Seventh Sunday after Pentecost: Moving and Powerful

Sunday's Lectionary Readings

I'm sure all of us have been moved by a powerful song or singer.  When I think of a singer who had the power to move people with her voice, I think of Mahalia Jackson (thanks Gio for putting her back into my thoughts).  What a powerful voice!  When we say someone is powerful, we mean they are able to move people to think or act differently.  They inspire.

Musical worship can be powerful in that sense.  Somehow music touches us on a deep level.  When we combine spiritual truth about God with good music and when we approach a time of corporate worship with an open attitude to be touched and moved by the truths we sing, we are often deeply moved and challenged.

The interesting thing about powerful worship, however, is that it revolves around the recognition of God's power.  Take a look at these words from the book of Revelation.

Revelation 4:11; 5:9‑10, 13 (Book of Common Prayer version)

Splendor and honor and kingly power *

   are yours by right, O Lord our God,

For you created everything that is, *

   and by your will they were created and have their being;

And yours by right, O Lamb that was slain, *

   for with your blood you have redeemed for God,

From every family, language, people, and nation, *

   a kingdom of priests to serve our God.

And so, to him who sits upon the throne, *

   and to Christ the Lamb,

Be worship and praise, dominion and splendor, *

   for ever and for evermore.

Jesus Christ, is the highest power now because he gave up that power and became the slain lamb.  He has earned His place of kingship and worthiness to be worshiped.  But we also see here something about our power.  Christ redeemed us to make us a kingdom of priests to serve God.  First we are a kingdom.  That means we share in Christ's dominion, or power to rule this world.  But how do we rule?  We do so in the same way Christ did.  We become priests, who stand in the gap between a holy God and a sin damaged world.  We lay down our lives, by giving ourselves in prayer, worship, and acts of love and service.  It is when we begin to find how God has uniquely created us to be kings and priests that we find our true power.  Our true power is really not our own.  It is the power of God working through us as we present ourselves fully as a sacrifice of praise.  How do we become a sacrifice of praise?  It is by discovering who God made us to be; skills, talents, and abilities.  We then sharpen the things God has given us and offer them back to be used by God for His glory and honor.  Corporate worship is a time where we "rehearse" doing this.  But there is the worship after the worship that happens between Sundays.  We may be moved emotionally by powerful times of corporate worship, but does it move us to be the best stewards we can be of all of the gifts He has given us in our daily lives?  If not, then the "rehearsal" on Sunday morning was not very productive.

I'd encourage you to take about 12 minutes to watch this short documentary clip about Mahalia Jackson.  Notices all of the ways in which she was moved to move others, not only through giving her all on stage, but in her simple daily acts of kindness and compassion.  

Mahalia Jackson Short 

5th Sunday after Pentecost: Becoming Poor

I am so blessed by the giving attitudes of those involved in the worship ministry at MCF.  Unlike many other church worship ministries, we seem to have relatively little divisive conflict.  Divisiveness on a worship team is always related to an unwillingness to become poor.  Divisive conflict comes from attitudes of entitlement.  Entitlement is a product of "wealth."  By wealth, I am not necessarily talking about money.  There is wealth of talent, wealth of skill, and wealth of knowledge, etc.  Entitlement is an attitude that crops up when we feel that our wealth of whatever entitles us to certain privileges.  Entitlement almost always plays out in pushiness or manipulation.  This of course always creates division.

In 2 Corinthians 8:9-11, Paul reminds us of the example of our Lord.

For you know the generous act of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich.  And in this matter I am giving my advice: it is appropriate for you who began last year not only to do something but even to desire to do something--now finish doing it, so that your eagerness may be matched by completing it according to your means.  2 Corinthians 8:9-11 (NRSV)

This passage shows us the key to staying power in ministry.  Staying power comes from giving up entitlement and, in a sense, becoming poor.  If we give of our time, talents, skills, or knowledge and then feel we are owed something in return, we will often get discouraged and give up.  Worship leading is about giving and not receiving honor.  It is first and foremost about giving honor to God.  That always comes in the form of honoring one another.  In the video link below, I think Kim Walker does a good job talking about becoming poor and staying poor as a worship leader.  In the last couple of years, she has become well known.  In this culture, well known worship leaders are prized.  They can almost make a career of speaking at worship conferences and leading in large venues.  It is easy for them to become entitled by their superstar status and lose sight that it is about serving and honoring.  Take a look at what she has to say.  Although she does not use the word "poor," in what ways is she encouraging worship leaders to become "poor" and to stay that way?

Kim Walker About Worship Leading

Trinity Sunday: Separation of Church and Church

Lectionary Passages for this Sunday

The first Sunday after Pentecost is known as Trinity Sunday.  There is no perfect way of talking about the Trinity.  But one way I like to think about our "God in three persons, blessed Trinity" is as a circle, or fellowship of perfect love and sufficiency.  I hesitate to talk about this because it is easy to get into theological muddy waters.  But in some sense, Jesus had to step away from this circle in order for the love that was found within it to be extended to us.  I think Philippians 2:6-7 helps us to understand it a bit.

He always had the nature of God, but he did not think that by force he should try to remain equal with God. Instead of this, of his own free will he gave up all he had, and took the nature of a servant. He became like a human being and appeared in human likeness.  Philippians 2:6-7 (GNT)
 
If you will, Jesus became like us so that he could stand with us outside of the circle.  But as a result, we have the means to be brought into the circle of love found in God; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Martin Luther King Jr. used to say, "Eleven o' clock Sunday morning is the most segregated hour of the week."  Why is that?  Could it be that many Christians who gather on Sunday mornings for worship have not understood how Jesus stepped outside to befriend those outside.  We seem to have a hard time with that.  We like our close knit circles where we "get" the values and cultural trappings of the others in the circle.  But God's circle of love is not a circle of uniformity.  The book of Revelation speaks of worship in terms of every nation, tribe, and language being represented (5:9 and 7:9).  

How do we get out of our little worship circles and stand on common ground with those outside?  As the love of the Trinity compels us outward, the circle will enlarge and simultaneously become more diverse and unified.

We will explore this topic of diversity in worship in more depth at the upcoming first Los Angeles Area Worship Gathering to be held at Rose City Church in Pasadena on Sunday, June 24th at 6:00 PM.  If you have not done so, please mark this on your calendar.

Check out this video by Richard Twiss on the Trinity, worship, and unity in diversity.

 

Pentecost Sunday: Evidence of the Holy Spirit

Lectionary Passages for this Sunday

As we come to the end of the 50 great days of Easter this Sunday with the celebration of Pentecost, we think about the coming of the Holy Spirit and the birth of the Church.  According to the account in Acts 2, the Holy Spirit arrived in dramatic fashion.  There was a violent rushing wind, tongues of flame, and those assembled suddenly began speaking in languages they did not know.  (Acts 2:2-4)

As a seminary student studying church history, I wrote a term paper on the Azusa Street revival that originated here in downtown Los Angeles and began on April 14, 1906.  Like the original day of Pentecost, Azusa Street spurred a tremendous outward spread of the Gospel that became known as the Pentecostal movement and the later Charismatic renewal movement that worked its way into evangelical, mainline protestant, and even Roman Catholic churches.  Over 100 years after Azusa Street, Pentecostalism is still today the fastest growing edge of the Church and it is exploding in the global south.  Pentecostalism is not afraid of miracles, signs, and wonders.  They are front and center in that movement as they were in the book of Acts.

However, as important as miracles, signs, and wonders were both in the ministry of Jesus and the Spirit empowered Church, they are not the main evidence of the Holy Spirit.  Jesus made this very clear as we read in Matthew 7.

15 "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? 17 Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Therefore by their fruits you will know them. 21 "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' 23 And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'  Matthew 7:15-23 (NKJV)


Here Jesus tells us to pay attention to the fruit and not signs and wonders.  Obviously Jesus is saying that signs can be faked, or perhaps even done by the power of a spirit other than the Holy Spirit.  The wonders and miracles Jesus performed were signs that God's Kingdom had indeed arrived.

But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come to you.  Matthew 12:28 (NRSV)

Jesus' miracles were signs of the Gospel (good news).  They signaled that a regime change was taking place.  The old tyrant, Satan, who had called the shots over the world was being overthrown, and that through Jesus, God was becoming rightful King at last.  In this new kingdom, love, righteousness, peace, and joy would be the new order.  This was good news for the poor!  Satan's kingdom, is based on selfish power grabs.  As a result, there are always losers who must pay the price.  The hungry, the exploited, the marginalized, and the poor are the most obvious victims of the kingdom of Satan (and the victimizers are also victims even if they don't know it).  Jesus' ministry was primarily among the hungry, exploited, outcasts, and poor.  His teaching and stories spoke of how, in God's kingdom, they were the blessed ones and His miracles were signs that what He said was true.  In God's kingdom there is enough blessing to go around.  Blessings are not just for the rich, powerful, and well connected.  In fact Jesus made it clear that the types of blessings the rich and powerful enjoy are temporary and only fools spend their lives seeking them.

So what does all of this have to do with the Holy Spirit?  It shows us that the evidence of the Holy Spirit is not signs in of themselves.  The true evidence of the Holy Spirit in action is the spread of the good news of God's kingdom to the poor.

The cover of the most recent issue of Christianity Today magazine caught my attention.  On the cover there is a picture of blond, Laguna Beach, California native, Heidi Baker (pictured above) stooped over a young boy in Mozambique, laying her hands on his head and praying fervently.  The sub-caption reads, "The tireless Heidi Baker uses her gift of healing to serve the poorest of the poor in a forgotten corner of the planet."  Bingo!  There it is.  The evidence of the Holy Spirit.  Poorest of the poor.  Forgotten corner of the planet.  The good news of God's Kingdom being spread holistically to the poorest of the poor in a forgotten corner of the world.  Heidi's ministry is marked by spectacular miracles.  The deaf find that their ears have been opened and the blind see.  Before you dismiss these miracles happening through the ministry of Heidi Baker as trickery of the poor and gullible, know that a study performed by Indiana University detected significant improvement in both sight and hearing of the deaf and blind after healing prayer by Heidi and her team in Mozambique.  This same study team did not find the same significant results among North American faith healers.

The evidence of the Holy Spirit is not the signs themselves, but the Good News being experienced in real ways among the poor and forgotten.  Heidi's husband and ministry partner, Roland, exhorts believers to, "Seek out the most marginalized you can find."  Heidi and Roland demonstrate that the Holy Spirit motivates believers to proclaim the Good News to the poor and when they do, the power of the Holy Spirit is made known in real and miraculous ways.  

Generally speaking, one of the main reasons we Americans don't experience the manifestation of the Holy Spirit is that we are hell bent on preaching a different "good news."  We blend good news with prosperity, money, success, and achievement.  In our corporate worship, the Holy Spirit has been reduced to something we feel.  Worship leaders have been indoctrinated in the idea that we have to create an atmosphere where people FEEL the Holy Spirit (presence of God).  Unfortunately, worship leaders and teams are evaluated on how well they "ushered in God's presence."  This has led to a lot of manipulative techniques to drum up emotions that make people feel that they have had a Holy Ghost experience.

But what if the evidence that the Holy Spirit has shown up in a worship service is not so much about what happens in the service?  What if it is more about what happens as a result of the service?  In Acts 2, we don't see the people gathered in the upper room going home afterward saying, "Wow, what a powerful experience.  We've got to come back next week and try to make this happen again."  Instead what you see immediately afterward is the Church being birthed as the Body of Christ to continue the work of Christ of proclaiming the Good News.  We see the Gospel being preached.  We see it being lived.  We see people devoted to one another, praying together, growing under the teaching of the apostles, breaking bread and sharing at each other's tables, and those who had more sharing with those who had less.  In fact we see an erasure of poverty among the believers (Acts 4:34).  Talk about good news for the poor!  The Church became a living testimony of what life under God's reign looks like.  It was an attractive site which caused many to be added to their number each day (Acts 2:47).  It is exciting to know that God's Spirit is still on the move in poor and forgotten places like Mozambique.  But what about here in America?

It's nice when we feel the Holy Spirit moving powerfully in a worship service.  But it isn't a chill, or a warm sensation, tears of joy, or any other feeling that let's us know that the Holy Spirit showed up on Sunday morning.  It is instead when we leave knowing the heart of God in such a profound way that we see the world differently.  Our deepest desire begins to be that we would see God's Kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven.  And it doesn't end with desire, but desire becomes a fire that motivates us to do something tangible, and often beyond our abilities and means, to make God's kingdom a reality.  When we then step out in faith and obedience, the Holy Spirit gets to work and we begin to see miracles!  This Sunday, let's not go into the worship service seeking some sort of Holy Spirit high.  Instead, let's ask God for the Holy Spirit to reveal God's heart in such a compelling way that we have to do something about it when we leave. 

Seventh Sunday of Easter: Jesus Is Ascended

Lectionary Passages for the Ascension

Lectionary Passages for this Sunday

We know that there is a 50 day period between the Resurrection of Jesus and Pentecost.  Scripture tells us that Jesus ascended into heaven 40 days after His resurrection (Acts 1:3).  That is why Ascension Day is always celebrated on a Thursday 10 days before Pentecost Sunday.  Most Christians these days, although clearly aware of Easter, may only be vaguely aware of Pentecost Sunday, but most likely will pass right by Ascension Day without any thought about it.  But for Jesus' earliest followers, the Ascension was of utmost importance.

Author and Regent College professor Darrell Johnson discusses the importance of ascension in the following three videos.  Watch these videos during this 10 day period between the Ascension and Pentecost.  Also the Global Day of Prayer has a great 10 Day Prayer Guide for use on the 10 days beginning on Ascension Day (May 17) and ending the day before Pentecost (May 26th).  I encourage us to pray these prayers each day.

The Ascension and the Church

 

The Ascension and the Lord's Supper

 

The Ascension and Jesus Christ

Sixth Sunday of Easter: Radical Peace

This Sunday's Lectionary Passages


Mother's Day has become one of those Hallmark Holidays.  We spend about 14 Billion on Mother's Day each year.  But what most people don't know is that Mother's Day in America started as a radical plea for peace.  Julia Ward Howe (pictured left), who wrote the lyrics of the Battle Hymn of the Republic, also instituted the first celebration of Mother's Day in 1870 as a plea for peace.  Tired of mother's losing their sons and women having to embrace their husbands "reeking of carnage" due to war, Howe penned the following Mother's Day Proclamation:

Arise, then, women of this day! 

Arise, all women who have hearts, whether your baptism be that of water or tears!  

Say firmly: "We will not have great questions decided by irrelevant agencies. 

Our husbands shall not come to us, reeking with carnage, for caresses and applause. 

Our sons shall not be taken from us to unlearn 

all that we have taught them of charity, mercy and patience. 

We women of one country will be too tender of those of another 

to allow our sons to be trained to injure theirs."

From the bosom of the devastated earth, a voice goes up with our own. 

It says, "Disarm, Disarm!"

The sword of murder is not the balance of justice. 

Blood not wipe out dishonor, nor violence indicate possession. 

As men have often forsaken the plow and the anvil at the summons of war, 

let women now leave all that may be left of home for a great and earnest day of counsel. 

Let them meet first, as women, to bewail & commemorate the dead. 

Let them solemnly take counsel with each other as to the means whereby the great human family 

can live in peace, each bearing after his own time the sacred impress, not of Caesars but of God.

 

In the name of womanhood and of humanity, I earnestly ask that a general congress of women without limit of nationality may be appointed and held at some place deemed most convenient 

and at the earliest period consistent with its objects, 

to promote the alliance of the different nationalities, 

the amicable settlement of international questions, 

the great and general interests of peace.

Although Howe's holiday never gained real traction during her life, later another woman, Anna Reeves Jarvis picked up her idea and used the "holiday" as a time to promote peace and reconciliation among West Virginian families and neighbors who had been torn apart by the Civil War.  After Jarvis' death, her daughter Anna Jarvis campaigned for an official holiday.  This led to the first official celebration of Mother's Day on May 10th, 1908 at Andrews Methodist Church in Grafton, West Virginia, the church where her mother had taught Sunday School for 20 years and had worked tirelessly for peace and reconciliation.

As we celebrate Mother's Day, it is important to remember the history of this holiday in America as being a radical declaration of non violence.  The type of peace advocated by Howe and Jarvis, was the type of peace that the New Testament church lived out.  What were the ingredients for the witness of peace among the early church?  I would say they include the following:

1.  The absolute belief in the resurrection of Jesus Christ and it serving as proof that He had conquered once and for all the violent and coercive powers of this world.

2.  Because Jesus had conquered the worst that evil powers of this world could throw at Him, Christians practiced absolute allegiance to Jesus Christ as the true Lord.  Rome made sure that its citizen's allegiance was to Caesar.  In fact, Rome insisted Caesar was son of the gods and proclaimed him as Lord.  When Christians proclaimed Jesus as the Son of God and Lord, they simultaneously proclaimed Caesar to be a fraud.

3.  Belief in the resurrection of those who had died in the faith.  Early Christians believed wholeheartedly that they too would be resurrected.  They lost their fear of death and thus were free to obey Jesus Christ and His commandment to practice radical love and peace even when it became a threat to do so.  Early Christians did not shy away from suffering, persecution, or the fear of death.  In fact they expected to face the same trials Jesus suffered, including martyrdom.

4.  Their poverty and lack of political capital.  Early Christians were generally not the wealthy and powerful in society.  This became more true as laws banning the practice of their faith made them vulnerable to loss of means and income.  Our early brothers and sisters did not stand a chance in a war against the powerful iron boot of the Roman army whose job it was to swiftly and decidedly crush any threat to the Pax Romana (Roman Peace).  Early believers did not even have the power of the ballot box.  Their "power" was their faithful witness to the love and peace that is possible under the Lordship and Christ and the power of His Holy Spirit.  Over the centuries this principle seems to hold true.  Christianity has had its best moments and spread like wildfire when it is poor and powerless.  This holds true today.  Just look at where Christianity is exploding.  However, when it becomes married to money, influence, nationalism, and military might it has had its worst moments.

5.  Remembering Jesus' words to Peter, when at His arrest he used violence to defend Him, "He who lives by the sword, dies by the sword."  After Jesus' resurrection, early believers understood that there was no need to pick up the sword because Jesus had conquered evil, not by meeting violence with a greater force of violence, but by the greatest force; love.  Therefore early Christians were always willing to die for Jesus but were not willing to kill for Him.

From our New Testament reading this Sunday (Mother's Day), we find these words from the First Epistle of John.

For the love of God is this, that we obey his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome, for whatever is born of God conquers the world. And this is the victory that conquers the world, our faith.  I John 5:3-4 (NRSV)


What was Jesus' commandment?  We find it in this Sunday's reading from the Gospel of John.

"This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends."  John 15:12-13 (NRSV)

We can't live this type of love without FAITH in the Risen Savior, our Lord Jesus Christ who has conquered evil and death.  Outside the context of faith in the death and resurrection of Christ, it is absolutely absurd not to fight for self protection and preservation.  That is where worship becomes so important.  Good worship proclaims the truth of the Gospel that Jesus Christ is the true Lord.  It calls us to put our trust in the One who has conquered.  When we stop worshiping rightly, our allegiances can easily begin to shift.  We begin to have faith in money, in political power, in military solutions against all threats, in the Republicans, in the Democrats, and worst of all in our own abilities to impose our wills on those who stand in our way to achieving our ends (even good ends).  Most, if not all, conflict that divides churches is a result of those using the devil's means to achieve godly ends.  It boils down to a lack of faith in the Lordship of Jesus Christ.

In worship, we must proclaim the Lordship of Jesus Christ.  With the issue of Lordship settled, we can then live in love and be at peace. 

4th Sunday of Easter: Follow the Leader

Lectionary Readings for Sunday, April 29th

As a child did you ever play follow the leader?  I did and I pretty much didn't like it unless I was the leader.  It got really old, really fast otherwise.  As adults, I don't think we much like playing that game either.  And I'm not talking about playing the actual game with our kids.  I'm talking about life.  We tend to like being our own leader.  We like to be in control of where we are going and what we are doing.  Of course freedom is a value we hold dear in this country and freedom and equal opportunity are good values to uphold.  But we have to be careful about hyper individualism.  Take a look at something Jesus recognized.

As he saw the crowds, his heart was filled with pity for them, because they were worried and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Matthew 9:36 (GNT)


Sheep without a shepherd.  When faced with the problems of this world and what lies behind them, I think one could make the argument that we are just sheep without a shepherd.  We are lost, worried, and helpless when it comes to fixing what ails us.  The fourth Sunday in Easter is known as the Sunday of the Good Shepherd.  On it, we always read or sing the 23rd Psalm.  We read from John 10 about Jesus being the Good Shepherd.  Jesus, the Good Shepherd.  Good = Morally excellent, virtuous, righteous.  Shepherd = A person who herds, tends, or guides sheep.  And it is used metaphorically as one who protects, guides, or watches over a person or group.  So if one could argue that the main problem of this world is that we are sheep without a shepherd, one could also argue that we need a Good Shepherd.  Not any shepherd, but a truly Good Shepherd.  In John chapter 10, Jesus lays claim to that title.  He says,  "I am the good shepherd, who is willing to die for the sheep." (v.14)  He is truly good, because He is free from ego.  He has no selfish motivation.  He is truly good because He loves the sheep sacrificially.  Their interest and well being is above His own.  

Now if we all could be led by Jesus into loving the way He does, this world would be a much different place.  It is in that sense that I believe that Jesus is "the way, the truth, and the life." It is not in an exclusive sense where only those who have prayed a prayer of agreement with a concept of a Jesus, the personal Savior Who will snatch them from the fire of Hell and set them on the path to Heaven, are saved.  No. Jesus is the One Good Shepherd who truly can lead the world to salvation, and in fact is alive and is doing it.  

Jesus also said, "My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me." John 10:27 (GNT)  Jesus identifies two characteristics of His sheep.  First, they listen to His voice.  Second, they follow Him.  Both of these require faith.  Notice that I said faith and not belief.  There is a difference.  Perhaps when we feel we are struggling with faith, we are really struggling with belief.  I constantly struggle with belief.  My theological beliefs have evolved tremendously and I'm sure will continue to do so.  Yet, as I look at my life, I have come this far by faith.  Why?  Because faith is action.  It is movement.  It is faithfulness in following.  Faith has more to do with the true meaning of belief.  Look up the etymology of the word, "believe" and you will find that its root meaning is "to hold dear, love" as in "beloved."  What motivates my faith are not ever changing concepts.  It is rather an ever deepening love for the Good Shepherd who is willing to lay down His life.  


How then do we come to know His voice and thus listen and follow?  Unfortunately, I think we often read the Bible, and are taught to do so, in the wrong way.  We construct systematic theologies based on various precepts and principles we think we have found in the Bible.  Then we use what we have constructed as a way to cage in the Living Word.  Jesus cannot and will not be jailed by our systematic theologies.  Jesus jumps right out of those theological prison doors when we read the Bible and specifically the Gospels as a story.  I don't mean as a fairy tale, but a story.  Jesus himself did less "in your face" preaching and a lot more story telling.  Why?  Because a good story has a way of pulling us in.  We suspend disbelief and find ourselves IN the story.  We relate to various characters.  In fact we ARE certain characters.  And those characters always stand in some way relative to the story teller, Jesus Himself.  At times, I have realized that I am the older brother in the Prodigal Son story left asking myself, am I going to join the party called God's Kingdom being thrown by my Heavenly Father, or am I going to stand outside in judgment?  At other times, I have definitely realized that I am not Peter willing to jump out of the boat in faith.  At other times, I have realized that I am the Pius Levite of the Good Samaritan story.  On my way to doing "God's work" will I avoid the person most in need of compassion?  The Good Shepherd's stories confront.  They challenge.  Most of all they show us the state of our hearts and call us to true repentance.  Therefore they have the power to change our hearts so that we become like our Shepherd.

Let's not trap Jesus, the Living Word, inside of our man made ideas.  Instead, let's allow the gentle voice of the Good Shepherd to tell us life changing stories and may we always seek to follow Him so we can hear His voice! 

  

3rd Sunday of Easter: Scandalous Worship

This Sunday's Scripture Readings

See how much the Father has loved us! His love is so great that we are called God's children… 1 John 3:1a (NRSV)

John could boldly make this claim because of Jesus. The religious elite of Jesus’ day had constructed elaborate walls that excluded those deemed outsiders, unclean, or unworthy from access to God. They were excluded from both Synagogue and Temple worship. They were excluded from upstanding society. But Jesus came along and started busting down those walls. Jesus welcomed outcasts (sinners) and ate with them. (Luke 15:2) Scandalous!

There is a powerful story of scandalous worship offered by a sinful woman found in Luke 7:36-50.

36 A Pharisee invited Jesus to have dinner with him, and Jesus went to his house and sat down to eat. 37 In that town was a woman who lived a sinful life. She heard that Jesus was eating in the Pharisee's house, so she brought an alabaster jar full of perfume 38 and stood behind Jesus, by his feet, crying and wetting his feet with her tears. Then she dried his feet with her hair, kissed them, and poured the perfume on them. Luke 7:36-38 (GNT)

It would have been common in those days for people to enter a home to hear a well known rabbi. The woman had heard that Jesus was going to be at this Pharisee’s house and was no doubt drawn there by Jesus’ reputation for accepting people like her. Although the Pharisee was probably bothered by her presence in his home, he did not prevent her or anyone else from coming in to hear Jesus. However, he surely kept a close eye on her to make sure that she was kept in her place as an outsider. Probably as she listened to Jesus speak, she was overcome by His openness and acceptance. She, for once, did not feel hostility, but hospitality. As a result, as she stood by Jesus she began to weep and I imagine big tears fell creating small blotches of mud on Jesus’ dusty feet. Her heart swelling with love and gratitude, she then dried His feet, kissed them, and poured perfume on them. Kissing of the feet was, in no way an erotic act but an expression of reverence.

But this woman was most likely a prostitute and as such an outcast. “Respectable” people would not associate with her, let alone allow themselves to be touched by her. She was unclean and to be touched by her would make the person touched unclean as well. Notice the Pharisee’s reaction.

When the Pharisee saw this, he said to himself, "If this man really were a prophet, he would know who this woman is who is touching him; he would know what kind of sinful life she lives!" Luke 7:39 (GNT)

Of course Jesus knew what kind of woman she was. Jesus would have also known the kind of bad news injustice that trapped this woman in her “sin.” Perhaps she, like most prostitutes of her day, were faced with the choice of selling their bodies or starving (and watching their children starve). It would not be surprising if there were upstanding men in that same room who might have been secret customers of this woman. Yes, Jesus knew what kind of a woman she was. In fact He knew what kind of people everyone in the room were. Yet there was one person in the room who showed great love and worship. It wasn’t the “saints” in the room. It was the “sinner” who offered worthy worship as scandalous as it might have been to the onlookers.

How do we feel about scandalous acts of worship in our own houses of worship? I wonder if we are ever like the Pharisee, who in the presence of Christ, offers little but is scandalized by the “sinner” who dares to pour out his or her best effort to express Him honest love. I’m talking raised eyebrows when someone who doesn’t fit the perception of a worthy worshiper attempts to offer or even lead others in offering honest worship. Thoughts start rushing through the heads of Pharisees. “Wait, but that person is living in sin. How could they possibly lead me in worship?” But in that Pharisee's house that day, the sinful woman was the example of worthy worship. She was the worship leader.

The fact of the matter is that none of us are “worthy worship leaders.” In that Pharisee's home that day was assembled a group of sinners. One of them was a well known sinner. Some were secret sinners whose sins were only known to themselves. Some were sinners but had forgotten it. Jesus knew the heart of each one and told a story to remind everyone of what is most important in worship.

40 Jesus spoke up and said to him, "Simon, I have something to tell you." "Yes, Teacher," he said, "tell me." 41 "There were two men who owed money to a moneylender," Jesus began. "One owed him five hundred silver coins, and the other owed him fifty. 42 Neither of them could pay him back, so he canceled the debts of both. Which one, then, will love him more?" 43 "I suppose," answered Simon, "that it would be the one who was forgiven more." "You are right," said Jesus. 44 Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I came into your home, and you gave me no water for my feet, but she has washed my feet with her tears and dried them with her hair. 45 You did not welcome me with a kiss, but she has not stopped kissing my feet since I came. 46 You provided no olive oil for my head, but she has covered my feet with perfume. 47 I tell you, then, the great love she has shown proves that her many sins have been forgiven. But whoever has been forgiven little shows only a little love." 48 Then Jesus said to the woman, "Your sins are forgiven.” Luke 7:40-48 (GNT)

Two words come to mind here; hospitality and gratitude. Simon, the Pharisee failed to show proper hospitality because he failed to comprehend the hospitality that was offered by his most important guest that day. After all, he did not need acceptance from Jesus. He was a respectable religious elite. He had spent so long showing everyone how perfect he was that he began to believe it himself. He had no need for forgiveness and thus had no gratitude for the grace extended. The woman, on the other hand, was accepted and forgiven by no one except by Jesus, and as a result she realized for the first time in her life that she was accepted by God. She experienced the Good News and she was overcome with gratitude.

How do we approach worship? Do we approach it as religious elites who have got the rules and rituals all figured out and thus possess the status of worthy worshipers? Or do we approach the worship setting as sinners overwhelmed with gratitude for the hospitality given us? The real scandal of worship is not when people who don’t have their lives all together offer God their hearts in the best and most honest way that they can. It is when those of us who know the acceptable rules and rituals of church worship fail to appreciate the hospitality of God given to us through Jesus Christ. When we fail in this area, we will always fail to be hospitable to others. We will find ourselves judging the worthiness of other worshipers rather than focusing on the worthiness of the One Who is worthy.

2nd Sunday of Easter: Kinship

How very good and pleasant it is when kindred live together in unity! Psalm 133:1 (NRSV)

Who are the kindred? In the past and still in many cultures today, your kindred group is dictated by your birth. But in our culture, we often have more freedom to choose our kindred. And who do we usually choose? Those we like. Those with whom we easily relate. Those who "get us" and those "we get."

But I think one reason God invented the Church was to afford us an opportunity to come into kinship with those who we don't get, those to whom we may not choose to associate, and those who don't get us. You see, we all have something in common. That is that God desires kinship with me as much as He desires kinship with the person I can't even begin to imagine being in kinship with. Therefore, we have much more in common with each other than we would probably like to think. Why then do we continue to be snobs? Why then do churches tend to be hotbeds of snobbery? Before you deflect by wholeheartedly agreeing with me, stop and look in the mirror. I know that when I take an honest look at myself, I have a snobby attitude with some people. Of course, I do a good job hiding that fact, especially at church. But the fact of the matter is that my heart has a long way to go when it comes to understanding the kind of kinship that God offers each of us the same. It has even farther to go when it comes to learning how to drop my snobby attitudes so that I can be in true kinship with others. Kyrie Eleison!

I know that I need to keep moving into the light of God. God's light is truth and grace. Only God has perfect truth and offers perfect grace. He sees all of the truth about us yet offers us infinite compassion and grace. He offers us kinship. When I choose to stay in the shadows, I imagine that what I am seeing about others is the truth. I get judgmental as if I can see into a heart. Being judgmental is snobbery. Grace is not extended. I am up here and you, who I judge, is down there. I am in the right, you are in the wrong. I think I am enlightened and you need to be enlightened. No! What we all need is to be enlightened by the pure light of God's truth and grace. When we stand there, we understand that we are all on equal ground before the cross. We leave judgment up to the One who has the ability to judge but who made a way for mercy to triumph over justice. We allow the light of God's truth and grace to shine into our own hearts. When we all begin to step into that light, we begin to have true fellowship with one another.

This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light and in him there is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him while we are walking in darkness, we lie and do not do what is true; but if we walk in the light as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. 1 John 1:5-7 (NRSV)

What fellowship is there between light and darkness? Our fellowship with one another happens when we step out of the darkness of our own faulty judgment of one another and into the light of God's truth and grace.

Father Gregory Boyle, founder of Homeboy Industries in the Boyle Heights area of Los Angeles (pictured above), speaks of kinship in the video link below. His actual talk is about an hour long, but it is an hour well spent. I promise! (You can scroll past the first 5 minutes of introduction and the last 15 minutes is Q&A which can also be skipped). I highly encourage you to watch and listen. Alert! He does use some colorful language, so you might not want to listen with kids around.

Father Boyle - Tattoos on the Heart: Lessons from the Barrio

5th Sunday of Lent: Germination

Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. John 12:24 (NRSV)

Jesus uses these words to describe his own impending death and resurrection. But He also uses them to describe what happens to His true followers as well. A seed stays a mere seed unless something happens to it. It must cease to exist as a seed. It must germinate.

Seeds that germinate grow into mature plants. Mature plants yield fruit of some sort. Saint Paul gives us an idea of the fruit that a mature follower of Christ will produce.

...the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Galatians 5:22 (NRSV)

There are three things a seed needs in order to germinate; water, oxygen, and the right temperature. In the same way, we must be immersed in the life of the Holy Trinity in order to germinate and grow into maturity.

Jesus, the Water of Life
In order for a seed to germinate it must start taking in water. Jesus said, "Let anyone who is thirsty come to me, and let the one who believes in me drink." John 7:37-38 (NRSV) The grace that is ours through faith in Jesus Christ is the water we need.

Holy Spirit, the Oxygen
Oxygen is needed by the seed for aerobic respiration which is a seedlings main source of energy until it grows leaves. Jesus said, The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit." John 3:8 (NRSV) Healthy seedlings need to be in an environment where oxygen is not stifled. If seeds are buried in soil that is too deep or dense, there are not enough air pores for it to get the oxygen that it needs. As a result it will not germinate. We need atmospheres where the Holy Spirit is free to move as He will in our lives in order to grow to spiritual maturity.

Father, the Heat
Seeds need to be at the right temperature to germinate. Here in Southern California we have chaparral that depends on fire in the ecosystem for seeds to germinate. The extreme heat from fire cracks the hard shell of the seed allowing its potential to emerge. "For the Lord disciplines those whom he loves, and chastises every child whom he accepts." Hebrews 12:6 (NRSV) We tend to think of discipline as punishment. Although discipline can involve punishment at times, its purpose is to train a person. The goal of God's discipline is to bring us into alignment with the character of Jesus. In order for that to happen, our loving Father must turn up the heat at times.

Corporate worship brings us into the life of the Trinity. Traditional Christian liturgy begins with, "In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit" and ends with, "Go in the blessing of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit." Healthy corporate worship provides both structure and freedom that brings us into contact with God's grace, allows the Holy Spirit to move freely, and even allows God to turn up the heat on us.

It is this third aspect that I think is often missing in typical American churches. Recently I read a blog by someone who was complaining about another person who was making them feel uncomfortable during worship. I respect this person because she basically is honest enough to say what a lot of other people would like to say but just won't. However, she also said something that made me take note. She said something to the effect of, "I should be able to go to church without others making me feel uncomfortable."

I tend to think that is the typical American attitude about our corporate worship. I know it can be my attitude more often than not. We don't want an environment where the heat may be turned up on us. We tend to over plan our services so that we control all of the variable so that nothing awkward happens. We want music that fits our taste, a sermon that I will agree with but won't challenge, and everything neatly packaged so we know what to expect. We also tend to like to stay in our little bubbles at church where we are not exposed to anyone who we don't like, is different, or basically makes us uncomfortable. We never stop to think that perhaps God might have put those "thorns" in the congregation for a reason. It might be a way of turning up the heat on us a bit. Recently another worship leader told me about 9 homeless people who showed up by invitation one Sunday at his church and how uncomfortable and cold the congregation was toward them. How about the smelly homeless guy who comes in and plops down beside you? For me, my thorn is the conservative fundamentalist guy who always seems to catch me at the door to say something theological that I disagree with or political that is going to tick me off. The heat starts rising... "Help me Lord, I need patience!" "Help me Lord, my mouth needs some self control right about now!" "Help me Lord to be gentle and kind." "Help me Lord to know that you love this person who is ticking me off. Help me to love Him the way you do."

I need grace. I need the life giving power of the Holy Spirit. I need the heat to crack open the tough shell of my heart so that love in the form of patience, self control, kindness, and gentleness can begin to grow. I need the discomfort of worshiping in a diverse Body!