Released!

          Have you ever been held captive? I mean, have you ever been held down by someone or something for so long that, with tears in your eyes, you begged them or it or God to give you some relief?

          If you haven’t, then you probably never had an older brother or sister or cousin or a bully at school who liked to hear you beg for mercy.

          Maybe you haven’t ever been physically restrained but have you been enslaved by a job you hated or a physical ailment that restricted you or an emotional trauma that had you in its clutches or maybe you’ve not been allowed to do something you desired to do because of some prohibition by the laws of our country.

          If you’ve experienced any of these restraints then you may have some idea how this crippled woman in today’s gospel felt.

          These restraints, these restrictions are about us not being able or allowed to do something that we really wanted to do, and believed, was our right to be able to do.

          We understand all that but what if this parable was about more than the things which bind us physically, mentally, and emotionally? What if it was about unbinding, releasing the Sabbath?

          You’re probably asking, “How can the Sabbath be bound?” That’s a valid question. How could the Sabbath be restricted or bound?

          In the gospel lesson for today Luke tells first about the women who had come to the Temple who had been suffering from this arthritic condition for 18 years. For 18 years she hadn’t been able to stand up straight and look people squarely in the face.

          But on this day Jesus changed all that when he said, “Woman, you’re free!” She straightened up immediately. She was able to stand tall and all she could do was give God all the glory and praise.

          But there were those in the Temple who weren’t celebrating her freedom. There were rules for what people could do on the Sabbath and being healed was one of the things that were allowed, apparently. After all there were six other days of the week that she could have come to the Temple and Jesus could have healed here without causing the Temple religious folks any grief. At least that’s what they’d have us believe.

          But, Jesus didn’t interpret the law that way. If anyone could untie their donkey or ox and lead them to feed and water on the Sabbath then, in his eyes, this woman could also be released of her bonds on the Sabbath. Wasn’t she of more worth than these beasts of burden?

          So, how do we have the Sabbath bound? Do we have rules, written and unwritten, that put restrictions on our Sabbath?

          Maybe we should ask, “Why is the Sabbath so sacred that the religious leaders of Jesus’ day were upset when he healed this woman?” Why did they hold the Sabbath as a holy day? What made it so special?

          We first hear about the Sabbath in Exodus 20:8 when the Israelites were told to keep it holy because in six days God created the heavens and the earth and on the seventh he rested. The other OT passage that explains the Sabbath is found in Deuteronomy as it recalls the story of the Exodus from Egypt and their release from slavery by God. In chapter 6:20 Moses says to the people, “When your children ask you in time to come, ‘What is the meaning of the decrees and the statutes and the ordinances that the Lord our God has commanded you?’ then you are to say to your children, “We were Pharaoh’s slaves in Egypt, but the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand. The Lord displayed before our eyes great and awesome signs and wonders against Egypt, against Pharaoh and all his household. He brought us out from there in order to bring us in, to give us the land that he promised on oath to our ancestors. Then the Lord commanded us to observe all these statutes, to fear the Lord our God, for our lasting good, so as to keep us alive, as is now the case. If we diligently observe this entire commandment before the Lord our God, as he has commanded us, we will be in the right.”

          I believe this is what Jesus was referring to when he is telling the Pharisees that it’s right to release this woman from her bondage on the Sabbath. Jesus reminds them that they untie and lead their livestock to feed and water and wouldn’t think twice about it. Therefore isn’t humanity of greater importance than cattle and donkeys?

          So, the question for us is why is the Sabbath sacred or important for us? Who may come to worship or who may we encounter on the Sabbath that might need our help to be released from their bondage?

          Now, some of you may be remembering back to the days when there were more restrictions on Sunday activities. Stores were closed. There weren’t very many gas stations open. People went to worship and then spent time with their families and maybe even went back to church for Sunday evening study and worship.

          I read this week about play ground equipment that was padlocked so that the children couldn’t play on it until Monday. Do our Sunday’s feel like that today?

          Doesn’t it sound like Jesus is granting us the freedom and liberty to look for those who desperately need to freed and liberated from their bonds?

          Every Sunday we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus, every Sunday is a little Easter celebration, a reminder of how God has liberated us from the bonds of death and given us a new life in Jesus Christ. Is this how you feel every Sunday?

          Let’s, this week, look for opportunities to help someone be free. Let’s see if we can cut the ropes that are binding them and keeping them from experiencing the joy of being released from their burdens. This is the good news that needs to be proclaimed throughout the whole world.

          Thanks be to God for grace. Amen.

Released!

          Have you ever been held captive? I mean, have you ever been held down by someone or something for so long that, with tears in your eyes, you begged them or it or God to give you some relief?

          If you haven’t, then you probably never had an older brother or sister or cousin or a bully at school who liked to hear you beg for mercy.

          Maybe you haven’t ever been physically restrained but have you been enslaved by a job you hated or a physical ailment that restricted you or an emotional trauma that had you in its clutches or maybe you've not been allowed to do something you desired to do because of some prohibition by the laws of our country.

          If you've experienced any of these restraints then you may have some idea how this crippled woman in today’s gospel felt.

          These restraints, these restrictions are about us not being able or allowed to do something that we really wanted to do, and believed, was our right to be able to do.

          We understand all that but what if this parable was about more than the things which bind us physically, mentally, and emotionally? What if it was about unbinding, releasing the Sabbath?

          You’re probably asking, “How can the Sabbath be bound?” That’s a valid question. How could the Sabbath be restricted or bound?

          In the gospel lesson for today Luke tells first about the women who had come to the Temple who had been suffering from this arthritic condition for 18 years. For 18 years she hadn't been able to stand up straight and look people squarely in the face.

          But on this day Jesus changed all that when he said, “Woman, you’re free!” She straightened up immediately. She was able to stand tall and all she could do was give God all the glory and praise.

          But there were those in the Temple who weren't celebrating her freedom. There were rules for what people could do on the Sabbath and being healed was one of the things that were allowed, apparently. After all there were six other days of the week that she could have come to the Temple and Jesus could have healed here without causing the Temple religious folks any grief. At least that’s what they’d have us believe.

          But, Jesus didn't interpret the law that way. If anyone could untie their donkey or ox and lead them to feed and water on the Sabbath then, in his eyes, this woman could also be released of her bonds on the Sabbath. Wasn't she of more worth than these beasts of burden?

          So, how do we have the Sabbath bound? Do we have rules, written and unwritten, that put restrictions on our Sabbath?

          Maybe we should ask, “Why is the Sabbath so sacred that the religious leaders of Jesus’ day were upset when he healed this woman?” Why did they hold the Sabbath as a holy day? What made it so special?

          We first hear about the Sabbath in Exodus 20:8 when the Israelites were told to keep it holy because in six days God created the heavens and the earth and on the seventh he rested. The other OT passage that explains the Sabbath is found in Deuteronomy as it recalls the story of the Exodus from Egypt and their release from slavery by God. In chapter 6:20 Moses says to the people, “When your children ask you in time to come, ‘What is the meaning of the decrees and the statutes and the ordinances that the Lord our God has commanded you?’ then you are to say to your children, “We were Pharaoh’s slaves in Egypt, but the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand. The Lord displayed before our eyes great and awesome signs and wonders against Egypt, against Pharaoh and all his household. He brought us out from there in order to bring us in, to give us the land that he promised on oath to our ancestors. Then the Lord commanded us to observe all these statutes, to fear the Lord our God, for our lasting good, so as to keep us alive, as is now the case. If we diligently observe this entire commandment before the Lord our God, as he has commanded us, we will be in the right.”

          I believe this is what Jesus was referring to when he is telling the Pharisees that it’s right to release this woman from her bondage on the Sabbath. Jesus reminds them that they untie and lead their livestock to feed and water and wouldn't think twice about it. Therefore isn't humanity of greater importance than cattle and donkeys?

          So, the question for us is why is the Sabbath sacred or important for us? Who may come to worship or who may we encounter on the Sabbath that might need our help to be released from their bondage?

          Now, some of you may be remembering back to the days when there were more restrictions on Sunday activities. Stores were closed. There weren't very many gas stations open. People went to worship and then spent time with their families and maybe even went back to church for Sunday evening study and worship.

          I read this week about play ground equipment that was padlocked so that the children couldn't play on it until Monday. Do our Sunday’s feel like that today?

          Doesn't it sound like Jesus is granting us the freedom and liberty to look for those who desperately need to freed and liberated from their bonds?

          Every Sunday we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus, every Sunday is a little Easter celebration, a reminder of how God has liberated us from the bonds of death and given us a new life in Jesus Christ. Is this how you feel every Sunday?

          Let’s, this week, look for opportunities to help someone be free. Let’s see if we can cut the ropes that are binding them and keeping them from experiencing the joy of being released from their burdens. This is the good news that needs to be proclaimed throughout the whole world.

          Thanks be to God for grace. Amen.

Peace?

          How many times have you heard that God is love? How many stories have we heard about how loving, kind, and compassionate Jesus was, and is?

          Yet, today, we heard Jesus say, “I’ve come to start a fire on this earth—how I wish it were blazing right now! I’ve come to change everything, turn everything right side up—how I long for it to be finished! Do you think I came to smooth things over and make everything nice? Not so. I’ve come to disrupt and confront!”  That’s doesn’t sound like peace or love.

          We could choose to pass over this piece of text because we don’t want to believe it or confront it or…we could sit down and think about what it was that Jesus was trying to say.  So many times when we come upon a passage that hits too close to home or is too painful for us to consider doing we close the Bible and walk away saying it doesn’t apply to us today. That was only for that time when Jesus walked the earth in Palestine.

          But what if, we take His words to heart. Surely we’ve all experienced some division in our families because we don’t all agree philosophically or theologically or even politically. All of us have probably heard the saying about when people get together, “Don’t discuss religion or politics!” Both can be hot button topics and people can become very irrational over either of these or both.

          What if Jesus meant for us to take these words to heart and he meant that we’re to be intentional in our discussion of the Way, the way of Jesus Christ even if it’s going to make people angry? Suppose he knew some things that we don’t know, imagine that. Suppose he knew that we needed to meet these topics about God, Jesus, and the Spirit and their intentions for the church and us head on and embrace the conflict? Could it be that’s the reason our churches are dwindling in size and influence? Could it be that we’re supposed to be more confrontational to the ways of the world?

          Think about this. Jesus was an advocate for justice for all. Look at the world, the state it’s in, today. Is there peace?  Is there justice?  No, there’s conflict, there’s war, everywhere! People are being killed because they’re followers of the Way. Christian churches are being destroyed in Egypt. It’s not only there but that’s the part of the world we’re hearing about on the news right now. But it’s happening everywhere Christians are in the minority and still worship a God who loved the world so much that he sent his Son, Jesus, who after he ascended into heaven sent his Holy Spirit to be an Advocate, a Counselor, a Comforter for us. Because folks worship our Triune God so openly they are being persecuted, families are being divided, sons and daughters are being disowned, thrown out into the streets with nothing.

          So, what choices do we make concerning our faith in our community? How do we speak about our faith to our friends and family?  Do we make choices that don’t stir up the pot or make waves or ruffle any feathers? Or do we, will we, speak of what is true and honest about our faith? Do we hold our belief up against what the world offers?

          If we choose to do nothing we’ve made a choice, albeit the wrong one in my opinion. If we would choose to speak honestly about our faith, our belief, what would that lead to? What kind of church would this be? Are we willing to be that kind of church and if so, how do we prepare for that kind of faith?

          I don’t believe this means that we’re all going to agree about every little thing theologically, politically, or philosophically but we can agree to keep our minds open to different possibilities and let God lead and guide us along his Way. 

          Friends, if we continue to follow the way of the world eventually we’ll all be the same, monochrome, instead of a real, colorful community where diversity thrives and everyone finds their place.

          Fullness of life in Jesus Christ is found in debate and discussion and in the sharing of different ideas and arguing over all of them. Maybe not with sword but definitely not with feathers either.

          May God continue to stir us up. May we continue to come together to learn and discuss and worship the Prince of Peace even when we don’t all agree about how God does everything he does.

         

         

          Thanks be to God for his wisdom and grace. Amen.

Prepared: Ready or Not

          Last weeks lesson was about planning for the future, the eternal, heavenly one, not our future here on earth.

          Today let’s think about being prepared. Part of being prepared does involve planning, gathering resources, and maybe even double checking to see if we have everything, checking to see we haven’t forgotten something.

          Let’s say we do that, plan, check, and double-check.  It’s all done, then what? Do we just sit and wait?

          I don’t think so. Jesus said, in our gospel reading today, that the disciples, and I believe that includes you and me, were to, “Be generous. Give to the poor. Get yourselves a bank that can’t go bankrupt, a bank in heaven far from bankrobbers, safe from embezzlers, a bank you can bank on.” And before Jesus made that statement he said, “Don’t be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.”

          What’s that mean, give you the kingdom? What does Jesus really mean when he says, “Sell your possessions, and give alms?” 

          Last week Jesus reminded his followers, and us, that it is futile for us to build huge nest eggs for ourselves because “we can’t take it with us.” And none of us can possibly know when God will call us home.

          No one knows, and that’s why he said, “You must also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.” 

          So, the question or questions are, “Are we ready for the Son of Man to come?” Have we been storing up treasures in heaven?

          If the Son of Man appeared right now and separated the sheep from the goats, which group would we find ourselves in? If we look in Matthew 25 beginning with verse 31 we’ll find that the Son of Man, Jesus, will be seated on his throne in glory and all the nations will be gathered before him and they’ll be separated just as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.

          On one side will be those who cared for the hungry, the thirsty, the strangers, the naked, the sick, and those in prison. On the other side will be those who didn’t. And so, the question, “If the Son of Man arrived today, where will we be found?”

          The question is are we ready for the Son of Man to arrive or have we been saving for the wrong things?

          To help us in our discernment Jesus said, “…where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Where is our treasure, that’s the question?

          How have we been saving for our salvation?  You see, what we are saving for is the real focus of our lives. What we are focusing on is where our heart is.

          So, how far out are we looking? Are we looking too far into the future? It would seem so to me.

          Jesus, I think, is telling us we need to focus on the ‘now’ doing things like caring for the poor, the naked, the hungry and thirsty, the sick and the imprisoned. And not doing these things begrudgingly, judging them every second that we’re helping them but performing these tasks with genuine love, love like Jesus did when he healed and touched and taught and forgave.

          The Nike slogan comes to mind right about now, “Just Do It!”  Just do it and don’t count the cost or worry about the future. Just do it and help that person who doesn’t have anywhere else to turn. Just do it and ‘Don’t be afraid.’

          Easy for me to say, but it’s not so easy to ‘just do it.’ What if we did ‘just do it?’ What do you suppose would happen? Would the earth stand still? Would the plight of the poor and the homeless change? Would there be fewer folks in need?

          Maybe not, but is that the point? Jesus said that the poor would always be with us. Our focus should be on God’s kingdom right here, right now.

          Focusing on that, and not on ourselves, frees us to love and care for those who desperately need love and compassion.

          God blesses us with so much every single day and all he’s asking us to do is to share the gifts with the folks we meet. By doing so we build a savings account that earns more interest than we could ever imagine. And that’s something we can take with us when God calls us home.

          Thanks be to God for his grace showered upon us every day. Amen.

Plans for the Future

This message was created from the Bible Notes from Spill the Beans, Issue 8.

          You can’t take it with you. That’s a saying we’ve all heard at one time or another. That’s the justification we give when we spend a little more of our savings than we think is wise. Sometimes we say the same thing when we notice our neighbors buying the fancy car or the newer house that we’re jealous of them having.

          Today’s lesson from the gospel of Luke sounds a little bit like something Solomon wrote, “There is nothing better for mortals than to eat and drink, and find enjoyment in their toil.”  When we read Ecclesiastes we get the idea that life is fickle and not long lasting, therefore saving for the future isn’t such a bad idea.

          Jesus suggests just the opposite. He’s saying that saving things, money, assets, is what’s fickle and Life is what we should invest in, life in Him.

          The landowner seemed to have it made. A bumper crop that needed new barns, a bumper crop that, he thought, was insurance against his retirement.  But just as he’s fixing to settle back and take it easy, he dies and all that wealth does him no good what so ever.

          So, is hard work for nothing? All our lives we’ve been taught that we should save for the future. Save for our retirement.  Wouldn’t we all like to have the rich landowner’s problem of a plentiful harvest, a good nest egg to ensure us our comfort clear to the end of our life?

          What should be the focus of our lives if it’s not hard work and saving for our future? Maybe this parable is telling us that we should pay attention to what’s happening in our lives now and how we’re living them. The fullness of our lives is available to us now. That doesn’t mean partying every night and spending whatever we have on whatever we want.

          Living life to the fullest, in the Bible, is talking about living a life of justice, peace, truth, and honesty. It’s taking all those values we read about in God’s Word to heart and living them completely in every action, in every decision we make. This is living life fully. This is making an investment in the kingdom of God.

          In order to do this we must re-prioritize our lives by getting rid of the clutter, the things we don’t really need and then to fill them with the things of God.  Things that prioritizes people, the values of heaven, life-in-community.

          As we contemplate our lives and our community what are the things that bring us closer to the kingdom of God? Are there examples for us of people who use their richness towards people, a richness that isn’t just material wealth but a richness of love, truth, and justice? What is our plan for the future?

          May we lead by God’s Holy Spirit to consider these things as we go into this next week. Thanks be to God for his grace. Amen.