Paul to the Colossians

**My Goodness, this has really been a week of troubling events in our nation. At least from my perspective it has been. Congress, House and Senate, will have to hammer out an extraordinary compromise with regard to the Farm Bill since the House completely withdrew all mention of Nutrition Supplements. Our nation is on edge as we once again face the problems of  laws which fail to increase personal safety, and fail to provide justice for the survivors of gun violence. We have once again been challenged to look around us and answer the question "who is my neighbor"? White privilege and racism are exposed to the light of day in the wake of the George Zimmerman verdict. The family of Trayvon Martin have asked for only non-violent demonstrations but the reality mobs without advance training in the tactics of Non-violence, which Martin Luther King insisted upon run amok. Mob mentality is something Jesus understands pretty well. His crucifixion after all, was the result of leaders manipulating the mobs to ensure their places of power in the Roman Emperor's system.

“Take your Bible and take your newspaper, and read both. But interpret newspapers from your Bible.” Karl Barth

One of the challenges for preachers in any congregation is the task of engaging the intersection between context and text. When advising other ministers of the word, Karl Barth gave the admonition to all that they should enter the pulpit with the Bible in one hand and the newspaper in the other hand. Subsequent generations of preachers have wrestled with this instruction, myself included. The preacher's task is to offer comfort for the afflicted and provoke those who are dangerously comfortable in their circumstances. The preacher's task includes raising up questions about how God is speaking to the church through the witness captured in Scripture. This has been my understanding, even long before I entered Seminary. I was never comfortable listening to a sermon that smacked of self-satisfaction with the conditions that surrounded the congregation. Perhaps Barth had something less confrontational in mind; and that will be a question for table talk in the Kingdom in Heaven. I can also attest to the reality that this type of homiletics raises eyebrows and objections from the pews for an assortment of reasons; some quite valid, others not so.

But sitting down to read, mark and inwardly digest the Scripture lessons for this forum, provided more freedom. It is an act of listening to the texts each week, to imagine my place in the scripture as it unfolds. In that process I hope to meet the Holy and from that encounter to prepare a weekly study. It brings less fear of negative repercussions from the community; after all, no one is supporting me financially for what I prepare for public reading. If there will be any repercussions it may be in who or whom might be interested in calling me forth for a position in the future. The only loss would be if I were to resist the prompting of the Holy Spirit and fail to speak when stirred from within and without. 

A

Colossians 1:1-14

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,{FROM TWO}
To the saints and faithful brothers and sisters in Christ in Colossae: {TO MANY}
Grace to you and peace from God our Father. {A blessing}
In our prayers for you we always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, for we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. You have heard of this hope before in the word of the truth, the gospel that has come to you. Just as it is bearing fruit and growing in the whole world, so it has been bearing fruit among yourselves from the day you heard it and truly comprehended the grace of God. This you learned from Epaphras, our beloved fellow servant. He is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf, and he has made known to us your love in the Spirit.
For this reason, since the day we heard it, we have not ceased praying for you and asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of God's will {A}in all spiritual wisdom and {B}understanding, so that you may {1}lead lives worthy of the Lord, {2}fully pleasing to him, as you {3}bear fruit in every good work and as you {4}grow in the knowledge of God. May you be {5}made strong with all the strength that comes from his glorious power, and may you be {6}prepared to endure everything with patience, while joyfully {7}giving thanks to the Father, who {8}has enabled you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light. He has rescued us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

closing with the collect for the week.

O Lord, mercifully receive the prayers of your people who call upon you, and grant that they may know and understand what things they ought to do, and also may have grace and power faithfully to accomplish them; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. (BCP)

The texts for last Sunday are here
The calendar for all Lectionary readings are here
If you want to read from the Book of Common Prayer, 1979 check this link

**republishing ** originally published 7/18/2013

Nine years later...

June7, 2022- The news continues to baffle this spiritual mind.  Gun violence continues to grow at exponential rates. The month of May 2022 had only 5 days without mass casualty gun violence.  

Breaking The Tradition of the Patriarchs

The Good News about Jesus Christ According to Matthew:

An Account of the Genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham.

This is how the birth of Jesus came about. When Jesus’ Mother, Mary was engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. Joseph, her husband, an upright person unwilling to disgrace her, decided to divorce her quietly.

This was Joseph’s intention when suddenly the angel of God appeared in a dream and said, “Joseph, heir to the House of David, don’t be afraid to wed Mary; it is by the Holy Spirit that she has conceived this child. She is to have a son, and you are to name him Jesus – ‘Salvation’ – because he will save the people from their sins.” All this happened to fulfill what God has said through the prophet:

          “The virgin will be with child and give birth and the child will be called Immanuel”

A name that means “God is with us.” 

When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of God had directed, and they went ahead with the marriage. He did not have intercourse with her until she had given birth; she had a son; and he named him Jesus. (NRSV, The Inclusive Bible)

Think of Five words to Describe Joseph-  Father, carpenter, dreamer, Protector, worshiper of YHWH. I kept going and came up with a few more: 6-refugee, 7- Spiritual, 8-guide, 9-innovator, 10- rebel, 11-righteous, 12-descendent of king David, 13-outcast, 14-Patriarch of the faith. 

Patriarchal society in the ancient Middle East had specific roles and expectations for all members of society. Kinship was central. Gender determined roles and the roles were well ingrained. This society was an Honor-shame society in which public humiliation due to transgressions of the roles would permanently damage ones standing in the community. This fundamental context can never be overlooked when we read scripture today and look for messages of salvation. 

Men especially maintained the order in the public sphere while women of childbearing age and post childbearing age handed down the traditions to the next generation in the home. Patriarchy was the normative mode of society. But throughout the Bible scripture presents many instances where Divine interventions in the form of dreams, visions, and prophecies challenge or directly counter Patriarchy and expect faithful implementation.

The narrative of Jesus as the Messiah which Matthew hands down presents a theme of countering the familial and religious structures which dominated and prescribed behavior. We are invited into this revolutionary new understanding of Justice and Mercy flowing abundantly. We hear visionary words which conceive of a time when equality replaces both patriarchy and the power of emperors and kings. It also challenges the Israelite Yahwism of Roman occupied Judea.

The arch of the universe bends slowly toward justice. 

As we read scripture we look for genuine good news within this reading. We want to find where God is at work to bring salvation. We are urged by Matthew to observe that the narrative of Jesus is filled with deviations from the patriarchal norms. These deviations set a new precedent. Society organized around the values and teachings of Jesus is fundamentally different from patriarchal society. The community of followers of the way of Jesus, those we think of as early Christians, began to follow new patterns of social interactions which suggest a different kind of righteousness.

Joseph becomes an example of a higher righteousness. That which was handed down generation to generation over the prior three thousand years is directly confronted in the Birth Narrative of Jesus. The trajectory, the path of change is not straight and continuous to the present day. Opposition often arises, as we will see in Matthews account.

Because the pendulum swings back and forth over the centuries following Jesus’ birth, we continue to find ebbs and flows in the flourishing of the kindom of God.

Some claim that Christianity was at its’ best before Emperor Constantine declared it to be the official religion of the Empire. It does seem that whenever religion is determined by the ruler there is more opportunity for oppression to increase. We are fortunate that this nation does not impose any specific religion.

Matthew begins by establishing the normative pattern as well as the exceptions which are already received as Divine interventions in the History of the people of YHWH. It is established that Joseph comes from a lineage of ancestors with rich histories of relationships with YHWH and the people of Judea. Joseph is descended from Abraham the father of Isaac.

How far back can you name your genealogy? How many generations back can you go? In an Oral History Society genealogies are only reliable back three, possibly four generations. The genealogy in the Gospel according to Matthew is a theological construct. This genealogy selects the specific connections to present his case for the claim of Jesus as the long awaited Messiah from the very beginning of the book. Bible scholars spend long hours studying and comparing the genealogies with their claims and note that there are many discrepancies between the chronologies and genealogies throughout the Old Testament. No need for you to point out the inaccuracies, because the purpose is more important that the accuracy of details. Don’t run this through Factcheck.org. Hardly ever does anyone take the time to read this prologue anyway. I used only the first of sixteen verses of the prologue for that very reason.

Here are the pertinent facts of the matter. Joseph was a good old man. His having dreams are the marker of his age and relationship with YHWH. The prophet Joel plays an important role in this account of the arrival of the Messiah. Matthew tells us that Joseph receives the message of the conception of Jesus from an Angel in a dream. The prophet Joel reports that God declared a time of something new, a promised blessing in the following:

 “I will pour out my spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions. Even on the male and the female slaves, in those days, I will pour out my spirit.” (Joel 2:28-29).

If this sounds familiar, it should. This same verse is cited by Peter on the day of Pentecost in the Book of Acts. Joseph’s dream reflects a sign of fulfilled promised blessing, the time when God’s Spirit is being poured out.

Now the proper thing for a man to do in Joseph’s situation was one of two choices. The first option was public humiliation, stoning of the woman. The second option, which Joseph was considering, was to “quietly divorce her.” It would be a blemish on her family, but her father would receive the shame and accordingly, could handle the punishment to his daughter. We still hear of this practice outside of Christianity.

Joseph, however, follows neither option. Messages in dreams are to be heeded. A third way, a new command is received by Joseph. Joseph is to keep Mary, and take the baby to be his own son. Following in the tradition of Abraham, Joseph first becomes a Father through Divine intervention.  Joseph, like Abraham, has a unique relationship with YHWH, and according to Matthew, it is most important that Joseph cooperated with the plan, assuming the duties of fatherhood for a child not of his own seed. 

Matthew informs us that these transgressions against the social norms of patriarchy are explained and rooted in theological claims. They were shocking at the time the Gospel was first proclaimed. This text is still able to shock when proclaimed to the people of the Middle East. If there is any question in your mind about that claim, observe the violent attempts to reverse the advances toward equality of women which has sprung up in the past twenty-five years. Look at the targeting of Malala as she spoke out for the education of girls as well as boys. Look at the battle for control of Aleppo, and the misery which results from parties at war over gaining power to control. The people who suffer most are women and children. Patriarchy is a violent system of oppression which does not die quietly or easily, and it doesn’t come in just one variety. 

Now where does this tradition of Joseph lead us today? Men still must choose to surrender power and recognize women as equals. Women around the globe still depend on men to protect them. Women must deal with the trauma that results from sexual assault. Women still are excluded from leadership roles in the church as well as secular society on the basis of claims that God has preordained the situation of women. Women and children are victims in the crosshairs of warring parties. Right now, more than 20 million refugees globally of 14 regional conflicts are reported by the United Nations and the International Rescue Committee. 

What is the word of God to us today?

Recall again the character of Joseph- and ask yourself, how these virtues and attributes can be demonstrated in your life. These will be a mark of the Spirit of God present in your life, a demonstration in action. Action more than words are required to continue spreading the kindom of God. In our helplessness many of us are reduced simply to prayer, and financial support. Financial support being a free giving of resources to support those who are equipped to be present.

For today the Spirit leaves me with a word of caution and feeling of urgent responsibility to acknowledge the millions of victims trapped in circumstances out of their control. What action does God desire from me today, what action do you discern God expects of you? 

Breaking the tradition of patriarchy and retaining the tradition of innovators is the ultimate Advent challenge as we live in the new age heralded by the birth of Jesus.

God grant us courage to live with hope into this challenge.

AMEN

Preached at First Presbyterian Church, Yuma 12-18-2016

AdventA4 Matthew 1:1,18vf 

“Breaking The Tradition of the Patriarchs”

Comfort, inspire, create

This has been a rough week for writing... the things which have been clogging my thoughts and prayer life simply do not belong on this blog. I tell you that only to offer an apology for the delay and  inconsistancy in my posting.


IF you are looking for the Lectionary Readings for Sunday July 28,   You can find them here

Today, let us start with the Collect for the week.... that our hearts and minds might be led by the Holy Spirit to discover words of life to inwardly digest in this moment. 

O God, the protector of all who trust in you, without whom nothing is strong, nothing is holy: Increase and multiply upon us your mercy; that, with you as our ruler and guide, we may so pass through things temporal, that we lose not the things eternal; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

As I was reading through each of the texts I felt a bit like Dorothy (from the Wizard of Oz) just after landing in Oz, 

Lions, and tigers and bears, oh MY

which really substitutes for

Prayers, praise, prophets and supplications...OH MY!

And as always, I look at the texts with basic questions. 

"What word do you have for me in this text, Holy One, and what word for others?
Who in the world will need to hear what I feel from the reading of the texts this week?"

The reply to that comes back:
"focus on your own understanding. Find life in the words for yourself.
Find inspiration and comfort. From that foundation move forward to create."

So with that nod from God I found myself plucked down within the Psalms.


Psalms are for everyday and every person, although it must be admitted that some days one psalm will fit more snugly and aptly than another.

Let's mark this one up and see what pops.....

I will give thanks to you, O LORD, with my whole heart; *
before the gods I will sing your praise.

I will bow down toward your holy temple
and praise your Name, *
because of your love and faithfulness;

For you have glorified your Name *
and your word above all things.

When I called, you answered me; *
you increased my strength within me.

All the kings of the earth will praise you, O LORD, *
when they have heard the words of your mouth.

They will sing of the ways of the LORD, *
that great is the glory of the LORD.

Though the LORD be high, he cares for the lowly; *
he perceives the haughty from afar.

Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you keep me safe; *
you stretch forth your hand against the fury of my enemies;
your right hand shall save me.

The LORD will make good his purpose for me; *
O LORD, your love endures for ever;
do not abandon the works of your hands. Psalm 138

No matter what I've been feeling when I read through the various texts of this week, there is one place where I can go to discover inspiration almost without fail. These are words that remind me where my source of strength comes from. These words call me to find sanctuary; safety within the "temple", a place where praise springs from my lips to the highest places, the outermost reaches where God abides. Yes, even the outermost inward place where God abides within me.

This is inspiration.
It is from the Source. From the Divine, breathing new life upon a parched servant.

These are words of assurance of a time, not yet fully present, when the reign of God will be complete, on this celestial ball.  

Even thinking about inspiration is a worthy place to put the heart and mind to work. Inspiration is a great word. It conveys the process of life sustaining force. God's spirit flowing within, working to transform each of us into the salved creatures of the creator. We are each of us creatures of this planet implanted with purpose which is to be uncovered and fulfilled.

Sadly though, I know many people are moving aimlessly about not aware of any sense of purpose. I know not whether they have any sense of spirituality. Never mind whether they have any religion. They simply have not yet had to any opportunity to be challenged to consider any thing remotely related to the question of purpose for their life. I cannot imagine anything more discouraging than to be in such a condition.


In- spire us Holy of Holies, remove the scales from the eyes of our hearts that we may come to see and know you thereby empowering us to be co-creators with you, that all people will sing your praises forever.

Sunday August 4

Looking for the Lectionary readings for August 4,

You can find them here

Sidelines, onlookers, and meditants

Looking for the readings for Sunday July 14, 2013?

Find them right here


If you ever happen to visit an Episcopal Church for worship, and have been in Christian worship in other protestant denominations, there is something in our ritual which you may not expect. Don't worry, no snakes involved. Nothing bizarre or strange, at least not according to my range of experience. But there are movements and processions which carry meaning to those who gather.

The form and order of our Sunday liturgy, which is found in the Book of Common Prayer is a service of both Word and Table. Every week, unless an unusual situation exists in the congregation. The readers of the lessons (Old Testament and New Testament) are members of congregation. This is a ministry fulfilled by the laity, both female and male. Typically the readers come forward to the lectern to read and then return to their seats within the congregation. What I think you would be quite surprised by, if you first came into the church via another protestant denomination or independent congregation is the following: When the Gospel lesson is read, the reader, either a deacon or the priest, will "process" to the center of the congregation. High ceremony is to have a Crucifer lead the process, two torch bearers carrying lit candles, another person to carry the Gospel Book elevated high, and the Deacon/Priest following. The symbolism of this process seems quite obvious to me but I won't assume you already get it. So here is what it means to me. 1) This procession acknowledges the importance of the Gospel, our center or, as some professors of homiletic are fond of saying, our canon within the canon. 2) It also literally helps the congregation focus on the incarnation as present reality. Within our worship community, at the center, we can imagine Christ being "in our midst". The life of Jesus as handed down through scripture, is God's way of continually revealing Godself and speaking to us in the present age. Gods' word moves amongst us.

One other thing you might be surprised at, is the brevity of the act of preaching in most Episcopal Churches. Typically 12- to 15 minutes, and most focus on the Gospel.

The readings for this week are all wonderful words worth spending time reflecting on. I may even make time to write on more than one this week. But for now, let's read, mark and inwardly digest the Gospel for this Sunday, July 14, 2013. It is a familiar passage for most Christians. and often also referred to in our American secular culture.

"Just then a lawyer stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he said, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?" He said to him, "What is written in the law? What do you read there?" He answered, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself." And he said to him, "You have given the right answer; do this, and you will live."
But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?" Jesus replied, "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down that road; and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan while traveling came near him; and when he saw him, he was moved with pity. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, having poured oil and wine on them. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said, `Take care of him; and when I come back, I will repay you whatever more you spend.' Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?" He said, "The one who showed him mercy." Jesus said to him, "Go and do likewise."  Luke 10:25-37

Yes, this is the story of the Good Samaritan. It's the ancient text that informs the concept of the Good Samaritan Law. The idea that one has a duty to respond to someone injured and in return is offered protection under lawsuit for the actions that are performed in good faith.

One of the ways in which I use scripture as a spiritual practice is  to look at a Gospel passage to imagine the cast of characters. I meditate upon the word as a living drama, unfolding across time and ask God's guidance in placing myself within the story in some way. This process is modeled after a form of Spirituality devised by Ignatius of Loyola. [You might want to learn more about Ignatian Spirituality. It can be practiced in community or with one other to guide you in the meditation, as you begin this spiritual practice. ]

So, this week I have been marking this story using that practice.

Here is what I noticed as I did so.

There are two casts: There is the interaction cast, and the parable cast. You might be guided to become a member in either of these stories. You might even find you move from one place of imagination to the next, moving deeper into the enfolded story.

The Scene: 

Jesus : Jesus

Lawyer :lawyer

casual observers- people surrounding the interaction (HOW MANY?)

disciples also surrounding

The Parable Cast

Victim :A man

Robbers

Priest :a priest

Levite :a Levite

Samaritan Traveler :Samaritan

Innkeeper :innkeeper

Using the imaginative process you may find yourself in the shoes of any one of the characters. Even Jesus. Ignatian Spirituality presents a request for guidance from the Holy Spirit to help one imagine which of the characters would be most instructive to the individual for spiritual growth and self-discovery. Entering into the process of this reading can be immediately fulfilling, or any range of emotions.

This week this passage really irks me. I realize, as I entered into the story that it evokes frustration when I look at the news of the current week.

I hope, that if I go into the details it will not forever shut down our relationship, cyber though it may only be,  because the frustration is a reflection upon the national politics regarding benefits (aka "entitlement" programs) to assist those at margins of economic stability.I'm also really frustrated with the outcomes of the Zimmerman Trial.

Lawyers :-(
Legislators aka Rule Makers { a Levite}

I personally feel like a bystander - a fairly powerless bystander at the moment.
I want to know where is God in this unfolding story of my life of politic and citizen responsibility, and what am I to do to correct this sense of powerlessness.

To heck with the question "what must I do to inherit eternal life?"

I'm not worried about entering heaven, because I already know within myself what my relationship is with God. God's grace has already answered that question.

What I want to know is what can I do to proclaim and fulfill the unfolding and spreading of the Kingdom of God here and now? 

People I don't personally know ( are they "Samaritan" or "fellow citizen"?) are being left to go without. The measure that I see Jesus putting before this "lawyer" is a measure of compassion. Jesus invokes the relationship of God to all creation as the measure of who is one's neighbor. Mercy and compassion are the standards of care. Jesus didn't say anywhere in that story that the Samaritan checked to see if he might be repaid for the expenses incurred. The Samaritan pledges his own resources to care for the victim on the road.

But what seemed to be true in the story then seems to be true still today. The lawyer was looking for a way to do the least amount necessary. Could that be why, the latest Pew research shows lawyers are perceived as contributing the least to society?

The question the Lawyer placed before Jesus seemed so important at the beginning, but actually all the lawyer wanted to do was try to trip up Jesus. A device used in courts; seek clarification. But Jesus will not let that be the result of that exchange, so I also prayer, yes PRAY, that God doesn't let be the final result in the present day.

So, for me, as I've marked and meditated, inwardly digested the content of this passage, I'm left with questions and not solid answers for the present. I feel myself caught in the background of the story not yet capable of being engaged in the full work of caring and tending.

Where are you in the story?

Are you left feeling more uncertain than certain about the entire subject of "inheriting eternal life"?

Nearer to God

The readings from the Lectionary are here


In the church there is often heated discussion about mission work. How are we to do mission, who should go, what should be done, what should be said, where one should live, and what one should bring along for the mission work. How long should a person stay and what should be expected by the missioners from the community to which they go.

For a period of two years I worked in a church staff position at a church within the PCUSA. My job included maintaining ongoing communication and encouragement to the various mission projects, and missioners our congregation supported. It also included planning and participating in two short term mission trips within the same year (1995). One trip was a youth experience in Mexicali through Azusa Pacific University, and the other was a trip to Haiti. In that position I had ample time to consider the impact of mission as well as to consider how to recruit mission volunteers. In each case, the trip required extensive advance preparation with connections being made long before our arrival.

The Gospel for the week is often used to site the model of effective and proper mission work; at least parts of it are. Read on..

"After this the Lord appointed seventy others and sent them on ahead of him in pairs to every town and place where he himself intended to go. He said to them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. Go on your way. See, I am sending you out like lambs into the midst of wolves. Carry no purse, no bag, no sandals; and greet no one on the road. Whatever house you enter, first say, `Peace to this house!' And if anyone is there who shares in peace, your peace will rest on that person; but if not, it will return to you. Remain in the same house, eating and drinking whatever they provide, for the laborer deserves to be paid. Do not move about from house to house. Whenever you enter a town and its people welcome you, eat what is set before you; cure the sick who are there, and say to them, `The kingdom of God has come near to you.' 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.' "Whoever listens to you listens to me, and whoever rejects you rejects me, and whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me."

The seventy returned with joy, saying, "Lord, in your name even the demons submit to us!" He said to them, "I watched Satan fall from heaven like a flash of lightning. See, I have given you authority to tread on snakes and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy; and nothing will hurt you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice at this, that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven."                  (Luke 10:1-11, 16-20)

Several answers for all the issues I raised are provided within this passage. Also, we can learn the kind of expectations which can result from engaging in mission work.

1. Do not go alone
2. Step out in faith
3. Know that the road will have dangers
4. As you go prepare your heart and mind
5. Take nothing with you.
6. When you arrive, look for hospitality and receptivity
7. Accept with graciousness what is provided you
8. Use the gifts God has equipped you with to benefit others.
9. Expect Mutuality
10. Deliver the gospel message: The Kingdom of God has come near.
11. Leave the community with a blessing, no matter how they receive you
12. Be aware of the incarnational relationship; the ambassadorship which the missioner represents

With all of these instructions about how Jesus sent out the first heralds of the Kingdom of God, it seems to me that whether you are a Biblical Literalist or not, there are some massive guidelines for mission work to begin to unpack and put into action.

To start out, looking at this text and applying it to our present context has a profound number of differences, which need to be named straight away.

1)  We now live in an age where economics operates very differently. Very few social systems (you may prefer the term communities) operate at a level of open hospitality as the code of the community. I am told that still occurs in middle eastern villages. Maybe it does in remote places on other continents. It certainly doesn't operate as the community standard across the United States. Euro-American hospitality is generally wary, suspicious, measured and uncertain. Anyone who takes off without any money, purse, or extra clothes with them is very surely assumed to be quite out of their minds. Mad as a hatter. Crazy. The last person I heard of who took of in a similar of faith was a woman who called herself Peace Pilgrim. Even she carried something with her, a comb in her pocket. As a religious community founder-leader, Francis of Assisi established a rule of voluntary poverty. This order does still work at living very closely to the original rule which also closely models the instructions of this scripture passage. To be completely honest though, they have long relied on something of an artifice, the Corporation, which leads me to the next difference.

2) Institution building became the focus of the church somewhere around the time of Constantine. No longer did the proclamation of "the kingdom of God drawing near" mean what it meant to Jesus or his first followers. Now, in the post Christendom period, I think we are genuinely attempting to rediscover the truth in that message. What does it mean to proclaim that the kingdom of God has drawn near, or is near? Do we live out lives that with intentionality carry Christ into the world? It is all too easy to step out the sanctuary doors and forget that there has been a charge to "Carry the light of Christ in the world," or to "seek and serve Christ in our neighbor."

The records of the life and work of the Apostle Paul seem to indicate a ministry pattern which resembles the instructions Luke relates as the instructions of Jesus to the disciples. But then, how are we really to know? Afterall, Paul does not seem to depend on the people of the community to provide for his shelter and nourishment. In some cases his length of stay would surely wear on the patience of even the most generous host. Instead, Paul's model was to transplant himself into the new community. We refer to this model as tent-maker mission work. Perhaps I'm off base on this but that's my take on it none the less.

What I am struck with as I continue to work at digesting the implications for mission in the present age is this: Let's start looking at how to apply the gifts we've each been endowed with right where we are. Work together. Find at least one ministry partner, and go about your life in a way that brings about healing and wholeness in the present location. Stop looking at people in foreign lands as inferior and to be pitied. Put aside your own arrogance regarding your own set of beliefs in Jesus. See, The kingdom of God has drawn near and is here now! Receive from others in your time of need so that others will know what it is like to use their gifts. If you've never felt that you could give financial support to the church, start putting something in the alms basin. (Collection plate). Any amount, something to show God and community that you are sharing in the burden of being engaged in offering the presence of Jesus in the world, on your own block, in your own town.

Question:
What do you think was Luke's purpose in providing this account in the Gospel message? Do you think the Holy Spirit inspired the inclusion of this passage to serve as a permanent prescription for sending missionaries or was it simply meant to be descriptive of how Jesus used and empowered others to proclaim the message to the surrounding communities prior to his death?

You see, as someone reading Scripture for inspiration and as a medium for connecting with the Divine Source of life, with God; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, I think it is important to consider whether the text is intended to be prescriptive or merely descriptive. Clearly, for Francis of Assisi the text was more than just description of past events.

If it is intended to be prescriptive, I fear that much of what has occurred over the ages has quite clearly violated the rule of mutuality. Many people groups have been subsumed and coerced to "accept Christ" in response to the proclamation of the Kingdom of God drawing near. Instead of stamping the dust of feet and moving on to another place when not welcomed in their midst, missionaries have long persisted in their efforts to continue the announcement of Good News. Power and force have been exerted to squelch and dominate new territories. Not for the benefit of the people being engaged in the message (sorry, I call that dominated) but for the increase of wealth and might of the rulers of nations and empires. Imperialism has been the principle motivation, proclaiming the reign of earthly kingdoms, not the good news of encounter with the Holy. We can thank Augustine in large part for this persistent pernicious mode of operation. The Church became the principle means of assimilation. And much like the BORG, resistance was futile.

Then, what if we choose to set aside the issue of being sent (mission) to foreign lands and simply looked at the model of mission in our own country to our own neighbors. Do we even consider the work of members within a parish as missioners, people equipped and sent by the Divine to herald, care for, and in return receive adequate support for their service? I'm not referring merely to those that are ordained. I'm thinking about those who serve in many more ways to serve in both congregation and beyond to the glory of God and for the well-being of others. Proclaiming the kingdom, providing healing, encouraging and equipping the members to draw near to God as God has drawn near to them requires not only training, but also the devotion of time and energy which must be diverted from other activities which would provide financial support. The question grows larger with deeper implications to the welfare of all members of the Body of Christ. It seems that mutuality has gone by the wayside. The decision tree for the majority of faithful followers has been reduced to a path of gainful employment versus self-sacrificial volunteering which leaves the missioner with good feelings but an empty belly.

A closing thought, as it relates to mission ventures of the present age. It also seems to me that some hefty fundraising work by missioners and for the benefit of mission workers might be seriously in question. Just a thought.The only mission endeavors I ever took part in required hefty financial self-support. Not only did the mission team members have to give up their usual pay in order to serve on a mission team. They were also expected to pay their expenses while in the community they served. The missioners were expected to make a contribution to the receiving community out of their own resources. Missioners are somehow assumed to gifted with charisms of generosity supported by unlimited personal resources. That would be a different Scripture passage entirely.

Now, to you...

With the final message being the heralding of the kingdom of God drawing near, where do you see that in your life?

How do you respond to the call to work in the harvest field for the Lord?


Pop Quiz:
How many disciples did Jesus have?

Servants of the people

 July 7th, 2013

237 years and three days following the Declaration of Independence of the Colonies of from British Rule. Thanks to the practiced writing skills of Thomas Jefferson we now call ourselves a sovereign nation. Thomas Jefferson was a clearly a product of the new age of enlightenment. He had moral courage that was nourished as much by the words of Voltaire and Locke as the Holy Bible. He was an independent thinker, not to be told that scripture was infallible or without error. In fact, during his presidency and following he extracted what was most important to him from the Gospels and threw the rest away as dross. This work, commonly referred to as the Thomas Jefferson Bible  is an interesting work which many would like to forget when they claim "America is a Christian Nation". And, such is the long tradition of proof-texting in America. Yes, even I fall into that trap on occassion, but I do work hard to wrestle with the entirety of the Bible.  

Our ancestors became rebels and patriots simultaneously as they rejected the abuses of the Monarch and his government. This singular event became a watershed mark in history. Regardless what Scripture might have urged in such cases, remembering Paul also instructed the church to submit to authorities and pray for the Leaders of government,  my ancestors, the ones that came before the revolution, were no longer willing to endure the chains of tyranny.  I think the opening sentence to Galatians 5 must have been deeply embedded into their hearts and minds.

"For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery."

"For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.
For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for self-indulgence, but through love become slaves to one another. For the whole law is summed up in a single commandment, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." If, however, you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another.

Live by the Spirit, I say, and do not gratify the desires of the flesh. For what the flesh desires is opposed to the Spirit, and what the Spirit desires is opposed to the flesh; for these are opposed to each other, to prevent you from doing what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not subject to the law. Now the works of the flesh are obvious: fornication, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, anger, quarrels, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these. I am warning you, as I warned you before: those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also be guided by the Spirit." Galatians 5:1,13-25

The whole of this passage deserves to be broken apart in order to do justice to the message that has been handed down through the ages to us. Paragraph two and three offer deeper instruction on the first paragraph. Today,  as I read this text I find that I am placed needing to speak to about loss, for this has been a week of loss, more profoundly than it has been a week of independence.

This week has been a difficult week for the brotherhood of Firefighters. The week began with the news that 19 hotshots from Prescott AZ perished in the blaze. They dedicated their lives to the work of firefighting, dedicated to a cause of protecting live and property, and in that vocation each of them, without a doubt, understood the risks which they took upon themselves. Their families will forever be changed now that these firefighters have been snatched by the hands of death.

These were men who came together to serve their community, not because it would bring them great financial wealth. They worked with selfless devotion. They formed an esprit de corps for the common good. I doubt any of them would call themselves "slaves to one another" but surely they would not reject the moniker as public servants. 

Now, widows and orphans have been left behind to carry on life without them.The community of Firefighting Families throughout the nation join Yarnell Fire Fallen families to share their sorrow and to surround them with assurance that their loss is great, and has been noticed. We (yes, I am a mother of a firefighter serving in the City of San Diego) also feel a sickness inside as we confront death face to face; the risks our sons and daughters, husbands and wives face daily. Then, remembering the challenge of Jesus ask what more should be done for the living that have been left behind? The widows and orphans remain as our responsibility. Our task, as those who stand removed, is to make sure these survivors are cared for.

I, like many take comfort knowing that there is hope in life everlasting and pray for the repose of the souls of the valiant servants. As the memorial service allows time for remembering and committing their souls to the care of the Holy One, I will pray for peace and comfort to surround these families through caring individuals, chaplains, and many others. I will give thanks, not that they died, but thanks for their dedicated lives of service.Yes, it has been a difficult week for the brotherhood of Firefighters in our nation because a total of 20 died in one week.

Let me leave you with a pair of questions.

How does this passage about being set free speak to your spiritual nature?

OR

Do you simply read this freedom as a earthly material freedom?

And a final thought:

I consider myself blessed to have had the good fortune to be born in this country. I'm proud to know the rich line of ancestors who fought against tyranny at the birth of this nation, as well as those who served God as ministers of word and sacrament to the Glory of God following the establishment of this nation.Ultimately though, I believe my greatest freedom will never be lost. Being a child of God, an heir in the eternal kingdom cannot be taken away, no matter what happens to the civil structures of this or any country.

I am free in Christ no matter what flag flies over the ruling structures any nation.

If I was not granted a freedom by a government to worship God, I would nevertheless be free to choose to honor no other Lord, than the Lord of Heaven and earth.