Luke 17:5-10 (the text for next Sunday, October 6)
Jesus never said that it would be easy to follow Him - to live what He commanded.
It takes great faith to believe that Jesus' Way is a better way for us and the world than is empire.
It takes great faith to believe that God will provide enough, and that humanity will not again live by greed, lust for power and status.
It takes a great deal of faith to believe that we CAN love one another with Agape Love, and because of it:
make sure that ALL have enough of what they need in order to live a life of well-being,
consider that equally shared power is a better, sustainable way than a few abusing power, and
live in humility and find the equal value in ALL people around us.
Empire divides and destroys the lives of some for the sake of the abundance of the few.
The Kingdom lifts all up and provides sustainable community values toward the Shalom of ALL.
It takes great faith to believe in that way of living and it takes great courage to work toward it.
His disciples wanted the easy way out.
They wanted their faith to be increased by Jesus and not through their own striving.
They had been given faith as a gift from God, but according to Jesus had not exercised it so that it would grow and allow them to do incredible things.
Jesus taught them a strong lesson about their role and about humility in it.
We are not servants so that we can call down supernatural interventions that enhance our own lives.
We are not servants so that we can give imperatives to the one we call "Lord" of our lives.
We are not servants so that we can imagine that we are, ourselves Lords.
As a friend of mine used to say to his adolescent son when he thought he should make decisions for himself, apart from his parents: "That is a decision for management, and you are not management."
Empire would make me believe that it is all about me and that I am to be lifted up with more wealth, power and status than others around me.
The Kingdom of God and Jesus teach me humility in service. I do not command the Lord to increase my faith. I do not ask the Lord to supernaturally intervene on my behalf, rather than make me learn the lessons of faith that come from exercising my faith in the world.
I serve.
I approach this Lord of my life, who has at great cost given me redemption and salvation out of Agape, and humbly ask how I may serve. It is a response to that gift of the Cross. It is out of gratitude for Grace and the Love of God, and it is an acknowledgement of who God is and who I am, who God ain't and who I ain't.
I may not like the service God has relegated to me.
It may be hard and require struggle and challenge and even pain.
It may not look like some ministry that rewards me personally, gives me more wealth or power or status.
It may not be that which makes me feel good all the time.
It is my service to God. It is that to which God has called me and for which God has prepared me.
I know who and what I am.
I know who God is.
"I know what I deserve. Don't give me what I deserve, please. Give me Grace, baby. I need Grace!" (Tony Campolo)
God lifts me up so that I may lift others up.
That is putting Agape Love out in the world around us.
Being God's little "special ones" separates, divides and destroys lives, ultimately.
It may make it easier for the few, but always makes it harder then for the many.
I don't want the easy way. I want the faithful way.
Following Jesus in the living of Agape Love toward the Shalom of all is not easy.
It is faithful.
Pastor Jamie
Sunday, September 29, 2019
Sunday, September 22, 2019
Ignorance
I remember hearing a story from Jim Wallis of Sojourners, that the subway that brought congressional leaders to the Capitol building dropped them where they would have to literally step over homeless folk to get to work. I do not believe that they ignored the homeless. I am quite certain that they had them removed in time.
The unnamed rich man had it good. He had benefitted from the system of empire that rewarded the ruthless and unscrupulous. He was living the life.
Lazarus, the poor man, had nothing. It had all been stripped away by the ruthless and unscrupulous for themselves. But Lazarus did have a name. It is derived from the Hebrew name, Eleazar - God has helped. And His NAME was in the book of life.
So, as is the case for all of us, regardless of our economic standing, they both died. Lazarus was carried by the Angels to be with Abraham. The unnamed rich man died and went to be tormented in Hades. Here, the rich man knew his place with Abraham, because status is huge in empire and Abraham had a great deal of it. What he did not know, is that in heaven, there is no status. That was his hell. He tried to use his entitlement even to get Lazarus to be subservient to him for his own comfort and benefit. Abraham had to educate him on his lack of status now - a gut punch to have to look around and see where he really was, who he really was, what he really was. To his credit, the rich man had concern for his entitled brothers who had also given their souls to empire. But he still did not get that his status and entitlement in empire got him NOTHING in the Kingdom. He wanted them to be warned that the prophets who they ignored were right, along with the expectation in the law that children of God take care of one another, and especially the most vulnerable. Abraham pointed out that they had been given the Good News of God in the Law and Prophets, a good news for the most vulnerable among us, that God takes sides.
Alright kids, what do we learn from the story?
We have the Good News of Jesus, which fulfills the Law and the Prophets (Matthew 22:34-40).
It commands us to live Kingdom of God, rather than empire values.
It commands us to actively commit on behalf of the stranger, even enemy and especially the most vulnerable (Luke 10:25-37).
It commands us to be satisfied with enough and to share from any abundance we may have.
It commands us to advocate on behalf of those who are most vulnerable.
It lifts up humility and not hubris, community and not individual status.
It lifts up generosity and not greed, enough for all and not an obscene abundance for a few while others go without what they need and struggle to survive.
It lifts up sharing power in mutual respect, and not gaining more in order to victimize others.
It bases our salvation on how we treat the most vulnerable (Matthew 25:31-46).
There is a heaven.
There is a hell.
Individuals, corporations, ideological groups and nations are ALL subject to them, in the end.
And, ignorance is NOT bliss in the Kingdom.
And the big lesson...
Ultimately, your well-being is tied to the well-being of all others around you.
Abuse, exploit or ignore them at your own peril.
Pastor Jamie
The unnamed rich man had it good. He had benefitted from the system of empire that rewarded the ruthless and unscrupulous. He was living the life.
Lazarus, the poor man, had nothing. It had all been stripped away by the ruthless and unscrupulous for themselves. But Lazarus did have a name. It is derived from the Hebrew name, Eleazar - God has helped. And His NAME was in the book of life.
So, as is the case for all of us, regardless of our economic standing, they both died. Lazarus was carried by the Angels to be with Abraham. The unnamed rich man died and went to be tormented in Hades. Here, the rich man knew his place with Abraham, because status is huge in empire and Abraham had a great deal of it. What he did not know, is that in heaven, there is no status. That was his hell. He tried to use his entitlement even to get Lazarus to be subservient to him for his own comfort and benefit. Abraham had to educate him on his lack of status now - a gut punch to have to look around and see where he really was, who he really was, what he really was. To his credit, the rich man had concern for his entitled brothers who had also given their souls to empire. But he still did not get that his status and entitlement in empire got him NOTHING in the Kingdom. He wanted them to be warned that the prophets who they ignored were right, along with the expectation in the law that children of God take care of one another, and especially the most vulnerable. Abraham pointed out that they had been given the Good News of God in the Law and Prophets, a good news for the most vulnerable among us, that God takes sides.
Alright kids, what do we learn from the story?
We have the Good News of Jesus, which fulfills the Law and the Prophets (Matthew 22:34-40).
It commands us to live Kingdom of God, rather than empire values.
It commands us to actively commit on behalf of the stranger, even enemy and especially the most vulnerable (Luke 10:25-37).
It commands us to be satisfied with enough and to share from any abundance we may have.
It commands us to advocate on behalf of those who are most vulnerable.
It lifts up humility and not hubris, community and not individual status.
It lifts up generosity and not greed, enough for all and not an obscene abundance for a few while others go without what they need and struggle to survive.
It lifts up sharing power in mutual respect, and not gaining more in order to victimize others.
It bases our salvation on how we treat the most vulnerable (Matthew 25:31-46).
There is a heaven.
There is a hell.
Individuals, corporations, ideological groups and nations are ALL subject to them, in the end.
And, ignorance is NOT bliss in the Kingdom.
And the big lesson...
Ultimately, your well-being is tied to the well-being of all others around you.
Abuse, exploit or ignore them at your own peril.
Pastor Jamie
Sunday, September 15, 2019
shrewd as a snake... unmixed as a dove
Jesus taught, using the parable of the Dishonest Steward (Luke 16:1-13), that we must learn the lessons of the faithless because they are shrewd.
The punchline, however, is about being faithful with dishonest wealth so that God will entrust us with true riches.
The dishonest steward collected debts owed the rich man. He cut the bill to 50% for one and to 80% for another. It did two things. It settled accounts that were unsettled, thereby getting his boss some of what was owed instead of nothing, and it put the steward and the boss in good with those whose debts he discounted. From a worldly viewpoint, it might not have been a great move economically, but it did bring an outcome in some ways favorable for the debtors, boss and steward.
Favorable outcomes are measured according to our values. If profit is ALL we value, then only getting ALL of it would be favorable for the boss, the only one who counts in the scenario. Only the boss wins in that case, as Capitalists would have it.
If the well-being of humanity is valued, then this was a great outcome. Debtors, struggling under Roman occupation to survive, let alone thrive, would benefit greatly from this relief and would more highly value the steward and his boss. The boss, knowing that some is better than none and also knowing the value of human relationships (and not just with money), would see the value in a gesture that could build a relationship which might benefit him in the future and see the value to his soul of forgiving a portion of the debt toward the well being of the debtor. The steward was shrewd, in worldly terms, but perhaps in spiritual values as well.
Not allowing us to get on the praise train too quickly over the steward, Jesus in Luke then talks about being faithful or being dishonest, and de-values dishonest wealth while lifting up true riches.
We cannot serve God and wealth. We cannot value our own profit over the well-being of God's children and be followers of Jesus. God commands Agape Love toward the Shalom of others around us, loving neighbor as self. The rich man in Jesus' (Luke's) parable found some wisdom in valuing forgiveness, and did not only see the value of monetary profit. The debtors certainly experienced gratitude for the forgiven debts. The steward knew the value of relationships, even perhaps facilitating the economic well-being of debtors and future relationships based on (even limited) grace.
"The love of money is a root of all kinds of evil." I Timothy 6:10 (philarguria - love of money, is the opposite of philanthropia - love for humanity)
Why? Because we are supposed to actively commit our lives to the well-being of our neighbor, according to Jesus. Love does not belong to money, but rather to God and to God's children - all of them.
So, the punchline is to be faithful over money and everything else, more highly valuing God and neighbor than mere money.
The stark reminder follows, that we cannot give lip service to God while loving money, or try to straddle the Kingdom and the world in our values. We cannot serve both with our hearts or minds or lives. We must choose either Kingdom values or worldly ones. We are called to love ENOUGH FOR ALL over an abundance of personal wealth. We are commanded to give our love to God and Neighbor and NOT to money.
Pastor Jamie
The punchline, however, is about being faithful with dishonest wealth so that God will entrust us with true riches.
The dishonest steward collected debts owed the rich man. He cut the bill to 50% for one and to 80% for another. It did two things. It settled accounts that were unsettled, thereby getting his boss some of what was owed instead of nothing, and it put the steward and the boss in good with those whose debts he discounted. From a worldly viewpoint, it might not have been a great move economically, but it did bring an outcome in some ways favorable for the debtors, boss and steward.
Favorable outcomes are measured according to our values. If profit is ALL we value, then only getting ALL of it would be favorable for the boss, the only one who counts in the scenario. Only the boss wins in that case, as Capitalists would have it.
If the well-being of humanity is valued, then this was a great outcome. Debtors, struggling under Roman occupation to survive, let alone thrive, would benefit greatly from this relief and would more highly value the steward and his boss. The boss, knowing that some is better than none and also knowing the value of human relationships (and not just with money), would see the value in a gesture that could build a relationship which might benefit him in the future and see the value to his soul of forgiving a portion of the debt toward the well being of the debtor. The steward was shrewd, in worldly terms, but perhaps in spiritual values as well.
Not allowing us to get on the praise train too quickly over the steward, Jesus in Luke then talks about being faithful or being dishonest, and de-values dishonest wealth while lifting up true riches.
We cannot serve God and wealth. We cannot value our own profit over the well-being of God's children and be followers of Jesus. God commands Agape Love toward the Shalom of others around us, loving neighbor as self. The rich man in Jesus' (Luke's) parable found some wisdom in valuing forgiveness, and did not only see the value of monetary profit. The debtors certainly experienced gratitude for the forgiven debts. The steward knew the value of relationships, even perhaps facilitating the economic well-being of debtors and future relationships based on (even limited) grace.
"The love of money is a root of all kinds of evil." I Timothy 6:10 (philarguria - love of money, is the opposite of philanthropia - love for humanity)
Why? Because we are supposed to actively commit our lives to the well-being of our neighbor, according to Jesus. Love does not belong to money, but rather to God and to God's children - all of them.
So, the punchline is to be faithful over money and everything else, more highly valuing God and neighbor than mere money.
The stark reminder follows, that we cannot give lip service to God while loving money, or try to straddle the Kingdom and the world in our values. We cannot serve both with our hearts or minds or lives. We must choose either Kingdom values or worldly ones. We are called to love ENOUGH FOR ALL over an abundance of personal wealth. We are commanded to give our love to God and Neighbor and NOT to money.
Pastor Jamie
Sunday, September 8, 2019
The Valued and the Lost
What or who do we value?
The Pharisees and Scribes did not value the tax collectors and sinners who came to listen to Jesus.
They did not value Jesus, either.
Those who judge others do not value them. They de-value them.
God values all of us.
The examples were especially contextual, as occupied peoples under empire had very little. Everything was taken by the oppressors, who took what they had to fuel the power machine that fed the wealth machine of the elites who were in control. One coin out of ten meant survival for the oppressed. One sheep out of a hundred meant feeding one's family or not. Tax collectors were especially hated, because they lined their own pockets through the over-charging of others on their taxes. That meant survival for them, or using the corrupt system to benefit themselves at the expense of others - an empire value. "Sinners" were targets of a people who had everything stripped away from them, including their self-worth, so the low hanging fruit for the judging of others in the spirit of "at least I'm not like them," were those who survived through practices that according to some social mores were clearly "wrong." Empire establishes horrendous and insidious hierarchies in society, dividing and eventually destroying community through them.
The Kingdom of God values everyone having enough, and thus living in Shalom (completeness, wholeness and well-being).
The irony, of course, is that the Pharisees and Scribes were the WRONG ones, the SINFUL ones here, for judging and promoting the unfaithful, destructive hierarchies. These highly "religious" folk, who had the status and position of appearing to be upright and godly, above moral reproach and the epitome of proper society, had bought into the empire values of Rome and lived them. They were a part of the problem. Yes, God even values these sinners. They should be thankful that Jesus welcomed and ate with sinners - LIKE THEM.
God does not like losing those who God values.
God goes after the one in a hundred, the one out of ten, because God values them.
There is great celebration in heaven when the lost are found.
There would be great celebration in heaven for the one lost Pharisee or Scribe that was found and restored to relationship with God, as well as the tax collectors and "other" sinners.
I wonder how much celebrating is going on in heaven now.
I wonder.
Pastor Jamie
The Pharisees and Scribes did not value the tax collectors and sinners who came to listen to Jesus.
They did not value Jesus, either.
Those who judge others do not value them. They de-value them.
God values all of us.
The examples were especially contextual, as occupied peoples under empire had very little. Everything was taken by the oppressors, who took what they had to fuel the power machine that fed the wealth machine of the elites who were in control. One coin out of ten meant survival for the oppressed. One sheep out of a hundred meant feeding one's family or not. Tax collectors were especially hated, because they lined their own pockets through the over-charging of others on their taxes. That meant survival for them, or using the corrupt system to benefit themselves at the expense of others - an empire value. "Sinners" were targets of a people who had everything stripped away from them, including their self-worth, so the low hanging fruit for the judging of others in the spirit of "at least I'm not like them," were those who survived through practices that according to some social mores were clearly "wrong." Empire establishes horrendous and insidious hierarchies in society, dividing and eventually destroying community through them.
The Kingdom of God values everyone having enough, and thus living in Shalom (completeness, wholeness and well-being).
The irony, of course, is that the Pharisees and Scribes were the WRONG ones, the SINFUL ones here, for judging and promoting the unfaithful, destructive hierarchies. These highly "religious" folk, who had the status and position of appearing to be upright and godly, above moral reproach and the epitome of proper society, had bought into the empire values of Rome and lived them. They were a part of the problem. Yes, God even values these sinners. They should be thankful that Jesus welcomed and ate with sinners - LIKE THEM.
God does not like losing those who God values.
God goes after the one in a hundred, the one out of ten, because God values them.
There is great celebration in heaven when the lost are found.
There would be great celebration in heaven for the one lost Pharisee or Scribe that was found and restored to relationship with God, as well as the tax collectors and "other" sinners.
I wonder how much celebrating is going on in heaven now.
I wonder.
Pastor Jamie
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