The Most Important Question

Reflections on Mark 8:27-38

“Who do you say I am?” This question that Jesus asked his disciples, and asks each of us, is the most important question we have to answer, because the answer to that question has profound implications on our life, and on our salvation. It is no trivial matter in coming to terms with the identity of Jesus. What a person thinks about Jesus, believes about Jesus, matters.
Some believe Jesus is a wonder-worker, a healer. They look to Jesus as one whom they hope will save them of their problems or bring healing into their life. They are looking for a blessing. They are looking for prosperity. They are looking for a victorious life. They look to Jesus and believe, as Jesus says, “whatever you ask for in my name, I will do it.” Jesus wants to bless us. Jesus wants to give us the victory. We just have to trust Jesus and everything will be all right, because Jesus works miracles. He will give us an abundant life. He is a wonder-worker.
Some believe Jesus is a prophet. He speaks truth to power. He uncovers the hypocrisy of the religious leaders and lifts up the dignity of the downtrodden and discounted. He comforts the afflicted and afflicts the comfortable. He proclaims a call to true holiness based on the heart and not on external appearance or ethnicity. Jesus echoes the message of all the great prophets, calling the people to repent and return to God with a pure heart.
Some believe Jesus is a great teacher. Through his parables he imparts deep spiritual truths that instruct us on how we should live. His wisdom is profound. In Jesus’ teachings we find truth that is purer than gold, that is timeless, and a sure foundation upon which to build one’s life.
When Jesus asked the disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” all the disciples answered. The responses of the people were unbiased. They reflected what they had seen and heard about Jesus. Their opinion of Jesus was not completely correct. The opinions of the masses was only partially true. People in general had impressions of who Jesus was. But they did not have the complete picture.
So it was that Jesus invited his disciples to reflect more deeply by asking them, “But who do you say I am?” That question infers that Jesus is more than what most people believed. And whereas before, all the disciples responded to the question Jesus asked, this time only Peter spoke by saying, “You are the Christ.” God gave Peter that revelation. By God’s grace, Peter was able to confess that Jesus was more than a wonder-worker, more than a prophet, more than a teacher. He is the anointed one, the redeemer, the messiah, the Christ. Making that confession has implications too. If Jesus is the Christ, then the implication would be a desire to follow Him, for the Christ comes to save, to redeem, to lead out of bondage into freedom.
So, if the disciples believe that Jesus is the Christ, then Jesus tells them what the implications are. Jesus says, “If any want to become my followers…” Note here that no one is compelled to follow Jesus. No one is coerced. But each person is free to choose whether or not they will follow Jesus. Along with answering the question, “Who is Jesus,” is the related choice, “Will you follow Him?” If a person, who believes that Jesus is the Christ, desires to follow Him, this is what that person must do.
First, you must deny yourself. The word used for “deny” is the same word used when Peter denied knowing Jesus. When Peter was questioned whether he was one of Jesus’ followers, Peter denied it. He said, “I do not belong with him. I do not know him.” Peter renounced Jesus. He separated himself from any relationship with Jesus. He distanced himself from him. This is what Jesus is demanding of one who would follow him. The follower of Jesus must first renounce himself. You are to distance yourself from yourself. That is, you are to renounce any attachment to your self-interest or selfish desires and ambitions. You are to disregard any notion of what belongs to you, what you deserve, what is in your rights to have. You are to care nothing for your self. How many of us stumble at this beginning point? How many of us are often more concerned about self-preservation, self-interest, for what makes us comfortable? Our self-centeredness is profound and is nourished by a self-centered society. The only way to break out of our selfishness is by the grace of God to assist us. We cannot do it on our own.
Second, you must take up your cross. The cross was the first century version of the lynching tree or the electric chair. It is designed to be a shameful way to die. What does it mean to embrace the first century version of the lynching tree as your lot? When Jesus tells us to take up our cross, it is to be ever mindful of our mortality, and the truth that in the great scheme of things, our deaths will be hardly noticed by anybody. In a way, constantly acknowledging our mortality and our general insignificance in the scope of time helps us put into proper perspective our own self. Why get caught up in your own life, in what you want and desire, when your life is basically meaningless? You can gain the whole world, and you will still die and be forgotten as time rolls on. How much do we resist contemplating our own mortality. How much we refuse to own up to the truth that when we die, most of the world won’t even know we existed, and even those we leave behind, although they will grieve, will pick up and move on in their lives without us. To ponder our mortality is truly depressing. And Jesus says, if you want to follow him, you have to carry your cross, you have to be ever mindful of your own mortality. Only by the grace of God can we get to this second implication of being a follower of Jesus. Disavowing self-interest and acknowledging one’s mortality go hand in hand.
Third, Jesus says that by denying your self, by being mindful of your death that will be unacknowledged by most people, you then follow Jesus. Where is Jesus? Jesus is sitting at the right hand of the Father in heaven. By following Jesus, you eventually end up before the Throne of God. You end up in Paradise. You end up in a place so beautiful, so peaceful, so filled with life, beauty and rapture, that puts all the glories of this world to shame. The greatest riches of this world pale in comparison to the great riches that await those who enter paradise. The end of the journey to where Jesus is, is a glorious end. And as the grace of God helps us deny ourselves, and helps us be mindful of our mortality and general insignificance, so it is by God’s grace that we find ourselves eventually before His Throne. And it is by God’s grace that we will hear those glorious words, “Well done, my good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of your Master.”
If any of you are like me, I’m still stuck on the first requirement of following Jesus. I believe Jesus is the Christ, as I’m sure you all do as well. But my selfishness is deep. I suppose I am not alone. Let this be continually our prayer, that God would forgive us, that God would help us die to ourselves, fill us with the Holy Spirit and with joy, and grant us grace and mercy. If there’s anything we learn from this passage, it is that we cannot save ourselves. We don’t need a miracle worker. We don’t need a prophet. We don’t need a teacher. We need a savior. And Jesus Christ is our savior. And if we are mindful of Christ’s invitation to follow Him, and allow the Holy Spirit to work in us, day by day, year by year, we can hope to slowly deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow him into paradise.

Reflection on Mark 7:24-37

It is one of the more shocking sentences that comes from Jesus’ mouth when he says to the woman, “It is not right to give the children’s bread to the dogs.” It flies in the face of what we think should come out of Jesus’ mouth. We presume Jesus would never say such a thing. But He does, and we are scandalized.
However, this woman has no presumption at all about what Jesus might say. And her humility is truly astounding. How many of us, in her position, would have been discouraged and ashamed and run off after being told this? Or would we perhaps have gotten angry and defensive? She did neither, but willingly admitted that in fact she is a dog, and not a child of God. She makes no claim to have any right to sit at the table. Nor does she presume that this is necessary. She believes that if she could just receive a crumb of blessing, that would be enough.
When Jesus tells her that it is not right to give the bread to the dogs, Jesus is not talking about literal food. The bread he is talking about is spiritual food. It is precious and holy and must be handled with care. She understood that she was not deserving of, nor could lay claim, to this spiritual food, this bread that Jesus provides. She is fully aware of how precious this bread is and would not presume to eat of it or be served it. She does not demand a seat at the table. She knows that if she just had a crumb that fell from the table, that would be enough to heal her daughter. It’s just like the woman with the hemorrhage, that believed, “If I just touch the hem of His garment, I will be healed.” It is like the centurion who sought the healing of his servant, who said to Jesus, “I am not worthy that you enter my house, just say the word and I know he will be healed.” In these three people, they display a deep sense of humility and show no sign of presumption regarding what Jesus might do for them. They are great examples to emulate, that we too might have that same humility and guard ourselves from being presumptuous of God’s favor.
But note this, although the woman was extremely humble and placed no demands on Jesus, she also was bold in her request and self-possessed enough to respond to Jesus’ words with great clarity. She was humble and courageous, not presuming any blessing yet persistent when first denied. We also should develop this capacity in ourselves in our relationship with God, and perhaps with others, to be both humble and courageous, to presume nothing yet be bold and persistent in asking for help from those who we believe can help us or those we love, and to ask for help from God who can do all things.
What is common in both healing stories is that the one who is ill needs someone to pray on their behalf, to go and ask Jesus to heal them. The little child could not speak for herself, nor could the deaf-mute man. They were dependent on the advocacy of others. Not everyone who is ill has the capacity to pray to God to heal them. Perhaps they are too young. Or they have some physical or mental limitation. Or perhaps they are not a believer, or they have lost their faith, or so deep in despair that words escape them and find themselves unable to pray.
We see in these healing stories that the prayers offered on behalf of others are prayers that God can answer. People can be healed for whom we pray. We have heard many testimonies of this truth in our congregation during times of sharing joys and concerns. It is a great privilege and obligation that we have, to pray on behalf of others for their healing.
Praying for the healing of others is an act of love. See how in these healing stories, the mother and the friends did not ask Jesus to strengthen themselves. The mother did not ask Jesus to strengthen her so she could care for her daughter in her illness. The friends did not ask Jesus to strengthen them so that they could care better for their friend. Of course, there is nothing wrong about asking for strength if you are a caregiver. I can imagine the strain placed on those of you who find yourself caring for an aging parent. But the people in these healing stories did not ask that God might strengthen them in their care giving capacity. They prayed that the one they love would be healed, so that they can take care of themselves. The mother wanted her daughter to be healed. The friends wanted their friend to be able to see and speak. They wanted those whom they loved to be made whole. They were not asking for strength and endurance in adversity, they were praying that the situation would change, that things would be made right, that there would be life, deliverance, and wholeness.
The mother and these friends did not want those they loved to remain in a state of illness. Motivated by love, they came to Jesus to seek healing. And they came with no preconceived notion of how Jesus would heal. The woman was grateful for a crumb of blessing. The friends were fine with the unusual way Jesus healed their friend by sticking his fingers in their friend’s ears and on his tongue and spitting on the ground. However, and even if, Jesus could heal the one they loved was up to Jesus. All they wanted was for there to be healing and they were confident that Jesus could heal them, undeserving though they are for such a blessing. In other words, the woman and the friends, out of love, were desperate for healing and were willing to humbly but boldly ask for Jesus to heal if He so chooses.
Praying for the healing of others is a loving act. It is a proactive way that we can respond to the suffering of those who love, to ask God to heal them, to deliver them, to make them whole, to forgive them, and to receive them in His arms when death comes. To pray for others, and not just for ourselves, is an act of love. So let us be steadfast in praying for the healing of those we love, with humility and not with a sense of entitlement to God’s blessing, and with no preconceived ideas of how this healing should take place or even if it will, and be grateful for whatever healing takes place. And let us not take for granted the great privilege we have to pray on behalf of others. With humility, boldness, and persistence, let us continue to pray on behalf of the world and all the people.

Choose Your Battles

Reflection on Mark 7:1-23

The central teaching of this passage is that the keeping of traditions and customs, although important, are not as important as following the commands of God. Pharisees were watching Jesus and his disciples with a critical spirit. They noticed that some of Jesus’ disciples were eating without washing their hands, which was against the tradition of the elders, and bad hygiene. So, they called Jesus on it. But Jesus knew their hearts, and rather than defending his disciples, he zeroed in on the hearts of the Pharisees, the heart of the matter, and challenged them in their spiritual pride.
In challenging the Pharisees, he is not saying the traditions are meaningless and should be discarded. He did not say to the Pharisees, “So what if they didn’t wash their hands? They don’t have to. That’s a meaningless tradition.” To be fair, the disciples were in the wrong. They should have washed their hands before they ate. They were probably hungry and when the food came around they started eating. Washing their hands just slipped their minds. Obviously, washing their hands would have been the right and good thing to do. Traditions and customs are often based on good common sense and good order. Traditions and customs are important for living a good and ordered life. It’s just that the minor infraction of the disciples was not so severe that they deserved judgment by the Pharisees. They were in no position to say anything over a relatively small, quibbling matter.
The fault of the Pharisees was their hypocrisy. Their hypocrisy was that they were big on the small things, and less concerned about the more important things, like obedience to the commands of God. To be fair with the Pharisees, they served a very important role for the Jews in Jesus’ day, having inherited a tradition and set of customs that were thousands of years old. Traditions and customs become antiquated and somewhat irrelevant if not taught and modified in changing times. The Pharisees helped keep traditions and customs relevant and reasonable. There is nothing wrong with that. In fact, it is helpful. It was certainly helpful for the Jews so that they could maintain their traditions, their cultural identity, their way of life, even as times changed.
The problem was that traditions and customs became the main thing rather than faithfulness to the commandments of God. This was the ongoing battle Jesus fought with the Pharisees all the way through the gospel. The Pharisees erred on the side of strict obedience to the tradition, even if that meant not adhering to the commands of God. No healing on the Sabbath. No touching of a leper or a dead body. No eating with tax collectors and sinners. Jesus broke all these traditions so that he could heal the sick, raise the dead, and redeem sinners. The Pharisees had the traditions and customs down. Yet their hearts were far from God. As Jesus said, he linked the prophecy of Isaiah with these Pharisees, “This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.” On the outside, the Pharisees looked good, pure, holy. Yet, on the inside, their hearts were unclean. A whitewashed tomb is still a tomb. It may look good on the outside, but inside it is full of stinking, decaying flesh.
To criticize or judge people concerning how well they follow customs or traditions reveals an unclean heart. The uncleanness of the hearts of the Pharisees was revealed by the fact that they were criticizing the disciples over their failure to adhere to tradition or custom. How does picking on the disciples over a relatively small thing like hand washing further love? How does pointing this out assist the disciples in being healed of their sin sick soul? If a person is fighting a war, is it that important whether they brushed their teeth that morning? Yes, the soldier should have brushed his teeth. But in the context of fighting a war, that is a bit obnoxious to make a big deal over. Perhaps one who makes a big deal over small things reveals a person that is trying to avoid the more important issues, or trying to avoid dealing with their own inner sickness.
This is the bigger issue, a clean heart. It is from the heart that we can obey the commands of God or go a different way. A heart that is being cleansed from the stain of sin is critical to live a life that is pleasing to God. God knows the intentions of our hearts, and it is those intentions that we will be judged on. Good intentions come from a good heart. Bad intentions come from a diseased heart. We are all in the process of having our hearts healed from the disease of sin. Thus, our intentions are a mixture of good and bad. Our hearts are divided. Our goal is to be healed. Our goal is to have an undivided heart. Our goal is to always have good intentions. Jesus Christ our savior is our healer, and by the Holy Spirit over time, and with sincere repentance and surrendering our wills to God’s will, we will be healed.
Being clean on the outside is important, but such outward purity proceeds naturally from a purified heart. Our bodies are made in the image of God. Our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit. We have been fearfully and wonderfully made. When God made us, He declared us to be very good. For that reason we should be mindful of how we treat our bodies. We need to be good stewards of our bodies, to eat right, get the right amount of sleep, exercise, good hygiene, and all of that. We should care about our appearance. But this concern ought to come naturally from a heart that is being cleansed. It is not out of vanity that we take care of our bodies. It is out of obedience to God’s command and an understanding of how precious we are to God, not only mind, soul, but also body. We are taught to love our neighbors as ourselves. Part of loving ourselves is to care for ourselves. We love ourselves because God loves us and commands us to love ourselves. So, loving ourselves because God loves us, we take care of our bodies, our outward appearance.
To be externally pure while retaining an impure heart is a grave sin. This is a common source of delusion. The delusion is to be concerned about how one looks, and how others see them. They are concerned about outer appearance. They look good. But what’s going on inside them? Is there vanity? Is there pride? Is there anger, bitterness, resentment? Is there lust for power, for acceptance, for material things? Is there a judging spirit? Some may think that if they look the part of a good Christian, that is sufficient. But how sincere are they? What happens when the storms of life come? Is there any substance behind the person who looks good? The point that Jesus is making is that outward purity and adherence to customs and traditions flow from a heart that is being cleansed. Outward purity without a corresponding purifying of heart is hypocrisy.
Again, our greatest responsibility is to fulfill the commandments of God, summed up by loving God, neighbor, and self, which is fundamentally a matter of the heart. External traditions and customs assist in the fulfilling of God’s commandments, not ends in themselves. The way we do things as Christians, the traditions and customs that have been handed down to us, are ways that have emerged from a community of people who are seeking to live the Christian life. They are practical ways of ordering life that assists us in living the Christian life. Traditions and customs are sort of like the tableau, the “rules of the road” so to speak. By tending to traditions and customs, we are helped in living a Christian life. It’s just important to be mindful, however, that traditions and customs are not ends in themselves. They are resources to assist us in obeying God’s commandments to love, to love God, to love our neighbors, to love our families, to love our enemies, to love our friends, to love the stranger, to love ourselves.

Watch Your Mouth

Reflections on Ephesians 4:25-5:2

Paul’s letter to the Ephesians is a letter that focuses on the need for unity in the church. Over and over, Paul drives home the message that the church must be united as one body in Christ. Each person is responsible for building up and maintaining the unity of the church. The disunity that is present in the church is a scandal. Divisiveness among Christians sends a confusing message to those who are outside of the church. It’s hard for us to talk about peace and love when we fail to exhibit it. We have the resources to be united, with one Lord, one Spirit, one baptism, one faith. We have Holy Communion as a living symbol of our unity in Christ. Yet, our unity is not complete. We are divided. We must ask God to help us be united in one heart and mind.
The passage read for us this morning gives us some instruction on what we can do to build and maintain unity in the church. They are clear and practical. They are simple to understand, but, of course, hard to do. We have to ask God to help us do these things and keep at it without growing weary of doing good. It’s a life time of effort. But if we keep at it, slowly but surely we can do what we are taught to do in this passage. After all, why would we be instructed in these things if it was impossible for us to achieve? So, let’s look at what this scripture instructs us to do.
It starts with the mouth. You’ve heard the old saying, “If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all.” There’s more to it than that, but that’s not a bad way of summarizing what we are being taught about what we say. Listen to what is said about our speech: “Speak the truth to your neighbor; let no evil talk come out of your mouths, but only what is useful for building up, so that your words may give grace to those who hear.” It has been said that God has given us mouths for two purposes: to give praise to God and to build up others. God forgive us, when we think about what we say that does not fit into those two categories. The Bible has a lot to say about the mouth, and how careful we have to be about what we say. “There is he who is silent, and who is found wise; and there is he that is hated for much speech…” It is a good discipline for all of us to err on the side of saying nothing. The more talkative we are, the more likely we are to say something that is not worthy of being said. John Chrysostom, nick named the “Golden Mouth,” suggested that the seal of the Holy Spirit that we have received we should consider placed over our mouths.
So, to build up and maintain unity as a church, it starts with the mouth. Don’t lie to one another. Do not flatter someone and then turn around and criticize behind their back. Instead, speak truth to one another. Be forthright in your speech. Say what you mean. But say it with humility, appreciating the fact that when you speak to or about someone else, you are speaking about someone who has been sealed with the Holy Spirit and is claimed as one of God’s flock, as you are. It is God’s possession that you are speaking of. And when speaking to another, speak in a way that lifts up and encourages, and does not beat down. We need to encourage one another, not tear down one another. We want to talk to each other in a way that brings us together rather than pushes us apart.
Think about a building made out of brick. As long as the bricks are bound closely together and there are no gaps, then the building is firm and strong. But if gaps start to appear and are left that way, the building becomes weak and, eventually, could collapse. Our words to each other can be the mortar that holds us together and keeps our community strong. Or, our words can push people away and break the bond between us, which threatens the stability of our community. So, we need to be careful, that we speak truthfully to each other and speak in ways that builds up rather than tears down.
This is one reason why our anger toward each other must be dealt with promptly. How often have we said things out of anger that we wish we could take back. Anger is a flare up of passion that needs to be put out as soon as it is kindled. If left to smolder, it will eventually burst into flame and cause great harm to everyone. If we can’t make things right with the person that has angered us, we have to at least give our anger over to God and ask for Him to heal us and calm us down. Again, the quicker we get rid of our anger the better. Depending on when it happens, you can basically stay angry no longer than about eight hours. The sooner you get over your anger, the better for everyone. In fact, this is the next thing that we learn in this passage; the importance of getting rid of the weeds.
Before you plant a garden, you have to pull out the weeds and thorns. This is true for our souls as well. Over time, weeds start popping up within us; weeds like anger, bitterness, wrath, wrangling, slander, malice. We need to pay attention to ourselves, constantly be assessing ourselves and asking God to root out from us all these weeds. It is critical for us to be cleansed from these weeds that crop up within us so that we can be more effective in building up one another. Having these weeds cleared out goes a long way toward improving what comes out of our mouths. It is from the heart that the mouth speaks. With a more pure heart, we have more pure speech. But if our heart becomes filled with the weeds of bitterness, resentment, and anger, it will show by what comes out of our mouths. So, we need to pay attention to ourselves and get rid of the weeds.
But it is not enough to pull out the weeds if good seeds are not planted. What happens after you have pulled up all those weeds and then leave the flowerbed alone? Weeds naturally start growing again if left untended, and eventually you have a bed full of weeds again. So, it is not enough to get rid of the weeds that pop up in our hearts. We have to also plant some good seeds in our hearts. These are the good seeds of kindness toward one another, being tenderhearted, and forgiving each other as God in Christ has forgiven each of us. This is what is so great about this passage. Not only are we instructed what we are not to do, we are also told what we need to do.
John Wesley, when he was establishing his discipleship groups, gave them three simple rules. The first two are: do no harm and do good. It’s not enough just to do no harm. We also have to do good. What good is it for a gardener to be clean cut, not smoking or drinking, being morally upright; and who sits around all day without pulling weeds, watering the flowers and mowing the grass? Refraining from smoking and cussing is nice as far as it goes. But the gardener also is supposed to do something. Just so, it isn’t enough for us to be well behaved, look nice, and then sit around and watch while others are doing good works. Paul uses the example of a thief. The thief must stop stealing. And the thief needs to work honestly with their hands so that they can have something to share with the needy. So, it’s not enough to stop stealing. He also has to contribute to the common good through labor. We all have things that need to be done. To be kind to one another is to do good things for each other. To be tenderhearted is to help each other and be thoughtful when someone is going through a hard time. Being good little boys and girls isn’t sufficient. We all have to participate in the life of the church.
By refraining from doing harm and by doing good, we see the following results. First, unity is maintained. We are each doing our part to have strong, healthy relationships with each other. The stronger those relationships, the stronger will our community be, and the stronger will be the body of Christ, of which we are a part.
Second, Satan gets squeezed out. Where God desires unity and peace, Satan desires division and discord. So, Paul instructs us to not make room for the devil. The closer, the tighter knit, we are to each other, the better. If our bond is solid, there are no gaps for Satan to work his way into, like water that can leak into the cracks of the foundation of a house. By sealing our leaks through strengthening our relationships with each other, we leave no room for the devil to work his mischief in pushing us apart from each other.
Third, by refraining from doing harm and by doing good, we imitate God. God has no bitterness, nor does God slander. God can be angry, and can be filled with wrath. But as the psalm says, God’s wrath is for a day, His loving-kindness is for eternity. Rather, God is kind and tender-hearted, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, allowing the sun to shine on the good and the wicked. His mercy and grace is beyond understanding. When put to death on the cross, Christ did not call down wrath on those who crucified Him, but He said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” So, when we are kind, tender-hearted, and forgive those who offend and hurt us unjustly, we imitate God. And isn’t that what we want to do? Children that are beloved by their parents live after their example. If we would dare to consider ourselves to be the beloved children of God, then we would seek to live our lives after the example of our Heavenly Father.
All I have said can be summarized by three words found in Eph. 5:2; “Live in love.” This is our fragrant offering, our sacrifice to God; to love God and to love who God loves. I was visiting with a young man who is exploring whether God may be calling him into ordained ministry or some other ministry of the church. He said he heard this sermon recently. The teacher was talking about how Israel used to offer animal sacrifices, and they would be referred to as a sweet smelling sacrifice. We, too, are called to offer our lives as a sacrifice to God. And so, the preacher asked, “what does your life smell like?” Is there the stench of bitterness, wrangling, and slander? Is there a hint of the sweet smell of kindness and forgiveness? Is there a lack of smell, like that of an empty room that has been sterilized? Does your life have a rich, pungent odor of active engagement, of inner growth and vitality? When Jesus gave himself up for us on the cross, it was a fragrant offering and sacrifice for God. What is the smell of our offering to God? What does this church smell like?

Rooted and Grounded in Love

Reflections on Ephesians 3:14-21

I want to share with you a story about two old men who had dedicated themselves to being serious Christians for many, many years. One is named Epiphanius and the other Hilarion. I came across this story in a wonderful book by a professor of mine, Roberta Bondi, who wrote To Love as God Loves.
One day Saint Epiphanius sent someone to Abba Hilarion with this request, “Come, let us see one another before we depart from the body.” When he came, they rejoiced in each other’s company. During their meal, they were brought a fowl; Epiphanius took it and gave it to Hilarion. Then the old man said to him, “Forgive me, but since I received the habit I have not eaten meat that has been killed.” Then the bishop answered, “Since I took the habit, I have not allowed anyone to go to sleep with a complaint against me and I have not gone to rest with a complaint against anyone.” The old man replied, “Forgive me, your way of life is better than mine.”
Which was a better way of life, refusing to eat meat, or forgiving others and making things right with those you have offended? Dr. Bondi comments, “No amount of pious behavior or Christian discipline can replace love.”
Love is essential in our life. It is human nature to love. To love badly, as many of us do most of the time, is not natural. It’s a sign of how far we have fallen from our original design, as those made in the image of God, who is Love. Remember what Saint Paul wrote, “If I speak in the tongues of mortals and of angels, but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give away all my possessions, and if I hand over my body so that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.” To love is what our life in Christ is all about.
It is only for love that we can stay strong in our faith and resist the temptation to give up on being a Christian. It is only for love that we can sacrifice our own wants for the sake of those who we love. It is only for love that we keep doing what is right when all we seem to get for our effort is frustration and rejection. I remember hearing a musician who has been very successful say that when he is talking to those just starting in the music industry, he tells them that if they don’t love the pursuit of fame, then they won’t make it. Fame, for him, was frosting on the cake. His love, his passion, was making music and sharing it with others. Going platinum and selling out arenas was more than he ever dreamed of, and he knows that kind of fame is fleeting. Our love is in the pursuit of being like Christ. Whether or not we become the next Billy Graham or Mother Teresa is peripheral to the pursuit of being like Christ. That’s all we should really be passionate about, loving like Christ loved.
Paul prayed that the Ephesians be rooted and grounded in love. To be rooted in love means receiving nourishment for your soul. The root is what feeds the plant. To be rooted in love is to be nourished by love, to gain and maintain a soft, compassionate and forgiving heart. Without being nourished by love, our hearts will ossify, will become jaded hearts of stone. Without being rooted in love, we die.
To be grounded in love is to be able to hold on in times of chaos and uncertainty. When you are grounded in love and you are in a situation where you don’t know what to do, then love. When everything else has failed, love. When faced with a confusing situation, or you feel trapped by circumstance and your back is against the wall, love. When problems mount and you don’t know which way to turn, love. For those grounded in love, the default action in every situation is to love, to do what love requires in the moment.
So, the goal of the Christian life is to increase our understanding of the breadth, length, height and depth of God’s love. The breadth of God’s love extends to all people. The length of God’s love extends across all time. The height of God’s love fills the heavens and lifts us to the heights of joy. And the depth of God’s love stretches down to those who are at their lowest point, and even into hell. Yes, God’s love is even in hell. God’s love remains for the unrepentant sinner. For those who long to be in the love of God will be in bliss, while those who have rejected the love of God will find that even after death it cannot be escaped, for neither life or death can separate us from the love of God. And so while those who sought to love in this life enjoy the fruits of their labor in paradise, spending eternity with those they love and with the God of love, those who rejected love in this life will be in torment, for from a distance they will eternally gaze on those who loved them, and God who loved them, and will realize what they lost. This is what Saint Isaac the Syrian said about God’s love many centuries ago:
“I also maintain that those who are punished in Hell are scourged by the scourge of love; what is so bitter and vehement as the torment of love? It would be improper for a person to think that sinners in Hell are deprived of the love of God. The power of love works in two ways. It torments sinners and thus, I say, this is the torment of Hell; bitter regret.”
It is hard for us to comprehend that God’s love even extends into the pits of hell. It is hard for us to contemplate that while we were yet sinners, enemies of God, unaware of God, that God loved us even then. It is hard for us to understand that God allows the rain to fall on the good and the bad, that God allows those He loves to be tested while those who turn their back on God, He seems to favor. It is hard for us to understand how it is that God gives blessings to those who surrender to His love at the moment of their death as well as for those who have served God for many years. We don’t understand how it is that God throws a big party and pulls out all the stops for a repentant son while those who are always faithful receive no special recognition. But the greater our comprehension of the mystery of God’s love, the greater capacity we have to love God, one another, and ourselves. As we find in Scripture, “We love because God first loved us.” As we look at the heroes of the faith, those we look up to as role models for how to live the Christian life, we find that their deepest desire was to love God and love people. The Christians we most look up to are those who have an amazing capacity to love; to love God, to love others, to love life. If we dare to try to live up to the examples before us of the true Christian, the place to begin is to contemplate the breadth, length, height, and depth of God’s love for us and for all creation.
The Holy Spirit helps us. Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to the Church in order to guide us into all truth. So it is the Holy Spirit that assists us in comprehending what is incomprehensible. It is the Holy Spirit within us that enlarges our heart so that we can be filled with the fullness of God, that we might contain the uncontainable, just like Mary who carried in her womb the one who contains within himself the universe. Our bodies wear out. But our minds and our hearts can continue to expand in the capacity to love God with all our heart, mind, and soul.
God’s power is at work within us. And with this power within us, God can accomplish exceedingly, abundantly more than we could ask or imagine. We may not think we can love our enemies. We may not ask for God to let us love those who spitefully use us or betray us. We may not want to be delivered from the grudges we carry. We may look at people like Mother Teresa and Nelson Mandela and think, “I could never love like that.” Don’t be so sure, for the power of God at work within us is able to accomplish exceedingly, abundantly more than we can ask or even imagine. To God be the glory in the Church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

A Big House

Reflections on Ephesians 2:11-22

“All walls serve a purpose, but not all walls serve the purposes of God.” This is a quote from Kevin Baker, reflecting on the passage before us this morning. Walls are necessary at times. We need walls to hold up a ceiling. We need walls to mark off property. We need walls to protect us from wind and to provide security. Walls provide boundary markers. Boundaries are needed in order to define identity, to establish limits. Everything has limits. Our bodies have limits. Land and water establish limits. Buildings have limits. Cities have limits. Communities have limits. The Church has limits.
But not all limits, not all walls, serve the purposes of God. Denying participation in the life of the church based on race, on ethnicity, on gender, on sexual orientation, on age, on social class, none of these walls serve God’s purposes. Walls that divide people based on distinctions that people have no choice about are contrary to God’s purposes. We must be aware of and dismantle walls that divide people based on that which they have no control over. No one has control over their race or ethnicity, their gender or sexual orientation. Age and social class have no bearing on our participation in the life of the Church either. These barriers need to be removed because they do not serve the purposes of God.
God’s purpose is that all things be brought together in Christ, including all people. It is God’s purpose that all people be saved, be incorporated into the Body of Christ, which is the Church. The Church is truly a universal fellowship, where all nations and peoples of every persuasion are brought together through a common faith in Christ.
What are the implications of this unity? One is that our differences as individuals and all the other external and internal differences we have by birth are secondary to what we have in common. We have all been reconciled to God through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. We are all loved by God. The door to God has been opened to all of us and the Holy Spirit is trying to lead all of us through that door. When I say “we”, I am talking about all people everywhere, not just us gathered here this morning. The work of Jesus Christ was not just for some of us, but for all people for all time. There is a fundamental unity that already exists and can be embraced.
But there are limits. Jesus saves all people, but obviously not everyone believes that or accepts it. The door is open to all, but not everyone walks in. Many have not heard of the door. Others refuse to believe there is a door or refuse to go in. Some have gone through the door, but later chose to walk back out. Our claim that Christ died for all and saves all comes across to some as profoundly arrogant and presumptuous. The good news we share, for some, is a great offense.
Then there are the internal divisions that we must deal with. From the beginning, there were competing groups and divisiveness in the one body of Christ. Paul complained about this when he said, “Some say they follow Paul, others Apollos, others Christ.” We continue the reality of disagreement and division, which sometimes can be very painful. A recent example is what has taken place in the Episcopal church. At their general convention, by a large majority, the church declared that God may call gay and lesbian people who are in a life-long monogamous relationship to every ministry in the church, including ordination and even the ministry of bishop. Further, they are researching to produce prayers that can be used to bless same-sex partnerships. They also affirm their desire to remain in connection with the rest of the Anglican communion. However, these decisions strain deeply this connection. For some, these pronouncements are received with great joy and affirmation. For others, profound sadness and distress.
What are we to do?
First, we must be committed to building relationships with all people, especially our brothers and sisters in Christ. Unity, inside and outside the church, is not achieved by decree, but in one-on-one relationships. Again and again, we are taught by the church to love one another, forgive one another, serve one another. As Christians, we are to be deeply relational. We believe God is relational in His essence as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, three Persons in one perfect unity. Our unity is manifested in our relationships, one-on-one, person to person, church to church, community to community.
So, while not denying our differences and disagreements, we must also affirm our oneness in Christ, with humility and gentleness, seeking peace. Looking again at what is happening in the Episcopal church, there is presently profound differences. Yet, the claim is made that there is still unity around their Book of Common Prayer, as well as faithfulness to the Apostolic faith, although both of these claims are challenged by those within and outside of the Episcopal church. Episcopalians still confess the historic creeds of the church. It is certainly my hope that in the years ahead a spirit of humility and gentleness will prevail among Episcopalians as the impact of these decisions play out. We can pray that peace will be sought, along with an appeal for God’s mercy. The struggles, pain, and divisiveness that the Episcopalians and the Anglican communion are experiencing are not theirs alone. Divisiveness, schism, heresy, misunderstanding, is present throughout the Church and has always been so. We all must stay true to our beliefs and convictions, to what by God’s grace has been revealed to us, while at the same time embrace a spirit of humility, relying not on our rightness, but on God’s mercy.
Finally, in spite of the potential to offend, we must live Christologically and keep our arms open, awaiting for the embrace of those who have not yet come to belief. As Christians, we make the claim that salvation is in Christ alone, that no one comes to the Father except through the Son. This is an exclusivistic claim. Not all paths lead to God. Not all religions are the same. We believe God has acted in a particular way. For those who do not accept this, our claims will be perceived as arrogant and presumptuous. Still, as Christians, we believe that Christ truly died and rose from the dead so that all humanity is delivered from death. God sent His Son so that the world, the entire cosmos, would be saved, healed, made whole. So, we relate to all people as those for whom Christ redeems, whether they believe it or not. We are bricks in a wall, a wall constructed by God, with Jesus Christ as the cornerstone. We are part of a building, a holy temple where the fullness of Christ dwells. And the door, which is Christ, is wide open for all who would come. Some walls need to be torn down. But some walls remain, walls so strong that not even the powers of hell can knock them down. These are the walls God has built. As Christians, we are bricks in these walls. And God has not finished building these walls. The temple God is building is still expanding. Let each of us be content to be bricks in these walls, and hold fast to each other, and to the Bricklayer who has incorporated us into His building project, the Big House that will eventually contain the universe.

On Mark 6:1-13

The reflections below are very specific to issues that the congregation I am pastoring face. They may or may not relate to your situation. However, there may be something helpful for you. If anything else, these reflections give you an insight into what the congregation I pastor faces these days.

As we celebrate our independence as a nation this weekend, we celebrate while in the midst of hard economic times. Some communities went without a big fireworks display. Ours in Mt. Healthy seemed shorter this year. The national unemployment rate is now at 9.5%, the highest level in 26 years. Our economy is still dragging. Many states have huge budget deficits they have to contend with, forced to pass balanced budgets. California is issuing IOUs. Our state’s budget is forcing our government to have to make some painful cuts and concessions. Townships and cities are also having to tighten their belts. Our congregation faces similar challenges because we don’t receive enough in offerings to cover all our expenses and our endowment funds are dwindling. We have begun to make adjustments to our spending and will continue to do so while we look for more creative ways to increase our income. The Kroger card program has been a real shot in the arm for us and I encourage all of you to be involved in this simple fundraiser. The extra income is a help, but we still have some belt tightening to do around here so that as a congregation we are more sustainable financially.
So these are anxious times. Downsizing and sacrificing are difficult. Not knowing how much to cut because of the uncertainty of how much income you might receive makes decision making a sort of gamble on the future. Then the question arises as to whether there is even enough for basic expenses. Financial uncertainty definitely creates anxiety. But, these times are also an opportunity to focus on the basics, to get lean, to commit to being servants rather than being served, and to be creative about accomplishing our purpose in ways that require fewer material resources.
Our purpose as a congregation is to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. Our challenge is to accomplish this purpose with fewer material resources and money. The Scriptures give us examples of what is possible with little resources.
The disciples traveled light. When Jesus left his hometown, where he was not able to do much because he was too familiar with the people, he went to the nearby villages to preach and heal. In order to cover more territory, he sent out his disciples two by two. He commanded them to travel light. No money. No bag. One cloak. One staff. As far as material possessions went, the disciples had very little. But Jesus did give them something that is more priceless than anything else, a great treasure that cannot be stolen, rust or fade. Jesus gave His disciples the Holy Spirit.
And the disciples did awesome ministry. They fulfilled their purpose of proclaiming the message that the kingdom of God was near and that people need to repent. They healed people and cast out demons. They bore much fruit, healing people and transforming lives. And it cost virtually nothing. Because what made things happen was the power and authority they had been granted and their faithfulness to the command they had been given.
What lesson is there for us as we struggle financially as a congregation?
We do not have a lot of material wealth in comparison to other churches or in comparison to what we used to have. As a congregation we are smaller and poorer; although it must be said that, in comparison to other congregations, we have a lot of people and resources. Size is relative. We do have wealth, just not as much as we used to and we will likely shed even more resources in the next few years. However, we do have something that cannot be taken away or lost or liquidated. It is a great treasure, a pearl of great price, the very life of this congregation. We do have the Holy Spirit and the authority to speak and act in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. And that counts for something. The power and authority of the Holy Spirit bestowed upon us as a congregation is the greatest treasure we possess. It is the Holy Spirit that is the real engine that drives this congregation. With the Holy Spirit we can speak, we can touch, we can pray for healing, we can come alongside those that are hurting and are possessed by demons. We can become faithful disciples of Jesus Christ and participate in the transformation of the world without a lot of material resources. Lack of resources does not equal lack of effectiveness. It means that we live out our discipleship as Christians in ways that don’t require money. Talking to people doesn’t take money. Coming alongside people who are lonely or struggling doesn’t take money. Praying for people and for our community doesn’t take money. Treating every person with the dignity they possess as ones created in the image and likeness of God, that doesn’t take any money but has the power to transform lives and transform the world. Really, it is amazing to realize what a difference it can make in our world if we treated every person with the dignity each is due as ones made in the image of God.
There is another part of the scripture reading for today that we need to take note of. Notice how Jesus’ ministry effectiveness was limited when he was among familiar surroundings and around people who knew Jesus when he was a kid. It really is amazing that in this community, where Jesus was too familiar, too well known, that He couldn’t be heard and could heal only a few. Jesus displayed great power outside the familiar surroundings of home. But here, it just wasn’t happening. Jesus himself was amazed. It seems the people, who knew Jesus when he was kid, knew where he came from as a carpenter, they just couldn’t get past that to allow for the possibility that Jesus was anything other than Joseph the carpenter’s son. Their familiarity with Jesus had locked him in a box which limited his effectiveness among them. He was too well known.
Perhaps here is a lesson for us. Perhaps we would be more fruitful, more powerful, in our ministry as disciples of Jesus if we were engaging with strangers rather than always relating to family and friends. Perhaps we would discover that if we take the care, concern, and support that we give to our family and friends and make it available to strangers, that we might participate in the transformation of lives. It is possible that there are people outside of our family and social networks who don’t have any support, who are sort of out there on their own. They don’t have anybody who really cares about them. They are lost, like the sheep who strayed from the 99. Could it be that if each of us were more willing to build relationships with strangers rather than spending our time only with family and friends, that we might make a greater difference in the world? We may be surprised at how influential we can be in the lives of others who aren’t familiar with us. Among family and friends we are known as a buddy, a brother, or so and so’s daughter. To a stranger whom we have reached out to and blessed, we become known as a life saver, a saint, a woman of God, a hero.
The scripture also teaches this morning that when we get out there among strange, unfamiliar surroundings, that we should go two by two. Doing ministry or helping people out all by yourself has some unnecessary risk attached to it. You might get caught in a compromising situation. You could more easily be taken advantage of. Jesus sent his disciples out in pairs for a couple reasons. One was so that they could encourage each other and remind each other why they were doing this. The other was so that they could hold each other accountable for what they say and do. Besides, it is both safer and more fun exploring new and strange territory with a friend.
So, let’s pull this all together. As a Christian, having been baptized, you have received the Holy Spirit. You have the authority to participate in the mission of making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. With the Holy Spirit, you have the power to speak and to act in order to fulfill the mission. You are sent out to the surrounding villages outside of your familiar home to share the good news and to heal the sick. Your faithfulness is the question that you must answer. The question is not about money. It is not about your skill set or physical health. The question is not about your intellectual ability. The question to be answered is how faithful are you able to be. With the Holy Spirit, the grace of God, and with your brothers and sisters in Christ, you have what you need. The mission, to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world is clear. How will you respond? This is the question that you must answer and will be judged by. Will you be faithful?