A Pastor thinks aloud

I’m just not hip enough to keep this blog going?

Who cares what I’m thinking or saying?

Do my sermons proclaim Christ or do they turn people away?

Made in God’s image

Made in God’s Image

http://bible.oremus.org/?passage=matthew+22 

Give to Caesar the things that are Caesars and God the things that are God’s! I wonder what Joe the plumber would say about that. I got that joke from another Lutheran minister. Today’s gospel and the lessons of the past week may sound familiar to you.  There is no doubt that you are sick and tired of all the political attack ads from both sides and all of the political surrogates, reporters and pundits that are out there to try to trap either candidate with a question to trip them up. Don’t worry I’m not endorsing a candidate from the pulpit. What I am saying is that the human condition has not changed much since the time of Jesus. Two commandments are violated one is the eighth commandment of “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.” This election is an illustration of bearing false witness! Today’s gospel deals directly with the first commandment of “You shall have no other gods before me.”

In the past couple of weeks Jesus was confronting and condemning the religious-Chief priests and elders of the people. This conflict includes the Pharisees and Herodians. The Herodians were political factions that were loyal to King Herod. King Herod known as the great only ruled by consent of the Romans and by being loyal, obedient to Rome which included paying taxes. The Pharisees were so devoted to the Torah 613 commandments that they build a hedge around it to make sure they were really pleasing God. They added more rules and regulations so they would be opposed to the Herodians idolatry. So why did the Herodians and Pharisees teamed up against Jesus? They both considered Jesus a threat to their religious and economic security.

They start out using flattery to catch Jesus off guard. Oh, Teacher you are true and teach the way of God and don’t regard the position of men and then they try to trap him with a question. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not? All those under Roman control were required to pay taxes(a denarius-a day’s wage). This was Roman currency that was engraved with the image of Tiberius Caesar with the inscription of “Tiberius Caesar, son of the divine Augustus.”

This was a big problem. The image of Augustus and his claim to divinity would be offensive to Jews. A graven image and claim to divinity is idolatrous! The Pharisees and Herodians were trying to put Jesus in a no-win situation. If Jesus would of said no to the payment of taxes then the Herodians would accuse him of being a zealot supporting rebellion and treason and if he would of said yes then the Pharisees would accuse him of being a collaborator of Rome and acknowledging Caesar as God. It is interesting that Jesus had to ask for the offensive coin. He did not have it but his accusers did.

Jesus says that the coin already belongs to Caesar, Rome made it so give it back but Jesus continues with Give to God the things that are Gods. This is the real issue. Are we giving God the things that are God? The Herodians and Pharisees were not giving everything to God. Jesus points out their hypocrisy. Just paying the tax is getting off cheaply because God is owner of everything. Everything belongs to God! Psalm 24 says that the earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it, the world and those who live in it. We were created and made in the image and likeness of God. Give Caesar his coins but God wants you. You have been bought with a price so glorify God with all that you have because everything is a gift from God to us.

God is a loving, generous friend(an amigo) who wants to be with you. God truly accepts and forgives you for the sake of Christ who lived, died and rose for you!

Instead of seeing people and the goods of this life as answers to your own selfish desires, look upon them with appreciation as gifts from the hands of God. You will begin to see people through God’s eyes-made in the image of God. Yes it is lawful to pay taxes but rendering to Caesar will not solve the world’s problems. Governments will not solve the world any more than capitalism will. Governments are not generous but people made in the image of God who are called and claimed by God are. We see this during times of disasters like the recent hurricanes in Texas and Louisiana. The October 7^th edition of USA today says that faith based groups have been the vanguard of rebuilding post-Katrina and Rita that includes Baptist, Catholic, Lutheran, Methodist and many others who have mobilized over 200 thousand volunteers and raised over 200 million dollars. The work of people who know whose they are. We are made in God’s image and all we have is God’s work and God uses our hands.

Don’t give your whole life to the things of the world just give over those things that belong there. Remember everything belongs to God regardless.

There is a poem that goes Caesar did not create the stars, does not rule the heavens or give us life no Caesar and the State can keep their own coins. They can’t buy what we really need.

God,

It is your face we see

In our world, our very selves, our breath and love.

We owe every single thing to you alone.

Claim it all. Claim us as you promise in our baptism

Please take us as your own in Jesus name.

Amen.

 

 

 

God’s Great Fiesta for all

http://bible.oremus.org/?passage=mastthew+22%3A1-14

Tony Campolo, a Baptist minister came out with a book a couple of years ago called “The kingdom of God is a party” which raised a lot of eyebrows among those who think church and religion should be serious-all work, no fun, no joy just boring. Tony points out that the kingdom is not only a party but it is open for all especially for those on the streets and considered the least in society.

Tony tells one story of a trip to a corner bar and grill where a lonely woman named Agnes would come everyday and she was sad because tomorrow was her birthday and she had no family, no friends to celebrate it with. Tony got the bright idea to get everybody in the bar to throw her a big party and invite everyone. The next day the whole bar and grill was decorated with party favors and happy birthday signs plus there was a big birthday cake for Agnes. The whole place was filled with not only the patrons but the door was wide open to everybody walking through even prostitutes in the area to celebrate with Agnes. Agnes was so overcome with shock and surprise that she did not want to eat her cake but keep it to remind her of this great celebration in her honor. Tony ended the time with prayer, which shocked the bartender who asked you are a preacher in which he responds, yes the kind that celebrates birthdays in bars along with prostitutes.” The bartender replied “I would like to join that church but there is no such thing.” According to Jesus and today’s parable -Yes there Is!!! The kingdom is a party open for all even prostitutes.

In today’s gospel, Jesus compares the kingdom of God to a wedding feast! A big celebration! The Jewish people like other peoples of the ancient Near East were big on social feasting. There were feasts on birthdays, marriages, and funerals not unlike us Lutherans who have our German dinners and potlucks! We love to eat and celebrate like other cultures. The Latino/Hispanic/Mexican cultures love to fiesta and we do too. Here in San Antonio, we have a 10-day celebration featuring 100 events with music, food, and sports, dancing, with all the parades and pageantry. The kingdom of God is like a great fiesta!

In these Middle Eastern banquets there was always wine drinking and a huge meal. We heard the prophet Isaiah talk about a promised feast of rich foods, wines and where death and sorrow will be no more and when we partake of Holy Communion which is the bodily presence of Christ with the bread and wine- we are forgiven, strengthen because God is with us and Revelation tells us of a final victorious banquet with the lamb-There is an Hispanic creed taken from the Apostles that speak of the day of the great fiesta when Christ will come back and all cultures will live equally together in him

Meals in the Roman-Greco and middle-eastern era represent who can associate with whom in the larger society. They lived in an honor-shame society where the rich ate with the rich and the poor ate with the poor. We see this somewhat today but in Jesus day there was no middle class. Who you ate with determines who you are. In today’s narrative a king is arranging a banquet for his son. The king sent out an invitation from his servants to the expected guests (the religious-political-economic elites, royalty­). You would think that they would mark down the event on their calendar and be there at all costs! I mean this is the King’s invitation-this is very special but what happens? They insult the king. Snubbed him. They were too busy for the king. The king keeps inviting but they still refused and even mocked him and then others do harm and killed the King’s messengers.

Finally, the King does something that is totally against the culture. He invites everyone-those considered good and bad by going out to the streets and the highways to the poor, outcasts, riff-raffs-even prostitutes those considered least in society to come, to party, to fiesta! There are no strings attached when God calls you to the great fiesta-God’s kingdom. Everyone is called, invited but what’s this about being chosen and the guest without a wedding garment? Being kicked out for not wearing the right garment. Doesn’t sound very inclusive! I don’t see any grace in that.

So I grabbed a whole bunch of commentaries to try to find out why was this guest kicked out after arriving? This is what I got:

Saint Augustine says the wedding gown represents charity-Love (of course God’s love that only God can give-without it we are nothing)

Luther said it was faith-right faith is a gift of God trusting Christ alone for our salvation.

Other commentaries said good works well yes God creates faith in us so we can do good works but there is something more- baptismal robe- we are baptized into Christ-his life, death and resurrection.

In middle-eastern culture when you attend a big banquet. They are provided with a festive gown to put on. To refuse this gift would be an insult to the host.

This is not about putting on your Sunday’s best and only those in nice clothing are invited. All are invited even those who can’t afford the finest of clothes even those who are considered dirty and naked -hidden to society. They are given a gift of fine clothing to wear at the fiesta. A colorful poncho!

Ponchos are popular clothing worn by the poor and peoples of Mexico and Latin America and it is popular in the Southwestern parts of the United States as well.

God gives you the clothing like a poncho. How can you refuse such a gift? Do you think you were invited because you were a good religious holy person? Are you relying on your own filthy rags of righteousness or your own social standing in society? Or are you participating in the feast by wearing your baptismal poncho given to you by God?

Baptism is a gift to you! God has chosen you in Christ, God claims you as his child! When you are baptized as a baby you don’t bring nothing-you come helpless-even if you were baptized as an adult you don’t make God choose you-baptism is a promise, command a gift. We don’t come in our Sunday’s best but God gives us Christ. We are clothed with Christ and all his benefits. We remember our baptism by daily dying and rising with Christ. Yes all are invited to come but there is a catch-you are invited to come and die. Die to your own selfish ways and being Christ to our neighbors. We have received Christ and are to walk in him. Trusting in Christ alone. We are to put on Christ like a poncho that keeps us warm or from the effects of the storms. Don’t be caught without it!

You are invited to the great fiesta but don’t forget God has given you the poncho-

You don’t have to work for it, you don’t have to pay for it or bring your own. God gives it to you freely-it’s a gift for you. Now wear it and don’t forget it. Amen.

God’s authority and God’s mercy Sermon

http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Matthew+21%3A23-32

Jesus biggest problem was not with the sinners, unbelievers and the outcasts but with the good temple going folks mainly the religious establishment. Jesus’ biggest opposition came from the religious leaders-the clergy of his day and those who had power and authority over religious matters. Things have not changed over two thousand years. Religion gets in the way of the good news of God’s love for all people. Some of the most meanest, controlling and manipulative people have claimed to be religious from the pastor down to the most self-proclaimed holiest of member. There are many pastors and religious people who like to control and abuse many people. God help us all.

The background of today’s narrative is what happens when his followers take Jesus seriously. Just like Jesus they become a threat to religious establishments, they shake up traditions that are not biblical or helpful and challenge the authority of those who are in control of those religious institutions. The religious leaders of Jesus day were ignoring the Jewish Law and the words of the Hebrew prophets to follow the way of justice and mercy. To help the widows, orphans, poor, foreigners and not to be in bed with the State (Rome). The lame, the blind, deaf, mute and women were forbidden to full temple access and women and children were looked upon as mere property. Gentiles were known as dogs.

However, before we point the finger to the particular Jewish establishment of Jesus day it would be wise to look at our churches and see how we treat and welcome others.

In the chapters before, Jesus turned the merchant tables over in the temple with a whip of cords declaring that God’s house should be a house of prayer and not one where you had to pay for your salvation and then he healed the blind and the lame and we come to today’s lesson where the religious leaders are trying to trap Jesus with a question. This all happens in the court of the gentiles where the people are. Jesus comes to the people. They do not have to go into the holy of holies to meet God. God comes to them and this threatens those in position of leadership! God comes to the outsiders-the Gentiles, sinners, tax collectors, and prostitutes! Who does Jesus think he is? They try to trap him with a question of where his authority comes from so they can charge him with blasphemy of claiming to have God on his side. What does Jesus do?

Jesus throws those self-righteous pompous religious leaders a fastball with one question. He mentions John the Baptist! All the people considered John a prophet sent by God. He says what authority was John’s baptism? Was it from heaven(from God) or not? They all criticized John and were not baptized by him but he baptized the outcasts, sinners, tax collectors and prostitutes. They were trapped because if they say God then they would be asked why didn’t you believe and if they said it was not of God then the people would rise up against them. They pleaded ignorance because John was a prophet sent by God and Jesus was more than a prophet sent by God. The God-man in flesh-Jesus the Lord and savior of the world was in their community and they rejected him.

Jesus then tells the parable of the two sons in the vineyard to drive home his point. One son when asked to work in the vineyard said No I won’t. He was very rebellious and stubborn but later he changed his mind. The Greek word is Metanoia where we get the word repent or to turn around, turn back from where you are going. The other son was very agreeable and seemed to be faithful and declared Yes I’ll go but he didn’t go. Jesus asked which of the two did the father’s will and the answer was obvious. The first!

Remember Matthew was a tax collector. The Jews hated tax collectors because they were considered traitors to their race, employed by Rome and were known to pocket a lot of the money for themselves. Tax collectors were in the same league as gentiles, sinners, and prostitutes. John the Baptist followers included these outcasts. They got baptized, turn from their ways and followed God. Matthew the tax collector like all of the disciples left everything and followed Jesus. They are like the first son.

The religious leaders claimed to be living in obedience to God. They wanted to be known as respectable and religious to all but they did not follow God, they scoffed at John the Baptist and did not get baptized and they did not follow Jesus. They are the second son. Jesus ate with the sinners because they know they need God but those who cling to their religious authority and self-righteousness are blind.

My question is which son or daughter are you? If you are the first then look to the cross where Christ has given his all for you(he lived, died and rose for you), welcome to God’s kingdom! If you are the second one I pray that your eyes will be open and you look only to the Son who will set you free. Amen.

Ordination

I was ordained on Saturday, August 16th at Messiah Lutheran in Austin, Texas and I have accepted a call to Gethsemane Lutheran in San Antonio, Texas.

I have accepted a call…My first call

I have just accepted a call to a church in San Antonio. This blog will be on vacation until further notice.

Apologizing for the sins of our Fathers and Mothers,etc etc

I was raised in the deep south of Louisiana and I remember the racial tensions up until the seventies and eighties and I know it is still somewhat there today. Recently, the noose incident and racial violence was the story in Jena, Louisiana. I remember my good friend Calvin who was an italian from New Jersey being picked on and called “wetback” because they thought he looked like a mexican or the racist slang term “Wop” for Italian.

Maybe this has changed some and I’m in “Liberal” Austin where there is not much open racism but I get flooded with e-mails from relatives about Obama which has a “racist” slant to them.  Racism has always bother me and I don’t understand people that think because they did not paticipate in it that it is not their problem. It is like saying in the time of the Halocaust that because you did not participate in the killing of the jews then why bother or speak out against it.

This is what I don’t understand and this is coming from my family geneaology:

1. Why was my Father and Mother silent during the heydey of the Civil Right struggles of the 50s and 60s when it was obvious that blacks were being treated as inferior and less human?

2. Were my grandparents and great grandparents involve in aiding this racism?

I hear the cries of others why am I responsible for what my forefathers did or what my relatives think? Maybe you are not responsible but you should be damn mad about it.

Modern day but same old heresies

I know its not popular to talk about heresies but here are some evident today in Christendom:

1. Prosperity Gospel-God wants you rich and happy

2.Megachurch Growth movement-Its all about purpose driven numbers and how to get them. God only moves in big hip churches because of what we have done. Thank you Pelagius!

3.Pastor as Celebrity, guru or cult- Turn on TBN or your local Christian bookstore. He’s a motivational speaker-healer-politician or more. This can happen to leaders in the emergent movement or missional movement as well.

4. We are relevant or more spiritual than the organized church- Well Yes theres some truth there(hypocrites abound in churches) but this can lead to self-righteousness and throwing the Baby out with the bathwater.

5. John Shelby Spong- nuff said. If you don’t believe in the resurrection of Jesus please do not call yourself a Christian.

A new kind of candidate

Enjoy!

http://www.markfiore.com/what_if_0

http://www.jesusforpresident.org/

 

Sarcastic Lutheran visits Texas

My friend Josh and I had a good time having coffee and talking to Nadia of “The Sarcastic Lutheran.” We talked about House for all. postmodernity, liberals, neo-cons, Minnesota Lutherans, theology, Jesus and her new book on TBN:

I joined Twitter and it is overloaded now

Myspace, facebook etc and now there’s Twitter. Twitter is short commentaries on what you are doing or thinking. Its a short blog for people who want to talk about their lives. Yes its your 15 minutes of fame read by you and maybe a friend or a group of friends or some stalker that is after you. The world revolves around twitter. God help us. Lord have mercy!

www.twitter.com

Gems from the Book Grace in Practice by Paul Zahl

 

Pg 36- What is grace? Grace is love that seeks you out when you have nothing to give in return. Grace is love coming at you that has nothing to do with you. Grace is being loved when you are unlovable. It is being loved when you are opposite of loveable.

Pg 64-Grace is one-way love. It comes from the outside.

My favorite new song by Sam Phillips

Don’t Do Anything words and lyrics by Sam Phillips(Nonesuch records-Warner Bros 2008

I love you when you don’t do anything. When you useless I love you more. When you don’t do anything. When you don’t know, when you don’t try. When you don’t say anything. When you don’t move, when you don’t win. When you don’t make anything work. I love you when you don’t do anything. When you don’t want, when you don’t lie. When you don’t make any sense.  When you don’t go, when you don’t hide. When you don’t think anything. Everything I know is going backwards with you.

Jesus’ Family Values

JESUS’ FAMILY VALUES

Matthew 10:24-39 4 ¶ “A disciple is not above the teacher, nor a slave above the master; 25 it is enough for the disciple to be like the teacher, and the slave like the master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household! 26 ¶ “So have no fear of them; for nothing is covered up that will not be uncovered, and nothing secret that will not become known. 27 What I say to you in the dark, tell in the light; and what you hear whispered, proclaim from the housetops. 28 Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. 30 And even the hairs of your head are all counted. 31 So do not be afraid; you are of more value than many sparrows. 32 “Everyone therefore who acknowledges me before others, I also will acknowledge before my Father in heaven; 33 but whoever denies me before others, I also will deny before my Father in heaven. 34 ¶ “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; 36 and one’s foes will be members of one’s own household. 37 Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; 38 and whoever does not take up the cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Those who find their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it.

Several years ago there was a movie called “Addams Family Values’ based on the old TV comedy. The movie was about a dark gothic ghoulish family that had values opposite of most picture perfect families portrayed on TV. They were the anti- Family Ties or anti- Cosby family. Today’s gospel gives us a picture of Jesus’ family values.

Contrary to popular belief Jesus was not your typical family values kind of guy. In other words, His teaching went against the conventional wisdom of his day and continues to go against it today. Jesus would never be elected President especially in our context. Well, lets see he’s single and he travels with a bunch of ex-tax collectors, rowdy fishermen, and he has a lot of women followers. He hangs around the poor, sinners and outcasts! Didn’t Jesus say prostitutes would enter heaven before the religious? You can only imagine the attack ads on TV if he was running for President today. This was the propaganda that the religious leaders were saying about Jesus in his day. Some were saying Jesus was not only blasphemous against his own Jewish religion but he was against the order of the State and was tearing families apart. This is what Jesus’ family values is all about. This is our Lord and Savior. Are you following?

The Gospel of Matthew’s narrative is a challenge to all followers of Christ. Our mission is to follow Christ but are we doing it? In our Second Reading in Romans, Paul is reminding us of our baptism into Christ that God has given us grace- a gift of new life! We have died to sin and baptized in the death and resurrection of Christ. We are set free to daily walk in this baptism and follow Jesus. Following Jesus does not mean sitting in a pew every Sunday but going out into the community and serving others. This building or any building is not the church but you are the church. Whatever place God has called you is where you are to be the church. Are you the church at work, among your families and friends? I’m not talking about being religious but being real, authentic and sharing the love of Christ right where you are.

Following Jesus is not easy in our country even though we have freedom of religion it is so easy to be complacent and as we heard a couple of weeks ago in our gospel reading about the temptation of wealth or mammon. We cannot serve two masters. We either trust in the true God or we trust in a false god like money, possessions and things. So we are to be like Jesus because he is our Lord, Savior and Teacher. The Pharisees of Jesus day accused him of being Beelzebub named after the Canaanite god Baal, the Lord of the flies or Satan but the kingdom of God is not divided because Jesus gives life, heals, sets people free unlike the false gods that keep people in bondage to things.

Jesus is telling us that following him is not easy but not to fear. We are not to fear because God has given us to strength to endure and proclaim what God has done in our lives. We are a witness that Jesus is alive and he is working. This is our mission to tell others what Jesus has done and what he can do for others.

Jesus is not saying you will never have fears or anxieties. We are human and we are sinners. No, Jesus is saying you don’t have to fear anything even physical death because God is still there with you. We are to fear God because God is the one who holds the keys to death and life not Satan and not your enemies. God has the last word.

When I am talking about fearing God I’m talking about reverence and trust not being afraid of God but truly worshipping and following God. We can trust God because God has come in the flesh in Jesus to us. Why did God do this? God values us so much in spite of ourselves. We are made in the Image of God! God knows everything about us even the hairs of our heads or the lack of hair on our heads. God so loved the world that God loves you and sent Jesus, God’s son so that we might live and tell others about the love of God. Diosito is a Spanish word for God meaning a God who is with you on your journey as a friend and a companion closer than any brother or sister. Jesus called God Abba Father. God is close to us like a loving nurturing parent.

Following Jesus is not easy and it comes with a warning. Taking up your cross and following Jesus will cause division maybe even among family members. Hebrew prophets like Jeremiah and Jesus and the Apostles encountered division and all followers of Jesus will encounter the cross of suffering. It’s a paradox that the Prince of Peace will bring a sword. Not a literal one but a symbol that people will resist the message of God’s unconditional love for all people. In Jesus’ context, family loyalty was very important and to leave the family and to join another religion would bring shame to the whole family. Status and honor was very important in the culture that Jesus lived among the Romans and the Jews. Not to say that it would not be a scandal in our society today but our culture is more individualistic in many ways with family members living apart while the world that Jesus and his first followers were more communitarian. They believed in La Familia!

Following Jesus today will cause divisions in families and friends. Be aware that some will deny that Jesus died for their sins and the sins of the whole world. They will not believe that sinners can also become saints. They might mock you for believing that God comes to us in the flesh of a baby in Bethlehem or that God comes to us in the Word, water, bread and wine or where two or three or gathered in Christ name. They might label you a fanatic or unpatriotic for welcoming the poor, outcasts and immigrants. Some will scoff in your trust in Jesus life, death and resurrection and that he is coming back. Divisions will come but following Jesus means loving God and your neighbors. Loving God more than what your family or friends think is the one thing needed.

Following Jesus and taking up your cross is the mission of all Christians. The good news is that it’s not all about us. Christ has already carried the cross for us. He died and rose from the dead for us. Christ is truly with us on our journey and will not forsake us.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer who was killed by the Nazis in World War 2 for following Jesus. Bonhoeffer stood up against Hitler’s oppression and killing of the Jews wrote in his Book “The Cost of Discipleship”:

Cheap grace,” writes Bonhoefer, “Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate.

“Costly grace is the hidden treasure in the field; for the sake of it a person will gladly go and sell all that he has….Such grace is costly because it calls us to follow, and it is grace because if calls us to follow Jesus Christ. It is costly because it costs a person their life, and it is grace because it gives you the only true life. It is costly because it condemns sin, and grace because it justifies the sinner. Above all, it is costly because it cost God the life of His Son: you were bought with a price’, and what has cost God much cannot be cheap for us. Above all, it is grace because God did not reckon His Son too dear a price to pay for our life, but delivered Him up for us, Costly grace is the Incarnation of God.”

Our baptism into Christ is not cheap. Our salvation is not cheap. It cost our Lord and Savior everything. It’s a free gift from God for you. Amen.

Possible call this weekend with deadly lectionary

This weekend I am preaching at a church that could call me. The main scripture text is: Matthew 10:24-39 look at 35-39!
35″Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; 36 and one’s foes will be members of one’s own household. 37 Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; 38 and whoever does not take up the cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Those who find their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it.(NRSV)

This should be a killer.

Jesus Wept or threw up or left the building

David at Nakedpastor keeps the prophetic comics coming:

http://nakedpastor.com/archives/2102

Internet discussion boards

http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/duty_calls.png

You Gotta Serve Somebody Sermon

Gotta Serve Somebody

Matthew 6:24 – 7:1

⁴ ¶ “No one can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth. ²⁵ ¶ “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? ²⁶ Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? ²⁷ And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life? ²⁸ And why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin, ²⁹ yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these. ³⁰ But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you– you of little faith? ³¹ Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’ ³² For it is the Gentiles who strive for all these things; and indeed your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. ³³ But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. ³⁴ ¶ “So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today’s trouble is enough for today.

 

 

In the late seventies, Jewish folk singer Bob Dylan started to sing songs about Jesus much to the disappointment to many of his fans who idolized him.  The song “Gotta Serve Somebody” became a hit and his album Slow Train won a Grammy that year. Dylan was dismissed by many as being nothing more as a religious fanatic or Jesus freak but he preached passionately with the lyrics:

You may be a preacher with your spiritual pride,
You may be a city councilman taking bribes on the side,
You may be workin’ in a barbershop, you may know how to cut hair,
You may be somebody’s mistress, may be somebody’s heir

But you’re gonna have to serve somebody, yes indeed
You’re gonna have to serve somebody,
Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord
But you’re gonna have to serve somebody.

 

Jesus in today’s gospel narrative is telling us that we gotta serve somebody but we cannot serve two masters. This is a continuation of the Sermon on the Mount where Jesus is telling his followers what the kingdom of God is like among the community of faith. Before this narrative, Jesus talked about your heart is where your treasure is. If your heart is set only on things you can attain and achieve then you are headed for a life of hopelessness, worry and despair. However, if your heart is set on God’s kingdom and the treasure of the gift of God’s son for us then you have hope and confidence in the future not only for this life but the life to come.  Jesus then goes on to say that the eyes reveal a lot about a person. Your eyes can tell someone if you are full of light or darkness. Ancients believed that the eyes were windows of the soul. Some cultures warn about the evil eye. You may have heard the expression of “Don’t give that person the evil eye.” If your eyes are set on the kingdom of God then you see everything from the perspective of the light of the world but if your eyes are set only on things and what you want then you are in darkness.

Jesus gives us a radical challenge that we cannot avoid. This message cuts through our culture of consumerism that affects the rich, middle, and poor alike. No one can serve two masters! This call leaves us no choice but to face the obvious. We are serving somebody or something. Are we serving God or Mammon? Mammon is a Semitic word meaning physical property, wealth or money. Having money is not an evil in itself. It is needful for the basic necessities of life but when we are controlled by it then it becomes evil. Jesus is not telling us to hate money or property and give them all up but to prioritize them. We are not to be in slavery or bondage to things. First things first! Love God and your neighbor are more important than keeping up with the Jones. Wealth is not to be worshipped but used wisely.

 The lifestyles of the rich and famous in our society has become the slavery and addiction of the rich and famous. The poor are not immune to this as they throw away their money on lottery tickets trying to make it rich while their families barely have enough to eat, wear or even a roof over their heads. We are all guilty because we live in a culture that feeds on celebrity, money and status. Are we worshipping the Almighty dollar, the bling, or are we trusting only in God who gives us our daily bread? As a community of faith whom are we serving?

Martin Luther in his Large Catechism said that a god is whoever your heart trust and clings to. He said the trust and faith of the heart alone make both a God and an idol. If your faith and trust are right then you are worshipping the true God but if it is not then you are worshipping a false god –an idol. God is the giver of all gifts but we are not to worship and cling to the gifts. We are to cling to the true treasure of the gift of God in Christ who lived, died and rose for us. God’s gift is freely given to us.

What God is saying to us in this gospel narrative is not to be anxious for the daily necessities of life. Life is hard and sometimes difficult but God is with us and will not desert us. I know it is hard in the midst of war, terrorism, mortgage crisis, gas crisis and the list goes on. In spite of all this God promises to meet our needs. God takes care of the birds and the flowers and how more important are we who were made in the image of God and are baptized, adopted children of God.  There are so many promises in the Bible which we can find comfort from. There are two that I love:

Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not rely on your own insight or understanding:6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight (direct)your paths.

 

^NRS 1 Peter 5:7 Cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you.

 

Notice 1 Peter says cast your cares and anxiety on God not stop having anxiety. We are human and anxieties will come but we can give them to the one that can handle it.

 

 

 

 

Jesus is saying Seek first the Kingdom and all these things will be added unto you. He is not promising health and wealth. Do not listen to the TV preachers smiling and begging for your money. God is not promising the myth of “the American Dream”. God is promising the presence of the divine Spirit in the midst of trouble. God is truly present in the Word spoken and in the sacraments and the community of faith. The Kingdom of God is in Community together. Dietrich Bonhoeffer has a great saying about the church as Christ in community. Where two or more gathered Jesus promises to be in our midst. If we cut ourselves off from our brothers and sisters in Christ and try to go it alone then we are not serving God but ourselves. We need each other as the body of Christ! There is no such thing as a “lone ranger” Christian but together we can serve Christ and our neighbor. I’m not talking about a church building but people are the Church and our neighbors are all around us.

You gotta serve somebody. Who are you serving today? The good news is though we may waver and fall there is hope in Christ Jesus. We can trust and serve God with our whole heart and soul only because of God’s unconditional grace for us.

Let us listen to this prayer I found that addresses our human condition and God’s love and forgiveness for us:

Gracious God,  ,

we love to worry,:
        we worry about our looks,
        we worry about our health,
        we worry about our jobs,
        we worry about money,
        we worry about the future,
        we worry about worrying too much.
We act as if you do not know our needs.
We act as if the birds go hungry.
    and the flowers go unclothed.
We act as if you care more for the world around us
    than you care for us.
Wake us up, O God.
Help us see our value in your eyes only because of your grace and mercy for us.
Help us feel your care for our every need,
 through Jesus our Lord. Amen.

The Lutheran and emergent churches

Interesting article on the emergent church in The Lutheran this month:

http://www.thelutheran.org/article/article.cfm?article_id=7149

Clergy Shirt

 

ALPB has an interesting article on the clerical collar/clergy shirt or what my friend Chris calls “the goofy colar.”

http://www.lutheranforum.org/blogs/clergy-shirts-and-misinterpreted-symbols/

 

I am an Introvert! How does this play in being a pastor?

I admit it I am an introvert.

In Mike Breen and Walt Kallestad book “The Passionate Church” he says in Chapter 8 on Your Personal Style Of Rest pg 73-74:

Introverts process information internally. If you pass a new idea by a group of introverts, they will most likely need a day or two to think about it before they can really give you any kind of feedback. They are usually the quiet ones in the meetings or small groups as they sit and process what they hear. Introverts are often creative-writers, painters, composers-who come up with their best art in time spent alone. A restful weekend for an introvert might include pulling the blinds, renting a video or two, and selecting a good book to read.”

I can relate to this but because of my vocation I am pushing myself. I enjoy meeting people and gaining relationships but I like being alone and with my family as well. How many introvert pastors or people out there? I know a lot of extroverts.

 

Getting Personal

An old friend of mine and his wife are dealing with a baby with no heartbeat and this has stirred up some painful memories in my life. 

Several years ago, my wife lost our first child by miscarriage. This was a very painful experience for both of us. At the time we did not know how to deal with the loss and I believe that I did not go through the grieving process normally but tried to stay strong and keep my feelings inside. Feelings of not having done enough is always in the back of our minds and the thought of never having kids still haunt us.

Feelings of anger at God is normal in situations like this. My God My God why have you forsaken me seems real. Why did God allow this to happen? I don’t know and any contrived answers ring hollow like Job’s counselors, bad Hallmark cards, CCM songs, or Joel Osteen’s smiling face. I don’t know is all I can say. I can say I still believe in God even though I  do not like everything that is happening in the world or to my friends.

Somehow, Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s phrase; “Only a suffering God can help” comes through. Jesus life, death and resurrection is what I cling to.

 

 

changes, interviews and Trust

Well I was all psyched up by a possible call when the call from the Bishop’s office meant a possible change of plans. In other words, looking at a call at another church. After Graduation, I thought I would have a church by June but now it’s looking maybe July. Supply preaching is helping out a little. Thank God Shelia is still working.

The Text I’m preaching on this Sunday is all about Trust. Don’t worry but seek first the Kingdom. Today’s trouble is enough for today. That’s the truth! Amen.

 

I have finally got my MDIV

Another Journey begins….

 

Liturgy

Great article on Liturgy in Christianity Today

http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2008/may/36.38.html?start=1

Honest Prayers

God of Hope,

Forgive us for past mistakes, regrets and anxious thoughts that are far from trusting you.

Create in us the courage to go forward in the midst of doubt and opposition toward the reign of God through your Son Jesus Christ our Lord, for he lives and reigns with you and the the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Sabbatical TFN

I’m in the middle of a call process. New site coming soon.

Daily Office site

Great site for daily devotions:

http://dailyoffice.wordpress.com/

The Second Sunday in Easter Sermon

Jesus meets Fear, Anxiety, and Doubt

John 20:19 – 21:1 ⁹ ¶ When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” ²⁰ After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. ²¹ Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” ²² When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. ²³ If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” ²⁴ ¶ But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. ²⁵ So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.” ²⁶ ¶ A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” ²⁷ Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe.” ²⁸ Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” ²⁹ Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.” ³⁰ ¶ Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. ³¹ But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name. -NRSV Bibleworks

             Fear…It’s all around us. It’s on our TVs and on our radios and in our

 

neighborhoods and sadly, it creeps through the backdoors of our churches.

 

Fear!

What are some of the things we fear? After 9-11, we fear the Terrorists, stock market crashes, recession, maybe losing our jobs, spouse or homes. Some of these fears are normal but our culture feeds on this fear. There is a book by Geraldo Riviera called His Panic: Why Americans fear Hispanics in the U.S. The fear of illegal immigration-some fear the immigrants are bringing in crime or taking their jobs. These fears are the result of propaganda and stereotyping. It’s racism and it is totally against the gospel of Christ. Politicians try to get elected by pushing fear. TV and radio talk shows make a lot of money out of fear. Barry Glasner in his book Culture of Fear says that a majority of Americans are afraid of the wrong things. It is no wonder that T. Bone Burnett of the “Oh Brother, Where Art Thou” movie fame wrote a song called Fear Country. Our culture is in bondage to fear. There are some things that we should be afraid or stay clear from but living in a state of constant fear is not healthy and dangerous to your faith.

            Anxiety! Have you ever been anxious about something? The check that you need to cover bills has not come in the mail yet. What about that Job promotion that you were promised? My wife Shelia and I are in a transition this year. Her workplace Concordia University is moving to a new location and I am waiting for my first call to a church somewhere in Southwest Texas. Anxieties and yeah it can make one be fearful.

You can’t get rid of anxiety! Anxiety will come because Change is constant and anxieties will come. However, Anxiety is a dangerous feeling that can make one literally sick even to a point of seeking professional mental health.

            Doubt! Well you don’t want to be gullible and believe everything. Testing is a good thing but there is something wrong with always being a doubter. A person that does not want to change because they doubt anything good can happen. This kind of thinking was popular in Jesus’ day with some of the religious leaders saying, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” You doubt that people could ever change or tell the truth. Worse, you doubt yourself. You give up. All hope is lost. It’s normal for us to have doubts but a Christian is not buried there. He or she is buried in baptism. -in the crucified risen Jesus!

            You are probably wondering what is all this talk about fear, anxiety, and doubt on the Second Sunday of Easter? In Today’s gospel lesson, the disciples are hiding behind the door of a house locked in fear. The political and religious authorities have crucified Jesus and they feared them. Rome was a very powerful force that used fear and force to get things done. The disciples were afraid for the whole community and they feared that they would be the next victims just like Jesus.  You can imagine the fear, the anxiety and yes the doubt of all of the disciples. I know this is considered on the church calendar sometimes as St. Thomas the doubter Sunday but Thomas was not the only doubter. Thomas has been given a bad name because if you remember before this narrative, Mary told the disciples the good news that she has seen the Lord and here they are locked behind a door in fear, anxiety, and doubt.

            Jesus comes through the door and gives them the passing of the peace. He doesn’t do it like a lot of us Lutherans do-just to our neighbor to the right or left-or maybe to our spouse. No! He gives them the full hands outstretch and shows them his pierced hands and side. They were not even asking for that because they were in fear and had lost all hope. Then Jesus said Peace be to you and gave them a charge. Jesus them on a mission from his Abba-Father God. We as a church have been given the peace and sent on a mission. Jesus says, “Receive the Holy Spirit”. This is a foreshadowing of Pentecost and the empowering of the Church.  The community of faith has the power of the Holy Spirit with you in mission to your community and the world. Jesus tells the disciples and to us disciples today what the mission of our community is to the world.  The Peace of Christ’s presence, God’s shalom, God’s forgiveness given for the world. In the word spoken, in the waters of baptism and in the bread and wine-the crucified risen body and blood of Christ is for you. Yes, we are to spread forgiveness not fear, anxiety and doubt. We are to be in solidarity with our brothers and sisters on all borders without fear!

            Thomas did not believe what the other disciples told him. He wanted proof. Like I said before don’t be so hard on Thomas. All of us are doubters at heart and sometimes faith requires a doubt.  Madeline L’Engle has a great story about a teacher who was doing a seminar with high school seniors when all of a sudden a question was asked by a brilliant young lady from Harlem: “Mrs Franklin, do you really truly believe in God with no doubts at all?” “Oh, Una, I really and truly believe in God with all kinds of doubts… But I base my life on this belief.”

            There is a big difference between healthy doubt and skeptical unbelief. Doubt can lead us to seek the truth whereas skeptical unbelief is the attitude of refusing to see the truth and not wanting to know it. So God who only can give us this faith is there with us when we cry, “Lord, help my unbelief!”  Doubt in the case of Thomas led him to the risen Christ pierced hands and side. Jesus gave Thomas the peace and invited him to see and believe. Jesus did not condemn Thomas because he was in doubt. Jesus did not condemn the disciples who were in fear and anxiety. Jesus offered himself as a gift.

            Theologian Paul Tillich talked a lot about faith as being one’s ultimate concern meaning that one’s whole being is given fully to God. This is trust and relationship with Diosito-God is always with and taking care of us. Tillich believed that sometimes faith requires a doubt but you don’t have to stay that way. He described grace in the words of “You are accepted”! God in Jesus is saying you are accepted for Christ sake alone and not because of your works and in spite of your fears, anxieties, doubts and sins!  You are accepted! Jesus is saying, “Peace be unto you!” Christ is Risen! He is Risen Indeed amen.

Second Sunday of Easter:St. Thomas Sunday

For all of us who doubt:

DOUBT

You doubt if there’s a heaven
You doubt if there’s a hell
You doubt if you’ll remember
All the stories they would tell
It’s a terrible feeling
Living and dealing with doubt
You’ve doubted your existence
You doubt if there’s a truth
Your plan starts to crumble
But you cannot stand to lose
You’re back where you started from
covering yourself in doubt
You doubted your mother
And you doubted your dad
You doubted your sisters
And any brothers you had
It’s a bad situation
Living and loving with doubt
Well, you doubted the beginning
And I’m sure you doubt the end
You doubted your teachers
You doubt all your friends
It’s an overwhelming sensation
Confrontation with doubt
I don’t know why I started
I don’t know if I’ll finish
I wonder why I try at all
Sometimes I wonder why I try at all
Doubt can make a strong man
Weaken under stress
And doubt can make a weak man
totally worthless
God, it’s a pity
Doubt
You stage your finale
With meticulous care
your view is consistent
And then out of nowhere
Your vision is clouded
You face competition with doubt

from The Call
written by Michael Been
published by Neeb / Tarka Music
all rights reserved

I really and truly believe in God with all kinds of doubts… But I base my life on this belief-Madelyn L’Engle

He is Risen

He is Risen! He is Risen indeed!

Happy Easter-Resurrection Day!

Romans 8:11 ¹¹ If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through his Spirit that dwells in you.

Good Friday Sermon

Matthew 27:45-50 ⁴⁵ ¶ From noon on, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. ⁴⁶ And about three o’clock Jesus cried with a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” ⁴⁷ When some of the bystanders heard it, they said, “This man is calling for Elijah.” ⁴⁸ At once one of them ran and got a sponge, filled it with sour wine, put it on a stick, and gave it to him to drink. ⁴⁹ But the others said, “Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to save him.” ⁵⁰ Then Jesus cried again with a loud voice and breathed his last. 

Religious people do not like Friday. They love Easter.  It’s very clean, pretty, happy, and everybody goes to church. Well, most everybody. It’s in  competition with Christmas. We live in a culture that thinks God is on their side or that there is no God but them. We do not like to talk about pain, suffering, or death because it is upsetting, uncomfortable, and makes us nervous.What is so good about the death and suffering of a God man? Our heroes do not die and to believe in a God who becomes one of us is not rational but considered insane. The cross is a failure to human understanding but in it is the hiddeness of God’s salvation for the world.If we are honest with ourselves we have said or thought these words from Psalm 22 and from the words of Jesus from the gospels. My God, my God why have you forsaken me? The paradox of the Godforsaken man; Martin Luther once said, “God forsaking God. Who can understand it.”?  TV preachers, friends like Job friends, and our own justification and sugar coating of why did God allow this to happen does nothing. Trite condescending words are offensive. Being an Atheist is easy. We hear the cries of My God, my God why have you forsaken me

Victims of Katrina-according to an AP Report: There are 56, 000 waiting for 2 1/2 years for promised aid and adequate housing living near toxic trailers. 

My God, my God why have you forsaken me?

Immigrants coming into our country with the threat of deportation, separation of families, and hateful crimes.  

My God, my God why have you forsaken me? 

Racism, Sexism, and Hate crimes felt among the most vulnerable in our society. My God, my God why have you forsaken me?Muslims, Gays, political or religious exiles on the borders of society.

My God, my God why have you forsaken me?

9-11, the forgotten ones in our streets, the suffering ones in Darfar.

My God, my God why have you forsaken me?

You lost your child in miscarriage or from an accident

My God, my God why have you forsaken me?

A family member took his or her life. A loved one killed in time of war.

My God, my God why have you forsaken me?

These are the words of a devout Jew. These are the words of Jesus. They thought he was calling out for Elijah. Eli is a mixture of Hebrew and Aramaic. They thought he was calling out for Elijah, the defender of the defenseless but like all righteous Jews he was calling out to God, arguing and questioning God. Where is God? Where is God’s justice? Where is God’s love?

In the classic book Night by Halocaust survivor Eli Weisel: Weisel describes life in the death camps under the Nazi regime. He recalls the death of two Jewish men and youths being hanged. In this dark situation he heard voices behind him saying, “Where is God?”, “where is God now?” He said he heard a voice inside that said; where is he? He is here. He is hanging there on the gallows.”

This is not some indifferent diety high in the sky but what theologian Jurgen Moltmann calls the Crucified God. The God hanging in the gallows. The God in Christ who enters creation with flesh and blood and suffers with and for us now. Where is God? The Cross-where the Godforsaken Godman cries out My God, my God why have you forsaken me?

The cross is where God embraces us in our darkness, our pain, our emptiness, our loneliness, and in our weakness. There is not a resurrection or Easter without Good Friday-without the cross. When you have lost all hope look to the Cross. In the words of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, “Only a suffering God can help!” Amen

Luther and the Pope

Old news but interesting

 http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/faith/article3492299.ece

First Call Assignment

I made it in Region 4 and in Texas!!!! Ordination is just around the corner.

Larry Norman RIP 2008

Jesus Rock pioneer Larry Norman dies.

Buddy Miller

Enjoy!

Wikipedia gone wild

It was bound to happen. Wikipedia has spawned many theological children of Roman Catholics, Anglican-Episcopal and the Orthodox, etc and now there’s http://www.lutheranwiki.org/Main_Page

Why I do not shun those who do not believe or have doubts

I believe in God deeply but I have doubts and struggles but one thing I am determined to do is not to shut myself off from those who question or doubt my faith because I believe that in that doubt God is still there.

Interesting interview with Bart Ehrman on his loss of faith

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=19096131

If only the Church would be like this

David Hayward of Naked Pastor speaks it!

http://nakedpastor.com/archives/1825

Even Christians need the gospel spoken to them: Absolution, Confession is needed

I’ve noticed in a lot of blogs that there are pastors and Christians that are down, depressed and burned out. Life is a struggle and not easy and we as Christian leaders must acknowledge this. I am a sinner and I need God to justify me. This is a daily thing. Preaching the gospel is essential even us preachers need it.

In the words of the late Gerhard Forde “Proclamation means finally stop talking about it, and actually give it…the will and deed of God for the hearer, the I declare unto you the gracious forgiveness of sins in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit to you in the here and now!

Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of Christ so believe it. Believe that you are forgiven for Christ sake alone and it is a free gift that you cannot earn or work for.

In Lutheran theology, we believe in the receptive life that we receive from God not because we make a decision for or work to make God love us no God loves us unconditionally no matter what. God’s work is what matters and God’s work kills the old and creates new life daily. Repent and believe because God is gracious!

The Call-Everywhere I go

The most underrated band

Sam Phillips-No one but You

Dylan gospel-Rock of Ages

Enjoy some good gospel from Bob Dylan.

Retirement of blog temporarily except Blog Portal

My last year at seminary and I’m thinking about retiring this blog or temporarily retire. I think this blog has a list of great blogs with insights, news and information.

I’m doing an independent study on Bonhoeffer so I might be back with insights from that. Until then God blessings!