Institutions

Jesus judges not only people but also our human institutions. A homily on
Deuteronomy 30:15-20    Psalm 1    Philemon 1-21   Luke 14:25-53

An “institution” is an intentional organization or society or an established law, custom or practice. Human institutions order our common life, but human institutions are “fallen” so they are always a mix of good and evil. We were created by God to share in His perfect life, but we live far from Him, ruled by sin and death. He defeats sin by forgiveness and death by resurrection. That healing is already in process and we can choose to cooperate.

We were created for freedom, so the human institution of slavery is obviously very evil. God’s judgement on slavery is at the heart of the “exodus story.” God patiently tried to convince Pharaoh “to let my people go,” but Pharaoh chose to reject His request. The cost of Israel’s salvation is the death of Egypt’s firstborn sons, a God literally does unto Egypt, what Egypt had done to Israel. The escape from Egypt is the first stage of freedom, the next step is choice. It is the freedom to choose which makes a person free. Choices, however, have consequences. God says: I lay before you life or death, blessing or curse. Choose Life.

Freedom has a requirement: "loving the Lord your God, obeying Him and holding fast to Him." Too often we reduce freedom to “doing as I want,” not realizing that this merely makes us slaves to my wants, passions and desire. Paradoxically, when we serve God we become truly free.

This is why Paul’s request, “receive [Onesimus] back, not as a slave, but as a brother," is an historical turning point. It frees both slave and owner from an evil institution.  

Jesus brings judgement on the failings of every human institution—not just the obviously evil ones like slavery. He judges every human institution, and reminds us of the priority of God. He places Himself above Rome, the Law and the Temple, and tell us that the world will pass away, He warns us against wealth, He calls us to carry a cross and follow Him---so it should be no surprise when He judges the human institution of the family.

The demand to "hate" family and self is hyperbole—Jesus is saying that family loyalty, like perverted self-love, can become idolatry. We must remember the family in the ancient world was the sole source of identity. The authority of the father was unquestioned. Jesus replaces loyalty to a human family with membership in the family of God. If your family wants to take you to Hell, then you "hate" them (all the while loving them).

The centrality of love to Christianity cannot be overstated. What would a person of love be driven to hate? If a son overdoses we would hate the drug trade, if a daughter was a sex slave, we would hate human trafficking. The word “hate” as Jesus uses it is symbolic. It is the declaration that anything which keeps us from the love of God and fellowship with Him is the enemy. Discipleship does not await parental approval. If a choice must be made, we must love God and “hate” whatever institution would stand in the way.

Today we are also confronted with a choice: life or death?

We must choose to cling to God in love and obedience.

We must not choose any human institution, not even family, not even ourselves, over Him.

Choose wisely!

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For further reflection

Taken literally, the words of Jesus sound like a "depressed adolescent" transitioning, through self loathing and hostility toward parents, into adulthood. I think such a reading is in error, and below I have provided ample references in which to interpret "hate."
LOVE
Mt 22:39 love your neighbor as yourself
Lk 6:32 if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them.
John 12:34 a new command I give you, love one another as I loved you.
John 13:35 By this all men will know that you are my disciples if you love one another.
John 15:12 This is my command that you love one another as I have loved you
Romans 12: 9-10 let love be genuine...love one another with brotherly affection.
I Corinthians 13 "if I have not love"... basically I am nothing of value.
and dozens of other declarations of love or exhortations to love
On the issue of hate
Luke 6:27 Love your enemies
16:13 no one can serve two masters, they will love one and hate the other... You cannot serve God and Mammon (money/wealth)
hate I more regularly aimed at the disciples. 16:13 blessed are you when men hate you for my sake and 21:17 you will be hated by all for my sake.
Ephesian 5:29 Paul writes "no one hates his own flesh"
I John 2:9 whoever hates his brother is in darkness, 2:11 whoever hates his brother walks in darkness and is blind, 3:15 the one who hates is a murderer

On the issue of relationship to family: Luke's Gospel begins with two "families" the parents of John the Baptist and Jesus. The angel promises (Lk 1:17) John the Baptist is going "to turn the hearts of parents to their children." In Lk 11:11, in His instruction on prayer, Jesus asks, "What father among you, if his son asks for a fish instead of a fish would give him a serpent?...if you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the Heavenly Father..." In 12:49-53, Luke quotes Jesus on His impact--I have not brought peace but division; parents and children will be against one another. Related to this, 14:12-14 Jesus suggests inviting the poor and needy to the banquet, rather than family, friends and the wealthy. Also, recall 9:57-62 where Jesus asserts the priority of His call to the demands of family piety.

The parallel in Matthew 10:37-39 offers a softer version of Jesus' hard saying, "He who loves father of mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he who loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and he who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me."

Mt 19:29 (//Lk 18:29) "And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my names sake, will receive one hundred-fold, and inherit eternal life."
Mt 23:9 "Call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven." 

healing salvation (with addendum)

in light of some questions about my sermon I have tried to clarify at the end of the text....

Isaiah 58:9b-14
psalm 103:1-8
Hebrews 12:18-29
Luke 13:10-17

Isaiah 58 is a stunning prophesy where, God declares that His people are false and sinful, engaging in empty pious practices; but He promises, ‘if you care for the poor, your light will shine. If you take care of the needy your healing [‘aruwkah: a long bandage, healing, restoration] will spring up quickly.’ Salvation heals body and soul, individuals and communities—and it begins here and now!

However, Isaiah says: Salvation is received through obedient, loving-trust. Serving the poor opens us to receive the gift, probably because we receive from God through the same door to our heart from which our generosity and love pour out. The Sabbath also matters, “if you refrain from  trampling the Sabbath, from pursuing your own interests on my holy day; if you call the sabbath a delight and the holy day of the Lord honorable; if you honor it, not going your own ways, serving your own interests, or pursuing your own affairs…” God says He will raise you high.

We know that the ministry of Jesus is our model. We see that He saves the needy--healing is a weapon of spiritual warfare. Jesus healed constantly. Taking  healing out of the  Jesus' ministry is like playing baseball without a bat. Healing is a major part of the Gospel narrative. In fact, there are forty recorded healing incidents, of which eleven involved crowds. Seven times Jesus healed on the sabbath, including today’s controversy.

So we turn to ask, does Jesus conform to God’s message in Isaiah 58? Is He disdaining the Sabbath, pursuing His own interests, and trampling on God’s holy day? It seems not. He is freeing a woman in bondage to a “spirit of weakness” (infirmity) and as He said elsewhere, the  Father continues to work, He has no sabbath break from His creation. Jesus, the Incarnate God, must continue the work of 'creation', this is a work of salvation—He reveals God’s saving love. Sabbath is for human restoration and Jesus is restoring!

The New Testament delineates different causes for illness, some physical and others spiritual, Today the woman is sick for eighteen years because of a spirit of infirmity. [We hear often that the majority of physical illness (75%-90%) is actually connected to cognitive and emotional causes--the spiritual realm.] All human illness belongs to Satan’s reign, not God's Kingdom. It is hard to overstate how important healing is in the mission of Jesus and His church. Where God is king there is health and salvation!

Spiritual warfare between Jesus and Satan continues today. Social conflict, physical disease and mental illness are all a taste of hell—but Jesus is risen and through the church He not only can heal, He does heal. Jesus is healing among us every day! We have seen people healed of cancer and all other manner of maladies. We have even seen it happen immediately--people's surgeries canceled because the cancer or malady was gone!

Doubters say, “but so many sick aren’t healed.” While it is true, isn't it also fair to ask “why?” Isaiah 58, says that healing/restoration occurs among those who serve the poor and do not pursue their own desires. If our community is disobedient then the word of God makes clear, healings will not happen. God says sin is a barrier. So, too, He says are fear, doubt and unforgiveness. Remember, we are connected to community, our own faith is part of a larger system. 

Jesus testified to the power of unbelief—and too many Christians do not believe. We reduce salvation to ‘going to heaven after we die,’ we deny that there is a devil and preachers declare that Jesus no longer heals. Christians are actually programed to say, “Don’t bother God with your problems when there are others who are worse off.” We literally believe that Almighty God has His hands full, we can help Him by not asking! Ironically, the opposite is true…. Healings increase faith, which draws more people closer to God, which leads to more healing. Our refusal to ask in faith only adds to the doubt and despair in the world. Understand, the spirit of infirmity is already here among us; we need Jesus' healing salvation.

Our Father promises amazing things if we are radically generous to the poor, if we love our Lord and trust His power to heal. Jesus-light already shines in the world—the question is, do enough of us want it shining here? 

addendum (9/8/19)
1. The point of Isaiah is that "the nation" is under judgement. The entire people, the group, and any individual is always part of the group. There is NOT a direct linear correlation between "taking care of the poor" and "receiving God's blessings." While our individual lives do matter, the social context does as well.
2. Salvation is a whole body experience, and healing affects all aspects of the human person and human community. Physical healing is not the primary issue, right relationship with God is. 
3. While salvation/healing begins now it does not reach its completion (teleos--perfection, wholeness, completeness, end). So the question "are you saved?' is answered by "how do I look?" which literally means--do I look like I am seeking God and receiving His life? Do I look like I am on the path and  headed in the right direction? Are their manifestations of God's Holy Spirit in my life?
4. "Doubters" are not the only ones who ask "why are not all healed?" We all have those questions. However, there are many people who self identify as non-believers. It is them to whom I refer. Unfortunately, to some extent, we are all doubters. The Bible is clear, our doubt is a barrier to God. Peter sunk in the water and Jesus asked, "Why did you doubt?" The disciples are scared in a storm and Jesus asked, "Why have you no faith?" There are dozens of times that unbelief is challenged by Jesus. Part of facing our "sinfulness" is admitting that we have doubts and these doubts are a problem.
5. All physical healing is temporary. Lazarus is dead. The disciples are dead. I understand mortality is real. However, healings took place in Jesus' ministry and to the extent Jesus' ministry flows UNIMPEDED through us we will see "greater deeds than these" (per His promise). 
6. We live in a fallen world. Sin, unbelief, disease, suffering, mental illness, etc. are the "World" (in the negative sense). We are in a physical, social, spiritual environment which is (more or less) toxic.
7. Being healed does not mean you have more faith than someone who was not healed, necessarily. Personal faith is one important component, but there is much more to the story. How serious is the problem? The bigger the problem, the more power is needed. What about your social environment? are you surrounded by anger, fear, doubt? What about outside spiritual forces? Is the Enemy at work? Are there people who wish you ill? Are there unconscious wounds or thoughts at work? Sometimes the ministers are filled with doubt. Their prayers are ineffectual. It is not a simple equation of faith means healing. 
8. Even if the physical healing doesn't happen there can be other healings of greater long term impact. Many who die are closer to God in faith and love. From the perspective of eternity, ten or twenty years are not much. From our perspective, they can feel like an eternity. Herein lies the dilemma
9. There is so much more that I do not know or understand, than there is that I do. I am hopeful what I have learned and shared here is of value.

The seven sabbath miracles http://icogsfg.org/sab-7mir.html

do not be afraid

genesis 15:1-6

Psalm 33:12-22

Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16

Luke 12:32

The Lord tells Abram, “fear not,” the second time the Hebrew word yare (‘afraid’) occurs in the Jewish Bible. The first time was Genesis 3:10 when Adam told God, “I hid because I was afraid.” The word afraid will occur 412x. Fear is a big problem.

The central role of doubt and fear are manifest from the beginning, although the Bible is silent on why Adam and Eve sinned. This is the nature of a richly symbolic revelation--it invites us to hear and interpret (within the context of the church). I think God was absent in order to give humans the freedom to choose to trust and love Him. Absence, however, also provides freedom to not trust and not love. The doubt of Adam and Eve opened the door to fear and sin. Eve did not trust God, she trusted herself. Did she fear being duped? I don’t know but we do know that they hid from God in fear. What is more frightening, to be abandoned by God or face His judgement and rejection?

Did Adam blame Eve because he was afraid to face his guilt? 
Did his betrayal feed her doubt and fear? 
Cain will soon murder Abel—biblical families are rife with jealousy, betrayal and even violence. Trust and love are risky business.

We will each experience doubt and fear in our own unique ways. Do you prefer God’s providence or your own autonomy?
Is it better to be isolated or to trust someone? 
Can you face the truth about yourself and take responsibility or do you prefer projecting it on others? 
From the beginning we have had to subdue the world, work and keep watch. Creation is good, but it is also dangerous. No matter how brave or strong we might be, the threats are bigger than we are. God's solution to our dilemma is salvation; which unfolds in promises!

In Genesis 12 God had promised an heir to Abram. Abram believed, but he also wavered. He was worried about the lack of an heir.  Now, in Genesis 15 “The word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, "Do not be afraid…" This is how prophets described God’s communication. The prophetic word is aimed at salvation! Abraham worried about an heir, in spite of God’s promise. Now God’s prophetic word is, “Fear not, I am your shield.” The prophetic word sets us back on the right path. Like us, Abraham struggled to trust in God’s promise.

Hebrews says "by faith Abraham obeyed..." Hebrew says that faith is confident assurance in what is unseen. Fortunately, even when our confidence is less than assured, we can still be obedient. Faith and obedience are interconnected. Sometimes faith is behaving like the promise is true, even if we are unsure.

Jesus says, "Do not be afraid little flock, it has pleased the Father to give you the Kingdom." God’s promise to us is a share in His reign. We have everything we need in God, but we may not always feel sure that that is true. Jesus tells us to check our hearts—do we desire God or are we led by our other desires? He warns us to use material wealth to help others, He says. The amount of wealth we have is easy to overlook. The lure of pleonexia--wanting more cannot be ignored. Jesus wants us: Be watchful and faithful.  

Prayer, worship and study, in-reach and outreach are concrete ways to trust and obey Jesus. Be alert to what scares you, or worries you. Be aware of your doubts. Doubt and Fear block theosis union with God. We are all unsure, worried and afraid, in our own way. Admit it and do not let them steal your heart from God. 

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"The word of the Lord came..."

this expression occurs a dozen or so times in the books of Samuel and Kings in connection with prophets like Elijah or directly to a king. Jeremiah has it 20x, Exekiel 49x and Zechariah 4x. There are also many more examples, with slight modifications in wording or order, which are also found. The point is this is a standard expression of prophecy and an indication that Abraham was also a prophet.

The Bible does not provide much psychological information, so we rarely have insights into motivations. We are left to interpret, based on the Rule of Faith (the orthodox faith and church teaching), most narratives. This must be done carefully and humbly. So what I say above about fear and doubt is my opinion, and, therfore, not put forth as necessarily true.

you cant take it with you

Ecclesiastes 1:2, 12-14; 2:18-23
Psalm 49:1-11
Colossians 3:1-11
Luke 12:13-21

Most of the Jewish Bible pre-dates belief in eternal life. Ecclesiastes has a particularly bleak assessment of human existence and mortality. “*Everything is a vapor”—it says, to start a book which declares that life is not fair and things don’t work out for the best. Work is drudgery and busyness—(the same Greek word Jesus said to Martha). He basically asks, “What’s the point?” and in 2:24 advises us to eat, drink and enjoy what time we have, before we disappear forever.

Ps 49 takes up a similar theme—both the wise and the foolish will die, leaving everything they have to others. Even the rich cannot ransom their life from God. Our sense of control is actually an illusion.

In Jesus Christ, however, the dark view of human toil and mortality are seen in a new light. The resurrection of Jesus changes everything and Paul exhorts us to a new way of thinking. We must “put off the old humanity” (paleos anthropos) and “put on the new [self],” our “mind renewed in the image (ikon) of the creator." 

The Ancient Church teaching on the passions and theosis is all found here in the Colossians reading. Theosis focuses our mind above because that is where Jesus reigns. Ecclesiastes paints an accurate picture of life on earth. Our Lord saves us from the earthly, which Paul delineates:

Porneia—literally any form of sexual immorality, figuratively idolatry.

Akatharsia—uncleanness, impurity, lust; the opposite of holiness.

Pathos—passion, illicit desires which cause us pain

Epithymia—desire, craving, longing, lusts for what is forbidden

Obviously, all four overlap, and each reveals how our souls are tied to the earthly. Sin is deadly, and death is of sin. Every sinful behavior is produced by these earthly desires and it is our behaviors which ruin us, our loved ones and our world.

Last of all Paul lists pleonexia (greed, avarice, covetousness) which literally means “to have more.” Each person want more because nothing satisfies the hunger within us. Always is search for something different, something else, something more… Paul says pleonexia is actually eidolotria—idolatry.  

Our hearts were made for God, He is the Something More which we desire. The holy desire is union (theosis) with God and others in love, but in our brokenness our heart is twisted and betrays us. The passions, lusts, unclean desires and greed are distortions of the true desire. Only God can satisfy our hearts, so the couunterfeit desires are really creating false gods. The tragedy of life in a fallen world is that we desire what hurts us and we desire to have more and more of it to satisfy our longing.

It is pleonexia which Jesus warns us about in the Gospel. Jesus is not among us to settle property disputes—to distribute resources. Jesus came to heal the passions not feed them. Jesus quotes from Ecclesiastes—the rich man who says ‘now I can eat, drink and be merry,”--but Jesus calls him a fool, for tonight, says Jesus, you die. For the author of Ecclesiastes, death was the end, but for Jesus it is only the beginning.

It is hard for us wealthy Americans, driven by the passions and always wanting more and more, to become rich for God. There is so much for us abundance around us... We can stay busy and distracted, perhaps even believing in a God whose job it is to settle our disputes and give us what we think we are owed. This is to limit ourselves to the old humanity--living as if the here and now is all that matters. This is to choose death. There is another way. The way to life in Jesus is death to old humanity, a rejection of the earthly passions. Let us truly and deeply repent. Let us truly seek the heavenly things where Jesus is. Let us truly choose life.

Martha is NOT a role model.

Genesis 18: 1-10a

Psalm 138

Colossians 2:6-15, (16-19)

Luke 10:38-42

Martha and Mary are not being offered to us as two models of Christian life. Everyone must be a servant because Jesus, our Model, is one who serves. Service is not optional in the Christian life; but Martha is not a model of service in this story--she is a model of anxiety and resentment.

To understand the story, we must reread Jesus’ instruction to the disciples in Luke 10:21-24. Jesus says, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see…prophets and kings desired to see what you see and hear (akuo) what you hear." To see and hear Jesus is the blessing.

Mary is the true disciple because she sits at Jesus’ feet and listen/hears (akuo) Him. She understands who this is. She is not distracted. Earlier in Luke 9 at the Transfiguration God the Father spoke from the cloud and said, “This is My Son, hear (akuo) Him. That is God’s command. That is what Jesus tells us the saints of old long for—to see and hear Him. The great Jewish prayer says "Hear, Israel..." and hearing God's word is central to the Jewish faith.

Martha is, like all of us, broken. She is wounded and she acts as she does because of the wound. Her False Self is "the one who does the right thing" or "the helper" or the "one in charge." The False Self covers over the pain. So she is “distracted” (perispao—distracted, troubled, over busy, distressed). Those are words describing broken humans, not role models of Christian faithfulness. Martha "cannot" see or hear Jesus because she is too stressed out and busy, however, she is irritated with Him and her sister. “Don’t you care about me?” she asks. She is not being a servant in all this, she is focused on herself.

We are all Martha. We focus on ourselves because we are worried and anxious wonder. We do lots of things to "justify" ourselves (last week the Lawyer did it in his own intellectual way). We wonder if Jesus notices all we do and if He cares. Martha's problem is her heart, not what she is doing. If she had sat at Jesus' feet worried and distracted about why Mary wasn't there she could have the same reaction. Lots of people worry about going to church and are busy with praying or Bible study—and all the while worried and upset that God is not noticing how spiritual they are and resenting His mercy and love toward others who are no so spiritual. Martha at prayer is still the same person, just like Mary at service is the same person. Martha is an icon of the broken heart. Mary is an icon of the healing heart.

A troubled soul is the opposite of faith. Doubt, fear, anxiety are barriers to our union with God. In Luke 12 Jesus says do not worry. He asks, “Will worrying add to your life?” We know the answer, medical research proves it ruins our health and kills us. Anxiety also kills us spiritually. In the parable of the seed, Luke 8:14, the anxieties of life are weeds that choke the Kingdom seed in each human heart. In chapter 21, Jesus commands: “Be on guard so that your hearts are not weighed down with dissipation, drunkenness and the worries of this life so that the day of the Lord finds you unprepared.” This is what sin really is, anything that makes us unprepared to receive the kingdom. Anxiety is a barrier to the kingdom. Martha may be your hero, but she will not lead you into eternal life. There is no virtue in being busy (and resentful) if it means you do not see Jesus or hear Him.

Jesus tells Martha—you are in tumult about so much. He offers an alternative: “there is one thing that is needed and Mary has chosen it.” Jesus spoke of 'need' twice before this.

In Luke 5:31 Jesus said that healthy people don’t need a doctor, sick people do. In Luke 9:31 Jesus cured all those who needed healing. I am pretty sure the one thing we need is healing and it is only found at Jesus' feet. Remember, earlier in the Gospel, Peter's mother in law had a fever. Jesus healed her and she got up and served them (no mention of her being angry at Jesus). Until Jesus heals us, we can not truly serve. If we "serve" out of our broken heart we end up resentful, over-busy, and distracted. 

Mary is the model of those who face their woundedness and need. Mary is the model of those who listen to Jesus as disciples (which is what ‘sitting at His feet’ literally refers to).

Martha is the model of anxious non-belief. She is the busy one who tries to handle things on her own--she is overwhelmed, stressed out and angry with everyone, even the Lord. She is the role model of the False Self who hurts too bad inside to sit at Jesus’ feet.

Anything that keeps us from Jesus is bad.

Anything that makes you angry and resentful is bad.
Anything that lets you see Jesus and hear Jesus is good.

Perceive

Dtn 30: 9-14     Col 1: 1-14      Lk 10:25-37

This summer we have read from Luke 9 and 10. Let’s pause for an overview to see how it fits together. In Luke 9:20 Peter declares that Jesus is the Messiah, but Jesus swears them to silence as He begins to explain that His Kingship is a way of suffering and death. We, too, Jesus said, must die to self. Next, on the Mountain of Transfiguration, God the Father confirms Peter’s insight, revealing that Jesus is, “My Son, My Chosen, listen to Him.” Jesus comes down the mountain, casts out another demon and repeats that He is going to die.

Next Jesus teaches the disciples that “the least is the greatest,” saying to welcome a child in His name is to receive Him. The same themes occur over and over. A Samaritan village rejects Jesus because He does not fit their beliefs so they can’t see God. Jesus challenges others to leave family behind to follow Him, God takes priority over everything. Jesus sends out the seventy to proclaim the kingdom, and there is more healing and exorcisms, more acceptance and rejection of Jesus.

Today we hear Jesus’ prayer. Jesus thanks God who has hidden from the learned what He reveals to children. The child, the small people, is woven throughout several stories. No one know the Son except the Father, no one knows the Father except the Son, and anyone whom the Son chooses to reveal Him. Only the children can hear Him.

This is the key to reading the next two stories, our Gospel today and next week. Today we meet a learned lawyer and next week, busy, distracted Martha. Luke often parallels a story of a man and a woman to illustrate the same point. The lawyer and Martha fail to recognize Jesus and receive the kingdom.

Luke uses the Greek word ekpeirazo. It means to test but occurs rarely, only occurs twice in the (Ancient Greek version of the Jewish Bible) Septuagint —both in Deuteronomy. Dtn 6:16 “You shall not put the Lord your God to the test” is quoted by Jesus responding to Satan in the desert. Paul uses it in 1 Corinthians 10:9 (We must not put the Lord to the test, as some of them did and were destroyed by serpents).

Is Luke giving a verbal clue that the lawyer, in testing Jesus, is actually testing God? Is the lawyer actually breaking the Law which he thinks he is upholding? In failing to see God in Jesus has he chosen death?  More to the point, have we?

God, like the Torah we read about in Deuteronomy, is near to us. Jesus repeatedly tells us to see God in those around us. The parable of the Good Samaritan makes clear that everyone, including those whom we despise, is our neighbor.  Such love transcends and fulfills the material content of the law. Jesus draws us into the heart of God What Deuteronomy says remains true: Choose God and choose life. Reject God and you choose death.

It is hard to find God without seeking Him. Our challenge is to see God in Jesus and see Jesus in others. 
( the actual sermon expands on this written version. God to our church website where it will be downloaded this week)

4th Pentecost Sent by Jesus

Isaiah 66:10-14

Galatians 6:(1-6) 7--16

Luke 10:1--11, 16--20

In the Jewish Bible, the Kingdom of God is compared to vine yards and other agriculture. Jesus does the same. The "Day of the Lord" is often likened to a harvest. Jesus tells one parable, where God patiently watches as the wheat and weeds grow together. Our world, like our hearts, are weed infested. God waits for His day.

If things are sometimes hard now, Christians hope that someday God will make all things well, but in the mean time we must be patient, long-suffering and steadfastness. We encounter so much physical pain and emotional suffering, in others, if not ourselves. Demons of despair sink their claws into our hearts to tear them from Abba Father.

The Bible makes clear that we are to pray to God for salvation in all its forms. We all know, however, that our prayers are often "ineffective." We have looked at this, but a brief refresher: we must pray in faith, doubt is an effective barrier to receiving what God would give. This includes the unbelief of  those around us. However, if we fail to pray with faith it is a barrier to deliverance [see Mt 21:22 and James 1:6]. Unfortunately, doubt is not the only issue; unrepentant sin, fear, and unforgiveness are as well. The sinful passions all render prayer ineffective.  

Jesus provides us a way out. Every problem is caused by sin--the separation from God--so union with God is the antidote. Jesus challenges us to pray for God's concerns: the fallen world. We are disciples, entrusted with a sacred mission. We are to make the world holy—starting with our own hearts—by offering it to God. We are to proclaim the Kingdom message of salvation. Unfortunately  there are not enough people willing to do it. Jesus Himself said there are too few workers—He tells us, Pray that the Father will send more workers into the harvest! He also sends us, “Go! Do the work!" This prayer and kingdom work unites us to God.

This does raise an issue, “Why doesn’t God just take care of it Himself?” I don’t know. The Incarnational God is a "scandal" for our theology. The 'God-among-us' says He needs us. Jesus says that we have to pray. Why? Jesus sends us out to do the work. Why? Jesus says God is like a land owner who needs laborers to bring in the harvest. How can this be? It sounds crazy to say God needs our help, yet Jesus seems to say just that. Why would God be in partnership with us? (Some claim this is what set Lucifer and the fallen angels against God) Ever since YHWH gave Adam dominion over the earth, human agency has partnered with Divine. Since the Fall, humans have been both united and separated from God. As we said earlier, Jesus said it is like weeds in a farm field. The weeds are everywhere, including our hearts and souls.

If we are the problem, God’s solution still includes us. Jesus sends us out as lambs among wolves. He says focus on God’s provision and not our resources. He tells us to confront Satan and set people free from the demonic. He says be instruments of God’s healing love—for body, soul, spirit.

It amazes how much Jesus trust us, especially as we are rarely enthusiastic about discipleship. He identifies Himself with us, saying, “Whoever rejects you, rejects Me, whoever rejects Me, rejects the One who sent Me.” If our biggest problem is our separation from God, then Jesus identifying with us (Theosis—union with God) is the solution. Prayer and Kingdom focus are the best way to be one with God.

Let us pray. Father make us one with you in Jesus. Holy Spirit purify us and consecrate us as instruments of Kingdom salvation. Help us love you and love others enough to be Jesus in the world today!