John 6:25-34
Grace and peace to you from God our Father, from our Lord and Savior Jesus the Christ, and from the Holy Spirit who gives us life. Amen.
For those of you younger than forty you might not know of the comedy team of Abbot and Costello. They hit their heyday in the 40s and 50s of the last century. Although they were well known for their many movies and comedy skits, their most famous, and most widely imitated skit was called “who’s on first”. I have a portion of it right here:
Abbott: ... Well, let's see, we have on the bags, Who's on first, What's on second, I Don't Know is on third...
Costello: That's what I want to find out.
Abbott: I say Who's on first, What's on second, I Don't Know's on third.
Costello: Are you the manager?
Abbott: Yes.
Costello: You gonna be the coach too?
Abbott: Yes.
Costello: And you don't know the fellows' names?
Abbott: Well I should.
Costello: Well then who's on first?
Abbott: Yes.
Costello: I mean the fellow's name.
Abbott: Who.
Costello: The guy on first.
Abbott: Who.
Costello: The first baseman.
Abbott: Who.
Costello: The guy playing...
Abbott: Who is on first!
Costello: I'm asking YOU who's on first.
Abbott: That's the man's name.
Costello: That's who's name?
Abbott: Yes.
Costello: Well go ahead and tell me.
Abbott: That's it.
Costello: That's who?
Abbott: Yes.
PAUSE
Costello: Look, you gotta first baseman?
Abbott: Certainly.
Costello: Who's playing first?
Abbott: That's right.
Costello: When you pay off the first baseman every month, who gets the money?
Abbott: Every dollar of it.
Costello: All I'm trying to find out is the fellow's name on first base.
Abbott: Who.
Costello: The guy that gets...
Abbott: That's it.
Costello: Who gets the money...
Abbott: He does, every dollar. Sometimes his wife comes down and collects it.
Costello: Whose wife?
Abbott: Yes.
PAUSE
Abbott: What's wrong with that?
Costello: Look, all I wanna know is when you sign up the first baseman, how does he sign his name?
Abbott: Who.
Costello: The guy.
Abbott: Who.
Costello: How does he sign...
Abbott: That's how he signs it.
Costello: Who?
Abbott: Yes.
PAUSE
Costello: All I'm trying to find out is what's the guy's name on first base.
Abbott: No. What is on second base.
Costello: I'm not asking you who's on second.
Abbott: Who's on first.
Costello: One base at a time!
Abbott: Well, don't change the players around.
Costello: I'm not changing nobody!
Abbott: Take it easy, buddy.
Costello: I'm only asking you, who's the guy on first base?
Abbott: That's right.
Costello: Ok.
Abbott: All right.
PAUSE
Costello: What's the guy's name on first base?
Abbott: No. What is on second.
Costello: I'm not asking you who's on second.
Abbott: Who's on first.
Costello: I don't know.
Abbott: He's on third, we're not talking about him.
Costello: Now how did I get on third base?
Abbott: Why you mentioned his name.
Costello: If I mentioned the third baseman's name, who did I say is playing third?
Abbott: No. Who's playing first.
Costello: What's on first?
Abbott: What's on second.
Costello: I don't know.
Abbott: He's on third.
Costello: There I go, back on third again!
As we see from this routine, this could be a case of either not asking the right questions or making the mistake of interpreting the answers wrong. Such is the case in our gospel lesson today. We have a crowd of people who do not ask the right questions and based on their own biases interpret Jesus answers incorrectly.
At the beginning of this text we hear this phrase, “when they found him on the other side of the lake…” So, who are they? This is the part of the crowd that has recently been miraculously fed with the 5 loaves and 2 fish. After the feeding, Jesus and the disciples leave for Capernaum. We pick up the story at verse 22:
22 The next day the crowd that had stayed on the opposite shore of the lake realized that only one boat had been there, and that Jesus had not entered it with his disciples, but that they had gone away alone. 23 Then some boats from Tiberias landed near the place where the people had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks. 24 Once the crowd realized that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into the boats and went to Capernaum in search of Jesus.
(John 6:22-24)
These folks are mystified as to how Jesus would have gotten to the western side of the lake and so they ask the question. “Rabbi, when did you get here?” This is the first of four mistaken questions the crowd asks. Jesus, in his answer reveals what their true motives were into asking that question. “You are looking for me not because of the miraculous signs, but because you had your fill”. Their question uncovers an unconscious hypocrisy. Jesus fed the 5000 so that those who saw and received would be directed to seek the true spiritual satisfaction of God’s teaching. However those who sought Jesus only wanted the material benefits. They imagined that the feeding was only the beginning of many similar miracles, each more thrilling, unexpected, and satisfying than the last instead of seeing the material miracle as a sign of God’s promise of spiritual food to draw them to God. For the crowd, following Christ would surely mean a more comfortable, exciting and luxurious life than ever before. Their question gives no hint of a true hunger for righteousness. Then Jesus gives two commands for the crowd. He first tells them not to work for food that is perishable. That is, cease to direct the efforts of your life into seeking material gain and temporary satisfaction. Just as food ultimately perishes so too the material things return to their origins. Jesus then commands the crowd to work for the food that endures for eternal life. That is put your efforts into seeking the true righteousness found in Christ. Matt 6:33 says this: “seek first his kingdom and righteousness and all these other things will be added unto you”. To seek Jesus righteousness means to receive his free gift of everlasting life. With this gift he gives all gifts that he sees his children need.
The second question by the crowd, “what must we do to do the works God requires?” again misses the mark. Having heard the word “work”, I imagine that their minds began thinking up different ways in which they could earn their right to more miracles. Their question reveals the superficiality and legalism of their lives as they seek a list of works of merit they can do themselves to entitle them to the reward of being fed. As Lutherans we know that this is wrong thinking. We know that there is absolutely nothing we can do to earn God’s gifts. The Apostle Paul emphasizes this over and over in his letters. Righteousness, justification, salvation, through Jesus, is a gift. Even Jesus’ reply to the crowd implies no work on their part. “The work of God is this: believe in the one He has sent”. Jesus’ reply involves the method by which God desires us to work for him. This is not some intellectual belief but a heartfelt belief. It is a deliberate choice on our part. Our belief then should be reflected in the way in which we serve him. It is not in mistaken service to earn our way, but rather our service is to live out our faith so that everything we do in church, home and in the community is done through Christ and for him.
What amazes me is the next question that the crowd asks, “What miraculous sign will you give?” Haven’t these people been paying attention? They’ve just witnessed thousands being fed with 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish. What more do they need? Yet they do want more. These are a hard hearted and selfish people. The fact that they invoke Moses implies that Jesus was not greater than Moses. They say in effect that “Hey you did it once, but Moses fed our ancestors for over forty years. If God has sent you do something greater than Moses. If Moses our first redeemer can cause the manna to fall, surely you can do better than that.” I’ve spoken of this kind of conditional belief before. I’ve told you of my own conditions for believing. In essence I've said “How can I trust you if you do not bless me with what I want.” [There are sometimes I feel like the man who brought his demon possessed boy to Jesus for healing who declares, “I believe. Help me in my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24).] It is here that Jesus replies to the crowd’s misconceptions about the power of Moses. First he says, it was God, not Moses who gave the bread. He also makes the point that the manna was also perishable bread. He then goes on to say that it is not only this perishable bread that God the father sent, but the father has also sent true bread, that is Jesus, which gives life to the world.
This brings us to the final question. It is obvious at this point that the crowd just doesn’t get it. Like the Samaritan woman at the well in chapter 4, the people respond with a request that indicates their lack of understanding. Just as the Samaritan woman thought that Jesus had been speaking to her about physical water and thirst, so too the crowds respond as though Jesus has been offering physical bread that will forever fill their stomachs. In a sense, the crowds say the right words: "Lord, give us" (verse 34), but with the wrong understanding. To have properly heard Jesus' words would have prompted faith, not a fixation on bread. They have wrongly associated Jesus with Moses, rather than associating Jesus with the bread from Heaven. And so Jesus tells them plainly: “I am the bread of life.” “I am offering myself to you”. In other words the gift that they professed to request was already given to them. They just needed to accept the gift to receive him. In receiving they would be given this promise: “that he who believes in me will never hunger and never thirst”. We too are given this promise when we come to this table and are told, “This is the body of Christ given for you”. It is in the person of Jesus, of his work of redeeming us from the guilt and power of sin, and of his words to us that are the bread of life-this is the bread that should sustain and satisfy us completely.
Abbot and Costello crafted their “Who’s on first” routine on the premise that our language contains enough ambiguities to cause hilarious misunderstandings. On the other hand there should have been no misunderstanding between Jesus and those who wished to follow him. After all, in the feeding of the 5000 they should have seen the glory of what has happened. There was no ambiguity as to what had happened. What they witnessed was a sign pointing to Jesus himself as the bread of life. [And yet the crowd persisted in pursuing their own agendas.] Have you heard the phrase, “you are what you eat”? If so what “bread” are we eating? Is it is it “bread” that fills our bellies or is it “bread” that fills our souls? [That is a question that should not be misunderstood.] Amen.
Monday, August 10, 2009
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Eulogy
Mark 6:14-29 [7-12-09]
Grace and peace to you from God the Father, from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and from the Holy Spirit, who gives us life. Amen.
We are gathered here to today to celebrate the life of our brother John. To some of us he was known as a prophet. To others he was known as somewhat eccentric. And to many of us he was known as the Baptizer. However he was known one thing stands out; he was a great man by anyone’s standards. Amazingly he had none of the credentials we often associate with great leaders. He had no formal education. He had no money. He didn’t have friends in powerful places. He didn’t impress anyone with his tact. And he definitely didn’t dress for success, as we would define it. Yet despite these apparent handicaps, he was, according to his own cousin Jesus, among the greatest men ever born. He said, “neither Moses, Abraham, David, Elijah, nor Daniel was greater than John” (Luke 7:28). And although his life was cut short at such an early age, we can take comfort that he certainly knew of God’s promises
How do we know that this is true? I think that it would be helpful to understand John’s background and how he lived out his calling. John was of priestly descent. His mother, Elisabeth, was of the daughters of Aaron, while his father, Zechariah, was a priest of the course of Abijah, and did service in the temple at Jerusalem. It was said of them that "they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless" (Luke 1:6). In addition we know from the writer Luke that John was born about six months before the birth of Jesus. Of the place, we know only that it was in a city of the hill country of Judah. Our definite information concerning his youth is summed up in the angelic prophecy, "Many shall rejoice at his birth. For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and he shall drink no wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb" (Luke 1:14-16), and (in Luke's brief statement), "And the child grew, and became strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his showing unto Israel" (Luke 1:80). The character and spiritual insight of the parents shown in the incidents recorded are ample evidence that his training was a fitting preparation for his great mission.
What exactly was his mission? John assumed from the beginning his role as a messenger was to prepare the way for the approaching Messianic age. He clearly regarded his work as divinely appointed (John 1:33), but was well aware of his subordinate relation to the Messiah (Mark 1:7) and of the temporary character of his mission (John 3:30). John’s work was twofold. First he was called to announce the approaching Kingdom of God and for all to seek repentance. In his preaching he warned the nation of Israel that the true character of the new kingdom was a reign of righteousness. But while he announced himself as the messenger voice preparing the way of the Lord, his view of the nature of the kingdom was probably quite different from that of his hearers. Instead of the expected day of deliverance from the foreign oppressor, it was to be a day of judgment for Israel. It meant good for the penitent, but destruction for the ungodly. We read in Matthew 3 that he tells the Pharisees and the Sadducees that: “the one coming after me will clean house – he will make a clean sweep of your lives. He’ll place everything true in its proper place before God; everything false he’ll put out with the trash to be burned.” (Math 3:12 MSG) He also told the crowds “what counts is your life. Is it green and blossoming? Because if its deadwood, it goes on the fire.” (Luke 3:9 MSG) The call to repentance was then a natural message of preparation for such a time of judgment. But to John, repentance was a very real and radical thing. It meant a complete change of heart and life. "Bring forth.... fruits worthy of repentance" (Luke 3:8). What these fruits were he made clear in his answers to the inquiring multitudes and the tax collectors and soldiers (Luke 3:10-14). It is noticeable that there is no reference to the usual ceremonies of the law or to a change of occupation. The only warnings are to “Do good; be honest; refrain from extortion; be content with wages”. These are words that ring true with us today as well.
Secondly it was through his calling of repentance that he began to baptize those who heard his preaching. While it seems clear that in the use of the rite of baptism John was influenced by the Jewish customs of ceremonial washings and proselyte baptism, his baptism differed very essentially from these and that his baptism was a preparation for a new condition. He said” I’m baptizing you here in the river turning your old life in for a kingdom life…the main character will ignite the kingdom life within you, a fire within you, the Holy Spirit within you, changing you from the inside out” (Matt 3:11 MSG). We may say, then, that as a "baptism of repentance" it meant a renunciation of the past life; as a cleansing it symbolized the forgiveness of sins (Mk 1:4), and as preparation it implied a promise of loyalty to the kingdom of the Messiah. Therefore it was through John’s call to repentance and baptism he prepared at least a few hearts for a sympathetic response to the call and teaching of Jesus. I wonder how many of us have also turned to Jesus after hearing John ask us to renounce our former ways?
John was also called to formally announce and bear personal testimony to Jesus as the Messiah. He himself denied many times that he was the Messiah. Whenever he was asked, "Why then are you baptizing if you are neither the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the prophet?" John answered them many times, "I baptize with water. Among you stands one whom you do not know, the one who is coming after me; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandal." John’s sole purpose was to elevate somebody else. He knew that one day another would come along and overshadow his achievements. He knew his place and what God desired of him. He knew that he must decrease, so that Jesus, the promised Messiah, would increase.
Although John would not think of himself as a prophet, in fact he was very much the prophet, if telling the truth is to be considered a form of prophecy. He knew of Israel’s condition, and called the religious leaders to task for not showing the people the proper way to righteousness. He rightly called them a brood of vipers, knowing full well how they preyed upon the people and made them adhere to laws that could not be met. John used such violence in addressing the Pharisees and Sadducees to startle them from their self-complacency. That they were blinded by their sense of security as the children of Abraham, and by their confidence in the merits of the law is attested by the fact that these parties resisted the teachings of both John and Jesus to the very end. And, as we heard today, it was his truth telling that eventually landed him in Herod’s prison. But even in the face of such persecution he would not back down. He continued to speak out against the moral evil that had overtaken the nation. And in the end it cost him his life.
And although John was never baptized, we know that John appropriated God’s promise that Jesus was the Messiah. John said, “This is the one! The One I told you was coming after me but was in fact ahead of me. He has always been ahead of me, and has always had the first word. We all live off his generous bounty, gift after gift after gift. The law indeed was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ”. (John 1:15-17 MSG). And then when he saw Jesus coming toward him he declared, "Here he is, God’s Passover lamb! He forgives the sins of the world. This is the man I’ve been talking about, ‘the one who comes after me but is really ahead of me.’ I knew nothing about who he was –only this: that my task has been to get Israel ready to recognize him as the God-Revealer” (John 3:29-31 MSG). It was in this that John truly confessed Jesus as Lord and Savior, thus assuring John a place in the Kingdom of God (Romans 10:8-10).
Not only was John a great man, but he was also an example to us and for us today. We may not have had the priestly parentage that John had, but in our baptism we are called children of God. In our baptism then, we too have been called to tell others that God’s Kingdom is now here. We too are sent out into our neighborhoods, our schools, our work places, and to the stores we shop at telling others that there is forgiveness and life everlasting through God’s son, Jesus. We too have been divinely appointed to be truth tellers about God’s righteousness, even in the face of harassment. And like John we have been given the Holy Spirit to be able to do all these things. Yes, John was a remarkable man, but Jesus had the final say about us as well, “Truly I tell you, among those born of women no one has arisen greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.” (Matt 11:11) So we celebrate the life of our brother John. We give thanks that he knew of God’s promises. We give thanks that he was the first of us to point the way to Jesus. And we give thanks that in his showing the way; we too have new life in Christ Jesus. Amen.
And may the peace of God which surpasses all understanding keep our hearts and minds on Christ Jesus. Amen.
Grace and peace to you from God the Father, from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and from the Holy Spirit, who gives us life. Amen.
We are gathered here to today to celebrate the life of our brother John. To some of us he was known as a prophet. To others he was known as somewhat eccentric. And to many of us he was known as the Baptizer. However he was known one thing stands out; he was a great man by anyone’s standards. Amazingly he had none of the credentials we often associate with great leaders. He had no formal education. He had no money. He didn’t have friends in powerful places. He didn’t impress anyone with his tact. And he definitely didn’t dress for success, as we would define it. Yet despite these apparent handicaps, he was, according to his own cousin Jesus, among the greatest men ever born. He said, “neither Moses, Abraham, David, Elijah, nor Daniel was greater than John” (Luke 7:28). And although his life was cut short at such an early age, we can take comfort that he certainly knew of God’s promises
How do we know that this is true? I think that it would be helpful to understand John’s background and how he lived out his calling. John was of priestly descent. His mother, Elisabeth, was of the daughters of Aaron, while his father, Zechariah, was a priest of the course of Abijah, and did service in the temple at Jerusalem. It was said of them that "they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless" (Luke 1:6). In addition we know from the writer Luke that John was born about six months before the birth of Jesus. Of the place, we know only that it was in a city of the hill country of Judah. Our definite information concerning his youth is summed up in the angelic prophecy, "Many shall rejoice at his birth. For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and he shall drink no wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb" (Luke 1:14-16), and (in Luke's brief statement), "And the child grew, and became strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his showing unto Israel" (Luke 1:80). The character and spiritual insight of the parents shown in the incidents recorded are ample evidence that his training was a fitting preparation for his great mission.
What exactly was his mission? John assumed from the beginning his role as a messenger was to prepare the way for the approaching Messianic age. He clearly regarded his work as divinely appointed (John 1:33), but was well aware of his subordinate relation to the Messiah (Mark 1:7) and of the temporary character of his mission (John 3:30). John’s work was twofold. First he was called to announce the approaching Kingdom of God and for all to seek repentance. In his preaching he warned the nation of Israel that the true character of the new kingdom was a reign of righteousness. But while he announced himself as the messenger voice preparing the way of the Lord, his view of the nature of the kingdom was probably quite different from that of his hearers. Instead of the expected day of deliverance from the foreign oppressor, it was to be a day of judgment for Israel. It meant good for the penitent, but destruction for the ungodly. We read in Matthew 3 that he tells the Pharisees and the Sadducees that: “the one coming after me will clean house – he will make a clean sweep of your lives. He’ll place everything true in its proper place before God; everything false he’ll put out with the trash to be burned.” (Math 3:12 MSG) He also told the crowds “what counts is your life. Is it green and blossoming? Because if its deadwood, it goes on the fire.” (Luke 3:9 MSG) The call to repentance was then a natural message of preparation for such a time of judgment. But to John, repentance was a very real and radical thing. It meant a complete change of heart and life. "Bring forth.... fruits worthy of repentance" (Luke 3:8). What these fruits were he made clear in his answers to the inquiring multitudes and the tax collectors and soldiers (Luke 3:10-14). It is noticeable that there is no reference to the usual ceremonies of the law or to a change of occupation. The only warnings are to “Do good; be honest; refrain from extortion; be content with wages”. These are words that ring true with us today as well.
Secondly it was through his calling of repentance that he began to baptize those who heard his preaching. While it seems clear that in the use of the rite of baptism John was influenced by the Jewish customs of ceremonial washings and proselyte baptism, his baptism differed very essentially from these and that his baptism was a preparation for a new condition. He said” I’m baptizing you here in the river turning your old life in for a kingdom life…the main character will ignite the kingdom life within you, a fire within you, the Holy Spirit within you, changing you from the inside out” (Matt 3:11 MSG). We may say, then, that as a "baptism of repentance" it meant a renunciation of the past life; as a cleansing it symbolized the forgiveness of sins (Mk 1:4), and as preparation it implied a promise of loyalty to the kingdom of the Messiah. Therefore it was through John’s call to repentance and baptism he prepared at least a few hearts for a sympathetic response to the call and teaching of Jesus. I wonder how many of us have also turned to Jesus after hearing John ask us to renounce our former ways?
John was also called to formally announce and bear personal testimony to Jesus as the Messiah. He himself denied many times that he was the Messiah. Whenever he was asked, "Why then are you baptizing if you are neither the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the prophet?" John answered them many times, "I baptize with water. Among you stands one whom you do not know, the one who is coming after me; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandal." John’s sole purpose was to elevate somebody else. He knew that one day another would come along and overshadow his achievements. He knew his place and what God desired of him. He knew that he must decrease, so that Jesus, the promised Messiah, would increase.
Although John would not think of himself as a prophet, in fact he was very much the prophet, if telling the truth is to be considered a form of prophecy. He knew of Israel’s condition, and called the religious leaders to task for not showing the people the proper way to righteousness. He rightly called them a brood of vipers, knowing full well how they preyed upon the people and made them adhere to laws that could not be met. John used such violence in addressing the Pharisees and Sadducees to startle them from their self-complacency. That they were blinded by their sense of security as the children of Abraham, and by their confidence in the merits of the law is attested by the fact that these parties resisted the teachings of both John and Jesus to the very end. And, as we heard today, it was his truth telling that eventually landed him in Herod’s prison. But even in the face of such persecution he would not back down. He continued to speak out against the moral evil that had overtaken the nation. And in the end it cost him his life.
And although John was never baptized, we know that John appropriated God’s promise that Jesus was the Messiah. John said, “This is the one! The One I told you was coming after me but was in fact ahead of me. He has always been ahead of me, and has always had the first word. We all live off his generous bounty, gift after gift after gift. The law indeed was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ”. (John 1:15-17 MSG). And then when he saw Jesus coming toward him he declared, "Here he is, God’s Passover lamb! He forgives the sins of the world. This is the man I’ve been talking about, ‘the one who comes after me but is really ahead of me.’ I knew nothing about who he was –only this: that my task has been to get Israel ready to recognize him as the God-Revealer” (John 3:29-31 MSG). It was in this that John truly confessed Jesus as Lord and Savior, thus assuring John a place in the Kingdom of God (Romans 10:8-10).
Not only was John a great man, but he was also an example to us and for us today. We may not have had the priestly parentage that John had, but in our baptism we are called children of God. In our baptism then, we too have been called to tell others that God’s Kingdom is now here. We too are sent out into our neighborhoods, our schools, our work places, and to the stores we shop at telling others that there is forgiveness and life everlasting through God’s son, Jesus. We too have been divinely appointed to be truth tellers about God’s righteousness, even in the face of harassment. And like John we have been given the Holy Spirit to be able to do all these things. Yes, John was a remarkable man, but Jesus had the final say about us as well, “Truly I tell you, among those born of women no one has arisen greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.” (Matt 11:11) So we celebrate the life of our brother John. We give thanks that he knew of God’s promises. We give thanks that he was the first of us to point the way to Jesus. And we give thanks that in his showing the way; we too have new life in Christ Jesus. Amen.
And may the peace of God which surpasses all understanding keep our hearts and minds on Christ Jesus. Amen.
Friday, July 10, 2009
Mission Trip [Mark 6;1-13]
Grace and peace to you from God our Father, from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and from the Holy Spirit who gives us life. Amen.
As many of you know the mission trip team of 25 young adults and four leaders leaves here tomorrow morning at “o-dot-thirty” for Lynchburg VA. I would like to read a partial list of all that they are taking to help make this trip possible. (Read list) Now mind you this is just for 10 days. And the team needs to bring along their own work supplies, which I did not list off. But I think, holy cats, is this an incredible amount of stuff or what? I look at this list and compare it to what the disciples were ordered to take with them on their first mission trip. There’s quite the difference, don’t you think?
Lets go ahead and look at the second half of our gospel lesson and, no pun intended, unpack it to see how this applies to our mission trip team. Verse 7; “And he (that is Jesus) summoned the twelve and began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over unclean spirits.” Just as Jesus called to himself the twelve disciples, so the team has been summoned as well. I’m not sure that they may fully realize this. They may think that they are going on this trip to have fun, and/or to be with friends. Maybe they think that this might be an adventure. Or it might possibly be a way to escape their parents and/or siblings for a few days. Whatever the reason, God has a greater purpose in mind for the individual team members. Just as God called Ezekiel to become a prophet to the nation of Israel [as we heard in the first lesson], God has summoned, and gathered these team members to a purpose higher than they may realize. And although we don’t know what that purpose is at this point, we can hope and trust in the promise we find in Romans 8:28 “And we know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose”.
So the disciples are called and sent out. Jesus commanded his disciples to go two by two. Why would he make this mandate? I think that there are several reasons for this. First Jesus himself tells us that where there are two or more gathered (or called) in my name, so there I will be also (Matt 18:20). The second issue is that of companionship. It’s easier to take on a task when there is someone there to be with you. That person can offer encouragement and guidance. This is reminiscent of the apostle Paul and his companion Barnabas (who’s name means encouragement). I don’t think that Paul would or could have done half the stuff he did if he didn’t have some companionship. In respect to this trip, I do not think that the team will be lacking for companionship. In fact they may wish at the end of ten days they weren’t with some of the people that they’re with. The third reason is for protection. Using Navy pilot slang, they can be your wing-man (or woman) to cover your back in case of trouble (or as Tony Dinozo on NCIS says, “Ok boss, I have your ‘six’”). Finally there is the issue of accountability. How easy would it be to fall into some kind of temptation if there isn’t someone there to hold you to task? How easy would it be to be duped or conned into doing something you normally wouldn’t do if there weren’t someone there to hold you up? With over 400 young adults and their leaders in Lynchburg, I don’t think that this will be too much of a problem.
The best part of this first verse is now here. The disciples were given authority over the unclean spirits. As Merriam Webster defines it, the disciples were given power to influence or command thought, opinion, or behavior over those forces opposed to God. Think about this. The disciples were given the same authority that Jesus had, or in other words, the power of the Holy Spirit. And this was well before Pentecost. And this authority was for the purpose of casting out the demons and to make people whole. Last week I gave you three Greek words. Do you remember the Greek word that means to “be made well”? This power is So-Zo. In other words to rescue, to liberate, to preserve the people that they would come into contact with. And this same authority has been given to the team. They will pray for, and with the families who live in those houses. They will write bible verses on the sides of the houses and then seal them with paint. They will teach and learn about God’s riches in Christ Jesus. They will cover these families with God’s grace and mercy, not just with words but also with deeds of love (and a lot of hard work). Through the power of the Holy Spirit they too will cast out the unclean spirits that dwell within the households and in doing so they will “So-Zo” the families they come in contact with.
We now get to verses 8 and 9 and I am sure that our youth director Sonja is thinking, “Oh no, here it comes”. Jesus orders his disciples to “take nothing for their journey except a staff, no bread, no bag, no money in their belts, but to wear sandals and not to put on two tunics”. In other words, pack light. I know of several folks who take long-distance motorcycle journeys and they have to follow this rule carefully. After all there just isn’t a lot of room on a motorcycle to pack a lot of stuff. Does the mission trip team really need all of the stuff that I listed off earlier? In regards to the tools that were not listed, yes. These tools are required to get the jobs done while they are there. As for the rest of the stuff, I think it depends upon whom you ask. I guess it depends on what is inside the 60 suitcases. Is it possible to only pack 30 suitcases, which is only one per person? If you ask one of the motorcyclists, they would say yes. On the other hand, I am sure that there are those who would insist they could not get along without certain items that they consider essential. But for this trip overall I am sure that this kind of advice is somewhat impractical. After all our economy doesn’t work the same way it did 2000 years ago. But I think that Jesus gave this order for a different reason. We get our clue in Matthew 6:25-26 when Jesus says, "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Isn't there more to life than food and more to the body than clothing? Look at the birds in the sky: They do not sow, or reap, or gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren't you more valuable than they are?” Jesus gives the order to pack light so that the disciples will trust that all they need will be provided to them. I think that this adage also applies to us. After all aren’t we a community of faith that is also sent out to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ? I don’t how many of you have moved in the past few years, but when Deb and I moved 3 years ago, it seemed like we had an awful lot of “stuff”. If we had been required to move on a moments notice, we would not have been able to do so. It took us over a month to figure out what we were to keep and what to leave behind, not to mention that the actual packing of what we were taking with us consumed the better part of a week. Stuff weighs us down. It’s hard to focus on Christ when we are burdened with accumulated possessions. It’s hard to remember the great commission given to us when we’re dragging a knapsack or suitcase, or moving van along behind us. It’s hard to trust in God’s provisions when we think that we might “need” the stuff that’s in our wallets or purses. Which begs this question: what is it that gives us security, is it our possessions, or is it our relationship, and thus our assurance of salvation with the risen Lord?
Verses 10 and 11 continue this theme of reliance upon God, however it is put in the context of community and of hospitality. “[Jesus] said to them, "Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave the place. If any place will not welcome you and they refuse to hear you, as you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them." In order to save money the mission trip team will be staying at some churches as they travel to and from VA. I think that it’s terrific that there are other communities that are willing to put up our travelers in their journey. I know that we here at Peace Lutheran would do the same thing if asked. But wouldn’t it be strange, that when the team arrived at their destination, they found a different church to stay at and decided to lodge there instead? How do you think the first community would feel? And would the second accommodations be any better than the first? What Jesus is telling the disciples is that hospitality is part of God’s provision. God has not only called the missionaries to go and proclaim the good news, but communities are also called to put up the sojourner. The writer of Hebrews has this to say: “ Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it” (Hebrews 13:2). In the showing and accepting of hospitality offered, both the community and the wayfarer are blessed. Who knows what seeds are planted when two groups come together? And if the traveler is rejected, I would say do not take it as insult. Could it possibly be that God has some other purpose in mind for that community? Therefore shake the dust from your feet and move on.
We finally get to the end of our text. In the last 2 verses we hear of the disciples setting out. And although we know that they drove out many demons and healed many people, we do not know the end of this particular story. Our mission trip team will soon be departing. On their way they will encounter many adventures. They will encounter many communities that will be accepting of them and there will be many people who will shun them. We also don’t know the end of their story. But we do know that they have been summoned and sent to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ, whether it is painted on the side of their bus, or in their encounters with many different people, or in their hard work. We know they have been given authority to heal and cleanse and restore those families that they will help. We know that God will be before them, beside them, behind them, and in the middle of them. And in our own calling and commissioning may the same be said of us as well. Amen.
And may the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, keep our hearts and minds on Christ Jesus. Amen
As many of you know the mission trip team of 25 young adults and four leaders leaves here tomorrow morning at “o-dot-thirty” for Lynchburg VA. I would like to read a partial list of all that they are taking to help make this trip possible. (Read list) Now mind you this is just for 10 days. And the team needs to bring along their own work supplies, which I did not list off. But I think, holy cats, is this an incredible amount of stuff or what? I look at this list and compare it to what the disciples were ordered to take with them on their first mission trip. There’s quite the difference, don’t you think?
Lets go ahead and look at the second half of our gospel lesson and, no pun intended, unpack it to see how this applies to our mission trip team. Verse 7; “And he (that is Jesus) summoned the twelve and began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over unclean spirits.” Just as Jesus called to himself the twelve disciples, so the team has been summoned as well. I’m not sure that they may fully realize this. They may think that they are going on this trip to have fun, and/or to be with friends. Maybe they think that this might be an adventure. Or it might possibly be a way to escape their parents and/or siblings for a few days. Whatever the reason, God has a greater purpose in mind for the individual team members. Just as God called Ezekiel to become a prophet to the nation of Israel [as we heard in the first lesson], God has summoned, and gathered these team members to a purpose higher than they may realize. And although we don’t know what that purpose is at this point, we can hope and trust in the promise we find in Romans 8:28 “And we know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose”.
So the disciples are called and sent out. Jesus commanded his disciples to go two by two. Why would he make this mandate? I think that there are several reasons for this. First Jesus himself tells us that where there are two or more gathered (or called) in my name, so there I will be also (Matt 18:20). The second issue is that of companionship. It’s easier to take on a task when there is someone there to be with you. That person can offer encouragement and guidance. This is reminiscent of the apostle Paul and his companion Barnabas (who’s name means encouragement). I don’t think that Paul would or could have done half the stuff he did if he didn’t have some companionship. In respect to this trip, I do not think that the team will be lacking for companionship. In fact they may wish at the end of ten days they weren’t with some of the people that they’re with. The third reason is for protection. Using Navy pilot slang, they can be your wing-man (or woman) to cover your back in case of trouble (or as Tony Dinozo on NCIS says, “Ok boss, I have your ‘six’”). Finally there is the issue of accountability. How easy would it be to fall into some kind of temptation if there isn’t someone there to hold you to task? How easy would it be to be duped or conned into doing something you normally wouldn’t do if there weren’t someone there to hold you up? With over 400 young adults and their leaders in Lynchburg, I don’t think that this will be too much of a problem.
The best part of this first verse is now here. The disciples were given authority over the unclean spirits. As Merriam Webster defines it, the disciples were given power to influence or command thought, opinion, or behavior over those forces opposed to God. Think about this. The disciples were given the same authority that Jesus had, or in other words, the power of the Holy Spirit. And this was well before Pentecost. And this authority was for the purpose of casting out the demons and to make people whole. Last week I gave you three Greek words. Do you remember the Greek word that means to “be made well”? This power is So-Zo. In other words to rescue, to liberate, to preserve the people that they would come into contact with. And this same authority has been given to the team. They will pray for, and with the families who live in those houses. They will write bible verses on the sides of the houses and then seal them with paint. They will teach and learn about God’s riches in Christ Jesus. They will cover these families with God’s grace and mercy, not just with words but also with deeds of love (and a lot of hard work). Through the power of the Holy Spirit they too will cast out the unclean spirits that dwell within the households and in doing so they will “So-Zo” the families they come in contact with.
We now get to verses 8 and 9 and I am sure that our youth director Sonja is thinking, “Oh no, here it comes”. Jesus orders his disciples to “take nothing for their journey except a staff, no bread, no bag, no money in their belts, but to wear sandals and not to put on two tunics”. In other words, pack light. I know of several folks who take long-distance motorcycle journeys and they have to follow this rule carefully. After all there just isn’t a lot of room on a motorcycle to pack a lot of stuff. Does the mission trip team really need all of the stuff that I listed off earlier? In regards to the tools that were not listed, yes. These tools are required to get the jobs done while they are there. As for the rest of the stuff, I think it depends upon whom you ask. I guess it depends on what is inside the 60 suitcases. Is it possible to only pack 30 suitcases, which is only one per person? If you ask one of the motorcyclists, they would say yes. On the other hand, I am sure that there are those who would insist they could not get along without certain items that they consider essential. But for this trip overall I am sure that this kind of advice is somewhat impractical. After all our economy doesn’t work the same way it did 2000 years ago. But I think that Jesus gave this order for a different reason. We get our clue in Matthew 6:25-26 when Jesus says, "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Isn't there more to life than food and more to the body than clothing? Look at the birds in the sky: They do not sow, or reap, or gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren't you more valuable than they are?” Jesus gives the order to pack light so that the disciples will trust that all they need will be provided to them. I think that this adage also applies to us. After all aren’t we a community of faith that is also sent out to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ? I don’t how many of you have moved in the past few years, but when Deb and I moved 3 years ago, it seemed like we had an awful lot of “stuff”. If we had been required to move on a moments notice, we would not have been able to do so. It took us over a month to figure out what we were to keep and what to leave behind, not to mention that the actual packing of what we were taking with us consumed the better part of a week. Stuff weighs us down. It’s hard to focus on Christ when we are burdened with accumulated possessions. It’s hard to remember the great commission given to us when we’re dragging a knapsack or suitcase, or moving van along behind us. It’s hard to trust in God’s provisions when we think that we might “need” the stuff that’s in our wallets or purses. Which begs this question: what is it that gives us security, is it our possessions, or is it our relationship, and thus our assurance of salvation with the risen Lord?
Verses 10 and 11 continue this theme of reliance upon God, however it is put in the context of community and of hospitality. “[Jesus] said to them, "Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave the place. If any place will not welcome you and they refuse to hear you, as you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them." In order to save money the mission trip team will be staying at some churches as they travel to and from VA. I think that it’s terrific that there are other communities that are willing to put up our travelers in their journey. I know that we here at Peace Lutheran would do the same thing if asked. But wouldn’t it be strange, that when the team arrived at their destination, they found a different church to stay at and decided to lodge there instead? How do you think the first community would feel? And would the second accommodations be any better than the first? What Jesus is telling the disciples is that hospitality is part of God’s provision. God has not only called the missionaries to go and proclaim the good news, but communities are also called to put up the sojourner. The writer of Hebrews has this to say: “ Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it” (Hebrews 13:2). In the showing and accepting of hospitality offered, both the community and the wayfarer are blessed. Who knows what seeds are planted when two groups come together? And if the traveler is rejected, I would say do not take it as insult. Could it possibly be that God has some other purpose in mind for that community? Therefore shake the dust from your feet and move on.
We finally get to the end of our text. In the last 2 verses we hear of the disciples setting out. And although we know that they drove out many demons and healed many people, we do not know the end of this particular story. Our mission trip team will soon be departing. On their way they will encounter many adventures. They will encounter many communities that will be accepting of them and there will be many people who will shun them. We also don’t know the end of their story. But we do know that they have been summoned and sent to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ, whether it is painted on the side of their bus, or in their encounters with many different people, or in their hard work. We know they have been given authority to heal and cleanse and restore those families that they will help. We know that God will be before them, beside them, behind them, and in the middle of them. And in our own calling and commissioning may the same be said of us as well. Amen.
And may the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, keep our hearts and minds on Christ Jesus. Amen
Miracles [Mark 5:21-43]
Grace and peace to you from God the Father, from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and from the Holy Spirit who gives us life. Amen
Many of you know that I am a hockey fan. Although I am not fanatical about it, I do love watching the game. And many of you know that my favorite team is the Detroit Red Wings (with apologies to any Minnesota Wild fans out there). Some of you may know that the Red Wings went to the Stanley Cup finals this year only to lose in the 7th game to the Pittsburg Penguins. My son, who is also a fan, and I were hoping for some kind of miracle in that final game so that the Red Wings could again hoist the Cup in honor of their winning achievements. Sadly this was not to be the case. 29 years ago however there was a hockey miracle. This was when the USA Olympic hockey team defeated an impressive Soviet team in Lake Placid NY. Al Michaels, in the final seconds of that game, asked, “Do you believe in miracles?” This event has since been immortalized in a movie called ‘Miracle on Ice”. However, that “miracle” was a result of extremely hard work on the part of the US team. I really do not believe that there was any divine intervention that caused the team to win that game. Contrast that to our gospel text today. The two miracles that we heard about were not the result of hard work. They were the result of faith. I think that Al Michael’s question could also be asked about this story and how it relates to us. Do we really believe in miracles? And what is that belief based on?
Before I continue I would like to talk about three Greek words that will come up later. The first is about the phrase “made well”. The root word for this in Greek is So-Zo. It can be translated as “rescue”, “liberate or save”, “keep from harm”, “heal”, or “preserve”. Think about these other meanings as we go through the text. The second term is the English word “power” which comes from the Greek word “dunamis” (dune-a-mees). This is the same root word that we use for the word dynamite! The last word is the Greek “Pistos”. 2 months ago I spoke about this and how it means both faith and belief.
At the beginning of the text we read that Jesus has returned to an area he had previously been to. Great crowds have surrounded Jesus, and although we are not told of their motivation for being there, Mark gives us previous clues. Jesus has been teaching to many people in the region. Jesus has cast out demons and healed many people. This great crowd has gathered to see what will happen next. To these people, it’s as if this Jesus from Nazareth person is some sort of carnival freak. And in the middle of this we read that Jarius, comes to Jesus, and in an uncharacteristic way falls at Jesus feet and begs him to heal his gravely ill daughter. Now this part of the story is odd for at least one reason. Jarius is the leader of the local synagogue, which means that he is part of the Jewish establishment and would normally have nothing to do with Jesus. The fact that he comes and falls at his feet and begs Jesus, humbling himself in front of his peers, neighbors, and the rest of the onlookers tells us that this man must be at the end of his options for finding a cure for his daughter. There is only one hope left and it is in the form of this man standing in front of him who reportedly can heal anyone. And so they go off to Jarius’ house, with the crowd following hoping to see another display of Jesus’ ability to produce a miracle.
In the middle of this crowd, and in the middle of this story, is one who is hoping for her own miracle. We never do get her name and yet we already know more about her than we do about Jarius or his daughter. We know that for 12 years she had been suffering from a “hemorrhage” (which is an euphemism for menstrual bleeding). We know that she has endured much under many physicians. We know that she had exhausted all of her life savings to be made well, but has only been made worse. And like Jarius, she is at the end of her options for finding a cure. But unlike Jarius, she doesn’t want anyone to know about this. She didn’t want to confront Jesus and demand a cure. She just thought that if she touched just a part of his clothing, she might, hope against hope, be made well. And so she follows through on her desire. She touches Jesus’ cloak and immediately she is healed of her dis-ease. And Jesus responds immediately knowing that power has gone forth from him. “Who touched my clothes?”, he asks, loud enough so that not only do the disciples hear him, but the woman as well. As a result she comes forth, in awe as to what has happened to her, confessing her story. She tells the truth to the one whose power (dune-a-mees) she has tapped. And his response is to not only acknowledge her faith, her Pistos, which has made her well (So-Zo), but, by calling her “daughter”, he acknowledges the relationship that they now have. In this way she has been healed of more than just a physical ailment.
At this point some people come up to Jarius to tell him his daughter has died. Can you imagine Jarius’ reaction to this? At this point surely his hope is gone. Why bother carrying on now? Jesus does not respond to those who have other agendas for “the teacher” but rather tells Jarius to buck up, keep believing, “have Pistos”, in the one standing next to you. So they go off to finish the task they had started. Even in the face of scoffers, of those who do not believe, of those who have not seen his power, or those who just do not care, Jesus does not relent. He gathers those who he knows have some small measure of faith, and speaking to the daughter in Aramaic he says literally, “Lamb, get up”. And immediately she does, begins walking around, and is fed. And this is amazing! But I wonder who was really healed, or made well, or liberated, or preserved here? Undoubtedly in one sense it is the girl. But it wasn’t her faith that made her well. She was dead. And don’t you think being dead she was already healed from the dis-ease that had already ailed her? As modern day Christians don’t we often proclaim that one who has died, especially if they have been in pain, are now better off, that they are now with Jesus where there is no more crying, and no more pain? No it wasn’t just the girl who was made well and made alive, but also Jarius. It was his faith, his Pistos that made the healing possible. And in the daughter’s healing he was also made well. He was liberated from the pain of loss. His hope was rescued so that he could go on with his life.
Do we really believe in miracles? I guess it depends upon what you or I would define as a miracle. Is watching a sunrise or seeing a rainbow a miracle? Is experiencing a baby being born a miracle? Is the remission of cancerous tumors a miracle? Is a return from a near death experience a miracle? Is faith or belief in the one who died for us a miracle? Or are we so caught up in the press of the crowd, of our fast-paced society, that we miss the miracles that surround us? If all these things and more are miracles, and they are not dismissed out of hand with some sort of scientific explanation, what is it based on? Are we so sure of what we think are the facts that we laugh off the possibility of what God might actually be able to do? Or how much faith/belief do we need? For the unnamed woman it was not much: “if only I could touch his cloak”. For Jarius it was, “please lay your hands on my daughter”. What about you or I? Is it, “if only my sins are forgiven”? Is it “if only I could be called daughter or son”? Is it “please feed me the bread of life and quench my thirst with living waters”? Even with the power of a thousand atom bombs at our disposal, we only need a firecracker faith to be rescued, redeemed, and restored. Unlike the 1980 US Olympic hockey team we do not have to work for these miracles. Like the woman and Jarius we only have to draw near to Jesus to be forgiven, adopted, and fed. Then, open to the possibilities of the miracles in our lives we can then rejoice. Amen.
And may the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, keep our hearts and minds on Christ Jesus. Amen
Many of you know that I am a hockey fan. Although I am not fanatical about it, I do love watching the game. And many of you know that my favorite team is the Detroit Red Wings (with apologies to any Minnesota Wild fans out there). Some of you may know that the Red Wings went to the Stanley Cup finals this year only to lose in the 7th game to the Pittsburg Penguins. My son, who is also a fan, and I were hoping for some kind of miracle in that final game so that the Red Wings could again hoist the Cup in honor of their winning achievements. Sadly this was not to be the case. 29 years ago however there was a hockey miracle. This was when the USA Olympic hockey team defeated an impressive Soviet team in Lake Placid NY. Al Michaels, in the final seconds of that game, asked, “Do you believe in miracles?” This event has since been immortalized in a movie called ‘Miracle on Ice”. However, that “miracle” was a result of extremely hard work on the part of the US team. I really do not believe that there was any divine intervention that caused the team to win that game. Contrast that to our gospel text today. The two miracles that we heard about were not the result of hard work. They were the result of faith. I think that Al Michael’s question could also be asked about this story and how it relates to us. Do we really believe in miracles? And what is that belief based on?
Before I continue I would like to talk about three Greek words that will come up later. The first is about the phrase “made well”. The root word for this in Greek is So-Zo. It can be translated as “rescue”, “liberate or save”, “keep from harm”, “heal”, or “preserve”. Think about these other meanings as we go through the text. The second term is the English word “power” which comes from the Greek word “dunamis” (dune-a-mees). This is the same root word that we use for the word dynamite! The last word is the Greek “Pistos”. 2 months ago I spoke about this and how it means both faith and belief.
At the beginning of the text we read that Jesus has returned to an area he had previously been to. Great crowds have surrounded Jesus, and although we are not told of their motivation for being there, Mark gives us previous clues. Jesus has been teaching to many people in the region. Jesus has cast out demons and healed many people. This great crowd has gathered to see what will happen next. To these people, it’s as if this Jesus from Nazareth person is some sort of carnival freak. And in the middle of this we read that Jarius, comes to Jesus, and in an uncharacteristic way falls at Jesus feet and begs him to heal his gravely ill daughter. Now this part of the story is odd for at least one reason. Jarius is the leader of the local synagogue, which means that he is part of the Jewish establishment and would normally have nothing to do with Jesus. The fact that he comes and falls at his feet and begs Jesus, humbling himself in front of his peers, neighbors, and the rest of the onlookers tells us that this man must be at the end of his options for finding a cure for his daughter. There is only one hope left and it is in the form of this man standing in front of him who reportedly can heal anyone. And so they go off to Jarius’ house, with the crowd following hoping to see another display of Jesus’ ability to produce a miracle.
In the middle of this crowd, and in the middle of this story, is one who is hoping for her own miracle. We never do get her name and yet we already know more about her than we do about Jarius or his daughter. We know that for 12 years she had been suffering from a “hemorrhage” (which is an euphemism for menstrual bleeding). We know that she has endured much under many physicians. We know that she had exhausted all of her life savings to be made well, but has only been made worse. And like Jarius, she is at the end of her options for finding a cure. But unlike Jarius, she doesn’t want anyone to know about this. She didn’t want to confront Jesus and demand a cure. She just thought that if she touched just a part of his clothing, she might, hope against hope, be made well. And so she follows through on her desire. She touches Jesus’ cloak and immediately she is healed of her dis-ease. And Jesus responds immediately knowing that power has gone forth from him. “Who touched my clothes?”, he asks, loud enough so that not only do the disciples hear him, but the woman as well. As a result she comes forth, in awe as to what has happened to her, confessing her story. She tells the truth to the one whose power (dune-a-mees) she has tapped. And his response is to not only acknowledge her faith, her Pistos, which has made her well (So-Zo), but, by calling her “daughter”, he acknowledges the relationship that they now have. In this way she has been healed of more than just a physical ailment.
At this point some people come up to Jarius to tell him his daughter has died. Can you imagine Jarius’ reaction to this? At this point surely his hope is gone. Why bother carrying on now? Jesus does not respond to those who have other agendas for “the teacher” but rather tells Jarius to buck up, keep believing, “have Pistos”, in the one standing next to you. So they go off to finish the task they had started. Even in the face of scoffers, of those who do not believe, of those who have not seen his power, or those who just do not care, Jesus does not relent. He gathers those who he knows have some small measure of faith, and speaking to the daughter in Aramaic he says literally, “Lamb, get up”. And immediately she does, begins walking around, and is fed. And this is amazing! But I wonder who was really healed, or made well, or liberated, or preserved here? Undoubtedly in one sense it is the girl. But it wasn’t her faith that made her well. She was dead. And don’t you think being dead she was already healed from the dis-ease that had already ailed her? As modern day Christians don’t we often proclaim that one who has died, especially if they have been in pain, are now better off, that they are now with Jesus where there is no more crying, and no more pain? No it wasn’t just the girl who was made well and made alive, but also Jarius. It was his faith, his Pistos that made the healing possible. And in the daughter’s healing he was also made well. He was liberated from the pain of loss. His hope was rescued so that he could go on with his life.
Do we really believe in miracles? I guess it depends upon what you or I would define as a miracle. Is watching a sunrise or seeing a rainbow a miracle? Is experiencing a baby being born a miracle? Is the remission of cancerous tumors a miracle? Is a return from a near death experience a miracle? Is faith or belief in the one who died for us a miracle? Or are we so caught up in the press of the crowd, of our fast-paced society, that we miss the miracles that surround us? If all these things and more are miracles, and they are not dismissed out of hand with some sort of scientific explanation, what is it based on? Are we so sure of what we think are the facts that we laugh off the possibility of what God might actually be able to do? Or how much faith/belief do we need? For the unnamed woman it was not much: “if only I could touch his cloak”. For Jarius it was, “please lay your hands on my daughter”. What about you or I? Is it, “if only my sins are forgiven”? Is it “if only I could be called daughter or son”? Is it “please feed me the bread of life and quench my thirst with living waters”? Even with the power of a thousand atom bombs at our disposal, we only need a firecracker faith to be rescued, redeemed, and restored. Unlike the 1980 US Olympic hockey team we do not have to work for these miracles. Like the woman and Jarius we only have to draw near to Jesus to be forgiven, adopted, and fed. Then, open to the possibilities of the miracles in our lives we can then rejoice. Amen.
And may the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, keep our hearts and minds on Christ Jesus. Amen
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Nicodemus
My name is Nicodemus. You may have heard of me. I am the one who came to Jesus at night. It seems to me though, that over the years I have been misunderstood as to why I came to Jesus. Some people seem to think that I came to challenge Jesus. Others think that I came to learn more from another teacher. And still others think that I was a spy sent by the ruling council to see what Jesus’ real motives were. All of these reasons are far from the truth. I came to Jesus at night because I was afraid for my position, but at the same time there was something about this man that intrigued me. In one sense I wanted to know more from this man, but it wasn’t teaching that I was seeking. Maybe you can sympathize with this.
I should probably start at the beginning. I was born and raised close to Jerusalem to parents that were of the Hasidim, that is, of the pious or lawyerly ruling class. I went to the finest schools. After my coming of age I was enrolled in Rabbi Hillel’s school and studied the Torah, the Talmud, and other legal documents for years. When I finished my schooling I became part of the ruling class and a Pharisee. I was a teacher and instructed others in the way of the law. In essence, I had a comfortable life with a house and property, some servants, and a very lovely family. This was even while the Romans were ruling our society. And yet I was not entirely happy. It felt like there was something missing in my life, and I couldn’t put my finger on it. After all, I lived within strict accordance of the Talmud. I observed all of the holy requirements proscribed by the law and yet I didn’t feel holy. I felt like a fraud, living a life that should have belonged to someone else.
I first heard of this man Jesus a few days prior to my meeting with him. It was at the time of the Passover. I was in the middle of a temple observance when a commotion occurred in the temple court near the currency and sacrifice exchange. There was a man running amok, whipping the traders who had come to sell their livestock and exchange temple currency. He was in such a frenzy that not only was the coinage scattered but all of the livestock and birds as well. He kept yelling that his father’s house was not a market place and that they should all get out of there. After the temple court had been cleared, and the riot had been quelled, some of our leaders wanted to know by what authority he had to do this. What sign would he give them to claim such a right? His reply was stunning: “Destroy this temple and I will raise it again in three days”. What did he mean by that? But it wasn’t just that. In the days that followed he performed many miraculous signs, and many people began to follow him. I myself did not see any of these miracles, but I heard of many, and I wondered, who is this man? I told my wife about all of this, but she dismissed it out of hand, saying that it really wasn’t any of my business. After all it was the Passover and I had other duties to take care of. But I couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something extraordinary about this man, and so one night I went to see him. I told my wife that I had a meeting with some of the other teachers, (which isn’t a real lie is it?). I also didn’t want any of my peers to find out. After all this Jesus did challenge the whole system of the temple exchange, including all of the revenue it brought in. Would my fellow teachers, and the other leaders think that I too was challenging the system. Would they think I was being abandoning the teachings that I had grown up with? Would they think that I was being a traitor to the nation of Israel, and that I was in reality a zealot? Frankly, I was afraid of what they would think.
When I caught up with Jesus, I introduced myself to him, and then I asked him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who comes from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him”. Why was I afraid to speak as myself to this man? Why had I used the plural “we”? I did not represent the council. Was it because I knew deep down that this man was the messiah? Jesus’ reply though, threw me off guard. “I tell you the truth, no one can see the Kingdom of God unless he is born from above.” What was that about? What did he mean? I had said nothing about seeing the kingdom of God. Was he referring to the signs that he had performed? Was that part of the kingdom? And what of this phrase about being born anew? So I asked, “how can a man be born when he is old? How can a man enter his mother’s womb a second time?” I was totally confused. This man, this teacher was speaking in riddles, and I had no clue as to where he was going with all of this. And his response was just as perplexing. He said that the kingdom of God could not be entered without being born of the water and spirit, and the spirit was like the wind blowing where it would. What was he talking about? It was so incomprehensible. I asked, “How can this be?” His answer stung me. It felt like a knife ripping into my heart. “Are you a teacher, and you do not understand these thing?” I had spent almost my entire life studying, and reflecting, and living out the law; and with one rebuke it came crashing down. He said in effect, your head knowledge has nothing to do with God knowledge. I was devastated. What good was all that I knew and lived for, if it meant that I still did not know God? And then he figuratively throws the Torah in my face. He makes mention of Jacob’s ladder where the heavenly angels ascend and descend from heaven. And he then recounts the story of Moses in the desert and the trials that they had with the snakes. It was only by the grace of God that they lived, by looking upon the upraised snake intertwined on a cross. I knew this story well and only thought of it as another miracle story, giving credence to Moses’ respected place as a mighty leader and prophet. But this man, this Jesus, in both stories replaces the angels, and the snake with himself as the central figure calling himself the Son of Man.
It was what he said next that gave me pause. “Whoever believes in the Son of Man will have eternal life”. I knew of resurrection. It was what we taught, that all of the righteous would be with God in heaven and that the wicked would perish. But this was something new. He was saying that all who believe in him would have eternal life, because he was sent by God to save the entire world. After all we had been waiting for the Messiah, the anointed one to save us and to restore Israel. But the whole world? The wicked as well as the righteous? Again I had a hard time wrapping my brain around this. But in my heart I began to feel peace. I knew instinctively that what he was saying was right, even if I did not fully understand it. I wanted to hear more, but the hour was getting late, and so I left him. But he did not leave me. His words buzzed about me for days and weeks afterwards. I went back to the scrolls to find any evidence of what he was talking about. I secretly went to listen to him on several occasions. And the more I read and the more I heard, the more I realized it was how we had rejected God and yet he was faithful to us, and his desire was for us to have a relationship with Him. I realized that it was not about the Law of Moses, and that no matter how hard we tried and how many laws we had, we would not be saved, because we did not love God or his creation. We loved only our laws. So here was this man, this Jesus, this Son of Man who was in our midst, telling us that if we looked to him lifted up, we would be saved.
It wasn’t until later that I truly understood what he meant by being lifted up. Our leaders were jealous and did not want to see their way of life changed. We all had it so good in our roles. People were flocking to him, because of his teaching, and because of his miraculous signs. At one point when the council demanded Jesus be arrested, I tried to stand up for him when the temple guards couldn’t arrest him. I tried to convince the leadership that we could not condemn Jesus because of what he was saying. I didn’t say more because I thought they would toss me off the council for “treasonous speech”. You know the rest of the story. The Sanhedrin had Jesus crucified and it wasn’t until he was held aloft on the cross did I fully understand the significance of his words. Just as the snake had to die and be lifted up, so the Son of God had to die and be lifted up. And as I looked up at him, I knew that his salvation was not only for me, but also for the rest of the world. It was then I truly understood the love that God has for us. Later Joseph of Arimathea and I took the body, and prepared it for burial, knowing this was the least we could do for the Son of God.
I realize that I am not perfect. Many people have said that I was spineless, and they are right. I suppose I could have done more to prevent what had happened. But I was afraid. Afraid of what other people would think. Afraid of losing the material wealth I had. Afraid that I would be changed. But after that day, I am no longer afraid. I am changed. I have been born from above through water and the spirit. An encounter with the Son of the Living God will do that to you. And I hope that in hearing my story, or even better your own encounter with Jesus, you too might be changed, that you too will be born from above. Thank you for listening.
I should probably start at the beginning. I was born and raised close to Jerusalem to parents that were of the Hasidim, that is, of the pious or lawyerly ruling class. I went to the finest schools. After my coming of age I was enrolled in Rabbi Hillel’s school and studied the Torah, the Talmud, and other legal documents for years. When I finished my schooling I became part of the ruling class and a Pharisee. I was a teacher and instructed others in the way of the law. In essence, I had a comfortable life with a house and property, some servants, and a very lovely family. This was even while the Romans were ruling our society. And yet I was not entirely happy. It felt like there was something missing in my life, and I couldn’t put my finger on it. After all, I lived within strict accordance of the Talmud. I observed all of the holy requirements proscribed by the law and yet I didn’t feel holy. I felt like a fraud, living a life that should have belonged to someone else.
I first heard of this man Jesus a few days prior to my meeting with him. It was at the time of the Passover. I was in the middle of a temple observance when a commotion occurred in the temple court near the currency and sacrifice exchange. There was a man running amok, whipping the traders who had come to sell their livestock and exchange temple currency. He was in such a frenzy that not only was the coinage scattered but all of the livestock and birds as well. He kept yelling that his father’s house was not a market place and that they should all get out of there. After the temple court had been cleared, and the riot had been quelled, some of our leaders wanted to know by what authority he had to do this. What sign would he give them to claim such a right? His reply was stunning: “Destroy this temple and I will raise it again in three days”. What did he mean by that? But it wasn’t just that. In the days that followed he performed many miraculous signs, and many people began to follow him. I myself did not see any of these miracles, but I heard of many, and I wondered, who is this man? I told my wife about all of this, but she dismissed it out of hand, saying that it really wasn’t any of my business. After all it was the Passover and I had other duties to take care of. But I couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something extraordinary about this man, and so one night I went to see him. I told my wife that I had a meeting with some of the other teachers, (which isn’t a real lie is it?). I also didn’t want any of my peers to find out. After all this Jesus did challenge the whole system of the temple exchange, including all of the revenue it brought in. Would my fellow teachers, and the other leaders think that I too was challenging the system. Would they think I was being abandoning the teachings that I had grown up with? Would they think that I was being a traitor to the nation of Israel, and that I was in reality a zealot? Frankly, I was afraid of what they would think.
When I caught up with Jesus, I introduced myself to him, and then I asked him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who comes from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him”. Why was I afraid to speak as myself to this man? Why had I used the plural “we”? I did not represent the council. Was it because I knew deep down that this man was the messiah? Jesus’ reply though, threw me off guard. “I tell you the truth, no one can see the Kingdom of God unless he is born from above.” What was that about? What did he mean? I had said nothing about seeing the kingdom of God. Was he referring to the signs that he had performed? Was that part of the kingdom? And what of this phrase about being born anew? So I asked, “how can a man be born when he is old? How can a man enter his mother’s womb a second time?” I was totally confused. This man, this teacher was speaking in riddles, and I had no clue as to where he was going with all of this. And his response was just as perplexing. He said that the kingdom of God could not be entered without being born of the water and spirit, and the spirit was like the wind blowing where it would. What was he talking about? It was so incomprehensible. I asked, “How can this be?” His answer stung me. It felt like a knife ripping into my heart. “Are you a teacher, and you do not understand these thing?” I had spent almost my entire life studying, and reflecting, and living out the law; and with one rebuke it came crashing down. He said in effect, your head knowledge has nothing to do with God knowledge. I was devastated. What good was all that I knew and lived for, if it meant that I still did not know God? And then he figuratively throws the Torah in my face. He makes mention of Jacob’s ladder where the heavenly angels ascend and descend from heaven. And he then recounts the story of Moses in the desert and the trials that they had with the snakes. It was only by the grace of God that they lived, by looking upon the upraised snake intertwined on a cross. I knew this story well and only thought of it as another miracle story, giving credence to Moses’ respected place as a mighty leader and prophet. But this man, this Jesus, in both stories replaces the angels, and the snake with himself as the central figure calling himself the Son of Man.
It was what he said next that gave me pause. “Whoever believes in the Son of Man will have eternal life”. I knew of resurrection. It was what we taught, that all of the righteous would be with God in heaven and that the wicked would perish. But this was something new. He was saying that all who believe in him would have eternal life, because he was sent by God to save the entire world. After all we had been waiting for the Messiah, the anointed one to save us and to restore Israel. But the whole world? The wicked as well as the righteous? Again I had a hard time wrapping my brain around this. But in my heart I began to feel peace. I knew instinctively that what he was saying was right, even if I did not fully understand it. I wanted to hear more, but the hour was getting late, and so I left him. But he did not leave me. His words buzzed about me for days and weeks afterwards. I went back to the scrolls to find any evidence of what he was talking about. I secretly went to listen to him on several occasions. And the more I read and the more I heard, the more I realized it was how we had rejected God and yet he was faithful to us, and his desire was for us to have a relationship with Him. I realized that it was not about the Law of Moses, and that no matter how hard we tried and how many laws we had, we would not be saved, because we did not love God or his creation. We loved only our laws. So here was this man, this Jesus, this Son of Man who was in our midst, telling us that if we looked to him lifted up, we would be saved.
It wasn’t until later that I truly understood what he meant by being lifted up. Our leaders were jealous and did not want to see their way of life changed. We all had it so good in our roles. People were flocking to him, because of his teaching, and because of his miraculous signs. At one point when the council demanded Jesus be arrested, I tried to stand up for him when the temple guards couldn’t arrest him. I tried to convince the leadership that we could not condemn Jesus because of what he was saying. I didn’t say more because I thought they would toss me off the council for “treasonous speech”. You know the rest of the story. The Sanhedrin had Jesus crucified and it wasn’t until he was held aloft on the cross did I fully understand the significance of his words. Just as the snake had to die and be lifted up, so the Son of God had to die and be lifted up. And as I looked up at him, I knew that his salvation was not only for me, but also for the rest of the world. It was then I truly understood the love that God has for us. Later Joseph of Arimathea and I took the body, and prepared it for burial, knowing this was the least we could do for the Son of God.
I realize that I am not perfect. Many people have said that I was spineless, and they are right. I suppose I could have done more to prevent what had happened. But I was afraid. Afraid of what other people would think. Afraid of losing the material wealth I had. Afraid that I would be changed. But after that day, I am no longer afraid. I am changed. I have been born from above through water and the spirit. An encounter with the Son of the Living God will do that to you. And I hope that in hearing my story, or even better your own encounter with Jesus, you too might be changed, that you too will be born from above. Thank you for listening.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Praying for You
He is risen (He is risen indeed!).
Believe it or not we are still in the season of Easter and so I think that its still appropriate that we proclaim Jesus’ resurrection. So when are we finished with the season of Easter? I think that in one sense we should never leave the season of Easter, as we are children of the resurrection. But in relation to the formal church season, this is the final week that Easter is celebrated. This past Thursday the church celebrated the Ascension of our Lord, and then the day of Pentecost is celebrated next weekend. I was told that I am to remind you to wear red to symbolize the coming of the Holy Spirit and the beginning of the church. Alright, enough with the church calendar.
Let me ask you this: how do you know you are protected? In other words, how do you know that you are shielded from exposure, injury, damage, or destruction? Wouldn’t it be great if we could have a bubble or a little force field that surrounded us and kept us from all harm? Then we wouldn’t have to worry about the bumps and bruises and other stuff that happens that causes some type of injury, [although I think it might get problematic if we are trying to be affectionate with our friends or spouse]. Given the fact we do not have the “bubble of protection”, what do you do to shield yourself? Do you drive defensively? Do you wear a seatbelt? Do you have someone with you when you climb a ladder? Do you wear the proper garments when you are doing yard work or cutting the lawn? Do you use a hot pad when you are pulling something out of the oven? ? Do you have insurance on yourself, your house, or the rest of your possessions? What about your identity? Are you safeguarded if someone steals your identity? In today’s gospel lesson, Jesus is praying for our protection, not only for protection from those physical mishaps, but also for our very souls.
If you remember from two weeks ago I mentioned that we are in the middle of John’s passion narrative. Jesus and the disciples have left the upper room, passed through the vineyard and have arrived in the Garden of Gethsemane. In the other gospel stories we hear of Jesus praying in the garden but his words are not recorded. The only thing we know from those passages is that the disciples fell asleep, that Jesus prays for God’s will to be done in this time (Matt 26:36-43), that Jesus was agitated during his prayer time (Mark 14:33), and that his agitation caused him to sweat so much it became like great drops of blood falling on the ground (Luke 22:44). It is in today’s lesson and in fact all of chapter 17 that we get the content of Jesus’ prayers. Verses 1-6 are about Jesus praying for himself, of which we get some glimpse in the other 3 narratives. Our lesson today is then centered on Jesus praying for his disciples. It is in this then we get a glimpse into the conversation Jesus had with his father. It is in this discussion that we are overhearing the good news.
Now I realize upon hearing these verses that it might sound like theological bafflegab. I hope that your eyes did not glaze over too much upon reading them. But what is here is important. In the first 3 verses Jesus says that the God the Father has been revealed to the disciples through his incarnation. Not only that but the disciples have been given to Jesus by the father. And that in the giving and revealing they now understand that Jesus was sent by the father for the salvation of the world. Even so Jesus is praying on behalf of the disciples and not on behalf of the world. Do you remember two weeks ago when I asked you if you were a disciple? However you answered, know that these verses state that Jesus is praying for you. The Father has given you to Jesus. In your baptism you have been named and claimed as a Child of God. You are an heir in the inheritance of God’s Kingdom. This is why Jesus is praying for you.
Did you know that you smell? The Apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 2:15-16a says this: “For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing; to the one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life”. You smell of death to those in the world and the world hates you for it. Jesus himself says this in verse 14 “I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world”. This is not the first time Jesus has said this. Right after the gospel lesson you heard last week [In chapter 15:18-19] Jesus tell his disciples this: "If the world hates you, be aware that it hated me before it hated you. If you belonged to the world, the world would love you as its own. Because you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world-- therefore the world hates you.” But what exactly is "the world?" It should not be defined to mean a place adverse to the goodness of creation. Rather, it is the persons and forces opposed to or indifferent to the things of God embodied in Jesus. This is why Jesus is praying for you.
It isn’t just the normal hazards of daily living that this prayer is for. Jesus asks his father matter-of-factly not to take us out of the world but that we have protection from the evil one. You see the real danger that we are in is that the world wants to steal our identity. The world wants us to forget that we are Children of God. The world wants to make its own claim on us, in the hopes that we forget where our salvation comes from. The evil one, that is Satan, is the father of lies. The evil one wants to convince us that we can obtain salvation on our own. The evil one says that we are like God and that we do not need the fear or the knowledge of the Lord to find our way. Just look at what the world, the culture, considers right or beautiful or just. Look at how many self-help books are out there. Look at the advertising that says that we can be the better than anyone else by driving the fastest car, drinking the better tasting beer, eating the tastiest brat, or even have the best smelling house or the cleanest toilet. Look at the television programming that says only the biggest, strongest and quote ”most beautiful” unquote are given the limelight. Why do we allow our identities to be wrapped up in how flat our stomachs are, or how shiny our hair is, or how long we can prolong our sexual activities? Notice what all of these claims are making. It’s about the individual. It’s about how we can exalt ourselves above others. It’s about winning at all costs to the detriment of others. But Jesus says that we do not belong to the world, to the culture. Because we have been given to Jesus, we are not opposed to the things of God. Quite the contrary, in our confessions of faith we acknowledge that there is only one to be exalted. We acknowledge that at great cost we have been saved, redeemed and freed from sin, death, and the power of the devil. We acknowledge that it is Jesus, through the Holy Spirit who comes to us, keeps us in true faith, and fully forgives our sins. Therefore our identities are not wrapped up in some superficial definition of what we are supposed to look like be like or act like. No, our identities are wrapped up in the one who died for us. This is why Jesus is praying for us.
Jesus asks his father not to take us out of the world, buts wants us protected. Why? It is because we have been sanctified, that is set apart, to be sent into the world, into this culture to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ. Do we really get how radically different and counter-cultural the message of the cross is? The message of the cross is anti-individual. The message of the cross is that love transcends the individual to take of care of the community. We heard last week from Jesus that the greatest command is to love each other as I have loved you. The world does not want to hear this. Nevertheless we are set apart and sent, just as Jesus was sent, to proclaim this very fact. Why? We get our clue form the verses that come after this text: John 17:20-23 "I ask not only on behalf of these [that is, his disciples], but also on behalf of those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given them, so that they may be one, as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become completely one, so that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” Not only is this vine language, but it is also love language. Even if the world is opposed to the things of God and Christ, God still loves the world so much that he sent his Son to die for it. And so we too are sent, set apart to carry on the gospel with our gifts and talents, no matter how counter-cultural it may seem. Our mission is to transform the culture. This is why Jesus is praying for us.
I remember as a kid I was always getting bruised or nicked up in some way. I remember that band-aids were my best friends in those early years (no comments from the peanut gallery!). And no matter how hard my parents or grandparents tried to protect me, they couldn’t do a thorough job unless they locked me up in the basement. This obviously was not a workable situation. But I also knew that my parents and grandparents loved me and that they wanted the best for me. I know that on many occasions that they would tell me that they were praying for my safety. This is what Jesus is praying for, for us. He knows that we are not to be locked up in the basement, and that we will have bumps and bruises. Jesus knows that we will have car accidents, that the ladder may not be fully secured, that we will burn ourselves, and that we will forget to wear long pants when cutting the lawn. Jesus knows that we will endure hardships of many kinds and even death. But Jesus also knows that no matter how hard the world tries to define us by its standards, our identities are safe and secure because we have already been named and claimed by him because God has given us to Jesus. And so with our identities intact, and God’s guiding and protecting hand, we as his disciples, can boldly go forth into the world proclaiming the love of Jesus Christ. Amen.
And may the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, keep our hearts and minds on Christ Jesus. Amen.
Believe it or not we are still in the season of Easter and so I think that its still appropriate that we proclaim Jesus’ resurrection. So when are we finished with the season of Easter? I think that in one sense we should never leave the season of Easter, as we are children of the resurrection. But in relation to the formal church season, this is the final week that Easter is celebrated. This past Thursday the church celebrated the Ascension of our Lord, and then the day of Pentecost is celebrated next weekend. I was told that I am to remind you to wear red to symbolize the coming of the Holy Spirit and the beginning of the church. Alright, enough with the church calendar.
Let me ask you this: how do you know you are protected? In other words, how do you know that you are shielded from exposure, injury, damage, or destruction? Wouldn’t it be great if we could have a bubble or a little force field that surrounded us and kept us from all harm? Then we wouldn’t have to worry about the bumps and bruises and other stuff that happens that causes some type of injury, [although I think it might get problematic if we are trying to be affectionate with our friends or spouse]. Given the fact we do not have the “bubble of protection”, what do you do to shield yourself? Do you drive defensively? Do you wear a seatbelt? Do you have someone with you when you climb a ladder? Do you wear the proper garments when you are doing yard work or cutting the lawn? Do you use a hot pad when you are pulling something out of the oven? ? Do you have insurance on yourself, your house, or the rest of your possessions? What about your identity? Are you safeguarded if someone steals your identity? In today’s gospel lesson, Jesus is praying for our protection, not only for protection from those physical mishaps, but also for our very souls.
If you remember from two weeks ago I mentioned that we are in the middle of John’s passion narrative. Jesus and the disciples have left the upper room, passed through the vineyard and have arrived in the Garden of Gethsemane. In the other gospel stories we hear of Jesus praying in the garden but his words are not recorded. The only thing we know from those passages is that the disciples fell asleep, that Jesus prays for God’s will to be done in this time (Matt 26:36-43), that Jesus was agitated during his prayer time (Mark 14:33), and that his agitation caused him to sweat so much it became like great drops of blood falling on the ground (Luke 22:44). It is in today’s lesson and in fact all of chapter 17 that we get the content of Jesus’ prayers. Verses 1-6 are about Jesus praying for himself, of which we get some glimpse in the other 3 narratives. Our lesson today is then centered on Jesus praying for his disciples. It is in this then we get a glimpse into the conversation Jesus had with his father. It is in this discussion that we are overhearing the good news.
Now I realize upon hearing these verses that it might sound like theological bafflegab. I hope that your eyes did not glaze over too much upon reading them. But what is here is important. In the first 3 verses Jesus says that the God the Father has been revealed to the disciples through his incarnation. Not only that but the disciples have been given to Jesus by the father. And that in the giving and revealing they now understand that Jesus was sent by the father for the salvation of the world. Even so Jesus is praying on behalf of the disciples and not on behalf of the world. Do you remember two weeks ago when I asked you if you were a disciple? However you answered, know that these verses state that Jesus is praying for you. The Father has given you to Jesus. In your baptism you have been named and claimed as a Child of God. You are an heir in the inheritance of God’s Kingdom. This is why Jesus is praying for you.
Did you know that you smell? The Apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 2:15-16a says this: “For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing; to the one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life”. You smell of death to those in the world and the world hates you for it. Jesus himself says this in verse 14 “I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world”. This is not the first time Jesus has said this. Right after the gospel lesson you heard last week [In chapter 15:18-19] Jesus tell his disciples this: "If the world hates you, be aware that it hated me before it hated you. If you belonged to the world, the world would love you as its own. Because you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world-- therefore the world hates you.” But what exactly is "the world?" It should not be defined to mean a place adverse to the goodness of creation. Rather, it is the persons and forces opposed to or indifferent to the things of God embodied in Jesus. This is why Jesus is praying for you.
It isn’t just the normal hazards of daily living that this prayer is for. Jesus asks his father matter-of-factly not to take us out of the world but that we have protection from the evil one. You see the real danger that we are in is that the world wants to steal our identity. The world wants us to forget that we are Children of God. The world wants to make its own claim on us, in the hopes that we forget where our salvation comes from. The evil one, that is Satan, is the father of lies. The evil one wants to convince us that we can obtain salvation on our own. The evil one says that we are like God and that we do not need the fear or the knowledge of the Lord to find our way. Just look at what the world, the culture, considers right or beautiful or just. Look at how many self-help books are out there. Look at the advertising that says that we can be the better than anyone else by driving the fastest car, drinking the better tasting beer, eating the tastiest brat, or even have the best smelling house or the cleanest toilet. Look at the television programming that says only the biggest, strongest and quote ”most beautiful” unquote are given the limelight. Why do we allow our identities to be wrapped up in how flat our stomachs are, or how shiny our hair is, or how long we can prolong our sexual activities? Notice what all of these claims are making. It’s about the individual. It’s about how we can exalt ourselves above others. It’s about winning at all costs to the detriment of others. But Jesus says that we do not belong to the world, to the culture. Because we have been given to Jesus, we are not opposed to the things of God. Quite the contrary, in our confessions of faith we acknowledge that there is only one to be exalted. We acknowledge that at great cost we have been saved, redeemed and freed from sin, death, and the power of the devil. We acknowledge that it is Jesus, through the Holy Spirit who comes to us, keeps us in true faith, and fully forgives our sins. Therefore our identities are not wrapped up in some superficial definition of what we are supposed to look like be like or act like. No, our identities are wrapped up in the one who died for us. This is why Jesus is praying for us.
Jesus asks his father not to take us out of the world, buts wants us protected. Why? It is because we have been sanctified, that is set apart, to be sent into the world, into this culture to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ. Do we really get how radically different and counter-cultural the message of the cross is? The message of the cross is anti-individual. The message of the cross is that love transcends the individual to take of care of the community. We heard last week from Jesus that the greatest command is to love each other as I have loved you. The world does not want to hear this. Nevertheless we are set apart and sent, just as Jesus was sent, to proclaim this very fact. Why? We get our clue form the verses that come after this text: John 17:20-23 "I ask not only on behalf of these [that is, his disciples], but also on behalf of those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given them, so that they may be one, as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become completely one, so that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” Not only is this vine language, but it is also love language. Even if the world is opposed to the things of God and Christ, God still loves the world so much that he sent his Son to die for it. And so we too are sent, set apart to carry on the gospel with our gifts and talents, no matter how counter-cultural it may seem. Our mission is to transform the culture. This is why Jesus is praying for us.
I remember as a kid I was always getting bruised or nicked up in some way. I remember that band-aids were my best friends in those early years (no comments from the peanut gallery!). And no matter how hard my parents or grandparents tried to protect me, they couldn’t do a thorough job unless they locked me up in the basement. This obviously was not a workable situation. But I also knew that my parents and grandparents loved me and that they wanted the best for me. I know that on many occasions that they would tell me that they were praying for my safety. This is what Jesus is praying for, for us. He knows that we are not to be locked up in the basement, and that we will have bumps and bruises. Jesus knows that we will have car accidents, that the ladder may not be fully secured, that we will burn ourselves, and that we will forget to wear long pants when cutting the lawn. Jesus knows that we will endure hardships of many kinds and even death. But Jesus also knows that no matter how hard the world tries to define us by its standards, our identities are safe and secure because we have already been named and claimed by him because God has given us to Jesus. And so with our identities intact, and God’s guiding and protecting hand, we as his disciples, can boldly go forth into the world proclaiming the love of Jesus Christ. Amen.
And may the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, keep our hearts and minds on Christ Jesus. Amen.
Monday, May 11, 2009
Abiding Disciples
He is Risen (He is risen indeed!).
Are you a disciple? Now you may immediately think, what kind of question is that? But I’ll ask it again: are you a disciple? A disciple of what you may ask? Or you may ask, what is a disciple? Or, are you trying to equate me with the twelve disciples? Gee Bob, are you suggesting that maybe I am not a disciple? I realize that this question is hard. But I would like us to realize that as members of a Christian community we are called to be disciples, whether we like it or not. Jesus himself at the end of the book of Mathew calls us in the Great Commission to make disciples of all nations. The real question then is not so much as “are you a disciple?” but rather, what does discipleship look like? And what does this have to do with branches and fruit?
Lets back up a bit. Why is Jesus at this point talking about vines, vineyards, fruit and abiding? We are at the point in the Gospel of John where Jesus is ready to confront his imminent death. From chapter 13 until the end of chapter 19 we have John’s version of the Passion narrative. Jesus and the disciples have been in the upper room. Jesus has washed his disciples feet demonstrating that in the Kingdom of God the greatest leader is the lowliest servant. Then Jesus predicts both his betrayal and that Peter would deny him. Jesus has also told them about one of the great benefits for following him in that is there a place for them in the Kingdom of God and that they would also have the Holy Spirit to guide them, to be with them, and to counsel them. It is at this point in the story that Jesus and his friends leave the upper room and head out to the garden of Gethsemane. It is on this journey that they probably go through a vineyard where Jesus then uses this time as a teaching moment for those who are following him. It is here that Jesus uses the metaphor of the vine and branches to illustrate what it means to be his disciples.
First, Jesus identifies three distinct persons. There is Jesus who is the true vine. There is the God the Father who is the vine grower. And then there are the branches, meaning Jesus’ disciples. Then he gives this startling statement. “He [that is God the father, the vine grower] removes every branch in me that bears no fruit”. When I read that I think that if I’m not part of the vine then I will be tossed aside. Nothing can be further from the truth. As Lutherans we already know that our salvation is assured. In our baptism we have been elected or chosen as children of God. Nothing can take that away. As Lutherans we all should know that Ephesians 2 reiterates this, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not of your doing, it is a gift of God”. Jesus himself states this in verse 3, “ you have already been cleansed by the word that I have spoken to you”. Lets look at that verse again. “He removes every branch…” The word that we read as remove is translated from the Greek word “airo” which also means, “to lift up”. For those of you who are horticulturists, you know that vines and branches tend to flourish better on the trellis than they do on the ground. The vine grower lifts up those branches, that is you and I, that are on the ground. The vine grower lifts those up whose lives are in the mud, who are dirty, who are weighed down with the crud of life so that they are not of use either to themselves or to anyone else. I believe that we have all been there at some point in our lives. Maybe we have been overwhelmed the demands of our families, or of work. Maybe we have been overwhelmed with wondering where our next paycheck or meal is coming from. Maybe we have been overwhelmed with our addictions, both legal and illegal. It is hard to bear fruit when all of our ground seems like sinking sand. It is here that the vine grower takes the branch, washes off its leaves and them gently places the branch up on the trellis so that it may receive life-giving sunlight and rain. This is grace! This is renewal! This is forgiveness!
So what if I’m not in the mud, and that I’m hanging around on the trellis with the rest of the branches? Jesus says that every branch that bears fruit the vine grower prunes to bear more fruit. Pruning? Ouch, that sounds harsh. Why would the vine grower do that, especially if I’m already bearing fruit? Here might be a good place to talk about fruit, at least how I believe fruit can be explained. Although we have a vision of fruit in Galatians 5 22-23 that says that the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control, I am not sure that this what is meant in the John text. I believe that fruit in this sense is how we live our lives in service to others. I have spoken before of how we are the conduits of the gift of salvation we have received already. We do not hoard this gift but pass it along. But the question here is, is the conduit plugged up? Are we hoarding or not allowing that gift to be selflessly passed along? As those who know gardening, it takes just as much energy to produce leaves as it does the actual fruit. And although the leaves look pretty they do nothing in terms of generating what the plant was originally intended for. The analogy is this then, are we just doing things for the sake of looking good or are we producing something of value for those who need to be fed? This is where the pruning part comes in. Pruning is a way to prioritize those things that are important in furthering the kingdom of Christ here on earth. What is it that you are doing that could be cut out of your life, in order to make room for something that is more life giving? Is it forgoing that extra half hour of sleep so that you can usher on Sunday mornings? Is it giving up the Wednesday night bowling so that you could mentor a 7th or 8th grade confirmand? Is it doing one day less of fishing so that the food shelf or other local ministry can be staffed? Is it possible that pruning might also help grow that fruit which is beginning to be evident but has not yet matured? Is it possible your fruit would include being the lay reader, greeter, or usher on Sunday mornings? Could it possibly be being a Sunday school teacher, or chaperone for some youth event? Or is it possible that you might have some latent musical talent that could be put to use in assisting worship? What ever it is, pruning is not discipline. Pruning is not because you are doing something wrong. Pruning is about cutting away those things, which are dead or dying in us. Pruning is allowing more sunlight to highlight the good things in your life. Pruning is about increasing the size and quantity of fruit in your life. Pruning is about producing new fruit, which may not have been evident before.
Which brings us to the third part of this passage. In the next 4 verses Jesus uses the word “abide” 8 times. What does it mean to abide? It means: “to wait for”; “to remain”; “to dwell or reside”; “to submit to”. Think about these definitions: In our abiding Jesus wants us to be connected to him. Jesus the one who died and was resurrected out of love for us wants a relationship with us. Is that amazing or what! I can’t think of anything better than to know that Jesus wants to be my friend. And He knows that we have a tough time being on our own. And yet the possibilities of going it alone in American society are widespread and inviting. Carried over into the spiritual life, this fact can have devastating results. Dependency and inter-relatedness are rarely valued to the extent that individualism is. This passage flies in the face of such attitudes with a very different type of invitation to reliance on God. Mothers think about this: when you were nursing your infant child, do you think that child could get nourishment without abiding in you? The child could not remain independent and still receive what it needed to survive. The same holds true for us spiritually. We need to be fed in order to grow into what God the vinedresser wants us to be.
But what does abiding with Jesus look like? First it is an activity that starts with God. It is God that sends us the Holy Spirit to be with us. Jesus himself in chapter 14 guarantees this. But secondly, it is also incumbent upon us to reciprocate that relationship. I do not think many of you have friends in which you are the only one communicating to that person. It really isn’t much of a friendship then is it? Our communication starts with prayer. Prayer is nothing more than our way of speaking with God, with Jesus. And it doesn’t have to be any high-falutin’ way of speaking. Yes we do have formal prayers here in the church, but how many of you speak with your friends that way? I think where we struggle is how do we really talk with Jesus? What do we say? I would suggest just telling him how your day is going. What is going on in your life? What are the concerns you have for yourself, your family and your friends? Ask him what he thinks. And it could even be just offering a word of thanks for the particular circumstance that you are in. Third, abiding means to spend time in His word daily. It may mean digging out the bible and reading scripture. Although Jesus communicates with us through the Holy Spirit (remember that small still voice, or that feeling in your gut?) he also communicates through that which is already written down. It may mean getting together with some other like-minded folks to study His word. Check out how many different groups we have that meet to study God’s word, both here on Sunday morning and during the week. I would even suggest that if one of these groups doesn’t meet your needs, start your own! I have found that my times of greatest growth and my time of being most closest to Him was when I was studying the bible and reading it daily. It was there that I found answers to some of my questions. It was there that I found a word of solace or encouragement. It was there that I found a word that convicted me that I was turning down the wrong path. [Frankly I would not be here before you if it were not so.] And this takes work. It takes discipline. [If you notice that both “disciple” and “discipline” are of the same root word which comes from the Latin disipulus meaning “pupil”. As disciples we are constantly learning, which takes discipline.] It is not easy to pray to communicate with God. It is not easy to study God’s word daily. I will be the first to testify to that. But the old adage holds true: practice makes perfect. It is a discipline that becomes easier and more rewarding the more it gets done.
I want to take just a moment to talk about verse 6: this passage is not about going to hell because you do not abide. I have already told you that your salvation is assured. What this passage means is that since the wood from the branches of the vine are so small they are of little value other than fuel for fire. In other words, what this means is that if we are not abiding, we wither and die, and become of no spiritual value. And this is the final part of abiding: if we remain in him, if we dwell or reside in him, if we submit to him, we bear much fruit. It is in the bearing of much fruit that we are then known as Jesus disciples. It is in this that the Father, the vinedresser, is glorified. Our lives should not only reflect the evidence of the fruity characteristics listed in the Galatians passage, but it is also evident when we are making quilts for those who need them, when we are delivering a meal to a shut-in, when we staff the monthly feeding in Osceola, when we are visiting our friends in the nursing homes, when we distribute clothes through the clothing share, or when we help build a house in Lynchburg VA. Our fruit is evident when our motive is to bring God glory. So I will ask the question again: are you a disciple? If not, will you abide in the vine so that you too will bring glory to God? Amen.
And may the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, keep our hearts and minds on Christ Jesus. Amen
Are you a disciple? Now you may immediately think, what kind of question is that? But I’ll ask it again: are you a disciple? A disciple of what you may ask? Or you may ask, what is a disciple? Or, are you trying to equate me with the twelve disciples? Gee Bob, are you suggesting that maybe I am not a disciple? I realize that this question is hard. But I would like us to realize that as members of a Christian community we are called to be disciples, whether we like it or not. Jesus himself at the end of the book of Mathew calls us in the Great Commission to make disciples of all nations. The real question then is not so much as “are you a disciple?” but rather, what does discipleship look like? And what does this have to do with branches and fruit?
Lets back up a bit. Why is Jesus at this point talking about vines, vineyards, fruit and abiding? We are at the point in the Gospel of John where Jesus is ready to confront his imminent death. From chapter 13 until the end of chapter 19 we have John’s version of the Passion narrative. Jesus and the disciples have been in the upper room. Jesus has washed his disciples feet demonstrating that in the Kingdom of God the greatest leader is the lowliest servant. Then Jesus predicts both his betrayal and that Peter would deny him. Jesus has also told them about one of the great benefits for following him in that is there a place for them in the Kingdom of God and that they would also have the Holy Spirit to guide them, to be with them, and to counsel them. It is at this point in the story that Jesus and his friends leave the upper room and head out to the garden of Gethsemane. It is on this journey that they probably go through a vineyard where Jesus then uses this time as a teaching moment for those who are following him. It is here that Jesus uses the metaphor of the vine and branches to illustrate what it means to be his disciples.
First, Jesus identifies three distinct persons. There is Jesus who is the true vine. There is the God the Father who is the vine grower. And then there are the branches, meaning Jesus’ disciples. Then he gives this startling statement. “He [that is God the father, the vine grower] removes every branch in me that bears no fruit”. When I read that I think that if I’m not part of the vine then I will be tossed aside. Nothing can be further from the truth. As Lutherans we already know that our salvation is assured. In our baptism we have been elected or chosen as children of God. Nothing can take that away. As Lutherans we all should know that Ephesians 2 reiterates this, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not of your doing, it is a gift of God”. Jesus himself states this in verse 3, “ you have already been cleansed by the word that I have spoken to you”. Lets look at that verse again. “He removes every branch…” The word that we read as remove is translated from the Greek word “airo” which also means, “to lift up”. For those of you who are horticulturists, you know that vines and branches tend to flourish better on the trellis than they do on the ground. The vine grower lifts up those branches, that is you and I, that are on the ground. The vine grower lifts those up whose lives are in the mud, who are dirty, who are weighed down with the crud of life so that they are not of use either to themselves or to anyone else. I believe that we have all been there at some point in our lives. Maybe we have been overwhelmed the demands of our families, or of work. Maybe we have been overwhelmed with wondering where our next paycheck or meal is coming from. Maybe we have been overwhelmed with our addictions, both legal and illegal. It is hard to bear fruit when all of our ground seems like sinking sand. It is here that the vine grower takes the branch, washes off its leaves and them gently places the branch up on the trellis so that it may receive life-giving sunlight and rain. This is grace! This is renewal! This is forgiveness!
So what if I’m not in the mud, and that I’m hanging around on the trellis with the rest of the branches? Jesus says that every branch that bears fruit the vine grower prunes to bear more fruit. Pruning? Ouch, that sounds harsh. Why would the vine grower do that, especially if I’m already bearing fruit? Here might be a good place to talk about fruit, at least how I believe fruit can be explained. Although we have a vision of fruit in Galatians 5 22-23 that says that the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control, I am not sure that this what is meant in the John text. I believe that fruit in this sense is how we live our lives in service to others. I have spoken before of how we are the conduits of the gift of salvation we have received already. We do not hoard this gift but pass it along. But the question here is, is the conduit plugged up? Are we hoarding or not allowing that gift to be selflessly passed along? As those who know gardening, it takes just as much energy to produce leaves as it does the actual fruit. And although the leaves look pretty they do nothing in terms of generating what the plant was originally intended for. The analogy is this then, are we just doing things for the sake of looking good or are we producing something of value for those who need to be fed? This is where the pruning part comes in. Pruning is a way to prioritize those things that are important in furthering the kingdom of Christ here on earth. What is it that you are doing that could be cut out of your life, in order to make room for something that is more life giving? Is it forgoing that extra half hour of sleep so that you can usher on Sunday mornings? Is it giving up the Wednesday night bowling so that you could mentor a 7th or 8th grade confirmand? Is it doing one day less of fishing so that the food shelf or other local ministry can be staffed? Is it possible that pruning might also help grow that fruit which is beginning to be evident but has not yet matured? Is it possible your fruit would include being the lay reader, greeter, or usher on Sunday mornings? Could it possibly be being a Sunday school teacher, or chaperone for some youth event? Or is it possible that you might have some latent musical talent that could be put to use in assisting worship? What ever it is, pruning is not discipline. Pruning is not because you are doing something wrong. Pruning is about cutting away those things, which are dead or dying in us. Pruning is allowing more sunlight to highlight the good things in your life. Pruning is about increasing the size and quantity of fruit in your life. Pruning is about producing new fruit, which may not have been evident before.
Which brings us to the third part of this passage. In the next 4 verses Jesus uses the word “abide” 8 times. What does it mean to abide? It means: “to wait for”; “to remain”; “to dwell or reside”; “to submit to”. Think about these definitions: In our abiding Jesus wants us to be connected to him. Jesus the one who died and was resurrected out of love for us wants a relationship with us. Is that amazing or what! I can’t think of anything better than to know that Jesus wants to be my friend. And He knows that we have a tough time being on our own. And yet the possibilities of going it alone in American society are widespread and inviting. Carried over into the spiritual life, this fact can have devastating results. Dependency and inter-relatedness are rarely valued to the extent that individualism is. This passage flies in the face of such attitudes with a very different type of invitation to reliance on God. Mothers think about this: when you were nursing your infant child, do you think that child could get nourishment without abiding in you? The child could not remain independent and still receive what it needed to survive. The same holds true for us spiritually. We need to be fed in order to grow into what God the vinedresser wants us to be.
But what does abiding with Jesus look like? First it is an activity that starts with God. It is God that sends us the Holy Spirit to be with us. Jesus himself in chapter 14 guarantees this. But secondly, it is also incumbent upon us to reciprocate that relationship. I do not think many of you have friends in which you are the only one communicating to that person. It really isn’t much of a friendship then is it? Our communication starts with prayer. Prayer is nothing more than our way of speaking with God, with Jesus. And it doesn’t have to be any high-falutin’ way of speaking. Yes we do have formal prayers here in the church, but how many of you speak with your friends that way? I think where we struggle is how do we really talk with Jesus? What do we say? I would suggest just telling him how your day is going. What is going on in your life? What are the concerns you have for yourself, your family and your friends? Ask him what he thinks. And it could even be just offering a word of thanks for the particular circumstance that you are in. Third, abiding means to spend time in His word daily. It may mean digging out the bible and reading scripture. Although Jesus communicates with us through the Holy Spirit (remember that small still voice, or that feeling in your gut?) he also communicates through that which is already written down. It may mean getting together with some other like-minded folks to study His word. Check out how many different groups we have that meet to study God’s word, both here on Sunday morning and during the week. I would even suggest that if one of these groups doesn’t meet your needs, start your own! I have found that my times of greatest growth and my time of being most closest to Him was when I was studying the bible and reading it daily. It was there that I found answers to some of my questions. It was there that I found a word of solace or encouragement. It was there that I found a word that convicted me that I was turning down the wrong path. [Frankly I would not be here before you if it were not so.] And this takes work. It takes discipline. [If you notice that both “disciple” and “discipline” are of the same root word which comes from the Latin disipulus meaning “pupil”. As disciples we are constantly learning, which takes discipline.] It is not easy to pray to communicate with God. It is not easy to study God’s word daily. I will be the first to testify to that. But the old adage holds true: practice makes perfect. It is a discipline that becomes easier and more rewarding the more it gets done.
I want to take just a moment to talk about verse 6: this passage is not about going to hell because you do not abide. I have already told you that your salvation is assured. What this passage means is that since the wood from the branches of the vine are so small they are of little value other than fuel for fire. In other words, what this means is that if we are not abiding, we wither and die, and become of no spiritual value. And this is the final part of abiding: if we remain in him, if we dwell or reside in him, if we submit to him, we bear much fruit. It is in the bearing of much fruit that we are then known as Jesus disciples. It is in this that the Father, the vinedresser, is glorified. Our lives should not only reflect the evidence of the fruity characteristics listed in the Galatians passage, but it is also evident when we are making quilts for those who need them, when we are delivering a meal to a shut-in, when we staff the monthly feeding in Osceola, when we are visiting our friends in the nursing homes, when we distribute clothes through the clothing share, or when we help build a house in Lynchburg VA. Our fruit is evident when our motive is to bring God glory. So I will ask the question again: are you a disciple? If not, will you abide in the vine so that you too will bring glory to God? Amen.
And may the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, keep our hearts and minds on Christ Jesus. Amen
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