Cry Baby

or - Nobody Here But us Chickens

Luke 13:31-35
At that very hour some Pharisees came and said to him, “Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you.” He said to them, “Go and tell that fox for me, ‘Listen, I am casting out demons and performing cures today and tomorrow, and on the third day I finish my work. Yet today, tomorrow, and the next day I must be on my way, because it is impossible for a prophet to be killed outside of Jerusalem.’ Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! See, your house is left to you. And I tell you, you will not see me until the time comes when you say, ‘Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.’”

I’ve told a few people this great story. After worship on Wednesday, I was home, and my 5 year old was curious about the cross on my forehead. He asked me about why it was there.
A few minutes later he said, “Dad, that cross makes you look smart!”
Yup.
As Dr. No Toll said in response to this insight, we are smart when we admit that we do not know.

I wonder at the metaphors we use, the images we live by.
Just saw a bumper sticker. US Flag, with big letters STANDING TALL.
What if standing tall simply puts you in the line of fire?

You have been sealed by the Holy Spirit, and marked with the cross of Christ forever.

The images Jesus chooses are telling.
Herod is a fox.
No Lion. No Bear. Not a Panther or a Jaguar.
Nothing so noble and ferocious.
Not even a wily Coyote.
A sneaky fox.
Heck, even a Bobcat seems powerful in comparison.

Jesus puts Herod in his place. Remember, this is territory under Roman rule. There is no freedom of speech. No internet, with its mocking of our leaders. If Herod were to hear that insult, Jesus would pay dearly.

Yes, Herod is a fox, and what is Jesus?
This fox defeater?
This adversary of Herod’s?
A Chicken.
No powerful metaphor here.
Fox food.
No wonder we haven’t really done much with this image.
Isn't the chicken a sign of Peter's denial?
Yes, the chicken that crows. Yet, even the Rooster can seem somehow noble.
Or at least loud. . .

The Mother Hen? An odd metaphor. A sad symbol. Anything but regal/powerful/inviting - or victorious. . .
Gathering her brood. Spreading her wings. Protecting and watching over her little chicks. Her best defense in the face of the fox's teeth?
Self-sacrifice.
Herod gets the metaphor of fox.
Us?
Defenseless chicks.
Fox snacks. Chick-filet.

"Perhaps" - suggests ethicist Jim Perkinson in his essay - Learning to Cry, Struggling to See - in the face of the oppression being visited by the powerful, by the foxes of our day, "Perhaps our primary task today [is] learning to weep..."
Weeping Mother Hens.
To quote Dave Barry - that would be a good name for a rock band.
I'd have to add, that I'd hate to have to design the t-shirts for their next tour SUMMER 2007 TOUR SNIVELING CHICKENS!

In our faith communities today, many who take the faith seriously, sadly take themselves too seriously. (We are probably often more similar to them than we'd care to admit.) When we align ourselves with this self important path, our metaphors are too settled. Too aligned with the fox. Too violent. Too prosperous. Too blind to the poor. And if there is any cross at all, it is a quite pretty one, and has never in the remotest way, borne the pain of the world. Unless you consider the pain of the laborers who mined the gold, or. . .

Grace is to be found, in the suffering one. The one who will hear those cries, "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord."
Which metaphors will point us to following this one?
The BEAST-devouring-666-defeating-vengeance-wreaking Jesus of strange imaginations?
This surely is not who we encounter here in Luke 13.
The Sniveling Chicken.
Perkinson suggests that a good test would be to ask "the last time we cried, what did we cry for?"

Fellow Lenten travelers
- that cross on your forehead -
makes you look smart.
Or something.
Those tears running down your cheeks, they make you look like you share in God's love for this planet and all its inhabitants in need of salvation. . .

No Baby

Luke 4:1-13

Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing at all during those days, and when they were over, he was famished. The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become a loaf of bread.” Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘One does not live by bread alone.’” Then the devil led him up and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. And the devil said to him, “To you I will give their glory and all this authority; for it has been given over to me, and I give it to anyone I please. If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours.” Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.’” Then the devil took him to Jerusalem, and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, saying to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, for it is written, ‘He will command his angels concerning you, to protect you,’ and ‘On their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.’” Jesus answered him, “It is said, ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’” When the devil had finished every test, he departed from him until an opportune time.

When I hear this story, I don’t find the temptations all that tempting. All the more, when I read folks who write at length about temptation, it seems that whatever it is that tempts them doesn’t really appeal.
Hmmmm.
Part of the problem for me is that we don’t really think in such categories. With the way we look at our world, there aren’t really any temptations. Just different choices. (You may now go off on your own “self as project” direction - that would lead me too far afield, I have a meeting in a few minutes...)

Stoffregen in his text work concludes with this quote and comment

Keith Nickle (Preaching the Gospel of Luke) concludes his comments on this text with these words:
Without trivializing the intensity of Jesus' wilderness encounter, it is nonetheless appropriate to point out that all Christians find themselves struggling with similar temptations to dilute the quality and even exchange the object of their commitment during the course of their pilgrimage. There are times when they too, in response to the call of God, are tempted to be satisfied with offering the adequate rather than the best that their disciplined service can offer ... or, having caught the vision, to succumb to impatience and seek to accomplish God's purposes by means alien to God's character ... or, to seek to coerce God by taking shortcuts to success. [p. 40]
I have seen it happen often in congregations: They strive for mediocrity and usually reach it. Is that succumbing to the temptation to give God less than our best?

I find that a little less compelling than Stoffregen does. . .
It seems that these approaches are all about our commitments, our choices, our best, all that we do.
Yes, to speak of temptation is to venture into the area of the things that we do and the choices we make and, thus, the lives that we lead, but what is the ground of our choices - when they are “best”?

Elsewhere, Craig B. Adams shares the insight of a Jewish psychiatrist in his community (an insight I suspect articulated elsewhere) that “the mature religious person is one who can embrace ambiguity.”
Oddly, while the stuff I’ve read on this text wants to admit to the ambiguities of temptation, they seem to lack any ambiguity their own dang selves.
Few deal with the fact that Jesus finds himself in the Wilderness of Temptation driven by the Spirit.
Hmmmmm.
Baptized into Christ, you, too, bear that same Spirit.
Perhaps all does not depend on your making the correct decisions, but in trusting that come what may, the Spirit is with you, and will guide you into God’s loving embrace, restore you to God’s presence (Ps. 51) forgive you, and send you into the world to bear your cross. . .
I don’t know what the heck I’ve just written, if this doesn't make sense to you eaither, let's just say that I'm willing to embrace ambiguity. That way I can pretend I know what I’m talking about.

Wow Baby!

Gospel Luke 9:28–36

Now about eight days after these sayings Jesus took with him Peter and John and James, and went up on the mountain to pray. 29 And while he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became dazzling white. 30 Suddenly they saw two men, Moses and Elijah, talking to him. 31 They appeared in glory and were speaking of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. 32 Now Peter and his companions were weighed down with sleep; but since they had stayed awake, they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him. 33 Just as they were leaving him, Peter said to Jesus, "Master, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah" — not knowing what he said. 34 While he was saying this, a cloud came and overshadowed them; and they were terrified as they entered the cloud. 35 Then from the cloud came a voice that said, "This is my Son, my Chosen listen to him!" 36 When the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent and in those days told no one any of the things they had seen.

Years ago, a friend in a far away state, (I won’t say where, but it rhymes with Halifornia) told me that he had his associate pastor preach on Transfiguration, because he‘s done so poorly with this lesson so often, that he gets depressed thinking about preaching on it again. He went on to go through the usual - “you can’t stay on the mountaintop, you gotta get back to work” - interpretation. . .
I wonder if there isn’t a totally different direction to go.
The glory is surely an integral part of the story. And there is that hymn, “How Good Lord to Be Here.” Yet our story has the command from “the voice” , "This is my Son, my Chosen listen to him!"
What is it that we are to listen to?
Is it all of Jesus’ teaching? Are we to be “red letter Christians”?
I have a suspicion that the Transfiguration is the glory that leads to the cross.
Could the experience of the glory be a gift - primarily, to Jesus, and only tangentially to the disciples - so that he might have a certain strength for the coming journey, when the glory will be entirely hidden in suffering and the cross?
That is what the disciples are to “listen” to. To the one who exercises the power of God in the weakness of the suffering and death on the cross.

Here is a rich line from a sermon by Barbara Brown Taylor:

Later, when Jesus’ exodus got under way and they saw what it meant for him -- when they saw that shining face bloodied and spat upon, those dazzling clothes torn into souvenir rags -- I’ll bet they had to rethink what that glory was all about.

As we come to the end of the season of Epiphany, and look ahead to Lent, we have a whole season of rethinking what God’s glory is about. . . and of seeking again, to see that God has hidden God’s greatest glory in the life, and the teaching and the suffering and dying and rising, of this one born in a stable in Bethlehem.
Wow Baby. . .

Woe Baby- 6 Epiphany

Luke 6: 17-26
6:17 Jesus came down with them and stood on a level place, with a great crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea, Jerusalem, and the coast of Tyre and Sidon.
6:18 They had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases; and those who were troubled with unclean spirits were cured.
6:19 And all in the crowd were trying to touch him, for power came out from him and healed all of them.
6:20 Then he looked up at his disciples and said: "Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.
6:21 "Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you will be filled. "Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh.
6:22 "Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you, revile you, and defame you on account of the Son of Man.
6:23 Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, for surely your reward is great in heaven; for that is what their ancestors did to the prophets.
6:24 "But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation.
6:25 "Woe to you who are full now, for you will be hungry. "Woe to you who are laughing now, for you will mourn and weep.
6:26 "Woe to you when all speak well of you, for that is what their ancestors did to the false prophets."

Each week I get an e-mail from an ELCA pastor, Brian Stoffregen, which is his commentary on the gospel reading. It's a good start. I posted his comments on this text here: http://docs.google.com/View?docid=dhm78cxk_22fqw47s if you would like to look at them.

There are two things that I want to discuss. The first is that in this text Jesus comes out on the side of the underdog-- (that why the dang Bears should have won last Sunday). Actually underdog isn't the right word. I'm not sure what the word would be-- something describing being crapped upon by life and the world. Jesus addresses specifically the poor, the famished, those who weep, and disciples who are hated for following Christ. The world normally sees these people as cursed. They are not strong enough or self-sufficient enough to get help. They need to get on the right medication or stop taking out loans at the fricking Payday Loan places. In the world's darwinian system of ranking, their problems are evidence that they are not blessed. God has frowned on them. But in this sermon Jesus reveals God's preference for losers. God's love is for them. In Jesus the world is turned upside down. (This means that the winners will not be blessed but cursed.) How does one keep from turning this text into a moral lesson, if one is wary of moral lessons?

Second, promises are a strong theme in this text. Jesus makes promises both to the losers and the winners. He promises justice: good for the losers, bad for the winners. What is that quote? "God's word creates what it says/promises?"

So how does one preach a "God for us" from this text? Sure we cry now and then but we're not hungry or poor. Rather, we make decent money, eat too much, enjoy laughter, and fall prey to appreciating "Pastor Appreciation Sunday." We're screwed. But do we want to preach that? Where's the gospel for winners?

Another NOT SO Super Bowl

Is there some theological point that can be drawn from the fact that this year's Super Bowl game, like so many other of these 41 contests, was about as "Super" as one of our choirs' anthems?
Just wondering

Epiphany 5 C - Luke 5: 1 - 11

I'm Not Worthy !!!

Luke 5: 1 - 11
Once while Jesus was standing beside the lake of Gennesaret, and the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, 2he saw two boats there at the shore of the lake; the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. 3He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little way from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. 4When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch." 5Simon answered, "Master, we have worked all night long but have caught nothing. Yet if you say so, I will let down the nets." 6When they had done this, they caught so many fish that their nets were beginning to break. 7So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both boats, so that they began to sink. 8But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, "Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!" 9For he and all who were with him were amazed at the catch of fish that they had taken; 10and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. Then Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people." 11When they had brought their boats to shore, they left everything and followed him.

I was struck by a theme which arose from the readings as well as the Gospel. The theme of one's un-worthiness when confronted by the epiphany. Isaiah..."Woe is me...I'm lost..I'm a man of unclean lips." Paul..."I'm the least of the apostles...unfit to be called one..." Simon Peter.."Go away from me, Lord, for I'm a sinful man." When confronted by the presence of these differing epiphanies...by holiness... all these are reduced to "I'm not worthy !!" There certainly are true & false senses of humility which we manifest in our life experience. Paul's line in 1 Cor. 15..."But for the grace of God I am what I am..." sums up what makes one worthy to receive anything from God. The realization that one is captured...drawn into..and touched by God's grace. God touched Isaiah and his guilt & sin were 'blotted out." Jesus had more work to be done...and Simon Peter, James, John & the sons of Zebedee...left all to be involved. Can I get a witness ?

That Offends Me!

Luke 4
21 Then he began to say to them, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” 22 All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth. They said, “Is not this Joseph’s son?” 23 He said to them, “Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, ‘Doctor, cure yourself!’ And you will say, ‘Do here also in your hometown the things that we have heard you did at Capernaum.’” 24 And he said, “Truly I tell you, no prophet is accepted in the prophet’s hometown. 25 But the truth is, there were many widows in Israel in the time of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, and there was a severe famine over all the land; 26 yet Elijah was sent to none of them except to a widow at Zarephath in Sidon. 27 There were also many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, and none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian.” 28 When they heard this, all in the synagogue were filled with rage. 29 They got up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they might hurl him off the cliff. 30 But he passed through the midst of them and went on his way.

Last week, we touched on the theme of temptation and Luke 4.
This week, we have the second half of the story of Jesus sermon in his hometown.
It seems a story of Jesus provoking people, and the people overreacting to what they do not want to hear.
It might make sense to write him off, to no longer let him read at worship. No longer attend his rallies, quit going to his class. But take him bungee jumping with no bungee? Folks are a bit on edge.
And yet, when a people are oppressed, attacked, made to feel vulnerable and in danger. . .
I think of the reaction, post 9/11, to anyone who said something like “you know, it is terrible what those terrorists did, but maybe we should ask why they hate us so, and wonder if there is anything we should do to change in our own selves.”
Don’t go there!
I’m not sure what to do with Jesus who is so offensive. It is my sense, that a Lutheran hermeneutic leads us to explore how Jesus offends me and all who hear him. (not just Lutheran of course. . . )
It seems, in looking at a few commentators, that the temptation is to put ourselves in Jesus’ place here.
“See, a prophet is not without honor, no wonder the people in my congregation will not see everything my way. No wonder they don’t - become liberal democrats - read the cross the way I do - embrace my vision / leadership / righteousness.”
What offense does Jesus bring to the table here, an offense with which it might be good for me to be offended?

Epiphany 3

Luke 4:14-21

4:14 Then Jesus, filled with the power of the Spirit, returned to Galilee, and a report about him spread through all the surrounding country.

4:15 He began to teach in their synagogues and was praised by everyone.

4:16 When he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, he went to the synagogue on the sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood up to read,

4:17 and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written:

4:18 "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free,

4:19 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."

4:20 And he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him.

4:21 Then he began to say to them, "Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing."

This text is lodged in the middle of a larger story going on in Luke 4. One of the themes of the story is temptation and the word of God. Prior to our text, in Luke 4: 1-13, Jesus is in the wilderness, being tempted by Satan and defending himself with the word. This use of the word saves him from Satan's attack.

Following this week's text we see Jesus among his hometown neighbors. He predicts the temptations they will throw his way (doing miracles in Nazareth like he did in Capernaum, seemingly to impress the crowd). He counters these predicted temptations and the complications of being in his hometown with the word-- scripture quotes showing God's interest in Gentiles. This use of the word upsets his neighbors; they almost kill him.

In this week's text Jesus' activity with the word is more "pious." He's in the synagogue reading from scripture. He makes some comments. Things become fishy when he implies a connection between that text and his identity-- that he may be the anointed one, bringing good new to the poor, etc.

Jesus and the word-- what can we say about this theme? It is a tool of God to fight evil-- both its outright attacks and more subtle corrupting effects. But It becomes a Person, filled with the Spirit and delivering good news-- embodying good news, doing good news.

Anything more we can say about temptation?

That's what I have at this point. . .

Rambling on Water, Wine and Grace in Abundance

John 2:1-11
On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. 2 Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. 3 When the wine gave out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” 4 And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what concern is that to you and to me? My hour has not yet come.” 5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” 6 Now standing there were six stone water jars for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. 7 Jesus said to them, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. 8 He said to them, “Now draw some out, and take it to the chief steward.” So they took it. 9 When the steward tasted the water that had become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the steward called the bridegroom 10 and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and then the inferior wine after the guests have become drunk. But you have kept the good wine until now.” 11 Jesus did this, the first of his signs, in Cana of Galilee, and revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.

Is the point of the story that Jesus wants to , as I read somewhere, “help individuals and make them happy”? Then why am I so d*** grumpy?
well, this is a sign, and it points to . . .
What does it point to?
• Surely, as the first miracle in John, it is a key sign that the values of the kingdom are different and unexpected. Here, the last is first. The good wine is served at the last. (lots of it too!)
Marcus Borg says it this way. . . "What is the gospel--the good news-–of Jesus about? John’s answer: It’s about a wedding banquet at which the wine never runs out, and where the best is saved for last."

• Here’s an interesting point: Jesus feels that the time is not right for him to perform any sign, and yet, his mom thinks otherwise. How often are we sure that we need to schedule things better, make some lists, get things organized, then we’ll be able to get things done the way we want to. We need to order our life better to reach our potential, and get the most out of life. Jesus is not so different. Jesus finds himself performing the first of his signs before his hour has come . . . hmmm

• From Wendell Berry
The miraculous is not extraordinary but the common mode of existence. It is our daily bread. Whoever really has considered the lilies of the field or the birds of the air and pondered the improbability of their existence in this warm world within the cold and empty stellar distances will hardly balk at the turning of water into wine - which was, after all, a very small miracle. We forget the greater and still continuing miracle by which water (with soil and sunlight) is turned into grapes. Source: "Sex, Economy, Freedom, and Community"

• I’ve saved this for last. . . an article - mostly of the absurdities of people claiming Jesus was a teetotaler concludes with this postscript:
"All the angels dancing on the head of this particular pin might be moot, since some historians think Jesus might actually have been a beer drinker. Wine was the drink of the Romanized elite in the Middle East of that era, while beer was the preferred drink of the common people. Historians have found it odd that the populist Jesus would have chosen the drink of the rich and powerful above the humble beer of the people."
• Could we suggest that it is not odd at all? That Jesus is subverting the whole system here, providing excellent wine to those whom many would deem unworthy?

Baptism of the Lord

Luke 3:15-17, 21-22

3:15 As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah,
3:16 John answered all of them by saying, "I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
3:17 His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire."
3:21 Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heaven was opened,
3:22 and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, "You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased."

Forgive me. I dislike this text. It's sorta weird. What can you do with it?

I remember one of Forde's things was to talk about "doing the text" to the hearers of the sermon. For me this has become a method of distilling the text into one sentence. And it is generally a sentence of clear gospel or law. This Sunday's text can't be messed with too much; it seems like a good occasion to "do the text."

A text on Jesus' baptism gives us a good opportunity to talk about our regular-person baptism. Perhaps we could describe it in such a way that hits hard on the externality of it. It is something that happens to us. It is God's work. The Holy Spirit falls upon us (or whatever verb you think you would be more appropriate). God makes his decision about us publicly known.

This discussion of baptism could then lead to the doing of the text in the strong proclamation to the hearers: God says, "You are my child, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased."

Ramble away please.

Rambling on Christmas 1 The Holy Family

Luke 2:41-52
Now every year his parents went to Jerusalem for the festival of the Passover. 42 And when he was twelve years old, they went up as usual for the festival. 43 When the festival was ended and they started to return, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but his parents did not know it. 44 Assuming that he was in the group of travelers, they went a day’s journey. Then they started to look for him among their relatives and friends. 45 When they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem to search for him. 46 After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. 47 And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. 48 When his parents saw him they were astonished; and his mother said to him, “Child, why have you treated us like this? Look, your father and I have been searching for you in great anxiety.” 49 He said to them, “Why were you searching for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” 50 But they did not understand what he said to them. 51 Then he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them. His mother treasured all these things in her heart. 52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and in years, and in divine and human favor.

Merry Christmas!
Three years ago, when I preached on this text, I called it “Family Treatment.”
“Holy Family Sunday” bears an interesting text for us, doesn’t it?
It seems to me that this is often read as some sort of ideal family kind of moment, when in actuality, it is more a "Home Alone" sort of story that might well have the Social Service folks stopping by the house in the next week, "just to check on things."
Mary's line "Why have you treated us like this?" speaks volumes. As William Loader notes, the excuse that Jesus is "about his father’s business" would not wash with most parents of an almost-teenager. I have suggested that Luke's note that Jesus was "obedient to them" might go without saying, since Jesus was probably grounded to the kitchen for the next three months.
I suspect that this passage offers us opportunities to speak about family in ways that we rarely do anywhere in our culture. We can talk a bit about how families are not without their tensions and their times of losing one another. If there had been no family tensions, no tension between son and mother, would we really be able to say that Jesus had fully entered our humanity?
Further, we might take note that Jesus was one whose parents brought him to the Temple. They shaped his faith and therefore our faith.
There might well be plenty there for a whole sermon series, without waxing poetic about “the ideal family” or any of that sort of baloney.

Rambling on the Wonder

As we look ahead to Christmas Eve, we make a brief stop for 4 Advent and listen in on Mary.

“My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant."

Luther, in his work on the Magnificat, LW 21, suggests that God’s high regard toward Mary, is rooted in nothing in herself, but, rather, in God’s grace alone. If anything of Mary is to be praised, it is her lowliness, a lowliness perhaps shared by us all in our seeming insignificance.
As Luther states it; “. . . not her humility but God’s regard is to be praised.” p. 314

As we prepare to proclaim the Gospel on this coming Sunday, will it be the magnificence of the Godhead entering our world, or the wonder of God’s condecension that will mostly truly conveigh the Good News of the incarnation, the true wonder of the Gospel?

I deeply appreciate the emphasis of a renowned Mill Creek theologian and practitioner of Celebratory Pietism who - when speaking of Christmas preaching - points primarily to the Kenosis named in Philippians 2:

Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death - even death on a cross.

As we venture forth in our preparations for Christmas proclamation, I wonder at this. That no matter how much stuff gets tacked on to Christmas, in the end, what shines through, is the utter humility of God entering our world in this way.
Peace to you this Christmas!

Do Less Harm

Gadzooks. Fear, paranoia run rampant. Where are the little red books? I've heard they are late. But this late? Am I the only one without one? Will the world end soon? Will time as we know it come to a halt? What kind of destabilizing conspiracy is this? arggggg.

Monday, December 11, 2006 Advent 3 C - - Ramblings on Luke 3: 7 - 18

7 John said to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8Bear fruits worthy of repentance. Do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our ancestor'; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. 9Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire." 10And the crowds asked him, "What then should we do?" 11In reply he said to them, "Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do likewise." 12Even tax collectors came to be baptized, and they asked him, "Teacher, what should we do?" 13He said to them, "Collect no more than the amount prescribed for you." 14Soldiers also asked him, "And we, what should we do?" He said to them, "Do not extort money from anyone by threats or false accusation, and be satisfied with your wages." 15 As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah, 16 John answered all of them by saying, "I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 17His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire." 18So, with many other exhortations, he proclaimed the good news to the people.

As we get closer to Christmas we tend to get more calls at the church from the needy asking for help. The welfare checks just do not seem to include enough money for the Christmas presents for the kids in the household. Luke's message clearly was one that has emphasis on including the poor and the marginalized. John the Baptist addresses groups of people (ie. crowds, soldiers, tax collectors, people, etc.) who ask, "What shall we do ?" He says, specific to their positions of influence & power, "bear good fruit !" Repentance means a new attitude and actions. So, is this passage only good news for the needy - - poor ? Can some of us pat ourselves on the back for being a bit more generous this time of year ? Episcopalian priest & writer, Tom Ehrich (On a Journey) writes: "John was proof that our call isn't to tell people what they want to hear, but to draw them closer to what God wants them to see."

Advent 2-- Ramblings on Luke 3: 1-6

1) In the fifteenth year of the reign of Emperor Tiberius, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was ruler of Galilee, and his brother Philip ruler of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias ruler of Abilene, 2) during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. 3) He went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, 4) as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah, "The voice of one crying out in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. 5) Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways made smooth; 6) and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.' "

Advent in my church is like. . . a mass exodus to the nearby big city so everyone can shop rather than worship.

This Sunday's gospel text is about John the Baptist. His function in Jesus' story is to "prepare the way of the Lord." He does this by challenging people to repent, receiving his baptism as a sign of this repentance. The forgiveness of their sins is dependent on this repentance.
Luke links John's work to Isaiah 40:3-5 which states that preparation of the Lord will happen like a highway is built. The preparer will raise, lower, smooth, and straighten so that the Lord's way will be straight and easy.

I struggle with the purpose of John the Baptist in the gospel. At times I think he's more of a crazy cousin who worms his way into the story than he is helpful to it. What is accomplished through him? How does he function in the story? What is the purpose of this character? Does the Lord need somebody to prepare his way? If all the sinners are going to get fixed before Jesus shows up, then why does Jesus need to show up?

I suppose one could take advantage of the preparation theme of this text. It does fit nicely with Advent. And one could hit hard on the theme of repentance. But is John the Baptist necessary for those themes?

Those are my suspicions. I want to focus on repentance (turning away from sin). It is helpful to link it with baptism. Luther wrote in the Small Catechism: Baptism signifies that daily the old person in us with all our sins and evil desires is to be drowned through sorrow for sin and repentance, and that daily a new person is to come forth and rise up to live before God in righteousness and purity forever. I am intrigued by how closely linked baptism and repentance are and by how much they need each other. We give baptism priority since it is a sacrament; but where would baptism be without repentance? Repentance plays a huge role in shaping the baptized's day-to-day lives. Repentance is the big correcting work of the Spirit which helps to make us different from the world. It helps to give light to our souls so that they do shine before others. It helps the bearing of fruit. It allows us to love God and neighbor rather than just the self. In this way repentance is a gift and offers us hope that we won't always be such assholes.
Baptism without repentance is like those instances where some of our baptismal practices are a bit liberal. Have you ever had people in your churches ask you to baptism one of their relatives kids? They live in far off states and travel thousands of miles to have their kids baptized in our churches where neighbors won't see them. When they return home, who knows what life is lived. (Not that I've ever performed such a baptism. . . but. . .). I'd quote Bonhoeffer here by I loaned my Cost of Discipleship out; maybe one of you could.

If I preach on this I will need to get into an explanation of baptism for daily living as opposed to the typical discussion of baptism being adoption into God's family. Ramble away please. . .

advent 1 ramblings

the vicarofvice is in the house

Advent 1 Rambling on Luke 21

“There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on the earth distress among nations confused by the roaring of the sea and the waves. 26 People will faint from fear and foreboding of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 27 Then they will see ‘the Son of Man coming in a cloud’ with power and great glory. 28 Now when these things begin to take place, stand up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” 29 Then he told them a parable: “Look at the fig tree and all the trees; 30 as soon as they sprout leaves you can see for yourselves and know that summer is already near. 31 So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near. 32 Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all things have taken place. 33 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. 34 “Be on guard so that your hearts are not weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of this life, and that day catch you unexpectedly, 35 like a trap. For it will come upon all who live on the face of the whole earth. 36 Be alert at all times, praying that you may have the strength to escape all these things that will take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.”

I’ve thought about this for some time:
It matters how we take leave from places and communities.
We’ve all experienced a number of times, when people leave poorly, there is often significant collateral damage. . .
How about entrances?
As we enter the new year, how do we want to proceed?
The Lectionary seems to point us to hopeful expectation...

Then they will see ‘the Son of Man coming in a cloud’ with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to take place, stand up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.

In his book Loving Jesus, Mark Allen Powell, says a most interesting thing. He wants to suggest that you and I should live in eager anticipation of Jesus’ return. He even speaks of “waiting for that day with breathless anticipation” and of looking to the sky when the liturgy has the congregation say “Amen! Come Lord Jesus!”
While that is a bit whacky, there is something there.

Here are a few quotes from Loving Jesus.

Recognizing the absence of Jesus arouses urgent anticipation of his return. The Bible encourages this, indeed, I think it encourages us to expect Jesus to return soon, within our own lifetimes. . . .

interesting. He concludes this paragraph

I think that death, if it comes, should take us by surprise. We do not expect to die - we expect Jesus to come for us. Such an expectation is not based on doctrine or intellectual speculation. It has nothing to do with prophecies being fulfilled over in Israel. It is more an expression of attitude or hope - a matter of the heart. pg. 61

Here is where this is kind of interesting for preaching:

Expecting Jesus to return soon is part of the poetry of faith. It is piety, not theology or doctrine. Poetry does no follow the rules of grammar, and piety does not always follow the rules of reason, but both make sense in ways that transcend such rules. Expecting Jesus to return soon is a matter of the heart, an expression of the poetic language of love that sustains our relationship with the one who is both present with us and absent from us. pg. 63-64

There is poetry to the season of Advent, and we enter the season with this word from the Gospel of Luke. . . How do we work the poetry of this text, and proclaim the promise that gives hope?
I wonder if one might well work with Powell’s emphasis that the absence of Jesus arouses anticipation. Anticipation of what? A Merry Christmas? Or, that God is at work in this world, and “your redemption is drawing near.”
The Underminer:
Whose intro line in The Incredibles is: “I live underneath you, but nothing is underneath me!”

DoLessHarm goes for Textweek Status

It seemed to me that we weren't really "blogging" on our blog.
I'd like to see us work at changing that.
SOOOOOOO
I've changed the template, to see what you might think of that, and starting with the new year, I'm hoping we could have a sort of virtual text study. . .
a bit of Rambling on the Gospel!
LET'S GET READY TO RAMBLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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