Unlikely Pairs

Advent is almost upon us.  The season of anticipation.  The season of waiting.  The season of looking ahead to the incarnation of God almighty in a vulnerable baby boy.  Yes, Advent is almost upon us.  During the season of Advent, we remind ourselves of the many, many, many voices throughout the history of Israel that foreshadowed the inbreaking of God's presence here on earth.  We read passages from Isaiah, Jeremiah, the Psalms, and remember the future.  Yes, we re-member the future.

In this week's passage from Isaiah 11, we are provided imagery for a future king who will rule with a spirit of wisdom, understanding, planning, sgrength, sknoledge, and ultimately "fear of The Lord."  We are also shown a picture of what the future will look like on God's holy mountain (basically a euphemism for Zion/Jerusalem).  Wolves and Lambs lie together (not Lions and lambs...look it up), Lions and Calves eat together, Cows and Bears graze together, and in the midst of it all, we have Children playing near Snake holes (possibly reversing the condemnation of the serpent from Genesis).  It is an idyllic depiction of some future time when God's peace reigns completely, and it is beautiful.  This isn't some Circle of Life kind of thing where the animals that usually serve as prey are shaking with fear that the predators will change their minds at any minute.  This is a truly transformed world in which all have been redeemed by the peace of God.  I've included some images inspired by this passage.

For today, though, I wonder how this passage might read if we were to write it today and substitute pairings of people for the pairings of animals, keeping in mind the former relationships of predator and prey listed in the Scripture.  These pairs would include violent/non-violent, oppressors/oppressed, predators/victims, powerful/weak, etc.  To maintain the unlikelihood of the pairings, I think we would need to be prepared to think deeply about the nature of how people relate to one another in our society.  Historically in the US, we might put a slave owner and slave together.  In today's context, we might put child abuser and abused child together or sex slave trafficer and sex slave together.  Would we be willing to draw such a picture?  Are we willing to proclaim that even violent, oppressive people will find their way onto God's holy mountain along with non-violent, innocent, long-suffering people?

What pairings would you include if you were to write this passage and expect it to be truly transformative good news?

If even Lions and Bears become vegetarians in the "peacable kingdom" what does that say about our eating habits as we seek to live as kingdom people?

Reflect on who it might be hard to sit next to on God's holy mountain without God's peace transforming all parties involved.

Isaiah 11:1-9

1 A shoot will grow up from the stump of Jesse;
a branch will sprout from his roots.
2 The LORD ’s spirit will rest upon him,
a spirit of wisdom and understanding,
a spirit of planning and strength,
a spirit of knowledge and fear of the LORD.
3 He will delight in fearing the LORD.
He won’t judge by appearances,
nor decide by hearsay.
4 He will judge the needy with righteousness,
and decide with equity for those who suffer in the land.
He will strike the violent with the rod of his mouth;
by the breath of his lips he will kill the wicked.
5 Righteousness will be the belt around his hips,
and faithfulness the belt around his waist.
6 The wolf will live with the lamb,
and the leopard will lie down with the young goat;
the calf and the young lion will feed together,
and a little child will lead them.
7 The cow and the bear will graze.
Their young will lie down together,
and a lion will eat straw like an ox.
8 A nursing child will play over the snake’s hole;
toddlers will reach right over the serpent’s den.They won’t harm or destroy anywhere on my holy mountain.
The earth will surely be filled with the knowledge of the LORD,
just as the water covers the sea.

Love Thy Neighbor

Last week at PSF, as folks arrived for worship, they were invited to think about various types of neighbors they would be called to love, despite what happened or didn't happen in the election.  Here's what people wrote down:

Love thy uninformed neighbor
Love thy ignorant neighbor
Love thy worried neighbor
Love thy passionate neighbor
Love thy confrontational neighbor
Love thy argumentative neighbor
Love thy opposing neighbor
Love thy new neighbor
Love thy negative neighbor
Love thy marginalized neighbor

May we all seek to love our neighbors no matter what.

Come to Jesus

It seems like I often hear the phrase, "Come to Jesus" in the context of having a true heart-to-heart with someone, as in, "We're gonna have to have a come to Jesus conversation about that."  This implies that there's a desired course of action, and the recipient of that conversation needs to repent and get with the program. 

Sadly, I think we people of faith have given the impression (or have said explicitly) that coming to Jesus means acknowledging all your faults, getting your stuff together, and then approaching Jesus to be scolded and set back on the right path.  It's not hard to understand why so many people are choosing other stories over that one.

In this week's scripture passage, Jesus calls his followers to approach him when they are weary, struggling, carrying heavy loads, and in need of rest and rejuvenation.  He promises to give us rest and offers his yoke of gentleness and humility.  This seems a far cry from only approaching Jesus when you have it all together or you've figured out all the right things to say, believe, or do.

In the second part of this week's scripture, Jesus continues to debate with the Pharisees about legal obligations.  Again, Jesus seems more concerned with the state of one's heart than with one's ability to do everything perfectly.  "I want mercy and not sacrifice" he says (quoting from Hosea 6:6). 

This week at the 824 Luncheon for PSF, Jaco Hamman, a professor at Vanderbilt Divinity School talked to those gathered about taking time to slow down, and to play.  I'd like to think that part of taking on the yoke of Jesus might include some time for play.  As he finished speaking, Jaco challenged us to make time for play in our lives in three ways, and I want to share them with you:

1. Practice Hospitality
2. Practice Slowness
3. Put yourself in situations where you experience awe and wonder

I won't dare to try to explain those the way Jaco did, but will instead invite you to be in touch with him or pick up his book A Play-Full Life: Slowing Down and Seeking Peace.  For now, I encourage you to approach Jesus for rejuvenation and don't dare wait until you have it all together or all figured out, for I expect you would never end up approaching Jesus at all.

Ripples in a Pond

“People say, what is the sense of our small effort? They cannot see that we must lay one brick at a time, take one step at a time. A pebble cast into a pond causes ripples that spread in all directions. Each one of our thoughts, words and deeds is like that. No one has a right to sit down and feel hopeless. There is too much work to do."  -- Dorothy Day

In this week's passage, the twelve disciples (some previously un-named in Matthew's gospel) are commissioned to go out into the world around them and do a variety of deeds, including miraculous acts like casting out demons and raising the dead.  At it's core, I think the commission of the disciples was to seek out people in need and to help them in radical ways.  This was not simply offering to pray with them or handing them a bottle of water on a hot day.  This was/is life-transforming stuff.  

The disciples, and by association, we are called to change lives, and to do so expecting nothing in return.  There is no expectation of sweat equity, or helping those who help themselves.  Sure, somebody in town was expected to extend the hospitality of room and board to the disciples as they traveled, but I doubt those folks received extra miracles as a result.

I find it particularly interesting that Jesus didn't promise the disciples comfort, prosperity, or unconditional welcome and acceptance.  On the contrary, Jesus told them that some folks wouldn't be so keen on traveling miracle workers, and that other folks would actually drag them to councils and governors because of their charitable acts.  This passage causes me to question a prevailing myth (not read as fairy tale) I hear often in church circles in which we church folks get out into the community to perform acts of charity and thus the community will see how great we are and flock to our worship services, sunday schools, and other programmatic activities.  

Maybe we church folks should get out there and meet needs not because we're hoping for more members, but because Jesus calls us to do so.  Maybe if we work hard to cast out the demons of our culture and bring life to dead places, the powers-that-be will call us in for a little chat.  Maybe we'll end up in front a hearing about un-american behavior.  Maybe we'll be called to give testimony as to why we're so radical in our message.  Or, as I suspect is more likely to happen, maybe we won't do any of that for fear of what we might say or what might happen to us along the way.

Where do you see "demons" actively causing mischief in our culture?

What situations or which people are most in need of new life in our community?

If you were called to testify about your faith, what do you think you would say?

Matthew 10:1-20

Mission of the Twelve

10 He called his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits to throw them out and to heal every disease and every sickness. ² Here are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon, who is called Peter; and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee; and John his brother; ³ Philip; and Bartholomew; Thomas; and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus; and Thaddaeus; ⁴ Simon the Cananaean;^u and Judas, who betrayed Jesus.

Commissioning of the Twelve

⁵ Jesus sent these twelve out and commanded them, “Don’t go among the Gentiles or into a Samaritan city. ⁶ Go instead to the lost sheep, the people of Israel. ⁷ As you go, make this announcement: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ ⁸ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those with skin diseases, and throw out demons. You received without having to pay. Therefore, give without demanding payment. ⁹ Workers deserve to be fed, so don’t gather gold or silver or copper coins for your money belts to take on your trips. ¹⁰ Don’t take a backpack for the road or two shirts or sandals or a walking stick. ¹¹ Whatever city or village you go into, find somebody in it who is worthy and stay there until you go on your way. ¹² When you go into a house, say, ‘Peace!’ ¹³ If the house is worthy, give it your blessing of peace. But if the house isn’t worthy, take back your blessing. ¹⁴ If anyone refuses to welcome you or listen to your words, shake the dust off your feet as you leave that house or city. ¹⁵ I assure you that it will be more bearable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on Judgment Day than it will be for that city.

Response to harassment

¹⁶ “Look, I’m sending you as sheep among wolves. Therefore, be wise as snakes and innocent as doves. ¹⁷ Watch out for people—because they will hand you over to councils and they will beat you in their synagogues. ¹⁸ They will haul you in front of governors and even kings because of me so that you may give your testimony to them and to the Gentiles. ¹⁹ Whenever they hand you over, don’t worry about how to speak or what you will say, because what you can say will be given to you at that moment. ²⁰ You aren’t doing the talking, but the Spirit of my Father is doing the talking through you.

Why worry?

This past week I had the opportunity to make the drive from Chattanooga to Nashville.  It's a beautiful drive anytime, but this time of year is particularly wonderful as the forests lining the interstate explode with vibrant oranges, reds, yellows, greens, and everything in between.   

As I was driving, I had this week's scripture passage from Matthew 6:25-34 in mind.  Jesus tells his disciples not to worry about what they will eat, or what they will drink, or what they will wear and goes on to offer up the birds of the air and the lilies of the field as prime examples of beauty that has been provided by God.  I'd like to think that if Jesus had lived in middle Tennessee, he would have mentioned the fall foliage as well.  There's beauty all around us, and not just when the leaves change color, and yet so often we miss that beauty because our hearts and minds are focused on things that aren't so beautiful.  We stress over what outfit to wear, or that exam coming up next week, or how our actions will look to the people around us.  Jesus invites us to let go of worry and to place our primary focus on the kingdom of God and God's righteousness.

I've heard people use this passage to paint Jesus as somebody who was out of touch with the realities of those who are hungry, thirsty, or naked.  I don't see that.  I hear Jesus speaking directly to those people.  He offers words of hope for being fed and clothed.  I think Jesus knew that, as human beings, we sometimes focus on the negative aspects of life and fail to take notice of the positive things.  He seemed to know that a mindset of scarcity will consume a person if they worry too much.  Jesus calls us to view the world through the lens of abundance, offering those birds and lilies as examples of God's abundant provision.  Are we to sit idly by and wait for food to appear?  I don't think so, but to spend our days worrying about food is not faithful. 

This week in worship we'll explore the difference between giving something attention and worrying about it.  How would you desribe the difference?

In what areas of your life do you see abundance?

In what areas of your life do you see scarcity?

What examples would you use to illustrate God's abundant provision?

As you go through your week, may you see the beauty of God all around you.

Prayer Resources

At worship last night, I encouraged everyone to spend more time in private prayer.  Here are some online resources that might be helpful as you attempt to find a rhythm for engaging in conversation with God.

d365 A Daily online devotional: www.d365.org/todaysdevotion/

Daily Office-Daily scripture readings and prayers: www.dailyoffice.org

Divine Office-Traditional Bible readings, prayers, and hymns: www.divineoffice.org (There's also a Divine Office podcast that provides audio of daily prayer)

Common Prayer for Ordinary Radicals-A book used by Shane Claiborne and his community of faith: http://www.amazon.com/Common-Prayer-Pocket-Ordinary-Radicals/dp/031033506X (this is a book you can order on Amazon.  It provides daily prayer and suggested scripture readings)

The Upper Room-A daily devotional reading found in many church parlors: http://devotional.upperroom.org/

Presbyterian Church USA Mission Yearbook-Daily readings about congregations, presbyteries, and missions of our denomination, complete with prayer and suggested scripture reading from the daily lectionary: http://www.presbyterianmission.org/ministries/missionyearbook/

Finally, the PCUSA has announced that they will soon release a Daily Prayer app for iPhone.  When it becomes available, I'll put the link on the psfnahsville website and facebook page.

Book of Common Worship: bookoforder.info/Book-of-Common-Worship.pdf (this will initiate a download of the entire Book of Common Worship)

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Prayer...for God's sake

At various times in my life, I've played on church softball teams.  I've always enjoyed such activities.  It allowed me to get to know church folks in a different context.  People seem more willing to be themselves when they aren't dressed for church, and people feel less incline to talk about churchy stuff.  At the end of each game, the teams would trot out onto the field, circle up, and pray.  When it came time to pray, everybody would look at the sky, kick the dirt in the infield, and inevitably someone would say, "Hey, Alan, you're a minister, why don't you offer up the prayer?"  I'll be honest and say that sometimes I didn't feel like praying.  I'm a competitive person, and if we had just lost a lead or been unable to mount a comeback, my honest deep-down-in-my-heart prayer was for my enemies to be smited.  If we had won the game, I was probably feeling smug and not in the most reverent place either.  Regardless, as I read the passage for this week about not practicing your religion in front of other people, I decided Jesus would not be a fan of the public prayer at the end of softball games.

While we shouldn't exactly be shocked anymore, Jesus' advice about prayer seems to stand in opposition to some of the most hallowed traditions of religious practice in churches all over the world.  After all, isn't the pastor supposed to offer eloquent prayers in worship so that everyone can grow closer to God through those words?  Aren't the youth who volunteer to pray at youth group granted special status?  

And what about all that secretive giving Jesus advocates?  How am I supposed to see my name in the program at the symphony or in my alma mater's newsletter if I don't submit my full name on the donation form?  Just how are churches supposed to raise funds for that new hymnal if we don't agree to put stickers with donor names on the inside cover?

To be sure, we are called to gather with other believers for corporate (meaning communal) worship, and I don't think Jesus would be disappointed in those of us who include The Great Thanksgiving in our communion liturgies.  However, maybe Jesus' challenge to make prayer and worship a daily practice in the privacy of one's home and one's heart is made so that we might not be distracted by some need to "get it right" in front of others.  In the template for prayer that Jesus offers, the focus is entirely on God.  May our prayer life reflect that focus.

Matthew 6:1-15

6 “Be careful that you don’t practice your religion in front of people to draw their attention. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.

² “Whenever you give to the poor, don’t blow your trumpet as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets so that they may get praise from people. I assure you, that’s the only reward they’ll get. ³ But when you give to the poor, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing ⁴ so that you may give to the poor in secret. Your Father who sees what you do in secret will reward you.

Showy prayer

⁵ “When you pray, don’t be like hypocrites. They love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners so that people will see them. I assure you, that’s the only reward they’ll get. ⁶ But when you pray, go to your room, shut the door, and pray to your Father who is present in that secret place. Your Father who sees what you do in secret will reward you.

Proper prayer

⁷ “When you pray, don’t pour out a flood of empty words, as the Gentiles do. They think that by saying many words they’ll be heard. ⁸ Don’t be like them, because your Father knows what you need before you ask. ⁹ Pray like this: 

Our Father who is in heaven, 

uphold the holiness of your name. 

¹⁰ Bring in your kingdom 

so that your will is done on earth as it’s done in heaven. 

¹¹ Give us the bread we need for today. 

¹² Forgive us for the ways we have wronged you, 

just as we also forgive those who have wronged us. 

¹³ And don’t lead us into temptation, 

but rescue us from the evil one. 

¹⁴ “If you forgive others their sins, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. ¹⁵ But if you don’t forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your sins.