Thoughts from Dr. BJ

1 Thessalonnians 4

2012-02-20T07:25:00.000-08:00

     This is one of those times where the chapter markings are less helpful. Remember that when this letter was written it did not have the sentences counted and numbered and the chapter delineations marked as they are now. The numbering system was added centuries later to help us find our way around the Bible quicker. The first half of chapter four is a clear sermon about holy living. However, the teaching on the coming of the Lord runs from 4:13 through 5:11 and shouldn't break with a new chapter.
    4:1-12 -- Paul is encouraging them to live holy lives, especially as it relates to sexual relations. In Macedonia, the gods and goddesses were often worshiped through ritual fornication -- essentially one was united with the god/goddess by sexually uniting with a temple priest/priestess. This activity was not only adultery as the Bible teaches it and therefore forbidden; it was also Idolatry (in that it constituted a pagan act of worship) and, therefore, forbidden. The purity of our sexual relations should extend in both our public activities but also in our own homes.
     4:13-18 gets at the theological reason for writing this letter. Verse 15 explains the background question: will we who are alive and remain when Jesus returns prevent those who have died in the faith from being resurrected on the last day? This is not a question that arises in the modern world, probably because Paul is quite clear with his explanation. Paul's answer, one that is often misused out of context and frequently misinterpreted is pretty simple: On the day when Christ returns the dead in Christ will rise first THEN we who are still alive will be transformed as well and join them in the resurrection. This thought should comfort us who have had loved ones die in the faith. It is critical to note that this passage implies no time line. It is also critical to note that from this passage (and its concluding thought in chapter 5) implies that when it happens that is the end of the story -- new heaven, new earth, dwelling of God is with people, roll the credits, you with the sneakers out of the pool, etc. Christ's return marks the end of the world as we know it.
   More on Christ's second coming is in the first part of chapter 5 which we will look at tomorrow.

1 Thessalonians 3

2012-02-20T07:08:00.000-08:00

This was Friday's reading (I was not near a computer Friday/Saturday). So here are some observations:
Remember that Paul had to leave Thessalonika in a hurry and was sent off to the south to the city of Athens (see Acts 17). In his hurry to leave there was much left undone in terms of training leaders and encouraging the church. Thus he has deep concern for the stability of the congregation. In order to check on the congregation he sent Timothy to check on the Thessalonian church. In Chapter 3 Paul reports Timothy's report that the church is thriving, that there were no hard feelings and that everyone is praying for everyone else. He concludes with a blessing and a prayer for the church.

1 Thessalonians 2

2012-02-16T06:57:00.000-08:00

     Paul continues in chapter 2 by reminding the church at Thessalonica of his behavior among them. For the first century reader the relationship is the most important thing and so it is essential that Paul remind them that their relationship was based on good behavior, positive experience and faithful dealing. We find this kind of reminder section in most of Paul's letters for example: he reminds one church that he never took money from them (choosing to pay his own way by making tents -- see 1 Corinthians 9); he reminds another how deep their love for each other has been (Philippians 4:1).
     The subtext of this chapter asks an interesting question. Why is Paul's defense of himself so ardent? What we don't know, and can only speculate on, is the entire conversation that preceded the letter. One issue, as we shall see, has to do with the second coming of Jesus Christ. What other issues are in the background? Where there persons in the church challenging Paul's apostolic authority? Where there persons impeaching Paul's character? So in chapter 2 Paul defends his apostleship, his work habits, his "divine calling" as a preacher of the gospel, and other matters.
   In Acts 17, we read that Paul's leaving Thessalonica was due to a riot. Paul seems to cause riots pretty much everywhere he goes. His hope is to return and continue the work . . . but he cannot do so until it is safe. Some of chapter 2 has to do with his hope to return and his inability, at the time of writing this letter, to do so.
bj

1 Thessalonians 1

2012-02-15T06:34:00.000-08:00

Paul writes the first section to celebrate and encourage the Church at Thessalonica. He mentions their reputation, he mentions their support of his work, he mentions the evidence of their having been chosen by God and, without saying it, how proud he is of the progress they have made. Thessalonica and the providence of Macedonia were the birth place of Alexander the Great (300 + years before this letter. The city is a Roman colony and the primary commercial city in this region just north of Greece. The church there is worthy of celebration.

Thessalonians Introduction

2012-02-15T06:28:00.000-08:00

We continue our journey through the New Testament One chapter at a time by looking at the two oldest documents in the New Testament: The letters to the Thessalonians. Below is a brief introduction that I wrote for my Ugandan friends.

1 Thessalonians was written to the capital of the Roman province of Macedonia. This church was founded around AD 50 after Paul, Timothy, and Silas left Philippi. According to Acts (Acts 17:1-9,) Paul preached there for three weeks before a riot forced him to move on to Berea and later to Athens. Written from Corinth in AD 51, 1 Thessalonians is the first of Paul’s letters written and is likely the first of the New Testament books/letters written. This letter deals primarily with questions concerning the second coming of Christ: its time, the suffering of Christians in relation to it, and the destiny of those who die in advance of Jesus’ return.

2 Thessalonians was written shortly after 1 Thessalonians. In addressing the suddenness of the second coming of Christ in the first letter, the opposite position arises in the church. In 2 Thessalonians Paul must address the false teaching that “the day of the Lord is already here” (2 Thessalonians 2:2). In the discussion about the second coming of Jesus Christ, there is a balance between the imagery that he will return suddenly and unexpectedly (like a thief in the night) and the imagery that certain signs and events must first take place (wars and rumors of wars.) Paul addresses the first extreme in the first letter and the second extreme in the second letter. Between the extremes is a healthy balance.

Key Learning: The second coming of Jesus Christ is imminent (that is, it could happen at any time) but it is also scheduled (that is, there are things that must happen before he returns.) What these things that must first happen are is a matter of considerable debate.

Romans 16

2012-02-14T05:41:00.000-08:00

     It was customary in a first century letter to identify all of the connections that you had with a place. That is why Paul always concludes his letters with this extensive "say hi" to all the people I know in your town section. There are some curiosities on the list. The most interesting is verse 7 and 8 "and greet Andronichus and Junia who are prominent among the Apostles and were in Christ before I was". Junia is the Latin version of Johanna (remember there was a Johanna at the tomb on resurrection day). The Greek here is a bit obscure but it can (and has) been argued that Paul is identifying Andronichus and Junia as prominent among the Apostles (that is to say they are apostles and are prominent). Some early English translations to fight this even modifing Junia to the masculine form. It is possible that Paul is saying "they are esteemed by the Apostles" but the idea of a first century women being held in high esteem and, perhaps, considered as an Apostle is quite intriguing.
    After sending greetings to Rome from all of Paul's travelers (as well as a hand note from the scribe -- Tertius in verse 22) the letter ends with a doxology and blessing.
     Tomorrow we will begin 1 Thessalonians -- I will post a brief introduction in the morning.
bj

Romans 15

2012-02-13T08:50:00.000-08:00

     Paul finally gets to the point of this lengthy letter: I want to visit you on my way to preaching the gospel in Spain. Spain was a significant player in the Roman empire and produced several generals, poets, writers and other leaders in the 1st century. Paul's hope is that he may go and preach where "no one has preached before". His desire is that he will be able to visit the church in Rome, preach, teach, etc. take a collection and go on his way.
     This is an important insight into the life of an Apostle. Apostles were the sent ones and they were not sent to preach in established faith communities but to begin new faith communities. The apostolic work in the modern world is closer to the work of a church planter. Planters, using many different strategies, begin faith communities where no such faith communities exist. However, the modern church planter is often working (especially in the United States) where the gospel is regularly preached and where other churches already exist.
     Among my Uganda friends, where there are villages that do not have churches and tribal groups that have yet to be reached with the gospel. The church planters are often small groups from one church that discover and "unreached" area and send a team to preach, teach and organize new Christian communities. This type of planting behavior is much more common where there is a majority of "first generation" Christians and, I believe, is closer to the first century apostolic activity.
     Paul's hope in chapter 15 is illuminated by history. In Romans 15:25, Paul mentions that he is taking a collection for the poor from Macedonia to Jerusalem and then hopes to make his way to Rome after that. We know from the Book of Acts that Paul was arrested on his mission to Jerusalem. He was imprisoned for several years and eventually takes his appeal to the Emperor. When Paul finally arrives in Rome he arrives in chains and under house arrest. History does not record if Paul ever makes it to Spain. Tradition holds that Paul was martyred in Rome following his imprisonment.
bj

Romans 14

2012-02-10T07:19:00.000-08:00

     Life in community is exhilarating . . . Life in community is exhausting. There is nothing like family (biological or otherwise) that can help me soar to the heights of joy and achievement and there is nothing like family (biological or otherwise) that can crash me to the pits of despair. It is the nature of human gatherings and communities that some of us are more difficult to live with than others. It is the nature of human gatherings and communities that those who are more difficult to live with are generally not aware of the difficulties others are experiencing around them. The alternative to life in community is much worse: isolation, being alone, going through life not belonging.
     Paul is addressing some of these aspects of human community in chapter 14. Some of us choose to not eat certain foods (I am currently off refined sugar and white flour). That is my choice, it is not a religious choice but a health decision. If others want to slowly kill themselves eating that stuff -- OK strike that -- if others choose to eat a different food regimen that is their decision. I could choose to be a vegetarian (a good healthy choice) but as a Christ follower I would be wrong to condemn those who are carnivores. I could choose to abstain from alcohol (another good choice) but, the Bible gives no mandate for teetotalism and I would be wrong to condemn those who have the occasional "adult" beverage. Some people like to follow the "Christian Year" and to observe religious holy days . . . others consider one day in the Lord pretty much like all the others. Who is right? Who is wrong?
     Paul concludes: "for whatever does not proceed from faith is sin (Romans 14:23)." In other words if your conscience leads you in a specific direction stand for your convictions but don't condemn others if they choose to do otherwise. Obviously, there are some areas that are universal (golden rule; great commandment; great commission; 10 commandments?) and we agree that murder, theft, adultery, etc. are always wrong. But what day we worship, what diet we eat, what festivals we celebrate . . . these are choices of conscience and should not be made into universal requirements.
    Finally, my liberty in a certain area should not be flaunted or distracting for another follower of Christ. If I am with someone who for sound spiritual reasons believes abstinence from alcohol is a spiritual duty: It would be better for me honor that conviction and the person with it and also abstain. Of course the flip side is also true. Someone with that conviction should be willing to allow those with him/her to indulge if they so desire. In the final analysis, life in community should have us watching out for each other but not standing in judgement over each other.
bj

Romans 13

2012-02-09T10:50:00.000-08:00

    This chapter, like all biblical chapters, has to be seen in the context of the whole Bible. The Bible teaches that we are to respect those who govern over us (regardless of how we feel about their policies or person). If, as Romans 13:1 says "there is no authority except from God" then those who are in authority are "God ordained" and deserving of our respect. However, this must be balanced with the other biblical passages that remind us that we must obey God rather than humans. In multiple places in the Bible, people are put in positions where they must disobey the governing authorities (see Acts 5:29) because to obey them would be unfaithful to God.
    In the balance between these biblical positions are things like "civil disobedience" -- an act of disobedience made being willing to pay the consequences of that disobedience to highlight injustice or other structures of oppression. Note that civil disobedience (at least as taught and led by Dr. Martin Luther King and Gandhi) assumes the the disobedient one is willing to publicly pay the penalty for being disobedient. Even in these situations, however, we are not encouraged to "disrespect" to demean or to demonize those who are in authority over us. We are always called to pray for those in authority and to be good citizens. In the United States we are afforded another great responsibility in that we believe that government functions at the will and mandate of the people. As Christians we are called to pray and to discern and to cast our votes for the best people we can. As good citizens we pay our taxes and we obey the civil laws and authorities (except as it may be outlined above).
     The chapter concludes with Paul's urgent appeal and reminder that time is fleeting and Jesus is returning and we should live honorably like the people of God we are and not be caught up in inappropriate or sinful behavior.
bj

Romans 12

2012-02-08T06:48:00.000-08:00

   There is a grace within that is transforming me. There is a choice only I can make that leads to my transformation. On the Christan journey both are equally true. In another place Paul says to "work out your own salvation with fear and trembling" because "God is completing a good work in you". On the one hand it appears to be all up to me and on the other hand it appears that God is bringing the changes.
     In Romans 12, having already shown us that God is in charge and is forming a people for himself and that God has already accomplished for us what is necessary to be justified, forgiven, and at peace, Paul points to some of our choices and activity. We are to present ourselves as a "living sacrifice". We are not to be conformed but to have our minds renewed. In verse 9 and following, we are to hold fast, love one another, out do one another, not to lag, be ardent, rejoice, persevere, contribute, extend, bless, rejoice, love, and live peaceably with everyone -- these are all actions that require our choice and our participation. God is doing a good work in us but we are partners with God in our own transformation. We make choices, we draw nearer to God, we arrange our lives and work on our attitudes.
     12:3 and following is where I will be preaching this Sunday. This passage and similar passages in 1 Corinthians and Ephesians 4 are the root of the Christian understanding of the priesthood of all believers. Every Christian is called to serve and every Christian has been gifted by God to help build up the body of Christ and to be Christ's hands and feet extended in mission and ministry to the world. There are no exceptions. There is no such thing as an "ungifted" Christian. There is no such thing as a Christian who is disengaged from ministry. Everyone is called -- everyone is gifted -- everyone serves. The question we have to ask is not IF we will serve but where can my gifts be best utilized.
bj

Romans 11

2012-02-07T07:01:00.000-08:00

Paul continues his argument that the current (for him) rejection of the descendants of Israel is not final. His argument is that the "gifts and calling of God are irrevocable (11:29)." Because God was forming a people for Godself through the Old Testament the people that were formed are not completely rejected. There will be a remnant (vs 5). God always preserves a remnant. He points out to his largely gentile audience in Rome that the gentiles have been "grafted" on to the holy olive branch of ancient Israel. We are like wild olive shoots that have been masterfully grafted onto to a much older olive tree. Because we are the grafted ones we should not brag about our new status in faith. Instead we should be grateful, humbly grateful, for what God has made possible. We stand "in awe" of Gods mercy (11:20)
The question that Paul wrestles with here is not one the modern world spends much time discussing. In Paul's time this was a critical question. If God has made a way for the gentles (the non Jews) does that mean that God has rejected the Jews from salvation? Paul emphatic answer is by no means. God will make a way for his chosen. How God does that is not our concern. Our concern is to spread the good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to every corner of the planet; to teach and tell all who will listen. Those we cannot reach we trust to our gracious and merciful God for God's ways are unsearchable and inscrutable (11:33).

Romans 10

2012-02-07T06:52:00.000-08:00

The heart of Romans 10 is verses 9 and 10 -- "if you confess with our lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." Although this sounds like a magic formula it is so much more. Confession that Jesus is Lord is an admission not just to ourselves in private but to the world around us that we are Christ followers. This is not an easy thing to actually live out. How easy is it for you to drop "by the way I confess the Lordship of Jesus" in conversation at your workplace? in your school? at Wegman's? or in your home? There is much in modern society that discourages the clarity and finality of making such a statement. I believe it was Francis of Assisi who once said "Always preach the gospel, when necessary use words." I believe the essential truth of Francis' statement. However, there is this necessary "public confession" that helps to seal the deal. When someone joins a United Methodist Church they confess that Jesus is Lord . . . it is in the membership and baptismal vows . . . but that is a confession among other believers. How do we make this confession for the whole world to see without looking like we are bragging?
The second part of the passage is to believe in our "heart" that God has raised him from the dead. The heart was not the emotional center in the ancient world it was the center of the mind and will. The resurrection of Jesus is the capstone, the cornerstone, the necessary and essential core of the Christian message. Choosing to believe this and living into this belief is at the heart of what it means to be a Christian. It is not a question of how I feel but what I choose to believe. As Christ followers we are to bring the best of our intellect and the force of will to the choices we make on this journey.

Romans 9

2012-02-06T07:08:00.000-08:00

    Now that Paul has shown that faith in Christ (not keeping the law or attempting to earn God's favor) is the only way to become righteous, he turns to the previous question in more detail. If the laws and circumcision and other aspects of the Hebrew religion are not enough to attain righteousness, what about the descendants of Abraham? Why have they failed? Because (9:32) "they did not strive for it on the basis of faith, but as if it were based on works." To follow the law to earn God's favor is quite different from following the law as an act of faith.
     There is a lot of conversation in chapters 9-11 about "God's election" and these chapters are often used to promote the doctrine of predestination. Predestination teaches that there is no free will and that God has already decided who will be saved and who will be damned. As I have studied the Bible over the last 35+ years I have reached a conclusion that predestination and free will are not contradictory. Here's what I have come to understand: Old Testament and New Testament present a picture of what God is doing. And what God is doing is forming a people for Godself. In the Old Testament becoming a part of that people was a matter of birth and family but a person could choose to whether they wanted to live inside or outside the mores of that community.. In the New Testament becoming a part of that people involves a choice -- the choice to be a follower of Jesus Christ. What has been predestined by God is that God will have a people for Godself. What has not been decided is the individual members of that people. God's people will exist -- the gates of Hell will not prevail against the Church that God is forming -- but we have a free choice as to whether we will belong to that people or not.
     No matter what, we enter that life and that people by faith (and not of works lest anyone should boast) -- see Ephesians 2:8-9.
bj

Romans 8

2012-02-03T08:29:00.000-08:00

     There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus! That is going to be the focus of this Sunday's message at Christ Church. Jesus extends mercy and grace to those who have tried and failed and are aware of their failure. Jesus has harsh words for those (Pharisees, Scribes, etc.) who don't recognize their own failures and need for mercy and grace. Total freedom from the craziness and busyness of legalistic religion is found in that simple phrase: there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus! I am free to try and fail, I am free to explore the faith and life God has given me, I am free of worrying about the minutia of legal standards -- free to love God and love my neighbor and seek and receive forgiveness when I fail.
     God's purpose is being worked out in the world through us. Romans 8:28 reminds us that God uses every aspect of our lives for good. One friend of mine has suggested that God is the most frugal being in the universe and will use whatever we bring to advance the kingdom. If all we have is pain, God will use our pain to help others. God uses every experience, every success, every failure, every victory, every defeat, to build character in us and to continue to transform the world around us. I live my life with greater confidence knowing that God's purposes are not thwarted by my successes and/or failures. God uses it all to build good in me and God's kingdom in the world.
    The simple reason for this is Romans 8:31 to the end. Nothing, absolutely nothing, can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. I believe I can never lose my relationship with Jesus. It will never be taken away. In that confidence and that assurance of my relationship and salvation . . . I am free to try and will never fear condemnation again.
bj

Romans 7

2012-02-02T13:49:00.000-08:00

Romans 7 takes us back a step to examine the difficulty of living the Christian life and especially attempting to live the moral requirements on our own. Based on what Paul writes here, I am convinced that St. Paul was a golfer. Look how he describes his plight: "For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I so not what is what I do." (verse 19) It sounds a lot like my golf game (I don't want to hit it in the lake but it goes in the lake, I want to hit it down the fairway . . . it does not go down the fairway.)
    The struggle that Paul describes is a universal struggle for all of us who strive to live the way of Christ. We find ourselves in a constant state of transformation and that state of transformation creates a constant war within ourselves. Our "old nature" that part of us that always wants our own way; that part of us that lusts and strives and lives pridefully and greedily; is at constant war with the way of Christ that calls us to wholeness, to holiness and to learning to live at peace with ourselves and those around us. If we had to do this by our own human effort and striving we would find ourselves in the exact situation that Paul is describing in the first few chapters of Romans -- that is to say we would find ourselves in despair or rising cynicism at not being able to do what we have chosen to do. We cannot do this on our own.
     Thus Paul writes: "Wretched man that I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? thanks be to god through Jesus Christ our Lord!" (24/25). We are not doing this on our own. A core truth of living the Christ life is this: we conquer through surrendering to God. Best described in George Matheson's hymn from 1890 titled "Make Me a Captive Lord:
   Make me a captive, Lord, and then I shall be free.
     Force me to render up my sword, and I shall conqueror be.
     I sink in life's alarms when by myself I stand;
     imprison me within thine arms, and strong shall be my hand.

     My will is not my own till thou has made it thine;
     if it would reach a monarch's throne, it must its crown resign.
     it only stands unbent amid the clashing strive
     when on thy bosom it has leant, and found in thee its life!

More importantly, Paul continues in 8:1: "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." but that is tomorrow's text!
bj

Romans 6

2012-02-01T07:26:00.000-08:00

Jesus said in Luke 9:24 "For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it." Again, in Luke 17:33 "Whoever tries to keep his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it." I have often argued that his can be simplified to: "giving is living and living is giving." St. Paul, in Romans 6, is making the same argument just in a different way. Paul's argument is that we need to "die to self". "For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his" (Romans 6:5). To be reconciled to God we must have faith and trust in Jesus Christ. This faith and trust is the surrender of our striving and our willful rebellion against God's purpose in our lives. In this surrender to Jesus Christ as the Lord of our lives, we encounter a kind of death -- death to our ego, to our sense of self as independent from our creator.
The argument is a central Biblical argument. We were created by God to be the "object of God's love". All that we have all that we are and all that we dream of being is a gift from God. Our purpose in life is to respond to that love and to live life in this love relationship with our creator. However, one consequence of sin (go back to Adam and Eve), is that humans are now in rebellion against their primary purpose. We believe we can live life without God, we believe we can live life independent of our purpose. We can be free to rule ourselves and be the owners and controllers of all that we survey. It is as Milton describes in Paradise Lost. The words he puts in Lucifer's mouth is a perfect description: "better to reign in hell than serve in heaven". Paul's argument is that only by dieing to ourselves and becoming "slaves to righteousness" can we ever hope to be free and to freely live into the purpose for which we are created. The way we "die to ourselves" is by surrendering to the Lordship of Jesus Christ and living our our primary purpose.
bj

Romans 5

2012-02-01T07:09:00.000-08:00

Here is the heart of the argument: "we are justified by faith and now have wholeness (peace) with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." (Romans 5:1) Paul notes immediately that this is but the beginning of our journey of faith. It is often said in evangelical circles that the goal of the Christian faith (the goal of the Church) is to get everyone to heaven -- that is to have them make a commitment to Jesus Christ, receive the forgiveness for their sins and plan to live forever in heaven. This teaching is dangerous and stops short of the full gospel message. That commitment to Christ is but the beginning step down the road to discipleship. Jesus never says "Go and make church members" or "Go and make followers" he says "go and make disciples" (committed/disciplined followers of Jesus Christ). Romans 5:3 and following shows part of this journey: we rejoice in Hope, but we rejoice in our difficulties because these difficulties are what form and shape our character and it is this redeemed character that allows us to not only endure but to grow and thrive throughout this life.
The end of the chapter (12 to the end) is an explanation of how the fall of Adam is now corrected by the rising of Jesus Christ. In Adam the human race fell into a condition where our original condition (in the image and likeness of God) has been shattered and broken. Since we all come from Adam we all share that shattered image. Jesus, a kind of "second" Adam, restores the image and likeness of God within us through our faith and trust in him.

Romans 1-4

2012-02-01T07:01:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone: Back from my week of R&R: Here is the summary of the first four chapters of Romans. It is pretty simple: St. Paul is arguing that the human race is broken, flawed, sinful and unable to help itself. The Old Testament Law only serves to show us how broken we are and how impossible it is to lift ourselves above our depravity. St. Paul goes on to argue that no amount of human striving and effort can change this. It is not possible to make ourselves righteous in the eyes of God. It is only in faith (trust that fully depends on) in Christ that the human being can be transformed, elevated and redeemed. See the end of Chapter 4:22-25 "therefore his (Abraham) faith 'was reckoned to him as righteousness.' Now the words, 'it was reckoned to him," were written not for his sake alone, bur for ours also. It will be reckoned to us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, who was handed over to death for our trespasses and was raised for our justification."
To be justified before God is to stand before God "just as if I'd never sinned" that is completely forgiven for our past sins and free to live into anew life.

bj

Mark 16

2012-01-23T11:37:00.000-08:00

   Mark 16 is Resurrection Sunday. It is simply told: the women went to the tomb to anoint the body when they got there the body was gone and there was a vision of an "angel" (young man dressed in a white robe). The story seems to end with them in amazement and terror and they went away afraid. Later Jesus appears to them and commands them to proclaim the message of eternal salvation. It is short, it is abrupt and it appears unfinished.
     This "unfinished" nature of ending of Mark may explain why later scribes have attached some longer endings and post resurrection stories. Most of the most ancient authorities don't include verses 9 through 20 in the original text of Mark. The stories and text that are in 9-20 seem to be duplicated in the other gospels and are likely authentic stories of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, what scholars question are the placement of those stories here. Given Mark's propensity for action it would not be surprising to have the Gospel end as abruptly as it began. It began with John the Baptist preaching, it ends in awe and wonder, an empty tomb and some great questions.
     These textual difficulties appear in the New Testament on occasion. This passage and the first part of John 8 (the woman caught in adultery) are the longer passages in question. We tend to hold them lightly and to rely on the other extended resurrection narratives for details on the story.
     What I am left with is an empty tomb and a big question: so what happened? What did the "young man dressed in white" mean "he is risen"? What happened later in Galilee? We know the story so apparently the women got over their awe and fear and began to tell others.
bj

ROMANS

2012-01-22T04:20:00.000-08:00

In anticipation of our beginning Romans 1 on Tuesday, January 24. Here is my introduction the Epistle to the Romans from the Biblical and Theological Sampler I wrote for Nexus Seminary, Uganda:

The Epistle to the Romans is the only systematic presentation of Christian theology in the New Testament. Written by Paul as a letter of introduction to the Church in Rome around AD 57, Romans provides the most balanced statement of Paul’s theology in the New Testament. He wrote the letter in the hope that the church in Rome would support Paul’s mission to Spain. Paul had been taking a collection for the poor in Judea and intended to visit Rome and go on to Spain after he delivered the gift to the elders in Jerusalem. The book of Acts reveals that Paul was arrested in Jerusalem shortly after delivering the gift and when he arrived in Rome several years later, he arrived in chains and under house arrest awaiting trial before the Emperor.

Rome was the capital of an empire which stretched from Britain to Arabia. The Mediterranean Sea was essentially a Roman lake. The central theme of Romans is that faith in Christ is the only ground for humans being accepted by God. We are all alike, Jew or Gentile, we all stand condemned. But God offers free pardon and a new life through Jesus, who served our punishment for us.

Romans’ place in Christian history is incalculable. Augustine of Hippo (ca. 400), one of the great doctors of the early Church, was converted to faith in Jesus Christ while reading Paul’s letter to the Romans. Martin Luther (ca. 1500), an Augustinian monk, had his tower experience of conversation to faith in Christ while studying Paul’s letter to the Romans. John Wesley (ca. 1735), the founder of Methodism, felt his heart strangely warmed while listening to someone read from Luther’s preface to Paul’s letter to the Romans at a prayer meeting in London.

Key Learning: Salvation is not earned by keeping the minute details of the Hebrew law; Salvation comes by faith (trust) in Jesus Christ.

Mark 15

2012-01-20T06:48:00.000-08:00

     Good Friday in Mark's gospel. Jesus is taken to Pontus Pilate who is the Roman Governor. Judea has a Roman Governor because the puppet King (one of Herod the Great's sons) had to be removed because of his brutality and because he could not keep the peace. I've often imagined how bad the king had to be for Pilate to be considered an upgrade.
     Verse 16 is describing an ancient roman military game called the "King's game" there are drawings and documents that suggest that the soldiers amused themselves by mocking political prisoners in this way. Remember, because Jesus claimed kingship (even if his kingdom is not of this world) under Roman law he has set himself up as a rival to the emperor. Jesus was sent to Pilate by the Sanhedrin for religious reasons. He was crucified for political reasons. The charge "King of the Jews" in Roman understanding means "treason".
     Verse 21 -- notice Simon of Cyrene "the father of Alexander and Rufus" seems an odd detail. Reasonable conjecture would be that Alexander and Rufus are known members and leaders in the Christian community that John Mark (the author) is a part of. They are included here to remind the listen (reader) that the facts of Simon's carrying Jesus' cross can be verified by asking Simon's sons.
     Verse 34 -- eloi eloi lema sabach'thani? My God my God why have you forsaken me? This statement by Jesus has led to an unusual amount of commentary. How has God forsaken him? Does he feel cut off from his Father for the first time in his life? Why does he feel this? Now at the end of the story, when the work is soon to be accomplished, does Jesus feel alone? My current favorite thought is this: in the ancient world the Psalms were not numbered as they are in your bibles. The psalms were remembered by the first line of the Psalm. They would not say, for example, "Psalm 23" but Psalm beginning "the Lord is my shepherd". To quote the first line was to invoke the rest of the psalm. I mention this because "My God, My God why have you forsaken me" is opening line of Psalm 22 -- you might want to check out the rest of the Psalm.
   Note that at the foot of the cross is Mary Magdalene, a disciple of Jesus and "Mary, the mother of James the younger and of Joses and Salome." -- that would be Mary, the mother of Jesus.
   Monday, Resurrection day as per Mark.
   I will also be posting over the weekend my introduction to the Epistle to the Romans.

Mark 14

2012-01-19T07:09:00.000-08:00

     Holy Week Wednesday and Thursday are the focus on Mark 14. The anointing at Bethany and Judas' deal making are the focus of Wednesday. Wednesday of Holy Week is sometimes called "Spy" Wednesday because of Judas' "looking out for an opportunity to betray him". We move from there to Jesus Last Supper (Passover) with the disciples. There is one oddity in the story. Notice that Jesus has set up the dinner preparations and location ahead of time: they are waiting and expecting and room has been prepared. The oddity is that they are told to follow a man carrying a jar of water. In the first century a key household responsibility was bringing water from the village well or cistern to the home. This was women's work. The women would gather early morning and/or evening with their stone jars, draw and carry water for household use. The only reason for man to be carrying a jar of water is that he is in a household that does not have women. We know from the Dead Sea scrolls that the Essene community lived gender segregated lives and that they had some urban houses. Could the location of the last supper be one of the Essene community houses in the city of Jerusalem?
     I am going to talk about Peter's denial in my sermon on Sunday (both the prediction and the event).
     Jesus goes to Gethsemane (word means "place of the olive press"). Gethsemane was at the foot of the mount of olives (so called because of the abundance of olive trees that grow there). This garden was a quiet place that was less than a half a mile from the gates of Jerusalem. Here Jesus prays for strength to face his coming ordeal. He is taken to the Sanhedrin (the Jewish council) where he is challenged and eventually convicted. He is held for the night before being taken to the Roman governor. He has to go to the governor because the council has pronounced the death penalty which the council has no authority to enforce. Under Roman occupation only the Romans were allowed to legally put someone to death. Jesus goes to Pilate and to the Cross in tomorrow's reading.
bj

Mark 13

2012-01-18T07:30:00.000-08:00

     This section is often called the "little apocalypse" in Mark. It is written in a different style than the rest of the gospel and utilizes much more symbolic language (dark suns, powers shaken, etc) than the rest. The difficulty for most modern readers is that the chapter is really about two different things and we often merge them or misunderstand them. The two issues are:
   1. Jesus is predicting the impending destruction of the temple. History records a Jewish revolt that began in the late AD 60's (66-67). This revolt "liberated" Jerusalem and two other fortresses moving south and east from Jerusalem (the Herodian and Masada). In response to this circumstance, Imperial Rome sent General Titus and the Roman army who laid siege to Jerusalem, eventually captured the city and completely destroyed it. Titus reports to his superiors that he burned the buildings, broke down the walls, cut down the trees, salted the fields and "did not leave one stone standing upon another". By the way, the famous Western or "Wailing" wall in Jerusalem is the foundational retaining wall of the temple mount. When Jesus speaks of the Persecution, being on trial, etc. he is speaking of the days leading up to this destruction. The temple was destroyed in AD 70 and has never been rebuilt. The current Muslim holy site (The Dome of the Rock) currently occupies much of the region where the Temple originally stood. It is worth noting that Jesus words are spoken 40 years before the event and the writing of Mark's gospel was, at best guess, 15 years before Jerusalem's destruction.
     2. The second piece begins at v 24 and is speaking of the second coming of Jesus. The critical understandings in this section are that A) Jesus is coming back; and B) no one knows when (see verse 32). When people attempt to stir others up with predictions of Jesus return or other doom and gloom end of the world predictions -- Biblically they will never work. Cannot know when Jesus is coming back all we can truthfully know is that he IS coming back and that we should keep awake and a watchful eye.
bj

Mark 12

2012-01-17T07:03:00.000-08:00

     Mark writes in this chapter about the increasing conflict between Jesus and the various religious authorities. First the Pharisees and the Herodians (Pharisees were the ultra orthodox religious folks -- the Herodians were a political party working in collaboration with the Roman government) who ask a question that is part theological and part political. Is it lawful to pay taxes. If God is the sovereign ruler of the Israel then supporting any foreign government would be a form of idolatry. The political question is trickier: When one rose to power in the ancient world the first act was to mint coins with one's name and image on it. This displayed ownership of the currency of the realm. The coins, in fact, belonged to the ruler and were used by everyone to trade and buy and sell. Is it lawful to pay taxes? Since the image and likeness of Caesar is on the coin it belongs to him -- return it to him. the bigger question is: What is the image and likeness that should be returned to God? (see Genesis 1:26)
     Next up are the Sadducees. Dr. Jerry Horner, New Testament professor at college, used to tell us: they do not believe in the resurrection that is why they are "sad - u - see" (makes it easy to remember them). The question of the seven brothers for one bride, though rooted in the Old Testament law, is ridiculous and Jesus treats it as such. Notice his description of our post resurrection selves.
     The question about the great commandment -- there were hundreds of commandments in the Old Testament and thousands more that made up the "oral Torah". If 100 Rabbis of Jesus time were asked this question nearly all of them would have given the same answer Jesus did. From the Old Testament, the heart of the matter is the unity of God and our call to love God with heart, soul, mind and strength (Deuteronomy 6:4-5). The second is to love your neighbor as you love yourself. Rick Warren once wrote that a great commitment to the great commandment and the great commission (Matthew 28:16-20) leads to a great church. A church that is committed to loving God and our neighbor and going out to make disciples for Jesus will make a huge impact for the gospel of Jesus Christ in this world!
bj

Mark 11

2012-01-16T06:17:00.000-08:00

     The Palm Sunday, Triumphal entry into Jerusalem is staged. There is a provocative intentionality to Jesus actions that is often over looked. I believe he prearranged for the the colt to be tied where it was. I believe he chose the donkey to convey a very specific meaning: a king rode a horse to conquer by force but a king rode a donkey when he came in peace. The donkey is chosen to convey his intentions -- not a political revolution but a much more dangerous kind -- a revolution of heart and soul!
     He cleans out the money changers, the sellers of doves and "those carrying things" through the temple. The golden gate from the Kidron valley into the City of Jerusalem opened onto the temple mount. It was a short cut for merchants to come in through the Golden Gate on their way up to the city. However, this route took the merchants through the "court of the Gentiles" the outer court of the temple. The money changers are changing money from Roman and other currencies to the temple shekel (at a profit). The sacrificial code allowed that if a person could not afford the animal sacrifice they could substitute a pigeon or young dove: the sellers of the doves are taking advantage of the poorest who are coming to worship. Animals and merchants are occupying all of that court of the Gentiles space made it nearly impossible for people to have peace and to be able to focus their prayers. Imagine being in Church on Sunday and having the back of the church filled with people clinking coins, the parlor filled with the cries of animals and the sounds of birds and, through and above it all, men shouting to their beasts of burden as the beasts carried merchandise through the middle of it all. I'm thinking it would be really really hard to concentrate, to listen and to pray. "My house shall be called a house of prayer for ALL the nations. But you have made it a den of robbers!" (Mark 11:17) The chief priests are looking to kill him because he is now directly impacting their livelihood -- the money changers are taking a profit, the sellers are taking a profit . . . and the priests (the Sadducee party) are skimming their share and renting the tables and booths.
     Making money off of religion is nothing new. We often decry the outrageous lifestyles of television preachers and evangelists and the enormous wealth of certain denominations . . . it is nothing new. All we can do is keep ourselves clear of the love of money and NEVER ever sell what God has given for free. This is not to say the priests were not entitled to their livelihood (Biblically this is provided for). It is not having the priests and Levites taken care of -- but the amassed wealth and using the place of worship to increase that wealth that is so troublesome. This makes Jesus angry and he responds appropriately.
bj

Mark 10

2012-01-13T07:59:00.000-08:00

     The teaching on divorce and adultery that begins today's reading has to be balanced with the rest of the New Testament. In other passages related to this Jesus permits divorce in the case of adultery or abandonment -- when doing Bible study the individual verse and story have to be seen in the broadest context of the whole chapter, the whole book (in this case Mark) the whole New Testament and ultimately the whole Bible. Jesus teaching here is actually very conservative for his time. Rabbis had defined the divorce clause in the law of Moses to include pretty much anything. Divorce was easy and apparently commonplace. Because women could not hold property in 1st century Palestine, divorce would leave them homeless and destitute. By tightening the easiness of divorce (and since women could not divorce at that time only the men could) Jesus is helping protect women. I am disturbed with this same passage is used to keep women from divorcing when it is legitimate.
     The Rich Man (sometimes called the Rich Young Ruler) is a perfect story for modern readers. In Jesus time it was generally believed that wealth and material prosperity was a sign of God's favor -- this is why the disciples are astonished at Jesus in verse 24 -- if the rich, who clearly have God's favor, cannot make the Kingdom of God what hope is there for the rest of us. This prosperity attitude is nicely exemplified in the musical Fiddler on the Roof. When Tevyeh sings "If I were a Rich Man" the third verse speaks of having the leisure to read the Torah and to study and to pray and to discuss questions that would "cross a Rabbi's eyes". There are passages in the Bible that seem to indicated that faithful living leads to material prosperity. However, like the divorce passage, these have to be balanced with the other passages that suggest that God's favor is experienced in a wide variety of ways and Not necessarily material prosperity. My favorite example is Hebrews 11 -- the first part of the chapter are all the happy stories of people being blessed by faith -- dead raised, Noah's faithfulness, mouths of lions are shut, etc. People who did great things by Faith. Then verse 35 of Hebrews 11 suddenly shifts -- others were tortured, refusing to accept release . . . and we read of all the FAITHFUL people who suffered and/or died for their faithfulness. God wishes us well but this life is not the be all and end all of our journey -- we move from glory to glory. If I am "prosperous" in this life then I need to be a good and faithful steward and if not I still need to be a good and faithful steward of what I have.
   I am looking at the request of James and John (10:35ff) as part of this Sunday's sermon.
bj

Mark 9

2012-01-12T11:17:00.000-08:00

Mountains to Valleys
     Jesus, Peter, James and John have a "transfiguring" experience on the mountain. It is one of those great, amazing, awesome, spiritual encounters with God that many people have. Peter, overwhelmed by the experience seeks to erect permanent monuments for Jesus, Moses and Elijah. Whenever we want to turn a spiritual high into an idol of experience . . . there is God reminding us to get our eyes back on Jesus and his word ("listen to him!") rather than emotion and power of the experience. Mountain tops remind us of the awe and personal nature of God but they are not places to linger, nor are they places to return to. Each mountaintop experience helps move us from where we were to a new place and a deeper understanding of the nature and love of God. However, the point of the mountain top experience is to help us be transformed for the work that follows in the valley.
    Afterwards, in the valley, we learn that the disciples have some growing up to do. They cannot bring help to a boy and his father. Jesus reminds them that "this kind can come out only through prayer" (Mk 9:29). In the context of the story, Jesus is telling his followers that the spiritual life is not a static experience. The spiritual life is a dynamic experience. The challenge is to discover where we are and to keep growing. Only after a lifetime of prayer -- that is a deepening, transforming, universe altering relationship with God will we be able to do all that God has called us to do. Prayer is not about asking God to do what we want. Prayer is communing with our Lord so that God can do what God wants through us. Prayer is becoming available to the power and presence of God -- not just for our sake but for the sake of the will, purpose and reign of God.
     33-37 is part of this Sunday's message at Christ Church. Greatest, least, servant hood and leadership.
bj

Mark 8

2012-01-11T09:29:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone -- a little late today . . .

In chapter 8:27 ff there is Peter's declaration about Jesus. Jesus asks the question: "who do people say that I am" and the non followers have a wide range of opinions saying he is John the Baptist, he is a prophet, he is Elijah, etc. That situation has not changed in 2000 years. Ask people who do not know Jesus and you will get a wide range of opinions -- he is a legend, he is a lunatic, he is a good moral teacher, he is a fine example for us to follow, he is (find your own favorite and insert it here). It is not possible to know who Jesus is outside of an actual relationship with him.
Jesus then turns the question to his followers: and you, who do you say that I am? Peter, answering for the entourage responds: "You are the Messiah". Messiah is a Hebrew word meaning the anointed one. That same word in Greek is Christos (we would say Christ). When we walk with Jesus and when we learn from him and when we come to know him in profound and personal ways . . . there is never any doubt that he is who he says he is.
Have a great day!

Mark 7

2012-01-10T06:51:00.000-08:00

Chapter 7 begins with the continuing conflict between Jesus and the "religious" folks. The whole hand washing, bowl washing discussion has nothing to do with sanitation -- first century people did not know about germs. This has everything to do with ritual cleansing. This ritual cleansing evolved over the years to the place where the tradition of doing it became of prime importance. This is another example of the Rabbis building a "hedge around the Torah". These traditions evolved to protect people from actually getting close to breaking the law. If the law said "no work on the Sabbath" the "hedge" defined exactly what work was. And so forth. This is legalism at its worse -- many many Christian groups fall into the same trap. When the traditions and the external actions become more important than the actual relationship with God and other people we have fallen into legalism. Note in this passage that Jesus clearly says you are not made sinful or unclean by what you eat "it is not what goes into you that defiles you". What is sinful or unclean is what comes out of our own brokenness -- from our broken selves comes murders, greed, pride, slander, adultery, etc. Change the inside and the outside changes. Focus only on the outside and, in the words of Jesus, we simply become "white washed sepulchers (tombs). Early Christians understood this to mean that the Old Testament dietary laws are no longer valid -- this understanding was reinforced by Peter's vision in Acts 10.
We learn in the story of the Syrophoenician woman that Jesus came, initially, for the lost house of Israel. But he extends here and in several other situations the new found grace to those outside the family. The "dogs" conversation seems harsh in the English -- the word for dog that both Jesus and the woman uses in this story is in the diminutive form and could be translated "puppy". The exchange is more playful than exclusionary.
There is a ministry to the deaf in Syracuse that calls itself "Ephphatha (be opened)" based on Mark 7:34. Ephphatha, (be opened) Talitha cum (little girl arise) (5:41) Eloi Eloi lema sabach thani (my God my God why have you forsake me -- a quotation from Psalm 22) (15:34) and Marana tha (Lord Come) are words that the Greek New Testament preserves in the original Aramaic. Aramaic would have been the dialect of the common people in Palestine of Jesus time. Hebrew was the language of worship and faith, Greek the language of commerce and education, Latin the language of the conquerors -- people had to know a little of several languages to navigate the world in which they lived. Why were they preserved in the Aramaic? The early church may have seen them as "words of power" or may have kept them because they were difficult to translate or they may have been preserved for other reasons (find 5 biblical scholars and get 7 opinions on the subject). (grin)

Mark 6

2012-01-09T07:05:00.000-08:00

Jesus' ministry begins to expand. After his rejection at Nazareth, Jesus commissions the 12 Apostles to "prepare the way for him" by teaching and preaching and healing the sick.
      The death of John the Baptist sends Jesus and the inner circle on retreat to a deserted place. John was Jesus kinsman. John had been preaching against the King because King Herod had taken his brother Herod Phillip's wife away from him. Under Hebrew law (and Herod was Jewish) it was forbidden to marry your brother's wife if your brother was still alive -- no divorce could change the provision in the law. John, being the firebrand preacher that he was, had been challenging Herod on this point. In order to silence him, Herod had John thrown in prison but respected him enough as a prophet to not have him killed, at least until the story reported in 6:14. Ministry is prophetic and those in power who claim to be people of faith have to be called to accountability and injustice must be opposed in all circumstances -- regardless of consequences.
    The story of the feeding of the 5000 is unique in the Gospels because it is the only miracle of Jesus that appears in all four of the Gospels. Like any true "eyewitness" account of an event, when the four stories are compared they tell the same essential story but differ in the details. They differ in where the bread and fish come from, who initiates the conversation and details on the location. I was once told by my Uncle Jerry, who was in law enforcement in Michigan, when the police get the exact same story from several people they assume that these people collaborated on the story before hand (and are probably not telling the truth). It is the hallmark of eye witness accounts that they will differ in the details.
     Notice in 6:53, when Jesus returns to Gennesaret (see 5:1ff where we had the whole incident with Legion and the pigs rushing down the hillside), the people have been looking for Jesus and when he comes they immediately bring their sick and infirm to him. How often does that happen? Once we realize what a difference Jesus has made . . . we want more.

Mark 5

2012-01-06T06:49:00.000-08:00

"Go home to your friends, and tell them how much the LORD has done for you, and what mercy he has shown you. And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him;" (Mark 5:19) Isn't that the very essence of evangelism? There are some who are called to be "Apologists" for the Christian faith. Their role is to provide convincing proofs for unbelievers. Most of us are not called to this more argumentative approach to sharing our faith. Most of us are simply called to tell our story. In Acts 1:8 Jesus says we are to be his witnesses. A witness simply tells what he/she has seen or heard. Too many Christians have ceased to be witnesses and have become prosecuting attorneys. What is your story? What has the LORD done for you?
All Jewish men in Jesus time wore a prayer shawl. The shawl was square with tassels on each corner. These tassels generally hung below one's cloak or outer garment. It was widely believed, and taught by many Rabbi's of and before Jesus time, that when the Messiah (Christ) comes his tassels (sometimes call the "fringe") would hold healing powers -- it would be a sign or a marker that the individual was in fact the promised Messiah. The woman with the Hemorrhages must have believed something like this. In Matthew's 9:21 -- she is touching this fringe as well as in Luke 8:44.
I am praying that you are all enjoying our first week of reading the New Testament together. We resume with Chapter 6 on Monday January 9 and will read chapters 6-10 of Mark next week. Thank you for making comments and we have had some fun conversations before and after classes and meetings this week. BJ

Mark 4

2012-01-05T06:47:00.000-08:00

Parables are extended metaphors -- a story to help us see kingdom values in a new way. Someone once suggested that one should view a parable like a painting. Step back and get the whole picture before beginning to examine the details, brush strokes, etc. In Jesus parables we need to see the big picture -- the key central point or motif before we examine the details. That's what makes the parable of the sower so interesting -- the big picture is that not all who hear and respond to the good new of the Kingdom of God will become fruitful. Some will be dragged down by the cares of this world others from lack of depth and still others because they missed the path. On a macro scale we can all remember people who began this journey only to give up at the first sign of sacrifice or difficulty. On a micro scale I can see myself in each and every one of these examples. There have been times when I have refused to allow the word to be born in me. There have been times when I have lived in profoundly shallow ways and got scorched by the noon day heat. There have been times when I have been so preoccupied with the cares and worries that life brings that God's word has been choked out of me. Fortunately, there are also all the times when I have been fruitful.
Don't hide your light and remember that small beginnings can produce great results.

Mark 3

2012-01-04T06:47:00.000-08:00

Jesus has the hardest time with "religious" people. Religion is about being obedient or performing certain rituals or avoiding certain behaviors so as to make myself acceptable to God. The Pharisees had developed such a "hard line" definition of the Sabbath that they even forbade doing good things (such as healing the distressed man in the story) on the Sabbath. The Pharisees are so upset when Jesus heals the man on the Sabbath they collaborate with the Herodians (verse 6) on how to kill Jesus. A common enemy (in this case Jesus) makes for strange bedfellows. The Pharisees were the hyper religious types, the Herodians were political and collaborators with the occupying Roman government.
Notice, also, the opposition from the religious authorities (the scribes) -- 1st century Bible scholars -- and from his own family. Jesus mother and brothers are distressed about his activities and reputation. The brothers mentioned, the younger children of Mary and Joseph, are listed by name in Matthew 13:55. The oldest of whom is known to the early church as James the Just is also the likely author of the epistle of James and presides at the Jerusalem council in Acts 15. Jude (or Judas) is the likely author of the epistle of Jude. It is worth noting that although Jesus mother and brothers do not understand his mission and purpose at this early point of his ministry by resurrection day they are part of the early Christian movement. Jesus mother is at the foot of the cross and is in the upper room on Pentecost and James is visited by the Risen Jesus (see 1 Corinthians 15:3-7).
Followers of Jesus are not worried about what they have to do to earn God's favor, followers of Jesus know that God, through Jesus, has already made us acceptable. We strive to live into that grace filled, grace driven, grace provided relationship.

Mark 2

2012-01-03T05:47:00.000-08:00

I love the story of the healing of the paralytic in Capernaum (2:1-12). What I like most are the unnamed four friends carrying the mat with their friend on it, digging a hole through the roof and lowing their friend down through the hole in the roof into the presence of Jesus. On the spiritual journey we all need friends who will go well above and beyond the normal call of duty to help us into the presence of Jesus. These friends, carried their friend, they did physical damage to someone's home (dug a hole in the roof) all for the hope that Jesus could help their friend. The Christian life is impossible to live out alone, we need each other, we need close companions and we need fellow spiritual travelers who will go beyond the normal protocol to help us along the journey. The question of the day . . . who is holding your rope? Equally important: whose rope are you holding?

Mark 1

2012-01-03T05:39:00.000-08:00

The thing that strikes me about chapter one is its urgency. Mark has no time for babies or shepherd or magi, he begins with "the beginning of the Good News!" and goes right to John the Baptist. In the RSV the word Immediately shows up 8 times in chapter 1. Things happen quickly, John is preaching, Jesus is baptized, the disciples are called a man is healed, an on it goes. The sheer action of the chapter jumps out at me.

Through the New Testament in 2012 -- Introduction

2011-12-27T07:19:00.000-08:00

Below are three brief articles: One is on the Gospels, the second is a comment on the oral tradition and third is on the Gospel according to Mark. Starting January 2, 2012 there will be daily (or nearly so) postings on this blog regarding daily readings that the Christ Church, Snyder, New York will be doing together. Beginning with Mark 1 on January 2.

The following comes from a document I wrote for our Mission partners in Uganda: This "Biblical and Theological Primer" was written for Nexus Seminary students and is being translated into Lugandan and will be printed in Lugandan and English as a teaching tool for Nexus graduates.

Gospels The word Gospel comes from the Greek word meaning “Good News”. The Gospel writers are sometimes called the four evangelists. The gospels are written to show that Jesus is who he said he is (Son of God). The four gospels tell the story of Jesus life, death and resurrection from four different perspectives and are written to four different audiences (or communities). The four gospels tell the same story but they differ in details and emphasis. It is widely believed that Matthew was written to a Hebrew congregation because he quotes the Old Testament significantly more than the other Gospel writers and other factors. Mark was written for a Latin, perhaps a Roman military audience; Mark is an action orientated book where there is little teaching but a lot of activity. Luke, the only identifiable non-Jewish writer in the entire Bible, writes as an historian, to show that Jesus came for the whole world; he includes more contacts with foreigners than the other three gospels combined. Finally, John writes not to tell what Jesus did but to show why he did what he did; every story in John arrives at the same conclusion: Jesus is the Son of God, the Savior of the World.

Oral Tradition: The ancient world was not a literate world. People did not have books or scrolls at their immediate disposal. The vast majority of people could not read or write. Family history was passed down by word of mouth through stories. These stories were memorized in each successive generation and passed on exactly as received. In the New Testament the gospel of Jesus Christ was proclaimed before it was written. Jesus death and resurrection occurred in AD 27-30. The earliest of the gospels, Mark, was probably written down 25 to 30 years later. Many modern persons do not understand the quality of information in the oral tradition because, with the easy access to books and computers, we do not need to remember anything. In a preliterate or non-literate culture stories as carriers of wisdom and information are more prevalent. In existing tribal cultures there is a clearer understanding of the importance of the oral tradition and the place of story in a people’s history.

Mark was probably written for a Latin (Roman) audience and possibly for a military audience. The gospel writer often explains Jewish customs which strongly suggests that he had a non-Jewish audience in mind. The gospel according to Mark bustles with activity and energy. Mark contains the least amount of Jesus teaching in the four Gospels preferring to show the activity of Jesus ministry. Mark is generally believed to be the first of the gospels written. It was written sometime between AD 55 and AD 70. The oldest Christian tradition holds that John Mark was the author. John Mark was Barnabas’ cousin and accompanied Barnabas and Paul for much of their first missionary journey. Later he became a close companion of Peter and it is widely believed that Peter is the primary source for Mark’s information. Scholars believe that Luke and Matthew had a copy of Mark available to them when they wrote their gospels. Mark shows Jesus victory over the power of darkness through the casting out of demons. Mark also shows the disciples struggle to understand the meaning of Jesus life and teaching.

Key Learning: Mark has a bias for action. Jesus proves he is the Messiah of God through miracles and the casting out of demons.

Dr. BJ

Advent/Christmas Adventure

2011-12-17T08:15:00.001-08:00

I published this in my weekly newsletter (Christ Church Update) about a week ago and some of you wanted to see it again:
We are half way through the Advent Sundays and less than three weeks from our celebration of the Feast of the Incarnation (aka Christmas). I get a kick out of all the energy and excitement people have around the observance of Christmas. In our society there are a wide variety of celebrations going on this time of year. Our Jewish friends and neighbors are observing Hanukkah a minor observance celebrating the miracle of the oil during the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem during the time of the Maccabees (circa 167 BC). There are many “pagan” celebrations (pagan from the Latin paganos meaning country rural – is a reference to some of the older pre Christian religions that were practiced in Europe. Christianity was an urban movement and the older religious practices survived in the country side: hence pagan.) that note the arrival of the Winter Solstice. In recent years we have added the African American celebration of Kwanza. On top of this diversity, different Christian cultures and groups observe different parts of the Nativity story (many Hispanic cultures, for example, focus on the arrival of the “Three Kings” making January 6 – Epiphany – the bigger celebration than December 25). We could, I suppose, join the now dated Seinfeld craze and celebrate “Festivus” and just admit it is all just one big party to the end of the year anyway. In our “melting pot” American culture, much of this just gets blended together into a “Happy hanakwansolsfestimas”. Unfortunately, some Christians’ discomfort with these other celebrations often gets expressed in an exclusive “keep Christ in Christmas” – which sounds good but relegates to unimportant status all of the other observances going on around us. There is the group that gets excited and upset when Christmas gets shortened to X-mas – not knowing that the X in Greek is the letter Chi and represents Christ. I find no reason to be upset with Greek shorthand (and it is really fun to point it out to those who don’t know this). However, there is a uniqueness to the Feast of the Incarnation. Maybe the best solution is this: rather than getting worried about what other groups, cultures, and religions are or are not doing we would proceed to celebrate the Feast of the Incarnation like Christians – that is living after the manner and example of Jesus (and doing a little exploding in love and service might help too!). I don’t even mind hearing “Happy Holidays” since I know that the word “Holiday” is simply another form of “Holy Day”. Wishing me a “Happy Holy Day” works just fine. It is Advent . . . are you slowing down? Are you getting ready? The Feast of the Incarnation is nearly upon us! Jesus is coming (nay, is already here!).
drbj

Kirimandagi waiting for a drill

2011-11-23T07:02:00.000-08:00

October 25, 2011
Instead of heading down to Masaka today, Davis and I headed back to Kirimandagi to supervise the drilling of the bore hole at the Blessed Primary School. I spent a big part of the day visiting with Naphtal and Grace and to see the school in action. We just kind of hung out and waited. It is a very African experience -- waiting for things to happen. Things run on their own schedules . . . 10:00 means when we get there and there may have been more important relationships (the person in front of me is the most important person) to deal with along the way. So we sat and we waited.

Late in the afternoon the drill and compressor arrived with the crew. They immediately went to work setting up. The crew travels with tents and a kitchen -- they intend to live with their drill while the job is being completed. These were some seriously no nonsense men -- well diggers. The next day they would begin drilling and the compressor would break -- necessitating a journey back to Kampala. The drilling would not be completed until well after I returned to the US. But it was completed and the well is not fully functional. Davis and I headed back to Kampala late in the afternoon. We are hoping for many photos and a DVD of the drilling.

The rest of the team spent the day doing a variety of things. Clair was with me today. Barb, Kathy and Linda had day one of the Women's conference.

Tomorrow we finish up. Davis and I will be back to Kirimandagi; Linda, Kathy and Barb will be finishing up the women's conference, Clair is teaching at Kalangaalo (in my place).

I asked the team to summarize their favorite part of the trip:
Clair: helping a young muslim girl become Christian at the youth rally
Kathy: preaching and working at the Gayaza school for girls
Barb: the children
Linda: wide range and varied

I've been very proud of this team. They worked hard, hung together, were "Gumby" incarnate.

We left a significant gift for Soul Fishing ministries and a personal thank you to our friend Davis.

I had one final insight as I worked this week. I realized that John the Baptist was baptizing on the border between life and death. He was baptizing in the Jordan river near where the Jordan empties into the Dead Sea. To the one side is the life giving flow of the Jordan. To the other side is the body of water where nothing lives (hence "Dead Sea"). Isn't that baptism in its purest form? We cross from death to life. Standing on the boundary.

This is my last journal entry for this trip. I arrived home late 10/27/11. And have already begun plans for October 2012.

I need to finish the book and get it printed and published for my Ugandan friends.

Blessings on your journey,
drbj

A day off in Kampala

2011-11-21T13:46:00.000-08:00

10/24/2011
We got up this morning to the sound of a pounding thunderstorm. It was raining "frogs and lizards" (as they say here in Uganda). Generally, in this kind of rain we just hunker down and wait for it to stop. We did so for most of the morning and then boarded the Mutatu and headed to Davis' pastor's home. We had breakfast today with Davis' pastor at her home and met a man there who was a representative of a Bible College out of Kenya. We spoke of providing additional training for our leaders and I suggested that they might consider a "satellite" one week intensive approach to theirs courses to increase their number of students in Uganda.

After breakfast we were off to do some shopping. We always go to a "crafts" center where the proceeds support local persons with disabilities. I bought the nativity for Rachel's mother that she wanted me to get, I purchased 100 drum key chains for my supporters back in Buffalo and some small gifts for my staff and a small wooden statue of a lion my wife.

We had a nice relaxing cup of coffee and then off to the Mzumgu grocery store so I could get the ingredients to make bread. Bread making at Davis and Samalie's home is an adventure. The oven only goes up to 300 to start with, getting ingredients is complicated (at best). And there is TIA (this is Africa). I put the dough up to rise and the power went out (did I mention that Samalie's oven is electric?). I let it rise, punched it down an hour or so later (the temperature and humidity in Uganda is perfect for bread dough to rise). Still no power. 3 hours after putting the bread up the power finally came back on. I had already gone to bed but got up, the bread had fallen but I baked it anyway. The cinnamon bread was quite edible and the rest would be fine for breakfast. Always an adventure. But fun to do.

I was explaining to my audience (Samalie, Millie and Jesse) that making bread is a chemistry lesson. It is about getting the right ingredients in right proportions at the right temperature to create the right chemical reaction between the yeast, the sugar and the other ingredients. It is really fun.

Kathy has been explaining to me that microfinance here in Uganda is a joke. That the microfinance rates here are actually higher than banks (can get a better deal from a loan shark). We explored some "credit union" and other types of ideas as alternatives. Kathy and Barb went off to the School meeting this evening.

Tomorrow I am back to Kirimandagi to check on the progress of the well. The Women's leadership conference that Linda, Barb and Kathy are leading begins tomorrow as well and Clair will be heading up to teach the Kalaangalo/Caini groups in my stead. We decided to cancel the trip to Masaka in order to supervise the well project.

Back to Kirimandagi and Kikyusa in the morning.
drbj

To the farthest reaches: Nakakono

2011-11-19T09:01:00.000-08:00

10/23/2011 Sunday in Nakakono

I preached in a place called Nakakono today. Nakakono is WAY out in the country side. The road there was a foot path for at least two miles. I think Davis enjoys sending me to these remoter outposts. It is also a good way to encourage more Nexus students (if the visitors are willing to go to the remote places it shows a depth and willingness in the program). We signed up seven or eight more potential students by the end of the day. We drove through the center of Satanic worship in this region. Pastors and other Christian men in this area (including my friend Naphtal) have been holding prayer and fasting vigils in this area -- praying down the strongholds. They are reporting some success in this effort.

Pastor Lamech and his family were most gracious in welcoming me. There were 3 other Nexus graduates here and a large crowd with many children. I was planning to preach on Acts -- the aftermath of Paul's conversion and the anonymous people who helped him get started. But as I looked around and was praying I felt that the story of the women who cries on Jesus feet and dries them with her hair from Luke 8 would fit the congregation better. So I preached that. One man became a Christian today, it turned out that he was Lamach's younger brother.

I prayed for many people for a wide and various reasons. I found myself trusting the Holy Spirit more and more to lead how I should pray and to bring help for many diseases and needs and issues.

Nakakono is way out there and I was the first white to preach in this church. The children came and sang their welcome song and some other songs as well and I was given a purple and gold prayer mat as a welcome gift. Then I had lunch with the family and we headed back to Kikyusa.

The congregation felt the need to give me a "love offering" for coming and preaching. I felt very awkward in taking their gift but knew there was no gracious or nonoffensive way of refusing it. It is good for them to be generous and it is good for me to be gracious and generous as well. Fortunately, I had been told by Pastor Lamech that they were trying to build a school there and that the children were deeply in need of supplies and school materials. I made the love offering a gift to the children of the school for supplies and other materials.

We returned to Kirimandagi where Davis and Linda were waiting for us. Linda preached at Grace's church. They were hiding from us and Grace was encouraging them by telling us that Davis and Linda had gone to sleep and had gone home. Quite fun.

On the way back to Davis' home we stopped at the church plant at Seeta. It has come a long way. The Latrines were working, the first floor and columns were in place for the new assembly hall and the second floor was scheduled to go up in the near future. Davis is planning to have the opening worship service here on Christmas Day.

When we returned Barb and Kathy were at Davis' home and they had preached at Samalie's church in the morning and then had spent the day with her. They were talking about the great day they had at Ronald's school (Gayaza Girls School) and the entrepreneurial exercises the students had been undergoing.

Clair returned later and was all fire up about the youth rally and the good meeting he had Sunday afternoon with youth workers from around the area. He reported that many youth came to Christ and the the youth workers were also greatly encouraged and challenged to do better work. He is starting a foundation to help youth in this areas through Pastor Richard's church.

tomorrow is an open day starting with breakfast with Davis' pastor (Bonyme). We are going to do some shopping, have lunch in town.

drbj

Graduation at Kikyusa

2011-11-18T12:18:00.000-08:00

10/22/2011
Graduation Today at Kikyusa was a great success. This is the highlight of the trip for me. Linda and I participated in the graduation of 40 Nexus students (40 and a 1/2 -- one student is 9 months pregnant). Linda got to place the mortar boards on the graduates heads and got to wear one of the special graduation hats. She wore it in a "Rebecca of Sunnybrook farms" style and it fit her hust fine.

This was the largest graduation class ever from Nexus. We had several special guests. The chair of the local gospel preachers council (a council of 560 churches) and a song artist friend of Davis'. The preacher was excellent and spoke encouraging words about believing in themselves and to be people of prayer. The singer was fun and playful and had a great story of being from a small village in the East (near Mbale), building his own guitar and dreaming of being an international recording artist. He is a pastor and, from what I heard and saw well on his way.

I spoke of new beginnings not based on wishful thinking but based on the experience of having talent and mastering the Nexus training and seeing it through to completion. Davis speech was moving. The class witness was given by the young woman Julie Valeski has been sponsoring. She was terrific and talked of the first time she had encountered Nexus training as a possibility.

Davis requires each student to open a savings account and to put away so much per week during the training. He does this to encourage them to become savers and to participate in the economic life of the villages and regions in which they live. This "savings" culture could change, profoundly change, the life of the villages. This class of 40 saved 4.7 million shillings (90K each?) which is pretty good for a rural pastor. The bank manager was there to make a report and to encourage the students.

I attended a Graduation in Kiteme, with pastor Robert. Kiteme means to cut or the cutting. It was an interesting gathering there were two other graduates present. He is a fine young pastor and is building a good congregation at Kiteme. His father was there and is grandmother and his young wife. It was fun. Davis likes to send me off on these farther outposts to preach and to extend our reach deeper into the villages. They gave me a rooster and a stalk of Matoke as a thank you for coming gift. The founding pastor of this church was present, she was a graduate of the last Kikyusa Nexus group.

The party included statements from his former Pastor much singing and a brief sermon from me. I was sitting minding my own business when the MC asked me to get up and share the word of God. So I gave a brief message from Acts 16 about how Paul and his entourage were making plans and intentions to do ministry but at the same time were listening to the movement of the Holy Spirit. Then I celebrated our graduates and sat down.

The team has been having a great time. Barb and Kathy are Ronald's school today, Clair had the youth rally today and it was bigger and better than ever. Linda got to go to the big graduation party in Kikyusa.

the MC at the part last night looked familiar. Maybe it was the Nigerian costume or that he looked a little like Martin Lawrence (could have been his brother) or that he was marvelously energetic.

At Kiteme, after dinner, several people came to me for prayer. I laid hands on a small baby, a 7th grader and an older women. This is a culture that believes in prayer.

I am preaching near Kikyusa in a place called Nakakono tomorrow.
drbj

Nakasangola day 2

2011-11-16T07:44:00.000-08:00

10/21/2011
We returned to Nakasangola for day "2" today. I taught the 10 Commandments from a Hermaneutical perspective: how does the context help us understand that the commandments are rules for living as free people. The teaching and the congregation seemed to connect. I have some new friends in this place. Linda taught about suffering from Questions by Adam Hamilton -- she did a great job and her voice and health are getting stronger each day.

In the Afternoon I taught on Jeremiah 29 -- Jeremiah's letter to the exiles. 597 the nobility and creative were carried off to Babylon and were being told by the other Judeah prophets that their stay in Babylon would not be long and that they should not unpack and be ready to return at a moment's notice. Jeremiah tells them that they will return to Jerusalem -- but not for 70 years. He advises them to build houses and live in them, gardens, marry and give sons and daughters in marriage. Seek the welfare of the city in which you find yourself -- I talked about how being citizens of heaven we are also in exile and have a responsibility to seek the welfare of wherever we live. The goal of this life is not to wait for death so we can go to heaven. The goal is to bring heaven to earth. We are to storm the gates of hell and the gates of hell will not overcome or prevail against us.

I really enjoy teaching and preaching and this opened up a response from Davis that challenged the leaders in Nakasangola to build heaven where they were -- buy cloths for your children and buy for the orphan next door as well. Serve where you live, build your church.

When we returned to the Luweero guest house our friend Robert, his new wife, Agnes and Davis wife, Samalie had arrived in anticipation of tomorrow's graduation. I am blessed to have these friends and to see them doing exceptionally well. We had dinner together and then (BLESSING) I actually had hot water in my room and was able to take a hot shower -- no much water pressure but hot made up for it! (Amazing how quick we are to be thankful for small things when we are required to forgo them for a while!

Curious view of the day -- saw a man on a motorcycle (boda boda) carrying a man who was carrying a bicycle. We also saw some odd swamp bird as we were driving through the swamp. It had a long neck and beak and was greyish black in color. We asked Davis what they were and he said: "it is a Ugandan Swamp bird" and we all laughed.

Kathy and Barb passed out the "Dress My People" dresses at the Blessed Primary School in Kirimandagi today and took many photos of the children. Kathy took a 30 second video of the children. It was great to hear them talk about it and rejoice in the giving. The light in their eyes and the joy in their voices reminds me again that "it is more blessed to give than receive!

"Tomorrow we are off to graduation in Kikyusa -- 40 students who have completed the training.
drbj

A place called Nakasangola

2011-11-14T06:42:00.000-08:00

10/20/11

Interesting day yesterday. It started at Pastor Elisha's place and a nice bible conversation with my friend Eddie and our ESL teacher, Alice. Most of the conversation was bout the culture/historical/religious conditions in Corinth. The focus of the conversation was "what is fornication". Apparently some individuals have been teaching that anyone who has non marital relations with another is committing fornication -- in the context of the Corinthians letter (where this conversation is in the context of ritual temple prostitution) this would not be an accurate reading. These individuals had put the "offenders" out of their church. It is amazing how quickly legalism and judgement can take over the spirit of a congregation. I find that I am having a lot of these "side bar" conversations about matters of biblical interpretation and the application of hermaneutical principles.

The well is not yet completed

We drove to Nakasangola today -- 40 miles out form Kikyusa. The road ends 100 yards from the church which is 200 yards from the beginning of the swamp that is this end of lake Kyoga.

A woman named Magdalene is the Senior Pastor in this place. She is a formidable woman, an excellent leader and a deeply spiritual person. It is clear that her connection to God is the driving force in her life and in the rather large circle of human beings who have gravitated to her work. The church looks like an old school mission compound. There is the church, there are homes, there are little huts for the sick who have come in need of prayer. There are herds of goats and cows and pigs and a multiple acre garden. It is quite large and very active. The Nakasangola district is mostly dairy and cattle ranching with a few small farms -- and the usual subsistence farming.

People come her for prayer. Those in need of prayer wander the compound and stop in front of you and you are expected to lay hands and pray over them. Imagine the faith of the prayer seekers and the faith of the prayer givers in a God who responds to every request and petition.

Linda taught this morning on the Prodigal God material and I taught Leadership 101 material that I have brought with me. We were well received and I thought the day went well. We didn't get home until nearly 8 p.m. and the power was out (again) and my water heater doesn't work so another dark cold night at the Luweero guest house. Clair is off with Richard and we won't see him until Sunday night. Barb was a little under the weather last night (another long day) and Kathy is doing great. We are sending Barb and Kathy off early Saturday morning to attend an event at the Gayaza School for Girls (where Davis' brother Ronald works) and they will be attending church with Samalie on Sunday.

We met some Rotarians from Alabama this morning at the guest house. They are working with a school reading program in the Nakasangola area.

John, our driver, has been teaching us Lugandan and is having a blast doing it. He is more engaged with us this trip (probably more comfortable with us) and is more comfortable with our bad Lugandan and his marginal English. Davis has been working to keep all the plates spinning and the team moving. We've had some good conversations.

Tomorrow we are back to Nakasangola and graduation is Friday
drbj

Kikyusa Day Two

2011-11-12T06:49:00.000-08:00

October 19, 2011

Spent all day today teaching "Palestine of Jesus Time" there are five lectures: 1. Malachi to Matthew (the political back drop and lead up to the New Testament); 2. The fullness of Time (the realities of the 1st century world that enhanced the spread of the Gospel; 3. Judaism of the first century (groups, factions, customs and traditions); 4. Judaism of the first century (2) (culture, day to day living, etc).; 5. Religions of the Empire (Christianity's first century competition). We recorded these five lectures live and my friend and president of Nexus Seminary, Davis Matovu, is planning to use these for future groups as they are about to graduate.

It was a really fun day for me. I love to teach. It was also interesting for me to use these older lectures and to see what else I might be tracking on as I taught -- what new research, reading, etc. that may have come up into my mind as I taught. The students were very responsive and asked some great questions. found myself, at one point, giving a very detailed description of first century crucifixion and in another place I was giving an extended description of the role of the Sanhedrin council in the 1st century. I do not remember ever teaching for seven (7) straight hours (with a break for lunch).

We kept Linda out one last day but will be traveling with me to Nakasangola tomorrow to do her first bit of teaching in Kikyusa. We are sending Clair off, tomorrow, to Kampala -- he will be collected by Pastor Richard (another friend of ours) to do the Mosher youth rally and to spend some time with other youth workers. The rest of the team is processing their experiences and doing well in this environment. I am deeply blessed to be traveling with Barb (a first time missionary); Kathy, Clair and Linda.

I met with Grace and Naphtal yesterday evening to give them the balance (the overage) on the money raised for the well. It amounted to $1500 US. I asked for some of their dreams and hopes. There were some personal things they were to take care of and the balance was to be used to buy the potato field next to the new well. This will expand the use of the well but also give the Blessed Junior School the control over all traffic routs to the well.

The water and electricity is working again at the guest house in Luweero. Africa, at least this part of Africa, is a jumble of working/not working. There is usually electricity there is running water in some places (when it works. There is cell service nearly everywhere but basic necessities are not always availalbe. The people have an attitude that essentially says we will use what is working and not worry or miss it when it is not working.

I am sitting in the dining room of the guest house. The security guard, who walks the perimeter of the property all night stops and greets me from a distance. I greet him and thank him for his work.

Tomorrow: we are off to a new place for me: Nakasangola.

Kikyusa Day One

2011-11-11T06:03:00.000-08:00

10/18/11
After yesterday's celebration and commissioning of the well, I begin four days of teaching in the Luweero district. Today I pinch hit for Linda (still out but getting better) at the Jesus at Work Seminar. I preached about the three near anonymous persons who helped St. Paul get launched in his Apostolic career. There is a disciple in Damascus named Ananias who came and prayed for Paul even though Ananias was afraid to do so. There were the unnamed "disciples of Paul" who lowered him down from the Damascus wall in a basket. And, finally, there is Barnabas (son of encouragement) who defends and introduces Saul/Paul to the Apostles in Jerusalem (read Acts 9). God will use us if we stay connected, if we are willing, if we follow and, finally if we actually GO!

Preached the above at the Pastor Elisha's church in Kikyusa. The event was the "Jesus at Work" seminar and Pastor Clair was going to be doing most of the "heavy lifting". I thought the congregation was energetic and very responsive. Clair took over afterwards and I headed over to Pastor Moses church (about 10 miles out of town) to teach the graduating Nexus class.

I brought with me a five lecture series generally titled "Palestine of Jesus Time" and began with "From Malachi to Matthew" -- this lecture looks at the political build up to the New Testament beginning with the Assyrians 600 BC, through the Babylonians, Persians, Greeks and finally the Romans. It was well received. Davis especially liked it. I follow lunch with "In the Fullness of Time" which looks at the conditions of the first century Roman empire and how those conditions encouraged the spread of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

We decided to video tape the entire series for Davis and his team to use as a teaching tool in the future. In the hermeneutic approach to studying the Bible understanding the history, culture, etc. of the first century world is vital. So, tomorrow we will be working on taping all five (which means I get to repeat the two I did today) and we will go from there.

It was a great day. I have spent a lot of time with this graduating class. I first met with them at a "come and check it out" event 3 years ago. I taught on SHAPE for ministry and a few other things. I spent two days with them two years ago and again last year and finally this year as they come up for graduation. It is a good class with many excellent leaders and good pastors. Pastor Moses is a fine example of this. He has some sponsors in the UK and has built an orphanage, a school a church and a farm about 10 miles out of Kikyusa. It is quite impressive.

Next -- the long day of teaching all five lectures (and another visit with Grace and Naphtal).
drbj

Comissioning a Well in Kirimandagi

2011-11-10T06:50:00.000-08:00

10/17/11 I am in a guest house in Luwero and trying to write in my journal under a mosquito net -- there is no desk or table in the room and this is the only place to try to write.

We commissioned the Bore Hole Well at the Blessed Junior School in Kirimandagi today. This is "Grace's Well" as we have been calling it. We were greeted by the Children's Scouting Honor Guard who escorted us to the event. We were present with the village elders and leaders and many of the parents from the school. Grace and Naphtal present and leading. I SAW GREAT THINGS TODAY!

I learned today that this village of 560 families (3-5K people) has only one working well. I learned that there are often long lines for the water and the children at the school were missing classes because they had to wait for water. Now that there is a bore hole well for the school and for the village life can get a little better and, perhaps the children won't have to walk down a busy street and wait in long lines for water. It was a great day and I was honored to be a part of it. It is nice to know that I was part of doing something that had a positive effect on thousands of people I may never meet nor know. Sometimes God tells you to do something (like having this well dug) and you don't realize what the wider impact will be, you just know that you have to find some way to get it done. This was that kind of project. Often when we follow the leading of the Holy Spirit we don't know and never get to see the final impact of our work. This was one day where I was able to catch a brief glimpse of the immediate impact of an act of generosity. What the long term impact will be is yet to be known.

Linda is still ill but we brought her to Luweero so she could be part of the team. She seems to be improving.

The plaque on the well read: "A project of Soul Fishing Ministries. Presented by the generous gifts of the Christ Community United Methodist Church of Syracuse, New York and dedicated by Rev. Dr. Norrix on this October 17, 2011. It was named the JIRA Well (Jira, Hebrew for Provider). We met the driller today as well, a large Australian named Ben. He was working hard to explain why the drilling team had yet to arrive.

Tomorrow I will begin teaching the Kikyusa class and the end of the week I will be teaching at Nakasangola.

drbj

Sunday in Mbale with Bishop Sam

2011-11-09T07:10:00.000-08:00

10/16/2011
Preached at Bishop Sam's church this morning. Actually we did an all morning seminar on leadership. I taught the essentials of leadership:
Leader's first responsibility is to grow him/herself: cannot teach what we do not know, cannot lead where we have never been and we cannot give away what we do not have.
Leader's are people of vision: vision is a picture of the preferred future: leader doesn't have to originate the vision but the leader has to be its champion.
Leader's are humble: humility is using your power in the service of others.
Leader's create culture where the vision can be lived out
Leaders lead with integrity - do what you say, say what you do
Authority is shared responsibility is borne
Leadership is influence: influence is formed in relationships
And so on:
I was working with Bishop Sam this morning and our new friend Oscar. One interesting feature of Bishop Sam's church is that there are several languages spoken in the congregation. I was teaching in English, Sam was translating in Lugandan and another man in the congregation was translating into the local tribal language of Busogi. I felt like it was a Pentecost kind of day -- we were all teaching the same thing in multiple tongues.
Linda is still ill and we are trying to decide whether to put her on a plane home, to leave her at Davis home to recover or to take her with us up to Luweero . . .
Kathy went up the mountain (to the Jesus Warrior's church where I was yesterday). She forgot her notes and had to depend on the leading of the Holy Spirit (good idea!)
Clair preached twice this morning and Barb also had a good day.
One consequence of Linda being out is that Barb and Kathy had to go to separate places to preach instead of working together as we had originally planned.
One our way back to Davis' home we stopped to say hi to our friend Moses Wasige in Jinja, Moses is building a congregation on the west bank of the Nile. On my first journey to Uganda in 2007 I was Privileged to stay with Moses and his wife Edith in Luzinga for a weekend -- Saturday seminar and Sunday worship.
We are trying to look for ways to give that would keep on giving. The brick making machine idea from Mbale is an excellent example of this -- it would provide some jobs and would enhance the church's ability to do what it feels called to do. The well project in Kirimandagi is another example of this. It is something that helps the church the school is tangible but would have been out of their reach.
We are back near Kampala tonight and tomorrow we head up to Luweero and the Well Commissioning.
drbj

Teaching on the Mountain

2011-11-08T08:31:00.000-08:00

East of Mbale is the road to Mt. Elgon and Sippi falls. We headed east of Mbale and up the western slope of these mountains. On the side of one of these mountains near the base of another spectacular waterfall is a tiny village and Pastor Margret's church. The village is predominantly Muslim and this one tiny church is the sum total of any obvious Christian presence. The church is called "Jesus Warriors". This is where Margret grew up and though she lives in Mbale she climbs this mountain to preach, to teach and to lead this congregation. It is one of the most beautiful places I have been. Waterfall to the east and the wide plain stretched out to the west. We can see Mbale below us and the long road West.

When we arrived the church was in full worship and, since I was going to be here for the whole day, we settled in and joined the song and dance. Since I was told that the Christians here were fairly new believers I decided to teach on Discipleship. How we begin as Christ followers, the journey inward, SHAPE for ministry and choosing to serve. I was impressed with the leadership in this place (a reflection of Margret's gifts). Margret spoke of her passion to plant a church in her home village and the people in her church community were clearly drawn into that passion and vision.

I got to wear my near Wellies going down the mountain (it rained while we were teaching). The hill side was the Uganda form of a slip and slide and me and my new boots managed to stay upright.

We went to Bishop Sam's for dinner tonight and were received by his family and spent a pleasant evening with them.

At breakfast today I spent time helping Barb put her talk together. Pastor Margret and Pastor Phillip joined us for breakfast. Barb and Kathy were talking about forgiveness and moving forward. Forgiveness is surrendering my right to revenge . . .

Adventures in travel: Clair blew a fuse in his C-Pap machine (that helps him breathe at night) we cobbed something together but our best hope is Kampala. The machine works fine but when the power is out (and it goes up at least once a day here in Mbale) he needs the battery back up. Linda came back from her teaching without a voice . . . we would later assume some kind of Strep Throat but she is pretty sick and we have put her on the sidelines for Sunday morning. This means Kathy and Barb will be going out individually instead of as a team. Should be good for both of them. . .

Saturday in Uganda . . . tomorrow is Sunday!

Drbj

Beginning Ministry in Mbale

2011-11-07T06:23:00.000-08:00

After yesterday's grinding climb around Sippi Falls, we started work in earnest today. The plan was to visit Bishop Sam's church with Sam's associate, Oscar. We were warned that this area was a "slum" with little sanitation and a lot of desperate people. I put together a teaching on how following Jesus is like being on a journey . . .

We visited Bishop Sam's school and I got to see Barb and Kathy in action. I had made a joke with them about Barb would be telling stories and Kathy would be giving a geography lesson. When I walked in on them in their respective class rooms, Barb was telling a story and Kathy was in the middle of a geography lesson. Great fun.

We had a nice long chat with Oscar with the rain pounding down (rained for nearly 3 hours this morning). Oscar told us about his dream of getting a "Brick Making Machine." Nearly all bricks in Uganda are made by hand using wooden forms -- the bricks are dried in the sun then built into an oven like kiln that is then packed with mud and a fire is lit on the inside to "cook the bricks". This machine would make interlocking bricks would not use local top soil and the bricks would be stronger and last longer than the hand made bricks we had seen. The machine cost bout $1500 US plus some additional expenses for training etc. Clair and I are exploring how we might help make this happen for our friends in Mbale (anyone interested?). One key project for the bricks is to build a "public latrine". In this particular part of the slum there are no public latrines and most people simply dump their waste in the gully or other convenient places -- no wonder there is so much illness in this densely populated area. The church considers it a ministry to allow the people near the church to use the church's latrine.

I went and bought my first pair of "Wellies" (aka Wellington boots -- aka gum boots) -- apparently the road to where I am teaching on Saturday (tomorrow) is a muddy dirt track up and back. This is apparently a new church with mostly new Christians. Tomorrow I plan to teach about the basics of discipleship.

I was taken to a church near here where I taught the piece I put together about how the Christian life is like taking a long journey -- using my journey from the US to Uganda as a template. It was a great time. The rains kept some people home (travel in Uganda is difficult in optimum circumstances -- nearly impossible in the rain and mud). Following the teaching time, I met a man that I had met 3 years ago in a place called Caini when I was teaching with Wayne, Alan and Ray. He heard I was in Mbale and just stopped by to say "hello". That is life in Uganda -- the relationship is the critical thing.

As I write this I am sitting in the Hotel restaurant waiting for the team to come down for breakfast. As I look across the room there is another solo white man sitting and having breakfast. We nod across the room and go about our business. I wonder what brings him here . . . is he on mission does he work for an NGO is he here on business . . . questions I will never have answers for.
Tomorrow I am up on the mountain side to teach discipleship.
drbj

Sippi Falls, climbing and seeing

2011-11-03T07:57:00.000-07:00

October 13, 2011
Today we took a trip to a place called Sippi Falls -- not actually one waterfall but a series of at least 3 200 foot drops of beautiful water. We walked in to the first water fall and then were invited to "climb" up to the second one. This seemed reasonable to us since the walk in was not too difficult. We did not realize that the climb was actually up the face of the ridge (a broken volcanic crater). I work out and am in decent physical shape for my age but I was winded (as were the rest of us) pretty quickly on this climb. I couldn't figure it out until I was told by our guide (Alex) that we were at the equivalent of about 6000 feet - now the gasping for air made more sense. We had two guides -- Alex who was about 20 and did this every day and Malishi (a Swahili name meaning to "finish").
The Americans and older Africans were huffing and puffing up this ridge -- young Alex was trotting up and down without much effort.

As we walked to the first waterfall, my friend Davis Matovu was showing me the uses of various herbs and plants -- things his grandmother taught him. He said his grandmother could tell the time of day and season without clock or calendar and he never had watch or calendar until after she died.

Back among the falls were many families living -- no roads but they had their animals, their gardens and many of them were growing and harvesting the excellent coffee that grows in this area.

This area is spectacularly beautiful. It is a beautiful as any place I have ever visited on earth. High narrow water falls, deep green vegetation and, generally, bright blue skies.

From the top of the ridge we could see for a couple of hundred kilometers to the north. A wide vast plain and in the far distance part of lake Kyoga. Hard climbing but very much worth the view at the top.

The hard climb fit with what I was reading in Erwin McManus' book Uprising. He was talking about passion less lives. We discovered passion on the climb when we chose to put our fatigue and lack of wind behind us and chose to push forward (at some point there really is just no going back). I spoke to the team about passion and discovering and rediscovering our passion for life, for ministry for the work we are called to be about. Kathy spoke of her passion for climbing and how much fun it was to do so in community. Better to live with passion than to just go through the motions and live in apathy.

We discussed our change in schedule (this is normal for Uganda) and the team is practicing its "Gumbyism".

Tomorrow we start to work. I am touring a church and teaching in the late afternoon.
drbj

Egrets at the Headwaters of DeNile

2011-11-02T06:47:00.000-07:00

On the long ride to Mbale we made two stops. We stopped at a place called the Kingfisher Resort which is on the west bank of the Nile near where it drains lake Victoria. I have stopped here before and for 50,000 shillings ($22) you can rent a boat (and driver) who will take you to the headwaters (or the Source) of the Nile River. The Nile is the longest river in the world. Water from where we stood takes 3 months to reach the Mediterranean Sea a journey of over 4000 miles.

Traveling with who I travel with we were making jokes about standing at the "Source of De Nile" (Denial is NOT a river in Egypt -- apparently it is a river in Uganda and the Sudan and . . .). This led us to note that there were these lovely little white birds that we discovered were "Egrets" -- so now we are examining our "Egrets at the Source of De Nile" and on it went. It is fun to travel with clever people and a little word play time was great.

The Source of the Nile is one of the four places Gandhi's ashes were scattered. On the east bank of the Nile there is a monument announcing this fact. We also saw a huge Monitor lizard (or is it Molitor?) on the banks of the Nile must have been 5 feet long.

After our Boat ride we went to visit Jose' and Sol - two American ex patriots who, when I saw them last were working for the Alpha Omega Seminary near Jinja but are now running a training program for rural pastors in the region. Since this is very similar work to what we are doing we spent a good lunch comparing notes and getting caught up. They are doing excellent work and we hope to reconnect with them along the way.

The long road to Mbale took us to the main city in that region. It was interesting to see the mountains suddenly rise up in front of us. Our plan tomorrow is to visit Sippi Falls and to do some light hiking. This will be our last "tourist" day as we begin work teaching and preaching, etc. the day after. I think it was a good idea for those of us who have been in Uganda before, to see something different and to meet some new folks who are doing the Lord's work in different vineyards.

We ended the day with a good team meeting.

Tomorrow -- Sippi Falls, the long climb
drbj

Uganda Mission 2011 -- Part 2

2011-11-01T05:04:00.000-07:00

October 11: after sleeping in a bit (we didn't arrive at Davis home until nearly 4:00 a.m. Uganda time) we had a day of running around. There are always last minute details that have to be taken care of before we can begin our travels and teaching in earnest. There is the trip to the foreign exchange office -- time to change money. There are a dozen or more of these offices all located on the same busy Kampala street with the exchange rates posted on sandwich boards out front. One US dollar was going for 2840 Uganda Shillings. I took money for the team and myself and exchanged it all.

There was the annual visit to the Uganda Bible Society. They actually had Luganda translation Bibles -- last year when we stopped to get some we ended up in the down town books stores because the Bible Society did not have any Bibles (define irony). The promised new translation printed in parallel with English is still not finished -- I've been asking for it for 5 years now and they keep promising, keep promising . . .

The rest of the team did some preliminary work: Clair met with the folks who are putting on the annual "Mosher Youth Rally"; Linda met with Davis' wife, Samalie, regarding the Women's conference at the end of our journey. Kathy and Barb met with Davis' brother, Ronald, regarding his work with the Gayaza School for Girls, mathematics, and a Christian teacher's meeting they are setting up.

Tomorrow we begin the long drive to Mbale via Jinja.
drbj

Uganda Mission 2011 -- Part 1

2011-10-31T09:39:00.000-07:00

I will be posting excerpts from my Mission Journal over the next few weeks. I traveled to Uganda for the 5th time October 9 through 27 with 4 other friends; Two pastors (Pastor Linda Prell and Pastor Clair Mosher) and two educators (Barbara Walter and Kathy Walter). Our primary purpose was to work with Nexus Seminary, Uganda -- a training program for rural pastors in Uganda. Barb and Kathy will also be working the Blessed Primary School in Kirimandagi, Uganda. The Nexus curriculum is a 20 course certificate level training that is brought to the towns and villages of Uganda. The bulk of the teaching is done by Ugandan tutors under the direction of Rev. Davis Matovu.

ENTRY ONE and TWO (October 9 - 10) arriving 1:00 a.m. on the 11th.
Travel Days: Buffalo to JFK; JFK to Istanbul; Istanbul to Entebbe, Uganda, minibus to Kayebbe and Davis' home. Travel was uneventful, late out of Buffalo but plenty of time to catch the 11:00 out of JFK. Thoughts on the plane: I brought with me Leadership teaching and a five part teaching on the 1st century world, the world in which the Gospels were written. I've been reading in my daily Bible readings about the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem under Nehemiah and the Holy Week events as recorded by Luke. New travel tip: take ginger candy with me on future journeys. The ginger candy seems to have settled my stomach on the flights and later, I would discover they were helpful on the long drives.

In the night on the plane to Uganda I was reminded of a quote by C.S. Lewis that heaven has no rewards that mercenary soul would want. The person who is after sacks of gold or personal power or eternity to themselves is missing the point of the Gospel.Heaven offers eternal life -- 1 John reminds us that eternal life is knowing Jesus. Heaven offers Eternal relationships and a way to live in the here and how. Heaven offers the forgiveness of sins, freedom from laziness, freedom from petty attachments and freedom to align myself with the in breaking kingdom of God.

If I come to God looking for material, selfish things I will find grand disappointment. If I come looking for God I will find eternal joy and the very purpose for which I was created. Someone once said: aim your life for the things of earth and in the end there is nothing. However, if you aim your life for heaven you get earth thrown in as well (Matt 6:33).

That is day one/two of the travel journal.
Tomorrow - a day in Kampalla.
DRBJ

Thoughts on 9/11 anniversary

2011-09-07T12:21:00.000-07:00

I, like most USAmericans, can remember pretty specific details of where we were and what we were doing on 2/11/01. I remember watching the news and seeing the World Trade Center collapse over the shoulder of the news commentary moments before he realized what had just happened. I was working from my office at Christ Community in Syracuse and called the staff in and we watched and wondered and prayed. We began to hear stories and rumors and all the rest of it. We fretted and we worried (and we prayed some more). We learned that the church community had family working in and around Ground Zero. We prayed for their safety. We learned that there was a second attack on the Pentagon and an additional crash in Pennsylvania. We watched and we prayed.

And then reality and the need to return to normalcy takes over. There are grieving people and worried people and scared people to speak with, pray with, and encourage. I spoke at a Men's gathering (the principle speaker could not make it due to all of the plane flights being grounded). I spoke about restraint, grace and above all the Christian mandate to forgive. Forgiveness is not a good idea it is an essential ingredient of what it means to be a follower of Jesus Christ. Jesus tells us to pray "forgive us our sins AS WE forgive those who sin against us". Jesus does not seem to suggest there is forgiveness on any other terms.

Forgiveness. Most of us labor under the misapprehension that forgiveness is the same as "excusing". We seem to think that forgiveness is another way of saying it didn't matter, it didn't hurt, or that it was really OK to do what was done. But this is not the case. Forgiveness is giving up my personal right for revenge -- to get even. Forgiveness is God's way of helping us surrender the need to be avenged. Maybe that is why the Bible says "vengeance is mine, says the LORD." If we trust it to God we can let it go and forgive and be forgiven.

Christ followers know that the price of forgiveness is not easy, cheap, or sloppy grace. Christ followers know that the price of forgiveness was the life of God's one and only begotten Son. If the price of forgiveness was the life of the Son of God . . . maybe I could be inconvenienced too. I doubt that a nation, any nation, will allow itself to practice this level of self abasement and humility to surrender the right of revenge. But Jesus did not come to convert institutions or political entities -- he came to reach men and women (expecting that they would change the world around them).

Anyway, 9/11/01 -- horrible, difficult day. But, like all of life, a day of learning and understanding. My question 10 years later has not changed. I ask today what I asked then: Will I respond with hatred and more violence or will I take the healing road of grace and forgiveness?

thoughts,

bj

humility

2011-08-24T07:22:00.000-07:00

I've been reading John Dickson's new book Humilitas: A lost key to life, love and leadership. I picked this book up because I heard Dr. Dickson speak at the Leadership Summit from the Willow Creek Community church on the 12th of August. Humility, Dr. Dickson suggests is not self deprecation, it is not humiliation, and it is not the Caspar Milquetoast-ey being a door mat kind of thing. Humility, he suggests, is not being humiliated but from a position of strength surrendering one's power in the service of others. Humility is using what power we have in the service of others.

Imagine what might happen if Pastors, Members of Congress, military, civic, educational, business and other leaders decided that their purpose was not the control of others and not their own personal self aggrandizement but we were in the positions we were in so that we might serve others. Serving others would certainly take many forms. Serving others in such a way as to keep them in certain categories or places would not be service at all. Serving others would have to mean making the world a better place. Serving others would have mean helping them become all that God had called them to be. Imagine humble leaders using their power in the service of others . . .

bj

Thinking about the journey

2011-08-22T11:29:00.000-07:00

For most of my nearly 55 years I have tended to view life as a series of destinations, weigh stations, rest stops and arrivals. Only recently have I begun to see that a significant part of life is the journey itself. Perhaps I am just a slow learner, or, perhaps, it takes a few years of hanging out in destination-ville to discover that the fun part was usually the anticipation, planning and journey that got me there. When I read the Gospel I find this same kind of strange journey mentality. Jesus seems to always be on his way somewhere (he doesn't not seem to just wander about much) but many of his miracles happen on the journey -- when he is on the way to doing something else. I used to call this the "ministry of interruption" but am more inclined to think these days that the interruption was just another part of the journey.

I'm not quite up to John Lennon's "life is what happens when you are making other plans". Because even the making of plans is life, and being interrupted is life and actually taking the journey is life and, there are even a few destinations before we hit the road again that are life, indeed.

I am struggling to see my spiritual journey in the same way. I am not sitting around waiting to go to heaven. This journey of faith has profound value all by itself. I am beginning to understand C.S. Lewis who once wrote that "even if there were no heaven, I would still be a Christian because of the benefits in this life." Being a Christ follower on the journey is in and of itself a benefit. The journey is a benefit. The process and experience and knowing Jesus is a great benefit. And, some day, I will be with Jesus. Being with Jesus is not "going to heaven" it is heaven. . . . or so the journey this far would suggest.

bj

Something about Saturday morning

2011-08-20T08:20:00.000-07:00

I have discovered (am discovering) that Saturday mornings are becoming one of my favorite times of the week. I can get up early (who gets up early on Saturday?) I can have my office and my desk to myself in a relatively quite setting and I can work hard focus well and get things done with minimal interruptions. Yea Saturday!

There is something about the uninterrupted block of time that is essential to thought and creative work. Is this part of the Sabbath concept? Is there a divinely inspired benefit to just shutting the world out, the noise down, turning away from the distractions of day to day living? What else must I do to "unplug" and refocus? I'm liking the idea of a weekly "reboot" where I turn the juice off and focus on something completely new and different.

There is just something about Saturday morning.
bj

Moving Experience

2011-08-18T12:16:00.000-07:00

Shortly after my Epiphany (January 6) post I learned that I would be moving from my home of 27 years (Syracuse) to a new home in the Buffalo area (Amherst/Snyder) on July 1, 2011. In the church administrative system called the "United Methodist Church" I serve "under appointment" that is to say ultimately at the discretion of my spiritual leader, a bishop. Though I did not seek this move I felt strongly that it was where the Holy Spirit was leading me and so, from first of February (when the change was announced) to the 8th of July when I finally moved, I worked at being in transition.

Transition is difficult. I was Senior Pastor of the same church for 23 years. It is hard to leave someplace where you have married, buried, baptized, confirmed and walked through some significant family, spiritual or other crisis with every family in the congregation. I chose to walk slowly through the "good bye's" and to enjoy a long series of "last suppers" with the friends who were family. I felt like I said my good and thorough fare wells (I also gained nearly 20 pounds doing it -- lot of cakes, dinners, special treats).

Here in Amherst where I am now blessed to be serving the Christ United Methodist Church. We are just beginning to get to know each other. I am learning my way around, making new friends, dreaming some big dreams and imagining the possibilities of what God has in store for us here.

The transition is far from over. I'm the "new guy" in an existing place. My wife is still commuting back to Syracuse for her work, we haven't sold our house in Liverpool, New York (HEY LOOKING FOR A REALLY NICE HOME WITH LOTS OF CHARACTER?) and that general feet in multiple places angst that happens in this kind of experience.

But, having said all of that, isn't all of life transition? Permanence is an illusion we cling to because it is familiar and because it is comfortable. Living life as a Christ follower is like raising children. Someone once told me that the goal of raising children is so they will have roots and wings. I like that. My faith in Christ roots me in an eternal, loving and unchanging God. My faith in Christ also sets me free to fly, to try, to become all that God intends.

Be blessed,

bj

Epiphanies

2011-01-06T15:34:00.000-08:00

A funny name that means manifestation or revealing. Christian tradition holds it to be the day the Magi visited the Christ child in Bethlehem (generally believed to be 12 days to 2 years after his birth -- sorry to mess with all of those children's Christmas pageants.

Anyway, Epiphany is significant because the Magi are the first "outsiders" to recognize the child for who he was. Not just the first born of peasant parents from Nazareth but the Son of God come into the world for the redemption of the world.

I have found myself wondering if the modern Christian church will ever understand the importance of getting outside themselves, outside their walls, and get busy revealing the true Christ to the world. Too many of us have Crocodile Dundee theology "me and God, we be mates". Not that intimacy and friendship with our creator and savior is a bad thing but there is another side of the story the "King of Kings and Lord of Lords" part of the story that doesn't just walk in the garden in the coolness of the evening breeze, but commands us to live life for him and to bring heaven to earth.

A understanding of both sides of the story would be an epiphany, indeed.

Good to be back,

DR BJ

Random on a Monday

2010-02-22T13:52:00.000-08:00

I have found a tenacious rhythm in the life of the church. As Christ Community's Senior Pastor and primary preacher and teacher, I have come to notice that every seventh day is a Sunday. I have tried to stretch and condense the rhythm of the week but to no avail, the first day of the week rolls around and it is time to preach once again. I love doing what I do and I love speaking of Christ's forgiveness, mercy, grace and love. There is, however, Monday to deal with.
Sunday I am with people all day (I'm an extrovert this is fine), but when I crawl into bed on Sunday night I am tired -- physically, emotionally, spiritually tired. When I rise on Monday that weariness seems to settle in and, like a Spring fog in Central New York, usually doesn't burn off until early afternoon. Typically, my solution to this is to NOT inflict myself on people on Monday morning. Sometimes it is unavoidable, sometimes it is essential, nonetheless, given a choice, I work hard to be invisible, quiet, reflective on a Monday.
Life has rhythms and patterns. The birth, growth, decline, death cycle is familiar (and, frankly, unavoidable). There is the rhythm of sunrise and sunset. The seasons spin from Summer to Fall to Winter to Spring and back to Summer again. We are surrounded by patterns and rhythms. I suspect this is why many of the ancient ones of the Christian movement recommended some type of rhythmic approach to the spiritual life. They developed the monastic hours for prayer throughout the day. They developed the Christian calendar (Lent/Easter/Pentecost/etc.) to frame the rhythm of each passing year.
It is Monday and my rhythmic pattern is to hide for a while and then slowly re-emerge.
bj

Ash Wednesday and "giving up stuff"

2010-02-17T09:26:00.000-08:00

I grew up in a Roman Catholic home -- Catholic school for 1st and 2nd grade, first communion, confirmation all that fun religious stuff. One of the favorite things to talk about as we headed toward Ash Wednesday and the season of Lent was "what are you giving up for Lent". I suspect this was the over simplified response of over indulged people to a season of fasting and penitence/repentance. Fasting is going without something allowed (like giving up food or sex or a favorite activity for a season) to focus on God. As school kids we talked about giving up chocolate or Coke or some indulgence that we could well do without and, honestly, wasn't really much of a sacrifice. I wanted to give up broccoli and Brussels sprouts one year (definitely NOT a sacrifice).
Later in life, as I read what some of the Saints of Old understood about fasting I was astonished at how pale and paltry our childhood efforts were (then again, we were just kids). Many of the old ones would go without meat six days a week in the season of Lent. Many of them fasted entire days and even weeks during this time period. Many of them abstained from all manner of allowable activities as a sacrifice to God and a reminder of their mortality and to help them focus on the deeper spiritual matters at hand.
So, here I am in Lent, once again. It is Ash Wednesday. What am I willing to give up that will profoundly change me. One colleague of mine suggested giving up "negative thoughts and comments about self and others (thanks Rebecca)" -- that could be a serious sacrifice for some. Maybe I should give up my passive "watching" -- Internet, TV, movies -- for a season in order to more fully engage with others in mission and ministry. Maybe I should fast from food for a day or two (or a day a week) and give the money I saved to Haiti relief. Maybe I should fast from eating out for the season and give the money saved to someone who needs it more than I.
I don't want to just "give something up" I want to surrender myself, be remade, re-formed and reshaped into the kind of person God has uniquely created and called me to be. . .
. . . more as we move forward!
dr bj

Be My Valentine

2010-02-11T09:12:00.001-08:00

The variety of traditions surrounding the "Feast of St. Valentine" are intriguing. The only one I'm working with is the one that identifies St. Valentine as a Roman priest in the 4th century who was martyred for performing marriages. The song bird option, the pairing of the turtle doves option and all the rest are fine (and kind of cute) but I believe that human love can meet its fullest expression in the covenant of marriage and, therefore, I like the idea of celebrating the life and death of a person who understood that same principle.
Marriage is under fire in our culture. We live in a time that is so enamored with the intoxicating feeling of "being in love" that the deeper, broader and Biblical understanding of love is lost. That intoxication eventually leads to a hang over. What happens when the feeling of "being in love" goes away or takes a vacation? What happens when it is not "fun" anymore? What happens when I get infatuated with another person while married? In American culture what usually happens is adultery, divorce and disillusionment. What if the problem is not marriage but how we understand love?
The basis of a healthy marriage is not the feeling of love but the choice of love. Love chooses commitment. Isn't this the language of lovers? I'll be yours forever? We'll live "happily ever after?" The commitment in marriage is three fold. I believe a healthy marriage is a commitment to God; a commitment to the spouse; and a commitment to marriage. With those healthy anchors a couple lives through the ups and downs of emotions and they live through the ebb and flow of life's joys and sorrows. And when I don't like my spouse all that much today, I can still love her because I have chosen to do so.
Have a blessed feast of St. Valentine!

bj

Only six more weeks . . .

2010-02-02T14:41:00.000-08:00

I am curious as to who thought up the "six more weeks of winter" thing for Punxsutawney Phill to discover with his shadow. In Central New York State, where I live, six more weeks of winter would be considered a blessing and a good thing. ONLY six more weeks, we cry, and there is much rejoicing. It is difficult to live in a place that has six season -- Winter which is January and February, unlocking season which is March and April, Spring which is May and June, Summer which is July and August, Autumn or Fall which is September and October and then there is the locking season which is November and December. Fully six months of that time it is getting cold, still cold or starting to not be cold any more. SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) is simply a medical term for the depression that sets in because we live in a cold and gray place.

There are amazing advantages . . . (wait a second and I'll remember them). . . oh, golf is cheap, when the weather turns it is spectacular. We don't have deal with Hurricanes (like the south east), Tornadoes (like the Midwest), 100 degree heat (like the southwest). We don't have to deal with earthquakes, mud slides (like the far west). People have lived here long enough to learn how to deal with the changing seasons. Curiously, we adjust.

My warmer climate friends often ask -- why do you still live in such a place. My response -- two things. First it is where God has placed me to serve and work. Second, it is home.

Those should be the only answers.

bj

working my way back

2010-01-28T11:24:00.000-08:00

Hi:

I've been off the grid for a few months and haven't been posting. Here's to beginning the end of the first month of the new year with a renewed commitment to putting out there what has been on my mind.

I am currently working with the idea of Idolatry. Jarrett Stevens' "The Deity Formerly Known as God" and Timothy Keller's "Counterfeit God's" have been illuminating and helpful on the journey. I am especially captured by the modern incarnation of all of the ancient deities. Consider the biggest gods of the American culture: Money, Sex, Power, Self (one could add a variety of others including: Success, etc.). In the old days there were statues and temples for these powerful motivators . . . today we make just as many sacrifices, perform just as many rituals, and entrust our lives to these same false gods. We just don't call them deities.

It is common among certain Christian circles to speak of priorities and having our priorities straight in our lives. This conversation usually involves linear lists of items. The conversation usually goes like this: "put God first, then your family, then your work . . . and so on". (I'm old enough to remember JOY (J-Jesus O-Others Y-yourself). The problem with this presentation is that it is not biblical.

A better image would be from astronomy. The largest gravity well determines the orbits of everything else. In a human life that gravity well is our god (notice not should be, not becomes, but simply is). Whatever is at the center controls the relationship of everything else. If I have a right relationship with God at the center (or at least becoming right from my side -- already made right by God) then my family, work, play, etc. align themselves properly and appropriately. If I have anything other than the Creator at the center of my life I have chaos and the other aspects of the constellation of my life are banging into each other and out of alignment.

That alignment is why the conversation about idolatry is still relevant and vital. If money, sex (youth, beauty, whatever), power or my own self is the deepest gravity well . . .

bj

Musings

2009-08-10T14:18:00.000-07:00

Hi: I've been away from my blog for a few weeks . . . it happens. : )

I've been thinking a lot about what it means to be a Christ follower. I had a great conversation with a young person (anyone younger than yourself is a "young person") the other day. This young friend is not yet a Christ follower. One of the biggest obstacles is fear that the "crazies" have it right and that the violent, lunatic fringe of "so called" Jesus followers or, and perhaps this is worse, the lifeless insipid banal "so called" Jesus followers are the real deal.

I suggested, as someone once told me, that religion does not create fanatics . . . but it does attract them. Any cause or movement has its people on the edge. Consider the environmental movement, or the animal rights folks (both excellent causes) but do those who perpetuate violence speak for the whole? I doubt it and the same is true for Christ followers -- those of us who are seeking an authentic relationship with our creator through Jesus Christ tend to be pretty balanced and rational people.

The passionless and the misplaced (guided?) impassioned have never been the mark of Christ's followers. Jesus is seen in the Gospels as a compassionate, passionate, principled person. He challenges injustice, he confronts hypocrisy, and his offering on the cross is correctly referred to as "His Passion" . . . but he is not Ned Flanders, nor is he Caspar Milquetoast and he is certainly not using violence to win his point. On fire . . . with grace.

Jesus calls us to live lives that matter in ways that make a difference, as servants of all.

It is quite the challenge.

bj

Free but not cheap

2009-06-18T08:20:00.000-07:00

I am rereading Dietrich Bonhoeffer's excellent "The Cost of Discipleship". I began this reread on my journey to Halifax, Nova Scotia for my Uncle's funeral. A little light reading on the plane and before bed time. This great book is a study of the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5-7. Bonhoeffer begins his book with a detailed discussion of grace. He wrote this in Germany in 1936-7 in the days leading up to the second World War. His primary concern was for the renewal of the church. He believed that the church had settled for a "cheap grace". That is an understanding of grace that was essentially "all about me". A grace that "got me saved" but never engaged my will or my transformation. "Cheap grace is not the kind of forgiveness of sin which frees us from the toils of sin. Cheap grace is the grace we bestow on ourselves." (Page 44 touchstone edition). He argues that the church fell into a double standard where a "maximum obedience," what was expected of monks, martyrs, and other "saints," and a "minimum obedience", what was expected of the rank and file church member, was killing the churches witness and effectiveness. (And, I might add, continues to do so!).

Grace becomes costly (rather than cheap) when it not only brings us to forgiveness but also brings us into obedient alignment with the way that Jesus Christ taught. Who Jesus is is more important than what he says. However, obedience to what he says is the key component to living a life in grace.

I am finding echos of Bonhoeffer's writing in some modern writers like Erwin McManus (see Unstoppable Force or The Barbarian Way) and Rob Bell (Jesus came to Save Christians).

The key component of "Costly Grace" is reorientation of our values and priorities from "what do I get out of it (consumer meism driven religion)" to concern for the poor, the oppressed, the disadvantaged, etc. If we accept this understanding the only logical conclusion is that our American consumer driven religion is the antithesis of biblical Christianity. Lord have mercy and help me change my heart, my priorities, my values, my focus . . .

I will keep reading. . .

Dr. BJ

Acts 8

2009-06-08T07:14:00.000-07:00

Acts 8 shows the early Christian movement moving out from Jerusalem. Did everyone notice what got the Church moving from complacency? Persecution. God uses our discomfort to get us moving to where he wants us. With the great successes of Pentecost and the terrific fellowship of the Jerusalem the early church could easily have fallen into a nice little bless me party. Peter Wagner calls this "koininitis" a condition where the church gets so enamored with being together it forgets its mission. The death of Stephen and Saul's work to drag believers off to prison serves to move the church away from Jerusalem into Judea and Samaria (remember Acts 1:8). The first non Jewish convert (Samaritans) the first not Semitic convert (the Ethiopian) are in this chapter all of it because the church was scattered away from their home base. What will it take the 21st Century church to leave its complacency and move back out into mission?

Wondering About Hope

2009-06-07T14:17:00.000-07:00

The Syracuse Newspaper runs a column in the Saturday edition about what people believe. The past few weeks the articles have been written by people who were "areligious"; my read would be that they were more agnostic than atheistic but that is just my perspective. The essence of the two presentations is that this is all that there is so make the most of it. On the surface that sounds great -- live for today, make every moment count, etc.
I find myself wondering, however, why bother. St. Paul wrote to the Corinthians that if this is all there is we are most to be pitied ("If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all peple most to be pitied." 2 Corinthians 15:19). Life becomes a pathetic, accidental and somewhat pointless existence. The question "what am I here for?" has no context and therefore not even a sniff of an answer. I believe we are hard wired to seek meaning and purpose. Victor Frankl's book "Man's Search for Meaning" found that survivors could see a future beyond their current circumstances. This "potential future" gave them hope and that hope helped them survive.
I'm not arguing for a dogmatic control focused "religion" (I can't imagine anything more antithetical to the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth). I am suggesting that a look to an eternal future is one way that people find hope. This hope not only allows them to survive life's difficulties it also gives them the courage to attempt taking on the structures, powers and inertia of human society that often grinds people to dust. I have read that during the days of the black plague the areas of Europe that were more "Christianized" had a lower death rate. The Christians saw a better future and were not afraid to risk. Because of this they took care of their dead (instead of leaving them in the streets). This extra care saved many lives.
"All these died in faith without having recieved the promises, but from a distance they saw and greeted them. They confessed that they were strangers and foreigners on the earth, for people who speak in this way make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. (Hebrews 11:13)"
What gives you hope?

Crisis de jure

2009-04-30T07:48:00.000-07:00

I am frequently bewildered by the ferocity and energy of the 24 hour news cycle. When News stations had a half hour an evening they tended to stick to "hard news" and were usually covering stuff that mattered -- we might debate how they covered it but generally it was information that was recognized as important. There were newspapers that tried to tell the news in written form so you could read it at your leisure. Nobody screamed at us.
Now everything has to be a catastrophe, a crisis, an Armageddon. This is not to say that the economic situation, ABMs 100th day, or swine flu is not important. It is to say that when the news channels have an enormous financial stake in keeping us watching there is a tendency to present things as more critical and more important than they actually are. All the air time devoted to the Octo-mom would be a prime example of this. I don't need television to have a game of "spot the loony", I can play that game on my own in my own time just by wandering around town for a while.
I think we could create a real crisis . . . stop watching the TV news channels and see what happens. Between the declining revenue streams and declining advertising dollars we might see some of the hysteria for what it is . . .
I choose NOT to be afraid. Whenever there is a visitation of God in the Bible (generally an angel) the first words of the angel are "do not be afraid". When Jesus appears to the disciples on the first Easter evening he says "do not be afraid." I am convinced that the opposite of faith is not doubt (doubt is good, healthy and keeps us seeking); the opposite of faith is fear.
Turn off the news, look around you, trust, pray and above all else . . . do not be afraid.
dr. bj

Random Thoughts on a Thursday

2009-04-16T06:23:00.000-07:00

I find it great that the Christian movement chose to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus over a 50 day span instead of just a single event. The resurrection is the very core of the faith -- it deserves all the attention, discussion, celebration we can give it.
. . . In Central New York the arrival of Spring is a wonderful thing. Bulb flowers in full bloom (and more coming) grass is greening, trees are budding . . . and the lure of the golf course courses through my veins . . .
I am often amazed at the kindness of friends and frequently blessed by the grace of strangers . . .
There is something about sunshine and lifts my heart . . . I wonder about Revelation 21 that says that there will be no sun or moon in the New Heaven and New Earth -- instead, it says, that God will be the light . . . I wonder what "God Light" feels like (is that the light that was created in Genesis before there was a Sun?)
Its the middle of April and the Detroit Tigers have not been eliminated from the playoffs!
Paid my taxes yesterday (ouch) but am grateful for what it provides (usually).

I am thinking a lot about what we don't see around us. I suspect that many of us get so locked into our routines that a normal day is somewhat akin to sleep walking. Get up, clean up, eat, go to work, stop, eat, go back to work, stop, go home, eat, relax in the evening . . . We don't see the beauty (or the pain) all around us. I want to live life awake! On the days I am awake I am walking about in a state of constant amazement!
Dr. Bj

A Day of Unspeakable Hope

2009-04-11T03:57:00.000-07:00

I occasionally allow myself (nay, force myself) to watch one of the 24 hour news channels. According to the latest: we are all going to die of starvation because of the economy, NO, wait, we are all going to die of earthquakes, no, wait, we are all going to die from a tornado, no, wait, it will be a nuclear missile from North Korea (a terrorist, a former Soviet republic . . .). No wait global warming, an alien invasion, tainted peanut butter, the octomom will kill us all . . . no wait. . .

And then come the solutions. Put your trust in this political party the other guys are idiots. No, sorry, wrong group, put your trust in this political party we were wrong about who the idiots were. No, oops, wrong again, put your trust in this man -- he'll see us through. Put your trust in the TV religion sellers; this self help craze; that new product. Or, just say to Hell with it all and drink our beer, or booze, take this drug . . . or . . .

To the fear mongers I have this to say: we are all going to die. The mortality ratio of the Human Race is still 1:1. Whether it is by missile, tornado, cancer, or I get hit by a bus tomorrow, the end is still the same. This physical life will end. The question is not whether or not I might die or how. The important question is have I actually lived when it came. Did I find the reason for my being? Did I live a life worth living.

To the solution people I would add: the trouble with human solutions is that they have humans running them. We are all flawed broken creatures. I can love my fellow humans, I can learn to trust many of them . . . none of them can be the source of my hope and certainly not some political program.

So what do I do. I need hope. Someone once said you can survive three weeks without food, three days without water, three minutes without air . . . but none of us will live three seconds without hope. Hope is what gets us up and gets us moving. Hope helps us to keep trying!

Which brings us to the odd center of Christianity. I have long suspected that in order to be true it has to be a little odd, so this doesn't bother me. The odd center of Christianity is the journey from the brutal execution of an itinerant Rabbi named Jesus of Nazareth to whispered and then shouted rumors that he has come back to life. Could it be possible that someone has defeated death? Could it be possible that the deaths I have experienced could be resurrected? Could it be possible (hope against hope) that what he said about himself and his life was actually true and that following him and serving others is where life's true meaning will be found?

When I get to Easter (every year it seems) something happens in my heart. The despair of the world around me -- seeking life in the transient things of of money, sex and power -- falls away and I realize that there IS someone in the universe worth being the focus of my life. When I get to Easter and the church is shouting its core creed (Christ is Risen! Indeed!) My heart tells me . . .and so am I. Risen, filled with hope and ready to begin again to live the life to which I am called.

Have a blessed Easter, everyone.
Dr. B J

God's (Good) Friday

2009-04-10T07:20:00.000-07:00

Now comes the worst (and best) of the Christian story. Jesus, son of God, sent into the world to offer his life as an offering for the Sin of the world willingly goes to the cross to die. There are many things about Mel Gibson's "Passion" that were over done and there is something unhealthily disturbing about the brutality of his presentation. However, at a critical moment in the film he does get something right. When the time of the crucifixion arrives, Jesus lays himself down on the cross. Whether it is historically accurate or not does not matter. It IS theologically accurate. No one takes Jesus life. Jesus is not a martyr, tragically killed at the prime of life. Jesus willingly lays down his life for ours.
I remember it being explained this way when I was a young Christian. A man is brought to a Village Justice for an excessive speeding ticket. He and the Justice are life long and very good friends. At the trial the entire courtroom watches to see what the Justice will do to help the plight of his friend. People watch in amazement when the Justice levies the highest possible fine and penalty on his friend. Then the Justice stands, takes off his robe, walks to the Bailiff and pays the fine. That is Good Friday. Every human faces the stiffest penalty possible -- this penalty is the consequence of God's amazing love. God takes off his Robe (see Philippians 2), and, in the person of God's only begotten son, Jesus of Nazareth, takes our place at the execution -- pays our penalty.
God's Friday is the day redemption becomes the norm and becomes possible for any and all of us. All we need to do is embrace for ourselves what God has done for the whole world.
Amazing Love, indeed.
Dr. BJ

Holy Thursday

2009-04-09T08:14:00.000-07:00

Today is Holy Thursday, sometimes called "Maundy Thursday" after the Latin word for mandate -- Jesus mandated communion when he said "do this in remembrance of me." Personally, I don't like the Maundy language and prefer to stick with the older "Holy Thursday". On this day, in the first Holy Week, Jesus gathered with his closest friends for the traditional "Seder Meal" in an upper room in Jerusalem. It is deeply significant that Jesus would choose this meal -- an ordered symbolic retelling/reliving of Israel's deliverance from slavery in Egypt -- to create and, in some ways, recreate a way to retell, relive and remember his life, death and resurrection. Far beyond the sense of "mandate" is this sense of anemnesis (reliving) Jesus act of self giving, self surrender, self emptying that accomplishes the reconnection of a self centered wandering world back to God.

Holy Thursday is filled with other images as well. There is the foot washing, religiously practiced in some Christian traditions but generally only practiced this night. Jesus demonstrates for us servant leadership in this act of grace. There is the culmination of Judas' betrayal when he arrives in the Garden of Gethsemane with temple guards and, what on surface could only be called, a lynch mob. There is the profound prediction and later the painful fulfillment of Peter's three fold denial (restored and forgiven with a three fold I love you in John 21 after the resurrection). I can hear the rooster's crow. . .

Holy Thursday -- gathered with friends, reexperiencing the love and grace of God, remembering, Jesus.

Dr. BJ

Middle of Holy Week

2009-04-08T07:11:00.001-07:00

We are half way between the unbridled joy of Hosanna on Palm Sunday and the spine chilling "crucify him" of Good Friday morning. Wednesday of this week is known in many circles as "Spy Wednesday" the day Judas went to the Chief Priests and took 30 pieces of silver to sell out his Lord. Spy Wednesday because the Gospel says "from that moment he (Judas) began to look for an opportunity to betray him."
I often wonder what my "Jesus selling price is."? How much have I been willing to sell my faith, my integrity, my relationship with my savior? I know that I sell him for instant gratification; I sell him for my own personal comfort and convenience; I sell him for political expedience; I sell him for personal gain. When we look at Judas the popular thing to do is to wag our heads and speak with outrage asking "how could his friend do that to him." But, I suspect, it is all cover. Any of us, committed Christ followers and non believers alike, have done the same thing to people we love countless times over. What is my betrayal price? The scary part is, when I am being honest with myself, I know that I have one.
Holy Week, to be redemptive, has to take us into the depths of our brokenness. Out of the depths of our brokenness we can finally see the amazing, unspeakable, unfathomable act of sacrifice and love of Jesus on the cross. St. Paul said in Romans 5 "Love is this, while we were still sinners (betrayers) Christ died for us. That proves God's love toward us."
Yes, it proves God's love toward us . . . but that level of love over my betraying heart is painful, indeed, before it is healing.
Dr. BJ

A Holy Week

2009-04-05T12:29:00.000-07:00

Palm Sunday through Easter marks the central story and events of the Christian Faith. The events of the week are often observed and celebrated in real time. It was a Sunday that Jesus rode the donkey into Jerusalem and was hailed as the "King Come in Peace" by crowds shouting "Hosanna (save us!)" and waving the defacto national flag of Israel, the palm branch. It was three days later, on Wednesday that Judas went to the chief priests in Jerusalem and betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. It was the next day, Thursday, that Jesus gathered his community together and, in the midst of the ceremonial traditional first meal of Passover, the Seder, Jesus washed the disciples feet (demonstrating servant/leadership); Jesus took bread and cup and transformed the traditinonal Seder meanings into his body and blood; and, Jesus spoke his long farewell to his followers (See John 13-17).
Late that night Jesus is arrested. Over night he is abused, tried and dragged off to the home of the Roman governor, Pontius Pilate.
Friday, Jesus is tried before Pilate, he is condemned to crucifixion. After he is beaten he is nailed to a tree, around noon, he hangs there for three hours before he surrenders his spirit and dies. Late Friday his followers, with the help of a rich friend, take his body, wrap it in linen cloths and spices and place it in a newly cut tomb.
Saturday everyone rests, according to the commandment.
Early on Sunday -- Jesus is raised (but more on that later).

As I journey through this Holy Week, I want to see thing in real time as I walk with Jesus through his last week and final offering of his life for the sin (my sin) of the world.
Dr. Bj

John 14

2009-04-02T08:23:00.000-07:00

Jesus is giving last instructions to his followers. He tells them to be fearless (14:1); he tells them to trust in him (14:6); he tells them they will never be abandoned or alone (14:16-18); he tells us to live in peace (14:27).

Sections of this chapter are often read at Funerals. Curiously, it contains language that was part of the 1st century betrothal ceremony. The groom to be would arrive at the house and would offer a cup of wine to the intended. If she took the cup and drank she was accepting his proposal. He would then say "I am going to prepare a place for you. I will come again and take you to myself so that where I am there you will be also." He would then leave, build a home for the two of them after the completion of the home they would be married and begin life together. It is Jesus promise to his followers that his departure is temporary that he has gone only long enough to prepare a place for us -- he will come back and take us to be with him forever.

John 12 and 13

2009-04-01T05:04:00.000-07:00

John 12 and 13
And so begins Holy Week according to John. Chapter 12 has the anointing of Jesus at Bethany and the triumphal entry into Jerusalem, the day we call Palm Sunday. I love the exasperated comment by the Pharisees in 12:19 "You see, you can do nothing. Look, the world has gone after him!" They can see at a glance that their problem with Jesus is much larger than they imagined.
John 13 begins the Last Supper discourse. This runs through to the end of Chapter 17. Notice the events of chapter 13 -- Jesus teaches servant leadership by washing the feet of the disciples. He predicts his betrayal and calls out Judas Iscariot as the one who will do the betraying. The Author of the gospel gives us a wonderful statement in 13:30 that not only describes the time of day but the state of Judas soul. "So, after receiving the piece of brad, he immediately went out. AND IT WAS NIGHT!"

With the betrayer out of the room Jesus teaches the central command of his ministry. In fact it is the only place where Jesus uses the words "a commandment I give". John 13:34-35 is a passage I committed to memory early in my christian walk. "I give you a new commandment that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." The mark of all Christ followers is a radical commitment to community.

The chapter ends with Jesus foretelling Peter's denial . . . before the cock crows -- before dawn -- you will deny me three times.

Dr. BJ

The Need to Clean it out!

2009-03-29T04:17:00.000-07:00

It is early Sunday morning. I spent the night last night at my Father's house because the sewers at my home in Liverpool have decided to stop working. This has been an on going problem with Onondaga County and the Village of Liverpool giving me the usual song and dance and finally telling me its my problem -- this at 9:00 on a Saturday night. Needless to say I spent the evening and last night frustrated and a little steamed.

This morning finds me reflecting on sewers and their functionality and necessity. It occurs to me that our homes need some way to remove waste from our environs. This keeps the home healthy and happy (and, frankly, smelling better). In the old days you could just dig a hole and later cover it up and nature would take care of things. I'm guessing digging a latrine in my back yard will not meet with universal approval from my neighbors (or my friends in the Village of Liverpool). So, I need that sewer, to take the "stuff" away from my home.

With all of the frustration of the day and night I am feeling like there is plenty of "stuff" in the emotional system of my life. What system do I have to clean out my emotional and spiritual drains? The good news is that through the gift of confession and prayer and holy conversation with friends on a Sunday I will be able to get my heart right (BEFORE worship) and I will be able to stand in church today free of that "stuff" that would otherwise poison my life. Isaiah 53:4 -- "Surely he has born our infirmities and carried our diseases. . ." Jesus takes the 'stuff' of our lives and takes it away.

Have a great Sunday!

Dr. BJ

I'm Back

2009-03-28T10:22:00.001-07:00

Have you ever noticed how the urgent pushes out the critical? Have you ever noticed how easy it is to get so trapped in the details of living that you forget to live? Have you ever noticed how easy it is to completely forget promises and commitments because "there is just so much to do!"? That has been my story for the past month or so -- needless to say the things that really matter to me -- writing, teaching, etc. -- I have neglected.
So, I am officially (an unofficially) back. Here are some random thoughts to get it going:

I've been reading the Bible (New Testament) one chapter a day on week days. This is a pretty slow way to read and I have been amazed at the details in the stories that I had not noticed before. That Jesus guy really stands out at that pace. To be honest: I suspect he stands out at ANY pace.

I've been thinking a lot about the state of the United Methodist Church -- hope for the future, that kind of thing. If it is true that you only value what you measure (Jesus said: where your treasure is there you heart will be). Then it would stand to reason that what the Institutional church would choose to measure is its life blood (that is money). Do denominational structures around the country publish anything other than percentage of promised dollars actually given? If we are supposed to be making Disciples, something Jesus seems to be emphasizing, would it make sense to publish how many new Christians (professions of faith) how many baptisms (Adult and children) and how many new leaders and ministries are emerging? Yeah, me too. . .

I've been thinking about the state of our country. I am getting fed up with the Armageddon approach of the news Media and our politicians. Things are never as bad as they are presented. Things are never as dire as the 24 hour news cycle predicts. Things are never as, golly this has never happened before, as the anchors want us to believe. I realize the big trick here is to keep us watching so we will watch the advertising so we will buy more stuff we don't need (and on and on and on). In that name of being informed we cram our heads with stuff that doesn't matter. Time to turn it off. So long as we are watching glued to our TVs (Internet sites, papers, radios . . .) we are slaves. Time of unplug for a season, time to disengage, time to speak the plain truth to one another without all of the junk.

I've been thinking about the state of my soul. I am giving up on religion (again). I want to be a 100% follower of Jesus Christ -- regardless of the cost.

Clear your mind, break the bonds, be free,

Dr. bj

1 Corinthians 5

2009-02-20T06:28:00.000-08:00

This is a sticky one to discuss. In the case of the man living with his father's wife (note it is not his mother but his father's wife), Paul says that we apply a different standard to those who are in the church than we do to those who are outside the church. If we are required to not associate with immoral people we would have no one to associate with (including ourselves) and would never have the opportunity to present the Gospel to non Christians. (Jesus says to live in the world but to not be "of" the world -- that is worldly). It is not appropriate to apply or to expect Christian ethical behavioral standards to people who do not profess to be Christians.

However, he goes on to say, we must apply these higher expectations to ourselves and to those who profess to be Christians. We usually apply this standard to the question of leadership. Although the worshipping community called the church is open and available to any and all who seek to come, leadership in the church is necessarily reserved for those who are professing and practicing followers of Jesus. I am reminded that on any given Sunday my gathered congregation includes committed followers of Jesus, loosely committed followers of Jesus, and many who are uncommitted.

I worry when I read research that indicates that, for the most part, the behavior of people inside the church is not all that different from the behavior of people outside the church. And then I remember this passage in Paul and am reminded that it was not so different in the early years. But that historical understanding is no excuse. We have to set a higher standard for ourselves and we have to strive to live up to them. And, when we fail, we get up and keep trying.
Dr. BJ

1 Corinthians 2

2009-02-17T12:08:00.000-08:00

1 Corinthians 2:2 "I resolved to not know anything except Jesus Christ and him crucified!" I find this both difficult and extraordinary advice. All too often, Christians think they have to know all the answers to all the questions. In my experience there are a lot of questions that have no available answers. I have found that there are a lot of questions that are an end in themselves (the question is the point). If we resolved only to know what we absolutely know -- Jesus is the Son of God, sent from God to offer his life on the Cross, be raised from the dead and ascend to heaven. Through the choice of becoming a follower of Jesus we receive the gift of salvation and eternal life -- we would not find ourselves in a lot of needless arguments over words, phrases and processes. Something to work on. . .
Now, having said that. Paul was an exceptionally well educated man who, as his letters clearly show, utilizes his learning and knowledge in his preaching and in his Apostolic work. So, don't think Paul is pretending to be some back woods preacher who claims to know nothing but the book. Paul quotes pagan philosophers and is well schooled in the use of rhetoric. He is profoundly acquainted with the Bible and is keenly aware of the political realities of his time. What matters is Jesus. What matters is how can we help more people come to know him!

1 Corinthians 1

2009-02-16T08:50:00.000-08:00

The Corinthian church was located in southern Greece. Corinth was a very prosperous commercial center for the Roman empire. Corinth was known for its excesses and debauchery, kind of a "what happens in Corinth stays in Corinth" kind of mentality. The Romans had a word that meant "to corinthianize" which meant to take something decent and pure and totally debauch it. It was not exactly a nice place. Most of Paul's letters to the Corinthian church are written to address specific issues within the congregation -- behaviors, attitudes, excesses, spiritual issues, bad theology, etc.
Three things to notice in 1 Corinthians chapter 1:
1. Notice in 1:2 that the letter is to the Corinthians "and all others" -- Paul wrote it to a specific church in a specific place and time but the teaching is intended to be universal.
2. 1:10-17 -- the church has struggled with factions. There is a party spirit within the congregation (not a let's party -- but political party spirit). They a divided around who brought them to faith -- Paul, Apollos, Cephas (Peter) and the Christ party. These factions are pulling the church apart.
3. 1:22-23 -- preaching the crucifixion of Jesus Christ has some awkward responses from the general public. The Jews consider the crucifixion a "stumbling block" the OT says "cursed is anyone who hangs on a tree" and so the Jewish listeners cannot reconcile the message of grace with someone who has been cursed. The Greeks consider the preaching of the cross to be foolishness. In Greco-Roman culture, crucifixion was the worse kind of execution and was not spoken of in polite society. For a preacher of faith to stand up and INTENTIONALLY speak of some one's crucifixion would have been consider is the poorest of taste (a foolish thing to do).
Dr. BJ

finishing up Romans

2009-02-12T08:30:00.000-08:00

Finishing up Romans:
Romans 12 -- Paul reminds us that the Church is not an organization but an organism. We are all members (various parts and pieces) of the Body of Christ. Apart from the body (and apart from Jesus)we can do nothing. Together we can do great things!
Romans 13 -- be good citizens.
Romans 14 -- Practical advice on living the Christian life. The key element of this chapter is Paul reminding us that we are responsible for the influence we have on others -- our lives are living examples of Christ.
Romans 15 -- Paul finally gives the reason for writing this systematic letter of introduction: He plans to visit Rome on his way to Spain. Paul feels called to preach where no one has every preached before and feels called to go to Spain. He is going to stop in Rome, gather support and go on. We do not know if Paul ever made it to Spain. Tradition makes it unlikely. When Paul took the offering for the poor to Jerusalem from the Churches in Macedonia and Greece, he was arrested for being the center of a Riot. To save his life, and his honor, he appeals to Rome and is eventually sent there for trial. The Book of Acts has Paul preaching under house arrest in Rome. Tradition tells us that Paul was martyred in Rome -- if that is the case then he never made it to Spain.
Romans 16 -- Paul sends greetings to everyone in the church in Rome that he knows. It is in interesting list. 16:7 Andonicus and Junia are listed as "prominent among the Apostles" which essentially means they are listed as Apostles. Junia is the Latin form of the Hebrew name Johanna. It is speculated in some circles that this is the same Johanna who was a witness to the resurrection in the gospel. It is curious to have a woman listed with the apostles in this manner. Note also verse 22 "Tertius" is the actually writer of this letter -- Paul was dictating and Tertius is his secretary.
I am looking forward to 1 Corinthians and some more regular postings.
Dr. BJ

Romans 1

2009-01-23T09:09:00.000-08:00

We begin our second book of the year with Paul's letter to the Romans. This letter is, in my opinion, the most important document in the New Testament (outside of the Gospel, of course). All of the rest of the New Testament letters were written to address specific issues or written about specific pastoral matters. Romans is essentially a letter of introduction from St. Paul to the Church at Rome. It is the only Letter Paul wrote to a church of which he was not the founder. Paul writes this letter to introduce himself and to explain what he believes is the essence of the Gospel.
Because of this unique situation, Romans is the only systematic treatment of the Christian Faith in the New Testament. The letter begins by explaining that all of humanity (Jews and Gentiles alike) have sinned and fallen short of God's glory. He goes on to show how the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ gives us forgiveness of sins and "peace with God." He proceeds to show how life in this new understanding is completely different from any life we may have had before. After explaining what he understands to be God's plan for his original chosen people, Paul concludes with some pastoral advice and encouragement.
Romans 1 is the beginning of Paul's explanation that even if we have never heard the Gospel we are dying in our separation from God. The presence and nature of God is clearly revealed all around us but we make choices that serve as evidence that we do not know God nor do we know his nature.
Dr. BJ

Mark 15

2009-01-21T07:48:00.000-08:00

Today we have Mark's account of the crucifixion of Jesus. He is brought before Pilate, political expedience encourages Pilate to give in to the wishes of the crowd and he releases Barabbas and sends Jesus off to be crucified. Crucifixion was horrible, so painful that the Romans invented a word "excruciating" (Pain as from the cross)to describe it. Jesus is crucified with two others outside the city gate on the main road. Crucifixion was intended to be shameful, public and a deterrent to further insurrection.
Jesus cries out "My God, My God why have you forsaken me!" Many scholars have explained why he says this: One suggests that with the sin of the world piled on him, feels the experience of separation from his heavenly Father. Another sees this as the last cry of his humanity. Personally, I think Jesus is drawing on the Psalms -- in this case Psalm 22 -- for comfort and support in this gruesome moment. "My God . . ." would have been the title in Hebrew of Psalm 22 -- it would be a good idea to take a look at what he is calling to mind by quoting the first line of Psalm 22.
Jesus dies. Joseph of Arimathea arranges to bury the body. Jesus is wrapped in a linen shroud and placed in an unused, new tomb. And everyone goes home to rest on the Sabbath . . . and, unbeknown to them, to wait for Sunday.

Mark 13 and 14

2009-01-20T09:45:00.000-08:00

Mark 13 This chapter contains the "little apocalypse" in Mark. Apocalyptic literature is a unique style of writing that comes out of communities that are suffering deep persecution. We see it in portions of Daniel, Ezekiel and, of course, the book of Revelation is the most complete example in the Bible. Apocalyptic writing was a common style of this era.Apocalyptic writing features imagery and symbols to convey hope to a suffering people. In Mark 13 the waring is two fold. First, Jesus is giving a warning regarding the impending destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem (this was done by Titus of Rome in AD 70). He is also writing of the "Day of the Lord" what we would call the Second Coming. The key to the passage is "do not be deceived!". Jesus says "many will come in my name saying 'I am he' . . ." he says "people will say here the messiah or there is the messiah . . . do not believe them." When Jesus returns it will not be a mystery. Our responsibility is to stay alert, to keep watch, to pray and do the work we are called to do.

Mark 14
This is Holy Week. The anointing in Bethany. The Last Supper. Judas betrayal. Arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane. Trial by the Sanhedrin. Peter's denial. Mark 14 ends late Thursday or early Friday of Holy Week. Mark 15 tells of the crucifixion and death of Jesus. Mark 14 is all about the preliminaries

Mark 12

2009-01-16T07:43:00.000-08:00

The thinly veiled threat to the religious leadership is couched in the parable of the tenants. The owner (God) has sent prophet after prophet and the people did not listen. They will listen to my Son . . . judgement is coming.
The mark of "kingship" was that you minted your own money with your own face on it. The money actually belonged to the king (he made it and as king everything belongs to him as it bears his image and likeness. Thus, give to Caesar what is Caesar's. Jesus leaves hanging the obvious conclusion -- According to Genesis 1 who or what is made in God's image and likeness . . .
The testing continues -- the goofy Sadducee's question (they don't believe in the resurrection that is why they are "sad you see"). I love the seven brothers for one bride story just for its sheer creativity.The great commandment: old or new testament it is the same. Love God love your neighbor.

Mark 11

2009-01-15T12:36:00.000-08:00

Jesus triumphant entry in Jerusalem -- did you notice that Jesus set up this journey ahead of time? He has arranged for the appropriate animal to be made available to him when he needs it.
Jesus cleanses the temple. He is angry about a number of things but the merchants carring their goods through the temple court yards is especially upsetting -- rather than walking around to another Gate these merchants are simple taking a short cut through the temple area (apparently commerce is more important to them than the Temple).
The cursing of the fig tree is one of the odder stories in the Gospel.
The questioning by the scribes and religious leaders is beginning to focus on Jesus authority . . .

Mark 10

2009-01-14T09:30:00.000-08:00

A couple of thoughts:
1. The teaching on divorce. Remember, we cannot take one passage in isolation of others. The Bible gives legitimate grounds for divorce -- Adultery and Abandonment. The casual divorce of the first century (or any century) is the focus of Jesus teaching here.
2. Let the children come to me . . . I just like the thought of that.
3. What must I do to inherit Eternal Life. I cannot help but find my self singing Gary Weeks' "Mr. Nazareth Man". Remember it was widely believed that God favored the righteous with material prosperity and large families. Therefore, the Disciples are asking if Jesus is saying those who have been clearly blessed by God are not going to make it into the Kingdom of Heaven what hope do the rest of us have? This is where the Disciples are hung up. Remember Tevya in Fiddler on the Roof -- the high point of his "If I were a rich man" song is that he would be able to finally have the time to study the Torah and delve into the mysteries. With people this is impossible -- with God nothing is impossible. GOOD NEWS -- there is hope for all of us.
4. Healing of Bartimeaus in Jericho. Bartimeaus is so marginalized by his society that he doesn't even have a name. He is simply Son of Timeaus (that is what Bartimeaus means). Can you imagine being so devalued and, dare I say it, unloved, that you don't even have a name but are known only as "so and so's kid". Jesus treats him with respect by asking "what do you want me to do for you?" Jesus does NOT assume, but allows Bartimeaus the right and the dignity to say it himself. Pretty cool stuff! That is the level of grace that makes we want to love Jesus even more!

Mark 9

2009-01-13T09:02:00.000-08:00

I am always caught by the "Disciples inability to heal the boy with the unclean spirit" Jesus says "these come out only through prayer". I think that is a call to always be trying to move deeper in this faith. There are some battles that cannot be won except through disciplined spiritual practice. If we are to survive illness we need physical strength, if we are going to survive spiritual struggles we need to build spiritual strength.I always think of Mohommad Ali "I'm the Greatest!" when I come to the next passage in Mark 9 -- who is the greatest. Jesus teaches the principle of "Servant Leadership" here. As leaders we are to exercise due authority and do what leaders are supposed to do but we do this not for our sake but for the Kingdom and we do this not for our glory but for God's and we do this not for our power and control but to build authentic Christian community. Radical Discipleship does not permit distractions from keeping us from the goal of the "upward call of God in Christ Jesus".

bj

Mark 8

2009-01-12T07:04:00.000-08:00

The warning to "beware of the yeast of the Pharisees" is a warning from Jesus to not get so caught up in the trappings of religious behavior that we miss out on the relationship with God that Jesus came to restore.
Who do people say the son of man (Jesus) is? I find it interesting that this is still a core question today. In Jesus time they thought he was some old prophet (or even John the Baptist come back to life); or that he was possibly the advance man for the messiah (see Malachi 4). Even today people question who this Jesus person really is. C.S. Lewis (and others) claim that there are only four options: Jesus is either a legend, a liar, a lunatic or LORD. Some, incredibly, claim that Jesus never really existed and that the Gospels are stuff of legend or another ancient myth. The difficulty here is that there is more than enough evidence to prove Jesus existence. Others say Jesus was just a good teacher (another in a line of those come to show us a better way). But this good teacher put himself on par with God (even claiming to be Son of God -- which makes him as much God as God is). I'm pretty sure if I claimed to be God people would no longer consider me a "good teacher". (They would , quite rightly, have me locked away). Jesus is either the Son of God or he is a liar and not worth consideration. Jesus is a lunatic -- see above. Either he is the Son of God or he is nuts! Or, finally, Jesus is Lord. That is, he is who he claimed to be and deserves our allegiance and devotion. Interesting choices.
We conclude this chapter with some teaching on the Way of the Cross. This is the life Christians are called to live. We are called to deny ourselves (the key to self fulfillment is self denial and service for others). If we try to save or preserve this life we will lose it but if we give it away (lose it) for the sake of Jesus we will gain true life, indeed. The message to our generation is needed here: what does it profit any of us to gain the whole world and lose our Soul? There are a lot of soulless wanderers in my world. Let the material junk go and follow Jesus.
Dr. BJ

Mark 7

2009-01-09T07:40:00.000-08:00

Overcoming traditional ways of doing things is often the hardest barrier to break. It is easy for us to get settled in the how we do things and easily lose sight of the why we do things. The ceremonial washing has nothing to do with hygene but with ceremonial cleansing -- washing the uncleanness of the world off of myself. Jesus message that it is not what you eat that defiles you has been interpreted by Christians (and the author of Mark) as negating the diatary restrictions of the Old Testament. It is not what you eat that defiles you it is what comes out of your inner most self that defiles you. Who are we in our inner selves? I believe we become what we fill our lives with and, under pressure, who we really are is revealed.Jesus heals the Syro-Phoencian woman's daughter (after she convinces him that she too can have faith) and we find another of our aramaic words and phrases "Ephphatha" at the end of the chapter. "be openened!""He has done all things well" probably is an allusion to the belief that when Messiah comes there were be certain signs and miracles -- the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, blind see, deaf hear, the poor have good news preached to them. For these folks Jesus is fulfilling all of those expecations.

Mark 6

2009-01-08T08:23:00.000-08:00

Jesus, whose fame has now spread throughout the country, goes home Nazareth and is not well received. Mark tells us that Jesus did not do many miracles there because of their unbelief. We also get to meet Jesus brothers. Two of them, James and Jude, became significant leaders in the Christian movement in and around Jerusalem.
The wild story of the beheading of John the Baptist doesn't need too much comment. The dancer is usually identified as Salome' -- but we don't get this name from the Bible but from 1st century historian Josephus.
The feeding of the 5000 is the only miracle of Jesus that is recorded in all four gospels. It seems likely that that various centers of the young Christian faith remember this passage because of its connection to Holy Communion. It would also be a very difficult event to forget . . .
Dr. BJ

Mark 5

2009-01-07T05:08:00.000-08:00

The encounter with the man possessed by "legion" is one of the wilder incidents of the gospel. A Legion in the Roman Army was 1000 soldiers. Can a person be possessed with 1000 demons or, as an agent of the father of lies, is the demon exaggerating the truth? We can notice that this event happens in a non Jewish area of the upper Galilee (otherwise there would NOT be a pig farm). I am intrigued by why the demons wanted to "go into the pigs" but Jesus lets them, the pigs go mad and all run down the hill and jump into the Sea of Galilee and drown. This mass porcine suicide, needless to say, creates quite a stir in the local community a crowd gathers and invites Jesus to be elsewhere. The man, who had been possessed, wants to join Jesus entourage. But Jesus tells him to go home and tell everyone what had been done to him. Isn't that always the first command to a new believer? Go home and tell everyone what has been done to you!
I am convinced that many of Jesus most significant miracles are "miracles of interruption" he does a lot of amazing things while he is on his way to doing something else. Jairus, a local synagogue leader, has asked Jesus to come to his home and heal his 12 year old daughter. Jesus agrees and they are on their way. Jesus fame at this point has spread so widely that everywhere he goes he draws a crowd. The crowd is not politely sitting on the sidelines, there is jostling and reaching and trying to touch -- its a mob scene. In the middle of this a woman with a long standing bleeding problem has convinced herself that if she can just touch his cloths she will be healed. The other gospels make note that she "touches the fringe of his robe". It was believed, among some of the religious Jews of Jesus time, that the fringe of the garment of the Messiah would have healing powers. She touches Jesus and is healed.
Here is where it always makes me giggle -- remember the Apostles in Mark are mostly comic relief (they never get it). Jesus stops in the middle of this mob scene and asks "who touched me". The disciples respond with appropriate exasperation: are your kidding? You see the crowd pushing everywhere and ask who touched me? The woman comes forward and is further blessed. At this point Jairus is informed that his daughter is dead, but Jesus goes and restores her to life. The Aramaic phrase "talitha koum" "little girl arise" is one of several Aramaic phrases preserved in the gospel (ephratha, maranatha, eli eli lamma sabathani). Many scholars believe that these phrases where preserved in their original form because the early church believed they carried extra power.

Dr. BJ

Mark 4

2009-01-06T07:58:00.001-08:00

Mark 4 is a collection of parables from domestic and farming situations. The parable of the sower is a healthy reminder that as disciples of Jesus all we can do is plant seeds -- to broadcast what we know and have experienced. Not all of those seeds will ever make it to the soil (some fall on the path) not all seeds will survive long (some fall on rocky soil and never put down roots) not all seeds will stay true to the faith (some fall among thorns and get choked off by the cares of this world) but some will fall on good soil and will reproduce. As Disciples of Jesus we have to remember to spread the word in every and all opportunities with the hope that some will take root -- remember others water, others fertilize but God gives the increase (1 Corinthians 3). We are not responsible for whether the seed grows or not. The law of averages would suggest that MORE planting in this kind of system will in fact produce more fruit in the long run.

Don't hide your light under a bushel -- if you are follower of Jesus be upfront about it. It is critical that the Christ followers are shining as bright as they can: through what they say (see above about seed planting) through what they do (you life may well be the only Bible some people ever read) and through who they are (integrity cannot be faked!).

Faith like a grain of mustard seed. The mustard seed was the smallest of the plant able seeds in the Middle East and, along the Galilee where it never frosts, mustard continues to grow from season to season. In their situation the mustard plant grows large enough for birds to build nests and make their homes. Point: it does not take a lot of faith to do great things for God it just takes faith.

It all ends with a wild story of Jesus and the 12 (and how many others?) on an overnight cruise across the Galilee only to get caught in a mighty storm. Jesus, as the Son of God, has no fear and is calmly sleeping. The Disciples are in full panic mode. They wake Jesus up and instead of being concerned for them he is angry that they had to wake him up. He calms the sea and stops the wind and there is a sudden calm. The disciples are (and this is typical of Mark) amazed and dumbfounded as to how Jesus could do this. The recurring theme here is that the Apostolic circle does not understand the TRUTH about Jesus until after the Resurrection.

Dr. BJ

Mark 3

2009-01-05T06:40:00.000-08:00

Jesus is in worship on the Sabbath and is confronted with a man who needs healing. The man has a withered hand, this is not life threatening nor, it could be argued, was it so critical that it could not wait until the next day. The teachers of the Law were very clear in their understanding of the commandment to not do ANY work on the Sabbath. In order to help the people from breaking the commandment the teachers had developed detailed definitions of what constituted work. Jesus problem with the teachers is that by their definition if you are healer then healing constituted work for you and therefore was forbidden on the sabbath. Jesus response, elsewhere, that "sabbath was made for humans not humans for the sabbath" is his way of saying that the overlay of religious rules over a basic commandment is more destructive than freeing and misses the purpose of the commandment.
Mark 3 contains one of the most difficult passages in the Gospel: "blasphemy against the Holy Spirit". The scribes had been saying that Jesus was doing what he was doing (healing, casting out demons, etc.) because he (Jesus) had an evil spirit -- that he was in league with the devil. Calling good evil (in this case calling the Holy Spirit an Evil Spirit or unclean spirit -- aka demon) is negating the possibility of ever leaving evil and returning to good. This would deny the possibility of redemption because this confusion would keep people from turning to the one source of salvation. This particular act could not be done accidentally or casually but would constitute a complete rejection of the plan and person God sent to redeem the world. In short, blasphemy against the Holy Spirit would be to refuse the salvation God has provided for us through Jesus -- you cannot be forgiven unless you choose to accept forgiveness.
The end of Mark 3 gives us reference to Jesus Mother and his brothers. Jesus brothers are listed by name in Matthew 13:55-56. James (author of the Epistle of James) is called "the Lord's half brother" as is Jude (the author of Jude). Jesus family plays a significant role in the early days of Christianity in and around Jerusalem.
Dr. BJ

Mark Chapter 2

2009-01-02T07:52:00.000-08:00

I love the story of the four men and thier paralyzed friend. This is the subject of this Sunday's message at Christ Community. What profound faith they had to make a hole in someone's roof so that their friend could be brought to Jesus. We know that spiritual ills has a physical impact on us and that physical woes can have a spiritual impact on our lives -- as can emotional or relationship difficulties. Does it surprise us that Jesus says to the man on the pallet your sins are forgiven? The forgivness of sins and the healing of a body must have an impact on one another. What say you?Mark 2:15 gives us the Levi(Matthew) party. When Levi is called to follow Jesus he does so and his next step is to invite all of his tax collecting sinner friends to a gathering at his house to meet Jesus. As an evangelism strategy this is a great idea. When was the last time any of us invited all of our pre Christian friends to a gathering . . .?You don't sew new patches on old cloth nor do you put new wine in old wine skins -- critical teaching. When God is doing something new he will create a new form to do it. This is why each new outpouring of the Holy Spirit has new music, new worship forms and new structures. These "new wine skins" make growth space for the new thing the Spirit is doing.Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath -- that is he is Lord over religious practices -- he frees us from the constraints of religion so that we can live lives of faith!

Dr. BJ

Beginning a New Year in the Bible

2009-01-01T06:46:00.000-08:00

About 75 members of the Christ Community congregation and I are going to be reading the New Testament one chapter a day in 2009. We are beginning in Mark. I will be publishing quick observations and questions to ponder from day to day (weekdays only) on this blog and on another discussion center that the participants have been invited to join.

January 1- Mark 1: Notice John the Baptist's clothing -- he is dressed like the prophet Elijah. Mark's first readers would have known this immediately. John is the "Elijah who is to come". The last Old Testament prophet, Malachi, tells us that Elijah must first come and then the Messiah. Notice the "Trinitarian affirmation" in Mark 1:11.

Jesus first invitation is his last invitation: come and follow me. Why do we make it more complicated than that? We get hung up on getting people to accept Jesus or to make some other choice when the only invitation Jesus seems to offer is "Come and follow me!" Sometimes there are preconditions (sell all you have) sometimes there is a consequence (and I will make you fish for people) but the bottom line has not changed -- come and follow me.

Jesus teaches with authority. What might that mean? Why do the "evil spirits" know that Jesus is the Son of God before any of the humans figure it out?

Did you notice Jesus taking time alone -- after his baptism to wrestle with the devil; before beginning his public ministry -- and many more times as we move forward.

Jesus healing the leper. Lepers were considered not only medical outcasts -- they were "Unclean" -- but they were also required to leave normal society and live by themselves or in "leper colonies". The Greek word here for leprosy could mean any of a number of skin diseases -- including skin cancer and extreme cases of psoriasis. Jesus touches the man (something that was NOT done because to touch something unclean made you unclean -- unclean does not refer to dirty but to one's status before God. Unclean people were not allowed into the place of worship. Jesus touching the man was an extraordinary act of mercy and grace. In Leviticus are found the ritual laws that explain why Jesus sends the man to the priest. The priest declares whether a person has leprosy or not. Only the priest can declare if the leprosy has left and the man is now clean. If our former leper wants to return to his family and village only the priest can make that happen.

How do we "reincorporate" people who have made themselves unclean and outcast from our community?

Dr. BJ

Advent equals Anticipation

2008-12-03T06:52:00.000-08:00

When I hear the word "Anticipation" all I can hear is Carley Simon's voice singing her song and an enormous catchup bottle slowly pouring out its deep red contents. We live in a time when anticipation is not a happy word. Everything about American culture is instant. We need instant gratification, fast food, fast service, we are fast talkers, fast walkers and live for the day. Anticipation would suggest a delay in all of that. Anticipation would suggest putting my gratification aside for a while so that something even better might happen.

Here is where Ancient Christian tradition can help us. In the ancient Christian tradition, Christmas begins on Christmas Eve and goes for 12 days to the day of Epiphany (January 6). The season before that is not the "Christmas Season" nor even the "Holiday Season". Instead, the early Church developed a season they called Advent (Advent means coming or arrival and is used in reference to the coming of God's Son, Jesus at Christmas). Advent is the four Sunday's before Christmas day (beginning on November 30 this year). Advent was designed as a time to prepare for the great celebration on December 25. Christian homes were decorated slowly over time, the advent calendar was opened on a daily basis -- with a little sweet in anticipation of the great day coming. Advent wreaths were displayed and lit (this was a family event rather than a Christian worship event). We remembered the reasons for Jesus birth, he is our Hope, he brings Joy, he is the Prince of Peace and is the full expression of God's Love.

With all the hustle and bustle and the month (2 month?) long party that the "Holiday Season" has devolved into, why not go retro this year? Stop the madness, sit quietly at home with your family. Create and light an Advent wreath on the Sundays leading up to Christmas. Read the story of Jesus birth. On Christmas Eve (In the older tradition the day began on sunset not at sun rise), and throughout Christmas Day celebrate the greatest gift of all -- the birth of Jesus. But take your time getting there, walk through the month, and enjoy the full flavor of anticipation.

Dr. BJ

Imitation: Not flattery anymore

2008-11-11T08:45:00.000-08:00

I came across 1 Corinthians 11:1 in my Life Journal reading this morning. It is a curious and challenging little sentence. St. Paul has just finished a long dissertation to the Corinthian Christians about the importance of watching out for others and keeping a faithful witness. He has just finished saying that he strives to put aside his preferences, needs and desires so that he might communicate the good news of Jesus Christ to everyone. After all of that comes this phrase "imitate me as I imitate Christ."

My initial reaction is one of astonishment! What an outrageous thing to say! It borders on the arrogant. Paul seems to be suggesting that he is setting such an extraordinary example to the Corinthians of a faithful Christian life that they can copy his example. I find this stunning. However, when I give it some deeper thought I realize that what Paul says is what every Christian ought to be able to say. The bold truth is that people watch what we say and do every single day. They watch our language, our behaviors, our values, our honesty and our ability to follow through on the very principles we espouse. On further review, this is not some bold, wild statement from Paul of Tarsus it is essentially the call for every Christian.

As a pastor I am often uncomfortable about living in a fish bowl. I am aware, like it or not, that my life is measured, my life is evaluated, my behavior is closely monitored by those who are under my spiritual leadership. I could resent this but the truth is the moment I stepped into a pulpit and dared to speak on behalf of Jesus Christ my life became the tablet upon which my speaking would be displayed. Even though I am fully aware of my own brokenness and my own inability to be all that I pray I can be, I must strive to live this life with integrity.

Paul's was a life of integrity. It is in the context of his "walking his talk" or, to put it another way, "practicing what he preached" that he can say "Imitate me as I imitate Christ."

That is not so outrageous, after all. In a world and society that craves and profoundly lacks integrity. This simple statement is the essential minimum standard expected of Christian leaders.

Dr. BJ