1 Therefore, since we have been declared righteous by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Also through Him, we have obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. 3 And not only that, but we also rejoice in our afflictions, because we know that affliction produces endurance, 4 endurance produces proven character, and proven character produces hope. 5 This hope does not disappoint, because God's love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. (Rom 5:1-5, HCS)
This coming Sunday is Trinity Sunday again—the Sunday that we recite the world’s longest creed (Athanasian), and the Sunday that DOCTRINE tends to triumph over expository preaching—which is to say that regardless of what the texts of the day actually SAY, it’s the preacher’s job to make them say something about the Trinity.
Well, as I’ve often said in the past, the very word “Trinity” is a word coined by man to reflect the innermost mystery of God. And by “innermost mystery,” of course I mean something that simply cannot be fully explained or understood. It can be CONFESSED as an article of faith; we can, should, and do confess with the Church that “we worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity; neither confounding the Persons, nor dividing the Substance.” But confession is not the same as comprehension. Thankfully, we as finite creatures are not called upon to comprehend the innermost mystery of God. In the words of the “other” great catechism from the Reformation era, “the chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy him forever,” (Westminster Shorter Catechism). Glorifying God begins with saying correct things about him, whether we fully comprehend those things or not.
Still, there has to be more to Trinity Sunday than just confessing the correct dogma about the Holy Trinity, otherwise we’d just gather…recite the Athanasian Creed…and then go home. (some might advocate for this anyway!). The proper lessons of the day vary with the three year lectionary, but the reading from Romans this year does a pretty nice job of giving us something to think about this Trinity Sunday. A working title for my sermon would be something like: “EXPERIENCING the Holy Trinity, past/present/future.” In other words, right out of the chute, we maintain that while it may not be possible to comprehend the Trinity, this is how we experience the Trinity:
PAST: Therefore, since we **have been** declared righteous by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. (v1).
One of the reasons I’ve chosen the HCS translation for this week’s text is because I like the way “justified” has been translated herein. The HCS goes with that wonderful Protestant rendering of having been “declared” righteous—as opposed to “made” righteous. Still, “dikaiwthentes” (the Greek aor pass part) deserves some unpacking. The term conjures up the image of the law court. To be justified is to be vindicated; to be declared to be ‘in the right.’ Strangely, this declaration exists independent of facts/realities to the contrary. I suppose in one sense, the grace of God **could be equated to Chicago politics, whereby legend has it that the guilty go free all the time! Yet, that’s not **really God’s system. In corrupt human institutions the guilty go free all the time because they’ve paid off the right person; or because they’ve got some dirt on the judge. In God’s system the guilty go free; the guilty are declared to be in the right; because JUSTICE has been done—but done, rather, in the name of love and voluntarily by God’s only Son, Jesus.
The result of this justice being done is that “shalom” (peace) exists with God. This peace is more than just an absence of hostilities (which means that to the extent that we experience hostility in life it’s not from God or God’s fault)—it also means a “wholeness”; a “right relationship” exists…providing, of course, that we respond in faith to the Gospel.
PRESENT: Also through Him (Jesus), we have obtained access by faith into this grace **in which we stand**, and we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.
When we think of the Holy Trinity, rather than a dry dusty DOGMA that got argued about in the mists of ages past, we should think of RELATIONSHIP. The way we experience the mystery of the Trinity in our OWN LIVES, on a DAILY BASIS, is through a living relationship. It is, in the words of this passage, the “grace in which we STAND.” Grace, in this sense, is like a room into which Jesus has ushered all those who believe. It is a PLACE characterized by the presence of God through Christ. This is a PRESENT life in real, yet mystical, relationship with Christ in his Church. We experience it when we partake of the sacramental life of the Church; we experience it in our prayers and in Bible reading.
FUTURE: And not only that, but we also rejoice in our afflictions, because we know that affliction produces endurance, 4 endurance produces proven character, and proven character produces hope. 5 This hope does not disappoint, because God's love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. (vss 3-5).
Paul sets a tension in these verses. On the one hand, there is the reality of affliction. Yet on the other hand, the presence/reality of affliction is not proof of God’s abandonment or for that matter of God’s neglect of ultimate promise/vindication. The presence of the Holy Spirit given to us is meant as both a guarantee that affliction can be used to produce a positive result, but also as continued source of HOPE—which will always lead to a discussion reminding us that hope/elpis in the biblical sense is a much stronger word than that which we typically use. Hope/elpis in the biblical sense is the CONFIDENT EXPECATION that God will follow through with all of his promises. In other words, that in spite of the present affliction, the story will end correctly. This too is by grace.
It is a grace that God the Father declared sinners to be “in the right” through the loving sacrifice of God the Son in the PAST. It is a grace that God the Son continually provides a place of loving relationship for us in the PRESENT. And it is a grace that God the Holy Spirit keeps our hope (our confident expectation) alive even in the face of affliction—that one day our declared vindication will be the ultimate reality.
THIS is how we EXPERIENCE the Holy Trinity!
Cheers,
TM
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Sunday May 23rd, thoughts going in...
What’s going on here?
This Sunday is a Major Festival of the Church, the Feast of Pentecost. It’s also Confirmation Sunday. Regardless, both themes are a celebration of the creative power of the Holy Spirit—a power that is always at work to create faith in Jesus as Lord and Savior. Many people today claim to be ‘spiritual,’ but true spirituality is more than just a personal trait; true spirituality responds to The Holy Spirit.
From Romans chapter 8, we read:
14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.
15 So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.” 16 For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children. 17 And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.
--Verse 14 in the NLT & most other modern translations uses the term “children” of God. The term in the Greek is “uioi,” which literally means “sons.” The modern translations want rightly to point out that there is gender inclusivity in the adoptive relationship we share with God. By grace through faith in the saving work of Christ, God adopts both men and women. As one commentator pointed out, however, the strength of the word son/uios is a bit watered down in the modern translations, when one takes into account that up to this point the only ‘uios’ of God that had been mentioned was Jesus himself—and now St. Paul is talking about many sons/uioi of God. His point concerns what used to be referred to colloquially as the ‘red-headed step kid.’ THERE AREN’T any in the family of God. To be ‘adopted’ into the family of God is to have the same SONSHIP STATUS as none other than Jesus himself.
--Verse 15 talks about a former status of being “fearful slaves,” or slaves to fear as other translations put it. You have not received “a spirit of slavery again into fear…” is a close literal translation. Regardless, what does it mean? This is a letter of Paul to people in Rome. The HBO series “Rome” does a pretty good job of pointing out what the status of slavery was like. I’m not exactly sure if this is where Paul is going or not, but one of the things that the tv show makes very clear is that the status of a slave is entirely dependant on the capricious will of his/her master. Even a beloved trusted family servant could be whipped for no reason—or if the master was in a bad mood. Service to the master was done largely out of fear of the consequences of not serving. In contrast, Paul is displaying God’s love for us as shown in adoption, which in turn engenders our reciprocal love for him.
--Vss 16-17 seem to be talking about what the church calls a “blessed end.” It’s all about ‘assurance;’ assurance that come what may—suffering, yes, if that’s where the Spirit leads, God will bring us with Christ into his glorious presence.
The Proper Hymn of the Day is Veni Creator Spiritus—the first line being loosely translated into English as “Come Holy Ghost Creator blest…” As all of the readings of the day indicate, when the Spirit comes he is the CREATIVE Spirit—and in this passage from Romans, specifically we find him creating faithful disciples of Jesus.
cheers,
TM
This Sunday is a Major Festival of the Church, the Feast of Pentecost. It’s also Confirmation Sunday. Regardless, both themes are a celebration of the creative power of the Holy Spirit—a power that is always at work to create faith in Jesus as Lord and Savior. Many people today claim to be ‘spiritual,’ but true spirituality is more than just a personal trait; true spirituality responds to The Holy Spirit.
From Romans chapter 8, we read:
14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.
15 So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.” 16 For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children. 17 And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.
--Verse 14 in the NLT & most other modern translations uses the term “children” of God. The term in the Greek is “uioi,” which literally means “sons.” The modern translations want rightly to point out that there is gender inclusivity in the adoptive relationship we share with God. By grace through faith in the saving work of Christ, God adopts both men and women. As one commentator pointed out, however, the strength of the word son/uios is a bit watered down in the modern translations, when one takes into account that up to this point the only ‘uios’ of God that had been mentioned was Jesus himself—and now St. Paul is talking about many sons/uioi of God. His point concerns what used to be referred to colloquially as the ‘red-headed step kid.’ THERE AREN’T any in the family of God. To be ‘adopted’ into the family of God is to have the same SONSHIP STATUS as none other than Jesus himself.
--Verse 15 talks about a former status of being “fearful slaves,” or slaves to fear as other translations put it. You have not received “a spirit of slavery again into fear…” is a close literal translation. Regardless, what does it mean? This is a letter of Paul to people in Rome. The HBO series “Rome” does a pretty good job of pointing out what the status of slavery was like. I’m not exactly sure if this is where Paul is going or not, but one of the things that the tv show makes very clear is that the status of a slave is entirely dependant on the capricious will of his/her master. Even a beloved trusted family servant could be whipped for no reason—or if the master was in a bad mood. Service to the master was done largely out of fear of the consequences of not serving. In contrast, Paul is displaying God’s love for us as shown in adoption, which in turn engenders our reciprocal love for him.
--Vss 16-17 seem to be talking about what the church calls a “blessed end.” It’s all about ‘assurance;’ assurance that come what may—suffering, yes, if that’s where the Spirit leads, God will bring us with Christ into his glorious presence.
The Proper Hymn of the Day is Veni Creator Spiritus—the first line being loosely translated into English as “Come Holy Ghost Creator blest…” As all of the readings of the day indicate, when the Spirit comes he is the CREATIVE Spirit—and in this passage from Romans, specifically we find him creating faithful disciples of Jesus.
cheers,
TM
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Sunday May 2nd, thoughts going in...
Why are we as a congregation here? A good Lutheran response to that question is that we're here to preach the Gospel in its purity and administer the Sacraments correctly. Yet, it's also true to say that there is nothing UNIQUE about that mission. Every Christian congregation, regardless of brand name, is tasked with the same thing. Within a 5 mile radius there may be a half dozen or more churches each, to the best of their ability, preaching the Gospel and administering the sacraments. Why does God need all of them if they're all called to do the same thing? In today's reading from Acts 11 we learn that God TASKS individual congregations with *particular missions beyond the big picture of Gospel and Sacraments. In that sense, it's as though God has opened multiple 'franchises' in a given area, each with specific talents and each with a particular duty to be HIS PRESENCE in that community. Every Christian congregation, from the 1st century Jerusalem Church of Acts 11 all the way down to our present day must constantly ask itself: are WE being faithful to our franchise?
It strikes me that this passage from Acts 11 where Peter reports his encounter with the Roman Centurion Cornelius, gives us a 'template,' as it were, concerning how we can approach the question of our SPECIFIC mission/mandate from God. In that sense, it almost preaches itself.
(TNIV) Acts 11:1 The apostles and the believers throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. 2 So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers criticized him 3 and said, "You went into the house of the uncircumcised and ate with them."
This is no SMALL matter that these believers are actually criticizing Peter. Peter is the prince of the Apostles & the recognized leader of the Church at this stage. Hence, there are some STRONG feelings involved. Makes sense, as Peter committed a major infraction against the Jewish way. I find it noteworthy that, on the other hand, Cornelius can be accepted at the synagogue as a "God-fearer," but that doesn't mean Jews can be in table fellowship with him at his own home.
4 Starting from the beginning, Peter told them the whole story: 5 "I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision. I saw something like a large sheet being let down from heaven by its four corners, and it came down to where I was. 6 I looked into it and saw four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, reptiles and birds. 7 Then I heard a voice telling me, 'Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.' 8 "I replied, 'Surely not, Lord! Nothing impure or unclean has ever entered my mouth.' 9 "The voice spoke from heaven a second time, 'Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.' 10 This happened three times, and then it was all pulled up to heaven again. 11 "Right then three men who had been sent to me from Caesarea stopped at the house where I was staying.
--RECOGNIZE! This is really the first step to answering the question of whether or not we're being faithful to our franchise. Have eyes to see when God has literally dropped something in our lap. Don’t be so curved inward that we don’t recognize a vision of possibility when it occurs.
12 The Spirit told me to have no hesitation about going with them. These six brothers also went with me, and we entered the man's house.
--REACT! Peter had no idea what he was getting in to, but he was at least willing to give it a try. I find it noteworthy that he also convinced 6 fellow believers to go with him. This seems like the sharing/testing stage.
13 He told us how he had seen an angel appear in his house and say, 'Send to Joppa for Simon who is called Peter. 14 He will bring you a message through which you and all your household will be saved.' 15 "As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit came on them as he had come on us at the beginning. 16 Then I remembered what the Lord had said: 'John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.'
--RESPOND! Once there, Peter did not chicken out; He assessed the situation and responded accordingly to their need. It's really a matter of simple faithfulness; being willing to get outside of the 4 walls that comprised his box.
17 So if God gave them the same gift he gave us who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to think that I could stand in God's way?" 18 When they heard this, they had no further objections and praised God, saying, "So then, even to Gentiles God has granted repentance that leads to life."
--REJOICE! Did they see this one coming? Evidently not, even though Jesus himself had issued the Great Commission. Evidently the “go into all the world” directive had, to this point, always been seen as a mission to diaspora Jews. In other words, the Jerusalem church had a brand new assignment dropped in their laps—mission to the Gentiles. They didn’t anticipate it, but they’re rejoicing in the outcome. People who've studied the book of Acts know that this new mission isn't without its complications. Ours might not be either. That's not the issue. The issue ....for EVERY Christian congregation of all time has always been one of faithfulness. The Lord asks: "Will you be faithful to the particular mission/franchise I've called you to?
Cheers,
TM
It strikes me that this passage from Acts 11 where Peter reports his encounter with the Roman Centurion Cornelius, gives us a 'template,' as it were, concerning how we can approach the question of our SPECIFIC mission/mandate from God. In that sense, it almost preaches itself.
(TNIV) Acts 11:1 The apostles and the believers throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. 2 So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers criticized him 3 and said, "You went into the house of the uncircumcised and ate with them."
This is no SMALL matter that these believers are actually criticizing Peter. Peter is the prince of the Apostles & the recognized leader of the Church at this stage. Hence, there are some STRONG feelings involved. Makes sense, as Peter committed a major infraction against the Jewish way. I find it noteworthy that, on the other hand, Cornelius can be accepted at the synagogue as a "God-fearer," but that doesn't mean Jews can be in table fellowship with him at his own home.
4 Starting from the beginning, Peter told them the whole story: 5 "I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision. I saw something like a large sheet being let down from heaven by its four corners, and it came down to where I was. 6 I looked into it and saw four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, reptiles and birds. 7 Then I heard a voice telling me, 'Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.' 8 "I replied, 'Surely not, Lord! Nothing impure or unclean has ever entered my mouth.' 9 "The voice spoke from heaven a second time, 'Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.' 10 This happened three times, and then it was all pulled up to heaven again. 11 "Right then three men who had been sent to me from Caesarea stopped at the house where I was staying.
--RECOGNIZE! This is really the first step to answering the question of whether or not we're being faithful to our franchise. Have eyes to see when God has literally dropped something in our lap. Don’t be so curved inward that we don’t recognize a vision of possibility when it occurs.
12 The Spirit told me to have no hesitation about going with them. These six brothers also went with me, and we entered the man's house.
--REACT! Peter had no idea what he was getting in to, but he was at least willing to give it a try. I find it noteworthy that he also convinced 6 fellow believers to go with him. This seems like the sharing/testing stage.
13 He told us how he had seen an angel appear in his house and say, 'Send to Joppa for Simon who is called Peter. 14 He will bring you a message through which you and all your household will be saved.' 15 "As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit came on them as he had come on us at the beginning. 16 Then I remembered what the Lord had said: 'John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.'
--RESPOND! Once there, Peter did not chicken out; He assessed the situation and responded accordingly to their need. It's really a matter of simple faithfulness; being willing to get outside of the 4 walls that comprised his box.
17 So if God gave them the same gift he gave us who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to think that I could stand in God's way?" 18 When they heard this, they had no further objections and praised God, saying, "So then, even to Gentiles God has granted repentance that leads to life."
--REJOICE! Did they see this one coming? Evidently not, even though Jesus himself had issued the Great Commission. Evidently the “go into all the world” directive had, to this point, always been seen as a mission to diaspora Jews. In other words, the Jerusalem church had a brand new assignment dropped in their laps—mission to the Gentiles. They didn’t anticipate it, but they’re rejoicing in the outcome. People who've studied the book of Acts know that this new mission isn't without its complications. Ours might not be either. That's not the issue. The issue ....for EVERY Christian congregation of all time has always been one of faithfulness. The Lord asks: "Will you be faithful to the particular mission/franchise I've called you to?
Cheers,
TM
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Sunday Apr 25th, thoughts going in
Easter 4
22 Then came the Festival of Dedication at Jerusalem. It was winter, 23 and Jesus was in the temple courts walking in Solomon's Colonnade. 24 The Jews who were there gathered around him, saying, "How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly." 25 Jesus answered, "I did tell you, but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father's name testify about me, 26 but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. 27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand. 30 I and the Father are one."
There are so many interesting details about this passage swirling around in my head. The first has to do with the TIMING/SETTING of the passage—the Festival of Dedication at the Temple. This is a festival celebrated by Jewish people to this day—known as Hanukkah. It is a celebration of the reclaiming of the Temple after it had been profaned by pagans in the days of Antiochus Epiphanes and Judas Maccabaeus (c. 167BC). There are many sentiments wrapped up in this festival, sentiments such as God hearing the cries of his people; God fighting on behalf of his people; God securing victory for his people against unfavorable odds; God restoring his presence among his people. How appropriate then, that it was during this festival that God IN THE FLESH, in Jesus, was walking among his people, listening to their cries; (eventually) fighting for them and securing victory on the cross; defeating an enemy of great power (Satan), etc. etc.
Vss 24-26: Of course in John’s gospel whenever we see the term “the Jews” we need to remember that 99% of everyone in the story is Jewish. Most English translations of the bible translate the “Ioudaioi” as “Jews,” when in reality a better translation would be “Judeans” (Jews from Judea as opposed to those from Galilee or other areas), or in certain contexts, “Jewish Leaders.” Regardless, a usual common denominator is that these are people of Jewish extraction that do NOT believe in Jesus (as the Messiah). Hence, “the Jews” can also be thought of as shorthand for “the unbelieving Jewish people,” as opposed to the Disciples who were “believing Jewish people.” “How long will you keep us in suspense,” might be better translated: “How long will you annoy us?” In other words, their patience was being tried. Jesus’ point in 25-26 is that he has already told them…in his actions. We in our culture should be able to relate to this concept as we have the saying: “Actions speak louder than words.”
Vss 26-27 form an interesting ‘circle.’ Non-sheep do not believe because…they’re not sheep. Sheep, on the other hand, DO believe—because they are sheep. It reminds me of the old commercial that debuted on superbowl Sunday “herding cats is hard work.” Of course it is; cats aren’t sheep, they’re not meant to be herded. This passage presents a tension for us. On one hand we are rightfully concerned that there are others in this world who do not believe the Gospel and follow Christ (some of our own friends and loved ones no doubt). Yet on the other hand, so long as a person is NOT a sheep, it would be silly to expect them to act like one—including to have belief.
The passage concludes with some of the greatest words ever spoken: . “27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand.” As sheep of the good shepherd, we:
LISTEN
BELONG
FOLLOW
ARE SECURE
Cheers,
TM
22 Then came the Festival of Dedication at Jerusalem. It was winter, 23 and Jesus was in the temple courts walking in Solomon's Colonnade. 24 The Jews who were there gathered around him, saying, "How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly." 25 Jesus answered, "I did tell you, but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father's name testify about me, 26 but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. 27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand. 30 I and the Father are one."
There are so many interesting details about this passage swirling around in my head. The first has to do with the TIMING/SETTING of the passage—the Festival of Dedication at the Temple. This is a festival celebrated by Jewish people to this day—known as Hanukkah. It is a celebration of the reclaiming of the Temple after it had been profaned by pagans in the days of Antiochus Epiphanes and Judas Maccabaeus (c. 167BC). There are many sentiments wrapped up in this festival, sentiments such as God hearing the cries of his people; God fighting on behalf of his people; God securing victory for his people against unfavorable odds; God restoring his presence among his people. How appropriate then, that it was during this festival that God IN THE FLESH, in Jesus, was walking among his people, listening to their cries; (eventually) fighting for them and securing victory on the cross; defeating an enemy of great power (Satan), etc. etc.
Vss 24-26: Of course in John’s gospel whenever we see the term “the Jews” we need to remember that 99% of everyone in the story is Jewish. Most English translations of the bible translate the “Ioudaioi” as “Jews,” when in reality a better translation would be “Judeans” (Jews from Judea as opposed to those from Galilee or other areas), or in certain contexts, “Jewish Leaders.” Regardless, a usual common denominator is that these are people of Jewish extraction that do NOT believe in Jesus (as the Messiah). Hence, “the Jews” can also be thought of as shorthand for “the unbelieving Jewish people,” as opposed to the Disciples who were “believing Jewish people.” “How long will you keep us in suspense,” might be better translated: “How long will you annoy us?” In other words, their patience was being tried. Jesus’ point in 25-26 is that he has already told them…in his actions. We in our culture should be able to relate to this concept as we have the saying: “Actions speak louder than words.”
Vss 26-27 form an interesting ‘circle.’ Non-sheep do not believe because…they’re not sheep. Sheep, on the other hand, DO believe—because they are sheep. It reminds me of the old commercial that debuted on superbowl Sunday “herding cats is hard work.” Of course it is; cats aren’t sheep, they’re not meant to be herded. This passage presents a tension for us. On one hand we are rightfully concerned that there are others in this world who do not believe the Gospel and follow Christ (some of our own friends and loved ones no doubt). Yet on the other hand, so long as a person is NOT a sheep, it would be silly to expect them to act like one—including to have belief.
The passage concludes with some of the greatest words ever spoken: . “27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand.” As sheep of the good shepherd, we:
LISTEN
BELONG
FOLLOW
ARE SECURE
Cheers,
TM
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Sunday Mar 21st, thoughts going in
Phil 3:4b-14
4 If others think they have reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5 circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; 6 as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for righteousness based on the law, faultless.
7 But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8 What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. 10 I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.
12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
This, the 2nd reading for Lent 5 just appears, essentially in a vacuum. We didn’t get a running start from the previous Sundays, and we won’t be continuing the thought in upcoming Sundays. So what are we to make of this text?
Putting two and two together, we know that Philippi was a largely Gentile settlement with not enough of a Jewish presence to warrant a synagogue (See Acts 16), yet it appears from the opening verses of Philippians chapter 3 that there is some kind of Judaizing-Christian “missionary” work afoot in Philippi. Here one must tread carefully because we know significantly less about these Jewish-Christians than we once thought. We also know significantly less about Paul’s very complex theology than we once thought. In his epistles, for instance, Paul often comes off sounding as though he has completely forsaken his own Jewish identity. Yet in the book of Acts when he’s in Jerusalem, he readily identifies himself as a Pharisee. What must be remembered is Paul’s “all things to all people” stance. His tone varies with his audience.
Vss 4-8a are quite fascinating to me. Here Paul essentially gives us his resume (note all of his Jewish “qualifications” are in the present tense), and this resume includes being a Pharisee. What’s more, AS A PHARISEE, Paul would already have had (a) a belief in the resurrection of the dead, and (b) an expectation that he—as one of the righteous ones working the system—would be a part of this resurrection. When it comes to be ON TRACK, Saul of Tarsus (as St. Paul had been known) had all of his ducks in a row. Recognizing this fact is, to me, of paramount importance if we’re going to understand the rest of the text. Look at it this way….if a prospective employer has met or exceeded everything on your wishlist and it looked like a good company to work for, why would you turn them down and keep looking? Odds are, you wouldn’t. You’d take the job. That’s what Paul’s saying. HE HAD IT ALL. But something happened to change that.
In vss 7-8 he says: “7 But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8 What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord...” I NOW CONSIDER LOSS. Why? Because of his encounter with Jesus the Messiah. Here it’s almost best to substitute the word Messiah for Christ, so as to avoid thinking of Christ as a synonym for Jesus. It’s difficult to say for sure, but as a Pharisee Paul likely had SOME Messianic expectations. If so, they probably followed the Messiah-hero ideal. But now, lo and behold, Paul has had an encounter with the true Messiah and turns out it is none other than Jesus of Nazareth—the one he now calls Lord/Kyrios.
To me, I see this whole section as being ‘balance-sheet’ oriented. Paul is telling his readers that he HAD been working the Pharisee system and had as high of an expectation on return as anyone could expect, but that once he encountered Jesus, he chucked ALL of those expectations for **CERTAINTY**. He went from HOPING that he had his righteousness working for him; he went from HOPING to have a part in the resurrection to **KNOWING**. And this KNOWING changed him forever.
cheers,
TM
4 If others think they have reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5 circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; 6 as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for righteousness based on the law, faultless.
7 But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8 What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. 10 I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.
12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
This, the 2nd reading for Lent 5 just appears, essentially in a vacuum. We didn’t get a running start from the previous Sundays, and we won’t be continuing the thought in upcoming Sundays. So what are we to make of this text?
Putting two and two together, we know that Philippi was a largely Gentile settlement with not enough of a Jewish presence to warrant a synagogue (See Acts 16), yet it appears from the opening verses of Philippians chapter 3 that there is some kind of Judaizing-Christian “missionary” work afoot in Philippi. Here one must tread carefully because we know significantly less about these Jewish-Christians than we once thought. We also know significantly less about Paul’s very complex theology than we once thought. In his epistles, for instance, Paul often comes off sounding as though he has completely forsaken his own Jewish identity. Yet in the book of Acts when he’s in Jerusalem, he readily identifies himself as a Pharisee. What must be remembered is Paul’s “all things to all people” stance. His tone varies with his audience.
Vss 4-8a are quite fascinating to me. Here Paul essentially gives us his resume (note all of his Jewish “qualifications” are in the present tense), and this resume includes being a Pharisee. What’s more, AS A PHARISEE, Paul would already have had (a) a belief in the resurrection of the dead, and (b) an expectation that he—as one of the righteous ones working the system—would be a part of this resurrection. When it comes to be ON TRACK, Saul of Tarsus (as St. Paul had been known) had all of his ducks in a row. Recognizing this fact is, to me, of paramount importance if we’re going to understand the rest of the text. Look at it this way….if a prospective employer has met or exceeded everything on your wishlist and it looked like a good company to work for, why would you turn them down and keep looking? Odds are, you wouldn’t. You’d take the job. That’s what Paul’s saying. HE HAD IT ALL. But something happened to change that.
In vss 7-8 he says: “7 But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8 What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord...” I NOW CONSIDER LOSS. Why? Because of his encounter with Jesus the Messiah. Here it’s almost best to substitute the word Messiah for Christ, so as to avoid thinking of Christ as a synonym for Jesus. It’s difficult to say for sure, but as a Pharisee Paul likely had SOME Messianic expectations. If so, they probably followed the Messiah-hero ideal. But now, lo and behold, Paul has had an encounter with the true Messiah and turns out it is none other than Jesus of Nazareth—the one he now calls Lord/Kyrios.
To me, I see this whole section as being ‘balance-sheet’ oriented. Paul is telling his readers that he HAD been working the Pharisee system and had as high of an expectation on return as anyone could expect, but that once he encountered Jesus, he chucked ALL of those expectations for **CERTAINTY**. He went from HOPING that he had his righteousness working for him; he went from HOPING to have a part in the resurrection to **KNOWING**. And this KNOWING changed him forever.
cheers,
TM
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Sunday Mar 14th, thoughts going in
The Parable of the Prodigal Son…
The text from Luke chapter 15 is long enough that I’ve opted not to include it here. Besides, it’s one of those stories that is actually quite well known. A brief summary would go as follows:
This parable occurs in a chapter of parables with the common theme of “lost & found.” In each case something of SOME value—a sheep, a coin, a son—had been “lost,” and then “re-found.” As the parables of the lost sheep & coin are relatively short, the parable of the lost/prodigal son significantly dominates the chapter, though when it comes to chapters per se one must remember that Luke’s original gospel did not have chapter headings, it was simply a long rambling story.
So, as I say, the story is fairly well known, and today’s commentators also seem to be mostly on the same page when it comes to the “gotch-yas” found within the story. Here are just a few:
--In this culture ***if*** a son (younger or older) had approached his father and demanded his share of the inheritance NOW, what he would’ve likely received was a beating for his insolence. He perhaps may even have been thrown out of the family house. This was a patriarchal society. That the father GRANTED this demand would’ve been seen as a sign of extreme weakness, and even instability by the locals and extended family. They would literally have thought the father had lost his mind.
--That the younger son ends up in a far off land among the Gentiles, eventually tending pigs when his fortunes are lost, would go down very well with Jesus’ hearers. This would be “getting his just deserts.” He has turned his back on his father, his homeland, and his [Jewish] heritage. At this point, the parable is proverbial. In vs 17 the son “comes to his senses” (NIV). This is *not the same as repentance, At least, Luke appears to be making a distinction. The word “metanoia” is never used. In the Greek the young man literally “comes to himself,” and then he spins the line he’ll say to his father: “I have sinned against heaven and against you.” In other words, just as the young man manipulated his father in the first part of the parable, it appears that he intends to manipulate him again.
--The image of the father *running to greet the son would just be over the top. At this point Jesus’ listeners would be wondering what planet he’s from. The dignified old patriarch in his long flowing robes would NEVER run unless he were being chased by an enemy or something. And *IF he had granted the wayward son an audience, it would merely have been to save some face by passing final judgment on him & throwing him back out on his ear.
--Last is the reaction of the older brother which at one level seems to be justified and even interested in preserving a sense of family honor etc., and yet he is not guiltless when it comes to dishonoring the father, as he displays anger toward his father and forces the father to beg for his attendance and reconciliation.
So much for some of the details about the parable. I accept as a given that the whole purpose of a parable is to teach us something about God that would not otherwise be suspected on our part—based either on our reading of the Old Testament, or our private hunches. Having said that, the God-figure of the father in this parable seems almost gracious to a FAULT. Where is judgment? Where is sovereignty? Where, for that matter, is true repentance? Also, are we supposed to identify ourselves as one of the sons, and if so, which one? The way Luke organizes his material, the story seemed to have been precipitated by the fact that Pharisees were grumbling that Jesus was welcoming of “tax collectors and sinners.” In other words, the religious professionals, the Pharisees *may have been the older brother figure, with society’s outsiders, the tax collectors and prostitutes etc. constituting the younger brother figure. But at the time Luke wrote this (post 70AD) he may also have had the division of developing rabbinic Judaism in mind for the older brother, with the mixed Jewish/Gentile Jesus movement as the younger brother. Regardless, we’re not in first century Palestine or 1st generation church setting, we’re here in 2010, so what does this parable mean for us today?
The bottom line is that it seems to illustrate that God is a lot more gracious than we generally give him credit for being.
TM
The text from Luke chapter 15 is long enough that I’ve opted not to include it here. Besides, it’s one of those stories that is actually quite well known. A brief summary would go as follows:
This parable occurs in a chapter of parables with the common theme of “lost & found.” In each case something of SOME value—a sheep, a coin, a son—had been “lost,” and then “re-found.” As the parables of the lost sheep & coin are relatively short, the parable of the lost/prodigal son significantly dominates the chapter, though when it comes to chapters per se one must remember that Luke’s original gospel did not have chapter headings, it was simply a long rambling story.
So, as I say, the story is fairly well known, and today’s commentators also seem to be mostly on the same page when it comes to the “gotch-yas” found within the story. Here are just a few:
--In this culture ***if*** a son (younger or older) had approached his father and demanded his share of the inheritance NOW, what he would’ve likely received was a beating for his insolence. He perhaps may even have been thrown out of the family house. This was a patriarchal society. That the father GRANTED this demand would’ve been seen as a sign of extreme weakness, and even instability by the locals and extended family. They would literally have thought the father had lost his mind.
--That the younger son ends up in a far off land among the Gentiles, eventually tending pigs when his fortunes are lost, would go down very well with Jesus’ hearers. This would be “getting his just deserts.” He has turned his back on his father, his homeland, and his [Jewish] heritage. At this point, the parable is proverbial. In vs 17 the son “comes to his senses” (NIV). This is *not the same as repentance, At least, Luke appears to be making a distinction. The word “metanoia” is never used. In the Greek the young man literally “comes to himself,” and then he spins the line he’ll say to his father: “I have sinned against heaven and against you.” In other words, just as the young man manipulated his father in the first part of the parable, it appears that he intends to manipulate him again.
--The image of the father *running to greet the son would just be over the top. At this point Jesus’ listeners would be wondering what planet he’s from. The dignified old patriarch in his long flowing robes would NEVER run unless he were being chased by an enemy or something. And *IF he had granted the wayward son an audience, it would merely have been to save some face by passing final judgment on him & throwing him back out on his ear.
--Last is the reaction of the older brother which at one level seems to be justified and even interested in preserving a sense of family honor etc., and yet he is not guiltless when it comes to dishonoring the father, as he displays anger toward his father and forces the father to beg for his attendance and reconciliation.
So much for some of the details about the parable. I accept as a given that the whole purpose of a parable is to teach us something about God that would not otherwise be suspected on our part—based either on our reading of the Old Testament, or our private hunches. Having said that, the God-figure of the father in this parable seems almost gracious to a FAULT. Where is judgment? Where is sovereignty? Where, for that matter, is true repentance? Also, are we supposed to identify ourselves as one of the sons, and if so, which one? The way Luke organizes his material, the story seemed to have been precipitated by the fact that Pharisees were grumbling that Jesus was welcoming of “tax collectors and sinners.” In other words, the religious professionals, the Pharisees *may have been the older brother figure, with society’s outsiders, the tax collectors and prostitutes etc. constituting the younger brother figure. But at the time Luke wrote this (post 70AD) he may also have had the division of developing rabbinic Judaism in mind for the older brother, with the mixed Jewish/Gentile Jesus movement as the younger brother. Regardless, we’re not in first century Palestine or 1st generation church setting, we’re here in 2010, so what does this parable mean for us today?
The bottom line is that it seems to illustrate that God is a lot more gracious than we generally give him credit for being.
TM
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Sunday Mar 7th, thoughts going in
Lent 3
Luke 13:1 About this time Jesus was informed that Pilate had murdered some people from Galilee as they were offering sacrifices at the Temple. 2 “Do you think those Galileans were worse sinners than all the other people from Galilee?” Jesus asked. “Is that why they suffered? 3 Not at all! And you will perish, too, unless you repent of your sins and turn to God. 4 And what about the eighteen people who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them? Were they the worst sinners in Jerusalem? 5 No, and I tell you again that unless you repent, you will perish, too.”6 Then Jesus told this story: “A man planted a fig tree in his garden and came again and again to see if there was any fruit on it, but he was always disappointed. 7 Finally, he said to his gardener, ‘I’ve waited three years, and there hasn’t been a single fig! Cut it down. It’s just taking up space in the garden.’
8 “The gardener answered, ‘Sir, give it one more chance. Leave it another year, and I’ll give it special attention and plenty of fertilizer. 9 If we get figs next year, fine. If not, then you can cut it down.’”
In our Lenten series “Roads of Life,” this week’s road is called the Road of Judgment. As I’ve read & re-read this passage, several thoughts come to mind, thoughts like: “It is appointed unto man once to die, and then comes judgment (Heb 9:27),” and “no one gets out of here alive.”
I remember as a seminarian sitting in homiletics class (preaching class) hearing about the “mirror of reality.” Lutheran pastors are formed to preach in terms of LAW and GOSPEL. Ideally, from a given text, the preacher is to point out God’s demands that we’ve failed to meet (LAW), and also present God’s free grace that’s been showered upon us for the sake of his Son Jesus (GOSPEL). The Law, especially in its use here, is supposed to function as a ‘mirror.’ It’s supposed to point out to the sinner our short-comings, the places where we’ve offended God, and God’s righteous indignation at this offense. It is supposed to drive us to our knees for the purpose of responding to the Gospel.
Homiletically speaking, such Law/Gospel emphasis is supposed to be detectable in nearly every type/form of Lutheran preaching—with one exception: the funeral sermon. As finite creatures fully cognizant of our own limited life span, there is no need for the “mirror of the Law” when the “mirror of reality”……the coffin containing the dead body of a friend or loved one….is up there staring us in the face. Even the youngest, most vibrant among us cannot escape the reality of death and our own finitude.
That’s what this passage is about. DEATH HAPPENS. And for those who haven’t died **YET**, this is no indication of an inherent “extra-righteousness” within. Vss 1-5 are composed of interesting contrasts: Galileans vs Judeans; those cut down by human treachery vs those who perished “needlessly” in an accident. The only thing they have in common is that each of those people woke up that morning expecting that they’d have more days on planet earth. But they didn’t. It is appointed unto man once to die, and then comes judgment. No one gets outa here alive.
Since the solution isn’t a matter of living longer if we so choose, the ONLY thing we CAN do is adopt a life of REPENTANCE….hence the parable of the fig tree. While the absence of fruit on the tree corresponds to an absence of repentance, it is noteworthy that the Christ figure/gardener stands as both the intercessor and the initiator, vs 8: “The gardener answered, ‘Sir, give it one more chance. Leave it another year, and I’ll give it special attention.” As the Scriptures tell us, “Today is [always] the day of salvation.” But the beautiful gospel news isn’t simply that God calls us to repent, it’s that Christ our intercessor initiates this second chance life of repentance FOR US. HOW? By intersecting his life with ours….which is always through Word and Sacrament. These are not empty externals, but powerful means by which Christ comes to us and makes a difference in our lives.
Cheers,
TM
Luke 13:1 About this time Jesus was informed that Pilate had murdered some people from Galilee as they were offering sacrifices at the Temple. 2 “Do you think those Galileans were worse sinners than all the other people from Galilee?” Jesus asked. “Is that why they suffered? 3 Not at all! And you will perish, too, unless you repent of your sins and turn to God. 4 And what about the eighteen people who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them? Were they the worst sinners in Jerusalem? 5 No, and I tell you again that unless you repent, you will perish, too.”6 Then Jesus told this story: “A man planted a fig tree in his garden and came again and again to see if there was any fruit on it, but he was always disappointed. 7 Finally, he said to his gardener, ‘I’ve waited three years, and there hasn’t been a single fig! Cut it down. It’s just taking up space in the garden.’
8 “The gardener answered, ‘Sir, give it one more chance. Leave it another year, and I’ll give it special attention and plenty of fertilizer. 9 If we get figs next year, fine. If not, then you can cut it down.’”
In our Lenten series “Roads of Life,” this week’s road is called the Road of Judgment. As I’ve read & re-read this passage, several thoughts come to mind, thoughts like: “It is appointed unto man once to die, and then comes judgment (Heb 9:27),” and “no one gets out of here alive.”
I remember as a seminarian sitting in homiletics class (preaching class) hearing about the “mirror of reality.” Lutheran pastors are formed to preach in terms of LAW and GOSPEL. Ideally, from a given text, the preacher is to point out God’s demands that we’ve failed to meet (LAW), and also present God’s free grace that’s been showered upon us for the sake of his Son Jesus (GOSPEL). The Law, especially in its use here, is supposed to function as a ‘mirror.’ It’s supposed to point out to the sinner our short-comings, the places where we’ve offended God, and God’s righteous indignation at this offense. It is supposed to drive us to our knees for the purpose of responding to the Gospel.
Homiletically speaking, such Law/Gospel emphasis is supposed to be detectable in nearly every type/form of Lutheran preaching—with one exception: the funeral sermon. As finite creatures fully cognizant of our own limited life span, there is no need for the “mirror of the Law” when the “mirror of reality”……the coffin containing the dead body of a friend or loved one….is up there staring us in the face. Even the youngest, most vibrant among us cannot escape the reality of death and our own finitude.
That’s what this passage is about. DEATH HAPPENS. And for those who haven’t died **YET**, this is no indication of an inherent “extra-righteousness” within. Vss 1-5 are composed of interesting contrasts: Galileans vs Judeans; those cut down by human treachery vs those who perished “needlessly” in an accident. The only thing they have in common is that each of those people woke up that morning expecting that they’d have more days on planet earth. But they didn’t. It is appointed unto man once to die, and then comes judgment. No one gets outa here alive.
Since the solution isn’t a matter of living longer if we so choose, the ONLY thing we CAN do is adopt a life of REPENTANCE….hence the parable of the fig tree. While the absence of fruit on the tree corresponds to an absence of repentance, it is noteworthy that the Christ figure/gardener stands as both the intercessor and the initiator, vs 8: “The gardener answered, ‘Sir, give it one more chance. Leave it another year, and I’ll give it special attention.” As the Scriptures tell us, “Today is [always] the day of salvation.” But the beautiful gospel news isn’t simply that God calls us to repent, it’s that Christ our intercessor initiates this second chance life of repentance FOR US. HOW? By intersecting his life with ours….which is always through Word and Sacrament. These are not empty externals, but powerful means by which Christ comes to us and makes a difference in our lives.
Cheers,
TM
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