Wasteful Worship

John 12:1-11

Waste not want not. It’s a phrase most of us are familiar with. Depending on when you were born it may mean different things to you than to your neighbor. When I was growing up my mom used this term usually to refer to the food on our plates. When my grandmother was a young girl it would have been used to talk about flour sacks, tin foil, hose, pieces or wood or scrap metal, glass, etc. 

Waste is a very different concept for different people. My grandmother never used Ziploc bags for anything. She found their very existence wasteful. She had Tupperware, the good kind, and cloths to wrap food in. My Mom on the other hand loved plastic Ziploc bags. She had them in every size and style. She loved that they were disposable because it meant less time washing dishes. What was wasteful to my Grandmother signified freedom for my mom.

In today’s scripture we are told about a woman, named Mary, who uses a very extravagant gift on Jesus’ feet. No, she doesn’t give him a pedicure, she washes his feet with this costly perfume and the dries it with her hair.

While in our day and time this would be seen as odd, quirky, personal space invading behavior, it had completely different connotations in Jesus’ world. First, the disciples and Jesus are spending time in Bethany and Mary, Martha and Lazarus’ home. This is this same family that a chapter before has experienced the miraculous return from the dead of their brother. Jesus has been said to love these three. They are close to Jesus and he has reunited them. 

Here they sit at a meal together, reclining at the table. Martha is serving, and Lazarus sits with Jesus. In walks Mary with a pound of perfume made from pure nard. Judas tells us it is worth 300 denarii- 300 day’s wages. She takes this perfume and pours it all over Jesus’ feet. 

Have you ever been in a room where someone sprayed on perfume? It doesn’t take long for that scent to waft towards you, even in a room as large as this sanctuary. Scents are powerful. When I served as a hospital chaplain and later as a hospice chaplain, scents were forbidden because they could affect people in so many ways. Not only are people allergic or sensitive to them, scent is also one of the most powerful connections we have to memory. Just a hint of Oil of Olay original scent brings my Grandma into focus for me.

Here, a pound of the stuff is poured out. The smell would have overpowered the room. Everyone would have taken notice. No one could have ignored or not recognized that this was happening. What Mary did was not a private hidden act, but a public bold statement.

To add to her boldness, Mary dries Jesus’ feet with her hair. To do this, her hair would have had to have been uncovered, and more than likely loose. These things were not done in mixed company in those days. Women kept their heads covered. It was proper, dignified, required. Here, Mary uncovers her hair and drapes it over a man’s feet. And a man she is not married to or even related to! The horror. This was a huge huge social no no! This kind of thing wasn’t done. Period.

In other versions of this story people watching are amazed that this loose woman, a stereotype based on the loose hair, would dare to approach Jesus in such a manner, and that Jesus would allow it to occur. In John’s version no one seems shocked that Mary has unbound her hair, but they certainly take issue with the use of the perfume.

There are always the fiscally conservative among any group. People must keep an eye on the cost of things. Within most religious institutions there is a treasurer, perhaps a finance committee or even a Board of Trustees that is responsible for giving an accounting of funds received and funds used. In most cases this is an accountability issue. We want to make sure that funds and facilities are being used to their fullest potential. There is nothing wrong with that. We should be good stewards of what we are given to be stewards over. 

Judas was the treasure of the group. It makes sense that he would call this use of resources into question. Three hundred days wages was a lot of money. Nothing to laugh at. Of course, he would want to know why it was being, in his mind, waisted like this. 

John throws in the snide comment that Judas used to steal from the common purse and that’s why he was so interested in the value of the perfume. Could be truth, although none of the other Gospel writers tell us this about Judas. It could be character assassination, to keep Judas solidly in the betrayer category John seems fond of. 

So, there is Mary, sitting on the floor, wiping Jesus’ feet, her hair, hands, whole house covered in the scent of her worship. And there sits Judas judging her. 

Mary didn’t just stumble upon this costly perfume. This was the kind of perfume used to anoint the dead. It was used to keep the body from smelling. She had this perfume, not because she kept a store of such extravagant and expensive things. She had it because her brother was dead, had died, and it was needed. 

But, but she hadn’t had to use it for its intended purpose. Her brother Lazarus is alive! Sitting at the table with Jesus and the disciples, eating and drinking with them. Out of her extreme gratitude, an act of worship, she pours it out over Jesus’ feet. This extravagant, wasteful act is anything but wasted. 

Jesus holds her up as an example saying that this perfume was to anoint him for his burial, which would come in a few days’ time. Mary might not have known at that point that her gift would be one to and for a dying Jesus, but it was a gift of worship. 

Thursday night I went with Chrissy to the Winning Women gathering at Restoration church. Pastor Angela told a story at the beginning about a time she was speaking at a women’s event and she felt the Lord telling her to bring a rose for every woman in attendance. Her first thought was, that’s going to be expensive. But she did it. She bought dozens of roses and handed one out to every woman there. When she was done she had three left over. She felt pretty good about that. Then she heard the Spirit urging her to give all three of those roses to a woman seated near her. So, she did. The woman began to cry and left the auditorium. Years later she ran into this woman at the store. The woman recognized her. She called out to her to thank her for the roses. She said that she had never been given a flower in her entire 46 years of life and that those roses had shown her she was valued, special and loved.

Because of this encounter, Pastor Angela likes to give things away at the women’s meetings. I thought it was a very sweet story but put it out of my mind. Then another leader asked us to pick up our purses and prepare to be the first ones to bring an item to the front. 

Now, you all know I don’t carry a purse. Chrissy had already commented that I wasn’t going to win anything because I don’t carry a bag with me. The very first thing called out for was an expired drivers license. While I don’t carry a purse, I do carry a wallet. And in that wallet are two expired drivers license along with my current one. So, I went to the front to claim my prize. Pastor Angela was holding up a box filled with cooking things and I looked at it and reached in for the oven mitt and started to pull it out to take. Then she shook her head and said, “No honey, you get the whole basket.” 

They gave away at least 6 baskets or gifts, each beautiful, filled with goodies and extravagant. 

I’m sure there are some who might say these gifts are wasteful. They don’t take up an offering, the women who come all attend different churches. There is not a mention of regular worship times. But to this group these gifts are an act of worship. A way of sharing the love that they have received and continue to receive from God with others.

What is wasteful worship? I am sure, if we were to look closely we could find ways that others see our worship as wasteful. Perhaps in the time spent on praises and prayer requests could be better used, or the passing of the peace could be streamlined. But these things are not here just to take up time. They are a part of our worship. A time for connecting with God and with one another as God’s children.

To Judas, it was Mary’s worship, pouring out something that could be used in other ways onto feet, onto hair, onto the ground. Jesus doesn’t agree. 

And I’m sure Mary was reminded of the approval of her worship throughout that week, Holy week. The smell would have clung with her, to her hands, in her hair, as she watched Jesus walk the path to Calvary. As she watched him hang on the cross, the scent of her worship surrounded her. As she saw him laid in the tomb, the scent lingered. When she heard the good news of his resurrection, the scent turned from mourning to dancing. Her wasteful worship lingered as a witness of the power of Christ, yes even power over death.

Worship with a purpose is anything but wasteful. May our worship be extravagant, loving and overpowering so that it stays with us throughout the trials and suffering of our lives. May our worship bring witness to Jesus’ power, yes even the power of resurrection and new life.

Day 93: God's Favor and Favoring God

Deuteronomy 28, 29 and Luke 7:31-50

These chapters talk about what is means to find favor with God and to lose favor with God as the people of Israel. Luke also show us what life can look like when we show our favor of, or preference for, God.

Deuteronomy 28:

The first 14 verses of this chapter speak to the promises for Israel if they choose to follow God’s commands. They will be blessed with national security, prosperity, and political power. These things are purported to be what comes naturally from living in covenant with the Lord.

Beginning with verse 15 we get a picture of the curses that await the people if they do not live in covenant faithfully. It is important to remember that these scriptures were most likely collected and edited during the time of exile in Babylon. The view of the editors at the time might very well have been that the people had let God down and therefore were suffering the listed curses because of their lack of fidelity.

Deuteronomy 29

Here Moses rehearses the history of Israel with the people of God. These words are not just for those present, but for future generations. By following the commands, or revealed things of God, they will remain in right relationship with God. Most of our liturgical acts serve a similar function- reminding us of God’s promises and calling us to be faithful to the always faithful God.

Luke 7:31-50

Jesus is still talking here to the Pharisees and disciples about John and about Jesus’ own identity. The people of “this generation” who refuse to repent are compared to children who refuse to play a game with the other kids. They said John has a demon and Jesus ate and drank too much with the wrong people. Wisdom discerns when is the time to weep and to dance as found in Ecclesiastes. Wisdom’s children are those who hear God’s word and follow.

Then we are given the account of the so called sinful woman. What an outrageous outpouring of love and thanksgiving she offers! This is nothing short of an act of worship, worship of a heart who has experienced love and forgiveness. Simon, the Pharisee, and those around cannot see this as worship because they cannot look past their own rules/regulations of pure and unclean. They are blinded to compassion.

While they sit there having uncharitable thoughts, Jesus cements his prophetic status by knowing Simon's thoughts. He takes this opportunity to remind Simon, and all others present, that the past is erased by grace. And that the response to forgiveness is thanksgiving and worship.

Day 55: The Priests Manual and the first Missionary

Psalm 90, Leviticus 1, 2 and Mark 5:1-20

These chapters give us the first priests instruction manual, a discussion of human nature verses God’s nature, and the sending out of the first missionary.

Psalm 90

This Psalm gives us a comparison between the eternal nature of God and mortals. This passages is called Moses’ prayer and it sounds much like what we might have expected Moses to say to God on the mountain when he is asking for mercy for the people of Israel. The psalmist says that people gain wisdom with age, hopefully, even though that wisdom is limited because they do not live long. He also asks God to give value to the work of the hands of God’s people.

Leviticus 1

Leviticus is called the Priests Manual. The purpose of priests was to teach the difference between common and uncommon, clean and unclean. The priests helped set the cultic culture of the Israelites.

There are believed to be two different sources for Leviticus; P, the priestly code, and h, the Holiness code. H, or the Holiness code, is thought to be the later because it appears to comment on and have redaction of P.

In this chapter we are given instructions of offerings. These are the parts that make me want to skip this book all together. The thing I find interesting is that the people are a part of the ritual by choosing the sacrifice and doing the slaughtering. Aaron’s sons, the priests, only step in as silent intercessors.

Leviticus 2

We get more details about offerings in this chapter. Offerings by fire are food offerings, they bring smoke, but are not burnt up. The priests are allowed to eat these gifts. No leaven or honey can be included in the offerings for aromas, but salt must always be included.

Mark 5: 1-20

Jesus goes into the land that is primarily Gentile land. When he crosses the lake he meets a man shackled to stones, who bruises himself with rocks, and is naked. The people have chained him because his demons that some say might have been some form of mental illness.

There are a lot of plays on words in this passage. The demon says its name is “Legion”. A legion is a unit of 6,000 Roman troops. Tombs, demons and pigs were all considered unclean by Jews. The pig herd of 2,000 would have been there to feed Gentiles or the Roman occupying forces. There is an element of humor to the Legion being cast into the swine and hurled off of a cliff.

The most interesting part of this whole account to me is the people’s reaction. They see the demoniac clothed and in his right mind and they are afraid. After the miracle of healing they are scared. They are so scared that they beg Jesus to leave. How often are we scared by changes in others? When have we reacted with fear to something being different than we knew it before?

The man begs to leave with Jesus and Jesus tells him no. The man is sent out into the ten cities to share the good news. He becomes the first missionary to the Gentiles.

Day 49: Instructions for Worship and Jesus Heals

Exodus 27, 28 and Mark 1:23-45

These passages continue to teach the Israelites how to worship. Jesus in Mark shows people the power of God.

Exodus 27

Here we find more instructions for worship. These have to do with the courtyard that is to surround the Tabernacle, the place for worship, and with the things to be kept in the bounds of the worship space.

Worship of God was a new thing to the Israelites who had been kept a slaves and not allowed to worship with freedom. Step by step God is offering ways to set themselves apart in their worship.

How are we set apart in our worship?

Artist interpretation of Priestly Robes

Exodus 28

God gives instructions here on clothing for worship, specifically the priests clothing for worship. There is mention that God gave tailors specific wisdom about how to make these unique garments. This helps us to see that worship does not only involve the priests, but without the gifts of all of God’s people, worship is incomplete.

Mark 1:23-45

Jesus is walking around with his disciples on the Sabbath. He casts out an evil spirit. He then goes and heals Simon’s mother-in-law and she gets us and serves, also on the Sabbath. This is where the grumbling against Jesus begins.

Jesus becomes popular and moves on from that place throughout Galilee. The Spirit of God cannot be kept in one place. He heals people because he is moved by compassion.

One particular man is cleansed from Leprosy by Jesus’ touch. Jesus tells him to go quietly to the priest and be declared clean, but the man goes out into the streets sharing his good news. Jesus can then no longer enter anyplace openly and becomes an outsider, having to stay in the lonely places outside of towns.

Even then people flock to go outside, where Jesus is. Jesus will not let the evil spirits he casts out speak because they know his identity and in Mark, Jesus tries to keep his identity as the Messiah quiet.

Day 47: Laws of Worship and Resurrection

Exodus 23, 24 and Matthew 28:

These chapters introduce us to some of the laws of worship for the Israelites. These laws were to help differentiate between the worship they had known and seen in Egypt and worship of the one true God. In Matthew, we are given the account of Jesus’ resurrection.

Exodus 23

The laws for worship and living are continued in this chapter of Exodus. Verse 9 reminds the people for a second time to not oppress the alien in their midst. This is one of God’s laws repeated time and time again in scripture.

God gives the Sabbath laws, decreeing that even fields get a rest one out of every seven years. Rest is a necessity it would seem, even for the soil. Why do we struggle so much in actually taking a day of rest and worship ourselves?

God declares the celebration of three festivals, Passover, Harvest and the Ingathering (or end of growing season) I was recently asked why we do not celebrate these festivals in our Christian faith. We choose to celebrate each Sunday as a remembrance of the resurrection and we celebrate the birth, death, and resurrection of the Lord annually. This is a way that Christians began differentiating themselves from those who did not accept Jesus as the Messiah.

Exodus 24

Aaron and Moses along with 70 elders are allowed to go up the mountain. They saw God and lived to tell the story. There is a beautiful description of seeing God’s feet resting on a sapphire or lapis lazuli. Moses goes up to the very top to speak with God and is there 40 days and 40 nights.

Matthew 28

Three days have passed and the women are going to the tomb to anoint Jesus’ body. There is another earthquake and when they arrive they find the stone rolled away and the guards is shock. An Angel stands there and tells them Jesus is risen! He tells them to tell the others to meet Jesus in Galilee. The women leave fearful, yet full of joy.

Along the way they meet Jesus. They cling to him, worship him. Jesus then tells them to tell the disciples to gather in Galilee. They run to the disciples and spread the Gospel message.

Meanwhile the guards find their ability to speak and move. They go to the priests and tell what they saw. The priests bribe them to lie about what they have witnessed. And a rumor spreads that Jesus’ body was stolen from the grave.

When the disciples and Jesus gather in Galilee some believe and others doubt. Jesus gives the great commission to them all. Even those who held doubt. Even when we question or are unsure, we are to continue in the work, trusting that God’s got this.

Hard Things

2 Kings 5:1-14

Life is hard. It’s a phrase we hear often, or at least various versions of those words. “My life is hard.” “Adulting is hard.” “Being a kid is hard.” “being a parent is hard.” “breathing is hard today.” When I get overwhelmed by the whole life being hard thing, I remember a sign that my 4^th grade teacher had in her room. It read “We can do hard things.”

We can do hard things. Each and every day we stumble, struggle and pull our way through hard things. I think some of that fight is what keeps me motivated. It’s hard, but once it’s done I’ll feel a sense of accomplishment, I’ll know I’ve “made something of myself.”

In today’s scripture lesson there are some people who do some hard stuff. But they are not the ones we tend to focus on. This story is remembered as the time Naaman took a bath, at least by those of us who learned it as small children. The message to me was always “Be clean, be pure, be obedient.” Funny how as an adult those are not the truths I find in this passage at all.

In fact, the more time I’ve spent looking at the scripture the more I realize that it’s not really so much about Naaman, as it is about those around him.

Scripture tells us Naaman is a “big man on campus” sort of fellow. He is a warrior for the king of Aram, enemies of the Israelites, by the way. He is the right hand man of the king and things are going well for him, except for one small problem. He has leprosy.

Leprosy is the name given in biblical times to all sorts of skin diseases, from eczema to flaky skin to rashes to the disease as it is known today. According to the Israelite tradition, Naaman would have been exiled from the community until he was healed. But remember, he’s not an Israelite! These same rules don’t apply. He’s continued about his work, but he is getting fed up with this issue.

The more he complains and suffers, the more his household becomes unnerved, to the point where a young slave girl, one from Israel, gets the nerve to speak up and offer a new plan of action.

What a brave, hard thing she did! She spoke up for the prophet of her God. She gave voice to the healing powers her homeland proclaimed. She spoke the Lord’s words in a foreign land.

How often do we let words of comfort, encouragement, even healing or salvation die on our tongues because we are afraid of the reaction? How often do we know that healing is available, but don’t offer it out of fear or rejection, fear of humiliation, fear of retribution? It’s hard!  But this girl knew she could do hard things.

After meeting with the king Naaman goes, not to the prophet, but to the King of Israel! That’s how we know Naaman was a big deal, and knew he was a big deal. It’s like approaching the president for an appointment with the presidential dermatologist! It’s over kill. To us it seems hard, but to Naaman it was how things were done. The king had authority in his country, surely this king had the same control over his healers.

After the kings own existential crisis, he sends Naaman on to Elisha for healing. And Elisha refuses to play into this power play. He sends out a servant and says, wash in the river Jordan 7 times, and you will be healed.

No pomp, no circumstance, just a simple bath in a muddy river. It’s a simple thing to do. But Naaman is insulted. Naaman is a big man, and he expects his healing to be a big deal. This simple washing bit is too simple, too beneath him. It’s not the show he’s brought all these goods to pay for!

While life is hard, and can be hard, its often the simple things that trip us up. The simple things like saying thank you when someone holds open a door, or the simple act of passing that kindness onto another. A simple smile or greeting can change a person’s morning, but we too often think of it as wasted energy. The simple acts of a cup of cold water on a hot day, or a meal to eat, even if it’s just a burrito, these are life changing, life giving healing acts. They are simple, and perhaps that’s why we have a hard time doing them.

Naaman does not want to do the simple because it seems like not enough. But God does not turn his back on Naaman, and god does not turn God’s back on us.

God does not leave us bereft of support when tragedy does strike; rather, God employs ordinary people to act in extraordinary ways.

In this cases Naaman’s servants stretch out an olive branch to him. They say “If it had been hard to do you would have done it. What keeps you from trying something so simple?” Naaman realizes he really has nothing to lose, and goes and bathes as instructed. And he is healed.

When Naaman was able to trust, to accept the simple instruction “wash and be clean” he was healed.

He was healed.

He returns giving thanks and praise. He returns asking more about this God who has changed him. He returns to offer thanks and praise. He returns completely healed, a new man, with skin like a young boy.

The slave girl, Elisha, the river Jordan are all set apart, not because they are intrinsically unique, but because God is at work through them, in all their particularity, for the good of Naaman.  For the good of an enemy of Israel.

That’s an oddity. God’s grace extending beyond the chosen people? But it did, and it does. Grace is offered to all. It’s a simple thing really, but we try to make it so hard. God loves the world, not just certain segments of that world. Not just North America, not just the Middle-east, but the world!

So we too are called to love the world. To reach out with these simple gestures of hope, kindness, faith and generosity. Reaching out a helping hand to a member of a different race, culture or religion does not require that one check one’s traditions or faith at the door in the interest of meeting that person on so called “neutral ground.” The slave girl and Elisha are able to help Naaman by drawing on the resources their religion and culture provide, not by setting them aside or kicking them away.

We are called to acts of justice and mercy in response to the grace we have received from God through Christ. Nothing more, nothing less.

Is it hard? It can sure seem that way. And we can do hard things. But sometimes its as simple as a cup and some bread. Sometimes its as simple as a shared meal. Sometimes its as simple as open arms. And we can do simple things too!

Drawing lines

Luke 7:1-10

What is a miracle? At its most basic definition we could say a miracle is something that we cannot understand. For some of us, the sun raising every morning is a miracle. For others who really understand the way the earth rotates may not see it so much as a miracle, but perhaps more of an inevitability. For some bringing home their child is a miracle they long for, and for others bringing home their child is a burden they are afraid to bear.

So much of what we see and experience like running clean water, ipads, instant rice would be miraculous in other settings, but to us its everyday stuff.

Today’s passage is about a miracle, a healing, but what has stood out to me in the study of this passage is the viewpoints expressed surrounding the miracle.

A leader in the Roman army sends word to Jesus asking for the healing of a servant in his household. This doesn’t really seem like much to us, but in Jesus’ day this would have been unusual to say the least. This man for all intents and purposes was the enemy, the occupying force in the Hebrew land. He was a member of the military, not a higher up, but a middle manager who was directly responsible for troops and responsible to his own leader. Nothing on the surface about this man should have granted him access to Jesus or any Jewish Religious leader. On the surface.

When we stop on the surface we struggle to see the true value in some people. When we look only at the outside we deny the possibility of something more, something greater than first glances and quick judgement.

I watched a man run out of Target the other day chasing a woman with her small child. He was in workout wear, not the best kept, but not unclean. He was yelling “Wait, stop” My first thought was not the most generous to the man. I was looking around to see what would happen and I grabbed my phone to prepare to call the police if things took a turn for the worse. The woman seemed hesitant, but turned back to look at him. As he approached her she pulled her child closer and reached for her keys. And that’s when she realized they were not in her pocket, they were in this young man’s hands. She had left them at the checkout in her rush to gather her purchases and her child. He was returning them to her, doing a good deed. And she, and I had at first glance judged that he was someone with less than good intentions.

The centurion in the scriptures was probably expecting a less than stellar response from Jesus, so he sends some people to vouch for him. He, it turns out, has been a supporter of the Jewish people, even going so far as to help with the building or financing of the synagogues.  He wants to put his best foot forward and knows that as someone who had been helpful to the community others will be willing to help him.

But as time draws closer something happens. He sends a delegation to Jesus telling them not to come to his home. He says that he is not worthy of Jesus’ presence and that he knows if Jesus will but speak the words, his servant will be healed.

This raises a lot of red flags for me. Why would he not want Jesus to visit his house? Was he afraid others might see Jesus and word would get back to his commanding officers? Was he afraid of the backlash of having a prominent Jewish teacher in his home? Was the servant who was sick his housekeeper and so his place was a wreck and he was ashamed for Jesus to see it in such disrepair? Why would he suddenly descide that the trip wasn’t worth Jesus’ time?

I’ll admit I’ve let this portion of the scripture bother me too much this week. But in some of my researched I learned something that I had not considered before. Perhaps, just perhaps he was showing grace to Jesus by telling him not to come. If Jesus had entered a gentiles house, the house of the infidel, the enemy, he would have been seen as unclean. There would have been religious and social consequences for this action. This centurion, who had helped build the synagogue would have known some of the purity codes the Jewish people followed. Could he perhaps have wanted to save Jesus the issues surrounding entering his house?

Jesus does not seem to question his motives. In fact, Jesus praises this enemy of Israel saying “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.” There is something about this exchange that shows Jesus a faith he has not yet encountered. This man, outside in every since of the word, somehow has a faith that surpasses all of Israel.

Here we find Jesus praising this faith and then healing the servant. The two never meet, never shake hands. Jesus doesn’t touch the servant or give any extra instructions. He is amazed, heals and moves on.

And I’ll admit, this is what troubles me the most about this passage. There is no admonishment to go and sin no more. There are no instructions to sell all you have and follow me. There are no words of calling that come from Jesus’ mouth. Jesus is amazed at this outsiders faith, holds it up to be praised and goes on his way.

I’m not really sure what to do with that. Does this mean that there are those that are not followers of Jesus but might still have the faith that amazes even God? Does God use people from outside the known boundaries to share the gospel? Why would Jesus heal a servant in that household, the household of the oppressors? Was it because the servant was Jewish? And there really are so many more questions that fill my thoughts. And honestly, I have no answers. And that’s okay. Sometimes part of our faith is in the not knowing, in the questioning, in the stretching of our minds and hearts.

The church I learned faith from stretched that faith by participating in Habitat for Humanity frequently. It became one of the go-to churches for the local Habitat leaders as far as seeking volunteers, finances and other efforts. One such effort was a house that they built after 9/11 with the local Mosque and Synagogue called the House of Abraham. The Cumberland Presbyterian Church was the church who joined with these two other organizations in providing a home for a family in the area. The relationships that were formed during that time were a testament to real faith. They all asked God’s blessing upon this family and the dwelling being built, and while all three groups met with opposition from members of their own religions they did not pull out of the project, but instead insisted that God was there in that work.

God was there, present, working through these people of faith to give shelter to the homeless, cloth the naked and give food and water to a family in need. Where people had drawn lines, these religious groups boldly stepped across them.

We like to draw lines of in and out, us vs them but as a seminary professor, Dr. Priebe, has said “every time you draw a line between who’s in and who’s out, you’ll find Jesus on the other side.”

I think there is a lot of truth to those words. God’s ways are not our ways. God does not have the same criteria, the same thoughts, the same ways as us, and boy am I thankful for that!

I think at its heart this is a story about grace. Grace shared, by both the centurion and by Jesus. It’s about faith that moves mountains, even the mountains of social norms and expectations. And even with the questions it raises, its value to us as Christians today is tremendous.

May we strive to have the faith of the centurion, faith to step out of what we know and trust in the wildness and unpredictability of God. May we stop drawing lines and instead join Jesus on the outside!

Mark 12:38-44

Mark 12: 38-44

“Beware of Dog” is not an uncommon sign to see in any neighborhood. It’s there to let you know that you should be careful when you are in a dog’s presence, even a dog you may know well. I’ve seen other signs that say “Beware of Attack Cat!” in people’s homes or “Beware, two year-old at play.” All of these signs caution us about what we are about to encounter, but I have never seen a sign based on Jesus’ teachings for this morning. “Beware of the scribes.”

It seems like an odd thing to say doesn’t it? “Beware of the religious leaders.” We typically have thought of religious leaders as someone worth trusting. In Jesus’ time the scribes were teachers of the law. Their opinions mattered on just about everything in your spiritual and physical life. The priests trusted them so they should have been trusted and respected by the common folk. Even in our society, where clergy have been tarnished by scandals recently, there is still a level of trust with a religious leader that you might not give your everyday stranger. So why is it that Jesus says to beware of the scribes?

It is important to point out that Jesus did not make a blanket statement to beware of all the scribes. After all just verses ago Jesus tells one scribe that he is not far from the kingdom of God. Jesus points to specific actions of those to beware of. He says, “beware of those who like to walk around in long robes, and to be greeted with respect in the marketplace, and to have the best seats in the synagogue and places of honor at banquets.”

I must be honest with you and say that there isn’t much on this list that couldn’t describe most preachers I know, even myself. I love to wear my long robe, I appreciate being treated with respect in public, I sit up front, the best seat in the house at church, and you all have done a fine job of letting Steve, the kids and I go first at every potluck we’ve had at Christ Church! These things are usually associated with being a clergy person.

These would have been normal benefits for any scribe or high priest. These actions themselves are not the problems, rather the motivations behind them.

The scribes cautioned against wore their clothing so that people would notice them. They sought out people’s attention in public for personal gain. They sat in the best seats so that everyone would see them and comment on their piety, and they coveted the best seats at a banquet so that others would know their high place in society. While they do these things, Jesus gives us an insight into their hearts.

“They devour widows houses and for the sake of appearance say long prayers.” Many scholars tell us that the scribes might have been put in charge of widows trusts if she had no male relatives to care for her after the death of her husband. The law commanded that the synagogue care for widows and orphans. Yet here Jesus accuses the scribes of taking everything away from widows. Perhaps that is how some gained their fortunes, by skimming off of the top of the widows’ retirement assets.  Jesus also accuses them of praying for the sake of appearances. They seem to be saying “Look at me, I can pray and talk to God for long periods of time because of my goodness and closeness to God!” They prayed out loud and in public so as to be noticed.

I believe that Jesus teaches to beware of the scribes as a way of telling his disciples what not to do. He knows that the disciples will be the leaders of the faith and he does not want them to fall into the same patterns of behaviors as these particular scribes. Jesus emphasized service over self and that message is one we still need to hear today. We, as Jesus’ disciples in the world today need to be outwardly focused. We need to be serving others rather than our own egos. As if this were not plain enough teaching, Jesus continues by moving over across from the treasury tables in the temple and giving the disciples an object lesson.

They crowd was passing through the temple and stopping at the treasury to pay their temple tithes or taxes. The coins of the day had ceaser’s picture on them so they had to be exchanged for “temple coins” in order to be paid to the temple. So there would have been several places that moneychangers sat at tables exchanging roman coins for temple coins. Anyone giving to the temple would have visited a moneychanger first. The treasury might have been a place people gathered waiting to exchange their money, to give their money, or perhaps to see how much your neighbor was putting into the pot. So while everyone is watching the rich people pouring their money into the treasury here comes a widow who drops in two little coins.

I am sure that had this been an ordinary day, the widow’s act would never have been noticed. In fact I think that most of the time this widow was all but invisible. I wonder what she was thinking when she gave everything she had to the temple. I was taught in Sunday school that she was generous and gave “cheerfully.” But that’s not found anywhere in the text. In fact, given the fact that Jesus has just told us that scribes “devoured widows houses” and scribes were a part of the oppressive temple system, I doubt that her giving was cheerful. I tend to see her as angry. Maybe even shaking her fist at the leaders thinking, “You’ve taken everything I have but these two coins. What can I buy with less than a penny? You might as well take it all!” She gives all that she has, what little bit it is, and goes on her way, relying on God to care for her, because she knows she cannot rely on humankind.

 She reminds me a little of the widow in 1 Kings 17 who meets Elijah. Elijah asks her for water and a piece of bread. There has been no rain in the land and the woman has very little to live on. She tells Elijah that she only has enough flour and oil to make a small meal for herself and her son to eat and then they will die.  Elijah promises her that if she feeds him first then God will not let her run out of food until it rains again. She had nothing left to loose, she and her son where going to starve, but she gives up everything and in the end does experience a miracle from the Lord. The widow in Mark does not have a prophet standing in front of her promising good things for her gift. She just gives it. There is no promise for food and oil tomorrow, there is only today.

Jesus calls the disciples together and praises this woman. She has given everything she had to live on to the very system that devours widows’ houses. She has given more than anyone else.

So what can we learn from this widow? There are so many things. There is the point to be made about sacrificial giving. She gave everything and in a few short days after this teaching Jesus would give all he had to give on a Roman Cross overlooking this very temple. There is the point to be made about trust. Even though she did not have anything else she still gave trusting that God would provide. Bu the lesson that strikes me the most is the lesson of faith. She gave to the very organization that should have been giving to her. She did not excuse herself from giving because she had been hurt. She did not choose to send her money elsewhere because she didn’t like the leadership. She did not punish God for the acts of created beings.

When it gets right down to it, that is who we give to. Not humanity, not buildings or organizations or programs, but to God. To our creator. And when God has given so much, who are we to hold anything back?

Heartbreak Mark 8

Friends, my heart is broken this week. As we have had the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks juxtaposed with the Syrian refugee crisis. My mind has been unable to focus, my heart has cried out time and again to God. And honestly, I’m not finished listening to God’s answer.

I’ve sought out words to bring to you today, words to bring to myself, but could find nothing inside of my own head or heart to share. What I did find however comes from the head and heart of another minister, Rev. Dr. David Lose. These words brought me a bit of comfort and hope and I’d like to share them with you this morning.

Rev. Dr. David Lose Sermon on Mark 8

Everyone is equal in God's eyes

Sermon on James 2:1-17

James 2:1-17

I have a friend who moved up north a few years ago. I’ll call her Tina. Tina is far away from her family and friends and has struggled to find a way to get to know other people. Specifically people she might like to date.

Tina’s a good southern girl who’s always dreamed of the husband, kids, and whole thing, although in her vision he might be a stay at home dad. In her 30’s Tina is struggling to meet people who have similar plans and thoughts about the future that she is actually finds interesting enough for a second date.

Tina turned to the world of online dating at the advice of a friend, or family member and began a series of less than stellar dates. Each man quickly showed at least one or two if not 20 undesirable traits and were dismissed from the list of possible suitors. Fed up with the whole thing, but too practical to waste the money she’d spent, she sent out her information to a group of guys that she thought where “out of her league.” She called them “pretty boys” who would never look twice at her profile.

Tina had judged herself, and the males in this group too harshly. Less than a week later one of these “too good for her guys” had contacted her. They went out on a couple of dates and are really enjoying one another’s company.

Sometimes when we judge others instantly we miss out on great opportunities. Some times when we judge ourselves too quickly we keep opportunities at bay.

Our scripture lesson this morning talks about a group of Christians in worship. This may seem an odd thing to compare to online dating, but bear with me here.

The writer of James has taught about pure religion; that is a religion that cares for widows and orphans. The point of this is a religion that cares for those who are less fortunate. Jesus himself said that we must become servants to the least of these. What the writer saw happening in this particular congregation was behavior of blatant favoritism.

When a new person entered the assembly, or church, they were sized up immediately. Are they wealthy? Could they be upstanding citizens? Will they improve our standing in society or our bottom line?

With these questions in their hearts the people would offer seats of privilege to those who seemed well off. However, if someone came in who looked poor, someone who looked somehow less than the reception they received was completely different.

These individuals were seated wherever they could be closely watched. It is almost as if they see this poor person as nothing more than a transient who might dare to hit up church members for money after service concludes.

These two receptions show that this congregation has its heart in the wrong place. Because everybody is equal in God’s eyes!

Favoritism is something that the scriptures are against from the get go. Throughout the good word we are told to care for widows and orphans, for the alien, the strangers in our midst. Jesus time and again preached and showed love to and for the poor.

And yet. And yet the followers of Christ have far too often ignored or worse, denigrated the poor, as if being poor was the worst sin one could commit.

There has long been a sense of disrespect for the poor, which is odd considering the elevated status Jesus often gave the poor. God who gives to all, and gives generously, raises the lowly. God promises the poor the very kingdom of God if they are rich in faith and love.

Often our faith is played out in acts of mercy for the poor, which is wonderful, but at times it is easier to do so for the distant poor and not those who we might actually have to smell or touch.

While at one point in the history of the church the poorest of the poor, beggars were seen as reflections of Christ, that changed during the middle Ages. As more and more people found themselves in desperate straits the church began seeking to teach skills and trades to lead to self-reliance. Those that did not, or could not learn new skills and continued to beg were seen as to lazy or unworthy to receive charity. The distinction between the poor and the working poor was drawn clearly in the church. The working poor were worthy of help, but others were just too lazy to pull themselves up by their boot straps.

The writer of James calls the church to a higher standard. James reminds the people, and us that Jesus calls us to love our neighbor as ourselves. To find worth in the fellow creations of God. To once again see God’s image in even the poorest of faces. Everyone is equal in God’s eyes.

When we show partiality we show that in our hearts, gold weights more than faith or love. Favoritism based on wealth or status does not show God’s love. In fact the polar opposite of favoritism is mercy.

There was a church in downtown small town USA. It was the big Steeple church in town, where everyone wore suits and ties, where the ladies still wore hats Easter morning. Services were beginning and the elders had started to shut the doors. A young man slipped in. His smell hit the sanctuary before he did. He hadn’t bathed in a while and his reeked of cigarettes and body odor. His hair was long and unkempt. He had holes in his shoes and dirt on his face. As he walked up the center isle of the church people began getting nervous. They spread out so that pews that would have sat 2 or three more suddenly looked too full. They did not make eye contact but you could hear a slight buzzing as he passed each row.

Finally he reached the front and sat down on the floor in front of the front pew. The minister was taken aback and had no idea what to do. The service was at a standstill.

In the fourth row, Gospel side, an elderly man stood up, grabbed his cane and began making his way to the front. You could feel the tension release. This man was an elder of the church. He had been there forever. He was third generation Cumberland Presbyterian. He would know how to handle this vagabond.

The pastor nodded his head in approval and waved to the organist to signal that she could begin playing the opening hymn. When the old man reached the front of the room he put his hand on the young man’s shoulder. He leaned forward, and lowered himself onto the ground next to the young man. They sat together the rest of the service, praying together, singing together, and joining in communion with one another. They sat there as children of God, as equals in God’s eyes. And in their actions the gospel was preached and received.

As the writer of James points out, faith without works is dead. What good is it to see someone in need and say go on your way, be blessed without offering some help? Or as Jesus put it in Mark 8:36 “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?”

Everyone is equal in the eyes of God. The poor, the rich, the elevated, the downtrodden. All are equal, all are loved. And as children of God, heirs to the kingdom, members of the body of Christ we are called to view people with the eyes of Christ our Lord.

When we exhibit favoritism, when we leave out words of justice and hope for the poor, we are leaving out huge parts of the word of God. Did you know that in the first three Gospels, Matt Mark and Luke, there are one out of 10 verses that deal with the poor, in Luke its closer to one in seven. If we were to remove those words from the scriptures we would indeed have a “wholly” Bible, one missing the psalms, prophets, and many of those precious words in red.

How can we live lovingly and justly? By reaching out. By offering love and support. We do this in numerous ways here at Christ Church. In fact I want to share one with you right now. For the past month we have been collecting underwear and other hygiene items for downtown rescue mission. This has not been a huge sacrifice for most of us. A few dollars here and there. But this week those items were delivered and this is the thank you note we received.

“Thank You so much for gracious donation. God’s timing is always impeccable.

We had just put the undergarments on our need list when you came thru the door with the Blessing. Thank you so much for being sensitive to the drawing of the Spirit and being His hands and feet.

May God Bless you as much as you have been a blessing to us!!

Thru Him,

Cara”

A simple thing like new underwear can and will make a difference for someone in need. Generosity is giving and sharing what you have with others. When we are generous with fellow human begins we are sharing love with those created in God’s image. We honor God with this love and generosity.

Jesus said to love our neighbors as ourselves. We must learn to value the Jesus in us and the Jesus in others. We cannot sell ourselves short, but at the same time must not put others in their place.

Today we celebrate Holy Communion, one of the sacraments of our church, and perhaps the most leveling of all of the things we do.

Each of us is invited to the table, no matter our net worth, no matter our cleanliness, no matter our condition. We are all invited to come, share, taste and see that the Lord is good. One bread, one body. Because everyone is equal in God’s eyes.

Clean Hands or Clean Hearts

Sermon Based on Mark 7:1-23

How many times have you asked your children or grandchildren if they washed their hands before they sit down to eat? It seems to be a daily conversation in my house, and my kids get more and more exasperated the more that we mention hand washing. They know hygiene is important. They understand this whole germ-a-phobic thing, but they don’t really care, because they are too hungry!!

Our Scripture today starts out with a similar argument, at least on the surface. The Pharisees are yelling at Jesus because his disciples are eating with dirty hands.

Now, I’m not a fan of dirty hands myself, so this makes perfect sense to me. I’d probably have fussed too if James and Peter had propped their elbows up on my table without scrubbing first.

But this is not an argument about getting rid of germs. This is not a discussion about being dirty. This goes so much deeper than those things. This is an accusation of unworthiness, unholiness, unrighteousness.

Throughout the history of the Chosen people there have been laws about clean and unclean. There are clean and unclean foods. There are clean and unclean people. There are times when uncleanliness is for a day and times when it lasts for months or years. In fact much of Leviticus and Deuteronomy are spent explaining these holiness codes.

The people of God were called to be holy as God is holy. But what is Holy? Holy to us means set aside, other, and usually its used to describe ones personality, feelings, thoughts. But in these days holiness was an external thing. Something you had to prove, show outwardly on a daily basis.

The Pharisees believed that all Jewish people should abide by all of the Holiness codes. While these codes do not say that everyone is to wash before eating, they do specify that priests are to wash before eating meat, so that they may be pure. The Pharisees had taken this to the extreme claiming that everyone should be ritually clean before they eat.

Jesus seems to take a different view of this whole purity thing. As he does of so many things really. What matters more, clean hands? Or clean hearts?

Now chances are if you ask your mom this question before dinner she will send you quickly to the sink to wash up, at least this mom would. But we must remember that this cleanliness is not about germs or germ transmission.

To be “clean” meant that you were ready to worship God. You had set yourself aside. You were ready to be in God’s presence. If they had performed a ritual washing then they were no longer ordinary or eating with ordinary hands.

Or at least that’s what the ritual started out to mean. As most religious rituals the meaning had slipped away over time. It was no longer what the washing symbolized that was important, but the washing itself.

Think of the rituals we do in our worship services. And before you say “we don’t have any rituals, Pastor” think really hard.

The candle lighting (Carrying the light of Christ into our midst and following the light of Christ into the world)

Carrying in the cross (being led by the cross of Jesus to God and to the world)

Reading all 4 scripture lessons (God’s word is revealed in the New and Old Testaments)

Communion (In remembrance of Jesus)

Baptism (Being claimed as God’s Children)

Passing of the Peace. (Being a part of the body of Christ and acknowledging other parts of the body)

Each of these things has a specific meaning. We don’t just do them because we’ve always done them, because if we did than those things become idols rather than aids in worship.

Jesus points out that those who have become so focused on ritual have let their hearts become unclean, or distant from God. They have left the intent of the word and instead follow human tradition.

Ouch! Does that hurt anyone else here? It’s like the story of the pot roast. One day a young girl watches her mom make the Sunday diner pot roast and she asks “Why do you cut the ends off of the roast?” Her mom says “Because Grandma always did.” So the girl asks her grandma “Why do you cut the ends off of the roast?” and her grandma responds “Because my mom always did.” So the girl goes over to the great grandma sitting in a chair in the living room. She crawls into her lap and asks “Why do you cut the ends off of the roast?” Her great grandma smiled and said “Well honey, because I never has a pan big enough to cook it all.”

What had been a necessity became an unnecessary and wasteful ritual. Without knowing the reasons they were repeating irrational actions.

What Jesus’ accuses these leaders of doing is much worse however. In this passage Jesus says that they follow rules and rituals not because their hearts are close to God, but for personal gain. Jesus says that they have been known to claim that all they have is a gift to God, an offering so therefore they cannot help out their mothers and fathers. They cannot follow a commandment  “To honor and obey their parents” because in their own greed they have declared whatever they have extra should go to God.

On the outside it looks okay, but Jesus says the inside is where sinfulness hides. Would you rather have clean hands or clean hearts? He asks.

Jesus tells them that what goes into the body does not make it clean or unclean, or worthy or unworthy to come into God’s presence. After all, as crass as it sounds, what we eat doesn’t stay inside forever. Now, this is not a Biblical excuse to eat all kinds of Junk and abuse your body. All Jesus is saying here is that sin, the actions and thoughts that separate us from God come from within, not from outside of ourselves.

Since the heart is the center of one’s decision making process to turn your heart away from God or to have it filled with evil intentions is a grievous sin.

If your heart is full of these things, if you cannot show compassion, love, forgiveness, hope then it is in very poor spiritual condition. Each of the attitudes Jesus names in this passage “adultery, avarice, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, envy, slander, pride, folly; reflect a heart that has turned away from God. This sin will affect our relationship with others so it has personal and social consequences.

Jesus tells the Pharisees and us that we should stop worrying about our neighbor’s dirty hands and start looking at our own filthy hearts.

Instead of participating in the list of unholy behavior, perhaps we should focus on things that will help us continue to clean and renew our hearts.

Things like prayer, confession, reconciliation, Sabbath Keeping, Tithe and offering giving, public worship, service work, hospitality and forgiveness.  These things will help us to see God in our midst, to recognize God’s presence in the world.

By focusing on these things we can begin again to show the world God’s loving plans for humanity.

Rituals for rituals sake are meaningless at best, and intentionally harmful at worse. May we worry less about traditions and more about sharing God with those in need. May we worry less about clean hands and focus on having clean hearts.

Amen.