Tag Archives: Truth

Christ is with Us

truth-1Living in the Spirit
November 5, 2016

Scripture Reading: Matthew 24:36-44

‘But about that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. For as the days of Noah were, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark, and they knew nothing until the flood came and swept them all away, so too will be the coming of the Son of Man. –Matthew 24:36-39

I am perplexed, perhaps more mesmerized, by the conversation between Jesus and Pilate at Jesus’ trial recorded in John 18:36-38.

Jesus answered, ‘My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my followers would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here.’ Pilate asked him, ‘So you are a king?’ Jesus answered, ‘You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.’ Pilate asked him, ‘What is truth?

We live in a world requiring fact checkers who nuance accuracy by degree: mostly true, somewhat true, somewhat false, mostly false. Was truth first identified as flexible via Pilate’s statement? Probably not, most likely people manipulated truth from the beginning of time. Perfectly reasonable people, as I assume the people of first century Rome and Israel alike were just like us today, could clearly be presented facts and deny that they existed. Truthfulness is a keystone of our election this year, and everybody seems to define their own truth with an underlining understanding that everybody lies.

What does that have to do with the return of Christ? What if all the pundits are wrong waiting for Jesus to come back and save us from the mess we are making of God’s world? What if Jesus is waiting for us to get our act together because he never left, is with us now, and, with his abiding guidance, expects us to become the Kingdom he taught us to be. When that happens, we might realize he has already pitched his tent among us.

Prayer: Lord, be present with us as we return to your way and work toward your vision of this world. 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.

What is Truth?

Truth-2Living in the Spirit
July 22, 2016

Scripture Reading: Colossians 2:6-19

See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the universe, and not according to Christ. For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you have come to fullness in him, who is the head of every ruler and authority. In him also you were circumcised with a spiritual circumcision, by putting off the body of the flesh in the circumcision of Christ; when you were buried with him in baptism, you were also raised with him through faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead. –Colossians 2:6-19

What is truth? (John 18:38) Pilate asks in response to Jesus’ statement  ‘You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.’ (John 18:27)

The truth was apparent as fluid two thousand years ago as it is today. I just reviewed a chart that summarized the truthfulness of some USA national politicians and ranked them for their truthfulness. Based on documented, verifiable facts and while colorful–using the red, orange, and green of traffic lights to illustrate factual accuracy–it does not paint a very pretty picture of any of our leaders. We define what is the truth by our personal filters. Politicians count on that.

Our scripture from Colossians encourages us to measure truth through Christ’s filters, which requires us to synch with his way of viewing the world. There is a wholeness to God’s justice and mercy. Christ epitomizes it. Athletes describe an experience when they suddenly realize they are seeing the whole court or field and the impact of each player on the game. They say the play slows down allowing them to keep up with the action, defining their response as a part of that wholeness.

While it makes a good sound bite, partial truth does not tell the whole story. For example, even in the midst of a downturn in the oil and gas industry, Oklahoma has a relatively low unemployment rate compared to other states. Sounds good, doesn’t it. What it does not say is that Oklahoma has a serious problem with underemployment, where the state’s median income is well below what is considered a living wage*.

Perhaps our best preparation for participation in the election this year is getting in synch with Christ and applying his truth to our decisions.

Prayer: Create in us clean hearts and clear minds so that we may wisely discern our part in your service and our participation in our civic responsibilities. Amen.

*http://livingwage.mit.edu/states/40

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.

Standing Up to False Truth

politifact-photos-Meter_close2Lent
March 13, 2016

Scripture Reading: John 12:1-8

But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (the one who was about to betray him), said, ‘Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?’ (He said this not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief; he kept the common purse and used to steal what was put into it.) Jesus said, ‘Leave her alone. She bought it so that she might keep it for the day of my burial. You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.’ –John 12:4-8

Greed is a pandemic in our land. Judas was certainly not the first and, alas, not the last. It eats at us like little gremlins running around in our heads sending us messages that are false. It is very hard to ignore them. Truth has become whatever it is we hear reported over and over. It has little connection to actual facts but it does support our greed and lust for power. I find it interesting that fact checking has become a needed industry in our world today. Yet we readily ignore the facts they check. It forces us to be cynical, not believing much what we hear.

The sad thing is that just planting the seed of doubt in our minds may be all that is needed to shake our trust. I lived with the widely held belief that government employees are lazy and incompetent for many years while working with some of the most dedicated hardworking even sacrificial people I have ever met. Saying government is inefficient and ineffective is a means to justify “contracting” with the always smart and hardworking private sector. The “private sector” often hired those incompetent state employees and paid them more once the private company was awarded a contract because they could not do the work without the knowledge base the state employee had. Those companies also walked away from their “project” after fulfilling the letter, if not the spirit, of the contract leaving those horrid government employees to clean up the mess. I see this same distortion of fact happening in public education now.

So what does that have to do with Mary’s anointing Jesus’ feet? The fact check Mary did that drove her to this act was the one that said Jesus had confronted the seekers of greed and power using violence when necessary to get what they wanted, and his death became inevitable. Jesus got the last word though. His message of love has stood to challenge the forces of greed and power for over 2000 years.

Prayer: Lord, undergird us with your spirit of love so that we, too, can withstand the forces of evil that infect our world. 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.

The Other

family-treeLiving in the Spirit
November 3, 2015

Scripture Reading: Ruth 3:1-5, 4:13-17

So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. When they came together, the Lord made her conceive, and she bore a son. Then the women said to Naomi, ‘Blessed be the Lord, who has not left you this day without next-of-kin; and may his name be renowned in Israel! He shall be to you a restorer of life and a nourisher of your old age; for your daughter-in-law who loves you, who is more to you than seven sons, has borne him.’ Then Naomi took the child and laid him in her bosom, and became his nurse. The women of the neighborhood gave him a name, saying, ‘A son has been born to Naomi.’ They named him Obed; he became the father of Jesse, the father of David. –Ruth 4:13-17

You just never know what you might find while researching your family tree. I think that is what makes it so much fun. I must admit, I come from a pretty vanilla family on all sides throughout the generations. I think I have one horse thief but I come from several long lines of hard working, church going, family-centered pioneers. No King David’s yet.

Besides being King David’s great grandmother, Ruth is one of four women listed in Jesus’ family tree according to Matthew 1. One of the more frustrating realities of doing genealogy is the loss of the identities of women among some ancestor groups. I have found it almost impossible to identify some of the maiden names of my female ancestors who were born before the 1850 census when all people in families, including the children, began to be listed. Why do you suppose it was important to the writer of Matthew to list just these four women? Two of them were foreign including Ruth. All of them dealt with trouble in their lives. The writer apparently wanted us to at least know this much.

How do we ostracize people today? How do we by our customs and traditions make people less than not equal to? And how do we overcome identifying the other as the other?

Prayer: Lord, it takes years and generations to form us into the people we become. Ideas of what is right and what is wrong are passed on to our descendants based on what seemed real at one time but may no longer speak the truth today. Help us discern wisely what we carry forth in our lives that is true and just and shed ourselves of those ways of being that are not. 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.

Truth in Justice

Death_Penalty_hi_res_Living in the Spirit
June 15, 2015

Scripture Reading: 1 Samuel 17:32-49

Saul clothed David with his armor; he put a bronze helmet on his head and clothed him with a coat of mail. David strapped Saul’s sword over the armor, and he tried in vain to walk, for he was not used to them. Then David said to Saul, ‘I cannot walk with these; for I am not used to them.’ So David removed them. Then he took his staff in his hand, and chose five smooth stones from the wadi, and put them in his shepherd’s bag, in the pouch; his sling was in his hand, and he drew near to the Philistine. –1 Samuel 17:38-40

I believe in taking prudent precautions. I take shelter when a tornado siren is sounded. Lock my doors on my house and car. But I also know that all the precautions in the world will not save me from all that can harm me. In the story of David and Goliath, David knows where his strength lies and it is not in the heavy armor of a warrior. He was a shepherd who had honed his skills at protecting his sheep with the tools available to him.

David also knew as a teenager what Paul instructed us over a thousand years later:

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his power. Put on the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil…. Stand therefore, and fasten the belt of truth around your waist, and put on the breastplate of righteousness. As shoes for your feet put on whatever will make you ready to proclaim the gospel of peace. (Ephesians 6:10-11, 14-15)

Paul speaks of truth, righteousness, and peace as the armor that will protect us from harm. On April 3, 2015, Anthony Ray Hinton was released from death row after serving 30 years for a crime he did not commit. The truth had finally set him free. He was quoted as saying, “All they had to do was to test the gun, but when you think you’re high and mighty and you’re above the law, you don’t have to answer to nobody,” Hinton told reporters. “But I’ve got news for you — everybody that played a part in sending me to death row, you will answer to God.”* I wonder how many men like Anthony Ray Hinton we have executed.

As followers of Christ, we are called to speak the truth, live righteously, and be at peace. Just as importantly we are compelled by the love of God to demand the truth for others, hold our public officials accountable for righteous action, and in all things seek peace.

Prayer: We pray for the future of Anthony Ray Hinton as he returns to a society that failed him. We also pray for your guidance and strength to do everything we possibly can to assure truth in justice throughout our land. Amen.

*http://www.cnn.com/2015/04/03/us/alabama-death-row-inmate/

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 Advocate

ParacleteEastertide May 23, 2015

Scripture Reading: John 15:26-27 ‘When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who comes from the Father, he will testify on my behalf. You also are to testify because you have been with me from the beginning.

Advocate* is the English translation of the Greek paraklétos** that was the word used to describe an attorney at the time the book of John was written. Merriam-Webster identifies three definitions and one example:

1. one that pleads the cause of another : defender

2. one that argues for, defends, maintains, or recommends a cause or proposal

3. one who supports or promotes the interests of another: someone giving evidence that stands up in court.

To whom is this Advocate speaking the truth in our scripture today? It would seem that this Spirit of truth is sent to each of us to help us discern our way in the manner of Jesus Christ. Yet, the word is always oriented to the other and the coming of the Spirit is to, not only help us discern what is right and just, but to also help us to share the truth with others.

I am reminded of Pilate’s question at Jesus’ trial: What is truth? (John 18:38) We live in a time when truth is not cheap, but seems to be decided by the highest bidder as the media competes for our attention in any way they can to succeed and make money. Beyond that Christians seem to have differing spirits whispering in our ears as we speak opposing truths in the name of Jesus. What is truth indeed?

In Ephesians 4:4-6 Paul writes, There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all. Perhaps we need to work a little harder at the oneness Jesus called us to live by opening ourselves to the leading of the Advocate and perceiving the truth together.

Prayer: Lord, as we celebrate our diversity help us to claim our oneness in you. 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.

Calling Someone a Liar

LiarEastertide May 14, 2015

Scripture Reading: 1 John 5:9-13 If we receive human testimony, the testimony of God is greater; for this is the testimony of God that he has testified to his Son. Those who believe in the Son of God have the testimony in their hearts. Those who do not believe in God have made him a liar by not believing in the testimony that God has given concerning his Son. –1 John 5:9-13

These are strong words calling someone a liar. Who knows what to believe any more? Although always having had a few bad apples, the media is no longer a trusted source of information. There now exists fact checkers that check the fact checkers. The church, too, is tarnished using words that attempt to protect its source of funding, power, and privacy more than to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ. The advice to follow the money has never been wiser.

I wonder when I read the words from scripture today what caused this response. Calling people liars is actually a theme throughout the whole book. It appears in 1:10, 2:22, and 4:10. The discourse is about believing in Jesus as God’s son in relation to how we live out our faith, how we love and whether we love. Calling people liars plants the seed of doubt about those accused in the minds of all who hear it.

I have also wondered at times, if my stance of not responding strongly enough when I know in every fiber of my being that what I am hearing or observing is not related to the truth of God, is the correct stance. When lies are hurting others; damaging their hearts, minds, souls, or bodies, we must at least profess the truth we know as we know it, and in ways that demonstrate the love of God and the love of our neighbors.

Prayer:  Lord, make me an instrument of your peace always but also an instrument of your justice. 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.

Everyone Deserves to be Fed

Living in the Spirit
August 3, 2014

 Scripture Reading: Matthew 14:13-21 

When it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, ‘This is a deserted place, and the hour is now late; send the crowds away so that they may go into the villages and buy food for themselves.’ Jesus said to them, ‘They need not go away; you give them something to eat.’ They replied, ‘We have nothing here but five loaves and two fish.’ And he said, ‘Bring them here to me.’ Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. And all ate and were filled; and they took up what was left over of the broken pieces, twelve baskets full. — Matthew 14:15-20

Ever been asked to do the impossible? How about being told to feed 5000 men plus women and children and you haven’t even been to the grocery store this week? This is what Jesus expected of the disciples, You feed them. I have heard sermons of every type preached on explaining this scripture.  One in particular is that when the two loaves and fishes were located everyone in the crowd started showing that they had food too. When all was shared there were even leftovers. I agree, that is a good lesson and certainly fits the message of Jesus, but I rather prefer not to waste time trying to figure out the unexplainable. Delving deeper into the truth of the story is more meaningful to me.

So what are the truths in this story:

  • Jesus had a need for time to be alone with God. Those precious moments are probably the primary reason he could be totally present with the crowds that followed him. Here he sets a good example for us.
  • Everyone deserves to be fed. I believe that includes social, mental, physical, and spiritual nurturing. Feeding the hungry is a primary function of the Body of Christ.
  • We might be surprised at the resources we have at hand to help us deal with any situation, if we allow God to open our eyes to them. The story of feeding the 5000 is similar to the story in 2 Kings when Elijah enables a widow to pay her mortgage by asking her neighbors to loan her as many vessels has they could to hold oil.  When the pots and pans were gathered they contained enough oil to sell and raise the money need to save her home. Most of us have some pots and pans.
  • Communing with God fills us up and makes us whole. When we are whole, we have the abundant resources to make other whole.

Prayer: Guide me, O Thou great Jehovah, Bread of Heaven, Bread of Heaven, Feed me till I want no more; Feed me till I want no more.* Amen.

*From Guide, me O Thou Great Jehovah by William Williams

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.