The Sent Out One

O God, where art thou?

2009-06-25T14:01:00.003-04:00

Recently I spoke with a friend of mine who is a minister and he lamented that people in this nation today do not “admire” or respect the voice of the church as they did decades ago. Personally, I have no frame of reference for how people treated the church during any decade prior to the 80’s other than the stories I hear and the statistics that are recorded by PCUSA. I would agree that, on the whole, the Church is being or has been increasingly ignored in recent years. I have heard some of the faithful wonder if the Church is being pushed aside. This begs the question, why is the voice of Church disappearing in our culture? One of the justifications for ignoring the Church is one that I have heard on several occasions. “I just got tired of the hypocrites in that place, both the leadership and the pew sitters.”

It is absolutely true that we, the leadership, in the Church have failed in multiple ways. Unfortunately, some have failed in such catastrophic ways that they became the top story in the news media. Also, those who are not pastors can not pretend that any of us have been able to daily live up to the call to be perfect in Christ. We all fall short, which is what is so amazing about our God of second and one hundredth chances. There is one thing that I would like those who use hypocrisy as their basis for giving up on church to consider. Is there any forum in this life where humanity is involved that does not struggle with hypocrisy? Politics, civil services, our work places, the arts, even the sciences all struggle with this. We would not withdraw from any or all of these forums due to an individual’s inability to be forthright with us about themselves. So why are we so quick to abandon the Church? I will grant that humanity has higher expectations for the Church than any other forum, especially since we deal in matters of the divine and eternity. Yet, the reality is even the Church is full of human beings that are broken and the only hope that any of us has is grounded solely in the redemptive act of Jesus which reconciled us with God.

When I am out running errands on the weekends I notice that those who have not made the effort to go to church are not all that upset about it. In fact at a quick glance they look as happy and well adjusted as anyone else. So what do we have to offer that is so different that would cause people to change their weekend routine? I suppose that is a trick question, because scripture tells us that we offer nothing and it is God who offers everything. Every day God is calling us to remember the new covenant sealed in Jesus blood, shed for the forgiveness of sins. It is my belief that the calling is not only for us, but for all those who have yet to receive and have their eyes opened. Has the Church become irrelevant in our country? I suppose the only way to answer that is with a different question. Will the people reject the call of God to gather so that all may taste and see that the Lord is good?

Human life is like smoke

2009-06-17T12:50:00.002-04:00

That human life is like smoke [cf. Ps. 102:3] or shadow [cf. Ps. 102:11] is not only obvious to the learned, but even ordinary folk have no proverb more commonplace than this. And since they counted this something very profitable to know, they have couched it in many striking sayings. But there is almost nothing that we regard more negligently or remember less. For we understand all things as if we were establishing immortality for ourselves on earth.
John Calvin's Institutes of the Christian Religion
Book 3 Chapter 9 Section 2

As I read this today I was struck by the intimate link between this and our study of the Sabbath. Calvin is assert that we all acknowledge that life is short, particularly when we face death, but for some reason we frequently forget this reality. In our particular context in the West we rarely acknowledge our limitations, let alone how fleeting this life is until personal or massive national tragedies occur.

In the average days or moments of our lives we too lose sight of the short time we have in this life. I love the way Calvin poetically defines the brevity of life; "In the end, like applause in the theater for some pleasing spectacle, it evaporates." How do we counteract this part of ourselves? How do we overcome our forgetfulness?

SABBATH. Making time, or consecrating time as Abraham J. Heschel suggests, is the only way to counteract this part of our fallen being. If you are trying desperately to create safety and a kingdom for yourself in the here and now then by all means slave away. For those who see this kind of pursuit as the furthest thing from living then I invite you to make time for Sabbath. As you make time you will be given time. Your life will no longer be yours to build, but God will raise you up through this experience. Ultimately the choice is ours to make. Is this our realm or are we a passing shadow?

You will Change!

2009-06-03T11:26:00.005-04:00

Warning: Contents are extremely hot, handle with care.

Something like this is printed on the side a coffee to go cup at any average java dispensing location. For those of us who acknowledge the warning we carefully take that first sip with excitement and respect. Here is a substance that we coffee drinkers enjoy/need all the while understanding that we can really wreck our mouths if we do not proceed with caution. The more I reflect on our summer topic of Sabbath, I wonder if we should attach a warning or disclaimer.

Warning: The Sabbath life generates a revolutionary hope for the coming age. Proceed only if you desire a new life!

Why should we be cautious?

If we approach the Sabbath life without a properly examined heart we could end up burdened rather than liberated. Through out scripture we are warned of the pitfalls of legalism and hypocrisy. Legalism in our denomination and local culture is present, but not as much as it used to be. Of course it is always present and sometimes legalism travels under a different name, tradition(I must offer that not all tradition is legalistic, but there are somethings that are done because they have always been done). As we explored a little in the last post, legalism says "Get your butt in church, otherwise your damned". All of this began with good intentions, like the passing on of the story to the new generations that do not want to go to church. Unfortunately, the challenge to others distorted our own view of why we come together for a worship service.

Hypocrisy is very different. Too often I hear people say that they don't go to church, because there are a bunch of hypocrites there. In order to counter that accusation, we as the church, need to take a moment to pause and reflect on our heart condition, spiritually speaking of course. Unfortunately, this I fear is becoming a dying art in an age of "I am defined by my actions, which are never wrong if they do no immediate harm to myself". Reason and thought have left the building. Actions grounded in whatever feels good have taken center stage. Justification of ones actions comes secondary and only if one is "caught".

We have to be able to bow our egos, our human nature, and submit ourselves to the glory of God. When we do this, we are ready to walk into Sabbath. If we are entering Sabbath with a "what's in it for me" heart the entire event will be meaningless and a waste of time (for both us and God). However, if we approach the Sabbath with a humble heart and a spirit that seeks to offer praises to God and place God front and center that day I believe that God will bless us and change our lives.

The question is......do we want to change?

New Life

2009-05-20T16:56:00.003-04:00

Recently I picked up a copy of Abraham Joshua Heschel's book The Sabbath. If you have not read it I highly recommend you get yourself a copy. His critique of our enslavement to our work, play, and consumption of goods is masterfully written as well as poetic. I am really enjoying his use of language.

Though he is writing from a Hasidic Jewish background, there is so much that we as followers of Jesus should pay attention to as we are equally called to take Sabbath. One of the arguments that Heschel makes is that we must labor six days, but on the seventh day we have to rest. When we don't rest our labor becomes toil.

How many times have we caught ourselves saying "I wish I didn't have to go to this meeting?" or "AWWWWWWW its Monday! Where did my weekend go!?!?" This is, I believe Heschel and Scripture back me on this, in large part due to our inability to create sacred space in our lives. We as a people have lost track of what is truly important.......God, and the enjoyment of the rest which only God can provide.

We have all heard pastors say "Run the race well brothers and sisters for you will receive your crown at the end of days!" Certainly, we are to live each day as individuals who are being sanctified by the Spirit (Paul's actually intent), but we have confused this with our attempts to sanctify ourselves through labor and activity.

God wants us first and our labor second. God wants to enjoy us and for us to enjoy one another. God wants us to seek God together as a collective body united in Christ so that we may find the rest our souls crave. How can we do that if we are all over the place never taking the time to be still?

Over the next couple of months we will be exploring this topic. I invite you to join me in praying, Lord, creator of life, you established the seventh day as holy and rested. help us to see how you are calling us to this rest in the modern age. Through your blessed Son and sealed by the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Psalm 139

2009-05-06T14:54:00.002-04:00

There are some tremendous images to meditate upon in this psalm. At the core the song is the acknowledgment by David that we are fully known by God. As much as our ability to perceive his presence in our lives can and sometimes is clouded God remains permanent fixture in all our lives.

If I should falter in my life or attempt to withdraw from God's view the psalmist warns that there is nothing and nowhere that can separate us from God's sight. When we were only a cluster of cells in our mother's womb we were known completely.

There are those who have always and will continue to the end of days that seek to destroy the name of God through spreading lies, misuse God's name, and attempt to obscure his truth (an impossible task since divine reality can never be completely hidden).

At the close of the song comes some of the most powerful, raw and honest words. Here we read a prayer that brings judgement, renewal, and release. As you read it I would invite you to say it out loud as your prayer today.

Search me, O God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
See if there is any offensive way in me,
and lead me in the way of everlasting.

Love in the midst of Fear

2009-04-29T10:52:00.002-04:00

Love. How do we define it? There are so many interpretations available and the English language uses the same word to define our devotion to food, sports, and our soul mate. I see Love as a means to eliminating fear and I lean on the definition given by John in his first letter.

This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.

There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. 1 John 4:10, 18

This is the kind of divine Love that moves us beyond a superstitious view of church and God. Attending worship is not an obligatory act that helps us to be in good standing with "the big guy upstairs". Such thinking is fear driven and no longer has any place in us who live in a post resurrection world. Instead we are drawn to worship our God together, because our hearts have been opened to the reality that God loves us.

When facing difficult times as we see around us now it can cause us to allow fear to take up residency in our hearts. However, that same Love that drove out our superstitious fear of God can and will conquer everything that we face. Remember Jesus said
I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. John 10:28
Nothing can over take us nor can it rip us out of God's guiding hand. We are God's children and just like a loving parent who gives good gifts and leads their children in the way to live we can trust that our God has this kind of love for us.

For some the analogy of a loving parent is too foreign to really help them embrace this truth. For those who suffer this terrible weight my heart grieves, but I also want to offer this.....our God is the one who can, will, and has redeemed life. This includes all situations where someone failed us. I pray that God will begin to reveal to those who walk with this kind of pain how much they are valued and loved. That the image of father and mother are made perfect in the Love that God has for all of us. I also pray that we will all turn faces to the Lord and know that we have already overcome this world in God's perfect love that has driven out all our fear through Jesus.

Luke 24:36b-48

2009-04-22T13:24:00.002-04:00

I have heard people talk about the bible my whole life and sometimes I forget how shocking it is and difficult for some to believe.

Jesus was very much dead, buried, then three days later he was no longer in the tomb. The time that follows his execution and burial is what is so controversial. We (followers of Jesus) believe that Jesus was raised back to life in the flesh. This testimony in Luke's gospel drives home the point that he appeared to the disciples in his crucified body. When Jesus asks for food and has those present look at his feet and hands (the place where the nails were driven)he is giving them physical evidence of his resurrection.

Many have heard this account and concluded that it was a fabrication of the disciples (or those after them), but many more have received this knowledge and believed. Why? What is the difference between the two groups. Almost all the people that I have met who reject the resurrection of Jesus are amazing, caring people. Therefore, it is beyond me when "Christians" go around calling such people all sorts of names and characterizing them as malicious fiends. I don't know why some chose not to believe. Maybe you are still wrestling with it or maybe the church has offended you in some way in the past making it difficult for you to "go there".

If it is offense, then I offer my apology. If it is something else, let me offer this.........what if it is all true. What if Jesus really did rise from the tomb and appear to his disciples? That would make him the only verifiable historical figure that has accomplished this and what does this do for the rest of his Way that he sought to teach us. If you already believe, are you willing to walk alongside the doubters, the skeptics, and listen to them as they walk the journey you have already travelled or will you chastise them for their unbelief?

God gave it all.

2009-04-08T16:24:00.002-04:00

All that I offer this week is everything. Jesus. The one who we ignore, mock, criticize, wonder about, marvel at, and the list is endless. No matter how you feel about Jesus, know this.......He is waiting for you. All that Jesus wants is everything. All that we are, all that we will be, and all that we can not even imagine.

Ecclsiastes 6:12

2009-04-02T11:02:00.003-04:00

"For who knows what is good for a man in life, during the few and meaningless days he passes through like a shadow? Who can tell him what will happen under the sun after he is gone?"

What are any of us guaranteed in this life? Breathe, labor, struggle? Yes, but what about satisfaction? What about finding the ability to be content? Is life a temporary journey filled with disappointment? Could there be something more than this flesh and bone? Is there something that we crave that is both obvious and hidden at the same time?

Some people ask why I believe in life after death and a God who is what our souls crave. For me, the alternative is much less satisfying. If this flesh and bones is all their is, as some insist, then existence is absurd. Without an eternal plan or hope, this life is nothing more than vain attempts to satisfy our cravings. If we remove our spiritual search for something more to this life than what we can test with our understanding then our search concludes with the same thinking that the Teacher is sharing in these passages.

If you find yourself lost in your journey, wondering if the existence of pain in this would is evidence that there is no such thing as God pause before you make that your final answer. Instead of fervently trying to prove that there is no God grant yourself permission to entertain the possibility that there is a God. Then continue to observe the world around with that possibility in your mind and wait for a response. If you give God an opportunity to share with you i believe God will take it.

Ecclesiastes 5: 1-7

2009-03-25T10:45:00.004-04:00

These short seven verses are some of the best words written about what it means to have a holy fear of God. During our journey through this text we have witnessed a number of things that the Teacher calls us to question as to their worth from an eternal perspective. After these verses he once again reminds us of the emptiness of riches when compared to eternity.

Only our God is awesome and beyond the judgment of time. Unfortunately, being a someone from the 80's the word "awesome" was over used and in a lot of ways corrupted. Merriam-Webster online (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/awesome) has the definition, but that just does not translate as well today. Maybe, it is due to a general decrease in our ability to be awe inspired by anything. It appears that a growing number of people are suffering from desensitization and there isn't much that impresses them any more. We have lived through decades of bigger, better, faster and found it ultimately to be lacking. I do believe that there is a connection between this general state of numbness and our inability to connect with the awesome power of God. We, like Pink Floyd song, have become "comfortably numb".

I want to stress at this point that this is something that I see in general and as an increasing population in the world, but not the perspective of everyone. There are still many faithful who are stunned, moved, disturbed by the incomparable power of our God. For those of us who have been blessed with a fraction of insight to God's greatness we exist in part to challenge the modern misconception that our personal glory is our greatest goal. However, it is important for us to once again heed the words of the Teacher;

Do not be quick with your mouth,
do not be hasty in your heart
to utter anything before God.
God is in heaven and you are on earth,
so let your words be few.
As a dream comes when there are many cares,
so the speech of a fool when there are many words.

Ecclesiastes 4

2009-03-18T14:47:00.003-04:00

Toil, Friendless, and Achievement

The Teacher believes that despite the "meaningless" result of our labor we must still try. Indeed he goes so far as to call those who do not apply themselves to labor fools who supply their own ruin. Few of us willingly seek our own ruin. Therefor, we apply ourselves towards labor and toil, but his warning is worthy of hearing and application.

"Better one handful with tranquility than two handfuls with toil and chasing after the wind."

Balance.

Toil, labor, for that is the task that we must endure in life, but it is NOT life. If we have immersed ourselves fully in our work in order to "live" we have ceased living. As much as were never meant to be on a permanent vacation, we equally were never intended to slave away at our work.

Turn off the Blackberry, power down your computer, leave the financial reports and step outside. Live, breath, time will not wait.

If this is something that we are not hearing from others in our lives, then we should ask whether we have shut out our friends. For without the people who know us and stand by us this journey that we take is very difficult to travel alone. In fact in can crush us much easier when we travel alone. Do not listen to that haunting voice that suggests that true strength is seen in the lone wolf that roams the land as a free spirit tied to nothing and no one.

Remember,

Two are better than one,
because they have a good return for their work:
If one falls down,
his friend can help him up.
But pity the man who falls
and has no one to help him up!
Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.
But how can one keep warm alone?
Though one may be overpowered,
two can defend themselves.
a cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

Ecclesiastes 3

2009-03-11T14:43:00.002-04:00

Time. Seasons of life. I recently heard someone say in an interview that we are not much different than animals, which is interesting considering that that is exactly the same observation that the Teacher makes about humankind in this chapter. We breathe, have a limited number of days, and then it is over. The appears to be a rhythm to life that occurs in nature that is similar to what humankind endures on a different scale.

What I appreciate about the Teacher's perspective is that he allows for the possibility of an afterlife as the major difference between humanity and the animals. Instead of out right dismissing an afterlife, as some are prone to do, the Teacher displays a humble spirit about things that are not observed. As far as we can see this life is all that we have, but there is no evidence that this is all there is. I love the verse that speaks about God's role in this matter; "He (God) has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end".

Through observation of life the Teacher admits that we can gain a tremendous amount of knowledge, but that ultimately we will end up in the dark about all things eternal. These matters we can get close to, but never fully grasp for they rest with God alone.

I find this to be encouraging, because it suggests that rather than giving up on testing and exploration we can press forward. At the same time I see a qualification and that is to realize that we will always remain limited in our understanding.

Instead of this being a distraction or frustration we are challenged to let go (to some extant) of our seemingly insatiable curiosities about life and the universe and trust that the God who is order and justice will remain in control.

Ecclesiastes 2

2009-03-04T14:35:00.003-05:00

When reading through the long list of all that is "meaningless" it is difficult not to get worn out by the author's pessimistic view of life. One of the more interesting things that I found was looking at what was not present. No where in the second chapter do we see him making an effort to bless another human being. Everything that is observed or investigated by the Teacher is centered on the modern "What's in it for me" question. Look at it again. I did this or that for me and found it to be empty. Another element that is absent through most of the chapter. God. God does not enter the picture until the very end. The Teacher is saying that all things that provide satisfaction in this life are from God. Some, like the Reformed Tradition, view this as a positive, but it is unclear at best how the Teacher interprets it.

Does the Teacher mean that the task God gives the sinner is "a chasing after the wind" or does he include the gifts of wisdom, knowledge, and happiness for the man that pleases God?

How do you see this chapter? Does it offer you hope? Does it offer solace? Does it discourage you?

For me, this offers me another look into the mind of someone who considers themselves wise and yet they struggle with trying to find meaning in consumerism and the pleasures of this earth. There is a yearning, that I believe we all possess for something of greater meaning than what we can see in the daily junk. Has there been a time in your life when you asked, "Why am I chasing this dream? What is the point of this job? What is the end goal?" In some ways this text comforts 1) those of us who wonder if we are alone in thinking this way and 2)it shows us that it is okay to express these things to God.

After reading this I encourage you to spend some time in prayer. Talk to God about how this made you feel. Ask God how this affects the Church today? What is your role in His story of redemption?

Ash Wednesday

2009-02-25T16:04:00.002-05:00

Tonight we will be gathering to reflect on our limitations, God's mercy, and our response. I will be sharing my thoughts about what the Prophet Joel says in the second chapter beginning with the first two verses and then continuing with verses 12 through 17.

If you are not able to attend I encourage you to take some time to explore the 13 minute audio reflection offered by the Jesuits in Britian. Simply click on the Pray-as-you-go link on this page. Once there you can click on today's date and download the form of audio file that works for you.

Blessings of peace and strength from our God through Jesus our Lord.

Ecclesiastes 1:12-18

2009-02-18T13:28:00.003-05:00

Spirit of the living God shape our minds, open our hearts, and strengthen our souls through the examination of the words of Teacher. Amen.

It is a terrible thing to look at scripture and think "Wow, this guy is having a bad day, month or something, because this is depressing!" So I stopped, prayed, and read it again.

This time there was something else present within the text, but was difficult to see. It was as if there is something within these words, but they are easily overshadowed by the harsh words of "meaningless".

What I saw was that with all human effort to grow, improve, develop and mature as cultures, societies, and human beings there is a limit set in place. If what the "Teacher" observed is true then all human efforts to create perfection in ourselves and society will fall short of the goal and never fully be achieved.

Before we slip into an attitude of "why should we try?", the teacher quickly adds that he applied himself to madness and folly as well and found that to be pointless as well.

So we can not perfect ourselves or society, nor will we find anything of value in giving up and accepting an attitude of defeat drenched with excess.

Can we accept this as truth? Are we limited? If so, why do we keep trying?

Preparing for Lent

2009-02-11T14:18:00.002-05:00

Over the next couple of weeks we will ask the Spirit of God to teach us through the writings of "the Teacher, son of David, king in Jerusalem". Ecclesiastes can be a challenge to go through, and at times we may ask "why bother?", but I believe that as we spend the season of Lent contemplating our mortality and God's mercy the words in Ecclesiastes will strengthen us and our walk with the Lord.

Take a moment and open your Bible to Ecclesiastes (right after Proverbs and before Song of Songs). In a brief prayer ask God to guide your reading of His word. Read the first 11 verses.

What is your initial reaction?

Notice how everything is about what we can see. There is not a single mention of the unseen.

If we were to stop reading this book right now how would we feel?

Do you agree with his observation that there truly is nothing "new" that can be seen with our eyes or accomplished by humanity?

Do space walks, human genome projects, and deep sea research contradict his assessment of all things that we can observe?

Even if we do observe something for the first time, does that make it "new"? The Earth was round before we were able to conclude it was round. Even scientist have created theorems and formulas to measure and prove what exists does not mean that it was not there before. Everything has always been in the observable physical realm, but we have not always known it to be there.

Ephesians 5:22-6:9

2009-02-04T19:15:00.003-05:00

Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it just as Christ does the church- for we are members of his body. 'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh'. This is a profound mystery- but I am talking about Christ and the church. However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.
Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 'Honor your father and mother' -which is the first commandment with a promise- 'that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth'.
Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.
Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but like slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men, because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free.
And masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Do not threaten them, since you know that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him.

Okay. Before we dismiss this passage as archaic sexist propaganda that is all Paul and not from God, let's take a deep breath, pray and ask the Holy Spirit to guide us through this portion of the letter.

Francis W. Beare shares some wonderful insights to this letter in The Interpreters Bible commentary. According to Beare, Paul was following a common pattern used in Hellenistic philosophy of discussing a man's duties to his gods, country, and home. Therefore, Beare argues, that Paul is teaching his audience in a style that they were accustomed to as far as talking about conduct in the home (which includes spouse, children, and slave/servant).

At this point some of you may be thinking, okay, but what does this mean for us today. Notice the verse right before the one we started with, "Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ". This sentence is the conclusion of this past Sunday's passage and the set up for everything for tonight. Equally submit to one another out of reverence for Christ! There is not a qualification of "Okay this one is just for the ladies". NO! It is "Hey ALL submit to one another".

This is to everyone; male and female, young and old, slave and free (sound familiar? check out Galatians 3:28). Also, it is difficult at times to decipher whether Paul is really talking about the husband and wife relationship or our relationship to Christ as head of the Church. It is so fluid that at times the husband/wife image disappears completely. This might lead us to suspect that this husband/wife image is merely a gateway or metaphor to open the audiences minds to consider what Paul really has in mind for us, which is our submission to Christ. That we and Christ are now one flesh, washed clean, made holy.....which could be why there is the curious statement "this is a profound mystery". Unfortunately, our modern sensibilities tend to shut out Paul's words, because of the numerous ways that this and passages like this have been used by the church to oppress women, children, and those in slavery.

Similarly, I believe you can apply this kind of interpretive move to the portion of Paul's proposed slave/master ethics. We are the slave and Christ is our master. Again the word slave is tainted, and when understood within Paul's context it does not have the same horrific baggage that we have in our country.

So what can we gain from this if we look at these as metaphors for our relationship to God? How does this affect our daily living as witnesses to our communities? What would the church look like, or our communities, our homes if we submitted ourselves to each other out of reverence for Christ?

Ephesians 4:17-32

2009-01-28T13:21:00.002-05:00

So, I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more.

You, however, did not come to know Christ that way. Surely you heard of him and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body. 'In your anger do not sin'. Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need.

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Now that Paul has informed his reader that hope and salvation are in Jesus Christ, who brought them into the covenant, he goes on to explain what this means in life now. Paul understands that it is one thing to focus on the foundations of our faith (peace, truth, and love), but when doing so the reader is left with questions like, "What does that look like in my life today?"

In our section of Paul's letter today Paul is beginning to lay out some practical actions that are no longer permissible to those who are maturing into the fullness of Christ. Paul is not saying that this world is easy, or that mistakes do not happen. Rather, what I believe Paul to be saying is now that you understand that you have been forgiven from your past set yourself on the path to live in that freedom instead of returning to that which left you empty.

Paul is speaking here to some very real sins that the "called out" people in Ephesus are struggling with in their daily lives. There is a problem with anger, brawling, lying, stealing, sloth(or laziness), and they have allowed their physical desires to dictate what is appropriate.

Part of being an agent of God's reforming presence in society is to live counter culturally. Just, because society says "Well, I suppose that is okay, provided you don't do me any harm", does not mean the Body of Christ should or can act similarly. Let's focus on stealing for a moment. Paul does not say, "Hey guys, I know that life is hard right now, so try not to steal so much." No, he says stop stealing, and start working on being part of the answer.

Paul is saying that in Jesus we have been forgiven and that we are free now. That this freedom is good now, today and not when we die. This is important, because what he is telling us is that our lives are now different. We are no longer to function the way we once did, but that we are growing into the fullness of Christ, the One who is perfect in peace, love, and truth.

Is this a hard sell for today with all the "gray issues" that challenge us?

How do we view what God did for us through Jesus? Similar to what Paul suggests or something else?

For your own private reflection what is God asking you to put away as you "put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness"? Once you identify it, name it (to your self) and in prayer to God release it asking for strength to live this new life.(Please do not post a comment on this last one, because it's intent is for your own private devotion, not global confession.)

Ephesians 3:14-21

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For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge-that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

The gospel message of an open covenant for all people compels Paul to bow before God, the Father, asking for the gift of Christ to dwell in our hearts through the power of God's Spirit. Not so that we can be "saved", but rather that we may grasp the enormity of Christ's love for us and be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Given what we have discussed thus far what might this fullness of God look like in our lives? How would it shape the way we view and treat one another during disputes? How does this challenge the way we treat those in our lives who are strangers? How might this affect the way we think about people around the world that we will probably never interact with on a one-on-one level? Since this is a week that many are praying that the Christian church will one day very soon unite, how does this shape or challenge the way you think of other's who profess Jesus as the risen Lord of all?

Ephesians 2:11-22 NIV

2009-01-14T13:13:00.003-05:00

"Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called 'uncircumcised' by those who call themselves 'the circumcision' (that done in the body by the hands of men)- remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.
For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.
Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit."

How often have you looked at Reuters, BBC, or any news media outlet and felt your soul wanting to cry out? If it is not war, it is oppression, and if not that then it is something else inhuman that one group inflicts upon another. PEACE! PEACE! Who will bring us lasting peace? Who will slience the burning tongues of discord and violence? Who will still the deviant minds that chase after power, land and control? PEACE! PEACE! Who will bring us lasting peace?

When Paul wrote this letter things were no different. There appears to be a real divide between two kinds of people, and a need for a message that addresses reconcilation. On the one side the "uncircumcised" and on the other "the circumcision". Paul doesn't hold back with labeling his audience as people who by birth are without God's covenant, and he even goes so far to say that they are without God. That is, prior to Jesus.

Now that Jesus has come, suffered, died, and was raised from the dead he (Jesus) "destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility." Notice Paul is not, nor am I suggesting, that Jesus destroyed the covenant. What Paul is saying is that you who used to be restricted from hope in God's blessing are now free to come join with those who have had access.

I love the imagery Paul uses of building a holy temple in Christ. It is not one of physical man made walls, there are no pews, there is no ethnic background check at the door. Paul says peace has come by drawing the two sides together with the prophets and apostles as the foundation and Christ Jesus as "the chief cornerstone". With, in, through, and because of Jesus the promises and teachings of God peace are now real. Remember, Paul said, the barriers have been destroyed so peace has already come. The problem that we face and have been facing since the time Jesus walked the Earth is that we are living in disobedience of the established reign of God's peace, because we can silence, ignore, reject the voice of the Spirit. At least we are permitted to for now.

The last sentece of this part of the letter is another wonderful layer and transition back into his teaching on living a life of righteousness. You, the reader who is a follower of Jesus, are now a part of this non-geographical temple as well as you are being made into the dwelling place of God who resides in you by God's Spirit.

Peace through Jesus, under Jesus, in Jesus, because of Jesus.

Ephesians 1:15-23

2009-01-07T10:13:00.003-05:00

"For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way."

Imagine opening your e-mail and seeing in the inbox a brief note from Rev. Earl Palmer letting you know that he is personally excited about your faith journey and that he is praying that God will bless you with a spirit of wisdom to better understand God. What an encouragement that would be to us that someone with his credentials and experience would know of us and be praying for us. That is the sense of awe that I think the people in Ephesus may have had when they read this portion of Paul's letter.

However, that is only the beginning....because Paul's prayer is not only for a fuller understanding of God's nature, but a holy revelation of God's power. The same power that raised Jesus from death and placed him at the right hand of God the Father in the heavenly realms, the highest place of authority and rule. We recite creeds in service all the time that refer to this place of honor for Jesus, but how often do we stop to reflect on this word. For Paul, it seems, there is no separation between what he placed his hope in and the power of of God. One of the reasons for this is that it all centers in Jesus Christ our Lord.

Paul closes this brief selection of the letter by talking about the church, which is Jesus body (one of Paul's frequently used analogies for helping us understand to whom we ultimately owe our allegiance and service as adopted members of the holy family Father, Jesus our brother......all of which he fleshes out more in the rest of this letter).

One thing that stands out to me today is that Paul seems to be suggesting that the church is part of the "fullness" of God. What does that mean? How does that challenge/change our understanding of God and our role in this world? If we are part of the "fullness" of God how does this affect the way interact with others and how we act when no one else is around?

New Year, New Series

2009-01-03T13:50:00.003-05:00

Starting this Wednesday and each consecutive Wednesday I will be writing brief reflections on the portion of the letter to the Ephesians that we did not cover on Sunday morning. Why Wednesday? Middle of the week and something we can do together to recharge for the rest of our week. Why this forum? Without knowing what will happen to gas prices in the New Year and wanting to give people a chance to engage the text in another way we are trying a sort of midweek on-line bible study.

Why Ephesians? Renewal, to put it simply. Renewal of our lives in God and God in us. Looking around at what is happening in our world and feeling that God is calling us now more than ever to seek justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with our God who is revealed to us in Jesus through the Holy Spirit. So please join me every Wednesday for a time of reflection as we ask God to speak to us in this New Year!

All that I Do?

2008-12-16T14:04:00.003-05:00

"And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." Colossians 3:17 NIV

What a challenging word from Paul to the Church. No matter what we do, whom ever we are with, and no matter how crazy our lives are, Paul wants us to remain grounded in our eternal hope. How much would our lives change if before we did something we said to ourselves, "I do this in the name of our Lord Jesus". Not to mention taking a moment to think whether we have given thanks to our Father in heaven recently. "Dear God send me ______", could become "Thank you Father for _______, through Jesus our Lord". How would this approach transform your life, your family, and the way you engage the people you come into contact with daily?

Dig into God's Word and let the Word get into you.

Bring hope with you.

2008-12-08T14:49:00.004-05:00

Of course not the final post ever, just for this year. I have been looking at the year ahead and listening to others and I think that despite the voices of doubt and dispair that constantly plague our media outlets things are going to get better. My hope is that this season of economic turmoil will be something that we can learn from and become stronger.

The road will not be short or easy and there are a lot of us who are clinging to our jobs in hopes that we will not see a pink slip. All the more reason to take the time to exit our suburban fortress that we like to hide in and engage in the lives of our neighbors. Wouldn't it be great if we, as followers of Jesus, took to heart the message to care for our neighbor?

If you don't know your neighbors, Christmas is the perfect season to do something to let them know that you acknowledge that they exist and you want to wish them well.

May God's peace invade your life!

Words from Paul to Timothy.....

2008-11-05T10:29:00.002-05:00

I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone - for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one mediator between God and humankind, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men - the testimony given in its proper time. 1 Timothy 2:1-6