Pentecost 17c - 1 Timothy 2:1-8

1 Timothy 2:1-8

Can we make supplication, prayers, intercessions and thanksgivings for a king, or in our time elected officials, while at the same time engaging in the time honored American tradition of treating those voted into high positions with disdain or outright contempt? The first Christians had no such choice. The kings and people in high places for whom they were urged to make supplication, prayers, intercessions and thanksgivings were actively seeking to put them into the low place of the grave and frankly their most ardent prayer was simply to be left alone. The wisdom of this pastoral letter is not about temporal politics but eternal destiny. God’s most ardent desire is for everyone to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth. If our practice of politics contradicts a quiet and peaceable life then we are to choose godliness and dignity above partisan positions for the sake of the One who gave himself as a ransom for all. Even so this text does not prohibit passionate engagement in the political process. It just reminds us that what is right and acceptable is to make supplication, prayers, intercessions and thanksgivings for the ones we want out of high places, keeping in mind that God passionately loves the person we might disagree with as a politician.

Pentecost 17c - Psalm 113

Psalm 113
I wonder if the princes know the Lord has made room at their tables for the dusty poor, for while they cannot compare to the might and magnitude of God’s majesty they seem quite capable of demanding a dress code that excludes those whose address is the ash heap. I don’t mean to dismiss the psalmist’s all day long praise of the Lord as wishful thinking, but temporal power trumps the Lord when it comes to an invitation to the palace. But then temporal power is temporary and praise of the Lord doesn’t end with the setting of the sun but is from this time on and forevermore. That is because the praise the psalmist sings is the forever song that sees beyond the pomp and pageantry of princes puffed up by pride to the day when every knee will bow in heaven and earth and every tongue confess that the prince of peace crucified on the ash heap is the Lord above all nations whose glory fills the heavens. That being said, if our praise is worthy of the Lord we will not wait for the princes to get with the program but as servants of the Lord spend ourselves to raise the poor from the dust and lift the needy from the ash heap and make a home for those whose life is barren. The forever song does not wait for the future but sung in the present anticipates what will be by making what can be happen today. Praise the Lord.

Pentcost 17c - Amos 8:4-7

Amos 8:4-7

Amos can cry “Hear this” all he wants but those who make the ephah small and the shekel great are deaf to the cries of the poor and needy. Neither do they fear God whose Sabbath day of rest is an interruption to predatory practices where profit is the only bottom line that counts. Consumed by greed they sell even what is swept from the threshing floor so that there is nothing left for charity. The world enamored by wealth and power admires such single minded devotion to succeed at all costs as a sign of superiority but God sees the plight of the poor, hears the cries of the needy, listens to the prayers of those sold for a sandal and swears to never forget. Does that mean God is against profit? No. What Amos calls into question and what God will never forget is when profit comes at the expense of the poor. It should not escape our attention that God chose to be born into poverty and that our attitude towards the poor and needy is a direct reflection of our devotion to the God whose love is the only profit that really counts.

Pentecost 16c - Conclusion

Exodus 32:7-14; Psalm 51:1-10; 1 Timothy 1:12-17; Luke 15:1-10
I’ve been debating a major change for some time. Truth to be told (by my knees) I should have made up my mind 100 miles ago. Do I stay with the shoe I’ve bought four times in a row - the always dependable ASICS GT 2100 series - or forsake proven performance for the promise of Runner’s World’s #1 debut shoe, the Nike LunarGlide+ with the DYNAMIC SUPPORT system? Frankly, my knees could care less as long as I get something soon! The texts for Pentecost 16c are all about change. Moses changes the Lord’s mind so that the stiff necked people are spared. David’s convicted heart (against you only have I sinned) prays to be changed, created clean. Paul’s life (chief of sinners though I be) is changed so that strengthened for service he might change others. And when Pharisees and scribes change their minds about tax collectors and sinners the carpenter turned shepherd rejoices for the point of the parable is that the lost and stay at home find each other.

Pentcost 16c - Luke 15:1-10

Luke 15:1-10

I wonder if there was someone in the grumbling crowd who thought the carpenter from Nazareth would make a lousy shepherd. No one leaves the ninety-nine to fend for themselves in the wilderness to search for the one who is lost unless you don’t mind losing at least a few of the ninety-nine. But then with Jesus the point is always in the punch line. There is rejoicing in finding the one who is lost. So Jesus will lose more than a few Pharisees and scribes in order to find a lost tax collector or sinner, but that isn’t the point either is it? I don’t believe Jesus is being sarcastic when he refers to Pharisees and scribes as righteous. No. If he meant to criticize he’d call them a brood of vipers or white washed tombs. Here he acknowledges the hard work of righteous piety that requires no repentance, but in typical Jesus fashion I think it is a set up for what comes next. The story that follows the lost sheep and coin is the one about two lost sons and a waiting father. The hard working stay at home first son who doesn’t realize all the father has is already his and the lost and found younger son who didn’t know what he had until he’d left it all behind. It is for these two lost children that Jesus comes. The righteous Pharisee who works so hard for what is free and the tax collector who gives away everything of value to get what is worthless. But of course the point is in the punch line and when the righteous ninety-nine find the lost sinner and the lost sinner finds the righteous ninety-nine then both are found by God, because there is as much joy in being found as finding.

Pentecost 16c - 1 Timothy 1:12-17

1 Timothy 1:12-17
1 Timothy 1:12 was the theme verse for our mission trip to San Gabriel Lutheran Church in Alvarado where we built a fellowship hall, finished the sanctuary and put on a day camp for the children of the community. On the night before the trip I still hadn’t written the theme song when Lisa (love of my life) gave me the idea to rewrite the lyrics of a catchy tune by Train. The verses work well but I didn't include the bridge and my chorus is a little different than Train’s because I had to add soul brothers who made up the bulk of the building team. But to be fair to our soul sisters they certainly had muscles to make day camp so while our soul brothers in building had love to show. So here it is and if you know the song, feel free to try and sing the blog.


Considered Faithful (1 Timothy 1:12)
Lyrics by Phil Heinze (6/18/2010) Music Soul Sister by Train

Hey-ay, Hey-ay, AY ay ay Hey-ay, AY ay ay
I thank my Lord, who has given me the strength to serve
Considered to be faithful, appointed to God’s service in the Word.
You call to me and you make the dreams I dream in you come true
When earth and heaven collide you’re the one who’s on our side /
to make things new.

     Hey soul sister ain’t you got the love to show
     You know you do so make it so in all you do and say you know
     Hey soul brother ain’t you got the muscle to make it so
     You know you do so give it all you got to give today

Hey-ay, Hey-ay, AY ay ay Hey-ay, AY ay ay
In God’s time I’m so glad the Spirit caught my mind
Your love gave me direction, put my faith in action I can’t deny
I’m convinced that God’s love can make a difference
When heart and hand together are joined for sake of service
in God’s name.

Pentecost 16c - Psalm 51:1-10

Psalm 51:1-10

King David did not pen Psalm 51 without persuasion. It’s not that he didn’t know what he had done. He just thought he'd gotten away with it. It began when glancing over the balcony he caught sight of Bathsheba bathing and “look don’t touch” was not enough to satisfy his lust. But his sweet emotion soon turned sour when “the rabbit done died” (Aerosmith) and the consequence of carnal knowledge with another’s wife threatened to show. As with most people in power honesty is the last option to be exercised so the offense is compounded as Uriah the righteous husband refusing to cooperate is killed to protect the throne. David might have been able to live with the lie for a long time, most of us can, were it not for the prophet Nathan who tells the story of a rich man stealing a poor man’s lamb and King David unaware that he is the subject of the story demands the death of the offender. “You are the man” is the end of Nathan’s sermon and the beginning of David’s confession. “Against you only have I sinned” might appear to put Bathsheba into the backseat again, save for the understanding that violating the sanctity of another human being is always a crime against the One to whom all life is precious. That might be the one thing that David gets right and in the end makes him the man after God’s own heart. If our confession acknowledges God as the one we wrong when we harm another, including self, maybe the only persuasion we need in order to be honest with ourselves and others is the desire to return to the God “who cherishes our original innocence” (comment by Erik on last week’s blog) and wants nothing more than to continually create in us clean hearts.

Pentecost 16c - Exodus 32:7-14

Emil Nolde (1867-1956) Dance Around the Golden Calf - 1910

Exodus 32:7-14

God might be regretting the promise made to Abraham right about now and in a more irreverent moment one might even imagine the Lord uttering Homer Simpson’s exclamation of resignation… D'oh!!! In the end the Lord’s mind is changed to protect the Lord’s name and preserve the promise to the dysfunctional patriarchal family tree so that the disaster visited upon the stiff necked people won’t turn the Lord into the subject of an Egyptian joke. It is a very human image of God that any loving parent of a willfully disobedient child might recognize. God is stuck with these people brought out of Egypt with mighty power and outstretched hand and throughout the wilderness wandering will have to be talked down from the precipice of hot wrath burning against ungrateful people. No other God puts up with such disrespect or is as long suffering as the God of Israel. I wonder if through the changing of the mind God’s mind becomes fixed to forgive in a far more dramatic way when disaster visited upon the Christ means God’s mind cannot be moved away from mercy no matter how many golden calves are created by God’s own people. Oh but surely there is a consequence for worshipping false idols? Of course there is. The idol you worship is false. Or in other words; you can’t get milk or mercy from a golden calf.

Pentecost 15c - conclusion

Deuteronomy 30:15-20; Psalm 1; Philemon 1; Luke 14:25-33

Sarah Beth, my Tuesday night yoga instructor, always invites us into more advanced poses with “if you so choose.’ Of course what she assumes is that a choice can be made when instructed to keep forearms on the floor and with arched back lift feet up and over the head so that feet and forearms are pointing in the same direction aka the Scorpion pose. I so choose every time. It’s my body that is “just say no.” The lessons for Pentecost 15c are about choices and the consequences that follow. The children of Israel about to enter the land can keep the Lord’s commands which will lead to life and prosperity or choose to disobey which will lead to death and adversity. The psalmist can sit in the seat of scoffers and perish with the ways of the wicked or meditate on the Law of the Lord and be like a tree planted by the water. Philemon can accept Onesimus as a brother for the sake of Christ and receive the refreshment of restored relationship or have Onesimus put to death and lose his friend and mentor Paul. The crowds following Jesus can pick up the cross and follow which will mean going where Jesus goes or hold onto all the things of this world and let Jesus go it alone. Of course all that assumes that choices can be made when like my scorpion pose the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak. On the other hand there was a day when I began my practice that even the simplest of poses were beyond the ability of my “if you so choose” but having so chosen consistently the body that was weak is stronger and I am closer to the day when my scorpion will no longer sting me.

Pentecost 15c - Luke 14:25-33

Luke 14:25-33
The first Christians didn’t have to wonder what in the world did Jesus mean by carrying the cross or hating family relationships or even life itself. The cost of discipleship was not hypothetical or expressed by increased personal piety or putting an extra something in the offering plate. They carried real crosses to places of crucifixion. They were kicked out of synagogues, disowned by families, excluded from participating in commerce and dragged into courts for confessing Christ. Our problem, if we want to call it that, is no one cares if we follow Christ or not and we are certainly not persecuted for our beliefs. Oh I know we can’t have officially endorsed Christian prayer in secular schools anymore and the Christ has gone missing from Christmas and media caricatures of Christians are generally negative, but do you really want to compare that to being torn apart by wild beasts in the arena? I get a tax break from the IRS for being a minister for goodness sake! No. We are still very much in the mainstream of societal life and so our counting the cost is not nearly as expensive as it was in the past or is in the present for Christians in places like the Sudan or Palestine or Iraq. So how do we count the cost when where we live subsidizes and even celebrates our belief system rather than trying to stamp it out? Speaking for myself I will confess that whatever I do it will not be enough, not because I can’t but because at some level I won’t. I have grown comfortable with one foot planted firmly in the world I love while trying to keep a toe hold in the land I long for. I have borrowed against the unfinished building and accepted terms of peace even before counting the opposing forces. But then that is why Jesus was crucified isn’t it? For the cost I am unwilling to pay, the cross I won’t carry, the ways I will not forsake. Well yes. Yes it is. But that cannot be where it ends. There is, I believe, a hope in the heart of the One who carried the cross for us that one day in our confession of not being willing, feet firmly planted in the ways of the world will slip and toes will take a firmer grip in the world that will be until standing up in the here and now those who won’t… finally will.

Pentecost 15c - Philemon 1

Philemon 1

At some point during its history the church decided a short personal correspondence was worth including in the collection that would become the New Testament. Maybe even a laundry list signed by the apostle Paul would have made the cut. Who knows? Its inclusion in the lectionary means that people in the pew rediscover it every three years. Onesimus, the runaway slave, will be put to death unless Paul can persuade Philemon to pardon him. He uses all his powers of persuasion, including some that border on the manipulative, but in the end appeals to his relationship with Philemon. Paul loves Onesimus as a child and Philemon as a brother and does not want to lose either one. The happy ending is that Philemon forgives Onesimus and welcomes him into his household as a brother and Paul breathes a sigh of relief. But it is more than just an interesting story with a happy ending. Lives were hanging in the balance. Onesimus will be put to death. Philemon will lose a relationship with Paul whose ministry changed Philemon’s life. Paul will lose a child and a brother. It is the stuff of our stories where one family member pleads for the sake of another that a relationship restored might bring refreshment. It is the stuff of God’s story where the Son is sent to bring back all who have run away that the family circle be unbroken in the here and now and in the forever home. Maybe Philemon is where the Bible’s rubber hits the road and the master forgiving the slave because he loves Jesus as much as he owes the apostle is why the little letter belongs in the Book.

Pentecost 15c - Psalm 1

Psalm 1
The law of the Lord, likened to water by which trees are planted and so thrive, is not to be understood as simply obeying the commandments. Even the wicked can do that. The law of the Lord is love of the Lord. Love of the Lord is mercy, not sacrifice. The advice of the wicked and the path that sinners tread scoffs at those whose delight is to live what the Lord desires; mercy, not sacrifice. Sacrifice is living the letter of the law and anyone with an ounce of self discipline can do that. Mercy is living the spirit of the law and cannot happen apart from the stream of living water that flows from the perfect law of love. That way cannot fail and will not disappoint. When living the law is loving the Lord then there are not enough hours in the day to meditate on the Lord who delights in us as much we delight in him.

Pentecost 15c - Deuteronomy 30:15-20

Deuteronomy 30:15-20
If it were as simple as choosing between life and death, prosperity and adversity we’d all be “living large.” But to choose life and prosperity is to choose obedience and that is the deal breaker. The children of Israel about to enter the land will all voice their choice for life and promise to obey, (Joshua 1) but God knows better and has already predicted the inevitable. “…these people will soon prostitute themselves to foreign gods... they will forsake me and break the covenant I made with them.” (Deut. 31:16) So why make the offer if you know the people won’t be able to afford the payments? I think there must be an eternal optimism in the heart of God, an undying hope; or maybe it is just the unconditional commitment of a tough love parent who is willing to suffer silently while waiting for the day when adversity brought about by disobedience will bring the rebellious child back to the bargaining table. “Come let us reason together, says the Lord, though your sins be scarlet they shall be white as snow.” (Isaiah 1:18) Of course even that turns out to be a temporary fix for fickle creatures who are not inclined to obey anyone save their own self interest. So when the options were exhausted God sat down at the table and chose death so that the calamity visited upon the Christ might be our prosperity. How can you say no to such a thing? Choose life this day for God has already taken death off the table.

Pentecost 14c - conclusion

Proverbs 25:6-7; Psalm 112; Hebrews 13:1-16; Luke 14:1-14

In the world of culinary induced cardiac arrest not many gastronomic inventions can beat the Saucer Bratzel. The SB served without shame at the Flying Saucer, Fort Worth, TX is a large salted soft Pretzel toasted and then topped with slices of Bratwurst and smothered in melted Swiss cheese with a garnish of diced green onion and spicy mustard on the side. It should come with a warning label as no amount of cardio can save you from the calories in this puppy. The SB can’t come close to Kosher so Jesus never experienced heart attack on a plate, but if he had he might have turned it into an object lesson as he did when observing the seating of guests at the dinner party of the Pharisee. The texts for Pentecost 14c can all be found in the Gospel. No doubt the Pharisee and his guests recognized Jesus’ application of the proverb to the party. And the righteous are rewarded in the reordering of the guest list in the same way that the psalmist fears no evil tidings for distributing freely to the poor is its own reward. Whether angels are in attendance or not the hospitality of Hebrews is the praise that pleases in the same way that inviting the poor and lame and crippled and blind is a foretaste of the resurrection of the righteous. And if Jesus had said something about the SB he might have anticipated Paul's word to the Corinthians. “Everything is permissible for me—but not everything is beneficial.” Amen to that.

Pentecost 14c - Luke 14:1,7-14

Luke 14:1, 7-14
Jesus ate and drank with Pharisees as much as he did with tax collectors, and though they would not eat and drink with each other, by eating and drinking with Jesus they had one thing in common. Congregations that have recently left the ELCA will form the North American Lutheran Church next week in Columbus, Ohio and though they will no doubt not recognize the church they’ve left we will still have one thing in common. Now there are those, like my Missouri Synod brothers and sisters, who believe that “close” communion, which closes the communion rail to all but those who are in full doctrinal agreement, protects the meal from those who might otherwise eat and drink in an unworthy manner; but whether we eat and drink at the same table or only the ones we recognize, Christ communes with us all. We have one thing in common. I know denominational lines are important, otherwise why would we spend so much time and energy drawing them, but I am going to suggest that God is not glorified when we exclude each other from the place of grace when trying to protect the Gospel, albeit in the name of the Law. If there is one place Pharisees and Tax Collectors should meet it is at the table of mercy. But while we argue over who is more holy or who is more enlightened, and create more institutions to preserve the integrity of our respective tables, the poor have no home, the crippled can’t stand, the lame stumble and the blind cannot see. It may be too much to expect this side of the resurrection of the righteous but if we would humble ourselves perhaps the poor, crippled, lame and blind would want to eat at the table we are so keen on preserving for ourselves and those who think and behave as we do. You might think I prefer one side over the other but that would miss the point. The table belongs to the Lord and whether we recognize each other or not the Lord has one thing in common. Us. God help Him.

Pentecost 14c - Hebrews 13:1-8, 15-16

Hebrews 13:1-8, 15-16

“Entertaining Angels Unaware” is one of my favorite songs by Erik Johansson, a Vermonter and part time Texan who restores pipe organs and through his music and prayer the human heart as well, including my own I might add. It’s always my first request when he unpacks his hand made harp, followed closely by my second favorite, a whimsical, sweet song about fishing with a child. They might be the same thing for when the human heart is healed by hospitality the angels are entertained and in our restoration they rejoice. The hospitable life of Hebrews is found in mutual love expressed by loving the stranger, which is the literal meaning of the Greek. It means we remember those in prison as if we were in their place. It is for one’s own being to be tortured by the thought of another’s body violated, as well as grieving for the spirit and soul and mind of the one who devises and inflicts pain upon another. Honoring marriage, resisting the lure of wealth, contentment within one’s self, being thankful for faithful leaders, doing good and sharing what you have are all expressions of the hospitable life in which the angels rejoice and God is pleased. So entertaining angels unaware is not a chance encounter with a cherub, but a life encountered and changed by Jesus, the same yesterday, today and always.

Pentecost 14c - Psalm 112

Psalm 112
Evil tidings tend to strike the heart with fear, whether global as in warming or war, or closer to home as in loss of health or employment or relationship. Even the most optimistic must admit we live in an age of uncertainly, but then every age is in its own way insecure. The response of the righteous to uncertain times is not to circle the wagons, retreating behind walls of stricter laws and harsher penalties, nor do they long for an earlier less uncertain time, which is in truth a seeking after Shangri-La. The response of the righteous to evil tidings in every age of uncertain times is to be gracious and merciful. Hearts that are steady in unsteady times distribute freely to the poor, lend themselves and their resources generously and deal justly with all in every circumstance. The wicked see it and scoff, but will gnash their teeth and melt away the longer the righteous persist in being righteous. Whether wealth and riches follow remains to be seen, or perhaps the righteous know that wealth is fleeting and seeking after riches vain glory and like the desire of the wicked comes to nothing. Steady hearts that do not fear live today as if the “I make all things new” endless age was an already though a not yet present reality. And of course it is and will be whenever and wherever the righteous act righteously.

Pentecost 14c - Proverbs 25:6-7

Proverbs 25:6-7

The first thing to say is that whatever we say about this proverb it was obviously written to those who had the ability to put themselves forward in the presence of the king. The closest I’ve come to royalty is the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace and since the royal standard wasn’t flying above the royal apartment the Queen was being royal somewhere else. Apparently no one told her I was coming. I don’t think I’ll be using Solomon’s sage advice anytime soon. So what is to be said about two verses which have little application to those who are not likely to stand or sit in the place of the great? “Don’t think of yourselves more highly than you ought” is how the apostle Paul might have applied the text to his audience, the vast majority of whom would never get an audience with the king, unless of course they were being martyred in the coliseum. But it is to those white robed martyrs that the King of the universe says come up here while the kings of the earth, and queens for that matter, are put down from their thrones. I am sure that is not what Solomon meant to say in this proverb, but then my guess is that he might want to follow his own advice when ushered into the presence of the KING of KINGS.

Pentecost 13c - Conclusion

Isaiah 58:9-14; Psalm 103:1-8; Hebrews 12:18-29; Luke 13:10-17

Yesterday morning I went for a run before the sun came up to try to beat the heat, unfortunately the humidity got up an hour earlier and was waiting for me. The air was so sticky with moisture I felt like I was swimming laps. It was not a very fun run to begin with but once I hit my stride and connected to the rhythm of running I felt pretty good. The texts for Pentecost 13 c are about connecting to the rhythm of God’s heart which is what Sabbath is meant to be and do. In Isaiah we connect to the rhythm of God’s heart when we remove the yoke of pointing finger and treacherous talk and honor the Sabbath by offering our food to the hungry. Psalm 103 connects to the rhythm of God’s heart by souls that bless the Lord and forget not his benefits, which is another way of saying remember all God has done for you which is another way of saying, thank you. The rhythm of God’s heart in Hebrews is a consuming fire which would be a frightening thing but for the Holy Hill where the Christ of God was consumed by and for human sin. And the heart beat of mercy in the Gospel of Luke is God’s own Sabbath song so that all who are bent over by spirits of shame or sorrow or guilt or any other debilitating evil might stand up and praise the God who heals us from all our diseases. Connecting to the rhythm of God’s heart can and does happen in the hour we set aside on a Sunday, but it is more a way of life than a way of worship, which come to think of it is really the same thing.

Pentecost 13c - Luke 13:10-17

Luke 13:10-17

The woman set free from her aliment praises God while the synagogue ruler standing up straight is actually quite bent over by the rules and regulations he is so keen on keeping. This daughter of Abraham knew her need and for eighteen years had endured the stares and whispers of those whose religious perspective placed the blame squarely on her shoulders. Bad things happen to bad people. This son of Abraham holding a position of prestige and power had no idea that the very things he held as holy prevented him from doing the one thing that would make him holy. God said it this way more than once, “I desire mercy not sacrifice.” If the Sabbath is meant to return one to the place of rest modeled by the Creator on the seventh day, then the Sabbath is meant to reconnect one to the God who commanded that rest be observed. Jesus said it this way more than once, “The Sabbath was meant for you. Not you for the Sabbath.” So the Sabbath that reconnects us to the One who commanded it begins with an attitude and not an action, or in this case lack thereof. Reconnecting to God is an attitude of care and concern for all of creation, beasts of burdens and daughters and sons of Abraham, and everyone else for that matter, which leads one to actions that bring healing and peace and justice seven days a week. Or in other words: Sabbath sacrificed for mercy praises God while mercy sacrificed for Sabbath is no rest at all.

Pentecost 13c - Hebrews 12:18-29

Hebrews 12:18-29

Accept the grace of God or else get burned. Not the best way to start a Wednesday afternoon, but then this text is not about nice. It’s about the living God, a consuming fire that shakes things up. I will admit I prefer the “What a Friend We Have in Jesus” image of God, so of course I will try to paint the “our God is a consuming fire” warning from heaven in a more friendly light. It may not be that hard if the mediator of the new covenant, whose blood speaks a better word than Abel, speaks for us. Then maybe a consuming fire and a warning from heaven, from which we cannot escape, is good news even if we don’t heed the warning. For we do not come to a mountain of fire and smoke that makes one tremble and faint for fear but to a holy hill where the God who is a consuming fire was himself consumed by the cross so those who do not heed warnings might become the righteous made perfect. So what’s the point of a warning word if everyone gets off scot-free? That misses the point. No one gets a pass on judgment for the truth is we are all guilty to one degree or another. But judgment is the penultimate word, which is just a fancy way of saying it is not the last word. The last word, the ultimate word, is that God will remove created things fatally flawed so that gifted with a new kingdom that cannot be shaken we might worship with reverence and awe the living God, a consuming fire forever connected by love to the creation.

Pentecost 13c - Psalm 103:1-8

Psalm 103:1-8
My soul is blessing the Lord today as I remember a benefit that has graced my life for nineteen years. On the afternoon of August 17th, 1991 in the Trinity Lutheran Seminary Chapel within a full blown LBW setting two festival liturgy, complete with three pastors, Bible and torch bearers, brass ensemble, tympani and choir, Lisa and I promised each other that come what may we would live the rest of our lives by the vows we exchanged that day. While the married life remains romantic, it is mostly about not forgetting, and I don’t mean anniversaries. It’s about an every day not forgetting that the benefit that is a blessing is found in living the vows. For better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health I am yours and you are mine to have and to hold, to honor and to keep in a covenant of life long faithfulness. It is the ultimate act of surrender and trust and even when we don’t do it very well, when the worse obscures the better, when our own poverty forgets the richness of relationship, or sickness of soul the health that is found in warm embrace and tender touch, even then, especially then, the benefit not forgotten is remembering that “I love you” is as much an act of the will as it is the heart. We said it this way nineteen years ago, “in freedom and joy I bind my life to yours.” Of course sometimes we say it this way, “good thing I love you.” The blessing of the soul not forgetting the benefit is that after nineteen years you’d do it all again in a heart beat. Thank you, Lisa, for gracing my life with yours. In freedom and joy I’d do it all over again because it is a really good thing to love you.

Pentecost 13c - Isaiah 58:9-14

Isaiah 58:9-14
We should not miss the connection between satisfying the needs of the hungry and afflicted and calling the Sabbath a delightful holy day. But then we’ve reduced the Sabbath to an hour obligation on a Sunday and even then often can’t wait until released by “Go in peace. Serve the Lord” we go off to serve ourselves. But keeping the Sabbath has less to do with worship or resting from labor and more to do with restoring relationships which, of course, is what worship and rest are designed to accomplish. But we trample the Sabbath when our gatherings are yoked to the pointing of the finger and evil talk over slights and offenses real or imagined without making any attempt to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. We trample the Lord’s day when our Sabbaths wrapped in respectability and self righteousness don’t call into question our relentless pursuit of our own way, our own interests; our own affairs and our neglect to care for the “least of these.” If calling the Sabbath a delight is delighting in the Lord then it follows that the day must be about whatever delights the Lord. I think what delights the Lord most is when the lines between you and me or us and them are erased and we see that we are in this thing together. When in our Sabbath gatherings we care more about what difference we make in this parched and dry land than any of the things churches argue about the Lord is delighted. Then living the love of Christ like a well watered garden and a never ending spring we refresh this weary world with acts of kindness and mercy to make every moment of every day Sabbath. And in that the delighted Lord skips for the sheer joy of it.

Mary the Mother of our Lord - conclusion

The Annuciation

Isaiah 61:7-11’ Psalm 34:1-9; Galatians 4:4-7; Luke 1:46-55

“Mary is the highest woman and the noblest gem in Christianity after Christ. She is nobility, wisdom, and holiness personified. We can never honor her enough. Still honor and praise must be given to her in such a way as to injure neither Christ nor the Scriptures.” (Martin Luther - Christmas sermon 1531) Teachings on Mary’s perpetual virginity, her immaculate conception, (that she was conceived in the normal way yet without sin) or her assumption into heaven have little or no basis in scripture. On the other hand Lutherans have historically not given Mary her due, relegating her to a once a year supporting role in the parish Christmas pageant. Luther wrote in 1521 “One should honor Mary as she herself wished and as she expressed it in the Magnificat. She praised God for his deeds. How then can we praise her? The true honor of Mary is the honor of God, the praise of God's grace.” The lessons for the Sunday when we rightly honor Mary, the Mother of our Lord, direct us to the least and the lowly, which is what Mary was before being elevated to “the highest woman and noblest gem in Christianity.” Isaiah imagines those once clothed in shame and disgrace wrapped in robes of righteousness wearing garments of salvation. David, a poor man calling on the Lord saved from all his troubles, remembers a day of deliverance so that the afflicted will taste the goodness of God and rejoice. When the time had fully come Mary gave birth and God entered the closed circle of death so that the Galatians weighed down by the Law might be set free by the Gospel along with the rest of the world. And Mary, the blessed lowly servant sings the song of the future, rejoicing in God her Savior despite the danger the Lord’s favor might bring her, because she believes what she has been told. Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus.

Mary the Mother of our Lord - Luke 1:46-55

Luke 1:44-55
After three days of blogging on the texts for Mary the Mother of our Lord we finally get around to saying something about Mary, although I think this text is mostly about letting Mary speak for herself. “My soul magnifies the Lord…” is how she begins, even though the great thing that has been done to her is hardly a favor for a young bride to be. Seeing beyond the trouble coming her way she sings the promise of the future in her less than promising present. She sings God’s remembrance of the forgotten, those of little consequence, in a world dominated by the powerful. She sings the mercy of God, who lifts up the lowly and satisfies the hungry with good things while the proud are left to live their illusions. Mary blessed by every generation, not because she was worthy but because she was willing, sings of hope with humility which is why she is the highly favored one. The church, with good intention and out of devotion, has put her on a pedestal and maybe that is where the Queen of Heaven belongs. But I can’t help but think that the young girl who bore and birthed the Word made flesh would prefer it if our souls magnified the Lord by filling the hungry with the good things we take for granted. When we, like Mary, sing the hope of the future and work to make it come true in whatever less than promising present in which we live, God is glorified and Mary the Mother of our Lord is blessed.

Mary the Mother of our Lord - Galatians 4:4-7

Galatians 4:4-7
After rejoicing in the freedom of the Gospel the Galatians have been bewitched back into the familiar. Like the older son in the parable of the prodigal, they work hard for everything even when in Christ everything is free. For the Galatians the Gospel might work in theory, but it is not nearly as helpful for holy living as a healthy dose of the law. And more to the point the law is a checklist clearly defined and therefore trustworthy. Blessings flow from obedience. Disobedience leads to death. It is this closed system that God enters when at the right time the Son is born into the world of the law with its rules and regulations and requirements to redeem those who lived under the law. One might assume that redeeming those under the law would require the One born of a woman, born under the law to obey the law, but apparently that was not part of the plan. In fact, it would appear the opposite is what God had in mind. Even a quick comparison of Torah law and the stories surrounding Jesus lead to a multiple count indictment of the Nazarene. The demands of the law require that Jesus be cut off from the land of the living forever. Instead this law breaker is resurrected, which must mean disobeying the law is not as damning as the Galatians have been led to believe. So how can Jesus be the example of one tempted in every way, yet without sin, if he so clearly disobeyed the rules required by the covenant? It is because Jesus lived the Gospel the Law was always meant to embody. “I desire mercy not sacrifice” is how God says it on more than one occasion. The Spirit sent into hearts reveals the truth of the redeemed relationship. In Christ law lovers are those who live the law of love.

Mary the Mother of our Lord - Psalm 34:1-9

Psalm 34:1-9
The preface of the Eucharistic liturgy begins with the words, “It is indeed right, our duty and our joy, that we should at all times and in all places give thanks and praise to you…” It is a right and dutiful joy to give thanks without regard for current context, even though from our perspective some times and places prompt more praise than others. David wrote this psalm remembering a less than praiseworthy time when fleeing from Saul he had to feign insanity to escape Achish, (aka Abimelech) the king of Gath. (1 Samuel 21:10-15) David’s deliverance, albeit by deception, puts praise on his lips which presumably the afflicted hear and rejoice. It is not rejoicing for David’s sake, but for the sake of his witness to the LORD who delivered him from fear and saved “this poor man” out of all his troubles. The dutiful joy of giving thanks at all times and in all places is only possible for us when we believe (or maybe merely hope?) that “taste and see that the Lord is good” is true. We do this, not from the perspective of our current contexts, but because the meal both remembers Jesus who for us was stricken, smitten and afflicted, whose face shamed by agony bore our grief and our pain, and at the same time anticipates the day when with upturned faces we will reflect the glory of his resurrected radiance. The past and future meet in our present time and place when duty and joy is expressed in thanksgiving for the place of refuge, this meal, this Eucharist, this Jesus who is the Christ.

Mary the Mother of our Lord - Isaiah 61:7-11

Isaiah 61:7-11
It seems to me the prophet Isaiah always talks about the future as if “the garments of salvation” and “robes of righteousness” have already come back from the cleaners and are hanging in the closet. Isaiah is the prophet who casts the vision of the forever feast on the holy mountain where the vast multitude eats rich food and sips fine wine while God dines on death. He imagines the lion lying down with the lamb without licking its lips. Isaiah proclaims the way in the wilderness by which the ransomed return, where the blind see, the lame walk, the deaf hear, the dumb shout for joy. These words of promise were written to those whose lot was dishonor, who sold into slavery suffered shame as they sat by the waters of Babylon and wept. But somehow in the speaking of what must have seemed beyond believing the dream came true and the ransomed returned to Zion singing the very songs their captors had used to torment them. Granted, the return was not as neat and tidy as the words on the page. The dream does come true, it is experienced, but only in part, a present reality and a not yet. It can be true for us as well, when robed in righteousness and clothed in garments of salvation by the grace of God, we return from exiles of our own design or those designed for us. When we join God in loving justice and working against the ways of robbery and wrong doing in all its various forms, including those dressed in respectability and protected by power. When shame and dishonor, whether real or imagined, is replaced with something resembling everlasting joy by an act of kindness or a word of encouragement, the future breaks into the present, and we live the dream, if only for a moment, as if already awakened into the future forever feast.

Pentcost 11c - conclusion

Genesis 15:1-6; Psalm 33:12-22; Hebrews 11:1-16; Luke 12:32-40
I stated flirting with a cold on Tuesday morning and now we’re dating. Don’t tell Lisa! It is one of those colds that are not bad enough to keep you in bed all day but just bad enough that you seriously consider it. So I’m loaded up on daytime cold meds and drinking plenty of fluids and doing what has to be done. The texts for Pentecost 11c are about doing what has to be done despite the difficulty of the day. Abraham lives as one who believes even though the Lord has not yet delivered on the promise. The psalmist’s heart rejoices in times of famine and trouble because of hope in unfailing love. The Hebrews 11 list hoping against hope lived as if the promise not realized had already been delivered and the things not seen were fully visible. And the little flock lives without fear because the big M “trust me” is fully trustworthy.

Pentecost 11c - Luke 12:32-40

Luke 12:32-40
This is where God’s “trust me” rubber hits the road. It is all well and good when “trust me” means the capital M me does the heavy lifting. It is a different story when gifted with the kingdom, have no fear little flocks are expected to carry their own weight. Trust me means follow me and follow me means trust me. You can’t have one without the other. Faith is passionate not passive. But if this is the measure of a trust that follows – sell your possessions and give to the poor – then most of us must admit our trust falls short of worthy. But then being continually dressed for service is not about carrying our own weight, otherwise Jesus is just another version of a do this don’t do that debit credit system. No. Being continually dressed for service means being clothed in the cross where Jesus did the heavy lifting once and for all. The kingdom is gifted, not earned. The purse that will not wear out was purchased for us and Jesus is the treasure that will not be exhausted and the heart’s true home. And the capital M master is already dressed to serve returning in the here and now when have no fear little flocks gather at table to dine on bread and wine. Our waiting and watching with lamps lit takes on a different meaning when instead of an end time event the unexpected hour is continually coming in the here and now. We are Christ present for each other so that strength to endure another day is found despite our faltering courage. Every act of random kindness, every generous gift of grace, every word of mercy that mends broken relationships is a kingdom come moment. And the good news is that God proves trustworthy even when we are not. Which means even trust me is a gift.

Pentecost 11c - Hebrews 11:1-16

Hebrews 11:1-16

The trust in me theme of Pentecost 11c continues with what must be acknowledged as the trust poof text. :) Faith “the assurance of things hoped for and the confidence in things not seen” is the version I memorized and the meaning, no matter how it is translated, has served me well. That being said I must confess that I am not a confident Christian, but I do have confidence in Christ. By that I mean I have all kinds of doubts about myself and my life of faith but no doubts about the one in whom I trust. But that shouldn’t surprise you or me, nor should we lament the truth about ourselves. I believe confident Christians are not all they are cracked up to be and a healthy dose of doubt means the life of faith is no walk in the park, which may be what the life of faith is all about. I hope in things that have been promised but not delivered. I have confidence in what I cannot see, the better country for which I long, and believe it is more real than the one in which I presently live. The Hebrews 11 list of those who lived by faith is not a list of faith super stars, but those who hoping against hope lived as if the promise not realized had already been delivered and the things not seen were fully visible. Put your name in the Hebrews 11 list, you less than confident Christian, for the word to them is the word to us. Believe in what you cannot see. Trust me.

Pentecost 11c - Psalm 33:12-22

Psalm 33:12-22

Psalm 33 continues the “trust me” theme of Genesis 15. Though kings trust in the size of their army and warriors the size of their biceps the one who trusts in the Lord hopes in unfailing love. It means like Abraham we look to the mystery of the unlimited heavens and beyond counting stars, look up to the One who looks down, opening our hearts and minds in holy waiting to abiding hope until unfailing love rests gently upon us. It is unfailing love that satisfies our spiritual hunger, unfailing love that brings us back from the brink of death dealing despair, unfailing love that is our help and our shield in times of trouble. This would be a vain hope for deliverance if the Holy One had only looked down from heaven and in this we rejoice, that when the time had fully come and the waiting world could wait no longer God’s unfailing love left heaven and inhabited flesh and blood so that we could know as we are known and see as we are seen. God’s word through the psalmist is the word to us. Trust me.

Pentecost 11c - Genesis 15:1-6

Landscape with Stars (Henri-Edmond Delacroix 1856–1910)

Genesis 15:1-6

Confirming the covenant by looking at stars too numerous to count is hardly proof of the promise. But that is the way it has been with Abraham and God. In the same way God’s “trust me” was enough for Abraham to leave his people and his father’s household for a promised land he had never seen, so too God’s “trust me” is enough for Abraham to believe what appears less likely with each passing year. Abraham’s believing “trust me” despite the delay in God making good on the promise is reckoned as righteousness, which is a way of saying the Lord and Abraham are BFF because friendship is a relationship of trust. So too for we who have not seen and yet believe; who following the Lord anticipate the promise of eternal life in a land beyond without having been there; who trust that despite the difficulties of each day prayers offered are heard and God’s grace and mercy and love is as boundless as the stars that cannot be counted. The word to Abraham is the word to us. Trust me.

Pentecost 10c - conclusion

Ecclesiastes 1:1-2:23; Psalm 49:1-12; Colossians 3:1-11; Luke 12:13-21

A week from tomorrow I’ll turn 54 which means I’m only one year away from being able to order from the senior citizen menu at I-Hop without having to use a fake ID. I suppose that is the silver lining in my graying beard and even though the teacher insists that everything is meaningless, a stack of pancakes smothered in syrup for pennies on the dollar make life sweet. I think the texts for Pentecost 10c are a little like balancing the inevitable (“Life’s like hour glass glued to the table” Anna Nalick) with qualifying for the senior citizen discount at I-Hop. There is a time for every season in Ecclesiastes and living life as if that were not so is what the teacher pronounces as utterly meaningless. The psalmist trusts that what cannot be done can be done by God and the ransom paid is more than able to redeem one’s life from the grave. Paul exhorts the Colossians to put to death the words and deeds that diminish life and with minds set on things from above live lives worth living. And Jesus telling it like it is to someone in the crowd redirects his greed for what his brother will not share to the brother he shares, for life is about relationship and not the measure of one’s possessions.

Pentecost 10c - Luke 12:13-21

Luke 12:13-21

Someone in the crowd was trying to triangulate Jesus, who knows a thing or two about healthy relationships between three persons. “Tell my brother to divide the family inheritance” sounds like a sibling rivalry with a little history. Who knows, maybe Jesus’ well known tale about two sons and a loving father comes from a chance encounter in the crowd with a real life prodigal. Of course Jesus does not take the bait (he never does) but speaking the truth in love goes to the heart of the matter. You have placed possessions in front of people, which is the definition of greed. To seal the deal he tells the story of a rich man who appears to be acting prudently. Crops not stored properly will quickly turn into cr@p, if you’ll pardon my French. So build bigger barns and enjoy the fruit of your labor, after all that is the reward of hard work and sound investments. But then this is a parable and the details are not to be dissected because it’s all about the punch line and in this case the punch line is a Jesus’ twist on what the Pentecost 10c texts have been teaching all week. You can’t take it with you when you go and living as if you can is foolish. The lesson is for the “someone” in the crowd although we are clearly meant to apply it to our own life. Your brother is more important than dividing the inheritance and the way one is rich toward God has everything to do with the value of our relationships in the here and now, even with brothers who won’t share.

Pentecost 10c - Colossians 3:1-11

Colossians 3:1-11

Life that is not meaningless is the life hidden with Christ which is revealed when life that is meaningless dies. Therefore put to death the earthly things that diminish life on earth; anger, wrath, malice, slander, abusive language, lies and the like. While it sounds like a “just do it” theology, which as we know rarely gets it done, the revealed life depends fully on the One who did it for us so that all the ways we are fond to follow are finally exposed as dead ends. When by putting to death the dead end ways in which we used to live we live the life hidden in Christ and Christ is revealed in us. The revealed life of Christ is not consumed by greed, possessed by passions or divided by discrimination. Just do it? No. It’s been done.

Pentecost 10c - Psalm 49

Psalm 49
Psalm 49 continues the theme of Ecclesiastes, namely, no one gets out of here alive. Or as my theology professor Walt Bouman liked to say, “Eat healthy, exercise regularly, die anyway.” He was also fond of pointing out that despite all the advances in medical science the death rate is still one per person. While that might lead one to despair the Psalmist is confident enough to sing a solution to the riddle. Those whose iniquity brings trouble are not to be feared for even with the wealth of the world at their disposal there is no price that can be paid to purchase a pass on the grave. The wise and foolish, the persecutor and the persecuted will perish together. While that might seem a Pyrrhic victory the psalmist trusts God will do what cannot be done. “God will redeem my life from the grave and will surely take me to himself.” What the psalmist anticipated and what we believe and Walt now gone on to glory knows is that the ransom for human life, the price paid for a pass on the grave was God’s own life and that more than foots the bill.

Pentecost 10c - Ecclesiasties 1:1-2; 12-24; 2:18-23

Ecclesiasties 1:1-2:23
The opening words of the teacher, son of David, declare "Meaningless! Meaningless!" If you didn’t get it the first time he leaves no doubt as to what he means "Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless." Most people prefer to sugar coat reality to make it more palatable as in “a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down.” (Mary Poppins) Or they defy reality as in, "The one who dies with the most toys wins!" (Malcolm Forbes) The teacher prefers to tell it like it is. He hates the things for which he toiled and despairs of his striving under the sun. Even if you work with wisdom, knowledge and skill you can’t take it with you when you go and others will profit from your pain. The one who dies with the most toys still dies. This might lead one to despair of life but that is not what the teacher declares as meaningless. Vanity of vanities is how the old version goes and that puts the emphasis where it belongs. What is meaningless is a sugar coated reality that convinces one circumstances can be controlled, the future can be made secure by the accumulation of wealth or wisdom or that with enough effort chasing after the wind can put the breeze in your pocket. The teacher’s instruction is not that life is meaningless; rather life lived without meaning is vanity.

Pentecost 9c - conclusion

Genesis 18: 20-32; Psalm 138; Colossians 2:6-19; Luke 11:1-13

Lisa and I had a midweek night out in the stockyards with Pastors John and Kyle and spouses Ruth and Crystal. It turned into a Tim Love tour (Fort Worth’s cowboy celebrity chef) starting at the Love Shack for Amore Caliente (hot love) Burgers, and progressing to the pool table at the White Elephant Saloon and ending with rattlesnake and rabbit sausage and ostrich nachos at Lonesome Dove. Good friends, good food, and country music made for a night when one is grateful for the gifts that God gives. Though Abraham did not go far enough to spare the twin sin cities, the gift of the righteous One when none could be found spares us the same fate. The gift that prompts the psalmist to praise is the big G God who doesn’t act all high and mighty but regards the lowly and protects the poor. The gift of Christ completes all the rules and regulations and requirements of the law so that no record of wrongs stands against us. And the gift of the prayer that begins and ends with the Parent who is “ours” means our asking, seeking, knocking will be answered by the kingdom come in daily bread given and shared, the forgiven forgiving and times of trial overcome. And while it might not seem particularly pious, pastors and spouses playing pool in a saloon is a gift of the kingdom as well, especially when one pastor, who shall remain nameless, makes a pool shot worthy of Minnesota Slim.

Pentecost 9c - Luke 11:1-13

Luke 11:1-13
“Teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.” Praying was not new to the disciples who as Jews would have done so religiously three times a day so this request has more to do with Jesus than a lesson in proper prayer posture. It’s like asking for the secret handshake, the visible or in this case, verbal cue that the ones praying belong to the Jesus club. But instead of an exclusive club (we want our own prayer) Jesus begins with a new naming of the God whose name could not be spoken (lest ye die!) as Our Father. Everything that follows, including the parable and the seeking, finding, knocking as well as evil parents knowing the difference between eggs and scorpions, has to do with this naming of God as Father, or better, parent. The “Our Father” is not about gender but genetics. The kingdom come, the asking for daily bread, the being forgiven and forgiving, the temptation from which one is spared all depend on trusting the truth of “Our Father”. And one cannot trust the truth of God as Father unless one acknowledges the Father as “Our” which means we who belong to God belong to each other. (ala Sister Sledge “We Are Family” 1979) When we live “Our” while trusting God as “Father” the kingdom comes, bread is shared, we are forgiven and forgive and the time of trial is not avoided but overcome. And to that let all God’s children say, “Amen!”

Pentecost 9c - Colossians 2:6-19

The Agony by Theyre Lee-Elliott (1903-1988)

Colossians 2:6-19

The rulers and authorities intended to make a public example of Jesus by nailing him to a cross. But what rulers intended for evil God intended for good and in the ultimate irony the shame of the cross is its glory. Those who killed Jesus according to the demands of the law could not foresee that condemning Christ would in the end fulfill it. We who are not overly concerned with circumcision or keeping kosher or observing festivals must none-the-less admit our tendency to prefer the rules and regulations of religion, if only for the regiment they bring to what otherwise seems too good to be true or too simple to be of much use. Each tradition claims Christ and disagreements about perceived fundamentals of faith lead one to dismiss the other as misguided or misinformed or sadly mistaken. But if God set aside the requirements of kosher and circumcision and Sabbath without a substitution save one, then maybe that’s the only thing we have to hold onto to remain rooted and built up and established in the God who is Love.

Pentecost 9c - Psalm 138

Psalm 138

The small g gods who covet a capital G will have to listen while the psalmist sings praise of the Lord exalted above all things, especially small g gods. The kings of the earth, accustomed to people bowing down to them, will have to bow down to a higher power and join the song, whether they like it or not. And so you might expect the Lord of all the earth, who puts little g gods in their place and is King above all kings to act the part. But this One who knows no equal, no rival, no one worthy of comparison, regards the lowly, preserves the powerless, and delivers the needy. Therefore the whole heart of the psalmist gives thanks despite walking in the midst of trouble, for the Lord is near and not far off. We too, when strengthened in soul by the steadfast love of the Lord, trust that purposes for us which may or may not be immediately apparent will in fact be fulfilled for the capital G God and the King above all kings hears the words of our mouth and knows the needs of our soul.

Pentecost 9c - Genesis 18:20-33

Sodom and Gormorrah by Henry Tanner 1920-4

Genesis 18:20-33

Abraham does not dispute the wickedness of Sodom and Gomorrah or the punishment God has planned for the twin sin cities. Abraham’s concern is for the collateral damage caused by God’s righteous wrath which must in his mind include his nephew Lot and Lot’s family. Each proposal preceded by “Far be it from you” asks God to reconsider the just sentence on the wicked for the sake of a diminishing population of righteous. He stops at ten because he either senses he’s gone as far as God will go or he can’t imagine there would be less than ten righteous in the cities on the plain. Unfortunately for the wicked there are only four who are counted righteous, although the character of Lot’s turning back wife turned to salt is questionable. And Lot’s daughters prove to be as sinful as Sodom (Genesis 19:30-36) while Lot drunk in a cave is no saint. So what if no one is righteous? What then? What Abraham didn’t know and we can hardly imagine is that God’s desire was that mercy would triumph over judgment for it is God’s will to be both just and the one who justifies. So since none were found, God in Christ became the One through whom we are counted righteous and who knows, might also be the ones for whose sake the city is spared.

Pentecost 8c - Conclusion

Genesis 18:1-15; Psalm 15; Colossians 1:15-29; Luke 10:38-42
I’ve stopped at a Starbucks in Stephenville after four hours of driving to take a break and blog. I’m having a tall Americano no room in honor of Pr. Kyle who overcame a fear of heights on the Leap of Faith. (LoF – while attached to a rope and belayed by a counselor on the ground you climb a really, really tall telephone pole, stand on top of it and then leap off attempting to catch and hold onto a trapeze bar ten feet away.) Pr. Kyle not only climbed the LoF, he caught and held onto the bar and then, just because he could, did a chin up. A legend is born! I was busy riding a worried and distracted bay mare at the time so I didn’t witness the wonder but I imagine there was plenty of laughter when Pr. Kyle’s leap of faith proved fruitful. Not like Sarah’s first laugh, the one she denied for fear, but more like the second laugh that came after labor when God made good on the promise and a cooing Isaac was cradled in Sarah’s arms. Like Psalm 15 the holy hill of confirmation camp is about living a right relationship with God made possible by the One who stood by his oath to save us though it cost him dearly. Like the apostle Paul commissioned to reveal the mystery of God the faith of campers is brought into sharper focus through the ministry of incredibly gifted and dedicated young people who give up their summer to work long hours for little pay because they love the Lord. And finally, we who like Martha are worried and distracted by many things would do well to accept the invitation of Jesus and choosing the better part do more by doing less, which will no doubt require a leap of faith.

Pentecost 8c - Luke 10:38-42

Luke 10:38-42

Today’s camp theme is Easter. It’s also the day we take the campers on a long trail ride where they will put all the skills they’ve learned in the arena into practice. I’m riding Duce, a young, dun colored mare who is worried and distracted by many things and jumps up and away from the ones that surprise her. But as long as I’m not distracted and reassure her through clear and consistent commands she’ll be fine, even if she is convinced every bush in the hill country hides a potential predator. One of the reasons Martha is worried and distracted is because her sister Mary has left her to do all the work. On the other hand it may be that Martha is worried and distracted by things that are not worthy of worry. All we have to go on is Jesus response which only seems to be more about Mary’s choice than Martha’s demand. In the naming of the better part, the one thing needful, Jesus is inviting Martha to do more by doing less.

Pentecost 8c - Colossians 1:15-29

Colossians 1:15-29
The season celebrated at camp last night was Epiphany which had six Sundays this year or so Janelle told the assembled pastors. Pr. Kyle looked it up on his version four iPhone to confirm she was right. You can have as few as four and as many as nine and Transfiguration is always the last one. What did we do before the advent of the iPhone? Epiphany begins with the story of the star and the Magi who followed from afar. Last night the stars were so bright the Magi would have been hard pressed to follow just one. I was reminded of a night sky over Montana some thirty-five years ago when as a camp counselor at Flathead Lutheran Bible Camp the seeds of call were planted in me. Who knows what epiphanies happened last night in the hearts and minds of young campers? This morning’s theme was Lent and one of Calvary’s own, Ashley Loest, gave the message and led the morning worship with her “posse” or campers. Serving with another Calvary member, K.J. Lundgren, both young women are, like the apostle Paul, commissioned by the Gospel to be servants of the mysteries of God and through incredible energy and dedication and living faith reveal the God who was pleased to reconcile all things to himself by making peace through the cross. The great gift of this week is that some years ago KJ and Ashley were campers at Ebert and to see them serving as counselors is a true joy. The only mystery I need explained is when they became old enough to be camp counselors since I’m quite sure I haven’t aged a bit.

Pentecost 8c - Psalm 15

Psalm 15

I’ve been working with horses all day and really wish the lectionary text was Psalm 32 “Do not be like the horse or the mule, which have no understanding but must be controlled by bit and bridle...” On the other hand I was working with riders just as much and Psalm 15 might be just as applicable. Horses know when riders are nervous or frightened. They can also tell when a rider is not all they claim to be and will test the ability of the over confident as much as the inexperienced. Riding a horse is a relationship of trust and horse and rider are equally important when it comes to abiding in the saddle. Abiding in the tent of the Lord is not a reward for those who walk blamelessly or do what is right. Doing what is right is how you abide in the Lord. Dwelling on the Lord’s holy hill is not a reward for speaking the truth. Speaking the truth is the language of the holy hill where there is no translation for slander and evil. That is because the language of the holy hill is love written by the life of One who stood by his oath, even to his hurt, who offered himself to all of humanity without demanding payment or interest and who though innocent died for those who live by bribes.

Pentecost 8c - Genesis 18:1-15

Genesis 18:1-15
I’m blogging from Ebert Ranch in the Texas Hill country where Janelle, Pr. Kyle and thirteen of Calvary’s Jr. High Youth will be spending the week. This year’s Confirmation Camp theme is Faith 365 and each day is devoted to a season of the church year. Last night was Advent and involved singing “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” while waiting and watching “the stars at night are big and bright…” come out one by one. Abraham and Sarah had been waiting a long time for God to make good on the promise of offspring more numerous than the stars. When Sarah heard the promise repeated she laughed to herself because she figured the joke was on her. She didn’t need a mirror to know her body had been passed by the promise too slow in coming due. There are times when wearied by waiting “Is anything too wonderful for the Lord?” is beyond our ability to believe. When the check is not in the mail, when there is no good news to balance the bad, when bodies are beyond healing or relationships beyond repair we like Sarah might think the joke is on us. But at the end of Sarah’s story God will have the last laugh as she cuddles a cooing Isaac and Abraham rejoices in the gift of the son who will make the starry dream come true. The end of all our stories has been written by the One who came in swaddling cloths and for whom we wait to come again clothed in glory. When we remember the end of the story God has written for us we are able to endure the chapters yet to be written as we wait for the last laugh which God will share with us and the whole creation.