PUTTING CHRIST FIRST

      After he was resurrected, (John 11) Jesus' friend, Lazarus, more or less returned to normal life... and Jesus visited him one last time before he came face-to-face with death himself. He and Lazarus were hanging out with the men (and Mary)... when Mary grabbed a pint of expensive perfume and poured it on Jesus' feet, which she then wiped with her own hair! It was a shocking moment on many levels- one that would create quite a stir in any American church today- because it was utterly outrageous. IF she insisted on gathering with the men at all, Mary should've been low-key. She shouldn't have drawn attention to herself, and especially in such a dramatic, vulnerable, even provocative way!
      They were gathered for a fellowship meal... when Mary acted out... in ways that were intimate, scandalous, and most unchurch-like. A woman... on her knees... wiping a man's feet... with her hair... was unthinkable. And then there's the matter of the perfume. It was costly ($6000 today), and it could've been used to feed and clothe the poor. It could've been used to further Jesus' ministries, and even though John (12:1-11) indicts Judas' motives, many church leaders who would have agreed with him, Why did we invest in a new site when our last site was good enough? Why are buying a new piano when we could increase our mission giving? Why would we add staff when we could add to our work in the community? How could any good steward empty a bottle of perfume one man's feet... and feel good about? I am sure that most, if not all, of the men in the room thought that Mary's priorities were misguided... but Jesus championed her cause.
      Yes, we need to be good stewards. Of course, we must feed the poor and clothe the naked and speak truth to power because that is what Jesus did... and Jesus' comment about the poor always being with us... was NOT intended to minimize our mandate to feed them in his name. But Jesus COMES FIRST... and all of our Christian deeds must emanate from our relationship with him. Every faithful Jew knew they were commanded to love their God WITH ALL OF THEIR HEART, MIND, SPIRIT, and with THE VERY ESSENCE OF THEIR BEING... because God comes first! Jesus himself noted that those who put their hands to the plow and look back... are not fit for the kingdom. Jesus also noted that those who refuse to pick up their crosses and follow him... will lose their lives, and it is also clear that God must come BEFORE THE GOOD THINGS IN OUR LIFE. Anyone of us who calls him or herself a Christian... can put Jesus ahead of the bad things in our lives. Some of us can even put Jesus ahead of money... but Jesus insists on being more important to us than things like family and country!
      Friends, Lent is about Jesus. It is about his journey to Calvary and his Lordship in our lives. It is not about church meetings, giving up a bad habit for awhile, and any ministry that we adore. It is about Jesus... and embracing him as our Lord and Savior! Of course, we go to church and collect money for the poor. Of course, we invest in Bible studies and projection screens and church signs. Obviously, if we are to call ourselves Christian at all, we must do all that he commanded us to do... BUT THE ONLY APPROPRIATE RESPONSE TO CHRIST HIMSELF IS WORSHIP! Bravo, Mary, gut gemacht

THE POWER OF FELLOWSHIP MEALS

      Some people call it "Eucharist;" some call it the "Lord's Supper;" some call it "Communion," but all would agree that it's a SACRED MEAL.
      Some people believe that, in ways they do not understand, the loaf and the cup become the very body and blood of Christ; some believe that this is true DURING the meal, but that before and after the Sacrament, the bread and wine are merely bread and wine; some people believe that, in a mysterious way, Christ offers them SPIRITUAL food when they gather for His supper; some believe that the Lord's Supper is about remembrance... but for me, Communion has always been a sacred fellowship meal... in which we are united with Christians in all times and places... as we encounter our God.
      In a lesser way of course, meals are always "sacred." They are always relational and, in many ways, intimate, and throughout the ages, in every culture, fellowship meals have been moments of grace, healing, and understanding. It is no accident that the people of God often gathered for feasts, and it is no accident that Abraham (Gen. 18) hurried to prepare a meal for his three visitors. Likewise, it is not surprising that Zacchaeus repented as he broke bread with Jesus... and that Peter  (John 21) was given the opportunity to express his deep love for Jesus in a fellowship meal. I have known Lutherans, Presbyterians, and Methodists, and I know that they all love to eat together. They love their church luncheons and their potlucks because they give them a chance to express their love for one another... and an opportunity to grow in their faith... together. Meals give us cause for gratitude... as we share stories with loved ones... and they give us a sense of  connectedness because we know that we did not create, grow, or butcher the food we eat. We encounter and honor our God at the table- in Jesus' time, no respectable person would have broken bread without giving thanks to their God- and our meals also give us occasion to celebrate our Lord's generosity... because instead of feeding us manna or broccoli, he feeds us with the finest cuisine. Meals shared together are also one of the last bastions of grace-filled time... because they give us respite from the competitive, combative, distrusting, and relentless world that we live in.
      For the Reformers, the Word of God- the Sermon- became the primary way of expressing God's grace and they erected big pulpits and put them in the middle of the chancel. The Word, expressed and taught, became the hallmark of the Protestant church... but it has never replaced the transforming encounter that many people experience in the breaking of the bread. Nor was it ever intended that one would replace the other. When Cleopas (Luke 24:13ff) walked the Emmaus Road with his friend, Jesus joined them, and he interpreted Scripture for them as they walked along.  They listened to Jesus opine on Scripture (Old Testament) for some time it seems, and according to Luke, their hearts "were stirred" as they listened... but it was IN THE BREAKING OF THE BREAD that they recognized him... as God's Christ!
      May God give us the grace to share our bread with others, may he give us the courage to feed... and eat with the hungry... and may he give us eyes... to see him as he sits at our table. May the Word of God stir our hearts... and may our souls be filled when he offers himself to us! Amen.

16 SPIRITUAL TRUTHS... FOR LENT AND LIFE

To:  My grandson, Archer and my great-grandson,Donald Ray
RE; Spiritual Advice from Poppy

Dear boys, if you ever consider, or begin, a spiritual journey... keep the following 16 observations in mind. I have found them to be important in my own life... and they may be helpful to you... especially if you choose to give your heart and will to God.

1)  There is no spiritual journey without surrender! A life based on self will leave you empty;
2)  You are (or will become) what you believe. Beliefs matter;
3)  Yesterday is dead; tomorrow is God's; today is yours... so embrace it with joy;
4)  Read the Bible... and remember that it is speaking to you;
5)  You cannot give what you do not have... so fill yourself with all that is good and lovely;
6)  Doubt is NOT the opposite of faith. And is often leads to greater faith;
7)  Grace is FREE. Period;
8)  Don't complicate or reject simple truths;
9) "Believing is seeing;"because the greatest things in life cannot be seen or measured;
10) Make two lists every day-an honest assessment of yourself and a gratitude list;
11) Prayer is God-talk, and your relationship will not survive without it;
12) There is no white/black.. or any other label that divides us... in Christ! All are welcome;
13) If you can see the Image of God in others, you will treat them with the greatest respect;
14) If you want to be Christ-like, forgive someone;
15) Be wary of sin. It will always keep you longer and cost you more than you expected;
16) Resentment is a spiritual cancer. Avoid it like the plague!

      There are many other factors that will affect your spiritual walk, but these are 16 of the things that I have found to be helpful and true.

Poppy
2/20/2016

WOMEN, KIDS & SIMPLETONS

      In a message entitled, "God So Loved," Wm. Willomon wrote: "Go ahead and admit it (preachers),...Lent is your favorite season of the year. Children love Christmas, missionaries love Epiphany, charismatics get turned on by Pentecost... but for preachers, nothing beats Lent. Go ahead and admit it. You love it. For six weeks," Willomon said, "We preachers are given license to do what we would do all year if we could- breast-beating, belittling, berating. And the beautiful part," he concluded, "is that the people love it too." Well, maybe. I'm not sure because I've always been blinded by God's grace... but maybe people do love "fire and brimstone."
      But Lent is not about "hell-fire and brimstone," and it is not about what we've done or how we feel. It's about what God has done, and at it's heart, Lent demands a choice. Will we serve Christ... or the lesser gods of this world? Will we "let go" or will we continue to carry our burdens? The choice is ours, but it's not easy- in part because we're in love with the life we know... and in part, because Jesus asks too much of us. We know, especially if we're religious, that Jesus is carrying a cross... and we don't want to be anywhere near him! The problem is the cross... and in our not believing that it is the gateway to life. It's the cross that holds us back, isn't it? The Apostle Paul put it well 2000 years ago- the cross, he said, is a "stumbling block" to the Jews and "foolishness" to the Greeks. It is foolish to believe in a suffering God. It's foolish to believe that we gain our lives by losing them, and it is foolish to think that we'll be free when we take on His yoke. It doesn't make sense! It's crazy, in fact. Suicidal... and we want no part of it. We may go to church, but we won't carry a cross. We may be a deacon, but we won't give up control.
      Kings don't hang from crosses. God's don't get crucified. Everyone knows that... except the very gullible and the foolish. Many years ago, the Dutch priest and theologian, Erasmus, noted that smart and worldly men have little to do with God, and he concluded, "The very young and the very old, and the simpletons... take the greatest delight in holy things, and they are always found nearest the altar." Only women, children, and the simple-minded... would stand along a rode and wave palms as a man rode by on a donkey. Only those who have nothing else to lose would cry out, "Lord, remember me," and only those who have eyes of faith... can see freedom in the cross.
      My first spiritual mentor was a strong Catholic living in Omaha, and he helped me take my first steps of faith. "Ken," he said, "No one has ever been too stupid to embrace God, but legions of people.. have been too smart." Many people are too cynical, too clever, too "scientific" to discover that life can only be lived fully "in Christ." They are too complicated to "let go." They just can't do it... and heaven cries for them, It's Lent... and we have the opportunity to be a Christian- as in one who has chosen to follow Christ. Christians are those who have chosen to pick up their crosses and follow him all the way to the end. They are with him when he touches the untouchable... and they are with him when he sets his face to Jerusalem. They are there when he cries, "I thirst," and they will be with him when he dances on his grave.
      I'm not a kid anymore, and I've never been a woman. So, I guess that makes me a "simpleton." Maybe so, but I thank God everyday... that I wasn't as smart as I thought I was!

WHO DO YOU SAY THAT I AM?

Jesus and his disciples went on to the villages around Caesarea of Philippi. And on the way he questioned his disciples, saying, "Who do people say I am"" And they answered, "John the Baptist, and others say Elijah, but others say, "one of the prophets." And he said to them, "WHO DO YOU SAY THAT I AM?" And answering, Peter said, "You are the Christ." (Mark 8:27ff)

      "Who do you say that I am?" "Who do YOU say that I am?" THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION THAT ANY ONE OF US WILL EVER BE ASKED.
      We are engaged in a series of the Bible's great questions, and I truly believe that they are all great. However, the question before us now- who do you say that I am- is the most important... because our hope, our promise, and out entire reason for being rests on Jesus' identity! Unlike religions that espouse a philosophy or a world view, Christianity is based on one man's sanity. Unlike religions that are bigger than their founders, Christianity is based solely on Jesus' claim to be God's Christ. IF Jesus did empty himself of divinity and come to earth to save our souls, he is a God with unlimited love. If Jesus actually atoned for our sins at Golgotha, then we are free in the most profound sense of the word. IF Jesus really did dance on his grave, then we will dance on ours, and if Jesus really did send His Holy Spirit to us, there is no power on earth that is our equal.
      BUT... if he didn't- if his words aren't true- we are the most pitied of people. If Jesus simply offered some sweet ideas before the forces of the world took his life, we are neither saved nor empowered, and if Jesus was not God Incarnate, then the story about God walking among us... is a lie! No less a man than C.S. Lewis said that Jesus is either a madman,,, on the level of someone who thinks he is an apple... or he is God. Lewis insists that Jesus didn't give us any middle ground... and that we are NOT allowed to identity him as a "good teacher," an "inspiring" leader, or a prophet, or a radical agent of change. We can't settle for these descriptions because Jesus claimed to be much more. He said that he is the resurrection. He said that he will come again and take us to himself. He said that those who believe in him will never die... and if these claims are not true, we can only conclude that Jesus was either delusional or a liar. Someone who says that he is God, when in fact, he is not... is not good in any sense of the word!
      We can attend church for a number of reasons. Perhaps our family has always attended there, perhaps we're trying to make sure that our kids make good friends, perhaps we need a friend or two, perhaps the church offers us a little power, perhaps we like the buffet afterwards. There are many reasons for churchgoing... but there is only one reason for carrying our cross behind the Nazarene... and that is this: Jesus emptied himself of divinity, came to earth, and carried his cross to atone for our sins... which he did on Cavalry's Hill ...and rose from his grave three days later in victory over both sin and death. Then, he appeared to Mary of Mandala, and to Cephas, and to the 12, and then to many- asking them to receive his Spirit and commanding them to make disciples of all nations.
      If all this is true- true enough to stake one's life and eternity on- then all knees must bow and every tongue must confess him as Lord. But if it's not true...I would rather go golfing. Midway through the gospel of Mark, Jesus asked his disciples to tell him who people said that he was... and now... at this moment, he asks each of us- WHO DO YOU SAY THAT I AM? Answer it for yourself! You must answer it, of course, because no answer is an answer... and when, like Thomas, you cry out, "My Lord and My God," your life will take on a meaning that you never he dreamed of!