Here's a letter I received a few weeks ago. It serves, for me, as a good reminder of why the hard times of blending life and ministry within the church and a community coffee house is worth the effort.
Dear Tim & Bree,
Rarely do I find myself at a loss for words, but after a recent visit to your Coffee House I was totally dumbstruck.
As a father it is difficult at best to "give wings" to a daughter (even a capable, fiercely independent & overachieving one). Balancing that with a protective instinct from 3,000 miles away has proven to be difficult for me.
Weekly conversations with my daughter contained countless references to time she was spending at a coffee house studying and interacting with the couple who ran it. I assumed it to be a commercial establishment and was always curious about how they would allow someone to spend hours at a time taking up space reading or studying. It did not compute with me but I was happy that she had found an oasis so far from home. My wife and I would like to thank you for the kindness and consideration you have extended to our daughter.
Suffice it to say, the Mosaic Community Coffee House bears little similarity to coffee houses I experienced during my college years.
I will never be mistaken for a religious person but I am thankful to the "Power" that directed my daughter to your community center. Your ministry has reinforced my faith in the goodness of people.
Respectfully
This letter truly takes the form of a letter of encouragement. Through the hardships that come with a business model ministry, the stories of surprise and thanksgiving continue to bring life to the daily functions.
It is from letters like this – right or not – that remind me the hard work is worth it.
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Joy 12.6
Isaiah 61
Here we are in the second Sunday of Advent and we’re reading from Isaiah. Our Advent candle today is Joy. Perhaps as we start you’d like to ask yourself these questions… so why are we reading this text? What does it have to say to us in regards to Joy? What might it be saying to us within this season we find ourselves in? What does it say to you?
During this time of Advent when Christians celebrate the coming of the Christ child I think it is very easy for us to see the attributes named here, in Isaiah, as taken on by Christ. We see Christ take these on when the Spirit of God rested on him at his baptism. We see the tasks of Isa 61:1-3 become part of his new salvation. These are the hopes and dreams and expectations the Israelites carried with them for their messiah – their king!
We respond this season to what God has promised us. We celebrate the coming of the incarnate.
We rejoice in the coming of our heavenly king. We respond this season to what God has promised us. However while we are no longer required to rebuild the devastated temple in Jerusalem, we are required to build the Kingdom of God. We are required to build relationships. We are expected to take care of what we have. We are to nurture, to cherish, and to love.
Isaiah reminds us of the Lord’s character to love justice and hate robbery and wrong. And so we are challenged to think and reflect upon what this means for our time and our mission.
It is easy for us to attribute this passage to Jesus. We read in Luke 4 about the time when Jesus went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. As he stood up to read, the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written: "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."
It is easy for us to hear this passage from Isaiah and think of Jesus. It’s easy because we are used to hearing it in light of Luke 4. Jesus then rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. Everyone’s eyes in the synagogue were fastened on him. He began saying to them, "Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing."
Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing. Wow! Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."
Wow, this is Jesus. This is what he was sent to do. This is why he came, during this season. He came to proclaim freedom. He came to restore sight. He came as a babe, born in a manger to speak on behalf reconciliation. He came to renew, restore, sanctify and set free. He came as our propitiation. He stands as our counselor.
This is who Jesus is. This is who my Jesus is. This is who my king is. He is the one who came in the form of a baby, pronouncing freedom to the captive and sight to the blind.
We come here today, in this season of Joy, expecting.
We expect great things from our God. Because our God is great! We expect great things of our families. We expect great things from this season… good food, gifts, friends. We come in this season of Joy expecting. We are expecting to celebrate the birth of Jesus. We are expecting… And what a day of rejoicing that will be.
Rejoicing. It makes me think of redo. There’s something about the “Re” at the beginning of a word. I can still hear coaches saying “No, that’s not right, you have to redo it.” “Redo it”. “Renew it”. Rejoice. Continue to rejoice.
We have something to rejoice about don’t we. Jesus is coming. The birth of our savior is imminent. The coming of Jesus, our redeemer, Jesus the freedom ringer, Jesus the Messiah, Jesus the anointed, Jesus the proclaimer, Jesus the sent, Jesus the son, Jesus the powerful, Jesus the comforter, Jesus our friend… Jesus, our Jesus. We have something to rejoice in. We have someone to rejoice in, and that someone is Jesus.
Did you know in the time of Isaiah, debt, more than hard crime, was the most common reason for imprisonment? It’s no wonder why they needed to hear someone had come to "proclaim release to the captives"! Today, in our society, how many feel trapped by debt, are "upside-down" in mortgages and carry huge credit card balances. You know and I know, they would love to be set free. Perhaps some of current debt is from our own frivolous spending; nevertheless, there are plenty who have burdensome debt from schooling, health bills, the costs of raising children, food and housing. Many of us hear talk of jubilee – the canceling of debt and the reversal of fortune, as good news. But actually we can find this good news also extends to the shared life of the world. Ancient Jerusalem after the exile, damaged and in ruins, in need of being rebuilt, is a powerful symbol of our cities today. It speaks of the world beyond our borders, where nations are held captive by enormous debt that keeps them from making progress toward a better life for their people.
I believe this is what Isaiah is talking about. I believe this is what Jesus came to do, be a part of,
impact. Our tiny little baby Jesus, all innocent and fragile in the wooden stable crib has come to flip the world on its head. He has come to bring hope. He’s come to bring joy, and peace and he’s come to bring love.
“The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor…”
What would you say if this happened? Is it possible? What would we do if in this season, this year, the brokenhearted and the captive were released and found freedom. Wouldn't that be good news, a source of joy, something to shout about? Wouldn't it be something to remember!
Let's look at this from another angle. Perhaps we can look at this chapter from Isaiah from another perspective. As Christians we often automatically assume Isaiah 61 refers to a person… ie Jesus. But in actuality for the Jews it was as much about the expectations of the coming messiah as it was a metaphor for their nation, their community. The personal reference to the "servant" is both an individual and a "community" and this ambiguity is intentional.
So while we can read this passage and immediately hear Jesus in it… perhaps we should also hear it in regards to ourselves.
As Christ’s ambassadors, as his hands and feet, I believe it is through us that this scripture is fulfilled today! We, in full confidence can proclaim this passage from Isaiah as our own. Christ came to give us life, that we may have it more abundantly. Jesus called us to step out of the boat and walk with him through the dusty streets and the uncharted waters – offering his love and peace.
I believe we can proudly proclaim both individually and as the community this passage from Isaiah. I believe you should be able to hear me say it, and I should be able to hear you. “The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me, and you, to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent us to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor…”
This is who we are, this is what we’re to do. As the very ones who call ourselves followers of Christ, we must proclaim, we must release. We must be people about reconciliation, freedom, hope, joy, peace and love.
At the end of Matthew, Jesus came to his disciples and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
We’re not alone! Jesus is with us. Jesus is empowering us. When we are anointed by the Spirit, sanctified by his blood, we are called to step out. We are called to walk as he walks, love as he loves, support, encourage, give, and restore. The Spirit of the Lord is here, ready to anoint. Are you ready to proclaim good news to the poor? Are you ready to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and restore sight to the blind? Are you willing to set the oppressed free? Are you excited to proclaim this the year of the Lord's favor?
I believe this is what we are being asked to do. In this season of Advent, as we prepare for the celebration of the birth of our Lord, let us be filled with Joy. Let’s be filled with joy as we embark upon the road less traveled. As we journey through the sometimes confusing path of the upside down kingdom, let’s speak joy into this season and into our community. With its hurts and pains of loneliness and despair we must instill the joy of the Lord.
May the words of our Lord be true. In Luke Jesus says: this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing. May we be anointed by the Spirit of the Lord. May we proclaim good news to the poor, freedom for the prisoners, and restore sight to the blinded. May this year, this season, be one where we engage in God’s kingdom.
In this advent season, my hope is that we recognize our role in the building of God’s kingdom. As we celebrate the coming of our Lord, may we remember he is with us. As news reports carry on about the hardships of our economy, may we never forget who we are, where we come from, and what it means to be a follower of Jesus the Nazarene!
As you go, be anointed by the spirit, and active in your faith… go and Love!
Here we are in the second Sunday of Advent and we’re reading from Isaiah. Our Advent candle today is Joy. Perhaps as we start you’d like to ask yourself these questions… so why are we reading this text? What does it have to say to us in regards to Joy? What might it be saying to us within this season we find ourselves in? What does it say to you?
During this time of Advent when Christians celebrate the coming of the Christ child I think it is very easy for us to see the attributes named here, in Isaiah, as taken on by Christ. We see Christ take these on when the Spirit of God rested on him at his baptism. We see the tasks of Isa 61:1-3 become part of his new salvation. These are the hopes and dreams and expectations the Israelites carried with them for their messiah – their king!
We respond this season to what God has promised us. We celebrate the coming of the incarnate.
We rejoice in the coming of our heavenly king. We respond this season to what God has promised us. However while we are no longer required to rebuild the devastated temple in Jerusalem, we are required to build the Kingdom of God. We are required to build relationships. We are expected to take care of what we have. We are to nurture, to cherish, and to love.
Isaiah reminds us of the Lord’s character to love justice and hate robbery and wrong. And so we are challenged to think and reflect upon what this means for our time and our mission.
It is easy for us to attribute this passage to Jesus. We read in Luke 4 about the time when Jesus went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. As he stood up to read, the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written: "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."
It is easy for us to hear this passage from Isaiah and think of Jesus. It’s easy because we are used to hearing it in light of Luke 4. Jesus then rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. Everyone’s eyes in the synagogue were fastened on him. He began saying to them, "Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing."
Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing. Wow! Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."
Wow, this is Jesus. This is what he was sent to do. This is why he came, during this season. He came to proclaim freedom. He came to restore sight. He came as a babe, born in a manger to speak on behalf reconciliation. He came to renew, restore, sanctify and set free. He came as our propitiation. He stands as our counselor.
This is who Jesus is. This is who my Jesus is. This is who my king is. He is the one who came in the form of a baby, pronouncing freedom to the captive and sight to the blind.
We come here today, in this season of Joy, expecting.
We expect great things from our God. Because our God is great! We expect great things of our families. We expect great things from this season… good food, gifts, friends. We come in this season of Joy expecting. We are expecting to celebrate the birth of Jesus. We are expecting… And what a day of rejoicing that will be.
Rejoicing. It makes me think of redo. There’s something about the “Re” at the beginning of a word. I can still hear coaches saying “No, that’s not right, you have to redo it.” “Redo it”. “Renew it”. Rejoice. Continue to rejoice.
We have something to rejoice about don’t we. Jesus is coming. The birth of our savior is imminent. The coming of Jesus, our redeemer, Jesus the freedom ringer, Jesus the Messiah, Jesus the anointed, Jesus the proclaimer, Jesus the sent, Jesus the son, Jesus the powerful, Jesus the comforter, Jesus our friend… Jesus, our Jesus. We have something to rejoice in. We have someone to rejoice in, and that someone is Jesus.
Did you know in the time of Isaiah, debt, more than hard crime, was the most common reason for imprisonment? It’s no wonder why they needed to hear someone had come to "proclaim release to the captives"! Today, in our society, how many feel trapped by debt, are "upside-down" in mortgages and carry huge credit card balances. You know and I know, they would love to be set free. Perhaps some of current debt is from our own frivolous spending; nevertheless, there are plenty who have burdensome debt from schooling, health bills, the costs of raising children, food and housing. Many of us hear talk of jubilee – the canceling of debt and the reversal of fortune, as good news. But actually we can find this good news also extends to the shared life of the world. Ancient Jerusalem after the exile, damaged and in ruins, in need of being rebuilt, is a powerful symbol of our cities today. It speaks of the world beyond our borders, where nations are held captive by enormous debt that keeps them from making progress toward a better life for their people.
I believe this is what Isaiah is talking about. I believe this is what Jesus came to do, be a part of,
impact. Our tiny little baby Jesus, all innocent and fragile in the wooden stable crib has come to flip the world on its head. He has come to bring hope. He’s come to bring joy, and peace and he’s come to bring love.
“The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor…”
What would you say if this happened? Is it possible? What would we do if in this season, this year, the brokenhearted and the captive were released and found freedom. Wouldn't that be good news, a source of joy, something to shout about? Wouldn't it be something to remember!
Let's look at this from another angle. Perhaps we can look at this chapter from Isaiah from another perspective. As Christians we often automatically assume Isaiah 61 refers to a person… ie Jesus. But in actuality for the Jews it was as much about the expectations of the coming messiah as it was a metaphor for their nation, their community. The personal reference to the "servant" is both an individual and a "community" and this ambiguity is intentional.
So while we can read this passage and immediately hear Jesus in it… perhaps we should also hear it in regards to ourselves.
As Christ’s ambassadors, as his hands and feet, I believe it is through us that this scripture is fulfilled today! We, in full confidence can proclaim this passage from Isaiah as our own. Christ came to give us life, that we may have it more abundantly. Jesus called us to step out of the boat and walk with him through the dusty streets and the uncharted waters – offering his love and peace.
I believe we can proudly proclaim both individually and as the community this passage from Isaiah. I believe you should be able to hear me say it, and I should be able to hear you. “The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me, and you, to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent us to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor…”
This is who we are, this is what we’re to do. As the very ones who call ourselves followers of Christ, we must proclaim, we must release. We must be people about reconciliation, freedom, hope, joy, peace and love.
At the end of Matthew, Jesus came to his disciples and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
We’re not alone! Jesus is with us. Jesus is empowering us. When we are anointed by the Spirit, sanctified by his blood, we are called to step out. We are called to walk as he walks, love as he loves, support, encourage, give, and restore. The Spirit of the Lord is here, ready to anoint. Are you ready to proclaim good news to the poor? Are you ready to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and restore sight to the blind? Are you willing to set the oppressed free? Are you excited to proclaim this the year of the Lord's favor?
I believe this is what we are being asked to do. In this season of Advent, as we prepare for the celebration of the birth of our Lord, let us be filled with Joy. Let’s be filled with joy as we embark upon the road less traveled. As we journey through the sometimes confusing path of the upside down kingdom, let’s speak joy into this season and into our community. With its hurts and pains of loneliness and despair we must instill the joy of the Lord.
May the words of our Lord be true. In Luke Jesus says: this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing. May we be anointed by the Spirit of the Lord. May we proclaim good news to the poor, freedom for the prisoners, and restore sight to the blinded. May this year, this season, be one where we engage in God’s kingdom.
In this advent season, my hope is that we recognize our role in the building of God’s kingdom. As we celebrate the coming of our Lord, may we remember he is with us. As news reports carry on about the hardships of our economy, may we never forget who we are, where we come from, and what it means to be a follower of Jesus the Nazarene!
As you go, be anointed by the spirit, and active in your faith… go and Love!
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Irony
"An ironic thing about churches like Lawndale is that because they have chosen to pour their limited resources back into the local community, many outside of that community have never heard of them." (Jim and Casper Go To Church, pg 72)
I often, about once a year, wrestle with the desire for public recognition. Growing up in the church I wanted to be a youth pastor who was passionate about youth ministry who stuck with it over the years. I hoped to be the one who broke the mold and was in the public (church) eye for that.
I find myself in a small urban neighborhood church plugging away daily in an unknown ministry. Well, I should say unknown denominationally and nationally. Which is where most of us live. However, there are times I just want a little bit of recognition. To be noticed for the work we've put in to making our neighborhood reflect a little bit of the Kingdom.
As I read the quote listed above, it rang true for me. After attending Nazarene denominational conferences this summer and fall, I've realized those who are in the main light are there because they've placed themselves there. They are there because of a desire to network and travel. Not to negate what they are doing for the Kingdom, I realized where I am and what I'm doing is being true to my calling. My call is to have my hands dirty in the mess of the daily function of the church.
It's Ironic that the churches possibly doing the most in and for the community are the ones least known for their good works. But, as Jesus says - the kingdom is upside down.
I often, about once a year, wrestle with the desire for public recognition. Growing up in the church I wanted to be a youth pastor who was passionate about youth ministry who stuck with it over the years. I hoped to be the one who broke the mold and was in the public (church) eye for that.
I find myself in a small urban neighborhood church plugging away daily in an unknown ministry. Well, I should say unknown denominationally and nationally. Which is where most of us live. However, there are times I just want a little bit of recognition. To be noticed for the work we've put in to making our neighborhood reflect a little bit of the Kingdom.
As I read the quote listed above, it rang true for me. After attending Nazarene denominational conferences this summer and fall, I've realized those who are in the main light are there because they've placed themselves there. They are there because of a desire to network and travel. Not to negate what they are doing for the Kingdom, I realized where I am and what I'm doing is being true to my calling. My call is to have my hands dirty in the mess of the daily function of the church.
It's Ironic that the churches possibly doing the most in and for the community are the ones least known for their good works. But, as Jesus says - the kingdom is upside down.
Deuteronomy 11.1
Growing up I often heard the story of a pastor who planned for weeks to prepare his first sermon for his new congregation. He worked diligently on it. He practiced it, reworked it, and felt it was conveying everything he had hoped. And so, the day came. He spoke boldly and proclaimed the message of the Lord.
Following the service, as was typical in their church, the new pastor stood in the back and greeted the people as they left. They were all smiling, full of joy. They were very pleased with their selection of their new pastor and his ability to speak the word of God clearly. As they each passed by their pastor, they all complimented him on the well crafted sermon.
The next Sunday came, and the pastor spoke boldly, proclaiming the abundant grace of God. The people enjoyed the message, but many commented to one another how it was simply the message from the week before. Although a fantastic message they thought it was odd, yet they complimented their pastor on the way out none the same.
The pastors third Sunday with his new congregation came, and once again, he spoke boldly proclaiming God’s good news. He was passionate as he spoke and the people understood what he was saying; partly because it was the same message as the previous two Sundays. After the benediction when the pastor was standing in the back, it took a few minutes for people to come to shake his hand. They were all talking amongst themselves. They conspired and had the board chairman approach the pastor and ask what was going on since he had spoken the exact same message three Sundays in a row.
The pastor stood there, not surprised by their concern. Yet he looked at the board member, then to the rest of the congregation standing behind him and responding in love said, “Well, once you get this one and start living it, we’ll move on to the next.”
Deuteronomy is much like this story… Moses is reiterating to the people what they’ve already heard. He’s reminding them of their journey out of Egypt, and their wandering. He’s reminding them of their covenant with God. He’s reminding them of his journey up the mountain, my favorite part. It’s when he went up on the mountain and spoke to God who was in the form of a burning bush. And how, he had fasted for 40 days not eating or drinking anything. He comes down from the Mountain, and the people had built a golden calf… appalled Moses throws down the tablets, they break, and he goes back up the mountain, not eating or drinking for 40 more days. He’s like remember that! Ya, remember all this.
In some ways we can look at Deuteronomy as a conclusion. It’s the last of the 5 books we refer to as the Pentateuch and it does a fantastic job of summing up all the key things which took place in the previous books. Yet Deuteronomy isn’t a conclusion as we know it today. When we read a story or write a paper the conclusion never has a new thought or new idea. We don’t add new stuff in a conclusion but we reiterate what’s been said… which Moses has done.
Let’s look at a few of the points he gave emphasis: one place of worship, other gods, clean and unclean food, tithing, canceling debts, the Passover, the festivals, how to support the priests, and what to do when someone is murdered. The list goes on and on.
We even hear Moses specifically go over some, what I think are odd things in this book. Check out chapter 22. 4 If you see someone's donkey or ox fallen on the road, do not ignore it. Help the owner get it to its feet. 5 A woman must not wear men's clothing, nor a man wear women's clothing, 8 When you build a new house, make a parapet around your roof so that you may not bring the guilt of bloodshed on your house if someone falls from the roof.” He’s just telling them to put up a railing. Again in verse 11 he reminds them not to wear clothes made of wool and linen woven together, and that they need tassels on the four corners of their cloak.
Why? You know, I always wonder about this. Why is Moses so concerned with these things? I honestly don’t know. I don’t have a good answer. Perhaps it’s because he was so wrapped up in the laws and the codes that it was all he could hear or see. Perhaps he cared so deeply for the people that he wanted to ensure the people, even after he was gone, would continued to follow God.
What’s interesting about Deuteronomy is that in all of the book, with Moses saying what not and how to do things, with his lists and redundancies, in chapter 6 he has a short paragraph which is possibly one of the most well known passages of the old (and I’d even say, the new) testaments.
We find in Chapter 6 of Deuteronomy the Shema. The Shema is a foundation for who the Jews are and how they live. It is a prayer the Jews historically recite twice a day, once as they get up and once when they lay down. Over the years and centuries, the Shema, found in Deuteronomy has shaped the thinking and actions of people worldwide.
4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. [a] 5 Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 6 These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.
"Of all the commandments, which is the most important?" "The most important one is this: 'Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these." (Mark 12)
Which is the most important commandment? Of all the commandments in the Bible, of all the commandments from God, we’re told the most important one is this one found right here in Deuteronomy chapter 6. Of all the commandments, the 10 commandments, the directions given throughout Leviticus, Numbers and all of Deuteronomy – Jesus pinpoints Chapter 6 as the most important. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.
So here it is, Jesus tells us this is the most important thing. This right here. So, we should focus on it right? Jesus goes on to tell us the second most important commandment. And what’s second? Love your neighbor as yourself. So, what’s foundational here? What’s the theme? What runs through the veins of the most important commandments? Revenge? Equality? Redemption? It’s Love.
The greatest commandment is to Love… Love God, then love neighbor. And as we read through Deuteronomy, at first glance you don’t always see a lot of love. For example, someone stand up and read Deuteronomy 19:21. (Show no pity: life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.)
What do we do with this verse in light of Chapter 6? Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments are to be on your hearts…
How does “Show no pity: life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot” connect with Love?
Ya, I don’t think it does.
If the commandment to Love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength is to be on our hearts, how do we do it? How do we implant this Love on our hearts? How do we impress it on our children as Moses tells us to do? This is a good question – you know, I’m a new dad… so I need to know. How do we impress this? How do we do it?
Think back to your childhood, how many of you can tell me a joke your parents told you over and over again as a child. How about a story they read to you? That’s what the story of the pastor I told at the beginning is. It’s one of those jokes my dad told so many times when I was a boy I will never forget it. I believe this is what it means for us to impress these commandments on our hearts, and on our children.
If we’re not daily thinking about loving God with all of who we are, each day, from time to time throughout the day, we’re not cutting it. We’re not doing it. We’re falling short.
So, In Deuteronomy 6 we have the Shema… and it starts with Hear O Israel. That’s like Moses yelling out “Timothy Charles!” It gets my attention, and I know I need to stop what I’m doing and listen up. When I hear it, I know something’s up. I’m either in big big trouble or what’s about to be told to me is really important.
Hear O Israel! Listen up! Here’s what you’ve got to do, Love the Lord your God with all that you are. In everything you do, in your waking up and lying down, love him. Talk about him. Think about him, share about him. Pokemon… ya, he’s nothing. It’s God.
You know what? Hey guess what? Hey church can I tell you something? It’s all about love.
I think it’s really interesting that out of all the texts Jesus could have quoted to the teachers of the Law he picked out one whose focus is not on piety, or separation, or position - but on love. I think it’s really interesting as over the years I’ve grown to desire to follow Christ. And as we desire to be Christ followers and live as he lived and value what he valued… we can help but be caught in Love.
So, we have two references today don’t we. We have the Old Testament Deuteronomy text alongside the New Testament Mark text. Both speak to God’s Oneness. Both call us to love God with all we are. The seemingly only difference is Jesus calls us to step out even further by broadening our understanding of what it means to love God – by also loving our neighbor.
I think love is foundational to our Christian faith. I believe it carries the weight of the commandments and rules. Without love we are only a resounding gong. We are annoying, bible thumping bull horn guys across the street from Dick’s at 1 in the morning.
We are known as followers of Christ by our love; our love of God and our love for neighbor. Each day we are blessed with the opportunity to feely choose. We can choose to Love God. We can choose to focus our attention on him. We can choose to focus our resources towards him. We can choose to love one another.
Social Justice is a hot topic right now. Helping the poor, serving the under privileged. All denominations across the board are looking at it, discussing it, and participating in it. But what is it, if it has not love?
Paul says: If we have faith that can move mountains but don’t have love – we are nothing. If we give everything we have to the poor, but don’t have love – we gain nothing.
We must have faith. We must give to the poor. We must support the homeless, the downtrodden, the disenfranchised. It’s who we are, it’s in our DNA, it’s how we were made. We must love. We are commanded to love.
Hear, O Church: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. [a] 5 Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 6 These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home, when you walk around your neighborhood and when you drive along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.
"The most important commandment is this: 'Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these."
Jesus demonstrated the truth of these words as he broke bread and shared the cup. And so it is that we today will also remember Christ’s love for us as we share at his open table – a table designed and poured out in love.
Hear O’ Church, The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Go and Love
Following the service, as was typical in their church, the new pastor stood in the back and greeted the people as they left. They were all smiling, full of joy. They were very pleased with their selection of their new pastor and his ability to speak the word of God clearly. As they each passed by their pastor, they all complimented him on the well crafted sermon.
The next Sunday came, and the pastor spoke boldly, proclaiming the abundant grace of God. The people enjoyed the message, but many commented to one another how it was simply the message from the week before. Although a fantastic message they thought it was odd, yet they complimented their pastor on the way out none the same.
The pastors third Sunday with his new congregation came, and once again, he spoke boldly proclaiming God’s good news. He was passionate as he spoke and the people understood what he was saying; partly because it was the same message as the previous two Sundays. After the benediction when the pastor was standing in the back, it took a few minutes for people to come to shake his hand. They were all talking amongst themselves. They conspired and had the board chairman approach the pastor and ask what was going on since he had spoken the exact same message three Sundays in a row.
The pastor stood there, not surprised by their concern. Yet he looked at the board member, then to the rest of the congregation standing behind him and responding in love said, “Well, once you get this one and start living it, we’ll move on to the next.”
Deuteronomy is much like this story… Moses is reiterating to the people what they’ve already heard. He’s reminding them of their journey out of Egypt, and their wandering. He’s reminding them of their covenant with God. He’s reminding them of his journey up the mountain, my favorite part. It’s when he went up on the mountain and spoke to God who was in the form of a burning bush. And how, he had fasted for 40 days not eating or drinking anything. He comes down from the Mountain, and the people had built a golden calf… appalled Moses throws down the tablets, they break, and he goes back up the mountain, not eating or drinking for 40 more days. He’s like remember that! Ya, remember all this.
In some ways we can look at Deuteronomy as a conclusion. It’s the last of the 5 books we refer to as the Pentateuch and it does a fantastic job of summing up all the key things which took place in the previous books. Yet Deuteronomy isn’t a conclusion as we know it today. When we read a story or write a paper the conclusion never has a new thought or new idea. We don’t add new stuff in a conclusion but we reiterate what’s been said… which Moses has done.
Let’s look at a few of the points he gave emphasis: one place of worship, other gods, clean and unclean food, tithing, canceling debts, the Passover, the festivals, how to support the priests, and what to do when someone is murdered. The list goes on and on.
We even hear Moses specifically go over some, what I think are odd things in this book. Check out chapter 22. 4 If you see someone's donkey or ox fallen on the road, do not ignore it. Help the owner get it to its feet. 5 A woman must not wear men's clothing, nor a man wear women's clothing, 8 When you build a new house, make a parapet around your roof so that you may not bring the guilt of bloodshed on your house if someone falls from the roof.” He’s just telling them to put up a railing. Again in verse 11 he reminds them not to wear clothes made of wool and linen woven together, and that they need tassels on the four corners of their cloak.
Why? You know, I always wonder about this. Why is Moses so concerned with these things? I honestly don’t know. I don’t have a good answer. Perhaps it’s because he was so wrapped up in the laws and the codes that it was all he could hear or see. Perhaps he cared so deeply for the people that he wanted to ensure the people, even after he was gone, would continued to follow God.
What’s interesting about Deuteronomy is that in all of the book, with Moses saying what not and how to do things, with his lists and redundancies, in chapter 6 he has a short paragraph which is possibly one of the most well known passages of the old (and I’d even say, the new) testaments.
We find in Chapter 6 of Deuteronomy the Shema. The Shema is a foundation for who the Jews are and how they live. It is a prayer the Jews historically recite twice a day, once as they get up and once when they lay down. Over the years and centuries, the Shema, found in Deuteronomy has shaped the thinking and actions of people worldwide.
4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. [a] 5 Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 6 These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.
"Of all the commandments, which is the most important?" "The most important one is this: 'Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these." (Mark 12)
Which is the most important commandment? Of all the commandments in the Bible, of all the commandments from God, we’re told the most important one is this one found right here in Deuteronomy chapter 6. Of all the commandments, the 10 commandments, the directions given throughout Leviticus, Numbers and all of Deuteronomy – Jesus pinpoints Chapter 6 as the most important. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.
So here it is, Jesus tells us this is the most important thing. This right here. So, we should focus on it right? Jesus goes on to tell us the second most important commandment. And what’s second? Love your neighbor as yourself. So, what’s foundational here? What’s the theme? What runs through the veins of the most important commandments? Revenge? Equality? Redemption? It’s Love.
The greatest commandment is to Love… Love God, then love neighbor. And as we read through Deuteronomy, at first glance you don’t always see a lot of love. For example, someone stand up and read Deuteronomy 19:21. (Show no pity: life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.)
What do we do with this verse in light of Chapter 6? Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments are to be on your hearts…
How does “Show no pity: life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot” connect with Love?
Ya, I don’t think it does.
If the commandment to Love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength is to be on our hearts, how do we do it? How do we implant this Love on our hearts? How do we impress it on our children as Moses tells us to do? This is a good question – you know, I’m a new dad… so I need to know. How do we impress this? How do we do it?
Think back to your childhood, how many of you can tell me a joke your parents told you over and over again as a child. How about a story they read to you? That’s what the story of the pastor I told at the beginning is. It’s one of those jokes my dad told so many times when I was a boy I will never forget it. I believe this is what it means for us to impress these commandments on our hearts, and on our children.
If we’re not daily thinking about loving God with all of who we are, each day, from time to time throughout the day, we’re not cutting it. We’re not doing it. We’re falling short.
So, In Deuteronomy 6 we have the Shema… and it starts with Hear O Israel. That’s like Moses yelling out “Timothy Charles!” It gets my attention, and I know I need to stop what I’m doing and listen up. When I hear it, I know something’s up. I’m either in big big trouble or what’s about to be told to me is really important.
Hear O Israel! Listen up! Here’s what you’ve got to do, Love the Lord your God with all that you are. In everything you do, in your waking up and lying down, love him. Talk about him. Think about him, share about him. Pokemon… ya, he’s nothing. It’s God.
You know what? Hey guess what? Hey church can I tell you something? It’s all about love.
I think it’s really interesting that out of all the texts Jesus could have quoted to the teachers of the Law he picked out one whose focus is not on piety, or separation, or position - but on love. I think it’s really interesting as over the years I’ve grown to desire to follow Christ. And as we desire to be Christ followers and live as he lived and value what he valued… we can help but be caught in Love.
So, we have two references today don’t we. We have the Old Testament Deuteronomy text alongside the New Testament Mark text. Both speak to God’s Oneness. Both call us to love God with all we are. The seemingly only difference is Jesus calls us to step out even further by broadening our understanding of what it means to love God – by also loving our neighbor.
I think love is foundational to our Christian faith. I believe it carries the weight of the commandments and rules. Without love we are only a resounding gong. We are annoying, bible thumping bull horn guys across the street from Dick’s at 1 in the morning.
We are known as followers of Christ by our love; our love of God and our love for neighbor. Each day we are blessed with the opportunity to feely choose. We can choose to Love God. We can choose to focus our attention on him. We can choose to focus our resources towards him. We can choose to love one another.
Social Justice is a hot topic right now. Helping the poor, serving the under privileged. All denominations across the board are looking at it, discussing it, and participating in it. But what is it, if it has not love?
Paul says: If we have faith that can move mountains but don’t have love – we are nothing. If we give everything we have to the poor, but don’t have love – we gain nothing.
We must have faith. We must give to the poor. We must support the homeless, the downtrodden, the disenfranchised. It’s who we are, it’s in our DNA, it’s how we were made. We must love. We are commanded to love.
Hear, O Church: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. [a] 5 Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 6 These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home, when you walk around your neighborhood and when you drive along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.
"The most important commandment is this: 'Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these."
Jesus demonstrated the truth of these words as he broke bread and shared the cup. And so it is that we today will also remember Christ’s love for us as we share at his open table – a table designed and poured out in love.
Hear O’ Church, The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Go and Love
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Old Testament Series.
I'm speaking on Deuteronomy this Sunday. Yep. the whole book... in 20 min.
We've started a new series where we will go through the whole Old Testament book by book... each week moving on to the next book. We will take a break during Advent and Lent as well as a few other individual Sundays. But for the most part, we'll look at a book each week.
This week I'm looking at Deuteronomy.
We've started a new series where we will go through the whole Old Testament book by book... each week moving on to the next book. We will take a break during Advent and Lent as well as a few other individual Sundays. But for the most part, we'll look at a book each week.
This week I'm looking at Deuteronomy.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)