The Connection

 John 15:1-11 is the Gospel Lectionary text for Sunday, May 2

Vine and Branches.

First, the threat, that the Vine-grower will remove those branches that do not bear fruit, AND prunes those that do to produce more.

Then, the command - Abide in me, as I abide in you.  If you keep MY commandments, you will abide in my love... 

Jesus is the Vine and we are the branches.

We are connected to Jesus, but more importantly connected to one another THROUGH Jesus.  The vine provides the life stuff to the branches, which are connected to one another and subject to the vine.

If some branches get diseased, other branches are threatened.

If some branches are cut off, it affects the whole vine.

It is about life, the stuff of life that flows from God to all of us.  There is no room for disease or unproductive branches.  It is about giving the stuff of life to the whole in order that good stuff will be produced for the whole world.

The well-being of EACH depends upon the well-being of ALL.

We are all connected.

The fate of EACH depends upon the well-being of ALL.

With regard to our environment, communities, families, individuals and our own souls, our connection to the source of life stuff provides and we must pass along that life stuff and produce good things for the whole.

If ALL do not have Shalom (completeness, wholeness, well-being and peace), then NONE have Shalom.

You cannot segregate yourself (emotionally, ideologically, geographically or socially) from others and remain connected to the True Vine.  Any apathy, hatred or complacency you may have means that you are not producing the stuff of life for the whole, and that you have cut yourself off from the True Vine, because you have separated yourself from the other branches who are connected to the True Vine.  Branches may be grafted in, and they are to be connected to the whole as well.  

This is about life: the life of the planet, the life of individuals and the life of humanity.  God expects us to be about sharing the life stuff that will sustain the whole.  Branches that are cut off die.  Branches that are connected thrive and produce more good fruit that sustains life.

And the life stuff is Agape Love: active commitment on behalf of the other, even stranger or enemy, and especially the most vulnerable - you know, our sisters and brothers, children of God who are connected to God, the other branches.  It produces, sustains and transforms lives and the life of the whole.

Be connected to the True Vine.  In order for that to be possible, you MUST BE connected to the other branches through the True Vine.

It truly is about whether we LIVE or DIE: as humans, as creation, as souls.

Pastor Jamie

LOVE in Truth and Action

 I John 3:16-24 is the Lectionary Epistle Text (with a LOT of Good News in it) Sunday, April 25.

Oh my.  There it is.

Reminiscent of the New Testament prophet, James (chapter 2), this is where the Good News of Agape and Grace hits the road.  Do we walk what we talk?  Are we committed, actively to the well-being of ALL people around us?  Is that commitment active?  Are we ACTING as we live the Agape Love commandment?  Agape is not feelings.  Phileos is about feelings for those of us or like us.  Eros is definitely about romantic feelings.  Philanthropia comes of feelings for humanity.  But Agape is ACTIVE COMMITMENT ON BEHALF OF THE OTHER, EVEN STRANGER AND ENEMY, AND ESPECIALLY THE MOST VULNERABLE (see Luke 10:25-37).  

"We know Agape by this..." - Jesus modeled it for us.  Selflessly, unconditionally and ACTIVELY Jesus lived Agape with us.

How can we say that God's Agape is in us, if we don't help a sister or brother in need?

We can SAY whatever we want.  We can quote the scriptures, we can offer marvelous prayers, we can share the Peace and we can profess our love for God and Neighbor, but Agape is not about words or speech.  It is all about ACTION.

Here is where it gets hard - we know we are living in the truth when our hearts condemn us - that tinge of conscience when we make it all about our own, personal salvation, our own prosperity, our own control over others' behaviors and our own status above others, while people around us are unjustly being denied enough food, medicine, justice and value in the world.  It is that still, small voice that says, maybe we shouldn't "otherize" them, or blame the victim.  Maybe it is wrong for me to think I can be right with God AND judge someone else for who they love.  Maybe I am on the wrong side in this thing?

It is about obeying Jesus' command to love God and Neighbor with heart, soul, mind and strength.  It is about believing in Jesus' Good News of Agape Love as a better way for the world, and faithfulness to God.  We abide in Jesus when we obey His commands.  The Spirit drives us to Him and His Good News.

I am convicted.  When I stereotype, judge, devalue, vilify, marginalize, disenfranchise or ignore others around me.  They are my sisters and brothers.  They are God's children.  If they have needs, I HAVE A NEED, because if they are in need, WE are in need.

Loving Neighbor as Self means that I no more want to see my Neighbor (stranger, enemy, most vulnerable) have pain or lack than I want that for myself.  (please read that again)

I certainly ACT when I am in need or in pain.  Agape Love demands that I ACT whenever someone around me is in need or pain.  

That is why Agape Love, at the center of the Good News of Jesus, is so Revolutionary.  Empire values more wealth for self, power over others and status above others.  It thrives in hatred and apathy.  Agape Love demands ENOUGH FOR ALL, SHARED POWER TOWARD EQUITY and EQUAL VALUE and WORTH among God's people.  It does not allow for hatred or apathy.  That is Jesus' Way.  If we are followers of Jesus, it will be OUR way in the world, this part of God's Kingdom, here and now.

AGAPE is LOVE in Truth and ACTION.

Pastor Jamie

Opened Minds...

Luke 24:36-49 is the lectionary Gospel text for Sunday, April 18.

Luke has them all doubting, and Jesus calling their bluff in believing vs. proof.  Thomas does not get a bum rep in this account, at least not alone.

The interesting and amusing thing to me is that they believed in ghosts, but perhaps not in Jesus' being raised from the dead to appear to them?  Hmmm.  Like folk believing in UFO's or Bigfoot, but not in medical science during a pandemic?  Like people believing outrageous lies from a liar, and conspiracy theories every day, as well as bigoted statements about others, but not believing that the perpetrators of those things have any ill-intent toward them?

Jesus proclaimed to them that He was written about in the Law of Moses, the prophets and the Psalms.  Indeed, Jesus proclaimed all of it fulfilled in Him - His teachings, ministry, death and resurrection.  If they did not have confirmation earlier as to Jesus being Messiah, that should do it - for any who were hearing this read to them or who were reading it in Luke's hand.

"Then Jesus opened their minds to understand the scriptures."  Their proclamation was to be all about repentance and forgiveness of sins. 

Were they to repent of their corrupt views of God's Word, and its misuse by the church?  Yes

Were they to repent of their marginalization and disenfranchisement of others under empire?  Yes

Were they to repent of their ignorance to what Jesus taught, commanded and modeled?  Certainly

Were they to repent of their lack of Agape Love and Grace for others in the world?  Of course.

Everything that Jesus was about regarding Kingdom of God values and how we live them here and now, in this part of God's Kingdom, was about righting wrongs done in God's name.  

Empire flourished under its false views of deity and humanity, successfully forcing its values of Greed, Hatred, lust for Power and desire for Status on the whole known world.  Jesus addressed that and called God's people to resist it.

The corrupt King had his false views of God and humanity, and successfully kept some power under empire by exploiting who and what he could.

The corrupt Temple Cult Leaders of Jesus' time under empire twisted their view of God and humanity i order to get what they could, to stay in power and gain wealth, enjoy status.  They were successful because they abused and exploited the children of God in God's name.

Empire still flourishes under false views of God and humanity, perpetrated by those in power and with wealth who have gained status, and who exploit and abuse God's children.  Politicians, church leaders and Capitalists benefit from the perversions of God's Word and their control over the people through them.  Whole theologies have been constructed to promote prosperity, personal salvation status and our power in the world, while vilifying those who follow Jesus and resist them as Jesus did.  The soul of the world, the church and individuals in them are at stake once again.

Jesus opened their minds to understand the scriptures.

Will we, in our encounters with Jesus today, allow our minds to be opened to Jesus' Good News of Agape Love and Grace, in the face of empire values?

Will we be the ones who follow Jesus under this iteration of empire, resist it and transform the world around us with the Kingdom values of Agape Love and Grace?

Will we be the ones who follow Jesus by living what Jesus taught, commanded and modeled, instead of going along with empire's Greed, Hatred, lust for Power and desire for Status?

Will we be the ones who follow Jesus and show how living in Jesus' Way brings Shalom for all, instead of division, inequity, violence and corruption?

Don't doubt Jesus or Jesus' Way.  It is God's Will.  It is God's better way for us to live in this part of God's Kingdom, here and now.  Living what Jesus taught, commanded and modeled in the living of Agape Love and Grace is faithfulness to God.  Period.

Lord, may you again open OUR minds to understand the scriptures, that WE may live YOUR WAY.

Pastor Jamie

  

witness

 John 20:19-31 is the Gospel Lectionary text for Sunday, April 11.

Faith or Proof?  Which will YOU believe?

We live in an age in which many ignore credible witnesses when what they proclaim does not align with our own political, economic, social or emotional ideologies.  Many choose to believe politicians and fundamentalist preachers, rightwing ideologues and conspiracy theorists over scientists, scholars, good friends and even beloved family members.  We ignore the inconvenient, difficult truths and latch onto the easy, biased lies.  We are Thomas.

The beloved disciples witnessed that they saw and heard Jesus.  Thomas knew them.  Thomas was given Jesus' messages (in John) with the rest of them, that He must die and be raised on the Third Day.  Thomas heard the witness of Mary Magdalene that Jesus was raised before that.  Thomas still, boldly and proudly proclaimed his chosen ignorance and disbelief.

I understand Thomas.  I do not in any way want to vilify Thomas.  Thomas is me, too.  This was not normal.  It was not ordinary.  It was not possible.  This just does not happen.  Raised from the dead?  Yes, Jesus raised Lazarus, but Jesus was alive when He did that.  JESUS died!  This cannot be right.  His logical, practical and realistic brain would not allow Thomas to believe it.  Or, his emotions would not allow him to dare think it could be true.  He had been devastated by Jesus' death.  Maybe this was just their denial kicking in?  They could not bear to think of Jesus being gone.  Maybe it was some sort of group think denial that led to a mass ecstatic delusion?  Perhaps it was not Jesus who Thomas doubted, or God?  Perhaps it was the witnesses.

I have heard folk attribute all kinds of bad thinking, speaking and acting to their faith.  I have heard folk claim that God will save us from an environmental holocaust, so we can go ahead and pollute, waste and destroy the creation as much as we want.  I have heard folk say that personal salvation is all that matters in this faith, so we can treat people shamefully in our society, exploit them economically and discriminate against those who are not like us, at will.  I have heard folk say that they can ignore the Covid-19 masking, distancing and isolating because it shows a lack of faith in God to do those things, as if God did not also give us our brains and the scientists sent to help us.  I have heard folk defend hateful, greedy, power-hungry and narcissistic leaders who spout all manner of ungodly stuff, because some wealthy, powerful, hateful and famous preachers have told them to do so.  God sent witnesses to the truth, and they have ignored them.

So, Faith or Proof?  It depends on how you define both.  In this age, when faith has been corrupted and proof has been de-valued, it is especially difficult for us and our children.  Thomas is us.

I take it on faith, yes in God's power, love and Grace.

I do not need to have it proved to me that God is Loving and Gracious, and has redeemed and saved me by extra-ordinary means.  The Gospels are my witnesses. 

I will continue to see all of faith in this life through the lens of Jesus' teachings, commands and examples of how to live in this part of God's Kingdom, here and now.  I will continue to believe that the Holy Spirit of God points me to, leads me to, guides me to and drives me to Jesus' teachings, commands and examples for faithfulness with God.  And I will believe the witnesses of word and deed who speak and act in ways consistent with that Love and Grace, in the world - believers and non-believers, scientists and pastors, politicians and activists, neighbors and family - ANY who speak, write and act consistent with what Jesus taught, commanded and modeled for us in how to be faithful as God's children, here and now.  My faith is in God, in Jesus' Good News of Agape Love and Grace and in ANY witnesses who proclaim and live consistently with them.  The only proof I need is measured against that Agape and Grace for ALL people.  Regarding all else, I will remain Thomas.

Pastor Jamie