In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking, "Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage." When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him; and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. (Matthew 2: 1-4)
On a website called The Bethlehem Star, the science and truth and meaning of the star that led the wise men to Christ’s manger-bed is explored. In an effort to “set the stage” the authors of this site pose the following thoughts for us to ponder.
“THE STAR OF BETHLEHEM FASCINATES. For millennia, believers, scoffers and the curious have wondered at the Biblical account of the Star. The Bible recounts unusual or even impossible astronomical events at Christ's birth. For many doubters, the account of the Star is easily dismissed as myth. For many believers, it's a mystery accepted on faith. But what happens if we combine current historical scholarship, astronomical fact and an open mind? Judge for yourself...”
Is the star an impossible astronomical event? Would your faith in the events of Christmas be changed if you found out that the star wasn’t real, that it had been an illusion? Or even a myth?
In the introduction to “The Martin Luther Christmas Book” (translated and arranged by Roland H. Bainton) we find that Luther himself was not primarily interested in the miracles surrounding the Christmas story. Did angels really appear to the shepherds? Did, as the carol has it, “ox and ass before him bow?” Luther believed that the purpose of these stories, whether factual or fabricated, help us to understand the impact of the real miracle.
Bainton writes of Luther’s faith in real miracle of Christmas. “Christian teaching is that in Christ, God became flesh. Compared with that, no particular miracle matters much. If one could but believe that God lay in the manger, one could let go the star and the angel’s song, and yet keep the faith. The question was not whether God could or would make a special star, but why the Lord of the universe should care enough about us mortals to take our flesh and share our woes. The condescension of God was the great wonder.” (p. 12)
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!" (Luke 2: 13-14)
It is Christmas time, a halting of hate time. On this platform of peace, we can create a language to translate ourselves to ourselves and to each other. At this Holy Instant, we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ into the great religions of the world. We jubilate the precious advent of trust. We shout with glorious tongues the coming of hope....Look heavenward and speak the word aloud. Peace. We look at the world and speak the word aloud. Peace. We look at each other, then into ourselves, and we say without shyness or apology or hesitation: Peace, My Brother. Peace, My Sister. Peace, My Soul. (From Amazing Peace: A Christmas Poem by Dr. Maya Angelou)
Monday, December 21, 2009
Monday, December 14, 2009
Are You Ready?
No one can celebrate a genuine Christmas without truly being poor. The self-sufficient, the proud, those who, because they have everything, look down on others, those who have no need even of God – for them there will be no Christmas. Only the poor the hungry, those who need someone to come on their behalf, they will have someone. That someone is God. Emmanuel. God-with-us. Without poverty of the spirit, there can be no abundance of God. ~Oscar Romero~
At church last Sunday, I asked most of the people with whom I chatted before and after services, “are you ready?” and the most common answer was “not at all!” We are busy with our preparations, our baking and cooking, our shopping and everything else that comes with Christmas anticipation. We have to be ready!, to have everything done by December 24th so we can enjoy a leisurely holiday, give our gifts and share a festive meal with family and friends.
In an Advent devotion, Bishop William Willimon wonders, in this season of generous giving, if it is more difficult for us to be the receivers than the givers. He writes, “We enjoy thinking of ourselves as basically generous, benevolent, giving people… Yet I suggest we are better givers than getters, not because we are generous people, but because we are proud, arrogant people. The Christmas story [according to Luke] is not about how blessed it is to be givers but how essential it is to see ourselves as receivers.” (p. 143, 44)
In the biblical account of the first Christmas, “we are portrayed not as the givers we wish we were, but as the receivers we are. Luke and Matthew go to great lengths to demonstrate that we – with our power, generosity, competence and capabilities – had little to do with God’s work in Jesus. God wanted to do something so strange, so utterly beyond the bounds of human imagination, so foreign to human projection, that God had to resort to angels, pregnant virgins, and stars in the sky to get it done. We didn’t think of it, understand it or approve it. All we could do, at Bethlehem, was receive it.” (p. 145)
“This strange story tells us how to be receivers. The first word of the church, a people born out of so odd a nativity, is that we are receivers before we are givers. Discipleship teaches us the art of seeing our lives as gifts. That’s tough, because I would rather see myself as a giver. I want power – to stand on my own, take charge, set things to rights, perhaps to help those who have nothing. I don’t like picturing myself as dependent, needy, empty handed.” (p. 147)
“It’s tough to be on the receiving end of love, God’s or anyone else’s. It requires that we see our lives not as our possessions, but as gifts. ‘Nothing is more repugnant to capable, reasonable people than grace,’ wrote John Wesley a long time ago.”(p. 148)
God’s love comes to us in a way that we don’t expect. We receive a gift that “we thought we didn’t need, which transforms us into people we don’t necessarily want to be. With our advanced degrees, armies… and material comforts… we assume that religion is about giving a little of our power in order to confirm to ourselves that we are indeed as self-sufficient as we claim.
Then this stranger comes to us, blesses us with a gift, and calls us to see ourselves as we are – empty-handed recipients of a gracious God who, rather than leave us to our own devices, gave us a baby.” (p. 149) Are you ready for that?
Adapted and excerpted from “The God We Hardly Knew,” by William Willimon, found at religion-online, and also in the book, “Watch For the Light: Readings for Advent and Christmas” Orbis Books, Maryknoll, New York, 2004, p 141-149.
At church last Sunday, I asked most of the people with whom I chatted before and after services, “are you ready?” and the most common answer was “not at all!” We are busy with our preparations, our baking and cooking, our shopping and everything else that comes with Christmas anticipation. We have to be ready!, to have everything done by December 24th so we can enjoy a leisurely holiday, give our gifts and share a festive meal with family and friends.
In an Advent devotion, Bishop William Willimon wonders, in this season of generous giving, if it is more difficult for us to be the receivers than the givers. He writes, “We enjoy thinking of ourselves as basically generous, benevolent, giving people… Yet I suggest we are better givers than getters, not because we are generous people, but because we are proud, arrogant people. The Christmas story [according to Luke] is not about how blessed it is to be givers but how essential it is to see ourselves as receivers.” (p. 143, 44)
In the biblical account of the first Christmas, “we are portrayed not as the givers we wish we were, but as the receivers we are. Luke and Matthew go to great lengths to demonstrate that we – with our power, generosity, competence and capabilities – had little to do with God’s work in Jesus. God wanted to do something so strange, so utterly beyond the bounds of human imagination, so foreign to human projection, that God had to resort to angels, pregnant virgins, and stars in the sky to get it done. We didn’t think of it, understand it or approve it. All we could do, at Bethlehem, was receive it.” (p. 145)
“This strange story tells us how to be receivers. The first word of the church, a people born out of so odd a nativity, is that we are receivers before we are givers. Discipleship teaches us the art of seeing our lives as gifts. That’s tough, because I would rather see myself as a giver. I want power – to stand on my own, take charge, set things to rights, perhaps to help those who have nothing. I don’t like picturing myself as dependent, needy, empty handed.” (p. 147)
“It’s tough to be on the receiving end of love, God’s or anyone else’s. It requires that we see our lives not as our possessions, but as gifts. ‘Nothing is more repugnant to capable, reasonable people than grace,’ wrote John Wesley a long time ago.”(p. 148)
God’s love comes to us in a way that we don’t expect. We receive a gift that “we thought we didn’t need, which transforms us into people we don’t necessarily want to be. With our advanced degrees, armies… and material comforts… we assume that religion is about giving a little of our power in order to confirm to ourselves that we are indeed as self-sufficient as we claim.
Then this stranger comes to us, blesses us with a gift, and calls us to see ourselves as we are – empty-handed recipients of a gracious God who, rather than leave us to our own devices, gave us a baby.” (p. 149) Are you ready for that?
Adapted and excerpted from “The God We Hardly Knew,” by William Willimon, found at religion-online, and also in the book, “Watch For the Light: Readings for Advent and Christmas” Orbis Books, Maryknoll, New York, 2004, p 141-149.
Monday, December 7, 2009
Believe!
The theme of Macy’s 2009 Christmas promotion is “Believe!” The following invitation appeared on Macy’s website. “This holiday season we believe more than ever. In the spirit of Christmas and the power of community, join the fun and tell us why you believe. We can’t wait to hear from you!” The website includes a link to the story “Yes, Virginia” and also to Santa’s post office. The “believe meter” shows the words “imagine, wish, dream and believe.” Just exactly what does Macy's want us to believe?
In a tongue-in-cheek article in this month’s Christian Century magazine (December 01, 2009 Vol. 126, No. 24, p. 13), Bishop William Willimon writes an imaginary editor’s rejection letter to the evangelist John regarding the forth Gospel. As editor, Willimon points out that John doesn’t make Jesus come across as someone who we would necessarily “like,” and John doesn’t write in a way that would attract readers. “Surely,” Willamon writes to John as he criticizes his style, “you can find more efficient ways for Jesus to convey his message.”
It is a criticism I sometimes get as a preacher. Scripture doesn’t always give us the easiest, most uplifting, or inspirational material to work from. Sometimes, Jesus comes across as a mean and surly leader who can’t get anyone to do what he wants. “Take these things out of here! Stop making my Father’s house into a marketplace!” (John 2: 16) Sometimes, he speaks in confusing parables that are almost impossible to understand. “You must be born from above. The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” (John 3: 7-8) Sometimes Jesus challenges us with words that make us uncomfortable. “If the world hates you, be aware that it hated me before it hated you. If you belonged to the world, the world would love you as its own because you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world – therefore the world hates you.” (John 15: 19)
And then, sometimes, Jesus’ words are filled with love and hope and direction that is simple to understand and to follow. “I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13: 34-35)
We have to live and work with all of it, the good, the confusing and the difficult. As preachers, it’s not always easy to speak words that light a fire in the bellies of our listeners. And to be honest, we are not in the fire-lighting business. We preachers are in the business of reminding you, our hearers, over and over again, that whatever Jesus says, he says it because God loves you so much “that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.” (John 3:16)
In a column called “Life, Death and the Task of Preaching,” Dr. David Lose writes, “We preach the Christian story, and by preaching it we invite our hearers into it so that it becomes their story. So that the promises the Christian story revolve around become promises they hear and believe, and through believing discover hope, meaning, and courage.”
That hope, meaning and courage may inspire you to head out of church and change the world. It may simply comfort and strengthen you in the face of a frightening situation.
In this Advent season, my prayer for you is that you hear and remember the true message of Christmas, and that you find, in listening to the familiar story again, “the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding,” (Phil 4: 17) and that you believe! Amen.
In a tongue-in-cheek article in this month’s Christian Century magazine (December 01, 2009 Vol. 126, No. 24, p. 13), Bishop William Willimon writes an imaginary editor’s rejection letter to the evangelist John regarding the forth Gospel. As editor, Willimon points out that John doesn’t make Jesus come across as someone who we would necessarily “like,” and John doesn’t write in a way that would attract readers. “Surely,” Willamon writes to John as he criticizes his style, “you can find more efficient ways for Jesus to convey his message.”
It is a criticism I sometimes get as a preacher. Scripture doesn’t always give us the easiest, most uplifting, or inspirational material to work from. Sometimes, Jesus comes across as a mean and surly leader who can’t get anyone to do what he wants. “Take these things out of here! Stop making my Father’s house into a marketplace!” (John 2: 16) Sometimes, he speaks in confusing parables that are almost impossible to understand. “You must be born from above. The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” (John 3: 7-8) Sometimes Jesus challenges us with words that make us uncomfortable. “If the world hates you, be aware that it hated me before it hated you. If you belonged to the world, the world would love you as its own because you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world – therefore the world hates you.” (John 15: 19)
And then, sometimes, Jesus’ words are filled with love and hope and direction that is simple to understand and to follow. “I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13: 34-35)
We have to live and work with all of it, the good, the confusing and the difficult. As preachers, it’s not always easy to speak words that light a fire in the bellies of our listeners. And to be honest, we are not in the fire-lighting business. We preachers are in the business of reminding you, our hearers, over and over again, that whatever Jesus says, he says it because God loves you so much “that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.” (John 3:16)
In a column called “Life, Death and the Task of Preaching,” Dr. David Lose writes, “We preach the Christian story, and by preaching it we invite our hearers into it so that it becomes their story. So that the promises the Christian story revolve around become promises they hear and believe, and through believing discover hope, meaning, and courage.”
That hope, meaning and courage may inspire you to head out of church and change the world. It may simply comfort and strengthen you in the face of a frightening situation.
In this Advent season, my prayer for you is that you hear and remember the true message of Christmas, and that you find, in listening to the familiar story again, “the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding,” (Phil 4: 17) and that you believe! Amen.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Holiday Strangeness
Whoever comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and even life itself, cannot be my disciple. Luke 14: 26
“The holidays” are upon us. Starting last week with Thanksgiving and continuing on through Christmas and then New Year’s Eve, we gather and celebrate with loved ones and acquaintances as we mark the important events of our faith life and of our secular life. This celebrating usually involves our families in some way.
For some of us, gathering with family is relaxing and joyful. For some of us, it can be stressful and feel like hard work. Even so, family is important. Although it may sometimes feel difficult to spend time together with family, it would be much worse to be separated, estranged.
The dictionary definition of estranged is to be removed from the customary environment or associations; to arouse mutual enmity or indifference where there had formerly been love, affection, or friendliness. The word comes from the same Latin root as strange. It would be strange to be removed from family. I can’t think of any circumstances that would make estrangement feel right.
I know people who are estranged from their families for reasons I don’t understand. How could someone give up a relationship with their parents, their husband or wife, their children, or their brothers and sisters over money, or over possessions, or over politics, or over religion?
And so, when I think about Jesus’ words in Luke’s gospel it makes me very uncomfortable that this is exactly what Jesus asks us to do. Actually, he doesn’t even ask. Jesus tells us that this is what we MUST do in order to follow him.
“Whoever comes to me and does not hate father and mother, brothers and sisters, yes, and even life itself, cannot be my disciple.” Luke 14: 26
Especially coming from the mouth of Jesus, these words sound strange. The ambassador of love, the one who once said to a rich young man that in order to have eternal life, he must keep the commandments that include honoring your father and mother and loving your neighbor as yourself, tells us here that we must hate not only our own family, but even our own life in order to follow him.
Something must have provoked Jesus to use such strong language.
Jesus had been traveling and preaching and telling parables. Along the way, huge crowds had accumulated, and were traveling with him. He wanted them to know what they were getting into. Maybe as he looked out over the masses he saw people who weren’t really committed to his cause. Maybe he saw people who were merely swept up in the movement, along for the ride, so to speak, traveling with the crowd because they wanted to see what was going to happen. Maybe he saw people who didn’t understand what he was going to do for them, that he was passionate with love for them, passionate about their salvation, and that he expected them to be passionate, too. Maybe he wanted to kindle a heavenly flame in their bellies, to startle them into action.
I searched for the commentary that said that Jesus didn’t really mean hate. I looked in my Greek books, and learned that the word had been translated correctly. Jesus really did say that we should hate our families, and even hate our own lives to follow him.
One scholar did say that the word hate was a Semitic term expressing detachment or turning away from, and was not the emotion filled word we think of if someone screams, “I hate you!” But even then, Jesus says turn away, detach yourself from what you love, and follow me.
What do we do with this? I, for one, no matter how annoyed or angry I get with them, will not turn away from my family. I’m sure most of you feel the same. But Jesus is telling us in no uncertain terms that becoming a disciple is not going to be easy. Becoming a disciple may create tensions in an already crowded life. When asked for loyalty in many different places, Jesus wants us to clearly understand that he desires and calls for primary allegiance. There is tension. We are not prepared to, probably not even able to hate the people we love. We can’t carry the cross like Jesus did. We are simply not capable of it.
Most of us can’t even get rid of our stuff.
We know the terms of discipleship, and we can’t accomplish them. And so instead of carrying the cross, we fall at the foot of it with all of our inadequacies and failures, and we remember that because of that cross, nothing is required of us.
God’s grace and mercy for our poor selves will help us hear Jesus’ strange words and remember that we can hand all of our relationships and plans and possessions to him, and that he takes care of us. What he started for us at that first family Christmas in a stable in Bethlehem, he will finish for us. Amen.
“The holidays” are upon us. Starting last week with Thanksgiving and continuing on through Christmas and then New Year’s Eve, we gather and celebrate with loved ones and acquaintances as we mark the important events of our faith life and of our secular life. This celebrating usually involves our families in some way.
For some of us, gathering with family is relaxing and joyful. For some of us, it can be stressful and feel like hard work. Even so, family is important. Although it may sometimes feel difficult to spend time together with family, it would be much worse to be separated, estranged.
The dictionary definition of estranged is to be removed from the customary environment or associations; to arouse mutual enmity or indifference where there had formerly been love, affection, or friendliness. The word comes from the same Latin root as strange. It would be strange to be removed from family. I can’t think of any circumstances that would make estrangement feel right.
I know people who are estranged from their families for reasons I don’t understand. How could someone give up a relationship with their parents, their husband or wife, their children, or their brothers and sisters over money, or over possessions, or over politics, or over religion?
And so, when I think about Jesus’ words in Luke’s gospel it makes me very uncomfortable that this is exactly what Jesus asks us to do. Actually, he doesn’t even ask. Jesus tells us that this is what we MUST do in order to follow him.
“Whoever comes to me and does not hate father and mother, brothers and sisters, yes, and even life itself, cannot be my disciple.” Luke 14: 26
Especially coming from the mouth of Jesus, these words sound strange. The ambassador of love, the one who once said to a rich young man that in order to have eternal life, he must keep the commandments that include honoring your father and mother and loving your neighbor as yourself, tells us here that we must hate not only our own family, but even our own life in order to follow him.
Something must have provoked Jesus to use such strong language.
Jesus had been traveling and preaching and telling parables. Along the way, huge crowds had accumulated, and were traveling with him. He wanted them to know what they were getting into. Maybe as he looked out over the masses he saw people who weren’t really committed to his cause. Maybe he saw people who were merely swept up in the movement, along for the ride, so to speak, traveling with the crowd because they wanted to see what was going to happen. Maybe he saw people who didn’t understand what he was going to do for them, that he was passionate with love for them, passionate about their salvation, and that he expected them to be passionate, too. Maybe he wanted to kindle a heavenly flame in their bellies, to startle them into action.
I searched for the commentary that said that Jesus didn’t really mean hate. I looked in my Greek books, and learned that the word had been translated correctly. Jesus really did say that we should hate our families, and even hate our own lives to follow him.
One scholar did say that the word hate was a Semitic term expressing detachment or turning away from, and was not the emotion filled word we think of if someone screams, “I hate you!” But even then, Jesus says turn away, detach yourself from what you love, and follow me.
What do we do with this? I, for one, no matter how annoyed or angry I get with them, will not turn away from my family. I’m sure most of you feel the same. But Jesus is telling us in no uncertain terms that becoming a disciple is not going to be easy. Becoming a disciple may create tensions in an already crowded life. When asked for loyalty in many different places, Jesus wants us to clearly understand that he desires and calls for primary allegiance. There is tension. We are not prepared to, probably not even able to hate the people we love. We can’t carry the cross like Jesus did. We are simply not capable of it.
Most of us can’t even get rid of our stuff.
We know the terms of discipleship, and we can’t accomplish them. And so instead of carrying the cross, we fall at the foot of it with all of our inadequacies and failures, and we remember that because of that cross, nothing is required of us.
God’s grace and mercy for our poor selves will help us hear Jesus’ strange words and remember that we can hand all of our relationships and plans and possessions to him, and that he takes care of us. What he started for us at that first family Christmas in a stable in Bethlehem, he will finish for us. Amen.
Saturday, November 21, 2009
A Prayer of Thanksgiving
O Divine Gift-Giver,
I stand beneath the endless waterfall
of your abundant gifts to me.
I thank you especially for the blessing of life,
I thank you especially for the blessing of life,
the most precious of all your gifts to me.
I thank you, Ever-generous One,
I thank you, Ever-generous One,
for clothing to wear,
for food and drink to nourish my body,
for all the talents and skills that you have bestowed upon me.
I thank you for the many joys of my life,
I thank you for the many joys of my life,
for family and friends,
for work that gives to me a sense of purpose
and invests my life with meaning.
I thank you as well
I thank you as well
for the sufferings and trials of my life,
which are also gifts
and which together with my mistakes
are among my most important teachers.
Grant that I may never greet a new day
Grant that I may never greet a new day
without the awareness of some gift
for which to give you thanks.
And may constant thanksgiving
And may constant thanksgiving
be my song of perpetual praise to you.
[Generous God], a needy one stands before you,
[Generous God], a needy one stands before you,
I that sing am that one.
Native American Omaha Indian
(from Prayers for a Planetary Pilgrim: A Personal Manual for Prayer and Ritual by Edward Hays (Forest of Peace Books, Inc. Leavenworth, KS, 1989.) p. 197-98.
Native American Omaha Indian
(from Prayers for a Planetary Pilgrim: A Personal Manual for Prayer and Ritual by Edward Hays (Forest of Peace Books, Inc. Leavenworth, KS, 1989.) p. 197-98.
Monday, November 16, 2009
I believe in God, the Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth, I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; He descended to the dead. On the third day He rose again; he ascended into heaven, he is seated at the right hand of the Father; and he will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit; the holy catholic church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting. Amen.
If you come to church with any regularity, you will recognize the Apostles’ Creed, the confession of our Christian faith which we recite together each week during worship. The Apostles’ Creed explains and helps us to understand the Holy Trinity; the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
At first glance, the Creed might seem like a simple expression of what we believe as Christians. It is anything but simple. In his little book, Living in the Kingdom; Reflections on Luther’s Catechism Alvin N. Rogness writes “It boggles the mind to say, “I believe in God the Father.” (p. 50) In the creed, we are confessing that we believe in something unbelievable – that there is a God at all, and that God is indeed our father, a personal parent, someone who knows each of us and loves us individually, unconditionally.
Martin Luther devoted ten pages of the Large Catechism (Luther’s basic teachings on the Apostles’ Creed, the Lord’s Prayer and the Ten Commandments) to the Creed. After much thought and prayer, he concluded that we should understand and study the Creed in reverse. We simply can’t believe on our own. Belief starts as a gift from the Holy Spirit.
“Because the Holy Spirit makes us believers, it stands to reason that we experience the Trinity backward – that is, only when we believe in Christ, (the work of the Holy Spirit, who does not indulge in self-revelation bit in revealing the Son) do we pierce God’s judgment and arrive at mercy.” (Martin Luther’s Catechisms; Forming the Faith Timothy J. Wengert, p. 45)
Even after witnessing Jesus perform an amazing, grace-filled miracle; the father of a young boy who Jesus healed from his convulsions cried out, “I believe! Help my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24) How much more do we, who walk by faith and not by sight, have to rely on the Spirit?
The Third Article of the Apostles' Creed Explained – from Martin Luther’s Small Catechism.
I believe in the Holy Spirit; the holy catholic church, the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting. Amen.
What does this mean?
I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to Him; but the Holy Ghost has called me by the Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith; even as He calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the whole Christian Church on earth, and keeps it with Jesus Christ in the one true faith; in which Christian Church He forgives daily and richly all sins to me and all believers, and at the last day will raise up me and all the dead, and will give to me and to all believers in Christ everlasting life.
This is most certainly true.
If you come to church with any regularity, you will recognize the Apostles’ Creed, the confession of our Christian faith which we recite together each week during worship. The Apostles’ Creed explains and helps us to understand the Holy Trinity; the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
At first glance, the Creed might seem like a simple expression of what we believe as Christians. It is anything but simple. In his little book, Living in the Kingdom; Reflections on Luther’s Catechism Alvin N. Rogness writes “It boggles the mind to say, “I believe in God the Father.” (p. 50) In the creed, we are confessing that we believe in something unbelievable – that there is a God at all, and that God is indeed our father, a personal parent, someone who knows each of us and loves us individually, unconditionally.
Martin Luther devoted ten pages of the Large Catechism (Luther’s basic teachings on the Apostles’ Creed, the Lord’s Prayer and the Ten Commandments) to the Creed. After much thought and prayer, he concluded that we should understand and study the Creed in reverse. We simply can’t believe on our own. Belief starts as a gift from the Holy Spirit.
“Because the Holy Spirit makes us believers, it stands to reason that we experience the Trinity backward – that is, only when we believe in Christ, (the work of the Holy Spirit, who does not indulge in self-revelation bit in revealing the Son) do we pierce God’s judgment and arrive at mercy.” (Martin Luther’s Catechisms; Forming the Faith Timothy J. Wengert, p. 45)
Even after witnessing Jesus perform an amazing, grace-filled miracle; the father of a young boy who Jesus healed from his convulsions cried out, “I believe! Help my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24) How much more do we, who walk by faith and not by sight, have to rely on the Spirit?
The Third Article of the Apostles' Creed Explained – from Martin Luther’s Small Catechism.
I believe in the Holy Spirit; the holy catholic church, the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting. Amen.
What does this mean?
I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to Him; but the Holy Ghost has called me by the Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith; even as He calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the whole Christian Church on earth, and keeps it with Jesus Christ in the one true faith; in which Christian Church He forgives daily and richly all sins to me and all believers, and at the last day will raise up me and all the dead, and will give to me and to all believers in Christ everlasting life.
This is most certainly true.
Monday, November 9, 2009
King David knew how to wait. Do we?
Map of David’s Kingdom
So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron; and King David made a covenant with them at Hebron before the Lord, and they anointed David king over Israel. David was thirty years old when he began to reign and he reigned forty years. (2 Samuel 5: 3-4)
By the time he became king over all of Israel, David had been anointed as king three times. First, the prophet Samuel anointed David when he was still a child. The only witnesses, besides God and Samuel, were David’s brothers. (1 Sam 16: 13) The second anointing was by the people of Judah, the southern part of ancient Palestine (2 Sam 2: 4). Only the people of Judah acknowledged David as king. The rest of Israel wasn’t yet united. When David was about 37, he was finally anointed king of all Israel.
David had to wait a long time to become the king that God chose him to be as a child. In his commentary on 1 and 2 Samuel, Eugene Peterson writes, “David knows how to wait. His waiting is not procrastination; it is not indolence. It is poised submissiveness, a not-doing that leaves adequate space and time for God’s initiating actions through others.” (p. 156-57)
Waiting is never easy. We want things to happen now, and we want them the way we want them. Sometimes, even though we hear it again and again, it’s hard to remember that God’s time is different from our time. Sometimes the waiting - the time before something happens - is the time that God gives us to get prepared, to become educated, to grow mature enough to handle the experiences that come our way.
Do you know how to wait? Do you leave adequate space and time for God to work through you and through other people in your life? God has great plans. You might not see what they are right now, but remember that God is working through you even as you wait. God invites you be patient, to learn and grow, and to anticipate what is to come.
So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron; and King David made a covenant with them at Hebron before the Lord, and they anointed David king over Israel. David was thirty years old when he began to reign and he reigned forty years. (2 Samuel 5: 3-4)
By the time he became king over all of Israel, David had been anointed as king three times. First, the prophet Samuel anointed David when he was still a child. The only witnesses, besides God and Samuel, were David’s brothers. (1 Sam 16: 13) The second anointing was by the people of Judah, the southern part of ancient Palestine (2 Sam 2: 4). Only the people of Judah acknowledged David as king. The rest of Israel wasn’t yet united. When David was about 37, he was finally anointed king of all Israel.
David had to wait a long time to become the king that God chose him to be as a child. In his commentary on 1 and 2 Samuel, Eugene Peterson writes, “David knows how to wait. His waiting is not procrastination; it is not indolence. It is poised submissiveness, a not-doing that leaves adequate space and time for God’s initiating actions through others.” (p. 156-57)
Waiting is never easy. We want things to happen now, and we want them the way we want them. Sometimes, even though we hear it again and again, it’s hard to remember that God’s time is different from our time. Sometimes the waiting - the time before something happens - is the time that God gives us to get prepared, to become educated, to grow mature enough to handle the experiences that come our way.
Do you know how to wait? Do you leave adequate space and time for God to work through you and through other people in your life? God has great plans. You might not see what they are right now, but remember that God is working through you even as you wait. God invites you be patient, to learn and grow, and to anticipate what is to come.
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