Hello Everyone,
As I was beginning to write about the Gospel passage I was listening to one of my all time favorite band songs “Eryri (Where Eagles Sing")” by Karl Jenkins and the Cory Band. You may enjoy it here: "Eryri" This video also has "Abide With Me".
Our scripture lessons for this coming Sunday are:
Job 23:1-9, 116-7 – Chapters 1 and 2 of Job are the setting for a great theological debate: Why do bad things happen to good people (Rabbi Harold Kushner became famous when he wrote a book with that title) and what is God’s role in those bad things? (The technical theological term for this problem is “theodicy”.) In Chapter 2 Job says that life is no long worth living. Beginning in Chapter 4 each of Job’s (so called) friends offer their explanation of why Job is suffering. Their take: Job sinned and God is correcting/punishing Job who in turn declares his innocence/righteousness. The friends then say even if Job doesn’t know what he did he should just repent. Of course, Job, who is an upright and blameless man, can’t do that. In our reading, and you should probably include 10-15, Job states that he want to go into God’s court and face his accuser (God or Satan?) for an explanation and to give his own testimony knowing that God will then find him innocent. Verses 8-9 states one problem for Job, “Where is God?”
Psalm 22:1-15 – Jesus spoke the first line of this psalm while dying on the cross, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?” It echoes the words of Job in the feeling that God is no longer present to the sufferer. On the one hand the psalmist affirms God’s holiness and all that God has done for Israel. On the other hand the psalmist is enduring many problems at the company of evildoers. Carefully read the entire Psalm 22 and pay attention to the back and forth nature of the psalmist’s words.
Amos 5:6-7, 10-15 – Amos warns the rich that their behavior of not caring for the poor, needy, orphans, widows, and foreigners will bring Israel to ruin. Is the United States of America in need of listening to this prophet? How has the disparity between the wealthy and the poor brought division to our country? Last year’s 99% protests were supposed to highlight the problems but has anything changed? Just yesterday there was an article on the StarTribune highlighting this issue. You can read the story here: "Rich Poor Gap"
Psalm 90:12-17 – Verses 1 and 2 state God’s majesty and eternity. Verses 3-11 then state how people are suffering God’s wrath, “for all our days pass away under your wrath.” Our reading then asks God to show us, teach us, and work in us so that we might know the favor of God.
Hebrews 4:12-16 – Verses 12 and 13 states that the “word of God” is living and active. It pierces our hearts and know all about us. Is this “word of God” the Bible or Jesus or both? If it is the Bible, do we often think that it is static and that our understanding of it ended sometime in the past, say with Augustine, Luther, Calvin, or Wesley? Or is the Bible speaking new things to each generation such that each generation must struggle with their own understanding? Verses 14-16 introduce a prominent theme in Hebrews: Jesus as our Great High Priest who has been tested as we are and remained sin free. This theme will continue for the next three or four weeks.
Mark 10:17-31 – Another difficult reading especially for Americans. Even middle class Americans are wealthier than the majority of the world. (If your personal household annual income is $12,000 and you live alone you are wealthier then 88% of the world. Check your status here: GivingWhatWeCan.org) So, how do our “things”, our possessions, our money, keep us from following Jesus? The young rich man was upright and blameless and lived as God commanded. He would be a good candidate for any of our churches especially if he tithed . Yet Jesus says that he must give everything away to be able to follow him. Oh how we love to rationalize our way around that one. Even the usually clueless disciples recognize the problem. No one can do that. The disciples are the ones who have given up everything to follow: work, homes, and families. Jesus answers that God is able and that they will receive everything back (much like Job at the end of his story) AND eternal life.
Have a great week serving God and neighbor!
Peace in Christ,
Pastor Gary Taylor
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
Readings for Sunday, October 7, 2012
Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,
This Sunday is celebrated in many denominations around the world as “World Communion Sunday”. While not all churches will celebrate, this event should help Christians everywhere understand that Christ’s Church should be (to use the fourfold creedal description) One, Holy, Universal, and Apostolic.
This week we begin a new series of readings in Job and Hebrews and Jesus comments on the abuse of women.
Job 1:1, 2:1-10 – The story of a man who is not even Jewish and doesn’t live in Israel. Some scholars feel that chapters 1 and 2 and chapter 47:7-17 were later additions to a much older story (Job 3-47:6) of suffering and God’s part in it. Notice some of the ironic elements of the opening chapters: Satan is just another angel walking around in the court of God; God gives permission for the deaths of Job’s children; and Job’s wife’s black humor when she tells him that he should just “curse God and die”.
Psalm 26 – This Psalm could be from the mouth of Job. The Psalmist is besieged by an enemy (vs. 9-10), has lived a life in love and devotion to God (vs. 3-8), and desires God to save him (vs. 1-2, 11-12).
Genesis 2:18-24 – The human that God has created need a “suitable companion” or “helper as a partner”. This helper is not to be a subordinate to be dominated but an equal companion to help cultivate and populate the earth. Animals are created and named but none are suitable. God then creates from the one human two people, male and female. Verse 25 adds that they were naked and not ashamed. Why is humanity so ashamed of nakedness?
Psalm 8 – The Psalmist celebrates God’s good creation and humanity’s place within it. When we look at the stars, the sun, and the moon we realize just how insignificant we are in the glorious creation. Yet, God has given us top billing (dominion, rule, stewardship) in that creation, or at least over the creation that we call earth. At one time we equated dominion with domination and we have not been good stewards: garbage all over dry land and the ocean and waterways; species that have be made extinct or are near extinction because of our actions; polluted air; radioactive contamination; multi and super resistant viruses; to name just a few. Have we placed humanity in the role of god over God’s creation?
Hebrews 1:1-4, 2:5-12 – The verses in chapter one may be the essential statement on Jesus being God and at the same time being God’s Son. “This Son is the perfect reflection of God and is the exact imprint of God’s very being.” If we look at Jesus we should see God. If the God we imagine and follow doesn't look like Jesus then perhaps we need to reevaluate the God we believe in. In the second portion of the reading, the writer of Hebrews quotes from Psalm 8. Then Jesus becomes human not to continue human domination of creation but to “taste death for everyone.” It is through Jesus’ death that we have salvation. It is difficult in this reading to discern that God didn't order Jesus’ death or decree his death. But God knew that in becoming human, God, in Jesus, would be put to death by humanity. It is that act of giving himself over to our system of death, Jesus gives us salvation from sin and death. It is a fine, but extremely important distinction.
Mark 10:2-16 – This must be the worst text that could come up on World Communion Sunday, especially the first half. The second section, verses 13-16, in which Jesus takes children into his arms and blesses them might be the better choice on WCS. Remember though, these are not the clean well dressed children that we see in church each week. Think of the snotty nosed, dirt and mud encrusted children of Mumbai or Sao Paulo or any slum of the world today. These are the children that the Kingdom of God belongs to; the lowest on the hierarchy of value in Jesus’ day.
Now back to the first section on divorce. Jesus says that divorce was allowed because humanity is sinful. He is also commenting on how women were abused by the system of divorce in his day. Any MAN could divorce his wife for whatever reason (see Deuteronomy 24:1-4). The woman was kicked out and left destitute. She could either become a beggar or a prostitute or resign herself to slow death. Jesus says that this is wrong and sinful. To use the law to exclude people from full participation in society (remember women were just above children on the hierarchical totem pole) is sinful. For many centuries the church used the words of Jesus here to abuse women by telling them they must stay in destructive, violent, abusive families. To use Jesus’ words (instead of the law) to exclude people from full participation in society (abused women often withdraw from all other helpful relationship due to shame) is sinful. What are the sexual politics that exclude people from full participation in society and other relationships today?
I always have to wrestle with the texts that go against my assumptions, comfort zone, or feeling. I often lose to God. How is your wrestling match going?
May the Lord Bless you always!!!
This Sunday is celebrated in many denominations around the world as “World Communion Sunday”. While not all churches will celebrate, this event should help Christians everywhere understand that Christ’s Church should be (to use the fourfold creedal description) One, Holy, Universal, and Apostolic.
This week we begin a new series of readings in Job and Hebrews and Jesus comments on the abuse of women.
Job 1:1, 2:1-10 – The story of a man who is not even Jewish and doesn’t live in Israel. Some scholars feel that chapters 1 and 2 and chapter 47:7-17 were later additions to a much older story (Job 3-47:6) of suffering and God’s part in it. Notice some of the ironic elements of the opening chapters: Satan is just another angel walking around in the court of God; God gives permission for the deaths of Job’s children; and Job’s wife’s black humor when she tells him that he should just “curse God and die”.
Psalm 26 – This Psalm could be from the mouth of Job. The Psalmist is besieged by an enemy (vs. 9-10), has lived a life in love and devotion to God (vs. 3-8), and desires God to save him (vs. 1-2, 11-12).
Genesis 2:18-24 – The human that God has created need a “suitable companion” or “helper as a partner”. This helper is not to be a subordinate to be dominated but an equal companion to help cultivate and populate the earth. Animals are created and named but none are suitable. God then creates from the one human two people, male and female. Verse 25 adds that they were naked and not ashamed. Why is humanity so ashamed of nakedness?
Psalm 8 – The Psalmist celebrates God’s good creation and humanity’s place within it. When we look at the stars, the sun, and the moon we realize just how insignificant we are in the glorious creation. Yet, God has given us top billing (dominion, rule, stewardship) in that creation, or at least over the creation that we call earth. At one time we equated dominion with domination and we have not been good stewards: garbage all over dry land and the ocean and waterways; species that have be made extinct or are near extinction because of our actions; polluted air; radioactive contamination; multi and super resistant viruses; to name just a few. Have we placed humanity in the role of god over God’s creation?
Hebrews 1:1-4, 2:5-12 – The verses in chapter one may be the essential statement on Jesus being God and at the same time being God’s Son. “This Son is the perfect reflection of God and is the exact imprint of God’s very being.” If we look at Jesus we should see God. If the God we imagine and follow doesn't look like Jesus then perhaps we need to reevaluate the God we believe in. In the second portion of the reading, the writer of Hebrews quotes from Psalm 8. Then Jesus becomes human not to continue human domination of creation but to “taste death for everyone.” It is through Jesus’ death that we have salvation. It is difficult in this reading to discern that God didn't order Jesus’ death or decree his death. But God knew that in becoming human, God, in Jesus, would be put to death by humanity. It is that act of giving himself over to our system of death, Jesus gives us salvation from sin and death. It is a fine, but extremely important distinction.
Mark 10:2-16 – This must be the worst text that could come up on World Communion Sunday, especially the first half. The second section, verses 13-16, in which Jesus takes children into his arms and blesses them might be the better choice on WCS. Remember though, these are not the clean well dressed children that we see in church each week. Think of the snotty nosed, dirt and mud encrusted children of Mumbai or Sao Paulo or any slum of the world today. These are the children that the Kingdom of God belongs to; the lowest on the hierarchy of value in Jesus’ day.
Now back to the first section on divorce. Jesus says that divorce was allowed because humanity is sinful. He is also commenting on how women were abused by the system of divorce in his day. Any MAN could divorce his wife for whatever reason (see Deuteronomy 24:1-4). The woman was kicked out and left destitute. She could either become a beggar or a prostitute or resign herself to slow death. Jesus says that this is wrong and sinful. To use the law to exclude people from full participation in society (remember women were just above children on the hierarchical totem pole) is sinful. For many centuries the church used the words of Jesus here to abuse women by telling them they must stay in destructive, violent, abusive families. To use Jesus’ words (instead of the law) to exclude people from full participation in society (abused women often withdraw from all other helpful relationship due to shame) is sinful. What are the sexual politics that exclude people from full participation in society and other relationships today?
I always have to wrestle with the texts that go against my assumptions, comfort zone, or feeling. I often lose to God. How is your wrestling match going?
May the Lord Bless you always!!!
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Readings for Sunday, September 30, 2012
Hello Everyone,
Today has been a battle of me against the flying insects that seek warmth as the weather gets cooler. So far today I, armed with a trusty flyswatter, have dispatched 1 wasp (a daily occurrence), 2 box elder bugs, and at least a dozen flies. The wasps are so slow that one can swat them out of the air.
Including last Friday, in the next several weeks I will be celebrating the presence of God in the lives of many people. Last Friday we celebrated the life of Isabelle Clasen, 97, with her family. This coming Saturday I will celebrate the wedding of Gina Miller and Mitchell Scott. Then on Sunday Peace United Church celebrates the baptism of Kailey Luebesmier. The weekend of October 13 and 14 will bring the wedding of Becky Tschida and Thomas Willing and the baptism of Henry Fuechtmann, both at Grey Eagle UMC. I praise God for the Spirit’s presence in all our lives and in all times of our lives.
Our readings this week include:
Esther 7:1-6, 9-10, 9:20-22 – This is the only time in the three year lectionary cycle that we read from the book of Esther. Also note that this book does not mention God nor the worship of God. Here is my mini-synopsis of the story of Esther: Many Jews live in exile in Persia (now Iran). King Ahasuerus has a party and wants to show off his beautiful wife, Vashti. She doesn’t come when he summons her. To avoid shame he has her killed. There is a search for a new queen (“Persian Idol” anyone?). Esther, a Jew, wins. Her cousin Mordecai (M) discovers a plot to kill the king. King is saved and M is honored. M tells Esther not to tell King who she is. Haman (H), King A’s advisor, takes a dislike to M and plots to kill all Jews. M find out and pleads with Esther to intervene. Esther throws a party, reveals H’s plot to kill M and all Jews by hanging. King A is angry and orders H to be hanged. All Jews are saved and allowed to kill their enemies. Feast of Purim is instituted. Our reading highlights only Esther’s party, the revelation of the plot, Haman’s death, and the institution of Purim. All the messy stuff is passed over but you can easily read the entire book of Esther in one sitting. Good reading.
Psalm 124 – A psalm celebrating God saving Israel from destruction by their enemies. Memory verse: 124:8, “Our help is in the name of the Lord who made heaven and earth.”
Numbers 11:4-6, 10-16, 24-29 – Short version: the people complain about manna (boring) to Moses, Moses complains about the people to God, and God anoints 70 elders to help Moses. Those 70 prophesy once. Two men not in the meeting of the 70 also prophesy. Joshua complains about them to Moses who says he wished everyone would receive God’s Spirit and prophesy. Are we often like the Israelites and complain about the amount or quality of a gift God has given? Do we look back on the “good old days” and complain about what we have now? Do we complain when someone has some gift of God that we don’t have?
Psalm 19:7-14 – The laws of the Lord are good (stated 6 different ways). Following the laws brings rewards. We had this Psalm two weeks ago. Do you remember the memory verse I mentioned then, verse 14?
James 5:13-20 – We skipped over several good passages in James between last week’s reading and this one. 4:11-12 warns against using the law to judge others. There is only one Judge and we are not it. That would be God. 4:13-17 warns against boasting. 5:1-6 warns against the wealthy who cheat workers and oppress the poor. 5:7-11 exhorts those who suffer to have patience because the Lord is coming. 5:12 is a memory verse. Our verses this week are the closing remarks by James to his church. He exhorts us to pray for the sick, pray for forgiveness, sing praises, and work to bring back those who have left the church. Have you asked a former church member to come back? Have you prayed for forgiveness? Have you sung songs of praise?
Mark 9:38-50 – There are two short passages here. In the first the disciples complain about a non-follower casting out demons using Jesus’ name. The second is Jesus warning the disciples (us?) to not cause children to be scandalized (stumbling block, stumble). Does Jesus mean in a literal sense that we should cut off our hand or foot or eye if they cause us to sin? I wonder how the Biblical Literalists take this passage, although I have never met a one arm, one foot, half blind Christian. Also, you should not verse 40 and compare it to Luke 9:50. Then compare those two verses with Luke 11:23 and Matthew 12:30. Does Luke contradict himself? Does Mark contradict Matthew? Does Mark and Matthew contradict at least one Luke verse? How do we handle Biblical contradictions? Or is it best to live in the tension of the contradictions?
Have a great week as you wrestle with the violence of Esther and the contradictions of the Gospels.
Today has been a battle of me against the flying insects that seek warmth as the weather gets cooler. So far today I, armed with a trusty flyswatter, have dispatched 1 wasp (a daily occurrence), 2 box elder bugs, and at least a dozen flies. The wasps are so slow that one can swat them out of the air.
Including last Friday, in the next several weeks I will be celebrating the presence of God in the lives of many people. Last Friday we celebrated the life of Isabelle Clasen, 97, with her family. This coming Saturday I will celebrate the wedding of Gina Miller and Mitchell Scott. Then on Sunday Peace United Church celebrates the baptism of Kailey Luebesmier. The weekend of October 13 and 14 will bring the wedding of Becky Tschida and Thomas Willing and the baptism of Henry Fuechtmann, both at Grey Eagle UMC. I praise God for the Spirit’s presence in all our lives and in all times of our lives.
Our readings this week include:
Esther 7:1-6, 9-10, 9:20-22 – This is the only time in the three year lectionary cycle that we read from the book of Esther. Also note that this book does not mention God nor the worship of God. Here is my mini-synopsis of the story of Esther: Many Jews live in exile in Persia (now Iran). King Ahasuerus has a party and wants to show off his beautiful wife, Vashti. She doesn’t come when he summons her. To avoid shame he has her killed. There is a search for a new queen (“Persian Idol” anyone?). Esther, a Jew, wins. Her cousin Mordecai (M) discovers a plot to kill the king. King is saved and M is honored. M tells Esther not to tell King who she is. Haman (H), King A’s advisor, takes a dislike to M and plots to kill all Jews. M find out and pleads with Esther to intervene. Esther throws a party, reveals H’s plot to kill M and all Jews by hanging. King A is angry and orders H to be hanged. All Jews are saved and allowed to kill their enemies. Feast of Purim is instituted. Our reading highlights only Esther’s party, the revelation of the plot, Haman’s death, and the institution of Purim. All the messy stuff is passed over but you can easily read the entire book of Esther in one sitting. Good reading.
Psalm 124 – A psalm celebrating God saving Israel from destruction by their enemies. Memory verse: 124:8, “Our help is in the name of the Lord who made heaven and earth.”
Numbers 11:4-6, 10-16, 24-29 – Short version: the people complain about manna (boring) to Moses, Moses complains about the people to God, and God anoints 70 elders to help Moses. Those 70 prophesy once. Two men not in the meeting of the 70 also prophesy. Joshua complains about them to Moses who says he wished everyone would receive God’s Spirit and prophesy. Are we often like the Israelites and complain about the amount or quality of a gift God has given? Do we look back on the “good old days” and complain about what we have now? Do we complain when someone has some gift of God that we don’t have?
Psalm 19:7-14 – The laws of the Lord are good (stated 6 different ways). Following the laws brings rewards. We had this Psalm two weeks ago. Do you remember the memory verse I mentioned then, verse 14?
James 5:13-20 – We skipped over several good passages in James between last week’s reading and this one. 4:11-12 warns against using the law to judge others. There is only one Judge and we are not it. That would be God. 4:13-17 warns against boasting. 5:1-6 warns against the wealthy who cheat workers and oppress the poor. 5:7-11 exhorts those who suffer to have patience because the Lord is coming. 5:12 is a memory verse. Our verses this week are the closing remarks by James to his church. He exhorts us to pray for the sick, pray for forgiveness, sing praises, and work to bring back those who have left the church. Have you asked a former church member to come back? Have you prayed for forgiveness? Have you sung songs of praise?
Mark 9:38-50 – There are two short passages here. In the first the disciples complain about a non-follower casting out demons using Jesus’ name. The second is Jesus warning the disciples (us?) to not cause children to be scandalized (stumbling block, stumble). Does Jesus mean in a literal sense that we should cut off our hand or foot or eye if they cause us to sin? I wonder how the Biblical Literalists take this passage, although I have never met a one arm, one foot, half blind Christian. Also, you should not verse 40 and compare it to Luke 9:50. Then compare those two verses with Luke 11:23 and Matthew 12:30. Does Luke contradict himself? Does Mark contradict Matthew? Does Mark and Matthew contradict at least one Luke verse? How do we handle Biblical contradictions? Or is it best to live in the tension of the contradictions?
Have a great week as you wrestle with the violence of Esther and the contradictions of the Gospels.
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