Slow Down! Workers Present

As I was traveling by car recently, I had the distinct pleasure of being in a traffic jam due to road construction. As residents of Michigan, we know how ubiquitous orange signs indicating a work zone are, and how frustrating it can be to have trip or commute delayed. That day as I was in traffic, I happened to actually see, and mentally register, one of the signs telling me that workers were present (and to slow down and be cautious). I was thinking about that sign: “workers present, slow down” and wondering if God has placed similar signs in our midst. In our recent sermon series and in our congregational bible study, No Experience Necessary, we have been focusing on the idea that God is present in our world and on a mission to save, bless, and renew. God is on a mission in the world, or put another way, God is at work among us. I truly believe that God works through ordinary people, like you and I, to accomplish God's mission in the world and that if we look for signs that God is at work, we can see them all around us. As we prepare in the days and weeks ahead to celebrate the season of Advent and Christmas, I encourage you to look back in scripture at the signs of God's work at the birth of Jesus(check out Matthew 1-2 or Luke 1-2). The amazing story of Jesus’ birth tells us how God came into the world in order to bless and save creation. God chose Mary, an ordinary person, to bear the Christ child. God’s mission came to reality through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, but was made possible because of the willing faith of Mary. The story of Mary is amazing and inspiring, but as the angel shared the news with Mary he used the example of Elizabeth as a sign of God’s work.

Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” The angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God. And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.” Luke 1:34-37

Elizabeth, Mary’s cousin, had become pregnant after never being able to have children. The angel tells Mary that Elizabeth’s pregnancy was a sign that God was at work, saying: “for just as God has performed a miracle for Elizabeth, God will work a miracle through you.” The angel helps Mary see how God was working and how she too was included in God’s plan to save and bless the world. Today the story of Mary tells us that everyone, even the least likely among us, is included in God’s plan and can be used by God to bless and save.

As I look in our midst, I see signs of God’s work among us at King of kings. The recent outpouring of love and support for the homeless in Detroit was inspiring (we filled over 5 boxes full of jackets and warm clothes). We have had people join our bible study who have never in their life read the bible. Each time we host an event new leaders step up to help. I hear powerful stories from many about what God is doing in their life, and how they have been able to help others. I see a community of God’s people worshipping and praising the Lord, seeking God’s presence, and striving to grow closer to God and one another. God is working in our lives, in our community, and in our church. God is at work, and workers are present all around us!

From Thanksgiving to Thanksliving

As we enter into time of year when the calender reminds us to give thanks, I am especially mindful of the many blessings in my life. It is often quite easy to get caught up in the mentality of scarcity and neglect to recognize just how truly blessed we are.

God has abundantly blessed us with all the we have, and I have much to be thankful for: my health, my family, a job, a home, food, clothes, a car, friends, free time, a computer, and so much more. In these uncertain economic times, we are faced with real choices. For some the choice can be as simple as not dining out or what stores we shop at, for others it can mean which bills get paid and which don't, for others it can mean feeding our children or filling our car with gas. The times we are living in can cause us to focus on all the things we don't have and miss all that we are blessed with; this too is a choice.

In the midst of difficult times we are also faced with a critical spiritual choice: will we be filled with fear or faith? Will we allow our lives to be consumed with fears about our future, doubts about whether we will ever recover, and anxiety about what lies ahead? Or will we move forward confidently knowing that God has brought us all that we have and will continue to provide for us. To live in fear is to live as though it all depends on you. To live in faith acknowledges that God is in control. What will we choose? Who do we believe is in charge?

A true key to living a life of faith is understanding thanksgiving. To be thankful means we acknowledge the gifts we have been given, we acknowledge that we are not the source of all things, we acknowledge the Lord has been good to us. If we want to move from fear to faith then Thanksgiving has to go from being a day to a way. We must move toward living a life of thanksliving. When we no longer feel the burden of meeting all of our needs, when we acknowledge God as the source, when we remember how faithfully God has provided for us throughout our lives, we are on the way to thanksliving. We are moving from fear to faith.

The apostle Paul understood the power of thanksliving, he understood what it meant to live a life of faith. As he doggedly shared the gospel with all he met, he endured great pain and suffering. Paul was ridiculed, shamed, arrested, beaten, imprisoned, and ultimately killed for sharing his faith. Throughout all of his trials and tribulations Paul continually modeled faithful living, he showed us thanksliving. At the end of his life, while in prison, Paul wrote to one the churches he helped establish in Philippi. He wrote to them a letter of encouragement and thanks. He wrote in the midst of great personal suffering and with the knowledge that he would soon be executed.

I rejoice in the Lord greatly that now at last you have revived your concern for me; indeed, you were concerned for me, but had no opportunity to show it. Not that I am referring to being in need; for I have learned to be content with whatever I have. I know what it is to have little, and I know what it is to have plenty. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being well-fed and of going hungry, of having plenty and of being in need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

Philippians 4:10-13

Paul learned the secret of thanksliving: to be content with whatever he had. Paul understood in a profound and real way that no matter what his circumstances, God was with him and providing for his every need. As we enter into the time of Thanksgiving, may we all be blessed to know contentment in the Lord and to live a life of thanksliving.

Authority Issues

OK, I admit it. I have problems being told what to do. When I was a child and my parents or teachers or whoever said "because I said so" I knew they said that only because they couldn't think of any other reason for me to obey. Plain and simple, I have always viewed rules as optional. If rules don't make sense to me, more than likely, I don't follow them, no matter who told me.

This kind of obstinance is nothing unique, and despite my occasional hubris, nothing admirable. Stubbornly insisting that you know better, and refusing to acknowledge authority is not simply rude and inconsiderate, it is a relationship killer. Refusing to play along, follow rules, respect authority, listen to others, acknowledge my limitations and being self-righteous have hampered my relationships with others. I always thought I was being strong by resisting authority, but I was really keeping myself from fully engaging in relationships. Submitting to authority and becoming obedient requires humility and is a sign of strength not weakness. To have a relationship with God, means we must submit ourselves to God's will, we must acknowledge that we are not God and not in charge. To be faithful to God, we must become obedient and allow God to work in us, or we will simply be following our own desires.

God's word is filled with instruction and guidance to God's people. We are called to be obedient to God not because God wants or needs to be in control, but because God's word offers us a way to stay in right relationship with God. The word of God tells us who God is, what God has done, and who are in relationship to God. As we study and learn the word, we become more and more in tune and connected to God, and our relationship becomes stronger. When we go our own way, when we refuse to listen or submit, we can get ourselves in big trouble. Scripture not only captures God's words of guidance and instruction, but cautionary tales of the mess we can get into when we go our own way. The story of the golden calf illustrates this perfectly.

When the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain, the people gathered around Aaron, and said to him, “Come, make gods for us, who shall go before us; as for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.” Aaron said to them, “Take off the gold rings that are on the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me.” So all the people took off the gold rings from their ears, and brought them to Aaron. He took the gold from them, formed it in a mold, and cast an image of a calf; and they said, “These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!” Exodus 32:1-4

As Moses was on the mountaintop receiving God's word, Aaron and the Israelites were reveling in their idolatry. Without God's word of instruction and guidance the people forgot who God was, what God had done for them, and followed their own sinful and self-gratifying desires. Without God, the people were lost whether they knew it or not. Similarly, when we refuse to listen to God's word, when we refuse to submit to God in our life we are in danger of forgetting who God is, who we are, and constructing gods based on our sinful desires, our lives get torn apart and disintegrate.

When we learn to listen to what God is saying and follow where the Spirit leads, we move away from ourselves and toward God. When we submit ourselves to God's will and become obedient, we align ourselves with God's vision for our lives. As we study the word, learn to listen, and faithfully respond God can and will do miraculous work in and through us. So if you are like me and have authority issues, listen up: the Word is speaking.

The Cost of Discipleship

"I'll give you all I got to give if you say you love me too I may not have a lot to give but what I got I'll give to you I don't care too much for money, money can't buy me love "

-Can't Buy Me Love, The Beatles

I have that it is increasing true in life that the best things, the things that matter the most are both free and priceless (Sam Cooke sings about this). We can have all the money, material possessions, and all that goes with it and have a life that is empty and devoid of meaning. Love, happiness, beauty, faith, hope, and joy are the things that matter in life and they cannot be bought, sold, or reproduced.

As a person of faith I believe that not only are the best things in life free, they are gifts from God. It is only through God's amazing love and grace that we can experience the best of life. It is only through God that our life has meaning and purpose. It is only through God that we have the ultimate gift: the gift of salvation. Eternal life and the promise of heaven is a free gift of God's grace given through Jesus Christ. The love of God is free and unconditional and it makes all the difference.

We have been given the gift of life and the promise of eternal life freely from God. But if we want to live life as God intends for us, we must become transformed and live life for God. Discipleship is the human response to God's love and grace. To be a disciple means being in an active relationship with God; it means putting God first by following Jesus Christ. If salvation is a free gift of grace, then discipleship is a labor of love which requires work and effort. Like any relationship, our relationship with God requires time, effort, and energy and comes with a cost.

"Then Jesus told his disciples, ‘If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it." Matthew 16:24-25

As Jesus prepared his disciples to be his followers and eventually become leaders, he wanted to clearly articulate the difficult and sacrificial life following God entails. Jesus tells them and us, that the life of faith is not easy and calls us to deny ourselves in serving the Lord. Self-denial means we no longer put ourselves first, but put God's mission first. In extreme cases throughout history this verse has become literally true as Christians gave their life for their faith. While not many of us we called to be martyrs, we are all called to a life of discipleship.

So what are willing to sacrifice for God? What does self-denial look like in your life? Do you sacrifice time to serve the Lord? Do you sacrifice treasure for God's mission? Are you giving your life to the Lord or are you keeping it for yourself?

These are deep, powerful questions which call us to examine our life, our choices, and our values. Being a faithful follower of Jesus is not easy. Living a life of self-denial is both difficult and counter-cultural; people may not understand, you may lose friends. Becoming a disciple means becoming more and more like Jesus, who gave his whole self for the world. We all have a long way to go, we all have room to grow.

The good news is that our relationship with God is secure through Jesus Christ. We have the free gift of God's grace which makes all the difference. We have a choice how to respond to the gift and while a life of discipleship requires sacrifice and self-denial, it comes with the fruits of the spirit and the presence of God.

As a disciple of Jesus who is on the way and learning more and more what it means to sacrifice for God, I can testify that the more I give to God the blessed I become. As my faith grows and my relationship with the Lord deepens, I have more peace, joy, patience, hope and love. I am a better person and have a growing sense of purpose as I serve the Lord and God's people. I pray the Lord continues to be presence in your life and you find encouragement to grow your faith in a life of discipleship.

Outpouring of the Spirit

In times like these it is easy to become overwhelmed with anxiety and worry. We can get caught up in the day-to-day stresses of life and the uncertain economy that we forget althogether God's abundant blessings and presence in our lives. Perhaps like me, you have also noticed a pattern in life as well. In my experience, there are times when everything seems to fall apart, while other times everything seems to come together positively. The old cliche "when it rains it pours" comes to mind, and can be taken either positively or negatively.

In studying the book of Acts in recent days, I have seen this pattern scripturally. Very often, when there is an outpouring of the Holy Spirit (positive) it is soon followed by an attack from Satan(negative). This is a pattern found in Acts and elsewhere in scripture, but my lived experience in faith also fits this pattern. Times of blessing and deep connection to God are followed by times of internal and external attacks which threaten our faith and work for Christ.

As the Christian church began through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost, the apostles shared with all who were gathered the Good News of Jesus' life, death, and resurrection. When Peter proclaimed the gospel that day, through the power of the Holy Spirit, over 3,000 people were baptized and came to faith. This new community of believers gathered together and "devoted themselves to the apostles; teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers." (Acts 2:42) On two occassions (2:44, 4:32) the community was said to have had all things in common and were of "one heart and soul." This is a tremendous example of Christian unity and community made possible through the outpouring of the spirit.

It doesn't take long however for Satan to attack the nascent Christian movement. Soon after the community began sharing all things together and forsakening private land ownership, two of the members go their own way, succumbing to the temptation of greed.

But a man named Ananias, with the consent of his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property; with his wife’s knowledge, he kept back some of the proceeds, and brought only a part and laid it at the apostles' feet. "Ananias," Peter asked, "why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back part of the proceeds of the land? While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, were not the proceeds at your disposal? How is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You did not lie to us but to God!" Acts 5:1-4

Ananias and Sapphira were not required to sell the property and share it with the community, so it isn't that they owned property that was the issue. The issue was their deception. They purported themselves to be examples of generosity for the community when in reality, they only wanted to be seen as generous by others. Peter asks Ananias why Satan has filled his heart, how has he allowed himself to be so easily tempted away from God. The attack of Satan comes soon after a moment of great unity and genuine genorsity within the community of faith.

This is an ongoing pattern in Acts and is one I have seen in my ministry as well. Satan does not want the church to be succesful, Satan does not want individuals to have a strong faith or serve Christ faithfully. Satan will use whatever trick possible to lure and tempt us away from our true purpose and identity. The greatest threats we face will be after we have been most faithful. Put another way, we will be most strongly attacked when we are most faithful to Christ.

The question then shifts to how can we protect or prepare ourselves for such attacks? For me, the knowledge that these attacks are constant and present, that these attacks come both from within and outside the faith community, gives great power. Peter is aware of and on the look-out for Satan. When he sees Satan at work in Ananias he names it and challenges it. We too must keep our eyes and ears opens for the attacks we will face. If we are faithful to God, it is not a matter of if we will be attacked, but when. I pray when the attacks come your way, you will rely upon the power and presence of the crucified and risen Christ.

Prepare the Soil

The transition from spring to summer each year, it seems to me, comes as a surprise. The temperatures seem to jump into the 80s, the trees are full of leaves after being barren the previous day, and our hearts and minds begin to dream of large quantities of vacation and beach time.

In many ways, spring blooms into summer in an exponential, almost explosive way. But as any farmer or gardener can attest, the harvest is the result of meticulous and patient planting and watering. What seems like explosive growth is often the visible result of long unnoticed and invisible work.

Jesus often spoke about matters of planting, farming, and soil. He used the imagery and examples that people would most connect with and relate to. We have many examples of Jesus discussing the Kingdom of God in this way: mustard seed, vineyard, laborers, etc. But the most well known of all Jesus' parables and sayings about farming, is the parable of the sower, seed, and soil.

⁴⁵⁶⁷⁸"Listen! A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil, and it sprang up quickly, since it had no depth of soil. And when the sun rose, it was scorched; and since it had no root, it withered away. Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain. Other seed fell into good soil and brought forth grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirty and sixty and a hundredfold." Mark 4:3-8

Like all parables, this can be interpreted in different ways depending on where the emphasis is placed. From the perspective of the sower, the parable might suggest that God's love is given to everyone everywhere always. From the perspective of the seed, the parable might suggest that God's word, while given to all and accessible to all, doesn't always take. There are some people who do not respond to the word positively and others who initially respond but lose interest over time. Finally, from the perspective of the soil, this parable might suggest that if we are good soil, God can cause exponential positive growth in our lives. This exponential growth not only makes our life closer to God, but gives us the ability, out of God's bountiful abudance of blessing, to bless others.

It is this final intepretation I find most intriguing. For me, the question becomes: how do I become good soil? How can I keep from becoming rocky, thorny, or shallow? What must I do to prepare myself for exponential spiritual growth?

Our farming analogy is quite helpful in trying to understand how to become good soil. Farmers and gardeners spend a great deal of time cultivating and caring for the soil; tilling, fertilizing, and watering. Successful planters do a lot of prep work to ensure a bountiful harvest. So it is with our spiritual lives. We too must take time to cultivate our relationship with Christ. We must spend time in prayer, time in scripture, time in worship, and time with fellow Christians. We need to work on our relationship with God, we must put in effort and energy, we must be disciplined and focused, if we want expontential spiritual growth.

I pray that God's seed of love, grace, and mercy continue to be sowed generously in your life, and that God might prepare your heart to be good soil, producing a bountiful harvest of love in the world, AMEN.

Calming our Fears and Sending us Out

Read: John 20:19-23

After Jesus' death on the cross the disciples spent a considerable amount of time figuring out what it all meant. So much had taken place over such a short amount of time: Jesus' entry into Jerusalem, the Last Supper, Jesus' death, and the empty tomb. On the first Easter Sunday, the disciples gathered in a locked room and were consumed with uncertainty, doubt, and fear. They had no idea what the future held, they had trouble understanding what Jesus' death meant, and even more trouble understanding the empty tomb.

In the midst of their doubt and fear, the risen Jesus appears to the disciples.

When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you." After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.’"When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.’" John 20:19-23

Jesus comes to the disciples and shares a word of God's peace. The risen Jesus comes to the disciples to quell their fears, address their doubts, and bring comfort to their hearts. Jesus comes to the disciples in a most powerful and profound way, and he does so that they might understand fully what his life, death, and resurrection is all about. After addressing their fears and doubts, Jesus shares a second word of peace with the disciples. The second "peace" also includes a sending: "as the Father has sent me, so I send you." The peace of Jesus then seems to have a dual purpose: to calm fears, and to send. Jesus wanted the disciples faith and confidence to be strong, but he also wanted them to go out into the world and share the message of forgiveness in Jesus' name.

The sending aspect of peace is vitally important in the life of individual Christians and the life of the church. Jesus comes to us, offers his unconditional love, mercy, and grace. He comes to give us true peace, comfort, and security. But like the disciples, we too are called to move past the locked rooms of our personal faith. Like the disciples we are called to move beyond the comfort and security of the four walls of our church. Like the disciples we are called to share God's love with the world.

The moment we stop looking outward, the moment we stop stepping out of our comfort zones, is the moment the church is no longer the church. When the church no longer reaches beyond itself, when individuals care only for themselves and their own, when we fail to love our neighbors, we are no longer the church of Christ. The story of the risen Christ tells us that we are sent out into the world in Jesus' name, for his sake. We are called to make a difference in the lives of those who are hurting, we are called to make a difference in the lives of people created and loved by God.

So may we receive the peace of the Lord in a new way, may we know with full confidence God's love for us. May our fears and doubts be removed by the peace of the Lord, and may we share God's peace with all we encounter.

Easter: Resurrection Glory

Read: John 20:1-18

Have you ever been so excited you could hardly contain yourself? So filled with joy that it just spilled out of you? At one time or another we have felt this way, but have we felt this way about our Lord? Today is a day of celebration and joy. Today is a day of excitement and energy. Today is the day we proclaim the amazing work God did through Jesus. Today is resurrection day, the day Jesus rose from the grace and conquered sin, death, and evil. Today is a day of celebration!

When Peter and the beloved disciple hear word from Mary Magdalene that Jesus was no longer in the tomb, they ran to see. They ran to see if it was true, they ran filled with fear, doubt, and hopeful expectation. They ran to see the Lord. Do you have this excitement about Jesus? Are you running to meet the Lord?

When the disciples and Mary see the tomb empty, their excitement turns to doubt and fear as they believe Jesus has been taken away. Mary was afraid someone had stolen Jesus' body and that he wouldn't receive a proper burial. The resurrected Jesus then appears to Mary to bring her peace and presence. After mistaking him to be a gardener (I love that), Mary realizes that Jesus had not been moved, he had been raised! Mary's excitement and joy over seeing Jesus is tremendous. Jesus then tells her: "do not hold onto me" because he had to ascend to heaven.

This revelation is vitally important for us, that in the joy and celebration of Easter we realize that we cannot hold onto Jesus. God is on the move in the world and expects us to be moving too. The best way to experience resurrection glory is see and feel presence of God in the world: in the people we meet, those we love and serve, and those who bring us comfort and peace. God is alive and working in the world, thanks be to God!

Holy Week: The Cross of Christ

Read: Romans 6:1-11

Imagine you are one of Jesus' original disciples. One day you are a fisherman learning your trade from your father, the next you are following a most unusual rabbi. For three years you traveled with a group of disciples learning from the rabbi. Jesus was sharing wondrous things about the kingdom of God, healing people of all sorts of maladies, feeding the masses, and transforming lives. At first you had no idea why he picked you, but after awhile you even start helping Jesus perform miracles. At first you weren't sure who Jesus was, but after awhile you and others become convinced that Jesus was the Son of God, the long awaited and promised Messiah. The joy of knowing and following Jesus was tremendous, but just as everything was coming together Jesus was arrested, falsely tried, and crucified. This wasn't how it was supposed to happen. What does it all mean?

For the disciples, and the early church, the cross of Christ was difficult to understand. Even though Jesus had predicted his death and resurrection numerous times, the disciples were shocked by his death. For many, Jesus' death on the cross meant he could not be the Messiah. After all, the Messiah was to be a military and political leader who liberated the Jewish people from the occupying forces and restored Jerusalem to the time of king David. And Jesus must not have been the Son of God, for God cannot die, and certainly not a humiliating death on the cross. For many the cross of Christ simply did not make sense.

For Jews demand signs and Greeks desire wisdom, but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling-block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles 1 Cor. 1:22-23

As the early church, and in particular Paul, tried to share the meaning of Jesus' death and resurrection they found that many had difficulty understanding. This is just as true for us today as many people try to grasp the full meaning and depth of Jesus' amazing love and grace. As more and more people shared their personal experience of the crucified and risen Christ, as they shared what it meant personally to them, more people came to know the Lord. It was not through logic, or prophesy that people came to faith, it was through ordinary people living and sharing extraordinary lives that people saw the difference Jesus makes. As they began to understand that, through Jesus, we have received the ultimate gift of God's love and grace, that through Jesus we know have access to God, through Jesus we have salvation, they knew the promises of God were fulfilled.

The death and resurrection of Christ unlocks for us, and for the entire world, the fullness of God's love, grace, and mercy. Through Christ we have all we will ever need, and that is Good News indeed!

^67891011 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be destroyed, and we might no longer be enslaved to sin. For whoever has died is freed from sin. But if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. The death he died, he died to sin, once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. Romans 6:5-11

Paul, for the early Christians and for us, makes sense of the cross of Christ and the resurrection. Paul is able to articulate how Jesus' death was not an invalidation of him as Messiah, but confirmation. Paul is able to articulate why Bad Friday is really Good Friday, praise be to God!

Holy Week: The Passion of Christ

Read: John 18-19

Good Friday has always been a bit of an oddity for me. Perhaps it is the word 'good' that I have never quite understood. The story of Jesus' suffering and death on the cross, or "passion" (Latin for suffering), has always been disturbing and powerful, but I have never thought of today as "good." Today is really a terrible and awful day, the day Jesus suffered for us. Sure it is good because in the end we benefit, but without Easter, Good Friday is really the worst day ever.

The story of Jesus' passion has received new interest over the past few years. Mel Gibson's movie has brought new attention to the gruesome details of Jesus' suffering and death. While it is important to understand the story of Jesus in a real way, I struggle with the excessive violence the movie depicts. Is it the violence and suffering that brings redemption? Or is it Jesus unyielding faithfulness to God's will? The question of redemptive violence is complex and important, but an in depth look will have to wait for another day.

Today, I want to focus on one small, yet illuminating, detail in Jesus' passion story in John. The first detail concerns Peter's denial of Jesus. After Jesus is arrested and brought to the high priest, Peter follows and waits in the nearby courtyard. Peter is then asked by a woman if he is a disciple of Jesus:

¹⁸The woman said to Peter, "You are not also one of this man’s disciples, are you?" He said, "I am not." Now the slaves and the police had made a charcoal fire because it was cold, and they were standing round it and warming themselves. Peter also was standing with them and warming himself. John 18:17-18

Peter denies being a disciple of Jesus out of fear, as he is worried that he too might be arrested. Yet Peter also wants to remain close to Jesus and the action, presumably to witness what takes place. Peter denies knowing Jesus and then warms himself next to the charcoal fire. I find this detail to be fascinating and important, for denying the Lord is most often neither dramatic nor pronounced, but most often subtle and unnoticed.

Peter warms himself with the charcoal fire after denying Jesus. He is in the dark, and receiving warmth from a charcoal fire which produces very little light. Peter is in the dark, yet he has enough warmth and light to be comfortable. Contrast this with the light of Christ:

"³⁶The light is with you for a little longer. Walk while you have the light, so that the darkness may not overtake you. If you walk in the darkness, you do not know where you are going. While you have the light, believe in the light, so that you may become children of light." John 12:35-36

While Peter warms himself in the darkness with a false light, Jesus light shines. Peter's denial is perilous because he is in danger of being overtaken by darkness. What is subtle and seductive, is that Peter hardly notices the absence of light, the true light of Christ. Good Friday poses for Peter, and ultimately for us, the question of light and darkness. We will walk in the light of Christ or be consumed, little by little, by the forces of darkness?

Questions:
-How do the subtle forces of darkness work in your life?
-What can you do to avoid being pulled away from the light of Christ?
-How do you deny Jesus? What can you do to be a light for others?

Prayer: Lord, on this most holy day, let your light shine in the midst of my darkness. Help me Lord to live in the life-giving light of Jesus Christ, AMEN.

Holy Week: Maunday Thursday

Read: John 13:1-20

There are things in life we because we want to, there are things we do because we have to, and there are things we do because we love. If you have ever changed a baby's diaper, cleaned up a child's puke, cared for an aging parent, or cleaned up after your dog, you know what humble service is all about. Love is an action not a feeling, and there is no action which greater defines love than actions of humble service.

As Jesus gathered with his disciples in the first Holy Week, he gathered to share Godly wisdom, examples for living, and love. The footwashing ritual that Jesus performs on the disciples is a powerful example of humble service demonstrating love. Jesus wanted the disciples to remember his act of love, but to set an example for them to follow as well.

³⁴And during supper Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going to God, got up from the table, took off his outer robe, and tied a towel around himself. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was tied around him. ⁶ John 13:3-5

Imagine how the simple act of footwashing could have been seen as a genuine act of love and service. In their journeys with Jesus, the disciples did a tremendous amount of walking. They walked everywhere they went and never stopped for very long. They traveled on dirty and dusty roads, wearing no more than simple sandals on their feet. As you might imagine, the disciples feet were perpetually filthy. When entering a home, or gathering for a formal occassion, the owner of the house might provide a place to wash your own feet, or if wealthy provide a servant to wash the feet of guests. For Jesus to wash his disciples feet was an act of humbling himself in order to provide service. Jesus' example demonstrates his love, but also sets an example for the disciples to follow.

Like the disciples, if we want to follow the path of Jesus, it must be a path of humility, love, and service. The disciples were not to acquire power and lord it over people, but to use their positions of authority and power to serve and love others.

¹⁵¹⁶So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you. Very truly, I tell you, servants are not greater than their master, nor are messengers greater than the one who sent them. If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them. John 13:15-17

The ritual of footwashing is of course about more than feet, it is about living our life as followers of Christ. Being a Christian means loving God and loving one another. Following the example of Jesus, we can best love one another by humbling ourselves and offering generous acts of servant love. Love is an action, an action which requires, at times, for us to get dirty so others might get clean.

Questions:
-What does it mean to you that Jesus humbled himself in an act of servant love?
-In what ways do your actions demonstrate love and humility?
-In what ways do your actions demonstrate lack of time, attention, and love?
-What can you do to show yor love more?

Prayer: Lord, help me become humble, help me serve and love others as you have loved me. Lord, let me be generous with my time, energy, and talents and meet the basic needs of those I love, in Jesus' name, AMEN.

Holy Week: Betrayed by a Friend

As Holy Week reaches its midpoint, and we immerse ourselves deeper and deeper into the story of Jesus, we can see how his disciples were such a big part of his life. Jesus spent day after day, year after year, with the disciples. He hand-picked them to be his followers, he taught them, he coached them, he mentored them, he empowered them, he supported them, he loved them. Their relationship was deeply personal, vulnerable, and cherished.

The only connection from my personal experience that even approaches the relationship Jesus had with the disciples, is the relationships I had as being part of numerous sports teams. Most striking were the relationships I had in college as part of the cross country and track teams. All my friends were runners; we ran together, ate together, socialized together, road tripped together, we were all very close and we knew each other in a powerful and formative time in our lives. Now as I look back many years later I realize just how unique and important those relationships were.

When I think of Jesus and the disciples I think of the relationships I had with my running friends. There are of course very important differences. We did not have a leader who lived among us (our coaches were included to a degree), we did not normally concern ourselves with spiritual issues (although you might be surprised), and we did not have the betrayal within the group that Jesus endured. The betrayal of Jesus by Judas was not only personally painful for Jesus but also the group. His betrayal was an existential threat to the very core of the way of Jesus.

The story of Judas, and his role in the suffering and death of Jesus is deeply troubling and complex. Did Judas betray Jesus? Was Judas acting on God's plan? Would God's plan be accomplished without Judas' betrayal? If so, is Judas really to be blamed?

The questions about Judas' actions, God's plan, atonement, and betrayal are too complicated to give justice to in this forum. I have personally struggled with Judas a great deal and am still trying to understand. And while the issue of Judas is very important to address, if allow ourselves to become fixated on his betrayal and miss the personal cost of his actions, we miss an important element in the story of Holy Week. Let us shift our focus from Judas to Jesus.

²²After saying this Jesus was troubled in spirit, and declared, "Very truly, I tell you, one of you will betray me." The disciples looked at one another, uncertain of whom he was speaking.
John 13:21-22

Jesus went through so much for us and for the world. His arrest, torture, crucifixion, and death were brutal, painful, and prolonged. Jesus did this all for us, and he did so with some inkling beforehand how it was all going to go. Jesus knew God's plan and what it entailed, so in addition to the physical suffering he endured, he also suffered with the knowledge of what was going to take place. I also believe that Jesus' suffering includes the emotional suffering of seeing a friend and disciple betray him. Judas betrays Jesus for money, and in doing so not only betrays his Rabbi, mentor, and Messiah, he also betrays himself. Imagine the pain and suffering Jesus endured watching Judas implode. Judas' betrayal is painful not just for the ensuing harm caused to Jesus, but for the damage caused to his relationship to Jesus, the other disciples, and to God.

Questions:
-What are the physical, spiritual, and emotional consequences of betrayal?
-If you have been betrayed in life, how did you deal with it? If not, how will you?
-If you have betrayed a loved one in life, how did you deal with it?
-How can broken relationships be restored and made whole?

Prayer: Lord, as I contemplate the suffering you endured for me, I ask that you forgive me for all of my betrayals: of you and others. Forgive me and give me the power to restore and renew my relationship with you and with others, and give me the power to forgive myself, in Jesus' name, AMEN.

Holy Week: We must decide

Read John 12:20-36

I love watching movies. In fact I am not even that picky about what movies I will watch, and will sit through mediocre or even bad movies. In my family however, movie watching is a bit more complicated since it is difficult to find a movie everyone will enjoy. So we try to take turns for who will pick the movie out. Inevitably when I pick a movie I really want to watch (think Al Pacino) my experience of the movie is vastly different from everyone else. What is it about watching movies, and living life, that two people experiencing the same thing can have completely different ways of understanding it? (why doesn't everyone love The Godfather or Goodfellas?)

The truth of the matter is that life requires interpretation, we must decide what something means. When it came to Jesus' life, ministry, and mission the disciples and the crowds all had to decide for themselves who Jesus was and what it meant. Is Jesus the Son of God? the Messiah? a prophet? a great teacher? a political threat? a phony? Depending on their perspectives, those in Jesus' day came to different conclusions. As we prepare this Holy Week, we too are faced with the eternal question from Jesus: "who do you say I am" (Mark 8:29) We each must decide this question for ourselves, no one can answer for us.

As Jesus was preparing for his final journey to the cross, during Holy Week, he took extra time to explain to the disciples and crowds God's plan for his death and resurrection. Jesus was reminding and revealing the path he must travel for the sake of all people. He let people know that while his death on the cross would be personally difficult for him, he was fulfilling God's purposes for God's glory.

²⁸²⁹³⁰Now my soul is troubled. And what should I say—“Father, save me from this hour”? No, it is for this reason that I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name.’ Then a voice came from heaven, "I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again." The crowd standing there heard it and said that it was thunder. Others said, ‘An angel has spoken to him.’ Jesus answered, ‘This voice has come for your sake, not for mine. John 12:27-30

As Jesus reminds and reveals God's plan for Jesus' death, God's voice speaks from heaven for the sake of the crowd to affirm the words Jesus is speaking. Some of those who heard God's voice thought it was an angel, or from God, while others wrote it off as thunder. They had a choice, like we have a choice, to interpret life from a perspective of faith or not. If we are looking for how God is working in our lives we will see God's hand in most everything. If we decide that God is uninvolved we will miss the everyday presence of a God who loves us. The choice is yours, you must decide.

Questions:
-Do you see God at work in your daily life? Are you looking for God's presence?
-If yes, how is God working in your life?
-If no, what is keeping you from believing that God is active in your life?
-How can you help others see God in their life?

Prayer: Lord help me see and feel your presence in my life today. Open my eyes, my ears, and my heart so that I might know your love and care for me today and everyday, in Jesus' name, AMEN.

Holy Week: Preparations

Read: Mark 14:1-9

Many people are now preparing for family gatherings on Easter, and there is much work to do: hams to buy, rolls to bake, house to clean. Big gatherings and big events mean big time work getting ready. Holy Week, then and now, is really no different. In our day, churches prepare through a well trained altar guild which does all the behind the scenes work for smooth and meaningful worship services on Thursday, Friday, Saturday (for some), and Sunday, with each service requiring special arrangements. It was not too dissimilar in the first Holy Week as Jesus prepared for his journey to the cross, grave, and resurrection glory.

The anointing at Bethany is a truly beautiful and remarkable story. An unnamed woman, presumably part of the disciple group, pours expensive ointment on Jesus' head. The ointment was so expensive it cost 300 denarii or almost a year's worth of wages. The disciples are shocked and appalled by this extravagant "waste" of money, and go so far as to scold the woman. Jesus rebukes the disciples saying:

⁷⁸⁹"But Jesus said, ‘Let her alone; why do you trouble her? She has performed a good service for me. For you always have the poor with you, and you can show kindness to them whenever you wish; but you will not always have me. She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for its burial. Truly I tell you, wherever the good news^* is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in remembrance of her." Mark 14:6-9

Jesus reminds the disciples that while caring for the poor and meeting people's basic needs are vitally important, his primary mission is the cross. The unnamed woman provides care for Jesus and helps prepare his body "beforehand for its burial" (spices were used to anoint a body for burial). So what seemed like wasteful exuberance is affirmed as an important act of service which recognized the primary importance of Jesus' journey to the cross. sidenote: ironically Jesus commands that she always be remembered for what she did and yet no one bothered to remember her name.

So what do we take from this story? For me, it speaks to the importance of preparation for important events. Jesus was being prepared for his journey to the cross, burial, and resurrection. There was nothing more important to Jesus, the disciples, and the world than Jesus' mission. The woman spent time and considerable resources in an act of loving service to prepare Jesus.

Questions to consider
-What are you doing to prepare for Jesus' journey to the cross?
-Have you taken time in prayer to make this week Holy? Have you prepared your heart and mind?
-At what price does your preparation come? (time, sleep, energy) What does the cost we willing to pay in preparation, say about our commitment and priorities?

Prayer: Lord, prepare me today and in the days to come to receive the gift of your love and grace. Help me to take the time to spend in prayer and devotion this week, so that this week might be more meaningful and holy, in Jesus' name, AMEN.

Holy Week: Palm Sunday

When Jesus enters Jerusalem on the first Palm Sunday, he enters with a horde of people with massive expectations. Jesus had been traveling throughout the entire region sharing the Good News about God, healing many, and performing miraculous signs. Everywhere Jesus went the crowds went with him, and they kept getting bigger and bigger. By the time Jesus comes to Jerusalem during Holy Week people had begun to figure out the Jesus was the Son of God, and the long awaited and promised Messiah. Jesus reinforces this belief by riding into town on a colt that had never been ridden to fulfill an ancient prophesy about the Messiah:

Rejoice greatly, O daughter Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter Jerusalem!Lo, your king comes to you; triumphant and victorious is he,humble and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
(Zechariah 9:9)

Jesus rides into town and is received as a king and as a son of David, with all the expectations of the messiah: political, social, and military liberation. The people were excited, enthused, and ready for their lives to change. It won’t take long however for those Palm Sunday expectations to be dashed as Jesus travels to the cross in a matter of days. The people expected libration from the Roman invaders, and the renewal of the reign of King David. What they got instead was spiritual liberation and renewal from the Kingdom of God. Many of the same people who hailed Jesus on Palm Sunday as their Messiah and king, called for his crucifixion and death on Good Friday. Jesus didn’t come to be popular and fulfill the expectations of the people, he came to fulfill God’s mission.

Questions
-As you consider the popularity, praise, and projected expectations heaped upon Jesus, what expectations do you have for God? Are they realistic or unrealistic?
-How do your expectations of God either prepare you or hinder you from fulfilling God’s expectations of you?
-What does it mean to have Jesus as our king and messiah? How can we balance our healthy expectations of God’s role in our lives, with being obedient to God’s will?

Prayer: Lord, help me rejoice and give thanks for Jesus being the king of my life. Lord, help me submit my will to you so that I might begin asking your expectations of me, rather than demanding my expectations of you, in Jesus’ name, AMEN.

A Spiritual Crisis

More and more each day it seems the news gets worse and worse. Our economy continues to struggle, our country continues to be at war overseas, families are wondering if they will make it through. As we struggle putting together our "own house" and restoring order to our lives, the lives of many in our world have gone from bad to horrible. We are currently experiencing a new level of hardship that many in our world have always known. Many, now for the first time, live with uncertainty about the basic needs in life: food, shelter, safety, employment. The "American Dream" has taken a severe hit and for many it has become an American nightmare.

For those of us who look for positive developments and opportunities in the midst of difficulty and crisis, these days have been particularly difficult. As Christians however, we do have resources to help us understand and deal with any situation that arises. When we learn to place and re-place our trust in the Lord, when we learn to keep our priorities in order and focus on God, the struggles of life may not all go away but we do learn how to endure.

Everyone then who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell—and great was its fall! Matthew 7:24-27

Perhaps our current economic situation is like the man who built his house on sand, when the crisis hit the whole system fell apart. Our economy was built upon credit we didn’t have, expenses we couldn’t afford, and the illusion that we could have it all. The system broke down and exposed its true self and its priorities. A house of sand cannot withstand the storms of life. Unfortunately for a great many, those who perpetuated this situation suffered little compared with countless people who unknowingly became victims of an immoral and unsustainable situation. While families and individuals worry about losing a job, a home, or a retirement, the corporate executives receive bailouts and bonuses. What is wrong with this picture?

I believe that our current financial crisis is a spiritual crisis. As a culture we must make critical decisions about how we want to live and what our world will look like going forward. Will we continue to make decisions based on greed and consumption? Will we be driven to acquire more and more material stuff under the illusion of happiness? We will move past our insatiable hunger for more power, wealth, and position? Will we reflect upon our current situation and make genuine life-style changes? Will we be driven by fear or faith? These are questions for us all as individuals to take seriously, but even more, these are questions for our society and culture to address. Who is God calling us to be? What does it mean to be faithful in today’s world?

For me, the spiritual antidote to our current predicament is contentment. To be content with what you have is a spiritual gift and a true key to happiness. The opposite of being content is constantly striving for more, and never being satisfied with what you have. This is a deeply embedded cultural value in America—discontent. Advertising, marketing, and our economy are all driven by consumers who buy products they are convinced they “need.” When we can learn to be thankful for what we have, when we live within our means, when we learn to say “no” to things we don’t need, when we learn to trust that God will provide, then we will know contentment. I pray we all might share Paul’s perspective on life.

Not that I am referring to being in need; for I have learned to be content with whatever I have. I know what it is to have little, and I know what it is to have plenty. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being well-fed and of going hungry, of having plenty and of being in need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me. Philippians 4:11-13

Moral Evil: Sins of Strength

Do you have problems with authority? Are you defiant? Do you have problems submitting to God and being obedient? If you are at all like me, authority and power issues are a real struggle. When our lives lose balance and were are unable to maintain a healthy self-esteem we can open ourselves up for following our own agenda, rather than seeking God's guidance and will.

“Sins of Strength” can be understood as the things we do which are in defiance of God. Acts of defiance are the actions or inactions that are conscious, intentional, and deliberately done against God by individuals or groups. While sins of weakness derive from a loss of “centeredness” leading to self-annihilation, sins of strength derive from over-centeredness or the elevation of the self. Paul Tillich uses the Greek word hubris to describe the phenomenon of self-elevation. Hubris is more than simply pride, but the “temptation to make one’s self existentially the center of himself and the world.” Hubris is an over emphasis on humanity’s potential infinity (imago dei; cf. Gen. 1:26) without acknowledging actual finitude. Another sin of strength, related to hubris, is concupiscence, which is generally associated with unhindered physical and sexual appetites. What makes this a sin of strength is not the actions themselves, but the “unlimited striving for knowledge, sex, physical hunger, will to power, material wealth, or spiritual values.” In short, hubris can be understood as self-elevation, while concupiscence is extreme self-indulgence. They are sins of strength because they involve the inflation or indulgence of the self, rather than the loss of self (sins of weakness), or ideally a person centered on God.

Our scriptures, focused on the lives of God’s people, illustrate both hubris and concupiscence. In Exodus 32, as Moses receives the 10 Commandments and is on the mountain for 40 days, the Israelites become restless. Their impatience leads them to construct a golden calf by which they might worship and offer sacrifices. In their hubris they decide that they are unwilling to wait for God. They do not need Moses to tell them about God, they have it all figured out. Their idolatry is not exhibited in their worship of the golden calf, but in their worship of themselves. They elevated themselves above their covenant with God, forgetting their deliverance from slavery. They grew impatient with the Lord and sought to fulfill their desires, and to know God on their own terms. In doing so they committed the great sin of idolatry.

Although many of the idolaters of Exodus 32 are unrepentant, some repent and turn from their evil ways. Those who refuse to acknowledge the limits of humanity or do not humble themselves to the Lord, are subject to the same kind of judgment Jeremiah predicts: “I will punish you according to the fruit of your doings, says the Lord; I will kindle a fire in its forest and it shall devour all that is around it.” (Jeremiah 21:14) Jeremiah further details the failings of Israel. These sins of strength all revolve a lack of love/fear of God and lack of care and concern for the neighbor. Without repentance, these sins of strength will be punishable for both the individual and the community. “Woe to him who builds his house by unrighteousness, and his upper rooms by injustice; who makes his neighbors work for nothing, and does not give them their wages.” (Jeremiah 22:13)

These stories are a sober reminder to those of us who have had many blessings in our lives, to acknowledge God as the source of all we have. In all that we do, God is with us; in times of prosperity and despair, God is present. Ironically the same tendency to feel abandoned by God in times of suffering, is present when we fail to acknowledge God in the midst of prosperity. To live lives of spiritual balance we must acknowledge God’s presence in all that we do. Exodus and Jeremiah point us to a jealous God who does not tolerate idolatry.

Reflecting upon these texts and your personal experience with hubris and concupiscence, consider the following questions:

-Have you ever become so self-involved as to fail to acknowledge God’s presence in your life?

-Have you taken credit for the blessings God has given? What happened as a result? How did you become aware of this?

-Have you ever made idols of the things of this world? money? food? material things? work? What was the result?

-How can we balance being “created in God’s image” without creating ourselves into “little gods?”

Moral Evil: Temptation

"And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil" -The Lord's Prayer

Temptation is part of human existence that none of us is immune to; we all must deal with our temptations. In the gospel accounts, the temptation of Jesus plays a key role in the narrative of Jesus’ life and ministry. The temptation of Jesus raises important questions for us: what does it mean that Jesus was tempted by Satan? How close was Jesus to giving in to temptation? Because Jesus successfully resisted temptation, are we expected to be able to follow his example? How are the temptations we experience connected to Jesus temptation? These types of questions go to the heart of the Christian faith, and call each of us to provide an answer. Who was Jesus and what does it mean for my life?

As Christians, we confess that Jesus was both fully human and fully divine. Jesus was God incarnate, with all the divine attributes and powers, but also experienced the fullness of human existence. The temptation of Jesus tells us that Jesus indeed experienced real temptation, by being tested under the most extreme circumstances. For forty days in a wilderness desert, Jesus endured constant testing by Satan to utilize his divine power in order to alleviate his suffering, demonstrate his divinity, and achieve worldly power. (cf. Matthew 4:3-11) It was not part of God’s plan for Jesus to employ his divine power, rather Jesus was to willingly die on the cross for the sake of all humanity. People would come to believe in Jesus, not through a miraculous display of divine power, but through faith.

Jesus’ temptation resonates with me because it demonstrates that he understands what human life is all about. Because Jesus experienced real temptation, he understands how difficult it is to endure. When we struggle with temptation in our life, we have a God who has been there and understands; a God who has endured suffering and temptation. We can cry out to God in the midst of our pain, suffering, and temptation and God hears our cries and prayers as one who has been there. We share this direct and intimate connection to God through the incarnation of Jesus. Prayer does not always ensure that we will resist temptation, but it does help us re-center ourselves and point us in God’s direction.

Temptation can be understood as an example of moral evil or a sin of weakness. Moral evil are the actions or inactions of an individual or group that can be seen as evil. When the action of an individual leads to an evil result or when that action is done with evil intent, this is moral evil. Moral evil can either be done from a position of strength or weakness. Temptation is moral evil from a position of weakness. When I give in to my temptations and evil results, it is because I lack a foundational moral center. We may know what the right thing to do is in a particular situation, we may want to do the right thing, but for whatever reason we are unable. (cf. Romans 7:15 "I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.") Sins of weakness take place when we lose our center or our “moral compass.” We can become distracted, stressed out, or inattentive to the things which keep our lives in balance. When we lose our center, we open ourselves up to things we would not normally do. We become susceptible to the temptations of Satan, and act out even when we know it is wrong. When our faith is strong and healthy temptation is less of an issue, but when we are low or disconnected from God and one another, Satan pounces.

As we examine the temptation accounts and consider temptation in our own lives, it is important to remember that none of us, no matter how faithful and devout, are exempt from Satan. Satan is subtle and will lure us into a false sense of security. Satan preys upon not only our deep fears and anxieties, but our strengths as well. I have learned through my experience in ministry, that the closer you get to doing God’s work the more aggressive and desperate the assaults of Satan become. Whatever are preconceived notions we may have about Satan, we cannot deny the strong tempting presence Satan plays in our lives. For many, any discussion of the reality of Satan seems nonsensical and irrational. In the extreme, people either visualize a physical entity with horns and a pitchfork, or assume that Satan is an excuse that people use to escape culpability for their own actions. Either of these positions is potentially dangerous because they trivialize the serious threat that temptation and sin play in our lives. I recall a quote from a favorite movie, The Usual Suspects: “the greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn’t exist.” However we choose to discuss or understand Satan, we cannot deny that there is either something within us or outside of us that compels us to defy God. The real issue is how we deal with temptation or the tempter.

-What temptations do you struggle with and how do you deal with them?

-What do you think about the reality of Satan? Is Satan found outside of us or within?

-What tools or resources do we have to deal with temptation? What works for you?

-What does it mean for you that Jesus was tempted?

The Problem of Evil

Note from Ben: Throughout Lent I am teaching a course on evil. I will provide weekly posts connected to the class in addition to the regular blogging. Enjoy!

The first two chapters of the book of Job have always been difficult for me. The pain, suffering, and loss that the righteous character Job endures are troubling. Job is said to have been “blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil.” (Job 1:1) Yet Job endures a great deal of suffering and pain as he sees his family die, his livestock killed, his house burned down, and extensive physical ailments inflicted upon him. Perhaps most disturbing is the role God plays in the story of Job’s suffering. The theological implications of Job suffering at the hand of Satan are quite problematic. The title “Satan” in Job is not the Satan we hear about in the New Testament, or in popular culture.

The title Satan (ha-satan in Hebrew) literally means “the adversary” or the “accuser” and can perhaps be best understood as the prosecuting attorney of God. The Satan is not the adversary of God, but of humanity. The Satan is one of the “heavenly beings” (literally “sons of God”) and a member of the royal court of God. He has the unique responsibility to bring forth God’s justice in the world, often in creative ways. The Satan must however first receive permission for “testing” Job. The interaction that takes place between God and Satan is not the cosmic duel for the souls of humanity and control of the world. Rather, Satan is the agent of God and the adversary of humanity. God allows Satan to act in his own best judgment, only placing certain restrictions on how Job could be tested. The question the story of Job poses is this: who is God in this story? Is this the same God that we know? Who is Satan? How does this story affect our understanding of a loving and merciful God?

The story of Job brings forth the classical theological issue of evil, or more precisely The Problem of Evil. The problem of evil leads us to struggle with questions that challenge our fundamental beliefs about who God is and how God acts in the world. Most, if not all, definitions of God include the following: God is all-powerful, all-knowing, ever-present, and wholly benevolent. If this is the case, how do we explain the evil and suffering in our world? If God is the source of all things and evil exists, doesn’t it follow that God is the source of evil and therefore no longer good? If God somehow isn’t “the author” of evil does this mean God is not all-powerful? If God and the Devil are engaged in a war for our souls, does this mean God could lose?

There are many creative ways that theologians and scholars have attempted to diminish or solve the problem of evil, although none have done so with any success. The problem of evil is real and one each of us must confront and be honest about, for if we deny evil and sin in our world we deny reality. On the other hand, if we conclude that God is responsible for suffering and evil, we are left with a God who cannot be described as loving and merciful. Instead the image of God as sadistic “tester” we see in Job who feels the need to punish those who are faithful as well as the unfaithful. If God were truly benevolent why didn’t God give us the ability to live righteously? If God is all-powerful and all-knowing, then God knew we would turn out this way and allowed it to happen anyway. What kind of God is this?

I ask you to consider this issue in light of your experience with suffering, death, and evil.

-Have you seen God at work in these situations?
-Have you ever felt abandoned by God?
-How do deal with the “problem of evil”?

Ashes to Ashes

As I reflect upon Ash Wednesday, when many of us participated in the imposition of ashes upon our heads as a sign of repentance, I cannot help to feel both humbled and blessed. I have always found this service to be deeply powerful and humbling. It is a reminder that we have sinned and fallen short, that our lives are not what God intended, that we have more to learn and room to grow spiritually, emotionally, and relationally. The ashes upon our foreheads represent our repentance and our mortality, as we remember "that we are dust and to dust we shall return."

I do however, remember a distinct time growing up when ashes played a key role in my life (other than once a year at church). I grew up in old house built around 1880. It was a large house (think mock-Victorian) that was exceptionally drafty in the winter and thus exceptionally expensive to heat. My dad installed a wood-burning furnace to supplement the gas furnace in order to keep costs down. At an early age I learned how to split and stack wood through much practice. One of the by-products of burning large quantities of wood is accumulating large quantities of ashes. I will never forget the moment those ashes came to my rescue. I had gotten myself stuck in the ice and snow of our back alley. My '76 Buick Skylark was no match for 12 inches of snow and ice. My car was hopelessly stuck and all the pushing, pulling, pleading, and praying I could muster did nothing to alleviate my dilemma. I then remembered how my dad had once used ashes for traction in just such a situation. I raced to the basement, filled up a bucket of ashes, placed them under the car and I was soon unstuck. The ashes I thought were waste and of no value saved the day!

I wonder now if our lives in some ways are a lot like ashes. We go through times of great turmoil, stress, trauma, and pain. Many of us have been burned by broken relationships, betrayal, deception and deceit that our lives resemble a bucket of full of ash--used up, burned out, and left in a heap. What happens when we overcome and clogged up with the ashes of life? How can we be cleansed?

Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me. Do not cast me away from your presence, and do not take your holy spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and sustain in me a willing spirit. -Psalm 51

Psalm 51 is a favorite of mine and at times has functioned like a mantra. Whenever I feel overcome with negativity, filled with doubt and uncertainty, the words of the psalmist bring comfort and solace. Life is dirty, messy and painful. There is no way to avoid pain, disappointment, agony and suffering. What we need to be reminded of is our deep need to trust God to bring healing and wholeness to our lives. Christ is our rescue, our strength, our healer. God can clean the mess up, can restore our lives, and bring joy.

May the ashes of your life not hold you captive, but may they propel you to a new place of healing, wholeness, and peace through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Contagious Energy

Have you ever known someone with contagious positive energy? The kind of person when you spend time with them you feel better? There are those whose mere presence has a way of lifting the spirits of all they meet. Such people are a true gift from God and we need more of them in our lives! My friend Tom Martin is one of these people in my life. He is always filled with energy and enthusiasm for life and has always lifted my spirit and mood. It is not really what Tom says or does that makes a difference, it is just...his presence.

I have thought about this idea of contagious positive a lot recently. I have been looking at the call stories of the early disciples. Jesus simply walks up to Peter, Andrew, John, James, Philip and simply says "follow me." (Mark 1:17; John 1:43) What I simply cannot get over is how basic and simple Jesus' words are, and yet how incredibly effective, as they all immediately leave their lives to follow Jesus. In fact, sometimes when Jesus calls a disciple to follow he not only says simple things he sometimes says truly bizarre things.

When Jesus saw Nathanael coming towards him, he said of him, ‘Here is truly an Israelite in whom there is no deceit!’ Nathanael asked him, ‘Where did you come to know me?’ Jesus answered, ‘I saw you under the fig tree before Philip called you.’ Nathanael replied, ‘Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!’ (John 1:47-49)

The story of Nathaniel is quite interesting on a number of levels, but his encounter with Jesus is particularly interesting. Nathaniel is brought to Jesus by a super-pumped and enthusiastic Philip (a key behavior of disciples--helping people encounter Jesus) and is initially quite skeptical of Jesus. When Jesus tells Nathaniel that he "saw him under the fig tree" Nathaniel confesses his faith in Jesus. Nathaniel becomes a believer/disciple because Jesus tells him he saw him under a fig tree? what? Why would this convince a skeptical Nathaniel? Wouldn't you want a bit more explanation and convincing?

The more I have thought about these stories the more I am convinced that it is really not what Jesus said that was important. There is something about an authentic experience of God that is beyond words, beyond description. I believe the first disciples knew who Jesus was not by the power of his words, but through the power of his presence. Jesus had supernatural spiritual energy that was contagious to all whom he encountered. When people met Jesus, and felt the presence of God, they knew everything they needed to know.

Many of us have had "God moments" that are integral to our faith, moments which define our relationship with God, moments which define our lives. These moments are encounters with the crucified and risen Christ, encounters that transform lives, encounters which are beyond words. I have had these God moments and been so filled up with God's love, grace, and presence that I could not help but to share it. When I share my God moments with others, my words often fall short and fail to convey the energy and enthusiasm I intended.

All this brings me back to Philip and Tom Martin. We know that God has freely poured out love and grace and hope in our lives. We know God has given us this gift to share with the world. We also know that it is not the power of our words which will be compelling, but the power of our presence. If we could have a contagious spirit of God, and help people encounter Jesus we could make a huge impact in our world.

The question of the day is: how do we get contagious positive energy? And once we get it, how do we keep it?

For me, my spiritual energy comes from being connected to God. When I feel connected to God, my energy and enthusiasm for sharing Jesus goes way up. When I feel disconnected to God, spiritually dry and used up I have no energy at all. I have found when I take regular time to have deep discussions about faith, mission, church, and what God is up to I am re-energized and excited to share myself as Philip does.

Do you have a contagious positive energy for God?

What feeds your spirit? What re-energizes you spiritually?
Do you take regular time to get energized?

Winter of Discontent

“Now is the winter of our discontent”
-opening line from Henry III; William Shakespeare

Let’s be honest: the weather has been truly awful this winter. It has been cold, snowy, and unrelenting. Even for me, a veteran of long depressing winters, this has been no fun and I am longing for days of spring, sunshine, and warmth. I know there are many who feel similarly, and some who truly suffer in this season.

In winter, we are restricted and confined, kept indoors by snow and ice. In winter, we struggle to keep warm and keep our spirits up. Compounding this is the current international financial crisis. We are worried about our jobs, our homes, our retirement, and our way of life. Anxiety, doubt, fear, and winter, what a glorious combination! In the midst of all these dis-ease, unhappiness, and discontentment, is there any good news to share?

As Christians, whether we know it or not, we have a deep storehouse of resources to combat difficult and challenging times. Scripture is filled with the story of God’s faithful action, intervention, and deliverance on behalf of God’s people. The stories of the exodus from Egypt, exile from Babylonia, and of course Jesus’ sacrificial death remind us of God’s deep love and compassion for us. God is neither absent nor unconcerned with our pain and suffering. God’s compassion and love for us is infinite and absolute.

It is also true however, that God does not shield us from unpleasant and difficult circumstances. God gives us strength to endure and the reminder of his presence, but the human experience is often filled with times of discomfort, pain, suffering, and hardship. God does not cause these things to happen, but they are allowed. For us then, times like these become opportunities for growth and development. What can we learn about ourselves in the midst of difficulty? How is this time in life preparing me for something later? How can I use this time to give God glory?

Times like these are never easy and require strong faith and confidence in the enduring presence, goodness, and love of God. Yet, we also know how this story will end. In Christ, we have our clearest picture of God’s heart. In Christ, we have a God of resurrection and redemption. In Christ, we experience the complete and total transformation of our lives and our world. In Christ, God transforms life from death, hope from despair, faith from fear, grace from guilt, victory from defeat. With full and certain knowledge we proclaim to the world, by the death and resurrection of Christ, confidence that despite a long and dreary winter, spring is on the way.

“I have learned to be content with whatever I have. I know what it is to have little, and I know what it is to have plenty. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being well-fed and of going hungry, of having plenty and of being in need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:11-13

Following Jesus

What does it take to be a follower of Jesus? What does it mean to be a disciple of the crucified and risen Jesus?

I have been thinking about these questions deeply over the past several years. As a pastor, it is my job, my calling, to empower and enable people to become followers of Jesus. So what is a disciple and how do you know if you meet one? Put another way, would a stranger be able to tell, by looking at your life, that you were a Jesus follower?

This is a tough question which causes us to deeply examine our lives and most likely repent and seek forgiveness. Lutherans in particular, have difficulty understanding discipleship. We know that being a good person and making Godly decisions are not what achieves and maintains our relationship with God. It is only through God’s amazing gift of grace and love, and not by our own doing, that we can be in relationship with God. Yet being convinced of our inherent sinfulness does not excuse us from the path of discipleship.

It is not enough for us simply to accept the gift of grace and believe the right things about Jesus. (Well in a sense this is enough, at least in regards to our salvation.) God expects us and needs us to be agents of grace and peace in the world, to be God’s hands and feet, to share the love of Christ with a hurting and suffering world. We cannot make this kind of impact unless our lives become transformed, sanctified, and prepared by God’s love and grace. We cannot become these kinds of people without growth, change, and disciple.

Being a disciple is an important and most necessary calling. Being a disciple of Jesus requires work and effort. Being a disciple of Jesus requires us to make sacrifices and live lives that are different from those around us. Jesus was constantly challenging his would-be followers to change their lives, to allow God to transform them to whom they were created to be.

‘Teacher, I have kept all these since my youth.’ Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said, ‘You lack one thing; go, sell what you own, and give the moneyto the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.’ When he heard this, he was shocked and went away grieving, for he had many possessions.” Mark 10:20-22

In the story of the rich young man, Jesus discusses the transformation a person of wealth must undergo. The young man had been faithfully following the law his entire life and yet Jesus asked for more. It was not enough simply to follow the law, the young man had to give up what he held most dear, his wealth. It isn’t being wealthy that is the problem for him, but it is the elevated status wealth played in his life which required change. It was a challenge to give up what he held most dear in order to fully follow Jesus. Being a disciple means more than following the law and having the right beliefs, being a disciple means submitting our lives to God. Being a disciple means putting God first. The young man was happy to follow God when it was easy, but when it required sacrifice he fell apart.

To become a disciple we must give our heart and our lives to God, without holding back. It is a difficult, sacrificial, arduous road. But it is a road which leads to our transformation, growth and liberation. A road which leads to the life God intended for you, and life which positively impacts the world. I pray that God might grant you the strength and courage to follow Christ with your entire heart and life, knowing that neither your ability nor inability to become a true disciple will change your salvation, but through God’s grace you have been afforded the opportunity to live a life of significance and meaning.

What is keeping you from being a true disciple? What are you holding back?

Go, See, Share!

Do you expect to see God at work in your daily life? Are looking for the signs that God is active? Are you sharing with others what you see?

What then shall we say, brothers? When you come together, everyone has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. All of these must be done for the strengthening of the church. If anyone speaks in a tongue, two—or at the most three—should speak, one at a time, and someone must interpret…For God is not a God of disorder but of peace. (1 Corinthians 14:26-32)

Paul was a wonderful teacher and pastor of the early church and was extremely concerned that the budding Christian communities he helped establish would be hospitable to all people. Paul goes out his way, time and time again, to address the real and present needs of the people, and encourages them to find ways to live together in community.

In his letter to the Corinthians, and in particular in chapter 14, Paul is trying to bring order to a chaotic and unruly worship experience. It seems as though the people are so excited to share their “God stories” in worship that they are not taking turns. Everyone wants to speak at once and the unstructured nature of worship is causing problems for the church. Can you imagine what it would be like to have this problem? What would our church be like if people came together and eagerly shared their stories, so eagerly in fact that they tripped all over themselves trying to share?

It seems that Paul’s exhortation to bring order to worship has been taken extremely seriously in the history of the church. We like order and tradition and predictability—this is human nature. Chaos and disorder are disturbing and threatening. But are we missing something? Could we use a bit more disorder in our lives? Are we making room for the Spirit of God to intercede and show us something new? Are we making time to listen to God and one another?

In our life together as church, I would love to have the problem of the people of Corinth. I would love to have so many powerful stories of what God is doing in our lives that we have to be reminded to take turns.

An even bigger issue for us isn’t order or disorder in worship. I believe many haven’t yet opened their eyes to see what God is up to in the world. God is alive and moving in our lives and in the world. Are you looking? We can easily get so caught up in our own busy lives that we don’t even look for God. Or perhaps even worse, we believe that God is not present in our everyday lives. But God is present in all of life: at home, at work, at the grocery store, on the street, and even in the church.

So start looking for God and you will see. "So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” (Luke 11:9) Then come and share with the rest of us, I promise we will all get a turn.

Still Days

Now that all of the presents have been opened, the food has been eaten, and family members have returned home, what is next? Each year we hustle like crazy preparing for and anticipating the Christmas celebration, and each year we inevitably suffer a post-holidays let down. After so much excitement, is there anything more depressing than a return to normalcy?

In many ways January is a most depressing month: the weather is cold and dreary, there are no more big social gathering to attend, and by now our New Year’s resolutions have already been broken. It all sounds so awful doesn’t it? Yet for me this time of year is truly wonderful, and not just because I really enjoy cross country skiing. We are given great opportunities in non-exciting times to examine our lives and make important changes. It is in times of quiet, when I have a chance to reflect, that I have moments of insight and self-discovery. It is moments of true stillness I have felt most deeply the presence of God.

“Be still, and know that I am God;

I will be exalted among the nations,

I will be exalted in the earth." Psalm 46:10

This is one of my favorite scripture passages because it reminds me to calm down and make room for God in my life. In fact this verse from Psalm 46 can be a mantra of sorts with me. Whenever life gets hectic and out of control, taking time to seek the peace and presence of God can make a huge difference

Perhaps the quiet and still days to come are opportunities to connect in a deeper more meaningful way with God. Perhaps the days to come will give you an opportunity to reflect upon your life and your priorities and make needed changes. Wherever you happen to be in life, take time this season to be still and feel the presence of our Lord. The stillness of January is a blessing and I pray you find peace and strength in the days to come.