pastorjohnb

Thoughts and musings on faith and our mighty God!

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Outside the Norms

Reading: Matthew 11:16-19

Verse 17: “We played the pipe for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.”

In today’s passage Jesus is concluding his response to John the Baptist’s inquiry about whether or not Jesus is the one, the Messiah. After speaking of their prophetic ministries in verses 4-11 he turns both to John and to the general audience and asks, “To what can I compare this generation?” In his answer to this question Jesus quotes a song sung in the market by children: “We played the pipe for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.”

Jesus’ ministry was one of welcome and hospitality, of engaging those who needed his saving love. Yes, Jesus taught in the temple and synagogues. But he also touched lepers and blind men and the lame, sending them away singing for joy. He ate with tax collectors and other ‘sinners,’ sharing the love of God in what we might call “low places.” John the Baptist preached repentance from sins and, yes, offered baptism as a sign of a changed life. He fasted and ate honey and wild locusts and lived out in the wilderness. Both John and Jesus ministered in ways far outside the norms.

Jesus’ ministry of love and joy, of welcome and acceptance, was likened to the flute played at weddings. Many in his generation refused to dance along with Jesus. John’s ministry was challenging and hard, calling people to look within, much like we do at funerals. This same generation refused to sing along with John’s call to holy and devout living. Jesus was dismissed as a “glutton and drunkard” while John was dismissed as one possessed by a “demon.”

Today in our generation people reject Jesus, God, faith… We too are called outside the walls of the church, outside the social and religious norms, and into the places that John Wesley called “vile” – all to find opportunities to share the good news of Jesus Christ with a world in need. In faith and trust may we too go forth to share the love of Christ with the least, the lost, and the lonely. May it be so.

Prayer: Lord God, drive us outside of the comfortable and the easy. Lead us to the questionable places and people, bringing with us a song of faith and hope and joy and love. Give us the strength to enter those hard places – places of loss, grief, change – in order to bring new life. Use us today, O Lord. Amen.


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Heavenly Rewards

Reading: Luke 10:16-20

Verse 17: “The 72 returned with joy and said, ‘Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.'”

The second half of this week’s Luke passage begins with Jesus connecting himself to the disciples and both to God. After sending them out with these final words, they return full of joy over all that they have done. One thing seems to stand out for the disciples. In verse 17 they exclaim, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.” Even the evil powers of this world submit in Jesus’ name. What a powerful time!

Next Jesus joins the celebration. Yes, he says, he saw “Satan fall like lightning” each time they cast out a demon, each time they healed someone and restored them to community. This power to overcome continues to be something that Jesus offers. In our trials, in our battles, in our sufferings – Jesus offers to be with us and to give us all we need to get through.

The passage ends with a ‘however.’ But it is a good however. Jesus reminds the 72 that as cool as it is that the demons submitted, it is way cooler that their faithful witness has written their names in heaven. Their faithful work here on earth has saved lives. However, the true worth is found in the heavenly reward. This too is true for us. As we witness to our faith, helping others to connect to Jesus’ love and healing, we know that we too will one day receive eternal life. Thanks be to God!

Prayer: Lord God, whatever comes my way, I know that you will be right there with me. And whatever opportunity you provide to witness to your power and love, you will be right there with me. Thank you Lord for your abiding presence. Amen.


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Even the Dogs

Reading: Mark 7: 24-30

Verse 28: “Yes, Lord, but even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.”

Photo credit: Charles Deluvio

At the start of our passage Jesus and the disciples travel to Tyre, a city along the coast north of Israel. Jesus is looking for some rest as they enter a house hoping no one notices. Yet even in this Gentile land the rumors of Jesus have crept in. Scholars believe that some from this region would have traveled to see this Jesus. Because of all this, “he could not keep his presence secret.” A woman, a Gentile, comes and falls at his feet, begging Jesus to heal her demon-possessed little daughter.

While on an attempted getaway someone wants Jesus to be Jesus, the Son of God, the healer. We’ve all been interrupted on vacation. We know what it is like. Add in the inherent cultural bias present in almost all Jew-Gentile interaction and this was a hard request for Jesus to receive. After all, he was partly human. In an attempt to dismiss her, Jesus says these words: “First let the children eat all they want”. He came to save the lost sheep of Israel, the children of God, the chosen ones. Let him care for them first. To add haste to her possible departure, Jesus continues, saying, “for it is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to their dogs.” The Jewish-Gentile antagonism that was all around Jesus slips out of his lips as he calls her and her people a “dog.” The Jews saw the Samaritans and others from the north as half-breeds and often called them dogs or worse.

We’ve all been really tired and in need of rest. We’ve all been interrupted when it was annoying or inconvenient or frustrating or… Some of those times I have not been the most gracious. I have said things or responded in ways that I am not proud of. Perhaps you have too. I think Jesus did this day. But the woman’s belief in Jesus as the healer and her love for her daughter is greater. The dismissive words and the insult do not deter her. She says, “Yes, Lord, but even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.” But you can heal my daughter. But you are here right now. But even us Gentiles deserve a little bit of God’s mercy.

Jesus is moved. For such faith the daughter is healed. He tells her to go home, the demon is gone. It is as Jesus said as the woman returns to her daughter. As we will also see later in the week, Jesus was not just for the Jews or is not just for Christians today. His love and care extends to the ends of the earth, covering all people in his grace. The challenge for us as followers of Jesus Christ is to allow the Spirit to work within us too, leading us to love as Jesus loved. May it be so – even when we are tired, even when the other isn’t ‘ours’ or isn’t just like us!

Prayer: Lord God, give me the strength and the courage to love well, no matter the situation, no matter how I feel. Always fill me with your love and grace so that I have plenty to offer. Amen.


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Who Matters Most?

Reading: Mark 1: 29-39

Verse 35: “Very early in the morning… Jesus got up… went off to a solitary place, where he prayed”.

Photo credit: Cathryn Lavery

We are still in chapter one of Mark’s gospel. Much has already happened – John the Baptist prepared the way and baptized Jesus, Jesus is tempted by Satan, the first disciples are called, and then Jesus teaches and drives out a demon. And chapter one is not even over! Each of these events could be a whole chapter. Mark moves along at a quick pace, providing just enough detail for us to follow his story of Jesus. Sometimes life feels like this, doesn’t it? There will be stretches where it feels like we move from one thing to the next to the next…

After all of the busyness of ministry, it is not surprising that we read these words in verse 35: “Very early in the morning… Jesus got up… went off to a solitary place, where he prayed”. Jesus got up when everyone else was sleeping and slipped off to a quiet place. It has been a late night healing many and driving out many demons. Sleeping in would have probably felt good. But Jesus had a deeper need, a spiritual need. Having given much over that last few days he needed to reconnect to God, to be filled up by time with God, to be in conversation with God. Prayer is not meant to be a monologue but an enriching and fulfilling conversation. Considering Jesus’ example, it begs the question: do we follow? Do we take time each day to find our solitary place to connect with the Lord our God? Do we dedicate the time and energy to read and meditate on his word, to consider how God’s word applies to our life? Do we spend some uninterrupted quiet time talking with God each day?

Busyness is one of our greatest challenges on our journey of faith. Saying “no” or “later” to God’s call in big and small ways is so often rooted in our busyness. Listening to a quick podcast or audio devotional while driving to work or school is how many try and wedge in some God time. Uttering a quick prayer walking from the car to the office, school,… suffices for our daily prayer time. Did Jesus just pray as he and the disciples traveled to the next village? It did not matter one bit that the disciples said, “Everyone is looking for you” when they found him. Jesus knew who and what mattered most. May it be so for you and for me.

Prayer: Lord God, day by day connect me to you. Day by day meet me in the quiet and dark. Day by day whisper your words of life into my heart and soul. Day by day fill me with more and more of you. Amen.


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All Over Town

Reading: Luke 8: 37-39

Verse 39: “Return home and tell how much God has done for you”.

Fear has been a common theme this week. Elijah’s fear drove him into the wilderness. Fear runs throughout this passage from Luke 8. Fear led the townspeople to first bind the demon-possessed man and then to drive him away when he kept breaking the chains. The demons inside the man fear Jesus more than another fear – being sent back the the Abyss. The townspeople fear Jesus, asking him to leave rather than risk the change he may work in their lives. The man who was healed also faces fear once again. It is the same fear that Elijah must have felt after he encountered God and was being sent back to the work of prophet.

The man only sits for a little while at Jesus’ feet before those who had driven him away come to drive Jesus away. He seeks a new community with Jesus and his disciples, begging to go with them. But God has a different plan for his newfound life. Instead of coming along, Jesus says to him, “Return home and tell how much God has done for you”. Jesus reminds the man of the power of God that has just brought him freedom. The man who had long been captive to demons was now free. The power of God is enough to lead him to do just what Jesus asked him to do. The man returned to his town and “told all over town how much Jesus had done for him”.

The truth of a changed life makes a powerful witness. The words of healing and restoration that come from the one who was made whole again can change lives. We have all found freedom in Christ. Our story may not be about being freed from something that possessed us, but it might be. It might be about the freedom we found in surrendering control to Jesus. It might be about the new life we found when we let go of our anger or pride or greed. We have all found freedom in Christ. We all have a story to tell that shares how much Jesus has done for us. May we claim our story and may we too share it all over town.

Prayer: God, thank you for grabbing ahold of me and making me new again. I was once lost, but you found me too. May I ever share the good news of what Jesus has done and continues to do for me. Amen.


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Freedom and Wholeness

Reading: Luke 8: 26-38

Verse 27: “When Jesus stepped ashore, he was met by a demon-possessed man”.

Our story today is a story of fear. The demoniac is afraid of what Jesus might do to him and the townspeople are afraid of the same thing. Our story today follows another story of fear. In a raging squall the disciples fear they will die. Jesus is awakened and he calms the storm. He then asks the disciples, “Where is your faith”?

In verse 27 we read, “When Jesus stepped ashore, he was met by a demon-possessed man”. The man is possessed by demons, so we can say he has no faith. Yet the demons recognize Jesus and the power that he has over them. If the man himself were able to speak, he would surely plead with Jesus to free him from this legion of demons. But the man is not in control. He has not been for a long time. Now the demons realize that they are not in control.

We read in our passage that at first the townspeople tried to chain the demon-possessed man hand and foot and kept him under guard. But the chains were broken over and over and then demons drove the man to live in isolation out in the “solitary places” – the tombs outside of town. The townspeople probably really appreciated this, except when they had a burial. Then they would have to once again encounter the demoniac. It is by no coincidence that Jesus goes where the world would rather not go. Jesus meets the man right where he is at, both physically and spiritually.

The demons fear Jesus’ power and rightly so. They do not want to return to the Abyss, so they beg to be sent into the pigs. Rather than return to hell, the demons end their existence by drowning themselves in the lake. Mercifully, Jesus allows this. The man is free. The townspeople find him clean, dressed, and sitting at Jesus’ feet, listening. It is an amazing restoration to wholeness that leads to fear of Jesus, not to engagement or even interest on the part of the townspeople. They ask Jesus to leave.

Sometimes the power of Jesus feels like too much. The Bible is full of these stories. We were once at this point ourselves. Many are there today. The idea of freedom in Christ is a little enticing but the power of wealth or the draw of the addiction or the fear of surrender is too great. We know folks who are struggling to take that step towards Jesus. Unlike the demons in our story, their demon tells them that Jesus has no power, that Jesus cannot make them whole again. May we be willing to cross that “lake”, to go to them where and how they are, to share our Jesus and the story of how he set us free.

Prayer: Lord, give me the courage to go across that lake, to be willing to engage those that others would rather not. Grant me words of healing and hope. Amen.


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Sides of Jesus

Reading: Mark 1: 29-39

Verse 32: “The people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed”.

Today in this section of Mark 1 we continue to see a Jesus who reveals His power and authority through teaching and healing yet also seeks to remain a bit private. Leaving the teaching time at the synagogue, Jesus and the four disciples retire to Simon and Andrew’s house for the night. Upon arriving Jesus takes the initiative to go and heal Simon’s sick mother-in-law. It is an act of love. Despite their going to a private home, soon enough people begin to arrive in large numbers. Our text indicates that “the whole town” gathers. Verse 32 tells us, “The people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed”. Jesus heals and drives out demons in what must have been a long night. In these actions the power and authority of Jesus are very much on display. Yet at the same time He does not allow the demons to speak because they know who He truly is. It is not yet time to make or take the ‘Son of God’ claim.

In the morning we again see the private side of Jesus as He rises very early in the morning and slips off alone to find a place to pray. In this private and personal time Jesus connects to God. Prayer is a necessary thing that Jesus does regularly with God. His growing fame ends this peaceful and intimate time with God as people are searching for the public Jesus. Jesus willingly return to the public to teach and heal, stating, “That is why I came”.

We connect to both sides of Jesus that we see in today’s passage. At times we seek His healing touch to make us well and whole again. At times we seek out Jesus as our example of how to love others as God loves us. At times we go to the Jesus who can expel demons, seeking relief from that sin or temptation we can’t quite overcome. And at times, we seek to be the prayerful Jesus, resting in God’s peace and presence, soaking in His love and grace. In these ways, Jesus is many wonderful things to us. Thanks be to God for the multitude of gifts that Jesus is to us.


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Freedom

Reading: Luke 8: 26-39

Jesus frees the man from his demons but at a large cost to the community.  The man possessed by demons had lived outside of town for many years.  Everyone knew he was out there in the caves and they were okay with this arrangement.  Sometimes it is nice when trouble is far away.  For the man, he had lived for many years with a legion of demons inside him.  To be restored to wholeness must have been amazing for him.   No wonder he asked if he too could follow Jesus.

The restoration of the man troubled the people of the town.  The huge financial loss from the pigs drowning would greatly affect the social order of the community.  The people without income from the pigs would now need to be cared for by the community.  This would be a large burden to bear.  The man who was healed would also need to fit back into the community.  Change is hard.

Jesus also offers us freedom.  He offers to free us from all that entangles our lives and that keeps us from relationship with God.  For some it is a sin that they have long lived with.  It has become comfortable.  For others is it something now seen as sin as one matures in their faith.  They too can be somewhat comfortable with this sin.  We rationalize this because change is hard and it requires work.  It requires a social reordering of our lives.  It means modifying our behavior and learning a new way to live.  But like the demon-possessed man reveals, freedom brings great reward.  May we trust into the freedom that Jesus Christ offers, knowing that He wants the most for us.  May we give to Him all that He wants to take.