under the shadow of empire

 John 6:1-21 is the Gospel lectionary text for Sunday, July 25.

Geographically, it does work.  The author of John's Gospel seemingly makes a mistake, for Jesus was on that side of the Sea of Galilea.  But it allowed the Gospel writer to use the Roman name - Sea of Tiberias, and signal its readers/hearers that it is a message regarding Rome's occupation of their land and lives.

It was the Passover.  And what do you do at Passover?  Bread and Wine.  But they had none.  Empire had left them without sustenance or power over their own destinies.  Jesus "tested" Philip, and Andrew chimed in with a ridiculous "helpful" offering.  Jesus gave thanks and gave out the 5 barley loaves - only the bread in John.  And they all ate and were satisfied.  And they gathered up 12 baskets of remnants.  The people saw what He had done.  The 12 tribes were satisfied with enough left over to go another day, as in the wilderness, even under the oppression and depravation of occupation under empire.  Now THAT is a celebration of the Passover they would not soon forget!

In fact, Jesus had to ditch the crowd, because they wanted to make Him King right then and there.  Their "King", a vassal sanctioned by Rome, represented empire and did nothing for God's people.  Jesus in one day gave them hope and helped them celebrate their identity as a people, even under the shadow of Rome's oppression.

Now, Jesus would show off for His disciples, walk on the water and bring them, in the boat, to shore safely through the storm.  Jesus provided them sustenance, and brought the church home safely through the storm of empire's oppressive, evil forces.

Our storm of oppressive, evil force is laissez-faire Capitalism.

The oppression of it, especially since 1981 and the corruptions that have followed since, has devastated the lives of countless millions around the world, all for the personal gain of about 1% of the population.  It has been a tool of oppression.  It excludes, exploits and withholds from the many for the sake a few.  It holds the many down, back and out, leaving them without what they need so that the few rich fools can have more of an abundance than they can ever deplete.  It occupies the nation and much of the world by occupying the halls of governance, justice and economics.  It occupies through the fear of being called "socialist" or un-American, through the social pressure to conform and through other false social and religious teachings that undergird its insidious falsehoods - the unholy gods of Greed, lust for Power and desire for Status which drive it.

The weapons of this oppressive force are white, protestant straight male supremacy and the many hatreds that it generates in order that the people will be divided, so that those who it represents can remain dominant by holding onto all the resources and power, and exploiting the masses for more.  

It claims to be righteous, as witnessed by its power, status and wealth, even claiming to be democratic while promoting its Oligarchic, Plutocratic ideals at the expense of the people.

And many under it have adopted its values and vision as true believers, gullibly hoping one day to be among the few elites who benefit from empire's oppression.  Others do whatever they must in order to secure the scraps from its table for themselves, even at the expense of others around them, and especially those not like them.  And some refuse to participate, resist its ways and speak truth to power and wealth, both within the church that bears Jesus' name and outside of it.

Which are you?

Who will be preaching THIS message from John's Gospel next Sunday?

Pastor Jamie 

Empowered for Life

 Mark 6:30-44 contains the lectionary Gospel text for next Sunday, though it is divided up differently.

This is important.  It is an example for the church today.

Empire weaponizes sustainable life for the profit of a few.  Food, drinkable water, breathable air are all sacrificed for the benefit of a few to exploit the many.  Take away what people need and they are easily controlled when given just enough on which to survive, or less.

Rome did that.  They took every resource from the peoples they conquered to feed their armies and provide more for the elites of Rome.  People were working hard, just to have it taken away.  They were occupied, controlled by the police state and terrorized with unjust arrests, harsh punishments, torture and executions.  The people lived with very little and in constant fear.  Some arose to resist militarily.  Jesus resisted with Kingdom values in the face of empire values.

Jesus had compassion on the crowd because they were like "sheep without a shepherd."  Their King (puppet of Rome), their religious leaders (corrupt and brutal) and the empire abused them at every turn.  Jesus had Compassion - the first weapon against the hatred and apathy created by empire.

Jesus ordered His disciples, THE CHURCH, to feed the crowds.  They objected, of course, claiming that it would take what little they had hoarded for themselves, but Jesus COMMANDED them to give the people something to eat.  Jesus commanded Generosity, even is self-sacrifice,  the second weapon against the greed created by empire.

Jesus ordered the people to gather in groups of 100's and 50's.  This gathering was no accident.  Roman battle tactics included the divisions of centuries and half-centuries of soldiers for battle.  With an occupying force looking on (and you know a large gathering would not go unnoticed), the people were organized for battle.  Jesus commanded organized Community gathering, a third weapon against the power of empire.

Then Jesus provided from the creation, from the community in sharing, from the meager resources left to the people after empire took it all.  Empire weaponized food.  God provided enough, and even more.  That is how the Kingdom of God works, in the gathering and sharing as stewards of what God has provided.  While empire exploits, steals and takes off the backs of those who work hard to provide, Kingdom ensures enough, and more than enough, for those who do the labor.  The miracle was in the sharing, the gathering, the power of powerless people to unite and look out for one another.

The Gospel writer specifies 5,000 men in this text.  The Roman Cohort that occupied that region at the time was 3800 Centurions.  Jesus raised an army in a day, that could wipe out the occupiers/oppressors of God's people.  He organized them in battle groups of 100's and 50's to let Rome know He knew a little about war.  Then, he handed out the weapons of the Kingdom - food, community, generosity, compassion and great numbers of people gathering against the law of empire.  

Resistance in the Kingdom does not mean a different people being on top in an unjust system.  It means transforming the values of empire into Kingdom values for oppressed people who refuse to live the immoral norms of empire values.  It means valuing the things of the Kingdom in the face of empire values.

THAT is what the church of Jesus is commanded to do here and now.  We are commanded to live the Kingdom values of Agape Love and Grace, instead of the values of empire.  Not only that, but we are commanded to put it in the face of empire so that the people have a different vision, a different set of values and hope.

The first Century followers of Jesus lived what Jesus taught.  It was very different from empire, and thousands came to be a part of the movement of Jesus's Way.  That lasted until empire co-opted the movement and claimed "the faith" for the Roman Empire, twisting its origins and turning it into an institution that promoted a hybrid of empire and personal salvation values.  It has not been the same since.

In the face of empire today - will the church be a part of the movement of Jesus' Way and re-commit to what Jesus taught, commanded and modeled, or will it be a tool of empire as in Jesus' day, promoting the greed, hatred, lust for power and desire for status of empire with its false theologies of church growth, earned self-righteousness, personal salvation and prosperity?

Make no mistake.  Mark 6:30-44 is about US, here and now.

Will we heed Jesus' commands?

Pastor Jamie

with Him or against Him

 So. Herod.  In a long line of Herod, under the thumb of Rome's empire himself, trying to enjoy his life of wealth, power and status under difficult circumstances.  He was threatened by anyone who would upset the balance created by empire under which he was relatively thriving.  He eliminated John, the real Elijah who ushered in Jesus, Messiah.  Now, he was afraid that Jesus was John come back.  He had no idea who he was dealing with - this was the REAL DEAL.

Jesus came in a time of occupation and oppression by empire, and of gross corruption by those who had adopted empire values as their own, and who now learned how to play that game in order to gain for themselves more wealth, power and status at the expense of God's children.  The political and religious leaders were in collusion with empire, and the people suffered for it.

Does that sound familiar?

Those who benefitted from a corrupt political and economic system got the religious leaders to twist the Word and practice of the faith to benefit themselves.  The corrupt religious leaders, themselves desiring to gain more wealth, power and status, and/or even just survive life under empire, supported this and came up with false beliefs that would promote it for their own sake, at the expense of the children of God.

They worked very hard to silence the Word of Truth - here, the Word made Flesh.

What Jesus taught, commanded and modeled as Kingdom values in Agape Love and Grace was about enough sustainable means for ALL people, Love and not Hate or Apathy, Equal power shared so that all had equal opportunities and possibilities, and equal status and value for ALL people.

That was a threat to those who had created a new status quo.  Jesus addressed the desolating sacrilege of politics shaping the temple cult life because the corrupt leaders of His time on the Throne and in the 
Temple had colluded to go against God's Will.

It is a threat to those who have created this new status quo in our own nation.  The desolating sacrilege of Reagan and Falwell (1981, ff) has grown to create more HAVE NOTS for the benefit of the HAVES.  It has created an environment of intolerance, control over people's lives and bodies and hearts, of greed for MORE wealth, lust for power over others and desire for status above others.  It has created and exploited divisions among the people so that the few may gain more while the many fight for scraps.  John called for repentance - changing one's thinking so that one's direction will change in alignment with God's Will.  He had to be eliminated for disturbing the status quo.  Jesus had to be, also.  Empire and its cronies could not have the Good News of Agape Love and Grace challenge the false and evil world they had created for their own gain.

Many people go along with this to gain what they can under the evil system, just as they did in Jesus' time.  Some have bought the false theologies of nationalism, prosperity, power, status and exceptionalism preached by the false prophets of our time, hook, line and sinker.  They will fiercely defend the corrupt systems as they aspire to gain by them, even though most or many of them will not.  Others will profess a faith in Jesus and ignore what Jesus taught, commanded and modeled for how to live in this part of God's Kingdom, here and now, going along so they can get along.  Some will seem loving and in favor of change in the world and nation, and even speak about it, but will always go back to the status quo that got THEM their position, influence and prosperity in politics and/or the church.  The 21st Century, in many ways, IS the 1st Century. 

There are prophets who challenge the status quo today.  Many have been relatively silenced by those in power and those who hope to have more wealth, power and status under empire.  They are there, persistently preaching the Good News of Jesus for a world beaten down by empire in our own nation, here and now.  They are treated with disdain, accused of being "radical," taken off the air, slandered and scandalized, marginalized and even arrested.  In some parts of the world, they are tortured and killed.  

These are the ones who point out that normalized life under empire is evil, because it goes against God's Will and hurts the children of God.  They dare to suggest that the systems and values that continue to benefit the wealthy and powerful are wrong.  They dare suggest that the systems be changed, and that the ill-gotten gains be re-distributed to help those in need because of the corruptions of years under empire.  They dare suggest that the systems be changed to provide equal power under Democracy to ALL citizens.  They dare suggest that the systems be changed to reflect a value for ALL people equally, and not a few elites over all others.  They dare suggest that they system be changed that pits one against another in intolerance, and that Agape Love and Grace be lived among the people of our nation.  They dare to expose the systems promoted by corrupt political and religious leaders of OUR time that teach a false version of God's Will that twists even the Gospel until it no longer resembles Christ Jesus.

Who dares to live what Jesus taught, commanded and modeled for us, in the face of empire, as an act of resistance to empire?

If you do, like John (and Jesus), you may necessarily get it in the neck by those with all the wealth, power and status.

If you do, you will sacrifice for it.

If you do, you will be faithful to God because you love God and Neighbor as self.

Whose side are YOU on?

Pastor Jamie

When the people say, "No!"

 Mark 6:1-13 is the Gospel text for next Sunday, July 4.

Jesus went home.  It wasn't the same.  He wasn't the same.  He was different.  His compassion, empathy and mission changed Him.  He was becoming while going to the Cross.  He taught with authority and wisdom, and that surprised the people from His hometown.  They likened His healings to mere deeds of power, but perhaps did not see the Agape Love mission behind them.  They couldn't get past that this was Joseph and Mary's boy, a mere carpenter.  They "ooo'd and ahhh'd" over Him at first, but that is a fine line before crossing into, "Who does He think He is?"

And Jesus COULD DO NO DEEDS OF POWER THERE.  He did heal some sick folk, so THEY might see it differently.

The people there could not believe in Jesus' mission.  Without the faith of the people, the mission could not be fulfilled.  Read that again.  Now, read it again.

In my 20 years of parish ministry, I had one, brief and shining period of about 2 1/2 years in Cleveland, in which my vision for ministry was working.  The community came together and with the church for a while, until the established members of the church from years before said, "no more."  No convincing mattered.  No pointing out of what wonderful things were happening changed their perspectives.  They did not want to walk in Jesus' Agape Love, Grace Way.  

During those twenty years, I also served a small, independent parish in my hometown.  My mother, some old acquaintances and one best friend from my school years attended.  It was near the end of my parish ministry, before I went into hospice care.  For two years I struggled to get folk to embrace the Agape Love message of Jesus, but the "give me that old time religion" folk prevailed.  They, too, just wanted me to take care of them, comfort them and make them feel good about themselves.  It was not about them being a part of the mission of the Gospel.  My mom was a joy, as always.  I remember her teasing me during a Bible Study when she was challenged by the Gospel, that she was "still my mother" and that she had "changed my diapers."  My old best friend was different.  When I offered that God loves LGBTQ folk too, he cited his dad, a member of the Knights of Columbus in opposition, telling me that I did not know anything.  After nine years of school and sixteen years of ministry, he still tried to pull childhood rank on me.  The prophet is not without honor, except in his own hometown.

I thank God often for those 2 1/2 years in Cleveland, where the mutual belief in Jesus and Jesus' mission turned into an active, loving ministry.  They were short lived, but will always be dear to me.

When Jesus sent His disciples out, they were instructed to rely on mutual dependence and commitment with the people they went to serve.  They were to rely on the people for their sustenance alone, to depend on the community for enough on which to live.  They were instructed to live among the people and give all they had for their benefit, when the people received them as partners in life and ministry.

When they were not received well, they were instructed to wipe the dust off their feet - to take nothing of that place or people with them, but move on to other places where people would share a mutual belief in Jesus and Jesus' Way of Agape Love.

With the exception of two and half years out of twenty, I must say that this was my experience.  The people allowed a mission of outreach, compassion and empathy, even inclusion for a short time, but eventually said, "NO!"  They just wanted me to "take care of them," as if that was the entire mission of the Gospel.  But in one brief shining period within my parish ministry, the people said "Yes" to Jesus' Way, and much was done to build up lives in community.  It was beautiful, truly beautiful.  I am and will always be grateful for that time and those folks who shared a common belief in the mission of the Gospel in Agape Love and Grace!

I am heartened to see and hear of many people now coming together in mutual belief in Jesus and Jesus' Way, who are making a difference in the world around them.  They are changing the world, which is the power of Agape Love and Grace - a power that only comes to fruition when the people say, "Yes!"

And THAT is the Good News!

Pastor Jamie

The most vulnerable under empire and healing in Jesus

 Mark 5:21-43 is the lectionary text for Sunday, June 27.

The Gospel writer wrote in a subtext, I believe, addressing the nation, the people of God and their suffering under empire.

It was a 12 year old girl who was sick unto death, having suffered under the oppressive poverty, malnutrition and abuse of empire's occupation of their land.  She was already of little value in her society, except to marry and bear children.  Her dying before her time to marry would be the taking away of any value she might have.  Her future was in peril, and her father, a local synagogue leader, had little power compared to the corrupt Temple Cult leaders who were in collusion with Rome.  She would surely die, as would the nation, and her/their life fullness would never be realized because of their plight under empire.  The nation was in peril, and any who would defend her against empire seemed powerless.

The woman who suffered hemorrhages for 12 years was also vulnerable.  She had depleted any resources she might have had toward restoring her health and yet she got worse.  She was destined for death.  Just as the 12 tribes, the nation, the people of God had suffered for many years under Rome's oppression, so she suffered not only this grave illness, but the poverty that came with it and the condition of being considered UNCLEAN, marginalized by those of her own people and community.  Empire had divided people and created a value system that blamed the victims for a plight designed by empire to benefit the powerful and wealthy at the expense of the poor.  The nation was desperate after such a long time, to have completeness, wholeness and well-being restored to her.

They reached out to Jesus.  Jairus risked what standing he may have had to do so.  The woman in need risked this desperate act not working.  They were both restored.

What is most endearing to me about this passage is that Jesus restores wholeness, completeness and well-being to lowly females.  He calls one "daughter" and the other "little lamb."  It is with such tenderness and Grace that Jesus walks, teaches, heals and changes the world in these Gospels.  The world is not that way.  Jesus did not charge Jairus for the healing, or ask for proof of insurance.  Jesus healed her.  Jesus disregarded any personal gain for doing it, but rather did so out of compassion, depleting His own power for the sake of someone else who needed it.

Jesus praised the woman in need for her faith, and commanded those around the little girl, "Do not fear, only believe."  Believing in Jesus' Way is critical.  If we believe in Jesus' way of Agape Love and Grace for how we are to live in the world, we will work to transform the world in Agape Love and Grace.  With Jesus as our example, we will allow what power we have to be used to bring others to restoration, and we will strive to fend off the ill effects of empire in the world, even as we work to change the values by which people in the world live.   

While the leadership of old, white men in power and with wealth (empire)  is working real hard to try to control women's bodies and close down women's health clinics in the process, Jesus would use His power to heal this woman who sought help for her severe "women's problem."  All of her resources exhausted by the for-profit medical system, she turned to Jesus who did not charge her, but healed her.  Jesus did not judge her.  Jesus healed her.   It was the loving thing to do - the Agape Loving thing to do, as Jesus did not gain from her healing.  It is what Jesus calls US to do out of compassion, with any power and resources we have.

Do you believe?

Want to follow Jesus?

Follow Jesus, fearlessly.

Not just when it benefits you in your concern for personal salvation, personal prosperity, personal blessings and favor and such.  Follow Jesus in doing all you can for OTHERS, even stranger and enemy, and especially the most vulnerable.  Cover their care.  Cover them in compassion.  Make them whole and complete again.  Ensure their well-being.

THAT is faithfulness to Jesus.

All the rest is just words.

Pastor Jamie

the boat in the disorder

 Mark 4:35-41 is the Gospel lectionary text for Sunday, June 20.

The boat is always the church.  Always.  The disciples, those who have been faithfully following Jesus, even though they do not, as of yet, fully know who Jesus is, are in it with the Lord.  

The storm is the chaos, disorder and unrest/lack of peace caused by the divisive, destructive, discriminatory, oppressive and insidious practices of empire - in that iteration, Rome.  The values of greed, lust for Power over others and desire for Status above others create and exploit differences and divisions, which causes unrest, destruction, despair, fear and uncertainty as they threaten life in this part of God's Kingdom, here and now.

The political leader in Jesus' day focused on keeping what wealth, power and status he could as a vassal of the emperor.  The religious leaders did the same, and twisted God's Word to support their corruptions while claiming faithfulness to God.  The people bought in or caved in to the realities of empire and its system of unequal, inequitable values.  They lived under empire, dong what they could just to survive.  

And as the chaos built up around them, those who strove to faithfully follow Jesus cried out to Him, because it seemed He was asleep.  Jesus rebuked the forces of empire and their values, and created Kingdom order from the chaos of empire.  The Kingdom had come and God's Will was being made known in this part of the Kingdom.  Jesus was here to set things right between God and God's children.

Jesus' admonishment of those who strove to be faithful to Him was, "Why are you afraid?  Have you still no faith?"  Their reaction was telling.  They did, and didn't.  They had faith enough to believe in the last wonder Jesus performed, but no certainty of who Jesus truly was as of yet or what He would do in THIS moment.  

Have you looked outside?  Have you watched or listened to or read the news?  Do you see the storm?  

Do you recognize that empire has again forced its values on the known world?  Do you see how the Greed, lust for Power and desire for Status have divided and again threaten to destroy humanity?  If you are among the political leaders, you are probably focused on playing the game and not questioning its validity.  If you are among the religious leaders, you most likely try to justify empire values with your false theologies of prosperity, church growth, personal salvation, holiness and purity, instead of Agape Love for God and Neighbor.  If you are among the masses, you are just trying to get what you can under an unjust and inequitable system so that you and yours can survive, or you have bought into it and are exploiting as many as possible to get yours in the game.  If you are a follower of Jesus, you may be afraid of what you see and not sure that this will end well, feeling that perhaps Jesus is sleeping through it, or you believe that in the end, it will be set right according to God's Kingdom.

What are your values?

Do you value the things that divide, marginalize, disenfranchise and destroy others' lives?

Do you value the Kingdom values that build up, lift up and sustain life in equity and justice?

Are you among those who help create the chaos and feed the hot air of the storm?

Are you among those who strive to the interject Kingdom values of Agape Love and Grace, the Good News of Jesus, into life in this part of God's Kingdom, here and now?

Where are YOU in the storm?  What role are YOU playing in it?

Whatever the case, the truth is that WE ARE IN THE STORM.

Which force in the storm will YOU represent?

Pastor Jamie

The Little Things

 Mark 4:26-34 is the Gospel text for Sunday, June 13.

It's all about life in the Kingdom - this part of the Kingdom, here and now.  Folk with heaven on their minds, focused only on their personal faith and salvation miss the message of the Gospel of Agape Love and Grace, in that faithfulness to God, according to Jesus, is DOING LOVE - Agape is not a feeling, but active commitment on behalf of the other, even stranger or enemy and especially the most vulnerable among us, here and now.

The Kingdom is like scattering the seed of Agape Love on the foundation of folks' lives.  It is inevitable that it will grow, in time and in its course.  When that comes to fruition, others benefit from it.  It is not about the plant itself alone, but about all the others that benefit from its fruit in the world.

It takes time, effort, patience and persistence to plant the seed of Agape and nurture its growth in peoples' lives.  It can be laborious and messy.  It can be frustrating.  It is always the right thing to do.

No amount of that Agape Love planted in the world is too small to make a difference.  Regardless of the size of the seed of Agape planted, it will inevitably grow to be something much greater, even that which sustains other life in the world around it.

It may seem like that is not enough, but it is what God requires, desires and commands.  It is no small thing because, when the Holy Spirit of God, relentless and always drawing us to the Agape and Grace of Christ Jesus, gets ahold of it, the result is anything but insignificant.

If we spread this Agape Love in the world around us, this part of God's Kingdom, here and now, it will grow and affect, even sustain lives around us.  That is the world that we help God re-create, the world in which we live.  It transforms lives and the world to be more loving and gracious.  That is sustainable.  That is wise.  That is faithful.  That is what God wants.

Be the someone who participates in the Kingdom of God, here and now.

Be the flesh made Word.

Be the Agape Love and Grace of God in the lives of others in the world around you.

And watch the growth, the fulfillment, the Kingdom come to fruition.

Thy Kingdom come.  Thy Will be done on Earth, as in Heaven.

Pastor Jamie