Mar 07

In The Kingdom, Seeing Is Doing

Mark 12:28-34

     Those of us trained in the mindset of the Reformation have an aversion any kind of works or even ritual tied to our faith.  It is right to affirm the Apostle Paul’s words in Romans 3:28, “For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law.”  Yet, when we come to Jesus in the Gospels, we hear a different take than our usual understanding of relationship between works and justification.

     We come this week to one of those bothersome passages where it seems Jesus is affirming that fidelity to the Commandments is the way to enter the Kingdom of God.  Understanding that the whole of the Law and Prophets (our Old Testament) is summed up in the Greatest Commandment, “to love God with our whole heart,” and the Second is “to love your neighbor as yourself,” puts you not far from the Kingdom of God.  How is that?  Some commentators say that the man is not far from the Kingdom because he is not far from Jesus.  That is not a convincing explanation.  If we look at what is said in this passage, the key verb is love.  Who you love and how you show it is what puts you in the Kingdom of God.  If you love God, your life will run contrary to the kingdoms of this world.  If you love the other as yourself, your life will run contrary to your social group, tribe, racial norms, or other allegiances. 

     The epistle of James gives us a great example to contemplate.  “With it (our tongue) we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God (James 3:9).”  These actions are incongruent.  If you have not allowed the command to love God and love neighbor to sink in your heart and control your tongue, you are far from the Kingdom of God.  We cannot be self-righteous thinking that we “love the right kind of people” while disdaining and even cursing the wrong kind of people.
 
     Being a part of God’s plan of redemption of all things begins with our hearts and how we are disciplined into the stringent requisites of the Greatest Commandments. 

Pastor Greg

Mar 01

Lent and Self Image

Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips,
and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips;
for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!”
(Isaiah 6:5)

     It seems in some circles that feeling bad about yourself is one of the greatest sins.  With all our emphasis on giving children and other confidence and acceptance we put a lot of effort into building their self-image.  By and large this is a positive emphasis, because we are accepted fully in Christ Jesus.

     In the traditional practice of Lent, we have an emphasis on “just as I am, poor, wretched, blind.”  And seeing ourselves as failures and worthless before God.  The honest, spiritual inventory called in traditional Lent, should not be shied away from.  For we must have an accurate diagnosis or assessment of our spiritual and ethical health before we can take measures to healthy living.  Yet, we must also do and accurate spiritual inventory of our strengths lest we slide into despair. 

     So, in our self-examination of Lent let us think back to last Lent and see how we have improved, how we have overcome our flaws, and how we have become stronger in our faith.  This is the encouragement of Lent.  This makes Lent a season with the promise of building our self-image or self-understanding.  It is not just a time to ask for God’s help in overcoming our deficiencies, but seeing how God’s power has helped us grow, develop, and mature in the past.

Pastor Greg

Feb 22

Baptized Dust

for out of it you were taken; you are dust,    and to dust you shall return.”
(Genesis 3:19)

We begin Lent with the solemn reminder of the words of our Creator, “you are from dust and you are going to dust.”  This reminder is not to make us feel worthless, but to remind us how transient life is and how fragile is our existence.  That is why we have Lent, so that we may take seriously our relationship with God, the ways we have failed in living into God’s image, and the wonders of the Resurrection as it relates to creatures like us.
         
          This brings us into an attitude of soberness as we consider our existence.  A sober look at ourselves and the ways that we have allowed sin to mess up our lives and relationships.  A sober look at the things we hold as valuable and place them in their proper perspective.  And a sober look at the purpose of our lives and fulfilling its meaning.

          Lest we think that Lent is all a “downer” time, let us remember the fact that we are only dust reminds us of the profound love of God for us.  My favorite Psalm says:

      For he knows how we were made;
        he remembers that we are dust.
        Psalm 103:14

Besides the mark of dust and ashes that we wear for Lent, we also bear another mark.  We have been marked by baptism.  The Apostle reminds us, “For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” (Galatians 3:27.) Through the work of Christ, we are not just dust blowing in the wind, we are baptized dust, loved by our Heavenly Father and kept on his mind.  We are transformed dust robed with the Son of God that loved us and gave himself for us.

          During this Lent remember that you are baptized dust, so go and act like it.

Pastor Greg

Feb 16

Jesus Faces Rejection Too

     In the second half of Mark’s Gospel, we are introduced to a new situation.  Jesus faces rejection.  The first half he was questioned, but now his message is rejected and people turn their backs on Jesus.  The rich man receives the answer to his deepest question, but walks away.  The scribe answers correctly and is not far from the kingdom of God (Mark 12:34).  Yet they did not dare go any further. 

      I try to put myself in the position of the rich man and scribe.  What would make me reject Jesus and the promise of eternal life?  I guess there are several reasons. One could be that I would want to keep my options open.  You never can tell when something better will come along.  Another reason maybe I think there is plenty of time and I do not have to commit now.  Yet the story line of Mark is taking Jesus to Jerusalem and he never returns to these men.

     I am sure there are other reasons we could list why would a person in general or these men in particular reject Jesus.  But it comes down to my own personal experience.  Do I reject Jesus?  When he asks me to give something or do something, do I just turn and walk away?  When he challenges my opinions about the Bible or my way of living, do I shut my mouth and hope that there is not another mention of the problem?  And, taking it further, how do I respond when I am rejected for following Jesus?

     Rejection of the gracious gift of eternal life in Christ happens.  Our call is to be faithful in sharing the good news of Jesus’ love.  Rarely can we argue someone into the Kingdom of God.  It is not just us having to give the correct answer.  It is a spiritual problem.  The Spirit of God is the one that must call the person to Christ.  When rejections come, they first are rejecting the Spirit before they reject us.  That is why we must be faithful in well doing.

Pastor Greg

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Twinsburg First Congregational Church