Tag Archives: Oneness

Change

Eastertide
May 2, 2017

Scripture Reading: Acts 2:42-47

Awe came upon everyone, because many wonders and signs were being done by the apostles. All who believed were together and had all things in common; they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need. Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having the goodwill of all the people. And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved. –Acts 2:43-47

How do we respond to paradigm shifts in our lives; those events that change our entire view of the world. Like those who chose to follow Christ in the first century, we, too at the beginning, might jump in with our whole being basking in the joy of the moment’s revelation.

Spending much of my life as a change agent, I can assure you change is not that easy and when change is attempted, we need to cling tightly to the source of our conviction that the change is imperative. A seasoned politician once told me that it takes at least ten years to pass meaningful change legislation. Our founding leaders had a vision of government of the people, by the people, and for the people. It was sorely tested with the Civil War and still is not realized today. I cannot put a date on the beginning of a move toward universal health care in the USA for it began well before 1965 when Medicaid and Medicare were created. It sets on a shaky foundation, today.

Christ’s vision for our world, having stood the test of time, is as valid today as it was when the first followers broke bread together having the goodwill of all the people. Nowhere did anyone say it would be easy. Our striving toward attaining Christ’s vision is worth the effort.

Prayer: God of Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow, renew your vision within us and lead us toward making it reality. 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.

 

Spirit Led

Eastertide
May 1, 2017

Scripture Reading:  Acts 2:42-47

They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. —Acts 2:42

Acts describes a four-fold schematic of spiritual disciples that stands the test of time: teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread, and prayers.

Teaching here is derived from the Greek word didaché*, a noun, which describes a body of knowledge.  Its verb form describes instruction about a body of knowledge that certainly includes the Hebrew Bible, perhaps the writings of the Apocrypha, and maybe by the time of the writings of Acts, Paul’s letters and other works in circulation, for example, the gospel of Mark, the missing Q document, and other writings now in the New Testament such as Hebrews. The Bible as we know it did not yet exist when Acts was written. We are each required to study and discern from a wide variety of sources related to God, ancient and current. We are wise to do that in dialogue with other seekers to hold us accountable for not limiting our discernments to what we want to hear.

Fellowship is the companionship of persons on equal and friendly terms**. I value highly the fellowship of my congregation as it strives to nurture and care for people from birth to the grave. Even in the limited size of a single congregation, it is a challenge to have companionship with all persons on equal and friendly terms. Jesus commanded us to take that fellowship to all the people of the earth. To do that, we must first and foremost understand what God’s purpose is for us. It is hard to love everyone. It amazes me still that as a child welfare worker, I learned to look at someone who had beaten his or her own child severely and see the pain in their beings that lead to that atrocity. It is easier to do that when the offender is a stranger. Objectivity suffers when a relationship exist which compounds our ability to respond with love when we feel our love has been betrayed. The presence of the Holy Spirit in relationships is key to re-balancing relationships.

Ephesians 4:26 Be angry but do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger is most likely the source of the adage do go to bed angry. I think the same advice applies to eating together. The breaking of bread in communion with others derives from the culture of family. Family presumes a permanent relationship. There is just something about eating together that reminds us of our oneness and our dependence on each other. Jesus chose this most common of practices to symbolize his mission and ministry when he took the bread and gave it to his disciples to share as he did the wine. Again, he encourages us to go beyond our comfort zones and commune with the entire family of God.

The Greek word for prayer, proseuché***, means exchange of wishes. We are probably most adept at presenting our laundry list of desires to God, and not so good at reciprocating by not only taking in God’s list but also trying with all our might to fulfill it. At times our lists may include wishes, if granted that would not be in our best interest. We can be assured that God’s wishes are always in our best interest and perhaps more importantly the best interest of the Kingdom of God.

Prayer: Lord, guide my growth in learning how to love like you. Amen.

*http://biblehub.com/greek/1322.htm
**http://unabridged.merriam-webster.com/unabridged/fellowship
***http://biblehub.com/greek/4335.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 America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.

Come to the Table

Eastertide
April 30, 2017

Scripture Reading: Luke 24:13-35

Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them the things about himself in all the scriptures.

 As they came near the village to which they were going, he walked ahead as if he were going on. But they urged him strongly, saying, ‘Stay with us, because it is almost evening and the day is now nearly over.’ So he went in to stay with them. When he was at the table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him; and he vanished from their sight. They said to each other, ‘Were not our hearts burning within us while he was talking to us on the road, while he was opening the scriptures to us?’ That same hour they got up and returned to Jerusalem; and they found the eleven and their companions gathered together. They were saying, ‘The Lord has risen indeed, and he has appeared to Simon!’ Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he had been made known to them in the breaking of the bread.
–Luke 24:27-35

Is it possible to recapture that first century sense of urgency? Is it necessary? Do we need to define a 21st century vision which encompasses the same drive of living and loving like Jesus? Did the first disciples experience frustration with dealing with the messiness of working with people who each have an agenda and are sure their way is the only way? How can we best support and nurture wholeness in each follower of Christ that builds the ability to trust each other’s called contribution?

Spreading the love of God through Christ requires a diverse set of skills. Paul outlined them well in I Corinthians 12 and Romans 12. Learning to live into the synergy necessary to make diversity work can only happen when we accompany that by living into God’s love and working together on those things of common worth, while seeking discernment regarding the things about which there is little or no agreement. At times, we also need to practice the art of agreeing to disagree.

The Body of Christ also has a unique calling in this 21st century, leading the way in integrating the lives of five, even six, generations of people with differing histories. Those generations are an amalgam of races, creeds, and sexual identities all among those we are called to love. The power of God’s love is the only enabler of our succeeding in loving across lines that divide us.

Followers of Christ are people of the table. Jesus’ invited all to a seat at his table. It is incumbent on each of us to assure that all of us feel welcomed and needed for that is the Jesus way.

Prayer: Lord help us Do [our] best to present [ourselves] to God as one approved by him, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly explaining the word of truth. (2 Timothy 2:15) 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.

Discerning Christ among Us

Eastertide
April 24, 2017

Scripture Reading: Acts 2:14a, 36-41

Therefore let the entire house of Israel know with certainty that God has made him both Lord and Messiah, this Jesus whom you crucified.’

 Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and to the other apostles, ‘Brothers, what should we do?’ Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. –Acts 2:36-38

Hindsight often abbreviates memory. Acts was probably written in the 80’s CE following the fall of the temple around 70 CE. Some 20 to 30 years earlier Paul wrote extensively about his work mediating the issues of integrating the idea of Jesus as Messiah into the mainstream of Judaism while taking on the task of spreading that same news to the gentile world. By the time of the writing of Acts, Christianity was a separate religion with strong reliance on Judaism as its parent faith. Paul seemed to remain a good practicing Jew throughout his life. The writer of Acts, presumed to be Luke as identified, was Christian. With one sentence, one verse, Luke sums up several years of history with, as he states, certainty. Peter is the speaker in our scripture today. He was most likely martyred about the same time as Paul in the early 60’s CE. In this presentation, Peter appears to have transitioned to the new faith by the Pentecost immediately following the resurrection.

As we struggle with being church today, we should remember that since its beginning, leaders and followers met barriers or cultural norms that had to be addressed to fulfill the calling to be the Body of Christ in the world. These are normal in all aspects of life and our most important task is keeping our purpose of being the Body of Christ foremost so that dealing with issues remain means to the end rather than the end itself. I fear we get so caught up in what divides us, we, at times, lose the bigger picture.

Prayer: Lord, help us as the church universal identify the things on which we can agree and work diligently toward their fulfillment. Where we disagree, guide our discernment to find common ground. 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.

A New Thing

Eastertide
April 22, 2017

Scripture Reading: John 20:19-31

When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you.’ After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.’ When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.’ –John:19-23

For fear of the Jews, the disciples huddled behind closed doors not knowing what else to do absent their leader. I must say it is hard for me to image being afraid of the people with whom I have worshiped all my life. I think of Muslims dealing with groups such as ISIS. I think of Dietrich Bonhoeffer walking toward the gallows. I think how divided Christians are today and wonder could we be headed down this same path.

Even amid very real fear, Jesus calls and empowers us to continue his ministry. Sent is a key word here. We are not called to an enclosed locked-down hiding place. We are called to go forth into the world loving God and loving the way Jesus loved as our primary mission. Yes, it is important and necessary that we share our ministry in a loving community of faith that nurtures and trains us for ministry. Such a place is not an end unto itself but the means to the end of initiating and building the Kingdom of God in our world today.

The gift of the Holy Spirit is key to the success of our mission. We may have differing tasks. There are many ways to show love. Some provide food, some feed the hungry. Some who have recovered from alcohol or drug addiction mentor those trying to free themselves from addiction’s slavery. Others provide a caring, safe environment for the receipt of treatment. Some advocate for restorative justice. Others provide preschools to break the pipeline to prison.

I cannot image the Holy Spirit giving divisive guidance to those who have chosen to follow Christ. We need to find the things on which we agreed and divvy up the work according to our skills and resources. When we are out of sync with each other, we are most likely out of sync with the Spirit. In such situations, rather than trying to win battles against each other, we must turn to God, ask for forgiveness, and seek the Spirit’s guidance in doing a new thing.

“I will do a new thing in you;
I will do a new thing in you;
Whatever you ask for, whatever you pray for,
nothing shall be denied.”
saith the Lord; saith the Lord!* (See Isaiah 43:19)

Prayer: Lord forgive us when we get so caught up in being right that we become wrong in our love. Do a new thing in us. Amen.

*I will do a New Thing in You by Audrey Byrd see at http://www.hymnary.org/person/Byrd_Audrey

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.

Live Love

Eastertide
April 17, 2017

Scripture Reading: Acts 2:14, 22-32

For David says concerning him,
“I saw the Lord always before me,
   for he is at my right hand so that I will not be shaken;
therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced;
   moreover, my flesh will live in hope.
For you will not abandon my soul to Hades,
   or let your Holy One experience corruption.
You have made known to me the ways of life;
   you will make me full of gladness with your presence.” –Acts 2:25-28

Peter quotes Psalms 16:8-11 as he addresses the crowd on Pentecost who wonder what in the world is going on with these followers of Jesus. Acts 2 reports the events of the Disciples of Jesus being filled with the spirit and speaking in such a way that those in attendance understood what the Disciples were saying, although the crowd included people from places with differing languages. The quote is David’s testimony to God’s presence always being with him.

Seven weeks or so had passed since the resurrection of Jesus. The disciples were most likely in a fog during much of that time wondering where did they go from here. Having been with Jesus they could never recover the life they once led. In fact, he had commissioned them to take his message to the entire world. Fishermen, a tax collectors, a zealot were an unlikely team expected to complete such a challenging mission. One can understand why the crowd was questioning their credentials.

The thing is that is you and I now. Some 2000 years later, we are called to tell the world through our lives as well as our words the message Jesus shared. A social worker here, a farmer there, a bank president, an athlete, a recovered alcoholic, people of every nation, color, language, and skill make up the Body of Christ active and engaged in the world today. We are called to be faithful despite danger, bring hope when all seems lost, and most importantly live love.

Prayer: Lord, we do need thee every hour as we attempt in our weakness to be the strength you have called us to be. 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.

Messengers of Christ

Lent
Good Friday
April 14, 2017

Scripture Reading: John 20:1-18

But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb; and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had been lying, one at the head and the other at the feet. They said to her, ‘Woman, why are you weeping?’ She said to them, ‘They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.’ When she had said this, she turned round and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, why are you weeping? For whom are you looking?’ Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, ‘Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Mary!’ She turned and said to him in Hebrew, ‘Rabbouni!’ (which means Teacher). Jesus said to her, ‘Do not hold on to me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and say to them, “I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.” ’ Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, ‘I have seen the Lord’; and she told them that he had said these things to her. –John 20:11-18

Mary Magdalene is mentioned in the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and John as having been present at the cross when Jesus was crucified. What better first witness to his resurrection could there be? Some most likely thought she was overwhelmed by grief, seeing things perhaps. Besides being a woman, an automatic downgrade in authority, she owned a sketchy past of possible mental illness. Both characteristics are appropriate for a witness of Jesus’ resurrection. Jesus’ vision development continued through his chosen messenger. He was a respecter of women and an advocate as well as a healer for the mentally ill, a guardian of all oppressed people.

Today, we stand at the foot of the cross along with Mary Magdalene. We each have our own frailties and strengths. We are each called by God to be his messengers of love and grace. In my church there is a large, plane wooden cross hanging above the baptistery, and a more ornate smaller brass cross centered on the communion table, displayed as reminders of the events of this day in our faith history. Meditating on either of them is meaningful to me, but the most important reminder of the cross in my church is the sanctuary itself, crafted in the shape of a cross with a long center aisle stretching from back to front and the crossbeam at the head of the pews reaching from side to side. It illustrates for me that the followers of Jesus Christ are his Body engaged in fulfilling his mission throughout the world. We are each individually and all together called to be his messengers.

Prayer:
Christ with me, Christ before me,
Christ behind me,
Christ in me, Christ beneath me,
Christ above me,
Christ on my right, Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit,
Christ when I stand,
Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me. Amen*

*From An Irish prayer by St. Patrick see at http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/413139-christ-with-me-christ-before-me-christ-behind-me-christ

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’s Oneness

Lent
April 11, 2017

Scripture Reading: Acts 10:34-43

That message spread throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John announced: how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power; how he went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. We are witnesses to all that he did both in Judea and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree; but God raised him on the third day and allowed him to appear, not to all the people but to us who were chosen by God as witnesses, and who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one ordained by God as judge of the living and the dead. All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.’ –Acts 10:37-43

My background is in planning.   After developing a vision, mission, goals, and objectives it is important to track progress to determine if our actions are attaining the desired outcomes. Acts is a report of progress made by the followers of Jesus immediately after his death and resurrection. Acts is a wonderful lesson in how the best laid plans often go astray*. Those pesky temptations of greed and pride and desire for power seep in when least expected. By chapter five we learn of a couple, Ananias and Sapphira, misrepresenting their donation trying to have their cake and eat it too, I guess. Reminded me of when I first moved to the city and learned that membership in certain churches looked good on a resume. Developing a plan with multiple humans is hard. Sticking to it is even harder. Changing it when indicated is the toughest thing of all.

The thing is God created us to work together. Instilled in us skills and knowledge designed to complement each other and produce synergy where the result is greater than the sum of its parts. Such communities of faith work best when their starting point and their continuing emphasis is on being in alignment with God. And yes we even fight over what that might look like but the God who made us is more powerful than all those pesky distractions and will lead us where we need to go as surely as rivers run to the seas.

Prayer: Lord, during this Holy Week, rekindle our desire to be one with you and with each other. Amen.

*The saying is adapted from a line in “To a Mouse,” by Robert Burns : “The best laid schemes o’ mice an’ men / Gang aft a-gley.”

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.

Worldview

Lent
April 10, 2017

Scripture Reading: Acts 10:34-43

Then Peter began to speak to them: ‘I truly understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. You know the message he sent to the people of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ—he is Lord of all. –Acts 10:34-36

The above scripture makes a remarkable statement. It was astounding in the first century and remands so today. We humans have great difficulty accepting it and more trouble living it even though it is built into the very fiber of our creation stories. Its truth was initiated when the Creator breathed into us the breath of life after shaping us in God’s own image.

We begin the journey through Holy Week being challenged with this great broadening of our worldview. Acts is the story of the beginning of the church as we know it today. With the gathering at Pentecost and the disciples speaking in such a way that all could understand them in their own language, the gates of God’s people were thrown open for all to enter. It is Jesus Christ who determines who is worthy to cross the threshold, not me and not you.

As we stumble through the Last Supper, the Garden prayer, the arrest of Jesus, the Crucifixion, and the burial, let us keep our vision firmly fixed on what is next for followers of Jesus that is the message of Acts. Holy week was not an end, it was a beginning.

Prayer: Lord, guide us through this week opening our hearts and minds to your vision showing us our mission. 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.

Leadership

Lent
March 21, 2017

Scripture Reading: 1 Samuel 16:1-13

When they came, he looked on Eliab and thought, ‘Surely the Lord’s anointed is now before the Lord.’ But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for the Lord does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.’ Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. He said, ‘Neither has the Lord chosen this one.’ Then Jesse made Shammah pass by. And he said, ‘Neither has the Lord chosen this one.’ Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel, and Samuel said to Jesse, ‘The Lord has not chosen any of these.’ Samuel said to Jesse, ‘Are all your sons here?’ And he said, ‘There remains yet the youngest, but he is keeping the sheep.’ And Samuel said to Jesse, ‘Send and bring him; for we will not sit down until he comes here.’ He sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and had beautiful eyes, and was handsome. The Lord said, ‘Rise and anoint him; for this is the one.’ Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the presence of his brothers; and the spirit of the Lord came mightily upon David from t1hat day forward. Samuel then set out and went to Ramah. –1 Samuel 16:6-13

David was handsome as was Saul, perhaps not as tall. Also, both men’s stories are told with the knowledge of hindsight. David succeeded far beyond expectations so his childhood stories become the source of legend while Saul remains forever on the rubble pile of lost causes. Identifying the right person at the right time matters as does training and experience which David gained as Saul’s general. I learned how to supervise from some very good supervisors and how not to supervise from some poor ones. Although I have a degree in social work administration including classes well taught, I learned the good side of supervision first hand from working for and observing the manager of the restaurant in which I worked in high school and college.

Little is written about Saul’s relationship with God. David’s is well documented and very true to human experience. It runs the gamut from total ecstasy to total shame, turning a blind eye to some behavior, experiencing the freeing nature of forgiveness, and knowing the comfort of resting in the arms of God at life’s transitions.

There is nothing that is more important than our building and growing and nurturing our relationship with God. Nothing. Everything else we touch in the world when we are in sync with God is influenced by the love of God. We may not see these positive outcomes. Keeping account of our successes takes time away from more important duties. Now learning from our mistakes is a different matter altogether.

Prayer: God who is love, abide with us as we worked toward creating a world ruled by your love. Help us learn from both our successes and failures and help us enable one another to be our best. 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.