As we fast approach the celebration of Christmas we are reminded again of the powerful stories of Jesus' birth. In Matthew, we find the compelling story of Joseph and how he was able to hear God's call and be faithful. Joseph is an often overlooked but key part of the nativity story because he links Jesus to the giants of the Jewish faith (see Matthew 1:1-17 for the genealogy of Jesus). It is also in Matthew where we find the story of the wisemen, where they too demonstrate their faithfulness to God by following a star through an arduous journey over a great distance. Each of these aspects of Matthew's birth narrative are unique, powerful, and connect to our lives today. But it is the story of Herod which is more troubling and much more human, if not subhuman.
When the wisemen arrive in Jerusalem they triumphantly proclaim the birth of the messiah and ask where the Christ child can be found. (2:2) What they expected was an excited people who had finally received the long awaited promised messiah and king. Instead, no one knew what they were talking about and they were met with disbelief and fear. Fear of the end times, fear of judgment, fear of the unknown were probably all at work with the people. But for Herod it was much more personal. Herod feared a loss of power. He was threatened by a king who make all earthly rulers and kings illegitimate. He was threatened by a messiah who bring forth the Kingdom of God. He was threatened by a child whose birth signified the end of his power.
So Herod did as any king or ruler would, sought to eliminate the competition. First he tried to enlist the help of the wisemen to act as reporting agents. Under the guise of "paying homage" (2:8) Herod tells the wisemen to follow the star to Bethlehem, and when they found the child to report back to him. When the wisemen did not return Herod was furious and in a fit of rage and desperation ordered the slaughter of "all the children in and around Bethlehem who were two years old or under." (2:16) Can you imagine how insane Herod must have been to order such a massarce on his own people? What was it inside Herod that caused him to be so threatened and so fragile that he would act this way?
Was Herod a monster, inhuman, and psychotic? Or can we see in ourselves and in our society the same tendencies? It doesn't take a psychoanalyst to see that Herod has issues, but are his issues so far removed from ours? Herod's behavior is extremely self-destructive and irrational. His actions, even if successful, undermined his legitimacy as Jewish king and would have made him a target for a rebellion and forceful removal from power. Do you have self-destructive tendencies? Do you protect your power and privilege at all costs? Would you commit acts of violence to protect your own interests? Would you compromise your values to get ahead in life? Would you betray a friend for a promotion?
Certainly there is a great difference between the slaughter or innocent children and deceitfulness, but is it a difference in kind or degree? Are we so different from Herod? How do we keep ourselves from losing connection to the values we hope to live by? How can we achieve the balance of striving for "success" in life and maintain our integrity?
Monday, December 10, 2007
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
The Faith of the Disciples
The experiences we have in life determine so much of what we do, what we think, and who we are. In a very real sense, we are defined by our experience, it shapes the way we view the world and gives us perspective. For the disciples it was much the same, their life with Jesus was dramatic and powerful. They were able to experience the power of God in a transforming and personal way on a regular basis. Can you imagine what it must have been like to be an eyewitness to Jesus' miracles? How much greater would your faith be if you were able to spend just one day with Jesus?
It is natural for us to assume that the disciples were giants of faith who never questioned, doubted, or lost faith. After all, they had front row seats to the greatest story ever told. They were there for the healings, the exorcisms, the feeding miracles, the walking on water, the resurrection, and everything else. It is then such a disappointment when the disciples repeatedly fail. They show a lack of faith, fear, doubt, cowardice, and a hardness of heart. In the Gospel of Mark, the disciples are particularly dim-witted. Time and time again they fail and they never seem to show much progress.
In Mark there are two miracle feeding stories which go a long way toward illustrating the deficiencies of the disciples. The first episode occurs in 6:30-44. The disciples had been sent out into the world to cast out demons, anointed the sick, and proclaimed the good news (6:7-13) After returning from their first ministry efforts, Jesus gathers the disciples together to discuss their experience. As they gather in a boat together, a large crowd assembles on the shore and follows them as they drift along. Jesus realizes that as the crowd continues to grow he needed to speak to them. After teaching them about the kingdom, the disciples realize that it is getting pretty late.
Jesus then tells the disciples to gather the food they have and feed the crowd themselves. In utter disbelief the disciples watch as Jesus takes 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish, blesses them, and gives them to the disciples to distribute. The disciples then distribute the food and return with 12 baskets of leftovers! They fed over 5,000 people with 5 loaves and 2 fish, everyone was fed and filled, and there were leftovers! This is a miracles of God.
The disciples see this all unfold. Not only do they see Jesus bless the food, they also distribute the food to the crowd. The miracles takes place in front of them as they pass the baskets around and see that everyone is filled. This experience was powerful and witnesses personally by the disciples, yet they cannot overcome their doubt and fear. Immediately after the crowd is filled, Jesus sends the disciples away to the boat, sends the crowd home, and goes off by himself to pray. When he returns to the disciples he sees that the wind has picked up and they are struggling to row the oars of the boat. Jesus approaches the disciples by walking on the water. When the disciples see him they are terrified and cry out. Jesus then says: "take heart, it is I, do not be afraid." After Jesus gets into the boat the text goes on to say: "they were utterly astounded for they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened."
The disciples witnessed first hand the miracle of the the feeding of 5,000 people. They were there and participated, they played an active role in the miracle. Then after that takes place, Jesus walks on water and they are still stuck on the loaves. They are terrified and amazed and astounded by Jesus, their hearts are hardened because they cannot understand how Jesus feed the crowd. Their experience of the feeding of the 5,000 was so confusing and bewildering that they simply cannot get past it. In fact later in Mark 8:1-10 Jesus again feeds a large crowd with 7 loaves and a few fish. One would think that after just experiencing the first feeding miracle the disciples would believe Jesus could do it again, but when it was time to feed the people the disciples still disbelieve. "How can one feed these people with bread here in the desert?" (Mark 8:4) They simply cannot get past themselves and see God at work, they cannot overcome their lack of faith and doubt and trust that with God all things are possible.
The disciples just don't get it. This is a common sentiment for biblical scholars when they analyze the disciples in Mark. Time after time they fail to truly understand who Jesus is. They have moments of faith followed by complete ignorance and doubt. They are failures. This may be what Mark has in mind in the writing of his gospel. No one ever truly understands who Jesus is or what his mission is all about. If no one in the story ever gets it then it is up to us, the reader, to understand. If the Good News of Jesus Christ is going to be shared with the world we have to do it. The question of the gospel is for us to answer: Who do YOU say Jesus is? What will your life be?
On the other hand, I think our disciple friends may get a bad rap. It is true they fumble and bumble their way through. It is true that they demonstrate a lack of faith, fear, doubt, and understanding. But they also are faithful, dedicated, and persistent followers of God. They hang in there and do not give up. For me, the disciples are a model of faith because they are truly human. They oscillate between faith and doubt just like us. If the disciples who spent every moment of everyday with Jesus and still had doubts, then perhaps we should give ourselves more grace when we struggle with doubt and fear. If the disciples have there good and bad moments, up and down faith then maybe this is just how it goes. Perhaps Mark is trying to paint a realistic picture of what following Christ is like: moments of trust, grace, and enlightenment and periods of confusion, doubt, and fear.
Imagine if we shared this message with people struggling with their faith. Would they be comforted? Would they realize they are not alone? Would they grow closer to God?
It is natural for us to assume that the disciples were giants of faith who never questioned, doubted, or lost faith. After all, they had front row seats to the greatest story ever told. They were there for the healings, the exorcisms, the feeding miracles, the walking on water, the resurrection, and everything else. It is then such a disappointment when the disciples repeatedly fail. They show a lack of faith, fear, doubt, cowardice, and a hardness of heart. In the Gospel of Mark, the disciples are particularly dim-witted. Time and time again they fail and they never seem to show much progress.
In Mark there are two miracle feeding stories which go a long way toward illustrating the deficiencies of the disciples. The first episode occurs in 6:30-44. The disciples had been sent out into the world to cast out demons, anointed the sick, and proclaimed the good news (6:7-13) After returning from their first ministry efforts, Jesus gathers the disciples together to discuss their experience. As they gather in a boat together, a large crowd assembles on the shore and follows them as they drift along. Jesus realizes that as the crowd continues to grow he needed to speak to them. After teaching them about the kingdom, the disciples realize that it is getting pretty late.
"When it grew late, his disciples came to him and said: 'this is a deserted place, and the hour is now very late; send them away so that they may go into the surrounding country and village and buy something for them to eat." Mark 6:35-36
Jesus then tells the disciples to gather the food they have and feed the crowd themselves. In utter disbelief the disciples watch as Jesus takes 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish, blesses them, and gives them to the disciples to distribute. The disciples then distribute the food and return with 12 baskets of leftovers! They fed over 5,000 people with 5 loaves and 2 fish, everyone was fed and filled, and there were leftovers! This is a miracles of God.
The disciples see this all unfold. Not only do they see Jesus bless the food, they also distribute the food to the crowd. The miracles takes place in front of them as they pass the baskets around and see that everyone is filled. This experience was powerful and witnesses personally by the disciples, yet they cannot overcome their doubt and fear. Immediately after the crowd is filled, Jesus sends the disciples away to the boat, sends the crowd home, and goes off by himself to pray. When he returns to the disciples he sees that the wind has picked up and they are struggling to row the oars of the boat. Jesus approaches the disciples by walking on the water. When the disciples see him they are terrified and cry out. Jesus then says: "take heart, it is I, do not be afraid." After Jesus gets into the boat the text goes on to say: "they were utterly astounded for they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened."
The disciples witnessed first hand the miracle of the the feeding of 5,000 people. They were there and participated, they played an active role in the miracle. Then after that takes place, Jesus walks on water and they are still stuck on the loaves. They are terrified and amazed and astounded by Jesus, their hearts are hardened because they cannot understand how Jesus feed the crowd. Their experience of the feeding of the 5,000 was so confusing and bewildering that they simply cannot get past it. In fact later in Mark 8:1-10 Jesus again feeds a large crowd with 7 loaves and a few fish. One would think that after just experiencing the first feeding miracle the disciples would believe Jesus could do it again, but when it was time to feed the people the disciples still disbelieve. "How can one feed these people with bread here in the desert?" (Mark 8:4) They simply cannot get past themselves and see God at work, they cannot overcome their lack of faith and doubt and trust that with God all things are possible.
The disciples just don't get it. This is a common sentiment for biblical scholars when they analyze the disciples in Mark. Time after time they fail to truly understand who Jesus is. They have moments of faith followed by complete ignorance and doubt. They are failures. This may be what Mark has in mind in the writing of his gospel. No one ever truly understands who Jesus is or what his mission is all about. If no one in the story ever gets it then it is up to us, the reader, to understand. If the Good News of Jesus Christ is going to be shared with the world we have to do it. The question of the gospel is for us to answer: Who do YOU say Jesus is? What will your life be?
On the other hand, I think our disciple friends may get a bad rap. It is true they fumble and bumble their way through. It is true that they demonstrate a lack of faith, fear, doubt, and understanding. But they also are faithful, dedicated, and persistent followers of God. They hang in there and do not give up. For me, the disciples are a model of faith because they are truly human. They oscillate between faith and doubt just like us. If the disciples who spent every moment of everyday with Jesus and still had doubts, then perhaps we should give ourselves more grace when we struggle with doubt and fear. If the disciples have there good and bad moments, up and down faith then maybe this is just how it goes. Perhaps Mark is trying to paint a realistic picture of what following Christ is like: moments of trust, grace, and enlightenment and periods of confusion, doubt, and fear.
Imagine if we shared this message with people struggling with their faith. Would they be comforted? Would they realize they are not alone? Would they grow closer to God?
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
The Power of Healing
In the gospel accounts, healing plays a central role in Jesus' ministry. Time and time again, Jesus is able to heal people of incurable diseases and physical maladies. Everywhere Jesus and his disciples traveled they were mobbed with an ever increasing demand for healing.
In the Gospel of Mark it is quite interesting to note how these healings take place. There are many instances where Jesus heals people because they have demonstrated faith. They somehow know that Jesus, because he has divine powers, has the power to heal. They truly believe Jesus can perform a miracle and they humbly seek him out.
In the Gospel of Mark it is quite interesting to note how these healings take place. There are many instances where Jesus heals people because they have demonstrated faith. They somehow know that Jesus, because he has divine powers, has the power to heal. They truly believe Jesus can perform a miracle and they humbly seek him out.
"A man with leprosy came to him and begged him on his knees,
"If you are willing, you can make me clean." Filled with compassion,
Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. "I am willing,"
he said. "Be clean!" Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cured.
Mark 1:40-42
It would appear that the faith of the individual seeking healing is the driving force behind Jesus healing. It may be that Jesus is more inclined to heal those who have or faith, or it may be that the faith of the person is the power which enables Jesus to perform healing miracles.
Later in Mark, when Jesus visits his hometown he is met with resistance and disbelief. Those who had seen Jesus grow up, who had known him his entire life had great difficulty accepting him as a teacher and healer, and certainly as the Son of God. in Mark 6:5 it says Jesus was unable to perform any miracles or "deeds of power" in his hometown and that he was "amazed at their unbelief."
It would seem then that faith is a key element in Jesus' healings. However it is not always the faith of the person in need of healing which enables Jesus. There are instances where the faith of others precipitates healing for a person in need. In Mark 2:1-12 four friends bring a paralyzed man to Jesus for healing. They deeply believed Jesus could heal their friend and were utterly persistent in seeing Jesus, so much so that they rip off the roof of Jesus' house to do so. Jesus is so impressed with their faith that he heals the paralyzed man because of their faith. This episode is always striking because Jesus first heals the paralyzed man spiritually then physically. Jesus is concerned with both our physical and spiritual need for healing.
Another interesting healing story comes in Mark 5:25-34. In this story a woman with hemorrhages seeks Jesus' healing. She works her way through a crowd and touches Jesus' cloak. She believed that if she even touched his clothing that Jesus would heal her. She was right! After 12 years of bleeding, after spending her fortune on doctors, after being marginalized from her community, she believes that touching Jesus' clothes will heal her. After she touches his cloak she was healed, but Jesus was not even aware she was there. The text says that only after she was healed did he become aware that a "power had gone forth from him."
Each of the healing stories of Jesus are different, but each also presents a consistent pattern. In order to be healed we have to bring something to the encounter. A deep faith or belief that Jesus can heal us, a burning desire for Jesus to take away our pain, anxiety, and suffering. Whether we seek healing for ourselves, our families, or for our friends, when we take our concerns to Jesus he responds. Make no mistake, it is God, not us, who does the healing, but we need to believe in God's power and ability to make us whole and healthy. We must seek God and call upon the Lord to bring healing to our lives.
What can we do to bring about healing in our lives? What can we do for those who are in need of healing? Can God heal without faith? Will God heal some who denies him?
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
What's Up with the Demons?
In our discussion this week we focused our attention on Mark 5:1-21. This episode in Mark involves Jesus healing a man who has been possessed by a demon. Jesus specifically seeks out this man in order to heal him and restore him to health. The healing of this demoniac is one episode among many in the gospel of Mark which finds Jesus interacting with demons. So what's up with the demons? Is this some strange supernatural 1st century thing or do we have modern day equivalents of demons?
When I think of demons I immediately think of the images of demons from movies. Ghostbusters, The Exorcist, Fallen are all movies portray humans that have been demon possessed. It is always done in a way which seems far-fetched and disconnected from reality. But for Jesus, demons were real and serious. Are we missing something here? Are we too quick to dismiss demons?
In chapter 5 of Mark, Jesus and his disciples travel by boat to the country of the Gerasenes, a great distance from their normal travels. When they arrive the text says:
A significant detail here is that demon possessed man lives among the tombs. In Jewish culture, associating with the dead in any way was a major taboo and to live among the dead would be a guaranteed way to both be left alone and raise significant questions within the community. The demoniac has either been pushed out of the community or voluntarily removed himself. The text implies that this man was well known to be demon possessed, and no doubt stories, rumors, and legends of this man with demons were well known. Yet, Jesus seems to seek out intentionally this man. He specifically comes to this strange land to met and heal this strange man. A man who has been left for dead and forgotten by the world.
It is no accident that Jesus has come to this place and is meeting with this man. In Mark however, it is part of a theme where Jesus consistently interacts with demons (cf. 1:21-28; 3:7-12; 7:24-30; 9:14-29). Jesus has power and authority over the demons and they seem to know exactly who he really is. This is quite remarkable because in Mark there is a continual theme of people not understanding who Jesus really is. Yet the demons know Jesus and they are scared of his power.
In this episode, the demons have fully taken over the man. Jesus does not address the man because the man doesn't exist in his demon possessed state. When demons are allowed to take over and become powerful, the person hosting the demons for all practical purposes ceases to exist. In the end, Jesus confronts the demons and casts them out, into a herd of pigs which are cast into the sea (vv. 10-13), restoring the man to health and wholeness. The demoniac has been restored and his transformation is so dramatic that the crowds are in disbelief and fear. (vv. 14-16) The man asks Jesus if he can become a follower and assist in his ministry. Jesus refuses, telling the man to tell his story of transformation and healing to all of his friends.
For me, this strange and bizarre story of demons exemplifies Jesus' earthly ministry. Time and time again Jesus searches out the most vulnerable, forgotten, and marginalized members of society. He spends time with the blind, the deaf, the lame, the lepers, the prostitutes, the tax collectors, and demon possessed. He seeks out the forgotten and acknowledges their humanity, giving them dignity and respect. Jesus never gives up on anyone, no one is ever beyond the miraculous healing power of God.
What would our world look like if we took this example seriously? Who are the forgotten ones in our world today and what are we doing to acknowledge their humanity?
Today we might label a demon possessed person as mentally ill, epileptic, addicted, or eccentric. These labels may give us some level of understanding, but there are whole segments of our world that are forgotten and marginalized. Jesus' ministry calls us to love and serve all people, with particular emphasis and passion for the forgotten.
What would this mean for us? How can we actualize this in our life today?
When I think of demons I immediately think of the images of demons from movies. Ghostbusters, The Exorcist, Fallen are all movies portray humans that have been demon possessed. It is always done in a way which seems far-fetched and disconnected from reality. But for Jesus, demons were real and serious. Are we missing something here? Are we too quick to dismiss demons?
In chapter 5 of Mark, Jesus and his disciples travel by boat to the country of the Gerasenes, a great distance from their normal travels. When they arrive the text says:
"When Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an evil spirit came from the tombs to meet him. This man lived in the tombs, and no one could bind him any more, not even with a chain. For he had often been chained hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. No one was strong enough to subdue him. Night and day among the tombs and in the hills he would cry out and cut himself with stones. When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees in front of him. He shouted at the top of his voice, "What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? Swear to God that you won't torture me!" For Jesus had said to him, "Come out of this man, you evil spirit!"
A significant detail here is that demon possessed man lives among the tombs. In Jewish culture, associating with the dead in any way was a major taboo and to live among the dead would be a guaranteed way to both be left alone and raise significant questions within the community. The demoniac has either been pushed out of the community or voluntarily removed himself. The text implies that this man was well known to be demon possessed, and no doubt stories, rumors, and legends of this man with demons were well known. Yet, Jesus seems to seek out intentionally this man. He specifically comes to this strange land to met and heal this strange man. A man who has been left for dead and forgotten by the world.
It is no accident that Jesus has come to this place and is meeting with this man. In Mark however, it is part of a theme where Jesus consistently interacts with demons (cf. 1:21-28; 3:7-12; 7:24-30; 9:14-29). Jesus has power and authority over the demons and they seem to know exactly who he really is. This is quite remarkable because in Mark there is a continual theme of people not understanding who Jesus really is. Yet the demons know Jesus and they are scared of his power.
In this episode, the demons have fully taken over the man. Jesus does not address the man because the man doesn't exist in his demon possessed state. When demons are allowed to take over and become powerful, the person hosting the demons for all practical purposes ceases to exist. In the end, Jesus confronts the demons and casts them out, into a herd of pigs which are cast into the sea (vv. 10-13), restoring the man to health and wholeness. The demoniac has been restored and his transformation is so dramatic that the crowds are in disbelief and fear. (vv. 14-16) The man asks Jesus if he can become a follower and assist in his ministry. Jesus refuses, telling the man to tell his story of transformation and healing to all of his friends.
For me, this strange and bizarre story of demons exemplifies Jesus' earthly ministry. Time and time again Jesus searches out the most vulnerable, forgotten, and marginalized members of society. He spends time with the blind, the deaf, the lame, the lepers, the prostitutes, the tax collectors, and demon possessed. He seeks out the forgotten and acknowledges their humanity, giving them dignity and respect. Jesus never gives up on anyone, no one is ever beyond the miraculous healing power of God.
What would our world look like if we took this example seriously? Who are the forgotten ones in our world today and what are we doing to acknowledge their humanity?
Today we might label a demon possessed person as mentally ill, epileptic, addicted, or eccentric. These labels may give us some level of understanding, but there are whole segments of our world that are forgotten and marginalized. Jesus' ministry calls us to love and serve all people, with particular emphasis and passion for the forgotten.
What would this mean for us? How can we actualize this in our life today?
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