Book of Faith - Luke 21:7-38 - The End Times

Since we are in the season of Advent, these passages seem appropriate for the season.  They speak of the end times.  As we discussed in our group, the language of the apocalypse tends to scare us, but that was not the real purpose when the passages were written.  The language was intended to encourage people of faith, who were facing difficult times in the world, that God had already secured the future and they need not fear.  In the end, God will have the final word.  In the end, God will be victorious.  Luke was writing his gospel after the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D.  Everyone was trying to make sense of what was happening.  With the community of faith, they were facing their own persecution.  Luke, places on the lips of Jesus, words of hope that, whatever is happening in the world, we are not to be undone, but to look up and raise our heads for our redemption is near.  Our hope in God is what sustains us as individuals, as a community, as the church.  

That word of hope still resonates today.  We talked a great deal about the tragedy in Newtown, CT.  We can become undone by what took place.  We all were shattered by the loss of life, particularly  the 20 young  children.  In the aftermath, there are some people who have shut down and cannot face the reality of what happened.  There are some who are overwhelmed with anger and do not know where to take that anger.  There are some who overwhelmed with a sense of helplessness.  As a community of faith living in the promises of God, as Christians, we can face the reality of what happened in Newtown.  We understand that we live in a broken world where terrible can happen and the innocent can suffer.  We can face the truth, but we are not undone.  We believe in a loving and present God who is with us and holds us in our sorrow and pain.  We believe that God has the final word in all things no matter what happens in the world.  We believe in a God who sent His son to save this broken world.  We live in hope and not fear, and dedicate ourselves in serving others and making a difference in thus world.  We believe in the light and will not let the darkness overcome it.

Peace,

Pastor Summer

Book of Faith - Luke 20:19-26 - Paying Taxes

This week, our conversation returned to the practice of baptism.  What was the practice in the early church?  Baptism began as a rite of ritual cleaning in Judaism and moved to a rite of entry into Judaism by those outside the faith.  John would bring a new understanding with baptism being the washing away of sin which was beyond being ritually unclean.  In the early years, baptisms were held once a year at Easter and people would go through a three year time of preparation.  All of this would change with Constantine.  When he made Christianity the official religion of the empire, the doors opened to everyone being able to be baptized publicly.  Up until that time, with the persecutions, it was very dangerous.  Augustine would bring in the idea that one had to be baptized.  The debate about the necessity of baptism, baptizing infants, and believers baptism has continued down through the ages.  Luther, while understanding baptism as a sacrament within the life of the church, left the final determination (Can someone be saved who is not baptized?) with God.  In the end, Luther always differed to a gracious God.  

We moved from baptism to paying taxes and Jesus' great line to the question of paying taxes, "Render unto Caesar the things that our Caesar's, and render unto Got the things that our God's".  This was a clever response to the trap being set for Jesus by the Pharisees.  Having him come out against taxes, which would get him into trouble with the Romans.  Having him be in favor of taxes, which would get him into trouble with the people.  However, the answer is more than clever.  The answer really has us wrestle with what it means to be a disciple in this world.  How can we be in the world, but not of it?  There are no clear guidelines.  Each day, we have to face the challenge of being God's person at work, at school, and within the community.  Each day, we have to ask for God's guidance.  For example, we cannot abandon politics because we say politics is corrupt.  Christians need to be engaged in the political process and walk that line between Caesar and God.  That is true with every aspect of our life.  The good news is that God understands our struggle and walks with us as we discern and live out his call.

Peace,
Pastor Summer

Book of Faith - Luke 19:45-48, 20:1-8 - Cleansing the Temple

As we recover from Hurricane Sandy, it was good to return to a more normal routine including Book of Faith.  Everyone in the group has their power restored and we resumed our exploration of Luke.  Jesus has entered Jerusalem for the final week leading to the cross.  In the text, we found him clearing the temple of the sellers, which is a well known story.  The group found that Luke's account was so different than their memory of the events.  Luke is much shorter than Mark and not as detailed as John.  In John, we have an angry Jesus who makes a whip of cords and overturns the tables of the money changers.  John also has the cleansing of the temple at the beginning of Jesus' public ministry rather that at the end.  In Luke and Mark, the cleansing of the temple sets in motion the reaction from the Sanhedrin.  They have to deal with Jesus.  In John, the raising of Lazarus has the same affect.  In both cases, the Sanhedrin has to make a decision about Jesus.  He forces their hand.  They cannot sit safely on the fence.  This becomes apparent in opening of chapter 20 in Luke.  They want to give Jesus enough rope to hang himself.  They ask by what authority is he acting.  Jesus turns the question around and asks them by what authority did John baptize.  He knows the chief priests and elders are caught.  If they say John received his authority from God, the question is why didn't they follow him.  If they say John received his authority from men, then the people would rise against them.  The chief priests and elders play it safe and do not answer and so Jesus will not answer their question.  Again, Jesus is pushing them to make a choice.  He is forcing their hand to take action.  Jesus knows the game he is playing will lead to his death.  He knows they will choose against him in the end.  Jesus is a victim, but he is not innocent as though he did not see the rejection of the authorities coming.  Jesus was setting their rejection in motion beginning with his cleansing of the temple.

The rest of the time was spent in a conversation about baptism.  The group was surprised that baptism was a part of Judaism.  People outside the Jewish faith are baptized into the community.  John the Baptist would change the understanding of baptism by insisting that his own people be baptized, not just for ritual cleaning, but for the forgiveness of sins.  John also recognized that a different kind of baptism was coming.  Jesus becomes the occasion for this new baptism, but Jesus did not baptize anyone though he instructs his disciples to go out  and make disciples of all people baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  The question is the group was whether these were Jesus' words or were they the words of the early church placed on the lips of Jesus?  It was also noted that Paul rarely baptized people and says that he did not come to baptize but to proclaim the Gospel.  This raised some interesting questions about baptism.  What is the history of baptism?  When did baptism become a central act in the life of the church?  When did infant baptism begin?  Is the requirement of baptism counter to the gift of grace as declared by Paul?  Is baptism needed for salvation?  We will be exploring these question at our next class.  Please join us on Wednesday at noon to be part of the conversation or continue to follow this blog.  Your feedback is always welcome.

Peace,

Pastor Summer

Book of Faith - Luke 19:11-44 - The Parable of the Pounds and Jesus' Entry into Jerusalem

The Parable of the Pounds is well known.  A nobleman leaves for a far country, but before he goes, he calls ten servants and gives them a pound (a week's wage) each and tells them to trade with the money until he returns.  When he returns, the nobleman wants an accounting.  The first has made ten pounds and is rewarded with 10 cities.  The second has made five pounds and is given five cities.  The last servant in the story simply hides his pound and makes no money.  The nobleman is not pleased and gives the one pound to the first servant who made ten. 

The first thing the group noticed was how different Luke's version was from the one in Matthew.  In Matthew, the servants are given different amounts and the amounts are much higher.  In Mathew, the amount is  a talent (many years of income) rather than a pound.  This is another example of the gospels telling the story differently for different reasons.

In Luke, everyone gets the same amount, which speaks to God giving each person gifts that may be different, but of equal value.  Our being called to use those gifts is implied.  One person in our group pointed out that the return was exceptional.  We had a long discussion about how using the gifts that God has given you can grow exponentially.  One of the blessings of starting my ministry outside of Hagerstown, MD is that I had the opportunity to walk in the fields my father had planted.  He began his ministry in Christ Lutheran Church in Hagerstown.  Even though he was there only five years, the impact of his ministry was amazing.  The number of people I encountered whose lives were touched by him far exceeds what you might imagine.  People were still being impacted because their parents or grandparents were influenced by my father.  The ripple effect from our sharing God's gifts with others is extraordinary.

From the parable, we moved to Jesus' entry into Jerusalem.  At the end, Jesus predicts the destruction of Jerusalem that would take place in 70 AD.  This seems to be an addition by Luke or the early church which is put on Jesus' lips to give the words authority, but seems to reflect the early church's indictment of Judaism rather than Jesus' own sorrow over the city the would not repent.  Luke's gospel was written after the destruction of Jerusalem and the works Luke puts on Jesus' lips seems to give a reason for the destruction of Jerusalem.  

The group also noted that the crowd that greeted Jesus was not as large as the gospel seems to suggest.  Jerusalem would swell to 250,000 people during the Passover.  Even if there were 3,000 people gathered to greet Jesus, that would still be only be a drop in the bucket.  The gospels make clear that Jesus entered as the Messiah, as the King come in peace (Riding on a donkey).   However, the majority of the city did not see his entry that way.

Again, this week's conversation was rich and meaningful.  Please join us next Wednesday at noon as we enter into Holy Week through the words of Luke.  If you are unable to attend, keep following on the blog.

Peace,
Pastor Summer

 

Book of Faith - Luke 19:1-10 - Zacchaeus

The group agreed that we all love the story of Zacchaeus, the short tax collector, who climbs a tree to be able to see Jesus as Jesus made his way through Jericho.  We love the story because of the curious details. The tree was a sycamore tree.  We love the humor.  We have this image of this small man, who was hated by all, sitting up in a tree.  Everyone could see him in that tree.  There's no doubt people had a great time seeing him make a fool of himself.  And Zacchaeus was willing to make a fool of himself.  Finally, we love the wonderful sense of grace that concludes the story.  Jesus tells Zacchaeus to come down from the tree and that Jesus will go to his house (a huge honor) and have dinner with Zacchaeus.

The note of grace is striking in the story.  Rabbis would not have had dinner with a person like Zacchaeus.  As a tax collector, particularly the chief tax collector, Zacchaeus would have been placed on the outside of the community.  He would have been shunned.  He was working for the Romans, the occupying army.  Zacchaeus would have been viewed as a traitor.  Zacchaeus response to Jesus coming to his house was one of joy and repentance.  In that encounter, Zacchaeus was a changed man.  If he had cheated anyone, he would repay  them four times (Roman law for theft) and give 1/2 of all he had to the poor.  This is in contrast to the rich man in the last chapter, who was a righteous man, who would not consider giving all he had to the poor and walked away from Jesus.  Jesus tells the crowd that he has come to seek and save the lost.

Beyond Jesus having dinner with Zacchaeus, Jesus also invites and challenges the larger community to take Zacchaeus back into the fold.  This is a pattern throughout the gospel.  Jesus has those cured of leprosy showing themselves to the priests so that they might be welcomed back into the community.  Jesus tells those who are gathered that Zacchaeus is also a son of Abraham.  This can be  a powerful moment of grace.  A contemporary example would be an individual, who is released from prison (in other words having paid their debt to society) and being welcomed with open arms into the local community.  When this happens, lives are changed, lives are redeemed.  This is the gospel at work.

Peace,

Pastor Summer

Book of Faith - Luke 18:18-30 - Giving Up Everything

These verses are difficult because they speak of giving up what we treasure.  The ruler comes to Jesus and asks what he has to do to inherit eternal life.  Jesus asks him if he knows the commandments.  Do not commit adultery, do not kill, and so on. The man replies that that he has observed the commandments since he was a boy.  Jesus tells him he lacks one thing.  The ruler is to sell all that he has and give the money to the poor.  The man becomes sad because he is rich.  Jesus then speaks to him directly (In Mark, Jesus speaks to the disciples), and says "How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!  For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."  When the ruler leaves, Peter indicates the he and the other disciples have left everything to follow Jesus.  Jesus goes on to say that those who have left their house or wife or brothers or parents of children, for the sake of the kingdom of God will receive even more in this time and in the age to come.  

These words are challenging.  How can you give up everything for God?  How can God make such a demand?  How to you leave your spouse and children?  These were the central question for the group on Wednesday.  For us, part of the answer is found in verses 26-27.  The truth is that we cannot give up what we treasure on our own.  If that was the requirement, no one would be saved.  However, what is impossible for us is possible with God.  If the ruler had simply confessed that he could not give up his riches, that would have opened the door for God to act.  It is human nature to present ourselves, even to God, in the best light.  We find it difficult to admit our weakness and failings, but that it precisely when God in God's grace meets us.  In the scriptures, Peter falls on his knees when he realizes who Jesus is and says, "Depart from me for I am a sinful man."  And Jesus tells Peter to get up and he will make him a fisher of people.  What is impossible for us is possible for God.

Another part of the answer is the seeming contradiction of giving something up in order to truly gain it.  Scripture speaks of giving up your life in order to gain your life.  We offer, by the grace of God, everything we have because God is the only center (and we always have something in the center of our life - our job, our children, our ambition, etc.) that does not consume us.  By giving myself to God, I do not disappear.  I am made a better spouse, a better parent, a better worker, and a better person.  If my offering of myself, I have gained so much in  return.  I do not count my sacrifice as loss, but as gain.  It is the mystery of baptism, of death and resurrection.  From the outside, it makes no sense, but when it happens, when the grace of God intersects your life and you place you life in God's hands, and your life is given back to you transformed, it makes all the sense in the world.  You can't explain the miracle to another.  You can only witness to the wonder.

Peace,

Pastor Summer       

Book of Faith - Luke 18 - Unexpected People

The 18th chapter of Luke begins with Jesus telling the parable of a judge who neither feared God nor thought highly of people.  However, a widow, who wants justice, will not leave him alone.  And so, the judge becomes annoyed and grants the woman justice.  This "unrighteous" judge is lifted up by Jesus as an example of how God will be even more willing to vindicate us.  The story is shocking, but this is a pattern throughout scripture.  Jesus uses the most unlikely characters to make his points.  Even in our favorite parables, the Good Samaritan and the Prodigal Son, we see this pattern.  Samaritans were hated.  How could there be a "good" Samaritan?  They were viewed as traitors to their faith and people.  And the prodigal son, how dare a younger son demand his share of the inheritance.  By rights, everything should have gone to the elder son. The younger son was out of line from the very beginning.   

If we look closely, we see that this theme in the parables is repeated in the whole story of scripture.  God uses the most unlikely people.  Jacob was a scoundrel.  Moses was a murderer.  David was the youngest son.  In the New Testament, who does Jesus call to be his disciples?  The practice was that only the best of the best would even be considered to be a disciples of a Rabbi.  You would have dedicated your life to the study of the Torah and to living a righteous life.  But Jesus calls fishermen, zealots, and a tax collector.  He hangs our with all the wrong people.  He speaks of the good news extending beyond his own people.  No one expected the Messiah to act that way.  Paul, by his own admission, was better in letters than in person. Hollywood always seems to depict the great witnesses of scripture as a Charlton Heston character, when the truth is closer to a Danny Devito.  The Bible is filled with unexpected characters.

What wonderful is that God's calling and using the most unexpected people is really good news.  In mans that God can use people like you and me.  The parables and scripture have a way of reminding us of that truth.  We may not like what we see in the mirror, but God sees someone special, someone who God loves, and someone who God has called to serve His purpose.  That is good news indeed.

Peace,

Pastor Summer

New Orleans - Day 9

Pastor's Portion: I'm sitting in the New Orleans airport waiting for the flight to Houston and then home. Yesterday was bittersweet. It was a great day, but also our last day. I thoroughly enjoyed my time at the Gathering, but especially sharing that time with our young people. On Saturday, we practiced Peace and spent time in the interaction center. Our troops dominated the volleyball court. From the center, we explored New Orleans, went down Bourbon St., ate authentic New Orleans food in the French District, explored Jackson Square, enjoyed street performers, strolled along the Mississippi, and visited the stores on Canal Street. In the evening, we made every effort to hit the floor at the Super Dome, but had to settle for the first tier. The gold bands got to enter a half hour early, so there was no room in the inn. The closing was filled with energy, a compelling speaker, and great music. Tina will fill you in on the details. When we got back to the hotel, we had our closing time together. This is something we did every night. I asked three questions. What did they take away from the day? What did they take away from the whole experience? What covenant did they intend to make as we return to New Jersey? I was deeply impacted by their responses, but I will let them share their answers when we return. I'm going to guess that you will notice a difference in them and in the life of the church. The whole group is deeply grateful to the congregation for helping to make this experience possible. I am excited to share my own stories when I return. I am sure I have material for more than a few sermons. Tina's Turn: As I write this, I sit in the New Orleans airport, ready to head home. I can't believe it's already time to leave! Yesterday was an amazing day. The morning's theme was Peacemaking, which brought us to the Convention Center. Most of the group got t-shirts from the store (Lutheran Swag!). Char, Emma, Katie, Sue, and Tom went on the giant swing. After we were done with the center, we made our way to Bourbon Street, which was--to say the least--interesting. We passed Jackson Square, where we stopped for a few minutes to watch a dance show on the street. Then, we went through Canal Street, where we shopped for souvenirs. Most of us got a chance to try NOLA favorites, like beignets and pralines. Next, we headed to the Superdome for our last event. The main speaker was a friend of Pastor Lee (the pastor of Living Waters). She spoke about all of the struggles she has experienced and how she has overcome them. At the end, Swithfoot, a mainstream Christian band performed several songs. Everyone was really excited! It's hard to believe we're already on our way home, and that the gathering is over. I think it's reenergized all of about our faith; all I hope is that we can bring at energy back home with us. This may be the end of my blog, but I am sure it's not the last that you'll hear about our trip! Peace, Tina and Pastor

New Orleans - Day 8

Pastor's Portion: You would think a day of rain, and I mean rain, would dampen spirits, but that was not the case. The focus today was on discipleship and we spent the morning with the rest of the New Jersey delegation. There are 560 of us. We all the chance to wear our red New Jersey T-shirts. During our time of reflection, the group said the rain helped us focus on what is important. After our Synod meeting, we went over to the convention center to turn is our check for the 100 Well Challenge. Our gift of $5,000 was the largest they have received from one congregation so far. As you can imagine, the volunteers were very excited. The block party was canceled because of the weather, but a traditional Louisiana dinner was served under a shelter. We all had plenty to eat. Our time in the Super Dome was amazing. We were able to sit closer to the main stage. The sight and sound, at times, was overwhelming. Once again, we heard three amazing speakers, including Leymah Gbowee, the 2011 Nobel Peace Laureate from Liberia. We also had the chance to see ourselves on the big screen in a video we created during the day and sent into the central office. To make the evening complete, I got a text from Bishop Hanson. Here is what he had to say. "Pastor Mark, you have the most awesome youth group in the world. Bishop Mark Hanson". It was another good, good night. It's hard to imagine that tomorrow is our last day. Our time in New Orleans has been everything I hoped it would be. Tina's Turn: The Bishop recognized our youth group's awesomeness today! (insert brief victory dance here). Today's theme was discipleship, which we were practicing in the form of a Synodical meeting. As many of us pointed out, although it went a bit longer than we might have liked, it brought our experiences here into a more relatable context. While the time in the Superdome is amazing, the fact remains that it will be hard to bring that back with us. Today's discussion helped us think of ways in which we will be able to do that. We had planned to visit the French Quarter today, which we rethought based on the huge thunder storm rolling through. Instead, we visited the Convention Center again. We returned to the hotel in time to have a block party, which was complicated by the rain. It was moved under an overhang, though, and by eating in shifts we managed to make it happen. Next came tonight's Superdome visit. The speaker was a Liberian woman who is a Nobel Peace Laureate. The amazing part of her speech was how impressed she (an extremely impressive woman) seemed by us. For me, the most impactful portion of the night was the last song, a rendition of Halleluia which included giant white balloons which were sent into the air. It was a beautiful moment. It's hard to believe how fast the time has passed. Tomorrow is already our last day! I know it will be great!

New Orleans - Day 7

Pastor's Portion: I'm sitting in the lobby of the hotel at 6:30 a.m. reflecting on what happened yesterday. The days are going so quickly. Thursday was our day to practice justice. We left by buses at 6:30 in the morning and did deconstruction in Hofmann Triangle. So many of the homes were abandoned following Katrina. People lost everything and could not afford to stay. Deconstruction allows you to salvage what still has value. It was amazing to see all the people who greeted us with thanks and honking horns. Everyone remembers those people in orange from three years ago. On returning from the work site, we went over to othe convention center to the interaction zone. We played a little volleyball, took in a few exhibits, and enjoyed the sights and sounds. We'll be bringing our donation for the 100 wells on Saturday. The Super Dome was rocking in the evening and, once again, we were on the floor. The energy had not diminished. Two young women spoke of their own calling by God and their willingness to follow tht voice. Shane Calibone brought the house down with his presentation on the risks of practicing discipleship. His talk was a mixture of humor and challenge grounded in the scripture. In our time of reflection at the end of the day, their was a real sense of commitment by our young people to take the risk when they get home. Tina will be adding her insights and expired later today. Tina's Turn: This morning, we (rather unenthusiasticaly) woke up at 5 am for our service project. After a send off service, we boarded buses to leave for the work site. When we arrived, we found that our work had already been done. We were then assigned to a different project (deconstructing a house in order to save as much building material as possible), where far too many people were working on the same work. It was hard to find spaces for everyone to help. While we were glad to be assisting, it was frustrating to to have so little work. After our service, we made our way to the Convention Center, which is a huge building with everything from an exhibit on divisions between people to zip lining. At the Super Dome, we had another awesome night of music and speakers. The main speaker was a man who spoke of his experiences as a reformer working for the rights of the poor. He was a fascinating and funny speaker! For community life, we all made our way to a nearby hotel with dances and performances. It was very crowded but still fun. I'll be blogging later tonight about day 8. Keep reading!

New Orleans - Day 6+

Pastor's Portion Tina will be adding her section later. We didn't blog last night for two reasons. One, we needed Internet access and two, they wouldn't let us out of the Super Dome. There was a huge thunder storm. We just got back from our service event and finally have a little bit of free time. Yesterday was everything you expected a registration to be when you have 34,000 people. There's training to attend, forms to turn in, and lines to wait in. We finished around 3:30. We tried to secure dinner, but were limited to soft pretzels and a few hot dogs. The food plaza outside the Super Dome still needs work. However, we were in time to get on the floor for the openning evening. As the song says, it was going to be a good, good night. There was an hour of music and dancing prior to the night's celebration. Our kids joined the fun and were up on the big screen more than a few times. The house band was amazing and you spent the entire time up on your feet singing, dancing, or just swaying to the music. The openning speaker, Rev. Yeheil Curry, spoke of us all being a large bowl of gumbo where everyone is welcome. The Bishop of the Texas-Louisiana, Rev. Michael Rinehart, joined Bishop Mark Hanson of the ELCA in welcoming us to the Gsthering. However, the person not to be missed was Rev. Nadia Bolz-Weber. Maybe it's because she has sleeve tattoos and reportly curses like a truck driver. The more compelling reason is her personal grasp of the Gospel that has so shaped her life from substance abuse and animosity of the faith to a transformed and committed life. If you can, go the the ELCA Youth Gathering website and watch her video, if they have it posted. After her presentation, the weather rolled in and we weren't allowed to leave. Even when they let us go, it was still raining. Since the hotel is a mile away, we got a little wet. We held our closing worship in the lobby and went to our bedrooms to crash. We knew we had an early day the next day, so everyone wanted a little extra sleep. I will leave off here and let Tina fill in the other details. We'll cover today either later tonight or early tomorrow. Tina's Turn: I'm late on this post for many reasons (mostly the fact that I woke up at 5 am this Morning!). Today, we left Peace early in the morning to arrive at NOLA by late morning. We spent a while waiting for the advisers to return from the airport (other advisers had to drop off their rental vehicles), and after that we went to the River Walk to explore. We saw a few interesting shops and the outside of the aquarium. At the super dome, we had many amazing speakers. The main speaker was a woman who (despite many doubts) is a Lutheran pastor. She has many tattoos and is definitely not the stereotypical Pastor, but she was fascinating and an amazing speaker. For day 7, we practiced justice through service. I don't have time to go into more detail at the moment (it's bed time, finally!) but I will give more tomorrow! Tonight, at the super dome,

New Orleans - Day 5

Tina's Turn: The service work for today divided the Zion delegation. The younger group stayed at Peace Lutheran to he with a one-day Vacation Bible School. We had several stations for the kids, including an art project for the local nursing home, tie-dyed fish made of coffee filters, a music station run by Pastor, and a science station based on shells. The older group, on the other hand, went to Restore. They worked on moving building materials, including bricks, slate, and terra cotta. After our service work, we all reunited at Peace to enjoy the water slide that had been rented for VBS, and joined us in enjoying the chance to cool off. Next came dinner, which included corn (which somehow been infused with butter in a way that I had never believed possible) and ice cream bars. Tomorrow morning, we will leave for the Youth Gathering in New Orleans. I can't wait to report about it! Pastor's Portion: In addition to the work our troops from Zion did, we sent groups to Habitat for Humanity and Community Concern. They spent their time laying foundations and stacking shelves. I led the word detail at the Center painting sheds and water proofing the fire escape. Was happy to escape the heat by leading the music station for VBS. I thoroughly enjoyed the songs of Zion to the children of Peace. They learned Peace Like A River, The Banner Song, Father Abraham, and several others. The skies remain beautiful, but the heat and humidity are amazing. The temperature gauge in Tom's car read 122 degrees. I didn't know it went that high. Of course, it was seating in the sun. The food has been great. We had pulled pork along with the corn on the cob. I also enjoyed the leftover peach cobbler. The ice cream was a big hit with the kids. The center is now officially full. We have over 150 people from Colorado, South Dakota, Minnesota, and Conneticutt. Our young people are already making new friends. Everyone is excited about heading over to New Orleans. The Garhering officially begins tomorrow night. We'll report again after the openning service. Peace, Tina and Pastor

New Orleans - Day 4

Tina's Turn: This morning, we woke up early to start the service portion of our trip. The Zion youth was working at the house of Hugh Johnson and his son (also Hugh Johnson), where we were doing yard work. We cleared off the back patio–where we discovered a goldfish pond, several new animals, and many other remnants of Katrina's flooding–and old flower beds. Both Hughs were very nice and willing to tell their stories of the flooding, which came up to chest height and destroyed their home. Afterwords, we all raced to be first to the showers and wash off the grime! Dinner tonight was rice and beans, with homemade bread pudding from one of Peace Lutheran's members. Tonight, Peace held a Rock 'n Roll service with lots of great praise music and dancing. It was the most enthusiastic rendition of When The Saints Go Marching In that I've ever heard! Tommorrow, we will be splitting up; the younger group will be working with VBS, while the other group will be working with Restore (a group like Habitat for Humanity). Keep tuned to hear about! Pastor's Portion: While the Zion crew was at the Johnson home, I was working with the group that stayed with at Peace Lutheran to do all the needed work. The list was extensive. We painted the front of the church, weeded the gardens, waterproofed the sheds, fences, and children's play equipment, power washed all the travel homes that are used, cleaned the inside of the center, and reroofed the shed. The kids worked hard and the place looks great. The congregation was deeply grateful. I loved hearing all the stories from the groups returning from their work sites. They were in the soup kitchen, worked at the home of a parishioner, sorted and stacked goods at ReStore, and, of course, made a big difference at the Johnson house. The patio that our young people uncovered has a special place in the heart of Hugh Johnson Sr. The patio was his wife's, who died of cancer following Katrina. They lost so much, and then he lost his wife. His health and sorrow kept him from taking care of his property. Restoring the patio held special meaning. He and his son were deeply grateful. Hugh Johnson's story and the role our young people have now played in it is the reason we serve. The dinner of rice and red beans was delicious and the bread pudding was amazing. We are eating well. The worship that followed was joyful and heart felt. There's nothing like dancing with your young people during the service. Tomorrow will be another busy day. Tina and I will keep you posted. Peace, Tina and Pastor

New Orleans - Day 3

Tina's Turn: The first thing I noticed that's different about church here is that people leave the pews and (*collective gasp*) dance! We attended the praise service this morning, where we got to listen to Peace Lutheran's own praise band. After lunch, we embarked on an exciting swamp tour (which Carl was quite excited about!) We saw several alligators, which the tour guide lured within feet of our boats using hot dogs and marshmallows. The swamps were, surprisingly, mosquito-free, thanks to the presence of dragonflies. We also saw a snake, which the tour guide spotted from far away in a moving boat (and took us getting much closer and about 10 minutes of pointing it out to find). Later, we had dinner and, after a short meeting, were treated to a special performance of My Aunt Came Back by Pastor. We made it (almost) to the end! Then, some of us escaped to a frozen yogurt store where Tom and Megan got free yogurt for correctly guessing its weight. The new people arrived from Colorado today. The Jennisons are excited! Tomorrow, we are off to work on fixing up a local's back yard. I can't wait! Pastor's Portion: It was wonderful to worship with the good people of Peace again. They were delighted to have us back. They are planning a special Louisiana dinner for us on Monday night. In talking with the vice-president of the congregation, he let me know they are still talking about us in New Orleans from our last visit. Our orange T-shirts were everywhere and they will be again. The swamp tour was a hit. Alligators, turtles, and herrons for everyone. There is a beauty that is difficult to describe. Hopefully the pictures we are bringing back will give everyone an idea of what we experienced. Dinner included homemade peach cobbler and more spaghetti than we could possibly eat. You never leave the table hungry. Leading the group in My Aunt Came Back was a special request by a person from another ciongregation. How could I say no. We almost made it to the end before collapsing into laughter. From our meeting, we set out to meet and greet the good people from Colorado. The day is coming to a close. The story will continue tomorrow. Peace, Tina and Pastor

New Orleans - Day 2

Tina's Turn: Today came as a special treat to the nerds in our group (myself included!) when we visited the NASA Stennis Science Center just over the Mississippi border. We were given a bus tour of the grounds used to test rocket engines, after which we visited the connected museum. It contained everything from thermal cameras to lettuce growing without soil to an interactive history of aeronautics. After a thorough exploration, we left for Bay St. Louis, a small, nearby town on the Gulf of Mexico. The water was shallow and calm enough to allow us to wade out several hundred feet without difficulty. We were even invited back by a local! We quickly explored the town, and then had a traditionally Southern dinner including Po Boys and fried oyster platters. As you most likely are aware, last night was not the most restful (I didn't get to sleep until after 3), so I'll be on my way soon! Keep tuned tomorrow for updates on the Swamp Tour.... Pastor's Portion: Like Tina, I'm looking forward to a better night of sleep. The flight was delayed for over an hour as we waited for the pilots to arrive from Boston. We arrived in Slidell around 2:30 am local time. Fortunately, our day didn't officially start until 11:30 am. The trip to the Stennis Science Center was a great beginning. The center just opened in April. The troops marveled that I was their age when we landed on the moon. 1969 seems so long ago. Bay St. Louis has all the charm of a deeply southern city. The warmth of the people is amazing. We were given invitations to return, offers for dinners, stories and histories shared, and suggestions for dining. With the advice of the locals, we found a beautiful restaurant overlooking the gulf. I thoroughly enjoyed the fried oysters. I haven't had them in years. As usual, I couldn't be prouder of our young people. In the words of last week's sermon. They are engaged and are looking forward to working this coming Monday and Tuesday. We worship with Peace tomorrow morning. Of course, we will be wearing our NJ ties. The swamps await us after lunch. I'm sure there will be more stories to tell when we report tomorrow night. Continue to keep us and all who will be attending the Youth Gathering in you thoughts and prayers. Peace, Tina and Pastor

New Orleans - Day 1

The Book Of Faith is on a short hiatus while I attend the Youth Gathering in New Orleans. For the next 10 days, I will be reporting from Louisiana. Tina Dornbusch will be helping me in this effort. At the present, we are sitting in the Newark airport waiting for our flight. If everything goes according to plan, we will be leaving at 9:30. We'll arrive in New Orleans at midnight and then drive to Slidell. The adventure begins. We'll keep you posted. You keep us in your prayers.

Book of Faith - Luke 17:11-37 - The Ten Lepers

The Ten Lepers raised a number of questions.  Was the one who returned to give thanks the only one who had faith?  How was the experience of the one who returned different from the other nine?  Did the leprosy come back for the nine who did not return to give thanks?  The consensus was that all ten were healed and remained healed.  The gift given to one who returned to give thanks is that he was told that the healing was possible through the gift of faith in him.  The others were left to believe that the the healing was to be found only in Jesus.  In the future, when there would be difficulties, the nine would be searching the countryside for Jesus, the one who came back to give thanks could turn to the gift of faith within himself.  

Of course, what is remarkable in the telling of the story, as far as Luke was concerned, is that the one who returned to give thanks was a Samaritan.  This is a pattern all through Luke.  It is the outsider, the foreigner, the sinner who have the greatest faith and the greatest sense of gratitude.  This is part of the human condition.  When we are blessed, we can develop as a sense of entitlement.  We can lose our sense of gratitude.  We can lose our sense of grace being grace.  Jesus saw this within his own people and it broke his heart.  

The last part of chapter 17 was very challenging.  On the one hand, Luke is saying that the kingdom of God is not coming with signs.  On the other hand, Luke seems to be saying that the kingdom of God will come with signs, but we will not notice them.  The group decided that the point being made is not to concern ourselves with signs, whether they are there or not.  The concern in being God's person in the here and now.  The rest, we can simply and gratefully place in the hands of God.  The group believed that this section could have used an editor.  Matthew was much clearer handling the same material.  Luke makes his point, but the point seems to be little confusing.  

The Book of Faith will be going into hiatus during the summer and resume in September.  At least, the weekly meetings will.  The Book of Faith blog will continue and, hopefully, readers will continue reading.  The blog will start with the beginning of chapter 18 next week.  Keep reading.  Keep exploring. And keep discovering the riches and surprises of scripture.

Peace,
Pastor Summer

Book of Faith - Luke 17:1-10 - Tit for Tat

We moved into chapter 17 and were soon confronted by a number of questions.  In verse 3, are we to rebuke our brother when they sin in general or when they sin against us personally?  If we are to rebuke sin in general are we then called to be the moral police?  If so, doesn't that open the door to us to becoming judgmental?  What is the business about faith in verse 6?  Is Jesus saying the disciples have no faith?  How are we to understand a tree walking around by faith?  How are we to understand the parable of the master and the slave?  Is there to be no gratitude?

All of these were good questions and the discussion that followed was helpful.  In the first part of chapter 17, there seems to be a progression in the first verses.  Jesus say that life, with all its temptations, is hard enough without people putting up stumbling blocks (sin).  Let's say you are battling a food addiction.  You don't need someone offering you chocolate cake.  We are called, for the sake of others, to confront one another when we are stumbling blocks. Such a rebuke does not have to be hurtful.  It can simply be the truth without judgment.  The point is not to condemn someone, but to open the door to change.  We do this with children all the time.  If you son or daughter makes fun of another person, we confront them.  The end result is not to make our child feel bad about themselves, but to change their behavior.  This business of confrontation (rebuking) is easier when the sin is directed at us.  We noted that some translations of the Bible include the words "against us" in verse 3 after brother.  Forgiveness is also easier to understand when the sin is against us.  How do I forgive the sin of another that is directed elsewhere and not at you?  This seems to be God business.

Turing to the next verses, having faith like a mustard seed was not seen as an indictment of the disciples' faith, but an affirmation of the power of faith.  We are the ones who put on the limits.  Jesus is saying that, with faith, all things are possible even if that faith is the size of a mustard seed.  A walking tree is a wonderful image of that power.  

The parable of the master and the slave is an image that is foreign to us, however, the image would have been very well known in the time of Jesus.  Jesus often used images and metaphors from his own context.  Slavery was a part of that context.  Jesus is not saying that this is the way it should be, rather, he uses this known image to speak the truth.  The parable is not connected to the first part of chapter 17, but stands separate.  Luke strings together parables and teaching like a strand of pearls.  Each one has a meaning and purpose, but they do not need to interact with each other.  This parable stands alone and is a reaction to the tit for tat theology that had become prevalent.  If you did want God wanted you to do, then you should be rewarded.  It was pointed out that children work this angle all the time.  They do what they are suppose to do and then believe they are entitled to a reward.  A gift given is no longer a gift, but a payment due.  Jesus is challenging that idea.  Doing what God would have us do is our calling.  It is in response to what God has already done for us. We should not expect a reward and we should not feel cheated if their is no payoff.  Being Christian is not the door to great rewards in our life, but our response to a great and gracious God in our lives.

Next week, we move into the story of the ten lepers.  This will be the last Wednesday meeting until September.  However, the blog will continue through the summer.  Keep checking the website for new entries and keep the conversation going.

Peace,

Pastor Summer

Book of Faith - Luke 16:14-18 - Divorce

In reading Luke, it was difficult to move through this passage about divorce.   To set the context, in the time of Jesus, there were two schools of thought about divorce.  One was the school of Shammai, which allowed divorce only on the grounds of adultery.  The other school of the school of Hillel, which had a more liberal interpretation.  A man could divorce his wife because she spoiled the food, or spoke disrespectfully, or was too loud.  This is just a partial list.  The prevailing view was Hillel.  In fact, it was so bad that women were refusing to be married.  Jesus enters the conversation and argues against divorce.  "Every one who divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery, and he who marries a woman divorced from her husband commits adultery."  

Here is where our discussion began.  Are there absolute laws?  What does it mean that we are free of the law? What is the church's position on divorce?  Has it changed through the years?  How can it change?  If it can, what are the implications for other laws?

We began the conversation looking at the church's position through the years.  Going back to 1930, there has been a shift in our position about divorce.  Divorce is still a sin because it is a breaking of a relationship, but there is a much more gracious tone.  Divorce is a consequence of our living in a broken and sinful world.  Sometimes, divorce brings an end to an abusive relationship.  However, every divorce is an occasion of grief.  Everyone who has ever gone through a divorce can speak of the pain.  No one needs to tell someone who is divorcing about the brokenness.  Certainly, no one needs to judge them.  As a community of faith, we are to speak a word of forgiveness and grace.  If someone then marries again, the hope and prayer is for that marriage to be for a lifetime.  God's intention remains the same.  God intends every marriage to be forever.  That is the constant.  Jesus sounds harsh in scripture because of the reason the people had for  asking the question.  They were trying to get around the law.  They wanted to justify divorce as though bending or using the law would negate the consequences.  Divorce is never OK.  Divorce is never what God intends.  However, like the woman caught in the act of adultery, in the midst of someone divorcing, God's word is one of forgiveness, not judgment.  As Jesus says to the adulterous woman, after he challenges anyone who is without sin to throw a stone of judgement at her and one by one the people walk away, "Is there no one left to judge you, neither do I.  Go and sin no more."  This is God's gracious word.  

We will be continuing this conversation this coming Wednesday.  We have not addressed all the questions.  We invite you to join us in person at noon on Wednesday or join us on the blog.  In any event, be a part of the discussion as we explore the scriptures on the road to discipleship.  

Book of Faith - Luke 16: 1-13 - The Dishonest Stewardship

By comparison, last Wednesday, with the parable of the lost sheep and the prodigal son were, was easy.  This week, the parable of the dishonest steward raised all kinds of questions.  Here is a man who is caught cheating and before he is dismissed by his master, he alters the book so that people will owe his master less and think well of him.  The master finds out and commends the dishonest steward for his shrewdness.  What do we do with such a parable?  Even Luke seems to have difficulty by following the parable with verses 10-13.  He doesn't want us to get the wrong idea.  For Luke, the point of the parable is not that we are to be dishonest.  Luke makes it clear that if you are dishonest with even a little, you will be dishonest when the stakes are higher.  And if you are dishonest, who will entrust you with the true riches?  

Of course, this leads us back to the original parable and all the difficulties the story holds.  It certainly is not an allegory.  God is not the rich man commending the dishonesty of his steward.  The story is not an example of how we are to live our lives.  We are not to be dishonest with money in order to make friends.  So what is the point?  The discussion focused on seeing the big picture.  Jesus is saying that even the people of this world know how to use the gifts they have.  The steward knows how to play the game.  He cheats by altering the books.  He uses his gift.  He knows he is not strong enough to do labor.  He is too proud to beg.  But he knows how to cook the books.  As people of faith, we have been given many gifts.  How often do we use those gifts?  How often do they sit on the shelf?  How often do we wait?  If even a dishonest man knows how do use his gifts, shouldn't we use the gifts that God has given us?  Earlier in Luke, Jesus talks about salt losing its saltiness.  The only way salt loses its saltiness is if it is not used.  We need to use the gifts God has given.  

One final note, the beauty of scripture is that scripture opens so many unexpected doors.  One person in the group saw in the parable letting go of some things in order to open the future.  A hundred measures of oil owed becomes 50 measures of oil.  Sometimes we hold on to set beliefs or grudges that keep us from reconciling with others, that keep doors locked that should be opened.  Sometimes we need to let go.  The group enjoyed this surprising insight from this parable.  Who knows where the Spirit will lead you as you spend time with God's word?

Peace,
Pastor Summer

Book of Faith - Luke 15 - The Prodigal Son: What happens next?

The 15th chapter of Luke includes two of the best know stories in scripture: the Lost Sheep and the Prodigal Son.  The Prodigal Son caused the most conversation.  The question was asked, "What happens after the welcome home feast?"  The older son is already upset about his father throwing a party for his younger brother, who wasted all of his inheritance (which should have been the older brother's in the first place) and comes home because he has nowhere else to go.  Everyone in the group appreciated the older brother's feeling.  An example was given of people receiving assistance when they fail to pay their mortgage.  What about the people who have taken a big hit financially, but still faithfully pay their mortgage?  How is their not receiving help fair?  Are we supporting those who are irresponsible?  It's difficult not to be upset.  It doesn't seem fair.  So we're back to the original question about what happens after the feast.

Two possibilities were given by the group, however, neither felt right.  One possibility would be that after the party, the younger son receives another portion of the inheritance, but that seems truly unfair.  A second possibility would be that the younger brother receives nothing, but that also doesn't feel right.  Out of our discussion a third possibility arose.  What if the gracious welcome the younger son received changed (transformed) his life?  What if he refused any additional support?  What if the welcome (which he didn't expect) was all he needed?  This possibility felt right for everyone and reflected what we say about grace.  We say God's grace has the power to change (transform) lives.  Paul, Augustine, and Luther all believed in that transforming power.  

This led to a discussion about where we have seen or experienced that transforming power in our lives.  There are some faith traditions that are very comfortable talking about a changed or transformed life.  We Lutherans are not as open about recognizing or sharing that experience. We tend not to point to one moment, but say that it happens over time.  We say that transformation takes place in our baptism and that we acknowledge that change in confirmation.  We say that transforming power is experienced when we come to the table at worship or when we hear the word proclaimed.  One person shared that they experienced that transforming power in the Book of Faith conversations.  The more we talked, the more examples were put on the table.  The conversation then turned to how we, as Lutherans, can lift up and celebrate those moments and occasions of transformation.  We need to say, like our brothers and sisters in other traditions, that the gospel, the grace of God, has the power to change lives and is doing so each and every day.

Peace,

Pastor Summer

Book of Faith - Luke 14:25-35 - Discipleship: In or Out

This week, we couldn't get past the cost of discipleship.  Jesus speaks of you hating your father, mother, children,  brothers, sisters, and your own life, if you would be a disciple.  This radical call is soften a little when you remove the word "hate" with it's emotional content, and talk about priorities, who or what comes first.  Jesus says, if we are to be disciples, he must come first before anyone or anything else, including  family and our own lives.  Even soften, this is an extraordinary demand.  The question was asked whether there was some middle ground.  The suggestion was made that there could be an "Associate Disciple" and everyone laughed, but the truth is, there is no middle ground.  With discipleship, it's all or nothing.  Jesus makes this point clearly and makes it more often as he moves toward the cross.  At least, that's how the gospel of Luke presents the story.  Where is the grace?

The group noted that in the gospel of Luke, that most of Jesus' words of grace seem to be for the outsiders, the gentiles, and the sinners more than his own people, certainly more that the righteous people and religious leaders. For the righteous and authorities, there always seems to be a challenge.  Jesus wants to shake things up, to get people out of their comfort zones.  There is a radical nature to being a disciple that makes you leave everything you thought you knew behind.  Discipleship demands a dependence on God that does not come easily to us.  Discipleship is something we can't do ourselves.

Where is the grace in the call to discipleship?  The example we explored was the teacher who challenged us to the core when we were in school.  Often times, our favorite teacher was the most demanding.  I had an English teacher who gave me my first and only D's.  I didn't get D's in school.  How could this be?  He demanded more of me.  At first, I thought he was completely unfair.  By comparison, my writing was not that bad.  There were times when I hated him and saw my homework assignments and doing battle with him.  I would not let him get the best of me.  I would show him.  As you can imagine, my grades began to improve dramatically.  I began to notice that my writing was much better than it had ever been.  I began to enjoy writing, which was a first for me.  I became proud of some of my stories and would go back over them.  By the end of the year, this English became one of my favorite teachers and I was one of his favorite students.  I would learn that I had always been one of his favorite students.  He wanted to challenge me to become something more than I had been.  I never thought of myself as a writer or that I could be creative with words.  He saw the potential in me and challenged me.  I will never forget the gift he gave me, even though it was a struggle at the time.  His challenge was an act of grace.  

Jesus calls us to something greater in our lives.  He calls us to discipleship.  The road is not easy and we cannot travel the road alone.  We stumble on the way.  We grow weary.  We fall short, but we travel on.  There are times when the challenge seems to great, but, once we begin the journey, we don't want to leave the road.  We are grateful that we have been called.  We discover strengths and gifts in ourselves we never imagined.  We come to realize that the call, though radical and challenging, is grace.      

Book of Faith - Luke 14:15-24 - The Great Banquet

This parable is similar to the one told in Matthew 22:2-10.  However, in Matthew, the story is much more an allegory with the "king" being  God, who gives the feast, and the "servants" being the prophets and apostles, who are mistreated.  Luke's telling of the parable is more open ended, but Luke also expands the parable.  After those who are invited refuse the invitation, the servant goes out to the streets and lanes of the city (the sinners and outcasts), and then goes even further, out to the highways and hedges.  In other words, the servant goes out into the larger world, the gentile world.  For the religious authorities, who had invited Jesus to dinner, his parable would have been offensive on a number of levels.  As people, who saw themselves being invited to the banquet because of their piety, the idea that they would be standing outside, because of their refusal, and that sinners, outcasts, and gentiles would be invited into the feast was unimaginable.  Of course, the Kingdom of God has a way of turning the world upside down.  That is true even today.  We have been claimed by the grace of God and we have a way of turning that gift into a sense of entitlement rather than responsibility.  Church becomes a place where the good people of this world go on Sunday rather than people who realize they are in need of the grace of God.  Having God claim us does not make us better than others.  We are all sinners, who are surprised when the invitation is given to come to the banquet, and go with a sense of deep gratitude and willingness to serve.  

On Wednesday, the deeper conversation surrounded the question of whether God knew we would fall short when he gave the law or was God surprised when the law didn't work.  Has God changed through time in response to what we have done or failed to do?  The scripture seems to support that God does change.  Certainly, there is evidence in the Old Testament of God changing his mind.  The Flood, Abraham speaking on behalf of those in Sodom, and Jonah are three examples.  If God does not change, what is the meaning of God's suffering, God's listening to the cry of his people, and God's answering prayers.  The group realized that the scripture reflects the understanding of God's people through time and therefore the view of God changes as the people of God's own understanding of God changes.  God is made known through time.  God remains constant, but our perception changes.  Jesus challenged the religious authorities about their understanding of God, not because God had changed, but because their understanding had gone down the wrong road.  They had shaped a theology and given God credit, but God did not conform to their theology.  Jesus wanted to challenge their view.  

The group didn't stop there.  There are elements of change in God through the witness of scripture.  God is dynamic, rather than static.  The unchanging part of God is God's faithfulness, mercy, and grace.  However, the future is not etched in stone.  We are not following a path that has already been assigned.  We are not going through the motions of living our lives.  We make choices and often bad choices.  The good news is that God again and again meets us where we are in faithfulness, mercy, and grace.  God always has a counter to our actions so that our future is secure.  God ultimately prevails because God always has the last word and that word is always grace.  We can take great comfort in that knowledge.  

I hope people continue to follow this blog.  The Wednesday Book of Faith group wants to share with others their conversation and hope that the discussion is as meaningful to those who read the blog as it is for those who come on Wednesday.

Peace,

Pastor Summer

Book of Faith - Luke 14:1-11 - Healing on the Sabbath

Chapter 14 begins with Jesus having dinner with a ruler who belonged to the Pharisees on a Sabbath.  While they were eating, a man appeared who had dropsy (edema).  Jesus asks the question whether it was lawful to heal on the Sabbath.  Everyone was silent.  Jesus heals the man and asks those gathered wouldn't they rescue a child or ox that fell into a well on a Sabbath.  Again, no one replied.  

The group found the story very similar to other healings in the gospel.  When Jesus heals, it always seems to be on a Sabbath or, at least, those are the healings that are recorded.  The conversation focused on how the law can get in the way of doing what God would have us do.  The law was intended to help us in life, but, as Jesus points out, can become a burden and a way to justify ourselves.  When Jesus talked about divorce, his concern was that men (only men could divorce in those times) were looking for an easy way out that was lawful and, therefore, allowed them to remain righteous.  Jesus challenges this kind of understanding.  There was also discussion about the letter of the law as opposed to the spirit of the law.  It was noted, that in the end, in the eyes of the law we always come up short.  The law brings us to the cross in our need for confession and forgiveness.

The question was asked about whether rescuing a child from a well was unlawful.  Would God demand that kind of obedience.  It was pointed out that the law would allow you to rescue your child.  You could even heal on the Sabbath if the condition was life threatening.  This led to a discussion about the sacrifice of Isaac.  It was pointed out that the sacrifice of Isaac was really an ancient story aimed at prohibiting human sacrifice in a time when human sacrifice was done.  The good news was that the God of Israel did not demand such a sacrifice.  In contemporary times, it's hard for us to get past God asking for the sacrifice in the first place.  We need to hear the story in a different way.  We need to hear the story in its historical context.  This is often true in scripture.    

This led to a discussion about choosing God over family.  For some, this was a choice they could not make.  Is the answer really God or family?  Jesus certainly seems to present the choice that way.  Certainly, Jesus is challenging us to take at look at our lives.  What is the role of the family in our lives?  The conversation raised the issue of idolatry.  What is at the center of our lives?  Sometimes, a child or a spouse can take too much of the center.  A person's whole world revolves around that individual in an unhealthy way.  God is the only true center that, not only holds, but allows for other things in our lives.  God sees family as a gift.  God wants us to be good parents, good spouse, and good sons and daughters.  Our family commitments are a part of God's purpose in the world.  

We talked about living out our faith.  Certainly, we can live out our faith within our families.  However, they are many other ways.  Going to church on Sunday is one way of living out our faith, but not the only way.  We talked about how, in a much broader sense, we our "church" in the world and we need to recognize and celebrate those moments and times.

Finally, we talked about the silence of the dinner guests.  Were they silent because they agreed with Jesus?  Were they silent because they were so angry?  Were they silent because they didn't know what to say?  We agreed that all of those answers are possible.  The beauty of the silence is the story is that it invites our response.  What would we say?  This is a great way to engage people while telling a story.

Once again, our time together was meaningful.  Keep following the discussion on the blog.  Ask questions when you have them.

Peace,

Pastor Summer

Book of Faith - 13:31-35 - Tell that fox

The conversation started with the question left over from last week.  If people are living in Good Friday (the brokenness of their lives and the world), how do they know that Easter is coming?   How does Jesus meet us in those dark times and places.  The group talked about their own experiences of Good Friday (illness, failures, sorrow) and how Jesus was there for them.  When pressed, it became more difficult to articulate how Jesus had been there.  The consensus was that we can only give witness to our experience of God's grace in our lives to others who are struggling to see the hand of God.  Explanations may fall short.  Our faith and hope are a gift from God that may seem to defy logic, but they are real.  Our witness to that truth can become crucial for others in their struggles and can become an occasion for the Holy Spirit to work.   In college, I had a friend who pressed me again and again about my faith.  How could I believe in a world full of suffering?  How could I be hopeful?  How could I say God was there for me?  I never gave an explanation that satisfied him, but the truth is, he wanted me to believe.  My witness became very important to him is ways he could not explain.  How God used my witness, I will never know, but I believe my witness served God's purpose.  

In talking about making a witness, the group owned that we are uneven in witnessing.  Sometimes we do.  Sometimes we don't.  We will walk with some people in their struggles, but not with others.  The consensus was that we should celebrate every time our witness takes place rather that focus on the opportunities that were missed.  The con census was also that the more we witness to our faith, the more opportunities we will seek.  Those opportunities don't always have to be in words.  Sometimes the most powerful witness is reflected in the lives we live.  Do we live hopeful, gracious, and joyful lives?  Sometimes we have an impact on others and we don't even realize our impact.

Finally, we talked about the last verses in chapter 13.  Realizing that the use of "fox" in rabbinical literature indicates being unimportant rather than cunning was helpful.  Jesus was going to Jerusalem and Herod was not going to stop him.  Jesus did not fear Herod.  Herod was insignificant.  Jesus lamenting over Jerusalem seems strange when this is Jesus first trip to Jerusalem (second, if you count his going to the temple as a boy) according to the synoptic gospels.  Jesus lamenting makes more sense if you use John's understanding of Jesus making numerous trips to Jerusalem.  Does John have a more accurate timeline?  The image of Jesus gathering the chicks under his wings is a powerful image.  This image appears more often in rabbinic literature rather than scripture.  On the whole, the whole section seems oddly placed and seemingly disconnected.  

This week was another rich conversation.  We're looking forward to moving into chapter 14 in two weeks.  With no Book of Faith next week, there will be no posting, but we will return.  Keep the conversation going.

Peace,

Pastor Summer   

Book of Faith - Luke 13:10-30 - The Narrow Door

The opening story of the woman, who had been crippled for 18 years and then was healed by Jesus, seemed straight forward to the group.  The only wrinkle was that Jesus does the healing on the Sabbath, and since the woman's being crippled was not an emergency, the law would have prescribed that the healing should have taken place on another day.  The leader of the synagogue raises this issue, but Jesus challenges him, and anyone else who agreed with him, calling them "Hypocrites!"  The group spotted a difference in the translations after Jesus' response.  Were people shamed or felt ashamed?  This is an important distinction.  If they were shamed, they may never have felt they were wrong, but were publicly embarrassed.  If they felt ashamed, they they realized they were wrong.  

Jesus talking about the mustard seed and leaven in connection with the Kingdom of God opened the door to talking about the surprising way the Kingdom unfolds in the world and in our lives.  There is almost an invasive quality to the mustard plant, which you would not plant in a garden, and the adding of leaven to bread.  Certainly, the Kingdom Jesus was announcing turned things upside down.  Healing on the Sabbath was, in an of  itself, radical to some.  

Where we spent most of our time was with the narrow door.  Jesus says we are to strive for the narrow door and that many will be barred by the owner.  Jesus is saying we should not assume we are inside looking out, but rather outside looking in.  Again, Jesus is challenging us to face the truth of our lives.  The door to the Kingdom is narrow, and, on our own, we will not squeeze through.  We try to widen the door by our justifications, or assume we are good enough to get into the banquet.  We certainly can feel that way in comparison to others.  Jesus knocks down those ideas.  In the end, we are at the mercy of God.  We are powerless.  The amazing news is that is where God meets us in grace.  In the movie, An Officer and A Gentleman, Mayo, who is training to be an officer, tries to work the system.  He does everything he is suppose to do, but he's still playing a game.  The Sargent keeps pushing him, saying he should quit.  One day, he's pushing Mayo, yelling, "Why do you want to stay?"  Finally, Mayo breaks and says, "I have nowhere else to go."  Everything changes at that point.  The same dynamic can be found in AA.  You have to hit bottom and own your helplessness before you can truly begin recovery.  This is never easy.  The group asked the question, "How you can own the truth and not give into despair?"  When you face the darkness of your life, how can you see the light? There are people who never seem to see the light.  How does the grace of God break in?  Our conversation ended with these questions.  We will take them up next Wednesday.  How appropriate is it that we explore these issues during Holy Week.

Peace,

Pastor Summer

Book of Faith - Luke 13:1-9 - Innocent Suffering

At our Wednesday Book of Faith, we listened to Jesus tell the stories about the Galileans who were killed by Pilate and the 18 people who were killed when the tower of Siloam fell.  Jesus raises the question of whether they were worse sinners because they died.  The story of the Galileans sounds so contemporary.  The Romans were the occupying force in Judea.  Pilate wanted to build a needed water system for Jerusalem.  He used Temple money for the project.  He didn't realize the offence he committed by using that money.  There was a cultural lack of awareness which has been often repeated by occupying forces down to the present time.  Pilate wanted to control the mob reaction and placed disguised troops in the crowd gathered at the Temple.  Many in the crowd were Galilean.  Unfortunately, things got out of hand and people died in the process.  Again, this all has a very contemporary feel.  

Jesus was not making a statement about the use of Temple funds, he did want to address the belief that we live in a just world where good things happen to good people, and bad things happen to bad people.  God is the one who guarantees that the world is just.  Of course, our experience tells us different, though we still cling to the idea of a just world.  We can hear ourselves say when something bad happens, why is God doing this to me?  What have I done to deserve this?  The group realized that this was the cry of Job.  In fact, the idea of innocent suffering was already being expressed in writings like Job.  Jesus makes it clear that the world is not a just place.  In fact, Jesus will push the idea even farther.  Not only is there innocent suffering, but innocent suffering (the cross) can become a means of God's grace.  

Jesus is also making the point that suffering or not suffering is not the sign of our need for repentance.  The bottom line is that we all need to repent, whether there have been consequences for our sin or not.  We all are separated from God.  Jesus' call is for everyone to repent i.e. change direction.  It's like watching someone driving toward a cliff.  Jesus' heart is breaking as he cries our, "Repent, turn around".  We all know that pain as we watch friends, even our own children, making poor choices and heading down roads that our dead ends at best or cliffs at worse.  Our voices may be strident, but our fear and love is that great.  

The said truth is that we do listen to the voice of Jesus.  We need to repent, but we are unable to do so on our own.  The good news is that God opens the door for us.  That is the power of grace.  In and through God's grace, my life can take a new direction.  The cross is where I lay my pride (I can do it on my own) down.  I am no better than those who died when the tower fell, but I have been saved through grace.

One final note, if there is innocent suffering where God is not the cause, what about the other end of the spectrum?   What about miracles?  Do we see the hand of God in the world making things happen?  The answer from the group was "Yes".  The only qualifier is that we do not control God's actions.  Miracles are not a given because we ask for them.  We are to live our lives open to the possibility of God acting.  We live our lives with a sense of gratitude for all those surprising times when it happens.  As we talked in the group about the saints that we have known, these characteristics of openness to God and Gratitude to God seem to be so much a part of their lives.  Their witness is a powerful one for us.  

Again, it was another great week.  We invite you again to join the conversation.

Peace,

Pastor Summer 

Book of Faith - Luke 12:35-59 - Bringing the fire

This week, the conversation picked up where we left off last week.  Chapter 13 will have to wait.  The opening questions was about Jesus bringing fire.  Fire is not a comforting image.  Jesus also talks about bringing division.  Again, not a comforting image.  Fire, in scripture, represents judgment, and certainly Jesus bring judgment.  Jesus speaks the truth, which is not always comfortable.  However, the truth is spoken not to condemn, but to save.  Redemption and reconciliation begin in truth.  

The question was asked whether Jesus knew what would happen through the cross.  He knew the cross was on the horizon, but did he fully know what it meant.  The synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) seem to suggest that Jesus may not have known everything.  In those gospels, Jesus is surprised and even changes direction.  In one story, Jesus is not going to heal the woman's daughter because she is not a Jew.  Jesus argues that it was not right to feed the dogs the food from the table for the children.  The woman does not take no for an answer and argues in return that even the puppies eat the crumbs that fall from the table.  Jesus is amazed by her response, and more importantly, her faith.  Jesus heals the woman's daughter.  The story seems to suggest the Jesus changes his mind.  Is it possible that Jesus sense of mission changes during his ministry?  Did he initially believe his mission was to his own people and, through his experience, expand that mission to the world?  Does this speak to the humanity of Jesus?  If Jesus can change, does that challenge our understanding of Jesus?

Of course, the gospel of John paints a different picture.  Jesus seems to have a clearer understanding of his mission.  He moves toward the cross without seeming doubts or struggle.  This raised questions about the witness of scripture.  There seem to be many voices speaking.  We, as Lutherans, are drawn to Paul, but his is not the only voices.  We need to appreciate, as the wisdom of scripture makes clear, the many voices that witness to the truth.  We Lutherans may not have all the answers.  In fact, we do not.  There is much we can learn from other faith traditions.

Finally, we talked about the authors of the gospels.  Was Luke written by Luke (the physician who traveled with Paul) or John written by John?  There can be an argument made that Luke and John were the authors, however, the dating of the material would make Luke and John extremely old, even by contemporary terms.  The other possibilities would be that someone, who sat at the feet of either Luke and John, wrote down their witness.  Another possibility would be an independent writer who gives credit to Luke or John and, by giving credit, gives the writing authority.  The question was raised whether authorship is critical?  Does the gospel of Luke or John have to be written by Luke or John to be true?  

Again, the conversation was rich and meaningful.  We're looking forward to moving into chapter 13 next week.  Please join our conversation by either attending Book of Faith on Wednesday at noon at the Christian Education Building or by following this blog.  Keep reading and discovering.

Peace,

Pastor Summer

    

Book of Faith - Luke 12:36-59 - Is this going to be on the test?

"Is this going to be on the test?" was our favorite phase from Wednesday's session.  The passage from Luke we read this week seems very harsh, particularly following the gentle words of Jesus in the section before this passage, "Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom."  By contrast, in verses 36-59, we have Jesus making sure we are ready when the master comes, wishing to cast fire upon the earth, talking about cutting people into pieces who are caught unprepared, and declaring he has come to bring division.  In the midst of Jesus' challenging words, we have Peter asking, "Lord, are you telling this parable for us or for all?"  In other words, is this going to be on the test?  The simply truth is that Jesus means what he is saying.  We need to be prepared, which means we need to get our act together.  Some people in the group suggested that Jesus was having a bad day.  He was weary of people not listening to him.  There is certainly an urgency in what Jesus has to say.  The suggestion was made that Jesus was deliberately trying to make his point by overstating the consequences.  The example was a parent whose son or daughter keeps coming home after curfew.  The parent confronts their child and says that, unless their son or daughter starts changing their ways and comes home on time, there will be "hell to pay" or they will be "grounded for the rest of their lives."  The consequences have been overstated to make the point of concern.

The conversation then moved to seeing Jesus' words in the context of Jesus' sense the the kingdom of God was coming and coming soon.  Paul had the same sense of urgency.  Luther had the same sense of urgency.  They believed that the kingdom was coming in their lifetime.  There was no time for delay.  The time to act, the time to change, was NOW.  It's the reason Paul did not address the social issues of his time, like slavery.  The arrival of the kingdom would make all social issues moot.  

We also discussed that Jesus was using the imagery and parables of his time.  He was not working with new material.  There is a sense of hyperbole in the culture that would have been understood by those listening and would have been used by Jesus.  When Jesus says it would be easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than a rich man to enter the kingdom of God, people did not take the camel and needle as literal.  We do the same thing when we say we say we were so embarrassed that we could have died. You don't die from embarrassment, but the image makes your point.  You were very embarrassed.  

Finally, we talked about love still holding people accountable.  Love does not give permission for the other person to do anything they want.  This was an issue in the early church.  If God loves us and forgives us, then we can do whatever we want to do.  Paul argued that because you are loved, you can't help but live a different life.  For example, my wife loves me.  That does not give me permission to do anything I want.  My experience is that, because I am loved, I choose to become a better husband, a better person.  The grace of God compels me to become a better person, the person God would have me be.  I never truly become that person, but I'm on my way.  Holding up a mirror along the way and holding me accountable is an act of love.     The relationship is not at risk, but love points out my risky behavior.  Love speaks the truth, even when it is hard to hear.  

Peace,

Pastor Summer  

  

Book of Faith - Luke 12:13-34 - Lilies of the Field

"Who lives like that in our community?"  So our conversation about this passage began.  "Do not worry about your life, what you will eat, or about your body, what you will wear."  God will provide.  Consider the lilies of the field and the birds of the air.  These thoughts all sound good, but what role do they play in the real world?  Should we fire our financial planners?  Are we to be irresponsible?  Our conversation moved to a discussion about worry.  The truth is that we can be consumed with worry.  How much is enough?  Is money a priority?  How can finances and worry about money divide a family?  One of the real concerns with aging parents can often revolve around finances.  Parents work their whole life to create a nest egg to provide for their future, but when the future arrives, they do not want to touch that nest egg for any reason.  They are so worried about having enough and not wanting to be a burden.  Too many families have become deeply divided over an inheritance.  That money was to provide for a better tomorrow for everyone, but become the occasion for a bleaker one.  Everyone in the group agreed how worrying about finances has impacted their lives and family.  And the kicker is that worry accomplishes nothing.    Being anxious does not improve the situation.  

This focus on worry also lead to another point.  In reading the words of Jesus, everyone in the group felt indicted.  However, the point of Jesus is not to have us feel bad.  The point of Jesus is to hold up a mirror.  The truth is that we do worry too much.  That truth becomes a part of my confession.  Left to our own devises, we tend to worry.  We need to lift up those worries to God and turn them over.  We need to be reassured that God knows our worries, and still cares for us, holds us, and will provide for us.  

All of this being said, Jesus is not encouraging irresponsibility.  Jesus was not addressing someone who was doing nothing, but someone who was overly worried.  Jesus calls us to be engaged in the world, however, we are to keep our focus on God.  If we keep our focus on God, everything else will fall into place.  The truth is that we can do Kingdom work wherever we find ourselves.  We lifted up example after example of people we know whose focus has been on caring for others, on being a person of integrity, of  making a difference, rather than the paycheck or status.  In other words, they have been doing Kingdom business and guess what, God has provided.  These people have been very successful without focusing on success.  They have been great providers while being people of God. 

Finally,  we talked about the ways God provides within the life of our own congregation.  These are scary times for many people.  We have watched as people have lost their jobs.  How do we see God providing at those times?  The truth is that we have watched the church spring into action.  The church has been their for people.  The church has been as expression of God's providing.  We are not alone.  

Peace,

Pastor  Summer   

Book of Faith - Luke 12:1-12 - The Unforgivable Sin

The idea of an unforgivable sin caught the attention of many in the class.  What does it mean to blaspheme against the Holy Spirit?  How can any sin be unforgivable?  Putting the passage in context, these words of Jesus follow people suggesting that Jesus is able to cast out demons because he is working for the devil.  Initially, Jesus argues that a kingdom divided cannot stand.  In chapter 12, Jesus pushes the point farther.  If someone sees the work of God i.e. the work of the Holy Spirit, and calls that work evil, there is no hope for them.  They have blasphemed against the Holy Spirit.  Their blindness keeps them outside of God's grace.  However, this blindness need not be permanent.  Jesus is being descriptive of the moment, not for all times.  Someone may be deaf and blind to my expressions of love, in fact, they may brand everything I do as an act against them.  In such a case, our relationship is broken.  There is a divide.  This is not so much a judgment as a description of where our relationship stands, but it does not mean that the relationship cannot be reconciled.  There is always room for repentance.   Jesus' intent is to open the eyes and ears of people that they might be reconciled.

Someone in the class also pointed out that the passage speaks of blaspheming against the Holy Spirit as unforgivable, not blaspheming against the Son of Man.  We had a long conversation about the implication of this passage.  In contemporary terms, we can see this at work when people attack an individual rather than what they have to say.  Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was often attacked for his character, rather the the content of his message.  Jesus separates the two.  He said it was forgivable to attack him i.e. can anything good come out of Nazareth, but it was unforgivable to attack the truth of his words and call that truth the words of the devil.  

All of this discussion led to a deeper discussion about hearing the word of God.  What do you say to people who believe that God has spoken directly to them or believe their interpretation of the Bible is the only correct one?  The Bible makes is clear that there are many spirits i.e. voices in the world.  It was agreed that the discernment of God's purpose and direction is never easy.  Discernment is to take place within the community of faith.  From the time I was a boy, I always wanted to be a pastor.  I believed God had called me to parish ministry.  However, I deeply appreciated all those along the way who helped me discern that call and encourage me to follow that voice of God.  As far as scripture, we Lutherans believe that the gospel of Jesus Christ governs all our interpretation.  No one passage can be taken out of that context.  Saying that, the Bible is uneven.  The gospel of Jesus Christ would not have me stone my child for disobedience, even though the Bible would allow me to do so.  Again, discernment is critical and the community of faith is the best place for that discernment.  Within the conversation of people of faith, the Holy Spirit is at work and the voice of God can be heard.

Peace,

Pastor Summer