CoG Bible Study

Sunday April 17, 2010 Matthew 26:14-27:66

2011-04-15T15:50:00.002-05:00

Welcome, winter is trying to come back but I hope summer wins. This springtime tug of war can be trying at best. Our text for Sunday is chapters 26 and 27 of the Gospel of Matthew. While I could go through the whole thing, it would be a very long read for you and consume a lot of time for me so I am going to focus on a few things. This Sunday we celebrate Palm Sunday; when Jesus road over the Mount of Olives, paused and viewed the city of Jerusalem that had rejected him and wept while the people waved palm branches and placed their cloaks on the ground for him to travel over. He is deliberately entering from the east, as they thought the Messiah would, on a donkey, to fulfill the prophet Zechariahs words. He is demonstrating with his actions that he is the Messiah and the people understand this, hence they go wild with joy. Finally God will visit his Temple, the Messiah will take over the Temple and establish correct worship and over throw the oppressive Roman yoke. All of this happened but not in the way they were expecting. In the God-man, Jesus, God visited his temple and attacked it deeming it too corrupt to repair; Jesus became the cornerstone of the new temple with each of us as living stones to be used in a new “building”. God’s location wasn’t confined to one place anymore. Correct worship was established in faith and truth, not empty ritual, although we turn it back into that at times. The oppressive Roman yoke wasn’t thrown off but the evil behind it was defeated on the cross. Jesus does what we want him to do just not in the way we expect him to do it.

What I want to focus on is a festival ritual that Jesus reinterpreted for his new community. Jesus chose the festival of Passover to come to Jerusalem for his last days. Passover celebrated the exodus from Egypt, when God rescued his people and made them into a nation with the covenant at Mount Sinai. Note in the book of Exodus, first God rescued and saved a motley band of people then made a covenant with them, not the other way around. They didn’t have to do anything first, except cry out to him, to be made his own. (We have switched that around and expect people to change before we accept them.) When the Jewish people eat the Passover they not only celebrate their rescue but actually place themselves into the story. They are a part of the group leaving Egypt, they are a part of the group at Mount Sinai and they have been rescued; they join themselves to their ancestors such as it happened to them it is happening now. So it wasn’t only a celebration but a rejoining to their people, an identification of themselves in the story too, not just an observance.

At the foot of Mount Sinai, God made a covenant with this group. A covenant was a solemn thing to enter in to. In this case, it was an agreement between a more powerful party, God, and a weaker party, the people. The powerful party set the terms of the agreement and the lesser party agreed to abide by them. These had been used for years throughout the ancient Near East by powerful Kings conquering weaker Kings and their subjects. There have been copies found of Hittite and Assyrian covenants in the ruins of these once great societies. God used this type of known agreement with his people so they would be able to understand what they were doing.

When they finally reached Mount Sinai and God presented them with the covenant, they accepted its’ terms, they said “yes we will enter into a covenant relationship with you” Exodus 24:3. Moses then sacrificed a bull, collected its blood in a basin and preformed a covenant ratification ceremony to seal the covenant. Half of the blood he threw against an alter he had built and the other half was sprinkled on the people while he said “Behold the blood of the covenant that the Lord has made with you in accordance with all these words.” Exodus 24: 4-8. Unfortunately the people went on to break the covenant and were exiled in Assyria and Babylon.

Passover was celebrated by a special meal. There were specific foods to be eaten in a specific order with a liturgy recited during the meal. We have experience this at our church by participating in the Seder meal. Each of the foods eaten has a specific purpose and memory to accompany it. It commemorates the final night in Egypt when a lamb was slain and its’ blood was placed on the door of the home so the angel of death, who was sent to kill the firstborn of everything, would pass over that household and that family would be spared this horrible happening. It involved unleavened bread (bread with no yeast for there wasn’t time to let the bread rise) because when told to leave by God they had to leave fast. They were to be dressed and ready to go, alert and awake, waiting for the signal. This is what Jesus is celebrating in the Gospel of Matthew chapter 26 verses 17 through 29. They were eating a Passover meal.

V 17-19 Jesus had prearranged a room for him and his disciples to eat the Passover. A few of them went ahead to find the room, buy the food and prepare it for the meal later. After sundown Jesus and the rest of the disciples came.

V 20-22 When it was evening Jesus took his place at the table with the twelve. They would have been reclining on their left side around a u-shaped low table. They ate with their right hand while using their left elbow to support themselves. They would have looked at the back of the person in front of them. To speak to the person behind them they would roll back resting on the chest of that person. Jesus as the host would have been reclining at one leg of the table not in the middle of the u-shaped table. He comments that one of the twelve will betray him. The disciples become concerned as to whom it will be and began to question him and each other.

V23 The one who has dipped his hand into the common bowl of food with him will be the one to betray him.

V24-25 It would have been better for the one whom is to betray him to have never been born. Judas said “surely not I Rabbi”? All in the room at this point had dipped their hand into the common bowl of sauce so it could have been anyone. To share a meal in this culture conveyed many things. It meant you were family and would protect each other with your lives. You were a community; you had each other’s backs in times of trouble. To share a meal with someone and them betray them was the height of disloyalty. The words “as it is written” refer back to the suffering servant songs in Isaiah (42-53). Jesus will be that suffering servant spoken of so long ago.

V26 Up until this point the meal and its liturgy have been progressing as always. These men know it by heart; they have participated in it since birth. Now suddenly Jesus picks up the bread but says different words. All ears would have perked up, what is he doing? He isn’t saying the prescribed liturgy. He is telling them to eat it but it represents his body not the haste of leaving Egypt. So they do but are confused. He then picked up the third cup of wine, the cup that stood for redemption which corresponded to Gods third promise in Ex. 6:6: “I will redeem you (from Egypt) with an outstretched arm (my power) and with great acts of judgment. He gave thanks and told them to drink of it as it was “my blood of the covenant which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins”. What in the world was he doing! This wasn’t the correct liturgy. The key is the “covenant”. Jesus, as God, is enacting a new covenant with his people. The covenant is in Jeremiah 31: 31-34. God states that he will do a new thing, make a new covenant with his people, not one written on tablets like the one they broke but one written on their hearts. They will know God and be his people and he will remember their sin no more. Go back to the covenant ratification ceremony above where Moses sprinkles the blood of the bull over the people and says “the blood of the covenant” now Jesus is saying “my blood of the covenant”, what is going on? To ratify this covenant something will have to be sacrificed and its blood shed for the people. Moses used a bull; Jesus is using himself as the sacrifice in place of the bull. He will be the servant whose blood is shed, this time it isn’t an animal. This time it is God, in the humanity of Jesus, as the sacrifice. God will use himself to ratify the covenant. Jesus is performing a covenant ratification ceremony but using symbolic actions from the first rescue of God’s people to perform another rescue of God’s people. This time they aren’t being rescued from an evil pagan nation but from the evil that lies behind it, from the evil that lies behind the people’s sin, from themselves. We sin and we can’t fix it, only shed blood can restore the relationship and Jesus did that for us. We are to eat the bread and drink from the cup to enter into a new covenant with God and remember what it cost God to ratify that covenant, his Son hanging on a cross outside of His city; Jerusalem. Each time we partake of communion we ratify and remember this covenant. This is a solemn commitment; we have been forgiven at the price of Jesus broken body and shed blood. This is also joy and celebration; we can enter into the presence of God by ourselves, we have been forgiven! We place ourselves into the story when we commune. We are a part of that first group but we also look forward to something.

V29 Jesus said he wouldn’t drink wine again until he drank it with them in his Fathers Kingdom. The rabbis taught that at the end of the present evil age when the kingdom of God came there would be a Messianic banquet where God would provide the finest of food and wine and the people would be invited to sit at his table and eat this fantastic food and drink. This is what Jesus is referring to; the Messianic Banquet. We are invited to this meal with Jesus and God. When we share in communion this is a foretaste of that banquet. We are preparing ourselves to sit at God’s table and share a meal, to be members of his family with Jesus as our brother. To protect each other and accept each other, to become what we eat and be a light for God in this world.

Do you accept the covenant and all the sacrifice that it cost? Do you look forward to a day when you will sit at the table of God, with your brothers and sisters, and eat the finest food in his kingdom? All are invited; will all accept?

This is my last blog for awhile. It is being retired for the summer and may reinvent itself in the fall. Pastor Matt and I have talked and may use it in a different format or alongside something else. Thank you to all that have taken the time to read and engage with the text. Thank you for the comments you have taken the time to make. Have a great summer and even though the blog is going away for a while I am not so if you have questions just ask and I will try to get you the answer. Next fall may be new and exciting in our walk together.

Shalom Kim

Sunday April 10, 2010 John 11:1-45

2011-04-06T11:34:00.001-05:00

Greetings, the last few Sundays our texts have been long ones and this Sunday’s is no different. We are still in the Gospel of John. The scholars of the Jews believed that when the Messiah came he would appear on the Mount of Olives and raise the dead. The Mount of Olives is on the east side of Jerusalem and today many Jews are buried on the east side of the city to be the first to rise when the Messiah comes. They thought all Jews would be raised to new life when the Messianic age broke in.

John’s themes are included in this text too. This is the seventh sign and the fifth “I am” statement.

Bethany is on the Mount of Olives about 2 miles from Jerusalem. From Bethany one would have to travel up and over the Mount of Olives to arrive at Jerusalem, which Jesus does for his Triumphal Entry.

In the Synoptic Gospels the final act that gets Jesus killed is the attack on the Temple. In the Gospel of John it is the raising of Lazarus that leads the Sanhedrin to kill Jesus. Why? Because if the Messiah is to stand on the Mount of Olives and raise the dead and Jesus stands on the Mount of Olives and raises a dead man doesn’t that indicate he is the Messiah? And if he is the Messiah he isn’t acting like they had thought he would. If he is the Messiah the people will start to follow him, leaving the leadership behind and Rome will intervene in this divisional crises destroying their Temple.

V1-6 Jesus has left the area of Jerusalem because the people had attempted to stone him the last time he was there (Chapter 10). He was out by the Jordan River somewhere. He was close to a family in Bethany; Mary, Martha and Lazarus. He would stay at their house while traveling. Lazarus became so sick that he died. The sisters sent a message to Jesus that Lazarus is ill. Jesus comments to his disciples that this illness won’t lead to death but it is for the glory of God. It sounds odd to us but Jesus didn’t leave immediately, even though he loved them, he stayed where he was for two more days. Charles Swindoll has noted “that if the hypothetical timeline Swindoll proposes is close to accurate, Lazarus was dead by the time the messenger reached Jesus”.

V7-16 After two days Jesus said to his disciples “Let us go to Judea again”. The disciples are surprised. The people in Judea have tried to kill Jesus, why does he want to go back? Jesus replies with a statement that has a double meaning. Work can be done during the twelve hours of daylight but at night no one can work and all travel would stop. Another meaning underlying this is that Jesus is the light of the world and he has work to do while he is in the world. Those who don’t walk in his light will stumble and it may be too late. We each have our working “day” from God and we are to use it wisely before “night” falls and we can work no more. Jesus says Lazarus has fallen asleep and the disciples misunderstand. If he is just sleeping, Jesus doesn’t need to risk his own life and theirs to go wake him up but Jesus then clarifies by saying “Lazarus is dead. But let us go to him.” The disciples are probably wondering “why go now, there is nothing we can do” but Thomas bravely says “Let us also go so that we may die with him.” Do they know that Jesus is going to raise Lazarus; no but Jesus knows that when he does their faith in him will be strengthened.

V17-27 By the time Jesus and his disciples arrived Lazarus had been dead and in the tomb for four days. The day he died he was wrapped in linens soaked with spices, to cover the smell, and put in the tomb. Jewish literature taught that the soul of the dead person remained by the body for three days hoping to reenter. When it saw the decay of the body by the fourth day it departed. In other words Lazarus is completely dead and smells. The sisters would have been in the house in deep mourning for seven days. The house would have been ritually unclean due to having a dead body in it and the sisters would have been ritually unclean because they had touched the dead body to prepare it for burial. When Martha hears that Jesus is finally coming she leaves the house to meet him. She should have stayed in the house. In agony she says to Jesus “if you had been here my brother would have not died”. She had witnessed Jesus heal people and she knew he could have healed her brother but she isn’t angry. I think I may have shown some anger towards Jesus, after all he is healing others and he loves us so why didn’t he heal my brother? Are we not good enough? Why do they get healed and we don’t? She continues to say that she knows God will give Jesus whatever he asks of him. Not that he will bring her brother back to life but that she believes and trusts Jesus. Jesus replies that Lazarus will rise again. Martha says that she knows he will rise in the resurrection on the last day. (When the Messiah comes and raises all the dead from the Mount of Olives) Jesus then says “I am the resurrection and the life”. In me the Messianic age has broken in. He is the Messiah and the resurrection which Martha thought was in the future is here now. Their hopes concerning death and resurrection have been transformed and fulfilled now. It is not a future event anymore but a present reality. Those who trust in Jesus as the Messiah will never die. Death has now become a door to walk through, it is not the end. Martha makes a profound statement “Yes Lord, I believe that you are the (expected, true) Messiah, the Son of God (God’s anointed one) the (expected) one coming into the world. She made this confession on the Mount of Olives. This is more than the disciples had understood.

V28-37 Martha returned to let Mary know that Jesus was asking for her. Mary got up to go meet privately with Jesus but the house full of mourners followed her thinking she was going to the tomb to weep. When Mary got to Jesus she too said “if you had been here my brother would not have died.” Mary did not rebuke Jesus either but spoke with agony at her loss. In a patriarchal society the women had just lost their means of support and economic protection. Jesus, seeing the people weeping, was deeply moved. There are differing views on the translation of deeply moved but nonetheless Jesus empathizes and mourns with us. When we see a tragedy most of us wonder why God allowed this to happen. The answers are varied depending on the historical views you believe (i.e. Calvinism ect.) but know that God mourns with us. God cries with us, as Jesus weeps with us. We are not left alone in our sorrow. When the pastor father of the women murdered through a craigslist add was interviewed on national T.V. he was asked where was God in all of this? He replied that God was all around them, he brought them food when they couldn’t think of cooking, he visited them at home and allowed them to cry on his shoulder, he sat in silence with them for hours sharing their pain, he came to the funeral to support them in their sorrow, he sent them cards and flowers; we are the presence of God for people who mourn. Some however looked at this and wondered why Jesus didn’t keep Lazarus alive, he had after all opened the eyes of a man born blind which had never been done before.

V38-44 Jesus has Mary and Martha take him to the tomb. Jesus says “take away the stone” but Martha reminds him that Lazarus has been four days and stench will come from the tomb. Jesus reminds her of their earlier conversation that if she believed she would see the glory of God. Jesus looks to God and prays, not for his own success but so the people would understand that the miracle came from God. He shouted for Lazarus to “come out”. In the first chapter of John the Word was in the beginning with God and in him was life and light. The Word becomes a person. In Genesis God speaks words and everything is created. Here the word of God is spoken by the Word that became flesh and it gives new life. Lazarus lives! God’s glory is revealed. Death is conquered. It isn’t final anymore. It doesn’t bind us anymore. “Unbind him and let him go.”

V45-51 Many of the Jews that witnessed this event believed Jesus. He was the Messiah. But some went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. Did they go in anger, probably not, they may have gone in awe to let the Pharisees, who believed in the resurrection, know that a wondrous thing had happened on the Mount of Olives. The leaders call a meeting to figure out what they are going to do with this man. This is getting dangerous, more and more are believing him and following him. We need to get rid of him. The irony is that Jesus is raising the dead and the living are plotting his death. The Messianic age has broken in, which they were waiting for, and they are trying to stop it. Why? Because it didn’t look like they thought it would so they didn’t believe it.

That is what we, as humans, do. If something doesn’t look like we thought it would, we dismiss it. We try to stop it. Unknown is uncomfortable. It’s heresy. We need familiar even though it may be wrong. But is it really or is it that we are fearful of losing the status and power we have with the familiar so we refuse to consider the new. The Jewish leaders knew the Messiah would raise the dead on the Mount of Olives. Jesus raises a dead man on the Mount of Olives. Therefore he is the Messiah. However, he doesn’t act like the Messiah the Jews wanted and envisioned so he is crucified.

I wonder what I miss of the new because I am too comfortable with the familiar and unwilling to see.

Sunday April 3, 2010 John 9:1-41

2011-03-30T19:49:00.002-05:00

Welcome Pastor Matt. I just had a nice walk in the warm sun with the dogs. Maybe Spring will come after all. In last week’s sermon Pastor Matt stated a good point about the women at the well. She had been rejected by five families and the man she was living with now didn’t seem in a hurry to marry her. In that day divorce was instigated by the husband. When the couple married they lived with the husband’s family so five husbands and their families had rejected her and she was probably living with a man now because the alternative would have been prostitution. Jesus doesn’t rebuke her because he knows this; he elevates her. He accepts her which changes her life. Interesting enough we expect people to change their life and then accept them.
Our text for this Sunday is still in John. We have read some of the themes of John and in this text there is a new one. John uses the number 7 throughout his gospel. It first appears in chapter one when John echo’s the seven days of creation. Our story for Sunday has seven scenes and this is the sixth miracle, out of seven, in John.

Scene 1 (9:1-7) Jesus is in the vicinity of the Temple. In chapter eight Jesus states “I am the light of the world”. The Pharisees then refute this and question where he gets his authority from to make this statement. After a dialogue back and forth the Pharisees and Jews accuse Jesus of having a demon and attempt to stone him but he left the Temple. He is walking along and sees a man blind from birth. The Jews though to have a defect or illness was a result of sin so the disciples want to know who had sinned; the man or his parents. Jesus replies that the man’s blindness isn’t connected to a sin by anyone but God will use it to reveal his glory. While Jesus is alive it is his working day, he is the light of the world but night will be coming. Jesus then spit on the ground, made mud and rubbed it on the man’s eyes telling him to go wash in the pool of Siloam. This takes place on the Sabbath when no work was to be done. Jesus is healing, doing work, on the Sabbath. The man is blind, in darkness. Jesus is the light of the world. Jesus will bring light into the man’s darkness by curing him. The outward physical cure is a sign of the inward healing taking place in the man. With this inward healing comes restoration to God, community, family and forgiveness. If in the Jews mind affliction was caused by sin, curing the man would indicate that he had been forgiven by God.

Scene 2 (9:8-12) The people notice that the blind beggar can see and they try to figure out if it is truly the beggar or a different man. He then replies that the man called Jesus healed him.

Scene 3 (9:13-17) The people bring the man to the Pharisees and they began to question him as to who had healed him. The Pharisees comment that Jesus isn’t from God because he doesn’t observe the Sabbath; he is a sinner. The people are confused because if this man, Jesus, is a sinner how can he heal? The audience becomes divided. They again ask the man about Jesus and the man says Jesus is a prophet.

Scene 4 (9:18-23) Since there is so much confusion over the healing the Pharisees call the man’s parents to get their comments. They want the parents to explain how he was healed. The parents are evasive in their answer and direct the Pharisees back to their son. The parents are afraid of being kicked out of the synagogue if they are associated with Jesus. To be removed from the synagogue was to lose all connections and associations to the community.

Scene 5 (9:24-34) For a second time the Pharisees call the man and question him. Again they call Jesus a sinner (relating back to Jesus being called a demon in the previous chapter). Again they press the man for the “real” story, maybe he will recant it. They want him to give God the Glory. Again the man repeats his original version but he asks sarcastically if the Pharisees are questioning him because they want to become Jesus’ disciples. The Pharisees explode and claim that the man is Jesus’ disciple (from the demonic) but they are disciples of Moses. The man answers them in surprise, they don’t know where Jesus is from yet Jesus has healed him? They know God works through those whom he chooses and not sinners (demons). Never before has anyone been healed of blindness. Only God could have healed this man. If Jesus was from the demonic he wouldn’t have been able to heal the man from blindness, but he has Divine power to heal so God must have given him that Divine authority. The Pharisees have no reply so in desperation to show their authority they abuse him, insult him and drive the man out. They imply his blindness was a curse from God. He is excommunicated from everything (community, economics, family) and alone. Israel was to be the light of the world drawing everyone to God. Instead, as in this story, they are excluding people and driving them from the community of God. They have confused their mission; they are denying the people a relationship with God. They are ignoring what God is doing through Jesus by healing a blind man and clinging to their own authority desperately. Ritual has trumped human need.

Scene 6 (9:35-39) Jesus heard that the Pharisees had driven the man out so he found him and asked him if he believed in the Son of Man (from Dan 7:13, the true representative of Israel)? The man asks who that is. Tell me. Jesus replies that the man is looking at the Son of Man. The man then calls him Lord and worships him. His eyes have been truly opened. He is seeing the light of the world. Jesus is including him in the new Israel, community, around himself. He has been removed from one community but accepted into another.

Scene 7 (9:40, 41) The Pharisees question Jesus on his statement that they are blind. They refuse to Jesus for who he is so they remain blind, spiritually blind, in darkness. Jesus is the light of the world, drawing people to God and helping people to “see”.

The Pharisees are so intent on keeping ritual that they ignore a rare healing in their midst. In order to suppress the event they insult and humiliate the man; they insult and deny Jesus. They should have been rejoicing with him. The blind man however has made a progression in his healing. First he is physically cured (an outward sign of an inward change) then the healing begins; in verse 11 he calls Jesus the man, in verse 17 he calls him a prophet and in verse 38 he calls him Lord and worships him. The man can answer who Jesus is by this progression and he can answer who a sinner is by their refusal to accept Jesus.

Do we rejoice at the miracle or complain about the rituals broken? Do we see or are we blind? Do we bring people to God or leave people out? If changes happen in our church will we accept them or will we bristle at them? If we, as a church, can change and draw more people to God; will we?

Sunday March 27, 2010 John 4:5-42

2011-03-23T16:59:00.002-05:00

Shalom, what a cruel turn of events. Last week we got to sample 50 degrees outside and today we wake up to snow and wind. The poor neighborhood ducks are huddled in a little pool of water in the corn field and probably wondering why they returned so early from the warmth. Our text for Sunday is still in the Gospel of John. Last week we learned of a great teacher in Israel who was having a difficult time understanding what Jesus was saying. This week we have the opposite, a Samaritan woman that Jesus encounters at a well during his travels. Remember the themes in John we had last week? There is another to be added to the list. Dr. Wendt has pointed out that another theme exists in John, that of replacement. “In John 2:1-11 Jesus replaces the purification rites, in 3:1-17 with Nicodemus Jesus replaces the mode of entry into God’s people and in our text for Sunday he replaces the cult of Samaria that had to do with worship on Mt. Gerizim with himself.” In fact, in the Gospel of John, Jesus is replacing most everything with himself. To understand the story we need some background information. When traveling the Jewish people didn’t like to go through Samaria and the Samaritans didn’t want them to, they hated each other. The two groups had an age old fight about the proper location for worship. The Jews considered the Samaritans to be half-breeds because after the Assyrian invasion the remaining Jews had intermarried with the Assyrian settlers, they weren’t a pure race anymore. The Samaritans only thought the first five books of the bible were authoritative and they believed that their father Jacob, who had dug a well in their land, had authorized worship to be on Mt. Gerizim. The Jews were a pure race and they contended that Worship was to be in Jerusalem on Mt. Zion where the Temple was located. So the two groups of people were quarreling over who the “true” people of God were and where the correct location to worship God was. The problem would arise when Jews wanted to travel between Galilee, in the north, to Jerusalem, in the south. Would the Samaritans allow them to travel through their territory or would they have to go east and travel along the Jordan River which added more time onto the journey.

V5-6 Jesus is traveling north to Galilee from the place where his disciples and John had been baptizing people. The Pharisees were trying to stir up trouble for them by keeping track of how many each party was baptizing and who was the most successful. They were attempting to pit Jesus’ group against Johns’. If they could instigate infighting perhaps the whole movement would crumble. Jesus and his disciples leave to make Johns’ ministry less difficult. They travel through Samaria. There wasn’t much water in Samaria, not many rivers at all, only wells dug by their ancestors with which to get water. After traveling in the heat of the day they come to the well dug by Jacob, later named Israel. The well is by Sychar, possibly the Shechem of the Old Testament. Jesus, tired by the journey, is sitting on the well while his disciples went into the town to get food as it is noon (full daylight). This location would have been at the foot of Mt. Gerizim and the Samaritan Temple.

V7 A Samaritan woman came to draw water. Jesus should have moved 20ft. away indicating it was safe and culturally appropriate for her to approach. He didn’t. Instead he asks her for a drink. As Kenneth Bailey has pointed out Jesus does four things; 1. A Rabbi was not to be in the presence of a woman by himself let alone talk with her-he breaks a social taboo possibly damaging his reputation, 2. He ignores the hostility between the two groups, 3. He humbles himself and needs her services-he will drink from her ritually unclean bucket and 4. He elevates her self worth. But why is she there drawing water at noon when the time to draw water was in the morning and evening? She is avoiding the women of the community because she is in shame.

V9 She is confused; he isn’t following the cultural norms. She asks him how he a Jew can drink from the unclean bucket of a Samaritan woman. The unsaid question is; why are you talking to me?

V10 Jesus diverts her question to a deeper understanding of himself and who he is. She sees a Jewish man breaking cultural norms. Jesus says if you really knew who was talking to you and asking for a drink you would ask me, Jesus, for living water. The gift of God for the Samaritans was the Torah, for the Jews it was the Torah and the Prophets both saw it as the gift of a book but Isaiah 42:6 states the gift of God is a person-JESUS. The living water was the revelation that Jesus brings; new life in an arid area. They are physically in an arid area with a well of water-a metaphor for what Jesus was teaching. Jesus is breaking the division between Jews and Samaritans.

V11-12 She is literal. You don’t have a bucket, the well is deep. Living water was the description for moving water-a river-not cistern water. Where is this river you are talking about? Jacob dug and used this well for water, are you greater than him? This is a challenge to Jesus, (both Jews and Samaritans claimed Jacob as their father) how can you be greater than Jacob. She is totally confused; there isn’t a river nearby just arid countryside.

V13-14 Jesus responds that this physical water from the well will not satisfy her, she will have to drink again but the living water he offers,himself, will quench her spiritual thirst. In Isaiah 44:1-5 God links the pouring out of water with the pouring out of the Spirit, knowledge of himself. Jesus’ living water from God will give eternal life. Jesus is the living water, the gift from God. In other words, if you knew who I was and that I was sent from God to reveal who he is you wouldn’t be concerned about this physical water in this well you would thirst for the knowledge about God.

V15 She wants the water but is she still thinking physical water that is fresher than that in the well or is she thinking Jesus? She is thinking literal water so she doesn’t have to keep returning to the well. Maybe Jesus has secret knowledge of a good fresh water supply. She is unsure and jesting.

V16 Jesus issues a command to her, go call your husband and come back.

V17-18 She denies that she has a husband but she doesn’t admit that she is living with a man and by law should be stoned. Jesus agrees with her statement. He doesn’t condemn her. Jesus then continues to describe her living situation to her. He confronts her with herself. This is always an uncomfortable spot to be in when someone sees through you to the person you really are. We don’t want to be faced with who we really are, we like the facade we put up for others, the mask we wear.

V19-24 When confronted with herself she changes the topic to the correct location for worship. They are at the foot of Mt. Gerizim. Jesus is kind to her and doesn’t rebuke her change. From Jesus’ description of her living arrangements she knows he is a prophet, so if a prophet has come would he settle this worship site argument. She is deflecting his attention from her to a more general argument. Isn’t that human nature? When being confronted, deflect attention from ourselves to another hot button issue so we don’t have to feel uncomfortable? He doesn’t debate her but describes a time coming when location of worship won’t matter. The time is coming when the location won’t be important but the object of worship will be the focus. Worship won’t be external formalities but focus on God in spirit and truth.

V25 Again she evades the issue. If this prophet won’t answer my question maybe the expected Messiah will answer it when he arrives.

V26 Jesus declares I Am, the Old Testament term for God. I am the Messiah you are waiting for. By using the Old Testament name for God, Jesus is saying the Messiah is also God. God, in the person of the Messiah, has come and is talking with you now.

V27 The disciples return from town. They see he is breaking taboos by speaking with this woman but no one asks.

V28-29 The woman leaves her water jar and returns to the city. She says to people they need to come and see a man who knew her entire past. Is he the Messiah? The people leave to go out to the well and see Jesus. This is an amazing turn of events for this woman. Initially she avoids people out of shame and now she is talking to anyone who will listen; compelling them they need to go to the well. She, a woman, is witnessing for Jesus. Women weren’t allowed to be witnesses in a court of law so who will listen to her?

V30, 39 The people leave the city and go out to him. They did accept her witness.

V31-34 In the mean time the disciples are urging Jesus to eat. He replies that he has food they don’t know about. So the disciples think maybe Jesus got food from someone else. They are confused. Jesus responds that the food that really matters is to do the will of his father. It is more important and urgent that he teach about his father than eat physical food. It is more important that this woman realize who he is and what he is doing than eat.

V35 He then looks out over the fields of grain growing around them and comments on the coming harvest. He turns his attention to the coming crowd from town and compares them to that harvest. The people coming are ripe for harvesting, learning. Some have planted the seed while others get to harvest the grain and so it is with people. Some have done the initial teaching and others get to see people accept Jesus. The disciples will reap a crop they didn’t produce.

V40-42 The fellow towns people ask him to stay with them and he does for two days. Many come to belief and the realization that he is the Savior of the World.

As Kenneth Bailey has points out “Jesus reveals himself in progression to her: a thirsty man, a Jew, a Rabbi, a Prophet and finally a divine Messiah”. He didn’t condemn her or rebuke her; he just brought her along in her understanding of who he was by using images that were around them. This is different from his meeting with Nicodemus. Jesus did rebuke him but still revealed a progression of what he was teaching. A teacher of Israel should have more understanding. This is a contrast. Nicodemus, one who knew all the correct scriptures, was in the dark about who Jesus was. An unlearned Samaritan woman who lived in shame saw the noonday light revealing the identity of Jesus as the Messiah, the Savior of the world. Nicodemus questioned, she accepted.

Are you Nicodemus or the Samaritan woman? Are you in the dark or the light?

Sunday March 20, 2010 John 3:1-17

2011-03-15T13:45:00.002-05:00

Greetings, spring is here! It is so nice that it is light longer even if we have to manipulate time. Light in the evenings is a mood lifter for me. Our text for this week switches to John. A little background in some themes of John may be helpful. Starting with his opening chapter John establishes an ongoing theme of light and dark. John the Baptist came to witness to the light (Jesus) coming into the world that is in darkness. As one reads John it can be seen that people in general are in darkness until their faith in Jesus brings them into the light. John also uses the theme of “signs” that point to Jesus doing God’s redemptive work in the world. Some of the signs are the healings Jesus does; others are the feeding of the 5000 and the raising of Lazarus, while still others are the claims that Jesus makes of himself-the seven “I am” statements”. All throughout the Gospel of John Jesus is using signs and coded language to define himself and what he is doing. With this in mind let’s turn to the text for this Sunday.

V1 There is a man named Nicodemus who is a Pharisee and leader of the Jews. To be a Pharisee was to follow the Torah (law) and make sure the Jews did the same. They were the keepers of the Law. What had started as a good thing after the exile in Babylon, the study of the Torah by a select group of people so as to never go into exile again, morphed silently into a legalistic practice. He is also a leader which indicates that he may be a member of the Sanhedrin, the ruling religious group that controlled the Temple. In any case he is a very learned man, knowing the scriptures inside out and has memorized all of them.

V2 He came to Jesus by night. Night equals darkness in John’s gospel. Nicodemus is in the “dark” concerning what God is doing in the world even though he knows the scriptures. Some have said that he came at night so the others wouldn’t see him talking with an unlearned rabbi who was becoming popular which is also true. There are many meanings to his coming under the cover of darkness. He compliments Jesus by calling him Rabbi which is strange considering he probably quietly questions Jesus’ status as a real Rabbi. He then gives a kind of compliment to Jesus by saying Jesus has come from God which is shown in the signs he is performing. The irony is that Nicodemus, being a leader of the Jewish religious community, can’t understand the meaning of the signs even though he compliments them. Jesus is revealing God but the great teacher doesn’t “see” this. In fairness to Nicodemus it must have taken a lot of contemplation and humbleness for him to come to Jesus, a Rabbi that hadn’t been to an official rabbinic school, to seek to understand what Jesus was doing. He is the only leader that did attempt to understand Jesus which would have been a very compromising step for him.

V3 Without waiting for Nicodemus’ question Jesus makes the statement about not being included in the Kingdom of God without being born from above. Nicodemus has believed that to belong to the Kingdom of God is to be born of a Jewish mother; genetics are what make them children of God. The Greek word “from above” can mean both from above and again. Jesus means “from above”. This is a confusing statement to Nicodemus.

V4 How can this be? We can’t crawl back into our mother’s womb? Nicodemus is still thinking Jewish family linage. We can’t go through the birth process again.

V5 Jesus replies that to be born from above is to be born of water and Spirit. This isn’t a physical event but a Spiritual one. People need a Spiritual birth to enter the Kingdom of God symbolized by a cleansing of water. The outward demonstration of a water cleansing indicates an inner Spiritual birth, a divine rebirth, a radical change.

V6 Flesh gives birth to flesh. Human beings by themselves cannot give birth to Spirit. The Spirit is powerful and unpredictable and gives new birth to those who have faith but accepting this faith isn’t a onetime event and then we are finished, it is a continued action by the believer.

V7 Jesus tells Nicodemus to not be surprised at the things he is telling him, that he must be born from above.

V8 Here Jesus uses the many definitions of the word Spirit to make an illustration. The word in Hebrew is ruach, in Greek it is pneumo. In each case it can be defined as wind, breath or Spirit. Jesus is using a play on the definition to explain it. We can’t actually see the wind we can only see the effects of the wind by looking at the leaves and branches of a tree. If the tree is swaying and the leaves are fluttering we “know” the wind is blowing. We can feel the effects of the wind on our skin but we can’t actually “feel” the wind (Try catching the wind sometime). Jesus is saying that it is the same with the Spirit. We can’t “see" the Spirit itself but we can see the effects of the Spirit (the fruit of the Spirit) in the actions of people whose lives he is at work in.

V9-10 Again Nicodemus is confused. Jesus then confronts him by pointing out that Nicodemus is a teacher of Israel. He should have some understanding of these things. In addition Nicodemus needs to grasp who Jesus is, not just a Rabbi with a new interpretation but the One who has come from God, the One who is bringing the Spirit.

V11-12 Jesus goes on to instruct Nicodemus that his testimony is accurate. Jesus knows that of which he testifies too. He has come from God. Three times in these last few verses Jesus makes statements about Israel as a whole and Nicodemus personally, verse 10 “you do not understand”, verse 11 “you do not receive” (choose not to accept) and verse 12 “you do not believe”. If Nicodemus doesn’t believe what Jesus is telling him now how will he believe or understand or accept when Jesus speaks of things in God’s Kingdom (heavenly)? It is assumed that Nicodemus came to Jesus to find out how to get into the Kingdom of God. He must have seen in Jesus a new way of being in God’s Kingdom by the signs that Jesus was doing and the teachings that Jesus was proclaiming so he came to Jesus to get clarification, just how was Jesus integrating the scriptures with Jesus’ own beliefs. To Nicodemus’ astonishment Jesus was radically reinterpreting the meaning of the scriptures.

V13 Jesus continues on to call himself the Son of Man (Dan 7:13-the true Israel reduced to one but building a new Israel around himself) and to claim that he had descended from God. This is the beginning of Jesus teaching about the meaning of his coming resurrection and ascension.

V14-15 He continues, “Just as Moses had made a bronze serpent, as instructed by God, and lifted it up so the Israelites bitten by snakes could look upon it and be healed so will Jesus be lifted up.” The word used for pole in the Old Testament has the same root as the word for sign. Just as the lifted serpent was a sign of healing in Numbers 21:9, if the people would just look at it, so will the lifting up of Jesus be a sign of God’s redemptive work and a completion of Jesus’ mission, if the people will just look to him in faith. Whoever believes in and receives Jesus will have eternal life in the Kingdom of God which had broken in with the coming of Jesus- Mark 1:15. In other words the Kingdom is present and active through the work of Jesus. Eternal life begins now; not after our death. We are to live now as we will then, the kind of life God lives.

V16 One of the most famous verses of all time. As David Lose of Luther Seminary points out the word for world is cosmos in the Bible and is that which is hostile to God. (John 16:33, 17:9-19). The verse could be translated “For God so loved the God-hating world that he gave his only Son…! The world is in rebellion towards God and yet God gave us his only Son. This is how much God loves the world.

V17 God did not send Jesus into the world to condemn it but to save it. Jesus came to reestablish a broken relationship between God and us. If God chose he could have destroyed the world just as he had created it in Genesis but he loves the world even though the world rebels against him. Jesus’ actions on the cross were saving actions for us, we only need to look to him on that sign; understand him, accept him and believe him to have life in the Kingdom of God.

I had an interesting thought come into my head as I was first studying this, the things Jesus didn’t say. For example, do we find in John 3:16 the exceptions Jesus made such as “God loved the whole world except for…you name it-drunks, prostitutes, drug addicts and yes I am going to say it- homosexuals, anyone who isn’t like me and I will never be like”. God didn’t say that he loved only Christians and only those others who were willing to convert. Jesus didn’t say from the cross “Father forgive them (except those that I will now list including all those that are undesirable) for they know not what they do”. We are the ones who add those exceptions; not God. God loved the whole world that hated him; we love our fellow Christians (neighbors) and condemn everyone else. When will we understand (verse 10), accept (verse 11) and believe (verse12) that God so loved the whole world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.

Sunday March 13, 2010 Matthew 4:1-11

2011-03-08T20:11:00.001-06:00

Greetings, Ash Wednesday is here and spring can’t be far behind even though we still have snow in the forecast. The home and garden show at least gives us a glimpse of coming warm weather and this weekend is daylight savings time so we will have light into the evenings again. We need to keep in mind some Old Testament background for our text this Sunday. The Hebrew’s were enslaved in Egypt. Moses is sent by God to lead them out of their bondage and to a land God has promised them. This is what we call the Exodus or the second book of the Bible. In Exodus 4:22 God instructs Moses to tell Pharaoh “Israel is my firstborn son.” God and Pharaoh then engage in a back and forth of plagues and words that culminates in the killing of Egypt’s firstborn sons, the Pharaoh allowing the Israelites to leave and then pursuing them to the Red (reed?) Sea. God parts the waters and the people cross on dry ground. The Egyptian army is destroyed and the people are led to Mount Sinai where they are given the Torah. Because of their later refusal to believe they can gain control of the land of Canaan they are banished to wander in the wilderness for forty years. During those wilderness wanderings they are tempted and fail. Now come forward to Matthew. Jesus has come from the Galilee to be baptized by John. All that John is doing and proclaiming indicates that a new exodus is about to begin. Jesus is baptized in the Jordan, his water crossing, as Israel had done in Exodus. God declares Jesus to be his Son, just as God had declared Israel to be his son in Exodus.

V1-2 Jesus is led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted. Just as Israel had wandered in the wilderness for forty years so will Jesus be in the wilderness for forty days and nights. After he has fasted the tempter came and starts to dialogue with him.

V3-4 The first thing said by the tempter is “if you are the Son of God” to introduce doubt into the mind of Jesus. Remember God has just declared that Jesus is his son. So, if you are the Son of God turn these stones to bread. Jesus, we know is very hungry, who wouldn’t want to eat. But Jesus instead quotes Deut. 8:3. He will not use his power to benefit himself or supply his own needs but will trust God to provide them. Remember in the Exodus the people complained about the manna they were given. God had wanted Israel to rely on him alone and they failed by hungering for food not God.

V5-7 Jesus is then taken to the pinnacle of the Temple and again the tempter tries to introduce doubt. Again “if you are the Son of God” is said with the thought of Jesus showing off a miracle. He is to toss himself off the pinnacle and angels will catch him. Jesus again replies with a quote from Deut. 6:16. He will not test his father by a public display of power. It is interesting to note that here the tempter quotes scripture (Ps. 91:11-12) himself but slightly twists it for his own purposes. Just because someone can quote scripture doesn’t mean they are using it for its intended purpose. Sometimes they are quoting to promote their own purposes, using the scripture for the illusion of authority. This is an excellent reason for each of us to study the bible and know for ourselves what it says and means.

V8-10 A third time Jesus is tempted by being taken to a high mountain and told if he will worship the tempter all of what he sees will be given him. The irony is that it is already Jesus’. Jesus, however, remains quiet on this and again uses scripture to reply using Deut. 6:13. Jesus will serve God only. During the wilderness wanderings the people had made a golden calf and worshiped it. Jesus knows that even though he is to be the ruler of the world he will first have to suffer. He will take the path laid out by his father and not the quick way to power offered by the tempter. Another interesting insight is that Jesus doesn’t refute the tempter that the world isn’t his to give, it is God’s. An idea that I take away from this is why encourage a dialogue with someone you know isn’t right? To dialogue just encourages them to keep contradicting you. Silence is sometimes the best argument. A quote that I like is from St. Francis of Assisi. “Preach the gospel where ever you go and if need be use words.” Our actions speak louder than words.

V11 The devil left him and the angels waited on him. Is the tempter finished? No, he will reappear throughout the gospels again and again waiting with doubts and insecurities. He appears in Gethsemane when Jesus is trying to discern if the path really includes the cross. He appears in our lives when we wonder if we are on God’s chosen path for us.

Jesus has been successful where Israel failed. He has relied on God instead of himself. Jesus is the new Israel, the new son of God. He will go forth and become what Israel couldn’t or wouldn’t. He will be a light to the nations. He will build the new Israel around himself. He will show the people what God is like. He will teach the people about God, their father, as they are his son. Their faith and belief in Jesus will be the basis of the new Israel. The only shows of power will be used to point to God. This begs the question, how do we handle things that tempt us? Do we give in to elevate our self worth or do we hold fast to God’s promises? Usually the temptation begins with doubt just as it did with Jesus. Do we really think this? Do we really believe that? Are you sure you are correct? What if you are wrong? Doubt cracks open the door. When doubt begins to creep in temptation isn’t far behind. We begin to think “well I could be mistaken” and we begin to look for ways to save face. No one wants to cling to a bad conviction and look like a fool. Our example to follow is Jesus. He was tempted just as we are and he survived. We will never face the same temptations as he did but we can be successful when faced with our temptations.

Sunday March 6, 2010 Matthew 17:1-9

2011-03-03T16:05:00.002-06:00

Welcome, it’s hard to believe that Ash Wednesday is next week already. I’m waiting for spring and that is just another sign. Our text for this Sunday is in Matthew on the Transfiguration. Just prior to this event Jesus and his disciples were discussing who did they think that he was. They told him that the people thought that he was a prophet. He then asked “who do you think I am” and Peter answered the Messiah. Jesus confirms Peter’s announcement but he told them to keep it to themselves. Why? Why not shout it out loud. It is what Israel had been waiting for. The reason, I think, Jesus wanted it quiet was that Israel wanted a Messiah who was going to start the revolution against Rome. If they were God’s chosen people why did Rome, a pagan nation, rule them. They looked back to the glory days of their nation when their own King David had ruled. He had subdued the surrounding pagan nations while increasing his territory and that was their dream now. Jesus wasn’t going to be that kind of Messiah, sure he would fight the battle against evil but it wouldn’t be against Rome. Jesus would fight the evil behind Rome and all other worldly kingdoms. The issue wasn’t necessarily Rome but the dark powers in the world that prompted evil. The indication of this type of Messiahship was his next statement that he must go to Jerusalem and die. A true Jewish Messiah went to Jerusalem to fight with Rome and take control of the Temple, not die on a Roman cross. Peter however, as with the others, didn’t understand. If Jesus was the Messiah, to Jerusalem they would go but for Jesus to die would indicated he was a failed Messiah not a victorious one. They must not understand clearly enough Jesus’ plan of the revolution and that is part of the irony.

V1 Six days later Jesus went up a mountain. Remember when Moses went up Mt Sinai and after six days God started to speak to him? Do we have a new Moses? He had only taken three of the disciples to witness this.

V2 Jesus became transfigured before them. He shone brightly, with his face like the sun. Remember when Moses had come down from Sinai and his face shone so brightly that it scared the people and he had to wear a veil? In the Old Testament the glory of God, the Shekinah (God’s presence), shone so brightly in Solomon’s Temple that no one could enter. When Jesus was born the angels and the glory of God, the Shekinah, shone around them as they announced the birth to the shepherds in the fields. Now the Shekinah is in Jesus transforming his appearance. God is with and within Jesus.

V3 Suddenly Moses and Elijah appeared and talked with Jesus. In the Old Testament Moses and Elijah, a great prophet, had both talked with God on Mt. Sinai. Now they are again on a mountain talking with the presence of God and Jesus who contains that presence. They are discussing the upcoming exodus or rescue event that Jesus will complete in Jerusalem. Remember back a few verses when Peter didn’t think Jesus should go to Jerusalem to die and told him so? This is an affirmation of that prediction. This is the kind of Messiah Jesus must be. Moses had led the first rescue event (exodus) from Egypt (evil) and now Jesus would complete this one.

V4 Peter, probably in shock at what he is seeing, starts to blurt out that he would make three dwellings. The word for dwellings here is tents. This harkens back to the exodus from Egypt when the people lived in tents in the wilderness. God, or his Shekinah, had lived in the tabernacle, a tent with the people. Now Peter would make new tents for them to live in again so God’s presence would be among them.

V5 Interestingly God cuts off Peters babbling by speaking. Can you imagine being interrupted by the voice of God? A bright cloud, in the Old Testament the presence of God, overshadowed them and a voice says “This is my Son the Beloved (from Psalm 2 a coronation of a Davidic King Psalm), with him I am well pleased (from Isaiah 42:1-2 the first servant song in Isaiah) listen to him! (from Deuteronomy 18:15 when Moses told the people a prophet better than him would one day come) So in Gods proclamation we have Jesus as a Davidic King, a servant and a new Moses. The disciples are to forgo their own agendas for this battle and listen to Jesus.

V6-8 At hearing God’s voice the disciples fell to the ground in fear. Jesus came and touched them saying “Get up and do not be afraid”. When people saw God they thought they would die. The disciples probably thought they were going to die. Jesus comforts them. They look up at him and he is standing there looking fine and alone.

V9 As they come off the mountain Jesus orders them to tell no one what they have seen until after the Son of Man has been raised from the dead. Jesus throughout the Gospels calls himself the Son of Man. This comes from Daniel 7:13 where the Son of Man, the Jewish people in Daniel, defeat the pagan nations and rule with God seated at his right hand. Jesus is stating that he is the true Israel, not the Jewish nation, and will be the one vindicated by God when God raises him from the dead. This would have really confused the disciples as they thought the resurrection would happen to all people at the end of time. How could they explain the events they had just witnessed when they had no understanding of their meaning? After Jesus’ resurrection as they reflected on these happenings the meaning would be clearer. They would understand the message he was showing them.

How often do we try to make sense out of something that is confusing to us? Maybe we need the perspective of time to understand God’s messages to us. After the resurrection the disciples started to put the pieces together. Jesus entered Jerusalem as a Messiah would. He did take control of the Temple but his message was that the Temple system was dead; it had served its time, it was full of corruption. The presence of God did not reside in the Temple but in Jesus. He was engaging in a battle, not with one pagan nation but with the evil behind all nations. His coronation ceremony consisted of him carrying a crossbeam to his death and his throne was a cross. This is not the revolution the disciples had in mind when Peter declared Jesus to be the Messiah, the Son of the living God.

Sunday January 30, 2010 Matthew 5:1-12

2011-01-26T16:28:00.002-06:00

Welcome, finally the cold seems to be gone for awhile and maybe we can get outside some to cure our cabin fever. I must confess that sometimes when I see the verses for the Sunday text I inwardly groan. How in the space of a blog will I ever explain those concepts? I actually did that for this Sunday’s text. It is the beatitudes in Matthew. We could have a blog for each one let alone condense all into one blog. I will try to hit the highlights with the understanding that each of the beatitudes goes much deeper. Jesus is in the area of the Galilee teaching, healing all afflicted and being followed by massive crowds.

V1 When Jesus saw the crowds he went up a mountain, sat down and his disciples came to him. The statement that he went up a mountain is not meant to say he tried to get away from the mass of humanity following him. In the Old Testament Moses had gone up Mount Sinai to teach the people God’s covenant and now Jesus the new Moses is doing the same with his new covenant. When a rabbi taught he sat and the students stood. Jesus is going to teach. Jesus is forming the New Israel around himself and he is instructing them on how he would have them live. If the mass of people following him wanted to belong to his community here were its guidelines. They couldn’t continue to follow him because they liked the healings, they had to decide how they were going to live.

V3 Blessed; the word blessed is not defined how we today define it. We think if we are blessed we have a lot of material things. God likes what we are doing so he gives us stuff. This isn’t Jesus’ definition. Blessed can also mean happy or be a spiritual condition of divinely gifted joy. “Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven”. This doesn’t mean that we are to become poor in spirit but that we are all beggars before God and in conscious need of God’s help. We are to be humble and seek God. This reflects back to Isaiah 66:2 where God states he will look to the humble and contrite in spirit as his people.

V4 “Blessed are those who mourn for they will be comforted”. Those who mourn and long for God’s forgiveness will be comforted. Jesus has come to bring that forgiveness which does away with mourning.

V5 “Blessed are the meek for they will inherit the earth”. The meek, the gentle, those who do not further their own agenda will inherit the earth because they trust God to direct the outcome of events. The meek humbly seek God; they don’t war against each other. This was in opposition to the idea that came out of Daniel 7 where some thought they would rule the world with God.

V6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they will be filled”. God is the source of righteousness and people who seek God will be filled as if they have eaten at a banquet. This reflects back to Isaiah 55:1-2 where God is dining with his people and providing an abundance. At God’s table there is enough for all. At the world’s table only a few can dine while many go hungry. Materialism is like that. There are a finite amount of things and only a few have them.

V7 “Blessed are the merciful for they will receive mercy”. Those who are merciful respond to human need with compassion and action, with kindness and forgiveness, they help alleviate stress. They will receive mercy from God.

V8 “Blessed are the pure in heart for they will see God”. The Jewish leaders taught the people that ritual purity was of utmost importance. They had many purity laws to follow. Jesus confronts this thought when he accuses the Pharisees of being concerned about their outward purity while their hearts were filled with impurity. It is not what goes into the mouth that makes one impure it is what comes out of the mouth from the heart that makes one impure. In other words, what goes in can’t defile you but the evil thoughts that originate in your heart and flow out of your mouth in unkind words and deeds are what defile you. To be pure in heart is to seek to do the will of God.

V9 “Blessed are the peacemakers for they will be called children of God”. These people promote the way of peace not war. This peace was shalom, a total way of being and having peace.

V10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake for theirs is the kingdom of heaven”. The prophets of the Old Testament spent part of their lives promoting righteousness as God’s message and were persecuted for it. People don’t want to hear what God has to say they just want to carry on with their own agendas and the prophets spoke out against that.

V11-12 “Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you on my account”. As the new community of Jesus we will be persecuted for our beliefs. The world didn’t want to hear what Jesus had to teach and it doesn’t want to hear what his followers have to say still. For even though we are persecuted here, we will be rewarded in heaven as were the prophets.

This teaching is difficult to adhere to. Who wants to be persecuted for their beliefs or reviled for their actions? Actually no one but we are called to bring Jesus’ message to the world and the world doesn’t want it. This teaching all runs counter culture to what the world teaches. In the world we are to be self sufficient, buck up and don’t cry, assert ourselves to be noticed, do or say whatever it takes to “close the deal”, show no mercy for that will build character, go to war to acquire for and satisfy our “needs”, don’t speak out against the establishment but go along because it’s the only way to survive and get ahead and change on a dime, be flexible, if people start to persecute us because that hurts. We each have to decide where our allegiance lies. Do we go along with the world’s way of living or do we choose Jesus’ way of living? We can’t integrate them and walk the line, we have to take a stand. We can’t follow along for the ride just to see miracles (a grand entertaining show); we have to commit to a way of life.

Sunday January 16, 2011 Evil

2011-01-13T12:55:00.001-06:00

Welcome, I’ve been mulling over a blog I read on Monday about the awful events in Arizona. The author stated that “We are so awash in the language of disorders and dysfunction that we don’t know how to talk about good and evil.” (Kevin DeYoung) We want to place blame, find the one thing that is responsible, eradicate it and move on never considering we ourselves must change too. We place labels on the behavior that is present but don’t want to admit that evil is in the world and could be behind it. We want free speech but then ignore the responsibility that comes with it, instead slinging words that hurt at each other. We have minimized in our minds that words have power and need to be used responsibly. Last evening in bible study we talked about this observation that evil hadn’t been mentioned with this horrible incident and then we went home. Some of us watched the President’s speech at the memorial service and were surprised that he was the one who finally talked about the evil that exists. Why haven’t the Christians in this country been discussing it? We are the nation with the largest number of Christians and yet we too ignore evil. Why? If we think it will go away by ignoring it the events of Tucson prove otherwise.
Yesterday Sarah Palin made comments in a press release and while I may not agree with everything she says, she does have a right to make them. Today on the noon news there was a story that she has received so many death threats from her comments that her security detail has to be revised. Why do we as a society think that if we don’t agree with statements made by people we need to threaten them with death? How about a conversation with her on how the words she chose were hurtful to others or inappropriate and in the future she needs to make better choices. Is everything that we’ve been pointing to the problem or are we ourselves the problem?
The Jewish people at the time of Jesus saw the Roman oppression of them as the problem. Rome was evil and they were its victims. If only the promised Davidic Messiah would come he would set all things right. In an oppressed society the people see the oppressor as evil and ignore the evil they themselves harbor. Their Messiah would come, begin a political revolution which would over through Rome and then rule the world with them. Their Messiah came but his message was different. He told them that they had missed the real enemy. The enemy wasn’t Rome, although Rome was oppressive, the real enemy was Satan (evil). His mission wasn’t to do battle with Rome but to do battle with “the ruler of this world”. In John 13:31, in his last public discourse Jesus says “Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be driven out.” Jesus battles Satan (evil) all through the Gospels. In voluntarily going to the cross to die, Jesus defeated Satan. We as Christians are to continue the “clean up mission” of defeating evil. We can’t get rid of it if we won’t admit it exists. This is not a license to go around calling people evil, anyone can do that, but to eradicate it through loving our enemies. In the Gospel of John, John 15:12, Jesus gives his commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you”. This commandment doesn’t replace the others but supersedes them. By following this commandment we will automatically keep the others. If we love others we will not murder them, we will not covet their partners or their things, we will honor our parents, we will put God above all else. If we love we will defeat evil. Now neither I nor you can change the whole world but we can change our families, our neighbors, our coworkers and our spheres of influence by our examples of love. We need to think about what we say and how we say it, what we do and how we do it. We need to admit our poor choice of words and behaviors to those we have hurt. We need to follow the commandment of Jesus and love others as Jesus has loved us, unconditionally. Let each Christian start their own ripple of love that will travel out from them to others and maybe together we can change the world.
This isn’t the blog I sat down to write but this is the one that came out. I urge each of us to be more introspective in the days ahead and consider who or what we can influence by our love that ripples out from each of us and maybe, just maybe the world will change.
Shalom, Kim

Sunday January 9, 2010 Matthew 3:13-17

2011-01-07T13:28:00.002-06:00

Welcome, I hope each of you had a good holiday vacation. I had my family stay with me for a few days. My niece and nephew ages 3&5 were here and if I could just have some of their energy that would be great. Our text comes from the Gospel of Matthew for Sunday. It is the baptism of Jesus. I was always kind of confused as to why Jesus had to be baptized because he was without sin so let’s find out why.

V13 Jesus came south, from Galilee, to John at Bethany beyond the Jordan River to be baptized by John. The place that John was baptizing was the same area where the Israelites had originally crossed the Jordan to enter the land of Canaan in the book of Joshua after the wilderness wanderings of 40 years. This is also symbolic of the crossing of the Red Sea when God lead the Hebrews out of Egypt in the first exodus or rescue event. Now we are having another water “crossing” for a new exodus or rescue event that is beginning to take place. All of these events would have been steeped in meaning for the people of that time of the first exodus.

V14 John realizes that Jesus is greater than him and says as much.

V15 Jesus replies that he needs to submit to this baptism as it is part of the plan of God for salvation for the human race. He is identifying with the new rescue and he is the one in whom it will be completed. He too must go through a new water “crossing” to lead the new exodus. It is an anointment of his mission. For Jesus it has nothing to do with him sinning or repenting.

V16 As Jesus is coming up out of the water the heavens are opened. The prophet Isaiah, in Isaiah 64:1 had cried to God “Oh that you would tear open the heavens and come down”. Now God is doing just that. He is descending as a Spirit in the form of a dove and landing on Jesus. This is God anointing Jesus for his reign just as the kings in the Old Testament were anointed with olive oil for their reign.

V17 A voice from heaven speaks making a statement, “This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased” which is packed with meaning. The first half-this is my son the beloved is from Psalm 2:7. That Psalm was a coronation Psalm used when a Davidic King was anointed. “My beloved” is also the meaning of the name David. So from the first half we have a Davidic King (Messiah) anointed and approved by God. The second half-with whom I am well pleased is from Isaiah 42:1-4. These verses in Isaiah are from one of the four servant songs in the book of Isaiah. So from the second half we have more information. Jesus is to be a servant. How can a king be a servant? The very definition of king means ruler so how can someone rule and serve at the same time? Kings had servants they weren’t servants. In the person of Jesus we have two opposite ideas merging. We have a king (messiah) that is going to be a servant. These two opposite images confused the people of Jesus’ day and continue to confuse us today. He is still a stumbling stone.
The answer is in the type of kingdom Jesus ruled. It isn’t like the worldly kingdoms where leaders rule with power from over the people but rather God’s kingdom where leaders rule with power from underneath the people by loving and serving them. It is a kingdom not of this world but in this world as Jesus told Pilate. It is the kind of kingdom Jesus lived out as he traveled among the people throughout the land. Jesus didn’t lord his power over them condemning them, instead he loved them, forgave them, healed them, ate with them and lived with them teaching them the type of kingdom he was bringing in. He still does that today if we will just listen to him. By emptying himself of all power and allowing himself to be crucified he rules with God today. So our decision that we have to make is will we follow a different kind of powerful king who serves or will we follow a king who rules over us with power in this world? This is the dilemma that confronts us and to which we each must make a decision, which King will we follow?

Sunday December 12, 2010 Matthew 11: 2-11

2010-12-07T12:47:00.002-06:00

Advent: the coming or arrival of something extremely important, approach, coming. This is the definition of Advent that I found. We use the definition; waiting. We are waiting for something extremely important. It occurs during the darkest time of the year for us, December, with the shortest days. This is symbolic because into that darkness comes a great light; the birth of a child. The people of Israel were waiting for something extremely important too. They were waiting for the Messiah, their King, who would free them from oppression, subdue their enemies and eventually rule the known world with them. They had been waiting for this for hundreds of years; a word from God that this was that man, that Messiah, that Anointed One. And yet, God was silent. A Messiah hadn’t come to save them. The Romans now ruled them after years of other empires being their overlords. When would God hear their cries and rescue them like He had from Egypt; like he had, sort of, from Babylon? When they returned from Babylon they thought this was it, God was now freeing them from exile. But, they returned to ruin, no king of their own and oppression in their own land. When would God hear them and act? They had the Torah that God had given them. It instructed them on how to live within Gods community and they tried to follow it precisely. But yet, no matter how carefully they followed it, no Messiah came.
One day a man came from the wilderness to the river Jordan. He was dressed like some of their old prophets, especially Elijah. He lived on bugs and honey. He spoke words that God’s kingdom was finally coming and they needed to get ready for it. To do this they needed to repent, turn, from their old ways of relating to God and start in a new direction. He told them they needed to be baptized in that river. This was foreign to them as Jews weren’t baptized, only gentiles wishing to join their Jewish community were. But they did it; it seemed right and good to do. There was a feeling in the air, something was happening, but what? This prophet named John pointed to a coming man who would be great, even greater than he. John identified this man as Jesus who was bringing God’s Kingdom to them. If a man was bringing the Kingdom of God to them he must be the Messiah they had been waiting for. The people listened to Jesus’ teaching, followed him throughout the land and watched him heal people. They couldn’t figure out if he was the Messiah or not. He seemed like the Messiah but he wasn’t doing what they had expected of their Messiah. If their Messiah was to raise up an army to fight against their oppression when would he start? This man spoke of servanthood. This man ate with the worst sinners in the land, what Messiah would do that? Why eat with the worst when he could live with the best. And so there is confusion; is he or isn’t he.
John had introduced this man as God’s chosen one but John was now sitting in Herod’s prison. John waited. John began to have doubts.

V2 John sent his disciples to Jesus after hearing what Jesus was doing.

V3 Are you the one who is to come? Are you the Messiah we have waited hundreds of years for? Maybe we need to wait for someone else. After all if you are the long awaited for Messiah why am I in prison? Why hasn’t the revolution started?

V4-5 Jesus responded to the disciples of John by telling them to return to John and tell him what they have heard and seen Jesus do. The blind, the lame, the lepers and the deaf are being healed. The poor are having good news brought to them. In other words “remember John what the prophet Isaiah said would happen when Messiah came? Remember Isaiah 35:4-6? This is happening now through me.”

V6 Jesus then added “blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me.” Jesus is saying to John using other words “think it through John; you know the scriptures as well as me. You know what the prophets told of. However, I may not act like everyone was expecting me to. That doesn’t mean I am not the Messiah. I am doing the Messianic works but my mission is different from what everyone expected.”

V7 The disciples of John left to take this message back to John. Jesus then spoke to the crowds who had been listening to this exchange. What had they gone into the wilderness at the Jordan to see? “A reed shaken by the wind?” Their money had images of reeds on it because they couldn’t put people on the coins. Who minted the money: the Herod’s. Did you go out to the Jordan to see wealth?

V8 “Did you go out to see someone dressed in soft robes?” The ruling class dressed in the softest robes. Did you go out to the Jordan to see and become a part of the ruling class, the powerful? Remember, John wasn’t dressed in soft robes.

V9 “What then did you go out there for?” You went to see a prophet. You went to hear God speak through this prophet. But, John is more than a prophet. A prophet spoke of the people breaking their covenant with God. John was introducing the Messiah.

V10 Remember what the prophet Malachi spoke of? (Mal 3:1) God would send a messenger before the Messiah to prepare the people for his arrival? Remember Malachi spoke of Elijah coming before the Messiah. Think about it; was not John reminiscent of Elijah? Did he not dress as Elijah had and speak like a prophet?

V11 Jesus remarked John’s mission was greater than a prophet. “He was announcing the fulfillment of your long awaited dream; Messiah is coming! What the scriptures have pointed to is finally here! But John is still in the tradition of the Hebrew Scriptures (the Old Testament) and what is coming is so new, so radical that even the least in this new kingdom is greater than John.” John was the close of the Old Testament way of relating to God. Jesus brought in a new understanding of God and restored the broken relationship with Him. We in this New Kingdom are greater than John not because of our merits but because we have had the opportunity to know Jesus, to follow Him and listen to His teaching.

We are called to a decision; was Jesus the Messiah or wasn’t he? Even John the Baptist wrestled with this. He seems to be but He isn’t acting like we expected Him to. We are in a time of waiting and contemplating but we need to decide. We can only sit on the fence for so long before we have to get off on one side or the other. Which side are you getting off on? Was the child laying in that manger the Messiah or not?

Sunday December 5, 2010 Matthew 3:1-12

2010-11-30T15:43:00.002-06:00

Greetings, I hope all of you had a nice Thanksgiving. It was fun to gather with friends and family on Thursday at my sisters. Of course we had to do a little shopping on Friday but didn’t do the early black Friday shopping. Our text for Sunday is in the third chapter of Matthew. We will discover John the Baptist’s message for the people of that time.

V1 John appears in the wilderness of Judah. The wilderness was a place of expectation and contemplation. John has been in the wilderness listening to God. He is living like a prophet from the Old Testament who would live outside of the boundaries of society due to the nation’s apostasy. The interesting thing is that John has descended from a line of Levitical priests. His father Zechariah was a priest in the Temple and his mother had descended from Aaron the first priest. Why was this priestly figure out in the wilderness and not in the Temple?

V2 John is proclaiming the people need to repent for the kingdom of God has come. Repent means to turn and go the opposite direction. It is not always invested with emotion but can be. John is telling the people that God is bringing in His Kingdom and in order to enter it they need to change direction from where they are headed.

V3 This verse uses a quote from Isaiah 40:3. In Isaiah the prophet is telling the Israelites who have been in Exile in Babylon that God is now rescuing them. God will lead them home on straight smooth roads. (But this didn’t happen when they left Babylon, the journey was rough). John is functioning in this same manner for his people. He is a herald. A herald would travel before the coming king to the villages to announce that the king was in route. This would give the villagers time to fix up the town and repair the road that the king would travel on. John is announcing (heralding) the coming king whom the people would have understood to be God. God was finally coming to rescue them from the oppression they had suffered under the Romans (pagans). Their King is visiting them and bringing His Kingdom so be prepared. A new exodus (rescue) is about to begin. John is reenacting the Exodus. The people of that day would have recognized and understood all of this imagery right away.

V4 John is dressed, not like a temple priest, but in a similar manner to an Old Testament prophet named Elijah. The prophet Malachi had spoken of Elijah returning to announce the coming new Messiah (King) who would throw off their pagan oppressors and rule with the world with them from Jerusalem. The people were waiting for the actual Elijah to return. John is acting in the image of Elijah.

V5 The people of Jerusalem and all Judah were going out to John at the river Jordan. This is amazing that the people were leaving Jerusalem where the Temple was and going out to a prophet by a river to listen to him. After all God dwelt in the Temple in Jerusalem and all of the learned people, the Pharisees and Sadducees, were in Jerusalem.

V6 Not only are the people going out to listen to John but they are being baptized by him in the river. This is shocking because Jewish people weren’t baptized; only Gentiles were when converting to Judaism. This baptism is also exodus themed. When the people had entered the land the first time after being rescued (first exodus from Egypt) they had to cross the Jordan River. Now they are “crossing” again by submitting to baptism and this is occurring in approximately the same location as the first water crossing. The sins they are confessing probably aren’t personal sins as we would think of them. The sins are more than likely national sins, the breaking of the Sinai covenant. Now they had paid the penalty for that broken covenant in God’s eyes and he was returning the rule of their land back to them. The people were taught that they weren’t fallen (sinful) but flawed and could reestablish a right relationship with God by following the Torah.

V7 John noticed the religious leaders coming to the river too. They were probably coming to investigate John and his teaching. A priestly man was bypassing the Temple system, that they supported, and offering a way for forgiveness of sins without sacrifice in the Temple. This wasn’t to be! One always had to sacrifice in the Temple for forgiveness of sins. John questions them harshly and asked why they had come. Were they trying to get out of the judgment to come when God would bring in his Kingdom? They were the same leaders who had taught that when God came he would bring judgment.

V8 John tells them to live lives (bear fruit) worthy of this turn of direction (repentance). He actually really condemned them by calling them a brood of vipers. That would literally be the offspring of snakes.

V9 John again spoke to the leaders and told them not to rely on the fact that they were descendants of Abraham. Their genetic link wasn’t going to save them from Gods judgment. The religious leaders had taught that because of their link to Abraham the Jewish people would be saved from judgment while the pagans (gentiles) would be judged harshly. John is telling them that they too will be under judgment for the way they have lived. Even their faith alone wasn’t good enough it was their actions that God noticed. God can make stones be relatives of Abraham.

V10 God’s ax is at the root of the tree waiting to chop it down if it doesn’t produce fruit. A fruit tree that doesn’t produce fruit isn’t good for anything and may as well be used for firewood. Another tree will be planted in its place that will bear fruit. In the Old Testament trees sometimes symbolized the nation of Israel. If Israel doesn’t produce God will chop it down.

V11 John used water to symbolize this repentance and change of life for the people. Now he speaks of another one coming that will go beyond him and baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire. This person is so much greater than John that John isn’t even worthy to carry his sandals. Carrying sandals was the job of a gentile slave. It was one of the lowest jobs known. John is claiming to have the status of a gentile slave to this coming one.

V12 This coming one will separate the good fruit from the chaff (waste, nonproducing). The producers of fruit will be stored in the granary but the useless chaff will be burned.

John is announcing, or heralding, the coming of the new Messiah; Jesus. When Jesus comes there will be a judgment of who bears fruit for his Kingdom and who doesn’t. Although we don’t see Jesus judging the people harshly we do see him making judgments about the people he encounters. Since he is interacting with the Jewish people at that time they are being judged by their reaction to him. Do they believe in what he says and who he is? We too are under judgment. Do we believe who Jesus tells us he is? Do we act on that belief or just sit waiting for him to reappear? I like to think of faith as an action verb. To have faith or belief in Jesus calls us to action in this world. It isn’t about waiting patiently for Jesus to reappear while just believing but it is the actions we are doing in his name now. What fruit do you bear?

Sunday November 21, 2010 Matthew 24:36-44

2010-11-26T15:47:00.002-06:00

Welcome, I would like to thank all who commented on last week’s blog. I was fun to hear from you and your thoughts on the topic. Thanks for taking the time to read and respond. On Sunday I was too busy to watch the Vikings spiral out of control and loose. What a sad change of a team from last year. This week we will gather, weather willing, with friends and family to celebrate Thanksgiving. I hope each of you have a good time and good food. Our new lectionary year is starting with this Sunday, the first Sunday in Advent. We will spend this next year in the Gospel of Mathew. Even though it is Advent the text for Sunday comes from later in the Gospel of Matthew and isn’t yet the story of the birth of Jesus. In Sunday’s text Jesus and his disciples have been in the Temple while Jesus was teaching. This is taking place during the last week of Jesus’ life. He is leaving the Temple for the last time and will be crucified by Friday of that week. He and his disciples had crossed over the Kidron Valley and were sitting on the Mount of Olives looking back at the Temple. His disciples had commented on how beautiful the Temple building was. And it was truly beautiful. Just one of the massive building stones was 42ft by 13ft by 3ft. All the blocks were cut at the quarry and hauled to the Temple site. There was no mortar used in the building. It is all held together by gravity. During the building of the Temple, the site was to remain quiet, no construction noise. As they were leaving and commenting on the Temple Jesus told them that it would all be destroyed. (And it was by the Romans in 70AD). In our text for Sunday they are questioning Jesus as to when this will happen.

V36 In these verses Jesus is both talking about the destruction of the Temple and about His own reappearing at the end of time. He is interweaving both events. He cannot tell them the exact time as His Father hasn’t revealed it to Him. Even thought Jesus and God are one, God had not revealed all to Jesus as far as exact timing of events.

V37 Jesus then uses the example of Noah. Noah had told the people about God’s coming flood and they didn’t believe him. Noah spent years building the ark, more than enough time for the people to notice and take heed. Instead the people ridiculed Noah and didn’t interrupt their lives. They carried on with day to day life eating, drinking, and marriage and missed the huge sign at the edge of town – the ark. Even when Noah entered the ark they took no notice.

V38 They paid no attention to Noah until the flood came and swept them away. Jesus tells the disciples the same thing will happen again to the present time. People will ignore the signs of the coming destruction of the Temple and they will ignore the signs of His return.

V40-41 Two people will be working in a field one will be taken and one will be left. (Men worked in the fields). Two women will be grinding meal one will be taken and one left. (Women will be affected too). These verses have been used by authors to promote a rapture [where the righteous people will be taken up into the clouds to be with Jesus while those “left behind” (wink), the unrighteous, will be in torment]. Jesus is not describing the rapture here. Jesus never talked about a rapture. That idea came much later in history. Jesus is referring back to Noah where a few people, Noah’s family, was saved due to their belief in what God told them about a flood, saw the signs God was providing and acted on the information by building an ark. Just as a remnant, Noah’s family, was saved so too will a remnant be saved now by their careful observance of the coming signs.

V42 Jesus tells the disciples to keep awake, be watchful, and pay attention to what is happening. In other words notice when people are revolting against Rome and soldiers are starting to gather, trouble is brewing. Keep awake too for Jesus’ return. Watch for the signs, pay attention.

V43 If a homeowner knew at what time the thief was going to break into his house he would stay awake waiting. If the thief was kind enough to send an email to notify the homeowner he could plan for the event and be ready. But guess what, thieves don’t do that. They use the element of surprise so we must protect our homes at all times.

V44 Jesus compares a homeowner who is vigilant against thieves to his disciples, and us, who must be on the watch and aware at all times for his return. We are not to be complacent assuming we have time to prepare, but rather prepare now! As we protect our homes from an unknown thief, so we are to be ready for His return. He is coming at an unexpected hour.

I think that we as Christians play the procrastination game just like everyone else. We have time to do that “Christian” thing later. After all Jesus hasn’t returned for 2000 years, we’ve got some time. We can’t imagine we will see it in our life time. But, what if we do? What if we aren’t ready? It’s too late to ask for more time when He is here. He is giving us a “heads up”. Be ready! Don’t concern yourselves with figuring out when it will happen, don’t pour over the book of Revelation looking for clues but live like it could happen any minute. Don’t waste time looking for clues in world events, empires will come and empires will go, do God’s work in the world. Believe what God has revealed to us, Jesus was His Son and took our punishment for our sin. He came to show us how to live and restore our relationship to God. Just like a thief who breaks into our house unexpectedly, Jesus will return without notice.

Sunday, November 21, 2010 Luke 23:33-43

2010-11-19T13:12:00.002-06:00

Welcome, This Sunday is called Christ the King Sunday. The text readings illustrate to us that Jesus was the Messiah they had waited for. He was the Jewish King but most of the people missed it. The people at the foot of the cross in the crucifixion scene in our text for Sunday face a pivotal question: Was Jesus the Messiah? The leaders and Romans mock Him with the title but was it ironically true? We had "breaking" news this week with the announcement that Prince William was finally engaged. If succession happens in England Prince William will one day be King. Many people will tune in to watch this unfold - where will the wedding be held, who will design the dress and all of the other things that accompany a royal wedding. What if we treated Jesus, our King, that way? What if we watched and clamered over his every move? What if we just couldn't get enough of him? We spend more time watching and wondering about an earthly king to be than we spend on the True King.
Another pivotal event will happen in the sports world on Sunday - the Vikings will play the Packers. The dome will be packed with people wearing their team colors and cheering. It's a wild time, I've been there. But, what if we treated worship of God like we treat worship of the football team? Would we pay several hundred dollars a seat, for the good seats, to worship Him? Would we pay 20-30 dollars just to park our cars? Would we come early just to partake of the excitment? Would we be riveted to our seats for the sermon like we are when the game is close? What if we cheered wildly when prayer was made? Would we give as much in the offering plate as we spend on food and beer during the game? I have sat in the dome during a game and wondered just those things on a Sunday morning.
Don't get me wrong I enjoy watching the preparation for a royal wedding and I enjoy attending a Vikings game (if they are winning at all) but I too get caught up in the worldly events and become more excited about them than I do about how God is working in this world. I encourage you to think about this - who or what do you give your time, commitment and excitement to? Where you spend the most time is where your heart is. Where is your time spent?

Sunday November 14, 2010

2010-11-10T13:46:00.002-06:00

Welcome, again I have a busy week and will not be able to write a commentary. I am going to reprint a portion from the notes I receive when I attend Harry Wendt’s monthly class. I recommend that you click on the link on the left side of this blog to get a complete copy of the notes for yourself. They are very interesting and worthwhile. You also have the option of listening to the podcast of the class I attend where Harry goes into more depth with the text.

This Sunday is “stewardship” Sunday. Webster’s defines Stewardship “as careful and responsible management of something entrusted to one’s care”. It is interesting that the definition doesn’t mention money specifically. Jesus taught that everything belongs to God. He created it and He owns it ALL. We own nothing, we created nothing, we use what God created. God has entrusted the use of His resources (creation) into our care, he didn’t give them to us to own but rather we are God’s stewards (managers). He has given us money to use; it is not ours to hang onto with iron fists. When we make a pledge on this Sunday it isn’t about giving God a portion of our money but it is actually returning to God what he owns already and has lent to us to manage. We are called to manage and share His resources with our brothers and sisters in our kingdom families and even those outside of the kingdom so that they may know God’s love for them too. When we change our views of our money to one of God’s resources it changes our perceptions of it and we can loosen our grip on it. Money is a tool for us to use to further God’s Kingdom.

The following was authored by Harry Wendt:

Let’s give thought to some of the powerful insights within Luke’s larger narrative.

1. We mere humans live on a planet that God made and owns, and reside in bodies that God lends us. We are never owners; we are only users of Another’s property.
2. Earthly systems see “being blessed” in terms of what people (supposedly) possess and enjoy. However, those who belong to Jesus’ Kingdom are to measure “being blessed” in terms of reflecting Jesus’ servant lifestyle.
3. Those who devote life to making known Jesus’ real message and will for humanity cannot expect immediate applause. However, the Spirit seeks to uses our words and witness to transform opponents of Jesus into advocates for Jesus.
4. Throughout life, we are to forgive other people for what they are and work at helping them become what God wants.
5. Jesus does not call His followers to focus merely on the life to come. He calls them to live the heavenly lifestyle this side of heaven.
6. If we who carry out Jesus’ ministry do so to seek the applause of others, we invalidate our ministry. We are to seek only the smiling approval of Jesus.
7. We live in a troubled and confused world. The only hope for humanity is to focus on understanding, sharing, and living the radical message of Jesus in relation to the Kingdom of God.
8. It is possible that “the good old days” may never return to Planet Earth prior to our Lord’s reappearing. No matter! What we possess does not matter. Whom we reflect does. At all times, we are to seek to live simply (as did Jesus), so that others might simply live. Sad to say, although God has provided abundantly for the needs of humanity, humanity has not shared compassionately what God has provided.
9. Throughout life, our prayer must be, “Thy will, not my will, be done on earth as it is done in heaven. Empower me to know and do that will.”
10. Thank God that we know His plan for time and eternity! Because we know it, we can live with meaning and in peace, and bid farewell to life in this world with sure hope and true joy.

Sunday November 7, 2010

2010-11-01T21:37:00.002-05:00

Welcome, my daughter was confirmed on Sunday and we had a nice day with family over to celebrate it. The bad news is that I will be too busy with the call committee to write a commentary this week. I would invite you to go to the left side of this blog and click on the link to Crossways where you will find a podcast to listen to for Sunday and a print out of the podcast in a pfd file. I urge you to take advantage of this as Harry Wendt does a great job of uncovering the meaning for each text. The other thing I would like to do is reprint here a section of the notes that Harry wrote for November. So many people worry about getting themselves into heaven. Please read Harry’s notes and be comforted by them.

What things should we focus on when helping people deal with their mortality, the approach of death, and certainty about “making it into heaven”?

* God already loves us and has forgiven us. Jesus’ brothers and sisters are already citizens of God’s Eternal Kingdom.
* We can do nothing to persuade God to forgive us. He already has. We are to rely on God’s promises–not our achievements.
* God does not ask us to work hard at earning His acceptance. He asks us to rejoice in the fact that He has already forgiven and accepted us.
* In Matthew 25:31-36, Jesus points out that His people will experience a “Welcome Home!” on that Last Day. They will not be subjected to an investigation to determine whether or not they have done enough good deeds to merit entry into heaven.
* In Matthew 25:31-46, Jesus points out that on that Last Day:

* He will welcome those blessed by His Father;

* Those whom He welcomes will enter a Kingdom
prepared for them since the beginning of time;

* They will inherit entry God’s Eternal Home; they will not
merit it.

In short, throughout life we Christians are to seek to live now as we shall then.

All material (unless otherwise noted) © H.N. Wendt 2010
Crossways International * Minneapolis, MN 55435 USA * 1.800.257.7308 *

Please take some time to reflect on what God has done for us by grace.

Sunday October 31,2010 Reformation Sunday

2010-10-25T17:56:00.002-05:00

I am writing to let you know that I will not be doing a commentary for this week. I have meetings tonight, meetings on Wed and my daughter will be confirmed on Sunday. Obviously I need time to clean the house and make some lunch for our guests. Thank you for your understanding and I will try to be back next week. Kim

Sunday October 24, 2010 Luke 18:9-14

2010-10-19T15:11:00.001-05:00

Welcome, we have a short school week this week and I am looking forward to it as much as my daughter is. It’s just nice to break the routine once in a while. I know that Crown of Glory is using a different sermon series now so maybe you would like to use this as a weekly bible study until they resume using the lectionary. Last week we discovered that we are to pray persistently and God who loves us will hear our prayers. This week we continue with prayer but we are to examine our attitude in prayer-the way we pray.

First some background information. Two times a day the sacrifice of a lamb was made in the Temple for the sins of the people, at about 9AM and 3PM. Immediately after the lamb was sacrificed on the outside alter a priest would enter the Holy place and place incense on the burning coals of the inside alter in the Holy place. Smoke would rise up from the inside alter and the people worshiping outside would see it ascend to the heavens. At that time they would offer up individual prayers for themselves, realizing that the way to God had been opened by the sacrifice, knowing the smoke would guide their prayers to God.

Pharisees were the keepers of the Torah (first five books of the Bible) or instruction on how to live including the 613 law codes. Ritual purity was all important to them. One of the ways they maintained this purity was strict observance of the dietary food laws and restrictions on who to eat with. This is way Jesus eating with sinners drove them crazy. The Essenses (the Dead Sea scrolls) who also believed in strict purity had removed themselves altogether and lived in Qumran by the Dead Sea. The Pharisees always tried to maintain distance (separation) between themselves and others (the people of the land or the common Jewish people) so as not to become defiled. They actually looked at the lower class Jews as those lost and not able to go to heaven because they didn’t spend their lives in study.

Tax collectors were hated!! They were most often Jewish men who had purchased their right from Rome to collect taxes for Rome. They had to collect the amount Rome wanted and then tacked on more “taxes” for their own salaries. They lived somewhat lavish lives by bleeding the poor Jewish people of their money. They were seen as collaborators with Rome and people don’t think very highly of collaborators. Zacchaeus was a tax collector as was Matthew one of the disciples. Imagine that, Jesus called a hated tax collector to be one of his disciples.

V9 Jesus now tells a parable about people who think they are righteous and don’t think highly of others.

V10 Two men, a Pharisee and a tax collector (note the order of who is mentioned first), went to the Temple to pray. We are not told the time but it was either 9AM or 3PM.

V11 The Pharisee stood somewhat off by himself as not to risk accidental contact with someone who would defile him, even a lower class Jewish person. He starts his prayer thanking God but it is for not making him the things he despises. In reality he is not thanking God at all for anything but using the opportunity to list the things he looks down upon. He is speaking out loud so the tax collector can hear him offering unsolicited advice. Note he lists thieves and rogues (what they thought of tax collectors) then adulterers (to insinuate more then he actually knew about the man) and finally tax collectors.

V12 The Pharisee then lists all of his own attributes, he fasts twice a week (they were only to fast once a year on the Day of Atonement) and he gives a tenth of everything he has (they were told only to tithe grain, wine and oil) he is so righteous in his own eyes that he goes beyond what God has asked and lists them off for God to make note of. He doesn’t feel he needs the atonement that the lamb is making for him.

V13 The tax collector is standing far off. “Far off” has a significant meaning. The lost were “far off” and the gentiles were thought of as “far off”. If you were “far off” you were thought to be lost to God. God would take no note of you. He only noticed his “children” whom he kept close. The tax collector doesn’t feel worthy enough to get close to the Holy of Holies in the Temple where they thought God resided so he is standing at a distance but still close enough to the Pharisee to hear him. He felt so unworthy that he wouldn’t even look up and kept beating his chest saying (literally in Greek) “God make atonement for me!” for he knew he was a sinner. He had watched the sacrifice of the lamb which was to make atonement for all the people and open the way to God by covering their sins but he asks God to make atonement for him personally. His sins are so bad in his own eyes that he realizes he needs atonement for himself. He beat his chest, where his heart is, to express extreme anguish.

V14 Jesus then says that this man (the tax collector) went home justified (accepted by God) rather than the other (note the order now who is mentioned first and that the Pharisee isn’t even named but called “the other”) The tax collector realized his own sinfulness and asked for forgiveness, he wasn’t focused on anyone else’s sin who was present, like the Pharisee was. For all who raise themselves up on their own merits (exalt themselves) will be humbled (brought low) for they have received what they wanted – recognition in this world. All who humble themselves (work for God quietly without boasting about it) will be elevated by God when they enter His Kingdom.

When we pray we are not to remind God how bad other people are but admit to God how filthy we ourselves are. We are to confess what we have left undone and the wrongs we have committed. Something interesting happened to me as I was studying for this parable. I was doing it last night while kind of listening to the nightly news. Then, as I was studying, some statements made on the news by a Catholic priest about the homosexual DVD caught my ear. He was stating that the Catholic Church wasn’t attacking homosexuals with the DVD but just pointing out what the Bible says about it. Really? It sounded to me like the Pharisee pointing out to the tax collector the error of his ways, how bad he was, and exulting himself. Do we really need to point out to others how bad they are? How receptive are we when people do this to us? Do we say a cheerful “Thank you! We’ll correct that right away so we can conform to your ideals!” If you are self righteous, declaring yourself righteous (right all the time while humiliating and despising others) then God will humble you. Only God can make you righteous (granting you acceptance in his presence, something he gives to you and can’t be earned) by our humble admittance that we are unworthy. Our prayer needs to consist of; confession of our own sin, thanks for the bounty received as a gift and petitions for one’s self and others. So, whose faults do you point out to God by your prayer, your own or other peoples?

Sunday October 17, 2010 Luke 18:1-8

2010-10-11T16:23:00.002-05:00

Welcome, it’s been awhile since I’ve last blogged. Things have been very busy for me and I haven’t been able to find the time. I am on the Call Committee for the church and that is taking up a tremendous amount of my time along with two Bible studies and my husband traveling for work for the last 5 weeks. So there you have it ….my excuses. I will try to do better although I might be sporadic until my duties on the Call Committee are over. Please bear with me on this.

The previous gospel studies have been on the parables in Luke. Harry Wendt has a great study on some of these parables and their meanings as does Kenneth Bailey in his book “Jesus through Middle Eastern Eyes”. Either study dives deep into the meaning of the parables explaining them for us to understand. Sunday’s text is on the parable in Luke 18. Jesus’ audience is his disciples. Jesus is giving them an example to follow about how to pray.

V2 In a city was a judge that neither believed in God nor respected people. Apparently this judge was only out for himself.

V2 In that city a widow kept coming to the judge asking for “justice” against her opponent. This is key-a widow. A widow at the time of Jesus needed male family members to protect her. Normally a widow would not go to a judge for a ruling but a male member of her family would go for her. This widow has no one and must go herself if she wants justice. Unfortunately this judge cares for no one not even a defenseless widow.

V4-5 The judge refuses to grant her justice. This indicates that he is probably taking a bribe from her opponent to rule favorable for them. This did happen in Jesus’ day as it does today. (Doesn’t anything ever change? Two thousand years and we are still doing the same thing.) Later the judge says to himself that even though he has basically no respect for anyone he will grant her justice because she is wearing him out by her continual coming. In that day there weren’t court rooms like today but the two parties appeared before a judge, each stated their case and whoever was more persuasive won. This woman kept coming and shouting at the judge for justice. She was allowed to shout at him but could not physically harm him. Women in the Middle East are granted more leniencies when dealing with authority in a situation when men would be killed for doing the same thing. He is getting tired of her shouting at him day after day so he relents.

V6-7 Jesus tells his disciples to note what the judge said about the determination of the widow in contrast to what God says about his chosen ones. If this corrupt judge will finally grant the widow justice because of her pure tenacity will not God in heaven who loves you grant you justice and hear you? We don’t need to wear God out by shouting at him day after day; he loves us and listens to us.

V8 God, who is always just and listening to us, will hear our prayers. But, there is a caveat. We can’t understand why God doesn’t answer our prayers. Many people use this as the reason why they don’t believe in God. However the problem is us and our prayer. How do we pray? Do we pray to give God a laundry list of our needs and wants or do we pray that God’s will be done on earth? I assume that a lot of us have determined that God’s will for our lives resembles our list of wants and needs. As much as I’d like to think this; it isn’t so. God’s will for our lives looks nothing like our lists for ourselves. As we parents know what is best for our children before they are able to discern this for themselves so does God know what’s best for us. We don’t know everything. Just listen to the Garth Brooks song where he thanks God for unanswered prayer and wasn’t able to marry his high school sweetheart. This is a simple example but in some ways a profound one. How many times have each of us looked back and thanked God for unanswered prayers that we desperately prayed for. We need to pray with the mind of Jesus. What is best for the Father to give us to complete His mission, and ours, on earth? We need to give up our list and say Father we want your will to be done even if we don’t like it. This is a hard idea to let go of, we aren’t in control. Jesus then remarks “when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” So I ask you will Jesus find faith on earth when he returns or will we still be trying to manipulate God through prayer to get our agenda through?

Sunday August 29, 2010 Luke 14:1, 7-14

2010-08-25T15:18:00.001-05:00

Welcome, what a nice day, no humidity and cool. A hint of fall is starting with these cool days. Our text for Sunday is still in Luke. Last week we were in chapter 13 and now we skip to chapter 14.

V1 Jesus is eating at the house of a Pharisee and they are watching him closely. It is the Sabbath and he has been breaking the Sabbaths so they watch him to see what he will do. Apparently the Pharisee had invited a sick person to the meal also in the following verses. It was a set up. They wanted to trap Jesus again breaking a Sabbath by healing him. Of course Jesus does heal the man which adds fuel to the Pharisee fire. How they can keep focusing on rules and not be amazed by the healing is beyond me.

V7 Jesus took note of how the invited guests would grab the best places at the table first. This was typical behavior at meals. Each person felt they were very important and others needed to notice this so they would sit in the most honorable seats first.

V8-9 He teaches them about humbleness. When invited to a meal do not assume that you are the most important guest and take the most honored seat. You may be asked to move to a lesser seat because you have assumed too much importance for yourself and the host has others he wants to honor more than you. It would be shaming to be asked to give up the seat of honor you took for yourself and move to a lesser one.

V10 Instead of assuming you are important and want everyone to notice you, take a lesser seat and if the host sees you and wants you to be in a more honorable position he will move you up in front of the other guests and everyone else will notice how the host has honored you.

V11 All who exalt themselves (blow their own horns-brag about themselves) will be humbled but those who humble themselves (give others the credit-deflect attention from themselves) will be exalted.

V12-13 Jesus now talks to the Pharisee who had invited him. He says instead of giving a party and inviting your friends who will return the favor, give a party and invite those who have no means of returning the favor.

V14 You will be blessed because you have done this out of the kindness of your heart and not for repayment. Your payment will be at the resurrection of the righteous. In other words don’t neglect those in need while you feast with those who will reciprocate by doing something for us. Provide for more people than just your circle of friends.

In effect, Jesus is teaching them that if they want God to notice them because of their deeds of honor; forget it. God knows already ones good deeds; we don’t need to advertise it. If we insist on getting the attention of people for what we do then God will not take note of our deeds because we have gotten what we wanted-mans approval. If we go quietly about our business doing good for others and not plying for notice, God will take notice and reward our actions in heaven. This is all about a person’s goal-to be noticed by men and bragged about or to work quietly and be noticed by God. Who do we want to notice us?

Sunday August 22, 2010 Luke 13:10-17

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Greetings, I hope all are enjoying their last vacation days of summer before school starts. I know many collages are starting in the next week. Our text for Sunday is again in Luke.

V10-11 Jesus is teaching in a Synagogue on the Sabbath. A woman has come who probably is well known in the community. She has been crippled (bound) for 18 years by a disease that has bent her over. This must have been terrible uncomfortable for her.

V12-13 Jesus sees her and called over to her “Woman you are set free from your ailment.” The word used for “set free” is literally “untied”. He laid his hands on her and she was healed and able to stand up straight for the first time in 18 years. She began to praise God (not Jesus) for her healing.

V14 The leader of the synagogue became upset that Jesus had healed on the Sabbath. Healing was work and no work was to be done on the Sabbath. Jesus has broken this oral tradition set forth by the elders. The people in attendance must be amazed at what they have witnessed and are probably talking about it to each other, excitedly. The leader of the synagogue kept telling the crowd that there are six days to work be cured on those days not on the Sabbath. He is trying to focus the crowd, not on the miracle, but on the law that has been broken. Instead of focusing on the healing Jesus has done he wants to keep the law.

V15 Jesus than rebukes him for his attitude calling him a hypocrite. Jesus knows that these leaders who fancy themselves keepers of the law break it and do work by untying an animal and leading it to water. They skirt the law for their own purposes but are pointing out his breach of the law in untying the woman.

V16 Jesus continues on in his rebuke by pointing out that he didn’t untie an animal but untied (unbound) a woman who is a daughter of Abraham, one of their own family. If they untie an animal isn’t untying one of their own members more important and right? Isn’t it appropriate for her to be set free on the Sabbath which is for worship and celebration of God’s reign? God is choosing to free this woman in celebration and all the leaders can do is complain about it instead of celebrating it. They are too intent on rule keeping and missing what God is doing in their synagogue. He is unbinding them from this restrictive law and the rituals they have focused on so much. They need to move beyond these laws to love as he loves us. Jesus is making the Sabbath a nonstop event, a celebration with compassion and mercy for people.

V17 His opponents were put to shame by his words and conviction of their breaking of the Sabbath. The rest of the crowd is rejoicing at all that he is doing. They are celebrating this woman’s freedom after 18 years.

So do we as a church focus on the breaking of “rules” or rejoice with mercy and compassion? There are so many events in the news recently that have Christians indignant over what they perceive to be broken “rules”; a mosque proposed to be built close to ground zero, homosexuals being allowed to officiate in the ELCA, political opinions being offered as “Christian values”. Jesus came to set us free from our self-imposed “rules” and to give us one commandment, love others as I have loved you. We are not to judge and condemn others but show them His outrageous love.

Sunday August 15, 2010 Luke 12:49-56

2010-08-12T12:29:00.001-05:00

Greetings, I am back from my vacation in Montana just outside of Red lodge. It was very beautiful camping at the base of the Beartooth Mountains’. One day we drove the scenic highway up and over the Beartooth pass to Cook City. Otherwise we hiked and relaxed. Our text for Sunday is in Luke.

V49 Jesus came to bring a refining fire to the earth. When a fire is hot enough to refine it gets rid of the waste (dross) and makes the metal pure. He is bringing a different age to the earth, not repairing the old one. This new age is so different that it cannot fit with the old one. This needs a new wineskin, it can’t be put in the old one.

V50 He brings a different baptism; one that involves in part, for him, defeating the demonic and sacrificing himself for us on a cross thereby reconciling our relationship to God. We are to enter in to this baptism with him and share in his mission of servanthood.

V51 The Jewish thought was that the Messiah would come, wage war with Rome and the world powers, defeat them and bring about a peace through domination of pagans while ruling the world with the Jewish people. Jesus didn’t come to bring this kind of top down power but came to show acceptance and welcome to all by serving them; a power up from underneath. This would be a dividing power as no one was expecting this kind of Messiah.

V52-53 This type of power he brought would divide households. The family bonds, which were the most important and intimate in that society, would be fractured. Some would embrace him and some wouldn’t. Division would be evident in families and all over in Israel.

V54-55 The people can read the signs of the weather, when it will rain or be hot.

V56 They are hypocrites because they have put more effort into reading the signs of the sky but have not understood the scriptures given to them from God. Their studying and interpretations have led to political aspirations of dominance rather than a relationship with God. They are blind to the Kingdom breaking in when they should have known and been able to interpret the signs Jesus was giving.

It’s so nice that we have hind sight and can now read all of the signs, or can we? We are still just as blind to them as the first century Jewish leaders were. We, in America, have unlimited access to Bibles but most have never read them. How will we know the signs and what Jesus taught if we never open a Bible? A 10-15 minute sermon isn’t enough time to grasp all of his teachings. This hits home for me because every evening one of my priorities is to watch the news, especially the weather. I want to know what it will be like outside tomorrow. Do I devote that much effort and time to understanding the teachings of Jesus? Is it a priority? Am I a hypocrite?

Sunday August 1, 2010 Luke 12:13-21

2010-07-28T16:53:00.002-05:00

Welcome, after yesterdays heat today is great. We are still in Luke but skipped a few verses for this Sunday. The Pharisees have been hounding Jesus for his teachings.

V13 A man came to Jesus with the request for Jesus to divide the family inheritance with him. At this time Rabbis were asked to judge on issues so this isn’t unusual except for the fact that inheritance laws were very clear in the Jewish families. The oldest son would inherit a double portion of the father’s estate. This man really had no reason to appeal to Jesus for his share but he wanted more than what he was allowed so he asked Jesus for a decision on the division of the estate. Where there is a will, dividing property, there is a war in the family.

V14 Jesus replied to the man that he wasn’t a judge for him. Jesus had come to unit people in his new community, not divide families over inheritance.

V15 Jesus then issues a warning to the crowd to be aware of their greed for life isn’t about gathering more and more stuff. People don’t need to argue in families about dividing stuff.

V16 To illustrate the point he is making Jesus tells a parable. “The land of a rich man produced abundantly.” Did the man produce? No, the land produced. Who owns the Land? God does as he created it.

V17 The man talks to himself saying “What should I do for I have no place to store my crops?” Note the man is talking to himself. In the Middle East decisions are not made alone. Communities and families make decisions. This man is alienated from everyone and has only himself to talk to. In the sentence he says “I” twice and “my” once. His understanding of life is that he has done everything needed to produce a crop except the crop hasn’t yet produced; he is planning for a future that isn’t a reality yet.

V18 He then decides to replace his current barns with new larger ones. In this sentence he says “I” three times and “my” three times. He will build new barns to store his grain and his goods. In verse 16 it is stated that he is a rich man and now he is planning on how to keep even more wealth for himself.

V19 He now continues talking to himself congratulating himself on his wise decisions to make bigger barns to store more grain so he can live the good life by eating, drinking and making merry. It’s all about him and his use of what god has provided him. There is no mention of sharing it and we know he doesn’t need it for he is rich. God made the grain seed, God owns the land and God brings the rain. God produced for the rich man, he didn’t produce for himself. So what could he have done? He could have used it to feed the hungry and help the poor.

V20 That night God is angry with him and “demands” the man’s life back. Now who will have the things he was planning on hoarding for himself? That question is left open ended and we are to think and grapple with that statement, apply it to ourselves. When we are gone who will own our stuff, the things we thought were so important to pursue and acquire. Even his life was on loan from God, he didn’t own even that.

V21 Jesus concludes with the statement that this is the outcome of hoarding wealth for themselves and ignoring God. In the constant acquisition of stuff you can lose your life.

So, a man has come with a family dispute over wanting more inheritance which means there is already a division between brothers and Jesus tells him to forget the dispute. How much does one need to be happy? Look at this man who was rich. He had no one to be with or talk with. He had no need of more but he thought he did and finally God demanded even his life from him that night. The man has a family, he needs to be reconciled to them and not fight over ownership of things.

Life isn’t about acquiring more stuff but glorifying God with what we have. We own nothing as the parable illustrates, not even our lives. When we pay for something we are paying the middle man not the originator of the item, think about where a loaf of bread originated. We didn’t create the wheat seeds, we just planted them. We didn’t make it rain and we didn’t provide the best climate for growth. We just harvested the results of what God provided. We are not here to enrich ourselves but to follow Jesus. If God has given you more than you need, share it with others who are in need. During stewardship drives in the church people get anxious because they think the church wants their money. The parable explains that it isn’t their money but rather it is stored servanthood to be shared with those less fortunate. Once we get past the hurdle that everything is mine and realize it is God’s and were are here to manage God’s gifts, letting go of it becomes a joy.

Next week I will be on vacation and will not be writing the commentary on the gospel lesson.

Sunday July 25, 2010 Luke 11:1-13

2010-07-21T13:23:00.002-05:00

Greetings, thanks to the warm days my small garden is producing. I’ve gotten quite a few green beans and my cucumbers have kicked in. Soon they will be coming out of my ears. Our text for Sunday continues on in Luke from last Sunday.

V1-4 Jesus is praying and his disciples are observing him. The disciples ask to learn how to pray just as John the Baptist had taught his followers to pray. Jesus then gives them the words to use which has become the foundation for the Lord’s Prayer. They are to honor the Father’s name and ask for his kingdom to be present on earth. They are to ask that their needs for today be met. They are to ask for forgiveness for the sins they have done and just as God will forgive their sins they too are to forgive the people that have wronged them. We cannot request that God forgive us without extending that same kind of love to those who have done wrong to us. They are to ask for protection from the evil one.

V5 Jesus then goes on to tell them an example about praying to their Father. Suppose is a mistranslation and should read “Can any of you imagine”… a friend has come to you at midnight and you have to provide the communities best for him; the best food, dishes, glasses so you start to collect these things. You wouldn’t knock at anyone’s door but you would call out to the man inside. By calling out he could recognize your voice and help you. Only a stranger knocks.

V6 In this culture honor is everything and a guest must receive the best the community has to offer. They never receive guests individually but as a community and this still goes on to day according to Ken Bailey. The guest cannot have leftovers put before him so the host must collect bread from someone who did their baking that day and has a full loaf which would be known by the community and more food than the guest can eat must be put before him. Even if the guest wasn’t hungry he must eat. To say the host had nothing to put before the guest means that he still had food just not the right kind to honor the guest.

V7 The host starts to collect the supplies and encounters a man in the community who offers up a bunch of lame excuses as to why he can’t help provide for the guest – the door is locked, the kids are asleep and I can’t get up. At this point in the story the listeners would be horrified as this is not what one does to a member of their community. This is outrageous.

V8 However, even though the man will not get up for the host, because maybe they have had a conflict and aren’t on good terms, the man will get up because his and the villages honor is at stake. Here again is a mistranslation with the word “persistence”; it should be translated “sense of honor”. The man in bed will get up and help because of his sense of honor not because the host is persistent in bothering him. The man giving the host “whatever he needs” indicated that he gave him everything for the meal. Had the man not helped the story would have been all over the village by morning as others would have heard the host calling in the night and they would shame him because he had brought shame on the village. The sleeping man acts for the sake of his reputation.

According to Ken Bailey verses 1-8 have 2 theological themes. 1. The nature of God-this said to the people; even though everything is against you the God you pray to has integrity and will not violate it and beyond this he loves you. 2. If you are confident your needs will be met by a neighbor how much more so will God meet them.

V9 After the story of upholding honor in the previous verses Jesus continues to tell the disciples to ask God for help; continue to search for help and you will find it; knock and the door will be opened.

V10 If the neighbor in the story helped the host how much more will your Father in heaven, who loves you, help you if you seek him.

V11-12 Is there anyone who would give his child something dangerous and other than what he asks for? If he wants fish you don’t give him a snake or if he wants an egg you don’t give him a scorpion.

V13 If we who are “evil” meaning sinners give our children good things how much more will our Father who is “honorable” give us the Holy Spirit to guide us. God is begging for us to come to him, he will never give anything bad if we pray in the mind and matter of Jesus. God will always listen and not make silly excuses like the sleeping man did in the parable.

I think praying is one of the most difficult things for me to do. I want to use lofty words and sentences but can’t so I sometimes just give up. I have to keep reminding myself that God doesn’t care if I use the correct words or not, he just wants me to come to him and talk with him.

Sunday July 18, 2010 Luke 10:38-42

2010-07-14T12:26:00.001-05:00

Greetings, it seems as if we are in for a stormy day with the heat and humidity. I had a nice vacation last week at the lake and have been playing catch up this week. Our text for Sunday again comes from Luke. This is still a part of Luke’s travel narrative that has Jesus traveling from Galilee to Jerusalem and his crucifixion.

V38 Jesus enters the home of a woman named Martha. We know from the other gospels that Martha, Mary and Lazarus were close friends of Jesus but we don’t know the extent of their relationship in this story. Martha welcomed him into their home. Hospitality was the pinnacle of their society. To welcome someone in meant that a bond of family was established. The host would provide for the needs of the guest from their finest things, the best accommodations, the best food etc.

V39 Her sister Mary “sat at the Lords feet”. This was outrageous in this culture. This meant that Mary was in the men’s section of the house. Houses were divided into male and female sections that were kept separate. For a woman to be in the men’s area was scandalous. To sit at the feet of Jesus meant that Mary was asking to become a disciple of Jesus, to learn from him and eventually go out and teach. Women didn’t do this! Rabbis didn’t have women disciples.

V40 Martha is distracted. We assume it is because she has been left to make all of the preparations for the visitors, which could be inconvenient for her but something else is eating at her. Her unmarried sister is breaking social taboos by sitting with the men; she has abandoned her traditional role. If word of this gets out into the village, the family will be shamed in a culture where honor is everything. Her sister will lose all prospects of marriage. So Martha devises a comment to come to Jesus with so he will send Mary back to the women’s area and hopefully no one with notice what has happened. The traditional rolls will be resumed by the women and reestablished for both men and women.

V41 Jesus, however, sees Martha’s inner turmoil and replies that he knows her concerns and distractions. He understands how this may look to outsiders but that doesn’t matter.

V42 Mary has chosen the one thing that matters, to be a disciple of Jesus and continue his teaching. Jesus has accepted her as a disciple by allowing her to sit at his feet while teaching. Mary, at risk to herself and reputation, has boldly stepped out of the social norms to chart a new path and Jesus has affirmed that decision. She has chosen the better “portion” and it isn’t food. It is the hunger of God’s word and Jesus will not stop her from seeking it.

In this story Jesus is challenging and changing the roles of men and women. He is tearing down barriers between sexes and treating all the same. If they hunger for the teachings of God they will be accepted. Since women were considered lower in this patriarchal society then men, Jesus is elevating the status of women. As you read through the gospels Jesus always is elevating the people considered the lowest in the society. If Jesus elevates people, and his message is from God, aren’t we called to do the same? Instead of oppressing groups of people aren’t we called to lift them up and give them worth? Are we scared that if we do so we will lose our position in society and maybe fall a rank or two? What if we become the minority instead of the majority? What if we lose some of our status? What if this means we lose our control over things? Isn’t this the real underlying fear for us – If we are not in control things won’t go our way? We fight so to be in control that we ignore the one who is really in control – God. When we are so focused on controlling everything around us, we miss the gifts that God wants to give us, eternal rest in him. What’s that old saying that circulated a while ago – Let go and let God. Martha got to hear this from God’s only Son. “Martha let go and let God act in your life.”

Sunday July 11, 2010

2010-07-06T19:45:00.002-05:00

Welcome, this week I am on vacation in Alexandria so I am not going to be writing my regular commentary. I am reprinting an article that Harry Wendt has handed out in our class several times. I have read this many times and the message always convicts me and causes me to stop and think: I am I believing or following?

BELIEVING IN JESUS–OR FOLLOWING JESUS

(Although what follows has been quoted in previous studies, its message reflects that of some of the pericopes analyzed above.)

Ernest Campbell, who once served as pastor of Riverside Church in New York City, wrote the following:

“It began innocently enough–a friend recommending a book by Jon Sobrino. The Salvador Jesuit blew most of my ducks out of the water. He threw a hat down on my scrabble board and messed up many of my combinations. He forced me to contend for the ground that I had claimed. The question that Jon Sobrino put to me I must share with you: ‘Are you following Jesus, or believing in Christ?’

“Plunge into the Gospels anywhere and you will likely find Jesus asking someone to follow. The Greek verb is akalo utheo. It represents a dominant motif. Why, then, do we hear so little about following Jesus in the church today? I’ve been in, with, and around the church for more than 50 years. Not when I was in the communicants’ class; not when I joined the church; not when I became a candidate for the ministry; not when I was ordained; and never in any of my services of installation. Always the questions have dealt with belief. ‘Do you believe in God–Father, Son, and Holy Spirit? Do you believe in the veracity of the Scriptures and the Westminster Confession? Do you believe in the unity and purity of the church?’

“‘Do you believe in Christ?’ It isn’t hard to answer that. What is wanted is an affirmative response to treasured propositions about the Second Person of the Trinity. But when someone asks, ‘Are you following Jesus?’, this can get to be expensive. This question has to do with my lifestyle, my attitudes, my values, my surrender.

“If I ’m following Jesus, why am I such a good insurance risk? If I’m following Jesus, why, when I have done my giving, have I so much left over for myself? If I’m following Jesus, why do my closets bulge when so many are unclothed? If I’m following Jesus, why do I have so many friends among the affluent and so few among the poor? If I’m following Jesus, why do I have so much privacy in a world that is starved for love? If I’m following Jesus, why am I tempted to overeat in a world in which so many beg for bread? If I’m following Jesus, why am I getting on so well in a world that marked Him out for death?

“Are you following Jesus or believing in Christ? Unfair, you say; the two are inseparable. Theoretically, yes, but pragmatically, no. We separate them all the time. If we must, let us err on the side of following. For one can believe without following, but one cannot follow without believing.”

Sunday July 4, 2010 Luke 10:1-11, 16-20

2010-06-30T13:13:00.001-05:00

Greetings, the fourth of July is approaching and I hope you are able to enjoy the holiday. The weather has been beautiful here but I know others are suffering from the effects of bad weather. At least we will remember that we had summer when the winds of winter blow again. Our text for Sunday is a continuation of the text from last Sunday. After explaining to the three men what discipleship was like in the previous verses Jesus continues on.

V1 Jesus appointed seventy others and sent them ahead of him. These were not the immediate twelve disciples but others that were also following him to Jerusalem. Why seventy? There are different explanations for this. The number is more symbolic than actual. In Numbers 11:16-30 Moses had appointed seventy elders to help him judge for the people. In Genesis 10 Noah is described as having seventy descendants from his sons. Sometimes the manuscript states the number seventy two instead and this could reflect that seventy two is six times the number of tribes (12). Whatever the number it is more important to reflect on what they did and all who are to hear their message.

V2 Jesus then speaks about a harvest. This is the harvest of people for the Kingdom. There are many people waiting to hear about the Kingdom of God. The laborers, the ones who know about the Kingdom, are few. They are to be these laborers harvesting the people for the Kingdom.

V3 He explains to them that they will be like lambs among wolves. Their innocence in proclaiming the word will be met with viciousness, like wolves.

V4 Travel light. Be concerned about the mission rather than their comfort.

V5-6 When they enter a house they are to bestow peace upon the house. If the people of the house are receptive they will return the peace and they will experience peace. If they aren’t receptive the peace you bestowed on the house it will return back to them.

V7-8 Remain in the house that welcomed them and don’t move from house to house looking for better accommodations and food. Eat what is provided. Don’t be picky, as was the Jewish custom, because of the food purity laws. To focus on what food you are served detracts from the message you are bringing them. You are laboring and you deserve to be paid.

V9 Cure the sick. Jesus gave them his authority to cure the sick. In Isaiah 35 the prophet states that the Messiah will heal the sick. Tell them that the Kingdom of God has come to them. The healing of the sick would point the people to the Messiah being among them. They would see the cure as a sign pointing to the Kingdom of God coming, connecting the two.

V10-11 If they entered a town and were not welcomed they were to go into the streets and wipe the dust of that town off of their sandals and coats. This was practiced by Jewish people when leaving a gentile town. They didn’t want to be defiled by even the dirt of a gentile town so they made ceremony of getting it off. Jesus is telling them that if a town rejects them treat them as if they were pagan. They are not part of God’s Kingdom because they have rejected his laborers.

V16 Whoever listens to them accepts Jesus and whoever listens to Jesus accepts God. The opposite is also true. If they are rejected, the ones rejecting them also reject those who sent them, namely Jesus and God.

V17 The seventy returned with joy as they had accomplished what he had sent them to do even to the point of the demons submitting to them with his authority.

V18 Jesus responded by saying he had watched Satan fall from heaven. So did Jesus actually see Satan fall? Maybe or maybe it was descriptive language he used to describe the success that he had observed them having. The more successful they were at spreading the word of the Kingdom the more unsuccessful Satan was at dominating the people. His Kingdom was falling while the Kingdom of God was growing and rising.

V19 Had he really given them the power to play with snakes and scorpions without being hurt? Some different religions in the southeastern United States think so and as a part of their worship they handle these reptiles thinking that if they aren’t bitten God is protecting them. I personally would not take the chance because I don’t think that is what Jesus meant. Earlier he had called them lambs among wolves, not meaning they were actual sheep among actual wolves but used descriptive language to describe what the circumstances would be like. Here too, he is using descriptive language to say they were traveling in dangerous areas but his authority was protecting them from the enemy who was like a snake or a scorpion; poisonous.

V20 They are not to rejoice in that the spirits submitted to them but to rejoice in the success that the mission had. Their success wasn’t from themselves but from Jesus and God. That is who the credit was to be given too. We can’t boast about our success when we are on a mission for God. God uses our weaknesses in success to point to himself. We accomplish things with his authority not our own.

We, as the followers of Jesus, are called to go out as laborers and proclaim the Messiah has come and he brought the Kingdom of God to us. The Kingdom is here and now, not some future destination when we die. We are to proclaim that God is taking over the world, now, for himself and if we believe, we too will have a place in it to call home. Our goal is to make heaven more crowded.

Sunday June 27, 2010 Luke 9:51-62

2010-06-23T19:35:00.001-05:00

Welcome I survived my birthday last Sunday and had a nice relaxing day. I hope you are able to enjoy our summer so far. Our Sunday texts seem to be skipping along in Luke. The Lectionary has us up to a crucial point in Luke. From Luke 9:51 to Luke 19:28 we have what is called the travel narrative. In Luke 9:51 Jesus starts to travel to Jerusalem and in Luke 19:28 he arrives. This section of Luke contains Jesus’ teachings and parables. He used parables to emphasize the points he was making in his teaching.

V51 The days are drawing near for Jesus to complete his mission in Jerusalem on a cross. He “set his face” means he was determined to go to Jerusalem. He has made his decision that it is time.

V52 He sent messengers ahead of him into Samaria to get permission for him to travel through Samaria. If one was traveling to Jerusalem from Galilee he had to get permission from the Samaritans to travel through their country.

V53 The Samaritans did not let him pass through their country because he was going to Jerusalem. Since the time of the Old Testament there had been a dispute, often nasty at times, between the Samaritans and the Jews on the proper place to worship and offer sacrifice. The Jews claimed it was Mount Zion with the Temple in Jerusalem. The Samaritans claimed it was Mount Gerizim in Samaria. If a Jew wanted to go to the Temple in Jerusalem the Samaritans, whom the Jews considered half Jewish and half Assyrian (half breeds), wouldn’t allow them to pass through their territory which was the most direct route. The Jewish people would have to travel over to the Jordan River and then down it, around Samaria, to get to Jerusalem.

V54 James and John are angry at not being allowed to pass through Samaria and want to call down fire to consume the Samaritans. This reflected 2 Kings 1:10-12 when the prophet Elijah had called down fire to consume people at that location.

V55-56 Jesus rebuked them for this suggestion. He won’t punish the Samaritans for their attitude. Remember in John he had taught the woman at the well and the villagers had asked him to stay additional days in their village to teach them. To now kill some of them would be to do the opposite of what he had taught them. So they went by another route – down the Jordan River.

V57 As they are traveling a man came up to Jesus telling him that he would follow Jesus where ever he went.

V58 Jesus replied a strange answer about Foxes having holes and birds having roosts but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head. What is he saying? He is speaking symbolically as he is being watched by the leaders and if he came out and directly said something negative he would be killed before his time. To figure out what he is saying you need to know that the Herod family was referred to as foxes. To speak about the Romans was to talk about the birds of the air because the Romans carried a pole with a metal Eagle on it ahead of them on a march. Jesus calls himself the Son of Man 82 times in the gospels. With this he is claiming to be the true Israel that will be vindicated by God. So what he is saying to the man is this: If you are looking for power like the Herod family can offer or military might like the Romans can offer don’t come to me because I, the true Israel, don’t even have a place to call my own in my own land. If you follow me you will have nothing of material value.

V59 Jesus then called another man to follow him, become his disciple. This man replied that he first had to bury his father. This is misleading because if his father were really dead he would be at home taking care of the estate. What the man is saying is: I can’t follow you until my father dies. He is still alive and until he dies I am responsible to him only. This was, and is, the typical family arrangement in the Middle East. The authority of the father is supreme.

V60 Jesus replied to him “let the dead bury their own dead” but you go proclaim the Kingdom of God. Jesus is telling the man that there are plenty of spiritually dead people that will be able to bury his father when the time comes. This man needs to realize that Jesus’ claim to him supersedes that of family; a shock to hear from someone in the Middle East. It is more important that this man proclaim the Kingdom of God than go home and wait for his father to die.

V61 A third man offers to follow Jesus but has a request that he needs to fulfill first. He needs to return home and say farewell (Greek literally means-take leave of) to his family.

V62 Again Jesus replies with a strange answer about plowing. When a person plowed he held the handle of a light plow in one hand and a stick, called a goad, in the other hand to direct his ox with. This took utter concentration to accomplish. If he took his eyes off of the land in front of him he would plow crooked or possibly break the plow. Jesus is saying that to become his disciple takes undivided attention to the task. You can’t look back at family or other things when advancing Gods Kingdom.

This was defiantly not the way to add disciples to his group. Today we would bend over backwards to add members to our congregations. Sure you can join, we’ll wait until your goodbyes with your family are over or your father has died and now you have time to join us. If you’re looking for power we have committees you can join and maybe even become president. Jesus did none of this. He told those who would follow him that this was a full time job that required their undivided attention and if they couldn’t provide that they best go home. We in the American church today have tweaked that message to suit ourselves and make ourselves comfortable. To get members in the door and money in the coffers we allow a lot of things to make us comfortable-beautiful buildings, comfy chairs, programs designed to promote ourselves and our values. What if Jesus walked into Crown of Glory on Sunday and taught this lesson? What would your reaction be?

Sunday June 20, 2010 Luke 8:26-39

2010-06-16T12:56:00.001-05:00

Greetings, on Friday my son graduated from Chaska High School. What a milestone for us. As most of you know it also brings back a lot of memories. Coming from a small school in western Minnesota I hadn’t seen so many graduates in my life for high school. His class was about 639; mine was about 165 quite a difference. To those of you out there who have any kind of graduate, congratulations.

Our text for Sunday continues in Luke but some sections of verses have been skipped over. When the lectionary does this you can miss the full story and impact of what is occurring. Prior to our verses Jesus and the disciples set out for the other side of the lake. This doesn’t mean much to us unless you realize that the other side of the lake was Gentile area. Jews avoided Gentile areas because they were pagans and raised pigs. Jews didn’t eat pork and considered it unclean. Now Jesus is directing them to go there. On the way a storm develops while Jesus is asleep in the boat. The disciples become afraid because they think they are going to die and is this a sign that they shouldn’t be going into Gentile area? They wake Jesus and he rebuked the storm, quieting it. They wonder who is this that the wind and water obey him. They knew from the Psalms in the Old Testament that God controlled the wind and the waves so who is Jesus that he can control them too?

V26-27 The group arrives on the shore of the Gentile area and note that only Jesus stepped out of the boat. A man who was possessed with demons met Jesus. He wore no clothes and had lived in a graveyard. This would be revolting to Jews and very ritually unclean.

V28 When the man saw Jesus he fell down and yelled at the top of his lungs, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, do not torment me.” Ironic, the demons possessing the Gentile man knew who Jesus was – Son of the Most High God; the Jewish disciples who had seen him still the storm didn’t know who he was. This is the first time in Luke that Jesus appears on Gentile soil and immediately is met with demons who call him by a remarkable title – Son of the Most High God.

V29 Jesus, by his authority, had commanded the demons to come out of the man and now they beg for mercy. These demons had completely controlled the man.

V30-31 Jesus asked the demon “what is your name?” and he replied Legion for he had many demons. They begged Jesus not to send them to the abyss-the bottomless pit.

V32 There was a large herd of pigs feeding on a nearby hillside and the demons begged to be sent into the pigs so he gave them permission. Jesus has such authority that the demons must ask his permission to move to the pigs. He controls them.

V33 The demons enter the herd of pigs and the pigs rush down the bank into the lake drowning themselves.

V34 The swine herders saw all of their pigs kill themselves and are in shock. Their livelihood is ruined, they have no more pigs. They ran off to tell the townspeople what they had seen and what had happened to the pigs.

V35-36 The people who heard the story came out to see what had happened, similar to us slowing down on the freeway to see an accident. When they came to Jesus, who had driven out the demons from the man, they found the man in his right mind, clothed and sitting at the feet of Jesus. The reason he would be sitting at Jesus’ feet would be because Jesus was teaching him about the Kingdom of God. The man has become Jesus’ student. Remember the disciples are still sitting in the boat but have observed what has happened. Why weren’t they also at the feet of Jesus learning? They’ve seen Jesus still the storm and heal this man but still carry fear and prejudices. The people who had seen this sight were afraid; they didn’t understand what was going on. The man possessed by demons had been healed. He is in his right mind, normal. They knew him as a madman.

V37 The people ask Jesus to leave. They are afraid of what has just happened and have lost their income. It’s best if this man just get out of here. Jesus got into the boat where the disciples were waiting.

V38 The man who had been healed begged to get in with him, but Jesus sent him away. Why? The man was a Gentile and Jesus wouldn’t be accepted by the Jewish people if he had a Gentile disciple following him. Instead he gave the man a mission.

V39 “Return to your home and declare how much God (not Jesus) has done for you”. In other words spread the message I have just been teaching you. Get the Gentiles to listen to what God is doing in the world. Become my disciple here in your homeland. So the man went away proclaiming how much Jesus had done for him. Why Jesus and not God? Because the man now “sees” that Jesus is God’s Son, healing with the authority of God. He equates the two, while the disciples don’t make that connection even though they live with Jesus; they don’t “see” him.

Did this man do the job Jesus sent him to do? He must have since in the book of Mark, Jesus feeds 4000 men plus woman and children in Gentile territory. This man did exactly what Jesus had told him to do and the harvest of that feeding is the evidence.

Do we, as American Christians with freedom to worship, miss who Jesus is like his disciples did? It seems the church is actively growing in the places that most persecute it. They are more attentive like the man possessed by the demon. The church in America seems to be in a decline. Do we just take Jesus for granted because we have all we need? Do we overlook our own hopelessness and need because we have the ability to buy our way out of unhappiness by purchasing stuff to try to fill us up? This demon possessed man, who had absolutely no hope, watched God float up to him in a boat one day and through faith his life was changed forever. What will be your reaction when you “see” God floating up to you?

Sunday June 13, 2010 Luke 7:36-50

2010-06-10T13:46:00.000-05:00

Greetings, it’s going to be another rainy weekend. Some sun would be nice. The text for Sunday continues on in the seventh chapter of Luke. The insights I have gained for this story come from Dr. Kenneth Bailey. He has written commentaries on many of the stories and parables of Luke, explaining the implied Middle Eastern background. One of his best books is “Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes”. I recommend it highly.

Some background to this story helps. Jesus has been speaking in the area and the woman has heard him. He has been teaching that people’s sins are forgiven. To people such as this woman, who is implied to be a prostitute, this is remarkable. The Pharisees taught that a person must:
1. Confess their sins
2. Make compensation-some people like shepherds, prostitutes and tax collectors couldn’t make compensation to the people they had sinned against so they were lost to God forever-they had no hope.
3. Sacrifice in the Temple and keep the law from now on to demonstrate their sincerity.
4. After this God may forgive them.

Jesus starts teaching them a different way, changing the order:
1. Forgives sins – Welcomes all to God which is a “Costly Demonstration of Unexpected Love”.
2. Repentance – the person has “allowed” themselves to be “found” and in response to the forgiveness of their sins offers love to the forgiver (Jesus). In the Old Testament it was only God who could forgive but now Jesus has the presence of God and he too can forgive sin.
3. Go in peace and sin no more – Keep the commandment Jesus gave “Love others as I have loved you”.

Jesus taught there were two types of sinners: (everyone fits into one of the two categories)
1. Lawkeepers – who condemn the lawbreakers.
2. Lawbreakers – who look at the lawkeepers as hypocrites.

Sin is made up of two actions; evil deeds and failure to do good.

V36 Simon a Pharisees invites Jesus to his home for a meal after the morning prayers. The purpose of this is for Simon and his fellow Pharisees to “set Jesus straight” on his forgiveness of sins. They will humiliate him. Jesus will then realize his error and correct it. Upon entering Simon’s house, Simon should have made sure that Jesus was greeted with a kiss, his feet were washed and he was anointed with olive oil. Simon does none of these things for Jesus while he does them for the other guests, a blatant show of disrespect towards Jesus. Jesus should have gotten mad at the lack of hospitality and left but he didn’t. He stayed to teach them.

V37 A woman who had heard Jesus teach about forgiveness earlier asked where Jesus was going to be eating and learned he would be dining at Simons house. The very pious would allow the poor into their homes to sit around the outside wall while an important meal was being offered. After the meal they would be allowed to eat the leftovers. They could listen to the guests but not interact with them. She is listening and observing what is taking place. She has arrived before Jesus and noticed the lack of hospitality.

V38 She observes that Jesus was purposefully slighted by his host in order to humiliate him and she can’t point it out to anyone so she begins to weep. She has much love for him because he has shown her forgiveness. She realizes that she can do something for this man, who has shown her forgiveness, with her tears so she bathes his feet with them. She can’t ask for a towel and all she has is her hair so she lets down her hair to wipe his feet with. This was very scandalous as the only man to see a woman’s hair was to be her husband on their wedding night. By the act of letting down her hair to wipe his feet she is communicating some kind of bond or commitment with Jesus. She couldn’t get to his head because they were reclining on couches for the meal so she kisses his feet and anoints them with the oil she had brought. By pouring out the oil she used in her trade she is communicating her repentance or change of lifestyle, she won’t need it anymore.

V39 Simon and his guests observe this woman’s action and think to themselves if Jesus were truly a prophet he would know who is touching (fondling) him. Jesus should tell her to stop it but he doesn’t. He is allowing a lawbreaker (the woman) to touch him. He knows if he stops her it will crush her and she will be lost to God forever by his rebuke so he allows her to continue.

V40 Jesus spoke up telling Simon he had something to say to him. Simon calls him teacher (but doesn’t believe it – fake flattery) and tells him to go ahead.

V41 Jesus tells Simon a parable. There are two debtors who owed a creditor money. One owes a little and one owes a lot.

V42 Both debtors are unable to pay the creditor so the creditor forgives both loans. Which debtor will love the creditor more?

V43 Simon replied the one who owes more will be the most grateful and love the creditor more. Jesus replied that Simon had answered correctly.

V44 Jesus then looks at the woman at his feet and rebukes Simon. Jesus says I entered your house Simon (the words have a ring of cold steel) and you gave me no water for my feet but she has done her best to make up for that slight by washing them with her tears.

V45 You, Simon, gave me no welcoming kiss but she is doing her best to make up for that slight by kissing my feet which no one would ever do.

V46 You, Simon, did not anoint my head with oil but she is anointing my feet with the ointment she brought to make up for that slight.

V47 Therefore her sins which have been many, as a prostitute, have already been forgiven (he reconfirms her previous forgiveness from an earlier time) and she is showing me, the forgiver, great love. The one who loves me little, Simon (a lawkeeper but sinner by the omission of welcoming greetings) is forgiven little.

V48 Jesus then tells the woman that her sins are forgiven. The anger that the other guests have toward this woman are now directed at Jesus. He has shown her, a prostitute, a “Costly Demonstration of Unexpected Love” which equals “Grace” by taking their anger at her and her actions upon himself.

V49 The rest of Simons guests start to mummer amongst themselves “who does this man think he is that he can forgive sin?” We know that only God can forgive sin in the Temple. This man is equating himself with God.

V50 Jesus tells the woman “her faith has saved her, go in peace.” What faith has saved her? She hasn’t spoken a word the whole time. It was her actions and risk of rejection by Jesus that demonstrated her faith in him and his message of forgiveness. She entered into his suffering of humiliation by his host and attempted to correct it to the best of her ability. She sees in Jesus the forgiving love of God and Jesus accepts her judgment about him, he does carry the forgiving love of God as the Son of God.

Going back to the opening paragraphs we have Simon a Pharisee believing and teaching a strict order of forgiveness by God that renders many people lost with no hope of entering into God’s family. We have Jesus teaching the people that interpretation of forgiveness is wrong. God first forgives and as a result of receiving forgiveness the people are reconciled to God – their relationship to his is restored. No one is lost unless they choose to be – they don’t accept God’s forgiveness. We have the woman, a prostitute (a lawbreaker - who looks at Simon as a hypocrite for his shameful actions), as a blatant sinner who knows it. We have Simon the Pharisee who thinks he is pious and righteous also as a sinner by purposefully humiliating a guest invited into his home (a lawkeeper - who looks down on lawbreakers instead of helping them). We have the sin of evil deeds by the prostitute and the sin of omission by Simon in his absence of welcome after issuing an invitation.

Now, where does each of us fit into this scheme? Are you a lawbreaker or a lawkeeper? Do you hold to a strict interpretation of forgiveness or do you attempt to include and treat all people as forgiven, if they choose to accept it, including the lowest of our society? Remember only God can look into their hearts to know their status, we can’t so we must believe their word. Do you commit sins by doing evil deeds or do you commit sins by omitting kindness, caring and honor to people. The fact is we are all sinners and there isn’t a ranking of sin from not so bad to horrible. Sin is sin. We each need to examine our own sinful ways and repent of them instead of focusing on others sin to the exclusion of our own sin. We need to follow Jesus’ command to love others as he has loved and forgiven each one of us.

Sunday June 6, 2010 Luke 7:11-17

2010-06-03T12:10:00.001-05:00

Welcome, I hope each of you had a nice 3 day weekend. Our text for this week comes from Luke. In the previous verses Jesus has healed a centurion’s (Roman) servant. Jesus and his disciples plus others set out on a journey.

V11-12 The large group including Jesus is traveling to a town called Nain. As they approach the city gates they meet a funeral march coming out of the city. A man had died and he was an only son. His mother was a widow. Since her husband had died his land holdings had gone to his son. The son was supporting the mother. Now that the son has died the land will pass to the next male relative and the widow will have very little to live on. Her means of support has died. This was a Levitical law. With the mourning mother is a large crowd. As the procession had passed through town many had joined in. At that time every man who met a wedding procession or a funeral march was bound to rise and join in. The two large crowds coming from opposite directions meet just outside the city gate. Jesus’ group would have stood to the side to let the funeral march pass.

V13 When Jesus saw the grieving mother he had compassion for her and told her not to weep. A common saying at Palestinian funerals was “Weep with him all you who are bitter of heart.” Jesus says “Do not weep”, do not be bitter for he will live. Jesus did a spontaneous act of compassion, it wasn’t calculated.

V14 Jesus then stepped forward and touched the bier carrying the dead man. The crowds would have been horrified as no one was to touch a dead body, only the family. This made him ritually unclean and he would now have to go through rituals to purify himself. The bearers of the bier stood still and Jesus said to the dead body “Young man, I say to you, rise!” At this point the crowd would have been so silent at what was going on that you could have heard a pin drop. All eyes are fixed on Jesus touching the bier and his words.

V15 To everyone’s amazement the dead man sat up and began to speak. I wonder what he said. Sometimes I wish the authors would have included more information. Jesus then gave him to his mother, literally and significantly. The widow now had her son back. She also had her means of support back. The property would stay with her and her son.

V16 Fear seized all of them. They had just witnessed the impossible. The crowd began to glorify God (not Jesus) saying “A great prophet has risen among us!” They also exclaimed “God has looked favorably on his people.” This meant that they realized God had visited his people. But why the statement about a great prophet? In the Old Testament another great prophet had done the same thing in almost the same location. In 2 Kings 4:8-37 the prophet Elisha had passed through this area so often that a couple had given him a room in their house to use and food when he stayed there. After some time their son was stricken with an illness and died. The mother went out looking for Elisha and when she found him told him of the young boy. Elisha returned with the mother and raised the boy from the dead. Elisha was a great prophet and now another has come who can raise the dead in the same vicinity. The crowds would have immediately made the connection, as being able to raise the dead was a very rare occurrence.

V17 Word of this event spread throughout the country. Had an event like this happened today, talk of it would spread like wildfire.

In verse 13 Jesus saw the woman and had compassion for her. Think about that statement. Our God sees our distress and has compassion for us. He doesn’t stand idly by observing but enters into our sorrow with us. He then moves to comfort us. In this case he returned the man to life and to his mother but we know this rarely happens so how does he comfort us? In this instance he is showing the crowd that there is life after death. He raises this man as a forth telling (what prophets did – they forth told what was going to happen) of what his mission will accomplish. On the cross he will deal with our sin, defeat Satan and defeat death. His resurrection is a vindication of that mission – God’s stamp of approval. If Jesus is living after his death, so are we. Unfortunately this man would die again, but Jesus used him as an example of what was coming. Jesus was bringing eternal life with God and him. Our comfort is the knowledge that we enter into eternal life. We will be together again. While there is sadness now at our loss there will be joy at our reunion and we can rest in that knowledge. As hard as it is Jesus says “Do not weep” for all will someday be restored and we can believe in that promise.

Sunday May 30, 2010 John 16:12-15

2010-05-28T10:52:00.000-05:00

Greetings, I hope everyone has a nice long weekend. This Sunday is Trinity Sunday and our text is quite short. It would follow that this would be Trinity Sunday as last Sunday was Pentecost when the Holy Spirit was sent to live within each person’s heart. Up until this time in the gospels we have read about God and Jesus but now a new entity is introduced forming the Trinity. In the Old Testament not much was said about the Holy Spirit. It was thought that only the prophets, the Kings and a few other people had the Holy Spirit, the rest of the people did not experience it.

So what is the Holy Spirit? One way of explaining it is by using an illustration. When the people returned from their exile in Babylon they could only speak Aramaic. The scriptures had to be read in Hebrew so there was a problem. A methurgeman (interpreter) was used to aid in this problem. He would stand next to the rabbi and listen closely to what he read. When the rabbi finished reading the passage the methurgeman translated the passage into Aramaic for the people. The people would then know and understand what was being read to them. This is how the Holy Spirit functions for us. He translates the teachings and words of Jesus into a form or idea that we can understand. He listens closely to Jesus so he can give us the correct interpretation. He uses the text of the Bible to do this so the more we know and understand the Bible the more the Holy Spirit has to work with.

V 12-13 Jesus has many more things to say to his disciples but they are too overwhelmed to hear and understand them. Jesus is explaining to his disciples that he must leave and they are trying to understand what that means. Their beloved rabbi is leaving them and they can comprehend no more than that. Jesus understands their confusion and lets them know that he won’t abandon them when he leaves but will send the Spirit of truth to guide them. The Spirit won’t speak on his own but will speak whatever he hears and declare to them the things that are to come. Just as the methurgeman didn’t speak on his own but translated for the rabbi so will the Holy Spirit translate Jesus’ words for the disciples.

V14 By doing this the Holy Spirit will glorify Jesus. Jesus’ mission will be the Spirits mission. The Spirit will continue an ongoing translation of Jesus’ teaching.

V15 God has revealed and given all to Jesus. They are in unity and all that is the Fathers is Jesus’. Jesus is now including the Holy Spirit into this unity of his father and himself and sends the Spirit to the disciples and us. We are to be in unity with the trinity. We will know God as Jesus revealed him to us; we will follow Jesus in servanthood as he led us and we will listen to the Holy Spirit as he teaches us. We tend to want to pick apart the trinity and assign tasks to each one but the more important aspect of the trinity is how it functions as a whole. This is what we need to focus on – the trinity teaching us how to be in relationship with God and his Son.

As we move forward into next week try to listen for the Holy Spirit leading you. It won’t be an audible voice but it may be an urge or a nudge or it may lead you to that bible passage you’ve been trying to find. The Spirit won’t attempt to be louder than the other voices in your life so you must quiet yourself to listen. Take some time each day to listen, maybe read a devotional or a bible passage and then sit quietly for a few minutes, and as you become familiar with the voice of the Spirit you will start to hear him more and more. I know that some will say they are too busy to set aside this time but just give it a try for a while an you may be amazed at all he has to say to you.

Sunday May 23, 2010 Pentecost

2010-05-19T13:03:00.000-05:00

Greetings, what a beautiful day and week. Sunday is Pentecost and the text comes from John 14:8-17. As I read through this text it doesn’t talk about Pentecost so I am going to diverge from the lectionary to talk about the significance of Pentecost.

In the Old Testament there was a festival called the Feast of Weeks or Pentecost. This festival was celebrated fifty days after Passover. Pentecost means fifty. God had rescued the Israelites from Egyptian bondage (when the angel of death passed over the homes with the blood of the lamb on the doorposts, hence Passover) and directed them to the foot of Mt. Sinai. They arrived at Sinai and fifty days after that exodus (rescue event) from Egypt God made a covenant with them, giving them the law. God descended on Mt. Sinai in a cloud with fire, thunder and great wind to talk with Moses. God chose them as his people to act as priests, drawing people to God. They were to be a light to the rest of the world. They were directed to enter the land and populate it but they hesitated, disobeying God, so he made them wander in the wilderness for 40 years. All of that time God took up residence with them and led them in the wilderness.

In the gospels Jesus has come as God’s son (God’s representative) to take up residence with his people but the leaders have rejected him and sentenced him to die. Jesus died at Passover. While Israel celebrated Passover as an exodus (rescue) from Egypt, Jesus was completing a new exodus (rescue) from Satan and the demonic on the cross. After his death and resurrection, in the Gospel of Luke, Jesus was on the Earth 40 days appearing to his disciples and others.

The prophet Jeremiah had spoken of a new covenant that God would make with his people. In Jeremiah 31:31-34 the prophet speaks of a day when God will make a new covenant with his people. It would not be like the old covenant when he took them by the hand and rescued them from Egypt – a covenant that they broke. This new covenant will not be words on stone but God would put the law within them. He would write it on their hearts. No longer shall they teach one another or tell each other to know the Lord for they will know Me from their hearts and I will dwell in each of them. This new covenant will not be a repeat of the old one; there would be a clean break with the past and a new beginning between God and His people.

In the book of Acts, Acts 1:3, Jesus has been on the Earth for 40 days appearing to people. He then ascends into the presence of God (the cloud) but before transforming his presence he instructs the disciples to remain in Jerusalem for the promise of the Father (God). He instructs them that as John baptized Israel with water, the new Israel (those who believe in Jesus) will be baptized with the Holy Spirit. The disciples return to the upper room to wait for this event. In the mean time they pray and replace Judas Iscariot with another disciple to have 12 disciples representing the 12 original tribes. When the day of the Festival of Weeks or Pentecost arrives they are together praying in the Temple at about 9 AM. From Heaven came the sound of a violent wind and tongues of fire appeared with a tongue of fire resting on each of them. Remember at Sinai God appeared as a great wind and fire. God is appearing in the Temple. All of the Jews present with the disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit. God, as a tongue of fire, sent the Holy Spirit into each one’s heart just as the prophet Jeremiah had told he would. This was the new covenant written on their hearts with God dwelling in each as the presence of the Holy Spirit. The New Israel is being formed just as God had formed the Old Israel at Mt. Sinai. As they were filled with the Holy Spirit they began to speak in other languages that devout Jews from other nations could understand. (Acts 2:4) This was not the speaking in tongues that Paul talks about later in his letters but recognizable, actual languages understood by those present. (Acts 2:6) At Babel God had confused their languages to prevent them from building a tower high enough to reach him. Now God restores their languages to form his New Israel with the new covenant.

The author Alfred Edersheim describes in his book “The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah” that the rabbis viewed the past as the prototype for the future. The covenant at Sinai (the old Pentecost and giving of the law) was the prototype for the new covenant with God, in the form of the Holy Spirit dwelling in each ones heart, with his New Israel – the ones who believed his Son, Jesus. The definition of the new Pentecost has replaced the old Pentecost.

We need to note here that this was the new Pentecost of the Jewish people. Acts 2 doesn’t mention any Gentiles being in the Temple because they weren’t allowed there. The Gentile Pentecost (ours) happened in Acts 10:1-48 when a Roman Centurion, who believed in God, had a vision to request Peter to visit him. Peter did visit, following the direction of God, and in verse 44 the Holy Spirit fell on Cornelius and all in his house listening to the word.

As we worship on Sunday, no matter what the sermon is, think about this new Pentecost. God doesn’t dwell in a building (temple) anymore. He dwells in each of our hearts. He has taken up residence in us and each of us is a “stone” building the new temple. We form a “living” temple not an inanimate building, with Jesus as our cornerstone. The cornerstone is the first stone laid when building and forms the blueprint for the rest of the building. The old magnificent, beautiful temple was destroyed in 70 AD and was the prototype for us, the living temple, which far exceeds the old one in beauty.

Sunday May 16, 2010 John 17:20-26

2010-05-12T14:16:00.001-05:00

Greetings, today is a rainy day but good for the plants. Last weekend I sat at the lake and watched it snow so rain isn’t too bad. By the fishing opener this weekend it should be nice. Good luck to all of the fisher people out there. Our text is from John for Sunday. It is a portion of what is called the High Priestly Prayer offered by Jesus in the upper room in the gospel of John. John has Jesus praying in the upper room while the other gospels have Jesus praying in Gethsemane. In the first portion of the prayer, verses 1-5 he prays for himself. In the second portion, verses 6-19 Jesus prays for his disciples then and now. The third portion of the prayer, verses 20-26 are our text for Sunday.

V20 Jesus is praying for his future disciples, those who will witness to him in the future. These are the people who will come to believe in him. This would include us.

V21 Jesus asks his Father that all believers would be in unity with each other and God. This is a prayer that is focused on the unity of all. As Jesus and his Father are in unity so would the believers be in unity with them to show that Jesus was God’s Son.

V22-23 The glory that God gave to Jesus, walking the way of a servant without limit, Jesus now gives to his disciples so that all may be united in that mission. The love between Jesus and his Father will extend to the disciples too.

V24 Jesus and his Father were united in love before the world was created. They are eternal in their relationship. Jesus desires that the disciples see the full manifestation of his identity as the Son of God.

V25-26 The world doesn’t know the Father because it chooses not to, but Jesus knows his Father and he knows his Father send him for a specific purpose; to show us who God is. In other words to reveal God to each of us so we can each live in unity with all others carrying out Gods mission to Jesus by living as Jesus did, as a servant without limit. We are to continue Jesus’ work that the Father gave him.

Harry Wendt posed a good point, “If we as the church are to live in unity, as this prayer states, then why are there so many divisions between us?” The whole focus of the prayer is to live in unity with God and each other. However, we try to live in unity with God but focus on divisions between ourselves. In fact, we then go so far as to claim God agrees with our view point and others are wrong. We see this every day-that denomination has it all wrong or this person isn’t worshiping correctly. We rarely see unity among the different denominations. I had the good fortune to attend a class at Temple Israel led by Rabbi Marsha Zimmerman which told of a trip 12 clergy from downtown congregations had taken together to the Holy land. The 12 clergy members included a Muslim Imam, Rabbi Zimmerman, a Unitarian minister and Christian ministers, including Father O’Connell from the Basilica. It began as an interfaith journey to a place that each held sacred in their own traditions. It was interesting to hear each person’s perspective after the trip. There were issues that arose during the trip depending on each of the member’s background but they strove to discuss them, attempted to find common ground and moved on. Where there could have been huge issues to separate these clergy members, they worked on finding unity. Each told of how the trip with the others made a profound change within themselves. It was wonderful to hear how differences can be overcome or set aside for unity between different people. This is a good example of the unity that Jesus spoke of. If 12 clergy of different traditions can travel together to a land that each holds as sacred and be in unity, then we can each start to live in unity with each other. Living in unity doesn’t mean giving up our own convictions or beliefs but allows us to make room for other ideas and convictions from our brothers and sisters. It may be compassion at its greatest.

Sunday May 9, 2010 John 5:1-18

2010-05-05T16:34:00.000-05:00

Welcome, the wind is terrible today. I’m surprised I have hair left on my head after going outside. I also discovered that the gnats are in full hatch as I got attacked by them yesterday while in my garden. Now my head itches too. Our Text for Sunday is the alternate text of John.
John is using signs to point to the identity of Jesus and provides 7 of them in his gospel. This is Jesus’ third miracle (sign) in John.

V1 There is a festival in Jerusalem for the Jews and Jesus attends.

V2-4 There is a pool by the Temple called Bethzatha with five porticos. The sick and lame lay there because they have a belief that an angel would occasionally stir the waters. The first one into the pool after the angel had stirred it would be healed. This pool has been found and is being excavated. John’s description of it is quite accurate.

V5 A man lies there who has been paralyzed for 38 years. This is a long term condition not a recent one.

V6 Jesus asks to us what seems to be an odd question, “Do you want to be made well?” We would think “Why of course he wants to be made well” but maybe he doesn’t. To be made well would be to change his entire life, he would now have to work and not beg. Maybe he is comfortable with his situation. Maybe Jesus wants to give him hope and heal him? We don’t know why the question was asked and maybe for good reason. Think about it, do we want to be made well? Do we want to change our lives and all that it entails? I think a lot of us say “no I’m ok where I’m at, I can deal with it.” To be made well means to change.

V7 The man responds with a reason why he can’t be made well, there isn’t anyone to help him to the water first after the angel stirs it. Someone always gets there first. He didn’t answer Jesus directly with a positive or negative answer but he does indicate he has the desire to be made well.

V8 Jesus tells him to “Stand up, take your mat and walk.” Jesus doesn’t wait with him until the water is stirred and then get him in before anyone else. He told the man what to do and the man’s obedience in doing it healed him.

V9 At once the man is healed. He got up, took his mat and walked. Can you imagine his surprise, delight and excitement? He didn’t need the “magic” water for healing. Jesus had healed him. I would have liked to have been at the pool. Were others healed by entering the water or were they just hoping the healing true? (The power of positive thinking – The Secret) Then this man is actually healed. He had been a fixture there for quite a few years and must have been known to the regulars that waited there. Imagine their surprise.
This happened on a Sabbath. No one was to work on a Sabbath and healing this man was considered work. Jesus had broken the Sabbath law that the Pharisees had put in place with their oral tradition. Jesus had also told the man to break the law by carrying his mat. This too was prohibited.

V10 The Jews notice the man who had been healed is carrying his mat. How could they focus on the carrying of his mat and ignore the miracle of healing?

V11-12 The man replies that Jesus told him to carry his mat. He is trying to deflect their anger at him, for the broken rule, to someone else. They want to know who was the man that told him to do this.

V13 The healed man didn’t know it was Jesus and Jesus had disappeared into the large crowd.

V14 Later Jesus finds the man in the Temple. This was the first time in 38 years the man could have entered the temple, prior to this he was excluded because of his illness. Possible he went there to thank God for his healing. Jesus told him to sin no more. This didn’t mean that his condition was caused by sin but that the healing was a sign of his forgiveness from God. They thought to be sick or lame were curses from God for something they had done and healing was a sign that the curse had been lifted. Jesus is reinterpreting this to connect healing with forgiveness. If you are outwardly healed-something touchable-you are inwardly forgiven-something unseen. If you could see the lesser thing, the healing, you could believe the greater thing, forgiveness, had occurred too.

V15-16 The man told the Jews it was Jesus who had healed him and they started to persecute him for healing on the Sabbath.

V17-18 Jesus responded that his Father was still working on the Sabbath and so was he. At this the Jews fly into a rage because now Jesus has equated himself with God. To do this was blasphemy. No man was equal to God and to claim such was to warrant a death sentence.

The most shocking thing to me is they ignore the man’s healing. How could anyone miss this? Even today wouldn’t we be shocked if a person paralyzed for 38 years was walking around carrying something? Think of the famous people we know who are paralyzed and if we saw their healing there would be a stir amongst us I hope. The leaders choose to ignore this miracle and gripe about a broken rule. They are running around trying to figure out who broke the law. Have you ever observed that; a person in an uproar over an infraction of their own rules while something bigger is happening? Do people not sit in Churches and gripe about petty things? While people are complaining and griping God is acting and we will miss it if we don’t close our mouths and open our eyes.

Sunday May 2, 2010 John 13:31-35

2010-04-29T21:46:00.000-05:00

Greetings, I’m sorry I missed last week. The week was just crazy busy for me, thankfully this week is somewhat slower but not by much. Our text for Sunday is in John. I know the sermon series isn’t following the lectionary so maybe you can use this as a bible study until they come back to it.

V31-32 In these two verses Jesus uses the word glory and glorify a lot. He is announcing his impending departure to his disciples. He uses the term Son of Man for himself. By using this term he is claiming to be the true Israel superseding the former one. Jesus will be glorified by his obedience to God in going to the cross as a servant. By doing this he will glorify God and God will glorify Jesus by the resurrection.

V33 He calls them little children which would have been said by a father. He explains to them that he will be with them only a little longer and then be gone. They will try to find him but won’t be able to. He is referring to his crucifixion and return to his Father.

V34 He now gives them a new commandment. They are to love one another just as he has loved them. This is to be the model for their lives and supersedes the Mosaic ones given at Mt. Sinai. If they keep this one by doing so they will keep all of the others. Keep in mind that Jesus loved even his enemies and lay down his life for all so this is a call to a much higher standing than following the former laws.

V35 By the disciple’s extravagant love to all, the people will know they are his followers.

Jesus set the bar higher than it ever had been before. In the Old Testament the Jews were told to love their neighbors but most likely their neighbor was a fellow Jew that thought like them and lived like them. That isn’t really much of a stretch. We still observe this today. Our neighbors are those who match our lifestyles closely. It’s isn’t too hard to love people similar to yourself. But what about an enemy? A Lawyer wanted to test Jesus so he couched a scenario and requested to know who his neighbor was – The parable of the Good Samaritan. Jesus told the story so at the end the hated Samaritan was a better neighbor than the man’s fellow Jews who left him for dead. The point was to whom are you a good neighbor? The Samaritan put his life on the line for a man that most likely he hated and hated him back. He saw the man’s need and helped as he could. So the question is: Who are you a good neighbor to? People like yourself or are you willing to extend neighborliness to all different kinds of people? If we are going to be Jesus’ disciples we are called to this higher standard of compassion.

Sunday April 18, 2010 John 21:1-19

2010-04-14T14:13:00.000-05:00

Greetings, I hope your weekend was nice and you enjoyed the great warm weather. I was privileged to have the opportunity to listen to New Testament scholar Dr. Kenneth Bailey this weekend. He has done pioneering work with the interpretation of the parables in a Middle Eastern context. He was fascinating to listen to as his knowledge is expansive and personal. He lived and taught in the Middle East for 40 years. A personal high for me was Saturday morning during coffee and donuts when he came and sat next to me and I was able to ask questions of him about the previous night’s parable. He was very kind and expanded on his teachings explaining all kinds of things to me. It was a highlight for me as he didn’t have to spend time with a layperson since there were many other more important people (pastors) he could have talked with about more in depth matters. God gave me a gift that day. Our text again picks up where last Sunday left off. In other words the story continues.

V1 Jesus has appeared to the men in Jerusalem and now is up by the Sea of Galilee. Some scholars feel this is a later addition to the gospel of John. That doesn’t mean it didn’t happen, it is just an addition.

V2-3 Some of the disciples are gathered together up in Galilee and Peter decides to go fishing. They don’t know what to do so they return to their previous profession. They fish all night and catch nothing. They would fish at night as the nets were made of black thread and the fish could see them during the day.

V4 At daybreak someone is on the beach but the disciples don’t recognize him.

V5 This man yells to the disciples “you have no fish do you?” How does this guy know they have no fish and who does he think he is? They are professional fishermen.

V6 He yells for them to cast their nets to the other side of the boat. They are thinking “as if this would be much different than the side of the boat we had been using.” The boat isn’t that wide so why would this make a difference. They did it anyway and to their amazement they catch so many fish that they can’t haul the net in. This reflects Ezek. 47:10 that when Messiah comes there will be many fish in unexpected places. Apparently all the fish were unexpectedly on the other side of the boat.

V7 Someone suddenly recognizes the man on the beach. “It is the Lord!” Peter now swings into action and in his haste to reach Jesus he puts on his clothes and jumps out of the boat.

V8 The rest of the disciples are still struggling with the full net. They drag it in to shore. Note without Jesus they had caught no fish but with Jesus they have an abundance of fish.

V9 When they arrive at shore there is a fire already going with fish cooking on it and bread. He has made them a meal.

V10-11 Jesus requests some of the fish they had caught so Peter went aboard and attempted to carry the entire catch ashore. There were 153 fish but yet the net was not torn. Scholars speculate why the fish are numbered at 153. This may represent all the fish species in the world and reflect Ezek 47:1-12. That was an awful amount of weight for that net and for Peter to carry. Maybe Peter in his exuberance to see Jesus is kind of showing off a little? The word used for fish here is the same word Jesus used at the feeding of the 5000. Perhaps this is to remind them of his provision of fish and manna for them.

V12 Jesus invites them to eat a meal. Note he doesn’t use any of the fish they had caught. No one dares ask him “is it really you?” Because they know it is him but there must be something different about him for this question to surface.

V13 Jesus took the bread, broke it and gave it to them-a flash back to the feeding of the 5000 and the Lords Supper they had shared in the upper room. By providing a meal he is restoring them to fellowship with him-to share a meal was to declare we are family-and to declare we will not mention the past, that is done with and we are moving on in relationship. He didn’t rebuke them.

V14 This is his third appearance to them since the resurrection.

V15 Jesus then focuses on Peter. They have finished eating. Remember Peter denied he knew Jesus three times in the courtyard of the High Priest by a fire. Jesus is now going to restore Peter by a fire. He uses Peter’s original name-Simon-not the name he had given him-Peter. In effect this is to say let’s go back to the beginning. Here two forms of the word love in the Greek are used. Agape this a self giving supreme love, a one way love and philo which is a brotherly, fond of or friendly love. “Simon do you supremely love (agape) me more than these (others is implied)?” He responds “Yes, Lord; you know that I am fond (philo) of you.” Jesus says “feed my lambs.”

V16 A second time Jesus says “Simon, do you supremely (agape) love me. Simon replies “yes Lord you know that I am fond (philo) of you.” Jesus says “tend my sheep.”

V17 A third time Jesus says “Simon are you fond (philo) of me?” Jesus now uses the word Peter has been using. Peter is hurt because of the questioning. This is opening a wound for him, he has denied his love for Jesus and now Jesus keeps questioning him about the depth of his love. Peter replies “Lord you know (Greek=in an academic sense) everything; you know (Greek=experienced my failure by denial) that I am fond (philo) of you.” Peter can go no farther in his claim for his love for Jesus. In the past he has boasted mightily about his love and he failed at the time of trial. He is now humbled, no longer will he claim more than he can provide as he knows through testing this boasting will be revealed. Jesus responds “Feed my sheep.” Jesus understands Peter’s hesitation to claim more than he can provide so he uses the same word for love that Peter has been using. Jesus also knows that Peter’s love will grow for him through experience and be built on a firm foundation. Peter will never again deny Jesus and will eventually go to the cross himself because of this belief and supreme love. He gives Peter a mission, to feed and tend Jesus’ flock. Peter isn’t to return to fishing for fish but for men.

V18 Jesus tells Peter that when he was younger he did what he wished but as he grows older and more experienced in Jesus’ love he will go where Jesus directs him too and he will proclaim what Jesus, through the Holy Spirit, tells him too.

V19 For this Peter will be crucified. Jesus gives Peter his last directions “Follow me.” Peter is to care for and feed the lambs of Jesus, the people who are in Jesus’ community. He is to follow the teachings of Jesus and proclaim it to those lambs. He is to “fish and catch men” for Jesus’ flock. To follow means to travel with Jesus.

Are you a disciple of Jesus? Do you follow him? Since Jesus isn’t here to physically follow around do you read his teachings in the Bible in order to know him? To follow means to step out and go where you may not want to. Are you willing to do this?

In 64 AD Peter and his wife were crucified in Rome on crosses. His wife was crucified first and as she died he told her to” remember the Lord”. Peter felt unworthy to be crucified as Jesus had been so he requested to be crucified upside down.

Sunday April 11, 2010 John 20:19-31

2010-04-08T14:21:00.000-05:00

Welcome, Easter is over and the resurrection has occurred. I hope you had a nice Easter as I did. I was at my parent’s house on the farm by Montevideo with my sister’s family and we had a good time. A highlight for all of us was learning how to drive my dad’s bobcat. We each had a turn learning and doing circles in the yard. I guess for us farm implements are toys. Our text continues from last Sunday in John.

V19 It is evening on that first Sunday. Jesus appeared to Mary at the tomb that morning and sent her to tell the disciples what he has told her. The disciples are in a locked room, probably the upper room where they had eaten the Last Supper, because of their fear of the Jewish leaders. Usually when a Messianic figure was killed his followers were killed too, to get rid of the entire problem. In this case Jesus had requested that his followers be let go in John 18:8 but they still feared they would be killed too. All of the sudden Jesus is among them and said “Peace be with you”. He would have used the Hebrew word “Shalom” which means peace/wholeness/wellbeing. Remember these are the men who deserted him and instead of being angry with them and rebuking them he says “Shalom”. Where did he come from? Nowhere, he is amongst them and us at all times. He didn’t come from anywhere and when he disappeared he didn’t leave. He is invisibly present at all times.

V20 He showed them his wounds from the crucifixion to verify it was really him. The disciples start to celebrate this news.

V21 For a second time Jesus says “Shalom”. Then he commissions them by telling them “as he was sent by God to complete a mission so he is sending them on a mission”.

V22 After stating to them their mission he breaths on them. This reflects Genesis 2:7 when God breathed life into man who was made from the dust of the ground. Adams life came from God, theirs comes from Jesus. After doing this he says “Receive the Holy Spirit.” The Holy Spirit will actually come in the first chapters of Acts.

V23 He then gives the disciples the authority to forgive sins. Just as he had the authority from God to forgive sins while on his mission he now passes on that authority to the disciples as they carry on his work.

V24-25 Thomas isn’t present at this time so he misses seeing Jesus. When he arrives the disciples who were there tell him what occurred but he doesn’t believe them. He says that he needs physical proof to believe Jesus is alive. Thomas’s unbelief is reflective of the disciple Nathanael’s in 1:46. Nathanael didn’t believe at first that anything good could come from Nazareth when was told about the Messiah.

V26 A week later is the following Sunday and the disciples are again in the same room except this time Thomas is present. Again the doors are shut and somehow Jesus came and stood among them. For a third time Jesus says “Shalom”. Why say this three times to the disciples? Three times this is repeated for authority/validity. Jesus really meant for them to have peace. He wasn’t there to scold and shame. He wanted them to believe and understand what the resurrection meant.

V27 Jesus focuses on Thomas who had previously doubted that he had really been there and tells Thomas to do just what he had said he would need to do in order to believe.

V28 Instead of Thomas touching and feeling him Thomas makes a great confession “My Lord and my God”. The one who had doubted the most makes the greatest confession. He ties together Lord and God. He didn’t touch him. This statement is tied together with John 1:1 “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God.” Jesus was with God in the beginning and is now Lord and God. (This is also a literary feature called bookending. Something said or implied in the beginning is repeated at the end.)

V29 Jesus questions Thomas. Is the reason you believe because you have actually seen me? Was this the proof you needed to believe? Jesus then states a beatitude. “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.” Blessed are those who don’t need physical proof to believe, but believe by faith.

V30-31 John now explains that Jesus did many miracles other than those mentioned in his gospel but John used specific miracles to have us come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, that Jesus is the Son of God and that in believing this we may have eternal life with Jesus.

John used his miracles and stories as signs to point to something. Just as a road sign points us in the right direction, John’s signs point us to Jesus being the waited for Messiah and sharing God’s divinity.

Sunday April 4, 2010 John 20:1-18

2010-03-31T16:05:00.000-05:00

Welcome, Easter is upon us. I hope each one of you has a nice Easter with family and friends. As you are sitting down to your dinner think about the sacrifice it took from one person to make this possible. What He gave for us. When I was learning to write thank you notes my mother had us include in the note what we would use the gift for, if possible. Compose a thank you note and let Him know how you are going to use His gift. Make it a sacrifice that stings a little bit. An easy sacrifice isn’t really a sacrifice; it is giving out of our abundance. A sacrifice that hurts is given out of our poverty, be it our time, our money or anything else.

We will use John for our Sunday text instead of Luke 21:1-12. It is essentially the same story.

V1 The first day of the week would be Sunday. No one had visited the tomb on Saturday as it was the Sabbath and there were limits on travel for that day. Mary has come early – it was still dark – possibly before 6:00 AM. The darkness also has another significance, Mary is still in darkness, she doesn’t understand. When she got to the tomb the stone at the entrance had been rolled away. It hadn’t been rolled away so Jesus could get out but so that everyone could look in.

V2 She ran to tell Peter and probably John (the one whom Jesus loved). She thought that someone had taken the body from the tomb.

V3 Peter and John started running to the tomb to verify Mary’s story. Women in at that time could not be a witness in a Jewish court of law, only men could. Here the men believe her witness and run to discover what has happened.

V4 Apparently one disciple was in much better shape than the other-perhaps he belonged to a gym-and beat Peter to the tomb.

V5 John arrived first and bent down to look into the tomb. He saw (noticed) the linen wrappings laying there.

V6-7 Peter finally got there and entered the tomb. He saw (studied for clues and tries to comprehend) the linen wrappings lying there (Greek literally=lying there still in their folds) as if the body had left without disturbing the wrappings. The cloth on Jesus’ head had been neatly folded. What has happened? If anyone had come to remove the body they would have taken the wrappings too. This is something more than a stolen body.

V8-10 John then enters the tomb. He saw (understood, it clicked) and believed. He had been present at the crucifixion and heard Jesus’ teachings. With the evidence now present before him he “got it”. He had started to understand what Jesus had predicted about his death. A fuller understand would come later from scripture but the seed that Jesus had planted was beginning to grow. The disciples returned to their homes.

V11-12 Mary is still outside of the tomb weeping and gazing into it. As she is looking in she notices two angels sitting in the tomb.

V13 The angels question her as to why she is crying and she replies that someone has taken the body of her Lord and she doesn’t know (she is still in darkness as in verse 1) where they have put it.

V14 Mary turned around and saw (noticed as John had in verse 5) Jesus standing there but didn’t realize it was Jesus. We don’t know why, maybe his appearance was different.

V15 Jesus then spoke to her and she still didn’t recognize him. He questioned her just as the angels had but added “whom are you looking for?” She assumes he is the gardener and maybe he knows where the body is or maybe he has done something with it. All she wants to know is where is the body so she can take it away and give it a proper burial.

V16 Jesus now speaks her name “Mary”. This catches her attention as it is a familiar voice and she turns to face him. She now sees (understands) that it is Jesus and calls out “Rabbouni!” She is delighted beyond words. Jesus is standing there with her, he isn’t dead! She probably moves to hug him in her joy. Remember in John 10:27 Jesus teaches that the sheep are his and they know his voice.

V17 Jesus said do not cling to me but go to my brothers and tell them I am ascending to my Father and your Father. Not only is He my Father but He is my God too. This was possibly the first step in showing Mary that while Jesus was alive in bodily form their relationship would be different from now on. He would eventually transform himself from visible to invisible however he would remain with them just as he is with us invisibly. He is telling a woman to go witness to the men and give them a message. Had this been a fabricated story the author would have not written that a woman gave valid witness to the most important event of their lives. He has also changed his relationship with his disciples to that of brothers. They are now members of his family.

V18 Mary left to tell the disciples her exciting news. SHE HAS SEEN THE LORD! She now has understanding of his teachings and He has sent her to inform the disciples. She tells them all that Jesus has told her.

It’s interesting that Jesus first appears to a woman, not one of the disciples. A woman gives witness to his resurrection. Women were not regarded very highly in that first century society yet Jesus elevates them in status. He allowed them to be his disciples (Mary of Bethany) which no other rabbi would have every dreamed of doing. He treats them with respect. He values them. A subtle theme emerges from the gospel accounts. Jesus goes to the lost and in his association with them he is never reduced but they are always elevated by his presence. Another theme also comes to light, that of seeing. They progressed from a seeing of noticing to a seeing of understanding. How often do we see but not see? In other words notice but don’t understand? Our faith can be a progression if we continue in it. We don’t always fully comprehend at the beginning of something. We need to persevere and struggle with things of faith.

An interesting note: I once learned of a concept in Bible study called “The Principle of First Mention”. Compare the term you have just read to where it first appears in the Bible. Here we read of the tomb in a garden. Where was ‘garden’ first used in the Bible? In Genesis where Adam and Eve lived. Here we have a gardener. Who is the first ‘gardener’ in the Bible? God, when he walks in the Garden of Eden. What happened in that first garden? Adam and Eve disobeyed and fell. What happens in this garden? Jesus is revealed as resurrected. We have an indication of a new restoration of the former garden. Eve was the first to fall in Eden, the first garden. Mary, a woman, is first to witness in this garden. The result of disobeying in the first garden was death. In this garden Jesus has defeated death by his resurrection and new life. A new beginning to humanity is being reclaimed, restored and renewed to the gardener-God. Since Jesus is the gardener now, he must be from God. All is being reversed.

Sunday March 28, 2010 Luke 22:14- 23:56

2010-03-25T13:56:00.000-05:00

Welcome, how rare to have no tournament storms in March. This nice weather is great. Our text for Sunday is very large, almost two chapters in Luke. The only way I think I can go through it is in chunks as going verse by verse would take forever.

22:14-23 The Passover meal has been prepared and they are reclining at the table. The Passover meal celebrated their freedom from bondage in Egypt and the Exodus. A lamb was sacrificed and was part of the meal. During the meal Jesus institutes the Last Supper and the New Covenant. He breaks a loaf of bread, declaring it his body, and gave a piece of it to each one of them. They were to eat it in remembrance of him and the sacrifice he was about to make with his body being broken on the cross. He took the cup of wine (there are four significant cups of wine at a Passover meal and this may have been the third-the cup of salvation) and shared it with each of his disciples explaining this cup of wine is the symbol of his blood poured out for them and in shedding his blood he is making a new covenant. Typically a covenant was made (ratified) by shedding the blood of animals; here Jesus is shedding his own blood on the cross as the sacrifice for us once and for all. He is the lamb sacrificed and eaten at a Passover meal. This is a new Exodus event not from a physical place but from the real enemy – the demonic. Judas, whom the demonic has entered into, is at the table too. The demonic is using Judas as a tool to prevent Jesus from going to the cross. Judas wants a political revolt against Rome and it trying to force Jesus into that revolt.

22:24-30 The disciples seem to miss the significance of this and start to argue who was the best. Jesus replies that his kingdom is different than the worldly kingdoms. In the worldly kingdoms people in power take advantage of others while in his kingdom to be great is to serve all people no matter what their status. They are to be in unity with each other, no one is greater or lesser, but all are equal. This is the kingdom he is opening up to them. He does state that as his new community (the New Israel) the disciples (the new twelve tribes) will judge the former tribes of Israel.

22:31-38 He then directs his attention to Peter and tells them that Satan has asked to test each of the disciples. Jesus has prayed for each disciple that their faith will remain strong and not fail during this testing. Peter bravely replies he will follow Jesus anywhere but Jesus tells him no you won’t, you will deny you know me and run during your test and Jesus gives Peter a sign so he can recognize his failing-the cock crowing three times. Jesus now instructs his disciples that the world can be a dangerous place and they must prepare to remain in it.

22:39-46 They left for the Mount of Olives and upon reaching it he requested the disciples pray that they not come to the time of trail. He prayed for his Father to remove the events that were about to happen if he could but if it must be this way he would follow through to the end. Jesus was so distressed about the coming events that “sweat became like great drops of blood falling from him”. This is great distress and agony, more that we can even imagine. He went back to the disciples for support but they had fallen asleep. He woke them and asked why they weren’t praying for success in their own testing from Satan? After all they had been boasting how great they each were.

22:47-55 As he was speaking the crowds including Judas came to arrest him. A kiss was a common form of greeting but Jesus speaks before Judas can kiss him indicating he knows what Judas has done. One of the disciples strikes the slave of the high priest with a sword cutting his ear off. Jesus rebukes the man, as his kingdom is not of war and political takeover. Instead Jesus heals the slave. This is Jesus’ kingdom, one of healing and restoration, one of overcoming evil not perpetuating it. Jesus then questions the mob why have they brought weapons to arrest him. They didn’t need any as he had openly been in the Temple, they could have arrested him then. Why weapons and cover of darkness to do this deed?

22:54-62 They took Jesus to the house of the High Priest. Peter followed at a distance and stayed in the courtyard probably to see what was going to happen. Because of Peters Galilean accent people start to question him about knowing Jesus. They know Jesus had mainly ministered in the Galilee and his disciples were from there. Three times Peter is questioned and three times he denies knowledge of Jesus until the cock crows and the sign Jesus gave him is realized. Peter is mortified. He has just done the very thing he bragged that he wouldn’t. Satan has tested him and he has failed. But Jesus has looked at him with sympathy and understanding knowing Peter would recover and become stronger from this testing. Jesus didn’t abandon Peter, Peter abandoned Jesus.

22:63-65 The people at the High Priests house; members of the Sanhedrin, other priests and scribes-honorable men in the community-start to act like a bunch of thugs. They hit him, mock him and taunt him. These are the supposed men chosen by God to lead the nation and they act in the most ungodly way, while Jesus, the true Son of God, takes the punishment.

22:66-71 Friday morning came and the leaders have decided that even though Jesus needs to die, they need to make it look respectable and legal. A night “trial” wasn’t legal. So they gather under the guise of legality and hold a trail. They ask him if he is the Messiah, as he has claimed to be. Jesus responds that no matter what he answers they won’t accept it. He then says something profound. That he is the Son of Man (the New Israel) and his vindication that he is correct will be his seat at the right hand of God, in the seat of power. If God seats him in this seat it means Jesus will rule the world, with God. It also means that the current nation of Israel won’t be seated in this seat and they will not rule the world as they hoped would happen. They had gotten this idea from their interpretations of Daniel 7:13. Jesus turns this upside down. They ask if he is the Son of God and he replies “I Am” the name God had revealed to Moses at the burning bush. This sealed his fate. He had equated himself with God and for this he must die. No one was to equate themselves with God.

23:1-12 They now had their main reason for killing him but this wouldn’t stand in a Roman court. The Romans didn’t care about the Jewish God or their religious practices so the leaders had to find a charge against Jesus that would stand in a Roman court. They came up with the title that he called himself “King of the Jews”. This would be a threat to the Roman emperor and a threat to Roman peace. For this Rome would kill him. Pilate questions the leaders and they keep coming up with new charges against Jesus. Pilate didn’t want to deal with this obvious Jewish infighting so he found a way out by saying it wasn’t his jurisdiction it was Herod’s. He sent Jesus off to Herod and thought he was finished with the conflict. Herod was happy to see Jesus as he had been hearing much about this man. Maybe Jesus would even perform a miracle for Herod. Jesus was silent. The mob mocked Jesus and Herod even put one of his royal robes on Jesus as a taunt to the claim he was King of the Jews. Everyone knew Herod was the real King of the Jews, that was his title. Unfortunately for Pilate, Herod did nothing and sent Jesus back to him. Now Pilate had to deal with this mess.

23:13-16 Pilate called together the Jewish leaders and told them he had found no guilt with Jesus. He had questioned Jesus and had not found him speaking out against Rome. Neither had Herod found anything of guilt with Jesus. Pilate offered to pacify the leaders by having Jesus flogged, as a warning, and releasing him.

23:18-25 At this the crowd of leaders becomes angry and requests the release of a man named Barabbas. Barabbas had stirred up a revolt in the city and had killed some people in the process. Rome was holding him for crucifixion. Pilate tries to bargain with the crowd to release Jesus but three times the crowd calls for the death of Jesus. Finally Pilate gives in to the crowd’s demands and orders that Jesus be crucified.

23:26-31 The soldiers led Jesus away after his flogging to the place of the crucifixion. A large number of people followed the precession. Women beat their breasts and wailed. He turned to those women and said that a time would come when they would weep for their own children. They would be so distraught that they would wish they had never had children, they would wish for mountains to fall on them and end their misery. This was a warning to the women of Jerusalem about the coming judgment on them and their children and the destruction that would result from the city refusing her true king. If they (the Romans) do this to me, Jesus, the green living tree who is innocent what more will they do to you the dry dead tree who wants a revolution against Rome? This came to pass in 70 AD when a revolution against Rome failed and Rome destroyed all including the Temple. There was horror inside of Jerusalem during that siege and the Temple has never been rebuilt to this day.

23:32-38 Two criminals were crucified on either side of him to increase Jesus’ shame. Jesus asks his Father to forgive the people because they don’t understand what they are doing. His clothes were divided between the soldiers. He was crucified naked to increase the shame. He was mocked by the leaders and the soldiers. They are doing their worst to him, he is doing his best for them.

23: 39-43 Even one of the criminals mocked him but the other realized that Jesus was innocent. The other criminal actually defended Jesus from his cross and agony admitting what he had done was wrong but that Jesus had done no wrong. He then asked for Jesus to remember him when he came into his kingdom. He understood that Jesus really was the King of the Jews as the sign that mocked him claimed. He was the Messiah. Jesus assures the criminal that he will be a part of his kingdom. Jesus made this claim to an unclean man dying on a cross. Even in His worst agony he still searched for and found the lost. This man hadn’t been baptized nor done any works to enter the kingdom, he just had faith.

23:44-49 At noon darkness covered the land. The prophets Amos 8:9 and Joel 2:31 had spoken of darkness as a symbol and accompanying God’s judgment. It was dark for three hours. The curtain in the Temple separating the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies-where they thought God lived was torn in two. Now all had access to God, not just the High Priest on the Day of Atonement once a year. When this had happened Jesus spoke sending his spirit into the hands of his Father. This was a Jewish child’s nightly prayer but Jesus added the word “Father”. At this point one of the Roman guards understood the impact of what had occurred. Jesus was God’s son and innocent of the charges made against him. A gentile understood who Jesus was while his own people missed it. Everyone left except the women, they remained faithful. The disciples had previously scattered and run.

23:50-56 A member of the Sanhedrin, that had condemned Jesus to death, went to Pilate and asked for the body. He had not agreed with the council’s judgment. He took it down, wrapped it and laid it in a new tomb. This was the beginning of the Sabbath and he had touched a dead body. Think about his sacrifice to bury his Messiah, he could be kicked of the council, he would be ritually defiled as he had touched a dead body, he could not celebrate the Sabbath and most likely he would be ridiculed by others for his actions. None the less he did it, so great was his honor for Jesus. The question is why didn’t he speak up when Jesus was still alive? Why wait until now when he is dead to honor him? The women noted where the tomb was so after the Sabbath they could return and anoint the body properly for burial. No work could be done on the Sabbath.

We need to grapple with this story, the “whys” and the “how comes”. Why do we wait so long to pay honor to Jesus who died on a cross so I wouldn’t have to be punished? Why do we deny Him? Why do we treat our fellow community members (other Christians) so nasty in the name of change? The vile filth that comes from our mouths against each other is really harbored in our hearts. Our mouths are just the vehicle we use to express it. The name calling of people who don’t share our views is not what Jesus would have done. Did you know that people dying on a cross swore and cursed profusely because of the agony they were in? It was some of the worst language you would ever hear. What did Jesus say? “Forgive them”, made provision for his mother, invoked three Psalms (22, 23 and 24) and then uttered “it is finished”. Not one profane thing passed through his lips. We need to thoroughly clean out our hearts!

Sunday March 21, 2010 John 12:1-8

2010-03-17T14:13:00.000-05:00

Welcome, Sunday’s temperature was great! Our family ran outside to enjoy it. Yesterday wasn’t too bad either. Our text for this week comes from John. Prior to this event Jesus has raised Lazarus from the dead and the Jewish leaders have condemned him to death. He left Jerusalem for awhile but now has returned

V1 It is six days before Passover and Jesus is at the home of his friends Martha, Mary and Lazarus, whom he has raised from the dead. They lived in Bethany, just over the top of the Mount of Olives from Jerusalem.

V2 They were hosting a dinner for Jesus and his disciples perhaps in celebration of Jesus restoring their brother to them or in celebration of the upcoming Passover. Lazarus was at the table reclining with the other men. When they ate they reclined on their left side and held their heads with their left hands. Their feet were spread out behind them. Martha as usual was serving the meal.

V3 Mary came to the feet of Jesus and began to pour costly oil on them and to wipe the excess with her hair. A man was never to see a woman’s hair until their wedding night. Here, Mary has ignored social taboos to wipe his feet. She knew as did they all that when Jesus came back to Jerusalem he would be killed by the leaders for raising her brother back to life.

V4-6 Judas began to complain about the extravagant use of such expensive oil. He used the excuse that it could have been sold and the money given to the poor. He didn’t care about the poor but would have siphoned off some of the profits of the oil for himself.

V7 Jesus stops Judas from complaining further and explains that Mary had purchased the oil for his anointing at his burial. He knows the leaders are going to kill him. Mary knows he will probably be killed and that he is the Messiah. Typically a Messiah was anointed in the beginning of his kingship by a prophet pouring olive oil on his head. This had not been done for Jesus. Only God had anointed him at his baptism with his words and the dove descending on him. Now Mary was anointing him as her Messiah and for his death. Dead bodies were anointed with oil to cover the smell of decay. But Mary was anointing his feet, something no Jew would touch. Only a gentile slave touched feet. Mary is placing herself as low as a slave (servant) to Jesus. She is serving him as later he would demonstrate service and love by washing the disciple’s feet in the upper room. How much of this did Mary understand? We don’t know but her actions were done out of love for Jesus.

V8 He responds to Judas “You will always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.” In other words there will always be poor people in the world to help but I, Jesus, will not be with you much longer so if she wants to perform this act of love let her. Sometimes we only have a few chances to do something and then the opportunity is lost forever. Such was the opportunity for Mary to anoint Jesus’ feet.

What will we quit postponing and act on before the opportunity is lost forever?

Sunday March 14, 2010 Luke 15:11-32

2010-03-11T15:58:00.000-06:00

Welcome, for Sundays text I have been given permission by Dr. Harry Wendt to use an excerpt from his manual entitled The Parables of Jesus. This is an excellent resource for learning about the parables in the Gospel of Luke and is available on his website. You can get there by clicking on the link at the left of this article and click on the store. I encourage you to get one as it is an excellent and interesting teaching on the parables and their interpretations. Our text for Sunday is known as the parable of the Prodigal Son. He has renamed it the parable of The Two Lost Sons as both are lost although in different ways. I thank Dr. Wendt for his permission to use his interpretation as it is the best I’ve ever read. It is lengthy but I encourage you to stick with it.

The Parable of the Two Lost Sons
Harry Wendt

15:11-32: The passage records what is perhaps Jesus’ best-known parable. It has been called the “parable of the prodigal son,” and the “parable of the waiting father.” However, Jesus begins, “There was a man who had two sons.” The parable is about three people: a man and his two sons. It tells of a son who was lost at a distance and of a son who was lost although he stayed at home. In what follows, we shall refer to the parable as the “parable of the two lost sons.” In many ways, the older son is the key figure–and the one most truly lost.

15:12: First, the younger son says: “Father, give me the share of property that will belong to me.” The request can mean only one thing. The younger son is impatient for his father's death. The practice was that a father's wealth would be divided only after his death. On very rare occasions, a father could, on his own initiative, divide his property while he was still living. Although he handed his property over to a son, the father still retained control over it. In short, a son was given the right of possession but not the right of disposition (to use it as he pleases).
However, what the younger son demands is not merely the right of possession but also the right of disposition.

When people in the Middle East hear this parable today, from Algeria to Iran, from the Sudan to Syria, the response is the same: “Impossible! This father should beat his son! His son wants him to die!” Even so, the father divides the property. He makes two-thirds over to the older son, and one third over to the younger son.

Note that the younger son does not break a specific law in requesting the division. Deuteronomy 21:17 states that a younger son should receive a third. However, he breaks his father's heart, for he wants his share now–and in cash!

The son’s request hurts not only his father, but the entire family clan. The wealth of a village family is not held in a savings account. It is held in the family’s house and buildings, and in animals and land. In our story, the land and animals would have had to be sold quickly at a low price. In the Middle East, people can haggle for days over the smallest transaction. Those who sell in a hurry sell cheaply. For a family to lose one-third of its assets would be a staggering loss.

Note also that the son does not state: “I want my inheritance.” He states: “Give me the share of the property that will belong to me.” He avoids using the word inheritance. To accept one’s inheritance is to accept a leadership responsibility in the clan. The recipient is duty bound to administer the property on behalf of the family, to settle quarrels, to defend the honor of the family against all comers (even with his life), to increase the family’s wealth, to represent the family nobly at village weddings, feasts, and funerals. However, this boy wants no responsibility. He wants only the money.

Through his actions, the younger son cuts himself off from his roots. In cutting himself off from his father, he cuts himself off from his real inheritance. A man’s security in a village is his family. His family is his insurance, his old-age pension, his assurance of marriage, and his physical and emotional well-being. These things are as precious as life itself. Still today in the Middle East, when you ask a person where he is from, he does not give you his address. He replies: “I am from such and such a village.” He may never have been there, but his roots are there. If he is out of work or in need of friends, he will be welcomed, even if the villagers have never seen him. All will open their doors to him, and will accept him totally. So, when the younger son makes his request, he breaks his father’s heart and all relationships with his family.

The older son knows the entire story. In a Middle East village community, everything that happens is known almost immediately by everyone. Perhaps the conversation between the father and the younger son is overheard by the servants or other members of the family. Perhaps the older son is present. Whatever the case might have been, the older son refuses to honor his obligations and duty.

In a village quarrel, people involved in a dispute never make up directly. To do so is to require someone to lose face. The reconciliation process takes place through a third party. The “go-between” moves back and forth between the disputing parties until a solution is reached that both can accept. The mediator then arranges a meeting in which those involved in a conflict meet, shake hands, embrace, and perhaps kiss each other. The mediator is always chosen on the basis of the strength of his relationship with the quarreling parties. In our story, the older son would have been the natural choice for mediator. And he must begin immediately. He must do so even if he hates his brother. He must act for the sake of his father. He must say things such as: “O my brother, your father is an old man. You may not see him again–do not leave us! O my brother, your mother will go blind weeping. We cannot bear the thought of you leaving us!” But he does not do so. Apparently things are bad between him and his brother, and between him and his father. And so, the father grants his younger son permission to turn away from him. However, he does not sever his relationship with the son. Had he disowned him, there would have been no possibility of reconciliation. Because he does not disown him, the possibility of reconciliation remains.

15:13: Perhaps during the days immediately prior to his departure, the younger son exchanges his inheritance for a sack of coins. After all, he must be able to carry his inheritance with him. As he leaves, the villagers scorn him. The only thing that goes with him is the love of a broken-hearted father. The word Luke uses to describe his departure is: “He traveled away from his own people.” He leaves–and loses–his village!

In the unnamed “far country” to which the son goes, he squanders his property. We are not told how. The tradition that he spent it on immoral living is based on the older brother’s later slanderous remarks, 15:30. In leaving the village, the younger son cut himself off from his original community. He now needs a new circle of friends–a new family. Hence, it is possible that he spends the money foolishly to establish a reputation for generosity among his new associates. Perhaps he throws lavish parties. Perhaps he tries to buy new friendships by giving expensive gifts. Naturally, while he has money, he has friends. When he has no money, he has no friends. He is now in real trouble. What is he to do?

15:14,15: First, he tries to get a job. Jesus says he literally “glued” himself to a local “citizen” in the hope that the man (most certainly a Gentile) might employ him. If the man is a citizen, he is a man of some standing in the community. Most likely he knows the would-be employee is a Jew and that he once had access to money. He also possibly hopes that by offering him a job feeding pigs (Jews cannot handle pigs or eat pork!), the Jewish job-seeker will turn the offer down and leave him alone.

The situation is complicated by the fact that, in the world of Jesus’ day, pigs were not housed in pens or sties. They wandered along public roads and paths. They served as the community’s garbage disposal units. Therefore, in caring for them, the son would be very much on public display. Surely he would never accept such a position!

But, because he is desperate, he does. That makes him a slave, an outcast, in Jewish eyes. And while he cares for the pigs, he holds out his hands to passers-by in the hope that they will give him something. But no one gives him anything. What is he to do? He needs money to buy food to stay alive. At stake is his very survival.

15:16-19: There is only one course open to him: He must return home. And he must do so while he still has enough strength to walk the distance. But he has to devise a strategy that will deal with what might transpire when he arrives at his home village. First, he remembers that his father did not discipline him when he made his initial request, and suspects that his father will not reject him. Second, he must face his brother's scorn and “eat his brother’s bread,” and so be indebted to his brother as well as his father. If his brother has treated him badly before, he will treat him worse now! Third, he must face the village community. He has broken all relationships with them, and is despised by them. When he gets to the edge of the village, he simply cannot march through it to his father’s house, and say, “Here I am, father!” He must stop at the edge of the village, send a message to his father, and wait for hours and even days to see if his father will respond and agree to meet with him.

So, he works out a plan. He will return to his father and tell him that, although he has sinned against God and his father and is no longer worthy to be called his father’s son, he asks only that his father will help him by letting him become an apprentice and learn a trade. And here he reveals his strategy for survival. By working at a trade, he can support himself, possibly even pay back some of the family money that he squandered, and perhaps regain even a little dignity in the eyes of his community. And because he will not have to live in or near the family home, but in the village, he will not have to come into constant contact with his brother.

15:20: So, the long walk back to his father, brother, and village begins. But note! He has not yet repented! The issue at stake is his physical survival!

While all this is going on, what is the father doing? Has he forgotten his son? Impossible! We can well imagine that he thinks about him daily and anxiously. We can well imagine that he thinks about him each night prior to going to sleep, and asks: “Where is my boy? Does he have food? Does he have friends? Is he well? Is he alive?” And we might well imagine that, from time to time, he looks down the road on which his son has walked away from him, and asks. “Will my boy ever come back to me?”

Eventually there comes a day when, while looking down that road, he sees someone on the horizon– walking towards the village. He wonders who it might be. If only it were his son! But he must not let his imagination run away with him. Many people have walked along that road. But the more he looks, the more he suspects something. Is it... ? Could it really be...? Surely not! But finally he knows! “My boy! It is my boy! My boy is coming back to me!” And he runs to meet his son.

We westerners think little about the fact that he runs. People in many other cultures react differently. They smile! In many parts of the world still today, as in Jesus’ day, old men never run. Little boys run. Teenagers run. Old men never run. They walk slowly, with great dignity. But this father runs! He must get to the boy first. Why? The villagers, the villagers! When the son asked his father to give him the share of the property that was due to him, he did not sin merely against his father. He sinned against the village! He has no right to return to it. More, if the villagers see him returning and get to him first, most likely they will carry out a qetsatsah ceremony.

Qetsatsah is an Aramaic word meaning “cutting off.” The ceremony is described in several nonbiblical Jewish writings, including the Jerusalem Talmud (e.g., Kidd. 1:5). These writings state that if a man sold his field to a Gentile (non-Jew), the relatives would bring parched corn and nuts, place them in a jar, and break the jar in front of the people as they proclaimed, “So-and-so is cut off from his inheritance.” Ketuboth 2:10 does not mention the Gentile. It states that if a man sold to anyone, the ceremony would be enacted. Only restoration of the land could revoke the “cutting off” of the offending person. If we accept the earlier Jerusalem Talmud text as more likely to represent the first century, the threat is even stronger. The prodigal has sold the land. Now he goes into a far country with the proceeds of the sale in his pocket. If he returns and re-buys, all will be forgiven. But how will the village react if he loses all the money and adds insult to injury by doing so among the Gentiles? If the qetsatsah ceremony was not enacted when the son left, it will surely be performed if he dare return under these latter unthinkable circumstances. Little wonder, then, that the father must get to his boy first! How the father receives the son will determine how the villagers must receive him.

In running, literally “racing” to his son, the father demeans himself. To run, he must hold up his outer garment that he might move swiftly. He exposes his undershirt–if you like, his underwear! And, without doubt, the boys and teenagers of the village run alongside him, laughing loudly, pointing at his exposed legs and knees, and saying, “Look! His underwear! His underwear! Ha, ha, ha!” But the father is prepared to demean himself to get to that boy first!

Finally, the two meet. An obedient son has the right to kiss his father’s hands. This wayward son has only the right to fall to the ground and kiss his father’s feet. But the father will not let him fall to the ground. Although the father says nothing, he takes his son in his arms, holds him up, and kisses him.

15:21: The boy tries to deliver his little speech–but succeeds in getting out only the first part of it: “Father, I have sinned against God and you, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.” But he does not get out the bit about becoming an apprentice and learning a trade. Why?

15:22: The father takes over and does the talking! “Place the best robe in the house around him. Place a ring on his finger. Put shoes on his feet. Kill the fatted calf and prepare a feast!” Note the implications! The father accepts the boy back as his son, and reinstates him in the household. The best robe?–most likely the best robe from the father’s own wardrobe. A ring?–that was a symbol of authority in the household. Shoes?–only slaves go barefoot; sons wear shoes. Son? Yes! Hired servant? Apprentice? Never! He orders the servants to serve his son! Everyone in the village must now treat the son in keeping with the father’s wishes. The father’s actions have established the way things are to be.

15:23, 24: The father calls for a feast! There must be a feast to celebrate! He instructs that the family’s fatted calf (an expensive item that now belongs to the older brother!) be part of the menu. In that part of the world still today, a village feast is a truly special event. In the situation described in the parable, the father is the focus of attention. He has decided the nature of the son’s reception, and decreed the future relationship. He sits in the center of the house, and all the guests come in to him and thank him for inviting them. He, in turn, thanks them for honoring him with their presence. On this particular occasion, the guest of honor is the younger son. No person in the village dare say anything unkind to him. They may not like what he has done, and may not feel well disposed towards him. But they must accept and welcome him. The father’s actions have determined what theirs must be.

15:25-27: But now comes a tough question. Who is to be the “head waiter?” The older brother! Although the other servants would do the bulk of the work, the older son must be present to set the tone of the hospitality offered by assuring the guests that they are most welcome, and that they honor the family by coming!

But the older son is not home when the banquet begins. He is out in the fields. No–he is not working. He is the older son in a household of some wealth. The family has a home, servants, fields, and cattle. He does not work, but he supervises. Most likely he is lying under the shade of a tree, nibbling away at some fruit, watching over the hired servants, and paying them their wages at the end of the day.

Within half an hour of the son’s return, everyone in the village knows what is happening. The older son asks one of those serving the banquet, “What’s going on around here?" The servant replies, “Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted calf.”

15:28: The older brother is furious. He will not go in. The atmosphere is electric. And within a manner of moments, all in the house sense the tension. The eating, music, and dancing stop. All eyes turn toward the father. The situation must be resolved. But how? The father should not leave his place of honor. He should stay inside among his guests! To go outside would be again demeaning. Even so, out he goes–to face the older son's fury and insults!

15:29-30: The older son explodes with, “Father, you've never done anything like this for me! You have not even given me a kid goat from the flock to share with my friends. And I've worked all these years for you. Yet, when this son of yours (note: your son, not my brother) comes back, this son who has been wasting our assets on harlots (a false charge!), you kill the fatted calf!”

Let’s give some thought to the older son’s thinking patterns. He has never left his father. He has stayed home and carried out his duties. His father should be impressed with his track record, and see himself as indebted to his older son. However, he says the father has never shown him any special favor. He has never even given him so much as a kid goat to share with his friends at a feast! (His “friends” are people “out there,” not members of the family or the immediate community.) He feels he has done so much, but received so little. More, as he sees it, the father has demeaned the family reputation by welcoming back this womanizing vagabond!

15:31,32: The father replies with great concern and kindness, “My son, (and he uses a very tender word here) all that I have is yours! You see, we thought your brother (note that term!) was dead–but he is alive. We thought he was lost–but he has been found!”

What does the older son do to his father? We are not told. Possibly, in his rage he beats him–or even kills him. These suggestions are not far-fetched if we bear in mind that those to whom Jesus told this parable eventually screamed, “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!”

The father in the parable does not impose laws and constraints on his sons. He does not force them to do things against their will. He lets them do their worst to him so that he might do his best for them. And if the older son did indeed choose to beat his father, perhaps the father’s hope was that he would eventually come to his senses and ask: “What am I doing? How can I possibly do this to my father? What kind of a father do I have, who lets me do this to him? Why does he act this way toward me?” And if the older son does get around to asking these questions, his whole relationship with his father and brother will change.

Let’s say that, as the weeks go by and things settle down, the younger boy goes back to work in the family circle. Can you imagine the spirit in which he does that? Can you imagine the difference the villagers see in him? Can you imagine how he relates to the servants in the household? And perhaps some, who do not know the family story, ask him, “Why are you like this–so kind, concerned, and compassionate?” To such questions, the younger son might well reply, “Have you never heard my story? Let me tell it to you!”

What changed the younger son? When he “came to his senses” in the far country, he did not repent. He simply realized that he was in a dangerous situation. There was a drought in the land, and a severe shortage of food. His own survival was at stake. His concern was to save his own life and regain some of the security that he had enjoyed prior to his departure. The thing that changed him was the look he saw on his father's face and the welcome he received. He was “found.”

Luke does not tell us what the older son finally did to his father. This points to the challenge that Jesus was presenting to the scribes and Pharisees. He was saying, “Yes, I do welcome sinners and eat with them. That is at the heart of My ministry. That is what the Kingdom of God is all about. What will you do about it? What will you do with Me?” Their murmurings will eventually give rise to “Crucify Him!”

Concluding Thoughts: In many parts of Africa, when a dispute takes place in a village, this is what happens: In the center of the village is a round hut. (In Liberia it is called a Palaver Hut. In South Africa it is called a Ndaba Hut). The village elders, and the parties to the controversy, meet in the hut and sit on the floor in a circle, facing each other. After some initial small talk, they face up to the problem head-on. They talk things out and settle the problem. When the talk is over, there is a village feast which all attend. And when the feast is over, no person in the village may ever again refer to the problem or controversy. It is past, finished, and forgotten! Perhaps we westerners would do well to refer to our places of worship as Palaver huts! (Maybe the Lords Supper is similar to this meal, we are forgiven go forward)

Briefly, what does this parable mean for us? We are the ones who have wandered away from God. We are the ones who have claimed ownership of creation and life, and want to use them to enjoy ourselves rather than use them to glorify God and serve others in our earthly village. But when we come to our senses and return to our Heavenly Father, what do we have to bring? The younger son had only pig-stink to bring with him. We have only sin-stink to bring with us. But when we come, the heavenly Father rushes out to meet us, welcomes us passionately, and reinstates us in His family circle. God “finds” us.

When God restores us to His family circle, we are to serve Him by serving each other, and do so in the spirit of the Servant Jesus, His cross, and with the image of His empty tomb fixed in our minds. Within that family circle, we are to invite others to return to the family fold, and welcome them warmly when they come, so that God might “find” them. And we are to go on telling God's story, not our story, so that God’s family might continue to grow and the heavenly village might be more densely populated.

From: The Parables of Jesus by Dr. Harry Wendt pp.57-67 Copyright 2005

Sunday March 7, 2010 Luke 13:1-9

2010-03-04T13:14:00.000-06:00

Welcome, I have missed a few texts but am hoping to get back on schedule. Spring is in the air and summer is on the way. Our text for Sunday is about suffering. This is one of the most asked questions-why do we suffer? Some people think that when they become a Christian their suffering is over but that is a false teaching. Becoming a Christian never protects a person from suffering and in fact as Jesus teaches his disciples it can bring on suffering. The people rejected Jesus and they will reject his followers too. So maybe the question we need to ask is; if I am a follower of Jesus, why am I not suffering more?

V1 As Jesus is teaching his disciples and the crowds some people ask him about an incident in the Temple when Pilate had some of the Galileans offering their sacrifices killed. Their blood had mixed with the sacrificial blood.

V2 Jesus asked them for their thoughts. The Jewish people had been taught that sin brought on suffering. The two were linked. Therefore, if someone suffered a physical ailment or mental ailment they must have sinned and God was punishing them. Jesus refutes this idea by saying these Galileans were no worse sinners than anyone else.

V3 Jesus tells the crowd unless they repent of their own nationalistic ideals of overthrowing Rome they too will die. He moves the teaching from “who is to blame for this tragedy” to we must live closely with God by repenting of our own agendas.

V4 The tower of Siloam had fallen on eighteen people and killed them, Jesus presents the crowd with another example. Were those people such bad sinners that God made a tower to fall on them killing them?

V5 Again he moves their focus from who to blame for the tragedy to personal repentance. We are all to live as if our lives might end at anytime. We are to give up our personal agendas and take on Gods mission so that if tragedy befalls us we are prepared to enter Gods kingdom.

V6 -9 He then tells a parable to get the point across to his listeners. A man planted a fig tree and when he came to pick the fruit it had none. He had waited for three years for the tree to produce fruit and when it didn’t he wanted it removed. The gardener intervened and explained to the man he would show it some special attention for the next year and then if it didn’t produce fruit the man could remove it.

Reread the parable with this in mind. In the Old Testament Israel was spoken of as a fig tree that God had planted in his vineyard. A fig tree takes three years to mature and produce fruit. God had waited a sufficient amount of time for Israel to produce fruit-draw all the nations to God. The tree was barren, as was Israel barren. The sin of no fruit had been national, not personal. God didn’t punish people individually for their ailments, but nationally for their ignorance of him. God wanted the tree torn out as it was taking up room and wasting the soil. The gardener intervened, think of him as Jesus. Jesus asked for more time for the tree in which he would personally attend to it to help it bear fruit. He would care for it, fertilize it and refresh the soil around it. To the Nation of Israel he was doing the same. He had come to show them his Father and was teaching them how to live with God and carry out Gods’ mission. He was showing Gods’ mercy to the people by asking for more time to get the message across. But while God, the owner of the vineyard, had agreed to another year for the tree he did have a limit on how long he would wait. We may get many chances to bear fruit but there will come a moment when our time is up and we will have to account for our fruit. Just like the people who had been killed by events beyond their control we need to realize things beyond our control will happen. Our world is a broken one and bad things happen to all people. Rather than looking for who or what to blame, it is more important to repent of our own agendas and bear fruit for God. So I leave you with a question: Are you in the garden taking up valuable space while producing nothing or are you producing fruit? Don’t think because you have become a Christian you are saved to sit on your butt. You became a Christian, saved by Gods sacrifice of his Son, to continue doing the Sons work.

Sunday February 21, 2010 Luke 4:1-13

2010-02-17T13:55:00.000-06:00

Welcome, today is Ash Wednesday and the start of the season we call Lent culminating in Easter. Our Lenten text for Sunday is in Luke. Jesus has just been baptized by John. God has responded by saying “You are my Son, the Beloved; (which came from Psalm 2:7 and was a coronation Psalm spoken at the coronation of a Davidic King, so we have King) with you I am well pleased” (which came from the servant song in Isaiah 42:1, so we have servant). Putting these statements together we have God telling us we have a Davidic King that will be a servant.

V1-2 Jesus returns from his baptism in the Jordan River and is prompted to go into the wilderness where for 40 days Satan tempts him. Remember in Exodus when the Israelites were freed from Egypt God led them into the wilderness where they lived for 40 years. All this time he ate nothing and is famished.

V3 Satan appears and starts speaking to that hunger. Satan challenges Jesus by first saying “IF you are the Son of God” in other words casting doubt on his claim to be the Son of God. The word if means prove that you are the Son of God by doing these things and if you don’t maybe you’re not the Son of God. “Command this stone to become bread.” Jesus would have liked nothing better to eat as he hadn’t for 40 days. Fulfill your own needs first.

V4 Jesus responds quoting Deut 8:3. This also refers back to the people wondering in the wilderness Ex. 16:4 where they are told to only gather enough manna, which God has provided, for one day. God is testing their obedience to him and his provision.

V5-7 Satan then takes Jesus to a high place to show him all the worldly kingdoms. He tells Jesus that all of these kingdoms have been given to him and if Jesus will just worship him Satan will give them to Jesus. The reality is that the kingdoms weren’t given to Satan but instead he usurped them. He doesn’t own them. This is political domination. Political domination was what the Jews were waiting for. They believed it would happen when God sent the Messiah.

V8 Jesus replies to this offer by quoting Deut 6:13 that he must only worship God. He mission isn’t one of political domination but submission to God. His kingdom is not of this world but is in this world.

V9-11 Satan takes him to the pinnacle of the Temple. This would have been in the southeast corner of the Temple which rose 450 feet above the Kidron Valley. He then asks Jesus to prove that he is the Son of God by jumping off the peak, because if he is Gods’ son God will save him. Satan quotes scripture to encourage Jesus to do this. (Ps 91:11-12) Jesus put on a show of the miraculous for us so we can all see God catch you, and then we will know you are from God for sure.

V12 Jesus again replies quoting Deut 6:16 do not put God to the test. He knows that Satan has twisted scripture to try to get the result he wanted.

V13 When Satan had finished he departed until an opportune time, he will be back to test again.

As Israel was called the Son of God in Exodus, now Jesus is the Son of God, the new Israel. As the new Israel he must endure all that the first Israel had endured but in some ways failed. While they were in the wilderness they complained about the manna, the lack of water, the living conditions and their entry into the land- it would be too hard, there were giant people living there so God kept them in the wilderness for 40 years to attempt to teach them obedience. Jesus is in the wilderness for 40 days as the Son of God and demonstrates complete obedience to his Father. Satan didn’t use flashy overt methods to try to tempt Jesus but tried to cast doubt on Jesus’ mission. Satan had tricked Eve in Genesis by casting doubt in her mind on the instructions God had given them. She gave in to the doubt and ate of the fruit. This is how Satan can confuse us, by casting just enough doubt to make us question ourselves and even throwing in some scripture twists for good measure. It is usually sneaky not overt. Just as Jesus was tempted, we too are tempted and we must be on guard.

Sunday February 7, 2010 Luke 5:1-11

2010-02-04T14:05:00.000-06:00

Welcome, our text for Sunday continues on in the Gospel of Luke. In these verses He calls his disciples. Note in all other instances the rabbi was picked by his students to teach them. Jesus changed this and he picked his students-disciples so no one could claim they had chosen him and therefore be superior to the others.

V1 Jesus is by the Sea of Galilee teaching and the crowd is pressing in on him. He isn’t waiting in the Synagogue for the people to come to him for his teaching but he is bringing it to the people. He is going to the places they gather to show them who his Father is.

V2 There were boats there without fishermen in them. The fishermen were washing their nets. The men fished at night then because the nets were made of dark threads and the fish could see them in the daylight. The men had been out all night fishing and were cleaning their nets so they could go home and get some rest before the next night of fishing.

V3 Jesus stepped into Peter’s boat to distance himself from the crowds pressing in on him so he could continue to teach. He asked Peter to float out a little way so all of the crowd could hear him. Then he sat down to teach. A rabbi always sat to teach so throughout the gospels Jesus will sit down to teach the crowds.

V4 He finished teaching and instead of asking Peter to take him back to shore he asks to go to the deep water of the lake and for Peter to put his nets in the lake that he had just finished cleaning. A carpenter instructs a professional fisherman where to fish. The men didn’t fish in the deep as they felt the fish were in shallower water. The deep was considered a “dead” zone.

V5 Peter, sarcastically, replies we’ve been at this all night and caught nothing. Peter is probably thinking I’m the professional and you obviously aren’t, this will be hopeless. Yet Peter does what Jesus requests.

V6 When Peter put his nets into the water, where he knew there wasn’t any fish, he caught so many fish that he nets were full to the breaking point.

V7 Peter signals his companions to come and help them with the great catch. The men come and both boats are filled to overflowing with the catch of fish, to the point of almost sinking.

V8-9 Then an odd thing happens; Peter fell at Jesus knees and says “go away from me Lord, for I am a sinful man!” His address to Jesus progresses from Master in verse 5 to calling him Lord now. Peter, the professional, after fishing all night with no luck is, at the most unlikely time and place, catches an over abundance of fish because he followed the directions of Jesus; an over flowing blessing. Peter recognizes this miracle as coming from God. The prophet Ezekiel in 47:1-12 had spoken of a time when the Messiah came that water would flow from the Temple into the Dead Sea making it alive again with an abundance of fish. This is what Jesus did but at a different place. With Jesus the Messiah in the boat the water of the Sea of Galilee, the deep which was thought to be dead of fish, was living (see John 7:37-39 where Jesus states he is the living water and John 4:7-15 where Jesus speaks with the Samaritan women at the well and explains to her that he is the living water) and an abundance of fish was caught. Peter recognized this and realized he was in the presence of the Messiah and he fell down and worshiped him.

V10 Jesus replies to Peter and the others with him who had come to help with the abundance of fish “Do not be afraid”. Why would they be afraid? Because they knew they were in the presence of the Messiah, the Son of God. They had been taught that to see God was to die; no one saw the face of God and lived. Not even Moses had been allowed to see the face of God on Mount Sinai. Jesus comforts them and gives them their new commission to catch people just as he had done in catching an abundance of fish.

V 11 When they had put their boats on shore they walked away from them and left to follow Jesus. They walked away from their livelihood to follow a poor rabbi. It was a transformation of everything for them. They didn’t know where their next denarius or meal would come from, just that they needed to follow this man whom they knew as the Messiah.

This was a radical shift for them. It is also a radical shift for us. Not many of us do this. We proclaim that we follow Jesus but we still live in the same house, keep the same friends and work in the same job. Now we can’t all leave everything and still be effective in our lives. We need to work, socialize and live somewhere but what if in our work lives, social lives and homes we drew people to Jesus by the way others saw our example of living? When Jesus called his disciples they left with him maybe we need not to leave but invite Jesus into our homes, work places and social lives so we can introduce him to others.

Sunday January 31, 2010 Luke 4:21-30

2010-01-27T21:17:00.000-06:00

Welcome, I have had quite a few days as the binding on my Bible finally broke and I’ve had to research how to salvage it as it has all of my notes in it from the past years. Luckily I figured it out and it is still usable. Our text for this Sunday is a continuation of last Sunday. We pick right up where we left off.

V22 This verse is misleading in our bibles as we think they are thinking he is amazing in a good way. The Greek means they didn’t think so well of him and were surprised that he spoke words of mercy about the Gentiles. Remember I had you look up the verse he left out, it says “and the day of vengeance of our God”. It was about taking vengeance against the Gentiles and all of their hope lay in this. They start to question his authority to say these things by bringing up doubt. Don’t we know this man, he is Josephs’ son. He has no authority from God.

V23-24 Jesus replies to their questioning of his authority by telling them the proverbs they will use against him. They will ask for a sign to verify his authority to say these things and make these claims. He knows that no matter what he does it won’t convince them as they are too familiar with him and his background. They can’t see past who he was while growing up.

V25-26 He instructs them from the Old Testament that in the time of their great prophet Elijah when there was a famine God sent Elijah to a gentile widow to be saved and fed. A gentile widow had saved Elijah from the famine with the help of God, not an Israelite widow. 1 Kings 17:8

V27 Jesus continues with the story from the Old Testament about a Syrian (Gentile) general in the army with leprosy who was sent to the prophet Elisha to be cured of his disease, not any Israelites. 2 Kings 5.

V28 The crowd is now in a rage. He has picked from the Old Testament stories about God showing mercy and ministering to the Gentiles as an explanation as to why he left out the statement about vengeance. They will be shown mercy now too. If the Jewish people reject Jesus’ message now he too will go to the Gentiles.

V29 The crowd wants to kill him. They drive him out of town to toss him off a cliff but he is able to pass through the midst of them as it isn’t his time yet to die.

V31-32 He travels to Capernaum which will be his Galilean home after his rejection at Nazareth. He is teaching in their synagogue and they are amazed at the authority he teaches with. Others taught by quoting famous previous rabbinical teachings, not as if they themselves had originated the ideas. Jesus’ teachings originated with him, he quoted no one else for authority.

V33-34 There is in the synagogue a man with a demon. The demon knows who Jesus is and calls him by name and title. The demon does this to show Jesus he knows who he is and has authority over him. In that time it was thought that whoever knew the name of the other had power and authority over them. By the demon saying Jesus’ name he is asserting authority.

V35 Jesus rebukes the demon saying “come out” and the demon obeys. This is a demonstration of the power and authority of Jesus. Apparently he has so much power that he can control the demons.

V36-37 The crowd is shocked. They’ve never seen anything like this before. Usually when trying to excise a demon, ritual and incantations had to be performed. Jesus just commands it to leave and it does. Now people start spreading the word about him.

Jesus gave them a message they didn’t want to hear. How often does he give us a message we don’t want to hear? If we refuse to hear him he will move on to others that are open to his message just as he told the people of Nazareth he would.

Sunday January 24, 2009 Luke 4:14-21

2010-01-20T13:17:00.002-06:00

Welcome, it doesn’t seem right to start this blog without saying something about Haiti but what is there to say-it’s horrible. One thing that stands out for me is how countries are trying to get relief supplies in, including some countries that don’t do this routinely. Is God focusing our attention on some of our brothers and sisters whom we have tended to ignore, not by a disaster but by insisting we finally reach out to them? After this will we ever be able to forget Haiti? I hope not and I hope we also reach out to our brothers and sisters in other poor countries as well. Our text for Sunday comes from the gospel of Luke. Previous to this lesson Jesus has gone through the three temptations. This is the beginning of his public ministry.

V14-15 Jesus returned to Galilee and began to teach in their synagogues. At this point he is praised by everyone, kind of a home town boy whom everyone is proud of.

V16 He returned to Nazareth to teach on the Sabbath. This was the town he had grown up in. Everyone knew him and his family. You know how it is if you’ve grown up in a small town, everybody knows your business-the good and the bad.

V17 He stood up to read as the invited guest teacher and the scroll of Isaiah was given to him. He didn’t choose it himself. Back then they, too, had a prescribed set of readings for a year. He unrolled the scroll and found the reading for that Sabbath.

V18-19 According to rabbinic tradition when reading the prophets the reader could edit his verses. When one read the Law it was to be read exactly as it appeared and someone looked over your shoulder to make sure that it was read correctly. The verses Jesus read are a combination of Isaiah 61:1-2 and Isaiah 58:6.
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me” this was a reference to his baptism
“because he has anointed me” he is the anointed and promised one in the text-a present reality fulfilled in Him.
“to bring good news to the poor” the meek , the humble who seek God.
“He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives”
“and recovery of sight to the blind” the literal blind and the spiritually blind, compassion.
“to let the oppressed go free” justice for the oppressed.
“to proclaim the year of the Lords favor” proclaim the Jubilee year-the Messiah will bestow blessings on his people.

V 20 Jesus rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. Everyone is staring at him. They have just heard a radical message and they can’t believe it.

V21 Jesus then says that “today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing” today this scripture is starting to be lived. It is no longer a hope in the future but a reality for today.

So why were the people in shock? It sounds like a “nice” reading to us. We need to go back to the Messianic dreams from Isaiah to find the answer. Isaiah 60:1-61:6 held the hopes of the people of things that would happen when Messiah came. These were their national “dreams”:

* God’s glory will embrace His so-called Chosen People forever, 60:2. Oppression by other nations will cease, 61:1.
* Rulers and people of other nations will come to the Holy Land, bringing with them their wealth–across the oceans in ships and across the land on camels, 60:3, 5b, 6, 11, 61:6b. Indeed, God’s people will suck into their own land and hands the wealth of the Gentiles as a child sucks milk from its mother’s breasts, 60:16a.
* God will pour out His vengeance on any Gentile nation that will not serve the Jewish people, 60:12, 61:2a. Gentiles will rebuild any Jewish structures that they have reduced to rubble (60:10a), using the best of timbers from Lebanon in the process, 60:13; see also 60:17. They will also free God’s people from having to do menial tasks such as caring for animals and farming the land, 61:5. Possibly the suggestion is also that God’s people will be spared having to do menial tasks so that they might devote life to studying the Torah, their scriptures.
* Diaspora Jews scattered around the Mediterranean world will return to the Holy Land, bringing their silver and gold with them, 60:9.
* God’s people will live in their land in peace and security, 60:18. The gates that lead into their towns and cities will always remain open, 60:11a. The people will all be righteous, possess the land forever, and increase greatly in numbers, 60:21,22a. (c 2010, Harry Wendt)

By leaving these verses out of the reading and claiming the scriptures were being fulfilled in him, Jesus shredded their national dreams. This was a very unMessianic announcement to those waiting for redemption from a Messiah. The Messiah was to come and wage war against the occupying forces, Rome, and take over the land and the Temple declaring himself king while the population also declared him their king. He would subdue the Gentiles and either enslave them or get rid of them. Jesus left all of this vengeance, wealth and servitude of the Gentiles out.

Next week we will continue with this text and find out what happened in the synagogue. This is a “stay tuned” message that is “to be continued”. It’s too bad that the reading was broken up as the message as a whole is powerful as is the crowd’s reaction. I urge you to read these verses in Isaiah and note where Jesus stopped reading (at 61:2a) and what the next part of 61:2b says.

Sunday January 17, 2009 John 2:1-11

2010-01-13T12:35:00.001-06:00

Welcome, we are finally warming up and it feels good. Our text for Sunday is from John. This is the first miracle recorded in John. The first chapter of John is structured as a new week of creation. Day one is 1:1, day two is 1:29, day three is 1:35, day four is 1:43 and the seventh day is 2:1 (on the third day is 4+3rd day =7). The seventh day in creation was rest – Sabbath.

V1-2 This was probably the wedding of a virgin which Jewish law dictated to occur on a Wednesday. In Hosea chapter 1-3 and in other places in the Old Testament Gods relationship with his people is depicted as a marriage. Here we have an actual marriage ceremony. It is in Cana and Jesus’ mother is invited as are Jesus and his disciples. The disciples at this point would consist of Andrew, Peter, Philip and Nathanael.

V3 The wedding would last many days with the bride and groom acting as a Queen and King of the celebration. There would be banquets and wine flowing every day. Unfortunately their wine ran out. This would be a disaster and mean a bad outcome for the couple. It would put shame on the marriage and be forever remembered. In this culture shame was the worst thing to suffer. It would also indicate God’s favor was not present in the marriage. Jesus’ mother seems to somehow be involved with this dilemma and tells Jesus about it in a matter that indicated he could do something about it. Some Scholars surmise it was the wedding of a relative.

V4 He replies to her respectfully “women” and informs her his hour has not come. He will use this phrase about 7-10 times in John, like a bell tolling in the distance until his hour finally comes. His hour will be his crucifixion and glory.

V5 His mother still believing he would do something about the problem told the servants to do whatever he told them. Somehow his mother knew he was capable of fixing the problem and would do so.

V6 At the wedding there were 6 stone jars of water for purification rites. Stone was used for purification because it was not porous, as clay was, and so would not retain the impurities. The water was used for ritual washing before eating. The purification rites were emphasized continually by the Jewish leaders and sometimes very harshly. To brush up against a gentiles clothing in the market place meant going home and ritually bathing to purify yourself. The purity laws had come into effect later as part of the oral tradition created by the Jewish leaders and were not part of God’s original law.

V7 Jesus tells the servants to fill the jars with water and they did. This would have been the first step of faith for the servants as this would have been a strange request.

V8 He then tells them to draw out the water and take it to the chief steward (servant). This would have been the second step of faith for the servants as to take a pitcher of water to your boss hoping it is wine would have been ludicrous. But the servant did it.

V9 By the time the steward tastes the liquid it had become wine.

V10 The steward called the bridegroom over and stated that this wine is so good that most would have served it first when the guests were sober not now after a few days and the guests have been drunk. Remember the stone jars? There were 6 which held twenty to thirty gallons a piece. They now have approximately 180-200 gallons of excellent wine. This is a huge amount.

V11 Jesus did the first of his “signs” in Cana. We tend to think of these signs as miracles and they are that but they are much more. A sign points to something. A sign on a road indicates where you are to go. Jesus used his signs to point to who he was. The Old Testament spoke of a time when the Messiah would come. In Amos 9:13 the prophet spoke of a time when the Messiah would come and wine would flow from the hills and the valleys would fill of it. In other words there would be an abundance of good wine. Joel 3:18 also spoke of the mountains dripping sweet wine when Messiah came. Now we have an abundance of excellent wine that Jesus has produced and his disciples saw and believed in him. They somewhat understood the first sign. Something big was happening in this man.

Remember the first verse of this text, it was the seventh day. On the seventh day of creation God rested. One the seventh day of the new creation Jesus gave them a party. Sabbath wasn’t to be used to abstain from compassionate work. God hadn’t quit working, he rested from creating. It was the rabbis who had put all of the limitations on the Sabbath using their oral tradition. Again, we return to the stone purification jars that Jesus had them use. They are now overflowing with wine. When he makes the jars vessels of abundant wine he is redefining the purification rituals. They are not needed anymore. They never were needed and had become a heavy yoke for the people to keep up with. If people have to live daily with many rituals they become overwhelmed. It becomes too hard to keep all of them. Jesus brought an eternal Sabbath rest from ritual and an abundance of wine for the new age that he was ushering in.

I was once part of a conversation between two men on a Sunday afternoon in the summer. The one man had just finished trimming weeds for all of his neighbors and sat down to rest. The second man scolded him for working on a Sunday, as we all should be resting. The first man replied “what I did, I did for others not myself or for my gain and therefore according to God it is OK.” I had to agree with the first man. He had done a service for others including myself, as he had done my weed trimming too. This man lives to serve God and man. His service or compassion isn’t confined by a day of the week. The rabbinical leaders had wanted all work to cease on a Sabbath lest someone accidentally do work and make God angry. It was all about appeasing God by curtailing activity. Jesus came to show us his Father and that his Father still works on a holy day. God still shows mercy, compassion and forgiveness shouldn’t we?

Sunday January 6, 2010 Matthew 2:1-12

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Happy New Year, I hope your holidays were fun and relaxing. Our text continues on with the Christmas text from Matthew. We tend to combine the stories from Matthew and Luke into one but each gospel emphasized different aspects of the birth of Jesus.

V1-2 Wise men from the East came to Jerusalem looking for the King of the Jews. We don’t know where in the East they came from and there are many ideas. One of the most popular thoughts is that they came from Babylon. Babylon had a school of Maji that studied wisdom plus after the end of the Babylonian exile not all Jews returned home. Many stayed in Babylon and that is where the Babylonian Talmud originated. These Maji could have studied the Jewish scriptures along with other writings from other cultures. Whoever they were they were Gentiles as no Jew would ask Herod where the King of the Jews was born because Herod was the King of the Jews. They came to Jerusalem to ask because that is where the King resided so they assumed that was where the new king was born. They had seen a star at its rising which in the literature they had studied meant a great king had been born. We don’t know what this star was but again many ideas abound. Something unusual happened in the sky above Bethlehem that got their attention however it couldn’t have been too obvious as Herod or his guards hadn’t noticed anything, nor had the local people or Jewish leaders. One had to be searching for the sign in order to see it.

V3 Herod is frightened; which means he was more threatened than scared. Was there a new king to challenge him? The people of Jerusalem were frightened as to the reaction of Herod at this news. Herod was a brutal ruler and didn’t hesitate to put anyone to death. He had members of his own family killed, even his own sons. So the people knew if Herod felt threatened he wouldn’t hesitate to kill anyone and probably a few extras for good measure.

V4 Since he obviously wasn’t learned in the scriptures he called together the chief priests and scribes and inquired as to where the Messiah was to be born. He was cagey here and only asked if the child were to be born where would it be? He didn’t tip his hand that some had come to inquire about it. It is odd that the most learned in Jerusalem for which Herod sent to interpret the scriptures didn’t realize themselves what was happening. If men from the East could figure it out why couldn’t the most learned in Jerusalem who were waiting for a Messiah themselves?

V5-6 Reciting the Old Testament scripture of the prophet Micah (5:2) they replied in Bethlehem. “A ruler to Shepherd Gods people” In the Old Testament the term shepherd also meant king. Messiah, anointed one.

V7 Herod secretly calls for the wise men to ask when this star in the sky appeared. He needs to know if he is the get rid of this new threat to him.

V8 Herod sent the wise men to Bethlehem to look for the child under the guise of wanting to worship the child himself. He had no intention of paying homage to the child he just needed to know who to kill.

V9-10 The wise men set out for Bethlehem which was very close to Jerusalem and watched the star as they traveled. It stopped moving over Bethlehem and so confirmed what they had been told by the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem.

V11 They found the house with Jesus in it and entered. By this time two years could have passed since the birth of Jesus so he may have been a toddler. They knelt down and honored the child with gifts they had brought, Gold-a true king, frankincense-a true God (this is what was put on the alter in the Temple every morning and evening to rise as a good smelling offering to God and to carry the prayers of the people up to God with it), myrrh-used to anoint dead bodies to cover up the smell of decay and it was more valuable than gold. So we have king, God and sacrifice.

V12 Having been warned in a dream of Herod’s true intentions they left for their own country by another route. Interestingly this route would have extended their return trip considerably but they obeyed God and traveled it.

We tend to get caught up in the story of the 3 Kings coming to honor the Christ child by camels but as we read the story we don’t find mention of three kings. We don’t know how many came and it doesn’t say they rode camels, which are assumptions made because they came from the East where camels were used. What we tend to miss is that Gentiles came to honor the Jewish King while his own people were ignorant of his birth. The Gentiles were despised by the Jews and were referred to as “spittle” 2 Esdras 6:55, 56 (Apocrypha) (Wendt 2009). They were detested and the hope was one day when the Messiah came the Gentiles would come from near and far bringing their wealth to them as the Gentiles of old had come to Solomon bringing gifts (1 Kings 10:23). The prophet Isaiah had said in 60:5 “when the Messianic age broke in the wealth of the nations shall come to you” and in 61:6 “you shall enjoy the wealth of the nations.” They longed for God to pour out his vengeance on the Gentiles (Is 61:2). In these Old Testament texts God was compelling the Gentiles to give all to the Jews. In Matthew the Gentiles (Maji) came willingly, seeking the Jewish king. The Old Testament scriptures were being fulfilled but in a different way then had been determined by the Jewish leaders. What do we seek today, the way of the Messiah or the way of our world? Who do we bring our gifts to?

Thursday December 24, 2009 Luke 2:1-20

2009-12-21T14:23:00.001-06:00

Merry Christmas. The reading for Christmas Eve and Christmas day comes from the gospel of Luke. I encourage all of you to read it and ponder the meaning.

V1-2 Augustus meant one who is divine in Latin. His titles were Divine, Son of God and liberator of the world. Eventually Jesus will rightfully be called all of these titles. We will never reconcile the dating of these verses as the registration and governorship of Quirinius don’t coincide. The issue is not the dating but the fact that God arranged for Jesus to be born in the city in which the people understood the Messiah to come from. This was Bethlehem of Judea Micah 5:2-5. And interestingly enough God used one who thought he was divine to do so-Augustus.

V6 “While they were there” doesn’t mean she jumped off a donkey and gave birth. They may have been there up to a few months before she gave birth.

V7 The word “inn” has been mistranslated. It should read there was no room in the guest room. If Joseph was a descendant of the great King David there is no way his relatives would have sent him to a cave or barn. Honor and hospitality were and are too great in that area of the world to allow such a thing. The guest room on top of the house already was filled with other people and they could not be asked to leave as honor and the rules of hospitality would prevent that so the family stayed in the main part of the house with the owners. These houses had a lower front area to them that housed their few animals at night to keep them safe from theft and to help warm the house. The food bowls (mangers) were carved into the floor of the living quarters which was about three feet above the animal’s living space. This depression was what Jesus was laid in.

V8 Shepherds were in the pastures watching their sheep that night as they always were. The Shepherds were outcasts of society because of the job they held. They were not permitted to enter the Temple or witness to anyone as they worked on the Sabbath. In the Old Testament God was seen as a shepherd of his people. The book of Ezekiel chapter 34 talks of this imagery. In that chapter God would shepherd his people as the leaders had become corrupt and misled the people. David began as a shepherd when god called and anointed him. David was a shepherd of the people. In the intervening time the shepherd had become an outcast but God first announces the birth of his son to them. In the gospel of John chapter 10, Jesus claims that he is the good shepherd come to guide and protect the people. Could it be because a new shepherd had been born that God told the ones in the field? God had sent his only son to be the new shepherd for his people.

V9 “The glory of the Lord shown around them” they were terrified because to see God was to die. No one who saw God could live. Only Moses had been allowed to see the backside of God as He passed by. Moses never saw his face. But now the Glory of the Lord is around the shepherds. Everyone at that time knew the Glory of the Lord was in the Holy of Holies in the Temple and only the High Priest entered its presence once a year on the Day of Atonement. But now Gods glory is out of the Temple and available to everyone because it is residing in His only Son. He no longer lives in a building but rather a person.

V10 The angel comforts the shepherds and informs them that he brings good news to the people. They have no need to fear; God will not destroy them but instead has sent his only Son to save them. The angel calls Jesus by the titles he will be known for. Savior – come to save his people, not from Rome, but from sin (Satan). Messiah – the anointed one, King of the people, but not a political king. Lord – Son of the living God, not just a human chosen by God to lead the people as the other kings of Israel had been and were called the son of god, but the real Son of God (Divinity).

V11 The sign for the shepherds who would seek to find this child would be a baby lying in a manger (in a house manger). Since this was not the typical place to put a baby when the shepherds saw him they would know he was the one. Jesus probably had been placed in the manger as there were so many people in the house that it was a safe out of the way place to keep him.

V13-14 Now along with the angel a “multitude of heavenly host” came. A heavenly host would have been a heavenly army of angels. Imagine an army of angels around you. They said –not sang- Glory to God in the heavens and peace to the people on earth. Ironic that there is an army announcing peace isn’t it? This is the preview of the type of King Jesus will be. His army will not fight politically for themselves but spiritually for peace for everyone.

V15-18 The shepherds decide to go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has been announced to them. I have to say I would have traveled right along with them had I been there and Gods army told me something. They found the child in the manger has the angel had told them they would and they told the people in the house what had happened to them in the field. All of the people in the house were amazed at what the shepherds told them. Remember, shepherds were not looked upon fondly but these people believed their story and found it wonderful.

V19 Mary has a lot to think about and ponder in her heart. An angel appearing to her, her pregnancy without knowing a man, God informing her it would be His son, Josephs dream and now shepherds telling her of their encounter with God because of her son.

V20 The shepherds leave praising God. Had this been a smelly, dirty barn the shepherds would have taken the couple with them and provided for them out of their own means. Instead they leave glorifying God for the gift of His son and His provisions for them.

So who did the shepherds tell about the things that had happened to them and what they had seen? They couldn’t witness in the Temple. They couldn’t witness to the general population as they wouldn’t be believed. They had to have told other shepherds. And the story has to have spread. God first announced the birth of His only Son to a group of outcasts, not the elite in the Temple, not the people in general and not to the present King who was Herod. God announced the birth of His Son to those to whom he had sent Him to: the outcasts, the lowly, and the marginal and through his word, the Bible, to us. We are to be like those shepherds of old, glorifying and praising God for whom he has sent and to whom He has sent His Son – to us.

Sunday December 20, 2009 Luke 1:39-55

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This text is for the fourth Sunday in Advent. It is from the gospel of Luke.

V39 Mary leaves quite close to the time that the angel had announced to her that she would bear a son. She traveled about three to five days (80-90 miles) to get to the Judean town.

V40 She arrived in the hill country at the house of Zechariah and Elizabeth, who was her mother’s cousin.

V41 Upon Elizabeth hearing Mary’s greeting her child leaped in her womb and the Holy Spirit filled Elizabeth. At that time it was thought the Holy Spirit only filled the prophets and kings plus a few others, most people did not have the Holy Spirit.

V42-43 The Holy Spirit reveals to Elizabeth the mystery surrounding Mary and her pregnancy and Elizabeth pronounces her blessed and her child blessed. She questions why Mary has come to her.

V44 The “mother of my Lord” is a profound profession, however we don’t know how much either Mary or Elizabeth understood of the coming events, the full implication of what was to happen. Somehow the child in Elizabeth’s womb was aware of the unfolding story and leaped for joy.

V45 Elizabeth calls Mary blessed for believing the message the angel had told her from God.

V46 Mary responds to the blessings by Elizabeth by saying a psalm with profound implications. It is called the Magnificat and is based on the song of Hannah in 1 Samuel 2:1-10. This is how Hannah gave praise to God for giving her a son in her old age as a result of her plea in the temple. At this point she is giving her child, Samuel, back to God, to be raised by the priest Eli at around the age of 3 years old.
“My soul magnifies the Lord” Psalm 34:2-3. PRAISE

V47 “and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,” Psalm 35:9. SALVATION

V48 “for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant” Psalm 138:6 LOWLY
“Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed; Exalted.

V46-48 Focus on what God has done for Mary and reflects on her awe.

V49 “for the Mighty One has done great things for me and holy is his name.”
Psalm 71:19. SALAVATION/PRAISE

V50 “His mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation.”
Psalm 103:17. MERCY

V49-50 Focus our attention of attributes of God

V51 “He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts. Psalm 98:1. SALVATION

V52 “He has brought down the powerful from their thrones (kings) and lifted up the
lowly (threatening). Job 5:11 (justice is coming) HUMILATION/Exaltation

V53 “he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty.”
Psalm 34:10, Psalm 107:9. EXALTATION/Humiliation

V51-53 In the Messiah, God will turn the world upside down.

V54 “He has helped his servant Israel in remembrance of his mercy.” Psalm 98:3,
Isaiah 49:6. SALVATION/MERCY

V55 “according to the promise he made to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his
descendants forever.” Genesis 17:19. To Israel

Kenneth Bailey has done a wonderful reconstruction of this psalm and noticed that in verse 54 Mary left something out. According to the construction of this Psalm after “He has helped his servant Israel” it should read something like “and cut off the hope of the Gentiles.” The balance for aiding Israel would be opposing the Gentiles. Mary left this judgment of the Gentiles out of her psalm. This becomes very significant in the ministry of Jesus as he includes the Gentiles in his mission. He heals some of them and they come to him for teaching.
In the first chapter of Acts, which Luke also wrote, Jesus tells his disciples to take his message to the whole world, which included the Gentiles. His message is for everyone including you. As this psalm indicates the Messiah ushered in a whole new way of thinking and being, a world upside down from what we think it should be. To be a part of the world of Jesus, we must become last; a servant of all people. As the time of the celebration of His birth draws near let us ponder this in our hearts just as his mother pondered it in hers.

Sunday December 13, 2009 Luke 3:7-18

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Welcome, I’m feeling a bit uneasy today. I don’t know what it is, can’t put my finger on it but a change is in the air. I’ve lived in this land a long time, my whole life, and yet something is different. When my ancestors returned from exile in Babylon they came back to destruction. Only the poor had been left in the land and they could barely live, let alone rebuild the city. Everyone got to work repairing the city wall and rebuilding the Temple although it wasn’t as magnificent as the one King Solomon had built. Nehemiah directed the rebuilding and Ezra guided us with the Temple worship, but it took time. It was enough, though, so we could worship God and provide our sacrifices to him. We were, and are still ruled by pagans. Persia overthrew Babylon allowing my people to return. Some years later Alexander the Great marched his army through the land and subdued the Persians. He died shortly after that and his empire was split amongst his generals. He brought us the Greek culture and the Greek way of thinking although we, as the chosen people of God, still were determined to cling to our sacred ways. A very brutal Greek ruler Antiochus IV Epiphanes came to power and attempted to exterminate our way of life yet a man rose up among us to do battle with him and Mattathias Maccabee, a priest, led my people to victory. Mattathias’ descendants ruled us and we finally had one of our own as a leader but as things change the Hasmonean rule progressed from good to bad with the rulers taking liberties that they shouldn’t have. They combined the position of king and priest into one and that should never be. Soon the Romans grew in power and in no time they too marched into our land where they remain to this day. We have longed for our own king, chosen by God, but God has been silent. Why, when we are his chosen people will he not free us? Our Temple worship has begun to feel uneasy too. When we go up to sacrifice we are met with people haggling over the price of money, people haggling over the price of the animals and a barnyard feel to what should be a holy place. The poor pagans can’t get any closer to God than this so they try to worship amidst all this confusion and noise. Is God even in the Holy of Holies? Does he see our plight? We offer him sacrifice but he is still silent. The High Priest and his leaders seem to get richer and richer while we are getting poorer and poorer. They require so much money from us. Even though God is silent, we still feel He is out there watching and maybe someday He will return.
There is something unusual going on out by the Jordan River, though. Where our ancestors crossed into the land so many centuries ago a man named John is calling people to come out to him. He should be a priest in the Temple as his parents were from the tribe of Levi and his father, Zachariah, was a priest in the Temple but here he is out in the wilderness calling to us, beckoning us to come to him. Since the air seems charged with either a foreboding or an anticipation I’ve decided to travel to this area where the man John is and observe what is going on.
When I and my group arrive we are surprised by the numbers of other people that have traveled out to see this. The man, John, is in the river calling to us to come and be baptized. We are Jews; we don’t need baptism, which is for the gentiles who want to join us as the chosen people. We have Abraham as our father, which is part of what makes us special. But, my fellow countrymen are entering the water for this baptism. This John is calling us to repent, but of what? We have the Torah (instruction), given by God. We have been taught if we just keep it we will find favor with God. He also is speaking about the forgiveness of sins. Our nation has sinned before which is why God allowed us to be taken out of the land and exiled in Babylon. Maybe now God is ready to forgive us of our sin and send an anointed one, a Messiah, to fight these ruling pagans and free us to rule the world with God. As I watch there are pockets of people everywhere, watching and waiting. John is calling out prophecy from Isaiah that is about our return from exile in Babylon but that was to have happened hundreds of years ago and never did. Is now the time that God is choosing to act? Are Isaiah’s words finally going to come true?

V7-8 John is calling out to the groups of people, calling them a brood of vipers. What an insult to be called the offspring of snakes. He wonders who told them of an uneasy time to come; perhaps a judgment is on the way but we thought that wrath and judgment was for the gentiles, not us as we have Abraham. He is instructing us to bear fruit, to show something for our lives and he is disregarding our decent from Abraham. John claims God can make even rocks on the bank of the river the ancestors of Abraham; that we are not special because Abraham is our father. He proclaims a pruning is about to take place and the dead wood will be chopped down and burned. These are such strong words and ideas that he is presenting that we don’t know what to do or think, but yet we must think about what John is saying.

V10-11 Some even shout out “what should we do?” We are lost with this teaching, it seems new to us. John replies “whoever has two coats should share with those who have none and also the same with food.” As I ponder this statement I realize that John didn’t tell us to keep one coat and give the other away, maybe we are to give both away.

V12-13 A group of tax collectors are standing nearby and one shouts out “what should we do?” We hate tax collectors so we could tell them what they should do and it isn’t nice. They collect taxes from us for Herod and Rome. Even though some are our fellow countrymen they have conspired with Rome against us, traitors! I overheard a man behind me say a good tax collector is a dead tax collector. The tax collectors extract extra tax from us to fund their lifestyle while we sink further and further into debt. I was surprised at what John said to them. He didn’t tell them to stop collecting taxes altogether but to “collect only the amount needed by Rome and no extra”. He didn’t even speak out against Rome.

V14 There are some soldiers standing around as there always are whenever a large group of Jewish people gather. There is always tension that a revolt may break out and they want to be there to put it down before it progresses. They use the most brutal means to subdue the bandits revolting. To my surprise even a soldier yelled out “and we, what should we do?” but I couldn’t tell if he was taunting John or genuinely wanted to know. John answered as if the soldier had asked in earnest and told him not to extort money by threats and false accusations. This is what the soldiers were known to do as they had control over us and our land. He also told the man to be satisfied with his wages. If he would be satisfied with his wages he wouldn’t need to extort money from us. It seems as if each of us can participate, in this new community that John is calling us to, in our own lives. We don’t have to become learned people like the leaders are to make a difference.

V15-17 The group around me has started to inquire of each other if they think that John is our long awaited Messiah. In fact I’m hearing others ask that too. John, sensing the crowds questioning, calls out that his baptism is of water but someone is coming who is greater than he. This man is so great that John “is not worthy to until the thong of his sandal”. That’s an odd statement to make as that is the job of our gentile slaves. The Jewish slaves perform tasks for their masters but the worst jobs, the ones the Jewish slaves refuse to do, are done by the gentile slaves. We Jews don’t touch feet as that is a vile job so the gentile slaves untie the sandals and wash the feet of their master’s guests. John is claiming to be lower than a gentile slave in relation to the greatness of the one coming. Who is this one that John speaks of? He will baptize us with fire separating the ones who bear fruit from the ones who don’t and those will be burnt with fire, discarded.

V18 I’m not sure what to think of the things I have just witnessed. It seems to be good news – someone great is on his way and John seems to be preparing us for this man but what does it mean and who is he? Is he here among us now or is he yet to come? As I glance at those around me trying to identify this great man, I wonder if this will happen soon or is it in the future. We’ve waited so long for a sign; how much longer do we have to wait. As I return home I ponder all of the things I have witnessed and wonder if I will recognize Him when he comes. As for now I will continue to wait and watch for God to act, anticipating that time when he will break in and save us. Are you waiting for this too?

Sunday December 6, 2009 Luke 3:1-6

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Welcome to the second Sunday in Advent. We have survived black Friday and cyber Monday. In contrast to those two days let’s focus on what we are waiting for. We have a feeling that something is about to break in, but what. It’s an uneasy feeling of a big change on its way, but how will it affect us? While we are in this state of anticipation, good or foreboding, something starts to take place.

V1 The fifteenth year of the reign of Emperor Tiberius was about A.D. 28-29. Pontius Pilate is the governor of Judea. The territory had been ruled by one of Herod the Greats sons, Archelaeus. His rule had been so brutal that the people had complained about him and Rome had banished him to Gaul in A.D. 6. Another of Herod the Greats sons, Herod Antipas, ruled the Galilee until A.D. 39 and a third son of his, Herod Philip, ruled the land north and east of the Sea of Galilee until A.D. 34. Philip was the most moderate of the three sons in ruling their territory.

V2 The High Priest is Caiaphas, the son in law of Annas, although Annas is called a High Priest too as one held the title for life even if not in active office. Annas still pulled the strings from behind the scenes. It is at this point in fixed history that a man is in the wilderness waiting. John the Baptist is from the tribe of Levi. His father, Zacharias, was a priest that served in the Temple, a descendant of Levi and his mother, Elizabeth, is also a descendant of Levi. This meant that John should have been a priest serving in the Temple but he is called by God for a different task.

V3 John was guided by God to go to the region by the Jordan River that had been the crossing of the people when they had first entered the land in the book of Joshua. Here he was to proclaim “a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins”. The baptism (a new water crossing into Gods land where the former one had taken place) was an outward sign of an inner proclamation of repentance. Repentance was the turning away from the former way of thinking and relating to God to a new way of being in relationship with God and each other. The forgiveness of sins was not so much personal sin for the people, as they didn’t understand that they were fallen, only flawed, but a nation forgiveness of sin so they could return from their exile-(even though they had returned from exile in Babylon they had not ruled themselves, pagans had, and so they considered themselves still in exile - exiled in their own land). John is bypassing the Temple forgiveness system, the sin management system, and opening it up to everyone; the people no longer need to go to the Temple to receive God’s forgiveness. This is the start of a new rescue event (exodus) and the people are called by a priestly figure, John, to join in. Just as God had recued them from bondage in Egypt, he was about to rescue them again.

V4-6 The prophet Isaiah spoke these words around 540 B.C. Isaiah 40:3-5 is a text where the prophet is telling the people exiled in Babylon that their punishment is almost over, soon they will be going home. This will be a time of pardon, mercy, forgiveness and the restoration of Israel. God will lead them home, just as he had led them in the wilderness away from Egypt and into the land, through the Jordan River. A voice cries out “prepare the way of the Lord”. The Lord will make a straight highway in the desert for them to return on. The path will be flat, no valleys or mountains to climb over. Basically a super highway for them to ride in on with no effort made by them, led by God who would then take up residence in the Temple. The issue became that when they began to return from their exile this didn’t happen. The trip home wasn’t easy, they returned to a city of rubble not a Garden of Eden to which they had hoped and the Temple was in ruins. They had to start all over again rebuilding everything. Because these things had not taken place and when they returned they were still ruled by pagans (now Persians), they determine themselves to still be in some kind of exile. God wasn’t living in the Temple amongst them; He hadn’t even guided their return. But now with John using these verses maybe that time of exile was coming to an end. There is an excitement starting to grow. What’s going on out by the Jordan River? What does it mean? The symbolism is strong: John, a priestly figure who should be in the temple is out by the Jordan; baptism for Jews (Jews weren’t baptized only Gentiles when converting to Judaism), a new water crossing just like that of old; forgiveness of sins, which could only be done in the Temple is now offered out of it and by a human not God (only God could forgive sins in the temple); the recalling of the prophet Isaiah’s words about the return from exile which they assumed they were still in.

Could this mean a new rescue event (exodus) was about to happen finally, ending their exile? Was God going to return and take up residence with them? Was God going to again choose a new king, like King David of old, to rule them? Were they finally going to be free of the pagans, subdue them and rule the world with God? Was God going to forgive them of their national sins, which led them into exile, and restore them?

The tension is mounting. What is happening? They and we are waiting to see what will come. Is this the time?

Sunday November 29, 2009 Luke 21:25-36

2009-11-24T15:05:00.001-06:00

Welcome to the first Sunday in Advent. I hope you had an enjoyable Thanksgiving and safe travel. In studying for the adult education class for last Sunday, which was on Advent, I discovered things about Advent that I hadn’t known even though I have celebrated the Advent season for my whole life. I discovered that Advent is about looking forward to the “second coming” of Jesus. I thought it was celebrating the birth of Jesus as this is what we focus on at this time of the church calendar and it is that too, but the main focus is our waiting for his return. Advent is a watchfulness waiting. Our text for this week is in Luke. This is a continuation of the same story that we were looking at on November 15 in Mark 13:1-8 where Jesus is on the Mount of Olives with his disciples who have commented on how great the temple building was. We flip to Luke to continue the story. The disciples want to know when this destruction will take place.

V25-26 This is written as apocalyptic literature. It is using cosmic imagery to describe the theological significance of the socoi-political and military catastrophe that is coming. The signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars mean nothing will look stable on this planet. Everything will be in perceived turmoil, the whole earth will seem to be in distress and this roaring of the sea and waves will be God’s power on display. People will faint from this show of God’s awesome power which will shake the heavens.

V27 The people will then see the Son of Man (Daniel 7:13, the true people of God, Jesus) coming with the power of God. In the Old Testament a cloud was always the symbol of God’s presence. It led the people in the wilderness, it shook Mount Sinai and it resided in the tabernacle and temple. So this does not mean Jesus will come floating down on a fluffy nice white cloud with a harpist playing. It is imagery that Jesus, the representative of the true people of God (the new Israel), will return with God’s presence and power. Now, at the beginning of Acts in chapter one verse 9 Jesus ascends in a cloud and we get the visual picture that he is floating away on this cloud to be with God in heaven (some far off place in the sky). It really says Jesus is transforming his presence here on earth and is entering God’s presence (the cloud). He isn’t going anywhere; he is still here with us but in a different form which we can’t visually see. Jesus’ presence with God is the vindication (the stamp of approval) that his prediction of the destruction of the city and temple was correct and that his mission was correct.

V28 When the disciples and others start to see these signs-great upheavals politically, militarily and so forth they will know their redemption is drawing near. These are the things people will have to experience as they walk through life and this serves as a reminder of the coming of the final day of this age and the dawning of the age to come, not the world ending with the earth destroyed. They are not to despair but look forward to the rescue to come - a renewal of creation on earth and living in the presence of God.

V29-31 Just as they can look at the fig tree and determine which season it is by its appearance so too they can determine when the kingdom of God is near by using these events. The fig tree is a reminder of how to read the unfolding course of history.

V32 This coming destruction will take place within their lifetimes.

V33 God’s kingdom will always exist, it won’t pass away. The earth is destructible (as we are proving to ourselves by the way we are misusing it) but God’s kingdom is indestructible and eternal.

V34-36 Be on guard, be watchful, be attentive to what is going on but don’t focus on it. Instead focus on the kingdom of God and do His work here on earth. Don’t get caught up with everyday life and let this event trap you unexpectedly. It will happen to everyone who resides on earth, it will affect all. Be alert and pray that you will be prepared to stand before Jesus.

Even though this text is about the coming destruction of the temple and Jerusalem it applies to us today. In this season of Advent we are not to let everyday life carry us away from the real importance of this time. There will be a return of Jesus and we had better be prepared for it; we need to be watchful and alert. The world likes to distract us by using this season to buy, buy, and buy. Christmas things were in the stores long before Halloween and black Friday is coming. Every night on the news we are told “don’t wait to buy as it may not be there when you go.” Maybe we can set aside time to forgo the pull of this world and be watchful, attentive and anticipate His reappearing. We can contemplate his initial appearance in a humble manner (as a helpless baby), those outcasts who were first informed (shepherds and pagan kings) and the opposition that faced him at every turn. What if we were to set aside time each day to meditate on Advent? Our church is having meditative Advent services on Thursdays in December that last 30 minutes, take advantage of them and center yourself on the true meaning of the season.

Sunday November 22, 2009 John 18:33-37

2009-11-18T13:10:00.002-06:00

Welcome to Christ the King Sunday. The text for this week is from the book of John. The powers that be have picked the text out of the middle of a seven scene sequence that is the Gentile trail. The Jewish trail of Jesus, in the book of John, is chapters 1-11 ending in a verdict of 11:53 “so from that day forward they (the Jewish leaders) planned to put him to death”. Guilty! He must die! The Gentile trial starts in chapter 18:28 and runs until chapter 19:16. Pilate represents the gentiles-us. Harry Wendt has an excellent layout of this trial narrative which I quote here:

Scene 1: Pilate is outside with the Jewish leaders who demand Jesus’ death, 18:28–32. They will not enter Pilate’s quarters (a Gentile location) lest possibly they be contaminated by bread with leaven in it (they are preparing to observe Passover). However, they ask Pilate to kill Jesus. They seek an execution, not a trial.

Scene 2: Pilate is inside with Jesus and discusses “kingship” with Him, 18:33–38a. When Pilate asks Jesus why the Jewish leaders are so angry with Him, Jesus responds that He turned out to be the wrong kind of King. He is, after all, a Servant-King who washes feet—the King of Truth. This puzzles Pilate.

Scene 3: Pilate is outside with the Jewish leaders–who choose Barabbas rather than Jesus as the one to be freed, 18:38b–40. Pilate declares that he can find no crime in Jesus, 18:38b; he repeats this in 19:4 and 19:6.

Scene 4: Pilate is inside with Jesus when the latter is scourged, 19:1–3. Although the treatment given Jesus is designed to mock Him; it nevertheless declares who He is: The King of the Jews!

Scene 5: Pilate is outside with the Jewish leaders and presents Jesus to them, 19:4–8. They reject Jesus, basing their position on an appeal to their sacred writings, 19:7. When Pilate hears them say that Jesus claimed to be the Son of God, he becomes more afraid than ever. Naturally Pilate, a Roman, was ready to believe that gods could show up in human form.

Scene 6: Pilate is inside with Jesus and asks Him where He is from. When Jesus refuses to answer Pilate, the latter discusses “power” with Him, 19:9–11. Jesus reminds Pilate that, in the final analysis, Pilate is free to do only what Jesus permits him to do.

Scene 7: Pilate is outside with the Jewish leaders, tries to have Jesus released, but finally hands Jesus over to them, 19:12–16a. Pilate yields to the Jewish leaders when they threaten to have him thrown out of the exclusive club known as “Friends of the Emperor.” Because Pilate is an imperial procurator–one appointed by the Emperor–he belongs to that club and does not want to lose his membership in it and the privileges that come with it.

Note the alternating outside, inside theme that has Pilate going back and forth trying to figure out what to do. The confusion of Pilate (and us as represented by Pilate) is apparent. What are we to think and do with this man-Jesus?

Our text for Sunday comes from Scene two chapter 18 verses 33-38a. Pilate is questioning Jesus.

V33 Pilate asks the first of 4 questions. Are you the King of the Jews? This is what the Jewish authorities had claimed when they brought Jesus to Pilate to be killed. The Jews couldn’t put anyone to death, only Rome could, so the leaders had to have a charge for Jesus that would be threatening to Rome. By claiming that Jesus was a king he would be a threat to the emperor.

V34 Jesus doesn’t answer the accusation but in turn asks Pilate a question. How do you know about me? Did you figure this out on your own or did someone tell you about me? Have you examined the evidence for your self or are you relying on the words of others?

V35 Pilate responds that he isn’t a Jew so how would he know anything about Jesus. He is relying on the testimony of the Jewish leaders. They want Jesus killed; he just has to carry out the sentence. He then asks a second question. What have you done? They say you are a king but I, Pilate, haven’t heard of you so what have you done to anger them so.
Had Pilate been paying attention to the land he oversaw he would have known what this Jesus was doing and saying. The acts Jesus has performed define who he is, He is known by his signs.

V36 Jesus responds describing his kingdom and authority. His kingdom (power, authority) is not from this world. It is from a spiritual world. While he has authority over all of creation, his kingdom is different. It is a kingdom that serves others, it doesn’t rule over people as the kingdoms of this world do, for instance Rome. If his kingdom was of this world he and his soldiers would be fighting right now against Pilate and the others but isn’t. However his kingdom is in this world.

V37 Pilate asks the third question. So you are a king? Pilate is beginning to understand a tiny bit of what Jesus is trying to convey to him. Jesus is some kind of king, but what kind? Jesus answers, you now say I am a king and you are correct but I am not a king as you define a king to be. I have come to reveal the truth to the world.

V38 Pilate has one last question which he says with contempt “What is Truth?” and he walks outside to the Jewish leaders. He didn’t stay to find out what truth was. Ironically he was looking at truth.

We read this as Pilate trying Jesus but the reality is that Jesus, by his questions, is trying Pilate and us. Look at the questions Jesus asks:

“What kind of a King do you think I am?”
“Where do you think I am from?”
“What do You think My ministry is all about?”
“Do you understand that I am ‘the truth’?” (Harry Wendt)

How will each of us answer these questions? The evidence is in and demands a verdict. We are on trail and our eternal life depends on our answers. Was Jesus the King?

Sunday November 15,2009 Mark 13:1-8

2009-11-11T13:48:00.001-06:00

Welcome to this glorious day. Before we start I would like to take a minute and encourage each of you to engage with the text and each other by commenting at the end of the lesson. (Just click on the word comments to add one or read others.) One of the reasons this was changed from an email format to a blog format was to allow people to dialogue with each other. You are welcome to add comments, thoughts or additional insights to the readings each week and engage with each other.

Our text continues on in the gospel of Mark. Jesus has made his triumphal entry on Sunday. (Chapter11) On Monday he has cursed the fig tree (a symbol of Israel in the Old Testament and the Temple) and attacked the Temple sacrificial system plus those profiting from it. On Tuesday, as he enters Jerusalem again, the fig tree is dead meaning the Temple system is dead. It bears no fruit and needs to be pulled out by its roots. He then proceeds to the Temple where his authority is questioned and challenged by the three groups of people in charge of the Temple system-the scribes, the Pharisees and the Sadducees. (Chapter 12) Ironically they are challenging where his authority comes from when in reality by the answers he gives he is demonstrating total authority over them. When he responds they have no reply and have to leave. We now come to Chapter 13 as he is leaving the Temple on Tuesday, never to return to it. As the Messiah he has demonstrated total authority over the Temple and has declared it dead. He has become the Temple, remember he told them “destroy this temple and I will rebuild it in three days’. He has the presence of God in him-not the Temple building that was suppose to contain the presence of God. The last Temple building God had resided in was Solomon’s Temple.

V1 As they are leaving the Temple a disciple comments on how impressive the Temple building is. It was impressive-one of the wonders of the ancient world. Herod had built it in an attempt to legitimize his kingship and to impress the people. One of the largest stones used in building it was 42ft.x 13ft.x 3ft. They were held together by gravity, no cement was used and the stones fit together perfectly considering each was cut at the quarry for a specific place and brought in. There was to be no sound of chisels at the Temple site, just silence. The Holy place was covered in gold plates so it shown in the sun, with the rest of the building a stark white color. The small part left of it is still impressive today.

V2 Jesus responds to the disciple’s awe of the building by saying as beautiful as it is, it will soon all be destroyed. All of these magnificent stones will be tossed down around it. This must have been a shocking statement for the disciples to hear. The temple had been started in 20-19 BC and was still not finished around 30 AD when this event is taking place. How could this magnificent building – Gods house – be destroyed.

V3 They proceeded to the Mount of Olives, opposite the Temple and sat down to look at it.

V4 Four of the disciples question Jesus privately as to when will this destruction take place and what will be the signs that it is about to occur.

V5-6 Jesus tells them to not be led astray by false Messiahs that will come and proclaim that they are Gods chosen. This was actually an issue as many declared themselves to be Messiahs come to fight the Romans and eradicate the pagan overlords. They all failed. Most came from the Zealot movement.

V7-8 When they hear of wars. When they hear of Jews rising up against Romans, of kingdoms fighting kingdoms and natural tragedies, such as earthquakes this will be the beginning of the birth of the age to come; of God becoming king and reigning in every heart instead of a building. God giving new life to the world, in terms of a mother laboring to bear a child. (Which for me was no picnic, just ask my husband.)

V9-13 He then tells them they, too, will be persecuted for following him. They will be beaten, questioned, betrayed by family and others while proclaiming the news that Gods Kingdom has broken in with Jesus’ coming.

V14-23 Jesus then gives the sign that will start the birth pangs. It will be the “desolating sacrilege” set up where it not ought to be. This refers back to Daniel 9:27 where Antiochus Epiphanes IV (who believed the god Zeus was manifested in him), a Greek ruler over the land, declared Judaism was dead and everyone must become Greek. He invaded the Temple and sacrificed a pig on the alter, desecrating it. He put a statue of Zeus in the Temple and declared all must bow down to it. The pagan rulers invaded the Temple. Jesus is using this previous incident; which all Jews knew about as the celebration of Hanukkah had come out of this incident when the Maccabeus revolted and took back the Temple, to let them know the sign will be the same; the pagans (Romans) will invade the Temple. In 64AD the revolt by the Jews started and in 70AD the Romans destroyed the Temple by destruction and Jerusalem by surrounding it and starving the people. It is an awful story to read. Another revolt took place in AD 132-135 which resulted in all the Jews being expelled from Jerusalem and the city renamed. The temple has never been rebuilt and the platform is now in the control of Muslims, with their Holy sites built on it. Gods’ kingdom started breaking into this world with the coming of Jesus and the destruction of the Temple and it is still an ongoing birth.

Sunday November 8, 2009 Mark 12:38-44

2009-11-05T11:09:00.000-06:00

Welcome, it is sounding like we are going to have a warm weekend for November. I hope so as I still have work to get done outside. I apologize for this being late but on Monday night my son, who was suffering from food poisoning, had to be taken to the ER and so I got to sit and watch the CBS national news loop, until I discovered Entertainment Tonight, all night with him while they gave him medicine and fluids. I got home in time to see the sun rise and attempted to sleep all day Tuesday. Needless to say I am a day late on everything. But, all is well and he is healthy now. I admire the staff at a hospital that can work all night, it isn’t an easy job and they were very nice.

Our text for Sunday is back in Mark. It is Tuesday of the last week of Jesus’ life. He is in the Temple teaching. The Jewish leaders are sending representatives to ask him difficult questions to try to trip him up and prove he has no authority. Every time he has given an answer that stymies them and they leave humiliated. He has the authority to interpret the law, theirs is in question.

V38-39 He attacks the scribes. They had asked a question in verse 28 about commandments which Jesus had answered for them. Now he attacks some things about them. They walk around in long robes. The nobility wore long robes to be noticed and a long robe doesn’t allow the wearer to walk fast so the scribes had to walk slowly and this was a way of being noticed and associated with nobility. They liked to be greeted with titles of rabbi, meaning “my great one”, in the market and to sit in the special seat in the synagogue. There was a chair in the front of the synagogue by the ark where the scrolls were kept, which faced the crowd. That is where they like to sit so they could be noticed. They also jockeyed for the best positions of honor at a banquet so the other guests could see how important they were to the host. It was all about “see and be seen”. The more you are noticed the more important you seem to be. We still have this today, people will do anything to be on TV, just watch Entertainment Tonight at 4am. I’ve heard that some people in Hollywood get paid to show up at a party, which is their only contribution to society but they become famous for it.

V40 Perhaps they convinced widows to donate their houses to them for promises of greater things in Heaven. They say long prayers which they directed to God but were really for them to be noticed. “Look how good this scribe can pray.” Jesus says they have their reward here. They are noticed by men but will be condemned by God as they were to be shepherds to the people, not to prey upon the people like wolves.

V41 Jesus then moved into the Court of the Women where there were 13 boxes shaped like inverted trumpets for collecting the temple tax to cover expenses for the Temple, help for widows and other expenses. He sat down with his disciples and watched the people coming to the Temple and putting money in those collection containers. The rich were putting in large sums.

V42 A poor widow came and put in 2 small coins. The coin was called a lepton which literally meant “a thin one”. One was worth 1/40th of one pence. It was all she had to live on and she gave it to God. A widow in those days had no way of earning money. She only had support if she had sons alive to help her otherwise she was dependant on donations which is why the Temple collected money for widows.

V43-44 Jesus calls his disciples attention to the woman and her donation. She has put in more than all of the others because they gave out of their excess and she gave all she had to live on. He is instructing the disciples on giving to God what is Gods in the first place. Most of the people had more than enough to live on and gave a portion of the excess, the widow gave it all. We are not owners of anything, God owns it all. We are simply managers of what God has entrusted us with. As managers we are to use his gifts wisely and for the good of his kingdom. In the gospel of Matthew chapter 25 verses 31-46 we are told to feed the hungry, cloth the naked, give drink to the thirsty, care for the sick, visit those in prison and welcome the stranger. As November is stewardship month we must decide how we are going to manage Gods goods. In what ways are we going to feed, cloth, give drink, care, visit and welcome our brothers and sisters in this family we have joined.

Sunday November 1, 2009 John 11:32-44

2009-10-28T14:22:00.001-05:00

Welcome to All Saints Day. Before we start I would like to announce that starting January 13, 2010 I will be teaching a class on Wednesdays from 6-7 at church entitled See Through the Scriptures. We will be using a DVD prepared by Crossways Inc. which will have 30-40 minutes of Dr. Harry Wendt teaching, plus a manual and workbook with a question and answer period to follow. We will also look at the highlighted texts in the Bible that Dr. Wendt has just taught about. All are welcome to attend and if you have friends or anyone else you know that would like to join us please invite them. This is not limited to members of Crown of Glory but open to all. The objective for the study is to see and start to understand the overarching story of the bible (the big picture). Dinner is available from the confirmation groups and child care will be provided. This is going to be a fun time of learning and studying. Most importantly we will not memorize anything; we will just explore the story. Please sign up at the welcome desk and join us for a fun, informative hour.

One of the two texts for All Saints Day is John 11:32-44 however if I just start at those verses some of the significance of the story will be missed so we will look at the beginning of the chapter too.

V1-4 Jesus has fled across the Jordan River because the authorities have tried to arrest him in Jerusalem. While he is across the river Mary and Martha send word to Jesus that their brother Lazarus is ill. They would like Jesus to come to them to heal their brother. Mary, Martha and Lazarus live in the town of Bethany which is located on the Mount of Olives. Jesus has stayed with them many times and is close to this family. Upon hearing the news of Lazarus’ illness Jesus doesn’t leave for their house but stays where he is for two more days. He could have made it back in a few hours but he waited.

V7-16 After two days he tells his disciples that they will travel to Judea again. The disciples are alarmed as the Jews have tried to stone him and the authorities have tried to arrest him, they don’t want to return to Judea. Jesus replies as long as they are with him-the light-they will be OK. It is those who walk by darkness-not with him-who will stumble. He tells the disciples that Lazarus has fallen asleep and he is going to wake him up. The disciples miss the metaphor for death that Jesus has just told them and reply that if Lazarus is just sleeping he will be ok and they need not risk their lives just to wake someone up. Jesus then explains to them that Lazarus has died and he will use this event to help them with their belief of who Jesus is. Thomas still believes that they are at risk of being killed but vows to accompany Jesus even if it means death for them.

V17-27 When Jesus arrives Lazarus has been in the tomb for 4 days. Lazarus is really dead and there is no denying it. By now the body is decomposing and smells. Mary and Martha are in the house grieving for their brother with people and friends who had come to grieve with them. When Martha hears that Jesus is coming she leaves the house to go to him. The Jews sat shiv’ah for 7 days of mourning and were not to leave the house. Martha set this custom aside and left to confront Jesus. Mary meanwhile stays in the house. In agony Martha confronts Jesus and says that if he had been there Lazarus would not have died. Jesus responds that her brother will live again and she says she knows he will rise again in the resurrection of everyone on the last Day of Judgment when the Messiah comes in the future. Jesus responds I AM the resurrection and the life, meaning the hopes of a future resurrection has come to fulfillment in my life. He is conquering death now. Resurrection is happening now and will not be some future hope anymore. Does she, Martha, believe him? Martha responds with an acclimation of faith and belief that he is the Messiah, the Son of God and because of this, the Day of Judgment, the Age to Come, has indeed come with Jesus.

V28-31 Martha returns to the house to get her sister Mary and let her know Jesus has come as is asking for her. Mary quickly rises to go and those in the house mourning with the sisters think she is going to the tomb so they follow.

V32 Mary, in agony, says the same thing to Jesus that Martha had. They have just lost their brother and question why hadn’t Jesus their close friend and teacher come to help? Why had he left them alone?

V33 When Jesus saw them weeping he began to weep, he is deeply moved by their sorrow. He understands human sorrow and can enter into it also. He is not removed from us and our emotions. However he can see past what we do and has an understanding that we don’t possess yet. He wasn’t sad that Lazarus had died because he knew he was going to raise him, he wept for his friends.

V34-38 Jesus asks where the tomb is and they take him there. Along the way some of the people notice he is weeping and wonder why as they know he can heal the blind so why didn’t he heal this man, his friend? Why cry over it now when it is too late to offer the healing help he could have and avoided this situation?

V39 Jesus orders the stone covering the entrance to the tomb be rolled away but Martha protests because the body will have begun to decay and an awful odor will be released. This is one of the reasons they wrapped and anointed a dead body with oil and fragrance; to combat the stench of decay.

V40 Jesus reminds her of their discussion upon his arrival. He is the resurrection and life has come in him. She had earlier professed to believe this in their conversation but now has had a lapse of understanding. Remember people were not raised from the dead then or now. Even if this was us standing at this grave we too would be just as confused, as Jesus is changing and rearranging her whole system of belief-he’s redefining it.

V41-42 Jesus looks upward and speaks to God, not so God will notice him, but to direct the attention of the people to God and what God is about to do. This isn’t coming from Jesus, the man, but from Jesus, the Son of God, and Gods’ representative here on earth. God is about to do an amazing thing and Jesus is attributing it all to God for the benefit of the crowd.

V43 Jesus cries for Lazarus to come out. Can you imagine the reaction of the crowd or your own reaction had you been there? This man is calling out a man that has been dead for four days. Do you think he will come out? If so, what will he look like? Yuck!

V44 Out came Lazarus still bound with the grave wrappings but walking on his own. The crowd must be astonished at this. He is a whole human being. He is alive. I wonder what Lazarus thought and what his reaction was after learning the whole story. For him it may have been like waking up from a coma, but for everyone else, they have just witnessed a miracle beyond their comprehension. A dead man lives. Unfortunately Lazarus had to die again, but he was a celebration of life and a future that had come.

In the Gospel of John this is the final act that gets Jesus killed. The rabbis taught that when the Messiah came he would stand on the Mount of Olives and raise the dead. Dan 12:1-2, Zach 14:4 and Is 26:19. Jesus has stood on the Mount of Olives, Bethany, been called the Messiah the Son of God, on the Mount, and raised Lazarus. The authorities are furious and in verse 53 they plan to kill him. Can you see the irony? They had been waiting for a Messiah and when he finally came and preformed the signs that the Messiah was suppose to, the learned people wanted to kill him because he wasn’t the kind of Messiah they wanted. If they followed him they would loose their own grip on power so they had to kill him. And He Let Them.

Sunday October 25, 2009 Mark 10:46-52

2009-10-21T12:41:00.001-05:00

Welcome, I hope all of you with kids had a good MEA weekend with them. It’s nice to get a break every now and then. The text for Sunday continues on in Mark. We have just read about James and John requesting the seats of honor after Jesus’ coronation but they have no clue as to what that actually meant. They are traveling to Jerusalem for the Passover which was an exciting celebration for them as it commemorated God rescuing them from slavery in Egypt. His followers are doubly excited because they feel this is the time that Jesus will reveal himself to be the Messiah and will start a revolt which will result in the over through of Rome. Rome will be kicked out and what better time to have this happen than Passover which celebrated freedom from oppression.

Some background to the verses from William Barclay. “The main road ran right through Jericho. Jesus was on his way to the Passover. When a distinguished Rabbi was on such a journey the custom was that he was surrounded by a crowd of people, disciples and learners, who listened to him as he discoursed while he walked. This was a common way of teaching. It was the law that every male Jew over twelve years of age who lived within 15 miles of Jerusalem must attend the Passover. It was impossible that every one would be able to go so those who were unable to go lined the streets of towns and villages through which the pilgrims were passing and bid them godspeed on their way.
There were attached to the Temple 20,000 priests and levites which were divided into 26 groups that served at the Temple in rotation. Many of these priests and levites lived in Jericho when they were not on Temple duty. Even though all were needed to be on duty for the Passover there must have been some in the crowd that day as they had not left yet for their service.”

V46 As Jesus approaches and passes through Jericho a large crowd has gathered around him. Bartimaeus, a blind beggar is sitting along the road side asking for money. Blind people had no way of earning money so people would toss money onto the blind mans’ cloak for him to use.

V47 Bartimaeus hears this large crowd approaching and is wondering who it is. Someone must have told him it was Jesus of Nazareth so he began to shout “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me.” He doesn’t just shout it once but over and over. In addition to calling attention to himself he was shouting a politically dangerous statement. Son of David indicated Messiah-new king and temple priests are watching and listening.

V48 Many tell the man to be quiet but what they are actually saying is “shut up, quit causing a scene, this is an important teacher and he doesn’t have time for you.” But Bartimaeus yells even louder.

V49 Jesus stops and says bring the man to me so the people around Bartimaeus tell him the Rabbi has stopped and is calling for you. Think of the excitement that Bartimaeus must have felt to find out a well known Rabbi was asking for him. Nobody asked for Bartimaeus, ever. He was invisible on the side of the road. We love to pass by the invisible people and to be noticed ourselves.

V50 Bartimaeus throws off his cloak. The money he has collected from begging is sent flying. This money was all he had in the world to survive on and away it flies with the cloak. A blind man doesn’t just toss his stuff away as it would be almost impossible to find it again. But this time a blind man “sees” what the sighted crowd around Jesus cannot “see”. This is the Son of David, the Messiah who would bring healing and if Bartimaeus can be healed so be it. This is the first time in Mark that someone calls Jesus the Son of David-the king. Prior to this only the demons have called Jesus “the Holy One of God. The demons have seen who Jesus is; the people have been blind to it.

V51 Jesus asks what Bartimaeus wants from him and the obvious answer would be sight but that meant a total life shift for Bartimaeus as now he would have to work for money. Income would not come as easily as it had while he was blind and only had to sit by the side of the road. Bartimaeus says “Rabboni” (My Teacher) let me see again. If he wants to see again he must have at one time had sight and lost it. He wants to be whole again, he wants to be able to enter the Temple and worship (as a blind man he could not enter the Temple), he wants to be apart of the community again.

V52 Jesus replies “Go, your faith has made you well”. What faith has made him well? His faith and knowledge that Jesus is the Son of David, the Messiah; his faith that Jesus could and would heal him and his faith in that healing to return his sight back to him as he had tossed his cloak wildly aside. Immediately his sight is restored by his faith in Jesus and he followed him on the way to Jerusalem. Jesus has said “Go” but Bartimaeus didn’t go his own way rejoicing in his good luck he followed the man who had restored his sight. An invisible man on the side of the road has been noticed by Jesus and is now a part of his community. I wonder if the others could see Bartimaeus as Jesus did or were they annoyed that a defective man was now with the “in” crowd. Most of the crowd is excited for the revolt that they think will be taking place and their king is stopped by an invisible, loud man who calls attention to himself. Furthermore their king stops and pays attention to the man; I think they may have been a little miffed, jealous and mad. Our king has more important things to do than to be bothered by you, Bartimaeus. Don’t we exhibit the same reaction? We have more important things to do for the church than dealing with some invisible people on the margins of society. Our work is lofty but Jesus says No! I, Jesus, formed the church for the primary purpose of helping the invisible people on the margins of society. If I can take the time to stop and help in my journey so can you. You were made for service and I have demonstrated that to you with my own actions. One of the most eye opening things of this economic downfall is how fast one can move from the “in” crowd to the margins of society, from the visible to the invisible and how we just pass by them thinking “Gee that’s too bad I’m sure it’s something they have done, otherwise they would not be in that mess; our church work is more important.”

Sunday October 18,2009 Mark 10:35-45

2009-10-14T13:17:00.002-05:00

Welcome, I can’t believe that we have had snow two separate times. It’s only October! I still had hoses to put away and a garden to clean up. The cold has also brought a tom cat to our house and he would really like it if we would invite him in, however the other pets would have a fit so Tom will have to live outside in the garage and look for his buddy Jerry. It is my hope that all the Jerry’s will be chased away. For that I’ll gladly feed and pet Tom plus make him a bed out of a box and rags.

Our text continues on in Mark. Jesus has just interacted with the young rich man while he and his disciples are traveling up to Jerusalem. People traveling to Jerusalem went up as it sat on the highest peak around. That way they were as close to God as they could be. For the third time he predicts to the disciples that he will be killed when he reaches Jerusalem. For the third time this goes over the top of their heads.

V35-36 Two of the disciples come forward to talk with Jesus as he, in rabbinic fashion, is walking ahead of his disciples. They have a request to make. So Jesus asks what they want.

V37 They reply that they want to sit on Jesus’ right and left when he is placed on his throne. These were positions of honor in a kingdom. “Could we just have two little thrones on either side of you?”

V38-39 Jesus responds “You have no clue as to what you are asking for, do you? Are you able to drink the “cup” that I drink, or be baptized with what I will be baptized with? The “cup” in the Old Testament was used to describe the experience allotted to men by God, usually meaning the wrath of God. Baptism here means submerged into an experience. Are they able to endure (be submerged into) the wrath that he will take upon himself as the representative of the new Israel? All of Israel had broken the covenant and sinned and someone had to pay for that sin. Something had to die and each Israelite providing a lamb at Passover wasn’t getting Gods message across about how important sin was to Him. Now a bigger price was to be extracted and Jesus had volunteered to be that perfect Lamb of God for sacrifice. This was his last event of serving others and it was going to be the most horrifying and gruesome event ever. Crucifixion wasn’t a game. He was going through with this for everyone, even those who hated him. We would die for someone that we love but would we die for someone who hates us? The disciples were still in a fog about what was going to happen in Jerusalem. They just couldn’t let go of their view of how the events would unfold and how they would be part of a royal court. We are the same way still. We still always want the outcome to be our ideal. Jesus then tells them that even though they don’t understand what is about to happen they too will go through the same gruesome trials. They will receive the same treatment.

V40 Jesus then tells them that it isn’t his decision to make about who sits beside him on his throne but that it is his fathers.

V41 The rest of the disciples find out about the request and become angry. They too feel they want to sit in positions of honor and it isn’t fair that James and John have asked first. Had they thought about it first they certainly would have asked but now it has been requested by others.

V42 Jesus replies to the whole bunch of angry men that are to be following him that they are seeing his kingdom set up as a worldly Gentile power structure. Worldly rulers lord their power over other people.

V43-44 My kingdom is to be different from the worldly kingdoms. In Gods kingdom the lowest man, the slave, who has to perform all the grossest tasks will be first because he served others. I, the Son of Man, the true way of being Israel (how Israel was originally to be) came to serve others, not to be served by others. I also came to give my life for others, to pay the awful price for sin that each should pay themselves but it will be my final act of servanthood to pay that price for each of you so each of you can be reconciled to God.

We see a lot of ourselves in this passage. We don’t want to hear the truth so we manufacture how events will unfold, always to our advantage. If we don’t like it we block it out but there always comes a time that we have to face up to the truth. Things aren’t going to go the way we want. No matter how much creative thinking and interpretation we apply the truth always triumphs. We are held accountable for our actions. The question is: do we live with this world’s top-down power structure or Jesus’ bottom-up power structure?

Sunday October 11, 2009 Mark 10:17-31

2009-10-08T19:48:00.001-05:00

Welcome, I hear snow flakes are on the way. The season is changing fast. In our text Jesus is on the way to Jerusalem to die. Along the way he is teaching. A rich young man has a question for Jesus.

V17 Jesus is walking to Jerusalem and a man in the crowd ran up to him, knelt before him and asked a question addressing Jesus as Good Teacher. The man wants to know what he can do to take part in eternal life with God. Note he wants to know what he can do. He and we tend to think of entering eternal life with God as a merit system. If we just do enough good things we are in. The issue is how much is enough? What rules do I keep to assure entry?

V18 Jesus stops him with a question, why do you call me good? Why the flattery? Jesus wants the man to stop and think about who the man considers good. Is Jesus good only because he has been healing, “doing” things? Only God is good. The man needs to think about who Jesus is pointing to. Jesus hasn’t come to promote himself but to point to God.

V19 Jesus then lists some commandments given by Moses. The Jewish people of the day thought that if they followed all of the law codes given in the Torah and because they were God’s special people they would get to be included in the Age to Come-eternal life.

V20 The man replies that he has kept the rules his whole life. Great, he is in! He has done the “right” things.

V21-22 Jesus then bursts his happy bubble by adding one more thing to do. He needs to sell what he has and follow Jesus. The man must have been shocked by the statement. What sell everything I have? The stuff I’ve spent a lifetime acquiring? Jesus, knowing the mans reaction to the request, loved him. Jesus didn’t scoff at him and belittle the man because he couldn’t leave his wealth, rather he looked at him with love as the man left grieving because he couldn’t bring himself to let go of his possessions. It wasn’t that the man was bad but it was because he clung tightly to his stuff that he couldn’t enter eternal life. He needed to put God first and foremost in his life ahead of his stuff. Even though he had done the “right” things in verse 19 he still lacked. Had he put God first? Had he helped the poor? Had he lived the way in which God had intended? The 10 commandments were never meant to be a merit system to get into a special club but were to be guidelines for living with God. All throughout the Old Testament God emphasizes helping the poor, the widow and the orphan. Had the man done those things or had he kept a list of rules perfectly? We live as that man. We want a list to check off to assure us of entry.

V23-24 Jesus then addresses his disciples about entering the kingdom of God with wealth. The disciples are confused at this statement. This isn’t what they’ve been taught. They have been taught that to have a vast amount of wealth shows Gods favor. God only gives wealth to those he likes. The poor have committed a sin that got them to that point. God is punishing the poor for something. Jesus has just inverted the traditional way of thought. Jesus then repeats his statement as he knows their confusion.

V25 In order to emphasize his teaching about wealth he uses an exaggerated illustration. A camel (huge animal) can go through the eye of a needle (extremely tiny thing) easier than a rich man can enter the kingdom of God.

V26 The disciples are blown out of the water. If a rich man, whom we thought God favored, can’t share in the Age to Come than who can? What is the list of items we must complete to enter?

V27 Jesus looked at them and said “you can do nothing on your own to enter into eternal life. Eternal life is a gift from God. You must believe what God has told you to enter into life with him.”

V28 Peter is beginning to grasp this idea and it occurs to him that he has been trying to do the right things in following Jesus. He may not be included either! Who can be included?

V29 Jesus replies that anyone who has given up most everything to follow him will receive even more in eternal life. They also will receive more now as they will become part of a family in a divine community. They will have many brothers and sisters. They will have many houses in which they are welcome. They will have many sets of parents. (Just like when you were a kid and spent so much time at your friend’s house that they considered you a part of the family. Or when the whole neighborhood would report your behavior to your parents.) We are part of a much bigger family. Only God can solve this paradox.

V31 Many who this world, our society, puts first will be last and many who give up some of their wealth and comfort to serve others will be first in God’s kingdom.

So naturally this verse is used against wealthy people but Jesus doesn’t say wealth is bad. He says our clinging tightly to it is. We can have wealth but we need to share it with those less fortunate. This is part of God’s plan. Remember the old cartoon of uncle Scrooge Mc Duck rolling in all of his money in the bank vault laughing? He clung so tightly to it that he had to have it locked up so only he could enjoy it. (I date myself with this cartoon.) That is not what God calls us to do. If we have anything we are to share it to further his kingdom. Poor people have not lost favor with God but have hit upon hard times. We are not to judge the reason that they are poor but help them become whole again. God loves everyone, the poor, the worst of the worst, the downtrodden of society and the wealthy. He hasn’t shown the wealthy favor and the poor disfavor. We are called to be God’s arms, legs and body here on earth and do as He would. We don’t own anything; we are merely managers of Gods things.

Sunday October 4, 2009 Mark 10:2-16

2009-10-02T10:52:00.000-05:00

Welcome, fall came overnight it seems. I spent some time at my parent’s farm this past week and the harvest has started. The smell of fall is in the air. Our text for Sunday occurs while Jesus is traveling to Jerusalem to face his death. He starts his travel in Mark 10:1 and is traveling down the east bank of the Jordan River. The crowds gather around him as he travels and he teaches them, note he doesn’t preach to them.

V2 Some Pharisees come to him with a hotly debated question of that time. The question was about divorce and there were differing opinions about it. Also, the man claiming to be king of the Jews, Herod, had divorced and remarried. John the Baptist had rebuked Herod for the behavior and had landed in prison with his head on a platter. The two rabbinic schools of the time-Hillel (liberal interpretation) and Shammai (conservative interpretation) debated the topic quite a bit and the Pharisees had come from one school or the other. So they put the question to Jesus and who knows why. Maybe they really wanted his opinion or maybe they wanted to trap him in his answer or maybe some of both.

V3 In typical rabbinic style Jesus doesn’t give an answer but asks a question. What did Moses say about this? In other words what do your scriptures teach about divorce?

V4 They reply that Moses allowed them to divorce. The scripture in question is the interpretation of Deuteronomy 24:1 which reads “Suppose a man enters into a marriage with a woman, but she does not please him because he find something objectionable about her, so he writes her a certificate of divorce, puts it in her hand, and sends her out of his house, she then leaves his house”. The sticky wording was “something objectionable” and they wanted that defined, that way they could adhere to the law. Women in that day were regarded as property. They had no rights so if the husband invoked a liberal interpretation of “something objectionable” such as burning food, talking to strange men or a loud woman he could write a certificate of divorce and kick her out. She would loose her means of support and be reduced to begging as no other man would likely marry her.

V5 Jesus responds that Moses allowed divorce in Deut 24:1 because of the Israelites hard hearts. God had chosen Israel to be his renewed people and had expected them to live as such but unfortunately they behaved just as the rest of the world so Moses had to comment on their behavior possibly to try to control the divorce situations. It wasn’t that he was, as Gods representative, permitting them to do so.

V6-9 Jesus then takes the Pharisees back to the original plan of God for humanity in Genesis 1:27. God had intended for man and woman to marry and out of this union a third entity (bond) was formed that was never to be broken. It seems the Pharisees have been focusing on the wrong scripture, as we often do. They were looking for a way out and therefore picking scripture that might possibly allow it if the “correct” interpretation was upheld. Jesus responds by pointing them to the original idea. Over and over with any controversy we see people picking and choosing scripture to support their ideals and we have to get past that to what does God want from us.

V10 Jesus has now entered a house and the disciples ask for further clarification on the topic.

V11-12 Jesus teaches them that divorce is adulteress conduct in Gods original plan. “Jewish men had thought that it was permissible to divorce but now Jesus has defined it as a sin, something Jewish interpretation had overlooked. Furthermore, the same guilt is incurred by a woman who repudiates her husband-a second innovation.” (Harry Wendt)

This issue becomes what are we doing to prepare people for marriage to avoid the result of divorce? All of the cable shows on marriage are all about the fancy ceremony and the amount of money spent. It’s all about the “show” of the ceremony. Most are in the relationship for what they can get out of it. At times I’ve been appalled at the comments made by these people. We need to change the focus to the relationship that will result from the marriage. Are we willing to serve each other? Are we willing to put the needs of our partner before ours? Are we willing to work on the difficult issues for the betterment of the marriage? Anyone who has been married knows these are difficult issues to overcome and at times it would be easier to run away. This is not to condone abuse in a relationship. The ideal is one thing the reality is another.

V13 People are bringing kids to Jesus so that he might bless them but the disciples are trying to prevent them from doing so. Children did not have a high position in that society so were kept in the background.

V14 Jesus responds by scolding the disciples and telling them to let the children come. This is how we are to be (like a child) to enter the Kingdom of God.

V15-16 We are to come to God as a child, with humility, obedience, trust and confidence in other people. Children do not expect other people to be bad; they will make friends with almost anyone. We as adults become jaded and judgmental about others. We are to put that aside and return to more child like qualities. I love this picture of Jesus with the children and envision him smiling and laughing. What adult, when watching small children, doesn’t start making funny faces and smiling? Sometimes I’ve done this all during a service if there is a small child seated with their parents in front of me. Remember Jesus is on a journey to Jerusalem where, in a few days, he will be hung on a cross and he takes the time to teach his disciples plus enjoy the little children. He is still focused on showing us what his father is like in heaven.

Sunday September 27, 2009 Mark 9:38-50

2009-09-23T13:06:00.001-05:00

Welcome, Life has a way of changing in an instant and this past week it happened to me. One minute I’m preparing for the Sunday adult education class and a phone call later I’m driving to St. Cloud to meet my mother who is being airlifted for medical treatment. I’ve spent the last few days hanging around the hospital and the teachings that I blog about became rather clear. The staff at the hospital truly served us, from information to support. They live a servant lifestyle and I’ve discovered that I miss that as I used to work in a hospital. They see people, patients and family, at their neediest and take time to care even if it is only to give directions to the cafeteria. In our busy world we need to follow their lead and take a minute to ask how others are doing (and mean it), give simple directions or smile at someone who is feeling pretty vulnerable. In some providence greater than I can comprehend I somewhat lived out part of the lesson for Sunday.

V38 John reports to Jesus that a group of the disciples has observed a man casting out demons in Jesus’ name. In that time, and even now in many places in the world, people feel as though illness is caused by demons. If they can rid themselves of the demon they will be healed. One of the ways to do this was to have a “holy man” call on a spirit more powerful than the demon. They would command the demon to come out of the person in the name of the more powerful spirit. In this case the man was using the name of Jesus so his disciples tell the man to stop as he is not a follower of Jesus. He’s not in the “club”.

V39 Jesus replies with an answer that must have surprised the disciples – don’t stop him. If he is doing this in the name of Jesus and having success this may lead the man to seek out Jesus.

V40 There is a war going on between Jesus and the demonic and even though this man doesn’t know Jesus he is still fighting on the same side.

V41 Even the small act of giving a cold cup of water to a thirsty man in the name of Jesus will grant you reward. This does not mean that we need to do acts to get rewards but rather that we need to do kind acts because God has treated us with such kindness that we must pass it forward. A cold cup of water is almost a small insignificant thing unless you’re the one who is thirsty. Directions to a cafeteria are a small thing unless you are overwhelmed by the maze of hallways in a hospital and your mind isn’t on directions. Friendly nursing staff is a small thing unless it is your mom in the bed. Turning off an overhead glaring light is a small thing unless you’re the one in the hospital bed dizzy, nauseous and having heart trouble. Even the action of darkening a room out of consideration for another is a “cold cup of water”.

V42 If any one of us does any action that causes someone else to loose faith in Jesus it would be better if you were drowned in the sea with a cinder block around your neck. The Romans actually did this to people as punishment.

V43-47 This is not to be taken literally but to show that what ever causes us to stumble in our following of Jesus must be eradicated. Maybe it is the people we associate with or the habits we have picked up but they must go if they prevent us from serving others. This doesn’t mean that we don’t associate with people that are not like us but that as we associate with them we are to model the life of Jesus. Remember Jesus searched out the outcasts of his day to bring them to life with him but he didn’t start acting like them, rather they started acting like him.

V48 The hell that he speaks of was the garbage dump outside of Jerusalem. This valley had been used at the time of some of the kings in the Old Testament as a place for child sacrifice practiced by the Jewish people. (2 Chronicles 28:3) The place was so detestable and declared unclean that it was only good enough now for a garbage dump that had a smoldering fire going all the time to burn the garbage. This image comes from Isaiah 66:24 where it was used to describe the fate of Israel’s enemies. Now Jesus is using that image from Isaiah to refer not to Israel’s gentile enemies; but to people who are enemies of his (the new Israel’s) way of living.

V49-50 This may be linked to Leviticus 2:13 where they are told to offer sacrifice that has been salted. Salt is good, in fact too many people today use way to much salt. If we are to be the salt which enhances life, as actual salt enhances the taste of food, and we loose that quality; what good are we? In that day salt was expensive and a coveted trade item. I’ve seen pictures of camels in caravans with blocks of salt strapped to their sides. It was a needed commodity and they didn’t have Morton’s in their cupboard. Imagine if we loose the rare ability to effect others lives, if people observe our life and don’t see a lifestyle enhanced by Jesus?

The man spoken of earlier was being salt, enhancing others lives, in the name of Jesus even though he wasn’t a part of the group around Jesus. The disciples wanted to stop him but Jesus said no, even though he isn’t a part of our group he is still acting in my name, spreading my spirit. How many times do we do that today? Do we try to stop others from carrying out their role in life because they aren’t in our exclusive “church” club? I don’t know how many of the staff in the hospital that took care of my mom were members of a church, nor do I care. All of them were “salt” in my mothers stay. All of them enhanced the servant lifestyle of Jesus weather they knew him or not. None of them served in that way because I was sitting there watching, they just did it. An important thought to leave you with is: Who is watching you and the way you live your life? Are you an example or are you as worthless as salt that has lost its saltiness and must be tossed out?

My mom is recovering at home now and I am left with a question; who is watching my example of the way I live and is it worth watching?

Sunday September 20, 2009 Mark 9:30-37

2009-09-16T12:18:00.002-05:00

Welcome, I guess I was wrong last week and summer is continuing with its warm weather. I can think of a few times in July and August when I could have used this warmth. We continue our journey in the gospel of Mark. When I say we continue our journey I really mean it as Jesus starts on a journey south that will end up in Jerusalem. Last week was the first passion prediction that he made.

V30 They have left Caesarea Philippi and started to travel south. This route brings them through the Galilee region. He wants to be alone with his disciples to teach them what kind of Messiah he is. He has told them once already what will happen but they are still confused.

V31 Jesus predicts his coming passion (death) for the second time. Again he is explaining to them that he will be killed by humans but after three days he will rise again.

V32 Once again the disciples don’t understand what he is saying. They still have the former understanding of Messiah in their minds and that Messiah will not be killed but will kill in the name of God to rule the people. There will be a holy war with Jesus at the front. They are too afraid to ask him to explain again so they keep quiet.

V33 The group arrives at Capernaum, north of the Sea of Galilee, and enters a house. After entering Jesus questions them about their conversation on the way there. Some or all of the disciples must have hung back or been ahead of Jesus discussing something and he knows what it was about. However he confronts them and questions them even though he knows.

V34 They are silent. They have been caught discussing who is the greatest among themselves. They seem to know enough about what Jesus is trying to teach them that they feel shame when questioned which is evidenced by their silence but none the less have continued on with their old way of the understanding of a Messiah. If Jesus is the Messiah, who will be his right hand man? What positions will they hold in his “administration”? They know Jesus has been indicating things are different this time but they don’t want to hear it. We are just as guilty as they. We only hear the portions of the Christian message that we want to and that suits our needs while ignoring the rest. How many people pick out a few verses of the Bible to “prove” their point and ignore the rest of the message? We see it all the time and are probably even guilty of it ourselves.

V35 Jesus sat down. When a rabbi taught his disciples he always sat. He called the twelve over and again instructs them that whoever wants to be first in his “administration” must be a servant of all. Nobody wants to hear this. We want power and prestige we don’t want to do the dirty work of society. These guys wanted to rule the Jewish people with Jesus. They had in mind the courts of the great kings like David and Solomon. Those court officials didn’t serve the poor of their society. But Jesus is turning everything upside down for them. For Jesus, the only way they will be great is to serve the lowest class of society.

V36-37 To illustrate his point Jesus puts a little child among the group, holds it in his arms and says whoever welcomes a child welcomes me and whoever welcomes me welcomes God. In that society families loved their children but children had no status or prestige. In our society it’s all about the kids. We live for our kids but in that culture kids were way in the background. Jesus is teaching them that to be in a position of honor in his “administration” they will have to serve people who have no power, no influence and no wealth. These are the people that need things done for them. By doing and caring for others, without regards for self, they and us will be welcoming God.

This is a complete reversal of our society today. We are taught to look out for number one – get it while you can – what’s in it for me – if it feels good do it. According to the advertisements we are surrounded with we will have prestige if we drive the “right” (expensive) car, live in the “right” (expensive) house, neighborhood, attend the “right” functions and surround ourselves with the “right” people – people who can open doors for us and increase our status in society. What would happen if we lived as Jesus taught? Would we just be coming out of the greatest recession since the great depression if people lived for what they could do for others and not what they could earn for themselves? What if the people elected to political office lived to serve the people who elected them rather than some trying to obtain all they could for themselves? What if there was great competition for the lowest job in the church? What if we had to turn people away because there was just too much competition for the janitorial job? We need to turn our thinking around just as the disciples had to change theirs. We need to care for each other and not stuff. We need to help others succeed in their lives. The way to this success is service. We are called to be servants just as the man whom we follow served others.

Sunday September 12, 2009 Mark 8:27-38

2009-09-10T12:11:00.000-05:00

Welcome, it seems that our summer is coming to an end. Once Labor Day, the state fair and school starting are past the summer is gone for me. Now I look forward to the cool crisp days of fall. Our text continues on in the gospel of Mark. The text for Sunday contains the first passion (death) prediction that Jesus makes. In the verses previous to our text Jesus heals a blind man. Does he do it just to be a great guy? No, he is foreshadowing what will happen with the disciples in the following verses. Jesus touches the blind man two times, not because his power is waning but because just as the blind man needed two touches to see clearly so will the disciple’s need two “touches” to “see” clearly who Jesus is. Just as the blind man is told not to tell anyone so will the disciples be warned not to tell anyone.

V27 Jesus travels north to the village of Caesarea Philippi which is way north of the Sea of Galilee. This is in Herod Philips territory, one of the rulers of the land. The city had once held the name of Balinas as it was the center for the worship on Baal, the Canaanite god of fertility. Later the name had been changed to Panias because it was said to be the birth place of the Greek god Pan, god of nature. (Pan flutes anyone?) From the hillside water gushed out which was the start of the river Jordan and these underwater rivers were thought to be the gates of hell. In the city of Caesarea Philippi a temple had been built by Herod Philip to Caesar, the Roman emperor, because he was thought to be divine – a god. Into all of this pagan god worship Jesus brought his disciples. He asked them a question, who did others think he was. Had his actions and teaching paid off? This is parallel to the first touch of the blind man; he can see but not clearly as things don’t look right.

V28 The disciples respond with an answer indicating that the people thought Jesus was a great prophet. This response was in part true as Jesus was a great prophet but had anyone seen any farther than that? Are things still a little distorted in their “vision”.

V29 He asks the second question which is parallel with the second touch of the blind man, who do they think he is. Can they “see” clearer who Jesus is? Peter responds for the group and states “You are the Messiah”. In the first century there were thoughts and opinions on the idea of what the Messiah would be and do. They never ever thought the Messiah would be divine, the second part of the trinity. To understand where the disciple’s minds were we need to see what they thought a Messiah would be.

Messiah means anointed one. When a king was chosen he was anointed with olive oil. In the ancient near east it was thought that the god that ruled the land chose the king and the people anointed him to indicate he would be the king and the one to whom god would show favor. He was the gods chosen one. In the Jewish tradition their greatest king had been David. In the Old Testament they thought God had shown David favor and promised him a linage of kings. They believed a king would once again rise from the linage of David to rule over them expelling all the pagan overlords – Gentiles.
Before this king (messiah) arose some signs would appear. There would be a time of terrible tribulation – the birth pangs of the new age. Into this time of chaos would come Elijah as the forerunner, the announcer of the Messiah. The Messiah would then come and the nations (Gentiles) would ally themselves against the chosen one of God. This would result in the total destruction of the hostile powers. The Messiah would wage a destructive war and win; Jerusalem would be renewed and rebuilt. Jews from all over the world would unit in Jerusalem and Palestine would be the center of the world with the rest of the world subject to it. The Gentiles would be destroyed and a new age of peace and goodness would last forever.
When Peter exclaims that Jesus is the Messiah this is some of what he was thinking would begin happening.

V30 Jesus orders them to tell no one as this is a dangerous claim they have made about him. If this gets out all of the current rulers are going to be threatened as they are somewhat already. This is fuel for the fire.

V31 Jesus begins to teach them the kind of Messiah he is. He has to teach them that the coming events are not going to happen as they have been taught. Things are not going to look at all like they thought they would. He as the Son of man, the true people of Israel, with his followers will suffer, will be rejected by the leaders, will be killed and after three days rise again. This is his first passion prediction. To his disciples and the crowds this was the sign of a failed Messiah. A successful Messiah would wage war and win as the Son of Man did in the book of Daniel. The statement about rising in three days was beyond their comprehension. They only knew that all would rise on the final Day of Judgment, not in three days after death.

V32 In this confusion between thoughts of what a Messiah was, Peter rebukes Jesus. Peter knows what the Messiah will do and it won’t be to die on a cross, that’s for losers.

V33 Jesus looks at all of the disciples and scolds Peter saying “get behind me Satan”. Is Peter Satan? No, but Satan is using Peter to try to persuade Jesus not to got to the cross, just as he tried in the temptations to get Jesus off track. Peter is setting his mind on human things like war and eventual world domination by force with enemies exterminated. He is not following divine (Gods’) way, seeing the enemy as Satan (evil). The pagans are not the enemy, evil is.

V34 He calls the crowd with the disciples and begins again to teach. If they want to follow him they must say no to their wants and needs. They must take up their cross, bear the burdens of others and follow him. They must do as he does even if it means death on a Roman cross.

V35-37 If you want to save your life for yourself, your comfort, your profit and ease you will eventually lose it but if you spend life serving others and following Jesus you will win. What will it do for them if they live conforming to the world’s ideas about success and Messiahship and forfeit their life for the wrong ideals?

V38 Those who are ashamed of Jesus and his way of being the Messiah will experience the shame of rejection when Jesus comes in his glory; is vindicated by God resurrecting him on the third day as he had claimed earlier.

This presents a whole new way of thinking for us as it did for them. We tend to think of our government as mostly “right” but Jesus presents us with a dilemma, do we follow the ways of our world or do we follow him. Do we give up our ideal of the “right” way of ruling what other countries should do and start serving them instead? Do we give up comfort in our lives so people in other countries can live? Is our way of life really nonnegotiable or have the events of the financial collapse of the last year shown us that our way of life is in peril and we must change? HWJL – How would Jesus live?

Sunday September 6, 2009 Mark 7: 24-37

2009-09-02T13:22:00.001-05:00

Welcome, it’s hard to believe Labor Day is already here. The summer just flew by, at least for me. Our text for Sunday is still in Mark and it encompasses two events of healing. Previous to this Jesus has taught on ritual cleanliness. This is what we covered last week.

V24 After teaching Jesus traveled north to Tyre and Sidon. These cities were on the sea coast and Gentiles lived there. Today we know the area as Lebanon. He entered a house and didn’t want anyone to see him doing so. Why? Because it would have been a gentile house which would have been ritually unclean. Jews and Gentiles didn’t mix at all. However he is seen going into the house by people observing him.

V25-26 A mother who had a sick daughter heard that he was in the area and visiting a house so she went to him to see if he could heal her daughter. This would have been a gentile woman. A Syrophoenician woman would have been called a Canaanite in the Old Testament. In Deuteronomy, Canaanites were one of the seven nations they were told to hate and show no mercy to. (Deut 7:1, 2) She begs Jesus to heal her daughter from demons. The news that a Jewish man capable of casting out demons must have reached up here and she is desperate to get help for her daughter as would any parent be.

V27 Jesus responds with a statement that sounds to us like an insult and is an insult to her. He calls her a dog, indirectly. The Jewish people did call the gentiles dogs and that is how they thought of them, in contempt. He taunts her with a slur. It is hard to understand why Jesus would have treated her this way as he is compassionate about everyone but maybe he is voicing what his disciples are thinking. Sometimes when we hear our thoughts spoken we can see the hurt they inflict and feel the sting of guilt. Remember he had just taught in the previous verses that what was unclean came out of a persons mouth from their heart and wasn’t what they ate. Is he giving voice to the disciple’s evil (unclean) thoughts? He is saying “I have come for the children (people) of Israel, why should I give their food to you a gentile dog?”

V28 She ignores the slur but it probably stung and continues to plead for her daughter just as anyone of us would have done for our child. She responds that even the dogs get a few scraps that the children have dropped during the meal, could she possibly be one to get a scrap of healing for her daughter? Could she, a gentile dog, receive the healing that was being given to the Jews, the children of God?

V29 Jesus understands her deep faith in him to heal her daughter. She may not understand that he is the Messiah but she does understand there is something unique and special about this man and instead of destroying her as instructed to do so by the Old Testament he instead shows her mercy. The Jewish people had referred to the gentiles as “those far off”, now Jesus heals her daughter from “far off”. He instructs the woman that the child is healed and she may go. She has so much faith in what he has said that she leaves without any proof that the girl is healed. When she arrives home the girl has been healed. Jewish men were not to speak to women and in this incident Jesus not only speaks to a woman but he helps her daughter showing mercy to two women. He is breaking the gender stereotypes as well.

“In this incident, Jesus stretches the borderlines of His ministry far to the north and away from the Jewish center of Jerusalem. In His dealings with the Syrophoenician woman, He pushes the new communal identity to its limits geographically, ethnically and gender-wise. Although Jesus raises the issue of Jewish priority over Gentiles, He defies and rejects that notion. The woman surpasses the disciples in perception and determination.” Harry Wendt

V31 Jesus then leaves that area and travels south to the Sea of Galilee, probably around the east side and on down to the Decapolis. Decapolis means ten towns and was an area of ten gentile towns by the sea.

V32 Upon reaching the area a deaf, mute man is brought to him by some people, maybe his family, and they beg Jesus to heal the man. Again a gentile is begging for healing, something that was thought to be reserved for the Jewish children of God.

V33 Jesus took the man aside. He touched his ears and spat and touched his tongue. In the ancient near east saliva was thought to have healing powers. So did Jesus need the help of saliva? No, he was showing the man by signs how he was being healed. Remember the man couldn’t speak or hear so he had no way of understanding what was happening.

V34 Jesus looks up to heaven to illustrate to the man his divinely given power and heals him.

V35 Immediately the man is healed in three ways. He can now hear, he can now speak and he spoke plainly meaning he had language. If you can’t hear or speak you don’t have spoken language to communicate with. Now he does.

V36 Jesus orders him to keep it quiet but the man and his companions proclaim it zealously. After all who could keep such a thing quiet? This man has been healed and it is a miracle. Jesus probably wanted it kept quiet so he would have time to teach the people what kind of Messiah he was and not to draw people to him just for what he could do for them.

V37 The people are astounded and comment “he has done everything well”. This is similar to “it is good” in Genesis one. This is the start of a new creation just as Genesis was the start of creation. In the book of Isaiah in chapter 35 the Jewish people had been told by the prophet the signs to look for when the Messiah came. Now those signs are being fulfilled. The dumb are speaking, the blind are seeing, the lame are leaping like deer and the deaf are hearing. If this is so then this man must be the Messiah but Jesus needs time to teach them what kind of a Messiah he is and it isn’t at all what they were expecting or wanting. They want a Messiah (King) who is going to overthrow Rome and allow them to rule the world. The Gentiles who have ruled them for so long will then bring their wealth to the Jewish people and be subservient to them. Jesus wasn’t this kind of Messiah. Do we want Jesus for what he can do for us or do we follow him to continue his work in the world?

Sunday August 30,2009 Mark 7:1-8,14-15, 21-23

2009-08-26T18:41:00.003-05:00

Welcome, the text for Sunday comes from the book of Mark. Prior to this passage Jesus has fed the 5000, walked on the sea and ministered at Gennesaret, which was Gentile territory.

V1 Jesus is being watched by some Pharisees and scribes. The Pharisees were a sect of Judaism that were the keepers of the law. They had originated in the second century B.C.E. and considered the Torah and the oral tradition (the tradition of our elders) authoritative. They believed that the study of the Law (Torah-first five books of the Bible) was true worship. They have been demeaned by some biblical commentaries but they did serve a purpose – to teach the law to the people because the scrolls were to expensive to reproduce for everyone so most only heard reading from them in the Synagogue. However with any group, what starts out as a good thing can morph by some into a legalistic thing.

V2-4 The Pharisees watching Jesus and his followers (and not all Pharisees did) notice that some of his disciples haven’t ritually washed their hands before eating. This wasn’t an issue of cleanliness but an issue of ritual purity. They had, over the years, developed a set of oral traditions to define every nuance of the God given law. The oral tradition was not given by God but rather defined by men – the Pharisees and scribes – but they attributed it to God. As an example: the disciples should have first pointed their fingers up while ½ an eggshell of water from a stone jar (for purity stone was used as it was impermeable) was poured over the hands. They then needed to rub the fist of each hand into the palm of the other. The fingers were then pointed downward as more pure water was poured over them allowing the ritually pure water which is now unclean to run off the fingers. This washed away any impurity that they had contacted (i.e. from Gentiles) in their daily life. They thought to do this was to please God.

V5 So they question Jesus as to why his disciples do not follow the oral law by ritually washing their hands before eating.

V6-7 Jesus responds by quoting from the prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 29:13) in which Isaiah accused the people of his day of honoring God with their lips while their hearts were far away. They are teaching human made rules as doctrines from God. In this answer Jesus is challenging the oral law devised by the generations of Pharisees and scribes.

V8 They have substituted the commandments of God for the human rules they have devised. They are not focusing on God.

V14-15 Jesus then speaks to the people who have gathered around him and are listening to this exchange between him and the Pharisees. He instructs them that it is not what they put in to their mouths that defile them (the taboo on eating certain foods with “dirty” hands) as that passes through the body and is discarded in the sewer but it is what comes out of their mouths from their hearts that defiles them. The words that express the feelings they carry in their hearts makes them unclean. Purity is not ritual or physical but spiritual. Legalism only shows man’s outward actions it doesn’t show his inward feelings. The Jewish people had been using the food taboos to set themselves apart from the rest of the population. What had started out in the book of Leviticus as a way to distinguish themselves from the pagans so they could become a nation that “lived correctly” and drew others to God had turned into an exclusive club which rejected others for not keeping the club rules. They had changed from inclusivity to exclusivity; it was too hard to be a member of Gods family if one had to follow all the nit picky rules even for the Jews themselves.

V21-23 It is from the heart, within a person, that the evil intentions begin which will eventually be acted upon by the person himself in a physical way. All the things he lists begin as kernels of ideas with in a person and may grow a while before being acted upon. We are to fix the problem at its source; our hearts. We are to root out evil thoughts and intentions before they become action. As an example: we can attend every Sunday church service (an act of legalism) but while we are there we can harbor mean thoughts about people whom we feel have wronged us (an act of impurity) and no one is the wiser – EXCEPT GOD. God knows our hearts. We may even let it grow into an act of some type of retaliation for which we will get a smug feeling of satisfaction but this is impurity in the eyes of God. We are to have a pure heart towards everyone as God has towards us.

These teachings of Jesus show us that we are to be welcoming to all. Our churches are not clubs where people are not included if they don’t follow our human imposed rules. I think that the ELCA struggled with that this week. What did God actually say and what have we tacked onto his teaching as our club (moral) rules. Are we inclusive to all, as Jesus was, or are we exclusive and only the “right” people are admitted? In addition to that what do we harbor in our hearts? Do we behave in the “correct” ways while holding evil in our hearts towards our brothers and sisters? Remember anyone who has been invited to dine at the table of Jesus and has accepted the invitation is our brother or sister and as in our physical families we may not always see eye to eye but we still love each other.