Hello Everyone!
So the writer of this preaching blog is on vacation this week (Huzzah for Vacation!). He was tempted to put together a standard "Faith Points" blog anyway...but...well...you know. Instead he thought he'd farm it out to many other bloggers and online resources (and also apparently speak in the third person during the entire blog as well). So, if you haven't checked out these resources yet, click away!
The "Faith Lens" blog from the ELCA website:
FAITH LENS
As always, Working Preacher is a great place to start:
WORKING PREACHER
Text Week Resources anyone?
TEXT WEEK
Pulpit Fiction, a very good podcast by two progressive preachers:
PULPIT FICTION.
Pastor Brian Stoffregen's excellent commentary on the Gospel Lesson:
BRIAN STOFFREGEN'S EXEGETICAL NOTES.
May God bless your preaching endeavors and may your own hearts burn within you as you encounter the RESURRECTED Jesus!
(And may you have your own vacation sometime soon)
Wednesday, April 30, 2014
Wednesday, April 23, 2014
Stoles Galore!!
Hi Everyone,
I have a very good friend named Rae who creates really excellent stoles for all liturgical seasons (I have an awesome Advent Stole now hanging in the sacristy from her company).
Her business is called LentionStoles and she does great work.
I encourage you to check out company's website by clicking HERE.
You can also find it on Facebook by typing in "LentionStoles" or by clicking HERE.
Stoles generally cost $150 and shipping is free on all orders (at least in the US and Canada).
You can also see some pictures below to get a sense of the handiwork.
While I cannot promise that these stoles will improve your preaching, I can say that whatever the caliber of your proclamation, you'll look good while doing it!
I have a very good friend named Rae who creates really excellent stoles for all liturgical seasons (I have an awesome Advent Stole now hanging in the sacristy from her company).
Her business is called LentionStoles and she does great work.
I encourage you to check out company's website by clicking HERE.
You can also find it on Facebook by typing in "LentionStoles" or by clicking HERE.
Stoles generally cost $150 and shipping is free on all orders (at least in the US and Canada).
You can also see some pictures below to get a sense of the handiwork.
While I cannot promise that these stoles will improve your preaching, I can say that whatever the caliber of your proclamation, you'll look good while doing it!
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| FISH! |
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| MORE FISH! |
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| This one is just cool. |
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| LENT 2015 WILL BE HERE BEFORE YOU KNOW IT! |
Tuesday, April 22, 2014
Lifting X-Wings
Acts 3:14a, 22-23
Psalm 16
1 Peter 1:3-9
John 20:19-31
I find good news in something that happens outside of this lesson. The guy speaking is Peter, who had denied Jesus and run away while his master was being beaten and killed. Here he is giving a sermon that will make 3,000 people into believers. The reversal that has occurred in the 50 days since the Resurrection is marked and inspiring. God acts in the lives of people in a way that is truly amazing.
Sometimes unfair, unjust and unholy things happen to us, but sometimes we are blessed with prosperity too. You can find many psalms for the former situation, but it's important to have psalms for the later situation as well. The person in this psalm is doing pretty well and gives thanks and credit to God for that.
This psalm made me think of the words of Paul in Philippians: "I know what it is to have little, and I know what it is to have plenty. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being well-fed and going hungry, of having plenty and of being in need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me..." When we are in deep, terrible trouble we can turn to God...when we have been blessed with prosperity we can turn to God too. It's about recognizing how important God is to us.
The Good News:
Second Lesson: 1 Peter 1:3-9
1 Peter can be tough for a variety of reasons: while it only talks a little about it here, it says some things about suffering that have been used over the years to tell victims of violence to "suck it up" and bear it. Also, when it comes to comments like "...you believe in him and rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy, for you are receiving the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls." It seems like we're wading into "free will" verses "bound will" territory. If so, I doubt many people listening to you really want a detailed discussion of the theological fine points of this debate.
There is good news here because Jesus has been raised from the dead. It means that for the original hearers of this word, their present circumstances will not have the last word in their existence. It means that all of the things the writer of this passage says are true. It means that this is all more than "pipe dreams" and "pie-in-the-sky." It means we can live a new life here and now as well as in God's coming kingdom.
Thomas seems to always be known as "the doubter." It's easy for us to be really down on Thomas. Frankly is that fair? I mean it makes sermons a lot easier: oh Thomas didn't have faith, he doubted. It's then easy to make assumptions and judgements about why he wasn't with the other disciples when Jesus appeared the first time. It'd be easy to say, "Well he was off hiding by himself...silly Thomas." Well, what if he wasn't there because he was doing something important and good? What if he was getting them food or out rescuing kittens stuck in a olive tree somewhere? (okay, that's a bit far-fetched, but you get the idea.)
Why can't we remember Thomas as the one that gave a statement faith that was absolutely amazing: "My Lord and my God!!" Why can't we remember him as the one who said that the disciples should go and die with Jesus (John 11:16).
And another thing: there's a complex and messy reason why "the Jews" are referred to again and again in this way. Just remember that thousands of years of anti-semitism (on the part of the church that is...) haven't happened yet. The Jewish-Christian struggle at this time was more a very messy and tragic family argument. It's very important to make it clear that "the jews" are not the "bad guys." The terrible shootings at Jewish Centers in the previous weeks should show us how very important it is to speak out against Anti-Semitism.
Again, Jesus doesn't abandon Thomas, he doesn't spurn him or kick him out of the group. He does exactly what Thomas asks. He's patient with Thomas, even though he chides him. He guides him and us along. Jesus doesn't wait for us to be perfect, he leads us toward perfection. We're not going to get there in this life, but the journey will certainly be worth it.
Psalm 16
1 Peter 1:3-9
John 20:19-31
First Lesson: Acts 3:14a, 22-23
Challenges:
I have nothing against this passage: it's great and it puts things really nicely. I'll be honest though, while the book of Acts is one of my favorites (excitement, intrigue, suspense, downright crazy happenings...) I find myself often skipping over or at least skimming the many sermons found there. Again, they are good sermons, they are helpful and all that, but sometimes it's easy to not be interested by them. What can we do to make them interesting? Also, how important is it for us to have the context here?
Also, do you think that David actually prophesied that the Messiah would be resurrected like Peter says? We spent a great deal of time in my Old Testament class talking about how "Jesus wasn't in the Old Testament." Well, the New Testament writers certainly thought he was, and at a certain point you just have to realize that the New Testament writers are in the canon and you aren't.
Also, do you think that David actually prophesied that the Messiah would be resurrected like Peter says? We spent a great deal of time in my Old Testament class talking about how "Jesus wasn't in the Old Testament." Well, the New Testament writers certainly thought he was, and at a certain point you just have to realize that the New Testament writers are in the canon and you aren't.
Opportunities:
While everything I have said above is most certainly true, there are some amazing lines here that are powerful: But God raised him up, having freed him from death, because it was impossible for him to be held in its power. That's just a good line and a powerful thought.
The Good News:
I find good news in something that happens outside of this lesson. The guy speaking is Peter, who had denied Jesus and run away while his master was being beaten and killed. Here he is giving a sermon that will make 3,000 people into believers. The reversal that has occurred in the 50 days since the Resurrection is marked and inspiring. God acts in the lives of people in a way that is truly amazing.
Psalm: Psalm 16
Challenges:
It might be tempting to look at this psalm and say, "well, it seems rather shallow because things are going well for this person."
Opportunities:
This psalm made me think of the words of Paul in Philippians: "I know what it is to have little, and I know what it is to have plenty. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being well-fed and going hungry, of having plenty and of being in need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me..." When we are in deep, terrible trouble we can turn to God...when we have been blessed with prosperity we can turn to God too. It's about recognizing how important God is to us.
The Good News:
"I have no good apart from you." We might not always see God as being present, but that doesn't mean that God isn't there. God is blessing us and protecting us even when we don't recognize it.
Second Lesson: 1 Peter 1:3-9
Challenges:
1 Peter can be tough for a variety of reasons: while it only talks a little about it here, it says some things about suffering that have been used over the years to tell victims of violence to "suck it up" and bear it. Also, when it comes to comments like "...you believe in him and rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy, for you are receiving the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls." It seems like we're wading into "free will" verses "bound will" territory. If so, I doubt many people listening to you really want a detailed discussion of the theological fine points of this debate.
Opportunities:
There are obvious connections with the Gospel lesson concerning belief, sight, and faith. I'd go with that. Also, this is very much of a "hold on, things will eventually get better...hold on and live by faith" messages.
The Good News:
There is good news here because Jesus has been raised from the dead. It means that for the original hearers of this word, their present circumstances will not have the last word in their existence. It means that all of the things the writer of this passage says are true. It means that this is all more than "pipe dreams" and "pie-in-the-sky." It means we can live a new life here and now as well as in God's coming kingdom.
Gospel: John 20:19-31
Challenges:
Thomas seems to always be known as "the doubter." It's easy for us to be really down on Thomas. Frankly is that fair? I mean it makes sermons a lot easier: oh Thomas didn't have faith, he doubted. It's then easy to make assumptions and judgements about why he wasn't with the other disciples when Jesus appeared the first time. It'd be easy to say, "Well he was off hiding by himself...silly Thomas." Well, what if he wasn't there because he was doing something important and good? What if he was getting them food or out rescuing kittens stuck in a olive tree somewhere? (okay, that's a bit far-fetched, but you get the idea.)
Why can't we remember Thomas as the one that gave a statement faith that was absolutely amazing: "My Lord and my God!!" Why can't we remember him as the one who said that the disciples should go and die with Jesus (John 11:16).
And another thing: there's a complex and messy reason why "the Jews" are referred to again and again in this way. Just remember that thousands of years of anti-semitism (on the part of the church that is...) haven't happened yet. The Jewish-Christian struggle at this time was more a very messy and tragic family argument. It's very important to make it clear that "the jews" are not the "bad guys." The terrible shootings at Jewish Centers in the previous weeks should show us how very important it is to speak out against Anti-Semitism.
Opportunities:
I think we all have particular verses of the Bible that hit us hard and inspire us: John 20:31 does that for me. Having life in the name of Jesus is an amazing idea. It's become my way of describing what it means to be a Christ-follower or Christian. Over the past few weeks how often have we seen people be able to have "life in the name of Jesus?" The Samaritan woman at the well, the blind man who can now see, Mary, Martha and Lazarus, and now Thomas. I believe John 20:31 is the lens through which to read the entire Gospel.
People reading this "book" or "scroll" haven't seen Jesus the way Thomas has (and neither have we for that matter). What do we find "unbelievable?" What challenges do we face?
Maybe it could be useful to point out that we all have "breaking points." And our breaking points are in different places. Thomas was ready to die with Jesus (of course he ran away like all of the other disciples), but he wasn't ready to expect Jesus to be alive. Instead of dumping on Thomas, maybe we can look at our own situation.
Also, I know it's campy and "pop-theology" at it's best, but I can't resist this STAR WARS scene about belief: RAISING THE X-WING. Luke says "I don't believe it" when Yoda uses the Force to raise his star fighter out of the swamp. And Yoda responds, "That is why you fail." I know, I know it's a cheesy, but STAR WARS is awesome.
People reading this "book" or "scroll" haven't seen Jesus the way Thomas has (and neither have we for that matter). What do we find "unbelievable?" What challenges do we face?
Maybe it could be useful to point out that we all have "breaking points." And our breaking points are in different places. Thomas was ready to die with Jesus (of course he ran away like all of the other disciples), but he wasn't ready to expect Jesus to be alive. Instead of dumping on Thomas, maybe we can look at our own situation.
Also, I know it's campy and "pop-theology" at it's best, but I can't resist this STAR WARS scene about belief: RAISING THE X-WING. Luke says "I don't believe it" when Yoda uses the Force to raise his star fighter out of the swamp. And Yoda responds, "That is why you fail." I know, I know it's a cheesy, but STAR WARS is awesome.
The Good News:
And...
Here are some helpful quotes from The People's New Testament Commentary (it's really good, go buy it here.
On 20:20 (pg. 358) "The risen Christ is the continuing presence of the Crucified One. John has been more graphic than any of the other Gospels in portraying the flesh-and-blood reality of the crucifixion. Only John has nails. Only John has blood. Only John has the spear-thrust in the side. While John has the most exalted Christology in the Gospels, in which Jesus is truly divine, he also is most insistent that Jesus is truly human, that Jesus' death was not a sham but the supreme insistance of the Word (true God) who became flesh (true human). John's presentation of the Easter-Pentecost story does not consider the crucifixion as an episode of past history that is now superceded by the resurrection and the Spirit, but the continual making present of the significance of that event. The exalted Christ doesn't put the nail prints behind him, but reigns only as the Crucified (=self-giving even unto death) One."
On Thomas (pg. 359) "Thomas's problem is not that he is a tough-minded skeptic who will not believe until he sees with his own eyes, but that he insists on submitting the revelation that has come in Christ to his own criteria. He is thus the final example of an issue that permeates the Gospel (see 7:12). With dramatic subtlety, the author leaves it to the reader to decide whether Thomas reached out and touched; presumably he did not."
Here are some helpful quotes from The People's New Testament Commentary (it's really good, go buy it here.
On 20:20 (pg. 358) "The risen Christ is the continuing presence of the Crucified One. John has been more graphic than any of the other Gospels in portraying the flesh-and-blood reality of the crucifixion. Only John has nails. Only John has blood. Only John has the spear-thrust in the side. While John has the most exalted Christology in the Gospels, in which Jesus is truly divine, he also is most insistent that Jesus is truly human, that Jesus' death was not a sham but the supreme insistance of the Word (true God) who became flesh (true human). John's presentation of the Easter-Pentecost story does not consider the crucifixion as an episode of past history that is now superceded by the resurrection and the Spirit, but the continual making present of the significance of that event. The exalted Christ doesn't put the nail prints behind him, but reigns only as the Crucified (=self-giving even unto death) One."
On Thomas (pg. 359) "Thomas's problem is not that he is a tough-minded skeptic who will not believe until he sees with his own eyes, but that he insists on submitting the revelation that has come in Christ to his own criteria. He is thus the final example of an issue that permeates the Gospel (see 7:12). With dramatic subtlety, the author leaves it to the reader to decide whether Thomas reached out and touched; presumably he did not."
Monday, April 14, 2014
Easter Sunday: Security Breach!!
Okay, I'll level with you: this is a busy week. For you and for me. It's also a bit unique when it comes to preaching: let's face it, Easter Sunday isn't like any other Sunday. On one level it is: each Sunday is like a 'little Easter.' Yep, that's true. But I'm guessing you don't have a special Breakfast, Lillies, and unusual amounts of visitors every Sunday. If you do, please let me know how you pull that off!
So, like I said, this is a busy week. And this blogpost will have a slightly different approach. I'm going out on a limb by saying that most preachers will spend more time on the Gospel lesson this Sunday than the others...just a shot in the dark, but hey, I'll live dangerously for a bit. With this in mind I'll be centering on the text from Matthew as well as making some observations about Easter as well as sharing some good quotes that could be useful. Enjoy!
Observations on Matthew 28:1-10:
Preaching on Easter:
Good Quotes:
A Real Relationship:
"If Jesus really is risen, raised from the dead and living now with a spiritual body, then we can indeed have a relationship with a Jesus who is real, not just imaginary. We can come to know this Jesus and be challenged by him, We can grow to love this Jesus in ways that are both intimate and mature. And we can experience what it means to be in a reciprocal relationship with a spiritual being who loves us back-indeed who loved us first. (1 John 4:9)"
Mark Allan Powell, Loving Jesus, 29-30
+ + + + + + + + +
Jesus is an "Is" not a "Was":
"Imagine a Thomas Jefferson society composed of people enamored of that man and his ideas. They might gather weekly to discuss his writings and to talk about how his principles remain significant and relevant today. I could understand the appeal of such a group, regardless of whether I wanted to belong to that society myself. But suppose that this group decides Jefferson is still alive, that his 'spirit' is present at their meetings, that he is guiding them and helping them as they live out their lives in this world. If that were the case, I think I might conclude that these people had lost their grip on reality. But Christians claim something like that with regard to Jesus Christ. We believe that he is alive, risen from the dead, and that we are able to relate to him in ways that are not just symbolic or imaginary."
Mark Allan Powerll, Loving Jesus, 53.
+ + + + + + + + +
Messiahs in the First Century:
"In not one single case [of messianic movements in the first century] do we hear the slightest mentions of the disappointed followers claiming that their hero had been raised from the dead. They knew better. Resurrection was not a private event. Jewish revolutionaries whose leader had been executed by the authorities, and who managed to escape arrest themselves, had two options: give up the revolution or find another leader. Claiming that the original leader was alive again was simply not an option. Unless, of course, he was."
N.T. Wright Who Was Jesus, pg. 63.
+ + + + + + + + +
Preaching to Skeptics:
"Each year at Easter I get to preach on the Resurrection. In my sermon I always say to my skeptical, secular friends that, even if they can't believe in the resurrection, they should want it to be true. Most of them care deeply about justice for the poor, alleviating hunger and disease, and caring for the environment. Yet many of them believe that the material world was caused by accident and that the world and everything in it will eventually simply burn up in the death of the sun. They find it discouraging that so few people care about justice without realizing that their own worldview undermines any motivation to make the world a better place. Why sacrifice for the needs of others if in the end nothing we do will make any difference? If the resurrection of Jesus happened, that means there's infinite hope and reason to pour ourselves out for the needs of the world."
Timothy Keller, The Reason for God, 220. (His whole chapter on the resurrection is a good one).
+ + + + + + + + +
Experiencing the salvation of Easter (and Good Friday):
"What about the problem of death?...Imagine the experience of Jesus....He is seized and subjected to all that we are already familiar with, and breaths his last in the most excruciating pain, alone. What possible sense does this make? Is there a good God? If so, what is this God doing? This is death at its worst, death the end of everything. His life is simply wrested away from him, no hand lifted in his defense. But then he is raised from death, making some appearances to his friends and other chosen witnesses. Again God has broken through the darkness. The God who seems to be absent when tragedy befalls us and wipes us out, absent or at least powerless, is mysteriously present and powerful deep inside it all. God is present and at work, bring life out of death, good out of evil, and meaning out of absurdity. Even when death and absurdity seem most to be having their way, God is at work on our behalf prevailing against them. This is something terribly important to understand about God, and we experience it in the death and resurrection of Jesus.
This is the revelation that saves us, this experience of the kind of God we have. The twin evils of sin and death reach a climax in the tragic killing of Jesus, yet right here in his death and resurrection the presence and power of God are most powerfully felt. This experience saves us, because it entirely transforms our understanding and heals our hearts. No longer do we have to fear sin and death as we otherwise would, no longer do they darken the face of existence and drain our hearts of all energy. Christ is the light of the world, his Father the source of our hope."
Thomas N. Hart, To Know and Follow Jesus, pg. 14-15
+ + + + + + + + +
From a historian who has no personal reason to admit that the resurrection actually occurred:
"What the Gospels tell us happened after the Crucifixion was the ultimate good news: Jesus came back to human life after three days in the tomb. Somehow a criminal's death and defeat on the Cross, 'Good Friday', as Christians came to call it, were transformed by his followers into a triumph of life over death, and the Passion narratives ended with the story of Easter Resurrection. This Resurrection is not a matter which historians can authenticate; it is a different sort of truth, or statement about truth. It is the most troubling, difficult affirmation in Christianity, but over twenty centuries Christians have thought it central to their faith. Easter is the earliest Christian festival, and it was for its celebration that the Passion narratives were created by the first Christians.
Belief in the truth of the Resurrection Story and in Jesus' power to overcome death has made Christians act over twenty centuries in the most heroic, joyful, beautiful and terrible ways...Historians might take comfort from the fact that nowhere in the New Testament is there a description of the Resurrection: it was beyond the capacity or the intention of the writers to describe it, and all they described were its effects. The New Testament is thus a literature with a blank at its centre; yet this blank is also its intense focus. The beginning of the long Christian conversation lies in the chorus of assertions in the writings of the New Testament that after Jesus' death his tomb was found empty."
Diarmaid MacCulloch, Christianity: the First Three Thousand Years, pg. 93-94
So, like I said, this is a busy week. And this blogpost will have a slightly different approach. I'm going out on a limb by saying that most preachers will spend more time on the Gospel lesson this Sunday than the others...just a shot in the dark, but hey, I'll live dangerously for a bit. With this in mind I'll be centering on the text from Matthew as well as making some observations about Easter as well as sharing some good quotes that could be useful. Enjoy!
Observations on Matthew 28:1-10:
- SECURITY BREACH! Chapter 27 ended with the religious leaders asking Pilate to put a guard on the tomb. His answer gives us a great image: "You have a guard of soldiers; go, make it as secure as you can." (27:65) This is exactly what they do: they make it as secure as they CAN. And their security proves to be completely ineffective against the power of God. Chairman Mao once said, "Power comes from the barrel of a gun" and most of the world acts as if that were the case. Want to keep something secure? Send in the guys with weapons. But swords and spears (or guns and bombs for that matter) are ineffective against God. What happens to the soldiers? They shake and become like dead men. (28:4) Want to see what the power of God, and the Lord of Life can do? Read these verses from Matthew 28. No spear, sword, or gun can compare. Easter shows us that God is on the loose and that the powers of this world can't contain the Resurrected Jesus.
- DON'T FORGET THE EARTHQUAKE: When my daughter first heard this story and able to understand it (she was about 2 and a half) she was fixated on the fact that there was an earthquake. She found this aspect of the story so important that she finds it necessary to remind me any time I don't include it in a telling of the Resurrection (during Children's Sermons for instance). Usually we forget to mention it or talk about it, but earthquakes have a way of getting our attention, whether you are 2 years old, or 82. Here's the point: who knows what part of the story might grab people? You could be concentrating on one aspect, and something else will speak to your listeners. Not much you can do to prepare for this, but just be aware!
- HE'S NOT HERE! During my year of internship I had the opportunity to preach at my congregation's Sunrise Service, which took place in the town's cemetary. I remember the police officer who patrolled the cemetary came over to join the service. It was a cold morning, with plenty of fog. Anyone there had to make considerable effort to be there. So, since I can be something of a smart alec, I started by saying, "I have some news for you: WE'RE IN THE WRONG PLACE! HE'S NOT HERE! HE'S RISEN!" I went on to talk about how you sometimes have to go to the wrong place to find your way to the right place. Think of the word's of the angel, "...I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for he has been raised, as he said. Come see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples..." We can leave our Easter celebrations to tell everyone that he has been raised.
- LIKE YOU DO: When the women encounter Jesus, they do the only thing that is completely natural: they worship him. What else can you do? That's just the natural response. All of the theology would come later: the councils and wrangling about Jesus' nature and his connection with God the Father and all of that. Right now, when you encounter Jesus the natural thing is to worship him, even if they Nicene Creed hasn't been invented yet. And Jesus tells them to do two things: DO NOT BE AFRAID and GO. Those two commands are for us as well. When you encounter the Risen Jesus, fear is shown to not have the final word. We also have a mission and a purpose.
- REPAIRING THE BREACH: And what exactly are the women supposed to GO and do? Jesus says,"tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me." These are the "brothers" who had denied him, abandoned him and fallen asleep in the Garden. Jesus could have said, "Go and tell my brothers that they are fired." He didn't. He repairs the breach...that THEY had created. That's how Jesus works. He's calling his brothers back: he's calling YOU back.
Preaching on Easter:
- Get excited! Be happy! Show some JOY. This is a big and joyous day. There is a Youtube clip of a Norwegian explorer traveling through Antarctica named Aleksander Gamme. His expedition's goal is to hike to the South Pole AND back. In order to do this he leaves caches of food and equipment along the way, so that in his return he can pick them up and eat in order to survive. This video clip shows him on DAY 86 (no joke) reaching one of his caches. He's been traveling for so long that he can't remember what he packed in this particular cache. Wonder of wonders he discovers...Cheese Doodles. His reaction is PRICELESS. Can our reaction to the news of the resurrection be this overwhelming? You can watch the clip by clicking here, or here or by looking up "Basic needs-extreme happiness" on youtube. If you show this clip in worship, be WARNED, you'll want to cut it off before it's over because some of the other videos advertised will not be of the right variety for a worship service!
- While you are happy and joyous, don't forget that we are celebrating an empty TOMB for a reason. Jesus was DEAD and he died in a horrible and lonely way. The tomb is empty, but don't forget that there was a need for a tomb in the first place.
- Easter can bring visitors (or at least the C & E crowd) to worship like hardly any other service. The story of Christ's resurrection might seem very, very familiar to you, but it might not to all of your hearers. This might actually be NEW news, in addition to GOOD news. Be sure to tell the story and get in the details that might have been missed by the casual observer. If a person can be termed a "casual" observer, it means that they have missed something in the TRANSFORMATIVE and AMAZING story.
Good Quotes:
A Real Relationship:
"If Jesus really is risen, raised from the dead and living now with a spiritual body, then we can indeed have a relationship with a Jesus who is real, not just imaginary. We can come to know this Jesus and be challenged by him, We can grow to love this Jesus in ways that are both intimate and mature. And we can experience what it means to be in a reciprocal relationship with a spiritual being who loves us back-indeed who loved us first. (1 John 4:9)"
Mark Allan Powell, Loving Jesus, 29-30
+ + + + + + + + +
Jesus is an "Is" not a "Was":
"Imagine a Thomas Jefferson society composed of people enamored of that man and his ideas. They might gather weekly to discuss his writings and to talk about how his principles remain significant and relevant today. I could understand the appeal of such a group, regardless of whether I wanted to belong to that society myself. But suppose that this group decides Jefferson is still alive, that his 'spirit' is present at their meetings, that he is guiding them and helping them as they live out their lives in this world. If that were the case, I think I might conclude that these people had lost their grip on reality. But Christians claim something like that with regard to Jesus Christ. We believe that he is alive, risen from the dead, and that we are able to relate to him in ways that are not just symbolic or imaginary."
Mark Allan Powerll, Loving Jesus, 53.
+ + + + + + + + +
Messiahs in the First Century:
"In not one single case [of messianic movements in the first century] do we hear the slightest mentions of the disappointed followers claiming that their hero had been raised from the dead. They knew better. Resurrection was not a private event. Jewish revolutionaries whose leader had been executed by the authorities, and who managed to escape arrest themselves, had two options: give up the revolution or find another leader. Claiming that the original leader was alive again was simply not an option. Unless, of course, he was."
N.T. Wright Who Was Jesus, pg. 63.
+ + + + + + + + +
Preaching to Skeptics:
"Each year at Easter I get to preach on the Resurrection. In my sermon I always say to my skeptical, secular friends that, even if they can't believe in the resurrection, they should want it to be true. Most of them care deeply about justice for the poor, alleviating hunger and disease, and caring for the environment. Yet many of them believe that the material world was caused by accident and that the world and everything in it will eventually simply burn up in the death of the sun. They find it discouraging that so few people care about justice without realizing that their own worldview undermines any motivation to make the world a better place. Why sacrifice for the needs of others if in the end nothing we do will make any difference? If the resurrection of Jesus happened, that means there's infinite hope and reason to pour ourselves out for the needs of the world."
Timothy Keller, The Reason for God, 220. (His whole chapter on the resurrection is a good one).
+ + + + + + + + +
Experiencing the salvation of Easter (and Good Friday):
"What about the problem of death?...Imagine the experience of Jesus....He is seized and subjected to all that we are already familiar with, and breaths his last in the most excruciating pain, alone. What possible sense does this make? Is there a good God? If so, what is this God doing? This is death at its worst, death the end of everything. His life is simply wrested away from him, no hand lifted in his defense. But then he is raised from death, making some appearances to his friends and other chosen witnesses. Again God has broken through the darkness. The God who seems to be absent when tragedy befalls us and wipes us out, absent or at least powerless, is mysteriously present and powerful deep inside it all. God is present and at work, bring life out of death, good out of evil, and meaning out of absurdity. Even when death and absurdity seem most to be having their way, God is at work on our behalf prevailing against them. This is something terribly important to understand about God, and we experience it in the death and resurrection of Jesus.
This is the revelation that saves us, this experience of the kind of God we have. The twin evils of sin and death reach a climax in the tragic killing of Jesus, yet right here in his death and resurrection the presence and power of God are most powerfully felt. This experience saves us, because it entirely transforms our understanding and heals our hearts. No longer do we have to fear sin and death as we otherwise would, no longer do they darken the face of existence and drain our hearts of all energy. Christ is the light of the world, his Father the source of our hope."
Thomas N. Hart, To Know and Follow Jesus, pg. 14-15
+ + + + + + + + +
From a historian who has no personal reason to admit that the resurrection actually occurred:
"What the Gospels tell us happened after the Crucifixion was the ultimate good news: Jesus came back to human life after three days in the tomb. Somehow a criminal's death and defeat on the Cross, 'Good Friday', as Christians came to call it, were transformed by his followers into a triumph of life over death, and the Passion narratives ended with the story of Easter Resurrection. This Resurrection is not a matter which historians can authenticate; it is a different sort of truth, or statement about truth. It is the most troubling, difficult affirmation in Christianity, but over twenty centuries Christians have thought it central to their faith. Easter is the earliest Christian festival, and it was for its celebration that the Passion narratives were created by the first Christians.
Belief in the truth of the Resurrection Story and in Jesus' power to overcome death has made Christians act over twenty centuries in the most heroic, joyful, beautiful and terrible ways...Historians might take comfort from the fact that nowhere in the New Testament is there a description of the Resurrection: it was beyond the capacity or the intention of the writers to describe it, and all they described were its effects. The New Testament is thus a literature with a blank at its centre; yet this blank is also its intense focus. The beginning of the long Christian conversation lies in the chorus of assertions in the writings of the New Testament that after Jesus' death his tomb was found empty."
Diarmaid MacCulloch, Christianity: the First Three Thousand Years, pg. 93-94
Wednesday, April 9, 2014
Preaching on Good Friday
Really and truly ALL preaching should be Good Friday preaching...and Easter Sunday preaching.
I've heard others say (don't ask me who) that if Jesus Christ didn't have to die and be raised for your sermon to work, it's a waste of time...at least as a sermon. I don't think you should let a statement like that freak you out to the point of worrying and asking: "did I talk about the crucifixion ENOUGH?" But we proclaim Christ Crucified and Risen. That's what we do. Hopefully, by the power of the Holy Spirit, we live our lives in such a way that shows we believe it happened.
Some pastors decide not to preach on Good Friday and I get that. They let the story speak for itself, which makes a certain amount of sense. But if you ARE preaching on Good Friday, here are a few thoughts that might help:
Get People to Inhabit the Story:
I heard an interview with historian David McCullough where he was asked how an author should prepare to write a work of history (he's written biographies of John Adams, Teddy Roosevelt and Harry Truman among many other books). His answer has stuck with me. "I marinate yourself in the time period." He means we should get to know as much as we can about it, surround yourself with it, become comfortable with it.
I believe the same is certainly true for devotional bible study in general and for experiencing Holy Week in particular. Marinate yourself in the story. Who might you be like? The disciples? Someone in the crowd? A religious leader? Which one. What would have it felt like to experience these events?
As a kid, Holy Week was a very special time for me. Our congregation had a potluck meal and service on Maundy Thursday, a Tenebrae service on Good Friday, and two Easter Sunday Services. (on Saturday Night the guys cooked up the sausage for the Easter Breakfast). I had (and have) a pretty active imagination and all of these services spoke to my senses. When all the lights went out on Good Friday and we stood there in the dark and whispered the Lord's Prayer it was like Jesus had died all over again...I felt the pathos and pain. And then on Easter morning out cross was covered in lilies and everything was bright and shining and amazing. Easter was so important not IN SPITE of my Good Friday experience but BECAUSE of my Good Friday experience.
Marinate yourself and your people in the story.
Now is Not the Time to Bash a Particular Theory of Atonement:
There are plenty of ways to understand the significance of Jesus' death on the cross. The New Testament itself does not have just one theory of atonement. In the history of Christianity many faithful individuals have attempted to describe that significance: Christus Victor, Penal Substitution, the Happy Exchange, etc., etc. While the Penal Substitution Theory of Atonement is very popular and prevalent in the United States it is rather hated by most of the Lutheran Pastors I know (or at least most of the Lutheran Pastors who talk about it a lot). That's cool, I get it. But slamming someone else's theory of atonement (which might be very close to their heart and the way in which they connect with Christ) isn't that productive.
When you do this, it becomes very difficult to make the sermon about anything other than a statement of "I'm right and you are wrong." At best people will be put off a bit, at worst it could cause a brother or sister in Christ to stumble. If you want to introduce a new theory of atonement, do it with humility and grace. Make it clear that this is ANOTHER way of looking at the cross, not the ONLY way.
Actually Talk about the Cross:
Okay, this might seem like a no-brainer, but it needs to be said. I went to a Community Good Friday Service where one of the local pastors got up to preach and began by saying, "You probably expect me to talk about the Crucifixion of Jesus, but I'm going to talk about something else." I can't remember what his sermon was about (it was about 20 years ago) but I do remember that he kept his promise: his sermon did not have anything to do with the death of Jesus. Yeah, don't do that.
Don't Go Overboard:
So, I talked about marinating yourself and your people in the story. That's a good idea, but I think we always have to be careful not to overdo it. Maybe Good Friday is the ONE day of the year when you really won't go overboard in dwelling on Jesus' death and suffering, BUT you don't want it to turn into a fetish for violence and suffering. Yes, Jesus suffered, yes it was extremely painful and terrible, but spending a tremendous amount of time describing the various ways that Jesus was hurt can boarder on the pornographic. In many ways, "less is more" in the way that you present what happens. The atmosphere that you set in the worship space as well as your tone and mannerisms will communicate more than a blow-by-blow account of the suffering that Jesus faced.
Talk about why it's a "Good" Friday:
Okay, okay: I haven't studied the etymology of the term "Good Friday" and I don't think any of the people in my congregation really, really want to know where the term comes from. But the name "Good Friday" provides a chance to talk about why the day and the events it commemorates is so important. Note how it's not called "Happy Friday" or "Excellent Friday" or "Exciting Friday" or even "Great Friday." Nope: we're talking about the trial, beating, abandonment and crucifixion of Jesus, it was not a "happy" day.
But when Jesus died on the cross, he saved us from our sins. He made things right between God and humanity. Good Friday is a day of "atonement" which describes exactly what it says: "at-one-ment." It wasn't a cheerful day, or an easy day, or a happy day. But it was a GOOD day because Jesus accomplished his mission and he can say 'it is finished.'
Make it Very Clear that "The Jews" did NOT Kill Jesus:
It's 2014 so it might be tempting to think that we don't have to keep saying this, but we most certainly do. Anti-Judaic and/or anti-semetitic voices are most certainly still out there. "The Jews" did not kill Jesus. Technically Roman soldiers were the ones who literally nailed him to the cross. The Religious Leaders were the ones who tried him and brought him before Pilate...and not all of the religious leaders took part in the mockery of a trial that took place. So the "powers that be" (both religious, political and military) killed Jesus: some were Jews, some were Gentiles. But to really get at the heart of the matter: humanity killed Jesus.
I grew up watching the TV miniseries "Jesus of Nazareth" and the images in it are fused into my consciousness. One of the many things this miniseries did well was to show that no one knew how to deal with "this guy" Jesus. The Zealots were disappointed he didn't want political revolution, the religious leaders thought he'd cause trouble and the Romans just wanted him to go away. As the miniseries goes forward the viewer ends up saying, "They're going to kill this guy."
The hard truth is that we would have done the same had we been there. We might have yelled "Crucify him!" or at least stayed silent while others said it. We would have run away like the disciples did, we would have denied Jesus the way Peter did. Ultimately WE, the human race, killed Jesus.
I've heard others say (don't ask me who) that if Jesus Christ didn't have to die and be raised for your sermon to work, it's a waste of time...at least as a sermon. I don't think you should let a statement like that freak you out to the point of worrying and asking: "did I talk about the crucifixion ENOUGH?" But we proclaim Christ Crucified and Risen. That's what we do. Hopefully, by the power of the Holy Spirit, we live our lives in such a way that shows we believe it happened.
Some pastors decide not to preach on Good Friday and I get that. They let the story speak for itself, which makes a certain amount of sense. But if you ARE preaching on Good Friday, here are a few thoughts that might help:
Get People to Inhabit the Story:
I heard an interview with historian David McCullough where he was asked how an author should prepare to write a work of history (he's written biographies of John Adams, Teddy Roosevelt and Harry Truman among many other books). His answer has stuck with me. "I marinate yourself in the time period." He means we should get to know as much as we can about it, surround yourself with it, become comfortable with it.
I believe the same is certainly true for devotional bible study in general and for experiencing Holy Week in particular. Marinate yourself in the story. Who might you be like? The disciples? Someone in the crowd? A religious leader? Which one. What would have it felt like to experience these events?
As a kid, Holy Week was a very special time for me. Our congregation had a potluck meal and service on Maundy Thursday, a Tenebrae service on Good Friday, and two Easter Sunday Services. (on Saturday Night the guys cooked up the sausage for the Easter Breakfast). I had (and have) a pretty active imagination and all of these services spoke to my senses. When all the lights went out on Good Friday and we stood there in the dark and whispered the Lord's Prayer it was like Jesus had died all over again...I felt the pathos and pain. And then on Easter morning out cross was covered in lilies and everything was bright and shining and amazing. Easter was so important not IN SPITE of my Good Friday experience but BECAUSE of my Good Friday experience.
Marinate yourself and your people in the story.
Now is Not the Time to Bash a Particular Theory of Atonement:
There are plenty of ways to understand the significance of Jesus' death on the cross. The New Testament itself does not have just one theory of atonement. In the history of Christianity many faithful individuals have attempted to describe that significance: Christus Victor, Penal Substitution, the Happy Exchange, etc., etc. While the Penal Substitution Theory of Atonement is very popular and prevalent in the United States it is rather hated by most of the Lutheran Pastors I know (or at least most of the Lutheran Pastors who talk about it a lot). That's cool, I get it. But slamming someone else's theory of atonement (which might be very close to their heart and the way in which they connect with Christ) isn't that productive.
When you do this, it becomes very difficult to make the sermon about anything other than a statement of "I'm right and you are wrong." At best people will be put off a bit, at worst it could cause a brother or sister in Christ to stumble. If you want to introduce a new theory of atonement, do it with humility and grace. Make it clear that this is ANOTHER way of looking at the cross, not the ONLY way.
Actually Talk about the Cross:
Okay, this might seem like a no-brainer, but it needs to be said. I went to a Community Good Friday Service where one of the local pastors got up to preach and began by saying, "You probably expect me to talk about the Crucifixion of Jesus, but I'm going to talk about something else." I can't remember what his sermon was about (it was about 20 years ago) but I do remember that he kept his promise: his sermon did not have anything to do with the death of Jesus. Yeah, don't do that.
Don't Go Overboard:
So, I talked about marinating yourself and your people in the story. That's a good idea, but I think we always have to be careful not to overdo it. Maybe Good Friday is the ONE day of the year when you really won't go overboard in dwelling on Jesus' death and suffering, BUT you don't want it to turn into a fetish for violence and suffering. Yes, Jesus suffered, yes it was extremely painful and terrible, but spending a tremendous amount of time describing the various ways that Jesus was hurt can boarder on the pornographic. In many ways, "less is more" in the way that you present what happens. The atmosphere that you set in the worship space as well as your tone and mannerisms will communicate more than a blow-by-blow account of the suffering that Jesus faced.
Talk about why it's a "Good" Friday:
Okay, okay: I haven't studied the etymology of the term "Good Friday" and I don't think any of the people in my congregation really, really want to know where the term comes from. But the name "Good Friday" provides a chance to talk about why the day and the events it commemorates is so important. Note how it's not called "Happy Friday" or "Excellent Friday" or "Exciting Friday" or even "Great Friday." Nope: we're talking about the trial, beating, abandonment and crucifixion of Jesus, it was not a "happy" day.
But when Jesus died on the cross, he saved us from our sins. He made things right between God and humanity. Good Friday is a day of "atonement" which describes exactly what it says: "at-one-ment." It wasn't a cheerful day, or an easy day, or a happy day. But it was a GOOD day because Jesus accomplished his mission and he can say 'it is finished.'
Make it Very Clear that "The Jews" did NOT Kill Jesus:
It's 2014 so it might be tempting to think that we don't have to keep saying this, but we most certainly do. Anti-Judaic and/or anti-semetitic voices are most certainly still out there. "The Jews" did not kill Jesus. Technically Roman soldiers were the ones who literally nailed him to the cross. The Religious Leaders were the ones who tried him and brought him before Pilate...and not all of the religious leaders took part in the mockery of a trial that took place. So the "powers that be" (both religious, political and military) killed Jesus: some were Jews, some were Gentiles. But to really get at the heart of the matter: humanity killed Jesus.
I grew up watching the TV miniseries "Jesus of Nazareth" and the images in it are fused into my consciousness. One of the many things this miniseries did well was to show that no one knew how to deal with "this guy" Jesus. The Zealots were disappointed he didn't want political revolution, the religious leaders thought he'd cause trouble and the Romans just wanted him to go away. As the miniseries goes forward the viewer ends up saying, "They're going to kill this guy."
The hard truth is that we would have done the same had we been there. We might have yelled "Crucify him!" or at least stayed silent while others said it. We would have run away like the disciples did, we would have denied Jesus the way Peter did. Ultimately WE, the human race, killed Jesus.
Tuesday, April 8, 2014
Everybody Put Your Palms in the Air!
Just a thought...
So, it's Palm Sunday: huzzah! And for many of us it's also "Passion Sunday." That probably means a procession of some kind, people putting their palms in the air and waving them around like they just don't care and a really LONG Passion Story Reading.
Personally I have NEVER met a pastor who is excited that we've turned Palm Sunday into Sunday of the Passion. Like many (if not all) of you, I wish it was ONLY Palm Sunday. But, like most of you, I see the need for a "Sunday of the Passion." too. To go right from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday (because fewer and fewer people attend Maundy Thursday and Good Friday) misses the Cross. Not good, not good at all. If you have a solution to this, please let me know!
Okay, so long lessons, with lots going on. This might be a week for either: A) No sermon or B) A very, very short one.
So, it's Palm Sunday: huzzah! And for many of us it's also "Passion Sunday." That probably means a procession of some kind, people putting their palms in the air and waving them around like they just don't care and a really LONG Passion Story Reading.
Personally I have NEVER met a pastor who is excited that we've turned Palm Sunday into Sunday of the Passion. Like many (if not all) of you, I wish it was ONLY Palm Sunday. But, like most of you, I see the need for a "Sunday of the Passion." too. To go right from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday (because fewer and fewer people attend Maundy Thursday and Good Friday) misses the Cross. Not good, not good at all. If you have a solution to this, please let me know!
Okay, so long lessons, with lots going on. This might be a week for either: A) No sermon or B) A very, very short one.
With this in mind...
So what should you say on Palm Sunday concerning the "Triumphal Entry?"
Historical Background:
So much of Jesus' "Triumphal Entry" into Jerusalem fits into life and expectations in First Century Judea and we could certainly miss the significance of what was happening. Giving some background could be very useful. But I have to remember that just because I enjoy a history lesson doesn't mean that everyone will.
Still, why does it matter that he came in riding on a donkey? Check out Zech. 9:9.
Also, what would the significance of the palms be? If anything, I bet with could be a real 'red-flag' to the Romans and Jewish Religious leaders: watch out, there could be trouble! Rabble getting crazy in the streets, that sort of thing.
Also, what would the significance of the palms be? If anything, I bet with could be a real 'red-flag' to the Romans and Jewish Religious leaders: watch out, there could be trouble! Rabble getting crazy in the streets, that sort of thing.
Compare and Contrast:
Comparisons and contrasts can always be useful. When Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany visited Jerusalem in 1898 to dedicate the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer he rode into the city on horseback in full uniform, complete with spiked helmet. Because this made him so tall that he couldn't enter through the city gates without ducking (which was supposedly beneath his dignity), there were two special arches built for him so that he could enter without crouching.
Compare that with Jesus, coming in on a donkey (or two if you are reading Matthew). Jesus isn't riding a warhorse and is not in some shiny military uniform. He's a meek king riding on a donkey, like Zechariah says. In fairness to Matthew, I don't think he invisioned Jesus riding two donkeys with a foot on the back of each one. I bet he thought Jesus rode one with the other next to it.
Compare that with Jesus, coming in on a donkey (or two if you are reading Matthew). Jesus isn't riding a warhorse and is not in some shiny military uniform. He's a meek king riding on a donkey, like Zechariah says. In fairness to Matthew, I don't think he invisioned Jesus riding two donkeys with a foot on the back of each one. I bet he thought Jesus rode one with the other next to it.
A Bit of Humor:
I like what the Skit Guys have to say about Palm Sunday: SKIT GUYS YOUTUBE VIDEO. (But if you are going to show this on Sunday, buy it at their website.
This is what I think...
I'm going to say this like a broken record...or whatever the digital MP3 equivalent of a broken record is...
THIS WEEK IS ALL ABOUT THE STORY AND HOW WE CAN FIT INTO IT.
ASK YOURSELF AND OTHERS: WHERE ARE YOU IN THIS STORY? PART OF THE CROWD? A DISCIPLE? WHERE DO YOU FIT IN?
AND HOW WILL YOU FIT IN AS THE STORY PROGRESSES? ARE YOU LIKE THE DISCIPLES WHO RUN AWAY? WHO ARE YOU?
ASK YOURSELF AND OTHERS: WHERE ARE YOU IN THIS STORY? PART OF THE CROWD? A DISCIPLE? WHERE DO YOU FIT IN?
AND HOW WILL YOU FIT IN AS THE STORY PROGRESSES? ARE YOU LIKE THE DISCIPLES WHO RUN AWAY? WHO ARE YOU?
Tuesday, April 1, 2014
Lent 5: Dead Man Walking
Ezekiel 37:1-14
Psalm 130
Romans 8:6-11
John 11:1-45
It might be off-putting or confusing that this encounter with God was a vision or a moment when the prophet was in a "state of altered consciousness" for some. I like the Albus Dumbledore quote from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Harry says "Tell me one last thing...Is this real? Or has this been happening inside my head?"Dumbledore responds "Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?" (Deathly Hallows, pg. 723)
Perhaps you have heard of the band "Lost and Found." Their song "Dry Bones" not only connects with the First Lesson, it will get stuck in your head for days. Listen to it by clicking here and see what I mean. Now it will be stuck in your head...I have control of your mind!!!!
If you ask me, this isn't a time to get scientific and analytical: this is a chance to let your inner poet to jump out and verbally dance all over the page (if you use notes) or through your head (if you don't). Speak to the HEARTS of people: what are the 'dry' or 'dead' parts of their lives, their communities, their hopes. Is it too scary to think of these dry bones walking? Is it too risky to hope that they will or is it just better to expect the worst so you won't be disappointed?
The Psalmist feels [and I would agree] that praying to God in this way is worthwhile. There are people who are fun to be around when things are good, but when events go bad they are a liability rather than an asset. That is not what God is like. God is there for us when things are bad AND when they are good. While we might not have our prayers answered in the exact way we would wish, we can trust that God is with us, hears our prayers and acts graciously in our lives. Having this sort of trust can change a person's life.
As I said in the challenges there are many ways to look at what Jesus says and does, not even to mention his motivations. This is MY take. If you don't like it, just email me for an refund on what you paid for this blog...oh wait, it's free! Just kidding.
There are two pieces of good news: Jesus knows what he can do and that Lazarus will be raised. He has things in hand. But he still has a tremendous amount of empathy to be disturbed and troubled and even to weep at the anguish that the death of Lazarus has caused. Jesus is that kind of guy.
The second half of the good news is this: Jesus doesn't only weep at the death of a friend, he is powerful enough to DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. And with his death on the cross and his resurrection from the dead, he is powerful enough to DO SOMETHING ABOUT the fate of all of us.
I like the fact that my fate is in the hands of someone who feels anguish when he sees anguish in others.
Psalm 130
Romans 8:6-11
John 11:1-45
First Lesson: Ezekiel 37:1-14
Challenges:
Some context for this passage is necessary: an explanation of the Exile, the lack of hope and the complete shattering of the worldview of the people of Judah. People won't know that off the top of their heads. As always with context, how much do you give? And if you've been reading this blog for awhile you are probably asking, "how often will he ask that question?"
Opportunities:
It might be off-putting or confusing that this encounter with God was a vision or a moment when the prophet was in a "state of altered consciousness" for some. I like the Albus Dumbledore quote from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Harry says "Tell me one last thing...Is this real? Or has this been happening inside my head?"Dumbledore responds "Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?" (Deathly Hallows, pg. 723)
Perhaps you have heard of the band "Lost and Found." Their song "Dry Bones" not only connects with the First Lesson, it will get stuck in your head for days. Listen to it by clicking here and see what I mean. Now it will be stuck in your head...I have control of your mind!!!!
If you ask me, this isn't a time to get scientific and analytical: this is a chance to let your inner poet to jump out and verbally dance all over the page (if you use notes) or through your head (if you don't). Speak to the HEARTS of people: what are the 'dry' or 'dead' parts of their lives, their communities, their hopes. Is it too scary to think of these dry bones walking? Is it too risky to hope that they will or is it just better to expect the worst so you won't be disappointed?
The Good News:
There will be life for the people of God. There will be the presence of God's Spirit. And because of that future reality, our present reality is one of hope. This can be a powerful message for congregations who feel like their "glory days" are in the past, congregations who are tired and frustrated. If the hope that comes from this story can wash over people who feel dead, they can feel life again.
Psalm: Psalm 130
Challenges:
This is a powerful psalm and it makes some really, really good statements of faith and of truth (see verse 3 for a huge chunk of truth). When I read this Psalm I gain hope and comfort. Part of my mind strays, however, to the question "How about the people who memorized this psalm and then recited it when things were really, really bad but no help came? The ship went down, the building burned, the city fell, the...well, you name it. Where was God then?" Of course, I'm a pastor and I can come up with lots of responses and answers to this question, but it still troubles me. There will be at least one person like me out in your congregation on Sunday (probably more). How will you response to them in a pastoral and prophetic way?
Opportunities:
Last week, Psalm 23 was an excellent example of a psalm to carry with you in the hard and bad times. Psalm 130 is another example of this. These words and the sentiment behind it can be just as helpful. Not only is it good to memorize all or at least some of Psalm 130, capturing the sentiment and spirit of the message: hope in the Lord and opening up to God in the middle of hard situations, can be just as important.
The Good News:
Second Lesson: Romans 8:6-11
Challenges:
It's easy to look at this passage and say: well, don't do sinful things, they'll kill you. While some sinful things CAN kill you (I don't think you need any examples of this), I don't think that's the point here. While I believe that "the flesh" is more than just premarital sex or drinking or "sinful card-playing" (as Christians of other eras have felt), I do think that Paul has a point about what are minds are set on. A challenge here will be to get people to move away from an idea of individual specific actions (not that I am condoning or endorsing individual sinful actions here: kids, don't do drugs), but rather a mindset that is either pointed toward God or pointed away from God.
Another challenge, at least for me, comes from the line "Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him." How do we get that Spirit exactly? Is this a "bound will" sort of thing? How does this Spirit get into us? If it's something we have to do, that's a bit scary. If it's something God does, WHY DOESN'T EVERYONE HAVE THE SPIRIT? Honestly, this is a question I've been struggling with quite a bit.
Opportunities:
Opportunities:
"If the Spirit of the of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you..." I think of this as a "you are what you eat" sort of thing (in a holy communion sort of way...not a unclean foods sort of way...no analogy is perfect). If the Spirit's on the inside, both the outside and the inside will be different through the Spirit that dwells in us.
The Good News:
We often talk about how we're not alone and that God is with us. It's certainly true and good to talk about this, but we've heard it so often that it can run off our ears like water off a duck's back. This lesson offers a slightly different way to look at it: the Holy Spirit is inside of us and so wherever we go, the Holy Spirit is with us, even when God feels so far away.
Gospel: John 11:1-45
Challenges:
This is our third week of really, really, really, REALLY long Gospel Lessons. You know the drill by this time: have everyone sit down. Maybe reader's theater again?
Also, there is the fact that Jesus purposefully waits so that Lazarus will be dead when he arrives at Bethany. You get the sense that if he had left immediately Lazarus wouldn't have died: Mary and Martha think so and I believe that they are correct.
And another thing: the Bible usually doesn't give vocal tones to the dialogue of the characters found in its stories. We have to add those ourselves (hopefully in a faithful way). Then there are times when we get some of the character's feelings, like in verse 33 where Jesus is greatly disturbed in spirit and deeply moved. Does he feel this way because of the pain and suffering people are feeling? Is it because of their lack of faith? Maybe a bit of both? I don't believe there are any clear answers and it's for reasons like this that studying Scripture, especially devotionally, should always be done with humility and an openness to what God has to say to us. Jesus is greatly disturbed in spirit and deeply moved. Jesus weeps. Why? What do you think?
Also, there is the fact that Jesus purposefully waits so that Lazarus will be dead when he arrives at Bethany. You get the sense that if he had left immediately Lazarus wouldn't have died: Mary and Martha think so and I believe that they are correct.
And another thing: the Bible usually doesn't give vocal tones to the dialogue of the characters found in its stories. We have to add those ourselves (hopefully in a faithful way). Then there are times when we get some of the character's feelings, like in verse 33 where Jesus is greatly disturbed in spirit and deeply moved. Does he feel this way because of the pain and suffering people are feeling? Is it because of their lack of faith? Maybe a bit of both? I don't believe there are any clear answers and it's for reasons like this that studying Scripture, especially devotionally, should always be done with humility and an openness to what God has to say to us. Jesus is greatly disturbed in spirit and deeply moved. Jesus weeps. Why? What do you think?
Opportunities:
In the book "Undead: Revived, Resuscitated, Reborn" Clay Morgan talks about how we all can be in spiritual tombs in this life. (I'd recommend the book and you can find it here.) Tombs of depression, hopelessness, sadness, fear...you name it. And for all of us, Jesus will cry in a loud voice "COME OUT!"
From a historical/cultural point of view, the fact that Lazarus was in the tomb for four days is rather important. It means that he was ACTUALLY, TRULY, REALLY dead. It was much harder back then to tell if a person was really dead and there have been cases even today of people waking up in morgues or under a medical examiner's knife (just google the name "Carlos Camejo.") People had a variety of ways to make sure someone was dead: a wake gave the body plenty of time to wake up if necessary, sailors at sea were sown into their hammocks with the last thread going through their nose just to make sure they weren't still kicking, and in Victorian times elaborate inventions were made that could be placed on caskets and would alert loved ones with a ringing bell if the corpse moved.
But if you've been in a tomb for FOUR DAYS you are actually dead. So there would be no doubt of what Jesus did here.
For the junior high boy in all of us, the King James Version has Martha warning Jesus about Lazarus' body, "Lord, by this time he stinketh..." If you don't find the word "stinketh" funny you are more mature person than I am.
From a historical/cultural point of view, the fact that Lazarus was in the tomb for four days is rather important. It means that he was ACTUALLY, TRULY, REALLY dead. It was much harder back then to tell if a person was really dead and there have been cases even today of people waking up in morgues or under a medical examiner's knife (just google the name "Carlos Camejo.") People had a variety of ways to make sure someone was dead: a wake gave the body plenty of time to wake up if necessary, sailors at sea were sown into their hammocks with the last thread going through their nose just to make sure they weren't still kicking, and in Victorian times elaborate inventions were made that could be placed on caskets and would alert loved ones with a ringing bell if the corpse moved.
But if you've been in a tomb for FOUR DAYS you are actually dead. So there would be no doubt of what Jesus did here.
For the junior high boy in all of us, the King James Version has Martha warning Jesus about Lazarus' body, "Lord, by this time he stinketh..." If you don't find the word "stinketh" funny you are more mature person than I am.
The Good News:
There are two pieces of good news: Jesus knows what he can do and that Lazarus will be raised. He has things in hand. But he still has a tremendous amount of empathy to be disturbed and troubled and even to weep at the anguish that the death of Lazarus has caused. Jesus is that kind of guy.
The second half of the good news is this: Jesus doesn't only weep at the death of a friend, he is powerful enough to DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. And with his death on the cross and his resurrection from the dead, he is powerful enough to DO SOMETHING ABOUT the fate of all of us.
I like the fact that my fate is in the hands of someone who feels anguish when he sees anguish in others.
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