Lutherans are not generally comfortable talking about the Spirit - the Holy Spirit that is. I don't know if it is so much a weak point in our theological perspective as it is the natural evolution of a Christian community founded by reticent Germans and Scandinavians.
I think we would benefit from practicing Spirit talk, yet the concrete thinkers among us are quick to realize that the scriptures give us multiple sightings/metaphors for the movement and work of the Spirit.
The Spirit moves over the waters and begins creating.
God breathes in the first human, 'adamah and gives life.
Elijah stands in the cave ready to obey God's command to come forth - and God does not move in the earthquake, nor in the wind, nor in the fire (where it might be expected) but in a still small voice (or a great silence - apparently translating the Hebrew makes it uncertain).
In Jeremiah, the Word of God in the prophet's mouth does it's best to lead people out of their chosen path and into life.
In Ezekiel, the spoken Word of God in the mouth of the prophet causes the Spirit to bring new life to the valley of dry bones.
The Spirit 'overshadows' Mary and she conceives Jesus.
The Spirit descends like a dove (or pigeon) on Jesus during his baptism.
Now the Spirit comes as tongues of fire in the Pentecost account of Acts 2. People of very different nations spoke in 'other languages' and each one heard Jesus' story in his own language. Although we focus on the miracle of multiple languages being spoken, I think the real miracle is that people listened to what they heard.
It is difficult to get a handle on the Spirit. The Spirit of God moves where it will, when it will, as it will with the purpose of bringing new life into being - directly or indirectly. It is the power of God that raised Jesus from the dead. It is the power of the resurrection present throughout our days.
Each time you see life arise from nothing or death of any kind turned away by a stronger power - you have seen the Spirit at work. Name it and claim it. Soon you'll be wondering how we got by so many years without Spirit talk.
Thursday, May 24, 2012
Thursday, May 17, 2012
Where has Jesus gone?
Today is the day that the Christian Church celebrates Ascension when Jesus ascended to the Father.
Ascension in the western Christian calendar is 40 days after Easter. This coincides with the telling of the ascension story in the book of Acts 1.3. If you were to read the version of the ascension in the gospel of Luke (chapter 24) you will notice that according to that account, Jesus ascended on Easter evening. Most of us do not get hung up on these kinds of differences, although it is ironic that biblical scholars assert that the same author wrote both Luke and Acts.
Put all that aside as interesting history. Let's look at the primary dilemma. Where has Jesus gone?
That would be the question of most young people who are very concrete in their thinking. If Jesus is not here, where is he? What does it mean that Jesus 'sits at the right hand of the Father'? These are good metaphysical questions.....notice, metaphysical since these concepts reach beyond the purely physical.
Which can make ascension and the current location of Jesus difficult to either discuss or comprehend. Lutherans have long held to 'the ubiquity of Christ.' That means, Jesus is everywhere because Jesus has passed beyond the boundaries of human life into a life with the Father (sometimes called eternal life, abundant life, life beyond life). So Jesus is as close as the watch on your arm and standing right next to your sister in Christ in Zimbabwe - at the same time.
This concept was used to further explain or support the concept of the real presence of Jesus in the communion meal. Whereas other Christian denominations separate the physicality of this world from the spiritual life of Jesus, and often therefore see the communion meal as simply a remembrance of an old tradition, Lutherans point to Jesus' promise to be present, with us in the meal. Not just a memory of Jesus, but the real Jesus in all his power and holiness.
Therefore, the sacraments are central to our worship, our theology, and our understanding of what it means to be a disciple of Jesus. Although Jesus can and is present in lots of places, Jesus promises to be present in the meal of communion....this is my body, this is my blood....and so we gather so to be joined with this Jesus once again.
I know this sounds a little like 'big brother is watching' or the old spooky 'God sees everything you do' but in fact, God is aware of everything we do because this is God's world, God's creation and God is a whole lot >more< than we are. Our time in communion - both eating the body of Christ, and becoming the body of Christ through the meal - has the power to in-form our lives, that is, to form us from the inside out.
See you at the table, sisters and brothers. It is where we are fed eternally.
Ascension in the western Christian calendar is 40 days after Easter. This coincides with the telling of the ascension story in the book of Acts 1.3. If you were to read the version of the ascension in the gospel of Luke (chapter 24) you will notice that according to that account, Jesus ascended on Easter evening. Most of us do not get hung up on these kinds of differences, although it is ironic that biblical scholars assert that the same author wrote both Luke and Acts.
Put all that aside as interesting history. Let's look at the primary dilemma. Where has Jesus gone?
That would be the question of most young people who are very concrete in their thinking. If Jesus is not here, where is he? What does it mean that Jesus 'sits at the right hand of the Father'? These are good metaphysical questions.....notice, metaphysical since these concepts reach beyond the purely physical.
Which can make ascension and the current location of Jesus difficult to either discuss or comprehend. Lutherans have long held to 'the ubiquity of Christ.' That means, Jesus is everywhere because Jesus has passed beyond the boundaries of human life into a life with the Father (sometimes called eternal life, abundant life, life beyond life). So Jesus is as close as the watch on your arm and standing right next to your sister in Christ in Zimbabwe - at the same time.
This concept was used to further explain or support the concept of the real presence of Jesus in the communion meal. Whereas other Christian denominations separate the physicality of this world from the spiritual life of Jesus, and often therefore see the communion meal as simply a remembrance of an old tradition, Lutherans point to Jesus' promise to be present, with us in the meal. Not just a memory of Jesus, but the real Jesus in all his power and holiness.
Therefore, the sacraments are central to our worship, our theology, and our understanding of what it means to be a disciple of Jesus. Although Jesus can and is present in lots of places, Jesus promises to be present in the meal of communion....this is my body, this is my blood....and so we gather so to be joined with this Jesus once again.
I know this sounds a little like 'big brother is watching' or the old spooky 'God sees everything you do' but in fact, God is aware of everything we do because this is God's world, God's creation and God is a whole lot >more< than we are. Our time in communion - both eating the body of Christ, and becoming the body of Christ through the meal - has the power to in-form our lives, that is, to form us from the inside out.
See you at the table, sisters and brothers. It is where we are fed eternally.
Monday, May 7, 2012
Serving others......
Since my week started off with 5 hours of work at Ten Tons of Love, I think I will start there. All kinds of thoughts run through your head when you do the work of sorting the cast-offs of SU students going home for the summer.
One bag had 8 pair of women's underwear and an equal number of bras. How many did she own?
One pair of leather boots were so soft, and in such good condition, you are lead to wonder, what will she do next year when the snow comes?
Apparently the men at SU shower immediately before filling their donation bags because the towels are very damp when they get to the sorters. (You can tell they are 'male' towels because of the other contents of the bag.)
And even as I applaud the generosity of those who are filling the donation bags, I am also aware of how much they must have if they are able to simply throw this stuff away (for if Ten Tons did not pick it up, it would all go to the landfill). All that is donated will find its way into the hands of needy folks in Syracuse (and at no cost to them) and so it is well used.
At the same time, I wonder if those bags are really being filled with generosity when what you are giving is something you would have thrown away anyhow. This is not giving 'out of our substance' - that is, this is not sacrificial giving, it is convenient giving. Perhaps convenient giving is on the pathway to generosity of the heart, but I'm not so sure.
Thanks to all who worked, cooked and prayed for us. Good work was done today.
PW+
One bag had 8 pair of women's underwear and an equal number of bras. How many did she own?
One pair of leather boots were so soft, and in such good condition, you are lead to wonder, what will she do next year when the snow comes?
Apparently the men at SU shower immediately before filling their donation bags because the towels are very damp when they get to the sorters. (You can tell they are 'male' towels because of the other contents of the bag.)
And even as I applaud the generosity of those who are filling the donation bags, I am also aware of how much they must have if they are able to simply throw this stuff away (for if Ten Tons did not pick it up, it would all go to the landfill). All that is donated will find its way into the hands of needy folks in Syracuse (and at no cost to them) and so it is well used.
At the same time, I wonder if those bags are really being filled with generosity when what you are giving is something you would have thrown away anyhow. This is not giving 'out of our substance' - that is, this is not sacrificial giving, it is convenient giving. Perhaps convenient giving is on the pathway to generosity of the heart, but I'm not so sure.
Thanks to all who worked, cooked and prayed for us. Good work was done today.
PW+
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