I fear that sometimes we as evangelicals do Easter wrong. Now don’t get me wrong, our Easter service here was fine, it truly was…but I think in general we evangelicals get this holiday a little mixed up. We get Easter mixed up with Good Friday, primarily because we do not celebrate Good Friday. This I believe is at the heart of our problem with Easter.
To run the full gamut of emotions from the triumphal entry, to the betrayal, then the trial, to the crucifixion, then the burial, to the darkness of that lonely Saturday and then to the glory of the rising sun on the empty tomb, is too much for one service! It’s impossible to squeeze all this into one hour on one Sunday morning. That is why for centuries the church has observed a Holy Week, retracing the steps of Christ both to adore and remember the Passion of Christ - throughout the week.
What happens in many churches is that they start off their one service with the crucifixion and then run out of steam by the time the joyous resurrection arrives. They give twenty minutes to the gruesomeness and five minutes to the glory. This should not be! The resurrection is not just a happy ending, it is a necessity for the salvation story. It is the final defeating of death and the triumph of a vindicated Christ. It is our glory and the hope for all eternity! Next year (and every Sunday) let us remember the resurrection and give the glory of Easter its place in our churches.
This prayer is so beautiful, I couldn’t keep it to myself…
“My soul’s house is cramped. Expand it, so that you may enter in. It is in ruins. Restore it. It must offend your eyes. I confess and know it, but who will cleanse it? To whom shall I cry but to you? Clear me from hidden faults, O Lord.”
- St. Augustine
Hungering for God: Selected Writings of Augustine
Quoted in Sojomail.net 3/24/08
Headline News cycled to “Showbiz Tonight” and an interview caught my attention. They had a clinical psychologist talking about the effects of X-rated news and the success given to today’s notorious celebrities. Elliot Spitzer’s call girl stands to make millions from her accidental encounter with the governor. But it’s not just Ashley Dupree , it’s Paris Hilton who emerged as a celebrity after a sex tape surfaced, Britney Spears and Lindsay Lohan who stay in the news due to their inappropriate actions. This psychologist stated that the positive news spin for these women was sending the wrong message to our young women. The message is that if you’re attractive, or just sleazy you can succeed. Counter to this clinical psychologist was Michael Cohen an editor with “In-Touch” magazine who scoffed at this being problematic. He went so far as to question if it was even wrong stating, “Who am I to judge?”
I know this is not a new phenomenon, Pretty Woman with Julia Roberts glamorized the life of a prostitute as well as much older stories and movies. But, the question is, “Will this become the new fairty tale?” Do our children believe that a life of glamor and wealth is waiting for young women (and men to a lesser extent) if they are attractive and trashy? Is this what has replaced the old fairy tales of love like Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty and Snow White? Is virtue discarded for vice because it is easier and quicker? Will our little girls grow up dreaming of being a Pretty Woman instead of a Cinderella?
Once again another pastor, another church is in the news for a political sermon. The pulpit and politics are an explosive combination. Whether you’re left or right, red or blue, churches tangled in the political arena are making the news. The question is “Why?”- “Why do they feel the need to get tangled up in the political arena?” One might answer that Jesus did - and they would be right. Jesus was certainly a revolutionary, a political figure in Palestine throughout his life and ministry. This political force was carried on by his disciples even impacting and re-creating the Roman Empire through Constantine.
But I think Jesus was hesitant to be considered a political figure, during his questioning with Pilate Jesus reveals this about his political aspirations, “‘My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my followers would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here.’ 37Pilate asked him, ‘So you are a king?’ Jesus answered, ‘You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.’” (John 18:36-37)
The truth is that Jesus rejected political means in order to exert his spiritual authority. He was more concerned with the “Kingdom not from this world.” Truth be told I think Christ realized the limitations of earthly politics - kingdoms. They are exclusive, they are subject to corruption, they are not eternal, they are weak. Christ was concerned with the eternal Heavenly Kingdom and desired to sit upon the throne of heaven alone. Why then are we so concerned with what Christ was not? Christ says, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s.” The power we have is not as a voting block but as living stones being built together as a temple for the Living God. This is the power we have, this is the force to be reckoned and reconciled with. Leave the politics to the politicians, let us be about the business of the bringing about the Heavenly Kingdom of God. What kind of power do politics have in comparison with our gracious and righteous God?
“He will bring forth justice to the nations.
He will not cry or lift up his voice,
or make it heard in the street;
bruised reed he will not break,
and a dimly burning wick he will not quench;
he will faithfully bring forth justice.
He will not grow faint or be crushed
until he has established justice in the earth;
and the coastlands wait for his teaching.”
- Isaiah 42:1-4
Greetings to you who read this blog! I could probably name you personally but that would ruin the illusion of having a mass readership. As you can see things look a little different than yesterday or the last time you visited three months ago… I have changed blog servers and software, upgraded my audio hosting capabilities and have added some pages. There is still a bit of work to do to get this up where I want it, so look for upcoming changes regularly. Also, if you had subscribed via the RSS feed you will probably need to resubscribe in order to get the proper updates and feed. If you have any suggestions or if you see anything that needs a correction please let me know.
Recently the Vatican released an update list of sins one could commit. After scoffing at the thought of more sins, I looked at the list and realized that they might be on to something. As a society we have far advanced from when scripture was written. Our capabilities in science, communication, transportation and a host of other areas has dramatically increased. This means that our capacity for doing good has increased as well as our capacity for harm. Who would have thought 2,000 years ago the dramatic effect humanity has on the environment? Who could have conceived simply two hundred years ago the incredible moral boundaries science would have crossed in regards to genetics?
These are new territories for Christians and ethicists. What is acceptable in certain scientific arenas? What should we do in regards to the environment? How should we act in an age where the wealthy and poor are increasingly separated by financial gains? While we may not really need a new list of sins, we desperately need to understand the morality of our advancing society. We need people who will stand up in the prophetic tradition speaking truth to power and compassion to truth.
There are more ways to exploit people and there are more opportunities to sin. But with these opportunities to sin, there are more opportunities for God’s grace to abound and redeem the broken. Whose side will we be on?
“For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for self-indulgence, but through love become slaves to one another. For the whole law is summed up in a single commandment, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’”
- Galatians 5:13-14
Our anger at our own frustration, and our envy of those more fortunate than ourselves,
We confess to you, Lord.
Our intemperate love of worldly goods and comforts, and our dishonesty in daily life and work,
We confess to you, Lord.
- From the “Litany of Penitence” on Ash Wednesday,
The Book of Common Prayer
A little bit more, that’s all we need to be happy. If you’ve got a lot a little more would be nice. If you’ve got a little a little more would be helpful. A little bit more, it’s what justifies envy. A little bit more, it’s what causes us to bend the rules in our favor. During this season of lent we confess this to God, and we abstain in order to realize how much we truly have.
“For it is the Gentiles who strive for all these things; and indeed your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”
Our self-indulgent appetites and ways, and our exploitation of other people, We confess to you, Lord.
- From the “Litany of Penitence” on Ash Wednesday,
The Book of Common Prayer
Exploiting people is bigger than you think take a look…
I received the following quote from Sojourners “Verse and Voice” email on February 28th. This quote was so profound I wanted to share it with you without muddling it up:
“In most turning points in life, God’s grace is made known to us not through an intentional relationship with a spiritual guide but through the working of everyday relationships that are a means of grace we might not recognize if we did not ask: How was God at work in this relationship?”
- Sondra Higgins Matthaei
Faith Matters
The Christian Churches/Churches of Christ have not been known for their cutting edge outreach ministries or their social awareness. This is beginning to change and now there is a group within this fellowship of churches that has taken on a very important cause child slavery. Particularly they have an outreach to abused and enslaved girls in Cambodia. These girls suffer unthinkable crimes at the hands of heartless individuals and Rapha House gives them a chance for healing. They literally are bought back and brought into a place that loves them - often for the very first time. There parents are frequently the ones who sold them into slavery and the Rapha House gives them their very first family. Needless to say this ministry is powerful and can use your help. I encourage you to visit either www.freedomforgirls.org or www.raphahouse.org for more information. Also, link to freedomforgirls.blogspot.com for more personal stories and updates about how you can help with this ministry.
