Busy Work On The Mountain Top

Mark 9:2-13
The story of the Transfiguration of Jesus as recounted in Mark’s gospel gives us quit a bit to ponder. There is the lofty yet lonely location in which the events take place and the isolation of the characters involved who are eventually even shrouded by clouds. The setting of this event seems very intentional and important. There are also the various voices that speak in the passage, actually or by inference. Jesus, God, Peter, Moses, and Elijah are each quoted to the reader or are seen by others to be speaking. Words obviously play a major role in this story which is appropriate as Jesus Christ is the Word of God made flesh. But today I’m struck by this section of the text: “And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, who were talking with Jesus. Then Peter said to Jesus, ‘Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.’ He did not know what to say, for they were terrified” (Mark 9:4-6). All that Peter could think about at the appearance of Moses and Elijah was a building project of sorts, essentially busy work.

Peter’s fear is understandable, but there was really no reason for the three disciples to build tents or booths for Jesus and the other. In fact, Peter’s offer reminds me of the old cliché of sending someone to boil water just as a women goes into labor. It’s the sort of thing you send someone to do so that they will be out of the way. But Peter’s offer also raises an interesting question for us to consider. Are there times when our involvement in the life and work of the church amounts to no more than “busy work,” meaningless actions carried out for no real purpose? How often do we offer to build booths when we should pay attention to what is going on, to events we’ve been blessed to witness, opportunities we’ve been given to see the word of God unfolding in our midst? Are there times when we would rather tend to the day to day stuff of organization or institution when what we should be doing is touching lives by sharing ourselves? I know how easy it is to let myself get lost behind a pile of work. I also know how easy it is to miss out on real opportunities to minister.

Peter was frightened, and there is much to frighten us today as well. Peter wanted to do something – anything – rather than absorb what he was seeing. Finally the voice of God called him and the others back to the need to listen and to be involved in what Jesus was saying and doing. Day to day the voice of God calls us as well. Our response must be to stop with the busy work, and to get busy doing the real work of the coming reign.

Prayer: Lord God, guide us in our living that we may set aside that which would distract us from your will. Help us instead to serve you and to respond to your call in all we do. In Jesus’ name that we pray. Amen.

Finding the Pony

Romans 4:13-25

The old joke goes like this: put a pessimistic child in a room full of toys and he will complain that the one particular item he wants is not there, but put an optimistic child in a room full of horse manure and she’ll happily begin looking for the pony. Paul puts it another way. “[Abraham] did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body,” we read, “which was already as good as dead (for he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah's womb. No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, being fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised” (Romans 4:19-21). In other words Abraham may have seen a room full of manure, but that only meant there was a pony somewhere.

I admit that I am too often like the cynical child, able to find disappointment virtually anywhere. But Paul wants me—and you—to take heart no matter what the circumstances. In Abraham, he says, we find not only one who lived by faith, but in whose faith we find a source of strength for ourselves. Like the father in Mark 9:24 I find myself saying, “I believe, help my unbelief,” and God does, time after time, in countless situations. No, I don’t always find a pony, but by grace I know it must be there somewhere.

Prayer: Lord, help us to live by faith and to trust you at all times. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Looking At Our Shoes

Mark 9:30-41

“Then they came to Capernaum; and when he was in the house he asked them, ‘What were you arguing about on the way?’ But they were silent, for on the way they had argued with one another who was the greatest. He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, ‘Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all’” (Mark 9:33-35). Clearly Jesus realized what had been going on among the disciples. I can just imagine him giving a huge sigh, and saying “Okay, let’s go over this again…” And there were the disciples, all looking sheepish and suddenly finding something interesting about their sandals to look at.

But then I imagine myself and my own denser moments, the times when I can’t seem to get it right, when I stumble in my own faith and my own commitment. And I think about the times that I’ve studied my own footwear rather than meet God’s gaze. And I hear God saying, “Okay, Jim, let’s go over this again…” Grace is a funny thing, really, because it is wonderful beyond measure, but when we consider what it means it can also be very humbling. In Jesus Christ God has offered us the gift of hope, the gift of peace, the gift of life. The humbling part comes when we don’t accept it or otherwise neglect it. And there we are, looking at our shoes again.

May this day be filled with love and grace for all of us. May it be a day of accepted challenges and faith-filled acts of generosity and love. May it be a day of hope and peace and life. And when the evening comes may we finally notice our shoes, but only as we take them off for the night.

Prayer: Lord, forgive us when we fail you, and help us to live as you would have us to do. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Has Anyone Seen the Kingdom?

Mark 8:34-9:1

To borrow a line from my friend Nancy Taylor’s blog, “Hmmm…” (http://hmmm-revnancy.blogspot.com/). Here’s what Jesus says in our gospel reading for today. “And he said to them, ‘Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see that the kingdom of God has come with power’” (Mark 9:1). Really? Hmmm… The world is in as big a mess now as ever. So where the heck is the kingdom?

Of course, it’s a trick question. The kingdom of God is right where it has been since Jesus’ ministry began: here in our midst. As is so often the case with issues of faith, it’s all in your perspective. Has the kingdom of God reached it’s full extent? No, of course not. Is it already taking shape? Yes, in a multitude of significant ways, all of which may be the size of a mustard seed (however big that is), but which are life changing nonetheless. It is not always appropriate to mix gospels references but in this case I think it is helpful to turn to John 1:5. “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.” Indeed, a small glimmer of light can push back all darkness, for where there is any light, darkness ceases to be. So it is with grace, or with God’s will. In the light of Jesus Christ the darkness of evil has been overcome once and for all. And the light will continue to grow, slowly but steadily.

As I write these words I keep in mind the many people from other parts of the world who have read this blog. As a North American I realize that I live in circumstances that affect my worldview. For me to say that grace abounds is perhaps of less significance than it would be for many of you. Perhaps some of you will respond to this posting with your own perspective. But I wish to affirm my faith in the work that God is doing throughout the world, wherever the darkness is receding and the light is dawning, wherever the hungry are fed, wherever the weak are tended to, wherever the poor are provided for, wherever the disheartened are encouraged. It is in these places where the kingdom of God has become most visible, most powerful, most active.

Has anyone seen the kingdom? Yes. I have seen it and felt it. And so have many of you. It is what pushes us forward and allows us to stand, even in the face of hardship or distress.

Prayer: Thanks be to you, O Lord, for all you do in our midst, and for the dawning of your kingdom which brings grace to bear in our world. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Worship and Doubt in Galilee

Matthew 28:16-20

It seems like an odd remark to make under the circumstances. “When (the eleven disciples) saw (Jesus),” Matthew says, “they worshiped him; but some doubted” (Matthew 28:17). Some doubted? Really? How does a comment like that fit into such a pivotal passage in Matthew’s story, so close to the great commission, right at the very end of the book? Isn’t it a little late to be dealing with doubt? Maybe, but keep in mind that this is the first time that anyone except the women have seen the resurrected Jesus in Matthew’s account. The eleven did not share the experience at the empty tomb, they have only had the word of two women to go on. They was bound to be some skepticism. But of greater significance to me is the phrase that comes just before Matthew mentions doubt: “When they saw him, they worshiped him….” So there was praise that day in Galilee as well, mixed in with the feelings of uncertainty.

Now for a bold confession on my part: There are many days when, despite my best efforts at faith, I find myself doubting, questioning, wondering, being skeptical. I can’t help it. Doubt creeps in and infects my worship and praise of God in Jesus Christ. Maybe you have the same experience that I do. If so here is something I find helpful. Even in my greatest times of doubt and hesitation I find that worship and praise of God in Jesus Christ helps me to move ahead, to live beyond my doubt until my faith is renewed as it always is. Doubt my infect our worship, but worship sets back our doubt when we allow it to. And when that happens we stand with the man who cried, “I believe, help my unbelief” (Mark 9:24) and with generations of Christians ever since who have struggled just the way we struggle. Doubt is not unusual even in the most faithful. But the great tragedy comes when we allow doubt to cut us off from the worshiping community. It doesn’t have to. Doubt is an honest reaction to events or information that sometimes overwhelm us. Worship, though, is the exercise regimen that keeps our hearts and minds attuned to what God is doing and prepared to do our part when we can.

Prayer: Lord, may our worship and praise continue, even in those times of greatest doubt, so that our lives may remain centered on you and your work. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

The Believer's Cry

Romans 7:13-25

There are passages of scripture that I find particularly poignant due to their truthful display of human frailty. Peter’s realization that he has indeed betrayed Jesus is one of them (Mark 14:72); Jeremiah, weeping for the people of Judah (Jeremiah 8:18-9:1) is, too; and the father who cries out in anguish, “I believe; help my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24) is another. Paul is also capable of honest emotion. “Wretched man that I am!” he writes. “Who will rescue me from this body of death?” (Romans 7:24).

I once heard a minister lament, “It isn’t as if I didn’t want to believe what I say…” He left the comment hanging, but those of us who heard him knew what he meant. There are times when we simply do not have it within us to believe, to live in faith, to trust in God. At the bedside of a dying friend, in the wake of a natural catastrophe, at the end of a long and frustrating day we may find ourselves cloaked in doubt and despair. Who will rescue us from these circumstances?

If nothing else, we must recognize that the journey of God’s people has passed this way before. Peter, Jeremiah, the unnamed father, Paul, all of them have cried out in pain, and all of them have been heard. They and countless others have reached a limit in what they could do only to find God’s grace waiting for them. I know that when I am most challenged it is my own strength that fails me. But I also know that God remains active in my life and in yours. The honesty of scripture gives me the hope that soon I will join Paul in affirming, “Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (Romans 7:25a). And then I will continue my journey by God’s grace.

Prayer: Lord, I believe; help my unbelief. Amen.

Getting Nowhere Fast

Mark 9:30-41

The disciples may have been traveling with Jesus, but when it came to growing in faith they might as well have been standing still. According to Mark, Jesus was busy teaching this followers that, “’The Son of may is to be betrayed into human hands, and they will kill him, and three days after being killed he will rise again.’ But [the disciples] did not understand what he was saying and where afraid to ask him” (Mark 9:31-32). Instead of considering what Jesus had to say, the disciples had other matters on their minds. “…On the way they had argued with one another who was the greatest” (v. 34). Talk about dense! Jesus is laying out the future, describing his purpose to those whom he has called to follow, and all they can do is fret about who gets to be in charge when Jesus isn’t around.

We’d like to think that given the chance we’d have understood exactly what Jesus was talking about, or at least we’d have known to ask questions. But in truth, how often do we get allow meaningless arguments to distract us from the important matters of faith? And how often do we find ways of taking issue with one another instead of embracing the unity that we find in Jesus? The fact is that we are no better than the disciples. Oh, we may be in motion, but are we getting anywhere? Is our faith growing, or do we simply tread the same ground over and over again?

The answer is that by God’s grace we do find ourselves taking a step forward from time to time, we do grow in our understanding and our insight, we do realize that our faith has developed and that we are not the same people we once were. The Christian faith is a journey, very much like the one the disciples walked with Jesus. Sometimes it takes us places we may not be comfortable going, and other times is may seem to lead us in circles. But is it a journey very much worth taking, because eventually it leads us past the cross, past the empty tomb, right up to the light of eternity. And when we get there we realize we are in very good company.

Prayer: Lord, help us to hear your word and to trust in you, so that we may avoid the angry words and divisive actions that so often tear us apart. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

A Word About THE Word

Isaiah 55:1-13

Mark 9:2-13

I like to talk. Ask anyone who knows me and I’m sure they will agree. But that doesn’t mean that everything I say is important. My words—like anyone else’s—vary in meaning and purpose. We all say a lot of things in the course of a day that are less that significant. Not so with God. When God speaks it is for a reason. “[My word] shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and succeed in the thing for which I sent it” (Isaiah 55:11). When God speaks, things happen according to God’s will. The power of God’s word is a common motif in scripture, of course. From the very beginning, for example, God speaks and all creation comes into being (Genesis 1:1ff). In the New Testament John’s gospel sees the creative power of God’s word incarnated in Jesus Christ (John 1:1f).

In our gospel reading or today all of this seems to come together as the voice of God is heard on the mountain saying, “This is my Son, the Beloved; listen to him” (Mark 9:7). Of course this is not the first time we’ve heard God speak in Mark. A voice from heaven is also heard at Jesus’ baptism saying very much the same thing: “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased” (1:11). The point is that when the word of God—God’s voice, God’s speech—intersects with the Word of God—God’s Son, Jesus Christ—we should take note. It’s like a giant flashing billboard that reads, “Hey! Pay attention! This is important!”

If we do pay attention we will learn what the disciples seem so slow to comprehend. That Jesus is the Son of God, the Messiah, set apart for God’s will. That though he will suffer, that very suffering will ultimately reveal his glory, and in his glory we find our hope and salvation. That’s a lot of meaning packed into just a few words, but when God speaks, things like that happen. Are we listening?

Prayer: Lord, help us to hear your word and to live according to your will as disciples of your Son, in whose name we pray. Amen.