Pastor's Blog

Lenten Comments- Day 25

Wednesday, March 21st
Mark 10:17-31 (Comments on Lent for Everyone by N.T. Wright)

    The story about Jesus’ encounter with the rich man often makes many of us squirm. In a number of Bible studies that I have led on this passage, the discussion will always seem to focus on how unfair and unrealistic Jesus’ demand was on the rich man by commanding him to “sell all your possessions and give it to the poor. You will have treasure in heaven. Then; come and follow me.” The conclusion that Christians often come to here is that Jesus’ command of the rich man is a blanket command to all of us before we can follow him. John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, did not interpret the scripture in this way; otherwise he wouldn’t have come up with the motto for Methodists that they should “Earn all they can, save all they can, and give away all they can. We can sight scriptures in which Jesus does not require people to give away all they have before they can follow him.
    So what makes this rich man different from the others whom Jesus encountered? He certainly seemed sincere enough when he asked Jesus what he must do to inherit eternal life. He was faithful in following the commandments of Moses. Mark says that Jesus looked at this man with eyes of love as he told him what he still lacked. The man could not do what Jesus commanded and went away sad. How can Jesus say he loved him and yet allowed him to walk away? Could he not have said, come on board and we will work something out. What made this rich man’s situation different was not the fact that he was wealthy, but he was defined by his wealth. He wasn’t so much one who loved God and happened to be wealthy. He was described and defined as a rich man. Riches can be a blessing if we clearly see ourselves as stewards of God’s creation. But so often, we mistakenly come to consider riches as our possessions.
    Wesley was very emphatic that Methodists give away all they can. Excess surplus can eat away at our spiritual love and devotion to God and our love and connection with our neighbor. The tithe of giving 10% of one’s income or produce became the Biblical measuring rod for faithfulness. But this doesn’t mean that the other 90% can be used at our discretion. God is the owner of everything and we are his stewards. The fact that Methodists give on average only 2.5% of their income to the ministry of the church today says something about our spiritual state these days. Of that 2.5%, only about 2% of it goes to reach the poor in other lands.
    I believe that the question that faced the rich man is the same question that we face us as American Christians because many of us have quite a bit more than just the bare minimum to survive and live. Do you have riches, or do riches have you? The conclusion that you draw can have a profound impact on your future walk with Christ.

Lenten Comments- Day 24

Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Mark 10:1-12 (Comments on Lent for Everyone by N.T. Wright)

     This passage which includes Jesus’ words on divorce are very troubling words. Divorcees that I have spoken to and counseled with through the years understand this scripture simply as one of condemnation. I quite frankly don’t blame them for their conclusion. Christ’s forgiveness and mercy seem to be noticeably absent here. The context of this passage is very helpful to us in how we can interpret these words for our situation today. The Pharisees ask Jesus whether it is lawful for a man to divorce his wife. Their main purpose is here is to try to trick Jesus into saying something that would get him in trouble with the religious authorities or with Herod. Jesus most certainly heard the news about John the Baptist’s fate after John condemned Herod for divorcing his wife so that he could marry his brother’s wife Herodias. If Jesus condemns divorce, the Pharisees can squeal to Herod and perhaps Jesus would be facing the same fate as John. Jesus does not fall for their trick. He tells them that Moses required them to have a certificate of divorce because of their hardness of heart. God’s intention for marriage is not that you (my words here) dump your wife when you find someone better. You don’t discard them like tissue paper. God’s intention for marriage is that two persons come together and unite as one flesh in mutual love and caring. Jesus said, “what God has brought together let no one separate.”
     Jesus’ words about divorce do not come until he is out of earshot from the Pharisees and alone with his disciples. As Wright points out, Jesus is most likely referring to Herod and people like Herod when he spoke about divorce. I don’t believe that Jesus was attempting to cover every possible scenario here when it comes to divorce and broken relationships. I’ve heard about horror stories about pastors telling abused wives to go back to their husbands and reconcile with them because divorce is not an option. I don’t think God is jumping for joy in heaven just because two miserable people have stuck it out in marriage for 40 years. Marriage is about a joyous, loving, and growing union. I’ve heard divorced people tell me that it was their full intention to be married to their spouse for a lifetime. Our intention might be to live lives of perfect obedience to the Lord. But we know that life is also about sin and brokenness.
     Our United Methodist Church acknowledges that we fall short of the glory of God in our relationship with Him and with one another. This brokenness of life also includes broken marriages. We do not advocate divorce as a first option. But we understand that when a marriage is broken that both persons need the healing presence and mercy of the Lord to help them pick up the pieces and begin again. I’m personally grateful that my dad, a divorcee, did not hesitate marrying my mom for fear of being forever condemned as an adulterer; otherwise I wouldn’t be enjoying this gift of life I’ve been given. I believe in light of Christ’s mercy and forgiveness that we witness throughout the Gospels that Christ also offers us a new start when our marriages do not end up the way we had originally intended.

Lenten Comments-Day 23

Monday- March 19, 2012
Mark 9:33-40 (Comments on Lent for Everyone by N.T. Wright)

     Parents can get pretty frustrated when their children just don't seem to understand the lessons and values they are trying to teach and instill in them. Children are told to do a particular task and then when a parent approaches them later to find out why they failed to do as told, they will either say they forgot or they will simply shrug their shoulders. It's as if their brains decided, like a computer monitor, to enter into sleep mode. Some lessons take time to sink in.
     So is the story for Jesus' disciples. Jesus had just told them that the Son of Man would be betrayed into human hands and they would kill him. But they didn't seem to understand. What did they not understand? In these verses, the disciples are playing the old status game which was a popular one in their time. Who is the greatest among them? They were even making comparisons between themselves and those outside their group. They had informed Jesus that someone was performing acts in his name and that they had tried to stop him. Why had they tried to stop the man? I'm sure that they believed that they were being faithful to their Teacher. It is clear that they thought that no one outside of their company could have the authority and power to heal in Christ's name. These words are such a timely warning for the church today when it is tempted to think that God cannot work outside of its parameters.
     Could Jesus have lifted up a more fitting example for them to see what servant-hood is about than that of a child? Not that a child is perfect by any stretch of the imagination. If you want status and honor, you must mingle with those who can bring you this distinction. A child, especially in Jesus' time, could bring you no such honor. As Wright points out, they are utterly unconcerned about status and hierarchy. They live in the present moment. So in welcoming this child who can't benefit you, you are welcoming Christ and in welcoming Christ, you are welcoming the one who sent him. I know that this act is easier said than done. Discipleship is about learning the hard lesson of Christ-like humility. For slow learners like me, this desire can take a lifetime to realize.

Lenten Comments- Day 19

Wednesday- Day 19
Mark 7:24-29 (Comments on Lent for Everyone by N.T. Wright)

    Today’s scripture of the encounter between Jesus and the Gentile woman of Syrophoenician origin is one of Jesus’ hard and difficult sayings. A woman approaches Jesus and pleads with him to heal her demon possessed daughter. Jesus responds by calling her a dog; “let the children be fed first; for it is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs. “ I have heard a variety of explanations for Jesus’ response. One such explanation tries to downplay the harshness of this term by suggesting that the word for dog actually means “puppy”. Jesus was using this term in an affectionate and teasing way. But most scholars would agree that this word does not mean “puppy”. Dogs back then ry were not the typical household pets of today. These animals were seen as mangy and repulsive similar to how most people might view city rats today. Jews had viewed foreigners with a great deal of suspicion. They had a long history of being kicked around and influenced by foreign powers.
     I would hate to think that Jesus was sharing this same prejudice by using this term. We have enough intolerance and prejudice today against those who are different from us. We don’t need any potential ammunition for our views based on something Jesus had said.
    What happens at the end of their encounter shows that Jesus’ words to her are not about his own prejudice and hatred. The woman responds, “Sir, even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.” If you hold another people with contempt, a response such as this woman’s will not necessarily change your viewpoint. You’ll tell them to go beg off and leave you alone. But Jesus told her, “well said, off you go; the demon has left your daughter. This woman had trusted in Jesus and he healed her daughter from afar. I think Wright points in the right direction when he suggests that Jesus’ words have more to do with his mission than with any personal ill feelings he had toward foreigners. Jesus’ mission is first with the house of Israel, not because Jews were superior to others, but because this was part of God’s overall plan for the world. We cannot begin to understand Jesus’ ministry and mission unless we can see it in the context of his Jewish heritage. He is the fulfillment of the law and the prophets before him. The first Christians were Jewish Christians that were moved by God to share the message of Christ with the world. But first, Jesus has come to bring forth a new Israel; renewal and healing will not come to the world until Jesus has fulfilled his mission and fulfilled the promises that God had made to his spiritual ancestors: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. There will come a time when Jesus will tell his disciples to go and make disciples, not just around Jerusalem or Galilee, but of all nations.

Lenten Comments- Day 18

Tuesday- Day 18
Mark 7:14-23 (Comments on Lent for Everyone by N.T. Wright)

Jesus tells the crowd in this passage that there is nothing that can go into a person from the outside that will make them unclean. Jesus is referring to the Jewish food laws that he and the disciples chose not to follow. Wright refers to the food laws as signposts. The food laws helped to make the Jews a distinctive people set apart from their pagan neighbors, the Gentiles. They followed the food laws because they sought to live upright and pure lives for God. Jesus does not take them to task for wanting to live pure lives. One of Jesus' beatitudes is "blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God." The real obstacle of living in purity according to Jesus is not what goes into us, but what comes out of us from within our hearts. Evil intentions such as greed, slander, envy, pride, adultery come from within our hearts and this is what makes us unclean in God's eyes.
Jesus did not provide us a laundry list of evil intentions just to keep us languishing in guilt. His life, death, and resurrection suggests that he Purity; he is the one who can not only put to death those forces that keep us from embracing life, but he is the one who brings us the fullness of that life we so much desire. Personally, I don't have a problem with signposts in our faith. To the extent that the spiritual practices can focus our hearts upon God and help us to turn towards God, I believe they are helpful. Problems occur when we consciously or unconsciously substitute those signposts towards living a godlike life with Purity itself. God is the one who ultimately sustains and strengthens us and transforms us spiritually from the inside out through His Son, Jesus.

Lenten Comments- Day 17

Monday- Day 17
Mark 7:1-13 (Comments on Lent for Everyone by N.T. Wright)

The Gospels contain numerous stories in which the Pharisees confront, question and oppose Jesus. Based on Jesus’ quote from Isaiah, “they honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me”, we might conclude that the Pharisees were nothing but a bunch of religious hypocrites. But I believe that these Pharisee would have been shocked by such a charge. It took a great commitment and devotion for one to become part of the Pharisee party. They were the neighborhood watch group of Judaism. They sought to protect Judaism from the onslaught and influences of polytheism that many of the foreign powers such as Rome had believed and practiced. They also sought to bring a spiritual renewal across Judaism amidst the growing corruption of the priesthood and Temple practices. They were devoted to loving God with all their heart, mind, and soul evidenced by their commitment to faithfully keep all of God’s commandments. The problem that Jesus foresaw is that their devotion led them to become slaves of their rules instead leading them to be open to God’s steadfast love, mercy and guidance.

The spiritual discipline of following God is not only about us and our end of the commitment. It is about being open to God who strengthens and changes and transforms us into the people we have been created to be. There is nothing inherently wrong with wanting to preserve and protect one’s religious identity. What we can learn from this scripture is about the need to distinguish between those essential practices that enable and free us to “love God” and “to love neighbor” and our own human traditions. Otherwise we become beholden to our way of doing things rather than to be open to the Spirit’s power that shapes our liturgical life and overall spiritual well-being.

Lenten Comments-Day 15

Friday- Day 15
Mark 6:45-52 (Comments on Lent for Everyone by N.T. Wright)

     It never seems to fail. You have just experienced a spiritual high; things are coming together for you and then all of a sudden you’re facing a problem. The disciples had just witnessed Jesus feeding a multitude of people. It was mind boggling experience for them. They had attempted earlier to persuade Jesus to send the people into the villages so that they could get themselves something to eat. They were so certain that they had nowhere near the resources on hand to meet the needs of that crowd. But Jesus had proved them wrong.
    So when Jesus informed them that they should get in the boat to sail to Bethsaida, I imagined they felt pretty good about their situation. Jesus had just solved a big problem and was clearly the one in charge. It’s smooth sailing ahead, so they thought. But they encountered a strong headwind that made it very difficult to row ahead. Besides that, they saw Jesus walking on the water past the boat and they were scared silly. Then they heard those familiar words of Jesus that they would hear on other occasions as well, “Don’t be afraid, it is I .” “I am with you. The fact is that Jesus does not prevent the headwinds of life from blowing against us. What happened to the disciples leads me to wonder, “Will I ever get it right? Will we ever get it, right? Are we permanently unable to understand Jesus and what he is calling us to do and to be? Perhaps, we are called not to perfectly understand what’s before us. We are going to become overwhelmed when the waters or the winds seem to be overtaking us. What the real issue for us is our willingness and capacity to keep going and keep listening for the voice in the midst of our struggles who tells us, “Do not be afraid, I will see you through.”

Lenten Comments- Day 14

 Jesus’ feeding of the multitude with food Thursday- Day 14
Mark 6:30-44 (Comments on Lent for Everyone by N.T. Wright)

Our ability to use our minds to think critically and to reason is a wonderful gift from God. God’s gift of reason enables us to think through theological issues with deeper clarity and integrity. Reason gives us the ability to distinguish between religious superstition and deeper spiritual truths. But sometimes, reason can get in the way of our appreciation and understanding of a text. Today’s scripture of Jesus’ feeding of the 5000 is a case in point. How was Jesus able to feed that large multitude with just five loaves and two fish? The whole scenario seems preposterous to reasonable thinking people, so we are tempted to come up with some logical explanation for what really happened that day. Perhaps, this act was communion meal where people are given small bits of bread and Jesus filled and sustained them spiritually. Another explanation is that Jesus by his willingness to feed the crowd with what he had inspired a spirit of generosity and sharing from the crowd. Perhaps many people did have something in their knapsacks after all and now they were inspired to share them with others so that all could be fed.
The act of sharing and our generosity is a wonderful thing, but hardly Mark’s main point in including this story.
Jesus’ feeding of the multitude with food leftovers remaining reveals to us of the abundant and extravagant generosity of God. God’s generosity is able to provide us all we need and then some. Our eyes could be opened to this miracle if we just spent some time in quiet pondering this miracle instead of trying to flatten its impact by trying to explain it all away. I know that God calls me to share and to generous, but how small and empty this world would be if all it had to rely upon was my generosity. God has a way of expanding and enlarging and deepening our appreciation of the miracle of life and our sense of hope towards the future. Before God ever blesses us with these gifts, God looks at us through the eyes of Jesus with eyes of compassion because we are like sheep without a shepherd. The true shepherd will never abandon us, but will always seek, as the Psamist says, to lead his flock to green pastures; to lead us to the fullness of life.

Lenten Comments- Day 13

Wednesday- Day 13
Mark 6:14-29 (Comments on Lent for Everyone by N.T. Wright)

The rather detailed and saucy story of the death of John the Baptist seems to be a strange interruption in the flow of Mark's Gospel. Up this to point, the focus has been on Jesus and his many healings. One thing that we should keep in mind when reading the Gospel accounts. The writer's have a particular purpose in mind for the stories they include and the particular arrangement of those stories. The cross takes center stage in Mark's Gospel. You cannot understand Jesus or his mission until you have witnessed the death of Jesus. This is perhaps why the disciples seem to misunderstand Jesus' teachings more often in this Gospel as compared with Matthew, Luke, and John.
As out of place as this story of John's death may appear, it offers a foreboding prelude to the death of Jesus. We find parallels in both the deaths of John and Jesus. In both accounts, those in charge of protecting or releasing them give in to political pressure. According to the story, Herod was somewhat fearful of John because of the following he had and might have released him, but had him beheaded instead because of a promise he made to an enticing young woman. In Jesus' situation, Pontius Pilate did not have any personal animosity towards Jesus and held the power to set him free. But he ended up giving into the crowd's demands (stirred up by the Jewish authorities who wanted Jesus killed) to release Barabbus and crucify Jesus.
What can we, who are called to take up our cross for Jesus, learn from the events surrounding John and Jesus' deaths. We can learn that those in power often will do the politically expedient and safe thing as opposed to the right thing (which is often the harder or more unpopular path). Jesus faced this same temptation in the wilderness when he refused to do the politically popular act of turning stones into bread. Caiaphus, the High Priest sums up this position nicely, "It is better that one man (even if he is innocent) die for the people than to have the whole nations destroyed." The bottom line is that we should expect some opposition, attacks, and suffering if we faithfully follow Jesus. Not everyone will necessarily love us for trying to do things God's way, especially when it involves seeking God's justice in the world.

Lenten Comments- Day 12

Tuesday- Day 12
Mark 5:25-34 (Comments on Lent for Everyone by N.T. Wright)

This scripture passage calls attention to the mysterious connection between faith and healing. A woman has been experiencing internal bleeding for twelve years. None of the physicians she had visited could help her. Their treatment plans just made things worse. In her state of desperation, she decided to find this one called Jesus. She had heard about his reputation as a healer. She believed if she could just touch his robe that she would be healed. Lo and behold she was right. As soon as she touched his robe, she felt and change within her and knew that she had been cured. She probably had thought since there were many people surrounding Jesus, at the time, that her touch would go unnoticed. But Jesus had felt power had gone out of him. So, he persisted to find out who touched him when the woman fell before Jesus confessing what she had done. "My daughter, your faith has rescued you (other translations use "made you well" or "saved you"). Be healed of your illness.
      How shall we understand Jesus' words, "your faith has rescued or made you well." Is faith required before Jesus can help us? There are stories in which a person's faith was not required or was not apparent before Jesus healed them.
     I have no doubt that there is a connection between our faith and wellness. How wonderful it was that this woman was set free from a disease that had kept her in bondage. Wright points out that God does want us to participate in our healing and in living for Him and serving Him. But I get a bit concerned when people treat faith as it were their own possession or if it were something that they controlled. I have heard some say that if so and so just had a stronger faith that Jesus could heal them. Faith is a gift from God to be used for God's glory. I also liken faith to a simple childlike trust. Trust for me means a "letting go", a submitting to God's presence and power. The power still belongs to God, but when we cooperate, when we trust, we are opening ourselves to this channel of blessing, peace and power. This may appear to be a rather passive approach, but what it ultimately means for us is that our acknowledgement that the results of my faith are not ultimately in my control. The results or consequences of my faith may not be what I expected, but that is where real trust kicks in. We live by faith and not by sight and we have to believe that in the end God will bring about what is best for us and for all His people.

Lenten Comments- Day 11

Monday- Day 11
Mark 5:1-20 (Comments on Lent for Everyone by N.T. Wright)

I find this to be a most puzzling scripture. Jesus travels to a foreign land where he encounters a man who is being tormented by a legion (his name is Legion) of unclean spirits. A Roman legion consisted of around 6000 soldiers. Jesus called the unclean spirit out of the man, but not before granting the spirit permission to go into the herd of pigs. The pigs then drove down the slope into the sea and were drowned, all 2,000 of them. I’m not going to even attempt to answer why the spirit were given permission to invade the pigs, instead of just being sent into the abyss. The fact that Jews were not allowed to eat pork seems to be a pretty weak argument for Jesus’ consent, since the farmers raising these pigs were most likely Gentiles, rather than Jews.
N.T. Wright maintains that this passage needs to be understood on two or three different levels. Those who believe that the Bible is basically a set of nice moral rules and instructions for living need to turn to passages like this one and get thoroughly confused and perplexed by its message
    This passage reminds me of some of the stories I have heard through the years about persons suffering from mental illness. Some have been helped by the medications and treatments they have received and been able to live a seemingly normal life. There are others, however, who don’t seem to get any better, no matter what kind of treatments that doctors and psychiatrists try to prescribe for them. They are often tormented by the voices they hear and the inner confusion and chaos they experience. So often, the physical side effects of the medications can be very detrimental to these persons. I realize that people are not machines and there’s much about life that still remains a mystery to us, especially in understanding the path towards health and wholeness. I have agonized in prayer for these tormented people and wondered if they are simply beyond help in this life. 
      This passage gives me the hope that no matter how bleak a situation may be in life, God cares for us and will not abandon us and so we should not give up either in our pursuit of healing and wholeness either. I would give anything to see the faces of those fellow country folk who saw this man fully restored. When such a thing happens, one can’t help but to be in awe of what God can really do through Jesus, our risen Lord.

Lenten Comments- Day 10

Saturday- Day 10
Mark 8:31-38 (Comments on Lent for Everyone by N.T. Wright)

"You just have to use some common sense", is something my parents used to tell me whenever they felt I was acting a bit thoughtless or impetuous. The ability to make sound decisions, which is what common sense points towards serves us well most of the time. But there are times when common sense can actually get in the way of living a faithful life as strange as that may sound to us. Mark 8:31-38 in many ways defies common sense. Jesus informs his disciples that his future will include suffering and death. Of course the disciple did not want to hear this kind of talk. Their teacher is the leader of a movement called the Kingdom of God. How could they possibly carry on this movement without him. It defied common sense on how his death could serve any purpose in promoting this movement. The movement would most likely die with his death. So, no wonder Peter tried to convince Jesus otherwise. N.T. Wright said that if it were up to the devil, Jesus would live to an old age do a few nice things and then die in obscurity. But Jesus' purpose was more than just being a good Boy Scout. He was taking on the forces of sin and death and it would take his own death to defuse and defeat the power of evil.
      As followers of Jesus, we are also expected to "take up our cross" which means we are also called to put our lives on the line for Jesus. This kind of path defies common sense as well. Common sense tells us to live the quiet life; don't try to rock the boat; don't be too extreme or otherwise you will be labeled a religious fanatic. But there are times when we are called to defy the messages around us and take up our cross for Christ even in the face of criticism, opposition or rejection. Knowing how to respond to life's challenges isn't easy, but we need to keep an ear open to the Shepherd's voice, which may at times lead us away what others may think is the common sense (safe) thing to do.

Lenten Comments-Day 10

Friday- Day 10 (Comments on Lent for Everyone by N.T. Wright)
Mark 4:35-41

     One of the things I really treasure about the Gospels is that the writers are interested in more than just giving us an historical account of Jesus of Nazareth. Their primary purpose in writing their Gospel account is to reveal to us that this historical Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, in whom we should believe and follow as his disciples. Mark is writing to a community struggling to be faithful to Christ in the midst of persecution. He wants to give them the assurance that through all of their tests and trials, Jesus has not abandoned or deserted them. Today’s scripture is a powerful illustration of Jesus’ promise to be with us and to protect and guide us in our journey of discipleship. Jesus was right there in the boat with the disciples when the storm hit, but they still panicked. They still felt overwhelmed. Jesus calmed the sea and in so doing gave them the reassurance that they will never have to go about their discipleship alone
     We often forget in the midst of our trials and challenges that the risen Jesus is with us. The boat has long been a symbol of the church. We as the church face various storms. We may not face persecution like Christians in other lands, but in some respects, our challenges to share the good news of Christ may be just as challenging because we are often met with indifference. More and more people today are coming to believe that the church is irrelevant in their lives. We are trying to remain faithful as the church, but we may wonder, sometimes, whether Jesus has fallen asleep or if is he really with us to help us share and live the Good News of the coming of God’s new creation. We need that constant reassurance from the Lord when we feel we’re out there facing a storm with one paddle. The wonderful thing is that Jesus does not berate us or lecture us on our lack of faith. I believe that Jesus is aware of what we need and by his gracious mercy will help us to come through victorious, if we remain faithful to him and really, really, trust in his name.

Lenten Comments- Day 8

Thursday- Day 8
Mark 4:1-9 (Comments on Lent for Everyone by N.T. Wright)

     The parable of the sower is one of the more well known of stories in Christian circles. Jesus tells us that the kingdom of God can be compared to a sower who goes out and sows seed. Much of the seed falls on unproductive soil where it does not produce any harvest or fruit. Some of the seed does on good soil where it produces good soil where it produces a wonderful return of thirty, sixty, even a hundredfold. The fulfillment of God’s kingdom is upon the people. We witness that kingdom being made visible through the ministry and sacrifice of Christ. But as Wright points out, just because God’s kingdom is at hand doesn’t mean that it will be readily received by God’s people. This parable has a note of judgment ringing through it. The Jews who heard this story would expect to be the good soil while the outsiders, sinners, and Gentiles are the one who reject God’s will and plans. But when we consider other passages of scripture, we witness that Jesus’ criticism is often reserved for Jewish religious authorities, not Gentiles. The Jews could not imagine that when Jesus spoke about the seed falling among thorns that end up choking the seed that he might be referring to them.
     Jumping ahead to the 21st century, I believe that there are a fair number of American Christians who still believe that the United States is the center of Christianity today. The fact is that while the growth of Christianity continues to wane and decline in Europe and the United States, Christianity is flourishing in Africa and parts of Asia. God is going to find a way to bring forth the harvest and if it isn’t here, then God will take His plans elsewhere. We might ask ourselves how is our society influencing the church in its proclamation and its living out the good news.? Is consumerism and materialism across our land choking out God’s Word and making it irrelevant? Have we become so accustomed and cozy in our church buildings that we have lost the fire of the movement of God’s kingdom? I realize that numerical growth alone is not indicative of whether we are being faithful to God’s mission. But I really believe we have lost spiritual vitality and aliveness, because we are so concerned about our own survival that we forgotten our calling to be Christ’s seeds of love in the world. This season of Lent calls us once again to ask ourselves how we can be open to the movement of God’s kingdom. What are those things we need to put aside so that we can give priority to the desires and purposes of God?

Lenten Comments-Day 7

Wednesday- Day 7
Mark 3:20-29  (Comments on Lent for Everyone by N.T. Wright)

     This passage contains a saying of Jesus that has been popular through the centuries; “a house divided against itself cannot stand. “ Jesus said this in response to the ridiculous charge by the Pharisees that he was using Satan’s power to cast out evil. Jesus was obviously doing some pretty amazing and outlandish things. The Pharisees decided to use the only remaining strategy they had when they couldn’t deny Jesus’ acts of healing and his overpowering of the evil forces around him. They attacked the messenger. The way they came after him, you would have thought that Jesus was a politician running for President of the United States.
     There are those who believe that the devil is in charge of this world and our only hope is to be saved for eternal life. We don’t believe in that theology as United Methodists. One of the vows is taken by those who are received into membership of the church is to “accept the freedom and power God gives you to resist evil, injustice, and oppression in whatever forms they present themselves.” We don’t deny that evil exists. We don’t downplay its pull and temptation in our lives. We believe that God gives us the power through Jesus Christ to resist evil. The passage in Mark 3 seems to confirm what we believe is spiritually true.
     Jesus said, “No one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his property without first tying up the strong man; then indeed the house can be plundered. Jesus is drawing an analogy between the strong man and Satan. He is suggesting that his ability to heal people and to call out unclean spirits is because he has tied up Satan; he has tied up evil. Of course, Jesus will not fully defeat the forces of death and evil until suffers and dies on the cross. But in our Lenten journey, we can be assured that with Jesus’ strength and love, we can resist those forces that would love to persuade us to live for ourselves instead of for God. Our time in the spiritual wilderness of this season can help us get to know ourselves and to come to know the freedom God does give us to become the people God created us to be; in His image.