Born Again John 3:1-17

John 3:16 is one of those verses from the Bible that transcends many barriers. The verse has been called the Gospel in miniature. It is one of those verses that little children learn in their Sunday school classes. At an arena or sporting event, you can see the verse on a t-shirt or poster held by a spectator. The verse does the amazing task of describing God’s endless love for his creation/universe/world that he would send his Son to redeem it back from its darkness and death.

The verse is preceded by a ruler of the Jewish council, Nicodemus, coming to Jesus in the darkness of night most likely to avoid being discovered by others. Nicodemus had seen and heard in Jesus a quality of life that set him apart as being from God. Jesus responded that to see the kingdom of God a person needed to be born again which can get really confusing.

Nicodemus was obviously right in that we can’t once again undergo the physical birth process as adults. So what does being born again mean? Does it mean an altar call or confession? Not really, but a confession of faith is the result of this rebirth. So what is born again?

Jesus went on to describe how this world already stands judged and comes up wanting. The reality of this is shown in our love of darkness and our effects to hide what we do because deep down we know it is evil. Simply look at the false information, manipulation of the truth and direct lies being told these days to put our love of darkness on display.

So what are we saying by being born again? It means we stop our allegiance to the darkness and grab hold of the light which exposes the truth. The hold that darkness has over us we can’t break; this is the Holy Spirit’s work. Only the Spirit can make us able to see the truth. Only the Spirit can allow us to see the reign of God and give us a rebirth from this world into God’s kingdom.

Jesus spoke of his being lifted up (crucifixion). It was also his exultation. There the darkness of the world challenged the reign of God. Jesus’ resurrection (exultation) showed that the light and truth of God’s grace and love are what reign and give life. John 3:16 tells us that to believe in Jesus is to have eternal life. Eternal life is more than an endless number of days to live. Eternal life is a quality of life…a way of life…a life in relationship with the resurrected Lord that is now and continues on forever. Believing in Jesus is to trust that in him God was saving the world, so deeply loved, from darkness into light.

So we return to John 3:16 and its message. “For God so loved the world (you) that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” The Gospel in one sentence.

Peace.

It Is Tempting Matthew 4:1-11

The season of Lent is now here which means that many of us will be giving something up. At least, for a few weeks. So we’ll give up social media: Facebook, Instagram, etc. We’ll deny ourselves the “vices” like alcohol, fast food or cigarettes. In the past my big denial was chocolate. The positive was the effect of losing a couple pounds. The negative was on Easter morning gorging on the chocolate covered marshmallow bunnies and eggs. The result was gaining the weight back and sometimes a pound or two more. The great denial of Lent starts out with good intentions but the lure to return to former ways is strong. This is how temptation works. It just keeps pulling and pulling and pulling at our weakness like the taste for sweets, the excitement of how many likes are on Facebook or the social connection at the bar. Temptation feeds off our fears, anxieties, desires until it has caught us in its trap.

The readings from the first Sunday in Lent are about two great scenes of temptation: Jesus in the the wilderness, Adam and Eve in the garden. The temptations were much more that eating an apple from the forbidden tree or turning rocks into bread to fill an empty tummy. The temptations were really about our relationship with God.

The Old Testament reading is from Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7. The serpent tempts Eve to eat the forbidden fruit while Adam seems to be silent in the background. The serpent’s challenge is to the goodness of God who denied them the chance to be like God and know good from evil. Eve and Adam both took a bite; so do we. Yes we do know what good is because we have come to know evil so well. The desire to be like God has brought us war, poverty, division, ecological damage to creation. In the end, death comes.

The temptation of Jesus in the wilderness by the devil seems to focus on the devil getting Jesus to do what he shouldn’t but the temptation goes much deeper. “If you are the Son of God…” is how each temptation begins. Lets be straight forward. Jesus knew who he was and the devil knew who Jesus was as well. What was at stake wasn’t Jesus’ ability to do what the devil tempted but his identity. Jesus came as God incarnate to save a fallen world. Would he surrender that identity to fill his empty stomach, force the hand of God to serve him or worship what is evil for the world’s power? Jesus refused to give in and take a bite from that forbidden fruit.

The first Sunday in Lent seems to be about temptation but really it is about identity. The verses just prior to Jesus in the wilderness were on his baptism. The Spirit’s presence and the voice from heaven affirmed his identity, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” Baptized into Christ, we are marked with his cross and declared to be a child of God. While we think temptation is about eating chocolate, the real temptation is to deny our new identity. Will we deny this identity to claim the place of God? Will we give up our identity to serve ourselves…get God to serve us…or, serve what is evil for power? Giving up our identity is temptation’s real goal.

Whether you decide to give up chocolate or Facebook or fast food for Lent is up to you but hold firm to who you are in Christ – a child of God.

Peace.

Are You Hungry? Matthew 17:1-9

[Taken from a sermon to be preached this coming Sunday]

I start out with this opening question, “Are you hungry?” Right away our minds turn to breakfast, lunch or maybe a quick raid on the leftovers in the refrigerator. Yet, there are different kinds of hunger beyond food. If we are sick, the hunger is for healing and health. The hunger inside might be for peace or justice or truth. While the word ‘hunger’ can be used to describe the yearning that is inside each of us, this coming Sunday I’ll turn to what can be called the hunger for God.

I am going to ask you the question again but this time it isn’t about food. “Are you hungry?” This time we are looking at a different kind of hunger. The kind of hunger that reaches down into the soul.

Are you hungry to look upon the face of Jesus, the risen Lord?

Are you hungry for the presence of God to be as sure and as obvious as a tent pitched in your backyard?

Are you hungry for the divisions that hurt so deep in society to be removed as the kingdom of heaven brings healing to the nations?

Are you hungry for heaven’s feast…when death has been swallowed up in victory…when you will lift the cup of victory with the ones you have loved…and lost…and miss?

So are you hungry this morning? If the question is about looking upon the face of Christ in glory and for the coming of God’s reign, then the hunger is real and begs to be satisfied. The older you get, the hunger pangs get all the stronger.

This Sunday is Transfiguration Sunday and Lent begins with Ash Wednesday in a couple days. Preaching on this text is really hard because how do you with words tell of a vision that words can’t adequately explain? How do you describe what it would be like to stand next to the likes of Moses and Elijah from the Old Testament? How do you describe with words Christ suddenly glowing with the glory reserved for God alone? How do you describe the voice which said, “This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him!” How do you make tangible the touch of Jesus saying, “Get up and do not be afraid.” You can’t. You simply have to be there and experience the moment first hand. What we can do is express the hunger that we share with Peter and James and John. In the end, description isn’t good enough, we want fulfillment.

So this morning we are given a description of a vision that Peter, James and John were blessed to experience. Lets begin by engaging in what the Gospel of Matthew is trying to tell us.

Just prior to this amazing vision on the mountain top, Jesus tells the disciples that he was going to Jerusalem. What was about to happen in Jerusalem was not what they expected, he would be rejected and killed, but in three days he would rise. Peter pulled him aside with the message to stop such talk. Jesus responded with “Get behind me Satan.” He went on to say that if you wanted to have life and be considered a follower of his, you take a cross and die to this world.

We tend to be really tough on Peter then and in the reading today when he wanted to build three booths for Jesus, Moses and Elijah to stay. Shouldn’t he have known better but in reality he was just like the rest of us. He had a hunger that needed to be filled that was instilled as a boy hearing the stories of the glorious past and of a redeemed future brought by the Messiah. Unfortunately he had a hunger but didn’t know fully what the hunger was for. The problem is that we aren’t always sure what we are hungry for either. Haven’t each of us stood in front of an open refrigerator door not knowing what we are hungry for? So it is with faith.

We think the hunger is for political power and exert our will over others. Or, we think it is about celebrity and the biggest church, or how we remember or think life was like fifty years ago. And so we try to fill the hunger but to do so we lie, deceive, con each other, con ourselves and sell our souls. In the end we have nothing, not even life. The hunger instilled in us is not a re-branding or shuffling of the deck in terms of who is in power. The hunger is to look upon the face of God…to feel the touch of Christ and to hear his call to rise and not be afraid…to live in a world pulsating with God’s justice and peace.

Matthew then moves to the voice which speaks from the cloud saying, “This is my Son, the Beloved listen to him!” The voice from the cloud announced, “this is my Son, the Beloved” which is much like what was announced at his baptism. This time the voice said something more, “listen to him.” Just after the amazing vision on the mountain top, Jesus was going down the mountain and gave the three disciples a stern warning to keep this quiet until he was raised from death. The very presence of God for which we hunger the most is sandwiched between Jesus’ announcement that he was going to die and rise from the dead.

The hunger that runs so deep in the soul is satisfied only by the love of God in Christ who emptied himself out on the cross for us…satisfied only by the resurrection where the power of death is no more.

So we return to the opening question about being hungry. There is a meal for the people hungry for God. It is called Holy Communion. We are fed looking forward to the day when all hunger is gone.

Do not be afraid, this is the body of Christ given for you.

Do not be afraid, this is the blood of Christ shed for you.

A foretaste of the feast to come when we raise the cup of victory with those we have loved and lost and miss.

A day when all the lies and deceit and division and abuse will have come to their end in the cross of Christ. A new creation will be free in the resurrection.

So are you hungry? Then come, come to God’s Holy Table this coming Sunday in anticipation of the day when the hunger is no more.

Peace.

You are Light. You are Salt. Matthew 5:13-20

These days we take salt for granted. It is cheap. However, this was not always the case. In ancient times salt was highly valued. At times, it was even used by the Romans as currency to pay soldiers and other officials. Light is also taken for granted. Flip a switch on the wall and a room is filled with light. A satellite picture of the world quickly shows how lit up the night has become. However it wasn’t that long ago when a single lighthouse stood as a beacon between a cargo ship and crashing rocks. If power is ever lost in a storm, the familiar house now becomes a place of pitfalls and stubbed toes.

Jesus is continuing his Sermon on the Mount and he calls those present ‘Salt’ and ‘Light.’ We may not fully grasp what he was saying because of light and salt being so much a part of modern life. He was calling them highly valued and important in the kingdom of heaven. Jesus is also saying the same about us.

The people in Jesus’ audience weren’t what we call celebrities, they weren’t adorned in luxury or religious leaders basking in the flattery of others. Along with the disciples, the people included the poor, the persecuted (or soon to be), those who dared to speak the truth (put a light) to the world’s darkness and who desperately hoped for God’s righteousness to be known. The kingdom of heaven belonged to people like these. Jesus called them ‘blessed.’ He also called them ‘salt’ and ‘light.’ What is important to note is that Jesus was speaking in the plural, not singular. As a collective whole, they were ‘salt’ and ‘light.’ Today, we call that collective whole the church.

So what happens when the church is no longer pure in heart? Meaning, it is willing to trade a seat in the kingdom for a place of prominence in the world? What happens if it is no longer concerned for the poor, the grieving or oppressed? What if it no longer shines a light on the darkness or perhaps even helps in the coverup? It becomes like salt that has lost its value. It has done the absurdity of lighting a candle only to put a lid on it to protect the darkness.

Jesus was very direct. He didn’t come to abolish the Law or the prophets but to fulfill God’s demand for righteousness spoken through them. Jesus will go on in the following verses to explain what this involves as his sermon continues. His teaching, life, death and resurrection has shown the God who comes to take an enslaved world and bring it to freedom.

The verses today conclude with Jesus warning that unless our righteousness exceeds the Pharisees and teachers of the law, we won’t be a part of the kingdom of heaven. If anyone knew the Law and prophets, it would be the Pharisees and the teachers of the law. Yet, there is a difference between knowing and being transformed.

There is the darkness of cynicism, division, manipulation, fearmongering, lies, etc., etc., etc. At times, this seems so overwhelming. Remember Jesus’ declaration: you are salt…you are light.

Peace.

Blessings Matthew 5:1-12

If you ask people what a blessed life looks like, you would get a perspective of life that is going well. A person will say they are blessed because they enjoy good health. Another will cite family and speak of them being a blessing. Still another could describe living in a good neighborhood where they feel safe is a blessing. So blessings in a way are about the parts of life that work well and bring us joy. We direct our thankfulness toward God as the giver of such blessings. So as we read from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, we get a different perspective on blessings. What Jesus calls a blessing, leaves us scratching our heads because they don’t fit on our list.

Jesus taught that the blessed are: the poor in spirit, those who mourn, the merciful, those hungering and persecuted for righteousness, etc. How can this be? Well, we can try to rationalize his words and make them fit our world. We might say that their suffering will change and become a blessing when they get their act together but Jesus didn’t say this. Or that God sent this suffering as a way of testing and that blessing will come in the future. Jesus didn’t say this. We might pass this off as a future event, as being blessed someday in heaven but Jesus didn’t say this. He said, “Blessed are…” meaning the blessings are now in the present. So how do we reconcile Jesus’ view of blessings and our own? We don’t.

The verses just before this tell of Jesus gathering disciples and preaching the message, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.” His call is for life to be turned around and taken in a different direction. A new way of understanding the world from God’s perspective has been brought near in Jesus. So how does this work? Well, the kingdom of heaven doesn’t belong to those parading the power of faith for all to see. Instead, the kingdom of heaven belongs to those willing to admit the poverty of their faith. Those that struggle for peace when ‘might is right’ seems to be the dominate belief, are the ones blessed to be called children of God. Those insulted and persecuted for speaking truth in the face of power toward the pursuit of justice, walk in the same path as Jesus and the prophets of old. The kingdom of heaven is also theirs.

So what does it mean to be blessed? One perspective is to have life go well. Jesus’ teaching of blessing is to conform our lives to God’s perspective which he lived out for us to see. The two don’t always mix together well. So how do we transform our understanding of blessing? The prophet Micah gives us a start in the companion reading (Micah 6:1-8). “He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?”

Peace.

Is Jesus the One? Matthew 11:2-11

The message for the Third Sunday in Advent turns raw. The reality is that the question being asked is our question as well. Is Jesus the one we should look to solve all our problems or do we need to look in another direction? Is Jesus the one to bring the day of Lord which is the reign of God? Or, what politician can we turn to who will bring God’s blessings? Which corporate CEO can we turn to who will restore paradise on earth? What latest technological advancement is coming that will elevate humanity above the mess we keep making in and on the earth?

Last week John the Baptist was so sure and confident. He railed against the leadership calling them ‘vipers.’ The people were strongly urged to repent and to be baptized in preparation for the coming of One who will baptize them with the Holy Spirit and with fire. John challenged Herod’s unethical conduct and ended up in prison. Soon his head will be fetched as a party favor and for revenge. Suddenly John’s boldness turned to doubt. John pointed to Jesus but he didn’t live up to expectations. Now a prisoner, John asks, “Is Jesus the One?”

The message for today is raw because it cuts deep to our own doubts. Where do we look for that strong, decisive and charismatic leader, who: restores us to an idealized past…leads us to an utopian future…takes away all of our enemies…makes sure we end up on top? This question has been on humanity’s lips for thousands of years.

Jesus responds to John’s question by referencing the Year of the Lord’s Favor, the Year of Jubilee, when salvation and freedom is brought to all (Isaiah 61:1-2). Jesus was healing the sick, giving sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf, raising the dead and the poor heard good news. We are blessed if Jesus’ ways don’t offend us. We are blessed as the ways of God that bring life are welcomed; instead of a reinforcing the ways of human power.

After all, why did the people go out to listen to John in the first place? See the scenery? Look at a person of wealth and power? No, they came to listen to a prophet. They came to listen to a word from God. Isn’t that what we are really listening for in our questioning – a word from God that speaks of salvation?

Jesus brought a radically different understanding of how God’s salvation will be brought to this world. This radical way is glimpsed when the sick are cared for…good news is heard in the place of empty promises…the poor are lifted up rather than being used for better profits…death is overcome by resurrection. We are blessed if Jesus’ ways of bringing the kingdom of heaven don’t offend us.

Peace.

Faith for and during the crisis Luke 21:5-19

As time rolls on by, we encounter those moments which shake the faith we have for life. A child dies. A spouse dies. Faith is challenged in the after effects of disease or flood or tornado or hurricane. What we believe about life is questioned. We wonder about the goodness and presence of God. As we look at the political landscape with the partisan attacks, lying and manipulation of the truth, where do we put our faith may be at the front of our minds. Where do we put faith when the world seems to be a chaotic mess?

Jesus and the disciples were walking by the Temple. A few disciples boasted about the amazing structure and beauty of the Temple. It was an amazing building constructed by Herod, largely to the glory of Herod. For the faithful, however, the Temple served as a solid reminder of God’s presence during the trials of Roman occupation. Then Jesus declared the Temple would be destroyed (at the time Luke was written the Temple had already been destroyed by Roman forces). Jesus went on to tell of a persecution for his followers that would go far beyond what is called the ‘War on Christmas.’ The things we look to for security such as family and friends would betray his followers – even to the point of death. Why? Jesus and the kingdom of God stand in direct contrast and challenge to the chaos. Our sin – our defiance – leads us to choose the chaos.

So where does faith go when Temple and family and friends are part of the chaos? First of all, Jesus warned about con-men and manipulators who would use the times for their personal advantage – don’t be deceived. Jesus offers more than a stoic approach to ‘tough it out’ kind of faith. He shows us the God who brings life out of the chaos.

The beginning of Genesis tells of the Spirit of God hovering over the formless void (chaos) and an amazing, life sustaining creation was formed. From the chaos that nailed him to a cross, Jesus was raised to a resurrected life. This world will give way to the resurrection into a life that goes beyond our comprehension. The Spirit of God, present from the very beginning, is a witness to us so we can be a witness of hope to others. Faith looks to Christ’s return when this hope is fully realized.

Time passes by and we are all challenged to find a place where faith can grasp. Jesus’ death and resurrection points us to God who raises life out of the chaos. Let faith hold firm to this and gain the life that comes in Christ.

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.

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.

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.