Tag: name

Sackcloth and Ashes

Psalm 115; Ezra 9:5–15; John 16:16–24

Collective guilt has been on the top of many lists in the last year. Regardless of your political, philosophical, or religious perspective of the collective guilt issues, it does allow us to better understand the pressure that Ezra felt…somewhat.

Ezra was trying to make up for generations of sin against God. Granted, with the wages of slavery, it’s not as if the US doesn’t have its own weight to bear. Yet, it is not the same insofar as the US is not Israel (whether ancient or modern). There were expectations of ancient Israel that they chose not to follow. The Scriptures were clear. They forgot God and disregarded God so much that they followed false gods made of metal and/or wood.

Ezra knew that there really was no way to “make up” what had occurred. The order of Ezra’s actions should be noted. Ezra “ended” his penitential acts and THEN prayed to God, asking for forgiveness and acknowledging that it would only be by God’s will, grace, love, mercy, and grace that the Israelites could be forgiven.

While many reject the US guilt-debt, the guilt-debts are really quite small in comparison to all the guilt and shame we bear because of our personal, family, and corporate sin (this is not to belittle them). As an overly individualistic culture, we object to being held to account for something we think we have no responsibility for. Perhaps it is not the US collective guilt that will be the big turning point for the US and the church. Perhaps it will be the recognition that scripturally we do have corporate responsibilities, and it is our individualistic framework that has led us to ignore them.

This continues to be a cultural time of learning. We are learning about ourselves (both good and bad). We are learning about others (again, both good and bad). It’s not as if this is particularly different than how it should be. The exception is that the world is holding a mirror to the church, and the church doesn’t like what it sees. One might argue that the world is holding up a distorted mirror, except that much of the church sees the same distortion as the world.

This pain that we are feeling is one of death and birth. The old self must die. The new one must come alive.

Out of pain, despair, and being overwhelmed, many are understandably asking God, “what next?” It could be regarding finances. It could be about loving and serving your neighbor. It could be about what’s next for “the church”. It could be how to be more like Jesus.

Jesus told his disciples that they wouldn’t ask for anything from God when Jesus left. This is the true gift of the Holy Spirit. When we are fully in tune with God through the Holy Spirit (rather than wants, desires, and even needs), then we don’t need to ask for anything for we will already be in the midst of God’s will, plan, and action.

The most dangerous thing to both our individualistic notions and our corporate notions is when we pray to be in God’s will. When we ask that in Jesus’ name and mean it from the heart, we begin to surrender our will to God’s…and that truly is only the beginning.

※Reflection※

What is your perspective of collective guilt? What brings you to that?How are collective and personal guilt different? How are they the same?

※Prayer※

Lord, our initial turn to you included our repentance. We know that as fallible beings, repentance needs to be a constant companion. Guide us into perseverance and humility to be people who pursue your righteousness in the face of our unrighteousness. Amen.

2021-05-19
Up and Away

Psalm 47; Ephesians 1:15–23; Luke 24:44–53; Acts 1:1–11

If you’re of a certain age, you’ll probably know the source of, “Up! Up! And away!” (Superman). If you’re of another age or particular family/church origin, you’ll probably know the song, “I’ll Fly Away”. Then there is the airline advertising slogan, “Wanna’ get away?” If none of these strike a chord, then perhaps Prince Hamlet’s soliloquy from Shakespeare’s Hamlet that talks about escaping the “mortal coil”.

Regardless, there is a constant human desire to “escape” or “get away.” Sometimes it’s couched in heroic language (Superman). Sometimes it’s couched in resonative religious language (“I’ll Fly Away”). Sometimes it’s couched in depressing or dismal language (the soliloquy of Prince Hamlet).

Often, that desire to escape is the outpouring of emotions that seem to have no place to go when massive change comes. It might be only with a larger emotional event that we can move beyond our desire to fly away.

No matter what, the disciples knew that the tension between Jesus’ resurrection and whatever was coming next (as Jesus promised) would end, somehow. They were still living in that uncomfortable and awkward in-between. Then Jesus takes them out to the mountain…and up he went.

While Jesus’ Ascension is an important part of the story in the Scriptures, Jesus’ Ascension is also the sign that the disciples must go forward.“…why are you standing here, looking toward heaven?” In other words, Jesus is gone. Time to do your end of the mission.

Sometimes, even if the tension is uncomfortable, we rather stay with it, because moving forward means leaving something behind, and emotionally it may feel like death. We can see this in the seasons (at least in the less temperate climates). Fall has these bursts of beauty, but the tension is that the bursts are leading to endings.

Then winter comes and the land is not-so lively anymore. The question for us is do we want to remain in a spiritual winter? Whether the disciples were in a spiritual Fall or Winter is probably more for the poets to determine. Spring is coming, however. As Paul says, “I pray that the eyes of your heart will have enough light to see what is the hope of God’s call…”I don’t know what spiritual season of life you are in. In fact, different aspects of your life may have different spiritual seasons, so you may not even be able to tell.

※Reflection※

What endings are you seeing that you need Paul’s prayer for your life?

※Prayer※

Lord, many of us feel completely out of sorts, and we can’t figure out why. We try to name and analyze, but we will likely fail. Help us to stop looking back, and help us to look forward, and that our hearts will seek, see, and embrace the light that is you. Amen.

2021-05-13
Blessing of Blessings
Psalm 23; Genesis 30:25–43; Acts 3:17–26

“You’ve been such a blessing in my life!”

Hopefully, you have said that to at least one person in your life. Even more so, would be for someone to say that to you. In both cases…and mean it.

Laban and Jacob were the perfect foils for one another. Both seemed to have issues with straightforwardness (Jacob has been nicknamed the usurper and trickster, with some justification). It’s hard to believe that the first issue pops up more than 7 years into their relationship when Laban deceives Jacob into marrying Leah instead of Rachel. If personality issues such as this only show up every seven years, then that’s not too bad (though, really, over marriage?). It seems unlikely.

Through a parable, Jesus said that a person who could be trusted with a small task could be trusted with a larger one. There are people who can be trusted with big things but need a lot of people around them to keep from failing with all the little things. There was just something (okay, a lot of things) wrong in this family.

Throughout this, Laban seemed to care little for his daughters, other than how to tie Jacob to him. It is not unreasonable that if it hadn’t have been Jacob, Laban would have tried to hoodwink someone else. The only time Laban appeared to care for his daughters was when Jacob left (Genesis 31), but as Jacob may have been the sharer of the story, he may have left out the positive sides of Laban. Maybe.

The reason Laban’s care (or lack thereof) for his daughters is important is that this was his justification to chase after Jacob when he left after the events of today’s passage in Genesis. However, If we look at Laban’s words, was Laban really worried about his daughters, or was he concerned about the lost blessing.

That Laban felt this so powerfully indicates that the blessing was huge, and Laban knew it. It would just like someone who bought Apple stock during its first IPO ($22) and then threw it in the shredder (valued at more than $15,000) today. Laban wanted to seize the blessing, and it makes sense.

Except the purpose of true blessing isn’t to be seized or owned by one person. True blessing is to be shared with others, so that they may be blessed.

When Peter talks about Abraham’s blessing there is a difference. The Jews didn’t really try to hold onto the blessing, per se, they merely thought that their bloodline along with the Law was the blessing. Some scholars point to Israel’s physical location in ancient times. Much of the commerce of that part of the world went through it. They had the opportunity to be a blessing to others by sharing God’s blessings.

One of the easiest ways to think of blessings and blessing is to think of water in a cup and in a pipe. A cup is a fixed point with a fixed volume. A pipe carries the water to others. A cup of water either evaporates or stagnates.

※Reflection※
- What does it mean to be a blessing?
- What qualifies something or someone as a blessing?
- Why do people seize blessings and not let go?
- Why might a blessing be greater when it is given away rather than held?
※Prayer※

With the blessings we have received we bless the Lord.
With the gifts in our hands we praise his name;
with our hearts and hands and voices we give thanks to the Lord,
calling on all his creation to bless and praise his holy name. Amen.
Clowes, David. 500 More Prayers for All Occasions. Colorado Springs, CO: David C Cook, 2015. Print.
2021-04-22
Go and (p)Reach
Psalm 4; Luke 24:36b-48; Acts 3:12-19; 1 John 3:1-7

The disciples are still struggling with the Resurrection. You’d think they’d have accustomed themselves to Jesus being alive, but they were obviously still struggling. As part of this last appearance, Jesus explained the Scriptures and His place in them. This is not the first time he did this after the Resurrection.

This time, though, it comes with a command, to preach the Resurrection and a change of heart and life for the forgiveness of sin. This mission doesn’t start immediately. It has to wait until the heavenly power comes (the Holy Spirit at Pentecost).

Waiting in Jerusalem, however, does not mean being inactive. Peter’s healing of the lame man (Acts 3:1-10) opened the door (so to speak) to begin the mission. Peter tells his listeners what it is all about, “But this is how God fulfilled what he foretold through all the prophets: that his Christ would suffer. Change your hearts and lives! Turn back to God so that your sins may be wiped away.” (Acts 3:18-19, CEB)Much later, John wrote that we have hope in Jesus as we (progressively) purify ourselves (so as to become more Christ-like). This reflects the changing of hearts that Jesus and Peter made known.

Jesus’ and Peter’s declarations could also be restated as it is in Matthew 28:19–20, “…go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey everything that I’ve commanded you…” [CEB]While the passage in Matthew could be interpreted as only applying to the disciples, the passage from Luke cannot be (without serious contortions). The changed heart is also consistent across the Scriptures.

We are all called to tell the world about Jesus, sin, redemption, and the place of changed hearts in all of that. In the current culture, we are having to learn how to do this well. Sadly, we are in the midst of getting rid of the baggage that we’ve been carrying, and that is painfully difficult. So much so, that most of us no longer have effective tools or methods to reach (and “preach to”) others.

In all likelihood, the Western Church will have to relearn how to live in a true and deep community. We have all become accustomed to the shallow community of the Western Church, not the Christian fellowship as described in the Scriptures.

This does not excuse any of us from looking for opportunities to talk about the grace of Jesus Christ and the change in our hearts. Perhaps, rather than excuse it, it should drive us more.

※Reflection※
- Are you doing anything that resembles telling the world about Jesus in the way Jesus talks about in Luke?
  - If you are, it going?
  - If you aren’t, why not?
- In regard to telling the world, is it your responsibility or someone else’?
※Prayer※

Almighty God, you gave your only Son to be for us both a sacrifice for sin and an example of godly living: Give us grace thankfully to receive his inestimable benefits, and daily to follow the blessed steps of his most holy life; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. [Third Sunday of Easter Collect, Book of Common Prayer 2019]
2021-04-18
Time to Move

Psalm 71:1–14; Isaiah 49:1–7; 1 Corinthians 1:18–31; John 12:20–36

There are times of waiting (“Are we there, yet?”). There are a lot of times of waiting (“How much longer?”). There are way too many times of waiting (“I’m bored.”). Then comes the time to move.

Jesus’ journey to the cross is almost over. Almost like a long drawn-out movie, we’re getting there. Then a seemingly innocuous catalyst shows up, and the acceleration is almost like whiplash. Enter the Greeks.

It’s not that Jesus hadn’t interacted with non-Jews. Quite the contrary. There was something special about these Greeks who sought Jesus. How were these Greeks were the catalyst? Gentiles sought Jesus by name. They sought Jesus through the disciples. Something was happening.

Some commentators conclude that these Greeks were “the first” to seek Jesus as Lord and Savior (as Messiah). While the Greeks were in God’s plan, perhaps it was not quite the time.

Now, though, Jesus is being public about his purpose. When the people talk about the Christ, they imply that they know Jesus is implying that he is the Christ. Jesus tacitly confirms it. That is not a small thing to devout Jews.

We see in the passage of John the miracle-demanding Jews that Paul comments on. The Greeks that Paul was talking about? Probably not the kind that asked to see Jesus. The Greeks and Jews that Paul was referring to were not Christians. In Paul’s eyes, those that followed Christ were Christians who were cultural Jews and Greeks, they were no longer Jews and Greeks. They had a new identity that overrode—and yet was intertwined with—the old.

However, we (the church) are no longer the church of 1 Corinthians 1:25–31. At least in the West, we are not particularly poor. Many of us are more educated than the most educated person of Jesus’ day. Most of us are no low-class or low-life. While there are redemptive works happening in and through the church, and people are being redeemed and restored, the Western church is a stone growing moss.

We are fools to the world not because of Christ, but because many of our decisions, behaviors, and actions were not put at the feet of Christ. We are fools to the world because of everything in us that is not of Christ.

It is time to clear the moss off the stone and off of our souls. It is time to move.

※Prayer※

O Lord our God, whose blessed Son gave his back to be whipped and did not hide his face from shame and spitting: Give us grace to accept joyfully the sufferings of the present time, confident of the glory that shall be revealed; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. [Holy Tuesday Collect, Book of Common Prayer 2019]

2021-03-30
Cursing Blessings
Numbers 21:4–9; Psalm 107:1–3, 17–22; Ephesians 2:1–10; John 3:14–21

One of the biggest dangers of constant blessings is that we often disdain them. We become so accustomed to them that we become blind to them. Even worse, we then grow to despise them.

The Israelites were in the middle of the desert. They were being sustained by the hand of God. Instead of looking at the blessing and the miracle that they were experiencing. they instead wanted to go back to slavery. The rejection of the blessing and the rejection of protection.

The interplay between the Israelites, Moses, and God is interesting. The consequence? Poisonous snakes. The response? We were wrong. The directive? Make a snake statue. The result? Get bit, look at the snake, and live. However, if the Israelites were really sorry, would the snakes have remained?

One could argue that the snakes were an ongoing consequence. However, as the snakes were a consequence of bad behavior, it also can be concluded that the Israelite really didn’t have a change of heart, but a desire to avoid the consequences. Yes, it is a stretch assumption from the Scriptures, but it certainly isn’t in regard to human behavior.

Paul’s notes such about how all of us followed the ways of destruction before coming to Jesus, and that all those who do not yet know Christ Jesus as Lord and Savior still have that tendancy (i.e., spirit). We all are better than we were (just being aware puts us in a slightly better position), but we all have struggles and issues that we are dealing with as we strive to be more like Jesus.

The biggest struggle though for Western Christians are the blessings that they despise. One of the biggest has been Christianity. This applies both with those who despised Christianity by doing ill in its name, and for those who took Christianity for granted and did not put the effort in to pass on the faith (or care to learn it). In addition, there has become the human arrogance of blessing where people begin to assume it’s God’s blessing on their ways, rather than God’s blessings so as to be shared with others.

The blessings then become cursed, which is certainly not what God wanted it to be for us. We became sucked into the world’s desire for more and more blessing. That pursuit of blessing becomes death-dealing.

The promise of life, and not just a worldly life, has always been part of the pull to follow God. Paul emphasizes that salvation and new life cannot be earned. Only God can grant it. Only God can gift it.

Worldly life, such as the the bronze serpant represented, still ends in death. It is the life found in the cross lifted up that is everlasting.

※Reflection※
- Can you, have you, counted your blessings?
- Have you ever taken any of your blessings for granted?
- Have you ever looked at a blessing and thought it was actually a curse?
※Prayer※

Lord, help us to remember your blessings and the life you have given us. Amen.
2021-03-14
Chosen
Psalm 107:1–3, 17–22; Genesis 9:8–17; Ephesians 1:3–6

I don’t remember elementary school sports very much. I do know that while I was never picked first, I was rarely picked last. I was neither particularly good nor bad at sports, hence being a middle pick. I did have preferences for whose team I wanted to be on, though. While I didn’t, therefore, have the angst of being picked last, I certainly didn’t want to be on just any team. I wanted to be on my choice of team.

In some ways, I think of both passages as God saying, “I choose you!”

God chose you, too!

In team sports, there is some sort of expectation of performance. Every year, professional teams hold a draft, competing with each other for the “next best” young player. Big-name colleges will scout and try to recruit high school players.

The difference between God’s selection and a draft is God isn’t looking at performance (we already blew it), God is looking at the heart. God calls everyone. However, just like a draft, one can refuse.

We often try to justify ourselves. Sometimes we try to justify our very existence. God just said, “I chose you. I love you. That is the justification of your existence.”

※Reflection※
- What does being chosen by God mean to you?
- Why is it hard to understand why a person would not want to be chosen by God?
- Is being chosen by God a gift, a sacrifice, both?
※Prayer※

Thank you, Lord, for choosing me. May I continue to strive to honor the gift. Amen.
2021-03-11
What’s In A Name?
Genesis 16:7–15; Mark 8:27–30

Relational abuse is not something we should tolerate. This is with the understanding that abuse is the regular, deliberate intent to harm or diminish another. It’s important to address this based on Hagar’s statement to the Lord’s messenger.

Based upon the Scriptures, Hagar presumed too much. As the first (Sarah being the other) person to conceive a child of Abraham, Hagar no longer viewed Sarah as deserving her respect. Culturally, this would be the “second wife” taking over the place of “the first” wife in the family. That would have been a move of significant dishonor. In a culture that highly values honor, it’s almost like killing Sarah (yes, that would be the significance of dishonoring). Sarah would not have taken that well.

Hagar, on the other hand, would have likely viewed her (Hagar’s) place as being of greater honor due to conception. From Hagar’s viewpoint (honor and respect being integral), anything that Sarah did that “kept” Hagar in “her place” as second wife (even though a servant) would be insulting and harsh. From her perspective, Hagar “earned” her new place as first wife.

We have a hard time understanding this, as our enculturation includes monogamy. It is critical when reading the Scriptures to understand where our culture (and thus understanding) doesn’t mesh with the culture(s) portrayed in the Scriptures.

From a cultural standpoint, Hagar had betrayed the family. The messenger made no such accusation. The messenger just said, go back. The messenger also gave a name to the son to be born…Ishmael (he hears). God heard Hagar and the son was named to bear witness to this truth.

Assigning names is not a small thing. Names are both a beginning and an end. Multiple times in the Scriptures, a person gains a new name after a significant (God) event. Thus, when Jesus asks his disciples (his friends) who do they say he is, Jesus is being vulnerable.

We look at this passage knowing that Jesus is the Messiah, but when we think about it, when Jesus puts this question before the disciples, he is opening himself up to many things. The names/identities that the disciples say others are saying would not have the full effect or import.

One of the things that any of the identities/names that the disciples had put forth would, in some respects, diminish Jesus’ ministry. All of them were those that came before Jesus, so Jesus would have been “just” a repeat. They even brought up John the Baptist! Talk about a misunderstanding of God!

Jesus’ vulnerability to being misnamed is significant on multiple fronts. It showed his effectiveness. The disciples (or at least Peter) correctly identified Jesus. This provides a greater perspective regarding what Jesus did before, and what he did after.

“You are the Christ,” is similar to getting a new name. Something happened. In at least one disciple’s eyes, Jesus wasn’t just a good religious man. Jesus went from prophetic friend to the hope for change and rescue. For Peter, it may have also been one of the hardest things. His friend became someone undeniably more than ordinary.

※Reflection※
- What does your name mean to you? What did your name mean to your parents (if you know)?
- What nicknames do you have for people you know? How about for people you don’t know (like that driver who encroached or cut you off)? What do these names mean?
※Prayer※

Lord, we have many names and titles in this world. Thank you for the one the surpasses them all, Child of God. Amen.
2021-02-27
Seeing Well
Psalm 50:1–6; 1 Kings 16:1–7; Luke 19:41–44

“If only I had known…”

We often will look back on our decisions as if we could have fixed them, or even with the assumption that we are wiser now than we were then. “Hindsight is 20/20,” is a pithy saying, but even our hindsight may only be slightly better than our foresight.

Baasha had hindsight. God’s word had come true about Jeroboam’s fall. Baasha, therefore, had foresight of what was expected. Baasha maintained the false worship set up by Jeroboam (and continued by his son, Nadab). This was after assassinating Nadab.

Jehu was sent to announce the consequences. Baasha had a chance and still went his own way, and his family died out as consequence. Baasha had foresight and hindsight…and still, he made the decision of false worship.

While the false worship of idols and such from Jeroboam to Baasha is certainly large and significant, the false worship that Jesus confronts is different. Jerusalem, from a Jewish perspective, was the City of God. It had a special place. One would think that the exile would have dealt with some of that, but it is quite likely that the Maccabean revolution restored much of that perspective.

Along with that was the inability of people to see God moving among them. We’re not just talking about Jesus, but the entire era. The Jewish world was unsettled, with and without Roman oversight. God was shaking things up.

Jesus’ words were aimed at two things. The first was the false idol of Jerusalem. It sounds almost blasphemous. However, transforming, “I will meet you there,” and “I will put my name there,” into only meeting God there is a problem.

The other issue is being unable to see the Kingdom of God when it is right next to you. The phrasing here in Luke is distinct as it is about peace. This contrasts with the imagery of Jerusalem falling in conquest. Seeing (and accepting) the Kingdom of God (peace) is the opposite of the world (conflict).

We often view these words in Luke as a kind of end times prophecy, especially as Jerusalem did indeed fall a few decades later. God, though, isn’t so concerned about a place (not that God isn’t), as God is concerned about the people. It may be that Jesus was looking for people to see the disruption of God’s Kingdom on earth when in the middle of the corrupt world.

※Reflection※
- What do you have the greatest hindsight regret for? What do you have the greatest hindsight appreciation for?
- How do you see God moving today in comparison to the story around Baasha, and in comparison, to Jesus going through Jerusalem?
※Prayer※

Lord, as you transform us, may we transform the world around us. Help us to look for your hand in the past and look for your grace in the future. Amen.
2021-02-13
Heart of God, Speak

Deuteronomy 18:15–20; Mark 1:21–28

Prophetic speech is not unique to the Judeo-Christian community, not by a long shot. In the current world, there are many forms of prophetic voice.

A short list (i.e., not exhaustive) of prophetic voices: environmental collapse; sustainability (related, but not the same as environmental collapse); gender identification; minority redress (including, but not limited to, white privilege); economic growth; and so much more.

From a Judeo-Christian standpoint (and certainly from a number of political points within the church), it might seem dangerous to call these “prophetic.” The Global Wesleyan Dictionary of Theology says that prophecy is, “…an urgent message from God to an audience.”

That being said, the only similar words with the same underlying (i.e., surpassing the human condition) meaning are revelation (firmly culturally tied to Christianity), apocalypse (mostly having turned into meaning the fall of the modern world), oracle (too new-age-y even for many new-age-ers), and vision (which has too many meanings to be useful).

The reason this is important is that for many of these “prophetic” voices they are sharing the urgent message from their “god”. In some of these cases, it should be understood that we are not talking about gods as if they were God. We are talking about a world understanding framework that for Judeo-Christians we would think God. This means that faith is as much a part of their prophetic voice as God is part of ours.

On the other hand, there are many prophetic voices in these areas that are believers in and followers of Jesus Christ. For them, there is a direct tie between God, their voice, and the issue. As with many important human issues, it’s quite a mess.

The great sage, Ben Parker, once said, “With great power, comes great responsibility.” Christians have been given a unique power, that of the Holy Spirit. In combination with the Word of God (the Bible), we have the ability to influence others, and thus must be very careful in using what we have. This is especially true when used with other believers.

What has become also very evident is that people are disregarding prophetic voices that don’t agree with their line of thinking. This is the most dangerous. When we disregard the prophetic voices solely because they do not align themselves with our brand of Christianity (including denomination, political-alignment, lifestyle choices, or national origin), we are in grave danger of repeating the patterns of the Israelites…casting out the voices into the darkness, while condemning ourselves.

※Reflection※

What prophetic voices have you been hearing? What makes them prophetic? What, if any, change in your life have they prompted?

※Prayer※

Holy Spirit, you are living and active in this world right now. Give us the heart, wisdom, and discernment to hear the prophetic promptings of your people called by your name. Amen.

2021-01-30