The Time is Now.

"And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down.  The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him.  Then he began to say to them, 'Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing'." (Luke 4: 20-21 NRSV)

In chapter twenty of "We Make the Road by Walking," Brian McLaren takes us into the early days of Jesus' public ministry in Galilee.  Of particular interest is his visit to his hometown synagogue of Nazareth.  McLaren offers a challenge in this story, and I'll present that challenge to you as well.

At a particular point in the Jewish Sabbath ritual, men are allowed to read from a particular scripture and offer comment on it, much like Christians today are used to hearing a pastor or priest give a sermon or homily.  Imagine sitting in the synagogue in Nazareth that day.  Jesus himself would be a familiar site, after all he had grown up in your town.  He'd probably read and offered comment in the synagogue before as well.  Let's say you've enjoyed what Jesus has had to say, so you settle in and look forward to it.

Jesus asks for, and receives the scroll from the prophet Isaiah.  He begins to read and then gets to the part which we today know as the first verses of Isaiah 61: "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor.  He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free."

We love verses like that today, don't we?  Certainly the people in the synagogue that day probably did as well.  As McLaren mentions, these kinds of verses give us hope that someday somebody will come along and really set things right.  This would have been especially meaningful back then as the people were living under Roman rule and oppression.  They were looking for that Messiah who could come and toss out the Romans and set things right, someday, they believed, he would come.

McLaren suggests that message could very well have been what the men in the synagogue were expecting to hear from Jesus that day. Someday, perhaps someday soon, the Messiah will come and set things right.  Are we as Christians in the same boat?  I think many of us are.  How many times have each of us sat in church over the years and listened to somebody read verses like these, maybe out of Revelation, and talk about how wonderful it will be when Jesus returns in glory and sets everything right?  I bet most of us have, multiple times.  These messages give us hope, hope for a better tomorrow.

But then Jesus goes in a totally different direction.  He says: "Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing." Wait now, what did he say?  He's not promising a better tomorrow, he's suggesting something better....today.  He's not suggesting that there will be some glorious afterlife with streets paved with gold, he's suggesting something that's happening....now.

There was some excitement in this.  Perhaps this man was a new prophet, could he, just maybe, be the promised Messiah?  And hey look, that's Joseph's son!  He's one of our own!  This man proclaiming this bold new message is one of us, from Nazareth, how awesome IS THAT?

But then thinks get ugly.  Jesus resorts to two stories from the Old Testament prophets Elijah and Elisha, about how they went outside their own people to do some of their deeds, and how displeased some were back then.  You and the other folks are starting to get confused, and as his point starts to dawn on you, you start to get mad.  This guy isn't preaching some new thing just for you, but he's talking about others, outsiders!  This good news is meant for us, not for all of those sinners, rule breakers, and the OTHERS.  This guy is a heretic!

At that point, you and your buddies, in a fit of righteous, or shall we say self-righteous, anger, drive Jesus from the synagogue and corner him on a nearby cliff, where you're ready to give him the old heave-ho. 

That's pretty scary stuff.  However, Jesus holds out long enough and is eventually able to pass through the crowd without harm and continue his ministry, a ministry that would be marked by the calling of dirty fishermen and tax collectors, a ministry that would heal those with the most untouchable diseases, a ministry that would exalt adultresses and prostitutes over the "righteous" religious folks of the day, a ministry that would turn the world on its head even centuries later.

McLaren challenges us first to think about this kind of a situation today.  Imagine if some very charismatic guy, or girl, popped up on the all the cable news networks and started to say:  "The time is NOW! This is the time for bringing about the kingdom of God. This is the time for ending violence and oppression.  This is the time to treat the poor with dignity and make sure everyone has a place at the table.  This is the time to expand the blessings of modern medical care to everyone no matter their ability to pay for it.  This is the time for peace, justice, and reconciliation."

Moreover, this message is for EVERYBODY!  This light, this new life of service and sacrifice, of peace and understanding isn't just for Christians or people we think follow all the rules.  The life, the light of all people is for everyone regardless of creed.  This life is for everyone regardless of gender. No more are there to be things that people are excluded from because of gender.  This life is for everyone, no matter their skin color.  Now is the time for prejudice to cease, especially prejudice in the name of religion.  This life is for everyone, straight, gay, lesbian, or transgender.  No longer are we to discriminate against people because of who they love.  All are God's children, made in his image, and engraved upon the palm of his hand.

Well, how would you feel about taking part in that message?  Not just the parts you agree with, mind you, all of it.  Love all, serve all.  Would you be one that would join in and be a disciple of this person, or would you be one of those who would be more interested in tossing this individual off of the proverbial cliff?  We've seen the attitudes toward Pope Francis with some of these very things. It's not always pleasant, and there are things listed above that I'm sure he won't even touch, such as gender issues.

McLaren quite startlingly argues that many Christians today would seem to be in the camp that's ready to throw Christ off of a cliff, and it can be over any of those issues listed above.  In our culture poor people are looked upon as inferior.  Many of us still lean on ancient bits of the Bible in order to continue to justify legal discrimination against LGBTQ individuals.  Many of our most important positions in our workplaces, governments, and faiths remain closed to women. 

As I've commented on several times before, the inclusiveness of Christ has been totally lost in many of our churches.  It's one of the main reasons why, years ago, I left church. Fortunately through people like Pastor Gary and organizations like the United Methodist Church, I've finally found a place that not only accepts and loves me, but welcomes and loves everybody with the open arms of Christ.  A place where you don't even have to be a Christian to partake in the Supper of the Lord.  

I firmly believe that the table of Christ, the banquet of love is set and open for all.  It is unfortunate that as the poor, the outcast, the women, the gay people, and even people of other faiths and no faith sometimes come to that table, the Christians, the "righteous," turn their noses in the air as Christ welcomes all to his table of peace, justice, and love.

Words like McLaren's have challenged me, and comforted me,  Not only are all of these welcome at the table of Christ, but so am I, despite my shortcomings and failures, which are many.  You are welcome at this table too, at anytime, free of judgement under the grace of Christ given for all.  If people judge you, come to me.  I will not.  I will be happy to chat with anyone regarding faith and the love of Christ.

The time is now.  Will you join me, will you join Christ and proclaim peace, love and justice for all?  The more of us that do that, the more of us that gather around the table and break bread together, the better our lives and our world can become.

Little Gems: The Light That Shines on All

 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven." (Matthew 5: 14-16, NIV) Photo: Eric Vogt

The Sermon on the Mount is one of the most central documents in Christianity and is perhaps the most important, detailed discourse of Christ.  The verses cited above follow the famous Beatitudes given to begin Matthew 5, and as we worked through them yesterday in our class with the pastor, they really struck me.

Christians often speak of Christ as the Light of the World, and that's true enough, but here Jesus is doing something different.  He's passing on the responsibility.  He's bringing us in on it.  His message is clear as well, he doesn't only want us to be the light, he doesn't want us to hide it.  The "City on a hill" image has long been used in Christian thought, and has often been linked with the United States. I'm not overly fond of that linkage personally.  However, the image itself holds.  Pastor Gary and several members of our church just returned from a trip to Greece, and he talked about how all the cities had an "acropolis" which means "high point"  These high points not only let people in the city see who or what was coming , but it was a place where all the people in the city could see and perhaps come for refuge.  The acropolis could not be hidden.

The second image is of a personal light, and what one does with it.  In the first century CE people often used small, oil based lights or "lamps" to light their homes in the darkness.  It wouldn't do much good to light one of those and put a bowl over it.  You couldn't see it, and the light wouldn't get out to do what it was intended to.  Instead, one would put it on a lamp stand where it could illuminate as big an area as possible.

So what is it that light is intended to do?  What's the purpose?  One way we use light is as a beacon, like the city on a hill.  The smallest light in the dark will draw people to it.  We're all familiar with lighthouses on the coast being used in this same way.  We also use light to illuminate darkness.  We don't use oil lamps anymore for the most part.  We flip the switch, and the light bulb fires up, dispelling the darkness from all but the darkest corners of a room.

And just what is this light of Christ that we are meant to take forward, that we're meant to be?  For some today, it's the light of judgement.  I saw these verses, and their companion verses about salt, being used to motivate Christians before the elections, their primary purpose being to promote candidates who wish to shoot down marriage equality and benefit the rich powerful over the poor and needy.  

Of course this is the exact opposite of what Christ promotes.  To me the Light of Christ is the light of love, the light of compassion, the light of acceptance to anyone and everyone no matter their circumstances.  To be light of Christ means to help to the poor, not to just wait for someone else to do it or to just tell them to "stop being lazy."  To be the light of Christ is recognize that none of us are perfect, not others, not ourselves.  To be the light of Christ is to meet others where they are in life, and minister to them in love and compassion and allow them to minister to us in return.  To be the light of Christ is to love everyone, including your enemies and those who disagree with you.

Perhaps the most important aspect of light is this: it shines on everything.  It is not selective.  The light of Christ is meant to be for all: regardless of gender, age, sexual orientation, race, or creed.  The idea isn't to go to people of other faiths, or people of no faith, and tell them to accept the light or burn in hell.  The idea is to live your life as an example of things that Christ valued and invite others to join you.  Love and compassion are still love and compassion whether they are exhibited by a Christian, Jew, Muslim, atheist, or anyone else.  

This light also means justice and equality for all.  This includes extending social justice and civic benefits to everyone.  Period.  Love everyone and treat them as equal and as people of value.  Plain and simple.

Whether you're religious or not, Christian or not, how can you be this kind of light, the light of love and acceptance in the world around you?  We're coming into a season that will be full of joy and abundance for many, but also full of desperation and heartache for so many others.  I encourage all of you to join me in trying to be a light to these people.  It just might make somebody's day or even save a life.

The Temptation of Christ: Sin With a Capital "I"

Last week I attended a Bible study with Pastor Gary, he's going through the entire book of Matthew. I decided to go because, hey, this is as close to the inside of a classroom as I'll ever get again!  Plus I was hoping that a fresh perspective on some of these stories that I know all to well would help me grow as a person and especially as a follower of Christ.  I wasn't disappointed.

We talked about the temptation of Jesus as found in Matthew 4:1-11.  I took copious notes, just like I used to do in college, but there was something that stuck with me most of all, and that was how Pastor Gary defined the word "sin."  We've all heard the saying "there is no 'I' in team," talking about how being selfish on any kind of a team causes the team to not play or compete as a true unit, which can lead to undesirable outcomes.  Well in "sin" there is certainly an "I," and as he pointed out it's really a capital "I." The implication is clear: sIn is all about me.  Sin is what happens when I think only of myself or when I exhibit excessive self interest.  This is the exact opposite of the life Jesus advocates, a life that denies oneself to the glory of God and to the selfless service of those around us. Let's take a few minutes and consider how "sIn" has the opportunity to appear in each of the three temptations as recorded by the author of Matthew.

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. He fasted forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was famished. The tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” But he answered, “It is written, ‘One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
--Matthew 4: 1-4 (NRSV)

After Jesus is baptized by John in the previous chapter, he goes alone into the wilderness for 40 days before he begins what will be his public ministry.  He fasts during the entire time and saying he was "famished" afterward is probably a huge understatement.  Satan (or the devil, tempter, or adversary) appears to Jesus, seeing him in this state and says "Come on now, you're the Son of God.  You know all you gotta do is say the word and these rocks will turn into bread for you and you can eat all you want!"

Would that be tempting?  Oh yes.  I haven't really fasted much in my life.  One year I fasted all day on Ash Wednesday.  That was enough for me.  Come Thursday morning, I was "famished" myself. However, does bread equal more than just bread or even food here?  Jesus responds to the temptation by saying that man doesn't live on bread alone, but by every word that comes from God.  I don't think it's just about food, neither did Pastor Gary.  The bread here can be symbolic of all of the material things we want in life.  Let's face it, in the United States, most of us know where our next meal is coming from.  Certainly some of us (myself included) put way too much stock in food, but think about the other things that we think we "need" in life,

I came up with a couple of things as I thought about this concept.  Cable TV for instance.  Man, I really do feel that I NEED to be able to watch my soccer matches from England every weekend.  Also, internet access.  What would I do if I couldn't stay connected through my smart phone, computer, or tablet?  I love to play multiplayer modes on video games, that requires an internet connection.  I feel like I'd be lost without that.  Think about other toys that we think we need.  To me, one of the most mind-numbing exhibitions of American greed happens every time Apple announces a new product. People are glued to these products.  New Iphone?  Gotta have it.  Ooh, a new version of the Ipad! Let's line up outside the store on release day to get our hands on one.  You can't tell me that these devices haven't reached "necessity" status for some people.

Is all of this excessive self interest, this desire for all of these material things?  I think a lot of the time it is, thus falling into Pastor Gary's definition of sIn.  I'm not saying that it's wrong to desire or even to enjoy some of these things, but I know for me, and for a lot of others in our culture, it really does become excessive.  What might happen if we took some of the money we were going to spend on our cell phone upgrade this year and donated it to a food bank or homeless shelter?  John Wesley famously kept his hair long and used the money that he would have paid a barber to give to the poor and needy.  One thing I've started doing is just spending at least five or six bucks every week to buy some food for the local food bank in Ogden.  Our church keeps a shopping cart in the vestibule and every week someone takes the donations over to the food bank.  It's not a lot, but it's about the price of a meal I might buy when I get off work.  I feel it's the very least I can do.  That doesn't mean I've overcome excessive self interest, far from it, but it's a start, and it makes me feel great!

Then the devil took him to the holy city and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, saying to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down; for it is written, ‘He will command his angels concerning you,’and ‘On their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.’” Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’” --Matthew 4: 5-7 (NRSV)

For his next trick, the Tempter takes Jesus to the top of the temple and says, "Hey man if you're the Son of God jump off the temple here.  Scripture says that God will send angels to catch you so you won't be hurt."  This might sound a little odd to us, but think about it this way: what are some of the reasons that Jesus might have had a desire to jump?  How about this: maybe Jesus DID want to prove he was the Son of God and just maybe he might have given in and done it so he could show the Tempter just how special he really was: out of PRIDE.  Does that sound like something many of us have a problem with?

Absolutely.  In fact, a good definition of PRIDE might also be "excessive self interest."  When we are overly prideful, we truly put ourselves not just at the center of our lives, but we like to try to put ourselves in the center of other people's lives as well.  It's as if the sun, moon, and stars all revolve around us.  We put ourselves up on a pedestal, and man, it's a great view from up there isn't it?  We can look down on everybody else, we become a judge of others.  We set ourselves apart from others.

Again this is the exact opposite of what Christ desires for each of us.  As Christians, we're supposed to put Christ at the center of everything around us.  When we do that, we're no longer testing our relationship with God.  It allows us to step outside of ourselves and our own needs and pride, then we can see, and minister to, the needs of the world around us just as Christ did.

Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor; and he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! for it is written, ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.’” Then the devil left him, and suddenly angels came and waited on him. --Matthew 4: 8-11 (NRSV)

As it turns out, the Tempter has one more ace up his sleeve.  He takes Jesus up to the top of a high mountain where he can survey all the land and kingdoms around him.  Then he tells Jesus "I can give you ALL OF THIS.  All you gotta do is just bow down and worship me."  This appeals to one of our basest, most coveted desires: the desire for POWER.

Is there anything more addicting to us humans than power?  I'm not sure.  You know what's like, surely you've had power over someone in your life.  I have.  I'm a supervisor at work.  I can ask or tell certain employees to do something, and chances are, they'll do it.  Doesn't that feel great, even in small doses?  I like to think I'm a pretty good guy when it comes to being a supervisor, but I can also tell you that I've abused that power for my own interest more times than I'd like to admit.

And that's just a tiny sliver of power.  Think about our politicians.  These men and women (mostly men) literally have people's lives in their hands.  The decisions these people make not only influence happiness and quality of life, but sometimes their choices literally decide whether people live or die. Can you imagine?  One phone call from a governor can save a condemned inmate's life just moments before he is to be put to death.  Do you think that kind of power can go to someone's head? Absolutely.

Those other two things we've talked about: material desires and pride: power takes care of those things doesn't it?  Think of some our professional athletes or celebrities and the power they wield.  If you want regular folks to buy your products, get it in the hands of an NFL football player or A-List movie star.  I'm sure a lot of these people can pick up a phone, tell somebody that they want some material thing, and it's gotten for them immediately.  Think of the pride exhibited by some, but not all of these people.  If you think about Will Farrell's character in the movie "Anchorman" he goes around saying "I'm kind of a big deal."

We laugh at that because it's true  It's not just true for politicians, celebrities, and athletes either.  It's true for all of us.  We all have our sphere of influence in our lives, and man, the pond we're in may be pretty small, but we sure like being the biggest fish in it, don't we?  The drive for power is sIn, excessive self interest, in it's purest form.

Contrast that to the figure of Christ.  Contrast that to the Son of God, who was with God, and was God at the beginning of all things, to quote John 1.  He becomes a man, walks among his creations, feels their pain and needs their needs.  That's why the story of Christ being tempted is so important. We know that he went through what we go through every minute of the day. Though he was God, he knew he needed to be tempted so he had the chance to say no to these things.  We are given that same chance to say no to materialism. pride, and power: to excessive self interest.  It doesn't always work, at least it doesn't for me, and I've spent a lot of time over the last few years beating myself up about it.  I've spent a lot of time asking "what's in it for me" as opposed to "what can I do for others?"  It's only recently that I've finally realized the true gift of Christ, that stumbling and falling is ok.  I don't have just myself to pull myself up either.  I have Jesus, who's been there, and I have a wonderful family and friends to help pull me up too.  None of us are in it alone.

As I close this entry and this day, I invite you to think about sIn, excessive self interest.  How can you, how can we all change and truly serve others?  I also invite you to meditate on Christ in the Garden the night before he died.  Truly, his sense of self interest must have been operating full throttle, knowing what was going to happen to him over the next 24 hours.  He asks the Father: "Ïs there any other way?  Is there any other way for this to be done than for me to suffer what I'm going to suffer?  Is there any way for this cup to pass from my lips?"

Imagine the anxiety.

Imagine the anguish,

He could have ended it all there, but he chose not to.  "Let not my will, but yours be done."  It is perhaps the most selfless moment of his life, and he invites us to share in that moment, to share in that selflessness.  It is the exact opposite of "sIn," of excessive self interest.

"Let not my will, but yours be done."

Little Gems: The New Commandment

"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, just as I have loved you, you are also to love one another.  By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." John 13:34-35 (ESV)

What makes a Christian a Christian?  I suppose that you might get different answers depending on who you ask.  Perhaps a more interesting question is: how would you know a Christian if you saw one?  Some folks wear cross necklaces or crucifixes.  Some people wear shirts or clothing emblazoned with Bible verses or images of Jesus (or at least images of what American Christianity perceives Jesus).

How do you think a person who isn't a Christian identifies Christians?  What's the first thing that pops into their heads when they think "Christian?"  Let me tell you, it's often not pretty.  Perusing social media, the internet, or just getting out on the street and talking to people paints an unflattering picture of how non-Christians view Christians.  Some adjectives you'll often see or hear: intolerant, stuck up, haughty, judgmental, angry, hypocritical, resentful, old fashioned, boring...the list goes on.  If you're a Christian reading this, do you really want to be associated with these words?  Well, some of you probably do because these adjectives are a result of the way modern, American Christianity has sought to set itself not only apart from, but above the world around us.  This yields two consequences.  First it gives "us" a massive superiority complex.  Second, it makes "them" skeptical and elicits the descriptors listed above.

Well, in the Gospel of John, Jesus has a very plain idea of how we should be identifiable both to non-Christians and other Christians alike.  "A new commandment I give you, that you love one another, just as I have loved you."  There's a couple of things to notice here.  First off, this isn't a mere suggestion that Jesus is passing on.  The Greek word used here for "commandment" is "ἐντολὴν" which not only suggests a single new religious principle, but can also contain the entire essence of religious principle.  In short, this new commandment isn't "a big deal," it's "THE big deal."  The kind of love Christ then commands us to give one another is the kind of love that he showed us, the example that he set as he lived here among us.

Think about that for a minute.  What was the love that Christ showed?  How we do see that in his actions?  The love of Christ saved an adulteress from being executed.  The love of Christ healed the servant of a Roman soldier, which the local population could not have been thrilled about.  The love of Christ compelled him to hang about with dirty fishermen, working men and women, tax collectors, and prostitutes.  The love of Christ was given to the poor, the prisoners, and the marginalized of society. It wasn't reserved for those of a particular race, gender, or creed.  

If Jesus were to walk among us today and exhibit this love, do you think people would use those words above (intolerant, stuck up, angry etc) to describe him?  Not likely.  So what does that say about us as Christians?   Are we getting it all wrong?

I think we often get it wrong.  I know I do.  Following Christ isn't about sitting in your pew every Sunday.  Following Christ isn't about making sure you check off all the correct boxes on the orthodoxy checklist.  It's certainly not about enforcing your particular view of issues and orthodoxy on other people.  Following Christ is about being ALIVE in the same kind of love that he showed toward us, in gratitude for the love and the grace that he gave us.  Being alive in His love means doing the same as He did.  We should be out helping others, and not just others who agree with us or who are in the same economic/social class that we are.  We shouldn't be wanting to avoid others who are less fortunate.  Sometimes we do this because it makes us uncomfortable.  Sometimes we do it because we buy into some warped version of reality that suggests that anyone who needs help, is hungry, or is less fortunate is that way because they're lazy.  That's not true nearly as often as you think it might is, and if it is, are we not called to love them and be an example of Christ to them as well?

Loving others as Christ has loved us isn't easy. It's not always comfortable.  Christ challenges us to deal with some of our most deeply held prejudices.  Rooting out, exposing, and ridding ourselves of these prejudices not only brings us closer to the example that Christ set for us, but it can really make the world a better place.

In the end the goal is to have people describe us Christians as "loving, accepting, serving, and giving."  Jesus says that by exhibiting this love, people will know that we are his disciples.  Christ is for us, and for everyone.  His love is for all, and ours should be as well.  Being alive in this love is a process, but I believe it's a process worth going through.  Join me in starting small.  Think of a couple of ways that you can give to others, show love and acceptance to others.  If Christians rededicated themselves to this, then the power of Christ through us, his hands and feet, can transform the world. Let's try it out!

Adam Vs Jesus: Role Reversal

Last week I wrote an entry on the Logic of Love, as introduced by Brian McLaren in chapter three of "We Make the Road By Walking."  He also writes about the Logic of Rivalry as an alternative to love.  These two logics are represented by the two trees in Genesis 2: The Tree of Life and The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.  Now, as McLaren leads us into Genesis chapter three, we see Adam and Eve make their choice between these two logics.

Whether you're a Christian or not, chances are you know how the story goes.  The serpent in the garden is having a chat with Eve about what God said they can and can't eat.  Eve tells him that they're not supposed to eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.  The serpent tells her that the only the only reason God said that is because he knows that if Adam and Eve eat of that tree, then they will become "like God."  In other words, they can become equal to God or rivals with God. Eve is convinced, and she eats the fruit, then she takes it to Adam and he does as well.  The choice is made, and they now live in the logic of rivalry and judgement.

Later God shows up walking in the garden looking for them.  However, now Adam and Eve no longer see God as a friend.  According to McLaren, they now see God as a rival and they hide from him out of fear and shame.  God confronts them about it, and they immediately try to disperse blame and avoid responsibility (as often happens when something goes bad for competitive people.)  Adam blames Eve, and Eve in turn blames the serpent.  God isn't impressed, and expels them from the Garden of Eden, out into the world to make their way with the logic they have chosen.

McLaren points out that you don't need to (and probably shouldn't) read the story literally to see the issues that affect us as humans even today.  Everyday, all over the world, people have to choose how to live their lives.  They have to choose between the logic of love and the logic of rivalry.  Far too often people choose the logic of rivalry, just as Adam and Eve did in the story.  This results in all kinds of negative behaviors.  People become selfish, always seeking to look out for themselves  as opposed to others.  People view others as somehow less than themselves, especially if they're a member of a different gender, race, religion, or sexual orientation.  This can devolve into anger, rejection, and even violence.  The logic of rivalry is the heart of "us vs them" thinking.

But what if we had an example of how to live better?  What if we had an example that showed us how to take the course that Adam and Eve didn't?  Well in Philippians 2, Paul very deliberately sets Jesus up as that example.  If you read my first entry from my study of Philippians with NT Wright, you read that I really love this letter, but strangely enough, I had never picked up on this role reversal with Adam and Jesus before.

Adam and Eve acted out of selfish desire.  Paul says that's the exact opposite of Jesus and what he desires for us.  Adam and Eve, and later Cain and Abel, saw themselves as rivals.  For Adam and Eve this resulted in blame shifting and scapegoating.  For Cain and Abel, it resulted in violence and murder.  In turn, Paul urges us, through Jesus, not to be rivals with each other, not place ourselves above others, but to put others above us in a life of love and service.  Adam and Eve and wanted to be "like God," yet Jesus, one in being with God, didn't see being equal with God as something to be grasped.  Adam and Eve acted and chose the logic of rivalry.  Jesus acted and chose the logic of love, serving others and eventually giving himself up to death.

So what do we take away from this?  Looking at the story in Genesis 3 this way makes it about more than the theology of original sin and atonement.  It provides two concrete examples of how we can live our lives.  We can choose the rivalry of Adam, or we can reverse the roles and choose the love and servanthood of Jesus.  We each have to make this choice everyday of our lives.  Hopefully we can free ourselves from the rivalry of Genesis three and exist in the selfless love of Jesus and Philippians two.

Love: Guided By Knowledge

"And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so you may approve what what is excellent, and be so pure and blameless for the day of Christ."--Philippians 1:9-10

I've always loved Paul's letter to the Philippians.  Some of my favorite passages come from this book. The other day I was looking at different books by NT Wright on Amazon, and saw that a bunch of his study guides in the "New Testament For Everyone" series were between six and eight dollars for the Kindle app.  I bought the one for Philippians and found myself immediately rewarded with the first lesson.

Saint Paul is writing to the church in Philippi from a prison in Rome.  The Philippians had sent him a monetary gift to help out.  According to Wright, being in a Roman prison didn't always equate to being fed everyday, and the money sent to Paul helped care for his expenses.  The passage cited above comes near the end of Paul's salutation to open the letter.

Wright asks the question in the study guide: "How does Paul's idea of love filled with knowledge and wisdom contrast with other popular ideas of love?"  I spent some time thinking about the question and the result was very interesting and useful to me.  Perhaps it will be to you as well.

So what is the popular idea of love?  Think of what happens in most of your "love stories."  How about Romeo and Juliet?  Strictly speaking this story is a tragedy, but Taylor Swift will continue to sing about it being a love story, and it certainly incorporates a popular understanding of love.  In the story of course, Romeo and Juliet are driven by their passion for each other, their overwhelming feeling for each other.  This of course is frowned upon by their families, and well, we all know how it ends, even if Taylor Swift doesn't acknowledge it in her song.

The idea of love presented there is a love that is purely fueled by passion and emotion.  Now passion and emotion can be wonderful things, for sure!  Think about it though.  Passion and emotion, unchecked, can have destructive consequences.  To be purely governed by passion is often to act on impulse.  Sometimes this is good, spontaneous actions can be wonderful, but as we might perhaps see from the story, they can have tragic ends as well.

Paul has a different desire for the Philippians, and as we shall see, his advice isn't just for "love" exhibited in interpersonal relationships.  He wants the love of the Philippian church to "abound more and more with knowledge and discernment."  This is often viewed as the exact opposite of passion and emotion.  Perhaps it's a way of saying "use your head as well as your heart."

One could read this passage very narrowly.  Many fundamentalist or overly conservative Christians will default to a reading that suggests issues with perceived sexual purity.  That's probably a part of it. A sexual relationship fueled purely by passion and emotion can indeed be tragic.  Forget about an unwanted pregnancy or the legalistic thought of a "sin" being committed.  For many people, sex is not purely a physical act.  There are emotions caught up in it.  When things go south, a sexual relationship can lead to hurt feelings, feelings of rejection, and feelings that a person was "used."

However, despite what Sigmund Freud and fundamentalist Christians may think: not everything is about sex.  I'm not sure that's totally what Paul has in mind here either.  Love is much bigger than interpersonal relationships and sex.  Love is a way of life.  It's a way we treat all other people around us.  It's the way Jesus treated people.  It's that kind of love that Paul wants to "abound more and more with knowledge and discernment."

Love guided by knowledge treats others with respect.  Love guided by knowledge treats a person that might be down on their luck as fellow human being and child of God, not as someone who should be looked down on or be a pawn in some game of political ideology.  Love guided by knowledge is a love that forgives.  It doesn't hold grudges against others for past wrongs, real or perceived.  Love guided by knowledge is love that seeks to serve others instead of one's self.  Love guided by knowledge seeks to make the world a better place, a place of equality and friendship as opposed to a place of rivalry and judgement.

The model of love guided by knowledge is of course Jesus.  He knew what was going on in the lives of the people around him and sought to be a servant as opposed to a master, a shoulder to cry on as opposed to a voice of judgement.  That is the same love into which we are all called.  The example of Christ is not always easy to follow, but it is certainly rewarding.  There is no greater joy than loving, serving, and helping others, and in the end these are things that last in a world so often drowning in passion and emotion.

Little Gems: Micah 6:8 "Do Justice, Love Mercy, Walk Humbly"

"He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?"  

--Micah 6:8 (English Standard Version).

Pastor Gary talked about the verse above last Sunday morning in his sermon.  He brought it back to my mind and made me really consider it.  I can't tell you how many times I've read this verse or sung it as either a Cantor in the Catholic Church or as a worship leader in protestant churches, but for some reason it never clicked with me.  The more I thought about it, the more I wanted to write about it. The more I wanted to write about it, I started thinking about other verses that either were favorites of mine or some that maybe I hadn't really noticed before.  So I've decided that I'll do some entries about verses in both of those categories and call it "Little Gems."  This is the first of those entries.

The Book of Micah is one of those "out of the way" books in the Bible.  As one of the 12 books of the minor prophets, it doesn't get the consideration the major prophetical books like Isaiah, Ezekiel, or Daniel do.  It also isn't one of the big weighty books like Leviticus.  It's a pity, because Micah has a lot to say about what today we would call "social justice."  Perhaps that's why it doesn't get much play in conservative evangelical circles.

The verse above actually comes from a section (chapter 6) where God is indicting the people of Israel.  Basically God is saying " I brought you out of Egypt.  I've sent all of these upright men and women to you to serve as examples, but you don't still don't seem to have figured out what I want you to do."

Starting in verse 6, God talks about what he wants.  As it turns out, he doesn't want ritual sacrifices. He doesn't want lavish buildings with all the expensive accessories.  He doesn't want you to sacrifice your kids to redeem your soul (that's a good thing!)

Then we get to verse 8.  The prophet says "Hey, God has told you what is good before,  What more does he want of you but to do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with him?"  To me, this is the message of Christianity, the message of Jesus in a nutshell.  Let's take just a moment to consider these things.

First the prophet says we are to "do justice."  Some translations have it as to "seek justice."  What does that mean?  Keep in mind the social justice context.  Several times in the book Micah levels accusations at the rich, the people who control the resources and yet covet more and more of them. Just a few verses after the one above, God says:

"Shall I acquit the man with wicked scales and with a bag of deceitful weights?  Your rich men are full of violence; your inhabitants speak lies, and their tongue is deceitful in their mouth.  Therefore I strike you with a grievous blow, making you desolate because of your sins."

God wants us to do economic justice.  He wants us to seek to end the way people lord and horde countless riches while so many others can't even get by.  He wants people to get paid fairly for the work they do.

The second thing is to "love kindness" or some translations have it as "love mercy."  This is every bit as subversive as the first idea. Kindness and mercy equal forgiveness.  They equal respect for everyone despite their circumstances.  They equal second chances for everyone, whether they deserve it or not.

This is another radical concept in today's world.  Christianity seems to stand for judgment and sin avoidance.  So many of us love to preach about "God's Law" at other people without realizing that none of us measure up either. Showing kindness and mercy toward those who might have committed an offense against us, or what we perceive to be an offense to our beliefs is difficult, but it is an absolutely essential element of Christianity.  How easily we forget that.

Finally the prophet says that we are to walk humbly with our God.  Think about the literal act of walking with someone and imagine walking humbly with them. You're talking to them, listening to them, interacting with them.  If you're walking humbly, chances are you're not walking around with your chest puffed out trying to get people to look at you. I mean, hey, you're walking with God!  You're a super Christian. You don't smoke, drink, swear, watch rated R movies or date girls who do!  Walking humbly means being quiet and, well HUMBLE.  It doesn't mean walking by other folks and shouting at them, thumping them over the head with the Bible because you think that they're doing something wrong.

When we do these things: seek justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with God, we become an example to others.  We show what walking with Jesus can really bring about in one's life.  We show that despite the trappings of modern Christianity, there are people out there who are dedicated to bringing the justice, mercy, and humility of the God who became man in a stable into the world and try to make it a better place for everyone.

It's worth trying.  I know it is.