Tag Archives: Church

Being Church

Living in the Spirit
September 9, 2017

Scripture Reading: Matthew 18:15-20

 ‘If another member of the church sins against you, go and point out the fault when the two of you are alone. If the member listens to you, you have regained that one. But if you are not listened to, take one or two others along with you, so that every word may be confirmed by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If the member refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if the offender refuses to listen even to the church, let such a one be to you as a Gentile and a tax-collector. –Matthew 18:15-17

The above scripture is tough. If sin is separation from God, how does that play out in relationships between humans? If sin is missing the mark? Who establishes what the mark is? If the way we treat one another classifies as a sin against God, what is our responsibility to the other member of the church involved whom we are called to love? Does this scripture indicate that the church is a closed, exclusive organization with no concerns about people beyond its walls? How does that mesh with Jesus’ teachings about loving our neighbors? It probably is not fair to separate verses 15-17 from verses 18-20, but I fear that is what happens in the everyday functions of any church.

Christ calls us to be one, and that requires us to figure out how to get along and work productively with one another. Becoming one is a challenge when we cluster with people who are very much like ourselves. Becoming one with people of markedly different cultures is much harder even impossible without the abiding presence of God’s guiding our way.

I cannot imagine what it was like carving out a new religion in the first century bringing together peoples from various other faith experiences or none at all. We see snippets of frustration with melding diversity throughout the gospels and the writings of Paul. One of the most difficult parts surely was moving from a predominantly exclusive system honed by years of oppression by outside forces to a fully inclusive system opening the doors to former oppressors.

With these considerations aside, the advice in verse 15 is sound. When there is a problem between two church members, it is best to discuss it calmly and privately. The inability to resolve the problem amicably resulting in involving others opens a different can of worms. History tells us when such situations lead to positive or negative outcomes. For good or bad, our many denominations are the result of such disagreements. It is very important that our actions are not missing the mark with God.

Prayer: Lord, grant us the gift of discernment that we may know how to deal with one another within the context of your rule of love. Help us to comprehend when we have sinned against another and guide us to seek forgiveness from the one we have harmed and you. When we feel someone has sinned against us grant us the wisdom we need to deal with the issue in a way that will bring you glory. 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 America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.

 

God is Love

Bride of ChristLiving in the Spirit
August 26, 2015

Scripture Reading: Psalm 45:1-2, 6-9

I address my verses to the king;
my tongue is like the pen of a ready scribe.

You are the most handsome of men;
grace is poured upon your lips;
therefore God has blessed you for ever.
Your throne, O God, endures for ever and ever.
Your royal sceptre is a sceptre of equity;
you love righteousness and hate wickedness.
Therefore God, your God, has anointed you
with the oil of gladness beyond your companions;
your robes are all fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia.
From ivory palaces stringed instruments make you glad;
daughters of kings are among your ladies of honor;
at your right hand stands the queen in gold of Ophir.

This is a Psalm for a wedding. It certainly has that feel. Where everyone and everything is just perfect and only goodness is celebrated. I suppose it is appropriate for a wedding, but my experience of being in several weddings is they rarely are every this perfect and it is often the imperfections that are remembered with humor at the couples 50th wedding anniversaries. The groom dropped the ring, one of the bridesmaids fainted, or Uncle Charlie got caught in traffic and did not arrive in time to give the bride away. Love is patient, love is kind.

The church is sometimes described as the bride of Christ and while we the church work really hard at perfection and goodness, our daily quest toward Christ’s call is usually fraught with do overs and second chances. My church will celebrate its 85th anniversary next year. We have endured fires and floods, high wind and hail. I do not know if the founders ever dreamed that the church they started in a growing suburban area in 1931 would now be serving a diverse uptown inner city area. The courage and vision it took for those founders to start a church in the clutches of the Great Depression and Dust Bowl in Oklahoma still flows through our veins today. The challenges are different. The elementary school we serve has a student body who are 97% eligible for free lunches and come from families that speak 17 different languages or dialects. They are our neighbors and we love them. God is patient, God is kind.

Prayer: Lord, give us the courage of our ancestors in faith to not only take the love of God to the ends of the earth but to share it with our neighbors right here at home, too. 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.

Cornerstones

CornerstonLent
March 23, 2015

Scripture Reading: Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29

I thank you that you have answered me
   and have become my salvation.
The stone that the builders rejected
   has become the chief cornerstone.
This is the Lord’s doing;
   it is marvelous in our eyes.
This is the day that the Lord has made;
   let us rejoice and be glad in it.
Save us, we beseech you, O Lord!
   O Lord, we beseech you, give us success! — Psalm 118:21-25

Jesus was most likely skilled in carpentry. When he said in John 2:18, ‘Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.’ He probably was more aware than most in his audience of how absurd such a challenge was in practical terms.  He, of course, was not talking about the building of wood and stone that was visible to the crowd. Jesus was actually teaching something far more radical. He was saying that the presence of God through his death and resurrection was being moved outside the structure of the temple and into the hearts and minds of people everywhere. He was challenging the religious leaders of the day to step out of their comfort zone and the safety of the temple walls.

In point of fact, 20 or so years before the book of John was written the temple had been destroyed by the Romans. During that same time, the followers of Christ had continued the process of taking his message from Jerusalem to much of the known world.  These Christians still faced great persecution and hardship but they had heard the call and acted. The writer of John may have been reminding them of this history as encouragement in their present situation.

Two thousand years later we still need that same encouragement. It is so easy to get caught up in the everyday challenges of being the church, we can forget our role in being the Body of Christ in the world today. Holy Week exist to remind us.

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.

The Mystical Body of Christ

Golden retrieverLiving in the Spirit
November 21, 2014

Scripture Reading: Ephesians 1:15-23

 God put this power to work in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the age to come. And he has put all things under his feet and has made him the head over all things for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all. — Ephesians 1:20-23

What is this thing we call church anyway? I’ll bet if you polled the general public in the USA most would respond that the church was a type of building. They might add that it is used for religious purposes like temples and mosques. Others might say an organization, a group of people with a common cause. The word translated “church” in our scripture today comes from the Greek ekklesia that literally means to call out from or to. It is properly, people called out from the world and to God, the outcome being the Church (the mystical body of Christ) * Thus, church actually has nothing to do with a particular building, although it is helpful to have a place to meet. Even though great effort has been made to bring those called out to serve God together, I do not in any sense of the word think anyone would describe it as organized.

An endangered African Wild Dog at the Oklahoma City Zoo recently gave birth to a litter of three pups that she promptly rejected. The zoo sent out a call for a surrogate mother. A family with a nursing golden retriever came to the rescue. What a wonderful example of the interdependence of all God’s creatures on the earth. The church is that golden retriever called to nourish the world with God’s love.

Why do you suppose God created such a diverse assortment of beings to populate the earth and then God expects us to live in harmony and peace even in the midst of our differences? I think the only way it will work is, if God’s way of being, loving God and loving our neighbors for example, are followed. And it will never work until God’s way of being is the way we live throughout the earth.

Prayer: God of all Creatures, bless us with your nourishment so that we may become nourishing too. Amen.

* http://biblehub.com/greek/1577.htm

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.

Called

Wade in the waterLiving in the Spirit
November 4, 2014

Scripture Reading: Joshua 3:7-17

When the people set out from their tents to cross over the Jordan, the priests bearing the ark of the covenant were in front of the people. Now the Jordan overflows all its banks throughout the time of harvest. So when those who bore the ark had come to the Jordan, and the feet of the priests bearing the ark were dipped in the edge of the water, the waters flowing from above stood still, rising up in a single heap far off at Adam, the city that is beside Zarethan, while those flowing towards the sea of the Arabah, the Dead Sea, were wholly cut off. Then the people crossed over opposite Jericho. While all Israel were crossing over on dry ground, the priests who bore the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan, until the entire nation finished crossing over the Jordan. — Joshua 3:14-17

What constitutes a “church”? I had the opportunity recently to participate in a short discussion of this question at a meeting of one of the organizational bodies of the faith group with which I am a member. We were discussing that our by-laws use the word “church” to describe certain rights and privileges. When we apply a conventional definition of the word “church” we most often think of a congregation with a building, by-laws, officers, and staff. We have ministries that might benefit from these same rights and privileges, but do not necessarily have a building or by-laws or officers or a staff. We decided that at a future date we needed to delve further into what is a “church” and perhaps reconstitute our by-laws to match what we find.

The English word “church” comes from the Greek word kyriakos, “belonging to the Lord” (kyrios)*. The Greek word ekklésia is translated 114 times in the New Testament as “church”. It means an assembly, congregation, church; the Church, the whole body of Christian believers*.  These definitions are certainly broader than the conventional perception of the definition of the word “church”.

What does all this have to do with the Israelites crossing the Jordan? Religious leaders must not be afraid to step into deep water to fulfill the call of Christ to be the Body of Christ in our world today and that may mean changing our constitutions and by-laws to keep up with the Joshua’s of the world. Such change will require much discernment and a whole lot of covenantal conversations that entail at least as much listening and prayer among all participants as they do talking.

Prayer: Holy One, grant us the courage to step out in faith and wade in the water of your callings. Amen

*http://biblehub.com/greek/1577.htm

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.

 

Jesus Loves Me

Jesus Loves MELiving in the Spirit
Light a Candle for Children
September 24, 2014

 Scripture Reading: Psalm 78:1-4, 12-16

 We will not hide them from their children;
   we will tell to the coming generation
the glorious deeds of the Lord, and his might,
   and the wonders that he has done. —78:1-4

I can get so caught up in justice issues that I sometimes forget about wholeness and oneness. I do that to my own peril as a Christian for it is the wholeness we find in God and the oneness we experience as part of the Body of Christ that ultimately leads to justice.

There is nothing that we can do for our children that is more important than to teach them about the love of God through Jesus Christ and to help them experience that love in all aspects of their lives. I have sung Jesus Loves Me as long as I can remember and was probably first introduced to justice issues by singing Jesus, Loves the Little Children, All the Children of the World. I even sang Jesus Wants me for a Sunbeam to Shine for Him Each Day.

 The African proverb: It takes a village to raise a child is right. Families are usually the starting point and we must do everything we can to enable strong families. The church also has a vital role. Many first learn how to live in community in churches where we learn how to share and help one another. When those lessons are not learned our whole world suffers.

 Oklahoma Fact: In 2011 36% of Children lived in single-parent families*.

 Prayer: God of our fathers and mothers, strengthen our families, our churches, and our communities so all children know of your love. Amen.

*2013 KIDS Count Profile: Oklahoma. Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy, www.oica.org.

 

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.

Covenantal Conversations

Living in the Spirit
June 22, 2014

 Scripture Reading: Matthew 10:16, 24-39 

‘Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.
For I have come to set a man against his father,and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and one’s foes will be members of one’s own household.

Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever does not take up the cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Those who find their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it. – Matthew 10:16, 34-39

I do not know if Jesus meant to be prophetic when he said this scripture, but he certainly describes our world today. Even our church families are in disharmony.  Some do not believe these were Jesus’ words because they contradict other of his sayings and because it quotes him as speaking in first person which is rare for him. Whether they were spoken by Jesus or crafted by a church community, they present a thorny issue for first century families who were literally being pulled apart by some choosing to leave their tradition and follow the new Way, being preached about this man Jesus. Today, our church families are being severed by disputes over interpretations of scripture. The above scripture actually relies on Micah so the problems even dates back to the 8th century BCE and probably to be beginning of time.

Put no trust in a friend, have no confidence in a loved one;
guard the doors of your mouth from her who lies in your embrace;
for the son treats the father with contempt, the daughter rises up against her mother,
the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; your enemies are members of your own household.  Micah 7: 5-6

What often happens is those involved end up not speaking to each other, moving away from home, or splitting off into separate churches. For a group charged to be one, we have a long way to go! It is time that instead of splitting we start covenantal conversations in which we really listen to one another without judgment and prayerfully glean together those things we hold as one and turn the things about which we do not agree back to God to guide us in future conversations.

Prayer: Teach us to start covenantal conversations in prayer and the expectation of discernment. Amen.

*Funk, Robert W.; Hoover, Roy W., and the Jesus Seminar. The five Gospels: What Did Jesus Really Say? Harper and Row, 1997.

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.