Marks of Resurrection

Lectionary Scripture: 1 John 3:16-24

"All who hate a brother or sister are murderers, and you know that murderers do not have eternal life abiding in them."

This is the verse immediately preceding today's reading.  It refers to Cain murdering his brother Abel and makes the jump that hate equals murder.

This is a tough scripture and John juxtapositions it with the love that Jesus has for us.  Rather than taking life, Jesus lays down his life for us.  I'm reminded of Thomas asking to see the marks in his hands and side.  These places of wounding mark Jesus as authentic in his eyes.  Thomas may have even seen the wounds inflicted from a distance.  

They become marks of resurrection in the risen Lord.

Sometimes we have our own marks.   If we are in relationship, we usually gain scars along the way.  Most relationships require us to forgive somewhere or they would have already ended.  There are likely also places we can recall where others had to forgive us as well!

Some places are trickier
to move into than others.

In order to be sincere, our love must take some kind of action.  We can talk a good game but when push comes to shove, we've got to show up.  I can remember being newlyweds headed to graduate school together.  Sheryl and I arrived in Atlanta with our U-Haul full of all our belongings.  We had to park it on a hill and our apartment was then on the second floor - who doesn't want to help move furniture up stairs?

Our neighbors could have hidden in their apartment - but they helped us move our junk up the stairs.  Luckily we didn't have a couch with a hide-a-bed in it.  But it was still a lot of work.

Later, we tried to help others move when the opportunity arose.  I remember one neighbor in particular that we helped move (he had a lot of stuff) and when it came time to help us, he was nowhere to be found.  Sometimes this happens and we may even feel a little used.  

But if love becomes transactional, we may start looking for more gain than what we put into it.  This is a recipe for becoming a user in a relationship rather than a giver.

The example of Jesus is that we give and do not count the cost.  While we may end up giving more than receiving, I don't think this is really true.  If I try to take advantage of someone, I find myself diminished rather than enriched.  It's strange how life works that way!  It may be that we need to consider the people we have forgiven as our own marks of resurrection.

I hope you'll join us as we continue to explore this theme on Sunday.  We'll gather online as always although this will be our last preproduced Sunday before we go back to live-streaming.  We meet in the sanctuary at 8:30 and 11 am and have an outdoor service at 9:45 am (featuring our band).  This Sunday, we will be confirming (finally) our 2020 class of youth at the outdoor service if you would like to support them (but you'll need to bring a blanket or lawn chair).  I'm looking forward to a wonderful Sunday and this will be my first one fully vaccinated!

In Christ,

Sam

Photo by Jacob Wolman via Flickr.com.  Used under the Creative Commons license.

All scripture quoted is from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

But You're Still A Bigger Sinner Than I Am

Lectionary Reading: 1 John 1-2:2

One of the things (among many) that I will miss about preaching in a single church setting will be the ability to look at one book of the Bible over many Sundays.  If you've followed my lectionary devotions, you can tell that I enjoy exploring the various themes that the authors project across an entire work.

I believe that the individual books of the Bible are richer when we can ingest them as a whole.

That being said, I will enjoy looking at the first letter of John over the Easter season which will carry through seven Sundays ending with May 16.  My series is entitled, "Abiding in the Resurrection" and we'll explore how our lives are influenced by our resurrection faith.

Is there less judgment if 
this is part of a contest?

This letter is actually more of a sermon or essay rather than an epistle.  Scholars think that it was written after John's Gospel and likely from a different author.  The targeted audience was dealing with church schism and were likely experiencing a variety of teaching - some of which questioned the physical presence of Jesus in the flesh at any time in his life (not just post-resurrection).  Of course, the physical presence is important to our theology of God knowing our short-comings and difficulties as mortals.

Evidently, some of these false teachers were claiming to be without sin.  This is a judgmental attitude that also belies the ability to relate to others.  Rather than approaching one another with humility, as if we are on a level playing field, we may look down upon those whom we feel are spiritually inferior to us.  So the author whom I'll refer to as John reminds us that a person making this claim is a liar which, of course, is a sin!

The need to place ourselves above our peers is part of the human condition.  It doesn't seem to be a part of what God calls us to be but that hasn't kept people from engaging in this behavior throughout Christian history.  And while some might begrudgingly admit to past sins, we might like to rank ourselves as less odious in God's eyes!

This Sunday, I hope that you'll join us for worship as we continue to explore this theme.  We'll gather in the sanctuary at 8:30 and 11 am and we'll also gather outside at 9:45 am across the street next to the Wesley Foundation building on the lawn.  We appreciate everyone signing in prior to the service for reservations!  We'll also continue to offer the safest option which is online worship via YouTube or Facebook!

I look forward engaging with you in one way or another on Sunday!

In Christ,

Sam

Photo by opus moreschi via Flickr.com.  Used under the Creative Commons license.

All scripture quoted is from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Daily Devotion for Easter 2021

Scripture Reading: Philemon

I've enjoyed working through the earliest letters of Paul starting with 1st Thessalonians and then moving to Galatians and then ending with 1st and 2nd Corinthians.  Of course, there is always debate over which was the earliest and how we might ascribe a chronology to the epistles.  But this particular order worked out to cover each of these four letters by looking at one chapter each of the forty days of Lent.  

While I didn't cover Sundays this year, I usually wrap up the series on Easter Sunday and so I thought I would look at Philemon on Easter since some scholars place it next in order.  The fact that it was only a chapter seemed to lend credence to this idea as well!

How are broken shackles an
image of the resurrection?

As we look at Philemon, it definitely has some important themes of resurrection which coincides well with Easter.  Paul is writing to Philemon who is likely a member of the church at Colossae with a rather specific request in the faith.  It seems that Philemon's slave Onesimus has made his way to Paul and become a Christian.  Paul is sending Onesimus back with the instruction that he would no longer be a slave but a brother in Christ.  

Here Paul is asking Philemon to put the theory of Galatians 3:28, "there is no longer slave or free...for all of you are one in Christ Jesus" into practice.

Paul is willing to cover any cost but also emphasizes Philemon's own debt to him by stating, "I say nothing about your owing me even your own self."

And in case Philemon is having other thoughts about how he will treat Onesimus, Paul lets him know that he's going to be coming for a visit.  He doesn't state explicitly that things better go the way he has laid them out but it is pretty easy to read between the lines!

As we consider a living resurrection faith on Easter Sunday, Paul's letter to Philemon shows us practical value.  Our idea of a risen Lord is put into reality when we conform to his teachings and find our own freedom in bringing love and respect to places in the world where they are absent.  

Onesimus finds resurrection in his own physical freedom - he is no longer a slave.  

Philemon finds resurrection in granting freedom to Onesimus and seeing him as a brother in Christ.

Paul finds resurrection in the guidelines he lays out - they were surely followed or this letter would have been destroyed rather than copied!

How is resurrection present in your life today?  Where might you add life to the world around you?

Prayer for the day:

Living Lord, we know in our hearts how we should treat others.  But often our heads justify lesser behavior.  As we celebrate Jesus risen from the dead, this reminds us that suffering and cruelty are not the final word.  Help us to see that our participation in them is a denial to the resurrection faith that we claim.  May you rise again in our lives so that our actions might reflect resurrection for all.  We pray these things in the name of the risen Christ.  Amen.

Photo by GPS via Flickr.com.  Used under the Creative Commons license.

All scripture quoted is from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Daily Devotion for Lent 2021 - Day 26

Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 15

We have lots of ways that we tell
about the Resurrection.

Paul moves into his theology of the Resurrection in this chapter and we see the earliest known writings about the risen Christ.  He recounts the resurrection stories in verses 3-7, giving scant details.  He merely references the post-crucifixion appearances that must have been expounded upon when he was with them last.  

We have more than one story in the Gospels of Jesus' appearance to Peter (Cephas) and the twelve.  We also have multiple accounts in the Book of Acts of Paul's encounter with the risen Lord as well as from his own words in Galatians.  The appearance to the 500+ is unknown although some scholars have postulated that this may be the story of Pentecost where 3000 people were baptized.  

We don't have any stories about his appearance to his brother James and this would be helpful as James seems to have become the head of the church in Jerusalem.  The earliest stories of Jesus' family have them trying to rein him in as seen in Mark 3:19b-21:

Then he went home; and the crowd came together again, so that they could not even eat.  When his family heard it, they went out to restrain him, for people were saying, “He has gone out of his mind.”

A few verses later, we have this encounter in 31-35:

Then his mother and his brothers came; and standing outside, they sent to him and called him.  A crowd was sitting around him; and they said to him, “Your mother and your brothers and sisters are outside, asking for you.”  And he replied, “Who are my mother and my brothers?”  And looking at those who sat around him, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers!  Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.” 

Neither of these stories would be seen as favorable to any of Jesus' biological family as heirs to Christian leadership.  If Mark was indeed a disciple of Paul's, it may be that these accounts would solidify the authority of those outside his genetic brothers.  It is not that he would have made them up - anyone with a family would have stories of conflict among the family - and these are not terrible and would not prevent James from leadership.  But there may have also been favorable stories between Jesus and James that didn't get written into the gospels.

The fact that we have these accounts about James and then see his own rise to authority in the church allow us to further understand the power of the resurrection.  

As you think about your own family, are there your own stories of conflict among siblings or others?  Can we put on imperishability and offer grace?

As Paul writes, "Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."

Prayer for the day:

Gracious God, we read Paul's words about the resurrection and the life to come and we may have more questions than answers.  Help us to trust in you.  May we be steadfast and immovable.  Let us always excel in the work of the Lord and see that our labor is not in vain.  We pray these things in the risen Christ.  Amen.

Photo by James_Seattle via Flickr.com.  Used under the Creative Commons license.

All scripture quoted is from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Daily Devotion for Lent 2021 - Day 12

Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 1 (NRSV)

This letter was written by Paul possibly around 54 AD from Ephesus.  Corinth was a center of trade and had a substantial Jewish population.  It had a wide variety of religious practices as it had ports on the east and the west being situated on an isthmus.

We are seeing division plaguing the early church community there.  Could there have been as many as four factions already springing up as one could infer from verse twelve?  People will often major in the minors in my experience.  We may tend to focus on the miniscule because this is often easier to deal with than the larger issues.

That mole hill will take all day to climb!

Paul reminds them that even Baptism is subservient to the message of the cross.

Christians try to live their
lives in the shadow of the
cross and all that brings.

Baptism should be a reminder of dying with Christ.  In immersion, the symbolism of being put in the ground and rising again is clear.  This proclamation of death would seem foolish to many of the day.  The wisdom of the Greeks would be present in any number of Corinthian teachers.  Paul seems to be saying that the cross is standing against this wisdom.

The cross is a stumbling block to Jewish Corinthians because it seems to be the antithesis of who the Messiah was thought to be.  It is foolishness to Gentiles because it counters the lofty nature of the present rulers of the day.  Power and riches held our imagination more easily than suffering and death.  As we fast forward to the 21st century, has anything changed?

To lift up a suffering servant seems foolish.  And yet, in Christ, we seem to proclaim that the real foolishness revolves around the fantasy that power and riches create life.  Is power lasting?  If your wealth is tied into the stock market, it can also be fleeting and seemingly random.  But death comes to all of us.

And in Christ, we find that resurrection overcomes death - the good news!  It is a proclamation of life even to those that are suffering.  We find that in Christ, our suffering is temporary.

In the midst of these larger truths, is it any wonder that Paul sees their divisions as getting side-tracked?  For if we loved one another as Christ loves us, we would see the larger ministry of life.

Am I willing to die to the self?  Can I lift up my neighbor - especially those who are suffering?  Can I offer them life in Christ?  What would this do to divisions that seem to loom so large?

It may be that I need a little perspective.  I think this is what Paul is trying to give us.

Prayer for the Day:

God of us all, how do you see us?  Do you relish in our differences?  Do you find them silly?  When we contemplate the mystery of death... when we grieve one we love... our differences don't seem so large.  Help us to place the things we debate in the shadow of the cross.  May this remind us of the life available to all people.  We pray these things in Jesus' name.  Amen.

Photo by Jay Hsu via Flickr.com.  Used under the Creative Commons license.

All scripture quoted is from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Reactions against the System

Scripture Reading: John 13:1-5 (NRSV)

I was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, just months after the assassinations of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy within the United States.  Although Minnesota had less diversity than it does today, there was still racial tension that touched our family.  This is to say that the current crisis was not born overnight.

I preached on May 17th a sermon detailing some of the history of racial injustice in our country.  As we find ourselves embroiled with protests surrounding the treatment of African-Americans in our nation, there are many people who don't know what to think.  Certainly, the murder of George Floyd on May 25th was horrific.  And it comes after other recent well-documented racist crimes in our country.

As I mentioned in the sermon, I believe that the tension of the coronavirus keeps us from observing our normal boundaries.  When human beings are under anxiety, they are often not on their best behavior.  If a person has racist tendencies, these may not come into play during a normal day.  But if there is undo stress in their lives, a racist act may be perpetrated.  This doesn't excuse or validate any act of racial injustice or violence.  It simply helps us understand why we may have been seeing these more frequently.

It is the same reason you are more likely to see signs of domestic abuse during times of stress.

As we look at family systems theory, we remember that all systems seek balance or homeostasis.  This balance can be healthy or unhealthy.  As we look at racial disparity in our country, we can see that it didn't just crop up overnight.  We have seen a slow arc toward equality for African-Americans in the United States.  The laws we have passed have helped to remind us of the equality needed.  But unfortunately, laws can have little teeth if they are not embraced by the majority in specific locations.

So it should be no surprise that we have a ways to go with regards to racial justice.  Many in the white community acknowledge that our country has a problem with racism but find the rioting, vandalism and looting that may accompany protesting dulls their appetite for justice regarding race.  It may be important to see these more troublesome aspects as a consequence of injustice.  Think of a boiling pot untended.

And just as a person under stress may act upon racist tendencies where they would normally observe boundaries, we can see the same anxiety move a person pushed to the edge to lash out.  If a person feels that there is no hope, they may want to burn it all down.  Then they feel that we are now on the same playing field.

As Christians, how do we respond?  

Within John's Gospel referenced above, we remember Jesus washing the feet of his disciples who would not be seen in his day as his equals.  He then invites us to keep this mentality regarding the rest of the world.  Jesus specifically gives us the new commandment,    

"Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another."  (John 13:34b)

This doesn't mean that we allow violence to take place indiscriminately in response to the hopelessness and rage of the situation.  Rather, it means that we take the stance that we prevent the inequalities from happening and continuing in the first place.  We seek understanding and follow it with compassion seeking to bring lasting change for the better.

In this Christians seek God's will to be done on earth as it is in heaven.

We haven't always followed through with this if we are to be honest with ourselves.

The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in his "Letter from Birmingham Jail" wrote in 1963, 

"I must confess that over the last few years I have been gravely disappointed with the white moderate. I have almost reached the regrettable conclusion that the Negro's great stumbling block in the stride toward freedom is not the White Citizens Councillor or the Ku Klux Klanner but the white moderate who is more devoted to order than to justice; who prefers a negative peace which is the absence of tension to a positive peace which is the presence of justice; who constantly says, "I agree with you in the goal you seek, but I can't agree with your methods of direct action"; who paternalistically feels that he can set the timetable for another man's freedom; who lives by the myth of time; and who constantly advises the Negro to wait until a "more convenient season." Shallow understanding from people of good will is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill will. Lukewarm acceptance is much more bewildering than outright rejection."

White leadership is often quick to quote Dr. King, acknowledging him as someone they respect and admire.  I read these words and they sting my pride because I have also remained silent perhaps too many times when an injustice didn't interfere with my own comfort.  I hope to never utilize Dr. King's words or movement to keep intact the status quo if the norm that I want to maintain is unjust.

I don't think keeping some people disadvantaged economically or maintaining different access to the rights guaranteed by our Constitution is the way to serve our neighbors.  It is not American and it is certainly not Christian.  

But we are a resurrection people.  This allows us to find and offer forgiveness to one another.  This allows us to move beyond repentance and on to reconciliation.  May it be so for us this day and every day.

Let us pray:

O Holy God, open unto me light for my darkness, courage for my fear, hope for my despair.

O loving God, open unto me wisdom for my confusion, forgiveness for my sins, love for my hate.

O God of peace, open unto me peace for my turmoil, joy for my sorrow, strength for my weakness.

O generous God, open my heart to receive all your gifts.  Amen.

Prayer by Howard Thurman, Civil Rights leader, 20th Century

Photo by David Geitgey Sierralupe via Flickr.com.  Used under the Creative Commons license.

All scripture quoted is from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Witnesses to the Ends of the Earth

Seventh Sunday of Easter

Lectionary Reading: Acts 1:6-14 (NRSV)

We have kind of a holdover for Acts from the day recognizing the Ascension of the Lord which is May 21st this year.  This is always recognized on the fortieth day of Easter.

It seems strange that it has been forty days since Easter because all of that time (and some prior to it) has been spent in social isolation from one another.

I was scheduled to go to General Conference as a delegate earlier this month but that has been pushed to an as-yet undetermined time in 2021.

While most Americans recognize this Sunday as part of Memorial Day weekend, clergy families in the Oklahoma Conference of The United Methodist Church recognize this as the Sunday before Annual Conference starts.  Last year we got to celebrate Trey's ordination at this event.  Now our Annual Conference has been pushed back to June 20th (which will probably be held online) with some additional days possibly coming in November.  At this point, Trey is glad that his ordination wasn't scheduled for 2020 since we're not sure when that service will occur.

Our Jurisdictional Conference was scheduled for July but was also canceled.  We're not sure when we will gather.  We elect bishops at this conference and we have three that would like to retire this summer.

Oh, and our local church also hasn't been meeting for worship in a physical location although the Holy Spirit joins us together as we share online with one another.  Some are wondering, when are we ever going to meet again in our sanctuary?  Others are thinking, even if they open up again, I'm not going to chance it yet.

Governor Stitt has allowed churches to begin meeting again for Sunday worship since May 3rd.  Some have asked the question, "Why are we waiting?  There are other churches that are already meeting."  Our Annual Conference has asked us to wait until June 7th to meet and only after a long list of guidelines are met.

It may be a while before we get to publicly engage in this manor.
But to be fair, some introverts may think "Passing of the Peace"
looks like this each Sunday!

We are having lots of conversations on how we can meet again safely.  We are fortunate that Oklahoma has not suffered the caseload of other states.  It's likely that our population's low density has been working in our favor.  Still, we have church members that have lost loved ones and we recognize that the danger is real.  Even though it is less likely to become sick in Oklahoma as it would be in New York, we are still cautious because of the possibilities.

As the Senior Pastor, I would hate to re-open our campus for worship too early and end up officiating at the funeral of a member we infected.  And yes, I recognize that people are capable of making their own decisions and taking their own risks but my pastoral care sensibilities tend to look for the maximum care of the congregation.  United Methodists have been taught to observe Wesley's General Rule, "Do No Harm."

At this point for Edmond, we are looking toward Father's Day on Sunday, June 21st to begin to worship in person again.  Conversations have led us to the Christian Activity Center and possibly Wesley Hall rather than the sanctuary for our initial gathering.  In-person gatherings such as Sunday school will probably be longer in coming.  Nursery and children's church will not be available at the beginning.  Hymn singing may also be suspended.  We may be able to offer a sooner timeline for Guthrie since there are less people and will communicate when we know.

Fortunately, we will continue to offer worship online.  This has been a blessing and we have reached people (including members who have moved away) across the United States and beyond.  It is encouraging to see the comments and reactions in our Facebook feed each week.  I've heard others tell me this helps them to feel connected.  The online portion of our reach truly allows us to engage in the command of Jesus to the disciples in this week's reading where he tells them "you will be my witnesses...to the ends of the earth."  So while we wait to meet in person, your connection to your church has allowed you to give courage and lift the spirits of many beyond our normal reach.

This Sunday, we will continue to consider this wonderful passage and the responsibility of being a witness to our faith.  Our ability to witness has changed and like all change, there are usually positives and negatives.  We tend to see the negatives first as with any change but I am reminded that the Easter season is all about resurrection.   And so in the midst of all this response to the pandemic, how is God doing a new thing with you?

In Christ,

Sam

Photo by Erling A via Flickr.com.  Used under the Creative Commons license.

The Spirit of Truth

Sixth Sunday of Easter

Lectionary Reading: John 14:15-21 (NRSV)

These verses appear in the Farewell Discourse of Jesus within John's Gospel.  Much of chapter 14 is featured in readings at funerals and within Sunday's passage, verses 18-19 may sound familiar:

“I will not leave you orphaned; I am coming to you.  In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me; because I live, you also will live."

This is likely featured during the Easter season because Jesus projects the resurrection onto not only himself but his followers as well.  We also see a projection into Pentecost as Jesus lifts up the Holy Spirit as an Advocate.  Sharp divides are made between the world and the Christian community.  This doesn't mean that non-Christians can't come to the faith.  Rather, it speaks of a distinction in world-views. 

Those who follow Jesus have a difference in how they see. God's reality varies from the world's reality.  Ultimately, this has to do with what is valued.  Jesus ties this to love.  If we love Jesus, we will keep his commandments.  This allows us to dwell in the Spirit.

So which commandments are we supposed to keep?  Are there some that we should pay more attention to than others?

Within the Gospel of John, we see that Jesus has just lifted up the new commandment in the previous chapter in verse 34:

I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another.

The context of this love is that Jesus has just washed his disciples' feet.  This servant leadership is not the leadership of the world.  The world's leadership in that day climbed high so that they could have others wash their feet.  Let the less appealing duties be done by lower castes!  Not much has changed in that regard.  But we have made strides toward the equality that Jesus implies.

Wearing a mask in public epitomizes
the new commandment because not
everyone is equally resistant.

The truth of the equality of humanity was dimmer in the first century than it is today.  This Christian value has infused itself in the worldview which is a blessing.  But in many ways, there is still a struggle to maintain what we have accomplished.  Genocide still occurs in the world today.  Racial injustice still occurs in our country recently highlighted by Ahmaud Arbery's murder or Dameon Shephard's encounter at his own home with an armed mob.

So how does the Spirit of truth of which Jesus speaks shine forth in the world today?  Is the world capable of hearing it?  I think it is.  But I think it is slow to do so.  And I think that sometimes I can't hear it because the volume of the world is up so high.  But we do recognize that what we are told is truth is not always consistent with the Spirit of truth. 

Worship reminds us to turn down the volume of the world so that we can hear what our Advocate may be trying to say.  I hope you'll continue to join us online as we worship together.  YouTube is featured on many smart televisions today.  Facebook can be accessed through the Edmond and Guthrie sites.  We go live on Sundays at 11 am but you can worship at your own time if you prefer.  And unlike being there in person, you have the ability to mute the pastor!  I've heard from lots of people that they appreciate your comments on Facebook so they feel connected to the congregation.  I would encourage you to share a comment on either medium so that you impact others worshiping as well. 

Blessings to you and know that our staff continues to pray for your safety and recovery during this time.

In Christ,

Sam

Photo by Umpqua via Flickr.com.  Used under the Creative Commons license.

All scripture quoted is from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

The Thanksgiving Sacrifice

Third Sunday of Easter

Lectionary Reading: Psalm 116:1-4, 12-19 (NRSV)

This particular Psalm was evidently selected during the Easter season because one could easily interpret the selected verses as read from the perspective of the resurrected Jesus.

When we read, "The snares of death encompassed me", we would no longer see it as metaphorical but actual.  Jesus did, in fact, die.

And when we see the Psalmist say, “O Lord, I pray, save my life!”, we remember how Jesus prayed in Mark 14:36 in the Garden of Gethsemane, “Abba, Father, for you all things are possible; remove this cup from me; yet, not what I want, but what you want.”

If we hear Jesus' voice in this Psalm, one cannot help but equate his mother Mary with the "serving girl" mentioned in verse 16.  It is Mary's very words from Luke 1:38 which state, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.”

So just as we see the risen Christ within these verses, we may also find them as verses that resonate with our lives as we go through the pain of isolation.

What does this do to people psychologically and

spiritually when we are created for community?

What stands out to me is the idea in verse 17 of offering a thanksgiving sacrifice.  This was done liturgically in the temple and the rules for such are lined out in Leviticus 7:11-18.  For modern American worshipers in the 21st century, our rituals surrounding thanksgiving usually occur around this named national holiday in the United States.  We also regularly offer praise and thanksgiving in worship through singing, litanies and corporate prayers.  We make an offering through our financial gifts that is hopefully done out of thanksgiving for all that we have received!

But what does it mean to express thankfulness itself as an offering?  And if we seek to be grateful when all around us is chaos, is this a sacrifice on our behalf?  Can I afford to part with my grief over all that I've lost?  Is it too much to look for resurrection or is this merely glossing over a deeper pain that will fester if I don't tend to it?  But if I tend to a wound too long, will it ever heal?

I hope to address these questions as we further examine this Psalm in worship on Sunday.  Plan on joining us either Sunday at 11 am via Facebook or YouTube or at a time of your choosing!

In Christ,

Sam

Photo by Tim Dennell via Flickr.com.  Used under the Creative Commons license.

All scripture used from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Second Sunday of Easter - Year A

Lectionary Reading: 1 Peter 1:3-9 (NRSV)

The idea standing out for me in this Sunday's epistle reading is our spiritual inheritance that is a part of being in Christ.  Usually inheritance is considered in terms of material goods that we receive upon the death of our last living parent.  It can be cash accounts, stock or property such as homes or cars.  It may come from a life insurance settlement.

In the first century, inheritance meant that you had come into your own as the adult of the family.  It is your turn to call the shots.  Others may be looking to you for leadership.  At this point, you might have greater respect as the senior member of your family.  Your responsibility to those under you in the family hierarchy of the time would also rise.  Their fortunes and future depended on your decisions for how you utilized the resources at hand.

With COVID-19 targeting people over 60 as vulnerable, we have seen a great rise across the country in people tending to their wills and estates.  Our sense of duty in how we pass along our resources to the next generation becomes more prominent in our thoughts as we prepare for the worst while hoping for the best.  Lines of inheritance get especially tricky for those who have remarried after divorce or the death of a spouse and have children from the former marriages. 

Issues of inheritance can be difficult for the surviving children if things are not laid out clearly.  The affection between siblings can be damaged to the point where it is difficult to repair.  This is common to the human condition and even in Jesus' day we saw this in Luke 12:13-14:

Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the family inheritance with me.” But he said to him, “Friend, who set me to be a judge or arbitrator over you?”

Even Jesus wants to avoid the trap of coming between a family squabble!

The inheritance I receive and hope to pass on
in Christ is life after the cross.

If we think about the inheritance we pass along from a spiritual sense, it may be that our duty to our loved ones changes a bit.  As the markets show us, money comes and goes but spiritual discipline and awareness are resources that help us in any crisis that we face.  They certainly help us to move through uncertainty with a greater sense of confidence.

I find it interesting that the epistle speaks of inheritance as something we receive after we die.  Rather than waiting for our parents to pass on, we are the ones who inherit when we leave this earth.  The factor mentioned in providing for our inheritance is the resurrection of Jesus Christ.  While most of the atonement theories on how we receive our salvation involve the death of Jesus, we see here that it is the resurrection that seems to bear more weight.

What does it mean to focus more on the resurrection of Jesus rather than the sacrificial imagery of the cross?  How does this speak to us as we are in the grips of such wholesale change in our lives? 

I hope to continue to wrestle with this idea as we worship on Sunday and I would be happy to have you join me at 11 am CST (or some time after this) either on Facebook or YouTube!

In Christ,

Sam

Photo by Gabriel Acevedo via Flickr.com.  Used under the Creative Commons license.

All scripture quoted is from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Daily Devotion for Lent 2020 - Easter Sunday

Scripture Reading: Acts 28:23-31 (NRSV)

And here we see the journey complete.  We started out in the first chapter of Acts with the disciples receiving the mission to be witnesses of the resurrection of Jesus "to the ends of the earth."  As I mentioned yesterday, the establishment of the church in Rome becomes a launching place for the entirety of the Roman empire which was their known world at that time.

Paul was not one of those who initially receives this instruction but he discovers it as the story of the church unfolds.  We are reminded of the exponential nature of the Christian witness.  At some point, it is likely that one of the original apostles baptized Ananias who initially received Paul and baptized him. 

We see Paul continue with his witness to both Jews and Gentiles.  Even though he has continually found opposition (sometimes violent) within the Jewish populations, enough have evidently been convinced that he continues to pursue conversations with them. 

We do see his frustration as he quotes from Isaiah 6:9-10 as does Jesus in Matthew in 13:14-15.  But we find that this applies to all people.  There will always be people whether Jew or Christian that do not follow through with the teachings that are laid out before them.

It is fitting that we see Luke describing that Paul shares the gospel boldly and without hindrance.  We don't see anything about Paul's martyrdom in Rome.  There's not even any hint of it.  While some scholars think that there was a sequel in the works by Luke, I'm not sure that Luke doesn't end the story here as a nod to the resurrection.  All of us eventually die be that by violence such as Paul or by old age which is how we would prefer.  But Paul is never more alive here than when he is sharing the gospel in the capital city of the world in which he lived!

And on Easter Sunday, we remember that the resurrection does give us life!  It reminds us to look past our current troubles and to remember that all things renew.  We see God at work in bold as well as subtle ways that lift our spirits and restore our souls. 

As you are a beneficiary of the early work of the apostles, what witness will you bear to the resurrection faith?  How will your story be a part of the larger story of God in the world?  What lives will you touch in a positive way that will look back to you with thankfulness that your paths crossed?

It doesn't take large actions but rather a sense of transformation.  One that bids us to pay attention to those things that build up rather than tear down.  And in this, Christ is alive - in you, in me and in the world.

Prayer for the day:

Gracious God, through the cross, you recognize the frailty of humanity.
In raising Christ from the dead, you move past any limits of frailty and finality.
May we too be raised with Christ.
Free us from the hindrance of sin.
Move us in the Holy Spirit to the freedom of love,
that our very being would be born anew,
and that our witness would emerge from our identification with this marvelous resurrection faith!
Amen.

Photo by Peter Roome via Flickr.com.  Used under the Creative Commons license.

Daily Devotion for Lent 2020 - Day 32

Scripture Reading: Acts 23:1-22 (NRSV)

This is the third Ananias mentioned in Acts.  The first was struck dead in chapter 5 for not being honest in his gifts before God.  The second was the Christian who healed Paul of his blindness in chapter 9.  And now this Ananias was the high priest during the reigns of Claudius and Nero after being appointed by Herod Agrippa II in 48 CE.  He was later assassinated around 66 CE as reported by Jewish historian Josephus.

Paul's insult of him being a "whitewashed wall" is not well-known among scholars.  He may have been referring to a tomb which would have been unclean (not something a high priest would appreciate).  Matthew 23:27 mentions Jesus using similar language:

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which on the outside look beautiful, but inside they are full of the bones of the dead and of all kinds of filth."

This would make sense as we read Paul's letters.  He was not a man that was unable to stand up for himself.

When they call out Paul for his insolence toward the high priest, Paul claims ignorance as to this position and quotes Exodus 22:28:

 You shall not revile God, or curse a leader of your people. 

Americans look at cursing our leaders as a constitutional right!  United Methodists may forget that our own heritage from John Wesley included the General Rule of "Do No Harm."  Wesley specifically lines out (Paragraph 104 of the Discipline) that we should avoid "Uncharitable or unprofitable conversation; particularly speaking evil of magistrates or of ministers."  It wasn't profitable for Paul at the time (no matter how satisfying it might have been).

When Paul observes a division of the council, he quickly tries to move the antagonism from his own person to the issue of the resurrection.  He knows that he'll have allies in the Pharisees while at the same time verifying his enmity with the Sadducees.  It does seem to ramp them up but unfortunately, they come back around to Paul for their outlet.

A conspiracy arises that will end Paul's life with the involvement of not a small number of people.  Paul may have been one of those people you either loved or hated!  We see that he's comforted by another vision of the risen Jesus who indicates that he'll survive this encounter in order to testify in Rome. 

Then we see help come from an unexpected quarter.  Paul's own nephew learns of the attack and warns him.  We may be surprised to learn that Paul has a nephew (or a sister).  We don't find out either of their names and can only assume that the nephew was also a believer since he was close by to help out his uncle.  This is the only place they are referenced in scripture.  The tribune hears about the plan from Paul's nephew.  Since Paul is a Roman citizen, the tribune will be under stronger persuasion to keep this from happening under his watch.

Paul reminds us to bloom in the midst
of adversity.

When we see Paul's crisis, we see how God was moving to keep him continuing to witness until he got to Rome.  We know that Paul will eventually die in Rome but not before he can help the church there.  He composes his letter to the Romans prior to his visit.  Consequently, the whole church has been enriched by his actions (and the fact that he survives Jerusalem in today's reading).  How do we take comfort in God having more for us to do?  I think as we have long-term goals spiritually, this allows us to see past whatever current crisis we may be experiencing.

As we think about our own goals, it may be that you don't normally think about spiritual goals.  If you were to name an outwardly focused goal (your work with your neighbors) and an inwardly focused goal (your relationship with God), what would they be?

Prayer for the day:

Lord, we pray not for tranquility,
   nor that our tribulations may cease;
we pray for your spirit and your love,
   that you would grant us strength and grace to overcome adversity;
      through Jesus Christ.
Amen.

Prayer by Girolamo Savonarola, Dominican friar, Italy, 15th century

Photo by Dr. Wendy Longo via Flickr.com.  Used under the Creative Commons license.

All scripture quoted is from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Daily Devotion for Lent 2020 - Day 28

Scripture Reading: Acts 20:1-38 (NRSV)

Paul continues with his missionary journeys in today's reading.  We see that this movement is not his alone.  Lots of other new names surface that remind us that in order for the witness to have spread like it did, others embraced the message and shared it.  It is interesting the Luke resumes using "us" and "we" pronouns in verse five.  Some scholars conclude that Luke was involved personally in these journeys and becomes the biographer of the movement from first-hand experience.

We have the miraculous resurrection of Eutychus by Paul.  It is almost comical how he dies.  Paul's preaching has literally bored him to death!  This is why pews are low to the ground in today's sanctuaries.  I like how Luke understates their response in verse 12 by saying, "they...were not a little comforted."

Paul seems to begin his farewell tour.  He either has received some spiritual insight into his eventual martyrdom (likely beheaded in Rome circa 65 AD) or he realizes that his death is likely considering his recent track record.  This comes to light in verses 24-25:

But I do not count my life of any value to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the good news of God’s grace.
“And now I know that none of you, among whom I have gone about proclaiming the kingdom, will ever see my face again. 

While Paul is credited for the authorship of the letters to Timothy, many scholars believe that these came a generation after Paul and represent his school of thought.  Regardless, we see a similar sense of his own end recorded in 2 Timothy 4:6-8:

As for me, I am already being poured out as a libation, and the time of my departure has come.  I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.  From now on there is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have longed for his appearing.

Paul also warns his fellow Christians that they are not going to be spared of their own danger.  His flock metaphor along with wolves in verses 28-29 reminds us of the teachings of Jesus.  It especially sounds like Matthew 7:15 where Jesus states,

“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves."

Finally, Paul reminds them that he did not do this for any material gain.  We often quote Paul quoting Jesus in verse 35, "It is more blessed to give than to receive." This reminds us that there would have been a lot of oral tradition from Jesus that was not written down as this particular phrase is not found in the gospels.

Paul's own sense of duty and mission to God in Christ was crucial to the spread of Christianity.  He was not afraid to suffer or sacrifice on behalf of the gospel.  While we experience crisis - especially in isolation - we are tempted to distance ourselves emotionally as well as physically from those neighbors who may be suffering.  While the physical separation is important, it is vital that we remain connected spiritually to one another.  We are reminded from this passage that while Paul was separated physically from his followers, he continued to remain connected by the best means available in his day - letters.  So just as Paul attempted to give instruction and inspiration from a distance, how might we continue to connect from afar to buoy the spirits of others?  What good word would you have for someone today?

Prayer for the day:

O God, who is present to your people in every place,
mercifully hear our prayers for those we love who are now parted from us:
watch over them, we beseech you, and protect them from anxiety, danger and temptation;
and assure both them and us that you are always near,
and that we are one in you forever; 
through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

Prayer by Brooke Foss Westcott, Church of England, 19th Century  

All scripture quoted is from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Photo by Neil Moralee via Flickr.com.  Used under the Creative Commons license.

Daily Devotion for Lent 2020 - Day 24

Scripture Reading: Acts 17:1-34 (NRSV)

Paul's stay in Thessalonica doesn't seem to have been very fruitful from Luke's description but we know that a church was indeed planted there as we have two of Paul's letters to them.

The fact that Luke states that "the Jews became jealous" give us an idea that by Luke's time, we have seen a clear separation from Judaism.  Paul argues in the synagogue for three weeks over the scriptures.  He was giving them his Christian interpretation of how the Hebrew scriptures (Old Testament) point toward Jesus as the Messiah.  So we see that the first seeds Paul and his companions attempt to plant in new cities were among people holding to the Jewish faith.  It is not surprising that some would embrace this understanding while others would be more conservative in their thinking and reject this new way of understanding God's work in the world.

While Paul and Silas leave the conflict behind, there were believers that stayed behind and likely had a lot of persecution for maintaining in this new faith.  Paul says as much in 1 Thessalonians 1:6-8:

And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for in spite of persecution you received the word with joy inspired by the Holy Spirit, so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia. For the word of the Lord has sounded forth from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but in every place your faith in God has become known, so that we have no need to speak about it.

We see that in spite of persecution, the new believers have not only embraced the faith but have become witnesses to it.

The Porch of the Maidens in Athens shows
some of the artistic expression devoted
to religion in Paul's day.

Paul eventually ends up in Athens.  We see Christian "philosophy" on stage with Epicureanism and Stoicism.  We can see how these views would conflict while they also might share some commonalities.  Epicurus did not believe in life after death and so the resurrection would have seemed to be babbling as verse 18 states.  Stoicism looked for moral and intellectual achievement rather than emotional passions for happiness and may have appreciated some of the teachings of Jesus that Paul would have passed along.

Paul begins to intertwine his understanding of God within their current culture as he defines for them the "unknown god" that they are worshiping.  Rather than cast this down as pagan worship, he re-imagines that this is God whom they are already worshiping.  Later Wesleyans would identify this as Prevenient or Preceding Grace - where God is already present in the world prior to Paul's arrival or their knowledge of Christianity.

As we think about how we relate our faith to the world around us, it may be helpful for us to see where God is already at work in "secular" culture.  Adopting Paul's graciousness, "I see how extremely religious you are in every way," would be helpful.  When we point out the virtues of the people we see, we are more likely to create good-will than if we start off with judgments of where they are failing.

If you are to look at news of events in the world today, where do you see God's presence?  As we see the difficulties the coronavirus is causing, where do you see places where people are being selfless?  Finally, how can we allow God to work through our lives during all the changes going on?  Sometimes it may be as simple as choosing to be positive rather than let our fears shape our reactions toward the negative.  In this way, we might be like those Thessalonians who not only endured persecution but witnessed to all the world while doing so.

Prayer for the day:

O Lord my God,
   teach my heart where and how to seek you,
   where and how to find you.
   Lord, if you are not here but absent,
      where shall I seek you?
   But you are everywhere, so you must be here,
   why then do I not seek you?
Lord, I am not trying to make my way to your height,
for my understanding is in no way equal to that,
but I do desire to understand a little of your truth
   which my heart already believes and loves.
I do not seek to understand so that I may believe,
   but I believe so that I may understand;
      and what is more,
I believe that unless I do believe I shall not understand.
Amen.

Prayer by Anselm of Canterbury, 11th-12th century

Photo by Alex DROP via Flickr.com.  Used under the Creative Commons license.

All scripture quoted is from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Daily Devotion for Lent 2020 - Day 20

Scripture Reading: Acts 13:26-52 (NRSV)

Paul continues his preaching to the Galatians of Antioch in Pisidia.  Note that he is speaking primarily to Jews living in that region along with God-fearers - Gentiles who have adopted the Jewish faith.  He speaks of the ignorance of those religious leaders in their faith in Jerusalem.  Some might not take offense at this (being so far away) but others likely would. 

Paul speaks of the resurrection of Jesus.  He lifts up various Hebrew scriptures to show that this already aligns within their belief structure.  First he lifts up Psalm 2:7 to declare that this was actually talking about Jesus.  Psalm 2 was originally used as an enthronement hymn - likely used in the coronation ceremony of Israel's kings.

Next Paul turns to the release from corruption (as a corpse) by quoting Isaiah 55:3:

Incline your ear, and come to me;
    listen, so that you may live.
I will make with you an everlasting covenant,
    my steadfast, sure love for David.

This indicates the Messianic line that will emerge and which Christians see fulfilled in Jesus.  Then Paul continues with the resurrection from Psalm 16:10 which states:

For you do not give me up to Sheol,
    or let your faithful one see the Pit.

This psalm first expressed the idea that the faithful will not perish in the current turmoil they are experiencing.  Paul relates it specifically to Jesus.

Finally Paul recognizes that this may be incredulous to many.  This evidently isn't the first time God has worked in the world only to be ignored.  Paul quotes Habakkuk 1:5:

Look at the nations, and see!
    Be astonished! Be astounded!
For a work is being done in your days
    that you would not believe if you were told.  

The fact that these scriptures originally referred to other points or contexts is more of a 21st Century critique that wouldn't have held water in the first century.  For Paul, all things point to Christ.  It is something he doesn't have to justify, rather this lens justifies everything else.

As predicted, Paul encounters significant opposition.  While some Jews would have adopted this new lens as well, Paul recognizes that it may be the Gentiles that actually have less reservations to this new turn in God's story.  With this split, we may see how God continued to work with the Jews who remained in their faith and also with the Christians who were starting something new.

Paul turns once again to Isaiah, quoting 49:6:

(God) says,
“It is too light a thing that you should be my servant
    to raise up the tribes of Jacob
    and to restore the survivors of Israel;
I will give you as a light to the nations,
    that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.”  

This "light to the nations" theology continues to push the church into new territories.  If there are places that won't listen, we must move forward.  As Paul and Barnabas shake off the dust of their feet, it reminds us that Jesus told his disciples to do this if they were not appreciated in Luke 10:11 when they were going from town to town:

But whenever you enter a town and they do not welcome you, go out into its streets and say, ‘Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet, we wipe off in protest against you. Yet know this: the kingdom of God has come near.’

Some places take more clapping off than others!

This custom comes from those Jewish people re-entering the Promised Land.  Because the dust from a foreign country was considered unclean, they were to shake it off their sandals before tracking it into God's holy region.  So by doing this, the disciples are making a point that those who did not receive them are not real Jews and have more in common with heathens.

This last response (leaving) may be challenging to us.  There are many places or times when we want to stay and fight.  Certainly, we need to make our point.  But if it is not being regarded, could it be that we need to shake the dust off our feet and move on?  Where have I stayed too long in argument?  When have I stayed not to change minds or convey my point but rather to get as many barbs in as possible?  If the lens of Christ is our primary reality, how do we not only share the resurrection but also live out the resurrection in the everyday?

Prayer for the day:

Lord God almighty, open my heart and enlighten by the grace of your Holy Spirit, that I may seek what is well-pleasing to your will;
direct my thoughts and affections to think and to do such things as may make me worthy to attain to your unending joys in heaven;
and so order my doings after your commandments that I may be ever diligent to fulfill them, and be found everlastingly rewarded from you.  Amen.

Prayer by Bede, England, 8th Century

Photo by drgillybean via Flickr.com.  Used under the Creative Commons license.

All scripture quoted is from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Daily Devotion for Lent 2020 - Day 18

Scripture Reading: Acts 12:1-25 (NRSV)

We see another Herod on the throne.  This passage refers to Herod Agrippa who came to power in A.D. 41.  He was the grandson of Herod the Great who Matthew describes orchestrating the massacre of the infants in Bethlehem.

We can see the family penchant to violence as Agrippa has James, the son of Zebedee killed.  We also see Peter arrested for the third time.  He is miraculously freed and this is the second time he has had an angel intervene in his incarceration.

The safe house where he finds himself may be the house of the writer of the Gospel of Mark.  When he shows up, and Rhoda reports that he was outside, they don't believe her.  Luke has shown this kind of doubt among believers before as women tried to attest to the resurrection in Luke 24:10-11:

Now it was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them who told this to the apostles. But these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them.

You would think they wouldn't be so surprised after they had already taken part in this kind of escape.

Peter decides to be prudent this time and moves to Caesarea which is on the coast.  Not a bad place to end up - I'm sure they need to hear the word just as much where there's an ocean view.

While Peter escapes to greener pastures, we see the ultimate demise of Herod Agrippa as he lets his ego get the best of him.  Josephus records this same story in Book 19 of his Antiquities of the Jews.  It is found in section two of chapter eight.

Sometimes beauty refuses to be caged.

Here we see Luke transition back to Saul with Barnabus and John Mark who was the son of the owner of the safe house where Peter stayed.

As this chapter unfolds, we see death but also miraculous release.  We see evil suffer its own consequences.  We see the witness to the world continue to expand in spite of opposition.

Today, the opposition may look different.  As a pastor, it feels very strange to close the church - even temporarily.  I especially find this a difficult proposition for worship.  Fortunately, in a digital age, we can continue to worship together online.  The opposition may be our inability to adjust.  There are parts of corporate worship that we'll miss.  If we deem online worship a little too strange, we won't bother to engage.  It won't capture 100% of our normal participants.  But it will also capture those who normally wouldn't show up in person.

What kind of miracle could come from all this?  Where will life be shared that otherwise may not have heard?  How can you participate in your faith in new ways that are helpful to you and to others?

Prayer for the day:

God, help us in our trust of your presence.
We are like the apostles in that when presented with a miracle, we scoff.
Could it be that while we are convincing ourselves that this couldn't possibly be happening, another may be transformed?
Open us to where you are still working in our lives - even today, amidst all the fear and frustrations.
And when we find opposition to our faith, may we have to look outside ourselves to find the source.
Amen.

Photo by Hendrik Wieduwilt via Flickr.com.  Used under the Creative Commons license.

All scripture quoted is from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Daily Devotion for Lent 2020 - Day 14

Scripture Reading: Acts 9:23-43 (NRSV)

We see the tables turned for Saul.  Where he was once the hunter, now he becomes the hunted.  It doesn't take long for us to see the words of Jesus to Ananias come to fruition: "I myself will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name."

Paul's own words from his second letter to the Corinthians verify Luke's account of his escape:

In Damascus, the governor under King Aretas guarded the city of Damascus in order to seize me, but I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall, and escaped from his hands.

We see that Saul's introduction to the apostles in Jerusalem is not a smooth one.  Evidently, they didn't have the same vision from Jesus that Ananias did.  Barnabas makes his second entrance in Luke's account of the church as a character witness for Saul.  He was introduced in chapter 4 as a Levite from Cyprus and who donated the money from the sale of a field to the work of the church.  He will later partner with Saul/Paul in their efforts to witness to the world.

I'm not sure that the apostles knew what to do with Paul and so they send him back to his home of Tarsus.  Whether this was for his safety or theirs, Luke doesn't say!

We'll get back to Paul but right now our focus shifts to Peter.  His witness to the resurrection is punctuated by resurrection.  While Peter's redemption might not be as contrasting as Paul's, we do remember in Luke's Gospel that Peter declared to Jesus, "Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!”

Now Peter is beginning to perform miracles just as Jesus did.  He heals a man paralyzed and then raises Tabitha from the dead.  The command for her to get up reminds us of when Jesus raises the daughter of Jairus from the dead:

And they laughed at him, knowing that she was dead. But he took her by the hand and called out, “Child, get up!”  Her spirit returned, and she got up at once. Then he directed them to give her something to eat. 

Restoration to society is a key part of the Christian witness.

We also remember within that story that Jesus had just come from an encounter with a woman who was bleeding for twelve years.  She touches him and this should make him ritually unclean.  However, she is healed and Jesus then goes on to restore a girl to life.  It seems that contact with Jesus makes one clean rather than the opposite.

We see that with Peter as he provides healing.  The last thing we hear is that he was staying with another man named Simon but rather than a fisherman, this Simon was a tanner.  Tanners were considered unclean due to their profession of stripping the hides from animal corpses.  Leviticus 11:35, 39-40 emphasize this officially:

Everything on which any part of the carcass falls shall be unclean; whether an oven or stove, it shall be broken in pieces; they are unclean, and shall remain unclean for you.  If an animal of which you may eat dies, anyone who touches its carcass shall be unclean until the evening.  Those who eat of its carcass shall wash their clothes and be unclean until the evening; and those who carry the carcass shall wash their clothes and be unclean until the evening.

This would make it difficult for this profession to ever be considered clean.  And this is where Peter chooses to stay?  It seems that Christianity is about restoring the outcast into society.  How does the church continue to provide restoration today?  What kind of resurrection can we provide for a society that seems to be moving ever more toward isolation?

Prayer for the day:

O God, you have ordered this wonderful world
and know all things in earth and in heaven.
Give us such faith that by day and by night,
at all times and in all places,
we may without fear commit ourselves
and those dear to us
to your never-failing love,
in this life and in the life to come.  Amen.


Prayer from the United Methodist Service of Committal

Photo by Αναστασία Slow for the Summer via Flickr.com.  Used under the Creative Commons license.

All scripture quoted is from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.