The last couple of weeks have been very busy. Between meetings, school activities, and spring break, it has been difficult to get everything done. But it has been good. Recently, I looked back over my time in Haskell and it amazed me how active God has been in the life of our congregation. We have ministered to others, loved our brothers and sisters through some difficult times, and remained faithful to God as his children.
One of the texts that I studied for this week's sermon is found in Jeremiah. In this promise, God declares through the prophet that a new time is coming. The people God called turned their back on him and his Law. They refused to allow the Law to penetrate their hearts. Because of their unfaithfulness their hearts were as stone cold as the tablets that the 10 Commandments were written on.
So God's promise is of a new covenant. Through that covenant God says, "I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people." Of course, this promise was fulfilled through the only Son of God, Jesus Christ. He came and taught, modeled, and witnessed to the love of God that inspires and ignites people to go forth and to testify to the amazing transformative love that comes to people through the Holy Spirit.
In the early days of Methodism, it was common for there to be a testimony time during the weekly worship service. One of the questions the Methodists were asked in their small groups was "How goes it with your soul." Part of the meaning behind that was how have you seen God active in your life recently. These people were willing to get up in front of others and tell how God had been putting his law within them. They were excited about God writing his law on their hearts.
For some reason we have lost this aspect of our history in our church. Most churches no longer allow a regular time of testimony from the people and most people are hesitant to get up and testify about how God has been active in their life. Maybe we are afraid of what the Holy Spirit will do in our midst. Perhaps we don't want to lose control of the service. It could be that we are afraid of becoming vulnerable in front of others. But whatever the reason, we simply don't do it much anymore.
But this past week in our Methodist Beliefs class, several of the ones who attend the class volunteered to give a testimony of God's activity in their life. As their pastor, I sat back and listened with great pleasure to my flock's stories. There were some tears and there were some shaking voices, but everyone simply sat and listened. When the testimony was over, there were "amens" and many smiles around the table. I was truly moved and blessed during our time of sharing.
One of the keys to evangelism and faith development is the testimony. People can doubt Scripture. People can refuse to believe in God. People can even make fun of us for our beliefs. But the one thing they cannot do is discount our testimony. I know without a shadow of a doubt that God has been active, caring, and encouraging. I know what he has done in my life and how he has transformed me from a hate-filled, repugnant, know-it-all. I know where he continues to work in my life. And I know that God's love has penetrated my heart.
In St. Paul's first letter to the Corinthians, he talks about ministers. He states, "We are fools for the sake of Christ..." I have learned that he is describing me. I am a fool for the sake of Christ. But I've also learned something else. I'd rather be a fool for the sake of Christ than to be the person I was before God's love penetrated my evil heart.
So I encourage you to go forth and tell your story. Testify to God's activity in your life. Don't be afraid of being honest with people. Be truthful. Be genuine. But most importantly, testify to God's love for you and his desire to work in the lives of everyone. Until next time...
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Friday, March 23, 2012
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Take Up Your Cross
This week we continue our Lenten journey. Our Scripture focus is found in the gospel of St. Mark where Jesus plainly teaches the crowd and his disciples the implications of being his followers. In opposition to many contemporary sermons on prosperity and gaining a worry-free life once you sign up for Christianity; Jesus tells the reality of being his disciple.
He tells them "If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it"--8:34-35. That doesn't sound much like fun and games to me.
But Jesus was simply being honest with them. The life of a Christ follower is not always easy. In fact, it can be down right hard. It's not easy to stand against the pressures of a society that wants you to look, think, and act a certain way when our Lord and master says we cannot. Its not easy to resist temptations to compromise our beliefs and faith. Its not easy to continually ask the Holy Spirit to examine us and to prune away the unfruitful segments of our life.
One of the hardest things I have ever had to do was to say yes to God. When he called me into the ministry I was living a life in a town I had chosen to live in. I owned a home that I wanted to own. My children went to the school that I wanted them to attend. I was a member of a church I loved. But that all changed. It had to.
You see, what Jesus was saying is that our Christian walk is not about us. It is about a relationship with the Father, through the Son, by the Holy Spirit. He was saying that salvation is not some future promise. Our salvation compels us to do the things we see Jesus do. In this passage, we hear the words of Christ and we realize that Christian living is about sacrifice, self-denial, and bearing a burden for another.
While I was preparing for this week's message to my church, I came across a wonderful story that I had not heard before. It's the story of a man named St. Telemachus. Sometime in the late fourth or early fifth century a monk named Telemachus was fed up with the church. Like many others, he decided to traverse into the desert to live away from the hypocrisy of the church around him. One day while he was in the middle of his daily prayers he felt convicted that he was being selfish. He realized that instead of loving God that he was simply living his life how he wanted to.
So prompted by the Holy Spirit, he began to walk to Rome. He made his way across the miles from where he had been living to the Imperial City. When he got there, he heard a great cry from the Colosseum. He followed the shouts until he reached the arena. Much to his horror, there in the middle of this "Christian" city was a fight to the death. What Telemachus realized was that here were men in the midst of fighting who Jesus Christ had died for. And worse yet, here were men and women shouting for their deaths. He jumped over the barrier and began to plead with the gladiators to stop fighting.
Of course, the crowd was furious. They began to shout for him to move so they could watch the death battle. He refused. The crowd then began to throw stones at him so that the games could continue. After they had killed him, they realized what had happened. The crowd was convicted of their actions and the games came to a sudden stop. Shortly after that episode, the games were permanently cancelled.
I found this story to be fascinating. Here was this man who was called forth from God to go into the world to love humanity. When he did, he was killed for it. Because of his death, others were saved and people turned away from sin. It sounds a lot like St. Telemachus took up his cross. He truly lived the gospel of Jesus Christ. That is the call of every true follower of Christ. Until next time...
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He tells them "If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it"--8:34-35. That doesn't sound much like fun and games to me.
But Jesus was simply being honest with them. The life of a Christ follower is not always easy. In fact, it can be down right hard. It's not easy to stand against the pressures of a society that wants you to look, think, and act a certain way when our Lord and master says we cannot. Its not easy to resist temptations to compromise our beliefs and faith. Its not easy to continually ask the Holy Spirit to examine us and to prune away the unfruitful segments of our life.
One of the hardest things I have ever had to do was to say yes to God. When he called me into the ministry I was living a life in a town I had chosen to live in. I owned a home that I wanted to own. My children went to the school that I wanted them to attend. I was a member of a church I loved. But that all changed. It had to.
You see, what Jesus was saying is that our Christian walk is not about us. It is about a relationship with the Father, through the Son, by the Holy Spirit. He was saying that salvation is not some future promise. Our salvation compels us to do the things we see Jesus do. In this passage, we hear the words of Christ and we realize that Christian living is about sacrifice, self-denial, and bearing a burden for another.
| Desert Father praying. |
While I was preparing for this week's message to my church, I came across a wonderful story that I had not heard before. It's the story of a man named St. Telemachus. Sometime in the late fourth or early fifth century a monk named Telemachus was fed up with the church. Like many others, he decided to traverse into the desert to live away from the hypocrisy of the church around him. One day while he was in the middle of his daily prayers he felt convicted that he was being selfish. He realized that instead of loving God that he was simply living his life how he wanted to.
So prompted by the Holy Spirit, he began to walk to Rome. He made his way across the miles from where he had been living to the Imperial City. When he got there, he heard a great cry from the Colosseum. He followed the shouts until he reached the arena. Much to his horror, there in the middle of this "Christian" city was a fight to the death. What Telemachus realized was that here were men in the midst of fighting who Jesus Christ had died for. And worse yet, here were men and women shouting for their deaths. He jumped over the barrier and began to plead with the gladiators to stop fighting.
Of course, the crowd was furious. They began to shout for him to move so they could watch the death battle. He refused. The crowd then began to throw stones at him so that the games could continue. After they had killed him, they realized what had happened. The crowd was convicted of their actions and the games came to a sudden stop. Shortly after that episode, the games were permanently cancelled.
| St. Telemachus intervening in the games. Foxe's Book of Martyrs |
I found this story to be fascinating. Here was this man who was called forth from God to go into the world to love humanity. When he did, he was killed for it. Because of his death, others were saved and people turned away from sin. It sounds a lot like St. Telemachus took up his cross. He truly lived the gospel of Jesus Christ. That is the call of every true follower of Christ. Until next time...
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Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Ashes to Ashes and Dust to Dust
Today marks one of the more interesting days in our Christian year. Today is a day set aside for penitence, prayer, and fasting. It's a day set aside in order for us to move from the "ah ha!" of Epiphany to the "huh?" of Lent. It's a day where we begin our descent to the holy city of Jerusalem in order for the God of the universe; the King of kings and the Lord of lords to be...killed.
For many years Lent was ignored by many Protestant churches, including the UM church. I guess they thought it was too "Catholic" (whatever that means). But it seems as though Lent is making a comeback. Much like the season of Advent, we are in a waiting game. Lent beckons us to remember the strange truth of the Gospel. It recalls for us that humanity could never get to God, so God came to humanity. Lent forces us, especially us in the Western world, to face our mortality head on. In these days of eternal youth, Lent tells us that "from dust you came and to dust you shall return."
There is a bit of judgment in this season of purple, prayers, and fasting. We are reminded that we have not been as faithful as we should be. We are told to repent; to turn away from ourselves and to turn towards God. We are reminded that Christ will return and when he does it will be as judge and king.
I suppose that's why some churches, and many people, downplay this season. We like the lights and gifts of Christmas. We love the triumph and excitement of Easter. But one thing I have come to appreciate about this season is that without a Lenten walk, Easter does not mean much. Without this season of self-denial and self-examination, Eastertide is not much more than eggs and a bunny.
This evening, my congregation will begin our Lenten journey together. We will have a service of confession, admonition, imposition of ashes, and Holy Communion. Collectively, we will join our voices in repentance. Our focus will come together as we make our way towards the cross of Christ. We will bear one another's burdens and we will lament together.
Whether you are a part of a tradition that gathers for Ash Wednesday or not, I invite you to hear these words from the book of Joel and remember how truly gracious our God is.
"Yet even now, says the LORD, return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; rend your hearts and not your clothing. Return to the LORD, your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, and relents from punishing."--Joel 2:12-13
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For many years Lent was ignored by many Protestant churches, including the UM church. I guess they thought it was too "Catholic" (whatever that means). But it seems as though Lent is making a comeback. Much like the season of Advent, we are in a waiting game. Lent beckons us to remember the strange truth of the Gospel. It recalls for us that humanity could never get to God, so God came to humanity. Lent forces us, especially us in the Western world, to face our mortality head on. In these days of eternal youth, Lent tells us that "from dust you came and to dust you shall return."
There is a bit of judgment in this season of purple, prayers, and fasting. We are reminded that we have not been as faithful as we should be. We are told to repent; to turn away from ourselves and to turn towards God. We are reminded that Christ will return and when he does it will be as judge and king.
I suppose that's why some churches, and many people, downplay this season. We like the lights and gifts of Christmas. We love the triumph and excitement of Easter. But one thing I have come to appreciate about this season is that without a Lenten walk, Easter does not mean much. Without this season of self-denial and self-examination, Eastertide is not much more than eggs and a bunny.
This evening, my congregation will begin our Lenten journey together. We will have a service of confession, admonition, imposition of ashes, and Holy Communion. Collectively, we will join our voices in repentance. Our focus will come together as we make our way towards the cross of Christ. We will bear one another's burdens and we will lament together.
Whether you are a part of a tradition that gathers for Ash Wednesday or not, I invite you to hear these words from the book of Joel and remember how truly gracious our God is.
"Yet even now, says the LORD, return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; rend your hearts and not your clothing. Return to the LORD, your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, and relents from punishing."--Joel 2:12-13
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Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Naaman Enounters God's Grace
This week's Old Testament lectionary reading focuses on 2 Kings 5. This is one of those interesting stories that we vaguely remember hearing in Sunday school, but it really doesn't get much press outside of that. This is the story of Naaman going before Elisha to be cleaned up from his leprosy.
You might remember that Naaman is a "mighty warrior" serving under a Gentile king. In some unknown way he contracts leprosy (any number of skin diseases). He really wants to get rid of it. However, leprosy is one of those diseases that was next to impossible to cure of in ancient times. A Jewish servant girl working in Naaman's home recommends that he seek out a "prophet who is in Samaria" who could cure him. Naaman eventually makes his way to Elisha's house to find out how to get cured of his disease.
When he arrives, Elisha will only yell at him from inside his house. He won't allow Naaman in and he won't come out to greet him. The instructions are simple, "Go, wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored and you shall be clean." These instructions make Naaman mad. He begins to rant and rave about how dumb this entire expedition was. Why didn't this "prophet of God" come out and say something? Why didn't this Elisha come forth and chant an incantation or wave his hands over the spot in order to banish it? What kind of cheap prophet is this anyway?
As Naaman is stomping away mad, one of his servants boldly approaches him. He says, "if the prophet had commanded you to do something difficult, would you not have done it? How much more, when all he said to you was, 'Wash, and be clean'?" Naaman gets the man's point and goes to the Jordan to wash. Lo and behold, the prophet was right and Naaman was made clean.
One thing this story does is illustrate that sometimes we choose to make things more difficult than they have to be. We want some big act. We want to be commissioned on a great journey in order to encounter God and his divine mercy. We want to be entrusted with the Labors of Hercules.
But instead, all we are told is to live life. Jesus Christ sends us out into a world full of people, problems, and daily living. We are told to witness to what God has done in our lives. We are told to love people as God loves people. We are told to care for those who cannot care for themselves. I wonder if there is a little bit of Naaman in all of us. We don't want to visit the nursing home, we want to prophecy in the name of the Lord. We don't want to hold the hand of a dying woman, we want to cast out demons. We don't want to feed the hungry, we want do mighty deeds of power.
What we fail to understand is that God has nothing to prove. God is God. His ways are higher and greater than we can understand. It is only through service that we can begin to understand him. Jesus came to serve and since he is our master then we should serve too. Only after we have died to pride like Naaman had to can we fully grasp the amazing power and authority granted to us as God's children.
One of the things I love about the story of Naaman is how it ends. After Naaman is cured from his leprosy, he returns to Elisha's house to offer him money. Elisha refuses and then Naaman declares his allegiance to the LORD God. He places his faith in this amazing God who has transformed his life. The real miracle in the story is not the physical healing. The real miracle lies in the fact that a proud man has been humbled. And through his humility a Gentile worships the God of Israel.
Naaman comes to realize that he is nothing compared to God. Even though he is described as a mighty warrior and had high favor with his king, he came to understand that until he knows God and is known by God he is without merit. That's the way each of us are...we are nothing until we encounter the true love of God. That, my friends, is grace. Naaman found it; we have it; it is our duty to spread it. Nothing more...nothing less. Let's not make our task more difficult than it has to be. Until next time...
+May the grace of God the Father, the love of Jesus Christ, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you.
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You might remember that Naaman is a "mighty warrior" serving under a Gentile king. In some unknown way he contracts leprosy (any number of skin diseases). He really wants to get rid of it. However, leprosy is one of those diseases that was next to impossible to cure of in ancient times. A Jewish servant girl working in Naaman's home recommends that he seek out a "prophet who is in Samaria" who could cure him. Naaman eventually makes his way to Elisha's house to find out how to get cured of his disease.
When he arrives, Elisha will only yell at him from inside his house. He won't allow Naaman in and he won't come out to greet him. The instructions are simple, "Go, wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored and you shall be clean." These instructions make Naaman mad. He begins to rant and rave about how dumb this entire expedition was. Why didn't this "prophet of God" come out and say something? Why didn't this Elisha come forth and chant an incantation or wave his hands over the spot in order to banish it? What kind of cheap prophet is this anyway?
As Naaman is stomping away mad, one of his servants boldly approaches him. He says, "if the prophet had commanded you to do something difficult, would you not have done it? How much more, when all he said to you was, 'Wash, and be clean'?" Naaman gets the man's point and goes to the Jordan to wash. Lo and behold, the prophet was right and Naaman was made clean.
| Naaman made clean. |
One thing this story does is illustrate that sometimes we choose to make things more difficult than they have to be. We want some big act. We want to be commissioned on a great journey in order to encounter God and his divine mercy. We want to be entrusted with the Labors of Hercules.
But instead, all we are told is to live life. Jesus Christ sends us out into a world full of people, problems, and daily living. We are told to witness to what God has done in our lives. We are told to love people as God loves people. We are told to care for those who cannot care for themselves. I wonder if there is a little bit of Naaman in all of us. We don't want to visit the nursing home, we want to prophecy in the name of the Lord. We don't want to hold the hand of a dying woman, we want to cast out demons. We don't want to feed the hungry, we want do mighty deeds of power.
What we fail to understand is that God has nothing to prove. God is God. His ways are higher and greater than we can understand. It is only through service that we can begin to understand him. Jesus came to serve and since he is our master then we should serve too. Only after we have died to pride like Naaman had to can we fully grasp the amazing power and authority granted to us as God's children.
One of the things I love about the story of Naaman is how it ends. After Naaman is cured from his leprosy, he returns to Elisha's house to offer him money. Elisha refuses and then Naaman declares his allegiance to the LORD God. He places his faith in this amazing God who has transformed his life. The real miracle in the story is not the physical healing. The real miracle lies in the fact that a proud man has been humbled. And through his humility a Gentile worships the God of Israel.
Naaman comes to realize that he is nothing compared to God. Even though he is described as a mighty warrior and had high favor with his king, he came to understand that until he knows God and is known by God he is without merit. That's the way each of us are...we are nothing until we encounter the true love of God. That, my friends, is grace. Naaman found it; we have it; it is our duty to spread it. Nothing more...nothing less. Let's not make our task more difficult than it has to be. Until next time...
+May the grace of God the Father, the love of Jesus Christ, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you.
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Thursday, February 2, 2012
Hurry Up And Wait
The LORD our God does not think like humans think. As people, we look around us and we notice those who are nice looking. We pay attention to those who are muscular, well-built, and physically fit for activity. It is easy for us to appreciate people who are talented athletes. If the most athletic players are on our favored team, then all the better for us!
But in Isaiah 40, we are reminded that even these people are only human. Even the most healthy looking, muscular, well-built men and women have to rest. They cannot continue to perform at 100% all of the time. They too will eventually wear down. Their bodies require food, refreshment, and rest. But not God. Here's how Isaiah states it, "Have you not known? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and strengthens the powerless. Even youths will faint and be weary, and the young will fall exhausted; but those who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint" (40:28-31).
The same is true in our spiritual life. As children of God, we are sent out to spread the good news of Jesus Christ to a broken world. We are to continually be witnessing, teaching, and loving a world that does not know God. But like athletes, we too must rest. We cannot do the tasks at hand without the strength of the LORD.
As a human, Jesus too got tired. He too got weary. He too had to take time away from the constant pressures of ministry. He found his rest in his Father. He found his strength through prayer. He was renewed for his calling through his relationship with God the Father.
The longer I am a pastor, the more I realize how important my own spiritual growth is for the sake of the community I serve. If my cup dries up, then I have nothing to share. If my body becomes weak, then I am unable to help those who are in need. If my mind is unfocused, then my teaching becomes slack. So the words of Isaiah have rung true in my own life. I am still learning to wait on the LORD so that he shall renew my strength. I am still learning to rely more and more on his power so that I may not faint. I am learning to lean on his strength so that I am empowered through his Holy Spirit.
Here is a song that I first heard a few years ago. Periodically, I will play this song when I feel discouraged and tired in ministry. The lyrics of the song always remind me not to rely on my own strength but to lean on God and his great power. My greatest desire is to serve God and to set the world on fire. But none of us can do that alone. May this song bless you and strengthen your spirit as you continue in your own ministry to the least of these. Until next time...
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But in Isaiah 40, we are reminded that even these people are only human. Even the most healthy looking, muscular, well-built men and women have to rest. They cannot continue to perform at 100% all of the time. They too will eventually wear down. Their bodies require food, refreshment, and rest. But not God. Here's how Isaiah states it, "Have you not known? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and strengthens the powerless. Even youths will faint and be weary, and the young will fall exhausted; but those who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint" (40:28-31).
The same is true in our spiritual life. As children of God, we are sent out to spread the good news of Jesus Christ to a broken world. We are to continually be witnessing, teaching, and loving a world that does not know God. But like athletes, we too must rest. We cannot do the tasks at hand without the strength of the LORD.
As a human, Jesus too got tired. He too got weary. He too had to take time away from the constant pressures of ministry. He found his rest in his Father. He found his strength through prayer. He was renewed for his calling through his relationship with God the Father.
The longer I am a pastor, the more I realize how important my own spiritual growth is for the sake of the community I serve. If my cup dries up, then I have nothing to share. If my body becomes weak, then I am unable to help those who are in need. If my mind is unfocused, then my teaching becomes slack. So the words of Isaiah have rung true in my own life. I am still learning to wait on the LORD so that he shall renew my strength. I am still learning to rely more and more on his power so that I may not faint. I am learning to lean on his strength so that I am empowered through his Holy Spirit.
Here is a song that I first heard a few years ago. Periodically, I will play this song when I feel discouraged and tired in ministry. The lyrics of the song always remind me not to rely on my own strength but to lean on God and his great power. My greatest desire is to serve God and to set the world on fire. But none of us can do that alone. May this song bless you and strengthen your spirit as you continue in your own ministry to the least of these. Until next time...
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Thursday, January 26, 2012
Fishing Anyone?
When Jesus began his ministry, he did so by calling a group of men to follow him. He also did so with a promise. If they would come and learn his ways then he would teach them how to reconcile people to God. Sometimes it seems as though the Church has chosen not to pay attention. We have forgotten that before we can go out fishing we must first learn how to fish. Here's how a lot of Christians go fishing:
The video's pretty funny, right? I have to admit that many times I find myself in these kinds of situations. I go out with good intentions but I forget to pay attention. I forget to look around. I try to work harder instead of work smarter.
When Jesus issued his summons, "Follow me," he was inviting Andrew, Simon, James, and John to spend time with him. He was inviting them to pay attention to how he did ministry so that they could learn and grow. Jesus never sent any of his disciples out before he had instructed them. He never expected them to take on something that he had not already done.
I'm afraid that many times we as disciples spend more time planning and less time learning. We spend more energy in doing and less in growing. We like the activities, but we don't like to sit still. On the other hand many people in the Church want to go out and fish but they are afraid. These people feel ill-equipped and unprepared for service so they simply don't do it.
The point is that before we can go out to make disciples of all nations, we must first be a disciple. We do that by studying Scripture (both privately and in small groups). We grow in our relationship with God when we learn how to pray and as our prayer life matures. We are made ready for ministry by spending time listening to sound teaching and preaching. Our cups are filled when we allow ourselves to be formed by the Holy Spirit instead of trying to form the Spirit to our desires.
As funny as it is to watch Bill Dance try to teach fishing, it's not so funny when we are fishing for people. Becoming a fisher of people is a massive undertaking. But the amazing thing is that God is counting on us. He has placed this duty and privilege in our hands. And if we allow him to, the Father will form us and mold us into the image of Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit. God has granted us the same power and authority that he gave his Son for ministry. However, it is up to us to work with the Spirit in order to be made ready. Until next time...
+May the grace of God the Father, the love of Jesus Christ, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you.
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The video's pretty funny, right? I have to admit that many times I find myself in these kinds of situations. I go out with good intentions but I forget to pay attention. I forget to look around. I try to work harder instead of work smarter.
When Jesus issued his summons, "Follow me," he was inviting Andrew, Simon, James, and John to spend time with him. He was inviting them to pay attention to how he did ministry so that they could learn and grow. Jesus never sent any of his disciples out before he had instructed them. He never expected them to take on something that he had not already done.
I'm afraid that many times we as disciples spend more time planning and less time learning. We spend more energy in doing and less in growing. We like the activities, but we don't like to sit still. On the other hand many people in the Church want to go out and fish but they are afraid. These people feel ill-equipped and unprepared for service so they simply don't do it.
The point is that before we can go out to make disciples of all nations, we must first be a disciple. We do that by studying Scripture (both privately and in small groups). We grow in our relationship with God when we learn how to pray and as our prayer life matures. We are made ready for ministry by spending time listening to sound teaching and preaching. Our cups are filled when we allow ourselves to be formed by the Holy Spirit instead of trying to form the Spirit to our desires.
As funny as it is to watch Bill Dance try to teach fishing, it's not so funny when we are fishing for people. Becoming a fisher of people is a massive undertaking. But the amazing thing is that God is counting on us. He has placed this duty and privilege in our hands. And if we allow him to, the Father will form us and mold us into the image of Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit. God has granted us the same power and authority that he gave his Son for ministry. However, it is up to us to work with the Spirit in order to be made ready. Until next time...
+May the grace of God the Father, the love of Jesus Christ, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you.
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Thursday, January 5, 2012
Baptism of the Lord
Sometimes the lectionary and the Church calendar are funny things. What I really like about them is that they both force us to reconsider what we think we already know. For example, most people think that the 12 days of Christmas are the days that lead up to Christmas Day and that the Christmas Season runs from December 1st through the 25th. But that is not so. In fact, Christmas Day is just the beginning of the season and the 12th day does not hit until January 6th. What I really like about both of these handmaidens to the church is that they require discipline from us. Many times they slow us down and make us contemplate things that we don't always want to think about.
This year is kind of a funny year. We celebrated Epiphany a little bit early for my taste. Epiphany does not fall until Friday, January 6th, and yet we had to move the date up in order for the other Holy Days to fall into place. So this Sunday, we celebrate the Lord's baptism in the River Jordan. This day is rather peculiar in some ways. Many "why" statements emerge from the shadows as we contemplate what was going on when Jesus was baptized by John. Questions like "Why was Jesus baptized if he was sinless?" and "Why did God do what he did at the baptism?" sometimes confound us and make us want to simply skip over this event and move forward into the ministry of Jesus.
But there is a reason this story is included in the gospels. It's not there for dramatic flair. It's there to help us see the broader picture of who Jesus is, where he came from, and where he was going. Hear these words from St. Mark:
"In those days, Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. And a voice came from heaven, "You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased." (1:9-11)
| Icon of the baptism of Jesus in the Jordan |
In these few words, volumes are spoken. Jesus' baptism is a baptism into service. It is a baptism of recognition. It is a baptism of unification. When Jesus the Christ agrees to John's baptism it is as a servant of the most High God. It is his leaving behind his old way of living life and beginning a new vocation down the path that God the Father has ordained for him. When Jesus is baptized it becomes clear that he is the one chosen by God for something unique and special. All of the preparation that had been poured into this man was now coming to a time of fruition. All of the prophecies were about to come true. Since the beginning of the creation, the world had been holding its breath, waiting for this anointed one from God. And now the time was right.
Jesus baptism points towards who we are through our own baptism. When Jesus Christ gave us this sacrament of cleansing, he did so as a fulfillment of something he had already done. When we are baptized with fire and water we can no longer be who we used to be. We too must leave behind our old way of living life and set out on the new path. We too must begin our vocation of service. Jesus lived the life of a true human, the one Son from the Father. His baptism points towards our own. Without his baptism, ours is worthless.
This coming Sunday is a wondrous, grace-filled day when we celebrate the baptism of Jesus Christ. It is a time in the calendar and in our lectionary readings that continues to point us towards the fullness of the ministry from our Lord and Savior. It is a time where we set out anew and ready to fully engage ministry on God’s terms.
In a song we will sing this Sunday, the final verse states this, “Come, Holy Spirit, aid us to keep the vows we make; this very day invade us, and every bondage break. Come, give our lives direction, the gift we covet most: to share the resurrection that leads to Pentecost.”
Until next time…
+May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God the Father, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you.—Amen
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