gospel

Roots and Branches

/ JJS / Leave a comment

falling in

Today’s readings:
Psalms 99; 147:1-11, Micah 7:7-15, Acts 3:1-10, John 15:1-11

One afternoon, Peter and John were walking to the temple to pray. At the gate known as the Beautiful Gate, they encountered a man who had been lame from birth. Every day people would lay this man at the entrance to the gate, where he would beg for alms (donations). When Peter and John asked the man to look at them, he expected they would give him something. Instead, they healed him in the name of Jesus of Nazareth. The man then “entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God.”

The people who laid the man by the gate and the people who offered him alms were decent souls. They did what they could to help someone in need, but they never quite improved his situation. Peter and John, empowered by Jesus, finally addressed the root cause of his misfortune.

As the Body of Christ, are we content to treat symptoms, or do we want to find cures? Do we want to pass out sandwiches and blankets to the homeless, or do we want to tackle the injustices which create poverty? It’s really not an either/or situation.  Those alms at the Beautiful Gate kept our lame friend alive until someone came along to cure him.

The church has been a body of service since its foundation. Its earliest members pooled their resources to support each other, and also helped the needy in the larger community. What we – the many branches depending on Christ as our life-giving vine – can accomplish together is miraculous. The trick is to remember that worship, charity, justice, and sacrifice are not separate activities, but different names for same love of God. When we serve, we pray. When we show mercy, we praise. When we foster justice, we declare Christ.

Spreading the Gospel means more than telling people they need Jesus. It means doing our best to embody Christ in the world whether we are comforting a friend, building homes on a mission trip, or confronting a corrupt empire. May people always see Christ in us, and may we always see Christ in them.

Comfort: We all have a part to play in spreading the Gospel.

Challenge: Are you playing your part to its fullest?

Prayer: Gracious God, may my every act be one of praise for you. Amen.

Discussion: In what ways do you feel most comfortable sharing the Gospel? Least comfortable?

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The Gospel Dance

/ JJS / Leave a comment

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Today’s readings:
Psalms 119:73-80; 145, Jeremiah 1:11-19, Romans 1:1-15, John 4:27-42

Paul had been evangelizing for almost twenty years before he set his sights on Rome. Several Christian communities were established there, and he intended to visit with them on his way to Spain.  Since the early church was not in agreement on all matters, Paul wrote them a letter to make sure they understood his stance in advance of his arrival. We don’t know for certain whether he ever made it to Spain, but the epistle he wrote to the church in Rome is considered by many to be his masterwork. More than a mere introduction, it builds a rich and complex theology of salvation through Christ.

But Paul knew he didn’t know everything. Near the beginning of the epistle he writes:

For I am longing to see you so that I may share with you some spiritual gift to strengthen you — or rather so that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine.

When we share the gospel, we receive as well as give. Left to our own devices, we can make only so much spiritual progress. Despite our best intentions and discipline, in spiritual isolation our own biases eventually overtake us. Like a self-taught musician or artist, we won’t know what we don’t know. As part of a Christian community, we can challenge and be challenged, grow and foster growth. Reaching across Christian communities only multiplies that growth.

Not everything we have to learn will necessarily come from other Christians. When we share our personal stories and the Gospel story with non-Christians, we learn something from their responses, and also from our reactions to those responses. If someone reacts unexpectedly, negatively, or even violently to our efforts, our commitment to sharing the gospel may be revealed. Do we try to understand why? Do we insist on our own way? Do we examine our approach and motives? Do we resort to force?

The gospel is not a solitary endeavor. Sharing it is not the same as delivering a monologue about it. Letting it unfold between us and someone else is like laying out a dance floor where we move together under the light of Christ to the rhythm of the Spirit.

Comfort: You don’t have to know everything.

Challenge: Don’t be afraid to talk about the gospel with people who differ in good faith.

Prayer: Loving God, let me find the right words and steps to share the Gospel. Amen.

Discussion: Where do you find opportunities to grow your faith by sharing it?

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Evangelize vs. Evange-lies

/ JJS / 1 Comment

fishersofmen

Today’s readings:
Psalms 42; 146, Isaiah 40:25-31, Ephesians 1:15-23, Mark 1:14-28

Evangelists have an image problem.

For many people, both inside and outside the church, the word “evangelist” evokes revival tents packed with fake healings and snake oil salesmen. The world of televangelism, with its shiny suits, big hair, and pledge drives for private jets, hasn’t done them any favors. The stereotype of the modern evangelist doesn’t have much in common with John the Baptist and his camel hair tunic. For as long as we’ve had religion we’ve had people trying to make a buck off faith and fear. That’s not evangelism.

When Jesus recruited his disciples, he did so with an eye toward the future and the evangelizing they would be called to do. Even in his day, people were wary of the clergy. Jesus didn’t start his search among religious leaders: he chose fishermen. These fishermen – Peter, Andrew, James, and John – were men of the world, hard-working businessmen who could get dirty when necessary and be salesmen when needed. If they had good news to spread – news good enough to make them leave their old lives behind – people would listen.

We are all called to evangelize, to spread the good news of the Gospels. Few of us are called to do it from the pulpit. Members of the New Monastic movement do it by becoming part of inner city communities. Jay Bakker – son of infamous televangelists Jim and Tammy – started Revolution Church in a bar where many patrons had fewer addictions, tattoos, and piercings than he did. Some people spread the good news through volunteering to help the elderly prepare income tax statements and others take youth to rebuild after disasters.

Real evangelists exist everywhere; you can recognize them because it’s obvious they’ve dropped their nets to find new lives following Christ.

Saint Francis allegedly said: “Preach the Gospel at all times and when necessary use words.” Less famously he also said:  “If God can work through me, he can work through anyone.” Each of us is equipped to evangelize the moment we have a story to tell.  Whether we share it through words or actions, it is a recognizably true story. The truth eventually withstands all image problems.

Comfort: Thanks to God, you have important truths to share.

Challenge: Ask friends how they’ve seen you share the Gospel; their answers may surprise you.

Prayer: God of the Good News, I will spread your word through the gifts you have given me. Amen.

Discussion: What’s your preferred way to share your faith?

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Sower or Seed?

/ JJS / 1 Comment

Good soil

Today’s readings (click below to open in new tab/window):
Psalms 97; 145, Leviticus 25:35-55, Colossians 1:9-14, Matthew 13:1-16

In the Parable of the Sower, Jesus tells the story of a man who spread seeds on the ground. Some fell on the path, and the birds ate it. Some fell on rocky ground and sprouted, but withered in the heat and blew away with the wind because its roots had nowhere to cling. Some fell among thorns which choked it out. Some fell on good soil and yielded an abundant harvest. The seed is the message of Christ, and the different circumstances represent how well his message is received. Where do you see yourself in this parable?

Are you the earth? If that is the role you identify with, what are you doing (or have you done) to prepare yourself for the message? What are you doing to ensure the message can take root in you and produce abundance? We are each responsible for preparing the soil of our hearts.

Are you the seed? If so, do you feel like you have any control over where you land? When you find yourself in an environment which is inhospitable for your growth, can you go somewhere more suitable? Jesus follows up the parable with an explanation of what circumstances each type of soil represents, so we would do well to avoid them.

Are you the sower? If you are, why do you think you are so indiscriminate  – careless even – about where you sow your seeds? Why aren’t you concentrating on only the best soil so that the harvest is maximized? The sower is not unconcerned with the results (otherwise why sow at all?), but he does not feel responsible for the fate of every handful he scatters.

The beauty of parables is that they really can be all things to all people. At different stages of our lives – maybe even different hours of the day – we could be earth, seed, or sower. Who is to say we might not even be one of the birds snatching the seed up before it takes root? Let us prepare our hearts well, place ourselves wisely, and share the Word with wild, faithful abandon.

Comfort: Wherever you are in life, Christ has a word for you.

Challenge: Resolve to “bloom where you are planted.”

Prayer: Loving God, you spread seeds of faith throughout the world. May they take firm root in us, that we may in turn share spread that faith to others. Amen.

Discussion: With what element(s) of today’s parable do you most identify? What does it feel like to place yourself in the different roles?

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“Not the heart, but the stomach”

/ JJS / 1 Comment

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Today’s readings (click below to open in new tab/window): 
Psalms 43; 149, Genesis 47:27-48:7, 1 Corinthians 10:1-13, Mark 7:1-23

Most of us identify the “self” with the brain or head. Our physical voice resonates inside our skull, so we assign that same voice to our mental life. Hearing our own recorded voice can be shocking; because it differs so greatly from what we expect, the experience can border on identity crisis. However, this sense of identity belonging to the head is not universal. Cultures have placed the self in the heart, the kidneys, and elsewhere. Helen Keller wrote of her pre-lingual existence: “If I had made a man, I should certainly have put the brain and soul in his finger-tips.”

What organs best describe our faith experience?

Do we rely on our gut? Instinct is a fine survival tool, but doesn’t always align with faith. The instinct to fit into our tribe is so strong that we can elevate tribal traditions to immutable laws and ostracize those who don’t follow along. For example, the Jewish people practiced ceremonial hand-washing before meals. It was not a religious law, but a human one. When the Pharisees and scribes accused the disciples of disrespecting tradition by not washing their hands, Jesus pointed out how the religious leaders truly disrespected God by rationalizing away his commands.

The Pharisees relied on brainpower to the detriment of their souls. They allowed some Jews to dodge financial support of their parents – part of God’s command to honor them – by pledging money or property to the temple, thereby making it unavailable for other use. This clever ploy – benefiting both the pledger and the temple – was within the letter of the law, but far from its spirit. The brain may love a faith full of loopholes, but Jesus doesn’t.

Jesus taught faith comes from the heart. Regarding Jewish dietary laws, he said everything that enters the body is destined for the sewer, so it can not defile us, but if our heart generates wickedness, we are defiled from within. Our physical hearts have tremendous influence on our brain function. Our spiritual hearts should similarly influence our minds and guts away from defilement toward true faith and love.

Comfort: Christ’s law is love.

Challenge: It can be easy to vilify the Pharisees and distance ourselves from them. Like us, they were products of their culture. Try reading today’s passage from Mark with some sympathy for the Pharisees and ask yourself what cultural traditions are more important to you than they need to be.

Prayer: Create in me a clean heart, O God. May my mind and will always be in your service. Amen.

Discussion: Have you ever been surprised to learn something you thought had religious roots was only a local tradition?

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The Law, Weakened By The Flesh

/ JJS / 2 Comments

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Today’s readings (click below to open in new window/tab):
Psalms 84; 150, Genesis 44:1-17, Romans 8:1-10, John 5:25-29

Paul’s letter to the Romans builds a complex theological argument slowly and at length, so examining a small piece of it doesn’t give us a flavor of the whole text. That disclaimer aside, let’s consider the following (half) verse: “For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do.” Paul was talking about Christ fulfilling the law in a spiritual way that no mere human ever could. Notice Paul does not judge the law itself, which was given by God, but on how humans managed to corrupt it.

If human beings can corrupt God’s law, imagine what we’ve done with man-made ones.

How many laws and institutions have we elevated to nearly sacred status, only to abuse them from the inside out? Most major Christian denominations we know today exist because people insisted agreement on a specific human interpretation of God’s will was more important than learning to live as Christ’s one body. History has borne bloody witness to the corruption and danger of religions seeking to govern rather than serve.

For many Americans the ideas of democracy and capitalism have mingled with Christianity in an unhealthy way, much like divine right of kings and feudalism have been rationalized in the past. Faith has been used to justify democracy and tyranny, capitalism and socialism. God’s law – fulfilled in Christ – is beyond limited political and economic definitions.

We want Jesus to be on our “side” and can’t imagine that he’s not, but whenever we splice the flesh of  political and economic philosophies onto our faith, we weaken it. When we conflate human laws, constitutions, authorities, and systems with faith in Christ, we tend to mold our Christianity to fit our politics – liberal or conservative – when we should be doing just the opposite. Christian faith must stand outside any government or economy, because we are called to challenge them when they are unjust – and they are all eventually unjust.

All human laws and institutions will fade. The ones we support right now are no exception. If we are going to campaign for something, let it be God’s eternal Kingdom.

Comfort: Jesus has freed us from the obligations of perfection.

Challenge: Work hard to read the Gospel for what it is, not what you’d like it to be.

Prayer: God of justice, I dedicate myself to you before any human institution. Guide my thoughts and actions to serve you and not my own limited perspective. Thank your for the eternal gift of salvation through Jesus Christ. Amen.

Discussion: What political, economic, legal, or other beliefs have you spliced onto your faith? In what ways does that keep you from being open to God’s larger law of love?

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The Devils You Know

/ JJS / 1 Comment

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Today’s readings (click below to open in new tab/window):
Psalms 43; 149, Genesis 43:16-34, 1 Corinthians 7:10-24, Mark 5:1-20

Gospel stories sometimes raise more questions than they answer. While in Gerasene country, Jesus encountered a man living among the tombs because he was possessed by two thousand demons calling themselves Legion. Jesus healed him by driving the demons into a herd of pigs … who then jumped over a cliff into the sea. Now that’s a story that raises an question or two. Was the man actually possessed? Why does no map of that area show a sea? Was anyone reimbursed for the loss of two thousand pigs and a livelihood?

Many people read this story as an allegory about Roman occupation. Its use of “legion” – also a division of two thousand Roman soldiers – and other phrases supports this interpretation.* Given that framework the questions may seem less important, but the story works on multiple levels.

However we understand this story, the reaction of the local people is telling. After Jesus exorcised the man (and drove up the local price of bacon), they reported it to the authorities and “began to beg Jesus to leave their neighborhood.” They treated him more as threat than savior. Despite his demonstration of power over the spiritual realm, fear of their occupiers was greater than their desire to be free. In retrospect we may call them foolish, but human nature often compels us to endure the hardship we know rather than risk the strange, however promising.

Freedom – from demons, from authority, from law – is a scary thing. Like Jesus, it can be wild and unpredictable and ask more of us than we realize we are prepared to give. It can bring down the wrath of those who feel threatened by our freedom, both political and religious. Does that sound overwhelming? When Jesus has presented us with difficult choices between the status quo and the unknown, have we ever asked him to leave the neighborhood? Do we prefer flying under the radar even if it means contributing to our own oppression? Those are the real questions.

Once we are truly free, like the Gerasene demoniac, we can’t imagine going back to life among the dead.

Comfort: It’s OK to be a little intimidated by Jesus. He’ll love you through it.

Challenge: When you feel like ditching Jesus for security, pray for strength.

Prayer: God of freedom, thank you for not leaving me to waste away in the tomb of security, but for breathing fresh, exciting life into me through Jesus. Amen.

Discussion: What unwanted forces “occupy” your spiritual life?

*For more about this topic, see this entry in Father Ted’s Blog, which points to some additional references.

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Healthy Fear

/ JJS / 2 Comments

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Today’s readings (click below to open in new tab/window):
Psalms 22; 148, Genesis 43:1-15, 1 Corinthians 7:1-9, Mark 4:35-41

What words describe your feelings about Jesus? Awe? Love? Gratitude? Comfort? How about… fear? The Bible uses the phrase “fear of God” or “fear of the Lord” to describe the proper reverence we owe God, but Jesus is generally portrayed as more immediate, more understanding, more human. His disciples found him sufficiently charismatic to leave behind jobs, homes, and families and follow him far and wide. He persuaded people through love, not fear. But is there a fearful side to Jesus?

One day Jesus and the disciples were on a boat after a long day of preaching to large crowds when a storm rose. Jesus might have slept right through it, but the disciples were afraid and woke him. He “rebuked the wind, and said to the waves, ‘Quiet! Be still! ‘ Then the wind died down, and it was completely calm.” Afterward the terrified disciples asked each other who this person was, that he commanded nature herself. We might assume such a display would be inspiring, but when someone you think you know turns out to be entirely more powerful than you can understand, it is unsettling. Jesus changed from magnetic preacher to unknown quantity in a heartbeat.

Some disciples must have doubted the safety of continuing to follow this powerful figure. When we study Jesus, do we settle for “Jesus 101” – the introductory course with a benign, almost chummy Jesus? Or do we go for the advanced study: a Jesus who can be intimidating and demanding, but who offers a much richer life? Maybe we can synthesize the two: a Jesus who upends our expectations and draw us into new – sometimes frightening – lives, but loves and supports us through the demands of the new life he offers. When the Jesus who calmed the storm washed his disciples’ feet at the Last Supper, he taught us true power bends itself toward service. How can we not be humbled? Remembering Jesus is more than a companion who walks and talks with us “in the garden” helps us realize the deep reality of who Christ is – and who we can become in him.

Comfort: Jesus is with us to ride out life’s storms.

Challenge: When you are in trouble and it seems Jesus may be “in the stern, asleep on the cushion,” trust he is still faithful to you.

Prayer: God of power and majesty, I am your humble servant. Give me the courage to serve as Jesus served. Amen.

Discussion: When has following Jesus been scary?

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Technical Difficulties

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Today’s readings (click below to open in new tab/window): 
Psalms 27; 147:12-20, Genesis 42:29-38, 1 Corinthians 6:12-20, Mark 4:21-34

“All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are beneficial.

Paul wrote these words to the Corinthian church because its members were twisting his message. They believed they were permitted to sin with abandon because Christ had paid the price to free them from the law, and Corinth was the place to sin big – think New Orleans during Mardi Gras, minus the restraint. Paul had painted himself into a bit of a theological corner; he couldn’t reprimand the people for breaking the law, but would be remiss to let them off on that technicality. So when the Corinthians claimed “all things are lawful” Paul countered with “not all things are beneficial.” If the driving force in our choices is not Christ, we are lost.

We face the same moral perils if we think of salvation in purely personal terms. Right belief does not excuse wrong behavior, even when that behavior is within the law. Throughout history, many legal but immoral things have been practiced by Christians: spousal abuse, genocide, child exploitation, Jim Crow, reparative therapy, etc. We may try to excuse terrible legalities by claiming they were a product of ignorance and era, but Christ’s teachings are timeless. For example, while neither Paul nor Jesus condemned slavery, both spoke against mistreating slaves, who were equally beloved children of God.

And there’s the key: salvation is not just about me, but about Christ’s love for everyone. I may be within my legal rights to exploit a vulnerable person or community. I may call it good business and pat myself on the back for my savvy. I may even sleep soundly in the blanket of my salvation … but have I served Christ as he has commanded me to? Have I willingly sacrificed my own wealth and comfort to serve those who have less than I do – even those I despise? Have I let civil law excuse vice and suppress virtue?

Christ did not have kind words for people who built their faith around legal technicalities. Let’s concentrate on what we can give, and not what we can get away with.

Comfort: Christ has freed us from the law so we can better love.

Challenge: The golden rule is “Do unto others as you’d have them do unto you.” The platinum rule is “Do unto others as they’d have you do unto them.” Let’s follow the priceless rule: “Do unto others as Christ would have you do unto them.”

Prayers: God of grace, thank you for the priceless gift of salvation through Jesus Christ. Make me strong enough to live beyond the law, and to love as you have asked me. Amen.

Discussion: Have you ever gotten away with something on a technicality? How did it feel?

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Seeds of Faith

/ JJS / 1 Comment

good soil

Today’s readings (click below to open in new tab/window):
Psalms 5; 147:1-11, Genesis 42:18-28, 1 Corinthians 5:9-6:11, Mark 4:1-20

Jesus frequently used parables to teach his followers. A parable is more than a story: it illustrates a deeper truth or lesson not easily expressed through more direct instruction. Most of the time Jesus told a parable and left the interpretation to his audience. One benefit of not explaining too much is that people can approach the parable from different angles and identify with different characters. The risk is people failing to understand your message.

For today’s parable about the seeds, however, he unpacks the meaning of the parable (in a somewhat exasperated fashion) to his inner circle. Some landed on rocky ground and were easily uprooted, others landed on scorched earth and withered, and still others were eaten by birds or choked out by thorns. The seeds are the Word, and the type of soil they land on represents the condition of the person receiving the Word. Only a few are standing on good soil where the seed can take root and produce fruit.

We can benefit from Jesus’ explanation by making conscious decisions about what kind of ground we are preparing for the seed. Have you wandered off a righteous path to where the evils of the world can snatch the Word away? Retreat to a community that nurtures your faith. Find yourself on rocky ground that won’t secure you in times of trouble? Till the soil with prayer and study so you will be rooted in the storms. Are you caught in a thorny tangle of worldly concerns that chokes out the Word? Prune them back by simplifying your life to free up time and space to spend in the Word.

Of course making any of these moves from inhospitable soil to a place where we can grow deep roots takes a lot of time and effort. And once we’re there, we can’t lazily wait for a harvest: we still have to do the work of tending the seedlings. A living, growing faith requires care, but as it matures it becomes more self-sufficient. Are we doing what we can to make sure it gets a decent start?

Comfort: You can prepare yourself to better receive Christ’s Word.

Challenge: Imagine yourself as each of the types of soil Christ mentions in this parable.

Prayer: Loving God, thank you for the gift of stories and insight. Please make my heart fertile ground for the seeds Christ offers. Amen.

Discussion: What is your soil like? How can you tend it better?

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