Easter

There is No Eye in Team Jesus

/ JJS / 1 Comment

1461355487367[1]Today’s readings (click below to open in new tab/window):
Psalms 96; 148, Exodus 34:18-35, 1 Thessalonians 3:1-13, Matthew 5:27-37

One of the challenges of being an original disciple of Christ might have been figuring out when Jesus wanted to be taken literally, and when he was exaggerating to make a point. The book of Acts and the letters of Paul don’t tell any stories of one-handed, one-eyed evangelists, so they seem to have assumed the latter when he said: “if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away” and “if your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away.”

Jesus was not advocating self-mutilation.

He was telling us to remove from our lives anything that leads us toward sin and away from God. His choice of imagery tells us this process may be painful, and that we may be called to separate ourselves from things we hold dear. If “it is better for you to lose one of your members than for your whole body to go into hell,” surely we can examine our own lives for obstacles we need to remove.

Maybe we need to free ourselves from an addiction. Or maybe our words are wicked with gossip. Is there a relationship we prioritize above our faith? Do we love the sound of jingling coins too much to give them away? Tongues, loins, ears … Jesus could have used any body parts to make his point that no matter how painful it seems in the short term, we must give up things – no matter how treasured or vital they seem – that hold us back from entering fully into the life he offers.

Christ isn’t condemning us for every errant thought or desire, which would be impossible to eliminate; rather he is asking us to be accountable for our own intentions, which we are quite capable of examining and controlling. Every bad habit and unhealthy behavior we lop off makes room for a more abundant life. When our spirits are unburdened, our hands, feet, and eyes – all our parts – are unlikely to betray us. As backwards as it may seem, sometimes we must cut parts away to find wholeness.

Comfort: Jesus doesn’t ask us to do the impossible …

Challenge: … but sometimes he asks us to do the difficult and unpleasant.

Prayer: Lord, take from me what you must, so you may give me what I need. Amen. 

Discussion: What have you prioritized above your relationship with God?

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Pass the Peace

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Helping hand shakes another in an agreement

Today’s readings (click below to open in new tab/window):
Psalms 47; 147:12-20, Exodus 34:1-17, 1 Thessalonians 2:13-20, Matthew 5:21-26

Most church services include The Passing of The Peace (or a similarly named practice). At that time, members of the congregation greet each other with phrases such as “The peace of Christ be with you.” Depending upon the denomination and character of the congregation, the greeting may be anything from a brief handshake with your immediate neighbors to several minutes of walking around the sanctuary hugging everyone you’re happy to see again. Liturgically it is usually placed shortly before the offering. Do you know the scriptural reason for this ritual?

Jesus told his disciples:

So when you are offering your gift at the altar, if you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift.

– Matthew 5:23-24

The intent of passing peace is not to greet people because we are happy to see them, but to reconcile with the people we are probably less than happy to see. Imagine a moment in church where approaching someone, or being approached, was an admission of conflict. Not a very comfortable situation, is it? But Christ advises us to make amends quickly so we can offer our gifts without judgment hanging over our heads. Note that Jesus makes no distinction about whether we are in the right or the wrong – just that we need to be willing to take the first step toward reconciliation.

Jesus repeatedly emphasizes the connection between our willingness to forgive others, and our ability to be forgiven. In the next chapter of Matthew he teaches us to pray The Lord’s Prayer, which includes the line: “Forgive us our debts as we have also forgiven our debtors.” And in the next chapter he tells his followers: “Do not judge, or you too will be judged.” No offering, no matter how generous or perfect, makes up for the grudges we bear. We don’t have to accept, condone, or forget – we may even be called to offer loving correction – but Jesus makes one thing clear: we must forgive.

Comfort: Christ’s path is one of love, truth, peace, and reconciliation.

Challenge: When you “pass the peace,” pass it somewhere it hasn’t been in a while.

Prayer: Loving God, forgive my sins as I forgive those who sin against me. Amen.

Discussion: Whom do you need to forgive? Can you do it before Sunday?

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The Nitty Gritty

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ourappeal

Today’s readings (click below to open in new tab/window):
Psalms 99; 147:1-11, Exodus 33:1-23, 1 Thessalonians 2:1-12, Matthew 5:17-20

In many ways, our culture teaches us to win at all costs. From underhanded but effective political tactics to reality television featuring treacherous alliances and double-crosses, we can easily find ourselves celebrating victory more than integrity. For Paul it was not so: he trusted the integrity of his message was itself enough to bring people to Christ. Yet even the church can succumb to a little bait and switch, exaggerating joys and minimizing challenges to get people in the doors.

When we try to make ourselves seem better than we are, ironically we undermine the Good News. “Sunday Best” doesn’t refer only to our attire – we bring our best attitudes, best behavior, and best versions of our lives. We often assume that everyone else’s “best” presentation of their lives is the whole truth when in reality they may be struggling as badly or worse than we are. Together we perpetuate the myth that Christians must be eternally cheerful and optimistic. The danger in all this window dressing is the subtle message that Jesus Club is meant for those who have it together, or who can get it together. Not only do we miss opportunities to support one another, we intimidate others from trying to join the body. Eventually the false front crumbles under the weight of our collective repression, and the world sees us as hypocrites.

What a relief it would be to share the gospel as Paul did! He admitted to being exhausted, mistreated, and quarrelsome. He bore his sufferings and flaws as a testament to Christ’s presence in his life. His message spoke to broken people who needed to know Christ … because he admitted he was broken and needed Christ. And not simply past-tense broken, but presently broken and constantly being saved. That friend undergoing an ugly divorce just might be more interested in hearing about how Jesus is with you as you battle depression than about the Jesus who blessed the congregation with the best bake sale turnout ever. When we stop showing people the Jesus we think they want to see, and show them the real Jesus in the trenches with us, the message is more than enough.

Comfort: God already knows your true self, so there’s no sense in hiding it from anyone else.

Challenge: Share your authentic self with your church family or faith community. In what ways does it help you, and in what ways does it help them?

Prayer: God of truth, I present my authentic self to you, knowing you are the answer to all my brokenness, and ask you to use it for your glory. Amen.

Discussion: In what ways does being honest about your life help you, and in what ways does it help others?

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Lightly Salted

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salt

Today’s readings (click below to open in new tab/window):
Psalms 98; 146, Exodus 32:21-34, 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10, Matthew 5:11-16

Has anyone born in America since 1920 not heard “This Little Light of Mine?” The lyrics are based on Christ’s words to his disciples: “Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.” He tells them a shining city on a hill cannot be hidden, and a lamp hidden under a bushel is useless. He also tells them salt with no flavor has no purpose. Christ wants his followers to let the world see what God has done for and through us.

Progressive Christians can be tempted to put a dimmer switch on that lamp. We don’t want to be confused with “those” Christians who embarrass us (as though they aren’t part of the same body beloved by Christ), and find ourselves preaching only to the progressive choir – who don’t raise their voices too loudly either. We are more comfortable with sentiments like St. Francis’s “Preach the Gospel at all times; use words if you have to,” sometimes clinging to them so tightly any hint of good news is squeezed out. Some strong progressive voices like Sojourners and the United Church of Christ are reaching out to the larger culture, but by and large we are merely … polite.

Of course there is a balance. Light illuminates, but it also blinds. A sprinkling of salt enhances a dish, but an entire mouthful makes us ill. However we share Christ’s message, our intent should never be to overwhelm or obliterate, but to add love and faith to beautifully season what is already there. God has declared His creation good, so it’s not our job to point out what we believe to be everyone’s flaws, but rather to share with them the good news. We all need reminded of how beloved we are, because believing that can be almost impossible for some of us. Once that belief is solid, we shine from the inside out.

Don’t be afraid to let your light shine, because it will kindle the light in others. Don’t let your salt lose its flavor, because once others get a taste they’ll crave more.

Comfort: Your faith is worth showing people!

Challenge: Allow Christ’s light to shine through you into dark places without turning it on people like an interrogation lamp.

Prayer: God of love and light, thank you for all your good works. May others see them shine through me! Amen. 

Discussion: Are you ever tempted to “dim” your light? Or the reverse: blinding people with it? How might you change?

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Blessed are those…

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Today’s readings (click below to open in new tab/window):
Psalms 97; 145, Exodus 32:1-20, Colossians 3:18-4:6 (4:7-18), Matthew 5:1-10

Today’s passage from Matthew is commonly known as The Beatitudes. The word “beatitude” means supreme blessedness or happiness. Jesus is telling the people that God does not just sympathize with those who struggle, but places them first.

The words of The Beatitudes are famous well beyond Christian circles. “Blessed are the meek” and “Blessed are the peacemakers”  would be cliché if they weren’t still radical statements.

The Beatitudes describe a world where an oppressive imperial society (Roman or otherwise) is turned upside down by God’s love. We perceive them as blessings, but to anyone holding or seeking power over others, they are almost threatening. No wonder Jesus warns us those who benefit from the status quo or fear God’s justice will revile and persecute and slander the faithful: his message says that not only is their power illusory, they are ultimately irrelevant to us because our only dependence is on God.

Some critics of Christianity use texts like The Beatitudes to paint Christians as passive and long-suffering. The meek, the mournful, the poor, and the hungry – not anyone most of us would aspire to be. Even the merciful, the pure in heart, and the peacemakers can be caricatured as mere do-gooders or pacifiers.

The truth is, each of these states represents an active engagement in the world and a refusal to accept less than the fullness of God. Mourning is not mere sadness, but grappling with a world steeped in pain. Meekness is a choice of community over self. Peacemaking is a dangerous profession – ask any police officer called to a domestic dispute.

The Beatitudes spell out how we are to be in the world but not of it. We are not called to suffer for suffering’s sake, but may be called to do so when life in the kingdom of God clashes with the expectations of the world. How such persecution can be a blessing is a mystery, but no more a mystery than how the world can turn a deaf ear to God’s call to justice and love. Which of these mysteries do we want to live in?

Comfort: God’s ways are not the world’s ways. The poor in spirit have the kingdom of heaven.

Challenge: What do you think it means to be poor “in spirit?” Read this article and have a conversation with friends about it.

Prayer: Lord, I depend only on you for my spiritual wealth, only on you to satisfy my hunger for justice. Amen.

Discussion: How might it be spiritually dangerous to assume we are persecuted simply because we are Christian?

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Praise the Lord!

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Today’s readings (click below to open in new tab/window):
Psalms 93; 150, Exodus 28:1-4, 30-38, 1 John 2:18-29, Mark 6:30-44

Our relationship with God, like any relationship, can grow complicated and cluttered. Once in a while it is good to lay aside prayer requests, theology, and Bible study and focus on simple praise. Even prayers of thanks draw focus back to our own needs. We need to praise God for nothing other than being God. Such praise reminds us why we love God to begin with, and helps us settle firmly back into the foundations of our relationship.

If we can get to church and are inclined to do so, corporate praise and worship can move us even further outside ourselves. The atmosphere and music can kick-start the praise experience in a way we may not be able to accomplish alone. While we are just as close to God while at work or in front of the television, a good praise service can help us feel that closeness in more intense ways, and maybe help reset our attitude for the week.

If we don’t attend church, other resources are available. We can find praise music in almost any style we like. Actually sing – it’s the difference between praising and listening to someone else do it. If singing is not our thing, or if we want a more varied experience, the Psalms are rich with words of praise. Today’s selected Psalms are great examples (particularly 150 and 117). Becoming familiar with the Psalms is a great way to learn resources not just for praise, but for any type of prayer – the Psalms walk us through all conditions of life. If you aren’t yet familiar with the Psalms, the last five (146-150) are almost pure praise. They were written to be sung, so at least read them boldly aloud. Proclaim them!

If none of these suggestions meet your needs, find a manner of praise that works for you. Dance. Raise your hands and bow your head. Shout “Hallelujah”! The important thing to keep in mind is that the experience should be outwardly focused toward God and the glory of what God is and does. Praise plants us firmly, rights our perspective, and refreshes our souls.

Comfort: Praise is something you can do any time, any place.

Challenge: Is your praise time focused on who God is, or what God has done for you? The difference is subtle, but important.

Prayer: Lord of all Creation, I praise and bless your name. Your steadfast love endures forever. Amen!

Discussion: What is your favorite form of praise?

Evening Psalms: 136, 117

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The Seat of Mercy

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Today’s readings (click below to open in new tab/window):
Psalms 92; 149, Exodus 25:1-22, Colossians 3:1-17, Matthew 4:18-25

The LORD said to Moses: Tell the Israelites to take for me an offering; from all whose hearts prompt them to give you shall receive the offering for me.
– Exodus 25:1-2

The Ark of the Covenant was a container built to hold the tablets of the Ten Commandments, God’s first laws for Israel. Its golden cover, with grand cherubim sculpted into either end, was called the Mercy Seat. The Mercy Seat was where God was present in the center of his people, and where sacrifices were offered for atonement of the sins of the people. All the gold for the Ark, as well as materials for the tabernacle (portable temple) which housed it – other precious metals, fine fabrics, gems, leather, spices, etc. – were collected voluntarily from people whose hearts were moved to give. This was a special kind of generosity since the people of the nation of Israel had only the possessions they had taken with them when they fled Egypt, and were a wandering, exiled people without other resources or trading partners. Each contribution was a meaningful sacrifice. What a wonderful metaphor: God’s dwelling place is created by the generosity of the community.

The Ark was secured in the innermost part of the tabernacle, and later in the temple at Jersualem, called the Holy of Holies. Only high priests were permitted to be in the presence of the Ark, and each year on the Day of Atonement they would sprinkle sacrificial blood on the Mercy Seat. Flash Forward a few centuries and in the outermost part of the temple we would find the money-changers whose presence offended Jesus so much that he drove them out with a whip. What started with the generosity of the people had become a place for the powerful to exploit the poor.

Offering himself as the ultimate sacrifice, Christ fulfilled the law and made the Mercy Seat obsolete. His was the blood of the new covenant, shed for all. We are no longer separated from God by law, but redeemed to him by love. As Paul taught the Colossians, in Christ there is no male or female, Greek or Jew, slave or free … inside the Holy of Holies or outside; all are equal members of the Body of Christ. Together, through our generosity and love, we are tasked with building a holy place, more precious than gold, with this new covenant at its center.

Comfort: God dwells among us.

Challenge:  When you can, work toward reconciliation.

Prayer: Loving God, I thank you for the sacrifice of Jesus the Christ. Make me a worthy bearer of his covenant. Amen.

Discussion: What divisions do you observe among the body of Christ? Conservative or liberal? Catholic or Protestant? Others?

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Keep It Simple

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complicated simple

Today’s readings (click below to open in new tab/window):
Psalms 96; 148, Exodus 24:1-16, Colossians 2:8-23, Matthew 4:12-17

Religion is painfully easy to exploit. We all want answers, and when someone confidently claims to have them, many people will listen. That’s why trends like the prosperity gospel, which teaches wealth is God’s will for us, are so appealing. They describe a formula for us to follow – the rights prayers, words, and (most importantly) tithes – and tell us it will resolve into the answers we seek. Whether it’s The Secret, Bible codes, or calculating the day of the rapture, answers – even false ones – are more reassuring than questions.

In Paul’s day the trends among the faithful included angel worship, following visions, and mortification of the flesh (self-inflicted denial and abuse of one’s body). He warned the Colossians to avoid such distractions, as they were human creations which did not serve God. Many of the faithful – who had given up physical idols – made spiritual idols of Sabbath rituals, dietary restrictions, etc. and spent more energy fretting over them than on the love and salvation of Christ. Paul declared these practices “of no value in checking self-indulgence;” to the contrary, they were self-indulgent displays of insincere piety.

Faith is not a magic decoder ring unlocking the secrets of the universe. Any religion or denomination that claims to teach us the secret spiritual handshake to get into Club Jesus does not serve God. Certainly we need to know to love God with our whole beings, and our neighbors as ourselves, but this information is handed out freely on Sunday mornings and in hotel nightstands across the country. Prayers, no matter how powerful or specific, are not magic spells and there are no get-blessed-quick schemes. Faith is trusting God to see us through every situation, good or bad.

Let’s keep our faith simple, while remembering even simplicity can become an idol. When Christ died the curtain in the Temple was torn in half, so all might know God is not contained only in hidden places where others can permit or deny us access. God is most available to us when we stop telling Him – and others – where He should be found.

Comfort: God is not hidden in secret places; God dwells all around and within us.

Challenge:  Avoid the temptation to treat faith as a means to an end.

Prayer: Creator, Redeemer, Counselor … thank you for your abiding presence. Teach me to turn to you above all others. Amen.

Discussion: Do you have any religious practices which might not exactly serve God?

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Temptation Situation

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Today’s readings (click below to open in new tab/window):
Psalms 47; 147:12-20, Exodus 20:1-21, Colossians 1:24-2:7, Matthew 4:1-11

A friend once said no matter how obviously stupid a behavior is, if there’s a law against it someone has tried it. So the Baltimore, Maryland law against taking a lion to the movies really gives one pause. A more sobering example, child labor laws exist because not enough people found it otherwise important not to exploit children. My friend also said if we passed a law against drinking bleach, Clorox speakeasies would pop up everywhere. It can be hard to tell whether rules were made to be broken, or  made for the broken.

After God announced the Ten Commandments at Mount Sinai, the people of Israel fled from the foot of the mountain and begged Moses not to let God speak to them directly. They said they feared hearing God’s voice would kill them, but it probably also shamed them. Indirectly God was saying: “I know what’s in your hearts: murder, adultery, theft. Just don’t.” When Moses said God was trying to put fear into them so they would not sin, he really meant fear. Sometimes it’s all that keeps us in line.

Whether or not we are optimistic about human nature, Jesus demonstrates we can be better. Preceding his ministry, he fasted in the desert for forty days. Afterward, when he was at his weakest, the devil tried to tempt him.

Turn the stones to bread?
Man lives on every word from the mouth of God. 

Prove yourself by leaping off this cliff and letting angels save you?
Don’t test the Lord.

Worship me and rule all you see?
Worship no one but God.

Jesus said these things were written, and they were, but except for the third they weren’t hard and fast rules. There was no law about turning stones to bread, no specific definition of testing the Lord. Christ consistently showed us obedience to the law was only the beginning of being faithful to God. He tells us love is stronger than fear. He invites us to be more than followers of law, but lovers of God and humankind. When love trumps fear, obedience is not a burden but a joy.

Comfort: Everyone is tempted. We can depend on Christ to help us resist.

Challenge: We like to believe willpower should be enough to handle temptation, and can be pretty hard on ourselves when we feel we’ve failed. Read this article on the limitations of willpower and how to make real change.

Prayer: Gracious God, thank you for loving me enough to set rules, and trusting me enough to live beyond them. Teach me to rely on your love to make good and just choices. Amen.

Discussion: How can you implement the principles you read about in the challenge link?

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The Message Is The Same

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Today’s readings (click below to open in new tab/window):
Psalms 99; 147:1-11, Exodus 19:16-25, Colossians 1:15-23, Matthew 3:13-17

There’s an old marketing belief that prospective customers need to hear your message seven times before they become interested in your product. Given the scene at Mount Sinai in the days preceding God’s arrival, God may have been a marketing major. As God descended the mountain hidden by a thick cloud, He told Moses to keep the people off the mountain, lest they be destroyed by the very sight of God. Moses seemed a little confused when he replied: “The people are not permitted to come up to Mount Sinai; for you yourself warned us, saying, ‘Set limits around the mountain and keep it holy.'” The gist of God’s response was: “OK. Go get your brother. And keep the people off the mountain.”

God’s warning wasn’t a threat; to the contrary, He was concerned with the welfare of the people. The destruction was not a consequence of His wrath, but His mere presence. If this scene had been written for a movie today it would surely foreshadow someone’s ill-conceived attempt to approach the mountain, but Exodus doesn’t mention anyone disobeying the warning.

When Jesus asked John the Baptist for baptism, John was reluctant because he felt unworthy, but he quickly consented. “And when Jesus had been baptized […] suddenly the heavens were opened to him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, ‘This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.'” Quite the contrast to Sinai, isn’t it?

Hearing from God can be terrifying, or it can be exhilarating. It’s terrifying when we realize charging that mountain may mean, for our own good, utter destruction of life as we live it. But when we’ve submitted ourselves to God, as John the Baptist had, God’s voice is reassuring and life-giving. Our perception depends very much on whether we are open to receiving the message … but the message is the same either way. God is always calling us to new life. Are we being dragged uphill against our will, or are we enjoying the mountain view?

Comfort: God’s message is always one of love…

Challenge: … but we may need to do some work before we can hear it.

Prayer: Loving God, thank you for always reaching out to me. I will do my best to answer your call willingly and enthusiastically. Amen.

Discussion: Do you feel God speaks to you? If so, how?

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