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?

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.

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.

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:

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.

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

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.

 

 

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.

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!

Ecumenical Pub opens

Another Pub while Protestant Pub is in hiatus

http://ecumenicalpub.blogspot.com/

Crucified God, etc

I’m a big fan of Bonhoeffer and his theology of costly discipleship of following Jesus and being engaged in the world and it’s suffering(a la Theology of the cross). That is why I love Douglas John Hall, Gerhard Forde, and Jurgen Moltmann especially the Crucified God. I believe God is with us in our sufferings and God suffers with us.

This is my next read:

God’s love is active in the world and it is unconditional!

Accountability

A fellow blogger which I cannot name or quote due to copyright violations has been talking about accountability.(I don’t know if he ever figured out who I am or not)

Accountability is needed in the church! Tele-evangelist scandals, Oral Roberts University fiasco, Sex scandals in all the mainline churches. We all need accountability. Every church body, community of faith should take this serious. Being authentic and real is very important as being honest and trustworthy to God and one another. If we care about relationships formed by Christ then we are to embody that message.

Jesus is declared heretical by the theologically-correct Theologians-He sounds too Emergent

Phil Doctrinaire has a huge following. His creed is that you have to believe every jot and title of it. Phil declares,” Modernity of course was wrong and we react against it by using their own modernist tools.” Phil was taken back by all this Post-Modern language which has no business with the Bible. Phil is highly upset because people are questioning his set of holy presuppositions as of yet and following this new upstart named Jesus.

Jesus is going around talking about the kingdom of God being among us.

Ha! Phil sneered saying that’s do-gooder liberalism and not biblical.

This Jesus is telling the crowds that Blessed are the poor..

That’s communism! And don’t get me started on those ungrateful illegal immigrants

Jesus is saying Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the children of God.

You unpatriotic slime. Are you one of those Democrats? You Jesus are unamerican.

Jesus is saying Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.

Are you out of your friggin mind? This is not a way to run a country that has God on it’s side.

Jesus is saying Do not Judge so that you may be judged.

Well God is the judge and you will be judge.

Jesus hangs out with sinners, prostitutes, tax-collectors even allowed one to wash his feet closely.

I knew he was immoral

Jesus said that those who do not give food to the hungry and thirsty, welcome strangers, clothe the naked, visit the sick and those in prisons will be punished.(Matt 25:31-6)

Phil Doctrinaire threw a big fit and ran off screaming “This Jesus is part of that heretical Emergent group!”

Frank Schaeffer: Crazy for God memoir

I know many fundamentalists and Calvinists won’t like this story but it’s interesting.

Radio interview:(note: Frank’s interview is the first half of the show)

http://interfaithradio.org/node/229

articles:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/frank-schaeffer/jane-smiley-smiled-upon-m_b_67770.htmlhttp://www.thenation.com/doc/20071015/smiley

http://www.thenation.com/doc/20071015/smiley

http://www.powells.com/ink/schaeffer.html

UnChristian the book

http://www.youtube.com/user/unchristianbook

Alice Cooper is a saint

 I  love Alice Cooper

http://www.alicecoopersolidrock.com/

Gracious Christianity

http://www.graciouschristianity.org/index.html

God help me to be like this.

LiberationTheo

http://liberationtheo.wordpress.com/