Book of Faith - John 10 - The Good Shepherd

Everyone loves the image of the good shepherd.  However, in the time of Jesus, this image was a little jarring. Being a shepherd was not the best job.  Besides being demanding and dangerous, a shepherd could not remain ritually clean.  A shepherd was not a member of polite society.  The idea of a good shepherd was unusual to say the least.  In true Jesus fashion, he uses the image to catch people's attention. And it works. There is something about a good shepherd that is reassuring, particularly for us as sheep. There is also something powerful about the image that Jesus, as the good shepherd, will not let us go.  Once we are his, we are his always.   

If the image of the good shepherd got us talking this week, so did our conversation about eternal life.  Jesus came to bring life and bring it abundantly.  Within Judaism, the promise of abundant life was in the here and now.  An abundant life was a true gift from God.  Who could ask for more?  Life beyond death was to be experienced through your children and your children's children.  As Christians, we live with a different sense of eternal life.  We live with the promise of life beyond death. 

Of course, this led to a conversation about what that life beyond death will be.  Most of the images we have i.e. clouds, halos, and harps, come from our culture and not scripture.  The scripture speaks of banquets, praise, and no more tears.  The same thing can be said for the other side of the equation.  The images of hell again come from our culture.  The scriptures speak of being separated from God.  To help describe what that is like, the scriptures made a comparison to the trash heap outside of Jerusalem, Gehenna.  There you would find fire and worms, but the image is metaphorical.  In contemporary terms, what is hell, it is being completely alone.  God is all about connections.  Being apart from God is to be disconnected.  The work of God in this world is reconnecting people to each other, the world, and God.

Once again, our conversation was rich and meaningful.  Join us on Wednesday at the CEB at noon or follow along on the blog.

Peace,
Pastor Summer

Book of Faith - John 6:1-21 - Feeding of the 5,000

The group commented that John's telling of this miracle was fairly straight forward as compared to some other passages of John.  The one addition to the story is the testing of Phillip.  John always has Jesus knowing what he is doing and what is going to happen.  He knows there will be a miracle and is wondering if Phillip is open to the possibility.  This raises as interesting question.  Does Jesus always know what's going to happen?  In John, it would appear so.  It's almost as though Jesus has a day planner already written by God and simply follows the script.  This raises an additional question as to how Jesus is divine and human?  The group believed that Jesus new what the broad strokes of his life were going to be.  In other words, he knew his purpose, but he did not know the details.  He could genuinely be surprised and he could change.  Both of these attributes make him human, and, for the group, did not take away from his divinity.  In the history of the church, there was a real battle between the divinity and humanity of Jesus, particularly in the early years. Each of the gospels leans one direction of the other.  The solution, captured in the creeds was to say that Jesus was fully divine and fully human.  

We also discussed the miracle itself.  One person pointed out that it was interesting that Jesus did not feed the poor as a regular part of his ministry.  Here, he feeds 5,000 pilgrims as they make their way to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover.  Our group was open to two possibilities as far as the miracle.  One possibility would be that this is simply a miracle.  By the power of God, 5 loaves and 2 fish feed everyone and there are 12 baskets of food left over.  The second possibility would be that the pilgrims already had food with them, but as Jesus called them together, divided them into groups of 50, and then offered what little he had, the pilgrims were moved to share with each other and there were still 12 baskets left over.  In either case, a miracle took place.  In fact, our group preferred the second miracle of sharing.  

The conversation this week continues on Wednesday and we encourage any and all to participate.  Each time we venture into the bible, we discover new insights for the living of our faith.  Join us!

Book of Faith - John 5:1-18 - Healing of the man at Bethzatha

This is a well known story.  Jesus finds a man, who is crippled, waiting by the pool called Bethzatha. Everyone believed that when the water in the pool was disturbed (troubled), the first person who entered the pool would be healed.  This man had waited 38 years for a miracle.  In primitive times, it was understood that a local divinity troubled the water.  Later, the local divinity was replaced by an angel.  Jesus question to the man is both curious and profound.  Jesus asked the man if he wanted to be healed.  The obvious answer would be "Yes", but it's not as simple as it may sound.  We don't always want to be healed.  In Dr. Phil's language, our "illness" works for us.  I may do battle with weight and say that I was to lose the added pounds, but there may also be a part of me that is afraid to lose the weight.  I may have convinced myself that if I lose the weight, all my problems will go away. My weight may serve as a way to protect me from dealing with other issues in my life.  It is very interesting that in Native American culture, if you go to the shaman to be healed, the shaman will ask two questions.  Do you wanted to be healed?  What will you do when you are healed?  Jesus asks the same questions of us.  Do we want to be healed of the brokenness in our lives?  What will we do when we are made whole?  Jesus is the one who can both heal us and lead us into a new day.

The other aspect of the story is the response to the healing by the religious authorities.  The healing takes place on the Sabbath and the authorities are upset that Jesus has the man pick up his bed and carry it. Carrying his bed would have been forbidden under Sabbath law.  Again, we are confronted with people missing the point of what has taken place.  They see the violation of the law and miss the healing.  This can happen to all of us.  We can be concerned about what someone wears to church rather than celebrating their being at church.  The truth is that we can be blind in our own ways.

Peace,

Pastor Summer

Book of Faith - John 4:1-42 - The Woman at the Well

Book of Faith is back.  We took off for the summer, but we've ready to explore the scriptures again.  We're continuing in the gospel of John.  The passage we read this week is the story of the Samaritan woman at the well.  In this story, Jesus is tearing down so many barriers.  The woman is a Samaritan.  She is a woman.  And she is a woman with a reputation.  Any one of those distinctions should have removed her from the list of proper people for a rabbi to engage in conversation.  However, the distinctions do not stop Jesus.  This is a wonderful witness of the gospel.  The woman, as you can imagine, was more than a little surprise.  As with the story of Nicodemus, Jesus uses language that has much deeper meeting.  When he speaks of living water, the woman assumes he is talking about running water i.e. a spring.  Of course, Jesus has something else in mine.  He is speaking of God quenching a thirst in all of us that no water can touch.  Jesus is the source of that holy water.  

The group enjoyed how Jesus makes the gospel universal.  Jesus speaks of a time when people will no longer worship God in Jerusalem or Mount Gerizim (the Samaritan's holy site), but will be worshiped is spirit and truth.  The group explored the idea of worshiping is spirit and truth.  The conversation suggested that true worship was lived out in everything we do and say.  Every aspect of our lives carries an element of worship. There is no disconnect between what happens on Sunday and what happens on Monday.  The group also believed true worship needed to be authentic.  Authenticity could mean different things to different people.  For one, all the richness of the liturgy rings true to them.  For another, it might be worship in its simplest form.  The beauty is that God meets us again and again in all the varieties of worship we express.

The group also found Jesus' conversation with the disciples interesting.  The question was asked about the meaning of "Four months, and the harvest will come".  The discussion centered on the very human practice of waiting until the last moment.  We will get around to the business of the kingdom when the kingdom (harvest) comes.  Jesus is telling the disciples that there is work to be down now.  There are seeds to be planted. There are seeds that need to be nurtured. In the kingdom of God, those who sow and those who reap will rejoice together.  

For everyone, it was good to be back together.  We encourage anyone who would like to join us at noon on Wednesday at the CEB to come.  We also encourage anyone who would like to join us by following the blog to visit the website.  Make Book of Faith a part of your discipleship journey.

Peace,

Pastor Summer

Germany Day - Day 8

Today is our last full day in Germany.  The trip has been amazing.  The weather forced us to change plans, but we still hit all the high points.  We woke up for the first time to rain, which meant we would not be taking the walking tour of Unter den Linden, one of Berlin's most fashionable boulevards.  However, we did visit the Bundestsag that was destroyed during World War II and rebuilt after the wall came down.  A fantastic dome, designed by Sir Norman Foster, caps the building and is a work of art allowing a breath taking view of Berlin.  From the Bundestsag, we walked to the Brandenburg  Gate, which stood in the "no man's land" between East and West Berlin and became a symbol of a divided Germany.  From there, we entered a memorial, based on a cemetery in Prague, dedicated to all the Jews murdered during World War II.  The memorial was deeply moving.

From the memorial, we went to the Berliner Dom (Berlin Cathedral), which was destroyed in World War II, but is now fully restored.  The church is impressive, but I will still take Zion.  After visiting the church, some people went back to the hotel and the rest of us stayed on Museum Island.  Grabbing a great lunch (curry wurst), we explored the Pergamon Museum.  This museum houses the Pergamon Altar.  To say that is impressive is an understatement.  You can't imagine the size.  In addition, we saw the Ishtar Gate of Babylon, a collection of ancient Near Easter artifacts, and a beautiful exhibition of Islamic art.

After this wonderful cultural experience, the sun broke out and we made our way back to the hotel.  We have a little free time before supper.  We will gather for our final supper at one of the local restaurants.  We will be up bright and early tomorrow morning for our flight home.  Don't worry, there will be many more stories to tell and we want to share all of them.. Thank you for keeping us in your prayers.  We will be home soon.

Peace, Pastor Summer

Germany - Day 7

This morning, we left Wittenberg.  It was truly a wonderful experience.  However, I did have one more chapter to write.  Since I would be preaching on the bus, I had one last opportunity to walk the streets of Wittenberg as I prepared my sermon.  As you can imagine, I loved the walk.

The trip to Berlin was uneventful.  This was the first day we had a few clouds.  Coming into Berlin, there was a real difference between East and West Berlin.  The wall is down, but the economic differences remain.  While we were in the city, we visited two museums.  The first was at Check Poimt Charlie and told the story of the Russian occupation of East Germany and the building of the Berlin Wall.  The wall went up almost overnight and divided so many families.  The various ways people devised to escape to the west were amazing.  The second museum was the Judisches Museum which told the story of Jews in Germany all the way back to the Babyonian captivity to the present time.  The story was compelling, if sobering.  The story is a diffult one to hear.  The museum does an impressive job and the architecture is very much a part of the telling of the story.  The museum is not your usual museum.  It is laid out like a deconstructed star of David.  The visits to the two museums will stay with us for a long time.

We are now in our final hotel.  The location is ideal.  We will be heading out to dinner in a few minutes.  It's hard to believe that the end is in sight.  The trip has been everything I hoped it would be.

Peace,
Pastor Summer

Germany - Day 6

In many ways, this trip has been leading to this day.  The roots of Zion's story really go back to October 1517 when Martin Luther nailed the 95 theses on the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg.  Today, we stood looking at that door and feeling the sense of history and God at work.  The moment was humbling and where we began our tour.

Our guide through the city was Thomas Gaubig, who grew up as a believer in Wittenberg when the town was a part of the GDR.  As a matter of faith, he did not become a communist and paid the price.  His own story added a depth to our tour.  We began at the Castle Chuch and made our way through the city to St. Mary Church, where Luther preached and was married.  Along the way, we stopped at the town square and saw a couple coming out of city hall having been married.  We were told the history of Wittenberg as the center of the Reformation and a fortified city with a surrounding wall.  We heard the miracle of Wittenberg.  When the city was bombed during World War II, all the houses between Luther's and Melanchthon's fell, but those two remained standing.  There were surprises like Dr. Eber, who was a freed slave from Guinea and a doctor at the university about the time we held our first service in the home of Aree Von Guinee, who was also a free slave from Dutch Guinea.  We visited the home of both Luther and Melanchthon and heard their stories.  This is just a taste of what we learned.

After another wonderful lunch under a clear blue sky in the town square, we had time to revisit the Luther House and other stops where we wanted to spend more time.  We all returned to the hotel to get ready for the worship service at the Castle Church.  The church is being renovated, but it was amazing to be in that space where Luther had proclaimed the Gospel so long ago.  I was given the honor of reading the epistle.  I was moved by the experience.  Someday, I would love to preach in that space.

As I write this blog, we are getting ready for dinner.  This day has been special for many reasons.  I have been touched as a Lutheran coming to the place where it all began.  I have been touched as a pastor who has had the joy of preaching the gospel of grace.  And I have been touched as a person of faith by the witness of the reformers in the pastor to the witness of Thomas, our guide, in the present.  I have many memories that I will carry with me as we leave this place.

Peace,
Pastor Summer

Germany - Day 5

Today was another travel day as we made our way from Erfurt to Wittenberg.  Before we left, we enjoyed a lovely evening in one of the squares in Erfurt.  As we sat at tables surrounding the square and enjoyed beverages (I enjoyed my Coke), we listened to jazz and were entertained by two fire jugglers.  The evening was warm and wonderful.

On the way to Wittenberg, we visited Weimar, the home of German culture.  The two central figures being Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe and Friedrich Shiller.  The two became great friends.  In many ways, Goethe was a Renaissance man, with an interest in poetry, art, philosophy, and science.  Shiller shared similar passions.  He is best know for his play, William Tell.  While in Weimar, we toured the old town, visited Schiller's house, and explored Goethe's Garden House.  We were very taken with the city and enjoyed walking the streets and exploring the parks with the free time we had.  I especially enjoyed the picnic by the river near Goethe's Garden House.  The weather could not have been better.

The trip to Wittenberg was uneventful, though longer than we intended.  Even on the autobahn they have traffic and construction.  We felt like we were back in New Jersey.  John, our guide, took the time to explain the 30 Year War.  This is not an easy task, but John did well.  We only lost a few to sleep on the trip after all the morning walking.

We have now arrived in Wittenberg and are staying at a smaller family hotel.  Dinner will be served in another 15 minutes, but I wanted to post today's blog.  The adventure continues and we are enjoying ever minute of it.

Peace, Pastor Summer

Germany - Day 4

Today, we explored the town of Erfurt, which is an exceptional example of medieval Germany.  Erfurt was spared the intense bombing of many other German cities during World War II and many of the churches and building still survive.  We began in Cathedral Square for a walking tour of the old city.  The narrow cobble stoned streets and shops gave you a real feeling of medieval Europe.  Some of the high points were the Merchant Bridge, which still houses shops, the oldest synagogue in Europe, and the university Martinez Luther attended as a student.  Luther was a true scholar and did well, however, he decided to become a monk rather than become a lawyer as his father wished.  He attributed his change of mind to an experience he had while riding during a thunderstorm.  The storm was so severe that he cried out to St. Anne to save him with the promise that he would become a monk.  He survived the storm and entered the monastery.

After touring the town, we visited both St. Mary's Cathedral and St. Severus Church.  These two massive Gothic churches stand next to each other on Cathedral Square.  St. Severus was established when the convent of canons (women) were asked to leave the cathedral church.  Both churches are impressive.  St. Mary's is where Martin Luther was ordained in 1507.

With the group's energy running down, we broke for lunch.  A number of us enjoyed bratwursts at a local restaurant that served the best bratwursts in the city or so we were told by our guide.  The bratwursts were delicious.  Having refueled, we made our way to the Augustinian Monastery where Martin Luther lived as a monk and served his first Mass.  The life of a monk was demanding.  Rising at 3:00 in the morning, they would worship every three hours until midnight.  The day was filled with work, study, and silence.  It was not a life for the faint of heart.

The rest of the afternoon was spent exploring the city, taking in the views, and visiting the shops.  There was so much to see and experience.  The weather, once again, was fantastic.  We returned to the hotel tied, but happy.  Tomorrow, we head to Wittenberg.

Germany - Day 3

Today, we left Heidelberg.  The weather was as beautiful as the day we arrived.  We will miss this fascinating city.  Our destination was Erfurt, which is located in former East Germany.  Along the way, we stopped at Eisenach, which is the location of the Lutherhaus, where Martin Lutheran lived as a boy.  At the time, he was a singer in a youth choir that would go door to door singing for money.  Eisenach is also the home of Bach.  In the city, you can still feel the impact of the Cold War.  Though Germany is united, there is still a disparity in wealth between the east and the west that is evident.  We enjoyed our stay and had a quick lunch.  We introduced the local restaurants the American habit of paying for the bill before the meal is over.  No feathers were ruffled and we were back on schedule.

From Eisenbach, we made our way to the Wartburg Castle, which is very impressive sitting on top of a hill.  The castle is a true treasure for Germany.  Of course, Martin Luther spent time in the castle hiding after the Diet of Worms.  It was during this time that he translated the Bible into German.  Amazingly, he translated the whole New Testament in 10 weeks.  The translation is significant in the fact that it made the Bible accessible to all people, but it also standardized the German language.  The castle goes back to the 1200's.   The sense of history was almost palpable.

On a lighter note, I got lost with another member from the congregation on the way back from the Wartburg Castle.  We decided to climb down rather than take the shuttle bus.  It sounded good on paper.  However, we should have turned left rather right when we hit the road.  Our excuse was that we were following the crowd.  However, we have no one to blame but ourselves.  Fortunately, we were rescued by our tour bus.  The group will not let us forget.  There's nothing like the shepherd getting lost.

We are now safely in our hotel in Erfurt.  I'm so glad they have free wifi.  The sun is setting in the west and the fields are bathed in gold.  This is truly the heart of Germany with rolling hills, farm lands, and small town.  Tomorrow, we will explore Erfurt and I will continue the story.  The trip has already been amazing and we still have so much to do and see.

Peace,
Pastor Summer

Germany - Day 2

Our adventure in Germany continues. Last night, we had a lovely meal at the restaurant.  They have a room just for our group, which is very nice.  After dinner, we sat outside in a wonderful outdoor cafe under a star filled night.  No one stayed up late.  This morning, we may our way to the Heidelberg Castle, which sits on the hillside overlooking the city.  The castle was destroyed by the French, but what remains is amazing.  The group was struck by the large wine barrels.  Some were the size of a small house.  The views from the gardens were spectacular.

From the castle, we went to the Church of the Holy Spirit in the town square.  You enter the church and you immediately have a sense of the vertical.  Your eyes are lifted to the heavens.  One amazing fact is that the church was divided down the middle for many years with the reformists on one side and the Catholics on the other.  Lunch followed our visit and many of us dined in one of the many cares along the river.  Of course, the food was delicious.

After lunch, we visited the Jesuit church that was built as a part of the Counter Reformation.  This church presented the best in religious art and sculpture as a counterpoint to the plainness of the Reformed churches.  The church was success in this goal.

The group then divided.  My small group went to the University of Heidelberg museum.  This museum told the history of the university which goes back to 1386.  The school has an amazing history.  It plays a central role in developing the Heidelberg Catechism, which is the central document of the Reformed Church.  In many ways, it is like the Augsburg Confession for us as Lutherans. After the University of Heidelberg, I went to a special display at one of the other museums telling the story of the Heidelberg Catechism.  I was very taken with the political storm surrounding this statement of faith.  The rest of the afternoon was spent exploring the streets and stores of the city.  Dinner will once again be at the hotel.

Tomorrow we will leave Heidelberg with many great stories and memories.  As an added feature, we are beginning each day with a word from Martin Luther.  He wrote a daily devotion and we are using his reflections to center us for the day.  Contiue to keep us in your prayed and we will do the same for you.  If I can find a wifi connection, I will report tomorrow.

Peace,
Pastor Summer

Germany - Day 1

If you believe it, I'm sitting in a Starbucks in Heidelberg, Germany.  They had free wifi.  And so the blogging of our adventure in Germany begins.  The flight was a little under 7 hours.  It's amazing that you can go sleep in New Jersey and wake up in Germany.  Although, I didn't get much sleep.  I was too excited.  Our first stop was Worms where the Diet of Worms was held challenging Luther and his faith.  Emperor Charles V presided.  The cathedral was amazing going all the way back the the 1100's.  There are elements that span the centuries.  I loved the set of drums sitting I. One of the chapels.

From Worms, we traveled to Heidelberg, where we are spending the next two night. Old Heidelberg is beautiful.  The city sits next to the Neckar River belows the ruins of the Heidelberg Castle.  The streets narrow and cobbled stoned.  You can feel the history.  We went to a local restaurant just off the town square.  The food was delicious and very German.  We had sausages, sauerkraut, red cabbage, and, for some, beer.  In the afternoon, a group of us went on the Philosopher's Walk, which was a trail that went up the mountain on the other side of the river and gave a beautiful view of the city and the castle.  It is said that the philosophers from the University of Heidelberg use to walk that trail with their students.  I can see why.  Tomorrow, having fully recovered from the flight, we will have a fuller day of sightseeing.  I'm looking forward to the next adventure.

Peace,
Pastor Summer

Germany: Here We Come

Before returning to the Book of Faith, I am joining a delegation from Zion that is heading to Germany this Sunday.  this trip is the first event in our year long celebration of our 300th anniversary.  We leave after worship.  This is my first trip overseas and I am very excited.  We will be traveling for 10 days and I'm going to use my blog to record the journey.  As long as I can find wifi, I will be updating every day.  I will also be asking others in the group to add their observations.  Starting this Sunday, September 1, follow are adventures.  I'm sure we will have many stories to tell.  Make sure you check my blog each day and tell others to do so.

Peace,

Pastor Summer

Book of Faith - John 3:1-13 - Born from Above

Before moving into the story of Nicodemus and being born from above, we revisited last weeks discussion.  John 2:23-25 is a little confusing.  The key seems to be in what translation you have.  The one we thought was the clearest was:

When he was in Jerusalem, at the Passover, at the Feast, many believed in his name, as they saw the signs which he did; but Jesus himself would not entrust himself to them, because he knew them all, and because he had no need that anyone should testify in him what man is like, for he well knew what was in human nature.  

Mark has the Messianic secret running all through his gospel.  Jesus would do a miracle and then tell people not to tell anyone.  John suggests the same pattern.  In this case, Jesus knew people and understood that they were not ready for the truth.  Like the old movie, they couldn't handle the truth.  They loved a man of signs and wonders, but they were not ready for a man of suffering.  Just like Mark, you have to wait until the cross and Easter to truly understand who Jesus is.  

From these two verses, we moved on to the story of Nicodemus who comes to see Jesus in the middle of the night.  Nicodemus is looking for the truth, but when Jesus gives him the truth, that he needs to be born again (born from above), Nicodemus cannot accept the idea that he must start again and deflects the truth by asking how can someone be born again.  Jesus' response seems harsh by challenging Nicodemus, but a more careful look suggests that Jesus was just calling Nicodemus on his supposed ignorance.  Jesus is saying that Nicodemus knew what Jesus was saying, he just didn't want to accept what he said.  We have that kind of encounter all the time with our children.  They pretend to not understand what we are saying because they do not like what we are saying.  We find ourselves calling their bluff.  Jesus calls Nicodemus' bluff.  Jesus sees Nicodemus as a person who puts up wallpaper.  The job is perfect, but the pattern is upside down.  Nicodemus was a righteous man, but his own righteousness was not the road to salvation.  He needed to go back to the beginning.  He needed to be saved.  The story of Nicodemus is no different than our own story.

Peace,

Pastor Summer

   

Book of Faith - John 1:35-51 - Calling the Disciples

As we continued to explore the gospel of John this week, the group found it interesting that John the Baptist directs his disciples to Jesus.  This picks up the earlier theme that John is not the Messiah.  Anyone who says differently is not speaking for John.  John may have been surprised that Jesus was the promised one, but he had no doubts.  

The group wondered why Nathanael recognized Jesus as the Son of God from the very beginning.  This seems surprising in light of the other gospels.  This serves the gospel writer's purpose, but may not reflect what actually happened.  Certainly there is more going on in this encounter between Nathanael and Jesus than meets the eye.  Jesus was able to see into the very heart of Nathanael.  Jesus saw him under the fig tree, but something more was taking place.  Nathanael would have been studying the law under that fig tree and studying the law was his true pleasure and joy.  Jesus recognized that passion in Nathanael.  It was that passion that Jesus saw and the reason that Nathanael marveled at Jesus.  Jesus could read Nathanael like a book.  Jesus would also recognize Simon as his rock (Cephas in aramaic or Peter in Greek).  Jesus' ability to see into the hearts of others was a gift we see again and again in scripture.  This ability also speaks to our own journey of faith.  Jesus is able to see into our hearts.  He knows the truth about us, even the truths we try to keep secret.  That is why the love of God is so powerful.  God's love is given even though God knows the truth about us.

John gives Andrew a role to play.  Andrew is Peter's brother and is always second fiddle.  However, in John, Andrew is always bringing people to Jesus.  In this passage, Andrew brings Peter to Jesus.  In many ways, that is our role.  We are to bring others to Jesus.  We do not make faith happen.  By invitation, we help to create moments where the gift of faith is given.  Andrew provides such an invitation to his brother Peter.

Finally, Jesus turns to address the first two disciples to follow him.  One of those disciples was Andrew.  At the beginning, they were only following at a distance.  Jesus is the one who turns and asks, "What do you seek?"  The question is a powerful one.  What do we seek from Jesus?  Jesus' turning also has him meets us where we are rather than waiting for us to come to him.  That is the movement of God's grace.  God's grace is always coming to us.  God's grace is always meeting us where we are.  That is the power and wonder of God's love.

Join us next week for the Book of Faith.  We meet every Wednesday at noon at the Christian Education Building.  You may also join us on this blog.  Keep exploring!

Peace,

Pastor Summer

Book of Faith - John 1:19-34 - The Testimony of John

In verse 19 of the first chapter, John begins to tell the story of Jesus.  He begins with the testimony of John the Baptist.  What's striking is that the gospel writer does not tell us anything about the ministry of John the Baptist, but only his witness.  Everything points to Jesus.  The assumption is made that you already know the story of John the Baptist.  The religious authorities come and challenge John.  After all, John is a priest like his father.  In fact, that is how you became a priest.  Priesthood  was hereditary.  The authorities had some concerns about John.  He represented all priests.  There was talk in the community about whether he was the Messiah.  John's declaration that he was neither the Messiah, Elijah, or the prophet addresses their concern, but also addresses the questions being raised at the time the gospel was being written.  There were many who continued to follow John after the arrival of Jesus.  There were those who followed John even after the resurrection.  The gospel writer wanted to put to rest any and all questions surrounding John's being the promised one.  The gospel writer has John himself declare that he is not the Messiah.

Of course, the other concern of the religious authorities was John baptizing people.  Yes, people were baptized in those days, but they were baptized in order to become Jews.  Jews were not baptized because they were already the people of God.  John's baptism was different.  He was saying that his own people needed to be baptized because of their sin.  They needed to be washed clean.  They needed to repent.  The truth is that we resist the call to repentance, particularly when we think there is nothing wrong.  However, John's message must have resonated with people, even it that message was difficult to hear.  We have all experienced that uncomfortable word of truth in our lives.  Someone challenges us about our actions or choices.  Our first reaction is to defend ourselves, dismiss the individual making the challenge, and even grow angry with them.  However, as those challenging words settle with us, we may come to realize the truth they hold and open ourselves to change.  We may come to not only accept the challenge but come to be grateful to the one who spoke the truth in the beginning.  John spoke the truth.   People needed to repent and, if they were honest, they would own that truth.  Jesus would continue that theme.  He would call people to repentance.  Their lives were broken and Jesus came to lead them to a better way, a better life.  He spoke the truth in order to safe.  That is the movement of the God's grace.  

Once again, we have just begun our journey in John.  Join us in the coming weeks either at the Book of Faith class on Wednesday at noon at the CEB or by following the blog.  Make the Book of Faith a part of your road to discipleship.

Peace,
Pastor Summer

Book of Faith - John 1:1-18 - In the Beginning

We have begun our journey through the gospel of John.  John tells the story of Jesus in a very different way from Matthew, Mark, and Luke.  John does include the temptation of Jesus, the Transfiguration, the Lord's supper, Jesus casting out demons, the Sermon on the Mount, the Lord's Prayer, or any narrative parables.  However, John is the only gospel where we find Jesus visiting Jerusalem prior to the Passion, the early Galilean ministry, the Farewell Discourse, the story of Nicodemus, and the raising of Lazarus.  John is more reflective is telling the story.  The emphasis is not the "Kingdom of God" but "eternal life".  John also saw us participating in that "eternal life" in the here and now.  These are just some of the differences.  We hope to discover more as we spend time with John.

The opening 18 verses of John are well known and well loved.  One member in the group appreciated how John was able to capture the entirety of the gospel in 18 verses.  These 18 verses serve as a prelude to the telling of the story.  The use of the Word (Logos) was intentional to speak to a Greek audience.  Greeks would have understood Logos as being the instrument of the Divine used to make creation happen since the Divine is perfect (Plato) and the material world is imperfect.  The Divine needed an instrument.  John identifies that creative instrument as Jesus, who not only was there at the beginning of creation, but took on flesh and came into the world so that we might know the heart of God.  John provides an amazing witness that bridges the gap between the Greek and Christian world.  The group was taken by the lengths God will go for the sake of us and this world.  The group compared the grace of God to a GPS that is always making corrections to bring us home.  

The group also spent time talking about enlightenment.  Jesus, the light of the world, comes so that we might be enlightened.  Enlightenment was understood as finally getting something.  My son passed algebra in middle school and could have moved on in high school.  He chose to take algebra again.  What he said is the he could pass the test, but he really didn't get algebra.  In high school, he took algebra again and the light came on.  He got it and it made all the difference in the world.  Enlightenment is when the light goes on and we get this faith business.  Jesus comes so that we might come to truly know grace.  

As I said, we are just beginning the gospel of John.  Join us on Wednesday at noon or follow along on the blog.  Either way, make the Book of Faith a part of your faith journey.

Peace,
Pastor Summer

Book of Faith - Luke 24:1-53 - The Resurrection

It was noted by the group that, once again, the women were not believed when they reported the resurrection.  The two disciples on the road to Emmaus told Jesus, who they did not recognize at first, that the women reported that Jesus had been raised and that they investigated.  They found the tomb empty, but they did not see Jesus.  What is compelling about this account is that, like the other writers, Luke does not hide the fact that people struggled and doubted.  The resurrection was not self-evident.  People did not believe until they encountered the risen Lord.  That is also true for us.  The evidence is only an empty tomb.  The gift of faith allows us to see something greater.  

The story of Emmaus has the disciples leaving Jerusalem for a town that held importance in Jewish history.  Emmaus was the site of a great Jewish victory against the Greeks.  They were walking to a remembered triumph and Jesus has them see a very different kind of triumphant in the cross and empty tomb.  With great joy and wonder, the disciples return to Jerusalem that very night.  The image is more powerful when you recall that the disciples invited Jesus to stay with them because is was growing dark.

The meal the disciples shared with Jesus takes on added significance in the light of our understanding of communion.  We say Christ meets us in the bread and wine.  For the early church, communion was connected to what happened on the road to Emmaus.  Originally, the focus was on Easter rather than the cross.  Through the years, the focus would change.

At the close of the gospel, Jesus appears to the disciples.  It seems like his appearances are all in one day and he returns to heaven.  In Acts, Jesus is around for 40 days.  This second appearance confirms that Jesus has truly risen.  He is given fish to eat.  The King James Bible includes honey, which was commonly given to newly baptized people in the early church. 

The group was particularly taken with the idea of waiting to be clothed in power (the Holy Spirit).  The point was made that we find is very difficult to wait on the Spirit.  It is hard for us to be still and listen for the voice of God.  We talked about a number of devotional practices that can help us grow quiet like reading the bible, prayer, labyrinth, long walks, etc.  These practices do not come easily, but we are transformed in those moments.  Luke wanted people to know that living out out faith begins with prayer, silence, and waiting.

This brings us to the end of Luke.  Our time has been well spent.  We will begin a new adventure starting Wednesday, April 17.  We will be exploring the Gospel of John.  Plan to join us in person or on the web.

Peace,
Pastor Summer    

Book of Faith - Luke 23:26-56 - The Crucifixion II

We continued our conversation on the crucifixion.  We asked ourselves a different question.  Beyond the biblical accounts, what does the cross mean to us?  As a starting point, we read The Theology of the Cross: A Usable Past by Douglas John Hall.  The reading was challenging, but worth the effort.  We began with the Lutheran distinction between the Theology of the Cross and the Theology of Glory.  For Luther, the Theology of Glory "does not know God hidden in suffering.  Therefore prefers works to suffering, glory to the cross, strength to weakness, wisdom to folly, and in general, good to evil."  The Theology of the Cross understands the cross as the ultimate statement of God's involvement in the world.  The theology accepts the reality of difficult things rather than avoiding the difficulty.  The theology tells the truth.  Luther went on to say that God was not only hidden in suffering, but God was at work in our anxiety and doubt.  The Theology of the Cross defines life in terms of giving rather than taking, self-sacrifice rather than self-protection, dying rather than killing.

As we read the work of Douglas Hall, a number of insights struck us a group.  One, the cross shows the compassion and solidarity of God.  Jesus did not die on the cross alone.  In a very real sense, God also suffered and died on the cross.  Luther was bold enough to use the phrase "crucified God."  This was a very new way of thinking about the cross for many in the group.

Two, the cross shows God's commitment to the world.  The cross is at once "the ultimate statement of humankind's movement away from God and God's gracious movement towards fallen humankind."  The cross does not take us out of the world, but sends us back into the world, a world that God loves, in a new way.  We do so willingly, knowing the struggles and difficulties.

Three, the cross makes us honest.  The cross has a boldness to "call a spade a spade."  As a group, we talked about people who speak of being a Christian as an end to all questions and struggles.  "Since I found Jesus, my life is perfect."  The cross takes us out of the idea that life is without difficulty and sorrow.  The cross speak of a gracious God who is with us in our difficulties and sorrows.  The cross allows us to face the truth about ourselves and our lives.

Four, the cross tells us that the life of faith in a journey, not a destination.  Luther understood the "Christian living does not mean to be good but to become good; not to be well, but to get well; not being but becoming;  not rest but training.  We are not yer, but we shall be.  It has not yet happened, but it is the way.  Not everything shines and sparkles as yet, but everything is getting better."  The group liked the idea of our being on a journey with a gracious God who journeys with us.

Again, we welcome everyone to join us in our conversation on Wednesday at noon at the CEB.  If you can't be there, keep following the blog.  This is a conversation worth having.

Peace,
Pastor Summer

Book of Faith - Luke 23:26-56 - The Crucifixion

As a group, we know the story of the crucifixion well.  However, focusing on just one account, the story as told by Luke, gives us a different picture.  Simon of Cyrene is asked to carry the crossbeam for Jesus.  It is interesting to note that John has Jesus, and Jesus alone, carrying the cross.  There were those, the docetists, who argued that Jesus could not have suffered and died on the cross and the true victim was Simon.  John wanted to make sure there was no misunderstanding.  This was not an issue for Luke.

Jesus speaks to the women along the way to his death.  In his warnings, you can hear the impending doom of Jerusalem by the hands of the Romans in 70 AD.  Were these the words of Jesus himself?  Or were these the words of the early church (Luke was written after the fall of Jerusalem) that help create meaning around that tragedy?  Did the fall of Jerusalem serves Luke's purpose in telling the story of the passion.  

The group discussed Jesus' words, "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do".  The group noted  that not all the ancient texts had those words.  However, those words deeply reflect the gospel Jesus proclaimed.  If those words are a part of Luke's telling the story, they are a wonderful addition.

The dividing of Jesus' garments raised a number of questions.  Who would casts lots for his worn and bloody garments?  If this scene is to reflect Psalm 22, as suggested in Mark's telling of the story, along with the mocking of the rulers, then this is a power scene.  With Psalm 22 serving as a backdrop to the crucifixion. the words of the psalmist add an extra dimension to the story.  The words of Psalm 22 add to the sense of drama.  Luke uses the images of Psalm 22 to paint a powerful picture.  The images and story still have the power to move us today.  The story stands at the center of our faith.  We still look up to the one who was crucified and cannot help but be changed.  

Peace,

Pastor Summer

Book of Faith - Luke 22:39-71 - In the Garden

The passion of Jesus is unfolding and our Wednesday group was taken by some of the details they had overlooked in the past.  Jesus tells his disciples to pray that they not enter into temptation, however, was Jesus tempted in the garden when he prays to his Father to have the cup removed.  After the temptation in the wilderness, the scripture says that the devil waited for a more opportune time.  Is the garden that time?  The garden prayer is such a power example of Jesus' humanity, and yet, Jesus is still willing to follow God's will.  

Luke heightens the drama in verses 43 and 44, which seem to be additions.  Sweating blood is such a powerful image.  The question was asked, how did Luke know what was happening when the disciples were asleep.  Did Jesus tell the disciples later after Easter?  Is this Luke filling in the details?  Is this God speaking to Luke as he was writing the gospel?  We explored all the possibilities.  Of course, the question was asked, why did the disciples go to sleep for sorrow.  Certainly, there was sorrow in the air, but the thought was that it may have had more to do with the wine at dinner.  

The group found the crowd that came to arrest Jesus interesting by its inclusion of the chief priests and the elders.  Wouldn't they have just sent the Temple Guard?  And why did the temple have a guard?  The thought was that the guard would protect the treasury but also assure the Romans that there would be order at the Temple.  It seemed to make sense that the religious authorities would have been willing to keep their own guard if it would keep the Romans out of the Temple. 

The denial of Peter in the courtyard was a very moving scene.  The group was particularly struck with Luke's addition of having Jesus turn and look at Peter as the cock crowed.  The particulars, whether Jesus could hear Peter's denials or whether Jesus could actually see Peter out in the crowd, are lost in the image of Jesus' simply looking at Peter.  In that singular moment, Peter is convicted without Jesus saying a work, and yet, we know there is grace that will come.  Peter will be singled out to have the Easter message given to him.  Even though he would deny Jesus, God's grace would claim and forgive him.  This poignant drama is a word of grace to all of us who fall short and in one way or another deny Jesus in our lives.  

Next week, we make the journey to Pilate and then the cross.  We will be gathering at noon on Wednesday at the Christian Education Building.  All are welcome to attend and participate.  As always, you are welcome to follow on the blog.

Peace,

Pastor Summer

 

Book of Faith - Luke 2214-23 - The Last Supper

This is such a well know story that the group was surprised to discover some variance in the telling of what happened.  The "short" text of Luke does not include Vss. 19b and 20.  In this version, the cup comes before the bread, the cup is not connected to a new covenant, and the main focus of the supper is a feast of anticipation.  The group talked about the early church possibly adding Vss. 19b and 20 to bring Luke into harmony with Mark 14:17-26 and I Corinthians 11:17-34.   We appreciated the early church wanting to harmonize the scripture, but we also appreciated the variance.  We noted that variance in baptism.  Does the Holy Spirit come before, during, or after baptism?  There is scriptural evidence for all three.  Such variance helps to explain the diversity within the life of the church.  Each denomination sighting its own scriptural evidence.  

Beyond the supper, the group spent a great deal of time talking about Judas Iscariot.  He is such an intriguing character in the passion story.  Why did he betray Jesus?  Was it just for the money?  Was is because he was disappointed in Jesus?  Was it to force Jesus' hand to take action and become the Messiah in the model of David?  Any and all of these are possibilities.  Of course, the real challenge is whether Judas was destined by God to betray Jesus?  If so, how can Judas be accountable?  There are those who have argued that Judas did have freewill and could have chosen not to betray Jesus.  Luther argued that Judas could not make that choice and was still accountable.  Was there mercy for Judas after his betrayal?  The text has Jesus speak a word of woe for Judas, but is that an eternal woe?  The group leaned towards wanting grace to speak for even Judas and that the sorrow of his suicide is not that there was no grace for him, but rather he was not open to or could not see the grace that was given. Consider another disciple.  Peter felt his denial alone left him outside of God's grace and Jesus sends a special word just for him after his resurrection  Jesus made sure the women told Peter in particular.  There is something wondrous about grace that is poured out even when we deny and betray.

Peace,
Pastor Summer