e-vo for week of September 24

Dearest e-votees-

People never seem to quite catch on in scripture that engaging Jesus with attempts to entrap him never end well for the engagers.

I know we would never say this so directly but I wonder how often our subconscious says things "Who gave you authority over me?"

Peace,
Karl

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23 Jesus entered the temple courts, and, while he was teaching, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him. “By what authority are you doing these things?” they asked. “And who gave you this authority?”

24 Jesus replied, “I will also ask you one question. If you answer me, I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things. 25 John’s baptism—where did it come from? Was it from heaven, or of human origin?”

They discussed it among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will ask, ‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’ 26 But if we say, ‘Of human origin’—we are afraid of the people, for they all hold that John was a prophet.”

27 So they answered Jesus, “We don’t know.”

Then he said, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.”

28 “What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’

29 “‘I will not,’ he answered, but later he changed his mind and went.

30 “Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, ‘I will, sir,’ but he did not go.

31 “Which of the two did what his father wanted?”

“The first,” they answered.

Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. 32 For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him.

Matthew 21:23-32, NRSV
The deal seems to be that when we set ourselves in a place to judge God or to judge others we set ourselves up for failure. We are ill-equipped to judge God (duh!). We are also ill-equipped to judge our sisters and brothers made in God's likeness. We are even, perhaps most particularly, ill-equipped to judge ourselves. We are biased beyond our awareness and therefore beyond our ability to fix ourselves. We neglect the log in our own eye as we seek to judge the speck in another's eye. We are quick to allow mitigating circumstances to account for our misdeeds and thunder down judgment on others. Woe are us.

When asked by Jesus the elders and chief priests couldn't even give a straight answer to Jesus. They colluded to refuse to grant even an inch to Jesus' authority. They chose to be mute rather than perhaps yield a bit of ground.

Jesus called out their unwillingness to yield. Then he tells the story of two brothers. Both answered without being entirely truthful. One, however, compounded his flawed answer with an unwillingness to repent. All of us are sinners. All of us live in a way that is less than fully truthful. Jesus calls us to repent. Jesus calls us to change our ways. Jesus invites all in. Some seem more willing or able to accept the invitation than others.


God, help us to know ourselves as we really are and to accept your invitation to repentance. Amen.

e-vo for week of September 17

Dearest e-votees-

Our gospel lesson for this Sunday is one that really riles up our old Adam or our old Eve. "That's not fair! That's not right!" are the protestations.

To adapt C.S. Lewis' "The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe": "Fair?" said Mr. Beaver "Who said anything about fair? 'Course he isn't fair. But he's good. He's the king I tell you."

Peace,
Karl

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[Jesus speaking:] 1 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. 2 After agreeing with the laborers for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his vineyard. 3 When he went out about nine o’clock, he saw others standing idle in the marketplace; 4 and he said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.’ So they went. 5 When he went out again about noon and about three o’clock, he did the same. 6 And about five o’clock he went out and found others standing around; and he said to them, ‘Why are you standing here idle all day?’ 7 They said to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard.’ 8 When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, ‘Call the laborers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and then going to the first.’ 9 When those hired about five o’clock came, each of them received the usual daily wage. 10 Now when the first came, they thought they would receive more; but each of them also received the usual daily wage. 11 And when they received it, they grumbled against the landowner, 12 saying, ‘These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.’ 13 But he replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? 14 Take what belongs to you and go; I choose to give to this last the same as I give to you. 15 Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?’ 16 So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”

Matthew 20:1-16, NRSV
Do you ever try to imagine this parable imported into modern times? I do.

A man has a major project on a tight timeline. He swings by Dunkin Donuts at daybreak for a coffee in his beat-up truck, gets a coffee, wipes the exhaustion out of his eyes and swings by Home Depot where the day laborers gather and picks up a load of folks willing to work for $100 for the day. He takes them to the work site and sets them to work. At 9:00 there is room for many more workers to he returns to Home Depot for another load of workers, another cup of coffee and makes the same pay arrangements. Midday the project is nowhere near completion so he swings back to Home Depot for another load with the same agreement. At 3:00 and 5:00 he makes two more runs. Come 6:00 it is quitting time. The man has his son-in-law and manager settle up. They line up the workers in order of when they started--5:00 p.m. back to 6:00 a.m. Each and every one of them is paid with a crisp, tax-free, off-the-books $100 bill. Grousing ensues.

On day two there are no laborers to be found until 5:00 p.m. The business collapses because an unsustainable employee compensation model but what a glorious lesson in grace for those with ears to hear and hearts to learn.

This story clearly isn't about good business practices. It is about how God gives us not what we deserve (what would be fair) but rather what reflects the gracious character of God (what would be grace). Think of the others stories in scripture that touch on these same themes: the grousing older brother while the wandering son has returned to be feted with fatted calf, robe and ring; the unforgiving slave who was pardoned of an unpayable debt only to throttle his colleague who was into him a few bills; the lavish response of one who knows how much she has truly been forgiven in the form of a footwashing and anointing. If we are able to realize how hungry, how unclean and how unworthy we are to receive a welcome into the banquet (and yet still think we are going) than how could we ever begrudge another who is no more unworthy than us?

The truth is that if we got what were fair we would not be safe. The hubris with which we demand our fair share is symptomatic of our illness. We are so full of ourselves and so empty of compassion to others. We need to look to the one who emptied himself on the cross and was full of compassion for others even for the ones who put him up on the cross. May we never look on the payment Christ made on our behalf with disdain and may we never regard our sisters and brothers with disdain as if they were no more or less in need of grace than we ourselves.


God, thank you for your grace. May we grow in our ability to share your grace with anyone and everyone we encounter. Amen.

e-vo for week of September 10

Dearest e-votees-

This Sunday there are two sets of assigned readings for worship. One is for the 14th Sunday after Pentecost and the other is for Holy Cross Day.

For our devotional reflection we will use the epistle reading for Holy Cross Day.

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.

1 Corinthians 1:18-24, NRSV
Paul seems to freely point out where others have their hangups with the cross.

For Jews:
a stumbling block

For Gentiles:
foolishness

For those of us who have been saved (our redeemed selves, our new Adam or our new Eve):
the power of God

What is the cross for that part of us that resists God's work and God's salvation? (our sinful selves, our old Adam or our old Eve):
???

What about the cross scares us? What about the cross puts us off? What about the cross causes us to look down on it rather than look down from it? Jesus clearly calls us to take up our crosses and follow after him. Why do we resist? What do we value more about this world and our old life rather than the our renewed life in this world that God is renewing? If Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God than we would do well to put on the ways of Christ (isn't that what being a Christian means in some fashion?). When we lean into the foolishness of the cross and allow the stumbling block to knock us off of our cocksure ways we find freedom and salvation.

We don't have to figure it out. We don't need to walk without a misstep. We have been saved. Period. Done deal. When Jesus said "It is finished" on the cross he meant just that. The cross makes us holy. Thanks be to God.


God, shape our faiths by the shape of your saving work for us--a cross. Amen.

e-vo for week of September 3

Dearest e-votees-

The translation of the source material for our gospel text renders the word "brother" as "member" in the NRSV (undoubtedly to be more gender inclusive). This didn't sit well with our text study group.

Jesus is speaking of sin intruding in a close relationship and offering a framework to engage that sin. We would do well to listen to it. We are in need of the loosing and binding that this practice offers.

Peace,
Karl

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[Jesus speaking] 15 “If another member of the church sins against you, go and point out the fault when the two of you are alone. If the member listens to you, you have regained that one. 16 But if you are not listened to, take one or two others along with you, so that every word may be confirmed by the evidence of two or three witnesses. 17 If the member refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if the offender refuses to listen even to the church, let such a one be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. 18 Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. 19 Again, truly I tell you, if two of you agree on earth about anything you ask, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.”

Matthew 18:15-20, NRSV
When, not if, sin happens there is need for attention and reconciliation. At times we are the one perpetrating the sin. At times we the one on the receiving end of the sin. Most times we are both (simul peccator et peccatoree?). When there has been a breach what are we to do? Jesus has some keen insight for us.

We should engage honestly and with discreetly with the other party. Our hope is to hear and to listen. If that can be accomplished the breach can be patched and the relationship regained. Thanks be to God.

If that fails then it is time to bring in another party. A group of two to three who serve as a neutral third party, preferably, to listen and reflect from both sides. Two to three, I don't think coincidentally, were what was required in a legal proceeding to establish an accusation. If hearing and reconciliation can happen then the breach is patched and the relationship is regained. Thanks be to God.

The next step is to take the concern to the entire community. All are able to hear and participate with the hope of dealing with the sin in question and bringing about reconciliation. If that can be worked thanks be to God.

The seeming last step is to cast out the unrepentant one(s) as a Gentile or tax collector--an unholy outsider or a treacherous sellout. These folks were about as low as people got on the social scale. They were the unclean, the unwelcome and those outside God's promises.

But then we need to recall how Jesus spent his energies and his social engagements. Jesus seemed to befriend Gentiles and tax collectors. Jesus found a place among the unclean and the unwelcome and those outside of God's promises. Jesus immersed himself in the broken places of this world that healing might come to pass. Jesus placed himself among lepers and unclean and uncircumcised in order that they too might know restoration with God. Jesus pushed through every boundary that seemed to separate fallen, sinful humanity in order that all might be lifted up and restored and made new.

Jesus taught that, as much as it was up to us, we ought to be seeking reconciliation with those in the world and those in but not of the world. That is the point of this gospel teaching. We are to be about loosing and binding so that people might be set free and restored. Jesus lived this to his dying breath. When we gather in twos and threes and Bible studies and social gatherings and congregations and however else how could we strive to do any less?!?


God, send us to bind and loose all that we can from the grip of our broken relationships. We do this in the name of and for the glory of Jesus. Amen.

e-vo for week of August 27

Dearest e-votees-

Our imaginations and our motivations are fundamentally different than those of God.

When we try to force God into boxes of our own making things go very badly. God will not be constrained by us. In our better moments we would never think to try to do so.

Peace,
Karl

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21 From that time on, Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and undergo great suffering at the hands of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. 22 And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “God forbid it, Lord! This must never happen to you.” 23 But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; for you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.”

24 Then Jesus told his disciples, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 25 For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it. 26 For what will it profit them if they gain the whole world but forfeit their life? Or what will they give in return for their life?

27 “For the Son of Man is to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay everyone for what has been done. 28 Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”

Matthew 16:21-28, NRSV
We dwell in a world that flies in the face of Jesus' call to deny ourselves and take up our crosses and follow after him.

Rather than the loosing and binding that Jesus empowered the church to do in last week's text we flip it all around.

We seek to bind Jesus. Or if not to bind him and least to constrain him and shape him to our way of thinking. Rather than let Jesus lead and have us follow faithfully we seek to get him to follow our lead. Peter was earnest and caring but couldn't have been more mistaken in trying to sway Jesus from his path towards the cross. Do you suppose in our own ways we, too, try to tame Jesus and his radical call to discipleship? And if so do you think his response to us would be any less stinging than "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; for you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things."

We seek to loose ourselves. Or if not completely loose ourselves to at least to take great liberty with the freedoms we have in Christ. We buy into the lies that somehow our worth is determined by the quantity and quality of our possessions. We trust Madison Avenue when they say that "If you just buy this next thing you will find satisfaction and fulfillment." And then when we bite they say it again. And again. And again. The disastrous housing market collapse was in part driven by our insatiable drive to upgrade and upsize even when we our covetousness is unsustainable. We seek to gain the whole world (or at least a remarkably disproportionate share of it). And in the process our life dribbles away and we end up with an armful of death.

The bottom line is that when we see Jesus we see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom. It is not fully realized yet but it is coming. It is better than any shiny bauble the world will ever dangle before us. It takes us to the cross and to the empty tomb. It is how Jesus chose to show God's love to the world and it is an honor and privilege to be counted worthy to follow in his footsteps. The glory of the kingdom of God looks nothing like the "glory" of the world. Isn't that glorious?!?


God, bind us to you and loose us from Satan's unholy grip. Amen.

e-vo for week of August 20

Dearest e-votees-

As we make our way through this world we will hear all sorts of theories and assertions about who Jesus (aka "the Son of Man") is. What are some of the answers you have heard?

How might you answer if Jesus asked you "But who do you say that I am?"

Peace,
Karl

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13 Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 14 And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, but others Elijah, and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” 17 And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven. 18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” 20 Then he sternly ordered the disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.

Matthew 16:13-20, NRSV
Jesus is one of those people that many offer a detached admiration.

He certainly has some noble characteristics: kind, good teacher, loving, passionate, ethical, authoritative, prophetic, etc., etc. Those who knew of him likened him to great prophets of the past. There was something about Jesus that was captivating or winsome or apparent that drew adoration. If there was side to choose you would certainly want to be on Jesus' side of the line.

Jesus had some more edgy characteristics as well: provocative, radical, fiery, challenging, fiercely determined, headed towards a confrontation with the powers that be. Those who knew him likened him to those who had butted heads with the powers that be in days past. There was something to Jesus that was unwilling to abide the broken status quo. If there was a way to avoid collateral damage from the conflicts Jesus was provoking many would opt to take the safe way.

The truth is that the world is bound up. Jesus came to proclaim release for the prisoner (the ill, the possessed, the condemned thief on the cross, the woman taken in adultery, the outcast, etc., etc.). Jesus came to let loose God's mercy on the world. As followers of Jesus we are to be about the business of loosing those who are bound up.

The truth is that there are things loose in the world that need constraint. Jesus came to help take captive those things that are bringing death, judgment, haughtiness, arrogance, self-righteousness, separation, etc., etc. and to put them to death once and for all. Jesus came to bind up what should never have been free to prey on those made in God's image. As followers of Jesus we are to be about the business of binding that which rampantly deals death and separation from God.

We need to be mindful that what we think the kingdom of God should look like is often very different than how God thinks it should look. If we're not careful we'll find ourselves with the likes of Peter rebuking the course laid out for Jesus' followers and receiving a stinging "Get behind me Satan!" We can't imagine what God has in store. It must be revealed by God.


God, show us your way. Loose what must be loosed, bind what must be bound. Help us follow you, Messiah. Amen.

e-vo for week of August 13

Dearest e-votees-

This week's gospel text are all about what goes in and out of mouths:

Foodstuffs of various sorts are not what defile a person according to Jesus (declaring all foods clean?!?)

The things that come out of our mouths (from our hearts): evil intentions, murder, adultery, fornication, theft, false witness, slander are what defile us.

The imagery of who gets to eat the bread and who doesn't (dogs or children) in regards to healing.

The brilliant response from the Canaanite woman's mouth that leads to her daughter's healing.

Peace,
Karl

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10 Then he called the crowd to him and said to them, “Listen and understand: 11 it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but it is what comes out of the mouth that defiles.” 12 Then the disciples approached and said to him, “Do you know that the Pharisees took offense when they heard what you said?” 13 He answered, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. 14 Let them alone; they are blind guides of the blind. And if one blind person guides another, both will fall into a pit.” 15 But Peter said to him, “Explain this parable to us.” 16 Then he said, “Are you also still without understanding? 17 Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth enters the stomach, and goes out into the sewer? 18 But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this is what defiles. 19 For out of the heart come evil intentions, murder, adultery, fornication, theft, false witness, slander. 20 These are what defile a person, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile.”

21 Jesus left that place and went away to the district of Tyre and Sidon. 22 Just then a Canaanite woman from that region came out and started shouting, “Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is tormented by a demon.” 23 But he did not answer her at all. And his disciples came and urged him, saying, “Send her away, for she keeps shouting after us.” 24 He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” 25 But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.” 26 He answered, “It is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.” 27 She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” 28 Then Jesus answered her, “Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.” And her daughter was healed instantly.

Matthew 15:10-28, NRSV
What attention do we put into what goes into our mouths? What attentions do we put into that which comes out of our mouths?

I know many who will put whatever they fancy in their mouths. They may be looking for a savory thrill. They may be looking to cope with a hurting place in their life. They may be looking for bread to get by to the next meal. They may be looking for the latest foodie innovation. Truth be told, I'm not very discerning about what I put into my mouth. Call me a glutton or call me lazy, just don't call me late to the buffet. I know that's not the best approach to life but it is how I do. There is much room for improvement.

I know many who will let whatever they fancy fly out of their mouths. They may be looking to provide a conversational thrill to their listeners (and perhaps willing to be unsavory to catch attention above all the noise). They may be looking to mask their inner hurts by being clever or loud and boisterous on the outside. Sometimes they are saying whatever they can to hustle up a next meal. Sometimes they are striving to say something in a way that is has never been articulated before. Truth be told I am, at times, even less discerning about what comes out of my mouth. Call me a blowhard or call me insensitive, just make sure I get my turn at the microphone. I know that's not always the best approach to life but it is how I do. There is room for much improvement.

The truth is we need to feed on Jesus--the bread of life. His words bring life and healing. We need to learn to be quiet and ponder these things in our hearts like Mary did. Jesus comes and makes us clean. What can we add to that except a grateful "Amen!" If our speaking is troublesome then perhaps we could learn to dwell more in the gracious silence. Perhaps as we take Jesus into our bodies the next time we have communion we can marvel at that which brings healing and cleansing and new starts. Jesus is the bread that truly leads to eternal life. Amen.


God, help us let you be Lord of our words and our mouths. Draw us to be people of praise and meditative gratitude. Amen.