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This page contains capsules of recent reflections delivered during Sunday Service at McDougall United Church.
Jesus: Loud and Proud
by Larry Derkach - Sunday, June 7, 2015
Scripture: Mark 3:20-35
Jesus entered a house. Again a crowd gathered. It was so large that Jesus and his disciples were not even able to eat. His family heard about this. So they went to take charge of him. They said, “He is out of his mind.”
Some teachers of the law were there. They had come down from Jerusalem. They said, “He is controlled by Beelzebul! He is driving out demons by the power of the prince of demons.”
So Jesus called them over to him. He began to speak to them using stories. He said, “How can Satan drive out Satan? If a kingdom fights against itself, it can’t stand. If a family is divided, it can’t stand. And if Satan fights against himself, and his helpers are divided, he can’t stand. That is the end of him. In fact, none of you can enter a strong man’s house unless you tie him up first. Then you can steal things from his house. What I’m about to tell you is true. Everyone’s sins and evil words against God will be forgiven. But whoever speaks evil things against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven. Their guilt will last forever.”
Jesus said this because the teachers of the law were saying, “He has an evil spirit.”
Jesus’ mother and brothers came and stood outside. They sent someone in to get him. A crowd was sitting around Jesus. They told him, “Your mother and your brothers are outside. They are looking for you.”
“Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?” he asked.
Then Jesus looked at the people sitting in a circle around him. He said, “Here is my mother! Here are my brothers! Anyone who does what God wants is my brother or sister or mother.”
You have all heard about the big issue of which washroom the 7 year old should use at school.
It has caused a splash in the news media, and an enormous uproar within the separate School Board, with one trustee putting her neck on the line by speaking out against a Board decision. Which washroom to use? What is the issue?
Plainly put, biologically the chid is a boy. But the child is certain she really is a girl inside of a boy’s body. She wants to go to the washroom that the other little girls use. The family has stood up for her. The psychologists have weighed in. The school officials are trying to manage the student body.
No doubt this has got some people shaking their heads. Some say, how could she know this, she’s only 7. Others say, when I grew up there were girls and there were boys. This diversity thing has gone too far. It’s something they’ve never heard of before, so it’s a big leap just to have the conversation.
All of us here have lived most, and many of us all of our lives since the 2nd World War. With the prosperity that arose following the war, a tremendous wave of social conformity washed over the western world, that didn’t necessarily exist in the previous century, which none of us remember, of course. There was one right way of doing many things.
When I went to elementary school, boys had short hair, and girls had long hair. Boys wore pants and girls wore skirts or dresses. That was the way it was. When I was 7, a girl coming to school in pants would be sent home to change.
There were 2 genders, one orientation, and it looked a certain, clear way. We were told there was shame in not looking and behaving like the gender you were. Conformity ruled.
Many things have changed in the years since. But we are still learning about the wonderful diversity of human existence. And there are still people who prefer conformance to norms that make less and less sense.
Today there is a growing recognition that human sexuality is far more varied than ever imagined. If we look at all of nature around us, that shouldn’t be surprising, as we see amazing variety everywhere in nature.
For many people, this is just mind boggling. For others perhaps it offers some insights and explanations for unusual people they have known and situations they could never understand before.
For some, it offers the opportunity at last of being who they really are.
And now never mind that hair length and clothing styles are almost a non-issue in school. The issue is making room for gender dysphoria.
Today I want to talk about the pressure that can be placed on any person who is seen as not fitting in to what is regarded as normal. Our lectionary reading from the gospel of Mark hands us a perfect example from the life of Jesus.
From what we know, Jesus grew up in a caring and supportive family. Right from the beginning when Joseph did the right thing of sticking with Mary after she became pregnant out of wedlock, to Jesus’ final words on the cross, there are various references to the care between Jesus and his immediate family.
So it is natural that Mary feared for Jesus’ safety as his preaching became more and challenging of the religious leaders of the time. They were powerful and he was just a carpenter’s son. She knew he was called to do something special, and that was amazing blessing.
But she also knew there was trouble coming. Mothers know those things. She just wished that sometimes he would be quiet and be a little more like other young men.
She didn’t like that his being different was making him stand out in the crowd. It made him a target, and she was worried.
So when the crowd was surging and squeezing Jesus and his disciples, his family tried to rescue him. And how did they do that? They told the people, “He’s beside himself”. It was as if they were saying, “He’s not all there, don’t pay so much attention, leave him alone. Let him leave.”
It’s not that they themselves didn’t believe him, it’s that it seems they wanted Jesus to pipe down, not be so loud about his message. Surely he could preach and not rile everybody up.
Sometimes, out of love and caring, we try to protect others from what we think might be folly. But to do that, we may inadvertently deny or diminish who they are. Mary wasn’t shouting out to the pressing crowd– “hey you people, he’s the son of God- pay attention”. I can picture Mary, in a calmer moment, telling Jesus, “My dear, dear son, you are the messiah, it’s not that I don’t support your calling, but can’t you sometimes just be a little less confrontational about it? I fear for your safety, there’s nasty people out to get you, can’t you just try to blend in a little?”
Is that so different from a mother today who says to her 19-year-old, my child, I love you and I’m working on trying to understand that you are transgender. But do you have to be so flagrant about showing it in the Pride parade?
The good child wants to meet his or her parent’s expectations. But her first priority needs to be, to be authentic to who she is, what is his true identity, as God created him.
Without a doubt Jesus loved his mother dearly, as she loved him. But being fully awake to his calling needed to take priority, regardless of the fear it caused for his mother, regardless of the threat to his own safety.
Now if you’ll allow me to bring in a bit of biblical scholarship, there are some intriguing things to be found. Mark’s gospel is very old, and researchers have worked hard to discern the reliability of the actual words that have been passed down to us.
It is not always a black and white matter to translate the original writings, and it is not surprising that there are small differences between equally valid translations.
I realize that may cause some discomfort if you believe that a literal reading of the bible is infallible. In some cases, we just need to live with a little ambiguity, and work a little harder to draw out the meanings.
So in the 21st verse, you might have noticed a little difference between the translation Agnes put up on the PowerPoint, and the one Gary read. If you missed it, let me tell you.
In the Good News translation on the screen it said “When his family heard about it, they set out to take charge of him, because people were saying, “He's gone mad!”
Gary read from the New International Version, which says, “ When his family heard about this, they went to take charge of him, for they said, “He is out of his mind.” I searched several translations, and sure enough, there are some going each way. So who was calling him crazy- the crowd, or his mother?
So, I looked to the original Greek text, and in it the literal translation simply says “he’legon” “they said”. I can picture a room full of wizened scholars, uncut hair and rough robes, surrounded by candles on a big wooden table, sweating over the text, saying, “Hmm, it’s too simple, ambiguous. What do you think Mark meant? In the context of the whole story, it could go either way- shall we translate one way or the other?”
Someone might have said, “Well, you know, we can’t have Mary and Jesus’ brothers calling him crazy. It sounds like they were criticizing him, or being dismissive. Or worse, trying to manipulate him out of their own fear. Maybe even subvert his mission in some small way.” No, that just is too out of keeping with the message of the gospel.”
Well, I don’t know which way you would lean towards, but I find it quite understandable that Jesus family would go to great lengths to protect him, even to the point of trying to get others to dismiss him in this particular instance. It is such a human thing to do.
But no matter, Jesus was not going to stop.
Many people have asked, why do we need a Pride parade? Can’t people just be who they are without being so “out loud” about it? I think Mary and Jesus’ brothers give us the answer to that in today’s scripture reading:
Why should they have had to be afraid for Jesus’ life? He was called by God to preach the good news of God’s salvation for all people. That shouldn’t have made people want to kill him. That was really good news, after all. Mary and the family shouldn’t have had anything to fear.
But that is not the reality of good news. There are lots of reasons proclaiming truth today will put your life at risk. Jesus’ message of good news for all people can still get you killed in many parts of the world; and frankly, it can get a pretty threatening reception in this country when good news for everyone means less for the rich and more for the poor. Or when it means really trying to respond to the recommendations of the Truth & Reconciliation Commission.
And when it comes to just being fully accepted and welcomed while being other than heterosexual, which is just part of that good news, we still have a way to go.
It’s a death sentence in many countries –I think of the young Palestinian man John Calvin who is still here in Edmonton, still trying to keep from being sent back there to his death for being a gay Christian. I’ve got to know him. He is an earnest, sincere man who does not deserve to be murdered.
But you don’t need to go far away to find plenty of messages that you are not good enough if you are other than straight. From being less worthy to being an abomination. Lots of people are happy to take on the role of judge, the role that God reserves for God’s self.
Right now in Edmonton there are young people who have been thrown out of their homes by their parents when they have revealed their minority sexual orientation. There are a disturbing number of teens committing suicide because they have being rejected and condemned by those who should love and protect them. It’s especially affecting transgender children.
People of every age are hiding their true identity because they stand to lose a lot if they just be honest about who they are. That’s just wrong.
Things need to change in all of society in order to make the world a safer, more nurturing place. How do we make that happen? Well, preaching the good news like Jesus, and celebrating Pride week are two ways.
We do both here. Thank God that McDougall is a safe and affirming community.
When Jesus was told his family was waiting outside, and they want you to stop teaching and preaching and leave, what did he say? “My family? Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?”
Then Jesus looked at the people sitting in a circle around him. He said, “Here is my mother! Here are my brothers! Anyone who does what God wants is my brother or sister or mother.”
And what is it that God wants? Jesus told us: That we love God with all our hearts, minds and souls, and that we love our neighbours, each and every one, every colour and race, every age and ability, every sexual orientation and gender identity, as we love ourselves.
Was he rejecting his family? Not at all. Like we sang at the beginning of the service, he was drawing the circle wide and wider still.
Looking again at the original Greek scriptures of that first verse Gary read, they actually don’t say Jesus’ family set out to take charge of him.
The Greek says, “hoi par autou”: “the ones with him”. Many scholars have interpreted that more broadly as “his friends”. Family, friends – even Jesus wasn’t making the distinction. Whether it is your biological family, your adoptive family, or those who surround you with love and genuine acceptance, in Jesus words, you are my mother and brothers if you live in the way of love.
If Jesus calls every one of us family in his sight, who is anyone to dispute it, least of all anyone who would call themselves a follower of Jesus? That’s a good thought to keep in mind as we move into communion this morning.
Let us thank God for the diversity in which God created us. Let us catch Jesus’ spirit of boldness to speak God’s good news of acceptance loudly and proudly. Thanks be to God. Amen.
Bloom Where You're Planted
by Rev. Dr. Gordon J Oaks - June 14, 2015
Scripture: Psalm 8 | Matthew 6:25-34
INTRODUCTION
How often do you wonder what influence you have had on life, on people, on situations, in your community, in the organizations you belong to, on family, on friends?
You may be able to think of some things directly if you are fortunate…. But for many people they never know how they have influenced or made a difference in their lives!
Where do you fall into answering this question?
Most of what we do happens quietly and unseen as we live our days.
- We say something in conversation to someone or share some of our words of wisdom that comes from our experiences
- We help someone who needs help in the moment
- We are just there with someone and give them support
- We have a gift or skill that someone needs and we just share it
- Something needs help so we volunteer to help out
- We do something that is part of our work or profession or business
These things happen in the course of living or being with others that make a difference to people but often we don’t know it has helped or made a difference for someone.
We don’t ask the question if it made a difference, we just live our lives day by day!
It always amazes me that when I am preparing to do a sermon reflection, people in conversations, raise issues that I am dealing with. This past week a fellow asked me” Do you ever think about the movers and shakers in our community and society that you hear about and who seem to make an impact or have an influence on things and events?” And do you ever wish you could have that kind of influence? I do he said. I think the answer is we all would like to in some way. And there are many factors involved in what some people are able to do. I think we would all like to make a big difference in some way that could be seen!
My response to him was to say we often don’t know the difference our lives make. We often don’t see the results of what we do. I told him that what he does very quietly and unseen, adds to the well-being of many people. And when they feel better and well they are able to give more fully of their gifts and make a healthier more positive contribution to others and to society. You will not know that or see that. I told him that my philosophy is “that we are to bloom where we are planted”. Live our lives as best we can with what we have and with what we can do.
I added that our living and actions can be seen like a pebble dropped into a pond -that sends ripples out that move and move away until they land on a shore unseen somewhere.
The issue is- do we just live blindly and by happenstance or do we live each moment of each day, and live each relationship with quality of attitude and action? Do we live believing there is a spiritual energy and essence that works in us and through us as we open ourselves to let this spiritual depth in us live and work?
This is what living by faith and trust is all about. We all really have to live by faith and trust that what we do somehow does matter.
If we didn’t then why would we strive to do the best we can and live our lives with hope that as we do so somehow our lives do matter?
Isn’t that important to us? Don’t we want to know that somehow our living does make a difference to our community and family and friends?
This is a basic tenet I believe in all the great religions and ethics of the world-
- that we each sow seeds quietly by our example of living and by the quality of our faith, our words, our actions, our love, our support to life. Yes seeds that grow and sustain life in positive ways, even though we may never see the results of our living.
- As Christians we live by faith day by day, trusting as the scriptures say that this creative life force and spirit and energy that is rooted in our being and in the life forces around us is at work in all of creation- the birds, the beasts of the field, the forests, the seas, the moon and the stars, indeed in all the amazing universe where we find ourselves as Psalm 8 speaks to.
- The reading of Jesus’ wisdom words from Matthew’s gospel speaks to this trust – do not worry about your life and all its details just seek to live in the best way you can which is expressed as seeking the deep spirit of the creative spiritual energy which dwells in you. And seek God’s way of right relations (which is righteousness) and all you need will be yours as well.
- And we dare to also affirm that as we do our very best and are faithful to our lives we will know blessing and fullness of life. And we trust in the words of our great teacher Jesus as one who inspires our faithful living- “I have come that you might know life in all of its fullness”.
1. What Goes Around Comes Around
Let me share a story with you that illustrates what I have been saying:
His name was Fleming, and he was a poor Scottish farmer. One day, while trying to make a living for his family, he heard a cry for help coming from a nearby bog. He dropped his tools and ran to the bog. There, mired to his waist in black muck, was a terrified boy, screaming and struggling to free himself. Farmer Fleming saved the lad from what could have been a slow and terrifying death.
The next day, a fancy carriage pulled up to the Scotsman's sparse surroundings. An elegantly dressed nobleman stepped out and introduced himself as the father of the boy Farmer Fleming had saved. "I want to repay you," said the nobleman. "You saved my son's life."
"No, I can't accept payment for what I did," the Scottish farmer replied, waving off the offer. At that moment, the farmer's own son came to the door of the family hovel. "Is that your son?" the nobleman asked. "Yes," the farmer replied proudly. "I'll make you a deal. Let me provide him with the level of education my son will enjoy. If the lad is anything like his father, he'll no doubt grow to be a man we both will be proud of."
And that he did. Farmer Fleming's son attended the very best schools and in time, he
graduated from St. Mary's Hospital Medical School in London, and went on to become known throughout the world as the noted Sir Alexander Fleming, the discoverer of Penicillin.
Years afterward, the same nobleman's son who was saved from the bog was stricken with pneumonia. What saved his life this time? Penicillin.
What was the name of the nobleman? Lord Randolph Churchill.
His son's name? Sir Winston Churchill.
Someone once said:
What goes around comes around,
Work like you don't need the money.
Love like you've never been hurt.
Dance like nobody's watching.
Sing like nobody's listening.
Live like its Heaven on Earth.
2. THE IMPRISONED SPLENDOR
Angela Morgan, a journalist and well-known American poet had a philosophy of life that every human being has what she calls an imprisoned splendor inside of her own soul. Telling of one of her own earliest experiences, she says:
One of her poems was publicly used by a well-known preacher in New York who was very moved by it.
“In spite of the publicity” she writes, “I was not able to find a magazine market for the actual poem itself.
Months passed and one day another inspiration came to me. I would go to Mark Twain and see if he wouldn't help me. So one hot summer day I started for Stormfield, in Connecticut. I got off at a little way station three miles from Stormfield and walked down the dusty road.
My clothes were full of dust, I was wet with sweat and my hair disheveled.
But when I got in sight of Storm field I stopped dead still in the middle
of that dusty road, looked up into the blazing sun and prayed a little
prayer: "Now you Power of the universe that is back of that sun. You
can do anything, and I want you to help me get Mr. Clemens to read
my poem."
I went up to that house full of confidence. I walked up the steps
and rang the bell. Mark Twain came to the door, looked at me, smiled,
and invited me to come in. I was never able to determine whether that
smile was one of amusement at my looks after that three mile tramp in
the heat and dust or what it was. He himself was immaculately dressed
in a white summer suit. We went in and he read the poem over and
then said, "We'll have lunch first, and then you can read it to me your-
self."
My heart jumped a beat. But pretty soon I found myself sitting on
the porch with Mark Twain and Charles Bigelow Paine, his biographer,
eating lunch. The only thing I can remember about that lunch was
that Mr. Clemens spent most of the time swatting flies. Now and then
he would kill one on Mr. Paine's head. After lunch he said, "Now we
are to hear the poem."
It was like a command performance and I arose to it as best I could,
summoning to my help that something inside of me I had been taught
was there for all emergencies.
When I had finished reading that poem Mark Twain turned to Mr.
Paine and said: "I'm very glad! I'm very glad the Lord made her. I
don't always approve of his handiwork but this time I do. And this
poem must be published, Paine. You send it to the editor of Collier's
Weekly and tell him that if he has any sense he will publish this poem."
And Mark Twain in that kind act of for which I have always been grateful to his memory, helped to turn my professional career around.
All of us she says have this imprisoned splendor inside of us. We are like the
power in an atom of which they are always talking in scientific circles
these days. They talk to me in learned terms of a split electron and
I do not know what they mean from a technical point of view; but I
know what they mean when they talk of a hidden power, an imprisoned
splendor in human beings.
Angela Morgan expresses this on her poem "Kinship,"
I am aware,
As I go commonly sweeping the stair,
Doing my part of the everyday care-
Human and simple my lot and my share-
I am aware of a marvelous thing;
Voices that murmur and ethers that ring
In the far stellar spaces where cherubim sing.
I am aware of a passion that pours
Down channels of fire through infinity’s doors;
Forces terrific, with melody shod,
Music that mates with the pulses of God.
I am aware of the glory that runs
From the core of myself to the core of the suns…….
I am aware of a splendor that ties
All the things of the earth with the things of the skies
I could add another example of the young teenager Malala from Pakistan who has made a profound impact in the world by her simple courage to speak out and survive positively her vicious attack. All she wanted was for girls to have the right to an education and someone tried to silence her. Her survival and courage made her voice heard around the world inspiring courage in people in many places. For this she received a Nobel Peace Prize. Amazing from simple beginnings!
Two of her quotes from her book: I am Malala, The Girl Who Stood Up For Education and was Shot by the Taliban
• One child, one teacher, one book, one pen can change the world!
• When the whole world is silent, even one voice becomes powerful!
Another example close to home is Alice Forrester whose birthday we will be celebrating downstairs after. Alice very simply and quietly did her volunteer job at the Cross Cancer Institute from her wheelchair for 25 years and no doubt touched and comforted and influenced many people who were at the Cross for their cancer treatments or there in support of family members and friends. Amazingly her efforts were acknowledged by the Governor General’s “Award for Caring Canadians”.
CONCLUSION
When I was in my teens a musical play entitle “For Heaven’s Sake” came out that has the most incredible lyrics, many of which have stuck in my mind over the years. One of them reflects what I am saying in my message.
O you gotta get a glory in the work you do
A halleluiah chorus in the heart of you.
Paint or tell a story
Read or write a book.
Oh you gotta get a glory or your job lacks soul!
O Lord give me a glory and a workman’s pride,
O you gotta get a glory or you’re dead inside!
So this is the message I want to leave with you: Bloom where you are planted!
Remember if you can and be grateful for all the people in your lives who quietly influenced and helped you in your life’s journey!
Do the best you can where you are with what you have and are: (show pictures)
- You may be planted in the ground with lots of soil around.
- You may produce vegetables or fruit or flowers or magnificent leaves
- You may be in a hanging basket in the sun
- You may be in a pot in the shade
- You may be alone on a wall
- You may be set among rocks or grass.
- Or you may be called to give your gifts in surprising places and times over the years!!
Where ever you are be what you can be to the best of your ability:
Let that Spirit that faith plants in you flow…….
and trust, yes trust -that as you let your life bloom and be what it can be -where you are,
you will know what Jesus says his message to you was for:
that you will know life in all of its fullness and all the rest of life will look after itself in the mysterious and amazing unfolding pattern of life and love!
Born Again, Not Born Obnoxious
by Gary Simpson - May 31, 2015
I cannot get the first line of a fun spiritual song by Matthew Jones out of my mind.
"There are things that we know
that we don't know we know;
come to the Tree of Life."
Hold onto that thought.
There is a lot in the story of the meeting of Jesus and Nicodemus that is a mystery to me. There are scholars, such as commentator Matthew Henry, who take the position that Nicodemus visited Jesus at night, because he was either "afraid" or "ashamed to be seen with Christ." I do not dogmatically dismiss that position, but there are other explanations, which could make sense. While the meeting at night might seem odd to us, meeting in the evening, after the rush of daily duties was over, was considered by ancient Jews to be a good time to study the Bible. I really want to know more details behind the meeting. Nicodemus was a member of the Sanhedrin. While the Romans limited some of the powers of the Sanhedrin, the Sanhedrin "was the supreme court of the Jews." As a member of the Sanhedrin, it was part of his duties to examine anyone who might be suspected of being a false prophet. I am left wondering if Nicodemus met with Jesus to determine if Jesus was a false prophet, someone dangerous, who needed to be taken down a notch or two by the Sanhedrin. I cannot help but wonder if Nicodemus' visit with was Jesus a de facto heresy trial?
While I am no expert regarding the Catholic Church, I am of the understanding that the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith defends the Catholic church from heresy. The thought crossed my mind that Nicodemus' visit to Jesus could be compared with the cardinal in charge of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith visiting a local populist parish priest. I wonder if Jesus felt comfortable with Nicodemus' visit. I am not sure I would have felt comfortable with Nicodemus coming to see me, because of the risk of saying something that could be twisted or misinterpreted, the risk of being branded as a heretical teacher.
In order to understand biblical texts, we need to reflect on who the original audience was. We need to understand to whom the stories were told and to whom the passages were written. Ancient Palestine, in the days of Jesus, was not a democracy. The children of Israel were not a free people. The Romans controlled ancient Palestine. There was no freedom for the children of Israel. The Israelites were a defeated people. The presence of Roman occupying soldiers was deeply resented by many Jewish people. Members of the early Christian movement, a movement which eventually developed into a distinct religion, were persecuted. Some people hold that the Roman Empire had what could be described as a state religion. Rejection of the state religion might have been considered to be treasonous. Because of limits on religious freedom, Jewish people and the early Christian church may have felt religious oppression.
The passage in St. John meant something to an oppressed people, especially to members of the early Christian church, who may have, at times, felt the sting of rejection from many Jewish people and who may have been persecuted by Roman authorities. To a people who may have felt dehumanized, oppressed and insulted by Roman occupation, the popular Jewish rabbi says the Kingdom of God is for everybody who believes. To a people who may have wondered if God loved them, because they had been captured by the Romans, Jesus provides assurance of God's love, even in the face of spiritual disillusionment. Jesus presented the Kingdom of God as accessible, easily accessible. And in doing so, Jesus took religion and access to God back from the foreign oppressors and gave religion and God back to the people. The words of Jesus still appeal to those who feel oppressed, to those who feel rejected by society and by formal, organized religion.
Religion now, as when Jesus walked on the earth, can be a source of spiritual oppression, because we make people think that they must keep an overwhelming number of laws and rules to earn God's love. Many people need to hear and reflect on the words of Jesus in this passage to understand God's love and to feel liberated from the devastating impact of shame and guilt on their hearts and on their world views. David Watson, who wrote the book God Does Not Foreclose, is cited as saying if people "are to be tried in an eternal court for neglecting to respond to the gospel as it is regularly proclaimed and demonstrated by the average North American congregation, any competent defense lawyer would immediately, and successfully, appeal. Which is, of course, precisely what Christ does for us in eternity."
There is a tendency for Christians to unintentionally portray God, as an angry God, sending people into never-ending, painful punishment in hell. The possible impact of that understanding on church and society is troubling. Theologian Karl Barth observes that people "tend to resemble the gods they serve. A vindictive God always produces vindictiveness among those he influences." American novelist Kurt Vonnegut notes that if we can start to see humans as the ones who either fulfill or frustrate God's greatest dreams we might be able to stop treating each other like garbage and start treasuring each other. Our gospel reading, when studied carefully, gives us a very life-changing, society-changing understandings.
Today's reading from the gospel of St. John contains one of my favorite Bible texts. John 3:16 has a very inclusive feel. "For God so loved the world . . . that whosoever believeth in him shall not perish, but have everlasting life." Many years ago, when I was attacked for believing membership in a specific denomination is not a requirement for salvation, I cited John 3:16 as defense for my position. A popular Christian website uses the word whosoever for both its name and its Internet address. The Christian website is successful due, in part, to the fact that the name of the website resonates with people and summarizes the message of the website.
John 3:16 liberates, because it places all people on an equal footing. The well-known and influential theologian Paul Tillich notes, 'Even the saint remains a sinner and needs forgiveness and even the sinner is a saint in so far as he stands under divine forgiveness.' Through Christ, there is no need to feel inferior, second-class, undeserving, unworthy, unloved and unlovable.
In John 3:16, we get a sense that the bar one must jump to buy God's love is not lowered by Christ; it is taken away. There is no way a person can be so evil, awful or terrible that they are beyond hope, beyond the assurance of God's love. Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the German theologian who was put to death by the Nazis during World War II, believed that the central message of the New Testament is that God reconciled the entire world to God through Jesus Christ. Bonhoeffer notes that "no parts of the world, be it never so forlorn and never so Godless, which is not entirely accepted by God and reconciled with God and Jesus Christ."
Some of us have learned to avoid those who declare themselves "born again," because some people who are born again are just plain born obnoxious. The more deeply people understand the implications of John 3:16, the less likely they are to be born obnoxious.
Being born again as going through a "fundamental and permanent revolution." The revolution called "born again" changes one's perspective on life, one's life scripts, one's world view and the rules by which one lives life. We no longer see the world from the perspective of the oppressed, the downtrodden, the bashed, the discouraged. We see the world from the perspective of the risen Christ. Being born again, empowers us to do what we previously thought was impossible.
Possibly family, possibly society, possibly organized religion gave you the impression:
You are not good enough.
You are damaged goods.
You are a mistake.
You are evil.
Sexuality and gender is a curse.
You skin is the wrong color.
And your heart cries out in pain.
Because your heart, your soul knows better.
Echoing in our hearts is what we did not know we knew.
John 3:16 reminds us of what we knew.
Whosoever is me! God loves me!
"There are things that we know
that we don't know we know;
come to the Tree of Life."
Possibly family, possibly society, possibly organized religion gave you the impression:
Jesus loves you, but we are not sure about God.
The smallest sin will keep you out of heaven.
You are an abomination.
There is no hope.
And your heart cries out in pain.
Because your heart knows better.
Echoing in our hearts is what we did not know we knew.
John 3:16 reminds us of what we knew.
Whosoever is me! I am good enough for God!
"There are things that we know
that we don't know we know;
come to the Tree of Life."
Possibly family, possibly society, possibly organized religion opened your eyes to social injustice.
And your heart cries out with the pain of others.
Because your heart knows better.
Echoing in our hearts is what we did not know we knew.
John 3:16 reminds us of what we knew.
Whosoever is everybody! Everybody is good enough for God.
And should be treated that way.
"There are things that we know
that we don't know we know;
come to the Tree of Life."
There are things that I know
that I don't know I know;
The Tree of Life came to me.
Change is possible!
By Christina Bellsmith - April 12, 2015
Luke 24:47 “ …repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed!”
In the period after Easter, the gospels record that Jesus spend his time doing two things. First he appeared to his disciples several times in order to convince them that he was alive! He invited Thomas to touch the wounds in his hands and side to dispel his doubts, and at one point ate a piece of fish to prove he was not a ghost. It took a lot of proving, but in the end they were convinced. Even today, Jesus’ resurrection defies the logical side of our brains. Doubts abound, but that is ok. God honours doubts because they are honest questions. If we try to deny them they keep resurfacing. But if we confront them and take them to God, there is always an answer that will come.
The second thing Jesus did was to prepare his disciples to carry on his mission on earth. It was to proclaim the good news to everyone. They would be so effective at it as to change the history of humanity forever!
The good news centred on God’s unconditional and fathomless love for each of us; so much so that the Creator was unwilling to leave this world in its broken state. So the message was one of repentance and forgiveness.
Repentance. It is an overworked word with negative religious connotations. Let’s use the word change instead. As humans, we are called upon to change or we will end up destroying ourselves. We must develop new attitudes towards war and the settling of disputes by killing one another. We must treasure our resources and treat our beautiful blue planet like the fragile ecosystem that it is. We must set aside selfish living and strive for a simpler lifestyle and a more equitable distribution of wealth. Fortunately signs of change are all around us. There is reason to hope!
That is the big picture. But on an individual level, change is also required. We know that. The good news is that with God’s help change is possible! We need not live with our destructive habits or lower natures. Christ came to set us free from these things!
This is the best part of the good news. We are offered freedom from guilt! Our past need not sabotage our future. The bad ‘karma’ that we have been building up has been cancelled by Christ! We can start today with a clean slate. If this was offered to you, wouldn’t you take it?
This is the good news message followers of Jesus are commissioned to share. Sadly, we have too often failed in our responsibility. People around us are left in their guilt and despair because they do not know they have been set free!
The mission of the church is to proclaim this message. It is a commission handed down to us from Jesus himself. It is our ‘raison d’etre’. We simply must find ways in our music and preaching, in our teaching and outreach, and in our conversations in everyday life to get the word out. You are loved. You are forgiven. You can change. It is possible!
How Not to Make a Difference
By Rev. Christina Bellsmith - February 8, 2015
There are two kinds of people in the world; ones that are simply occupied with the business of living and ones that are trying making a difference. The first group concerns itself with earning money, shopping, eating sleeping washing, having fun etc. The second group does those things and much more. Through their vocation, or volunteer time, through their relationships or their conversations they are trying to make a difference in our world and help make it a better place for everyone. The world needs more of this kind of people.
If we can speak or write we can make a difference. Words are extremely powerful. It was Edward Bulmer-Lytton that coined the phrase, ‘the pen is mightier than the sword. The late Robin Williams, an amazing communicator, said, ‘no matter what people tell you, words and ideas can change the world.’ A famous proverb says, ‘Death and life are in the power of the tongue. The fact is each of us is making a difference already with our words. The question is, ‘Is it a positive difference or a negative one?
Paul the apostle was also an amazing communicator. Through his preaching and his writings, he started churches throughout the Roman Empire. His writings form part of our New Testament and are still influencing millions of people today. The secret of his success was his passion He wrote, ‘…for an obligation is laid on me, and woe to me if I do not proclaim the good news!’ (1 Corinthians 9:16) Communicating to make a difference was both his passion and his sense of responsibility.
Paul also was a very skilled communicator. He went on to say, ‘For though I am free with respect to all, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I might win more of them. To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though I myself am not under the law) so that I might win those under the law. To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (though I am not free from God's law but am under Christ's law) so that I might win those outside the law. To the weak I became weak, so that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that I might by all means save some. (1 Corinthians 9:19-23)
Translated into todays, terms, one can infer how not to make a difference through our words.
Don’t be friendly! It is amazing how many people will respond if we begin a conversation in public. But don’t do it! You make win friends and influence people!
Don’t listen to others! People are hungry for someone to listen to them but don’t do it! Let your conversation be about yourself and be sure to do most of the talking!
Don’t empathize! That means to find the common ground and relate to the experiences of others. Paul did it successfully. He was able to relate to all kinds of people and talk their language. But don’t you do it! You will be in danger of developing a new relationship!
Don’t read between the lines. Take the conversation at face value and don’t let it go deeper. Be oblivious to feelings of worry, or joy, loneliness or frustration, anger or likes that may be subtly expressed. That way you will never understand how enter into a deeper part of the conversation.
Don’t have an answer! The basic needs of humanity can be summarized in the need for love and acceptance, for self-worth, for purpose and for safety and security. All of these needs are met in the good news of God’s unconditional love and care. But don’t share it! It may be just the thing they are looking for!
If you do share it, preach it! Pontificate from a place of superior knowledge. This will surely cause them to not listen. Don’t simply tell your story of how you found fulfillment in your own life. It make cause them to listen. It may make a difference!
Church in the 21ST CENTURY
By Christina Bellsmith - September 28, 2014
PART I
Will the church survive for the rest of the 21st Century? Some alarming statistics indicate perhaps not.
For example, in 1986, more than four-in-ten Canadian adults ages 15 and older (43%) and five-in-ten U.S. adults ages 18 and older (54%) said they attended religious services at least once a month, according to General Social Surveys conducted in both countries. By 2010, the figure for Canadian adults had fallen 16 percentage points, to 27%.
The Globe and Mail reports, “Interest in church declines in a pattern from East to West - from high rates of attendance and identification in Atlantic Canada to the lowest rates in British Columbia. In between, Quebec, with its Roman Catholic tradition, leads in religious affiliation, but church attendance is sparse and its residents are least likely to say that faith is very important to their lives. Across the board, the young are giving up on God with increasing haste.”
Interestingly enough it is not because Canadians do not believe in God. . In fact, 80 per cent of Canadians say they believe in God. It is rather that they have forsaken institutional religion.
These statistics lead to some important questions. Has the church lost relevance for most people? How are people outside organized religion filling their spiritual needs in this century? What can the church do to adapt and become more relevant? Is there even a will or desire for the changes necessary to do so? Does the church have the leadership to affect such changes?
The answers to these and other questions must be found in examining more foundational questions. What is the church? What is its purpose? Clearly we have lost our way a religious institution. How can we rediscover the vitality that turned the world upside down in the early centuries of the church?
A PEOPLE CALLED APART
The church is not an institution. Nor is it a building. The word ‘church’ comes from the Greek ‘ecclesia’ meaning ‘called out ones’. It denotes a people who are called apart. In the New Testament, believers were ‘set aflame’ with the Spirit of God, and empowered to be witnesses of God’s love and salvation to all they met. Today, the church ought to be seen as a people of light bearers. The church is meant to be not so much an organization but a living organism, alive with the Spirit, functioning like light and salt in society, illuminating and flavoring it with the savour of God.
Like any living organism, the church must know how to grow. Growth happens naturally as a result of the work of the Spirit. However, if the church has become too inflexible, or too institutionalized, growth can be stunted or stop altogether. . Perhaps this is one of the reasons the church has not kept up to the changing needs of people in the 21st Century.
THE POWER OF TWO
Nor is the church a social organization, although there is a social element to it. In fact the fellowship can be wonderful! The primary reason for meeting, however, is to encounter the Divine. Jesus promised that where two or three meet in his name, the Spirit is present. That makes it an extraordinary gathering. With the presence of the Spirit, anything good can happen! Inspiring messages can unfold. Prayers can be answered, hearts uplifted, and guidance found. Healing for the heart or body can also take place. A place of forgiveness, belonging and purpose can be experienced. People can leave church inspired and fulfilled in every dimension of their lives. The same cannot be said for any other type of gathering. A church like this has a timeless relevance that never gets outdated!
GOD’S CALL
The key to a successful church in the 21st century rests with each believer. Because God loves humanity, and is moved by compassion with the suffering of individuals, God still calls individuals to come apart and bear the torch of love and light. The trouble is, there are so many competing voices in our society. Loud voices, insistent voices, noisy cities, and the blare of TV all tend to drown out the still quiet voice of the Spirit. Even people in churches can get so busy with the pulsing beat of society, they lose touch with the voice of God.
However, if we listen, we will hear it. It we come apart to a quieter place, and still the drumming beat of the world, we will hear. ‘Who will go? Whom shall I send” Isaiah heard such a voice and responded, ‘Here I am! Send me!’ If only more believers would respond with such child-like enthusiasm! Each one is called to do their part. The trouble is, is anybody listening?
GOD USES WHAT WE HAVE
Each of us has certain resources in common, including time, various abilities and resources. Each one lives in a body that can be a vessel of the Spirit. All have been given a mind to feed with knowledge and a heart to love. These are all God needs to carry out the mission of the Spirit.
Perhaps part of the reason the church has become so anemic and ineffective is that, in our individualist society, we have come to think of these resources as ours instead of God’s. We retain the right to do with them as we will. Sadly, too many resources are squandered or spend in selfish pursuits. The church will rediscover its power and effectiveness in transforming lives only when believers transfer their rights to the direction and promptings of the Spirit. The possibilities are limitless what God can do with people like that!
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