Seeing Osama In The Mirror of Christ

After Jesus rose from the dead - after experiencing the terrorism of his interrogation, public shaming, condemnation, rejection and betrayal, his beatings and crucifixion - he sought out the 

   -  the soldiers who pounded the nails, mocked him and divided his cloths

   -  the guards who beat, spat upon and crowned him with thorns

   -  the government officials who condemned him through apathy and collusion

   -  Pilate who sentenced him wrongly to capital punishment

   -  Each member of the crowd who yelled for his crucifixion

   -  Peter who thrice denied him as Lord or friend

   -  Judas who betrayed him with a kiss, and for 30 pieces of silver

   -  each religious leader who plotted his death

   -  as well as his disciples who abandoned him, and hid themselves behind the locked doors of their    

       compound.

Jesus found them all, starting with his disciples - and he shot them all dead.

Because Jesus was clearly about revenge, and holding people accountable for their evil actions.  Their behavior was a reflection of their sin, and so Jesus acted out of self-defense (for who knew when they would plot their next crucifixion of an innocent man).  And Jesus felt self-justified (of course he did, he was God and perfect!) as he made people pay for their participation in the death of innocent people.

And now, he's looking for others, including us.

   -  those who eat more than their share, as others die of hunger and malnutrition

   -  those who harbor more than one coat in their closet, while others freeze to death

   -  those who enjoy a nice level of healthcare, while others die because they can't afford a 20-cent

        immunization.

   -  those who have failed to turn the other cheek when struck by another

   -  those who have fallen short of being perfect as their heavenly Father is perfect

   -  those who fail to rejoice and be glad in the loss of a loved one, or in the face of persecution

   -  those who have failed to pluck out an eye, or cut off a hand, in response to a sinful look or action

   -  those who have ever been angry or lusted in their heart (sorry Jimmy) for it is the same in God's eyes as

       murder or adultery

   -  those who claim to be a follower, but have failed to sell all their possessions and give the money to

       the poor

   -  those who condemn others, but fail to see the depth of their own sin

   -  those who have failed to love their neighbor as themself

   -  those who have failed to love their enemies

   -  those who have failed to hate their mothers, fathers, wife and children

   -  and those who fail to forgive, love and show mercy as God has done to them

   -  those who gladly cast the first stone.

I am so thankful that I don't fall into any of these categories. (Oh I can't lie any longer - I actually fall into all of them)

It saddens me that so many of us begin with the sin of others, as a shield against the recognition of our own brokenness. So many of us hide behind the sins of what we do, but fail to see the sin of who we are. We rejoice when we can lift up another who is grossly, and obviously, worse and more evil than we are - as if God will celebrate our comparison as faithfulness.

We are afraid to let go of the self-preservation of our Either/Or Attitude.  We are eithergood, or we are bad.  You are either with us, or you are against us.  Faith in Christ requires more than this superficial, self-focused, worldly philosophy.  It requires some depth of nuance, and the vulnerability of paradox and the bold faith to look honestly at our own humanness.  We are commanded to live in the Both/And Attitude that marks a child of God - one who can suspend fear long enough to open a heart to the exposure of Christ's love.  For we are Both completely sinful, And a forgiven child of God.  (Most of us would prefer to rejoice at the forgiveness part, but we would rather skip the "completely sinful" designation.  Too bad for us.)

And so we love, but we love to condemn.

We dance and sing when we can kill another.  Our chants expose our true allegiances.  That's what gets me, the dancing and rejoicing.  And once again, we fail to see the world through the eyes of God.

So here's a question: Who is going to dance and sing when we finally receive what we deserve?

Be careful... Jesus is looking for you and me next.  

He's either going to shoot us dead, or he will claim us as his forgiven children.


The Pastor

I Pray All Your Resolutions - Fail

We love to make resolutions this time of year. 

I think there’s something deep within our psyche that is hungry for a life built on optimism and hopefulness – as we plunge our futures into our new-fangled expectations of a new year, a new start – one begun from scratch.

This time everything will be different, right?  The resolutions we commit to this year will be followed with certainty and confidence and firmness.  Those ten pounds that we committed to losing last year (which turned into a gain of 5 pounds) will finally come off this year – because our motivation and willpower will be sifted through the determination and rigidity of our deeper commitment. 

Sounds convincing to me - and hey, good luck with that one!  I too will attempt some good and healthy resolutions – but this year, I will do it with my heart placed squarely on the God who comes to me most clearly – when I fail.

God - In Spite Of

For me, I’m going again this year with a God that remains faithful to me in spite of my total inability to follow his laws and commandments.  I’m putting my money on the grace of God that unconditionally grabs and claims me as his child, in spite of the conditions I place on Him.  I’m banking on the love of God that promises me results even when I have failed to earn them.  A God who comes even when I fail to accept him, receive him, or follow faithfully in my daily life.  When I fail to love the least of God’s children, I become one of the least.  But this year, I am doubling down on a mercy that comes to me in spite of my “least-ness.”

Freedom comes to us when we tell the truth about our selves.  It doesn’t have any impact when we attempt to convince ourselves of “how good we are,” or how “this time will be different,” or how morally blameless we have become because we have “tried to do the right thing.”  God’s forgiveness is not available for those who attempt, or try, or “give it their best shot.”  God’s forgiveness is only for those who fail.  And if you don’t have the strength and courage to regularly recognize and name your human shortcomings and sin – then you miss out on your daily dose of God’s love, forgiveness and mercy  (it’s there – it’s just not activated in your heart).  God sets those free who have the courage to name their slavery.

Whew!  I never knew that making a New Year’s resolution could plunge me so deeply into a reflection of faith and grace.  But isn’t that the point?  It is never the resolutions that we keep that bring us closer to God, but the ones we fail to keep – for these expose our inability to save our selves.  Our failings are the blessings that move us toward God and one another, in love.  May you fail well in 2012.

Christ’s Peace,

~ The Pastor.

Built Stubbornly on God's Foundation

Our congregation emphasizes what it means to follow Jesus Christ in the world today - as disciples. We are called to a living faith, a deeper and more courageous understanding of what it means to follow our God - in the way we love, and forgive and extend the mercy of Christ toward others.

It's a direct connection, this love of God as it's played out in our love of others. It's the foundation of discipleship. You love God as much as you love others (especially the least). You experience the forgiveness of God only as much as you forgive those who harm you. You rejoice in the promise and blessing of God, only as well as you share these gifts generously with others.

If you think about it - it really stinks! I mean, why can't we love God independently of the love extended toward our enemies? This connection is so direct and foundationally profound, that Jesus can proclaim: When you do it to one of the least of these my Brothers... you do it to me.

Our discipleship is built on three responses to these questions:
What do I believe?
Why do I believe it?
And, how is my faith lived out in my daily life?

The answers we give are not the verbal ones that the world requires - but rather the answers are most clearly exposed in our priorities, faith, commitments and where we find a discover our meaning and purpose in life. What becomes key to the life of faith is - prayer, study, worship, invitations, encouragement, service and giving generously to others.

May God strengthen us in our journey of faith, as we move toward a walk of discipleship that exposes our love of God through our love of others.

Christ's Peace,
The Pastor