5 Sept 2014 - wine whining

And no one who has been drinking old wine desires new,
for he says, ‘The old is good.’”

Today the LORD is inviting us to broaden our palate. He tells us how to do it, too. Once we acquire a taste appreciating it is easy. But learning to like something new, whether, wine, or beer, coffee or cilantro is something nearly impossible by our own will even in purely human terms.

It isn't that there is anything inherently wrong with the old wine or the other flavors to which we are accustomed. Fasting, for instance, will find it's place in our new diet. As will feasting. But the old wine is a problem if we are unwilling to try anything new. If we are unwilling to move forward, old forms and practices can become idols. We are guilty of idolatry when we trust our practice rather than the Living God. We need to be sufficiently detached from our old cloaks that when we receive a new cloak from the LORD in baptism, we don't ruin it for the sake of old.

He is inviting us to feast, because he, the bridegroom, is with us. Are we so attached to the way things were that we refuse to enter into the joy he has for us here and now? Are we like the older brother who won't enter into his father's party for the prodigal son who has returned? From our perspective it is as to condemn the older brother. But the older brother is so caught up in his way of thinking that he doesn't even immediately realize that he is missing out. He has been thinking this way for a long time. It is hard to change just because there is suddenly a party.  This is just one reason why human judgment is inadequate. Even Paul has to say:

I do not even pass judgment on myself; 
I am not conscious of anything against me, 
but I do not thereby stand acquitted

Paul has an excellent framework for judgment, better by far than the older brother in the story. But even he recognizes that he might be wrong. He might be more attached to his own judgments than to the wisdom of God. Even Paul needs the LORD to "bring to light what is hidden in darkness" and "manifest the motives" of his heart. The possibility always is fresh in each moment. It is a temptation requiring constant return to trust in God. The world reinforces it. The world condemns Paul for his weakness, his foolishness, his lack of public speaking ability, and any number of other things ranging from the true but misunderstood to outright falsehoods. It is easy to start believing the world's criteria and ignoring the LORD.

We need to seek "praise from God" and not the world in our motives. These are the motives that free us to enter into the Father's celebration. These motives compel us to feast with the bridegroom while he is near us. We now taste the new flavors which we are offered unencumbered by expectations and comparisons. We can now genuinely enjoy them for their own sake.

Commit to the LORD your way;
trust in him, and he will act.
He will make justice dawn for you like the light;
bright as the noonday shall be your vindication.

LORD, broaden our palates. Let us taste and see your goodness!

4 Sept 2014 - foolproof

“Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch.”

We are invited to get out into deep waters today. But why? Because that is where the catch is. There are a million reasons for us to stay close to the shore. We sympathize with Peter:

Simon said in reply,
“Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing,

The deep is effort when compared to shallow water. And we all have so much disappointment in our past. We make effort like our lives depend on it to no avail. Everything inside us tells us that this time will be no different. We may as well stay close to the shore. Why put in more effort just to be disappointed?

But this time is different. This time we move in response to the "word of God" and not just our own impulse. But even so, even in spite of this inspiration, it often seems like foolishness. This word seems foolish to us when it seems to tell us to try things we've tried before and expect different results. It is foolish when it tells us to leave the ninety-nine and go searching for one lost sheep. It is foolish when it tells us not to worry about tomorrow and instead to seek first the kingdom. It is foolish when it tells us to be last and the servant of all in order that we might be first. It is foolish when it tells us that we have to lose our lives in order to gain them. This is the foolishness embraced by Jesus when he does not deem equality with God something to be grasped but instead empties himself (cf. Phi. 2:6). It is the foolishness of the incarnation. It is the foolishness that does not come down from the cross even though to do so would be as easy as willing it. Thank God for this foolishness. And let us share it.

If anyone among you considers himself wise in this age,
let him become a fool, so as to become wise.

So let's get out into the deep. We have to be fools to do it. But God gives us the grace to become foolish enough to trust him. When we do so we find true wisdom. When we do not we are only left with this world's wisdom which is "foolishness in the eyes of God". That sort of wisdom only trips us up and paralyzes us.

God catches the wise in their own ruses,

The path up the mountain of the LORD requires that we trust in his wisdom and not our own. When we become fools in the eyes of the world and trust him he is able to make our hands sinless, our hearts clean, and our desires pure. When we embrace the foolishness of God miracles abound.

When they had done this, they caught a great number of fish
and their nets were tearing.

At your command, LORD, we become fools and lower our nets. We are astonished at your greatness. Help us to lay aside all distractions to follow your plan for us.

3 September 2014 - got milk?

Insert Mother-in-law Joke Here

We all have parts of us that are still immature. We have areas of our hearts that have not yet grown to the full stature of Christ (cf. Eph. 4:13). If God offers us milk and not solid food let us be grateful for the nourishment. Let's swallow our pride and receive.

Jesus is here to "proclaim the good news of the Kingdom of God".  He knows the purpose for which he is here. He won't turn aside or be dissuaded. He will bring the good work he begins in us to completion. We don't have to insist that he do it all at once because we can trust in his fidelity. We want to know that Jesus is the Christ and confess it just like Peter does. But we cannot take this revelation. We must receive it. Demons try to interfere. They appeal to our curiosity with half truths. Jesus keeps them quiet "because they knew he was the Christ". Jesus is indeed the Christ. But if we learn that fact from demons we will not learn it correctly. Indeed, it will seem an imposition rather than a gift. Let us be patient then. Jesus is here to convey this good news to us. He is focused. He knows his business. We can trust him with our process.

Jesus wants us to know our purpose as strongly as he knows his. We are watered as God's field and built into God's building so that we in turn may water and build as "God's co-workers". Sometimes we all want to turn aside to the comfortable and the familiar. These distraction try to prevent us from leaving and continue on our mission. Jesus wants us to know our purpose strongly enough that we are not distracted. There are healings that need to be done. There are demons that need to be cast out. And we are part of God's plan for that. When we engage in his plan we often feel like we have to do the whole thing ourselves. But we are a body. Each of us is a different part with a different gift. We are called to offer ourselves at specific times and places. One of us may be called to bless someone at one stage of his or her journey whereas another may be called to that same person before us, and another person again after. One waters and another gives the growth.

God knows us all. He is much better at being in charge of the universe than we are. He is able to deploy us according to our strengths.

From his fixed throne he beholds
all who dwell on the earth,
He who fashioned the heart of each,
he who knows all their works.

And so, LORD, water us. Build us. Transform us until your purpose for us fills our minds and hearts. Transform us until we rejoice in you and overflow with your praises.

Our soul waits for the LORD,
who is our help and our shield,
For in him our hearts rejoice;
in his holy name we trust.

2 Sept 2014 - focal pointed

Jesus invites us to know him. But we can't do it on our own. To understand what Peter understands, that he is the Christ, the Son of the Living God, we need something more than flesh and blood.

no one knows what pertains to God except the Spirit of God.

Jesus is with the Father from the beginning. He is with God and he is God (cf. Joh. 1:1). He is in the form of God (cf. Phi. 2:6). In "him dwells the whole fullness of the deity bodily" (cf. Col 2:9).  He is God blessed forever (cf. Rom. 9:5). Where would our human minds even begin? He is utterly without limits.  He is completely unbound by change. Yet he is not capricious. He is merciful and just. He is love itself. The incarnation makes this at once harder and easier to grasp. Now he looks like us. Now he accepts apparent limits by which God is not bound. He even accepts death. Yet here, within these limits, he reveals that the greatness of his love. It is love that only God can have.

To hold all these apparent contradictions within our minds at once we need help. Without help we will imagine a Jesus that is simply human and not God.  Or else we will imagine a God who will never choose to become man for us.  But the Spirit comes to our aid in our weakness.

We have not received the spirit of the world
but the Spirit who is from God,
so that we may understand the things freely given us by God.

Christ reveals to us everything that the Father tells him (cf. Joh. 15:15). But to do this he first has to give us his own mind.  Hence, "we have the mind of Christ." So how do we actually get that mind, practically? Well, we have it! Our minds are regenerated in baptism. We are "enlightened" by the waters of the Spirit. But we have to let that mind transform us. And Jesus helps us with this, too. It is by "the riches of his glory" that we are strengthened in this way (cf. Eph. 3:16).

He is the one who speaks with authority to the demons that still clamor for dominance within us. We all still have the voices of the old self trying to shout down the voice of Christ. May we not listen to those voices. Jesus enters our very minds so command all that is unclean within us to come out. We need fill our minds with his words so that the words of demons can find no room.

They were all amazed and said to one another,
“What is there about his word?
For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits,
and they come out.”

We need to "take every thought captive to obey Christ" using the very strength he gives us to do so. Our focus determines so much. Jesus is within our hearts trying to shift our focus to God. Let us not stubbornly fixate on the words of demons who try to bring us down.

Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

When we do this we join the crowds who are amazed at his word. We give him thanks and bless him.

Let all your works give you thanks, O LORD,
and let your faithful ones bless you.
Let them discourse of the glory of your Kingdom
and speak of your might.

1 Sept 2014 - amazing day

Jesus give us glad tidings today!  He wants to give us the freedom of the Sons of God, freedom from the fear of death that makes us slaves (cf. Heb. 2:15).  He wants to give us sight by being light for us in our darkness.  He wants the eyes of our hearts to be enlightened so that we can know the hope to which he calls us and so that we can know the greatness of his power at work in us.  The world tries to oppress us like Egypt oppresses the ancient Israelites.  It tries to tie us to systems that degrade us and sap the life from us.  Jesus sets us free!

But he doesn't do it in the way we expect.  His message isn't persuasive. It is powerful.  Are we ready for that difference?  We don't have a problem with power.  But we would prefer "sublimity of words or of wisdom" and instead we get "weakness and fear and much trembling", the weakness of the cross.  There is definitely power in his words.  No one ever spoke like this man, a Roman guard can't help by notice. Jesus telling the guards "I am" is enough to knock them backward to the ground (cf. Joh. 18:6).  Yes, his word has power. It is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword (cf. Heb. 4:16). But oddly, it won't allow itself to be enthroned alongside other earthly kings.  Strangely, it insists on moving toward the cross.

Event though his word is strange in that way it doesn't require prelude. It requires proclamation. It's strength is self-manifesting. When we listen we are "amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth" but then we often we insist on human wisdom.  We begin to think in worldly terms.  We expect a long preamble explaining everything. We want to know exactly how cause leads to effect and again to cause. We start asking questions like, "Is this not the son of Joseph?"

The thing is to let the proclamation by fresh.  It is fulfilled in our hearing today. Now is the acceptable time! Today is the day of salvation (cf 2 Cor 6:2). But the more familiar with it we become the less we hear it today. Instead, we remember hearing it yesterday. And this is how we strip the word of its power.

This is why the psalmist approaches the word of God in the way he does.

How I love your law, O LORD!
It is my meditation all the day.

In quiet and in prayer the word is always waiting to speak itself afresh to us.  Let us not turn away from it. God himself wants to teach us (cf. 1 Joh. 2:27).

This morning God wants to fill us with faith in all of the promises of the prophet Isaiah for freedom and hope. And he wants this faith to rest on his power and not on our human wisdom. Listen, and be amazed!

31 August 2014 - dupe-lication

Jesus began to show his disciples
that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer greatly
from the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes,
and be killed and on the third day be raised. 

This isn't supposed to be part of the bargain, the disciples surely think when they hear this.  Healings, teachings, glory, the voice of the Father?  Sure.  Maybe even the restoration of the earthly kingdom of Israel?  Here's hoping.  But this?  Suffering?  Where did this come from?

Then Peter took Jesus aside and began to rebuke him,
“God forbid, Lord! No such thing shall ever happen to you.” 

Peter no doubt sympathizes with Jeremiah when he says

You duped me, O LORD, and I let myself be duped;
you were too strong for me, and you triumphed.
All the day I am an object of laughter;
everyone mocks me.

We all need to surrender our human ways of looking at God's plan.  We need to hear Jesus say "Get behind me Satan!" to all inside of us that would choose the easy over the true and the right.

Jesus calls us to follow him, even to the cross. We often try to put ourselves first, to save our own life, to shut up the message of the cross inside of ourselves.  But when we do that, it "becomes like fire burning" in our hearts. Holding it in tires us out.  If we try to save this life we end up losing it, and trying to hold onto the whole world gradually wears us down before it forfeits our who lives.

It is out of love that Jesus invites us to follow him to his cross.  It is out of love that we are invited to share in the great responsibility of redemption.  He gives us talents toward this end. At first we prefer to bury them because that seems easier. But eventually we realize, hopefully, that the gift of sharing in the cross is a gift of mercy.

I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God,
to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice,
holy and pleasing to God, your spiritual worship.

He allows us to offer our lives for something meaningful, something pleasing to God: true worship. All that we are takes on meaning. Everything we experience is taken up in the love of Jesus in which we now participate. He allows suffering because of the greater good he alone can bring from it. The shock when we first hear it is because we can't imagine how anything good can come from it. That is why we try to talk him out of it.  But it is not just a lesser good he brings from it.  It is not just a consolation prize for suffering.  It is so great a good that he brings from suffering that it dwarfs the evil of suffering itself. Part of that mystery is how it becomes for us an invitation to love and to live no longer for ourselves but for God and for others. This is what it means to offer our bodies as a living sacrifice. We all bring our piece. Note that "living sacrifice" is singular. We don't have to be so great as to bring a whole sacrificial lamb ourselves. We can go in on one offering with our brothers and sisters.

That is, we can do all that if the world doesn't talk us out of it. The world really wants Jeremiah to shut up.  It really doesn't want to hear about the cross of Jesus.  Distracting itself from suffering as best it can is "good enough" for the world and it sees no reason to hope for more. As we see how the world around us handles suffering, even though we know better, we often feel like we have been duped by God, as though there is an easier way that he tricks us into ignoring.

Do not conform yourselves to this age
but be transformed by the renewal of your mind,
that you may discern what is the will of God,
what is good and pleasing and perfect.

But the way of the world is headed toward a dead end. It is gradually being worn out as it runs headlong toward forfeiting its life.  We are called to something more.

For the Son of Man will come with his angels in his Father’s glory,
and then he will repay all according to his conduct.”

He will repay us with the banquet of life eternal.  So let us praise him.

Thus will I bless you while I live;
lifting up my hands, I will call upon your name.
As with the riches of a banquet shall my soul be satisfied,
and with exultant lips my mouth shall praise you. 

30 August 2014 - excavation expert

To one he gave five talents; to another, two; to a third, one– 
to each according to his ability.

Jesus knows our limits. He only gives us as much at a time as we can handle. But even so, we have to handle it.  Yet we see Jesus harvesting where he did not plant and gathering where he did not scatter.  We realize something supernatural is afoot.  We assume he must be mistaken to give us anything at all.  And then he leaves!  He's off on a journey and it seems we are left to our own devices.  But let's not bury our talents this morning.  Let us trust that the master knows what he is doing. He wants to give us great responsibilities. And he only wants to do that because he wants us to share his joy.  These great responsibilities are actually kingdom privileges.

Somehow we are called to be "co-workers in God's service" (cf. 1 Cor. 3:9).  That makes a little sense when we remember that we are called to be "partakers of the divine nature" (cf. 2 Pet. 1:4).  He invites us to share both his work and his rest (cf. Heb. 4:1). Do we trust him to get us there? We aren't particularly wise, powerful or noble.  In a lot of ways we are foolish, weak, lowly , and despised.  Compared to the task at hand we really do count for nothing.  But the LORD delights to use us!

Rather, God chose the foolish of the world to shame the wise,
and God chose the weak of the world to shame the strong,
and God chose the lowly and despised of the world,
those who count for nothing,
to reduce to nothing those who are something,
so that no human being might boast before God.

We need to believe that he knows what he is doing when he assigns the talents. We must not sit on the grace we are given.  We must not hide the light underneath a basket.  If we don't trust the master we are going to bury the talents he gives us. We'll see them as something fearful, meant for our condemnation, rather than something awesome, meant to bring us joy. When we understand that God is for us and not against us (cf. Rom. 8:31) we are free to use the power he gives us without holding back.  At the end of the day we won't be concerned about getting a greater reward than brothers and sisters with fewer talents.  We won't be concerned if we get the same amount as those who have only been in the field a short time.  We will be too busy celebrating the fact the we are allowed to help at all.

But we often get it backwards.  We believe that God will only love us if we get it right with our responsibilities.  But it is just the opposite.  We need to know and believe in his love for us (cf. 1 Joh. 4:16).  We are just earthen vessels.  The surpassing power is from him (cf. 2 Cor. 4:7). Even if the master seems to be off on a journey, even if he doesn't return for "a long time", he is still our wisdom, our righteousness, santification, and redemption. This is true even when he seems distant.  Feelings are only feelings.  He may feel distant.  He may be using this feeling to help us grow in maturity.  But we can be sure that he is with us to harvest where he did not plant and to reap where he did not sow.  On our own, we can do nothing (cf. Mat. 15:5), and so "Whoever boasts, should boast in the Lord."

We are blessed because the Lord choses us, not because we choose him.  Let us praise him.

But see, the eyes of the LORD are upon those who fear him,
upon those who hope for his kindness,
To deliver them from death
and preserve them in spite of famine.

Let us, therefore, take every opportunity to spread the kingdom that we are given, trusting in the one who gives.