Jesus and Faith

It is really quite amazing that anybody believes that Jesus was the Messiah, that he was resurrected form the dead, and that he will return someday to rule the world. Considering how difficult it was for the first Eleven disciples to believe Jesus, how much more difficult for us today? Jesus himself shows up to the disciples with holes in his wrists and feet, he talks like Jesus, looks like Jesus, moves like Jesus - and they still think he is a ghost. Even though he told them - and at this point there are eyewitness accounts by others... - that he would return to them - they doubt.

While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, "Peace be with you."
They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost.

He said to them, "Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have."
When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet.

And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, "Do you have anything here to eat?"
They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate it in their presence.

He said to them, "This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms." Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures.
Luke 24v36-45 [TNIV]

Maybe we Christians should go easy on people who don't believe Jesus. Maybe we shouldn't take for granted our own faith. Maybe we should attribute our experience of faith to the category of miracle. And maybe we shouldn't be so hard on ourselves when we lack a stronger faith. Maybe it's no wonder Jesus was hoping for at least mustard-seed sized faith from his followers. Or the man who told Jesus he believed, but then cried out for help with his unbelief. Maybe to believe in Jesus we need Jesus himself to show up.

Jesus' strategy is interesting, upon his departure he promises that the Father will send the Spirit to become at home in each disciple. Follow the reasoning here: if the Same Spirit that was in Jesus is now in some disciples, and if it is this Spirit that helps people believe and serve and love and endure and rescue and heal and feed and clothe and celebrate and share... and if it is this Spirit that made Jesus capable of accomplishing what he did, and if that Same Spirit is in us... then Jesus is among us. It's a miracle that anybody believes Jesus, but Jesus is everywhere these days, and he's opening hearts and eyes in every city, in every country, in every continent.

Maybe it's not helpful to focus on all the people who don't have faith in Jesus. Maybe it's more helpful to notice everyone who does have faith. Maybe we'll be surprised at who does believe. Maybe we'll be surprised at how a "little" faith goes a long ways. Maybe in our work to see Jesus in the world, to see and partner with those who do believe, we'll let Jesus plant more seeds of faith in the least expected places.

Nobody expected the Jewish Messiah to come from Nazareth. Nobody expected the Galilean fisherman Peter to lead a movement. Nobody expected Jesus to be popular with corrupt tax agents and starving prostitutes. And so maybe nobody should be surprised that they have their doubts about Jesus - he doesn't seemed to be deterred by our expectations or assumptions. He just goes about doing his rescue work through the most unlikely of people in the most unlikely of places. Maybe he might just continue his work through you!

Jesus, Death, and Trust

In the last couple weeks I've heard repeatedly that the two number one fears of most people is: dying and public speaking. I'm obviously not afraid of public speaking, but I suppose if I'm honest, I am afraid of dying. Not of dying right now, but I am afraid I'll die before I want to...

Interestingly Jesus does some public speaking while he is dying. Apparently he isn't afraid of either. Rather than taking the lazy way of saying, "Well, he's God!", it's worth poking around a bit as to where he got his courage. Here's the text:

It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, for the sun stopped shining.
And the curtain of the temple was torn in two.
Jesus called out with a loud voice, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit."
When he had said this, he breathed his last.
The centurion, seeing what had happened, praised God and said, "Surely this was a righteous man."
When all the people who had gathered to witness this sight saw what took place, they beat their breasts and went away.
But all those who knew him, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things.
Luke 23v44-49 [TNIV]

There are quite a few interesting nuggets in this short text, but I'll focus on just one. Note the phrase that Luke records Jesus calling out in a loud voice - it's a quote from Psalm 31. Here's where it gets more interesting - it's common for writers to reference once verse from a section of Scripture as a way to reference the whole section. They intend for the reader to interpret the verse not only by the context he used it, but also from the context he pulled it. If we take the time to read all of Psalm 31 as a way to better understand what Luke means by the one verse (v5), it will help us better understand what he wants us to understand about what Jesus is calling out in a loud voice.

Before Jesus takes his last agonizing breath (that's the only kind you can take while nailed on a Roman cross), he calls out for many to hear: Father, into your hands I commit my spirit. Now, within the the story that Luke tells, one could draw a couple of conclusions about what Jesus means. First, Jesus is committing his Spirit to his Father - which implies that they are together in this event (as opposed to being against each other). Second, Jesus' death wasn't without spiritual significance to himself - as opposed to the pure hopelessness and rage of most crucified criminals. Third, Jesus isn't cursing anybody at the end of a long and torturous road, he's ready for what is next. Maybe you can pull some other conclusions from this verse on Jesus' lips.

Now, read through Psalm 31, knowing that Luke records Jesus shouting out verse 5; read the verse and the Psalm in the light of Jesus' death on the cross.

What do you think is racing through Jesus' mind as he hangs there by the crude spikes through his wrist? He's working his heart and lips through the Psalms. We know that earlier he was probably mouthing his way through Psalm 22. Not only is Jesus trying to keep his wits about him, but he's also reminding himself of why he is having to go through all of this, he's reminding himself of what God his Father is going to accomplish through all this, he's reminding himself of how his Father is going to see him through all of this to the other side.

What runs through your head and heart when the times are very difficult, marked by anguish and uncertainty, anxiety and fear? Rage? Emptiness? Calculations for greater control or revenge? Withdrawal? What if, in the midst of the angst of life you staked out a position where you trusted God to redeem you and the situation? What if that which caused dread could be the very thing that prompted trust? What if those things that could fuel despair and giving up could also be triggers for perseverance and love? That's what Jesus was singing to himself in the many hours he was stuck to the cross, and it's what he shouted out when he could muster up the strength.

What about you - what will you do when something in you dies? Lay down and give up or commit your spirit, your life (that which you have left to give away...) to the Merciful LORD, our Faithful God?

In you, LORD, I have taken refuge;
let me never be put to shame;
deliver me in your righteousness.
Turn your ear to me,
come quickly to my rescue;
be my rock of refuge,
a strong fortress to save me.

Since you are my rock and my fortress,
for the sake of your name lead and guide me.

Keep me free from the trap that is set for me,
for you are my refuge.

Into your hands I commit my spirit;
redeem me, LORD, my faithful God.

Jesus and Judas, Fear and Betrayal

Now the Festival of Unleavened Bread, called the Passover, was approaching, and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were looking for some way to get rid of Jesus, for they were afraid of the people. Then Satan entered Judas, called Iscariot, one of the Twelve. And Judas went to the chief priests and the officers of the temple guard and discussed with them how he might betray Jesus. They were delighted and agreed to give him money. He consented, and watched for an opportunity to hand Jesus over to them when no crowd was present.
Luke 22v1-6 [TNIV]

The Temple is the central facility of Israel, within it resides the Presence of God. To be a priest, then, was to be a one of the few men in the nation with an opportunity to serve in that famous building. To be a chief priest was to be one of a small minority of men with great authority and responsibility. Not only do you oversee tens of thousands of priest-servants, but you oversee the administrative duties of the annual feasts which at times must accompany millions of people in the city of the Temple. As a chief priest you also had your hands involved in the banking industry which resided in the safe confines of the Temple. Great religious responsibility and financial prosperity marked the life of a shrewd chief priest.

The Torah was the heart of Israel, the centerpiece of instruction, law, history, biography, and story of their identity. To know Torah was to know God's heart. To love and abide by Torah was the greatest work of a man in Israel. To be a teacher of Torah was one of the greatest vocations then for the people of the Promised Land. To be a Torah-teacher was to be a mouthpiece for God, an interpreter of the laws for the complex culture one lived in, to the storyteller explaining why tragedy happens and how we got to where we are. A Torah-teacher helps define reality.

Jesus directly challenged the corruption of the chief priests and he undermined the authority of the Torah-teachers. And the people loved him for it. The people weren't stupid - they know when the Temple chief priests are taking advantage of others, especially widows. But what can the people do? The people are fully aware of how burdensome the instructions of the Torah-teachers have become - but who are they to object? What if they are wrong and the teachers and priests are right? But what if Jesus is right? What if we could change things around here? What if the Temple really could be a place of prayer again? What if the Torah really could be about love for God and neighbor? If Jesus is right and the priests and teachers are wrong, then everything must change.

People with power are often the biggest proponents of the status quo. They have the most to gain by keeping things the same. But those who propose change aren't to be completely trusted either - they obviously have something to gain by their initiatives. So the one who challenges the status quo and who introduces a new way forward must be one with credibility, one who only gains an advantage if the majority of people who are in need of a change get the brunt of the benefit. Jesus had become trustworthy to many people who were the oppressed, who had been the ones bearing unjust burdens. Jesus showed that he did not come for his own sake, but to serve and lift up others. The change he was fomenting was about shaking up the status quo for the benefit of the whole nation - even if it cost him his life.

The chief priests and teachers of the law had the most to gain by keeping the status quo. Do you also have much to gain by keeping the status quo? Who are the people in your world who need someone to bring change for good? What sacrifice might God be calling you to make so that justice and mercy can prevail? Jesus is the instigator and initiator of change. Jesus did not come to keep things the same, but to radically redefine reality: the Temple of God is about holiness that blesses, the Torah is about love for God and neighbor. Do we use our power and devotion to further a holiness that blesses or one that hoards? Do we use our abilities and aspirations to love more or to play it safe?

Judas, the chief priests, the Torah-teachers didn't like Jesus' way. They had much to lose if his interpretation of reality prevailed. They feared the future if Jesus had his way. What do you fear about following Jesus? What do you fear about losing? What do you fear will happen to you? What do you fear will become of your nation if you go the way of Jesus?

Jesus and Noticing Details

As Jesus looked up, he saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins.
"Truly I tell you," he said, "this poor widow has put in more than all the others. All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on."
Luke 21v1-4 [TNIV]

Depending on what your motives are for doing good, it can be rather unnerving or encouraging that Jesus notices the details of our hearts and actions. Crowds of people are not sufficient distraction for Jesus to miss the significance of your decision. There is nowhere to hide from the observant glance of Jesus - he will notice everything. Again, this can be a refreshing reminder or another cause for guilt.

The Temple served as a bank as well as a worship center. Because it was believed that the Presence of God dwelled in the Holy of Holies - a closed off, small room in the back of the worship area, it was believed that the Temple was also the safest place for valuables - like money. There is only one Temple of YHWH, thus one central bank. So people would go to the Temple to deposit money, or to make an offering to God. It was probably pretty easy for some confusion to ensue about what made the Temple valuable.

Jesus spent a lot of time at the Temple once he arrived in Jerusalem - teaching, healing, being with people. It didn't take long to see patterns emerge - what kind of people showing up at what time of day saying/doing certain kinds of things, depositing/offering various amounts of money. I'm sure Jesus recognized some of the people - many who may have encountered him as he traveled from Galilee south to the Holy City. And in this little story, Jesus reveals that he knows much more than others realize he knows. And that Jesus notices far more than others notice. And so must God...

Don't judge how valuable your gift is to God and others; don't ponder how valuable you think someone else's gift is. Only God knows how generous and sacrificial and significant is each gift, for only God knows our hearts and motives. Don't delay or deny yourself the opportunity to serve, give, offer, be with someone just because you feel like it's not "big" enough. And don't go patting yourself on the back when you make what you think is a big contribution to something... you might be surprised at how overinflated your sense of value is to the project.

Jesus notices the widow - a woman likely enmeshed in a life of harsh survival, daily scraping by, and yet she exudes a trust in the provision of God. Jesus notices a landowner - a man likely pursuing an extravagant life of social-climbing and honor-seeking. And his gift is a calculated one - out of all his wealth he gives in accordance with his strategy to ascend the ladder of power within the city.

His gift is all about him. Her gift is all she had. What about your gifts?

What would Jesus notice about your gifts? What would he say about your motives?
What details would he notice about your choices?

Jesus The Brilliant, Savvy, Wise Teacher

One day as Jesus was teaching the people in the temple courts and proclaiming the good news, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, together with the elders, came up to him.

"Tell us by what authority you are doing these things," they said. "Who gave you this authority?"

He replied, "I will also ask you a question. Tell me, John's baptism—was it from heaven, or of human origin?"

They discussed it among themselves and said, "If we say, 'From heaven,' he will ask, 'Why didn't you believe him?'
But if we say, 'Of human origin,' all the people will stone us, because they are persuaded that John was a prophet."

So they answered, "We don't know where it was from."

Jesus said, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things."
Luke 20v1-8 [TNIV]

Here's the scenario - Jesus is in the Temple Courts, a popular gathering area for people from around the nation, even the world. The Temple is the central religious and banking facility for the whole nation. This, obviously, makes it not only popular but very valuable and important. Jesus, by teaching in the Temple Courts, is in the presence of the priests who run both the religious rituals of the Temple, but also the economic tasks of the Temple. The priests - especially the Chief Priests - are going to pay very careful attention to the teachings of Jesus. No surprise that they are offended by Him.

But not only does Jesus offend the chief priests, he also annoys the Teachers of the Law. Technically they are the ones to be teaching Torah to people, but not many people flock to hear them expound. The message of Jesus as he expounds on Torah is called "good news"; doubt if the traditional Torah-teachers ever got that kind of favorable description. So maybe some jealousy is infusing their opposition of Jesus, but there is also resistance to the new understanding of Torah that Jesus is introducing. Jesus is wrecking the credibility of the teachers of the law, he's tainting their character, he's undermining their career. No wonder they resist Him.

Lastly, the Elders are irritated with Jesus. The Elders of a city, a village, a tribe, a family held authority and responsibility. It was the Elders who were final arbiters dealing with life situations that arose in the local regions. The Elders were the wise ones who helped people move forward in life. And here's Jesus coming along with better wisdom, more compassion, fantastic miracles, and he keeps calling people to follow him - leave their home, their families, their traditional jobs behind to become disciples of the Nazareth-man. Surprise surprise that the Elders - upholders of tradition - were positioned against Jesus.

So when the Chief Priests AND the Teachers of the Law AND the Elders confront Jesus on where he gets his authority from, this is an impressive array of opposition, meant to dismay Jesus and hopefully result in a cessation of "good news" proclamation. But Jesus is way to brilliant, savvy and wise for this weak attempt at confrontation. Jesus returns their grasping question with a very direct and probing question. Jesus isn't trying to trick them, at the deepest level Jesus is trying to rescue them from their folly, their rebellion, their pride.

The response of the Three reveals that they give a calculated answer, it's misleading. They know that Jesus is from God - there is no other way to account for what he has accomplished. But that answer will mess everything up for them. If they give the answer they want to give - that Jesus is not a prophet of God, just a mere man, the people will stone the Three.

Clever Jesus, he asks a question about John the Baptist whom everyone recognized as a prophet - the one Malachai prophesied would come as the Second Elijah (which, if you know anything about the original Elijah, this would be a very cool thing to have happen!). In asking the question about John, Jesus is able to accomplish two things: get them to reveal what they believe about John and what they believe about Jesus.

Jesus wisely distangles himself from the deceitful attempts by the Three to discredit and undermine his proclamations of the good news. His question in response to their question gets to the real heart of the issue, and protects him from their evil intentions. For all the attempts we make to Follow Jesus, we don't consider often enough how He asked questions. Life is about people, it's about relationships, it's about influence, it's about reconciliation, it's about love, it's about power, it's about sacrifice, it's about joy.

Navigating your way through relationships is tricky and often a murky experience - hence the power of questions. Questions allow you to learn, they allow you to clarify, they allow you to reveal, they allow you to teach. When confronted with people who are mean, abusive, unthoughtful, or rude, being able to ask pointed questions is often the only response left outside of violence - verbally, physically, or emotionally.

Jesus also makes it clear that everything he does and says - including his questions - are rooted in his life under God. Jesus is under the authority of God - it's by this authority that he proclaims good news, that he heals and restores, that he teaches with wisdom and truth. The Chief Priests, the Teachers of the Law, the Elders were not willing to be under the authority of God in the same way as Jesus.

How about you - will be like the Three? Resisting truth and grace? Resisting transformation and healing? Resisting the Way of God which brings about reconciliation of All Things? Or will you continually choose to be under the authority of God - so that you can daily live out the Way of Jesus.

Jesus and the Parable of the Coming Kingdom

While they were listening to this, he went on to tell them a parable, because he was near Jerusalem and the people thought that the kingdom of God was going to appear at once.
He said: "A man of noble birth went to a distant country to have himself appointed king and then to return. So he called ten of his servants and gave them ten minas. 'Put this money to work,' he said, 'until I come back.'
"But his subjects hated him and sent a delegation after him to say, 'We don't want this man to be our king.'
"He was made king, however, and returned home.
Luke 19v11-15a [TNIV]

What kind of difference do you want Jesus to make in the world? Do you have high expectations for Jesus? Do you find yourself a bit confused about the bold claims Jesus declares when you consider the mess the world is in? People had their own expectations for Jesus when he was walking and healing his way towards Jerusalem - and we have our own today as we await his return.

So what did Jesus do with all these expectations? He certainly didn't ignore them. In this case, he tells a somewhat confusing parable to help explain what it will look like when the kingdom appears. People thought that God would appear all at once, his Reign would break in immediately and forcibly, decidedly, instantaneously crush the wicked rulers of the world. That's what they wanted him to do, anyway. Which made for a big problem when Jesus tries to explain to them how God is REALLY going to come to them to begin his reign on earth. Jesus' insistence on his version of reality got him killed.

Jesus was what the kingdom of God looked like, and Jesus' way was how the kingdom was going to appear. Jesus, apparently, was planning for the coming of the kingdom to take a very, very, very long time.

In this story, Jesus seems to be indicating that when the kingdom of God comes completely, a lot of us will be shocked at what comes next. We're to be working hard until the kingdom comes in all it's fullness. We're to stay loyal to the king while he is gone, so that when the king returns he has before him many loyal, productive servants to welcome him. Not only that, but the kingdom is that much more greater for all the work the servants did while the king was gone.

Application: Jesus shows up as the king of Israel, and he doesn't find many loyal servants who acknowledge his authority. He also doesn't find many servants being very productive with their work. The country is rotted with greedy leaders and corrupt officials, it's withering through neglect of the widows and abuse of the orphans, it's a stench in the nostrils of surrounding nations for it's arrogance and stubbornness. This is the kind of country that kills its king when he returns to announce the way of peace.

But the resurrection reminds us that the Way of Peace will prevail. It will overcome violence someday. When the king returns, will he find loyal servants working hard at the productive way of peace, or will we be sucked into the swirling vortex of vengeance and bitterness?

Jesus and Healing...

As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging. When he heard the crowd going by, he asked what was happening. They told him, "Jesus of Nazareth is passing by."
He called out, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!"

Those who led the way rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!"
Jesus stopped and ordered the man to be brought to him. When he came near, Jesus asked him, "What do you want me to do for you?"
"Lord, I want to see," he replied.

Jesus said to him, "Receive your sight; your faith has healed you." Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus, praising God. When all the people saw it, they also praised God.
Luke 18v35-43 (TNIV)

There is no doubt that every single healing Jesus did was a goose-bump inducing event. Pure miracle, beautiful, amazing, glorious. But then the next day would come, and that person would still be in stark poverty, still have the same family and friends, still live in the same village, still be under Roman occupation and Herodian corruption. They'd have to maybe learn a new trade as a middle-aged man, relearn a former trade, or hope they didn't get hurt again once Jesus left. The healing was simply remarkable, but reality would eventually settle in. And then what? What to do with your life as a non-cripple, non-disabled person?

We wish that Jesus would show up, heal all our diseases like he used to, cure the sick, restore the crippled, raise the dead. But then what? Will the misery be banished as well? Will our minds and heart be bitter or sweet and supple? Will our attitudes be dark or light? It's very interesting that only people with faith were healed, only people that trusted Jesus of Nazareth, only people that showed belief in his abilities were able to get healed. Apparently untrusting, bitter, dark-hearted people could not be healed...in part because they didn't want, didn't think Jesus could do it, or didn't consider it a worthwhile gift.

It's worth noting that for a lot of the ailments afflicting the crowds, much of it was society induced. Demon-possession/madness would have been expected as a result of the heart-wrenching atrocities repeatedly committed upon the villages and cities by the Greeks and Romans for centuries. Depleted soils and chronic malnutrition due to wrecked harvests, famines, and ravaged lands led to expected birth defects like blindness, deafness, muteness, lameness and other problems. Not to mention the hard labor required of people born healthy, people prone to unending exhaustion and the resulting accidents and maimings.

When Jesus healed people who trusted him, he gave them a new lease on life; apparently they had the kind of heart and mind to re-engage a dark and cruel world with a restored body. These were people willing to start over again in a hard life, but a life touched by God. These weren't people just clamoring for convenience, they were seeing God at work in their land, God had indeed come to visit - and they wanted Him to come to them.

Jesus doesn't walk the land these days like he did in Palestine all those years ago. But the art of healing has come a long way - the availability of it, as well as the excellence of it, would make God proud. And it's still an art and science that brings awe and joy to many people. But getting healed up is not a right - it's the result of a lot of circumstances coming together in the right way. Getting healed is beautiful when it happens - but it's not the best part. The best part is what you do with yourself before you get healed, while you await healing, and what you do with yourself after you get healed. If you are seeking God these days for healing - for you or for someone else - don't overlook the hard work of making the best of life as it is now... otherwise you will be unprepared for making the best of your life after the healing.

Jesus and the Coming of the Kingdom of God

Once, having been asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, "The coming of the kingdom of God is not something that can be observed, nor will people say, 'Here it is,' or 'There it is,' because the kingdom of God is in your midst."
Then he said to his disciples, "The time is coming when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, but you will not see it. People will tell you, 'There he is!' or 'Here he is!' Do not go running off after them. For the Son of Man in his day will be like the lightning, which flashes and lights up the sky from one end to the other. But first he must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.
Luke 17v20-25 (TNIV)

There are nuanced ways of thinking about what is the Kingdom of God. Is it a large tract of land with a castle in the middle of it? Is it a continent guarded by battleships and airbombers? Is it a spiritual place where God sits on a throne with a crown and dispenses commands to the citizens? Interestingly, Jesus seems to indicate that one way of thinking about the Kingdom of God is to think about it as a person: Him!

This nuanced perspective brings out the irony of the passage: the Pharisees, while looking right into Jesus eyes as they ask him yet another question, are looking right at the answer. And Jesus extends this irony to his disciples: everyone thought that they would know what the Son of Man looked like because of natural phenomena or political/military developments... and thus they cannot see/believe Jesus when he claims to be the Son of Man.

Sometimes this text (and the rest of the section) gets used to defend the Rapture and the End of Times stuff. Again, keeping this Scripture in context eliminates those scenarios. Jesus is referring to himself as the Son of Man, the days he is describing are the ones the listeners are living in, and the destruction he is referring to is likely the Roman assault on Jerusalem in 70AD. Jesus came, as the Son of Man, not to bring judgment, but prevent this destruction, to bring salvation from their pending assault. At one level, Jesus was unsuccessful, he failed in his mission to avert Israel's doom and turn their hearts back to God. On another level, he succeeded: he was obedient to God - even unto the cross; he did save some of the Israelites (and others from the region); he brought the Kingdom of God to Earth and showed us what it looks like.

We see the Kingdom of God on Earth when we see Jesus at work in His world. We see it in us, around us, through us when we yield to His Way of working on Earth. It can be easy to miss Jesus/the Kingdom of God because we see what we want to see. To the degree that we want to see Jesus and his Rule/God's Way prevailing in the world, we will see it. But it is not something that we are just supposed to "see", it is a way of life to be lived, a gift of grace to be enjoyed, a promise of hope to believe, a beautiful reality to be shared.

Jesus, The Rich Man and Lazarus the Beggar

"There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores and longing to eat what fell from the rich man's table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.

"The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried. In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. So he called to him, 'Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.'

"But Abraham replied, 'Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.'

"He answered, 'Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my family, for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.'
"Abraham replied, 'They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.'
" 'No, father Abraham,' he said, 'but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.'
"He said to him, 'If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.' "
Luke 16v19-31 (TNIV)

This parable gets lots of attention for the supposed details it gives us about heaven and hell. That's unfortunate, because the real value of this parable is found in its broader context - a message to the Pharisees and anybody else obsessed with money.

Jesus had been teaching about money, and he gave us this famous aphorism: You cannot serve both God and Money. Luke records this detail: "The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all this and were sneering at Jesus. He said to them, "You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of others, but God knows your hearts. What people value highly is detestable in God's sight." Jesus goes on to provoke them by outlining significant, grievous sins the Pharisees were committing - revealing that they may be able to spout Torah and the Prophets, but they didn't really know it, love it, listen to it.

We can tend to get caught up in certain details of this story: Is Hell the same as Hades? Is it a place of fire-induced agony? Is there a chasm between Hades and Abraham's side? Is Abraham's side the same as Heaven? Can Abraham dialogue with people in Hades/Hell? Can other people shout back and forth? How does that work?

For Christians, anyways, maybe there are some other parts of the text we ought to focus on:
"If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead."

Christians sometimes think that they can convince people to believe in Jesus because he was raised from the dead, or to believe in Jesus so that they can avoid Hell, or because it is a better way of life. And some of those reasons have probably worked for some people. But Jesus seems to focus on the appeal of God over the agony of Hell. In this life - as hard and bad as it can be - who will you serve? ...not because of wanting to avoid Hell, but because of wanting to know God's heart now. Do we want to value what God values now or not?

The best way to help others consider becoming a Christian is be the kind of Christian they might want to become: one who knows God's heart, one who serves God not money, one who does not justify themselves in others eyes, one who doesn't commit adultery, one who cares for the poor, one who listens to Torah and the Prophets, one who doesn't sneer at Jesus.

Jesus and the Lost Parables

Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus.

But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, "This man welcomes sinners and eats with them."

Then Jesus told them [these] parable[s]:

Luke 15v1-3 (TNIV)

Jesus tells a parable about a lost sheep, a lost coin, and two lost sons; you might be familiar with these stories. The essential point of these parables is to help explain why Jesus is welcoming and eating with sinners of all types: Jesus comes to people who are lost on the way to God in order to find them and bring them back to the Father.

* God is like a shepherd (which should evoke some Scriptures from the Psalms and Ezekiel...) who goes after straying sheep - and he throws a big party for everyone when he gets back to the fold.

* God is like a woman (which should raise eyebrows...) who loses a days worth of wages, and who searches and searches until she finds it - and then spends that money to celebrate finding it!

* God is like a Father (which is an old and new idea...) who loses both of his sons, and doesn't go after them, but is ready to receive and throw a big party for them when they are willing to return.

God doesn't want humanity to be lost, and he will come to us, where we live, to help us find our way back home to him. Humans are not quite like sheep (though there are some similarities) and we are not quite like coins (though there is some sad similarities), but we are like sons who stray, make our own choices, and then have to live with the consequences. But like the sons in this story, they can always choose to return to God the Father. Or not.

Return, in the Hebrew language, is the same word for Repent. For humans, being lost doesn't always mean we don't know how to get back home; being lost can also mean we walked away from home. To get found often depends on us choosing to return, to repent, to want to be found. God has come close to us in Jesus (Immanuel/God with us); we can get found anytime we want whenever we take the steps towards returning home.

Jesus and the Great Banquet

When one of those at the table with him heard this, he said to Jesus, "Blessed are those who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God."

Jesus replied: "A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests.
At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, 'Come, for everything is now ready.'
"But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said, 'I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me.'
"Another said, 'I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I'm on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.'
"Still another said, 'I just got married, so I can't come.'
"The servant came back and reported this to his master.
Then the owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant, 'Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.'
" 'Sir,' the servant said, 'what you ordered has been done, but there is still room.'
"Then the master told his servant, 'Go out to the roads and country lanes and compel them to come in, so that my house will be full.
I tell you, not one of those who were invited will get a taste of my banquet.' "
Luke 14v15-24 [TNIV]

What's heaven like?

What's God like?

When you ask questions like those, you tend to think of place and person. Jesus however, wants us to think of an event when we think of heaven and God. What is heaven and God like? A great banquet!

Who doesn't want to get invited to a great banquet - especially when it is for a feast at the home of someone famous, powerful, and wealthy? And what if, upon receiving the important invitation, you instead rejected it and came up with measly excuses that were rather insulting?

When you look at the examples in the text, consider: who would buy a field without first looking at it prior to the purchase? Or who would obtain oxen without first trying them out? Or who, upon getting married, would pass up the opportunity to take his wife to a lavish banquet? These rejections were meant to shame the one who did the inviting.

Amazingly enough, there are people who are quite willing to pass up on the Great Banquet! God is good - which means that heaven is good - and which means the feast will be really really good! Why would anyone pass up on a great banquet, attended by great and good people - even God himself? How do you explain people who don't want God?

It's just as baffling to Jesus as it is to us, so it seems. But rather than try to figure out all the reasons for why it happens, it seems that Jesus just keeps on inviting people to the Banquet. In the meantime, as we await the Great Banquet to begin, we hold our own great banquets here on earth - inviting friends and neighbors, even aliens and enemies to join us for meals, for fellowship, for worship, for life.

We get glimpses of heaven and God now when we open up our table and our hearts to the people around us - disregarding their identities, their ethnicity, their accent, their smell, their status, their manners, their background, their habits. When we invite the "uninvitable" to our table, to our homes, to our lives, we keep our own heart open to God and his invitations to us.

You want God and heaven when you die? Then want great banquets with the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind while you are alive. To follow in the way of Jesus for this life and the next includes actually feasting in the way of Jesus in this life...and the next.

Jesus and the Kingdom

Then Jesus asked, "What is the kingdom of God like? What shall I compare it to?
It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his garden.
It grew and became a tree, and the birds perched in its branches."

Again he asked, "What shall I compare the kingdom of God to?
It is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty pounds of flour until it worked all through the dough."
Luke 13v18-21 [TNIV]

How do you account for the apparent failure of Jesus?

For the people who watched him heal and teach and eat, they expected him to marshall the troops and drive the Romans out of the Temple. But he never instigated the violent revolution many assumed was the best way to free the nation from pagan oppression. Instead, he continued to heal the poor and sick, to teach the poor and pious, and to eat with whoever would join him. It's clear that Jesus was more interested in eating than he was with fomenting rebellion against Caesar. What a disappointment he was to so many...no wonder they called him a glutton!

Apparently Jesus had a different vision for the kingdom of God on earth. Subversion would be a good word. Jesus starts small. Picks a man. chooses his brother. adds another pair of brothers. calls a tax man. a doubter. a zealot. a traitor. With twelve men of no account Jesus intends to influence the world for good and for God. It's a lot like planting a mustard tree seed in the ground, and then forgetting about it. There is nothing special or attractive about a mustard tree. Except that eventually one day it will be home for many birds. And then you'll notice the tree. And then you'll hear the songs. It's as if at first God's work was not that noticeable, something to ignore or not give much attention to. But give God some time and some hearts, and then his kingdom, his rule, his way is something to be reckoned with.

The clever thought with the yeast is this: we can't get out of this world - we're in it, right in the middle of the craziness, the beauty, the wickedness, the possibilities. Rather than trying to seclude ourselves from the world, we who follow Jesus are a lot like yeast. Give us some time and some heart, and the way of God will work his way into the world through us- and when the time is right, the smell of fresh bread will bring plenty of people together for a feast. And we know how much Jesus loves to feast!

The Kingdom of God is another way of talking about the rule of God, the intent of God, the way of God. God doesn't force his kingdom on any body. But as we've seen from Jesus' description, it has an attractiveness to it - rest for the birds and food for the hungry. If you don't need rest, if you don't want to eat, then maybe the kingdom isn't what you want...for now. Fortunately God just needs a little space in your heart to plant a tiny seed, he just needs a moment of your time to mix in some yeast. And then some time and work.

What are you willing to give him? God asks for all of you, but he'll take what you give him.

Jesus and Being Rich

"Watch out!

Be on your guard against all kinds of greed;

life does not consist in an abundance of possessions."

Luke 12v15

Jesus does not have a problem with you being rich.  But you might have a problem with being greedy. 

Interestingly, in Jesus' day, maybe 1% of the population had what Jesus referred to as "abundance of possessions." Still, the problem Jesus is addressing is not the actual possessing an abundance of stuff.  It's the attitude and desire to store up more for yourself.  It's the wanting of more than you already have - not because you need it, but because you want it for yourself.  The dream of having an abundance of possessions is what Jesus calls greed.  And if you are greedy for yourself, you make almost impossible to be rich towards God.

Nobody ever really thinks of themselves as greedy. And when everybody is greedy, the norm gets skewed severely.  But how many people do you know who don't have an abundance of possessions?  Who do you know with a house that does not have lots of "stuff" in it?  Just because you can afford it (which is questionable...) or because you want it - does that justify the purchase?

"Life does not consist in an abundance of possessions."  The good life, the life we really want, is rooted in love, not stuff.  What makes life good is not the cool collection of stuff we have stored for ourselves on our walls, our shelves, our attics, our basements, our garages.  What makes life good is the kind of love we give out, the kind of love we receive, the kind of love we enjoy with others.  "Stuff" is no substitute for love of God or our neighbor.

When given the opportunity to attain more stuff for yourself or be rich towards God, to which are you inclined?  When you have more than you need, and you know someone who has less than you need, are you willing to gladly step in and bless?  Or hoard?

When your spending is directed by the Spirit, you'll find ways to give more of your money and stuff away - give it away to God by giving it to your neighbor in need.  Money and stuff is no substitute for love - but it can be one of the ways you demonstrate your love.

What's your motive for why you want what you want?  What's your motive for why you collect/accumulate/store what you do? How much of your life is about you and what you can get for yourself?  And how much of your life is about being rich towards God?  How much of your life is about preparing a great life now - a life that overflows with goodness into the lives of others?

For those that store things up for themselves but are not rich towards God, they will die and leave their stuff for another to do with it what they want.  But for those that store things up for others, who are rich towards God, they will die and pass on their stuff of love and blessings on to the next generation.  Their love and life will endure into the life to come.  Of all the things you can't take with you, you can take love with you when you die.  Be rich in love towards God and your neighbor.  That's what the good life consists of.

Jesus and the Woes

Jesus reacted strongly against those who would get in the way of people who needed to get onto the way of God. Jesus had some real strong words for the Pharisees and the Law-Experts, words like "You foolish people" and "Woe to you...."

The Pharisees were a religious sect within Second-Temple Judaism, men who were strictly devout to observing all the Torah. Amongst other things they placed a heavy emphasis on observing the Sabbath, observing the purity rites (like washing hands, avoiding dead/sick people, etc), avoiding table fellowship with sinners and impure people, and they taught people to observe the teachings of those who interpreted the law. Thus, it was not enough to observe Torah, but one must observe the multiple interpretations of Torah.

This is where the Law-Experts came in - whereas the Pharisees focused on how to live out a strict observance of the law, the Experts focused on detailed understanding of what Torah meant and how it could be applied to everyday life. Thus almost everything imaginable in everyday life was regulated somehow by Torah. The Pharisees and the Law-Experts had an interesting relationship; some Pharisees were also Law-Experts, and some Law-Experts were Pharisees, but they didn't necessarily always agree on everything. For example, the Pharisees believed that if they could be holy enough, and if they could get Israel to be holy enough, and if they could get rid of the sinful Herodians and impure Romans, then maybe the LORD would come and heal their land.

In the effort to prepare the way for the LORD to come and heal the land, many of the Pharisees and Law-Experts missed the coming of the LORD and his healing of the people. Jesus was not the image of God that these religious leaders had been expecting. Jesus was incredulous that these leaders, these Torah-observers, were missing the work of God. And to make matters worse, these religious leaders were actively resisting Jesus' work, trying to stop and undermine him. Jesus speaks plainly to them - the word of God to them - and the result is that most of them only intensify their opposition to him.

Jesus had no problem with the Pharisees and Law-Experts working hard to observe Torah - he did have a problem with Torah-observance that didn't also produce generosity to the poor, justice for the marginalized and love of God, humility, and true holiness. The Law-Experts were lambasted by Jesus the LORD for burdening the people with endless rules, for focusing on the letter of the Law and missing the Spirit and Word of God, for hindering their fellow citizens from finding life with God through Torah.

Jesus doesn't want people to be religious, he wants them to love God and love their neighbor. Be religious if you want, but be generous, be just, be humble, be loyal to God and to your neighbors.

Jesus and Light

"None of you lights a lamp and puts it in a place where it will be hidden, or under a bowl.
Instead you put it on its stand, so that those who come in may see the light.

Your eye is the lamp of your body.
When your eyes are healthy,
your whole body also is full of light.
But when they are unhealthy,
your body also is full of darkness.

See to it, then, that the light within you is not darkness.
Therefore, if your whole body is full of light, and no part of it dark,
it will be just as full of light as when a lamp shines its light on you."
Luke 11v33-36 (TNIV)

Being the brilliant teacher he is, Jesus takes a very simple concept and allows it to open up a whole new way of seeing how we can influence the world for good. He pulls together simple observation about lamplight and eyesight, weaves in some insights about moral and ethical responsibilities, and casts a vision for what this new life could be like.

Lamplight is what gets you home when it's dark, it shows you where to put your next step, it keeps you on the journey. Lamplight is what marks home as home - someone is waiting for you, someone is wanting you to be with them. Lamplight is what makes reading and conversation and thinking possible when it's gotten dark, the stars have come out, life has stilled, and there is space to breathe.

When your eyes are wide open to the world, when you see what is great and beautiful as well as terrible and tragic, when you see life as it is, something stirs inside you. We rejoice at the good we see and shudder at the terror. But when our eyes are closed, we're blind to life around us. Either because we're sleeping, resting, escaping, or scared. We can't keep our eyes closed forever - unless your dead. You can't stay blind to life around you all the time - at some point you have to look around you and really see life as it is. And what will you do when you see life as it really is?

Jesus uses a play on words when he talks about healthy and unhealthy eyes. Good eyesight enables us to see clearly, poor eyesight blurs or blinds us to everything around us. But healthy and unhealthy are a metaphor for generous and stingy. How can you have good eyesight, how can you see life around you, and not be generous? Clearly a stingy heart, in light of the hardships so many around us face, imply an unhealthy vision. Don't you want to live with eyes wide open, with a generous heart, with a lamp in hand for those around you?

Jesus knows that we can only open our eyes when the Spirit prompts us - that the light floods in when God comes to us. Jesus also knows that the sign of the Spirit in us, that God has become Immanuel to us, is when we have generous hearts, when our bodies serve as lamplights to the people in our life. Though not everyone will welcome the lamplight, it's the best gift we have to offer the world. We may not rescue everyone, but we'll rescue no one if we don't open our eyes and let in the light! Generosity is what marked the words and works of Jesus - and it ought to be true of us as well.

Jesus, the Wise Ones and the Little Children

At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said,
"I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth,
because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned,
and revealed them to little children.
Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure.

"All things have been committed to me by my Father.
No one knows who the Son is except the Father,
and no one knows who the Father is except the Son
and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him."
Luke 10v21-22 (TNIV)

This can be a troublesome saying of Jesus. He seems to be happy that few people will end up knowing God and finding salvation. In the Christian world I am growing up in, the emphasis is on how to save as many people as possible as quickly as possible. It's an interesting contrast.

Jesus has sent out seventy two of his disciples - the Twelve apostles along with sixty other disciples (which, now that they have been "sent" and are now "sent-ones" they qualify as apostles). These seventy-two disciples/apostles return, celebrating all the ways that good overcame evil, of how God's kingdom broke into the reality of Empire, of how demons were driven out of the oppressed, how men, women, and children were healed, forgiven, and welcomed by God. And Jesus is celebrating with them - God is at work in the world...God's way. Jesus has to remind his disciples not to get too excited about what they were able to accomplish - maybe a little pride is emerging in their celebration.

At this point Jesus has been face to face with people who speak for God, but whose wicked hearts are determined to be rid of him. Jesus has seen three decades of Roman Empire oppression, the wreckage strewn throughout the souls and soil of Israel. Jesus has experienced the wisdom of the world, which favors the rich and powerful at the expense of the poor and powerless. Salvation was being proclaimed by the senators and philosophers of Rome - Caesar was Lord and Savior of the world! And in it's wake was death and destruction, devastation and decimation.

Clearly Jesus is introducing a totally different kind of kingdom and a God who rules in a completely different way then Caesar or King Herod. Jesus is working in such a way that the rich and powerful cannot comprehend, they are blind to what he is doing, the work of God is hidden from them, they cannot comprehend the emphasis on reconciliation, mercy, truth, and justice. God has come in Jesus to the poor, the overworked, the abused, the marginalized of the empire - whom he refers to as little children - and made clear to them that God the Father, LORD of Heaven and Earth is for them.

If a king is going to establish his kingdom, he seeks to marshall the power and influence of the rich and highly capable, the smart and the savvy. But God, in his way, has some to the little children, to those that will listen, to offer them a new way. God is happy that in doing things His Way, there are many who have responded in trust and allegiance. Jesus is happy that those who seek to make everything about them at the expense of others are not co-opting his work. Jesus is full of joy that through him people are seeing God on Earth, and are listening to God, and doing what he has for them to do.

Jesus would rescue and redeem the wise and the learned...if they would listen to him. Jesus is for you...listen for him, listen to him...otherwise you'll miss the ways you could be part of his work to heal and rescue and welcome.

Neighborhood CleanUp Day!

Saturday we tackled the alley behind the church. There are about sixty houses that use the alley, thus there was a lot of tree debris to collect. Waste Management delivered a huge dumpster for us to use. We had about three pick up trucks running up and down the alley which we used to haul out the tree limbs and junk. There were some great workers that showed up to serve: RJ Conrad, Andrew Muncie, Ken Harrold, Eddie Parks and his two sons Rocky and Vinney, Steve & Pam Dennie, Terry & Lisa Sutton, Jeff Jacobs, and Paul Neher.

Once we filled the dumpster with the alley debris (we only finished half the alley...which means now we need to schedule another day to complete the project), we headed off to a home on Hensch street.  Anchor has partnered with NeighborLink FW to help our neighbors in need. NeighborLink has a website where people can post a need, and then someone can go on that site, see the need, and meet that need.  Anchor has committed to taking care of any neighbor in our zipcode - 46808 - that posts a need.  We cleaned up the yard in no time, but Paul spent most of the day working on the oven...and he's still got to go back and finish it!  He's a real trooper though, and I know he'll get it done!

We do this service project to be a good neighbor, and to get to know our neighbors.  While working in the alley I met two neighbors and has some really good talks with them.  When we went to clean up the yard on Hensch street, the owner took us across the street to meet her neighbor - a 97 year old man who is still very active, but needs some help with his yard.  It was also a great day for connecting with fellow Anchorites.  It was a very good day indeed!

Steve and Pam took a lot of pictures and then posted them on Facebook. I stole his pictures and am using them for this post!

Jesus and Jerusalem

As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem.
Luke 9v51

I've skimmed over this verse many, many times. I never really thought about how significant this piece of info was to the story Luke is crafting. For those that have carefully read and reread and reread again (using a good commentary really, really helps), you'll notice some patterns and developments in the story. And this verse is an important hinge.

From this point in the gospel, Jesus will be journeying to Jerusalem - and he will finally arrive there in 19v45. What does Jesus do when he finally arrives in Jerusalem? He goes to the temple and causes trouble. Everything in between is done while on the journey. If you didn't already notice, while on the road to the temple, Jesus does a lot of teaching, a lot of parables, a lot of confrontation, but not as much healing or miracles. There is a definite shift in the development of the story.

We talk a lot about context - putting the stories and teachings of Jesus in their original setting - first century Palestine, second temple Judaism, east Mediterranean Roman Empire, etc. The more we learn through the sciences about past cultures, the better we understand the original contexts of the gospels. But something that is also often overlooked is what we call cotext - locating the story and teaching of Jesus within it's part in the overall gospel. When we look at this verse about Jesus setting out for Jerusalem - how does the surrounding verses and chapters influence it? Does it matter that most of the healings and proclamations of the kingdom of God happen in Galilee? Does it matter that most of the parables and ethical teachings happen in Samaria and Judea? Does one story connect to the next, does one parable connect to the next, or do they all stand alone?

Maybe you are yawning at this part of the post, so I'll end it. But let me say this: what you read in Luke is part of a carefully crafted story that is meant to convey layers of info. It's not a mysterious code to be deciphered, but the work of a brilliant author who meant to communicate a rich and powerful story. He's not writing to children, he's not writing for a brochure or a glossy magazine. He's not writing a fun summertime novel. So read carefully, ask lots of questions, try to connect dots, look for patterns and themes, go for the big picture and notice small subplots. Notice the characters, attitudes, developments, etc. Luke worked hard to write a story for the ages, one that would challenge your mind and engage your heart. Let it.

Jesus and Feeding Lots of People

When the apostles returned, they reported to Jesus what they had done. Then he took them with him and they withdrew by themselves to a town called Bethsaida, but the crowds learned about it and followed him. He welcomed them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who needed healing.

Late in the afternoon the Twelve came to him and said, "Send the crowd away so they can go to the surrounding villages and countryside and find food and lodging, because we are in a remote place here."
He replied, "You give them something to eat."
They answered, "We have only five loaves of bread and two fish—unless we go and buy food for all this crowd."
(About five thousand men were there.)
But he said to his disciples, "Have them sit down in groups of about fifty each."

The disciples did so, and everyone sat down. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke them. Then he gave them to the disciples to set before the people.
They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.
Luke 9v10-17

The disciples have just returned from an amazing mission - they've gone in the name of Jesus to proclaim forgiveness of sins to those who will repent as well as healing all the sick that would come for help. What a beautiful experience - what a thrill to have God's power flow through you to bring wholeness to the lives of very oppressed and broken people. And it's on the heels of this event, as the disciples are reporting the awesome way God used them - in this moment he gives them an opportunity to be used of God again, on a much bigger scale. And they flail.

Jesus tries to get away with his twelve apostles and other disciples, but the crowds gather and follow - for obvious reasons. They won't go away, so Jesus turns around and forgives the penitent and heals the wounded. Exactly the kind of stuff the disciples had been doing in the prior days. As the day wears on, Jesus asks his twelve apostles to feed everyone. In a moment of unbelief and complete disconnect, they blink back at Jesus and act incredulous. Where would we get the food? How could we pull of this impossible feat?

I'm sure Jesus blinks back at them. They just got done healing lepers and cripples and demoniacs and the mute and the blind and the bleeding...in the power of the Spirit of God. But to feed thousands of people...is this a miracle on a different scale such that God is now impotent?

Being the teacher that he is, Jesus instructs the disciples (not the Twelve? maybe he had them sit down on the grass and watch...) to divide the people up into groups of fifty. Jesus takes the now famous five loaves and two fishes, looks to heaven, gives thanks, and then breaks them up into pieces. Somehow there are twelve baskets available for Jesus to put his bread and fish into. The disciples use these baskets to dispense the food. And there are twelve baskets left over full of fish and bread. One for each of the unbelieving, blinking, apostles.

The abundant leftovers brings to mind the challenge God posts through the prophet Malachi: bring me the tithe and I will provide more than enough. Obey me, trust me, hear what I say and do it - and I will do my part. It will be worth it. The Twelve - on the heels of being used by God to usher in his kingdom through forgiveness and healing stumbled when it came to trusting God with feeding people. The each got a basket for themselves...and the story Luke didn't record was what the Apostles maybe did with those twelve baskets. Maybe they went to the surrounding villages - the ones they thought could provide food for the masses...maybe Peter and his gang went to those same villages and gave them the extra leftovers. Maybe the Twelve had a heart after all...maybe they learned their lesson. Not that they wouldn't need to learn many more.

Jesus and His Family

Now Jesus' mother and brothers came to see him,
but they were not able to get near him because of the crowd.
Someone told him, "Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to see you."
He replied, "My mother and brothers are those who hear God's word and put it into practice."

Luke 8v19-21

Considering how much attention Luke gives to Mary the mother of Jesus, and how much affection Mary seems to have for Jesus, this little story seems kind of harsh. But then maybe a lot had changed between Jesus and Mary. Maybe Mary didn't have faith in her son? Maybe her attention drifted to her other children...and with Jesus becoming such a unique son, she didn't quite know what to do with him. I'm sure she had committed her early songs to memory - her songs and memories of those first days with Jesus: the angels, the shepherds, the Magi, the Presence of God. But that was then, and this was now: in dealing with the real Jesus, the real Messiah, the real God-in-the-flesh, maybe she didn't know what to think.

Regardless of what is mom and family thought of him, Jesus was resolute about what was priority number one: Hear and Do. It's interesting that the letter of James - a brother to Jesus - carries a similar theme. It seems that Jesus was able to win his family over - they did choose to have faith in him, to trust that he was the real thing, to believe what he said.

This is essentially Jesus' message to Israel: Hear God's Word - and live it. Love God and Love Your Neighbor. Act Justly, Love Mercy, Walk Humbly with God. Give Mercy to the Alien and Stranger, to the Widow and the Orphan, to the Enemy and Wicked.

Family is central to everything in the ancient cultures - Jesus makes a radical statement by redefining how his family is. But Jesus ministered in very dire times: judgment was coming unless people repented of their ways and committed to living out the Way of God. We know, though, that Jesus was fond of his family, especially his mother. Jesus is not dismissing his family, but expanding his family. And it's really easy to join his family: hear his words and put them into practice.

Jesus and the Scattering of the Seeds

How effective was Jesus when it came to preaching and saving people? He tells a parable that reveals part of how he measured his effectiveness. If here playing baseball, he would have a .250 average - which, for the record, isn't that impressive. Here's the parable he gives -

While a large crowd was gathering and people were coming to Jesus from town after town, he told this parable:
"A farmer went out to sow his seed.
As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds ate it up.
Some fell on rock, and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no moisture.
Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with it and choked the plants.
Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown."

When he said this, he called out, "Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear."
His disciples asked him what this parable meant.
He said, "The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God has been given to you,
but to others I speak in parables, so that,
" 'though seeing, they may not see;
though hearing, they may not understand.'

"This is the meaning of the parable:
The seed is the word of God.
Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved.
Those on the rock are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away.
The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life's worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature.
But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.

Luke 8v4-15

According to some scholars who are working hard to better understand the culture and context of Jesus' teachings and actions, it seems more and more that Jesus was preaching and saving people with 70AD in mind. Not so much the exact date as much as the judgment that would come to pass in that era. Jesus had come to announce God's plan to restore all in Israel who would hear and respond; to those who listened and acted accordingly, the would be spared judgment. But for those that rejected Jesus and his announcements, they would be the ones who precipitate the coming judgment when Rome would destroy Jerusalem. It's this crisis that Jesus has come to prevent. And it is worth mulling over this parable with this judgment in mind.

The parable is about four general responses people have to the announcement of God's Word - its still observable today. Jesus would have everybody hear and produce a fruitful crop; Jesus would have everybody be saved...but not everybody will listen and follow. The key to averting the coming judgment is to retain the Word of God in your heart and abide by it. To not retain it results in the kind of life where a Rome is destroying a Jerusalem, where self-destruction and deep sorrow come to pass in this life...and the next.

How effective is Jesus? For those who hear and retain His Words, he is very, very, very successful. For all the others who don't retain his words...he still dies for them, he still forgives them, he is willing to sow again...and again...and again.

Jesus, The Traveling Twelve...and The Women of Means!

After this, Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. 

The Twelve were with him, and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out; Joanna the wife of Chuza, the manager of Herod's household; Susanna; and many others. 

These women were helping to support them out of their own means.

Luke 8v1-3

Jesus and the Twelve get lots of attention.  But Luke pays attention to details - and he makes sure we know that some key women made the traveling ministry possible.  

Often times Peter, James and John are the best known of the Twelve, and Luke lets us know that Mary of Magdala, Joanna wife of Chuza, and Susanna were the primary supporters who used their resources to help Jesus, and the Twelve.

Mary of Magdala had seven demons cast out of her by Jesus.  Her life was irrevocably changed by the ministry of Jesus - no wonder she spent the rest of her days and resources supporting Jesus. Joanna's husband Chuza was the manager of Herod's household - she came from royal places, with prestige, power, connections, and confidence.  Jesus and Herod were two very different kings, and Joanna took great risk to funnel royal finances to a very subversive ministry.  Susanna was likely healed of a debilitating disease, and with her healed up body she used it to serve and care for her Healer.

Jesus called Twelve Men to follow him, men that - as far as we know - didn't follow Jesus because of something he did for them.  The women served and supported Jesus out of deep gratitude, the sacrificed out of love.  The men were called by Jesus, challenged by Jesus to leave one life behind and courageously choose another Way.  These men often doubted Jesus, questioned Jesus, were bewildered by Jesus' teachings and choices, denied Jesus, fled from Jesus.  But the women stayed by Jesus.  

The Twelve Men, a metaphor for the Twelve Tribes, reacted to Jesus much like they reacted to YHWH.  The women, unlike Israel, expressed the gratefulness and compassion that the Prophets plead with the nation to extend - to the poor, the enslaved, the crippled, the foreigners, the widow and orphan, the oppressed.  The women live out what God envisioned for his bride Israel, and his bride the Church - to support the work of Jesus in the world out of our own means, with our whole lives.

What was Jesus' work that the women supported?  The proclamation (word and deed) of the good news (Gospel) of the kingdom of God.  

Jesus, John the Baptizer and the Sinful Woman

Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.

Luke 7v23

Apparently even John the Baptizer wondered if Jesus really was "The One."  If John was confused over the purpose/identity of Jesus - well no wonder we sometimes have trouble with Jesus.  It seemed that Jesus wasn't living up to John's expectations of what Jesus was supposed to be.  I'll bet we have a similar struggle.  If John was on the verge of stumbling on account of Jesus, we may be also.

The Jesus that John expected wouldn't have said what he did to the Centurion.  This Jesus wouldn't have been wandering through small towns like Nain noticing grieving widows.  The Jesus that John expected was supposed to be...well...more glorious...more powerful...more effective at changing "things."  

But it seemed that Jesus spent most of his time in small cities, rural villages, and distant hills. He was continually surrounded by dirty crowds clamoring for a healing, a deliverance, a touch. Jesus was admired by the unclean, the poor, the impure, the sinners, the traitors, the filthy, the rejects.  Jesus was snubbed, ignored, scorned by the good people, the people with possessions, power, prestige, pretty looks - for the most part.  John wondered - "didn't Dad say that the One to Come would rescue us from our enemies?"  John wondered how healing the blind and deaf, forgiving the whores and cheats was going to rescue Israel from Rome.

The kingdom of God has come to Earth through Jesus.  The kingdom of God is now upon the Earth through the body of Christ (the Church).  The kingdom of God is now upon the Earth through you and me.  The kingdom of God encourages eating and drinking with tax collectors and sinners.  The kingdom of God is about healing and good news.  Those that are part of the kingdom of God believe Jesus to be right about everything, and they accept God's purpose for them.  

This describes the Centurion.  This describes the Sinful Woman.  

Does this describe you...yet?

Jesus, the Centurion's Servant and the Widow's Son

It's easy, when reading through Luke, to think that the stories he includes are just random pieces he picked out from the assorted events of Jesus' life.  We know that Luke only includes a small portion of all the many things Jesus did.  So we also know that Luke didn't include stories in order to give us a complete picture of everything Jesus ever said and did.  So why does Luke include the stories he does?

Every story he includes in his account has layers of meaning.  It's helpful (and kind of fun) to sort through the different reasons for why each story is included. 

For the story of the Centurion and the Widow, we think of Deuteronomy 10v18: He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the foreigners residing among you, giving them food and clothing.  We also think of the teaching in Luke 6v36: Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.  These stories connect the work of Jesus with the original Torah; it also connects his teachings with Torah, as well as his works.  Jesus is a man, a teacher, a prophet, a healer of integrity.

This story of the Centurion and the Widow connects Jesus with the great prophet Elijah, who was sent to a foreign widow to heal her son (see also Jesus' straight-up talk with his neighbors at Nazareth).  Malachi (the last prophet of the OT) ends his prophecy by declaring that Elijah will return and will turn (same word as "repent") the children to their Fathers (Israel to God) and Father to the children (mercy and forgiveness).

This story of the Centurion and the Widow show Jesus as very human: he is amazed by the centurion's faith, and he is moved to compassion by the widow's mourning.  The healing of the centurion's servant was initiated by the town elders (who argued that Jesus OUGHT to heal the servant because of all the good stuff the soldier had done for the town).  Jesus was open to requests even if made with mixed motives.  The healing of the widow's son came about as a random act of kindness.

Up through Luke 9v50, Jesus' ministry is concentrated in the Capernaum area, in Galilee.  This reminds us of Isaiah's prophecy in 9v1: but in the future [God] will honor Galilee of the nations...the people walking in darkness have seen a great light....  Luke is giving us specific stories that reveal how the light of God was breaking through in Galilee - raising of the dead, healing of foreigners, healing on the Sabbath, healing of the paralyzed, the demon-possessed, the leprous, the blind, the deaf, the lame, etc.  And all of this also sets up the next story of Jesus and John the Baptist.  But that's another post.

So know do you see more reasons for why Luke included the story of the Centurion and the Widow?

Jesus and the Teachings

According to Luke, Jesus begins his ministry by doing a lot of teaching.  When he arrives in Capernaum, the people are amazed at his teaching; when he prepares to leave the city, he reminds them that he has come to proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God.  When Jesus is standing by the Lake Gennesaret, the people are standing around listening to him speak the word of God.  When Jesus is presented with the paralyzed man, he had been in the house teaching amongst the Pharisees and teachers of the law.  And finally, Jesus is invited to a banquet by Levi, a feast which includes a time for teaching.

So...what was the content of those teachings?  I think that Luke provides us the summary of the content in chapter 6:20-49.  Jesus' teaching takes on a new dimension when you connect it with the stories that precede it.  For example: 

Nazareth and Capernaum: Blessings and Woes/the Builders

Peter and Levi: Love Your Enemies/Fruit & the Heart

Pharisees & Paralyzed Man: Do Not Judge