Death leads to life

June 20—21

Jeremiah 20:7--13            Ps 88:1-10, 16-17              Romans 6:1-11                   Matthew 10:24-39

The prophet Jeremiah reveals the heavy burden of the prophet. His intimate relationship with God has left him helpless to resist. He speaks a hard word to Israel and suffers greatly for it: repent or die.

Ironically, Paul tells us that death is an escape from the power of sin. Through baptism, he says, we enter into Christ, making Him the center. So union with Jesus, means that we have died to sin. It is the death of our ego, that false self which isolates from God. This death begins at baptism, but dying is also the beginning of the resurrection life in Christ. It begins here and now, but it is not completed. It is a beautiful theology of baptism, but the existential reality is a daily struggle. Our wounds, passions and sinfulness continue to draw us from God. The material world, which should be a sacrament of God among us, is more often a veil which hides God, and distracts us. Like ancient Israel, we must hear the prophet Jeremiah remind us, repent or the earthly city will fall to ruin.

The problem is, there is no Jeremiah among us. The church requires us to wear masks at church, but where is the prophet who warns us to shield our heart from sin? We stand six feet apart for physical health, but where is the prophet who cries out to keep away from the near occasion of sin? Church  folks declare “stay home to save lives” but do they take the command to go into the world and proclaim the Gospel just as seriously? If Jeremiah was among us would he feel any less distressed that we seem to more of our attention and energy to almost anything other than the things of God.

Death is the fruit of sin. Sin, our separation from God, makes us vulnerable. Like ancient Jerusalem, we are spiritual wasteland. Our society is splitting. Hopelessness and death threaten us.



We must turn to Jesus, who offers us a covenant relationship with God. Jesus promises that we claim Him before men, He will do the same before the Father. If we deny Him, He will deny us. Jesus must take precedence over everything, particularly our own selves. Jesus has come to save us from the sin which kills our true self. But the false self must die if the true self will rise. Only those who have carried their own cross can receive the Crucified into their hearts. If we die, then we can mediate the resurrection life of Jesus to a world of sin and death, injustice and chaos. We cannot let the fear of death keep us from the love of Jesus Christ. We cannot let the fear of death keep us from union with the Holy Three God. Let us die to our sin and rise to eternal life in Jesus!

june 13-14

Matthew'

Jesus' proclaimed the Good News of the Kingdom by teaching people, healing them and casting out Satan. He combats ignorance of God and misunderstanding of His will, and the human brokenness caused by sin. Jesus attacks the spiritual forces at work within us. The human condition evokes compassion from Jesus. He sees them as "harassed and helpless." It could be paraphrased as “mangled and thrown away.”

That crowd of people was angry about Roman oppression. The Jews often rioted and were considered unruly by the Emperor. Jesus warned them to choose another way. He told them that, because they failed to embrace Him as Messiah, the Temple would be destroyed and people would flee for their lives. [Mt 23:37—24:44]. In 70 A.D., Rome destroyed the Temple and the surviving Jews lost their land.

We often see the compassion of Jesus. He is deeply moved because He thinks of them as sheep without a shepherd. When He sends out the apostles, He will call them lost sheep. Yet He also warns His disciples that they will go out as sheep among wolves. We do well to recall that a crowd will demand He is crucified [Mt 27:15--26]. Crowds are notoriously unstable. In large groups, people are prone to scapegoating and mindless violence.

Jesus still sends His church out to heal, exorcise and teach in His name. Proclaiming the Gospel—the Kingship of God and the need to have a new mind and reformed heart—is our duty bound, even if we will often fail. Judgement Day is coming, but not in our life time. We are to be sheep among wolves. We are destined to be taken before their tribunals, betrayed by those nearest and dearest to us. In the last month, I have come to see that it could be soon.

It is hard to see the world as a harvest field, to care more about their needs and brokenness than we do our own safety. Self- preservation is a powerful passion at work in my sinful soul. We seek a group identity for protection, rather than the ministry of Jesus which embraces everyone. Too often we are shaped more by our politics than our faith. I often hear erudite opinions about societal issues, but they rarely include an adequate grasp of the church’s mission. To be clear: My own failure to grasp the fullness of Jesus’ teachings and to live in accordance with His words weighs more heavily upon me each day.

It hard to look at the crowds and see lost sheep in need of love and healing. It is hard to be a shepherd when the need is so great.

It is also hard to be a sheep walking among the wolves. It is hard to love those who would gladly devour us with their sharp teeth.

Our destiny is to be hated by all because of Jesus’ name. Our duty is to love all in Jesus’ name. He is with to the end.

Back Together! Trinity Sunday

Genesis 1:1-2:4
Psalm 8
2 Corinthians  13:11-13
Matthew 28:16-20

The world has changed quite a bit in three months: Corona virus, business failure and unemployment, protests, murders and riots. The great divide within our society threatens the fabric of every church. Who can you trust? Who tells the truth? What should we do?

We are told to stay six feet apart and wear masks, so we do, but we can worship together! It is the feast of the Holy Trinity: The One and Only God is Three Persons! The Three Divine Persons are One God! Each and every one of us is made in the image of the Triune God and so we were created for community. This is why we need to come together!

Each human is unique. We are all different, yet despite our diversity we share a common human nature. There is a great power at work in all the things which divide us. We separate into our various “tribes,” but the power of God is greater. God created us with one human nature in His image. So, if God is love, we, too, must become love.

Paul’s letter to the Corinthians ends with some wonderful imperatives. The first word "farewell," chairete, also means "rejoice," (which I prefer). Joy is a function of hope and gratitude. Friends we must rejoice in all circumstances, even in dark days.

“Mend your ways,” Paul says next. This word first appears in the Gospels, where the apostles were mending their nets. This is deep symbolism. Christians must constantly mend our ways. We mend both our lives and the world. This mending is a healing work, a holy work; but mending requires patience and gentleness. God must dwell in our heart to mend us if we are to mend anything else.

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The next Greek word is 'mind,' to agree is to have one mind. The Holy Three God has one mind. We are many diverse believers sharing one mind. But be clear, our agreement is not the goal. Nazis and communists, racists and anarchists share a single mind, but they pursue evil. Even the shared mind of more benign groups like a sports team or a business are not what we need. We must have the mind of Christ. The mind of Christ is the one mind which we share. His mind is our unity.

Paul ends with the beautiful promise that “the God of Love and Peace will be with you.” We know that "God is love." The Trinity is a communion of love—the love of the Father, Son and Spirit which is poured into us. Human nature is love; we love God and we love others who are made in God's image. The reality is, the cost of love is always death, figuratively, and sometimes literally. If God suffers the incarnation and dies on the cross to redeem us, so, too, must we die in love to cooperate in the work of redemption and enter the Kingdom Peace of God.

Fear not friends. Trust God. Love God. Unite with God.