For All the Saints Luke 6:20-31

This past week Halloween was observed.  A few little Spidermen and dinosaurs braved the cold and rain to stop at the door for candy.  They are probably enjoying their bounty now as I write these words.  There is also another observance that will be done at worship on Sunday.  Halloween got its name from “All Hallows Eve” which is the night before we recognize the saints on All Saints Day.  We remember those martyred for the faith.  We remember those faithful ones who were amazing examples of the faith to us.  Each passing year my list of those who have died has grown.  I miss them.  I am thankful for them because of the great hope they have passed on to me.

This Sunday names will be read and candles will be lit to honor the saints.  The saints who taught us in Sunday school.  The grandparents who drove us to worship.  Those who showed us how to face death with a living hope of a resurrection to come in Christ Jesus.  The saints who walked among the terror, hate, violence, greed of this world and refused to surrender to its alluring manipulation.  Their faith kept pointing to Christ and the kingdom of God where the pain, the sickness and death will be no more.  The reading from Luke lists people the world thinks are a bunch of losers.  The poor, hungry and excluded are called the blessed by God because their hope is kept in Christ and the kingdom.

The saints are simply those forgiven by God in Christ.  Their lives are an expression of that new life forgiveness grants.  By the grace of God, we too are the forgiven in Christ and numbered among the saints as well.  It is now up to us to pass this blessing on to others.  My writing is a little shorter today.  Take the extra time to say a prayer of thanks for the saints who blessed you.

Peace.

The Freedom of Truth John 8:31-36

Truth.  Does anybody know what truth is these days?  Is truth a simple collection of facts?  Is truth what I accept from my personal filters – what is true for me may not be true for you.  Everyday we are subjected to information that ranges from spin to direct lies.  “Fake News” is the accusation against what I consider to be reality.  So is truth really nothing more than my personal take on reality or can truth be found that turns out to be liberating?

This coming Sunday many churches will be celebrating the Reformation led by Martin Luther challenging the abuses of the Catholic church in that day.  Set free from those abuses have we abandoned them only to take on a different bondage?  If so, then we haven’t come to know the truth that enables us to be free.

Jesus was having a debate that was concerned with identity.  Some of the Jewish folk in the crowd were listening to his teaching and starting to believe that he just might be the Messiah.  Jesus said that if they continued in his teaching they would be his disciples (learners) and come to know the truth, the truth that will set them free.  They protested that they were descendants of Abraham and were never slaves to anyone.  Apparently they had forgotten about their ancestors slavery in Egypt and the Roman soldiers currently having a powerful grip on them now.  They were starting to believe but their bondage was tied to their identity as children of Abraham.  The desire to kill Jesus proved that their bondage was to a way that Abraham would have never supported.  Their perceived identity was false.

Jesus said that whoever sins is a slave to sin.  Sin is more than doing bad things.  Sin is rebellion against God.  The bad things we do are symptoms of that rebellion.  So what is the truth that sets us free from our slavery?  The truth is not a set of doctrine.  It is not tradition.  Truth is not grabbing select Bible verses that support our political philosophy.  It is not nationalism.  Truth is not repeating memorized lines.  It is not longing for an idealized past.  The truth that sets us free is a person.  Jesus is that truth.

If we take the time to listen to the things Jesus taught.  If we observe his compassion for the sick and the outcast and the poor.  If we take notice of how he forgave and showed mercy.  If we understand his rejection of the world’s take on power for fidelity to the kingdom of God.  If we begin to notice these things then what opens up to us is holy and Divine.  If we take these things into our being, then we come to know the One who is truth.  Jesus sets us free.  The result is that freedom in this world of slavery no longer is an obscure concept but a gift from God.

Peace.

Determined Prayer Luke 18:1-8

Prayer and the religious life go hand in hand.  You can’t have one without the other.  Vitality of one increases the other.  We have our own prayer times and routines.  We pray for others and ourselves.  We pray for health.  We pray for wisdom.  We say prayers that reflect our thankfulness.  We pray for the well being of creation.  Again, we pray for  these things in the lives of others as well as ourselves.  So for Jesus to talk about prayer shouldn’t surprise us.  Also for Jesus to connect prayer and faith shouldn’t be that surprising either.

As we look at the headlines of the world, what do we so often see?  We see images of refugees fleeing brutal regimes, poverty and war.  We see the powerful doing just about what ever they want without being held accountable for their actions.  We see the weak so often being used with few coming to their defense.  What does a life of prayer have to offer in a world like this?

Jesus is telling of a widow seeking justice from an unresponsive judge.  This judge has no respect for anyone, not even God.  Concern for the widow has strong support in Scripture and so the judge’s behavior is even all the more shocking.  However, the widow will not be denied justice.  While the reading describes the judge giving into the widow because of her pestering or bothering him, the meaning is far closer to her giving the judge, ‘a black eye.’  The widow was not passive in seeking justice.  She would not be stopped even in the face of an unjust world.  The life of prayer isn’t passive either.

The world may be slow to bring justice or even seek it.  The message from the reading is that God is very different from this world.  God will listen and respond quickly to his chosen ones who cry out day and night.  This Jesus connects to his finding faith when he returns.  Faith is fully believing that God and his kingdom have a strongly contrasting understanding of justice to the injustice we know full well.  Prayer is not a passive but aggressive pursuing of God’s justice to come.  Even, if it means giving the injustice of the world ‘a black eye.’  As Jesus taught us all to pray, “…thy kingdom come, thy will be done…”

The life of prayer is a privilege to know that God listens and responds.  It is a privilege to be given the opportunity to bare the soul to God and know that we’ll find grace and justice.  So take advantage of the life of prayer.  When it comes to praying for God’s justice to be known, be like the widow and be unrelenting even to the point of giving the world’s injustice ‘a black eye.’

Peace.

Being Whole Luke 17:11-19

What does it mean to be whole as a person?  I suppose the question could have a variety of answers.  Wholeness might be having a good balance of work and personal life.  Wholeness could also involve having a healthy approach to life with exercise and eating quality foods.  A positive look on life might for some, be considered having wholeness.  The topic of being a whole person comes up in the reading from Luke.  A Samaritan is cleansed from leprosy and on the way to the priest returned praising God for what Jesus had done for him.  Jesus replied to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.”  The Samaritan’s faith didn’t cure him of his disease, Jesus did.  His faith did enable him to recognize the source of his healing and to give thanks.  This is the faith that made him well – a whole person.

Being thankful may not always be first in our thoughts.  We’ll say “thank you” when a person opens the door or allows us to cut ahead in line.  Yet, thankfulness can get lost with busy lives or an over estimation of our personal talent.  Gratitude is important for life and being grateful to the One who deserves it, has a way of making us whole.

Ten lepers begged Jesus to have pity.  He told them to show themselves to the priests and on the way they were cleansed.  Going to the priest was important because the priest declaring you ‘healthy’ meant you were allowed to enter back into society and be part of the worshiping community.  Only the Samaritan returned to praise God for what Jesus had done for him.

Jesus came announcing that with his presence the kingdom of heaven has come near to us.  His death and resurrection opened the gateway for us to be a part of that kingdom.  If faith is only knowing a set of doctrine or certainty in personal belief, then faith is focused on ourselves.  If faith allows us to see what God has done for us and that he invites to be a part of his kingdom, then we have a faith leading us to be thankful for what Jesus has done for us.  This becomes the faith that makes us whole.  How will you show your thankfulness to God today?

Peace.

More Faith, Please! Luke 17:5-10

This past week Amber Guyger was sentenced to prison for the shooting death of Botham Jean.  By now, many of us have seen the picture of Botham’s younger brother, Brandt, give her a forgiving hug at the sentencing.  We find Brandt’s act of grace inspiring.  What an amazing act of faith to show the redemptive nature of forgiveness.  Deep down we wonder how we would respond if we were forced to face the same experience.  Would our faith hold up in the same way?

The reading begins with the apostles asking Jesus, “Increase our faith!”  Jesus tells them if they had the faith of a small mustard seed, they could command a mulberry tree to be  uprooted and planted in the sea and it would obey.  So often we look at faith as having the power to accomplish great things.  The reality is that we need faith more for ordinary life.  “Increase our faith!” is the plea as we work to be supportive of a family member having a terminal illness.  “Increase my faith!” is the plea if facing that terminal illness.  “Increase our faith!” is also the prayer as we try to forgive when our ego has been bruised.

Jesus had just warned the apostles about sin that gets in the way of another person’s faith.  If another sins against you seven times in one day and repents, and asks for forgiveness each time, forgive them.  This is where the apostles ask for more faith.  Jesus went on to say that this is simply doing what is expected of us.  An act of faith is more than accomplishing dynamic moments to awe others.  Faith is doing the hard work of restoring a broken friendship.  Faith is moving beyond the bruised ego to accept another person’s repentance.  Faith is so much a part of living out relationships.  Our relationship with God was so central in Jesus’ teaching, crucifixion and resurrection.

How was Brandt Jean capable of showing such grace in that forgiving hug with Amber Guyger?  Faith.  Thankfully, few of us are put in situations where faith is challenged like the Jean family.  Yet, each day we face situations where forgiveness is needed and broken relationships restored.  Restoration and the redemption of relationships is so much a part of following Christ.  For each and everyday, “Increase our faith” needs to be our prayer.

Peace.

 

 

A Man Named Lazarus Luke 16:19-31

This parable from Jesus is unnerving, to say the least.  The parable challenges the very thing(s) we place of greatest value and who God holds in highest value.  The things we value of power and wealth make it easy for us to name the people who possess them.  I’m sure that many of us can name several.  However, how many of us can give the name of a homeless person?  The unnerving part of Jesus’ parable is that a homeless man is named, Lazarus.  A rich and powerful man goes unknown.  If we enjoying comfortable lives have no compassion or care for the poor, the homeless whom God knows by name, where does this parable leave us?

A rich man enjoys the best things that life can offer.  A beggar named Lazarus lives off the rich man’s scraps.  Lazarus’ health is so bad that the dogs come to lick the infection from his sores.  Both men die.  The rich man goes to hell’s torment.  Lazarus to be with Abraham.  The rich man doesn’t get it.  He still thinks that his wealth gives him privilege by asking for Lazarus to come and serve him.  However the chasm between them is as great as the divide was between them in life.  The rich man still doesn’t get it.  He continues to think his wealth gives him the right to order Lazarus to warn his brothers.  The answer was, “No.”  If the brothers are so callous against the poor they won’t heed the words of Moses or the prophets, they won’t change even if someone were to rise from the dead.

Jesus is risen from the dead.  We still have the words of Moses and the prophets.  We also have the poor and homeless who are known by God.  Whose words are we going to listen to?  The words that keep telling us power and wealth of the world are important to God?  Or these words of Jesus telling us that the poor have God’s intimate concern?  The words we heed define the side we are on.

Peace.

Value of Money Luke 16:1-13

Money is a part of life.  Nothing shocking about that statement.  Money is needed to pay the rent and buy groceries.  We donate money to support those organizations that we value for the work they do.  Politics seems to be getting more and more dependent upon it and the influence gained is troublesome.  Money gives us status.  The car and house and boat and jewelry, etc. it buys makes people take notice.  Money in many ways is power to be used for good or harm.  Jesus is talking about money.  He advises us to be wise regarding its use because money will either serve us and God’s kingdom or we will serve it.

Jesus told a parable.  A man was placed in a crisis because he was about to lose his job.  His status was changing from being a manager to hard physical work or begging and neither was what he wanted for his life.  So he summoned his boss’s debtors and changed the financial books.  The result was they were now indebted to him.  In the end the man was still jobless but the boss praised him for his shrewdness.  Jesus also seems to praise the man as well.  So what gives?

Again, money is needed to purchase necessities and housing.  Money also gives influence and power.  Money is status.  There are some people who understand this very well.  Jesus commends the children of this age for knowing this better than the children of light.  This is all about faithfulness with the wealth that we are given in life and knowing how to use it to further the kingdom of God.

Money can be used to keep people in slavery and indebtedness.  Do we know how it can be used to set people free?  Money can be used to the advantage of the powerful.  Do we know how it can be used so the weak can find justice?  Money can be used to exacerbate our desire for more.  Do we know how it can be used to help those who don’t have enough?  Money can be used to establish our importance.  Do we know how it can be used to elevate the value of others?

Jesus wants us to know the real value of money.  What is important falls under the category of faithfulness.  What is important is to know who in the end we are going to serve.

Peace.

The Value of One Luke 15:1-10

I have always liked the parables of the lost sheep and the lost coin.  They describe the passionate desire of God to reach out to one and all, even me.  A shepherd has one of the flock wandering off.  Leaving the remaining ninety-nine, the shepherd searches high and low until it is found.  A party is held to celebrate.  A woman loses a coin and searches the house from top to bottom until it is found.  A party is held to celebrate.  It is comforting to know that God values the one enough to face a cross, a grave, to have me securely in his kingdom.  The great sadness is that I am more like the Pharisees muttering over Jesus’ behavior.

Jesus is being criticized.  This was not unusual.  The complaint was his willingness to socialize and eat with sinners.  If Jesus did this, it meant that he accepted them.  No self respecting authority on the Scriptures would allow themselves to be ‘tainted’ by association with sinners, would they?  Jesus did.  He socialized with them.  He ate with them.  He welcomed them.  He celebrated their return as active citizens of God’s kingdom.  We could learn a lot from Jesus.

We seem to be obsessed with division.  We are determined to maintain the ‘purity’ of our beliefs and not be ‘tainted’ by association with others.  The result is we accuse, nasty Tweet, undercut, spread lies, shun, etc.  However if we follow Christ, we follow the God who is relentless until even the ‘one’ is restored in his kingdom.  Jesus’ example would have the liberal and conservative stop the attacks and eat together.  The white and black put away the distrust and eat together.  The Christian and Muslim put away the fear and eat together.  Radical behavior like this would be a tremendous threat to those holding power by keeping the divisions alive.  In Jesus, we see God willing to face the cross, the grave and finally rise from death to defeat those powers and for us all to know the true power of his kingdom.  The kingdom of God is where a great celebration is held for sinners who repent (this is all of us).  So you see there really is value even of one.  The end result is we get to party together.

Peace.

What??? Jesus is anti-family Luke 14:25-35

The words of Jesus are harsh, maybe too harsh for our ears to hear.  Family is so central to what we are in life.  What politician doesn’t carry the banner of being pro-family?  Any organization seeking new members wants to be seen as supportive of family and uses family events as part of their recruitment efforts.  Family Values may be a rallying cry but families do struggle trying to hold all things together.  The addiction to screen time on the phone takes away family attentiveness to each other.  Sports teams and other activities pull families in different directions trying to keep up with loyalty demands.  Now Jesus is talking about hating family…hating life…the need to take up our cross to be his disciple…sell all possessions to be his disciple.

Jesus is inviting one and all to sit down and sort through the demands of discipleship.  He is asking us to weigh the consequences of choosing a different way of life that he is modeling for us.  The current way of life is consumed with possessions.  We possess the things we purchase.  We think we can possess people by seeking to control spouse, children, parents, etc.  Life is something we assume that can be owned.  In the end, we are possessed by things we think we control.  This we call life.  However, Jesus is telling us to give up possessions.

Jesus is inviting us to a different way of life called discipleship.  Jesus is personally on his way to Jerusalem where he will find a cross in his future.  The cross meant death for him in this world’s terms but to the glory of the Father, Jesus was raised to life in God’s terms.  Jesus is telling us we must also take up the cross if we are to find life in God’s terms as well.

Will this cause a scowl as the phone is put down?  Absolutely.  Will there be division in the family over priorities?  Of course.  Is the coach going to be angry?  You bet.  Are you going to reconsider job and career goals?  Very likely.  Are you going to examine how you participate and support the ways that bring about injustice or violence to others or creation?  For sure.  How about ‘hating’ the ways of this world to know life as God gives — this is the cost that must be considered.

Jesus’ words are harsh to hear regarding the cost of discipleship.  Yet to take up the cross is to discover family and life in a whole new way — God’s terms.  For this, we must all weigh the cost.

Peace.

Social Etiquette Luke 14:1, 7-14

If you have ever been to a wedding reception, you know that there are assigned seats for guests at the meal.  The main table is reserved for the wedding couple and their wedding attendants.  Closer tables are reserved for the immediate family.  There is nothing unusual here.  This is how formal dinners function.  The seats of greater honor are determined by relationship (family, business, etc.) to the host.  If you don’t want to be embarrassed, then don’t sit in the wrong seat of importance.

Jesus was invited to a meal at a prominent Pharisee’s home.  He recognized that the guests sat according to relationship with the host.  Jesus then gave some advice on social etiquette.  Don’t take a seat too high in status or you’ll be asked to take a lower seat, wouldn’t that be embarrassing?  Instead take a lower place and when moved up, you’ll be honored.  His advice wasn’t surprising, this is how our social connections work.  We socialize with people like us.  We use formal social events to get attention, conduct business, further spread our networking and define our place.  Nothing unusual here.  Then Jesus used the dinner party to get theological.  He gave advice for social etiquette for the Kingdom of heaven.

When having a party, don’t invite guests that will build your business or define your status in the community.  Instead, invite the poor and crippled and lame and blind.  The very people who have nothing to offer in return.  Why?  They are people of value in God’s kingdom.  Jesus takes our understanding of how relationships work and flips them upside down.  Under God’s reign, relationships aren’t about using others for our gain but for grace to be shown.  This is how our relationship with God is expressed, by how we live life now under his rules defining value.  At the ‘resurrection of the righteous,’ God will decide the positions of honor at heaven’s banquet.  Once more, Jesus takes life in a totally different direction by his teaching and how he lived life by the kingdom.

Peace.