The Feast of Pentecost C - John 14:8-17, 25-27

John 14:8-17, 25-27
Years ago I had one of those moments when I desperately wanted a clear word from the Lord. Nothing seemed to be working. Not prayer or conversations with colleagues or time in silent meditation. I don’t recommend what I did next because I think it treats the scripture like a Christian version of the Magic 8 ball®, but desperate times called for desperate measures and so I opened my Bible at random and landed on John 14:9. “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still don’t know me?” That’s the other reason not to do it. God might use your name and when God has to use your name you know you haven’t been paying attention. Philip asks the question that is on everyone’s mind and though Jesus' answer sounds like a rebuke Jesus honors the question and shows Philip what he asks to see. It is in the person of Jesus that the mystery of the Holy One is made known. And even if the humanity of John’s Jesus plays second fiddle to his divinity Jesus is for Philip and the disciples a present, physical reality that can be seen. It is Judas (notably not Iscariot) who asks the question for us who have not seen and yet long to believe. It is in keeping the word from Jesus’ own lips, “Love one another” that God is made known. The Holy, Invisible, God Only Wise revealed in kindness offered, in mercy shown, in comfort extended, in generosity sown in the name of Jesus. In that we become the answer to someone’s desperate prayer - ask anything in my name. God made visible in love. In the same way that the internal unity of Father, Son, Spirit cannot be separated, so we too cannot be separated from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. No longer alone without a home like those who have been orphaned the good news for us is that even if God’s answer sounds like a rebuke God uses our name because we are known.

The Feast of Pentecost - Romans 8:14-17

Romans 8:14-17

The conditional clause, “if, in fact, we suffer with him” might cause one to “fall back into fear” especially if one lives a life where suffering is minimal or avoided altogether. Of course all suffering is relative and in that sense painful. Even minor losses are loses none-the-less. But Paul is not talking about minor inconveniences. Nor is he talking about the kind of suffering that is arbitrary or random, like an accident or a sudden loss of health. Or the suffering caused by another. Or the suffering that is personal and borne alone. Paul is talking about the suffering one chooses to endure in the same way that Jesus abandoned the place of perfection to inhabit our flesh that like the flowers of the field fades. The suffering Jesus endured, then, was fully for the sake of others and the glory it brought him was the redemption of a world hell bent on destruction. For us to, “in fact, suffer with him” means we choose the path of pain and sorrow with and for the sake of the other - to pick up the cross that belongs to someone else in the same way Jesus bore our pain and suffered our sorrow. The condition of this clause depends on our possessing the family gene which is love and the good news is that the adoption papers have been signed, sealed and delivered by the One who made us to be children of God.

The Feast of Pentecost - Psalm 104:24-35

Psalm 104:24-35
I'm reprinting my May 23, 2010 post on Psalm 104 for my friend and Smokey Trailer Band bass player David Lakota in remembrance of his mother Doris.

The God who made the Leviathan just for fun sent forth the Spirit yesterday afternoon and while family and friends and pastors gave thanks for the life that endures forever and prayed peace on those who walk as yet by faith, Doris Lakota was birthed into the eternal future. She was a believer who sang of the goodness of God with her life as long as she lived and looked to the Lord in every season to fill her with good things like faith and courage and hope and love. But while the psalmist was anxious to hold on to this life Doris was ready to let it go and see the glory of the Lord face to face. The mediation of the heart that is most pleasing to the Lord is to not be dismayed when the Lord’s face appears to be hidden and rejoice that though breath is taken away the Spirit that renews the face of the earth will recreate us from the dust to which we return and revive us with the breath of eternal life.

The Feast of Pentecost - Acts 2:1-21

Acts 2:1-21

Lutherans are rarely mistaken for Pentecostals and even when the charismatic renewal blew through the church our version of Pentecost was more polite than possessed. It could be our Nordic or Germanic heritage where church doesn't look anything like drinking new wine in the morning. But that doesn't mean we are less spirit filled or on fire for the Lord. It just means our expression of Holy Spirit fire prefers to toast the faithful not burn them to a crisp. It is a mistake to envy the more demonstrative Holy Spirit folk or think that they are holier than thou, though thou art free to discretely raise a hand while singing A Mighty Fortress or quietly add an “Amen” if the preaching warrants such a response. While those things are all well and good this text is not about personal expressions of emotional piety. The day of Pentecost is about speaking the story of Jesus in a language people can understand. In these “last days” it means speaking the story to those who are by self definition spiritual but not religious, but in truth still seeking for something that satisfies the restless heart. On that first day of the “last days” it meant speaking in the tongues of Gentile nations. In these “last days” it means the church must step outside of its holy halls and wake up from the illusion of privilege and power. It means we stop lusting after the myth of a Christian nation and acting as if we are victims of a secular conspiracy. For those of us who call on the name of the Lord in this day of the “last days” it means speaking the story subversively so that by sowing the seeds of curiosity we may be asked why we long for peace, why we feed the hungry, why we share ourselves in service, why we hope, why we love. It may be that by speaking from the heart about the Spirit that fills us with peace those who are spiritual but not religious might be tempted to become religiously spiritual which might be an apt description of a Lutheran Pentecostal.

Easter 7 C - John 17:20-26

John 17:20-26

Whenever I go to the NTNL Mission office in Dallas I like to stop at the Starbucks at the corner of TX 183 and Mockingbird Lane. It is perhaps the busiest and nosiest Starbucks on the planet. I’m not sure why since it is also one of the most difficult to get to given one way lanes and limited parking and Dallas drivers that don’t drive Texas Friendly.® It’s not that the patrons are noteworthy. They are pretty typical Venti, no fat, triple shot, apricot la-de-da whatever Lattes. The only thing that makes this SB stand out is that the half dozen baristas periodically break into singing things like “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” and other classics at the top of their lungs. It might be that after seeing you circle three times trying to park they just want to make it worth your while once you've arrived or maybe they just like to sing loudly but whatever the reason they seem to be enjoying themselves. And while I've never joined the song their singing always orders up a Venti no fat smile. I think that’s what Jesus is praying for in John 17. Not singing at Starbucks, but a unity of mind and spirit and purpose that like a loudly sung song in a public place prompts a response. And if the world would witness a people who sing with unrestrained joy about Jesus, even if they can’t carry a tune, and serve the other out of love because it’s the right thing to do then I think they might make the effort to overcome one way lanes and limited parking and less than friendly drivers just to join the song and share in the Jesus Venti no fat lifestyle.

Easter 7 C - Revelation 22:12-22

Revelation 22:12-22

The lectionary for Easter 7c leaves out verse 15 of Revelation 22 presumably because verse 15 leaves out “dogs and sorcerers and fornicators and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.” I don’t know about you, but the Heinze household believes all dogs go to heaven, except maybe our bad dog Chihuahua, Feliz Puppydad, who will need to be potty trained in purgatory first. Verses 18 & 19 don’t make the lectionary lesson either, but that has more to do with what one would add to Revelation than whatever one might leave behind. So warning and welcome live side by side and we do a disservice to the scripture when we pick and choose, even though denominations clearly discriminate. Those more liberal, or by self definition progressive, need to acknowledge the nasty with the nice, while those intent on saving the world as long as it is monochromatic need to look more closely at the Jesus who consistently colors outside the lines. But both sides should take note that while we argue about what verses to include or exclude the rest of the world doesn't give a damn, which doesn't really matter if they are all going to hell. But if Jesus died to make a difference then we better figure out a better way than “turn or burn” or “all paths lead to the same place” to speak the truth about Jesus so the dogs in verse 15 might actually want to find a welcome place in verse 17.