Jesus of the Gospels

Jesus was loving AND not a nice man.
Jesus threatened Rome by gathering 5,000 men (plus women and children), which was a sizable force in the face of Rome.
Jesus confronted the Pharisees, Sadducees, Chief Priests, Scribes and Elders regularly.  He was very sarcastic with and about them.
Jesus talked about Herod in disparaging terms.
Jesus yelled at His disciples about their lack of understanding and lack of faith - repeatedly.  He was also very sarcastic with and about them.

Jesus also healed, raised from the dead and fed hungry people.
Jesus also taught Kingdom Values.  He agonized over the well-being of many, loved to the point of hurting, stood up to the powerful on behalf of the powerless and gave His life for all humanity without our deserving.
Jesus touched the untouchable.
Jesus broke Sabbath Laws.
Jesus included foreigners of different faiths and lifted up women as examples of the faith.
Jesus turned the world upside down, including instruction on human interaction, values of wealth and power and perspectives on hubris, self-indulgence and humility.

Agape Love is not a feeling.  It is not a gesture.
Agape Love is ACTIVE COMMITMENT on behalf of the other.
Jesus taught it.
Jesus commanded it for anyone who wants to be His follower.
Jesus modeled it, even to dying for us.

Pastor Jamie

Good Friday

No glory.  No praise.  No feel good time.
An execution. A lynching.  Watching someone you love die.
So many are not capable of sitting with Jesus at His death - his disciples among them.
We want the resurrection joy, the glory, the personal salvation... gimme, gimme, gimme...
The church rushes to the "Third Day" because we don't pay the price and don't want to hear
    about the price Jesus paid.
The church brushes past the pain because it does not make us feel good or lift us up.
The truth is, He was lifted up.  Not in the way we always want to be lifted up and highly favored.
He was lifted up in sacrifice.
And we are often unwilling to sacrifice "feel good", even for one day, for Him.
Give me the glory, the praise, the 'feel good'.

I am at the Cross today.
With horror, I see a God who had no sin, take on sin/become sin for me and die a gruesome death.
I see a young man lynched because He was a threat to the Romans, King and Church.
I see a man take on what was my punishment for my lack of mindfulness, dedication and
   commitment to God.
I see a man take on what was my price for not loving my neighbor, even stranger and enemy, as
  I have been commanded to do.
I see a man who, with Agape Love, unconditionally surrendered even to death, and actively
   committed to me, even to giving His life.
I see.  I do not look away.  I do not rush to the empty tomb and wait there until Sunday.

THIS is the true gift.  The Cross.
My redemption - being bought back from sin and death is HERE, NOT in the tomb.
I gotta get outa "gimme, gimme, gimme" for a while to know what He TRULY gave me.
I love Jesus on the Cross.  I wait today and watch with Him through the minutes and hours.
Today is Grace, not cheap, but costly - undeserved loving mercy given freely to me, to you.

Come down with me to the weepin' tree and cry with me a while.
Come all you mothers whose sons have died and cry with me a while.
Are you afraid of the cryin' place, the dyin' place, the weepin' tree?
Come down with me to the weepin' tree and cry with me a while.

HIS glory was in His humility.
HIS strength was in His willingness to be weak.
HIS perfection was in His taking on sin, becoming sin who knew no sin, and dying.
HIS gift is not just in the empty tomb, but on the hard, wooden, blood stained Cross.

THIS is God like no other.
Pastor Jamie

This is your Maundy Thursday. Today.

It was the Passover.  Ah yes, the time when the Sanhedrin (religious leaders) could sell the lambs and turtle doves to make more money.  If you wanted a truly sanctioned lamb, you would buy it from them.  Poor?  Don't worry, you can give your last pennies to buy the sacrifice and eat it with your families later.  It was COMMANDED that people remember the Passover every year with Lamb, and they not only cornered the market on that, but also on exchanging (for profit) the Roman coins for shekels, so that people could give their money in a "godly" way. 
And then Jesus came.  He overturned the money changers' tables.  Worse, He became the Passover Lamb and sacrifice for ALL SIN.  He turned the Pesach into something no longer external and rife with corruption and greed, but into something INTERNAL and a real connection with God again.  It was not about supporting the temple industrial complex or its executives.  It was not about people giving what they had to "buy" God's favor.  God reached into their world and touched them deeply and personally.  They would take God in - His Body and Blood.  They would INTERNALIZE this relationship with God again and live His mandate (Maundy) to Love - to live active commitment on behalf of the other.
Just like in the time before the Protestant Reformation, when the church was getting rich selling indulgences for salvation, and just like now, when people are convinced that giving Praise and Tithes to the church (preachers) is what God wants in order for them to be blessed and highly favored - signs of their "righteousness" before God, the mandate to live unconditional, self-sacrificing active commitment on behalf of the other, the mandate of Jesus is something OTHER THAN what the church leaders are leading people to believe and do.  It is not about ritual purity or holiness.  That is among the bill of goods sold to people so that they will pay.  It is about AGAPE LOVE.
So Jesus comes to us in the Lord's Supper, fulfillment of the Pesach.  He comes to save us with His blood.  Will we be too busy trying to "buy" our salvation by some formula (Law) that the church has concocted to receive Him INTERNALLY and then live the LOVE He commands and follow Him?
THIS is your Maundy Thursday.  Today.
Pastor Jamie

THE CHURCH

What started out as a MOVEMENT OF PEOPLE WHO FOLLOWED JESUS, has evolved into an INSTITUTION that seeks to be served by the people who claim Jesus' name.

For decades, since the desolating sacrilege of the Religious "Right" getting in bed with the Political "Right" (Falwell and Reagan), the church has gone into a period of self-promotion through Church Growth, Prosperity Theology, focus on "purity" and "holiness" and centered only on personal salvation ("Me and Jesus") doctrines designed to keep people praising and tithing without regard for what Jesus taught, commanded and modeled for how to live as His followers.  It is also designed to keep people coming and giving out of fear, much like the period before the needed Reformation of the 16th Century.

It is nothing new.  It is nuanced, but the same as it was after the early 1st Century, when people strove to live what Jesus taught, commanded and modeled and it changed the world (Acts). 

Church buildings are grander.
Church bands and choirs more professional.
Preachers are more entertaining.
Church membership has greater prestige.
Church practice and protocols are geared to indoctrinate, rather than share Good News.
The church has a friendly face, smiling leaders and cool, fresh, dope language.
Many churches lure folk in, while at the same time despising who they are, in an attempt to
       eventually get them to conform to their views, all while giving their tithes and offerings.
The church ignores the plight of the poor and most vulnerable, finding it more fashionable to blame
       them for their own plight rather than address the injustices that cause it, because it would be risky
       to confront the powers and principalities it really serves.
Clergy, largely untrained, share false messages of prosperity through giving to the church, supernatural interventions for those who are well enough indoctrinated into their belief systems, the justified (through scripture) hatred of those who are different (faith, sexual orientation, economic class) and a sense of "superiority" of one measures up to their standards of "purity" and "holiness". This is NOT what Jesus taught, commanded and modeled.

The message of the one worshiped, and whose name they claim is about not judging, forgiveness, sacrificial giving of self for other and living Agape Love (unconditional active commitment on behalf of the other) in the world, especially among the most vulnerable (hungry, naked, strangers (resident aliens) and those imprisoned).

But, as I earlier noted, it is nothing new.

"For the time is coming when people will not put up with sound doctrine, but having itching ears, they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own desires, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander away to myths."  II Timothy 4:3

"For many live as enemies of the cross of Christ; I have often told you of them, and now I tell you even with tears.  Their end is destruction; their god is the belly; and their glory is in their shame; their minds are set on earthly things."  Philippians 3:19

"We must  no longer be children, tossed to and fro and blown about by every wind of doctrine, by people's trickery, by their craftiness in deceitful scheming."  Ephesians 4:14

"Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes ($1,000 suits), and to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and to have the best seats in the synagogues (pulpit thrones) and places of honor at banquets (head tables with china and linens)!  They devour widows' houses (take the last little bit from the vulnerable in their tithes) and for the sake of appearance say long prayers (entertain in worship).  They will receive the greater condemnation."  Jesus  Mark 12:38

"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees (legalistic church leaders), hypocrites!  For you tithe mint, dill and cummin (show your opulent wealth), and have neglected the weightier matters of the Law (Agape Love); justice and mercy and faith.  It is these you ought to have practiced without neglecting the others.  You blind guides!  You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel!"  Jesus  Matthew 23:23

"Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.  You will know them by their fruits."  Jesus  Matthew 7:15

"You cannot serve God and wealth."  Jesus  Luke 16:13

"For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."  Jesus  Matthew 6:21

"Why do you call me 'Lord, Lord' and do not do what I tell you?"  Jesus  Luke 6:46

Pastor Jamie

The Parable (true story) of A Local "church"

A young man showed up at the Coffee House during Spoken Word/Open Mic night.  He had gone down the street to attend the Bible Study of a new, growing congregation.  He had come from Las Vegas to meet the musician from that church who, according to the story he told the few people at the Coffee House, may have influenced him to go on living.  The Bible Study was cancelled and the church closed, but a neighbor told him that we were a ministry and might be able to get him in contact with them.  We did.  He found out that someone would be there the next day.  The young man stayed and shared his story of horrendous loss, incarceration and lost hope.  He told us about how inspired he was by the music of the church musician down the street, and gave him credit for saving his life.  The four people sitting with him shared their words of understanding, wisdom and hope.  His eyes welled up and he expressed gratitude.  When the four who were present at the Coffee House asked him where he would stay overnight, he said that he would sleep in the bus station.  We contacted friends who own a B&B, but they were full.  The small fellowship of four people provided him with a room at $120, which would also provide him with a hot breakfast the next day. 
The next day, he met the pastor and had some pictures taken with him.  The musician he had hoped to meet and thank was not available to him, but he left him a note at the church.  He was thrilled to be able to do that.  He texted the pastor at the Coffee House to thank the folk there the night before and let him know that he did make it to the church.  He asked if there was an agency that could help him get back home.  He was estranged from family over some horrific events that brought him to the despair that the church's musician had eased.  He was not sure he could count on anyone in his life to help him.  The Pastor suggested that he ask the leaders of the church he came to visit.  He assured him that they would help - that helping him would be a blessing to them and they would surely do it. An hour or so later, the young man came to the Coffee House and said that he finally found someone in his family to wire him some money for the trip home.  He waited at the Coffee House for the money to come through and then left, thanking the pastor for all the small fellowship had done for him.
Two weeks later, the small fellowship that meets in the Coffee House is having their last worship together, because so few people attend, and those who do actually have other churches they attend and support.  The large, young, growing congregation down the street is still growing in membership.

James 2:14-17

this electon year

What we’re seein’ here, in this election year

    Is the outrageous becoming routine, the absurd becoming the normal seen

    Is repugnance as our sought after standard, what was once repulsive the optimum shown

    Is the ridiculous as commonplace, incompetence and ignorance proudly worn

    Is hatefulness what is preferred and intolerance the goal

    As eyes burn bright with entitled anger, leads to the death of our nation’s soul

    And what is shown with the intolerance, the bigotry and hatred from manufactured fear

            in full recognition that Reprobates are in office here.

 

    With misogyny so seductive, and bigotry our nation’s natural base

    And classism is just our way of life, homophobia and sexism rampant in this place

    Xenophobia an art form, Ethnocentrism our value

    A very false sense of supremacy and entitlement puffs up the tattered egos of the shallow

    Nationalistic intolerance aimed at anyone not like us

        If we can’t buy them, we’ll occupy them or destroy them, build walls and deport the rest

    Leaders reflect the lowest form, rather than lead us to places higher

       The Reprobates in office use everyone toward their desire

   

    Exploitation overseas, taking jobs away from our own

       When they’ve brought everyone to their knees their satisfaction will be fully known

    Defining immorality in solely sexual terms, regulating everyone’s bedroom and body

       While encouraging the immorality of Greed so that the few can lord over the many

    Suppressing voters over here, cuz they might vote for those over there

       While claiming that voter fraud’s at stake, though we can’t find any anywhere

    Putting up barriers for poor, minorities and the young to vote will surely win elections

       While de-regulating firearm sales – cutting out all regulations, aids their natural selection

    Implementing Stand Your Ground laws that we know simply mean OPEN SEASON

       While restricting our ability to sue because we have to keep justice within reason

   

   

What we’re seein’ here, in this election year     Is full of pros and cons…

    The cons… con – servatives, NOT conservationists

    The con everything in the obstructionist Con-gress

    The regressive faction, some who should be Con-victs

    The con – unity, con- integrity, con – tolerance, for only their con-stituency

    The con – equity, con- justice, con- fairness party

 

    And the pros…

    Pro-choice perhaps, but not a choice of more than two parties

    Pro-gressive, but with re-gressive tendancies…

    Pro- establishment, pro-machine, pro-institutional party some

    Pro- getting and staying in power, pro- oligarch, pro-pluto – crat

          these Demagogue democrats

    Pro- keeping them in their place, bringing super-predators to heel…

          while relying on the race to help them seal the election deal

    Pro- sending their jobs overseas… while claiming they want for their ease

    Pro- whatever gets the vote, until elected – that’s the joke

          a “lesser of evils” is their claim – holding voters hostage is the game

 

    One they call FAR LEFT, one is FAR RIGHT

         Some claim to be in the Center, but we know that ain’t right…

    Different stripes on the same Zebra, not making others’ lives better

         Represent only the few, not the many, no, not ever…

 

Some claim they want change, tired of always the same

        But then vote for the same lame old lines, the same names

I heard once that to do the same things time and time again

        Expecting a different, better outcome is insane   

Few are truly for CHANGE, most want to keep it the same

         One alone a true public servant… for others power and wealth - the aim

 

    While our young men lie shot down, dying in the streets

         And so many are held down, held back and held out

    Folk voting for the lesser of evils again, even for one who helped bring this about

 

 

What we’re seein’ here, in this election year         Has not changed a thing, I fear

    The exploitation overseas while bringing our workers to their knees

    The genocide of our kids on the street, taking from the poor who have nothing to eat

    Keeping the middle class and poor class down, while a few at the top still hand out the crowns

    The giving of welfare to corporate heads, as the bonuses flow the middle class nearly dead

    Always got more money for another war, paid for by the blood of our brown and black poor

    Padding the pockets of the powerful wealth, while taking away from our elderly’s health

    Scapegoating immigrants, unions and the poor as in anger the ignorant learn to abhor

    Manipulating the masses, pitting us against them, so that those wealthy powerful stay at the helm

    Drinking poisoned water, breathing poisoned air the ground we live on poisoned everywhere

    Someone making quick profit on killing everyone stuff, polluting always more cuz it’s never enough

    Privatizing prisons and privatizing schools, make it for profit, exploit all the fools

    Using the locked up and locked out for free labor while talking of blessings, prosperity and favor

    The 1% with 60%, the 99 left with 40

         In the most powerful, wealthy nation supposed to be ruled by the majority

    Pitting those with little means against those with even less, stirring up hatred among us

         So they can stay on top of the mess

   It’s Capitalism we love not Democracy, not Justice

        The Oligarchs and Plutocrats claiming patriotism are the most treacherous

   The 90’s acronym with an N or the 2,000’s with a T

        are all designed to exploit them,  exploit you and exploit me

   For the profit of the few they will frack up the whole country

        as their cronies kill everyone for the sake of more money

   As climate change is denied like affordable healthcare

        income disparities widen and unequal education leave many in despair

   The promise of more of this status quo will drive more into the ground

        unaffordable housing, unavailable food, undrinkable water abound

 

There is only ONE HOPE for us in this world, in this nation

    That rational, reasonable, loving folk stand up, speak out and get counted

    Because, my friends, we must be our OWN salvation…

  

Jamie Kaufman