You gotta know the backstory: twins who hated each other, and fought constantly. One, big, brawny, and maybe not so bright. The other, smaller, smarter, quicker and 'graspy' -- all for him, nothing for anyone else. He was the center of the universe, and if he forgot that fact, his mother reminded him. He was her favorite. Twin Two steals not one, but two valuable things from slower Twin One. Twin One explodes in anger, threatening to kill Twin Two. Twin Two, smaller and more wiley -- escapes and hides out at the home of relatives in the East. Years pass. Parents die. Families grow. Twins One and Two have had no contact. Twin Two gets older, wiser, and yearns for home. So, he packs up the fam and heads in that direction. It is a long, long trip. They are camping along the way. They reach a river, and he knows Twin One is on the other side waiting for him to cross. He also knows he has to face what he has done, what he has stolen from his only brother. But it is night, and he won't cross the river to face what he knows he deserves as the consequences of his past, selfish actions. Not just yet. Everyone else is sleeping but he can't. He is alone at the river. And in the dark, a stranger appears. No words are exchanged and he can't see the stranger's face. But the stranger attacks him -- and they wrestle. The fight and fight in the dark until dawn. As the day breaks, neither has won -- and Twin Two has, finally, the upper hand. He won't turn the stranger loose until the stranger cries 'uncle' -- and blesses him. The stranger does, and in the blessing, changes his name. He is no longer Twin Two, graspy and selfish . He is now the "one who has struggled with God." Or, "Israel." Twin Two, now in older middle age -- is finally a man. He has faced God, and his own demons -- and come away, not broken, but changed. He will go on to be a good father of great people -- people charged to bring such wrestling to the world -- in order that it might be changed, as well. Twin Two/aka Israel does come away wounded, however -- marked for life in his hip joint. He limps. He who wrestled with God was not vanquished, but transformed forever. He now is marked, with courage and hope.
We'll be talking about Jacob on Sunday -- come and join the conversation.
a.
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Thursday, July 21, 2011
What does God "expect" of us?
We know what God requires of us from the prophet Micah. He says it clearly: "What does the Lord require of you? To do justice, love mercy and walk humbly with God." But requirements are different than expectations, aren't they?
We are required to pay taxes, but we are expected to behave according to the laws set up by the entities those taxes support.
We are required to have car insurance, but we are expected to drive in such a way as to NOT have to use that insurance.
We are required to go to school, but we are expected to get something out of that schooling.
In our texts this week (Matthew 13:31-33; 44-52), Jesus is talking not about requirements for discipleship, but rather expectations. By this time in Matthew's Gospel, he's has pretty much set up the requirements for discipleship. It is all in Chapters 5-7, what we know as "The Sermon on the Mount."
Required for disciples of Jesus is a passion for justice, unconditional love and provision for those in need, acceptance of others no matter our differences, a heart filled with mercy, and keen devotion to God.
Expected of those disciples: Do this -- all of the above.
Jesus once again tells parables in this section of Matthew. He's on a parable roll, it seems. Here he's talking about the Kingdom of God being LIKE a mustard seed, yeast, a buried treasure, a fine piece of jewelry, and a net full of fish that needs to be sorted. Translation: the Kingdom of God is recognized through faith, even when it is small; it is subtle and surreptitious and spreads like leavening, quiet and on its own timeframe; it is a treasure worth sacrificing everything for; it is as precious as the most precious pearl; and there will be judgement (hence, the fish-sorting story).
In this last section, Jesus speaks directly to the disciples and, basically, says to them: DO THIS -- all of the above. To paraphrase, he says, basically: "You are the ones who have been given a glimpse and knowledge of the Kingdom. You are my disciples. I EXPECT that you will see that it happens, today -- here and now -- by being people of justice, mercy and humility in my own name."
Requirements, sometimes, can make us feel like we have fallen short when we don't meet all of them. I find expectations, however, to be far more appealing where behavior and decisions are concerned. We don't want to disappoint. In this case, Jesus has high expectations for anyone presuming to claim the mantle of discipleship. And, we don't want to disappoint Jesus most of all, do we?
Talk amongst yourselves and letme know what you think.
a.
We are required to pay taxes, but we are expected to behave according to the laws set up by the entities those taxes support.
We are required to have car insurance, but we are expected to drive in such a way as to NOT have to use that insurance.
We are required to go to school, but we are expected to get something out of that schooling.
In our texts this week (Matthew 13:31-33; 44-52), Jesus is talking not about requirements for discipleship, but rather expectations. By this time in Matthew's Gospel, he's has pretty much set up the requirements for discipleship. It is all in Chapters 5-7, what we know as "The Sermon on the Mount."
Required for disciples of Jesus is a passion for justice, unconditional love and provision for those in need, acceptance of others no matter our differences, a heart filled with mercy, and keen devotion to God.
Expected of those disciples: Do this -- all of the above.
Jesus once again tells parables in this section of Matthew. He's on a parable roll, it seems. Here he's talking about the Kingdom of God being LIKE a mustard seed, yeast, a buried treasure, a fine piece of jewelry, and a net full of fish that needs to be sorted. Translation: the Kingdom of God is recognized through faith, even when it is small; it is subtle and surreptitious and spreads like leavening, quiet and on its own timeframe; it is a treasure worth sacrificing everything for; it is as precious as the most precious pearl; and there will be judgement (hence, the fish-sorting story).
In this last section, Jesus speaks directly to the disciples and, basically, says to them: DO THIS -- all of the above. To paraphrase, he says, basically: "You are the ones who have been given a glimpse and knowledge of the Kingdom. You are my disciples. I EXPECT that you will see that it happens, today -- here and now -- by being people of justice, mercy and humility in my own name."
Requirements, sometimes, can make us feel like we have fallen short when we don't meet all of them. I find expectations, however, to be far more appealing where behavior and decisions are concerned. We don't want to disappoint. In this case, Jesus has high expectations for anyone presuming to claim the mantle of discipleship. And, we don't want to disappoint Jesus most of all, do we?
Talk amongst yourselves and letme know what you think.
a.
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
What's a parable?
Yeah, we all know what a parable is: a story that is not really a story, but sort of a riddle -- with a point we may or may not get.
Half-right.
A parable is a story, from everyday life, which tells of bigger meaning in everyday life, using the things and people of everyday life.
For Jesus, parables seemed to be his favorite way of talking, his favorite way of telling. And, he was ALWAYS telling stories about one thing: the Kingdom of God, the Kingdom of Heaven. He was ALWAYS trying to illustrate what it IS like (note present tense, as in PRESENT REALITY, as in "the KINGDOM IS AT HAND"). This Sunday's scripture is from the section in St. Matthew's Gospel that is almost nothing but Jesus telling parables, chapter 13. There's just one after the other, after the other, and they are all about the reality of the Kingdom of Heaven, what it looks like, what it feels like, what it IS like. A couple of times in all this telling, the disciples get perplexed because to them (and to us) those parables seem like riddles. But he calms them, and explains, giving answers to their confusion. This week, Matthew 13:1-9; 18-23, he explains about how the Kingdom is based on the Word of God, which is like a farmer who sows seeds indiscriminately in his fields. Some seeds land where the birds come and eat them. Some seeds land on rocks and thus get no root. Some seeds land on soil that is not deep and they can't grow. Some seeds land where the sun parches them and they die. But a few, just a few, land on fertile soil with all the right conditions for growth. And these few provide a rich and bountiful harvest, a harvest so great it is hard to even imagine.
Later he explains:
God is the sower, and God's word is the seed. It is out there, provided for us richly and lavishly. God's word either takes root, or it doesn't.
But here's the clincher: God doesn't just sow once, but again and again and again and again through every season imaginable, every harsh condition for growth, including flood and drought . . . God is tireless and relentless in pursuit of us, no matter what. And God's word is eternal. It will not die.
Jesus tells a nice story here with the sole purpose of giving hope and meaning to our everyday lives.
THAT'S a parable. A good one.
a.
Half-right.
A parable is a story, from everyday life, which tells of bigger meaning in everyday life, using the things and people of everyday life.
For Jesus, parables seemed to be his favorite way of talking, his favorite way of telling. And, he was ALWAYS telling stories about one thing: the Kingdom of God, the Kingdom of Heaven. He was ALWAYS trying to illustrate what it IS like (note present tense, as in PRESENT REALITY, as in "the KINGDOM IS AT HAND"). This Sunday's scripture is from the section in St. Matthew's Gospel that is almost nothing but Jesus telling parables, chapter 13. There's just one after the other, after the other, and they are all about the reality of the Kingdom of Heaven, what it looks like, what it feels like, what it IS like. A couple of times in all this telling, the disciples get perplexed because to them (and to us) those parables seem like riddles. But he calms them, and explains, giving answers to their confusion. This week, Matthew 13:1-9; 18-23, he explains about how the Kingdom is based on the Word of God, which is like a farmer who sows seeds indiscriminately in his fields. Some seeds land where the birds come and eat them. Some seeds land on rocks and thus get no root. Some seeds land on soil that is not deep and they can't grow. Some seeds land where the sun parches them and they die. But a few, just a few, land on fertile soil with all the right conditions for growth. And these few provide a rich and bountiful harvest, a harvest so great it is hard to even imagine.
Later he explains:
God is the sower, and God's word is the seed. It is out there, provided for us richly and lavishly. God's word either takes root, or it doesn't.
But here's the clincher: God doesn't just sow once, but again and again and again and again through every season imaginable, every harsh condition for growth, including flood and drought . . . God is tireless and relentless in pursuit of us, no matter what. And God's word is eternal. It will not die.
Jesus tells a nice story here with the sole purpose of giving hope and meaning to our everyday lives.
THAT'S a parable. A good one.
a.
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