September 30, 2012, 18th Sunday After Pentecost

Mark 9:38-50

 38 “Teacher,” said John, “we saw someone driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us.”
 39 “Do not stop him,” Jesus said. “For no one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, 40 for whoever is not against us is for us. 41 Truly I tell you, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to the Messiah will certainly not lose their reward.
42 “If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them if a large millstone were hung around their neck and they were thrown into the sea. 43 If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell, where the fire never goes out.  45 And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than to have two feet and be thrown into hell.   47 And if your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell, 48 where “‘the worms that eat them do not die,
and the fire is not quenched.’
49 Everyone will be salted with fire.
50 “Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again? Have salt among yourselves, and be at peace with each other."

"Whoever Is Not Against Us Is For Us”

First a seeming contradiction:  cf Mt. 12:30 “Anyone who is not for me is really against me; anyone who does not help me gather is really scattering.”

Look to the context in which both words are spoken.  Is Jesus not saying the same thing?

And what is Jesus saying?  - “No one can bottle God up and keep God contained.  God manifests himself in unexpected places and people;  God’s spirit blows where it will and we know not where it comes from or where it goes.”

Any effort on our part to try contain God is futile.  God is with those who know not God as well as those who claim to be for God.  In fact, they may well be some of God’s best servants!

This is part of the mystery and miracle of God’s spirit at work in our world.  We can be astonished by the irregularity of God.  It is not ours to judge others; it is ours to recognize the love of Jesus at work where ever it happens in whom ever it comes.

Our idolatry may well be our blindness to this truth.
For example,  a Christian leader of a large denomination saying: “God does not hear Jewish prayers, because they don’t pray in the name of Jesus.”

The one thing which becomes clear as we struggle with these words is that it is not ours to determine who is in and who is out.  It is ours to be open to the many ways in which something of Jesus is hidden “in, under, and with” the most surprising places and people.

Ours is not to exclude anyone from being a part of God’s Kingdom or even try to test who is a true believer.  Ours is to be open to God working in the strangest ways and the strangest people to do something of his thing - which is always something of love breaking out in our world of hate, pride and greed.

We are not to loose our saltiness - become complacent or indifferent; live our own wasted existence with no love at work in our lives. We are to affirm God’s love at work where ever, how ever, and in whom ever it appears.

Those who are against Jesus are those who would rather have it than share it, keep it than give it away, find it than lose it.  Who would rather be secure, comfortable, and safe, rather than in danger, want or risk.  And this is all of us who profess to love Jesus yet so easily forget that we have been blessed by grace so we can be a blessing.

When we lose sight of our call to discipleship, servant hood, and compassion, we loose the essence (the salt) of our life in Christ - which is worse then loosing a hand, foot or eye for then we are of little good to God no matter how religious we are.

September 23, 2012 17h Sunday After Pentecost

Mark 9:30-37

   30 They left that place and passed through Galilee. Jesus did not want anyone to know where they were, 31 because he was teaching his disciples. He said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise.” 32 But they did not understand what he meant and were afraid to ask him about it.
   33 They came to Capernaum. When he was in the house, he asked them, “What were you arguing about on the road?” 34 But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest. 35 Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.” 36 He took a little child whom he placed among them. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them, 37 “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.”
 “Be The Servant Of All”

It isn’t always easy to be a servant of God.  It wasn’t for Jeremiah, the disciples, nor those to whom James wrote.  It didn’t come naturally for them nor does it for us.  It is almost contrary to our basic nature - self-preservation; taking care of #1.

It is easier to condemn and judge than to serve.
We never know enough about God to pronounce judgment on another person.
Our task as servants is to work and pray for forgiveness, understanding, reconciliation, peace.  And to learn to appreciate differentness.

To be a servant is to place oneself last and not worry about what I am going to get out of it.
It is to be like Jesus who “did not regard equality with God something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant.”  (Phil. 2:6,7)

“Celebrity Or Servant”
 
“Two centuries ago when a great man appeared, people looked for God’s purpose in him; today we look for his press agent.”

“We can make a celebrity, but we can never make a hero.”

“We loose sight of the men and women who do not simply seem great because they are famous but who are famous because they are great.”

The hero was distinguished by his achievement; the celebrity by his image or trademark.
The hero created himself; the celebrity is created by the media.  The hero was a big man; the celebrity is a big name.”

“A celebrity is a person who is known for his well-knownness.  He is the human psedo-event.”
Quotes from Daniel Boorstien’ “IMAGE”, pp. 45-76
Chapter “From Hero to Celebrity: the Human Pseudo-Event”

We all have a desire hidden within us to be a celebrity.  We would like to do our thing in a big way.  Yet it is as a servant that we have been called, to do our thing in a small way, often unnoticed but by God, and maybe those who are on the receiving end of our serving.

We are called to be servants and to get lost in doing good, without keeping score.  


September 16, 2012 16th Sunday After Pentecost

Mark 8:27-38

 ^{27 Jesus and his disciples went on to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked them, “Who do people say I am?”28 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.”29 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”Peter answered, “You are the Messiah.”30 Jesus warned them not to tell anyone about him.}

^{31 He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again. 32 He spoke plainly about this, and Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.3 But when Jesus turned and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter. “Get behind me, Satan!” he said. “You do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”}

 ^{34 Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 35 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. 36 What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? 37 Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? 38 If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.”}

“What Do We Have In Mind?”  

Peter blew it as soon as he made it.  He didn’t have in mind the things of God.

His vision fell short of what God intended when he sent his Son to call us to live in His Kingdom.

What do we have in mind when we go to church?

To be comforted or disturbed?

sedated or shaken?

assured or challenged?

Are we open to what God wants for us or just what we want?

Church is no place to come if we don’t want to be changed - in our thinking, attitudes, believing, understanding, accepting, and our living so that we are more Christ like - more compassionate, forgiving, loving, and instep with the One we call Lord.

For the truth of the matter is, there is no crown without a cross; no faith without works; no having life without loosing life in something bigger than ourselves.  We are to die to self - take up the Cross - and let Christ live through us!  This is a great risk.  It is also a great blessing.

Jesus calls us to a life of servitude not self satisfaction; sacrifice not comfort.

Happiness comes as we serve and even sacrifice.

Life is not found in consumption; it is found in denying oneself, taking up the cross and following Jesus.

A good example: Mother Teresa

“...the man of heaven must suffer many things.”

Suffer.  This is the word Peter stumbled over and we do to.  Yet it is at the heart of life, of Christ’s mission in our world, and even at the heart of God’s love.  Remember Phil 1:6-8.

To be on the side of God in this world is to suffer.  To follow Jesus is to come to terms with suffering, to take it up, to enter into it, to not deny it.

Suffering is not OF God; it breaks God’s heart.   It is overcome by God so even it becomes a blessing.  Overcome by the power of love.

Power cannot eliminate suffering; love can and does!

William Sloane Coffin... “The one thing that should never be said when someone dies is, ‘It is the will of God.’  Never do we know enough to say that.  My own consolation lies in knowing that it was not the will of God that Alex die; that when the waves closed over the sinking car, God’s heart was the first of all our hearts to brake.”

“And, finally I know that when Alex beat me to the grave, the finish line was not Boston Harbor in the middle of the night.  If a lamp went out, it was because, for him at lest, the Dawn had come.  So I shall - so let us all - seek consolation in that love which never dies and find peace in the dazzling grace that always is.”

September 9 2012 15th Sunday After Pentecost

Mark 7:31-37

 31 Then Jesus left the vicinity of Tyre and went through Sidon, down to the Sea of Galilee and into the region of the Decapolis] 32 There some people brought to him a man who was deaf and could hardly talk, and they begged Jesus to place his hand on him.

   33 After he took him aside, away from the crowd, Jesus put his fingers into the man’s ears. Then he spit and touched the man’s tongue. 34 He looked up to heaven and with a deep sigh said to him, “Ephphatha!” (which means “Be opened!”). 35 At this, the man’s ears were opened, his tongue was loosened and he began to speak plainly.

   36 Jesus commanded them not to tell anyone. But the more he did so, the more they kept talking about it. 37 People were overwhelmed with amazement. “He has done everything well,” they said. “He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.”

“The Power To Open”  

Life is full of interesting and exciting possibilities.  We have to be motivated or inspired to seek them.  Our spiritual lives also need to be opened to all the possibilities God has in store for us.  

Faith opens our hearts and minds to the love of God at work for  and in us.

Faith in Jesus Christ opens our senses to the deep stimuli of life.  We see what we could never otherwise see; hear what we could never hear; speak what we never dared utter.

Jesus words of forgiveness and love open us up to all the possibilities of life.

Faith is giving God permission to have at us.

“Be Open”  

They couldn’t keep quiet about it; but they didn’t say all there was to say about it.

They missed the most important point - that these miracles, as with all miracles, means that salvation has come to our earth!  God has come to dwell with us in human from, in the man Jesus to heal ALL our infirmities, not just of the body but of the spirit as well!

There is a healing and a wholeness which is deeper then the physical.  He has come that all might be saved (be made whole from within) and come to the knowledge of the truth.

To be so saved is to be open to God’s love moving in our lives and through our lives into our world.  It  is to be able to smile, no matter what, and to be a beautiful, healing person for others.  Physical handicaps cannot keep a ‘whole person’ down.  They simply radiate joy and love, and bring healing into living.  This is Christ in us, the love of God making us whole!