Prayer for Sunday, October 21

Purify our conscience, Almighty God, by your daily visitation, that your Son Jesus Christ, at his coming, may find in us a mansion prepared for himself; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Bella (and Once)

On Saturday, Brooke and I went to see "Bella" starring Eduardo Verestegui of Mexico. We had seen the trailer when seeing another movie. It was playing at our local theatre that carries some independent films. We checked it out and it had a good rating. It won awards at a number of film festivals... so we went.



First up, when the film started, one of the film companies shown was "Metanoia Films" - metanoia is Greek for "repentance", so my interest was definitely peaked at that point. It is a sweet and moving film about healing and restoration, love and family; and it portrays Mexicans / Latinos in an overdue positive light.

Eduardo Verestegui is considered a Tijuana Tom Cruise or Brad Pitt of Mexico, but apparently had some kind of conversion a while back when he realized his life was empty because he was living just for himself. He and a few friends started Metanoia Films to produce quality films that would not only entertain but make a difference - which for him includes portraying Latinos as heros (which for him means honorable, faithful, people of integrity, full of wisdom and beauty), as well as encouraging people to live with a sense of mission and to live lives of value... Anyway, you can check out more buzz about it at the site below:

bellamoviesite

Check out my earlier post regarding the movie "Once" which comes out on video tomorrow - another great independent film.

echoes of Isaiah 11

I have started receiving a news post regarding news of Israel, called "The Lekarev Report" - the following report was heartening, and reminded me of Isaiah 11.

Ten attackers descended on four Jewish students on a New York subway this past Friday and a Muslim student intervened to help them.

Hassan Askari fought off the attackers, giving Walter Adler time to call for help. Askari is being hailed as a hero for taking on the 10 attackers who singled out the Jewish students for attack.

"I did what I thought was right," Askari said later. "I did what I could to help." Askari is a student at Berkeley College in Manhatten and suffered a broken nose and lip wounds from being beaten by the attackers. Eight men and two women pleaded not guilty but a NYC officer said the charges may well be upgraded from assault to hate crimes.

"This is what's great about New York," Adler said after the incident. "A random Muslim kid helps some Jewish kids."


6 The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, and the calf and the lion and the fattened calf together; and a little child shall lead them.
7 The cow and the bear shall graze; their young shall lie down together;
and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.
8 The nursing child shall play over the hole of the cobra,
and the weaned child shall put his hand on the adder's den.
9 They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain;
for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.
10 In that day the root of Jesse, who shall stand as a signal for the peoples;
of him shall the nations inquire, and his resting place shall be glorious.

more on Israel / Palestine

I just came across this statement by the Evangelicals for Social Action (ESA) in favor of the two-state solution in Israel. Apparently there's a group, "Christians United For Israel," that is opposing the two-state solution and has pledged to pressure the White House, etc.

A long time ago (the 70's?) Ron Sider, the president of ESA, wrote a well-received book entitled "Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger." Ron Sider has been on my radar screen ever since.
ESA Statement on Israel/Palestine

Below is the main page of the website if you want to sign on the petition. I'm praying about it and probably will do so, just for my own coming to conviction, if nothing else.
ESA

What's rumbling around in my head as I write this is yesterday's lesson from the Older Testament, Isaiah 11:1-10. The Spirit anointed rooted of Jesse will bring about this amazing world where the wolf will lie down with the lamb, the cow with the bear, and a little child will lead them... where they will not hurt or destroy on all God's holy mountain for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of God as the waters cover the earth.

How will he do this?? Certainly when he comes again to make all things right, but the Scriptures also seem to indicate (eg. Ephesians 3) that he is also doing so now, and wills that things being moving that way even now, through his people.

While Israel must secure itself, it must also exemplify their messianic vision at some level. Only God can ultimately secure anyone. And I think God must be trusted to deliver the exact borders that were promised to Abraham. Couldn't working for peace, and "giving up" land actually be a sign of faith and not that terrorism wins concessions.

Lastly, while I know that the U.N. is pretty worthless these days, I believe it was the U.N. that voted at the end of WWII to partition the land between a state for the Jews and one for the Palestinians, with actual borders defined (I think). But instead of the U.N. it is the U.S. brokering the deal, with a president pledged to bring it about before he leaves office - on the one hand it's a great goal to have and would be a great legacy, but on the other hand it's extremely dangerous to try to pressure something like this through...

Prayer for the Second Sunday of Advent

Merciful God, who sent your messengers the prophets to preach repentance and prepare the way for our salvation: Give us grace to heed their warnings and forsake our sins, that we may greet with joy the coming of Jesus Christ our Redeemer; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

St. Nicholas

On Wednesday at communion we remembered (a day early) the feast day of St. Nicholas of Myra (December 6). It was a great reminder. Then on the God's Politics blog (Jim Wallis of Sojourners) there was a post by Abayea Pelt on St. Nick. The picture and the quote below from an Orthodox Church (link) website are from the God's Politics blog (link).

Saint Nicholas, the Wonderworker, Archbishop of Myra in Lycia, is famed as a great saint pleasing unto God. ... From his childhood, Nicholas thrived on the study of divine scripture; by day he would not leave church, and by night he prayed and read books, making himself a worthy dwelling place for the Holy Spirit.

There was a certain formerly rich inhabitant of Patara, whom St Nicholas saved from great sin. The man had three grown daughters, and in desperation he planned to sell their bodies so they would have money for food. The saint, learning of the man's poverty and of his wicked intention, secretly visited him one night and threw a sack of gold through the window. With the money the man arranged an honorable marriage for his daughter. St Nicholas also provided gold for the other daughters, thereby saving the family from falling into spiritual destruction. In bestowing charity, St Nicholas always strove to do this secretly and to conceal his good deeds.

During his life, the saint worked many miracles. One of the greatest was the deliverance from death of three men unjustly condemned by the governor, who had been bribed. The saint boldly went up to the executioner and took his sword, already suspended over the heads of the condemned. The governor, denounced by St Nicholas for his wrong doing, repented and begged for forgiveness.

Green Christmas Trees?

Here's a link to a website devoted to environmentalism from a clear Christian perspective. This link in particular talks a bit about responsible stewardship with regard to Christmas trees... FYI

Restoring Eden

praise for the Messiah

Advent begins in a couple of days. One of my traditions is listening to Handel's Messiah, a lot. I've already started.

I commend it to you. Even if you're not wild about opera like me. (I basically hate opera. I guess Les Miserables is considered opera, and I did like it. ) Anyway, the Messiah is awesome. It's actually called an oratorio.

When I was ordained a priest at the Cathedral of the Advent in Birmingham, I requested the choir (and one of the paid singers) sing "And he shall lead his flock like a shepherd." It was perfect.

It's all about Jesus. the whole thing, over and over.
And it's all Scripture, one after another.

The story goes that Handel locked himself into an attic room or inside a garden temple and had his food brought to him and did not emerge until he had written the whole piece with every part for voice and instrument. Here's some more background from Wikipedia:

> "In the summer of 1741 Handel (age 59), at the peak of his musical prowess but depressed and in debt, began setting Charles Jennens' Biblical libretto to music at his usual breakneck speed. In just 24 days, Messiah was complete."
> "Although the work was conceived and first performed for Easter, it has become traditional since Handel's death to perform the Messiah oratorio during Advent"
> It was premiered during the following season, in the spring of 1742, as part of a series of charity concerts (aiding local hospitals for the mentally ill)"
> "Handel conducted Messiah many times and, as was his custom, often altered the music to suit the needs of the singers and orchestra he had available to him for each performance. In consequence, no single version can be regarded as the "authentic" one."


I'm very thankful for, and blessed by, Handel's Messiah.
All praise and honor and glory and blessing be to Him!!

the peace of Jerusalem, 2

“For Zion’s sake I will not be silent, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not be still, until her righteousness emanates like bright light, and her salvation blazes like a torch.”
Isaiah 62:1

I do not believe that God is finished with Israel, or the Jewish people. I believe God's promises and call to the children of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob remain. I also believe their hearts are veiled and hardened but that there will be a turning in repentance and faith to the Messiah, and they will be regrafted into the root which is their forefathers. And that will be a great day of salvation. (Romans 9-11)

One of God's promises to the Jewish people is a land. However, that alone is not something that realistically sways, or ought to sway, world or regional politics. But history ought to be. A state for a historically persecuted race is a very good argument. The fact that Israel has not initiated conflict in its 59 years of statehood is (yes, this is true). The fact that the only land that Israel has "seized" has been in conflicts they engaged defensively and maintained land won for their safety and security ought to be acknowledged in world politics. History has been rewritten in a number of ways. And, of course, Islamic Fundamentalism's commitment to eradicate Israel is, or ought to be, a critical issue in world politics.

This is not to say that Israel is guilt-free, I'm not saying that. The settlements in disputed land is one problem, and is wrong. But again, this does not compare in the least to the Arabs trying to take the land prior to and immediately after Israel's declared statehood by the U.N. It does not compare to however many countries' armies massing at their borders in 1967, nor with a surprise attack on Yom Kippur in 1973. And it does not compare morally to terrorism. Period. (Another problem on Israel's side was the war in the spring of 2006 with Lebanon, or rather with Hezbollah entrenched in Southern Lebanon. In principle I don't think it was wrong for Israel to seek to defend itself, but it apparently was disproportionate.)

I'm not necessarily against a Palestinian state at this time. There just ought to be honesty and truthful history.

the Peace of Jerusalem

It's been a while since I've posted here. I have kept up with "The Restoration Project" daily Bible readings if you haven't checked that out. Link.

This picture, as you probably know, is of Jerusalem. It's taken from the Mount of Olives. The wall from left to right near the bottom of the picture is supporting the Temple Mount, a large platform expanded by Herod, to host the Temple and Temple courts. In Jesus' day it was amazingly splendid, one of the wonders of the world. The pretty gold domed building is the Dome of the Rock, a Muslim holy site built over a rock where Mohammad is said to have ascended to visit with God. It's also believed to be the site where Isaac was bound and Abraham passed the test of loving God more than his beloved son. (Muslims have control of the Temple Mount.)

Israel and the Palestinians are in the news again. A handshake, an agreement, a pledge to come up with a peace plan by the end of next year. We really ought to heed King David's call:

"Pray for the peace of Jerusalem!
'May they be secure who love you!
Peace be within your walls
and security within your towers!'"
(Psalm 122:6-7)

This whole topic has been coming up as we've been discussing "Our Father Abraham: Jewish Roots of the Christian Faith" (by Marvin Wilson of Gordon College) and some of Dwight Pryor's teachings (www.jcstudies.com).

Is God finished with the Jewish people and the nation of Israel? Have they been forever cut off because they generally rejected Jesus the Messiah? What about God's promises to Abraham? God's promises to the people through Moses, David, Solomon, Isaiah, Jeremiah...?

I'll share more over the next week or so (and I definitely do not have the answers, but I do have some thoughts) . For now, let us "pray for the peace of Jerusalem" and the peace and security of all who love her, and her people.

Prayer for First Sunday of Advent

Almighty God, give us grace to cast away the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light, now in the time of this mortal life in which your Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge both the living and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal; through him who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Collect for Thanksgiving

Almighty and gracious Father, we give you thanks for the fruits of the earth in their season and for the labors of those who harvest them. Make us, we pray, faithful stewards of your great bounty, for the provision of our necessities and the relief of all who are in need, to the glory of your Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Noah's covenant and us

We talked last Tuesday night about what are called the Noachide Laws, or the Laws for all mankind, given through God's covenant with Noah. In the text in Genesis, there are only a couple of commands that God gives: basically don't murder, and don't eat the flesh with the blood in it. The rabbis developed this, and articulated seven laws that they said were general laws concerning all humanity. They were:

1. Do not murder.
2. Do not steal.
3. Do not worship false gods.
4. Do not be sexually immoral.
5. Do not eat a limb removed from a live animal.
6. Do not curse God.
7. Set up courts and bring offenders to justice

(You can google this and get lots of good info. such as:
"The U.S. Congress officially recognized the Noahide Laws in legislation which was passed by both houses. Congress and the President of the United States, George Bush, indicated in Public Law 102-14, 102nd Congress, that the United States of America was founded upon the Seven Universal Laws of Noah, and that these Laws have been the bedrock of society from the dawn of civilization. They also acknowledged that the Seven Laws of Noah are the foundation upon which civilization stands and that recent weakening of these principles threaten the fabric of civilized society, and that justified preoccupation in educating the Citizens of the United States of America and future generations is needed. For this purpose, this Public Law designated March 26, 1991 as Education Day, U.S.A.")

What's really interesting about this to me is that it is very likely that when the Jerusalem council in Acts 15 came together to decide what should be required of the Gentiles who were coming to Christ, whether they should formally become Jews or not through circumcision, they very likely discussed and reflected in their decision these Noachide Laws.

Also, in Jesus' day, it had been determined by the sages that for the sake of life (that is threatened life) one could break all the commandments except commit idolatry, immorality, or murder. This too may be what's reflected in the Jerusalem council's decision.

These laws are similar to the Ten Commandments, but with some obvious differences. I just think it's amazing that the Jerusalem Council would be so sensitive and concerned with how to include the Gentiles in this move of God that they didn't even instruct them (us) to observe the big Ten. Their graciousness toward the Gentiles eventually led to the tension and fueled the split between the synagogue and the church. Their point wasn't so much to enforce laws, of course, but the way of Jesus who is the embodiment of all we are to be and do.

4th Day Confession of Faith

Here's Lancelot Andrews' Confession of Faith for the 4th day:

I believe in the Father's lovingkindness;
in the Almighty's saving power;
in the Creator's providence for guarding, ruling, perfecting the universe;

in Jesus, for salvation;
in Christ, for the anointing of His Holy Spirit;
in the only begotten Son, for adoption;
in the Lord, for His care as our Master;
in His conception and birth, for the cleansing of our unclean conception and birth;
in His sufferings endured that we, whose due they were, might not suffer;
in His cross, for the curse of the law removed;
in His death, for the sting of death taken away;
in His burial, for endless corruption in the tomb ended;
in His descent, whither we ought, that we might not go;
in His resurrection, as the first fruits of them that sleep;
in His ascension, to prepare a place for us;
in His sitting, to appear and intercede for us;
in His return, to take unto Him His own;
in His judgment, to render to every man according to his deeds;


in the Holy Ghost, for power from on high,
transforming unto sanctity
from without and invisibly
yet effectually and evidently;
in the Church, a body mystical
of those called out of the whole world
into a commonwealth of faith and holiness;
in the communion of saints, members of this body,
a partaking with one another of holy things,
for assurance of the remission of sins,
for hope of resurrection and translation to life everlasting.

Third Day: Confession of Faith

Here's Lancelot Andrews' Confession of Faith for the 3rd day of the week:

Godhead: love, power, providence.

Salvation: anointing, adoption, dominion;
conception, birth, sufferings,
cross, death, burial;
descent, resurrection, ascension,
sitting, return, judgment.

Breath: holiness,
calling, hallowing,
communion of saints and of saintly things,
forgiveness of sins,
resurrection,
life eternal.

Lancelot Andrews' Private Devotions

I mentioned Lancelot Andrews (1555-1626) in my sermon yesterday. He was a bishop in the Church of England, a chaplain to Queen Elizabeth, an apologist for King James I, a scholar appointed to work on the King James Version of the Bible, and a man of prayer. His "Private Devotions" remains helpful and inspiring for one learning to be a "self-feeder."

I shared that the early church (200-400 ish) taught people that the way to deal with temptation was to memorize the Apostles' Creed and the Lord's Prayer and say them frequently. In this way one would know what to believe, to whom to pray, and what to pray. Bishop Andrews confessed / prayed the Creed every day in some form as part of his private devotions.

His daily prayers were framed around six parts: (1) Meditation and Adoration, (2) Confession of Sin, (3) Prayer for Grace, (4) Confession of Faith, (5) Intercession, and (6) Thanksgiving.

He gives an example for us of how to pray the Creed, day by day - beyond reciting verbatim. On the "Second Day" he did literally say the Apostles' Creed, with the following tag at the end: "And now Lord, what wait I for? My hope is in Thee; in Thee, O Lord, have I trusted, let me never be confounded." I'll share several of his entries this week. (The book I have is by Alexander Whyte, "Lancelot Andrewes and his Private Devotions.")

Below is the Confession of Faith from "First Day" (of the week). This is the longest one.

I believe, O Lord, in Thee,
Father, Word, Spirit, One God;
that by Thy fatherly love and power all things were created;
that by Thy goodness and love to man
all things have been gathered together into one in Thy Word,
Who, for us men and for our salvation,
became flesh,
was conceived, was born,
suffered, was crucified,
died, was buried,
descended, rose again,
ascended, sat down,
will return, will repay;
that by the forth-shining and operation of Thy Holy Spirit
hath been called out of the whole world
a peculiar people, into a commonwealth of faith in the truth and holiness of life,
in which we are partakers of the communion of saints
and forgiveness of sins in the world,
and in which we look for the resurrection of the flesh
and the life everlasting in the world to come.
This most holy faith once delivered to the saints I believe, O Lord;
help Thou mine unbelief,
increase Thou my little faith.

And vouchsafe to me
to love the Father for His love,
to reverence the Almighty for His power,
to Him, as unto a faithful Creator, to commit my soul in well doing.
Vouchsafe to me to partake
from Jesus of salvation,
form Christ of anointing,
from the only begotten Son of adoption;
to serve the Lord
for His conception, in faith,
for His birth, in humility,
for His sufferings, in patience and in impatience of sin;
for His cross, to crucify occasions of sin,
for His death, to mortify the flesh,
for His burial, to bury evil thoughts in good works,
for His descent, to meditate upon hell,
for His resurrection, upon newness of life,
for His ascension, to set my mind on things above,
for His sitting on high, to set my mind on better things on His right hand,
for His return, to fear His second appearing, for His judgment, to judge myself ere I be judged.
From the Spirit
vouchsafe to me to receive the breath of saving grace,
in the holy Catholic Church
to have have my own calling, sanctification, and portion, and fellowship of holy things,
prayers, fastings, groanings
watchings, tears, sufferings,
for assurance of the remission of sins,
for hope of resurrection and translation to eternal life.

not all have faith

Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored, as happened among you, and that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men. For not all have faith.
(2 Thessalonians 3:1-2)

I mentioned briefly the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church in my sermon yesterday. Of course, the one day is more a reminder to call the problem to our attention than to just pray one day about it. (Though a day of united prayer is awesome and extremely important!) You can find more information about people and places, about governments and mission groups, about the persecuted and those persecuting at: www.persecutedchurch.org
There are a whole bunch of links there. The Voice of the Martyrs is one that Brooke keeps up with through a monthly newsletter - they've been serving the persecuted church for a long time. I like to know the areas or countries that are hot spots, and Open Doors has a list (I'm sure some of the others do too). Another one, not on the list, is The International Justice Mission, or IJM . While IJM is focused on human trafficking, this includes in some cases the persecution of Christians.

Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body.
(Hebrews 13:3)

Prayer for Sunday, November 11

O God, whose blessed Son came into the world that he might destroy the works of the devil and make us children of God and heirs of eternal life: Grant that, having this hope, we may purify ourselves as he is pure; that, when he comes again with power and great glory, we may be made like him in his eternal and glorious kingdom; where he lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

more on blessing

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
And God blessed them.
(Genesis 1:27-28)



The LORD bless you and keep you
The LORD make his face shine on you and grace you
The LORD lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace
(Numbers 6:24-26 - pictured in Hebrew above)

I love this blessing theme. A while back I began noting every place my Bible referred to blessing. This grew out of (again) my time in Israel, and a book that was recommended entitled "The God of Israel and Christian Theology" by Kendell Soulen. His point in the book is first to smash supersessionism, or displacement theology, the position held by many Christians that God is through with Israel, that Israel was just basically a womb for the Messiah and especially because of her general rejection of him God is finished with her. He articulates the biblical narrative as principally about:

Creation
Covenant
Consummation

Most of us evangelicals have understood the principle biblical narrative as sin and redemption, that it is the "scarlet" thread running through and tying the whole story together. Now, again, lest my friends get nervous - this theme of sin and redemption, of the lamb slain before the foundation of the world, is hugely important and imperative, but it serves the theme of creation, covenant, and consummation.

With this perspective, God is not through with Israel. They are still integral to his purposes and plans (as Paul is driving at in Romans 9-11). How this will all come together we do not know, except to say that God is not finished with Israel, that there will be a turning to God which will mean life from the dead, and that whatever it specifically means "all Israel will be saved" (see Romans 11). However, this is really not my point today.

Soulen writes that God's design and desire in creation, covenant, and consummation is an "economy of mutual blessing" and "dependence." And he points out that this blessing is communicated in relationships of "differentiation": Creator and creation, man and woman, man and the rest of creation, parents and children... Jew and Gentile. This is beautiful and tremendously significant. I'll try to develop in some more in the near future.

Finally, in this context of "The God of Israel and Christian Theology", Soulen articulates the gospel this way:

the gospel is the good news about the God of Israel's coming reign, which proclaims in Jesus' life, death, and resurrection the victorious guarantee of God's fidelity to the work of consummation, that is, to fullness of mutual blessing as the outcome of God's economy with Israel, the nations, and all creation. (p. 157)

God bless you!

American Gangster

Wow - this was a rough movie, but a powerful look at corruption, greed, power, selfishness, sin and death... and on a huge scale. These reminders are important, even though disturbing.

http://www.americangangster.net/

And here's a review of it at crosswalk.com:
http://www.crosswalk.com/movies/11558378/

We saw a documentary last night with the real Frank Lucas and Ritchie Roberts. The movie, and the documentary leaves me sad and grieved. It causes me to continue to ask, "How can I, can we, as followers of Jesus, make a difference?"

It also makes me thankful.
I have never been offered drugs, not in Junior High, High School or college or since. I'm sure there are a number of reasons why, but first, it the grace of God. It was a gift of my parents living in the protected suburban town of Lynnfield, Massachusetts, and of having great friends. But there were drugs there. My Catholic upbringing helped, and again, my parents instilling the fear of discipline and a ruined life, and the belief that I could have a "prosperous" life (and I mean this in a good, healthy sense).

And of course, thankfulness which is so key to a healthy life, ought to lead to some kind of action. Not just continuing to avoid vices, but to take action for the healing of the world.

Lord, thank you for all your gifts - give us grace to be people and build communities that heal the world around us. With all humility and wisdom and courage. With your gifts of healing and love and truth. We give ourselves again to fulfill our baptismal covenant, and to continue your ministry on earth. Amen.

The Agony (by George Herbert)

I shared this last Wednesday evening. I love this poem... especially the last two lines:


Philosophers have measured mountains,
Fathom'd the depths of seas, of states, and kings,
Walk'd with a staff to heaven, and traced fountains
But there are two vast, spacious things,
The which to measure it doth more behove:
Yet few there are that sound them; Sin and Love.

Who would know Sin, let him repair
Unto Mount Olivet; there shall he see
A man, so wrung with pains, that all his hair,
His skin, his garments, bloody be.
Sin is that Press and Vice, which forceth pain
To hunt his cruel food through every vein.

Who knows not Love, let him assay,
And taste that juice, which on the cross a pike
Did set again abroach; then let him say
If ever he did taste the like.
Love is that liquor sweet and most divine,
Which my God feels as blood; but I, as wine.

(by George Herbert, Anglican priest, 1593-1633)

who sought who? or, the first seeker

This hymn was the offertory at the 10:00 service yesterday - what great words:

I sought the Lord, and afterward I knew
he moved my soul to seek him, seeking me;
it was not I that found, O Savior true;
no, I was found of thee.

Thou didst reach forth thy hand and mine enfold;
I walked and sank not on the storm-vexed sea;
'twas not so much that I on thee took hold,
as thou, dear Lord, on me.

I find, I walk, I love, but oh, the whole
of love is but my answer, Lord, to thee;
for thou wert long beforehand with my soul,
always thou lovedst me.

(anonymous, ca. 1878)

Prayer for Sunday, November 4

Almighty and merciful God, it is only by your gift that your faithful people offer you true and laudable service: Grant that we may run without stumbling to obtain your heavenly promises; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

the old path forward

The following is an article by Diana Butler-Bass on cultivating ancient spiritual disciplines versus offering church programs.

http://blog.beliefnet.com/godspolitics/2007/10/willow-creek-repents-by-diana.html

I'll summarize it.

Butler-Bass concluded a few years ago in a book "The Practicing Congregation" -
"Congregations that intentionally engage Christian practices are congregations that experience new vitality."

She continues, quoting Bill Hybels, pastor of Willow Creek Community Church, one of the largest churches in the U.S., and pioneer of the "seeker" model of church, a good, godly man and great leader:

After an extensive study of their congregation (and several similar churches), Willow Creek's leaders concluded participation in programs did not inculcate Christian discipleship and that they had spent "millions of dollars" on programs thinking that they would help people grow—only to find that there was no real increase in parishioners' love for God or their neighbor.

"We made a mistake," says Hybels: "What we should have done when people crossed the line of faith and become Christians, we should have started telling people and teaching people that they have to take responsibility to become 'self-feeders.' We should have gotten people, taught people, how to read their bible between service, how to do the spiritual practices much more aggressively on their own."

Notice what Hybels says is missing: intentionality, practice, and vitality. Or, as the Leadership blog put it, "Spiritual growth doesn't happen best by becoming dependent on elaborate church programs but through the age old spiritual practices of prayer, bible reading, and relationships. These basic disciplines do not require multi-million dollar facilities and hundreds of staff to manage."

This is our desire at Church of the Apostles. May God help us walk the old path as we move forward.

new Moses?

In the "Apologetics" class last night we talked about Matthew chapter 2. We considered whether Matthew is presenting Jesus as the new Moses in some sense or other. The following words from today's community Bible reading surely elevates Jesus' understanding of himself as rabbi, as superseding Moses as the mouthpiece of God, even as the One who gives the commandments ("my commandments")...


"Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him...
If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words."
(John 14:21, 23-24)

Red Sox Nation psalm

Humor me a bit more...



Clap your hands, all peoples!
Shout to God with loud songs of joy!

He subdued peoples under us,
and nations under our feet.
(Psalm 47:1,3)

Our appointed community Bible reading Psalm for today seems especially appropriate for the Red Sox nation... :)

the life blood

I'm copying this post from "The Restoration Project" for today -

For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it for you on the altar to make atonement for your souls, for it is the blood that makes atonement by the life.
(Leviticus 17:11)

One question that arises is whether the blood on the altar is the only way to atonement for souls. The comment "for it is the blood that makes atonement by the life" is a general statement that seems to have a universal and cosmic significance. Therefore, Jesus' blood (that of the perfect, unblemished lamb) had to be shed and applied to the heavenly altar to make atonement. The book of Hebrews supports this in teaching that Jesus is superior to the sacrifices, and the substance and fulfillment of what was foreshadowed in the Mosaic Covenant.

To complement this understanding, or fill it out some:
When in Israel for my Sabbatical, I was encouraged to go talk to a very thoughtful Jewish man who ran a shop in the Jewish quarter with his brother. One of them was named "Dov" (I can't remember which). Indeed this man loved to talk with Christians. He said Kay Arthur usually came in to talk when she visited Israel. We talked about Christians' belief that Jesus was the perfect sacrifice for the forgiveness of sins, and that they often based it on this verse (Leviticus 17:11). He pointed out that Jews no longer believe that sacrifice is the only way to forgiveness (especially since the destruction of the Temple and the end of sacrifices.) He said it was basically through repentance, contriteness, and true humility. He pointed out that David was forgiven after his adulterous and murderous affair with Bathsheba. After Nathan the prophet confronts David, we read:

David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against the LORD." And Nathan said to David, "The LORD also has put away your sin; you shall not die."
(2 Samuel 12:13)

The sacrifice David mentions in the Psalm (51) that articulates his admission of sin to Nathan is that of a broken and contrite heart. That's the sacrifice God is looking for from us, and the one that is acceptable.

Yesterday, we heard about the tax collector in the Gospel who prayed "God, have mercy on me, a sinner" and went to his house "justified" (literally, "having been made righteous" - same word and concept Paul used all the time)... obviously Jesus taught this before he died on the cross.

I'm not suggesting that Jesus didn't have to die (!). His blood made a new covenant for us, and atones for our sins, propitiating God's anger; our death died in his death, and we have new, abundant, eternal life through his resurrection. But it does seem an encounter with the bloodied, suffering savior hanging on the cursed tree may not be the only approach to finding forgiveness with God (though this "justification with God" will, I think, normally lead to such an encounter with the suffering Savior and victorious Lord). Maybe it's that we don't necessarily have to have the correct understanding of the atonement to be forgiven, to approach God, to find favor. That God doesn't test for orthodox theology on penal substitutionary atonement, or specific language in our prayer - but a heart attitude that is expressed by both David and the tax collector.

God, have mercy on me, a sinner.
Maybe that really does say it all.

An evangelical and a drug-dealer

One Sunday an Evangelical and a drug-addict-dealer prayed. The Evangelical knelt in his pew (next to his study Bible and sermon notes and perfect looking family) and prayed, "Dear Lord, thank you so much for helping me be all I can be. Thank you that I haven't had an affair or visited prostitutes, that I haven't embezzled money from the company, and that I haven't budged on my conservative values... and that I'm not like that loser druggie I saw outside. I give 20% of my income. I fast and pray during my lunch hour three times a week." The drug-addict-dealer sat under a tree in the church yard and through his tears prayed, "O God, have mercy on me, I am a sinner."

One was heard and accepted in right relationship with God, and one wasn't.

How might we play with this parable of the Pharisee and the tax-collector (Luke 18:9-14) to impact us the way it would have slammed the people it was aimed at? Honestly, who are the good, religious, upstanding people we'd like to have in our home and who are the ones we can't stand to even think about, let alone have over for a nice dinner with our children? That's the tension here. God sees things differently and has different values than we do.

The people we hope would join our church when they were looking for a new church home (that's another topic) are not necessarily the ones God welcomes into his home...

Of course what we do is important, but our hearts are so slimy, are so bent toward trusting in ourselves, so naturally inclined to feel better about ourselves by comparing ourselves to others. If Jesus is saying anything in that parable, I think he's saying that what God values is radical honesty and radical trust. In other words that I believe he is merciful and therefore cast the real me upon him, not a list of "comparables" or a eucharist of what I've done.

The only One who actually could be considered a better person, exalted on the basis of His good works, the only perfect One - made himself the lowest, a servant, showing mercy and forgiveness to the very end while entrusting himself into the hands of God. We can trust Him.

Lord Jesus, enable me to see the real me in light of the real you, my heart and your heart, my works and your work. A great sinner and a great Savior. Have mercy on me - and create in me a clean heart.

World Series Champions!!

Wow, what a great year the Red Sox had!





> First place all year long - though it got scary near the end of the season.
> The only pitcher with 20 wins (Josh Beckett).
> The Rookie of the Year in second baseman Dustin Pedroia.
> Another awesome rookie in Jacoby Ellsbury (could he win Rookie of the Year next year? > I'm not sure what the cut-off is for games played or at-bats...) Jacoby had my vote for World Series MVP.
> I think we had five All-Stars.
> What about set-up man Hideki Okejima, and closer Jonathan Papelbon?? And Curt Schilling, and Dice-K, and Jon Lester? Not to mention Tim Wakefield's 17 wins...
> Winning their final seven games, including an amazing comeback from being down 3-1 against the Cleveland Indians in the Championship series

> Beat the Yankees...

Yes!!

Woo Hoo!!!

Go Red Sox!

Go Patriots!

Go Boston College Eagles!!

What a great time to be a Boston Fan!!!!!

Follow the pattern

"Follow the pattern of sound words you heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus."
(2 Timothy 1:13)

I keep thinking of this as I reflect on both the story of Moses making the tabernacle, and with regard to this week's theme in the Spiritual Formation Class of "Redemption and Law", which was our beginning to grapple with grace and law. What is our relationship to the commandments, to the moral teaching of the New Testament. It seems we are undermined when we start to consider conforming our lives to Christ with specific actions because we hear in the background, "You'll become a legalist."

"Follow the pattern." That's what God told Moses to do. And when he finished the work God filled it with his presence and glory. There is something about following the pattern of sound words that we have received from the apostles and prophets.

If we pattern our lives according to these words, and do it in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus, then there will be a fullness of God in us and through us (Ephesians 3:19), and all that God has given us and all that God intends for us will come to fullness in him. There is something to the idea that fullness follows form. That there is a pattern of godly living, of Christlikeness, that we don't just make up as we go along. The sound words are, literally, "healthy" words. They are the words of wholeness and healing, of integrity and solidity.

We began this walk by obeying a call to follow. Let us continue wholeheartedly, step by step, following the pattern, and putting in place the substance and form in our lives to which the pattern instructs us. It's not that God is not with us if our lives are in disaray, and without healthy form; God was with Israel. But somehow his presence becomes more manifest, more readily displayed, even as our lives become more effective transmitters of the light, and less broken-down containers of precious treasure.

make us love what you command

Perhaps this line from this Sunday's Collect of the Day gives us a hint as to how to get a handle on living in grace while obeying the commandments:

increase in us the gifts of faith, hope, and charity; and, that we may obtain what you promise, make us love what you command

We saw reflections of this in the Scripture references we looked at Wednesday night - treasuring God's Word, which includes his commands, as a gift to us not as harsh ordinances or stipulations with specific punitive results...

Let's be like Joshua (1: 8) and the blessed man of Psalm 1 who treasure and meditate on the Torah day and night. Let us "Love the Lord with all our heart" and keep his commanded words on our hearts (Deuteronomy 6:4-6; 30:15-18).

And indeed because we've been given new hearts (Jeremiah 31, Ezekiel 36) then let us guard them...

My son, be attentive to my words; incline your ear to my sayings.
Let them not escape from your sight; keep them within your heart.
For they are life to those who find them, and healing to all their flesh.
Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.
(Proverbs 4:20-23)

Prayer for Sunday, October 29

Almighty and everlasting God, increase in us the gifts of faith, hope, and charity; and, that we may obtain what you promise, make us love what you command; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

once

- - -

Most of you have heard me talk about the movie "Once" - you can check it out at the website below. I've also included a four minute video below, it's set to the theme song (not the "title" song). They stream the soundtrack at the site, and have a bunch of video there too.

Once movie

The tag line, or subtitle, is "How often do you find the right person?"

I loved this movie. It's totally other than the Bourne series (which I also love). There are a couple of surprises. There's a sweetness to it, some darkness but more naiveté and just believing in people...

One disclaimer: the "f" bomb is used quite a bit, but doesn't sound as offensive with the Irish accent... I think it comes out on video next month.

Come Life-Giver

We believe in the Spirit, the Holy, the Lordly, the Life-giving One...
Jaroslav Pelikan (Credo)

Technically the phrasing of our version of the Creed (an accepted ecumenical version) is a good one. But I really like Pelikan's translation in that it calls my attention to these initial attributes that the bishops in Constantinople wanted to immediately identify with the Spirit.

In our Spiritual Formation Class this past Wednesday we considered the Holy Spirit principally as the Life-giver. And saw his role in giving new life to God's new creation, his critical role in God's "restoration project" - even as he hovered over creation and made the first man a "living creature." It was the Holy Spirit who was present, overshadowing Mary, as she conceived the son of God, the second Adam. it was the Holy Spirit who came down out of heaven affirming Jesus as the son of God and empowering him for his ministry - which is a picture for the evangelists of what God is doing and saying at our baptism.

In Romans 1 we read that Messiah Jesus was "declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead". It was the Holy Spirit whom Jesus breathed into the apostles on the evening of his resurrection. It was the Holy Spirit whom Jesus poured out on his disciples on Pentecost; and the Holy Spirit who baptizes us into Christ body (1 Cor 12:13). It is the Holy Spirit who is the spirit of adoption stirring us to cry "Daddy, Father" as children of God (Romans 8:15; Galatians 4:6). It is the Holy Spirit who is working not only our sanctification, but also our glorification (Romans 8:17, 30).

And he is the one who brings into life "one, holy, catholic and apostolic church" - who sustains it, directs it, empowers it, unites it, leads it into all truth...

God is restoring all things to unity in Jesus his Son. He is doing it by the ministry of the Life-giver, the one who not only gives us every breath but the one who makes us alive to God. And the one who makes us together the dwelling place of God, and who is the very presence of God in our midst working in us and through us as the Body of Christ.

Though he is one who always points to Jesus and the Father, we do worship and glorify him. Blessing and honor to you, Holy Spirit. Thank you for all you've done and for all you're doing. Thank you for life and new life in God. Come among us in greater power. Come and lead us into truth. Come and make us one.
Amen.

the Holy, the Lordly, the Life-giving One

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of Life

Interestingly, the Creed formulated at Nicea in 325 ended abruptly with the phrase "and in the Holy Spirit." The original Greek had three words for "the Holy Spirit" (to hagion pneuma). When in 381 at Constantinople they expanded the Holy Spirit section to emphasize his being and ministry as the same as the Father and the Son, they formulated it as "to pneuma to hagion" which is another Greek way of saying "the Holy Spirit" but literally reads "the spirit the holy". But it is interesting that they changed the phrasing and rhythm of it.

Jaraslov Pelikan, one of the most respected theologians regarding the development of doctrine interprets this whole phrase of the Creed as "the Spirit, the Holy, the Lordly, the Life-giving One" (in his book "Credo").

There is no life apart from the Life-giving One. No breath. No heartbeat. No cellular interaction or multiplication, or whatever actually goes on at the cellular level. Nothing. And there is no being alive to God without the Life-Giver. No love toward God, no trust in God, no thankfulness to God.

Blessed be God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit!

Prayer for Sunday, October 21

Almighty and everlasting God, in Christ you have revealed your glory among the nations: Preserve the works of your mercy, that your Church throughout the world may persevere with steadfast faith in the confession of your Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

more on scandalous unions

One more reflection on Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, and Bathsheba being in Matthew's record of the generations of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.

Could it also be that Matthew is pointing past Joseph and Mary? Beyond the fact that the line of Messiah actually has mixed blood? But that the scandalous union, the inter-racial marriage, is not just about these women, but actually points to God moving his people to include, to unite with, non-Jews in their mission, and in their church? This is exactly how the gospel ends ("make disciples of all nations").

In fact, it's not just where God moves his people in mission, we'll find it's actually where he is present with his people...

What does this say about what we're called to as followers of the Messiah? Who are the outsiders in our world? Those we are quick to exclude or consider "unclean"? Who are those we'd be scandalized to find among us? Who are those Jesus is calling us to go to, reach out and minister to?

It's not a new plan God came up with, but it's at the heart of all he's ever been about in our world - let's join in this mission of restoring all things to unity in him.

Mark

scandalous unions

"The book of the generations of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham."
Matthew 1:1


This week in a study group we talked about the four women (or five including Mary) who Matthew lists in his "record of the generations" of Jesus the Messiah: Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, and the wife of Uriah or Bathsheba. Check it out - do you remember Tamar and Judah from Genesis 38? Tamar who posed as a cult prostitute in order to get pregnant by her father-in-law Judah? Or the Canaanite prostitute Rahab who protected 2 Israelite spies in her place of business and was thus later spared when Jericho ws destroyed, who married into Israel? Ruth's story is a beautiful one - how a Moabite widow of a Jewish boy from Bethlehem gets her kinsman redeemer (actually it has a risqué twist in the story too). And there at the end of Ruth we read a genealogy, a line of people (that Matthew seems to quote) that begins with Tamar's son, includes Rahab and Ruth and ends with David... who took the wife of Uriah the Hittite, and fathered Solomon by her (she was bathing in full view of the king, whose behavior was far, far worse).

Why does he list these four and not Sarah, Rebekkah, Leah and Rachel, for example? or Sarah, Rebekkah, Rachel and Hannah? Apparently it's not to point to exemplary women among Jesus' ancestors, or to highlight other miraculous births...

- Perhaps it's to acknowledge that there's a history of God being at work in the midst of scandalous unions and pregnancies; and that God was at work in what appeared to be a scandalous union as Joseph apparently got Mary pregnant before consummating their marriage. ("isn't this [just] the carpenter's son?")
- Perhaps as he begins the genealogy with Abraham he's calling attention to proselytes; these people beginning with Abraham who came out of the "nations", from outside the family or covenant, and united themselves to God and God's people.
- Or maybe it's simply that including the Gentiles / the nations has always been a part of God's plan of restoring all things (cf. Genesis 12:1-3; 17:5-7)...

It is Jesus who ties together all of Israel's history, from the call of faithful Abraham, to its high point when David was the king, to it's low point of the Babylonian deportation - it all was pointing to and comes together in the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham.


May the God of peace himself sanctify you completely,
your spirit, your mind, and your body,
for the coming of our Lord and Messiah Jesus.
God is faithful and he will do it.

Mark

Prayer for Sunday, October 14

Lord, we pray that your grace may always precede and follow us, that we may continually be given to good works; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

A song of salvation

"Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice;
and he fell on his face at Jesus' feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan." (Luke 17:16)

I'm still meditating on the Gospel from yesterday, and still blessed as I reflect on the two cries of the heart that reflect the fullness of saving faith. One without the other is discordant or unresolved, lacking harmony and the beauty of wholeness and peace that comes from a vital connection with Jesus the Savior and Lord. It's like a "sustained" chord, that is just begging to resolve to the main, major chord. There's a tension as you "pull" the middle note up a half-step, that is beautiful in and of itself, but really wants to be completed by letting that middle note back down to its normal place.

Luke writes of two voices, two shouts, that are both essential to and expressive of faith. This story is a further reflection on faith, in response to the apostles asking "Increase our faith!" (v. 5) While faith is the trusting obedience of a servant doing what is commanded with even the tiny amount entrusted to him or her (vs. 6-10), there are other nuances to faith which are beautifully reflected in this story. There is the voice that says "Master, Jesus, have mercy on us." Which is followed by the word of Jesus, "go." There is the voice which returns to give praise to God and thanks to Jesus. Which again is followed by the word of Jesus, "go."

Simply saying "unclean, unclean" is not enough to close the distance between us who are dis-eased and others and God. The cry for mercy is an essential element of the faith that heals and closes the distancing effect of our dis-ease. And it was obedient trust which issued in cleansing and healing. But Jesus implies there is still something missing, the word of wholeness, of salvation, is given only after the one (who had the extra distance of his race to cover as well as the distance his disease caused) returned and drew near to Jesus in thanksgiving.

There is a poetic flow to this story. A balancing in the two parts, a filling up to fullness that we encounter in the second part. The one voice "Mercy!" is balanced by the second voice "Thank you!". And both are stabilized, or grounded, in a third voice, that of the Master saying "go". Don't stay in that place of pleading for mercy, and don't stay in the safe, comfortable, happy place of praise. Jesus seems to say, "Trust me, obey me. Go."

And as you go, keep singing that song with its two parts, the tension of the first chord that beautifully resolves in the second. It's that fullness that not only saves you, but will bring others into saving faith as well. The healthy disciple does not just give voice, but moves the body...

Embracing mercy

"Many are the pains of the wicked,
but steadfast love surrounds those who trust in the Lord."
(Psalm 32:10)

The Prayer Book Psalter translates this as "mercy embraces" those who trust in the Lord (BCP, p. 625). I just love this verse. Of course the psalm speaks of the blessedness of being forgiven, of acknowledging our sins and not hiding them, of not being like a mule that must be curbed with bit and bridle or it will not stay near. Then this beautiful picture that steadfast love (hesed) surrounds those who trust in the Lord.

Peace is the principal blessing of the covenant, and steadfast love is the principal supply to bring about peace. "The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases". "Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, his steadfast love endures forever." This is the chorus of faith, or of the faithful. What could we not endure if we knew the surrounding, embracing love of God? if we remained near to him and not pulling against his cords of love, the bit and bridle, to do our own thing our own way without him?

May God deepen our trust in his goodness and love, in his forgiveness and mercy, in his way and will,
which we see and experience in the person and presence of Jesus.

To begin with

The weather has finally cooled off here in Gulf Breeze, Florida, and it's beautiful. I love sitting on the back porch and reading, thinking, and praying.

The Red Sox begin the American League Championship Series against the Cleveland Indians tomorrow night (that means the Yankees lost in the first round...). And the Patriots have a big game Sunday against the undefeated Dallas Cowboys. What a great time of year!

This Sunday I'll be preaching and celebrating communion at Trinity-by-the-Fields Anglican Church in Pace, Florida.

My hope is to use this site to reflect on what I'm reading, listening to, and thinking about - and perhaps generate some discussion, especially among my friends at Church of the Apostles.