Daily Devotion for Lent 2021 - Day 23

Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 12

"What's in it for me?"

We have a propensity toward individualism.   It is difficult to hold a body of people together.  The larger the body, the more difficulty we have.  The easier it is to get opposing ideas out there, the more likely it is to split off and do our own thing.

We saw this with the Protestant Reformation.  As the printing press came into existence, the ideas of Martin Luther were more easily spread.  The next few centuries saw countries become independent that were previously colonies of empire nations.

Today, we see this with the internet as ideas are spread even more quickly.  Ironically, it is also far easier to fact check these ideas but unfortunately, that doesn't seem to be as enticing.

Most kids don't like uniforms but
esteem is higher for those that wear them
while bullying is lower.

Paul uses the interworking of various body parts as a metaphor for the congregation.  In other words, we all need each other to function properly.

Of course, I want to value my contribution at a higher value than yours.  We want to make a difference and be seen as important.  This is natural as everyone likes to be appreciated.  But a group like the church is founded on the grace of God which seeks to value all people.

So what Paul asks us today is "Can you put the need to stand out on hold?"  Can you do it for the good of the body?

To be spiritually mature is to see the gifts of God at work in each person.  I really like verse 26 where Paul makes the aspirational statement: 

If one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honored, all rejoice together with it.

Hopefully, we don't tend to suffer or rejoice more enthusiastically depending on the member but realistically, this is sometimes the case.

But to remain together - tied by the Holy Spirit - may mean to give something of myself up so that we can accomplish more as the Body of Christ.  

What's in it for me?  

The lifting up of my neighbor.  And that is enough.

Prayer for the day:

Loving God, it is hard to admit to ourselves and even harder to admit to others that we have a need for appreciation.  But you know us.  You see us at our strongest moments but also at our weakest.  We are thankful that you love us even as we may fluctuate wildly between the two!  Help us to grow in the Spirit not only so that we have more gifts to share with our community of faith, but also so that we will share them without the need for accolades.  In this, may our see ourselves as part of your larger mission in the world today.  We pray these things in Christ's holy name.  Amen.

Photo by coreeducation 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 8

Scripture Reading: Galatians 3 (NRSV)

One of the things I've been involved with on and off during my career as a pastor has been ecumenical work. I've served on the Ecumenical Relations Committee of the World Methodist Council which seeks to strengthen the ties between Wesleyan denominations and other Christian bodies.  

In ecumenical work, you must find the similarities - what are the things on which we agree?

If we go quickly to the things in which we disagree, we will likely weaken the ties that bind!

As we look at today's reading, Christianity at this point in history would still be a Jewish sect.  It has not broken off into something distinct in the faith but we see the beginnings of this break in today's chapter.

Paul is not asking Gentiles to become Jewish in order to follow Christ.  He is saying that both Gentile practices and even the Jewish Law are subservient to Christ.  It is a new way of defining oneself.

As we see Paul continue to prioritize Christ over the Law, it is hard for us to understand just how radical it was for the first century Mediterranean world.  It was changing our worldview.

Verse 28 may be one of the most important verses in the Bible and we still struggle with it today:

There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.

This is not to be used to diminish those things that make us unique.  We can still celebrate all of our diversity.  But what it does is establishes our common ground with all of the diversity in the world.  Paul is prioritizing Christ over every category that we could come up with.

For ecumenical work, we start with Christ.  We end with Christ.  We recognize that we are both "in Christ."

Sometimes we find common affection
for those very different from ourselves.

How can we apply this to conflicts in today's world?  While Christianity is not universally adopted, there are Christians involved in most conflicts within the United States.  There are Christians within both major political parties in our country today.  There are Christians within the various factions involved in the debates over race in the United States.  There are Christians within the push and pull over gender issues and how we deal with human sexuality.  

So as we live out our lives in this complex world, we have to ask ourselves, "What does it mean that I am baptized in Christ?"  What is this common understanding of how I relate to God with others.  We often will imagine that "when we all get to heaven" we will discover a harmony with one another.

What Paul seems to be asking is that when we are baptized, shouldn't we be cutting to the chase?

Prayer for the Day:

Blessed God, we value so much our individualism.  Sometimes we may hold it up to such a great value that we lessen who we are in Christ.  We value personal faith in Jesus Christ that comes to us and reaches out to us.  But we may forget that Christ is moving toward us all.   Let us think more deeply about what it means to be "in Christ."  We pray these things in the name of the One who Opens the Hand to us.  Amen.

Photo by Katriona McCarthy 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 3

Scripture Reading: 1 Thessalonians 3

With a phone like this, you could
only move as far as the cord would allow!

We've missed seeing each other face to face.  I feel blessed that I've been able to see people through zoom or to carry on conversations through text, social media or email.  I can even call anyone in the US without incurring extra long distance charges on my bill.  Those of us past a certain age may still be reluctant to make those calls out of our area and it comes from a long-ingrained sense of taboo!  

We have so many ways to keep in touch and this has been helpful.

But it will be good to sit down with friends and family once more.  There is something about the physical presence being in close proximity that has yet to be replicated by technology.  Maybe virtual reality will conquer this someday but at this point, we need to gather.

Paul expresses this in today's chapter.  We see how the network of Christian communities was started.  When Paul couldn't be there personally, he was able to send his helpers like Timothy.  And when Timothy couldn't be there, Paul sent out letters.  These were reminders about the faith in Jesus Christ that had just sprung up in their midst.  We know that this church made it - at least long enough to copy Paul's letter and share it with other communities.  

How many churches faltered?  Paul likely wrote many letters we'll never read because those churches may have died out.  They may have adopted practices that were antithetical to what it means to live in Christ.  

But it was communities like this one that must have kept Paul encouraged.  So many times in ministry, pastors see pushback and it can be disheartening.  But when you find faith take root, it makes it all worthwhile.  

I, too, pray most earnestly that I'll see you face to face.  As some of us have gone almost a year without seeing one another, it is good to know that the early church went for stretches longer than that without seeing Paul and they learned to thrive.  As Paul writes, "And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, just as we abound in love for you."  

May it be so for us all!

Prayer for the Day:

God, we long to see one another.  We long to embrace people.  We long to break bread with our neighbors once more.  Grant us your peace as we wait.  Let us hold fast to our faith and find that love has kindled more brightly in the waiting.  We pray this in the name of Jesus who loves.  Amen.

Photo by Billy Brown 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.

Wrestling with Reality

Ninth Sunday after Pentecost, Year A

Lectionary Reading: Genesis 32:22-31 (NRSV)

I've always liked the story about Jacob wrestling with God.  It has an earthiness to it with two men trying to dominate one another physically.  It also has a fantastical feel to it - as if it is almost dreamlike.  It can be allegorical in that we all wrestle with difficulties in the dead of night.

How many times have you ever had trouble sleeping because you were struggling with something?

It is interesting that Jacob asks for the wrestler's name but doesn't get it.  There was the notion from antiquity that said that if you knew the true name of a supernatural being, you would have power over that being.  We see that God doesn't comply with this request but God does bless Jacob.

There is also the strongly held belief that mortals are extinguished when they experience the fullness of God - see the face of God.  Bowing in prayer today still comes out of the idea of respect and deference to the divine - something greater than ourselves of which we should be somewhat wary.

Jacob is pleasantly surprised that he has not only survived the encounter, but he actually received God's blessing.  However, it should be noted that the encounter wasn't totally without cost as he walks away from it limping.

This reminds us that growth and maturity often come at a price.  To think that we can get through life unscathed may be somewhat naive.  

What does our wrestling look like today?  It may be that we are wrestling with all of reality as we seek to adjust to a present that is so different from what we knew just six months ago.  We wrestle with one another as we make these adjustments.  Sometimes we walk away with respect for one another but I think that a lot of the time the wrestling just leads to greater division between us.

A new poll taken by the Cato Institute shows that greater number of Americans are reticent to share their political opinions today than even three years ago.  This occurs across the political spectrum with only the extremely liberal as non-anxious about their expression.  This shows that our society as a whole may be growing more polarized and divided as tolerance for political variance wanes.

While on vacation last week, I listened to a podcast on reality.  It spoke about how people see things differently and their ideas shape their responses and actions.  They focused on a town in Minnesota where some people began feeding black bears.  These animal enthusiasts believed that when we lead with respect and carefulness, the black bears will peacefully coexist with us.  Some of the other residents believed that if the handouts were to dry up, the tenuous peace might end in humans being attacked.  Both groups became pretty adamant about their beliefs.  How do these differing groups shape the town response to wildlife control in their immediate urban setting?  Someone isn't going to be happy.

It made me wonder if we have become more entrenched in our views than we were before.  Today, we can set up an echo chamber through selected news media whether by cable television or internet.  We only hear the viewpoints with which we agree.  We only hear the other side cast in a negative light.  We don't stop and ask the question, "Why does my friend believe so differently?"  In other words, what do they get out of it?

Sometimes the reasons are supplied by the outlets.  

I don't think liberals hate America or freedom.

I don't think conservatives are malicious racists who want to keep others unlike them from succeeding.

But if we listen to voices that declare this, we do have difficulty then respecting the differing beliefs.  

You may want to stay in your 
weight class when wrestling.

If we believe the worst about others, it is easier to shut them out of our lives.  When this happens, we strengthen the echo chamber in which we live.  We can then visit with one another but very little wrestling will occur.  If it does, it is mostly harmless and we don't get much out of it.

But if we can wrestle with those who are different with a sense of respect for them, we might find that we are blessed by the encounter.  Yes, you might go off limping but the wider worldview is likely worth it.

I'll continue to wrestle with this text and these ideas in our worship on Sunday.  I'll try not to strike you in the hip.

In Christ,

Sam

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

Retreat is Good for the Soul

I'll be preaching this weekend but not in the pulpit at Edmond First UMC.  Rather, I'll be preaching outdoors, in an informal setting at Canyon Camp for our Family Camp there July 10-12.  It will be a time of retreat for families who will have their own cabin assignments.  We will be distanced throughout the camp so that there will be much less likelihood of exposure.  Much of the weekend will be unstructured but we will have spiritual activities in which families may engage (or not) at their own pace.

The labyrinth at Canyon is one place where people may engage in a spiritual walk as they pray.  We have a long history at Edmond First UMC of utilizing the labyrinth and there is an outdoor labyrinth on the UCO campus near the chapel if you would like to walk one either by yourself or with your family.  You can also utilize the picture and trace your finger along as you pray at home.

A labyrinth is not a maze in that there is only one way in and one way out.  It is a spiritual walk where we try to pray as we walk.  Often as we walk to the interior, one might focus on one’s own spiritual journey – an inward focus.  As you reach the center, you might give over the things you have prayed to God.  Allow them to be released.  As you walk back out, it is time to focus on the world around us – an exterior focus.  Pray about the wider world and your neighbors in it.

Because we walk with God, we are always changed when we walk a labyrinth.  We are different people when we come out than when we entered, even if just a little bit.  We try to observe silence as we walk it – children can think of it like the quiet game.  This respects the process and respects your neighbors as they experience it too.  Families can walk it simultaneously and don’t have to wait for someone to reach the middle before starting.

  

As we think about COVID-19, there have been a lot of changes in our lives.  One focus of the inward prayer might include the following questions:

What things have you missed the most since the isolation began in March?

If things got back to normal, what is one of the first things you would like to do?

It is okay for us to mourn changes.  Let God know what is making you sad.

God allows us to face all kinds of trouble in life.  Pray for strength for the journey ahead.  Imagine God raising you up on eagle’s wings and giving you resolve to roll with the punches.

In the middle:  Ask God for the resolve to take whatever may come.  Ask God for the ability to find joy in life even though it is different.

As you exit the labyrinth, here’s possible foci for your prayer:

As you have been in isolation, some of our relationships have suffered.  Who have you missed seeing?  Pray for their well-being.  Are you comfortable sharing with them that you prayed for them?

Which people are worse off than you?  Pray for them as well.  Ask for God’s presence to be real in their lives.  Be open to how God might be leading you to make a difference in their lives.

Sometimes a pause like this allows our society to reset certain practices.  Are there any practices you believe need to change in the world today?  If you can’t think of any, ask God to open your mind to some possibilities and remain in the silence for a while.  If something has come to you, make a mental note to discuss this with your family or someone close to you after the walk.

If you go through as a family, I would invite you to process your time together with the following questions after everyone is through:

What’s something you prayed to God about missing?

Who are some of the people you prayed for?  Are you going to let them know?  If so, how?

What changes could you imagine?  Is there anything you would like to do about them?

If there is one thing you could do to make life a little better for someone during COVID-19, what would it be?

This is one example of what we'll be doing this weekend.  There may still be room to sign up at okcamps.org/2020-family-camps/ if you decide you would like to go (assuming you're reading this prior to the retreat!).  But even if you can't, I would encourage you to gather with your family (or meet someone with masks for an outdoor outing) at the labyrinth on campus which is walking distance from our church parking lot.

We will still offer worship at church on Sunday.  Please make your reservations in advance!  We will also have online worship as well.  So whether you get away to our campground or retreat at home, I would invite you to spend some time with God on Sunday!

In Christ,

Sam

Jesus Creates Change

Third Sunday after Pentecost, Year A

Lectionary Reading: Matthew 10:24-39 (NRSV)

I spent a lot of time studying Family Systems Theory developed by Murray Bowen and expanded for religious context by Edwin Friedman.  Much of my doctoral thesis was based on this work. 

One of the teachings of systems theory helpful to remember in a time like this is that systems resist change.  I tried to show in my sermon, "The Spirit of Truth" on May 17th how race relations since the Civil War were slow to change in the United States.  There has been active resistance against the changes brought on by the emancipation of the slaves and the Thirteenth Amendment.

But for the most part, the resistance to change isn't conscious.  It often comes by the majority in subtle ways that may appear to be adoption on the outside but inside continues to fight the change because they may not be comfortable with the new reality.

Friedman tells us that when a leader attempts to institute a change, that one should actually expect sabotage from those being led.  Friedman writes in A Failure of Nerve,

"Eventually I came to see that this 'resistance,' as it is usually called, is more than a reaction to novelty; it is part and parcel of the systemic process of leadership.  Sabotage is not merely something to be avoided or wished away; instead, it comes with the territory of leading, whether the 'territory' is a family or an organization."

This doesn't mean that people are out to get the leader or that they even are aware of their work against the changes, but rather it seems to be how people function in systems.  It is something to expect.  In fact Tod Bolsinger, in his book, Canoeing the Mountains, claims that you haven't truly succeeded in making a lasting change until after you've survived the sabotage.  How many things have we "tried" at the church only to go back to the way they were? 

So as we see all of the changes that have taken place in our society recently, it would not at all be surprising if people were experiencing some change fatigue.  This fatigue may come through our subtle resistance to what we've been experiencing. 

For my own experience in dealing with COVID-19, I wear a mask when I go out in public spaces.  Yes, we have started to re-open but it is possible to continue to spread the disease as we have seen in the rise in Oklahoma cases over the past few days.  The last two restaurants I visited were strange experiences for me.  One was in rural Oklahoma after we had spent some time outdoors as a family.  We stopped in to get some take-out and there was no distancing and I was the only one in the place wearing a mask.  The other was an Edmond restaurant where we decided to eat on the patio.  We had to go through the restaurant to get to the patio.  I noticed the same behavior as at the rural location regarding precaution.

The risk is still present.  Why the lackadaisical response to safety?

I think it involves resistance to change.  We don't like to wear masks.  They are uncomfortable.   We don't like to distance ourselves.  Human beings are social beings.  So we may claim that this is all overblown and there is no real danger.  This doesn't come as a rational response but as an emotional one.  Of course, emotional responses are valid and sometimes they move us to action more so than rational responses but we also need to understand that they are sometimes based on what we want to be true rather than what we know to be true.

I must admit that when I was the only one wearing a mask, I could feel the eyes of everyone on me.  I felt a little bit like an Amish person driving my horse and buggy to town.  But I continued to wear the mask.

So as we gather for worship on Sunday, we will wear masks even though much of Oklahoma has forgone this device.  As I mentioned in our expectation video, the mask is really more about concern for the neighbor.  What does Jesus say about his expectation of the treatment of our neighbors?

"So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.  For I have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you."                       John 13:14-15

This is the example of service - to be in service to one another.  And so, while social distancing prevents us from washing one another's feet (I know you're disappointed), we can put on the mask which may be uncomfortable in order to keep the most vulnerable among us safe.

Save a Grandma, Wear a Mask!

So I imagine that there will be some resistance to this change.  Both of the medical doctors that I've spoken to in our congregation strongly encourage the wearing of the masks.  We're not telling you that you have to do it outside the church building (although it is a really good idea in public), but if you really don't want to wear it in our public worship, I would encourage you to continue to worship online at home with us. 

Jesus does tell us in Sunday's gospel reading that we are to take up the cross and follow him.  So in retrospect, wearing a mask is not that big of a deal.  That being said, I do expect there will be some resistance to this.  But I expect the movement of the Holy Spirit and the compassion we have learned from being followers of Jesus to overcome it.

I am looking forward to seeing our congregation again.  I am a social person and it has given me a lot of anxiety to be isolated the way we have.  And when the time comes to put away the masks, no one will be happier than I.  We all hope to get back to normal.  Sunday will be a good step to get there.  I just don't want us rushing into anything that will harm some of us.  So if you disagree with me that is fine, just know that my stance comes out my love in Christ for each of you.

In Christ,

Sam


The Photo is from a campaign to sell masks by Glendale UMC in Nashville.

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.

Bolsinger, Tod.  Canoeing the Mountains: Christian Leadership in Uncharted Territory.  Illinois: Intervarsity Press, 2018.

Friedman, Edwin H.  A Failure of Nerve: Leadership in the Age of the Quick Fix.  New York: Seabury Books, 2007.

We're All in the Same Boat

Second Sunday after Pentecost, Year A

Lectionary text: Romans 5:1-8 (NRSV)

I’m not privileged.

I have no special status.

No one has helped me.

I don’t owe anything to anyone.

I have pulled myself up from my own bootstraps.

I haven’t had an advantage that others didn’t have – in fact, I can name several ways that I was disadvantaged growing up and have overcome it.

When I was getting ready to attend college, my parents were going to help me with the cost of tuition.  We had a family business dealing with software for the oil and gas industry.  When I was starting college in the fall of 1986, oil had fallen from $27 a barrel to less than $10 a barrel.  Sound familiar?

I remember my parents coming to me and telling me that while they would help as much as they could, paying for college was going to be up to me as our business was barely hanging on.  So I managed to graduate in four years and came out with only a few student loans that I paid off before going on to get my master’s degree (which I also paid for).

I could easily have folded and said it was too hard.  I pressed on.  

I could have easily blamed the economy and quit.  I endured.  

I could have gone into deep debt but I lived frugally in order to have a brighter future.

Let’s all give it up to me!

Well, the details of this story are all factual but they only tell part of the story.  I was privileged to have two parents in the home that supported me throughout my childhood.  It was a stable home and I was never mistreated nor did I worry about my parents splitting up.  I was privileged to have parents that instilled in me a sense of hard work.  I was able to creatively work my way through school to lessen the debt load because I had parents who modeled a can-do attitude.  I was privileged to even want to pursue education because I was born to parents with college degrees (dad also had a master's) who set an expectation for higher learning.

     

Beyond these privileges, I have always been in the racial majority.  This is an advantage that is difficult for those who haven’t experienced otherwise to understand or comprehend.  What does it mean to be the only one of your race in a social setting?  What if there were historic social inequalities that remain hidden just beneath the surface?  What if I had to second-guess my relationships with those of the majority race because of past slights I had experienced?

I don't even want to
get started on this sign!

This week’s epistle reminds us that we are all sinners.   Yet, we all receive the grace of God in Christ Jesus.  We are privileged to stand before God blameless – not because of anything we earned but because what we’ve received in the love of God.  If I can stand on this privilege, I must do so with humility, recognizing that we are all in this together.

This may be a crucial step for Christians to take in order to recognize our brothers and sisters who may be hurting because of injustices built into a system where people have not received the same treatment under the law.   It may be a matter of gratitude.  I am grateful for the blessings – earned and unearned – that I have received.  If we can’t develop a sense of thankfulness, we will end up entitled – maybe like I portrayed myself in the first part of the blog.  I think the apostle Paul would say that a sense of entitlement is deadly spiritually.  

I don’t think it will help us as a society either.

Join us for worship on Sunday as we continue to unpack this text together.  I'll try to bring more humility and less entitlement!

In Christ,

Sam

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

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.

God is my Refuge

Fifth Sunday of Easter

Lectionary Reading: Psalm 31:1-5, 15-16 (NRSV)

We can see that this Psalm comes to us in the Easter season because Jesus quotes it while dying on the cross.  Only Luke gives us these words from Jesus in 23:46:

Then Jesus, crying with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.” Having said this, he breathed his last.

Of course, we know that these were not the last words that Jesus says in Luke's account because Jesus is resurrected and appears again to the disciples. 

Originally, this psalm is seen as a lament where the troubles of the day are given over to God.  Hope comes through this trust that God will see us through.  When Jesus quotes from Psalm 31:5, he may have included more of this Psalm in that sentiment as verse 16 states:

Let your face shine upon your servant; save me in your steadfast love.

This is a reversal of the idea that to gaze upon God's face would be deadly.  God says as much to Moses in Exodus 33:20:

“you cannot see my face; for no one shall see me and live.”

While the mystery of God gives us pause, the Psalmist declares to us that we ultimately have no place to go but to God.  What does it mean for God to be our refuge?  What does it mean to put ourselves in God's hands?

Sometimes larger hands hold onto the faith
for us as we grow.

I remember being ill with a migraine headache as a child.  My mother was away on a trip to visit my older sister to help with my new nephew.  I awoke and cried out and my father came into my room.  He was not normally the caregiver - that role went to my mother.  But he was there for me in my time of need.  He lay down in the bed next to me and held my head with his big hands.  He put just enough pressure on my head which relieved the pain somewhat.  He held me like that until I went back to sleep.

That image of comfort and love in a time of distress is what I think about when I read this Psalm today.  We certainly have some anxiety at this point in our lives with all of the isolation due to COVID-19.  I hear lots of stories about sleeping schedules being erratic.  Sometimes we may feel ourselves angry toward things that normally wouldn't be that big of a deal.  Even as we begin to return somewhat to society, there is still the need to remain apart so that the vulnerable are not infected. 

It's a lot of weight to carry.

This Sunday, we'll continue to explore the theme of "God is My Refuge" in worship.  You can join us through YouTube.  We reached 100 subscribers so feel free to jump on and add to the interest!  This milestone gave us an easier way to reach our page - you can find it at https://www.youtube.com/EdmondFirstUMC which should give you the option of subscribing.  Many people have told me that they prefer YouTube because they watch on their smart televisions on the YouTube app in their living rooms with their family on Sunday mornings. 

Of course, we are still available on Facebook and the advantage there is getting to check in with our friends - it feels more like we are at church when we see others we know commenting or liking the post.  This Sunday, being Mother's Day, we will invite people to post a picture of your mother - either a new pic or one from your past in the feed. 

On Sunday, we had some technical difficulties in that our internet went down while Jake was broadcasting the service from our church.  So only about half of it went out on Facebook.  Fortunately, most people switched to YouTube where it was previously uploaded.  We hope to find a solution of streaming "live" on Facebook at 11 am on Sundays from the cloud rather than our servers from the church.  This will hopefully keep these kinds of things from disrupting worship in the future.

My prayers are with you and I look forward to seeing you in person when we are safe to gather again!

In Christ,

Sam

Photo by Eric Chan 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.

Walking with God

Fourth Sunday of Easter

Lectionary Reading: Psalm 23

Within Oklahoma, Governor Stitt has outlined a plan for houses of worship to reopen on Sunday.  At the same time, Bishop Nunn, who oversees the Oklahoma Conference, has determined that United Methodist churches in Oklahoma won't be reopening this early.  We will have further evaluation after May 17.  My guess is that we are looking more toward June for reopening the Edmond and Guthrie sanctuaries provided that coronavirus cases don't spike again.

We will do our best to communicate in advance when we will reopen as soon as a decision is made.

Even when we do our best, we often
break the six foot guideline in public.

I recognize that this is frustrating.  As the weather warms and we see more people getting outside, the urge to return to business as usual increases, especially in populations that are not statistically vulnerable to COVID-19.  A part of the reason for continued social distancing is to do no harm to those who may be vulnerable.  You may not wear the mask or keep six feet apart for yourself as much as for those you are trying not to infect.  As United Methodists, this is the first of John Wesley's General Rules: Do no harm.  The Center for Disease Control's guidelines for Social Distancing still instruct people to avoid mass gatherings and so we comply for the good of the whole.

We must be clear that even though the disease may wane in Oklahoma, it is still possible for people to catch it.  As we reopen businesses and see more mingling, we want to make sure that there is not a new surge of cases.  Even as we consider opening our church doors again, it is likely that guidelines will still be in place to leave every other pew open.  Our church nursery will not be available until we get the okay.  We won't be offering children's church until the nursery is available.  We won't be passing the peace with one another during worship and coffee and donuts won't be served before and after worship.  Offering plates won't be passed but rather people will deposit their offering as they exit the sanctuary.  The staff is still trying to figure out how we will offer Holy Communion while keeping everyone safe.

Some may look at this list and say, "Why bother?"  It is a part of the frustration we all feel in trying to get back to normal.  As Oklahomans, our economy is also impacted by the unbelievably low price of oil.  Even as the United States gained energy independence, our energy sector was driven by a certain amount of oil consumption.  With the pandemic, the demand for oil has dropped dramatically as people are not commuting to work, not traveling in airplanes or taking vacations on cruise ships.  This further complicates things for state economies that are enmeshed with the oil industry.

For many, this may be the last straw to set off frayed nerves.  It certainly can feel like the "Valley of the shadow of death" as per the King James version of Psalm 23.  So even though we are not able to meet in person, we are doing our best to offer the ability to worship as individuals or families as you shelter at home.  For those who don't have internet capability, we are happy to mail you a DVD of Sunday's service at no cost.  If you know of someone who doesn't have a DVD player, we have a limited number that were donated to help with our isolation.  Please leave a message on the church office phone at 405.341.0107 if you want to be added to the list.     

We are going to great lengths to provide worship because we recognize that our faith is vital to sustaining our spirits during this time.  On Sunday, we'll explore the most beloved of the Psalms.  As the Lord is our shepherd, it tests our faith to declare, "I shall not want" in a time when our desires are so evident.

I continue to pray for you as we seek to do what is right while at the same time looking to the safety of as many as possible.  If you're on Facebook, I would invite you to follow the Edmond and Guthrie church pages to easily find our online worship Sunday mornings at 11 am.  If you're not, I would invite you to subscribe to our Edmond YouTube page.  You can find Sunday's worship here.  If you watched on Facebook Sunday, you may have missed a surprise at the end of the service that you can see on YouTube!  Blessings to you as we move through this together!

In Christ,

Sam

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

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.

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 39 Good Friday

Scripture Reading: Acts 27:27-44 (NRSV)

Paul continues to drift with the ship full of crew and passengers as they seek some refuge in making it to shore.  It would have been frightening and not a little dangerous as they also began to go hungry.

The experienced sailors try to escape in a dinghy and Paul alerts the others that if they lose them, all are doomed.  This may have been a spiritual insight that Paul received or it may have been the common sense that you need people who know what they're doing on board if you are going to have a chance to survive.  When we see in verse 37 that there were 276 people on board, this is not a small ship or a small number of passengers.

Barely making it through the storms in life
may make you kiss the ground in thankfulness.

Luke writes Paul's advice for them to take bread as an allusion to Holy Communion.  While it would be doubtful that he would serve the sacrament to a ship full of people that didn't believe, we are reminded of the grace of God that provides us salvation through every meal.  It is when we are the hungriest that we are the most grateful for our food.

Once more, we see a centurion cast in a good light.  This pagan works on God's behalf as according to Paul, God's mission for him is to testify in Rome.  We are reminded in this that God works through whomever God chooses!

As I consider the sacrifices we are making on behalf of the coronavirus, I see correlation between Paul's being cast adrift and our society at large.  It seems as if we are floating, waiting for rescue.  We know that researchers are working diligently on a cure.  We hear that more tests are being made available which will give us a more accurate picture of local health.  But for the most part, we can only wash our hands and stay separated.

When we see the passengers going hungry, this reminds me that people continue to lose their jobs.  It seems like I'm hearing about more congregants every week whose employment has disappeared.  We need to make sure we don't abandon those who have lost their jobs. 

When the sailors hired to crew the ship want to leave the passengers to their fate, it reminds me of those who want to start up society again at the expense of the elderly or vulnerable.  The sailors have a duty to uphold even when it is difficult.  We all do even when it creates hardships.

It is a reminder that we will get through it together.  When Paul broke bread with his shipmates, it united them with one another.  As we stay connected, we are united in Christ in order to bring as many as possible through to safety on the other side.  Somehow that seems a fitting thought to me for Good Friday.

Prayer for the day:

O God, as on this solemn day we bow at the foot of the cross,
may the love that was manifested there stream into our hearts,
challenging and subduing them and winning from us that response
which is your will for us.  
Through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Prayer by Leslie D. Weatherhead, England, 20th Century

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

Daily Devotion for Lent 2020 - Day 33

Scripture Reading: Acts 23:23-35 (NRSV)

Paul is being evacuated from Jerusalem for his own safety.  The number of soldiers listed by Luke seems a little exaggerated.  It would be economically unfeasible to give this kind of attention to every citizen of Rome that was threatened across the empire.

I think it is important when we read this today to realize that we experience it from a totally different context.  As Paul experienced persecution from Jewish rioters in Jerusalem, this was done in the circumstance where Christians were a minority among a Jewish majority.  Today, in the United States, there are around 6 million Jews as compared to Christians at around 213,000,000.  This difference equates to a power differential concerning life in our country.  For instance through much of the 20th century, blue laws shut down American life on Sundays (the Christian sabbath) rather than Saturday (the Jewish sabbath).

If we don't understand the power differential, tragedies like the Holocaust can occur. 

Paul understands both sides.  Prior to his baptism, he was a persecutor himself.  He experienced all of the privilege of being in the religious majority.  Now he is on the other side and yet his privilege this time is coming from his Roman citizenship.  This may have further enraged the Jewish population in Jerusalem because they would have preferred to self-govern.   

This dismissive slogan is insulting to a generation
but it also speaks volumes to how they are received
by those entering adulthood.

Christians in the United States today are finding a shifting population as far as how they are being received.  There is more skepticism these days concerning organized religion.  Things that we took for granted such as couples returning to church after they started having children are no longer the norm.  Nevertheless, we are still the majority in this country.  The danger is that Christianity may be seen as something quaint or outdated by younger generations. 

How do we speak as a majority to a generation that finds much of the majority tedious?  How do we share our faith in ways that can be heard rather than dismissed?  I'll take my cue from Paul.  It seems that he was going to be authentically himself.  He would speak to those who would hear and move on from those who wouldn't.  But his interest was in giving everyone a shot no matter where they showed up on the social status radar.

Prayer for the day:

O God, who has bound us together in this bundle of life,

give us grace to understand how our lives depend on the industry,

the honesty and integrity of our fellows;

that we may be mindful of their needs,

grateful for their faithfulness,

and faithful in our responsibilities to them;

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Prayer by Reinhold Niebuhr, Union Theological Seminary, 20th Century 

Photo by Trending Topics 2019 via Flickr.com.  Used under the Creative Commons license.

Daily Devotion for Lent 2020 - Day 31

Scripture Reading: Acts 22:17-30 (NRSV)

Paul has been addressing the mob that wanted to kill him, first identifying with them and then relating his conversion story.  In verses 17-21, we have an interlude of a flashback to Paul's arrival in Jerusalem.  He tells of receiving a vision of Jesus where Paul is given instruction to leave Jerusalem.  Paul actually argues with Jesus (similarly to how Ananias reacts to being instructed) by telling him, "They'll listen to me because I was just like them!"  Jesus doesn't respond to his line of reasoning but just exclaims, "Go!"  Paul is going to the Gentiles.

Paul is arguing with Jesus because he wants his Jewish audience to believe.  He wants the message to ease their anger so that they can be transformed as he has been transformed.  His compassion may remind us of Abraham bargaining with God on the fate of Sodom.  After Abraham continues to bring down the number he needs to instigate their salvation, I like when he finally says, "Oh do not let the Lord be angry if I speak just once more."  But just as Abraham doesn't find the ten righteous that he needs, Paul is about to find out that he should have listened to Jesus.

We discover that the crowd is ready to kill Paul.  Jesus should know what he is talking about because he had faced a similar crowd some years earlier.  Luke 23:20-23 seems to resonate here:

Pilate, wanting to release Jesus, addressed them again; but they kept shouting, “Crucify, crucify him!” A third time he said to them, “Why, what evil has he done? I have found in him no ground for the sentence of death; I will therefore have him flogged and then release him.” But they kept urgently demanding with loud shouts that he should be crucified; and their voices prevailed.

Sometimes you get a better deal
if you are local or know the culture.

Here the tribune is about to have information beaten out of Paul but Paul's citizenship once more comes to his aid.  We see that while his foreign status (being from Tarsus) was not necessarily helpful to a Jewish audience, his Roman citizenship was beneficial for where Jesus was sending him.  It reminds me of Moses being raised as an Egyptian and then is able to later negotiate with Pharaoh likely because he knows the ways of the court.  Martin Luther King, Jr. was educated in Boston but returned to his people in the south to lead them to freedom.  Similarly, Mahatma Gandhi was educated in England and then brought freedom to his people first in South Africa and then in India.  Here we see Paul being sent to the Gentiles - people of an empire which was familiar to him.

If you were to examine your background, would you find experiences and commonalities that would help you relate to certain people today?  How can you bring this to light?  Do you ever argue with Jesus about what you are to do or say?  Who do you know - with whom are you familiar - that needs to hear a good word from you today and might receive it well?

Prayer for the day:

For a clearer vision of the work you have set before us and for a better understanding of your gospel, Lord direct us.
For a deeper commitment in your service and a greater love for all your children, Lord direct us.
For a fresh understanding of the task before us and for a sense of urgency in our proclamation, Lord direct us.
For a greater respect and acceptance among Christians of different traditions and for a common goal in evangelism, Lord direct us.
Amen.

Prayer from liturgy of the Anglican Province of the Indian Ocean

Photo by Graham Milldrum 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.