away from the church and come back to it—no matter—I’m not considered a second class citizen in God’s eyes. God doesn’t just crack the glass ceiling of our making, he shatters it completely.
So, we just have to learn to accept the fact that God’s “fair” is way more far reaching than ours could ever be. We need to adjust our preconceived notions of who “belongs” and who doesn’t, of who is forgiven and who is not, of which sin is worse or whose repentance is lacking or insincere. And we need to set aside our self-righteousness and admit that we too are not much better than third party candidates when it comes to winning election—it’s impossible, but we’re elect anyway.
And that’s what grace is all about—it’s about being in not the White House, but in God’s house—in relationship with God and with each other. Working together to make our world a reflection of the kingdom of God is what we do, but brothers and sisters in Christ is who we are—and that’s conferred upon us not by the swing state of NH, and not by blue collared workers in PA, not by middle class barbers who favor polka music, and not by any promises or slogans—but we are made God’s own by God, graciously, through the cross, on which Christ opened his arms to all. To ALL.
Sometimes this won’t seem fair. But remember…That’s not fair. That’s just more of God’s grace.
A man convicted of a heinous crime, gets out of jail and says he’s found Jesus and experienced his love. That’s not fair. That’s just more of God’s grace.
A teen who never shows up for confirmation classes is allowed to confirm his faith with the class anyway. That’s not fair. That’ just more of God’s grace.
People who profess a need for a little monetary help from the church are not greeted with skepticism, but with assistance and concern. That’s not fair. That’s just more of God’s grace.
The 80% that do only 20% of the work and give 20% of the funds needed to do ministry, are just as blessed by God for their gifts. That’s not fair. That’s just more of God’s grace.
When we turn a sympathetic but deaf ear to those in need, those marginalized, those afflicted, those harmed by disasters both natural and manmade, we are still loved by God. That’s not fair. That’s just more of God’s grace.
When we know we should be last in a world overly tipped in or favor, but demand to be first. And yet God relents from punishing-- That’s not fair. That’s just more of God’s grace.
And remember most of all—when I don’t live a life worthy of the gospel of Christ, when my sinful self wins out over the new man that Christ has created in me, when I’m a lazy disciple, or a neglectful steward, or a bad Samaritan, Jesus doesn’t reject me. He forgives me, and encourages me to try again to live a godly life. And if I fall, again he’ll pick me up. And again, and again, and again. That’s not fair. That’s just more of God’s grace.
May that grace of God bless us always and my God bless Messiah Lutheran Church! Amen
May the boundless grace and total peace of our almighty, merciful God, and of his Christ, be with you now and forevermore.
(Come out from sacristy with a handheld sign that says “UNFAIR!”)
Unfair! Unfair! God is unfair!
Unfair! Unfair! Unfair! God is unfair!
You’ll never guess what God did! Unfair!
I mean it’s outrageous! Unfair! God is unfair!
You haven’t heard about this?
Weeeell, you’re in for a shocker! Let me tell you.
Unfair! God is unfair!
Listen to this…Jonah—you remember Jonah don’t you? Prophet? Sent by God to warn Ninevah to clean up her act? Didn’t want to go—didn’t want to warn those hated Ninevites? Ran away to sea, got caught in a storm, was unceremoniously thrown overboard, and swallowed by a whale?
Yeah, that Jonah! He didn’t want to go because he was afraid. Not scared of the Ninevites, or of the big city. Not frightened of God’s retribution for his disobedience—he was ready to die rather than give the enemy the heads up.
Jonah wasn’t afraid because God was worked up over the sins of the Ninevites—fire and brimstone mad at them. No, Jonah liked that. He was afraid if he warned them what was headed their way, they might just, might just change their evil ways. Put on the old sackcloth and ashes and repent. Which wouldn’t be so bad—seeing those suckers groveling at God’s feet. Oh no, that would be most excellent! What would definitely stink is if God changed his mind and didn’t pulverize the curs. Forgave them instead! That would stink big time.
Well finally Jonah does his job, and dontcha know the Ninevites repent, and God spares the city. Jonah is miffed, to say the least. “That not fair,” he complained. “That’s just more of my grace,” said the Lord.
Unfair! Unfair! God is unfair!
You know, God has a record of this unfairness. In fact, 95% of the time, when confronted with sin against him, God voted to forgive it. That’s not so bad for those little sins, but when he forgives a whole people at once (which he does time after time with Israel) and he bails out the ones who should have known better—then that’s , that’s…that’s unfair!
Some of the biggest names in the bible were treated unfairly by God. Abraham—Abraham passed his wife Sarah off as his sister to two powerful kings. Kings with romance on the mind. Despite that cowardly act, God blessed Abraham and made of him a nation blessed by God. Unfair!
Speaking of blessings—Jacob stole his brother Esau’s paternal blessing. A crime so devious, that Jacob fled from his bother’s wrath. But not from God’s. Instead of wrath, Jacob gets a heavenly vision, two wives, a passel of kids, a beasts-load of household goods, and the title in a wrestling match with God. Unfair!
One more—Joseph. That egotistical, self-righteous, amazing techno-colored coat wearing dreamer. You’d think he was getting his just desserts being tossed in a pit and then sold off to slavery in Egypt. But, nooooo! In a surprise move, God arranges for Joseph to be the Pharaoh’s second in command—despite his lack of foreign policy experience. Unfair!
God is unfair. At least to our way of thinking. That’s because God’s way of thinking is radically different from ours. Well….there are some similarities. Say for instance, you have a homework to write an essay every night. And every day the teacher has each student read their essay aloud to see if it’s been done. Done earns you an “A,” not done lands you and “F.” Now you, being the free spirit you are, you rarely do the assignment. And imagine if you will, a straight A student who never ever neglected to write an essay, but had a rough day and didn’t complete the assignment. So the both of you are not “ready to read.” But the teacher, after red-penning your F in her collection, gives the other student a chance to make up the assignment. No F. You say, “Not fair!”
Actually, it is fair. It’s just not equal. And about as foolish as a bridge to nowhere.
But, now, turn that around. Imagine you’re the straight A student, who did the assignment, and the person sitting next to you is the slacker. Tell me. How would you feel if the teacher gives that ne’re-do-well a great big A plus plus plus (with a gold star), and gives you an A. Now that’s unfair. But that’s the way things work in the kingdom of God. It’s radical, man! Radical grace.
The kind you can’t earn, no matter how early you hit the bricks. No matter how hard you work. No matter in what order you were “hired.” Everybody gets the same daily recommended allowance of God’s grace. Because that’s all you could ever need. It’s one size fits all. If I have been on the Gospel Talk Express from day one and I get the same amount of grace, love, forgiveness, acceptance—that feels a little bit unfair.
But from the underside of the gospel story today, that sounds real good. If I come to faith later in life, or drift away from the church and come back to it—no matter—I’m not considered a second class citizen in God’s eyes. God doesn’t just crack the glass ceiling of our making, he shatters it completely.
So, we just have to learn to accept the fact that God’s “fair” is way more far reaching than ours could ever be. We need to adjust our preconceived notions of who “belongs” and who doesn’t, of who is forgiven and who is not, of which sin is worse or whose repentance is lacking or insincere. And we need to set aside our self-righteousness and admit that we too are not much better than third party candidates when it comes to winning election—it’s impossible, but we’re elect anyway.
And that’s what grace is all about—it’s about being in not the White House, but in God’s house—in relationship with God and with each other. Working together to make our world a reflection of the kingdom of God is what we do, but brothers and sisters in Christ is who we are—and that’s conferred upon us not by the swing state of NH, and not by blue collared workers in PA, not by middle class barbers who favor polka music, and not by any promises or slogans—but we are made God’s own by God, graciously, through the cross, on which Christ opened his arms to all. To ALL.
Sometimes this won’t seem fair. But remember…That’s not fair. That’s just more of God’s grace.
A man convicted of a heinous crime, gets out of jail and says he’s found Jesus and experienced his love. That’s not fair. That’s just more of God’s grace.
A teen who never shows up for confirmation classes is allowed to confirm his faith with the class anyway. That’s not fair. That’ just more of God’s grace.
People who profess a need for a little monetary help from the church are not greeted with skepticism, but with assistance and concern. That’s not fair. That’s just more of God’s grace.
The 80% that do only 20% of the work and give 20% of the funds needed to do ministry, are just as blessed by God for their gifts. That’s not fair. That’s just more of God’s grace.
When we turn a sympathetic but deaf ear to those in need, those marginalized, those afflicted, those harmed by disasters both natural and manmade, we are still loved by God. That’s not fair. That’s just more of God’s grace.
When we know we should be last in a world overly tipped in or favor, but demand to be first. And yet God relents from punishing-- That’s not fair. That’s just more of God’s grace.
And remember most of all—when I don’t live a life worthy of the gospel of Christ, when my sinful self wins out over the new man that Christ has created in me, when I’m a lazy disciple, or a neglectful steward, or a bad Samaritan, Jesus doesn’t reject me. He forgives me, and encourages me to try again to live a godly life. And if I fall, again he’ll pick me up. And again, and again, and again. That’s not fair. That’s just more of God’s grace.
May that grace of God bless us always and my God bless Messiah Lutheran Church! Amen
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Worthy OF Christ
"Only, live your life in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ..." -Philippians 1:27a
We had company over the other night. So the other day we cleaned house! Got rid of that "lived in" look, and spruced up a bit. You know, it's good to have folks over if for no other reason than it forces you to take a look around and do the things you've been meaning to do for quite some time. It compels you to make your home worthy of visitors.
Although Paul knows that through our own device we are never worthy to have Christ, he does believe that, once you've been given Christ Jesus, you should try to make your life worthy to have Christ in it. That we should clean up our act because Christ dwells within us.
What would you throw away in your life, if you wanted to make it worthy of Christ? A grudge? A bad habit? A stereotyped world view? Think about it for a minute--what would you do to make your life worthy of Christ?
Lord, help us to live our lives in one spirit, with one mind, in true faith. Amen
We had company over the other night. So the other day we cleaned house! Got rid of that "lived in" look, and spruced up a bit. You know, it's good to have folks over if for no other reason than it forces you to take a look around and do the things you've been meaning to do for quite some time. It compels you to make your home worthy of visitors.
Although Paul knows that through our own device we are never worthy to have Christ, he does believe that, once you've been given Christ Jesus, you should try to make your life worthy to have Christ in it. That we should clean up our act because Christ dwells within us.
What would you throw away in your life, if you wanted to make it worthy of Christ? A grudge? A bad habit? A stereotyped world view? Think about it for a minute--what would you do to make your life worthy of Christ?
Lord, help us to live our lives in one spirit, with one mind, in true faith. Amen
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Grace Abounds
God's grace is the concept on display in this weeks lessons.
[To read them go to http://www.textweek.com/yeara/propera20.htm}
Jonah is perturbed that God would show mercy to the hated Ninevites. The Psalmist echoes Jonah's words about God's steadfast love and grace. St. Paul speaks of God graciously giving us the privilege of believing in, and suffering for, Jesus And the gospel from Matthew is a parable of God's surprising grace--meted out without consideration of timing or ability.
Grace is more than what you say at the dinner table. It's more than "love" and more than forgiveness. For God' grace is boundless--there are no limitations to its application. That's good for us--for, like it or not, we fall more towards being undeserving rather than worthy. And even when we're at our best--God still spreads his mercy out evenly.
A radical concept--God's grace. Hard to fathom. But maybe we're not supposed to plumb the depths of God's grace. Maybe we're just to float along in its waters. Being "graced."
Lord God, your grace is beyond our comprehension, yet we know it through Christ Jesus. Help us to glory in your care for the marginalized, and not want more for ourselves, or less for them.
AMEN
[To read them go to http://www.textweek.com/yeara/propera20.htm}
Jonah is perturbed that God would show mercy to the hated Ninevites. The Psalmist echoes Jonah's words about God's steadfast love and grace. St. Paul speaks of God graciously giving us the privilege of believing in, and suffering for, Jesus And the gospel from Matthew is a parable of God's surprising grace--meted out without consideration of timing or ability.
Grace is more than what you say at the dinner table. It's more than "love" and more than forgiveness. For God' grace is boundless--there are no limitations to its application. That's good for us--for, like it or not, we fall more towards being undeserving rather than worthy. And even when we're at our best--God still spreads his mercy out evenly.
A radical concept--God's grace. Hard to fathom. But maybe we're not supposed to plumb the depths of God's grace. Maybe we're just to float along in its waters. Being "graced."
Lord God, your grace is beyond our comprehension, yet we know it through Christ Jesus. Help us to glory in your care for the marginalized, and not want more for ourselves, or less for them.
AMEN
Monday, September 15, 2008
Paradox - it's not two MD's
Now that summer’s officially, if not astronomically, over, I’m regretting all the things I wanted to do during it, but didn’t get to, for one reason or another. For example, I didn’t go swimming near enough—too rainy. I didn’t get to the beach at all this summer. And I didn’t do any climbing either—our hike up Pac Manadnock had to be canceled. (Due to rain, surprise, surprise!)
Of course I did do a lot of wonderful things this summer—I sat around a campfire at our
Oh, and not just some roadside tuna sandwich and bottle a moxie type picnic. I mean an all out summer church picnic. With tables groaning under the weight of all that good summertime food. With Frisbees flying and kids’ games of tag and jump rope. With a softball game—adults versus kids—sure to be exciting!
And contests! Have you ever been to one of those church picnics where they have contests? Pie-eating. The infamous sack race and the notorious three-legged race. Egg on a spoon relay. And, of course, that granddaddy of all summertime picnic contests—the tug-of-war.
You know how that works, don’t you? You split the group into two teams. Then you take a rope and you stretch it evenly over some kind of midpoint marker, usually someone’s t-shirt, but, ideally, a goopy, slippery, slimy, old mud puddle. And then the teams pick up the rope, facing each other—one to each side of the mud. Then on the count of three, each team digs in and pulls! And they pull against each other—the object of the contest is for one team to out pull the other—sending them into the quagmire. Yuk!
Gross! But it’s the tug-of-war that I want you to think of this Holy Cross Sunday, as we contemplate the wisdom and power of God. Yes, tug-of-war! Only I’d like you to consider the game with just a slight adjustment to the rules. There’s the same rope, same icky mud, and same two groups of people pulling either end towards the middle. BUT - instead of two teams working against each other, the two groups are on the same team.. And the object isn’t to land one group in the yuk. The object is to keep the rope in perfect tension—moving back and forth somewhat—but keeping it as still as it possibly can be—while still tugging hard.
Have you got that image in your head? Well congratulations then, you’ve visualized a paradox. Which, by the way, is not something you’d find at the lake…or, as the sermon title says, it’s not two M.D.’s. Rather, it is two diametrically opposed concepts, both held as true, simultaneously. Now you can see why I spent five minutes on picnic games! It’s a difficult word to wrap your head around and capture the full meaning thereof. And so the image of a team with two groups pulling equally as much—avoiding the mud bog—that’s a good visual aid. And a simple model for the highly nuanced theological point I want to make today. And that is:
God isn’t reasonable. And that’s good.
Sounds bad. But I mean “God isn’t reasonable” in the sense that our human reasoning doesn’t work with trying to understand God. God won’t be contained by our logic or our science. God is. God just is. Or to put it in Old Testament words, “God is who God is.” And sometimes, “God is” requires that we hold two contradictory ideas in tension.
Primary example for today being the cross. Side one of the rope: the cross is a cruel instrument of institutionalized execution and torture. Side two of the rope: With the cross of Christ, God saved the world. Held in static tension, these two diametrically opposed concepts form the basis of our theology of salvation. That the Son of God was killed by human beings—the most heinous of sins. But that this was exactly the way God chose to manifest his power over sin.
It’s like the Old testament lesson describes, in an episode I like to call Snakes on a Plain. (P-l-a-i-n – get it?) The Israelites are wandering in the desert—complaining that they were missing the luxuries of life they enjoyed in
The people repent and ask forgiveness. So God has Moses make a metal snake and attach it to a pole, and instructs the people who are snakebit to look up at the snake and live. The very thing that plagued them, saved them. That’s the other end of the rope. Pull too hard on one side, you get many dead Israelites. Too hard on the other, you get a bunch of healthy people wasting their time looking at a snake on a stick! Paradox.
As Christians, and especially as Lutherans, we must be able to deal with paradox. We must be able to accept them for what they are. A tug-of-war. Why do we need to deal? Because they’re all over in our faith.
God’s power is shown via weakness.
God’s wisdom is foolishness to us.
Through death we receive new life.
Law and Gospel.
A Christian is free and subject to none, A Christian is bound to Christ and servant to all.
Over and over we are given two propositions that make perfect sense each on their own, but together are totally opposite. And we’re given those two and told, “This is what we believe.” Moses was a murderer. Moses led God’s people out of
Put those together.
But there’s more—and here’s where it gets interesting. (Not that it hasn’t been an edge of the seater up to now!) Not only are there paradoxes that we must hold together in our faith, there are also those which we struggle to keep together in our day to day lives. Paradoxes like…
Suffering…and God’s presence in it. God takes what is bad and draws good from it. God used the suffering of Jesus to model for us the godly life that includes sacrifice for others. Pull too hard on the suffering end of the rope and you get a masochistic religion that I could never accept. Too hard to the other side and you get a God who only relates to us through pain. God is present in more than suffering, but God can always be found in suffering
Including all in our mission…knowing all fall short of God’s mercy.
Building a church…so that we could better serve those outside of it.
Not knowing what lies ahead…trusting that God watches over us and guides us.
Financial conservativism…extravagant giving in response to God’s word. We will in a few minutes be looking at raising $300,00 dollars. To get our debt off our shoulders so we can move forward on the journey. Pull too hard one way, and we choke off our mission and ministry in our attempt to be responsible stewards. Too hard the other way—well, I can’t see a down side to that one!
Each of these, on it’s own works. Together—they’re hard to accept. But—you know what I’m gonna say: God isn’t reasonable.
Thank God! Amen
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Why "Rally" Sunday?
Where do you go for information? The other day I was looking for the phone number of a church supply store, using the Yellow Pages--and I wasn't having too much luck! Then I thought, "What am I using this archaic informational device when I have the power of the Internet at my finger tips?" So I googled it--found it right away!
Some things the Internet is not good for. One is figuring out why we call the first day of Sunday School "Rally Day." I googled that and found a lot of church notices about upcoming Rally Days! About 150,000 of them. So I thought to myself, "Why am I using this high tech device to do what a simple dictionary could easily handle. (Yes I know there's dictionaries on line, but you have to type to get to them. I only had to walk across the office to get the dictionary!)
Three definitions--all of which are applicable to rally Sunday. First, a verb, "to come together and gather for a united purpose." Second, also verb, "to rouse or revive ." Third, the noun, "a mass gathering of people with a common interest." (There were others that didn't apply and I left out--like "a car race.")
On Rally Day you'd think our united purpose ad common interest would be Sunday School. Sort of. But it's more people gathered (church) around a common interest (the gospel). And what are we gathered for? To rouse us from placidness, from laziness, from ennui--to revive our zeal for Jesus Christ and our walk with him.
So SCS is a part of rallying, but not the sum total. We gather to thank God for baptism. We gather to hear the Word, preached and proclaimed. We gather to be nourished at the table of forgiveness and new life. We gather to be revivified, like the valley of dry bones in Ezekiel! We rededicate ourselves to the journey of discipleship, and have our eyes opened to the gifts we've gotten for it. Gathered by the Spirit, we are church again!
Rally on Messiah! Rally on Pastor Tom!
Some things the Internet is not good for. One is figuring out why we call the first day of Sunday School "Rally Day." I googled that and found a lot of church notices about upcoming Rally Days! About 150,000 of them. So I thought to myself, "Why am I using this high tech device to do what a simple dictionary could easily handle. (Yes I know there's dictionaries on line, but you have to type to get to them. I only had to walk across the office to get the dictionary!)
Three definitions--all of which are applicable to rally Sunday. First, a verb, "to come together and gather for a united purpose." Second, also verb, "to rouse or revive ." Third, the noun, "a mass gathering of people with a common interest." (There were others that didn't apply and I left out--like "a car race.")
On Rally Day you'd think our united purpose ad common interest would be Sunday School. Sort of. But it's more people gathered (church) around a common interest (the gospel). And what are we gathered for? To rouse us from placidness, from laziness, from ennui--to revive our zeal for Jesus Christ and our walk with him.
So SCS is a part of rallying, but not the sum total. We gather to thank God for baptism. We gather to hear the Word, preached and proclaimed. We gather to be nourished at the table of forgiveness and new life. We gather to be revivified, like the valley of dry bones in Ezekiel! We rededicate ourselves to the journey of discipleship, and have our eyes opened to the gifts we've gotten for it. Gathered by the Spirit, we are church again!
Rally on Messiah! Rally on Pastor Tom!
Monday, September 8, 2008
Three Strikes and You're In? Sermon 9/7/08
In the heavenly justice system, God’s people are affected by two separate but equally important concepts—the LAW which convicts the heart and causes despair, and the GOSPEL, which allows us to be judged not guilty. These are their stories.
LAW. No other word in the English language can evoke such fear, as well as such relief. Such feelings of guilt, and such feelings of justice. For instance, your neighbors go out of town and their teen-aged son takes the opportunity to throw a wild party. And there’s kids parking in your driveway, kids peeing on your wife’s rose garden, kids drinking who knows what—music blaring, loud voices, and mayhem in general. Now imagine the relief you feel when you see those flashing blue lights and hear that siren. The LAW is here, and everything will be right with the world soon enough.
But now, a different scenario. You’re at home all nestled in for the night, eating a Ding-Dong and watching America’s Got Talent, when suddenly there’s a pounding on your front door. Opening it, you come face to face with a big, burly state trooper. And is it just you, or does he look angry? You start thinking, “Did I ever pay those parking tickets?” Your heart rate hits the ceiling, the chicken pot pie you had for dinner does a flip flop in your stomach, and fear rises like bile in your throat. The LAW is here, and everything is frightening and uncertain.
It’s a two-edged sword, LAW is. The one edge protects us and keeps order. The other convicts us and demands restitution. We need LAW, we can’t survive without it. And yet we bristle at its restrictiveness, we dread it for the punishment we know we deserve, and we hate it for revealing that which we would rather keep secret. The LAW is our best friend and our worst enemy rolled up in one.
Of course there’s more to the LAW than police and criminals and victims. There’s more to the LAW than legislatures making laws, courts interpreting them, and governmental leaders upholding them. There’s more to the LAW than just that basic instinct for what’s right and what’s wrong—natural law, they call it. There’s more to the LAW—because the LAW is God’s LAW, and as such its implications for the world run far deeper than an episode of Cops, a filibuster in the Senate, or even the OJ trial, part two. Because, in reality, LAW comes to us as a gift—from God.
Yes, I know, I know—in the annals of gifts received, it would seem that the LAW is right up there with underwear on Christmas morning. In actuality, the LAW is the best present we’ve ever received, except for one (later for that). For it is through the LAW that God not only orders the world, but it is also how God set Israel apart from the world—holding them to a higher standard, and manifesting in them the shape and texture of the righteousness, peace, and justice he intended for all creation.
And so it was that LAW became a part of human existence. From the very first days of creation, during which there was only one law (don’t eat of the tree of knowledge
of good and evil), to natural law, to the reception of the Ten Commandments at Sinai, the LAW gradually became more focused, specific, and set in stone (esp. the 10 commandments!). LAW eventually grew to include the regulation of the good and bad of social interaction, and the protection from harm due to food borne disease and contagion. LAW also covered the ins and outs of religious practice, specifying the types and procedures for the ritual sacrifices that were a part of Israel’s piety.
One thing God discovered about his gift of LAW, though. And that was that right from the get go, people broke it. Adam and Eve gave into the temptation to be like God. The people of Israel at the foot of Mt. Sinai, gave into impatience and danced around a golden calf-god, thus breaking the newly minted first commandment, and causing Moses to break all ten at once!
Even comfortably ensconced in the land of milk and honey, God’s people developed a disturbing pattern of first carefully obeying the LAW and living in peace and prosperity, and then turning a blind eye to God’s care and reaping the bitter harvest of consequence. God would chastise them through the prophets, and sometimes they would repent and turn back from the darkness of sin to the light of God’s favor and forgiveness. But then hard times or temptation creep in and the people strayed from the LAW again.
Like in today’s first reading from Ezekiel. The LORD tells Ezekiel to warn Israel that their waywardness is about to earn them some dire consequences. Yet God’s intention is not to see them destroyed, but instead to love them. God longs for them to turn back to him and return to a peaceful relationship with him. But they consistently make the wrong choice. And they know it, for the repercussions are swift and unpleasant. Many parts of the book of Lamentations and a good number of the Psalms speak in the agonized tones of an Israel suffering from displacement and persecution as a result of their sin.
The question for the people became, “What can we do in order to insure that the LAW is kept?” Over time the answer became apparent—add a man-made layer of “law” to God’s LAW. A layer devised to assiduously prevent transgression by making it impossible to occur. These are the “works of the law” that Paul wrote of constantly and pejoratively.
Eventually, this overlay of law became more important to the people than did the LAW itself. In their zeal to keep it, the people actually succeeded in totally circumventing the purpose of LAW, which was to keep order, to help God’s people interact with God and each other, and to care for those who needed it. They turned its focus from the community’s need to live peaceably together, to the individual’s desire to gain God’s favor. God was not pleased.
Oy, such a mess! What to do? What to do? If works of the law are another form of breaking LAW, and we as humans can’t help but break the LAW—then there’s only one thing to do. Throw yourself on the mercy of the court. That mercy being the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Thanks be to God for the GOSPEL, the other part of the salvation equation.
GOSPEL means literally “good news.” And what is God’s good news? That through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth, God has counteracted the power of the LAW to condemn, with the offer of forgiveness and a renewed relationship with God based not on your merit, but on Christ’s. Simply put GOSPEL is the sweet word of total forgiveness, totally free! In this respect, GOSPEL is equivalent to another “G” word—Grace. The good news is that God is gracious, and God’s grace comes to us in the person of Jesus Christ. The LAW convicts us, but Jesus exchanges that condemnation with his righteousness—making us holy and pure before God.
Again, this is done for us not because we earned it by works of the LAW, and not because we keep the LAW—for that is not possible (let me repeat – that is not possible)—instead we receive God’s grace by faith in Jesus. Grace is unearned, undeserved, and unpaid-for. One thing it is. It’s irrevocable. GOSPEL is forever—despite what we do or say. From God’s point of view, you are his—even if you don’t believe it or accept it. The GOSPEL is relational, not contractual. Just as I am Erik’s father and he is my son—and nothing can ever change that—so too are we God’s children, and always will be. There’s no “cutting someone out of the will,” we all receive the inheritance.
This changes everything! No longer are the people of God distracted by fear of the LAW and its condemnation. They can rest assured that nothing can ever separate them from God’s love in Jesus Christ. Not even death. And if you’re not worried about scrabbling over everyone else to strut your stuff and get in good with the big guy, then you are free. Free to see others in something other than a competitive light. Free to think of them as neighbors. Free to love them as you love yourself. You are free to interact with them the way God intended. Justly, compassionately, equitably, humbly.
Take, for instance, the reading from Matthew. Usually if someone sinned against you, you might take one of two options. Either cause him or her physical harm, or sic the LAW on him. But as reconciled sinners ourselves—we who are not under LAW, but are free in the GOSPEL, we go with a third, new course of action. We talk to the transgressor. Individually. Give them a chance to explain or repent. Give the relationship a chance to become whole again.
And it doesn’t stop there. If one on one doesn’t settle your differences—if you genuinely listen, but aren’t listened to, Jesus says then take two or three other people with you and try again. No go? Let the church intervene as mediator. And if the person refuses to listen even to the church, says Jesus, then let him be as a tax collector and Gentile to you.
Which seems to go against the new way of living together. But I seriously think that Jesus was saying this with tongue planted firmly in cheek. Because, how did he treat the Syro-Phoneician woman who came to him for a cure? He healed her daughter. What did he say to the tax collector called Levi? “Get away from me you blood-sucking son of a gun!” No he said, “Follow me!” Jesus offered the kingdom to Gentiles. Jesus ate and associated with tax collectors. “Let them be as Gentiles and tax collectors to you?” You can just imagine Jesus saying that with a wink. And Matthew chuckling in the background. It’s not like our justice system. It’s three strikes and you’re in!
LAW and GOSPEL. In the Lutheran Church they go together like horse and carriage, or perhaps beer and pretzels is more relatable for Lutherans! The LAW convicts and the GOSPEL forgives. But don’t think that the GOSPEL negates the LAW. Jesus did not come to abolish the LAW, not to change it, he came to fulfill it. St. Paul writes in his letter to the Romans that “loving one another” as Jesus first loved us fulfills the LAW as well. And remember, grace frees us to care for others. So LAW is not put aside by the GOSPEL, it transforms it. It becomes the “new obedience,” as Luther called it. We try to keep the commandments in thanksgiving to God, instead of trying to win God’s love. And we no longer use the LAW as a bludgeon to attack people or groups. Instead we hold it up together before our eyes like a mirror, and trust in Jesus to make whole what is broken.
LAW and GOSPEL together form the basis for the kingdom of God. That’s why us Lutherans give it such close attention. For us individually it is the mechanism of salvation. And for us corporately, it is a new and better way to relate to each other. LAW AND GOSPEL. (cha-dah!)
LAW. No other word in the English language can evoke such fear, as well as such relief. Such feelings of guilt, and such feelings of justice. For instance, your neighbors go out of town and their teen-aged son takes the opportunity to throw a wild party. And there’s kids parking in your driveway, kids peeing on your wife’s rose garden, kids drinking who knows what—music blaring, loud voices, and mayhem in general. Now imagine the relief you feel when you see those flashing blue lights and hear that siren. The LAW is here, and everything will be right with the world soon enough.
But now, a different scenario. You’re at home all nestled in for the night, eating a Ding-Dong and watching America’s Got Talent, when suddenly there’s a pounding on your front door. Opening it, you come face to face with a big, burly state trooper. And is it just you, or does he look angry? You start thinking, “Did I ever pay those parking tickets?” Your heart rate hits the ceiling, the chicken pot pie you had for dinner does a flip flop in your stomach, and fear rises like bile in your throat. The LAW is here, and everything is frightening and uncertain.
It’s a two-edged sword, LAW is. The one edge protects us and keeps order. The other convicts us and demands restitution. We need LAW, we can’t survive without it. And yet we bristle at its restrictiveness, we dread it for the punishment we know we deserve, and we hate it for revealing that which we would rather keep secret. The LAW is our best friend and our worst enemy rolled up in one.
Of course there’s more to the LAW than police and criminals and victims. There’s more to the LAW than legislatures making laws, courts interpreting them, and governmental leaders upholding them. There’s more to the LAW than just that basic instinct for what’s right and what’s wrong—natural law, they call it. There’s more to the LAW—because the LAW is God’s LAW, and as such its implications for the world run far deeper than an episode of Cops, a filibuster in the Senate, or even the OJ trial, part two. Because, in reality, LAW comes to us as a gift—from God.
Yes, I know, I know—in the annals of gifts received, it would seem that the LAW is right up there with underwear on Christmas morning. In actuality, the LAW is the best present we’ve ever received, except for one (later for that). For it is through the LAW that God not only orders the world, but it is also how God set Israel apart from the world—holding them to a higher standard, and manifesting in them the shape and texture of the righteousness, peace, and justice he intended for all creation.
And so it was that LAW became a part of human existence. From the very first days of creation, during which there was only one law (don’t eat of the tree of knowledge
of good and evil), to natural law, to the reception of the Ten Commandments at Sinai, the LAW gradually became more focused, specific, and set in stone (esp. the 10 commandments!). LAW eventually grew to include the regulation of the good and bad of social interaction, and the protection from harm due to food borne disease and contagion. LAW also covered the ins and outs of religious practice, specifying the types and procedures for the ritual sacrifices that were a part of Israel’s piety.
One thing God discovered about his gift of LAW, though. And that was that right from the get go, people broke it. Adam and Eve gave into the temptation to be like God. The people of Israel at the foot of Mt. Sinai, gave into impatience and danced around a golden calf-god, thus breaking the newly minted first commandment, and causing Moses to break all ten at once!
Even comfortably ensconced in the land of milk and honey, God’s people developed a disturbing pattern of first carefully obeying the LAW and living in peace and prosperity, and then turning a blind eye to God’s care and reaping the bitter harvest of consequence. God would chastise them through the prophets, and sometimes they would repent and turn back from the darkness of sin to the light of God’s favor and forgiveness. But then hard times or temptation creep in and the people strayed from the LAW again.
Like in today’s first reading from Ezekiel. The LORD tells Ezekiel to warn Israel that their waywardness is about to earn them some dire consequences. Yet God’s intention is not to see them destroyed, but instead to love them. God longs for them to turn back to him and return to a peaceful relationship with him. But they consistently make the wrong choice. And they know it, for the repercussions are swift and unpleasant. Many parts of the book of Lamentations and a good number of the Psalms speak in the agonized tones of an Israel suffering from displacement and persecution as a result of their sin.
The question for the people became, “What can we do in order to insure that the LAW is kept?” Over time the answer became apparent—add a man-made layer of “law” to God’s LAW. A layer devised to assiduously prevent transgression by making it impossible to occur. These are the “works of the law” that Paul wrote of constantly and pejoratively.
Eventually, this overlay of law became more important to the people than did the LAW itself. In their zeal to keep it, the people actually succeeded in totally circumventing the purpose of LAW, which was to keep order, to help God’s people interact with God and each other, and to care for those who needed it. They turned its focus from the community’s need to live peaceably together, to the individual’s desire to gain God’s favor. God was not pleased.
Oy, such a mess! What to do? What to do? If works of the law are another form of breaking LAW, and we as humans can’t help but break the LAW—then there’s only one thing to do. Throw yourself on the mercy of the court. That mercy being the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Thanks be to God for the GOSPEL, the other part of the salvation equation.
GOSPEL means literally “good news.” And what is God’s good news? That through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth, God has counteracted the power of the LAW to condemn, with the offer of forgiveness and a renewed relationship with God based not on your merit, but on Christ’s. Simply put GOSPEL is the sweet word of total forgiveness, totally free! In this respect, GOSPEL is equivalent to another “G” word—Grace. The good news is that God is gracious, and God’s grace comes to us in the person of Jesus Christ. The LAW convicts us, but Jesus exchanges that condemnation with his righteousness—making us holy and pure before God.
Again, this is done for us not because we earned it by works of the LAW, and not because we keep the LAW—for that is not possible (let me repeat – that is not possible)—instead we receive God’s grace by faith in Jesus. Grace is unearned, undeserved, and unpaid-for. One thing it is. It’s irrevocable. GOSPEL is forever—despite what we do or say. From God’s point of view, you are his—even if you don’t believe it or accept it. The GOSPEL is relational, not contractual. Just as I am Erik’s father and he is my son—and nothing can ever change that—so too are we God’s children, and always will be. There’s no “cutting someone out of the will,” we all receive the inheritance.
This changes everything! No longer are the people of God distracted by fear of the LAW and its condemnation. They can rest assured that nothing can ever separate them from God’s love in Jesus Christ. Not even death. And if you’re not worried about scrabbling over everyone else to strut your stuff and get in good with the big guy, then you are free. Free to see others in something other than a competitive light. Free to think of them as neighbors. Free to love them as you love yourself. You are free to interact with them the way God intended. Justly, compassionately, equitably, humbly.
Take, for instance, the reading from Matthew. Usually if someone sinned against you, you might take one of two options. Either cause him or her physical harm, or sic the LAW on him. But as reconciled sinners ourselves—we who are not under LAW, but are free in the GOSPEL, we go with a third, new course of action. We talk to the transgressor. Individually. Give them a chance to explain or repent. Give the relationship a chance to become whole again.
And it doesn’t stop there. If one on one doesn’t settle your differences—if you genuinely listen, but aren’t listened to, Jesus says then take two or three other people with you and try again. No go? Let the church intervene as mediator. And if the person refuses to listen even to the church, says Jesus, then let him be as a tax collector and Gentile to you.
Which seems to go against the new way of living together. But I seriously think that Jesus was saying this with tongue planted firmly in cheek. Because, how did he treat the Syro-Phoneician woman who came to him for a cure? He healed her daughter. What did he say to the tax collector called Levi? “Get away from me you blood-sucking son of a gun!” No he said, “Follow me!” Jesus offered the kingdom to Gentiles. Jesus ate and associated with tax collectors. “Let them be as Gentiles and tax collectors to you?” You can just imagine Jesus saying that with a wink. And Matthew chuckling in the background. It’s not like our justice system. It’s three strikes and you’re in!
LAW and GOSPEL. In the Lutheran Church they go together like horse and carriage, or perhaps beer and pretzels is more relatable for Lutherans! The LAW convicts and the GOSPEL forgives. But don’t think that the GOSPEL negates the LAW. Jesus did not come to abolish the LAW, not to change it, he came to fulfill it. St. Paul writes in his letter to the Romans that “loving one another” as Jesus first loved us fulfills the LAW as well. And remember, grace frees us to care for others. So LAW is not put aside by the GOSPEL, it transforms it. It becomes the “new obedience,” as Luther called it. We try to keep the commandments in thanksgiving to God, instead of trying to win God’s love. And we no longer use the LAW as a bludgeon to attack people or groups. Instead we hold it up together before our eyes like a mirror, and trust in Jesus to make whole what is broken.
LAW and GOSPEL together form the basis for the kingdom of God. That’s why us Lutherans give it such close attention. For us individually it is the mechanism of salvation. And for us corporately, it is a new and better way to relate to each other. LAW AND GOSPEL. (cha-dah!)
Thursday, September 4, 2008
This is My Body
Pastor, what do Lutherans believe about the elements in communion?
This was very important to Luther.
The Catholic church of his day believed that the elements became the body and blood of Christ. They explained the transition with the notion of transubstantiation--an Aristotelian argument based on the attributes and substance of the wine and bread. Basically it said that the bread has attributes that make it bread, but the words of institution (The night our Lord Jesus was betrayed...) by the power of God transformed the substance of the elements. It still had its bread-iness and wine-iness, but it was body and blood.
Luther agreed that the wine and bread were the blood and body of Christ. But he prefered not to try and nail down how God works that miracle. Luther taught (and Lutherans still do in confirmation class) that Jesus is truly present in, with, and under the elements. In short it is a mystery that God gives us faith to accept.
Now, other reformers who broke away from the mother church after Luther was expelled from it, took the eucharist in a new direction. They insisted that the communion celebrated at worship was a reenactment of the Last Supper, and a memorial to Christ. (Do this in remembrance). The bread was bread and the wine was wine--and Jesus was present in the assembly.
Luther argued that two little Latin words (the bible had only been translated into German by Luther) "hoc est" were key to the right understanding of communion. "This is" my body...this is my blood" meant what they said. It's bread and wine, but t's body and blood--a mystery.
So what do Lutherans believe - in a nutshell?
It is personal - given "for you," shed for you.
It is corporate - all Christians of every time and place stands at the altar with us as we celebrate
the great high feast.
We receive forgiveness of sin, life and salvation through this gift.
We don't earn the gift, nor can we be worthy of it--we get it through grace.
Bread and wine are used but it is the promise of God attached to them that forgives
You are ready for communion if you have faith in the words "for you."
All the grace and promise of God is truly present in either one of the elements, and even simply in the words "For you!"
This was very important to Luther.
The Catholic church of his day believed that the elements became the body and blood of Christ. They explained the transition with the notion of transubstantiation--an Aristotelian argument based on the attributes and substance of the wine and bread. Basically it said that the bread has attributes that make it bread, but the words of institution (The night our Lord Jesus was betrayed...) by the power of God transformed the substance of the elements. It still had its bread-iness and wine-iness, but it was body and blood.
Luther agreed that the wine and bread were the blood and body of Christ. But he prefered not to try and nail down how God works that miracle. Luther taught (and Lutherans still do in confirmation class) that Jesus is truly present in, with, and under the elements. In short it is a mystery that God gives us faith to accept.
Now, other reformers who broke away from the mother church after Luther was expelled from it, took the eucharist in a new direction. They insisted that the communion celebrated at worship was a reenactment of the Last Supper, and a memorial to Christ. (Do this in remembrance). The bread was bread and the wine was wine--and Jesus was present in the assembly.
Luther argued that two little Latin words (the bible had only been translated into German by Luther) "hoc est" were key to the right understanding of communion. "This is" my body...this is my blood" meant what they said. It's bread and wine, but t's body and blood--a mystery.
So what do Lutherans believe - in a nutshell?
It is personal - given "for you," shed for you.
It is corporate - all Christians of every time and place stands at the altar with us as we celebrate
the great high feast.
We receive forgiveness of sin, life and salvation through this gift.
We don't earn the gift, nor can we be worthy of it--we get it through grace.
Bread and wine are used but it is the promise of God attached to them that forgives
You are ready for communion if you have faith in the words "for you."
All the grace and promise of God is truly present in either one of the elements, and even simply in the words "For you!"
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Like a Hurricane
"With your faithful help rescue me from sinking in the mire; let me delivered from...the deep waters. Do not let the flood sweep over me, or the deep swallow me up, or the Pit close its mouth over me." Psalm 69:13b
It seemed almost perverse that Hurricane Gustav barreled ashore almost right on top of New Orleans, practically the same day three years ago that Katrina devastated the city and its environs. This time it wasn't "that bad." But there's still great need there - even remaining from Katrina. Of course people are reacting to the call for rescue and relief with dollars and with assistance. [There are Thrivent teams from this area scheduled to work in MS this month. Speak to me if you want to go.]
But seeing that there's three tropical storms lined up waiting to hit land, and other disasters seem to come with great and awful regularity, perhaps giving proactively to Lutheran Social Services, Lutheran World Relief, or Lutheran Disaster response is in order? (All these can be accessed through www.elca.org ) Make it part of your regular giving along with donations to World Hunger. Because we are God's hands in the world.
It seemed almost perverse that Hurricane Gustav barreled ashore almost right on top of New Orleans, practically the same day three years ago that Katrina devastated the city and its environs. This time it wasn't "that bad." But there's still great need there - even remaining from Katrina. Of course people are reacting to the call for rescue and relief with dollars and with assistance. [There are Thrivent teams from this area scheduled to work in MS this month. Speak to me if you want to go.]
But seeing that there's three tropical storms lined up waiting to hit land, and other disasters seem to come with great and awful regularity, perhaps giving proactively to Lutheran Social Services, Lutheran World Relief, or Lutheran Disaster response is in order? (All these can be accessed through www.elca.org ) Make it part of your regular giving along with donations to World Hunger. Because we are God's hands in the world.
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Life in the Pack
The readings for this week are:
Ezekiel 33:7-11, in which the LORD desires Israel to obey,but they won't.
Psalm 119:33-40, which is a response to the OT text.
Romans 13:8-14, which explains how loving one another fulfills the law.
Matthew 18:15-20, which deals with church discipline.
Luther said there were two, possibly three, "uses" of the Law. First use--it is given by God to help order society and protect the creation (including us). Second use--the Law gives us the knowledge of our sins. When you contemplate the ten commandments in relationship to your behavior--you find that try as you will, they are impossible to keep totally. This drives you into God's arms crying, "mercy!" The third use occurs after we are made children of God. The Law becomes a guideline for godly living.
The OT text from Ezekiel demonstrates God's desire for the Law to govern the relationships not only between God and humankind, but also between people. God repeatedly warned Israel to act responsibly towards God and fellow creatures, but to no avail!
The Psalm response highlights the psalmists desire to know and understand the Law, and help in keeping it. He realizes that without God's help and grace, he is doomed.
Paul's great work of theology, Romans, succinctly states what scholars then write books about. Case in point - today's reading. All the commandments boil down to this he says--love one another!He encourages the Romans (and us) to live lives that exemplify that credo--to live in the light and leave the dark night of our sinfulness behind.
The Gospel of Matthew is the only one to mention the word "church." It is theorized that Matthew's church (to which he intended the gospel be read) needed a focus in this direction, due to its makeup. And so Matthew inserted the word church into some of Jesus' teachings (where it wouldn't compromise the meaning.) You can accept that or not. But outlined here by Christ is the third use of the law in action. It calls for the fair handling of sin, meticulously mapped out and systematic--yet spiritual.
[Note that the offender who doesn't repent at all is to be treated as a "Gentile or tax collector." We know how they are treated by Jesus. They are redeemed!
Ezekiel 33:7-11, in which the LORD desires Israel to obey,but they won't.
Psalm 119:33-40, which is a response to the OT text.
Romans 13:8-14, which explains how loving one another fulfills the law.
Matthew 18:15-20, which deals with church discipline.
Luther said there were two, possibly three, "uses" of the Law. First use--it is given by God to help order society and protect the creation (including us). Second use--the Law gives us the knowledge of our sins. When you contemplate the ten commandments in relationship to your behavior--you find that try as you will, they are impossible to keep totally. This drives you into God's arms crying, "mercy!" The third use occurs after we are made children of God. The Law becomes a guideline for godly living.
The OT text from Ezekiel demonstrates God's desire for the Law to govern the relationships not only between God and humankind, but also between people. God repeatedly warned Israel to act responsibly towards God and fellow creatures, but to no avail!
The Psalm response highlights the psalmists desire to know and understand the Law, and help in keeping it. He realizes that without God's help and grace, he is doomed.
Paul's great work of theology, Romans, succinctly states what scholars then write books about. Case in point - today's reading. All the commandments boil down to this he says--love one another!He encourages the Romans (and us) to live lives that exemplify that credo--to live in the light and leave the dark night of our sinfulness behind.
The Gospel of Matthew is the only one to mention the word "church." It is theorized that Matthew's church (to which he intended the gospel be read) needed a focus in this direction, due to its makeup. And so Matthew inserted the word church into some of Jesus' teachings (where it wouldn't compromise the meaning.) You can accept that or not. But outlined here by Christ is the third use of the law in action. It calls for the fair handling of sin, meticulously mapped out and systematic--yet spiritual.
[Note that the offender who doesn't repent at all is to be treated as a "Gentile or tax collector." We know how they are treated by Jesus. They are redeemed!
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