e-vos

e-vo for week of January 25

2012-01-24T12:59:00.000-08:00

Dearest e-votees-

January 25th is the day set aside in the church year to commemorate the “Conversion of Paul”.

Someone who was strong and focused and zealous and hard-working had his life turned upside down. His eyes were blinded that he might see. His profound and faithful works came into a better perspective as grace came to the fore. Church tradition holds that he was beheaded (a “privilege” of his Roman citizenship) during the persecutions of the church. May the testimony, life and martyrdom of Paul speak to us this day.

For our devotional text we will use the appointed gospel text for the “Conversion of Paul”.

Peace,
Karl

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[Jesus speaking to some who were speaking about the Temple, context courtesy of verse 5]

10 Then he said to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; 11 there will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and plagues; and there will be dreadful portents and great signs from heaven. 12 "But before all this occurs, they will arrest you and persecute you; they will hand you over to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors because of my name. 13 This will give you an opportunity to testify. 14 So make up your minds not to prepare your defense in advance; 15 for I will give you words and a wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to withstand or contradict. 16 You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, by relatives and friends; and they will put some of you to death. 17 You will be hated by all because of my name. 18 But not a hair of your head will perish. 19 By your endurance you will gain your souls.”

Luke 21:10-19, NRSV

This is a rich a vivid text. I invite you to read it a few times:

• Read it and see which phrase or word or image comes to the fore. What captures your imagination or your attention?

• Read it again being open to a prayer petition that you might be able to lift up over the next several days. You are invited to write that petition down and post it somewhere you will see it during the course of your daily activities.

• Read it one more time looking for where you find yourself in this story today as you read it. What might God say to you this day in this living and breathing and active word? You are invited to write that down and keep it with your prayer petition.

This text was chosen for the “Conversion of Paul” certainly for the resonances with his life: arrests and persecutions, being handed over to prisons and authorities, facing kings and governors, wisdom that seems insurmountable and a martyr’s death. And in spite of it all endurance through faith unto life beyond death.

But this text wasn’t spoken to Paul when first voiced. Jesus was making remarks to those chatting about the Temple. Perhaps they were looking at this massive structure that testified so profoundly to the magnificence and glory of God. Jesus took the conversation to a much more palpable and incarnate experience of the faith. (see John 2:13-22 for an even more palpable and incarnate conversation about the Temple that Jesus brings to bear). Jesus seems to be saying that struggles and troubles are coming. That you can’t bring a message like Jesus is bringing into the world without profoundly provoking the powers that be. There will be severe and violent pushback. Yet in spite of the attacks and the hatred and the violence life is to be had here more than any other place. I wonder how the hearers of these words straight off the lips of Jesus responded to them. Scripture only indicates that the people listened to Jesus. I want to know so much more.

And this text doesn’t stop speaking once it is attached to the “Conversion of Paul”. God’s word is living and active and has things to say to us to this day. Where do you find yourself in this text? As a preacher I have many opportunities to testify. I have been known on occasion to struggle with what to say and how to say it. This text—as well as Luke 12:11-12—assures me that God will be faithful to give words and speak through me. God will never leave me nor forsake me—even when I’m preaching and teaching. What is your take away from this text? I would love to hear back from you if something strikes you. It would be a blessing to catch a glimpse of what God is saying to you this day through this Luke text.

God, we give you thanks for the life, testimony and martyrdom of Saint Paul. Thank you that he was able to rest deeply in your grace and salvation no matter what came his way. Shape us to be more like him in that regard. Speak to us this day with your living and active word. Knock us away from complacency. Bring your grace and salvation to a more palpable and incarnate place in our lives and through our lives—all to your glory. Amen.

e-vo for week of January 18

2012-01-20T10:27:00.000-08:00

Dearest e-votees-

This Sunday’s Old Testament text is from the book of Jonah. The assigned text is below as well as the pericope bits that were left on the cutting room floor (set off with the square brackets).

I hope that you have been blessed and encouraged this week. I pray you will be even more so after our devotional interaction here.

Peace,
Karl

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3 The word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time, saying, 2 “Get up, go to Nineveh, that great city, and proclaim to it the message that I tell you.” 3 So Jonah set out and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the Lord. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly large city, a three days’ walk across. 4 Jonah began to go into the city, going a day’s walk. And he cried out, “Forty days more, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!” 5 And the people of Nineveh believed God; they proclaimed a fast, and everyone, great and small, put on sackcloth.

[6 When the news reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, removed his robe, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. 7 Then he had a proclamation made in Nineveh: “By the decree of the king and his nobles: No human being or animal, no herd or flock, shall taste anything. They shall not feed, nor shall they drink water. 8 Human beings and animals shall be covered with sackcloth, and they shall cry mightily to God. All shall turn from their evil ways and from the violence that is in their hands. 9 Who knows? God may relent and change his mind; he may turn from his fierce anger, so that we do not perish.” ]

10 When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil ways, God changed his mind about the calamity that he had said he would bring upon them; and he did not do it.

Jonah 3:1-5, [6-9], 10, NRSV

It seems to me that something needs to be said about not including vv. 6-9. By excising these verses we lose the reasoning behind the fast and the signs of repentance. When you stop at verse 5 you have the people believing that God will overthrow Nineveh in 40 days. If they were convinced that the calamity was sure to come to pass one might think a different reaction would come from the people—scattering in fear (kind of like Jonah when he fled God’s call) or celebrating the last days (“Eat, drink and be merry for in 40 days we die!”) or something. This repentance in hopes that God might change God’s mind (there’s a linguistic connection between repentance and God’s changing the divine mind) seems less clear with the middle verses removed.

What were those who devised the pericope (literally a “cutting around”—extracting the selected lessons) thinking by striking these verses? Perhaps they thought that a king telling the people to repent was too autocratic or dictatorial for our modern sensibilities. Perhaps they thought that the fast and signs of repentance were diminished if they were mandated. What do you think? Why might have been the reasoning for selecting the lesson as it has been done? I find that when assigned lessons step around excisions I am drawn to the “forbidden” texts.

The leader of the people heard the news (Jonah’s message or about the people fasting and putting on sackcloth—not entirely clear). Was the king codifying what the people had already begun to do?—quite possibly. The king and his nobles decree that all animals shall neither eat nor drink in hopes for a change. And the people and the animals and the king did it. They didn’t scatter in fear. They didn’t squander precious last moments in debauchery. They collected and focused themselves and hoped and trusted and prayed that God would deliver them.

How are things in our lives and in the world around us? Do things seem dire? Is calamity imminent? Is the future uncertain? Perhaps we should do what is required to focus ourselves, our lives and our times on the callings and plans of God. God cares about us who don’t know our right hand from our left (see Jonah 4:11) and about the animals who don’t know their right hooves from their lefts.

God stir us to seek you fervently as if everything that was important depended on it. When we feel put upon help us not flee by foot nor by escapism but rather run to you—our loving Father—who loves to wait at the end of the driveway and run towards us. Amen.

e-vo for week of January 11

2012-01-10T12:06:00.000-08:00

Dearest e-votees-

This Sunday we enter into the more ordinary times (green is the liturgical color) of the Sundays after the Epiphany. We continue to experience revelations of who God is—Epiphany comes from the Greek επι + φαινω, epi (which can mean “upon”) + fie-no (which can mean “shine”), which literally can mean “shine upon” and figuratively can mean “to reveal or make known”. Epiphany is the season where we linger around God being made known. Made God be made known in us and through us this day.

Peace,
Pastor Karl

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43 The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, "Follow me." 44 Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. 45 Philip found Nathanael and said to him, "We have found him about whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus son of Joseph from Nazareth." 46 Nathanael said to him, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" Philip said to him, "Come and see." 47 When Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him, he said of him, "Here is truly an Israelite in whom there is no deceit!" 48 Nathanael asked him, "Where did you get to know me?" Jesus answered, "I saw you under the fig tree before Philip called you." 49 Nathanael replied, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!" 50 Jesus answered, "Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than these." 51 And he said to him, "Very truly, I tell you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man."

John 1:43-51, NRSV

Nathanael has some preconceived notions about Nazareth of what good may or may not come from there. It wasn’t until he experienced some encouraging words from Jesus and perhaps evidence of miraculous revelation that he changed his tune.

How about us? Where is Nazareth for us? Where is susceptible to our preconceived notions? Where do we wonder if good news could really come from there? Is it a place? Is it a particular expression of Christianity? Is it someone who doesn’t always practice what he or she preaches? Is it a teen or pre-teen who is claiming to be impregnated by the Holy Spirit? Is it a disciple who promised never to deny Jesus only to do that three times before the morning came? Is it a messy and not-so-very-cool church? ( for the interested reader I would highly commend to you: http://rachelheldevans.com/blessed-are-the-uncool ) Where are the places that draw our skepticism as a source of God’s good news?

Perhaps we need some encouraging words from Jesus.

Perhaps we need some evidence of miraculous revelation.

Jesus says things like:
• “Peace I leave with you.”
• “You did not choose me, I chose you.”
• “They did not choose me, I chose them.”
• “Let the heavy laden and burdened come to me and I will give them rest.”
• “If you ask me I will give you living water.”
• “Don’t call unclean what God has declared clean.”
• “You are my friends.”

Jesus reveals God’s heart and God’s way to us (often miraculously) by:
• Coming as one of us by way of a virgin birth
• Befriending tax-collectors, sinners, lepers, Samaritans, sell-outs, outcasts, hypocrites and us too
• Healing those who were/are sick in mind, body and soul
• Willingly dying a horrific death for the sake of the aforementioned
• Rising from the dead with angels ascending and descending upon the Son of Man

Nathanael’s heart was turned to believe and proclaim who Jesus truly was. May our hearts be turned and our words inspired to proclaim who Jesus truly is.

God, stir us to shed our biases against who you would send to reveal yourself to us and the world. Help us learn and live and share your encouraging words. Help us be open to miraculous and more ordinary revelations of who you truly are—in us, in others, through others and through us. Give us courage to speak of you as you provide opportunity. Amen.

e-vo for week of January 4

2012-01-03T10:15:00.000-08:00

Dearest e-votees-

This Friday is January 6—The Epiphany of our Lord—which begins the church season of Epiphany. The Sundays of the season are bookended with Baptism of our Lord (January 8) and Transfiguration of our Lord (February 19). The emphasis of the season is God being revealed. May our days and our experiences make God more apparent to us and to all those we encounter.

Peace,
Karl

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1 This is the reason that I Paul am a prisoner for Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles— 2 for surely you have already heard of the commission of God's grace that was given me for you, 3 and how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I wrote above in a few words, 4 a reading of which will enable you to perceive my understanding of the mystery of Christ. 5 In former generations this mystery was not made known to humankind, as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit: 6 that is, the Gentiles have become fellow heirs, members of the same body, and sharers in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel. 7 Of this gospel I have become a servant according to the gift of God's grace that was given me by the working of his power. 8 Although I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given to me to bring to the Gentiles the news of the boundless riches of Christ, 9 and to make everyone see what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things; 10 so that through the church the wisdom of God in its rich variety might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. 11 This was in accordance with the eternal purpose that he has carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord, 12 in whom we have access to God in boldness and confidence through faith in him.

Ephesians 3:1-12, NRSV

Paul’s calling certainly had some challenging aspects—beatings, stoning, confronting and comforting divided and hurting churches, lack of resources, spiritual assaults and the like. Paul spent time in prison, enduring abuse and, as church traditions maintains, being dispatched by beheading at the hands of the Romans. How do you think Paul found the courage and the stamina to face the tedious, brutal and upsetting days that filled up his calendar?

I imagine that Paul had a parchment (or maybe a sheepskin or a scrap left over from his tent-making) that he had carefully inscribed the words above from Ephesians. I can see him reading this to himself when he got up in the morning and the last thing before he extinguished the oil lamp at night. When in prison I could see him hanging this up on the wall next to him. When in front of kings and rulers and tribunals and magistrates I can imagine him reaching into his pocket and feeling the familiar and empowering words that sustained him so often. I can imagine Paul luxuriating in the deep and abiding calling and purpose as articulated in the words above.

These words penned by Paul and the Holy Spirit speak to us too. Maybe we would do well to have them inscribed where we can linger with them. Or, perhaps, we could commit them to memory so they are always accessible. These words speak to us and of us. We are the Gentiles who receive the news of the boundless riches of Christ—thanks be to God. We are called to be part of the church which bears the wisdom of God to the world and its structures of power and authority as well as to the spiritual realms. We are called, with Paul, to be servants of the Gospel. These words of Paul’s are our words too.

We don’t dare enter into such realms of discipleship and service under our own strength and initiation. Jesus grants us access in boldness and confidence to God. God is at work in us and through us being revealed. So as we face our day—whether tedious or brutal or upsetting—God will grant us stamina and courage. As we rub up against powers and authorities and perhaps challenge the status quo God will sustain us and equip us with familiar and empowering words. God calls us and God will equip us to abide in that calling. This is in accordance with the eternal purpose that God has carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord.

God, reveal yourself to us in this time of Epiphany. Help us experience you in the world and reveal you to the world. Strengthen us with Word and Sacrament. Draw us daily to your mercies and your graces. Help us never lose sight of the high calling you have put upon us even during the most tedious and brutal and upsetting of days. Amen.

e-vo for week of December 28

2011-12-29T15:10:00.000-08:00

Dearest e-votees-

In the church year there are particular days set aside to commemorate saints and martyrs. The color of the day is red which evokes memories of blood spilled and of faithful testimony empowered by the Holy Spirit.

December 28 is the day of “The Holy Innocents, Martyrs” who are the children who were slaughtered as Herod in a fury tried to kill the newborn king by having all of the children in the vicinity of Bethlehem who were two years old or younger killed.

For this week’s devotion we will linger around this ghastly story leaning hard on the promises of Romans 8:28 that God can work all things for good for those who love him and are called according to God’s purpose.

Peace,
Karl

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15 Thus says the Lord: A voice is heard in Ramah, lamentation and bitter weeping. Rachel is weeping for her children; she refuses to be comforted for her children, because they are no more. 16 Thus says the Lord: Keep your voice from weeping, and your eyes from tears; for there is a reward for your work, says the Lord: they shall come back from the land of the enemy; 17 there is hope for your future, says the Lord: your children shall come back to their own country.

Jeremiah 31:15-17, NRSV

13 Now after they had left, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, "Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him." 14 Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother by night, and went to Egypt, 15 and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet, "Out of Egypt I have called my son." 16 When Herod saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, he was infuriated, and he sent and killed all the children in and around Bethlehem who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had learned from the wise men. 17 Then was fulfilled what had been spoken through the prophet Jeremiah: 18 "A voice was heard in Ramah, wailing and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be consoled, because they are no more."

Matthew 2:13-18, NRSV

It is hard to read this account of the destruction of life in the wake of political and social struggles. Clearly these children posed no threat to Herod. The one who would eventually completely upend the political, social, spiritual and many other structures of this world, Jesus, was easily delivered from this brutal and ill-conceived attempt on his life. In his rage and vain imaginations Herod was the cause of the suffering of great many innocents and their families.

It is hard to read this account of the destruction of children and not have our minds drawn back to the Passover. At the end of a long period of political and social struggles there was a leader, Pharaoh, who was not able to yield and let the people go. Because of this circumstance the firstborn males of all of the households of Egypt, and the animals, were slain. The spilled blood of the Passover lamb serving as a sign of deliverance on the doorposts of the Jewish people has been connected with Jesus’ blood spilled on the cross.

Jesus didn’t escape dying at the hands of a broken and corrupt political machinery. He just delayed it for 33 or so years until the time was right. He could have been delivered by legions of angels if he so desired in the garden of Gethsemane but he persisted. In our rage and our vain imaginations we, people then and people now, were the ones who led Jesus to the cross and shouted “Crucify Him!!!”

The world still struggles with realms of power and corruption and politics. As people vie for recognition and power and influence many lives are wounded and destroyed. Corruption and influence peddling cost incredible amounts and are paid by the tragic currency of preventable diseases running rampant, malnourished bodies finally yielding to death and people living in abject poverty. As the vain imaginations of rulers and would be up-and-comers and hyper-consumers go to work the vulnerable and the young and the relatively innocent pay severely.

Jesus comes into this world to break this cycle. Jesus reminds us that how we treat the “least of these” is how we treat him (see Matthew 25:40). Jesus has come to dismantle realms and structures that slaughter or permit the demise of the young and the vulnerable. Jesus came to set us free. Jesus has work for us to do that involved caring for those still ensnared in how we do politics. Will the weeping of Rachel stir us to action?

God, teach us to see in Jesus—this baby of Bethlehem who grew into the deliverer of all who would come—a call to take up our own crosses. Stir us to be moved with Rachel and to let your Holy Spirit stir us to action that pleases you and alleviates suffering and untimely death in this political and broken world. Amen.

e-vo for week of December 21

2011-12-22T16:02:00.000-08:00

Dearest e-votees-

Merry Christmas to you and yours. I hope and pray that you are able to savor the gift of the manger surrounded by family and friends.

God has come into the world to bring all who are far back into restored relationship with God. This is indeed Good News.

Peace,
Karl

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1 Long ago God spoke to our ancestors in many and various ways by the prophets, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom he also created the worlds. 3 He is the reflection of God’s glory and the exact imprint of God’s very being, and he sustains all things by his powerful word. When he had made purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, 4 having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.

5 For to which of the angels did God ever say, “You are my Son; today I have begotten you”? Or again, “I will be his Father, and he will be my Son”? 6 And again, when he brings the firstborn into the world, he says, “Let all God’s angels worship him.” 7 Of the angels he says, “He makes his angels winds, and his servants flames of fire.”

8 But of the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, and the righteous scepter is the scepter of your kingdom. 9 You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness beyond your companions.” 10 And, “In the beginning, Lord, you founded the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands; 11 they will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like clothing; 12 like a cloak you will roll them up, and like clothing they will be changed. But you are the same, and your years will never end.”

Hebrews 1:1-12, NRSV

God has been speaking to our ancestors, people who have preceded us in the family of faith, for a long time. In many and various ways God has sought to communicate to them and to us—many people, many forms of oration, demonstration and inscription, through demonstrations of power, miraculous interventions and faithful deliverance and provision. In spite of these efforts by God the message was often missed by our ancestors and by us. So God came to us as Jesus. When we look at Jesus we see God. Jesus bears “the exact imprint of God’s very being” and makes himself known to this world that is so often so sinful and so broken.

Jesus comes and makes his place among the shepherds and the sheep. Jesus comes and makes his place among the tax collectors and lepers and sinners and outcasts. Jesus comes and makes his place between the doubter and the denier and the betrayer. Jesus comes and makes a place for us too. And, when we decided Jesus was making things in a way that was offensive to us, we dispatched him. And Jesus made his place between two thieves on Calvary. Jesus made his place in hell—literal and figurative—for our sake. And we made a place for him in a rough hewn tomb in a garden.

Then Jesus rose and took his place again. Jesus rose and said “Not even death can keep me down”. Jesus rose and said “Take your place beside me—nothing, not even death, can separate us”. Jesus makes a place for us. “The exact imprint of God’s very being” is pressing us into that form as well. Jesus sustains all things—including us—by his powerful Word. He is the Word come into the world. He has come for us. He has made a place for us. He has called us to follow after him. This is, truly, “Joy to the World!!!”

God, thank you for all the ways you bless us. Most particularly we give you thanks for Jesus and how you have blessed us and the world through him. Help us be people who join all God’s angels in worship and praise of God made flesh—the Gift of the manger and the Savior of the world. Amen.

e-vo for week of December 14

2011-12-15T14:52:00.000-08:00

Dearest e-votees-

I hope and pray this devotion finds you well as you continue to wait and linger and prepare for Christmas this year as well as when Jesus comes again in glory.

May your time with friends and family, traveling and sharing, exchanging gifts, singing songs, participating in worship all be good and blessed.

Peace,
Karl

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1 I will sing of your steadfast love, O Lord, forever; with my mouth I will proclaim your faithfulness to all generations. 2 I declare that your steadfast love is established forever; your faithfulness is as firm as the heavens. 3 You said, “I have made a covenant with my chosen one, I have sworn to my servant David: 4 ‘I will establish your descendants forever, and build your throne for all generations.’ ” Selah

19 Then you spoke in a vision to your faithful one, and said: “I have set the crown on one who is mighty, I have exalted one chosen from the people. 20 I have found my servant David; with my holy oil I have anointed him; 21 my hand shall always remain with him; my arm also shall strengthen him. 22 The enemy shall not outwit him, the wicked shall not humble him. 23 I will crush his foes before him and strike down those who hate him. 24 My faithfulness and steadfast love shall be with him; and in my name his horn shall be exalted. 25 I will set his hand on the sea and his right hand on the rivers. 26 He shall cry to me, ‘You are my Father, my God, and the Rock of my salvation!’ 27 I will make him the firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth. 28 Forever I will keep my steadfast love for him, and my covenant with him will stand firm. 29 I will establish his line forever, and his throne as long as the heavens endure."

Psalm 89:1-4, 19-26, NRSV

Do you ever wonder what difference your life makes? Once you have died what will be remembered? What lasting impact will your name carry 10 years after you are gone? 50 years after you are gone? 200 years after you are gone? Who decides how important someone is and how lasting their legacy should be? Does it matter to you if you and your name are remembered or not?

David is still powerfully remembered. He is not as much remembered for what he did as for who God called him to be and who God brought out of his lineage. One of ways we might let people know who we are and how important we are is through our connections with other people. We’ve all met namedroppers. We all know people who are wealthy and famous and paid attention to because of their parents or other well-known ancestors. Paris Hilton is a classic example of someone who received what she had and has been much the center of attention because of it. Promises and gifts and responsibilities are given to family members. Promises made to family members can bring great blessings and great responsibility.

We are joined to Jesus and through him to this lineage of David. We receive great blessings and responsibility solely based on the fact that God has made us God’s own—much like David. We will be remembered by God because our names are written in the book of life. We may not be remembered so very vividly by the world because of our actions and our accomplishments. That’s okay. That is not to say what we do doesn’t matter. We matter to God and we have vocations to tend. We have families to love. We have good news to share. We are part of God’s family and that brings great blessings and great responsibility. It all matters.

God has made a steadfast covenant with David and with us. We can rest (Selah) in that great truth. God’s love and forgiveness and grace and covenant stands firm. Thanks be to God.

Dear God, you always deliver on your promises. They are brought to pass in Jesus who is the yes and amen to all your promises. Help us wait for him again in the manger and as he readies to come in clouds. Help us spread the word of our savior, our brother, our friend and our Lord Jesus. Amen.

e-vo for week of December 7

2011-12-07T15:58:00.000-08:00

Dearest e-votees-

I hope and that your time of preparing and lingering and steeping and waiting in Advent is fruitful.

For our devotional focus today we will look at the appointed lesson for this Sunday from Isaiah.

Peace,
Karl

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1 The spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me; he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed, to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and release to the prisoners; 2 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn; 3 to provide for those who mourn in Zion— to give them a garland instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the mantle of praise instead of a faint spirit. They will be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, to display his glory. 4 They shall build up the ancient ruins, they shall raise up the former devastations; they shall repair the ruined cities, the devastations of many generations.

For I the Lord love justice, I hate robbery and wrongdoing; I will faithfully give them their recompense, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them. 9 Their descendants shall be known among the nations, and their offspring among the peoples; all who see them shall acknowledge that they are a people whom the Lord has blessed. 10 I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my whole being shall exult in my God; for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation, he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. 11 For as the earth brings forth its shoots, and as a garden causes what is sown in it to spring up, so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring up before all the nations.

Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11, NRSV

It is this Isaiah passage that Jesus finds in Luke 4:16-21 when he unrolls the scroll, reads the text and says “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” The HarperCollins study Bible estimates that this text was written between 545 and 539 years before Jesus was on the earth. If we take Jesus to be 30 when he was beginning his public ministry then this prophecy recorded in Isaiah took ~570 years to be fulfilled. What do you think the people in the intervening almost 6 centuries thought as they looked at this passage and as they watched the passage of time?

There is a promise in the second part of the passage that God’s people, with whom God has covenanted, will be known among the nations as blessed. The words that follow in verses 9-11 strongly resonate with Mary’s Magnificat (Luke 1:46-56). Jesus coming into Mary’s life helped bring these promises to bear. She couldn’t help but respond with praise.

But for many there are still issues of being oppressed, brokenhearted, captivity, mourning and sagging spirits. Even the wait of 570 or so years didn’t sweep that all away. The intervening centuries between Isaiah to Jesus and then again to us have proven to be quite harsh to God’s chosen people. Many would be hard-pressed to declare them unequivocally blessed.

God’s promises are “Yes” and “Amen” in Christ Jesus (2 Corinthians 1:20). But sometimes they take half a millennia or so to come to pass. Sometimes they still haven’t completely come to bear even after a couple millennia. But God’s time is so not like our time. And God’s faithfulness is so not like our distracted allegiances. We wait, as patiently as we can, for the baby to come again to the manger in Bethlehem—with Mary. We wait, as patiently as we can, for Jesus to come at the end of all time and usher in with finality the joy and the healing and the comfort that will have no end. And when the impatience starts to set in we can gather together for encouragement and worship. That’s what we do as an Advent people.

God, give us patience and grace as we wait for your promises come fully to bear on us and on this world. Help us be a source of grace and community for all those who also wait. Give us words and songs of praise and glory to join in singing with Mary’s Magnificat. Amen.

e-vo for week of November 30

2011-11-30T11:41:00.000-08:00

Dearest e-votees-

This time of year can be a hard time to wait and be patient.

For some the time of presents and celebrative music and joyous reunions make us giddy with anticipation. The days can’t pass fast enough until these times are upon us. And sometimes they pass all too quickly and we need to wait until the next occasion with all the joys and the celebrations that come with.

For some the holidays loom in a much more menacing way—hard economic times, insufficient wages, palpable empty places at the table or hard memories from tough holidays gone by. The days can’t pass fast enough until we are through these tough times. And then we will have a reprieve at least until the next occasion with its challenges and all of the expectations that come with.

For most of us we are in some hybrid place between these two extremes. We find ourselves waiting—sometimes joyfully, sometimes dreadfully—through these days of Advent. Our assigned epistle lesson for this coming second Sunday of Advent reminds us that God waits too.

Peace,
Karl

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8 But do not ignore this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like one day. 9 The Lord is not slow about his promise, as some think of slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, and the elements will be dissolved with fire, and the earth and everything that is done on it will be disclosed. 11 Since all these things are to be dissolved in this way, what sort of persons ought you to be in leading lives of holiness and godliness, 12 waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set ablaze and dissolved, and the elements will melt with fire? 13 But, in accordance with his promise, we wait for new heavens and a new earth, where righteousness is at home.

14 Therefore, beloved, while you are waiting for these things, strive to be found by him at peace, without spot or blemish; 15 and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation. So also our beloved brother Paul wrote to you according to the wisdom given him,

2 Peter 3:8-15, NRSV

Have you ever had to wait on God? Perhaps you are seeking guidance about an opportunity or a perceived calling. Perhaps you are waiting to hear back on some lab results and the efficacy of your prayers for healing. Perhaps you are waiting for that baby to come. Or for your baby to come back home from deployment. Or for when you can leave this earth and go and be reunited with your baby. But instead of the instant gratification type of response we have been trained to expect in this world there is the need to wait. Perhaps God has a purpose in the waiting. Perhaps the waiting has little to do with God’s plans or God’s timing. Waiting can be a trial.

But Peter redirects us like a parent to a restless child—“Instead of pacing and complaining why don’t you…?” Instead of fixating on how slow or non-responsive we perceive God to be why don’t we do something? Why don’t we bide our time by striving to be at peace, by striving to be without spot or blemish? In order to do this with God we must return again and again to God’s work on the cross which was attached to us in baptism. Through Jesus we are reconciled to God and made at peace. Through Jesus we are made pure and clean. In order to do this with neighbors we must grow, with God’s help, in being peace-loving and forgiving and long-suffering and gracious with others. We must grow, with God’s help, in loving our neighbors as we ourselves would be loved. As we grow in this way the spots and blemishes that mar our community and blur our image of our neighbors fade.

As we wait, sometimes patiently, sometimes not so much so, we can grow in regarding God’s patience with us and our world as salvation—as a healing and life-giving act. This is as Paul writes and as Peter emphasizes and as the church teaches and as we are called to live.

Christ has come. Christ will come again. Thanks be to God.

God, help us wait in faith knowing your patience is bringing salvation more fully into this world. Bring your new heaven and earth in your time to your glory. Amen.

e-vo for week of November 23

2011-11-23T08:04:00.000-08:00

Dearest e-votees-

There are appointed texts in our lectionary not just for Sundays of the church year but also for appointed days commemorating saints, Holy Week and some other important days. There is a set of appointed texts for Day of Thanksgiving (U.S.A.) and we'll take a look at the gospel lesson for this week's e-vo.

May you be surrounded by family and friends and full of thankfulness during this extended holiday weekend.

Peace,
Karl

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11 On the way to Jerusalem Jesus was going through the region between Samaria and Galilee. 12 As he entered a village, ten lepers approached him. Keeping their distance, 13 they called out, saying, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!" 14 When he saw them, he said to them, "Go and show yourselves to the priests." And as they went, they were made clean. 15 Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice. 16 He prostrated himself at Jesus' feet and thanked him. And he was a Samaritan. 17 Then Jesus asked, "Were not ten made clean? But the other nine, where are they? 18 Was none of them found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?" 19 Then he said to him, "Get up and go on your way; your faith has made you well."

Luke 17:11-19, NRSV

Jesus enters the scene. There are people who are cut off from community. They approach him (a very bold and faithful move on their part they were expected to keep their distance and cry out "Unclean! Unclean!" as a warning (see Leviticus 13:45)). They cry out for mercy and Jesus responds. He tells them to go and show themselves to the priest (the gateway back into the community) and on the way they are healed.

Only one returns to give thanks and praise. The one who returns is a Samaritan (who had yet another reason to keep his distance from Jesus). The other nine, presumably not foreigners, are never recorded to have returned.

Move to modern day:

Jesus enters the scene. There are people who are cut off from community--perhaps we are among them. Jesus comes and welcomes those who cry out to him wanting to restore them to community. Jesus folds us into community with God the Father (the vertical work of the cross) and Jesus folds us into community with our human brothers and sisters (the horizontal work of the cross). We would do well to learn lessons from the grateful Samaritan and Jesus’ reaction towards him.

May we be surrounded by family and friends. And if we spot any folks in need of welcome, inclusion, cleansing and restoration may we be like Jesus in our response. And if any of us are more like the lepers may we seek and receive Jesus' welcome into community with God and others. And may we be thankful.

God, our most honest words to you are "Unclean! Unclean!" and "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!" Hear our cries and do what you do. And help us be more thankful and more like you. Amen.

ps- I have always found the art of Henry Martin intriguing and enchanting and whimsical. You might enjoy this powerpoint related to our text today: http://www.sermons4kids.com/The_Ten_Lepers.ppt

e-vo for week of November 16

2011-11-15T10:34:00.000-08:00

Dearest e-votees-

We are coming to the end of the church year—Christ the King Sunday.

Our appointed gospel text is the pointed text of the sheep and the goats in the 25th chapter of Matthew.

May we have ears and hearts and eyes to discern what God would have us see.

Peace,
Karl

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31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, 33 and he will put the sheep at his right hand and the goats at the left. 34 Then the king will say to those at his right hand, ‘Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; 35 for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.’ 37 Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? 38 And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? 39 And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?’ 40 And the king will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.’ 41 Then he will say to those at his left hand, ‘You that are accursed, depart from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; 42 for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not give me clothing, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ 44 Then they also will answer, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not take care of you?’ 45 Then he will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ 46 And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

Matthew 25:31-46, NRSV

One of the places to really give heed to words is when last words are being spoken. When we have seemingly unlimited upcoming visits the weather or the Green Bay Packers or the latest TV show might be appropriate conversational fodder. When we know that this exchange may well be the last (at least for a very long time) the words and the conversation take on a much more profound gravitas. These words in our appointed gospel lesson are the last teaching of Jesus in the gospel of Matthew. They are near the end of the gospel of Matthew as well--only the Passion, Resurrection and Great Commission accounts follow. Jesus knew his time was short and would not fill the void with idle chatter. He offers a powerful image of end times and what really matters. Do we have ears to hear?

A woman at my intern site, Gertrude, used to faithfully wear a button on her jacket which simply said:

25:40

People would ask about the button. Gertrude would tell them about “Truly I tell you, just as you did it to the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.” What a powerful witness.

What is so profound about this text is that no one, neither sheep nor goat, recognizes the Son of Man in those they are helping or neglecting. They are oblivious. What about us? Are we any different?

All sorts of people will cross our paths this day. We may well not even notice them. I pray we do. If we do we certainly may not discern in them the presence of the Son of Man. I pray we do. This last teaching of Jesus ought to give us pause. God is calling us to offer care and love to these hungry, lonely, sick, naked, imprisoned, thirsty souls. It really, really matters to God. It should really, really matter to us too.

And for those of us this day who are needing sustenance, feeling disenfranchised, away from healthy places, exposed, trapped by circumstances and parched we need to know that we really, really matter to the Son of Man too. Jesus empathizes with us and longs for our care and comfort. We are not alone. May many sheep cross our paths this day.

God shape us by 25:40. Teach us to see you in all we encounter particularly those on the fringes of neglect, need and neighborhood. Shape us into sheep who hear the master’s voice in the cries for mercy and care. Amen.

e-vo for week of November 9

2011-11-09T10:34:00.000-08:00

Dearest e-votees-

I hope and pray that your commemoration of those saints who shaped you and went before you last week was good and blessed. This week our assigned epistle text talks directly to those of us who have not yet gone to be with Jesus about how we might wait faithfully.

May the words that follow be good and be a blessing to you as well.

Peace,
Karl

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5 1 Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers and sisters, you do not need to have anything written to you. 2 For you yourselves know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3 When they say, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them, as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and there will be no escape! 4 But you, beloved, are not in darkness, for that day to surprise you like a thief; 5 for you are all children of light and children of the day; we are not of the night or of darkness. 6 So then let us not fall asleep as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober; 7 for those who sleep sleep at night, and those who are drunk get drunk at night. 8 But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, and put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. 9 For God has destined us not for wrath but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep we may live with him. 11 Therefore encourage one another and build up each other, as indeed you are doing.

1 Thessalonians 5:1-11, NRSV

People have been predicting the last day of the world frequently (and to date 100% incorrectly) for many, many years. Harold Camping’s multiple predictions of the end of the world, Heaven’s Gate and the accompanying suicides, for some it was the massive failure of computers due to the Y2K bug and many more doomsday scenarios have been lifted up to warn and terrify those gullible to such fears.

As our Thessalonians text tells us the day of the Lord will come suddenly and severely. None will escape the consequences and no one will know when it is coming.

So what are we to do?!? Live in fear and dread? Study the predictions and choose which of the end of the world scenarios is most likely to be so? Get drunk with fear and lurk in the nighttime corners hoping to get passed by? No!!!

We are saved. We are destined for salvation not wrath. Whether we are awake or asleep (a euphemism for death) we are alive in Christ. We need not hide in the dark. We need not try to numb and drown our fears in the night. God has chosen us. God’s choice is good and strong and irrevocable. We are saved.

Our time is best spent encouraging others. Are time is best spent building others up. We have faith and hope and love to protect us from any harm that might befall us as this temporary world passes away.

The next big end of the world prediction that is on people’s radar is from the Mayan calendar which seems to end in December 2012. So what are your plans for January 2013? What do you say to neighbors who grow anxious with possible global meltdowns and destruction? Do you scoff and sneer at others who seem to be so duped? Do you pour out encouragement and strive to edify? How do you answer the call to “love your neighbor”?

I have always been partial to the quote attributed to Luther. When asked what he would do if he knew the world was going to end tomorrow Luther is purported to have replied “I would plant a tree today.”

God is in control. God has saved us. God will do what God will do. The best things we can do is keep living faithfully doing what we do and let God—who is good and gracious and loving and forgiving—take care of the rest.

God, help us encourage and edify all those we can. Help us rest in your sheltering gifts of faith and hope and love. Whenever this world ends our new lives will continue with you. Thank you for never giving up on those you love. Help us know and live into that abiding and saving truth. Amen.

e-vo for week of November 2

2011-11-03T06:27:00.000-07:00

Dearest e-votees-

This coming Sunday is All Saints Sunday. It is a time when we remember people who have gone before us in the faith—particularly those who have died in the faith. May your commemoration of those who have helped shape you and shown you the way of faith be blessed. We have a deep and profound hope that we will be with those people again when God is most fully revealed.

Peace,
Karl

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1 See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and that is what we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2 Beloved, we are God's children now; what we will be has not yet been revealed. What we do know is this: when he is revealed, we will be like him, for we will see him as he is. 3 And all who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.

1 John 3:1-3, NRSV

We have been born into God’s family. Through baptism we are made children of God and a sister or a brother of Jesus. We now have the privileges and the responsibilities of participating in the family affairs:

• Family gatherings such as worship, fellowship events and service opportunities
• Family meals such as communion, potlucks and dinner groups
• Family rituals such as baptisms, consecrations and blessings
• Family celebrations such as weddings, anniversaries and special days and seasons
• Family mourning and contrition such as funerals, Ash Wednesday and Good Friday

There are so many aspects to life as the family of God. Some of that life has been revealed clearly. Some has yet to come. What we do know is this that it is possible to be in a family yet absent oneself from the life and the events of the family. God wants so much more from us and for us. God is revealed in the life of the family. God will continue to be revealed as we press on towards the day when God is most fully revealed. Let us not get in the habit of forsaking to gather… (see Hebrews 10:25)

May all of us this day be blessed as we are drawn deeply into our baptismal family. May we offer the hope and joy and possibility of adoption into God’s family for all who are estranged, cut off and non-participatory. God’s love that calls us children of God doesn’t stop with us. God’s love that calls us children of God would work through us to offer that self-same call to all who would hear.

As we lean into these strong promises of God we are made pure. When you see white this Sunday at church be reminded that you are made pure and that you are being made pure. That should be pure joy to your eyes and your soul. Amen.

God, thank you so much for each and every saint who has shaped our lives and our walk with you. Bless them and us and those yet to come as you are about the work of gathering and purifying. Help us be agents of joy and hope in a world that can be so scattered and so very sullied. Amen.

e-vo for week of October 26

2011-10-26T09:41:00.000-07:00

Dearest e-votees-

This Sunday is the one set aside in the church year to commemorate the Reformation. It is a time when we remember God’s word becoming much more readily accessible to the people. It is a time of bold testimony and brutal consequences. So many of us take for granted having scripture in our own language at our fingertips (and on our computer screens). We take for granted the great religious liberties we have. We take for granted the many freedoms granted to us in Christ. Those privileges and freedoms have not always been so and in many parts of the world still aren’t. How might we live into the freedom Christ has won for us this day?

Peace,
Karl

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31 Then Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, "If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples; 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free." 33 They answered him, "We are descendants of Abraham and have never been slaves to anyone. What do you mean by saying, "You will be made free'?" 34 Jesus answered them, "Very truly, I tell you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin. 35 The slave does not have a permanent place in the household; the son has a place there forever. 36 So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed. "

John 8:31-36, NRSV

One of the most disturbing comments that sometimes arises as people leave worship service is “Nice sermon pastor, you really told them!” Them?!? Who would that be? When I preach I am talking to all—very much including myself. I hope the words coming from my mouth on behalf of, and I hope and pray inspired by, God are for US. We do that though, don’t we? We hear a sermon and say “Boy, it’s too bad Clem isn’t here today, he really needed to hear that one. “ Or “Once we can post our sermons on-line I’ll be sending links to Eunice, she really needs to get with the program.” Look at the people in our gospel lesson today—“Who us?!? You can’t be talking to us, we’ve never been slaves. We don’t need freedom. Who are you talking to Jesus?!?”

Scripture is for all but we can in many ways only take it in for ourselves. Scripture is living and active dividing down to joint and marrow (see Hebrews 4:12). For scripture to do the appointed work we need to get near it. We need access to it in languages we can read. We need it opened up and proclaimed in words that are accessible to us. Luther and Gutenberg and your pastor(s) and your small group studies and your individual time have all been part of opening scripture to you. You are invited to let it do the work it will without hiding, without ducking, without diverting or flinching.

There is a classic picture on the front of Beyond the Far Side where a bear in the sights of a rifle is pointing to another bear. He is trying to avoid the killing blow. He is much like the parishioners commending the sermon that ought to speak to the other person. God’s words are for us (and of course for others). God’s words have work to do in us. God’s words will convict us of our enslavement to sin, our broken ways and our hopeless future apart from God. God’s words can be killing. But it is a death that leads to life. God’s word will also and most importantly set us free. Jesus, the Son, aka the Word, will set us free. And when we are set free we are free indeed.

Stephen Curtis Chapman’s song “I’m Free” marvelously proclaims John 8:36. You can find a clip at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFufs17Us28

The outro of the song is “If the Son has set you free, you are free indeed!” over and over again fading out. Amen. May that song be on our dying lips and every day until them.

God, thank you for the bold and powerful work of Luther and the Reformers. Help us draw into the freedom of Christ. Help us not duck your reproofs and judgments but allow them to do their work. Continue to set us free in Jesus. Amen.

e-vo for week of October 19

2011-10-19T07:00:00.000-07:00

Dearest e-votees-

This week our appointed Old Testament text God gives Israel (and us) some clear clues as to how we ought to live together in community. Interesting stuff particularly with all the politics and activism going on these days. How might God want us to engage those around us who indelibly bear the image of God? How might God want us to react towards those who chafe us and would harm us and seem to be cut off from us?

Peace,
Karl

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1 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying: 2 Speak to all the congregation of the people of Israel and say to them: You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy.

15 You shall not render an unjust judgment; you shall not be partial to the poor or defer to the great: with justice you shall judge your neighbor. 16 You shall not go around as a slanderer among your people, and you shall not profit by the blood of your neighbor: I am the Lord. 17 You shall not hate in your heart anyone of your kin; you shall reprove your neighbor, or you will incur guilt yourself. 18 You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against any of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.

Leviticus 19:1-2, 15-18, NRSV

Leviticus 19 is full of resonances with the 10 Commandments. It has many instructions for life as God’s people. Some of the instructions and prohibitions we let slide with our modern sensibilities. Others we hold as eternally-binding mandates. Which fall into each category might vary from person to person. That raises some interesting questions for perhaps another time.

For this week’s appointed text there are six commands:

1. You shall not render an unjust judgment; you shall not be partial to the poor or defer to the great; with justice you shall judge your neighbor.

Justice is intended to come regardless of how much money or status or influence our neighbor may have. Bribes and preferential compassion are disallowed. The justice of God’s people is to be blind. People are to be judged on the basis of their character and the merit of their claims not on the contents of their coin purses.

2. You shall not go around as a slanderer among your people,

We are not to tear down the characters and reputations of other people. We are not to bear false witness. We are not to shade the accounts to our favor at the expense of another. We are to strive to see the image of God in one another. This is a practice honed over a lifetime of diligent efforts. This runs contrary to Old Adam and Old Eve.

3. and you shall not profit by the blood of your neighbor: I am the Lord.

Our profits should not come at the expense of harming our neighbor—neither literally drawing blood nor figuratively. Our profits should come as the result of honest and fair labor that regards the image of God in the workers and in those we serve. God cares about treating neighbors in ways that are just and fair and good. And God uses the term “neighbor” pretty loosely as evidenced in the story of the Good Samaritan.

4. You shall not hate in your heart anyone of your kin;

Our relations with our kin—our family and our community—are not to be evidenced by hatred. Love and compassion are to win the day. And God would probably use the term “kin” pretty loosely too as evidenced by John 3:16.

5. you shall reprove your neighbor, or you will incur guilt yourself.

We don’t get to sit by idly and watch others engage in sin. We are called to be agents of reproof. We are called to engage our neighbors—and to let them engage us—when missteps occur. Getting through life is meant to be so much more than keeping our heads down and hoping the teacher doesn’t call us out. Reproof and rebuke are steps towards repentance and forgiveness—and we need those so very much.

6. You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against any of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.

Loving self as neighbor calls us to avoid self-exultation and self-detestation. Loving neighbor as self calls us to avoid overly criticizing or shunning neighbors. Jesus pairs this commandment with the one to love God with all our hearts and souls and minds. Jesus says that on these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets (see Matthew 22:34, part of this week’s gospel lesson). We aren’t to make room and plans for vengeance and grudges. We are to forgive as we have been forgiven. This, too, is a practice honed over a lifetime of diligent efforts.

God, have your way in us. Draw us into the ways of your people. Shape us with your justice. Help us lift up and build one another. Help us love kin and neighbor and always work to dismantle barriers that leave others outside of your grace and mercy. Draw us up into the love and grace and mercy and peace of Christ. Amen.

e-vo for week of October 12

2011-10-12T09:49:00.000-07:00

Dearest e-votees-

You would think that Jesus’ reputation would have been sufficiently known that people would stop trying to trap him with words and questions.

They never quite seemed to learn. As if somehow they could get away with putting themselves in the place of judging the creator. As if somehow they could take the very place of judging God. As if somehow they might themselves become like God knowing good and evil.

We are so fortunate to live in an enlightened age where we would never be so presumptuous.

Peace,
Karl

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15 Then the Pharisees went and plotted to entrap him in what he said. 16 So they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, "Teacher, we know that you are sincere, and teach the way of God in accordance with truth, and show deference to no one; for you do not regard people with partiality. 17 Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to the emperor, or not?" 18 But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, "Why are you putting me to the test, you hypocrites? 19 Show me the coin used for the tax." And they brought him a denarius. 20 Then he said to them, "Whose head is this, and whose title?" 21 They answered, "The emperor's." Then he said to them, "Give therefore to the emperor the things that are the emperor's, and to God the things that are God's." 22 When they heard this, they were amazed; and they left him and went away.

Matthew 22:15-22, NRSV

Does ownership reflect how you treat something? Do you treat things better when they are yours? Do you treat things better when you are borrowing them from someone else? Does it matter to you at all if you know the lender personally or if they are some faceless corporation? The whole notion of stewardship (which is what a lot of churches are talking about at this time of the year) is about how you treat something on loan to you from someone else.

It starts in the sandbox with two kids fighting over the same toy shouting “Mine!”. For some it progresses to vying for the same job or trying to woo the same person or trying to outbid one another at a charitable auction for all to see how generous we really are. We people fight over things. We fight over attention. We fight to be regarded well. We want better and more than others. We want others to notice how much better and how much more we have. Madison Avenue spends much effort selling discontent and upgrading to the next level of ownership.

Candidates and occupying emperors vie for allegiance sometimes subtly and sometimes much more aggressively. They ask for our support and our resources and our faithfulness.

The truth is this: All that this world has to offer is God’s. We don’t own anything—not one possession, not one talent, not one thin dime and not even one of the breaths our God-given lungs have provided today. All we are and all we have and all we could possibly offer is on loan from God.

Does God’s ownership reflect in how we treat things? Do we know the lender personally? What shall we do today with the things that aren’t even ours to begin with?

There is a fabulous quote by Jim Elliot (which you can see in his own hand at http://www2.wheaton.edu/bgc/archives/faq/20.htm) which says:

He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep
to gain that which he cannot lose.

This is often read through the lens of Jim Elliot’s eventual martyrdom. How about through the lens of stewardship?

We don’t purchase our salvation with all the things we have on loan from God. But we can grow in understanding that we can hold much less tightly to things that are passing because God is holding so tightly to us. We can give to God what is God’s and not be so very concerned about what the emperor will be requiring. We can loosen our grip on that which we cannot keep and allow God to draw us more fully into God’s good keeping. When we look at our money, our possessions, our family, our career, our time, our _________ we should strive to make sure we remember to see God’s gracious hand and loving intentions. We can let God stir us into how best to engage and release those things that can be so precious and can be so defining and can be so confining.

God, draw us up into you. Help us shun the world’s ways of defining who we are through power, control, possession and achievement. Help us embrace your gracious love, your call to be servants, your example of giving all in the name of love and your humble example of washing feet and pouring out your life for the sake of others. Amen.

e-vo for week of October 5

2011-10-05T14:06:00.000-07:00

Dearest e-votees-

The appointed gospel lesson for this week from Matthew 22:1-14 is one of those that is a little tough to follow up with “This is the good news of the Lord.” The lesson involves the parable of the wedding banquet where many are invited who spurn the invitation and kill some of the messengers. When the king finds out about this the people are killed and their city is burned. In the second round of invitations many are ushered into the wedding—both good and evil. One of the folks is found at the party without the appropriate clothes and tossed out where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth. It ends with “many are called but few are chosen.” You should go to church this weekend and see how the preacher works with this rich and challenging text.

For my part in this devotion, however, I will opt for the epistle lesson in Philippians. Paul gives the church at Philippi (and us) the exhortation to rejoice always in the Lord.

May your week be one full of joy and peace and grace.

Peace,
Karl

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1 Therefore, my brothers and sisters, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, my beloved. 2 I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. 3 Yes, and I ask you also, my loyal companion, help these women, for they have struggled beside me in the work of the gospel, together with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are in the book of life. 4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. 5 Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. 6 Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. 9 Keep on doing the things that you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you.

Philippians 4:1-9, NRSV

The writing of Paul’s letter to the church at Philippi is thought to be near the end of his life. Paul has seen much, lived much, suffered much, endured much—he is soon to be executed. Paul may or may not be happy—that flighty feeling that can dart in like a hummingbird and depart just as quickly. But Paul exudes joy. There is a deep and abiding contentment that oozes throughout Philippians—in spite of his circumstances.

Of course there are all sorts of things that one could choose to focus upon that would certainly chase the happiness away and perhaps even the joy—falsehoods, dishonorable things, unjust things, impure things, displeasing things, condemnable things—and Paul certainly knew of these things. Paul chooses , however, to turn his back to such things and to focus his attention on the exact opposites. And he encourages his beloved sisters and brothers in Christ to do the same. And he encourages us to do the same. If we want to most fully experience the God of peace we will follow after the lifestyles and admonitions of people like Paul.

We are not promised a smooth a trouble-free life as believers. In fact, some would argue we provoke more trouble and persecutions as we press more fully into Christ. Nonetheless there is a peace and a joy and a grace that comes from God that will sustain us. May we be comforted and sustained today and always with those divine blessings.

God, help us turn our eyes to those things which are pleasing to you. Help us care for our brothers and sisters who struggle—use us as agents of peace and grace and you. Draw us more fully into you. Amen.

I can’t read this text without having the song “Philippians 4” from the Spirit Garage (www.spiritgarage.org) Band start playing in my mind. You can hear a sample at www.amazon.com/Philippians-4/dp/B000QZF3YC.

e-vo for week of September 28

2011-09-28T06:29:00.000-07:00

Dearest e-votees-

September 29 is the day set aside to commemorate Michael and All Angels. There are appointed verses for this commemoration. We will use the appointed gospel lesson for the focus of our meditation for this week.

Peace,

Karl

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17 The seventy returned with joy, saying, "Lord, in your name even the demons submit to us!" 18 He said to them, "I watched Satan fall from heaven like a flash of lightning. 19 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. 20 Nevertheless, do not rejoice at this, that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven."

Luke 10:17-20, NRSV

Jesus has sent out 35 pairs of people to places where he is intending to go. He gives them clear instructions on how they are to go about offering peace, receiving hospitality and doing ministry. He gives clear instruction about what to do when people reject the message and the messengers as well. They go out and do the bidding of the Lord. Our gospel lesson picks up upon their return.

The disciples are excited that through the ministry done in Jesus' name even the demons submit. Jesus doesn't correct or deny this. He says that he, himself, saw Satan fall from heaven. Jesus tells the disciples that he has given them authority to tread on snakes and scorpions (maybe a reference back to Genesis 3:15). Beyond that Jesus has given them authority over all the powers of the enemy. He promises that nothing will hurt them.

The focus, however, isn't on what miraculous or spiritual things are being done. Jesus says the point of celebration is that their names are written in heaven.

All of us may do great things. All of us may accomplish what to others seem impossible. As we operate through the gifts and empowerings of the Holy Spirit the sky is the limit as to what might occur through us. Jesus suggests that we pay that no mind in comparison with the celebration that our names are in heaven. God has chosen us. God has been at work in our baptism. God has entered our names into heaven. The rest is details. In some great measure the details are of small importance. God will do what God will do through us but the most important thing is what God has already done on the cross for us.

God, we so quickly get drawn into realms of power and accomplishment and notoriety. Jesus came to defeat the powers of this world and those of Satan. Jesus accomplished on the cross so much more than merely dying the death of a condemned criminal. Jesus stooped from being the creator of the universe to a battered and tattered creature and so elevated us all. Help us rejoice that through these acts of service and faith Jesus has indelibly inscribed our names into heaven. Amen.

e-vo for week of September 21

2011-09-21T08:09:00.000-07:00

Dearest e-votees-

Thursday of this week is set aside as the day to commemorate the apostle Matthew. The lectionary has assigned texts for these days as well. For today’s devotional time let us consider the appointed gospel text for this commemoration.

Peace,
Karl

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9 As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth; and he said to him, "Follow me." And he got up and followed him. 10 And as he sat at dinner in the house, many tax collectors and sinners came and were sitting with him and his disciples. 11 When the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?" 12 But when he heard this, he said, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 13 Go and learn what this means, "I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have come to call not the righteous but sinners."

Matthew 9:9-13, NRSV

Matthew (aka Levi in Luke 5:27-32 and aka Levi son of Alphaeus in Mark 2:13-17) is a sellout. He’s collaborating with the occupying force (the Romans) to collect tax for them. Most likely he’s over-collecting to improve his bottom line. When the Pharisees make an issue of Jesus’ associations they lump all other sinners together yet give tax collectors their own category. Tax collectors were exceedingly poorly regarded. You would never want your kid to come home from school with the results of his vocational aptitude test leaning strongly towards tax collector. Jesus knew the shame and stigma of being a tax collector. And so he approaches Matthew and extends a call to discipleship.

Jesus knows us—better than we know ourselves. Jesus knows our secret places of shame and stigma. Jesus knows how many ways we and others might try to disqualify ourselves from being worthy of his attention. We might wonder what the creator of the universe and the Word incarnate might want to have to do with us. If we asked Jesus he would respond to us as he did to the Pharisees—“Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have come to call not the righteous but sinners.” and “Follow me.” Jesus calls comes because of and to trump our unrighteousness.

Jesus knows others—better than we know them. Jesus knows their secret places of shame and stigma. Jesus knows how many ways they might try to disqualify themselves from being worthy of his attention. Jesus knows how much we might try to judge them as outside the grace and mercy of God. I heard long ago that when we try to draw lines of who is with Jesus and who is not we always find ourselves on the opposite side of the line as Jesus. There is some deep truth to that. Jesus comes for all—particularly the lost, the broken, the shamed, the stigmatized, the sick, the tax collectors, the sinners and those we and others would write off.

Jesus takes a stand with the lepers, the prostitutes, the sinners, those caught in adultery, the Samaritans, the demon-plagued and the broken. That is the good news of the gospel.

St. Matthew is the patron saint of bookkeepers, accountants, money managers, tax collectors, bankers, custom officers, security guards, etc. Good thing he spent some time learning about how to keep a gracious accounting from the one who puts our name in the book of life. May we be blessed by the account of Matthew’s life and his account of Jesus’ ministry in the gospel bearing his name. May we all be drawn in and sent out by the Great Commission that brings that gospel to a glorious close.

Jesus, thank you for the call to follow you. Help us lean into your righteousness rather than sulk and hunker down in our sinfulness. Help us know your mercy. Help us be agents of your mercy. Use us to live out your Great Commission. Amen.

e-vo for week of September 14

2011-09-13T20:42:00.000-07:00

Dearest e-votees-

This coming Sunday’s appointed Old Testament text is from Jonah. Jonah is pouting that God was gracious and generous to the people of Nineveh. I wonder where we might find ourselves in this account.

Peace,
Karl

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10 When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he had compassion and did not bring upon them the destruction he had threatened.

1 But Jonah was greatly displeased and became angry. 2 He prayed to the LORD, "O LORD, is this not what I said when I was still at home? That is why I was so quick to flee to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity. 3 Now, O LORD, take away my life, for it is better for me to die than to live." 4 But the LORD replied, "Have you any right to be angry?" 5 Jonah went out and sat down at a place east of the city. There he made himself a shelter, sat in its shade and waited to see what would happen to the city. 6 Then the LORD God provided a vine and made it grow up over Jonah to give shade for his head to ease his discomfort, and Jonah was very happy about the vine. 7 But at dawn the next day God provided a worm, which chewed the vine so that it withered. 8 When the sun rose, God provided a scorching east wind, and the sun blazed on Jonah's head so that he grew faint. He wanted to die, and said, "It would be better for me to die than to live." 9 But God said to Jonah, "Do you have a right to be angry about the vine?" "I do," he said. "I am angry enough to die." 10 But the LORD said, "You have been concerned about this vine, though you did not tend it or make it grow. It sprang up overnight and died overnight. 11 But Nineveh has more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left, and many cattle as well. Should I not be concerned about that great city?"

Jonah 3:10-4:11, NRSV

Jonah, the ever reluctant prophet, is upset because he has proclaimed that the people of Nineveh will be overthrown in 40 days. The people (and the animals) repent with sackcloth and ashes. God sees their repentance and decides to spare the city. Perhaps Jonah is angry, as he says, because he realized God would spare the city anyway and is frustrated he made the trip and the proclamation for nothing. Perhaps Jonah is angry because what he said would happen will not come to pass—severe consequences can come to prophets who speak of things that don’t come true (see Deuteronomy 18:20-22). Perhaps Jonah is angry because he didn’t like what he saw as he made his way through Nineveh pronouncing judgment and now God is letting them off the hook. For these and other reasons Jonah is upset—to the point of saying he prefers death to life—and sets up a place to see what will happen to the town of Nineveh.

God provides a miraculous vine that grew to offer comfort to Jonah. Jonah was pleased. God sent a worm to wither the vine to seemingly offer discomfort to Jonah. Jonah is displeased. God sends a scorching wind. Jonah is further displeased. Jonah reiterates that he prefers death to life. God challenges Jonah’s anger. For a third time in these verses Jonah articulates his preference for death.

Where do you find yourself in this story today? Are you pressed into service unwillingly? Are you doing what was required of you but a completely different result than what was anticipated has emerged? Are you mad enough or sad enough or hurting enough to be able to say that you prefer death to life? Are you one who has been called out in a sin but willing to repent and seek God’s grace and forgiveness?

The take away from these verses is that God is concerned for us and for all (even the animals). God’s compassion trumps God’s judgment. No matter where we find ourselves in this story—God’s grace finds us and calls us out.

God, help us to hear your callings in our lives this day and abide in them. Help us be ones who rejoice when your mercy triumphs. Help us receive your gracious gifts. Help us seek your good for others. Help us choose life for us and for all. Thank you that you care so deeply for all—including us. Amen.

e-vo for week of September 7

2011-09-08T14:29:00.000-07:00

Dearest e-votees-

I hope and trust that his e-mail devotional finds you well.

Normally I base these devotions on one of the assigned lessons for the upcoming Sunday. This Sunday is of a different sort.

This Sunday is the 10th anniversary of the tragic attacks of 9-11. Sermons and prayers will undoubtedly find ways to recall the attacks that were so very devastating. This Sunday is of a different sort.

For many churches, including ours, this Sunday is also the kickoff of the church’s Sunday School year—Rally Sunday. Classes will commence, teachers will be installed and faith will continue to be intentionally formed. This Sunday is of a different sort.

Very interesting balancing act: commemorating and consecrating; celebrating and mourning; never forgetting our very human past and never forgetting God’s sure and certain future.

Peace,
Karl

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When 9-11 happened our church in South Dakota participated in a community wide prayer service. Each of the clergy types in attendance picked a passage to share and reflect upon. The passage that struck me then and still has things to say to us today, I believe, is:

Psalm 46, NRSV

1 God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change,
though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea;
3 though its waters roar and foam,
though the mountains tremble with its tumult.
4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy habitation of the Most High.
5 God is in the midst of the city;
God will help it when the morning dawns.
6 The nations are in an uproar, the kingdoms totter;
he utters his voice, the earth melts.
7 The Lord of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our refuge.
8 Come, behold the works of the Lord;
see what desolations he has brought on the earth.
9 He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;
he breaks the bow, and shatters the spear;
he burns the shields with fire.
10 “Be still, and know that I am God!
I am exalted among the nations,
I am exalted in the earth.”
11 The Lord of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our refuge.

I suppose what caught my attention just after 9-11 was the tottering (and collapse of towers), the melting (of planes and steel girders), the uproar (during the attacks and in the aftermath) all set “in the midst of the city”. The promise of Psalm 46 is that God is to be found among the chaos and the hurt. Shaking mountains and profound and hurtful attacks are places where God hunkers down. Amidst all the noise and chaos God calls out “Be still, and know that I am God!”

Following after God doesn’t promise a life free from pain and persecution—sometimes it invites those very things. God’s silence and seeming inaction during horrific times can be troubling and even fatal to the faith of some. We don’t get simple answers during such times. Platitudes and bumper sticker theology can make deep and grievous wounds more painful still. Yet God calls us to hunker down.

God does not leave nor forsake us ever—particularly during painful and troubling times. God knows our pain better than we know it ourselves. God invites us to take refuge in that holy place of God’s sure and certain love. Melting and tumult and tottering and chaos and crying and uproar and grieving will continue to be present in this world. In the midst of the painful realities God is there for us. God invites us to be there for others as well.

As the title track of Jars of Clay’s new CD, The Shelter, says so eloquently (quoting from ancient poetry): In the shelter of each other we will live.

God, help us rest in the shelter you provide—and in the shelter you provide from others. Help all continue to heal from the grievous wounds we inflict on one another. Help terrorism become a thing of the past as we press into the glorious future you desire for all of us. Amen.

e-vo for week of August 31

2011-08-30T16:25:00.000-07:00

Dearest e-votees-

We live in a world that is bombarded with messages--from TV, Twitter, billboards, radio, podcasts, signs being wiggled at the side of the road, pundits, hawkers, magazines, movies, music videos, books, bumper stickers, tattoos, etc., etc.--the amount of information that assaults our senses is staggering.

We have a message that the world and we so desperately need to engage. Will we share it? Will we engage it? Will we live it?

Peace,
Karl

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7 So you, mortal, I have made a sentinel for the house of Israel; whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me. 8 If I say to the wicked, "O wicked ones, you shall surely die," and you do not speak to warn the wicked to turn from their ways, the wicked shall die in their iniquity, but their blood I will require at your hand. 9 But if you warn the wicked to turn from their ways, and they do not turn from their ways, the wicked shall die in their iniquity, but you will have saved your life. 10 Now you, mortal, say to the house of Israel, Thus you have said: "Our transgressions and our sins weigh upon us, and we waste away because of them; how then can we live?" 11 Say to them, As I live, says the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from their ways and live; turn back, turn back from your evil ways; for why will you die, O house of Israel?

Ezekiel 33:7-11, NRSV

This verse talks about the accountability of the messenger first and the message second.

For the purposes of this devotion I would like to take them in reverse order.

The Message:

The Lord says I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from their ways and live...

God doesn't take pleasure in the death of those who are wicked. It isn't necessarily clear if the death is merely a physical death or if perhaps it is referring to a broader and deeper death. Regardless, the point is that God doesn't take pleasure in the death--whatever sort--of those who are wicked. God would prefer that they would repent and live. We and others who are wicked don't return to God under our own strength and effort. God can and does work repentance in us. God takes pleasure in amended lives and repentant ways. The message that we and the world needs to engage is that God wants us to turn and live--and that God will help us do just that.

The Accountability:

But if you warn the wicked to turn from their ways and they do not turn from their ways, the wicked shall die in their iniquity, but you will have saved your life.

The message we have--offering God's love and assistance in repenting--needs to be heard. If we do not speak this message to the wicked--to us and to the world--then we share culpability in the death. If we do speak this message our lives will be saved. Perhaps our lives will be saved because in speaking this message of God's love and desire for repentance we will hear it again and again and again. We will live because we will be immersed in the message of God's love. We will live because we will be immersed in God's call to repentance. We will live because in the speaking comes the hearing comes the hope comes the faith.

God, you take no pleasure in the death of those trapped in wickedness. You take joy in life. Help us delight you by coming to life through your love and through the repentance you enable and you desire. Help us delight you by sharing that hopeful message to a world so desperately seeking hope. Be glorified and draw us all into your life. Amen.

e-vo for week of August 24

2011-08-24T08:32:00.000-07:00

Dearest e-votees-

One of the things we do is let Christ interpret scripture and let scripture interpret Christ for us. Our assigned epistle from Romans for this coming Sunday speaks so clearly about what Jesus was about during his ministry.

The term Christian (first used in Antioch; see Acts 11:26) is a way to speak of follower of Jesus as “little Christs” (as Luther said). If we are to be like Jesus then perhaps we ought to spend some time immersing ourselves in verses that so clearly speak of him. Perhaps they will speak to us this day, too.

Peace,
Karl

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9 Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; 10 love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor. 11 Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, serve the Lord. 12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer. 13 Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers.

14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly; do not claim to be wiser than you are. 17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil, but take thought for what is noble in the sight of all. 18 If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. 19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave room for the wrath of God; for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” 20 No, “if your enemies are hungry, feed them; if they are thirsty, give them something to drink; for by doing this you will heap burning coals on their heads.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Romans 12:9-21, NRSV

There are several strands in these verses:
+ abiding love
+ persevering faith
+ immersive relationships
+ blessing those who are against you
+ overcoming evil with good

ABIDING LOVE

The world has so corrupted love. God comes into the world motivated by and in order to show God’s love. The Greek word in verse 10 is “philadelphia”. The call is to practice love as towards a brother or a sister. Jesus came into the world to love and to love back into the family of God. We are called to love those we encounter—to be genuine, to hold onto that which is good, to hate the evil distortions of God’s love, to excel in showing honor to others.

PERSEVERING FAITH

We live in a 140 character feed, 30 second sound-bite, 15 minutes of fame kind of world. Our hopes are raised and dashed so easily. We cower from suffering. We pray in such fleeting ways. The garden of Gethsemane, the cross, the lingering of 3 years of ministry, the lingering love of a father whose son is off squandering the inheritance and so many other places show us a different way. We are in such need of rehabilitation into a faith that persists, that perseveres, that will not be shaken by the trials and tribulations of this fickle and hostile world.

IMMERSIVE RELATIONSHIPS

Jesus came into the world to dwell with us. He offered hospitality and welcome to the strangers and outcasts—sinners, lepers, tax collectors, adulteresses, zealots, demon-possessed, tormented, neglected, cast-off and anyone else who might need a touch of healing and love. He wept with the grieving, celebrated with the joyful, hurt with the wounded, ate and dined with the hungry and thirsty. Jesus entered fully into our humanity and fully entered into relationships with humans. He was not haughty. He associated with the lowly. He lived in harmony with those who would allow that to happen.

BLESSING THOSE WHO ARE AGAINST YOU

God showed us through Jesus’ prayers from the cross a different way to respond to hurt, persecution and pain. Jesus was able to pray for forgiveness for those who nailed him to the tree. Jesus offered restoration to Peter who so quickly forgot his vows to follow Jesus even unto death. Jesus left room for God to do what God would but in the mean time loved his enemies. Judas was fed and had his feet washed at the Last Supper. Perhaps we can learn something from the gracious love of a mistreated God.

OVERCOMING EVIL WITH GOOD

Jesus would not allow a base response to be teased out of him. His love, his faith, his goodness and his innocent suffering showed the world a different way. Mark 15:39 has what seems to be a deep confession of faith coming out of a very unlikely source (even more so when John Wayne speaks it). Would that be our confession too and that it would inspire us to overcome evil with good as well.

God, shape us into the form of little Christs. Help us abide in your love, persevere in faith, enter into authentic and life-giving relationships, bless those who set upon us and overcome evil with good—all to your glory. Send others into our lives to show us these ways. Amen.

e-vo for week of August 17

2011-08-18T07:31:00.000-07:00

Dearest e-votees-

This week we will look at the assigned epistle text for this Sunday from Romans 12.

There is a call upon us to offer ourselves to God, to let God shape us, to step into the places of service for which God has gifted us with humility and sober judgment.

May we all be aware of the many blessings we have received and be a source of blessing and healing in the world.

Peace,
Karl

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1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect. 3 For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of yourself more highly than you ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. 4 For as in one body we have many members, and not all the members have the same function, 5 so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another. 6 We have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us: prophecy, in proportion to faith; 7 ministry, in ministering; the teacher, in teaching; 8 the exhorter, in exhortation; the giver, in generosity; the leader, in diligence; the compassionate, in cheerfulness.

Romans 12:1-8, NRSV

Have you ever fallen asleep on something with texture—a quilt, thermal top, cushion with a crease—only to awake and have that impression residing on your face? You weren’t doing much at all; you weren’t making any conscious decisions; your weren’t bothering anybody—yet you took on the shape of the things around you. Our lives can be like those face-shaping catnaps. We aren’t doing anything out of the ordinary. We aren’t aware of making any conscious decisions. We are just trying to make our way and not bother those around us. And as we make our way—almost sleepwalking—we drowse off. The next thing you know the world has left its mark on us. Our words or our thoughts or our reactions have taken a shape we never intended.

God wants us to not be shaped by the world. God wants to shape us. God wants to shape our thoughts and our reactions and our words. God wants to renew our minds. God wants to transform our hearts. God wants us to grow into God’s will which is good and acceptable and perfect.

God has created each of us with gifts and abilities which all come through God’s grace. Whatever those gifts God wants us to unwrap them. God wants us to engage them and let them engage us in service in the world. We aren’t to take license and pride in what has come to us purely through the hand of a gracious God. We ought to engage the service that God has put before us with humility and sober judgment. But better to sin boldly than to drowse off again.

As we grow into serving with the gifts that God has given us we will find deep and abiding joy. We will find ourselves awake and alert and making and impression on a sleeping world. May we all serve diligently this day making impressions for God and celebrating the gifts and services of others also fashioned in God’s image and serving through God-given gifts. This isn’t only a better path, it is spiritual worship. It sustains us; blesses God; helps heal the world.

God, shape us this day. Wake us from our sleepy world-dwelling and stir us to grow in serving in the gifts you have showered into our lives. Help us know your will and have the courageous faith to live into it—all to your glory. Amen.

e-vo for week of August 10

2011-08-03T08:30:00.000-07:00

Dearest e-votees-

I will be out of town next week when this would normally be sent out so here it is.

I hope and pray that you have a blessed day.

Peace,
Karl

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1 Thus says the Lord: Maintain justice, and do what is right, for soon my salvation will come, and my deliverance be revealed.

[2 Happy is the mortal who does this, the one who holds it fast, who keeps the sabbath, not profaning it, and refrains from doing any evil. 3 Do not let the foreigner joined to the Lord say, "The Lord will surely separate me from his people"; and do not let the eunuch say, "I am just a dry tree." 4 For thus says the Lord: To the eunuchs who keep my sabbaths, who choose the things that please me and hold fast my covenant, 5 I will give, in my house and within my walls, a monument and a name better than sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name that shall not be cut off.]

6 And the foreigners who join themselves to the Lord, to minister to him, to love the name of the Lord, and to be his servants, all who keep the sabbath, and do not profane it, and hold fast my covenant— 7 these I will bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer; their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples. 8 Thus says the Lord God, who gathers the outcasts of Israel, I will gather others to them besides those already gathered.

Isaiah 56:1 [2-5] 6-8

Our appointed text from the Old Testament for the ninth Sunday after Pentecost is above [with the excised verses restored for context].

One of most profound ministry moments I have experienced was when we were in Haiti helping to build a combination school and church building out of cinderblock. The downstairs was a multiple room school. The upstairs was a sanctuary and a smaller office. What was so stunning to me was that there was a lip surrounding the 2nd story. It was essentially a balcony with no railing encircling the building. Someone asked why that was built. The answer was that there are people who don’t feel worthy to come to church. If the lip was built, however, some would come and stand on the fringes. The hope and intent was that those people would be beckoned and welcomed into the community. Now, granted, I would have preferred a greased ramp going into a church (think of a trap-door spider with much more loving intentions) but I was struck by the architectural hospitality.

There are all sorts of examples of Jesus reaching out to those on the fringes—lepers, tax collectors, Samaritans, ill, demon-possessed, etc. The great commission is for the followers of Jesus to go out into all of the world making disciples. Our buildings and our ministries should have lips and balconies and welcoming areas for all who might come but be a little tentative. Our meals and our sanctuaries should always have open and well-equipped places for those who might come—think of the place setting for Elijah at a Seder meal. Our posture should surely be extending a hand of welcome over and against a judgmental wagging finger of accusation.

The early church grew through the Holy Spirit stirring the early church to live as a loving community. That love and care was winsome and won many to Christ. I am convinced that the Holy Spirit can, will, does and wants to so much more work that way today in our modern expressions of faith communities. There are outcasts, lepers, misfit toys, tax collectors, socially inept, Samaritans, unkempt, ill, lonely, demon-possessed, hurting people all around. Some are very apparent; many carry these traits buried deep within. All are needing places of welcome, good news and acceptance. God does that through people—people like you and me.

God, stir us to seek ways to reach out and welcome those who are lost and lonely on the fringes. Stir us to know your love for us—the lost and the lonely. Your amazing love trumps our failures and our feeble attempts to push you away. Gather us and all into your presence. Help us all to glorify you and be built up into an architecturally hospitable dwelling for your Holy Spirit. Amen.

e-vo for week of August 3

2011-08-02T09:55:00.000-07:00

Dearest e-votees-

This week’s appointed epistle lesson reminds us that we don’t get to bring God to us on our terms. God beckons us to come on God’s terms. Those terms are through the good news of the life, ministry, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Thanks be to God.

Peace,
Karl

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5 Moses writes concerning the righteousness that comes from the law, that "the person who does these things will live by them." 6 But the righteousness that comes from faith says, "Do not say in your heart, "Who will ascend into heaven?' " (that is, to bring Christ down) 7 "or "Who will descend into the abyss?' " (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). 8 But what does it say? "The word is near you, on your lips and in your heart" (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); 9 because if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For one believes with the heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved. 11 The scripture says, "No one who believes in him will be put to shame." 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all and is generous to all who call on him. 13 For, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved." 14 But how are they to call on one in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in one of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone to proclaim him? 15 And how are they to proclaim him unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!"

Romans 10:5-15, NRSV

We don’t earn our way to God. We don’t assert where our places is—in heaven or the abyss. We don’t get to summon God like a doting attendant on a cruise ship.

God comes into the world on God’s terms. God chose to come in the life, ministry, death and resurrection of Jesus the Christ. None are saved by their lineage (physical or spiritual) nor by their understanding (wisdom, teaching, exploration). All are saved by the love of God which is so clearly revealed in Jesus. In believing in God we are justified. As we share the good news in confession, proclamation, exhortation we and those who hear are saved. When we believe in God we will never be put to shame. All can be saved—Jew, Greek, male, female, cradle Lutheran, skeptical fringe-dweller, your closest friends, the enemy you detest most profoundly…everyone. But the believing comes through hearing.

We gather at church so we can hear. We learn the stories and speak them to one another so we and others might hear. We go off to mission sites and give testimony so those who might not come can hear. We invite and chauffer so others can hear. We send people off to seminary and youth off on mission trips and hold Sunday school and Vacation Bible School so that all can learn to speak the good news. How beautiful are our feet when God sends us all to bring the good news.

God, please continue to send the good news into our lives. Help us be receptive and to have you come deeply into our lives in whatever ways you so choose. Bless our feet and our words and our actions that all might hear and believe and be saved. Amen.

e-vo for week of July 27

2011-08-02T09:37:00.000-07:00

Dearest e-votees-

I had every intention of getting this out before I left for our mission trip to Las Vegas but time slipped through my fingers.

I hope and pray you are well and that these words are a blessing to you.

Peace,
Karl

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13 Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a deserted place by himself. But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns. 14 When he went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them and cured their sick. 15 When it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, "This is a deserted place, and the hour is now late; send the crowds away so that they may go into the villages and buy food for themselves." 16 Jesus said to them, "They need not go away; you give them something to eat." 17 They replied, "We have nothing here but five loaves and two fish." 18 And he said, "Bring them here to me." 19 Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. 20 And all ate and were filled; and they took up what was left over of the broken pieces, twelve baskets full. 21 And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children.

Matthew 14:13-21, NRSV

The appointed gospel for last Sunday is the familiar feeding of the 5,000 (plus women, plus children maybe more like 20,000). This miracle is unique in that it is the only one of Jesus’ that is recorded in all 4 gospel accounts. When there is a really good story it gets told again and again and again. What is it about this miracle that is so compelling?

Several things:

COMPASSION OF GOD
Jesus is shown in verse 14 to have compassion on the crowds. Literally in the Greek he was “stirred in the bowels”. If you have ever seen someone so sad or so needy or so destitute and your insides hurt you get the sense. Jesus isn’t willing to turn some 20,000 people away to fend for themselves. This is remarkable. It is even more remarkable when we recall that Jesus was trying to get some alone time to grieve the beheading of his cousin John—his forerunner—his baptizer—as some sort of bizarre party favor at King Herod’s birthday party. He had every right and need to be curled into a ball of self-care but Jesus was supremely interruptible and put his needs aside for the sake of the many.

PROVISION OF GOD
The crowds needed food. All that we have on record was five loaves and two fish. John 6:9 lets us know that this food was a little boy’s provisions. Jesus didn’t let the lack win the day. He took what was available and provided what was needed. How often do we look at our own circumstances and bemoan the shortfalls? God can do remarkable things with small amounts. God speaks order into chaos. God calls into being that which is not. God multiplies and renews and restores and forgives. We look in the mirror and see the need. God looks at us with love and compassion and finds a way.

RESONANCE WITH SO MANY OTHER MIRACLES
Elijah feeding the woman at Zarephath and the ravens feeding Elijah (1 Kings 17); Manna in the desert and miraculous waters at Meribah (Exodus 16), temple tax from the mouth of a fish (Matthew 17), clothing of the lilies of the field (Matthew 12), water into wine (John 2), etc., etc. God has throughout scripture made miraculous provision from meager portions. When there is a really good story it gets told again and again and again and again and… God knows our need. God provides. It is part of our corporate story. We can live and trust and lean into that deep truth.

OVER-PROVISION OF GOD
Not only does God provide, God over-provides. Solomon asked for wisdom two Sundays ago and God showered him with blessings. After the 20,000 or so were feed there were still large amount of leftover. Jesus made something like 120-180 gallons of the choicest wine to bless the wedding at Cana. God grants not only our needs but God blesses us so much more richly than we ever deserve. We can’t nor shouldn’t treat God like a giant vending machine in the sky. We can trust however that God loves us and takes care of us more than we ever could imagine or deserve. If we, though we are evil, know how to give good gifts to our children… (see Luke 11:13)

God draw us into your love. Help us rest in your provision and over-provision. Help us lean hard into the stories of your people—our people. Help us know your compassion and grow in our capacity to bless the world with that same care. Amen.

e-vo for week of July 22

2011-07-21T16:13:00.000-07:00

Dearest e-votees-

The appointed text from the epistle to the church at Rome is a deep, rich text full of promise. Laden with the trinity and the abiding works they do that bring salving and saving.

May we be blessed as we linger in these truths this week.

Peace,
Karl

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26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. 27 And God, who searches the heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. 28 We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. 29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn within a large family. 30 And those whom he predestined he also called; and those whom he called he also justified; and those whom he justified he also glorified. 31 What then are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us? 32 He who did not withhold his own Son, but gave him up for all of us, will he not with him also give us everything else? 33 Who will bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is to condemn? It is Christ Jesus, who died, yes, who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us. 35 Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written, "For your sake we are being killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep to be slaughtered." 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8:26-39, NRSV

There are times when our prayers—rote or spontaneous—run dry. We don’t know what should be the contents of our prayers. Or we know but have trouble mustering the faith that God cares or that God will act favorably upon that request. In short, words fail. The terminal diagnosis is spoken. The divorce papers are sealed and entered into the records of the courts. The needed job is snatched away or given to someone else in the interview process. We plain and simple don’t know how to pray or for what to pray. Rather than condemning us as faithless or weak or corrupt God—in the form of the Holy Spirit—comes and prays for us with sighs beyond what human words and minds can express. God does not forsake us.

There are times when forces—people and situations—rise up against us. We are hard pressed. We don’t know if we have the stamina to press on. Or we know but have trouble discerning if we are even in the right. We feel swamped and drowning. We feel besieged with a final winning blow at our expense moments away. We feel that maybe even the whole world is against us. We feel that maybe even God is against us. Rather than vanquishing us as faithless or weak or corrupt God—in the form of the Father—weighs in on our side. God says “this child is mine and I will give all I have—even my only begotten—that this one will not perish.” God does not forsake us.

There are times when separation—emotional and spiritual—from God seems huge and getting even more insurmountable. We are crushed by circumstance, persecution, lack of necessity and exposure to dangers. We take stock of our lives and decide that we are going to lose if we have not lost already. Our mortality, powers and principalities, where we are or where we will surely go, scope and size of challenges seem sure to pry us out of the loving hands of God. Rather than writing us off and dismissing us as faithless or weak or corrupt God—in the form of Jesus—says “It is finished.” and “Today you will be with me in Paradise.” What Jesus has done is sufficient once for all and we are grafted deeply into the trinity. The God who will not forsake us. Thanks be to God.

God, help us to live into these incredible and certain promises. Help us to bear witness to the world with these same life-giving assurances. You do not forsake us. Help us learn and live into not forsaking others for they are surely crafted in your image. Amen.

e-vo for week of July 13

2011-07-16T09:55:00.000-07:00

Dearest e-votees-

My apologies for this coming out late in the week. What can I say?—time at the beach with my kids and an awesome middle school/high school lock-in from Tuesday to Wednesday did a number on my regular rhythm.

The next few weeks are crazy busy too (but a good busy) with VBS, Film and Faith and a mission trip to Las Vegas. e-vos will come but might be a tad early or a touch late. Your patience during the next fortnight or so is greatly appreciated.

Peace,
Karl

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This week we will take a look at our appointed psalmody for our devotional focus:

11 Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart to revere your name. 12 I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart, and I will glorify your name forever. 13 For great is your steadfast love toward me; you have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol. 14 O God, the insolent rise up against me; a band of ruffians seeks my life, and they do not set you before them. 15 But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness. 16 Turn to me and be gracious to me; give your strength to your servant; save the child of your serving girl. 17 Show me a sign of your favor, so that those who hate me may see it and be put to shame, because you, Lord, have helped me and comforted me.

Psalm 86:11-17

This psalm is attributed as a prayer of David.

He prays for guidance that he might walk in God’s ways. He prays for an undivided heart. As a king he has probably experienced firsthand those who follow half-heartedly or perhaps with even less allegiance. He wants to be more committed than that. Perhaps he has learned a thing or two about the heartbreak of illicit connections and allegiances through his destruction of Uriah and Uriah’s family as he summoned Bathsheba—leaving Uriah and an unnamed baby dead and surely many hearts deeply scarred in the process. He wants to serve God in a way that doesn’t leave such carnage in his wake.

David has known a thing or two about Sheol. Things that have come his way and things that he has directly invoked have left him in the pits, in the depths of the grave. But God has rescued David. In spite of his transgressions God has remained faithful and loyal. God’s heart is not divided. God brings to completion the good work God began at David’s anointing and even before. God is that way with us too. We wander and we transgress but God rescues us. In spite of our transgressions God remains faithful. God’s heart is not divided. God brings to completion the good work God began at our baptisms and even before. Thanks be to God. God is merciful and gracious. God is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. God is faithful.

Others might rise up against us—others who do not set God before them—they may wish ill for us. We can pray for them. We can live lives in such a way that they see God’s life in us. We can live in such ways that God’s help and God’s comfort and God’s favor might testify to them. How is it we say in baptism again? (quoting Jesus): Let your light so shine before others that they may see your good works and glorify your father in heaven. (see Matthew 5:16). It seems that David was foreshadowing these words of Jesus.

God, draw our hearts toward you. Help us grow in faithfulness to you as you are so assuredly faithful to us. Help us rest and trust and grow in you. Let others see you deeply at work in our lives—all to your glory. Amen.

e-vo for week of July 6

2011-07-08T14:44:00.000-07:00

Dearest e-votees-

This week’s gospel text is the familiar one of the sower scattering seed far and wide and God bringing forth growth out of the various soils. The epistle text from Romans 8 is a powerful reminder of the great and sufficient work done by Jesus on our behalf. Our assigned psalm extols God’s provision; the bounty of God is lifted up. All of these are powerful texts and rich texts. Our assigned Old Testament lesson, from Isaiah, is no less so. We will use this text from Isaiah as our meditative focus for this week.

Peace,
Karl

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10 For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return there until they have watered the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, 11 so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and succeed in the thing for which I sent it. 12 For you shall go out in joy, and be led back in peace; the mountains and the hills before you shall burst into song, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. 13 Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress; instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle; and it shall be to the Lord for a memorial, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.

Isaiah 55:10-13, NRSV

This lesson ties in nicely with the psalm. God’s word is like snow and rain that water the earth and bring forth life. Seed is produced for the sower—nice tie-in with the gospel text—and bread for the eater. Those with the eyes and ears of faith can readily discern baptismal and communion imagery in the water and the bread.

God’s word sustains and feeds us.

God’s word brings life in us and through us.

All of creation, including us, are brought to a place of exultation and joy. The wounding thorns and briers shall be replaced by the cypress and the myrtle. Cyrpess is a type of evergreen and reminds us of abundant and verdant life. Myrtle is a flowering tree. God is present always bringing life. God is with us seasonally bringing beauty and joy. Both of these are reminders and signs that we will never be cut off.

We are promised and assured that God’s word will not enter our lives and the world without accomplishing the purpose for which God sent it. This is certainly true of God’s Word—the “Word”, Jesus. Jesus has done what is required and we are granted rich and abundant life—thanks be to God.

God, send your blessings—your word, your waters, your bread, every good and perfect gift—into our lives. Sustain us and grow us with them. Accomplish your purposes in us and through us by them. Send us to be a blessing. Thank you that you will not let us be cut off. Amen.

e-vo for week of June 29

2011-06-29T08:14:00.000-07:00

Dearest e-votees-

The appointed gospel text for this coming weekend will be our devotional focus.

May your time on this holiday weekend be blessed. May be you be surrounded by family and friends. May your celebrations of freedom include gratitude for the freedom that has been won for us by Christ.

Peace,
Karl

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16 "But to what will I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to one another, 17 "We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we wailed, and you did not mourn.' 18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, "He has a demon'; 19 the Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, "Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds."

25 At that time Jesus said, "I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants; 26 yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. 27 All things have been handed over to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. 28 "Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30, NRSV

The keen observer will notice that our assigned text steps around vv. 20-24. Those are verses where Jesus proclaims judgment on some towns that did not repent. Interesting to ponder why that is excised from the reading. Is it because we aren’t so familiar with the Biblical cities and their circumstances? Perhaps. Is it because a judging Jesus makes us squirm? That’s certainly a possibility. Is it because we, like Thomas Jefferson, like to take scissors to the scriptures and keep what we like and discard that which seems off to us? Most assuredly. (The Jesus Seminar book The Five Gospels is in part dedicated to “Thomas Jefferson who took scissors and paste to the gospels”). It might do us well to spend some time lingering with Matthew 11:20-24.

There are two threads to this assigned text. The first portion talks about how this generation (which I would certainly count us among) never seems to be satisfied with the way that God comes into the world. We are like kids who are never satisfied with the other kids who won’t play as we want. If we want to dance, they want to mourn. If we cry, they play celebratory music. We are out of synch with one another. We are out of synch with God’s ways in the world. When John came prophetically and ascetically people dismissed him as demon-possessed. People wrote him off, locked him up and eventually dispatched him as a party favor. When Jesus came into the world incarnationally and relationally people dismissed him as a drunkard and a glutton. He was judged by the company he kept, the religious authorities and the civil authorities. People wrote up charges and accusatory signs, hung him up and eventually dispatched him as a nuisance. Yet both John and Jesus were faithfully living out their callings. Jesus would not stay dead. Neither will John. Neither will we. People will say what they will, do as they do and attempt to write off the truth of the gospel. Yet wisdom will be vindicated by her resurrection deeds.

In the second thread, Jesus prays for his childlike followers. They, and we, have been welcomed into the community between the Father and the Son. We have been adopted into the family. We are comforted from the burdens that weigh us down. There is gentleness and humility in our brother Jesus. In that divine family there is rest to be had for our souls. Jesus takes our heavy burdens and shares the yoke with us. There is kingdom work to be done and Jesus shoulders the burdens with us. Thanks be to God.

God, we thank you that you come into the world on your own terms. Draw us up into the good news proclaimed by John and by Jesus. Help us give our burdens to you and to serve you faithfully. We thank you for the many freedoms we have in this day and in this age and in this country. Help us lay them at the foot of the cross in profound and lingering adoration. Amen.

e-vo for week of June 22

2011-06-22T06:59:00.000-07:00

Dearest e-votees-

June 24 is the day set aside in the church calendar to commemorate the ministry of John the Baptist. As for all days in the church year there is set aside 4 readings including a reading from one of the psalms. For our devotional focus this week we will spend some time around the psalm reading that is appointed for this Friday.

Peace,
Karl

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1 I call upon you, O Lord; come quickly to me; give ear to my voice when I call to you. 2 Let my prayer be counted as incense before you, and the lifting up of my hands as an evening sacrifice. 3 Set a guard over my mouth, O Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips. 4 Do not turn my heart to any evil, to busy myself with wicked deeds in company with those who work iniquity; do not let me eat of their delicacies. 5 Let the righteous strike me; let the faithful correct me. Never let the oil of the wicked anoint my head, for my prayer is continually against their wicked deeds. 6 When they are given over to those who shall condemn them, then they shall learn that my words were pleasant. 7 Like a rock that one breaks apart and shatters on the land, so shall their bones be strewn at the mouth of Sheol. 8 But my eyes are turned toward you, O God, my Lord; in you I seek refuge; do not leave me defenseless. 9 Keep me from the trap that they have laid for me, and from the snares of evildoers. 10 Let the wicked fall into their own nets, while I alone escape.

Psalm 141, NRSV (attributed to David)

For those who are familiar with Holden Evening vespers you might recognize the source material for “Let My Prayers Rise Before You as Incense” in the words of this psalm.

For all of us we are offered to behold a deep prayer for deliverance and protection. One who is tempted and vulnerable and realizing that there are options and consequences cries out to God for guidance and strength. One who feels set upon prays for deliverance from those who seek to do harm—and prays that they will be trapped by their own snares. One who wants to do right but knows how easy it is to spill sin across the lips in terms of a wild tongue and how easy it is to let the delicacies of the wicked cross those same lips. From that same mouth—that can be at times contemptuous and at other times tempted—comes an earnest prayer for God’s intervention.

Perhaps these words are more than just a snapshot of prayer from thousands of years ago from a prayerful heart in more primitive times. Perhaps there are words and hopes and deep cries of a heart that resonate with us too.

Are we tempted and vulnerable? Are we feeling set up and in need of deliverance? Do we see traps or snares or pitfalls that just might consume us? Do we want to do right but know all too well the temptation to speak rash and ill-conceived words? Do we wish to live honorably but know all too well how tempting the banquets are that aren’t from God? Do we pray as does the psalmist? Or do we wish we would? Or do we have trouble eking out a prayer at all? God enters into our struggle with a word of hope and love.

The power of John’s ministry is mostly in that he points away from himself to Christ. He does what he is to do and fades to the background. We have work and ministries to do. Ministries and work that God has created and called us to tend. The Holy Spirit is alive and well in us to help us tend to that work—to tend to that ministry. And when we are done we don’t need to seek a “Well done, good and faithful servant”—we can trust that Jesus meant it when he said “It is finished.” Jesus has done what is required. We are invited to be part of the unfolding of what he has done. In this way we get to partner with John in pointing to Jesus. Thanks be to God.

God, stir us by your Holy Spirit to be people of prayer. Stir us by your Holy Spirit to be different and faithful and bold and daring and willing to give it all in the world for your sake—as did John the Baptist. Stir us by your Holy Spirit to be loving and faithful and attentive and willing to give it all for your sake—as did the woman anointing your feet with her tears. Stir us up by your Holy Spirit to be bold and loving and daring and faithful in order to communicate your good news to all who might hear—as did the early church and as the church has continued to do ever since. Amen.

e-vo for week of June 15

2011-06-15T08:35:00.000-07:00

Dearest e-votees-

This coming Sunday is Holy Trinity Sunday. It is a Sunday set aside to emphasize the unique community found within Father, Son and Holy Spirit. It is also a time where we can think about the community we are called to abide in and sustain as members of the body of Christ.

Peace,
Karl

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11 Finally, brothers and sisters, farewell. Put things in order, listen to my appeal, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you. 12 Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the saints greet you. 13 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with all of you.

2 Corinthians 13:11-13, NRSV

These are the closing words of the two part epistle to the church at Corinth. The Corinthian fellowship had its share of squabbles and disagreements and moral missteps. The parting admonitions were ones of peace, harmony and order. Affection is instructed and the words that so many churches speak as an invocation were written as a benediction to these saints.

We could take these words and try to live into them in our own strength. We could force ourselves to be gracious and loving; peaceable and agreeable, affectionate and orderly in order to merit God’s peace and God’s love. We could try—perhaps. But our efforts would not prove so very successful. We could easily get tired and jaded and to the point of feeling unappreciated. Even when our motives are at their best our old Adams and old Eves are right there inside struggling to twist things to his or her advantage. In our own power, effort, merit and struggle we will not live into the righteousness that we need and that God desires.

What we need is for God who is gracious and loving and merciful to show us how to be community. We need grace as shown by Jesus’ life, ministry, death on a cross and post-resurrection appearances that always start with “Peace, peace.” We need love as shown by God who pours out all that is available including God’s own Son in order for us to truly experience what love is meant to look like—deeply sacrificial, faithful and enduring agaph(ah-gah-pay) love. We need community and fellowship as shown by the indwelling Holy Spirit that comforts, guides, reminds, inspires and groans in intercessory prayers when our own words fail us.

In short, we need Paul’s benediction and our worship’s invocation as the starting point of every day, every moment, every venture and every new start. We need the blessings and presence and community of the Holy Trinity. As we are drawn into that community, grace and love will become more firmly rooted in our lives. As we are drawn into that community peace and concord—real peace and real concord—will come in sharp focus. As we are drawn into that community we won’t only kiss one another but seek to dress the wounds that happen on the road to Jericho and wash the feet of those who have been sullied by the world. As we are drawn into that community order—real order—will come into play that will remind us of God speaking order into the chaos before creation.

God, draw us into Your community. Help us love You with all our heart and with all our soul and with all our mind and with all our strength. As You work your ways in us we will truly learn how to love neighbor as ourselves—all to Your glory. Amen.

e-vo for week of June 8

2011-06-07T08:33:00.000-07:00

Dearest e-votees-

This Sunday is Pentecost Sunday. It is when God takes an existing religious/spiritual observance and layers a new depth and Godly presence—as was the case with Passover and Holy Communion.

There are lots of permutations of the assigned readings for this week. For our devotion I chose one that you may not hear read in church.

May the Holy Spirit blow through this devotion, our days and throughout the world—all to the glory of God.

Peace,
Karl

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24 So Moses went out and told the people the words of the Lord; and he gathered seventy elders of the people, and placed them all around the tent. 25 Then the Lord came down in the cloud and spoke to him, and took some of the spirit that was on him and put it on the seventy elders; and when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied. But they did not do so again. 26 Two men remained in the camp, one named Eldad, and the other named Medad, and the spirit rested on them; they were among those registered, but they had not gone out to the tent, and so they prophesied in the camp. 27 And a young man ran and told Moses, "Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp." 28 And Joshua son of Nun, the assistant of Moses, one of his chosen men, said, "My lord Moses, stop them!" 29 But Moses said to him, "Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the Lord's people were prophets, and that the Lord would put his spirit on them!" 30 And Moses and the elders of Israel returned to the camp.

Numbers 11:24-30, NRSV

Just before this assigned reading Moses is showing the stress of being the prophet/judge/arbiter/caretaker for all of the people. God instructs Moses to gather the people at the Tent of Meeting. The account of what happened next is one of the assigned texts for Pentecost Sunday.

God divides the spirit that is in Moses and apportions it to the 70 (notably to the 2 who didn’t get to the meeting as well) so that the work can be divided. This resonates, as well, with the time Jethro counseled Moses to divide up the work he was trying to bear on his own as is recorded in Exodus 18:13-27. The work of doing God’s will in the world is much too large for any one denomination or church—let alone for any one person. We are called to work together as a community to accomplish that which God has put before us. The promise of God’s abiding presence is particularly attached to when we gather in community (2 or 3 or more).

Moses’ response to Joshua is one we ought to commit to memory—“Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the Lord’s people were prophets, and that the Lord would put his spirit on them!” Moses’ desire has been enfleshed in the pouring out of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. The Holy Spirit fell on all who were gathered in the house for prayer that day. And they were enabled to speak and be heard in the tongues of all the gathered people. The Holy Spirit continued to spread through the work of the early church. The Holy Spirit is alive and well in the church today too. As God works through baptism the Holy Spirit is imparted. As God inspires deepening faith the Holy Spirit becomes more deeply rooted. As the church does the work to which we are called the Holy Spirit moves and breathes and has her being. I wouldn’t be too surprised to find that there are those who didn’t get to the “Tent of Meeting” (or maybe to worship or maybe to our denomination or maybe even in the “organized” church as we see her) who are still having the Holy Spirit come to rest on them and move in their lives. Do you think there are Eldads and Medads about this day? I do.

We should always keep in mind the exchange between Jesus and Nicodemus:

4 “How can a man be born when he is old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb to be born!”

5 Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. 7 You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”

John 3:4-8, NRSV

Holy Spirit, continue to move and breathe into our lives. Help us never hinder you but rejoice that you blow wherever you please. May it please you to blow fervently into us. Comfort us. Inspire us. Remind us of Jesus’ teaching. Empower us to give testimony wherever we find ourselves. Prophesy to and through us. Encourage us. Intercede for us when words fail. Help us partner well with the community that you have formed that breathes of your Holy Spirit as surely as it does the air around us. Amen.

e-vo for week of June 1

2011-06-02T06:11:00.000-07:00

Dearest e-votees-

Thursday of this week is the Day of Ascension. It is 40 days from Easter to Thursday counting partial days (in the same way that Friday to Sunday is “on the third day”). We will use one of the appointed texts for the Day of Ascension for our focus this week.

May we be blessed as we continue to abide in the good news of the empty tomb. May we take that good news and ways of blessing out into the world.

Peace,

Karl

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44 Then he said to them, "These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you—that everything written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms must be fulfilled." 45 Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, 46 and he said to them, "Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day, 47 and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 And see, I am sending upon you what my Father promised; so stay here in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high." 50 Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and, lifting up his hands, he blessed them. 51 While he was blessing them, he withdrew from them and was carried up into heaven. 52 And they worshiped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy; 53 and they were continually in the temple blessing God.

Luke 24:44-53, NRSV

You can find lots of references to the “law and the prophets” or “Moses and the prophets” in scripture. This threefold formulation of “law of Moses, the prophets and the psalms” is particular to this one verse in Luke. Luke, the one who carefully collects all the details for his two volume Luke-Acts account addressed to Theophilus (“lover of God”), reports this completion of the expectations of the law and the prophets and the psalms. Jesus opens the mind of the disciples and the two who had been on the road to Emmaus and reminds them of why he came and what the significance of his death and resurrection were. He equips them and sends them to be witnesses. He tells them to linger a bit longer in the city until they have been clothed with power from on high. In 10 short days (50 from Easter) the Holy Spirit will come with great flourish at Pentecost.

In Jesus we have the fulfillment of the requirements of the law. What we are unable to do Jesus does. Thanks be to God.

In Jesus we have the fulfillment of the revelations of the prophets. The dreams and visions and moral correctives of the prophets find their fulfillment in Jesus. Thanks be to God.

In Jesus we have the fulfillment of the psalms. The songs and prayers and longings and deep humanity of the psalms find their fulfillment in Jesus who was as truly human as he was truly God. Thanks be to God.

When we know our time on this earth is long our conversation drifts to lesser things—sports, weather, passing thoughts and idle chatter. When we are with one who is dying or when we know we are leaving for a good long while the conversation takes a decidedly different tone. Jesus knows where he is going and so speaks with gravitas before he defies gravity and leaves this world. He summarizes his life and ministry and tells the disciples, and us, to wait for power from on high and to be witnesses.

Jesus knows a thing or two about communication and body language. The image that he leaves is one of blessing. He could have chosen to point a threatening finger or two—particularly given the not so stellar performance of the disciples around the time of Holy Week. He could have done the “I’m watching you” gesture by pointing at his eyes and then his disciples letting them know that they were in deep trouble if they failed him again. He could have taken a more triumphant pose as he ascended. He chose none of these. But the one who came to serve and not to be served chose a posture of blessing. God’s move towards us is one of healing and restoration and blessings. God would have us be more like that with the world as well. Thanks be to God.

God, open Your holy scriptures to us. Help us see in Jesus the true fulfillment of the law of Moses, the prophets and the psalms. Stir us to be Your people and Your witnesses. Help us receive every good blessing from You that we might in turn go and bless the world in Jesus’ name. Amen.

e-vo for week of May 25

2011-05-24T08:26:00.000-07:00

Dearest e-votees-

When working with a set of texts for any given Sunday sometimes the preaching possibilities seem scant and elusive. One can abide with all four texts and have so little come to heart and mind. It can be deeply frustrating. Other texts are like trying to drink living waters from a firehose. Multiple sermons gush out with no seeming end in sight. The appointed 1 Peter text for this weekend is much more akin to the firehose.

May we be blessed and may some spiritual thirsts be slaked as we draw near that text this week.

Peace,
Karl

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13 Now who will harm you if you are eager to do what is good? 14 But even if you do suffer for doing what is right, you are blessed. Do not fear what they fear, and do not be intimidated, 15 but in your hearts sanctify Christ as Lord. Always be ready to make your defense to anyone who demands from you an accounting for the hope that is in you; 16 yet do it with gentleness and reverence. Keep your conscience clear, so that, when you are maligned, those who abuse you for your good conduct in Christ may be put to shame. 17 For it is better to suffer for doing good, if suffering should be God's will, than to suffer for doing evil. 18 For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, in order to bring you to God. He was put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit, 19 in which also he went and made a proclamation to the spirits in prison, 20 who in former times did not obey, when God waited patiently in the days of Noah, during the building of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were saved through water. 21 And baptism, which this prefigured, now saves you—not as a removal of dirt from the body, but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22 who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers made subject to him.

1 Peter 3:13-22, NRSV

We are taking kids to Las Vegas this summer to do mission work. We have taken as our theme verse for the trip 1 Peter 3:15:

but in your hearts sanctify Christ as Lord. Always be ready to make your defense to anyone who demands from you an accounting for the hope that is in you.

We are invited and called to let Jesus be Lord in our heart—in the seat of our being. This means allowing God to drive from our hearts others things that would take Jesus’ rightful place. This means allowing Jesus to continue to transform our hearts and our ways so that we are drawn more fully into him. Sanctifying Christ as Lord in our hearts means allowing God to sanctify us—to make us holy. Not talking here about sinning no more. Not talking about walking without stumbling. Talking about letting God help us press more deeply into that place where God has called us. As we do we find hope and peace and joy. When people perceive those things and ask us about them we should be prepared to testify to why we have hope. We do it with gentleness and respect—like one beggar pointing another to food—but we do it. When we get so deeply immersed in Christ we can’t help but share water with the thirsty souls we encounter.

The question is not “Will suffering come our way?”—it will. The question is not “Will I be free from all manifestations of sin and struggle in my life once I start following after Jesus?”—you won’t. The question becomes much more like “When suffering and sin set their fangs into me how will I respond?” Will our suffering be more from becoming more Christlike? When people and circumstances bring us harm will we seek to be faithful even praying for those who have brought pain and suffering? Will we choose the better path of suffering over the more expedient path that is fraught with evil? Will we let the one who was bitten by suffering and sin on the cross show us how to engage those things when they come after us?

We are immersed in Christ in baptism. We are joined to his suffering and death and called to take up our own crosses in baptism. As we draw near baptismal fonts we are reminded by their octagonal shape of the eight who survived the flood in Noah’s time. Noah, the boys and the four wives are the only ones who were saved. God has opened up the ways into the kingdom to so many more than eight. As we are baptized we are saved. As we go through the fiery baptisms of suffering and sin in this life we can testify to that salvation. We can share with gentleness and reverence. We may be maligned and abused and put to shame. We may even be put to death.

The good news is that even though they maligned and abused and shamed and killed our Lord Jesus he couldn’t and wouldn’t stay dead. Because he lives we can live more fully today. Because he lives we know that we too shall live no matter what comes our way. Because he lives even our deaths will not be our end. Thanks be to God.

God we long to be spared from suffering and separation but we know they will come. Give us good hope and faith and courage knowing that Jesus has already done what is required. Use us to testify and give account that others, too, might know the good news of the empty tomb of Easter. Amen.

e-vo for week of May 18

2011-05-20T10:21:00.000-07:00

Dearest e-votees-

This week’s appointed psalmody is Psalm 31:1-5; 15-16. The actual psalm is 24 verses long. Perhaps it was shortened for Sunday for brevity’s sake; perhaps some cutting of uncomfortable passages occurred as well. It is given in complete form below. The non-appointed portions of the psalm are bracketed off.

Peace,

Karl

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Prayer and Praise for Deliverance from Enemies

To the leader. A Psalm of David.

1 In you, O Lord, I seek refuge; do not let me ever be put to shame; in your righteousness deliver me.
2 Incline your ear to me; rescue me speedily. Be a rock of refuge for me, a strong fortress to save me.
3 You are indeed my rock and my fortress; for your name’s sake lead me and guide me,
4 take me out of the net that is hidden for me, for you are my refuge.
5 Into your hand I commit my spirit; you have redeemed me, O Lord, faithful God.

[6 You hate those who pay regard to worthless idols, but I trust in the Lord.
7 I will exult and rejoice in your steadfast love, because you have seen my affliction; you have taken heed of my adversities,
8 and have not delivered me into the hand of the enemy; you have set my feet in a broad place.
9 Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am in distress; my eye wastes away from grief, my soul and body also.
10 For my life is spent with sorrow, and my years with sighing; my strength fails because of my misery, and my bones waste away.
11 I am the scorn of all my adversaries, a horror to my neighbors, an object of dread to my acquaintances; those who see me in the street flee from me.
12 I have passed out of mind like one who is dead; I have become like a broken vessel.
13 For I hear the whispering of many— terror all around!— as they scheme together against me, as they plot to take my life.
14 But I trust in you, O Lord; I say, “You are my God.”]

15 My times are in your hand; deliver me from the hand of my enemies and persecutors.
16 Let your face shine upon your servant; save me in your steadfast love.

[17 Do not let me be put to shame, O Lord, for I call on you; let the wicked be put to shame; let them go dumbfounded to Sheol.
18 Let the lying lips be stilled that speak insolently against the righteous with pride and contempt.
19 O how abundant is your goodness that you have laid up for those who fear you, and accomplished for those who take refuge in you, in the sight of everyone!
20 In the shelter of your presence you hide them from human plots; you hold them safe under your shelter from contentious tongues.
21 Blessed be the Lord, for he has wondrously shown his steadfast love to me when I was beset as a city under siege.
22 I had said in my alarm, “I am driven far from your sight.” But you heard my supplications when I cried out to you for help.
23 Love the Lord, all you his saints. The Lord preserves the faithful, but abundantly repays the one who acts haughtily.
24 Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the Lord.]

Psalm 31, NRSV

The psalm begins with David seeking refuge in God. No matter what comes our way in life—good or bad; deserved or unjustly inflicted; in times of sure footing or slipping on shifting sands—God is our rock and our salvation. Our hope and our help are in God. Our times and everything else is found resting in God’s hands. We commend our spirits and our lives and our every moments into God’s love and redemption—we imperil that which we do not entrust to God’s care.

The next section of the psalm is left on the cutting room floor by the pericopists (those who created the lectionary—literally the ones doing the “cutting around”). Perhaps because David takes a little too much solace in the hatred of God towards the idolaters. Perhaps David is too proud. Perhaps because it is a little dour and depressing pondering where David and, by extension, where we fall short, are weak and spent, are set upon and are likened unto death. But the truth is we are like broken vessels. The Holy Spirit has come into us and our earthen vessels have been cracked. Sometimes they are cracked open in preparation of caring for one in the image of God—like the costly ointment slathered on Jesus’ feet. Sometimes they are cracked open through our sin and sin inflicted upon us and the Holy Spirit seems to run out of the vessel, through our hands and then on to who knows where? But our statement of faith, with David, is still “You are my God.” In spite of the rough and tumble ways of life and sin that has taken root God is our God.

The appointed psalm continues with a prayer for deliverance and a request for benediction. It is akin to Jacob wrestling with God not letting go until a blessing is his. As we wrestle with life and death, success and failure, obligation and inspiration, hope and despair, faith and doubt we know that God’s love is steadfast and that God wills that we would all be saved. So we pray and pray and pray again for deliverance and blessing—for us and for those who beset us.

The last portion, which also was excised by the pericopists, again prays from deep places of pain and struggle. There is a prayer for deliverance. There is testimony that God hears the supplications of God’s people. There is an acknowledgment that there is protection from human plots and contentious tongues under God’s shelter. As said so clearly in the Jars of Clay song “Shelter”—in the shelter of each other we will live. How much more so in the shelter of God’s love and grace and peace and mercy do we live?

The truth is this psalm disturbs us and the pericopists because it acknowledges that there really are enemies of us and of God—and the more disturbing truth is that we can walk as enemies of ourselves, our brothers and sisters and even God. The psalm cuts because it betrays our divided hearts, our slanderous tongues, our impure motives and our harmful ways. Thanks be to God that God sees us even more clearly than we do ourselves and loves us with an unrelenting and redeeming love. We dwell in the shelter of a loving God—our times are in God’s hands.

God, teach us to be loving to enemies, to be gracious to those who are not there yet, to care for the unlovely—and let us be gracious enough to let others do that for our sake as well. Amen.

e-vo for week of May 11

2011-05-10T06:02:00.000-07:00

Dearest e-votees-

Quick turns of the phrase get traction but sometimes they obscure a deeper and more nuanced conversation.

How often do you hear “Well, everyone has their cross to bear.” after someone has been discussing an illness or a struggle or a challenge in their life? Are all painful things crosses? Just because suffering is hard isn’t sufficient to make it just suffering.

This week we’ll spend some time with the appointed epistle text from 1 Peter.

Peace,
Karl

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19 For it is a credit to you if, being aware of God, you endure pain while suffering unjustly. 20 If you endure when you are beaten for doing wrong, what credit is that? But if you endure when you do right and suffer for it, you have God's approval. 21 For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you should follow in his steps. 22 "He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth." 23 When he was abused, he did not return abuse; when he suffered, he did not threaten; but he entrusted himself to the one who judges justly. 24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that, free from sins, we might live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed. 25 For you were going astray like sheep, but now you have returned to the shepherd and guardian of your souls.

1 Peter 2:19-25, NRSV

There are two questions that seem to emerge when we reflect on our own suffering or that of others—why and how. We want to know something about the cause of the suffering. We want to know the details of the suffering and how it was endured.

The first question—“Why?”—is the fodder for many a conversation. When Job’s life took a decided turn for the worse his friends showed up asking what he had done to deserve such suffering—they were asking “Why?” When Jesus and his disciples come across a blind man they asked who sinned that this man was born blind—he or his parents?—they were asking “Why?” When tragedies like 9-11 or tsunamis or devastating earthquakes or AIDS epidemics occur—some people speak with entirely too much authority about God’s purposes and judgments—they are presumptuously speaking answers into the “Why?” question.

The truth is that sometimes we merit suffering that comes our way. Sometimes life knocks us around because we picked a fight with something bigger and stronger and faster than us. Sometimes the things that rain down on us were certainly predictable if not downright provoked. But other times things just happen. Maybe God willed it for a greater purpose and maybe God opted to let things run their natural courses. There is not always a clear cause or responsible party for the things that come into our lives. As much as we want a clear and defensible answer to our “Why?”s we often get a stark “Because.” or a more reflective “Why not?” and so often we just get lonely silence. Just because we ask the “Why?” doesn’t mean we will get a satisfactory answer or even that we will get an answer at all.

One verse that has often brought comfort to me (and I’m sure countless others) is Romans 8:28: We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.

This verse doesn’t presume the answer to “Why?” looking back but offers hope to the “How?” as we press forward.

“How will this suffering play out?” Jesus reminds us to take each day as it comes remembering that each day has worries enough.

“How will I get through this?” Jesus responds to the penitent thief on the cross “Today you will be with me in Paradise”. God’s kingdom is coming to bear every day—we pray for as much whenever we pray the Lord’s prayer. God has not left us nor abandoned us—God is with us even through the valley of the shadow of death.

“How will I face these people after what I’ve done and what they know about me?” God reminds us “Behold, I make all things new.” and “My mercies are new every morning”. God’s mercy and grace and salvation trump even the gravest missteps.

“How can we be saved?” As the serpent was lifted up in the desert so, too, was the Son of Man lifted up. In the midst of deserved consequences and a death sentence being executed God provides a way for those to be saved. Salvation is here for us all. None of us have erred so far as to be beyond the loving grasp of God’s grace.

“How can I bear this burden—cross or not—with dignity and character and grace?” We can look to the author of salvation who found ways to pray for his persecutors, reach out to those under the same sentence, mend and establish relationships in the midst of having his own severed and who leaned heavily on prayer and grace and restraint. Jesus who is faithful and true and abiding gave us an example of how to suffer.

God, spare us from suffering—deserved and undeserved—and help us alleviate the suffering of others—deserved and undeserved. Help us yield the “Why?”s to you and deeply lean into growing into the “How?”s through your help and the indwelling Holy Spirit. Amen.

e-vo for week of May 4

2011-05-06T07:57:00.000-07:00

Dearest e-votees-

This Sunday is the third Sunday of Easter. The world has long since moved on from whatever acknowledgment of Easter they might muster but we linger in the good news of the empty tomb.

Our appointed gospel text from Luke has Jesus making an appearance and offering proof that he has indeed been raised from the dead. Our appointed epistle text from Acts, our focus for this week, has Peter giving testimony about this same crucified and risen Jesus just after the Holy Spirit came with great power during the festival of Pentecost.

May our lives continue to be profoundly transformed and our testimony emboldened as the Holy Spirit continues to bring the good news of Jesus to bear on this world.

Peace,
Karl

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14 But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them, "Men of Judea and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to what I say

36 Therefore let the entire house of Israel know with certainty that God has made him both Lord and Messiah, this Jesus whom you crucified." 37 Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and to the other apostles, "Brothers, what should we do?" 38 Peter said to them, "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is for you, for your children, and for all who are far away, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to him." 40 And he testified with many other arguments and exhorted them, saying, "Save yourselves from this corrupt generation." 41 So those who welcomed his message were baptized, and that day about three thousand persons were added.

Acts 2:14, 36-41, NRSV (assigned reading is 14a but I can’t discern where “a” ends and where “b” begins so you get some extra scripture this week.)

When Peter was speaking this testimony it was to those who had gathered for the festival of Pentecost. He was addressing a Jewish crowd. He addresses the men who were present. The good news of Jesus transcends the particulars of this testimony on this given day. Peter, in the 10th chapter of Acts, is instrumental in opening up the gospel to the Gentiles with his three-fold vision of a sheet of animals being lowered and being commanded to eat clean and unclean animals. Peter came to understand that the gospel was not restricted to the Jews but was open to Cornelius, a centurion of the Italian cohort. Surely the good news of Peter’s testimony wasn’t meant to be restricted to only the men within earshot. The fact that this powerful message (of which we are only seeing a snippet in our lectionary) was preserved by the Holy Spirit and included in our canon of scripture expands the audience who can drink in the good news of this Jesus was crucified and would not stay dead.

Peter points an accusing finger at those present as the ones who crucified Jesus. This has spun out badly throughout history. The bad news of who is culpable for putting Jesus on the cross transcends the particulars of this testimony on this given day as well. Perhaps the most compelling part of the Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ is that it is Mel Gibson who nails Jesus to the cross. The Romans certainly were culpable in Jesus’ death on the cross. Those who sin are culpable for Jesus’ death on the cross. Those who hear the message of Peter and are cut to the heart demonstrate a connection to putting Jesus on the cross. The good news of the gospel only brings good news to those who are part of the bad news of Good Friday—those whom sin so easily entangles and hope so easily fades away.

Those present respond with asking “What should we do?” They ask that question for those of us who were folded into the good news but weren’t there to ask the question. We ask too “What are we to do in response to this crucified Lord who won’t stay dead?” We are to repent (to turn around, to turn back to God, to allow our courses to be redirected). We are to be baptized (if we have not been washed already) which is what Peter did to Cornelius and his household which attaches us to the death on the cross and the risen Lord who won’t stay dead—and brings forgiveness of sins. We are to receive the Holy Spirit which stirs up faith and powerful testimonies and changed lives.

This promise of good news was for those in earshot, for their families and for those far away (for us and for those who have yet to hear). Everyone who hears this good news is invited and welcomed to receive the promise. Jesus sends his disciples to Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth in the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20). Equipped with the Holy Spirit the early church faithfully carried the good news to us. Now we have the joy, privilege and responsibility of continuing to carry that good news to those in earshot, to our families, to those at work, to those far away and to those even at the ends of the earth—thanks be to God.

Dear God, help us to welcome your message. Help us be steeped in your good news, our baptism and your Holy Spirit. Save us from this corrupt generation and send us as heralds of your saving grace. Amen.

e-vo for week of April 27

2011-04-27T08:23:00.000-07:00

Dearest e-votees-

Blessed Easter to you all. The world is ready to move past Easter on to Mother’s Day and Memorial Day and whatnot. We in the church, however, linger for 50 days. We luxuriate in the empty tomb and how that redefines us and attaches us to the resurrection hope.

This coming Sunday, the Sunday after Easter, always has the text about Thomas (who is unfortunately labeled “Doubting Thomas”). We will use the appointed epistle for our focus this week. May you be blessed.

Christ is risen! He is risen, indeed! And we shall be raised too.

Peace,
Karl

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3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy he has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 5 who are being protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In this you rejoice, even if now for a little while you have had to suffer various trials, 7 so that the genuineness of your faith—being more precious than gold that, though perishable, is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 8 Although you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy, 9 for you are receiving the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

1 Peter 1:3-9, NRSV

There are three things that jump out of this text:

• There is an inheritance that is coming
• While we wait for that we experience trials
• Faith is a venture that transcends what we can discern with our senses

THERE IS AN INHERITANCE THAT IS COMING

The gift that comes when someone dies has little to do with what the inheritor has done or not done. Unless there is a stipulation in the will the gift comes purely as a gracious act on the part of the author of the will. God gives us new birth through the death of Jesus. We are attached to an inheritance that is “imperishable, undefiled, and unfading” given to us freely through the hands of God. Not to say that the gift came freely—it came through the piercing of the hands of God. It came through a sham trial and a shameful scourging and an unjust crucifixion. If our salvation—our inheritance—were contingent on our worthiness we would all be in a world of trouble. But, God endured trials and pains to secure for us what we could not. Because God is imperishable and undefiled and unfading so is the gift that God bestows on us. God’s promises are all “Yes and Amen” in Christ Jesus (see 2 Corinthians 1:18-20).

WHILE WE WAIT FOR THAT WE EXPERIENCE TRIALS

There is no promise that if we follow after Jesus our lives will become less painful or more blessed or more comfortable. Jesus talked about taking up a cross and following after him—there was little discussion about wealth and abundance and provision at least as would speak to our modern sensibilities. Church tradition holds that 11 of the original 12 apostles and Paul came to violent deaths. The church came under fierce persecution under Nero. There has been persecution of the church in one form or another from that day forward. As we grow in our ability to articulate and live out an ever-deepening faith there will be consequences. The world and the devil may kick back against what we are trying to say with our actions—and perhaps our words. Trials will come. But our hope as people of faith is that God will use such trials to burn the dross out of us and refine us like a precious metal. The promise isn’t that only good things will happen to us. The promise is that God can use all things for good for those who love him and are called according to his purpose. (see Roman 8:28)

FAITH IS A VENTURE THAT TRANSCENDS WHAT WE CAN DISCERN WITH OUR SENSES

Thomas, this Sunday, asks for a reasonable demonstration of a fantastic claim—as Carl Sagan used to say: “Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.” Thomas wanted to see and to touch the risen Lord. Don’t you? But we don’t get to see Jesus directly. Bizarre claims of Jesus appearing on billboards or pieces of toast and other faith figures showing up as salt stains in underpasses and other peculiar places betray how much many of us long to see manifestations of God with our senses. As much as we might long for such experiences they are rare if at all. And our senses can so easily be manipulated or deceived. God has chosen to constrain much of our communal experience of God to two senses—taste and hearing—through sacrament and word—through communion and the Bible. We appropriate God through faith. God is the one who gives us faith. We cannot even muster belief on our own. Rather than label and judge Thomas we should own that we are kindred spirits—longing to touch and see Jesus. But in spite of the challenges, God has given us the gift of belief. And we are receiving the outcome of that faith—the salvation of our souls.

God, help us to live faithfully as we await the inheritance that you have promised. Give us courage and good cheer as we face trials and tribulations. Strengthen our faiths in spite of what besets our senses. Grant us the salvation of our souls. Amen.

e-vo for Holy Week

2011-04-20T08:11:00.000-07:00

Dearest e-votees-

I hope and pray that this finds you well as we draw closer to the passion of our Lord Jesus. I hope you will do whatever is required to draw near to the story that has so much to do with our story.

The appointed epistle lesson for this Wednesday of Holy Week says this:

1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such hostility against himself from sinners, so that you may not grow weary or lose heart.

Hebrews 12:1-3, NRSV

Part of laying aside the weights and the sin, part of running with perseverance, part of considering him who endured such hostility from sinners is gathering with the community around Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter Vigil and Easter. May your worship and your gathering with community be blessed. Take your place among the great cloud of witnesses.

Peace,
Karl

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21 After saying this Jesus was troubled in spirit, and declared, "Very truly, I tell you, one of you will betray me." 22 The disciples looked at one another, uncertain of whom he was speaking. 23 One of his disciples—the one whom Jesus loved—was reclining next to him; 24 Simon Peter therefore motioned to him to ask Jesus of whom he was speaking. 25 So while reclining next to Jesus, he asked him, "Lord, who is it?" 26 Jesus answered, "It is the one to whom I give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish." So when he had dipped the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas son of Simon Iscariot. 27 After he received the piece of bread, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, "Do quickly what you are going to do." 28 Now no one at the table knew why he said this to him. 29 Some thought that, because Judas had the common purse, Jesus was telling him, "Buy what we need for the festival"; or, that he should give something to the poor. 30 So, after receiving the piece of bread, he immediately went out. And it was night. 31 When he had gone out, Jesus said, "Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him. 32 If God has been glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself and will glorify him at once.

John 13:21-32, NRSV

Jesus is staring death in the face. His death was designed to be lingering and horrific so others would see what happens when you cross the Romans—they cross you. The disciples of Jesus are not tracking so very clearly. They are all sharing a Passover meal. As the story about the lamb being slaughtered so that the blood smeared might offer salvation to those whom it covers was told it surely was not lost on Jesus. As the story of the deliverance from the hand of Pharaoh was recounted Jesus surely knew that another deliverance was underway. Jesus was making reference to this way back in the 3rd chapter of John when he talked about the Son of Man being lifted up just as the serpent was in the desert. Jesus is painfully aware of what is going on.

It is at this Passover meal that Jesus layers on another level of remembrance and promise with Holy Communion. He takes some of the unleavened bread of the Seder meal and says “This is my body, given for you.” He takes one of the four glasses of wine from the Seder meal and says “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, given and shed for you.” “Do this in remembrance of me” says Jesus. And so we do.

One thing that we ought to remember too— Judas was present at the meal. In our gospel text above Jesus identifies Judas as the one who will betray him. In Luke 22:13-23 it is even more clear that Judas partook of the first communion before he left the table to betray Jesus. Peter was present at the table too—this Peter who would so quickly deny Jesus even after promising to follow him through prison and death. All who were at the table found ways to hide and cower and flee and lull off to sleep during Jesus’ time of great need.

It is so troubling to many, including me, when restrictions are so fiercely erected around the communion table. Altar rails become chainlink fences with razor wire keeping out those we deem unworthy or unfaithful or not believing enough. To be sure there are better ways to partake of communion and those conversations are good to be had speaking the truth in love—but, bottom line, I don’t think we should be less inclusive than Jesus when we partake of the holy meal.

Jesus fed Judas and Peter and would feed us too—who is less deserving than the three of us? Jesus washed the feet of Judas and Peter and would wash our feet too—who is less deserving than the three of us?

Jesus in so many ways we stray and falter and take our rightful place among the unreliable and unworthy disciples. Yet you feed them and you clean them. You feed us in your holy supper. You wash us in baptism. Help us never scorn people away from your precious means of grace. Amen.

e-vo for week of April 13

2011-04-14T06:59:00.000-07:00

Dearest e-votees-

This coming Sunday marks the beginning of Holy Week with Palm Sunday. As Lent culminates with this most holiest of weeks I pray that we would be challenged, engaged and comforted by the deep and abiding truths that are to be found throughout the week. May our worship be blessed. If you know of people who don’t know of these deep and abiding truths I pray you would consider inviting them to experience this powerful week with us this year.

Peace,
Karl

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1 When they had come near Jerusalem and had reached Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, 2 saying to them, "Go into the village ahead of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her; untie them and bring them to me. 3 If anyone says anything to you, just say this, "The Lord needs them.' And he will send them immediately. " 4 This took place to fulfill what had been spoken through the prophet, saying, 5 "Tell the daughter of Zion, Look, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey." 6 The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them; 7 they brought the donkey and the colt, and put their cloaks on them, and he sat on them. 8 A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 The crowds that went ahead of him and that followed were shouting, "Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven!" 10 When he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was in turmoil, asking, "Who is this?" 11 The crowds were saying, "This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee."

Matthew 21:1-11, NRSV

What is the proper comparison in our times to Jesus arriving into Jerusalem? Do we lay it aside a presidential visit with all the pomp and circumstance and the associated activity of the secret service? Do we consider the red carpet going into the Oscars with all of the fawning and strutting and critiques? Do we compare it to the pope coming out to address the adoring masses? Do we go towards the grand entrance of the newest gadget with folks camping out and getting into shoving matches over the limited supplies and the special rollout prices? What in this world and in this time offers any sort of comparison to God-incarnate entering into the holy city to face down the final week, the passion with all its deep and visceral moments, the agony of the cross and the triumph of the empty tomb? Probably nothing which is what can make it so hard to draw near to this event.

The world makes much of these moments with motorcades of limousines, photo opportunities, prepared speeches and sound-bites. Jesus came in on a donkey. Jesus says nothing to the crowds in Matthew, Mark or John—Luke has the exchange where he says “I tell you if [his disciples] were silent, the stones would shout out.” Jesus doesn’t offer any interviews on the way into town. He is noticeably silent (perhaps a foreshadowing of his self-defense at the upcoming trial before the powers of this world). Jesus seems to be tending to fulfilling prophecies and perhaps challenging the fanfare and the elusive adoration of a fickle world. Where are all these adoring folks later this week?

When Jesus comes into the world the world responds in turmoil. There are all sorts of examples in scripture—Herod trying to kill off Jesus through the slaughter of the innocents, the townspeople who encourage Jesus to keep moving along after he has healed the demoniac, the cleansing of the temple, Palm Sunday, the fevered crowd calling for Barabbas—of the world being unsettled by Jesus. I wonder how much Jesus living and working through us brings about turmoil. Or have we domesticated our faith and our Lord too much? Do people look at us as followers of Christ and say “Who is this?” (hopefully more about the one we follow than about us) And if they do, do we seize the opportunity to speak the name of Jesus and to tell of his life, death and resurrection?

God, bring us into this holiest of weeks. Help us reach out to others and bring them too. You are so different than the world that often we don’t know quite what to do in response. Guide us to be good and faithful and true to you because first and foremost you were good and faithful and true to us in the life and passion of our Lord Jesus. Amen.

e-vo for week of April 6

2011-04-05T10:38:00.000-07:00

Dearest e-votees-

Our appointed Old Testament lesson for this coming Sunday is the account of Ezekiel’s vision of dry bones. It is well paired with the gospel account of the raising of Lazarus.

Where do you connect with these texts?

• Do you feel dead and parched and dusty?
• Are you locked away for fear that a powerful stench might come out were you to dare opening the door in the presence of others?
• Are you grieving for one lost and wishing that God would have intervened in time?
• Are you hoping for a reviving and resurrecting touch this day?
• Are you facing questions with the only honest response being “O Lord God, you know.”?

May these words and this time be a blessing to you wherever these texts strike you.

Peace,
Karl

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1 The hand of the Lord came upon me, and he brought me out by the spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. 2 He led me all around them; there were very many lying in the valley, and they were very dry. 3 He said to me, "Mortal, can these bones live?" I answered, "O Lord God, you know." 4 Then he said to me, "Prophesy to these bones, and say to them: O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. 5 Thus says the Lord God to these bones: I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. 6 I will lay sinews on you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live; and you shall know that I am the Lord." 7 So I prophesied as I had been commanded; and as I prophesied, suddenly there was a noise, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone. 8 I looked, and there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them; but there was no breath in them. 9 Then he said to me, "Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, mortal, and say to the breath: Thus says the Lord God: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live." 10 I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood on their feet, a vast multitude. 11 Then he said to me, "Mortal, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, "Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are cut off completely.' 12 Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: I am going to open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people; and I will bring you back to the land of Israel. 13 And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people. 14 I will put my spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you on your own soil; then you shall know that I, the Lord, have spoken and will act, says the Lord."

Ezekiel 37:1-14, NRSV

We all have graves in our lives. We have the places of death that are quite literal as we bring friends and family members to their resting places. The passing of pets can be deeply heart-wrenching as well. As we look into those literal tombs we know it is only a matter of time before our friends and families gather around to say good-bye (literally “God be with ye”) to us. Those graveside moments can give us pause for re-examining our own lives and the trajectory that they follow. We can find ourselves feeling dead and dusty and parched and foul-smelling. Graves and cemeteries and morgues and ICUs can be very hard places to enter. Yet at times we are called to do so. The good news is that God goes with us. Even through death, God goes with us. In fact, God preceded us. That is very good news.

We all have graves in our lives. Some places are quite metaphorically like a grave. We go to places where the life seems gone. We go to places that suck the juices of life right out of our bones. Sometimes places that should be what most sustain us instead drain us and bleed us and desiccate us. We feel empty and spent and dry and hopeless and cut off. We wish that God had intervened before we found ourselves at that place. We hope for life but perceive only death. A little voice inside us says “Can these bones live?” and we can only eke out “O Lord God, you know.”

We all have graves in our lives. God is a God who knows death and isolation and pain and the tomb. God is a God who has come back from the dead. The grave is a mile marker on the journey not the destination. As we encounter graves—real or metaphorical—may be blessed with the hope of Ezekiel’s vision and the hope of Lazarus’ empty tomb and the hope of the empty tomb of Easter. As the old call and reponse sermon says “It’s Friday, but Sunday’s coming!!!”.

God, give us faith to see Sunday’s hope amidst Friday’s despair. Draw us up into the hope of Jesus. Amen.

e-vo for week of March 30

2011-03-28T07:51:00.000-07:00

Dearest e-votees-

I will be out of the office this week so I am sending this out early.

May your time lingering in Lent be blessed. May the Lord be with you as you look into your own heart. Know that you have been chosen, along with David, to be part of the lineage and family of Jesus.

May you find comfort and peace and strength and grace this day.

Peace,

Karl

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1 The Lord said to Samuel, "How long will you grieve over Saul? I have rejected him from being king over Israel. Fill your horn with oil and set out; I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided for myself a king among his sons." 2 Samuel said, "How can I go? If Saul hears of it, he will kill me." And the Lord said, "Take a heifer with you, and say, "I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.' 3 Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do; and you shall anoint for me the one whom I name to you." 4 Samuel did what the Lord commanded, and came to Bethlehem. The elders of the city came to meet him trembling, and said, "Do you come peaceably?" 5 He said, "Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice to the Lord; sanctify yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice." And he sanctified Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice. 6 When they came, he looked on Eliab and thought, "Surely the Lord's anointed is now before the Lord." 7 But the Lord said to Samuel, "Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for the Lord does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart." 8 Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. He said, "Neither has the Lord chosen this one." 9 Then Jesse made Shammah pass by. And he said, "Neither has the Lord chosen this one." 10 Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel, and Samuel said to Jesse, "The Lord has not chosen any of these." 11 Samuel said to Jesse, "Are all your sons here?" And he said, "There remains yet the youngest, but he is keeping the sheep." And Samuel said to Jesse, "Send and bring him; for we will not sit down until he comes here." 12 He sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and had beautiful eyes, and was handsome. The Lord said, "Rise and anoint him; for this is the one." 13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the presence of his brothers; and the spirit of the Lord came mightily upon David from that day forward. Samuel then set out and went to Ramah.

1 Samuel 16:1-13, NRSV

The choosing of David is a powerful account in the Old Testament. The people wanted a king. God wanted to relate to the people more directly. The people persisted. God relented. Saul was anointed. Saul ended up poorly. God chooses David to take Saul’s place. Samuel pays a visit to Jesse the Bethlehemite.

While Samuel was visiting all of the sons (save one) of Jesse passed by. I get visions of a fashion runway in Paris (although the clothes might have been a tad more rustic and the smells not quite so flowery). Samuel has in mind his favorite, Eliab. Perhaps Jesse, if he is tracking with all that is going on, has his favorite as well. Who will be the next Israeli Idol? After all of the “performances” none of the contestants have been chosen. Samuel asks Jesse if one has been missed. Out comes David who was handsome and ruddy and had beautiful eyes. Odd that these features get mentioned since the Lord already said to Samuel that appearance and height don’t matter for the Lord looks on the heart. David ends up “winning” the prize. David is anointed as king. The Holy Spirit comes upon him mightily from that day forward.

David’s life certainly wasn’t smooth sailing from that point on. Saul tried to kill him on occasion. David had great victories (in battle, with Goliath, etc.) and outstanding moral failures (Bathsheba, killing off Uriah to get said Bathsheba as his own, etc.). But regardless of his successes or his failures the Holy Spirit persisted in David. It stirred him to song and poetry (notice how many psalms are attributed to David) and certainly gave him courage and fortitude throughout his career as king and his lifetime.

You have been brought before the Lord as much as David if you have been baptized. When you got to the font you were anointed and brought into the family of God. The Holy Spirit has come into your life mightily. The resident Holy Spirit is no guarantee of smooth sailing. People may come after you. You may have glorious accomplishments. You may have moral failings that would rival David’s darkest moments. But regardless of what you do or do not the Holy Spirit persists in you. It can stir you to song and poetry and can certainly give you courage and fortitude as you make your way through this life.

God has looked at you and at your heart. And God says, this is my beloved son; this is my beloved daughter—with this one I am well pleased. God chooses us first, before we can earn or spurn God’s love. God continues to choose us even if we stray—particularly if we stray. The 1 sheep that is saved at the risk of the 99 should be an encouragement to us that God will never leave nor forsake us. You have been sealed and anointed with the Holy Spirit—that doesn’t wipe off.

Rise and serve God this day with an encouraged and a peaceful heart. You are the one God has chosen.

God shape us into your people. Thank you for choosing us. Help us find ways to continue to choose you throughout this day and our whole lives. Amen.

e-vo for week of March 23

2011-03-23T06:23:00.000-07:00

Dear e-votees-

Our appointed epistle lesson for this week speaks of boasting.

Of what are you most proud? In what do you exult? In what do you glory?

Peace,
Karl

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1 Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand; and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God. 3 And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us. 6 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Indeed, rarely will anyone die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person someone might actually dare to die. 8 But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us. 9 Much more surely then, now that we have been justified by his blood, will we be saved through him from the wrath of God. 10 For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much more surely, having been reconciled, will we be saved by his life. 11 But more than that, we even boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

Romans 5:1-11, NRSV

The world teaches us to boast of our accomplishments. The world teaches us to exult in a well-rounded curriculum vitae. The world teaches us to glory in what we have done that others only wish they could have done. When we lean too hard on the world’s understanding we focus on lifting ourselves up. It we can’t lift ourselves up than it will often suffice to tear down those around us. We go through this world as competitors where there are winners and losers. We strive and we strain and we do what we can in our own power to be on the side that wins.

God calls us to be so very different than the world. God calls us to put our own accomplishments aside (as did Paul) compared to the surpassing greatness of Christ. Paul compares his impressive list of ranks and achievements to raw sewage (generally translated something more gentle like “rubbish” in Philippians 3:8) in light of what Jesus is and has done.

Jesus, in the world’s eyes, wasn’t one in whom you would boast. He didn’t have much. The company he kept left much to be desired. He eventually was tortured and condemned and lifted up but not in the way that any of us would hope to be lifted up. The world would put Jesus clearly in the loser column. Anyone daft enough to follow after one such as him would certainly be in that column as well.

Paul writes some verses that Lutherans lean upon quite profoundly:

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God— 9 not the result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life.

Ephesians 2:8-10, NRSV

We have been saved in way that disallows boasting. We have been drawn into God in a way that allows good works to be the fruit of renewed lives not the entrance fee to an exclusive club of winners. When we fail and when we struggle and when we suffer we are shaped into people with endurance. Those experiences, painful though they may be, cultivate character. As we grow in character we learn to hope in the face of the “raw sewage” of life. And hope does not disappoint us. If we are to be boastful people (in the taking glory sense and the exulting sense so much more than the prideful sense) then we are to boast in God through Jesus. We are to boast even in our sufferings which God uses to work things for good since we love God and are called according to God’s purpose. If we boast it is not in who we are or what we have done—it is in whose we are and what God has done on the cross.

God, draw us up into our Lord Jesus. Help us not to be haughty but to be willing to wash feet and talk with the outcasts we meet at the wells of our life and even dare to give our lives away that others may find the true life in you. Amen.

e-vo for week of March 16

2011-03-16T07:19:00.000-07:00

Dearest e-votees-

I hope and pray that your time of being more focused spiritually during Lent—whether through Lenten disciplines or not—is blessed. This time of 40 days (46 if you fold back in the Sundays which are not counted as they are “little Easters”) is one where we might spend some time being reflective and introspective and penitential and perhaps even remorseful. We may wonder about our lives and particularly how we have or have not allowed God to be the healing and guiding presence that God should be. May we be encouraged by the words of this Sunday (the 2nd Sunday of Lent)‘s appointed psalm.

Peace,
Karl

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1 I lift up my eyes to the hills— from where will my help come? 2 My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. 3 He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber. 4 He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. 5 The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade at your right hand. 6 The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night. 7 The Lord will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life. 8 The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time on and forevermore.

Psalm 121, NRSV

This psalm is labeled in scripture as a song of ascents. It is a song that people would have sang while making pilgrimage to Jerusalem which is located at an elevation above the surrounding territory (hence the going down to Jericho in the parable of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10:30). As people were making their way up the city to bring their praises and their offerings their eyes would be set upward. This looking up for provision and deliverance and salvation is much like the people in the wilderness casting their gaze on the bronze serpent (see Numbers 21:4-9). Jesus tells Nicodemus in our appointed gospel text of John 3:1-17 that the Son of Man must be lifted up just as the serpent was. Jesus connects the cross with the provision and deliverance and salvation from that bronze snake that came to be known as Nehushtan (see 2 Kings 18:1-5).

This song of ascents, Psalm 121, is one of my favorites for bedside at the hospital or during a funeral or on the way to the graveside. Our hope and our help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. God is watching over us. God is ever vigilant and ever caring. The Lord keeps us. Our times are in God’s hands. Our comings and our goings are in God’s hands.

This should not be mistaken as an understanding that everything that happens to us is straight from God’s hands. This doesn’t mean that God caused the earthquake and tsunami and nuclear threats that are plaguing Japan right now. We don’t necessarily read into tragedies the judgment of God. Those who read into the AIDS crisis or hurricane Katrina or 9-11 judgment meted out directly by God have a much different confidence in their ability to determine divine causation than I. The shameful protests from groups at military funerals proclaiming God’s judgment are way too simplistic and absolutely heartless. The faith statement is that God is with us in our comings and goings. I believe God comes to be with us during our broken and hurting times. I believe Lent is about Jesus coming and being with us during our times of soul searching—the 40 days in the desert were as much for us as for him I believe. Jesus being raised up on the cross is a powerful symbol of how much God hurts when our sins get the best of us. Jesus making arrangements for John and Mary and for the repentant thief and praying for those who nailed him to the cross speak volumes about God’s intent for us all—whether faithful since youth or converted at the very last moment or not even interested in things of faith. God is watching over our going outs and our coming ins.

We will all die. God doesn’t spare us from that pain. We will all have tragedies befall us. God doesn’t spare us from that pain. We will all have fallen moments where all we can do is look up and plead for God to save us. God doesn’t spare us from that pain.

God came and died. God did not avoid that pain. God had tragedies befall God particularly betrayal and denial and the cross. God did not avoid that pain. God had a time of desperate pleading in the garden of Gethsemane. God did not avoid that pain.

We are saved because God has come into the world. God has become one of us fully. God has done what was required. God is our help. God is our hope. God is our salvation. God is keeping us.

God, help us know that you are with us today—in our going outs and our coming ins. Help us know that nothing we experience is beyond your compassion, your experience and your saving power. Keep our lives. Help us yield them to you for that safekeeping. Use us as agents of your compassion and your salvation in a world that can be so cold and self-serving. Send us to wash feet and dry tears and offer hope. Amen.

e-vo for week of Ash Wednesday

2011-03-10T07:49:00.000-08:00

Dearest e-votees-

Remember you are dust
and to dust you shall return.

~God, Genesis 3:19b

+

Peace,
Karl

-------------------------

4 These are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created.

In the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens, 5 when no plant of the field was yet in the earth and no herb of the field had yet sprung up—for the LORD God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was no one to till the ground; 6 but a stream would rise from the earth, and water the whole face of the ground— 7 then the LORD God formed man from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and the man became a living being.

Genesis 2:4-7, NRSV

This account from Genesis reminds us that humanity is formed from the inert elements of the ground. Others (some scientists among them) will talk more poetically about us being formed from the stardust. Our bodies are composed of simple elements and compounds combined in intricate and miraculous ways. A little navel gazing (not going into if Adam had a belly button or not today) might serve us well. As we ponder the gift of our body and our elemental existence we might be drawn to remember the one who crafted us. Adam’s name means dirt or earth or dust or some such thing. Adam was a dusty creature. We are no less so.

There is a joke I have been known to trot out in the pulpit now and again, here is one variation of it:

One day a group of scientists got together and decided that man had come a long way and no longer needed God. So they picked one scientist to go and tell Him that they were done with Him.

The scientist walked up to God and said, "God, we've decided that we no longer need you. We're to the point that we can clone people and do many miraculous things, so why don't you just go on and get lost."

God listened very patiently and kindly to the man and after the scientist was done talking, God said, "Very well, how about this, let's say we have a man making contest." To which the scientist replied, "OK, great!"

But God added, "Now, we're going to do this just like I did back in the old days with Adam."

The scientist said, "Sure, no problem" and bent down and grabbed himself a handful of dirt.

God just looked at him and said, "No, no, no. You go get your own dirt!"

This version of the joke can be found at: www.getyourowndirt.com. (web pages certainly are becoming legion and pretty darn specific these days)

What I would hope is that we could embrace the claim implicit in the joke. The dirt and dust and earth and other such things belong to God. Adam was a dusty creature and God laid claim to him. We are no less dusty and no less God’s.

We are God’s handiwork and creation from the day of our inception (probably even before) until long after our bodies have become more like the original elements that formed us. We are dust—and God’s. We shall return to dust—and remain God’s. Every dusty, dirty, earthy day in between we are God’s as well.

Perhaps the world teaches us that “We are gods.”—that we can do whatever we will; that we don’ t need any other gods; that God can, in fact, leave us alone as we can take care of things just fine by ourselves.

The reality is that “We are God’s”—God will let us do whatever we will but it can come at great cost; that we do need God; that when we do take care of our own matters we are anything but fine.

Our life and breath are God’s. Our breath is literally on loan to God into our dusty frames. God will not leave us nor forsake us. When we fail into earthy and broken ways, God claims us. When we let our spirits grow dry and dusty, God blows breath into our parched bones and ways. When we try to put an end to God meddling into our lives once and for all with a mallet and spikes and a cross and a dry tomb God says things like “Father, forgive them they don’t know what they are doing” and “I am the living water for your parched existence” and “Peace be with you, I can’t stay dead”.

God, help us remember we are dust. God, help us remember to dust we shall return. God, help us remember whose dust this is. Amen.

e-vo for week of March 2

2011-03-04T14:36:00.000-08:00

Dearest e-votees-

This Sunday, Transfiguration Sunday, marks the last Sunday of the season of Epiphany. In this last Sunday of this church season we commemorate perhaps the most unusual revelation of who Jesus is. It is recorded in the three synoptic gospels—Matthew 17:1-9, Mark 9:2-8 and Luke 9:28-36. May we be blessed as we linger with this strange and powerful, not-of-this-wordly expression of some of who this Jesus is.

Peace,
Karl

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16 For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we had been eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17 For he received honor and glory from God the Father when that voice was conveyed to him by the Majestic Glory, saying, "This is my Son, my Beloved, with whom I am well pleased." 18 We ourselves heard this voice come from heaven, while we were with him on the holy mountain. 19 So we have the prophetic message more fully confirmed. You will do well to be attentive to this as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. 20 First of all you must understand this, that no prophecy of scripture is a matter of one's own interpretation, 21 because no prophecy ever came by human will, but men and women moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.

2 Peter 1:16-21, NRSV

As you ponder the account of the Transfiguration (feel free to go look and come back—we’ll wait) please make your selection as to your response

[ ] You can’t make this stuff up!!!

[ ] It’s too strange not to be true!!!

[ ] Don’t you think I would come up with a better lie?!?

[ ] All of the above

What do you do with an account that involves heroes of the faith long dead and gone chatting as if nothing of the sort had happened to them? What do you do with a voice speaking from the heavens echoing the words at the river Jordan when Jesus was baptized? What do you do with clothes whiter than anyone could ever bleach them? (and how did Mark become such an expert on the upper limits of whitening abilities of global laundering facilities?) What do you do with a powerful revelation that is supposed to be kept under wraps until (as Matthew records) Jesus is unwrapped from the grave cloths? What do you do with an account like this?

There are so many moments that could have been cited in our assigned text from 2 Peter but the one chosen is a quotation from the Transfiguration—not the feeding of the 5,000 (besides women and children); not the walking on water; not the raising of Lazarus; not the powerful parables; not the confrontations with the civil and religious authorities; not the words from the cross and not the words from the resurrected Jesus. Apparently the Transfiguration made quite the impression. A moment so compelling that it trumps “cleverly devised myths” even though it sounds suspiciously like one of them.

We are blessed to be recipients of a God who comes into the world in unexpected and undeniable ways. Ways that speak prophetically and at the same time paradoxically beckon us to linger (making shelters) and cause us to cover in holy fear. Ways that defy logic and reason and yet bear deep and lasting testimony that marks us indelibly for our earthly lives and our lives that persist beyond this mortal coil. Ways that speak in deep and resounding voices that make Morgan Freeman and James Earl Jones (and for those who know him, Frank Olson) seem like Alvin and the Chipmunks on helium. Ways that trump the shallow hucksterism and consumer voyeurism of our covetous society and show us the one this that is true and lasting and needful.

May we all be attentive to this lamp burning in our midst and in our hearts. May we let our lights so shine in response that others can help but see past us to our Father in heaven and give glory. May we let the illusory lights of Hollywood and spotlights that we desire to point our way and the glitz and glimmer of the newest gizmo fade in comparison to the Light and the Truth and the Way.

God, reveal yourself to us again in the person of Jesus. Help us be transformed and transfixed. Use us to proclaim your glory. Amen.

e-vo for week of February 23

2011-02-24T08:11:00.000-08:00

Dearest e-votees-

Which is more of your challenge—struggling with being judgmental of others or struggling with concern about how other people are judging you?

Either end of the spectrum is a place where we can get distracted from the things that matter most.

Peace,
Karl

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1 Think of us in this way, as servants of Christ and stewards of God's mysteries. 2 Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found trustworthy. 3 But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by any human court. I do not even judge myself. 4 I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me. 5 Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each one will receive commendation from God.

1 Corinthians 4:1-5, NRSV

God has given us, as individuals, great responsibilities to take care of (or steward) ourselves (made in the image of God), relationships with others (where we encounter Christ particularly in “the least of these”), the world in which we live. God wants us to be found trustworthy. Jesus has several teachings about how the slaves or the workers ought to tend to the charges given to them. Our job is not to evaluate how well or how poorly our neighbor is doing with this charge. Our job is to keep our eyes on our own paper and do our work faithfully. The only real charge Jesus gave us regarding our neighbor was to love him or her—and Jesus has a pretty expansive definition of neighbor.

God has given us, as the church—the body of Christ, great responsibilities to care for the same sorts of things we do as individuals only writ large. Beyond that we are called to care for God’s mysteries. The Sacraments and the Word are part of this important charge. Our job is to keep our eyes on our own holy writings and work faithfully. Of course we should reach out to our neighbors (writ large) in love with attention to Jesus’ expansive definition of neighbor. But our task is to faithfully do that to which God has called us. We don’t need to worry about judging others. We need not fear their judgment.

The good news is that God’s judgment has been forever changed because of Jesus’ work on the cross. In baptism we are connected into that good news. “Today you will be with me in Paradise” is something that echoes in our ears too.

God has work for us to do. Shedding judgment and fear of judgment will free us up to be better stewards of the tasks to which God has called us.

You are freed and loved and forgiven. Stand in that place as you kneel to serve this day.

God, help us always to love neighbor and serve faithfully. Teach us to be better stewards of your mysteries. Drive us to the cross and equip us to love. Amen.

e-vo for week of February 16

2011-02-15T07:57:00.000-08:00

Dearest e-votees-

I apologize for my devotional silence over the last two weeks. I had a major computer meltdown which hindered the process. It should not be an issue anymore.

I hope and pray you had a blessed Valentines Day surrounded by friends and family and loved ones.

Peace,
Karl

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33 Teach me, O LORD, to follow your decrees; then I will keep them to the end. 34 Give me understanding, and I will keep your law and obey it with all my heart. 35 Direct me in the path of your commands, for there I find delight. 36 Turn my heart toward your statutes and not toward selfish gain. 37 Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your word. 38 Fulfill your promise to your servant, so that you may be feared. 39 Take away the disgrace I dread, for your laws are good. 40 How I long for your precepts! Preserve my life in your righteousness.

Psalm 119:33-40, NIV

Our appointed Psalm for this Sunday is one about praying for God’s rules and constraints and restrictions to have their full effect on the psalmist.

How many of us pray that God will turn us from doing our own things in order that we might do the things ordained by God? How many of us truly desire that God’s statutes would trump our desire for selfish gain? How many of us, deep down, want to know God’s decrees and laws and statutes in order that we might follow them more properly? Sure we all pray “Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy will be done…” but really and truly do we mean it? Really?!?

We live in a place and a time with great freedoms. There are an abundance of worthless things that dangle in front us beckoning an unholy coveting. Someone must be buying all that schlock of the late-night infomercial realms. Most of our treasures and baubles aren’t worth so very much in the grand scheme of things either. We are in so many ways groomed to look out for ourselves in spite of others and often at their expense. We are taught to live for the day, seize the moment and to drink life to the dregs. While inspiring and vivid, these mantras can easily become license to do what we feel and leave a wake of carnage in the lives around us.

The one who really got the prayer was the one who prayed “Take this cup from me. But not my will but thine be done.” He poured himself out fully for those who were still busy drinking life to the dregs. He poured himself out fully for those who were toasting his grisly death. He poured himself out fully in that last meal where he said “This cup is the new covenant of my blood which is given and shed for all people for the forgiveness of sins.” Jesus took the cup in that garden and drank it to the dregs.

Jesus taught us the prayer that teaches us to seek after God’s will. Jesus prays that prayer in ways that we can’t or won’t. Jesus lives the live in ways that we can’t or won’t. Jesus takes away the disgrace that often we don’t even have the sense enough to dread. Jesus preserves our lives in his righteousness. Thanks be to God.

God, shape us to be your people. Help us drink fully the cup of grace that is Jesus. Help us invite others to the table. Draw us after you—all to your glory. Amen.

e-vo for week of January 26

2011-01-26T06:58:00.001-08:00

Dearest e-votees-

This is one of those weeks where all of the scriptures are like low hanging fruit. It’s hard to know which to pick when preaching or when doing an e-mail/blog devotional. We have available Micah 6:1-8 (“…to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God”), Matthew 5:1-12 (The Beatitudes from Matthew 5:1-12) and 1 Corinthians 1:18-31 (the cross being foolishness and a stumbling block). The appointed psalm, Psalm 15, while maybe not as familiar is strong too.

May we be blessed as we draw near these strong scriptures this week. May those blessings spill out into the world.

Peace,
Karl

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18 For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written, "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart." 20 Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, God decided, through the foolishness of our proclamation, to save those who believe. 22 For Jews demand signs and Greeks desire wisdom, 23 but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 24 but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 For God's foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God's weakness is stronger than human strength. 26 Consider your own call, brothers and sisters: not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; 28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, things that are not, to reduce to nothing things that are, 29 so that no one might boast in the presence of God. 30 He is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification and redemption, 31 in order that, as it is written, "Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord."

1 Corinthians 1:18-31, NRSV

There are plenty of reasons that people give for not following Jesus, for not pursuing the teachings of Christianity, for not darkening the door of a church. How many have you heard? How many have you used? Some come from places of deep hurt and rejection. Some come from much more trivial and petty places. Some are about musical style or structures of worship. Some are about language or ambiance or scheduling. There are plenty of reasons.

And the reality is that these reasons, however they may strike us, are true and deep and significant for those who offer them. People have reasons for not drawing near to the cross.

We have had something to do with giving people reasons to reject this way of Jesus. Perhaps our best starting point would be to examine ourselves, our ways and our communities. Where we have put up obstructions and hindrances we should dismantle them. There is a wonderful section in Blue Like Jazz where the Christians erect a confession booth on the campus of Reed College. When curious people stop by, the Christians confess that they have not carried the faith well and seek forgiveness. Perhaps that is what we might do as well.

As we are able we are to do so we should make our churches and our testimonies and our invitations places of welcome and grace. If our forms and structures, words and methods drive a wedge between the seekers and God we would do well to repent and try again.

Bottom line, the purpose of institutional church and worship is to dismantle hindrances and obstructions not in order to have people be entertained and placated and pacified but in order to facilitate a profound encounter with the cross—the greatest obstacle we will ever encounter. If we seek to construct a user-friendly church it is only for the sake of escorting that person straight into the foot of the cross. The cross still seems like foolishness and a stumbling block. It is a grisly moment in history, a violent means of salvation, a death that we are called to embrace, a dark moment in which we are complicit. We need to profoundly encounter that place.

We don’t boast in our accomplishments or the size of our congregations or the sound of our choirs and church music. Eloquence in preaching, when it is found, is a gift from God. Our boasting, if it must be, is in our Lord. Our claim is in what Jesus did on the cross to claim us. Our hope is not found in us. Thanks be to God for that.

This week as we and any visitors that may come enter into worship may be all put aside distractions and hindrances and gather at the foot of the cross. It has been said that the ground around the foot of the cross is level. There is no hierarchy. Luther’s last recorded words were that we are all beggars, this is true.

God, gather us at the foot of the cross. Where we have driven others away through acts of commission or omission we pray for new chances and changed hearts. Help us be people of hope. Help us bear that hope well as we all draw closer to your cross and the good news that is found there. Amen.

e-vo for week of January 19

2011-01-22T22:27:00.000-08:00

Dearest e-votees-

The assigned psalm in the lectionary for the 3rd Sunday after the Epiphany comes from Psalm 27. There are verses that are excised from the psalm in the appointed text.

For our devotional thoughts this week we’ll look at the psalm in its entirety. The texts set of in the “[ ]”s are the ones that didn’t make the pericope cut.

Peace,
Karl

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1 The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

[2 When evildoers assail me to devour my flesh—
my adversaries and foes— they shall stumble and fall.
3 Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear;
though war rise up against me, yet I will be confident.]

4 One thing I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after:
to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life,
to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple.
5 For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble;
he will conceal me under the cover of his tent; he will set me high on a rock.
6 Now my head is lifted up above my enemies all around me,
and I will offer in his tent sacrifices with shouts of joy;
I will sing and make melody to the Lord.
7 Hear, O Lord, when I cry aloud, be gracious to me and answer me!
8 “Come,” my heart says, “seek his face!” Your face, Lord, do I seek.
9 Do not hide your face from me. Do not turn your servant away in anger,
you who have been my help. Do not cast me off, do not forsake me,
O God of my salvation!

[10 If my father and mother forsake me, the Lord will take me up.
11 Teach me your way, O Lord, and lead me on a level path
because of my enemies.
12 Do not give me up to the will of my adversaries,
for false witnesses have risen against me,
and they are breathing out violence.
13 I believe that I shall see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.
14 Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!]

Psalm 27 appointed [and unappointed] verses.

The verses that are removed speak much more directly about the pains and the harms that people can work each other. Evildoers can seek after us to devour our flesh (hopefully this is metaphorical but it is still quite vivid). Enemies encamp against us an prepare to wage war. Parents and others appointed to watch over us and guide us and love us can fail. People can rise us with slanderous tongues and libelous keyboards. The can breathe out untruths and violent murmurings. When such things assail us we can find hope and security and refuge in the Lord.

Of course, we are not always the recipients of such events—at times we are the perpetrators. We can seek after our enemies hoping to devour their flesh (hopefully this is metaphorical but quite vivid nonetheless). We hunker down and prepare to wage war against our perceived enemies. We fail those we are called to watch over and guide and love. We put the worst construction on everything and post it (verbally or in other ways) where the listenership is maximized. We exhale untruths and menacing murmurings. We drive others to seek refuge and security and hope in the Lord.

We do well to return to the beginning of this psalm “The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?” Whether we are beset upon or are plaguing others—none of us need to fear. God knows the worst that could happen to us and could happen through us. It is precisely such knowledge that sends God into the world in the form of Jesus to disrupt our sinful and painful and hurtful cycles with the good news of the gospel.

Jesus has endured all the things that beset us as fallen humanity. Jesus knows our pain.

Jesus has forgiven all those who inflict pain and grief on others—tax collectors, his enemies, the soldiers who killed him and us.

Jesus knows our pain. Jesus knows our broken lives. Jesus knows our broken ways. Jesus love us. Since that is so, whom shall we fear?

God, draw us into the rich and vibrant prayer of Psalm 27. Help us lean into you when we are inflicted upon. Help us do the same when we are the inflictors. Change our hearts and draw us more fully after you. Amen.

e-vo for week of January 12

2011-01-13T17:20:00.000-08:00

Dearest e-votees-

Grace and peace to you. This Sunday is the second Sunday after Epiphany. It is the church season where we are particularly focused on God and God’s plans being revealed.

Our appointed epistle text comes from the introduction of Paul’s letter to the church at Corinth.

May you be blessed and may you be a blessing.

Peace,
Karl

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1 Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes, 2 To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, together with all those who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours: 3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 4 I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that has been given you in Christ Jesus, 5 for in every way you have been enriched in him, in speech and knowledge of every kind— 6 just as the testimony of Christ has been strengthened among you— 7 so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ. 8 He will also strengthen you to the end, so that you may be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God is faithful; by him you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

1 Corinthians 1:1-9, NRSV

This letter is addressed to the saints in Corinth. It is directed towards those who being made holy by God—being sanctified. It is penned for those who are called to be saints. Paul then includes in the “CC:” line all those who in every place call upon Jesus the Christ as Lord. That means us too. Paul, carried along by the Holy Spirit, writes to us.

Scripture is like that. It is written to particular people of particular places and times into particular circumstances. It is also written to all people of all places and times to a wide variety of circumstances. God’s word is: “living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing until it divides soul from spirit, joints from marrow; it is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12b) The ability of God’s word to get into us and to reveal us as we truly are transcends time and circumstance.

Paul goes on to assure the Corinthians and us that God has enriched us with grace and with testimony about Jesus. We have been equipped with what we need in terms of the life-sustaining truth as well as spiritual gifts to grow into the truth and to share it with others. We have what we need to sustain us as we wait until the second coming (the Great Epiphany, if you will). God has provided for us.

Beyond spiritual gifts and testimony, God will provide us with strength, courage and stamina so that we can run the race that is laid out before us well. God is faithful and has not called us to a task beyond God’s ability to work through us.

As you keep reading the letter to the church of Corinth you realize that there are some who certainly did not abide as faithfully or as regularly with God as intended according to the glorious call placed on their lives. Truth be told that might be true for us too. We forget the high calling. We trust in our own strength. We try to eke out a living on our own neglecting God’s gracious provisions. We slip; we fail; we sin. But God will not give us on the Corinthians nor us that easily. There is good news to be found in Jesus Christ and God is relentless in pouring that good news into our lives. Revealing it through big and little epiphanies. Thanks be to God.

God, thank you for calling us to be saints. Thank you for your provisions of grace and revelations and epiphanies. Draw us more deeply into your grace particularly when we shirk your high and holy callings. Help us know you and be agents of revealing you in this world you have created and that you love. Amen.

e-vo for week of January 5

2011-01-05T06:45:00.000-08:00

Dearest e-votees-

This Thursday, January 6, is Epiphany. It is the beginning of the next season of the church year, also called Epiphany. It begins after the 12 days of Christmas have run their course.

Epiphany is about God being revealed to the world. It begins with Jesus’ baptism (commemorated this Sunday) and ends with the Transfiguration (March 6).

May we all be open to God being more fully revealed in our lives. May our light so shine, like that star of Bethlehem, that others might see our good works and glorify our Father in heaven.

Peace,
Karl

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13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan, to be baptized by him. 14 John would have prevented him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?" 15 But Jesus answered him, "Let it be so now; for it is proper for us in this way to fulfill all righteousness." Then he consented. 16 And when Jesus had been baptized, just as he came up from the water, suddenly the heavens were opened to him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. 17 And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased."

Matthew 3:13-17, NRSV

John asks a question that all of us could ask. Why is Jesus baptized? Was it because he needed sins remitted? Was it so that he could be attached to the community of the Trinity? Was it “to get the kid done”? Was it to get grandma and grandpa off our backs? Was it done out of force of habit? Was it done for the commemorative gifts from the congregation and Thrivent Financial for Lutherans? All of these answers seem to range from less-than-satisfactory to completely inane.

Why was Jesus baptized?

Jesus says it is to fulfill all righteousness.

God the Father takes the opportunity to offer a word of affirmation (not unlike the other epiphanic bookend at the Transfiguration—see Matthew 17:5).

John takes the opportunity to put his plans aside and abide with the desires of Jesus. This is part of John becoming less while Jesus becomes greater (see John 3:30).

How will we plug into the opportunities afforded by Jesus’ baptism? Jesus fully enters into humanity through his birth, his circumcision, his baptism, his childhood, etc., etc. Jesus draws near to us. In baptism he identifies with us in our broken and dirty states. Jesus draws near to us and God the Father approves.

When we draw near to our baptisms we draw near to Jesus. Regardless of why we were baptized (many of us had no choice, others of us might have come out of mixed motives) God was present at our baptisms. God says to us “This is my daughter” and “This is my son” and God is well pleased to receive us into the community of the Trinity. This is done by virtue of Jesus doing what we could not. Jesus frees us and redeems us. It is into that hope and joy that we are baptized. It is in order to bring about that hope and joy that Jesus was baptized.

God you draw near to us in Jesus. You draw near to us in Jesus’ baptism. Help us draw near to our baptisms daily. Help us know that your love trumps our failures; that your healing trumps our disease and our dis-ease; that you are faithful to the baptismal promises you make. Thank you. Amen.

e-vo for week of January 29

2010-12-29T06:29:00.000-08:00

Dearest e-votees-

New Year’s Day is the eighth day after we commemorate Jesus birth on December 25 (counting partial days like we do when we say Jesus was raised on the third day). It is on this day that we commemorate Jesus being named. It is on the eighth day of a Jewish boy’s life that he would traditionally be named and circumcised (see Leviticus 12:3 and Luke 2:15-21 which is the appointed gospel text for this day in the church year).

For this week’s e-vo we will spend some time pondering the name of Jesus.

Peace,
Karl

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5 Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, 7 but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, 8 he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death— even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Philippians 2:5-11, NRSV

When you take on someone’s name or do something in someone’s name (through adoption or while acting as an emissary) you strive to do the sorts of things that would be done by or would reflect well on the one whose name you are bearing.

Jesus came in the name of God the Father. He carried himself by living as a slave (servant is too soft a translation here). He served and healed and taught and washed feet and gave up what was rightfully his. He gave his whole life to service and eventually was martyred on the form of a cross. Jesus chose to live and die as a servant to be the best representation of God the Father.

God the Father’s response was to bring Jesus back from the dead and exalt him to his rightful place. All other names are trumped by the name of Jesus. Through that name we can be saved. In that name we baptize. It is in that name that we are called to pick up our own crosses and follow after him.

We are made in God’s image. We also bear the form of God. We have been made right with God through Jesus’ work on the cross. We could rest contentedly on our salvation. We are called to empty ourselves as well and take on the form of a slave. We are to humble ourselves. We might be called to lay down our lives literally in the form of a martyr. We might be called to lay down our lives figuratively as we allow God to do with and through us what God will. We are called to follow after Jesus even if that service or that death comes in the form of a cross.

We need not worry about our name, our reputation or the commendations we do or do not receive. Those things pale in the light of Jesus’ glory and honor. When people want to heap praise and adoration on us our better response is akin to the one Jesus offers in Luke 17:10—“We are worthless slaves; we have only done as we ought to have done!” The only real evaluation that matters is from our master. May we all hear “Well done, good and faithful servant.” when that time comes.

God, teach us to cherish and live into the strong name of Jesus—the name into which we are baptized; the name which saves us; the name which we confess. Help us bring honor and glory to that name—help us shun the things that degrade that name and degrade us. We pray this things in that same strong name of Jesus. Amen.

e-vo for week of December 22

2010-12-22T08:46:00.000-08:00

Dearest e-votees-

There are lots of important days in the church year coming up in the next several days: Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, day commemorating St. Stephen and his martyrdom, day commemorating St. John, day commemorating the slaughter of the Innocents, etc., etc. It is amazing to ponder the broad range of highs and lows: God’s exultation, God’s incarnation, lives that cast off a holy light and dark and dreadful moments.

May we all be blessed and present in all the aspects of this powerful time in the church year.

Peace,
Karl

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Our appointed epistle lesson for Christmas Day is:

1 Long ago God spoke to our ancestors in many and various ways by the prophets, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom he also created the worlds. 3 He is the reflection of God's glory and the exact imprint of God's very being, and he sustains all things by his powerful word. When he had made purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, 4 having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.

Hebrews 1:1-4, NRSV

There is a favorite author of mine, Gordon Atkinson, who goes (or went, on hiatus from writing for the time being) by the moniker Real Live Preacher. He writes and thinks in a way that is earthy and salty and faithful and searching and true.

One of his essays that is among my personal favorites is…

“Hollowed Be Thy Name” (can be found at http://www.reallivepreacher.com/node/811)

This essay talks about how our world with its modern sensibilities completely eviscerates the message that is the good news of Jesus Christ. Well, we don’t so much eviscerate it as just completely don’t care. The greatest story ever told becomes window dressing and mood lighting for whatever else we are doing—unless it demands too much of us then we tone it down and try to keep it in its place.

The killing of St. Stephen by stoning and the attempt to wipe out Jesus through the slaughter of the Innocents were attempts for humanity to keep God become human under control. When the Creator stepped into creation the creatures weren’t so very receptive.

The good news is that Jesus, “the exact imprint of God’s very being”, has come into the world. It has changed the world. It has changed and is changing us. No matter how resistant or indifferent we are God has spoken and (as the UCC through the last written words of Gracie Allen to George burns so vividly reminds us “Never place a period where God has placed a comma.”) God is still speaking. The Word has spoken and it is a word of healing and grace. And God’s words accomplish the purposes for which they were sent (see Isaiah 55:10-11).

May we all know the Word. May we all be attentive to the world (at its best and at its worst). May we rejoice with those who rejoice this season and offer comfort to those who mourn. May we celebrate well and invite those who might otherwise not celebrate to our tables. May we sing with angels and mourn with those who have had loved ones wrenched away.

God, speak to us and through us all to your glory. Help us worship you with authenticity and truth and joy. Help us never forget the martyrs and draw deeply from the grace and truth of the gospel. Help us to not hollow out your name but to let it rest deeply in us. Teach us to hallow; teach us to serve; teach us to love. Amen.

e-vo for week of December 15

2010-12-17T21:20:00.000-08:00

Dearest e-votees-

We are just about to Christmas time. This week’s gospel text takes us right up to the birth of Jesus.

Some people have a hard time keeping separate what we know from scripture versus what has been added on as tradition over the years. A somewhat amusing yet helpful discussion of this can be found at:

http://www.sermonspice.com/product/28307/retooning-the-nativity

If you really like it, you can purchase it to keep in your personal library for $15.00.

That said, let’s look at this week’s gospel lesson being careful not to read into it too much.

Peace,
Karl

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18 Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. 19 Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. 20 But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins." 22 All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: 23 "Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel," which means, "God is with us." 24 When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife, 25 but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son; and he named him Jesus.

Matthew 1:18-25, NRSV

Matthew tells us basic circumstance into which Jesus was born. Luke also has a nativity account. They add different shades and nuances to the nativity scene. It is worth reading them separately and comparing them. Mark and John are quite silent about the event which we call Christmas.

Mary has been profoundly promised to Joseph. Before they were together sexually Mary becomes pregnant. Joseph is going to do the stand up thing and divorce her quietly (produce a certificate and send her on her way). Since she was betrothed she could have been accused of adultery and subject to death by stoning. Joseph was hoping to spare her this fate.

An angel tells him in a dream to do otherwise. The angel gives the baby the name Jesus (which means “he saves”) and connects him with the prophecy in Isaiah that gives him the name Emmanuel (which means “God is with us”). Joseph heeds the instructions of the angel, takes Mary as his wife and abstains sexually until Jesus is born. Joseph disappears from Matthew after the 2nd chapter and only shows up in a passing reference in Matthew 13:55 (which incorrectly attributes him to be the physical father of Jesus).

Apparently as far as Matthew is concerned everything of significance that Joseph did surrounded staying the course with marrying Mary and protecting Jesus from the persecutions of Herod.

Joseph was akin to Mary in that he heard and obeyed what God was calling them to do. Because of their faithfulness Jesus was born, named, protected and raised so that he might become Jesus (the one who saves) and Emmanuel (God with us).

What might God calling us to be or do so that the saving God and the abiding God might be more realized in us and through us? Is it to risk public shame or humiliation? Is it to keep doing what we intended even though circumstances have profoundly shifted the event? Is it to pick up and move to escape (or maybe to relieve) persecutions? Or perhaps it is not about us being or doing anything so much as drawing up into the story as given by Matthew and Luke. Emmanuel, God with us, is found here, will we be found with God? We should pray so.

Lord, bless our time of Advent and Christmas. Help us be drawn up into the accounts. Help us trust and obey no matter the cost to our reputation. Help us to be people of faith. Do with us as you will. Amen.

e-vo for week of December 8

2010-12-08T08:04:00.001-08:00

Dearest e-votees-

Our appointed texts for this coming Sunday (the 3rd Sunday of Advent) have some themes of waiting and patience.

May your patience and your time biding for the completion of God’s abiding promises be blessed.

Peace,
Karl

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Be patient, therefore, beloved, until the coming of the Lord. The farmer waits for the precious crop from the earth, being patient with it until it receives the early and the late rains. You also must be patient. Strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near. Beloved, do not grumble against one another, so that you may not be judged. See, the Judge is standing at the doors! As an example of suffering and patience, beloved, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.

James 5:7-10, NRSV

Advent is a season of waiting and preparation. It is a hard season for many of us:

• The preparations can seem so large and the expectations of some so tyrannical.
• Many of us have become much too acclimated to instant gratification.
• The world can eviscerate the season making it into get-mas (focusing primarily on the material aspects of Christmas).
• Our families and friends can eviscerate the season making it into guilt-mas (focusing on places where others have come up short and failed to meet expectations).
• Even people who know better get distracted and derailed—take John the Baptist for example…

This Sunday’s appointed gospel text from Matthew 11 has John in prison. He is sending word to Jesus via disciples to ask “Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?” John is certainly waiting as he passes time in prison. He has pointed to Jesus (as he does in traditional paintings) and allowed himself to be made small that Jesus might increase and usher in the kingdom. For all the fanfare and hype that John provided perhaps Jesus seems a little lackluster. John wants some assurance. Perhaps John is leaning on where cousin Jesus has not properly met expectations. Perhaps John is too focused on the material in terms of a palpable kingdom. You would think John would know better.

How easily do we get swept off-course by the frenzy that is the holidays? Cards and gifts and meals and reunions and decorating and trees and holiday parties and … Sometimes the celebrations get so out of hand it feels as if we are going to lose our head (hopefully not so literally as John at that one party). We can allow Christmas to lose its essential portions—to become eviscerated. The truth is the first Christmas slipped under the radar of two gospel accounts—we don’t always recognize such things when they appear. It was long awaited (over many years and hopeful prophecies). It didn’t bear the trappings of all the traditions that have accumulated over the years (a few gifts that probably came quite a bit later than Jesus’ birthday). Christmas is a powerful event where, as Michael Card sings, eternity stepped into time so we could understand. But it sure doesn’t always line up with the hype and the hoopla that the world and the church creates. And sometimes we let ourselves get distracted. You think we would know better.

May we all be patient:

• …as the kingdom doesn’t always come as fast as we would like or in the forms we would like.
• …as people are people and hurt us and are hurt by us (perhaps rather than grumble about them we can pray for them).
• …as we disappoint ourselves or imagine we have disappointed God—may God’s grace surprise us.
• …as we wait in prisons (literal or figurative) at times wondering if this Jesus is the real deal.

Jesus’ response to John involved pointing to the life that was apparent—healings, restored sight, people coming back from the dead. Our response to all of the things that might distract us is to point to the life that is apparent—God in the manger, God in the world, God in us and God coming again. May your waiting and your pointing be blessed.

God, come and be with us. Give us faith and hearts and patience that we might serve you well. Amen.

e-vo for week of December 1

2010-12-01T08:04:00.000-08:00

Dearest e-votees-

Blessed Advent to you. I hope and pray that you find yourselves surrounded by friends and family during this time of preparation and waiting that is Advent. If your church offers special worship services during Advent I would encourage you to be part of those experiences as you and your whole community of faith prepare for Christ again in the manger as well as Christ to come again with finality to usher in the kingdom in its entirety.

Peace,
Karl

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11 Besides this, you know what time it is, how it is now the moment for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we became believers; 12 the night is far gone, the day is near. Let us then lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armor of light; 13 let us live honorably as in the day, not in reveling and drunkenness, not in debauchery and licentiousness, not in quarreling and jealousy. 14 Instead, put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.

Romans 13:11-14, NRSV

This week’s appointed epistle text is short, sweet and to the point.

It is ironic that while some of us are still rousing from a tryptophan induced coma from all of the Thanksgiving turkey and all of the other fixings that we are called to be alert and wakeful. It is ironic that we are called to make no provision for the flesh when some of us just added to our ample supply with second helpings of everything. It is ironic that we are called to not spend time quarreling and being jealous as we move into what can be prime family squabble times as the holiday gatherings commence. It is indeed ironic.

Or maybe not so much ironic as timely.

We live in a world and a time and a country where we are often drowsy and bloated and quarrelsome and quite able and willing to take license. There are so many things that tickle our fancies and distract our spirits from the one thing that is needful.

Salvation is near. It is near liturgically as we are about to enter into the nativity scene again as word becomes flesh and dwells among us. Salvation is near as we don’t know how many more sands there are in our hourglasses or those of all of us collectively. As Alexander Gee Jr. posted on Facebook this morning “Gotta give it our best today. Tomorrow is NOT a guarantee. Live purposefully & thoughtfully.” We all would do well to live with an urgency and an expectancy and a reverent fear and a hopefulness which is really what Advent is all about.

Mostly we ought to live in high and holy expectation because Jesus came into our world and gave it his best. Our future is guaranteed. Because our futures are secure in the sure and certain promises of Jesus we can dare to live with purpose and with reverent and prayerful thought.

In baptism we were clothed with Jesus (see Galatians 3:26-27). We have put on the Lord Jesus Christ. Daily we are invited to remember our baptisms and put on Christ again. When we die we are covered like a funeral pall with the sure and certain promises of resurrection to life eternal.

May we all be wakeful and alert and hopeful and share that good news with a drowsy, quarrelsome, jealous, petty world that all too often we stoop to join.

God, shape us into the Advent people that you have called us to be. We wait and trust. Amen.

e-vo for week of November 24

2010-11-22T17:20:00.000-08:00

Dearest e-votees-

This Sunday is the first Sunday of Advent. If you are so inclined there is a fairly thorough Wikipedia article about Advent. May we be blessed as we prepare ourselves for Jesus coming liturgically in the manger and again to finally usher in the kingdom of God.

Peace,
Karl

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Jesus speaking:

"But about that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. For as the days of Noah were, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark, and they knew nothing until the flood came and swept them all away, so too will be the coming of the Son of Man. Then two will be in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. Two women will be grinding meal together; one will be taken and one will be left. Keep awake therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. But understand this: if the owner of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour."

Matthew 24:36-44, NRSV

I’m not a huge fan of the Left Behind movies (I’m sure partly because they leave the youth pastor behind while taking away the faithful lead pastor). There really is a whole lot of theological imagination and expansion of just a few passages to create that endtime (eschatological) worldview. Perhaps it provides some entertainment but pretty sketchy as a way to open up the more cryptic parts of scripture.

I did find the opening scene of the movie with people dramatically raptured away reminiscent of the images stirred up by our appointed gospel text for this Sunday. Two out in the field, one suddenly gone. Two making meal, one suddenly gone. The point Jesus seems to be making is that the time when time is done will catch many unawares. We should live in expectancy and hope as Jesus WILL come usher in the kingdom at an unexpected hour.

So the question that we could ponder is what must we do to get ready? Is it about living the good and proper life? Is it about selling all we have, giving it to the poor and waiting patiently on our last piece of sackcloth? Is it about properly receiving Jesus into our heart through the sinner’s prayer? Is it about going to church faithfully and tithing? Is it about […fill in your potentially legalistic works oriented idea here…]?

What is required to be ready when Jesus returns?

Some say we should live every 5 minutes like they are our last 5 minutes (cue up Stephen Curtis Chapman song). It is hard to maintain that focus (anxiety?) for year upon year—going on about 2,000 years and counting.

Perhaps we should ground ourselves in the deep truth that we are saved by God’s grace. Jesus did what we could not on the cross. We are saved. Because of that we can do whatever—work in the field, make meal, watch a movie, go to school, play Wii, love our families, reach out to those on the fringes, rest, play, worship—knowing that we will be among those that Jesus will gather up upon his return.

God loves you. God saves you. Be assured.

God, bless this time of Advent. Help us return again to the scene at the rustic manger. Help us, too, keep our eyes and hearts open for your final return. Come, Lord Jesus, come.

e-vo for week of November 17

2010-11-19T18:27:00.000-08:00

Dearest e-votees-

This Sunday (the last of the liturgical year) is Christ the King Sunday.

May we all be aware of the grace and the love and the blessings that God has showered upon us. And may we strive to be agents of God’s grace and agents of God’s love and agents of God’s blessing in the world.

Peace,
Karl

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33 When they came to the place that is called The Skull, they crucified Jesus there with the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. 34 Then Jesus said, "Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing." And they cast lots to divide his clothing. 35 And the people stood by, watching; but the leaders scoffed at him, saying, "He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Messiah of God, his chosen one!" 36 The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine, 37 and saying, "If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!" 38 There was also an inscription over him, "This is the King of the Jews." 39 One of the criminals who were hanged there kept deriding him and saying, "Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us!" 40 But the other rebuked him, saying, "Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? 41 And we indeed have been condemned justly, for we are getting what we deserve for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong." 42 Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." 43 He replied, "Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise."

Luke 23:33-43, NRSV

The other three gospel accounts mention two others crucified with Jesus (John doesn’t tell us that they were robbers) but Luke is by far the most detailed account of the two crucified with him. Church tradition gives names to these two criminals—Gestas is the one who mocks Jesus, Dysmas (or Dismas) is the one Jesus promises will be in Paradise. Dysmas is the patron saint of prisoners, undertakers and repentant thieves.

The real question is which of the two thieves are you? There are really two ways to go through this life and into the next:

Option GESTAS: We can live our lives however we want. We can get to the very end and still be deriding others. It takes a lot of hatred to waste your last breaths (painful ones at that when you are being crucified) tearing down someone sharing your same fate. How many of us are mean and spiteful and bitter even to the very end? Rather than having compassion and care on those who share our lot we tear at them. To the bitter end Gestas betrays the sin and the brokenness that was his life. It was that bitterness and sinfulness and brokenness that got Jesus on the cross too.

Option DYSMAS: We can get to the point (no matter how late in life) where we realize living our lives however we want is not what we want. We realize that our own choices and endeavors won’t end well without a healthy fear of God and dose of humility. We can approach Jesus, who joins us in our broken and condemned state, and ask him to remember us. Jesus will indeed remember us and speak the same sorts of words that he did to Dysmas on the cross.

If Christ is the king then we are not. There is really only room for one on a throne. If we demand to be in control God will let our lives take their natural consequences—that’s option GESTAS. If we allow Jesus to be on the throne he will establish his good and gracious and welcoming kingdom—that’s option DYSMAS.

If we really want God to treat us like Jesus did Dysmas then we have to be prepared to receive a whole lot more Dysmases as well. God’s grace doesn’t stop with us. God’s unmerited welcome into the kingdom doesn’t stop with us. May we know that good news well and share it enthusiastically. Amen.

God, we thank you for your kingdom. Let it come in us. We thank you that your kingdom is open to so many. Help us graciously help usher them in and receive them lovingly—all to your glory. Amen.

e-vo for week of November 10

2010-11-11T14:45:00.000-08:00

Dearest e-votees-

In what do you do place your hope and your trust? Where do your ground your existence? Your happiness? Your future? What if those things turn out to be less lasting and trustworthy than you had hoped? What then?

Our appointed gospel text for this Sunday talks about a world that is not so secure and what it looks like to be a person of faith and hope in uncertain times and places.

Perhaps there is something in those words for us in this world that doesn’t always seem so secure.

Peace,
Karl

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5 When some were speaking about the temple, how it was adorned with beautiful stones and gifts dedicated to God, [Jesus] said, 6 "As for these things that you see, the days will come when not one stone will be left upon another; all will be thrown down." 7 They asked him, "Teacher, when will this be, and what will be the sign that this is about to take place?" 8 And he said, "Beware that you are not led astray; for many will come in my name and say, "I am he!' and, "The time is near!' Do not go after them. 9 "When you hear of wars and insurrections, do not be terrified; for these things must take place first, but the end will not follow immediately." 10 Then he said to them, "Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; 11 there will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and plagues; and there will be dreadful portents and great signs from heaven. 12 "But before all this occurs, they will arrest you and persecute you; they will hand you over to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors because of my name. 13 This will give you an opportunity to testify. 14 So make up your minds not to prepare your defense in advance; 15 for I will give you words and a wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to withstand or contradict. 16 You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, by relatives and friends; and they will put some of you to death. 17 You will be hated by all because of my name. 18 But not a hair of your head will perish. 19 By your endurance you will gain your souls.

Luke 21:5-19, NRSV

What are the temples in your life? What are the lavish buildings or organizations or institutions that captivate them when you draw near? If you could spend time luxuriating in an environment and a history and a worldview where would you go? What is your place of hope and trust? Is it in representational government? Is it in the strength and ideals of our military? Is in the confines and supportive environment of married life? Is it in the power and strength of the gathered church? Is it in the deep and abiding relationships of dear friends and cherished mentors? Is it in your hope that rightly motivated and socially aware people can change the world (as Margaret Mead said “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”) Is your temple more along the lines of your own health and vitality? Where you bring your offerings of hope and faith and trust? Which temple draws you and draws your breath away? Where do you bring your offerings?

Jesus throws some cold water into the faces of those with dreamy expressions luxuriating in the glory of the temple. Surely the adoration was for more than the building but also the history and the covenant and the experiences that were represented by this beautiful and storied structure. But these things don’t always last. For the temple it was in 70 AD when the Romans came and destroyed and desecrated this holy place. To this day you can go and see the rubble that used to be this glorious building. Some gather to pray at the western wall. Some, undoubtedly, wait until it will again be rebuilt and God will get things back under control.

The hard truth is that the temples in our lives are also passing away. They may not be leveled in a short time. They might be eroded through an accumulation of neglected moments and opportunities and other corrosive forces. They may be weakened and traumatized by reckless moments of all too palpable humanity. The sanctity of marriage and our hopes that reverently spoken vows bore may be desecrated. We might learn all too quickly how truly fantastic a fairy tale Mr. Smith Goes to Washington really is. The pains and lasting scars and brutal realities of wars and rumors of wars do take their toll. The gathered church has much corporate sin on her hands. The approach in Blue Like Jazz to begin by confessing the broken nature of the church seems right. Friends and mentors and other guardian angels lose their haloes sometimes. Our bodies eventually return back to the dust from which they were formed—sometimes more gracefully than others but often not. All of our temples are subject to destruction from without and from within.

Beyond that, persecution comes. Sometimes it is only in body. Sometimes so much more. As people try to raise the hope and power of the gospel others lash out. As we struggle to give testimony and to live faithfully even as life as we know it shifts out from under us we can come under attack. We may think that we have no words to speak or that our words are drowned out by the hypocritical actions that come as our saint-sinner package deal.

Jesus tells his hearers that he will give them words when they are called to give testimony. I believe that this scripture couldn’t have been far from Luther’s mind when he was called upon to recant all his writings before the temple dwellers of his day. I take deep comfort in these words when sermons don’t come easily. Perhaps Jesus’ words offer you some assurance as well—that is my prayer.

The point of what Jesus says is this—don’t put your trust and hope in the wrong places. Salvation comes through him. When we get it wrong—which we often do—our choices and misplaced trusts can be harmful and destructive to us and to those around us. When we get it right—which we sometimes do—the attacks on us will grow more fiercely hot. Thanks be to God that it really isn’t about us getting it right or wrong. It is about Jesus getting it—and us—right and trusting in that. That is our trust and our hope. That confession is not subject to destruction and decay and atrophy as are all the idol temples that come into our lives. Thanks be to God that Jesus will not forsake us.

God, help us learn to trust and confess in you. We thank you for all the many supports and structures that we find in this world from your gracious hand. Help us never put them in your place. Help us love and serve you boldly. And we thank you this day, particularly, for veterans who love and serve country and fellow citizens boldly. Help us reverence our blessed dead and help us pray—as Jesus taught us—for our enemies. We long for the day when the modern equivalent of swords are beaten into the modern equivalent of plowshares. Amen.

e-vo for week of November 3

2010-11-03T22:16:00.000-07:00

Dearest e-votees-

This Sunday is set aside as All Saints Sunday. All Saints Day is November 1. We recognize this day in church on the first Sunday after the 1st on the years when All Saints Day does not fall on a Sunday. So in our Lutheran church All Saints falls on the Sunday right after Reformation Sunday which falls on or before October 31.

May you and all the saints with you have a blessed time of remembrance and celebration this week in worship.

Peace,
Karl

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11 In Christ we have also obtained an inheritance, having been destined according to the purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to his counsel and will, 12 so that we, who were the first to set our hope on Christ, might live for the praise of his glory. 13 In him you also, when you had heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and had believed in him, were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit; 14 this is the pledge of our inheritance toward redemption as God's own people, to the praise of his glory. 15 I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, and for this reason 16 I do not cease to give thanks for you as I remember you in my prayers. 17 I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him, 18 so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance among the saints, 19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power for us who believe, according to the working of his great power. 20 God put this power to work in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the age to come. 22 And he has put all things under his feet and has made him the head over all things for the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

Ephesians 1:11-23, NRSV

Many churches will remember their blessed dead on this Sunday. Names will be read, prayers will be offered, commemorative chimes may be tolled. At my previous call we would put flowers out in the memorial garden as part of the children’s sermon. Some churches do baptismal remembrance as well as we think upon the new saints who were added to the flock in the past year. What will you be doing to celebrate the saints—new and old; living and gone to be with the Lord; in your church and across the world—this week at church?

The Ephesians text that is above is our appointed epistle text for All Saints Sunday. It reminds us that we have an inheritance. Jesus has accomplished a great work on the cross and we are graciously included in the list of those who will benefit from the gift. We are saved and redeemed. Our future is made secure because of the gift and the work of Jesus. We are called into a hope that transcends any temporary pitfalls and struggles. We are called into a joy that will completely overshadow the griefs and pains that can be so debilitating now. We are called into place of rest and celebration and comfort that makes small the bleary and despairing and painful parts of life that may beset us now.

This joyous inheritance is large and wide. It is for all peoples from all times and all places who receive the gracious gift from God. Part of our joy is that we get to extend this invitation to all. We gather and remind ourselves and our blessed guests fashioned in the image of God of what is to come.

And part of our joy is that we don’t have to wait until death and Jesus’ second coming to start experiencing these things. God’s inheritance is coming to bear now. We are called to share in that inheritance and perhaps even to serves as midwives birthing those good promises into the world.

We are made holy. We are saved. We get to respond in love and service. Thanks be to God.

God, fill us with your joy about your inheritance that is coming and that which is already here. Help us commemorate our blessed dead and live to the full the good news that is from Jesus. Amen.

e-vo for week of October 27

2010-10-28T16:00:00.000-07:00

Dearest e-votees-

This Sunday has lots going on. It is proper 26 in the Revised Common Lectionary. The appointed lesson is Jesus and Zacchaeus. It is the account of a live transformed by an encounter with the living God. This Sunday is also what is known at Reformation Sunday. It is the time when Prostestant churches commemorate the deep truths that were lifted up from scripture by Martin Luther about salvation purely by grace. It is a time when we celebrate the word being proclaimed in a tongue that is understood by the people and the good news of the gospel. It is an account of lives transformed by encounters with the living God. This Sunday is also Halloween—a time of job security for dentists across the globe and a time to dabble in things a little more spooky and other wordly. Perhaps it is a time when we ponder encounters with things—living and dead—that are more powerful than us and surely not our good and living God.

For our focus this week we’ll use the appointed epistle for Reformation Sunday from Romans. May we all be blessed that we might share those blessings with all the people we encounter this week—saintly and sinful, no matter their faith, no matter their station in life and no matter what kind of costumes or masks they are wearing as they make their way through this life.

Peace,
Karl

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19 Now we know that whatever the law says, it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. 20 For "no human being will be justified in his sight" by deeds prescribed by the law, for through the law comes the knowledge of sin. 21 But now, apart from law, the righteousness of God has been disclosed, and is attested by the law and the prophets, 22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction, 23 since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; 24 they are now justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a sacrifice of atonement by his blood, effective through faith. He did this to show his righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over the sins previously committed; 26 it was to prove at the present time that he himself is righteous and that he justifies the one who has faith in Jesus. 27 Then what becomes of boasting? It is excluded. By what law? By that of works? No, but by the law of faith. 28 For we hold that a person is justified by faith apart from works prescribed by the law.

Romans 3:19-28, NRSV

The essence of the gospel can really be found in Romans 3:23-24.

We have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. All of us have not lived into the image of God in which we were created. We were made and fashioned to be loving and gracious and giving people. We were made to be like Jesus who poured himself out for those who hated and reviled him. We were made to be like Jesus to serve as agents of healing in a broken world. We were made to be good stewards of all the gifts we receive from God—time, talent, treasure, creation, our relationships with other people, our bodies, the stories and blessings that come from others, etc., etc.

The music group Switchfoot says it this way in “Meant to Live”:

We were meant to live for so much more. Have we lost ourselves?

The simple answer to that lyrical question is yes, we have lost ourselves. We have wandered away and pierced ourselves and many with deep and lasting wounds. We have broken faith and covenant with our Maker. Left to our own devices we fail ourselves, we fail others and we fail God.

God knows our painful and broken ways. God experienced them firsthand as the spikes of wrath were driven into his hands and feet. God experienced them when he cried out “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” God knows all too well how we have wounded ourselves with our transgressions.

The good news is that God has come into the world as an act of grace and redeemed us. Jesus came into the world to bring healing and restoration. Surely those who encountered Jesus in the flesh know this deep truth. This truth is for us too. We are saved and made free through the living, loving, dying and rising again of Jesus.

As Jesus lives and works in us we grow in our abilities to be found and to live for that “so much more” that God had intended for us. On our lesser days we try to act as if these things depend on us and our own efforts. But we will never be justified by our own efforts and strivings. This legalistic approach to sanctification and redemption leads to despair and pain and death. We are saved through what Jesus did and does and is doing and is yet to do. Jesus is alive and so, too, are we.

Thanks be to God.

God, give us grace and peace to know you and to live into your gospel. Help us be agents of grace and peace to others and help them live into the gospel. You are good and gracious—help us grow into those traits, too. Amen.

e-vos on vacation

2010-10-07T19:11:00.001-07:00

Dearest e-votees-

e-vos will be off-line for the next several weeks as I will be on vacation.

I meant to pre-load the cue but time got away from me.

Thanks for your faithful following of these devotional thoughts. They will return.

Peace,

Karl

e-vo for week of September 29

2010-09-27T14:54:00.000-07:00

Dearest e-votees-

This Wednesday, September 29, is the day set aside to commemorate Michael and All Angels.

I thought we might spend some time around the appointed gospel text which is Luke 10:17-20. In order to give it proper context I have included [Luke 10:1-16] as well.

May we all be comforted and blessed by the fact that our names are written in heaven.

Peace,
Karl

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[1 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. 2 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. 3 Go on your way. See, I am sending you out like lambs into the midst of wolves. 4 Carry no purse, no bag, no sandals; and greet no one on the road. 5 Whatever house you enter, first say, "Peace to this house!' 6 And if anyone is there who shares in peace, your peace will rest on that person; but if not, it will return to you. 7 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. 8 Whenever you enter a town and its people welcome you, eat what is set before you; 9 cure the sick who are there, and say to them, "The kingdom of God has come near to you.' 10 But whenever you enter a town and they do not welcome you, go out into its streets and say, 11 "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.' 12 I tell you, on that day it will be more tolerable for Sodom than for that town. 13 "Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the deeds of power done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. 14 But at the judgment it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon than for you. 15 And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? No, you will be brought down to Hades. 16 "Whoever listens to you listens to me, and whoever rejects you rejects me, and whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me."]

17 The seventy returned with joy, saying, "Lord, in your name even the demons submit to us!" 18 He said to them, "I watched Satan fall from heaven like a flash of lightning. 19 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. 20 Nevertheless, do not rejoice at this, that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven."

Luke 10:[1-16] 17-20, NRSV

C.S. Lewis said in The Screwtape Letters that there are two mistakes that we can make in regards to demons. One is to pay too little attention to them and the other is to pay too much. They are equally delighted, he continues, with either error. May we get the balance right during this devotional reading and during our day serving out in the world today.

Jesus sends out seventy in pairs to serve as advance teams to prepare for his arrival and ministry. He assures them that they will be safe even though he is sending his sheep out among the wolves. They are to be agents of blessing and peace. The bring healing and herald the coming of the kingdom of God.

We are sent out into the world as well. We are called to prepare for his arrival when Jesus comes to the world in the second coming. We are also sent to be agents of blessing—blessing others as we ourselves have been blessed. We are sent to be messengers and heralds of peace with God. We are sent to be workers towards peace among people.

We engage those in the world sharing fellowship and food and space. We proclaim peace and work towards healing.

If we are rejected or scorned we can take comfort that our Lord was surely no less rejected and no less scorned.

We may find that we are able to tread on snakes and scorpions and other venomous spiritual manifestations. We may find we hold sway over the evil one. That may be but that isn’t the cause for our rejoicing. The demons have been defeated. They are in their last desperate moments. They are like cornered animals lashing out. The appointed epistle text for this day says this:

7 And war broke out in heaven; Michael and his angels fought against the dragon. The dragon and his angels fought back, 8 but they were defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. 9 The great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the Devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. 10 Then I heard a loud voice in heaven, proclaiming, "Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Messiah, for the accuser of our comrades has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. 11 But they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they did not cling to life even in the face of death. 12 Rejoice then, you heavens and those who dwell in them! But woe to the earth and the sea, for the devil has come down to you with great wrath, because he knows that his time is short!"

Revelation 12:7-12, NRSV

We may run into that woe to be had on the earth and the sea. It might be that we are overwhelmed in our mortal frames by the great wrath of the devil whose sands are quickly running through the hourglass.

The point is not how strong we are or how strong the demons are. The point is not how victorious we are in squaring off against the demons. The point isn’t even if we win or lose, live or die.

Jesus came and was victorious. Jesus won all by losing all on the cross. Jesus came to life after death that we might have life in the face of death. Paul says it this way in Romans 14:8-9:

If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord; so then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s. For to this end Christ died and lived again, so that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living.

Because of what Jesus has done our names are written in heaven. For that we rejoice. We know whose we are and where we are going. For that we rejoice. We don’t need to fear nor fixate on the demons. For that we rejoice. Jesus is Lord and we are His. For that we rejoice.

God, give us eyes and hearts and faiths to dwell in the spiritual realms. Help us cling to you and your saving work. Send us as agents of peace and healing and proclamation into a world that is war-torn and wounded and needed a saving word. Amen.

e-vo for week of September 22

2010-09-22T06:54:00.000-07:00

Dearest e-votees-

There are two Lazaruses (Lazari?!?) in the New Testament.

There is the brother of Mary and Martha who was raised from the dead (all of the references to him can be found in John 11 and 12).

Then there is this other less fortunate Lazarus (all of the references to him can be found in our appointed gospel lesson for this Sunday from Luke 16). He was hungry and poor and covered in sores. This Lazarus ends up being comforted and protected by the patriarch Abraham.

Where do we find ourselves in this story that Jesus tells his disciples and tells to us this day?

Peace,
Karl

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19 "There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. 20 And at his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, 21 who longed to satisfy his hunger with what fell from the rich man's table; even the dogs would come and lick his sores. 22 The poor man died and was carried away by the angels to be with Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 In Hades, where he was being tormented, he looked up and saw Abraham far away with Lazarus by his side. 24 He called out, "Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am in agony in these flames.' 25 But Abraham said, "Child, remember that during your lifetime you received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner evil things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in agony. 26 Besides all this, between you and us a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who might want to pass from here to you cannot do so, and no one can cross from there to us.' 27 He said, "Then, father, I beg you to send him to my father's house— 28 for I have five brothers—that he may warn them, so that they will not also come into this place of torment.' 29 Abraham replied, "They have Moses and the prophets; they should listen to them.' 30 He said, "No, father Abraham; but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.' 31 He said to him, "If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.' "

Luke 16:19-31, NRSV

There is something deeply comforting about this story told by Jesus. It is not long after Jesus’ statement: “You cannot serve God and wealth.” Lazarus has been cut off from food and comfort during his earthly sojourn. He is now in the presence of Abraham. Lazarus is receiving comfort that eluded him at the gate of the rich man’s house. It warms hearts to see one who has struggled and been deprived receiving good things. Mr. Martini and his family getting their new house in It’s a Wonderful Life is a cinematic joy. Jimmy Stewart, in the same movie, surrounded by family and friends, blessed with a free-will offering to cover a shortfall at the savings and loan, singing Auld Lang Syne is an image of Lazarus in Abraham’s kolpos (bosom, chest, lap, etc.—intimately near). There is something good and stirring about those who are lost or excluded or cutoff being found and included and folded into the intimate places of God. So much of Jesus’ life and ministry seemed to be about reaching out to the Lazari and taking them into intimate and comforting relationships with him.

There is something deeply disturbing about this story told by Jesus. Truth be told most of us are much closer to the rich man end of the wealth and poverty continuum. We may not be clad in purple nor have beggars living at the ends of our driveways but most of us have more than enough (certainly food and clothing which this Sunday’s epistle lesson says is sufficient for contentment—see 1 Timothy 6:6-8). We are more than content to have others serve us or labor in unjust situations to facilitate our lives of relative comfort. We have received many good things and not done all we can to alleviate the evil things that weigh upon others. This story told to Jesus’ disciples—including us—ought to alarm us and inform our lives.

Perhaps most disturbing is Abraham seemingly writing off the hopes of the five brothers of the rich man. The rich man pleads for Lazarus to be sent to offer warning to them so that they avoid his fate. How sad that the rich man is still trying to benefit at the expense of Lazarus. First he wants Lazarus to fetch him a drink. When Abraham says that can’t happen the rich man wants to discharge Lazarus as an errand boy messenger to his brothers. Abraham nixes that too and says that the brothers have Moses and the prophets (the writings of the Old Testament). Abraham says that if they won’t abide by Moses and the prophets even Lazarus rising from the dead won’t save them.

We too have Moses and the prophets. We have even seen a Lazarus rise from the dead. We have record of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection. We are at a great vantage point to see the things that the rich man wanted his brothers to see. We are without excuse. We do well to mind the words of Jesus and Abraham.

There are Lazari in our world—will we provide balm for their sores and food for their hunger? We might even be called upon to tear up our purple clothes and fine linens to make bandages. We have received so many good things—in great excess of merely food and clothing—will we use those blessings and resources to bless others and redress the evil things in the lives of those less fortunate?

Martin Luther is reported in Table Talk 5677 to have said:

“Nobody can understand Vergil in his Bucolics and Georgics unless he has first been a shepherd or a farmer for five years.

“Nobody understands Cicero in his letters unless he has been engaged in public affairs of some consequence for twenty years.

“Let nobody suppose that he has tasted the Holy Scriptures sufficiently unless he has ruled over the churches with the prophets for a hundred years. Therefore there is something wonderful, first, about John the Baptist; second, about Christ; third, about the apostles. ‘Lay not your hand on this divine Aeneid, but bow before it, adore its every trace.’

“We are beggars. That is true.”

These were the last thoughts of Dr. Martin Luther on the day before he died.

God help us to affirm our connection with beggars. Help us linger with the truths of Jesus and Moses and the prophets. Help us trust in your mercy. Help us to have hearts and resources to bandage and feed the Lazari that we encounter—all to Your glory. Amen.

e-vo for week of September 15

2010-09-15T07:57:00.000-07:00

Dearest e-votees-

I hope and pray that this finds you well. This week’s gospel text is the unusual story of the dishonest or the shrewd manager (Luke 16:1-13). The manager who is being let go makes very questionable deals to ensure his future security—and Jesus lifts this up as some sort of example of what we are to do. Certainly your preacher this weekend will make this abundantly clear and edifying this weekend.

For our time I thought we would spend some time with the epistle reading from 1 Timothy.

Peace,
Karl

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1 First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone, 2 for kings and all who are in high positions, so that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and dignity. 3 This is right and is acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God; there is also one mediator between God and humankind, Christ Jesus, himself human, 6 who gave himself a ransom for all —this was attested at the right time. 7 For this I was appointed a herald and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.

1 Timothy 2:1-7, NRSV

We live in a time and a culture where we view our leaders (“kings and all who are in high positions”) with a skeptical eye. We wonder if they have the best interest of “we the people” or if they are—truth be told—more like the dishonest/shrewd manager. These musings don’t come without some provocation and some justification. But I think we too quickly skip over the first verse of our appointed epistle lesson.

We are called to be people of prayer. We are called to lift up supplications, prayers, intercessions and thanksgivings for everyone. Those who are in Washington, D.C. or the synod office or City Hall or who lead the neighborhood association or work pulpits during worship or who sit on the school board or the behind the big desk in the corner office at work are all certainly part of “everyone”. If we look at the balance in our prayer lives what do we see? How often do we pray for those in leadership? Particularly how often do we faithfully lift up those in prayer those who have perhaps done wrong by us or by others? Can we pray fervently for those who seem to be akin to the dishonest/shrewd manager? Will we?

There is a hope that we might lead quiet and peaceable lives. There is hope that godliness and dignity might win the day. If this is to happen for us it starts with our hearts and our attitudes. We are saved through Jesus’ mediation—through the cross. As we bear our crosses we can be transformed into ones where dignity and godliness are being cultivated. Peace and quiet can come more and more to bear on our days in a world that is often anything but dignified or godly or peaceful or quiet.

To be sure there are times when we are called to engage the broken and misguided powers. Jesus drove the moneychangers out. Jesus called out the hypocrisy of some and engaged others to the point of causing scandal. As we grow up into Jesus we might find ourselves in these places too. We are called to be so much more than soft-spoken dupes who let the world trample us. There is still a place for advocacy and prophecy and rebuke. But those things come much better from hearts that are quiet and peaceful and godly and dignified.

God, shape our hearts and our prayers to be in forms that are pleasing to you. Help us live more fully into you. Help us engage the world well as we pray for and love all that we encounter. Stir us to be more like you—sacrificially loving and bringing healing and salvation into the world. Amen.

e-vo for week of September 8

2010-09-11T10:03:00.000-07:00

Dearest e-votees-

There is a Lutheran duo that is called Lost and Found (www.speedwood.com). I have experienced them live in concert many times (small concerts to national youth gatherings). I even have a slinky that is signed by them (you have to know the song Lions to understand that).

The name of this group shares something with our appointed gospel lesson for this Sunday—they both come from Luke 15.

During their stage chatter at concerts Lost and Found talk about Luke 15 being the lost chapter of Luke—lost sheep, lost coin and lost son. This week’s gospel text covers the first two of those.

May all of us rejoice that we have been found and be open to God working through us to help undo the lostness in our own lives and in the world.

Peace,
Karl

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1 Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to [Jesus]. 2 And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, "This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them." 3 So he told them this parable: 4 "Which one of you, having a hundred sheep and losing one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one that is lost until he finds it? 5 When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders and rejoices. 6 And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, "Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.' 7 Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance. 8 "Or what woman having ten silver coins, if she loses one of them, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it? 9 When she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, "Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.' 10 Just so, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents."

Luke 15:1-10, NRSV

Another artist I saw in concert lately (and expect will be around for a while) is Britt Nicole. She was just at Fishfest in Vancouver. Here is a link to an interesting video for her song The Lost Get Found. The trailing words of the song are:

So when you get the chance
Are you gonna take it?
There's a really big world at your fingertips
And you know you have the chance to change it

The reality is that we are a blend of saint and sinner. We are a blend of old Adam/Eve and new Adam/Eve. We are a blend of lost and found. We are a blend of the now and the not yet. We are who we are right now and we are who God is shaping us to be.

Sometimes we can get stuck worrying about the percentages. How much saint am I and how much sinner? I have always been intrigued by the ambigram by Mark Palmer that reads saint one way and sinner the other. You can see it on a shirt at Old Lutheran. I even know one pastor who has this pattern permanently tattooed on both of his hands to remind him. It is a UV tattoo, though, so it only shows up in black light. Not every good church going person is ready for a pastor with prominent tattoos. The point is that we are hopelessly intermingled saint and sinner. We will never know the percentages and we will never extract the sinner completely out of us. Fixating on that immobilizes us and betrays a lack of trust in God’s grace.

The good news is that Jesus welcomes sinners and eats with them—even when it aggravates the Pharisees and the scribes. The good news is that Jesus welcomes us and eats with us. We are invited to the family table at communion. We are welcome not because our sinner/saint ratio is in check but because God loves us. God rejoices when any of us repent. We are that coin and that sheep and certainly that wandering son. But God welcomes us anyway. God throws a party. God runs down the driveway to meet us. God fetches the robe and the ring and the fatted calf. God saves us. God loves us.

We are now free from stressing over the ratio of devil to angel in our life. We are released to reach out to others (as in the Britt Nicole video). We don’t need to take a road trip. There is a whole world at our fingertips. And we have the chance to change it as God works through us. Will we dare to take the chances that come our way as we are stirred by the Holy Spirit?

God, help us to rejoice with You that we are found. Help us to embrace the lostness in ourselves and in the world around us. Nothing has strayed beyond the reach of Your redemptive and impassioned love. Help us be agents of Your redemption and Your passion in this world—all to Your glory.

e-vo for week of September 1

2010-09-04T07:38:00.000-07:00

Dearest e-votees-

Q: What does it cost to be a true disciple of Jesus?

A: EVERYTHING!!!

Peace,
Karl

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25 Now large crowds were traveling with [Jesus]; and he turned and said to them, 26 "Whoever comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and even life itself, cannot be my disciple. 27 Whoever does not carry the cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. 28 For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not first sit down and estimate the cost, to see whether he has enough to complete it? 29 Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it will begin to ridicule him, 30 saying, ‘This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.' 31 Or what king, going out to wage war against another king, will not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to oppose the one who comes against him with twenty thousand? 32 If he cannot, then, while the other is still far away, he sends a delegation and asks for the terms of peace. 33 So therefore, none of you can become my disciple if you do not give up all your possessions.”

Luke 14:25-33, NRSV

When I used to teach high school there were times that students would try to test the limits. They would push against boundaries and expectations to get a sense of what might happen if they kept moving in that direction. That was fine. That is part of the larval stage we call human adolescence. Some pushing was more playful some was a little more nasty in nature. My standard response that was sometimes more playful and sometimes not so much was “Don’t start something that you are not prepared to finish!”

What we start shapes where we are going. Sometimes we start things that can’t be unstarted. The world watches us to see what we might start and what we might finish. Our world thrives on ridiculing those who can’t finish well what they started. We take a little too much joy at eager but musically challenged contenders on American Idol. We spend a little too much time luxuriating in the flameouts and self-destructions of celebrities. We savor a little too much the scandals that ensnare prim and self-righteous preachers and politicians.

Jesus lays it out pretty plainly here. If we want to be Jesus’ disciples we need to give up everything. Our family relationships and the shape of our lives are dramatically impacted by the shadow of the cross on our lives. What we own and what we do with what we own are profoundly reallocated when the shadow of the cross falls over our portfolios. Our very lives are extracted from our control as the call of the cross comes to bear.

What does it cost to be a disciple of Jesus?

EVERYTHING!

The real question is: “Are we mindful of who is calling us and what gives him the right to stake such a claim on us?”

Jesus knew what he was starting and how it would finish (at least in his mortal frame)—in the shape of the cross. Jesus was separated from his Father as he dangled dying on the cross. Jesus embraced the spectacle and the shame of the cross. He endured the ridiculing and the mocking of the Romans and religious leaders. Jesus had everything and spent it all to bring the message of the cross and the hope of the empty tomb to us.

Jesus started something in us in baptism. Jesus doesn’t start something that he is not prepared to finish. The grace and forgiveness found in the font stake a claim on our relationships. They stake a claim on our vocations and our avocations. They stake a claim on our stewardship. They stake a claim on the entirety of our persons.

We were bought with price. It cost Jesus everything.

God, teach us to give all of ourselves to you. You have good and gracious plans. Help us to grow into those plans—all to your glory. Amen.

e-vo for week of August 25

2010-08-31T08:29:00.000-07:00

Dearest e-votees-

Profuse apologies for this coming out so late. There will be yet another e-vo (for this coming week’s texts) coming out later this week.

Have a blessed week. Practice philadelphia and philoxenias.

Peace,
Karl

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1 Keep on loving each other as brothers. 2 Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it. 3 Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering. 4 Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral. 5 Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." 6 So we say with confidence, "The LORD is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?" 7 Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. 8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

15 Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise--the fruit of lips that confess his name. 16 And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.

Hebrews 13:1-8, 15-16, NRSV

Our appointed text for last Sunday from Hebrews begins with two powerful exhortations:

The first says practice “philadelphia” which literally is translated as “love of brother”. We are encouraged to love those in the family. We are encouraged to love those that we know. Sometimes that can be a challenge as we know their wrinkles and their foibles all too well. It is a choice we make. Love seems to be much more of a verb and much less of a feeling in this context. We are exhorted to love those around us. And we know that when we are to love we are to love others as we ourselves want to be loved. May God give us eyes and ears and hearts for opportunities to love those around us well.

The second says to remember to practice “philoxenias” which literally is translated as “love of stranger”. We are encouraged to love those that aren’t in the family yet and who may never get into the family. We are encouraged to love those that we don’t know. Sometimes this can be a challenge as we don’t know if they are friendly or not. We don’t know if they intend us harm or not. We don’t know how best to love them. It is easy to shrink away from the call to love the stranger. Yet, it is a choice we make. Love is certainly much more of a verb than a feeling in this case. We are exhorted to love those who cross our paths. And we know that we are to love deeply and sacrificially. In Matthew 25 Jesus says that in caring for “the least of these” we care for Jesus. Our Hebrews text above talks about entertaining angels unaware of the heavenly exchange. May God give us eyes and ears and hearts for opportunities to love the strangers who cross our paths well.

Our appointed text ends with another powerful exhortation. We are invited to do good and to share with others.

We have all sorts of opportunities to do bad. We take them all too often which is why we are invited and encouraged to return to our baptisms daily in Luther’s small catechism. God’s mercies are new every morning and they help us restore our hearts that we might do good.

We have all sorts of opportunities to hoard. We take them all too often which is why it is good to remember where everything we have comes from and ultimately whose it is. God’s provisions are gracious and abundant. There is nothing we have—not one thin dime, not one breath of air, not one loving relationship, not one stitch of clothing, absolutely nothing—in our possession that did not come from the hand of a gracious and benevolent God. Since God has blessed us so richly we are free to bless others.

God shape us into lovers of people—familiar and strangers. Help us tend to that task well as we might well be tending to angels or our Lord Jesus himself. Help us seize opportunities to do good. Help us share with others. May we do all these things to your glory. And may we be blessed as others and You do them to us as well. Amen.

e-vo for week of August 18

2010-08-18T13:55:00.000-07:00

Dearest e-votees-

How well do you function with rules and expectations that come from without? Are they an important part of decency and good order? Are they constraining and off-putting? Will you follow them grudgingly? Will you look for loopholes and chances to shave corners off of sharp expectations? How do you decide which rules and expectations are binding and which can be loosed?

In this week’s gospel lesson Jesus has quite a brush-up against someone who seems to care more about the rules than the sufferings of ones fashioned in God’s image who are right before him.

Where do you find yourself in this week’s gospel account?

Peace,
Karl

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10 Now [Jesus] was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath. 11 And just then there appeared a woman with a spirit that had crippled her for eighteen years. She was bent over and was quite unable to stand up straight. 12 When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said, "Woman, you are set free from your ailment." 13 When he laid his hands on her, immediately she stood up straight and began praising God. 14 But the leader of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had cured on the sabbath, kept saying to the crowd, "There are six days on which work ought to be done; come on those days and be cured, and not on the sabbath day." 15 But the Lord answered him and said, "You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the manger, and lead it away to give it water? 16 And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen long years, be set free from this bondage on the sabbath day?" 17 When he said this, all his opponents were put to shame; and the entire crowd was rejoicing at all the wonderful things that he was doing.

Luke 13:10-17, NRSV

THOUGHT EXPERIMENT

Imagine that you are part of an association that has certain rules about expected behavior and social interactions. Imagine also that you have the capacity to alleviate suffering from a particular ailment. As you are going about your business someone comes before you who has been suffering for many years from that very thing that you can readily cure. Wanting to spare this unfortunate soul even another moment of suffering you bring about a cure much to the delight of all but one. One of the members of your association approaches you quite angrily waving about a copy of the association’s rules. You are forbidden from bringing about healing on this particular day according to this member’s interpretation of your association’s guidelines. How do you respond?

Jesus answers the leader of the synagogue who told people to come for healing on a non-sabbath day quite pointedly. He responds with “You hypocrites!” (note the plural) Clearly Jesus is addressing the leader before him—who do you suppose the other hypocrites were? Other leaders of this particular synagogue? Others who read scripture too legalistically? Others who were nodding and otherwise giving assent in their hearts to this proclamation? Perhaps it is just as properly addressed to us who make harsh and legalistic decisions based on law and religion rather than mercy and relationship.

At the start of the 14th chapter of Luke there is another similar exchange:

1 On one occasion when Jesus was going to the house of a leader of the Pharisees to eat a meal on the sabbath, they were watching him closely. 2 Just then, in front of him, there was a man who had dropsy. 3 And Jesus asked the lawyers and Pharisees, "Is it lawful to cure people on the sabbath, or not?" 4 But they were silent. So Jesus took him and healed him, and sent him away. 5 Then he said to them, "If one of you has a child or an ox that has fallen into a well, will you not immediately pull it out on a sabbath day?" 6 And they could not reply to this. (NRSV)

Jesus pierces through the expectations that he would leave someone unhealed in order to honor the Sabbath. He shows the folly and the hypocrisy to those who would question him through their own actions towards their own children and animals.

Again, I ask you:
Where do you find yourself in this week’s gospel account?

Are you in need of healing? Have you been suffering for many years and need some relief and respite from your trials? Are you in need of a dispensation of grace and healing?

Are you in need of order and decency? Are you threatened by those who don’t do things according to your understandings and your time frames? Are you a leader that others are watching to see what you might do so that they can take their cues? Is something like hypocrisy at work in you which needs to be tamed?

Are you one who can work some measure of healing in the life of another? Are others pressing in trying to constrain and hem you in for whatever reason? Does their hypocrisy tempt you to fade into the background? How will you respond?

God, renew and heal our hypocritical hearts. Help us temper law and order with grace and mercy. Continue to bring healing into our lives and use us to heal others. Speak words of grace and love through us all to your glory. Amen.

e-vo for week of August 11

2010-08-14T08:47:00.000-07:00

Dearest e-votees-

For this week we will use the epistle text appointed for this Sunday. It is the tail end of chapter 11 of Hebrews and the first few verses of chapter 12. It calls us to continue to shrug of sin and run with focus and perseverance after Jesus.

Peace,
Karl

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29 By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as if it were dry land, but when the Egyptians attempted to do so they were drowned. 30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell after they had been encircled for seven days. 31 By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had received the spies in peace. 32 And what more should I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets— 33 who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, 34 quenched raging fire, escaped the edge of the sword, won strength out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. 35 Women received their dead by resurrection. Others were tortured, refusing to accept release, in order to obtain a better resurrection. 36 Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. 37 They were stoned to death, they were sawn in two, they were killed by the sword; they went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, persecuted, tormented— 38 of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground. 39 Yet all these, though they were commended for their faith, did not receive what was promised, 40 since God had provided something better so that they would not, apart from us, be made perfect.

1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God.

Hebrews 11:29-12:2, NRSV

There are three things that jump out from this passage and from the other scriptures which fill in some color commentary on this cloud of witnesses:

1. The great cloud of witnesses wasn’t always so great
2. The world doesn’t always treat faithful people so well
3. We are called into that great cloud of witnesses and to take up our crosses

If you want to read up on Jephthah you can in Judges 11-12. (There is one other passing reference in 1 Samuel 12:11). His lineage wasn’t so great. His mother was a prostitute and he was driven away by the children of his father and his father’s wife because of it. He made a rash promise to sacrifice the first thing that came to come out of his door to greet him upon his return if the Lord would give him victory in battle. Jephthah was victorious and upon coming home his only child, a nameless daughter, came out to greet him. He sacrificed her according to his vow. I tried to redeem that story in a sermon at seminary—it doesn’t redeem very easily.

Rahab wasn’t born of a prostitute—she was a prostitute! She gained some recognition when she helped spies sent by Joshua into Jericho. (see Joshua 2:1-15).

David wasn’t always on his best behavior—adultery and murder to cover up the adultery come to mind. Psalm 51 reveals the heart of one who knows he has sinned.

Despite these foibles and outright tragic flaws these people are included in the great cloud of witnesses.

All of us have foibles and tragic flaws of our own. We choose sin and turn our back on clear callings from God to repent and to do better. Nonetheless, we too are counted among the stars Abraham saw and the sands between his toes. We are among Peter and Paul, James and John, Mary and Martha, David and Rahab, Jephthah and Samson. God’s grace and calling trump our sin and rebelling.

The world doesn’t treat faithful people well all of the time. I’m not talking about the deserved judgment of hypocrites and self-righteous hucksters who pervert the gospel for their own sakes. The fact is that the intensity of the lives of those truly trying to live for Christ is off-putting and the world will snuff it out when it can. Peter and Paul were felled by Nero. Bonhoeffer perished at the end of a rope of the Nazis. Oscar Romero was gunned down while leading a worship service. The powers of this world are deeply unsettled by the kingdom of God coming to bear in this world. Martin Luther King spoke often of faith and vision and perished because of it. Countless others who stories we may never know have given their lives and their blood in similar fashion.

In our culture at this time we may not stare down the barrel of gun or face torture but there surely are many who suffer for their faith in these ways in our world. How many of us would refuse to accept release from torture or chains in order to obtain a better resurrection—whatever that means? We, too, are strongly influenced to put aside the deep and challenging calls of the faith and play by this world’s rules. When we resist we may find ourselves shunned and ostracized. When we live into our calling into the great cloud of witnesses we may find ourselves more and more to be sojourners in this world. Our final place is so much different and so much better than anything this world has to offer.

Jesus calls us to pick up our crosses and follow after him. Jesus disregarded the shame of the cross and endured it. Through that Jesus perfected our faith. Through his suffering he brought about glory. We are invited to follow in the ways he walked and lived. When we do we will see others who seem ill-suited and unworthy of that calling. They will see some of the same lackluster traits in us as well. We will find ourselves at odds with the world as we grow up into our faith in Jesus. We may be called upon to lay down our lives for Jesus physically not just metaphorically. There is one thing that is truly needful—keeping our eyes on Jesus who is the author and perfecter of our faith.

God, shape us into people who reflect You. Thank You for calling us into the great cloud of witnesses. Give us grace and mercy to see ourselves and others as you see us—beloved and redeemed children of You. Strengthen and bless those who suffer as prisoners of conscience and religious persecution. Take our lives and use them as You see fit—all to Your glory. Amen.

e-vo for week of August 4

2010-08-07T07:26:00.001-07:00

Dearest e-votees-

This week our epistle text is Hebrews which reminds of the faith of Abraham. He and Sarah were promised a huge hosts of descendants. Like the number of the stars of the heavens and the sands by the seashore. Abraham and Sarah travelled as sojourners in this world and the saw the beginnings of the fulfillment of the great and deep promises made to them. We are not so different than they. God makes huge promises to us. We are called to sojourn in this world and we get to see the very beginnings of the promises God makes to us coming to fruition.

Peace,
Karl

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1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. 2 Indeed, by faith our ancestors received approval. 3 By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was made from things that are not visible.

8 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to set out for a place that he was to receive as an inheritance; and he set out, not knowing where he was going. 9 By faith he stayed for a time in the land he had been promised, as in a foreign land, living in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. 10 For he looked forward to the city that has foundations, whose architect and builder is God. 11 By faith he received power of procreation, even though he was too old—and Sarah herself was barren—because he considered him faithful who had promised. 12 Therefore from one person, and this one as good as dead, descendants were born, "as many as the stars of heaven and as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore." 13 All of these died in faith without having received the promises, but from a distance they saw and greeted them. They confessed that they were strangers and foreigners on the earth, 14 for people who speak in this way make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. 15 If they had been thinking of the land that they had left behind, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; indeed, he has prepared a city for them.

Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16, NRSV

There are lots of things in this world that can drive us to despair. There are lots of things that could suggest to us that God has forgotten us or the promises made to us. Perhaps what we could do at some of those times when our hope and trust is needing a boost is go to the beach and feel the promises of God between our toes. Or maybe we should find a nice place to lay down far from the city lights and behold the promises of God with our eyes.

God called Abraham (nee Abram) and Sarah (nee Sarai) to trust in some crazy promises. They followed boldly and very humanly after this divine call on their lives. They slipped and faltered on occasion but never beyond the grasp of God’s grace.

God calls us to trust in some crazy promises. We are invited to follow boldly. Some days our more faltering sides win the day. We sell out our loved ones (as did Abraham) and we laugh at God’s promises (as did Sarah). We try to bring God’s promises into being on our own time schedules (as both Abraham and Sarah did). We evidence our lack of trust and hope. But God’s grace trumps our unbelief.

I have always been partial to the song Sometimes by Step (by Rich Mullins and Beaker). The refrain is sometimes sung by itself and called Step by Step. I particularly like it for the second verse which is below:

Sometimes I think of Abraham
How one star he saw had been lit for me
He was a stranger in this land
And I am that, no less than he
And on this road to righteousness
Sometimes the climb can be so steep
I may falter in my steps
But never beyond Your reach

If you are unfamiliar with the song you can hear it and watch a slideshow that was set to it at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gaEN43eW8kk

We are some of the sand and some of the stars that were promised to Abraham. We are spiritual descendants of the faith of Abraham and Sarah. We are strangers in this land. We will falter on the path that at times can be so steep but we never transgress beyond God’s gracious grasp. That is good news. Keep that in mind next time the sand is in your toes or the stars are in your eyes.

God shape us into people that glorify you. Thank you for Abraham and Sarah. Help us grow in faith as they did. Help us live into your promises as they did. Amen.

e-vo for week of July 28

2010-07-31T08:47:00.000-07:00

Dearest e-votees-

As mentioned, this devotion is coming out a little late this week due to our Middle School mission trip to Seattle. If you are so inclined you can look at photos from this faith adventure at:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2023753&id=9701688&l=fca7a413c3

I appreciate your patience. Have a blessed weekend and may your time of worship be blessed as well.

Peace,
Karl

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13 Someone in the crowd said to him, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the family inheritance with me." 14 But he said to him, "Friend, who set me to be a judge or arbitrator over you?" 15 And he said to them, "Take care! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; for one's life does not consist in the abundance of possessions." 16 Then he told them a parable: "The land of a rich man produced abundantly. 17 And he thought to himself, "What should I do, for I have no place to store my crops?' 18 Then he said, "I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.' 20 But God said to him, "You fool! This very night your life is being demanded of you. And the things you have prepared, whose will they be?' 21 So it is with those who store up treasures for themselves but are not rich toward God."

Luke 12:13-21, NRSV

What is the issue that you would want to appeal to Jesus? In our gospel text for this weekend we have the appeal for Jesus to act as arbitrator in a family dispute. Jesus rebuffs the request. What is something going on in your life that you would want God to enter and settle in your favor? Are there issues at your workplace or in your home? Are you involved in a dispute over property or money? Are you pulling more than your fair share while your sibling seems to skate by sitting at the feet of Jesus? Are you the one who faithfully stayed behind working the family farm while your sibling was sowing wild oats? Where has injustice been inflicted upon you that needs redress from the Lord?

The hard truth of this gospel text and of life in general is that God doesn’t devote much time or energy to entering into our disputes and settling them. When we seek justice we often find that we have been perpetrators of injustice or at least benefactors of grace well beyond our merit. God is busy reaching out to those who have little to none. Widows, orphans and aliens seem to take priority over those who have but are angling for more. Tax collectors and sinners and lepers and prostitutes seem to generate more interest than our pensions and our family squabbles over heirlooms and our ways of dictating how church ought to be. Jesus responds that life doesn’t consist in the abundance of possessions. Apparently Jesus doesn’t pay much heed to Madison Avenue and those who generate advertising campaigns.

Our culture tells us to work hard, save as we can and then to retire comfortably to relax, eat, drink and be merry. Madison Avenue would even invite us to eat, drink and be merry right now for tomorrow we might die (perhaps they have been reading Isaiah 22:13b). We are taught and encouraged and invited to look out for our own interests and comfort. We are called to store up treasures for ourselves.

Jesus offers a pointed parable about what might happen when we look out for ourselves but are not rich towards God. Rich towards God is a matter of not neglecting stewardship of our time, treasure and talent to the church and to the world. Rich towards God is a matter of feeding, clothing, visiting and caring for the needy (see Matthew 25:40). Rich towards God is a matter of seeing that other have enough to eat and drink. Rich towards God is spreading merriment to those on the fringes who might not have so many reasons to rejoice.

The sad and condemning truth of our world is that there are many resources to tend to the needs of the world but we covet and gather and steal them from one another. There isn’t so much an issue of amount of resources but rather resource allocation. God calls us to work hard and share the blessings with others. God calls us to sometimes take the unjust result and even multiply it (see Matthew 5:38-48) that we might bless our enemies. God calls us to a hard and different place. Jesus calls us to take up our cross.

God isn’t against having a good time or having food to eat and drink to drink. Jesus had the reputation of being a glutton and drunkard and of one who mingled with sinners and outcasts. God just wants us to include others especially those others wouldn’t. If you really want to catch a glimpse of what that might look at you might enjoy Tony Campolo's birthday party story.

God stir us to be people who throw birthday party’s for Agneses. Help us be less interested in getting our fair share and more interested in advocating for the poor and the neglected and the forgotten. Help us eat, drink and be merry with you and all of your beloved creation. Make us more like you. Amen.

e-vo for week of July 21

2010-07-24T06:16:00.000-07:00

Dearest e-votees-

My apologies that this is getting out to you so late in the week. I lost track of time with all the fun we were having with our VBS (SonRock Kids Camp). Next week might be a little tardy too. We are leaving this morning for a middle school mission trip to Seattle and won’t be back to town until next Wednesday. Any prayers you could lift up towards that endeavor would be greatly appreciated. I appreciate your patience and pray that these weekly insertions are a blessing to you.

Peace,
Karl

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1 [Jesus] was praying in a certain place, and after he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples." 2 He said to them, "When you pray, say: Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. 3 Give us each day our daily bread. 4 And forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone indebted to us. And do not bring us to the time of trial." 5 And he said to them, "Suppose one of you has a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say to him, "Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; 6 for a friend of mine has arrived, and I have nothing to set before him.' 7 And he answers from within, "Do not bother me; the door has already been locked, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot get up and give you anything.' 8 I tell you, even though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, at least because of his persistence he will get up and give him whatever he needs. 9 "So I say to you, Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. 10 For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. 11 Is there anyone among you who, if your child asks for a fish, will give a snake instead of a fish? 12 Or if the child asks for an egg, will give a scorpion? 13 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"

Luke 11:1-13, NRSV

This account of Jesus teaching the Lord’s Prayer comes on the heels of the visit to Mary and Martha. It is interesting to note that the other account of Jesus teaching the Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13) is different than this one. It is also interesting to note that neither line up with what many use on Sunday morning or in their personal devotions. I’m not so sure Jesus was that interested in scripted prayers. It seems as though he was much more concerned about the right placement of the heart rather than the right words with the right inflections. Scripted or rote prayers aren’t the issue—praying faithfully to a God who wants our prayers is what matters most. If scripted prayers help with that right placement of heart then thanks be to God.

I am fond of the stories of persistent petitioners. This story and the one of the persistent widow (Luke 18:1-8) both have the same sense. If you pester people enough they will do what is right even if they don’t care about you. The judge yields even though he neither fears God nor cares about people. The friend above yields not because of the friendship but because of the persistence. This has some powerful implications for social advocacy and calling people in power to do what’s right.

This form is one that is fairly common in scripture. It is an argument from the lesser to the greater. If we, though we are sinful, can be moved by persistence and petition to do what is right how much more will God respond when we faithfully bring persistent petitions. If we know how to give our child good gifts, though we are evil, how much more will God lavish the Holy Spirit upon those who ask for that gift?

I had a reluctant seminary professor who didn’t always return papers in a timely fashion. Eventually I decided to adopt the role of the persistent widow. I said to this professor “You know that there is Biblical precedent for nagging to get what you want” This professor said “Yes.” I said “You know that you really should be returning my papers.” This professor again said “Yes.” “So then,” I said, “you won’t mind if I nag at you until your return my papers.” “No.” said this professor. The nagging ensued. And the rate of paper return increased.

E-mails such as:

“You neither fear God nor care about men but because I nag you, you will return my papers.

~The Persistent e-widow”

proved effective.

If in such a small matter I was able to make some progress due to persistence and petitioning how much more should I be a person of prayer crying out to God for the things that the world needs.

Unfortunately, I didn’t generalize this principle very well. I was content to have what I needed and really didn’t worry so much about the rest of the class (who didn’t get their papers back so regularly). It is way too easy to fight for what directly affects us and leave the world in the lurch. Caring only for our own needs and neglecting the similar needs of others runs counter to the spirit of the Lord’s Prayer. Daily bread for us alone is insufficient.

Dear God, shape us into faithful and persistent prayer warriors. Help us never stop asking until justice and basic needs are available for all. Teach us to bless our children well and to drink in the blessings you have for us, your children. Amen.

e-vo for week of July 14

2010-07-17T08:07:00.000-07:00

Dearest e-votees-

The appointed texts this week from the Old and the New Testament are very familiar ones to those who have been part of a church community for any length of time. The New Testament reading is Luke 10:38-42—Jesus visiting with Mary and Martha. The Old Testament reading is Genesis 18:1-10a—Abraham’s household receiving the 3 visitors by the oaks of Mamre who inform Abraham and Sarah about the arrival of Isaac. (some icons of the of the Holy Trinity depict these three and see an empty spot at the table where we are invited into community with the community of God—that’s something compelling and powerful to dwell upon).

For our time this week, however, we’ll use the appointed psalm (Psalm 15) as our meditative focus.

May we all choose the one thing that is needful and be hospitable to strangers who may be bearing promises this coming week.

Peace,
Karl

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1 O Lord, who may abide in your tent? Who may dwell on your holy hill? 2 Those who walk blamelessly, and do what is right, and speak the truth from their heart; 3 who do not slander with their tongue, and do no evil to their friends, nor take up a reproach against their neighbors; 4 in whose eyes the wicked are despised, but who honor those who fear the Lord; who stand by their oath even to their hurt; 5 who do not lend money at interest, and do not take a bribe against the innocent. Those who do these things shall never be moved.

Psalm 15, NRSV

Reflection on this psalm needs to be prefaced with the fact that none of us are worthy to abide in the Lord’s tent or dwell on the Lord’s holy hill on our own. We are unable to live the requisite life. We are granted access to God through the saving work of Jesus on the cross.

Jesus’ life, death and ministry trump our failings. Access is granted to the most holy place and to the holy hill and into the community of the Trinity by virtue of Jesus’ gracious and costly invitation.

The fact that Jesus has most fully granted us access to God does not negate Psalm 15. In fact, as we have been give great freedoms and liberties through Christ they are given in order that we might use them to live more fully into the expectations of Psalm 15. The equation has been reversed and through access to the Lord we are even more strongly called to live lives of integrity and justice and faithfulness.

We are called to speak the truth from our hearts. The world lives in deceptions, head fakes, spins, lies of omission, little white lies and big honking huge bald-faced bold-print 128-pt font lies. Much of advertising involves creating false needs and then offering insufficient solutions to those trumped up needs and wants. Speaking the truth is risky and sometimes a lonely place. Speaking the truth got Jesus hung up for display in a lonely place on a very unholy hill. Jesus still calls on us to take up our cross. Jesus still calls on us to speak the truth in love. We can as God gives us wisdom and power and courage.

There is a prohibition of lending money at interest. How will our credit-driven society function? How will we buy a house or a car? Won’t our modern society melt away if things are sold at fair prices with cash and no ability to gouge those in need by those who already have? We are called to share with those in need. We are called to live within our means. We are called to help dismantle systems that prey upon the needs and wants of those who lack the resources we might have. Jesus still calls us to not send them away but for us to give them something to eat. Jesus still calls us to chose the needful thing and not be worried and distracted about all the others. We can as God gives us wisdom and power and courage.

Psalm 15 lifts up the ones who stand by oaths even when they hurt. We are in a society that thrives on loopholes and excuses and renegotiated contracts. We are invited to get as much as possible for ourselves and to duck as many responsibilities as possible. God lifts up the ones who live out their marital oaths deep into end-stages of disease and dementia and failed oaths on the part of the other. Oaths and duties and codes of conduct are all too easily shunned in our throwaway society. Jesus still calls us to be different and faithful and abiding. Jesus calls us to be people of our word and people of God’s Word. We can as God gives wisdom and power and courage.

God, You call us to be so much more than we are. You love us just as we are but truly love us too much to leave us that way. Shape us and move us into the forms and places and kinds of people You want us to be. Give us wisdom and power and courage that we might glorify You with our lives. Amen.

e-vo for week of July 7

2010-07-03T07:01:00.000-07:00

Dearest e-votees-

This installment is coming out early since I will be at the Blackfeet Indian Reservation with a group of high school students on a service-mission trip this week.

If you have room in your prayer lists please add our group. We will be travelling by train to Whitefish, travelling by caravan to the reservation and serving with Youthworks! July 4-9. We will return the same way and be back to Portland by July 11. Please pray that we would be safe, that God would do through us and in us what is pleasing and good and that we would strive to see the image of God in all those we encounter. Thank you.

Peace,
Karl

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25 Just then a lawyer stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he said, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?" 26 He said to him, "What is written in the law? What do you read there?" 27 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." 28 And he said to him, "You have given the right answer; do this, and you will live." 29 But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?" 30 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. 31 Now by chance a priest was going down that road; and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 32 So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan while traveling came near him; and when he saw him, he was moved with pity. 34 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. 35 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.' 36 Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?" 37 He said, "The one who showed him mercy." Jesus said to him, "Go and do likewise."

Luke 10:25-37, NRSV

The parable of the Good Samaritan is one that is familiar and yet so easy to ignore.

The lawyer stands up in front of all (with a desire to test Jesus—rather presumptuous). He asks what must he do to inherit eternal life. The lawyer rightly sums up all the Law and the Prophets with the charge to love God with one’s whole being and the Golden Rule. Knowing the right answers is not sufficient.

The lawyer should have stopped there. But not only did the lawyer want to test Jesus—he wants to show that he himself passes the test. He asks who is his neighbor. Presumably this is so that he can demonstrate that anyone mentioned by Jesus has been covered by his largesse. As Jesus is known to do he turns the question, the questioner and the motivation on their heads.

Jesus tells a story of a man going down to Jericho from Jerusalem. All of the good people who pass by (a priest and a Levite) step out of the way to avoid helping the man who had been beset by robbers. Along comes a “bad” person (Samaritans and Jews were not on good terms). It is the one who was shunned by the common culture who helped the fallen man. He goes to extreme measures to see to the care of one who may well have shunned the help if he was truly aware of the source.

The lawyer probably wanted to show where the limits of his care and generosity could be safely established. Jesus tells a dangerous story of almost reckless compassion from a surprising source. When the lawyer rightly answers that the Samaritan was the most neighborly of the three who passed by the fallen man Jesus charges that lawyer to go and do likewise.

Where are you in this story today? Are you hurt and on the road? Are you one who might pass by (better things to do, needing to stay ritually clean, concerned for your own safety, not sure about this one on the road)? Are you one in a strange place noticing needs and knowing you could do something to help? Are you an innkeeper who might get a proposition that involves trust and largesse on your own part as well? Are you the lawyer wanting to justify yourself and have all know how well you have done? Are you the one who knows the truth and has stories to tell that will change lives if the hearers have ears to hear?

Wherever you find yourself in the story today God will find you. God loves you and will not forsake you. Jesus is like the Samaritan. Jesus comes to a foreign world and pours himself out on behalf of those who might reject the help if they really knew who it was (that is what the cross was about, in part). Jesus shows mercy. We are loved and salved and saved.

When we really get that deep and abiding truth we can start living into the charge to go and do likewise.

God, shape us again by this powerful and familiar story. Help us love all and see your image in them. Send folks to help us and send us to help others. Teach us again and again to “Go and do likewise.” Amen.

e-vo for week of June 30

2010-07-01T08:16:00.000-07:00

Dearest e-votees-

Saturday (July 3) is the appointed day to commemorate the disciple Thomas. For those of you who will be in church on Saturday and who are following the appointed lectionary lessons for that day you will hear John 14:1-7 read.

For those of us who won’t be in church on that day I thought we might linger with that text as well in our devotional focus this week.

I will be out of the office on a service-mission trip with a group going to Blackfeet Indian Reservation in Montana this coming week. I will send out next week’s e-vo in advance later today as well. Please keep our trip in your prayers.

Have a blessed celebration of Independence Day. May we all remember how Christ has called us to use those freedoms and liberties.

Peace,
Karl

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“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me. 2 In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also. 4 And you know the way to the place where I am going.” 5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you know me, you will know my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”

John 14:1-7, NRSV

Thomas doesn’t get a whole lot of lines in the gospels. The few that are most remembered are poorly categorized and over-emphasized. He gets labels such as “doubter”. Doubting and skepticism and asking the hard questions are underrated. Thomas is the example of a faithful one who asks real and important questions. When I think of Thomas my mind is drawn to essays such as Fighting Over the New Testament by Gordon Atkinson (aka RealLivePreacher). I am glad to count Thomas among one of our brothers in the faith.

Thomas’ other quote that seems to get lost as people chide him for being a doubter is John 11:16: Thomas, who was called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.” Those sound like pretty faithful and courageous words to me. How about to you?

I taught for 7 years in public high school. I have spent some time in the little desks in the classroom too. I appreciate people who ask aloud the questions that everyone are asking in their heads. Thomas strikes me as such a student in our text today. Jesus is talking about going and coming again. Thomas doesn’t get where he is going. There are many times in the gospel of John where Jesus talks about going and people not knowing the way. Thomas asks the questions many of us would ask—where are you going Jesus? How can we get where you are going? How can we know the right way? How can we avoid the wrong way? How can we know we’ll be together? How can we follow after you better?

Jesus responds that it comes in terms of relationships. If we know Jesus we will know the Father. Jesus tends to our relationship with God the Father. Jesus enables, creates and sustains our relationship with God the Father. Baptism and communion are essential to that relationship. Studying scripture is too. In John Jesus pierces locked walls and stony hearts to greet the disciples with a “Peace be with you.” When Thomas wants sure proof that Jesus has really risen from the dead (seems reasonable to me) Jesus offers that to him. When Thomas and the others are out fishing Jesus comes and meets them and feeds them breakfast on the beach (loaves and fishes, interesting) and offers restoration. Jesus offers assurance and all manner of sustenance to Thomas. Jesus offers it to us as well.

Thomas is a faithful follower who asks questions, needs assurance and displays courage and perseverance. How blessed we would all be if we could be more like this Thomas.

God, we thank you for the life and testimony of Thomas. Help us to know well that Jesus is indeed the way and the truth and the life. Calm our troubled hearts and continue to show us the way. Amen.

e-vo for week of June 23

2010-06-23T08:46:00.000-07:00

Dearest e-votees-

Since I jumped the gun and did last week’s installment on the assigned gospel text for this Sunday we will use the assigned epistle text for this week’s reflection.

Peace,
Karl

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

13 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. 14 For the whole law is summed up in a single commandment, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 If, however, you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another.

16 Live by the Spirit, I say, and do not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 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. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not subject to the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are obvious: fornication, impurity, licentiousness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, anger, quarrels, dissensions, factions, 21 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.

22 By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also be guided by the Spirit.

Galatians 5:1, 13-25, NRSV

If you are like me you open up your Bible and see what verses the lectionary has skipped across. Galatians 5:2-12 deals with circumcision, law, gospel, grace and freedom. Paul suggests a more drastic circumcision for those who are stirring up trouble—perhaps that is why the text ended up on the lectionary cutting room floor.

We live in a remarkable tension. We are freed by Christ’s life, death, ministry and resurrection. The law’s grip on our lives has been loosened. We are saved not by what we do or don’t do but by Christ’s all sufficient work. Grace saves us—not our tending to the requirements of the law. We are free.

We are bound up by the obligation to serve others. Jesus calls us to pick up our cross and follow after him. Jesus washes feet and invites us to do likewise. We cannot add a thing to our salvation. But in loving response to what God has done we are invited into the service of others on behalf of God. We are bound to service.

Martin Luther captures it this way:

+ A Christian is a perfectly free lord of all, subject to none.

+ A Christian is a perfectly dutiful servant of all, subject of all, subject to all.

Freedom of a Christian (1520)

Our self-indulgent world leans hard on encouraging things of the list in verses 19-21. We are told to take what is ours. Shows play to our insecurities and our baser instincts. Freedom looks like bickering contestants. Freedom looks like Girls Gone Wild. Freedom looks like self-serving, small-minded living. Freedom looks like “shooting down the ones who did what we wish we’d dared” (lyric from Stand Up [2:12] by Superchick). Freedom looks like unbridled corporate greed at the expense of the future and the environment. Freedom looks like a world that bites and devours and backstabs one another. Freedom looks like the American dream run amok.

We Christians are truly free. But (to paraphrase Uncle Ben in the Spiderman movie) with great freedom comes great responsibility.

We are called to use our freedom to be shaped into people who reflect verses 22-26. Since we know who are and whose we are we can enter into service more fully. When we take the calling from God that is ours it looks like something else. Freedom looks like not worrying who gets the credit. Freedom looks like lifting up the gifts and abilities of others. Freedom looks like a cross. Freedom looks like a washbasin and towel. Freedom looks like two players carrying a fallen competitor around the bases and ending their season for a higher good (see story and picture). Freedom looks like things that at times fly in the face of prudence as generosity and love and forgiveness and grace win the day. Freedom looks peaceful and kind and gracious and bold and joyful.

God, shape us by your indwelling Holy Spirit to be people who use our freedom well. Help us never forget the high price that was paid to set us free. Help us never stop serving and laboring until all know this freedom. Amen.

mea culpa

2010-06-19T12:49:00.000-07:00

Oops, I used the lectionary readings for next week for this week.

Sorry about any confusion that might have caused.

Blessings on your worship this week.

Peace,
Karl