What's Next?

Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. (Romans 12:9-21 ESV).

 

In a conversation recently with my youngest son, Aaron, we were talking about what else cold possible happen in this year. We began the year with some personal challenges. My oldest brother’s death and Mary’s emergency surgery were certainly no easy circumstances to deal with; however, little did we know those two things would be the easiest of the subsequent crises. I was teasing half-heartedly when I listed the “plagues.” I mentioned Covid-19, “murder” hornets (somehow we skipped those), riots and protests, the Sahara dust storm, political and economic upheaval, and the coming horde of locusts! I ended the conversation with, “Well, that’s six down and only four more to go!” Somehow that did not elicit a laugh!

 

These are very unusual times. There have been others in history, though this time is our time. It is easy to ask “What’s next?” It is easy to lose hope. And, as our reading enjoins us to “rejoice in hope” I must confess there are times when I miserably fail. Perhaps that’s where you are today. I would encourage you to understand the root of genuine hope. Christian hope is not a vague wish. Christian hope is a sure confidence that we will receive what God has promised us.

 

The Apostle Paul encourages the Roman Christians to understand that a community that lives with this sure, confident hope can take risks, offering hospitality to people whom society rejects. They can stand strong and confident with people who are struggling. They can foster hope in people who are feeling hopeless. This produces genuine love. This gives us reason to rejoice. Because God keeps his ­prom­ises, we can live with joyful hope!

 

 

The Day of Freedom

And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read. And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.” And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. And he began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” (Luke 4:16-21 ESV).

 

Here, in the United States, July 4^th is our annual celebration of Independence.  It’s worth noting our nation was founded upon the idea that God created human beings to be free. The Declaration of Independence states that people “are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” The real question is “What is liberty?” Is freedom based upon the country where you live, or the socio-economic level you have reached, or your cultural and/or racial heritage, or can it have a deeper meaning?

 

The quest for freedom is a theme found throughout the Scripture, from Genesis to Revelation. In fact, the first three chapters show us the tragic choices of humanity’s first couple. Adam and Eve gave up their freedom by choosing to rebel against God. As the representatives of humanity they lost the perfect freedom God created in the Garden of Eden. The long-term effects were both physical and spiritual. Today’s cries for freedom are a result of that sin.

 

When Jesus began took on humanity and began his public ministry our reading today reveals an incredible truth. Going to the Temple he was given the scroll containing the prophecy of Isaiah. His choice of reading was the formal announcement that He was the One that God’s people had been waiting for since the fall of humanity. The words had been written hundreds of years earlier and spoke of a new freedom that was coming in the future. When Jesus stood up to read, He was saying the future had arrived. The only genuine freedom would come through Him. That is the heart of the Gospel.

 

Today’s celebrations will be different for many reasons too numerous to list here. My hope and encouragement for us is that we will go to the real root of freedom and celebrate the grace of God in Jesus. Use this day to pray for others who have not yet found the freedom of Christ. That’s cause for some real fireworks!

 

Otoconia

If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. (1 Corinthians 12:19-26 ESV).

 

Some of you may be thinking that I have way too much time on my hands to have written this introduction for our devotional. Well, that is partially true; however, I love trivia. Today’s search began with the old quip: “You have rocks in your head.” Well, as it turns out, that’s true. In fact, we all have rocks in our head. According to The National Center for Biotechnology, they are tiny little crystals (see picture), and called “otoconia,” or ear rocks. They couple mechanic forces to the sensory hair cells in the utricle and saccule, a process essential for us to sense linear acceleration and gravity for the purpose of maintaining balance.

 

It is not unusual for them to shift out of place. The main symptom is what has been called vertigo. Sometime ago I went to my PCP with tinnitus. He did a cursory examination of my ears first. After taking all the ear wax out that had built up, he also did a few exercises with me. He asked me to lay down and sit up quickly, bend at the waist and straighten to an erect position quickly, and asked, “Are you feeling any dizziness?’ When I answered that I was not, he simply said, “You have tinnitus. That happens as you continue to age.” My thought was, “Thanks! Not only did he just call me old, he also said my only choice was to put up with the ringing or die.” Finally I asked him why the little exercises. That’s when he said he was checking to see if the rocks in my head had shifted. Thinking he was kidding and not wanting to show my ignorance, I did not respond. As I did the research, I now know he was not kidding… I have rocks in my head!

 

I do have a new appreciation for my ear rocks; they are tiny, indispensable wonders.

Do you know we have “ear rocks” in our community of faith? They’re the folks that look or act a little different than we do. They may seem weaker, but they are indispensable. Maybe you are that “different” person who feels worthless and thinking you contribute nothing worthwhile to the church’s life. Our reading today would declare that you too are indispensable. Even when we don’t know what contribution someone makes to the life of the Church, God knows. Each of us is indispensable. I have found that when I remember that truth it is much easier to be patient and kind toward others. As we go through these crazy times in our history, remember, we all have rocks in our head; and, we couldn’t walk without them!

 

A Big Tent

He went out again beside the sea, and all the crowd was coming to him, and he was teaching them. And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him. And as he reclined at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners were reclining with Jesus and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. And the scribes of¹ the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.” (Mark 2:13-17 ESV).

 

The poet Carl Sandburg was asked what he thought was the ugliest word. He said, “The ­ugliest word is exclusive.” Today I’ve decided to us the concept of “the Big Tent” as a springboard to understand Jesus’ teaching in our reading today. The term is a reference to being inclusive in the church; it means we have room for everyone. That’s certainly the case at the “tent” church you see pictured here. It is located in South Korea. It only seats 500, but they somehow make room for the other 4,500 with additional services throughout the weekend!

 

Jesus was inclusive and, as our reading shows, condemned by the religious “right” of his day. Most people don’t think that exclusive is ugly. In fact, many of us like exclusive neighborhoods, exclusive cars, and exclusive clothing. We like being with our “own kind,” separated from people who are different and “undesirable.” The Pharisees hated Jesus’ inclusiveness.

 

Lutheran pastor Nadia Bolz-Weber planted a church, House for All Sinners and Saints, in a “grungy, hipster neighborhood” in Denver, Colorado. This church attracted people whom much of society rejects: people with low incomes and people addicted to various substances. Outgrowing their facilities, the church moved to a new building in a “stately, historic” neighborhood. At the very next Sunday service, the usual crowd showed up along with people who were embraced by society, wearing their nice clothing. After the worship service, Bolz-Weber was upset and complained to her friends, “We’re attracting entirely the wrong element.”

 

She confesses in her book Pastrix that she had an exclusive attitude, rejecting people whom society tends to embrace. She had to learn to welcome “bankers­ wearing Dockers” in her congregation! The people of God should be a BIG Tent for all sinners and saints.

 

Prejudice

Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called “the uncircumcision” by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands— remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. (Ephesians 2:11-16 ESV).

 

Charlie the Tuna is the cartoon mascot and spokes-tuna for the StarKist brand. He was created in 1961 by Tom Rogers of the Leo Burnett Agency. These ads coined a new phrase for the teens of the 60’s and 70’s, “Sorry, Charlie!” The gist of the advertising was that since Starkist only used the best tuna in their brand offerings and Charlie was always an inferior tuna, he always received a rejection. It wouldn’t matter how many good things he could do, he was simply inferior in the eyes of the packing company and thus could never qualify for inclusion. It wouldn’t have mattered to me… as you may know, I simply don’t eat any tuna!

 

This brings me to a very important thought and Scripture for today though. We have seen a full display of exclusion boil over in our day. However we ought to remember that prejudice is not new, nor is it acceptable in God’s eyes. Our reading details the Apostle Paul’s exhortation about prejudice. Remember, prejudice can be pictured as a circle that separates “us” from “them.” The people inside the circle are “normal” people, who are most like ourselves, similar skin color, ethnicity, values, abilities, language, gender identity, and so on. Because “we” inside the circle are “normal,” everyone outside the circle is “abnormal.” Therefore, people different from “us” in ethnicity, abilities, and so on must not be good enough. That’s simply wrong in the eyes of God.

 

The ancient Israelites thought of themselves as normal people and everyone else as abnormal. In fact, they thought that they alone were selected to receive God’s favor.

But through the prophet Isaiah God told them that the promised Savior was coming for all people. “I will . . . make you a light for the Gentiles, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth” (Isaiah 49:6). Praise God that Jesus came to destroy the sinful distinction we make between “normal” and “abnormal” humans. He is creating a new humanity. Jesus came to put to death the hostility of prejudice and to create a new community of mutual love, no normal or abnormal people, no “us” and “them.”