A Vile Thing

While John Wesley's preaching was received with open hearts by the masses of England, the church which ordained him found it to be offensive and soon one pulpit after another was closed to him.  After watching George Whitefield preaching to great crowds outdoors, Wesley who had always been hesitant to do that kind of preaching wrote in his journal, "At four in the afternoon, I submitted to be more vile and proclaimed in the highways the glad tidings of salvation, speaking from a little eminence in a ground adjoining to the city, to about three thousand people."  Such preaching became the norm for the rest of his preaching years as well as the norm for Francis Asbury and the circuit riders who rode into the history of frontier America.  

As they did so, thy followed in the footsteps of Jesus.  When we read the gospel of Mark, we see Jesus preaching in the synagogues (Mark 1:21, 39),  but in the last verse of the first chapter we read about a movement in a different direction.  After healing a leper, the man made whole went out telling everyone he met what Jesus had done for him.  The result of his testimony was such a popularity that Jesus, "..stayed out in the country and people came to Him from every quarter."  Certainly, others had preceded Him in this practice, but to see Jesus preaching in such a way reminds us of our call to take the gospel beyond the walls of the church building.  

One of the reasons for the rapid growth of Methodism in the eighteenth century was because it became a spiritual movement not bound by walls.  It was a movement that did not wait for the coming of people, but one that moved into the places where ordinary and common folks gathered.  It was movement that welcomed the poorest, the dirtiest, and the most despised social outcasts of the day.  Whether our church sends out street preachers or not, it is called to find a way to make the overlooked and ignored people of our day know that they are a part of the people of God.

The New Taboo

As Mark unfolds the ministry of Jesus, he brings us to the moment when He healed a leper.  "A leper came to Him, begging Him, and kneeling he said to Him, 'If You choose, You can make me clean,'  Moved with pity, Jesus stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, 'I do choose.  Be made clean!' "   (Mark 1:40-41)  While it was amazing that Jesus healed this leper who had been sentenced to community ostracism until his death, what must have shocked the disciples from the top of their heads to the bottom of their feet was seeing Jesus stretch out Hand to touch this man who had been declared untouchable.  To see Jesus in this moment is to not only see Him healing, but also touching.  

One of the things Covid taught us was how to do ministry without touching.  It taught us how to practice long distance service.  We learned how to take worship out of the pews to sofas and recliners.  Zoom calls transformed church meetings.  Even though six years away from those days, we still see evidence of the change it had on our society and our church. Many people are still uncomfortable with the moment of congregational mixing and greeting at the beginning of worship.  Actually, some people have never returned to the church.  In many places fist pumps have replaced the handshake.  Communion Tables have the Holy Meal plus liquid sanitizer and disposable gloves. The small individual sealed packs of bread and juice are still available for the germ conscious at the altar rails.  

We have become a society and church afraid of touching.  It is an unfortunate shift for a church with the laying on of hands as a part of its spiritual heritage.  While there is always a concern that our touching be appropriate and welcomed, human touch has the inherent power to communicate a sense of fellowship and care that goes beyond the ability of the spoken word.  Many have been the times when I have entered a room filled with grief and brokenness and the only words which could be spoken were words spoken by a hug and the feel of hot wet tears being passed from the face of the caregiver to the face of the broken.  Jesus was not afraid to touch others, neither should we.

Praying Early

As is always the case, Jesus points the way for us.  "In the morning while it was very dark, He (Jesus) got up and went out to a deserted place, and there He prayed." (Mark 1:35). I have always heard that those who pray best pray early.  I have learned again and again through reading about some of the spiritual giants that early morning prayers were a regular part of their day.  My head has always shook itself in agreement, but the rest of my body has never really been on board with what is best.   

I find myself too much like those disciples who kept falling asleep when told by Jesus to stay awake.  I have gotten up many an early hour, settled into my place of prayer, and fallen asleep long before it was time for the "Amen."  Many have been the times I have said to the Lord, "Well, at least I fell asleep in the place where obedience took me," but I have never been convinced it was a rationalization which impressed Him.  For those who decide to pray in the early morning, know that there will likely be a battle between body and spirit in the beginning.   

I say "in the beginning" because as our body has time to adjust to a different schedule, the physical part of this discipline will not be so difficult.  Back when I was an avid and dedicated runner, I learned that my commitment to running longer and not as slow directed what I ate, when I went to sleep, what I read, and with who I hung out.  So, here is my guarantee.  Making early morning praying a core commitment will change not only your spiritual life, but will spill over into other areas as well.  Praying early is good for the soul and the body. 

A Place to Pray

While there can be no doubt that Jesus prayed when He was led into the wilderness by the Holy Spirit, the first time we see a picture in Mark's gospel of Jesus praying is in the 35th verse of the first chapter.  After spending the night in the home of Peter and Andrew, the Scripture says, "In the morning while it was still very dark, He (Jesus) got up and went out to a deserted place, and there He prayed."  As we read those words, "a deserted place," we see the importance of place.  Jesus could have rolled over on His mat when He woke and prayed as we sometimes might do.  Or, He could have gone outside and sat down on the ground.  Instead, He went to a deserted place.   

What this tells us is that where He went was not just any place. The place He went satisfied several criteria.  He could be alone.  It was a place empty of possible distractions.  The act of going to it was as intentional as the act of praying.  It was a place quiet enough that listening to what could not be heard was possible.  It speaks of a single mindedness.  The reason He went was to be alone with the Father.   It may not be possible or practical for us to physically leave the place were we sleep to pray, but such a restriction does not prohibit us from knowing a place within our home as a place of prayer.  

We have a place for preparing our meals. We have another place for eating. We have a place for entertainment and study.  If we choose, we could also have a place that we go to pray.  It could be a chair in a not so used room, or something like a self created worship center in the corner of a room.  Maybe one of the things suggested to us by the story of Jesus finding a place to pray is that having such a place would be a good thing for us as well.   

A Model for Praying

If we find ourselves too busy to pray, or if we find ourselves wondering if praying really makes any difference, we only need to read the first chapter of the gospel of Mark.  As we come to the 35th verse of that chapter we read, "In the morning while it was still very dark, He (Jesus) got up and went out to a deserted place, and there He prayed."  The day before had been an extremely busy and full day.  The Scripture speaks of the whole city being gathered around his door and in response to such great need, "He cured many who were sick with various diseases."  (Mark 1:34).  

After a day and evening which must have been physically and emotionally draining,  Jesus was up long before the sun rose to pray.  He not only rose early to pray, but he sought out a place where He could pray without any distractions or disturbances.  As we read this passage of Scripture, we see Jesus modeling His own life of prayer.  His prayer life underscores the importance of prayer.  It is obvious to us that if Jesus found it important to do, it surely is important for us.  In His prayer life He received not only the strength to sustain Him, but also the direction for His life.  Through His prayer life, He was able to go forward iwth the will of the Father to direct Him.  

Surely, one of the things we want to do in our life is to live within the will of our Father God.  When Simon Peter found Jesus, it was his intent to bring Jesus back to the place of yesterday, but Jesus was ready to go into the future as He said, "Let us go to the neighboring towns, so that I may proclaim the message there also; for that is what I came to do." (Mark 1:38).  Our praying enables us to move into the future God has planned for us.  It is a spiritual discipline that enables us to live in sync with that plan.

A Witness to Healing

During the last week I have used JourneyNotes to focus on the healing ministry of Jesus and the church's response to it.  While it seems to be a neglected and forgotten ministry of the church, I am convinced it is a ministry which needs to be an integral part of what the church does as it seeks to be the hands and feet and the heart of Christ in the world.  Jim Jackson, a good friend and retired pastor of one of the largest United Methodist churches in Houston, Texas, shared a response via email which I asked for permission to share.  It seems fitting to end this series of blogposts with this word which is an encouragement to those who are in need of healing and those who are praying for them.   

"This weekend I am doing a wedding for a 32 year old man.  He was a great high school athlete, but when he was a junior he had a virus attack his heart.  He was at death’s door for days.  His blood pressure was in the teens and they had to shock his heart several times an hour to keep him alive.  They put him on the heart transplant list and started looking everywhere for a donor.  On Saturday morning I called all the people leading worship services on Saturday night and Sunday (we had 8 services) and told them that at some point in their service I wanted every able bodied person in worship praying on their knees for God to spare Charlie Russell.  

I’d love to tell you that I was full of faith that God would intervene; that wouldn’t be true.  All I knew is that we could not let Charlie die without having everyone ask God to spare him.  What God chooses to do was God’s business, but we weren’t going to let him go without asking.  At 2pm the lead cardiologist told his parents (his dad had been in worship) that his heart had suddenly stabilized.  He said he was stunned and had no explanation.  They took him off the heart transplant list on Monday morning.  They sent him home on Tuesday.  Charlie may be the physically  strongest young man that I have ever known.  I have lunch with him about once a quarter.  He is a dynamic Christian leader.  I was also privileged to baptize the woman he will marry tomorrow night.  No one could ever convince Charlie or his family that God doesn’t still do miracles."  

Fear of Failure

There are not many churches which practice an intentional ministry of healing. The church today is more comfortable with worship that is carefully choreographed, raising money to build new buildings, and sending a small group of people to do missions in some third world country.  In its preoccupation with either attracting the masses, or keeping the status quo members content, spiritual ministries which seem to be on the edge are usually talked about but not practiced.  Institutions such as the church has become are not interested in taking risks.  Sunday School lessons and sermons are offered on the healing ministry of Jesus, but very seldom are there invitations given for the sick to gather for healing prayers.   

One of the reason is a fear of failure.  The leaders of the church want to be seen as successful and it looks like a failure has taken place if prayers are offered for healing and the sick walk away still sick.  "What if we pray and no one is healed?" is the question which frames the fears of those who give leadership to the church. What is often forgotten is that the person who prays for healing is not the healer.  God is the Healer.  The one doing the praying is simply praying, knowing that whatever happens is finally in the hands of God.  

Another reason for our reluctance is that we do no see ourselves as one who has the spiritual gift of healing.  Once again it must be remembered that no spiritual gifts are necessary to pray.  The healing prayers we pray depend not upon some special words we pray, or the length of those prayers, but the grace of God.  If a church is interested in pursuing a ministry of healing according to the ministry of Jesus, it needs to spend some time helping believers understand what God is able to do and the roles we do and do not have as participants in such a ministry.  

Anointing Oil

Something often used in ministries of healing is anointing oil.  Some traditions have a service in which the oil is consecrated for use during the upcoming year.  Usually, the oil is olive oil and in some cases spices may be added to it.  In the early church anointing oil was used as a part of prayers for healing; however, much later the ritual of anointing someone with oil was more about preparing them for death.  More recently that practice has been altered so that the anointing has a purpose which is more about living than dying.  

When I was growing up in the rural parts of south Georgia, I can never remember seeing anyone anointed with oil.  I did hear about its use in the Pentecostal churches, but back then there was more separation between the mainline Protestant community and the more independent Pentecostal churches where less sedate worship took place.  I was some twenty years into my ministry before I acquired my first anointing oil and actually began to make use it.  I was introduced to its usage and the practice of it by an Episcopalian pastor friend in Vidalia.  To my surprise he used it regularly which blew all my preconceived misconceptions out the window.   

Of course, it is a practice mentioned in the Scripture in numerous places.  Mark 6:6-13 tells the story of Jesus sending the twelve out two by two.  They came back reporting that they had "...cast out many demons and anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them."  The most often read passage about anointing oil is found in James 5::14 where it says, "Are any among you sick?  The should call for the elders of the church and have them pray over them, anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord."  Certainly, there is no special power in the oil, but it is a sign of God's presence and blessing as well as a visible reminder of the grace of God touching the broken for purposes of wholeness.  

Beginning A Ministry

Be careful when reading the accounts of the healing ministry of Jesus.  The Holy Spirit may lead you into a place of being involved in such a ministry.  He may speak to you about being more intentional about praying for the sick.  You may find that telling someone you will pray for them is no longer enough.  You may be asked to set aside time each day to pray for those who suffer.  Or, you may be asked to bring together a group of people who do not meet to socialize, or read a book about praying, but who actually spend time praying for those in need of God's healing hand.  

It may also be that the Spirit will use these accounts of the healing ministry of Jesus in such a way that you can no longer abide the church neglecting this ministry.  If such is where the Holy Spirit is leading, it would seem that the starting place is a personal conviction that the Holy Spirit with the gift of healing should have an essential place in the life of the church.  Perhaps, a small group study or a season of studying this ministry in Sunday School classes would be a way of giving the Spirit and opportunity to prepare the way.  Before launching out, it will prove to be a good thing to provide a place for teaching, discussion, and the questions which will surely arise.  Another thing required in a movement toward a healing ministry in the church is a loving community.  

Of course, at some point there must be a prayerful decision to offer services of worship dedicated to praying for the healing of those who come with their needs.  When such a service if offered, there should be no disappointment that it is attended by a small group instead of the larger Sunday morning worship crowd.  The people who come will be those who are led by the Holy Spirit.  Some may come to have prayers offered for themselves, or they may come and kneel at the altar asking for prayers in behalf of a family member or dear friend.  Those who are prepared to pray for those who come are not the Healer.  God is the Healer.  Those who pray know their responsibility is not to heal, but to pray.

A Holy Intersection

I was eighteen years into my ministry before I really took seriously the healing ministry of Jesus.  One of those ten years I was in Vidalia, I decided to lead an adult study during the Vacation Bible School hours. The study was entitled, "The Healing Ministry of the Church."  I spent several months ahead of the study reading about the healing ministry of Jesus as it was recorded in the gospel as well as what the Apostles wrote about it to the early church.  As I recall there were two books which really helped me prepare for these small group sessions.  One was a book simply entitled, "Healing," by Father Francis MacNutt and the other was entitled, "Healing and Christianity" by Morton T. Kelsey.   Since both books were published in the "70's, they would no doubt be considering ancient and outdated.   

As is often the case when a preacher, or anyone, prepares to lead a group, he or she is likely to be the first one impacted by the material.  By the time I considered myself ready to lead the group, I was convicted by an awareness that I had been neglecting an important ministry of the church.  This conviction has not changed over the years which have slipped away behind me.   When the Vacation Bible School adult group study was finished, I put on our regular schedule a fourth Sunday night service which I called, "A Service of Prayers for Healing."  Such a service would continue in some form for the rest of my years of ministry.  

There was never a huge crowd present.  Actually, it was a small group that gathered on those fourth Sunday nights, but everyone knew it was a night when the sermon would be on the healing ministry of Jesus, the Sacrament would be offered, and those who had a need could stay at the altar after receiving the Communion for anointing with oil and prayers for healing.  While there were those who were regulars for the service, there were always some unexpected folks who showed up with a need for the ministry being offered during a moment which seemed to be an intersection between raw human need and the abundant grace of God.

The Healing Ministry

It is impossible to read the gospels without encountering the healing ministry of Jesus.  It is particularly true in the gospel written by Mark.  While the first act of healing recorded by Him happens with Peter's mother-in-law (Mark 1:31), it says a few verses later that "...He (Jesus) cured many who were sick with various diseases..." (vs. 34) and this is followed by a references to casting out demons in vs. 39.  Later there is an account of Jesus cleansing a leper (Mark 1:41) and restoring a paralytic. (Mark 2:11). Mark 3:1-6 tells of a man's withered hand being made whole.  Going on to Mark 2:10 the Word says, "...He (Jesus) cured many so that all who had diseases pressed upon Him to touch Him..."  

Mark shows no reluctance in lifting up the healing ministry of Jesus.  It is obvious that the healing ministry was an integral part of the ministry of Jesus and an expression of His compassion and concern for those suffering with illness.  To look at the history of the church is to see periods when it was an intentional ministry and to see other times when it disappeared.  The church of our day seems content with healing being left solely in the hands of the medical community.  While the medical community is an important instrument of healing in the hands of God, the church is also given an important role if the Scripture and the ministry of Jesus is taken seriously.  

In addition to the healing ministry of Jesus, ministries of healing continued in the early church after the ascension of Jesus.  James 5:13-18 make it clear that prayers for the sick and anointing them with oil was a common practice in the early church.  If the church of our day is serious about faithfulness to the ministries entrusted to it, the ministry of healing can no longer be ignored.  

The Talked About Ministry

It does not take but a few strokes of the pen for Mark to write about a ministry of Jesus which confounds the contemporary church.  One of the struggles of the church is deciding what to do with the healing ministry of Jesus.  Though eager to be His hands and feet on the streets of suffering, and though eager to feed the hungry in soup kitchens, and though ready to be about preaching and teaching in the sanctuary, it shows some confusion about being an instrument of healing in the world.  Of course, the church is more than ready to heal the kind of brokenness which requires acts of of reconciliation, but healing the body of its illnesses and brokenness is mostly handled by putting names of a prayer list.  

In most places the church is hesitant to enter into a visible and intentional ministry of healing.  Mark makes it clear that such a ministry was close to the heart of Jesus.  The first place this ministry is really encountered is in stories found in Mark 1:29-34.  After that synagogue visit where Jesus cast out evil spirits from a man, He went to the home of Peter's mother-in-law.  She was healed of a fever by Jesus and then later in the evening the people brought their sick to the place He was staying and the Word says, "And He cured many who were sick with various diseases..." (Mark 1:34).  There would be many such moments in the ministry of Jesus.  

The church often speaks of itself as the body of Christ, or a community which is expressed as the hands and feet of Jesus.  The ministries of Jesus provide a model for the ministries to be embraced.  It seems strange that there are no evidences of the ministry of healing being taken seriously by the church.  Aside from names being put on prayer list and occasional verbal assurances that God can heal the sick of their illnesses, the healing ministry of Jesus is largely delegated to something that the church holds at a distance.  Unfortunately, it has become a talked about ministry, but not really a practiced one.

A Surprise in the Synagogue

A surprising thing happened on that Sabbath when Jesus went to the synagogue in Capernaum.  It is not surprising that Jesus entered and taught, neither is it surprising that the people who listened were astounded at the way He spoke with such authority.  What is surprising was the presence of some normal looking man who was actually possessed by an unclean spirit.  What is surprising is the fact that the evil one, confronted only a short time earlier in the wilderness, was once again confronting Jesus, but this time is was in one of the holy places of Israel.   

There were, however, some significant differences in the encounter between Jesus and the evil one in the synagogue.  First, in the wilderness, Satan was on the offense.  The evil one was the aggressor.  In the synagogue it is obvious that evil is on defense.  What is actually true is that Satan acts like a fearful and defeated foe instead of the foe of the wilderness so full of confidence in his own power.  When revealed, the evil spirit cries out, "What have You to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have You come to destroy us?" (Mark 1:24)   Another interesting thing about this moment in the synagogue is that the first recorded witness affirming the power of Jesus comes from the realm of the evil one.  

Mark makes it clear that this ministry of Jesus, as full and as powerful as it is and will be, will be an ongoing struggle.  Satan did not just show up in the wilderness and then leave Jesus, but every step Jesus took was contested.  Even though still present and at work, the power of evil knows the power unleashed at the cross and the empty tomb was a signal of its coming final defeat. Martin Luther has us singing truth when he wrote that great hymn, "A Mighty Fortress is Our God."  Verse 3 says, "And though this world, with devils filled, should threaten to undo us, we will not fear, for God hath willed His truth to triumph through us...his doom is sure; one little word shall fell him."

Preaching with Authority

A few months ago I heard a preacher who was 85 years old preach one of the most powerful sermons I have heard in a long time.  His was a commanding presence in the pulpit.  His voice was strong.  As folks used to say, "He had fire in his belly," but for sure he had fire in his eyes.  His sermon thundered in that room like the ancient prophets who said, "Thus saith the Lord!"  No one in the room was drifting off to sleep.  All eyes were focused on him.  He preached with such conviction and authority.  There was no doubt in my mind that what he preached was the Word of the Lord.  

The gospel writer Mark tells us about the first preaching foray of Jesus as He moved through the region of Galilee. (Mark 1:14-15). A little later in his account of these early days of the ministry of Jesus, he writes about a visit to the synagogue of Capernaum, "They went to Capernaum; and when the Sabbath came, he entered the synagogue and taught.  They were astounded at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority and not as the scribes." (Mark 1:21-22). The scribes taught by constantly making reference to older scribes who had left written and oral teachings.  The writings and teachings of other men were the authority of these Sabbath teachers, but no so with Jesus.  He bypassed such references and preached and taught according to the direction of the Holy Spirit.  His Words that day were more like the ancient prophets who made it clear that their authority was the revealed Word of the Lord. 

The church today needs preachers who preach with such authority.  If the preacher to whom we are listening is lacing sermons with words like "I think..maybe...it could be..." or is basing the sermon on something seen on television, find another preacher quickly.  A preacher's only authority is the Scripture, the Word of God. If the sermon does not begin with the Word, it is not worthy of the time invested in listening.  We need more preachers like that old preacher who overwhelmed us that day as he preached with the authority of the Word and the power of the Holy Spirit.

One or Two

There was a time when I was of the opinion that there were two kinds of conversions.  Each was characterized by an event in the New Testament.  There was the instantaneous conversion such as Saul of Tarsus experienced on the Damascus Road.  There was the gradual transformation in which a person came to an awareness of the love of Christ growing in their heart.  The story of the Emmaus Road illustrates such an experience.  Why I spent time considering something so unimportant is beyond me as I live out this season of my life.  

These thoughts resurfaced as I was reading the first chapter of the book of Mark.  It would seem from the story that Jesus was strolling along the Sea of Galilee, saw four fishermen, and suddenly at almost a single word from Him, each one became a disciple.  A slower reading, however, enable us to include a previous section within the framework of what was happening.  In the earlier section, the Scripture says, "Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news."  (Mark 1:14). It is likely that those fishermen heard Jesus preaching, talked about what they heard, and had carried His words with them as they returned to their boats.  When Jesus called out to them that day, their hearts had been prepared and made ready to say "Yes!"  What looks like an instantaneous decision might have been one that had been growing within them since they first heard Jesus preach.  

I wonder how long the grace of Jesus had been working in my heart that night I knelt by bed in the Alamo parsonage and said,"Yes" to Him.  Saul's Damascus Road experience may have been the culmination of a work of grace that really began as Saul held the coats of those who cast deadly stones at Stephen.  I know not when grace first appeared in my life, but it did.  Grace always comes before faith and as it does, we do not always see it taking hold in our life. Grace comes quietly, but surely.   

The Final "Yes"

After leaving the waters of the Jordan and dry arid sand of the desert, Mark begins to speak of the beginning days of Jesus' ministry.  As He began His preaching ministry in Galilee, four men became His first disciples.  Simon and Andrew were the first to hear Jesus calling, "Follow Me..."  (Mark 1:17). The brothers, James and John, were the next two who left everything to follow Jesus.  One of the interesting and often missed things about the moment of their entering into a relationship with Jesus was that it all happened at His initiative.  It was truly a moment of grace which, of course, is always the case.  It was then and continues to be.   

Those four fishermen were not required to attend a discipleship training class to prove themselves.  Jesus took them as they were and they were four fishermen who knew how to fish, but not really trained for being entrusted with the affairs of the Kingdom of God.  Such training would come over the next three years, but at the moment of their calling they were raw and untrained.  What cannot be missed as we read the text is that Jesus saw them.  He chose them.  They did not make any initial movement toward Jesus. They became disciples because He chose them and called them.  Everything those four fishermen did that day was in response to what Jesus was offering to them.   

It is still working the same way today.  Our faith in Christ is not the initial act which brings us into relationship with Jesus.  Grace is the primary and the original factor in the relationship we have with Jesus.  This is what Paul was affirming as he wrote those oft quoted words to the Ephesians, "For by grace you have been saved through faith..." (Ephesians 2:8).  All of us are created by God.   All of us are seen by God.  All of us are chosen by God.  All of us are called by God.  Even as those four fishermen had to abandon a life dependent on self and choose to follow Jesus, so do we.  His grace makes it all possible, but the final "Yes" is ours to speak.

Seeing What Has Been Unseen

Mark looks at the life of Jesus and sees the unfolding plan of God.  It is evident in the very first part of his gospel.  As he tells the story, it is as if he is saying, "this event follows this event and then comes the next event."  For Mark the story started centuries earlier with the prophecies of Isaiah who not only spoke of Jesus as the suffering Messiah, but also spoke of one who would come to announce the coming of the Holy One of God.  "As it is written,.." he says.  (Mark 1:2).   Then John the Baptist appears to baptize and to proclaim, "The one who is more powerful than I is coming..." (Mark 1:4-7).  

"Jesus came..." (Mark 1:9)  He was baptized, anointed by the Holy Spirit and led into the wilderness,  (Mark 1:9-13).  John is arrested and the ministry of the Kingdom begins. (Mark 1:14-15).  Each event is like the building block for what is to come.  Everything happens in such rapid fire fashion those reading the story hardly have time to catch their breath, or perhaps, to absorb the significance of what is unfolding before their very eyes.  What we see is the plan of God, one step at a time.  Surely, this Word from the Word which tells us that we are not outside the plan of God is true.  God does not just have a plan for certain folks, but for all of us.  

What is also true is that we live such hurried lives that we miss seeing the steps which God has used to bring us to place where we are.  Our lives are not just about our efforts and what we manage to accomplish, but a plan that God put in place from the moment of our conception in our mother's womb.  It is His grace and His plan which has taken us from there to here.  The season of Lent calls us to a period of reflection which can be used to look back, see what we have not seen, and be grateful. 

Abandoning Self

I wonder what John the Baptist thought when he saw Jesus coming out of the crowd and walking down toward the waters of the Jordan.  We have no idea how long it had been since the two of them had seen each other.  Their families were related and it is likely they spent some time together.  They surely knew each other's story.  It is hard to imagine that Elizabeth and Mary did not tell their sons about the first meeting the boys had while both were still in the womb.    

Before Jesus showed up at the Jordan, John spoke of Jesus by saying, "The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me..." (Mark 1:7). Given their history, I wonder how John, who was expecting Jesus, actually felt when "Jesus came from Nazareth  of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan." (Mark 1:9)  Even as John's imprisonment and death seem to trigger deep emotion in Jesus, seeing the One he had been told to proclaim as coming must have had a profound impact on the man from the wilderness.  When Jesus showed up the Jordan, I wonder if John realized his ministry was coming to end.  With the coming of Jesus, he had fulfilled his part of the plan God was working out in those days.  

One of the many things Jesus and John the Baptist had in common was their personal abandonment to the plan of God.  Nothing was more important than being obedient to that plan.  In both cases their absolute desire to be obedient to God took them to deaths that were both untimely and unjust.   During these day of Lent when we are called to consider how much we we are willing to give up as expressions of our obedience to God, it would do us well to look at these two and see once again what it means to completely abandon self for the purposes of God.

The Impossible

John the Baptist and Jesus were certainly not strangers to each other.  Mary and the mother of John were relatives. When the angel Gabriel told Mary that she would bear a son who would be called the Son of the Most High, she was told that Elizabeth who was far beyond the child bearing age was in her sixth month of a pregnancy that would bring forth a son.  It was Gabriel's way of saying to Mary, "For nothing is impossible with God."  (Luke 1:37).  Mary went to see Elizabeth.  For her it was a means of confirmation.  It was no doubt a visit which cemented the faith growing in her. As soon as Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the still in the womb, John, "leaped for joy."  (Luke 1:44).   

It is interesting, too, that both disappear in those years between boyhood and age thirty.  It would seem that John became a forerunner to the Desert Fathers who would appear centuries later though there is some speculation that both John the Baptist and Jesus were acquainted with the Essene community of the Dead Sea area, or perhaps, were even a part of it for a time.  Of course, it is all speculation.  What we do know is that their lives were connected from the beginning and as they lived out the plan of God in each of their lives, their paths crossed once again out there at the Jordan River where John baptized Jesus.  

At first glance it would seem that their paths ran forward from their boyhood days separately, perhaps, even in a parallel manner, and then a at a time ordained by God, they intersected to bring a part of His plan to completion.  It is amazing how God can do things that seem impossible from a practical standpoint.  In fact, some of them are so impossible we know it is not about us, but that it has to be about Him.

The Surprise

One of the surprising things about the brief story of John the Baptist in Mark's gospel is that people went out to where he was preaching and baptizing.  So many came, it had to be of God.  He was not a preacher who made it easy for people. He was not into tickling their ears, or saying easy things to swallow.  He preached about the need for a baptism which spoke of repentance and forgiveness.  What is often missed because of the cultural differences is that baptism was a ritual for the unclean Gentiles who wanted to convert to Judaism.  Baptism was both unnecessary and unthinkable for any respectable person of the Jewish faith.  

In light of this reality, Mark 1:5 proclaims a surprising Word, "And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized in the river Jordan, confessing their sins"  The message John was preaching was attracting and changing the lives of country folks as well as those who lived on crowded city streets.  His preaching had such power it penetrated the barriers put up by religious institutionalism and touched hearts that were hungry for something new from God.  What was happening out there at the Jordan was a precursor to what the Apostle Paul wrote to the Roman Christians, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel; it is the power of God for the salvation to everyone who has faith.,," (Romans 1:16).  

It was not the eloquent speaking of John the Baptist, nor his wilderness attire which attracted so many, but the power of the gospel.  What he was preaching was inherently powerful.  The church today, with its ears so attune to the directives of culture and its desire to please, needs to once again reclaim a vision of being a vessel of God's power in the world.  All that stuff the church says and does to blend in with culture will be part of its vestments when buried.  It is in the embracing of the radical message of Christ which has saving power that it will find its life and its future. 

The Greater Purpose

When we read the beginning of Mark's gospel, we are not introduced to men who heard angels singing, or to a young couple searching for a place to give birth to their child, but to a man who had been listening to the silence of the wilderness most of his life.  His skin was darkened by decades of exposure to the burning sun of the desert and coated with layers of its dust and sand.  He was  born with the name John, but came to be known as the Baptizer.   

From his early adult years to the onset of his thirties, he was unseen and silent.  The only explanation for him coming out of obscurity is that it was time.  He was a part of the plan of God and his time had fully come in those days.  His appearance had been spoken and written about by the prophet Isaiah.  He was as sent by God as much as any prophet or Apostle.  When God's timing was full, "John the Baptizer appeared..." (Mark 1:4).  He wore the clothing of a prophet and his voice sounded forth with the authority of a man called by God.   

John was like a bright burning flame that only burned for a moment.  Before the lights on the stage of history had become fully focused on him, he was arrested and quickly died a martyr's death. This messenger of God who was called to "Prepare the way of the Lord,"  (Mark 1:3) spent the bulk of his life alone in tbe wilderness preparing for a ministry that would be measured more by months than years.  John served God as one whose voice announced the coming of the Lord and whose ministry pointed people toward Jesus.  Whether we are called for the lights of center stage or the shadows offstage, there is no greater purpose for our living than to be one, who like John the Baptist, points people to Jesus. 

The Beginning Point

When I was active as a pastor of a local church, I was frequently asked about a good starting point for reading the New Testament.  I always directed folks toward the gospel.  It seemed more important to encounter Jesus before reading the systematic teachings about Jesus that the Apostles wrote to the early developing churches. Of course, there are four gospels and I usually ended being torn between suggesting either Mark or John as the beginning  point.  The first three gospels are collectively referred to as the Synoptic Gospel because of their similarities. 

Of those three Mark was the first one written and may well have served as a guide for Matthew and Luke when they later wrote their respective accounts of the life of Jesus.  From a practical standpoint, it was often chosen because it is the shortest gospel as well as one which has little fluff.  Mark wrote in a manner that was to the point utilizing as few words as possible.  On some occasions the gospel of John was selected  There were three reasons.  It has always been my favorite.  Secondly, it has some wonderful stories of people encountering Jesus which are not recorded in the Synoptic group.  Finally, John is rich in  images that take us beyond the factual information about Jesus to a place of wonder and contemplation. 

There are always some who want to begin at the beginning.  Genesis and Exodus are full of great stories of God interacting with His people, but Leviticus has often turned into a graveyard full of the bones of those who began as eager readers.  Of course, the whole Bible reveals God at work among His people.  Those who read the gospel first will learn much about the nature of God for as Jesus said, "Whoever has seen Me has seen the Father>" (John 14:9). 

The Great Experiment

I thought of it as the year of The Great Experiment.  Some of the church folks who gave me permission and then endured it probably remember it as The Great Disaster. It all came about because I took the Scripture too seriously.  In I Corinthians 12:7, the Word says, "To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good." In this section about spiritual gifts it also says, "...there are varieties of gifts,,,but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone."  (I Corinthians 12:4-6)  The book of Romans speaks of each of us having gifts that differ ((Romans 12:6) and Ephesians 4:12 speaks of spiritual gifts being given "to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ."  

My simple way of thinking led me to believe that everyone had a spiritual gift useful for building up the body of Christ.  My conclusion was to get rid of the committees the General Church said were necessary and to create a program structure which was based on the idea that spiritual gifts should determine the missions and ministry of the church.  To make it simple: there would be no evangelism committee or children's ministry unless someone came forward convinced that such a ministry was their spiritual gift.  The programs and missions of the church would be based on spiritual gifts God had given to each one of us individually instead of a structure passed down to us.  

As I recall some programs and missions went well and some which we had always done lacked the support to go forward.  What I remember most is that it drove the hard liners who said, "This is the way it has always been done" absolutely crazy.  Maybe the church actually operates in such a way in some places, but in the year of The Great Experiment, we either lacked the faith for it to happen, or a preacher was trying to put the square pegs of the Kingdom in the round holes of the institutional church.   

Authentic Prayer

Praying in public is not as easy as it looks.  Of course, there are some who think that any kind of public speaking is frightening enough to send the bravest soul running the other way.  Praying in public is difficult for reasons other than some kind of brain freeze which makes words impossible to speak.  The sixth chapter of Matthew lifts up the real dangers.  "Beware of practicing your piety before others in order to be seen by them; for then you have no reward from your Father in heaven....And whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners so that they may be seen by others."  (Matthew 6:1, 5).   

When I was preaching, it was my practice to write the sermon, memorize the manuscript, and preach without any notes.  This practice is not for every preacher, but it worked for me.  When I came to the end of my preparation, I would often pray, "I give this now to you, Lord, I ask You to give it back as You please at the time for preaching."  It was my way of submitting it to the Lord for a final editing.  What I noted often was that some particular sentence or sentences which I thought to be particularly well written were not given back to me as I depended on my memory and Spirit in the moment of preaching.  The Editor  struck them out.  

The words from Matthew are important words for any preacher or lay person who leads the congregation in a public prayer.  Anyone who dares to pray in the public arena must make sure that the prayer is prayed to God and not for admiring ears of the congregation.  I have heard and offered all kinds of praying.  Some seems so manicured and precise in theological language, it could come from a seminary professor and others are so rambling and repetitive that the one praying seems lost in a sea of words where there is no "Amen."  Regardless of how we pray, the Word calls us to consider the motive for the prayer we offer to God.  It is not always an easy thing for us to do, but it is an important first step toward authentic prayer. 

Taking Inventory of Wonder

When I hear or read the name "Wendell Berry," I stop and take note.  I have read many of his novels, poems, and essays that reflect his commitment to the land and the agrarian lifestyle.  I have never been disappointed by a writing which bears his name.  Today I heard a quote attributed to him which I wish I could put in context, but, unfortunately, it has not been possible to find.  Actually, it is just a phrase, but it speaks volumes.  "Taking inventory of wonder" is a phrase attributed to a discipline practiced by Berry at the end of the day.  

To "take inventory of wonder" each day would create a time for us to remember each day's blessing, the events that have blessed, and the people within those events who have brought blessing to us as well.  It is a discipline which has within it the way to gratitude.  What is true is that we often end our day with an exhaustion that says, "I made it through one more day.  Maybe I can do it tomorrow."  We need no one to tell us there must be a better way to live.  In our better days we know that even in the worst of things there are things which call for gratitude.  No amount of darkness can take the wonder out of our day.  The wonder in our life is about grace.  

We live in a world where we are loved. We live in a world where the creation all around us continues to astound us.  We have a measure of success and prosperity which is not just about our efforts, but about the gifts of God which have filled our lives.  Anyone who cannot end the day without knowing that the day has been filled with things of wonder is blind to the goodness of God and the way grace comes to us for no reason except it is grace.  Today is another day for "taking inventory of wonder."

Carrying the Word

It is a good thing to carry some Scripture with us every day.  This is not to say, we should carry our Bibles with us everywhere we go though it is not a bad idea.  A few minutes here and there reading the Word would surely be more beneficial to us than looking at social media sites on our hand held devices.  Of course, as soon as such is mentioned, there will be someone to suggest that the Scripture can be carried with us and read on those devices.  True enough, but not likely.  It sounds a little fishy to me, like the story some folks always told about the river being a sanctuary on Sunday morning!   

Actually, one of the best places to carry the Scripture is in our heart.  I confess to being sporadic when it comes to memorizing Scripture.  I wish I had done more of it.  There are times when a written copy of the Word is not available, or there are times when life seems so overwhelming that reading is too big a chore and in those times what we carry with us in our heart can prove to be invaluable.  Even those who have made no efforts in the discipline of Scripture memorization will be surprised at the amount of Scripture which is on file simply through the process of hearing it read again and again, or in singing some of the great hymns of the church.  

The Holy Spirit has a way of bringing God's truths into our conscious mind in those moments when we need an encouraging word from Him, or when we once again need to be reminded of one of His unchanging promises.  I am grateful my mother got me started memorizing Scripture verses early and regret that I did not keep at it as faithfully as I should have.

Feelings and Faith

There are surely those times when we have heard it said by some struggling soul, "I cannot feel the presence of God.  It feels as if He is absent."  Perhaps, it is also true that such words have not just been heard in the laments of others, but have been heard coming from our own mouth.  One thing which must always be remembered when we are walking through those dark nights, when search as we may, our world seems empty of His presence, is that feelings are not trustworthy.  

What is trustworthy are God's promises.  How many times in the Word do we hear His voice whispering, or even shouting "I am with you...?"  Of course, there is no condition of time or place on that promise for it concludes with the word, "always." (Matthew 28:20).  Our feelings have nothing to do with His presence.  The means by which we live with confidence is our faith.  Our faith calls us to trust Him when our feelings would tell us He is gone.  What our faith tells us is that He never gone.  He does not come to abide or dwell in us for a moment, but for eternity.  

The darkness in which we sometimes walk is very real and it can be extremely dark, but there is a Word from the One who brought us into being that tells us, "The light (the essence of Jesus) shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it."  (John 1:5)  The darkness has no power to separate us from Christ (Romans 8:38-39). Christ has come to be with us, not for a season, but for every day of our journey Home . No matter how we feel, it is His promise.  His promises can be trusted!

The Edge of Here and There

 The place where water touches sand,

    rolls upon it and then away,

    is a holy place where worlds collide

    and visions see the sunrise of day.

 

The wavering moving trail down the way

   beckons first the wandering feet,

   but more the wondering soul 

   on a journey filled with unending end.

 

First the step in the cool blue water,

  the next in the white burning sand, 

  both equally a part of the journey

  beginning here, ending in know not where. 

 

Is it the unseen One who beckons 

 to walk the pleasant and perilous shore?

 Or, is the heart which once again

 moves toward the place it knows as home? 

A Core Hindrance to Generosity

One thing not always recognized in the moment is the way the financial decisions of the moment impact our ability to practice the spiritual discipline of generosity. I remember conversations with church members over the years who wanted to be more involved in some missions of the church, but found themselves locked into financial commitments that affected those decisions.  It may seem naive to some, but it is true that an attitude, or spirit of giving can be quenched so easily by some of those decisions.  

Life style choices that we make now impact later.  Keeping up with the Jones', spending above our means, and living with an ever demanding debt leaves many with a boatload of stress and an inability to see how it is possible to be involved in any significant sharing in what God is doing in the world.  Thoreau's word to "Simplify, simplify" is a hard word to embrace in a culture which calls us to clamor for more than we need and more than we can actually afford.  

One thing to remember is that what we have is not our own, but God's.  He is the Giver.  What we have is something entrusted to us for awhile.  It is ours to use, but not hoard, nor use carelessly.  We may not be able to change the rippling affect of past decisions, but we can begin the practice of living more simply.  We may be surprised at where it takes us and how it is a window to seeing what it is that is really important for us and our families. 

Surplus Giving

The story known as the widow's mite is worth pondering.  There are things about it which scream out, "Slow down and take another look!" but most of us have heard or read the story so many times, it's a word we ignore.  We know all the particulars.  We know Jesus is going to be pleased with the giving of the widow and that we are likely to feel a little guilt at our own.  With all this in mind, we read and run.  

One of the places which calls for slow pondering is found in that section of the story where Jesus speaks of the affluent "contributing out of their abundance."  (Luke 21:4)  The word "abundance" is an important word and one that is often misunderstood.  While few of us are Greek scholars, if we could go back and read this passage in the original language it was written, we would find ourselves looking at a word that carried a different meaning that we give it today.  According to our contemporary understanding, the word creates the image of bulging bank accounts.  The original meaning is more synonymous with our understanding of the word "surplus."  In other words, as Jesus pointed out the giving of the affluent, He was pointing out gifts that were from the surplus.    

The surplus is that which speaks of more than is needed.  It speaks of what is left after all the bills have been paid, the credit card debt has been knocked down a bit, and all the wants and wishes of our extravagant life style have been satisfied.  Out of what is left, the surplus gifts are given.  Surplus giving may or may not be a boatload of money, but it is giving that is not risky.  It does not have within it the component of faith.  Surplus gifts are given after everything else is handled.  Surplus giving does not speak of depending on God to provide which is what the widow's gift illustrated.  It is all about hedging our bets just in case God is not able to provide for us according to what we think is necessary.  

The Working World

The taste of mortality

   gathers on the brow

     with the dust and dirt

       forming a salty stream

        that burns the eyes

         and teases the tongue

with its wet bitterness.

 

The wear and tear of life

   is etched on hands

    bruised and battered

     showing open scars

      made not in a day

       but over hard years

of unrelenting toil.

 

What cannot be seen

   is the broken dreams,

    the beaten down spirit

     that no longer can rise

      to work another day

       yet knows it must

though the will is no more.

 

It is a life unknown

  to the soft handed,

    the white shirted ones

     who sit and earn,

      making what is not seen

       nor touched but only

exists between nine and five.  

 

Giving Gifts

Among other things, Jesus was a great communicator.  When He spoke, people listened.  He had a gift for making people do their own thinking as He told parable after parable.  He was also good with short stories.  It did not take Him a thousand words to tell a story that drove home an unforgettable truth.  He had a knack for seeing ordinary things like sheep grazing in a pasture, or a farmer sowing seed to drive home a truth as surely as a carpenter uses a hammer to drive home a nail.   

The gospel writer, Luke, tells us of such a moment.  "He (Jesus) looked up and saw rich people putting their gifts into the treasury; He also saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. He said, 'Truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them; for all of them have contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in all that she had.' " (Luke 21:1-4).  It is easy to imagine Jesus offering this word as He overheard His disciples being impressed by the extravagant gifts of some.  The offering receptacles in the Temple were not like our contemporary offering plates, but instead were metal trumpet shaped vessels attached to the wall.  A handful of coins made a noisy offering as they rattled around to their resting place, but two copper coins hardly even made a whimper of a sound.  

The real difference in the offerings, however, was unseen by the disciples. The rich gave out of their abundance meaning that what they gave was from their surplus.  It cost them nothing.  No matter how much they gave, they kept enough to make sure that all their wants and wishes would be satisfied.  On the other hand, the widow gave out of her poverty meaning that she gave trusting God to take care of tomorrow.  One gift spoke of depending on self and another about depending on God.  It makes us wonder what Jesus thinks about our giving.

A Clear Word

It is a Word from God many do not want to hear.  It is a Word that leaves us with no wiggle room.  Only blatant disobedience enables us to live as if though we are out from under it.  While such is true of any Word God speaks, either by the Spirit's presence in our heart, or through the written Word, there is something about this Word written by the Apostle John that demands our attention.  "How does God's love abide in anyone who has the world's goods and sees a brother or sister in need and yet refuses to help?  (I John 3:17).  

This letter John wrote to the early church is all about the love of God.  It is also all about loving one another.  This question posed by John offers a litmus test to tell us how seriously we regard the call of Jesus to love one another.  We love one another not by saying we love one another, but by a sacrificial and generous life which counts nothing as ours and everything as His.  When we walk with Jesus as one who has denied all to go after Him, there is no room for excuses, there is no room for rationalizations, there is no room for holding tightly what has been given to us by Him.  The truth that we often want to deny in order to protect and preserve our holdings which give us security is that we are among the affluent.  

We are among those who have the world's goods in such quantity that we have more than enough to meet our own needs.  We have an abundance which is not to say we have boatloads of money, but that we have enough to share with those who are destitute, hungry, and broken.  John reminds us that disciples are not stingy, but generous.  They do not hold tightly, but loosely.  When they see a brother or a sister in need, they do not look for a reason to look away, but look for a way to share the love of Jesus Christ.

Sunday Pondering

Why I left church asking the question, I do not know.  There was nothing wrong with the service of worship.  Actually, it was uplifting and inspiring in many ways.  When I left, I was glad that I had been present.  Oh, the question?  "Why do I go to church?"  I could just say what is true, "My mother said go" and in those days, no other reason was necessary than the fact that she said to do it.  Or, I could say it is just a habit of mine that has become well ingrained over the last fifty years of life out from under my mother's watchful eye.  As I carried the question around with me through the day, a number of thoughts stopped in my mind for review.  

A few of those thoughts have stuck.  One is that to attend church is to walk on ground which I have come to know as home. It is a place where I have deep roots.  As I become immersed in the experience of worship with others, I sense a belonging to a community.  It is a community of people who share a common heritage, but it is also an unique community in that it is a spiritual community centered on Jesus and given life through the power of the Holy Spirit.  In a mysterious way it is not just a community of those of us who are here, but also one shared with those who are there in the invisible heavenly realm.  If I am not present when the church gathers, it is not diminished; instead, I am the one who is diminished.  

One thing which I think is deeply needed in the lives of those who are caught up in the temporal nature of culture is a place where there is mystery.  It is a good thing to sit still in a place where we are made aware that there are things we do not know, things we cannot understand, and thoughts we never thought to think.  Maybe it was my mother which got me to going to worship each Sunday, but being midst the holy mystery is what keeps taking me back.    

The Creaking Board

 There is a time of the day,

   or so they who know, say,

    when the Lord walks this way.

      Adam heard Him in the evening,

        Jacob, like me, while sleeping.

          No sound of evening breeze here,

Just the creaking board down the hall. 

 

Moses heard Him in the crackling fire,

   Elijah in the sound of spinning wheels.

     The shepherds heard the singing angels,

       the folks in Jericho, a trumpet sound,

         and for Samuel, a mysterious voice,

          but around here, nothing so sublime,

Just the creaking board down the hall.

 

While it may seem I'm ungrateful,

   nothing is farther from the truth.

    'Tis good to be among those included

       in His walking among us each day.

        I've heard Him in the roaring sea,

          in many wondrous things, but lately,

Just the creaking board down the hall.

 

Ah, but yes, it is a mysterious thing,

   this sound of walking in the night.

    No feet are in the dark hall stirring.

      I know. I've heard and got up to look.

        There is no question it is Him

          and how is it that He lets me know?

Just the creaking board down the hall.     

Praying for Others

When someone ask us to pray for them, an appropriate question is, "How can I pray for you?"  It is a lesson I learned years when I went to the altar to pray with someone.  It was at a time when a Service of Prayers for Healing was a part of our monthly schedule.  A person came forward whom I knew was struggling with cancer so I immediately started praying about this issue in his life.  When I finished, he thanked me and said, "...but I came to ask for prayers for my brother."  Lesson learned.  We should not assume to know how to pray for someone until they tell us.   

There are a world of people around us who are overcome by overwhelming and unseen difficulties.  What we see and think we know may be nothing more than the tip of the iceberg.  As we remember the story of the four friends tearing up a roof in order to lower their paralyzed friend into the presence of Jesus, we see how this is true.  Both the friends and the man on the mat came for physical healing.  What Jesus said must have surely surprised them.  "Son, your sins are forgiven."  (Mark 2:5).  It was later that Jesus said to him, "I say to you, stand up, take your mat and go home." (Mark 2:11).  

Even though it may seem as obvious as day and night, it is not a good thing to assume we know another person's need.  We have known people who have desperately and fervently prayed for physical healing while others would have us pray for a peaceful journey into eternity.  Jesus could see and understand a hurting and broken person's real need.  We often cannot see.  It is a good thing to ask, "How can I pray for you?"

The Man in the Mirror

 In the mirror, there is this man,

    a brow of dirt and ashes,

     or is it the costly stain of sin

       he wears as he looks at me? 

         'Tis after all, shaped like the tree

where the saving Savior bled and died.

 

 In the mirror, the brow now clean,

    the stain scrubbed and washed away,

      the dark smudge that once glared

        and spoke of the unclean not seen

           goes now into tomorrow's light

just as if never worn by the brow.

 

In the mirror, a hand moves to remove

    what cannot be removed, the mark,

      the one not worn on the brow,

        but on the heart, where no one, 

          sees and knows still it is there

'cept the blessed Savior, yes, He sees.

 

In the mirror, a unseen hand now moves

    to wipe away that one dark blot

      that in the heart has so long lingered.

        'Tis strange how blood that stains

           can cleanse even the foulest spot,

the one unclean hands could not wash away.

 

In the mirror, now another man appears,

    the Suffering One, the Dying One,

      the One who scrubs the soul clean

       and even dares to call home the place

         once darker than the blot on my brow.

Praise be!  Gone now the dark spot on my heart. 

Ash Wednesday

Today is Ash Wednesday.  People will be noticed in the market place wearing a dark gray smudge on their forehead.  It may even be in the sign of the cross.  Ash Wednesday opens the door to the season of Lent.  On Ash Wednesday liturgically minded Christians of many denominations will submit themselves to an ancient ritual known as the imposition of ashes.  It is indeed a strange moment within the life of the church as its members gather to be reminded of their mortality.  

"Remember you are dust and to dust you shall return," the priest will say as he or she looks people in the eye and marks them with ashes from the burning of last year's palm branches. For some stranger who walks into the service not really knowing what to expect, it can be a shocking, and perhaps, offensive moment.  After all, who wants to die?  Who among us, so sure we are going to live forever, wants to be reminded that we are going to die?  Even as we are linked together in birth so are we linked together in death.  The truth is we all need a dose of reality.  

Being reminded that our life is fragile, finite, and temporal may be a way of enabling us to live more attentive to each day.  Of course, there is no better one to tell us we are going to die than the church because it is also the one who tells us we are going to live.  Even though we die; yet, shall we live is the core gospel message.  At the end of the Lenten season, we will return to the church to celebrate the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ who tells us that as surely as we die, we shall live because He has been enveloped in death's hold and overcome it. The victory He won is His gift to each one of us.

Sunday's Sermon

It was Sunday morning and the church crowd was going and coming.   He sat just outside the entrance way fo the sandwich shop with an open Bible midst his crossed legs. His clothing was in sharp contrast to the church crowd who had to notice him as they passed by.  The backpack pushed tightly against his leg appeared to be his only possession.  A coffee cup beside him said he had either made a purchase from inside or received a gift from someone who saw him.   

I am ashamed to admit it, but when I saw him all my internal voices of skepticism started wildly firing.  One said, "His timing for reading his Bible in public could not be better."  Another joined in, "What a great place to just sit. He doesn't even need a sign."  "He sure knows when and how to play the guilt card," was one of the last voices I heard before I heard a softer and kinder voice beside me saying, ""Let's buy him a sandwich."  All my inner voices ceased speaking.  There was no more to say.  

We bought him a sandwich.  "Friend," I said as I handed him our sandwich, "we wanted to share this with you."  He took it, thanked me, pushed it in his backpack and said, "I don't need it, but I have a friend who does."  I have a feeling God regarded his gift to his friend as a gift of greater value than mine.  Mine to him was wrapped thinly in love compared to the lavish abandonment wrapped around the gift he gave.  "Each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver."  (II Corinthians 9:7)

The Chief Regret

One ot the benefits of living long enough to be a worn out Methodist preacher is time for looking back at the many years which are a part of memory.  There are many good memories.  Most of the good memories are centered around experiencing grace, being able to stand alongside of others as a pastor, and being privileged to always have a pulpit from which to preach the gospel.  Even as I am grateful for these memories that bring blessing, there are others which cause me to think about ministry in terms of what I would have done differently had I known then what I know now.   

One of the chief regrets about my years of ministry is that I did not spend more time intentionally being in His presence.  If I could do it over, I would spend more time on my knees.  I would choose to block out time to listen for God in the silence even as I had time blocked out for sermon preparation or meetings.  I would, of course, first had to learn how to be silent and to be in the silence that becomes filled with the holy.  I would be more intent about being available to God even it meant not being available for every phone call or coffee conversation about the business of the church.   

E.M. Bounds, a great prayer warrior from another generation, said and wrote many times that the source of the preacher's life is prayer. If I were doing it over again, I would take what I knew in my head and be more intentional about giving it flesh in my life.  Everything a preacher does emanates from the prayer room.  I would spend more time with the Source which, of course, this retired preacher and anyone else, preacher or not, can choose to do in the present moment God is giving. 

Thoughts on Transfiguration

The church calendar makes this Sunday special as it lifts up the moment of glory shared by Jesus and three of his disciples on the Mount of Transfiguration.  It is a powerful story about heaven breaking into earthly confines. It was surely an unexpected moment for those disciples.  One minute everything seemed to be orderly and predictable and the next moment they were nearly blinded by the brilliance of heavenly glory.  One moment it was them and Jesus and suddenly there appeared with Jesus, Moses and Elijah.  How did they know?  It is not like they were wearing name tags.  None were needed.  They knew.  

When God shows up in our presence with such attendant glory, we want to dig a hole somewhere and hide as did those disciples of long ago.  Or, maybe we shrug our shoulders, put our hands in our pockets, and silently slip out the exit door.  What is frightening about those moments when God breaks through the ordinary routines and expectations of our life is that there is usually some holy purpose which is a part of it.  If we think it just so we can shed a few tears, express a hint of emotions, and feel good about Jesus for a minute, we have missed the meaning of the glory.  

As wonderful as are those times when God seems near enough to touch and our hearts seem ready to burst, it is what is ahead that is important.  God does not bring us to those moments so we can live in them as the disciples would have chosen to do, but so that we can leave them with such an awareness of the power and presence of God that nothing is deemed impossible.  We have all had those moments filled with glory.  They may come in worship.  They may come in the quiet place we go for prayer.  They may come bursting forth from the creation around us.  One thing is sure. They come and when they come they make us different for the going that is ahead. 

Different Day, Same Power

I wonder sometimes if the church has forgotten it has an all powerful God.  A friend in Texas calls Him "the sovereign all powerful God of the Universe" as he speaks of God doing impossible things.  In a recent reading, I came across some thoughts the author was making about Chrysostom, a fourth century church father, "In discussing the miracles of the book of Acts, he never lost sight of the fact that they were performed and continue to be done, not by men but by God, whose power is always the same."  

 Here is an ancient word that the modern church needs to ponder.  Has the God spoken of as "the God of signs and wonders" become a domesticated God who is comfortable living in the boxes we have created for Him?  Do we really believe He can do the thing which seem impossible to do?  Have we become so timid in our faith that we are afraid to trust Him to the point that we will crawl out on the limb with Him?  Have our expectations become too low and does our fear of embarrassing ourselves keep us from modeling a faith willing to risk it all for His sake?    

Two things are clear from the observations about Chrysostom.  God's power has not changed since those days of Pentecost.  His power has always been and always will be the same.  Secondly, signs and wonder,  or acts of power that reveal the presence of the Holy Spirit are not dependent on the men and women who lead the church, but upon the church's willingness to embrace and accept the raw unbridled power of God in its midst.  

The First Work

The first work of the Holy Spirit after breathing the church into being with rushing wind and holy fire was to draw the unbelieving world into a relationship with Jesus. It was not to organize committees to establish mission teams, feeding ministries, safe places for widows and orphans, institutes for theological study, or even churches.  These things came later, but they were not the first priority of the Holy Spirit.  The first priority of the Holy Spirit was to bring people into a saving relationship with Jesus Christ.  By the time the sun set on the Day of Pentecost, three thousand people had heard the message of Jesus and were baptized.  

It is certainly not the case that the people who heard Peter preach that day were inclined to listen to a message about the crucified and risen Jesus.  When those men, still bewildered and overcome by what had happened in the Upper Room spilled out into the streets, they immediately found themselves midst a culture filled with skeptics and naysayers.  It was not an arena for success, but the message about Jesus overcame, drew people toward Jesus, and changed their hearts.  Is not this an example of "the power of the gospel?"  (Romans 1:16).   

Ah, that the church of our day would remember the first work of the Holy Spirit!  The things the church does to serve and love the world around it are important acts, but not at the expense of the first work of the Spirit.  What is needed in the church are not better preachers, softer pews, enlightening and entertaining programs, but Jesus.  The church of our day needs to see the first work of the Holy Spirit, embrace it, and have its people move over in the pews so there is room for those who are out there ready to come.

Raise Us Up

What can a church do when it comes to terms with the reality that it is slowly dying due to a lack of baptisms?  Getting rid of the preacher may be an option for some churches, but it makes about as much sense as firing the manager of a baseball team for losing even though every player is making a ton of errors and striking out each time at the plate.  Having a consultant come and lead a church growth conference might be considered, but it can be expensive especially for smaller congregations.  Of course, there are books and articles to read, sermons to hear, and podcasts to watch.  

The real key to renewal of the ministry at the baptismal font, or pool is prayer.  Has anyone  ever wondered what happens when a church begins to take prayer seriously by making it not a peripheral ministry, but a central one? Has anyone ever wondered what would happen if two people, or five people, or ten people in a church gathered to pray that God would bless the church with baptisms again?  It is not strange that we ask the people of God to pray for pastors, for the sick, for mission programs, for the bereaved, for financial campaigns, for our youth and children's ministries, but no one is intentionally praying for the church to be blessed with new believers in Christ Jesus?  

God is the Source of all spiritual blessings we seek for the church.  Surely, there is no blessing which would bring more joy to the heart of the Holy Spirit than to see people who have never openly professed faith in Christ to do so in His Church.  The first step toward seeing the baptismal waters stirred again is for a few to know themselves as the ones the Spirit is raising up to pray that seeing people professing faith in Christ would be the norm instead of the occasional occurrence.  "Lord, use us to raise up such a people."

A Spiritual Disease

One of the symptoms of a spiritual disease which is slowly destroying the church is not hard to diagnose.  Generally speaking more and more churches are reporting fewer and fewer baptisms each year.  When there does happen to be a need for a baptism, the worship committee (if it is a sprinkling congregation such as my own) has to find the baptismal font, dust it, sweep off the spider webs, move it to a visible place in the sanctuary, and fill it with fresh water. No one should be surprised to hear some of the younger generation asking, "What is it?  What do you do with it?"  

Every time the baptismal waters are stirred, it is a sign that some new soul has signed up to follow Christ. It is no small decision that brings a new believer to the holy waters.  My tradition says, "it is an outward sign of an inward change."  When the church gathers around the baptismal waters, it is to celebrate the birth of new creation in Christ Jesus.  It is also the moment when new blood is infused into the church and new breath is breathed into it through the power of the Holy Spirit.  

When the church becomes dependent on generational growth, or receiving new members because they are moving their membership from another congregation, it is drinking what might seem to be life giving water, but it is from a poisoned well.  A next generation church that is seriously concerned about its spiritual and theological integrity will either be filled and empowered by new believers from this generation, or it will simply know itself as a shadow of what God intended for it to be.  

The Prayer of a Righteous Man

Before leaving the house today, a friend said, "I would like to pray for you."  I never have any problem with someone praying for me.  Before he prayed, he said, "The Word says  that if anyone is sick, the elders of the church should pray for them and I reckon I am old enough to be an elder."  As one six years younger than me, he qualifies as an elder.  While I think the passage in James (5:13-15) is about the spiritual leaders of the church praying, I did not interrupt.  He was elder enough for me.  God didn't care. Neither did I.   

Sometimes it seems the church gets too caught up doing things by the book.  My own denomination has declared that only the ordained can administer the Sacrament.  Yet, there have been many a small group of believers studying and praying together who shared the Holy Meal without the beneifit of my presence.  Was it any less a remembrance and celebration of something sacred?  I think not.  Some denominations only allow those confirmed as members to receive the Sacrament which, of course, excludes the children whom Jesus was always inviting to come to Him.  Is the Table really open to all, or just those who jump through the hoops?  Again, my own denomination could never have achieved the impact it did in the formational days of our country without the unordained lay pastors who rode the circuits.   

My friend who stopped to pray today had no church officials lay hands on him to declare him an elder, but he was elder enough for me.  He is a man of faith whose prayers are constantly springing forth from his heart and falling from his lips.  His faith is strong and his intercessions are the words of a righteous man.  I did not need to see his credentials or his robes.  I saw his heart.  It was more than enough.

The Great Pretender

There are times when it seems that the church has hijacked Jesus.  But, then it is not the spiritual community centered on Jesus Christ which has done the deed, but the institutional church which poses as the Great Pretender. The institutional church is concerned about its survival.  It feeds on more.  It has its roots dug deeply into deeper treasuries, bigger buildings, and a success that is measured in much the same way as any thriving business.  The bottom line is not the number of souls saved, or lives radically transformed by the person of the resurrected Christ, but how smoothly the programs operate and the financial report at the end of the year.  The primary business of the institutional church is maintenance and survival.   

The church centered on Jesus seeks to lose itself in the world.  Appearance is not the important issue for a community of faith which seeks to live in the world as seed being dropped in the ground.  It is filled with disciples of Jesus who dream and pray about doing for Jesus what seems humanly impossible.  Its mission is not about maintenance but a mission defined by words such as the Great Commission of Matthew 28:18-29 and the Great Missional Mandate found in Matthew 25:31-46 which gives the broken a place alongside of the affluent at the Table of God's Kingdom.   

It is hard for those of us within the church to see the importance of the distinction because we start out with nothing more than our love for Jesus only to be seduced by an institutional church which whispers that what we want to do for Jesus can be done even better and with greater effect if we will buy into the agenda of the Great Pretender.  There is never any big announcement that we have switched horses.  It is all so very subtle.  One day we are all for the community centered on Jesus and the next day, it is all about maintenance of the institution instead of mission.  All the talk about Jesus becomes window dressing.

 

Glory in a Box

Even before the church came into being through the rush of that mighty wind at Pentecost, there was a spirit which sought to control the ministry of Jesus.  There are two stories in the 9th chapter of Mark which enable us to see the birth of the controlling influence which flourished as the church became institutionalized.  The first is the most well know.  When Peter, James, and John experienced the Mt. of Transfiguration, the first thing they wanted to do was to build three shrines on the mountain, one for Jesus, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.  It was a moment of experiencing a great sunburst of heavenly glory and Peter's response was to build a small house for it. (Mark 9:2-8).  

The second incident is reported a little later in the same chapter as John tells about trying to stop someone from casting our demons in the name of Jesus because as the disciple put it, "...he was not following us." (Mark 9:38). Jesus had a different idea.  "But Jesus said, 'Do not stop him...' " (Mark 9:39).  As the church became more organized and more institutionalized, it succumbed to the temptation to put glory in a box.  No longer would following Jesus be a thing as simple as "Come and see," (John 1:39) for the church began to set in place how would be followers should come to Jesus, what prayers they should pray, and what spiritual practices to which they should submit.  

In the early days of my ministry, a leaflet about four spiritual laws was required reading for any seeker.  In many places of our church culture, being baptized is not nearly as important as how the baptized are baptized.  Not even the Table where Jesus first offered a meal of grace is open to all.  Unfortunately, the church in many places has special requirements for those who would come and partake.  More than anyone or anything, the church seems most afraid of losing its control and letting the glory out of the box.

Rekindling Faith

Memory has the power to bring to our consciousness things thought to be forgotten.  The other night out the blue came a memory of a song I had not heard in such a long time, one I learned growing up in Sunday night worship, and one I would have thought forgotten forever until I remembered it.  "In Times Like These" was the gospel song.  Maybe you remember George Beverly Shea singing it in one of the Billy Graham Crusades, or maybe you remember it from those informal Sunday night worship services when you sang until you were breathless.   

"In times like these, you need a Savior.  In times like these, you need an anchor.  Be very sure, be very sure, your anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock."  I love those old songs of the faith.  I miss those Sunday night services.  As a preacher I always was trying to recapture that faith building experience for those entrusted to me.  While I confess to not being a big fan of contemporary music in worship, the reason has to do with what is being remembered and stored in our spiritual storehouse.  We sang those old songs from "The Cokesbury Hymnal" over and over and over.  They were a part of the building blocks of our faith.   

I wonder what kind of memories are being stored through the music experience of today's church.  Will people thirty or forty years from now remember the lyrics of songs of faith, or will they simply remember the worship team and the excitement generated by the rhythm of the music and stage atmosphere?  I know this is the old fashioned worn out preacher longing for the good old days, but I still wish I could be sure there will be memories being created which have the power to rekindle faith.