First Sunday After Christmas

Psalm: Psalm 148

Old Testament: Isaiah 63:7-9
Gospel: Matthew 2:13-23
Epistle: Hebrews 2:10-18

Welcome to Christmas time. I missed a Christmas post and I also failed to posts last week blog on time, but I will press on anyway. Today is actually the sixth day of Christmas, and if you remember from the Christmas carol there are 12 days of Christmas ending January 6^th, which is Epiphany. One thing I hope to do by this blog is to open your and my eyes to the possibilities of living our lives by a calendar and time different than the one the secular world offers. Our culture has co-opted or hijacked every holiday, no matter how noble its beginning, into an opportunity for us to amass more things and feed our own desires and wishes. Every holiday has become a time when we are pressured to buy more and more and if we don’t we somehow really don’t love our family and friends and don’t know how even to take care of ourselves. Our culture tells us that it is ok to covet, be greedy, glutinous, selfish, get what we deserve, and to get the best prices even if it means our purchases directly harm both the hands that made it and the Creation God has given us. But the Christian calendar constantly reminds us that long before Western consumerism hijacked our “holy days” They stood as days and times that drew us back to God. In contrast to the ads and stores which will now turn our eyes to big screen TVs for the Superbowl and gifts again for our spouses on Valentines, we sit for 12 days in Christmas and celebrate that Jesus came as a baby, an event so huge that we can’t possible explore it enough in one day.  Even 12 days isn’t enough to explore all that it means, but for 12 days the church reflects on the coming of Jesus as a baby in humble beginnings in a very specific time and place.

Advent Week 4

Psalm: Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19

Old Testament: Isaiah 7:10-16
Gospel: Matthew 1:18-25
Epistle: Romans 1:1-7

Well, I am a day late this week but that is what happens sometimes around the holidays.  I think we have a strange collection of Scriptures this week and other than the fact that Romans 1:1-7 says Jesus four times I’m struggling to find a connection to the other three readings.  The central theme this week is that God is Immanuel, which of course means “God with us.” Names had significance in the Old Testament.  When Jacob’s 12 children are named, they each got a name which expressed how either their mother or Jacob was feeling about the child or sometimes a message about how their life would go.  In the same chapter from our Isaiah reading, Isaiah is told to go and meet king Ahaz with his son Shear-Jashub, which means “a remnant shall return.”  Setting aside what unfortunate names some of the prophets’ children got, the names became signs and messages to the people.

Advent Week 3

Psalm: Psalm 146:5-10 

Old Testament: Isaiah 35:1-10 

Gospel: Matthew 11:2-11 

Epistle: James 5:7-10

Welcome to the third week of Advent, traditionally known as the Sunday of joy.  The last few weeks have focused more on the second coming of Jesus and the hope we have as we wait for that day.  Today, however, we will look more at the first coming of Jesus and his ministry on earth.

First, let us look back at what the two Old Testament readings say about Jesus’ first coming.  In both the Psalms and Isaiah, the writers are looking forward to a time and place when all things will be made right.  We have looked at this idea the past two weeks in relation to the hope we have when Jesus comes again, but these two writers are hoping that the Messiah, God’s Anointed, would come and bring the healing and justice Israel and the world greatly needed.  They both envision a time when the whole created order will rejoice in the Lord and all hurt and pain will cease.  The blind will see and the deaf will hear and the lame will walk and the prisoner will be set free.  Justice, but also a great joy, will be present when that day comes.

Advent Week 2

Psalm: Psalm 72:1-7, 18-19 

Old Testament: Isaiah 11:1-10 

Gospel: Matthew 3:1-12 

Epistle: Romans 15:4-13

Another week of Advent has come and gone, or to put it another way we are one week closer to Christmas. 

This week our theme revolves around hope.  Often when it comes to Advent and Christmas we focus on the first coming of Jesus.  We see the Nativities, hear the phrase “Jesus is the reason for the season,” and remember that we only have a Christmas because Jesus came the first time.  Of course this is reason to hope and is what we celebrate at Advent.  But our readings today, and the Advent season also remind us that our hope is that Christ will come again and God’s kingdom will be fully inaugurated.

Advent Week 1

Psalm: Psalm 122  

Old Testament: Isaiah 2:1-5  
Gospel: Matthew 24:36-44  
Epistle: Romans 13:11-14

I have decided to write some more posts on the Lectionary since I wasn’t writing very much on other topics. Hopefully we can all grow in Christ and we can teach each other some things.

Another season of Advent is upon us. For many, the decorations are already up and the shopping season has started before the Thanksgiving dishes were washed and put up. But, I want to pause and again ask a question we have pondered on this blog before: whose time is it? So often we want to know what time it is. What time is the football game? When is the meeting? How many days until Christmas? These questions all have a numerical answer, but the question of whose time is it has a person as an answer; it is God’s time. Advent is the start of the Christian Calendar and it is always good to pause and reconsider the fact that God is the Creator and the Sustainer of all creation. Time and creation have a goal and are heading in the direction of God’s Kingdom coming fully. We celebrate during the Advent season, and especially the Christmas season, that God is not only over time, but that he also entered into our time and space in the person of Jesus. God actually became a helpless baby, lived and breathed, died, was buried, and then rose again to redeem and restore creation and time.  Jesus' life and death provide the means whereby God’s rule over time can be complete.

The Church as an Embassy

I know it has been a long time since I have written a post. I guess I did better when I had a deadline each week.  Oh well.  I want to continue the discussion we have been having about the Church.  There are many models of the Church that come from the New Testament and other writers throughout Church history.  Some of these include the Church as a hospital for the sick, a lifeboat, a lighthouse, a candle, salt, not to mention things such as the body and bride of Christ.  But, the image that I want to focus on is the idea of the Church as an embassy.  I think this image provides one of the fullest pictures of what the Church is and does.  It also complements the message Jesus so often presented-- that the Kingdom of God has come near.

The main place this image comes from is 2 Corinthians 5:17-21 which reads,

^{17 “}Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! ¹⁸ All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: ¹⁹ that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. ²⁰ We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. ²¹ God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

Paul is saying that we are ministers, or ambassadors, of Christ’s kingdom.  Ambassadors are based out of embassies.  Let us look at some of the things embassies do and represent and then compare that to the role of the Church.

What's your major--Or What are you going to do with that degree?

“What are you going to do with that?”  This question seems to be thrown around quite a bit around graduation season or when new college freshman pack-up and head to college.  The conversation typically goes like this, “What are you/did you study?” “Art history,” says the excited young person. “Oh, so what are you going to do with that?” 

In my case, the conversation is a little bit different.  I tell people I studied theology and then went to seminary, and if they don’t ask me the infamous question of what I’m going to do with that, the question is usually much more direct.  They ask if I’m going to be a pastor or even if I am “going to take a church.”  And so, repeatedly, for the past nine years, since I was first a freshman, I have not known how to answer that question.

Why we go to church--An introduction

As we begin our discussion of why we go to church on a weekly basis, perhaps the best place to start is a conversation about what the church actually is.  Many definitions have been given, beginning with the images offered in the New Testament.  The Church is the flock with Jesus as our Good Shepherd (John 10).  It is the Body of Christ (Rom. 12:4-5, 1 Cor. 12:12-31) and a building (1 Pet. 2:5).  To quote a well-known verse from 1 Peter, the Church is a “chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession...” The church has been grafted into God’s chosen people, Israel, as the means for the Gospel of Jesus Christ to be proclaimed in the world (Rom. 11:11-24).

Church--To go, or not to go: Part 3

This week, we are going to look at another aspect surrounding the question of why go to church.  Two posts ago, we explored how each Sunday is essentially a “mini-Easter” and the best way to celebrate what Jesus has done is to gather together and proclaim it.  Last week, we discussed how the the church, both as a local body and as a universal worldwide Church, is the body of Christ and that every member has a role and responsibility to play.  These last two posts have mostly dealt with why we go to church on a weekly basis; we need community and we are called to worship and proclaim God to the world.  This week, we will look at the larger instance of going to church for those events that don’t happen every week, but still require us to be a part of the church.

We are, of course, talking about the sacraments, particularly Communion and Baptism in the Protestant tradition, but we will also discuss marriage.  I want to start with Communion, or the Lord’s Supper, because I feel strongly that it should be celebrated every week and is actually one of the most important reasons we do gather together on a weekly basis.  I base this on the fact that 1. Jesus gave us no command of how often to do it, 2. Communion is a means of grace whereby the Lord can meet us, thus we should take it often to encounter Jesus, and 3. If done properly, it ensures that the Gospel is proclaimed each week and proclaims that we gather and have life only because of Jesus’ death and resurrection.

Church--To go, or not to go: Part 2

I want to continue our conversation we started last time about why we go to church on a regular basis.  Two weeks ago, we mostly referred to a typical Sunday morning service or any other time the church might gather to meet and worship God.  The point was that we can must truly honor and worship the Triune God when we gather to do this as the body of Christ.  This week, I want to focus on another aspect of response to this question: the church is called, “the body of Christ.” 

Twice Paul uses an extended analogy to call the church a body, and specifically the body of Christ. (Rom. 12:4-5, 1 Cor. 12:12-31)  Paul argues that the church is like a body, each part is needed for the whole body to work as best as possible.  Paul uses basic examples to make his point-- the foot and hand, and the eye and ear, but we can add even more depth to this analogy.  Think about how complicated we know the body to be today.  There are so many parts, both inside and out, that if even one is missing or not functioning properly than the whole body suffers (ok, not including the appendix).

Easter Sunday

Happy Easter everyone.

One of the topics I am thinking about writing a post or series about is why it is important to go to church on a weekly basis. It seems like especially my generation has come to view church or organized religion as something optional. But I know my generation is not the only one that believes this, as shown by the amount of "Christmas and Easter Christians" our churches had today. Why is it that churches are the fullest on Easter Sunday?  

In thinking about this question and wondering why do we go to church, I have to come to an initial thought. We go to church to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ and no other Sunday is this celebrated more than on the annual Sunday we believe Jesus actually rose from the dead.  We feel and think that we must be at church on Easter Sunday because this is the holiest day of the year and how can we celebrate it alone?  This question is exactly right, how can this be celebrated alone!? The single most important event in history cannot be celebrated in any everyday ordinary type of way.  It deserves more than a moment's pause before breakfast, or a meditative walk, or even a solitary time of prayer.  

Words 6 and 7: Double Feature

John 19:30 “It is Finished.”

Luke 23:46 “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.”

Today we are going to attempt to tie up many of the themes we have dealt with over the last few weeks.  We also have to deal with two words to finish up before Easter.  These last two words are both the final ones in their Gospel account and, although these words are from different authors, they are related and can be taken together.

Word 5: I thirst!

John 19:28 “I thirst!”

Theme: fully God, fully man

This week we are going to explore the theme of the Incarnation, or God becoming human in the person of Jesus Christ.  These ideas are complex and deep, both theologically and historically.  There are also names and ideas not much thrown around outside the walls of a seminary classroom.  But the fact remains that these ideas are central to who the Church is and what we believe.  There is a story told about one of our “heretics” today, Arius.  It is said that at one point in his debate over church doctrine he had half the city of Alexandria singing a popular tune with the lyrics “there was a time when the Son was not.”  This story is interesting because it reveals two facts.  First, there was indeed a time when the issue of who Jesus Christ is wasn’t fully settled in the Church.  The Church had to wrestle with issues such as its continuity or discontinuity with Judaism, the Trinity, the humanness of Jesus and then his divinity, salvation through Jesus, and many others.  Ideas we now mostly take for granted had to be fought over in the Church.  Secondly, these ideas used to be discussed and wrestled with by your average Christian.  Arius had half the city singing his song and we might assume that the other half opposed him.  People in the streets were actually discussing theology.  Before Christianity became the established religion in Europe, it must have been mightily important that one understood just what they believed if they might die for it.  One early Church leader even advocated 3 full years of training and learning before a person could fully join the Church!  So these ideas were in the air, if you will, in this time.  So, although this lesson might seem deep, I think we can handle it.

Let us first look at the temptation of Jesus

Word 4: My God, my God, why have you forskae me?

Matt 27:46 “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

Theme: Humble Servanthood

These words spoken by Jesus from the cross are the opening lines of Psalm 22.  This saying is unique because it is the only one mentioned in more than one Gospel and it is also the only one recorded in Aramaic.  Because these words are recorded in Aramaic and not Greek, we can assume that these were the actual words of Christ in his mother-tongue.  These words also draw us back into the Aramaic/Jewish context of Jesus, particularly Psalm 22.

Before we look more closely at an episode of Jesus’ life, it is important that we understand Psalm 22 and also take the time to read it.  Psalm 22 is both a cry of despair and a Psalm of praise for all God has done.  There is almost an inner dialogue the writer has between his anguish and his realization that God is in control.  Jesus quotes verse one, but by verse three the Psalm reads, “Yet You are holy, O You who are enthroned upon the praises of Israel.”  The Psalmist begins to remind himself, and all those who would later these words, all that God has done for Israel.  The author admits that his only hope is in the God of Israel.  Verse 24 is key to the whole prayer, “For He has not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; Nor has He hidden His face from him; But when he cried to Him for help, He heard.”   

Word 3: Woman, here is your son...Here is your mother

John 19:26-27 “Woman, here is your son…Here is your mother.”

Theme: Family Relationships

Would you agree or disagree with this statement: family is the most important thing in my life?  How about the statement that you would anything for your family?

It is a near universal fact that family is of the upmost importance to us.  Was Jesus a “family man?”

Let us look at what Jesus said about the family.  What he said might surprise us.

Matt 12:46-50

⁴⁶ While Jesus was still talking to the crowd, his mother and brothers stood outside, wanting to speak to him. ⁴⁷ Someone told him, “Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to you.”
⁴⁸ He replied to him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” ⁴⁹ Pointing to his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers. ⁵⁰ For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”

Word 2: Today you will be with me in paradise.

Luke 23:43 “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

Theme: Life after death

The second word of Jesus from the cross is addressed to one of the two thieves who were executed with him.  This thief recognized who Jesus was and asked to be remembered when Jesus came into his kingdom.  Jesus responds with the promise that indeed he will be with Jesus in Paradise after his death.  Let us now turn to our discussion this week in which we reflect on “Paradise” and also our own resurrections, which we will see, together constitute life after death.

What do you think popular culture believes about life after death?

Answers will range from reincarnation; everyone goes to heaven; total annihilation or escape into nothingness,; the good people (which everyone seems to be when they pass away) go to heaven to be with God for all eternity, while those who are evil go to hell; some people become angels and watch over those they left behind; or maybe just an image of harps, clouds, and singing comes to mind.

Word 1: Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.

I’m sure many of you suspected I might be writing a post about Ash Wednesday.  Even though I am not writing weekly posts, I will be posting something each week for the season of Lent.  We are doing a Bible study at our house each week for the season of Lent looking at the seven last words of Christ from the cross.  I haven’t forgotten my project of doing some bigger theology topics, but with the study each week, it takes more of my time.
 

So, with that in mind, let me first mention the post I wrote last week concerning the season of Lent and especially Ash Wednesday found here: (http://alecellis.blogspot.com/2012/02/lent-and-ash-wednesday.html).  Check out last year’s post if you’re interested, but let’s move on to the topic at hand.

Jesus spoke seven sayings from the cross which must be of some importance since Jesus said them in his last moments and the Gospel writers deemed them important enough to include them in their accounts. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sayings_of_Jesus_on_the_cross) Each week, we will take a saying of Jesus from the cross and discuss it through the lens of another aspect of Jesus’ life in the Gospels.  The first saying comes from Luke 23:34.

Jeremiah 29:11 and an Introduction

As promised a few weeks ago, I am going to enter into dialogue this year about some more broad topics and hopefully we can all learn something together.  It is a bit ironic that I want to take on something like explaining theology to anyone since in school this was really my least favorite subject.  Part of that stems from the fact that in theology, as in so many areas, we are dealing with degrees of certainty.  This was actually what bothered me in one of my Bible classes.  I was a bit upset with a teacher’s interpretation of something and what I perceived was his assurance that he was right.  So, naturally, I asked him why he thought this view was correct.  His answer about “degrees of certainty” really helped in my own education from that point forward.  When it comes to theology and biblical studies, and for that matter science, history, and a whole host of other things, we are dealing only with degrees of certainty.  Especially when it comes to our knowledge of God, the very essence of theology, we must approach this subject with humility and grace, acknowledging that we might be wrong.  The best we can do is say, “From all the knowledge and experience I have, this is what I believe and think today.  It might change tomorrow under compelling evidence, be that from the Bible, a new experience, or maybe just a new realization or epiphany.”