I Got Married

Yup and Wow! Very exciting.

Connecting

I haven't had much to say in the past few months, but being that we are in the Lenten season, I realize that it is time to start reflecting a little better.

I'm always very busy with work these days as I'm on a Mission to make my church a significant resource to the community in which it is situated. Rev. RPM is always talking about taking church outside the confines of our walls and minister to the un-churched. For those extroverts out there, this might be an easy task. BUT NOT FOR ME!!! I am intimidated by people I don't know, it can take me several months to even begin a conversation with somebody I have seen pretty regularly. This is why I love the internet, I can hide behind my screen and nobody has to see me. What a fantastic invention really. Going door to door to invite people to church is not my idea of a fun afternoon. It is scary and I'd rather just put a flyer on a door.

On Saturday I went to a seminar entitled "The Worship Way." Lucinda Holmes highlighted some easy ways to do worship in the line at the grocery store. Jesus taught us to love our neighbor as we love ourselves, and part of doing that is being in relationship with one another. Everywhere you turn, you encounter people. I work alone during the week at my church, but today I have encountered and interacted with a total of 5 people. The first one was the guy at the Gas Station who sold me my coffee, I simply said to him, "Hi, how are ya?" And of course he responded and asked me the same thing. Then I asked him how life has been treating him. He answered, "it's a good day! Life has always treated me pretty good." Wow! It's not every day you encounter somebody that is that optimistic. A gas station clerk! Wow! So cool!

Generally, we get frustrated with people. We want everyone to be on our schedule, want them to orbit us as though we were the sun,  drive like we do, be aware of their surroundings like we are. Basically, we want others who don't fit into our lives to act accordingly and not get in our way.

But that isn't how life works. We are in this world with people we don't necessarily like and with those who don't function at the same level that we may. Here is the simple way to deal with this: You can't change anybody, but yourself. For me, I will change my outlook on how I encounter other people. A simple hello and how is life treating you may not be life-altering, but it's a start to changing my behavior and the small piece of space I take up on this planet.

Peace! And praise God for coffee highs! Woot

Foolish and Wise

I've often said in my blog that I feel that God makes us ready for certain things when He knows we are ready, not when we feel like we are ready. I've experienced the pain of wanting something so badly and not getting it. I have cried for months on end, praying, begging God to bring this person or that person back into my life because dear GOD, my life would not be complete. And when He doesn't deliver, I've turned my back on God, cursed His name and tried everything within my power to get what I want, only to be pushed down even further. And I am only able to pick myself back up when I let go completely, and let God carry me and deliver me safe. 


I think that is the challenge not only with Christians, but with everyone who ever lived. We cannot let go sometimes and only after agonizing over agonizing attempt on our own, we finally give up to some other power, we live and let live. 


Yesterday in church, I read the parable of the ten virgins who went out to wait for the bridegroom to arrive at the wedding. Five were foolish and five were smart. The smart virgins took extra oil to replenish their lamps, the foolish only took their lamps with no extra oil. The foolish virgins did not find it necessary because they "knew" when the bridegroom was going to arrive. However, contrary to what they originally believed, the bridegroom was late for the wedding and all ten virgins fell asleep. The smart virgins were able to relight their lamps to go out and greet him, while the foolish had to go into the market to purchase more. By the time they had gotten back to the festivities, the doors had been locked. They tried to get in, but the bridegroom simply told them, I do not know you. The scripture ends, be alert because you never know when he might get here!
(Matthew 25: 1-13) click on link for entire story


The story here isn't necessarily about the virgins and who was smart or who was foolish. It is about the bridegroom and his tardiness. The parables are stories that relate God to humanity. In this case, God is late. And oftentimes in our own lives, God is not on time. We believe as Christians, that we should get some kind of immediate benefit from being a follower of Christ. When I cry out to the Lord to deliver me from my pain, I feel as though I should be healed immediately. And why not? I love God, and I accept Jesus as my savior. I  want immediate redemption. 


But life as a Christian isn't about immediate results. We are not in a sprinting race to God, we are more than anything running a marathon. Sometimes discipleship is long, slow, painful. But even when God is late, we have to be patient and stick around. It is easy to give up on God when he doesn't deliver, but like the "smart virgins," we need to be prepared. 

"Talk is Cheap"

Who gives me the authority to stand here before you and teach the message of the Bible this morning?

Could be our Sr. Pastor, Rev. Moore… it could be God. Like the Chief Priests who asked Jesus the same exact question, my answer is the same…. I don’t know.

The passage that Lindsey read this morning from Matthew reminds me how much I really like Jesus, how awesome I think he really is, and by all accounts how awesome every Christian probably thinks he is. I read this passage and I remember the one right before it. Jesus has just entered into the Temple and pretty much just tore the place to shreds. He’s pretty disgusted at the market place that has taken over the temple. It was no longer being used as a place or worship, but more of a place of profit. Jesus was mad and felt it in his power to shake things up a bit.

When we look at this text as modern Christians, we have this tendency to scoff at the Chief Priests with anger. What gives them the right to ask JESUS, the MESSIAH who gives him the authority… I mean, we all know that God has given his utmost authority to him. He is the son of God, sent to free us from our sins. Who gives those priests the authority to question Jesus???

And there’s the problem, by Jewish tradition and law, the priests had the authority to ask Jesus outright… who gives you the authority? In addition to this, we have to really try to understand where they were coming from. Let’s set this up really quick. At the time that Jesus begins his teaching, he is living in an era when Jerusalem is under Roman rule. I watched a documentary a few weeks ago about Roman rule during the first century. They drove home the fact that the Romans were ruthless rulers and their specialization was in killing people. They were good at it and it’s how they kept order.

We see a few chapters earlier in Matthew 14, that John the Baptist had been beheaded under the order of King Herod.

Herod, although a Jewish himself was ultimately loyal to his Roman masters.  And to teach other Jewish “rebels” a lesson, he used John as an example.

It was a privilege that the Jewish population could keep their temple and still worship there. I mean, not only was John just beheaded for creating too much attention, here comes Jesus overturning merchant stalls in what I’ve always imagined to be a tirade! So, the priests have it in their best interest, and in the best interest of the Jewish population to ask Jesus who gave him authority.

And this is why I love Jesus so much… he always answers questions with questions. He is the ultimate riddle maker.

In fact, his responses remind me of when teenagers talk back to their parents. I don’t have kids, but I remember being a kid. You all think I was probably some sweet kid, and I was for the most part, but I could give my mother a real run for her money. Plus I’ve worked with kids a few times to know that they know how to work it. They are natural pros at rhetorical questioning.

And Jesus is too smart to be trapped by the priests. He knows a trap when he sees it and he riddles those priests.  He asks them, Who gave John the authority? Them or God?

Did they think John’s baptism was from heaven? Or, did they think it was just something that he dreamed up? They couldn’t even come up with an answer, they knew the political ramifications of giving an answer. If they say he got his authority from God, then Jesus could retort with, then why didn’t you believe him? If they answered that he made it all up, they had the people to deal with because John had been overwhelmingly popular. Like Jesus he was an interruption to the status quo. So, they play it safe… “We don’t know.”

And this isn’t some kind of first century biblical phenomenon.  I see this kind of thing happening in modern politics all the time. They are walking this really flimsy tight rope  every day. They can’t say *this* thing because that would anger a particular constituency. And yet, they can’t say this *other thing* because it would set off yet another constituency.

Politics becomes this game of throwing stones one night, and then next day downplaying what has been said so they don’t upset the electorate.

So Jesus riddles them again.  Who did the will of the Father? The son who says he won’t help tend the vineyard, but then decides to. Or the son who says he will, but doesn’t? They answer with the most obvious answer, the first. 

And that is why the prostitutes and the thieves will go before you to heaven. What a blow to the Chief Priests.

How do we get to be first then?

Jesus’ question addresses what the sons DID, not on what they SAID. And thereby cracks open the disparity between what is said and what is done.

Now, it is we who are sitting in church who SAY (and sing and pray) many things. But this text puts the focus on what we actually DO. Just exactly what is it that we do after we leave church on Sunday?  I’ll tell you what I do, SUNDAY NAP DAY! Why not? I come here, I wear my fancy clothes, I sing the pretty songs, I’ve read the scriptures, I’ve prayed, I’ve done my Christian duty. Now on to Sunday nap day.

This parable tests our integrity, about putting our money where out mouth is, it’s reminding us that talk is cheap. I can talk all day about God and spirituality, but what is it that I’m doing to further the kingdom of heaven here on earth.

While I was preparing for this task of sermonizing today, I read an article about false presumptions meaning that if we are practicing the right way, practicing the right beliefs that we will be okay in the eyes of God, that we’ve secured our spot in heaven. The reverend writing the article told about an older couple he went to see who hadn’t been able to come to church on a regular basis, but considered themselves an integral part of the church. During the visit, the husband remarked, "I don't know if you are aware of this pastor, but my grandfather was one of the sixteen founding members of our church." Somehow, this covered all the bases.  They would be okay with God because the grandfather helped begin the church.”

That’s telling and hits home for me because my grandparents are charter members of this church. What’s important is that this is pretty much the thought of the chief priests when they questioned Jesus.

They are the descendents of Abraham, all they have to do is follow the laws, read the holy scriptures and make sure everyone stays within the lines.

Jesus tells a story that turns all the assumptions and presumptions inside out.  It is not the one who says but the one who does.  It is our walk and not our talk that counts with God.  All those rejects -- the tax collectors and sinners -- who turned their hearts to God were the ones who go first with God.

Let me offer a bit of a disclaimer because Jesus’ parable telling us to be doers can be pretty stressful. Taking an hour every day out of your life to go and spread the Good News, I don’t think is what Jesus is telling us to do. Some of us have heavy workloads, some of us can’t get around very well anymore, but what I think Jesus is telling us is that what we learn here is what we need to apply in our daily lives, whether it’s lending a dollar to someone who is needing a caffeine fix, or living up to something that we commit ourselves to. I know for myself that I’ve said I’m going to do something and then flake out and don’t do it. You can ask Sara Scheil (our garden coordinator) how many times I’ve said, sure I’ll come and help pull weeds and then don’t show up.

But this commitment can only be achieved with balance. It is equally important for us to take care of our families, do our bills, pay our taxes. So, our integrity is based on how we can balance our lives. All of us are capable of doing something, not everyone can go down to Grand Avenue Temple and serve food on a daily basis, but we can all find the little things in life to improve the life of our neighbors. Loving each other is the commandment that Jesus gave to us, and I believe through that love, even in the smallest of ways is how we become doers more than talkers. 

The Chief Priests lacked integrity; they were merely talkers. They had lost trust and moral standing with the people and because of that, Jesus had no need to defend his authority to them.

Jesus’ question to the chief priests challenges their integrity, will their words match their convictions? Will their deeds match their words?

And that is still Jesus' challenge to us religious folk today. Do our words match our convictions, and our deeds match our words?

Where were you?

As almost every Sunday, I read the scriptures that Rev. RPM had designated today. I knew that we would be commemorating 9/11 and the losses and the tragedy that changed our lives. So I tried very hard to look at the scriptures today and reflect in them what had happened 10 years ago. All of us who were alive remember, where we were, what we were doing, but this isn't an entry about that day. It is about the scriptures I read and the sermon I heard. It is about what it means to really be hopeful.

I often have a hard time with the lessons in the Old Testament. One they are often very historically exaggerated and sometimes we are confronted with a vengeful God, one who seems to hate His own creation. I read these words at the end of the scripture and I read them through my teeth because I sometimes just don't understand God:

Exodus: 14: 27-31

²⁷So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and at dawn the sea returned to its normal depth. As the Egyptians fled before it, the Lord tossed the Egyptians into the sea. ²⁸The waters returned and covered the chariots and the chariot drivers, the entire army of Pharaoh that had followed them into the sea; not one of them remained. ²⁹But the Israelites walked on dry ground through the sea, the waters forming a wall for them on their right and on their left. ³⁰Thus the Lord saved Israel that day from the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. ³¹Israel saw the great work that the Lord did against the Egyptians. So the people feared the Lord and believed in the Lord and in his servant Moses. 

It is a familiar story for those of us who have grown up in a Judeo-Christian-Muslim religion. As a Christian, my faith lies in Jesus Christ and I have learned that love is the only thing that saves. When I read the words above, I ask myself... but why? Why would God do this? Why would God strike down His creation, a creation I assume He loved? Why would God let His people fly two airplanes into the twin towers killing thousands of innocent people? 

Luckily, Rev. RPM is blessed in relating the stories of why... God leads those who are oppressed to safety. Here is the beginning part of this scripture I read today:

Exodus 14: 19-20

¹⁹The angel of God who was going before the Israelite army moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud moved from in front of them and took its place behind them. ²⁰It came between the army of Egypt and the army of Israel. And so the cloud was there with the darkness, and it lit up the night; one did not come near the other all night.  

God gives us all a chance. He gave the Egyptians an entire evening to see his magnificence. He placed a pillar of smoke between two people offering them an evening of respite and peace. God kept the oppressor away for an evening, He offered peace. The next morning after having witnessed God's power to keep His people safe, they pursued. And God protected those who had been oppressed from facing even more oppression. He gave the Israelites a chance at a new life: free from slavery and full of HOPE. 

If you were to put a mirror in front of the Israelites, you would see us looking back at them. God delivered them to the Land of Milk and Honey, He gave them a chance to build a kingdom in His name. But the Israelites within 400 years had forgotten, they had waged wars against those who threatened their lands. King David himself sent Uriah to be killed because he had impregnated Bathesheba, Uriah's wife.  They had forgotten the wonder that God had provided, that He had protected them and delivered them to safety.

That is us today. We have gone from a nation obsessed with actors, gossip and trivialities, to a nation standing in unison, in solidarity, and with HOPE... And only in 10 years we have gone back to being a nation who focuses on the trivial again. We watch in awe at the lives of Brad & Angelina, Jon & Kate plus 8. We wonder which candidate for Presidency is more patriotic based on the flags behind his/her desk. We argue over who should win Dancing With the Stars or whether the Kansas City Chiefs should beat the Buffalo Bills.

We have flooded our lives with the trivial. As much as I believe that we are entitled to rest and relaxation, I also believe that we are meant to be loving towards one another.  We are meant to take compassionate action when our fellow brothers and sisters are oppressed and suffering.

9/11 was supposed to teach us something right? How to overcome? How to be of service to one another? How to live in Hope and Tolerance that one day life on earth will be peaceful? I think it was meant to teach us all of those things. 

But we are like the Israelites, we forget even when we say, "We Will Never Forget."

Instead we have learned to fear, we have learned to hate, we have learned to wage war on those different than us. We have learned nothing. We are the Israelites, setting ourselves for tragedy and suffering once more.

Today on Facebook somebody posted a link to the documentary Loose Change. It highlights a conspiracy that the attacks on America were an "Inside Job."  Their arguments are compelling, but they also lead us to be more divisive, more hateful, less tolerant. They lead us to give up on HOPE. 

We are all entitled to our opinions and our beliefs. However, when terror has taken the lives of so many people, I believe that as a human race we must apply what we are best at: offering compassion. We need to look at the world and where it needs healing. Through love, hope and tolerance, we can be a true healing presence in the world.

We stood in solidarity as the Towers collapsed, we pledged our allegiance together as we began to rebuild, we vowed to never forget, we looked toward the future with Hope. 

I implore all of you, all of us (because I am included in this) to be compassionate, to learn about our differences and to be tolerant of them.  

Our earth will continue to spin even if we push ourselves to extinction through hate and intolerance. I want to offer my (future) children a place where love prevails over everything that ever mattered.