Stop and sing a new song Revelation 5:4-11

So what kind of music do you like? What is the song that your heart wants to sing? Singing reaches deep into our being. We sing when we are happy. We sing the anthem before a sporting event. We sing during a worship service. Songs of justice are sung by those enslaved to inspire hope. Singing does something to us. Singing enables us to express what comes from the heart. The Revelation reading is full of song. In particular, a new song.

John is still recording the revelation that is being given to him. The One who sits in glory on the throne has a scroll waiting to be opened and read. Who is worthy to do this? None in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll. Then came a Lamb looking like it had been slain appeared and took the scroll. All of heaven burst out in song.

The living creatures and the elders bowed down and began singing a new song. Angels numbering in the tens of thousands joined in the song. Every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the the sea, and all that is in them – all of creation – joined in the song. It was a new song to worship the Lamb.

The book of Revelation helps to refocus our attention upon the One who is worthy of worship. It wasn’t Rome or Caesar, or any other power at the time. The Lamb who was slain alone is worthy.

We are constantly being divided by identity. Our allegiance is demanded as Democrat or Republican, as liberal or conservative, as evangelical or none. The demand for identity doesn’t permit critical thought over who is worthy of our support, or allegiance or worship.

All of heaven and creation is singing a new song. The Lamb who was slain has done what none other can do. Jesus Christ is the Lamb. He unites us from every tribe and language and nation. His blood has given us a new identity as children of our God. He is our salvation from the sinful division. He has given us a new purpose and that is to serve God. He is worthy of our worship.

So as we find ourselves ever more divided for the sake of power. Remember who is worthy. Sing a new song.

Peace.

Now What? Revelation 1:4-8

A week has now passed since we sang the “Alleluias” celebrating Christ’s resurrection. Pastors, worship committees and music leaders are taking a rest from the many Holy Week and Easter services. So as we move on down the calendar from Easter Sunday, the question comes up “Now What?” What do we do and where do we go from here?

Part of the assigned readings for the next couple weeks will be from the book of Revelation. I plan to be concentrating on these. Today we begin from the first chapter of Revelation. Revelation means “revealing.” The book is the revealing of Jesus Christ as the Alpha and the Omega, the first born from the dead. John, the recipient of this revelation has been exiled to the Island of Patmos which was a Roman penal colony. He was there likely for his missionary work and refusing to submit to the rising tide of emperor worship. This revelation was for the church to remain faithful to Christ who will return as the great victorious Lamb.

The book of Revelation was recorded about sixty years after Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection. Sixty years is a long time in human terms. Over sixty years we lose focus. We get busy with other things. Our exuberance fades away. We begin to question the level of our commitment. Whether sixty years or two thousand years, the challenge for the church is to always remain faithful. Last Sunday worshipers in Sri Lanka were victims of bombings while they celebrated Christ’s victory. For others in the church, the challenge is far more subtle to turn allegiance over for political influence or cultural power. The pull from the world around us is strong and never gives up. Yet we are reminded that Christ’s rule extends over the defiant kings of the earth.

Last week was Easter. This week we might be asking, “Now what?” The answer from Revelation is to remain faithful witnesses to the One who we’ll see coming in glory with the clouds… the One “who is and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.”

Peace.

An idle tale? Luke 24:1-12

We have come to Easter and we know what that means for the day. We gather with the family and enjoy lots of food. The couple pounds lost from denying ourselves chocolate will be replaced with a couple pounds more to spare as we devour the Easter candy. Sometime during the day, we need to contend with the message of Easter. Is the resurrection an idle tale? Or, has the resurrection of Christ set creation on a new path to be made new?

On the first day of the week, women went to the tomb of Jesus. They went there like we all do when going to a cemetery. We go to tell stories. We weep. We grieve. We seek to find a new normal without the person we loved. However on this morning, the tomb was empty and two men in dazzling appearance asked, “Why do you seek the living among the dead?” The two men reminded the women of Jesus’ words of being crucified and raised on the third day. The women ran to tell the disciples who considered their words nothing more than an idle tale.

The resurrection of Jesus is God’s judgment against the darkness of the world. The likes of Herod and Pilate denying justice to the innocent and who give in to mob rule for political peace are judged. The chief priests and the mob crying for the death of Jesus while preferring the release of a criminal are judged. Our world where Jesus walked among the outcast and poor was judged. Our world where death is granted ultimate power is judged as a fraud. The real power is in God the Father who raised Jesus from the dead.

The resurrection of Jesus happened on the first day of the week. The first day which goes back to the start of creation when God spoke and light shined in the darkness. The resurrection of Jesus is the beginning of a new creation. All creation is now to be set free from sin and the darkness. Light is shining.

The women were asked, “Why do you seek the living among the dead?” Why are they still looking for the old ways of death when a new creation has now begun in Christ risen? The disciples called the message delivered an ‘idle tale’ because their thoughts were still on the old ways. This Easter the message confronts us as well.

If we are content with leadership that allows injustice to reign, where the innocent are allowed to suffer, where political peace is preferred over the truth then the resurrection is an idle tale.

If we are content with the hungry not being fed, the sick refused care and the outcast to be shunned and condemned as unworthy, then the resurrection is an idle tale.

If we are content with creation being exploited for profit rather than protected and cared for, then we are pushing the darkness upon it and the resurrection is an idle tale.

The message for this Sunday is, “Christ is Risen!” Will we receive it as the good news it is for all creation? Will we treat it as an idle tale? The difference is to be in the past’s darkness or live in the light of God who raises the dead to a new life.

Peace.

How could we? How could he? Luke 22:14-23:56

The great declaration of the Christian faith is that Christ has died…Christ is risen…Christ will come again. This coming week is Holy Week and we look at the first part: Christ has died. I encourage all to attend Maundy Thursday and Good Friday services to grasp the depth of the Christian faith. This reading from Luke is long as it covers the passion from the Last Supper to his crucified death. The question is, “How could we?”

Following the Last Supper with his disciples, Jesus goes with them to the Mount of Olives to pray. Judas Iscariot is absent because he left to betray Jesus. Suddenly Judas arrives with a crowd to arrest Jesus. A kiss of friendship is given. A sword is drawn. Jesus announces that the power of darkness is at hand while he is taken away.

There has been an ongoing conflict between Jesus and the Kingdom of Heaven against the power of darkness. Now has come the time for the power of darkness to reveal itself. The next few hours the power of darkness reveals it’s true nature. Lies. Deceit. Violence. Normally rational people screaming for the death of an innocent man while leaders stir up emotions further. Their delirium has them demanding the release of a known murderer to see Jesus killed instead. Mockery. Kill. This is the power of darkness.

This is why Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and all of Holy Week are important. If we simply jump to Easter, then we excuse ourselves and sit like spectators watching a game to see who wins. We need to see the darkness. We need to recognize our involvement. We need to ask the question, “How could we allow ourselves to made pawns of the darkness?”

How could he? When this question is asked of Jesus, the answer is always ‘love.’ Yet the word is vague. There is a rare group of people willing to sacrifice their lives for someone else. We call them ‘heroes.’ Jesus gave of himself for a world lost in its darkness. This is why we call him, Savior. This is love.

For now the power of darkness seems unstoppable and Jesus is handed over. However, he takes his last breath on the cross in trust that the One who called light into existence will not let darkness prevail. Jesus took his last breath trusting that the One who created life will not let it be denied by the darkness.

This coming week, we take a long look at the darkness and ask “How could we?” We also ask, “How could he?”

Peace.

Preparing for death John 12:1-8

The season of Lent is coming to a close and we know what that means, the cross is next on the way to Easter morning. As much as we want to jump ahead to the excitement of Easter, the cross must first be faced. The reading for this coming Sunday is setting up what Jesus will soon be facing and that is the cross. The dichotomy of death and life can’t be ignored.

Jesus is at the home of Lazarus whom he had restored to life from death. Immediately after this the entire Sanhedrin was called together to deal with the problem of Jesus going around doing miraculous things. If Jesus were allowed to go around showing signs of the Kingdom of Heaven the Romans will come and take away all they have worked to accomplish. Caiaphas declared that it would better for one man to die than for the nation they have labored to create perish.

Following the above reading, the chief priests were concerned about the crowds gathering around Lazarus’ house. They began to plan Jesus’ death and Lazarus’ death too. Hey, do you really want visual proof of life rising out of death to be seen! People would want this and reject the power structures at play. Better kill off life so that the old ways of death can be maintained. How foolish we are. How obvious our sin and how oblivious we are to recognize it.

At Lazarus’ house, Mary takes out fragrant oil to anoint Jesus for his burial. A humble act and loving act as she uses her hair to wipe the perfume over his feet. Judas Iscariot complains that this expensive perfume could be sold and the proceeds given to the poor. He doesn’t understand what is happening.

As long as Jesus is present, the Kingdom of Heaven is present. Jesus will soon be crucified and raised from the dead. Then he will ascend in glory. We wait for the day when he returns and the Kingdom is fully established. Until then, we contend with the powers that be. The powers that emphasize killing and death to keep control. The powers that leave us with a privileged few and poverty for the rest.

The season of Lent is drawing to its end and the cross is coming sharper into focus. This is a good time to be reminded of the powers that be and our complicity in their efforts that result in death and poverty. This is also a good time to remember the Kingdom of Heaven and how we can be a witness to its life giving ways.

Peace.

What is a parent to do? Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32

Everyone who has grown up with siblings can relate to this text. Within each family there seems to always be the wild child. The one knowing how to wrap mom and dad around their little finger. The one the rest of the family seems the need to keep and eye on. Then there is the one never getting into trouble and continuing to whisper under their breath, “mom and dad always like them best.” This brings us to the reading above. We call it the parable of the prodigal son but it is really about the incredible love of a parent for a couple of children refusing to understand how good they have it.

In the parable the younger son declares his independence and wants his inheritance now. To him, his father is as good as dead. The inheritance is quickly spent. The son returns with a plan to be allowed back at least as a common worker. The father instead receives him back fully as a son and throws a big party.

The older son refuses to attend the party for ‘his father’s son.’ He despises his father’s love for that son who wasted the inheritance on prostitutes. He sees his life lived under his father as servitude and drudgery. His father never even held a party for him and his friends though he likely never asked for one. He refuses to attend the party for the safe return of his father’s son. What is a parent to do?

Family fights are so horribly painful. We know each other’s weaknesses. A parent knows the hurt of being caught in the middle. What is a parent to do but love each child unconditionally?

The father in the story is God. The party is a restorative feast to bring us one and all together again under his love. However we are too busy manipulating, fighting, calling out each other’s sins, acting out in resentment, treating God as though dead, despising God for being merciful and so on. We are some nasty kids at times.

Yet, we are still loved. There is a party to celebrate our restoration as one under his love for us all. If we only understood just how good we have it.

Peace.

Why did they need to die? Luke 13:1-9

Why did they need to die? They were going to worship their God and to offer prayers. They were going to a place that was a sanctuary for them. They weren’t hurting anyone. Why did they have to die? We’ve all heard about the shooting in Christchurch, New Zealand. Fifty Muslim worshipers were killed for what? Worshiping at their local Mosque?

These kind of events happen all to often. In this case we rightly blame white supremacy and hate which is grown around the world. We also blame access to high powered guns. We blame mental health as the problem. Yet the question, “Why did they need to die?” never gets answered because the victims at Christchurch didn’t deserve it anymore than anybody else.

Some brought to Jesus’ attention the Galilean worshipers whose blood Pilate stirred in with their sacrifices. “Were they any worse sinners?” he asked. The answer was, “No.” Then Jesus urged them to repent and not perish. He also brought up those killed when the Tower of Siloam collapsed on them. “Were they any worse sinners?” Again, Jesus answered saying, “No.” Once more came the urgency to repent and not perish.

Jesus’ answers are not all that satisfying. We want to believe that you get what you deserve. When a mass shooting happens, we know better than to blame the victims. They were innocent. When an accident brings death, we shake our heads wondering ‘why?’ So we are frightened because life suddenly seems very fragile. The reality of death is much too close. Jesus urges us to put our attention in a different direction to the One who is the author and giver of life.

Jesus came to show us that God’s response to sin is forgiveness and death is overruled by resurrection. There is nothing easy about the cross of Jesus Christ but it is the way that the hand of God reaches down to the grave and pull us out to life.

Jesus called for repentance which is nothing less than a total transformation of thinking. We get out of the thinking we get what we deserve. The victims get what they deserve. The hurt we do to others we justify as something they deserve. Reality is that we don’t always get what we deserve. Life is very fragile.

Jesus is urgent for our repentance and a turn to God who gives us forgiveness and life. We don’t deserve this either. This is why we call it grace.

Peace

A fox, a hen and Jesus Luke 13:31-35

There is an old phrase that goes something like this: “Don’t let the fox guard the chicken coop.” No kidding! Everyone knows that foxes like chicken for dinner. The phrase has the same merit today as it has throughout the generations. No one would obviously put the chickens at risk by letting the fox run the place. No one would want political leadership to take advantage of the people they are entrusted to protect. Yet this is the situation the reading is taken from for today.

Herod was in charge as the appointed ‘King of the Jews.’ He was a sly fox. Herod tried to appease the favor of the people by the many building projects he oversaw, including the Temple. Herod was also very brutal as he crushed any opposition which kept him in good standing with Rome. Herod was a sly fox. He knew how to work the system for his benefit and not for the good of the people.

A few Pharisees came to Jesus and told him to get out of town. Herod was there and wanted to see Jesus killed. Jesus called Herod a fox and then defined his position. The Kingdom of God was near with him. This kingdom would not be pushed aside for the likes of Herod. Do you want proof? Demons are cast out. People are healed of their diseases. Jesus was bringing the presence of God’s reign to the people. He was going to be busy doing this today, tomorrow and on the third day reach the goal. This work will be finished in Jerusalem. Too bad if Herod objects.

There is comfort in knowing Jesus would not be deterred from his goal. There is also sadness from the reality of how many times have I sided with the fox. How many times have we let a sly fox deceive us into our own destruction? The result is that the place where we should be most alive and feel the most secure is empty. We are left with a world that we have handed over to the foxes.

Jesus lamented how he longed to gather us together under his protective wing like a mother hen does to protect her chicks from the fox; the hen willing to sacrifice herself to satisfy the fox’s hunger. For now Jesus must be about his work today, tomorrow and finish on the third day. This will come into focus when the people shout, “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.” We observe that moment as Passion Sunday.

Peace.

Beware the Lie Luke 4:1-13

Temptation is often treated like a joke. We joke about the temptation of the box of jelly donuts a co-worker brings to the office and proudly announce we kept to our diet. We make light of the reduced price of an article of clothing on Amazon and how we resisted the temptation to buy it. We keep the level of our engagement with temptation at a superficial level. If we probe any deeper, we discover that temptation is really about the lie. If we probe any deeper, we see how easily we are taken in by it.

Lying is so much a part of our culture right now and we are having a hard time facing that reality. In the world of politics, one lie is followed by another which is then countered by a stretching of the truth on the other side of the spectrum. When a corporation is caught in questionable behavior, spin is applied to deflect the challenge and denial of responsibility. Temptation is to fall for the distortion of the truth, the lie.

The Spirit is leading Jesus into the wilderness where the devil will have at him. After, forty days of eating nothing Jesus was famished and at his most vulnerable. The devil began the lies. What is interesting is that Jesus knew his identity. The devil knew who Jesus was too. Yet, the lies began.

The first was about making bread out of rocks. The lie was about independence from God the Father. Jesus knew his oneness with the Father. He was not going to declare that he was separate. Jesus didn’t go for the lie. If only we knew better than to declare our independence and face the consequences. This is our sin.

The second was about getting all the kingdoms of the world by simply giving adoration to the devil. Question, when did God cede his rights over the world to the devil? This is the lie. With the Spirit at his side, Jesus would have nothing to do with the lie. How often have we bought the lie of worshiping that which has nothing to give in return?

The third lie was to doubt the Father’s life sustaining presence and jump off a building. The devil even used Scripture to support the test. Jesus knew well enough the lie of doubt the devil was trying to instill. He wouldn’t test the Father’s care.

The testing was done for now. The devil would try his best at future opportunities. With the Spirit at his side, Jesus would face more lies the devil would throw at him. Thankfully, he remained true. This is how and why we can call him Savior and Lord.

Temptation is much more than resisting a piece of chocolate. Temptation is all about the lies that come each day. The lies are many. They work to deny what Scripture says is true about life and loyalties and worship and identity and so on. I can only wish that I and we as a whole were far better at seeing the lies for what they are… quit participating in them.

Peace

A Jealous Hunger Luke 9:28-43

I have always struggled with the Transfiguration. Reading about what Peter, John and James were privileged to see of Christ transfigured usually leads us down the path to our own moments of where we recognize Christ’s presence in our lives. While these are nice, they pale in comparison to what they saw. We might even feel shortchanged because faith would be so much easier if we saw what they saw, right?

This is the problem we have with glory. We consider it a value to possess and control. Glory is about us and how we see it. We worship the glory rather than what lies behind the vision that overwhelms our sight. Yes, Peter, John and James had an amazing vision of Christ’s glory but it was quick. Jesus’ glory was his coming down to us to redeem us from the shrieking, life denying, convulsive evil that is all around us. He came down to us to show us that the glory isn’t found in our search for mountain top experiences. Glory goes to the One who alone will finally bring us, this world and all creation to completion through Christ’s cross and resurrection.

The verses prior to this Jesus is teaching his disciples about the need to take up the cross and follow him. What good does it do to seek glory on human terms but fail to recognize that the glory of Christ is his coming down to save us? What good does it do to sell our souls for the glory that is now and miss out on the glory that is yet to be?

I am going to look at the Transfiguration not as a frantic search for mountain top experiences and say that is glory. I am going to look at the Transfiguration as a glorious vision of what will be. Transfiguration is a jealous hunger. To one day look upon Christ in the fullness of his glory means that death will be no more, swallowed up completely in his resurrection. To one day look upon Christ in the fullness of his glory, is to have the shrieking, life defying and convulsive presence of evil silenced forever. To look upon Christ in the fullness of his glory, means we and this world and all creation will have been brought to completion in Christ. The Transfiguration for me is a jealous hunger to one day look upon the glory of Christ who has come down to save us.

What is the Transfiguration to you?

Peace.