Like many of you, I have a handful of favorite authors. Buechner, Wangerin, Yancey, Fulghum, and Henri Nouwen, who invites us to imagine...a scenario in which two unborn twins...are having a conversation that goes something like this: "I think that there's life after birth," one of them says "out of the blue." "Ridiculous," the other replies, "What's wrong with you? This is a wonderful place, and our every need is met." "No, I really believe that we're going to a place where there is light... and freedom to move. I'm sure of it." "What in the world is wrong with you? Why aren't you ever content?" "And there's another thing I believe." ""Really? I can't wait to hear this one." "Well, you're not going to like it... but I believe there is a mother." "A mother? Where did you get that idea? There's no such thing as a mother. I've never seen a mother, and neither have you." Silence... "Don't you feel the squeezes that happen every now and then? They're quite unpleasant and even painful." "So, what if I do?" "Well... I believe that these squeezes are preparing us for another place, much more beautiful than this place, and that we will see our mother face-to-face!" Then, there was only silence... because the doubting twin was quietly praying that his "crazy" sister would leave him alone.
But it's my guess that she didn't leave him alone... because dreams and doubts, beliefs, hopes and fears- never leave us alone. They're part of our life. For reasons that probably stem from our need for control, doubt is something of a dirty word in church circles. No one ever teaches on Biblical stories that are hard to believe, or things about God that they don't understand, or on unanswered prayers that broke their hearts. We never mention these things... because we don't want to be labeled as a "doubter." There seems to be nothing much worse than being called "Doubting Ken," or "Doubting Ginny," but it's our questions, our struggles, and our doubts... that prompt us to seek deeper belief and it's often our disappointments that lead us to real faith... which brings me to the well-worn story of Doubting Thomas... and a few brief remarks on doubt.
Didymus Judas Thomas was one of the 12, and while he wasn't in the inner circle, he wasn/t invisible either. He showed courage on several occasions, and he was martyred for his faith in 72AD... but believing didn't come easily for him. We know that he founded the church in India. We know that the first gospel ever written is entitled "The Gospel of Thomas," and that there is also a book called "The Acts of Thomas," but on Easter Sunday in the year 30AD, he was not with the other disciples... when the Risen Jesus showed up. He missed it, and when the others shared their excitement with him, he could not believe it... unless he personally touched the wound in his master's side and the nail marks in his hands. He needed to see for himself... so on the second Sunday of Easter, Jesus appeared to all of them, and he invited Thomas to put his hands into his wound and to touch the nail marks in his hands. He didn't mock Thomas for doubting. He didn't label him, but responded to his doubts in a personal and vulnerable way, and that's all that Thomas needed... because his doubts gave birth to one of the greatest statements of faith in the Bible. "My Lord and my God. My Lord and my God."
It's a powerful story, but what does it have to do with us? And if it doesn't say that doubt is a dirty word, what does it say to us? Well, I would suggest this:
1) It is a blessing to believe without seeing... because that's the stuff that vision and dreams and great discoveries are made of. If you believe easily, you will be blessed frequently and comforted in any time or circumstance, and if you can live AS IF what you believe is true, you will transform your life and the lives of others. Never apologize for believing...
2) BUT doubt is NOT the opposite of belief- unbelief is- and doubt is not opposed to faith. Indeed, doubt is often part of our faith journey and can even lead to greater faith, as it did in Thomas' case. If our faith is just a way of getting our own way, it's not worth having, but if we struggle with our doubts, seek answers to our questions, confess our fears, and wrestle with God through our dark nights, we can claim a faith that cries out, "My God, My God," from a cross... or joins Job in exclaiming, "I know that my Redeemer lives," when we've lost everything dear to us. When we've done business with our living God... when we've come to realize that He gives and takes life, and when we're entirely okay with the fact that...we will have obtained a powerful and enduring faith! Don't run from your doubts. See them as opportunities for growth and deeper faith.
3) However... don't become a doubting person. Don't let your doubts have their way with you. Don't let them define you. Everyone gets angry, but not everyone is an angry person. Everyone gets depressed, but not everyone IS DEPRESSED. We don't need to become what we experience... so instead of surrendering to your doubts, open your Bibles, ask questions, get into prayer, develop spiritual disciplines. Consider the possibility that you can believe in something without knowing all there is to know about it... and keep your feet moving! Faith didn't come easy to be me,,, but I kept my feet moving. I've always been suspicious of things that seemed to good to be true... but I never quit believing. Sometimes, when I began my faith journey, I felt like a phony because other people seemed so "together," but I never quit believing. Sometimes I felt unworthy because I wasn't making the progress I should have been making, but I never let my stumbling define me. Not my stumbling. Not my sins. Not my doubts... because I had decided to believe, and if anything was going to define me. it would be my believing.
4) Our passage is about faith, not doubt and it's starring character is Jesus, not Thomas. When the disciples were hiding in fear, Jesus came to them, and when Thomas needed to see for himself, Jesus came to him and gave himself to him without insult or judgement. Never come to think that you can be too far gone or gone too long for Jesus because nothing can keep Jesus away from you- not locked doors, not fears, nor your sins, not your doubts, not your addictions, not your secrets- nothing at all. Jesus will not let you go. Believe this,
5) Our passage is John's Pentecost! It is the moment when Jesus gave his disciples the Holy Spirit and the power to forgive others. It is the moment when Jesus' frightened followers received Holy Ghost power and an abiding courage that never left them. And this is not for them only- it is for us too. Jesus comes to us when we need him most and he empowers us to live for him. That's why we're encouraged to remember our baptisms and invite Jesus into the locked rooms in our lives.
Some of you believe easily. You're waiting for something to believe in and you are blessed because you can trust in what you don't entirely understand or haven't seen. Some of you find it more difficult to embrace truths that you can't explain or accept claims that you haven't seen for yourself. It's just the way you are, and I would encourage you to keep your feet moving. Keep showing up, keep asking questions, keep praying, and keep inviting Jesus to show himself to you. He will you know. He will come to you through a person in your life, through a person you happen to meet, through a passage that speaks to you, through your dreams, or your tears, in the stillness of the night ... he will come to you and offer himself to you... in ways that cannot be denied... and you will find yourself crying out, "My Lord and my God!"
PK IN SWEDEN
Sunday, April 27, 2014
Friday, April 18, 2014
ARCHER'S EASTER MESSAGE
Our daughter, our son-in-law, and our 5 year old grandson, Archer, visited us this week, and like all the times before, they gave us great joy! As a family of 3 and individually, they are simply adorable, engaging, witty, and thoughtful. Each one of them is a "piece of work," and that fits in well around here.
We played Wii games... and I lost again... even though I had purchased a simpler game before Archer arrived. We went to a "bouncy house," and discovered that Archer's dad enjoyed himself... at least as much as Archer did. We visited an interactive science museum, ate a variety of meals as a family, and waved palms together at our church service. We tried to give Archer a good time, and I think we succeeded. Joy, of course, is a significant part of Easter... but Archer's Easter message is deeper than that.
Archer is a very smart little boy, and he's always had a vocabulary that "mocks" (to use one of his favorite new words) his actual age. I've known that for some time of course, but I didn't know how extremely spiritual Archer is... for a 5 year old, or for just about any age. His mother tells me that Archer either comments on, or asks about, God, Jesus Christ, Christians, Jews, and religious viewpoints... on a daily basis... and that is considerably more thought than most of our church members give these subjects. As a 5 year old, Archer is not an expert on any subject, and he is not a student of any teacher... BUT he is a theologian... and a good one at that. He gives a lot of thought to matters of faith and he definitely believes that this life- the one we're living now- is NOT the end for us. He is sure of this... at 5 years old, and his parents, although very loving and very intelligent, are not church-goers. Thus, his inquiry is honest, and with this in mind, I initiated a conversation with Archer as we walked "Rocky" around the block. I told him that "grammy" believes that there is life after death, and he said, "There is."
Then, after we had walked a short distance, he said, "There is another name for gravestones, Poppy. They are also called tombstones. Did you know that?" "Yes," I said, "I knew that." "Well," Archer concluded, "Tombstones spawn life." "Tombstones spawn life," he said. "they really do." He offered this piece of theology without a sermon, and he didn't seem to know that I have two graduate degrees in this field. He doesn't know that I've given Easter messages for more than 25 years... but he doesn't need to... because he gave an Easter message of his own! It was succinct and powerful. It was short on research, but long on truth! It was an Easter sermon every bit as profound as the one I will give Sunday. Tombstones spawn life. Indeed they do, Archer! Thanks.
We played Wii games... and I lost again... even though I had purchased a simpler game before Archer arrived. We went to a "bouncy house," and discovered that Archer's dad enjoyed himself... at least as much as Archer did. We visited an interactive science museum, ate a variety of meals as a family, and waved palms together at our church service. We tried to give Archer a good time, and I think we succeeded. Joy, of course, is a significant part of Easter... but Archer's Easter message is deeper than that.
Archer is a very smart little boy, and he's always had a vocabulary that "mocks" (to use one of his favorite new words) his actual age. I've known that for some time of course, but I didn't know how extremely spiritual Archer is... for a 5 year old, or for just about any age. His mother tells me that Archer either comments on, or asks about, God, Jesus Christ, Christians, Jews, and religious viewpoints... on a daily basis... and that is considerably more thought than most of our church members give these subjects. As a 5 year old, Archer is not an expert on any subject, and he is not a student of any teacher... BUT he is a theologian... and a good one at that. He gives a lot of thought to matters of faith and he definitely believes that this life- the one we're living now- is NOT the end for us. He is sure of this... at 5 years old, and his parents, although very loving and very intelligent, are not church-goers. Thus, his inquiry is honest, and with this in mind, I initiated a conversation with Archer as we walked "Rocky" around the block. I told him that "grammy" believes that there is life after death, and he said, "There is."
Then, after we had walked a short distance, he said, "There is another name for gravestones, Poppy. They are also called tombstones. Did you know that?" "Yes," I said, "I knew that." "Well," Archer concluded, "Tombstones spawn life." "Tombstones spawn life," he said. "they really do." He offered this piece of theology without a sermon, and he didn't seem to know that I have two graduate degrees in this field. He doesn't know that I've given Easter messages for more than 25 years... but he doesn't need to... because he gave an Easter message of his own! It was succinct and powerful. It was short on research, but long on truth! It was an Easter sermon every bit as profound as the one I will give Sunday. Tombstones spawn life. Indeed they do, Archer! Thanks.
Thursday, April 17, 2014
HIS DYING WORDS
I might as well confess it: I'm fascinated by dying words, and I love to reflect on them. Some are prophetic, some regretful, some defiant, some very hopeful. Any internet search will yield more examples of last words than you care to read... but here are a few that speak to me. When urged to renounce the devil, Voltaire uttered, "My good man, this is no time to be making enemies," and Benedict Arnold lamented, "Let me die in the old uniform in which I fought my battles for freedom. May God forgive me for putting on another." Robert Childers yelled to his firing squad, "Take a step forward lads- it'll be easier that way," and when his wife told him that it would be easier for him to breathe if he rolled over on his side, Ben Franklin replied, "Nothing is easy for a dying man." It's true of course- nothing is easy for a dying man... but faith makes a profound difference! Tammy Faye Bakker's last words were "I'm in the hands of Jesus," and one of my friends cried, "Look, I can see Jesus and my love. They're waiting for me." Sometimes, last words are just the product of pain and drugs. They don't make much sense, but when people are not out of their minds, their last words can be quite revealing. And this brings me to Good Friday... and to Jesus' final words. His death was agonizing; it was public; it was unjust and painful in every sense of the word. Most men cursed, or pleaded, as they fought to breathe, but the man from Nazareth kept his eye on his Father and on those whom he came to save.
1) Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.
They are like sheep. They rush this way and that way, they are easily frightened and prone to wander. They have a hard time thinking of others and they can't get their arms around things like grace and sacrifice. They are more foolish than evil, so forgive them. Who among us has ever heard of a dying man utter, "Father, forgive them for being the... insecure, self-centered, and blustering creatures they are? Good news indeed... but who, exactly, is "them"? When he prayed, "Forgive them," was he talking about the Romans who were crucifying him, the Jewish authorities who had condemned him, the disciples who had abandoned him, the passersby who were mocking him, those of us who would add our voice to the crowd's "Crucify him. Crucify him"?
2) Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.
What a wonderful thing this is to say to a man who is hanging on the cross next to you! What an amazingly grace-filled act! These words reveal a deep trust in his Father's power and an awareness that repentant "men" really will reach heaven through him. All the convicted man said was "remember me," and Jesus gave him a ticket to heaven. Wow! This is too much grace for many Christians I know because, even though they won't admit it, they continue to harbor the belief that they aren't good enough for God. Truth is- grace is both necessary and sufficient for salvation!
3) Woman, behold your son! Behold your mother!
This is another loving and other-directed thing to say. Death is a "passing" into a new realm, but for those who are left behind, life on earth goes on. For parents who have lost a child, for lover's who have lost a partner, for children who have lost parents and friends... life goes on. It goes on in an emptier way, but it goes on. Jesus knew this, and with his dying words, he responded to his mother's need for care. The first of his last "words" were other-directed, and that in itself, says a lot about the man. He died with forgiveness and salvation on his lips, and this says volumes about who he is! But then, Jesus' mind turned to his relationship with his Father, and he cried out...
4) Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani (My God, my God, why have you left, abandoned/forsaken me?
Jesus was in excruciating physical, emotional and psychological pain. It was becoming increasingly difficult for him to pull his body up so that he could breathe, and the weight of our sins had separated him from his Father. So his 4th utterance concerned himself, as he cried, "Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani," knowing that these words come directly from Psalm 22:1. As he was dying, Jesus identified with a Psalm that expresses both pain and hope. If you aren't familiar with Psalm 22, it is worth noting that the Psalmist is being ridiculed and insulted and that his feet and his hands have been pierced. Like Jesus, the psalmist' throat was dry (22:15) and like Jesus, his enemies were dividing his clothes between them (22:18). However, the 22nd Psalm goes on to celebrate God's power and proclaim a day when people will praise God with the words, "He has done it!" In other words, when he quoted Psalm 22, Jesus was acknowledging his agony and suffering, but he was not expressing doubt in His Father. It may even be said that Jesus of Nazareth died with his God's promise and victory on his lips.
5) I thirst.
This is the most ordinary of his last words and they reveal Jesus' humanity. His lips were parched, his throat had swollen, so much so that when he cried, "Eli, Eli" to his Father, many who stood beneath his cross thought that he had said "Elijah," and they thought that because he could not be understood. Nothing is easy for a dying man- so he said, "I thirst."
6) Tetelestai (It is finished)
It is finished. It is complete. These were among his very last words. At some level, of course, they could refer to his life on earth. It was very close to being finished, but at a deeper and yet still obvious level, the word "tetelestai" surely spoke to his mission, which was to save the lost and open the gates of heaven to all who believe in him. According to Paul, Jesus voluntarily emptied himself of divinity and came to earth to save sinners. He exchanged glory for a cross, so that God's children would be saved in his name. Like all of us who have a calling or a purpose of any kind, there comes a time when our work is accomplished. On Good Friday, in a far away and little known place, his work was completed... and the Nazarene uttered, "Tetelestai."
7) Into Thy hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.
If his first three sayings had others in mind, his last two were clearly focused on his work and his Father. He died with surrendered trust on his lips. This is fitting because it was surrendered trust that he taught- that and obedience- as a way of life. It was surrendered trust that he called for from Peter and the others, and it was surrendered trust that he reaffirmed for himself at Gethsemane. No one can earn, force, charm, or buy their way into heaven. The door is only opened by God's invitation, which came on Calvary's Hill, and lives on to this very moment... in and through His Son.
They say that you can tell a lot about a man by the way in which he dies, and according to Mark, at least one Roman soldier found this to be true... because when he saw how Jesus died, (Mk 15:39), he said, "Surely this man was the Son of God." Amen.
1) Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.
They are like sheep. They rush this way and that way, they are easily frightened and prone to wander. They have a hard time thinking of others and they can't get their arms around things like grace and sacrifice. They are more foolish than evil, so forgive them. Who among us has ever heard of a dying man utter, "Father, forgive them for being the... insecure, self-centered, and blustering creatures they are? Good news indeed... but who, exactly, is "them"? When he prayed, "Forgive them," was he talking about the Romans who were crucifying him, the Jewish authorities who had condemned him, the disciples who had abandoned him, the passersby who were mocking him, those of us who would add our voice to the crowd's "Crucify him. Crucify him"?
2) Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.
What a wonderful thing this is to say to a man who is hanging on the cross next to you! What an amazingly grace-filled act! These words reveal a deep trust in his Father's power and an awareness that repentant "men" really will reach heaven through him. All the convicted man said was "remember me," and Jesus gave him a ticket to heaven. Wow! This is too much grace for many Christians I know because, even though they won't admit it, they continue to harbor the belief that they aren't good enough for God. Truth is- grace is both necessary and sufficient for salvation!
3) Woman, behold your son! Behold your mother!
This is another loving and other-directed thing to say. Death is a "passing" into a new realm, but for those who are left behind, life on earth goes on. For parents who have lost a child, for lover's who have lost a partner, for children who have lost parents and friends... life goes on. It goes on in an emptier way, but it goes on. Jesus knew this, and with his dying words, he responded to his mother's need for care. The first of his last "words" were other-directed, and that in itself, says a lot about the man. He died with forgiveness and salvation on his lips, and this says volumes about who he is! But then, Jesus' mind turned to his relationship with his Father, and he cried out...
4) Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani (My God, my God, why have you left, abandoned/forsaken me?
Jesus was in excruciating physical, emotional and psychological pain. It was becoming increasingly difficult for him to pull his body up so that he could breathe, and the weight of our sins had separated him from his Father. So his 4th utterance concerned himself, as he cried, "Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani," knowing that these words come directly from Psalm 22:1. As he was dying, Jesus identified with a Psalm that expresses both pain and hope. If you aren't familiar with Psalm 22, it is worth noting that the Psalmist is being ridiculed and insulted and that his feet and his hands have been pierced. Like Jesus, the psalmist' throat was dry (22:15) and like Jesus, his enemies were dividing his clothes between them (22:18). However, the 22nd Psalm goes on to celebrate God's power and proclaim a day when people will praise God with the words, "He has done it!" In other words, when he quoted Psalm 22, Jesus was acknowledging his agony and suffering, but he was not expressing doubt in His Father. It may even be said that Jesus of Nazareth died with his God's promise and victory on his lips.
5) I thirst.
This is the most ordinary of his last words and they reveal Jesus' humanity. His lips were parched, his throat had swollen, so much so that when he cried, "Eli, Eli" to his Father, many who stood beneath his cross thought that he had said "Elijah," and they thought that because he could not be understood. Nothing is easy for a dying man- so he said, "I thirst."
6) Tetelestai (It is finished)
It is finished. It is complete. These were among his very last words. At some level, of course, they could refer to his life on earth. It was very close to being finished, but at a deeper and yet still obvious level, the word "tetelestai" surely spoke to his mission, which was to save the lost and open the gates of heaven to all who believe in him. According to Paul, Jesus voluntarily emptied himself of divinity and came to earth to save sinners. He exchanged glory for a cross, so that God's children would be saved in his name. Like all of us who have a calling or a purpose of any kind, there comes a time when our work is accomplished. On Good Friday, in a far away and little known place, his work was completed... and the Nazarene uttered, "Tetelestai."
7) Into Thy hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.
If his first three sayings had others in mind, his last two were clearly focused on his work and his Father. He died with surrendered trust on his lips. This is fitting because it was surrendered trust that he taught- that and obedience- as a way of life. It was surrendered trust that he called for from Peter and the others, and it was surrendered trust that he reaffirmed for himself at Gethsemane. No one can earn, force, charm, or buy their way into heaven. The door is only opened by God's invitation, which came on Calvary's Hill, and lives on to this very moment... in and through His Son.
They say that you can tell a lot about a man by the way in which he dies, and according to Mark, at least one Roman soldier found this to be true... because when he saw how Jesus died, (Mk 15:39), he said, "Surely this man was the Son of God." Amen.
Tuesday, April 8, 2014
SOME WALKING TO DO
I remember... walking behind the casket and standing around... as they laid my father to rest. I remember walking... to my brother Randy's grave... and then to my brother Larry's grave. I remember walking beside little waterfalls when Sherry and I were married, and walking to congratulate our daughters when they received their college degrees. There have been exhilarating walks and depressing walks, walks of laughter and walks of tears. Some have been mostly uphill, some thankfully downhill, You know all about it because you've done a lot of walking yourself...but Jesus did a lot of walking too. He walked up and down the breadth and length of Israel, from the Big Sea to the Golan Heights, from the Negev to Syria, and he encountered things ordinary, frightening, and wonderful as he walked. He was loved, exulted, used, challenged, demonized, condemned, and crucified ... but one suspects that he never regretted a single step that he took. He loved his work, his people, his Father, and He loved Jerusalem, which is understandable for those of us who have been there. I know that I don't love Jerusalem in the way that Jesus did (and never can)... but I did love it. Sherry and I both loved it and tears filled our eyes as we approached the city, with the song, "The Holy City," filling our bus. When I think of the effect that Jerusalem had on two Gentiles from Iowa,, I can scarcely imagine how Jesus' heart must have pounded as he entered the city.
With the crowd is waiting for him. The kids with palms in their hands, waving them with a lot of joy... and not much rhythm. The adults were crying out, "Hosanna," which means something like "O save," and that alone made this parade different than the others. We've all been to parades-some of us have walked in our own Memorial Day parade- but we weren't expecting to be saved. I know that the people in Wayne, NE. line up for "Chicken Days" each year, and that those who live in Fredericksburg, IA. do the same thing on "Dairy Days..." but the Palm Sunday parade was NOT about entertainment. It was about being saved. The people who lined the street, mostly common people, believed that Jesus of Nazareth would save them... from Roman occupation, from the onerous taxes that threatened their freedom, and from the guilt, fears, and resentments that filled their spirits. They gathered as a people who needed relief and they cried "Hosanna, hosanna, save, o save."
Their need was deep, but their understanding was not. They sought salvation without sacrifice, freedom without struggle, transformation without repentance, Easter without Good Friday. They applauded his arrival, never meaning to applaud his crucifixion. They lifted their hands in praise, not knowing that he would ask them to carry a cross of their own, and they jumped and shuffled as spectators, unaware that he was inviting them... to spend their lives walking for him. Today is Palm/Passion Sunday, and although they're intertwined, the greater church opts for palms and children and shouts of "Here comes Jesus. Get your palms ready sweetie... because Jesus is almost here." Which is fine... as long as we remember that a ticker tape parade is not his legacy... and that his victory was marked with blood instead of palms. Jesus, of course, knew these things. He knew that he was entering the Holy City every bit a Savior. He knew that he would give his accusers his "back," (as Isaiah put it) and that he would give them his face as well. The Bible says that he set his face like flint toward Jerusalem and that he took their insults and their spitting... and everything else that they could dish out ... because that's what Savior's do. He walked a walk that only God would know and He walked it for us.
He freed us. He redeemed us. He saved us to serve, and He walked for us... so that we might walk for him! So, how about it? Are we going to do a little walking for Him, or just stand around a wave our palms? Are we prepared to walk from here to Calvary, and then to the tomb, and then into the streets and valleys and darkened corners of our world? Are we prepared to walk a walk of love for Him, knowing that walking for him may hurt us, shock us, frighten us, and even take our lives? Are we prepared to enter Jerusalem ourselves, knowing now that Pilate's soldiers are having a parade of their own? Are we prepared to follow him- to take a walk where we will see new, heart-rending and sometimes threatening things? A walk on which we will hear cheers and catcalls both? Is standing around and waving palms as good as it gets for us, or are we ready... to do a little walking for God? Amen!
With the crowd is waiting for him. The kids with palms in their hands, waving them with a lot of joy... and not much rhythm. The adults were crying out, "Hosanna," which means something like "O save," and that alone made this parade different than the others. We've all been to parades-some of us have walked in our own Memorial Day parade- but we weren't expecting to be saved. I know that the people in Wayne, NE. line up for "Chicken Days" each year, and that those who live in Fredericksburg, IA. do the same thing on "Dairy Days..." but the Palm Sunday parade was NOT about entertainment. It was about being saved. The people who lined the street, mostly common people, believed that Jesus of Nazareth would save them... from Roman occupation, from the onerous taxes that threatened their freedom, and from the guilt, fears, and resentments that filled their spirits. They gathered as a people who needed relief and they cried "Hosanna, hosanna, save, o save."
Their need was deep, but their understanding was not. They sought salvation without sacrifice, freedom without struggle, transformation without repentance, Easter without Good Friday. They applauded his arrival, never meaning to applaud his crucifixion. They lifted their hands in praise, not knowing that he would ask them to carry a cross of their own, and they jumped and shuffled as spectators, unaware that he was inviting them... to spend their lives walking for him. Today is Palm/Passion Sunday, and although they're intertwined, the greater church opts for palms and children and shouts of "Here comes Jesus. Get your palms ready sweetie... because Jesus is almost here." Which is fine... as long as we remember that a ticker tape parade is not his legacy... and that his victory was marked with blood instead of palms. Jesus, of course, knew these things. He knew that he was entering the Holy City every bit a Savior. He knew that he would give his accusers his "back," (as Isaiah put it) and that he would give them his face as well. The Bible says that he set his face like flint toward Jerusalem and that he took their insults and their spitting... and everything else that they could dish out ... because that's what Savior's do. He walked a walk that only God would know and He walked it for us.
He freed us. He redeemed us. He saved us to serve, and He walked for us... so that we might walk for him! So, how about it? Are we going to do a little walking for Him, or just stand around a wave our palms? Are we prepared to walk from here to Calvary, and then to the tomb, and then into the streets and valleys and darkened corners of our world? Are we prepared to walk a walk of love for Him, knowing that walking for him may hurt us, shock us, frighten us, and even take our lives? Are we prepared to enter Jerusalem ourselves, knowing now that Pilate's soldiers are having a parade of their own? Are we prepared to follow him- to take a walk where we will see new, heart-rending and sometimes threatening things? A walk on which we will hear cheers and catcalls both? Is standing around and waving palms as good as it gets for us, or are we ready... to do a little walking for God? Amen!
Saturday, April 5, 2014
"CHURCHISM" IS A FATAL DISEASE
Jesus came to earth to save our souls... and it should give us great joy that God loved the world this much! And during his short ministry, Jesus spent his days...giving sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf, and restoring men and women to their communities. Sight, hearing, restoration- these are things that ought to give us great joy! And what is more, Jesus also "stood up" for those who were vulnerable. He also stood up for the disenfranchised, invited outcasts to His table, told the truth to power, and kept the wine flowing at a community wedding. Joy upon joy. Jesus was completely immersed in words and deeds that gave people hope, new beginnings, new life, and, for the first time perhaps, the assurance that God loved them. Joy to the world! O God, How great thou art! Sing it loud. Sing of salvation! Sing of forgiveness! Sing of restoration... and of a joy that the darkness cannot squelch! According to Scripture, the wise men rejoiced when they saw the star and heaven applauds when a shepherd carries a single sinner home. According to Scripture, neighbors gather with joy when a widow finds a lost coin and a loving father throws a joyful bash when his prodigal son staggers home. Indeed. joy is mentioned 244 times in the Bible- and it is mentioned with victory, worship, blessings, even with suffering.
But then... the scorekeepers got involved and the controllers took over. They established rules on how people ought to worship and even who should be allowed to worship. It's hard to measure what is in a person's heart, so they begin to tally how often people attended service, how frequently they showed up at church events, and whether they raised their hands when volunteers were sought. Giving was measured on percentage terms, even though Jesus had noted that generosity is measured best by what people withheld. In many churches, people were expected to "stifle" themselves (to use Archie Bunker's words) and to gather in a quiet and ordered way. In time, men found reasons to disenfranchise women, and they set up committees to handle church "investments." And the "joy" slipped away. No one expected anyone to really be "born again," or to be a "new creation" during baptism. Devout church members did not welcome people who were not "like them," and they exchanged "WWJD" for "we've never done it that way before." What happened to the dancing? Where are the tambourines? And why are so many Christians so somber in a time when so many people need hope, renewal, transformation, and release from the chains that bind them ? Well, it's hard to say... but I suspect that it's because the church has lost it's way. Instead of being in the difference-making business, it has drifted into the status-quo business; instead of being in the business of giving, it has embraced the "savings and investment" business; and instead of being in the invitation business, the church has embraced either the entertainment business or the business of comforting one another.
In short, the church of Christ has forsaken its ministry and settled for a pattern of coming and going, and protecting what it has and who it is. It has a chronic disease that I call "Churchism"... in which which the same things happen again and again. The door is unlocked, the lights are on, the restrooms are clean, the choir is practicing, and somewhere in the building, a committee is meeting. The Sunday services go as they always have- the liturgists, the organist, the candle lighters, the money collectors, the time of sharing, announcements and praying, Scripture, and of course, the sermon. This is all good! We need structure. We need form. We need order. And loving one another is one of the things that the first church did best. But we also need to dream, and to intentionally ask "what would Jesus have us do"- and this juncture. We need to embrace the patterns that have become dear to us, but we also need to see what God has in store for us from this moment on. Is the Spirit moving among us? Has Christ showed up recently? Are our eyes open to God's new thing?
The church leaders in Jesus' time did not find joy in the good news. They didn't celebrate the freedom that Jesus offered, and they never rejoiced when he changed a person's life- not even when he gave life! They didn't get it. They couldn't. To them, it was more proper to embrace tradition than possibilities. They couldn't accept a man who ate with sinners or sinners themselves (who were "unclean" physically, like the woman with the hemmorhage, or mentally, like being possessed, or unclean consistently because of the work they performed (like tax collecting, shepherding, and prostitution). Jesus challenged all of these rules, including the Sabbath restrictions, pointing out again and again that there is no rule against love, worship, healing, invitation, forgiveness, and other acts of grace. Whenever people quit dreaming and start controlling, whenever they are blinded by status quo... that they can't see what God is doing in their midst, whenever a church treasurer worries more about the balance than the blessing, whenever church elders come to believe that serving communion is a "job" or something they take "turns" doing, whenever workers who started early... begrudge the pay that the late arrivals get, whenever church leaders refuse to welcome the very people whom Jesus sent to them, whenever the way things "used to be" outweigh the way things "ought to be,"whenever people are ignored because they don't "fit in," whenever people ask how the worship was and aren't even thinking about the purpose of it... whenever you see things like these, you are seeing a church that has lost its way and the joy of the journey.
The question then is this: if Jesus were with us today... and offended our sense of propriety by bringing the wrong crowd to church with him, or if he did a good thing in the wrong way, or if he created a stir that threatened our church order, would we be filled with joy... or would we take offense? Which is the stronger- our sense of Christ, or our sense of church?
.
But then... the scorekeepers got involved and the controllers took over. They established rules on how people ought to worship and even who should be allowed to worship. It's hard to measure what is in a person's heart, so they begin to tally how often people attended service, how frequently they showed up at church events, and whether they raised their hands when volunteers were sought. Giving was measured on percentage terms, even though Jesus had noted that generosity is measured best by what people withheld. In many churches, people were expected to "stifle" themselves (to use Archie Bunker's words) and to gather in a quiet and ordered way. In time, men found reasons to disenfranchise women, and they set up committees to handle church "investments." And the "joy" slipped away. No one expected anyone to really be "born again," or to be a "new creation" during baptism. Devout church members did not welcome people who were not "like them," and they exchanged "WWJD" for "we've never done it that way before." What happened to the dancing? Where are the tambourines? And why are so many Christians so somber in a time when so many people need hope, renewal, transformation, and release from the chains that bind them ? Well, it's hard to say... but I suspect that it's because the church has lost it's way. Instead of being in the difference-making business, it has drifted into the status-quo business; instead of being in the business of giving, it has embraced the "savings and investment" business; and instead of being in the invitation business, the church has embraced either the entertainment business or the business of comforting one another.
In short, the church of Christ has forsaken its ministry and settled for a pattern of coming and going, and protecting what it has and who it is. It has a chronic disease that I call "Churchism"... in which which the same things happen again and again. The door is unlocked, the lights are on, the restrooms are clean, the choir is practicing, and somewhere in the building, a committee is meeting. The Sunday services go as they always have- the liturgists, the organist, the candle lighters, the money collectors, the time of sharing, announcements and praying, Scripture, and of course, the sermon. This is all good! We need structure. We need form. We need order. And loving one another is one of the things that the first church did best. But we also need to dream, and to intentionally ask "what would Jesus have us do"- and this juncture. We need to embrace the patterns that have become dear to us, but we also need to see what God has in store for us from this moment on. Is the Spirit moving among us? Has Christ showed up recently? Are our eyes open to God's new thing?
The church leaders in Jesus' time did not find joy in the good news. They didn't celebrate the freedom that Jesus offered, and they never rejoiced when he changed a person's life- not even when he gave life! They didn't get it. They couldn't. To them, it was more proper to embrace tradition than possibilities. They couldn't accept a man who ate with sinners or sinners themselves (who were "unclean" physically, like the woman with the hemmorhage, or mentally, like being possessed, or unclean consistently because of the work they performed (like tax collecting, shepherding, and prostitution). Jesus challenged all of these rules, including the Sabbath restrictions, pointing out again and again that there is no rule against love, worship, healing, invitation, forgiveness, and other acts of grace. Whenever people quit dreaming and start controlling, whenever they are blinded by status quo... that they can't see what God is doing in their midst, whenever a church treasurer worries more about the balance than the blessing, whenever church elders come to believe that serving communion is a "job" or something they take "turns" doing, whenever workers who started early... begrudge the pay that the late arrivals get, whenever church leaders refuse to welcome the very people whom Jesus sent to them, whenever the way things "used to be" outweigh the way things "ought to be,"whenever people are ignored because they don't "fit in," whenever people ask how the worship was and aren't even thinking about the purpose of it... whenever you see things like these, you are seeing a church that has lost its way and the joy of the journey.
The question then is this: if Jesus were with us today... and offended our sense of propriety by bringing the wrong crowd to church with him, or if he did a good thing in the wrong way, or if he created a stir that threatened our church order, would we be filled with joy... or would we take offense? Which is the stronger- our sense of Christ, or our sense of church?
.
Friday, April 4, 2014
CAN DRY BONES REALLY LIVE?
When Sarah heard that she would be giving birth to her own baby boy, she threw back her head and laughed out loud. It wasn't polite, but she couldn't help it. She laughed at the very idea of an old woman having a baby. She had prayed for a son of her own, but as time passed, her dreams gave way to despair and finally, to acceptance. And now, as she stood inside a tent that kept her from seeing her husband and the three men who were visiting, it seemed comical to hear such a ridiculous thing- so she laughed right out loud... and one of the visitors heard her. He heard Sarah laugh, and he asked a question that each of us must answer: is anything too hard for God? Should we pray for things that don't seem possible? Should we believe in things that we can't explain? Is God just in the "comforting" business, or can God also be in the "transformation" and even the "miracle" business?
Centuries after Sarah heard that she would give birth to a bouncing baby boy, an eccentric prophet was lifted up by the Spirit of God and deposited in a valley of dry bones. The people of God had hit bottom. The descendants of Abraham and his son, Isaac were living in exile. It was a time of utter despair... and the prophet found himself in a valley of dry bones. The bones were piled deep and he couldn't begin to count them. But it was their "deadness" that was especially sobering. The bones were very dry, not sort of dry, and they were very dead, not dying! It was a daunting spectacle, but unlike Sarah, Ezekiel did not laugh...when God asked him a question that each of us must answer: can these dry bones breathe? Can they stand up and dance? Can they take on life and begin again? Well... can they? Is anything too hard for God? Is it? And the prophet answered correctly when he said, "O Lord, you know." Speak to them, son of man, and call them back together. That's what God commanded and when His prophet obeyed, the dry bones came back together- foot bone to ankle bone to leg bone- and human forms took shape. But they were lifeless without the breath of God... so the prophet was commanded to call the Spirit into them, which he did... and the bones came to life! They came to life. They stood as a vast army, and with ears of faith, we can still hear their "amens."
Centuries later still, an ordinary Jew died in a little village outside of Jerusalem. His name was Lazarus and when he became critically ill, his sisters sought help from their friend, Jesus, because they believed that he could heal their brother if he got the news in time. But as it turned out, Lazarus had been dead for four days by the time Jesus arrived. He had responded to their plea, but he had not made it to Bethany in time. Martha met him first and she expressed a feeling that some of us may have had in our own lives. "Lord," she said, "If you had been here, my brother would not have died." If you had been here, my brother would not have died, and her sister, Mary, said the same thing. It was a time of great grief and even though he knew that his Father would soon show His power, Life is not easy. Death is just a hour away, and the Bible says that Jesus' heart broke when he saw the emptiness in their eyes and the pain that his friends were enduring. He sobbed- and he would be overwhelmed with grief again before he resurrected Lazarus- because broken dreams, dry bones, and dead brothers... are worth crying about. Then he told them to roll away the stone that covered Lazarus' tomb. "Oh no," Martha tried to say, "You're too late. My brother's been dead for days and we can smell him from here."
We can smell him from here. My brother is not only dead-he is rotting. And then, Jesus asked her the same question that he asks us- Is anything too hard for God? Can God resurrect a dead man? Can God restore rotted flesh? Can shattered pieces be picked up and reassembled and become new again? Today, as we get nearer to Good Friday... we come to the question that Jesus asked Martha before he resurrected her brother. "Do you believe in the resurrection?"he asked. And when Martha said that she believed that there would be a resurrection on the last day, Jesus said, "I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?" Mary, Judy, Joan, Dave, Harold, Jack, and all the others... do you believe this? Answer it honestly because you will never receive a more important question. Your answer will determine whether your life will be full or empty, bold or scared, assured or desperate. When you get right down to it, is this all there is or is there life beyond the grave? Is Good Friday the end of it, or will we also dance for joy on some Easter morning? That's the question. What is your answer?
Centuries after Sarah heard that she would give birth to a bouncing baby boy, an eccentric prophet was lifted up by the Spirit of God and deposited in a valley of dry bones. The people of God had hit bottom. The descendants of Abraham and his son, Isaac were living in exile. It was a time of utter despair... and the prophet found himself in a valley of dry bones. The bones were piled deep and he couldn't begin to count them. But it was their "deadness" that was especially sobering. The bones were very dry, not sort of dry, and they were very dead, not dying! It was a daunting spectacle, but unlike Sarah, Ezekiel did not laugh...when God asked him a question that each of us must answer: can these dry bones breathe? Can they stand up and dance? Can they take on life and begin again? Well... can they? Is anything too hard for God? Is it? And the prophet answered correctly when he said, "O Lord, you know." Speak to them, son of man, and call them back together. That's what God commanded and when His prophet obeyed, the dry bones came back together- foot bone to ankle bone to leg bone- and human forms took shape. But they were lifeless without the breath of God... so the prophet was commanded to call the Spirit into them, which he did... and the bones came to life! They came to life. They stood as a vast army, and with ears of faith, we can still hear their "amens."
Centuries later still, an ordinary Jew died in a little village outside of Jerusalem. His name was Lazarus and when he became critically ill, his sisters sought help from their friend, Jesus, because they believed that he could heal their brother if he got the news in time. But as it turned out, Lazarus had been dead for four days by the time Jesus arrived. He had responded to their plea, but he had not made it to Bethany in time. Martha met him first and she expressed a feeling that some of us may have had in our own lives. "Lord," she said, "If you had been here, my brother would not have died." If you had been here, my brother would not have died, and her sister, Mary, said the same thing. It was a time of great grief and even though he knew that his Father would soon show His power, Life is not easy. Death is just a hour away, and the Bible says that Jesus' heart broke when he saw the emptiness in their eyes and the pain that his friends were enduring. He sobbed- and he would be overwhelmed with grief again before he resurrected Lazarus- because broken dreams, dry bones, and dead brothers... are worth crying about. Then he told them to roll away the stone that covered Lazarus' tomb. "Oh no," Martha tried to say, "You're too late. My brother's been dead for days and we can smell him from here."
We can smell him from here. My brother is not only dead-he is rotting. And then, Jesus asked her the same question that he asks us- Is anything too hard for God? Can God resurrect a dead man? Can God restore rotted flesh? Can shattered pieces be picked up and reassembled and become new again? Today, as we get nearer to Good Friday... we come to the question that Jesus asked Martha before he resurrected her brother. "Do you believe in the resurrection?"he asked. And when Martha said that she believed that there would be a resurrection on the last day, Jesus said, "I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?" Mary, Judy, Joan, Dave, Harold, Jack, and all the others... do you believe this? Answer it honestly because you will never receive a more important question. Your answer will determine whether your life will be full or empty, bold or scared, assured or desperate. When you get right down to it, is this all there is or is there life beyond the grave? Is Good Friday the end of it, or will we also dance for joy on some Easter morning? That's the question. What is your answer?
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