Last night I informed our Session (ruling elders) of my intention to retire in September of this year. On the 26th of April I turned 69, so my decision was hardly surprising, and it opens up an exciting new chapter in the lives of the people who attend (and are) this church. By the time I leave, I will have been here nearly 8 years, and that's not bad for a man who was 61 when he arrived.
More important than time served, however, is what we accomplished during these 8 years, and I can report that God blessed us in many ways! We didn't accomplish everything that I wanted to accomplish, but we accomplished some important things. The church, which had undergone a lengthy period of instability... enjoyed having one "called" pastor for a reasonable period of time. Also, relationships that were frayed and tattered- inside and outside the church- were healed, and a congregation of people who were in some ways "a gathering of strangers" ... began to have fun together and build relationships. Our youth group, which had not taken a Mission Trip in years, has taken several in a row now, and our Children's Ministry is much more vibrant than it was a few years ago! Our choir is sounding much bigger than they are, and we have several new faces in the congregation... and in leadership positions. We have three adult Bible Studies per week and we have two successful small groups, in addition to an active "Dinner Bell" program. We are building new relationships with our neighbors and we purchased a new electronic sign to tell our story.
I am pleased with the steps we've taken to grow in faith, serve others in Jesus' name, and love one another as He loves us. It's been a blessing, and I love each and every member of this church. However, even as God calls us to a vocation, He calls us to move along. And that time has come for me. Over the years my wife has given up many things for me. She has made my ministry possible, and now it is time for me to make her my number 1 priority! She has a number of health issues and 14 physicians- all of whom we see on a regular basis. It takes a lot of time to be an effective caregiver and Sherry deserves my best effort. Knowing this... and knowing that this church needs a pastor's best effort as well-especially at this time- it was easy for me to let go.
Besides, it's sort of exciting to open the door for a new pastor, who will lead these wonderful people into the future. Keep South Park Presbyterian Church in your prayers. Pray that they will continue to grow as Christians and that God will bless them for years and years to come. Most likely, Sherry and I will be returning to the Joliet-Plainfield area, and you are invited to pray for us as well. Pray that we will sell our home here and find a community of friends there. Amen.
PK IN SWEDEN
Tuesday, April 28, 2015
Tuesday, April 21, 2015
LOVE THE PEOPLE!
When I started in my ministry, I had already been blessed with some experiences that I thought would serve me well. I had been a Toastmaster and a college teacher, I had acquired a graduate degree in Organizational Psychology, and I was familiar with several established theories of motivation and leadership. I had achieved some success as an executive in business, and I had a conversion experience that had given me a passionate faith. Moreover, since I had struggled with the things of the world, I considered myself to be something of a "wounded healer." I had a lot to offer and I couldn't wait to bless the church with my many gifts.
However, no one had informed the church, and I soon discovered that they were far more committed to one another and their shared past... than they were to a minister whom they had hired to serve them for a few years. I learned that the saints in the church world were much more interested in being served... than in being led. In fact, they actually resisted being led, and even those who were positive (which was always most of them) felt that they had hired more of a "partner" than any sort of "shepherd." It soon became clear that I would not be able to move people who had personal relationships that were dearer to them than survival itself! So I sought advice from two of my mentors- pastors Dan and Lu- and here's what I heard them say TO ME:
1. As a minister, you ARE a servant, Ken, and you must always be a servant... because ministering is NOT about self;
2. Every person in your church, Ken, has been equipped for ministry. Some of them have been blessed with insight and gifts of leadership. This doesn't mean that they're right, but it does mean that they have a voice and that you must listen;
3. Ministry does not have an agenda of accomplishing a predetermined result. It may or may not do that... but ministry is an act of love. Simply that and nothing more;
4. As a minister, your job is to be faithful- to give as much of yourself to as much of God as you understand on any given day. It is your job to prepare yourself, to show up on time, to cheer others on, to play as hard as you can, to run out every ground ball... BUT the results are in God's hands;
5. Ken, love the people. Love the people. This is what they said when I became concerned about having 100-200-500 "bosses" as a pastor- each one of whom saw himself or herself as a priority, many of whom had differing views on church matters, and none of whom really had to do anything I said in the first place. It was only a matter of time before I would disappoint or upset one or more of them. I was sure of that- so I asked for advice and this is what they said: "Love the people. Just love the people. If you love the people they will overlook many things and they will put up with all of your peculiarities, but if you don't love them... you would be better off to leave now... because what people need more than anything else is to be loved. People need to be loved and accepted. They need to know that God forgives them. That's what it means to be a minister- otherwise you should have gotten an MBA.
I've always remembered these words and I've taken them to heart. As I reflect on a ministry that is now winding down, I know that I made many mistakes. There were many times when I was not my best self and there are many things that I would change if I could. However, I thank God for giving me the privilege of loving His people for 25 years, and I can honestly say that I have loved them. Some have been easier to like than others. Some have been downright mean-spirited. Some of them have been supportive and some have worked to undermine my ministry. But I have loved them all. Each one. Without exception. And I praise God for it because people don't care what you know until they know that you care. Amen.
However, no one had informed the church, and I soon discovered that they were far more committed to one another and their shared past... than they were to a minister whom they had hired to serve them for a few years. I learned that the saints in the church world were much more interested in being served... than in being led. In fact, they actually resisted being led, and even those who were positive (which was always most of them) felt that they had hired more of a "partner" than any sort of "shepherd." It soon became clear that I would not be able to move people who had personal relationships that were dearer to them than survival itself! So I sought advice from two of my mentors- pastors Dan and Lu- and here's what I heard them say TO ME:
1. As a minister, you ARE a servant, Ken, and you must always be a servant... because ministering is NOT about self;
2. Every person in your church, Ken, has been equipped for ministry. Some of them have been blessed with insight and gifts of leadership. This doesn't mean that they're right, but it does mean that they have a voice and that you must listen;
3. Ministry does not have an agenda of accomplishing a predetermined result. It may or may not do that... but ministry is an act of love. Simply that and nothing more;
4. As a minister, your job is to be faithful- to give as much of yourself to as much of God as you understand on any given day. It is your job to prepare yourself, to show up on time, to cheer others on, to play as hard as you can, to run out every ground ball... BUT the results are in God's hands;
5. Ken, love the people. Love the people. This is what they said when I became concerned about having 100-200-500 "bosses" as a pastor- each one of whom saw himself or herself as a priority, many of whom had differing views on church matters, and none of whom really had to do anything I said in the first place. It was only a matter of time before I would disappoint or upset one or more of them. I was sure of that- so I asked for advice and this is what they said: "Love the people. Just love the people. If you love the people they will overlook many things and they will put up with all of your peculiarities, but if you don't love them... you would be better off to leave now... because what people need more than anything else is to be loved. People need to be loved and accepted. They need to know that God forgives them. That's what it means to be a minister- otherwise you should have gotten an MBA.
I've always remembered these words and I've taken them to heart. As I reflect on a ministry that is now winding down, I know that I made many mistakes. There were many times when I was not my best self and there are many things that I would change if I could. However, I thank God for giving me the privilege of loving His people for 25 years, and I can honestly say that I have loved them. Some have been easier to like than others. Some have been downright mean-spirited. Some of them have been supportive and some have worked to undermine my ministry. But I have loved them all. Each one. Without exception. And I praise God for it because people don't care what you know until they know that you care. Amen.
Saturday, April 18, 2015
The Giver of New Names and 2nd Chances
When Jeff came into my office for the first time, he didn't know much about the Bible... and even less about the church. He didn't know Presbyterian polity, or even what the words "Presbyterian" and "polity" meant... but he did know that he needed to be "in Christ" and that he wanted to spend the rest of his life serving our Lord. Jeff said that something big happened to him when he was recovering from surgery. He said he encountered Jesus and there was no denying it. He went into the hospital as one person and left...as an entirely different person. He had been reborn-it was as simple as that- and he was looking for a community where he could grow in and live out his faith. Many years earlier, with an equal ignorance concerning both the Bible and the church, I had a similar experience in Omaha, and while I did not grow as evenly or as quickly as Jeff did, I knew- from the moment I left Eppley Center- that I could never live life as I had lived it before.
The point I'm trying to make is this: we can't encounter Christ and be the same person again! It's impossible! There are millions of stories like Jeff's and mine, and the Bible makes it clear that men like Zacchaeus, who took all that he could from the people, became generous... when he dined with Jesus; and that desperate men and women, whose sons and daughters were dying, found compassion, power, and life when they encountered Jesus! Some of those who encountered Jesus were restored to family and community, some were healed, some were fed, some called, some challenged, and some became downright angry. But they were all changed. And we are too... when we open our hearts and minds to his word and his presence in our midst. When we encounter Jesus, and here I don't mean joining a church or reading about him, we are forever changed. Some of us are given hope, some of us find a place where we can love and be loved, some of us find a ministry where we can visit the sick, teach the kids, or give to a ministry like Christian Care. Some of us, like Paul, undergo a total rearrangement of our values and beliefs, and some of experience the healing grace of being forgiven and accepted, which is what happened to Peter after he had denied Christ. Forgiveness lies at the very heart of the cross. It is the central reason Christ emptied himself of divinity and came down to us, and it is- whether we know it or not- the one thing that we all need... more than anything else!
With this in mind, let's join Peter as he encountered the Risen Christ! Everybody knows at least a little about Simon ben Jonah, the fisherman whom Jesus renamed Peter, "Rock," or if you prefer, "Rocky." Peter... was a brash and sometimes impulsive man. No one has ever doubted his heart, but he had a tendency to over-promise and under-perform. When they arrested Jesus at Gethsemane, Peter was the one who drew a sword; when Jesus asked the disciples who they thought he was, Peter was the one who cried, "You are the Christ;" when Jesus began to wash the disciples' feet, Peter was the one who said, there's no way that I will ever let you wash my feet. Peter said a lot of things. Some were wise, some were ill-considered... but his great shame came the night he and a few others were huddled around a fire in Caiaphas' courtyard. After they arrested Jesus, they took him to the High Priest, and Peter followed... at a distance... because he didn't want to be recognized as one of his friends. So, he adopted a low profile and warmed himself by a fire... when one of the men near him accused him of being a follower of Jesus', and Peter denied it. Someone else thought that they had seen him with Jesus, and Peter denied it. Finally, a lowly servant girl confronted him, and Peter said it plainly, "I told you that I don't even know the man"... just as they led Jesus past him... and their eyes met. We can't know what Jesus thought, but we do know that the incident broke Peter's heart... because the Bible says that he went out into the darkness and cried like a baby!
Have you ever been disappointed in yourself... when you didn't show the courage that you thought you would? Have you ever been disappointed with your own behavior or your words because they were so far below your best self? Have you ever seen yourself as hero, only to discover that you aren't? Have you ever been entangled in a sin that kept you longer and cost you more than you thought it would? Have you ever done a wrong that you couldn't make right? Have you ever hurt the one you loved and betrayed yourself in the process? If so, you can relate to Peter, who loved Jesus with all of his heart... and had to live with the fact that the last words Jesus ever heard him say were "I don't know the man." Peter, for all of his love, had a stain that nothing could ever erase. So... he went fishing... with John, the Twin, James, Nathanael (from Cana), and two other disciples who didn't get named. They went fishing, and as they still do, they fished with nets at night. Come morning, they hadn't caught a thing until an unrecognized man on the shore told them where to cast. Then they caught fish- 153 of them- and John said, "it's Jesus!"... which prompted Peter to jump into the water and splash his way to shore, where they had a cookout- a breakfast of bread and fish. But Jesus wasn't there to feed them!
He was there to do business with the fisherman whom he had named Rocky. Simon, son of John, he said (no longer calling him "Peter"), do you love me more than these? Of course I do, Peter replied. Then tend to my lambs, Jesus said, which made sense because Jesus had already noted that those who love him are those who hear AND obey his word. Simon, Jesus asked again, "Do you love me?" Yes Lord, you know that I love you. Then feed my sheep! Feed my sheep, not in the abstract, but in the concrete. In your world. Feed the sheep whom I have placed in your home, your neighborhood, your place of work, your church. Feed them in my name. Feed them in all the ways that people need to be fed, and in this way you will show your love for me. "Simon, do you love me?" He asked again, and Peter was frustrated because this was the third time he had been asked the same question. "Lord, since you know everything, you already know that I love you." Then feed my sheep until they lead you to a cross of your own. "Follow me," Jesus said, which were the words that Peter heard in the beginning, "Follow me." Peter was offered a "do over," a "mulligan." "Follow me." They were healing words. Empowering words. Words that brought tears to his eyes.
Peter looked at John and asked, "what about him?" John is not your business, Jesus replied. Just follow me, Peter... and he did. He gave up fishing for good, and he gave up his life for Jesus ... because he had been given another chance. Jesus invited him to express his love and to remake his decision to follow him. Jesus allowed him to express his love for him- so that his last words would be "I love you"... and he gave him a new beginning when he said, "Follow me." It was the last call "the Rock" would ever need. How about you? Have you done business with Jesus? Can you believe that we have a God who is so loving that he would take the time to put a man back together before he went to his Father? No matter what you've done or left undone, whether you feel guilty, ashamed, fearful, unloved, unworthy, or incomplete, Jesus is the answer. He is really is. When it comes to renewal and empowerment, to healing and purpose, to forgiveness and acceptance, Jesus is the answer, and he can change your life just like he changed Peter's life, and Paul's life, and Jeff's life. I promise! Amen.
The point I'm trying to make is this: we can't encounter Christ and be the same person again! It's impossible! There are millions of stories like Jeff's and mine, and the Bible makes it clear that men like Zacchaeus, who took all that he could from the people, became generous... when he dined with Jesus; and that desperate men and women, whose sons and daughters were dying, found compassion, power, and life when they encountered Jesus! Some of those who encountered Jesus were restored to family and community, some were healed, some were fed, some called, some challenged, and some became downright angry. But they were all changed. And we are too... when we open our hearts and minds to his word and his presence in our midst. When we encounter Jesus, and here I don't mean joining a church or reading about him, we are forever changed. Some of us are given hope, some of us find a place where we can love and be loved, some of us find a ministry where we can visit the sick, teach the kids, or give to a ministry like Christian Care. Some of us, like Paul, undergo a total rearrangement of our values and beliefs, and some of experience the healing grace of being forgiven and accepted, which is what happened to Peter after he had denied Christ. Forgiveness lies at the very heart of the cross. It is the central reason Christ emptied himself of divinity and came down to us, and it is- whether we know it or not- the one thing that we all need... more than anything else!
With this in mind, let's join Peter as he encountered the Risen Christ! Everybody knows at least a little about Simon ben Jonah, the fisherman whom Jesus renamed Peter, "Rock," or if you prefer, "Rocky." Peter... was a brash and sometimes impulsive man. No one has ever doubted his heart, but he had a tendency to over-promise and under-perform. When they arrested Jesus at Gethsemane, Peter was the one who drew a sword; when Jesus asked the disciples who they thought he was, Peter was the one who cried, "You are the Christ;" when Jesus began to wash the disciples' feet, Peter was the one who said, there's no way that I will ever let you wash my feet. Peter said a lot of things. Some were wise, some were ill-considered... but his great shame came the night he and a few others were huddled around a fire in Caiaphas' courtyard. After they arrested Jesus, they took him to the High Priest, and Peter followed... at a distance... because he didn't want to be recognized as one of his friends. So, he adopted a low profile and warmed himself by a fire... when one of the men near him accused him of being a follower of Jesus', and Peter denied it. Someone else thought that they had seen him with Jesus, and Peter denied it. Finally, a lowly servant girl confronted him, and Peter said it plainly, "I told you that I don't even know the man"... just as they led Jesus past him... and their eyes met. We can't know what Jesus thought, but we do know that the incident broke Peter's heart... because the Bible says that he went out into the darkness and cried like a baby!
Have you ever been disappointed in yourself... when you didn't show the courage that you thought you would? Have you ever been disappointed with your own behavior or your words because they were so far below your best self? Have you ever seen yourself as hero, only to discover that you aren't? Have you ever been entangled in a sin that kept you longer and cost you more than you thought it would? Have you ever done a wrong that you couldn't make right? Have you ever hurt the one you loved and betrayed yourself in the process? If so, you can relate to Peter, who loved Jesus with all of his heart... and had to live with the fact that the last words Jesus ever heard him say were "I don't know the man." Peter, for all of his love, had a stain that nothing could ever erase. So... he went fishing... with John, the Twin, James, Nathanael (from Cana), and two other disciples who didn't get named. They went fishing, and as they still do, they fished with nets at night. Come morning, they hadn't caught a thing until an unrecognized man on the shore told them where to cast. Then they caught fish- 153 of them- and John said, "it's Jesus!"... which prompted Peter to jump into the water and splash his way to shore, where they had a cookout- a breakfast of bread and fish. But Jesus wasn't there to feed them!
He was there to do business with the fisherman whom he had named Rocky. Simon, son of John, he said (no longer calling him "Peter"), do you love me more than these? Of course I do, Peter replied. Then tend to my lambs, Jesus said, which made sense because Jesus had already noted that those who love him are those who hear AND obey his word. Simon, Jesus asked again, "Do you love me?" Yes Lord, you know that I love you. Then feed my sheep! Feed my sheep, not in the abstract, but in the concrete. In your world. Feed the sheep whom I have placed in your home, your neighborhood, your place of work, your church. Feed them in my name. Feed them in all the ways that people need to be fed, and in this way you will show your love for me. "Simon, do you love me?" He asked again, and Peter was frustrated because this was the third time he had been asked the same question. "Lord, since you know everything, you already know that I love you." Then feed my sheep until they lead you to a cross of your own. "Follow me," Jesus said, which were the words that Peter heard in the beginning, "Follow me." Peter was offered a "do over," a "mulligan." "Follow me." They were healing words. Empowering words. Words that brought tears to his eyes.
Peter looked at John and asked, "what about him?" John is not your business, Jesus replied. Just follow me, Peter... and he did. He gave up fishing for good, and he gave up his life for Jesus ... because he had been given another chance. Jesus invited him to express his love and to remake his decision to follow him. Jesus allowed him to express his love for him- so that his last words would be "I love you"... and he gave him a new beginning when he said, "Follow me." It was the last call "the Rock" would ever need. How about you? Have you done business with Jesus? Can you believe that we have a God who is so loving that he would take the time to put a man back together before he went to his Father? No matter what you've done or left undone, whether you feel guilty, ashamed, fearful, unloved, unworthy, or incomplete, Jesus is the answer. He is really is. When it comes to renewal and empowerment, to healing and purpose, to forgiveness and acceptance, Jesus is the answer, and he can change your life just like he changed Peter's life, and Paul's life, and Jeff's life. I promise! Amen.
Saturday, April 11, 2015
TOM TERRIFIC- A MAN OF COURAGE AND DOUBTS
When it came to things that he could see and touch, few men had more courage than Thomas the Twin (which is what Didymus means in the Greek). We can see his courage and the depth of his commitment in the 11th chapter of John... when Jesus told his followers that they were going to Judea because his friend Lazarus was dead. When they heard Jesus say this, the disciples were frightened because they were nearly stoned when they were last in Judea. We can't go to Lazarus because the Jewish leaders will kill us. This is what the disciples thought and it was a distinct possibility... but Thomas said, "Let's go and die with him!" Bravo, Tom. That was terrific. Also, according to Christian tradition, Thomas traveled to India after the first Pentecost, where he preached "Christ crucified and risen" and ministered in His name... until he was martyred himself in the year 72AD. He was run through with a spear because he wouldn't bow to an idol, and that was surely terrific.
Tom could (and did) give his life for things he could see, touch, and feel, and he also had the courage to ask questions when he didn't understand something. We see this courage in the 14th chapter of John, just after Jesus finished his well-known remarks about his Father's house. "When I go and prepare a place for you," Jesus said, "I will return and take you to be with me so that where I am you will be also. You know the way to the place where I am going." But based on the testimony in the gospels and on the fact that they were hiding for fear of the Jews (meaning Jewish authorities because they themselves were Jews), it is unlikely that any of them had a clue. Still, and I'm sure you have been in this situation, it's tempting to keep quiet instead of revealing that you don't know what the teacher is talking about. Tempting, but not wise- not if you want to grow as a student- so Thomas spoke for all of them. "Master," he said, "we don't know where you're going. How can we possibly know the way?" His question led to one of the best known verses in the Bible, "I am the truth and the life and the way," and that is pretty terrific!
We could know Thomas as "Courageous Tom," or "Wise Tom," but we don't. We know him as "Doubting Thomas," with an inference that he's sort of second-rate, and here's why. On the evening of Easter Sunday- the disciples were cloistered behind closed doors, and Jesus appeared to them! "Shalom, alakem," he said. "Peace to you," and he showed them his hands and his side, which filled them with joy. Then he gave them the Holy Spirit and the power to liberate others by forgiving them. They were empowered and Spirit-filled... but Thomas wasn't with them! We tempted to think that he was unfaithful or irresponsible because he wasn't with the others when Christ appeared... but actually ...the text says that, while the others huddled in fear, Thomas was out doing something else. Maybe he was more afraid that the others, although his previous behavior doesn't suggest that; maybe he was less afraid. We don't really know, but when he showed up, the others told him that they had seen the Lord... and Thomas didn't believe them. He wasn't able to take a leap of faith... based only on someone else's word. So he asked to see the very things that the others had already seen- that is, the wounds in Jesus' hands and sides... and Jesus obliged him... by showing up again, on the first Sunday after Easter. Thomas, he said, if you need to... reach out and touch my wounds. Put your hands in my side... and believe... and Thomas believed. His doubt gave way to the boldest confession of faith in the entire Bible. He cried out, "My Lord and My God!"
This passage is filled with sermon material, but today I will say only this: 1) Doubts are common to humankind and they aren't necessarily an enemy of faith. Indeed, doubts, as someone said, are often the "ants in the pants" of faith, because they lead to even greater faith. Doubt is not the opposite of belief- unbelief is- so don't give up or throw in the towel if you find yourself doubting! Everyone angry, but we're not all angry people; everyone eats too much from time to time, but we're not all gluttons; many of us have had too much to drink on occasion, but most of us are not alcoholics. There is a big difference between having a doubt...and giving ourselves over to our doubts, which is my second point; 2) Use your doubts as springboards to even greater faith. Study, read, join a Bible study, ask questions- like Thomas did- but don't allow yourself to become a doubting person! There is no profit in that; 3) Thirdly, be wary of labels. Don't rush to lay them on others, and resist putting them on yourself... because labels define, confine, and dehumanize us. They are often misleading, frequently damaging, and even when they carry a grain of truth, they are never sufficient because we are too complex- too much a mixture of good and bad- for any one label; 4) fourthly... and please remember this: Jesus appears to us IN THE MIDST OF our doubts and our fears. There is nothing that God can't do; there's no one too lost or too far gone for God; there is no barrier that's strong enough to keep God out. When you're brokenhearted, fearful, trapped, doubting, scared to death, and feel totally alone... claim your faith... because these things will never keep God out. I wouldn't recommend any of these things- fear, addiction, temptation, worry, guilt, brokenness, and doubt- as a steady diet or a way of life...but if you don't let them define you and don't give yourself over to them... God can use them to increase your faith and strengthen your relationship with Him; 5) fifthly, rather than seeing Thomas as some sort of oddball, I think that he is speaking for many of us who sit in these pews. We're not supposed to say it, but we long for proof. We nod our heads as if it's not much of a hurdle, but on the inside, we're crying for something tangible, something that we can get a hold on and measure. If we would only have seen Jesus ourselves, heard him teach, witnessed a miracle, saw his face, and touched his wounds; if we had stood at the bottom of his cross, or at least, had a Damascus Road experience like Paul did... then we would believe. Surely we would, but Jesus said that those of us who believe without seeing our the most blessed of all! Amen.
Tom could (and did) give his life for things he could see, touch, and feel, and he also had the courage to ask questions when he didn't understand something. We see this courage in the 14th chapter of John, just after Jesus finished his well-known remarks about his Father's house. "When I go and prepare a place for you," Jesus said, "I will return and take you to be with me so that where I am you will be also. You know the way to the place where I am going." But based on the testimony in the gospels and on the fact that they were hiding for fear of the Jews (meaning Jewish authorities because they themselves were Jews), it is unlikely that any of them had a clue. Still, and I'm sure you have been in this situation, it's tempting to keep quiet instead of revealing that you don't know what the teacher is talking about. Tempting, but not wise- not if you want to grow as a student- so Thomas spoke for all of them. "Master," he said, "we don't know where you're going. How can we possibly know the way?" His question led to one of the best known verses in the Bible, "I am the truth and the life and the way," and that is pretty terrific!
We could know Thomas as "Courageous Tom," or "Wise Tom," but we don't. We know him as "Doubting Thomas," with an inference that he's sort of second-rate, and here's why. On the evening of Easter Sunday- the disciples were cloistered behind closed doors, and Jesus appeared to them! "Shalom, alakem," he said. "Peace to you," and he showed them his hands and his side, which filled them with joy. Then he gave them the Holy Spirit and the power to liberate others by forgiving them. They were empowered and Spirit-filled... but Thomas wasn't with them! We tempted to think that he was unfaithful or irresponsible because he wasn't with the others when Christ appeared... but actually ...the text says that, while the others huddled in fear, Thomas was out doing something else. Maybe he was more afraid that the others, although his previous behavior doesn't suggest that; maybe he was less afraid. We don't really know, but when he showed up, the others told him that they had seen the Lord... and Thomas didn't believe them. He wasn't able to take a leap of faith... based only on someone else's word. So he asked to see the very things that the others had already seen- that is, the wounds in Jesus' hands and sides... and Jesus obliged him... by showing up again, on the first Sunday after Easter. Thomas, he said, if you need to... reach out and touch my wounds. Put your hands in my side... and believe... and Thomas believed. His doubt gave way to the boldest confession of faith in the entire Bible. He cried out, "My Lord and My God!"
This passage is filled with sermon material, but today I will say only this: 1) Doubts are common to humankind and they aren't necessarily an enemy of faith. Indeed, doubts, as someone said, are often the "ants in the pants" of faith, because they lead to even greater faith. Doubt is not the opposite of belief- unbelief is- so don't give up or throw in the towel if you find yourself doubting! Everyone angry, but we're not all angry people; everyone eats too much from time to time, but we're not all gluttons; many of us have had too much to drink on occasion, but most of us are not alcoholics. There is a big difference between having a doubt...and giving ourselves over to our doubts, which is my second point; 2) Use your doubts as springboards to even greater faith. Study, read, join a Bible study, ask questions- like Thomas did- but don't allow yourself to become a doubting person! There is no profit in that; 3) Thirdly, be wary of labels. Don't rush to lay them on others, and resist putting them on yourself... because labels define, confine, and dehumanize us. They are often misleading, frequently damaging, and even when they carry a grain of truth, they are never sufficient because we are too complex- too much a mixture of good and bad- for any one label; 4) fourthly... and please remember this: Jesus appears to us IN THE MIDST OF our doubts and our fears. There is nothing that God can't do; there's no one too lost or too far gone for God; there is no barrier that's strong enough to keep God out. When you're brokenhearted, fearful, trapped, doubting, scared to death, and feel totally alone... claim your faith... because these things will never keep God out. I wouldn't recommend any of these things- fear, addiction, temptation, worry, guilt, brokenness, and doubt- as a steady diet or a way of life...but if you don't let them define you and don't give yourself over to them... God can use them to increase your faith and strengthen your relationship with Him; 5) fifthly, rather than seeing Thomas as some sort of oddball, I think that he is speaking for many of us who sit in these pews. We're not supposed to say it, but we long for proof. We nod our heads as if it's not much of a hurdle, but on the inside, we're crying for something tangible, something that we can get a hold on and measure. If we would only have seen Jesus ourselves, heard him teach, witnessed a miracle, saw his face, and touched his wounds; if we had stood at the bottom of his cross, or at least, had a Damascus Road experience like Paul did... then we would believe. Surely we would, but Jesus said that those of us who believe without seeing our the most blessed of all! Amen.
Wednesday, April 8, 2015
WHEN I HEARD THE WORD CANCER (for the first time)
On Thanksgiving of 2002, Sherry was diagnosed with cancer... and our lives changed forever. She's still fighting, and we're both still praying, but I want to share the only diary entries I've ever made. I had forgotten about them years ago, but last week- while looking for something else- I stumbled upon them. Perhaps they will be of interest to just a handful of people, but I will reproduce them here unedited, believing that they may lead at least one person know that a) there is hope, and b) he or she is not the first one to travel this path.
Nov. 05, 2002
She danced with me during my youth, in her dingy upstairs apartment in Des Moines... and I loved it. When I stumbled she picked me up and when I wandered off the path, she took me back. More often that anyone else, she saw the best in me, and in the last few years, our love has been stronger than ever. In every sense of the word, I love her as much as anyone can love another person... and today... she told me that she probably has blood cancer! Oh God, let this be wrong! Please God, you have the wrong person. She said that, while she hates to leave the girls in pain, there is a blessing in the diagnosis because she won't have to live long enough to lose her eyesight. Of course we don't even know for sure yet, but the Dr. sounded "panicky" on the phone. God willing, we will remain positive. I know a lot of people with cancer, and I know a lot of people who have beaten the beast, or at least held it a bay. Still, there is a heavy cloud overhead... and I cry.
Nov. 06, 2002
Tonight I find myself searching the Internet, trying to find the type of cancer that they think Sherry has... and fortunately, I can't find it. I told my staff today, and unlike Job's friends, they didn't have much to say. Indeed, two of them didn't say anything at all, and the third just said something about not being promised a rose garden, Sherry is a good, caring and faithful woman. She loves her daughters and her granddaughters with all of her heart, and she laughs at all of my jokes. Someone who knows a lot about grief told me that I will get angry in time... and perhaps I will. But right now I am deeply disappointed- very, very disappointed in this news.
Nov. 08, 2002
My friend, Jack, stopped by today. He told me that his wife is feeling much better because they had just learned that her cancer is treatable. He also told me that Sherry's Dr. is very good, but I have my doubts. In any event, Sherry received her first x-rays today and we're trying to stay hopeful. Sherry calls it a "process" and tells me that I had better pull myself together because she might live with cancer for a long time. She's right. I've got to let go and quit worrying about every little thing. Jack's wife told me to keep the faith, and I am trying. I trust God, but I don't think that faith and truth are at odds. In fact, I'm sure that God is only present in the truth... so I will continue to share my pain and deepest feelings with him.
Nov. 09, 2002
She woke up feeling fine today, but within a few hours she was feeling weak and "funny." Something definitely needs to be done. I spent most of the night lying awake, projecting both hopeful and bleak outcomes in my head. Sometimes, I think that cancer is unbeatable- that I might as well accept that- but just as frequently I think that modern medicine in wondrous and besides, God can do anything!
Nov. 10, 2002
When we say our vows, we promise to stick together for better or worse, in sickness and in health, through the thick and the thin of life. We don't ever really know what for better or worse will mean, but our vows are sacred. Today, we returned to the Internet to see what we could see about a cancer called "Multiple Myeloma," and the information we found was "mixed" at best. The good news is that MM is "manageable" for a few years (3-5) and that there are new treatments on the horizon for the disease... but the bad news is that it is not curable. Sherry has turned her cancer and her journey over to God. She trusts that God will do what is best, and while I certainly agree with that, I can't let go yet. No, I will be in the middle of this struggle for awhile.
Nov. 11, 2002
Our daughter and granddaughters were down to see us this weekend and their visit lifted our spirits. Whether it is optimism or denial, I don't know, but at the moment were taking Sherry's cancer in stride. As we played games and laughed together, I forgot about Sherry's cancer, but I remembered it long enough to give our daughter, Kelli, a full explanation. However, I gave both Kelli and her sister, Kendra, an optimistic story because a small measure of the truth was all I wanted them to carry. God seems very real to me and I have been praying for a healing.
Nov. 13, 2002
Well, D-day has arrived. At 2:15 we will receive Sherry's diagnosis and, presumably, some sort of prognosis. Before I left for the office this morning, I mentioned that aunt Bonnie had been praying for Sherry and that she had "good feelings" about the outcome. At times I do too, and if Sherry has a curable cancer, I will be more than hopeful. This is a big hill for us, but I've always believed that God always walks with us, especially when we're walking uphill. I believe that God is able, but in the middle of the night last night, I place my hand on Sherry's head, like some sort of TV minister, and prayed for her healing. Now my mind turns to what-ifs. They say that MM leads to a painless death- you either die from kidney failure or just fade away- and if this must be Sherry's journey, I pray that she will be comforted by God's hand...and by our love.
Nov. 19, 2002
I spent some of the day reading about Multiple Myeloma on the Internet. Why do I do this? I wish I hadn't because it is all very depressing. I can't believe that I'm reading about cancer as a participant! Material from Mayo said that the average life expectancy is only 3-4 years, but other sources are much more encouraging. I suspect there is some truth to both. After all, an average is just that- an average. Pray for benign blood disease.
Nov. 20, 2002
Had Bible study today with a great group of people. We have been reading the Bible verse by verse, and we are now on the Book of Lamentations. Lament is a powerful thing. Healing and empowering in its honesty. The poet cried to God, "Why have you forgotten us completely?" And I would add- why indeed?
Nov. 21, 2002
I prayed silently last night while Sherry slept. I've given up on praying for healing. It's too bold and childlike, and I've settled for God's grace and presence, which are his specialties anyway. But deep down- sometimes just below the surface- I want to cry out, "What good is a God who can't heal?"
Nov. 28, 2002
Thanksgiving came and went and it was the best we've had in years. Kelli and the girls came down and Kendra flew in from LA., and everyone was in top form. It was a day when we got in touch with gratitude because Sherry and I have a lot to be grateful for- not the least of which is one another. Addiction. Recovery. Disability. Sin. Tears. New Beginnings. We've seen it all, and tomorrow we'll see what the Dr. says.
Nov. 29, 2002
It's official now. Sherry does have cancer. Her bone scans were good, but her bone marrow is producing cancer cells- what the Dr. calls "nonsense" proteins. Evidently, these nonsense cells will eventually overwhelm the real protein cells. Half the people who have this cancer live 3-5 years, the man said, but the other half aren't so lucky. They die sooner. He wants Sherry to get a Bone Marrow Transplant right away, and he says this would increase her life expectancy by 6-8 years. Since Sherry has had glaucoma surgeries, she is afraid that the chemo will cause her to go blind. We will search for a second opinion.
Dec. 03, 2002
The Dr. from Mayo Clinic called today and said that we cannot get into their program until April at best. Evidently, he doesn't know how frustrated we are, but we have heard that they are doing good work on MM at Northwestern and one of my friends from church is helping us get answers from Loyola. I will also call the University of Iowa tomorrow and may contact the University of Chicago as well. Prayerfully, we will find someone who will help us.
Dec. 10. 2002
Sherry visited with her sister tonight. They haven't seen each other in years and don't agree on much, but toward the end of the conversation I heard Sherry say, "I love you too." It was nice to hear. I am living with a low-grade depression and find myself meeting two kinds of people. The first doesn't know what to say, so they say things like, "Everything will be fine." The second group seem to be aware of the journey that lies before us and they maintain a knowing and patronizing silence.
Dec. 11, 2002
Tomorrow is a critical day for Sherry and me. We're counting on this doctor from Northwestern to know things that the Peoria group didn't know. We'll see, but Sherry opened an envelope this morning from one of our church members... and it contained $250 to help us meet expenses. It was a nameless and powerful gift of love.
Dec. 13, 2002
We traveled to Chicago yesterday and met with a physician named Jayesh Mehta. He is a professor there, and the director of their transplant unit, and he will be able to give Sherry the help she needs. Rather than doing a Bone Marrow Transplant immediately, he doesn't want to do anything at the moment. He wants to wait and see, pending the results of a few tests that he wants the Peoria group to run. Indeed, he said it may be years before Sherry needs a transplant.
Dec. 15, 2002
Unfortunately, our Dr. in Peoria doesn't want to cooperate with Dr. Mehta, and he won't run the tests he was asked to run. When we told Dr, Mehta this news, he was annoyed and called Peoria himself. He thinks that he has patched things up, but our relationship with our local oncology group is strained. It is tenuous at the very time we need all the help and encouragement we can get.
Jan. 04, 2003
Received Sherry's blood test results. Cancer is still growing and still "smoldering." However, we can't possibly make this journey successfully with the tension we're encountering with our local doctors.
Jan. 25, 2003
Hallelujah! Sherry's be reassigned to a different Peoria doctor- a man who is senior to the Dr. we've had, and more importantly, one who has a good working relationship with Dr. Mehta.
Feb. 05. 2003
Blood tests in. Cancer is up considerably.
This was the last entry in my short-lived diary. I will leave it to you to make sense of this mixture of pain and hope. Sherry was right. It has been a process. We're still seeing Dr. Mehta and there are days when life's other joys and problems overshadow the cancer altogether. In a few days we are going to Chicago for a battery of neurological tests at NW, and in June, we will be blessed to be part of our granddaughters wedding. This is the same girl whom Sherry wanted to see graduate from high school ten years ago. Keep the faith... and... never give up.
Nov. 05, 2002
She danced with me during my youth, in her dingy upstairs apartment in Des Moines... and I loved it. When I stumbled she picked me up and when I wandered off the path, she took me back. More often that anyone else, she saw the best in me, and in the last few years, our love has been stronger than ever. In every sense of the word, I love her as much as anyone can love another person... and today... she told me that she probably has blood cancer! Oh God, let this be wrong! Please God, you have the wrong person. She said that, while she hates to leave the girls in pain, there is a blessing in the diagnosis because she won't have to live long enough to lose her eyesight. Of course we don't even know for sure yet, but the Dr. sounded "panicky" on the phone. God willing, we will remain positive. I know a lot of people with cancer, and I know a lot of people who have beaten the beast, or at least held it a bay. Still, there is a heavy cloud overhead... and I cry.
Nov. 06, 2002
Tonight I find myself searching the Internet, trying to find the type of cancer that they think Sherry has... and fortunately, I can't find it. I told my staff today, and unlike Job's friends, they didn't have much to say. Indeed, two of them didn't say anything at all, and the third just said something about not being promised a rose garden, Sherry is a good, caring and faithful woman. She loves her daughters and her granddaughters with all of her heart, and she laughs at all of my jokes. Someone who knows a lot about grief told me that I will get angry in time... and perhaps I will. But right now I am deeply disappointed- very, very disappointed in this news.
Nov. 08, 2002
My friend, Jack, stopped by today. He told me that his wife is feeling much better because they had just learned that her cancer is treatable. He also told me that Sherry's Dr. is very good, but I have my doubts. In any event, Sherry received her first x-rays today and we're trying to stay hopeful. Sherry calls it a "process" and tells me that I had better pull myself together because she might live with cancer for a long time. She's right. I've got to let go and quit worrying about every little thing. Jack's wife told me to keep the faith, and I am trying. I trust God, but I don't think that faith and truth are at odds. In fact, I'm sure that God is only present in the truth... so I will continue to share my pain and deepest feelings with him.
Nov. 09, 2002
She woke up feeling fine today, but within a few hours she was feeling weak and "funny." Something definitely needs to be done. I spent most of the night lying awake, projecting both hopeful and bleak outcomes in my head. Sometimes, I think that cancer is unbeatable- that I might as well accept that- but just as frequently I think that modern medicine in wondrous and besides, God can do anything!
Nov. 10, 2002
When we say our vows, we promise to stick together for better or worse, in sickness and in health, through the thick and the thin of life. We don't ever really know what for better or worse will mean, but our vows are sacred. Today, we returned to the Internet to see what we could see about a cancer called "Multiple Myeloma," and the information we found was "mixed" at best. The good news is that MM is "manageable" for a few years (3-5) and that there are new treatments on the horizon for the disease... but the bad news is that it is not curable. Sherry has turned her cancer and her journey over to God. She trusts that God will do what is best, and while I certainly agree with that, I can't let go yet. No, I will be in the middle of this struggle for awhile.
Nov. 11, 2002
Our daughter and granddaughters were down to see us this weekend and their visit lifted our spirits. Whether it is optimism or denial, I don't know, but at the moment were taking Sherry's cancer in stride. As we played games and laughed together, I forgot about Sherry's cancer, but I remembered it long enough to give our daughter, Kelli, a full explanation. However, I gave both Kelli and her sister, Kendra, an optimistic story because a small measure of the truth was all I wanted them to carry. God seems very real to me and I have been praying for a healing.
Nov. 13, 2002
Well, D-day has arrived. At 2:15 we will receive Sherry's diagnosis and, presumably, some sort of prognosis. Before I left for the office this morning, I mentioned that aunt Bonnie had been praying for Sherry and that she had "good feelings" about the outcome. At times I do too, and if Sherry has a curable cancer, I will be more than hopeful. This is a big hill for us, but I've always believed that God always walks with us, especially when we're walking uphill. I believe that God is able, but in the middle of the night last night, I place my hand on Sherry's head, like some sort of TV minister, and prayed for her healing. Now my mind turns to what-ifs. They say that MM leads to a painless death- you either die from kidney failure or just fade away- and if this must be Sherry's journey, I pray that she will be comforted by God's hand...and by our love.
Nov. 19, 2002
I spent some of the day reading about Multiple Myeloma on the Internet. Why do I do this? I wish I hadn't because it is all very depressing. I can't believe that I'm reading about cancer as a participant! Material from Mayo said that the average life expectancy is only 3-4 years, but other sources are much more encouraging. I suspect there is some truth to both. After all, an average is just that- an average. Pray for benign blood disease.
Nov. 20, 2002
Had Bible study today with a great group of people. We have been reading the Bible verse by verse, and we are now on the Book of Lamentations. Lament is a powerful thing. Healing and empowering in its honesty. The poet cried to God, "Why have you forgotten us completely?" And I would add- why indeed?
Nov. 21, 2002
I prayed silently last night while Sherry slept. I've given up on praying for healing. It's too bold and childlike, and I've settled for God's grace and presence, which are his specialties anyway. But deep down- sometimes just below the surface- I want to cry out, "What good is a God who can't heal?"
Nov. 28, 2002
Thanksgiving came and went and it was the best we've had in years. Kelli and the girls came down and Kendra flew in from LA., and everyone was in top form. It was a day when we got in touch with gratitude because Sherry and I have a lot to be grateful for- not the least of which is one another. Addiction. Recovery. Disability. Sin. Tears. New Beginnings. We've seen it all, and tomorrow we'll see what the Dr. says.
Nov. 29, 2002
It's official now. Sherry does have cancer. Her bone scans were good, but her bone marrow is producing cancer cells- what the Dr. calls "nonsense" proteins. Evidently, these nonsense cells will eventually overwhelm the real protein cells. Half the people who have this cancer live 3-5 years, the man said, but the other half aren't so lucky. They die sooner. He wants Sherry to get a Bone Marrow Transplant right away, and he says this would increase her life expectancy by 6-8 years. Since Sherry has had glaucoma surgeries, she is afraid that the chemo will cause her to go blind. We will search for a second opinion.
Dec. 03, 2002
The Dr. from Mayo Clinic called today and said that we cannot get into their program until April at best. Evidently, he doesn't know how frustrated we are, but we have heard that they are doing good work on MM at Northwestern and one of my friends from church is helping us get answers from Loyola. I will also call the University of Iowa tomorrow and may contact the University of Chicago as well. Prayerfully, we will find someone who will help us.
Dec. 10. 2002
Sherry visited with her sister tonight. They haven't seen each other in years and don't agree on much, but toward the end of the conversation I heard Sherry say, "I love you too." It was nice to hear. I am living with a low-grade depression and find myself meeting two kinds of people. The first doesn't know what to say, so they say things like, "Everything will be fine." The second group seem to be aware of the journey that lies before us and they maintain a knowing and patronizing silence.
Dec. 11, 2002
Tomorrow is a critical day for Sherry and me. We're counting on this doctor from Northwestern to know things that the Peoria group didn't know. We'll see, but Sherry opened an envelope this morning from one of our church members... and it contained $250 to help us meet expenses. It was a nameless and powerful gift of love.
Dec. 13, 2002
We traveled to Chicago yesterday and met with a physician named Jayesh Mehta. He is a professor there, and the director of their transplant unit, and he will be able to give Sherry the help she needs. Rather than doing a Bone Marrow Transplant immediately, he doesn't want to do anything at the moment. He wants to wait and see, pending the results of a few tests that he wants the Peoria group to run. Indeed, he said it may be years before Sherry needs a transplant.
Dec. 15, 2002
Unfortunately, our Dr. in Peoria doesn't want to cooperate with Dr. Mehta, and he won't run the tests he was asked to run. When we told Dr, Mehta this news, he was annoyed and called Peoria himself. He thinks that he has patched things up, but our relationship with our local oncology group is strained. It is tenuous at the very time we need all the help and encouragement we can get.
Jan. 04, 2003
Received Sherry's blood test results. Cancer is still growing and still "smoldering." However, we can't possibly make this journey successfully with the tension we're encountering with our local doctors.
Jan. 25, 2003
Hallelujah! Sherry's be reassigned to a different Peoria doctor- a man who is senior to the Dr. we've had, and more importantly, one who has a good working relationship with Dr. Mehta.
Feb. 05. 2003
Blood tests in. Cancer is up considerably.
This was the last entry in my short-lived diary. I will leave it to you to make sense of this mixture of pain and hope. Sherry was right. It has been a process. We're still seeing Dr. Mehta and there are days when life's other joys and problems overshadow the cancer altogether. In a few days we are going to Chicago for a battery of neurological tests at NW, and in June, we will be blessed to be part of our granddaughters wedding. This is the same girl whom Sherry wanted to see graduate from high school ten years ago. Keep the faith... and... never give up.
Friday, April 3, 2015
MARY'S EASTER SURPRISE!!
It was early on the first Easter morning... when Miriam of Magdala (Mary Magdalene) made her way to his tomb. She walked with a heavy heart, as she recalled the moments they shared, his teachings, and the marvelous miracles that he worked. He was a loving and good man- a man of God (she was sure of that)- a man who didn't deserve to die, not in the way that he did. She just couldn't get the crucifixion out of her mind. Like thousands of others, her friend and rabbi was beaten within an inch of his life, stripped, and hung up to die, as others hurled insults and taunts at him. The pain, the shame, the humiliation- that a good man endured- she scare could take it in... but there was one decent thing that happened. Ordinarily, it was unlawful for anyone to bury the body of a person who was crucified. It was almost always forbidden because leaving the body to rot or become fodder for birds and animals... was part of the punishment. But, in an act of grace and no little courage, a man named Joseph obtained permission to bury Jesus' body in his personal tomb.
This act made it possible to give him a more dignified burial, and Mary had seen where they laid him. Thus, she got up early on Easter morning... and made her way to his tomb, just as we make our way to a loved one's grave site- and for much the same reason- to do the right thing and show her respect. She wanted to see him one more time, to cry over him, and to make sure that his body was prepared properly. This was enough for her, and she didn't expect to encounter an empty tomb... except perhaps a fleeting fear that someone had tampered with or stolen his body (which wasn't unheard of in her time). Oh Mary, sad and broken Mary. You go, girl. Go and do what you have to do. And she did, or at least she tried... but (as you know) the tomb was empty! It was empty, and she was certain that they had moved his body. So she ran back to the others and cried, "They've taken his body and we don't know where they put him." It was a startling report, but it came from an emotional woman and it took two men to verify things in those days. So, Peter and John ran to see for themselves, and sure enough, the tomb was empty, except for Jesus' burial clothes, which were neatly folded... with the cloth that covered his face lying in its own place.
It was an intriguing thing to see and it didn't fit with body-snatching, but Peter and the disciple whom Jesus loved went back to their hiding place... while Mary stood outside Jesus' empty tomb and cried. Easter morning. The sun was higher now, and Mary was still crying. The others had left... and Jesus' body was missing. She shoveled around his grave and looked around... and a man whom she didn't recognize said, "Woman, why are you crying? Who are you looking for?" Thinking he was the gardener, Mary replied, Sir, just tell me where you have laid him, so that I can do what I came to do. Where have you laid him? That's all she wanted to know because she was there to grieve and take care of a dead body. Then the man said, "Mary. Miriam," and her heart raced because she recognized his voice. "Rabbouni, teacher," she cried, and she reached out to hug him, but he said, "Noli me tangere, don't cling to me because I haven't gone up to my Father... and besides, you have work to do.
Run to the others, Mary, and tell them that I'm going up to my Father and their Father, to my God and their God. Tell them that I live, Mary. Tell them I danced on my grave. Tell them... that it is Easter! Tell them that I am as alive as anyone is ever alive, and that through me, they will be alive as well. Tell them that Easter is not a season, nor a day, nor a bunny, nor a bonnet, nor just a time for family and good behavior... but new and unexpected life. Life where there was no life. Life where there was no hope of life. Life from the grave, Life where you least expect it. Tell them that I live and that, because I live, they will live. Go, girl, go... and she did. Verse 18 says it succinctly: "Miriam of Magdala- Mary Magdalene- left the burial site and announced to the disciples- "I've seen the Lord!!!" Amen and hallelujah, She saw the Lord... and life became worth the living. Amen.
Friends, I've been blessed to preach God's word for 25 years now, and I've read the Bible through many times. I've seen and heard many different takes on the Bible's stories, and I know there are many different ways of worshiping. I know that some churches baptize infants and some don't, that some Christians speak in tongues and others won't. Many critics have pointed out what they consider inconsistencies between the four gospels, even in the account we've discussed this morning. John says that Mary Magdalene went alone to the tomb on Easter morning- another gospel says Mary and Mary- yet another says Mary, Mary, and Joanna... but I don't care. However- and here I draw on something that Frederick Buechner said- if I thought that Easter was nothing more than a feel-good story, like a wrestler jumping to his feet just before he was counted out, or a way of touching the child in each of us, like the Santa Claus, or just a way of saying that there is a rose beneath the snow, I'd pack it in. If Christ did not appear to Miriam and to the others, if he didn't show Thomas his wounds, if they didn't see him ascend to heaven, then the whole story is bogus and our faith is in vain. If Jesus is not risen, we will be forever dead... but if he is... and He IS... the unexpected life that he promised is ours. Glory, glory.
Like Mary, we aren't allowed to cling to him. He does not belong to us... but we can run and tell the others, "He lives. He lives. I know that my Savior lives." Amen.
This act made it possible to give him a more dignified burial, and Mary had seen where they laid him. Thus, she got up early on Easter morning... and made her way to his tomb, just as we make our way to a loved one's grave site- and for much the same reason- to do the right thing and show her respect. She wanted to see him one more time, to cry over him, and to make sure that his body was prepared properly. This was enough for her, and she didn't expect to encounter an empty tomb... except perhaps a fleeting fear that someone had tampered with or stolen his body (which wasn't unheard of in her time). Oh Mary, sad and broken Mary. You go, girl. Go and do what you have to do. And she did, or at least she tried... but (as you know) the tomb was empty! It was empty, and she was certain that they had moved his body. So she ran back to the others and cried, "They've taken his body and we don't know where they put him." It was a startling report, but it came from an emotional woman and it took two men to verify things in those days. So, Peter and John ran to see for themselves, and sure enough, the tomb was empty, except for Jesus' burial clothes, which were neatly folded... with the cloth that covered his face lying in its own place.
It was an intriguing thing to see and it didn't fit with body-snatching, but Peter and the disciple whom Jesus loved went back to their hiding place... while Mary stood outside Jesus' empty tomb and cried. Easter morning. The sun was higher now, and Mary was still crying. The others had left... and Jesus' body was missing. She shoveled around his grave and looked around... and a man whom she didn't recognize said, "Woman, why are you crying? Who are you looking for?" Thinking he was the gardener, Mary replied, Sir, just tell me where you have laid him, so that I can do what I came to do. Where have you laid him? That's all she wanted to know because she was there to grieve and take care of a dead body. Then the man said, "Mary. Miriam," and her heart raced because she recognized his voice. "Rabbouni, teacher," she cried, and she reached out to hug him, but he said, "Noli me tangere, don't cling to me because I haven't gone up to my Father... and besides, you have work to do.
Run to the others, Mary, and tell them that I'm going up to my Father and their Father, to my God and their God. Tell them that I live, Mary. Tell them I danced on my grave. Tell them... that it is Easter! Tell them that I am as alive as anyone is ever alive, and that through me, they will be alive as well. Tell them that Easter is not a season, nor a day, nor a bunny, nor a bonnet, nor just a time for family and good behavior... but new and unexpected life. Life where there was no life. Life where there was no hope of life. Life from the grave, Life where you least expect it. Tell them that I live and that, because I live, they will live. Go, girl, go... and she did. Verse 18 says it succinctly: "Miriam of Magdala- Mary Magdalene- left the burial site and announced to the disciples- "I've seen the Lord!!!" Amen and hallelujah, She saw the Lord... and life became worth the living. Amen.
Friends, I've been blessed to preach God's word for 25 years now, and I've read the Bible through many times. I've seen and heard many different takes on the Bible's stories, and I know there are many different ways of worshiping. I know that some churches baptize infants and some don't, that some Christians speak in tongues and others won't. Many critics have pointed out what they consider inconsistencies between the four gospels, even in the account we've discussed this morning. John says that Mary Magdalene went alone to the tomb on Easter morning- another gospel says Mary and Mary- yet another says Mary, Mary, and Joanna... but I don't care. However- and here I draw on something that Frederick Buechner said- if I thought that Easter was nothing more than a feel-good story, like a wrestler jumping to his feet just before he was counted out, or a way of touching the child in each of us, like the Santa Claus, or just a way of saying that there is a rose beneath the snow, I'd pack it in. If Christ did not appear to Miriam and to the others, if he didn't show Thomas his wounds, if they didn't see him ascend to heaven, then the whole story is bogus and our faith is in vain. If Jesus is not risen, we will be forever dead... but if he is... and He IS... the unexpected life that he promised is ours. Glory, glory.
Like Mary, we aren't allowed to cling to him. He does not belong to us... but we can run and tell the others, "He lives. He lives. I know that my Savior lives." Amen.
Thursday, April 2, 2015
A FOOT-WASHING CHURCH
There are many people in our time who believe in God... but not in his church, There are many people who would die for a man who could make them whole, but not for an institution that clings to man-made rules. Based on what Jesus said to the pharisees of his day, I suspect that he would agree with this sentiment. Indeed, while we're called to live for him and to eschew the ways of the world, there is not a hint in the gospels that, in doing so, we ought to judge, hate, and/or discriminate against others. People who came after Jesus- Paul, Augustine, Luther, Calvin, and the church leaders you know.- were called to build and give order to the church in ways that fit with the world they lived in. They ordained only men to the office of elder, they accepted slavery as a given, they formulated rules that established orderly ways of worshiping, and they ostracized or excommunicated those who did not follow their belief system completely. All of these things were done to ensure that the church was ordered, and in time, the church exchanged "What Would Jesus Do"... to "We've Never Done It That Way Before," (a motto which cuts off visioning... and any chance of receiving "new wine.)" Thus, we're left with communities who either "hate in Jesus' name," or minister to others in their own name. One has no heart, the other has no power, and neither one appeals to the very people who need Christ.
What people need is forgiveness. They need to be known and loved anyway. They need to be accepted as they are and helped to become all they are called to be. People need to see Christ, and while we need ways of doing things, they must not obscure Christ... or blur his message of grace and possibilities. Based on what Jesus said on earth, we would do well to invite all people and find ways of loving them in sacrificial, sometimes threatening, and non-judgmental ways. If we want to be a Christian church, it seems that we should take our cues from Jesus, who left us a lot of empowering words and marching orders. For instance, as he was dying, he looked into the faces of those who were cursing, mocking and spitting on him... and he said, 1) "Father, forgive them for they don't know what they are doing." In the gospel of John, we find these words, 2) "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone's sins, their sins are forgiven." And when Peter asked him how many times should we forgive one another, Jesus said, 3) "70 times 7." Until the cows come home. Forever and a day. Always. Until the Cubs win a pennant... because loving enough to forgive is at the very heart of God! Can anyone deny that forgiveness lies at the very heart of Godliness?
Have you ever wondered what the Bible would say if we only had the words that Jesus spoke? Well, try it sometime. Read the red letters only, and you will see things like this: 4) follow me and I will make you fisherman of people; 5) I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners; 6) these people worship me in vain. Their teachings are merely human rules; 7) whoever wants to save their live will lose it and whoever loses their life for my sake will save it; 8) whoever welcomes one of these children in my name welcomes me; 9) anyone who gives you a cup of water because you belong to me will not lose their reward; 10) the Spirit of the Lord is on me because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor, to proclaim recovery of sight to the blind, and to set the oppressed free; 11) blessed are the poor for they will inherit the kingdom of God; 12) love your enemies, pray for those who mistreat you, give to everyone who asks, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back; 13) do not judge and you will not be judged; 14) let anyone of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone; 15) you know the commandments, but you lack one thing- go and sell everything you have and give it to the poor; 17) anyone who wants to be the first must be the very last... and the servant of all; 18) whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave to all; 19) the most important commandment is this: love the Lord your God with all of your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength... and the 2nd is this: love your neighbor as yourself. There is no greater commandment than these.
He said these things, and he gathered his disciples around him for one last supper. As you may know, the gospel of John doesn't include the communion verses that you are accustomed to hearing. The other gospels do, but John focuses on foot-washing. Yes, foot-washing because it was an object lesson for the disciples. 20) "Love one another," he said, "As I have loved you," where the words "as I have loved you" are of profound importance. If you want to be a faithful church, Jesus said, love one another as I have loved you- that is, as a foot-washer! You may not be called to carry a cross for the one sitting next to you... but you are called to wash his or her feet. You are called to love him or her without pretense and to serve your neighbor in the most servant-like ways. Well, you say, I'm never going to do that, and you may not... but Jesus did, and he said, 21) "now that I, your Lord and Rabbi, have washed your feet, you should wash one another's feet. You should do as I have done for you." Why? Because the essence of love is found in its actions, and there is no greater form of love than offering yourself to another. Peter said, "you'll never wash my feet," and Jesus replied, "if I don't wash your feet, you will have no part of me," because to have part of me... you must let me wash your feet, or if you prefer, to put myself out for you... in a vulnerable and humble way. If you can't embrace my foot-washing, how will you ever embrace my cross?
Friends, I am not a great theologian and I have very little interest in church affairs... but I do know this much: without sacrificial love their is no salvation, and whoever claims to be in Christ must live as he did. Actually, I also know that passion is the key to greatness, forgiving is the most liberating thing there is, and Jesus never even hinted that hate is a form of holiness. In the past, I've sometimes blended my Maundy Thursday message with Good Friday... but this year I will let Maundy Thursday speak for itself: if you want to be holy, get out of the judging business and into the forgiveness and foot-washing business!
What people need is forgiveness. They need to be known and loved anyway. They need to be accepted as they are and helped to become all they are called to be. People need to see Christ, and while we need ways of doing things, they must not obscure Christ... or blur his message of grace and possibilities. Based on what Jesus said on earth, we would do well to invite all people and find ways of loving them in sacrificial, sometimes threatening, and non-judgmental ways. If we want to be a Christian church, it seems that we should take our cues from Jesus, who left us a lot of empowering words and marching orders. For instance, as he was dying, he looked into the faces of those who were cursing, mocking and spitting on him... and he said, 1) "Father, forgive them for they don't know what they are doing." In the gospel of John, we find these words, 2) "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone's sins, their sins are forgiven." And when Peter asked him how many times should we forgive one another, Jesus said, 3) "70 times 7." Until the cows come home. Forever and a day. Always. Until the Cubs win a pennant... because loving enough to forgive is at the very heart of God! Can anyone deny that forgiveness lies at the very heart of Godliness?
Have you ever wondered what the Bible would say if we only had the words that Jesus spoke? Well, try it sometime. Read the red letters only, and you will see things like this: 4) follow me and I will make you fisherman of people; 5) I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners; 6) these people worship me in vain. Their teachings are merely human rules; 7) whoever wants to save their live will lose it and whoever loses their life for my sake will save it; 8) whoever welcomes one of these children in my name welcomes me; 9) anyone who gives you a cup of water because you belong to me will not lose their reward; 10) the Spirit of the Lord is on me because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor, to proclaim recovery of sight to the blind, and to set the oppressed free; 11) blessed are the poor for they will inherit the kingdom of God; 12) love your enemies, pray for those who mistreat you, give to everyone who asks, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back; 13) do not judge and you will not be judged; 14) let anyone of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone; 15) you know the commandments, but you lack one thing- go and sell everything you have and give it to the poor; 17) anyone who wants to be the first must be the very last... and the servant of all; 18) whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave to all; 19) the most important commandment is this: love the Lord your God with all of your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength... and the 2nd is this: love your neighbor as yourself. There is no greater commandment than these.
He said these things, and he gathered his disciples around him for one last supper. As you may know, the gospel of John doesn't include the communion verses that you are accustomed to hearing. The other gospels do, but John focuses on foot-washing. Yes, foot-washing because it was an object lesson for the disciples. 20) "Love one another," he said, "As I have loved you," where the words "as I have loved you" are of profound importance. If you want to be a faithful church, Jesus said, love one another as I have loved you- that is, as a foot-washer! You may not be called to carry a cross for the one sitting next to you... but you are called to wash his or her feet. You are called to love him or her without pretense and to serve your neighbor in the most servant-like ways. Well, you say, I'm never going to do that, and you may not... but Jesus did, and he said, 21) "now that I, your Lord and Rabbi, have washed your feet, you should wash one another's feet. You should do as I have done for you." Why? Because the essence of love is found in its actions, and there is no greater form of love than offering yourself to another. Peter said, "you'll never wash my feet," and Jesus replied, "if I don't wash your feet, you will have no part of me," because to have part of me... you must let me wash your feet, or if you prefer, to put myself out for you... in a vulnerable and humble way. If you can't embrace my foot-washing, how will you ever embrace my cross?
Friends, I am not a great theologian and I have very little interest in church affairs... but I do know this much: without sacrificial love their is no salvation, and whoever claims to be in Christ must live as he did. Actually, I also know that passion is the key to greatness, forgiving is the most liberating thing there is, and Jesus never even hinted that hate is a form of holiness. In the past, I've sometimes blended my Maundy Thursday message with Good Friday... but this year I will let Maundy Thursday speak for itself: if you want to be holy, get out of the judging business and into the forgiveness and foot-washing business!
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