Monthly Archives: January 2015

Beginnings

BeginningsEpiphany
Celebration of God
Manifested in the World
January 11, 2015

 Scripture Reading: Mark 1:4-11
[John] proclaimed, ‘The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals. I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.’

  In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. And a voice came from heaven, ‘You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.’ — Mark 1:7-11

 Baby dedications or christenings, baptisms, weddings, initiations, commissionings, ordinations all are rituals of beginnings. These are momentous occasions where something comes to fruition and starts something new. The baptism that John practiced acknowledged the end of slavery to sin and the beginning of living into forgiveness.

Now Jesus stands before John and asked for baptism. Why? He by all accounts is not in need of forgiveness. He had been dedicated appropriately at birth and made his trip to the temple at the age of 12, but we know little else about him until this moment as he asks to be baptized. In a very real sense, he is witnessing to his being fully human, fully capable of sin. In another sense he is setting an example for future followers of the need to turn around from their way of being and follow a new way, his way. But it also serves to mark the beginning of his ministry, transferring the mantle of leadership from John to Jesus.

I thank God for God’s plan of new beginnings because I have experienced them in my life sometimes by choice but other times due to situations beyond my control. I have mourned the loss of what was and feared the future of what was to be and I can attest that God can make all things new and clean and good.

Prayer: Thank you Lord for the richness of your renewal to wholeness. Keep me ever in the palm of your hand in all my future beginnings. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Being Washed Clean

John the BaptistEpiphany
Celebration of God
Manifested in the World
January 10, 2015

 Scripture Reading: Mark 1:4-11

John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.  — Mark 1:4

 A warm shower and a brisk toweling off feels especially good after completing a particularly dirty task. My dad did custom hay baling when I was a child. He would come home at noon for what we called dinner. He and my brother who helped him would be covered with dirt and the lint of dried mown grass. Dad would step down from the pickup, walk straight to the old hand pump that still stood in front of our house (still worked also), pump a bucket full of cold water and immediately pour it over its head. Watching it run down his clothing reminded me of Psalm 23: [God] anoints my head with oil.

John’s baptism was such a cleansing experience. It was an outward expression of an inward restitution of wholeness to a torn soul in need of forgiveness and receiving God’s forgiveness. We all still need that today. John knew there was more to come, but at that time in that place such cleansing was the best he could do and he answered that call.

We of course know the rest of the story as we live in a post Immanuel-with-us world. Because of that we have an even more compelling call to bring the hope of wholeness and restitution of souls to the brokenness in our world.

Prayer: Lord, make me whole, make me one with you and with the other members of the Body of Christ in the world today. So nourished, send us forth with the gift of hope for the oppressed and the oppressor, for the broken hearted and those who no longer feel anything positive, and for all the sin sick souls. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

 

Holy “Sprit”

Sail boatEpiphany
Celebration of God
Manifested in the World
January 9, 2015

 Scripture Reading: Acts 19:1-7

On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. When Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied— altogether there were about twelve of them.  — Acts 19:5-7

 Many years ago my church challenged each of the Sunday School Classes, adult and children, to make a banner for advent. It was surprising how everyone, young and old, got into the project. We planned to hang them across the wall in front of our balcony at the back of the church. On the day the crew arrived to put them up, we all got a good laugh out of the one done by the first grade class. They had done a three-D picture of a pregnant Mary with the words, Mary was found to be pregnant by the Holy Sprit. Someone had left one of the “I’s” out of the Spirit.

We hung the banner anyway. It was pretty, but it also had an inadvertent message. A sprit is actually a word defined as a spar that crosses a fore-and-aft sail diagonally from the mast near the tack of the sail to the upper aftmost corner that it extends and elevates*. A most apt description of the Holy Spirit don’t you think for it has to do with using the wind for power and guidance. Even more important is the message that if we leave ourselves out of the equation of our relationship with God through the Holy Spirit, we have already missed the boat.

We may be like those first graders who are still at the stage of life where everything is real, concrete to them. The Holy Spirit for most of us is the ultimate in abstraction. The Holy Spirit is like love, we may or may not be able to see it, but we know it when we experience it.

Prayer:
Holy Spirit, truth divine,
 Dawn upon this soul of mine;
 Word of God and inward light
 Wake my spirit, clear my sight. 

Holy Spirit, love divine,
 Glow within this heart of mine;
 Kindle every high desire;
 Perish self in Thy pure fire.**Amen.

* http://unabridged.merriam-webster.com/unabridged/sprit
**From Hymn Holy Spirit, Love Divine, words by Samuel Longfellow

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

 

 

Choosing God

God firstEpiphany
Celebration of God
Manifested in the World
January 8, 2015

 Scripture Reading: Acts 19:1-7

While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul passed through the inland regions and came to Ephesus, where he found some disciples. He said to them, ‘Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?’ They replied, ‘No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.’ Then he said, ‘Into what then were you baptized?’ They answered, ‘Into John’s baptism.’ Paul said, ‘John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, in Jesus.’ — Acts 19:1-4

I had the joy of visiting Ephesus last summer. I remember feeling like I was walking with Paul through the book of Acts as I wondered with my group among the ruins. Christians did not have their mighty cathedrals when the story of Acts was being played out. The grand artifacts were in celebration of Greek and Roman gods. There were only small hints here and there of even the existence of the Christian faith. It is no wonder that the new converts were trying to get a handle on what baptism was and who all the new characters—John and Jesus and the Holy Spirit—were. They were also more acquainted with gods that could be etched or carved in stone in larger than life forms not a sole God that only wanted to love to be loved in return, and for God’s followers to love each other.

While our world has changed greatly in 2000 years, much is still the same for people. We do not call them gods but we worship things like money and power that enchant us with their trappings but are in the end as worthless as the once grand, but now broken, eroding statues that I saw in Ephesus. Albeit these items of art do have worth in that they illustrate well how great empires can rise and fall, and teach us that we need to seek what is truly valuable.

God’s love is truly valuable. God’s plan of love being inclusive among all God’s children is valuable. Living life in relationship with God the Creator, Jesus our Savior, and the Holy Spirit our Advocate is actually all that really matters. Everything else falls into proper alignment when we make that choice.

Prayer: Lord, today I renew the choice I made to live in relationship with you. When I am tempted to move away from your love, help me not to stray. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

God’s Power

Jesus'baptismEpiphany
Celebration of God
Manifested in the World
January 7, 2015

 Scripture Reading: Psalm 29

Ascribe to the Lord, O heavenly beings,
   ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
 Ascribe to the Lord the glory of his name;
   worship the Lord in holy splendor. 

The voice of the Lord is over the waters;
   the God of glory thunders,
   the Lord, over mighty waters.
The voice of the Lord is powerful;
   the voice of the Lord is full of majesty. — Psalm 29:1-4

 As we prepare for the observation of the baptism of Jesus this Sunday, we are reminded in our scripture today that the power of the voice of the Lord was recognized from the beginning of time when God spoke creation.  God’s voice was also heard identifying Jesus as God’s Son, the Beloved, at his baptism.

My dog, Hefner, had a broad vocabulary and responded to actual words not just the tone of my voice. He lived with me all 13 years of his life except for the six weeks with his mother. I was thus accustomed to communicating with my dog verbally. A few months after Hef’s death Micah came to live with me and I had to relearn my communication skills. I don’t think he ever understood a word I said. One day I discovered by accident that he was very visual and immediately responded to hand signals. He and I developed our own little sign language that served us well for many years. What I did learn in this process was that Micah did respond to the tone of my voice. While playing in the yard, he ran out the gate toward a very busy street. He had no experience with traffic. Whatever my panic-laden voice said to him he stopped in his track and looked back at me with a new found respect. Stood there until I was able to pick him up and return him to the enclosed yard and the freedom of his fenced area.

The first verse of our scripture today says we are to ascribe—acknowledge as the cause, author or source—the power of God that can create worlds. If we grasp that reality, the introduction of God’s son as God with us becomes even more profound.

Prayer: Lord we acknowledge your power and your glory. We thank you for your gift of Jesus to show us the way, the truth, and the life. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Emulating Jesus

EpiphanyEpiphany
Celebration of God
Manifested in the World
January 6, 2015

 Scripture Reading: Genesis 1:1-5

In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters. Then God said, ‘Let there be light’; and there was light. And God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.

The structure of the liturgical year is not biblical per se and not followed by all Christian churches, but it establishes a tradition of seasonal remembrances that rather follow the example set by the Israelites. They identify seven feasts to commemorate their lives with and through God: Passover, Unleavened Bread, First Fruits, Pentecost, Trumpets, Atonement, and Tabernacles. The beginning of this Jewish year of celebration is not the New Year but the feast of Unleavened Bread—the preparation time for the Exodus, God’s most profound act in their history. The beginning of the Christian year is marked by what is called Advent, the preparation time for the coming of one who will bring us healing and reconciliation—the birth of Christ.

The Christian year liturgical components are Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Ash Wednesday, Lent, Easter, Eastertide, Pentecost, and what is called Season following Pentecost, but what I call Living in the Spirit. Of all of those times Epiphany is probably the least familiar to Protestants by name but not by practice. It begins with the celebration of the coming of the Magi or Wise Men, which is often cast as the recognition of God’s inclusiveness of all God’s children. Epiphany is much more than that. It is a time to review the life and example that Jesus set for us while on earth. It is a time to see what Jesus’ priorities were, how he related to God, and how he loved. This is an important time because we are called to love like Jesus and it takes a lifetime to learn all the facets of his love.

Prayer: Lord during this time of Epiphany open my whole being to a greater sense of the ministry of Jesus Christ and show me ways I can best emulate him. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

 

Staying in Rhythm with God

BeginningChristmas
January 5, 2015

 Scripture Reading:
In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters. Then God said, ‘Let there be light’; and there was light. And God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day. — Genesis 1:1-5

The beginning in Genesis might not have been the first beginning since God already was but it is our beginning. Handed down from our own ancient stories, Genesis marks our beginning as humankind and starts our story. It was our first beginning, but the Bible describes many others beginnings occurring in the life cycles of God’s people, humankind, as we have struggled, succeeded, failed, and began again. God the Parent has been present like any parent as we gained eye contact, discovered our hands and feet, experienced the absence of a parent, rolled over, crawled, walked, talked. We might use different words to describe the formation of civilization but the idea is still the same. Our maturation as a people is experienced in rhythm with our relationship with God for good or for bad.

The word resolution means to find a solution to a problem or issue. At this time of year some set out plans to get in better shape, handle our money more wisely, or get that broken step fixed. It might also be a good time to stop and consider what problems we are experiencing in our relationships with God as individuals and as the Body of Christ. Once identified, we should then work with God to regain God’s rhythm of life.

Prayer: God our Parent, help us see when and where we are out of rhythm with you. Help us find and follow your beat. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

 

To Know God

God loves youChristmas
January 4, 2015

Scripture Reading: John (1:1-9), 10-18

And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth. (John testified to him and cried out, ‘This was he of whom I said, “He who comes after me ranks ahead of me because he was before me.” ’) From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. The law indeed was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son, who is close to the Father’s heart, who has made him known. — John 10:14-18

It is God the only Son, who is close to the Father’s heart, who has made him known. (John 1:18b) Thus the author of John ends the prologue by saying this is what I am going to discuss now. Translators have been challenged by this scripture since it was first discovered. My guess is those who read Greek were perplexed by it also. It speaks in mystery about the nature of a person, Jesus Christ, as he apparently was sent to us to help us understand better the nature of God. Perhaps God was also able to grasp better the ways of humans in the process.

I do not like math. My mother taught math and both my sister and brother excelled in it, but not me. It’s rather funny because I enjoyed logic. To get my degree in sociology and to qualify for graduate school, I had to pass a higher level statistics course for which I was very ill prepared because I had avoided taking math in college. I was fortunate though to have a good friend who was a math major who understood the intricacies of math so well she could distill it down to its simplest level for someone as limited as I was. I passed the class and am pleased to note that I actually learned a lot about statistics due to her help.

I think this is what John is trying to say about Jesus. John says it succinctly at John 3:16. To paraphrase, God loved us so much that he invested a part of himself in getting to know us better in our own environment and time so that God could help us know God better because God wants the very best for God’s children. Therefore, we need to pay close attention to the words and actions of Jesus for he is the one who will make God known to us and our wholeness is wrapped up in our relationship with God.

Prayer: Thanks be to thee, my Lord Jesus Christ, for all the benefits Thou hast given me, for all the pains and insults thou hast borne for me. O most merciful redeemer, friend and brother, may I know thee more clearly, love thee more dearly and follow thee more nearly, day by day.* Amen.

*Prayer of Richard of Wyche, Bishop of Chichester (1197-1253)

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

 

Perspective

PerspectiveChristmas
January 3, 2015

Scripture Reading: John (1:1-9), 10-18

He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God. — John 1:10-13

Thus the saga begins with a retrospective. The book of John, believed to have been written in the last decade of the first century, gives us the insight of time and experience. It is not breathless like Mark, the first in time of the four gospels. It does not seem to have the targeted purposes reflected in Matthew, directed toward Jewish issues, and Luke, aliening with the oppressed. No, John has the feel of one standing back and viewing the whole picture of God Incarnate.

My collection of pictures is in one of those large round popcorn cans waiting for someone to at least label them. The last time I looked there were already pictures of people I could not remember. My mother on the other hand carefully arranged pictures by subject in albums with hand written notes about whom they were and perhaps some narrative on their lives. As I thumb through those albums now, I wonder why she included what she did and why she arranged them in the order they are in. The gospel of John is like my mother’s albums. It includes stories that only one who was present would have known like the young man running away from the Garden of Gethsemane losing his garment. Yet, it begins with the creation of the world. The gospel of John provides a most important perspective.

As the holiday season comes to an end and that down time (for me at least) between Christmas and New Year’s draws to an end, I am gearing up to get really busy again. It is important for me to live into the book of John holding onto that broad sweep of God at the beginning, God now, and God throughout eternity so that I do not get swept away by the intricacies of daily work. It might be important for you also.

Prayer: Lord, during this new year hold me close to you as I strive to hold you close to me both in the details of my life and in the panoramic view of how my life fits into your vision. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Weave us Together

1960s_montageChristmas
January 2, 2015

Scripture Reading: Ephesians 1:3-14

With all wisdom and insight he has made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he set forth in Christ, as a plan for the fullness of time, to gather up all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. In Christ we have also obtained an inheritance, having been destined according to the purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to his counsel and will, so that we, who were the first to set our hope on Christ, might live for the praise of his glory.
 — Ephesians 1:8b-12

Been shaking your head and wringing your hands recently? Think the world is falling apart and you don’t know how to stop it? Bothered by wars, economic inequity, and racism? Or perhaps you are on the other side of experiencing the world. Excited about the rising stock market, pleased with the value of your home going up, hope to have the best year ever in your job or business, don’t understand what all those naysayers are jabbering about? I have been reading various top ten news events of 2014 and been struck by how very different the perspectives are here in the United State of America.

This reminds me of a conversation I once had with a good friend as we looked back on our college days in the 1960’s. We did not know each other then. My memories were related to the Civil Rights and anti-war movements. I remembered attending a church whose minister was an outspoken white supremacists that my professor had invited to speak to my class on racism. The minister countered by saying that if the professor wanted his students to hear the minister’s message they needed to visit his church. The class all went together and were seated but by the minister’s instructions, the deacons asked the members of the class who were not white to leave. We all left with them. I also remember being totally against the War in Vietnam and totally ashamed of those who spit on the soldiers returning from it. My friend indicated that she did not remember any of that. She remember football games and homecoming, sorority events, and meeting her future husband.

In all honesty I long for a world where everyone’s memories of college relate to sports events and meeting future spouses. A world where all people live in security with justice, but we are not there yet. We are also not helpless. We serve a Risen Savior who came into this world to show us the way to peace and justice through acts of love. We are not called to bury our heads in the sand or to stop voting and let whatever will be, be. We are called to be a light on the hill by following Jesus’ radical way of being and doing peace and justice. We cannot do that as a fragmented Body of Christ. We must find the common ground and pursue it with all that we are with the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Prayer:
Weave, weave, weave us together,
Weave us together in unity and love.
Weave, weave, weave us together,
Weave us together, together in love.* Amen.

* Words and music by Rosemary Crow. Full text of lyrics may be found at: http://songs-with-music.freeservers.com/weave.html

 All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights reserved.